NewzIntel.com

Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Wallet Supports Babylon Mainnet for Seamless BABY and BTC Staking

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, a leading Web3 non-custodial wallet, has announced official support for the Babylon Genesis mainnet. With this integration, users can now easily add the Babylon network in-app, transfer and receive $BABY, and participate in native staking for both $BABY and $BTC directly within the wallet. A dedicated Babylon DApp section has also been launched, allowing users to quickly discover and interact with the growing Babylon ecosystem.

    Babylon introduces a new layer of utility for Bitcoin by enabling it to secure proof-of-stake (PoS) networks. With Babylon Genesis now live, users can stake $BTC and $BABY onchain via Bitget Wallet, unlocking new yield opportunities while contributing to the security and liquidity of PoS chains. Bitget Wallet users can also connect directly to Babylon’s website for one-click $BTC staking, simplifying access to Babylon’s staking functions and reducing the technical barriers for participation.

    As one of the wallets with the broadest support for public blockchains, Bitget Wallet offers an extensive multichain infrastructure that supports over 130 blockchain networks and seamless access to nearly a million tokens and over 20,000 DApps. The Babylon integration further reinforces Bitget Wallet’s commitment to enabling real onchain participation through secure and accessible tools. By supporting both Bitcoin-native and Babylon-native assets, Bitget Wallet empowers users to bridge liquidity and security between ecosystems in a single interface.

    “As the Web3 ecosystem matures, it’s important to lower barriers to participation in emerging networks like Babylon,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “By supporting native $BABY and $BTC staking in a secure and accessible way, we aim to contribute to a more inclusive onchain environment—where crypto is usable and relevant for everyone.“

    Experience Babylon mainnet on Bitget Wallet.

    About Bitget Wallet
    Bitget Wallet is the home of Web3, uniting endless possibilities in one non-custodial wallet. With over 60 million users, it offers comprehensive onchain services, including asset management, instant swaps, rewards, staking, trading tools, live market data, a DApp browser and crypto payment solutions. Supporting over 130 blockchains, 20,000+ DApps, and millions of tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges, along with a $300+ million protection fund to ensure safety of users’ assets.

    For more information, visit: X | Telegram | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Discord | Facebook
    For media inquiries, please contact media.web3@bitget.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/be6e8c40-e822-4b34-b6e4-0642d9127c4f

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: High Wire Networks – Overwatch Launches Risk-as-a-Service Offering to Help Organizations Stay Ahead of Emerging Cyber Threats

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BATAVIA, Ill., April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — High Wire Networks, Inc. (OTCQB: HWNI), a leader in managed cybersecurity services, today announced the launch of Risk-as-a-Service (RaaS), a new professional service offering from its Overwatch cybersecurity division, designed to help organizations continuously identify, analyze, and mitigate cybersecurity risks.

    Unlike one-time assessments, Overwatch’s RaaS is a comprehensive, ongoing program that empowers mid-market and enterprise customers to manage risk proactively. The new service combines ongoing threat detection, regulatory compliance monitoring, and expert-led incident response planning, backed by real-time analytics, to strengthen organizations’ cyber resilience without needing a large in-house team.

    “Security is not just about risk mitigation and elimination of risk; it’s about prioritization.  Businesses don’t have infinite resources and need to quickly and efficiently figure out which actions deliver maximum value for the effort.  Our RaaS offering provides our customers a way to make such decisions quickly and efficiently,” said Kim Jones, High Wire – Overwatch CISO.

    The Overwatch RaaS Platform Includes:

    • Risk Baseline Assessments: Evaluate current security posture and identify the most critical vulnerabilities.
    • Real-Time Threat Detection & Alerting: Stay ahead of adversaries with always-on threat monitoring.
    • Regulatory Compliance Monitoring: Automate compliance tracking across HIPAA, GDPR, and CMMC standards.
    • Incident Response Planning & Support: Be prepared with tailored plans and expert guidance during a security event.
    • Analytics & Reporting Dashboards: Gain visibility into evolving risks and performance against key metrics.
    • Ongoing Risk Posture Monitoring: Ensure continuous improvement with recurring analysis and risk insights.

    “Our Risk-as-a-Service model isn’t just about delivering another report—it’s about delivering ongoing insight, action, and results,” said Ed Vasko, High Wire – Overwatch CEO. “This is a smarter way to scale risk management in today’s threat environment, especially for businesses without the resources to build a full internal risk and compliance team.”

    RaaS is ideal for small to mid-sized enterprises, government agencies, and large organizations looking to augment their existing programs with continuous protection and expert oversight. Real-world applications include healthcare providers using RaaS to streamline HIPAA compliance or manufacturers maintaining CMMC alignment while managing complex threat landscapes.

    By leveraging best-in-class tools and partnerships, Overwatch RaaS delivers cost-effective, scalable risk intelligence, empowering customers to make smarter decisions and reduce exposure across the enterprise.

    About High Wire Networks
    High Wire Networks, Inc. (OTCQB: HWNI) is a fast-growing, award-winning global provider of managed cybersecurity. Through over 200 channel partners, it delivers trusted managed services for more than 1,100 managed security customers worldwide. End customers include Fortune 500 companies and many of the nation’s largest government agencies. Its U.S.-based 24/7 Network Operations Center and Security Operations Center is located in Chicago, Illinois.

    High Wire was ranked by Frost & Sullivan as a Top 15 Managed Security Service Provider in the Americas for 2024. It was also named to CRN’s MSP 500 and Elite 150 lists of the nation’s top IT managed service providers for 2023 and 2024.

    Learn more at HighWireNetworks.com. Follow the company on X, view its extensive video series on YouTube or connect on LinkedIn.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    The above news release contains forward-looking statements. The statements contained in this document that are not statements of historical fact, including but not limited to, statements identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “appear,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “hope,” “indicate,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would,” and other variations or negative expressions of these terms, including statements related to expected market trends and the Company’s performance, are all “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on assumptions that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information, and include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company and its management. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performances and are subject to a wide range of external factors, uncertainties, business risks, and other risks identified in filings made by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in the company’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any statement is based except as required by applicable law and regulations.

    High Wire Networks Contact
    Mark Porter
    Chief Executive Officer
    High Wire Networks
    1+ (952) 974-4000

    Media Contact
    Lori Aleman
    Director of Marketing
    High Wire Networks
    Tel 1+ (630) 635-8477
    Lori.aleman@highwirenetworks.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Department of State Press Briefing – April 15, 2025

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Spokesperson Tammy Bruce leads the Department Press Briefing, at the Department of State, on April 15, 2025.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    X: https://x.com/StateDept
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
    Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/

    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
    Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6KRZMEAcko

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint Statement: 16th Ukraine Defence Contact Group – National Armaments Directors Format

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Joint Statement: 16th Ukraine Defence Contact Group – National Armaments Directors Format

    Joint Statement from Ukraine, Germany and the United Kingdom, co-chairs of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG).

    MOD Crown Copyright.

    On Friday 11 April the National Armaments Directors (NADs) from over 40 nations met at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. They were supported by multiple international government organisations.

    They agreed to ensure that the commitments made in the UDCG Ministerial Format are rapidly converted into contracts with industry and the tangible delivery of support to Ukraine to ensure Ukraine is able to sustain the resolute defence of her sovereignty and her people and negotiate a lasting and secure peace.

    MOD Crown Copyright.

    The UDCG NAD Format, co-chaired by Ukraine, Germany and the UK and building on the work of the US since its inception, will report its progress to the June ministerial meeting.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 April 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: KRSU and Polytech: development through partnership

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    An extended meeting dedicated to the development of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University was held at the Polytechnic University, with the participation of representatives of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia.

    The event was attended by the rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy, the referent of the Office of the President of the Russian Federation Vadim Smirnov, the acting rector of KRSU Sergey Volkov, representatives of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia – the acting director of the Department of State Policy in Higher Education Elena Tumakova and the head of the department of the Department of International Cooperation Alexey Poyda, as well as the heads of key departments and institutes of the Polytechnic University involved in the implementation of projects to transform KRSU.

    Before the meeting, the participants summed up the results of the internship at SPbPU for the heads of KRSU educational programs. Kyrgyz colleagues presented projects for updating curricula in five areas.

    The meeting became a platform for summing up the interim results of cooperation and discussing plans for 2025. Since January of this year, SPbPU has been acting as the coordinator of development programs for all four Slavic universities. Particular attention is paid to KRSU, where the Polytechnic University helps to modernize engineering education, scientific activities and personnel potential. Over the course of a year of joint work, curricula have been revised, network programs and programs for improving the qualifications of teachers have been launched.

    The development of Russian-national (Slavic) universities is one of the priority projects of our country in the promotion of Russian education and culture. At present, we give special priority to working with the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, since we, as one of the leading technical universities in Russia, are faced with the task of assisting KRSU in building all the basic processes related to the development of engineering areas. This is education, science, human capital, – emphasized the rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy.

    Vice-Rector for International Activities Dmitry Arsenyev recalled that the active development of the project with KRSU began a year ago with the international forum in Bishkek, when SPbPU first began comprehensive expert work on the KRSU development program.

    Over the many years of work at the Polytechnic University, I cannot recall a larger-scale international project involving more than 200 key employees and specialists of the university, representing all leading institutes and basic divisions, noted Dmitry Arsenyev.

    Responsible SPbPU employees in the areas presented the main results of the past year – qualitative and quantitative results in key areas (educational activities, development of scientific potential, youth policy, distance technologies in education, interlibrary cooperation) and priority areas (construction, electronics and telecommunications, energy, ICT, lean manufacturing). The participants proposed specific plans for 2025 and identified the main problem areas.

    The ideas that we discussed just a year ago have proven to be correct, and this is encouraging. I would like to express my gratitude to the Polytechnic team. You have taken on the task as a team, each working in their own area. We believe that there will be results, commented Vadim Smirnov, aide to the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation.

    The participants discussed the progress and development prospects of KRSU with the support of SPbPU, noted significant steps in joint work: modernization of educational programs, launch of network projects and strengthening of academic mobility. Vadim Smirnov emphasized the importance of a systematic approach to motivating KRSU employees and proposed integrating their participation in programs with the Polytechnic University into the incentive system.

    Participation in joint projects should become one of the key criteria for incentive payments. This will help strengthen engagement and demonstrate the value of interaction, said Vadim Smirnov.

    Acting Director of the Department of State Policy in Higher Education Elena Tumakova drew attention to the need for a comprehensive approach to motivating the teaching staff of KRSU, supporting the proposal to specifically encourage employees who are actively involved in projects with SPbPU.

    The participants discussed the low level of digital competencies of KRSU teachers, the lack of funding for scientific research and the difficulties with adapting Russian educational standards to the conditions of Kyrgyzstan. To solve them, proposals were made to strengthen internships, develop distance formats and more actively attract young specialists.

    Polytechnicians and KRSU management noted the task of renewing personnel as one of the main problems. Working with human potential, finding talents at KRSU is one of the primary tasks for the coming year. Acting Rector of KRSU Sergey Volkov emphasized that the key issue remains the transformation of KRSU into a leading national university. Enormous resources are being concentrated for this, including plans to build a modern campus in Bishkek, which will become a center for engineering, humanitarian and medical education.

    However, the best campus is nothing without highly qualified, motivated, talented staff and teachers. In the near future, KRSU will hold a competitive selection procedure. We expect to take a fresh look at our staff, taking into account the strategic long-term development goals of the university, – said Sergey Volkov.

    Andrey Rudskoy supported the initiative to strengthen work with human capital, instructed the Vice-Rector for Educational Activities Lyudmila Pankova and the Head of the Directorate for Human Resources Maria Pakhomova to actively engage in this issue and provide expert support to KRSU in the upcoming competitive selection procedure.

    Speaking about the organization of scientific activities, Vadim Smirnov suggested focusing on several priority scientific and applied projects. For example, on comprehensive cooperation with the Alliance Altyn enterprise, which was discussed during recent visit. The second reference point could be a project to conduct interdisciplinary research based on the High-Mountain Observatory of Atmospheric Physics of KRSU. The combination of fundamental and applied tasks will allow achieving practical results and at the same time paving the way for future projects and scientific development.

    “Even small but significant successes will become the basis for future growth. Appreciate the Polytechnic University’s resources; consultations with such high-level experts are invaluable,” emphasized Vadim Smirnov. “Let’s focus on practical projects and measurable results. We need to accumulate success stories, even if they can be counted on the fingers of one hand, but they will become the basis for growth. We need to work together, not instead of. The task of becoming a leading university is difficult, but achievable. We see from the example of the Polytechnic University and other Russian universities what fantastic leaps can be made in a few years if strategic goals, a management system, and personnel work are correctly built. Responsibility, measurable goals, and a link to the strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic are what will bring KRSU forward. Fewer formalities, more specifics. If students go on internships, let them come back with projects. If we implement programs, we calculate the percentage of extra-budgetary funds. These are steps to ensure that the university begins not just to function, but to develop.”

    Special thanks to colleagues for their support in developing curricula and solving complex issues, such as program accreditation or working with personnel. Special thanks for the digital library: this is a breakthrough for us. Yes, there are challenges: scholarship provision, personnel policy, alignment of standards. But we are working on this: we hold weekly meetings, prepare for the forum, build a new campus on 30 hectares near Bishkek, where there will be three key clusters – engineering, humanitarian and medical. And these are not just buildings, but an opportunity for a scientific breakthrough, – noted Sergey Volkov.

