NewzIntel.com

Category: Sport

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Brisbane 2032 Games Coordination Commission Visit: A Collective Vision

    Source:

    Thank you Andrew for your kind introduction and welcome.

    It’s a pleasure to be here, and I thank the Brisbane 2032 OCOG for hosting this event. 

    I want to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet the Turrbal and Jagera peoples and pay my respects to Elders past and present.

    Together Australians stand on the shoulders of 1,600 generations of First Nations people, and that is our shared history.

    I also acknowledge to CO-Com, executives and the IOC delegation, particularly President-elect Kirsty Coventry and new Co-Com Chair Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski, who is all but a local… training under own Vicki Roycroft at the Brisbane Showgrounds… Mikee, please know, I view you as my Vicki Roycroft.

    Thank you to my fellow OCOG members, and AOC President Ian Chesterman and new CEO Mark Arbib… Mark’s presence means there are three Federal Sport Ministers in this room – what could go wrong.

    While our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wishes he could be here this week with you, he has just returned from the Pope’s inauguration in Rome.

    If there is one sentence that resonates long after you leave Brisbane… I hope it is this –

    The re-election of the Albanese Government ensures Australia is absolutely committed to making the Brisbane Games – a great Games, for our athletes, for Queensland, Australia and the Pacific.

    There’s a quote from outgoing President Bach that has stuck with me and lights our path to 2032…

    “Like no other human activity, sport is about bringing people together in the spirit of friendship and respect. Sport always builds bridges, it never erects walls.”

    The Australian government views Brisbane 2032 as an amphitheatre for our athletes to bring people together for greater health and social cohesion from playground to podium. 

    Because sport makes us hug strangers. And we have evidence of that right below us – on that grass.

    I understand there is a tour of this stadium later today but this venue is so much more than turnstiles and corporate boxes.

    You see, for decades that grass behind you was only known for men clashing in violent rugby contests.

    Until we hosted the Women’s Football World Cup in 2023, when just down there, three seconds changed a nation.

    A moment when a young woman called Cortnee Vine, who learned to kick a ball in the outer suburbs of Brisbane, 10 kms north of here, curled a penalty past France’s goalkeeper to send Australia through to the World Cup semi-final. 

    Our greatest World Cup achievement.

    I was sitting just up there. I cried. I launched a ferocious hug on a bewildered Prime Minister that prompted Federal Police to hover.

    Cortnee’s goal speaks to why the 2032 Games must be about sporting Moments not monoliths.

    That moment and significant funding from the Australian government led to a ten per cent increase in women’s football participation post tournament.

    That match is among the top five most watched television programs in Australian history.

    In fact, four of those five are women’s sporting events, including Cathy Freeman’s 400 metre gold in Sydney.

    This September marks 25 years since those Sydney Games transformed Australia.

    Brisbane 2032 must and will drive even greater participation and social cohesion.

    As a key Games Delivery Partner, I want to assure the Games family the Australian Government is a steadfast partner and we thank the IOC for your esteemed leadership.

    Our immediate areas of focus include governance, infrastructure, impact and legacy.

    I know how dedicated the IOC is to fostering sport through the Pacific and note your recent trip to Guam – we share that same passion.

    We will make 2032 a north star for a more inclusive sport environment throughout the region and for our Pacific family.

    From the outset the Australian Government has backed Brisbane 2032.

    We provided more than $8.6 million to the Queensland Government to support its candidature bid and its only grown from there.

    Already, our 2032 funding commitment across infrastructure, transport, high performance, major events and grass roots has exceeded $16 billion dollars. 

    This includes more than $12.4 billion dollars in Games related transport, more than $3.4 billion dollars in Games venues and in the past 18 months alone almost a billion-dollar commitment to grass roots and high-performance sport.

    Crucially, we made a two year $489 million in Olympic and Paralympic sport as we head to LA28.

    This is the largest Olympic and Paralympic sport investment ever.

    This means that 95% of Olympic and Paralympic summer sports are receiving increased funding with an average increase of 64% per year, compared to the period leading up to Paris Games.

    More sports are being supported too, with an increase from 54 to 68 summer Olympic and Paralympic programs funded in the lead-up to LA.

    We have also increased our Direct Athlete Investment Scheme – DAIS – funding, boosting it to $41.4m across two years.

    DAIS is money in the athlete’s pocket so they can spend more time training and less time fundraising.

    This means more than 1000 Australian athletes now receive DAIS funding.

    Crucially we have also doubled the money going towards Paralympic sports with an extra $54.9m over the next two years.

    The is the largest commitment an Australian government has made to Para-Sport and will shift the balance of funding from 85 per cent able bodied and 15 per cent people with a disability, to 75 per cent able bodied and 25 per cent people with a disability.

    And, while it hasn’t been announced yet, the Federal Government will invest an additional $2.1m so our Paralympians can travel to Milan Cortina to chase gold. 

    We are determined to do more – because we know 3 in 4 Australians with a disability want to play sport but only 1 in 4 have the opportunity.

    While as Minister for Sport, I am first and foremost athlete-led.

    We have also made major infrastructure commitments including a record $249m for the Australian Institute of Sport to improve our national centre of excellence where our juniors and elites train. 

    This is the biggest investment in the AIS since the early 80’s – before Kirsty and I were born.

    This is on top of our $200m Play Our Way fund for women’s and girls sport infrastructure and programs – the largest ever sport funding package to build female changerooms and women-specific sporting environments.

    And… since we came to Government Labor has funded more than $80m in Major Events as well including the Canoe World Champs that the IOC’s own Jess Fox will star in later this year.

    The Albanese Government will also invest up to $3.435 billion in Games venues in a 50/50 partnership with the Queensland Government.

    BUT – we are also funding significant Games transport.

    $12.4 billion committed for transport projects in South East Queensland already identified by the Queensland Government as necessary for the Games.

    This includes faster rail, highway upgrades, and major connection pieces that support 2032.

    So this $16 billion commitment will revitalise the AIS, boost high‑performance sport, increase participation, reduce injuries, enhance guardrails and sport safety, fund legacy arenas and the connections that allow people to visit them while improving integrity for the benefit of all Australians.

    And recent news helps us all. Last week I was honoured to be named Minister for Communications, opening greater synergies for the world’s biggest media event.

    Sport and Comms is now in the infrastructure department, and already Sport Integrity Australia have flagged a goal to embed integrity as a design principle of sport infrastructure.

    We are also continuing work on our IOC Guarantees.

    As part of the candidature process to secure hosting rights, the Albanese Government committed to a range of operational support services.

    These include communications, national security, taxation, integrity, safety and safeguarding, and visa handling.

    We are committed to delivering on these guarantees, taking a coordinated approach across all involved departments to create solutions.

    These threads I’m discussing today are hemmed through Australia’s first ever ten-year plan for sport.

    Australia’s National Sport Strategy, Sport Horizon, will capitalise on sport’s power, and outlines my government’s priorities for this sector.

    It affirms our commitment to creating a safe, fair, and sustainable sector that grows participation, drives positive social change, grows our economy and strengthens international relationships.

    It emphasises the pursuit of gender equity.

    For the first time in Australian history, sporting boardrooms across Australia must meet gender equity targets or risk government funding being withdrawn.

    I have mandated our sports sector must achieve the following governance targets by no later than 1 July 2027:

    50% of all board directors are women and/or gender diverse 

    50% of board chairs are women and/or gender diverse 

    50% of specified board sub-committee members are women and/or gender diverse.

    Because we view sport as a transponder for social change. 

    As President Bach says, sport builds bridges, never erects walls.

    And… we must remember this – 

    The Games’ most valuable treasure – is its athletes. 

    It is not about politicians or political point-scoring.

    Our job is to work with Federations to create environments where brilliance thrives, and then… get out of the way.

    Our job is to enable athletic moments to replace monoliths in 2032.

    So that grass right there conjures the next Cortnee Vine.

    So the aquatic centre a kilometre away creates history like Kirsty did in Athens and Beijing. 

    So Victoria Park is an amphitheatre for our next Cathy Freeman gold medal euphoria.

    I was born and raised in this city… 

    I am not just determined, I am obsessed. Brisbane 2032 will be a great Games.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Prime Minister Schoof tenders government’s resignation

    Source: Government of the Netherlands

    News item | 03-06-2025 | 17:18

    Following the conclusion of the leader of the Freedom Party (PVV) in the House of Representatives that he would no longer lend support to the government, the prime minister called a meeting of the cabinet. The outcome of that meeting was that PVV members of the government tendered their resignations to the King. The prime minister and the remaining members of the government resigned their portfolio, office or role.

    The King, at the recommendation of the prime minister, and with immediate effect, has granted honourable discharge to the members of the government who were nominated by the leader of the PVV parliamentary party for the following appointments:

    • Fleur Agema as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport;
    • Dick Beljaarts as Minister of Economic Affairs;
    • Barry Madlener as Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management;
    • Marjolein Faber as Minister of Asylum and Migration;
    • Reinette Klever as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development;

    as well as: 

    • Ingrid Coenradie as Minister for Detention and Protection;
    • Zsolt Szabó as Minister for Digitalisation and Kingdom Relations;
    • Chris Jansen as Minister for the Environment and Public Transport;
    • Vicky Maeijer as Minister for Long-term and Social Care.

    Their tasks will be temporarily carried out by other members of the government.

    With respect to the prime minister and the remaining members of the government, the King has considered their resignations and has asked that they continue to carry out the duties that they consider necessary to the interests of the Kingdom.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Colleagues, Advocates Call Out Trump’s Corrupt Meme Coin Dinner, Demand The Release Of Attendees’ Names And What Favors They’re Getting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    June 03, 2025

    [embedded content]
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday led a press conference with U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representative Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.), Public Citizen, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), and End Citizens United to call out the blatant corruption behind President Trump’s meme coin dinner — a secretive, high-dollar event where anonymous crypto investors are buying direct access to Trump. The Members demanded full transparency: who’s attending, how much they paid, and what kind of influence they’re expecting in return for the millions of dollars they put in Trump’s meme coin. With no press, no disclosure, and crypto wallets tied to foreign actors, this dinner isn’t just unethical — it’s a national security risk. It’s pay-to-play politics on steroids, and Trump is cashing in. The dinner is scheduled for tonight at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia.
    “We’re here today to call on the President and the people who serve him to do something really simple: release the names of the people who are going to be there,” said Murphy. “Even if you release the names, it’s still corrupt. But at least let us see who’s going to be there. At least let the American people know who has bought access to the President. Release the names. If there’s nothing wrong, if you think that this is all above board, then what are you hiding?”
    “Americans sent us to Congress to unrig the economy — not to help the President turn the White House into a crypto cash machine with private dinners for his top meme coin buyers or legislation that supercharges his stablecoin profits,” said Banking Committee Ranking Member Warren. “The GENIUS Act should be written to prohibit the president and his family from profiting—period.”
    “President Trump has put a ‘for sale’ sign on the White House lawn with his cryptocurrency schemes,” said Merkley. “Congress needs to act fast to stop the massive corruption and national security threat that is Trump selling access and influence to the highest bidders. My End Crypto Corruption Act not only cracks down on this corruption but also prevents other federal officials, like Members of Congress, from betraying our ‘We The People’ government.”
    “Donald Trump is selling access. He is selling out America, he is selling it to a foreign power, and he is putting our national security at risk. Trump is becoming beholden to foreign powers—the Emirates that provided $2 billion to World Liberty Financial, the Qataris that have provided him with a plane, and the unknown foreign actors that have invested in his meme coin operation. It’s not just about corruption—it is about corruption that endangers our national security by putting the president in a compromised position in relation to foreign powers,” said Blumenthal. “My hope is that the Trump Administration will give us the list of individuals attending tonight’s dinner as the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation has asked them to provide.”
    “I was not invited to dine with Donald Trump today. I’m not disappointed.  But you know who should be disappointed? The 746,000 people (probably many of them Americans) who bought small amounts of that Trump coin – maybe some of them bought a little bit more – who didn’t get invited. When I introduced the MEME Act in the House it was because, to borrow from Richard Nixon, those 764,000 Americans needed to know that their president was a crook. And hopefully, we’re going to find some Republicans who have the courage and the spine to say this is corruption regardless of which party is committing it,” said Liccardo.
    “America should not be for sale. With tonight’s prize dinner, our President is using his private golf course to cater to some of the world’s richest people, instead of working on behalf of working families and our country. He claims to be ‘America first,’ but really, he’s ‘Donald Trump first.’ Between his outrageous meme coin grift, his Tesla car show on the White House lawn, the jumbo jet gift from Qatar and his numerous candlelit dinners for tech bros and foreign billionaires, this President is the definition of corruption and personal profit over regular people,” said Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen.
    “The President’s corrupt dinner is yet another alarming example of foreign interests opening their wallets to him. By turning the American presidency into a money-making venture, Trump is inviting an unprecedented level of corruption—and putting our national security at risk. End Citizens United proudly stands with Senator Murphy and the other lawmakers who spoke out today to demand transparency and accountability,” said Justin Unga, Vice President of Public Affairs, End Citizens United.
    Earlier this month, Murphy introduced the Modern Emoluments and Malfeasance Enforcement (MEME) Act, legislation to prevent corrupt federal officials from using their position to profit off digital assets such as meme coins. Rep. Liccardo introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Cultural Center in Ulaanbaatar Celebrates 15th Anniversary of Its Establishment

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    ULAN BATOR, June 3 (Xinhua) — The China Cultural Center in Ulan Bator celebrated its 15th anniversary on Tuesday by holding an opening ceremony of an exhibition of handicrafts from northwest China’s Qinghai Province.

    The ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Mongolia Shen Minjuan, Counselor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Mongolia, Director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Ulaanbaatar Li Zhi, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Qinghai Province Chang Hong’an and Director of the Department of Culture and Arts of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Mongolia Boldyn Sergelen.

    Delivering a speech at the event, Shen Minjuan stressed that over the 15 years since its establishment, the China Cultural Center in Ulaanbaatar has consistently demonstrated China’s development achievements and colorful culture to the Mongolian people, playing an important role in promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

    B. Sergelen, for her part, noted that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and China, the two countries have strengthened mutual understanding and respect between their peoples through the mutual integration of cultures, laying a solid foundation for promoting harmonious coexistence and deepening interstate friendship.

