Human Settlements disaster relief teams from all spheres of government have arrived Amatole District Municipality, in Eastern Cape, to assess damage and give immediate help to communities affected by heavy storms.
The storms ripped through several municipalities on Tuesday, leaving a trail of destruction, including electricity infrastructure and properties.
The department said that after receiving notification on Tuesday, Human Settlements Minister, Thembi Simelane, immediately deployed three teams from the Emergency Housing Unit to assess the situation and determine the kind of help necessary in relation to the provision of much needed shelter during these difficult times.
“The teams will do a verification process in the three affected municipalities in the Amatole District, which include Great Kei, Raymond Mhlaba and Amahlathi Local Municipalities. However, people in need of immediate accommodation have been temporarily housed in mass care centres available in the area,” the department said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Minister has also tasked officials to work around the clock to relocate other victims to the Temporary Emergency Housing units, with the assistance of the local municipalities.
Based on the preliminary report from the deployed teams, the department said there is a need to relocate families whose mud houses collapsed during storms to Temporary Residential Units (TRUs) and provide building materials for the communities to rebuild their destroyed structures.
“The team will have a clear magnitude of the of disaster once the verification process has been completed,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units
1,480,000
Placement period, in days
4
Date of deposit
03/28/2025
Refund date
01.04.2025
Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating)
Fix
Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum
20.05
Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds
–
Minimum spread, % per annum
–
Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special)
Urgent
Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units
1,000
Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs.
5
Application selection form (open or closed)
Open
Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
Venue for the selection of applications
PAO Moscow Exchange
Applications accepted:
from 09:30 to 09:40
Preliminary applications:
from 09:30 to 09:35
Applications in competition mode:
from 09:35 to 09:40
Formation of a consolidated register of applications:
from 09:40 to 09:50
Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful:
from 09:40 to 10:00
Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement:
from 10:00 to 10:50
Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions:
from 10:00 to 10:50
Deposit transfer time
In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n
Application selection parameters
Date of the selection of applications
03/28/2025
Unique identifier of the application selection
22025078
Deposit currency
rubles
Type of funds
funds of the single treasury account
Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units
100,000
Placement period, in days
182
Date of deposit
03/28/2025
Refund date
09/26/2025
Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating)
Flotting
Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum
–
Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds
Ruonmds
Minimum spread, % per annum
0.00
Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special)
Special
Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units
1,000
Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs.
5
Application selection form (open or closed)
Closed
Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
Venue for the selection of applications
PAO Moscow Exchange
Applications accepted:
from 12:00 to 12:10
Formation of a consolidated register of applications:
from 12:10 to 12:20
Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful:
from 12:10 to 12:30
Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement:
from 12:30 to 13:20
Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions:
from 12:30 to 13:20
Deposit transfer time
In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n
RUONmDS = RUONIA – DS, where
RUONIA – the value of the indicative weighted rate of overnight ruble loans (deposits) RUONIA, expressed in hundredths of a percent, published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued. In the absence of a publication of the RUONIA rate value on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued, the last of the published RUONIA rate values is taken into account.
DS – discount – a value expressed in hundredths of a percent and rounded (according to the rules of mathematical rounding) to two decimal places, calculated by multiplying the value of the Key Rate of the Bank of Russia by the value of the required reserve ratio for other liabilities of credit institutions for banks with a universal license, non-bank credit institutions (except for long-term ones) in the currency of the Russian Federation, valid on the date for which interest is accrued, and published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet.
Application selection parameters
Date of the selection of applications
03/28/2025
Unique identifier of the application selection
22025079
Deposit currency
rubles
Type of funds
funds of the single treasury account
Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units
500,000
Placement period, in days
14
Date of deposit
03/28/2025
Refund date
04/11/2025
Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating)
Flotting
Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum
–
Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds
Ruonmds
Minimum spread, % per annum
0.00
Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special)
Urgent
Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units
1,000
Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs.
5
Application selection form (open or closed)
Open
Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
Venue for the selection of applications
PAO Moscow Exchange
Applications accepted:
from 16:00 to 16:10
Preliminary applications:
from 16:00 to 16:05
Applications in competition mode:
from 16:05 to 16:10
Formation of a consolidated register of applications:
from 16:10 to 16:20
Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful:
from 16:10 to 16:30
Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement:
from 16:30 to 17:20
Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions:
from 16:30 to 17:20
Deposit transfer time
In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n
RUONmDS = RUONIA – DS, where
RUONIA – the value of the indicative weighted rate of overnight ruble loans (deposits) RUONIA, expressed in hundredths of a percent, published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued. In the absence of a publication of the RUONIA rate value on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued, the last of the published RUONIA rate values is taken into account.
DS – discount – a value expressed in hundredths of a percent and rounded (according to the rules of mathematical rounding) to two decimal places, calculated by multiplying the value of the Key Rate of the Bank of Russia by the value of the required reserve ratio for other liabilities of credit institutions for banks with a universal license, non-bank credit institutions (except for long-term ones) in the currency of the Russian Federation, valid on the date for which interest is accrued, and published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet.
Application selection parameters
Date of the selection of applications
03/28/2025
Unique identifier of the application selection
22025080
Deposit currency
rubles
Type of funds
funds of the single treasury account
Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units
10,000
Placement period, in days
4
Date of deposit
03/28/2025
Refund date
01.04.2025
Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating)
Fix
Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum
20.05
Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds
–
Minimum spread, % per annum
–
Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special)
Urgent
Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units
1,000
Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs.
5
Application selection form (open or closed)
Open
Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
Venue for the selection of applications
PAO Moscow Exchange
Applications accepted:
from 18:30 to 18:40
Preliminary applications:
from 18:30 to 18:35
Applications in competition mode:
from 18:35 to 18:40
Formation of a consolidated register of applications:
from 18:40 to 18:50
Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful:
from 18:40 to 18:50
Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement:
from 18:50 to 19:30
Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions:
from 18:50 to 19:30
Deposit transfer time
In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n
Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232Pr@moex.kom
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect
Sarah Wambui Chege monitors a patient in active labour and listens to the baby’s activity at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, a government county referral hospital serving the residents of Nairobi’s populous Eastlands area. Photo credit: WHO/Khadija Farah
Globally each year 287,000 women die in pregnancy or childbirth. Most maternal deaths are caused by severe bleeding, high blood pressure, pregnancy-related infections, complications from unsafe abortion, and underlying conditions that can be aggravated by pregnancy (such as HIV/AIDS and malaria).
Most maternal deaths are preventable with access to high quality healthcare. Ending preventable maternal death must remain at the top of the global agenda.
WHO works with a range of partners and national health authorities across its six Regions to strengthen maternal health services for all pregnant women. Read below powerful stories about a wide range of WHO activities, with many women’s lives being saved, thanks to donors’ support.
Driving down maternal mortality in Mozambique
In Mozambique, a protracted civil war had a devastating impact on public health services and infrastructure. In 2000, Mozambique had one of the world’s highest rates of maternal mortality, with roughly 1 in 160 women dying from pregnancy or childbirth complications.
The country has since made significant strides by making maternal health one of its top priorities. In 2023, Mozambique’s maternal mortality ratio was 223 deaths per 100 000 live births; a 53% drop in maternal mortality since 2000.
Several critical interventions have contributed to this. Between 2017 and 2021, 106 new health facilities opened across the country, increasing access to health services, and the number of human resources for health and health technicians increased by around 15%.
WHO supported the country to establish a maternal death surveillance and response system, provided technical and financial support to the Ministry of Health to update the training package on Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care, and trained 40 national trainers across all 11 of Mozambique’s provinces. In 2021, WHO collaborated with health authorities to shape a comprehensive community health strategy.
Cambodia’s sustained progress in improving maternal, newborn and child health
A nurse is assisting a mother breastfeeding in a referral provincial hospital in Cambodia. WHO/Yoshi Shimizu
In early 2000’s, Cambodia faced alarming maternal, newborn and child health indicators. The maternal mortality ratio stood at 437 per 100 000 live births, while newborn and child mortality rate accounted for 37 and 124 per 1000 live births respectively.
Today, skilled birth attendance is near universal, with 98.7% of births attended by trained health professionals and 97.5% of women giving birth in a health facility. Between 2014 and 2021-2022, neonatal and under-five mortality rates declined by 54%, from 18 to 8 and from 35 to 16 per 1000 live births respectively. Cambodia achieved its SDG targets for reducing neonatal and under-five mortality eight years ahead of schedule.
The strong leadership of the Ministry of Health provided clear strategies for advancing maternal and newborn health. Two coordination platforms were established and convened regularly to align efforts within the Ministry and with health partners. With technical dsupport from WHO and funding from the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare, the Early Essential Newborn Care Coordination Committee plays a crucial role in harmonizing national and sub-national efforts, monitoring progress through regular reviews, mobilizing resources to scale up practices, and ensure consistency in care delivery.
Working with traditional birth attendants in Latin America
Mercedes Panamantamba, traditional birth attendant from Otavalo, Ecuador, receives training provided by PAHO on the use of biomedical tools to complement ancestral practices. Photo credit: PAHO/WHO
In rural and remote communities of Latin America, ancestral practices such as traditional midwifery have been passed down from generation to generation. In these areas, where geographical barriers and cultural differences can hinder access to healthcare centres, the practical and spiritual support of traditional birth attendants can make the difference between life and death.
The WHO Region for the Americas (Pan American Health Organization – PAHO), with support from the Government of Canada, has been working with over a thousand traditional birth attendants in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, and Peru since 2021 to provide them with knowledge of warning signs to help prevent maternal and neonatal deaths.
PAHO conducted training sessions and knowledge dialogues on topics such as family planning, prenatal care, identification of warning signs, and childbirth care. Meetings have yielded results that can benefit the entire region, such as the development of the tool for promoting culturally safe childbirth.
These activities are part of ‘Improved health of women and adolescent girls in situations of vulnerability’, a joint project between PAHO and Global Affairs Canada.
