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  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom meets with President Trump and members of Congress from both sides of the aisle on disaster relief for LA firestorm survivors

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 5, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, DC to meet with President Trump and members of Congress — focusing on securing critical disaster aid for the survivors of the Los Angeles fires and ensuring impacted families who lost their homes and livelihoods have the support they need to rebuild and recover.

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Governor Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, DC to meet with President Donald Trump, Republican and Democratic members of the California Delegation along with members of the U.S. Senate. The Governor was joined by Wade Crowfoot, the Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, who oversees key water and fire policy across the state.

    “As we approach one month since the devastating wildfires across Southern California, we continue to cut red tape to speed up recovery and clean up efforts as well as ensure rebuilding efforts are swift. We’re working across the aisle, as we always have, to ensure survivors have the resources and support they need. Thank you President Trump for coming to our communities to see this first hand and meeting with me today to continue our joint efforts to support people impacted.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    On Capitol Hill, Governor Newsom met with members of the California Delegation to discuss the importance of obtaining federal disaster relief for the survivors of last month’s LA firestorms, including Representatives Doug LaMalfa, Ken Calvert, Judy Chu, Brad Sherman, and George Whitesides.

    Afterward, Governor Newsom met with key Senate leaders: New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Georgia Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock, and Washington Senator Patty Murray, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, who was joined by California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff.

    Building on meetings on Capitol Hill, Governor Newsom had a very productive meeting with President Trump at the White House to further discuss the critical need for unconditional disaster aid for survivors. This comes after the Governor met the President on the tarmac of LAX when President Trump toured the devastation as part of his first trip as President.

    During the meeting, the Governor raised the critical need for federal assistance to support recovery efforts and help impacted families rebuild, emphasizing the strong partnership between local, state and federal agencies all working together on the ground on response and recovery efforts. The Governor expressed his appreciation for the Trump Administration’s early collaboration and specifically thanked EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for his agency’s swift action, including over 1,000 personnel on the ground focused on debris removal.

    The Governor continues to take action to support the survivors across Southern California – cutting red tape, providing key relief, and ensuring bolstered support for those in need. 

    Stay up to date on the Governor’s actions here.

    More details on next step here

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Feb 5, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom has taken unprecedented action to cut red tape and remove regulatory barriers to help Los Angeles recover and rebuild quickly – including by suspending CEQA and Coastal Act permitting requirements. LOS ANGELES — In response…

    Feb 4, 2025

    News What you need to know: People impacted by the recent fires in Los Angeles may be eligible for new food benefits. A family of four with a monthly income up to $3,529 per month may be eligible to receive $975. Los Angeles, California – As part of California’s…

    Feb 4, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Mark Tollefson, of Rancho Cordova, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Tollefson has been Undersecretary of the California State…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: YieldMax™ Launches Its First 0DTE ETF YieldMax™ S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF (SDTY)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax™ announced the launch today of its first YieldMax™ 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF:

    YieldMax™ S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF (Nasdaq: SDTY)

    SDTY Overview

    SDTY is an actively managed ETF that utilizes a synthetic covered call strategy designed to generate weekly income while also providing exposure to the price return of the S&P 500 (“the Index”). SDTY generates income primarily by utilizing zero days to expiry (“0DTE”) options on an Index and/or passively managed ETFs (“Index ETFs”) that tracks the Index’s performance.

    SDTY’s Option Strategy

    SDTY employs a synthetic covered call strategy by selling and purchasing call options on the Index or Index ETFs. Each business day, typically at market open, the Fund sells out-of-the-money (OTM) call options with zero days to expiration (“0DTE”), which expire the same day they are sold. OTM options have a strike price above the current Index value. SDTY’s synthetic covered call strategy is established by combining the call options sold to generate income with buying call options for exposure to the Index.

    SDTY’S Return Profile and Index Performance

    SDTY earns income by selling out-of-the-money 0DTE call options daily. The premiums from these options add to income but limit participation in Index gains. If the Index rises past the strike price, losses on sold options can offset gains. This strategy balances income generation with limited Index upside exposure while premiums can help mitigate losses if the Index declines.

    SDTY Distribution Schedule

    SDTY is the first member of the YieldMax™ ETF 0DTE family and like all YieldMax™ ETFs, SDTY aims to generate income to investors. With respect to distributions, SDTY aims to make distributions on a weekly basis and its first weekly distribution is expected to be announced on February 19, 2025.

    Why Invest in SDTY?

    • SDTY seeks to generate weekly income which is not dependent on the value of its Index (or ETFs that track the Index’s performance).
    • SDTY aims to participate in a portion of the Index gains which may be capped.

    Important Information

    Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. For a prospectus or summary prospectus with this and other information about each Fund, visit our website at www.YieldMaxETFs.com. Read the prospectus or summary prospectus carefully before investing.

    There is no guarantee that any Fund’s investment strategy will be properly implemented, and an investor may lose some or all of its investment in any such Fund.

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

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

    Risk Disclosures

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

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

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

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

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

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

    High Index (or ETFs that track the Index’s performance) Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings. A high Index (or ETFs that track the Index’s performance) turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    © 2025 YieldMax™ ETFs

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: These bones will rise again: a defiant quest for justice for Thulani Maseko

    Source: Amnesty International –

    21 January marked two years since the unlawful killing of Eswatini human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko. Amnesty International Campaigner Nkanyiso Mtolo attended a vigil in his memory.

    By Nkanyiso Mtolo

    On Tuesday 21 January, I gathered with a group of activists at the home of Tanele Maseko in Pretoria to share memories, laughter and solemn reflection. It had been two years since Tanele’s late husband Thulani Maseko, a fearless defender of justice in Eswatini*, was shot and killed at his home. With quiet grace, Tanele and her children welcomed us to their living room for a dinner and vigil. We lit candles in Thulani’s memory and resolved that his legacy would not be buried with him.

    As I sat with Thulani’s family and friends, I was struck by the way their defiance mirrored his own. The stories they shared carried the weight of loss but also the strength of determination.

    Tanele’s close friend Bonolo Makgale set the tone for the evening. She stood up, and with a voice quivering but not cowed, said: “We are here today with heavy hearts because someone we loved was taken away from us. And yet, we are here, reminded by the value of community and solidarity.”

    Others remembered Thulani’s courage. One comrade described how during a particularly repressive time in Eswatini, fellow lawyers, afraid to risk the retribution of the state, would prepare cases, but bring them to Thulani to file under his name. Put simply, he was fearless.

    The face of Thulani’s killer

    When Tanele spoke, she described how much she missed her “sweetie”, as she calls him to this day. She recalled their many conversations, often over a glass of Thulani’s favourite whisky, in which they discussed politics and human rights, their debates stretching across whole afternoons.

    It was during one such conversation in their living room that he was shot dead in 2023. On Tuesday, Tanele told us that she still vividly remembers the face of his killer, who remains unknown and at large. She vowed that when there is a real investigation into Thulani’s killing — which the Eswatini government has yet to conduct — she will provide a description of the killer and identify them before a court.

    Tanele’s defiance has become the heartbeat of the movement for justice for Thulani. Simphiwe Sidu, the couple’s friend and human rights lawyer, said that, after the killing, we would gather at Tanele’s house to offer solidarity and support. But now it is the opposite: when we gather at their home, it is Tanele and her children, with their unending resolve, who give us the strength to keep fighting for justice.

    His killing was intended to silence a voice that had become too powerful, too fearless. Yet, as Zimbabwean author Panashe Chigumadzi wrote in These Bones Will Rise Again, the struggles of people who resist cannot be buried. Their ideals and spirit rise again, carried forward by those who refuse to forget.

    Not in vain

    Indeed, despite the weight of an absolute monarchy that criminalizes dissent, bans political parties and violently silences critics, Thulani’s ideals — “justice, truth and democracy” — cannot be extinguished, as reflected in the work of activists and his supporters, who will not allow his sacrifice to be in vain.

    Local organizations and activists are calling out for justice, leading a quiet but growing movement. For instance, the Swaziland Massacre Victims and Survivors’ Association works tirelessly to document state violence. Not only does their work provide a platform for accountability and redress, but they ensure that victims of unlawful killings, such as Thulani,  torture and repression are not forgotten.

    Grassroots groups like the Foundation for Socio-Economic Justice empower workers to fight for fair wages in industries dominated by exploitation, while the Swaziland Rural Women’s Assembly mobilizes rural women to demand water rights and protection of their land. Meanwhile, Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities fights for the inclusion and protection of LGBTI people in a country where they face intense discrimination, including criminalization.

    Thulani’s spirit lives on in the courage of these Eswatini activists, the boldness of trade unions, the resilience of rural women and the growing calls for accountability online and in the streets.

    “Justice, truth and democracy” — cannot be extinguished.

    A personal fight

    For me, this fight is personal. I am honoured to be a close friend of Tanele and now an uncle to Thulani’s boys, and I carry cherished memories of us cooking together in the Maseko kitchen — meals seasoned with laughter, fierce debates and a shared determination to build strategies for justice and accountability.

    As the Country Campaigner in Amnesty International’s East and Southern Africa office, I lead campaigns in Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, and Eswatini. I had the privilege of leading the 500 Days Campaign, marking 500 days since Thulani’s death. Through this campaign, we demanded justice, mobilized global pressure on the Eswatini government, and amplified the voices of those risking everything to speak out.

    More broadly, at Amnesty International we have exposed the crackdown on activists, the misuse of repressive laws and the lack of justice for human rights violations. We have supported independent forensic investigations, provided emergency relief for at-risk activists, campaigned for the release of arbitrarily detained members of parliament, and backed legal challenges against the criminalization of LGBTI people.

    We also continue to pressure the Southern African Development Community to act on its own recommendations to ensure that Thulani’s case and human rights in Eswatini remain central to the pursuit of justice and accountability.

    A legacy to inspire

    After everyone had shared their memories of Thulani, we blew out the candles and packed them away. Although the light had faded, the flame within us had only grown stronger. In the quiet that followed, there was no sense of finality — only the unspoken promise to carry Thulani’s fight forward, to keep his memory alive not just in ritual, but in action.

    A movement for justice and accountability is emboldening — in living rooms, online and in the picket line. People are refusing to forget. They are refusing to let fear prevail. They are rising to ensure that Thulani’s ideals — of a freer, fairer Eswatini — are realized.

    Thulani’s bones will rise again — not as a distant promise but as a living testament to the unyielding fight for justice. For Thulani. For Eswatini. For us all.

    *In 2018, King Mswati III unilaterally changed the name of the country from Swaziland to Eswatini, a decision which Thulani challenged. However, many activists and human rights defenders, including Tanele Maseko, continue to use the name Swaziland.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: “I was cut when I was 13. Now I campaign against female genital mutilation in Senegal”

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Fatoumata Diallo, 50, has seven children and earns her living from farming and livestock rearing. In her village near Koussanar, in eastern Senegal, she is known for fighting against female genital mutilation (FGM). A survivor herself and member of an alert committee set up by Amnesty International to combat gender-based violence, she raises awareness about the harm caused by FGM and helps girls at risk of being cut. 

    According to the United Nations Population Fund’s latest figures, 85 per cent of women and girls aged between 15 and 49 in Senegal’s Tambacounda region have undergone some form of FGM. Like Fatoumata, almost 14 per cent of them have undergone the most severe form which consists of sewing shut the labia, leaving a small opening for urination and menstruation. 

    “I have been fighting against FGM for 20 years because I’ve experienced it myself. I was put in a group of 10 to 20 girls, and we were taken by women into the bush to be cut. One of the girls died because she was cut in a savage way. Unfortunately, they couldn’t stop the bleeding. They took her to the health centre on a donkey. But she died on the way. It left an indelible mark on me.

    I was cut when I was around 10. With this type of excision, they cut you and then perform another operation. So, when you go into the bedroom with your husband on your wedding day, they have to cut you again before giving you to your husband. I got married, and this is what happened to me. I felt excruciating pain, and was in a state of shock for several days. I was 13.

    So, I was subjected to both an early marriage and mutilation. That is what led me to join the fight. My husband supports me in everything I do. I have daughters and they have daughters themselves, but they haven’t been cut. I didn’t do it to any member of my family.

    I have saved a lot of young girls, I can’t say how many.

    Fatoumata Diallo

    Koussanar, the city next to my village, is at a crossroads with neighbouring countries. Mali has no law against FGM and Gambia has one but does not apply it. Women travel to these countries to have their babies mutilated. When I hear a baby girl has been born, I go to the family just after the naming ceremony to tell them, ‘I know that there’s a newborn in your home and that it’s a girl, but you must not have her cut because there is a law against that.’ I show them pamphlets on the consequences of excision, explaining what it does to the child. I tell them that if they do it, I will report them. 