    Li Zhi said that the structure of the China Cultural Center in Ulaanbaatar plans to establish an educational department that will promote Chinese-Mongolian educational cooperation. The center will also make efforts to integrate the brands “Hello, China!” and “Go Mongolia” and strive to achieve even greater results in implementing the Global Civilization Initiative, the diplomat added.

    Chang Hong’an noted that this is the second time since 2016 that Qinghai Province has held an exchange and cooperation event with the China Cultural Center in Ulaanbaatar. Such events, he said, allow Mongolian friends to experience the unique charm of China’s northwest.

    The Chinese Cultural Center in Ulaanbaatar, which has been in operation since 2010, has held more than 800 events over the past 15 years, including exhibitions, lectures, film screenings and educational seminars. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: North-easterly winds forecast for the start of the 2024 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, wind change expected on Friday

    Source: Australia Safe Travel Advisories

    24/12/2024

    The Bureau of Meteorology is continuing to monitor the weather conditions closely over the coming days to provide vital information to the race crews and navigators in the 2024 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, which commences on Boxing Day, Thursday 26 December 2024.

    Bureau senior meteorologist Gabrielle Woodhouse has been providing a series of marine safety and weather briefings to navigators and crews in the lead-up to the race.

    “At race start, we are expecting north to northeasterly winds, sunny skies and warm temperatures as the yachts exit the Heads,” Ms Woodhouse said.

    “Strong winds will develop on Boxing Day as the yachts head south along the NSW coast, and wind warnings are expected.”

    A trough is forecast to cross the south-east of the country on Friday morning, bringing a strong west to south-westerly wind change to Tasmanian waters and the Bass Strait.

    “This west to southwesterly change will be strong and abrupt as it arrives early Friday morning, and may bring the chance of a shower or even a thunderstorm and possibly gale-force winds for a period.”

    During the weekend, northwest to southwesterly winds are likely to persist, but the focus will be on lighter winds forecast along the Tasmanian east coast.

    The Bureau will continue to monitor the forecast and conditions, providing further briefings for crews and organisers ahead of the race start on Boxing Day, and during the race until the last yacht arrives in Hobart.

    Another front or trough bringing a southwest to southeasterly change to the region is expected near or on New Year’s Eve.

    Navigators and crews will be kept across forecast information via regular updates, as well as information that is continuously updated on the Bureau’s website, app and social media channels.

    Visit our Marine services for offshore yacht races.

    ENDS…

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Exercise proves powerful in preventing colon cancer recurrence – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Justin Stebbing, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University

    SUPERMAO/Shutterstock.com

    New evidence has linked physical activity with improved colon health, underscoring the vital role of exercise in cancer prevention and care.

    The landmark international trial – the Challenge study – showed that structured exercise programmes can dramatically improve survival rates for colon cancer survivors.

    The study was unveiled at the meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Each June, cancer specialists from around the world convene in Chicago for the conference where new research is announced that pushes the boundaries of cancer treatment and this year’s conference featured a wealth of exciting discoveries.

    Conducted across six countries and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Challenge study tracked 889 patients for several years following chemotherapy. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: one received standard post-treatment care, while the other took part in a three-year coaching programme that included personalised exercise plans and regular check-ins with fitness professionals.

    The results were striking. Those in the exercise group experienced 28% fewer cancer recurrences and 37% fewer deaths.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    In the programme, people slowly built up how much they exercised, with most choosing to go on brisk 45-minute walks four times a week. Ninety per cent of the people who exercised stayed cancer free for five years, compared with just 74% of those who didn’t.

    This study provides the first strong evidence that exercise not only correlates with better outcomes but directly improves survival rates in cancer patients. While earlier observational studies found a link between being active and better cancer outcomes, this first randomised controlled trial helps show causation, meaning that exercise can directly benefit the survival of cancer patients.

    We don’t know yet if the same goes for other cancers like breast, prostate or lung, but it’s a big step forward.

    The programme’s success hinged on consistent support. Participants met with fitness coaches every two weeks at first, then monthly, which helped them stick to their routines even after treatment ended.

    While minor injuries such as muscle strains were slightly more common among those who exercised (19% compared to 12% in the control group), researchers emphasised that these issues were manageable and far outweighed by the significant survival benefits.

    Potential downsides to exercise?

    In contrast to the encouraging findings on structured exercise, a separate study presented in Chicago has raised questions about the potential downsides of extreme endurance training.

    Researchers tracking marathon runners found a higher rate of polyps (small growths in the colon that can sometimes develop into cancer) compared with the general population. This unexpected finding has sparked a fresh debate about the effect of high-intensity exercise on long-term colon health.

    However, context is needed. The study did not find higher cancer rates among runners, and most of the detected polyps were low risk.

    Several possible explanations have been offered: endurance athletes may simply undergo more frequent screenings, leading to increased detection, or intense exercise might temporarily raise inflammation markers. Crucially, the overall risk of cancer remains lower in active people than in those who are more sedentary, reinforcing the well-established protective benefits of regular exercise.

    Endurance athletes were found to have more polyps than the general population.
    MikeCPhoto/Shutterstock.com

    This apparent contradiction highlights the medical community’s evolving understanding of the “dose” of physical activity. While moderate exercise is consistently linked to significant health benefits, emerging data from endurance athletes suggests that extreme, high-intensity training may place different kinds of stress on the body’s systems.

    Researchers also suggest that factors such as dehydration during long-distance runs, changes in gut function, or the use of certain nutritional supplements common among endurance athletes could play a role in polyp development. These findings don’t diminish the well-documented benefits of physical activity, but instead point to the importance of personalised, balanced health strategies.

    For cancer survivors, the structured exercise study provides a message of practical hope. Participants aimed for the equivalent of about three hours of brisk walking per week, gradually increasing their activity levels over time.

    The programme’s social support was key, with fitness coaches helping participants tailor their routines to match their abilities and recovery needs.

    Exercise is believed to affect key biological processes – including insulin sensitivity, inflammation and immune function – that play important roles in cancer development and progression. Ongoing research is analysing participants’ blood samples to better understand these mechanisms and eventually create personalised exercise “prescriptions” based on an individual’s genetic profile.

    While the findings from marathon runners are less conclusive, they still offer practical takeaways. The research suggests that although vigorous exercise is generally beneficial, high-intensity athletes may face a higher risk of developing polyps and should therefore consider regular colonoscopies as a precaution.

    For the general public, these findings reinforce that combining moderate exercise with timely screenings offers the best protection against colon cancer, a disease that remains the fourth most common worldwide and is alarmingly increasing among young people.

    For both patients and athletes, these findings highlight a central truth: movement matters, but the right approach is crucial. Colon cancer survivors now have proven tools to reduce recurrence through structured exercise, while endurance enthusiasts gain motivation to pair their training with preventative care.

    As science continues unravelling the intricate dance between activity and biology, one message remains clear: whether recovering from illness or chasing personal bests, informed exercise combined with medical guidance is the most reliable path to long-term health.

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

    – ref. Exercise proves powerful in preventing colon cancer recurrence – new study – https://theconversation.com/exercise-proves-powerful-in-preventing-colon-cancer-recurrence-new-study-257983

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: There’s still time to enter Go CV’s win a wedding competition!

    Source: City of Coventry

    Engaged couples have two weeks left to apply for the win a wedding package with Go CV, worth over £5,000.

    The fantastic prize, which is reserved for Valentine’s Day 2026, includes:

    • A marriage ceremony hosted in the Black Prince Room at Cheylesmore Manor House (Coventry Register Office)
    • Wedding reception and buffet at Drapers’ Hall 
    • Overnight accommodation with breakfast in a Junior Suite at the Telegraph Hotel 
    • Flower bouquets provided by Isabel’s Flower Studio
    • Photographs by UR Rosa Photography
    • Social media ready content by Electric Joy Moments Content Creator
    • Brody Swain as Wedding Toastmaster at the ceremony and reception.

    To have the chance of winning this amazing prize, complete the form on the Go CV website and tell us in no more than 300 words why you deserve to win.  Entrants for this wonderful prize need to be a Coventry resident and also hold a fully validated Go CV card.

    Deadline for entries are 23.59, on Sunday 15 June 2025.   Winners will be notified by the end of June and must consent to publicity of their special day.

    Councillor Kamran Caan, Cabinet Member, Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, said:

    “Being a Go CV cardholder brings many benefits to our city residents so if you are already a member, check out to see how you can enter. If you’re not already a member, then I’d encourage you to sign up and get the chance to enter the competition.”

    “I’m sure there are Coventry couples out there who would love the opportunity to win this prize, especially as for many people, the costs involved in having a wedding or ceremony are a challenge.

    “It’s really important that we continue to promote through Go CV the amazing cultural venues and attractions we have in the city. Through the funding we’ve attracted, this is a really exciting and creative way to raise the profile of the city’s cultural assets and, of course, provide a brilliant opportunity for a Coventry couple.

    “Good luck to all entrants and I look forward to hearing more about the lucky couple.”

    Full details on what the package includes, how to apply, terms and conditions and lots more information with details about the  partners’ offers included in the prize, are available at go-cv.co.uk/winawedding .

    Tuesday, 3rd June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Opening ceremony of the event on inter-civilizational exchanges and mutual learning “Meet and learn” was held in Turkmenistan

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    ASHGABAT, June 3 (Xinhua) — An opening ceremony of the “Meet and Learn” event on exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations was held in the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, on Tuesday. More than 200 guests, including representatives of various social circles of China and Turkmenistan and representatives of some foreign embassies in Turkmenistan, attended the ceremony.

    The ceremony officially opened the Dehua White Porcelain Exhibition and the 2025 China Equestrian Culture Exhibition, which were jointly hosted by China and Turkmenistan. The two themed exhibitions reveal the common aesthetic preferences and emotional connection between the peoples of the two countries regarding horses and the color white.

    More than 150 horse-related exhibits, such as saddles, photographs, calligraphy works, sculptures, fur paintings, embroidery and paper crafts, have been selected for the China Equestrian Culture Exhibition, which demonstrates the diversity and profound content of China’s equestrian culture.

    The Dehua White Porcelain Exhibition features over 40 highly artistic contemporary porcelain pieces with designs that embody ancient motifs and new trends. The exhibits also include pieces featuring fast horses, which are intended to highlight the important role of equestrianism in strengthening ties between the cultures of China and Turkmenistan.

    During the ceremony, representatives of the National Museum of China, the China Horse Industry Association, the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan and the National Horse Breeding Federation of Turkmenistan exchanged gifts, such as the Chinese translation of the “Collection of Magtymguly’s Poetry” and white porcelain items.

    Chinese and foreign guests shared the view that the two exhibitions fully demonstrate the unique charm of Chinese culture, the profound heritage and vibrant vitality of the friendly relations between the two countries.

    The event was organized by the Information Office of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Turkmenistan. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to unpublished conference abstract in which scientists propose a new approach for classifying processed foods

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A conference abstract presented at the annual conference of the American Society for Nutrition looks at a new approach for classifying processed foods. 

    Prof Martin Warren, Chief Scientific Officer and Group Leader, the Quadram Institute, said:

    “Refining the definition of processed food is key to improving scientific precision as the current NOVA categories, especially “ultra-processed foods” (UPFs), are too broad and vague, grouping diverse foods together based on processing techniques rather than nutritional composition or health outcomes.  Clearly, more precise definitions would allow for more appropriate research on diet and health outcomes.

    “This also has implications for policy and regulation, as governments and organizations use NOVA to shape food labelling laws as well as dietary guidelines.

    “Currently, there is a mismatch with nutrient profiling with some foods classified as UPFs being nutritionally adequate or even beneficial (e.g., some plant-based alternatives, fortified foods).  A refined system could integrate both processing level and nutritional quality, enabling more balanced assessments.

    “It’s difficult to tell about the quality of this abstract without more detailed analysis of the paper – but the general description and approach seems logical and robust.

    “A step in the right direction but there is a lot of work to do with encouraging people to address the need to adopt the five-a-day recommendation, which has such clear health benefits.”

    Prof Eileen Gibney, Professor in the School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin (UCD), said:

    “This is an interesting piece of work.

    “It attempts to address some of the criticisms of the current dialogue around the topic of ultra processed foods.  As the authors state some of the issues raised in relation to the current definitions used in the UPF discussion is that you can have two distinctly different foods – a sweet or ‘candy’ bar (e.g. chocolates / sweets) in the same category as a fortified sugar-free whole grain breakfast cereal.  This makes it complicated to use the concept of UPF in nutritional guidance, and nutritional advice.  You can’t ask individuals to simply remove all UPF from a diet, as this leaves little choice for the consumer, and would be incredibly hard for people to follow.  What we need to do is to understand which processed foods to minimise, and those that are in fact beneficial in a diet.

    “The work presented here looks more closely at the ingredients, determining which are processed and not, as well as their known impact on health, it then considers how much added sugar the food contains, and how the combined ingredients impact on health, penalising foods with ingredients which have evidence for increased risk of disease.

    “Essentially this scoring system aims to consider the level of processing (by considering the ingredients within the foods), but also considers evidence that links those ingredients with health outcomes.  This more nuanced evidenced based approach appears to then discriminate foods that have been processed for benefit (e.g. sugar free fortified breakfast cereal) versus those that do not give any nutritional or health benefit e.g. a chocolate bar.

    “This differentiation is important as it means that we are not simply considering the ‘presence of processing’ in a food, as the existing categorization does, but using an evidence based approach, informed by scientific evidence that demonstrates if a processing step, and/or ingredient actually impacts health.  Evidence based approaches to the provision of nutritional advice is really important, and underpins our approach to public health.  It will be important that this scoring system is updated as and when new evidence is available.”

    Prof Helen Roche, Full Professor of Nutrigenomics (Nutrition and ‘Omics’), Director Of Academic Centre – Conway Institute School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin (UCD), said:

    “It is an example of nice research which advances the ways we can enhance and improve classification of healthy versus unhealthy foods, based on sound, systematic science, to better inform the consumer.  It is very difficult to distinguish processed from non-processed food and their potential impact on health.  Take for example lasagne, if you make it yourself at home versus a highly processed version, which by virtue of inferior ingredients and extensive food processing – the end products are very different in terms of nutritional quality.  The new classification system proposed WISEcode UPF has the potential to more accurately classify processed versus non-processed foods – which when presented in an app might help support consumers choice towards more healthy food options.”

