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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Norwich secures £750,000 funding boost to empower local communities

    Source: City of Norwich

    A major funding boost is coming to Norwich, with £750,000 set to strengthen community initiatives, improve housing stability, and enhance street cleanliness across the city.

    Awarded by Norwich City Council through central government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), this funding builds on the success of the £1.6 million already allocated between 2022 and 2025. The new funding will support fourteen carefully selected projects that align with the government’s latest UKSPF priorities: strengthening communities and places, supporting local businesses, and enhancing people’s skills.

    Extending successful community-led projects

    Two established projects will receive extended funding to continue their impactful work:

    • Brighter Futures (run by Future Projects): Having already helped 105 unemployed individuals into work, training, or volunteering, this programme will now expand its reach to support even more people facing employment barriers.

    Daniel Childerhouse chief executive of Future Projects, said:

    “We’re absolutely thrilled to continue this work, offering flexible, creative support where it’s needed most—and changing lives in the process.”

    • MENTA (in collaboration with FUSE): Offering essential start-up advice, training, and mentoring for businesses, social enterprises, and entrepreneurs, this initiative has already equipped over 250 individuals and start-ups with crucial skills to launch and grow their ventures.

    Willow Farrell, chief executive of FUSE, said:“We are delighted to be working with FUSE and to see the extension of UKSPF funding for enterprise support within Norwich. This vital investment ensures that new, emerging, and existing microbusinesses—alongside those exploring social enterprise—continue to receive the guidance and resources they need to thrive.”

    Supporting a diverse range of community initiatives

    The funding will also boost several other key initiatives, including:

    • BITC (Business in the Community): Business Encounter Schools in East Earlham, working with education providers to bridge the gap between business and education and enhance social mobility.
    • INTERACT: A multi-agency intervention supporting those at risk of falls.
    • Clean streets: Additional resources dedicated to improving the cleanliness of the city and its neighbourhoods.
    • Community safety: Increased capacity to tackle anti-social behaviour and respond to safety concerns.
    • Homelessness prevention: Early intervention, tenancy support, and mediation services to reduce the risk of homelessness.
    • Let NCC: Incentives designed to increase the availability of affordable rental properties in Norwich.
    • Housing estate enhancements: Improvements to estates to support ongoing clean street initiatives.
    • Reducing inequality: Strengthening neighbourhood networks in target areas to foster a more inclusive community.
    • NoW: Project management support to streamline services, making it easier for residents to access the help they need.

    A track record of success

    Previous rounds of UKSPF funding have already delivered significant community benefits across Norwich, from upgrading public spaces and facilities to supporting local engagement. Alongside training and skills programmes, the fund has helped deliver community-led improvements, refurbished public buildings, and established a popular skill-sharing hub in Mile Cross.

    Initiatives such as the Love Norwich grants have contributed to the creation of new community gardens and murals, while increased support for events, volunteering, and social enterprises has strengthened local participation. Neighbourhood cleanliness efforts have also led to improved waste management and enforcement.

    A Fairer Norwich for all

    Davina Howes, Norwich City Council’s executive director overseeing communities, welcomed the additional funding, stating: “Norwich is home to many fantastic community groups and initiatives, and we are proud to support them as part of our commitment to A Fairer Norwich.

    “The additional UKSPF funding is a testament to the achievements of these projects, which continue to make a real difference in our city.

    “Investing in these projects will enable us to further support our residents, improve quality of life, and foster a stronger, more vibrant Norwich.”

    The funding proposals will be presented to Norwich City Council’s cabinet for approval on Wednesday, 2 April.

    Achievements to date:

    Since its inception, the UKSPF has enabled Norwich City Council to deliver a broad range of impactful initiatives:

    1. Love Norwich grants: 39 grants awarded for community-led improvements to public outdoor spaces, including community gardens, wildflower areas, murals, and park improvements.
    2. Community building improvements: 60 small capital grants for upgrades to public buildings, enhancing facilities and energy efficiency.
    3. New Community facility: A skill-sharing hub, 185, opened in Mile Cross, offering activities focused on creativity and wellbeing, with 4,000 visitors since September 2023.
    4. Green Hearts in Mile Cross: Partnership creating seven new community gardens, improving biodiversity, reducing fly-tipping, and fostering community action.
    5. Community insights: Insights from community connectors have informed various initiatives, including employment support and age-friendly city work.
    6. Community action: 131 events held and 35 people supported into regular volunteering.
    7. Support for social enterprises: Workshops and one-to-one support delivered by FUSE, bringing an additional £137k into the city’s social enterprises.
    8. Business support: Startup and growth support provided to 189 businesses and 74 entrepreneurs.
    9. Employment support: 21 long-term unemployed individuals helped into employment, with 66 receiving training or volunteering support through the Brighter Futures project.
    10. Neighbourhood cleanliness: Improved 52 communal bin facilities and piloted CCTV enforcement to reduce fly-tipping, with 57 new street bins being installed.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Work to start on new social housing on Barlow Street

    Source: City of Derby

    Contractors are set to begin work on a new residential site in Derby to provide homes for families in housing need.

    Derby City Council has appointed Tanbry Construction to build two blocks of six flats on a previously vacant site on Barlow Street, near London Road.  The project is expected to complete in July 2026.

    Providing new council homes is a key priority for the Council to address the large numbers waiting for suitable properties.

    As of the beginning of October 2024, there were over 6,000 applicants actively looking for affordable homes through Homefinder, the Council’s choice-based lettings system.

    The homes will be owned by the Council, managed by Derby Homes and will be made available to rent through Homefinder.

    The three-bedroom homes will be built to a high standard of thermal efficiency and all flats will be heated by electricity.

    Located in Arboretum Ward, the site is close to local primary and secondary schools and has good transport links. It is within easy reach of the city centre making it convenient for work, shopping, and leisure.

    Councillor Shiraz Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services said:

    Like many other cities in the UK, Derby faces many challenges in meeting demand for housing.

    Building these new council homes will help those who struggle in the private rental market to access safe, affordable, and good-quality places to live. We want to provide a solid foundation for some of the most vulnerable people in Derby, and this development is a step in the right direction to directly address their needs.

    Ultimately, it isn’t just about bricks and mortar; it’s about investing in people, strengthening communities, and creating a society where everyone has access to a safe and secure place to call home.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Powerful earthquake hits Myanmar

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    This photo taken on March 28, 2025 shows damage to the walled fort of Mandalay Palace after the earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar. [Photo/Xinhua]

    An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 jolted 16 km NNW of Sagaing, Myanmar on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

    The epicenter, with a depth of 10.0 km, was initially determined to be at 22.01 degrees north latitude and 95.92 degrees east longitude.

    Xinhua reporters in Yangon reported that the tremors were strongly felt in the capital Nay Pyi Taw and the largest city of Yangon.

    Reports indicated that some buildings in Mandalay Region have collapsed, and several roads between Mandalay and Yangon have been damaged and severed.

    Following the earthquake, Xinhua reporters in Vientiane, capital of Laos, Bangkok, capital of Thailand, and Hanoi, capital of Vietnam reported that strong tremors were felt in those areas as well.

    Following the strong earthquake, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced a state of emergency in Bangkok.

    A 30-story building under construction collapsed in the Thai capital, resulting in one death and leaving 43 others missing.

    In Vientiane, buildings above three stories experienced noticeable shaking, with residents in high-rise buildings feeling intense swaying indoors.

    In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, residents living in high-rise buildings also experienced noticeable shaking while at home.

    This photo taken on March 28, 2025 shows a damaged building after the earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Alectra advises incoming storm may cause power outages, reminds customers to ensure emergency kits are ready

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, March 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A special weather statement has been issued for parts of Alectra Utilities’ service territory due to forecasted freezing rain, ice and snow expected this afternoon and into the weekend.

    Forecasts indicate there may be a substantial accumulation of freezing rain that could potentially cause power outages as well as damage to powerlines. Areas with trees located near wires should take extra precaution as fallen limbs that contact power lines could cause extended outages in affected areas.

    In the event of downed powerlines, stay at least 10 metres away (the length of a school bus), and call 911 immediately. To report outages, Alectra Utilities’ customers should call 1-833-ALECTRA (1-833-253-2872) or use our web chat at AlectraUtilities.com/Report-Outage.

    Alectra’s System Control Centre continuously monitors weather forecasts and storm models and mitigation strategies have been made to prepare line crews and additional field and communications staff to respond in the event the situation evolves.

    If you experience a power outage, you can find frequent updates through our X (formerly Twitter) channel @AlectraNews or by visiting the outage map on our website: alectrautilities.com.

    Alectra Utilities reminds all customers of the importance of having mobile devices charged and preparing an emergency kit in the event of a sustained power outage. It is recommended that emergency kits include medicine, first aid supplies, flashlights, new batteries, a battery-operated radio, a manual can opener, canned food, bottled water, blankets, food for pets and important telephone numbers for family doctors, schools, daycare and insurance companies.

    Learn more about what to do in the event of an emergency: alectrautilities.com/emergency-preparedness.

    About Alectra Utilities

    Serving more than one million homes and businesses and approximately three million people in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe area, Alectra Utilities is the largest municipally-owned electric utility in Canada, based on the total number of customers served. We contribute to the economic growth and vibrancy of the 17 communities we serve by investing in essential energy infrastructure, delivering a safe and reliable supply of electricity, and providing innovative energy solutions. Our mission is to be an energy ally, helping our customers and the communities we serve to discover the possibilities of tomorrow’s energy future.

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/alectranews
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alectranews/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alectranews/?hl=en
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/16178435/admin/
    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alectranews.bsky.social
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/alectranews

    Media Contact

    Ashley Trgachef, Media Spokesperson, ashley.trgachef@alectrautilities.com
    Telephone: 416.402.5469 | 24/7 Media Line: 1-833-MEDIA-LN

    The MIL Network –

    March 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Foreign aid cuts could mean 10 million more HIV infections by 2030 – and almost 3 million extra deaths

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Rowan Martin-Hughes, Senior Research Fellow, Burnet Institute

    CI Photos/Shutterstock

    In January, the Trump administration ordered a broad pause on all US funding for foreign aid.

    Among other issues, this has significant effects on US funding for HIV. The United States has been the world’s biggest donor to international HIV assistance, providing 73% of funding in 2023.

    A large part of this is the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which oversees programs in low- and middle-income countries to prevent, diagnose and treat the virus. These programs have been significantly disrupted.

    What’s more, recent funding cuts for international HIV assistance go beyond the US. Five countries that provide the largest amount of foreign aid for HIV – the US, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the Netherlands – have announced cuts of between 8% and 70% to international aid in 2025 and 2026.

    Together, this may mean a 24% reduction in international HIV spending, in addition to the US foreign aid pause.

    We wanted to know how these cuts might affect HIV infections and deaths in the years to come. In a new study, we found the worst-case scenario could see more than 10 million extra infections than what we’d otherwise anticipate in the next five years, and almost 3 million additional deaths.

    What is HIV?

    HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. HIV can be transmitted at birth, during unprotected sex or thorough blood-to-blood contact such as shared needles.

    If left untreated, HIV can progress to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), a condition in which the immune system is severely damaged, and which can be fatal.

    HIV was the world’s deadliest infectious disease in the early 1990s. There’s still no cure for HIV, but modern treatments allow the virus to be suppressed with a daily pill. People with HIV who continue treatment can live without symptoms and don’t risk infecting others.

    A sustained global effort towards awareness, prevention, testing and treatment has reduced annual new HIV infections by 39% (from 2.1 million in 2010 to 1.3 million in 2023), and annual deaths by 51% (from 1.3 million to 630,000).

    Most of that drop happened in sub-Saharan Africa, where the epidemic was worst. Today, nearly two-thirds of people with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa, and nearly all live in low- and middle-income countries.

    HIV can be diagnosed with a simple blood test.
    MaryBeth Semosky/Shutterstock

    Our study

    We wanted to estimate the impact of recent funding cuts from the US, UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands on HIV infections and deaths. To do this, we used our mathematical model for 26 low- and middle-income countries. The model includes data on international HIV spending as well as data on HIV cases and deaths.

    These 26 countries represent roughly half of all people living with HIV in low- and middle income countries, and half of international HIV spending. We set up each country model in collaboration with national HIV/AIDS teams, so the data sources reflected the best available local knowledge. We then extrapolated our findings from the 26 countries we modelled to all low- and middle-income countries.

    For each country, we first projected the number of new HIV infections and deaths that would occur if HIV spending stayed the same.

    Second, we modelled scenarios for anticipated cuts based on a 24% reduction in international HIV funding for each country.

    Finally, we modelled scenarios for the possible immediate discontinuation of PEPFAR in addition to other anticipated cuts.

    With the 24% cuts and PEPFAR discontinued, we estimated there could be 4.43 million to 10.75 million additional HIV infections between 2025 and 2030, and 770,000 to 2.93 million extra HIV-related deaths. Most of these would be because of cuts to treatment. For children, there could be up to an additional 882,400 infections and 119,000 deaths.

    In the more optimistic scenario in which PEPFAR continues but 24% is still cut from international HIV funding, we estimated there could be 70,000 to 1.73 million extra new HIV infections and 5,000 to 61,000 additional deaths between 2025 and 2030. This would still be 50% higher than if current spending were to continue.

    The wide range in our estimates reflects low- and middle-income countries committing to far more domestic funding for HIV in the best case, or broader health system dysfunction and a sustained gap in funding for HIV treatment in the worst case.

    Some funding for HIV treatment may be saved by taking that money from HIV prevention efforts, but this would have other consequences.

    The range also reflects limitations in the available data, and uncertainty within our analysis. But most of our assumptions were cautious, so these results likely underestimate the true impacts of funding cuts to HIV programs globally.

    Sending progress backwards

    If funding cuts continue, the world could face higher rates of annual new HIV infections by 2030 (up to 3.4 million) than at the peak of the global epidemic in 1995 (3.3 million).

    Sub-Saharan Africa will experience by far the greatest effects due to the high proportion of HIV treatment that has relied on international funding.

    In other regions, we estimate vulnerable groups such as people who inject drugs, sex workers, men who have sex with men, and trans and gender diverse people may experience increases in new HIV infections that are 1.3 to 6 times greater than the general population.

