NewzIntel.com

Category: Latin America

  • MIL-OSI Economics: The Americas Flyways Initiative to begin implementation in January 2025

    Source: CAF Development Bank of Latin America

    After two years of rigorous science-based design, the Americas Flyways Initiative (AFI) is moving into its implementation phase in 2025, aimed at protecting and restoring critical ecosystems through Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) and bird-friendly infrastructure that also benefits people.

    Inspired by the wonderful world of birds and their epic migratory journeys across the hemisphere, which connect landscapes, cultures, and people, the AFI science team has identified a portfolio of crucial sites to ensure the connectivity and conservation of at least 10% of prioritized populations of migratory shorebirds and landbirds in the Americas.

    Birds serve as vital bioindicators of the health of nature. They not only signal the problems we face but also point to solutions: where and how we need to act. Protecting birds means protecting life. For example, 85% of the important bird conservation sites in Colombia coincide with key areas for water regulation and climate change mitigation.

    Currently, AFI has five initial projects, also known as “nest projects,” named for their connection to shelter, development, and well-being:

    1. Improving coastal climate resilience in the Rocuant Andalién Wetland in Chile;
    2. Restoring montane forest landscapes and aquatic ecosystems in the northwestern Andes of Ecuador;
    3. Integrating bird-friendly practices in transmission and distribution power lines reaching the coast of Guayas, Ecuador;
    4. Incorporating bird-friendly architecture and design at the CAF headquarters in Panama City;
    5. Knowledge exchange on best practices at the Iona Wastewater Treatment Plant on Iona Island, British Columbia.

    To guide project developers in designing and implementing proposals that combine conservation and sustainable development, AFI has also released four practical and strategic guides:

    • Guide 1: High biodiversity and carbon-dense ecosystems.
    • Guide 2: Water security: drinking water, sanitation, and access to irrigation.
    • Guide 3: Coastal management.
    • Guide 4: Infrastructure.

    The relevance of AFI is grounded in the premise that conservation without funding is merely conversation. Without agile and sustainable financial resources, effective conservation, protection, and restoration of nature cannot be achieved. Currently, there is a financial gap of between $598 billion and $824 billion annually needed to implement actions addressing the climate crisis and biodiversity loss.

    One of the primary objectives of the sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), taking place in Cali, is to advance the details and mechanisms for meeting Target 19 of the Global Biodiversity Framework: achieving the annual mobilization of at least $200 billion by 2030. Of this amount, it is expected that at least $30 billion will be directed toward developing countries, which are often more severely affected by climate change impacts and wildlife decline.

    As of the date of this statement, eight governments have pledged $163 million to enable the Global Biodiversity Fund (GBFF) to implement the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework. While this is a step forward, it remains insufficient given the scale of what is required and the context we face.

    The protection and sustainable use of the services and resources we receive from nature are not solely the responsibility of the naturalist or scientific community. More than half of the world’s economy depends on the benefits provided by nature: clean water and air, fertile soils, food, medicine, raw materials, among others. More than half of the global GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services. Consequently, this figure is linked to the risks and impacts associated with the destruction of nature.

    Therefore, actions aimed at the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of ecosystems and their biodiversity are an obligation and responsibility for all sectors, as they form the fundamental basis for our societies to continue existing and thriving. Fortunately, much of the answer to the challenge of channeling financing for biodiversity lies within nature itself.

    “Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems that effectively and adaptively address societal challenges while simultaneously benefiting people and nature” (IUCN, 2016).

    In this context, at COP15 in Montreal, the National Audubon Society, BirdLife International, and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) forged a commitment and the foundations of a strategic, transformative, and visionary alliance that will mobilize investment for nature and the communities that depend on it through a comprehensive financial mechanism.

    AFI is a symbiosis for prosperity that combines cutting-edge applied science and agile financial mechanisms to sustainably manage over 30 marine and terrestrial landscapes by 2050, mobilizing between $3 trillion and $5 trillion.

    Elizabeth Gray, CEO of Audubon, highlighted the importance of the initiative: “We are working together to protect 30 terrestrial and marine landscapes across this vast region. This is essential for promoting nature-based solutions and sustainable development. The Americas is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, and we have much to do to address both the biodiversity and climate crises.”

    Martin Harper, CEO of BirdLife International, expressed gratitude and recognition to the teams from the three organizations for their hard work in reaching this point: “We are building something very special, something that will unite conservation efforts across the Americas. This initiative is already inspiring similar projects in other major migratory routes worldwide.”

    Sergio Díaz Granados, Executive President of CAF, reminded attendees of the bank’s efforts to become the green bank of the region, including increasing its capital to address the climate emergency: “The loss of biodiversity is one of our most urgent problems. Mitigating it and adapting is not a choice; it is a responsibility we must fulfill. We have been collaborating with institutions like Audubon and BirdLife to bridge conservation gaps in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: October 30th, 2024 Heinrich Delivers Keynote Address at Veterans Business Summit

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    PHOTOS & VIDEOS
    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered a keynote address at the New Mexico Veterans Business Summit highlighting how investments in veteran-owned businesses have grown New Mexico’s economy and created jobs New Mexicans can build their families around. 
    Heinrich secured $50,000 through the Appropriations process for the New Mexico Veterans Business Advocates Expo to provide New Mexico’s veteran-owned businesses an opportunity to interact with potential partners, customers, and employees, supporting their success and growth.
    Heinrich also highlighted his work to expand veterans’ benefits and access to the health care they’ve earned and deserve.

    U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers a keynote address at the New Mexico Veterans Business Summit, October 30, 2024.
    “Small, locally-owned businesses — including veteran-owned businesses — are the beating hearts of our communities and backbone of our economy,” said Heinrich. “Our veterans leave their military service with unique skills and experience. I was proud to secure $50,000 in the 2024 Appropriations Bills to support the New Mexico Veterans Business Summit that is providing resources to help veteran-owned small businesses and military veterans looking for new career and entrepreneurial opportunities. I remain committed to supporting our state’s veterans and small business owners, lowering costs, growing our economy, and connecting New Mexicans to high-quality careers they can build their families around.”

    U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) at the New Mexico Veterans Business Summit, October 30, 2024.
    Heinrich remains unwavering in his commitment to provide the care and benefits that veterans deserve and have earned.
    This year, the VA has served more veterans than ever before and provided more care and benefits to veterans who were exposed to toxins during their time in the military because of the successful implementation of the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, bipartisan legislation that Heinrich helped lead as then-Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. 
    The PACT Act was signed into law in 2022 and has provided a record expansion of care and benefits for veterans. As a result, more veterans are filing claims and receiving their long overdue earned benefits, including disability compensation and GI Bill benefits.
    Heinrich also recently passed legislation to protect veterans’ earned benefits and ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is able to continue to pay disability compensation, surviving spouses and dependent compensation, pension, and education benefits to veterans, including nearly 70,000 New Mexicans.
    Additionally, Heinrich recently announced the Senate Appropriations Committee’s bipartisan, unanimous passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which included $3.2 billion to expand programs providing critical services and housing for veterans and their families. Heinrich also fought to include key language to protect access to abortion for veterans in cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk, but the Committee did not ultimately include the provision.
    In the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, Heinrich successfully advocated for major increases in funding to programs that support veterans in New Mexico and throughout the United States. He also successfully included key language to protect access to health care for veterans in New Mexico and nationally. Specifically, Heinrich secured increased funding to provide access to care for rural and Tribal veterans, transportation for rural veterans, rural health care for veterans, assistance to homeless veterans, construct state extended care facilities, improve veteran access to Suicide Prevention Coordinators, increase research on prosthetics and limb loss, and build on the work of neurology-related Centers of Excellence. 
    Additionally, in the Fiscal Year 2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, Heinrich successfully ensured that funding was not cut from the Tribal HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program, which provides rental assistance and supportive services to Nativ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: United States of America

    Source: New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade – Safe Travel

    • Reviewed: 7 June 2023, 08:45 NZST
    • Still current at: 31 October 2024

    Related news features

    If you are planning international travel at this time, please read our COVID-19 related travel advice here, alongside our destination specific travel advice below.

    Exercise increased caution in the United States due to the threat of terrorism (level 2 of 4).

    United States of America

    Terrorism
     The United States Department of Homeland Security regularly issues terrorism-related advice and updates. For current alerts, see the US National Terror Advisory System webpage.

    The United States remains a target of terrorist interest, both from international terror groups and from domestic-based individual’s adhering to various forms of violent extremist ideologies. Credible information assessed by US authorities indicates that individuals or groups have developed both the intent and capability to conduct terrorist attacks in the US. Attacks could be indiscriminate, targeting law enforcement officials, government buildings and areas frequented by foreigners including transport hubs and major events.

    New Zealanders in the United States are advised to keep themselves informed of potential risks to safety and security by monitoring the media and other local information sources. Follow any instructions issued by the local authorities and be aware of your surroundings in public places such as shopping malls, markets, monuments, places of worship, tourist destinations, demonstrations, large gatherings and on public transport.

    In the event of an attack, leave the area as soon as it is safe to do so. Avoid the area in case of secondary attacks.

    Crime
     Petty crime such as theft and pickpocketing can occur, particularly in urban centres, tourist locations and on public transport. New Zealanders should stay alert to their surroundings, stay vigilant on public transport and avoid leaving belongings unattended, including in rental vehicles.

    There is a higher incidence of violent crime and firearm possession than in New Zealand. In many states, it is legal for United States citizens to openly carry firearms in public. Violent crime has targeted individuals and groups from the LGBTQIA+ community and those with diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. However, crime rates vary considerably across cities and suburbs and while tourists are rarely targeted, there is always a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. New Zealanders should take care when travelling in unfamiliar areas including on public transport. Research your destination before travelling and seek local advice if you are concerned about levels of criminal activity.

    Active shooter incidents occur in the United States. For advice on how to respond to an active shooter situation, please see the US Department of Homeland Security website.

    You should exercise caution if crossing the border by car into Mexico from Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. There have been increased incidents of crime associated with drug trading and some foreign nationals have been targeted indiscriminately.

    Be aware of rental and financial scams via websites and social media. Credit card and ATM fraud including debit card cloning is also a risk to travellers.

    Civil Unrest and Political Tension
    Protests and demonstrations regularly occur. We advise New Zealanders to follow any advice issued by the local authorities, monitor local media for developments and avoid all demonstrations, protests and rallies as even those intended as peaceful have the potential to result in violence.

    Natural Disasters
     The US can experience severe weather events, such as hurricanes, especially in May or June to November regularly impacting the eastern seaboard, Gulf Coast, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

    Tornados are most frequent and at their highest intensities across the Central Plains and parts of the Midwest. While tornadoes can form at any time of year, conditions are most favourable in the spring and summer months (March to September). 

    Severe snowstorms during winter can cause disruptions to critical infrastructure, including power cuts. Winter storms may also lead to widespread flight delays and cancellations.

    Many parts of the US are also prone to earthquakes including Alaska, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington state and the US Virgin Islands.

    Contact your travel operator or airline for the latest departure information, and monitor local weather forecasts.  If there is a severe weather event, or natural disaster, follow the advice of the local authorities and keep your family and friends back in New Zealand informed of your safety and well-being.

    General Travel Advice
     The Transport Security Administration website provides guidance for airline passengers travelling to the United States.

    Travellers carrying electronic devices, such as laptops and mobile phones, should be aware that these devices may be subject to security checks by United States border authorities.

    Immigration regulations are strictly enforced. Overstaying can result in detention then deportation. See our United States travel tips.

    New Zealanders travelling or resident in the United States should have comprehensive travel and medical insurance policies in place. Medical costs in the United States are extremely high and the New Zealand government cannot assist with medical expenses. 

    New Zealanders in the United States are encouraged to register their travel with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

     

    Travel tips

    The New Zealand Embassy Washington DC, United States of America

    Street Address 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008, United States of America Telephone +1 202 328 4800 Fax +1 202 667 5227 Email WSHinfo@mfat.govt.nz Web Site https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/americas/united-states-of-america/new-zealand-embassy-to-the-united-states-of-america/ Hours Mon – Fri 0830 – 1700 hrs

    The New Zealand Consulate-General Los Angeles, United States of America

    Street Address Suite 600E, 2425 Olympic Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90404, United States of America Telephone +1 310 566 6555 Fax +1 310 566 6556 Email nzcg.la@mfat.net Web Site https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/americas/united-states-of-america/new-zealand-consulate-general-los-angeles/ Hours Mon – Fri 0830 – 1300, 1330 – 1630 hrs

    New Zealand Consulate-General Honolulu, United States of America

    Street Address 733 Bishop Street, 2020, Honolulu, HI 96813 Telephone +1 808 675 5555 Fax +1 808 675 5561 Email HLUEnquiries@mfat.govt.nz

    New Zealand Consulate-General New York, United States of America

    Street Address 41st Floor, 295 Madison Ave, New York, 10017, United States of America Telephone +1 212 832 4038 Fax +1 212 832 7602 Hours Mon – Fri 0900 – 1230 hrs for consular calls

    New Zealand Consulate Atlanta, United States of America

    Street Address 47 Hawk Road, Newnan, Georgia 30263, United States of America Telephone +1 202 328 4800 Email newzealand@mindspring.com

    New Zealand Consulate Boston, United States of America

    Telephone +1 202 328 4800 Email nzconsulboston@gmail.com

    New Zealand Consulate Chicago, United States of America

    Street Address 1223 Oakwood Lane, Glenview, IL 60025 Postal Address 1223 Oakwood Lane, 6400 Shafer Ct 60025, Glenview, IL Telephone +1 202 328 4800 Email nzconsulatechicago@gmail.com

    New Zealand Consulate Houston, United States of America

    Street Address 4424 W. Sam Houston Pkwy North, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77041, United States of America Telephone +1 202 328 4800 Email connelly@nzhonoraryconsul.org

    New Zealand Consulate Oregon, United States of America

    Street Address 430 SW 13th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97205, United States of America Telephone +1 310 566 6555 Email cjs@theswindells.org

    New Zealand Consulate Sacramento, United States of America

    Street Address 44733 North El Macero Drive, El Macero, CA 95618 – 1066, United States of America Telephone +1 310 566 6555 Email starrned@msn.com

    New Zealand Consulate Salt Lake City, United States of America

    Street Address 1655 Linden Lane, Bountiful, UT 84010, United States of America Telephone +1 310 566 6555 Email Iain.mckay1@hotmail.com

    New Zealand Consulate San Francisco (Northern California), United States of America

    Postal Address PO Box 1276, Burlingame, CA 94010, United States of America Telephone +1 310 566 6555 Email NewZealandHCSF@gmail.com

    New Zealand Consulate Seattle, United States of America

    Street Address 4010 Lake Washington Blvd NE, Suite 300, Kirkland WA 98033, United States of America Telephone +1 310 566 6555 Email NZHonConSeattleWA@outlook.com

    See our regional advice for North America

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    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PLASKETT PROVIDES CRITICAL UPDATE ON USPS ISSUE OF UNTIMELY PACKAGE DELIVERY

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

    For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland
    October 30, 2024                                                    202-808-6129

    PRESS RELEASE

    PLASKETT PROVIDES CRITICAL UPDATE ON USPS ISSUE OF UNTIMELY PACKAGE DELIVERY

    Washington, D.C. – The office of Congresswoman Plaskett has held numerous meetings with United States Postal Service (USPS) regional leadership related to the exorbitant package delivery delays that continue to affect Virgin Islanders.

    After a number of meetings with the leadership of USPS regarding the delays, we would like to share the following information which outlines the USPS process and proposed changes to rectify the issues we are facing:

    Background:

    –         The estimated delivery service for Ground Advantage Service, Parcel Select, and Priority Mail that contains hazardous materials or non-standard dimensions to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands is 14 – 21 days. USPS indicated this timeframe is not guaranteed based on several factors, including origin and destination zip codes, package volume, and weather. Amazon recently changed their shipping from Ground Advantage to Parcel Select. Prior to this change, Amazon planes would fly into San Juan and the packages would be distributed and delivered from San Juan via air. Due to the Parcel Select change, once the St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix packages were scanned and banded, FAA regulations prohibit the packages from being sent by air, as this designation requires transport via surface mail. Consequently, several packages were in the process of being re-routed back to Jacksonville since there has not been mail barge service between Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

    Intervention:

    –         As a direct result of Congresswoman Plaskett’s intervention and persistence, USPS has agreed to not send the packages back to Jacksonville to go through the process again but to retain the parcel select packages from Amazon and other packages that could not be shipped by plane, and those packages are NOW being held in a holding facility in Puerto Rico.  Effective Saturday, November 2nd, 2024, the packages will be barged from Puerto Rico to the Virgin Islands.  The barge will leave Puerto Rico early in the morning on Saturday, November 2nd, 2024.  Packages will be off loaded in St. Thomas first and then the barge will continue over to St. Croix. The barge will travel with packages to the Virgin Islands every Saturday. 

    –         Regular Priority mail and Ground Advantage packages that are not mislabeled due to the robotic labeling issue will continue to be flown or barged from Jacksonville to St. Thomas and St. Croix without delays.

    Congresswoman Plaskett shared, “My team and I realize that this USPS issue impacts a myriad of people in our community—businessowners awaiting their products, individuals who need prescriptions, and so many others. I would like to thank the USPS employees for their tireless work to ensure that we are able to get our mail despite the various delays with the system, and I would also like to thank all the individuals that called in and/or sent in their USPS complaints. My team and I will continue to advocate on behalf of our territory to ensure that this issue and others like it with USPS are resolved as quickly as possible.”

    To report a USPS complaint for our office’s records, please contact our offices at 340-778-5900 or 340-774-4408.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Christine Lagarde: Interview with Le Monde

    Source: European Central Bank

    Interview with Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, conducted by Eric Albert, Philippe Escande and Béatrice Madeline on 28 October 2024

    31 October 2024

    In September, former ECB President Mario Draghi published an alarming report on how the European economy is falling behind. Do you agree with this assessment?

    Europe is falling behind. It’s true. And so is France. Mario Draghi’s report highlights the productivity gap, which is largely due to the tech sector. Tech players in Europe and the United States believe that the gap first emerged during the digital revolution that began in the mid-1990s.

    The question now is whether the boost that the United States got from the mid-1990s will continue with artificial intelligence, the accumulation of data centres and the exploitation of these data. This is the key issue. In Europe we need to roll up our sleeves and make an effort to keep those companies that start out here and then develop themselves elsewhere. We need to try to make them stay.

    So what is the solution? Do you think the gap will remain?

    We need to look at why Europe is falling behind. The energy component is key, especially as regards data centres. Labour is also important, with mobility being much greater in the United States. And regulation is a crucial issue, too. In overly simple terms, the United States is developing AI very quickly, and already has a number of major players. In the meantime, not only is Europe lacking such big players, but it has also become a pioneer in AI regulation. This causes players in this sector to say “OK, let’s do this elsewhere. It’ll be easier and we’ll have fewer obstacles and fewer restrictions”.

    What about the public funding provided to businesses in the United States?

    The fourth factor that is contributing to Europe falling behind is the “light” industrial policy pursued by the United States. It’s not light in terms of money because the Inflation Reduction Act of August 2022 is very large, but there are relatively few criteria to qualify for funding to start a company on US soil. When I ask manufacturers, they pretty much all agree that in Europe, the process is complicated and unwieldy. And on top of the multi-layered European system, you then have those of the Member States.

    The final factor is private funding. In the United States there are pension fund plans and other financial instruments that make it possible to channel savings and get savers (employees or retirees) interested in the future of the economy or the evolution of the stock market. In many European countries, these plans are still a long way off of those mechanisms, especially share participation and company profit sharing. Hence the need to develop a capital markets union.

    But we have been talking about this project for the past 15 years. And when Mario Draghi’s report was published, Germany immediately opposed common borrowing. Is Europe really capable of reacting?

    You’re right. We have been talking about a capital markets union since the time of Jean-Claude Juncker (President of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019), and little progress has been made. The Letta and Draghi reports are a wake-up call for Europeans, a warning. The assessment is severe but fair and provides specific recommendations. It suggests that all Europeans should gear up and be ready to give up a bit of sovereignty to ‘combine the best,’ to paraphrase what Paul Valéry once said. But what gives me hope is the engagement of all European institutions on the capital markets union. The ECB’s Governing Council is firmly engaged as well. We must use this momentum.

    In 2020, the plan for a collective European loan of €750 billion was a major step forward. Four years later, less than half of the loan has been allocated. Should we see this as another example of European slowness?

    We had exactly the same problem during the Greek crisis. The administrations of the different countries are not always able to quickly manage the incoming funds. The finance ministers of countries receiving a lot of funds tell you that they have of course identified what bridge or railway line should be constructed, but that they need to obtain local authorisations as well as permissions to expropriate property, and that environmental organisations are taking court actions. All of this takes a lot of time.

    In this context, what consequences could the US elections on Tuesday 5 November have for Europe?

    I do not want to give an opinion on any particular candidate. But US international trade policy will of course have an impact on economic activity in the rest of the world, and primarily on China. Whoever wins, if trade fragmentation worsens, the effect on global GDP will be negative, with losses reaching 9% in a severe scenario of full decoupling according to ECB simulations. But remember: when Joe Biden was elected, everyone thought that he would remove the customs barriers erected by his predecessor (Donald Trump). Nothing came of that.

    Between China, which is withdrawing towards Asia, and the United States, which is closing up again, isn’t Europe, as a partner to both powers, the big loser?

    That’s why we need to act and roll up our sleeves. Will Europe need to undergo another crisis for it to bring about reforms? It’s always in times of crisis that we are able to make things happen. That may be why Mario Draghi speaks of “agony”, it’s a way of saying “the crisis is here, now, do something!”.

    There is talk of a European decoupling. But isn’t there a French decoupling within Europe?

    If you compare today’s GDP figures with those of 2019, the United States has grown by 10.7%, the European average by 4.8% and France by 3.7%. France is lagging behind the European average.

    What is your view of the surge in the French deficit?

    The prospect of returning in line with European standards by applying European fiscal rules should serve as a binding guideline.

    And are the French promises to restore public finances credible?

    As I said, applying European fiscal rules should serve as a binding guideline.

    Will we be heading towards a recession in Europe in 2025?

    Based on the information now available and our current assessment, we don’t see a recession in 2024, nor in 2025, nor in 2026.

    What will drive this growth, given the weakness in demand?

    The two levers are exports and domestic demand, which is set to pick up. Today, with wages rising and inflation falling, disposable income is increasing. For the moment, this benefits savings more than consumption. But we are convinced, and economic history shows us, that this additional disposable income will ultimately flow towards consumption.

    How do you explain the fact that it is proving so difficult for consumption to recover?

    We can indeed ask why households are choosing to save their money instead of spending it. It could be that people are reluctant to make major purchases owing to geopolitical uncertainty. A second explanation could be related to the return on their savings, which is still fairly high in the euro area. A third could be that people are deciding it’s better to save rather than spend when they expect their taxes or other contributions to go up.

    Euro area inflation was at 1.7% in September, below your 2% target. Is it now under control?

    The target is in sight but I’m not going to tell you that inflation is defeated yet. Inflation stood at 1.7% in September. Excluding energy and food, it was still at 2.7%. We are pleased about the 1.7% figure, but we also know that inflation is going to rise again in the coming months simply because of base effects. In September energy prices were 6.1% lower than a year earlier, bringing down the cost of the consumption basket. Besides, inflation in the services sector – which is highly dependent on wages – is still at 3.9%. So, prudence is warranted.

    How do you respond to those who say the ECB was too late in reacting to the rise in inflation?

    I tell them we should look at the facts. Don’t forget that inflation was at 10.6% two years ago. It has fallen back to 1.7%. Perhaps we could have started a few months earlier. But we raised rates at the fastest pace ever and we managed to bring down inflation considerably in a short period of time. I now want to see inflation reach the 2% target on a sustained and durable basis. Unless there is a major shock, this will happen during the course of 2025.

    And what do you say to those who now accuse you of cutting rates too late and not quickly enough?

    The pace at which interest rates are cut will be determined by the economic data we receive in the coming weeks and months – based on our updated assessment of the inflation outlook, the dynamics of underlying inflation and the strength of monetary policy transmission. And to revitalise growth, urgent action is needed in the area of structural reforms.

    The spread between France and Germany has increased from 0.5% to 0.8% since the French National Assembly was dissolved. The ECB has an instrument that it can use to intervene and calm the markets. Are you ready to use it?

    We have clearly outlined the conditions under which we will use this instrument. And that is not an issue today.

    A number of emerging countries brought together by the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are thinking about a payments system to circumvent the dollar. Is dedollarisation happening?

    That would require another country to be able to take on the role of reserve currency. China is preparing for that, but it isn’t ready yet. I won’t see the renminbi take the place of the dollar in my lifetime.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Sweden’s National statement at the Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16)

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Excellencies, distinguished delegates,

    I warmly thank President Petro and Colombia´s Government for their generous hosting of COP16. Our countries are long-term partners in many areas, including building sustainable and durable peace, green transition and the protection of biodiversity.

    First, we need ambition and delivery.

    At COP16 we all need to ensure that we are on the right track to deliver on the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and recommit to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

    To measure progress we need a comprehensive monitoring framework and a transparent and clear process for the global review of collective progress.

    Sweden has reported more than 60 national targets and objectives, that contribute to achieving the targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. In 2025 we will forward our National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP).

    Second, we need mobilization of resources – and engagement.

    Half of worldwide GDP depends directly on nature.

    Without nature, we are nothing. The business case to invest and engage in nature and biodiversity is becoming clearer every day.

    World leading Swedish businesses are present at COP16. We see how business take action to become not only climate smart and circular – but also nature positive.

    Resources from all sources must be mobilized.

    Sweden is proud to be the largest contributor per capita to the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

    Sweden recently launched a generous guarantee instrument to invest in sustainable land management in the Amazon. Action taken on biodiversity and climate must go hand in hand. We need strengthening of synergies, not at least among the three Rio Conventions.

    Colombia has rightly made COP16 into a Peoples´ COP. We must deliver on full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the work under the Convention. We lead by example, the Sami Parliament of Sweden take part in the Swedish delegation as the focal point for 8 (j) and related provisions.

    Finally, we need a healthy “blue marble” to secure our well-being.

    Earth is a blue marble.

    The triple planetary crisis of climate, pollution and biodiversity is clearly seen in our oceans. A legally binding international treaty on plastic pollution, 

    Our survival and well-being depend on the marine biodiversity and ecosystems. We must strengthen the protection of the marine biodiversity. We also need a global action plan on biodiversity and health.

    The Swedish Government has presented a Bill to Parliament to protect 30% of our sea by 2030. We stay committed to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

    Thank you!

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: BW Energy: Final agreements signed for Niosi and Guduma Marin Exploration Blocks Offshore Gabon

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BW Energy: Final agreements signed for Niosi and Guduma Marin Exploration Blocks Offshore Gabon 

    BW Energy is pleased to announce its signing of production sharing contracts (PSCs) for the exploration blocks Niosi Marin and Guduma Marin (formerly named G12-13 and H12-13) with Gabon’s Petroleum Minister and Minister of Economy. BW Energy holds 37.5% working interest and is the operator of the blocks, which significantly expands the resource base for infrastructure-led exploration in Gabon.    

    The blocks are adjacent to BW Energy’s Dussafu Marin licence offshore southern Gabon, covering a combined area of 4,918 km2. 

    “Most of the Niosi Marin and Guduma Marin acreage is within tie-back distance to existing infrastructure, enabling fast-track, low-cost development of future discoveries. We have proven our ability to create significant value in the Dussafu licence, where we are close to completing the first phase of Hibiscus / Ruche to bring production to nameplate capacity of 40,000 barrels per day. These licence awards further underpin BW Energy’s commitment to Gabon and clear ambition of growing production and cash flow generation,” said Carl K. Arnet, the CEO of BW Energy. 

    VAALCO Energy (37.5%) and Panoro Energy (25%) are non-operating joint venture partners in the PSCs, which have an eight-year exploration period with option to extend for two additional years. The partners have committed to drilling one well on Niosi Marin during the exploration period and intend to carry out a 3D seismic acquisition campaign. 

    The consortium is uniquely positioned with BW Energy and Panoro Energy as joint venture partners in the Dussafu PSC, and with VAALCO Energy as the operator of the adjacent Etame PSC. Together, the partners will jointly implement safe, efficient, and cost-effective operations whilst leveraging subsurface and production learnings from Dussafu and Etame to accelerate value creation.