    Prof Alexandra Johnstone, Theme Lead for Nutrition, Obesity and Disease, Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, said:

    “The press release and abstract are very brief and do not allow for this novel research to be assessed for quality or rigor.  The experienced US-based research group present a novel scoring system to classify foods and ingredients according to processing and evidence of impact on health, in comparison to the existing NOVA scale which is commonly used to classify UPF.  There is very limited description on the validation of the tool and no perspective on limitations of the dataset.  For example, this is being presented at a US nutrition meeting and the trademark terms look to be only relevant for the US food system; it is not clear if this is transferrable in other countries.  Prior to a peer-review publication, it is difficult to comment further on the translation of the data.”

    Dr Amanda Avery, Associate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Nottingham, said:

    “The NOVA system for classifying foods as ultra-processed or not has served us well since it was first introduced in 2009.  But it is time to look for an update given that we know that not all ultra-processed foods are equal and some can contribute to a healthy diet.  Also given the ever-increasing number of manufactured food products and increasing level of processing.

    “It is unsurprising that AI has been used to create an app with a scoring system using an assessment of ingredients weighted based on current scientific knowledge of the associated health risks, the percentage of calories that come from added sugars, and considerations for ingredients with known health concerns (such as high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and salt).  Without further information, one assumes that there is also consideration of the positive health benefits of wholegrains providing dietary fibre.

    “This scoring system was applied to a large number of foods and many different food ingredients were considered.  The USA-based scientists found that the proposed scoring system was better able to differentiate between foods classified as ultra-processed compared to using the NOVA criteria.  As one would expect, and hope, there was less differentiation between those foods that are minimally processed.

    “It is unlikely that there will ever be a perfect system that accounts for all the nuances that weigh up the risks and benefits of processed food and health.  Food manufacturers continue to process food to develop products that are safe and appealing without always considering the wider health impact and of course the health impact is very dependent on how often and how many ultra-processed foods are included in an individual diet.  If included occasionally as part of an overall healthy and nutritionally balanced diet, the health risks will be considerably reduced.

    “Sadly, whilst such an app may be able to influence healthier food choices, people’s food choices are influenced by a number of factors.  Having a greater awareness of the level of processing and ingredients included in a product may not influence choice for everyone.  Price for many has a huge influence on the food choices they make, and sadly ultra-processed foods often remain the cheaper option.  One exception is that instore brands can often have a better nutritional profile compared to the equivalent branded product and such technology may provide consumers with a greater awareness of this – which is great.

    “The abstract being presented is very much describing the development of the app.  There does not seem to be any robust evaluation of the use of the app that demonstrates conclusive evidence of the value of the app in improving consumer food choice or the wider health benefits.  It would also be good to know if the ability for consumers to be able to compare similar products changes food manufacturing practices to reduce the level of processing and use of artificial ingredients.

    “The app has been developed in the USA and whilst a large number of foods and ingredients have been used as part of the development, there are differences in the foods that are available in the UK.”

    Abstract title: ‘Ultra-Processed Foods Are Not All Alike: A Novel, Objective Approach to Differentiate Among Processed Foods Including Those Classified As NOVA 4’ by Richard Black et al.  It will be presented at the NUTRITION 2025 conference, and is under embargo until 15:00 UK time on Tuesday 3 June 2025.

    There is no paper.

    Declared interests

    Prof Martin Warren: “The Quadram Institute is a UK science national capability strategically supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and also receives funding from other government agencies, national and international charities, and limited funding from industry (six per cent of total funding in 2022/23 came from industry).

    Martin’s not got any interests to declare.”

    Prof Eileen Gibney: “Eileen R. Gibney is a Professor of Nutrition in University College Dublin, and Director of the UCD Institute of Food and Health.  Over the last 5 years she has received research funding through the following; Enterprise Ireland for Technology Centre – Food for Health Ireland (www.fhi.ie) project, co-funded with core partners Carbery, Kerry, Tirlan, Dairygold & Bord Bia; Research Ireland for the Insight Centre for Data Analytics and Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems; Horizon Europe most recently in projects such as FNSCloud, PLANEAT and MarieCurie CareerFIT; PhD studentship funding from Société des Produits Nestlé, Switzerland; UCD Foundation and McCarrick Family has provided funding for PhD studentship.

    A travel bursary including Registration, Accommodation and Honorarium for attendance and speaking at the Nestle International Nutrition Symposium 2025, was provided by Société des Produits Nestlé, Switzerland.

    Eileen R Gibney has completed consultancy work for the following; Société des Produits Nestlé, Switzerland; Irish Advertising Standards Agency, Food Safety Authority of Ireland.  No personal payment was received, all payments were made into a research fund through Consult UCD.”

    Prof Helen Roche: “I have no conflict of interest with respect to the study I commented on.”

    Prof Alexandra Johnstone: “AJ holds voluntary roles within the UK Nutrition Society, Association for the Study of Obesity and British Nutrition Foundation.

    FIO Food Grant

    https://www.abdn.ac.uk/rowett/research/fio-food/

    DIO Food Grant

    https://www.abdn.ac.uk/rowett/research/dio-food/.”

    Dr Amanda Avery: “Besides my academic position at the University of Nottingham, I also hold a position at Slimming World as Consultant dietitian in the Nutrition, Research & Health Policy team. 

    I have no other conflicts of interest to declare.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 5 arrested in security investigation

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Police’s National Security Department yesterday arrested one man and four women, aged 24 to 38, for conspiracy to commit terrorist activities.

    Investigations revealed that the arrested individuals were allegedly involved in sending messages to Police via telephone, email and instant messaging applications on multiple occasions between April 29 and May 13, the content of which included claims to detonate bombs planted within various offices of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong and Kai Tak Sports Park, as well as seditious messages inciting Taiwan independence and Hong Kong independence.

    With court warrants, Police conducted searches at the five people’s residences and seized electronic communication devices suspected to be involved in the case.

    The arrested man is being detained for further enquiries, while the four arrested women were released on bail pending further investigations.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Samsung Celebrates the Inaugural Season of TGL Presented by SoFi: Defining a New Era of Golf

    Source: Samsung

    Now that TGL presented by SoFi has wrapped its groundbreaking inaugural season, Samsung Electronics America proudly celebrates its role as an Official Screen Partner, helping to redefine how fans experience the sport of golf. Throughout the season, TGL captivated audiences with team-based competition, innovative gameplay and dynamic content — all powered by Samsung Displays.
    The season culminated in a thrilling championship match, where the Atlanta Drive Golf Club claimed the first-ever SoFi Cup. Throughout the season, Samsung’s immersive display technology amplified every moment of the action, transforming the 250,000-square-foot SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., into a high-energy arena unlike anything previously seen in golf.
    “TGL’s goal was to harness technology to build a modern approach to sports, media and entertainment through the game of golf,” said David Phelps, Head of Display Division, Samsung Electronics America. “They turned to us as the leader in delivering the highest quality visual experiences for fans, both in the venue or watching at home.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya launches ‘Urban Adda 2025’ and cycling books, calls cycling the “Solution to Pollution”

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday launched the Urban Adda 2025 conclave at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The three-day event focuses on promoting sustainable urban futures through discussions on key issues like climate resilience, mobility, and inclusive transport.

    Marking World Bicycle Day, Dr. Mandaviya also unveiled two significant books, Cycling, Children & Cities by Dr. Bhairavi Joshi and Road to Cycle2School by Dr. Bhairavi Joshi and Ar. Kush Parikh, which highlight cycling’s benefits for health, environmental sustainability, and urban transformation.

    In his address, Dr. Mandaviya championed cycling as a cornerstone of fitness and environmental conservation, stating, “Cycling is the best form of exercise. It not only makes us healthy but also helps in environmental sustainability. Cycling is the solution to pollution.” Reflecting on his personal experience, he shared, “When I first became an MP, I used to cycle to Parliament every day, and people saw me as the ‘cycle-wala MP.’ We must turn cycling into a movement, dispel the notion that it is only meant for a particular segment of society, and make it a fashion for everyone.” He highlighted the success of the Sundays on Cycle initiative, describing it as a nationwide movement promoting the Fit India campaign, and urged citizens to embrace cycling daily to contribute to the vision of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047.

    Running from June 3 to 5, Urban Adda 2025 brings together young voices, experts, and leaders to discuss critical urban issues such as climate-resilient cities, gender and mobility, clean air and water, waste management, and inclusive transport. The event features a Youth Adda, a forum empowering young people to shape urban transformation, a Cyclothon flagged off on World Bicycle Day with over 100 cyclists promoting active mobility, the Urban Adda Film Festival (UAFF-25) on June 4 showcasing short films on climate resilience and urban innovation followed by a Gala Night attended by actor Pooja Bedi, and interactive public art exhibits led by artist Sagar Singh, blending art, movement, and sustainability.

    Organized by the Raahgiri Foundation in partnership with the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and GuruJal, and supported by Nagarro, the event was attended by dignitaries including Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi Transport Minister Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh, Haryana Minister Rao Narbir Singh, Rajasthan Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, and thought leaders from academia, civil society, and international organizations.

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sergei Sobyanin: Rudnevo Metro Depot Turns Six

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The Rudnevo electric depot has turned six years old. Sergei Sobyanin announced this in his telegram channel.

    “This is one of the largest depots in the city – its area is approximately equal to 29 football fields. It services more than 150 modern carriages of the “Moscow” series. More than 400 people work here. For example, Galina Ovsyannikova is a second-generation metro driver. In September, it will be two years since she has been driving trains on the Nekrasovskaya Line. Alexander Chukanov is an electrician in the train movement parameter registration section, who has been working in “Rudnevo” practically since the depot opened,” the Moscow Mayor noted.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin 

    Earlier, as part of the Moscow Masters competition, the best metro electric train driver of 2025 was determined. It was Danila Molchankin, who works at the Rudnevo electric depot.

    Electric depot serves Nekrasov line metro. Thanks to it, residents of seven Moscow districts and the nearest Moscow region get to work and home faster, saving up to 30 minutes on the road every day.

    The line provided fast and comfortable urban transport for about a million people and relieved the southeastern section of the Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya line by 20 percent.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12900050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Social media’s push for the perfect muscular body is fuelling a new form of disordered eating — and young men are most at risk

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alison Fixsen, Senior Lecturer Psychology, University of Westminster

    Young men are most likely to follow eating habits consistent with Mode. Elkhophoto/ Shutterstock

    From celebrities and influencers to everyday people, social media is full of content that showcases perfectly toned, muscular bodies – and how to achieve them. Having a muscular physique is no longer confined to elite athletes and body builders – it has become a widely popular aspiration.

    But alongside the rising popularity of this kind of content has been an increase in the pressure that both men and women are feeling to achieve a more athletic, muscular physique. This seemingly healthy trend has coincided with the detection of a new form of disordered eating.

    Muscularity oriented disordered eating (Mode) refers to a set of disordered eating habits driven by an excessive focus on lean muscle gain. This includes excessive consumption of protein supplements and drinks, rigid diet patterns, meticulous tracking of macronutrients (protein, carbs and fat in food) and frequent muscle checking.

    Unlike eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, Mode is specifically related to muscularity and predominantly affects young men. But, as with other forms of disordered eating, Mode can disrupt daily life, harm social relationships and diminish emotional wellbeing.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Social media plays a significant and multifaceted role in Mode. While social media can sometimes offer helpful health and fitness information, social media algorithms also amplify content of extreme or visually striking bodies that garner attention.

    Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are saturated with “fitspiration” content. Posed shots and before and after photos suggest that “fitspiration” content may be about appearance rather than health. These highly curated depictions of idealised, muscular bodies not only reinforce unrealistic body ideals, they can also foster dissatisfaction with body image, increase muscle fixation and lead to disordered forms of eating.



    Read more:
    Body dysmorphic disorder: what to know about this mental health condition

    Many social media influencers also promote unattainable body standards, unsustainable lifestyles and extreme eating habits. These include the daily use of protein supplements, rigorous tracking of macronutrients, extreme workouts and the use of drugs (including anabolic steroids) to enhance performance.

    Some influencers even partner with fitness supplement companies, becoming the image for a specific brand or food product. This can incentivise social media users to purchase those products and follow similar dietary habits without seeking professional advice or examining the risks.

    While not every fitness enthusiast is at risk of developing Mode, this intense preoccupation with muscle growth is growing. According to one 2019 study, 22% of males and 5% of females aged 18–20 reported engaging in behaviour consistent with Mode.

    College students may be particularly at risk of Mode due to their high use of social media and because they’re often in control of their diet for the first time.

    Mode has been closely associated with preoccupation with body image, which is known to be linked with unhealthy, body-changing behaviours.

    Obsessively tracking protein intake, consuming supplements and following a rigid diet are all associated with Mode.
    George Rudy/ Shutterstock

    Several other factors have also been associated with Mode. These include exercising specifically to gain weight, perceiving oneself as underweight, having a lower body mass index (BMI), practising weightlifting and using anabolic steroids. Among males, alcohol consumption is linked to Mode, while depressive symptoms were a notable factor for females.

    Mode has also been reported at comparable rates in many countries around the world – including the United States, Canada and Iran.

    Risk of harm

    There are many physical and mental harms that may be associated with Mode.

    For instance, the condition is associated with a variety of disordered eating patterns. Fixation on muscle development can trigger or exacerbate eating disorders, notably binge eating. Orthorexia nervosa – a pathological and potentially harmful focus on “healthy eating” – is also frequently recorded in fitness communities.

    While women were once the main audience for the health food market, health supplements and protein products are increasingly targeted at men.

    According to a US study, more than 80% of male college students reported using whey protein powders or shakes, and more than 50% used the supplement creatine monohydrate to increase muscle mass and strength. Alarmingly, 82% of anabolic-androgenic steroid users in the study were also from this demographic. Steroid use is associated with serious side effects, including mood swings and sexual dysfunction.

    Over-consumption of protein products can be harmful to health. While it’s true your body needs more protein when you are more active, not all muscle-building products are necessarily healthy. Protein shakes, for example, can be highly processed.

    Some products contain artificial sweeteners and thickeners. They may also contain potentially harmful chemicals such as heavy metals (including lead and aluminium).

    Over-consumption of protein products has also been linked to gut and metabolic disturbances. It’s important that protein shakes and bars aren’t used as replacements for natural protein sources, such as pulses, meat, fish or dairy foods.

    On a social and emotional level, Mode is associated with disruptions to daily life and social isolation, with the person prioritising diet and fitness plans over work, school and relationships. In one study, male bodybuilders who followed an extreme, muscle-focused diet reported they felt guilty and disappointed in themselves if they deviated from their lifestyle – with their dietary needs affecting their work.