    Vadim Smirnov highlighted the most important components of joint work for the coming year: It is necessary to combine the fundamental documents into a single end-to-end concept – the strategy and development program of KRSU, the roadmap (work plan) for the coming years. It is necessary to synchronize current work plans with the long-term goals of KRSU, add specific tasks and performance indicators. All these documents should complement each other, define the main goals and ensure their implementation through the corresponding recorded resources and activities.

    Participants expressed confidence that the unification of the resources of SPbPU and KRSU, as well as the focus on practice-oriented tasks, will accelerate the development of the university.

    There is an urgent need to link the roadmap, strategy and development program, providing them with resources. Financial support for network programs, motivation of teachers through incentives rather than punishment, and work on the university brand are key elements of progress. A brand is not just a name, it is a tool that helps attract applicants and create competitive advantages, especially in the conditions of tough competition. The solutions must be non-trivial, but they will raise the level, make education high-quality, and the university significant, – Elena Tumakova supported her colleagues.

    The participants agreed to finalize the roadmap taking into account the strategic goals of KRSU and to hold regular working meetings. Andrey Rudskoy expressed confidence that joint efforts will allow bringing the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University to a new level, strengthening the position of Russian education in Central Asia: The effectiveness of cooperation with Kyrgyzstan should not be based on directive methods, but on demonstrating specific successes – in education, science, interaction with society and industry. Our task is to create an environment where Kyrgyz students and scientists see the prospects for the development of their country through synergy with Russian practices. KRSU can become a model platform where strategies are tested that can be scaled to other Slavic universities. However, the key condition is the balance between tactical steps and a long-term vision, where personnel, science and education work for the benefit of both countries, strengthening not only professional but also humanitarian ties.

    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: Sunrun Announces Date for First Quarter 2025 Earnings Report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sunrun (Nasdaq: RUN) today announced that it will issue its first quarter 2025 earnings report after the market closes on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

    A conference call has been scheduled to discuss these earnings results at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time. The conference call can be accessed live via the Sunrun Investor Relations website at https://investors.sunrun.com or over the phone by dialing (877) 407-5989 (toll-free) or (201) 689-8434 (toll). An audio replay will be available following the call on the Sunrun Investor Relations website for approximately one month. A transcript of the conference call will also be posted to the Sunrun Investor Relations website the following day.

    About Sunrun
    Sunrun Inc. (Nasdaq: RUN) revolutionized the solar industry in 2007 by removing financial barriers and democratizing access to locally-generated, renewable energy. Today, Sunrun is the nation’s leading provider of clean energy as a subscription service, offering residential solar and storage with no upfront costs. Sunrun’s innovative products and solutions can connect homes to the cleanest energy on earth, providing them with energy security, predictability, and peace of mind. Sunrun also manages energy services that benefit communities, utilities, and the electric grid while enhancing customer value. Discover more at www.sunrun.com

    Investor & Analyst Contact:

    Patrick Jobin
    SVP, Deputy CFO & Investor Relations Officer
    investors@sunrun.com

    Media Contact:

    Wyatt Semanek
    Director, Corporate Communications
    press@sunrun.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Franklin Electric Schedules Its First Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORT WAYNE, Ind., April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Franklin Electric Co., Inc. (NASDAQ: FELE) will release its first quarter 2025 earnings at 8:00 am ET on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. A conference call to review earnings and other developments in the business will commence at 9:00 am ET. The first quarter 2025 earnings call will be available via a live webcast. The webcast will be available in a listen only mode by going to:

    https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/yzximy3p

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

    https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI5cb1cdcef9da4de38184396c5211b443

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

    A replay of the conference call will be available from Tuesday, April 29, 2025, through 9:00 am ET on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, by visiting the listen-only webcast link above.

    About Franklin Electric
    Franklin Electric is a global leader in the production and marketing of systems and components for the movement of water and energy. Recognized as a technical leader in its products and services, Franklin Electric serves customers around the world in residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, municipal, and fueling applications. Franklin Electric is proud to be named in Newsweek’s lists of America’s Most Responsible Companies and Most Trustworthy Companies for 2024 and America’s Climate Leaders 2024 by USA Today.

    “Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein, including those relating to market conditions or the Company’s financial results, costs, expenses or expense reductions, profit margins, inventory levels, foreign currency translation rates, liquidity expectations, business goals and sales growth, involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, risks and uncertainties with respect to general economic and currency conditions, various conditions specific to the Company’s business and industry, weather conditions, new housing starts, market demand, competitive factors, changes in distribution channels, supply constraints, effect of price increases,  raw material costs, technology factors, integration of acquisitions, litigation, government and regulatory actions, the Company’s accounting policies, future trends, epidemics and pandemics, and other risks which are detailed in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, included in Item 1A of Part I of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, Exhibit 99.1 attached thereto and in Item 1A of Part II of the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made herein are based on information currently available, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

    CONTACT:   Russ Fleeger
        Franklin Electric Co., Inc.
        260.824.2900

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Atrato Onsite Energy announces new £250m asset backed security warehouse (ABS warehouse) to finance solar photovoltaic systems in the UK

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Atrato Onsite Energy, the UK C&I solar specialist owned by Brookfield Renewables and Real Assets Investment Management Ltd announces it has entered into an ABS warehouse to support its investment into C&I solar projects in the UK. Atrato Onsite Energy focuses on providing long-term, low-cost energy to UK corporates and is targeting £1bn of investment in solar by 2030.

    Since launching in November 2021, Atrato Onsite Energy has developed a portfolio of more than 240MW of solar assets which generate clean energy that would otherwise have resulted in 50,000 tonnes of annual CO2 emissions, equivalent to planting 2,000,000 trees.(1) Since being acquired in November 2024, Atrato Onsite Energy has signed 10 power purchase agreements and reached financial close on 42MW of projects.

    The ABS warehouse was financed by Barclays Bank PLC and will be used to accelerate Atrato’s roll out of rooftop and ground mounted solar to customers. The transaction involved Norton Rose Fulbright as legal adviser to Atrato Onsite Energy and Hogan Lovells as legal adviser to Barclays.

    Gurpreet Gujral, CEO of Atrato Onsite Energy said

    “We have developed a strong portfolio of solar projects, working with customers such as Amazon, Britvic, Nissan, and Tesco. With unprecedented demand for our solar solutions, this new facility provides us with an additional £250 million of capacity, on top of the capital support from our investors. This enables us to tap into our pipeline and brings us closer to our goal of becoming the largest provider of C&I solar in Europe.”

    Gordon Beck, Head of Corporate & Sustainable Securitisation EMEA of Barclays Bank PLC said

    “We are proud to support Atrato Onsite Energy with this landmark financing, demonstrating our commitment to enabling corporates to transition to cleaner sources of energy whilst fostering sustainable economic growth in our UK home market. Barclays is committed to supporting clients with their transition and has a target to facilitate $1trn of Sustainable and Transition Finance by 2030 to support the delivery of such activities.”

    About Atrato Onsite Energy

    Atrato Onsite Energy is an independent power producer launched in November 2021 and is one of the largest commercial and industrial solar companies in the UK.

    In November 2024 leading infrastructure investors, Brookfield Renewables and Real Assets Investment Management Ltd, acquired the company and subsequently de-listed it from the London Stock Exchange. The company continues its strategy to develop and invest in renewable energy infrastructure, delivering clean energy to commercial and industrial customers.

          (1)   Full year generation on fully operational portfolio

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Goldman Sachs and PwC top M&A financial advisers in Europe in Q1 2025, reveals GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Goldman Sachs and PwC top M&A financial advisers in Europe in Q1 2025, reveals GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    Goldman Sachs and PwC were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) financial advisers in Europe during the first quarter (Q1) of 2025 by value and volume, respectively, according to the latest financial advisers league table by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s Deals Database has revealed that Goldman Sachs achieved its leading position in terms of value by advising on $17.6 billion worth of deals. Meanwhile, PwC led in terms of volume by advising on a total of 29 deals.

    Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “PwC registered improvement in the total number of deals advised by it during Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024. Resultantly, it went ahead from occupying the fourth position by volume in Q1 2024 to top the chart by this metric in Q1 2025.

    “Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs, which was the top adviser by value in Q1 2024, also managed to retain its leadership position by this metric in Q1 2025 as well. Despite a fall in the total value of deals advised by it in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024, Goldman Sachs stayed much ahead of its peers. During Q1 2025, it advised on five billion-dollar deals*. Involvement in these big-ticket deals helped Goldman Sachs secure the top spot by value. Apart from leading in terms of value, it also occupied the seventh position by volume in Q1 2025.”

    An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database reveals that Jefferies occupied the second position in terms of value, by advising on $12.4 billion worth of deals, followed by Bank of America with $11.1 billion, Barclays with $7.9 billion, and Lazard with $7.2 billion.

    Meanwhile, Clearwater occupied the second position in terms of volume with 21 deals, followed by Ernst & Young with 20 deals, Deloitte with 18 deals, and Rothschild & Co with 17 deals.

    *Valued more than or equal to $1 billion

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Boat Race row is just the latest example of a century of academic dispute over teacher education

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Oliver Mumford, PhD Candidate in History of Education, Liverpool Hope University

    When the men’s and women’s boats took to the water for the 2025 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, a few students who would have hoped to be part of the crews were missing.

    Matt Heywood, Molly Foxell and Kate Crowley, all of Cambridge, did not take part after a complaint from Oxford University Boat Club over their eligibility was upheld by an independent panel. All three students are studying at Cambridge for PGCEs, a teacher training qualification. Oxford University Boat Club had argued that a PGCE “is a diploma … not a degree”.

    The decision seems to reflect a specific ideal of the university as a place of scholarly focus unencumbered by more practical vocational qualifications. It’s also far from a new attitude towards teacher education as an academic discipline.

    My ongoing PhD research into the history of teacher training shows that for a century, teacher education has maintained a complex and often conflicting relationship with the ivory and red brick towers of higher education.

    This has been reinforced by over a century of numerous gender- and class-based prejudices. Teaching has historically been, and continues to be, a female-dominant profession.

    Significantly, training colleges and university education departments were one of the few places where women could partake in intellectual and professional development, an opportunity which linked them to transnational, and colonial networks.

    Formalising teacher training

    From the 1840s, Christian residential colleges of varying denominations had come to dominate the training of teachers. These primarily provided courses of around two years for mostly female non-graduates.

    From the 1890s, English universities began their own involvement with professional teacher education. The university training departments offered a one-year postgraduate certificate course following three years of degree study – today the PGCE.

    In the complex mix of training colleges and university education departments, formalised teacher training occupied an uneasy position. It was not considered a “pure” subject like history or mathematics. It was also distinct from the traditionally male “applied” subjects, like medicine, engineering and law.

    In 1925, the Burnham report on teacher training considered the desirable balance between the intellectual and professional development of teachers. The majority opinion of the report considered teacher training as primarily vocational. It cautioned against undergraduate degrees for most trainee teachers.

    But it did lead to the establishment of a system whereby students were certified as teachers by a board of examiners drawn from universities and training colleges. This was the beginning of a set teaching qualification and brought teacher training into a closer relationship with universities.

    In 1944, another report contemplated the relationship between universities and teacher training. The members of the report committee held a range of views. Sir Arnold McNair, chancellor of the University of Liverpool, who chaired the report, feared vocational qualifications such as teaching could erode the purpose of universities. He was concerned that universities would become institutions of training, not education.

    But others thought differently. The report claimed that bringing together these two teacher training institutions – the colleges and universities – would improve the standard of teaching and the profession. Following the McNair report, institutes of education were established in the main universities of England and Wales alongside area training organisations. In this closer relationship, universities often assumed the senior positions.

    Teacher education in universities

    By the 1960s, a still closer relationship was forming between universities and teacher training, from both academic and administrative perspectives. University staff played greater roles teaching in teacher training colleges, for instance. An undergraduate teaching degree programme, the BEd, was introduced.

    Teaching became increasingly professionalised. From the 1970s, teacher training was transformed into an all-graduate profession, and later systematically dismantled. Many of the teacher training colleges faced closure, amalgamation or incorporation to polytechnics and universities. But dissenting opinions around the level of education – as opposed to vocational training – teachers should receive remained.

    Teaching became a graduate profession.
    Yuganov Konstantin/Shutterstock

    The preface to Cambridge academic Sheila Lawlor’s 1990 pamphlet, titled Teachers mistaught, bemoaned the rise of education as a subject and its presence in, rather than an adjunct to, higher education. In the pamphlet, Lawlor called for graduates to learn to be teachers “on the job”.

    The debate on the position of teacher training has remained remarkably consistent – unlike other subjects with vocational elements.

    Business schools feature courses taught and directed by companies. Business courses include vocational industry placements and are designed with employment in mind. But they do not so readily have their academic status or place in a university called into question. As this year’s Boat Race shows, the question over the value of vocational and academic education in teacher training is still very much alive.

    Oliver Mumford receives funding from Liverpool Hope University (Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship). He is the 2025 Ruth Watts Fellow with the History of Education Society UK.

    – ref. Boat Race row is just the latest example of a century of academic dispute over teacher education – https://theconversation.com/boat-race-row-is-just-the-latest-example-of-a-century-of-academic-dispute-over-teacher-education-254250

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Deadline extended: Call for evidence – An inspection of the Home Office’s approach to overstayers

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Deadline extended: Call for evidence – An inspection of the Home Office’s approach to overstayers

    The ICIBI invites anyone with knowledge and experience of the Home Office’s approach to overstayers to contribute to this inspection. Deadline extended to close of play 23 April 2025.