    The Asia-Pacific received US$591 million in international funding for HIV in 2023, which is the second highest after sub-Saharan Africa. So this region would likely experience a substantial rise in HIV as a result of anticipated funding cuts.

    Notably, more than 10% of new HIV infections among people born in Australia are estimated to have been acquired overseas. More HIV in the region is likely to mean more HIV in Australia.

    But concern is greatest for countries that are most acutely affected by HIV and AIDS, many of which will be most affected by international funding cuts.

    Rowan Martin-Hughes receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. He has previously received funding to conduct HIV modelling studies from the Australian government Department of Health and Aged Care, Gates Foundation, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, World Bank and World Health Organization.

    Debra ten Brink has previously received funding to conduct HIV modelling studies from the Australian government Department of Health and Aged Care, Gates Foundation, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, World Bank and World Health Organization.

    Nick Scott receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. He has previously received funding to conduct HIV modelling studies from the Australian government Department of Health and Aged Care, Gates Foundation, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, World Bank and World Health Organization.

    – ref. Foreign aid cuts could mean 10 million more HIV infections by 2030 – and almost 3 million extra deaths – https://theconversation.com/foreign-aid-cuts-could-mean-10-million-more-hiv-infections-by-2030-and-almost-3-million-extra-deaths-253017

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: First year of Georgia’s ‘foreign agent’ law shows how autocracies are replicating Russian model − and speeding up the time frame

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Anastasiya Zavyalova, Associate Professor of Strategic Management, Rice University

    Demonstrators protest the foreign influence law in front of the Georgian Parliament building on May 28, 2024. Nicolo Vincenzo Malvestuto/Getty Images

    Autocracy is on the move worldwide and becoming more resilient.

    One of the driving forces behind this phenomenon is something scholars call “authoritarian learning,” a process by which autocratic leaders study each other and adapt tactics based on what appears to work, and how to proceed when they encounter resistance.

    Take Georgia. The ruling Georgian Dream party has steered the Caucasus nation from a path toward democracy back to autocracy – and it has done so by learning from Russia. In particular, it adopted a “foreign agent” law in May 2024 – legislation that came straight from Vladimir Putin’s playbook.

    Sold to the public as increasing transparency, the legislation has been utilized to persecute Georgia’s opposition and arrest dissidents with impunity.

    As researchers examining the structure and effects of autocratic regimes, we view Georgia’s first year of its foreign agent law as an example of how politicians are not only learning the tactics of Russian authoritarianism but improving on them in a shorter time frame.

    Bouncing from Europe to Russia

    Georgia’s current ruling party came to power after then-President Mikheil Saakashvili enacted a major series of reforms in the 2000s. Saakashvili, who was jailed in 2021 under highly contested charges, inherited a Georgia seen as a failing and corrupt state tethered to Russia.

    The reform-minded politicians of Saakashvili’s government set the country on a pro-Western path. But after Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008, a socially conservative coalition under the banner Georgian Dream won the parliamentary elections in 2012.

    Georgian Dream was buoyed by the fortune of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a Russian citizen until 2011. The party capitalized on the public’s fatigue after a decade of Saakashvili’s necessary but intense reforms. The new coalition married a promise for continuing the pro-Western reforms, but with a more traditional, conservative approach to social issues.

    This appeal to traditional Georgian values won support in rural communities and carried the coalition to an absolute majority in Parliament in 2016. Since then, Georgian Dream has adopted pro-Russian rhetoric, accusing a “global war party” of running the West. Increasing attacks on the European Union, in particular, have been a part of a broader strategy to bring Georgia back into Russia’s orbit.

    The Georgian Dream progression in power has mirrored that of Putin in Russia. In 2012, Putin signed a “foreign agents” law that originally targeted NGOs receiving foreign funding and alleged to be engaged in political activity.

    The Kremlin equated this law to the 1938 Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, in the United States, and justified it as a means to increase transparency around foreign involvement in Russia’s internal affairs.

    Unlike FARA, however, Russia’s version of the law neither required establishing a connection between foreign funding and political activity nor provided a clear definition of political activity.

    This vagueness allowed for a wide range of NGOs deemed undesirable by the Kremlin to be labeled as “foreign agents.” The result was the suppression of NGO activities through financial, administrative and legal burdens that led to their liquidation or departure from the country.

    Over the years, this law has reduced Russian civil society’s ability to independently voice and address issues that its population faces.

    Yearlong slide into autocracy

    Georgian Dream passed a very similar foreign agent law on May 28, 2024, after overcoming a presidential veto. It forced NGOs receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register with the Ministry of Justice as “serving the interests of a foreign power.”

    Activists opposing the law have been physically assaulted, and the law has been utilized against what the ruling party has described as “LGBT propaganda.”

    The law fits a wider political landscape in which the ruling party has moved to restrict freedom of the press, prosecuted political opponents and postponed Georgia’s European Union candidate status despite the overwhelming majority of Georgians being pro-EU.

    Protestors take part in a pro-European rally in Warsaw, Poland, on April 30, 2024.
    Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Improving on Russian authoritarians

    Three critical factors played a role in allowing for the foreign agent law in Russia to expand its reach: the power imbalance between the Russian government and NGOs, limited action by international authorities, and delayed media attention to the issue.

    At the time the law was passed, civil society inside Russia itself was split. Some foresaw the dangers of the law and engaged in collective action to oppose it, while others chose to wait and see.

    As it happened, the law and the accompanying repressive apparatus spread to a broader range of targets. In 2015, Putin signed a law that designated an “undesirable” status to foreign organizations “on national security grounds”; in 2017, an amendment expanded the targets of the law from NGOs to mass media outlets; and at the end of 2019, the law allowed the classification of individuals and unregistered public associations – that is, groups of individuals – as mass media acting as foreign agents. By July 2022, the foreign funding criterion was excluded and a status of a foreign agent could be designated to anyone whom the Russian authorities deemed to be “under foreign influence.”

    Russia’s experience highlights the process of early stages of authoritarian consolidation, when state power quashes independent sources of power, and political groups and citizens either rally around the government or go silent. The foreign agent law in Russia was passed only after the protests that accompanied the 2012 elections, which returned Putin to the presidency for the third term.

    In Georgia, the ruling government borrowed from Russia’s lead – after backing down from its first attempt to pass a foreign agent law in the face of massive protests, it pushed it through before the elections.

    The law was then used to raid NGOs sympathetic to the opposition days before the October 2024 parliamentary election. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said before the elections that in the event of Georgian Dream’s victory, it would look to outlaw the pro-Western opposition, naming them “criminal political forces.”

    In the wake of President Donald Trump’s suspension of USAID assistance in February 2025, Georgian Dream has seized the opportunity to expand its war on civil society, echoing Russian, Chinese and American far-right conspiracy rhetoric that foreign-funded NGOs were fomenting revolution. To combat such phantoms, Georgian Dream has passed new legislation that criminalizes assembly and protest.

    A springboard for repression

    The foreign agent law has been a springboard for repressive activities in both Russia and Georgia, but while it took Russia a decade to effectively use the law to crush any opposition, Georgian Dream is working on an expedited timetable.

    Although the EU has suspended direct assistance and closed off visa-free travel for Georgian officials as a result of the law, Trump’s turn toward pro-Russian policies has made it more difficult to obtain Western consensus in dislodging the Georgian government from its authoritarian drift.

    Georgia’s experience, following the Russian playbook, illustrates how authoritarians are learning from each other, utilizing the rule of law itself against democracy.

    Christopher A. Hartwell has received funding from the Institute for Humane Studies and the Swiss National Science Foundation.

    Anastasiya Zavyalova does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. First year of Georgia’s ‘foreign agent’ law shows how autocracies are replicating Russian model − and speeding up the time frame – https://theconversation.com/first-year-of-georgias-foreign-agent-law-shows-how-autocracies-are-replicating-russian-model-and-speeding-up-the-time-frame-250878

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New 1,500-place prison opens as government grips crisis

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New 1,500-place prison opens as government grips crisis

    “Public safety must never be put at risk again by the failure to have enough prison places”, Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood said as she opened a new nearly 1,500-place prison in Yorkshire.

    • Major milestone in plan for 14,000 more prison places nationwide by 2031 

    • New prison designed to cut crime and get offenders into work 

    • Part of government’s Plan for Change to create safer streets 

    HMP Millsike is the first of four new jails to be built as part of the Plan for Change to create 14,000 extra prison places by 2031. This extra capacity will help put more violent offenders behind bars, make streets safer and ensure the country never runs out of cells again. 

    Last summer, the government inherited a prisons system days away from collapse which would have left police unable to take dangerous criminals off the streets. 

    Ms Mahmood said the opening marked another milestone in her work to get a grip of the prisons crisis that has dominated her first nine months in post. 

    As a Category C prison, HMP Millsike has been designed with a clear aim – cutting crime. It includes 24 workshops and training facilities aimed at getting offenders into work on release and away from crime for good so fewer people become victims in the future. 

    Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Shabana Mahmood, said: 

    This Government is fixing the broken prison system we inherited, delivering the cells needed to take the most dangerous criminals off our streets. 

    HMP Millsike sets the standard for the jails of the future, with cutting crime built into its very fabric. It is a huge step in our plan to add 14,000 extra prison places by 2031. 

    But building jails only takes us so far in ending this crisis, which is why we’re also reviewing sentencing so we can always lock up dangerous offenders and make our streets safer.

    The prison is the size of 39 football pitches and comes fitted top-to-bottom with security technology to combat the drugs, drones and phones that have plagued prisons in recent years and risked the safety of frontline officers.  

    This includes reinforced barless windows to deter drone activity, hundreds of CCTV cameras, and X-ray body scanners to spot and stop contraband entering the prison. 

    The prison will be operated by Mitie Care and Custody and will have education and workplace training provider PeoplePlus on site to give offenders the tools they need to find work on release and stay on the straight and narrow. 

    The construction of the prison alone generated nearly 800 jobs and around 600 will be created now it is in full operation, providing an economic boost to Yorkshire. 

    With the country still using many of its Victorian prisons, HMP Millsike has been built to also stand the test of time. Its use of modern materials and fittings will keep running and repairs costs to a minimum for taxpayers. 

    Russell Trent, Managing Director, Mitie Care & Custody said: 

    We are a proud partner to the MoJ, focused on building safer communities. 

    As a resettlement prison, our focus is on rehabilitation and restoration centred on future orientation to break the cycle of reoffending. We want our prisoners to leave HMP Millsike qualified, employable and equipped for life in the outside world. Everything from the building design to the technology, education and training opportunities has been engineered to create an environment where people leave ready to integrate and contribute to society. 

    Stuart Togwell, group managing director at Kier Construction said:  

    Using our significant experience in the justice sector, Kier has delivered a state-of-the-art, carbon-efficient facility designed to support rehabilitation, which has also provided new jobs, economic investment and skills development for the surrounding communities.  

    HMP Millsike supports the government’s commitment to increasing prison capacity and reducing reoffending, and joins our growing portfolio of prison redevelopment and build projects awarded in recent years.

    Its opening is a major milestone in the government’s 10-year prison capacity strategy published in December. This plan includes 6,400 places through new houseblocks and 6,500 places via new prisons. One thousand rapid deployment cells will be rolled out across the estate while more than 1,000 existing cells will be refurbished.   

    The government started the 700-place expansion at HMP Highpoint in Suffolk earlier this month, and a new houseblock providing nearly 460 places at HMP Rye Hill in Northamptonshire recently received its first prisoners. 

    It follows a £2.3 billion investment to deliver these prison builds, with a further £500 million going towards vital building maintenance across prisons and the probation service. The strategy will work alongside the Independent Sentencing Review to ensure the most serious offenders can always be sent to prison to protect the public.

    Background information 

    • Situated on land next to the existing HMP Full Sutton, HMP Millsike has been named after Millsike Beck, a local stream that runs adjacent to the new jail, firmly embedding the prison into its local community. 
    • The MoJ has produced a short documentary, Building a Prison: Inside HMP Millsike, which offers an exclusive look at the final stages of building the new prison. The documentary is available to watch on MoJ’s YouTube Channel.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 28 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Pregnant women face miscarriage and delivery complications in Darfur, Sudan

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    With only a few health facilities still functioning in Darfur, Sudan, pregnant women face harrowing journeys to seek care. Insecurity, checkpoints, and unaffordable or unavailable transportation force them to undertake day-long treks on foot or by donkey, often resulting in delivery complications, miscarriage or death.

    Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) runs activities in 10 out of Sudan’s 18 states, and has been witnessing the grave toll that the war has taken on women and their health in Darfur and across the country.

    The MSF health promotion team talks to patients at the Murnei hospital waiting area in West Darfur. Sudan, January 2025.
    Belen Filgueira/MSF

    In West and Central Darfur, many women who live in remote areas give birth at home, relying on traditional methods. The scarcity of healthcare facilities, the distance they have to travel, the insecurity on the road, and the price of transportation, often result in women seeking healthcare only after they face complications, putting both their lives and the lives of their babies at great risk.

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 70 per cent of health facilities in conflict-affected areas like Darfur are barely operational or completely closed, leaving millions without access to critical care amid one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history.

    “One mother gave birth at home, and couldn’t remove the placenta, then she was bleeding, so they rushed her to the hospital,” says Wendemagegn Tefera Benty, MSF project medical referent at Zalingei hospital in Central Darfur. “The family had to carry her, and after one day of walking, when they reached [the hospital], she had already passed away because of the bleeding.”

    The ongoing conflict in Sudan has a profound impact on the health of pregnant women and their babies, particularly in terms of preterm deliveries. It has left people unemployed and disrupted access to food and clean water. As a result, many pregnant women arrive at hospitals malnourished, which directly affects the health of their babies, often leading to preterm birth and malnourishment. After these babies are born, they are frequently admitted to observation units to ensure their survival and wellbeing. 

    “The biggest difficulty is how to manage to bring food to my children,” says a maternity patient at Murnei hospital, in West Darfur. “I was working a lot when I was pregnant and that is maybe why my baby was born weak. Access to healthcare was also difficult but MSF helped.”