Dorcas Simon, an informal trader in Kigoma region, Tanzania, who said it took the timely transportation of her newborn child and her to the hospital to save their lives. Photo credit: WHO/Clemence Eliah
In Kigoma region, Tanzania, maternal mortality was on the rise due to difficult access to health facilities and other factors. The region had limited capacity in terms of a referral system and diagnostic capacity.
“Looking at the year 2020, we had 119 maternal deaths. In 2021, they dropped to 75 but in 2022 there were 102 deaths.” Dr Jesca Leba, Regional Medical Officer, Ministry of Health, Kigoma Region, Tanzania.
The Government of Tanzania with support from WHO and partners set out to address this problem. With funding from the Norwegian Embassy, WHO procured ambulances for easy transportation of pregnant women. The ambulances have so far served over 2000 women from various districts across the region. Additionally, 15 ultrasound machines were provided for health facilities and 300 health workers were trained how to use them.
The Chief Medical Officer in Buhigwe District Health Centre appreciates the donor support with ultrasound equipment that expanded the centre’s capacity to provide services. Photo credit: WHO/Clemence Eliah
Today, the Kigoma region has since witnessed a sharp decline in maternal mortality from 119 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births in 2020 to just 26 in 2024.
Birth plan helps reduce maternal deaths in Cote d’Ivoire
Ms Konaté followed the entire process of the birth plan. Her baby was born in good conditions at the urban health center in the Belleville district, in Bouaké. She is congratulated by the midwife who gives her the baby. Photo credit: WHO Côte d’Ivoire
In Cote d’Ivoire, in 2017, the maternal mortality rate was 614 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births, (Demographic Health Survey 2012) far from the target of 140 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births expected by 2030. In 2021, WHO, with support from the Swedish Government and the French MUSKOKA fund, targeted the Gbeke region, which has one of the highest mortality rates in the country, through the “Gbeke Là-Haut Là” initiative.
The initiative included implementation of a childbirth preparation or delivery plan, starting with first prenatal consultations, an emergency trolley in the delivery room and capacity-building for midwives in the management of risk factors during pregnancy and childbirth.
By 2022, 46% of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics benefited from a childbirth preparation plan, compared to none previously. 181 midwives from 18 health facilities were trained in key life-saving clinical skills.
Between 2019 and 2022, the proportion of maternal deaths at Bouake University Hospital from the 3 urban health districts of Gbeke fell from 93% to 36%, a reduction of 57%. The proportion of maternal deaths due to post-partum haemorrhage fell by 27%, from 56% to 29%.
Close patient monitoring by nurses in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia. As one of the SMART recommendations for mortality review. Photo credit: WHO/IndoXplore
WHO and European Union supported the Ministry of Health and partners to conduct crucial research on the impact of COVID-19 on maternal and newborn health and to better understand disruptions to essential health services, with the aim of building a stronger, more resilient health system.
Researchers analyzed the medical records of 4 945 pregnant women and their newborns and interviewed programme managers and health workers from eight selected hospitals in four provinces of Java Island.
WHO and the Ministry of Health will use the findings to inform the development of national guidelines aimed at strengthening the health system’s capacity to better respond to acute public health events and minimize disruptions to essential services, including for maternal and newborn health.
Maternal care services strengthened in Port au Prince, Haiti
The maternity ward at the Eliazar Germain Hospital. Photo credit: PAHO/WHO
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and PAHO/WHO are jointly supporting 3 hospitals in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area to provide maternal health services. This is to support the emergency response of the Ministry of Health and Population and improve access to health care, made increasingly difficult by the current security situation.
Support includes the supply of essential medical equipment and products, and the installation of a reliable power supply system, ensuring constant availability of electricity. Support beyond maternity services responds to urgent needs in sexual and reproductive health. Kits for the management of abortion complications and kits for the management of sexual violence have been distributed for this purpose.
Saving lives in flood- and drought-affected areas in Somalia
WHO Representative to Somalia Dr Reinhilde Van de Weerdt (left) met with H.E. Mr OKANIWA Ken, Ambassador of Japan to Somalia, to express appreciation for Japan’s support. Photo credit: WHO Somalia/M. Saydahmat
A 12-month project led by the WHO Country Office in Somalia over the course of 2023 reached over 3 million people affected by drought or flood. The Government of Japan supported the project with a grant of over US$ 700 000. Working with the Ministry of Health and Human Services, WHO aims to mitigate the health impacts of recurrent climate shocks, food insecurity and disease outbreaks, especially cholera, while strengthening health system resilience.
Thanks to Japan’s funding, WHO was able to deploy 369 community health workers and 121 mobile outreach teams in drought-affected areas. These provided essential health and immunization services to local population with a special focus on children and pregnant and lactating women. The project aims to provide help to about 900 000 flood- and drought-affected people in Somalia.
Meeting the health needs of Malians displaced by security crisis
Meeting the health needs of Malians displaced by security crisis. Photo credit:WHO AFRO
In 2023, more than 72 500 people were displaced in Mali because of clashes between rival armed groups, inter-community conflicts and military operations by the Malian armed forces against non-state armed groups.
To help Mali maintain delivery of quality health services in areas impacted by insecurity, WHO, supported by UN CERF is providing medicines and other consumables to the Health Ministry, and helping to upskill health workers on the ground. WHO is also supporting mobile clinics to reach isolated populations in the centre of Menaka and the two districts worst impacted by the insecurity, Tidermane and Anderamboukane.
Thanks to the mobile clinics, Aissata, a displaced person in Ménaka city centre, was able to receive the care she needed. She was monitored throughout her pregnancy, which saved her life and that of her baby. “If it wasn’t for the free consultation that day, I don’t know what I would have done,” the young mother says.
WHO urges expansion of lifesaving midwifery care for women and babies
Shakila, midwife, measuring height of the fundus on a pregnant woman at the mobile clinic organized by WHO at the Garm Abak of Waras district in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. Photo credit: WHO/Rada Akbar
Strengthening midwives’ role in maternity and newborn care services would save millions of lives each year while significantly enhancing women’s overall experience of care, according to a new publication released by WHO and partners.
The publication, transitioning to midwifery models of care: A global position paper, outlines the benefits and key components of midwifery care models, where midwives serve, within broader teams, as the main healthcare provider for women and babies during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.
Recent modelling shows that universal access to midwifery care could avert more than 60% of all maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths – amounting to 4.3 million lives saved annually by 2035.
The position paper on midwifery models of care was prepared by WHO together with a coalition of leading health professional associations, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and women’s group, including the Burnet Institute, Collectif interassociatif autour de la naissance, the Council of International Neonatal Nurses, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the International Pediatric Association, Jhpiego, the UNFPA, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with financial assistance from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Listen to WHO Director-General’s message on Linkedin thanking everyone who contributed for the development of the position paper.
***
WHO’s work is made possible through all contributions of our Member States and partners. WHO thanks all donor countries, governments, organizations and individuals who are contributing to the Organization’s work, with special appreciation for those who provide fully flexible contributions to maintain a strong, independent WHO.
This feature reveals support of partners and donors from Burnet Institute (Collectif intersasociatif autour de la naissance), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Canada, CERF, the Council of International Neonatal Nurses, the European Union, International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the International Pediatric Association, Japan, Jhpiego, French MUSKOKA, Norway, Sweden, the UNFPA, and UNICEF.
Individuals wishing to attend the Open Session in person are invited to registerby Monday 21 April 2025, using the following link:
rn
Individuals or organizations wishing to make a presentation or statement during the open Session are required to register their interest to do so via email to the EML Secretariat by Monday 21 April 2025, providing the following information:
Name
Organization
Email address
Statement request details (e.g. topic or application number)
In person or virtual attendance
While every effort will be made to accommodate all requests for attendance and presentations/statements, this may not be possible due to capacity and time constraints.
All agenda documents to be considered by the Expert Committee can be found on the meeting webpage (see ‘Related’). The agenda for the Open Session will be posted on the meeting webpage once it is finalized.
Please note that any expenses incurred for attending the Open Session will be the responsibility of the attendee(s).
“,”datePublished”:”2025-03-28T11:39:16.0000000+00:00″,”image”:”https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/who-hq/whatsapp-image-2021-12-07-at-2.10.17-pm-2.jpeg?sfvrsn=cd182736_8″,”publisher”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”World Health Organization: WHO”,”logo”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://www.who.int/Images/SchemaOrg/schemaOrgLogo.jpg”,”width”:250,”height”:60}},”dateModified”:”2025-03-28T11:39:16.0000000+00:00″,”mainEntityOfPage”:”https://www.who.int/news/item/28-03-2025-registration-now-open-for-the-open-session-of-the-meeting-of-the-25th-who-expert-committee-on-selection-and-use-of-essential-medicines”,”@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”NewsArticle”}; ]]>
Personal income increased $194.7 billion (0.8 percent at a monthly rate) in February, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Disposable personal income (DPI)—personal income less personal current taxes—increased $191.6 billion (0.9 percent) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $87.8 billion (0.4 percent).
Personal outlays—the sum of PCE, personal interest payments, and personal current transfer payments—increased $118.4 billion in February. Personal saving was $1.02 trillion in February and the personal saving rate—personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income—was 4.6 percent.
The increase in current-dollar personal income in February primarily reflected increases in personal current transfer receipts and compensation.
The $87.8 billion increase in current-dollar PCE in February reflected increases of $56.3 billion in spending for goods and $31.5 billion in spending for services.
From the preceding month, the PCE price index for February increased 0.3 percent. Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index increased 0.4 percent.
From the same month one year ago, the PCE price index for February increased 2.5 percent. Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index increased 2.8 percent from one year ago.
Personal Income and Related Measures [Percent change from Jan. to Feb.]
Current-dollar personal income
0.8
Current-dollar disposable personal income
0.9
Real disposable personal income
0.5
Current-dollar personal consumption expenditures (PCE)
0.4
Real PCE
0.1
PCE price index
0.3
PCE price index, excluding food and energy
0.4
For definitions, statistical conventions, updates to PIO, and more, visit “Additional Information.”