    The ICIBI has begun an inspection of the Home Office’s approach to overstayers. The Home Office uses the term “overstayer” to describe “a person who was granted limited leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, but who neither left the country on the date indicated nor asked for the leave to be extended.” 

    I am inviting anyone with knowledge or first-hand experience of this subject to submit evidence to inform my inspection. I would be pleased to hear about both what is working well and what could be improved in the following areas: 

    • the identification of potential overstayers during the visa application process 

    • communications with people who are suspected of overstaying 

    • the identification of overstayers in the UK 

    • the Home Office’s management of overstayers 

    • the quality and accessibility of information to deter people from overstaying 

    As I have not yet finalised the scope of this inspection, I would be happy to receive any other evidence that falls outside these areas that may be relevant to the Home Office’s approach to overstayers.  

    This call for evidence will remain open until close of play 23 April 2025.  

    Please also note that information submitted may be quoted in the final inspection report, but it is the ICIBI’s practice not to name sources and any examples or case studies will be anonymised. 

    Please click overstayers@icibi.gov.uk to email your submission to the Independent Chief Inspector. 

    Please note: The ICIBI’s statutory remit does not extend to investigating or making decisions about individual cases. This remains a Home Office responsibility. However, the Independent Chief Inspector can and does take an interest in individual cases to the extent that they illustrate or point to systemic problems. 

    Data Protection  

    Information on how we process personal data submitted in response to a call for evidence can be found in the ICIBI privacy information notice available on the ICIBI website.  

    If at any point you wish to object to the processing of your personal data, you should contact us by emailing chiefinspector@icibi.gov.uk. 

    David Bolt 

    Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration 

    26 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s statement on the second anniversary of the Sudanese conflict

    Source: United Nations – English

    wo years into a devastating war, Sudan remains in a crisis of staggering proportions, with civilians paying the highest price.
     
    Indiscriminate shelling and air strikes continue to kill and maim. Markets, hospitals, schools, places of worship and displacement sites are being attacked. Sexual violence is rampant, with women and girls subjected to horrific acts. Civilians suffer from gross violations and abuses from all warring parties.
     
    Almost 12 million people have fled their homes, in what has become the world’s largest displacement crisis. More than 3.8 million of these have crossed into neighbouring countries.
     
    More than 30 million people require humanitarian support. Half of the population – some 25 million people – are acutely hungry. As the lean season looms, famine has been identified in at least five locations and is projected to spread further.
     
    Aid workers have been targeted: at least 90 have lost their lives since the fighting began.
     
    Basic services have been decimated, with millions of children deprived of education, and less than one-quarter of health facilities are functional in the hardest hit areas. Attacks on infrastructure have left people without electricity and access to safe water.
     
    Last year, the United Nations and its partners reached more than 15.6 million people with at least one form of assistance. But the needs remain overwhelming. Conflict and insecurity, coupled with bureaucratic impediments and drastic funding cuts, have kept humanitarians from increasing their presence in many areas where assistance is needed most.
     
    Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the parties’ disregard for human life. In addition to their obligations under international humanitarian and international human rights law, the warring parties have made commitments to protect civilians, including in the Jeddah Declaration of May 2023. Such commitments must be translated into concrete action. Independent, impartial and transparent investigations into all reports of violations and abuses are also crucial.
     
    The only way to ensure the protection of civilians is to end this senseless conflict.
     
    I am deeply concerned that weapons and fighters continue to flow into Sudan, allowing the conflict to persist and spread across the country. The external support and flow of weapons must end. Those with greatest influence on the parties must use it to better the lives of people in Sudan – not to perpetuate this disaster.
     
    Comprehensive, revitalised and well-coordinated political efforts are urgently needed to prevent Sudan’s further fragmentation. As an international community, we must find ways to help the Sudanese people bring this unspeakable catastrophe to an end and establish acceptable transitional arrangements.
     
    Sudan remains a highest priority for the United Nations. I will continue to engage with regional leaders on means to enhance our collective efforts for peace.
     
    This will complement the ongoing work of my Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, who will seek to ensure international mediation efforts are mutually reinforcing.
     
    He will also continue to explore with the parties ways to bring them closer to a peaceful solution and support and empower civilians as they work towards a common vision for Sudan’s future.
     
    We must renew our focus on finding an end to this brutal war. The world must not forget the people of Sudan.  
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Turtle Bay crowned overall winner at Coventry’s Best Bar None Awards for second successive year

    Source: City of Coventry

    An award ceremony saw bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants in Coventry celebrate achieving a leading industry accreditation – with Turtle Bay taking home the top prize for a second year running.

    The city’s hospitality sector came together at Drapers Hall to celebrate their work in providing safe experiences for customers, with 14 venues receiving ‘Best Bar None’ accreditation.

    Best Bar None is an accreditation scheme supported by the Home Office and drinks industry that aims to improve standards in licensed premises.

    It is the industry gold standard and is delivered in the city by Coventry Business Improvement District (BID) and Coventry City Council’s Licensing Team. The accreditation highlights to customers that a venue excels in safety, training, management and customer experience.

    The ceremony welcomed John Miley, from the national Best Bar None scheme, to speak to the businesses and present awards. He was joined by representatives from Coventry City Council, West Midlands Police and Dal Dhillon, founder of Dhillon’s Brewery and representative of Coventry’s Pubwatch scheme.

    Venues to be recognised as Best Bar None accredited for this year include The Earl of Mercia, Las Iguanas, Turtle Bay, The Phoenix, Club Heat, The City Arms, Dhillon’s Brewery, Mr Shenanigans, Genting Casino, The Spon Gate, Samoan Joes, The Flying Standard, Putt Putt Social and The Yard.

    Turtle Bay was named the overall winner at the Best Bar None Award ceremony, recognising the Caribbean-inspired bar and restaurant achieving the highest score across all the key assessment metrics.

    The night also saw the presentation of five category awards to recognise excellence in specific areas.

    Club Heat and The City Arms were joint winners of the Venue Management award, with The Flying Standard taking home the trophy for Staff Training.

    The Spon Gate came away with the award for Customer Safety and Welfare and Dhillon’s Brewery was recognised with the Customer Experience prize.

    This year saw the inaugural presentation of the Best Newcomer Award, as the accreditation scheme continues to attract new venues across the city.

    Putt Putt Social, The Phoenix and Las Iguanas are all new to the Best Bar None scheme this year – with Las Iguanas and Putt Putt Social sharing the honours for the Best Newcomer award.

    Joanne Glover, Chief Executive of Coventry BID, said:

    “Best Bar None isn’t just about recognition, it is about raising standards, promoting safety and ensuring that Coventry remains a thriving and inclusive place for all everyone that lives, works or visit here.

    “This is the third time we have hosted the Best Bar None award ceremony and each year we see higher scores on assessments from existing venues and welcome new businesses to join the scheme.

    “We would like to congratulate and thank every venue that has taken part this year – they are what makes this city so special and their commitment to a vibrant, welcome and safe nighttime economy is unrivalled.”

    Councillor Abdul Salam Khan, Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities and Chair of the Coventry Police and Crime Board, said:

    “This scheme is one of a number of really important projects that relies on a whole range of partner agencies and businesses to be a part of.

    “Best Bar None and other schemes help create a better and safer experience for customers visiting the city, and I’m really grateful for the efforts of everyone involved – especially those businesses in the city’s hospitality sector.”  

    Councillor Faye Abbott, Chair of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee at Coventry City Council, said:

    “I would like to congratulate all the venues that achieved Best Bar None accreditation for 2025, it is an absolutely fantastic achievement.

    “This accreditation is an important measure of the improvement of standards. When people feel secure and welcome in any setting it is better for everyone, and contributes to a vibrant city where everyone can enjoy great experiences.” 

    Deklin Kinsella, from West Midlands Police, said:

    “Congratulations to all of the venues that have achieved accreditation this year, their hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed. It’s important we all continue to work together to make nightlife in Coventry the best and safest experience it can be. We are proud to be partners in the Best Bar None scheme to make Coventry and its night-time economy a safe space for everyone.”

    To find out more about Best Bar None accreditation contact admin@coventrybid.co.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Third international meeting of the Post-Holocaust Issues Special Envoys Network on Holocaust-era Restitution

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Third international meeting of the Post-Holocaust Issues Special Envoys Network on Holocaust-era Restitution

    Lord Pickles attends meeting in The Hague to discuss progress and challenges relating to the restitution of Holocaust-era assets.

    Attendees at a meeting of the Special Envoys Network on Holocaust-era Restitution, in the Hague.

    On 2 April, UK Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues Lord Pickles attended a meeting of the Special Envoys Network on Holocaust-era Restitution in The Hague. The meeting was hosted by the Netherlands’ National Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism, Eddo Verdoner, alongside the World Jewish Restitution Organisation and the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security.

    The US Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues Ellen Germain updated that 32 countries had now signed up to the Best Practices for the Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art. She made a special plea to those countries who had signed the original Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art 25 years ago to sign up to the best practices document.

    Lord Pickles made the point that no country is immune from restitution claims. He reported that the Tate Britain art museum was set to reunite the great-grandchildren of a Belgian Jewish art collector with a painting looted from his home by the Nazis.

    The oil painting ‘Aeneas and his Family Fleeing Burning Troy’ by English painter Henry Gibbs was stolen from the home of Samuel Hartveld after he fled Antwerp with his wife in May 1940. The piece, dating from 1654, was one of hundreds of thousands the Nazis plundered from Jewish families during World War II.

    Its restitution has been a slow process, often involving legal battles and complex international searches. The return of the painting will mark the latest triumph for a special panel set up by the UK Government to investigate such works that have ended up in Britain’s public collections.

    The UK Spoliation Advisory Panel ruled the Aeneas painting was “looted as an act of racial persecution”, and has arranged for it to be returned to Hartveld’s heirs in the coming months.

    Lord Pickles welcomed the success of the Special Envoys Network on Holocaust Era Restitution in developing the best practices document, and in firstly tackling restitution of movable property.

    However, he acknowledged that there were still many Holocaust survivors and their families who had waited 80 years for justice and recognition of their loss of property.  He added that bureaucratic inertia had delayed the resolution of too many restitution claims for too long.

    Lord Pickles reflected that in some countries, the regulations were so stringent that it was very difficult for survivors who no longer live in the country of their birth to receive any restitution. This is a particular obstacle for survivor communities living in the US and Israel, as well as those in the UK. He stressed that it was time to focus on getting individual property back to their rightful owners, before it is too late.

    Lord Pickles said,

    Eighty years after the Holocaust, we have undoubtedly made progress, but there is still so much more to be done, and so little time left to do it. Meetings like this are essential for moving from principles to action. We owe it to survivors, their families, and future generations to ensure that justice is not only promised but delivered.

    On 3 April, the special envoys travelled to Amsterdam to visit the recently opened Dutch National Holocaust Museum. This is the first museum to tell the entire story of the persecution of the Jews in the Netherlands.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Good Ofsted for Plymouth children’s home

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Downham House has received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted.

    Downham House is a registered children’s home which provides short breaks for children with severe learning disabilities and complex needs.

    Owned and run by Plymouth City Council, the breaks provided by Downham House are vital and much valued by children and their families. Thirteen children currently enjoy a regular short break at the home.

    An Ofsted inspection in March 2025 found the home is ‘good’ in all areas, including the overall experiences and progress of children and young people, how well they are helped and protected, and the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The report builds on the last inspection in December 2023 when the home was also judged as good.

    Children and young people enjoying their short breaks at Downham House

    Inspectors found that children really enjoy their short breaks at Downham House and are excited for their visits. Children are nurtured and are supported to achieve, with activities designed to suit their individual interests and needs.  

    The inspectors received ‘overwhelmingly positive’ feedback throughout the inspection, with one parent commenting that the managers and staff are like ‘an extended part of their family’.

    Councillor Sally Cresswell, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships, said: “We’re delighted to receive a second good Ofsted rating for Downham House.

    “I must say a huge thank you to the staff for all their hard work but also to the parents and young people who benefit from short breaks at Downham House and who provided such fantastic feedback about their experiences.

    “We’re committed to providing the best possible support to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Short breaks are absolutely vital to help families to remain living together by giving parents and carers a break, which they can enjoy knowing their children are safe, well cared for and having lots of fun.”

    Inspectors noted that managers have ‘worked hard to embed reflection and learning across all aspects of children’s care to directly improve children’s experiences and progress’. The home has positive links with partners in education, health and social care, which ensures that there is a coordinated approach to the care that children receive.  

    The report also highlights that staff understand, monitor and respond to children’s specific health needs.

    The full Ofsted report can be read here.  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Purpose Investments to Launch World’s First Spot Solana ETF

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Purpose Investments Inc. (“Purpose”), the firm behind the world’s first spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs, is set to launch the world’s first spot Solana ETF — Purpose Solana ETF (ticker: SOLL). The ETF is expected to commence trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange on April 16, 2025, and is designed to offer direct spot exposure to Solana along with attractive staking rewards, powered by Purpose’s proprietary in-house validator infrastructure, a product feature that eliminates third-party costs and may result in higher net rewards for investors.