    The MSF-supported Zalingei hospital is the only referral hospital available for specialised healthcare services for an estimated 500,000 people. There is no other health facility managing deliveries in the area. In the operating theatre at Zalingei hospital, our teams perform over 40 emergency caesarean section operations per month. 

    Afaf Omar Yahya experienced severe abdominal pain in her home as her pregnancy was about to come to term. Due to the lack of transportation in Darfur, she had no choice but to travel for hours on a donkey to reach Zalingei hospital. Upon her arrival, the doctor informed her she had suffered a miscarriage, and she needed to undergo an emergency caesarean section. 

    Marim Ahmed Ali holds her newborn baby while nurse Fatima Zacaria Abdalshfe inserts a cannula in his ankle at Murnei hospital in West Darfur. Sudan, January 2025.
    Belen Filgueira/MSF

    “Losing the baby was the greatest heartbreak for me,” says Afaf, while recovering at the maternity ward.

    Women from across Darfur share similar experiences, but the situation shows no signs of improvement.

    “Most of the complications we receive are caused by post-home delivery and anaemia during pregnancy,” says Virginie Mukamiza, midwife activity manager at Zalingei hospital. 

    Pregnant women seek medical care when they have post-partum bleeding or sepsis. 

    “Most health facilities in Darfur are now mere empty buildings,” says Osanatu Sento Bangura, MSF midwife activity manager at the MSF-supported Murnei hospital in West Darfur. “There’s no staff, no medications, nothing at all. Before the war, people had access at least to basic healthcare centres near their homes. Now they have to rely on big hospitals that are far away.”

    Many of these situations could have been prevented with antenatal consultations and adequate referral systems from basic healthcare facilities, but most of them have been either out of service since the onset of the war, or rely on humanitarian aid, which is widely unavailable, to deliver services.

    Twelve days after giving birth at home, Sameera visited the Romalia mobile clinic, in a remote area of West Darfur, to have both her and her baby checked. Upon arrival, she was running a high fever and had infected wounds in her arm. Following the home delivery, she had experienced terrible abdominal pain. Her brother gave her an injection to bring down her temperature, but injured her arm. She was in pain and couldn’t hold her baby properly. After conducting several tests, our teams at the clinic discovered an infection in her arm. They promptly disinfected and dressed the wound and prescribed treatment.

    The war’s far-reaching effects threaten to trap women and girls in a never-ending cycle of malnutrition, declining health, and maternal death. 

    We reiterate our call to drastically scale up the provision of lifesaving humanitarian aid and access to healthcare in Darfur. Warring parties must grant unhindered access for aid delivery and ease the obstacles that are preventing people from reaching healthcare. The full engagement of donors must be ensured to increase a sustained funding to boost the humanitarian response.

    You could also be interested in

     

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    Press Release 24 Feb 2025

    MIL OSI NGO –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Tens of millions at risk of extreme hunger and starvation as unprecedented funding crisis spirals

    Source: World Food Programme

    Photo: WFP/WFP/Jerry Ally Kahashi. WFP food distribution in Goma, DRC.

    Photo credit

    ROME – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned today that 58 million people risk losing life-saving assistance in the agency’s 28 most critical crisis response operations unless new funding is received urgently.

    Despite the generosity of many governments and individual donors, WFP is experiencing a steep decline in funding across its major donors. The severity of these cuts, combined with record levels of people in need, have led to an unprecedented crisis for tens of millions across the globe reliant on food aid.

    Right now, the organization is facing an alarming 40 percent drop in funding for 2025, as compared to last year. This is having severe repercussions for its food aid efforts globally, particularly emergency feeding programs that support the most vulnerable.

    “WFP is prioritizing countries with the greatest needs and stretching food rations at the frontlines. While we are doing everything possible to reduce operational costs, make no mistake, we are facing a funding cliff with life-threatening consequences,” said Rania Dagash-Kamara, WFP Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation. “Emergency feeding programmes not only save lives and alleviate human suffering, they bring greatly needed stability to fragile communities, which can spiral downwards when faced with extreme hunger.”

    WFP on the Frontlines 

    Today, global hunger is skyrocketing as 343 million people face severe food insecurity, driven by an unrelenting wave of global crises including conflict, economic instability, and climate-related emergencies. In 2025, WFP’s operations are focused on supporting just over one-third of those in need – roughly 123 million of the world’s hungriest people – nearly half of whom (58 million) are at imminent risk of losing access to food assistance.

    Last year, WFP teams helped feed more than 120 million people in 80 countries, delivering urgent food aid to hunger hot spots and frontline crises around the world. 

    Imminent Pipeline Breaks

    As WFP works to quickly adapt its operations to current low funding levels, it is alerting donors that its 28 most critical crisis response operations are facing severe funding constraints and dangerously low food supplies through August. 

    The 28 programs span: Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, South Sudan, Chad, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Uganda, Niger, Burkina Faso, DRC, Yemen, Mali, Bangladesh, Venezuela, Haiti, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia, Kenya, Ukraine, Malawi, Burundi, Ethiopia, Palestine, Central African Republic, Jordan, and Egypt. 

    Below are a few examples of these programmes.
     

    • Sudan: WFP requires nearly US$570 million to support over 7 million people per month in Sudan where a looming pipeline break will hit as early as April. Famine was first confirmed in Zamzam camp near the embattled city of El Fasher and has since spread to 10 areas across North Darfur and the Western Nuba mountains. In Sudan 24.6 million people do not have enough to eat. Delays in funding to deliver emergency food assistance, emergency nutrition and emergency logistics will cut a vital lifeline for millions with immediate and devastating consequences for vulnerable populations, who in many cases are just one step away from starvation.
    • Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): WFP requires US$399 million to feed 6.4 million as escalating violence by militia groups in the east has already displaced more than a million people. Food and nutrition assistance across the DRC is vital to stabilize the region and reach the most vulnerable who have already been displaced by conflict multiple times.
    •  Palestine: WFP emergency response requires approximately US$265 million over the next six months to provide support to nearly 1.4 million people in Gaza and the West Bank. An additional US$34 million is urgently needed for 3-month shock-responsive cash transfer assistance to support 40,000 families in the West Bank. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains critical with over 2 million people fully dependent on food assistance – most of them displaced, without shelter and income.
       
    • Syria: WFP requires US$140 million to provide food and nutrition assistance to 1.2 million people every month. Without new funding, WFP faces a pipeline break in August which would cut off food assistance to one million of the most severely food-insecure individuals. Any disruption in life-saving assistance threatens to erode stability and social cohesion during a critical moment when millions of Syrians try to return home.
       
    • Lebanon: WFP requires US$162 million to feed 1.4 million people as severe funding shortfalls are already disrupting food assistance to vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian refugees – fostering instability and heightened social tensions. With an ongoing economic crisis and government transition in Lebanon, food insecurity continues to rise with one in three already facing acute hunger. 
       
    • South Sudan: WFP requires US$281 million to provide food and nutrition assistance to 2.3 million people escaping war, climate extremes, and an economic disaster – plunging them into a severe hunger crisis. South Sudan has also seen more than one million people arrive, fleeing from the war in Sudan. Nearly two-thirds of the people in South Sudan are acutely food insecure. New funding for WFP’s crisis response activities in South Sudan is needed now to preposition life-saving food ahead of the rainy season.
    • Myanmar: WFP requires US$60 million to provide life-saving food assistance to 1.2 million people. Without immediate new funding a pipeline break in April will cut off one million from all support. Increased conflict, displacement and access restrictions are already sharply driving up food aid needs as the lean season is expected to begin in July when food shortages hit hardest.
    • Haiti: WFP requires US$10 million to feed 1.3 million as brutal violence by armed groups has caused record levels of hunger and displacement. Half the population is facing extreme hunger and a quarter of the children under the age of five are stunted. More than a million people have been forced from their homes, including a record 60,000 in just one month this year. WFP has been providing hot meals and cash assistance to displaced people, but without new funding, that lifesaving assistance could be suspended in the coming weeks.
    • Saheland Lake Chad Basin: WFP requires US$570 million to reach 5 million people with life-saving food and nutrition assistance. Without new funding a pipeline break is expected in April. Millions of the most vulnerable people in Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, and Nigeria in need of emergency support also face dire consequences as the June to August lean season approaches. At current funding levels, five million people risk losing critical support from WFP in the months ahead.

    #                 #                   #

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing Intl Film Festival announces star-studded jury, lineup and events

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Organizers have announced the Tiantan Award jury panel and additional details for the 15th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF), set for April 18-26 in Beijing.

    Organizers reveal the jury panel for the Tiantan Award main competition of the 15th Beijing International Film Festival during a press conference in Beijing, March 27, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the BJIFF Organizing Committee] 

    Prominent Chinese filmmaker Jiang Wen will chair the seven-member jury, organizers revealed at a press conference in Beijing on March 27.

    Jiang, known for his award-winning works “In the Heat of the Sun” (1994) and “Let the Bullets Fly” (2010), also gained international recognition for his role as Baze Malbus in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016).

    His experience includes serving as a competition juror at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2003 and the Venice International Film Festival in 2013. In 2017, Jiang became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The following year, he presided as jury president at the Shanghai International Film Festival.

    The BJIFF’s Tiantan Award main competition jury will include Chinese American director and actor Joan Chen, British director David Yates, Chinese mainland actor Ni Ni, Finnish director Teemu Nikki, Swiss director and actor Vincent Perez, and Chinese art director Tim Yip from China’s Hong Kong. The panel will select winners across 10 categories, including best feature film, best director and best screenplay. All awards will be presented at the festival’s closing ceremony and gala.

    The competition received a record 1,794 feature film submissions from 103 countries and regions, marking a 19% increase over last year’s 1,509 entries. International submissions accounted for 1,608 films, comprising nearly 90% of all entries and reflecting exceptional diversity in genre and thematic scope.

    Fifteen films have been shortlisted for the final competition, including three Chinese entries: Hao Ming and Li Peiran’s “Better Me, Better You,” Li Yongyi’s “Deep in the Mountains,” and Zhang Qi’s “Trapped.”

    International selections for the competition include Emine Yildirim’s “Apollon by Day Athena by Night” (Turkey), Sora Hokimoto’s “BAUS: The Ship’s Voyage Continues” (Japan), Maria Brendle’s “Frieda’s Case” (Switzerland), Tim Ellrich’s “In My Parents’ House” (Germany), Lilja Ingolfsdottir’s “Loveable” (Norway), Tobias Schmutzler, Kevin Schmutzler, Apuu Mourine, and Vallentine Chelluget’s “Nawi: Dear Future Me” (Kenya/Germany), Sophie Deraspe’s “Shepherds” (Canada/France), Andrea Segre’s “The Great Ambition” (Italy/Belgium/Bulgaria), Ivan Fund’s “The Message” (Argentina/Spain/Uruguay), Charlie McDowell’s “The Summer Book” (Finland/United Kingdom/United States), Noëlle Bastin and Baptiste Bogaert’s “Vitrival – The Most Beautiful Village in the World” (Belgium), and Hadi Mohaghegh’s “Vortex” (Iran/Czech Republic).

    The festival is supported by the China Film Administration and hosted by the Beijing municipal government and China Media Group. It will include star-studded opening and closing ceremonies featuring red-carpet shows.

    The festival’s core forums will delve into key topics, including intellectual property development, industry innovation, audience-driven storytelling and emerging film technologies. Additionally, the event will offer masterclasses conducted by acclaimed directors Jiang Wen and Jia Zhangke, along with French cinema icon Isabelle Huppert.

    The official poster for the 15th Beijing International Film Festival, designed by the renowned art director Huo Tingxiao. [Photo courtesy of the BJIFF Organizing Committee] 

    The festival also includes the Beijing Film Panorama, a highly anticipated program showcasing nostalgic classics, new blockbusters and previously unreleased films in China. This year, it will celebrate the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema and the 130th anniversary of world cinema.

    It will feature 18 thematic sections with nearly 300 exceptional international films across about 900 screenings at 33 premium venues in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. These venues span commercial theaters, arthouse cinemas and cultural spaces. Initial confirmed films include a Robert Altman centenary retrospective, as well as works by Jiri Menzel, Andrei Tarkovsky and the late David Lynch.

    The BJIFF will feature a diverse lineup with hundreds of events, including a film carnival, pitch sessions for emerging filmmakers and cross-industry collaborations that merge cinema with music, fashion and gastronomy.

    Additional highlights include cutting-edge tech showcases, programs focused on short films, sports films, works by female directors, and young filmmakers, plus creative markets, an AI-generated film competition unit, and a university student film festival.

    This year, Switzerland serves as the Country of Honor to commemorate 75 years of China-Switzerland diplomatic relations, with a special Swiss Film Week. The festival will also introduce its inaugural China Film Global Distribution and Promotion Awards, recognizing 10 domestic and international distributors for their outstanding work in promoting Chinese cinema globally and enhancing both its commercial reach and cultural impact.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coming up next week at the London Assembly W/C 31 March

    Source: Mayor of London

    PUBLICATIONS

    Thursday 3 April

    Cooperative Housing & Community Land Trusts

    Housing Committee

    The Housing Committee will publish a report on community-led housing schemes, including the challenges they face and the support needed to deliver the benefits that they provide to Londoners.

    MEDIA CONTACT: Josh Hunt on 07763 252 310 / [email protected]

    PUBLIC MEETINGS                                                                  

    Wednesday 2 April

    Oxford Street Consultation

    Planning and Regeneration Committee – The Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 10am

    The London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee will meet to scrutinise the Mayor of London’s plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street.

    The guests are:

    Panel 1 – 10.00 – 11.15

    • Cllr Adam Hug, Leader of Westminster City Council
    • Cllr Richard Olszewski, Leader of Camden Council
    • Dee Corsi, Chief Executive of New West End Company
    • Tim Lord, Chair of the Executive Committee, The Soho Society

    Panel 2 – 11.20 – 12.30

    • Dr Will Norman, Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Greater London Authority
    • David Rowe, Director of Investment Delivery Planning, Transport for London

    MEDIA CONTACT: Josh Hunt on 07763 252 310 / [email protected]

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Katapult Delivers Double-Digit Gross Originations Growth in the Fourth Quarter, Above Outlook

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Strong Holiday Season Performance; Momentum Continuing into 2025
    Establishes 2025 Outlook; Expects Growth to Continue in Q1 2025

    PLANO, Texas, March 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Katapult Holdings, Inc. (“Katapult” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: KPLT), an e-commerce-focused financial technology company, today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024.