    Women with Mode have reported significant levels of depression and anxiety, and were more likely to feel socially isolated.



    Read more:
    Body image issues are rising in men – research suggests techniques to improve it

    Recognising Mode as a legitimate public health concern is essential for cultivating a more inclusive and healthy fitness culture. While continuing to support efforts to exercise more and stay healthy, schools, colleges, gyms and fitness instructors should be mindful of the potential for Mode among people who are excessively focused on their physical appearance or over-frequenting the gym.

    More work needs to be done to identify Mode risk factors and prevent further escalation. The fitness industry should also be held to greater account for the products and lifestyles they promote.

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

    – ref. Social media’s push for the perfect muscular body is fuelling a new form of disordered eating — and young men are most at risk – https://theconversation.com/social-medias-push-for-the-perfect-muscular-body-is-fuelling-a-new-form-of-disordered-eating-and-young-men-are-most-at-risk-254157

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Lisa Nandy speech at Media & Telecoms 2025 and Beyond Conference

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Lisa Nandy speech at Media & Telecoms 2025 and Beyond Conference

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy’s keynote speech at the Deloitte and Enders Analysis’ Media & Telecoms 2025 & Beyond Conference in London.

    I said when I addressed the Royal Television Society at the end of last year that there is a choice ahead of us, whether we choose to be the last guardians of this chapter or the first pioneers of the next. And those of you in this room are those pioneers, public service broadcasters, providing an engine room of talent development and creativity, a strong independent sector producing and distributing British content seen at home and around the world on screens big and small, a rich and varied press holding the powerful to account, not always comfortably for us in government, but essential to the functioning of a healthy democracy, and an advertising ecosystem that underpins all of this and makes it possible. 

    You and your sectors are central to the cultural, democratic and economic life of this country and many other countries around the world. This government values what your sectors bring to the economy, to skills and good jobs, and as a symbol of that, we have chosen to back the creative industries as one of the eight highest growth industries in the UK in our forthcoming industrial strategy. Over the last decade, the creative industries have increased their output at more than one and a half times the rate of the rest of the economy. They, you, are a major UK employer. You drive growth at home and you project the UK overseas. Collectively, you underpin a hugely important industry for this country. And whilst we will have more to say on the sector plan shortly, that will put rocket boosters under the creative industries, I want to say now that this government recognises your value and we have your back.

    But the media is, and always has been, about much more than that. And there’s one issue above many others that I want to talk with you about today. Trust. Last summer, when many of our towns and cities went up in flames, nobody could ignore the fractured nature of society. We have found multiple ways to divide ourselves from one another over recent decades, and it feels at times that we’ve lost the ability to understand one another. When people are working harder than ever before, but can’t make ends meet, when their contribution is not seen or valued, when politicians display a violent indifference to the things that matter, a decent high street, transport, a viable football club, it is no wonder that people lose trust, trust in our leaders, trust in our democratic institutions and trust in each other.

    That’s when news and information becomes critical. Not the sort of news and information that helps to polarise and divide, but trust in news that builds a shared understanding of the world.

    And we’re all of us in this room custodians, custodians of our institutions, but more than that, custodians of a cohesive, self confident country. And who of us can look at this country and the world right now and say that we’re succeeding?

    We know that people rate traditional news sources high on trust, accuracy and impartiality. We also know that news sourced via social media is rated significantly lower, and I think we’re all aware of the darker side of social media, where facts are disputed and division is sown. Against that backdrop, your work is not just important, it is central to the future of this nation.

    I’ve always believed in the power of media, because it is in my blood. My mum was one of the only female editors at Granada TV in 1989, running a busy newsroom on the day that Hillsborough happened. I remember vividly as a 10 year old sitting in the newsroom with my sister until late into the night as the horrific scenes unfolded, watching her make the agonising call for the cameramen on the ground to keep filming rather than aid the rescue effort. That footage would later become critical in achieving justice for the 97, revealing evidence of a cover up and improving safety in stands at football grounds.

    I watched my stepdad make the call to commission ‘Who Bombed Birmingham?’ and persist with the program over several months despite intense opposition. That documentary didn’t just go on to ensure the release of the Birmingham Six. It exposed a miscarriage of justice that would send shockwaves through the country and lead to major reforms to the criminal justice system that persist to this day. It’s in these moments that great journalism shines a light into the darkest parts of our country, holds up a mirror to those in power, and reasserts the power of the people.

    I can think of no better recent example of this than last summer, as our towns and cities were set ablaze by violent thugs. It was local media on the ground who countered mis- and disinformation in real time. And they told the real story, the story of our communities, who came together to defend all of us in all of our diversity and led the community fightback.

    Our national and local media is, in short, too important to fail. But we appreciate as a government that you are businesses with a bottom line, and you have been operating in the toughest of environments for some time. You don’t need me to tell you that consumer habits are changing. Seventy one percent of UK adults consume online news in some capacity, twice as many as a decade ago, and that includes some eighty eight percent of 16 to 24 year olds. Just one in 10 pick up a print newspaper, compared to over half of over 75s. And for Gen Z, internet influencers are considered almost as trustworthy as traditional media. So I’m glad that the next session in this conference is focused on news and media in the AI age. 

    But these aren’t the only changes that we are collectively grappling with. When it comes to the media sector, there is enormous upheaval. Print advertising is down by a third, but online advertising has more than doubled. Broadcast viewing is down by a quarter, but on demand viewing is soaring, and the advent of AI, with its enormous potential to support creativity, comes with fresh challenges around copyright, authorship and fair compensation. The consequences of this can be stark and they can be uneven. Take, for example, the dramatic shift in TV commissioning patterns that have seen the UK become a world leader in high end, at the same time that smaller producers have seen the value of their commissions fall by a third and too many talented creatives left out of work.

    We’re living through a revolution, but just as with the invention of the printing press and every revolution since, we don’t run from it, we adapt again, and we learn how to become stronger for it, in a new age. And at a crucial point in our history, governments have always proactively partnered with industry to forge a new path forward, like the Annan Committee in 1974, a landmark review into the future of broadcasting that my dad was a member of. It led to the creation of Channel Four, a recognition that the country had changed, with working classes, women and minority communities crying out to be heard in this new society and a nation that needed to define itself once again. 

    We’re in a similar period of transition now, and transitions need to be managed. Our job as a government is to create the framework so you can keep providing rigorous journalism in an evolving news landscape, among which the creative output that is only produced by people coming together across every part of the United Kingdom, that resonates with them and their lives. That’s why we’ve already acted in the last year to fix the foundations, implementing the Online Safety Act to keep users safe while protecting press and media freedom, recognising the value and importance of recognised news publisher content. Implementing the new digital markets regimes to allow you to challenge market dominance that negatively impacts your business, and convening the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, to bring industry and government together to protect journalists and allow you to speak truth to power.

    I’ve heard from you the need for fair competition and a government that supports you. That’s why we’ve already acted to protect the sustainability of the sector, implementing the Media Act, delivering a new, more sustainable settlement for our public service broadcasters, so they can continue to invest in high quality original UK content, as well as a level playing field for our radio stations. Hearing your concerns about less healthy food advertising restrictions and acting quickly to support clarity and common sense. Increasing funding for community radio stations this year to £1 million to help support hyper local stations that represent and unite their communities. Providing clarity on foreign state ownership of newspaper enterprises, a tough and crucially workable regime to protect our newspapers from foreign interference, while ensuring sustainable investment so that our papers can thrive, and making changes to the media ownership regime to protect news in all its forms from influences that could risk our plural and trusted media.

    But I do want to pause for a moment on AI, which has been the subject rightly of so much debate, not just here, but across the world. We are determined to find a way forward that works for the creative industry and creators, as well as the tech industries. Creators are the innovators, fundamental to our economic success in the future. And with my colleague Peter Kyle, we’re working together to find a better solution. The issue of AI and copyright needs to be properly considered and enforceable legislation drafted with the inclusion, involvement and experience of both creatives and technologists. And so as soon as the Data Bill is passed by Parliament, Peter and I will begin a series of roundtables with representatives from across the creative industries to develop legislation, with both houses of Parliament given time to consider it before we proceed. We approach you with no preferred option in mind. During the consultation we have heard you loud and clear that what works for one part of the creative industries doesn’t work for another. Now you know as well as I do that in this international landscape, there are no easy solutions, but this government is determined to work with you to find a solution with transparency and trust as its foundation. We have heard you loud and clear. 

    I will never stop working for creatives to deliver solutions, transparency and the empowerment that you need in the digital age. We are a Labour government, and the principle of people must be paid for their work is foundational, and you have our word that if it doesn’t work for the creative industries, it will not work for us.

    People are at the heart of this industry, and so we’ve also acted to support the people at the heart of this sector, supporting the launch of CIISA to tackle head on the issues of workplace culture that have plagued our creative industries for too long and denied us a chance to harness the full range of talent that exists in our country. I’ve been particularly pleased to see the BBC’s recent announcement that it will no longer commission companies who are not signed up to the CIISA standards. That is what leadership looks like. I’m publishing updated online safety guidance to support journalists to report in the public interest without fear. I’m proud of what we’ve been able to achieve together in just one year.

    But as the sector evolves, so must we, and we want a vibrant and sustainable media ecosystem with PSBs, streamers, indies, radio, TV, press, thriving across the UK, and not just individually, but collaborating together to invest in the skills, infrastructure and co-productions that we need, and when you do well, we won’t penalise you through new taxes and levies, but ensure that we have a regulatory framework that incentivises inward investment that creates opportunities for businesses, both big and small, and the UK talent to be showcased across the world.

    Take Bad Wolf as an example. First, a successful indie partnering with the BBC, then getting long term investment from Sky, HBO and most recently Sony, and now with the help of the Welsh Government, one of the anchor tenants of the Cardiff creative cluster. Or the growing cluster of audio producers in Manchester, such as Made in Manchester and Audio Always supported by the shift of BBC commissioning to the region.

    I told you this government would have your back, and we will. Over the coming months, we will build on Ofcom’s Public Service Media Review during the summer by taking action to ensure our public service broadcasters can continue to do what they do best long into the future. We will publish a Local Media Strategy to ensure that people in every town, city and village can access trust in news that reflects their lives as reserves better, helping them to hold local public services to account. As a government, we are committed to the biggest devolution of power out of Westminster and Whitehall in a generation, which will make local news and local media the most important that it has ever been. 

    We will launch the BBC Charter Review later this year to support a BBC that is empowered to continue to deliver a vital public service funded in a sustainable way. A BBC that can maintain the trust and support of the public in difficult times, support the wider ecosystem, and that is set up to drive growth in every part of the United Kingdom. 

    Later this month, we’ll publish a Creative Industries Sector Plan to turbocharge the growth of creative industries right across the UK. To support film and TV clusters from Birmingham to Belfast. To tap into the huge potential for growth that exists across our country.

    My commitment to you is an open and collaborative partnership with the government so that we can walk through this transition together. We will play our part, but we need you to play yours. We need more collaboration within your sector and especially between our public service broadcasters, to tackle these great social and economic challenges, working together in a number of areas, particularly tackling mis- and disinformation and promoting high quality news by investing in your journalism arms, partnering more rather than competing with or undercutting local news publishers, improving media literacy by helping consumers find and recognise accurate and impartial news reporting, supporting initiatives like BBC Verify and the Local Democracy Reporting Service. 

    We need you to work together to promote high quality children’s content. We all want our young people to grow up to see the high quality content that will educate and inform and equip them for the world. But also to inspire young people who see themselves and their opportunities in your content, bringing untold benefit to the industry in inspiring future generations of content makers. We make great children’s content in the United Kingdom, but we don’t collectively promote it enough.

    And also to understand how you can lead on this great transformation, thinking creatively about alternative ways to monetise your content and assets, and crucially, working together to move to where people are building on and developing more shared platforms and operations, like freely at radio player to help manage costs that make it easier for audiences to access your content.

    We need you to take seriously the need to shift resources, opportunities and commissioning power to every nation and region. There is a principle that will run through our industrial strategy like a thread: economic growth, good jobs, skills and opportunities. Not just in one part of the country, but in every single nation and region, across our towns, villages and cities. So we need you to step up and do more, not just paying lip service to the need for regional and national content, but really embedding yourselves in those communities to make sure that those voices are heard, those stories are told. Because talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.

    In a world where trust is at a premium, it’s easy to draw divisions: broadcasters versus streamers, online versus print, local versus national, big versus small. But we have to reject that way of thinking. Because despite all the talk of challenges, and there are many, the fundamentals of our media sectors are strong. They have great talent and infrastructure, and I hope that we can work together to create a great policy framework too, so that you can continue to be the custodians of our national life and usher this country into the coming decade.

    It’s my firm belief that this country has been through difficult times, buffeted by global forces and decision-making at home, and we need to take this moment to recover our sense of self confidence. When it comes to the creative industries, whether it’s film, TV, fashion, music, arts, culture, we are really good at this stuff. We light up the world with the content that we’re able to make and produce and we change lives here, at home and overseas. 

    Recently, I was in India and then Japan, and I couldn’t fail to be impressed by the esteem in which British media and creatives are held. Millions of people around the world watch big budget dramas like ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘Bridgerton’, but they also watch a slew of other fantastic shows and formats from ‘Planet Earth’ to ‘Come Dine With Me’ and everything in between. They read our news, they watch our adverts, they listen to our podcasts. 

    What that does is not just project the UK to the rest of the world, but it connects people in an increasingly fragmented, divided and polarised world. So many of the people I spoke to wanted to come and make things in the UK with the UK, we are a cultural powerhouse. No one will be a more passionate advocate for our sectors than me or our ministerial colleagues at DCMS. 

    So know that you have our full support as we enter this new era. Know that I am confident that if we work together, we can face head-on these challenges and make the most of change as a country. We’ve been drifting too long, but now is the time to chart a new course, a media that is fiercely independent, that creates and produces some of the best content in the world. That draws on the talent that exists in every corner of our country to shape, define and give voice to our national story, and provide those moments that bring us together in shared experience at a time when so much of our consumption is fractured and polarising. As we look to this new era and a new country, let nobody say that it falls to anybody else. It falls to us.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Intermex and Houston Dynamo FC Partner to Celebrate Latino Heritage and the Spirit of Fútbol

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  International Money Express, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMXI) (“Intermex” or the “Company”, a leading money remittance provider to Latin America and the Caribbean, today announced a new official partnership with Houston Dynamo FC, one of Major League Soccer’s most community-driven teams. This collaboration unites two organizations deeply committed to uplifting and celebrating Latino culture through the unifying passion of soccer.