Next release: April 30, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. EDT Personal Income and Outlays, March 2025
Technical Notes
Changes in Personal Income and Outlays for February
The increase in personal income in February primarily reflected increases in personal current transfer receipts and compensation.
The increase in personal current transfer receipts was led by government social benefits to persons and other current transfer receipts.
Within government social benefits, the increase primarily reflected premium tax credits for health insurance purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
The increase in other current transfer receipts was led by business payments to persons, reflecting settlements from a domestic medical device manufacturer and a social media company.
The increase in compensation was led by private wages and salaries, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Current Employment Statistics (CES). Wages and salaries in services-producing industries increased $35.7 billion. Wages and salaries in goods‑producing industries increased $12.7 billion.
In February, some federal government employees opted to accept a deferred resignation program offer. Federal workers who accepted the deferred resignation offer are counted as employed in the BLS source data. BEA has made no adjustment as a result of this program because these employees will continue to receive compensation until they officially separate from the federal government.
Revisions to Personal Income
Estimates have been updated for October through January, reflecting updated BLS CES data. The increase in wages and salaries for January was revised down to 0.2 percent, which is 0.2 percentage point lower than previously estimated.
January farm proprietors’ income was revised down from $87.9 billion to $54.0 billion, reflecting new information about the timing of payouts from the American Relief Act.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) was created to help build climate resiliency in the state of Connecticut. This past October saw CIRCA’s 10th anniversary, which was marked by an event that drew researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders from across the state.
CIRCA works closely with communities and decision-makers to develop resilience in many ways, from crafting policy, assessing climate vulnerability, supporting clean energy projects, mapping community and environmental justice communities across the state, and many more. Though much has been accomplished, more work is ahead as the climate crisis grows more pressing.
CIRCA Executive Director and Professor in the Department of Marine Sciences James O’Donnell reflects on last year, a year where overall, while Connecticut was spared hurricanes, areas of the state like Western Connecticut and Norwich experienced major flooding disasters.
“We were relatively lucky in 2024 since we didn’t have a hurricane, but floods like those in Monroe, Oxford, and Norwich could occur almost anywhere in Connecticut, we’re pretty exposed,” says O’Donnell.
Addressing the issue of exposure is not an easy undertaking, but CIRCA has made significant progress in building relationships with stakeholders and decision-makers both at the state and local levels. Carrying policies and resilience-building planning efforts from idea to finished product takes a lot of time, coordination, and outreach, and all of this takes expertise, and that is what CIRCA’s team of experts offers – help in building climate resilience.
O’Donnell draws on the example of how he is currently serving on a legislative committee that was established to make recommendations on how to best support and expand tourism in southeastern Connecticut, an area that is also vulnerable to the impacts of sea level rise and more frequent flood events.
“They’re concerned about flooding in Mystic, and they realize all of the tourism center, businesses, and the attractions of Mystic Seaport and downtown are largely in the flood zone,” O’Donnell says.
In the winter of 2023, the area in question was underwater several times, says O’Donnell, and those cases were not the result of storms. With rising sea levels and changes in variations in the circulation of the North Atlantic, this trend of flooding will continue to increase, and in the case of Mystic, O’Donnell says we can expect up to 20 inches of sea level rise by 2050.
“Sea level increase in the Northwest Atlantic is increasing faster than everywhere else in the world, and it’s a consequence of the patterns of ocean circulation and changes in ocean circulation that a result from warming of the ocean and atmosphere.”
But for stakeholders and policymakers, having experts to consult and who can provide support and information for making decisions that will ultimately save lives is valuable. O’Donnell says that in his role working with politicians and decision-makers, his role as a physicist is to help answer questions and provide insights.
“The question of what will happen is not hard to project. The question is, what do you do, and who pays for it? That’s the hard part.”
Seeing a project through requires many factors to coalesce, from idea to finished project. O’Donnell says a significant step starts with ensuring all stakeholders are on board with a plan. He draws on an example of a project in Bridgeport that CIRCA started working on in 2017. The plan is to build a berm to protect a neighborhood from sea level rise, and all property owners need to agree before the project can proceed. If anyone objects, the plans need to be modified. After everyone approves the project, the permitting process can begin, followed by getting bids from contractors, and if bids come in higher than expected, either more funding needs to be secured, or the project needs to be redesigned to lower costs, which starts the whole process over.
“It has been eight years, and there’s no construction yet. We’ve got an inventory of around 150 projects that have been identified through a process we call the Resilient Connecticut Planning Process, and those projects are all over the state. We’ve advanced about 15 in a substantial way, and we’ve helped in some other ones. The project pipeline starts, and it ends, and there are steps along the way, and the goal is to advance things up the pipeline, but it takes years.”
O’Donnell says in the case of Mystic, in planning ways to sustain tourism, some people are more interested in short-term questions such as where a parking structure should be built, but even a seemingly simple project like this one benefits from climate resilience expertise,
“My role there is to help them appreciate what areas might be vulnerable in the future. Many of the attractions at Mystic Seaport and some of their infrastructure is in the flood zone. They need to think about how to protect it and ensure that they can sustain visitor interest and make it convenient for people to visit.”
The value of CIRCA’s expertise was appreciated at the 10th-anniversary celebration of CIRCA, says O’Donnell,
“One of the things that was really rewarding from our meeting in October is realizing how climate is considered now, compared to 10 years ago. We had a bi-partisan panel of three Republicans and three Democrats from across the state and they were all very, very supportive and interested in being informed. The other thing that’s happened is several state agencies have created climate planning offices, so they’ve hired people to provide climate-informed perspectives on the work that the agency is doing, including former employees of CIRCA. They poach people from our program, which is a good thing!”
CIRCA is not just focused on flooding, says O’Donnell, more recently, they have started to work on the serious problem of heat stress across the state, especially in urban areas like Hartford and Stamford. Researchers are working to measure and understand current and historical data to track the trends to better predict conditions in the future.
“We currently get two or three days a year when it is above 90 oF at night, and we can expect an increase in the future. When that happens, people feel uncomfortable, and people who are vulnerable suffer, so we’re going to be we have to anticipate that as well. It’s also a significant impact for people who work outside. There are other climate-related impacts that we should plan for.”
As the climate crisis worsens, besides pushing resilience projects ahead, O’Donnell stresses that it is essential that we reduce our emissions as soon as possible.
“If we don’t reduce our emissions, things will get worse late in this century. We’re committed to warming and we’re committed to sea level rise, but what we do now will affect what it’s going to be like in 2100 and it’s a huge difference to what it will be like in 2200. If we don’t rapidly shut down emissions now, we’re talking about building much higher flood walls. It is important to make people aware that we can adapt to small changes, but it will be a different world if we don’t reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.”
February Revenue up 139% Year-over-Year from $2.1m to $5.9m
With Second Consecutive Month of Record Performance, February Revenue Surpasses January Despite Fewer Operating Days
MIAMI, March 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NextNRG, Inc. (“NextNRG” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: NXXT), a pioneer in AI-driven energy innovation—transforming how energy is produced, managed, and delivered through its advanced Utility Operating System, smart microgrid technology, wireless EV charging, and on-demand mobile fuel delivery solutions—today announced certain unaudited financial results for February 2025 from its EzFill, mobile fueling division.
The Company delivered another month of record revenue and fuel volume, continuing the strong momentum established in the new year, despite fewer operational days in February.
Company revenue for February 2025 reached a new high of more than $5.09 million from $2.1 million, representing a 139% increase over February 2024. Gallons delivered reached approximately 1.44 million from 543k, up 166% year-over-year. Both revenue and gallons delivered outperformed January 2025 results.
NextNRG Executive Chairman and CEO Michael D. Farkas commented, “We believe our back-to-back record months underscore the power of our growing platform and the momentum we’ve built through strategic expansion. The successful integration of the Shell Oil fleet and our long-term agreement with a global e-commerce leader are now fueling real, measurable growth. As we scale with continued discipline, demand from fleet partners continues to rise, validating our model and vision for the future. With EzFill’s on-demand fueling operating efficiently and NextNRG’s smart energy infrastructure, we are positioned to lead the transformation of how energy is delivered in a connected, AI-driven world.”
About NextNRG, Inc. NextNRG Inc. (NextNRG) is Powering What’s Next by implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into renewable energy, next-generation energy infrastructure, battery storage, wireless electric vehicle (EV) charging and on-demand mobile fuel delivery to create an integrated ecosystem.
At the core of NextNRG’s strategy is its Utility Operating System, which leverages AI and ML to help make existing utilities’ energy management as efficient as possible, and the deployment of NextNRG Smart Microgrids, which utilize AI-driven energy management alongside solar power and battery storage to enhance energy efficiency, reduce costs and improve grid resiliency. These microgrids are designed to serve commercial properties, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, parking garages, rural and tribal lands, recreational facilities and government properties, expanding energy accessibility while supporting decarbonization initiatives.
NextNRG continues to expand its growing fleet of fuel delivery trucks and national footprint, including the acquisition of Yoshi Mobility’s fuel division and Shell Oil’s trucks, further solidifying its position as a leader in the on-demand fueling industry. NextNRG is also integrating sustainable energy solutions into its mobile fueling operations. The company hopes to be an integral part of assisting its fleet customers in their transition to EVs, supporting more efficient fuel delivery while advancing clean energy adoption. The transition process is expected to include the deployment of NextNRG’s innovative wireless EV charging solutions.
Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statement describing NextNRG’s goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions, or beliefs is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Words such as “expect,” “intends,” “will,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those related to NextNRG’s business and macroeconomic and geopolitical events. These and other risks are described in NextNRG’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. NextNRG’s forward-looking statements involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although NextNRG’s forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by NextNRG. Except as required by law, NextNRG undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements for any reason. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements.