    “Solana represents the next wave of blockchain innovation — lightning-fast, scalable, and powering real-world applications. Launching the world’s first spot Solana ETF is a natural next step for Purpose. With SOLL, we will combine direct access to this rapidly growing ecosystem with built-in staking rewards powered by Purpose’s validator infrastructure — giving investors a secure and easy way to earn more from investing in Solana,” said Vlad Tasevski, Chief Innovation Officer, Purpose Investments.

    With SOLL, investors will gain regulated access to Solana’s high-performance blockchain without needing digital wallets or exchanges. The ETF will be available in CAD-hedged (ticker: SOLL), CAD non-hedged (ticker: SOLL.B), and USD non-hedged (ticker: SOLL.U) units.

    This launch further strengthens Purpose’s status as a global leader in digital asset ETF innovation and as Canada’s largest digital asset ETF manager. To date, Purpose’s crypto suite lineup includes:

    • Purpose Bitcoin ETF (BTCC) and Purpose Ether ETF (ETHH): The world’s first spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs, offering regulated access, high liquidity, and a strong track record – backed by advanced features for active traders and tactical allocators.
    • Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF (BTCY) and Purpose Ether Yield ETF (ETHY): Yield-generating ETFs that use covered call strategies to help investors earn income from their Bitcoin and Ether holdings.
    • Purpose Ether Staking Corp. ETF (ETHC.B): A staking-focused Ether ETF, giving investors access to Ethereum’s proof-of-stake rewards in a regulated structure.

    As blockchain technology transforms financial markets, Purpose remains committed to bridging traditional finance with the future of decentralized and emerging financial technology, helping investors navigate the evolving digital economy with confidence. To learn more about Solana’s investment opportunity, check out Purpose’s blog and whitepaper. To explore the full suite of crypto ETFs, visit the Purpose Digital Assets Suite.

    About Purpose Investments

    Purpose Investments Inc. is an asset management company with over $22 billion in assets under management, focused on client-centric innovation across ETFs and investment funds. Purpose is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent financial technology company led by entrepreneur Som Seif.

    For further information, please email us at info@purposeinvest.com.

    Media inquiries:
    Keera Hart
    keera.hart@kaiserpartners.com
    905-580-1257

    The content of this document is for informational purposes only and is not being provided in the context of an offering of any securities described herein, nor is it a recommendation or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any security. Information contained in this document is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, an offering memorandum, prospectus, advertisement or public offering of securities. No securities commission or similar regulatory authority has reviewed this information, and any representation to the contrary is an offence. The information contained in this document is believed to be accurate and reliable; however, we cannot guarantee that it is complete or current at all times. The information provided is subject to change without notice.

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses may all be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus and other disclosure documents before investing. Crypto assets can be extremely volatile, and there can be no assurance that the full amount of your investment in a fund will be returned to you. If the securities are purchased or sold on a stock exchange, you may pay more or receive less than the current net asset value. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated. Fund distribution levels and frequencies are not guaranteed and may vary at the Purpose Investment’s sole discretion.

    Certain statements in this document may be forward-looking. Forward-looking statements (“FLS”) are statements that are predictive in nature, depend on or refer to future events or conditions, or that include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “estimate” or other similar expressions. Statements that look forward in time or include anything other than historical information are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results, actions or events could differ materially from those set forth in the FLS. FLS are not guarantees of future performance and are, by their nature, based on numerous assumptions. Although the FLS contained in this document are based upon what Purpose Investments believes to be reasonable assumptions, Purpose Investments cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these FLS. The reader is cautioned to consider the FLS carefully and not to place undue reliance on the FLS. Unless required by applicable law, it is not undertaken, and specifically disclaimed, that there is any intention or obligation to update or revise FLS, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova: The plan to celebrate the 650th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo includes a whole block of events for the social development of the region and the restoration of cultural heritage sites

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, head of the Russian Historical Society Sergei Naryshkin and the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Central Federal District Igor Shchegolev held a meeting of the organizing committee for preparations for the celebration of the 650th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo. The members of the organizing committee summed up the preliminary results and determined further areas of work in preparation for the anniversary. The event took place in the Government House.

    “In 2030, we will celebrate one of the significant events in the history of Russia – the 650th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo. This event has become a symbol of the unity of our people, cohesion and exceptional strength of spirit in the face of an external threat. The plan of the main events was approved in 2021 and includes 66 events. It is important that the plan includes not only festive events, but also a whole block aimed at the social development of the region, the restoration and repair of cultural heritage sites, as well as educational projects,” said Deputy Prime Minister, co-chair of the organizing committee Tatyana Golikova.

    She emphasized that the implementation of the plan began in 2022. Six events have been completed. In 2024, the Russian Ministry of Culture, together with the government of the Tula Region, completed work on adapting the building of the chambers in Venev for a museum complex; a modern local history museum was opened and equipped there. The Cultural Development Center was built in Venev. Navigation in the Kulikovsky tourism and recreation cluster was improved, and the Kulikovo Battle: Archaeological VR Quest project was developed and implemented. The Palace of Culture of Machine Builders in Uzlovaya and the Mobile Culture and Leisure Center in Kimovsk were renovated at the expense of the regional budget.

    “The victory at Kulikovo Field, won by the united Russian army under the command of Dmitry Donskoy, is one of those turning points in Russian history, during which our people defended their freedom and right to the future. Therefore, it is rightly placed on a par with the famous Battle on the Ice, the Battle of Borodino and the Battle of Stalingrad. The theme of the legacy of the Battle of Kulikovo deserves special attention from our organizing committee. Many members of the Russian Historical Society have proposed relevant projects. The plan includes initiatives from the Institute of Archaeology, the Institute of Russian History and the Institute of General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as the State Historical Museum and the Central Museum of the Armed Forces. A number of events are planned by regional branches of the Russian Historical Society in the Tula and Kaluga regions. The History of the Fatherland Foundation will also make its contribution to organizing the celebration,” said the head of the Russian Historical Society and co-chairman of the organizing committee Sergei Naryshkin.

    The Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Central Federal District, co-chairman of the organizing committee Igor Shchegolev noted that the plan turned out to be very intense. He emphasized that the 650th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo is an event of national scale. It is important to pay special attention to holding events not only in the Tula Region, but also in Moscow and the Moscow Region.

    First Deputy Minister of Culture Sergei Obryvalin reported that a number of publishing and exhibition projects are already being implemented. This year, the State Museum-Reserve “Kulikovo Pole” will publish thematic guidebooks “From Nepryadva to Ugra”, “From Vozha to Don”, “Along the Upper Don”, a collection of documents “The Era of the Battle of Kulikovo and Dmitry Donskoy”, and will also host a conference “The Battle of Kulikovo in National Historical Memory, Literature and Art”.

    Tula Region Governor Dmitry Milyaev reported that, within the framework of the main plan, more than 100 creative competitions, round tables and intellectual competitions among students dedicated to the Battle of Kulikovo were held in the region in 2024 alone, scientific conferences, thematic exhibitions and festivals were organized. Among them is the traveling exhibition of Ilya Glazunov “Kulikovo Field”, which includes 22 monumental canvases by the artist, donated by him to the Tula Museum of Fine Arts. The Tula Drama Theater staged the play “Dmitry”. Every year, with the support of the regional government, the Day of Military Glory is celebrated on the anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo, and the regional youth historical and cultural forum “Peresvet” is also held. Municipalities that are part of the Kulikovo cluster are developing.

    Director of the State Military-Historical and Natural Museum-Reserve “Kulikovo Pole” Vladimir Gritsenko spoke about the projects that the museum is preparing for the anniversary of the battle.

    Following the meeting, the members of the organizing committee agreed to supplement the plan of events.

    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: OTC Markets Group Welcomes The Monarch Cement Co. to OTCQX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced The Monarch Cement Company (OTCQX: MCEM), a leading cement manufacturer, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. The Monarch Cement Co. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink® market.

    The Monarch Cement Co. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “MCEM.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

    Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their U.S. investors. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

    About The Monarch Cement Co.
    The Monarch Cement Company is a leading cement manufacturer committed to excellence in producing high-quality cement products. With a strong focus on sustainability and corporate responsibility, Monarch is dedicated to reducing its environmental impact and contributing positively to the communities it serves.

    About OTC Markets Group Inc.
    OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market and Pink® Open Market.
    Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

    OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

    To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

    Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

    Media Contact:
    OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How mine water could warm up the UK’s forgotten coal towns

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jingyi Li, Research Associate, Geothermal Energy and Climate Change, University of Manchester

    Historic coal mining in north-east England. Jingyi Li, CC BY-NC-ND

    The Ukraine war sent shockwaves through global energy markets, driving up prices and leaving households across the UK struggling with soaring energy bills. But beneath the ground, in disused coal mines, lies a hidden resource – warm water. This underused geothermal source could be transformed into affordable, low-carbon heating for homes and businesses, especially in regions hardest hit economically by the decline of coal.

    Across the UK, around 25% of the population lives above disused coal mines. This underground warmth could be harnessed by pumping naturally warm water to the surface and using heat pumps to raise its temperature for heating. This could lower energy bills and cut emissions by about the same as removing 44,000 cars from the roads annually, according to our calculations. Despite this promise, mine-water heating remains largely underutilised across the UK, as deployment has lagged far behind, leaving most of the resource untapped.

    Although flagship projects like the one in Gateshead, operational since 2023, demonstrate the feasibility of mine-water heating in the UK, they remain the exception. Deployment has been especially slow even in high-potential areas like south Wales. Meanwhile, the mine-water heating scheme at Seaham Garden Village, near Sunderland, has only recently kicked off construction after a prolonged delay since its initial planning in 2019.

    Our new research shows that despite growing interest, projects across the UK continue to be stalled by funding gaps, regulatory hurdles and a shortage of skilled workers. Without immediate action, these former coal-mining communities are at risk of falling further behind as the country moves towards cleaner energy for net zero, widening the gap between wealthier and disadvantaged regions.

    The solution is simple but not easy: sufficient and accessible funding schemes especially for those undeserved communities, streamlined regulations and support from fossil fuel companies, whose engineering expertise can be applied to mine water heating. Technology could transform a forgotten coal legacy into a sustainable future for communities in need.

    Coal production history v today’s mining village.
    Jingyi Li, CC BY-NC-ND

    The UK has a vast network of abandoned coal mines, especially in north-east England, which once produced 14% of the nation’s coal. However, around a quarter of the population in this region lives below the poverty line today.

    Many households in the north east experience fuel poverty at rates higher than the national average, with energy bills that are often higher than in most other parts of England. Mine-water heating could help address this burden, but to make a meaningful difference, both the number and scale of schemes must be increased nationwide.

    Gateshead mine water heat scheme.
    Jingyi Li, CC BY-NC-ND

    However, current government funding schemes, like the heat networks delivery unit, only cover about 33% of capital costs according to our interviewee, leaving local authorities and developers to find the rest. This competitive model disadvantages poorer areas that need the most support. Without solid financial backing, many projects will never get off the ground.

    The Coal Authority has played a key role in piloting early mine water schemes, but industry feedback points to a need for faster, more transparent deployment pathways. Developers face regulatory uncertainty in accessing mine-water heat from the Coal Authority, citing delays and procedural complexity as barriers to investment.

    Ambiguities in the regulatory framework for accessing this form of geothermal heat create delays and add to the financial burden for developers. The expertise required, such as drilling and pipework, is common in the UK’s longstanding oil and gas industry, but our research found that the current small-to-medium scale and uncertain future of mine water heating sector make it difficult to attract these skilled workers.

    Learning from the past

    Often the simplest and most reliable designs are the most effective. William Reid Clanny, a 19th-century inventor, made mine-safety lamps more sophisticated but ultimately delicate and impractical – his design required manual air pumping, used fragile glass that broke easily underground, and was too heavy for regular use. The same principle applies to mine-water heating. Straightforward, direct policies can cut through red tape to get projects up and running without unnecessary bureaucratic complications.

    Simple safety lamps like these were used by UK miners.
    Image Seeker/Shutterstock

    For mine-water heating to work on a larger scale, funding must be easier to access, especially for regions hardest hit by the decline of coal. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero could allocate funds specifically for these areas, giving them a fair chance to develop projects without having to compete with wealthier regions.

    New rules should clearly set a timeline for gaining the permission to access and exploit the underground heat. This would give developers confidence and attract investment. The US and New Zealand show how clear rules can boost interest in renewables.

    To overcome the skills shortage, the Indian government introduced a corporate social responsibility law whereby companies are required to invest a portion of their profits into local projects. Applying this approach in the UK could encourage fossil fuel companies to fund training and support local green initiatives. It could also provide opportunities for laid-off workers unable to find similar high-paying jobs abroad and training for local workers in former mining communities.

    Mine water isn’t just a low-carbon heating source, it’s a chance to deliver justice to communities long left behind. But achieving this will require decisive action from policymakers. Unlocking this hidden resource can help power the UK’s green transition.

    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 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Cathy Hollis receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council. She is affiliated with and President of the International Association of Sedimentology, a not-for-profit, non-political scientific society.

    Alejandro Gallego Schmid and Jingyi Li do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How mine water could warm up the UK’s forgotten coal towns – https://theconversation.com/how-mine-water-could-warm-up-the-uks-forgotten-coal-towns-241834

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Birth of India: ‘biggest experiment’ with democracy was a huge gamble. Happily the people have made it work – here’s how

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tripurdaman Singh, British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London

    The birth of Indian democracy is the stuff of legend. It was a moment of such staggering idealism and exuberance, a leap of faith so audacious, that the famous jurist and scholar Kenneth Wheare termed it “the biggest liberal experiment in democratic government” that the world had seen.