    “We had a great fourth quarter, which included stronger-than-expected gross originations growth and 50% growth in application volume,” said Orlando Zayas, CEO of Katapult. “The fourth quarter holiday season is an incredibly important time for many of our merchant-partners and the Katapult marketplace delivered, including more than 100% year-over-year gross originations growth during the Cyber 5 period in 2024. This growth was driven by a number of initiatives including targeted and co-branded marketing campaigns and the launch of new app features that enhance the customer experience. Given our high repeat customer rate and the incremental sales we’re generating for our merchant-partners, we are confident that retailers, partners and consumers alike understand the value Katapult brings to the table.”

    “Prior to the launch of our app, we relied on direct and waterfall merchants to send us consumers and we developed a consistent track record for converting this traffic to the benefit of our merchant-partners. When we launched the Katapult app two years ago, we believed we could transform our operating model from a single-input driven business to a two-sided marketplace with a multidimensional growth engine. Our fourth quarter results demonstrated the progress we are making toward this goal. Customers are engaging more and more frequently with our marketplace, and during the fourth quarter, this led to approximately 61% of our gross originations starting in the Katapult app marketplace. The two-sided Katapult app marketplace, powered by KPay (Katapult Pay (R)), has become a reliable shopping destination for consumers across the US and a growth partner for durable goods merchants. We are excited about our potential and are looking forward to a great 2025.”

    Operating Progress: Recent Highlights

    • Successfully transitioning business model to two-sided marketplace and increasing platform velocity
      • ~61% of fourth quarter gross originations started in the Katapult app marketplace, making it the single largest customer referral source
      • Customer satisfaction remained high and Katapult had a Net Promoter Score of 58 as of December 31, 2024
      • 61.5% of gross originations for the fourth quarter of 2024 came from repeat customers1
    • Grew consumer engagement by adding app functionality and features and executing targeted marketing campaigns
      • Lease applications grew 50% year-over-year in the fourth quarter driven by new and existing customers
      • KPay gross originations grew approximately 52% year-over-year in the fourth quarter; 41% of total gross originations were transacted using KPay
      • Launched Metro by T-Mobile(R) (December 2024), Zales(R) (January 2025) and Rooms to Go(R) (February 2025) in the Katapult app marketplace, bringing the total number of merchants in our ecosystem to 33.
    • Strong progress against merchant engagement initiatives
      • Direct and waterfall gross originations, which represented 68% of total fourth quarter originations, grew approximately 44%, excluding the home furnishings and mattress category
      • Continued to expand our waterfall partnerships by onboarding 11 new merchants, including eight that are new to the Katapult app marketplace and three that already had a direct integration with Katapult
      • Together with several merchant-partners, we launched co-branded, co-promoted marketing campaigns that helped drive gross originations during the Cyber 5 period higher by more than 100% compared with the same period of last year
    • Entered new partnerships focused on expanding our applicant pool and providing consumers with more reasons to engage with the Katapult app marketplace

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights

    (All comparisons are year-over-year unless stated otherwise.)

    • Gross originations were $75.2 million, an increase of 11.3%. Excluding the home furnishings and mattress category within our direct/waterfall channel, gross originations grew 50% year-over-year.
    • Total revenue was $63.0 million, an increase of 9.4%
    • Total operating expenses in the fourth quarter decreased 37.4%. Our fixed cash operating expenses2, which exclude litigation settlement expenses, decreased approximately 7.1%.
    • Net loss was $9.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, an improvement compared with net loss of $14.6 million reported for the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Adjusted net loss2 was $8.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to an adjusted net loss of $6.3 million reported for the fourth quarter of 2023
    • Adjusted EBITDA2 loss was $1.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to Adjusted EBITDA2 loss of $0.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. The year-over-year performance was driven largely by higher cost of sales related to rapid, faster-than-expected gross originations growth in the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Katapult ended the quarter with total cash and cash equivalents of $16.6 million, which includes $13.1 million of restricted cash. The Company ended the quarter with $82.8 million of outstanding debt on its credit facility.
    • Write-offs as a percentage of revenue were 9.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024 and are within the Company’s 8% to 10% long-term target range. This compares with 8.7% in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    2024 Financial Highlights

    (All comparisons are year-over-year unless stated otherwise.)

    • Gross originations were $237 million, an increase of 4.7%
    • Total revenue was $247 million, an increase of 11.6%
    • Total operating expenses decreased 11.0%. Excluding litigation settlement expenses, total operating expenses decreased 17.0%. Our fixed cash operating expenses2, which exclude litigation settlement expenses, decreased approximately 7.1%.
    • Net loss was $26 million, an improvement compared with net loss of $37 million for 2023
    • Adjusted net loss2 was $17 million, an improvement compared to an adjusted net loss of $23 million for 2023
    • Adjusted EBITDA2 was $5 million compared to Adjusted EBITDA2 loss of $2 million in 2023
    • Write-offs as a percentage of revenue were 9.2% in 2024 and are within the Company’s 8% to 10% long-term target range. This compares with 9.2% in 2023.

    [1] Repeat customer rate is defined as the percentage of in-quarter originations from existing customers.
    [2] Please refer to the “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measure and Certain Other Data” section and the GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliation tables below for more information.  

    First Quarter and Full Year 2025 Business Outlook

    The Company is continuing to navigate a challenging macro environment particularly within the home furnishings category. Given the current breadth of our merchant selection as well as our plans to introduce new merchants to the Katapult App Marketplace during 2025, our strategic marketing and our strong consumer offering, we believe we are well positioned to deliver continued growth in 2025. We continue to believe that we have a large addressable market of underserved, non-prime consumers, and it’s important to note that lease-to-own solutions have historically benefited when prime credit options become less available.

    Given our quarter-to-date progress, Katapult expects the following results for the first quarter of 2025:

    • Approximately 11% year-over-year increase in gross originations
    • Approximately 10% year-over-year increase in revenue
    • Approximately $3 million of positive Adjusted EBITDA

    Based on the macroeconomic assumptions above and the operating plan in place for the full year 2025, Katapult expects to deliver the following results for full year 2025:

    • We expect gross originations to grow at least 20%

      This outlook does not include any material impact from prime creditors tightening or loosening above us and assumes that there are no significant changes to the macro environment.

      Both our first quarter and full year outlooks assume that the gross originations for the home furnishings and mattress category does not improve materially from our 2024 performance.

    • We also expect to maintain strong credit quality in our portfolio. This will be driven by ongoing enhancements to our risk modeling, onboarding high quality new merchants through integrations, and repeat customers engaging with Katapult Pay
    • Revenue growth is expected to be at least 20%
    • Finally with the continued execution of our disciplined expense management strategy combined with our growing top-line, we expect to deliver at least $10 million in positive Adjusted EBITDA

    “During 2024, we delivered strong top-line growth while continuing to lean into fiscal discipline and as a result, we were able to generate our first full year of Adjusted EBITDA profitability since 2021,” said Nancy Walsh, CFO of Katapult. “Since we have a two-sided marketplace business model, we can continue to scale our revenue without adding commensurate expenses. This means that in times of rapid revenue growth, as we are expecting in 2025, we can meaningfully accelerate our Adjusted EBITDA flow-through. We are executing well across the breadth of our two-sided marketplace and we expect to build on this momentum throughout 2025.”

    Conference Call and Webcast

    The Company will host a conference call and webcast at 8:00 AM ET on Friday, March 28, 2025, to discuss the Company’s financial results. Related presentation materials will be available before the call on the Company’s Investor Relations page at https://ir.katapultholdings.com. The conference call will be broadcast live in listen-only mode and an archive of the webcast will be available for one year.

    About Katapult

    Katapult is a technology driven lease-to-own platform that integrates with omnichannel retailers and e-commerce platforms to power the purchasing of everyday durable goods for underserved U.S. non-prime consumers. Through our point-of-sale (POS) integrations and innovative mobile app featuring Katapult Pay(R), consumers who may be unable to access traditional financing can shop a growing network of merchant partners. Our process is simple, fast, and transparent. We believe that seeing the good in people is good for business, humanizing the way underserved consumers get the things they need with payment solutions based on fairness and dignity.

    Contact

    Jennifer Kull
    VP of Investor Relations
    ir@katapult.com 

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements included in this Press Release and on our quarterly earnings call that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “design,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potentially,” “predict,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: in this Press Release and on our associated earnings call, statements regarding our first quarter of 2025 and full year 2025 business outlook and underlying assumptions, the expectation that the home furnishings category will not materially improve in the first quarter or throughout 2025, statements regarding our expectations for 2025, the impact of KPay on customer acquisition and our relationship with existing customers, the durability and timing of macroeconomic headwinds, the impact of our integrations within third-party waterfalls and our relationships with new merchant-partners on gross originations and financial expectations beyond 2025. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this Press Release, and on the current expectations of our management and are not predictions of actual performance.

    These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond our control. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, among others, our ability to refinance our indebtedness and continue as a going concern, the execution of our business strategy and expanding information and technology capabilities; our market opportunity and our ability to acquire new customers and retain existing customers; adoption and success of our mobile application featuring Katapult Pay; the timing and impact of our growth initiatives on our future financial performance; anticipated occurrence and timing of prime lending tightening and impact on our results of operations; general economic conditions in the markets where we operate, the cyclical nature of customer spending, and seasonal sales and spending patterns of customers; risks relating to factors affecting consumer spending that are not under our control, including, among others, levels of employment, disposable consumer income, inflation, prevailing interest rates, consumer debt and availability of credit, consumer confidence in future economic conditions, political conditions, and consumer perceptions of personal well-being and security and willingness and ability of customers to pay for the goods they lease through us when due; risks relating to uncertainty of our estimates of market opportunity and forecasts of market growth; risks related to the concentration of a significant portion of our transaction volume with a single merchant partner, or type of merchant or industry; the effects of competition on our future business; meet future liquidity requirements and complying with restrictive covenants related to our long-term indebtedness; the impact of unstable market and economic conditions such as rising inflation and interest rates; reliability of our platform and effectiveness of our risk model; data security breaches or other information technology incidents or disruptions, including cyber-attacks, and the protection of confidential, proprietary, personal and other information, including personal data of customers; ability to attract and retain employees, executive officers or directors; effectively respond to general economic and business conditions; obtain additional capital, including equity or debt financing and servicing our indebtedness; enhance future operating and financial results; anticipate rapid technological changes, including generative artificial intelligence and other new technologies; comply with laws and regulations applicable to our business, including laws and regulations related to rental purchase transactions; stay abreast of modified or new laws and regulations applying to our business, including with respect to rental purchase transactions and privacy regulations; maintain and grow relationships with merchants and partners; respond to uncertainties associated with product and service developments and market acceptance; the impacts of new U.S. federal income tax laws; material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting which, if not identified and remediated, could affect the reliability of our financial statements; successfully defend litigation; litigation, regulatory matters, complaints, adverse publicity and/or misconduct by employees, vendors and/or service providers; and other events or factors, including those resulting from civil unrest, war, foreign invasions (including the conflict involving Russia and Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict), terrorism, public health crises and pandemics (such as COVID-19), trade wars, or responses to such events; our ability to meet the minimum requirements for continued listing on the Nasdaq Global Market; and those factors discussed in greater detail in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 that we filed with the SEC.

    If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that we do not presently know or that we currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this Press Release or on our quarterly earnings call. All forward-looking statements contained herein or expressed on our quarterly earnings call are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we do not assume any obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future events, except as required by law. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be made that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

    Key Performance Metrics

    Katapult regularly reviews several metrics, including the following key metrics, to evaluate its business, measure its performance, identify trends affecting our business, formulate financial projections and make strategic decisions, which may also be useful to an investor: gross originations, total revenue, gross profit, adjusted gross profit and adjusted EBITDA.

    Gross originations are defined as the retail price of the merchandise associated with lease-purchase agreements entered into during the period through the Katapult platform. Gross originations do not represent revenue earned. However, we believe this is a useful operating metric for both Katapult’s management and investors to use in assessing the volume of transactions that take place on Katapult’s platform.

    Total revenue represents the summation of rental revenue and other revenue. Katapult measures this metric to assess the total view of pay through performance of its customers. Management believes looking at these components is useful to an investor as it helps to understand the total payment performance of customers.

    Gross profit represents total revenue less cost of revenue, and is a measure presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). See the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section below for a description and presentation of adjusted gross profit and adjusted EBITDA, which are non-GAAP measures utilized by management.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    To supplement the financial measures presented in this press release and related conference call or webcast in accordance with GAAP, the Company also presents the following non-GAAP and other measures of financial performance: adjusted gross profit, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income/(loss) and fixed cash operating expenses. The Company believes that for management and investors to more effectively compare core performance from period to period, the non-GAAP measures should exclude items that are not indicative of our results from ongoing business operations. The Company urges investors to consider non-GAAP measures only in conjunction with its GAAP financials and to review the reconciliation of the Company’s non-GAAP financial measures to its comparable GAAP financial measures, which are included in this press release.

    Adjusted gross profit represents gross profit less variable operating expenses, which are servicing costs, and underwriting fees. Management believes that adjusted gross profit provides a meaningful understanding of one aspect of its performance specifically attributable to total revenue and the variable costs associated with total revenue.

    Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure that is defined as net loss before interest expense and other fees, interest income, change in fair value of warrants and loss on issuance of shares, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization on property and equipment and capitalized software, provision of impairment of leased assets, loss on partial extinguishment of debt, stock-based compensation expense, and litigation settlement and other related expenses.

    Adjusted net loss is a non-GAAP measure that is defined as net loss before change in fair value of warrants and loss on issuance of shares, stock-based compensation expense, and litigation settlement and other related expenses.

    Fixed cash operating expenses is a non-GAAP measure that is defined as operating expenses less depreciation and amortization on property and equipment and capitalized software, stock-based compensation expense, litigation settlement and other related expenses, net and variable lease costs such as servicing costs and underwriting fees. Management believes that fixed cash operating expenses provides a meaningful understanding of non-variable ongoing expenses.