Investor Relations Contact: NextNRG, Inc. Sharon Cohen SCohen@nextnrg.com
New York, N.Y., March 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today announced that three additional professionals have joined its U.K.-based nuclear science and engineering partner Cambridge AtomWorks, led by Professors Ian Farnan and Eugene Shwageraus. Cambridge AtomWorks personnel are leading the development of NANO Nuclear’s ODIN™, a low-pressure coolant microreactor.
Radwan Nassim Kheroua joins as a Nuclear Systems Engineer, Luke Godfrey as a Senior Nuclear Engineer, and Jake Miles as a Nuclear Engineer. Their appointments finalize NANO Nuclear’s latest round of additions to its engineering team, building on the previously announced roles for Andrew Steer, Ph.D., as NANO Nuclear’s Head of Regulatory Engagement and James Leybourn and Simon Boddington as Senior Nuclear Engineers.
Figure 1 – NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. Appoints Radwan Nassim Kheroua as Nuclear Systems Engineer, Luke Godfrey as Senior Nuclear Engineer, and Jake Miles as Nuclear Engineer.
Mr. Kheroua previously served as a Research Engineer in Reactor Thermal-Hydraulic Modeling at Framatome, where he carried out his first industrial research in nuclear fusion, working on plasma physics at CEA Cadarache and tritium monitoring with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority’s Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (UKAEA CCFE). He brings extensive expertise in reactor accident analysis and fuel safety case justification.
Mr. Godfrey previously served as Lead Thermohydraulic Engineer at Moltex, focusing on molten salt heat transfer, coupled reactor system modeling, and safety case development. During his time at Moltex, he was integral to designing the SSRW and FLEX reactors, leading thermal hydraulics, developing coupled simulation tools, contributing to safety cases development, planning verification and validation activities, and designing key experiments.
Mr. Miles earned a BSc in Physics from the University of Leeds and later completed a Master’s degree in Nuclear Energy at the University of Cambridge. He briefly researched reactor physics and shutdown systems for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors before transitioning to the nuclear maritime industry, where he specialized in modeling and simulation of Molten Chloride Fast Reactors and their systems. In his new role, he will focus on shielding design and core optimization for the ODIN microreactor, supporting the technology’s ongoing development.
“We are very pleased to continue expanding our engineering team with some of the top talent in the field of nuclear energy,” said Professor Ian Farnan, Lead of Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Radiation and Materials of NANO Nuclear. “These additions bring us a wealth of technical knowledge and a deep understanding of nuclear technologies that will be leveraged to support the development and advancement of our proprietary microreactor systems.”
“With the additions of Mr. Kheroua, Mr. Godfrey and Mr. Miles, together with our other recent hires, I believe we are assembling a leading team of nuclear engineers,” said Professor Eugene Shwageraus, Lead of Nuclear Reactor Engineering of NANO Nuclear. “Their specialized expertise further strengthens our design process and supports a robust development schedule, ensuring we continue building on our momentum effectively.”
As NANO Nuclear continues to expand its operations, it remains committed to developing cutting-edge nuclear solutions that redefine the global energy landscape. The addition of Mr. Kheroua, Mr. Godfrey and Mr. Miles’ cutting-edge engineering talent will support NANO Nuclear’s endeavors to tackle the particular challenges associated with the ongoing development of the proprietary ‘ZEUS’ and ‘ODIN’ microreactors, as well as the KRONOS MMR™ Energy System and the LOKI MMR™high-efficiency nuclear systems for remote and off-grid applications.
“It is a pleasure to welcome our newest additions to the engineering team overseeing the development of the ODIN microreactor,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear. “We’ve assembled a group of highly skilled professionals for this project, and I’m confident their arrival will significantly accelerate our development timeline and strengthen the ODIN microreactor’s path toward demonstration, regulatory approval and ultimately commercialization.”
About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.
NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.
Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include patented KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor,and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR™, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.
Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.
HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.
NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.
This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements includes those related to the anticipated benefits to NANO Nuclear of the appointment of the nuclear engineers, as well as the Company’s regulatory plans in general, each as described herein. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.
HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) today released the following letter from Independent Director Bob Pease to the Company’s shareholders:
Shareholders of Phillips 66:
I joined the Phillips 66 Board of Directors in February 2024. My appointment came as a result of an agreement between Elliott Management and Phillips 66. At the time, Elliott Management said I would bring to the Board “extensive experience in refining and energy more broadly.”
Now Elliott wants me off the Board.
Today I’m writing you, our shareholders, to lay out the truth about the Phillips 66 Board and why my own view of Elliott’s campaign for change at the Phillips 66 has evolved.
I’ll start first with why I agreed to join the Phillips 66 Board in this relatively unusual manner. I’m a refinery guy first and foremost, holding numerous leadership roles, particularly in downstream businesses. When I joined the Board, Elliott’s primary demand was for Phillips 66 to improve its performance in refining. My experience was a perfect fit. Joining the Board then with Elliott’s endorsement felt like a win-win.
I worried that joining a board with the endorsement of a well-known activist hedge fund may not be the best way to win the hearts and minds of other board members. I have been around long enough to know human nature, so I believed it would take some time to have an impact on this Board.
I was wrong. My experience, insight and voice were immediately welcomed. In fact, I was encouraged early on to look closely at refining plans and challenge management.
The level of debate, in-depth analysis and looking under every stone that I have seen so far on this Board is exactly what shareholders should want in the Board room.
The Phillips 66 Board has delivered strong operational performance in refining while constantly exploring opportunities to create value across the full portfolio. Our integrated model has delivered synergies between the businesses and less volatile cash flows – it is a competitive advantage. We have set ambitious goals and are committed to maintaining best-in-class asset integrity while delivering a secure, competitive, and growing dividend; pursuing further accretive growth; and returning over 50% of our net operating cash flow to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends.
You simply don’t achieve results like this without a high functioning, deeply engaged Board.
In my view, it was Elliott’s inconsistent engagement that has proven most peculiar. There would be long silences, followed by rapid public action. What I saw from the Board was a clear commitment to getting to the right answer but a real struggle to understand and engage with an apparently highly distracted shareholder in Elliott.
We have only been met with a declaration that there were “no next steps” and then continued public assaults, even while Elliott refused to allow us to meet their nominees. Then came their notification that Elliott would in fact be running four nominees for election at the 2025 Annual General Meeting. With my re-nomination to the Board confirmed, that meant I would be targeted for replacement by Elliott’s nominees, just a year after they publicly supported me. I do not know why Elliott now wants me off the Board.
The Phillips 66 Board is committed to shareholder value creation.
We are committed to challenging management to deliver results. We are committed to acting, when necessary, but we are not a group that makes sweeping, irreversible costly change in response to short-term market fluctuations and speculative valuations.
We will always act in the best interest of our long-term shareholders for long-term value creation.
Sincerely,
Bob Pease Independent Director
About Phillips 66
Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) is a leading integrated downstream energy provider that manufactures, transports and markets products that drive the global economy. The company’s portfolio includes Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, Marketing and Specialties, and Renewable Fuels businesses. Headquartered in Houston, Phillips 66 has employees around the globe who are committed to safely and reliably providing energy and improving lives while pursuing a lower-carbon future. For more information, visit phillips66.com or follow @Phillips66Co on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws relating to Phillips 66’s operations, strategy and performance. Words such as “anticipated,” “committed,” “estimated,” “expected,” “planned,” “scheduled,” “targeted,” “believe,” “continue,” “intend,” “will,” “would,” “objective,” “goal,” “project,” “efforts,” “strategies” and similar expressions that convey the prospective nature of events or outcomes generally indicate forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements included in this news release are based on management’s expectations, estimates and projections as of the date they are made. These statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, and you should not unduly rely on them as they involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include: changes in governmental policies or laws that relate to our operations, including regulations that seek to limit or restrict refining, marketing and midstream operations or regulate profits, pricing, or taxation of our products or feedstocks, or other regulations that restrict feedstock imports or product exports; our ability to timely obtain or maintain permits necessary for projects; fluctuations in NGL, crude oil, refined petroleum, renewable fuels and natural gas prices, and refining, marketing and petrochemical margins; the effects of any widespread public health crisis and its negative impact on commercial activity and demand for refined petroleum or renewable fuels products; changes to worldwide government policies relating to renewable fuels and greenhouse gas emissions that adversely affect programs including the renewable fuel standards program, low carbon fuel standards and tax credits for renewable fuels; potential liability from pending or future litigation; liability for remedial actions, including removal and reclamation obligations under existing or future environmental regulations; unexpected changes in costs for constructing, modifying or operating our facilities; our ability to successfully complete, or any material delay in the completion of, any asset disposition, acquisition, shutdown or conversion that we have announced or may pursue, including receipt of any necessary regulatory approvals or permits related thereto; unexpected difficulties in manufacturing, refining or transporting our products; the level and success of drilling and production volumes around our midstream assets; risks and uncertainties with respect to the actions of actual or potential competitive suppliers and transporters of refined petroleum products, renewable fuels or specialty products; lack of, or disruptions in, adequate and reliable transportation for our products; failure to complete construction of capital projects on time or within budget; our ability to comply with governmental regulations or make capital expenditures to maintain compliance with laws; limited access to capital or significantly higher cost of capital related to illiquidity or uncertainty in the domestic or international financial markets, which may also impact our ability to repurchase shares and declare and pay dividends; potential disruption of our operations due to accidents, weather events, including as a result of climate change, acts of terrorism or cyberattacks; general domestic and international economic and political developments, including armed hostilities (such as the Russia-Ukraine war), expropriation of assets, and other diplomatic developments; international monetary conditions and exchange controls; changes in estimates or projections used to assess fair value of intangible assets, goodwill and property and equipment and/or strategic decisions with respect to our asset portfolio that cause impairment charges; investments required, or reduced demand for products, as a result of environmental rules and regulations; changes in tax, environmental and other laws and regulations (including alternative energy mandates); political and societal concerns about climate change that could result in changes to our business or increase expenditures, including litigation-related expenses; the operation, financing and distribution decisions of equity affiliates we do not control; and other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting Phillips 66’s businesses generally as set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Phillips 66 is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Additional Information
On March 26, 2025, Phillips 66 filed a preliminary proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”) and accompanying WHITE proxy card with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “2025 Annual Meeting”) and its solicitation of proxies for Phillips 66’s director nominees and for other matters to be voted on. The Proxy Statement is in preliminary form and Phillips 66 intends to file and mail to shareholders of record entitled to vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting a definitive proxy statement and other documents, including a WHITE proxy card. Phillips 66 may also file other relevant documents with the SEC regarding its solicitation of proxies for the 2025 Annual Meeting. This communication is not a substitute for any proxy statement or other document that Phillips 66 has filed or may file with the SEC in connection with any solicitation by Phillips 66. PHILLIPS 66 SHAREHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (AND ANY AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ACCOMPANYING WHITE PROXY CARD AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT SOLICITATION MATERIALS FILED WITH THE SEC AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders may obtain copies of the Proxy Statement, any amendments or supplements to the Proxy Statement and other documents (including the WHITE proxy card) filed by Phillips 66 with the SEC without charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed by Phillips 66 with the SEC also may be obtained free of charge at Phillips 66’s investor relations website at https://investor.phillips66.com or upon written request sent to Phillips 66, 2331 CityWest Boulevard, Houston, TX 77042, Attention: Investor Relations.