    At its centre lay the country’s new constitution. That document, with its fabled chapter of fundamental rights, transformed in one stroke what had been the world’s largest colony into the world’s largest democracy.

    Think about the origins of this constitution. It promised freedom to a fifth of humanity. It embodied the enfranchisement of the world’s largest electorate and the conversion of colonial subjects into rights-bearing citizens.

    This very exuberance has often been used to direct attention to its functional shortcomings. But today, 75 years on with Narendra Modi at the helm and the country classified in 2024 as an “electoral autocracy” by the V-Vdem (Varieties of Democracy) institute, it has also become a powerful tool to highlight Indian democracy’s contemporary problems.

    India’s notoriously fractured opposition was able to assemble a coalition to take on Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 general election. It did so by appealing to the liberal vision underpinning the constitution. But have things really changed so much since the constitution’s adoption in 1950?



    Read more:
    Moments of hope: how Indians keep pushing back against the hollowing out of democracy

    Democracy in decline? The risk and rise of authoritarianism

    Democracy is under pressure around the world in 2025. But is this part of a larger historical cycle or does it signal a deeper, more fundamental shift? Join us for a free event in central London on May 8 to discuss these important questions. Come for a panel discussion and stay for food, drinks and conversation.
    Get tickets here

    Unlike its American counterpart, India’s constitution is not animated by the impulse to limit political power and secure public freedom. It is dominated by the idea of enabling political power for the aim of social and economic reform.

    It aimed to create a state explicitly committed to achieving what India founders believed to be social, economic and political justice. As the country’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru put it, they were freeing India “through a new constitution to feed the starving people and clothe the naked masses”.

    This is partly explained by the circumstances of independent India’s birth. This was marked by violence, the upheaval of partition and a fear of balkanisation if the country became fragmented by religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities.

    Added to this were the pressures of establishing political sovereignty. And this upheaval crashed against an uneducated and destitute population with no experience of democracy and deep-seated social divisions.

    But the larger truth is that, for independent India’s leaders, civil liberties were always eclipsed by what they saw as the more important concerns of destitution and social discrimination. They felt the urgency to secure the new state through which these concerns were to be addressed.

    This required substantial restrictions of civic freedoms and the licensing of coercive state power. From the outset, the constitution enshrined centralisation and executive supremacy.

    It retained the “bureaucratic authoritarianism” of its British colonial predecessor, by placing authority in the hands of appointed bureaucrats rather than elected officials.

    It also gave the centre power over the states, enabling it to create and dismember provinces at will, and it gave the executive power over the legislature. The government can dictate when parliament is summoned or prorogued and can rule by executive decree in its absence.

    It also gave the state power over the citizen. Almost every fundamental right guaranteed in part III of the constitution is qualified on nebulous grounds such as public order, the security of the state or social harmony.

    Soaring rhetoric about freedom masked the reality that the constitution concentrated power to an unprecedented degree and enabled a vast armoury of coercive laws. As Somnath Lahiri, member of the constituent assembly for Bengal and the leader of the Communist Party of India remarked sarcastically in a debate in April 1947, the provisions for fundamental rights seemed to have “been framed from the point of view of a police constable”.

    The Preventive Detention Act, the first piece of legislation passed in the new democratic republic in February 1950, allowed the government to preemptively jail anyone without a trial and without recourse to judicial review.

    It’s ample testament to the fact that the constitution was never intended as a bulwark in the service of liberal individualism – whatever the framers might have said at the time.

    Diluting liberalism

    Since the constitution’s adoption there have been more than 106 amendments and additions. These have further diluted the constitution’s liberal intentions and eroded even the limited system of checks and balances.

    The tenth schedule – or “anti-defection law” – added in 1985 is one egregious example. It forces individual legislators to vote according to party diktats on pain of disqualification.

    This has cemented the grip of party bosses on legislative parties, disempowered individual legislators and degraded parliamentary oversight. Since the threat of backbench rebellions has become negligible, majoritarianism has become entrenched.

    Concentration of power and its use by the executive are, by design, baked into India’s constitutional order and institutional structure, which has always been inhospitable terrain for any rights and freedoms beyond voting and elections. Anti-democratic tendencies operate through constitutional means, hindering the establishment of the principles of legality and legislative primacy.

    Given this situation, it is hardly surprising that almost all governments in India have used the powers they have been granted for these very purposes.

    Nehru’s rule saw a first amendment which drastically curtailed freedom of speech. It also introduced a special schedule in the constitution to protect unconstitutional legislation from judicial review, and draconian legislation such as the laws to enable preventive detention.

    Nehru’s daughter Indira Gandhi suspended the constitution for 21 months from 1975 to 1977 in a state of emergency, when her leadership came under threat. Her government forcibly sterilised thousands as part of a botched population control programme. Yet everything was duly legal and constitutional.

    Modi’s growing authoritarianism, his attacks on opposition media and those who oppose him in the judiciary, then, are less a departure from the norm than a confirmation of it. The real story lies elsewhere.

    It is not the constitution or the legislature that is the most important issue here. It has actually been the disinclination of India’s voters to deliver parliamentary majorities too often that has constituted the major check on executive power.

    For 25 years between 1989 and 2014, voters delivered split mandates and coalition governments, which diluted and dispersed political power. Unsurprisingly, this caused the country’s democracy indices to rise. These actually peaked in the 2000s when the ruling coalitions comprised upwards of a dozen parties. But the underlying problems remained the same.

    When the voters, contrary to all expectations, elected yet another coalition to office in 2024, they understood what the country’s liberal intelligentsia has consistently failed to grasp. It is not the celebrated constitution, but the Indian voters themselves that have, over the years, doggedly held authoritarianism at bay. Only time will tell how long they will continue to do this.

    Tripurdaman Singh receives funding from the British Academy and from Fonds National Suisse. He is currently affiliated to the Geneva Graduate Institute, where I am an Ambizione Fellow at the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy.

    – ref. Birth of India: ‘biggest experiment’ with democracy was a huge gamble. Happily the people have made it work – here’s how – https://theconversation.com/birth-of-india-biggest-experiment-with-democracy-was-a-huge-gamble-happily-the-people-have-made-it-work-heres-how-252564

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: When dogs return to nature – just how domesticated are our pooches really?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jacqueline Boyd, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science, Nottingham Trent University

    Photobox.ks/Shutterstock

    It’s hard to imagine a beloved pet dog surviving in the world. But reports of a 4 kg miniature dachshund looking well 500 days after she escaped during a family holiday is raising questions about how dependent our dogs really are on their humans. Our loyal pooches may be less domesticated than we like to think.

    In November 2023, Valerie, a black and tan dachshund, went on holiday with her family. They visited Kanagaroo island off the south Australian coast, an area famous for its wildlife, including koalas and sea lions. During the holiday, Valerie vanished from her family’s campsite.

    Initially there were local sightings of Valerie, wearing her little pink collar, but she refused to be caught and gradually, reported sightings slowed. Her owners were shocked she had survived even one night alone because she was a pampered dog who “never left” their side.

    Now, well over a year since she went missing, Valerie has been sighted again still apparently choosing to be wild and free. A local wildlife rescue organisation is trying to track and catch Valerie with cameras and traps to return the plucky pooch home.

    Dependent dogs?

    Dogs and humans have lived together for more than 15,000 years, longer than any other domesticated animal. During that time, dogs have changed considerably from their early ancestors both physically and behaviourally. This is a result of human preferences and selection for particular characteristics, such as flat faces as seen in pugs, or working ability.

    The close relationship we typically have with dogs as friends and family members makes it easy to view them as dependent upon us.

    The reality however, is probably a little less “Lassie come home” and more “the call of the wild”.

    Not all dogs are pets

    The global dog population is estimated to be around 500 million. The majority of these dogs live on the edges of human society as feral, pariah or street dogs and are often viewed as pests rather than cuddly companions. These dogs largely exist on human-derived food sources including waste and faecal matter, but otherwise generally live successfully, independent of human care and management.

    Dogs evolved as highly efficient scavengers, eating a mixed diet. Many of those traits remain in our canine companions. Pet dog behaviour we often label problematic, including counter-surfing and poop eating, stems from their scavenging characteristics.

    This means that even dogs living lives of luxury can survive in extreme situations. This might help to explain Valerie’s apparent independence on Kangaroo Island, where she is presumed to be living on roadkill, carrion and natural fresh water.

    The abundant wildlife on the island, such as birds and small rodents, might partly account for Valerie’s success, especially as dachshunds were developed as hunting dogs, shaped for squeezing into animal burrows. Even highly domesticated dogs have been known to hunt independently and cooperatively with each other. One report from the 1990s, describes a pack of dogs hunting humans in Newfoundland, Canada, after they were abandoned on a remote island.

    The dogs of Chernobyl also reveal their ability to adapt to changing circumstances. A population of dogs survives in the vicinity of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant that was destroyed in a catastrophic incident in 1986. These dogs probably originate from strays or once-loved family pets who were released immediately following the accident and have diverged to two separate breeding populations. Notably, the dogs of Chernobyl appear to be surviving and breeding successfully, without direct human intervention.

    Homeward bound

    Despite the evidence suggesting that Valerie and her canine cousins might have impressive survival skills, this can create challenges for other animals.

    Dogs can be problematic in many ecosystems causing damage and spreading disease. This applies to our beloved pets as well as stray and free-living dogs. Cases of domestic dogs interbreeding with local wildlife,, including foxes and endangered species, are concerning for conservationists.

    So efforts to return Valerie back home are important for the island wildlife too.

    When dogs go missing, the vast majority return home quickly and safely. Occasionally stories of faithful dogs finding their family hit the headlines, but these stories are the exception to the norm and many lost pets sadly never return to their original home.

    Part of responsible canine caregiving is ensuring that dogs wear identification, and are microchipped, so that if found, they can be quickly returned home. Combining this with essential skills such as recall can go a long way to keeping your dog safe.

    Should the worst happen and your dog does go missing, seek professional advice from local dog wardens, walkers and vets. Many lost dogs will quickly enter survival mode, making even the most human-oriented dog wary of people, including their family members. This means experienced advice is essential.

    Valerie the valiant dachshund gives us a fascinating insight to the survival capabilities and behavioural adaptability of our domestic dogs. Hopefully it won’t be too long before she is safely returned to her home comforts.

    Jacqueline Boyd is affiliated with The Kennel Club (UK) through membership and as advisor to the Health Advisory Group. Jacqueline is a full member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT #01583) and she also writes, consults and coaches on canine matters on an independent basis, in addition to her academic affiliation at Nottingham Trent University.

    – ref. When dogs return to nature – just how domesticated are our pooches really? – https://theconversation.com/when-dogs-return-to-nature-just-how-domesticated-are-our-pooches-really-253265

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Does Russia have military interest in Indonesia? Here’s what we know – and why Australia would be concerned

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Sussex, Associate Professor (Adj), Griffith Asia Institute; and Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University

    A news report that Russia has sought to base long-range aircraft in Indonesia caught Australia’s political leaders by surprise during an already hectic election campaign.

    The military publication Janes reported on Tuesday that Russia had requested permission for its aircraft to be based at the Manuhua Air Force Base in Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua.

    The base is just 1,300 kilometres away from Darwin.

    Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles issued a statement denying the report, saying his Indonesian counterpart assured him there would be no Russian planes based in Indonesia. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was seeking “further clarification” with Jakarta about the Janes report.

    Janes is a respected outlet when it comes to defence news, so it’s likely the Russians did float the idea, even if it might have been done at lower levels.

    Why would Russia be cosying up to Indonesia?

    Since Prabowo Subianto came to power as Indonesia’s new president last October, Moscow and Jakarta have sought to deepen their military ties. In fact, the two countries conducted their first-ever joint naval exercises a month after Prabowo took office.

    But this isn’t a totally new strategy by Moscow, which has tried on numerous occasions to pivot to Asia to give itself more economic heft and leverage in the region.

    The Kremlin is also cognisant that Europe won’t be a friend for the foreseeable future. As such, it’s even more pressing for Russia to establish itself as a player in the Indo-Pacific region – and with that comes a miltary and security presence.

    About ten years ago, for instance, the Russian regime secured an agreement with Vietnam to allow its air force to refuel their aircraft at a former US base in the country. Russia also had interest in reestablishing a submarine base in Vietnam and has sold submarines to the country.

    In addition, Moscow has sought to sell defence technology and fighter jets to Indonesia for some time, seeing it as a potentially lucrative market for Russian arms. Beyond defence, the bilateral relationship has also focused on energy and education.

    These attempts to deepen Moscow-Jakarta ties form part of a targeted Russian campaign to boost its relationships with a number of Southeast Asian nations.

    What about the timing?

    If the Janes report is accurate, the timing of the purported approach from Russia would be interesting. The report said it came after a meeting between Sergei Shoigu (recently demoted from Russia’s defence minister to an inferior role as secretary of the Russian Security Council) and Indonesia’s defence minister in February of this year.

    At the time, the United States was distracted by the first chaotic weeks of US President Donald Trump’s second term in office.

    So, if Russia did make such a request, it would be highly opportunistic, especially given Jakarta has been keen to deepen ties with Moscow.

    It is also noteworthy that Indonesia recently joined the BRICS, the group of rapidly emerging economies that also includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and Russia, among others.