    There was a recent case of five girls whose grandmother and mother wanted to take them to another place to have them cut. When I heard about this, I got together with some other women, and we went to talk to the grandmother and mother, without directly broaching the subject of excision. I told them that the girls were in the middle of a school year, they would miss lessons, and it would be detrimental to them. I advised the mother not to take her daughters. I also said, ‘I don’t know what you were going to do, but I will report you, and you know what that will happen’. The mother said that she was not going to do it.

    Fatoumata Diallo (left) with three other members of the alert committee set up by Amnesty International to combat gender-based violence in Tambacounda region, eastern Senegal

    As part of my fight against FGM, I present programmes on FGM and gender-based violence on Koussanar community radio with Amnesty’s alert committee and in collaboration with the commune. For these programmes, I invite religious leaders to talk about excision. Other times, I call in specialists such as midwives to talk about the consequences of excision.

    During the programmes, some listeners call in to say, ‘’It happened to me too’. And even after the programme has finished, women come to my home and say, ‘What you said on the radio is my story.’

    In the long run, I am confident women will abandon this practice.

    Fatoumata Diallo

    During community awareness-raising sessions, I talk about the law [that banned cutting in 1999] and also the health consequences of FGM. We need to keep raising awareness so that the practice of excision decreases even further. It’s a cultural thing, it is deeply rooted, so it’s a long-term battle. In the long run, I am confident women will abandon this practice.

    People are divided about my fight. Everyone knows about my activism. Some are for it, others are against. I sometimes bump into people, both men and women, and say hello but they don’t reply. That doesn’t stop me from continuing my work. I am committed to the fight, so I feel obliged to do this. I have saved a lot of young girls, I can’t say how many. I know that what I’m doing is a good thing.”

    Through a human rights education programme implemented since 2017 in Burkina Faso, Senegal and Sierra Leone, Amnesty International is working to combat gender-based violence (GBV) through education, awareness-raising and advocacy, with a view to changing attitudes and behaviours and helping to reform legislation in these countries.

    Amnesty International Senegal is setting up community alert committees to report cases of GBV, including FGM, to the relevant authorities.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Reducing air pollution could increase methane emissions from wetlands – here’s what needs to be done

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Vincent Gauci, Professorial Fellow, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science, University of Birmingham

    Sampling in a Pantanal lake, Brazil. Vincent Gauci, CC BY-NC-ND

    What if well-meaning policies that reduce one atmospheric pollutant could also increase natural emissions of powerful greenhouse gases?

    Our findings, just published in the journal Science Advances, advance an earlier discovery of one such unfortunate interaction. This means that we need to work much harder than we thought to stay within the safe climate limits of the Paris agreement.

    The atmospheric pollutant in question is sulphur. Its current and projected decline from clean air policies aimed at reducing acid rain and fine particles, coupled with direct effects of increasing atmospheric CO₂ and warming, will lead to larger natural wetland methane emissions than expected.

    This is because sulphur has a very specific effect in natural wetlands that reduces methane emissions. On the other hand, CO₂ boosts methane production by increasing growth in plants that make the food for methane-producing microbes.

    Put simply, sulphur provides the conditions for one set of bacteria to outmuscle another set of microbes that produce methane over limited available food in wetlands. Under the conditions of acid rain sulphur pollution during the past century, this was enough to reduce wetland methane emissions by up to 8%.

    If we lift this sulphur “lid” on wetland methane production and increase CO₂, we have a double whammy effect that pushes wetland emissions much higher.

    We first discovered this effect in the early 2000s with field experiments that simulated acid rain sulphur pollution in the peatlands of North America, Scotland and Scandinavia. Further similar experiments took place on methane-emitting rice.

    Now, more than 20 years on, we have better modelling approaches that allow us to use improved estimates of the future of sulphur pollution and CO₂ for a range of scenarios. This allows us to link these back to methane emissions.

    A water hyacinth meadow in the Pantanal, Brazil.
    Vincent Gauci, CC BY-NC-ND

    The effect is substantial and we estimate that these different factors, in combination, will mean that policy instruments like the global methane pledge, which addresses anthropogenic emissions of methane, may need to work much harder.

    More than 150 nations signed up to the global methane pledge at the UN climate summit, Cop26, in Glasgow. The pledge seeks to reduce emissions of anthropogenic methane by 30% on a 2020 baseline by 2030.

    If successful, the climate benefit can be substantial (methane is around 30-80 times more potent than CO₂ as a greenhouse gas) and fast-acting. This is because methane only lasts in the atmosphere for around 10 years, leading to a rapid 0.2°C climate dividend by 2050.



    Read more:
    Methane is pitched as a climate villain – could changing how we think about it make it a saviour?

    However, our findings show that between 8% and 15% of the allowable space for these human-made emissions is disappearing. This is due to the climate, CO₂ fertilisation, and sulphur unmasking effects. So, larger cuts are needed to achieve the same Paris climate targets.

    This isn’t the first time that the loss of an apparent broad climate-cooling action of atmospheric sulphur has been implicated in driving warming at a faster rate than anticipated.

    Drainage canal in the Kampar peat swamp forest, Sumatra, Indonesia.
    Vincent Gauci, CC BY-NC-ND

    In 2020, shipping pollution controls were introduced globally to reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide and fine particles that are harmful to human health. This reduction in atmospheric sulphur over the oceans has been implicated in larger warming effects than expected in what has come to be known as “termination shock”.

    Part of the warming effect of emitted CO₂ is effectively masked by cooling sulphate particles in the atmosphere. If the source of the sulphate is stopped, the remaining sulphur in the atmosphere drops out rapidly, unmasking the warming effect of the CO₂ which lasts over 100 years in the atmosphere. For natural wetlands the unmasking effect on methane emissions can take a little longer, more a “termination rebound” than shock – but it soon catches up.

    Intentional interventions?

    So what can be done? In another paper recently published in Global Change Biology, scientists propose direct intervention in natural wetland methane emissions through adding sulphate to these ecosystems, essentially – and this time deliberately – replacing the sulphate lid on the wetland methane source. This raises questions about what a natural wetland actually is.

    Acacia plantation on former peat swamp forest after harvest, Sumatra, Indonesia.
    Vincent Gauci, CC BY-NC-ND

    What are the environmental ethics of deliberately intervening in this manner for ecosystems that are only just recovering from past incidental pollution effects? In emitting methane, they are, ultimately, just performing their natural function and should be protected for the vast carbon stores they contain and the valuable biodiversity that makes these ecosystems their home.

    So, we need to go back to the framework set up by the global methane pledge which is prompting much innovation to reduce human emissions from fossil fuel industries, waste and agriculture. We need to work harder on emissions first and foremost while also considering technologies to actively remove methane from the atmosphere.

    Atmospheric methane removal technologies are a new and under-investigated approach to managing atmospheric methane and they could be as simple as growing more trees.

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

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Vincent Gauci receives funding from or has received funding from the Natural Environment Research Council, The Royal Society, Spark Climate Solutions, Axa Research Fund, Defra.

    Lu Shen receives funding from National Natural Science Foundation of China.

    – ref. Reducing air pollution could increase methane emissions from wetlands – here’s what needs to be done – https://theconversation.com/reducing-air-pollution-could-increase-methane-emissions-from-wetlands-heres-what-needs-to-be-done-246723

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to Copernicus data reporting that January 2025 was the warmest on record globally

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on data published by Copernicus that shows January 2025 was the warmest on record globally.

    Dr Joel Hirschi, Associate Head of Marine Systems Modelling, UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC), said:

    “One should not infer too much out of one month temperature data, as temperature anomalies can vary a lot.  The global temperatures for 2024 and now early 2025 have been tracking the record temperatures we saw in 2023 (and 2024) quite closely.  The last few months of 2024 were slightly cooler than in 2023 and January 2025 is now just warmer than January 2024.

    “Despite La Niña conditions having developed in the tropical Pacific, global temperatures remain very high.  This pattern is similar to what we observed after the El Niño events of 2015/16 and 2019/20 when global temperatures remained close to record warm levels even after the onset of La Niña conditions.

    “Global sea surface temperatures are a bit lower than in 2024 and will likely remain lower as we move further into 2025.”

    Prof Richard Allan, Professor of Climate Science, University of Reading, said:

    “Human caused warming of the ocean is accelerating and this is dominating to an ever greater extent over the natural year to year fluctuations in climate.  Although the swing from moderate El Niño to a weak La Niña during 2024 had a small cooling effect on the surface of the ocean, heat continues to flood into the climate system as atmospheric greenhouse gases continue to rise and the reflective haze of aerosol particle pollution diminishes in some regions following clean air regulation.  Aside from a cooler than average equatorial band in the eastern Pacific due to the weak La Niña conditions, much of the rest of the global sea surface remains remarkably warm in early 2025, primarily a result of human-caused warming of climate.

    “Changing weather patterns from week to week can rapidly alter temperatures over continental regions, which warm up and cool down more quickly than the oceans.  Based upon the most up to date, state of the art Copernicus data, large areas of Europe, Canada and Siberia experienced less cold weather than is normal for January but parts of South America, Africa, Australia and Antarctica also experienced above average temperatures which contributed along with the balmy oceans to the unexpected record global temperatures at the beginning of 2025.  As industrial activity continues to spew greenhouse gases into the air, this growing heating effect is tipping the balance toward record warmth and worsening hot, dry and wet extremes.”

    Prof Bill McGuire, Emeritus Professor of Geophysical & Climate Hazards, UCL, said:

    “The fact that the latest robust Copernicus data reveals the January just gone was the hottest on record – despite an emerging La Nina, which typically has a cooling effect – is both astonishing and, frankly terrifying.  Having crashed through the 1.5C limit in 2024, the climate is showing no signs of wanting to dip under it again, reflected by the fact that this is the 18th of the last 19 months to see the global temperature rise since pre-industrial times top 1.5C.  On the basis of the Valencia floods and apocalyptic LA wildfires, I don’t think there can be any doubt that dangerous, all-pervasive, climate breakdown has arrived.  Yet emissions continue to rise, while fossil fuel corporations seek to expand operations. Grim doesn’t even begin to describe our prospects.”

    Dr Friederike Otto, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Environmental Policy and co-lead of World Weather Attribution, Imperial College London, said: 

    “This January is the hottest on record because countries are still burning huge amounts of oil, gas and coal.

    “Sure, El Niño and La Niña add or take off a tiny bit of warming, but the reason we’ve broken another record is the continued burning of fossil fuels.

    “The LA wildfires were a stark reminder that we have already reached an incredibly dangerous level of warming.  We’ll see many more unprecedented extreme weather events in 2025.

    “If politicians really care about people’s lives and their children’s futures, transitioning away from fossil fuels would need to be top of their agenda, to make the world safer and fairer.

    “This data shows very clearly what hundreds of other high-quality analyses have shown in recent decades – more burning of fossil fuels leads to more emissions that lead to more warming.”

    Declared interests

    Dr Joel Hirschi: “No conflicts of interest.”

    Prof Richard Allan: “No conflicting interests.”

    Dr Friederike Otto: “No DOIs.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Two fly-tippers prosecuted by St Albans City and District Council

    Source: St Albans City and District

    Publication date:

    Two fly-tippers were prosecuted last month by St Albans City and District Council and ordered to pay a total of more than £2,000 in fines and costs.

    Charlie Bradford, of, Monks Close, St Albans, admitted transporting waste without a licence and illegally dumping it in Woodcock Hill.

    He left a trail of multiple fly-tips of house clearance waste along a four-mile stretch of the quiet rural road between Sandridge and Coopers Green Lane.

    The Council’s Environmental Enforcement team were alerted to the offence by residents and an investigation showed the waste was linked to a property in Borehamwood.

    Further enquiries led to Bradford being interviewed under caution and he admitted dumping the rubbish late at night from a moving van that he had borrowed.

    He admitted the two offences at a hearing at St Albans Magistrates Court on Wednesday 15 January.

    Magistrates ordered him to pay £1,924 in legal costs incurred by the Council as well as a victim surcharge of £114.

    He was also served with a 12-month community order including the requirement to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

    In the other case, the Environmental Enforcement team were alerted to a fly-tip of furniture and household waste in Cherry Tree Lane, near Redbourn.