    Adjusted gross profit, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net loss are useful to an investor in evaluating the Company’s performance because these measures:

    • Are widely used to measure a company’s operating performance;
    • Are financial measurements that are used by rating agencies, lenders and other parties to evaluate the Company’s credit worthiness; and
    • Are used by the Company’s management for various purposes, including as measures of performance and as a basis for strategic planning and forecasting.

    Management believes that the use of non-GAAP financial measures, as a supplement to GAAP measures, is useful to investors in that they eliminate items that are not part of our core operations, highly variable or do not require a cash outlay, such as stock-based compensation expense. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures when evaluating operating performance and for internal planning and forecasting purposes. Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures help indicate underlying trends in the business, are important in comparing current results with prior period results and are useful to investors and financial analysts in assessing operating performance. However, these non-GAAP measures exclude items that are significant in understanding and assessing Katapult’s financial results. Therefore, these measures should not be considered in isolation or as alternatives to revenue, net loss, gross profit, cash flows from operations or other measures of profitability, liquidity or performance under GAAP. You should be aware that Katapult’s presentation of these measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

    KATAPULT HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
    (amounts in thousands, except per share data)
           
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
                   
    Revenue              
    Rental revenue $ 62,031     $ 56,735     $ 243,978     $ 218,347  
    Other revenue   932       823       3,216       3,241  
    Total revenue   62,963       57,558       247,194       221,588  
    Cost of revenue   55,557       48,657       201,423       179,881  
    Gross profit   7,406       8,901       45,771       41,707  
    Operating expenses:              
    Servicing costs   1,156       1,118       4,589       4,311  
    Underwriting fees   814       549       2,304       1,919  
    Professional and consulting fees   631       1,247       5,201       6,694  
    Technology and data analytics   1,740       1,642       7,170       6,905  
    Compensation costs   4,376       5,396       20,076       22,732  
    General and administrative   3,208       2,594       10,866       10,938  
    Litigation settlement, net   314       7,000       3,666       7,000  
    Total operating expenses   12,239       19,546       53,872       60,499  
    Loss from operations   (4,833 )     (10,645 )     (8,101 )     (18,792 )
    Loss on partial extinguishment of debt   —       —       —       (2,391 )
    Interest expense and other fees   (4,849 )     (4,271 )     (18,851 )     (17,822 )
    Interest income   148       363       1,163       1,697  
    Change in fair value of warrant liability   (5 )     36       17       807  
    Loss before income taxes   (9,539 )     (14,517 )     (25,772 )     (36,501 )
    Provision for income taxes   (30 )     (112 )     (143 )     (165 )
    Net loss $ (9,569 )   $ (14,629 )   $ (25,915 )   $ (36,666 )
                   
    Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic and diluted   4,518       4,130       4,347       4,088  
                   
    Net loss per common share – basic and diluted $ (2.12 )   $ (3.54 )   $ (5.96 )   $ (8.97 )
                                   
    KATAPULT HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (dollars in thousands, except per share data)
       
      December 31,
        2024       2023  
    ASSETS      
    Current assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 3,465     $ 21,408  
    Restricted cash   13,087       7,403  
    Property held for lease, net of accumulated depreciation and impairment   67,085       59,335  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets   6,731       4,491  
    Litigation insurance reimbursement receivable   —       5,000  
    Total current assets   90,368       97,637  
    Property and equipment, net   253       327  
    Security deposits   91       91  
    Capitalized software and intangible assets, net   2,076       1,919  
    Right-of-use assets, non-current   383       888  
    Total assets $ 93,171     $ 100,862  
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT      
    Current liabilities:      
    Accounts payable $ 1,491     $ 903  
    Accrued liabilities   17,372       24,146  
    Accrued litigation settlement   2,199       12,000  
    Unearned revenue   4,823       4,949  
    Revolving line of credit, net   82,582       —  
    Term loan, net, current   30,047       —  
    Lease liabilities   179       297  
    Total current liabilities   138,693       42,295  
    Revolving line of credit, net   —       60,347  
    Term loan, net, non-current   —       25,503  
    Other liabilities   828       95  
    Lease liabilities, non-current   444       614  
    Total liabilities   139,965       128,854  
    STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT      
    Common stock, 0.0001 par value– 250,000,000 shares authorized; 4,446,540 and 4,072,713 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively   —       —  
    Additional paid-in capital   101,657       94,544  
    Accumulated deficit   (148,451 )     (122,536 )
    Total stockholders’ deficit   (46,794 )     (27,992 )
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ deficit $ 93,171     $ 100,862  
                   
    KATAPULT HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
    (dollars in thousands)
       
      Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023  
    Cash flows from operating activities:      
    Net loss $ (25,915 )   $ (36,666 )
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:      
    Depreciation and amortization   140,636       126,533  
    Depreciation for early lease purchase options (buyouts)   29,061       25,784  
    Depreciation for impaired leases   24,962       22,019  
    Change in fair value of warrants and other non-cash items   (256 )     (807 )
    Stock-based compensation   5,759       7,034  
    Loss on partial extinguishment of debt   —       2,391  
    Amortization of debt discount   3,104       2,760  
    Amortization of debt issuance costs, net   220       277  
    Accrued PIK interest expense   1,440       1,555  
    Amortization of right-of-use assets   318       355  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:      
    Property held for lease   (201,189 )     (183,695 )
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets   (2,053 )     3,610  
    Litigation insurance reimbursement receivable   5,000       (5,000 )
    Accounts payable   588       (361 )
    Accrued liabilities   (6,775 )     4,419  
    Accrued litigation settlement   (7,055 )     12,000  
    Lease liabilities   (288 )     (387 )
    Unearned revenues   (126 )     765  
      Net cash used in operating activities   (32,569 )     (17,414 )
    Cash flows from investing activities:      
    Purchases of property and equipment   (54 )     (20 )
    Additions to capitalized software   (1,249 )     (954 )
      Net cash used in investing activities   (1,303 )     (974 )
    Cash flows from financing activities:      
    Proceeds from revolving line of credit   34,421       14,297  
    Principal repayments on revolving line of credit   (12,406 )     (11,551 )
    Principal repayment on term loan   —       (25,000 )
    Payments of deferred financing costs   —       (34 )
    Repurchases of restricted stock   (613 )     (355 )
    Proceeds from exercise of stock options   211       1  
      Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   21,613       (22,642 )
    Net (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash   (12,259 )     (41,030 )
    Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period   28,811       69,841  
    Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period $ 16,552     $ 28,811  
    Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:      
    Cash paid for interest $ 13,709     $ 13,014  
    Cash paid for income taxes $ 270     $ 206  
    Deferred financing costs included in accrued liabilities $ —     $ 481  
    Issuance of warrants to purchase common stock in connection with debt refinancing $ —     $ 4,060  
    Issuance of common stock in connection with litigation settlements $ 1,756     $ —  
    Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities $ —     $ 471  
    Cash paid for operating leases $ 359     $ 513  
                   

    KATAPULT HOLDINGS, INC.
    RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES AND CERTAIN OTHER DATA (UNAUDITED)
    (amounts in thousands)

      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
                   
    Net loss $ (9,569 )   $ (14,629 )   $ (25,915 )   $ (36,666 )
    Add back:              
    Interest expense and other fees   4,849       4,271       18,851       17,822  
    Interest income   (148 )     (363 )     (1,163 )     (1,697 )
    Change in fair value of warrants   5       (36 )     (17 )     (807 )
    Provision for income taxes   30       112       143       165  
    Depreciation and amortization on property and equipment and capitalized software   287       454       1,219       1,133  
    Provision for impairment of leased assets   1,921       1,508       2,227       1,727  
    Loss on partial extinguishment of debt   —       —       —       2,391  
    Stock-based compensation expense   1,331       1,356       5,759       7,034  
    Litigation settlement and other related expenses, net   226     $ 7,000       3,666       7,000  
    Adjusted EBITDA $ (1,068 )   $ (327 )   $ 4,770     $ (1,898 )
                                   
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
                   
    Net loss $ (9,569 )   $ (14,629 )   $ (25,915 )   $ (36,666 )
    Add back:              
    Change in fair value of warrants   5       (36 )     (17 )     (807 )
    Stock-based compensation expense   1,331       1,356       5,759       7,034  
    Litigation settlement and other related expenses, net   226       7,000       3,666       7,000  
    Adjusted net loss $ (8,007 )   $ (6,309 )   $ (16,507 )   $ (23,439 )
                                   
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024     2023     2024     2023
                   
    Total operating expenses $ 12,239   $ 19,546   $ 53,872   $ 60,499
    Less:              
    Depreciation and amortization on property and equipment and capitalized software   287     454     1,219     1,133
    Stock-based compensation expense   1,331     1,356     5,759     7,034
    Servicing costs   1,156     1,118     4,589     4,311
    Underwriting fees   814     549     2,304     1,919
    Litigation settlement and other related expenses, net   226     7,000     3,666     7,000
    Fixed cash operating expenses $ 8,425   $ 9,069   $ 36,335   $ 39,102
                           
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024     2023     2024     2023
                   
    Total revenue $ 62,963   $ 57,558   $ 247,194   $ 221,588
    Cost of revenue   55,557     48,657     201,423     179,881
    Gross profit   7,406     8,901     45,771     41,707
    Less:              
    Servicing costs   1,156     1,118     4,589     4,311
    Underwriting fees   814     549     2,304     1,919
    Adjusted gross profit $ 5,436   $ 7,234   $ 38,878   $ 35,477
                           

    CERTAIN KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS

    (in thousands) Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024     2023     2024     2023
    Total revenue $ 62,963   $ 57,558   $ 247,194   $ 221,588
                           

    KATAPULT HOLDINGS, INC.
    GROSS ORIGINATIONS BY QUARTER

        Gross Originations by Quarter
    ($ millions)   Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4
    FY 2024   $ 55.6   $ 55.3   $ 51.2   $ 75.2
    FY 2023   $ 54.7   $ 54.7   $ 49.6   $ 67.5
    FY 2022   $ 46.7   $ 46.4   $ 44.1   $ 59.8
    FY 2021   $ 63.8   $ 64.4   $ 61.0   $ 58.9

    The MIL Network –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Enlight Wins Israel’s First Ever Land Tender for an Integrated Data Center and Renewable Energy Facility in the Ashalim Region

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TEL AVIV, Israel, March 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enlight Renewable Energy (“Enlight”, “the Company”, NASDAQ: ENLT, TASE: ENLT.TA), a leading renewable energy platform, announced today that it won an Israel Land Authority (ILA) tender to develop a state-of-the-art integrated data center and renewable energy complex on a 50-acre site in Ashalim, southern Israel. The Company plans to invest up to $1.1 billion in the project, which marks a major milestone in the expansion of data centers to southern Israel, contributing to the strategic national goal of relocating large electricity consumers to regions with renewable energy production.

    There is enormous demand for new data centers in Israel, but most of them are concentrated in the central region, where there is a severe shortage of suitable land and power infrastructure. This region requires the costly transmission of electricity produced in the south to meet its growing energy needs. Ashalim, home to Israel’s largest renewable energy hub with existing high-voltage transmission and communication networks, offers an ideal solution for large-scale data centers. Enlight views the ILA tender as a visionary step forward for Israel, and sees the award as a significant opportunity for the Company.

    The solar generation and energy storage facility planned adjacent to the data center will help meet part of its electricity demand and reduce operating costs. By integrating a renewable energy facility with the data center, Enlight will leverage its expertise in energy development, construction, financing, and management, marking another milestone in Israel’s energy revolution. The integrated data, generation, and storage complex, which Enlight plans to build in accordance with the tender’s terms, will feature a 100 MW AC hourly consumption capacity.

    Enlight is actively exploring additional opportunities in the expanding market of combined renewable energy and data center facilities, both in Israel and Europe.

    Gilad Peled, GM of Enlight MENA: “Enlight is leading the integration of renewable energy into the growing data center sector. We believe that powering data centers with renewable energy is the right path to take, both as a national initiative and for us as a developer. Winning this tender will allow us to leverage our expertise in renewable energy and lead a national effort to develop data centers in southern Israel. This represents both an economic growth engine as well as a solution to the challenges and costs of electricity production and transmission into the country’s central region.”

    About Enlight Renewable Energy

    Founded in 2008, Enlight develops, finances, constructs, owns, and operates utility-scale renewable energy projects. Enlight operates across the three largest renewable segments today: solar, wind and energy storage. The company’s portfolio is 30.2 FGW, out of which the mature portfolio is 8.6 FGW, and the operational portfolio is 3 FGW. A global platform, Enlight operates in the United States, Israel and 10 European countries. Enlight has been traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since 2010 (TASE: ENLT) and completed its U.S. IPO (Nasdaq: ENLT) in 2023. Learn more at www.enlightenergy.co.il.

    Contacts:

    Yonah Weisz

    Director IR

    investors@enlightenergy.co.il

    Erica Mannion or Mike Funari

    Sapphire Investor Relations, LLC

    +1 617 542 6180

    investors@enlightenergy.co.il

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

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

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

    The MIL Network –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Visit to Veliky Novgorod: Foreign students celebrate the anniversary of the preparatory faculty

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    This year, the Polytechnic Preparatory Department celebrates its anniversary. 60 years ago, the first foreign students arrived on the banks of the Neva and began their studies at the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute named after M. I. Kalinin. In honor of this event, a trip to Veliky Novgorod, a city with an ancient history, was organized for current students.

    Children from Algeria, Pakistan, China, Turkey, Chad and other countries saw how Russian culture was born. They walked around the Novgorod Kremlin (Detinets) — the oldest fortress in Russia, where they learned about the defense of cities in ancient times. At the monument “Millennium of Russia” the students examined the figures of great rulers: Yaroslav the Wise, Alexander Nevsky, Ivan III and learned their history.

    Everyone was especially impressed by the Saint Sophia Cathedral. It is huge and very beautiful! Such buildings show how much history means to your country, – shared Ok Berk from Turkey.

    The students also visited the Vitoslavlitsy Museum, where they saw old wooden houses, churches and a windmill.

    I liked how the museum preserved the peasants’ way of life. It seemed as if I had gone back in time! – said Ahmad Md Nawab from India.

    After the excursion, the group went to an old village, where they tried traditional dishes and heard folk legends.

    Novgorod is a city that everyone should see! There is so much history, nature and kind people here, the guys shared their impressions.

    The trip was not only a vacation, but also a lesson in Russian culture. The students returned with bright photos, new knowledge and a desire to learn even more about Russia.

    The preparatory faculty continues its festive events – meetings with graduates, conferences and a gala concert are ahead.

    The preparatory faculty of SPbPU has more than half a century of successful training of foreign citizens. Our students were very lucky to come to the preparatory faculty of the Polytechnic in this anniversary year. I am sure many guys will take part in the ceremonial events and will continue their education at the Polytechnic, – noted assistant to the vice-rector Pavel Nedelko.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: 10 people killed in powerful earthquake in Myanmar

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo taken on March 28, 2025 shows damage to the walled fort of Mandalay Palace after the earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar. [Photo/Xinhua]

    At least 10 people were killed when a mosque collapsed in Mandalay after a strong earthquake hit Myanmar on Friday, according to local media outlet Khit Thit.

    The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.7, jolted 16 km NNW of Sagaing, Myanmar earlier in the day, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

    The epicenter, with a depth of 10.0 km, was initially determined to be at 22.01 degrees north latitude and 95.92 degrees east longitude.

    The quake caused “considerable damage” to some buildings, including the walled fort of Mandalay Palace.

    Multiple structures in Mandalay Region suffered collapses, while several roads linking Mandalay and Yangon were damaged or blocked, disrupting transportation.

    Xinhua reporters in Yangon reported that the tremors were strongly felt in the capital of Nay Pyi Taw and the largest city of Yangon. Some schools and office buildings in Nay Pyi Taw were also reported to have crumbled.

    The Myanmar Fire Service Department said that a rescue operation has been conducted in response to the earthquake.

    Following the earthquake, Xinhua reporters in Vientiane, capital of Laos, Bangkok, capital of Thailand, and Hanoi, capital of Vietnam reported that strong tremors were felt in those areas as well.

    Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced a state of emergency in Bangkok.

    A 30-story building under construction collapsed in the Thai capital, resulting in one death and leaving 43 others missing.

    In Vientiane, buildings above three stories experienced noticeable shaking, with residents in high-rise buildings feeling intense swaying indoors.

    In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, residents living in high-rise buildings also experienced noticeable shaking while at home.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Button industry thrives in Qiaotou Town of E China’s Zhejiang

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Button industry thrives in Qiaotou Town of E China’s Zhejiang

    Updated: March 28, 2025 15:43 Xinhua
    A staff member sorts out button samples at a button company in Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, March 26, 2025. Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County has been developing its button industry since late 1970s and has now become a renowned “Button Capital.” Currently, over 250 button enterprises in Qiaotou County provide jobs for about 16,000 people, and produce around 60 billion buttons with annual sales exceeding 4 billion yuan (about 550.6 million U.S. dollars). [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member designs new button products at a button company in Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member conducts quality inspection on buttons at a workshop in Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, March 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on March 27, 2025 shows a type of eco-friendly button made from recycled materials displayed by a button company in Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member packs button products at a button store in a trade center in Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, March 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member takes advertising photos for buttons at a button company in Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member packs button samples at a button stall in Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member works at a workshop of a garment company in Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, March 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member works at a workshop of a button company in Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member packs buttons for a customer at a button stall in Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member works at a warehouse of an e-commerce company in Qiaotou Town of Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: All-Russian school TIM-Championship of SPbGASU: results summed up

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    The All-Russian School TIM Championship of SPbGASU has ended: on March 26 for its participants, on the 27th – for the jury. The works have been checked, the results have been summed up.

    As Denis Nizhegorodtsev, Deputy Director of the Educational Center for Digital Competencies at SPbGASU, explained, the students solved two problems: creating a digital information model and drawing up drawings based on it.

    “Of course, the level of their work with drawings is lower than with the modeling functionality. Nevertheless, if we consider that the tasks were completed by students in grades eight through eleven, the quality of the work performed can be considered very good. Participants from all regions demonstrated a decent level of proficiency in building information modeling tools. Having received the appropriate professional knowledge in the construction industry, they would be able to successfully complete tasks in real design,” Denis Nizhegorodtsev noted.

    Evgeny Alimpiev was declared the winner of the TIM Championship. Sergey Alshevsky took second place, and Roman Andrievsky took third place.

    Sergey Alshevsky, a student at School No. 347 in the Nevsky District of St. Petersburg, believes that participation in the TIM-Classes project is good preparation for this Olympiad; in addition, experience helped – Sergey participated for the second time.

    “Last year, the tasks seemed easy because all the formulas and calculations were given. This time, I had to calculate the area of the premises myself, including the walls and doors, and it was difficult. But I like participating in these kinds of competitions: it develops skills and prepares for further activities. True, I have not yet decided on a profession, but I think that I will go to college or university with the aim of obtaining a working specialty – where you need to work with your hands, on the road, so as not to sit at the computer,” explained Sergey.

    Participants of the TIM Championship talk about it

    In preparation for the TIM Championship, tenth-grader of the Surgut Scientific Lyceum Maria Nikitenko took a preparatory week-long course in Khanty-Mansiysk, where she learned to work in two programs: Renga and QGIS. After that, she continued to prepare independently, including using educational videos.

    “There were tasks at the qualifying stage of the TIM Championship that I easily completed. But when I saw the three-dimensional drawings at the final stage, I was even scared at first. In about fifteen minutes I figured out the process and realized: you don’t need to panic, but just look closely at every detail of the projects and build systematically. I like doing this so much that I plan to enroll in the architecture department of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. For this purpose, I will continue to participate in such competitions in order to seriously immerse myself in the topic,” said Maria.

    Valery Selivanov, a tenth-grader at School No. 20 in the Nevsky District of St. Petersburg, is a participant in the TIM-Classes project, so he contacted his supervisor, a student at St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, to clarify some questions about participating in the TIM Championship. He also completed the university’s educational video courses.

    “In the TIM class, we also make a project of an individual residential house, but it is much easier there, because you choose the house yourself, build it according to the prescribed requirements and declared parameters. Here I saw a huge drawing, which was quite difficult to navigate. For example, to clarify each criterion, it was necessary to turn over many pages, the task was voluminous. But I am happy, although at first it seemed that I did not have time. It was nice to meet the guys: I came alone and was worried about how I would be in an unfamiliar place with strangers, but I immediately joined the general company of interesting participants from different cities. Most likely, after finishing school, I will choose a technical specialty, but I will think about the profile for now: perhaps it will be innovative technologies,” concluded Valery.

    Karim Khalitov, an eighth-grade student at the Specialized Educational and Scientific Center “IT Lyceum of Kazan Federal University”, admits that two months ago he had not even heard of information modeling technologies. A friend introduced him to this field.

    “A friend is keen on architecture, plans to enter SPbGASU, but unfortunately couldn’t come. He suggested that I study TIM and take a three-week preparatory course at the Kazan University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. After that, I took part in my first TIM competition among professionals and took third place at the regional stage. The result inspired me to participate in the TIM Championship of SPbGASU. The most difficult moment was reading the drawings. I read such drawings on paper, and their electronic format was unusual for me. I managed to do something, but I tried to do everything. At the same time, reading these drawings and interpreting them into a 3D model is very interesting. The process itself is fascinating!” – shared Karim.

    He does not yet plan to connect his future profession with architecture, but he considers participation in the TIM Championship important for self-development and finding his own direction of activity.

    Championship results

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Tall Ships anthem gets big ‘Aye Aye’ at maiden recital

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    The official Aberdeen anthem for this summer’s much-anticipated Tall Ships spectacular was given its premiere yesterday (Thursday 27 March) to great acclaim. 

    In another first for The Tall Ships Races, the event’s official mascot – Dorry the Dolphin – made a debut appearance at the special lunchtime concert in Aberdeen Art Gallery’s Cowdray Hall.

    Primary 4 pupils from Abbotswell School sang ‘The Sea Journey’ l to an audience of 150, including composer Clara-Jane Maunder who wrote the piece for the Aberdeen City Council Music Service pupils to celebrate the Tall Ships return to the city.

    Clara-Jane, a former Music Service pupil who went on to study at Aberdeen University and is now an emerging professional composer was delighted with her composition’s public debut which named familiar Aberdeen landmarks.

    She said: “It has been a real delight to work on this commission for Aberdeen City Music service over the past couple of months, and it has been even more wonderful to hear it performed in such a beautiful and enthusiastic way by pupils from Abbotswell Primary School.”

    I benefitted hugely from the Music Service’s instrumental tuition, ensembles, and orchestras as a young person, so this has been an absolute full-circle moment. It has been truly wonderful to have the opportunity to write for the next generation of young creatives, inspired by the city I grew up in. 

    “‘A Sea Journey’ follows the journey of a sailor (maybe from this century, or maybe from long ago) as they return to Aberdeen after a long time at sea, continuing with them past familiar parts of Aberdeen’s coastline until they arrive home to the Granite City.).

    Clara-Jane’s delight was shared by Councillor Martin Greig, Chair of the Tall Ships Organising Committee, who said: “It was a pleasure to be here today on such a joyful occasion.

    “The pupils gave a wonderful performance of Clara-Jane’s stirring composition which will be a real symbol of the Tall Ships and our great maritime city. The song will be a splendid long lasting legacy of this year’s Tall Ships experience. Joining in with the words and music is a great way to share in the celebrations and the fun.”

    The piece has been written as a flexi score which means that it can be performed by different combinations of musicians such as a full orchestra and choir, or sung by a soloist and string quartet. This allows the piece to be used as much as possible in different settings including not only the Tall Ships festival but also  the forthcoming Big Sing 2025.

    Also among the captivated audience were Bob Sanguinetti, CEO, Port of Aberdeen and Adrian Watson, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Inspired. Mr Sanguinetti said: “I’m thrilled to have been part of this memorable occasion today. The students showcased an outstanding performance of Clara-Jane’s captivating composition, which perfectly embodies the essence of the Tall Ships and reflects the rich maritime spirit of our city. This remarkable piece will leave a lasting impression, serving as a wonderful reminder of this year’s Tall Ships event.”

    Mr Watson said was also charmed by the pupil’s performance, saying: “It was a magical moment to hear the talented pupils of Abbotswell School give this moving piece of music its premiere.

    “This might be the first time we have heard Clara-Jane’s soaring work, The Sea Journey, but it won’t be the last. I am sure this enchanting composition will become a much-loved and oft-performed anthem for The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen.

    “Today was very much about firsts for The Tall Ships Races, with Dorry the Dolphin’s debut appearance making a splash at the concert. Such a fun and loveable mascot for the Tall Ships, Dorry will become a familiar sight on city streets in the weeks to come.”

    Aberdeen Sinfonietta is premiering Clara-Jane’s second Tall Ships piece “The Coast” on 18 May at The Music Hall concert on maritime-related orchestral music.

    https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/whats-on/aberdeen-sinfonietta-far-and-away/

    Meanwhile, Dorry will be popping up around the city over the coming weeks at the Bucksburn Community Council Event, Peterculter Gala, Big Belmont Bash and Aberdeen Highland Games.

    Photograph shows Abbotswell P4 pupils and Tall Ships mascot Dorry the Dolphin flanked by Cllr Martin Greig (left) and composer Clara-Jane Maunder (right) 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Europe: EUAA provides targeted operational support to ten Member States where protection systems are under pressure

    Source: European Asylum Support Office

    The EUAA is providing operational support to 10 Member States: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain. The EUAA’s support covers different facets of asylum, reception, relocation and temporary protection, and comes as the EU and its Member States prepare to implement the Pact on Migration and Asylum.

    The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), which has operations in 10 Member States, has recently signed amended or new Operational Plans with eight of these countries. The new plans build on a years-long work to streamline and standardise the support the Agency provides to Member States, while also ensuring national authorities benefit from effective EU support. With the signatures of these plans, the EUAA continues to provide targeted support to Member States where protection systems are under pressure, either as the result of being at the forefront of migration flows, or because they need to cope with applications stemming from secondary movements.

    Together with Spain and Germany, where the operational support was agreed on in 2023 and 2024, respectively; the EUAA is now present on the ground in 10 Member States and will deploy around 1 500 personnel throughout 2025. Separately, the Agency has closed its operations in Austria, Lithuania and Slovenia last year.

    • Support to Asylum

    The EUAA is expanding its operational support in Belgium, with new support provided to the national asylum system. The Agency plan includes support with access to the asylum procedure and the processing of Dublin cases, and with processing applications. The Agency will deploy up to 66 personnel in support of asylum processes and procedures in Belgium.

    In Bulgaria, the Agency will help the national authorities develop and implement more standardised approaches to asylum processes. Building on previous work, the EUAA will also expand its support to the digitisation of case management files, thereby leading to more efficient processes. The Agency will deploy up to 12 personnel to assist with asylum processes in Bulgaria. In Romania, and building on its existing support, the EUAA will begin working to strengthen Romania’s capacity to handle the specific protection needs of unaccompanied minors.

    In Cyprus, the EUAA will continue to support both the asylum and reception systems of the country, including workflows relating to access to the procedure and the processing of asylum applications, as well as the strengthening of reception capacity. The EUAA recently handed over 62 Reception Units to the national authorities, increasing capacity by 240 places. The Agency will deploy up to 90 experts to support asylum processes in Cyprus, together with up to 100 interpreters.

    The EUAA will also provide targeted support to Italy, with the processing of accelerated border procedures at first and second instance. The Agency will deploy up to 130 personnel to support asylum processes. In Greece, the Agency will readjust its current and targeted intervention for one more year, with the deployment of up to 489 experts who will support asylum and reception related processes.

    • Support to Reception

    Building on existing efforts in the field of asylum, the Agency will also continue to support Italy in strengthening the overall quality of the reception system, including by assisting the national authorities in the regional allocation of applicants, primarily focusing on unaccompanied minors. The Agency will deploy up to 74 experts to assist the Italian authorities in reception-related processes. In Bulgaria, the Agency will expand its reception support with additional capacity, including by providing 10 housing and non-housing units to the national authorities.

    In the Netherlands, the EUAA will continue assisting in managing arrivals into the reception system, with a focus on identifying vulnerable individuals and implementing child protection activities. In Spain, the EUAA is continuing its work with the national authorities. Since October 2024, the Agency has deployed 12 reception experts to the Canary Islands, where it is helping to strengthen reception systems, particularly with regard to training and unaccompanied minors, and where it will soon begin vulnerability support.

    • Support to Relocation

    In 2025, the EUAA will continue to support the five EU countries bordering the Mediterranean with the implementation of the Voluntary Solidarity Mechanism (VSM). With the European Commission coordinating national pledges, the Agency has supported EU+ countries in relocating over 6 000 asylum applicants since October 2022. In Malta, the EUAA’s operational support to asylum and reception has been successfully phased out, and will now focus exclusively on relocation.

    • Support to Temporary Protection

    The Agency will continue to support Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Romania and Spain with the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive. With the number of temporary protection beneficiaries in the EU countries remaining stable at 4.4 million, and with new registrations having decreased significantly, the EUAA will support registration where needed but aims at transitioning these processes to the full responsibility of these Member States’ national authorities.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: Asian Development Blog: Empowering Women in Tourism: The Key to a Healthy, Resilient Industry

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Empowering women in tourism through targeted policies can overcome barriers like limited finance and caregiving burdens, unlocking their potential to drive job creation, sustainable innovation, and economic and health resilience in times of crisis.

    Tourism has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sectors in Asia and the Pacific, with international arrivals reaching 87% of pre-pandemic levels in 2024. Women are a significant driving force in the tourism sector in Asia and the Pacific, constituting a majority of the workforce (52%). Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises led by women are pivotal to generating jobs in tourism and spurring local development. 

    For instance, in Cambodia, the women’s labor force participation rate was 80% in 2019, and women constituted 60% of the tourism workforce, with many employed in small enterprises and involved in designing tours to promote culture, art, tradition, religion, food, souvenirs, and tourist attractions. 

    By contrast, the Maldives presents a stark contrast: home to over 160 island resorts, it has only 10% female resort employees and a mere 3% local women in 2019. In Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, women are predominantly employed in hospitality, tours and artisanal crafts. The tourism industries in these countries are also male dominated, with Tajikistan’s employing 31% women.

    Despite this diversity in national contexts, women workers and women-led small businesses face similar challenges in the tourism industry across Asia’s developing countries. 

    Even in countries with higher female participation, such as Cambodia, women are overrepresented in low-paid, low-skilled, and often temporary or part-time jobs that heighten job insecurity, financial instability, and a wage gap. This is a common phenomenon across developing Asian countries with lower female participation in tourism. 

    One of the reasons is societal expectations on women’s role as the primary caregivers at home. The significant burden on female entrepreneurs and workers to balance paid work with unpaid, domestic responsibilities restricts their ability to take more business risks and expand their networks. 

    A report from the International Labour Organization shows that women in Asia and the Pacific spend 4.1 times more time in unpaid care work than men. The resulting time scarcity and mobility constraints faced by women impact their ability to participate in the labor market, grasp opportunities for career advancement, invest in and expand their businesses, and achieve financial independence. 

    These barriers also reinforce women’s lack of collateral required for loans that are essential to access to finance. Data shows that only 17%, 36%, and 49% of women own a house alone or jointly in Maldives, Tajikistan, and Cambodia, respectively. This not only restricts their ability to borrow, invest, and grow tourism businesses but also affects broader aspects of their well-being, including nutritional security and access to healthcare.

    By offering diverse cultural insights and authentic travel experiences, women-led businesses enrich the global tourism landscape.

    Structural discrimination from financial institutions further limits women’s access to finance. These, in turn, reinforce women’s concentration in low-paying or less secure positions, while men tend to dominate managerial and leadership roles, intensifying these inequalities in tourism. 

    In addition to financial exclusion, women in tourism often face unsafe and precarious working conditions. The seasonal nature of tourism, poor working conditions faced by women in tourism, such as workplace safety and harassment, and insufficient social protection, including mental health support on overworking and childcare support, exacerbate these issues. Many women also work in the informal sector and family-owned tourism businesses with no employment benefits or safety nets. 

    Health and hygiene-related risks also disproportionately affect women in tourism. The lack of access to proper sanitation facilities, clean water supply, and hygiene amenities at tourism workplaces could pose risks to women’s health and safety, such as their vulnerability to reproductive and urinary tract infections, privacy and violence concerns when using shared facilities, and challenges in managing menstrual hygiene. 

    These vulnerabilities were worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused an economic shock in the tourism industry that led to business closures and job losses. Also, it has increased unpaid care work and exposed the vulnerability of women entrepreneurs who often do not have sufficient financial reserves and support mechanisms to weather such crises.

    Despite these challenges, women in the tourism industry have demonstrated resilience and innovation. In Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, women-led guesthouses, tour companies, and handicraft cooperatives have gained recognition for promoting personalized services and cultural heritage, attracting both domestic and international tourists and contributing to local economies.

    Women can be agents of change for sustainable tourism, promoting culturally sensitive and innovative solutions. Examples of empowerment that help address inequalities and improve health and economic outcomes include: 

    Increasing opportunities for women in national tourism, health, and economic policies: A multisector approach to policymaking may ensure that women have equal opportunities, compensation, and support to thrive in the industry. Enhanced maternal, sexual, and reproductive health services are needed. The Tajikistan National Development Strategy 2030, which explicitly calls for the equal treatment of women in the labor market, is a promising initiative. 

    Creating a safe and healthy work environment for women: Addressing workplace safety, harassment, and discrimination in both public and private sectors can help women feel secure and supported. Improving health and security standards may also attract more solo and group female travelers. 

    Reducing barriers to obtaining loans and credit: Microfinance programs and financial products tailored to women may promote women’s access to finance for investing in and expanding their businesses, adopting new technologies, bolstering marketing efforts, and keeping businesses afloat when visitor numbers decline.

    Targeted training programs and capacity-building initiatives: Networks, mentorship, legal aid, counselling services, and digital training may provide support and resources for women to navigate challenges and enhance their business skills.

    Improved sex-disaggregated data for real-time, evidence-based policymaking: Women in tourism contribute to a large sector.

    By accurately quantifying the scope of female entrepreneurship in tourism, officials can craft targeted interventions that bolster women’s rights, strengthen community resilience, and safeguard the natural assets that underpin local economies.  

    In the end, empowering women entrepreneurs in tourism benefits not only the individuals who own and operate these businesses, but also entire communities seeking inclusive, healthy, and resilient growth.  

    By offering diverse cultural insights and authentic travel experiences, women-led businesses enrich the global tourism landscape—while underscoring that economic development is most sustainable when it lifts everyone. 
     

    Maria Gisela Orinion, Kyi Thar, and Marjorie van Strien contributed to this blog post.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing cultural exchange event promotes unity, inclusion

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Guests mingle at “The Night of Lights” cultural exchange event in Beijing, March 23, 2025. [Photo by Liao Jiaxin/China.org.cn]
    A vibrant cultural exchange event titled “The Night of Lights” was hosted in a Beijing cultural space on March 23, bringing together diplomats, students and business professionals from Pakistan, Tunisia, Morocco, Türkiye and other countries. The gathering, centered on themes of “unity and inclusion,” created a warm atmosphere for cross-cultural dialogue through culinary delights, traditional attire and artistic performances.
    The evening buzzed with intercultural energy as participants sampled international delicacies like Pakistani samosas, Moroccan harira soup and Argentine madeleine cakes. Many of the attendees dressed in colorful national costumes, exchanging stories about their home countries and sharing their experiences of living in China.
    Safaa Merzane, a Moroccan student at Capital University of Economics and Business, has developed a deep appreciation for Chinese cuisine during her year and a half in the country. When asked about her most memorable cultural experience in China, she enthused: “The first idea that comes to my mind is the Chinese food. When I try spicy food, I think it’s so delicious!”

    Moroccan student Safaa Merzane shares her impressions of Chinese cuisine during the cultural event, March 23, 2025. [Photo by Liao Jiaxin/China.org.cn]
    Hina Shaikh, a teacher at the Pakistan Embassy College in Beijing, expressed her delight in participating. “There are many different foods, culture traditions and cultural performances I see today,” Shaikh remarked. “That has really amused me how people interact with each other, how they respect each other’s culture. And I feel very happy when I’m a part of such an event.” She particularly noted the eagerness of the young performers to showcase their cultural heritage through dance, music and traditional dress.
    Shaikh, who regularly participates in cultural activities through her work, added: “The students of the college are normally taking part in many cultural programs. Even in our college, there are lots of Chinese students come to perform. And we have culture programs.” In her opinion, these events act as vital bridges fostering international understanding and friendship.
    Tunisian students Sirin Jridi and Khaoula Louhichi from Minzu University of China enthusiastically shared their perspectives on China’s inclusive cultural environment. “I came to this event at my friend’s invitation,” Jridi explained. “We try to showcase our traditional clothes and some of our food and introduce them to a lot of nationalities. Of course, we have tried other people’s food and we really like it. We are willing to have more of this kind of events to participate in.”

    Tunisian exchange students Khaoula Louhichi and Sirin Jridi showcase their traditional attire at the cultural gathering in Beijing, March 23, 2025. [Photo by Liao Jiaxin/China.org.cn]
    Louhichi also described how her understanding of Chinese society has transformed: “I used to think that Chinese people are cold. But when I came here, I just figured out it was totally wrong. I felt like really welcomed here.” She expressed admiration for China’s social harmony, where 56 ethnic groups coexist peacefully. “They’re all living in peace here, and Chinese culture is really immense. I really like it here. Chinese people are also very proud of their culture.”
    Louhichi credited Chinese government scholarships for enabling international students to experience the country firsthand. “Thanks to the scholarship that the Chinese government gives to other students, many people can come to China and experience the real China,” she said.
    She also praised China’s academic initiatives promoting cultural exchange. “Many universities host ‘cultural days’ during which students from all over the world will have stands and they will share with others their culture. I think in China, it’s so convenient to know other people’s culture,” she said.

    Attendees sample international delicacies at the cultural event in Beijing, March 23, 2025. [Photo by Liao Jiaxin/China.org.cn]
    The event ended on a hopeful note, as participants called for more cultural exchanges. The lively gathering showcased how such initiatives celebrate diversity while creating genuine international bonds. As a reflection of China’s vibrant multiculturalism, it highlighted the country’s growing role in fostering cross-cultural understanding through openness and mutual respect.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks to the General Assembly on the International Day of Zero Waste [as delivered]

    Source: United Nations – English

    r. President, Madame First Lady, Excellencies, Dear Friends,

    The waste crisis is an issue that goes to the heart of how we produce, and how we consume.

    And one that requires action at every level – local, national, and global. 

    This year’s International Day focuses on fashion and textiles.

    And rightly so.

    Unless we accelerate action, dressing to kill could kill the planet.

    Textile production often uses thousands of chemicals – many of them harmful to people and the environment.

    It devours resources like land and water – putting pressure on ecosystems.

    And it belches out greenhouse gases – inflaming the climate crisis.  

    Clothes are being produced and discarded at a staggering rate – driven by business models that prioritize newness, speed, and disposability.  

    Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck full of clothing is incinerated or sent to landfill.

    Excellencies, Dear Friends,

    Fashion is just the tip of a toxic iceberg.

    Waste is an issue in every sector. 

    Every year, humanity produces over two billion tonnes of garbage.

    If you pack all that into shipping containers stacked end to end, they would stretch to the moon and back.

    Here on Earth, toxin-filled waste is seeping into our soil, our water, and our air. And ultimately into us.

    As usual, the poorest pay the highest price.

    More than one billion people live in slums and informal urban settlements, where waste management is non-existent and disease runs rampant.

    The rich world is flooding the Global South with garbage, from obsolete computers to single-use plastic and more.

    Many nations do not have the infrastructure to process even a fraction of what is dumped on their shores.

    As a result, materials that could be recycled are burned or sent to landfill. 

    And waste pickers are exposed to toxic chemicals as they sift through potentially hazardous materials, including broken electronics, in appalling conditions.

    Excellencies, Dear Friends,

    We need a different approach: one that delivers on the commitment in the Sustainable Development Goals for sustainable production and consumption.

    And there are signs of hope.

    Change is possible. And it presents exciting opportunities.

    In fashion, for example, designers are experimenting with recycled materials.

    Consumers are increasingly demanding sustainability.

    In many countries, resale markets are booming.

    And important initiatives are bringing together large and small businesses, industry associations, civil society and many others to drive sustainability across the sector.

    They include the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, and the Fashion Pact.

    We must celebrate the power of these innovations to transform the industry.

    But we need more.

    And we need change in every sector.

    I welcome the work of the Chair and the First Lady and members of the United Nations Advisory Board on Zero Waste to raise awareness, and help meet the SDGs.

    The fight against waste requires us all.

    Governments must act:

    Through policies, regulations and subsidies:

    That promote sustainability, and zero waste initiatives…

    That encourage businesses to adopt positive practices…

    That provide decent jobs…

    And that empower everyone – not just the wealthy – to afford products that last.

    The current negotiations for a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution – due in August this year – are a key opportunity for governments to drive progress.

    I urge them to take it…

    And to translate any treaty into action to support consumers to make environmentally friendly choices, and into a clear roadmap across industries.

    Addressing plastic pollution must be at the core of corporate responsibility.

    There is no space for greenwashing.

    Businesses must increase circularity, waste reduction and resource efficiency across their supply chains.

    We need accountability for corporate sustainability commitments.

    We need transparency for customers. 

    And we need consumers to use their purchasing power to encourage change:

    Reducing excessive consumption, valuing products that last, and embracing exchanges and resales.

    And we need young people and civil society to keep using their voices and power to demand change through advocacy.

    Excellencies, Dear Friends,

    We must build on progress, to end the waste practices wasting our planet.

    On this International Day, let us commit to do our part to clean up our act, and build a healthier, more sustainable world for us all. 

    And I thank you.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Australia: Police investigating structure fire in New Norfolk

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Police investigating structure fire in New Norfolk

    Friday, 28 March 2025 – 5:06 pm.