    Read more:
    Indonesia’s BRICS agenda: 2 reasons Prabowo’s foreign policy contrasts with Jokowi’s

    How concerned should Australia be?

    Even though both Canberra and Jakarta dismissed the report, there was good reason for Australia to be concerned.

    Russia’s long-range aviation assets, notably the venerable Tu-95, which is used for reconnaissance as well as strategic bombing, can easily travel over 10,000 kilometres.

    From a base in Indonesia, this would give the Russian air force the ability to conduct ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaisance) missions during Australian military exercises, gather data on military installations in the Northern Territory (which also host US Marines), and even conduct surveillance on US military activities in Guam.

    Equally, given the closeness of ties between Beijing and Moscow, any Russian intelligence that was gathered could be shared with China.

    The reported Russian military interest in Indonesia will also have irritated Australian foreign policy makers, especially since Canberra has invested significant diplomatic capital in boosting Australia-Indonesia ties.

    Fortunately, the closeness of the relationship, which includes recently upgraded defence ties, will also have allowed for some plain speaking from Australian interlocutors.

    They will doubtless have pointed out that agreeing to any such Kremlin request would cast significant doubt on Indonesian claims about non-alignment. It would also be viewed unfavourably by other regional actors, who have no interest in seeing an enhanced Russian military presence in the region.

    The assurance from Jakarta that no Russian planes would be based in Indonesia is therefore a positive development.

    But ultimately the reported Russian request is another example of the messy and fragmented world we now live in.

    It highlights the reality that Australia will sometimes have to do business with partners who have friends we don’t like. Under those conditions, being firm on issues that threaten our national interests – like the prospective basing of military assets by a hostile power close to our shores – becomes all the more important.

    Matthew Sussex has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the Atlantic Council, the Fulbright Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation, the Lowy Institute and various Australian government departments and agencies.

    – ref. Does Russia have military interest in Indonesia? Here’s what we know – and why Australia would be concerned – https://theconversation.com/does-russia-have-military-interest-in-indonesia-heres-what-we-know-and-why-australia-would-be-concerned-254601

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Drivers urged to drive egg-stra safely this Easter

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Last updated:

    As we head towards the start of the Easter break (starting Good Friday, 18 April), many of us will be heading off in our cars for holidays or days out, making this time a peak period for travel, especially for longer journeys.

    Liverpool City Council is teaming up with National Highways to remind drivers that just like spring cleaning helps refresh our homes, a little car TLC can help avoid unwanted breakdowns. The National Highways research shows: 

    • 17% of drivers say they don’t carry out any vehicle maintenance checks before a long journey
    • 28% rely on someone else to check their car’s safety, while 21% assume their annual MOT is enough
    • Drivers who have experienced a breakdown estimated 57 minutes of added time to their journey 
    • Only 60% see car checks as an essential task before leaving the house

    To coincide with this new research, National Highways is launching T.R.I.P, an acronym which reminds drivers to:

    • Top–up. Fuel, oil and screen wash 
    • Rest. Plan your journey in advance with regular stops to prevent driver fatigue
    • Inspect. Check tyre pressure and tread
    • Prepare. Have a plan for severe weather conditions. 

    For more information click here to learn about vehicle checks.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Approval of HK warehouses hailed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui today welcomed the move by the London Metal Exchange (LME), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, to approve the first three applications to establish recognised warehouses in Hong Kong.

    The LME included Hong Kong as an approved delivery point within its global warehousing network in January this year, and began accepting applications from warehouse operators to become approved storage entities of LME-registered brands of metals.

    The endorsed applications involve four warehouse facilities. 

    Mr Hui said: “The approval of the first batch of applications in merely a few months indicated the efforts of the Government and the industry in exploring new growth areas, and allowed LME-approved warehouse operators and local warehouse operators to begin the process of establishing operations early.”

    Noting the Chief Executive’s emphasis of the need to explore new growth areas in his 2024 Policy Address, Mr Hui highlighted that the establishment of a commodity trading ecosystem is a new growth point to consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.

    “The establishment of LME-approved warehouses in Hong Kong will provide convenient, cost-effective and safe delivery channels for metals trading in the region.

    “This will not only attract relevant enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong, turning our city into an operation centre for international commodity trading, storage and delivery, shipping and logistics, risk management, but also promote the development of related financial transactions such as futures, thereby injecting new impetus into consolidating Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.”

    The Government understands that other operators are applying to become approved warehouses of the LME. Various bureaus and departments will continue to maintain communication with relevant industry players and provide assistance on technical matters as appropriate.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Hollywood writer: Tariffs won’t disrupt US-China cultural exchange

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Peter Chiarelli, screenwriter behind such movies as “Crazy Rich Asians,” told China.org.cn on April 11 in Macao that recent tensions caused by President Donald Trump’s tariff war against multiple countries, particularly China, won’t deter his — or others’ — commitment to cultural exchange with China.

    Peter Chiarelli, American screenwriter and producer, participates in a forum during the second Macao International Comedy Festival, Macao, April 13, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Mahua Fun Age]

    “I know what I’m gonna do and it’s not gonna impact how I act. It’s not gonna impact how I feel,” Chiarelli said. “And I can say, I think a lot of people feel the way that I feel rather than the kind of rhetoric that you hear sometimes.”

    Chiarelli traveled to Macao to attend the second Macao International Comedy Festival, which was held from April 9 to 13 in the special administrative region and neighboring Hengqin district of Zhuhai, Guangdong province. The festival features various activities, including film screenings, stage performances, industry forums, pitch sessions and a gala night.

    In this chaotic world, the American screenwriter emphasized how comedy and cinema can highlight what unites people rather than what divides them. “If there is something important, it’s this idea that I think we’re all more alike than we are different. That’s what I think comedy and film specifically can do,” he said.

    Having written Macao into his script for the 2016 movie “Now You See Me 2,” this is actually his first time visiting the city in person, and he’s excited to finally see it for himself. Attending the comedy festival, he expressed his hope to use this platform to exchange ideas with fellow filmmakers. He even joked that he’d love to “steal” inspiration from local culture and other people, later integrating it into his future projects.

    “Everybody that comes here loves comedy. So you’ve got to share those ideas, share those thoughts, and then hopefully, we’ll all be stealing from one another, taking inspiration back home and doing better work,” Chiarelli said.

    For him, when working on something culturally specific, it’s essential to collaborate with people who understand that culture. “That’s really important to me. Whenever I’m writing something, I want it to be as authentic as possible. I just want to steal from real life,” Chiarelli said.

    Actress Fiona Xie, director Jon M. Chu, actress Michelle Yeoh and producer John Penotti pose for a photo at the Chinese premiere of “Crazy Rich Asians” in Beijing, Nov. 24, 2018. [Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures]

    Chiarelli explained that what he loves most about comedy is its ability to address difficult or meaningful topics without feeling heavy-handed.

    “It doesn’t feel like homework,” he said. “You’re not watching something because you’re supposed to watch something or it’s a way to talk about these things. Comedy is that you can kind of have a message, but you don’t have to be preachy about it. And you can also just have a good time and laugh and turn it off. Be a little bit better in your day, have a smile on your face when you’re done. That’s what I love about it. That’s what I try and do with everything that I write.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A new recreation and sports area has been equipped in Sokolniki Park

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The first “good neighborly area” appeared at the secondary entrance to Sokolniki Park. It is located at the intersection of Sokolnichesky Val Street and Mitkovskiy Proezd from the side of Shumkina Street. Its main task is to highlight the unsightly entrance to the park and provide vacationers with all the necessary services. The space is primarily aimed at residents of nearby neighborhoods, many of whom often come to the park and will be able to feel at home here, as if in their own yard. The events were held as part of the first stage of landscaping and rehabilitation work on the territory. This was reported by Vladimir Alyabyev, deputy head of the capital’s Department of Capital Repairs.

    “A children’s playground of over 540 square meters was arranged on this site. To make the children’s game more diverse and interesting, geoplastic elements appeared on the site – artificial unevenness. A slide was mounted on them, and in them – tunnels for hide-and-seek and climbing. There is also a spinning carousel, a seesaw, and talking pipes. There are also interactive panels with optical illusions – this is not just one of the elements of the play area, but a good tool that stimulates cognitive processes, improves motor skills and promotes socialization. In addition, a canopy was installed here, under which there are glowing swings, benches in the shape of coins and suspended buoys for riding. The play area is designed for children aged from zero to nine years old,” said Vladimir Alyabyev.

    The idea behind this playground is to combine different types of equipment: one similar to what is made by hand at the dacha, the other modern. They complement each other and allow for the creation of all sorts of scenarios for games and creativity. Since the playground is located under trees, its surface is made of moisture-permeable gravel material.

    The “good neighborly area” also has a workout zone with an area of 181 square meters. It has a monkey bar, parallel bars, a climbing net, Pilates spheres, a mini-GTO complex with pull-up bars and a wall bars. This zone is also located under the trees, so its surface is made of gravel material that allows moisture and air to pass through.

    In addition, paths were laid and lighting was installed in this area. Public pavilions with festive decorations will soon begin operating here.

    As a result of the park renovation project, such “neighbourly areas” will appear at several secondary entrances.

    The idea of decorating the pavilions in Sokolniki begins with the history of the park as a place for festive celebrations. A line of pavilion decorations has been formed: natural, festive light and festive. The main idea of the design is to evoke warm and happy associations in visitors, so that the pavilions are like beacons of joy and childhood and serve as landmarks in gloomy rainy weather. This is also served by glowing festive decorations: balloons, beads, stars.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152619073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SFST welcomes London Metal Exchange’s approval of first batch of approved warehouses in Hong Kong

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    SFST welcomes London Metal Exchange’s approval of first batch of approved warehouses in Hong Kong 
         Mr Hui said, “The LME included Hong Kong as an approved delivery point within its global warehousing network in January this year, and began accepting applications from warehouse operators to become approved storage entities of LME-registered brands of metals. The approval of the first batch of applications in merely a few months indicated the efforts of the Government and the industry in exploring new growth areas, and allowed LME-approved warehouse operators and local warehouse operators to begin the process of establishing operations early.”
    　　　　　
         He added, “In his 2024 Policy Address, the Chief Executive emphasised the need to explore new growth areas, and the establishment of a commodity trading ecosystem is a new growth point to consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre. The establishment of LME-approved warehouses in Hong Kong will provide convenient, cost-effective and safe delivery channels for metals trading in the region. This will not only attract relevant enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong, turning our city into an operation centre for international commodity trading, storage and delivery, shipping and logistics, risk management, but also promote the development of related financial transactions such as futures, thereby injecting new impetus into consolidating Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre. I hope the approved warehouses will commence operations as soon as possible, and I look forward to seeing more successful cases of approval for operators to become approved warehouses to foster the growth of local commodity trading-related services.”
     
         The Government understands that other operators are applying to become approved warehouses of the LME. Relevant bureaux and departments will continue to maintain communication with relevant industry players and provide assistance on technical matters as appropriate.
     
    Issued at HKT 16:50

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Index Numbers of Wholesale Price in India for the Month of March, 2025 (Base Year: 2011-12)

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 15 APR 2025 12:00PM by PIB Delhi

    The annual rate of inflation based on all India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) number is 2.05% (provisional) for the month of March, 2025 (over March, 2024). Positive rate of inflation in March, 2025 is primarily due to increase in prices of manufacture of food products, other manufacturing, food articles, electricity and manufacture of textiles etc. The index numbers and inflation rate for the last three months of all commodities and WPI components are given below:

    Index Numbers and Annual Rate of Inflation (Y-o-Y in %) *

    All Commodities/Major Groups

    Weight (%)

    January-25 (F)

    February-25 (P)

    March-25 (P)

    Index

    Inflation

    Index

    Inflation

    Index

    Inflation

    All Commodities

    100.00

    155.0

    2.51

    154.8

    2.38

    154.5

    2.05

    I. Primary Articles

    22.62

    189.7

    4.58

    186.6

    2.81

    184.6

    0.76

    II. Fuel & Power

    13.15

    152.0

    -1.87

    153.8

    -0.71

    152.4

    0.20

    III. Manufactured Products

    64.23

    143.4

    2.65

    143.8

    2.86

    144.4

    3.07

    Food Index

    24.38

    191.5

    7.52

    189.0

    5.94

    188.8

    4.66

    Note: F: Final, P: Provisional, *Annual rate of WPI inflation calculated over the corresponding month of previous year

    The month over month change in WPI for the month of March, 2025 stood at (-) 0.19% as compared to February, 2025. The monthly change in WPI for last six-month is summarized below:

    Month Over Month (M-o-M in %) change in WPI Index#

    All Commodities/Major Groups

    Weight

    Oct-24

    Nov-24

    Dec-24

    Jan-25 (F)

    Feb-25 (P)

    Mar-25 (P)

    All Commodities

    100.00

    1.29

    -0.19

    -0.45

    -0.45

    -0.13

    -0.19

    I. Primary Articles

    22.62

    2.61

    -1.35

    -2.07

    -2.12

    -1.63

    -1.07

    II. Fuel & Power

    13.15

    1.09

    0.74

    1.27

    0.13

    1.18

    -0.91

    III. Manufactured Products

    64.23

    0.70

    0.14

    -0.07

    0.28

    0.28

    0.42

    Food Index

    24.38

    3.22

    -0.99

    -2.10

    -2.30

    -1.31

    -0.11

    Note: F: Final, P: Provisional, #Monthly rate of change, based on month over month (M-o-M) WPI calculated over the preceding month

     

    Month-over-Month Change in Major Groups of WPI:

    1. Primary Articles (Weight 22.62%): – The index for this major group decreased by 1.07% to 184.6 (provisional) in March, 2025 from 186.6 (provisional) for the month of February, 2025. Price of crude petroleum & natural gas (-2.42%), non-food articles (-2.40%) and food articles (-0.72%) decreased in March, 2025 as compared to February, 2025. The price of minerals (0.31%) increased in March, 2025 as compared to February, 2025.
    2. Fuel & Power (Weight 13.15%): – The index for this major group decreased by 0.91% to 152.4 (provisional) in March, 2025 from 153.8 (provisional) for the month of February, 2025. Price of electricity (-2.31%) and mineral oils (-0.70%) decreased in March, 2025 as compared to February, 2025. The price of coal remained same as in the previous month.
    3. Manufactured Products (Weight 64.23%): – The index for this major group increased by 0.42% to 144.4 (Provisional) in March, 2025 from 143.8 (Provisional) for the month of February, 2025. Out of the 22 NIC two-digit groups for manufactured products, 16 groups witnessed an increase in prices, 5 groups witnessed a decrease in prices and 1 group witnessed no change in prices. Some of the important groups that showed month-over-month increase in prices were manufacture of basic metals; food products; other transport equipment; other manufacturing and machinery and equipment etc. Some of the groups that witnessed a decrease in prices were manufacture of textiles; chemicals and chemical products; computer, electronic and optical products; printing and reproduction of recorded media and furniture etc in March, 2025 as compared to February, 2025.