    An examination of the material found letters addressed to Leanne Reid, of Leven Way, Hemel Hempstead, who was interviewed under caution.

    She was advised that she had failed in her legal duties to check whether the person she had hired to dispose of the waste had a licence and to obtain a receipt.

    The Council issued her with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) fine under the Environmental Protection Act. The waste carrier was also traced and issued with an FPN which they paid.

    However, after Reid failed to pay her fine, court proceedings were started and she admitted the duty of care fly-tipping offence at St Albans Magistrates Court on Wednesday 29 January.

    Magistrates gave her a six-month conditional discharge and ordered her to pay £100 towards the Council’s costs and a victim surcharge of £26.

    Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Lead for Waste and Recycling, said after the hearings:

    Fly-tipping is an antisocial and inexcusable offence and these prosecutions show we are determined to act against offenders.

    Fly-tips are not only unsightly, but they are also a potential health hazard and it costs public agencies like ourselves, farmers and landowners significant sums of money to clear up.

    Much fly-tipping, as in these cases, is done on isolated country roads, late at night when there are no eyewitnesses around.

    It can be very difficult to trace offenders, so our enforcement team deserve high praise for the way they have tracked down these culprits.

    There is also a warning here for people who are clearing a house or a commercial property – they must ensure the firm or person they hire to do so has a proper waste carrier’s licence and they must obtain a receipt. You leave yourself open to a potential fly-tipping offence if you don’t do that.

    Photos: top, the Cherry Tree Lane fly-tip; bottom, the Woodcock Hill fly-tips.

    Media contact:  John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727- 819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Harris Your Place Project Enters Final Fit-Out Phase with Building Handover from Conlon Construction

    Source: City of Preston

    The magnificent Grade I Listed building is poised to reopen in 2025, offering a diverse array of events and activities.

    The final phase of Harris Your Place, a £16 million initiative aimed at restoring and reimagining The Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Library has begun, marking a significant milestone for the project and setting the stage for a 2025 reopening.

    After leading major structural works since August 2022, Conlon Construction now pass the baton to a newly appointed fit-out contractor, The Hub Consulting Limited, who will lead the fit-out team and deliver Ralph Applebaum Associates’ design scheme. This final phase will see the refurbishment of 18 galleries, accessibility enhancements, a new café, shop and event space as well as custom-made exhibition displays that blend collections, library and community spaces seamlessly together.

    Councillor Anna Hindle, Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts at Preston City Council, expressed enthusiasm for this new chapter:

    “This handover is a momentous step in the Harris Your Place journey. We are thrilled to welcome the fit-out contractor who will shape our vision into reality, transforming the Harris into a vibrant, 21st-century hub for learning, creativity, and community engagement.

    This milestone reflects the tireless efforts of all involved, from the meticulous decant of over 250,000 objects to the structural improvements completed by Conlon Construction.”

    Harry Coughlin, Director of The Hub Consulting Limited, said:

    “We are thrilled to take this next step in the Harris Your Place transformation. Our enthusiastic team is excited to collaborate with project partners to take on the role of Principal Contractor to manage and coordinate the delivery and installation of the new exhibitions.

    This pivotal phase brings together a talented group of museum specialists to create 18 inspiring galleries that foster learning and creativity, becoming a cherished destination for the local community while showcasing the museum’s extensive collection.

    Throughout the project, we will work hand in hand with the community to enhance their pride and involvement in the Harris, offering behind-the-scenes tours and work opportunities to ensure the project leaves a lasting impact on Preston. We can’t wait to share more with the public as the project progresses!”

    Michael Conlon, Chairman of Conlon Construction, reflected on the project’s impact:

    “As a Preston-based company, it has been an honour for Conlon Construction to play our part in the ‘Harris Your Place’ project. We believe we have prepared our city’s most iconic landmark for the next chapter in its remarkable history. It’s great to be handing over our completed project for its final fit-out before a much-anticipated re-opening. This is a testament to the commitment and perseverance of our entire team through this project’s many and varied challenges. This included a late and unexpected requirement for our client to replace the original fit-out contractor.

    One key success of the project has been our ability to massively surpass the Council’s social value expectations. 88 per cent of our suppliers were within a 30-mile radius of Preston, receiving £10.1 million of the project’s over £11 million funding. This meant a huge portion of the Council’s total investment in the project was re-injected back into the local economy. Additionally, we managed to provide 150 weeks of apprentice training during the project. In doing so we supported many local young people to build essential skills and experience in construction and renovation.

    I believe the outcome for the Harris is a revitalised structure which enhances its rich historical legacy. The result will be many more years of The Harris enriching the lives of both local people and visitors to the city.”

    Lancashire County Council has contributed £1.375m towards the project and leases 40% of the building to house the largest library in its library services.

    County Councillor Peter Buckley, Cabinet Member for Community and Cultural Services at Lancashire County Council, said:

    “This is a key moment in realising the ambitious redevelopment of The Harris, which will ensure that this iconic landmark remains the civic focal point for Preston.

    We remain committed to the project and to bridging the building up to modern standards while preserving its heritage, demonstrated by the significant contributions we’ve made.

    Through our collaborative efforts we are now starting to this project come to fruition and I’m excited for people to enjoy the new library and see everything else The Harris will have to offer.

    I’d also like to say thank you to all our library users and staff for continuing to use and run our library service at the Guild Hall while this important work is carried out.”

    Harris Your Place aims to enhance accessibility, community engagement, and visitor experience, with an expected increase of 100,000 annual visitors on top of the existing 350,000. As a dynamic cultural space, the project will enrich Preston and Lancashire, blending the past and future in a space designed to inspire generations to come.

    For more information on the Harris Your Place project, visit The Harris.

    You can also follow The Harris on Facebook – The Harris, Instagram – The Harris, and X – The Harris.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government has approved the parameters for writing off the regions’ debt on budget loans

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The work is being carried out on the instructions of the President.

    Document

    Resolution of February 1, 2025 No. 79

    Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a resolution approving the rules for writing off regions’ debt on budget loans and a list of areas for spending the released funds.

    According to the document, regions are exempted from paying off two-thirds of the debt on budget loans that has accumulated as of March 1, 2024. To do this, regional leaders must submit a corresponding application to the Ministry of Finance by March 1, 2025, indicating the planned activities at the expense of funds released from write-offs.

    The region should invest at least half of these funds in the implementation of infrastructure projects in the housing and utilities sector. The rest can be used to relocate citizens from dilapidated housing, upgrade public transport, develop key settlements, implement new investment projects, compensate for lost income from the use of investment tax deductions, support companies managing territories with preferential tax regimes, and recapitalize industrial development funds, guarantee and microfinance organizations.

    Regions with low budgetary provision are allowed to use the released funds for activities within the framework of the implementation of new national projects and for expenses related to the special military operation. Subjects included in the Far Eastern Federal District and the Arctic zone can use the released funds for the implementation of activities within the framework of master plans of cities located in these territories.

    The resolution was prepared to implement the instructions of the President, which he gave in 2024 following the results of the Address to the Federal Assembly and following the meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects and the State Council commissions on socio-economic development.

    Speaking about the decision taken onGovernment meeting on February 6, Mikhail Mishustin noted that the formation of modern infrastructure is one of the basic conditions for further economic growth. “The efforts of the federal government and local leaders are aimed at this,” the head of the cabinet emphasized.

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Cross-Agency Steering Group sets 2025 priorities to support growth of sustainable finance in Hong Kong

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

         The Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group (Steering Group) sets out three key priorities for this year to foster the growth of sustainable finance in Hong Kong following its meeting today (February 6).

         1. Developing a comprehensive sustainability disclosure ecosystem. With the publication of the Roadmap on Sustainability Disclosure in Hong Kong (Note 1) by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the Steering Group will take further actions to support the implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standards Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB Standards) in Hong Kong. The Steering Group will work closely with stakeholders to provide technical assistance on sustainability reporting, develop a sustainability assurance framework, and deliver capacity building programmes in collaboration with the industry.

         2. Reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as a leading sustainable and transition finance hub. To scale up the flow of green and sustainable finance, the Steering Group is engaging the industry to expand the Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance (Note 2) to incorporate transition elements and add new sustainable activities. The Steering Group also works alongside the industry to develop operational guidance for practising transition finance in a sectoral approach. Furthermore, the Steering Group will set up a Transition Finance Knowledge Hub on its website. Following the progress of carbon market developments at COP29 (Note 3), the Steering Group reaffirmed its commitment to develop Hong Kong into an Asia-Pacific region carbon trading hub, through increasing engagement with stakeholders and providing capacity building programmes across the region.

         3. Harnessing data and technology to facilitate sustainability reporting and promote sustainable financing activities. The Steering Group is developing the official Hong Kong Green Fintech Map (Note 4) with the industry, which will be published in the first half of 2025, in view of the potential of green fintech solutions in facilitating large-scale mobilisation of sustainable capital and enabling information flow with greater transparency and accessibility. To support sustainability reporting and increase data availability, the Steering Group will continue to enhance the free-for-all public utility data tools on its website throughout the year, including two greenhouse gas emissions calculation and estimation tools and the Climate and Environmental Risk Questionnaire for Non-listed companies/small and medium-sized enterprises. 
         â€‹
         For details on the initiatives of the Steering Group and its members, please visit sustainablefinance.org.hk/en/.
     
    About the Steering Group

         Established in May 2020, the Steering Group is co-chaired by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Securities and Futures Commission. Members include the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Insurance Authority, the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council, and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited. The Steering Group aims to coordinate the management of climate and environmental risks to the financial sector, accelerate the growth of green and sustainable finance in Hong Kong and support the Government’s climate strategies.
     
    Note 1: In December 2024, the HKSAR Government launched the Roadmap on Sustainability Disclosure in Hong Kong, providing a well-defined pathway for large publicly accountable entities in Hong Kong to fully adopt the ISSB Standards no later than 2028.

    Note 2: In May 2024, the HKMA published Phase 1 of the Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance, encompassing 12 economic activities under four sectors, namely power generation, transportation, construction, and water and waste management.

    Note 3: The 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, commonly known as COP29.

    Note 4: In March 2024, the Steering Group launched the Prototype Hong Kong Green Fintech Map with Cyberport and Invest Hong Kong.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurates North East Investment Roadshow in Chennai

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurates North East Investment Roadshow in Chennai

    Minister Scindia invites Chennai to join the transformative journey of the ‘Ashtalakshmi’ region as it charts its path to becoming a leading engine of India’s growth.

    The roadshow hosted by Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region aims to attract investment for the development of North East India.

    Posted On: 06 FEB 2025 9:29AM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) hosted the North East Trade and Investment Roadshow in Chennai today. The roadshow evoked strong interest from potential investors who are eager to explore opportunities in the North Eastern States. The event was attended by the Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region & Ministry of Communications, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, alongwith Pu Lalnghinglova Hmar, Hon’ble Minister of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Mizoram, senior officials from MDoNER, North Eastern Council and North Eastern States.

    Hon’ble Minister, MDoNER mentioned that Hon’ble Prime Minister emphasized North East as India’s Asthalakshmi, a key economic asset poised for rapid industrialization. He highlighted the major development initiatives in the infrastructure sector that have taken place in the North Eastern Region under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister during the last 10 years, inter-alia, including expanding air, road and rail connectivity, waterways etc. Hon’ble Minister MDoNER stated that each of the eight states of the North East embodies unique strengths, resources and opportunities, making this region an invaluable asset in India’s growth story. From its rich cultural diversity to its natural beauty and strategic location, the North Eastern Region holds immense potential to emerge as one of the country’s leading economic powerhouses. Its proximity to Southeast Asia also positions the North Eastern Region as a gateway to South East Asian countries, aligning perfectly with India’s Act East Policy. He also highlighted the potential of North Eastern States in various sectors such as Tourism & hospitality, Agri and allied industries, healthcare, entertainment & sports, infrastructure & logistics, IT & ITeS, Textiles, Handloom & Handicrafts, energy etc. He assured investors that the region’s youth, high literacy rates, and abundant natural resources make it an ideal destination for investment. Hon’ble Minister expressed his admiration for Chennai, calling it a “thriving IT powerhouse and a cradle of economic growth for India”. He acknowledged the city’s rich heritage, cutting-edge technology, and robust industrial ecosystem, drawing parallels between Chennai’s potential and North East India’s emerging economic landscape. Highlighting the North East India’s strengths in agriculture, food processing, tourism, and manufacturing, he urged Chennai’s entrepreneurs to invest in these sectors. He also underlined that North East holds 38% of India’s bamboo resources which offers great opportunity to furniture industry of Chennai. Further, the large untapped hydrocarbon reserves and hydropower generation potential of the North Eastern Region waiting to be harnessed. In his concluding remarks he invited investors to the North Eastern Region and play a key role in shaping the future of the region.

    Hon’ble Minister of Sports & Youth Services, Govt. of Mizoram in his address highlighted Mizoram’s immense investment opportunities despite being a small state with a population of just 11 lakh. He stated that with 55% of its land under horticulture, Mizoram produces GI-tagged ginger and chillies, along with mandarin oranges, papaya, and dragon fruit, offering significant potential in agriculture and food processing. The State is rich in bamboo cultivation, which still remains largely untapped. He also underlined that Mizoram is also positioning itself as a sports powerhouse and is aligned with India’s 2036 Olympic vision. Mizoram has also produced top sportspersons, therefore, the sports sector has great potential for investment. He also urged investors to explore other sectors such as tourism, infrastructure, food processing etc. for investment in the State of Mizoram.

    Shri Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, MDoNER in his address highlighted the immense investment potential of the North East, calling it a hub of innovation, cultural heritage, and economic opportunity. With breathtaking landscapes and a thriving tourism sector, the region has become increasingly attractive for investors. He highlighted that over the last 10 years, connectivity of the region has been transformed whether it is road, rail, air, water, and digital. The region’s economic growth has outpaced the national average, making it an ideal destination for businesses. Further, the North Eastern States have tailored, attractive policies aligned with the Central Government to encourage investment. He informed that Government has identified eight tourism sites to be developed as model tourist destinations across each of the North Eastern States through PPP mode.  He also underlined that IT & ITeS sector is growing faster in the North Eastern Region. Further, the agriculture and allied sectors offers unique products with immense economic potential. He stated that UNNATI scheme launched by Government of India provides attractive incentives for investment in the North Eastern Region. He also mentioned that with trilateral highways and the Kaladan project, the North East is set to become a key hub for medical tourism, catering to over 60 million people from neighbouring countries. The single-window system across the North Eastern States ensures ease of doing business. He urged the investors to visit, explore, and partner in North East India’s transformation.

    Shri Shantanu, Joint Secretary, MDoNER, in his address on advantage North East and Opportunities for Investment and Trade emphasized that North Eastern Region has rich untapped potential. He informed that during the last 10 years there is a remarkable improvement in connectivity to the North Eastern Region whether it’s air, rail, road or waterways. Over the past decade, the government has successfully completed numerous pending projects, benefiting local communities and millions of people through various schemes/initiatives. He stated that North East Region’s enabling infrastructure, strategic connectivity, higher working age population and an english-speaking workforce, makes it ideal for businesses targeting Southeast Asian markets.  He also highlighted the opportunities in the region in various sectors like IT & ITES, Healthcare, Agri and allied, Education & Skill Development, Sports & Entertainment, Tourism & Hospitality, Infrastructure and logistics; Textiles, Handlooms and Handicrafts and Energy. He stated that with ample opportunities across multiple sectors, North East India welcomes investors to explore its vast potential and be part of its growth journey.

    The representative of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, gave a detailed presentation on the UNNATI Scheme, providing attendees with a comprehensive understanding of its benefits and associated incentives. He underlined that the UNNATI Scheme aims to boost industrialisation and economic growth in North East India. The scheme offers incentives to attract investors and manufacturing companies, supports the ‘Act East Policy,’ and promotes domestic manufacturing and services to reduce import dependence and enhance exports.

    Senior officials representing the North Eastern States shared actionable insights about the emerging opportunities across various sectors. The Chennai roadshow drew strong participation from industry leaders, further reinforcing the investment appeal of North East India. The event also featured several B2G meetings, providing investors with a platform to discuss their investment plans in the North Eastern Region.

    The Chennai roadshow concluded on a positive note, with participants expressing keen interest in exploring collaborative ventures in the North Eastern Region. The event not only fostered meaningful dialogue but also laid the groundwork for future partnerships, driving economic growth and sustainable development in the region. The event marked another milestone in a series of successful roadshows across India and showcased the untapped potential of North East India.

    *****

    Samrat/Dheeraj

    donerpib[at]gmail[dot]com

    (Release ID: 2100164) Visitor Counter : 322

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Post event press release of Chennai roadshow held on 5th February, 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 06 FEB 2025 9:29AM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) hosted the North East Trade and Investment Roadshow in Chennai today. The roadshow evoked strong interest from potential investors who are eager to explore opportunities in the North Eastern States. The event was attended by the Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region & Ministry of Communications, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, alongwith Pu Lalnghinglova Hmar, Hon’ble Minister of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Mizoram, senior officials from MDoNER, North Eastern Council and North Eastern States.

    Hon’ble Minister, MDoNER mentioned that Hon’ble Prime Minister emphasized North East as India’s Asthalakshmi, a key economic asset poised for rapid industrialization. He highlighted the major development initiatives in the infrastructure sector that have taken place in the North Eastern Region under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister during the last 10 years, inter-alia, including expanding air, road and rail connectivity, waterways etc. Hon’ble Minister MDoNER stated that each of the eight states of the North East embodies unique strengths, resources and opportunities, making this region an invaluable asset in India’s growth story. From its rich cultural diversity to its natural beauty and strategic location, the North Eastern Region holds immense potential to emerge as one of the country’s leading economic powerhouses. Its proximity to Southeast Asia also positions the North Eastern Region as a gateway to South East Asian countries, aligning perfectly with India’s Act East Policy. He also highlighted the potential of North Eastern States in various sectors such as Tourism & hospitality, Agri and allied industries, healthcare, entertainment & sports, infrastructure & logistics, IT & ITeS, Textiles, Handloom & Handicrafts, energy etc. He assured investors that the region’s youth, high literacy rates, and abundant natural resources make it an ideal destination for investment. Hon’ble Minister expressed his admiration for Chennai, calling it a “thriving IT powerhouse and a cradle of economic growth for India”. He acknowledged the city’s rich heritage, cutting-edge technology, and robust industrial ecosystem, drawing parallels between Chennai’s potential and North East India’s emerging economic landscape. Highlighting the North East India’s strengths in agriculture, food processing, tourism, and manufacturing, he urged Chennai’s entrepreneurs to invest in these sectors. He also underlined that North East holds 38% of India’s bamboo resources which offers great opportunity to furniture industry of Chennai. Further, the large untapped hydrocarbon reserves and hydropower generation potential of the North Eastern Region waiting to be harnessed. In his concluding remarks he invited investors to the North Eastern Region and play a key role in shaping the future of the region.

    Hon’ble Minister of Sports & Youth Services, Govt. of Mizoram in his address highlighted Mizoram’s immense investment opportunities despite being a small state with a population of just 11 lakh. He stated that with 55% of its land under horticulture, Mizoram produces GI-tagged ginger and chillies, along with mandarin oranges, papaya, and dragon fruit, offering significant potential in agriculture and food processing. The State is rich in bamboo cultivation, which still remains largely untapped. He also underlined that Mizoram is also positioning itself as a sports powerhouse and is aligned with India’s 2036 Olympic vision. Mizoram has also produced top sportspersons, therefore, the sports sector has great potential for investment. He also urged investors to explore other sectors such as tourism, infrastructure, food processing etc. for investment in the State of Mizoram.

    Shri Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, MDoNER in his address highlighted the immense investment potential of the North East, calling it a hub of innovation, cultural heritage, and economic opportunity. With breathtaking landscapes and a thriving tourism sector, the region has become increasingly attractive for investors. He highlighted that over the last 10 years, connectivity of the region has been transformed whether it is road, rail, air, water, and digital. The region’s economic growth has outpaced the national average, making it an ideal destination for businesses. Further, the North Eastern States have tailored, attractive policies aligned with the Central Government to encourage investment. He informed that Government has identified eight tourism sites to be developed as model tourist destinations across each of the North Eastern States through PPP mode.  He also underlined that IT & ITeS sector is growing faster in the North Eastern Region. Further, the agriculture and allied sectors offers unique products with immense economic potential. He stated that UNNATI scheme launched by Government of India provides attractive incentives for investment in the North Eastern Region. He also mentioned that with trilateral highways and the Kaladan project, the North East is set to become a key hub for medical tourism, catering to over 60 million people from neighbouring countries. The single-window system across the North Eastern States ensures ease of doing business. He urged the investors to visit, explore, and partner in North East India’s transformation.

    Shri Shantanu, Joint Secretary, MDoNER, in his address on advantage North East and Opportunities for Investment and Trade emphasized that North Eastern Region has rich untapped potential. He informed that during the last 10 years there is a remarkable improvement in connectivity to the North Eastern Region whether it’s air, rail, road or waterways. Over the past decade, the government has successfully completed numerous pending projects, benefiting local communities and millions of people through various schemes/initiatives. He stated that North East Region’s enabling infrastructure, strategic connectivity, higher working age population and an english-speaking workforce, makes it ideal for businesses targeting Southeast Asian markets.  He also highlighted the opportunities in the region in various sectors like IT & ITES, Healthcare, Agri and allied, Education & Skill Development, Sports & Entertainment, Tourism & Hospitality, Infrastructure and logistics; Textiles, Handlooms and Handicrafts and Energy. He stated that with ample opportunities across multiple sectors, North East India welcomes investors to explore its vast potential and be part of its growth journey.

    The representative of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, gave a detailed presentation on the UNNATI Scheme, providing attendees with a comprehensive understanding of its benefits and associated incentives. He underlined that the UNNATI Scheme aims to boost industrialisation and economic growth in North East India. The scheme offers incentives to attract investors and manufacturing companies, supports the ‘Act East Policy,’ and promotes domestic manufacturing and services to reduce import dependence and enhance exports.

    Senior officials representing the North Eastern States shared actionable insights about the emerging opportunities across various sectors. The Chennai roadshow drew strong participation from industry leaders, further reinforcing the investment appeal of North East India. The event also featured several B2G meetings, providing investors with a platform to discuss their investment plans in the North Eastern Region.

    The Chennai roadshow concluded on a positive note, with participants expressing keen interest in exploring collaborative ventures in the North Eastern Region. The event not only fostered meaningful dialogue but also laid the groundwork for future partnerships, driving economic growth and sustainable development in the region. The event marked another milestone in a series of successful roadshows across India and showcased the untapped potential of North East India.

    *****

    Samrat/Dheeraj

    donerpib[at]gmail[dot]com

    (Release ID: 2100164) Visitor Counter : 51

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Cron sched pub test

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    Access Campaign

    We set up the MSF Access Campaign in 1999 to push for access to, and the development of, life-saving and life-prolonging medicines, diagnostic tests and vaccines for people in our programmes and beyond.

    GO TO SITE

    CRASH

    Based in Paris, CRASH conducts and directs studies and analysis of MSF actions. They participate in internal training sessions and assessment missions in the field.

    GO TO SITE

    UREPH

    Based in Geneva, UREPH (or Research Unit) aims to improve the way MSF projects are implemented in the field and to participate in critical thinking on humanitarian and medical action.

    GO TO SITE

    ARHP

    Based in Barcelona, ARHP documents and reflects on the operational challenges and dilemmas faced by the MSF field teams.

    GO TO SITE

    MSF Analysis

    Based in Brussels, MSF Analysis intends to stimulate reflection and debate on humanitarian topics organised around the themes of migration, refugees, aid access, health policy and the environment in which aid operates.

    GO TO SITE

    MSF Supply

    This logistical and supply centre in Brussels provides storage of and delivers medical equipment, logistics and drugs for international purchases for MSF missions.

    GO TO SITE

    MSF Logistique

    This supply and logistics centre in Bordeaux, France, provides warehousing and delivery of medical equipment, logistics and drugs for international purchases for MSF missions.

    GO TO SITE

    Amsterdam Procurement Unit

    This logistical centre in Amsterdam purchases, tests, and stores equipment including vehicles, communications material, power supplies, water-processing facilities and nutritional supplements.

    GO TO SITE

    Brazilian Medical Unit

    BRAMU specialises in neglected tropical diseases, such as dengue and Chagas, and other infectious diseases. This medical unit is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    GO TO SITE

    MSF Medical Guidelines

    Our medical guidelines are based on scientific data collected from MSF’s experiences, the World Health Organization (WHO), other renowned international medical institutions, and medical and scientific journals.

    GO TO SITE

    Epicentre

    Providing epidemiological expertise to underpin our operations, conducting research and training to support our goal of providing medical aid in areas where people are affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or excluded from health care.

    GO TO SITE

    Evaluation Units

    Evaluation Units have been established in Vienna, Stockholm, and Paris, assessing the potential and limitations of medical humanitarian action, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of our medical humanitarian work.

    GO TO SITE

    LGBTQI+ Inclusion in Health Settings

    MSF works with LGBTQI+ populations in many settings over the last 25-30 years. LGBTQI+ people face healthcare disparities with limited access to care and higher disease rates than the general population.

    GO TO SITE

    LUXOR

    The Luxembourg Operational Research (LuxOR) unit coordinates field research projects and operational research training, and provides support for documentation activities and routine data collection.

    GO TO SITE

    Intersectional Benchmarking Unit

    The Intersectional Benchmarking Unit collects and analyses data about local labour markets in all locations where MSF employs people.

    GO TO SITE

    MSF Academy for Healthcare

    To upskill and provide training to locally-hired MSF staff in several countries, MSF has created the MSF Academy for Healthcare.

    GO TO SITE

    Humanitarian Law

    This Guide explains the terms, concepts, and rules of humanitarian law in accessible and reader-friendly alphabetical entries.

    GO TO SITE

    MSF Paediatric Days

    The MSF Paediatric Days is an event for paediatric field staff, policy makers and academia to exchange ideas, align efforts, inspire and share frontline research to advance urgent paediatric issues of direct concern for the humanitarian field.

    GO TO SITE

    MSF Foundation

    The MSF Foundation aims to create a fertile arena for logistics and medical knowledge-sharing to meet the needs of MSF and the humanitarian sector as a whole.

    GO TO SITE

    DNDi

    A collaborative, patients’ needs-driven, non-profit drug research and development organisation that is developing new treatments for neglected diseases, founded in 2003 by seven organisations from around the world.

    GO TO SITE

    MSF Science Portal

    Our digital portal dedicated to sharing the latest medical evidence from our humanitarian activities around the globe.

    GO TO SITE

    Noma

    Noma is a preventable and treatable neglected disease, but 90 per cent of people will die within the first two weeks of infection if they do not receive treatment.

    GO TO SITE

    TIC

    The TIC is aiming to change how MSF works to better meet the evolving needs of our patients.

    GO TO SITE

    Telemedicine

    MSF’s telemedicine hub aims to overcome geographic barriers for equitable, accessible, and quality patient care.

    GO TO SITE

    Sweden Innovation Unit

    Launched in 2012, the MSF Sweden Innovation Unit deploys a human-centered approach for promoting a culture of innovation within MSF.

    GO TO SITE

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens warn of burning world and call for faster government-backed transition

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    Responding to new data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (1) showing that the global temperature was the highest on record for a January, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer MP said: 

    “In light of this latest scientific evidence, it would be dangerously foolish to do anything to put our burning world in even greater danger. 

    “Yet that is exactly what the government is doing – determined to expand Heathrow and Gatwick airports and refusing to rule out giant new oil and gas fields at Rosebank and Jackdaw coming on stream. 

    “Indeed, Equinor, one of the oil giants wanting to exploit the Rosebank field, has decided to cut promised investments in renewables in favour of increased oil and gas production. (2) 

    “The government is sending totally the wrong signals to the markets. We need a government committed to speeding up the transition away from fossil fuels. The government must make it clear now that it will not allow new North Sea oil and gas drilling go ahead. 

    “We must also get serious about how we make our communities more resilient to the now-unavoidable impacts of climate change. We need our homes and our communities to be fit for the future.” 

    NOTES TO EDITORS 

    1. Climate puzzle persists with unexpectedly warm January – BBC News 
    1. Norwegian oil giant Equinor cuts green investment in half – BBC News 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at whether reducing atmospheric sulphur stimulates more methane emissions from wetlands

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Science Advances looks at reducing atmospheric sulphur and methane emissions from wetlands. 

    Dr Eiko Nemitz, environmental physicist, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), said:

    “The study highlights a likely important interaction between air pollution, greenhouse gases generated by human activity, and natural emissions.  It shows that as sulphur emissions continue to decrease in response to a drive to improve air quality, as well as a side-effect of the decarbonisation of transport and industry to achieve net zero, this will likely increase natural methane emissions from wetlands.

    “Sulphur emissions also contribute to the formation of aerosols (microscopic particles) that scatter light and lead to the formation of reflective clouds, thus exerting a cooling effect on the climate.  The processes highlighted in this new paper provide a second mechanism by which control of sulphur emissions reduces climate cooling.

    “Nevertheless, sulphur emissions continue to play a major role in poor air quality, causing damaging health impacts in many parts of the world, and there are fewer options to clean up the air than to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    “In this context it is important to recognise that the reduction in sulphur emission and deposition will bring the wetlands closer to their original state, and the magnitude of their methane emissions closer to what they would have been without the human impact of elevated sulphur deposition.

    “The impact of sulphur deposition on methane emission from wetlands has been suggested by a small number of studies on this subject for a couple of decades, but responses are variable.  This paper upscales the impact and overcomes some of that variability by synthesising a larger number of studies and by exploring a range of response functions.  Whilst the study seems robust, without access to the supplementary of the study, it is not possible to make a definite comment on the quality of the underlying data.”

    Prof William Collins, Professor of Climate Processes, University of Reading, said:

    “While we have long known that cleaning up air pollutants such as sulphur have a direct warming effect on climate, this study shows that cleaner air can indirectly warm climate by increasing natural emissions of methane.  Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas and a large source of it is from natural wetlands.

    “This study is the first to systematically analyse field measurements of wetland emissions under varying conditions of sulphur deposition.  It shows that high levels of sulphur pollution up until the late 20th Century may have artificially supressed this source.  As we clean up our industries and power production this natural emission of methane will rebound and further warm climate.  The good news is that reducing climate change also reduces natural methane emissions, so further supporting the climate benefit of strong carbon reductions.”

    Dr Adam Povey, Assistant Professor of Earth Observation, National Centre for Earth Observation, University of Leicester, said:

    “This study provides an additional line of evidence that wetlands are highly important in understanding the climate.  Wetlands rapidly respond to changes in weather and climate, and those changes feedback to the climate – in this case, amplifying warming.  These interfaces between water, soil, and life are extremely difficult to understand due to the diversity of interlinked processes occurring.  This paper provides decent evidence for the direction of this effect – that cleaner air increases natural methane emissions and this makes it more difficult to achieve net zero – and this is consistent with other lines of evidence.  I would treat the precise numbers quoted with caution since (as described at the beginning of the ‘Discussion’ section) there are many confounding processes and substantial uncertainties around the conditions in wetlands that are not captured by this statistical analysis of existing experiments.  The UK is in an excellent position to understand these processes due to our world-leading capacity to monitor atmospheric pollutants (such as sulphur) and to model the influence of life on the climate through the UK Earth System Model.”

    ‘The large role of declining atmospheric sulfate deposition and rising CO2 concentrations in stimulating future wetland CH4 emissions’ by Lu Shen et al. was published in Science Advances at 19:00 UK time on Wednesday 5 February 2025. 

    Declared interests

    Dr Eiko Nemitz: “I have no conflicts of interest to declare.”

    Prof William Collins: “Last year I was a member of a panel advising the NZ govt on its methane targets.”

    Dr Adam Povey: “My funding is entirely from UKRI and ESA so I can’t think of any conflicts of interest.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Exploring Traditions: HSE Students Celebrate Chinese New Year

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    February 1st Cultural center HSE University celebrated the Eastern New Year as usual – a large-scale celebration united students and teachers interested in the culture of East Asian countries. The organizers were School of Oriental Studies Faculty of World Economy and World Politics, Internationalization Directorate, HSE Chinese Club, as well as other university clubs – Japanese “Musubi” and Korean “Hallyan“.

    Guests were treated to calligraphy master classes, where they could learn how to write their name in the languages of Asian countries, try their hand at the art of ink drawing, and create an imprint of the symbol of the year — a snake. Tea lovers learned the intricacies of traditional tea drinking, learned about the most diverse and unusual types of this plant and the significance of the tea ceremony in Eastern culture. Visitors were also offered Chinese red envelopes with New Year wishes — in China, they are traditionally given to loved ones, wishing them well-being and good luck.

    The guests took part in national games and quizzes with great interest, where they tested their knowledge of Eastern traditions and the history of the holiday. The culmination was a concert, where the audience could immerse themselves more deeply in the atmosphere of the Chinese New Year thanks to theatrical scenes, national songs and performances by dance groups.

    Many international students compared the joyful atmosphere that reigned to New Year’s at home. “I am from Asia, and this year I was unable to celebrate the New Year in my homeland. But here I was able to feel the warmth and comfort of a home holiday,” shared Nguyen Hinh Goc Anh, a student. Higher School of Business.

    For Russian students studying Eastern culture, this evening was an excellent opportunity to get to know the traditions better.

    The guests noted the high level of organization and the organizers’ attention to detail. “The interiors are beautifully stylized, it is clear that people really prepared and were burning with the idea. Each zone has a special atmosphere that allows you to immerse yourself in the culture,” noted Ekaterina Klimenko, a 5th-year student of the educational program “Oriental Studies” She brought her friend Elizaveta to the party, who does not study at the HSE, but was happy to spend the day at the university.

    For the guests, the holiday was not just entertainment, but also an opportunity to communicate with new people. “Here you can have fun, broaden your horizons, get acquainted with traditions, and also meet students from different fields,” said Maria Fedyunina, a student in the educational program “Management in creative industries” FCI HSE.

    The participants of the evening emphasized the importance of such initiatives, as they help strengthen the student community by creating a space for communication and knowledge sharing.

    Text: Sofia Simina, OP “Advertising and Public Relations“

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI Video: EPA Phase 1 – Private Property Debris Removal PSA

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    The Environmental Protection Agency explains the measures they are taking to protect public health while conducting phase one of the PPDR (Private Property Debris Removal) mission. This is a crucial first step in the two phase operation to ensure properties are cleared of hazardous household material and common household items that must be removed properly. Once this phase is complete, the Army Corps of Engineers can begin removing ash from properties so homeowners can begin the process of rebuilding.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OLzL7ue_xM

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: reAlpha Appoints Vijay Rathna as Chief Crypto Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, Ohio, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) (“reAlpha” or the “Company”), a real estate technology company developing and commercializing artificial intelligence (“AI”) technologies, today announced the appointment of Vijay Rathna as the Company’s Chief Crypto Officer (“CCO”), effective as of February 20, 2025. In this role, Mr. Rathna will oversee all of reAlpha’s blockchain and cryptocurrency initiatives, including token strategy, blockchain integrations, and digital asset innovation, reporting directly to Giri Devanur, Chief Executive Officer of reAlpha.

    Mr. Rathna has significant leadership experience in information technology, AI, blockchain architecture, and cryptocurrency ecosystems. Prior to joining reAlpha, Mr. Rathna served as the Senior Vice President of Innovation and Development at Coretelligent (merged from Chateaux Software), where he led the ideation, design and development of digital transformation team to build AI, automation and blockchain solutions for its clients. Some of those engagements included a blockchain-based digital ticketing platform, a SEC-approved stable coin in money market fund for a fintech company, a blockchain product for a global insurance company and others. Mr. Rathna is also an Associate Professor at Columbia University teaching “Blockchain and AI.”

    Mr. Rathna’s appointment comes as reAlpha is exploring the integration of blockchain into its technologies, including the reAlpha platform. reAlpha plans to provide further updates and announcements regarding the integration of blockchain and digital assets technologies into its business model by the end of the first quarter of 2025.

    Giri Devanur, Chief Executive Officer of reAlpha, commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Vijay Rathna to reAlpha as our Chief Crypto Officer, making reAlpha one of the first Nasdaq-listed companies to create such a position. The creation of this role highlights our commitment to innovate with blockchain technologies and the usage of digital assets. We believe that Vijay’s expertise in blockchain architecture, his entrepreneurial mindset, and his ability to deliver innovative and compliant solutions make him an invaluable addition to our team.”

    Vijay Rathna added, “I am excited to join reAlpha and contribute to its mission of bringing real estate to the digital era by leveraging AI technologies. I look forward to advancing reAlpha’s blockchain initiatives and delivering impactful solutions for investors.”

    About reAlpha Tech Corp.
    reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) is a real estate technology company developing an end-to-end commission-free homebuying platform. Utilizing the power of AI and an acquisition-led growth strategy, reAlpha’s goal is to offer a more affordable, streamlined experience for those on the journey to homeownership. For more information, visit www.realpha.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    The information in this press release includes “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about the appointment of Mr. Rathna as CCO and the anticipated benefits thereof; reAlpha’s ability to develop blockchain solutions for the real estate industry; reAlpha’s ability to anticipate the future needs of the real estate markets; future trends in the real estate, technology and artificial intelligence industries, generally; and reAlpha’s future growth strategy and growth rate. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “could”, “might”, “plan”, “possible”, “project”, “strive”, “budget”, “forecast”, “expect”, “intend”, “will”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “predict”, “potential” or “continue”, or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: reAlpha’s limited operating history and that reAlpha has not yet fully developed its AI-based technologies; reAlpha’s ability to commercialize its developing AI-based technologies; whether reAlpha’s technology and products will be accepted and adopted by its customers and intended users; reAlpha’s ability to integrate the business of its acquired companies into its existing business and the anticipated demand for such acquired companies’ services; reAlpha’s ability to develop blockchain solutions to the real estate industry; reAlpha’s ability to successfully integrate blockchain in its technologies, including the reAlpha platform; reAlpha’s ability to develop a digital token; reAlpha’s ability implement and execute its cryptocurrency investment policy; reAlpha’s ability to remain compliant with the changing landscape of regulations related to digital currencies and other technologies; reAlpha’s ability to successfully enter new geographic markets; reAlpha’s ability to obtain the necessary regulatory and legal approvals to expand into additional U.S. states and maintain, or obtain, brokerage licenses in such states; reAlpha’s ability to generate additional sales or revenue from having access to, or obtaining, additional U.S. states brokerage licenses; the inability to maintain and strengthen reAlpha’s brand and reputation; reAlpha’s ability to scale its operational capabilities to expand into additional geographic markets; the potential loss of key employees of its acquired companies, including, but not limited to, the broker providing services on behalf of US Realty, one of reAlpha’s subsidiaries; reAlpha’s inability to accurately forecast demand for short-term rentals, corporate relocation programs and AI-based real estate focused products; reAlpha’s ability to successfully compete in the corporate relocation market; the inability to execute business objectives and growth strategies successfully or sustain reAlpha’s growth; the inability of reAlpha’s customers to pay for reAlpha’s services; changes in applicable laws or regulations, and the impact of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in reAlpha’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Although reAlpha believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. reAlpha’s future results, level of activity, performance or achievements may differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, and there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking statements. For more information about the factors that could cause such differences, please refer to reAlpha’s filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and reAlpha does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Company Contact

    Investor Relations
    investorrelations@realpha.com

    Media Contact

    Alliance Advisors IR on behalf of reAlpha
    Fatema Bhabrawala
    fbhabrawala@allianceadvisors.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Steven Maijoor: Cyber resilience in an age of geopolitical tensions

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    On December 12th 2023, Kyivstar, Ukraine’s largest telecom provider, suffered a cyberattack that disrupted services for millions of users. The attack, attributed to the Russian state-sponsored group Sandworm, was one of the biggest cyber incidents in Ukraine since the onset of the Russian invasion. The hackers had infiltrated Kyivstar’s infrastructure months earlier. They deployed malware that erased thousands of virtual servers and personal computers, crippling the company’s network for managing communication services.

    The attack had several immediate effects. First of all, approximately half of Kyivstar’s network was disabled, leaving millions without mobile and internet connection. But the damage wasn’t limited to the telecom sector. The attack also disrupted banking operations, payment processing, and online banking services. Some ATMs and point-of-sale terminals didn’t work. Financial transactions were in disarray across the country.

    Amazingly, the Ukrainians were quickly able to restore services. Over the past three years they have become quite proficient in dealing with large-scale disruption. Many critical processes in Ukraine are equipped with redundancy measures. Many people even have two sim cards in their phones. That enabled the other Ukrainian telecom providers to circumvent the outage. Services at Kyivstar were gradually reinstated, with almost full restoration achieved eight days after the attack.

    This episode raises some inconvenient questions. What if this would happen to us? What if a large scale Russian or Chinese cyberattack is launched on the telecoms sector of an EU member state? Would it be possible? How much damage could such an attack cause? Would it affect financial services? And would we be able to recover as quickly as the Ukrainians did?

    A few years ago, most people would have found these questions to be rather hypothetical, but today, unfortunately, they have become quite urgent. Geopolitical tensions have been rising for more than a decade, but over the past few years they have accelerated. Countries are re-arming, they are protecting their strategic economic infrastructures, they are imposing trade restrictions and sanctions on each other, and they are weaponising access to international financial infrastructures and services. Needless to say this is bad news for the world economy and the financial sector. But perhaps in no area is the geopolitical threat so real and acute as in the digital domain.

    Apart from the Kyivstar case, there are many other examples to back this up. In late 2023, a Russian hacker breached Microsoft’s corporate network by exploiting a legacy account. As a result, the security and confidentiality of the email accounts of many organisations around the world were potentially compromised. Last year, the FBI discovered a dormant network of Chinese hackers in the United States that had compromised hundreds of routers and that was on standby to launch an attack if called on. And recently, Russian and Chinese vessels were suspected of damaging subsea data cables. Since state-sponsored cyberattacks are often very well concealed, we do not have reliable numbers on how often they occur. But anecdotal information from intelligence agencies, like the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service, suggest their number is increasing.

    Traditionally, the financial sector has been an attractive target for cyber criminals with financial motives. But with the changing geopolitical climate, nation-state cyberattacks have become a very real possibility. Their main aim is to cause disruption and to steal sensitive information. Nation-state actors possess more resources, sophistication, and endurance than other hackers. And many sectors of the economy have become more vulnerable to large-scale disruption due to increased complexity and digitalisation. This is certainly true of financial services, with their long outsourcing chains and interconnectedness. And many financial firms depend on the same third-party service providers, so if one of these suppliers is attacked, large chunks of the financial sector may experience the knock-on effects. As we showed in our latest Financial Stability overview, a quarter of all reported global cyberattacks can potentially affect the financial sector through a vital process run by a third party on which the financial system depends.

    So, to answer the questions I posed at the start: yes, I think a major state-sponsored cyberattack on the financial sector or one of its supporting sectors could happen. And frankly, I hope we would be able to recover as quickly as the Ukrainians did.

    That is not because financial institutions haven’t prepared. Many financial institutions have taken big steps in recent years to boost their cyber resilience. I think it is fair to say the financial industry is one of the better digitally defended sectors in the economy. As it should be. But given the size and urgency of the threat, we need to do even more to keep financial services safe. This is why cyber resilience will absolutely be a key focus area in our supervision of the financial industry in the coming years. This goes both for De Nederlandsche Bank, and for the European Central Bank.

    Our aim is to make financial services safer against cyber threats. Not only by increasing the resilience of the financial sector itself, but also by stepping up the robustness of the entire chain of ICT service providers. DORA, the European Digital Operational Resilience Act, that came into effect at the beginning of this year, gives us additional tools to accomplish this aim.

    To start with, under DORA, threat-led penetration tests are mandatory for the largest financial institutions in Europe. In the Netherlands we have been conducting these kinds of tests voluntarily for over eight years with good results, and we are very pleased that it is now becoming the norm at the European level.

    But DORA also imposes stricter requirements for managing cyber risks in outsourcing chains. For example, financial firms face stricter rules for conducting due diligence on potential ICT providers. As a result, Fintechs may also experience more stringent due diligence from financial sector customers. And very importantly, under DORA, European supervisors can conduct inspections of critical third-party ICT service providers in tandem with national supervisory authorities. We expect bigtechs like Google and Microsoft to be placed under EU-wide supervision. And, just as with the banks, we are going to test their readiness to detect and withstand cyberattacks.

    Despite all efforts, there is no such thing as perfect cyber security. It is therefore vital that financial institutions take measures to recover quickly after cyber incidents. This is crucial to ensure that services can continue and people don’t lose trust in financial firms or the financial sector as a whole.

    The results of the ECB’s 2024 cyber stress test show that there is room for improvement on the recovery front. So it’s a very good thing that DORA also imposes new requirements on institutions’ continuity plans and backup policies. They need to develop a culture where cyber incidents are quickly detected and reported, they need to have their playbooks in place and they need to have clearly defined management roles and responsibilities. These are key ingredients for an effective response after a cyberattack.

    An important principle of our supervision has always been that financial institutions are responsible for putting their own house in order. And that is also the case with cybersecurity. But if we only focus on individual institutions, we miss something. As I mentioned, on a digital level the financial sector is so interconnected, and connected to other vital sectors of the economy as well, that some degree of overall coordination and cooperation is necessary to arrive at an optimal level of resilience. Notably, recent assessments, derived from nationwide contingency exercises in the Netherlands, reveal various weaknesses. These weaknesses relate to the exchange of information between critical infrastructure providers, the distribution of roles and responsibilities, and the mobilisation of scarce cyber security knowledge and expertise in the event of major cyber incidents.

    So the message here is: we need to work together. Governments should take the lead to improve cross-sectoral cooperation and coordination. They must continue to conduct large-scale cyber-drills and practice activating crisis plans. The insights gained should be used to enhance resilience.

    But there is also a role for financial supervisors like DNB. Under the new legislation, we do not only need to check whether financial firms are compliant, but we also have an obligation ourselves to look over the fence and cooperate closely with other sectors. DNB is putting this into practice by working with vital sectors that are most critical to the financial sector, such as energy and telecommunications. Within our mandate, we support these sectors with information, cooperation and ethical hacking experience.

    To sum up, the threat of major disruptions to our financial system from nation-state cyberattacks has become more urgent. Financial firms, and the entire outsourcing chain on which they depend, therefore need to do whatever they can to further boost their cyber resilience. Both in terms of detection and recovery. Cyber resilience is a top priority for European financial supervisors and there are new European laws in place. And we are going to use these laws to make sure that financial institutions under our supervision are as secure and well defended as possible. Enhancing resilience also means we need to work together. Governments, financial firms, supervisors, telecom, energy and other vital players in the outsourcing chain. Because in cyberspace, we are all linked together. And after all, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Philip N Jefferson: Do non-inflationary economic expansions promote shared prosperity? Evidence from the US labor market

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Figures accompanying the speech

    Thank you, Professor O’Connell, for that kind introduction and for the opportunity to talk to this group.1 I am delighted to be back at Swarthmore College. This special community brings back fond memories of fantastic students, great colleagues, and pedagogical excellence.

    Yesterday, I discussed my outlook for the current U.S. economy. I highlighted how the economy is growing and appears to be roughly in balance, with low unemployment and declining inflation. Today, I will review some of the historical evidence pertaining to periods when the Federal Reserve has achieved both components of its dual mandate, maximum employment and stable prices, on a sustained basis-that is, periods of long non-inflationary economic expansions. My title question is whether economic evidence indicates that such expansions also result in greater shared prosperity.

    My focus will be on the labor market. A reason for this focus is that for many individuals, their employment attachment is a key determinant of their household’s overall well-being. My approach will be to compare the current labor market with the labor market at the end of 2019-that is, at the end of the most recent long, non-inflationary expansion. Such a comparison provides a lens through which to view the prospects for broadly shared prosperity fostered by the current U.S. labor market.

    The remainder of my talk is organized as follows. First, I describe the labor market at the end of 2019. After that, I discuss the state of the labor market in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, I describe the current labor market situation. Next, I discuss possible reasons why strong labor markets facilitate broad-based prosperity. Before concluding, I consider whether the benefits of long expansions are persistent.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Czech Republic financing from EIB Group in 2024 focused on rail upgrades, energy advances and job creation

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • EIB Group financing in the Czech Republic rose to €2.47 billion last year from €1.86 billion in 2023
    • EIB stepped-up support for Czech railway and energy industries as well as small and medium-sized companies
    • Latest annual results bring EIB Group financing in Czech Republic to almost €9 billion over past five years

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group’s new financing in the Czech Republic rose 33% to €2.47 billion last year on the back of stepped-up support for the railway and energy industries as well as a range of companies in the country.

    The total for 2024 amounts to approximately €2.47 billion, including €2.34 billion from the EIB and €190 million from the European Investment Fund (EIF), which focuses on micro companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe. An additional €60 million accounts for joint operations between the EIB and EIF.

    Safer and faster train travel, improved infrastructure to integrate green energy into the power grid for households and businesses and SME growth and job creation were among the main goals of EIB Group financing in the Czech Republic last year. The increase marks the third consecutive year-on-year rise in EIB Group funding in the country. 