    For further information, please contact: 

    Brice Morlot, CFO BW Energy, +33.7.81.11.41.16 

    ir@bwenergy.no 

    About BW Energy: 

    BW Energy is a growth E&P company with a differentiated strategy targeting proven offshore oil and gas reservoirs through low risk phased developments. The Company has access to existing production facilities to reduce time to first oil and cashflow with lower investments than traditional offshore developments. The Company’s assets are 73.5% of the producing Dussafu Marine licence offshore Gabon, 100% interest in the Golfinho and Camarupim fields, a 76.5% interest in the BM-ES-23 block, a 95% interest in the Maromba field in Brazil, a 95% interest in the Kudu field in Namibia, all operated by BW Energy. In addition, BW Energy holds approximately 6.6% of the common shares in Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. and a 20% non-operating interest in the onshore Petroleum Exploration Licence 73 (“PEL 73”) in Namibia. Total net 2P+2C reserves and resources were 580 million barrels of oil equivalent at the start of 2024. 

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: SHELL PLC 3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

                                 
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS    		        
                                                         
     
    SUMMARY OF UNAUDITED RESULTS
    Quarters $ million   Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023 %¹   Reference 2024 2023 %
    4,291    3,517    7,044    +22 Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders   15,166    18,887    -20
    6,028    6,293    6,224    -4 Adjusted Earnings A 20,055    20,944    -4
    16,005    16,806    16,336    -5 Adjusted EBITDA A 51,523    52,204    -1
    14,684    13,508    12,332    +9 Cash flow from operating activities   41,522    41,622    —
    (3,857)   (3,338)   (4,827)     Cash flow from investing activities   (10,723)   (12,080)    
    10,827    10,170    7,505      Free cash flow G 30,799    29,542     
    4,950    4,719    5,649      Cash capital expenditure C 14,161    17,280     
    9,570    8,950    10,097    +7 Operating expenses F 27,517    29,062    -5
    8,864    8,651    9,735    +2 Underlying operating expenses F 26,569    28,635    -7
    12.8% 12.8% 13.9%   ROACE2 D 12.8% 13.9%  
    76,613    75,468    82,147      Total debt E 76,613    82,147     
    35,234    38,314    40,470      Net debt E 35,234    40,470     
    15.7% 17.0% 17.3%   Gearing E 15.7% 17.3%  
    2,801    2,817    2,706    -1 Oil and gas production available for sale (thousand boe/d)   2,843    2,779    +2
    0.69    0.55    1.06 +25 Basic earnings per share ($)   2.39    2.78    -14
    0.96    0.99    0.93    -3 Adjusted Earnings per share ($) B 3.16    3.08    +3
    0.3440    0.3440    0.3310    — Dividend per share ($)   1.0320    0.9495    +9

    1.Q3 on Q2 change

    2.Effective first quarter 2024, the definition has been amended and comparative information has been revised. See Reference D.

    Quarter Analysis1

    Income attributable to Shell plc shareholders, compared with the second quarter 2024, reflected lower refining margins, lower realised oil prices and higher operating expenses partly offset by favourable tax movements, and higher Integrated Gas volumes.

    Third quarter 2024 income attributable to Shell plc shareholders also included unfavourable movements relating to an accounting mismatch due to fair value accounting of commodity derivatives, charges related to redundancy and restructuring, and net impairment charges and reversals. These items are included in identified items amounting to a net loss of $1.3 billion in the quarter. This compares with identified items in the second quarter 2024 which amounted to a net loss of $2.7 billion.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as income attributable to Shell plc shareholders and adjusted for the above identified items and the cost of supplies adjustment of positive $0.5 billion.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the third quarter 2024 was $14.7 billion, and primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, and working capital inflows of $2.7 billion partly offset by tax payments of $3.0 billion. The working capital inflow mainly reflected inventory movements due to lower oil prices and lower volumes.

    Cash flow from investing activities for the quarter was an outflow of $3.9 billion, and included cash capital expenditure of $4.9 billion.

    Net debt and Gearing: At the end of the third quarter 2024, net debt was $35.2 billion, compared with $38.3 billion at the end of the second quarter 2024, mainly reflecting free cash flow, partly offset by share buybacks, cash dividends paid to Shell plc shareholders, lease additions and interest payments. Gearing was 15.7% at the end of the third quarter 2024, compared with 17.0% at the end of the second quarter 2024, mainly driven by lower net debt.

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    Shareholder distributions

    Total shareholder distributions in the quarter amounted to $5.7 billion comprising repurchases of shares of $3.5 billion and cash dividends paid to Shell plc shareholders of $2.2 billion. Dividends declared to Shell plc shareholders for the third quarter 2024 amount to $0.3440 per share. Shell has now completed $3.5 billion of share buybacks announced in the second quarter 2024 results announcement. Today, Shell announces a share buyback programme of $3.5 billion which is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter 2024 results announcement.

    Nine Months Analysis1

    Income attributable to Shell plc shareholders, compared with the first nine months 2023, reflected lower refining margins, lower LNG trading and optimisation margins, lower realised LNG and gas prices as well as lower trading and optimisation margins of power and pipeline gas in Renewables and Energy Solutions, partly offset by lower operating expenses, higher Marketing margins and volumes, higher realised Chemicals margins, and higher Integrated Gas and Upstream volumes.

    First nine months 2024 income attributable to Shell plc shareholders also included net impairment charges and reversals, reclassifications from equity to profit and loss of cumulative currency translation differences related to funding structures, unfavourable movements relating to an accounting mismatch due to fair value accounting of commodity derivatives, and charges related to redundancy and restructuring, partly offset by favourable differences in exchange rates and inflationary adjustments on deferred tax. These charges, reclassifications and movements are included in identified items amounting to a net loss of $4.6 billion. This compares with identified items in the first nine months 2023 which amounted to a net loss of $2.2 billion.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 for the first nine months 2024 were driven by the same factors as income attributable to Shell plc shareholders and adjusted for identified items and the cost of supplies adjustment of positive $0.3 billion.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the first nine months 2024 was $41.5 billion, and primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, the timing impact of payments relating to emission certificates and biofuel programmes of $1.2 billion and cash inflows relating to commodity derivatives of $1.2 billion, partly offset by tax payments of $9.1 billion, and working capital outflow of $0.3 billion.

    Cash flow from investing activities for the first nine months 2024 was an outflow of $10.7 billion and included cash capital expenditure of $14.2 billion, partly offset by divestment proceeds of $2.0 billion, and interest received of $1.8 billion.

    This Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, together with supplementary financial and operational disclosure for this quarter, is available at www.shell.com/investors 3 .

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without taxation.

    3.Not incorporated by reference.

    THIRD QUARTER 2024 PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENTS

    Integrated Gas

    In July 2024, we announced the final investment decision (FID) on the Manatee project, an undeveloped gas field in the East Coast Marine Area (ECMA) in Trinidad and Tobago.

    In July 2024, we signed an agreement to invest in the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s (ADNOC) Ruwais LNG project in Abu Dhabi through a 10% participating interest. The Ruwais LNG project will consist of two 4.8 mtpa LNG liquefaction trains with a total capacity of 9.6 mtpa.

    In August 2024, Arrow Energy, an incorporated joint venture between Shell (50%) and PetroChina (50%), announced plans to develop Phase 2 of Arrow Energy’s Surat Gas Project in Queensland, Australia. The gas from the project will flow to the Shell-operated QCLNG LNG (joint venture between Shell (73.75%), CNOOC (25%) and MidOcean Energy (1.25%)) facility on Curtis Island, near Gladstone.

    Upstream

    In July 2024, the operator of the Jerun field in Malaysia, SapuraOMV Upstream Sdn Bhd, announced that first gas has been achieved. Jerun is operated by SapuraOMV Upstream (40%) in partnership with Sarawak Shell Berhad (30%) and PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (30%).

    In August 2024, we announced the FID on a ‘waterflood’ project at our Vito asset in the US Gulf of Mexico. Water will be injected into the reservoir formation to displace additional oil.

             Page 2

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    Marketing

    In July 2024, we announced that we are temporarily pausing on-site construction work at our 820,000 tonnes a year biofuels facility at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rotterdam in the Netherlands to address project delivery and ensure future competitiveness given current market conditions.

    Renewables and Energy Solutions

    In October 2024, we signed an agreement to acquire a 100% equity stake in RISEC Holdings, LLC (RISEC), which owns a 609-megawatt (MW) two-unit combined-cycle gas turbine power plant in Rhode Island, USA. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the first quarter 2025.

             Page 2

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    PERFORMANCE BY SEGMENT

                                                         
     
    INTEGRATED GAS        
    Quarters $ million   Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023 %¹   Reference 2024 2023 %
    2,631    2,454    2,156    +7 Segment earnings   7,846    5,325    +47
    (240)   (220)   (375)     Of which: Identified items A (1,379)   (4,625)    
    2,871    2,675    2,531    +7 Adjusted Earnings A 9,225    9,951    -7
    5,234    5,039    4,874    +4 Adjusted EBITDA A 16,410    17,189    -5
    3,623    4,183    4,009    -13 Cash flow from operating activities A 12,518    13,923    -10
    1,236    1,151    1,099      Cash capital expenditure C 3,429    3,000     
    136    137    122    -1 Liquids production available for sale (thousand b/d)   137    134    +2
    4,669    4,885    4,517    -4 Natural gas production available for sale (million scf/d)   4,835    4,744    +2
    941    980    900    -4 Total production available for sale (thousand boe/d)   971    952    +2
    7.50    6.95    6.88    +8 LNG liquefaction volumes (million tonnes)   22.03    21.23    +4
    17.04    16.41    16.01    +4 LNG sales volumes (million tonnes)   50.32    49.01    +3

    1.Q3 on Q2 change

    Integrated Gas includes liquefied natural gas (LNG), conversion of natural gas into gas-to-liquids (GTL) fuels and other products. It includes natural gas and liquids exploration and extraction, and the operation of the upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver these to market. Integrated Gas also includes the marketing, trading and optimisation of LNG.

    Quarter Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the second quarter 2024, reflected higher LNG liquefaction volumes (increase of $237 million).

    Third quarter 2024 segment earnings also included unfavourable movements of $213 million relating to an accounting mismatch due to fair value accounting of commodity derivatives. These unfavourable movements are part of identified items and compare with the second quarter 2024 which included a charge of $122 million due to unrecoverable indirect tax receivables, and unfavourable movements of $98 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives. As part of Shell’s normal business, commodity derivative hedge contracts are entered into for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as the segment earnings and adjusted for identified items.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the quarter was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, partly offset by tax payments of $814 million, net cash outflows related to derivatives of $373 million and working capital outflows of $247 million.

    Total oil and gas production, compared with the second quarter 2024, decreased by 4% mainly due to production-sharing contract effects, and higher maintenance in Trinidad and Tobago. LNG liquefaction volumes increased by 8% mainly due to higher feedgas supply in Nigeria, and Trinidad and Tobago.

    Nine Months Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the first nine months 2023, reflected the combined effect of lower contributions from trading and optimisation and lower realised prices (decrease of $1,787 million), partly offset by higher volumes (increase of $513 million), lower operating expenses (decrease of $171 million), and favourable deferred tax movements ($168 million).

    First nine months 2024 segment earnings also included unfavourable movements of $1,198 million relating to an accounting mismatch due to fair value accounting of commodity derivatives. These unfavourable movements are part of identified items and compare with the first nine months 2023 which included unfavourable movements of $2,821 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives, and net impairment charges and reversals of $1,700 million. As part of Shell’s normal business, commodity derivative hedge contracts are entered into for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as the segment earnings and adjusted for identified items.

             Page 3

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    Cash flow from operating activities for the first nine months 2024 was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, partly offset by tax payments of $2,320 million and net cash outflows related to derivatives of $1,586 million.

    Total oil and gas production, compared with the first nine months 2023, increased by 2% mainly due to ramp-up of fields in Oman and Australia, and lower maintenance in Australia. LNG liquefaction volumes increased by 4% mainly due to lower unplanned maintenance in Australia.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without taxation.

             Page 4

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                         
     
    UPSTREAM          
    Quarters $ million   Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023 %¹   Reference 2024 2023 %
    2,289    2,179    1,999    +5 Segment earnings   6,741    6,388    +6
    (153)   (157)   (238)     Of which: Identified items A 28    (357)    
    2,443    2,336    2,237    +5 Adjusted Earnings A 6,712    6,746    —
    7,871    7,829    7,433    +1 Adjusted EBITDA A 23,588    22,750    +4
    5,268    5,739    5,336    -8 Cash flow from operating activities A 16,734    15,663    +7
    1,974    1,829    2,007      Cash capital expenditure C 5,813    5,906     
    1,321    1,297    1,311    +2 Liquids production available for sale (thousand b/d)   1,316    1,313    —
    2,844    2,818    2,564    +1 Natural gas production available for sale (million scf/d)   2,933    2,687    +9
    1,811    1,783    1,753    +2 Total production available for sale (thousand boe/d)   1,822    1,776    +3

    1.Q3 on Q2 change

    The Upstream segment includes exploration and extraction of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. It also markets and transports oil and gas, and operates the infrastructure necessary to deliver them to the market.

    Quarter Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the second quarter 2024, reflected lower well write-offs (decrease of $139 million), favourable tax movements ($96 million), lower operating expenses (decrease of $63 million), and lower depreciation charges (decrease of $57 million), partly offset by lower realised liquids prices (decrease of $304 million).

    Third quarter 2024 segment earnings also included charges of $138 million related to redundancy and restructuring and charges of $104 million related to decommissioning provisions. These charges are part of identified items, and compare with the second quarter 2024 which included a loss of $143 million related to the impact of the weakening Brazilian real on a deferred tax position, and a loss of $122 million related to a tax settlement in Brazil, partly offset by a gain of $139 million related to the impact of inflationary adjustments in Argentina on a deferred tax position.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as the segment earnings and adjusted for identified items.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the quarter was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, partly offset by tax payments of $2,074 million.

    Total production, compared with the second quarter 2024, increased mainly due to new oil production.

    Nine Months Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the first nine months 2023, reflected unfavourable tax movements ($351 million), higher well write-offs (increase of $327 million) and the net impact of lower realised gas and higher realised liquids prices (decrease of $278 million), partly offset by the comparative favourable impact of $910 million mainly relating to gas storage effects.

    First nine months 2024 segment earnings also included gains of $676 million related to the impact of inflationary adjustments in Argentina on a deferred tax position, partly offset by charges of $179 million related to redundancy and restructuring, net impairment charges and reversals of $171 million and a loss of $164 million related to the impact of the weakening Brazilian real on a deferred tax position. These gains and charges are part of identified items, and compare with the first nine months 2023 which included charges of $188 million from impairments, legal provisions of $169 million and deferred tax charges of $132 million due to amendments to IAS 12, partly offset by favourable movements of $106 million relating to an accounting mismatch due to fair value accounting of commodity derivatives. As part of Shell’s normal business, commodity derivative hedge contracts are entered into for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as the segment earnings and adjusted for identified items.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the first nine months 2024 was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, partly offset by tax payments of $5,832 million.

    Total production, compared with the first nine months 2023, increased mainly due to new oil production, partly offset by field decline.

             Page 5

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without taxation.

             Page 6

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                         
     
    MARKETING        
    Quarters $ million   Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023 %¹   Reference 2024 2023 %
    760    257    629    +196 Segment earnings2   1,791    2,832    -37
    (422)   (825)   (12)     Of which: Identified items2 A (1,255)   314     
    1,182    1,082    641    +9 Adjusted Earnings2 A 3,046    2,518    +21
    2,081    1,999    1,453    +4 Adjusted EBITDA2 A 5,767    4,837    +19
    2,722    1,958    397    +39 Cash flow from operating activities2 A 5,999    3,794    +58
    525    644    959      Cash capital expenditure2 C 1,634    4,406     
    2,945    2,868    3,138    +3 Marketing sales volumes (thousand b/d)2   2,859    3,062    -7

    1.Q3 on Q2 change

    2.Wholesale commercial fuels, previously reported in the Chemicals and Products segment, is reported in the Marketing segment (Mobility) with effect from Q1 2024. Comparative information for the Marketing segment and the Chemicals and Products segment has been revised.

    The Marketing segment comprises the Mobility, Lubricants, and Sectors and Decarbonisation businesses. The Mobility business operates Shell’s retail network including electric vehicle charging services and the Wholesale commercial fuels business which provides fuels for transport, industry and heating. The Lubricants business produces, markets and sells lubricants for road transport, and machinery used in manufacturing, mining, power generation, agriculture and construction. The Sectors and Decarbonisation business sells fuels, speciality products and services including low-carbon energy solutions to a broad range of commercial customers including the aviation, marine, and agricultural sectors.

    Quarter Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the second quarter 2024, reflected higher Marketing margins (increase of $139 million) mainly driven by improved Mobility unit margins and impact of seasonally higher volumes partly offset by lower lubricants and Sectors and Decarbonisation margins. Segment earnings also reflected favourable tax movements ($55 million). These were partly offset by higher operating expenses (increase of $63 million).

    Third quarter 2024 segment earnings also included impairment charges of $179 million, charges of $98 million related to redundancy and restructuring, and net losses of $84 million related to sale of assets. These charges and unfavourable movements are part of identified items, and compare with the second quarter 2024 impairment charges of $783 million mainly relating to an asset in the Netherlands, and charges of $50 million related to redundancy and restructuring.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as the segment earnings and adjusted for identified items.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the quarter was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, working capital inflows of $792 million, and the timing impact of payments relating to emission certificates and biofuel programmes of $427 million. These inflows were partly offset by non-cash cost of supplies adjustment of $334 million and tax payments of $241 million.

    Marketing sales volumes (comprising hydrocarbon sales), compared with the second quarter 2024, increased mainly due to seasonality.

    Nine Months Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the first nine months 2023, reflected higher Marketing margins (increase of $582 million) including higher unit margins in Mobility, Lubricants and higher Sectors and Decarbonisation margins. Segment earnings also reflected lower operating expenses (decrease of $170 million). These were partly offset by higher depreciation charges (increase of $128 million) mainly due to asset acquisitions, and unfavourable tax movements ($94 million).

    First nine months 2024 segment earnings also included impairment charges of $965 million mainly relating to an asset in the Netherlands, charges of $163 million related to redundancy and restructuring, and net losses of $140 million related to the sale of assets. These charges are part of identified items and compare with the first nine months 2023 which included gains of $298 million related to indirect tax credits, and favourable movements of $60 million relating to an accounting mismatch due to fair value accounting of commodity derivatives. As part of Shell’s normal business, commodity derivative hedge contracts are entered into for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as the segment earnings and adjusted for identified items.

             Page 7

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    Cash flow from operating activities for the first nine months 2024 was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, the timing impact of payments relating to emission certificates and biofuel programmes of $966 million, and working capital inflows of $153 million. These inflows were partly offset by tax payments of $432 million, and non-cash cost of supplies adjustment of $256 million.

    Marketing sales volumes (comprising hydrocarbon sales), compared with the first nine months 2023, decreased mainly in Mobility including increased focus on value over volume.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without taxation.

             Page 8

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                         
     
    CHEMICALS AND PRODUCTS        
    Quarters $ million   Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023 %¹   Reference 2024 2023 %
    341    587    1,250    -42 Segment earnings2   2,085    3,310    -37
    (122)   (499)   (213)     Of which: Identified items2 A (1,078)   (278)    
    463    1,085    1,463    -57 Adjusted Earnings2 A 3,163    3,588    -12
    1,240    2,242    2,661    -45 Adjusted EBITDA2 A 6,308    6,819    -7
    3,321    2,249    2,862    +48 Cash flow from operating activities2 A 5,221    6,364    -18
    761    638    837      Cash capital expenditure2 C 1,898    2,027     
    1,305    1,429    1,334    -9 Refinery processing intake (thousand b/d)   1,388    1,360    +2
    3,015    3,052    2,998    -1 Chemicals sales volumes (thousand tonnes)   8,950    8,656    +3

    1.Q3 on Q2 change

    2.Wholesale commercial fuels, previously reported in the Chemicals and Products segment, is reported in the Marketing segment (Mobility) with effect from Q1 2024. Comparative information for the Marketing segment and the Chemicals and Products segment has been revised.

    The Chemicals and Products segment includes chemicals manufacturing plants with their own marketing network, and refineries which turn crude oil and other feedstocks into a range of oil products which are moved and marketed around the world for domestic, industrial and transport use. The segment also includes the pipeline business, trading and optimisation of crude oil, oil products and petrochemicals, and Oil Sands activities (the extraction of bitumen from mined oil sands and its conversion into synthetic crude oil).

    Quarter Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the second quarter 2024, reflected lower Products margins (decrease of $492 million) mainly driven by lower refining margins and lower margins from trading and optimisation. Segment earnings also reflected lower Chemicals margins (decrease of $189 million) mainly due to lower utilisation and lower realised prices. In addition, the third quarter 2024 reflected higher operating expenses (increase of $88 million). These were partly offset by favourable tax movements ($133 million).

    Third quarter 2024 segment earnings also included charges of $101 million related to redundancy and restructuring, and net impairment charges and reversals of $92 million, partly offset by favourable movements of $95 million relating to an accounting mismatch due to fair value accounting of commodity derivatives. These charges and favourable movements are part of identified items, and compare with the second quarter 2024 which included net impairment charges and reversals of $708 million mainly relating to assets in Singapore, partly offset by favourable movements of $156 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives. As part of Shell’s normal business, commodity derivative hedge contracts are entered into for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as the segment earnings and adjusted for identified items. In the third quarter 2024, Chemicals had negative Adjusted Earnings of $111 million and Products had positive Adjusted Earnings of $573 million.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the quarter was primarily driven by working capital inflows of $2,131 million, Adjusted EBITDA, cash inflows relating to commodity derivatives of $88 million and dividends (net of profits) from joint ventures and associates of $63 million. These inflows were partly offset by non-cash cost of supplies adjustment of $331 million.

    Chemicals manufacturing plant utilisation was 76% compared with 80% in the second quarter 2024, due to higher planned and unplanned maintenance.

    Refinery utilisation was 81% compared with 92% in the second quarter 2024, due to higher planned and unplanned maintenance.

    Nine Months Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the first nine months 2023, reflected lower Products margins (decrease of $1,458 million) mainly driven by lower refining margins and lower margins from trading and optimisation. Segment earnings also included unfavourable tax movements ($106 million). These were partly offset by higher Chemicals margins (increase of $516 million) due to higher realised prices and higher utilisation. In addition, the first nine months 2024 reflected lower operating expenses (decrease of $658 million).

    First nine months 2024 segment earnings also included net impairment charges and reversals of $952 million mainly relating to assets in Singapore, charges of $139 million related to redundancy and restructuring, and unfavourable

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    movements of $69 million relating to an accounting mismatch due to fair value accounting of commodity derivatives. These charges and unfavourable movements are part of identified items, and compare with the first nine months 2023 which included losses of $227 million from net impairments and reversals, legal provisions of $74 million and favourable movements of $75 million related to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives. As part of Shell’s normal business, commodity derivative hedge contracts are entered into for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as the segment earnings and adjusted for identified items. In the first nine months 2024, Chemicals had negative Adjusted Earnings of $174 million and Products had positive Adjusted Earnings of $3,337 million.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the first nine months 2024 was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, the timing impact of payments relating to emission certificates and biofuel programmes of $257 million, and dividends (net of profits) from joint ventures and associates of $165 million. These inflows were partly offset by working capital outflows of $869 million, cash outflows relating to legal provisions of $203 million, tax payments of $182 million, and non-cash cost of supplies adjustment of $182 million.

    Chemicals manufacturing plant utilisation was 77% compared with 70% in the first nine months 2023, mainly due to economic optimisation in the first nine months 2023. The increase was also driven by ramp-up of Shell Polymers Monaca and lower unplanned maintenance in the first nine months 2024.

    Refinery utilisation was 88% compared with 87% in the first nine months 2023.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without taxation.

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    RENEWABLES AND ENERGY SOLUTIONS        
    Quarters $ million   Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023 %¹   Reference 2024 2023 %
    (481)   (75)   616    -538 Segment earnings   (3)   3,361    -100
    (319)   112    667      Of which: Identified items A 183    2,778     
    (162)   (187)   (51)   +13 Adjusted Earnings A (186)   583    -132
    (75)   (91)   101    +18 Adjusted EBITDA A 101    1,229    -92
    (364)   847    (34)   -143 Cash flow from operating activities A 2,948    4,249    -31
    409    425    659      Cash capital expenditure C 1,272    1,655     
    79    74    76    +7 External power sales (terawatt hours)2   230    211    +9
    148    148    170    0 Sales of pipeline gas to end-use customers (terawatt hours)3   487    563    -14

    1.Q3 on Q2 change

    2.Physical power sales to third parties; excluding financial trades and physical trade with brokers, investors, financial institutions, trading platforms, and wholesale traders.

    3.Physical natural gas sales to third parties; excluding financial trades and physical trade with brokers, investors, financial institutions, trading platforms, and wholesale traders. Excluding sales of natural gas by other segments and LNG sales.

    Renewables and Energy Solutions includes activities such as renewable power generation, the marketing and trading and optimisation of power and pipeline gas, as well as carbon credits, and digitally enabled customer solutions. It also includes the production and marketing of hydrogen, development of commercial carbon capture and storage hubs, investment in nature-based projects that avoid or reduce carbon emissions, and Shell Ventures, which invests in companies that work to accelerate the energy and mobility transformation.

    Quarter Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the second quarter 2024, reflected lower margins (decrease of $86 million) mainly due to lower trading and optimisation in the Americas, partly offset by slightly higher trading and optimisation in Europe.

    Third quarter 2024 segment earnings also included unfavourable movements of $279 million relating to an accounting mismatch due to fair value accounting of commodity derivatives. These unfavourable movements are part of identified items and compare with the second quarter 2024 which included favourable movements of $223 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and impairment charges of $155 million. As part of Shell’s normal business, commodity derivative hedge contracts are entered into for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as the segment earnings and adjusted for identified items.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the quarter was primarily driven by working capital outflows of $136 million, net cash outflows related to derivatives of $107 million, and Adjusted EBITDA.

    Nine Months Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the first nine months 2023, reflected lower margins (decrease of $1,236 million) mainly from trading and optimisation primarily in Europe due to lower volatility and lower prices, partly offset by lower operating expenses (decrease of $427 million).

    First nine months 2024 segment earnings also included favourable movements of $250 million relating to an accounting mismatch due to fair value accounting of commodity derivatives, partly offset by net impairment charges and reversals of $89 million. These favourable movements and charges are part of identified items and compare with the first nine months 2023 which included favourable movements of $2,632 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives. As part of Shell’s normal business, commodity derivative hedge contracts are entered into for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as the segment earnings and adjusted for identified items. Most Renewables and Energy Solutions activities were loss-making for the first nine months 2024, which was partly offset by positive Adjusted Earnings from trading and optimisation.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the first nine months 2024 was primarily driven by net cash inflows related to derivatives of $2,479 million, working capital inflows of $570 million, and Adjusted EBITDA, partly offset by tax payments of $415 million.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

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    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without taxation.

    Additional Growth Measures

                                                         
    Quarters     Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023 %¹     2024 2023 %
            Renewable power generation capacity (gigawatt):        
    3.4    3.3    2.5    +2 – In operation2   3.4    2.5    +37
    3.9    3.8    4.9    +3 – Under construction and/or committed for sale3   3.9    4.9    -20

    1.Q3 on Q2 change

    2.Shell’s equity share of renewable generation capacity post commercial operation date. It excludes Shell’s equity share of associates where information cannot be obtained.

    3.Shell’s equity share of renewable generation capacity under construction and/or committed for sale under long-term offtake agreements (PPA). It excludes Shell’s equity share of associates where information cannot be obtained.

                                             
     
    CORPORATE      
    Quarters $ million   Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   Reference 2024 2023
    (647)   (1,656)   (497)   Segment earnings1   (2,656)   (2,315)  
    (3)   (1,080)   22    Of which: Identified items A (1,069)   (50)  
    (643)   (576)   (519)   Adjusted Earnings1 A (1,588)   (2,266)  
    (346)   (213)   (186)   Adjusted EBITDA1 A (650)   (619)  
    115    (1,468)   (238)   Cash flow from operating activities A (1,898)   (2,372)  

    1.From the first quarter 2024, Shell’s longer-term innovation portfolio is managed centrally and hence reported as part of the Corporate segment (previously all other segments). Prior period comparatives have been revised to conform with current year presentation with an offsetting impact on all the other segments.