    WPI Food Index (Weight 24.38%): The Food Index consisting of ‘food articles’ from primary articles group and ‘food product’ from manufactured products group decreased from 189.0 in February, 2025 to 188.8 in March, 2025. The annual rate of inflation based on WPI Food Index decreased from 5.94% in February, 2025 to 4.66% in March, 2025.

    Final Index for the month of January, 2025 (Base Year: 2011-12=100): For the month of January, 2025, the final Wholesale Price Index and inflation rate for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2011-12=100) stood at 155.0 and 2.51% respectively. The details of all India Wholesale Price Indices and Rates of Inflation for different commodity groups based on updated figures are at Annex I. The Annual rate of Inflation (Y-o-Y) based on WPI for different commodity groups in the last six months is at Annex II. WPI for different commodity groups in the last six months is at Annex III.

    Response Rate: The WPI for March, 2025 has been compiled at a weighted response rate of 82.7 per cent, while the final figure for January, 2025 is based on the weighted response rate of 95.4 per cent. The provisional figures of WPI will undergo revision as per the revision policy of WPI. This press release, item indices, and inflation numbers are available at our home page http://eaindustry.nic.in.

    Next date of Press Release: WPI for the month of April, 2025 would be released on 14/05/2025.

    Note: DPIIT releases index number of wholesale price in India on monthly basis on 14th of every month (or next working day, if 14th falls on holiday) with a time lag of two weeks of the reference month, and the index number is compiled with data received from institutional sources and selected manufacturing units across the country. This press release contains WPI (Base Year 2011-12=100) for the month of March, 2025 (Provisional), January, 2025 (Final) and other months/years. Provisional figures of WPI are finalised after 10 weeks (from the month of reference), and frozen thereafter.

    Annex-I

    All India Wholesale Price Indices and Rates of Inflation (Base Year: 2011-12=100) for March, 2025

    Commodities/Major Groups/Groups/Sub-Groups/Items

    Weight

    Index

    March-25*

    Latest month over Month (MoM)

    Inflation (YoY)

    Rate of Inflation (YoY)

    Feb-Mar 2024

    Feb-Mar

    2025*

    2023-24 (Apr-Mar)

    2024-25* (Apr-Mar)

    Mar-24

    Mar-25*

    ALL COMMODITIES

    100.00

    154.5

    0.13

    -0.19

    -0.73

    2.25

    0.26

    2.05

    I. PRIMARY ARTICLES

    22.62

    184.6

    0.94

    -1.07

    3.54

    5.13

    4.57

    0.76

    A. Food Articles

    15.26

    194.4

    1.06

    -0.72

    6.61

    7.30

    7.05

    1.57

    Cereals

    2.82

    211.2

    0.35

    -0.85

    7.17

    7.88

    9.04

    5.49

    Paddy

    1.43

    203.6

    1.24

    0.00

    9.31

    8.42

    11.74

    3.88

    Wheat

    1.03

    217.1

    -0.20

    -1.68

    4.53

    7.64

    7.48

    7.96

    Pulses

    0.64

    205.1

    0.33

    -1.63

    14.38

    10.70

    17.18

    -2.98

    Vegetables

    1.87

    177.5

    5.55

    -5.74

    9.00

    16.64

    20.09

    -15.88

    Potato

    0.28

    199.7

    26.30

    -7.67

    -17.06

    65.71

    58.43

    -6.77

    Onion

    0.16

    273.7

    5.31

    -9.91

    40.36

    42.59

    56.48

    26.65

    Fruits

    1.60

    218.5

    4.33

    4.25

    -1.07

    12.03

    -3.05

    20.78

    Milk

    4.44

    186.8

    0.38

    0.21

    7.46

    3.02

    5.08

    1.41

    Eggs, Meat & Fish

    2.40

    170.1

    -0.06

    -0.82

    0.88

    0.71

    -1.75

    0.71

    B. Non-Food Articles

    4.12

    162.8

    0.57

    -2.40

    -5.64

    -0.42

    -4.25

    1.75

    Oil Seeds

    1.12

    179.3

    0.00

    0.22

    -9.81

    -1.94

    -7.17

    0.34

    C. Minerals

    0.83

    227.9

    -1.51

    0.31

    6.95

    4.49

    -0.36

    2.84

    D. Crude Petroleum & Natural gas

    2.41

    145.1

    1.35

    -2.42

    -3.04

    -1.54

    4.87

    -7.64

    Crude Petroleum

    1.95

    120.8

    0.96

    -2.89

    -7.79

    -2.55

    10.26

    -11.50

    II. FUEL & POWER

    13.15

    152.4

    -1.81

    -0.91

    -4.70

    -1.30

    -2.75

    0.20

    LPG

    0.64

    123.7

    1.23

    0.57

    -10.79

    2.77

    -10.19

    0.24

    Petrol

    1.60

    151.8

    -0.82

    -0.46

    -3.27

    -3.73

    -0.94

    -3.86

    HSD

    3.10

    165.4

    -1.05

    -0.72

    -10.21

    -3.40

    -3.51

    -2.88

    III. MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS

    64.23

    144.4

    0.21

    0.42

    -1.69

    1.71

    -0.85

    3.07

    Mf/o Food Products

    9.12

    179.4

    1.25

    0.90

    -2.92

    7.12

    0.81

    10.67

    Vegetable & Animal Oils and Fats

    2.64

    190.8

    3.26

    1.22

    -20.30

    16.14

    -7.73

    30.95

    Mf/o Beverages

    0.91

    134.6

    0.15

    0.07

    2.02

    1.91

    1.69

    1.58

    Mf/o Tobacco Products

    0.51

    180.2

    0.63

    0.11

    4.98

    2.39

    4.20

    2.21

    Mf/o Textiles

    4.88

    136.6

    -0.07

    -0.29

    -5.65

    1.25

    -1.83

    1.71

    Mf/o Wearing Apparel

    0.81

    154.5

    -0.13

    0.13

    1.45

    1.72

    1.00

    1.98

    Mf/o Leather and Related Products

    0.54

    126.2

    0.00

    0.32

    1.58

    0.93

    1.14

    2.02

    Mf/o Wood and of Products of Wood and Cork

    0.77

    150.0

    -0.27

    0.81

    2.38

    1.75

    4.27

    0.60

    Mf/o Paper and Paper Products

    1.11

    141.3

    0.07

    0.36

    -7.71

    -0.77

    -6.12

    2.39

    Mf/o Chemicals and Chemical Products

    6.47

    136.9

    0.15

    -0.15

    -5.88

    -0.29

    -4.64

    0.96

    Mf/o Pharmaceuticals, Medicinal Chemical and Botanical Products

    1.99

    145.2

    -0.35

    0.14

    1.43

    1.03

    1.20

    1.26

    Mf/o Rubber and Plastics Products

    2.30

    129.7

    0.39

    0.00

    -1.68

    1.19

    -0.08

    1.17

    Mf/o other Non-Metallic Mineral Products

    3.20

    132.7

    -0.52

    0.08

    0.71

    -2.42

    -1.11

    -0.30

    Cement, Lime and Plaster

    1.64

    131.6

    -1.40

    0.30

    0.07

    -5.10

    -2.61

    -2.01

    Mf/o Basic Metals

    9.65

    139.1

    0.14

    1.09

    -5.20

    -0.98

    -5.13

    0.29

    Mild Steel – Semi Finished Steel

    1.27

    118.2

    0.26

    0.77

    -5.59

    -1.68

    -7.14

    1.03

    Mf/o Fabricated Metal Products, Except Machinery and Equipment

    3.15

    136.4

    -1.02

    0.15

    -0.29

    -1.86

    -2.16

    0.15

    Note: * = Provisional. Mf/o = Manufacture of

    Annex-II

    WPI Inflation (Base Year: 2011-12=100) for last 6 months

    Commodities/Major Groups/Groups/Sub-Groups/Items

    Weight

    WPI based inflation (YoY) figures for last 6 months

    Oct-24

    Nov-24

    Dec-24

    Jan-25

    Feb-25*

    Mar-25*

    ALL COMMODITIES

    100.00

    2.75

    2.16

    2.57

    2.51

    2.38

    2.05

    I. PRIMARY ARTICLES

    22.62

    8.26

    5.49

    6.02

    4.58

    2.81

    0.76

    A. Food Articles

    15.26

    13.49

    8.48

    8.53

    5.83

    3.38

    1.57

    Cereals

    2.82

    7.80

    7.71

    6.77

    7.33

    6.77

    5.49

    Paddy

    1.43

    7.47

    7.58

    6.93

    6.22

    5.17

    3.88

    Wheat

    1.03

    8.04

    8.20

    7.48

    9.75

    9.58

    7.96

    Pulses

    0.64

    9.27

    5.97

    5.02

    5.13

    -1.04

    -2.98

    Vegetables

    1.87

    62.86

    29.34

    28.57

    8.11

    -5.80

    -15.88

    Potato

    0.28

    79.11

    82.64

    92.36

    72.57

    27.54

    -6.77

    Onion

    0.16

    39.25

    1.08

    16.98

    28.33

    48.05

    26.65

    Fruits

    1.60

    13.60

    5.59

    11.16

    15.30

    20.88

    20.78

    Milk

    4.44

    3.00

    2.04

    2.15

    2.58

    1.58

    1.41

    Eggs, Meat & Fish

    2.40

    -0.52

    3.16

    5.43

    3.56

    1.48

    0.71

    B. Non-Food Articles

    4.12

    -1.34

    -0.61

    2.40

    3.01

    4.84

    1.75

    Oil Seeds

    1.12

    1.98

    0.32

    -1.35

    0.16

    0.11

    0.34

    C. Minerals

    0.83

    4.51

    6.30

    5.70

    1.56

    0.98

    2.84

    D. Crude Petroleum & Natural gas

    2.41

    -11.80

    -7.74

    -6.77

    -0.53

    -4.06

    -7.64

    Crude Petroleum

    1.95

    -12.49

    -7.20

    -6.86

    -0.76

    -7.99

    -11.50

    II. FUEL & POWER

    13.15

    -4.31

    -4.03

    -2.57

    -1.87

    -0.71

    0.20

    LPG

    0.64

    2.57

    1.81

    2.47

    2.23

    0.90

    0.24

    Petrol

    1.60

    -7.35

    -6.83

    -5.09

    -3.64

    -4.21

    -3.86

    HSD

    3.10

    -6.23

    -5.68

    -4.30

    -3.61

    -3.20

    -2.88

    III. MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS

    64.23

    1.78

    2.07

    2.14

    2.65

    2.86

    3.07

    Mf/o Food Products

    9.12

    9.39

    9.57

    9.75

    10.73

    11.06

    10.67

    Vegetable & Animal Oils and Fats

    2.64

    26.03

    28.83

    31.82

    33.74

    33.59

    30.95

    Mf/o Beverages

    0.91

    2.13

    2.28

    1.89

    1.51

    1.66

    1.58

    Mf/o Tobacco Products

    0.51

    1.09

    1.14

    4.40

    4.02

    2.74

    2.21

    Mf/o Textiles

    4.88

    0.89

    1.42

    2.32

    2.24

    1.93

    1.71

    Mf/o Wearing Apparel

    0.81

    1.25

    1.52

    1.65

    2.19

    1.71

    1.98

    Mf/o Leather and Related Products

    0.54

    1.37

    1.45

    1.53

    3.24

    1.70

    2.02

    Mf/o Wood and of Products of Wood and Cork

    0.77

    1.09

    0.54

    0.47

    1.01

    -0.47

    0.60

    Mf/o Paper and Paper Products

    1.11

    0.94

    0.07

    -0.07

    0.58

    2.10

    2.39

    Mf/o Chemicals and Chemical Products

    6.47

    -0.22

    0.29

    0.59

    1.03

    1.26

    0.96

    Mf/o Pharmaceuticals, Medicinal Chemical and Botanical Products

    1.99

    0.42

    1.19

    0.49

    1.40

    0.76

    1.26

    Mf/o Rubber and Plastics Products

    2.30

    1.89

    1.42

    1.18

    1.65

    1.57

    1.17

    Mf/o other Non-Metallic Mineral Products

    3.20

    -3.83

    -2.38

    -2.73

    -1.64

    -0.90

    -0.30

    Cement, Lime and Plaster

    1.64

    -7.20

    -5.38

    -6.26

    -5.10

    -3.67

    -2.01

    Mf/o Basic Metals

    9.65

    -2.04

    -1.14

    -1.50

    -1.15

    -0.65

    0.29

    Mild Steel – Semi Finished Steel

    1.27

    -1.67

    -0.68

    -0.85

    0.09

    0.51

    1.03

    Mf/o Fabricated Metal Products, Except Machinery and Equipment

    3.15

    -2.81

    -2.87

    -1.45

    -1.81

    -1.02

    0.15

    Note: * = Provisional. Mf/o = Manufacture of

     