    “We are proud to play a vital role in the Czech Republic’s ongoing transformation into a modern, globally competitive economy,” said EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris. “Our commitment remains strong as we continue supporting the country in key areas such as industrial decarbonisation, renewable energy deployment, energy efficiency, green transport, and ensuring a socially just transition.

    The EIB Group’s financing in the Czech Republic last year was higher than not just the total of €1.86 billion in 2023 but also an average of €1.77 billion in the country over the past five years. Since 2020, EIB Group funding in the Czech Republic has totalled almost €9 billion.

    The EIB Group’s financing in the Czech Republic in 2024 helped create nearly 89,000 jobs in the country, highlighting the organisation’s role in promoting employment and economic growth.

    Top EIB operations in the Czech Republic last year include a €527 million (13 billion Czech korunas) loan to the government to bolster the railway network and a €300 million credit to national rail operator České dráhy to upgrade trains.

    In the Czech energy sector, the EIB provided a €400 million loan to utility ČEZ to strengthen the electricity grid. Overall, EIB financing for this sector in the country doubled in 2024 compared with the year before, bolstering the fight against climate change and a push for energy independence.

    On the company front, the EIB last year supported a range of Czech SMEs and Mid-Caps to the tune of €866 million – an 83% increase from 2023 – through intermediaries such as Moneta Money Bank, Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka, CSOB Leasing, Komerční banka and SG Equipment Finance Czech Republic.  It also provided financing of €90 million to e-grocery business Rohlik, one of the three Czech unicorns, and €30 million to Czech software producer Y Soft for research advancements.

    The main EIF operations in the Czech Republic last year include €190 million in equity, inclusive finance and guarantees to support intermediated financial institutions – funding expected to unlock further investments for businesses in the country.

    Scaling-up affordable housing investments across the EU is at the forefront of EIB’s agenda. Through advisory services, it is working closely with the Ministry of Regional Development and Ministry of Finance on the strategic framework for the sector to boost investments and identify project pipeline.  

    The EIB Group’s financing in the Czech Republic over more than three decades totals around €29.4 billion.

    Background information:

    EIB  
    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the EU, and the Capital Markets Union.   The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 projects in 2024. These commitments are expected to mobilise around €350 billion in investment, supporting 400 000 companies and 5.8 million jobs.  As for the Czech Republic, the EIB Group signed operations worth a total of €2.47 billion last year.

    All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Accord and the EIB Group does not fund investments in fossil fuels. We are on track to deliver on our commitment to support  €1 trillion in climate and environmental sustainability investment in the decade to 2030 as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.   

    Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower. This underscores the Bank’s commitment to fostering inclusive growth and the convergence of living standards.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Czech city Ústí nad Labem to get green upgrades with EIB loan of almost €43 million

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • EIB lends €42.8 million to Ústí nad Labem in north-west Czechia to upgrade municipal infrastructure.
    • Loan to cover building, transport and energy renovations.
    • Improvements also planned for education and social care.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending €43 million (CZK 1.08 billion) to the Czech city of Ústí nad Labem for a range of green and social improvements, highlighting a Europe-wide push for urban renewal and sustainability.

    Ústí nad Labem, with a population of around 90 000 located near the Czech border with Germany, will use the EIB loan to refurbish buildings, enhance energy efficiency, develop clean power and upgrade services, including public transport, education and social care.

    The city is an industrial centre where a number of Czech manufacturing companies are located. It has a port on the river Elbe and serves as a major road and railway hub. The European Union seeks to make all cities climate-neutral by 2050 to combat global warming.

    “This loan to Ústí nad Labem underscores our commitment to empowering cities in their transition towards climate-neutral and sustainable growth. By modernising infrastructure, improving energy efficiency and advancing renewable energy investments, we are enhancing quality of life while building a greener, more inclusive and resilient future for people,” said EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris.

    Part of the EIB loan will go to works at the municipal zoo, including upgrading animal pavilions, visitor areas and energy and water management. These efforts support climate action by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

    The EIB loan stems from an EU initiative, the Just Transition Mechanism (JTM), which aims to address the social and economic impacts of transitioning to a climate-neutral economy. By blending loans from the EIB with grants from the European Commission, JTM supports investments in the regions most affected by this transition, ensuring no community is left behind. Accordingly, the EIB will finance up to 72% of the overall project costs, complemented by funding from EU grants and the city’s budget. The project promoter benefits from the support of the InvestEU Advisory Hub and will apply for a Public Sector Loan Facility (PSLF) grant, which would amount to 25% of the EIB loan amount.  

    The EIB loan aligns with the city’s development strategy supporting sustainable urban renewal. The EIB will also advise the City of Ústí in terms of conducting investments in municipal infrastructure, zoo pavilions, water management and energy savings.

    “Public housing, mobility and energy are key topics in our transformation process and in the long-term and sustainable direction of the city, and I am very pleased that we have managed to secure financing for these types of projects through cooperation with the EIB. I believe that we are only beginning our cooperation with the EIB, that will significantly advance the city and our zoo, which can become a truly modern and energy-self-sufficient area. We are also striving to access EIB support within the ELENA programme,“ said Ústí nad Labem Mayor Petr Nedvědický.          

    This EIB loan overcomes obstacles to market financing, ensuring that Ústí nad Labem can invest in essential public goods, services and a sustainable future.

    Background information

    About the EIB and Czechia

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union. It finances investments contributing to EU policy goals. The EIB Group invested €2.47 billion in Czechia in 2024, supporting regional development and boosting economic resilience while also enhancing environmental sustainability and improving quality of life.

    About PSLF and the Just Transition Mechanism

    The Public Sector Loan Facility aims to alleviate the social and economic effects of the transition towards climate neutrality in the EU regions. This blending facility combines loans from the EIB with grants from the European Commission to help mainly public sector entities in the most hard-hit EU regions, which are identified in the territorial just transition plans, to mobilise additional public investments and meet their development needs in the transition towards climate neutrality. The first PSLF call for proposals was launched on 19 July 2022 with ten intermediate cut-offs until the end of 2025. There are three cut-off dates per year planned until the end of 2025. A second call for proposals will be launched in 2026.

    To find out more about PSLF and PSLF-funded projects, please visit the CINEA website.

    CINEA

    The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) is an executive agency established by the European Commission to implement parts of EU funding programmes for transport, energy, climate action, environment, maritime fisheries and aquaculture.

    CINEA aims to support its beneficiaries, establish strong partnerships, deliver high-quality programme and project management, foster effective knowledge-sharing and create synergies between programmes, to support a sustainable, connected and decarbonised Europe.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: How to bring startups to global markets

    Source: European Investment Bank

    Since its establishment, the park has been building a startup ecosystem and encouraging young people to become entrepreneurs. It has developed services and programmes for new teams and companies, as well as for more advanced tech firms looking to enter new markets and attract investment.

    “The park’s experts have been providing support in strategy development, venture capital funding, financial negotiations and legal aspects,” Grković says.

    It has also established partnerships across the world in locations such as Israel, France, Spain, the United Kingdom and Switzerand. 

    “In 2024 alone, we organized five missions to discover new markets for Serbian startups, enabling them to participate in leading global tech conferences such as VivaTech, Web Summit, StartupDays, and London Tech Week,” Grković says.

    Startups operating in the Science Technology Park Belgrade are working in the fields of information technology, biomedicine, robotics, nanoscience, energy efficiency, smart cities, and innovative agriculture. They are developing various innovative products in fields as diverse as house plants in apartments, non-invasive remote monitoring of bee colonies, personalized approaches to women’s health, therapeutic toys for speech therapists or robot-based learning platforms for children.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Request for clarification of the numbers of residency permits issued in the EU – E-000294/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000294/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Malika Sorel (PfE)

    At the 9th European Migration Forum, held at the European Economic and Social Committee on 28 and 29 November 2024, former Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, stated that in 2023 more than 3.7 million residency permits had been issued in the EU. She added that 34 % of those permits had been issued for work and 14 % for education, and stressed that these numbers testified to the success of her migration policy[1].

    • 1.How does the Commission justify as many residency permits as the population of a city like Berlin being issued in a single year[2]?
    • 2.Why were the permits making up the other 52 % issued if not for work or education?
    • 3.What information does the Commission have on the profiles of the persons who have obtained residency permits for education, what type of university education have they received in their countries of origin, and what degree level do they hope to obtain in the EU?

    Submitted: 23.1.2025

    • [1] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/2024-european-migration-forum-highlights-key-role-civil-society-implementing-pact-2024-12-18_en
    • [2] 3.6 million inhabitants in 2019; https://www.cci-paris-idf.fr/fr/prospective/crocis/comparaisons-internationales/paris-berlin-influence-politique-poids-economiques
    Last updated: 6 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Residents move into new Darwin House development at Churchill Gardens | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    Local residents have begun moving into the new Darwin House development this month.

    The new 100% affordable housing scheme, which sits within the Churchill Gardens Conservation Area, is being delivered in two phases. The completion of the first of two new buildings delivers 33 new community-supported accommodation properties for social rent for people who are over 60, along with one scheme manager unit.

    Currently, there are 20 older residents in the neighbouring ‘old’ Darwin House who will be rehoused into the new purpose-built homes. The self-contained one-bedroom apartments – which are twice the size of their current accommodation – have communal facilities, offer social activities, and have guest rooms for visitors. There will be landscaped leafy green spaces for the new residents and the wider Churchill Gardens community to enjoy.

    The remaining 13 homes will be offered to people living locally, aged over 60 through the Council’s Local Lettings Plan, which allows people living locally to bid for the new properties first. This frees up existing, often larger homes for families on the waiting list.

    Residents moving into the new Darwin House development will also receive bespoke, tailored support from the council, which includes packing services for those who require it, assistance with reconnection of services and support with ordering new furniture. This is in recognition that some residents may need support to arrange these tasks online.

    Once all residents move into the new Darwin House (as it was named by its first new residents) and the original site becomes vacant, the construction of second new block will begin. A further 10 council homes for social rent will then be built on the current Darwin House location.  These social rent home will include eight 4-bedroom homes, one 3-bedroom homes and one 1-bedroom homes, providing much needed family sized accommodation.

    Working with housebuilding contractor Wates Residential to complete the works, there will be a total of 44 homes delivered on site, increasing the number of homes for residents to 21 units, providing affordable, fit-for-purpose housing in the city.

    Cllr Matt Noble, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Renters at Westminster City Council said:

    “The completion of the new homes marks a significant milestone for our residents from the ‘old’ Darwin House who have been eagerly anticipating moving in to their new fit-for-purpose homes. With the support from our specialist officers, they have all selected flats with suitable aids and adaptations to meet their needs.

    “The delivery of these new council homes for social rent – and the rest to come with construction starting on the second new building – demonstrates our continued commitment to deliver high quality, truly affordable homes and a Fairer Westminster for all local people.”

    • Darwin House | Westminster City Council
    • These new homes are designed in accordance with the Housing our Aging Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI) standards, ensuring a modern and supportive living environment for our community.
    • Working with housebuilding contractor Wates Residential to complete the works, the new homes will be offered to local people first through the Council’s Local Lettings Plan, which allows people living locally in overcrowded or unsuitable homes to bid for the new properties before they go towards tackling the 4000 strong waiting list for homes in Westminster.
    • Under the ‘Fairer Westminster’ strategy, the Council has committed to providing at least 50% affordable housing across its 4,000-home development pipeline. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Bilibili Inc. to Report Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Unaudited Financial Results on Thursday, February 20, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHANGHAI, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bilibili Inc. (“Bilibili” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: BILI and HKEX: 9626), an iconic brand and a leading video community for young generations in China, today announced that it will report its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2024 unaudited financial results on Thursday, February 20, 2025, before the open of U.S. markets.

    The Company’s management will host an earnings conference call at 7:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on February 20, 2025 (8:00 PM Beijing/Hong Kong Time on February 20, 2025). Details for the conference call are as follows:

    All participants must use the link provided above to complete the online registration process in advance of the conference call. Upon registering, each participant will receive a set of participant dial-in numbers and a personal PIN, which will be used to join the conference call.

    Additionally, a live webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.bilibili.com, and a replay of the webcast will be available following the session.

    About Bilibili Inc.

    Bilibili is an iconic brand and a leading video community with a mission to enrich the everyday lives of young generations in China. Bilibili offers a wide array of video-based content with All the Videos You Like as its value proposition. Bilibili builds its community around aspiring users, high-quality content, talented content creators and the strong emotional bonds among them. Bilibili pioneered the “bullet chatting” feature, a live comment function that has transformed our users’ viewing experience by displaying the thoughts and feelings of audience members viewing the same video. The Company has now become the welcoming home of diverse interests among young generations in China and the frontier for promoting Chinese culture across the world.

    For more information, please visit: http://ir.bilibili.com.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    In China:

    Bilibili Inc.
    Juliet Yang
    Tel: +86-21-2509-9255 Ext. 8523
    E-mail: ir@bilibili.com

    Piacente Financial Communications
    Helen Wu
    Tel: +86-10-6508-0677
    E-mail: bilibili@tpg-ir.com 

    In the United States:

    Piacente Financial Communications
    Brandi Piacente
    Tel: +1-212-481-2050
    E-mail: bilibili@tpg-ir.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New on-street electric vehicle charge point network launched in partnership with Ubitricity

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Expansion of public charging infrastructure will help increase access to overnight charging for residents without off-street parking.

    Birmingham City Council today announced the launch of a major new project to expand the city’s electric vehicle (EV) charging network. In partnership with Ubitricity, the UK’s largest charge point operator, the Council is carrying out a pilot deployment of 560 lamppost EV charge points across residential areas of the city where access to private off-street parking is limited or unavailable.

    This rollout represents the first project of its kind in the UK’s second-largest city and is expected to set a new standard for on-street EV charging. The project is being delivered in response to data showing that most electric cars are kept at homes without access to a private driveway. Not having access to overnight charging ‘on your doorstep’ can act as a deterrent to EV ownership. This initiative, part of Birmingham’s wider Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy, is aimed at improving access to EV charging infrastructure.

    Ubitricity, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell and the UK’s largest EV charge point operator, will supply, install, own, operate and maintain the new charge points on behalf of Birmingham City Council. This partnership is expected to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles by providing an accessible, convenient charging solution for those who rely on on-street parking.

    The 560 charge points will be installed in lampposts on 82 streets across the city, with each point taking less than an hour to install. The installation process is designed to minimise disruption and meets the Council’s key requirement to avoid street clutter, while strategically placing charge points based on resident demand and grid connection availability.

    Deployed using Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) funding, the first 300 of these charge points have already been installed, and the remaining 260 will be installed before the end of Spring 2025.

    Transport accounts for around a third of CO2 emissions in Birmingham. In June 2019, Birmingham City Council declared a climate emergency and set an ambition for the city to become net-zero by 2030 or as soon as possible after that date as a ‘just transition’ allows. To reduce, and eventually eliminate emissions from transport, it is necessary to shift remaining vehicles to ultra-low and zero-emission vehicles, including electric vehicles (EVs). To enable the uptake of electric vehicles, a comprehensive public EV charging network across Birmingham is needed. As part of this effort, the city is focused on ensuring that EV charging infrastructure is accessible to all residents, including those who use taxis, car clubs, and commercial fleets, as well as private individuals without off-street parking.

    The pilot rollout respects the city’s broader commitment to the Birmingham Transport Plan 2031 and supports the objectives of the Brum Breathes Clean Air Strategy and the Route to Net Zero initiative. These initiatives aim to make walking, cycling, and public transport the preferred choice for getting around, whilst ensuring that remaining private vehicle use is enabled through access to clean, zero-emissions charging infrastructure.

    Councillor Majid Mahmood, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport at Birmingham City Council, emphasised the importance of this initiative in supporting the city’s long-term environmental goals.

    He said: “While our focus as a council is on delivering the Birmingham Transport Plan and encouraging people to swap private vehicles for public transport, we also want to ensure that, for those who require use of a car, we have the infrastructure in place to facilitate use of low or zero-emission vehicles.”

    Stuart Wilson, UK Managing Director of Ubitricity, said: “Ubitricity is delighted to be supporting Birmingham City Council as they begin this journey to create one of the largest public EV charging networks outside London, encouraging the transition to electric vehicles, and helping to create a cleaner and healthier, environment for the people of Birmingham.”

    Ubitricity installed 301 charge points between 15th October and 24th December. As one of the quickest mass rollouts ubitricity has headed, they put the accelerated installation down to close collaboration with the council, with the city’s wide-ranging commitment to EV infrastructure paving the way for other cities to follow suit.

    For more information about the City-wide Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy, visit Birmingham City Council’s website.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council sets out vision for ‘fairer’ housing market as Right to Buy conversation continues

    Source: City of Leeds

    The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) recently launched a consultation seeking views on a series of proposed changes to Right to Buy, which gives eligible council tenants the opportunity to purchase their homes at a discount.

    Leeds’s response to the consultation sets out a vision for a reshaped country-wide scheme that would still support routes to home ownership for long-standing tenants but would also, crucially, give councils the resources they need to replenish their depleted social housing stocks.

    In its submission to the MHCLG, Leeds calls for a temporary ‘pause’ on Right to Buy – a step that would provide important short-term protection against the sale of existing council homes at a time when many local authorities are facing unsustainable pressure as they work to meet people’s housing needs.

    Alongside this, the response says, there must be wider reform of the financing and delivery of affordable housing by councils, with fundamental changes required if cities like Leeds are to build homes at the necessary scale and speed.

    In addition, the council argues, other routes to low-cost home ownership – such as Rent to Buy or shared ownership – should be promoted for people to consider as potential alternatives to any reshaped Right to Buy scheme.

    Equally, however, Leeds is clear that helping households who want to access home ownership should not mean a loss of council properties that would hamper the ability of local authorities to assist those most in need.

    The number of council homes sold to tenants in Leeds since Right to Buy was introduced in 1980 stands at more than 37,000.

    Local authorities have long struggled to replace ‘lost’ Right to Buy properties on a one-to-one basis due to factors such as the time needed to develop new sites and the significant discounts available to purchasers, which mean the cost of building a new home is not covered by the receipt from each sale.

    These discounts, coupled with the requirement – now ended – for authorities to use a portion of their Right to Buy receipts to repay debt to the Treasury, have deprived Leeds of more than £300m in potential funding in the last 10 years.

    The council’s consultation response stresses that, despite the challenges posed by the current system, the city has been able to adopt an “ambitious and proactive” approach to the delivery of affordable housing.

    Key to this has been Leeds’s Council Housing Growth Programme (CHGP), which has built or acquired around 700 homes since 2018.

    A greater number of affordable homes have also been built in Leeds over the last five years by the council, housing associations and developers than in any other large city in the country outside London. The proportion of these homes that are available for social rent – the most affordable tenure – is above the national average.

    The council’s response makes clear, though, that there is still much to do, with more than 28,000 applicants on the Leeds Homes Register and around 5,500 of those classed as being in urgent housing need.

    Changes to the current Right to Buy system that were therefore supported by the council in its response to the MHCLG include:

    • Raising the minimum tenancy period for Right to Buy eligibility from three to 10 years;
    • Giving councils more scope to combine Right to Buy receipts with other forms of grant funding to support investment in new homes;
    • Increasing, from five to 10 years, the period during which a person who sells a property purchased under Right to Buy is obliged to repay some or all of the original discount received.

    Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, said:

    “As one of the largest housing stock-holding local authorities in the country, we welcome central government’s consultation on the reform of Right to Buy.

    “We are clear that routes into affordable home ownership for local residents must be maintained, but this cannot be at the expense of those most in need.

    “Long-standing constraints on the use of Right to Buy receipts mean that, despite their best efforts, local authorities like Leeds have been unable to facilitate one-to-one replacement of homes sold.

    “Reform of the scheme, coupled with fundamental changes to the financing of affordable homes, can give the country a fairer and more sustainable housing market.

    “Our Council Housing Growth Programme, combined with support for strong registered provider delivery, has shown what can be achieved through bold thinking and partnership working, and we now hope to use the same approach to help bring about transformational improvements on a national level.”

    Launching its consultation last year, the MHCLG said its proposals for a revamped Right to Buy system would continue to offer a route to home ownership for long-standing tenants but would also help councils “protect and rebuild” depleted housing stocks.

    Leeds’s response was prepared following dialogue with partners including Yorkshire Housing and the West Yorkshire Housing Partnership.

    Notes to editors:

    Further details about initial changes made to Right to Buy following last year’s General Election, the current proposals for broader reform of the scheme and the MHCLG consultation process can be found here.

    The term ‘affordable housing’ refers to homes that are available for either rent at below market value or low-cost ownership.

    When affordable housing is made available for rent, potential tenures include ‘affordable’ and ‘social’. Affordable rent is discounted by at least 20 per cent from the prevailing local market rate. Social rent is lower than affordable rent and set by a formula tied to local incomes, property size and property value.

    The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 required councils to use 75 per cent of their Right to Buy receipts for the paying down of debt to the Treasury. This requirement, since ended, reduced the ability of councils to borrow money for capital expenditure, including construction of social housing.

    A registered provider is an affordable housing provider – such as a housing association – that is registered with the Regulator of Social Housing.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fast-track armed forces recruitment launched to boost UK cyber defence

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Armed forces recruits will be fast-tracked into specialist roles to tackle the growing cyber threat to the UK via a new recruitment scheme.

    • New ‘cyber pipeline’ will see recruits complete bespoke training within a matter of weeks.
    • Successful applicants will be in operational roles by the end of 2025, strengthening UK response to emerging cyber threats and national security.
    • The scheme is the latest government action to tackle recruitment and retention challenges in the armed forces and deliver on the Plan for Change.

    The new, bespoke entry route for aspiring cyber professionals and those with existing digital skills will see basic training reduced from 10 weeks to around one month, after which recruits will undergo 3 months’ specialist training. This will be conducted at the Defence Cyber Academy in Shrivenham.

    By the end of 2025, new recruits will be embedded into operational roles, either securing defence’s networks and services at the digital headquarters in Corsham, or conducting cyber operations to counter those who would do the UK harm as part of the National Cyber Force.

    Serving to enhance the UK’s ability to conduct operations in cyberspace, specialist recruits will receive one of the highest armed forces starting salaries of over £40,000, with opportunities for additional skills-based pay as they gain expertise and experience.  

    It comes as the Ministry of Defence has had to protect UK networks from increasing numbers of ‘sub-threshold’ attacks – more than 90,000 in the last two years.

    In an increasingly volatile world where technology is rapidly advancing, the nature of warfare is changing. Cyber capabilities present the threat of hybrid attacks which the UK must be able to protect against to ensure our national security and deliver on the government’s Plan for Change. It is paramount that the armed forces are fit to face the threats of the future.

    Minsters will argue today that cyber represents “a new front line”, with UK military systems targeted every day by adversaries. The new recruitment programme has been developed to bolster capabilities in response to these growing threats amid a global shortage of cyber talent. Looking ahead, the government’s Strategic Defence Review is closely assessing the threats we face, including the technological developments of the future.

    The launch of the new scheme is the latest action by the government to tackle the recruitment and retention crisis in the armed forces.

    Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey MP, said: 

    Fast tracking cyber warriors into our military will help ensure our Armed Forces are better equipped to face our adversaries in the 21st century and defend the country from the changing threats we face. 

    After years of hollowing out, our government is making Britain secure at home and strong abroad, delivering on our Plan for Change and the hardworking British people. 

    Launching the scheme on a visit to Corsham, the Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP, said: 

    With more than 90,000 cyber-attacks on UK military networks over the last two years, it is essential that we step up our cyber defence, fast-tracking the brightest and the best cyber specialists to help protect the UK and our allies.  

    We are in a new era of threat, with cyberspace as a new front line. Our government will deliver for defence by boosting recruitment efforts, cementing our national security as the foundation of our Plan for Change.

    The new initiative seeks to attract individuals with relevant aptitude, interest, or existing skills into cyber careers, while still offering the unique benefits of a career in the armed forces.

    Since July last year, ministers have delivered the largest pay rise for service personnel in over 20 years – including a 35% pay increase for new recruits – scrapped more than 100 outdated policies that slow down or block recruitment, and progress through Parliament legislation to establish an Armed Forces Commissioner to champion Service Personnel and their families.

    Recruitment into cyber roles in 2025 will initially be through the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, with the British Army joining for subsequent recruitment campaigns from early 2026.

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Biography – Marie-Josée Houle

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Ms. Houle was appointed as Canada’s first Federal Housing Advocate in 2022, marking a new chapter in a career defined by her work in the affordable housing and homelessness sector. Ms. Houle is an experienced leader who is recognized for her community activism, expertise in human rights, and extensive knowledge of the housing and homelessness system.

    MIL OSI Canada News –