    The Corporate segment covers the non-operating activities supporting Shell. It comprises Shell’s holdings and treasury organisation, headquarters and central functions, self-insurance activities and centrally managed longer-term innovation portfolio. All finance expense, income and related taxes are included in Corporate segment earnings rather than in the earnings of business segments.

    Quarter Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the second quarter 2024, reflected unfavourable movements in currency exchange rate effects, partly offset by favourable tax movements.

    Second quarter 2024 segment earnings also included reclassifications from equity to profit and loss of cumulative currency translation differences related to funding structures resulting in unfavourable movements of $1,122 million. These currency translation differences were previously recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity as part of accumulated other comprehensive income. This non-cash reclassification is part of identified items.

    Adjusted EBITDA2 was mainly driven by unfavourable currency exchange rate effects and higher operating expenses.

    Nine Months Analysis1

    Segment earnings, compared with the first nine months 2023, were primarily driven by favourable tax movements and favourable net interest movements.

    First nine months 2024 segment earnings also included reclassifications from equity to profit and loss of cumulative currency translation differences related to funding structures resulting in unfavourable movements of $1,122 million. These reclassifications are included in identified items.

    Adjusted EBITDA2 was mainly driven by unfavourable currency exchange rate effects.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without taxation.

    OUTLOOK FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER 2024

    For Full year 2023 cash capital expenditure was $24 billion. Cash capital expenditure for full year 2024 is expected to be below $22 billion.

    Integrated Gas production is expected to be approximately 900 – 960 thousand boe/d. Fourth quarter 2024 outlook reflects scheduled maintenance at Pearl GTL in Qatar. LNG liquefaction volumes are expected to be approximately 6.9 – 7.5 million tonnes.

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    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    Upstream production is expected to be approximately 1,750 – 1,950 thousand boe/d.

    Marketing sales volumes are expected to be approximately 2,550 – 3,050 thousand b/d.

    Refinery utilisation is expected to be approximately 75% – 83%. Chemicals manufacturing plant utilisation is expected to be approximately 72% – 80%.

    In the fourth quarter 2023, Corporate Adjusted Earnings were a net expense of $609 million1. Corporate Adjusted Earnings2 are expected to be a net expense of approximately $600 – $800 million in the fourth quarter 2024.

    1.From the first quarter 2024, Shell’s longer-term innovation portfolio is managed centrally and hence reported as part of the Corporate segment (previously all other segments). Prior period comparatives have been revised to conform with current year presentation with an offsetting impact on all the other segments.

    2.For the definition of Adjusted Earnings and the most comparable GAAP measure please see reference A.

    FORTHCOMING EVENTS

               
     
    Date Event
    January 30, 2025 Fourth quarter 2024 results and dividends
    March 13, 2025 Publication of Annual Report and Accounts and filing of Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024
    May 2, 2025 First quarter 2025 results and dividends
    July 31, 2025 Second quarter 2025 results and dividends
    October 30, 2025 Third quarter 2025 results and dividends

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    UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                                       
     
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME    
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    71,089    74,463    76,350    Revenue1 218,031    237,888   
    933    898    747    Share of profit/(loss) of joint ventures and associates 3,150    2,957   
    440    (305)   913    Interest and other income/(expenses)2 1,042    2,207   
    72,462    75,057    78,011    Total revenue and other income/(expenses) 222,222    243,052   
    48,225    49,417    49,144    Purchases 144,509    158,138   
    6,138    5,593    6,384    Production and manufacturing expenses 17,541    18,433   
    3,139    3,094    3,447    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses 9,208    9,811   
    294    263    267    Research and development 768    817   
    305    496    436    Exploration 1,551    1,283   
    5,916    7,555    5,911    Depreciation, depletion and amortisation2 19,352    20,069   
    1,174    1,235    1,131    Interest expense 3,573    3,507   
    65,190    67,653    66,720    Total expenditure 196,502    212,058   
    7,270    7,404    11,291    Income/(loss) before taxation 25,717    30,993   
    2,879    3,754    4,115    Taxation charge/(credit)2 10,237    11,891   
    4,391    3,650    7,176    Income/(loss) for the period 15,480    19,102   
    100    133    132    Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest 314    215   
    4,291    3,517    7,044    Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders 15,166    18,887   
    0.69    0.55    1.06    Basic earnings per share ($)3 2.39    2.78   
    0.68    0.55    1.05    Diluted earnings per share ($)3 2.36    2.75   

    1.See Note 2 “Segment information”.

    2.See Note 8 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

    3.See Note 4 “Earnings per share”.

                                       
     
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME    
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    4,391    3,650    7,176    Income/(loss) for the period 15,480    19,102   
          Other comprehensive income/(loss) net of tax:    
          Items that may be reclassified to income in later periods:    
    2,947    698    (1,460)   – Currency translation differences1 1,651    (1,174)  
    35    (12)   1    – Debt instruments remeasurements 16    13   
    (75)   14    141    – Cash flow hedging gains/(losses) (7)   61   
    —    —    —    – Net investment hedging gains/(losses) —    (44)  
    (2)   (6)   (39)   – Deferred cost of hedging (22)   (94)  
    35    (50)   (72)   – Share of other comprehensive income/(loss) of joint ventures and associates (27)   (118)  
    2,940    644    (1,429)   Total 1,610    (1,357)  
          Items that are not reclassified to income in later periods:    
    419    310    180    – Retirement benefits remeasurements 1,169    125   
    80    (81)   (38)   – Equity instruments remeasurements 77    (15)  
    (53)   44    17    – Share of other comprehensive income/(loss) of joint ventures and associates 1    (15)  
    446    273    159    Total 1,247    95   
    3,386    917    (1,270)   Other comprehensive income/(loss) for the period 2,857    (1,262)  
    7,777    4,567    5,906    Comprehensive income/(loss) for the period 18,337    17,840   
    177    123    149    Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest 357    217   
    7,600    4,443    5,757    Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders 17,981    17,622   

    1.See Note 8 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

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    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
    $ million    
      September 30, 2024 December 31, 2023
    Assets    
    Non-current assets    
    Goodwill 16,600    16,660   
    Other intangible assets 8,188    10,253   
    Property, plant and equipment 191,721    194,835   
    Joint ventures and associates 25,764    24,457   
    Investments in securities 3,062    3,246   
    Deferred tax 6,114    6,454   
    Retirement benefits1 10,564    9,151   
    Trade and other receivables 6,883    6,298   
    Derivative financial instruments² 498    801   
      269,394    272,155   
    Current assets    
    Inventories 24,143    26,019   
    Trade and other receivables 46,782    53,273   
    Derivative financial instruments² 10,233    15,098   
    Cash and cash equivalents 42,252    38,774   
      123,411    133,164   
    Assets classified as held for sale1 2,144    951   
      125,555    134,115   
    Total assets 394,949    406,270   
    Liabilities    
    Non-current liabilities    
    Debt 64,597    71,610   
    Trade and other payables 3,864    3,103   
    Derivative financial instruments² 1,749    2,301   
    Deferred tax 15,487    15,347   
    Retirement benefits1 7,110    7,549   
    Decommissioning and other provisions 22,979    22,531   
      115,786    122,441   
    Current liabilities    
    Debt 12,015    9,931   
    Trade and other payables 61,076    68,237   
    Derivative financial instruments² 6,775    9,529   
    Income taxes payable 4,289    3,422   
    Decommissioning and other provisions 4,171    4,041   
      88,327    95,160   
    Liabilities directly associated with assets classified as held for sale1 1,298    307   
      89,625    95,467   
    Total liabilities 205,411    217,908   
    Equity attributable to Shell plc shareholders 187,673    186,607   
    Non-controlling interest 1,865    1,755   
    Total equity 189,538    188,362   
    Total liabilities and equity 394,949    406,270   

    1.    See Note 8 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

    2.    See Note 7 “Derivative financial instruments and debt excluding lease liabilities”.

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    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                         
     
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
      Equity attributable to Shell plc shareholders      
    $ million Share capital1 Shares held in trust Other reserves² Retained earnings Total Non-controlling interest   Total equity
    At January 1, 2024 544    (997)   21,145    165,915    186,607    1,755      188,362   
    Comprehensive income/(loss) for the period —    —    2,815    15,166    17,981    357      18,337   
    Transfer from other comprehensive income —    —    166    (166)   —    —      —   
    Dividends³ —    —    —    (6,556)   (6,556)   (242)     (6,798)  
    Repurchases of shares4 (25)   —    25    (10,536)   (10,536)   —      (10,536)  
    Share-based compensation —    542    (24)   (400)   119    —      119   
    Other changes —    —    —    60    60    (5)     55   
    At September 30, 2024 519    (456)   24,127    163,482    187,673    1,865      189,538   
    At January 1, 2023 584    (726)   21,132    169,482    190,472    2,125      192,597   
    Comprehensive income/(loss) for the period —    —    (1,263)   18,886    17,622    217      17,840   
    Transfer from other comprehensive income —    —    (111)   111    —    —      —   
    Dividends3 —    —    —    (6,193)   (6,193)   (636)     (6,829)  
    Repurchases of shares4 (30)   —    30    (11,058)   (11,058)   —      (11,058)  
    Share-based compensation —    466    (18)   (100)   349    —      349   
    Other changes —    —    —    8    8    37      45   
    At September 30, 2023 555    (261)   19,769    171,136    191,199    1,745      192,943   

    1.    See Note 5 “Share capital”.

    2.    See Note 6 “Other reserves”.

    3.    The amount charged to retained earnings is based on prevailing exchange rates on payment date.

    4.     Includes shares committed to repurchase under an irrevocable contract and repurchases subject to settlement at the end of the quarter.

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    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                             
     
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS    
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024   Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    7,270      7,404    11,291    Income before taxation for the period 25,717    30,993   
            Adjustment for:    
    554      619    513    – Interest expense (net) 1,749    1,789   
    5,916      7,555    5,911    – Depreciation, depletion and amortisation1 19,352    20,069   
    150      269    186    – Exploration well write-offs 973    626   
    154      (143)   74    – Net (gains)/losses on sale and revaluation of non-current assets and businesses —    (24)  
    (933)     (898)   (747)   – Share of (profit)/loss of joint ventures and associates (3,150)   (2,957)  
    860      792    749    – Dividends received from joint ventures and associates 2,390    2,529   
    2,705      (954)   (3,151)   – (Increase)/decrease in inventories 1,143    2,237   
    4,057      1,965    (1,126)   – (Increase)/decrease in current receivables 5,827    13,105   
    (4,096)     (1,269)   4,498    – Increase/(decrease) in current payables2 (7,314)   (10,881)  
    735      253    (2,807)   – Derivative financial instruments 2,373    (6,050)  
    125      (332)   1    – Retirement benefits (267)   31   
    359      (332)   282    – Decommissioning and other provisions2 (572)   (210)  
    (144)     2,027    (150)   – Other1 2,392    474   
    (3,028)     (3,448)   (3,191)   Tax paid (9,092)   (10,108)  
    14,684      13,508    12,332    Cash flow from operating activities 41,522    41,622   
    (4,690)     (4,445)   (5,259)      Capital expenditure (13,114)   (16,033)  
    (222)     (261)   (350)      Investments in joint ventures and associates (983)   (1,093)  
    (38)     (13)   (40)      Investments in equity securities (63)   (154)  
    (4,950)     (4,719)   (5,649)   Cash capital expenditure (14,161)   (17,280)  
    94      710    184    Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment and businesses 1,128    2,024   
    94      57    68    Proceeds from joint ventures and associates from sale, capital reduction and repayment of long-term loans 284    425   
    6      2    7    Proceeds from sale of equity securities 576    28   
    593      648    586    Interest received 1,818    1,555   
    1,074      883    701    Other investing cash inflows 2,814    3,308   
    (769)     (920)   (724)   Other investing cash outflows (3,183)   (2,141)  
    (3,857)     (3,338)   (4,827)   Cash flow from investing activities (10,723)   (12,080)  
    (89)     (179)   88    Net increase/(decrease) in debt with maturity period within three months (375)   (185)  
            Other debt:    
    78      132    187    – New borrowings 377    964   
    (1,322)     (4,154)   (3,368)   – Repayments (7,008)   (6,596)  
    (979)     (1,287)   (1,049)   Interest paid (3,177)   (3,076)  
    652      (115)   (26)   Derivative financial instruments 239    22   
    —      (1)   6    Change in non-controlling interest (5)   (22)  
            Cash dividends paid to:    
    (2,167)     (2,177)   (2,179)   – Shell plc shareholders (6,554)   (6,192)  
    (92)     (82)   (51)   – Non-controlling interest (242)   (636)  
    (3,537)     (3,958)   (2,725)   Repurchases of shares (10,319)   (10,640)  
    6      (24)   (30)   Shares held in trust: net sales/(purchases) and dividends received (480)   (176)  
    (7,452)     (11,846)   (9,147)   Cash flow from financing activities (27,545)   (26,535)  
    729      (126)   (421)   Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 224    (222)  
    4,105      (1,801)   (2,063)   Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 3,478    2,785   
    38,148      39,949    45,094    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 38,774    40,246   
    42,252      38,148    43,031    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 42,252    43,031   

    1.See Note 8 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

    2.To further enhance consistency between working capital and the Balance Sheet and the Statement of Cash Flows, from January 1, 2024, onwards movements in current other provisions are recognised in ‘Decommissioning and other provisions’ instead of ‘Increase/(decrease) in current payables’. Comparatives for the third quarter 2023 and the nine months 2023 have been reclassified accordingly by $212 million and $40 million respectively to conform with current period presentation.

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    NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

    1. Basis of preparation

    These unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements of Shell plc (“the Company”) and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “Shell”) have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) and adopted by the UK, and on the basis of the same accounting principles as those used in the Company’s Annual Report and Accounts (pages 244 to 316) for the year ended December 31, 2023, as filed with the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales and as filed with the Autoriteit Financiële Markten (the Netherlands) and Form 20-F (pages 217 to 290) for the year ended December 31, 2023 as filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and should be read in conjunction with these filings.

    The financial information presented in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434(3) of the Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”). Statutory accounts for the year ended December 31, 2023, were published in Shell’s Annual Report and Accounts, a copy of which was delivered to the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales, and in Shell’s Form 20-F. The auditor’s report on those accounts was unqualified, did not include a reference to any matters to which the auditor drew attention by way of emphasis without qualifying the report and did not contain a statement under sections 498(2) or 498(3) of the Act.

    2. Segment information

    Segment earnings are presented on a current cost of supplies basis (CCS earnings), which is the earnings measure used by the Chief Executive Officer for the purposes of making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance. On this basis, the purchase price of volumes sold during the period is based on the current cost of supplies during the same period after making allowance for the tax effect. CCS earnings therefore exclude the effect of changes in the oil price on inventory carrying amounts. Sales between segments are based on prices generally equivalent to commercially available prices.

    From the first quarter 2024, Wholesale commercial fuels forms part of Mobility with inclusion in the Marketing segment (previously Chemicals and Products segment). The change in segmentation reflects the increasing alignment between the economic characteristics of wholesale commercial fuels and other Mobility businesses, and is consistent with changes in the information provided to the Chief Operating Decision Maker. Prior period comparatives have been revised to conform with current year presentation with an offsetting impact between the Marketing and the Chemicals and Products segment (see below). Also, from the first quarter 2024, Shell’s longer-term innovation portfolio is managed centrally and hence reported as part of the Corporate segment (previously all other segments). Prior period comparatives have been revised to conform with current year presentation with an offsetting impact on all the other segments (see below).

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    REVENUE AND CCS EARNINGS BY SEGMENT    
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
          Third-party revenue    
    9,748    9,052    8,338    Integrated Gas 27,996    27,208   
    1,605    1,590    1,617    Upstream 4,954    5,212   
    30,519    32,005    35,236    Marketing2 92,564    98,799   
    22,608    24,583    22,119    Chemicals and Products2 70,926    72,121   
    6,599    7,222    9,032    Renewables and Energy Solutions 21,558    34,517   
    10    11    7    Corporate 33    31   
    71,089    74,463    76,350    Total third-party revenue1 218,031    237,888   
          Inter-segment revenue    
    2,131    2,157    2,472    Integrated Gas 6,691    8,946   
    9,618    10,102    10,277    Upstream 30,008    30,282   
    1,235    1,363    1,456    Marketing2 3,953    4,056   
    9,564    9,849    11,942    Chemicals and Products2 29,725    32,653   
    1,131    957    894    Renewables and Energy Solutions 3,093    3,140   
    —    —    —    Corporate —    —   
          CCS earnings    
    2,631    2,454    2,156    Integrated Gas 7,846    5,325   
    2,289    2,179    1,999    Upstream 6,741    6,388   
    760    257    629    Marketing2 1,791    2,832   
    341    587    1,250    Chemicals and Products2 2,085    3,310   
    (481)   (75)   616    Renewables and Energy Solutions (3)   3,361   
    (647)   (1,656)   (497)   Corporate3 (2,656)   (2,315)  
    4,894    3,747    6,152    Total CCS earnings4 15,804    18,901   

    1.Includes revenue from sources other than from contracts with customers, which mainly comprises the impact of fair value accounting of commodity derivatives.

    2.From January 1, 2024, onwards Wholesale commercial fuels has been reallocated from the Chemicals and Products segment to the Marketing segment. Comparatives for the third quarter 2023 and the nine months 2023 have been reclassified accordingly, by $5,659 million and $16,369 million respectively for Third-party revenue and by $(73) million and $22 million respectively for CCS earnings to conform with current period presentation. For Inter-segment revenue the reallocation and revision of comparative figures for the third quarter 2023 and the nine months 2023 led to an increase in inter-segment revenue in the Marketing segment of $1,302 million and $3,616 million respectively and an increase in the Chemicals and Products segment of $11,373 million and $31,011 million respectively.

    3.From January 1, 2024, onwards costs for Shell’s centrally managed longer-term innovation portfolio are reported as part of the Corporate segment. Prior period comparatives for Corporate for the third quarter 2023 and the nine months 2023 have been revised by $37 million and $91 million respectively, with a net offsetting impact in all other segments to conform with current period presentation.

    4.See Note 3 “Reconciliation of income for the period to CCS Earnings, Operating expenses and Total Debt”.

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    Cash capital expenditure is a measure used by the Chief Executive Officer for the purposes of making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance.

                                       
     
    CASH CAPITAL EXPENDITURE BY SEGMENT
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
          Capital expenditure    
    1,090    1,024    958    Integrated Gas 2,971    2,458   
    1,998    1,769    2,013    Upstream 5,533    5,701   
    488    644    935    Marketing1 1,559    4,358   
    748    601    761    Chemicals and Products1 1,822    1,944   
    327    377    523    Renewables and Energy Solutions 1,124    1,382   
    39    30    68    Corporate 104    190   
    4,690    4,445    5,259    Total capital expenditure 13,114    16,033   
          Add: Investments in joint ventures and associates    
    147    127    141    Integrated Gas 457    543   
    (37)   60    (6)   Upstream 268    205   
    37    —    25    Marketing 75    48   
    13    37    76    Chemicals and Products 76    81   
    59    35    114    Renewables and Energy Solutions 103    205   
    3    1    1    Corporate 5    11   
    222    261    350    Total investments in joint ventures and associates 983    1,093   
          Add: Investments in equity securities    
    —    —    —    Integrated Gas —    —   
    12    —    —    Upstream 12    —   
    —    —    —    Marketing —    —   
    —    —    —    Chemicals and Products —    2   
    23    13    21    Renewables and Energy Solutions 45    68   
    3    —    19    Corporate 6    84   
    38    13    40    Total investments in equity securities 63    154   
          Cash capital expenditure    
    1,236    1,151    1,099    Integrated Gas 3,429    3,000   
    1,974    1,829    2,007    Upstream 5,813    5,906   
    525    644    959    Marketing1 1,634    4,406   
    761    638    837    Chemicals and Products1 1,898    2,027   
    409    425    659    Renewables and Energy Solutions 1,272    1,655   
    45    32    87    Corporate 114    285   
    4,950    4,719    5,649    Total Cash capital expenditure 14,161    17,280   

    1.From January 1, 2024, onwards Wholesale commercial fuels has been reallocated from the Chemicals and Products segment to the Marketing segment. Comparatives for the third quarter 2023 and the nine months 2023 have been reclassified accordingly by $42 million and $133 million respectively for capital expenditure and cash capital expenditure to conform with current period presentation.

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    3. Reconciliation of income for the period to CCS Earnings, Operating expenses and Total Debt

                                       
     
    RECONCILIATION OF INCOME FOR THE PERIOD TO CCS EARNINGS    
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    4,291    3,517    7,044    Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders 15,166    18,887   
    100    133    132    Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest 314    215   
    4,391    3,650    7,176    Income/(loss) for the period 15,480    19,102   
          Current cost of supplies adjustment:    
    668    137    (1,304)   Purchases 473    (275)  
    (162)   (36)   327    Taxation (114)   60   
    (2)   (5)   (47)   Share of profit/(loss) of joint ventures and associates (35)   14   
    503    97    (1,024)   Current cost of supplies adjustment 324    (201)  
          Of which:    
    477    89    (969)   Attributable to Shell plc shareholders 302    (162)
    26    7    (55)   Attributable to non-controlling interest 22    (39)
    4,894    3,747    6,152    CCS earnings 15,804    18,901   
          Of which:    
    4,768    3,606    6,075    CCS earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders 15,468    18,725   
    126    140    77    CCS earnings attributable to non-controlling interest 336    176   
                                       
     
    RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING EXPENSES    
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    6,138    5,593    6,384    Production and manufacturing expenses 17,541    18,433   
    3,139    3,094    3,447    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses 9,208    9,811   
    294    263    267    Research and development 768    817   
    9,570    8,950    10,097    Operating expenses 27,517    29,062   
                                       
     
    RECONCILIATION OF TOTAL DEBT    
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    September 30, 2024 June 30, 2024 September 30, 2023   September 30, 2024 September 30, 2023
    12,015    10,849    10,119    Current debt 12,015    10,119   
    64,597    64,619    72,028    Non-current debt 64,597    72,028   
    76,613    75,468    82,147    Total debt 76,613    82,147   

    4. Earnings per share

                                       
     
    EARNINGS PER SHARE
    Quarters   Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    4,291    3,517    7,044    Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders ($ million) 15,166    18,887   
               
          Weighted average number of shares used as the basis for determining:    
    6,256.5    6,355.4    6,668.1    Basic earnings per share (million) 6,350.3    6,792.5   
    6,320.9    6,417.6    6,736.7    Diluted earnings per share (million) 6,414.0    6,856.7   

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    5. Share capital

                             
     
    ISSUED AND FULLY PAID ORDINARY SHARES OF €0.07 EACH
      Number of shares   Nominal value
    ($ million)
    At January 1, 2024 6,524,109,049      544     
    Repurchases of shares (299,830,201)     (25)    
    At September 30, 2024 6,224,278,848      519     
    At January 1, 2023 7,003,503,393      584     
    Repurchases of shares (357,368,014)     (30)    
    At September 30, 2023 6,646,135,379      555     

    At Shell plc’s Annual General Meeting on May 21, 2024, the Board was authorised to allot ordinary shares in Shell plc, and to grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert, any security into ordinary shares in Shell plc, up to an aggregate nominal amount of approximately €150 million (representing approximately 2,147 million ordinary shares of €0.07 each), and to list such shares or rights on any stock exchange. This authority expires at the earlier of the close of business on August 20, 2025, or the end of the Annual General Meeting to be held in 2025, unless previously renewed, revoked or varied by Shell plc in a general meeting.

    6. Other reserves

                                             
     
    OTHER RESERVES
    $ million Merger reserve Share premium reserve Capital redemption reserve Share plan reserve Accumulated other comprehensive income Total
    At January 1, 2024 37,298    154    236    1,308    (17,851)   21,145   
    Other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders —    —    —    —    2,815    2,815   
    Transfer from other comprehensive income —    —    —    —    166    166   
    Repurchases of shares —    —    25    —    —    25   
    Share-based compensation —    —    —    (24)   —    (24)  
    At September 30, 2024 37,298    154    261    1,284    (14,870)   24,127   
    At January 1, 2023 37,298    154    196    1,140    (17,656)   21,132   
    Other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders —    —    —    —    (1,263)   (1,263)  
    Transfer from other comprehensive income —    —    —    —    (111)   (111)  
    Repurchases of shares —    —    30    —    —    30   
    Share-based compensation —    —    —    (18)   —    (18)  
    At September 30, 2023 37,298    154    227    1,121    (19,029)   19,769   

    The merger reserve and share premium reserve were established as a consequence of Shell plc (formerly Royal Dutch Shell plc) becoming the single parent company of Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and The “Shell” Transport and Trading Company, p.l.c., now The Shell Transport and Trading Company Limited, in 2005. The merger reserve increased in 2016 following the issuance of shares for the acquisition of BG Group plc. The capital redemption reserve was established in connection with repurchases of shares of Shell plc. The share plan reserve is in respect of equity-settled share-based compensation plans.

    7. Derivative financial instruments and debt excluding lease liabilities

    As disclosed in the Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, presented in the Annual Report and Accounts and Form 20-F for that year, Shell is exposed to the risks of changes in fair value of its financial assets and liabilities. The fair values of the financial assets and liabilities are defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Methods and assumptions used to estimate the fair values at September 30, 2024, are consistent with those used in the year ended December 31, 2023, though the carrying amounts of derivative financial instruments have changed since that

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    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    date. The movement of the derivative financial instruments between December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2024 is a decrease of $4,865 million for the current assets and a decrease of $2,754 million for the current liabilities.

    The table below provides the comparison of the fair value with the carrying amount of debt excluding lease liabilities, disclosed in accordance with IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures.

                     
     
    DEBT EXCLUDING LEASE LIABILITIES
    $ million September 30, 2024 December 31, 2023
    Carrying amount 51,022    53,832   
    Fair value¹ 48,489    50,866   

    1.    Mainly determined from the prices quoted for these securities.

    8. Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements

    Consolidated Statement of Income

    Interest and other income

                                       
     
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    440    (305)   913    Interest and other income/(expenses) 1,042    2,207   
          Of which:    
    619    616    618    Interest income 1,824    1,718   
    4    30    7    Dividend income (from investments in equity securities) 58    36   
    (154)   143    (75)   Net gains/(losses) on sales and revaluation of non-current assets and businesses 0    35   
    (189)   (1,169)   168    Net foreign exchange gains/(losses) on financing activities (1,292)   (60)  
    159    74    195    Other 452    478   

    Net foreign exchange gains/(losses) on financing activities in the second quarter 2024 includes a loss of $1,104 million related to cumulative currency translation differences that were reclassified to profit and loss. The reclassification of these cumulative currency translation differences was principally triggered by changes in the funding structure of some of Shell’s businesses in the United Kingdom. These currency translation differences were previously directly recognised in equity as part of accumulated other comprehensive income.

    Depreciation, depletion and amortisation

                                       
     
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    5,916    7,555    5,911    Depreciation, depletion and amortisation 19,352    20,069   
          Of which:    
    5,578 5,642 5,716 Depreciation 16,874    17,120   
    340 1,984 359 Impairments 2,706    3,438   
    (2) (71) (163) Impairment reversals (228)   (489)  

    Impairments recognised in the third quarter 2024 of $340 million pre-tax ($290 million post-tax) mainly relate to various assets in Marketing and Chemicals and Products. Impairments recognised in the second quarter 2024 of $1,984 million pre-tax ($1,778 million post-tax) mainly relate to Marketing ($1,055 million), Chemicals and Products ($690 million) and Renewables and Energy Solutions ($141 million). The impairment in Marketing principally relates to a biofuels facility located in the Netherlands, triggered by a temporary pause of on-site construction work. The impairment in Chemicals and Products relates to an Energy and Chemicals Park located in Singapore, due to remeasurement of the fair value less costs of disposal triggered by a sales agreement reached. Impairments recognised in the third quarter 2023 of $359 million pre-tax ($299 million post-tax) mainly relate to various assets in Renewables and Energy Solutions and Chemicals and Products.

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    Taxation charge/credit

                                       
     
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    2,879    3,754    4,115    Taxation charge/(credit) 10,237    11,891   
          Of which:    
    2,834 3,666 4,115 Income tax excluding Pillar Two income tax 10,026    11,891   
    45 88 — Income tax related to Pillar Two income tax 212    —

    On June 20, 2023, the UK substantively enacted Pillar Two Model Rules, effective as from January 1, 2024.

    As required by IAS 12 Income Taxes, Shell has applied the exception to recognising and disclosing information about deferred tax assets and liabilities related to Pillar Two income taxes.

    Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

    Currency translation differences

                                       
     
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    2,947    698    (1,460)   Currency translation differences 1,651    (1,174)  
          Of which:    
    2,912 (406) (1,469) Recognised in Other comprehensive income 524    (1,181)  
    35 1,104 9 (Gain)/loss reclassified to profit or loss 1,127    7

    Amounts reclassified to profit and loss in the second quarter 2024 relate to cumulative currency translation differences that were reclassified to income (refer to Interest and other income above).

    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet

    Retirement benefits

                     
     
    $ million    
      September 30, 2024 December 31, 2023
    Non-current assets    
    Retirement benefits 10,564    9,151   
    Non-current liabilities    
    Retirement benefits 7,110    7,549   
    Surplus/(deficit) 3,454    1,602   

    Amounts recognised in the Balance Sheet in relation to defined benefit plans include both plan assets and obligations that are presented on a net basis on a plan-by-plan basis. The change in the net retirement benefit asset as at September 30, 2024, is mainly driven by an increase of the market yield on high-quality corporate bonds in the USA, the UK and Eurozone since December 31, 2023, partly offset by losses on plan assets.

    Assets classified as held for sale

                       
       
    $ million      
      September 30, 2024 December 31, 2023  
    Assets classified as held for sale 2,144    951     
    Liabilities directly associated with assets classified as held for sale 1,298    307     

    Assets classified as held for sale and associated liabilities at September 30, 2024 relate to an energy and chemicals park asset in Chemicals and Products in Singapore and various smaller assets. The major classes of assets and liabilities classified as held for sale at September 30, 2024, are Inventories ($1,273 million; December 31, 2023: $463 million), Property, plant and equipment ($544 million; December 31, 2023: $250 million), Decommissioning and other provisions ($634 million; December 31, 2023: $75 million) and Debt ($425 million; December 31, 2023: $84 million).

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    Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

    Cash flow from operating activities – Other

                                       
     
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    (144)   2,027    (150)   Other 2,392    474   

    ‘Cash flow from operating activities – Other’ for the third quarter 2024 includes $432 million of net inflows (second quarter 2024: $620 million net inflows; third quarter 2023: $630 million net outflows) due to the timing of payments relating to emission certificates and biofuel programmes in Europe and North America and $539 million in relation to reversal of currency exchange gains on Cash and cash equivalents (second quarter 2024: $96 million losses; third quarter 2023: $336 million losses). For the second quarter 2024 ‘Cash flow from operating activities – Other’ also includes $1,104 million inflow representing reversal of the non-cash recycling of currency translation losses from other comprehensive income (refer to Interest and other income above).

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    ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE (NON-GAAP) MEASURES

    A.Adjusted Earnings, Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (“Adjusted EBITDA”) and Cash flow from operating activities

    The “Adjusted Earnings” measure aims to facilitate a comparative understanding of Shell’s financial performance from period to period by removing the effects of oil price changes on inventory carrying amounts and removing the effects of identified items. These items are in some cases driven by external factors and may, either individually or collectively, hinder the comparative understanding of Shell’s financial results from period to period. This measure excludes earnings attributable to non-controlling interest.

    We define “Adjusted EBITDA” as “Income/(loss) for the period” adjusted for current cost of supplies; identified items; tax charge/(credit); depreciation, amortisation and depletion; exploration well write-offs and net interest expense. All items include the non-controlling interest component. Management uses this measure to evaluate Shell’s performance in the period and over time.

                                       
         
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    4,291    3,517    7,044    Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders 15,166    18,887   
    100    133    132    Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest 314    215   
    477    89    (969)   Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment attributable to Shell plc shareholders 302    (162)  
    26    7    (55)   Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment attributable to non-controlling interest 22    (39)  
    4,894    3,747    6,152    CCS earnings 15,804    18,901   
                                                   
     
    Q3 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    CCS earnings 4,894 2,631 2,289 760 341 (481) (647)
    Less: Identified items (1,259) (240) (153) (422) (122) (319) (3)
    Less: CCS earnings attributable to non-controlling interest 126            
    Add: Identified items attributable to non-controlling interest —            
    Adjusted Earnings 6,028            
    Add: Non-controlling interest 126            
    Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest 6,153 2,871 2,443 1,182 463 (162) (643)
    Add: Taxation charge/(credit) excluding tax impact of identified items 3,571 949 2,413 322 (73) (1) (39)
    Add: Depreciation, depletion and amortisation excluding impairments 5,578 1,369 2,691 564 862 86 6
    Add: Exploration well write-offs 150 2 148        
    Add: Interest expense excluding identified items 1,173 49 183 13 14 2 912
    Less: Interest income 619 5 8 — 25 — 581
    Adjusted EBITDA 16,005 5,234 7,871 2,081 1,240 (75) (346)
    Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation 665     334 331    
    Joint ventures and associates (dividends received less profit) (62) (146) (90) 51 63 61 —
    Derivative financial instruments 133 (373) 47 98 88 (106) 380
    Taxation paid (3,028) (814) (2,074) (241) 23 (33) 112
    Other (365) (32) (406) 275 107 (75) (234)
    (Increase)/decrease in working capital 2,665 (247) (78) 792 2,131 (136) 204
    Cash flow from operating activities 14,684 3,623 5,268 2,722 3,321 (364) 115

             Page 26

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                   
     
    Q2 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    CCS earnings 3,747 2,454 2,179 257 587 (75) (1,656)
    Less: Identified items (2,669) (220) (157) (825) (499) 112 (1,080)
    Less: CCS earnings attributable to non-controlling interest 140            
    Add: Identified items attributable to non-controlling interest 18            
    Adjusted Earnings 6,293            
    Add: Non-controlling interest 122            
    Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest 6,415 2,675 2,336 1,082 1,085 (187) (576)
    Add: Taxation charge/(credit) excluding tax impact of identified items 3,947 940 2,312 359 297 (10) 49
    Add: Depreciation, depletion and amortisation excluding impairments 5,642 1,375 2,750 548 867 95 6
    Add: Exploration well write-offs 269 5 264 — — — —
    Add: Interest expense excluding identified items 1,149 44 166 10 23 1 904
    Less: Interest income 616 — (1) — 30 (9) 595
    Adjusted EBITDA 16,806 5,039 7,829 1,999 2,242 (91) (213)
    Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation 133     74 59    
    Joint ventures and associates (dividends received less profit) (135) 96 (288) (54) 46 64 —
    Derivative financial instruments 713 (133) 9 7 304 607 (79)
    Taxation paid (3,448) (1,039) (1,955) (17) (186) (138) (113)
    Other (38) (104) (341) (57) 263 180 20
    (Increase)/decrease in working capital (258) 324 484 153 (361) 225 (1,083)
    Cash flow from operating activities 13,508 4,183 5,739 1,958 2,249 847 (1,468)
                                                   
     
    Q3 2023 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    CCS earnings 6,152 2,156 1,999 629 1,250 616 (497)
    Less: Identified items (149) (375) (238) (12) (213) 667 22
    Less: CCS earnings attributable to non-controlling interest 77            
    Add: Identified items attributable to non-controlling interest —            
    Adjusted Earnings 6,224            
    Add: Non-controlling interest 77            
    Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest 6,302 2,531 2,237 641 1,463 (51) (519)
    Add: Taxation charge/(credit) excluding tax impact of identified items 3,621 845 2,160 269 253 70 24
    Add: Depreciation, depletion and amortisation excluding impairments 5,716 1,413 2,771 528 918 82 4
    Add: Exploration well write-offs 186 35 151 — — — —
    Add: Interest expense excluding identified items 1,130 51 119 23 41 1 895
    Less: Interest income 618 1 5 8 13 1 590
    Adjusted EBITDA 16,336 4,874 7,433 1,453 2,661 101 (186)
    Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation (1,351)     (624) (727)    
    Joint ventures and associates (dividends received less profit) (13) (40) 43 (19) (19) 21 —
    Derivative financial instruments (2,549) (454) (20) 10 (375) (1,407) (304)
    Taxation paid (3,191) (679) (2,090) (226) 54 (258) 8
    Other 177 (44) (57) (485) 167 327 269
    (Increase)/decrease in working capital 221 352 28 (960) (354) 1,182 (27)
    Cash flow from operating activities 12,332 4,009 5,336 397 2,862 (34) (238)

             Page 27

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                   
     
    Nine months 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    CCS earnings 15,804 7,846 6,741 1,791 2,085 (3) (2,656)
    Less: Identified items (4,569) (1,379) 28 (1,255) (1,078) 183 (1,069)
    Less: CCS earnings attributable to non-controlling interest 336            
    Add: Identified items attributable to non-controlling interest 18            
    Adjusted Earnings 20,055            
    Add: Non-controlling interest 318            
    Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest 20,373 9,225 6,712 3,046 3,163 (186) (1,588)
    Add: Taxation charge/(credit) excluding tax impact of identified items 11,642 2,885 7,247 1,039 562 (10) (81)
    Add: Depreciation, depletion and amortisation excluding impairments 16,874 4,154 8,169 1,647 2,599 287 18
    Add: Exploration well write-offs 973 14 959        
    Add: Interest expense excluding identified items 3,485 136 518 35 54 4 2,737
    Less: Interest income 1,824 5 17 1 69 (5) 1,736
    Adjusted EBITDA 51,523 16,410 23,588 5,767 6,308 101 (650)
    Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation 438     256 182    
    Joint ventures and associates (dividends received less profit) (779) (247) (924) 89 165 138 —
    Derivative financial instruments 1,153 (1,586) 53 66 (10) 2,479 152
    Taxation paid (9,092) (2,320) (5,832) (432) (182) (415) 89
    Other (500) (90) (978) 612 (8) 75 (111)
    (Increase)/decrease in working capital (344) 352 827 153 (869) 570 (1,377)
    Cash flow from operating activities 41,522 12,518 16,734 5,999 5,221 2,948 (1,898)
                                                   
     
    Nine months 2023 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    CCS earnings 18,901 5,325 6,388 2,832 3,310 3,361 (2,315)
    Less: Identified items (2,219) (4,625) (357) 314 (278) 2,778 (50)
    Less: CCS earnings attributable to non-controlling interest 176            
    Add: Identified items attributable to non-controlling interest —            
    Adjusted Earnings 20,944            
    Add: Non-controlling interest 176            
    Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest 21,120 9,951 6,746 2,518 3,588 583 (2,266)
    Add: Taxation charge/(credit) excluding tax impact of identified items 11,553 2,773 6,720 808 558 345 349
    Add: Depreciation, depletion and amortisation excluding impairments 17,120 4,300 8,358 1,479 2,667 303 13
    Add: Exploration well write-offs 625 59 566 — — — —
    Add: Interest expense excluding identified items 3,504 110 372 40 39 3 2,941
    Less: Interest income 1,718 2 13 8 33 5 1,657
    Adjusted EBITDA 52,204 17,189 22,750 4,837 6,819 1,229 (619)
    Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation (261)     (94) (167)    
    Joint ventures and associates (dividends received less profit) (167) 32 (443) 85 85 72 2
    Derivative financial instruments (5,112) (3,071) — (18) 225 (1,719) (528)
    Taxation paid (10,108) (2,843) (6,455) (478) (197) (350) 214
    Other 82 (84) (530) 23 284 304 85
    (Increase)/decrease in working capital 4,462 2,700 342 (748) (1,019) 4,713 (1,526)
    Cash flow from operating activities 41,622 13,923 15,663 3,794 6,364 4,249 (2,372)

    Identified Items

    Identified items comprise: divestment gains and losses, impairments, redundancy and restructuring, provisions for onerous contracts, fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts and the impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on certain deferred tax balances, and other items. Identified items in the tables below are presented on a net basis.

             Page 28

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                   
     
    Q3 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation              
    Divestment gains/(losses) (154) 1 (2) (110) (19) (20) (3)
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (338) (6) (3) (195) (120) (14) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (552) (69) (189) (136) (141) (26) 10
    Provisions for onerous contracts (7) — — (7) — — —
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts (602) (252) (13) (78) 126 (385) —
    Other (136) — (141) (1) (11) 16 —
    Total identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation (1,789) (327) (348) (526) (165) (430) 7
    Less: total identified items included in Taxation charge/(credit) (530) (87) (195) (104) (43) (111) 10
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) for the period              
    Divestment gains/(losses) (129) 1 (6) (84) (15) (23) (2)
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (288) (4) (2) (179) (92) (10) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (397) (48) (138) (98) (101) (19) 7
    Provisions for onerous contracts (5) — — (5) — — —
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts (456) (213) (3) (56) 95 (279) —
    Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances 120 24 104 — — — (8)
    Other (105) — (108) — (8) 12 —
    Impact on CCS earnings (1,259) (240) (153) (422) (122) (319) (3)
    Impact on CCS earnings attributable to non-controlling interest — — — — — — —
    Impact on CCS earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders (1,259) (240) (153) (422) (122) (319) (3)

             Page 29

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                   
     
    Q2 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation              
    Divestment gains/(losses) 143 2 131 (60) (8) 79 —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (1,932) (18) (80) (1,055) (619) (161) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (211) (9) (56) (69) (30) (45) (2)
    Provisions for onerous contracts (17) (3) (14) — — — —
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts 461 (102) (29) 63 211 318 —
    Other1 (1,271) (130) (168) 10 113 7 (1,103)
    Total identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation (2,826) (260) (215) (1,111) (333) 198 (1,105)
    Less: total identified items included in Taxation charge/(credit) (157) (40) (58) (286) 165 87 (25)
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) for the period              
    Divestment gains/(losses) 135 1 114 (45) (6) 71 —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (1,728) (15) (67) (783) (708) (155) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (147) (6) (33) (50) (23) (33) (1)
    Provisions for onerous contracts (14) (3) (11) — — — —
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts 319 (98) (7) 45 156 223 —
    Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances 49 10 (4) — — — 43
    Other1 (1,284) (111) (148) 7 83 5 (1,122)
    Impact on CCS earnings (2,669) (220) (157) (825) (499) 112 (1,080)
    Impact on CCS earnings attributable to non-controlling interest 18 — — — 18 — —
    Impact on CCS earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders (2,687) (220) (157) (825) (517) 112 (1,080)

    1.Corporate includes reclassifications from equity to profit and loss of cumulative currency translation differences related to funding structures resulting in unfavourable movements of $1,122 million. These currency translation differences were previously recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity as part of accumulated other comprehensive income.

             Page 30

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                   
     
    Q3 2023 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation              
    Divestment gains/(losses) (75) 6 23 (10) 3 (98) —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (196) — (15) (2) (103) (76) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (20) (3) (4) (5) (4) (2) (3)
    Provisions for onerous contracts — — — — — — —
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts 258 (350) 38 (2) (88) 659 —
    Other 50 (25) (236) — (97) 408 —
    Total identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation 17 (371) (194) (18) (288) 891 (3)
    Less: total identified items included in Taxation charge/(credit) 166 4 44 (6) (75) 225 (25)
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) for the period              
    Divestment gains/(losses) (68) 4 8 (7) 2 (76) —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (167) — (12) (1) (79) (75) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (14) (2) (2) (4) (3) (1) (2)
    Provisions for onerous contracts — — — — — — —
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts 121 (340) 13 — (59) 506 —
    Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances (51) (13) (62) — — — 24
    Other 29 (25) (184) — (74) 312 —
    Impact on CCS earnings (149) (375) (238) (12) (213) 667 22
    Impact on CCS earnings attributable to non-controlling interest — — — — — — —
    Impact on CCS earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders (149) (375) (238) (12) (213) 667 22

             Page 31

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                   
     
    Nine months 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation              
    Divestment gains/(losses) — — 155 (185) (35) 68 (3)
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (2,498) (32) (179) (1,254) (917) (116) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (837) (79) (258) (226) (190) (86) 3
    Provisions for onerous contracts (24) (3) (14) (7) — — —
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts (1,221) (1,421) (44) (9) (79) 332 —
    Other1 (1,281) (126) (271) 32 148 39 (1,103)
    Total identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation (5,859) (1,663) (609) (1,649) (1,073) 238 (1,104)
    Less: total identified items included in Taxation charge/(credit) (1,290) (284) (638) (394) 5 55 (35)
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) for the period              
    Divestment gains/(losses) 2 — 118 (140) (28) 54 (2)
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (2,201) (24) (171) (965) (952) (89) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (597) (55) (179) (163) (139) (63) 2
    Provisions for onerous contracts (19) (3) (11) (5) — — —
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts (1,032) (1,198) (11) (6) (69) 250 —
    Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances 573 8 512 — — — 53
    Other1 (1,293) (107) (228) 24 110 30 (1,122)
    Impact on CCS earnings (4,569) (1,379) 28 (1,255) (1,078) 183 (1,069)
    Impact on CCS earnings attributable to non-controlling interest 18 — — — 18 — —
    Impact on CCS earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders (4,587) (1,379) 28 (1,255) (1,096) 183 (1,069)

    1.Corporate includes reclassifications from equity to profit and loss of cumulative currency translation differences related to funding structures resulting in unfavourable movements of $1,122 million. These currency translation differences were previously recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity as part of accumulated other comprehensive income.

             Page 32

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                   
     
    Nine months 2023 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation              
    Divestment gains/(losses) 35 (1) 76 32 (12) (59) —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (2,952) (2,274) (199) (49) (300) (130) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (54) — (10) (22) (4) (1) (16)
    Provisions for onerous contracts (24) — — — (24) — —
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts 939 (3,047) 387 66 77 3,455 —
    Other 116 (25) (445) 298 (119) 408 —
    Total identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation (1,941) (5,347) (192) 324 (382) 3,672 (16)
    Less: total identified items included in Taxation charge/(credit) 278 (722) 165 11 (104) 894 34
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) for the period              
    Divestment gains/(losses) 50 — 80 24 (9) (45) —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (2,284) (1,700) (188) (50) (227) (119) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (35) — (3) (17) (3) (1) (11)
    Provisions for onerous contracts (18) — — — (18) — —
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts 52 (2,821) 106 60 75 2,632 —
    Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances 8 (31) 78 — — — (39)
    Other 7 (74) (431) 297 (96) 312 —
    Impact on CCS earnings (2,219) (4,625) (357) 314 (278) 2,778 (50)
    Impact on CCS earnings attributable to non-controlling interest — — — — — — —
    Impact on CCS earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders (2,219) (4,625) (357) 314 (278) 2,778 (50)

    The identified items categories above may include after-tax impacts of identified items of joint ventures and associates which are fully reported within “Share of profit/(loss) of joint ventures and associates” in the Consolidated Statement of Income, and fully reported as identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation in the table above. Identified items related to subsidiaries are consolidated and reported across appropriate lines of the Consolidated Statement of Income. Only pre-tax identified items reported by subsidiaries are taken into account in the calculation of underlying operating expenses (Reference F).

    Provisions for onerous contracts: Provisions for onerous contracts that relate to businesses that Shell has exited or to redundant assets or assets that cannot be used.

    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts: In the ordinary course of business, Shell enters into contracts to supply or purchase oil and gas products, as well as power and environmental products. Shell also enters into contracts for tolling, pipeline and storage capacity. Derivative contracts are entered into for mitigation of resulting economic exposures (generally price exposure) and these derivative contracts are carried at period-end market price (fair value), with movements in fair value recognised in income for the period. Supply and purchase contracts entered into for operational purposes, as well as contracts for tolling, pipeline and storage capacity, are, by contrast, recognised when the transaction occurs; furthermore, inventory is carried at historical cost or net realisable value, whichever is lower. As a consequence, accounting mismatches occur because: (a) the supply or purchase transaction is recognised in a different period, or (b) the inventory is measured on a different basis. In addition, certain contracts are, due to pricing or delivery conditions, deemed to contain embedded derivatives or written options and are also required to be carried at fair value even though they are entered into for operational purposes. The accounting impacts are reported as identified items.

    Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances represents the impact on tax balances of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments arising on (a) the conversion to dollars of the local currency tax base of non-monetary assets and liabilities, as well as losses (this primarily impacts the Upstream and Integrated Gas segments) and (b) the conversion of dollar-denominated inter-segment loans to local currency, leading to taxable exchange rate gains or losses (this primarily impacts the Corporate segment).

    Other identified items represent other credits or charges that based on Shell management’s assessment hinder the comparative understanding of Shell’s financial results from period to period.

             Page 33

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    B.    Adjusted Earnings per share

    Adjusted Earnings per share is calculated as Adjusted Earnings (see Reference A), divided by the weighted average number of shares used as the basis for basic earnings per share (see Note 4).

    C.    Cash capital expenditure

    Cash capital expenditure represents cash spent on maintaining and developing assets as well as on investments in the period. Management regularly monitors this measure as a key lever to delivering sustainable cash flows. Cash capital expenditure is the sum of the following lines from the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows: Capital expenditure, Investments in joint ventures and associates and Investments in equity securities.

    See Note 2 “Segment information” for the reconciliation of cash capital expenditure.

    D.    Capital employed and Return on average capital employed

    Return on average capital employed (“ROACE”) measures the efficiency of Shell’s utilisation of the capital that it employs. Effective first quarter 2024, the definition of capital employed has been amended to reflect the deduction of cash and cash equivalents. In addition, the numerator applied to ROACE on an Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest basis has been amended to remove interest on cash and cash equivalents for consistency with the revised capital employed definition. Comparative information has been revised to reflect the updated definition. Also, the presentation of ROACE on a net income basis has been discontinued, as this measure is not routinely used by management in assessing the efficiency of capital employed.

    The measure refers to Capital employed which consists of total equity, current debt, and non-current debt reduced by cash and cash equivalents.

    Management believes that the updated methodology better reflects Shell’s approach to managing capital employed, including the management of cash and cash equivalents alongside total debt and equity as part of the financial framework.

    In this calculation, the sum of Adjusted Earnings (see Reference A) plus non-controlling interest (NCI) excluding identified items for the current and previous three quarters, adjusted for after-tax interest expense and after-tax interest income, is expressed as a percentage of the average capital employed excluding cash and cash equivalents for the same period.

                           
     
    $ million Quarters
      Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023
    Current debt 10,119 12,114 8,046
    Non-current debt 72,028 72,252 73,944
    Total equity 192,943 192,094 190,237
    Less: Cash and cash equivalents (43,031) (45,094) (35,978)
    Capital employed – opening 232,059 231,366 236,250
    Current debt 12,015 10,849 10,119
    Non-current debt 64,597 64,619 72,028
    Total equity 189,538 187,190 192,943
    Less: Cash and cash equivalents (42,252) (38,148) (43,031)
    Capital employed – closing 223,898 224,511 232,059
    Capital employed – average 227,979 227,939 234,154

             Page 34

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                           
     
    $ million Quarters
      Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023
    Adjusted Earnings – current and previous three quarters (Reference A) 27,361 27,558 30,758
    Add: Income/(loss) attributable to NCI – current and previous three quarters 376 409 275
    Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment attributable to NCI – current and previous three quarters 56 (25) (12)
    Less: Identified items attributable to NCI (Reference A) – current and previous three quarters 7 7 13
    Adjusted Earnings plus NCI excluding identified items – current and previous three quarters 27,787 27,935 31,008
    Add: Interest expense after tax – current and previous three quarters 2,698 2,650 2,685
    Less: Interest income after tax on cash and cash equivalents – current and previous three quarters 1,392 1,395 1,179
    Adjusted Earnings plus NCI excluding identified items before interest expense and interest income – current and previous three quarters 29,093 29,190 32,514
    Capital employed – average 227,979 227,939 234,154
    ROACE on an Adjusted Earnings plus NCI basis 12.8% 12.8% 13.9%

    E.    Net debt and gearing

    Net debt is defined as the sum of current and non-current debt, less cash and cash equivalents, adjusted for the fair value of derivative financial instruments used to hedge foreign exchange and interest rate risk relating to debt, and associated collateral balances. Management considers this adjustment useful because it reduces the volatility of net debt caused by fluctuations in foreign exchange and interest rates, and eliminates the potential impact of related collateral payments or receipts. Debt-related derivative financial instruments are a subset of the derivative financial instrument assets and liabilities presented on the balance sheet. Collateral balances are reported under “Trade and other receivables” or “Trade and other payables” as appropriate.

    Gearing is a measure of Shell’s capital structure and is defined as net debt (total debt less cash and cash equivalents) as a percentage of total capital (net debt plus total equity).

                           
     
    $ million  
      September 30, 2024 June 30, 2024 September 30, 2023
    Current debt 12,015    10,849    10,119   
    Non-current debt 64,597    64,619    72,028   
    Total debt 76,613    75,468    82,147   
    Of which lease liabilities 25,590    25,600    27,854   
    Add: Debt-related derivative financial instruments: net liability/(asset) 1,694    2,460    3,116   
    Add: Collateral on debt-related derivatives: net liability/(asset) (821)   (1,466)   (1,762)  
    Less: Cash and cash equivalents (42,252)   (38,148)   (43,031)  
    Net debt 35,234    38,314    40,470   
    Total equity 189,538    187,190    192,943   
    Total capital 224,772    225,505    233,414   
    Gearing 15.7  % 17.0  % 17.3  %

    F.    Operating expenses and Underlying operating expenses

    Operating expenses

    Operating expenses is a measure of Shell’s cost management performance, comprising the following items from the Consolidated Statement of Income: production and manufacturing expenses; selling, distribution and administrative expenses; and research and development expenses.

             Page 35

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                                   
     
    Q3 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Production and manufacturing expenses 6,138 1,164 2,394 367 1,766 453 (6)
    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses 3,139 (1) (39) 2,408 453 209 110
    Research and development 294 27 75 55 34 22 81
    Operating expenses 9,570 1,190 2,430 2,830 2,253 684 185
                                                   
     
    Q2 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Production and manufacturing expenses 5,593 1,050 2,219 320 1,573 422 10
    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses 3,094 64 62 2,295 293 279 101
    Research and development 263 32 61 47 37 24 62
    Operating expenses 8,950 1,146 2,341 2,662 1,902 725 173
                                                   
     
    Q3 2023 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Production and manufacturing expenses 6,384 1,125 2,266 335 1,900 760 (1)
    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses1 3,447 50 42 2,448 501 286 121
    Research and development1 267 30 77 60 44 (26) 81
    Operating expenses 10,097 1,204 2,384 2,843 2,444 1,021 201
                                                   
     
    Nine months 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Production and manufacturing expenses 17,541 3,170 6,881 1,052 4,973 1,454 10
    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses 9,208 125 80 6,891 1,166 646 300
    Research and development 768 85 194 136 104 58 192
    Operating expenses 27,517 3,380 7,156 8,079 6,243 2,158 501
                                                   
     
    Nine months 2023 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Production and manufacturing expenses 18,433 3,341 6,591 1,030 5,579 1,878 14
    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses1 9,811 114 217 6,906 1,494 787 293
    Research and development1 817 84 216 184 129 2 202
    Operating expenses 29,062 3,540 7,024 8,120 7,201 2,667 509

    1.From the first quarter 2024, Wholesale commercial fuels forms part of Mobility with inclusion in the Marketing segment (previously Chemicals and Products segment). Prior period comparatives have been revised to conform with current year presentation with an offsetting impact between Marketing and Chemicals and Products segments (see Note 2). Also, from the first quarter 2024, Shell’s longer-term innovation portfolio is managed centrally and hence reported as part of the Corporate segment (previously all other segments). Prior period comparatives have been revised to conform with current year presentation with an offsetting impact on all the other segments (see Note 2).

    Underlying operating expenses

    Underlying operating expenses is a measure aimed at facilitating a comparative understanding of performance from period to period by removing the effects of identified items, which, either individually or collectively, can cause volatility, in some cases driven by external factors.

             Page 36

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS
                                       
         
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    9,570    8,950    10,097    Operating expenses 27,517    29,062   
    (552)   (210)   (19)   Redundancy and restructuring (charges)/reversal (834)   (51)  
    (154)   (212)   (343)   (Provisions)/reversal (366)   (376)  
    —    123    —    Other 252    —   
    (706)   (299)   (362)   Total identified items (948)   (426)  
    8,864    8,651    9,735    Underlying operating expenses 26,569    28,635   

    G.    Free cash flow and Organic free cash flow

    Free cash flow is used to evaluate cash available for financing activities, including dividend payments and debt servicing, after investment in maintaining and growing the business. It is defined as the sum of “Cash flow from operating activities” and “Cash flow from investing activities”.

    Cash flows from acquisition and divestment activities are removed from Free cash flow to arrive at the Organic free cash flow, a measure used by management to evaluate the generation of free cash flow without these activities.

                                       
     
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    14,684    13,508    12,332    Cash flow from operating activities 41,522    41,622   
    (3,857)   (3,338)   (4,827)   Cash flow from investing activities (10,723)   (12,080)  
    10,827    10,170    7,505    Free cash flow 30,799    29,542   
    194    769    259    Less: Divestment proceeds (Reference I) 1,988    2,477   
    —    —    (3)   Add: Tax paid on divestments (reported under “Other investing cash outflows”) —    —   
    —    189    3    Add: Cash outflows related to inorganic capital expenditure1 251    2,316   
    10,633    9,590    7,246    Organic free cash flow2 29,062    29,381   

    1.Cash outflows related to inorganic capital expenditure includes portfolio actions which expand Shell’s activities through acquisitions and restructuring activities as reported in capital expenditure lines in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.

    2.Free cash flow less divestment proceeds, adding back outflows related to inorganic expenditure.

    H.    Cash flow from operating activities and cash flow from operating activities excluding working capital movements

    Working capital movements are defined as the sum of the following items in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows: (i) (increase)/decrease in inventories, (ii) (increase)/decrease in current receivables, and (iii) increase/(decrease) in current payables.

    Cash flow from operating activities excluding working capital movements is a measure used by Shell to analyse its operating cash generation over time excluding the timing effects of changes in inventories and operating receivables and payables from period to period.

                                       
     
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    14,684    13,508    12,332    Cash flow from operating activities 41,522    41,622   
    2,705    (954)   (3,151)   (Increase)/decrease in inventories 1,143    2,237   
    4,057    1,965    (1,126)   (Increase)/decrease in current receivables 5,827    13,105   
    (4,096)   (1,269)   4,498    Increase/(decrease) in current payables1 (7,314)   (10,881)  
    2,665    (258)   221    (Increase)/decrease in working capital (344)   4,462   
    12,019    13,766    12,111    Cash flow from operating activities excluding working capital movements 41,867    37,160   

    1.To further enhance consistency between working capital and the Balance Sheet and the Statement of Cash Flows, from January 1, 2024, onwards movements in current other provisions are recognised in ‘Decommissioning and other provisions’ instead of ‘Increase/(decrease) in current payables’. Comparatives for the third quarter 2023 and the nine months 2023 have been reclassified accordingly by $212 million and $40 million respectively to conform with current period presentation.

             Page 37

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    I.    Divestment proceeds

    Divestment proceeds represent cash received from divestment activities in the period. Management regularly monitors this measure as a key lever to deliver free cash flow.

                                       
     
    Quarters $ million Nine months
    Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2023   2024 2023
    94    710 184 Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment and businesses 1,128 2,024
    94    57 68 Proceeds from joint ventures and associates from sale, capital reduction and repayment of long-term loans 284 425
    6    2 7 Proceeds from sale of equity securities 576 28
    194    769 259 Divestment proceeds 1,988 2,477

             Page 38

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

    All amounts shown throughout this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report are unaudited. All peak production figures in Portfolio Developments are quoted at 100% expected production. The numbers presented throughout this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report may not sum precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures, due to rounding.

    The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The term “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; ‘‘anticipate’’; ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, and a significant cybersecurity breach; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, October 31, 2024. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report.

    Shell’s Net Carbon Intensity

    Also, in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report we may refer to Shell’s “Net Carbon Intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “Net Carbon Intensity” or NCI are for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

    Shell’s Net-Zero Emissions Target

    Shell’s operating plan, outlook and budgets are forecasted for a ten-year period and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next ten years. Accordingly, they reflect our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plans cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is currently outside our planning period. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

    Forward-Looking Non-GAAP measures

    This Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as cash capital expenditure and divestments. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile those non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of Shell, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are calculated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.

    The contents of websites referred to in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report do not form part of this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report.

    We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

    This Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report contains inside information.

             Page 39

         
     
    SHELL PLC
    3rd QUARTER 2024 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    October 31, 2024

         
    The information in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report reflects the unaudited consolidated interim financial position and results of Shell plc. Company No. 4366849, Registered Office: Shell Centre, London, SE1 7NA, England, UK.

    Contacts:

    – Sean Ashley, Company Secretary

    – Media: International +44 (0) 207 934 5550; USA +1 832 337 4355

    LEI number of Shell plc: 21380068P1DRHMJ8KU70

    Classification: Inside Information

             Page 40

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Surveys – New Zealand outranks Australia as the country that Americans want to relocate to the most, according to new research

    Source: Journo Research

    New Zealand ranks in eighth place with 11,866 average monthly searches, beating Australia with 10,919 searches.
    Canada is the country that Americans want to relocate to the most, with 28,722 average monthly relocation-related searches.
    The study analysed Google search data for keywords related to relocation inquiries to rank the countries Americans are most interested in moving to.

    New research reveals that Canada is the country Americans want to relocate to the most.
     
    Experts at QR Code Generator ranked countries by the average number of monthly Google searches for relocation-related terms, such as “move to Canada” and “Brazil visa.” The findings identified which countries Americans would like to relocate to the most.
     
    Canada ranks in first place with 28,722 average monthly searches. The country is the most searched in every state except California and Hawaii, where Japan holds the top spot.
     
    Vermont has the highest average monthly searches for Canada-related relocation terms per 100,000 of its population, at 20.34 searches.
     
    With 21,584 average monthly searches, Japan places second. Hawaii searches for Japan the most, with 26.36 average monthly searches per 100,000 locals. This search volume is also the highest out of any state’s interest in any country.
     
    Third place goes to Costa Rica with 15,511 average monthly searches. Montana has the highest average monthly searches for Costa Rica, with 8.90 searches per 100,000 residents.
     
    Brazil ranks in fourth place with 14,613 average monthly searches. With 7.64 average monthly searches per 100,000 locals, Massachusetts is the most interested in moving to Brazil.
     
    Earning fifth place, Mexico has 13,221 average monthly searches. South Dakota is the most interested in moving to Mexico, with 8.52 average monthly searches per 100,000 residents.

    Countries that Americans want to relocate to the most

     

    Ranking 

    Country 

    Average Monthly Google Searches  

    1 

    Canada 

    28,722 

    2 

    Japan 

    21,584 

    3 

    Costa Rica 

    15,511 

    4 

    Brazil 

    14,613 

    5 

    Mexico 

    13,221 

    6 

    Switzerland 

    12,963 

    7 

    Spain 

    12,592 

    8 

    New Zealand 

    11,866 

    9 

    Ireland 

    11,732 

    10 

    Italy 

    11,711 

     
    Switzerland ranks sixth, with 12,963 average monthly searches. With 5.08 average monthly searches per 100,000 locals, Massachusetts is the state that is the most interested in moving to the Central European country.
     
    With 12,592 average monthly searches, Spain takes seventh place. Even though Spain reaches its highest rank of fourth-most searched in New York, the state that has the highest volume of Spain-related searches is Rhode Island, with 7.98 searches per 100,000 residents.
     
    In eighth place, New Zealand has 11,866 average monthly searches. The country in Oceania was the second-most popular in Wyoming, Montana, and Hawaii, with 13.27, 9.42, and 11.85 average monthly searches per 100,000 locals, respectively.
     
    Ireland ranks in ninth place with 11,732 average monthly searches. Ireland was the second-most popular country with Vermont, Maine and West Virginia, receiving 13.77, 8.42, and 5.08 average monthly searches per 100,000 residents, respectively.
     
    Italy just makes the list in tenth place, with 11,711 searches. Alaska, Delaware, and Rhode Island had Italy as their second-most searched destination, with 12.84, 8.80, and 9.88 average monthly searches per 100,000 locals, respectively.  
     
    Marc Porcar, CEO of QR Code Generator PRO S.L, commented on the findings:
     
    “With its proximity and cultural similarities, Canada has emerged as the clear favorite for Americans considering a move abroad.

    “Yet some of the other top choices, like Japan, Costa Rica, and Brazil, are surprising, given the language barriers, unique cuisines, and distinct cultural landscapes they offer.

    “These findings reveal that many Americans aren’t just looking for an easy transition, but are drawn to the adventure of a richer, more diverse experience overseas.”

    If you publish these insights, please credit and link to QR Code Generator, as they conducted this research.
     
    Methodology
     
    To determine which countries have the highest interest for Americans looking to relocate, data from Google Keyword Planner was examined.  
     
    Terms like “move to [country]” and “visa [country]” were searched, and the average monthly search volume over the past 12 months was analysed to rank countries by the frequency of relocation searches.
     
    State data was compared to its respective populations.

    The 193 countries were taken from this United Nations source:

    https://www.un.org/en/about-us/member-states

    The combined search volume for each country’s 22 terms was calculated and used to rank the countries from highest to lowest average monthly searches.

    Full ranking: The countries Americans want to relocate to the most

     

    Ranking 

    Country 

    Average Monthly Google Searches  

    1 

    Canada 

    28,722 

    2 

    Japan 

    21,584 

    3 

    Costa Rica 

    15,511 

    4 

    Brazil 

    14,613 

    5 

    Mexico 

    13,221 

    6 

    Switzerland 

    12,963 

    7 

    Spain 

    12,592 

    8 

    New Zealand 

    11,866 

    9 

    Ireland 

    11,732 

    10 

    Italy 

    11,711 

    11 

    Portugal 

    11,057 

    12 

    Australia 

    10,919 

    13 

    Thailand 

    9,228 

    14 

    Germany 

    9,193 

    15 

    Turkey 

    9,089 

    16 

    Iceland 

    8,557 

    17 

    Norway 

    8,274 

    18 

    Sweden 

    7,696 

    19 

    France 

    7,685 

    20 

    United Kingdom 

    7,523 

    21 

    Greece 

    6,957 

    22 

    Netherlands 

    6,705 

    23 

    Kenya 

    6,632 

    24 

    Philippines 

    6,309 

    25 

    Finland 

    6,079 

    26 

    Denmark 

    6,013 

    27 

    Vietnam 

    6,005 

    28 

    Belize 

    5,838 

    29 

    Ghana 

    5,756 

    30 

    Panama 

    5,647 

    31 

    North Korea 

    5,441 

    32 

    South Korea 

    5,133 

    33 

    Dominican Republic 

    5,098 

    34 

    Russia 

    4,947 

    35 

    The Bahamas 

    4,851 

    36 

    South Africa 

    4,813 

    37 

    Argentina 

    4,769 

    38 

    Singapore 

    4,753 

    39 

    China 

    4,482 

    40 

    Taiwan 

    4,283 

    41 

    Poland 

    4,168 

    42 

    Israel 

    3,913 

    43 

    Colombia 

    3,910 

    44 

    India 

    3,906 

    45 

    Ecuador 

    3,885 

    46 

    Austria 

    3,648 

    47 

    Malaysia 

    3,633 

    48 

    Uruguay 

    3,510 

    49 

    Jamaica 

    3,386 

    50 

    Chile 

    3,356 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Oct 31, 2024 0730 UTC Day 3 Severe Thunderstorm Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    SPC AC 310725

    Day 3 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    0225 AM CDT Thu Oct 31 2024

    Valid 021200Z – 031200Z

    …THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PARTS OF
    FAR EASTERN NEW MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS…

    …SUMMARY…
    Thunderstorms, associated with large hail and wind damage, are
    expected to develop across parts of the southern High Plains on
    Saturday. A marginal severe threat will also be possible outside of
    the Slight Risk area in parts of the southern and central Plains.

    …Southern and Central Plains…
    An upper-level trough will move eastward across the western U.S. on
    Saturday, as southwest mid-level flow remains from the Intermountain
    West eastward into the Great Plains. A moist airmass will be in
    place across the southern and central Plains, where scattered
    thunderstorms will likely develop during the day. The strongest
    instability is forecast across parts of eastern New Mexico and west
    Texas by mid to late afternoon. Thunderstorms that develop in this
    area during the late afternoon and evening could be associated with
    a severe threat. NAM forecast soundings across west Texas by
    00Z/Sunday suggest that MLCAPE will peak in the 1500 to 2000 J/kg
    range. 0-6 km shear is forecast to increase into the 40 to 50 knot
    range as a mid-level jet of around 50 knots moves into the southern
    High Plains. In addition, 700-500 mb lapse rates in West Texas are
    forecast to be from 7 to 7.5 C/km by early Saturday evening. This
    should be favorable for supercells associated with large hail and
    severe wind gusts. The models currently suggest that a severe threat
    could be of rather long duration, with one round of storms
    developing across west Texas early in the day, and a second round of
    storms developing in the evening or overnight period. As these
    clusters move eastward into the Low Rolling Plains of west-central
    Texas and into western and central Oklahoma, the threat should
    become more isolated.

    Further north, from the Oklahoma Panhandle northward into western
    Kansas, moisture and instability are gradually forecast to increase
    Saturday night. Weak instability and moderate deep-layer shear,
    evident on forecast soundings, could support a marginal threat for
    hail and severe wind gusts with the greatest threat toward the end
    of the period.

    ..Broyles.. 10/31/2024

    CLICK TO GET WUUS03 PTSDY3 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 3 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1930Z

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Oct 31, 2024 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

     For best viewing experience, please enable browser JavaScript support.

    Oct 31, 2024 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Updated: Thu Oct 31 05:44:45 UTC 2024 (Print Version |   |  )

    Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table

     Forecast Discussion

    SPC AC 310544

    Day 2 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1244 AM CDT Thu Oct 31 2024

    Valid 011200Z – 021200Z

    …THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PARTS OF
    THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS…

    …SUMMARY…
    Thunderstorms, associated with isolated large hail and marginally
    severe wind gusts, will be possible across parts of the southern
    High Plains Friday evening into the overnight.

    …Southern High Plains…
    An upper-level trough will dig southeastward across the Pacific
    Coastal states on Friday, as flow remains southwesterly at
    mid-levels across much of the western and central U.S. Moisture
    advection will take place across the southern Plains on Friday, with
    surface dewpoints increasing into the 60s F over much of Texas. By
    late Friday afternoon, a pocket of moderate instability is expected
    over parts of West Texas and southeast New Mexico. Scattered
    thunderstorms appear likely to develop during the early evening near
    this pocket of instability. As moisture and low-level flow gradually
    increase across the southern Plains from the evening into the
    overnight, convective coverage is expected to expand north and
    northeastward across much of eastern New Mexico and west Texas.

    A consensus of model forecasts suggests that MLCAPE will peak around
    1500 J/kg in parts of west Texas Friday evening. 0-6 km shear is
    forecast to be in the 30 to 40 knot range. The moderate deep-layer
    shear, combined with 700-500 mb lapse rates near 7 C/km, should
    support the development of a severe threat. Most of the cells are
    expected to remain multicellular. However, areas where the
    environment is locally more favored could support supercells with
    isolated large hail and a few severe wind gusts. The late initiation
    and lack of large-scale ascent is expected to be a limiting factor,
    and should keep any severe threat marginal.

    ..Broyles.. 10/31/2024

    CLICK TO GET WUUS02 PTSDY2 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 2 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1730Z

    Top/Latest Day 1 Outlook/Today’s Outlooks/Forecast Products/Home

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bybit Card in The Pocket: Physical Card Applications Now Open in Argentina With Welcome Offer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, will be unveiling its first physical Mastercard debit card for Bybit users in Argentina. From now to Dec. 31, 2024, new applicants may unlock up to 30,000 ARS in bonuses for card spendings upon the first 100 USDT in deposit. The welcome offer is available for residents in Argentina.

    Seamlessly bridging digital assets with real-world spending, the Bybit Card has quickly become the preferred choice for Argentina’s crypto community. Starting today, virtual Bybit Card holders in Argentina can apply for the physical card through their accounts within a few clicks. For new users who have not experienced the virtual card and missed the early-bird registration period, now is the time to apply for both the virtual and the physical cards. 

    Argentina has emerged as one of the leading markets for digital assets in Latin America, topping the list of regional crypto inflows. According to a recent Chainalysis report, users in Argentina deposited $91 billion worth of crypto between July 2023 and June 2024—the highest amount in the region.

    With the Bybit physical card, users can unlock the full benefits of online and offline spending, accessing over 90 million merchants worldwide through the Mastercard network. The card offers an easy, global payment solution backed by Bybit’s support for major cryptocurrencies and 24/7 customer service. It also comes with a range of perks:

    • Free issuance and delivery
    • Zero annual fees or hidden charges
    • 2% cashback in USDT
    • Up to 8% APR on crypto holdings
    • 30,000 ARS bonus rewards for a limited time only

    “We were encouraged by the warm Argentinian welcome since the Bybit Card made its local debut in July. Three months in, our virtual card has been well loved by the vast majority of Bybit users in Argentina, and we are excited to give users access to the physical version for added flexibility,” said Joan Han, Sales and Marketing Director of Bybit. “Bybit is dedicated to building communities beyond a transactional experience, and we hope a Bybit branded card our users can hold in their hands will bring us closer with a sense of touch and added convenience,” she added.

    The Bybit Card offers a seamless and effortless way for Argentinian users to spend their crypto on everyday purchases while taking full advantage of its rewards and exclusive benefits. Argentinian users can expect more upcoming features and perks with the physical card, including ATM withdrawals and other rewards campaigns in future. The product aligns with Bybit’s mission to foster crypto adoption and create meaningful value for the community.

    Users can find out more about the Bybit Card for residents in Argentina: Bybit Card – Argentina 

    #Bybit / #TheCryptoArk

    About Bybit

    Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving over 50 million users. Established in 2018, Bybit provides a professional platform where crypto investors and traders can find an ultra-fast matching engine, 24/7 customer service, and multilingual community support. Bybit is a proud partner of Formula One’s reigning Constructors’ and Drivers’ champions: the Oracle Red Bull Racing team.

    For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press 

    For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com

    For more information, please visit: https://www.bybit.com

    For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

    Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube

    Contact

    Head of PR 
    Tony Au 
    Bybit 
    tony.au@bybit.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Miniature tag offers unique insight into the movement of hummingbirds Scientists from the University of Aberdeen have attached tiny ‘backpack’ type trackers to hummingbirds in the Andes in a bid to learn more about their movements.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Scientists from the University of Aberdeen have attached tiny ‘backpack’ type trackers to hummingbirds in the Andes in a bid to learn more about their movements.

    We are very excited to have successfully implemented a system that is giving us a unique insight into the movements of hummingbirds and other small animals endemic to high mountain ecosystems of the Andes.” Cristina Rueda Uribe

    Researchers have teamed up with the Chingaza National Park in Colombia, in addition to the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia, Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Washington in the United States, for the project to help inform the park’s plans of expanding the park and connecting to other nearby protected areas. 

    Previously, it has been impossible to collect movement data for hummingbirds and other small animals in the area, however the team were able to set up an automated radio telemetry grid at 3,300m above sea level in the Andes of Colombia. This technology generates fine resolution and continuous location estimates for individual animals, resulting in millions of datapoints that provides information on species’ habitat requirements, movement patterns and seasonal occurrence, all of which are important to inform landscape-level management practices that avoid local extinctions. 

    Cristina Rueda Uribe, a PhD candidate from the University’s School of Biological Sciences, said: “We are very excited to have successfully implemented a system that is giving us a unique insight into the movements of hummingbirds and other small animals endemic to high mountain ecosystems of the Andes. 

    “The transmitters we attached to the hummingbirds are tiny! They weigh only 0.35g because the largest birds are only around 12-14g. We use a harness that goes around their wings and chest, so the tag sits on their back like a backpack. The tag has a solar panel and will transmit signals for the rest of their lifetime, whenever the sun is shining the panel is activated. 

    “Through this, we have been able to obtain information on foraging routines, home ranges and seasonality. This information increases our understanding about biodiversity in tropical mountains and is also useful to protect these species, as well as their key ecosystem roles as pollinators, in the face of ongoing climate and land use change. 

    “Our system is the first to use automated radio signals to track movement in high mountain ecosystems of the Andes, and it is one of only a few that has been attempted in wild landscapes where terrain and vegetation are challenging. Its success is due to an huge international collaborative effort between scientists, designers, drone pilots, park rangers, and field ornithologists. This is such an important step forward as the system is mainly focussed on tracking hummingbirds and revealing movement patterns that are key for their role as plant pollinators, in ecosystems that are especially vulnerable to changes in climate and land use. 

    “I am also excited that this project has motivated local management to use technology for conservation, and it has also inspired researchers to adapt this technology in other locations. We are now helping our collaborators to establish a similar grid in lowland forests in the Amazon region.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: COP16

    Source: European Union 2

    CBD COP16 is taking place in Cali, Colombia, 21 October – 1 November 2024. A full programme of events on transformative actions to deliver on the Global Biodiversity Framework is taking place at the EU Pavilion. Find out more about the EU’s position and aims for COP16 in the Council Conclusions. 

    The Technical Support Instrument (TSI) has helped 27 Member States to implement the Green Deal by designing and implementing reforms on climate change mitigation, tackling green washing and sustainability reporting, climate change adaptation, energy, environment and the circular economy, sustainable mobility, the just transition, green procurement and green budgeting, green taxation – directing public and private financing to sustainable investments.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: OTC Markets Group Welcomes Brazilian Rare Earths Ltd. to OTCQX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Brazilian Rare Earths Ltd. (ASX: BRE; OTCQX: BRETF, BRELY), an Australian exploration and mining company, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Brazilian Rare Earths Ltd. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink® market.

    Brazilian Rare Earths Ltd. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “BRETF, BRELY.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

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

    Viriathus Capital LLC served as Brazilian Rare Earths Ltd’s advisor.

    “We are thrilled to see our shares and ADRs now trading on the OTCQX market. This quotation broadens our investor base and offers U.S. investors enhanced access to participate in our growth story as we advance our world-class rare earth projects. The increased visibility and liquidity on the OTCQX will accelerate our progress towards developing a leading global supplier of critical rare earth elements.”

    About Brazilian Rare Earths Ltd.
    Brazilian Rare Earths is a critical minerals development company that controls the world-class Rocha da Rocha rare earth province in Bahia, Brazil. Brazilian Rare Earths’ flagship project, Monte Alto, contains some of the highest rare earth grades ever reported globally, along with high concentrations of uranium, niobium, tantalum, and scandium.

    The Monte Alto project is strategically positioned to be an important future source of critical minerals, with the project containing 18 of the 50 critical minerals identified by the U.S. government as essential to economic and national security. Brazilian Rare Earths aims to become a leading global supplier of these critical materials, supporting industries such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, advanced robotics, and defence technologies.

    About OTC Markets Group Inc.
    OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market and Pink® Open Market.

    Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

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

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

    Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitfarms Enters into Second 10,000 Miner Hosting Agreement with Stronghold Digital Mining

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    – Follows initial 10,000 miner hosting agreement announced in September –

    – Agreement supports 2.2 EH/s –

    This news release constitutes a “designated news release” for the purposes of the Company’s amended and restated prospectus supplement dated October 4, 2024, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated November 10, 2023.

    TORONTO, Ontario and BROSSARD, Québec, Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitfarms Ltd. (NASDAQ/TSX: BITF) (“Bitfarms” or the “Company”), a global leader in vertically integrated Bitcoin data center operations, has, through one of its subsidiaries, entered into a second miner hosting agreement (the “Hosting Agreement”) with Stronghold Digital Mining Hosting, LLC, a subsidiary of Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc.  (NASDAQ: SDIG) (“Stronghold”) at Stronghold’s Scrubgrass site in Pennsylvania.

    Under the terms of the Hosting Agreement, Bitfarms will deploy an additional 10,000 miners, originally expected to be used for its Yguazu, Paraguay site, to Stronghold’s Scrubgrass site. Energization is anticipated to start in December 2024.

    “Optimizing our assets with these rapid upgrades at Stronghold’s Pennsylvania sites will provide significant near-term value for Bitfarms,” stated Ben Gagnon, CEO. “The 20,000 miners we are deploying at the two sites between the two hosting agreements will boast efficiency of ~20.5 w/TH, continuing to improve our overall fleet efficiency. Vertically integrating our operations with Stronghold’s existing power generation infrastructure reduces capital expenditure requirements and allows us to take greater control over our cost of power via energy trading and better utilization of the T21’s wide range of operating modes. We look forward to completing our acquisition of Stronghold and executing our strategy to increase our U.S. footprint and diversify beyond Bitcoin mining.”

    The initial term of the Hosting Agreement will expire on December 31, 2025, after which it will automatically renew for additional one-year periods unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal. Pursuant to the Hosting Agreement, Bitfarms will pay Stronghold a monthly fee equal to fifty percent of the profit generated by the Bitfarms miners. In connection with the execution of the Hosting Agreement, Bitfarms also deposited with Stronghold $7.8 million, equal to the estimated cost of power for three months of operations of the Bitfarms miners, which will be refundable in full to Bitfarms at the end of the initial term.

    About Bitfarms
    Founded in 2017, Bitfarms is a global vertically integrated Bitcoin data center company that contributes its computational power to one or more mining pools from which it receives payment in Bitcoin. Bitfarms develops, owns, and operates vertically integrated mining facilities with in-house management and company-owned electrical engineering, installation service, and multiple onsite technical repair centers. The Company’s proprietary data analytics system delivers best-in-class operational performance and uptime.

    Bitfarms currently has 12 operating Bitcoin data centers and two under development, as well as hosting agreements with two data centers, in four countries: Canada, the United States, Paraguay, and Argentina. Powered predominantly by environmentally friendly hydro-electric and long-term power contracts, Bitfarms is committed to using sustainable and often underutilized energy infrastructure.

    To learn more about Bitfarms’ events, developments, and online communities:

    www.bitfarms.com
    https://www.facebook.com/bitfarms/
    https://twitter.com/Bitfarms_io
    https://www.instagram.com/bitfarms/
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/bitfarms/

    Glossary of Terms

    • EH or EH/s = Exahash or exahash per second
    • w/TH = Watts/Terahash efficiency (includes cost of powering supplementary equipment)

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains certain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking information”) that are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release and are covered by safe harbors under Canadian and United States securities laws. The statements and information in this release regarding the impact of the Hosting Agreement, projected growth, target hashrate, opportunities relating to the Company’s geographical diversification and expansion, deployment of miners as well as the timing therefor, closing of the Stronghold acquisition on a timely basis and on the terms as announced, , the ability to gain access to additional electrical power and grow hashrate of the Stronghold business, performance of the plants and equipment upgrades and the impact on operating capacity including the target hashrate and multi-year expansion capacity, the opportunities to leverage Bitfarms’ proven expertise to successfully enhance energy efficiency and hashrate, and other statements regarding future growth, plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking information.

    Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “prospects”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information.

    This forward-looking information is based on assumptions and estimates of management of Bitfarms at the time they were made, and involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Bitfarms to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors, risks and uncertainties include, among others: receipt of the approval of the shareholders of Stronghold and the Toronto Stock Exchange for the Stronghold acquisition as well as other applicable regulatory approvals; that the Stronghold acquisition may not close within the timeframe anticipated or at all or may not close on the terms and conditions currently anticipated by the parties for a number of reasons including, without limitation, as a result of a failure to satisfy the conditions to closing of the Stronghold acquisition; the construction and operation of new facilities may not occur as currently planned, or at all; expansion of existing facilities may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; new miners may not perform up to expectations; revenue may not increase as currently anticipated, or at all; the ongoing ability to successfully mine digital currency is not assured; failure of the equipment upgrades to be installed and operated as planned; the availability of additional power may not occur as currently planned, or at all; expansion may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; the power purchase agreements and economics thereof may not be as advantageous as expected; potential environmental cost and regulatory penalties due to the operation of the Stronghold plants which entail environmental risk and certain additional risk factors particular to the business of Stronghold including, land reclamation requirements may be burdensome and expensive, changes in tax credits related to coal refuse power generation could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and future development efforts, competition in power markets may have a material adverse effect on the results of operations, cash flows and the market value of the assets, the business is subject to substantial energy regulation and may be adversely affected by legislative or regulatory changes, as well as liability under, or any future inability to comply with, existing or future energy regulations or requirements, the operations are subject to a number of risks arising out of the threat of climate change, and environmental laws, energy transitions policies and initiatives and regulations relating to emissions and coal residue management, which could result in increased operating and capital costs and reduce the extent of business activities, operation of power generation facilities involves significant risks and hazards customary to the power industry that could have a material adverse effect on our revenues and results of operations, and there may not have adequate insurance to cover these risks and hazards, employees, contractors, customers and the general public may be exposed to a risk of injury due to the nature of the operations, limited experience with carbon capture programs and initiatives and dependence on third-parties, including consultants, contractors and suppliers to develop and advance carbon capture programs and initiatives, and failure to properly manage these relationships, or the failure of these consultants, contractors and suppliers to perform as expected, could have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects or operations; the digital currency market; the ability to successfully mine digital currency; it may not be possible to profitably liquidate the current digital currency inventory, or at all; a decline in digital currency prices may have a significant negative impact on operations; an increase in network difficulty may have a significant negative impact on operations; the volatility of digital currency prices; the anticipated growth and sustainability of hydroelectricity for the purposes of cryptocurrency mining in the applicable jurisdictions; the inability to maintain reliable and economical sources of power to operate cryptocurrency mining assets; the risks of an increase in electricity costs, cost of natural gas, changes in currency exchange rates, energy curtailment or regulatory changes in the energy regimes in the jurisdictions in which Bitfarms and Stronghold operate and the potential adverse impact on profitability; future capital needs and the ability to complete current and future financings, including Bitfarms’ ability to utilize an at-the-market offering program ( “ATM Program”) and the prices at which securities may be sold in such ATM Program, as well as capital market conditions in general; share dilution resulting from an ATM Program and from other equity issuances; volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance; the risk that a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting could result in a misstatement of financial position that may lead to a material misstatement of the annual or interim consolidated financial statements if not prevented or detected on a timely basis; historical prices of digital currencies and the ability to mine digital currencies that will be consistent with historical prices; and the adoption or expansion of any regulation or law that will prevent Bitfarms from operating its business, or make it more costly to do so. For further information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to Bitfarms’ filings on www.sedarplus.ca (which are also available on the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) at www.sec.gov), including the MD&A for the year-ended December 31, 2023, filed on March 7, 2024 and the MD&A for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 filed on August 8, 2024, and its registration statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-282657) filed by Bitfarms with the SEC (the “registration statement”), which includes a proxy statement of Stronghold that also constitutes a prospectus of Bitfarms (the “proxy statement/prospectus”). Although Bitfarms has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including factors that are currently unknown to or deemed immaterial by Bitfarms. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Bitfarms does not undertake any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking information other than as required by law.   Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, or any other securities exchange or regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    Additional Information about the Merger and Where to Find It

    This communication relates to a proposed merger between Stronghold and Bitfarms. In connection with the proposed merger, Bitfarms has filed the registration statement with the SEC. After the registration statement is declared effective, Stronghold will mail the proxy statement/prospectus to its shareholders. This communication is not a substitute for the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus or any other relevant documents Bitfarms and Stronghold has filed or will file with the SEC. Investors are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto) and other relevant documents filed with the SEC carefully and in their entirety if and when they become available because they will contain important information about the proposed merger and related matters.

    Investors may obtain free copies of the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed by Bitfarms and Stronghold with the SEC, when they become available, through the website maintained by the SEC at www sec.gov. Copies of the documents may also be obtained for free from Bitfarms by contacting Bitfarms’ Investor Relations Department at investors@bitfarms.com and from Stronghold by contacting Stronghold’s Investor Relations Department at SDIG@gateway-grp.com.

    No Offer or Solicitation
    This communication is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, sell or solicit any securities or any proxy, vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be deemed to be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

    Participants in Solicitation Relating to the Merger
    Bitfarms, Stronghold, their respective directors and certain of their respective executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Stronghold’s shareholders in respect of the proposed merger. Information regarding Bitfarms’ directors and executive officers can be found in Bitfarms’ annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed on March 7, 2024, as well as its other filings with the SEC. Information regarding Stronghold’s directors and executive officers can be found in Stronghold’s proxy statement for its 2024 annual meeting of stockholders, filed with the SEC on April 29, 2024, and supplemented on June 7, 2024, and in its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 8, 2024. This communication may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect of the proposed merger. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants, including their respective interests by security holdings or otherwise, is set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed merger if and when they become available. These documents are available free of charge on the SEC’s website and from Bitfarms and Stronghold using the sources indicated above.

    Investor Relations Contacts:
    Bitfarms
    Tracy Krumme
    SVP, Head of IR & Corp. Comms.
    +1 786-671-5638
    tkrumme@bitfarms.com

    Media Contacts:
    Québec: Tact
    Louis-Martin Leclerc
    +1 418-693-2425
    lmleclerc@tactconseil.ca

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Spain, Palestine, Lebanon & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (30 Oct 2024) | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    Highlights:
    – Secretary-General/Colombia
    – Lebanon
    – Occupied Palestinian Territory
    – Haiti
    – Sudan
    – Floods in Spain
    – Security Council
    – Mpox
    – Noon Briefing Guest
    – Briefings Today
    – Briefings Tomorrow

    FLOODS IN SPAIN
    Images of the torrential rains that have caused severe floods in and around Valencia, in the south of Spain are devastating.
    The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives and expresses his full solidarity with the Government and the people of Spain.
    The UN stands ready to assist in whichever way it can.
    Valencia is hosts the UN Global Service Center base, which is an important logistics hub for the entire UN system.

    OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
    Moving to Gaza, further to that situation, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is urging the Israeli authorities to urgently grant access for critical humanitarian activities in Jabalya, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun in North Gaza. OCHA emphasizes the need for secure conditions to deliver aid and conduct rescue operations safely, given the ongoing military operations there.
    The UN and the humanitarian partners are set to urgently implement critical activities in those areas as soon as Israeli authorities reopen North Gaza.
    The Secretary-General is deeply shocked by reports of an Israeli air strike in Beit Lahia, in North Gaza that took place early yesterday reportedly left at least 90 Palestinians killed or missing, including at least 25 children. This tragic loss of life, he said particularly among vulnerable people, yet again underscores the devastating human impact of the ongoing conflict, which is intensifying in the north of Gaza.
    The Secretary-General unequivocally condemns the widespread killing and injury of civilians in Gaza and the ongoing displacement of the population. All parties to the conflict must comply with their obligations under international law, including the obligation to respect and protect civilians. This includes humanitarian workers and first responders, who play a vital role in mitigating suffering and providing life-saving assistance.
    The obstruction of their work only deepens the suffering of the population. Aid must flow freely and safely.
    The toll of the violence in Gaza is unconscionable. There must be an immediate ceasefire. And he reiterates once again his call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. The time to stop the bloodshed is now.
    Also throughout October, we’ve noted that North Gaza governorate has been largely inaccessible, with very few exceptions, amid reports of high casualties, direct hits on overwhelmed medical facilities, and widespread family displacement and separation.
    OCHA also emphasizes the need for direct supply routes from Erez West to these areas, rather than routing all aid through Gaza City, which is the current imposed practice.
    Meanwhile, in the south, OCHA today visited two locations in Absan, east of Khan Younis, to assess the situation of displaced families. One was the Saudi Centre for Cultural and Heritage in Abasan Al Kabira, which provides mental health support for children, internet access for students, and operates a community kitchen for more than 500 families. The second location was in the Al Mharaba site, which hosts 2,000 people. At this site there are no health services, limited power and insufficient water facilities.

    LEBANON
    On the humanitarian front in Lebanon, a joint OCHA-UNICEF mission today delivered essential supplies to approximately 800 households in the village of Sarafand, in southern Lebanon. The supplies include water bottles, hygiene and dignity kits, water testers, children’s clothes and first aid kits.
    Also, today, a convoy by UNRWA delivered 5,000 liters of fuel for generators to ensure the operation of water wells and sanitation facilities in the Burj Shemali Palestinian Refugee Camp along the South Litani River.
    The situation continues to deteriorate amid escalating hostilities and displacement orders. Today, the Israeli army issued displacement orders for all residents of Baalbek city in the east of the country, to evacuate the entire city immediately.
    This prompted mass displacement and panic among residents. Strikes subsequently began after several hours. Displacement orders were also issued in several localities in Nabatieh, in the south.
    The Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, deplored the extensive harm inflicted on civilians and the destruction of critical infrastructure. He called for the violence to end immediately and reminded parties to the conflict that they must take all feasible precautions to avoid and minimize harm to civilians and civilian objects.

    Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=30%20October%202024

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Share of natural gas production in U.S. tight oil plays increased over the last decade

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    October 31, 2024

    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, October 2024 (Table 10b), and Enverus DrillingInfo
    Note: 2024 represents year-to-date data through September. To calculate the barrel of oil equivalent, we use a conversion factor of 6,000 cubic feet of gross natural gas production per 1 barrel of oil.

    Natural gas produced from the three largest tight oil-producing plays in the United States has increased in the last decade. Natural gas comprised 40% of total production from the Bakken, the Eagle Ford, and the Permian compared with 29% in 2014.

    Combined crude oil and natural gas production from these plays more than doubled over this period as hydraulic fracturing—also known as fracking—and horizontal drilling have allowed producers to access and extract more crude oil and natural gas from tight formations. However, production of associated natural gas, which is natural gas produced from predominantly oil wells, has increased more rapidly from these tight oil plays. Natural gas production from these plays more than tripled—an increase of 22 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d)—over the period compared with crude oil output, which more than doubled—an increase of 4 million barrels per day (b/d).

    We define oil wells as those with a gas-to-oil ratio (GOR) of less than or equal to 6.0 thousand cubic feet of natural gas per barrel of oil produced (Mcf/b). We classify wells with a GOR of more than 6.0 Mcf/b as natural gas wells. Any increase in the GOR in an oil well means more natural gas per barrel of oil is being produced. The GOR for a play represents the average share of natural gas production from its individual wells.

    Historically, the Permian, Bakken, and Eagle Ford plays have predominantly consisted of oil wells, resulting in lower GORs for these plays.

    As more oil and natural gas are released within a well, the GOR tends to progressively increase, increasing the volume of associated natural gas produced per every barrel of oil. Pressure within the reservoir declines as more oil is brought to the surface, which allows more natural gas to be released from the geologic formation. The pressure will also decrease as more wells are concentrated within an area.

    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, October 2024 (Table 10b), and Enverus DrillingInfo
    Note: 2024 represents year-to-date data through September.

    In the Permian play, located in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico, the share of natural gas produced relative to crude oil has remained relatively stable, although the GOR has steadily risen from 3.1 Mcf/b (34% of total production) in 2014 to 4.0 Mcf/b (40%) in 2024. Natural gas production in the Permian, the largest producing tight oil play in the United States, increased eight-fold in 2024 through September compared with 2014, and crude oil production increased six-fold.

    In the Bakken play, located in North Dakota and Montana, the share of natural gas produced relative to crude oil has historically been relatively low, averaging only 1.2 Mcf/b (16% of total production) in 2014. However, the GOR increased to 2.9 Mcf/b (33%) in 2024, with average gross natural gas production increasing 186% compared with 2014 while crude oil production increased just 14%.

    In the Eagle Ford play, located in southwest Texas, the share of natural gas produced relative to crude oil has remained the highest among these plays, increasing from 3.5 Mcf/b (37% of total production) to 5.6 Mcf/b (48%). This increased GOR reflects a 14% increase in average natural gas production and a 28% decrease in average crude oil production in 2024 through September compared with 2014.

    Principal contributor: Trinity Manning-Pickett

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leesburg native serving at U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Guantanamo Bay on the path to becoming an officer

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Story courtesy of Ashley Craig, Navy Office of Community Outreach

    MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Petty Officer 1st Class Breanna Funderburk, a native of Leesburg, Florida, was recently selected for the Medical Service Corps In-Service Procurement Program while serving in the U.S. Navy assigned to U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

    The Medical Service Corps In-Service Procurement Program is a pathway for career-driven active-duty sailors to become commissioned officers.

    Funderburk graduated from Leesburg High School in 2016. Additionally, Funderburk earned an associate degree in health science from Incarnate Word University in 2020, a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration from Purdue Global University in 2022 and a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Louisiana State University Shreveport in 2024.

    The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Leesburg.

    “Growing up in my hometown, and because of poverty levels of the economy, I always sought to be successful,” said Funderburk. “With this goal in mind, I began working at the age of 15 and diligently studied in school to ensure that this was to be my outcome. I earned two scholarships when I graduated high school, yet I returned these and knew that there was something greater out there for me. I carried my desire for higher education and work ethic with me as I began my naval career just seven and a half years ago. Everything happens for a reason and I wouldn’t be who I am today without the hometown experiences that shaped me into who I am and who I continue be in my naval career.”

    Funderburk joined the Navy seven and a half years ago. Today, Funderburk serves as a hospital corpsman.

    “I joined the Navy to find a solid foundation while pursuing higher education and to challenge myself in ways I couldn’t have imagined if I stayed in my comfort zone,” said Funderburk. “I wanted to serve a greater purpose, gain new skills and grow as a person by exploring opportunities beyond my hometown. The Navy offered me not only stability but also the chance to be a part of something bigger, experience new cultures and contribute to something meaningful. It’s been a decision that has expanded my horizons in ways I never thought possible.”

    Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay provides health care to the U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay community, which consists of approximately 4,500 military members, federal employees, U.S. and foreign national contractors and their families. The hospital also operates the only overseas military home health care facility providing care to elderly special category residents who sought asylum on the installation during the Cuban Revolution.

    “What I love most about my role in the Navy is the opportunity to mentor and guide junior sailors and my peers,” said Funderburk. “The ‘sailorization’ process – helping others grow, develop their skills, and reach their potential – is deeply rewarding for me. As a leader, I strive to embody a servant leadership style, where my focus is on supporting others and empowering them to succeed. There’s nothing more fulfilling than watching someone I’ve mentored overcome challenges and achieve their goals. Knowing that I played a part in their growth is a reminder of the true purpose of leadership; serving others and uplifting those around you.”

    With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.

    Funderburk serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.

    “We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”

    Funderburk has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

    “My proudest achievement in the Navy is being selected through the Medical Service Corps In-Service Procurement Program to commission as a United States Navy officer with my master’s degree in healthcare administration,” said Funderburk.

    Funderburk can take pride in serving America through military service.

    “Serving in the Navy means being part of something greater than myself,” said Funderburk. “It’s about commitment, sacrifice and dedication to protecting our nation and supporting those in need. It’s given me the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally, to learn from diverse experiences and to develop a strong sense of discipline and teamwork. Serving in the Navy has instilled a deep pride in knowing that my contributions make a tangible impact, and it’s allowed me to build a lifelong bond with others who share the same mission of service and excellence.”

    Funderburk is grateful for the opportunities the Navy has provided to help them reach their goals.

    “A main goal of mine when I joined was to have stability and a strong foundation while attending college and I sought to be very academically successful,” said Funderburk. “With that, the Navy has provided me with great opportunities and I was able to go to corpsman-specialized schooling, which awarded me with my associate in health sciences and a license as a Certified Respiratory Therapist, which is transferable to the civilian sector. Later, at my second command at Navy Medicine and Training Command Fort Belvoir, I was able to complete both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in healthcare administration through online colleges within four years of being stationed there.

    “It can be very challenging balancing the active duty lifestyle and excelling in your education, but it is not impossible.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Christine Lagarde: Interview with Le Monde

    Source: European Central Bank

    Interview with Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, conducted by Eric Albert, Philippe Escande and Béatrice Madeline on 28 October 2024

    31 October 2024

    In September, former ECB President Mario Draghi published an alarming report on how the European economy is falling behind. Do you agree with this assessment?

    Europe is falling behind. It’s true. And so is France. Mario Draghi’s report highlights the productivity gap, which is largely due to the tech sector. Tech players in Europe and the United States believe that the gap first emerged during the digital revolution that began in the mid-1990s.

    The question now is whether the boost that the United States got from the mid-1990s will continue with artificial intelligence, the accumulation of data centres and the exploitation of these data. This is the key issue. In Europe we need to roll up our sleeves and make an effort to keep those companies that start out here and then develop themselves elsewhere. We need to try to make them stay.

    So what is the solution? Do you think the gap will remain?

    We need to look at why Europe is falling behind. The energy component is key, especially as regards data centres. Labour is also important, with mobility being much greater in the United States. And regulation is a crucial issue, too. In overly simple terms, the United States is developing AI very quickly, and already has a number of major players. In the meantime, not only is Europe lacking such big players, but it has also become a pioneer in AI regulation. This causes players in this sector to say “OK, let’s do this elsewhere. It’ll be easier and we’ll have fewer obstacles and fewer restrictions”.

    What about the public funding provided to businesses in the United States?

    The fourth factor that is contributing to Europe falling behind is the “light” industrial policy pursued by the United States. It’s not light in terms of money because the Inflation Reduction Act of August 2022 is very large, but there are relatively few criteria to qualify for funding to start a company on US soil. When I ask manufacturers, they pretty much all agree that in Europe, the process is complicated and unwieldy. And on top of the multi-layered European system, you then have those of the Member States.

    The final factor is private funding. In the United States there are pension fund plans and other financial instruments that make it possible to channel savings and get savers (employees or retirees) interested in the future of the economy or the evolution of the stock market. In many European countries, these plans are still a long way off of those mechanisms, especially share participation and company profit sharing. Hence the need to develop a capital markets union.

    But we have been talking about this project for the past 15 years. And when Mario Draghi’s report was published, Germany immediately opposed common borrowing. Is Europe really capable of reacting?

    You’re right. We have been talking about a capital markets union since the time of Jean-Claude Juncker (President of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019), and little progress has been made. The Letta and Draghi reports are a wake-up call for Europeans, a warning. The assessment is severe but fair and provides specific recommendations. It suggests that all Europeans should gear up and be ready to give up a bit of sovereignty to ‘combine the best,’ to paraphrase what Paul Valéry once said. But what gives me hope is the engagement of all European institutions on the capital markets union. The ECB’s Governing Council is firmly engaged as well. We must use this momentum.

    In 2020, the plan for a collective European loan of €750 billion was a major step forward. Four years later, less than half of the loan has been allocated. Should we see this as another example of European slowness?

    We had exactly the same problem during the Greek crisis. The administrations of the different countries are not always able to quickly manage the incoming funds. The finance ministers of countries receiving a lot of funds tell you that they have of course identified what bridge or railway line should be constructed, but that they need to obtain local authorisations as well as permissions to expropriate property, and that environmental organisations are taking court actions. All of this takes a lot of time.

    In this context, what consequences could the US elections on Tuesday 5 November have for Europe?

    I do not want to give an opinion on any particular candidate. But US international trade policy will of course have an impact on economic activity in the rest of the world, and primarily on China. Whoever wins, if trade fragmentation worsens, the effect on global GDP will be negative, with losses reaching 9% in a severe scenario of full decoupling according to ECB simulations. But remember: when Joe Biden was elected, everyone thought that he would remove the customs barriers erected by his predecessor (Donald Trump). Nothing came of that.

    Between China, which is withdrawing towards Asia, and the United States, which is closing up again, isn’t Europe, as a partner to both powers, the big loser?

    That’s why we need to act and roll up our sleeves. Will Europe need to undergo another crisis for it to bring about reforms? It’s always in times of crisis that we are able to make things happen. That may be why Mario Draghi speaks of “agony”, it’s a way of saying “the crisis is here, now, do something!”.

    There is talk of a European decoupling. But isn’t there a French decoupling within Europe?

    If you compare today’s GDP figures with those of 2019, the United States has grown by 10.7%, the European average by 4.8% and France by 3.7%. France is lagging behind the European average.

    What is your view of the surge in the French deficit?

    The prospect of returning in line with European standards by applying European fiscal rules should serve as a binding guideline.

    And are the French promises to restore public finances credible?

    As I said, applying European fiscal rules should serve as a binding guideline.

    Will we be heading towards a recession in Europe in 2025?

    Based on the information now available and our current assessment, we don’t see a recession in 2024, nor in 2025, nor in 2026.

    What will drive this growth, given the weakness in demand?

    The two levers are exports and domestic demand, which is set to pick up. Today, with wages rising and inflation falling, disposable income is increasing. For the moment, this benefits savings more than consumption. But we are convinced, and economic history shows us, that this additional disposable income will ultimately flow towards consumption.

    How do you explain the fact that it is proving so difficult for consumption to recover?

    We can indeed ask why households are choosing to save their money instead of spending it. It could be that people are reluctant to make major purchases owing to geopolitical uncertainty. A second explanation could be related to the return on their savings, which is still fairly high in the euro area. A third could be that people are deciding it’s better to save rather than spend when they expect their taxes or other contributions to go up.

    Euro area inflation was at 1.7% in September, below your 2% target. Is it now under control?

    The target is in sight but I’m not going to tell you that inflation is defeated yet. Inflation stood at 1.7% in September. Excluding energy and food, it was still at 2.7%. We are pleased about the 1.7% figure, but we also know that inflation is going to rise again in the coming months simply because of base effects. In September energy prices were 6.1% lower than a year earlier, bringing down the cost of the consumption basket. Besides, inflation in the services sector – which is highly dependent on wages – is still at 3.9%. So, prudence is warranted.

    How do you respond to those who say the ECB was too late in reacting to the rise in inflation?

    I tell them we should look at the facts. Don’t forget that inflation was at 10.6% two years ago. It has fallen back to 1.7%. Perhaps we could have started a few months earlier. But we raised rates at the fastest pace ever and we managed to bring down inflation considerably in a short period of time. I now want to see inflation reach the 2% target on a sustained and durable basis. Unless there is a major shock, this will happen during the course of 2025.

    And what do you say to those who now accuse you of cutting rates too late and not quickly enough?

    The pace at which interest rates are cut will be determined by the economic data we receive in the coming weeks and months – based on our updated assessment of the inflation outlook, the dynamics of underlying inflation and the strength of monetary policy transmission. And to revitalise growth, urgent action is needed in the area of structural reforms.

    The spread between France and Germany has increased from 0.5% to 0.8% since the French National Assembly was dissolved. The ECB has an instrument that it can use to intervene and calm the markets. Are you ready to use it?

    We have clearly outlined the conditions under which we will use this instrument. And that is not an issue today.

    A number of emerging countries brought together by the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are thinking about a payments system to circumvent the dollar. Is dedollarisation happening?

    That would require another country to be able to take on the role of reserve currency. China is preparing for that, but it isn’t ready yet. I won’t see the renminbi take the place of the dollar in my lifetime.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks at the Ministerial Breakfast on the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to end Plastic Pollution [as delivered]

    Source: United Nations – English

    xcellencies, Friends,

    We are here today as we enter the last stretch of a crucial negotiation.

    Next month, Member States will meet in Busan, Republic of Korea to negotiate a multilateral solution to end plastic pollution.

    A solution that is vital for people, planet and prosperity alike.

    My thanks to the Government of Colombia for bringing us together today.

    And I commend you for leading by example – with ambitious national measures to reduce single-use plastics.

    Excellencies, dear Friends,

    We are here because we know the obvious.

    Plastic pollution is everywhere – all around us and even inside us – from our seas to our blood, to our brains.

    We are choking on plastic.

    Every year, people may ingest the equivalent of up to 50 plastic bags due to microplastics in food.

    Each year, humanity produces over 460 million metric tonnes of plastic.

    Half of it is designed for single-use purposes – used once and tossed away.

    By 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

    And so, it is clear that we need action, and fortunately, people are now demanding it.

    Excellencies, dear Friends,

    We would not be here today but for the historic step taken by Peru and Rwanda in introducing a joint proposal that paved the way for the adoption, in 2022, at the UN Environment Assembly, of a landmark resolution to begin the process to end plastic pollution.

    Since then, solidarity has been the hallmark of these negotiations.

    We see this solidarity enshrined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework that has reinforced the importance of addressing pollution from all sources to reduce the impacts of pollution on ecosystems and biodiversity.

    And we see this solidarity in the Pact for the Future, through which Member States recommitted to work towards the conclusion of a plastics agreement “with the ambition of completing negotiations by the end of 2024”.

    In Busan, Member States will have the chance to deliver on these promises and agree on a global treaty to end plastic pollution – once and for all.

    This has not been a road without challenges, but it has been a journey of progress.

    I thank the Chair of the International Negotiating Committee, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, as well as his predecessor Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, for getting us through five rounds of complex negotiations.

    This is an opportunity to demonstrate that multilateralism, while not always easy, can deliver for people, health and the environment.

    The ball is now in the court of Member States to land an agreement that is ambitious, credible and just.  

    An agreement that addresses the life cycle of plastic – tackling single-use and short-lived plastics;

    An agreement that responds to the needs of people and communities and that unleashes a just transition for all – including 20 million waste pickers around the world. 

    Excellencies, dear Friends,

    As the Montreal Protocol demonstrated almost forty years ago, international cooperation underpinned by meaningful legally binding agreements remains the most fruitful avenue to address global environmental challenges.

    I urge you to step up for human health, equity and justice.

    To step up for the future of people and planet.

    An ambitious agreement is the only way to end plastic pollution.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two Members of Transnational Money Laundering Organization Plead Guilty to Laundering Millions of Dollars in Drug Proceeds

    Source: US State of California

    A Georgia man pleaded guilty today to his involvement in a conspiracy to launder tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds on behalf of foreign drug trafficking organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (the Jalisco Cartel). Earlier this year, on Aug. 5, a foreign national residing in Illinois pleaded guilty for his role in the same money laundering scheme.

    According to court documents, Li Pei Tan, 46, of Buford, and Chaojie Chen, 41, a Chinese national residing in Chicago, worked for an organization that laundered millions of dollars in proceeds related to the importation of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico, and the unlawful distribution of these drugs. Tan, Chen, and their co-conspirators traveled throughout the United States to collect proceeds derived from trafficking in fentanyl, cocaine, and other drugs. They communicated and coordinated with co-conspirators in China and other foreign countries to arrange for the laundering of these proceeds through financial transactions that were designed to conceal the illicit source of the drug proceeds, including through a sophisticated trade-based money laundering scheme involving the purchasing of bulk electronics in the United States and the shipping of these electronics to co-conspirators in China.

    On multiple occasions prior to Chen’s May arrest, law enforcement seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in bulk cash drug proceeds from Chen at locations across the United States. Additionally, Tan was intercepted by law enforcement in South Carolina while attempting to transport over $197,000 in drug proceeds.

    According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s National Drug Threat Assessment, the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are at the heart of the fentanyl crisis in the United States.

    Tan and Chen pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of their pleas, Tan and Chen agreed to forfeit numerous assets to the government, including a residence, a firearm, body armor, and more than $270,000 in seized currency. Additionally, they agreed to the imposition of money judgments totaling over $23 million. Chen is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14 and Tan is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2025. Chen and Tan each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram made the announcement.

    The DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit is investigating the case, with assistance from the DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit; DEA offices in Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina; and the Anderson County, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Office.

    Trial Attorney Mary K. Daly of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by President Trump at Executive Order Signing

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    For Immediate Release                            January 24, 2025
    REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP
    AT EXECUTIVE ORDER SIGNING
    Oval Office
    (January 23, 2025)
    3:10 P.M. EST
         THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody.
         Q    Hello, sir.
         THE PRESIDENT:  You all set?  Okay.  Very good.
         I’m going to sign some executive orders.  They were very important in just about every case.  And we’ll go through the first one, please. 
         MR. SCHARF:  Sure.  Do you want to —
         MR. SACKS:  Yeah.  Mr. President, this is an executive order on crypto.  We’re going to be —
         MR. SCHARF:  That’s AI.  Sorry.
         MR. SACKS:  Oh, sorry.  We’re doing AI first.  Sorry.
         MR. SCHARF:  Yeah, AI.
         MR. SACKS:  Sir, this is an executive order on AI.  We’re forming — we’re — we’re basically announcing the administration’s policy to make America the — the world capital in artificial intelligence and to dominate and to lead the world in AI. 
         THE PRESIDENT:  Do you want to say your name — your full name and serial number?
         MR. SACKS:  Yeah, David Sacks, AI and crypto czar.
         THE PRESIDENT:  David is one of the greatest in the world at AI — most respected, probably, there is. 
         (The executive order is signed.)
         So, that should take us to the forefront, right?
         MR. SACKS:  Absolutely.  We got to win. 
         THE PRESIDENT:  Okay. 
         Thank you. 
         MR. SCHARF:  Thank you, sir.
         THE PRESIDENT:  And this, David, is?
         MR. SCHARF:  Crypto.
         MR. SACKS:  Yeah, this is the crypto EO.  We’re going to be forming a internal working group to make crypto — to make America the world capital on crypto under your leadership.
         THE PRESIDENT:  Which is really going up, right? 
         MR. SACKS:  Absolutely.
         (The executive order is signed.)
         THE PRESIDENT:  All right, David.  That’s for you.  (The president gives Mr. Sacks the signing pen.)  Thanks.
         MR. SACKS:  Thank you, sir.
         THE PRESIDENT:  You find them exciting?  They might not be exciting, but we’re going to make a lot of money for the country.  Okay?
         MR. SACKS:  Thank you, sir.
         THE PRESIDENT:  And so is David.  You have to check him out.  There is nobody like this guy.  They said, “How did you get David Sacks?  How did you do that?”  And he’s — he’s doing it for the country more than anything else.  So, we appreciate it, David.  Thank you very much.
         MR. SACKS:  Thank you, sir.
         MR. SCHARF:  This is an executive order establishing a presidential commission — an advisory commission on science and technology.
         THE PRESIDENT:  Good.
         (The executive order is signed.)
         Do you want to explain that a little bit?
         MR. SCHARF:  The basic idea is to get together top people from government to private-sector technology industry, as well as educational institutions, to make sure that America maintains its leadership position with respect to science and technology development in the years ahead.
         THE PRESIDENT:  Good.  That’s great.
         MR. SCHARF:  Next, sir, we have a presidential memorandum encouraging departments and agencies in your government, including the Department of the Interior, to promote federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe of —
         THE PRESIDENT:  Ohh.
         MR. SCHARF:  — North Carolina.
         THE PRESIDENT:  I love the Lumbee Tribe.  So, this is their first big step, right?
         MR. SCHARF:  This would be a huge step for them, sir.
         THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  They were with me all the way.  They were great — North Carolina Lumbee Tribe.
         (The presidential memorandum is signed.)
         And we’ll send — you’ll send them a copy of that?
         MR. SCHARF:  Yes, sir.
         THE PRESIDENT:  They were great. 
         Okay?
         MR. SCHARF:  And, if you’d like, I could get them that pen, sir, as well.
         THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah, let’s do that.  (The president gives Mr. Scharf the signing pen.)
         MR. SCHARF:  Next, we have a set of pardons for peaceful pro-life protestors who were prosecuted by the Biden administration for exercising their First Amendment rights.
         THE PRESIDENT:  Do you know how many?
         MR. SCHARF:  I believe it’s 23, sir.
         THE PRESIDENT:  Twenty-three people that were prosecuted.  They should not have been prosecuted.  Man- of — many of them are — are elderly people.  They should not have been prosecuted.  This is a great honor to sign this.
         (The proclamation is signed.)
         They’ll be very happy.
         MR. SCHARF:  Thank you, sir.
         THE PRESIDENT:  So, they’re all in prison now?
         MR. SCHARF:  Some are.  Some are — are out of custody. 
         THE PRESIDENT:  It’s ridiculous.
         Okay?
         MR. SCHARF:  Lastly, sir, we have an executive order ordering the declassification of files relating to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
         THE PRESIDENT:  That’s a big one, huh?  A lot of people are waiting for this for a long — for years — 
         MR. SCHARF:  Yes, sir.
         THE PRESIDENT:  — for decades.  And everything will be revealed.
         (The executive order is signed.)
         Okay.  Give that to RFK, Jr.  (The president gives Mr. Scharf the signing pen.)
         MR. SCHARF:  Yes, sir.
         THE PRESIDENT:  Okay. 
         Okay.  Thank you very much.
         (Cross-talk.)
         Q    Mr. President — Mr. President, a U.S. judge temporarily blocked the birthright citizenship order.  Do you have any reaction to —
    THE PRESIDENT:  No.  Obviously, we’ll appeal it.  They put it before a certain judge — in Seattle, I guess, right?  And
    there’s no surprises with that judge. 
    Q    Mr. President, Senators Collins and Murkowski have now said they will vote against Pete Hegseth.  Are you worried about his confirmation, and your reaction?
    THE PRESIDENT:  No.  And no surprises there.  It’s too bad.  You know, it’s the way — the way it is.  Too bad. 
    Q    And when would you adjourn Congress to make recess appointments, Mr. President?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I’d take a look at that.  I’d listen to John Thune.  He’s doing a fantastic job.  We’re moving along.  The Democrats are trying to delay government, as they always do.  They can’t help themselves.  Even John Ratcliffe, who’s very, very strong, very popular and liked by the Democrats — I guess, he gets a lot of Democrat votes — that’s taking a long time, and it shouldn’t be taking a long time. 
    They — they’re maxing everything out so they can delay everything as much as possible.
    Q    Does Senator Thune support an effort to use recess appointments if you choose to do that?
    THE PRESIDENT:  I’d be willing to use recess appointments.  It’s up to John.  We’ll see.  John Thune is a great guy, great senator, knows his stuff inside out and backwards.  But I would use recess appointments if he wants to do that.  Absolutely.
         (Cross-talk.)
    The Democrats are just delaying.  They always delay.
    Q    Mr. President, you spoke with the Saudi crown prince yesterday.
    THE PRESIDENT:  Who?
    Q    The Saudi crown prince.
    THE PRESIDENT:  Yes.
    Q    How was the — the call?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Great.  It was great.
    Q    And they said $600 million — billion dollar they can invest?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Six hundred.  I’ll ask them for a trillion. 
    Q    You said you’re going to ask them for a trillion.  Will Saudi Arabia be the first foreign country you will visit, since they’re investing that much money?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, if they do that, I would, yeah.
    Q    You would?
    THE PRESIDENT:  I would be glad to do that.  I did it, as you know, four years ago.  We did $450 billion — meaning the money all goes to American companies — and they purchased jets and they purchased computers and everything else.  And we did $450 billion, and I guess we’re at $600, $650.
    (Cross-talk.)
    And I’ll see if I can talk them into a trillion.
    Q    And on the Middle East again.  You showed great confidence in Steve Witkoff.  Why you said that you doubt that the ceasefire in Gaza will — will hold since you appraised his efforts?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, no, I think he’s great.  But it’s a very tricky place.  It’s very tricky.  And we’ll see.  And if it — if something does happen, they will not be happy. 
    Q    Sir, follow-up on that one.  In terms of Steve Witkoff, are you going to put him in charge of — of Iran strategy?  And do you want him talking directly with the Iranians?
    THE PRESIDENT:  No, but he — he certainly is somebody I would use.  He’s done a fantastic job.  He’s a great negotiator.  He’s a very good person, great — a very popular person.  Gets along with people.  I have great negotiators.  They — they have no personality whatsoever, and then I have some that do. 
    Steve has a wonderful way about him and people like him.  And even in this case, both sides like him, and he was able to make a deal.  That deal would have never been made without Steve. 
    The Biden people couldn’t make the deal.  They were working on it for a year and a half.  They couldn’t make a deal.  We got it done prior to the inauguration.  We said it has to be before the inauguration. 
    I mean, the deal should hold, but if it doesn’t hold, there’ll be a lot of problems.
    (Cross-talk.)
    Q    Related to your AI EO.  Just hours after you made that big Stargate announcement, Elon Musk tweeted that they don’t actually have the money.  Is that true?
    THE PRESIDENT:  I don’t know if they do, but, you know, they’re putting up the money.  The government is not putting up anything.  They’re putting up money.  They’re very rich people, so I hope they do. 
    And, I mean, Elon doesn’t like one of those people.  So, (inaudible).
    (Cross-talk.)
    Q    Are you worried that AI is going to replace many American jobs? 
    THE PRESIDENT:  No.
    Q    Does that worry you?
    THE PRESIDENT:  No, no.  It’s going to create tremendous numbers of jobs.  It’s going to also create a lot of benefits, medically, for cancer research and other things.  It’s going to have a huge positive impact.
    And, you know, we want to be ahead of China.  We’re, right now, way ahead of China.
    David Sacks is one of the all-time experts.  You know, that — people are amazed that he — you just met him.  I don’t know if he’s still here.
    MR. SACKS:  (Inaudible.)
    THE PRESIDENT:  There he is.
    But — but one of the most respected people in that world.  It’s a world.  That’s a whole different world. 
    And we’re ahead of China now because of what I’m doing, and I think it’s going to be very successful. 
    (Cross-talk.)
    Q    On NATO spending, please.  You just asked the Davos forum again that NATO countries should spend 5 percent of GDP on defense.
    THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.
    Q    The United States don’t spend 5 percent.
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I — I don’t think so, no.
    Q    Do you think it should also apply to the United States?
    THE PRESIDENT:  We’re protecting them, you know?  They’re not protecting us.  We’re protecting them.  So, I don’t think we should be spending — I’m not sure we should be spending anything, but we should certainly be helping them.  But they should — they should up their 2 percent to 5 percent, yeah.
    Q    Mr. President — Mr. President, you said earlier during your speech at Davos that you would like to see interest rates come down.
    THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.
    Q    How much would you like to see them come down?
    THE PRESIDENT:  A lot.
    Q    And will you talk with Powell?
    THE PRESIDENT:  I’d like to see them come down a lot, and oil prices will come down.  And when oil prices come down, everything is going to be cheaper for the American people — and actually for the world — but for the American people.  So, I’d like to see oil prices come down.
    And when the energy comes down, that’s going to knock out a lot of the inflation.  That’s going to automatically bring the interest rates down. 
    Q    Are you worried that it’s too much going on at once if you’re —
    Q    Mr. President, you said that you would demand —
    Q    Are you worried that there’s too much going on at once if you’re trying to bring interest rates down and —
    THE PRESIDENT:  No, no.
    Q    — get the economy back going?
    THE PRESIDENT:  No.  It just works that way.  I mean, it just economically works that way.  When the oil comes down, it’ll bring down prices, then you won’t have inflation, and then the interest rates will come down.  (Inaudible.)
    (Cross-talk.)
    Q    You said that you would demand that the interest rates come down. 
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I would put in —
    Q    Do you expect —
    THE PRESIDENT:  I would put in a strong statement.
    Q    Do you expect the Fed to listen to you?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah. 
    Q    Are you going to talk to Powell about this and — bringing the rates down?
    THE PRESIDENT:  At — at the right time, I would.
    Q    Sir, do you plan to meet with any of the people you pardoned that were — participated in the January 6th, 2021, attack — do you plan to meet with any of them or meet with them at the White House?
    THE PRESIDENT:  I don’t know.  I’m sure that they probably would like to.  I did — I did them something important.  But what they did is they were protesting a crooked election.  And, you know, I mean, people understand that also.  And they were treated very badly.  Nobody’s been treated like that. 
    So, I’d be open to it, certainly.  I — I don’t know of anything like that, but I think they — they’re going to — meeting some of the congresspeople — congressmen, -women —
    Q    Have you spoken to them?
    THE PRESIDENT:  — who want to — want to meet.  But I’d certainly be open to it. 
    Q    Have you spoken to them since you issued the pardons?
    THE PRESIDENT:  I haven’t spoken to any of them yet, but I know they’re very happy. 
    (Cross-talk.)
    I gave them — I gave them their life back.  Their life was taken away from them unnecessarily and unfairly.  I gave them their life back.  So, I can imagine they probably would like to.
    Q    What did you mean when you said that Biden took bad advice in not pardoning himself yesterday? 
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, he did.  I think he did, because he — he pardoned all these people that are crooked as hell.  Look, the congressmen, they’re crooked.  What they did is they destroyed evidence.  When you destroy evidence, especially criminally like that — they did it criminally. 
    And the reason they destroyed the evidence is because it proved that I was right.  They didn’t destroy evidence for no reason.  They destroyed it because they found many documents saying that I offered 10,000 soldiers.  If they had 500 soldiers or National Guard, there would have been no problem.  If they had 200, that would have been — I offered 10,000, if they needed them — there would have been no problem. 
    That’s been now totally disproven.  And it’s also been disproven by Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, who has her on tape saying it was her fault, that she has full responsibility for this. 
    But — and they have all that stuff.  They destroyed everything, and they go through a year and a half, two years of nonsense, they come up with tremendous evidence, and they destroyed evidence.
    And Schiff knew about it.  That’s why he’s on there.  He knew all about the destruction of evidence.  A lot of people said he’s the one that got them to do it.  And he’s a crooked guy — you know? — totally crooked politician.  And so, he’s pardoned, and some other people are pardoned. 
    And these are crooked politicians, every one of them.  Bennie Johnson [Thompson], what he did is incredible.  I mean, he was the leader of the committee, and he did it.  Cheney, Crying Adam Kinzinger, all of them — they destroyed evidence and deleted everything. 
    There’s nothing with — there’s no evidence now.  They’re crooked politicians, and they should be punished.  You know, that’s — even in a civil trial, you go to jail for a thing like that.  They destroyed every document, from what I understand — every document — because it proved that I was totally innocent. 
    Q    Do you plan to send up to 10,000 troops to the southern border, sir?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  Oh, southern border?
    Q    Yes, the border. 
    THE PRESIDENT:  When you say “southern border” — when I said “10,000 troops,” I was referring to the Capitol. 
    Q    Oh, I see.  A- — and when does that —
    THE PRESIDENT:  No, no, you got it wrong.  I was referring — 
    Q    When do you plan —
    THE PRESIDENT:  — to the Cap- — 
    Q    When do you plan to do that?
    THE PRESIDENT:  I offered 10,000 troops to the Capitol before January 6th.
    Q    And as for the 1,500 at the southern border, sir, to clarify, what exactly do you want them to be doing right now?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Making sure that the border is safe and secure and that criminals don’t come into our country.
    Q    Mr. President, do you think that sanctions on Russia will force President Putin to negotiate?
    THE PRESIDENT:  I don’t know, but I think he should make a deal. 
    Q    Mr. President, does it bother you that Elon Musk criticized a deal that you made publicly, that he said — that he tweeted that?
    THE PRESIDENT:  No, it doesn’t.  He hates one of the people in the deal.  So — 
    Q    Have you spoken to him since then?
    THE PRESIDENT:  No, no.  I’ve — well, I’ve spoken Elon but —
    Q    Not about that? 
    THE PRESIDENT:  I’ve spoken to all of them, actually.
    No, no.  The people in the deal are very, very smart people.  But Elon, one of the people he happens to hate.  But I have certain hatreds of people too —
    Q    Sir —
    THE PRESIDENT:  — you know?
    Q    Sir, on China.  What do you think Xi Jinping can do on the Ukraine-Russia war? 
    THE PRESIDENT:  Which one?
    Q    Ukraine-Rus- — -Russia war.  What can Xi Jinping do about that?
    THE PRESIDENT:  China?
    Q    Yeah.
    THE PRESIDENT:  They have a lot of power over Russia.  They supply energy to Russia, and Russia supplies energy to them.  They supply other things to — you know, it — it’s really a very big trade.  It’s a very big trading partner.  But Russia supplies a lot of energy to China, China pays them a lot of money for that, and I think they have a lot of power over Russia.  So, I think Russia should want to make a deal. 
    Maybe they want to make a deal.  I think, from what I hear, Putin would like to see me, and we’ll meet as soon as we can.  I’d — I’d meet immediately.  Every day we don’t meet, soldiers are being killed in a battlefield, and that battl- — battlefield is like no battlefield since World War II.  That’s a —
    Q    You said that U- — Ukraine wants to —
    THE PRESIDENT:  And I have — I have pictures that you don’t want to see.  Soldiers are being killed on a daily basis at numbers that we haven’t seen in decades.  And it would be nice to end that war.  It’s a ridiculous war. 
    Q    You said that Ukraine is ready to make a deal.  Did President Zelenskyy tell you that at — personally?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah, sure.  He’s ready to negotiate a deal.  He’d like to stop.  He’s a — he’s somebody that lost a lot of soldiers, and so did Russia — lost a lot.  I mean, Russia lost more soldiers.  They lost 800,000 soldiers.  Would you say that’s a lot?  I’d say it’s a lot.
    (Cross-talk.)
    Q    Mr. President, you said that you wanted to make Dr. King’s dream a reality.  What’s your response to his children and civil rights leaders who say that your DEI orders are a contradiction of his dream and could further drive racial disparities?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I haven’t heard that. 
    Q    Mr. President, you put the Houthis back on the terror list.  How do you see the war in Yemen end now?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, we’ll see what happens, but they can’t shoot down our ships — the Houthis.
    Q    Yes.
    THE PRESIDENT:  And that — you can’t shoot down our ships or any ships, and that’s what they’ve been doing.  So, they’re on the terror list, and —
    Q    Mr. President —
    THE PRESIDENT:  — that’s not good for them.
    Q    Mr. President —
    Q    Sir, why did you revoke security protections for former Secretary of State Mi- — Mike Pompeo and — and Brian Hook?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, the same reason I do — when you, you know, have protection, you can’t have it for the rest of your life.  Do you want to have a large detail of people guarding people for the rest of their lives?  I mean, there’s risks to everything. 
    Q    Do you think a former presidents should (inaudible) —
    Q    Sir, would you support striking Iran’s nuclear facilities?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Say it? 
    Q    Would you support Israel, for example, striking Iran’s nuclear facilities?  Or do you — 
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I’m not going to answer that.
    Q    — believe in diplomacy?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Obviously, I’m not going to answer that question.  We’ll have to see.  I — I’m going to be meeting with various people over the next couple of days, and we’ll see.  But hopefully that can be worked out without having to worry about it.  It would be nice — it would really be nice if that could be worked out without having to go that further step. 
    Q    And who are you going to meet with, if I — if I may ask?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I’d rather not say that, but very high-level people.  But hopefully that could be worked out. 
    You know, look, Iran, hopefully, will be — make a deal.  And if they don’t make a deal, I guess that’s okay too.
    Q    And, Mr. President, just to follow up, you said you think the Fed should listen to you.  Can you elaborate on why you think it should?
    THE PRESIDENT:  With regard to interest rates?
    Q    Correct, yes.
    THE PRESIDENT:  Because I think I know interest rates much better than they do, and I think I know it certainly much better than the one who’s primarily in charge of making that decision. 
    But, no, I’m guided by them very much, but if I disagree, I will let it be known.
    Q    Mr. President —
    Q    Sir, your tariffs planned for China and Mexico are much tougher — or the ones for Canada and Mexico are much tougher than the one for China.  Why is it softer for China?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Well, China is already paying a lot of tariffs because of me, and when you add them up, I would say, you know, they’re paying a lot.  They paid hundreds of billions of dollars.  They never paid 10 cents until I came along.  When I came along, they pay hundreds of — they’ve paid hundreds of billions of dollars.  Never paid anything.  And so, they’ve already started at a higher base.
    Q    Is February 1st —
    Q    Sir, about the border —
    Q    — the date for Chinese tariffs as well, sir?  February 1?  Or was that just Mexico and Canada?
    THE PRESIDENT:  It’s Mexico and Canada.  But we’ll — we’re talking about China too.  Look, China is sending us tremendous amounts of bad drugs: fentanyl — really bad stuff.  Most of it comes through Mexico.  And we’re losing, I s- — I think, 300,000 lives a year because of that.  People say 150, 100, 120.  I think 300,000 lives a year.  Those are old numbers.  The other — the lower number is a low number.  And we can’t have that.  They’ve got to stop sending it. 
    I had a deal with President Xi, but it was a deal that wasn’t followed up by Biden, of course, where they were going to issue the death penalty to people that make fentanyl, and that would have stopped it.  But we’ll have to stop it with tariffs. 
    Okay?  Thank you very much, everybody. 
    Q    So, is China (inaudible) —
    (Cross-talk.) 
    THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  Appreciate it. 
    Q    Thank you, Mr. President.
    THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you. 
                             END                    3:30 P.M. EST

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Memorandum for the Secretary of State the Secretary of Defense the Secretary of Health and Human Services the Administrator of the United States for International Development

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    01/24/25
    SUBJECT: The Mexico City Policy
    I hereby revoke the Presidential Memorandum of January 28, 2021, for the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad), and reinstate the Presidential Memorandum of January 23, 2017, for the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (The Mexico City Policy).
    I direct the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the extent allowable by law, to implement a plan to extend the requirements of the reinstated Memorandum to global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies.
    I further direct the Secretary of State to take all necessary actions, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations or programs that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.
    This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
    The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Fiscal Affairs Department’s 60th Anniversary Conference: “60 Years of FAD: The Fiscal Affair Continues”

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    The Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) of the IMF will celebrate 60 years since it was formed in 1964 with a one-day conference, “60 Years of FAD: The Fiscal Affair Continues,“ on November 4, 2024, in Washington D.C., USA.

    Even as prospects for a global soft landing have improved, fiscal policy continues to struggle with legacies of high debt and deficits, while facing new challenges. Risks to public finances are acute, reflecting the pressures of aging societies, industrial policies, geopolitical tensions, the needs of a greener and more equitable society and now, the threat to labor from AI technologies. Lower medium-term growth prospects have worsened debt dynamics and compounded the risks to fiscal sustainability. Fiscal policy challenges are especially acute in low-income countries, where financing is scarce and limits the ability of governments to support economic and human development.

    In this context, the conference will bring together fiscal policy experts, senior policy makers, and former and current IMF staff. They will look back at the contributions of FAD to the global fiscal policy discourse and its service to the membership. They will discuss the likely evolution of sovereign debt market and the role that public policy can play in making AI beneficial for workers and growth. And they will look ahead to the challenges that will emerge for fiscal policy in the future, and the choices fiscal policymakers will face, especially in low-income and fragile countries. The conference will also be an occasion to celebrate the evolution and impact of FAD’s capacity development (CD) from serving a small section of the membership to covering nearly every corner of the world.

    Agenda

    8:30 A.M. Coffee and refreshments
    9:00 A.M. Opening remarks. Gita Gopinath, First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, introduced by Vítor Gaspar, Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF.
    9:15 – 10:30 A.M. Sovereign Debt
     Moderator: Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, Director, Strategy, Policy and Review Department, IMF
    Panelists:

    S. Ali Abbas  (Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF)

    S. Ali Abbas is a deputy director in the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department where he supervises the sovereign debt and governance workstreams, and oversees the department’s review of Fund programs in emerging and developing economies, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. He was previously IMF mission chief for the United Kingdom and Jordan, and deputy chief of the Debt Policy Division in the IMF’s Strategy Policy and Review Department. He has been closely involved in several complex Fund programs, and has led reforms to the IMF’s exceptional access lending and debt sustainability frameworks. In 2019, he co-edited Sovereign Debt: A Guide for Economists and Practitioners (OUP), with Alex Pienkowski and Kenneth Rogoff, adding to his earlier published work on post-GFC fiscal policy, the euro area sovereign debt crisis, international tax competition, state contingent debt instruments, fiscal policy and the current account, and government securities markets. Ali is a Rhodes scholar from Pakistan and holds a doctorate in economics from Oxford. He also served as an Overseas Development Institute fellow to the Tanzanian Treasury during 2000–02.

    Carlo Cottarelli (Former Director Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF)

    Carlo Cottarelli, a citizen of Italy, after receiving degrees in economics from the University of Siena and the London School of Economics, worked at the Bank of Italy, ENI and the IMF. He was FAD Director in 2008-13, Commissioner for Public Spending in Italy in 2013-14, IMF Executive Director in 2014-17. He taught at Bocconi University and he is currently Director of the Observatory on the Italian Public Accounts of the Catholic University of Milan, where he also teaches a course of Fiscal Macroeconomics In 2021 he was awarded the honor of First Class Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

    Christoph Trebesch (Professor, Kiel University)

    Christoph Trebesch is a professor at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy and the University of Kiel. His research focuses on international finance and macroeconomics as well as political economy and geopolitics. His research has been published in leading economic journals such as the American Economic Review, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and the Journal of Political Economy, and is regularly cited in international media, including the New York Times, the Financial Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He directs the CEPR Policy Network on “International Lending and Sovereign Debt” and co-directs the CEPR Network on “Geoeconomics”, for which he organizes an annual high-level conference on geopolitics and economics. He is also the creator of the widely referenced “Ukraine Support Tracker” on military and financial aid flows to Ukraine. In 2023, he was awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant, one of the most prestigious research recognitions in Europe.
    10:30 – 11:00 AM The Surge in FAD’s Capacity Development Delivery (A/V) Moderators:

    Katherine Baer (Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF)

    Katherine Baer is a Deputy Director in the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD). She oversees FAD’s work in the areas of taxation and public financial management, supervises Capacity Development (CD) delivery in all fiscal areas to countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Centra Asia, oversees FAD’s strategy to strengthen fiscal policies and institutions in the Fragile and Conflict-Affected States, and manages the department’s work on fiscal issues from a gender perspective. Her career at the IMF has focused on strengthening fiscal policies and institutions in member countries across all regions and income levels, and in countries experiencing economic crises. She has been an economist in the U.S. Treasury and an assistant commissioner in the Mexican Tax Administration. She also worked at the World Bank on public finance reforms in Latin America and the Caribbean at the height of the region’s debt crisis in the 1980s. Ms. Baer has many publications relating to public finance and holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University.

    Juan Toro (Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF)

    Juan Toro is Deputy Director of the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD), in charge of: managing FAD budget, relationship with development partners, overseeing governance and operations of FAD’s capacity development (CD), coordinating FAD’s CD to Europe, and coordinating FAD TA on sustainable development goals. He previously was Assistant Director in charge of the IMF’s revenue administration CD to Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Central Asia.

    He has led and participated in IMF TA missions in taxation in more than 40 countries and has authored and contributed to several analytical papers in taxation. Before joining the IMF in 2007, he was the Commissioner of the Chilean Tax Administration (Servicio de Impuestos Internos, SII) from 2002 to 2006.
    11.00 – 11:30 A.M. Coffee break
    11:30 A.M. – 12:45 P.M. FAD in the Global Discourse
    Moderator: Ruud De Mooij , Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF
    Panelists:

    Zainab Ahmed (Alternate Executive Director, World Bank)

    Alternate Executive Director from Nigeria from July 2023 to October 2024. A Nigerian national representing – Angola, Nigeria, and South Africa (EDS25). Prior to joining the WBG, Ms. Ahmed has served a:- Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning (2018- 2023); Minister of State, Ministry of Budget and National Planning (2015 – 2018); Chair of the board of Trustees of the African Union Peace Fund (2019 – 2023). Member of the International Board, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) (2016 – 2019); Executive Secretary and National Coordinator, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) (2010 – 2015); and Managing Director, Kaduna Investment Company Ltd (2009 – 2010).

    Abdulelah Alrasheedy (Deputy Minister of Macro-Fiscal Policies, Ministry of Finance, Saudi Arabia)

    Dr. Abdulelah AlRasheedy is the Deputy Minister for Macro-Fiscal Policies at Ministry of Finance (MOF). Before being named Deputy Minister in March 2024, Dr. AlRasheedy was Assistant Deputy Minister for Macroeconomic Policies Analysis and Acting as General Supervisor of Policy and Consultation Assistant Deputyship.
    Prior to joining Ministry of Finance, Dr. Abdulelah spent 12 years with Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) most recently as Manager of Economic Modeling Division and was SAMA Representative at The International Financial Architecture Working Group.
    Dr. Abdulelah earned a Ph.D.  in economics and statistics from University of Missouri, where he was a Research Scholar at the Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity.
    In addition to being a Deputy Minister, he is a board member of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy. Also a Ministry of Finance Representative for Financial Sustainability Board. 

    Adam Posen (President, Peterson Institute of International Economics)
    Mark Sobel (U.S. Chairman, OMFIF)

    Mark Sobel is currently US Chair at OMFIF.  He served  nearly four decades at the US Treasury, including as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Monetary Affairs from 2000-2015, a position in which he led the Department’s work in preparing G7 and G20 Finance Minister and Central Bank Governor meetings, formulating US positions in the IMF, and coordinating the work of Treasury and regulatory agencies in the Financial Stability Board.  He was also chief US financial negotiator in the G20 from 2008-2015, including for the 2009 London Economic Summit.  From 2015 through early 2018, he was US representative at the IMF. 
    12:45 – 1:00 P.M. FAD Montage (A/V)
    A look back at FAD through the decades.
    1:00 – 2:15 P.M. Lunch (by invitation)
    2:15 – 3:30 P.M. Public Policy for AI
    Moderator: Era Dabla-Norris, Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF
    Panelists:

    Simon Johnson (Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management & 2024  Nobel Prize Winner in Economics )

    Simon Johnson is the Ronald A. Kurtz (1954) Professor of Entrepreneurship the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he is head of the Global Economics and Management group. At MIT, he is also co-director of the Shaping the Future of Work Initiative and a Research Affiliate at Blueprint Labs. In 2007-08, Johnson was chief economist and director of the Research Department at the International Monetary Fund. He currently co-chairs the CFA Institute Systemic Risk Council with Erkki Liikanen. In February 2021, Johnson joined the board of directors of Fannie Mae, where he is vice chair of the audit committee and a member of the risk and capital committee. Johnson’s most recent book, with Daron Acemoglu, Power and Progress: Our 1000-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity, explores the history and economics of major technological transformations up to and including the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence.
    2024 Nobel prize laureate in economic sciences “for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity”

    Branko Milanovic (Professor, City University of New York)

    Research professor at the Graduate Center, City University of New York and senior scholar at The Stone Center on Socio-economic Inequality; Visiting Professor at the Institute for International Inequalities at LSE; was lead economist in World Bank Research Department for almost 20 years and senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. Milanovic’s main area of work is income inequality, in individual countries and globally, as well as historically among pre-industrial societies. His most recent books are Global inequality: a new approach for the age of globalization which deals with economic and political issues of globalization, and Capitalism, Alone that contrasts inequality and class formation in societies of liberal and political capitalism. In October 2023, he published Visions of Inequality that looks at how income distribution was studied by the most famous economists over the past 200 years. Milanovic was awarded (jointly with Mariana Mazzucato) the 2018 Leontieff Prize.

    Christine Qiang (Global Director, Digital Transformation Global Department, World Bank)
    3.30 – 4:00 P.M. Coffee break
    4:00 – 5:15 P.M. The Future of Fiscal Policy
    Moderator: Vítor Gaspar Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF
    Panelists:

    Jason Furman (Professor, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University)

    Jason Furman is the Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy jointly at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) and the Department of Economics at Harvard University. Furman engages in public policy through research, writing and teaching in a wide range of areas including U.S. and international macroeconomics, fiscal policy, labor markets and competition policy. Previously Furman served eight years as a top economic adviser to President Obama, including serving as the 28th Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers from August 2013 to January 2017, acting as both President Obama’s chief economist and a member of the cabinet. In addition to articles in scholarly journals and periodicals, Furman is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal and Project Syndicate and the editor of two books on economic policy. Furman holds a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University.

    Ilan Goldfajn (President, Inter-American Development Bank)

    He was elected president of the IDB in November 2022, after serving as director of the Western Hemisphere Department at the International Monetary Fund. Previously, he was governor of the Banco Central do Brasil (2016-2019), where he led several modernization reforms, including promoting financial inclusion through Brazil’s fast digital payment system. He has also held several academic positions and high-ranking roles in Brazil’s financial sector.  In 2017, he was elected Central Banker of the Year by The Banker magazine.  Mr. Goldfajn holds a doctorate in economics from MIT, and master’s degree in economics from the Pontificia Universidade and has taught economics at universities in Brazil and the U.S. He is fluent in four languages.

    Mick Keen (Professor, Tokyo University)

    Michael Keen was formerly Deputy Director of the Fiscal Affairs Department at the International Monetary Fund. He is now Ushioda Fellow at the University of Tokyo. Michael was President of the International Institute of Public Finance from 2003 to 2006, awarded the CESifo Musgrave Prize in 2010, and in 2018 received from the National Tax Association of the United States its most prestigious award, the Daniel M. Holland Medal for distinguished lifetime contributions to the study and practice of public finance. His most recent book, Rebellion, Rascals and Revenues (with Joel Slemrod), aims to use history and humor to convey basic tax principles to a wider audience.
    5:15 P.M. Closing remarks
    Vítor Gaspar (Director, Fiscal Affairs Department )
    6:00 P.M. Adjourn

    Conference Organizing Committee: Katherine Baer (Deputy Director, FAD), Mitali Das (Advisor, FAD), and Andrew Okello (Deputy Division Chief, FAD).

    Conference Coordinators: Agnese de Leo (Administrative Coordinator), Harsha Padaruth (Administrative Coordinator), Luciana Marcelino (Administrative Coordinator) Martha Gaytan Frettlohr (Administrative Coordinator), Sahara De la Torre (Administrative Coordinator), and Sheetal Prasad (Senior Administrative Coordinator) – all FAD.

    The conference (which is in-person only) is open to all Fund employees and invited external guests (registration is required of external guests who will all receive a link to the registration form). Please note that the deadline for registration for this conference is October 25th, 2024. Registered external guests will be required to present photo identification on entering the IMF at 1900 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington D.C. For questions regarding the conference, please email FAD_60th_anniversary@imf.org

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s press encounter at the end of his visit in Colombia [bilingual, scroll down for Q+A]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Ladies and gentlemen of the media.

    I thank President Petro for hosting the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Cali. 

    I congratulate Colombia on the excellent organization of this COP.

    I also thank the people of Colombia for their warm welcome, we all felt very much at home.

    The world has come to Cali to make peace with nature. 

    Let me be clear: we are facing an existential crisis.

    Temperatures are climbing higher and higher. 

    We are losing more and more species – forever. 

    We are poisoning our waters. 

    And treating nature as a disposable asset.

    Human activities have already altered three-quarters of Earth’s land surface and two-thirds of its waters.

    And no country, rich or poor, is immune to this devastation. 

    To survive, humanity must make peace with nature. 

    We must transform our economic models – shifting our production and consumption to nature-positive practices. 

    Renewable energy, sustainable supply chains and zero-waste policies are not optional. 

    They must become the default option for both governments and businesses.

    Dear friends,

    The good news is that we have a plan: 
    The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted two years ago.

    But nature cannot wait for its implementation any longer. 

    This is what this COP is about:

    Turning promises into action. 

    We have seen good progress, and I want to thank everyone for their efforts. 

    But with less than two days of negotiations left to go, we need to accelerate. 

    I want to highlight three priorities.

    First – Cali must spark a new era for ambitious national biodiversity plans.

    As of today, a majority of countries have national targets that align with the Global Biodiversity Framework.

    I urge every Member State to follow suit and align these national plans with their adaptation plans and updated climate Nationally Determined Contributions – due early next year.

    We must also reach an agreement on a strengthened monitoring and transparency framework to ensure accountability and move forward together.

    Second – we must leave Cali with concrete plans to unlock new funding and share the benefits from the use of genetic resources.

    This means capitalizing the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund.

    I thank the countries and regions that pledged an additional 163 million US dollars this week.

    But if we are to deliver the Global Biodiversity Framework in full, we need much more. 

    We must make sure we are able to mobilize 200 billion dollars annually by 2030 from all sources – domestic, international, public and private.

    Developed countries must lead the way and provide at least 20 billion dollars per year – by next year – to support developing countries, in particular the Least Developed Countries and Small Island States, in their conservation and restoration efforts.

    Businesses profiting from nature must also contribute to its protection and restoration.
    This includes operationalizing a mechanism for sharing the benefits from the use of the Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources – in a clear, fair and efficient way.

    Third – we must recognize, involve, and protect those who guard our natural heritage. 

    Indigenous Peoples and local communities possess vital knowledge of biodiversity conservation. 

    And in this region, People of African descent are key custodians of natural resources. 

    They must all be at the center of our decisions, not on the sidelines.

    In Cali, we must agree on the proposal to establish a new permanent body for Indigenous peoples and local communities within the Convention on Biological Diversity – ensuring their voices are heard at every step across the work of the Convention.

    The clock is ticking.

    The survival of our planet’s biodiversity – and our own survival – are on the line.

    We don’t have a moment to lose.  

    Señoras y señores de la prensa, 

    Mientras el mundo se reúne en este hermoso país para comprometerse a hacer la paz con la naturaleza, aprovecho la oportunidad para reafirmar nuestro compromiso con la paz en Colombia.  

    Me complace estar de nuevo en Colombia en este momento propicio para cerrar los dolorosos capítulos de guerra y consolidar este ejemplo de paz ante el país y el mundo.

    Saludo los esfuerzos renovados del Presidente Petro y su gobierno para acelerar la implementación del Acuerdo Final de Paz – incluso mediante el Plan de Choque que se enfoca en aspectos concretos para mejorar la calidad de vida en los territorios priorizados.

    Asimismo, reconozco el compromiso firme de la otra parte firmante – los que fueron combatientes de las FARC-EP.  

    Estos antiguos adversarios trabajan hoy como socios en la construcción de la paz.   

    Llegando con avances y desafíos a su octavo aniversario, este histórico Acuerdo debe de mantenerse en el centro de los esfuerzos de consolidación de la paz.   

    El Acuerdo sigue siendo la hoja de ruta principal para romper con los ciclos de violencia en Colombia. 

    Y también para enfrentar las causas estructurales de esta violencia mediante el compromiso de llevar la presencia integral del Estado a las regiones históricamente olvidadas. 

    Una presencia que conlleva seguridad, oportunidades de desarrollo y gobernanza inclusiva.  

    No debe haber más demora para que los dividendos de paz lleguen a todos los territorios. A todos aquellos pueblos que todavía esperan que se concrete la promesa de paz. 

    Asegurar la justicia para las víctimas también es impostergable. 

    Reconozco la noble y valiente labor del sistema pionero de justicia transicional creado por el Acuerdo. Y animo a que avance.  

    La Paz Total impulsada por el gobierno nacional es un objetivo loable. 

    Las iniciativas de diálogo, a pesar de los desafíos, buscan ampliar la paz en el país de manera complementaria al Acuerdo de Paz. 

    Aconsejo no dejarse desviar del camino del diálogo.

    Estos diálogos son oportunidades para acabar con la violencia que sigue azotando a las poblaciones de regiones que también son claves para la implementación del Acuerdo de Paz. 

    Especialmente a las comunidades Indígenas y Afrocolombianas, a los desplazados y confinados por los grupos armados, a las mujeres víctimas de la violencia sexual y a los niños y niñas reclutados en la guerra.

    Hoy, mi llamado al pueblo colombiano es de perseverar. 

    Que trabajen juntos para que sea un esfuerzo nacional, compartido.  

    Les quiero recordar que Colombia nunca estará sola en sus esfuerzos por la paz. 

    Será un honor seguir acompañando a Colombia en su camino hacia la paz, a través de la Misión de Verificación de la ONU y las agencias y programas del equipo de país.

    Cuenten siempre con mi apoyo y mi solidaridad con Colombia, así como con mi profunda gratitud por la confianza que han otorgado a las Naciones Unidas. 

    Estaremos siempre al lado de Colombia. 
     
    Question: Muchas gracias Secretario. Quiero trasladarle una pregunta de muchas delegaciones acá y es ¿Cómo vio usted la presencia en la COP16 del Canciller venezolano Yván Gil, lo cuestionan muchas delegaciones -más de la mitad- incluso usted, que le ha exigido que publique las actas de las elecciones y esto no cayó nada bien aquí su presencia. Lo vimos incluso a usted distante del Canciller Gil. Si bien la diversidad y la protección de la naturaleza debe abarcar la mayor cantidad de actores posibles, ¿Cómo vio usted la presencia de Venezuela aquí en la COP16?
     
    Answer: Hay dos aspectos distintos. En primer lugar, la opinión que formamos sobre la forma como se transcurrieron las elecciones, la ausencia de una transparencia adecuada y el hecho que hay muchos gobiernos que aún no han reconocido el gobierno de Venezuela. La otra parte es el mecanismo del funcionamiento de las organizaciones multilaterales y en particular de las COPs. Y en las COPs hay una acreditación en que los que están, participan desde que la misión del país los acredite. Esta es una práctica que no podemos cambiar porque es la práctica establecida estatutariamente, pero eso no invalida la opinión que podemos tener sobre lo que pasó en Venezuela.

    Question: [Inaudible] – AFP. There are five years left to achieve the coming Montreal Objective Framework – to have them reversed by biodiversity laws by 2030.  Here the focus is mainly on resource mobilization. Is that the correct approach? Is it really the fight over finance that will determine the success of the [Global Biodiversity Framework Fund] GBF.  Is it the fight over finance that is key to determine the success of GBF? Or is it something else? 

    Answer: I think the most important thing in it – and that is the reason my presence in this COP – is to change what has been the permanent neglect of biodiversity, namely when compared with our efforts in relations to climate change. 

    We need, first of all, to accept the concept that we are facing three existential crises: climate change, biodiversity and pollution, namely plastics. 

    But they are all interlinked and indivisible.  So, the central question is to make sure that we are able to put biodiversity as the center of our concerns in all aspects of policy and strategy and financing as we are putting climate change.

    Obviously, finance is essential, but finance is not enough. What we need is a political priority at government levels. Political priorities at multilateral institution levels, and the clear commitment of the Private Sector to be involved in order to make sure that we understand that without defeating the biodiversity crisis, we will not defeat the climate crisis, we will not defeat the pollution crisis, and we will condemn our world to a situation of extreme poverty in the natural environments and this is totally unacceptable. 

    So, we must bring the attention of the people of the government, the institutions, and the Private Sector to the centrality of biodiversity in the context of our environmental processes.

    Question: Sir, this is Stella Paul from IPS news (Inter Press Service News).  Our overarching theme here is making peace with nature, but at the time, when we are seeing increasing impact of war and conflict on biodiversity across the world, starting from Ukraine to all the way to Palestine and we are not seeing enough discussion of that in a formal way, even at the COP, how do you think that we can make peace with nature? Thank you. 

    Answer: Well, we need peace with nature, and we need peace among ourselves. That is the reason I’ve been asking for in line with the Charter, in line with international law, and in line with the General Assembly resolutions. That is why we have been asking for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, releasing all hostages and massive humanitarian aid to Gaza. That is why we have been asking for peace in Lebanon and peace that respects Lebanese sovereignty and Lebanese territorial integrity and paves the way for a political solution. That is why we have been asking for peace in Sudan, where an enormous tragedy exists. And, obviously, we need to make peace in nature, but we need to make peace among ourselves because wars have one of the most devastating impacts – wars have some of the most devastating impacts on biodiversity on climate and on pollution. 

    Thank you so much. At the back there, Le Monde.  Thank you.

    Question: Hi [inaudible] for Le Monde. Many issues of the negotiations are still unresolved, and many Ministers are leaving tonight. Are you worried this COP could fail or at least not be as successful as is should?

    Secretary-General: I have to say that I met with the five groups. And I heard a large number of ministers talk. And I felt that there was a huge will to find a successful result and a huge will to compromise on the pending issues. So, I’m quite optimistic that it will be possible to reach a consensus and not a consensus on the consensus, but the consensus that paves the way for progress after the COP in the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Framework

    Question: Secretario, Silvia Patiño de W Radio Colombia. Usted estuvo ayer reunido con el Presidente Gustavo Petro y el presidente le planteó la posibilidad de cambiar el mecanismo a través del cual la ONU mide la cantidad de hectáreas de cultivos de coca en Colombia. ¿La ONU está dispuesta a eso? Porque el Presiente además planteó hace algunas semanas la posibilidad de comprar los cultivos de coca a los campesinos para tratar de enfrentar el tema de narcotráfico. A la ONU ¿le suena, le gusta, le parece esta idea en torno al tráfico de drogas?
     
    Answer: Hay convenciones sobre drogas y la ONU está vinculada a esas convenciones. Pero creo que es importante abrir la puerta a una reflexión muy seria en un mundo donde vemos que desafortunadamente el tráfico de drogas es simultáneo con el tráfico de armas, de muchos otras formas incluso de tráfico de mujeres, hombres y niños. Y que ese tráfico está minando en muchos países la estructura del Estado, por la corrupción generada.
     
    Entonces creo que el apelo del Presidente Petro a una reflexión sobre los mecanismos que hoy tenemos en relación con el combate al narcotráfico y en relación con la droga, creo que el apelo que es hecho a una reflexión sobre la eficacia sobre los mecanismos que tenemos es un apelo que debe ser escuchado. Yo no conozco en detalle el proyecto, pero si la compra es hecha para después ser utilizada de una forma positiva, ¿puede impedir el tráfico no?

    Si eso puede garantizar que haya una neutralización de esa producción y que esa producción no alimente al tráfico. Pero naturalmente el objetivo nuestro tiene que ser un objetivo de preservar la salud de la gente de todo el mundo. Muchas gracias.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: N.M. Delegation Welcomes Over $4 Million From the Infrastructure Law to Enhance Safety, Reduce Delays at Railway Crossings, and Grow Local Economies in Clovis and San Juan County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) welcomed a combined $4,570,920 for two projects in New Mexico from the U.S. Department of Transportation to strengthen the nation’s supply chain, reduce costs, and grow New Mexico’s economy.  
    $4,000,000 will help San Juan County and the Navajo Nation complete the planning for a proposed freight rail line connecting Farmington and Gallup.  
    $570,920 will help the City of Clovis enhance safety and reduce traffic delays at two railway crossings. 
    “Thanks to our Infrastructure Law, we’re delivering the funds needed to kick-start planning for a freight rail line from Farmington to Gallup and improve railway crossings in Clovis. Combined, these investments will strengthen our nation’s supply chain, grow local economies, lower transportation costs, create high-quality jobs New Mexicans can build their families around, and improve safety for our communities,” said Heinrich. “I’m pleased to welcome these federal investments, and I remain committed to securing more investments to connect rural communities to the abundant opportunities ahead.” 
    “Across our state, New Mexicans rely daily on our railways for travel and to keep our economy running,” said Luján. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this $4.5+ million in federal funding will deliver much-needed railway safety enhancements in Clovis and help construct a new rail line within the Navajo Nation to expand regional rail service in Northwestern New Mexico. I’m proud to welcome these two grants that will both boost railway service and drive economic development for Clovis, the Navajo Nation, and their surrounding communities. I will continue to fight to bring federal dollars home to New Mexico to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of passenger and freight rail.” 
    “Every time I go to the Four Corners, local leaders emphasize the importance of connecting the region with rail. The Four Corners area is a major economic center of our state, and the funding we’re announcing today is the beginning of our work to make sure our rail infrastructure is ready to meet that potential across San Juan and McKinley Counties,” said Leger Fernández. “I am happy that this funding also includes improvements to safety and efficiency of freight in Clovis. With the support of the CRISI program, we can begin the critical work needed to build stronger connections and drive growth in rural New Mexico.” 
    “I am thrilled about the recent allocation of two significant federal grants from the Federal Railroad Administration’s CRISI program, which will greatly enhance rail safety and connectivity in New Mexico,” said Stansbury. “These two grants reflect our commitment to investing in infrastructure prioritizing safety and economic growth. I am grateful for the support from the Federal Railroad Administration and look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition as we work together to build a safer New Mexico!” 
    “Federal investments like this bring vital safety and economic benefits to communities across New Mexico. With this funding, we’re improving railway safety, cutting down delays, and connecting New Mexicans to opportunities that drive economic growth and quality jobs,” said Vasquez. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are building a stronger, safer transportation network. I’m proud to welcome this funding to bring more jobs and opportunities to our rural communities.” 
    “The award of grant funding takes a prospective freight rail line study further than any study in the past and is further proof of the importance of collaboration between tribal, local, state, and federal partners to open doors to economic opportunities. We are appreciative of assistance from New Mexico’s federal delegation and excited for future economic growth opportunities in San Juan County and the Four Corners region,” said John T. Beckstead, San Juan County Commission Chairman. 
    “The Federal CRISI Grant brings San Juan County and the City of Farmington one step closer to having competitive transportation and economic development. This is an important step in growing our regional economy,” said Tim Gibbs, Four Corner Economic Development CEO. 
    The grants are awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, which provides funding for projects that improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail. The CRISI Program received significant, additional investments from the Infrastructure Law – legislation passed by Democrats in the N.M. Congressional Delegation.  
    The N.M. Delegation sent a letter of support to the U.S. Department of Transportation supporting the grant for San Juan County that is being announced today. This grant will prepare the Four Corners Rail Project for final design proposals and planning. 
    In May 2020, Heinrich and Luján wrote a letter of support for San Juan County’s application for a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant,  which applicants of the CRISI Program are required to be approved for.  
    Members of the N.M. Delegation sent a letter of support to the U.S. Department of Transportation urging the support of the grant for the City of Clovis that is being announced today. This grant will enhance safety and reduce traffic delays at two railway crossings including modifications to the Norris Street railroad crossing and construction of a new grade-separated crossing at MLK Jr. Boulevard.  
    Below is a breakdown of the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration funding:  
    Project Name 
    Recipient 
    Award Amount 
    Project Description 
    Clovis, N.M. Corridor Improvement Project 
    City of Clovis 
    $ 570,920 
    The proposed project was selected for Project Development and includes activities for one grade crossing separation and improvements to a second at-grade crossing along the BNSF Railway line in Clovis, New Mexico. The project aligns with the selection criteria by enhancing safety and improving system and service performance as the project will reduce blocked crossings. The City of Clovis and BNSF Railway will contribute the 53 percent non-Federal match. This project qualifies for the statutory set-aside for projects in Rural Areas. 
    Four Corners Freight Rail Project 
    San Juan County 
    $ 4,000,000 
    The proposed project was selected for Project Development and includes activities to develop a new rail line to connect the Farmington, New Mexico Area to the BNSF Railway corridor near Gallup across San Juan County and McKinley County, New Mexico. The proposed project is a partnership between San Juan County, the Navajo Nation, and the New Mexico Department of Transportation, and most of the project is located within the Navajo Nation. The project aligns with the selection criteria by enhancing resilience and improving system and service performance as the project will provide a viable freight transportation modal alternative to highway trucking, opportunities to simplify the supply chain, and enable new, rail-dependent economic development opportunities thereby imparting benefits to the Navajo Nation and surrounding communities. San Juan County will contribute the 20 percent non-Federal match. This project qualifies for the statutory set-aside for projects in Rural Areas. 
     For more information from San Juan County on the proposed Four Corners Rail Project, please click here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Leads Multistate Coalition Backing National Ban on Price Gouging

    Source: US State of New York

    NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today led a coalition of 15 attorneys general urging Congressional leaders to support a ban on price gouging at the national level. While over 40 states ban price gouging, there is no federal law preventing businesses from raising prices to increase their profits on essential goods during an emergency. In a letter to Congressional leaders, Attorney General James and the coalition argued that a national ban on price gouging would give the federal government the power to crack down on price gouging that cannot be stopped by a single state, and allow states and the federal government to work together to stop illegal price gouging in national supply chains. 

    “Businesses should never be able to hike prices during an emergency just to increase their profits,” said Attorney General James. “When companies take advantage of major disruptions and raise prices of food and supplies that New Yorkers rely on, my office holds them accountable, getting people their money back and protecting their wallets. Our federal government should have the same power to protect Americans when disaster strikes and stop price gouging at the national level that threatens both hardworking families and small businesses.” 

    Bans on price gouging let businesses raise prices to cover costs but prevent them from raising prices further solely to increase their profits during an emergency. Attorney General James and the coalition argue in their letter that prohibiting price gouging benefits both consumers and businesses. First, it encourages much-needed production at critical times by only allowing businesses to make more money by selling more products, instead of by raising prices. Second, it prevents businesses from risking long-term harm and reputational damage by overreacting in an emergency and setting prices too high. Third, it discourages hoarding in an emergency, since rising prices can prompt customers to over-buy. Fourth, price gouging bans protect consumers from monopolists who can raise prices without worrying about consumers’ reactions or being undercut by a competitor. 

    The COVID-19 pandemic and the onset of war in Ukraine disrupted supply chains at the national level, creating opportunities for price gouging that were sometimes out of reach from individual states. Attorney General James and the coalition argue in their letter that a federal ban would complement states’ anti-price gouging measures to help stop price gouging at the national level. 

    As Attorney General James and the coalition note, attorneys general have successfully stopped price gouging at the state level, demonstrating a clear need for national enforcement to complement these efforts. In New York, Attorney General James has secured decisive settlements with companies for illegally raising prices during emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic. In March and April 2024, Attorney General James distributed over 9,500 cans of baby formula in Buffalo and New York City as part of a settlement with Walgreens for illegally raising prices of baby formula during the 2022 shortage. In May 2023, Attorney General James recovered $100,000 from Quality King for price gouging Lysol products at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2021, Attorney General James secured 1.2 million eggs for New Yorkers from Hillandale Farms Corporation as part of a settlement resolving a lawsuit brought by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) in August 2020 for illegally gouging egg prices in the early months of the pandemic. 

    In March 2023, Attorney General James proposed new rules to protect consumers and small businesses by making it easier for OAG to investigate and combat price gouging. Throughout the pandemic, during major disruptions, and ahead of recent declared disasters, Attorney General James has issued consumer warnings against price gouging on essential supplies.

    Joining Attorney General James in sending the letter to Congress are the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: P4L AI Reaches 14 Billion in Turnover in Under a Month, Revolutionizing the Telegram Mini App Landscape

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PANAMA CITY, Panama, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — P4L AI, the groundbreaking AI-powered betting assistant, has rapidly ascended as a leading innovator in the online gaming industry. With advanced AI capabilities designed to enhance user success in RNG-based games, P4L AI has set a new standard across top betting platforms, delivering an elevated gaming experience that has captured the market’s attention.

    A Transformative Force in Gaming

    P4L AI’s state-of-the-art technology integrates with renowned gaming platforms like Stake, Rollbit, Betfury, BC Game, TG Casino, and BullSpin. This seamless integration enriches the gaming journey, offering users data-driven insights and personalized strategies to boost their winning potential. With an intuitive interface, P4L AI empowers everyone from casual players to seasoned gamers to leverage sophisticated analytics with ease.

    The P4L AI platform features flagship offerings such as the AI Betting Assistant and On-Chain Whitelabel solution. The AI Betting Assistant provides personalized recommendations based on individual behaviors and preferences, while the On-Chain Whitelabel enables partners to incorporate P4L AI’s advanced technology into their offerings. Together, these tools form a powerful foundation that drives revenue and user engagement.

    In its pursuit to make gaming accessible and engaging, P4L AI recently launched a suite of interactive tools, including a Telegram Bot, TG Mini-App, and a selection of exclusive games. These features have significantly boosted user engagement, creating new ways for players to interact with the platform.

    Notable Milestones Reflecting Rapid Growth and Success

    P4L AI’s journey has been marked by a series of impressive achievements that underline its popularity and performance:

    • 600,000 Total Users: Reaching half a million users underscores P4L AI’s broad market appeal and the effectiveness of its AI-powered tools.
    • 200,000 Active Users: This active user base showcases P4L AI’s commitment to fostering a dynamic community of engaged players.
    • 5 Billion Earned by Users: Users have collectively earned an impressive 4 billion, demonstrating the platform’s potential for rewarding gameplay.
    • 15 Billion Turnover: The substantial turnover signifies P4L AI’s strong engagement and activity, solidifying its leadership in the gaming sector.
    • 200,000 Community Members: P4L AI’s thriving community contributes to a vibrant exchange of tips, strategies, and shared experiences.

    Future Expansion into $P4L Tokens

    P4L AI users benefit from in-platform diamonds, which they will soon be able to convert into $P4L tokens. This planned feature will allow users to transform their in-app achievements into tangible assets, enhancing the P4L economic ecosystem.

    Strategic Growth and Innovation Goals

    Looking ahead, P4L AI aims to expand its user base to 10 million by Q4 2024, with plans to achieve a 50% active user rate and a 25% daily active user rate on the P4L Mini-App. Additional feature rollouts and new strategic partnerships are also in the pipeline, with private investors joining to boost platform capabilities and broaden P4L AI’s presence in the competitive online gaming sector.

    P4L AI’s collaborative network includes FoxCoin, Etaku, Captcha, Poplaunch, EasyCake, Start AI, Gemsee, Qappi, BeeVerse, Cat Planets, Hamster Republic, TapOnBase, Vfilm, Akefish, Lamaz, Get Game, TonOS, Lil Piggies Restaurant, Metaracing, Habbit, BearFi, Ton AI, and All At Once. Together, these partners bring unique expertise and vision, collectively driving unprecedented growth across multiple sectors.

    Dedicated to Responsible Gaming

    As part of its mission, P4L AI promotes responsible gaming practices, encouraging users to set limits and use self-assessment tools. Collaborating with industry organizations, P4L AI is committed to raising awareness and providing support resources to ensure a safe and positive gaming experience.

    Contact P4L AI

    P4L AI Mini App: https://t.me/p4l_bot/launch
    Chat Group: https://t.me/P4LAIchat
    Telegram Channel: https://t.me/P4LAI
    Website: https://www.p4l.ai/
    X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/p4lai_
    Media Assets: P4L AI Media Kit
    Contact: James Solo on Telegram

    Contact :
    Persons Name: James Solo
    Email id: hi@P4L.ai

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by P4L AI . The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Inmate Admits to Escape, Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Edgardo Quinones-Hiraldo, age 35, of Ponce, Puerto Rico, pled guilty today to escape and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    According to court documents, Quinones-Hiraldo served 51 months at a federal corrections facility in Florida for a firearms trafficking conviction in Puerto Rico. He was released to Dismas Charities Residential Reentry Center in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Quinones-Hiraldo failed to report to the facility and was arrested in Clarksburg. He had a revolver and a pistol with him at the time of his arrest.

    Quinones-Hirado faces up to five years in prison for the escape charge and faces up to 15 years for the firearms charge. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.

    MIL Security OSI –