    Police are investigating a deliberately lit fire which damaged a residence in New Norfolk last night.
    Emergency Services were called to a home in Back River Road about 9.58pm on Thursday evening (27 March), where a residence was on fire.
    All residents had safely evacuated and no injuries were reported.
    Tasmania Fire Service crews extinguished the fire and determined it was deliberately lit.
    Anyone with information in relation to the fire or suspicious activity in the area around the time, is asked to contact Bridgewater CIB on 131 444 or provide information through Crime Stoppers Tasmania (this can be done anonymously) at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000 – quote OR770687.

    MIL OSI News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Municipality Finance issues a USD 1 billion benchmark under its MTN programme

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Municipality Finance Plc
    Stock exchange release
    28 March 2025 at 9:00 am (EET)

    Municipality Finance issues a USD 1 billion benchmark under its MTN programme

    Municipality Finance Plc issues a USD 1 billion benchmark on 31 March 2025. The maturity date of the benchmark is 1 April 2030. The benchmark bears interest at a fixed rate of 4.250% per annum.

    The benchmark is issued under MuniFin’s EUR 50 billion programme for the issuance of debt instruments. The offering circular, the supplemental offering circular and the final terms of the benchmark are available in English on the company’s website at https://www.kuntarahoitus.fi/en/for-investors.

    MuniFin has applied for the benchmark to be admitted to trading on the Helsinki Stock Exchange maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki. The public trading is expected to commence on 31 March 2025.

    Bank of Montreal Europe plc, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft and Nomura International plc acts as the Joint Lead Managers for the issue of the benchmark.

    MUNICIPALITY FINANCE PLC

    Further information:

    Joakim Holmström
    Executive Vice President, Capital Markets and Sustainability
    tel. +358 50 444 3638

    MuniFin (Municipality Finance Plc) is one of Finland’s largest credit institutions. The owners of the company include Finnish municipalities, the public sector pension fund Keva and the State of Finland.
    The Group’s balance sheet is over EUR 53 billion.

    MuniFin builds a better and more sustainable future with its customers. MuniFin’s customers include municipalities, joint municipal authorities, wellbeing services counties, corporate entities under their control, and non-profit organisations nominated by the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (ARA). Lending is used for environmentally and socially responsible investment targets such as public transportation, sustainable buildings, hospitals and healthcare centres, schools and day care centres, and homes for people with special needs.

    MuniFin’s customers are domestic but the company operates in a completely global business environment. The company is an active Finnish bond issuer in international capital markets and the first Finnish green and social bond issuer. The funding is exclusively guaranteed by the Municipal Guarantee Board.

    Read more: https://www.kuntarahoitus.fi/en/

    Important Information

    The information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into any such country or jurisdiction or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, any securities or other financial instruments in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

    This communication does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or under the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

    The MIL Network –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Brownley Announces Ventura County Fire Chief as Joint Session Guest

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) announced that Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner will be her guest at this year’s Joint Session of Congress, taking place on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 9:00 PM Eastern/6:00 PM Pacific. Chief Gardner leads the Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD), an all-hazards department of 658 personnel dedicated to protecting Ventura County. Chief Gardner has served with VCFD since 1998.

    “Chief Gardner has shown unwavering dedication in protecting Ventura County during some of the most devastating wildfires and emergencies we’ve faced,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “His leadership has been crucial not only in Ventura County, but also in coordinating firefighting efforts across Los Angeles County and throughout California.

    “Chief Gardner’s expertise, steady leadership, and calm under pressure embody the bravery and selflessness of our first responders. As President Trump addresses Congress tonight, I am honored to have Chief Gardner as my guest to remind us that protecting communities from wildfires and natural disasters must remain a national priority. Federal support for our firefighters and emergency responders is essential – and disaster assistance should never be politicized. When disaster strikes, our communities deserve timely and effective federal support, regardless of politics.

    “As wildfires continue to devastate our state and communities face unprecedented disasters, the bravery and commitment of firefighters like Chief Gardner are more important than ever,” Brownley continued. “Ensuring that our first responders, emergency personnel, and disaster recovery teams have the resources and support they need is essential to improving crisis response and safeguarding our communities.”

    “I am grateful for the opportunity to join Congresswoman Brownley at the Joint Session,” said Dustin Gardner, Ventura County Fire Chief. “The fires that destroyed thousands of homes in Southern California recently demonstrate the need for wildfire prevention efforts, coordinated responses and effective recovery measures. The federal government’s involvement and support in such efforts across the country is important, because no single agency is equipped to deal with disaster-level events alone.”

    Congresswoman Brownley is pleased to welcome Chief Gardner as her guest as an important way to recognize him and the heroic first responders across the nation who risk their lives every day to protect our communities.

    ###

    Issues: 119th Congress, Disaster Relief, Local Issues

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Brownley Introduces Legislation to Secure Immediate Housing Assistance for Disaster Survivors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) introduced the Disaster Displacement Assistance Improvement Act, legislation to improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Displacement Assistance program. The bill ensures that disaster survivors can access critical housing support without delays caused by insurance determinations.

    “In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, survivors who cannot return to their homes often need urgent financial assistance to secure a safe place to stay and begin rebuilding their lives,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “While FEMA’s Displacement Assistance program provides up-front funds to help with these immediate housing needs, current rules prevent assistance from reaching individuals with insurance unless it is confirmed that their policy does not cover similar expenses. Survivors often face delays in receiving timely responses from insurance companies, leaving them without the support they need to secure temporary housing. This bill removes this unnecessary red tape, ensuring that insurance is not a barrier to receiving critical assistance when it is needed most.”

    Background

    In 2024, FEMA launched the Displacement Assistance program to address the immediate housing needs of survivors who cannot return to their homes after a disaster. The program provides eligible survivors with up-front funds to assist with immediate housing options of their choice, such as costs associated with staying with family or friends, until they can secure rental housing and focus on long-term recovery. Displacement Assistance helps survivors transition from congregate shelters to more permanent housing solutions like hotels or rentals.

    The Disaster Displacement Assistance Improvement Act seeks to improve the program by clarifying that insurance should not be considered a duplication of benefits when determining eligibility, ensuring that all those in need receive the assistance they deserve. FEMA’s current interpretation of the Stafford Act prevents the agency from offering Displacement Assistance to anyone with insurance unless they can confirm that their insurance policy does not cover the expenses typically covered by the program. However, Displacement Assistance is designed to address immediate needs after a disaster, and most survivors are unable to get a timely decision from their insurance company when they most need the assistance.

    If enacted, the Disaster Displacement Assistance Improvement Act will ensure that survivors have access to Displacement Assistance, regardless of their insurance status, allowing them to receive this support alongside resources from FEMA’s Serious Needs Assistance program.

    Read the full text of the bill, here.

    ###

    Issues: 119th Congress, Disaster Relief

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Rubio holds a joint press availability with Surinamese President Santokhi

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

    Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio holds a joint press availability with Surinamese President Chandrikapersad Santokhi in Parimaribo, Suriname, on March 27, 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=L8ipp-sAM1c

    MIL OSI Video –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Peters Urges Colleagues to Vote NO on Trump Enabling Budget, Pass a Responsible Budget to Keep the Government Open

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    Republican bill greenlights Trump’s inflationary, market-crashing tariffs

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) urged his colleagues to stand up to President Trump and his continued disregard for the separation of powers.

    “The Constitution explicitly gives Congress the “power of the purse” – the responsibility to decide taxes and spending. In President Trump’s first 50 days, he has repeatedly and unlawfully ordered the administration to withhold funds Congress appropriated. Imagine how Republicans would react if Barack Obama or Joe Biden withheld farm subsidies from states that did not support them in the election. Republicans would state that the President was trying to usurp their Constitutional authority. That is exactly what President Trump is doing across the federal government, with Congressional Republicans hooting and hollering in support.

    “Not only are House Republicans refusing to stand up to President Trump on his spending cuts, but they are also ceding Congress’s power to review his tariffs. At the last second, Speaker Johnson slipped in a provision to strip Congress of its ability to cancel Trump’s tariffs, which will cost consumers thousands of dollars on home products, electricity, gas, housing, and groceries. Congressional Republicans own any move Trump makes in his costly trade war against our allies.

    “President Trump and Elon Musk have cited “massive fraud,” without evidence, as their reason for stopping funds. In case after case, what they have actually “uncovered” are programs they do not support. It is their right to disagree with what we spend on, but they have no right to unilaterally cut off funding approved by Congress. If they want to cut spending, they have the opportunity to present their budget to Congress right now and negotiate. The Republican bill does not prevent a shutdown. It lets President Trump and Elon Musk shut down whichever part of the government they want, whenever they want.

    “President Trump is in the White House and Republicans control the House and Senate — if there is a shutdown, it falls squarely on their shoulders. Democrats stand ready to work with Republicans to fund the government and avoid a disastrous shutdown, but House Republicans have decided to go it alone. We do not work for the President, we work with him. We were elected independently from the President and answer to our constituents, not him.”

    You can find more information about the Republican Continuing Resolution here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Representative Peters, Local Healthcare Leaders Highlight Importance of Saving Medicaid

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    San Diego, CA – On March 21, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) and local leaders highlighted the importance of Medicaid and the harm that Republicans’ healthcare cuts and inflationary budget will have on our communities. One in five CA50 residents relies on Medicaid – cutting $880 billion in Medicaid funding would take away theirs and millions of Americans’ health care coverage and increase costs for tens of millions more.

    “In every congressional district in the country, Medicaid supports critical health care for children, Americans with disabilities, and working people who are already struggling to keep up in this economy.” said Rep. Scott Peters. “Cutting health coverage will not make America healthier, it will make us sicker. I’ve now voted twice to stop Republican efforts to slash Medicaid, and I promise to continue doing everything in my power to halt their schemes.”

    Rep. Peters brought together hospital and community health center staff, patients, long term care facility providers, labor union members, and local elected officials to emphasize how proposals to cut Medicaid funding would devastate health care in San Diego and across the country.

    “As a public safety net provider, UC San Diego Health delivers comprehensive care to all members of our community regardless of demographics, insurance coverage, or income status,” stated UC San Diego Health CEO, Patty Maysent. “Investing in Medicaid is an investment in the greatest asset we have in this nation, our people, and their health. UC San Diego’s clinicians, researchers, students and patients thank Congressman Peters for his commitment to sustaining this critical federal resource.”

    “I was diagnosed with a rare brain aneurysm and needed complex surgery. Thanks to Medi-Cal, I received life-saving neurosurgical care at UC San Diego Health,” said Karla Zimmerman, a patient at UC San Diego Health. “I still have two aneurysms that need continuous monitoring. As a mother of two, my biggest fear is not being there for my daughters. No one should have to worry about losing their health care.”

    “Don’t Cut Medicaid, you never know when you or your family member will need it,” said Sabrina Bishop, a United Domestic Worker (UDW) in-home care provider.

    “No family should have to choose between paying for a doctor’s visit or putting food on the table. No senior should worry about whether they can afford their medications. No child should go without the healthcare they need to grow up healthy and strong,” stated City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn. “We will not stand idly by while the health and well-being of our families, seniors, and children are threatened. Together, with Congressman Peters, we will defend Medicaid and ensure that every person has access to the care they deserve.”

    “San Diegans are struggling to make ends meet, and federal cuts to healthcare is the last thing we need. As a parent, I can’t imagine telling one of my kids that we can’t afford to take them to a doctor when they’re sick,” said City Council President Pro Tem Kent Lee. “But if Congress slashes these programs, one out of three people in San Diego County, including hundreds of thousands of kids, are going to have their health coverage impacted. Anyone who wants to lower the cost of living, support working families, and decrease homelessness should be against these cuts.”

    Rep. Peters has been a longtime advocate to make to protect Medicaid funding and make it easier – not harder – for Americans to access the tests, treatments, and cures they need. He has urged his Republican colleagues not to enact a budget that would increase inflation and balloon our deficit, while cutting vital healthcare, firefighters, and airline safety just to pay for tax cuts for people and corporations who don’t need them. Democrats will continue fighting to save Medicaid and protect Americans.

    A livestreamed recording of the press conference can be found here

    Additional photos from the event are available courtesy of Rep. Peters’ office here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Sánchez, Fitzpatrick introduce bipartisan bill to create jobs, promote energy efficiency

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

    WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) today reintroduced the bipartisan Mechanical Insulation Installation Incentive Act to create jobs and promote energy efficiency. 

    Mechanical insulation has been shown to drastically cut energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in commercial buildings. Unfortunately, it is currently cost-prohibitive for many employers. The bill provides a tax incentive for skilled-labor installation of mechanical insulation in buildings to make them more energy efficient.

    “Mechanical insulation is one of the most overlooked yet effective solutions for improving energy efficiency, and it’s time we recognize its true potential,” said Congresswoman Sánchez. “Our bill will support investments in energy-efficient upgrades for buildings across our country – from schools to hospitals to manufacturing plants and office buildings – while also creating good-paying union jobs. By incentivizing the skilled-labor installation of mechanical insulation, we can lower energy costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build a more sustainable future.”

    “The Mechanical Insulation Installation Incentive Act is a commonsense policy solution to reducing energy waste, cutting emissions, lowering operating costs for businesses, and creating well-paying, skilled jobs across the country. At a time when strengthening American energy independence and dominance is more critical than ever, this bipartisan legislation quite simply encourages investments that will bring us closer to a more sustainable, energy efficient future. I am proud to partner with Congresswoman Sánchez in advancing this pragmatic and business-friendly climate proposal,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick. 

     The Mechanical Insulation Installation Incentive Act:

    • Provides a tax credit for up to 10 percent of the labor costs incurred by a taxpayer in installing mechanical insulation property on pipes and equipment.
       
    • Saves energy, lowers energy costs, and reduces energy consumption while supporting good-paying union jobs.

    Mechanical insulation encompasses all thermal, acoustical and personal safety requirements for mechanical piping and equipment, as well as heating, ventilating and air condition (HVAC) applications. The system is used across a wide platform of commercial and industrial buildings to decrease heating and cooling costs while increasing efficiency.

    This bill is endorsed by the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and the Labor Management Cooperative Trust.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025
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