    Annex-III

    Wholesale Price Indices (Base Year: 2011-12=100) for last 6 months

    Commodities/Major Groups/Groups/Sub-Groups/Items

    Weight

    WPI Numbers for last 6 months

    Oct-24

    Nov-24

    Dec-24

    Jan-25

    Feb-25*

    Mar-25*

    ALL COMMODITIES

    100.00

    156.7

    156.4

    155.7

    155.0

    154.8

    154.5

    I. PRIMARY ARTICLES

    22.62

    200.6

    197.9

    193.8

    189.7

    186.6

    184.6

    A. Food Articles

    15.26

    217.9

    213.7

    207.5

    199.8

    195.8

    194.4

    Cereals

    2.82

    208.6

    211.0

    211.4

    212.3

    213.0

    211.2

    Paddy

    1.43

    204.4

    205.9

    205.3

    203.1

    203.6

    203.6

    Wheat

    1.03

    209.6

    213.8

    215.5

    219.6

    220.8

    217.1

    Pulses

    0.64

    234.5

    230.8

    224.0

    217.1

    208.5

    205.1

    Vegetables

    1.87

    360.9

    334.6

    288.5

    222.6

    188.3

    177.5

    Potato

    0.28

    375.6

    384.1

    365.1

    292.5

    216.3

    199.7

    Onion

    0.16

    478.2

    495.8

    414.7

    316.6

    303.8

    273.7

    Fruits

    1.60

    210.5

    198.4

    193.3

    196.7

    209.6

    218.5

    Milk

    4.44

    185.6

    185.2

    185.6

    187.0

    186.4

    186.8

    Eggs, Meat & Fish

    2.40

    171.0

    173.1

    174.7

    174.7

    171.5

    170.1

    B. Non-Food Articles

    4.12

    161.9

    162.8

    166.2

    167.5

    166.8

    162.8

    Oil Seeds

    1.12

    185.4

    185.6

    182.8

    183.4

    178.9

    179.3

    C. Minerals

    0.83

    229.6

    229.4

    230.1

    227.2

    227.2

    227.9

    D. Crude Petroleum & Natural gas

    2.41

    147.3

    146.7

    141.9

    150.9

    148.7

    145.1

    Crude Petroleum

    1.95

    126.1

    125.0

    119.5

    130.0

    124.4

    120.8

    II. FUEL & POWER

    13.15

    148.8

    149.9

    151.8

    152.0

    153.8

    152.4

    LPG

    0.64

    119.8

    123.6

    124.6

    123.7

    123.0

    123.7

    Petrol

    1.60

    149.9

    148.7

    149.2

    150.8

    152.5

    151.8

    HSD

    3.10

    164.2

    164.4

    164.6

    165.6

    166.6

    165.4

    III. MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS

    64.23

    142.9

    143.1

    143.0

    143.4

    143.8

    144.4

    Mf/o Food Products

    9.12

    175.9

    177.5

    176.8

    177.5

    177.8

    179.4

    Vegetable & Animal Oils and Fats

    2.64

    178.2

    183.2

    185.6

    187.5

    188.5

    190.8

    Mf/o Beverages

    0.91

    134.5

    134.7

    134.5

    134.4

    134.5

    134.6

    Mf/o Tobacco Products

    0.51

    176.0

    177.0

    180.3

    181.2

    180.0

    180.2

    Mf/o Textiles

    4.88

    135.9

    136.1

    136.8

    137.0

    137.0

    136.6

    Mf/o Wearing Apparel

    0.81

    153.9

    153.7

    154.4

    154.2

    154.3

    154.5

    Mf/o Leather and Related Products

    0.54

    125.7

    125.8

    126.0

    127.5

    125.8

    126.2

    Mf/o Wood and of Products of Wood and Cork

    0.77

    148.7

    148.5

    148.3

    149.6

    148.8

    150.0

    Mf/o Paper and Paper Products

    1.11

    139.8

    138.5

    138.3

    139.5

    140.8

    141.3

    Mf/o Chemicals and Chemical Products

    6.47

    136.3

    136.4

    136.5

    136.8

    137.1

    136.9

    Mf/o Pharmaceuticals, Medicinal Chemical and Botanical Products

    1.99

    143.5

    144.1

    144.0

    145.0

    145.0

    145.2

    Mf/o Rubber and Plastics Products

    2.30

    129.6

    128.6

    129.0

    129.3

    129.7

    129.7

    Mf/o other Non-Metallic Mineral Products

    3.20

    130.4

    131.4

    131.7

    132.2

    132.6

    132.7

    Cement, Lime and Plaster

    1.64

    128.8

    130.1

    130.2

    130.2

    131.2

    131.6

    Mf/o Basic Metals

    9.65

    139.3

    138.6

    137.5

    137.2

    137.6

    139.1

    Mild Steel – Semi Finished Steel

    1.27

    118.0

    117.5

    116.8

    117.3

    117.3

    118.2

    Mf/o Fabricated Metal Products, Except Machinery and Equipment

    3.15

    135.0

    135.3

    135.9

    135.3

    136.2

    136.4

    Note: * = Provisional. Mf/o = Manufacture of

    ***

    Abhishek Dayal

    (Release ID: 2121751) Visitor Counter : 188

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Three property owners fined over $400,000 in total for not complying with statutory orders

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Three property owners were convicted and fined over $400,000 in total by the court late last month and early this month respectively for failing to comply with statutory orders issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).

         The first case involved the alteration of 14 units on two floors into mini-storage areas in an industrial building at Hi Yip Street, Yuen Long. The alteration and addition works were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD) and obstructed the means of escape and access for firefighting and rescue units, while affecting the fire resistant construction of the building, which contravened the Building (Planning) Regulations and the Building (Construction) Regulation. The alterations also rendered the building as dangerous, therefore removal orders and repair orders were served on the owner under section 24(1) and section 26 of the BO.

         Failing to comply with the removal orders and the repair orders, the owner was prosecuted by the BD and was fined $220,690 in total, of which $38,690 was the fine for the number of days that the offences continued, upon conviction at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts on March 28.

         The second case involved unauthorised building works (UBWs) at a three-storey house at Yu Chui Street, Tai Lam, Tuen Mun, which included the removal of the approved railing at a garden adjoining the slope and the construction of unauthorised structures with an area of about 400 square metres on the slope. The illegal works also included the removal of an external wall and the erection of an unauthorised structure with an area of about 10 sq m on the lower ground floor, the erection of an unauthorised structure with an area of about 20 sq m on the flat roof, and the erection of supporting frames for solar panels with an area of about 28 sq m on the roof. As the UBWs were carried out without prior approval and consent from the BD, removal orders were served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.

         Failing to comply with the orders, the owner was prosecuted by the BD and was fined $100,860 in total by the court, of which $42,860 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, upon conviction at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts on March 28.

         The third case involved an unauthorised structure with an area of about 130 sq m on the flat roof of a residential building at Tung Ming Street, Kwun Tong. As the UBWs were carried out without prior approval and consent from the BD, a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.

         Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD in 2017 and was fined $25,650 upon conviction by the court. As the owner persisted in not complying with the removal order, the BD instigated prosecution again last year. The owner was subsequently fined $84,460, of which $54,460 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, upon conviction at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts on April 1.

         A spokesman for the BD said today (April 15), “UBWs, including the unauthorised alterations causing obstruction to the means of escape and means of access for firefighting and rescue, or affecting the fire resisting construction of a building, may lead to serious consequences. The owners concerned must comply with the statutory orders issued by the BD without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who fail to comply with statutory orders, including instigation of prosecution, to ensure building safety.”

         Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues. Moreover, failure to comply with a repair order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of level 5 ($50,000 at present) and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of $5,000 for each day that the offence continues.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Announces 31st Human Exploration Rover Challenge Winners

    Source: NASA

    NASA has announced the winning student teams in the 2025 Human Exploration Rover Challenge. This year’s competition challenged teams to design, build, and test a lunar rover powered by either human pilots or remote control. In the human-powered division, Parish Episcopal School in Dallas, Texas, earned first place in the high school division, and the Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina, captured the college and university title. In the remote-control division, Bright Foundation in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, earned first place in the middle and high school division, and the Instituto Tecnologico de Santa Domingo in the Dominican Republic, captured the college and university title.
    The annual engineering competition – one of NASA’s longest standing student challenges – wrapped up on April 11 and April 12, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. The complete list of 2025 award winners is provided below:

    First Place: Parish Episcopal School, Dallas, Texas
    Second Place: Ecambia High School, Pensacola, Florida
    Third Place: Centro Boliviano Americano – Santa Cruz, Bolivia

    First Place: Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina
    Second Place: Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
    Third Place: University of Alabama in Huntsville

    First Place: Bright Foundation, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
    Second Place: Assumption College, Brangrak, Bangkok, Thailand
    Third Place: Erie High School, Erie, Colorado

    First Place: Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
    Second Place: Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina
    Third Place: Tecnologico de Monterey – Campus Cuernvaca, Xochitepec, Morelos, Mexico

     Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    Human-Powered

    High School Division: International Hope School of Bangladesh, Uttara, Dhaka, Bangladesh
    College/University Division: Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama

    Remote-Control

    Middle School/High School Division: Bright Foundation, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
    College/University Division: Southwest Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, Oklahoma

    Remote-Control

    Middle School/High School Division: Assumption College, Bangrak, Bangkok, Thailand
    College/University Division: Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

    Human-Powered

    High School Division: Parish Episcopal School, Dallas, Texas
    College/University Division: Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina

    Remote-Control

    Middle School/High School Division: Bright Foundation, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
    College/University Division: Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

    Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina

    Human-Powered

    High School Division: Parish Episcopal School, Dallas, Texas
    College/University Division: University of Alabama in Huntsville

    Universidad de Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico (Human-Powered Division)

    Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (Human-Powered Division)

    Human-Powered

    High School Division: Albertville Innovation School, Albertville, Alabama
    College/University Division: Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

    Remote-Control

    Middle School/High School Division: Instituto Salesiano Don Bosco, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
    College/University Division: Tecnologico de Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

    Human-Powered

    High School Division: International Hope School of Bagladesh, Uttara, Dhaka, Bangladesh
    College/University Division: Universidad Catolica Boliviana “San Pablo” La Paz, Bolivia

    Remote-Control

    Middle School/High School Division: ATLAS SkillTech University, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
    College/University Division: Instituto Salesiano Don Bosco, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

    Human-Powered

    High School Division: Space Education Institute, Leipzig, Germany
    College/University Division: Purdue University Northwest, Hammond, Indiana

    Remote-Control

    Middle School/High School Division: Erie High School, Erie, Colorado
    College/University Division: Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina

    Human-Powered

    High School Division: Academy of Arts, Career, and Technology, Reno, Nevada
    College/University Division: Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    Fabion Diaz Palacious from Universidad Catolica Boliviana “San Pablo” La Paz, Bolivia

    Deira International School, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    More than 500 students with 75 teams from around the world participated in the  31st year of the competition. Participating teams represented 35 colleges and universities, 38 high schools, and two middle schools from 20 states, Puerto Rico, and 16 other nations. Teams were awarded points based on navigating a half-mile obstacle course, conducting mission-specific task challenges, and completing multiple safety and design reviews with NASA engineers. 
    NASA expanded the 2025 challenge to include a remote-control division, Remote-Operated Vehicular Research, and invited middle school students to participate. 
    “This student design challenge encourages the next generation of scientists and engineers to engage in the design process by providing innovative concepts and unique perspectives,” said Vemitra Alexander, who leads the challenge for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement at Marshall. “This challenge also continues NASA’s legacy of providing valuable experiences to students who may be responsible for planning future space missions, including crewed missions to other worlds.”
    The rover challenge is one of NASA’s eight Artemis Student Challenges reflecting the goals of the Artemis campaign, which will land Americans on the Moon while establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration, preparing for future human missions to Mars. NASA uses such challenges to encourage students to pursue degrees and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 
    The competition is managed by NASA’s Southeast Regional Office of STEM Engagement at Marshall. Since its inception in 1994, more than 15,000 students have participated – with many former students now working at NASA, or within the aerospace industry.    
    To learn more about the Human Exploration Rover Challenge, please visit: 
    https://www.nasa.gov/roverchallenge/home/index.html

    Taylor GoodwinMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.256.544.0034taylor.goodwin@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –