Category: Europe

MIL-OSI: Marex Group plc announces record fourth quarter and full year 2024 results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Marex Group plc (‘Marex’ or the ‘Group’; Nasdaq: MRX) a diversified global financial services platform, providing essential liquidity, market access and infrastructure services to clients in the energy, commodities and financial markets, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter (‘Q4 2024’) and year ended 31 December 2024 (‘2024’).

Ian Lowitt, Group Chief Executive Officer, stated, “I’m pleased to confirm that robust levels of client activity and positive market conditions led to another strong performance in the fourth quarter, typically a slower quarter seasonally. This delivered a full year Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ of $321.1 million, up 40% year-over-year. Our performance in 2024 demonstrates the strength and scalability of our diversified global platform, as we delivered strong organic growth, gained market share and continued our track record of sequential profit growth. We have continued to execute our strategy of expanding our geographic footprint and product capabilities through both organic growth initiatives and strategic acquisitions, increasing our relevance to a growing client base, and are confident of achieving sustainable growth through a variety of market conditions. We have had a strong start to 2025 with positive momentum continuing into the first two months of the year, reflecting strong levels of client activity on our platform consistent with higher exchange volumes.”

Financial and Operational Highlights:

Strong Q4 performance: robust client activity and supportive market conditions drove positive momentum and strong organic growth across the business. Average invested assets grew 12% over the quarter to $15.5bn delivering net interest income of $62.6m, broadly in line with the third quarter
Record full year 2024 profit: Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ increased 40% to $321.1m on a 28% increase in revenue, extending our track record of sequential profit growth to 10 years, as we continued to scale our platform
Executed growth strategy: expanded our geographic footprint and product capabilities through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions, increasing our market share and relevance to a broader client base
Successful IPO and secondary placing, supported by strong investor demand: publicly listed on Nasdaq in April, with successful first follow-on transaction in October increasing public float to 52%
Prudent approach to capital and funding: maintained a strong capital and liquidity position and further diversified funding sources with a $600m senior unsecured issuance
Dividend: $0.14 per share to be paid in the first quarter of 2025

Financial Highlights: ($m)	3 months ended 31 December 2024	3 months ended 31 December 2023	Change	Year ended 31 December 2024	Year ended 31 December 2023	Change
		Restated²
Revenue	415.6	325.6	28%	1,594.7	1,244.6	28%
Profit Before Tax	77.8	39.4	97%	295.8	196.5	51%
Profit Before Tax Margin (%)	19%	12%	700 bps	19%	16%	300 bps
Profit After Tax	56.7	28.1	102%	218.0	141.3	54%
Profit After Tax Margin (%)	14%	9%	500 bps	14%	11%	300 bps
Return on Equity (%)	23%	15%	800 bps	25%	19%	600 bps
Basic Earnings per Share ($)³	0.76	0.37	105%	2.96	1.94	53%
Diluted Earnings per Share ($)³	0.70	0.35	100%	2.72	1.82	49%

Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹	81.4	52.6	55%	321.1	230.0	40%
Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin (%)¹	20%	16%	400 bps	20%	18%	200 bps
Adjusted Profit after Tax Attributable to Common Equity¹	57.8	38.2	51%	231.0	162.6	42%
Adjusted Return on Equity (%)¹	27%	23%	400 bps	30%	26%	400 bps
Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share ($)¹^,³	0.82	0.58	41%	3.34	2.46	36%
Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share ($)^1,3	0.76	0.54	41%	3.07	2.31	33%

These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable non-IFRS measure. The Group changed the labelling of its non-IFRS measures during 2024 to better align to the equivalent IFRS reported metric and enhance transparency and comparability.
During 2023 an impairment of goodwill was recorded against the Volatility Performance Fund S.A. CGU (‘VPF’) . This impairment was previously disclosed in the Group’s discrete Q4 2023 numbers as part of the Group’s Q1 2024 earnings release update. Subsequent to this, management reassessed the impairment triggers as part of the Group’s interim results and concluded that the impairment triggers existed also as at 30 June 2023 and restated accordingly. There has been no impact to the Group’s year to date 31 December 2023 impairment, only that the VPF impairment was restated to be reflected in three months ended Q2 2023 rather than the three months ended Q4 2023.
Weighted average number of shares have been restated as applicable for the Group’s reverse share split (refer to Appendix 1 for further detail).

Conference Call Information:
Marex’s management will host a conference call to discuss the Group’s financial results today, 6 March 2025, at 9am Eastern Time. A live webcast of the call can be accessed from Marex’s Investor Relations website. An archived version will be available on the website after the call. To participate in the Conference Call, please register at the link here https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/59s7enfq.

Investor Day:
Marex plans to host an investor day 2 April 2025 in New York City to provide investors with a further understanding of its four businesses.

Enquiries please contact:
Marex
Investors – Robert Coates
+44 7880 486 329 / rcoates@marex.com

Financial Review

The following table presents summary financial results and other data as of the dates and for the periods indicated:

Summary Financial Results

	3 months ended 31 December 2024	3 months ended 31 December 2023		Year ended 31 December 2024	Year ended 31 December 2023
		Restated²
	$m	$m	Change	$m	$m	Change
– Net commission income	226.0	181.4	25%	856.1	704.9	21%
– Net trading Income	128.1	111.5	15%	492.4	411.4	20%
– Net interest income	62.6	30.2	107%	227.1	121.6	87%
– Net physical commodities income	(1.1)	2.5	(144)%	19.1	6.7	185%
Revenue	415.6	325.6	28%	1,594.7	1,244.6	28%

Compensation and benefits	(243.5)	(206.9)	18%	(971.1)	(770.3)	26%
Depreciation and amortisation	(7.1)	(6.1)	16%	(29.5)	(27.1)	9%
Other expenses	(90.3)	(71.7)	26%	(306.3)	(237.4)	29%
Impairment of goodwill	—	—	n.m.³	—	(10.7)	n.m.³
Provision for credit losses	(1.1)	(2.4)	(54)%	1.7	(7.1)	(124)%
Bargain purchase gain on acquisitions	—	—	n.m.³	—	0.3	n.m.³
Other income	4.2	0.9	367%	6.3	3.4	85%
Share of results in associates and joint ventures	—	—	n.m.³	—	0.8	n.m.³
Profit Before Tax	77.8	39.4	97%	295.8	196.5	51%
Tax	(21.1)	(11.3)	87%	(77.8)	(55.2)	41%
Profit After Tax	56.7	28.1	102%	218.0	141.3	54%

Profit Before Tax	77.8	39.4	97%	295.8	196.5	51%
Goodwill impairment charge²	—	—	n.m.³	—	10.7	n.m.³
Acquisition related costs	—	1.2	n.m.³	—	1.5	n.m.³
Amortisation of acquired brands and customer lists	*1.7*	0.7	143%	*5.5*	2.1	162%
Shareholder related activities	—	3.4	n.m.³	*9.3*	9.1	2%
IPO preparation and public offering of ordinary shares	*1.9*	7.9	(76)%	*10.5*	10.1	4%
Adjusting items	*3.6*	13.2	(73)%	*25.3*	33.5	(24)%
Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹	81.4	52.6	55%	321.1	230.0	40%

These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
During 2023 an impairment of goodwill was recorded against the Volatility Performance Fund S.A. CGU (‘VPF’). This impairment was previously disclosed in the Group’s discrete Q4 2023 numbers as part of the Group’s Q1 2024 earnings release update. Subsequent to this, management reassessed the impairment triggers as part of the Group’s interim results and concluded that the impairment triggers existed also as at 30 June 2023 and restated accordingly. There has been no impact to the Group’s year to date 31 December 2023 impairment, only that the VPF impairment was restated to be reflected in three months ended Q2 2023 rather than the three months ended Q4 2023.
n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage.

Costs and Group Headcount

The Board and Senior Management also monitor costs split between Front Office Costs and Control and Support Costs to better understand the Group’s performance. The table below provides the Group’s management view of costs:

	3 months ended 31 December 2024	3 months ended 31 December 2023		Year ended 31 December 2024	Year ended 31 December 2023
	$m	$m	Change	$m	$m	Change
Front office costs¹	(231.8)	(188.0)	23%	(881.5)	(690.4)	28%
Control and support costs¹	(100.1)	(76.0)	32%	(376.1)	(294.2)	28%
Total	(331.9)	(264.0)	26%	(1,257.6)	(984.6)	28%

1) Management review Front Office Costs and Control and Support Costs when assessing Adjusted Profit Before Tax performance. These costs are included within compensation and benefits, other expenses and depreciation and amortisation in the Statutory Income Statement provided above.

The following table provides a breakdown of Front Office and Control and Support Headcount

Full Time Equivalent (‘FTE’) headcount¹	2024	2023		2024	2023
	Average	Average	Change	End of Year	End of Year	Change
Front Office	1,250	1,028	22%	1,265	1,195	6%
Control and Support	1,084	886	22%	1,160	972	19%
Total	2,334	1,914	22%	2,425	2,167	12%

1) For analysis purposes, average headcount is used in the performance commentary outlined below.

Performance for the three months ended 31 December 2024

Revenue grew by 28% to $415.6m (Q4 2023: $325.6m) with strong organic growth across all businesses driven by robust client activity, market share gains and supportive market conditions. We continued to strengthen our position in the market outpacing growth in overall volumes in almost all markets in which we operate, particularly in Securities.

Net commission income increased by 25% to $226.0m (Q4 2023: $181.4m). The growth was driven mainly in Agency and Execution, which grew 22% to $160.7m (Q4 2023: $131.3m), reflecting higher client activity in Energy, as well as in Securities, driven primarily by our acquisition of TD Cowen’s prime services business in December 2023.

Net trading income rose by 15% to $128.1m (Q4 2023: $111.5m). The growth was driven mainly by Hedging and Investment Solutions which grew 24% to $52.6m (Q4 2023: $42.3m) as client demand grew for financial products.

Net interest income increased by 107% to $62.6m (Q4 2023: $30.2m). This growth was primarily driven by higher average balances.

Front office costs increased by 23% to $231.8m (Q4 2023: $188.0m), largely reflecting a 14% increase in average front office headcount and increased compensation on higher revenues.

Control and Support costs increased 32% to $100.1m (Q4 2023: $76.0m), primarily reflecting investment in our Finance, Risk, Technology and Compliance functions, as we continue to invest in our systems and processes to support future sustainable growth.

Reported Profit Before Tax increased by 97% to $77.8m (Q4 2023: $39.4m), driven by strong revenue growth and improved operating margins.

Adjusting items reduced by $9.6m to $3.6m (Q3 2023: $13.2m). These costs are primarily related to corporate activities and are recognised within our Corporate segment. Adjusting items reduced mainly due to the non-recurrence of costs incurred in preparation for and associated with our successful IPO and owner fees in the prior period.

As a result of the revenue and cost trends noted above, Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ increased 55% to $81.4m (Q4 2023: $52.6m) and Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹ improved to 20% (Q4 2023: 16%). In addition, as a result of the revenue, cost trends and adjusting items noted above, Profit After Tax Margin increased to 14% (Q4 2023: 9%).

Performance for the year ended 31 December 2024

Revenue grew by 28% to $1,594.7m (2023: $1,244.6m) driven by momentum across all our business, continued market share gains and a supportive market backdrop. Growth during 2024 was predominantly organic as we continued to invest in our businesses, as well as benefiting from the integration of our prior acquisitions.

Revenue growth was driven by net commission income which increased by 21% to $856.1m (2023: $704.9m). The increase occurred mainly in Agency and Execution, which increased by 28%, reflecting increased customer activity in Energy as well as strong performance in Credit and our prime services business, which we acquired from TD Cowen in December 2023. Net commission income also increased in our Clearing segment, up 11%, driven by our Metals business.

Net trading income rose by 20% to $492.4m (2023: $411.4m). Within our Market Making segment net trading income was significantly higher, primarily from Metals, reflecting exceptional market conditions and market sentiment in the second quarter across Copper, Aluminium and Nickel.

Net trading income was also driven by our Hedging and Investment Solutions business, which increased by 27% to $210.3m (2023: $165.7m) as demand grew for commodity hedging and financial products.

Net physical commodities income increased by 185% to $19.1m (2023: $6.7m). This increase was primarily due to an increase in sales volumes from physical recycled metal, largely driven by growth in demand for recycled metals.

Front office costs represent staff, systems and infrastructure costs associated with running our revenue generating operations. These costs increased 28% to $881.5m (2023: $690.4m), largely reflecting a 22% increase in average front office headcount.

Control and Support Costs primarily reflect staff and property related costs, along with professional fees and other administrative expenses associated with support functions. These costs increased 28% to $376.1m (2023: $294.2m), primarily reflecting investment in our Finance, Risk, Compliance and Technology functions, as we continue to invest in our systems and processes to support future sustainable growth. Total control and support average FTE grew 22% to 1,084 for 2024 (2023: 886).

Reported Profit Before Tax increased 51% to $295.8m (2023: $196.5m), driven by strong revenue growth and improved operating margins.

Adjusting items decreased by 24% to $25.3m (2023: $33.5m). These costs are primarily related to corporate activities and are recognised within our Corporate segment. Adjusting items decreased primarily due to the non-recurrence of goodwill impairment recognised in 2023. For full year 2024, adjusting items were mainly costs incurred in preparation for and associated with our successful IPO, including growth shares, owner fees and secondary sell down costs.

As a result of the revenue and cost trends noted above, Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ increased 40% to $321.1m (2023: $230.0m) and Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹ improved to 20% (2023: 18%) demonstrating our platform’s ability to deliver scale benefits. Profit after Tax Margins increased to 14% (2023: 11%).

Net interest income increased by 87% to $227.1m (2023: $121.6m). This growth was driven by higher average balances and investment returns, as well as the acquisition of Cowen’s prime services business in December 2023.

	3 months ended 31 December 2024	3 months ended 31 December 2023	Change	Year ended 31 December 2024	Year ended 31 December 2023	Change
Average Fed Funds rate	4.7%	5.3%	(60)bps	5.2%	5.0%	20bps

Average balances¹	15.5	11.3	4.2	13.5	12.9	0.6

Interest income ($m)	185.2	141.5	43.7	702.4	520.4	182.0
Interest paid out ($m)	(62.4)	(60.6)	(1.8)	(257.7)	(219.0)	(38.7)
Interest on balances ($m)	122.8	80.9	41.9	444.7	301.4	143.3

Net yield on balances	3.1%	2.8%	30bps	3.3%	2.3%	100bps

Average notional debt securities ($bn)	(3.2)	(2.3)	(0.9)	(2.8)	(2.1)	(0.7)
Yield on debt securities %	7.5%	8.6%	(110)bps	7.8%	8.4%	(60)bps

Interest expense ($m)	(60.2)	(50.7)	(9.45)	(217.6)	(179.8)	(37.8)

Net Interest Income ($m)	62.6	30.2	32.4	227.1	121.6	105.5

Average balances are calculated using an average of the daily holdings in exchanges, banks and other investments over the period. Previously, average balances were calculated as the average month end amount of segregated and non-segregated client balances that generated interest income over a given period.

Segmental performance

Clearing

Marex provides clearing services across the range of energy, commodity and financial markets. We face the exchange on behalf of our clients providing access to 60 exchanges globally.

Performance for the three months ended 31 December 2024

Our Clearing business performed well with revenue increasing 48% to $124.7m (Q4 2023: $84.1m). This was driven by net interest income which rose by 81% to $56.4m (Q4 2023: $31.2m) primarily reflecting higher average balances, and commission income.

Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ increased by 68% to $65.8m (Q4 2023: $39.2m). Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹ increased by 600 bps to 53% (Q4 2023: 47%).

Performance for the year ended 31 December 2024

Our Clearing business performed well in 2024, benefiting from higher levels of client activity on our platform as we continued to gain market share, with the total number of contracts cleared up 30% to 1,116.0m in 2024 (2023: 856.0m). This increase reflects a combination of factors, including an increase in the number of higher volume clients as well as a larger mix of clients transacting in financial securities.

Revenue increased 25% to $466.3m (2023: $373.6m), driven by net interest income which rose by 45% to $198.1m (2023: $136.2m) as a result of both higher average interest rates in 2024 compared to 2023 and higher average balances. Net commission income also grew by 11% to $263.0m (2023: $236.2m). Average balances increased 5% to $13.5bn in 2024 (2023: $12.9bn). This growth was driven by a record number of new Clearing clients combined with a high retention of existing clients.

Revenue growth was supported by investment in staff with average front office headcount increasing by 10% to 278 (2023: 253).

Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ increased by 34% to $247.3m (2023: $185.0m) while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹ increased by 300bps to 53% (2023: 50%).

	3 months ended 31 December 2024	3 months ended 31 December 2023		Year ended 31 December 2024	Year ended 31 December 2023
	$m	$m	Change	$m	$m	Change
Net commission income	65.6	52.5	25%	263.0	236.2	11%
Net interest income	56.4	31.2	81%	198.1	136.2	45%
Net trading income	2.7	0.4	575%	5.2	1.2	333%
Revenue	124.7	84.1	48%	466.3	373.6	25%
Front office costs	(40.2)	(29.2)	38%	(149.2)	(117.1)	27%
Control and support costs	(18.6)	(15.7)	18%	(69.6)	(67.7)	3%
Recovery/(provision) for credit losses	—	0.1	—%	0.1	(3.6)	(103%)
Depreciation and amortisation	(0.1)	(0.1)	—%	(0.4)	(0.3)	33%
Other Income and share of results of associates	0.1	—	n.m.³	0.1	0.1	n.m.³

Adjusted Profit Before Tax ($m)¹	65.8	39.2	68%	247.3	185.0	34%
Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹	53%	47%	600 bps	53%	50%	300 bps

Front office headcount (No.)²	284	259	10%	278	253	10%
Contracts cleared (m)	290.0	228.0	27%	1,116.0	856.0	30%
Market volumes (m)	2,853.0	2,677.0	7%	11,471.0	10,220.0	12%

These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
The headcount is the average for the period. Management have re-assessed headcount for Clearing and Market Making and re-allocated for FY24, FY23, 4Q24 and 4Q23.
n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage.

Agency and Execution

Agency and Execution provides essential liquidity and execution services to our clients primarily in the energy and financial securities markets.

Our energy division provides essential liquidity to clients by connecting buyers and sellers in the OTC energy markets to facilitate price discovery. We have leading positions in many of the markets we operate in, including key gas and power markets in Europe; environmental, petrochemical and crude markets in North America; and fuel oil, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and middistillates globally. We achieve this through the breadth and depth of the service we offer to customers, including market intelligence for each product we transact in, based on the extensive knowledge and experience of our teams.

Our presence in the financial markets is growing as we integrate and optimise recent acquisitions, enabling Marex to diversify its asset class coverage away from traditional commodity markets. We are starting to see a maturation of our offering across all asset classes, contributing to enhanced revenue growth and margin expansion for the overall business.

Performance for the three months ended 31 December 2024

Revenue increased by 22% to $192.2m (Q4 2023: $157.9m). This was driven by Securities revenues, up 25% to $119.0m (Q4 2023: $95.3m) reflecting growth in prime services. There was also strong organic revenue growth in the quarter, notably in Rates and FX owing to higher volumes and a new structured rates desk which commenced in 2024. This was further supplemented by the strong growth in our Energy business where revenues increased 17% to $72.7m (Q4 2023: $62.4m), reflecting a combination of increased activity levels in European Energy markets, good demand for our environmentals offering and the benefit of our bolt-on acquisitions.

Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ increased 29% to $37.4m (Q4 2023: $28.9m) while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹ increased 100 bps to 19% (Q4 2023: 18%).

Performance for the year ended 31 December 2024

Revenue increased by 28% to $695.2m (2023: $541.5m), reflecting the benefit of recent acquisitions, primarily the prime services business we acquired from TD Cowen that completed in December 2023, as well as positive market conditions in the energy markets.

Energy revenue increased 30% to $286.3m (2023: $219.8m). This growth was a reflection of strong levels of demand for our environmentals offering as we continue to support our clients’ transition toward a low carbon economy, investments in new desks and capabilities and continued improvement in activity levels in European Energy markets.

Securities revenue increased by 27% to $407.2m (2023: $319.8m), driven by our prime services business, as well as growth across Equities, FX and Rates.

Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ increased 50% to $107.9m (2023: $71.9m) while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹ increased 300bps to 16% (2023: 13%), as we continued to optimise and integrate our acquisitions.

Average front office headcount increased by 20% to 666 (2023: 553).

	3 months ended 31 December 2024	3 months ended 31 December 2023		Year ended 31 December 2024	Year ended 31 December 2023
	$m	$m	Change	$m	$m	Change
Securities	119.0	95.3	25%	407.2	319.8	27%
Energy	72.7	62.4	17%	286.3	219.8	30%
Other revenue	0.5	0.2	150%	1.7	1.9	(11)%
Revenue	192.2	157.9	22%	695.2	541.5	28%
Front office costs	(138.7)	(121.4)	14%	(524.5)	(417.1)	26%
Control and support costs	(16.5)	(7.5)	120%	(62.0)	(51.1)	21%
Provision for credit losses	0.2	(0.3)	—%	(0.1)	(0.9)	(89)%
Depreciation and amortisation	0.1	(0.1)	(200)%	(0.8)	(0.8)	0%
Other Income and share of results of associates	0.1	0.3	n.m.³	0.1	0.3	n.m.³

Adjusted Profit Before Tax ($m)¹	37.4	28.9	29%	107.9	71.9	50%
Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹	19%	18%	100 bps	16%	13%	300 bps

Front office headcount (No.)²	657	603	9%	666	553	20%
Marex volumes: Energy (m)	13.8	13.6	0%	57.4	44.7	27%
Marex volumes: Securities (m)	73.7	64.7	14%	295.3	239.5	23%
Market volumes: Energy (m)	442.3	376.7	17%	1,721.0	1,404.8	22%
Market volumes: Securities (m)	2,744.0	2,601.0	5%	10,920.6	9,969.6	10%

These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
The headcount is the average for the period.
n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage.

Market Making

Our Market Making business provides direct liquidity to our clients across a variety of products, primarily in the energy, metals and agriculture markets. This ability to make prices and trade as principal in a wide variety of energy, environmentals and commodity markets differentiates us from many of our competitors.

Performance for the three months ended 31 December 2024

Revenue increased by 19% to $44.5m (Q4 2023: $37.5m). Higher revenue in Agriculture, Securities and Energy was partly offset by a more subdued operating environment in Metals.

Revenue growth was supported by Front Office hiring, with average headcount increasing by 14% to 131 (2023: 115).

Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ increased to $9.0m (Q4 2023: $8.3m), while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹ decreased 200 bps to 20% (Q4 2023: 22%).

Performance for the year ended 31 December 2024

Revenue increased by 35% to $207.8m (2023: $153.9m). This was driven by Metals trading which benefited from unusual market conditions across Copper, Aluminium, Nickel in the second quarter. While this activity normalised in the third quarter, we continued to see strong performance. Revenue from Securities also grew primarily reflecting a stronger performance from Equities.

Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ increased by 97% to $65.6m (2023: $33.3m), while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹ increased 10 percentage points to 32% (2023: 22%) reflecting strong revenue growth.

	3 months ended 31 December 2024	3 months ended 31 December 2023		Year ended 31 December 2024	Year ended 31 December 2023
	$m	$m	Change	$m	$m	Change
Metals	5.7	26.5	(78)%	105.9	69.3	53%
Agriculture	15.7	0.3	5,133%	33.8	27.5	23%
Energy	12.7	7.3	74%	32.5	31.6	3%
Securities	10.4	3.4	206%	35.6	25.5	40%
Revenue	44.5	37.5	19%	207.8	153.9	35%
Front office costs	(27.2)	(19.9)	37%	(111.4)	(88.5)	26%
Control and support costs	(8.2)	(9.0)	(9)%	(30.4)	(32.7)	(7)%
Depreciation and amortisation	(0.1)	(0.1)	0%	(0.4)	(0.3)	33%
Other Income and share of results of associates	—	(0.2)	n.m.³	—	0.9	n.m.³

Adjusted Profit Before Tax ($m)¹	9.0	8.3	8%	65.6	33.3	97%
Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹	20%	22%	(200) bps	32%	22%	1,000 bps

Front office headcount (No.)²	131	115	14%	129	109	18%
Marex volumes: Metals (m)	11.3	6.8	57%	44.6	26.8	67%
Marex volumes: Agriculture (m)	8.2	7.1	14%	35.1	28.1	25%
Marex volumes: Energy (m)	0.7	0.6	17%	2.2	2.1	0%
Marex volumes: Financials (m)	0.2	1.4	(86)%	1.6	5.3	(60)%
Market volumes: Metals (m)	98.6	92.4	8%	422.7	343.5	23%
Market volumes: Agriculture (m)	146.8	127.9	15%	581.3	521.1	12%
Market volumes: Energy (m)	442.3	376.7	17%	1,721.0	1,404.8	22%
Market volumes: Financials (m)	2,744.0	2,601.0	5%	10,920.6	9,969.6	10%

These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
The headcount is the average for the period. Management have re-assessed headcount for Clearing and Market Making and re-allocated for FY24, FY23, 4Q24 and 4Q23.
n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage.

Hedging and Investment Solutions

Our Hedging and Investment Solutions business provides high quality bespoke hedging and investment solutions to our clients.

Tailored commodity hedging solutions enable corporates to hedge their exposure to movements in energy and commodity prices, as well as currencies and interest rates, across a variety of different time horizons.

Our financial products offering allows investors to gain exposure to a particular market or asset class, for example equity indices, in a cost-effective manner through a structured product.

Performance for the three months ended 31 December 2024

Revenue grew 20% to $39.9m (Q4 2023: $33.2m) driven by an expansion of the sales team leading to the onboarding of new clients.

Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ increased by 47% to $8.7m (Q4 2023: $5.9m), while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹ increased by 400 bps to 22% (Q4 2023: 18%).

Performance for the year ended 31 December 2024

Revenue grew 26% to $161.5m (2023: $128.1m) driven by increased client activity across both businesses. Hedging Solutions increased 12% to $69.2m (2023: $62.0m) benefiting from volatility across Cocoa and Coffee and favourable market events, while Financial Products increased 40% to $92.3m (2023: $66.1m) benefiting from positive investor sentiment and equity market performance. We also expanded our product coverage with custom index and FX capabilities and our global footprint which now includes business from Australia and the Middle East, bringing new clients onto our platform.

Adjusted Profit Before Tax¹ increased by 24% to $42.0m (2023: $33.8m), while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹ remained at 26% as we continued to invest in the business infrastructure and distribution network. We have also invested in our people with average front office headcount up 57% to 177 (2023: 113). Other income and share or results of associates represents the tax credit from qualifying research and development costs.

	3 months ended 31 December 2024	3 months ended 31 December 2023		Year ended 31 December 2024	Year ended 31 December 2023
	$m	$m	Change	$m	$m	Change
Hedging solutions	7.7	16.0	(52)%	69.2	62.0	12%
Financial products	32.2	17.2	87%	92.3	66.1	40%
Revenue	39.9	33.2	20%	161.5	128.1	26%
Front office costs	(25.7)	(17.5)	47%	(96.4)	(67.7)	42%
Control and support costs	(7.3)	(6.1)	20%	(27.2)	(23.7)	15%
Recovery/(provision) for credit losses	(0.6)	(3.6)	(83)%	2.2	(3.8)	(158)%
Depreciation and amortisation	(0.2)	(0.1)	100%	(0.7)	(0.3)	133%
Other Income and share of results of associates	2.6	—	n.m.⁴	2.6	1.2	n.m.⁴

Adjusted Profit Before Tax ($m)¹	8.7	5.9	47%	42.0	33.8	24%
Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹	22%	18%	400 bps	26%	26%	0 bps

Front office headcount (No.)²	184	128	44%	177	113	57%
Structured notes balance ($m)³	2,667.4	1,850.4	44%	2,667.4	1,850.4	44%

These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
The headcount is the average for the period.
The structured notes portfolio consisted of 4,029 notes with an average maturity of 17 months and a total value of $2,667.4m at the end of 2024 compared to a total value of $1,850.4m in 2023 with an average maturity of 15 months.
n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage.

Corporate

The Corporate segment includes the Group’s control and support functions. Corporate manages the resources of the Group, makes investment decisions and provides operational support to the business segments. Corporate net interest income is derived through earning interest on house cash balances placed at banks and exchanges. Revenue in Q4 2024 was $14.3m (Q4 2023: $12.9m), while full year Revenue in 2024 was $63.9m (2023: $47.5m), driven by net interest income primarily reflecting higher average balances.

	3 months ended 31 December 2024	3 months ended 31 December 2023		Year ended 31 December 2024	Year ended 31 December 2023
	$m	$m	Change	$m	$m	Change
Revenue	14.3	12.9	11%	63.9	47.5	35%
Control and support costs⁴	(49.5)	(37.7)	31%	(186.9)	(119.0)	57%
(Provision)/recovery for credit losses	(0.7)	1.4	n.m.³	(0.5)	1.2	(142%)
Depreciation and amortisation	(5.1)	(7.0)	(27%)	(21.7)	(25.4)	(15%)
Other Income and share of results of associates	1.4	0.7	100%	3.5	1.7	106%

Adjusted Loss Before Tax ($m)¹	(39.6)	(29.7)	33%	(141.7)	(94.0)	51%

Control and support headcount (No.)²	1,145	947	21%	1,084	886	22%

These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
The headcount is the average for the period.
n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage
Control and support costs are presented on an unallocated basis.

Summary Financial Position

The Group’s equity base increased during the year with total equity increasing by $201.0m, 26% to $976.9m as a result of strong profitability during the year and an increase in the share premium balance reflecting the primary issuance of shares as part of the IPO.

Total assets and total liabilities have grown significantly during 2024 as a result of client activity driving customer balances and in addition our funding activities to support this increase. Our balance sheet continues to consist of high-quality liquid assets which underpin client activity on our platform. Total assets increased from $17.6bn as at 31 December 2023 to $24.3bn as at 31 December 2024 with the growth largely due to the increase in the Securities, Cash and liquid assets, balances with exchanges offset by a reduction in the reverse repurchase agreement balances.

Securities balances increased to $6.5bn, up $2.5bn from December 2023 driven by hedging activity to support our prime brokerage clients and increased stock lending activity within our Agency and Execution business.

Cash and liquid assets increased by $1.7bn primarily reflecting cash placed by clients, the Group’s US Senior issuance and growth in structured notes issuance under the Financial Products Program.

	31 December 2024	31 December 2023
		Restated¹
	$m	$m	Change
Cash & Liquid Assets²	6,213.0	4,465.9	39%
Trade Receivables	7,553.2	4,789.8	58%
Reverse Repo Agreements	2,490.4	3,199.8	(22%)
Securities³	6,459.7	4,022.7	61%
Derivative Instruments	1,163.5	655.6	77%
Other Assets⁴	199.7	258.2	(23%)
Goodwill and Intangibles	233.0	219.6	6%
Total Assets	24,312.5	17,611.6	38%
Trade Payables	9,740.4	6,785.9	44%
Repurchase Agreements	2,305.8	3,118.9	(26%)
Securities⁵	6,656.7	4,248.1	57%
Debt Securities	3,604.5	2,216.3	63%
Derivative Instruments	751.7	402.2	87%
Other Liabilities⁶	276.5	64.3	330%
Total Liabilities	23,335.6	16,835.7	39%
Total Equity	976.9	775.9	26%

Prior period comparatives have been restated. Refer to note 3(b) and note 37 in our Group Annual Report for further information.
Cash & Liquid Assets are cash and cash equivalents, treasury instruments pledged as collateral, treasury instruments unpledged and fixed income securities.
Securities assets are equity instruments and stock borrowing.
Other Assets are inventory, corporate income tax receivable, deferred tax, investments, right-of-use assets, and property plant and equipment.
Securities liabilities are stock lending and short securities.
Other Liabilities are short term borrowings, deferred tax liability, lease liability, provisions and corporation tax.

Liquidity

	31 December	31 December
	2024	2023
	$m	$m
Total available liquid resources	2,439.8	1,369.8
Liquidity headroom	1,060.0	738.8

A prudent approach to capital and liquidity and commitment to maintaining an investment grade credit rating are core principles which underpin the successful delivery of our growth strategy. As at 31 December 2024, the Group held $2,439.8m of total available liquid resources, including the undrawn portion of the RCF (2023: $1,369.8m).

Group liquidity resources consist of cash and high-quality liquid assets that can be quickly converted to meet immediate and short-term obligations. The resources include non-segregated cash, short-term money market funds and unencumbered securities guaranteed by the U.S. Government. The Group also includes any undrawn portion of its committed revolving credit facility (‘RCF’) in its total available liquid resources. The unsecured revolving credit facility of $150m remains undrawn as at 31 December 2024 (2023: $150m, undrawn). Facilities held by operating subsidiaries, and which are only available to that relevant subsidiary, have been excluded from these figures as they are not available to the entire Group.

Liquidity headroom is based on the Group’s Liquid Asset Threshold Requirement, which is prepared according to the principles of the UK Investment Firms Prudential Regime (IFPR). The requirement includes a liquidity stress impact calculated from a combination of systemic and idiosyncratic risk factors.

In October, the Group successfully completed an offering of $600m 5-year senior unsecured notes, further diversifying its funding sources and supporting future growth. The notes have a coupon of 6.404%, mature in November 2029 and have been rated BBB- by both S&P and Fitch. This latest senior note issuance adds to the existing €300m notes issued in February 2023 under the Euro MTN programme.

Regulatory capital

The Group is subject to consolidated supervision by the UK Financial Conduct Authority and has regulated subsidiaries in jurisdictions both inside and outside of the UK.

The Group is regulated as a MIFIDPRU investment firm under IFPR. The minimum capital requirement as at 31 December 2024 was determined by the Own Funds Threshold Requirement (‘OFTR’) set via an assessment of the Group’s capital adequacy and risk assessment conducted annually.

The Group and its subsidiaries are in compliance with their regulatory requirements and are appropriately capitalised relative to the minimum requirements as set by the relevant competent authority. The Group maintained a capital surplus over its regulatory requirements at all times.

The Group manages its capital structure in order to comply with regulatory requirements, ensuring its capital base is more than adequate to cover the risks inherent in the business and to maximise shareholder value through the strategic deployment of capital to support the Group’s growth and strategic development. The Group performs business model assessment, business and capital forecasting, stress testing and recovery planning at least annually. The following table summarises the Group’s capital position as at 31 December 2024 and 2023:

	31 December 2024	31 December 2023
	$m	$m
Core equity Tier 1 Capital¹	623.9	437.7
Additional Tier 1 Capital (net of issuance costs)	97.6	97.6
Tier 2 Capital	1.6	3.1
Total Capital resources	723.1	538.4


Own Funds Threshold Requirement²	308.8	235.1
Total Capital ratio³	234%	229%

The own funds threshold requirement is the amount of own funds (i.e. capital) that a firm needs to hold at any given time to comply with the overall financial adequacy rule under the Investment Firm Prudential Regulation. The overall financial adequacy rule requires a firm to hold the amount of own funds for its ongoing business operations, taking into account potential periods of financial stress during the economic cycle. This is determined based on Group’s latest annual internal assessment.
Own Funds Requirement presented as Own Funds Threshold Requirement based on the latest approved Group Internal Capital Assessment.
The Group’s total capital resources as a percentage of Own Funds Requirement.

At 31 December 2024, the Group had a Total Capital Ratio of 234% (2023: 229%), representing significant capital headroom to minimum requirements. The increase in the Total Capital Ratio resulted from an increase in total capital resources due to profit (unaudited) in 2024.

Dividend

The Board of Directors approved an interim dividend of $0.14 per share, expected to be paid on 31 March 2025 to shareholders on record as at close of business on 17 March 2025.

Forward looking statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including expected financial results and Adjusted Profit Before Tax and Reported Profit Before Tax, expected growth and business plans, expected investments and dividend payments. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions.

These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, some of which are beyond our control. In addition, these forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are not a guarantee of future performance. Actual outcomes may differ materially from the information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, without limitation: subdued commodity market activity or pricing levels; the effects of geopolitical events, terrorism and wars, such as the effect of Russia’s military action in Ukraine, on market volatility, global macroeconomic conditions and commodity prices; changes in interest rate levels; the risk of our clients and their related financial institutions defaulting on their obligations to us; regulatory, reputational and financial risks as a result of our international operations; software or systems failure, loss or disruption of data or data security failures; an inability to adequately hedge our positions and limitations on our ability to modify contracts and the contractual protections that may be available to us in OTC derivatives transactions; market volatility, reputational risk and regulatory uncertainty related to commodity markets, equities, fixed income, foreign exchange and cryptocurrency; the impact of climate change and the transition to a lower carbon economy on supply chains and the size of the market for certain of our energy products; the impact of changes in judgments, estimates and assumptions made by management in the application of our accounting policies on our reported financial condition and results of operations; lack of sufficient financial liquidity; if we fail to comply with applicable law and regulation, we may be subject to enforcement or other action, forced to cease providing certain services or obliged to change the scope or nature of our operations; significant costs, including adverse impacts on our business, financial condition and results of operations, and expenses associated with compliance with relevant regulations; and if we fail to remediate the material weaknesses we identified in our internal control over financial reporting or prevent material weaknesses in the future, the accuracy and timing of our financial statements may be impacted, which could result in material misstatements in our financial statements or failure to meet our reporting obligations and subject us to potential delisting, regulatory investments or civil or criminal sanctions, and other risks discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our final prospectus filed pursuant to 424(b)(4) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on 31 October 2024 and our other reports filed with the SEC.

The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this press release. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this press release, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain, and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.

Appendix 1

Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators

This press release contains non-IFRS financial measures, including Adjusted Profit Before Tax, Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin, Adjusted Earnings per Share, Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share, Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity and Adjusted Return on Equity. These non-IFRS financial measures are presented for supplemental informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for profit after tax, profit margin, return on equity or any other financial information presented in accordance with IFRS and may be different from similarly titled non-IFRS financial measures used by other companies. The Group changed the labelling of its non-IFRS measures during 2024 to better align to the equivalent IFRS reported metric and enhance transparency and comparability.

Adjusted Profit Before Tax (formerly labelled Adjusted Operating Profit)

We define Adjusted Profit Before Tax as profit after tax adjusted for (i) tax, (ii) goodwill impairment charges, (iii) acquisition costs, (iv) bargain purchase gains, (v) owner fees, (vi) amortisation of acquired brands and customer lists, (vii) activities in relation to shareholders, (viii) employer tax on the vesting of Growth Shares, (ix) IPO preparation costs and (x) fair value of the cash settlement option on the Growth Shares. Items (i) to (x) are referred to as “Adjusting Items.” Adjusted Profit Before Tax is the primary measure used by our management to evaluate and understand our underlying operations and business trends, forecast future results and determine future capital investment allocations. Adjusted Profit Before Tax is the measure used by our executive board to assess the financial performance of our business in relation to our trading performance. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measure is profit after tax. We believe Adjusted Profit Before Tax is a useful measure as it allows management to monitor our ongoing core operations and provides useful information to investors and analysts regarding the net results of the business. The core operations represent the primary trading operations of the business.

Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin (formerly labelled Adjusted Operating Profit Margin)

We define Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin as Adjusted Profit Before Tax (as defined above) divided by revenue. We believe that Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin is a useful measure as it allows management to assess the profitability of our business in relation to revenue. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measure is profit margin, which is Profit after Tax divided by revenue.

Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity (formerly labelled Adjusted Operating Profit after Tax Attributable to Common Equity)

We define Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity as profit after tax adjusted for the items outlined in the Adjusted Profit Before Tax paragraph above. Additionally, Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity is also adjusted for (i) tax and the tax effect of the Adjusting Items to calculate Adjusted Profit Before Tax and (ii) profit attributable to Additional Tier 1 (“AT1”) note holders, net of tax, which is the coupons on the AT1 issuance and accounted for as dividends, adjusted for the tax benefit of the coupons. We define Common Equity as being the equity belonging to the holders of the Group’s share capital. We believe Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity is a useful measure as it allows management to assess the profitability of the equity belonging to the holders of the Group’s share capital. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measure is profit after tax.

Adjusted Return on Equity (formerly labelled Return on Adjusted Operating Profit after Tax Attributable to Common Equity)

We define the Adjusted Return on Equity as the Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity (as defined above) divided by the average Common Equity for the period. Common Equity is defined as being the equity belonging to the holders of the Group’s share capital. Common Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital. For the years ended 31 December 2024, Common Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital as at 31 December of the prior year, 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December of the current year. For the year ended 31 December 2023, Common Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital as at 31 December of the prior year and 31 December of the current year. For the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 Common Equity is calculated as the average of 30 September and 31 December of the current period. For the years ended 31 December 2024 and 2023, Return on Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity is calculated as Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity for the year divided by average Common Equity for the year. For the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023, Adjusted Return on Equity is calculated for comparison purposes on an annualised basis as Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity for the period multiplied by four and then divided by average Common Equity for the period. It is presented on an annualised basis for comparison purposes.

We believe Adjusted Return on Equity is a useful measure as it allows management to assess the return on the equity belonging to the holders of the Group’s share capital. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measure for Adjusted Return on Equity is return on equity, which is calculated as profit after tax for the period divided by average equity. Average equity for the years ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 is calculated as the average of total equity s at 31 December of the prior year, 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December of the current year. For the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 Average Equity is calculated as the average of 30 September and 31 December of the current year. For the years ended 31 December 2024 and 2023, return on equity is calculated as profit after tax for the year divided by Average Equity for the year. For the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023, Adjusted Return on Equity is calculated for comparison purposes on an annualised basis as Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Equity for the period multiplied by four and then divided by Average Equity for the period. It is presented on an annualised basis for comparison purposes.

Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share

Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share is defined as the Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity (as defined above) for the period divided by weighted average number of ordinary shares for the period. We believe Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share is a useful measure as it allows management to assess the profitability of our business per share. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards metric is basic earnings per share. This metric has been designed to highlight the Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity over the available share capital of the Group. Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share is defined as the Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity for the period divided by the diluted weighted average shares for the period. We believe Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share is a useful measure as it allows management to assess the profitability of our business per share on a diluted basis. Dilution is calculated in the same way as it has been for diluted earnings per share. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards metric is diluted earnings per share.

We believe that these non-IFRS financial measures provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain items that management believes are not indicative of our ongoing operations. Our management uses these non-IFRS financial measures to evaluate our business strategies and to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period. We believe that these non-IFRS financial measures provide useful information to investors because they improve the comparability of our financial results between periods and provide for greater transparency of key measures used to evaluate our performance. In addition these non-IFRS financial measures are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in their evaluation of companies comparable to us, many of which present related performance measures when reporting their results.

These non-IFRS financial measures are used by different companies for differing purposes and are often calculated in different ways that reflect the circumstances of those companies. In addition, certain judgments and estimates are inherent in our process to calculate such non-IFRS financial measures. You should exercise caution in comparing these non-IFRS financial measures as reported by other companies.

These non-IFRS financial measures have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider them in isolation or as substitutes for analysis of our results as reported under IFRS Accounting Standards. Some of these limitations are:

they do not reflect costs incurred in relation to the acquisitions that we have undertaken;
they do not reflect impairment of goodwill;
other companies in our industry may calculate these measures differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures; and
the adjustments made in calculating these non-IFRS financial measures are those that management considers to be not representative of our core operations and, therefore, are subjective in nature.

Accordingly, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on these non-IFRS financial measures.

We also use key performance indicators (“KPIs”) such as Average Balances, Trades Executed, and Contracts Cleared to assess the performance of our business and believe that these KPIs provide useful information to both management and investors by showing the growth of our business across the periods presented.

Our management uses these KPIs to evaluate our business strategies and to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period. We define certain terms used in this release as follows:

“FTE” means the number of our full-time equivalents as of the end of a given period, which includes permanent employees and contractors.

“Average FTE” means the average number of our full-time equivalents over the period, including permanent employees and contractors.

“Average Balances” means the average of the daily holdings in exchanges, banks and other investments over the period. Previously, average balances were calculated as the average month end amount of segregated and non-segregated client balances that generated interest income over a given period.

“Trades Executed” means the total number of trades executed on our platform in a given year.

“Total Capital Ratio” means our total capital resources in a given period divided by the capital requirement for such period under the IFPR.

“Contracts Cleared” means the total number of contracts cleared in a given period.

“Market Volumes” are calculated as follows:

All volumes traded on Marex key exchanges (CBOT, CME, Eurex, Euronext, ICE, LME, NYMEX COMEX, SGX)
Energy volumes on CBOT, Eurex, ICE, NYMEX, SGX
Financial securities (corporate bonds, equities, FX, repo, volatility) on CBOE, CBOT, CME, Eurex, Euronext, ICE, SGX
Metals, agriculture and energy volumes on CBOT, CME, Eurex, Euronext, ICE, LME, NYMEX COMEX, SGX

Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators:

	3 months ended 31 December 2024	3 months ended 31 December 2023	Year ended 31 December 2024	Year ended 31 December 2023
		Restated¹
	$m	$m	$m	$m
Profit After Tax	56.7	28.1	218.0	141.3
Taxation charge	21.1	11.3	77.8	55.2
Profit Before Tax	77.8	39.4	295.8	196.5
Goodwill impairment charge¹	—	—	—	10.7
Bargain purchase gains²	—	—	—	(0.3)
Acquisition costs³	—	1.2	—	1.8
Amortisation of acquired brands and customer lists⁴	1.7	0.7	5.5	2.1
Activities relating to shareholders⁵	—	2.2	2.4	3.1
Employer tax on vesting of the growth shares⁶	—	—	2.2	—
Owner fees⁷	—	1.2	2.4	6.0
IPO preparation costs⁸	—	7.9	8.6	10.1
Fair value of the cash settlement option on the growth shares⁹	—	—	2.3	—
Public offering of ordinary shares¹⁰	1.9	—	1.9	—
Adjusted Profit Before Tax	81.4	52.6	321.1	230.0
Tax and the tax effect on the Adjusting Items¹¹	(20.43)	(11.1)	(76.8)	(54.1)
Profit attributable to AT1 note holders¹²	(3.3)	(3.3)	(13.3)	(13.3)
Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity	57.8	38.2	231.0	162.6

Profit after Tax Margin	14%	9%	14%	11%
Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin¹³	20%	16%	20%	18%

Basic Earnings per Share ($)	0.76	0.37	2.96	1.94
Diluted Earnings per Share ($)	0.70	0.35	2.72	1.82

Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share ($)¹⁴	0.82	0.58	3.34	2.46
Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share ($)¹⁵	0.76	0.54	3.07	2.31

Common Equity¹⁶	870.7	662.6	775.6	629.2
Return on Equity	23%	15%	25%	19%
Adjusted Return on Equity (%)	27%	23%	30%	26%

Goodwill impairment charges in 2023 relates to the impairment recognised for goodwill relating to the Volatility Performance Fund S.A. CGU (‘VPF’) largely due to declining projected revenue.
A bargain purchase gain was recognised as a result of the ED&F Man Capital Markets division acquisition.
Acquisition costs are costs, such as legal fees incurred in relation to the business acquisitions of ED&F Man Capital Markets business, the OTCex group and Cowen’s prime services and Outsourced Trading business.
This represents the amortisation charge for the period of acquired brands and customers lists.
Activities in relation to shareholders primarily consist of dividend-like contributions made to participants within certain of our share-based payments schemes.
Employer tax on vesting of the growth shares represents the Group’s tax charge arising from the vesting of the growth shares.
Owner fees relate to management services fees paid to parties associated with the ultimate controlling party based on a percentage of our EBITDA in each year, presented in the income statement within other expenses.
IPO preparation costs related to consulting, legal and audit fees, presented in the income statement within other expenses.
Fair value of the cash settlement option on the growth shares represents the fair value liability of the growth shares at $2.3m. Subsequent to the initial public offering when the holders of the growth shares elected to settle the awards in ordinary shares, the liability was derecognised.
Costs relating to the public offerings of ordinary shares by certain selling shareholders.
Tax and the tax effect on the Adjusting Items represents the tax for the period and the tax effect of the other Adjusting Items removed from Profit After Tax to calculate Adjusted Profit Before Tax. The tax effect of the other Adjusting Items was calculated at the Group’s effective tax rate for the respective period.
Profit attributable to AT1 note holders are the coupons on the AT1 issuance, which are accounted for as dividends.
Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin is calculated by dividing Adjusted Profit Before Tax (as defined above) by revenue for the period.
The weighted average numbers of shares used in the calculation for the years ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 were 69,231,625 and 66,018, 514 respectively. The weighted average numbers of shares used in the calculation for the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 were 70,290,886 and 66,018,514 respectively. Weighted average number of shares have been restated as applicable for the Group’s reverse share split.
The weighted average numbers of diluted shares used in the calculation for the years ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 were 75,279,454 and 70,323,467 respectively. The weighted average numbers of shares used in the calculation for the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 were 76,338,715 and 70,323,467 respectively. Weighted average number of shares have been restated as applicable for the Group’s reverse share split.
Common Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital. For the years ended 31 December 2024, Adjusted Return on Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital, as at 31 December of the prior year, 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December of the current year. For the years ended 31 December 2023, Adjusted Return on Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital, as at 31 December of the prior year and 31 December of the current year. For the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 Common Equity is calculated as the average of 30 September and 31 December of the current period.

Appendix 2 – Supplementary Financial Information

Revenue

The following tables presents the Group’s segmental revenue for the periods indicated:

3 months ended 31 December 2024	Clearing	Agency and Execution	Market Making	Hedging and Investment Solutions	Corporate	Total
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m

Net commission income/(expense)	65.6	160.7	(0.3)	—	—	226.0
Net trading income	2.7	21.1	51.7	52.6	—	128.1
Net interest income/(expense)	56.4	9.5	(4.9)	(12.7)	14.3	62.6
Net physical commodities income	—	0.9	(2.0)	—	—	(1.1)
Revenue	124.7	192.2	44.5	39.9	14.3	415.6

3 months ended 31 December 2023	Clearing	Agency and Execution	Market Making	Hedging and Investment Solutions	Corporate	Total
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m

Net commission income/(expense)	52.5	131.3	(2.4)	—	—	181.4
Net trading income/(expense)	0.4	23.2	45.9	42.3	(0.3)	111.5
Net interest income/(expense)	31.2	3.4	(8.5)	(9.1)	13.2	30.2
Net physical commodities income	—	—	2.5	—	—	2.5
Revenue	84.1	157.9	37.5	33.2	12.9	325.6

Year ended 31 December 2024	Clearing	Agency and Execution	Market Making	Hedging and Investment Solutions	Corporate	Total
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m

Net commission income/(expense)	263.0	597.1	(4.0)	—	—	856.1
Net trading income	5.2	61.3	215.6	210.3	—	492.4
Net interest income/(expense)	198.1	34.6	(20.7)	(48.8)	63.9	227.1
Net physical commodities income	—	2.2	16.9	—	—	19.1
Revenue	466.3	695.2	207.8	161.5	63.9	1,594.7

Year ended 31 December 2023	Clearing	Agency and Execution	Market Making	Hedging and Investment Solutions	Corporate	Total
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m

Net commission income/(expense)	236.2	473.4	(4.7)	—	—	704.9
Net trading income/(expense)	1.2	62.1	182.8	165.7	(0.4)	411.4
Net interest income/(expense)	136.2	6.0	(30.9)	(37.6)	47.9	121.6
Net physical commodities income	—	—	6.7	—	—	6.7
Revenue	373.6	541.5	153.9	128.1	47.5	1,244.6

Consolidated Income Statement

For the Year Ended 31 December 2024

	2024	2023
	$m	$m
Commission and fee income	1,618.1	1,342.4
Commission and fee expense	(762.0)	(637.5)
Net commission income	856.1	704.9
Net trading income	492.4	411.4
Interest income	765.2	591.8
Interest expense	(538.1)	(470.2)
Net interest income	227.1	121.6
Net physical commodities income	19.1	6.7
Revenue	1,594.7	1,244.6

Expenses:
Compensation and benefits	(971.1)	(770.3)
Depreciation and amortisation	(29.5)	(27.1)
Other expenses	(306.3)	(237.4)
Impairment of goodwill	—	(10.7)
Provision for credit losses	1.7	(7.1)
Bargain purchase gain on acquisitions	—	0.3
Other income	6.3	3.4
Share of results in associates and joint ventures	—	0.8
Profit before tax	295.8	196.5
Tax	(77.8)	(55.2)
Profit after tax	218.0	141.3

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

As at 31 December 2024

	31 December	31 December
	2024	2023
	$m	$m
		Restated¹
Assets
Non-current assets
Goodwill	176.5	163.6
Intangible assets	56.5	56.0
Property, plant and equipment	20.8	16.6
Right-of-use asset	59.9	40.6
Investments	24.0	16.2
Deferred tax	46.7	21.4
Treasury instruments (unpledged)	53.5	60.8
Treasury instruments (pledged as collateral)	46.1	300.4
Total non-current assets	484.0	675.6

Current assets
Corporate income tax receivable	12.5	0.1
Trade and other receivables	7,553.2	4,789.8
Inventory	35.8	163.4
Equity instruments (unpledged)	231.4	189.6
Equity instruments (pledged as collateral)	4,446.6	1,331.7
Derivative instruments	1,163.5	655.6
Stock borrowing	1,781.7	2,501.4
Treasury instruments (unpledged)	556.2	481.8
Treasury instruments (pledged as collateral)	2,912.9	2,062.6
Fixed income securities (unpledged)	87.7	76.7
Reverse repurchase agreements	2,490.4	3,199.8
Cash and cash equivalents	2,556.6	1,483.5
Total current assets	23,828.5	16,936.0
Total assets	24,312.5	17,611.6

Prior period comparatives have been restated. Refer to note 3(b) and note 37 in the Group Annual Report for further information.

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

As at 31 December 2024

	31 December	31 December
	2024	2023
	$m	$m
		Restated¹
Liabilities
Current liabilities
Repurchase agreements	2,305.8	3,118.9
Trade and other payables	9,740.4	6,785.9
Stock lending	4,952.1	2,323.3
Short securities	1,704.6	1,924.8
Short-term borrowings	152.0	—
Lease liability	10.5	13.2
Derivative instruments	751.7	402.2
Corporation tax	41.9	7.6
Debt securities	2,119.6	1,308.4
Provisions	0.6	0.4
Total current liabilities	21,779.2	15,884.7
Non-current liabilities
Lease liability	67.0	39.4
Long-term borrowings	—	—
Debt securities	1,484.9	907.9
Deferred tax liability	4.5	3.7
Total non-current liabilities	1,556.4	951.0
Total liabilities	23,335.6	16,835.7
Total net assets	976.9	775.9

Equity
Share capital	0.1	0.1
Share premium	202.6	134.3
Additional Tier 1 capital (AT1)	97.6	97.6
Retained earnings	722.4	555.3
Own shares	(23.2)	(9.8)
Other reserves	(22.6)	(1.6)
Total equity	976.9	775.9

Prior year comparatives have been restated. Refer to note 3(b) and note 37 in the Group Annual Report for further information.

The MIL Network –

March 7, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Made for SLC
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Made for SLC

Nauman Dar,Executive Director of Change and Data, marks Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2025
It’s Scottish Apprenticeship Week and it’s important that we celebrate the valuable contribution that apprentices make not only to our business, but across the country.

This year the theme is ‘Made for Business’ – highlighting how apprenticeships are designed to meet employer needs while developing skilled individuals who in turn will drive business success. This aligns with our approach to talent development at SLC.

Apprenticeships are a key part of our strategy to develop our colleagues’ skills and bridge the gap between education and work, offering hands on experience and career opportunities. They also help us build the skills we need now and in the future. At SLC, we want to attract new talent to support our core purpose, as well as our transformation initiatives, and create a diverse and capable workforce ready to take us forward in the years ahead,SL

I joined SLC in August last year and I was immediately impressed at the focus placed on our Emerging Talent programmes. Not only for new starts joining our Apprentice programmes, but also for colleagues who have chosen to progress their SLC journeys through upskilling opportunities. It’s vital that we develop our talent to ensure we stay ahead in an evolving digital and data landscape, as well as fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation.

I’m especially pleased that we have six colleagues starting their upskilling Data Analytics Apprenticeships, with four being based in the Change and Data Directorate. The benefits for the colleagues involved and my wider team, will include enhanced technical and leadership skills, and ultimately a strengthened capability to deliver for our customers. I’m looking forward to watching and supporting their progress through their qualification and beyond.

This Scottish Apprenticeship Week, we have also announced that we are recruiting 12 new Student Finance Officer Apprentices who will be based in our Hillington office. This is a great opportunity to combine learning with earning while building skills that employers value. I would encourage anyone interested to visit our Careers website and find out more about SLC and what this programme could offer. Six months into my SLC career, I can assure you that you will be warmly welcomed into an organisation that serves to enable the nation’s students to invest in their futures by providing financial support to access further and higher education.

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Updates to this page

Published 6 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DUP delivering on yet another Republican demand

Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

Statement by TUV vice chairman Causeway Councillor Allister Kyle:

“Last night the Executive Office announced that they had begun the search for an Irish language commissioner.

“The significance of this development should not be missed. Anyone who looks at the legislation will discover that the “main function” of the Commissioner is put in the form of a statutory duty to “protect and enhance the development of the use of the Irish language by public authorities” in respect of their provision of services. This is to be done by the Commissioner setting “best practice standards” for every public authority and monitoring their performance.

“There will be no restraint on the exercise of the Commissioner’s functions through a unionist veto, because any “directions” as to the exercise of those functions must be from the joint First Ministers – meaning the First Minister would require Sinn Fein consent to any directions she wished to issue.

“The lesson from Scotland and Wales on language Acts is that the toe in the door guarantees it will be pushed open wider over time. The mechanism for this is built in as the legislation provides for the Commissioner at any time to review the standards set and he or she must do that every 5 years.

“I note that on social media Emma Little-Pengelly is playing up the forthcoming appointment of an Ulster Scots / Ulster British commissioner. The reality is that their powers and remit is minimal compared to the Irish Language Commissioner.

The functions are merely to “enhance and develop the language, arts and literature associated with the Ulster Scots and Ulster British tradition”. Note, no reference to Orange culture, or any type of culture.
The means by which the Commissioner is to exercise his function is to “produce and distribute publicity material”. Unlike Irish, no official recognition; no performance “standards” to be put on any public authority; no duty on public authorities to enhance the provision of services in Ulster Scots; no obligation for public authorities to produce a plan of action; no 5 yearly review.

“Indeed, while the Commissioner must increase awareness and visibility of Ulster Scots services “which are provided by public authorities to the public”, that relates to provision as is, with no compulsion to enhance. What a contrast with Irish!

“This is what Emma Little-Pengelly tells us amounts to a “reset” or “game changer”.

“The truth is that in reality it’s the same old story of DUP roll over.

“The bottom line is that while TUV is fighting the Republican agenda day and daily, the DUP have begun the process of delivering on another Sinn Fein demand – and bizarrely the deputy First Minister has tried to tell Unionists that it is some sort of victory! “

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 7, 2025

MIL-OSI: Biz2Credit’s Women-Owned Business Study Reports Women Are Closing The Funding Gap

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In its annual analysis of over 53,000 companies, the Biz2Credit Women-Owned Business Study found that the funding percentage (36%) for women-owned businesses that applied for financing in 2024 increased from 35% in 2023. In comparison, the funding rate for male-owned businesses in 2024 was just 29%.

Additionally, that the average funding amounts women received jumped by 25% from 2023 to 2024. In 2023, the average funding amount for women-owned businesses was $53,678. A year later, in 2024, the average amount was $67,035.

Further analysis showed that the average annual revenue of women-owned firms in 2024 increased 15% to nearly $520,000, although expenses rose as well.

The Biz2Credit Women-Owned Business Study examined financial indicators including annual revenue, operating expenses, earnings, age of business, credit scores, funding rates, and funding amounts of companies that applied for credit on Biz2Credit’s online platform in 2024.

“The funding rate and average loan amount for women-owned businesses rose in 2024, which is good news,” said Rohit Arora, CEO and co-founder of Biz2Credit and one of the nation’s leading experts in small business finance. “The percentage of funding applications from women was 36%, compared to 29% for men last year. Women-owned businesses have also shortened the gap in average funding size to just 20% less than men-owned businesses, a significant improvement compared to last year’s difference of 40%.”

“All is not rosy, however,” Arora added. “Women business owners, along with their male counterparts, saw expenses rise significantly largely because of inflation in 2024. SMBs are hoping that costs will come down, although it has not happened yet.”

Key Findings:

The Funding Rate for women-owned businesses rose from 35% in 2023 to 36% in 2024. In contrast to their male counterparts, the funding rate for men-owned firms was 29% in 2024.
The Average Funding Size for women-owned businesses was $67,035 in 2024, a 25% increase from $53,678 in 2023. In comparison, men-owned businesses saw an increase of 7% in average loan sizes, up from $75,045 in 2023 to $80,140 in 2024.
The Average Age of Business (in months) for women-owned businesses increased 10 months YoY, from 62 in 2023 to 72 months (6 years) in 2024, but remains 14 months lower than men-owned businesses, up from 72 in 2023 to 86 (slightly more than 7 years) in 2024.
The Average Credit Score for women business owners increased by 10 points, from 643 in 2023 to 653 in 2024. Credit scores for male business owners also increased 10 points, from 660 in 2023 to 670 in 2024.
Financing Applications by State: California had the highest percentage (12.8%) of funding applications of women-owned businesses, followed by the 2023 leader, Florida (12.5%) and Texas (10%).
Financing Applications by Industry: Services (except Public Administration) was the largest industry represented by women-owned companies (14.9%) in the Biz2Credit study, followed by Healthcare and Social Assistance (14.5%), Retail Trade (13.5%) Accommodation and Food Services (12.1%), and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Service (9.5%).
Average Annual Revenue for women-owned businesses increased 15%, from $451,443 in 2023 to $519,886 in 2024, while male-owned businesses rose 8%, from $688,611 in 2023 to $743,643 in 2024. The revenue gap between women-owned and men-owned businesses was $223,757 in 2024.
Average Operating Expenses of women-owned businesses increased 38%, from $363,909 in 2023 to $503,8426 in 2024. Men-owned business also saw a 31% increase in average operating expenses.

Comparing Women-Owned and Men-Owned Businesses: A Year-over-Year Analysis

	2023		2024
Categories	Women	Men	Women	Men
Average Revenue	$451,443	$688,611	$519,886	$743,643
Average Operating Expenses	$363,909	$541,602	$503,426	$711,670
Average Age of Business (months)	62	72	72	86
Average Credit Score*	643	660	653	670
Average Funding Size	$53,678	$75,045	$67,035	$80,140
Funding Rate	35	30	36	29

Comparison of Women-Owned and Men-Owned Businesses Year-over-Year (YoY)

Categories	Women YoY Difference	Men YoY Difference
Average Revenue	+15%	+8%
Average Operating Expenses	+38%	+31%
Average Age of Business (months)	+10	+14
Average Credit Score* (points)	+10	+10
Average Funding Size	+25%	+7%
Funding Rate	+3%	-3%

*Average credit score is derived from the personal FICO credit scores of business owners.

Top 5 Financing Applications by State in 2024 for Women-Owned Businesses

States	Women
California	12.8%
Florida	12.5%
Texas	10%
Georgia	6.6%
New York	5.1%

Top 5 Financing Applications by Industry in 2024 for Women-Owned Businesses

Industries	Women
Other Services (except Public Administration)	14.9%
Health Care and Social Assistance	14.5%
Retail Trade	13.5%
Accommodation and Food Services	12.1%
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	9.5%

Importance of Women-Owned Businesses

During 2024, women-owned businesses had an estimated $2.1 trillion in receipts, 11.4 million employees, and $508.5 billion in annual payroll, as reported by Census Bureau (Nov. 2024).

According to the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) Annual Report, there are 14.5 million women-owned businesses that account for 39.2% of all businesses in the U.S. This number is a 11.5% increase from 2019 to 2024 and demonstrates that women-owned firms emerged stronger from the COVID pandemic than they did from the 2008 financial crisis.

Methodology

The dataset for Biz2Credit’s Women-Owned Business Study comprises over 53,000 completed commercial funding applications received via the Biz2Credit platform in 2024. The four most important variables in the analysis were: annual revenue, operating expenses, age of business, and personal credit score. The data was then tabulated to examine women-owned and men-owned businesses based on annual revenue, operating expenses, age of business, personal credit score, funding rate, and average loan size. The study looked at 20 different industries, as well as geography.

About Biz2Credit

Founded in 2007, Biz2Credit has helped thousands of companies access more than $10 billion in small business financing. The company is expanding its industry-leading Biz2X technology in custom digital platform solutions for banks and other financial institutions, investors, and service providers. Visit www.biz2credit.com, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).

Media Contact: John Mooney, (908) 720-6057, john@overthemoonpr.com

The MIL Network –

March 7, 2025

MIL-OSI NGOs: In Haiti, escalating violence increases displacement

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

Since 24 February, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams in Haiti have witnessed a surge in violence, increasing the number of wounded people and medical needs. Clashes between armed groups and police are intensifying, leaving people trapped under constant threat of crossfire. Today, 85 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, is under the control of armed groups, and movement through many neighbourhoods puts lives at risk.

From 24 February to 2 March, MSF medical teams at the Turgeau emergency centre treated 314 patients, including 90 direct victims of violence – double the usual number. Some patients requiring surgery were transferred to the MSF hospital in Tabarre, where the trauma capacity was expanded from 50 to 75 beds. For the past 10 days, the hospital has been running at near full capacity, with teams working under extreme pressure to admit new patients.

Since 14 February, attacks by armed groups in several neighbourhoods of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area have forced over 24,000 people to flee, and this number continues to rise amid the ongoing violence. As of today, the International Organisation for Migration estimates that more than 180,000 internally displaced people are living in over 140 sites. These vulnerable people, some of whom have been displaced multiple times, are seeking refuge in makeshift camps where access to clean water is either extremely limited or completely non-existent.

For over a month, the suspension of US funding has deprived many humanitarian organisations of their resources, forcing groups like Solidarités International to suspend the distribution of drinking water in displacement camps. According to the NGO, in these camps, displaced people are trying to survive on just one litre of water per day. This is far below the international emergency standard, which recommends 15 litres per person per day. In response, we are currently implementing a water distribution system via tanker trucks to provide water for more than 13,000 people living in four camps.

A woman, injured during a wave of violence that swept Port-au-Prince in February and March 2024, rests her leg with external fixators attached on a hospital bed in MSF’s hospital in the Tabarre neighbourhood. Haiti, March 2024.
Luce Cloutier/MSF

“We have identified more than 100 displacement camps in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, but the scale of this crisis far exceeds what MSF can respond to alone, especially with the rainy season approaching,” warns Christophe Garnier, MSF’s head of mission in Haiti.

With the imminent arrival of the first rains, sanitation systems are flooding, hygiene conditions are deteriorating, and the risk of deadly disease outbreaks, including cholera, is rising. UNICEF estimates that more than 180,000 displaced people are sheltering in over 100 sites, while 140 additional sites remain unassessed.

“The humanitarian response plan in Haiti is severely underfunded, even as the conflict escalates and thousands of people are repeatedly forced to flee, seeking refuge in makeshift camps with limited access to basic services such as water and sanitation,” says Garnier. “Without urgent action, the situation will turn into a humanitarian catastrophe, as relentless violence continues to deepen the suffering of an already exhausted community.”

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Trapped between borders: the life-threatening consequences of increased militarisation at the Poland-Belarus border

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MIL OSI NGO –

March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Managing woodlands with community groups in the National Forest
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Case study

Managing woodlands with community groups in the National Forest

Read how the National Forest’s community groups support sustainable woodland management, improve health and wellbeing, enhance woodland access, and support wildlife.
National Forest facts:

established in the 1990s: the first broadleaf forest to be created at scale in England for more than 900 years

spans 200 square miles of the Midlands (Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire)

overseen by the National Forest Company (NFC), with a mission to increase forest cover from 6% in the early 1990s to 33%; 25% cover has been achieved to date

mainly rural and peri-urban native broadleaf woodlands

woodlands are planted on both private and public land

most community woods are managed for recreation and wildlife rather than timber production

aims for 80% of the woodlands to have some level of public access, for walking and, in some cases, cycling and horse riding

Community groups play a vital role in maintaining woods. By engaging local residents, these groups contribute to the sustainable management of woodlands through activities including:

tree thinning

habitat management and creation

wildlife surveys

litter picking

organising local events

helping to maintain newly planted trees

leading guided walks

Thousands of people are already involved, volunteering through 70 community woods groups and conservation organisations. In 2021, these groups were brought together in an informal Community Woods network.

Zoe Sewter, NFC Volunteer and Wellbeing Officer said:

We have found that the range of works volunteers can undertake is limited only by skills, time and available resources. Given sufficient training, access to funding and a pool of able and motivated volunteers, the sky is the limit.

Two community woods volunteers carrying out woodland thinning operations. Copyright Darren Cresswell Photography.

Growing urban woodlands

In the National Forest, urban woodlands are typically on reclaimed land or within housing developments. It’s normally these types of woodlands that are community-managed, close to homes, often planted in the last 30 years and publicly owned. As part of a recent National Lottery Heritage Fund funded project, 9 new sites have been planted and 3 older woods brought under community management.

Public rights of way and permissive routes connect communities to the woods and link to nearby footpath networks. In urban woodlands, paths are mostly surfaced enabling year-round access. In the rural and peri-urban sites the paths are usually grassed rides, meaning that maintaining the paths and woodland can be tricky in wet winters.

Pupils from Fairmeadow Primary School helping to create Oversetts community wood, a new woodland on the outskirts of Swadlincote. Copyright NFC.

Funding and income

The NFC has secured external grants over the past 6 years to support its Community Woods programme, covering staff salaries, setup costs, land purchases, capital purchases, community engagement and volunteer training. Outside the National Forest, local councils, parish councils, or voluntary sector organisations may be able to provide seed funding for similar projects.

To ensure financial sustainability, community groups have also generated income through various methods, including:

selling community shares

charging annual membership fees

paid events (such as wreath making and guided walks)

renting space/facilities

plant sales and charity events

selling products (such as charcoal and wooden ornaments)

obtaining grants for woodland management and tool purchases

Groups like the Heartwood Community Woodland Group have introduced schemes such as ‘logs for labour’, where volunteers can exchange work (helping to fell some trees in thinning operations) for wood fuel or green crafts.

Heartwood volunteer starting the retort to make charcoal in the woods. Copyright Rod Kirkpatrick.

Benefits for woodlands and people

The involvement of community groups has brought a wide range of benefits, including:

for the woodlands: positive management improves biodiversity and habitat condition, as well as enhancing amenity value

for the owners: support with their woodland management; landowners gain committed volunteers who help maintain paths, monitor wildlife, and tackle conservation tasks

for the volunteers and local community: volunteering has health and wellbeing benefits and provides a closer connection to nature. Local people feel a stronger sense of connection to the woodlands as they develop, helping reduce anti-social issues like littering and vandalism

for visitors: improved quality of access to the woodlands and richer biodiversity to enjoy

Zoe Sewter, NFC Volunteer and Wellbeing Officer said:

It also means more eyes are looking at the wood and checking that everything is OK. Volunteers can report issues, flag safety concerns and keep pathways clear. Of increasing importance, regular visits in different seasons can spot signs of pests and disease early, and get reported to the landowner so mitigating action can take place as required.

Creating a network

Before the introduction of the Community Woods programme, volunteer groups within the National Forest largely worked in isolation, each managing their own woodland without broader connections.

The creation of the Community Woods network has been a transformative initiative, nurturing collaboration and knowledge exchange among these groups. By connecting volunteers, the network provides a platform for sharing experiences, skills, and resources, creating a vibrant community of practice. This peer-to-peer support has been particularly valuable for new groups, who can now learn from the successes and challenges faced by more experienced counterparts.

Overcoming challenges

Many groups face difficulties with volunteer recruitment, particularly in attracting younger members, but offering varied tasks and flexible schedules can help engage a broader range of people.

The departure of important volunteers can lead to a loss of momentum; however, building strong committees and sharing responsibilities can help maintain energy and focus over time.

A standout achievement of the Community Woods project has been the tailored training programme. Designed in consultation with the community groups themselves, the programme addresses their specific needs and has been funded through various grants. Training topics have included:

leadership and organisation: leadership sessions for volunteer task days, to enhance confidence and team coordination

practical skills: coppicing, small tree felling, pond management, and hedge-laying

accredited certifications: emergency First Aid and Forestry, brush-cutter and chainsaw use, and tree inspections

The programme has received strong engagement and overwhelmingly positive feedback, significantly enhancing the skills and confidence of volunteers across the network. As a result, groups are now better equipped to manage their woodlands effectively, ensuring sustainable conservation practices and fostering stronger community ties. This combined approach of networking and training has proven instrumental in building a resilient, interconnected community of woodland volunteers, capable of sustaining long-term benefits for both people and nature.

Volunteers network at the inaugural Community Woods Network gathering at Timber Festival, 2021. Copyright NFC.

Zoe Sewter, NFC Volunteer and Wellbeing Officer said:

It’s not just about the trees. Community woodland groups are made up of people with diverse motivations to give their time – passionate individuals committed to making a difference, as well as those seeking solace in nature, such as those dealing with bereavement, health challenges, or life changes. Understanding these personal stories and motivations is vital for creating a supportive and successful volunteer environment.

Top tips for working with community groups

For anyone considering partnering with community groups in their woodland management, here are some top tips:

establish trust and clear communication: building mutual trust between volunteers and landowners is essential; set expectations early and ensure open, ongoing communication

set realistic work expectations: ensure that the group has the necessary tools and support to complete tasks, for example, if the use of power tools is not permitted, avoid assigning overly large tasks that could lead to frustration

involve the group in management planning: having volunteers contribute to the woodland management plan ensures that potential issues are addressed early and everyone is aligned

enter into a formal agreement: use contracts, licences, or leases with clear terms (ideally 5+ years) to outline expectations and responsibilities. Include break clauses to allow for flexibility if circumstances change

plan for changes: if the relationship needs to end, ensure there’s an exit strategy in place, with plenty of notice to avoid frustration or feelings of wasted effort

build in flexibility: site constraints, such as wildlife designations or securing capital funding, can be challenging. A clear plan of action and thorough research before starting can help, but other problems such as bad weather can be unavoidable. Build flexibility into timescales and have contingency plans

Zoe Sewter, NFC Volunteer and Wellbeing Officer said:

Also, be prepared for the unexpected! The Covid pandemic disrupted plans and presented unforeseen challenges for many groups within the Community Woods network. But with resilience and flexibility, these obstacles can be overcome.

Learn more about the National Forest

For more information on the National Forest and how you can get involved, visit National Forest.

Updates to this page

Published 6 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City’s litter busting volunteers thanked as Great British Spring Clean warms up

Source: City of Wolverhampton

Members of the Friends of Smestow Valley in partnership with the Severn Rivers Trust and other local community volunteers met on Saturday (1 March) to clear along the banks of Smestow Brook and surrounding areas of the nature reserve.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for resident services, joined in the clean up and council officers helped litter pick and arranged to collect and remove the bags of rubbish.

Also joining the event on Saturday was Tracey Hodgson, owner of city business Falcon Industrial Supplies in Park Lane. The company has donated 50 high viz vests and 24 pairs of gloves to the council for use during litter picks.

A further 50 litter pickers and 50 pairs of gloves have been donated by Justin Brown from the Landscape Supply Company, which works with councils across the country.

Saturday’s litter picking efforts come as plans for this year’s Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean are warming up. The national annual tidy up, which will run from 21 March to 6 April, is now in its tenth year.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, said: “It was great to be able to join such a committed group of volunteers at Smestow Brook.

“It is clear the pride that they have in their city and I would like to thank them all for giving their time to Wolverhampton. There is no excuse for littering and everyone can help keep their communities clean by disposing of their rubbish properly.

“Our officers were able to support the volunteers with clearing away bags and I’d also like to thank Tracey and Justin who have donated equipment to help. I hope that these combined efforts will inspire others to get involved in the Great British Spring Clean.”

This year’s Great British Spring Clean is encouraging people across the country to show they love where they live by taking part in mass action litter picks.

The charity is calling on communities to pick one bag or more of litter from streets, parks, beauty spots or beaches to protect the country’s vibrant communities and precious wildlife habitats.
Any local residents who would like to organise a litter picking event, at any time of the year, can complete our online form at Community involvement.

Event organisers are encouraged to log their litter picks at Great British Spring Clean | Keep Britain Tidy.

Larger items of rubbish and heavily littered streets can be reported to the council to clean up via the Love Clean Streets App.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City set for return of Midlands’ largest light festival
Source: City of Leicester

WITH just days to go before the return of Light up Leicester, organisers are making the final touches to deliver a spectacular festival that will include joyful parades, inspirational performances and amazing light installations.

Running from Wednesday 12 to Saturday 15 March, the free event will light up the city centre every evening, from 6pm to 10pm.

Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “This promises to be a wonderful festival with something for everyone, including a unique event taking place on each night of the festival. We look forward to welcoming many thousands of people to our city to enjoy all that Light up Leicester has to offer.”

Event highlights include:

Wednesday 12 March

11am-2pm – Schools’ opening parade. Led by local arts company Inspirate with music from Drum and Brass, 300 children will process from the Cathedral to the Clock Tower and back, with artwork that will form the leaves of the ‘Roots of our Tree’ light installation next to the King Richard lll Visitor Centre.

6pm – Radiant Routes evening parade. Brazilian beats meet Bhangra in this parade led by Nupur Arts, with dancers performing as they move from the Cathedral to the Clock Tower and back again. They’ll be accompanied by samba band Sambando, with Japanese drumming and lanterns from Leicester Taiko.

6.30pm – Unveiling of Cathedral, Crown and Culture, a major projection and digital animation installation on Leicester Cathedral, with reference to Leicester’s history, communities and the interment of King Richard lll. Produced by local company Metro Boulot Dodo, this will run for the duration of the festival.

Thursday 13 March

6.30-8.30pm – Illuminated Bike Parade. Everyone is invited to bling their bike with stickers and LED lights and join in a 1.5km ride around the city centre. People can register at www.lightupleicester.com

Friday 14 March

6.30pm and 7.30pm – The Holi Experience at the Clock Tower. Nupur Arts bring high-energy dance performances celebrating Holi, to the Clock Tower.

Saturday 15 March

7pm-8pm – Fiers a Cheval by Compagnie des Quidams. Stunning four–metre high glowing inflatable horses will promenade their way down New Walk, culminating in an enchanting 30 minute performance outside Mattioli Woods on New Walk Place.

Visitors to the city on Friday and Saturday evening will be able to see walkabout performances featuring Mexican skeleton puppets, LED ‘Glowbots’ and Enter Edem’s ‘Aquanauts’, as well as spoken word performances by Literati Arts. Light Up Leicester will also offer funfair rides, street food and an artisan night market. Find out more about everything that’s on offer at lightupleicester.com/events/

Art installations

In addition to events and performances, fixed art installations will be lighting up the city centre from 6pm to 10pm from Wednesday to Saturday. Highlights include:
- Evanscent – Giant bubble-inspired structures, Jubilee Square
- Double Flux – Pulsating waves of light from a mesmerising kinetic sculpture, Bath House Lane (pictured)
- Hula Hoop – Geometric hoops of light and sound, High Street
- Chorus – Light and motion sculpture fusing contemporary and classical Indian music sounds, Market Street
- Noor Tower – LED light tower inspired by Moroccan architecture, Churchgate
- Beacon – Dramatic 2km high light sculpture, Clock Tower
- Henge – A light and sound installation inspired by ancient monuments, Town Hall Square
- Nocturnal – Glowing inflatable wildlife installations, St Martin’s Square
Light Up Leicester is presented by Leicester City Council, BID Leicester, Leicester Cathedral and Art Reach. It is made possible through the generous support of Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Global Streets, PPL PRS and headline sponsor Highcross.

Michelle Menezes, centre director, Highcross Leicester said: “It is great that we are once again supporting Light Up Leicester, not only as headline sponsor but also as a location for ‘Double Flux’ a fantastic piece of illuminated artwork that will snake its way down Bath House Lane. This forms part of the new strategy for Highcross which includes developing new partnerships with local stakeholders to bring exciting events to the centre for the community to enjoy. I’m very much looking forward to seeing Light Up Leicester come to life, and delight visitors to the city and Highcross.”

Simon Jenner, BID Leicester director said: “As a presenting partner and major sponsor, we’re proud to have led the festival’s marketing campaign once again and helped bring this spectacular event to life. Light Up Leicester is a testament to the power of partnership, with our partners working collaboratively together to create something truly special for the city. We can’t wait to see Leicester illuminated once again!”

Greg Aiello, managing director of PPL PRS said: “It’s great that Light Up Leicester is returning to the city in 2025, with a programme filled not only with fantastic light installations, but with dance, walking performers and music! PPL PRS is proud to support this event as it will bring additional visitors into the city to enjoy Light Up Leicester, as well as the brilliant hospitality venues we have. It will be a real treat for all that attend, and thanks to all those involved in organising it.”

Festival organisers are committed to making the festival accessible to everyone. There will be a dedicated access support hub open every evening from 6pm to 10pm at the Visit Leicester information centre, where friendly staff will be ready to assist.

Accessible tours are available to help people with additional access needs to get around the festival, using rickshaws, box bikes and gazelles which can carry children and wheelchairs.

Leicester businesses are joining in the festival by offering tasty dining discounts throughout. Diners can enjoy 25% off the total bill at Kayal, Herb, and Merchant of Venice, 20% off at the Queen of Bradgate, Middleton’s and Restaurant 1573, or enjoy three courses for £20 at Turtle Bay. Details of all offers and deals available throughout the festival are on the Light Up Leicester website offers page. Offers – Light Up Leicester

Full details of the festival, including information about all the installations, the opening day parades, free performances and a Gallowtree Gate night market, are available on the festival website at www.lightupleicester.com
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Outcome of Natural England’s review of bird of prey ‘wild take’ licensing for falconry and aviculture
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

News story

Outcome of Natural England’s review of bird of prey ‘wild take’ licensing for falconry and aviculture

A change in Natural England’s approach means a ‘presumption against’ issuing wild take licensing for falconry and aviculture will be taken in future.
· A Natural England-led review has concluded that taking birds of prey from the wild is not essential to the continued practice of falconry or aviculture in England and licenses will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

· The move will help to protect wild birds of prey from unnecessary disturbance whilst enabling sustainable falconry practices to continue.

Natural England has today (Thursday March 06) published the outcome of its review into the licensing of ‘wild take’, a practice that involves taking birds of prey such as peregrine falcon from the wild for use in falconry and aviculture.

Defra ministers have endorsed Natural England’s recommendation that there should be a presumption against the granting of future wild take licenses.

This change will offer certainty for the falconry community and ensure that licenses to take birds from the wild are only issued where there is clear justification for doing. This decision will also help to allay concerns that wild take licenses could be abused, leading to an increase in the illegal export of wild-origin birds.

This announcement follows a two-year review process during which licensing was suspended. This review involved extensive evidence gathering, including through workshops, interviews, a literature review, and a public call for evidence.

John Holmes, Natural England’s Strategy Director, said:

“This change in approach to licensing will help to protect wild birds of prey whilst enabling sustainable falconry practices to continue unaffected.

“This announcement will also help allay fears that licenses could be abused, leading to an increase in the illegal export of wild-origin birds.

“The decision follows an extensive review process, and I would like to thank those who took the time to provide information through the call for evidence or by participating in interviews and workshops.”

Natural England’s review process concluded that:

taking birds of prey from the wild is not essential to the continued practice of falconry or aviculture in England.

suitable birds can be readily sourced from existing captive stocks.

captive-bred birds can perform to a suitably high standard when appropriately trained and handled

Natural England has a statutory responsibility, on behalf of Defra, for determining license applications to take birds of prey from the wild for use in falconry and aviculture. Defra ministers have endorsed Natural England’s recommendation to adopt a presumption against issuing licenses to take wild birds of prey for falconry and aviculture.

Whilst the power to grant licenses will remain on statute, Defra ministers support the view that licenses should not be issued, other than in exceptional circumstances. No evidence was provided during the review process that would support the issuing of licenses for any specific exceptional circumstances at the present time.

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Updates to this page

Published 6 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI: Notice to Aktia Bank Plc’s Annual General Meeting 2025
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Aktia Bank Plc
Stock Exchange Release
6 March 2025 at 1.00 p.m.

Notice to Aktia Bank Plc’s Annual General Meeting 2025

Notice is hereby given to Aktia Bank Plc shareholders that the Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday, 3 April 2025 at 4.00 p.m. at Pikku-Finlandia, address Karamzininranta 4, Helsinki. Persons who have registered for the meeting will be welcomed and voting sheets will be distributed from 3.00 p.m. onwards.

Shareholders of Aktia Bank Plc can also exercise their voting rights by voting in advance. Instructions for advance voting are set out in section C of this notice to the Annual General Meeting.

It is possible to follow the Annual General Meeting via webcast. Instructions on how to follow the webcast are available on the company’s website www.aktia.com/en/investors/corporate-governance/annual-general-meeting. It is not possible to ask questions, make counterproposals, make other interventions, or vote via webcast. Following the meeting via webcast shall not be considered as participation in the Annual General Meeting or as the exercise of shareholders’ rights.

A. Matters to be discussed at the Annual General Meeting

The agenda of the Annual General Meeting will be as follows:

1.   Opening of the meeting

2.   Calling the meeting to order

3.   Election of persons to scrutinise the minutes and to supervise the counting of votes

4.   Recording the legality of the meeting

5.   Recording the attendance at the meeting and adoption of the list of votes

6.   Presentation of the financial statements, consolidated financial statements, report by the Board of Directors and Auditor’s report for 2024

CEO’s presentation.

The company’s financial statements and Annual Report, including the report by the Board of Directors, sustainability report, the Auditor’s report and the assurance report on sustainability reporting, will be published no later than 13 March 2025, after which they are available on the company’s website at www.aktia.com.

7.   Adoption of the financial statements and the consolidated financial statements

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting adopts the financial statements. The company’s auditor has recommended adopting the financial statements.

8.   Resolution on the use of the profit shown in the balance sheet and the payment of dividend

The Board of Directors proposes that a dividend of EUR 0.82 per share shall be paid for the financial year 2024.

Shareholders registered in the register of shareholders of the company maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd on the record date for the dividend payment 7 April 2025 are entitled to the dividend. The Board of Directors proposes that the dividend shall be paid out on 14 April 2025 in accordance with the rules of Euroclear Finland Ltd.

9.   Resolution on the discharge from liability of the members of the Board of Directors, the CEO and his deputy

10.   Handling of the Remuneration Report of the governing bodies

The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the Remuneration Report for the company’s governing bodies be confirmed.

The 2024 Remuneration Report of the company’s governing bodies will be published no later than 13 March 2025, after which it is available on the company’s website at www.aktia.com.

11.   Resolution on remuneration for the members of the Board

The Nomination Board proposes that the remuneration for the Board of Directors for the term be unchanged and determined as follows:
- Chair, EUR 75,000 (2024: EUR 75,000)
- Deputy Chair, EUR 50,000 (2024: EUR 50,000)
- member, EUR 40,000 (2024: EUR 40,000)
Annual remunerations for the Chairs of each Committee as well as meeting remunerations are proposed to be unchanged, meaning that it is proposed that the Chair of each Committee will further receive an annual remuneration of EUR 8,000. The proposed meeting remuneration for Board and Committee meetings is EUR 700 per attended meeting for each person (EUR 700 per attended meeting for each person in 2024). If participation in a board meeting requires travelling outside the board member’s country of residence, the remuneration for board meeting is EUR 1,400 per attended meeting for each person (EUR 1,400 per attended meeting for each person in 2024). The remuneration of the members of the Board is not treated as income forming basis for earnings-related pension. Compensation for travel and accommodation expenses as well as a daily allowance is paid in line with the Finnish Tax Administration’s guidelines and the travel instructions of the company.

The Nomination Board proposes that approximately 40% of the annual remuneration (gross amount) shall be paid to the members in the form of Aktia shares. The company will on account of the Board members acquire Aktia shares on the market to the price that is formed through public trading or it will transfer the company’s own shares to the Board members and the rest of the annual remuneration payable is paid in cash. The shares are acquired or transferred during a two-week time period from the day following the company’s interim report for 1 January 2025–31 March 2025 is disclosed or as soon as possible in accordance with applicable legislation. If the remuneration can’t be paid in shares, it can be paid in cash entirely. The company will be responsible for all expenses and the possible transfer tax for acquiring or transferring the shares.

12.   Resolution on the number of members of the Board of Directors

The Shareholders’ Nomination Board proposes that the number of members of the Board of Directors be decreased from nine (9) to seven (7) members. However, should any of the candidates proposed under section 13 below not be able to attend the Board, the proposed number of Board members shall be decreased accordingly.

13.   Election of members of the Board of Directors

The Shareholders’ Nomination Board proposes that of the present members of the Board of Directors Joakim Frimodig, Carl Haglund, Maria Jerhamre Engström, Harri Lauslahti and Matts Rosenberg, based on their consent, shall be re-elected for a term continuing until the next Annual General Meeting has concluded. For more information on the members of the Board of Directors proposed to be re-elected, please see the company’s website at www.aktia.com. The Board members of Aktia Bank Ann Grevelius, Sari Pohjonen, Johannes Schulman and Lasse Svens have informed that they will not be available for re-election.

The Shareholders’ Nomination Board also proposes that Hanne Katrama and Sari Somerkallio are elected as new members of the Board of Directors for the same term, based on their consent. Further information on the new Board members proposed to be elected have been attached to this notice and can be found on the company’s website at www.aktia.com closer to the company’s Annual General Meeting.

Should any of the candidates presented above not be able to attend the Board, the available candidates are proposed to be elected accordingly.

All the proposed persons are independent in relation to the company according to the definition of the Corporate Governance Code. Only Matts Rosenberg is not independent of a significant shareholder since he is the Chair of the board of RG Partners Oy, the largest shareholder (10.13%) of Aktia Bank. In addition, Rosenberg is the CEO of Rettig Oy Ab, which is the largest owner of RG Partners Oy.

All the proposed persons have informed that they intend, if they are elected, to re-elect Matts Rosenberg amongst them as Chair of the Board of Directors and to elect Joakim Frimodig as Deputy Chair.

14.   Resolution on the auditor’s and sustainability reporting assurance provider’s remuneration

The Board of Directors proposes, based on the recommendation of the Board of Directors’ Audit Committee, that remuneration shall be paid to the auditor against the auditor’s reasonable invoice. The Board of Directors also proposes that remuneration shall be paid to the sustainability reporting assurance provider against a reasonable invoice for measures related to the assurance of sustainability reporting.

15.   Determination of the number of auditors and sustainability reporting assurance providers

The Board of Directors proposes, based on the recommendation of the Board of Directors’ Audit Committee, that the number of auditors and sustainability reporting assurance providers shall be one (1).

16.   Election of the auditor and the sustainability reporting assurance provider

The Board of Directors proposes, based on the recommendation of the Board of Directors’ Audit Committee, that KPMG Oy Ab, a firm of authorised public accountants, shall be elected as auditor, with Tiia Kataja, APA, as auditor-in-charge. The Board of Directors also proposes, based on the recommendation of the Board of Directors’ Audit Committee, that KPMG Oy Ab, an Authorised Sustainability Audit Firm, shall be elected as sustainability reporting assurance provider, with Tiia Kataja, Authorised Sustainability Auditor (ASA), as sustainability reporting assurance provider-in-charge. The auditor and the sustainability reporting assurance provider shall be elected for a term of office beginning when the Annual General Meeting 2025 has ended and continuing up until the Annual General Meeting 2026 has ended.

17.   Authorising the Board of Directors to decide on one or more issues of shares or special rights entitling to shares referred to in Chapter 10 of the Finnish Companies Act

The Board of Directors proposes that the General Meeting authorises the Board of Directors to issue shares, or special rights entitling to shares referred to in Chapter 10 of the Companies Act, as follows:

A maximum amount of 7,316,000 shares can be issued based on this authorisation, which corresponds to approximately 10% of all shares in the company.

The Board of Directors is authorised to decide on all terms for issues of shares and of special rights entitling to shares. The authorisation concerns the issuance of new shares. Issues of shares or of special rights entitling to shares can be carried out in deviation from the shareholders’ pre-emptive subscription right to the company’s shares (directed share issue).

The Board of Directors has the right to use this authorisation, among other things, to strengthen the company’s capital base, for the company’s share-based incentive scheme, acquisitions and/or other corporate transactions.

The authorisation is effective for 18 months from the resolution by the General Meeting and revokes the issue authorisation given by the Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024.

18.   Authorising the Board of Directors to decide on the acquisition of the company’s own shares

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting authorises the Board of Directors to decide on the acquisition of 500,000 shares at a maximum, corresponding to approximately 0.7% of the total number of shares in the company.

The company’s own shares may be acquired in one or several tranches using the unrestricted equity of the company.

The company’s own shares may be acquired at a price formed in public trading on the date of the acquisition, or at a price otherwise prevailing on the market. The company’s own shares may be acquired in a proportion other than that of the shares held by the shareholders (directed acquisition).

The company’s own shares may be acquired to be used in the company’s share-based incentive schemes and/or for the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors, for further transfer, retention, or cancellation.

The Board of Directors is authorised to decide on all additional terms concerning the acquisition of the company’s own shares.

The authorisation is effective for 18 months from the resolution by the General Meeting and revokes the authorisation to purchase the company’s own shares given by the Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024.

19.   Authorising the Board of Directors to decide to divest the company’s own shares

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting authorises the Board of Directors to decide on divesting own shares held by the company, as follows.

Based on the authorisation, a maximum of 500,000 shares may be divested.

Board of Directors is authorised to decide on all additional terms concerning the divestment of the company’s own shares. The divestment of the company’s own shares can be carried out in deviation from the shareholders’ pre-emptive subscription rights to shares in the company (directed share issue), e.g., for implementing the company’s incentive programs and for remuneration, including divesting the company’s own shares to board members for payment of board remuneration.

The authorisation is effective for 18 months from the resolution by the General Meeting and revokes the authorisation to divest the company’s own shares given by the Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024.

20.   Closing of the meeting

B. Documents of the Annual General Meeting

The proposals for the decisions on the matters on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting as well as this notice are available on Aktia Bank Plc’s website www.aktia.com. Aktia Bank Plc’s Annual Report including the company’s financial statements, the report by the Board of Directors (including the sustainability report), the Auditor’s report and the assurance report on sustainability reporting, and the 2024 Remuneration Report of the governing bodies, will be available on the above-mentioned website on 13 March 2025, at the latest. The minutes of the Annual General Meeting will be available on the above-mentioned website on 17 April 2025, at the latest.

C. Instructions for the participants in the Annual General Meeting

1. Shareholders registered in the shareholders’ register

Each shareholder, who is registered in the company’s register of shareholders maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd as at 24 March 2025, has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting. A shareholder whose shares are registered in their personal Finnish book-entry account is registered in the company’s register of shareholders. Any changes in the ownership of shares that have occurred after the record date of the Annual General Meeting do not affect the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting nor the number of votes of the shareholder.

Registration for the Annual General Meeting starts on 7 March 2025 at 10.00 a.m. Shareholders who are registered in the company’s register of shareholders and who wish to participate in the Annual General Meeting must register for the General Meeting by 4.00 p.m. on 27 March 2025, at the latest. Participants can register for the Annual General Meeting:

a) through the company’s website www.aktia.com/en/investors/corporate-governance/annual-general-meeting. Electronic registration requires strong identification of the shareholder or his/her legal representative or proxy with a Finnish, Swedish or Danish bank ID or mobile certificate;

b) by e-mail to Innovatics Ltd at agm@innovatics.fi. A shareholder registering by e-mail shall include in the message the registration form available on the company’s website www.aktia.com/en/investors/corporate-governance/annual-general-meeting and a possible advance voting form or equivalent information; or

c) by mail to Innovatics Ltd, Annual General Meeting / Aktia Bank Plc, Ratamestarinkatu 13 A, FI-00520 Helsinki. A shareholder registering by mail shall include in the message the registration form available on the company’s website www.aktia.com/en/investors/corporate-governance/annual-general-meeting and a possible advance voting form or equivalent information.

When registering, please provide the necessary information, such as the shareholder’s name, date of birth or business ID, contact details, the name of any assistant or proxy representative and the proxy’s date of birth. The personal data provided by shareholders to Aktia Bank Plc or Innovatics Ltd will only be used in connection with the Annual General Meeting and the processing of the necessary registrations related thereto.

The shareholder, his/her representative or proxy must be able to prove his/her identity and/or right of representation at the meeting. Further information on the use of proxy and power of attorney are described below in section C 3.

Further information on registration and advance voting is available by telephone during the registration period of the Annual General Meeting by calling at +358 10 2818 909 on weekdays from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and from 1.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.

2. Owners of nominee registered shares

A holder of nominee registered shares has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting by virtue of such shares, based on which he/she on the record date of the Annual General Meeting 24 March 2025 would be entitled to be registered in the company’s register of shareholders maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd. Participation also requires that the shareholder has been entered into the company’s temporary register of shareholders, maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd, on the basis of such shares by 31 March 2025 at 10.00 a.m. at the latest. In the case of nominee-registered shares, this is considered registration for the Annual General Meeting. Changes in the shareholding after the record date of the Annual General Meeting do not affect the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting or the shareholder’s voting rights.

The holder of nominee-registered shares is advised to request well in advance the necessary instructions from his/her custodian bank regarding temporary registration in the register of shareholders, the issuing of proxy documents and voting instructions, registration, and attendance at the Annual General Meeting and, if necessary, advance voting. The account manager of the custodian bank shall register the holder of nominee-registered shares attending the Annual General Meeting in the temporary register of shareholders of the company by the aforementioned date and time at the latest and, if necessary, arrange for advance voting on behalf of the holder of nominee-registered shares before the end of the registration period for holders of nominee-registered shares.

3. Proxy representatives and powers of attorney

A shareholder may attend the Annual General Meeting and exercise his/her rights there through a proxy representative. A shareholder’s proxy may also elect to vote in advance as described in this notice if he/she so wishes. The proxy representative shall authenticate to the electronic registration service and advance voting personally with strong authentication, after which he/she will be able to register and vote in advance on behalf of the shareholder that he/she represents. The shareholder’s proxy must present dated proxy documents, or otherwise in a reliable manner prove that he/she is entitled to represent the shareholder at the Annual General Meeting. You can prove your right to representation by using the Suomi.fi e-Authorisations service available in the electronic registration service.

Model proxy documents and voting instructions are available on the company’s website www.aktia.com/en/investors/corporate-governance/annual-general-meeting. If a shareholder participates in the Annual General Meeting through several proxies representing the shareholder with shares held in different securities accounts, the shares on the basis of which each proxy represents the shareholder shall be identified in connection with the registration.

Proxy documents are requested to be submitted preferably as an attachment with the electronic registration or alternatively by mail to Innovatics Ltd, Annual General Meeting / Aktia Bank Plc, Ratamestarinkatu 13 A, FI-00520 Helsinki or by e-mail to agm@innovatics.fi before the end of the registration period. In addition to submitting the proxy documents, the shareholder or his/her proxy shall register for the Annual General Meeting in the manner described above in this notice.

4. Advance voting

A shareholder whose shares in the company are registered in his/her personal Finnish book-entry account may vote in advance between 7 March 2025 and 27 March 2025 on certain items on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting

a) via the company’s website at www.aktia.com/en/investors/corporate-governance/annual-general-meeting. Login to the service is done in the same way as for registration in section C.1 of this notice;

b) by mail by submitting the advance voting form available on the company’s website or equivalent information to Innovatics Ltd at Innovatics Ltd, Annual General Meeting / Aktia Bank Plc, Ratamestarinkatu 13 A, FI-00520 Helsinki, Finland; or

c) by e-mail by submitting the advance voting form available on the company’s website or equivalent information to Innovatics Ltd by e-mail at agm@innovatics.fi.

Advance votes must be received by the time the advance voting ends. The submission of votes by mail or e-mail before the end of the registration and advance voting period shall be considered registration for the Annual General Meeting, provided that it contains the abovementioned information required for registration.

A shareholder who has voted in advance cannot exercise the right to ask questions or demand a vote under the Finnish Companies Act unless he/she attends the Annual General Meeting in person or by proxy at the meeting venue.

With respect to nominee registered shareholders, the advance voting is carried out by the account manager. The account manager may vote in advance on behalf of the holders of nominee-registered shares whom he/she represents in accordance with the voting instructions given by them during the registration period set for the nominee-registered shareholders.

Proposals for resolution that are subject to advance voting are deemed to have been made at the Annual General Meeting without any changes.

5. Further instructions for attendees of the Annual General Meeting

The official language of the meeting is Swedish, but the meeting will be partly conducted also in Finnish. Shareholders may address the meeting and present questions in both Swedish and Finnish. There is no simultaneous interpretation at the meeting.

Shareholders present at the Annual General Meeting have the right to present questions about the matters discussed at the meeting in accordance with Chapter 5, Section 25 of the Finnish Companies Act.

Changes in the shareholding after the record date of the Annual General Meeting do not affect the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting or the shareholder’s voting rights.

Shareholders are welcome to participate in coffee service arranged after the meeting.

On the date of this notice to the Annual General Meeting the total number of shares in Aktia Bank Plc is 73,161,696 shares, representing 73,161,696 votes. The company holds on the date of this notice a total number of 56,708 of its own shares. The shares held by the company on the record date of the Annual General Meeting do not entitle to vote at the Annual General Meeting.

Helsinki, 6 March 2025

AKTIA BANK PLC
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Appendix 1: information on the proposed new members of the Board of Directors

For more information, please contact:
Lasse Svens, Chair of the Board, tel. +358 500 562 945
Ari Syrjäläinen, General Counsel, tel. +358 10 247 6350

Distribution:
Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
Central media
www.aktia.com

Aktia is a Finnish asset manager, bank and life insurer that has been creating wealth and wellbeing from one generation to the next for 200 years. We serve our customers in digital channels everywhere and face-to-face in our offices in the Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Vaasa and Oulu regions. Our award-winning asset management business sells investment funds internationally. We employ approximately 850 people around Finland. Aktia’s assets under management (AuM) on 31 December 2024 amounted to EUR 14.0 billion, and the balance sheet total was EUR 11.9 billion. Aktia’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd (AKTIA). aktia.com.

Attachment
- Attachment_Information_on_proposed_new_Board_members_for_Aktia_Bank
The MIL Network –
March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI: Beam Global Announces Record Orders for Energy Storage Solutions in Early 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SAN DIEGO, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Beam Global, (Nasdaq: BEEM), a leading provider of innovative and sustainable infrastructure solutions for the electrification of transportation and energy security, today announced a record-breaking increase in energy storage solutions (ESS) sales. Contracted orders in the first two months of 2025 are nearly three times the total for the entire first quarter of 2024, representing a 200% increase in new ESS orders. This significant growth highlights strong market demand for Beam’s advanced energy storage technology.

Since the start of 2025, Beam Global’s ESS sales have seen unprecedented growth, driven by increasing adoption across various industries due to their bespoke designs, superior safety and smart battery management system (BMS).

“Battery sales dollars are relatively modest compared to some of our other products, but the significant order growth we’ve seen already this year gives a strong indication of the value in our strategy to diversify our offerings, particularly at a time when there is so much perceived (and some real) uncertainty around EV charging,” said Desmond Wheatley, CEO of Beam Global. “This announcement, along with last week’s announcement of dramatic growth in order volume in our European operations shows that we are growing our business in ways which are not impacted by swings in EV sentiment, whether due to the new administration or other factors. We are focusing on expanding geographies and product offerings while keeping our costs under control. The increased sales of energy storage solutions and of our other products in Europe is an excellent indicator our success in these areas.”

Beam AllCell™ energy storage solutions use patented PCC™ technology that enables more power in a smaller, lighter battery. The advanced thermal management capabilities of PCC™ technology also mitigate thermal runaway propagation, delivering superior safety and the ability to operate efficiently in hot and cold environments.

About Beam Global
Beam Global is a clean technology innovator which develops and manufactures sustainable infrastructure products and technologies. We operate at the nexus of clean energy and transportation with a focus on sustainable energy infrastructure, rapidly deployed and scalable EV charging solutions, safe energy storage and vital energy security. With operations in the U.S. and Europe, Beam Global develops, patents, designs, engineers and manufactures unique and advanced clean technology solutions that power transportation, provide secure sources of electricity, save time and money and protect the environment. Beam Global is headquartered in San Diego, CA with facilities in Chicago, IL and Belgrade and Kraljevo, Serbia. Beam Global is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol BEEM. For more information visit BeamForAll.com, LinkedIn, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).

Forward-Looking Statements
This Beam Global Press Release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements in this Press Release other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by terms or phrases such as “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “plan,” “intend,” “seek,” “goal,” “will,” “should,” “may,” or other words and similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or results. These statements relate to future events or future results of operations. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause Beam Global’s actual results to be materially different from these forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by law, Beam Global expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Media Contact
Andy Lovsted
+1-858-335-8465
Press@BeamForAll.com

Investor Relations
Luke Higgins
+1-858-799-4583
IR@BeamForAll.com

The MIL Network –

March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: EOLO chooses Thales to expand high-speed Internet access in Italy
Source: Thales Group

Headline: EOLO chooses Thales to expand high-speed Internet access in Italy

06 Mar 2025

Share this article
- EOLO partners with Thales to bring ultrafast broadband to underserved Italian communities.
- Thales’ eSIM solution enables seamless 5G connectivity for EOLO’s new Internet offerings, based on Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technology.
- This initiative supports the EU’s goal of ‘universal 1Gbps broadband by 2030’ as well as EOLO’s and Thales Commitment to Digital Inclusion and to Innovation.
The European Union aims to ensure that all citizens have access to 1Gbps broadband by 2030 and EOLO selected Thales for its leading connectivity solutions. Achieving this vision requires innovative solutions like Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), which delivers high-speed internet to areas lacking traditional fiber or copper networks. FWA is crucial for connecting people in small towns and rural regions, supporting economic growth, and bridging the digital divide.

EOLO’s Vision for Faster Connectivity

As Italy’s leading FWA provider, EOLO has been pioneering radio technology to deliver affordable, high-speed internet. Currently, the company serves more than 700.000 households and FWA connectivity can reach speeds of up to 300 Mbps in download. To furtherly improve customer experience and reach Italian territories with a service able to bridge digital speed divide, EOLO is launching a 1Gbps FWA service in 2025, combining 5G and millimeter wave (mmWave) technology. This rollout will include a new 5G antenna network and thousands of eSIM-enabled devices installed at customer locations.

Thales’ Expertise in Secure Connectivity

Thales is playing a key role in this expansion by providing its eSIM Management platform, Thales On-Demand Subscription Manager (OSM). This technology allows EOLO’s 5G Routers to be pre-configured with mobile subscriptions, making installation faster and easier. Customers will benefit from instant activation as soon as they power on their devices, ensuring seamless connectivity.

“The infrastructure that we are building together will play a pivotal role by complementing fiber coverage in our country. With a connectivity able to reach 1 Gbps, we will meet the ambitious goals of both European and Italian agendas, helping citizens and enterprises to overcome digital divide and digital speed divide”, commented Guido Garrone, CEO at EOLO.

“Reliable, secure connectivity is essential for digital transformation,” said Eva Rudin, VP Mobile Connectivity Solutions at Thales. “By supporting EOLO with our advanced eSIM technology, we are enabling faster broadband deployment and helping to bridge the digital divide across Europe.”

About Thales

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies specialized in three business domains: Defence, Aerospace and Cyber & Digital. It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive.

The Group invests close to €4 billion a year in Research & Development, particularly in key innovation areas such as AI, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, cloud technologies and 6G.

Thales has nearly 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.
MIL OSI Economics –
March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Global: Electric shock equipment widely abused by law enforcement agencies due to alarming lack of regulation
Source: Amnesty International –

States and companies are manufacturing, promoting and selling electric shock equipment that is being used for torture and other ill-treatment, said Amnesty International, in a new report calling for a global, legally-binding treaty to regulate the unchecked production of and trade in law enforcement equipment.

“I Still Can’t Sleep at Night” – The Global Abuse of Electric Shock Equipment, documents how law enforcement agencies are using inherently abusive direct contact electric shock weapons – including stun guns and electric shock batons– on the street, at borders, in migrant and refugee detention centres, mental health institutions, police stations, prisons, and other places of detention.

These inherently abusive devices, which deliver painful shocks at the press of a button, have been used against protesters, students, political opponents, women and girls (including pregnant women), children and human rights defenders, among others. Survivors have suffered burns, numbness, miscarriage, urinary dysfunction, insomnia, exhaustion and profound psychological trauma.

The report also looks at the escalating misuse of Projectile Electric Shock Weapons (PESWs), which can have a legitimate role in law enforcement, but are often misused. Cases include the unnecessary and discriminatory use against vulnerable groups resulting in serious injuries and in some cases even death.

Direct contact electric shock weapons can cause severe suffering, long-lasting physical disability and psychological distress.

Patrick Wilcken, Amnesty International

“Direct contact electric shock weapons can cause severe suffering, long-lasting physical disability and psychological distress. Prolonged use can even result in death,” said Patrick Wilcken, Amnesty International’s researcher on military, security and policing issues.

“PESWs are being used against individuals who pose no risk of violence, simply for punishment or compliance with orders. They are also being used in direct contact ‘drive stun’ mode, which should be prohibited. Despite the clear human rights risks associated with their use, there are no global regulations controlling the production of and trade in electric shock equipment. Direct contact electric shock weapons need to be banned immediately and PESWs subject to strict human-rights-based trade controls.”

The extensive report draws on research carried out by Amnesty International from 2014 to 2024 in over 40 countries across all regions across the world, where cases involving torture and other ill-treatment using electric shock equipment have been documented.

Vulnerable groups targeted by electric shock weapons

Testimonies gathered by Amnesty International are harrowing.

During the 2022 “Woman Life Freedom” uprising in Iran, the military unit IRGC Basijbattalion forced several boys to stand with their legs apart in a line alongside adult detainees and administered electric shocks to their genitals with stun guns.

In another case, several schoolboys were abducted for writing the protest slogan “Woman Life Freedom” on a wall. One of the boys told Amnesty International: “They hit my face with the back of a gun, gave electric shocks to my back, and beat me with batons on the bottom of my feet and hands…”

PESWs have often been used as de facto direct contact electric shock weapons when deployed in “drive stun” mode.

“I was lying on the ground and still they have used tasers on me three times, and at the same time they beat me with the batons.

Detainee from Sub-Saharan Africa

Recounting a raid by border guards on the Medininkai detention centre in Lithuania on 2 March 2022, one detainee from Sub-Saharan Africa said: “I was lying on the ground and still they have used tasers on me three times, and at the same time they beat me with the batons.” Another described being threatened by police officers who placed a “taser” on her forehead, telling her “‘Shut up or I will shoot you!’”

“Even when used as a stand-off weapon, PESWs have been linked to serious injuries and deaths,” said Patrick Wilcken. “These include dart lacerations and penetration of the skull, eye, internal organs, throat, fingers and testis; electrical discharge induced burns, seizures and arrythmias; and a variety of injuries and deaths from falls.”

Amnesty’s report reveals patterns of PESWs’ discriminatory deployment against racialized and marginalized groups, such as young Black men. In April 2024, police in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, were filmed using a TASER directly on the leg of a Black protester at a Palestine solidarity demonstration while he was pinned to the ground by three police officers and handcuffed.

“Given the high risks of primary and secondary injuries, the use of PESWs must be set at a high threshold. These weapons should only be used only in situations involving a threat to life or risk of serious injury which cannot be contained by less extreme options,” said Patrick Wilcken.

The urgent need for prohibitions and trade regulation

At least 197 companies from all regions manufactured or promoted direct contact electric shock equipment for law enforcement between January 2018 and June 2023 – with most companies based in countries such as China, India and the USA.

According to US-based Axon Enterprise, Inc., their TASER brand models are currently used by over 18,000 law enforcement agencies in more than 80 countries.

“There is an urgent need for a legally-binding treaty which would prohibit inherently abusive electric shock equipment and strictly control the trade in PESWs,” said Patrick Wilcken.

“Companies should implement robust human rights due diligence and mitigation measures to ensure their products and services are not being systematically misused for torture or other ill-treatment. This includes ceasing production of direct contact electric shock devices and removing the ‘drive stun’ function from PESWs.”

Amnesty International, along with a global civil society network of over 80 organizations worldwide, is campaigning for the negotiation of a Torture-Free Trade Treaty that would introduce global prohibitions and controls on a wide range of law enforcement equipment, including electric shock weapons and equipment.

Background
- In September 2017, the EU, Argentina and Mongolia launched the Alliance for Torture-Free Trade at the margins of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The Alliance currently comprises 62 states from all regions of the world pledging to “act together to further prevent, restrict and end trade” in goods used notably for torture or other ill-treatment. In October 2023, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture presented a thematic report on the torture trade at the UNGA which argued for a legally binding instrument to regulate the production of and trade in law enforcement equipment and included lists of goods considered prohibited and controlled.
- This is one of a series of in-depth research reports showing the devastating human rights impact of law enforcement equipment; previous reports include work on tear gas, batons, rubber bullets, and the trade in less lethal weapons used to repress protesters.
MIL OSI NGO –
March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Global: Electric shock equipment widely abused by law enforcement agencies due to alarming lack of regulation – new report

Source: Amnesty International –

40 countries including the UK where cases involving torture and other ill-treatment using electric shock equipment have been documented

197 companies manufactured or promoted direct contact electric shock equipment for law enforcement – most companies based in China, India and the USA

Survivors have suffered burns, numbness, miscarriage, urinary dysfunction, insomnia, exhaustion and profound psychological trauma

Harrowing testimonies of people of electric shock equipment used against people

‘They hit my face with the back of a gun, gave electric shocks to my back, and beat me with batons on the bottom of my feet and hands…’ – schoolboy in Iran

In the UK, Tasers were drawn, aimed or discharged 33,232 times between April 2023 to March 2024

States and companies are manufacturing, promoting and selling electric shock equipment that is being used for torture and other ill-treatment, said Amnesty International in a new report calling for a global, legally-binding treaty to regulate the unchecked production of and trade in law enforcement equipment.

The 72-page report – “I Still Can’t Sleep at Night” The Global Abuse of Electric Shock Equipment – draws on research carried out by Amnesty from 2014 to 2024 in over 40 countries including the UK, where cases involving torture and other ill-treatment using electric shock equipment have been documented.

Law enforcement agencies are using inherently abusive direct contact electric shock weapons – including stun guns and electric shock batons– on the street, at borders, in migrant and refugee detention centres, mental health institutions, police stations, prisons, and other places of detention.

The devices, which deliver painful shocks at the press of a button, have been used against protesters, students, political opponents, women and girls (including pregnant women), children and human rights defenders, among others. Survivors have suffered burns, numbness, miscarriage, urinary dysfunction, insomnia, exhaustion and profound psychological trauma.

The report also looks at the escalating misuse of Projectile Electric Shock Weapons (PESWs) which can have a legitimate role in law enforcement but are often misused. Cases include the unnecessary and discriminatory use against vulnerable groups resulting in serious injuries and in some cases even death.

Trade fairs in the UK

In September 2024, Amnesty and the Omega Research Foundation found that a British company, The Squad Group Ltd led by retired police officers – including a former Assistant Chief Constable – were caught on camera demonstrating electric-shock torture equipment at a trade fair in Birmingham.

The revelations raised serious questions about the enforcement of laws in relation to the prohibition of torture equipment as well as the staging of security equipment trade events. The trade in direct-contact and body-worn electric-shock weapons is illegal under laws regulating the arms and security trade, with UK companies and nationals banned from importing, exporting or in any way promoting these goods anywhere in the world. Electric-shock weapons are prohibited under The Trade in Torture etc. Goods (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, and current Government export control guidance clearly states that all trading activity, including promotion and marketing of these goods anywhere in the world, is prohibited.

More information about The Squad Group Ltd here.

Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s Chief Executive, said:

“It’s shocking that prohibited torture equipment is openly being promoted and demonstrated by a UK company.

“Despite raising this case directly with the UK government in September last year, no satisfactory answers have been provided to shed light on how these electric shock weapons have been able to be advertised, promoted and demonstrated despite seemingly robust legislation banning these activities. Alarmingly, since first alerting the authorities to this case, it has become clear that they have been demonstrated to several UK policing bodies.

“Bringing any direct-contact electric-shock weapon into the UK must surely be a serious breach of current UK arms trade regulations that have been in place since prohibitions on electric shock weapons were first introduced by then Labour Foreign secretary Robin Cooke in 1997. To this day, these electric shock weapons are still being promoted for sale, suggesting that our existing rules are either not being properly enforced or are riddled with loopholes.”

Tasers used in the UK

In the latest use of force figures for England and Wales published by Home Office for April 2023 to March 2024, Tasers were used – that is drawn, aimed or discharged – a total of 33,232 times and police threatened to use Tasers against children 2,895 times with 66 charges. Five of those incidents, officers threatened to use Tasers against children under the age of 11.

Tasers were used on Black people at a rate of 4.2 times higher than someone from a white ethnic group in England and Wales (excluding the Metropolitan Police). In the MET police area, Tasers were used at a rate of 4.4 times higher when percentages of Taser use by ethnicity were compared with the breakdown of ethnic groups in the general population in the 2021 Census. According to the Independent Office for Police Conduct found that Black people were more likely to be tasered for prolonged periods (over 5 seconds) than white people.

Sacha Deshmukh added:

“The police have a disturbing record of misusing Tasers, using them disproportionately against people from minority ethnic communities and those suffering from mental health crises, and also when people have been running away from officers and presenting no risk to them or the public.

“Tasers are potentially lethal weapons and they should only be made available to properly-trained specialist officers, and not normalised as a piece of weaponry available to every police officer operating on our streets.”

More information about Tasers used in the UK from page 30 in the report.

Electric shock weapons used around the world

During the 2022 “Woman Life Freedom” uprising in Iran, the military unit IRGC Basij battalion forced several boys to stand with their legs apart in a line alongside adult detainees and administered electric shocks to their genitals with stun guns. In another case, several schoolboys were abducted for writing the protest slogan “Woman Life Freedom” on a wall. One of the boys told Amnesty:

“They hit my face with the back of a gun, gave electric shocks to my back, and beat me with batons on the bottom of my feet and hands…”

PESWs have often been used as de facto direct contact electric shock weapons when deployed in “drive stun” mode. Recounting a raid by border guards on the Medininkai detention centre in Lithuania on 2 March 2022, one detainee from Sub-Saharan Africa said:

“I was lying on the ground and still they have used tasers on me three times, and at the same time they beat me with the batons.” Another described being threatened by police officers who placed a “taser” on her forehead, telling her “‘Shut up or I will shoot you!’”

Amnesty’s report reveals patterns of PESWs’ discriminatory deployment against racialised and marginalised groups, such as young Black men. In April 2024, police in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, were filmed using a Taser directly on the leg of a Black protester at a Palestine solidarity demonstration while he was pinned to the ground by three police officers and handcuffed.

The urgent need for prohibitions and trade regulation

At least 197 companies from all regions manufactured or promoted direct contact electric shock equipment for law enforcement between January 2018 and June 2023 – with most companies based in countries such as China, India and the USA.

According to US-based Axon Enterprise, Inc., their Taser brand models are currently used by over 18,000 law enforcement agencies in more than 80 countries.

Amnesty along with a global civil society network of over 80 organisations worldwide, is campaigning for the negotiation of a Torture-Free Trade Treaty that would introduce global prohibitions and controls on a wide range of law enforcement equipment, including electric shock weapons and equipment.

Patrick Wilcken, Amnesty International’s researcher on military, security and policing issues, said:

“Projectile Electric Shock Weapons are being used against individuals who pose no risk of violence, simply for punishment or compliance with orders.

“Direct contact electric shock weapons can cause psychological distress, severe suffering, long-lasting physical disability. These include dart lacerations and penetration of the skull, eye, internal organs, throat, fingers and testis; electrical discharge induced burns, seizures and arrythmias; and a variety of injuries and deaths from falls. They are also being used in direct contact ‘drive stun’ mode, which should be prohibited.

“Despite the clear human rights risks associated with their use, there are no global regulations controlling the production of and trade in electric shock equipment. Direct contact electric shock weapons need to be banned immediately and Projectile Electric Shock Weapons subject to strict human-rights-based trade controls.

“There is an urgent need for a legally-binding treaty which would prohibit inherently abusive electric shock equipment and strictly control the trade in Projectile Electric Shock Weapons.

“Companies should implement robust human rights due diligence and mitigation measures to ensure their products and services are not being systematically misused for torture or other ill-treatment. This includes ceasing production of direct contact electric shock devices and removing the ‘drive stun’ function from Projectile Electric Shock Weapons.”

Alliance for Torture-Free Trade

In September 2017, the EU, Argentina and Mongolia launched the Alliance for Torture-Free Trade at the margins of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The Alliance currently comprises 62 states from all regions of the world pledging to “act together to further prevent, restrict and end trade” in goods used notably for torture or other ill-treatment. In October 2023, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture presented a thematic report on the torture trade at the UNGA which argued for a legally binding instrument to regulate the production of and trade in law enforcement equipment and included lists of goods considered prohibited and controlled.

This is one of a series of in-depth research reports showing the devastating human rights impact of law enforcement equipment; previous reports include work on tear gas, batons, rubber bullets, and the trade in less lethal weapons used to repress protesters.

MIL OSI NGO –

March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Thurrock Council: Ministerial response to Commissioners’ fourth report

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Correspondence

Thurrock Council: Ministerial response to Commissioners’ fourth report

Letter from Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government, in response to the Commissioners’ fourth report.

Applies to England

Documents

Thurrock Council: Ministerial response to Commissioners’ fourth report

PDF, 170 KB, 1 page

Details

A copy of the letter from Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government to the Thurrock Commissioners in response to their fourth report. The Minister welcomes the significant progress made by the Council and notes the challenges that remain for Thurrock.

Updates to this page

Published 6 March 2025

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MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Thurrock Council: Letter to Dr Dave Smith extending his appointment as Managing Director Commissioner

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Correspondence

Thurrock Council: Letter to Dr Dave Smith extending his appointment as Managing Director Commissioner

A copy of the letter to Dr Dave Smith, regarding the Secretary of State’s decision to extend his appointment as the Managing Director Commissioner at Thurrock Council.

Applies to England

Documents

Thurrock Council: Letter to Dr Dave Smith extending his appointment as Managing Director Commissioner

PDF, 319 KB, 6 pages

Details

Copy of the letter from James Blythe, Deputy Director, Local Government Stewardship and Intervention, at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to Dr Dave Smith, confirming the Secretary of State’s decision to extend his appointment as the Managing Director Commissioner to Thurrock Council until 1 September 2025.

Updates to this page

Published 6 March 2025

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MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Woking Borough Council: Ministerial response to Commissioners’ fourth report

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Correspondence

Woking Borough Council: Ministerial response to Commissioners’ fourth report

Letter from Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, in response to Commissioners’ fourth report.

Applies to England

Documents

Woking Borough Council: Ministerial response to Commissioners’ fourth report

PDF, 153 KB, 1 page

Details

Copy of the letter from Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, to the Woking Commissioners in response to their fourth report. The Minister is reassured by Commissioners’ comments that the Council is committed to achieving the objectives that the Council have worked with Commissioners to set, which will radically overhaul the operation of the Council.

Updates to this page

Published 6 March 2025

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MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: The Next Full Moon is the Worm Moon

Source: NASA

The next full moon is called the Worm Moon. Also, there will be a total lunar eclipse this full moon. The Moon will be full early Friday morning, March 14, at 2:55 a.m. EDT, but will appear full for about three days around this time, from Wednesday evening into Saturday morning.

As the Moon passes opposite the Sun it will move through the shadow of Earth creating a total eclipse of the Moon. The Moon will begin entering the partial shadow Thursday night at 11:57 p.m. EDT, but the gradual dimming of the Moon will not be noticeable until it starts to enter the full shadow Friday morning at 1:09 a.m. The round shadow of Earth will gradually shift across the face of the Moon (from lower left to upper right) until the Moon is fully shaded beginning at 2:26 a.m. The period of full shadow, or total eclipse, will last about 65 minutes, reaching the greatest eclipse at 2:59 a.m. and ending at 3:31 a.m. Even though it will be in full shadow, the Moon will still be visible. The glow of all of the sunrises and sunsets on Earth will give the Moon a reddish-brown hue, sometimes called a “Blood Moon” — although this name is also used for one of the full moons near the start of fall. From 3:31 a.m. until 4:48 a.m., the Moon will exit the full shadow of Earth, with the round shadow again shifting across the face of the Moon (from upper left to lower right). The Moon will leave the last of the partial shadow at 6 a.m. ending this eclipse.
The Maine Farmers’ Almanac began publishing Native American names for full moons in the 1930s, and these names are now widely known and used. According to this almanac, the tribes of the northeastern U.S. called the full moon in March the Crow, Crust, Sap, Sugar, or Worm Moon. The more northern tribes of the northeastern United States knew this as the Crow Moon, with the cawing of crows signaling the end of winter. Other northern names were the Crust Moon, because the snow cover became crusted from thawing by day and freezing by night, or the Sap (or Sugar) Moon as this was the time for tapping maple trees. The more southern tribes called this the Worm Moon after the earthworm casts that appeared as the ground thawed. It makes sense that only the southern tribes called this the Worm Moon. When glaciers covered the northern part of North America they wiped out the native earthworms. After these glaciers melted about 12,000 years ago the more northern forests grew back without earthworms. Most of the earthworms in these areas are invasive species introduced from Europe and Asia.
Continuing the tradition of naming moons after prominent phenomena tied to the time of year, a few years ago my friend Tom Van Wagner suggested naming this the Pothole Moon. It may be a case of confirmation bias, but whether in my car or on my bicycle I’ve noticed more potholes lately.

As usual, the wearing of suitably celebratory celestial attire is encouraged in honor of the full moon. Enjoy the total lunar eclipse (if you are in a part of the world that can see it), anticipate the coming of spring and watch out for potholes!

Gordon johnston
NASA Program Executive (Retired)

Here are the other celestial events between now and the full moon after next with times and angles based on the location of NASA Headquarters in Washington:
As winter in the Northern Hemisphere ends and spring begins, the daily periods of sunlight continue to lengthen, changing fastest around the vernal (spring) equinox on March 20. On Friday, March 14 (the day of the full moon), morning twilight will begin at 6:23 a.m. EDT, sunrise will be at 7:20 a.m., solar noon will be at 1:17 p.m. when the Sun will reach its maximum altitude of 48.9 degrees, sunset will be at 7:14 p.m., and evening twilight will end at 8:12 p.m. By Saturday, April 12 — the day of the full moon after next — morning twilight will begin at 5:36 a.m., sunrise will be at 6:36 a.m., solar noon will be at 1:09 p.m. when the Sun will reach its maximum altitude of 60.1 degrees, sunset will be at 7:43 p.m., and evening twilight will end at 8:43 p.m.
During this lunar cycle, a backyard telescope should still provide interesting views of Jupiter and Mars high in the evening sky. Venus and Mercury will only be visible near the start at this cycle and will be too low to see easily unless you have access to a location with clear views toward the western horizon. With a telescope, you should be able to see Jupiter’s four bright moons, Ganymede, Callisto, Europa, and Io, noticeably shifting positions in the course of an evening. Jupiter was at its closest and brightest in early December. Mars was at its closest and brightest for the year just a month ago. The planet Uranus will be too dim to see without a telescope when the Moon is in the sky, but later in the lunar cycle, if you are in a very dark area with clear skies and no interference from moonlight, it will still be brighter than the faintest visible stars, making it barely visible. Uranus was at its closest and brightest in mid-November.
Comets and Meteor Shower
No meteor showers are predicted to peak during this lunar cycle, and no comets are expected to be visible without a telescope.
Evening Sky Highlights
On the evening of Thursday, March 13 — the night of the full moon — as twilight ends at 8:11 p.m. EDT, the rising Moon will be 14 degrees above the eastern horizon. The brightest planet in the sky will be Venus at 4 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon, appearing as a thin, 4% illuminated crescent through a telescope. Next in brightness will be Jupiter at 62 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon. Third in brightness will be Mars at 72 degrees above the southeastern horizon. Mercury, to the left of Venus, will also be 4 degrees above the western horizon. Uranus, on the edge of what is visible under extremely clear, moonless, and dark skies, will be 45 degrees above the western horizon. The bright star closest to overhead will be Capella at 75 degrees above the northwestern horizon. Capella is the 6th brightest star in our night sky, and the brightest star in the constellation Auriga (shaped like a charioteer). Although we see Capella as a single star it is actually four stars — two pairs of stars orbiting each other. Capella is about 43 light-years from Earth.
Also high in the sky will be the constellation Orion, easily identifiable because of the three stars that form Orion’s Belt. This time of year, we see many bright stars at evening twilight, with bright stars scattered from the south-southeast toward the northwest. We see more stars in this direction because we are looking toward the Local Arm of our home galaxy (also called the Orion Arm, Orion-Cygnus Arm, or Orion Bridge). This arm is about 3,500 light years across and 10,000 light years long. Some of the bright stars we see from this arm are the three stars of Orion’s Belt, along with Rigel (860 light-years from Earth), Betelgeuse (548 light-years), Polaris (about 400 light-years), and Deneb (about 2,600 light-years).
As this lunar cycle progresses, the background of stars will rotate by about a degree westward each evening around the pole star Polaris. March 16 will be the last evening Venus will be above the horizon, and March 17 will be the last evening Mercury will be above the horizon as twilight ends. On March 30, Mars will pass by the bright star Pollux for the third time in 6 months, having passed by in mid-October 2024, changed direction (called apparent retrograde motion) and passed again in mid-January, then changed directions again for this March 30 pass. The waxing moon will appear near the Pleiades star cluster on April 1, Jupiter on April 2, Mars and Pollux on April 5, and Regulus on April 7 and 8.
By the evening of Saturday, April 12 — the evening of the night of the full moon after next — as twilight ends at 8:43 p.m. EDT, the rising Moon will be 10 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon with the bright star Spica about a half degree to the upper left. The brightest planet in the sky will be Jupiter at 38 degrees above the western horizon. Next in brightness will be Mars at 70 degrees above the southwestern horizon. Uranus, on the edge of what is visible under extremely clear, moonless dark skies, will be 18 degrees above the western horizon. The bright star closest to overhead will be Pollux at 71 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon. Pollux is the 17th brightest star in our night sky and the brighter of the twin stars in the constellation Gemini the twins. It is an orange-tinted star about 34 light-years from Earth. Pollux is not quite twice the mass of our Sun, but is about 9 times the diameter and 33 times the brightness.
Morning Sky Highlights
On the morning of Friday, March 14 — the morning of the full moon — as twilight begins at 6:23 a.m. EDT, the setting full moon will be 12 degrees above the western horizon. No visible planets will appear in the sky. The bright star closest to overhead will be Vega at 68 degrees above the eastern horizon. Vega is the 5th brightest star in our night sky and the brightest star in the constellation Lyra (the lyre). Vega is one of the three bright stars of the “Summer Triangle” along with Deneb and Altair. It is about 25 light-years from Earth, has twice the mass of our Sun, and shines 40 times brighter than our Sun.
As this lunar cycle progresses, the background of stars will rotate westward by about a degree each morning around the pole star Polaris. The waning moon will appear near Spica on March 16 and 17, and Antares on March 20. Bright Venus — now the morning star — will begin to emerge from the glow of dawn around March 21 and will be above the horizon as twilight begins after March 29. Mercury and Saturn will begin emerging from the glow of dawn in early April, rising after morning twilight begins. Initially Saturn will appear brighter than Mercury, but Mercury will brighten each morning as it becomes a fuller crescent, showing more illuminated area to Earth. After about April 8, Mercury will appear brighter than Saturn.
By the morning of Sunday, April 13 — the morning of the night of the full moon after next — as twilight begins at 5:34 a.m. EDT, the setting full moon will be 10 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon with the bright star Spica 4 degrees to the right. The only planet in the sky as twilight begins will be bright Venus as the morning star at 5 degrees above the eastern horizon. However, both Mercury and the fainter Saturn should be visible below Venus after they rise 4 and 7 minutes later (Saturn at 5:37 a.m. and Mercury at 5:40 a.m.). The bright star closest to overhead still will be Vega at 81 degrees above the eastern horizon.

Here for your reference is a day-by-day listing of celestial events between now and the full moon on April 12, 2025. The times and angles are based on the location of NASA Headquarters in Washington, and some of these details may differ for where you are (I use parentheses to indicate times specific to the D.C. area). If your latitude is significantly different than 39 degrees north (and especially for my Southern Hemisphere readers), I recommend using an astronomy app that is set up for your location or a star-watching guide from a local observatory, news outlet, or astronomy club.
March 8 Just after midnight on Saturday morning, March 8, the planet Mercury will reach its greatest angular separation from the Sun as seen from Earth for this apparition (called greatest elongation).
Saturday evening, March 8, Mercury will appear at its highest (6 degrees) above the western horizon as evening twilight ends (at 7:06 p.m. EST). Mercury will set 34 minutes later (at 7:40 p.m.). This will also be the evening Mercury will have dimmed to the brightness of Mars, after which Mars will be the third brightest visible planet again.
March 8 – 9 On Saturday evening into Sunday morning, March 8 to 9, Mars will appear near the waxing gibbous moon with the bright star Pollux (the brighter of the twin stars in the constellation Gemini) nearby. As evening twilight ends at 7:06 p.m. EST, Mars will be 1.5 degrees to the lower right of the Moon and Pollux will be 6 degrees to the lower left. As the Moon reaches its highest for the night more than an hour later at 8:22 p.m., Mars will be 1.5 degrees to the lower right of the Moon and Pollux will be 5.5 degrees to the upper left. By the time Mars sets on the northwestern horizon (at 4:53 a.m.) it will be 4 degrees to the lower left of the Moon and Pollux will be 3 degrees above the Moon.
March 9 Don’t forget to reset your clocks (if they don’t automatically set themselves) as we “spring forward” to Daylight Saving Time! For much of the U.S., 2 to 3 a.m. on March 9, 2025, might be a good hour for magical or fictional events (as it doesn’t actually exist).
March 11 – 12 Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, March 11 to 12, the bright star Regulus will appear near the nearly full moon. As evening twilight ends at 8:09 p.m. EDT, Regulus will be 4 degrees to the lower right of the Moon. When the Moon reaches its highest for the night at 11:52 p.m., Regulus will be 3 degrees to the lower right. By the time morning twilight begins at 6:26 a.m., Regulus will be about one degree below the Moon.
Wednesday morning, March 12, Saturn will be passing on the far side of the Sun as seen from Earth, called conjunction. Because Saturn orbits outside of the orbit of Earth it will be shifting from the evening sky to the morning sky. Saturn will begin emerging from the glow of dawn on the eastern horizon in early April (depending upon viewing conditions).
Wednesday evening, March 12, will be when Venus and Mercury will appear closest to each other low on the western horizon, 5.5 degrees apart. They will be about 5 degrees above the horizon as evening twilight ends at 8:10 p.m. EDT, and Mercury will set first 27 minutes later at 8:37 p.m.
March 14 As mentioned above, the full moon will be early Friday morning, March 14, at 2:55 a.m. EDT. There will be a total eclipse of the Moon. As the Moon passes opposite the Sun it will move through the shadow of Earth. The Moon will begin entering the partial shadow Thursday night at 11:57 p.m., but the gradual dimming of the Moon will not be noticeable until it starts to enter the full shadow Friday morning at 1:09 a.m. The round shadow of Earth will gradually shift across the face of the Moon (from lower left to upper right) until the Moon is fully shaded beginning at 2:26 a.m. The period of full shadow or total eclipse will last about 65 minutes, reaching the greatest eclipse at 2:59 a.m. and ending at 3:31 a.m. Even though it will be in full shadow, the Moon will still be visible. The glow of all of the sunrises and sunsets on Earth will give the Moon a reddish-brown hue, sometimes called a “Blood Moon” — although this name is also used for one of the full moons near the start of fall. From 3:31 a.m. until 4:48 a.m. the Moon will exit the full shadow of Earth, with the round shadow of Earth again shifting across the face of the Moon (from upper left to lower right). The Moon will leave the last of the partial shadow at 6 a.m., ending this eclipse. This full moon will be on Thursday evening from Pacific Daylight Time and Mountain Standard Time westward to the International Date Line in the mid Pacific. The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Wednesday evening into Saturday morning.
March 16 Sunday morning, March 16, the bright star Spica will appear near the waning gibbous moon. As the Moon reaches its highest at 2:34 a.m. EDT, Spica will be 6.5 degrees to the lower left. As morning twilight begins at 6:20 a.m. Spica will be 5 degrees to the upper left.
During the day on Sunday, March 16, for parts of Eastern Africa, the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian Ocean, and the southern tip of Western Australia, the Moon will pass in front of Spica.
Sunday evening, March 16, will be the last evening that Venus will be above the west-northwestern horizon as evening twilight ends at 8:14 p.m. EDT, with Venus setting 1 minute later.
March 16 – 17 Sunday night into Monday morning, March 16 to 17, the waning gibbous moon will have shifted to the other side of the bright star Spica. As the Moon rises on the east-southeastern horizon at 9:49 p.m. EDT, Spica will be 4 degrees above the Moon. By the time the Moon reaches its highest at 3:15 a.m., Spica will be 6.5 degrees to the upper right. As morning twilight begins at 6:18 a.m., Spica will be 7.5 degrees to the right of the Moon.Monday midday, March 17, at 12:27 p.m. EDT, the Moon will be at apogee, its farthest from Earth for this orbit.Monday evening, March 17, will be the last evening that Mercury will be above the western horizon as evening twilight ends at 8:15 p.m. EDT, with Mercury setting 3 minutes later.
March 19 Wednesday evening, March 19, Neptune will be passing on the far side of the Sun as seen from Earth, called conjunction. Because it orbits outside of the orbit of Earth, Neptune will be shifting from the evening sky to the morning sky. Neptune is faint enough that it is only visible with a telescope.
March 20 Thursday morning, March 20, the bright star Antares will appear near the waning gibbous moon. As Antares rises on the southeastern horizon at 1:17 a.m. EDT, it will be 5 degrees to the lower left of the Moon. By the time the Moon reaches its highest for the night at 5:31 a.m., Antares will be 3.5 degrees to the left of the Moon. Morning twilight will begin 42 minutes later at 6:13 a.m. For parts of Australia and New Zealand the Moon will pass in front of Antares.
Thursday morning at 5:01 a.m. EDT will be the vernal equinox, the astronomical end of winter and start of spring.
March 21 Starting around Friday morning, March 21, Venus as the morning star will begin to emerge from the glow of dawn, rising on the east-northeastern horizon more than 30 minutes before sunrise. Interestingly, this is just before inferior conjunction, when Venus passes “between” Earth and the Sun (passing through the same ecliptic longitude as the Sun as seen from Earth).
March 22 Saturday morning, March 22, the waning moon will appear half-full as it reaches its last quarter at 7:29 a.m. EDT.
Saturday night, Venus will be passing through the same ecliptic longitude as the Sun as seen from Earth, called inferior conjunction. Planets that orbit inside of the orbit of Earth can have two types of conjunctions with the Sun, inferior (when passing between Earth and Sun) and superior (when passing on the far side of the Sun as seen from Earth). Venus will be shifting from the evening sky to the morning sky but will be passing far enough away from the Sun that it may have already begun to be visible in the glow of dawn on the east-northeastern horizon (depending upon viewing conditions).
March 24 Monday afternoon, March 24, Mercury will be passing between Earth and Sun as seen from Earth, called inferior conjunction. It also will be shifting from the evening sky to the morning sky and will begin emerging from the glow of dawn on the eastern horizon in early April (depending upon viewing conditions).
March 29 Saturday morning, March 29, will be the first morning that Venus as the morning star will be above the horizon as twilight begins at 5:59 a.m. EDT.
Saturday morning, March 29, at 6:58 a.m. EDT, will be the new moon, when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun and is usually not visible from Earth. However, for parts of northwestern Africa, northwestern Eurasia, and northeastern North America, part of the silhouette of the Moon will be visible as it passes in front of the Sun in a partial solar eclipse. The viewing from the Washington area will not be very good. As the Sun rises on the eastern horizon at 6:57 a.m., the Moon will be blocking a small sliver of the left side of the Sun, with the eclipse ending 5 minutes later at 7:02 a.m.
March 30 Early Sunday morning, March 30, at 1:19 a.m. EDT, the Moon will be at perigee, its closest to Earth for this orbit.
For the third time since mid-October 2024, Mars will be passing by the bright star Pollux, the brighter of the twin stars in the constellation Gemini (the twins). Planets that orbit farther from the Sun than Earth’s orbit usually appear to shift westward each night, like the stars, but more slowly, so that they shift eastward relative to the stars. This is because the planets all move in the same direction around the Sun. But around the time when an outer planet is closest to Earth it appears to move the other direction, shifting westward relative to the stars, called apparent retrograde motion. This tendency to “wander” relative to the stars is where the word “planet” comes from (based on the Greek word for “wanderer”). In mid-October 2024 Mars passed by Pollux for the first time as it moved eastward relative to the stars. Beginning Dec. 6, 2024, Mars started its retrograde motion. On Jan. 15, 2025, Mars was at its closest and brightest for the year. On January 23 Mars passed by Pollux for the second time, just 2.5 degrees apart, this time shifting westward relative to the stars. Mars ended its retrograde motion on February 23. It is now shifting eastward again relative to the stars and will pass Pollux a third time on March 30, this time 4 degrees apart. Mars and Pollux will be nearly overhead as evening twilight ends at 8:29 p.m. EDT. Mars will set first on the west-northwestern horizon the morning of March 31 at 3:43 a.m.
This also is the first morning that Mercury will be above the eastern horizon 30 minutes before sunrise. Mercury will be relatively dim, as it will only present a narrow crescent toward Earth. It will brighten significantly each morning, but it’s difficult to predict when it will be bright enough to see in the glow of dawn.
April 1 Tuesday morning, April 1, will be the first morning that Saturn will be above the eastern horizon 30 minutes before sunrise, a rough approximation of when it might start being visible in the glow of dawn.
Tuesday evening, the Pleiades star cluster will appear 1.5 degrees below the waxing crescent moon. The Moon will be 36 degrees above the western horizon as evening twilight ends at 8:31 p.m. EDT, and the Pleiades will set first on the west-northwestern horizon 3 hours later at about 11:40 p.m.
April 2 Wednesday evening, April 2, Jupiter will appear 5.5 degrees to the lower left of the waxing crescent moon. The Moon will be 49 degrees above the western horizon as evening twilight ends at 8:32 p.m. EDT. Jupiter will set first on the west-northwestern horizon 4 hours later Thursday morning at 12:43 a.m.
April 4 Friday night, April 4, the Moon will appear half-full as it reaches its first quarter at 10:15 p.m. EDT.
April 5 – 6 Saturday night into Sunday morning, April 5 to 6, the waxing gibbous moon, Mars, and the bright star Pollux will appear to form a triangle. As evening twilight ends at 8:35 p.m. EDT, Mars will be 3 degrees to the lower right and Pollux 5 degrees to the upper right. As the night progresses, Mars and Pollux will appear to rotate clockwise and away from the Moon. As Mars sets first on the west-northwestern horizon 7 hours later at 3:26 a.m. it will be 6 degrees to the lower right, with Pollux 8.5 degrees to the right of the Moon.
April 7 – 8 Monday night into Tuesday morning, April 7 to 8, the bright star Regulus will appear near the waxing gibbous moon. As evening twilight ends at 8:37 p.m. EDT, Regulus will be 7 degrees below the Moon. As the Moon reaches its highest in the sky at 9:51 p.m., Regulus will be 6.5 degrees to the lower left. By the time Regulus and the Moon set together on the west-northwestern horizon at 4:52 a.m., Regulus will be 3.5 degrees to the left of the Moon.
Tuesday morning, April 8, will be when Mercury will become as bright as Saturn in the glow of dawn (with both Mercury and Saturn rising after morning twilight begins). After this, Mercury will continue brightening each morning as more of its sunlit crescent faces Earth.
April 8 – 9 Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, April 8 to 9, the waxing gibbous moon will have shifted to the other side of the bright star Regulus. As evening twilight ends at 8:38 p.m. EDT, Regulus will be 6 degrees to the upper right of the Moon. As the Moon reaches its highest in the sky at 10:34 p.m., Regulus will be 7 degrees to the right. The pair will continue to separate as the night progresses.
April 10 Thursday morning, April 10, the planets Mercury and Saturn will appear nearest each other, 2 degrees apart, in the glow of dawn. Mercury — the brighter of the two — will be on the left and Saturn will be on the right. Saturn will rise last on the eastern horizon at 5:48 a.m. EDT, 9 minutes after morning twilight begins. You will only have about 20 minutes to view the pair, as by 30 minutes before sunrise (i.e., 6:09 a.m.) the sky will become too bright to see them.
April 12 Saturday, April 12, 2025, is the International Day of Human Space Flight as declared by the United Nations to mark the date of the first human space flight.
The full moon after next will be April 12 at 8:22 p.m. EDT. This will be on April 13 in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and from the Azores, Iceland, Liberia, and Senegal times zones eastward across Africa, Eurasia, and Australia to the International Date Line in the mid-Pacific. Most commercial calendars are based on UTC and will show this full moon on April 13. The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Friday evening into Monday morning, making this a full moon weekend.
Saturday evening into Sunday morning, the bright star Spica will appear close to the full moon. As evening twilight ends at 8:43 p.m., Spica will be less than a degree to the upper left of the Moon. Spica will appear to rotate clockwise and shift away from the Moon as the night progresses.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: GENERAL AUDIENCE – Pope Francis’ Catechesis on the Childhood of Jesus: “Mary and Joseph felt the pain of parents with a missing child”

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Wednesday, 5 March 2025

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Virgin is a pilgrim of hope, in the strong sense that she becomes the “daughter of her Son”, the first of His disciples. Mary brought into the world Jesus, Hope of humanity; she nourished Him, made Him grow, followed Him, letting herself be the first to be shaped by the Word of God”. This is what can be read in the text of the catechesis that Pope Francis, hospitalized at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome since February 14 for bilateral pneumonia, should have delivered today in the Paul VI Hall for the traditional Wednesday general audience.The Pope, continuing the cycle of catecheses dedicated to the life of Jesus read in the light of the themes of the Ordinary Jubilee that the Church is experiencing, focuses on the last of the stories of Jesus’ childhood narrated in the Gospel of Luke, namely the discovery of Jesus in the Temple, when “at twelve years old, he stayed in the Temple without telling His parents, who were anxiously looking for Him and found Him three days later”. A text – underlines the catechesis of Pope Francis – which presents us “with a very interesting dialogue between Mary and Jesus, which helps us to reflect on the path of the mother of Jesus, a journey that was certainly not easy. Indeed, Mary set out on a spiritual itinerary during which she advanced in her understanding of the mystery of her Son”.The catechesis of Pope Francis retraces all the stages, from the Annunciation to the tears shed under the Cross, up to Mary’s choice to remain in Jerusalem after the Resurrection “as Mother of the disciples, sustaining their faith while awaiting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit”.In the episode of the discovery of Jesus in the Temple – we read in the papal text released today – “The experience of twelve-year-old Jesus going missing during the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem frightens Mary to the point that she also speaks for Joseph as they take their son back: “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety” (Lk 2:48). Mary and Joseph felt the pain of parents with a missing child: they both thought that Jesus was in the caravan with their relatives, but after not seeing Him for an entire day, they began the search that would lead them to retrace their steps. Upon returning to the Temple, they discover that He who, in their eyes, until a short time before, was still a child to protect, suddenly seems grown up, capable now of getting involved in discussions on the Scriptures, of holding His own with the teachers of the Law”.Faced with His mother’s rebuke – Pope Francis continues in his catechesis – “Jesus answers with disarming simplicity: “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49). Mary and Joseph do not understand: the mystery of God made child exceeds their intelligence. The parents want to protect that precious son under the wings of their love; instead, Jesus wants to live His vocation as the Son of the Father who is at His service and lives immersed in His Word”.The Pope defines Mary as a “pilgrim of hope.” And in this regard, he quotes what Benedict XVI wrote in the Encyclical Deus caritas est, 41: “We see how completely at home Mary is with the Word of God … we see how her thoughts are attuned to the thoughts of God, how her will is one with the will of God. Since Mary is completely imbued with the Word of God, she is able to become the Mother of the Word Incarnate”.However, the Pontiff points out, “this unique communion with the Word of God does not however save her the effort of a demanding ‘apprenticeship’”, such as the rebuke that Mary and Joseph address to the twelve-year-old Jesus. The response that reaches them, however, is not understood: “the mystery of God made child exceeds their intelligence”.Luke’s infancy narratives thus close “with Mary’s final words, which recall Joseph’s paternity towards Jesus, and with Jesus’ first words, which recognize that this paternity traces His origins from that of His heavenly Father, whose undisputed primacy He acknowledges”. (FB) (Agenzia Fides, 5/3/2025)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/NIGERIA – Father Sylvester Okechukwu killed on Ash Wednesday, a few hours after his kidnapping

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – A Catholic priest was kidnapped and then killed in northern Nigeria. He is Father Sylvester Okechukwu, parish priest of the church of St Mary Tachira, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.According to the diocese of Kafanchan, Father Okechukwu was kidnapped in his residence in Tachira on March 4, 2025, between 9.15 pm and 9.40 pm. His lifeless body was found yesterday, March 5. “After being taken by his abductors, Fr Sylvester was cruelly killed in the early hours of today, the 5th of March 2025, Ash Wednesday. It is yet to be determined why he was killed,” said the statement signed by Father Jacob Shanet, Chancellor of the diocese of Kafanchan.“This untimely and brutal loss has left us heartbroken and devastated. Fr Sylvester was a dedicated servant of God, who worked selflessly in the vineyard of the Lord, spreading the message of peace, love and hope. He was always available and accessible to his parishioners. His untimely death has left an indelible void within our diocesan family, and we share in the pain of his passing with his family, friends and all those who knew and loved him,” the statement continued.“Let us come together as one family in prayer for the repose of his soul. We invite all priests, religious and the faithful, to offer Holy Masses, Rosaries and Prayers for the eternal repose of Fr Sylvester, who gave his life in service to God and humanity.We wish to call on our youth and members of the Takad community to remain calm and steadfast in prayer,” the statement concluded.The kidnapping of Father Okechukwu occurred just two days after another priest and a seminarian were kidnapped in Edo State in Nigeria (see Fides, 4/3/2025). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 6/3/2025)
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March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Tough controls considered to regulate private prosecutors
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

Tough controls considered to regulate private prosecutors

Private prosecutors face greater transparency and accountability over unregulated or unlawful activity following a consultation to overhaul the current system.
Consultation launched today (6 March) on reforming private prosecutions and Single Justice Procedure

Options include a mandatory code of practice, inspections and requirement to consider mitigating circumstances

Announcement follows systematic failures, including the Post Office Horizon scandal and builds on the Government’s pledge to restore confidence in the criminal justice system through its Plan for Change

Private prosecutions allow people to pursue justice where state prosecutors cannot, or choose not, to prosecute. However, the improper actions of some organisations have resulted in serious and often life-changing miscarriages of justice. Examples include the Post Office Horizon scandal, which saw failings in the prosecutorial practices leading to hundreds of innocent postmasters being wrongfully convicted.

Thousands of people have also been handed criminal convictions for legitimate mistakes such as unpaid bills and purchasing the wrong train ticket. This includes situations where there have been strong personal mitigating factors, meaning the cases were not pursued in the public interest.

The government is calling for views on reforms which will enable better oversight and regulation of these prosecutors to prevent such failures in the future. This builds on the government’s broader efforts to restore public confidence in policing and in the criminal justice system through its Plan for Change.

Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood, said:

Recent catastrophic failures in private prosecutions have highlighted that our current system is open to abuse. That cannot be allowed to continue.

We will listen carefully to the feedback from this consultation and develop stronger safeguards for the public to restore confidence in our justice system.

Following proposals made by the Justice Select Committee, the consultation aims to set consistent standards and ensure accountability to improve the behaviour and practice of prosecutors.

Consultation proposals include the introduction of a mandatory code of practice, establishing an inspection regime, and putting in place a system of accreditation for private prosecutors.
To make these prosecutions more transparent, measures could also include a requirement for organisations and agencies to register with His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) before bringing a private prosecution, and to publish data on their prosecutions.

The consultation will also look at how the Single Justice Procedure (SJP) can be improved to ensure all cases brought are in the public interest. Suggested changes include requirements for SJP prosecutors to engage with defendants to assess their vulnerability, and to consider their personal and mitigating circumstances before pursuing a prosecution that might lead to a criminal record.

Justice Minister, Sarah Sackman KC, said:

Fairness and transparency are at the heart of our justice system. However, certain organisations have been allowed to bring life-changing and unjust prosecutions affecting thousands of people, without robust checks and balances.

It is time to hold prosecutors to account and provide oversight which protects ordinary people. We will ensure that prosecutions are always fair and in the public interest.

The consultation’s proposals will apply to all private and non-criminal justice agency prosecutors. This includes state-run agencies such as the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency and TV Licensing, as well as companies and private organisations such as Northern Rail.

Further information

The consultation will close on 8th May.

Private prosecutors, as defined in the consultation, excludes those categorised as ‘criminal justice agencies’ – the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Serious Fraud Office (SFO), police (including British Transport Police), and the National Crime Agency (NCA). For the purposes of this consultation, all other organisations are referred to as ‘private prosecutors’. This includes public agencies that bring prosecutions as well as private or third sector bodies.

Individuals who bring private prosecutions on their own behalf are not within the scope of the proposals discussed in the consultation.

SJP sees a single magistrate, supported by a legally qualified adviser, try adult summary-only cases, and is important for a streamlined legal process and swift justice.

The Office for Rail and Road is conducting a separate independent review of train operators’ revenue protection enforcement practices, including the use of prosecutions. This will report back in May and will support the consultation announced today.

The Government is consulting on the following policy options:

The introduction of a mandatory code of practice for private prosecutors, including requirements for private prosecutors to maintain separation of investigatory and prosecutorial functions, and a requirement to fully consider whether prosecutions are in the public interest.

The introduction of mandatory inspections of private prosecutors.

The introduction of a system of accreditation for private prosecutors.

The introduction of additional requirements for prosecutors using the Single Justice Procedure to engage with the defendant and assess their vulnerability before commencing a prosecution.

The introduction of a requirement for all mitigation provided to the court to be sent to prosecutors before the case is decided by a magistrate.

The introduction of a requirement for private prosecutors to register with His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service when the number of prosecutions they bring per annum reaches a specified threshold

The introduction of a requirement for private prosecutors who bring a specified number of prosecutions per annum to publish their own data on these prosecutions.

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Published 6 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: International Round Table on Achievements and Initiatives of the Extrabudgetary Project Improving the Effectiveness of the Justice System in Kazakhstan

Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

Headline: International Round Table on Achievements and Initiatives of the Extrabudgetary Project Improving the Effectiveness of the Justice System in Kazakhstan

International Round Table on Achievements and Initiatives of the Extrabudgetary Project Improving the Effectiveness of the Justice System in Kazakhstan | OSCE
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MIL OSI Europe News –

March 7, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Wales’s Clean Energy Industry boosted by Minister Nia Griffith’s visit to Copenhagen
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release

Wales’s Clean Energy Industry boosted by Minister Nia Griffith’s visit to Copenhagen

English

Cymraeg

Minister highlights Wales’s natural resources, world-class energy sector and skilled workforce on visit to Denmark.
Wales Office Minister Nia Griffith and His Majesty’s Ambassador to Denmark, Joëlle Jenny

Wales at the forefront of the UK’s clean energy mission.

Minister highlights Wales’s natural resources, world-class energy sector and skilled workforce on visit to Denmark.

Expansion of the renewable energy sector in Wales will help kickstart economic growth and make the UK a clean energy superpower.

Wales Office Minister, Dame Nia Griffith highlighted Wales’s pivotal role in the United Kingdom’s ambitious clean energy mission to Danish companies and potential investors on a trade mission to Copenhagen this week.

Dame Nia’s three-day visit to the Danish capital came just one week after a major £600m investment deal in Welsh green energy projects between Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Bute Energy and Green GEN Cymru was announced. The development of new onshore windfarms planned across Wales by Bute Energy is planned to create up to 2,000 jobs.

The visit highlighted collaboration between Wales and Denmark in renewable energy projects, including Danish companies already investing in offshore wind off the North Wales coast and in the construction of turbines used in onshore and offshore projects across Wales.

Currently, 50 per cent of electricity in Denmark is supplied by wind and solar power while making Britain a clean energy superpower is one of the UK Government’s key missions.

The UK Government is working with the Welsh Government and industry partners to develop floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea. This would see wind turbines built on floating platforms to take advantage of the wind direction and would play a crucial role in the UK Government’s mission to make Britian at clean energy superpower.

This technology could support up to 5,300 new jobs and generate up to £1.4bn for the UK economy, helping to kickstart economic growth and raise living standards as set out in the UK Government’s Plan for Change.

During her visit, Minister Griffith held a series of meetings designed to bolster cooperation on clean energy and explore investment opportunities. The itinerary included visits to leading Danish institutions and companies, discussions on renewable energy projects, and participation in events celebrating St. David’s Day with a focus on promoting Wales as a hub for clean energy innovation.

Wales Office Minister Nia Griffith said:

There are tremendous opportunities for partners and investors in Denmark to work with us to boost the clean energy sector in Wales.

I am determined to make sure we achieve our clean energy mission which will bring energy security, drive down energy bills, create good jobs, and help to protect future generations from the cost of climate breakdown.

Tim Morris, Head of Communications for Associated British Ports, said:

Ports in Wales and Denmark share the ambition to play a foundational role in enabling the energy transition.

It was great to sit down with other port operators and key stakeholders from the wider energy sector from both countries to share knowledge and insights. ABP has strong links with Danish organisations such as Orsted and the Port of Esbjerg and we look forward to deepening these relationships.

The visit showcased Wales’s potential as a global leader in renewable energy, particularly in floating offshore wind, and set the stage for future collaborations and investments that will drive economic growth and environmental sustainability.

ENDS

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Published 6 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cowes Library set to undergo building works to improve accessibility 6 March 2025 Cowes Library set to undergo building works to improve accessibility
Source: Aisle of Wight
Cowes Library is set to undergo major renovations starting Monday, 24 March.

The project follows a successful application to Arts Council England’s Libraries Improvement Fund and aims to make the library more accessible and user-friendly for all members of the community.

Key improvements include the installation of an accessible front door and toilet, ensuring the library is welcoming and usable for people with mobility challenges.

Additionally, the renovations will enhance facilities for community groups, making the library a more inclusive space for various activities and gatherings.

This project builds on the success of previous works and investment at Lord Louis Library in Newport and Ryde Library.

Councillor Julie Jones-Evans, Cabinet member for libraries, said: “Libraries are more than just buildings filled with books; they are sanctuaries of learning, creativity, and connection.

“Making our libraries accessible to all residents is crucial in ensuring everyone can benefit from these vital community resources.”

To facilitate these important upgrades, Cowes Library will close to the public on Friday, 21 March, and remain closed for around seven weeks.

During this period, a pop-up library service will be available at the Beckford Centre, opposite the library building, with the following reduced opening hours:

Monday: 1.30pm – 4.30pm

Tuesday: 10am – 1pm

Friday: 10am – 1pm

Saturday: 1.30pm – 4.30pm

There will be no public computers, photocopying services or groups and activities during the renovation period.

However, staff will continue to engage the community through online Rhyme Times and Lego challenges via the Supporters of Cowes Library Facebook page.

Photo: Getty Images
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Republic sponging off U.K. and Europe on defence

Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

Statement by TUV leader, Jim Allister MP:-

“The current European security crisis brings into focus the sponger status of the Republic of Ireland when it comes to defence.

“Clinging to neutrality, with derisory spend on defence, the Republic has lived off others paying, in men and money, for the defence of Europe.

“The Republic can’t hide in the shadows of neutrality if it wants to be seen on the side of Europe in withstanding Putin.

“Of course, in Northern Ireland we see a reflection of this anti-West stance in the First Minister’s condemnation of the job-creating military hardware order to Thales.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: “Education and Career”: GUU presented itself in Gostiny Dvor

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

In the first days of spring, the State University of Management participated in the 60th anniversary exhibition “Education and Career”, which was held in Gostiny Dvor. The largest universities and employers of Russia gathered at the exhibition site.

At the exhibition, GUU introduced more than 1,700 applicants from Moscow and other regions to the current areas of training and educational programs of our university. Schoolchildren and their parents were told about the traditions of the First Management University, and life hacks for admission in 2025 were shared. Future applicants received advice from directors of institutes, representatives of departments, and from employees of the admissions committee.

More photos in a special album.

We remind you that on March 23, 2025 at 11:00 we are waiting for applicants at the Open Day of the State University of Management. Registration link.

Subscribe to the tg channel “Our State University” Announcement date: 03/6/2025

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SITI attends Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, Spain (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

SITI attends Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, Spain (with photos)
*************************************************************************

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, leading a delegation of representatives from the innovation and technology (I&T) sector, continued his visit in Barcelona, Spain on March 5 (Barcelona time) and attended the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025. Delivering a keynote speech at the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) Ministerial Programme “2025+: A Tech Odyssey”, Professor Sun said Hong Kong is actively building a smart city and a digitally inclusive society to bridge digital divide. “One of the best testimonies to a city’s I&T achievement is the degree of digitalisation. In Hong Kong, all submissions and payments to the Government have electronic options. More than three millions of people are enjoying the convenience and efficiency of accessing government services and online identity verification through a mobile application called ‘iAM Smart’. A corporate version of ‘iAM Smart’, nick-named CorpID, is upcoming too.” He noted that on digital inclusiveness, Hong Kong’s household broadband penetration rate and smartphone penetration rate are both approximately 97 per cent. The internet usage rate among Hong Kong citizens aged 65 and above rocketed, from 56 per cent in 2018 to 84 per cent in 2023, slightly ahead of the European rate of around 78 per cent. He added, “As society becomes so digitally knitted and increasingly mobile, we recently launched the ‘Smart Silver’ Digital Inclusion Programme for Elders, to address the challenges of an increasingly aging society. This programme fortifies our digital inclusive efforts by providing elders with community-based training and on-the-spot helpdesks to enhance elders’ knowledge on new digital technologies and support their navigation by common mobile applications.” During the Congress, Professor Sun met with the Head of Greater China of GSMA, Ms Sihan Bo Chen, to learn about the international mobile industry association’s work in developing the mobile communications industry and ecosystem as well as promoting industrial innovation in Asia. Professor Sun visited various exhibition pavilions on-site, including the EU Quantum Flagship, to learn about the latest quantum technologies and initiatives of companies under the flagship. Professor Sun and the delegation also visited the Barcelona Supercomputing Center. They were briefed on the technology of MareNostrum 5, one of the most powerful supercomputers in Spain, and quantum computers, the establishment of AI factories, and the innovative achievements in promoting the development of high-performance computing in Spain and the whole of Europe as well as applications. Members of the delegation include heads from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC), Cyberport, the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute and the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute, as well as representatives of 24 local I&T enterprises or institutions. The HKSTPC and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council co-ordinated the participation of the I&T representatives of the enterprises and institutions at the MWC 2025. Professor Sun Dong will proceed to Lisbon, Portugal on March 6 (Lisbon time) to continue his visit.

Ends/Thursday, March 6, 2025Issued at HKT 9:00

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Statement by the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke on TikTok

Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

6th March 2025

Minister Peter Burke said:

“On March 4th 2025, my Department received a Notification of Collective Redundancies from TikTok (Bytedance) following a February announcement by the company that it would be undergoing global restructuring. Affected employees were informed of the decision and a consultation period is now underway. I understand that the proposed redundancies will take effect in April this year, once the statutory consultation process has concluded. The numbers involved are a matter for the company to disclose.

“My first thoughts are with the employees impacted by this announcement along with their families. My Department, along with our agencies, will work to support workers affected in the period ahead as they pursue alternative employment. TikTok is a significant employer in Ireland and as part of the proposed restructuring, Government understands that there may be a number of open roles available to employees who are at risk of being made redundant. TikTok has been fully briefed on the IDA’s suite of transformation and training supports available.

Equally, the enterprise agencies under my Department will assist in helping those impacted to find alternative employment. This includes sharing the skills profiles of impacted employees to companies who may be hiring, be that with multinationals in IDA’s client base or indigenous companies through Enterprise Ireland.

As a country we are close to full employment and the economy is well diversified, with hundreds of thousands of people employed by indigenous SMEs, pharmaceuticals, agri-food, med-tech and financial services. Nonetheless I know this announcement will be very difficult for those impacted and Government is fully committed to supporting affected staff.

ENDS

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MIL OSI Europe News –

March 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Two men charged with murder in connection with fatal shooting in 2016

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Two men have been charged with murder following the death of a man, who was shot in Haringey in 2016.

On Tuesday, 30 August 2016, Joel Bempah-Cumberbatch, 25 was shot on Turnpike Lane, Wood Green at around 15:22hrs.

He was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound to his head.

His injuries left him with significant brain damage and on 20, September 2022, he sadly died.

In 2017 two men were convicted of attempting to murder Joel and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 13 years.

Detectives within Specialist Crime North submitted a further file to the Crown Prosecution Service and on Monday, 3 March, the two men appeared at Highbury Magistrates Court in relation to murder charges. They appeared at the Central Criminal Court on the 5 March and a trial date was set for 16 February 2026.

Jason Diur Kota, 29 (29.12.1995) and Denzican Karadag, 28 (26.03.1996) will next appear at the Old Bailey on 21 May 2025.

MIL Security OSI –

March 6, 2025
MIL-OSI: WhiteBIT and Bequant Announce Strategic Partnership to Advance Institutional Crypto Trading
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VILNIUS, Lithuania, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The cooperation aims to offer professional investors deeper liquidity, enhanced trading capabilities, and exceptional market access.

WhiteBIT, Europe’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by traffic, has partnered with Bequant, a leading provider of institutional crypto trading solutions. This collaboration is keen to create a comprehensive ecosystem tailored for institutional traders, offering modern trading tools and compliance-driven infrastructure.

The crypto industry has witnessed rapid institutional adoption, with professional traders seeking advanced trading capabilities, regulatory compliance, and efficient liquidity access. WhiteBIT and Bequant’s partnership aligns with this evolving landscape, equipping institutional investors with scalable, secure, and efficient trading solutions.

“This collaboration with Bequant is a strategic move to further enhance institutional crypto trading. By combining our expertise, we’re ensuring that professional traders and institutional clients gain exceptional access to deep liquidity, regulatory-compliant infrastructure, and advanced trading tools,” said Volodymyr Nosov, Founder and President of WhiteBIT.

Bequant Institutional Expertise

Bequant is a top-tier proprietary trading firm that focuses on market making, quantitative trading, and institutional crypto services. By employing sophisticated trading strategies and efficient capital allocation, the firm enhances liquidity and improves overall market efficiency.

As a regulated entity, Bequant also offers institutional investors a range of services, including OTC trading, lending solutions, and secure custody options.

“Partnering with WhiteBIT allows us to build deeper liquidity for institutional crypto trading across Europe, combining our expertise to deliver efficient, compliant solutions,” comments George Zarya, Founder of Bequant.

Key Partnership Benefits

The partnership between WhiteBIT and Bequant enables institutional clients to access WhiteBIT’s deep liquidity and advanced trading infrastructure through Bequant’s brokerage network. Market makers and high-volume traders using Bequant can now integrate WhiteBIT into their trading strategies, upgrading trade efficiency across different exchanges.

Through this collaboration, institutional clients benefit from the following key advantages:
- Deep Liquidity & Market Efficiency. Institutional clients will gain access to over $2 trillion in annual trading volume, ensuring robust market depth and optimal liquidity conditions.
- Multi-Market Access. The partnership enables trading across spot, futures, and margin markets with competitive leverage options and advanced execution strategies.
- Regulatory Compliance & Security. WhiteBIT and Bequant adhere to international regulatory standards, including ISO/IEC certification and GDPR compliance, ensuring a secure trading environment.
- Seamless API Connectivity. REST, WebSocket, and FIX 4.4 integration will provide real-time market data access, automated trading capabilities, and efficient trade execution.
WhiteBIT’s Institutional Growth and Leadership

As part of a trusted and scalable ecosystem, WhiteBIT serves over 8 million users and more than 1,300 institutional clients, offering a reliable infrastructure for professional traders seeking efficiency and security in digital asset markets.

In 2024, WhiteBIT reported a $2.7 trillion annual trading volume, primarily driven by institutional clients, reinforcing its position as a leader in institutional crypto trading.

About WhiteBIT

WhiteBIT is the largest European cryptocurrency exchange by traffic, offering over 730 trading pairs, 330+ assets, and supporting 9 fiat currencies. Founded in 2018, the platform is a part of WhiteBIT Group that serves more than 35 million customers globally. WhiteBIT collaborates with Visa, FC Barcelona, Fireblocks, ClearJunction, and Checkout.com. The company is dedicated to driving the widespread adoption of blockchain technology worldwide.

About Bequant

Bequant is where traditional investing meets cryptocurrency—a one-stop solution for professional digital asset investors and institutions. Located and regulated in Malta, Bequant’s breadth of products include prime brokerage, custody and fund administration, all enhanced by an institutional trading platform providing low-latency trading, liquidity and direct market access for investors. The Bequant team is composed of experts from institutional, retail and digital financial services with experience in banking, derivatives, electronic trading and prime brokerage.

Contact
WhiteBIT
pr@whitebit.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a10ad6ac-b680-4388-b583-df20f69c57f5

The MIL Network –
March 6, 2025

Category: Europe

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