Certain Information Regarding Participants
Phillips 66, its directors, its director nominees and certain of its executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in connection with the solicitation of proxies from Phillips 66 shareholders in connection with the matters to be considered at the 2025 Annual Meeting. Information regarding the names of such persons and their respective interests in Phillips 66, by securities holdings or otherwise, is available in the Proxy Statement, which was filed with the SEC on March 26, 2025, and will be included in Phillips 66’s definitive proxy statement, once available, including in the sections captioned “Beneficial Ownership of Phillips 66 Securities” and “Appendix C: Supplemental Information Regarding Participants in the Solicitation.” To the extent that Phillips 66’s directors and executive officers who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation have acquired or disposed of securities holdings since the applicable “as of” date disclosed in the Proxy Statement, such transactions have been or will be reflected on Statements of Changes in Ownership of Securities on Form 4 or Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership of Securities on Form 3 filed with the SEC. These documents are or will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the Human Rights Situation in Mali
UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the Oral Update of the Independent Expert on the Human Rights Situation in Mali. Delivered by the UK Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.
Thank You Mr Vice President.
We thank the Independent Expert for his report. His mandate is ever more vital following the withdrawal of the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). We also welcome the cooperation of the Malian authorities in facilitating the Expert’s first visit and encourage their continued collaboration.
As we have heard, the human rights situation remains grave. Increased reports of gender-based violence, and violence against children are particularly concerning. Civic space continues to shrink, key opposition figures remain detained, and civil society organisations disbanded.
We therefore encourage authorities to create the necessary conditions for free, fair and inclusive elections, as soon as possible.
Mr President, the UK urges the Malian authorities to further strengthen independent accountability mechanisms, including for alleged incidents committed by military personnel and Russian proxies. These actors continue to create deep-rooted insecurity for the Malian people.
Mr Gonzalez, as reports of human rights violations and abuses persist, international accountability processes remain vital to hold perpetrators to account. What more could the International Criminal Court do to enhance accountability under the existing referral?
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Decarbonisation in the maritime sector is a priority for the MCA
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is focussed on securing a clean, green maritime future for everyone.
The launch of the Department for Transport’s Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy is enforcement of just that, outlining ambitious goals for the maritime sector. This includes reducing fuel lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, 80 per cent by 2040, and achieving zero emissions by 2050.
From supporting the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, which funds a diverse range of sustainable projects, to welcoming the world’s first dual-fuelled ammonia-powered vessel to the UK, the MCA is already at the forefront of supporting and developing these significant changes to the maritime sector.
Marine Guidance Notice 664 is just one important example of the MCA’s work in this field, which has enabled around 25 vessels using emission reduction, autonomy and other forms of ‘smart’ maritime technology to be considered using a flexible process as an alternative to prescriptive requirements.
MCA Director of UK Technical Maritime Services Fraser Heasley said:
Decarbonisation in the maritime sector has always been a priority for the MCA, with our experts advising on future fuels, the placement of wind farms, green shipping corridors, and training a new generation of green seafarers, but there is always more work to be done.
We welcome the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, and look forward to working further with DfT, industry, ship owners and operators, energy companies, investors, and research centres, to make the goals of the strategy a reality.
Press enquiries (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm) 0203 817 2222
Outside these hours or on bank holidays and weekends, for media enquiries ONLY, please send an email outlining your query and putting #Urgent in the subject title.
The term structure of interest rates, i.e. the representation of the interest rates in dependence of the maturity, may have a complex course. Usually, it is increasing, meaning rates (per year) are higher for longer maturities. Depending on the horizon, the term structure can be modelled with a different number of parameters. The representation with more parameters increases the precision, but also increases the complexity, which may hamper the search for closed-form solutions for relevant variables. How many parameters are therefore optimal for which purpose and application?
Contribution
We present a model for the term structure of interest rates that depends on two parameters, namely one parameter for the short-term interest level and one parameter for the slope. This model makes it possible to derive closed-form solutions for important values of risk management (present value, duration and convexity) and we give a new interpretation to the convexity, namely as the sensitivity of a bond with respect to the slope of the term structure.
Results
In our study of Germany (period 1975-2023), we show empirically that the term structure of German government bonds can be well described by the presented model if the horizon is about one year (or longer). In different applications, we estimate the contribution of maturity transformation to the German banks’ interest income to about 12% and we deduce an estimate for the probability of the interest hike in 2022/23.
The second phase of the Spending Review is now underway and the government will set out its spending plans for future years, including funding for walking, wheeling and cycling later in the spring.
I am today informing Parliament of my intention to publish a third cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS3) following the conclusion of the Spending Review. This will allow us to say more on the long-term funding for active travel, as required by the 2015 Infrastructure Act. The government will consult on CWIS3, with relevant stakeholders, ahead of its publication.
Remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the International Day of Zero Waste 2025.
“Mr. President, Madame First Lady, Excellencies, Dear Friends,
The waste crisis is an issue that goes to the heart of how we produce, and how we consume.
And one that requires action at every level – local, national, and global.
This year’s International Day focuses on fashion and textiles.
And rightly so.
Unless we accelerate action, dressing to kill could kill the planet.
Textile production often uses thousands of chemicals – many of them harmful to people and the environment.
It devours resources like land and water – putting pressure on ecosystems.
And it belches out greenhouse gases – inflaming the climate crisis.
Clothes are being produced and discarded at a staggering rate – driven by business models that prioritize newness, speed, and disposability.
Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck full of clothing is incinerated or sent to landfill.
Excellencies, Dear Friends,
Fashion is just the tip of a toxic iceberg.
Waste is an issue in every sector.
Every year, humanity produces over two billion tonnes of garbage.
If you pack all that into shipping containers stacked end to end, they would stretch to the moon and back.
Here on Earth, toxin-filled waste is seeping into our soil, our water, and our air. And ultimately into us.
As usual, the poorest pay the highest price.
More than one billion people live in slums and informal urban settlements, where waste management is non-existent and disease runs rampant.
The rich world is flooding the Global South with garbage, from obsolete computers to single-use plastic and more.
Many nations do not have the infrastructure to process even a fraction of what is dumped on their shores.
As a result, materials that could be recycled are burned or sent to landfill.
And waste pickers are exposed to toxic chemicals as they sift through potentially hazardous materials, including broken electronics, in appalling conditions.
Excellencies, Dear Friends,
We need a different approach: one that delivers on the commitment in the Sustainable Development Goals for sustainable production and consumption.
And there are signs of hope.
Change is possible. And it presents exciting opportunities.
In fashion, for example, designers are experimenting with recycled materials.
Consumers are increasingly demanding sustainability.
In many countries, resale markets are booming.
And important initiatives are bringing together large and small businesses, industry associations, civil society and many others to drive sustainability across the sector.
They include the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, and the Fashion Pact.
We must celebrate the power of these innovations to transform the industry.
But we need more.
And we need change in every sector.
I welcome the work of the Chair and the First Lady and members of the United Nations Advisory Board on Zero Waste to raise awareness, and help meet the SDGs.
The fight against waste requires us all.
Governments must act:
Through policies, regulations and subsidies:
That promote sustainability, and zero waste initiatives…
That encourage businesses to adopt positive practices…
That provide decent jobs…
And that empower everyone – not just the wealthy – to afford products that last.
The current negotiations for a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution – due in August this year – are a key opportunity for governments to drive progress.
I urge them to take it…
And to translate any treaty into action to support consumers to make environmentally friendly choices, and into a clear roadmap across industries.
Addressing plastic pollution must be at the core of corporate responsibility.
There is no space for greenwashing.
Businesses must increase circularity, waste reduction and resource efficiency across their supply chains.
We need accountability for corporate sustainability commitments.
We need transparency for customers.
And we need consumers to use their purchasing power to encourage change:
Reducing excessive consumption, valuing products that last, and embracing exchanges and resales.
And we need young people and civil society to keep using their voices and power to demand change through advocacy.
Excellencies, Dear Friends,
We must build on progress, to end the waste practices wasting our planet.
On this International Day, let us commit to do our part to clean up our act, and build a healthier, more sustainable world for us all.
Dmitry Polyanskiy, the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, on the situation in Moldova.
Referring to news reports that a politician was detained in Moldova, Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy called the situation “intolerable” and described the region as “not stable.” The Moldovan ambassador said Polyanskiy’s statements were “misleading.”
Speaking to reporters at UN headquarters today (Mar 27), Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said his delegation had drawn the Security Council’s attention to the detention of Yevgenia Gutsul, the leader of Moldova’s Gagauzian autonomy and “a famous opposition politician, meaningful politician” according to Polyanskiy.
“This is not the first case when the Moldovan authorities harass political opposition in this country,” said Polyanskiy. While stressing that Moscow had no intention of interfering in Moldova’s domestic affairs, he added that the Council “has a preventive function,” and urged members to act to prevent “a very bad and unstable situation.”
Polyanskiy referenced Moldova’s recent presidential elections, which he said, “were largely contested and proceeded in a very, very controversial atmosphere.” He also cited “provocations against Transnistria” and political developments in neighboring Romania, describing the region as “not stable.”
Responding shortly afterward, Moldovan Ambassador Gheorghe Leucă called the statement by Polyaskiy “misleading.” He also said, “The preventive detention of Yevgenia Gutsul, a member of the Shor criminal group, falls strictly within the competence of the prosecutorial authorities of the Republic of Moldova,” Leucă said.
According to the Moldovan envoy, the charges are not related to Gutsul’s political role. “Her detention is not related to her role as the head of the Gagauzian autonomy, but rather to her involvement in a criminal organization,” he said.
Leucă emphasized Moldova’s commitment to due process and judicial independence. “The Republic of Moldova is a state governed by the rule of law, where the rights of all individuals are fully protected,” he said. “Every accused person has their guaranteed right to a fair defense and the opportunity to prove their innocence in accordance with legal procedures.”
“Any interference of any country in the internal affairs of the Republic of Moldova, as of any other state, are unwarranted and unacceptable,” Leucă concluded.
Comments to the media by Gheorghe Leucă, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova, on the situation in the country.
Moldovan Ambassador Gheorghe Leucă called the statement by Polyaskiy “misleading.” He also said, “The preventive detention of Yevgenia Gutsul, a member of the Shor criminal group, falls strictly within the competence of the prosecutorial authorities of the Republic of Moldova,” Leucă said.
According to the Moldovan envoy, the charges are not related to Gutsul’s political role. “Her detention is not related to her role as the head of the Gagauzian autonomy, but rather to her involvement in a criminal organization,” he said.
Leucă emphasized Moldova’s commitment to due process and judicial independence. “The Republic of Moldova is a state governed by the rule of law, where the rights of all individuals are fully protected,” he said. “Every accused person has their guaranteed right to a fair defense and the opportunity to prove their innocence in accordance with legal procedures.”
“Any interference of any country in the internal affairs of the Republic of Moldova, as of any other state, are unwarranted and unacceptable,” Leucă concluded.
The EU has put its effort first on scaling up humanitarian support in Gaza and stands ready to engage in the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza. On 18 February 2025, the EU released the Gaza Interim Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (IRDNA)[1], prepared jointly with the United Nations and the World Bank and in collaboration with the Palestinian Authority.
The needs for recovery and reconstruction are estimated at EUR 49 billion. Given the magnitude of needs, it will require the mobilisation and coordination of all donors, including the Arab States.
The IRDNA will be followed by a conflict recovery framework. It will set the priorities for scalable recovery and reconstruction. It will also inform about the relevant implementation channels and funding mechanisms, in close cooperation with a reformed Palestinian Authority.
The conditions for scalable recovery and reconstruction are not yet in place, with protracted uncertainty on the security, governance and political arrangements that are to be determined.
The Commissioner for the Mediterranean will lead the Commission’s work on developing, with international partners, a dedicated reconstruction plan for Gaza, in good cooperation with the High Representative/Vice-President and the Commissioner in charge of preparedness and crisis management.
The Commission shares the concerns regarding the safety of the Astravets nuclear power plan. Given the current political situation, all bilateral relations with the authorities of Russia and Belarus have been suspended.
The European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group completed a peer review of the post-Fukushima nuclear safety assessment ‘stress tests’ of the Astravets nuclear power plant in 2021 and issued safety improvement recommendations.
The nuclear safety regulator of Belarus drew up a National Action Plan, updated in 2023[1], to implement these recommendations. The Commission continues to monitor Belarus’s progress in implementing them within the framework of relevant multilateral conventions adopted under the auspices the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), but it is not currently in a position to restart contacts with the Belarus nuclear safety regulator.
The Commission will continue to maintain contacts with the IAEA, which has the mandate to promote the implementation of international nuclear safety standards worldwide, including in Belarus.
The Commission intends to use existing international peer review mechanisms, notably the upcoming Eighth Review Meeting of the Joint Convention[2] in March 2025 and the Convention on Nuclear Safety Review Meeting in March 2026 to probe the implementation by Belarus of its obligations under these Conventions, which are relevant for Belarus follow-up of the findings of the stress tests peer review [3].
[2] Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, adopted under IAEA auspices in 1997. In December 2024, the Commission, on behalf of Euratom, analysed Belarus National Report and inquired the Country on several safety aspects of spent fuel and radioactive waste management.
[3] The position for the upcoming Joint Convention Review Meeting is coordinated with the Member States in the Working Party on Atomic Questions of the Council.
As part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, four crew members from three space agencies will launch in the coming months to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory. NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov will join crew members aboard the space station no earlier than July 2025. The flight is the 11th crew rotation with SpaceX to the station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The crew will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare humans for future missions to the Moon, as well as benefit people on Earth. Cardman previously was assigned to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, and Fincke previously was assigned to NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission. NASA decided to reassign the astronauts to Crew-11 in overall support of planned activities aboard the International Space Station. Cardman carries her experience training as a commander on Dragon spacecraft, and Fincke brings long-duration spaceflight experience to this crew complement. Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017, Cardman will conduct her first spaceflight. The Williamsburg, Virginia, native holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s in Marine Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At the time of selection, she had begun pursuing a doctorate in Geosciences. Cardman’s research in geobiology and geochemical cycling focused on subsurface environments, from caves to deep sea sediments. Since completing initial training, Cardman has supported real-time station operations and lunar surface exploration planning. This will be Fincke’s fourth trip to the space station, having logged 382 days in space and nine spacewalks during Expedition 9 in 2004, Expedition 18 in 2008, and STS-134 in 2011, the final flight of space shuttle Endeavour. Throughout the past decade, Fincke has applied his expertise to NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, advancing the development and testing of the SpaceX Dragon and Boeing Starliner toward operational certification. The Emsworth, Pennsylvania, native is a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School and holds bachelors’ degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, in both Aeronautics and Astronautics, as well as Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences. He also has a master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University in California. Fincke is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft. With 142 days in space, this will be Yui’s second trip to the space station. After his selection as a JAXA astronaut in 2009, Yui flew as a flight engineer for Expedition 44/45 and became the first Japanese astronaut to capture JAXA’s H-II Transfer Vehicle. In addition to constructing a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, he conducted a total of 21 experiments for JAXA. In November 2016, Yui was assigned as chief of the JAXA Astronaut Group. He graduated from the School of Science and Engineering at the National Defense Academy of Japan in 1992. He later joined the Air Self-Defense Force at the Japan Defense Agency (currently Ministry of Defense). In 2008, Yui joined the Air Staff Office at the Ministry of Defense as a lieutenant colonel. The Crew-11 mission will be Platonov’s first spaceflight. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, Platonov earned a degree in Engineering from Krasnodar Air Force Academy in Aircraft Operations and Air Traffic Management. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in State and Municipal Management in 2016 from the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia. Assigned as a test cosmonaut in 2021, he has experience in piloting aircraft, zero gravity training, scuba diving, and wilderness survival. For more than two decades, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. As commercial companies focus on providing human space transportation services and destinations as part of a robust low Earth orbit economy, NASA’s Artemis campaign is underway at the Moon, where the agency is preparing for future human exploration of Mars. Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew -end- Joshua Finch / Jimi RussellHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov Courtney Beasley / Chelsey BallarteJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111courtney.m.beasley@nasa.gov / chelsey.n.ballarte@nasa.gov
What you need to know: California has formally requested that the federal government add commercial structures and multi-family units to the ongoing fire debris removal efforts in Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES – Working to expand the scope of the fast-moving wildfire clean up effort currently underway in Los Angeles, Governor Gavin Newsom has asked the federal government to make more structures eligible for debris removal.
In a letter sent to FEMA, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) Director Nancy Ward requested that commercial and multi-family residential properties be included in the US Army Corps of Engineers debris removal program, specifically the special inclusion of small businesses and residential apartments, condominiums, and mobile homes.
“Our state stands with Los Angeles residents and businesses. We are dedicated to restoring all parts of our communities swiftly and safely after these fires and are grateful to our federal partners for their continued support.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
Under Governor Gavin Newsom’s leadership, California has expedited the cleanup process by cutting red tape and eliminating bureaucratic barriers, allowing highly trained crews to enter impacted communities sooner and help survivors rebuild their lives faster.
Debris removal from private commercial property is typically the responsibility of property owners and is usually not eligible for federal programs.
If this request is approved, it would expand the scope of cleanup to a number of facility types that are not currently eligible for debris removal including non-profits, houses of worship, businesses, and multi-family housing structures.
Deadline quickly approaching
The rapid pace of this cleanup makes it even more critical for survivors to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and to complete a Right-of-Entry (ROE) form for no-cost debris removal.
There are now just a handful of days left before the March 31 deadline.
If you are eligible and want to participate in the cost-free government cleanup service, you must complete the ROE form.
After submitting, you can track your submission through the county recovery and US Army Corps of Engineers pages. County staff may contact you if additional documentation is needed to process your form. Once approved, officials will begin the cleanup process.
The US Army Corps of Engineers has established a Debris Call Center to help answer questions regarding Private Property Debris Removal. Hours of operation are from 6:00 AM to 6:30 PM; call 213-308-8305 for assistance.
Track LA’s recovery, including the latest air quality results, at CA.gov/LAfires.
Press Releases, Recent News
Recent news
Mar 27, 2025
News What you need to know: Governor Newsom is taking additional steps to speed up the rebuilding process for Los Angeles by further suspending CEQA and the California Coastal Act to expedite the rebuilding of utility and telecommunication infrastructure, including…
Mar 26, 2025
News Highlights California’s economic investments in creative economy, LA’s recovery What you need to know: Governor Newsom today joined Anna Wintour to welcome the Vogue World event to Hollywood, promoting the state’s proposal to more than double California’s Film…
Mar 26, 2025
News What you need to know: Financial assistance for Los Angeles fire recovery has now surpassed $2 billion, survivors may apply until March 31st, 2025. LOS ANGELES – Building upon California’s ongoing support for disaster survivors and small businesses, Governor…
Today, Governor Joe Lombardo sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner, following their recent announcement of the Joint Task Force on Federal Land for Housing. In his letter, Governor Lombardo praised the launch of the unprecedented task force, while requesting representation for Nevada on the task force.
“As you know, more than 85% of Nevada’s land is managed by the federal government. This significantly limits our ability to expand housing availability, since growth is stifled by the lack of land available for development,” writes Governor Lombardo in his letter. “As your agencies stand up the Task Force, I hope you will consider including stakeholders from Nevada. Our lands experts, housing partners, and local governments stand ready to assist and support you.”
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, March 28, 2025/APO Group/ —
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) approved the establishment of a fund to help put an end to hunger and malnutrition amongst school age-children in Africa.
The End School-Age Hunger Fund (ESAH) was approved on 20 March with the aim of bolstering school meal programmes in targeted African countries by expanding existing initiatives and creating new ones so that more children in Africa have access to nutritious food while attending school while simultaneously boosing rural economies through agricultural productivity.
The implementation of the Fund, which will be run in conjunction with the African Development Fund (https://apo-opa.co/4hO6ZXT), the concessional window of the African Development Bank Group, includes the participation of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, which has already demonstrated its commitment by signing a $50 million letter of commitment to establish the Fund.
In September 2024, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and the Bank signed a letter of intent (https://apo-opa.co/4hNsjMT) in which the CIFF undertook to provide up to $50 million for the creation of the End School-Age Hunger Fund , witnessed by African Leaders for Nutrition Champion and African Union Nutrition Champion, His Majesty King Letsie III of Lesotho. In addition, the Foundation indicated that it was fully prepared to contribute a further $50 million to the Fund, once the Bank had made its initial contribution. The Foundation is committed to supporting broader resource leveraging efforts to attract more donors to the Fund. At the same time, the African Development Bank is seeking to engage other philanthropic organisations, such as the Aliko Dangote Foundation, to strengthen the Fund’s donor base.
The End School-Age Hunger Fund will support activities that contribute directly to school food initiatives within the continent, ensuring the provision of nutritious meals to children while promoting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises that provide services related to these programmes. Where appropriate, it is expected to provide essential technical assistance to governments, encouraging them to prioritise nutritious school feeding programmes as a vital mechanism for enhancing socio-economic development, ensuring student retention in schools, and improving learning outcomes and social protection.
“The End School-Age Hunger Fundwill work to secure a five-year commitment from the targeted countries, which is the standard implementation period for the Bank’s investment projects,” said Dr. Beth Dunford, the African Development Bank Group’s Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development. “The implementation period is long enough to establish a solid proof of concept to ensure the continuation of the initiative beyond the initial funding phase.”
The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation is the world’s largest philanthropic organisation dedicated specifically to improving the lives of children. Since 2004, the Foundation has received voluntary contributions and donations totalling over $2.4 billion. Over the past ten years, its endowment has grown to a value of $6 billion (2020), which highlights the potential opportunity it offers in terms of harnessing resources.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Work begins on new accommodation for personnel at RAF Digby
Work to build four new accommodation blocks for personnel has officially begun at RAF Digby, in Lincolnshire.
The project team celebrate breaking ground in the project at RAF Digby. MOD Crown Copyright.
A ground-breaking ceremony was held on 26 March 2025, after the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) awarded a £65 million contract to Galliford Try earlier this year. Arcadis will join the project as a Technical Support Provider. The contractors will use local suppliers and labour where possible.
The project, delivered on behalf of Strategic Command, will see the construction of 276 single occupancy en-suite bedrooms for junior ranks, spread across four blocks. Each block will also contain a kitchenette, laundry rooms, drying rooms and social spaces.
The buildings have been designed with sustainability at the forefront, as part of an MOD and wider government initiative to meet net zero targets by 2050. Solar panels and air source heat pumps will be installed onto the buildings, as well as temperature-controlled heating zones, energy efficient LED lighting, electric vehicle charging points and a system to recover heat from wastewater in the showers.
Operated by Strategic Command, RAF Digby is the RAF’s oldest station, established in 1918.
Shaun Purdy, Project Manager for DIO Major Programmes and Projects, said:
I am excited for construction to officially start on this important project to enhance the experience for our dedicated service personnel based at RAF Digby.
This new accommodation not only represents a significant step in modernising military accommodation, but also in our commitment to sustainability. With features such as solar panels and air source heat pumps built into the design, we are delivering accommodation that will reduce our environmental impact for years to come.
Wing Commander Neil Hallett, Station Commander RAF Digby, said:
It is incredibly exciting for Strategic Command to now see this project underway and watch the site transform to deliver modern accommodation that will directly benefit the service personnel based at RAF Digby.
Jon Marston, Managing Director for Galliford Try Building East Midlands, said:
We are delighted to be working in partnership with the DIO in delivering this important project. Our business has a strong track record in providing high-quality accommodation for our service personnel, and we look forward to working with all the stakeholders involved to create a fantastic new facility for RAF Digby.
The contract also includes provision of car parking, street lighting and landscaped outdoor communal areas.
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On March 26, 2025, the 10th meeting of the Coordination Council of the scientific and educational consortium “Eurasian Network University” (ENU) was held in a mixed format, in which the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev and the vice-rector Dmitry Bryukhanov took part.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, the State University of Management, the National Research University “MPEI”, the Moscow State Technological University “STANKIN”, the Almaty Technological University, the Kyrgyz State Technical University named after I. Razzakov, the Kyrgyz University of Economics, the University under the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Eurasian Economic Community, the Higher School of Economics, the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, the Moscow State Law Academy named after O.E. Kutafin and others.
Chairman of the Coordination Council of the Eurasian Network University, Rector of the National Research University “MPEI” Nikolay Rogalev delivered a welcoming speech, familiarizing the participants with the agenda of the meeting. The main topics for discussion were issues of interaction between the Eurasian Network University and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.
Alexey Poyda, Head of the Department of Bilateral Cooperation with Near Abroad Countries, the CIS and the Union State of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Education and Science, spoke about the key tasks of the ESU, including the training of qualified personnel and the development of educational programs for additional professional education. Particular attention was also paid to candidates from member states and observer states of the Eurasian Economic Union who are taking part in the ESU Olympiad.
Representative of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation O.V. Prosvirina reported on the six main main directions of development of the EAEU, laid down in the declaration on the further development of economic processes within the Eurasian Economic Union. During the meeting, issues of providing the common market with key goods and resources, energy security, the formation of a common space for cooperation and collaboration in the field of technological development, as well as the training of qualified specialists in these industries were discussed.
The issues of creating a Eurasian Rating Agency and concluding free trade agreements with other countries were also discussed.
At the initiative of the universities participating in the ESU, a decision was made on the need to amend the regulations on the ESU Secretariat and return to the previous version of the Regulation, which provided for the division of powers between the chairman of the Coordination Council and the head of the ESU Secretariat.
At the end of the meeting, an open vote was held, following which it was decided to: return to the original version of the Regulation on the ESU Secretariat, appoint the Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Dmitry Bryukhanov to the position of head of the ESU Secretariat, approve the list of joint programs of additional professional education for foreign specialists in Russian, approve the work plan of the ESU scientific and educational consortium for 2025, include the Kyzylorda University “Bolashak” in the ESU.
The next meeting of the Coordination Council will be held on May 15-16 at the Volgograd State Technical University.
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/28/2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Vaccination accounts for 40% of the worldwide improvement in infant survival over these 50 years, and more children now live to see their first birthday and beyond than at any other time in human history. Much of this success is a result of the investments entrusted to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, founded in 2000.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which includes WHO, UNICEF and the Gates Foundation as core founding members, was created to widen the benefits of EPI by helping the poorest countries in the world benefit from new, life-saving vaccines, and increase the coverage of EPI vaccines. These two goals, one to expand the scope of protection and one to expand the scale of protection, have resulted in a greater breadth of protection against an increasing number of vaccine-preventable diseases. This intensified effort, including in the most vulnerable parts of the world, has helped to save more lives and further vaccine equity – ensuring children who never receive a single vaccine are reached.
Since 2000, Gavi has protected an entire generation – over 1 billion children – against infectious diseases, helping to cut by half child mortality in 78 lower-income countries. From 2000-2023, Gavi supported 637 vaccine introductions and vaccination campaigns to protect children around the world against 16 life-threatening infectious diseases. Not only are vaccines delivering protection and high impact, immunization is a ‘best buy’ in health with a return on investment of $54 for every dollar invested.
Decades of progress have made many vaccine-preventable diseases a rarity in the lives of families. Cuts in the investments to Gavi pose a massive threat to unravel this progress. Infectious diseases do not stop at borders. Where there are pockets of un- and under-immunized children and adults, measles and other diseases can easily spread, as we’re seeing in the U.S. and around the world. This puts all lives at risk, costs individuals and governments substantial resources to respond to outbreaks and stretches already scarce health system resources. This says nothing about the long-term harms and even deaths that occur to what should have been healthy lives.
Gavi has been the front line to help keep deadly vaccine-preventable diseases at bay, working hand in hand with WHO, UNICEF and other public and private sector partners, most notably, community health workers and families eager to protect their loved ones. Through routine immunization, Gavi has been critical to maintaining vaccine stockpiles for outbreak-prone diseases such as Ebola, yellow fever and meningitis.
In the next 5 years, Gavi will protect at least 500 million children from preventable disease and in so doing save an additional 8-9 million lives. Without continued support by the U.S. and other donors, the world is at risk of a dangerous backsliding in immunization coverage – meaning more zero-dose children, more disease outbreaks, more diseases crossing borders, more threats to health and more children who never reach even their 5th birthday.
Every child has the right to health. Our best defense against infectious diseases is continued investment in life-saving immunizations for all. We cannot turn our backs on protecting all children and all communities from these diseases. Nobody should be mistaken that reversing the gains of the past 25 years of immunization is anything other than a grave threat to us all. It is critical to continue investment in Gavi so that life-saving immunizations can continue to reach all children.
—-
Click here to subscribe to the Global Immunization Newsletter.
“,”datePublished”:”2025-03-28T10:34:16.0000000+00:00″,”image”:”https://www.who.int/images/default-source/wpro/countries/viet-nam/health-topics/immunization/immunization–viet-nam.jpg?sfvrsn=11aa1353_7″,”publisher”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”World Health Organization: WHO”,”logo”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://www.who.int/Images/SchemaOrg/schemaOrgLogo.jpg”,”width”:250,”height”:60}},”dateModified”:”2025-03-28T10:34:16.0000000+00:00″,”mainEntityOfPage”:”https://www.who.int/news/item/28-03-2025-fully-funded-gavi–the-vaccine-alliance–is-a-lifeline-for-child-survival–says-who”,”@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”NewsArticle”}; ]]>
The Second WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health has concluded with major commitments from over 50 countries, cities and organizations ready to tackle air pollution and safeguard health.
Jointly organized with the Government of Colombia, it brought together more than 700 participants from 100 countries, including government representatives, UN agencies, civil society, scientists, and health societies, to accelerate action on air pollution and public health.
A shared goal to reduce the health impacts by 50% by 2040 was agreed upon to save millions of lives every year. Furthermore, new funding pledges and policies were proposed as commitments.
At the high-level session, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, urged leaders to respond to a global call to action: “It is time to move from commitments to bold commitments. To achieve clean air, we need urgent actions on all fronts: financial investment in sustainable solutions, such as in clean energy and sustainable transport; technical enforcement of WHO global air quality guidelines; and social commitment to protect the most vulnerable in our most polluted regions.”
Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia, attended the high-level day of the Conference, emphasizing Colombia’s determination in the fight against air pollution: “Air pollution claims more victims than violence itself. Poisoning our air costs lives in silence – this conference reinforces our determination to implement policies for both the environment and the health of our people.”
Among the pledges made during the Conference, countries, UN agencies and civil society organizations demonstrated commitment towards the right path.
The Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia,Lena Yanina Estrada Añokazi, committed to strengthening efforts across sectors to address air pollution through actions in surveillance and public health. The country will support initiatives that improve air quality, promote a clean energy transition by advancing clean technologies in industry and transportation, and develop early warning systems for wildfire prevention and mitigation.
Spain committed to achieve a carbon-neutral health-care system by 2050 through emission reduction, multi-sectoral collaboration and promoting innovation.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reaffirmed its commitment to tackling air pollution by chairing the Forum for International Cooperation on Air Pollution (FICAP), setting health-based PM2.5 (fine particulate matter 2.5) targets, and launching a comprehensive air quality strategy. This will include stricter standards, improved public access to air pollution data, and community engagement. The United Kingdom also committed to support Africa’s air quality efforts.
Brazil is committed to strengthening interministerial cooperation advancing key initiatives, the establishment of the National Air Quality Policy, the updating of air quality standards based on WHO guidelines as a Legal Framework, and the monitoring of the impact of these initiatives on reducing mortality that is due to exposure to air pollution.
China is committed to stronger air quality standards, smarter health protection systems, and enhanced international cooperation. The country will continue its efforts to achieve national environmental and climate goals for 2030, 2050, and 2060.
On behalf of the co-chairs of C40 cities, representing almost 100 of the world’s biggest cities, the Deputy Mayor of London, Mete Coban, committed to reducing air pollution, and supporting WHO’s 2040 target and roadmap, and called on other national governments to expand investments in clean air solutions, strengthen air quality monitoring systems, and recognize cities as key partners in developing and implementing clean air strategies.
The Clean Air Fund (CAF) committed to continuing to support WHO in demonstrating the benefits of life-saving clean air actions. It also committed to allocate an additional US$ 90 million over the next two years for climate and health efforts.
Pledges from health associations and civil society organizations included support for the integration of air pollution and the health of the planet into medical education and equipping health-care professionals with the knowledge and tools to address its health impacts.
“The commitments made at this Conference demonstrate the global momentum to address air pollution as a critical public health issue,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organization. “WHO remains dedicated to supporting countries in translating these commitments into concrete actions that protect lives and promote well-being.”
With a strong foundation of commitments and partnerships, the global community is now better positioned to drive meaningful change in the coming years.
Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union
WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after the Trump administration signed a union-busting executive order to unlawfully end collective bargaining for hundreds of thousands of federal workers:
“President Trump’s attempt to unlawfully eliminate the right to collectively bargain for hundreds of thousands of federal workers is blatant retribution. Federal workers – including thousands of AFSCME members – are the lifeblood of their communities. They protect our clean drinking water and food supply, care for veterans, support American farmers, administer Medicaid and Social Security and so much more. This attack is meant to silence their voices, so Elon Musk and his minions can shred the services that working people depend on the federal government to do.
“The billionaires running this administration have proven that they are willing to bulldoze anything that stands in their way to enact their anti-worker, extremist agenda – even if it harms our communities. In just two months, they have completed one-third of the 900-page Project 2025 agenda, a plan that robs working people of their power to benefit the ultra-wealthy. AFSCME’s 1.4 million members are prepared to fight to protect federal workers’ voice on the job.”
Regarding the questions of the Honourable Member, the Commission refers to the answer given to Written Question E-002915/2024.
‘ The Commission is aware that Google had launched a temporary test, removing EU press publishers’ content from its services for 1% of users in eight Member States, including Denmark.
The test ended on the 4 February 2025. The Commission considers that Google is entitled to conduct a time-limited test affecting a small part of users, provided it complies with obligations under applicable EU law.’
The answer provided to Written Question E-002915/2024 also pointed to the comprehensive set of EU legal tools to safeguard the flow of information in the internal market. The Commission will apply these rules, where relevant together with Member States.
In particular, the Digital Services Act (DSA)[1] includes a risk mitigation framework that specifically covers systemic risks for election integrity and civic discourse.
In February 2025, the Commission and the European Board for Digital Services endorsed the official integration of the voluntary Code of Practice on Disinformation (‘the Code’)[2] into the framework of the DSA.
Full adherence to the Code may be considered as an appropriate risk mitigation measure for signatories designated as very large online platforms (VLOPs) and search engines (VLOSEs) under the DSA.
The Code aims to combat disinformation risks, including to the civic discourse and electoral processes, while fully upholding the freedom of expression and enhancing transparency. Google is a signatory to specific elements of the Code.
1. On 13 November 2024 the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security issued the Environmental Impact Assessment ( EIA) for the project, with several recommendations. The Commission is currently in contact with the Italian authorities to assess how the provisions of EU law applicable to the present case, in particular Directive 2011/92/EU[1] on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment and Directive 92/43/EEC[2] on the conservation of natural habitats and species, are being implemented. Overall, it is the responsibility of the authorities and expert bodies in Italy to assess the technical feasibility of the project considering the regional environmental conditions.
2. The above assessment concerns also provisions on the consultation of the public. On the contrary, questions regarding expropriations are not in the scope of the directives.
3. The Commission adopted on 7 October 2024 its decision on the selection of projects following the 2023 calls for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)[3]. The decision includes EUR 24.75 million CEF funding (50% of the project’s total eligible costs) for a study on the executive design of the railway link between Calabria and Sicily and its connections with the existing network. Only once the final design documents are available cost-benefit considerations can be made. The project’s Grant Agreement between the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency and the beneficiary (Stretto di Messina S.P.A), entered into force on 10 October 2024. The beneficiary needs to ensure that all procurement rules and other applicable legislation are duly respected.
[3] Commission Implementing Decision C(2024)6940 final of 7.10.2024: https://transport.ec.europa.eu/document/download/744ad3f3-22e7-411f-9f04-65b20170a1c0_en?filename=C%282024%296940.pdf
The EU programme for the environment and climate action (LIFE Programme[1]) provides, amongst others, financial support for the functioning of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), supporting civil society’s participation in policy making, in line with the LIFE Regulation[2] and the EU Financial Regulation[3].
Operating grants awarded under the LIFE Programme do not mandate NGOs to influence the legislative process and decision-making towards a specific direction or targeting specific Members of the European Parliament.
These grants are awarded following a competitive procedure. Applicants submit proposals that include their work programme of activities in areas indicated in the LIFE Regulation. This work programme is annexed to the grant agreement.
The Commission agrees that work programmes involving specifically detailed activities directed at EU institutions and some of their representatives, even if they do not breach the legal framework and contractual provisions, may entail a reputational risk for the Union.
To mitigate this risk, the Commission issued guidance[4] for both existing grant agreements and future calls, addressed to all Commission services and applicable to all spending programmes. The guidance clarifies which activities should not be mandated as a requirement or condition for Union financing.
The Commission adheres to its transparency obligations. The NGOs benefiting from LIFE support and the amount received are published annually in the Commission’s Financial Transparency System[5] and on the LIFE website[6]. The Commission proactively shares the objectives and outcomes of EU-funded projects on the Funding & Tenders Portal[7].
The Commission has no indication that ongoing LIFE operating grant agreements breach the provisions of the LIFE Regulation or the Financial Regulation.
It therefore has no legal grounds to terminate any ongoing operating grant agreements. Amendments could only be done if mutually agreed with beneficiaries.
Nearly all LIFE operating grants containing detailed work programmes expired by end 2024, and the Commission is taking action to ensure the application of the guidance for future calls and agreements.
[2] Regulation (EU) 2021/783 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE), and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013.
[3] Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (recast), ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2509/oj