    Soccer is the fastest-growing sport in the United States, with more than 85 million fans nationwide. In Houston, a city where over 45% of the population identifies as Latino, the connection runs even deeper. Latino fans make up nearly 70% of the MLS audience, making the city a natural home for this partnership. Together, Intermex and Houston Dynamo FC aim to champion cultural pride, family connection, and community empowerment.

    “Intermex is the only remittance company built by Latinos for Latinos. Partnering with Houston Dynamo FC allows us to celebrate that shared heritage and connect with our customers beyond financial services, through a sport that speaks to identity, passion, and tradition,” said Marcelo Theodoro, Chief Product, Marketing & Digital Officer at Intermex.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Intermex to the club, they are a cutting-edge organization that shares our commitment to elevating our community and fostering civic pride,” Dynamo Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, Ben Carruthers said. “Intermex’s dedication to serving diverse communities aligns perfectly with our mission both on and off the pitch. Together, we look forward to delivering exciting experiences to our fans and supporting the vibrant, diverse culture synonymous with our city.” Through this partnership, Intermex and Houston Dynamo FC will collaborate on in-stadium experiences, community events, and cultural celebrations that highlight and honor the vibrancy of the Latino community.

    About Intermex
    Founded in 1994, Intermex applies proprietary technology to enable consumers to send money from the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany to more than 60 countries. The company facilitates digital money movement through its website and mobile app, as well as through a vast network of retail agents and company-operated stores. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Intermex also operates international offices in Puebla, Mexico; Guatemala City, Guatemala; London, England; and Madrid, Spain. Learn more at www.intermexonline.com.

    About Houston Dynamo FC
    Houston Dynamo FC is a Major League Soccer team and part of the Houston Dynamo Football Club, a multi-faceted organization that includes the Dynamo, the Houston Dash and the Houston Dynamo Academy, and Dynamo and Dash Charities. Ted Segal acquired a majority ownership interest in HDFC in June 2021 and serves as the chairman of the Club. Under his leadership the organization completed a multi-million-dollar renovation of Shell Energy Stadium in March 2023 and the Club moved into a 27,000 square foot headquarters in East Downtown in July 2023. Houston Dynamo FC has won two MLS Cup championships, two Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups and four conference championships in its first 19 seasons and has qualified to represent the United States in international competition eight times. The team trains at the Champions Field at Houston Sports Park (HSP), the premier training facility in Southeast Texas, and plays its home matches at Shell Energy Stadium in downtown Houston. For more information, log on to www.HoustonDynamoFC.com or call (713) 276-7500.    

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Alex Sadowski
    Investor Relations Coordinator
    ir@intermexusa.com
    305-671-8000

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Tesonet invests in Lithuanian SportsTech startup FPRO

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Tesonet is investing €2 million in the Lithuanian SportsTech startup FPRO. This is FPRO’s first round of outside investment, marking a new phase in its development. The funds will help the startup to leverage smart tech solutions to expand professional training opportunities in youth football worldwide.

    A made-in-Lithuania solution for the global football market

    FPRO is a SportsTech startup that is developing innovative football training solutions for children. Working in collaboration with UEFA-certified coaches and experts in sports science, FPRO has devised a unique interactive app for children ages 6 through 12. The app is designed to improve their technique, coordination and ball control skills.

    Having founded the Football Pro Academy back in 2018, founders Ernestas Pilypas, Darius Jankauskas, and Vilius Petkevičius were forced to move operations online during the pandemic. This was the impetus behind the development of their digital product, which was released in 2022. The platform’s user base currently consists of 140,000+ children from the UK, Germany, the US, and other countries. Most of the company’s revenue comes from sales outside of their home market.

    “Football is the most popular sport in the world, but the market is currently short on qualified coaches. We wanted to create a solution that would be accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial means or location. FPRO fills this gap by offering young athletes an accessible, tech-driven method geared towards raising their physical fitness and developing their personalities in a comprehensive way. It helps to build their self-confidence, discipline, and passion for football through a focused and personalised coaching process. We see Tesonet’s investment as confirmation that we’re on the right track,” said Vilius Petkevičius, co-founder of FPRO.

    Ambitious partnership for innovation in children’s sports

    “The sports technology market has enormous potential, and football unites billions of people worldwide. Given our substantial experience with SportsTech, the latest investment reflects our strategy to expand the sports innovation ecosystem while strengthening the community both in Lithuania and globally. This is a profitable and growing startup with a broad user base, an unstoppable team, and founders who are experts in their field. It’s a perfect combination, and one that mirrors our own values,” commented Tomas Okmanas, co-founder of Tesonet.

    Tesonet co-founder Eimantas Sabaliauskas added: “When making a decision to invest, we consider not only market potential, but also a given team’s vision and ability to solve real problems on a global scale. FPRO has created a strong product, and our goal as investors is to help them not just financially but also in terms of strategy. We see clear synergies where our contribution could help them optimise business processes, develop new revenue streams, expand their user base, and further accelerate growth internationally.”

    Another SportsTech investment in Tesonet’s portfolio

    This is not our first venture in the sports vertical. In 2022, we acquired shares in BC Žalgiris Kaunas, helping the basketball club with its digital transformation and commercial expansion. Then in 2024, we invested in basketball club BC London Lions, aiming to promote the development of young talent and bolster the club’s competitiveness internationally.

    ABOUT TESONET:

    Tesonet is one of the largest venture builders and investors in the Baltic States. It houses globally recognized companies such as joint cybersecurity powerhouse Nord Security and Surfshark, a market-leading web intelligence collection platform Oxylabs, the fastest-growing brand among hosting providers Hostinger, nexos.ai – an AI orchestration platform, and others.

    With over 3,500 in-house talents and a fully developed infrastructure, Tesonet supports, funds, and scales businesses globally. Since 2018, Tesonet has extended its reach by investing in successful ventures like Hostinger, Cast AI, Eneba, BC Žalgiris, London Lions, Artea, Zapp, Turing College, and others.

    Tesonet is known for its innovative ecosystem and strong infrastructure, which support product development, testing, and global growth. The company is dedicated to advancing technological innovation and helping grow the broader ecosystem.

    ABOUT FPRO:

    FPRO is a sports technology startup dedicated to developing innovative training solutions for children’s football. Collaborating with UEFA-certified coaches and sports university experts, FPRO has created a unique interactive mobile app designed to help children aged 6–12 improve their technique, coordination, and ball control skills.Currently, the platform is being used by over 140,000 children across the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, and other countries.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement on Non-Statutory Community Libraries

    Source: City of Derby

    Following extensive negotiations and a thorough review of proposed working models, Derby City Council has withdrawn from the process of appointing Sporting Communities, a not-for-profit organisation, to run Derby’s ten non-statutory community libraries.

    Councillor Sarah Chambers, Cabinet Member for Cost of Living, Equalities and Communities said:

    The formal evaluation process was devised with the express aim of identifying a partner who would support our long-term ambition to deliver a sustainable future for our library services and the people of Derby. 

    While negotiations with the preferred bidder began with considerable optimism and a shared desire to find an optimal solution, it has become clear during this detailed phase that outsourcing is not the best approach to protect our libraries.

    The decision to withdraw from negotiations means the Council’s library service will continue to run the libraries. I want to reassure public, staff and volunteers that we remain committed to the future success of our libraries and our manifesto commitment to protect them.

    We will continue to deliver an efficient, high-quality public service and aspire to improve that service to a standard that is truly fit for the people of Derby.

    I’d like to thank our dedicated staff and invaluable volunteers who have continued to provide an excellent standard of service throughout this period of review. Their commitment and hard work are deeply appreciated.

    We will continue dialogue with Sporting Communities on how we can work together to deliver quality services for our citizens.

    We will now take time to assess next steps which will be discussed in detail at a future Cabinet meeting.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 2025 National Veterans Golden Age Games – Day 3 Highlights

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

    We’re seeing Veterans come together at the #GoldenAgeGames , in ways that go far beyond competition. It’s more than just fitness, it’s about finding strength in each other and celebrating every step of the journey. Together, we #FeelTheVictory!

    #LetsGlow #Sports4Vets #FitnessForLife

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: Greenbacker delivers first quarter results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announces year-over-year increases in IPP revenue, power production, and generation capacity in its operating fleet, as well as construction milestones on largest solar project in New York

    Key Takeaways

    • Against a backdrop of trade policy driven volatility, Greenbacker’s proactive approach to tariff risk management delivered $19 million cost savings on 1 GW solar module order.
    • Company continued construction on largest solar project in New York State to date; the 674 MW Cider solar farm—also GREC’s largest to date—is expected to reach commercial operation in late 2026, generating 1 billion kWh of power in first year of operation.
    • Wind and solar PPA revenue increased 17% year-over-year to $39 million, driving total first-quarter operating revenue of $48 million.
    • Power production increased 14% across combined wind and solar fleets, year-over-year, generating 676 million kWh of power in the first quarter.
    • Operating fleet expanded 3% year-over-year, representing 41 MW of additional total generation capacity, as Company brought online over a dozen new assets.
    • Greenbacker’s assets contributed to a more resilient U.S. clean energy system, delivering homegrown power, driving decarbonization, and supporting the domestic economy.

    NEW YORK, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC (“Greenbacker,” “GREC,” or the “Company”), an energy transition-focused investment manager and independent power producer (“IPP”), has announced financial results for the first quarter of 2025, including year-over-year increases in revenue, operating capacity, and clean energy generation.1

    Greenbacker’s proactive approach to tariff risk management delivered $19 million cost savings

    Greenbacker’s proactive approach to managing exposure to tariff risk continued to deliver measurable results for investors. In late 2024, the Company’s procurement team secured a 1 gigawatt (“GW”) order with one of the world’s largest suppliers of solar modules for use in the construction of assets across its sustainable infrastructure portfolio—including the 674 MW Cider solar farm, Greenbacker’s largest clean energy project to date. As part of the agreement, Greenbacker was able to lock in its access to 1 GW of panels while limiting or eliminating risk on future tariff exposure.

    This forward-looking contract structure when procuring over 960,000 solar modules proved its value through the first quarter of 2025, as financial markets and the energy transition asset class experienced increased volatility driven by uncertainty around the Trump administration’s tariff regime.2

    As of March 31, 2025, the contract generated approximately $19 million in cost savings for Greenbacker, helping to protect returns by ensuring predictable pricing for a substantial volume of critical solar equipment.

    “Greenbacker and other clean energy industry participants have been successfully navigating the evolving trade landscape for over a decade,” said Dan de Boer, Greenbacker’s interim CEO. “The steps we’ve taken to mitigate tariff-related risk across our portfolio deliver results, protect returns, and add stability to our investment platform. This disciplined approach is a core part of how we create long-term value for our investors.”

    Company continued construction on 674 MW Cider solar project, projected to be largest solar farm in New York State when completed in 2026

    After breaking ground on early construction activity late last year, Greenbacker’s utility-scale Cider project continued major construction activities in Genesee County, NY. When complete, Cider is expected to be the largest solar energy project in New York State, where Greenbacker is headquartered.

    This phase of construction centers on key civil and mechanical activities, such as beginning installation of steel pilings and solar module racking systems. Additional phases of construction are expected to ramp up by mid-summer, including installation of electrical wiring and high-voltage utility interconnection infrastructure.

    Over its operational lifespan, Cider is expected to generate approximately $100 million in revenue for local communities through property taxes, host community agreements, and tax benefits—funds that can be used to support critical services and infrastructure, including first responders, area roadways, and local schools. Cider’s construction is expected to support hundreds of clean energy jobs, driving both immediate and long-term economic impact across the region.

    Cider is slated to enter commercial operation in late 2026 and is expected to generate approximately 1 billion kWh of power in its first full year of operation. The project plans to utilize agrivoltaics (dual land use combining photovoltaic production with agricultural practices) as part of a more cost-effective, nature-based approach to vegetation management. Cider will initially host rotational sheep grazing on over 300 acres, with the potential to increase grazing acreage across the project’s operational lifetime.

    Wind and solar PPA revenue increased 17% year-over-year to $39 million, driving total operating revenue of $48 million; wind and solar power production increased 14%

    Greenbacker generated total operating revenue of $47.5 million within its IPP segment during the first quarter of 2025, reflecting strong performance from the Company’s core operating fleet. This was driven by an increase in revenue from Greenbacker’s long-term power purchase agreements (“PPAs”) across both its wind and solar fleets, which together generated $38.8 million—a 17% increase compared to the same period last year, or an additional $5.8 million of revenue.

    First-quarter net loss attributable to Greenbacker in 2025 was $(15.6) million and Adjusted EBTIDA3 was $14.4 million, representing year-over-year changes of 84% and 56%, respectively. The net loss reflected impairment charges resulting from deteriorating macroeconomic conditions, as well as depreciation and amortization, partially offset by a decrease in other operating expenses.

    While total operating revenue represented a 3% year-over-year decline—primarily due to the timing of Renewable Energy Credit (“REC”) revenue recognition in the first quarter of 2024 and the divestment of a non-core asset in April 2024—the underlying power production of Greenbacker’s core fleet remained strong. Notably, the non-core divestiture was a key driver of the Company’s year-over-year increase in Adjusted EBITDA.

    On a year-over-year basis, GREC increased its operating fleet size by 3%, as of the end of the first quarter of 2025, resulting in a 41 MW increase in total operating power production capacity.4 This included placing over a dozen new solar energy assets into commercial operation. In total, GREC’s operating solar and wind portfolios delivered a combined year-over-year power production increase of 14%,5 generating over 676 million kWh of clean energy in the quarter—enough to power approximately 63,000 average U.S. homes for one year.6

             
    GREC Operating Fleet 1Q25 1Q24 YoY
    Increase
    (total)    		 YoY
    Increase
    (%)
    Clean power produced by solar assets (MWh) 307,154 266,339 40,815 15%
    PPA revenue generated by solar assets ($M) $ 18.0 $15.3 $2.6 17%
    Clean power produced by wind assets (MWh) 368,957 325,406 43,551 13%
    PPA revenue generated by wind assets ($M) $ 20.8 $17.7 $3.1 18%
    Total clean power generated by wind and solar assets (MWh) 676,111 591,745 84,366 14%
    Total PPA operating revenue generated by wind and solar assets ($M) $ 38.8 $33.0 $5.8 17%
             

    Some figures may not add to stated totals due to rounding. Total clean power generated does not include power generated from the non-core biomass facility during first quarter of 2024, which GREC divested in April 2024, nor does it include assets in which the Company holds a preferred equity position.

    Long-term contracted cash flows with investment-grade counterparties

    As of March 31, 2025, approximately 93% of Greenbacker’s portfolio of assets7 were contracted to sell power to investment-grade counterparties across the most resilient parts of the U.S. economy—including utilities, municipalities, and corporations—under long-term PPAs. The portfolio had approximately 17.3 years of contracted, highly visible cash flows associated with these PPAs, providing a solid foundation to build additional future revenue streams.

    As of March 31, 2025, the Greenbacker operating fleet represented approximately 1.6 gigawatts of total clean power generation and storage capacity, spanning over 30 states, territories, districts and provinces.

    Building a more resilient clean energy future by delivering homegrown power, driving decarbonization, and supporting the domestic economy

    As of March 31, 2025, Greenbacker’s portfolio of energy assets had cumulatively produced more than 12 million MWh of power.8 This clean energy has abated over 8 million metric tons of carbon9 and conserved more than 8 billion gallons of water.10

    Greenbacker’s business operations have driven more than $170 million in spending with U.S.-based manufacturers and suppliers in that period, directly supporting American industry and strengthening domestic supply chains, while advancing homegrown energy deployment.

    To date, Greenbacker’s fleet of operating and pre-operating projects currently support, or are expected to support, thousands of green energy jobs.11

    Additional information regarding the Company’s impact can also be found in Greenbacker’s impact report.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. Although Greenbacker believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. Greenbacker undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained herein to conform to actual results or changes in its expectations.

    Private placements are speculative.
    For financial professionals and their accredited investors only. Not for inspection by, distribution to, or quotation to the general public. There are material risks associated with investing in alternative investments including financing risks, general economic risks, long hold periods, and potential loss of the entire investment principal. Potential cash flow, returns, and appreciation are not guaranteed. The shares offered are illiquid assets for which there is not expected to be any secondary market, nor is it expected that any will develop in the future. The ability to transfer shares is limited. Pursuant to the LLC Agreement, GREC has the discretion under certain circumstances to prohibit transfers of shares, or to refuse to consent to the admission of a transferee as a member. Securities offered through WealthForge Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Greenbacker Capital Management LLC and WealthForge Securities, LLC are separate entities.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures
    In addition to evaluating the Company’s performance on a U.S. GAAP basis, the Company utilizes certain non-GAAP financial measures to analyze the operating performance of our segments as well as our consolidated business. Each of these measures should not be considered in isolation from or as superior to or as a substitute for other financial measures determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, such as net income (loss) or operating income (loss). The Company uses these non-GAAP financial measures to supplement its U.S. GAAP results in order to provide a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting its operations.

    Adjusted EBITDA
    Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company uses as a performance measure, as well as for internal planning purposes. We believe that Adjusted EBITDA is useful to management and investors in providing a measure of core financial performance adjusted to allow for comparisons of results of operations across reporting periods on a consistent basis, as it includes adjustments relating to items that are not indicative on the ongoing operating performance of the business.

    Adjusted EBITDA is a performance measure used by management that is not calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered in isolation from or as superior to or as a substitute for net income (loss), operating income (loss) or any other measure of financial performance calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Additionally, our calculations of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

    Funds From Operations (FFO)
    FFO is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company uses as a performance measure to analyze net earnings from operations without the effects of certain non-recurring items that are not indicative of the ongoing operating performance of the business. FFO is calculated using Adjusted EBITDA less the impact of interest expense (excluding the non-cash component) and distributions to tax equity investors under the financing facilities associated with our IPP segment. 

    The Company believes that the analysis and presentation of FFO will enhance our investor’s understanding of the ongoing performance of our operating business. The Company considers FFO, in addition to other GAAP and non-GAAP measures, in assessing operating performance and as a proxy for growth in distribution coverage over the long term.

    FFO should not be considered in isolation from or as a superior to or as a substitute for net income (loss), operating income (loss) or any other measure of financial performance calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

    General Disclosure
    This information has been prepared solely for informational purposes and is not an offer to buy or sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security, or to participate in any trading or investment strategy. The information presented herein may involve Greenbacker’s views, estimates, assumptions, facts, and information from other sources that are believed to be accurate and reliable and are, as of the date this information is presented, subject to change without notice.

               
    GREENBACKER RENEWABLE ENERGY COMPANY LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (in thousands, except per share data)
     
      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
      (unaudited)      
    Assets          
    Current assets:          
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 103,237     $ 120,057  
    Restricted cash, current 31,949     38,403  
    Accounts receivable, net 28,033     27,103  
    Derivative assets, current 16,064     17,632  
    Other current assets 26,418     28,586  
    Total current assets 205,701     231,781  
    Noncurrent assets:          
    Restricted cash 2,131     3,128  
    Property, plant and equipment, net 2,280,196     2,232,486  
    Intangible assets, net 351,065     362,352  
    Investments, at fair value 75,196     74,136  
    Derivative assets 80,953     98,495  
    Other noncurrent assets 240,587     242,667  
    Total noncurrent assets 3,030,128     3,013,264  
    Total assets $ 3,235,829     $ 3,245,045  
    Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests and Equity          
    Current liabilities:          
    Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 107,394     $ 69,464  
    Contingent consideration, current 14,675     15,293  
    Current portion of long-term debt 85,969     88,901  
    Current portion of failed sale-leaseback financing and deferred ITC gain 45,868     45,868  
    Other current liabilities 8,034     8,767  
    Total current liabilities 261,940     228,293  
    Noncurrent liabilities:          
    Long-term debt, net of current portion 1,025,804     1,001,654  
    Failed sale-leaseback financing and deferred ITC gain, net of current portion 195,933     201,601  
    Deferred tax liabilities, net 24,495     35,316  
    Operating lease liabilities 195,090     196,911  
    Out-of-market contracts, net 170,749     180,640  
    Other noncurrent liabilities 62,005     59,561  
    Total noncurrent liabilities 1,674,076     1,675,683  
    Total liabilities $ 1,936,016     $ 1,903,976  
    Commitments and contingencies (Note 13. Commitments and Contingencies)          
    Redeemable noncontrolling interests $ 1,851     $ 1,851  
    Equity:          
    Preferred shares, par value, $0.001 per share, 50,000 authorized; none issued and outstanding —     —  
    Common shares, par value, $0.001 per share, 350,000 authorized, 199,176 and 199,326 outstanding as of 2025 and 2024, respectively 199     199  
    Additional paid-in capital 1,774,330     1,773,758  
    Accumulated deficit (600,317 )   (584,733 )
    Accumulated other comprehensive income 33,690     34,937  
    Noncontrolling interests 90,060     115,057  
    Total equity 1,297,962     1,339,218  
    Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity $ 3,235,829     $ 3,245,045  
               
    GREENBACKER RENEWABLE ENERGY COMPANY LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
    (unaudited)
    (in thousands, except per share data)
     
      Three months ended March 31,
      2025   2024
    Revenue          
    Energy revenue $ 43,980     $ 44,569  
    Investment Management revenue 3,260     3,931  
    Other revenue 301     668  
    Contract amortization, net 2,921     (2,615 )
    Total net revenue $ 50,462     $ 46,553  
               
    Operating expenses          
    Direct operating costs 23,911     26,990  
    General and administrative 17,046     18,855  
    Change in fair value of contingent consideration —     493  
    Depreciation, amortization and accretion 21,628     20,485  
    Impairment of long-lived assets, net and project termination costs 13,665     6,328  
    Total operating expenses 76,250     73,151  
               
    Operating loss (25,788 )   (26,598 )
               
    Interest expense, net (36,566 )   (4,250 )
    Change in fair value of investments, net 990     (566 )
    Income from sale-leaseback transfer of tax benefits 10,188     —  
    Other expense, net 148     125  
               
    Loss before income taxes (51,028 )   (31,289 )
    Benefit (expense) from income taxes 10,374     (3,064 )
    Net loss $ (40,654 )   $ (34,353 )
    Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests (25,068 )   (25,874 )
    Net loss attributable to Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC $ (15,586 )   $ (8,479 )
               
    Earnings per share          
    Basic $ (0.08 )   $ (0.04 )
    Diluted $ (0.08 )   $ (0.04 )
               
    Weighted average shares outstanding          
    Basic 199,333     198,856  
    Diluted 199,333     198,856  
               
    GREENBACKER RENEWABLE ENERGY COMPANY LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
    (unaudited)
    (in thousands)
         
      Three months ended March 31,
      2025   2024
    Cash Flows from Operating Activities          
    Net loss $ (40,654 )   $ (34,353 )
    Adjustments to reconcile Net loss to Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:          
    Depreciation, amortization and accretion 18,707     23,100  
    Impairment of long-lived assets, net 12,665     6,328  
    Share-based compensation expense 3,469     4,806  
    Changes in fair value of contingent consideration —     493  
    Amortization of financing costs and debt discounts 2,963     1,661  
    Amortization of interest rate swap contracts (1,693 )   4  
    Change in fair value of interest rate swaps, net 21,741     (9,944 )
    Gain on interest rate swaps, net —     (1,410 )
    Change in fair value of investments (990 )   566  
    Deferred income taxes (10,374 )   3,064  
    Interest expense on failed sale-leaseback financing and deferred ITC gain 4,519     4,269  
    Income from sale-leaseback transfer of tax benefits (10,188 )   —  
    Other 1,235     980  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:          
    Accounts receivable (930 )   (826 )
    Current and noncurrent derivative assets —     51,269  
    Other current and noncurrent assets 1,085     2,988  
    Accounts payable and accrued expenses (8,875 )   (8,227 )
    Operating lease liabilities (1,771 )   (714 )
    Other current and noncurrent liabilities (541 )   (243 )
    Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities (9,632 )   43,811  
    Cash Flows from Investing Activities          
    Purchases of property, plant and equipment (28,564 )   (55,294 )
    Net deposits returned (paid) for property, plant and equipment (390 )   1,314  
    Other investing activities (70 )   (45 )
    Net cash used in investing activities (29,024 )   (54,025 )
    Cash Flows from Financing Activities          
    Shareholder distributions —     (22,361 )
    Repurchases of common shares (341 )   (390 )
    Deferred shareholder servicing fees (739 )   (795 )
    Contributions from noncontrolling interests 2,132     1,005  
    Distributions to noncontrolling interests (5,071 )   (3,240 )
    Proceeds from borrowings 58,731     50,920  
    Payments on borrowings (40,054 )   (84,381 )
    Proceeds from failed sale-leaseback —     111,453  
    Payments on failed sale-leaseback —     (25,080 )
    Payments for loan origination costs (273 )   (1,257 )
    Net cash provided by financing activities 14,385     25,874  
    Net (decrease) increase in Cash, cash equivalents and Restricted cash (24,271 )   15,660  
    Cash, cash equivalents and Restricted cash at beginning of period 161,588     187,675  
    Cash, cash equivalents and Restricted cash at end of period  $ 137,317     $ 203,335  
               

    Non-GAAP Reconciliations

    Adjusted EBITDA

    Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company uses as a performance measure as well as for internal planning purposes. We believe that Adjusted EBITDA is useful to management and investors in providing a measure of core financial performance adjusted to allow for comparisons of results of operations across reporting periods on a consistent basis as it includes adjustments relating to items that are not indicative of the ongoing operating performance of the business.

    The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before: (i) interest expense; (ii) income taxes; (iii) depreciation expense; (iv) amortization expense (including contract amortization); (v) accretion; (vi) impairment of long-lived assets; (vii) amounts attributable to our redeemable and non-redeemable noncontrolling interests; (viii) unrealized gains and losses on financial instruments; (ix) gains and losses for asset dispositions; (x) other income (loss); and (xi) foreign currency gain (loss). Additionally, the Company further adjusts for the following items described below:

    • Share-based compensation is excluded from Adjusted EBITDA as it is different from other forms of compensation as it is a non-cash expense and is highly variable. For example, a cash salary generally has a fixed and unvarying cash cost. In contrast, the expense associated with an equity-based award is generally unrelated to the amount of cash ultimately received by the employee, and the cost to the Company is based on a share-based compensation valuation methodology and underlying assumptions that may vary over time;
    • The change in fair value of contingent consideration, which is related to the Acquisition, is excluded from Adjusted EBITDA, if any such change occurs during the period. The non-cash, mark-to-market adjustments are based on the expected achievement of revenue targets that are difficult to forecast and can be variable, making comparisons across historical and future quarters difficult to evaluate;
    • Start-up costs associated with new investment strategies is excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. The Company evaluates new investment strategies on a regular basis and excludes start-up cost from Adjusted EBITDA until such time as a new strategy is determined to form part of the Company’s core investment management business.
    • Placement fees, including internal sales commissions, related to fundraising efforts based on the capital raised, are excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. By excluding these fundraising-related fees from Adjusted EBITDA, we focus on core operational performance, separate from capital raising efforts, which might vary significantly from period to period.
    • Other costs that are not consistently occurring, not reflective of expected future operating expense and provide no insight into the fundamentals of current or past operations of our business are excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. This includes costs such as professional services and legal fees, and other non-recurring costs unrelated to the ongoing operations of the Company.

    Adjusted EBITDA is a performance measure used by management that is not calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered in isolation from or as superior to or as a substitute for net income (loss), operating income (loss) or any other measure of financial performance calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Additionally, our calculations of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

    FFO

    FFO is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company uses as a performance measure to analyze net earnings from operations without the effects of certain non-recurring items that are not indicative of the ongoing operating performance of the business.

    FFO is calculated using Adjusted EBITDA less the impact of interest expense (excluding the non-cash component) and distributions to Tax Equity Investors under the financing facilities associated with our IPP segment. The Company excludes these distributions as these are not recorded within Adjusted EBITDA and is therefore not a component of our earnings from operations.

    The Company believes that the analysis and presentation of FFO will enhance our investors’ understanding of the ongoing performance of our operating business. The Company considers FFO, in addition to other GAAP and non-GAAP measures, in assessing operating performance and as a proxy for growth in distribution coverage over the long-term.

    Adjusted EBITDA and FFO should not be considered in isolation from or as a superior to or as a substitute for net income (loss), operating income (loss) or any other measure of financial performance calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

    The following table reconciles Net loss attributable to Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC to Adjusted EBITDA and FFO:

         
      Three months ended
    March 31,
    (in thousands) 2025   2024
    Net loss attributable to Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC $ (15,586 )   $ (8,479 )
    Add back or deduct the following:          
    Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests (25,068 )   (25,874 )
    Benefit (expense) from income taxes (10,374 )   3,064  
    Interest expense, net 36,566     4,250  
    Depreciation, amortization and accretion(1) 18,804     23,235  
    EBITDA $ 4,342     $ (3,804 )
    Share-based compensation expense 3,469     4,806  
    Change in fair value of contingent consideration —     493  
    Change in fair value of investments, net (990 )   566  
    Income from sale-leaseback transfer of tax benefits (10,188 )   —  
    Other expense, net (148 )   (125 )
    Loss on asset disposition 13     —  
    Impairment of long-lived assets, net and project termination costs 13,665     6,328  
    Non-recurring professional services and legal fees 1,689     578  
    Non-recurring salaries and personnel related expenses(2) 2,596     393  
    Adjusted EBITDA $ 14,448     $ 9,235  
    Cash portion of interest expense (9,408 )   (8,349 )
    Distributions to tax equity investors (3,811 )   (3,277 )
    FFO $ 1,229     $ (2,391 )
               
    (1) Includes contract amortization, net in the amount of $2.9 million and $(2.6) million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, which are included in Contract amortization, net on the Consolidated Statements of Operations; also includes certain other amortization costs included in Direct operating costs and General and administrative on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
               
    (2) Non-recurring salaries and personnel related expenses include start-up costs which primarily include salaries and personnel related expenses of incremental employees hired in advance to launch new investment strategy initiatives. Given the nature and scale of the related costs and activities, management does not view these as normal, recurring operating expenses, but rather as non-recurring investments to initially develop our new funds. Therefore, we believe it is useful and necessary for investors to understand our core operating performance in current and future periods by excluding the impact of these start-up costs as incurred. Non-recurring salaries and personnel related expenses also include placement fees, including internal sales commission.
               

    The following table reconciles total Segment Adjusted EBITDA to Net loss attributable to Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC:

         
      For the three months ended March 31,
    (in thousands) 2025   2024
    Segment Adjusted EBITDA:          
    IPP Adjusted EBITDA $ 22,515     $ 17,291  
    IM Adjusted EBITDA (689 )   (1,160 )
    Total Segment Adjusted EBITDA $ 21,826     $ 16,131  
               
    Reconciliation:          
    Total Segment Adjusted EBITDA $ 21,826     $ 16,131  
    Unallocated corporate expenses (7,378 )   (6,896 )
    Total Adjusted EBITDA $ 14,448     $ 9,235  
               
    Less:          
    Share-based compensation expense 3,469     4,806  
    Change in fair value of contingent consideration —     493  
    Loss on asset disposition 13     —  
    Impairment of long-lived assets, net and project termination costs 13,665     6,328  
    Depreciation, amortization and accretion(1) 18,804     23,235  
    Non-recurring professional services and legal fees 1,689     578  
    Non-recurring salaries and personnel related expenses(2) 2,596     393  
    Operating loss $ (25,788 )   $ (26,598 )
               
    Interest expense, net (36,566 )   (4,250 )
    Change in fair value of investments, net 990     (566 )
    Income from sale-leaseback transfer of tax benefits 10,188     —  
    Other expense, net 148     125  
    Loss before income taxes $ (51,028 )   $ (31,289 )
               
    Benefit from (provision for) income taxes 10,374     (3,064 )
    Net loss $ (40,654 )   $ (34,353 )
               
    Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests (25,068 )   (25,874 )
    Net loss attributable to Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC $ (15,586 )   $ (8,479 )
               
    (1) Includes contract amortization, net in the amount of $2.9 million and $(2.6) million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, which are included in Contract amortization, net on the Consolidated Statements of Operations; also includes certain other amortization costs included in Direct operating costs and General and administrative on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
               
    (2) Non-recurring salaries and personnel related expenses include start-up costs which primarily include salaries and personnel related expenses of incremental employees hired in advance to launch new investment strategy initiatives. Given the nature and scale of the related costs and activities, management does not view these as normal, recurring operating expenses, but rather as non-recurring investments to initially develop our new funds. Therefore, we believe it is useful and necessary for investors to understand our core operating performance in current and future periods by excluding the impact of these start-up costs as incurred. Non-recurring salaries and personnel related expenses also include placement fees, including internal sales commission.
               

    About Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company
    Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC is a publicly reporting, non-traded limited liability sustainable infrastructure company that both acquires and manages income-producing renewable energy and other energy-related businesses, including solar and wind farms, and provides investment management services to other renewable energy investment vehicles. We seek to acquire and operate high-quality projects that sell clean power under long-term contracts to high-creditworthy counterparties such as utilities, municipalities, and corporations. We are long-term owner-operators, who strive to be good stewards of the land and responsible members of the communities in which we operate. Greenbacker conducts its investment management business through its wholly owned subsidiary, Greenbacker Capital Management, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. We believe our focus on power production and asset management creates value that we can then pass on to our shareholders—while facilitating the transition toward a clean energy future. For more information, please visit https://greenbackercapital.com.

    About Greenbacker Capital Management
    Greenbacker Capital Management LLC is an SEC registered investment adviser that provides advisory and oversight services related to project development, acquisition, and operations in the renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability industries. For more information, please visit www.greenbackercapital.com.

    Greenbacker media contact
    Chris Larson
    Media Communications
    646.569.9532
    c.larson@greenbackercapital.com

    _______________________________

    1 The financial and portfolio metrics set forth herein are unaudited and subject to change. Data as of March 31, 2025. Total assets and megawatts statistics include those projects where we have contracted for the acquisition of the project pursuant to a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (“MIPA”).
    2S&P 500 Suffers Worst Month Since 2022—Despite Monday Recovery, Forbes, March 2025.
    3 Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company uses as a performance measure, as well as for internal planning purposes. We believe that Adjusted EBITDA is useful to management and investors in providing a measure of core financial performance adjusted to allow for comparisons of results of operations across reporting periods on a consistent basis, as it includes adjustments relating to items that are not indicative on the ongoing operating performance of the business. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for additional discussion. Adjusted EBITDA is unaudited. See the Company’s 10-Q filed with the SEC for additional financial information and important related disclosures.
    4 Data as of March 31, 2025. Total assets and megawatts statistics include those projects where we have contracted for the acquisition of the project pursuant to a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (“MIPA”). The financial and portfolio metrics set forth herein are unaudited and subject to change
    5 Does not include power generated from biomass facility during first quarter of 2024, and also does not include assets in which the Company holds a preferred equity position
    6 Based on the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s estimate that the average annual amount of electricity used by a U.S. residential electric-utility customer is 10,791 kilowatt-hours (kWh).
    7 Includes both operating and pre-operating clean energy projects within the GREC portfolio.
    8 Since January 2016.
    9 Data is as of March 31, 2025. When compared with a similar amount of power generation from fossil fuels. Carbon abatement is calculated using the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator which uses the Avoided Emissions and generation Tool (AVERT) US national weighted average CO2 marginal emission rate to convert reductions of kilowatt-hours into avoided units of carbon dioxide emissions.
    10 Data is as of March 31, 2025. Water saved by Greenbacker’s clean energy projects is compared to the amount of water needed to produce the same amount of power by burning coal. Gallons of water saved are calculated based on Operational water consumption and withdrawal factors for electricity generating technologies: a review of existing literature – IOPscience, J Macknick et al 2012 Environ. Res. Lett. 7 045802.
    11 Data is as of March 31, 2025. Green jobs calculated using The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) State Clean Energy Employment Projection Support, nrel.gov.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Launches Second Year of Anti-Scam Month Campaign to Fight Growing Cyber Fraud

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has officially launched the second year of its Anti-Scam Month, a global initiative run to spread crypto security awareness. In a world where scams have become as sophisticated as the technologies meant to prevent them, Bitget is taking a cultural stand: security is no longer just a backend function; it’s a mindset shared between platforms and people.

    Blockchain and Web3 have evolved rapidly, but so have the threats. From phishing links disguised as giveaways to malicious smart contracts concealed behind social media hype, scams have become increasingly creative and less detectable. In 2024 alone, cryptocurrency-related scams resulted in losses exceeding $9.9 billion, representing a 24% annual growth since 2020, according to reports.

    Despite Bitcoin reaching new all-time highs and crypto adoption accelerating, the darker corners of the space remain dangerous for the unprepared. This surge of crypto scams, fueled by AI-generated deception and advanced social engineering tactics, shows the urgent need for heightened security awareness and more proactive defenses across the crypto ecosystem.

    Since 2024, Bitget has marked every June as Anti-Scam Month to raise security awareness and protect users’ digital assets and personal data. Throughout this June, Bitget is flipping the script, from fear to empowerment. Under the theme Smarter Eyes, Stronger Shields, Bitget’s Anti-Scam Month campaign combines gamified education, community storytelling, and high-engagement content to cultivate a culture of vigilance. The campaign features the launch of the Bitget Anti-Scam Hub, a dedicated microsite that houses interactive resources, the “PFP Smarter Glasses” social media movement, a multi-part Security Blog Series, and the “Smarter Eyes Challenge” mini game.

    But this isn’t a solo mission. Bitget has teamed up with a growing network of security experts to amplify the message and build a safer blockchain future. Key collaborators in this initiative include top-tier security firms such as GoPlus, SlowMist, OneKey, BlockSec, and Security Alliance—leaders in identifying vulnerabilities, analyzing on-chain threats, and building protective infrastructure.

    In parallel, the campaign is supported by strategic collaborations with other prominent Web3 players such as Bitget Wallet, Morph, and Tapswap. These platforms represent the wider ecosystem’s commitment to a safer Web3, ensuring that users across wallets, apps, and social experiences are empowered with knowledge and protected by design.

    But this isn’t just about tools—it’s about trust. “Scams may adapt, but so will we,” said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget. “We’re building for a Web3 future where security isn’t something users hope for—it’s something they’re part of. Anti-Scam Month aligns with our belief that protecting users isn’t just a technical mandate, it’s a shared mission.”

    In addition to user-focused engagement, Bitget will publish its 2025 Anti-Scam Report with partners, cybersecurity firm Slowmist, and compliance intelligence platform Elliptic, providing a data-driven examination of the evolving fraud landscape, common attack vectors, and how Bitget’s internal systems are being upgraded to address these threats effectively.

    Anti-Scam Month signifies Bitget’s long-term commitment: safety is foundational to the future of cryptocurrency. And in the “dark forest” of Web3, awareness may be the strongest armor we have. The industry is growing, and it’s time our approach to security did too.

    During its inaugural Anti-Scam campaign in 2024, Bitget released a report on how Deepfakes may account for 70% of crypto crimes in two years, in addition to running social campaigns in Vietnam to warn about crypto scams and risks. This year, as the cryptospace hits a new benchmark for scams and adoption at the same time, Bitget pledges to work with the global community and renowned security institutions to spread awareness and education.

    To join the campaign, visit the Bitget Anti-Scam Hub here.

    About Bitget

    Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more.
    Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

    For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet

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

    Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f58f1d39-3bd0-4000-9f97-c9f4f277a78a

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Brace of inclusive opportunities to achieve your best

    Source: City of Winchester


    Two inspiring days of inclusive sport and achievement are set to take place in the district. 

    Winchester Personal Bests will take place in Winchester Sport & Leisure Park and the University of Winchester sports stadium on Thursday 4 September 2025.

    The event, which was previously known as Paralympic Personal Bests, is for adults with a wide range of learning and physical disabilities. It offers them the opportunity to try accessible sports and challenge themselves while creating connections and having fun in a supportive environment. 

    Each participant will have an opportunity to try a range of different sports including squash, athletics, low level circuits, rugby, football, cricket, yoga and boxing, and they will receive a T-shirt, reusable water bottle, certificate and a medal for taking part.

    Winchester Personal Bests is the first event of its kind to be officially recognised as Autism Friendly by the National Autistic Society.  

    Then on Thursday 30 October 2025, brand-new event Winchester Aqua Bests in Winchester Sport & Leisure Park will offer adults with learning disabilities an opportunity to take part in various inclusive and fully accessible water-based activities.

    Betty Chadwick, Executive Director of Active LD, said: “We know how important being active is for people with learning disabilities. Taking part in regular physical activity builds confidence, grows social networks and supports good physical and mental health. Access to inclusive and enjoyable physical activity is absolutely key to having a happy, healthy life.

    “We’re so excited about this year’s event, and that Personal Bests continues to grow. Aqua Bests has come about because of valued feedback from our past participants, and we can’t wait to witness the achievements in the pool.

    “We’d like to send huge thanks to all the coaches, participants, volunteers and event management team for making these events happen.” 

    Winchester City Council’s Cabinet Member for Healthy Communities Cllr Kathleen Becker said: “Personal Bests helps its participants to build lasting connections with different sports and their coaches, highlighting pathways to, and encouraging people with learning disabilities to engage in, regular physical activity.

    “By championing them for taking part and doing their best, it also helps to build confidence, grow their social networks, and support their mental health. I’d encourage anyone thinking about signing up to join in and give it a go – you’ll have a great time!”

    Alison Lewis, Area Contract Manager at Everyone Active, said: “Winchester Sport & Leisure Park is proud to host the upcoming events, Personal Bests and Aqua Bests, reflecting our ongoing commitment to inclusivity and accessible sport. These events embody our dedication to providing meaningful opportunities for individuals of all abilities to participate, achieve, and thrive.”

    Register for a place now via the Active LD website.

    To volunteer at the events, visit https://www.activeld.org/volunteers

    Further information can be found at https://www.winchester.gov.uk/winchester-personal-bests.   

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • IPL 2025: Rain in focus as RCB-PBKS take centerstage for title clash in Ahmedabad

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to welcome its new winner on Tuesday when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) will take on each other in the title clash at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to lift their maiden silverware.

    RCB and PBKS have been part of the tournament since its inception in 2008. Both sides have come close to lifting the IPL trophy but ended as runners-up. RCB played three finals (2009, 2011, 2016) before this year’s title clash, while Punjab had their chance in 2014.

    With the excitement among fans of both franchises reaching the pinnacle, the encounter is going to be a nail-biting affair. However, the weather is likely to make it more intense for the fans with a rain threat looming around the match.

    According to AccuWeather, the temperature in Ahmedabad will be around 36°C at the beginning of the game, dropping to around 31°C by the end. Humidity levels will range between 52% and 63% during match hours. The sky is expected to be cloudy for most of the time, and there is around 2% to 5% chance of rain to interrupt the game.

    In case of a washout on Tuesday, the IPL 2025 final will be played on the reserve day – Wednesday. In case of a complete washout on both days, which is highly unlikely, the team that has finished at the top (Punjab Kings) will lift the title.

    Ahmedabad also hosted the IPL final in 2023, which was significantly disrupted by rain. The match, initially set for May 28, had to be postponed without a single ball being bowled. Fortunately, the Board of Control for Cricket in India utilised a reserve day to hold the final the following day.

    However, rain continued to interfere, leading to a shortened contest, with the second innings limited to just 15 overs. Ravindra Jadeja’s last-ball heroics guided Chennai Super Kings to their fifth IPL title against the home side Gujarat Titans.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM remarks at the Show Racism the Red Card reception: 2 June 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    PM remarks at the Show Racism the Red Card reception: 2 June 2025

    Prime Minister’s remarks at the Show Racism the Red Card reception in Downing Street.

    Thank you, Shaka [Hislop] and thank you for all that you’ve done and all that you have inspired—because to look out here so many years after the instant you described a moment ago and see so many people who’ve contributed to this really important campaign and cause—must be inspiring for you. It’s certainly inspiring for us with this great charity, Show Racism the Red Card.

    And as you said, it was almost 30 years ago now from that moment in the petrol station near Saint James’s Park, where you were facing appalling racism and abuse. I think a moment ago you told me you’d just got married. You were newly married, simply stopping to fill up the car, facing that abuse until the perpetrators realised that the person they were targeting was the Newcastle goalkeeper that they so admired. In that moment, they changed completely and you saw the power of football with that—to change our country—and were determined to seize it and to build something better out of that moment. The way Shaka put it to me just now was that at 100 yards he faced racism and hatred; at 100 feet, when people were closer, he experienced friendship and a wanting to have his autograph. That, I think, has driven you—this sense that if we can pull people closer and act in that way, the power of doing so is phenomenal.

    In that particular case, it was the very same individual whose behaviour changed in a very short period of time. And here we are, years later, in Downing Street, and it is my privilege to be able to host you and to host everybody here in this garden with a charity that has reached 1.3 million people. And not just the work that’s been done in football grounds themselves, but in schools, in workplaces, and stadiums across the country. And of course, with so many others that have joined this mission—all of those that are here tonight, but many other people who can’t be here this evening—have played a huge part as well. And we say thanks to them.

    We’ve got pioneers like Trevor Sinclair, Anita Asante, Richard Offiong, and Chris Hughton here today. We’re so special. Thank you to all of them and people across the football world, all doing so much in their own right to support this cause. So not just on behalf of myself as Prime Minister, but on behalf of the whole country, I’d like to say a huge thank you. And when I say the whole country, I always remind myself that it’s a privilege to stand here, and there are millions of people who would love to stand here this evening and say thank you to you for all that you have done.

    I say that as Prime Minister, but I say it on behalf of all the people who would love to stand here and say hello to you and say thank you to you—people whose lives have been affected. As you said, Shaka, the people who you won’t even know, won’t ever meet, but whose lives have been changed by the work that has been done. And that’s the power of inspiration—reaching beyond the immediate and bringing other people in behind this important work and using the power of football to fight racism and build a better, more inclusive Britain. And there’s only one further step tonight that we need to take. I’ve been determined to do it for a long time, which is to put some five-a-side goals back here. 

    I’m a season ticket holder, go to football now, but I’ve been going for many years like other people here. And I do remember when going to football was a very different experience than it is today, especially for fans and players from certain communities, it was a very different experience. And I remember that as a fan watching football week in, week out. So yes, we celebrate today how far we’ve come—and we should—but it is also a call to action because we know we’ve got to go further. And we can’t be complacent, even within football itself.

    Never forget, it was only four years ago, in the summer of 2021, when those young England stars faced appalling abuse after that penalty shootout against Italy in the finals of the Euros. But yet that team, after that experience, I can still remember the players going up to take those penalties and the aftermath. And then the outpouring of hatred, vitriol, abuse that came, which I think was shocking for them—certainly shocking for all of us, including for me—because just as we think that we’ve made great strides forward, there’s a brutal reminder: not so fast. Don’t be complacent.

    And yet that team, those young players, supported by Gareth, stood up and showed real leadership in the face of that hatred and that abuse. They used the honour of representing our country in our national game to help us build a better nation, a more inclusive nation, and to make us proud of our national identity, of who we are and what we stand for. And that was a brilliant response to what happened just four years ago and enabled us to bring the country together through that shared emotion of football. And that’s the power of football that we’re all here to harness today, because it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, what you do for a living—the basic joy of stepping onto a pitch and kicking a ball is deep in our humanity. And I say this from personal experience: football is for everyone. There’s something special about stepping onto the pitch where almost everything else falls away, and it just depends on you and your teammates around you. And it’s a reminder of the power of football and that football is for everyone.

    Even for me, I am unashamedly ambitious about how we can use the unifying power of football to educate, as you are doing, to fight discrimination, bring our communities together, and promote health and fitness. And it really gives people a leg up with skills, employability, and confidence. And for young people, to my mind, confidence is probably the number one most valuable thing in whatever they do—the confidence it gives and the way that football contributes to all of that. And many of you here are leading the way with that, including many of our football clubs. But just to take some examples that I’ve seen from Arsenal: David Dein pioneering the Twinning Project, using football to reduce reoffending. What a brilliant project that is—to go into prisons and to work with young people to give them a chance when they come out of not going back into prison in the future through the Twinning Project. The Dirt Is Good campaign—tackling the stigma of stains on clothes and bringing down the barriers that have stopped girls playing sport for too long. And how far have we come because of campaigns like that with our women’s football, which has gone through massive strides in the last few years. And the support of Adidas to create new local pitches for people from all backgrounds to come and play, including in my own constituency—what a valuable contribution. Because that gives sport to children and young people who wouldn’t otherwise have it and gives them the chance not to be mucking about on the streets doing other things which wouldn’t do them any good in the long term.

    And they’re just examples. But I’m determined we can do so much more so that in each place there’s the pride that comes with football, the facilities and opportunities for everyone to play. Because investing in high-quality grassroots facilities in our communities can rebuild the social fabric of our country. We have our big clubs, and we have clubs across the whole of the country. And the pride in place of the local club is huge. The power of that to bring young people into the facilities is huge. And just look at any of the playoffs at Wembley. The whole town wants to go to support their community. Something comes out that is bigger than football, and that’s the pride of place that football showcases.

    And so here we are in the Number 10 garden to talk about how we use football to change our country for the better. On my first day as Prime Minister, I stood on the other side of this building, outside on the steps of Downing Street, and said that we would be a government of service. And that means that this is my place of work. It’s also where I live, incidentally. But it also belongs to you. And I want you to feel a sense of this. It’s not a privilege to be here in this garden, because if we’re the government of service, then we’re in your service. And therefore, this is a place to which you’re entitled to come—not just privileged to come. And I want you to feel a real sense that this is my workplace. But in a sense, today I want it to feel like your workplace as well. You’re not just invited to be here—you are entitled to be here, and you’re welcome. And to put your fingerprints on the work of this government—it’s very important that you push us and tell us what else we should be doing. You have the right, given everything you have already contributed, to tell us what else we should do—to put your fingerprints on the next policy, to make sure that we together shape a better future. And what an inspiring group of people to be able to do this here in this garden.

    Thank you for coming. Let’s show racism the red card and use football to help deliver the change this country needs.

    Thank you so much.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Leeds campaign takes stand against all discrimination

    Source: City of Leeds

    Leeds City Council is launching a new campaign taking a stand against all forms of discrimination.

    This comes as the council is preparing a new Stronger Leeds Strategy 2025-30, outlining the council’s commitment to strengthening social cohesion across the city. It includes plans for addressing issues that impact on people’s sense of belonging and celebrating the city’s vibrant diversity.

    Social cohesion refers to how well people from different backgrounds, cultures, and social groups get on and live together peacefully, sharing common values, goals, and responsibilities.

    Between October 2023 and September 2024 3,234 instances of hate crime were recorded in Leeds. Many instances of discrimination and hate crime are never reported, so the real number is thought to be much higher.

    The new anti-discrimination campaign uses posters across the city centre and social media activity to spread a message of non-tolerance for misogyny, racism, anti-Muslim prejudice, anti Semitism, ageism, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and disability discrimination. It also aims to highlight the pride that people feel in the city’s diversity through the overall tagline “What makes us different makes us Leeds”.

    Councillor Mary Harland, Leeds City Council’s executive member for communities, customer services and community safety, said: “At Leeds City Council, we will not tolerate discrimination in any form. Leeds has a proud tradition of welcoming people from all backgrounds, faiths and beliefs and we want to celebrate being a diverse and vibrant city.

    “We are proud of our diverse communities and tackling hate crime and intolerance is a top priority for us as we work to strengthen community cohesion.

    “This campaign is part of what we’re doing to take a stand against discrimination, challenge harmful attitudes and build a city where everyone feels and is respected and safe.”

    Read more about the campaign at leeds.gov.uk/strongerleeds. 

    ENDS

    The campaign has sourced funding from the community recovery fund: Community Recovery Fund: Guidance – GOV.UK. This is a pot made available to areas who experienced unrest in 2024, and can be used for a range of things, including “To reduce the risk of further disorder in the future” and “To rebuild social trust and promote cohesion between communities”.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Sham Shui Po district officer named

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Government today announced that Oscar Wong will assume the post of District Officer (Sham Shui Po) on June 20.

    Mr Wong joined the Administrative Service in 2015. He has served in the then Home Affairs Bureau and the Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau.

    He is currently a Senior Administrative Officer (Tourism) at the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: From retro games to AI workouts, China’s children jump into new era of school sports

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

    From retro games to AI workouts, China’s children jump into new era of school sports

    Children at a primary school in Suqian, east China’s Jiangsu Province, creatively use their bodies to anchor vibrant strings.

    Laughter rings out across a sunlit playground in rural eastern China, as children at a primary school form colorful knots of motion, using their bodies to anchor vibrant strings that weave in and out of intricate shapes – stars, pentagons and abstract forms.

    Children weave the string between fingers to form intricate patterns.

    The game, known as Cat’s Cradle, evokes memories of childhood for generations of Chinese adults who recall hours spent deftly looping string between their fingers.

    But at the Tangjian Central Primary School in Suqian, Jiangsu Province, schoolchildren have reinvented it as a modern, physically engaging team activity that blends creativity with agility, coordination and laughter.

    The upgraded version is winning hearts far beyond the schoolyard. Video clips of the students performing their innovative routines have gone viral on social media, amassing tens of millions of views and comments celebrating their ingenuity and nostalgic charm.

    OLD GAMES, NEW TWISTS

    At this primary school, jumping rope is one of the students’ most beloved hobbies. Each day, clusters of children gather during breaks to leap, twist and flip – some even adding gymnastic flourishes such as somersaults and handstands, bringing a fresh dynamism to an age-old activity.

    Teenagers add gymnastic flourishes such as somersaults and handstands when jumping rope.

    “Skipping ropes are inexpensive, yet infinitely adaptable. It has become our school’s signature sport,” said school principal Geng Jinbao, adding that every class boasts a performance jump rope team, and the school has clinched five national titles in competitive skipping events.

    Once burdened by rigorous academic demands that left little room for physical activity, Chinese teenagers are now reaping the benefits of sweeping educational reforms, with initiatives aiming to ease academic pressure and promote holistic development, including more time for fitness and fun.

    “Chinese schools are now encouraged to design creative sports activities that engage students’ interests and make sports a joyful part of their growth,” said Geng.

    Across China, innovation is reshaping the way children move. In southwest China’s Guizhou Province, middle-schoolers follow upbeat pop music during daily fitness sessions. In Jiangsu’s Nantong, over 2,000 students sprint in synchronized patterns that echo the nostalgic mobile game Snake.

    Some schools are even reimagining traditional Chinese culture as athletic spectacle, transforming martial arts, lion dancing and the folk game diabolo into sweat-inducing, skill-building activities that marry fitness with cultural heritage.

    Amid these homages to the past, the future sporting landscapes are also taking root. Increasingly, Chinese schools are embracing AI to personalize student workouts and fine-tune physical education.

    Many schools in Beijing have introduced AI-powered sports facilities equipped with high-speed cameras and sensor technology, as the city’s government has implemented a work plan for AI application in the education sector, deepening the use of AI in sports to offer scientific and targeted guidance for students’ fitness and exercise.

    AI playground systems, for instance, capture data on sprints, long jumps and jumping rope, correcting students’ technique and tailoring training plans. Coupled with wristbands that monitor heart rate and other indicators, these innovations are also alert to potential safety risks.

    During recess at a primary school in Suzhou, 10-year-old Xu Zihao battles friends in a football juggling contest, while an AI-enabled screen displays their juggling counts, speeds and accuracy, updating a leaderboard in real time.

    “This kind of training is just so much fun,” said Xu. “We can compete whenever we have free time, and it keeps a record of how we’re improving every day.”

    NO SPORTS, NO EDUCATION

    China’s diverse landscape of campus athletics is widely seen as a crucial step towards nurturing a healthy and happy generation. Data released in 2024 show that 19 percent of Chinese children aged 6 to 17 are overweight or obese, while a 2023 study found that 52.7 percent are affected by myopia.

    The country’s 14th Five-Year Plan and long-range objectives through 2035 call for improving preschool nutrition, curbing childhood obesity and myopia, and ensuring time for school physical education and extracurricular exercise. Official guidelines now require students to engage in at least two hours of physical activity daily.

    Beijing has launched initiatives to make PE classes more engaging by encouraging students to “work up a sweat,” integrating class-level sports leagues, and making at least one of the “big three ball games” – basketball, football or volleyball – a mandatory part of the PE curriculum.

    Meanwhile, in Shanghai, the two-hour daily exercise window has been transformed into a highly anticipated time of vitality for schoolchildren, boosted by smart technology and the excitement of friendly competition.

    Experts note that the benefits extend far beyond physical strength. Former NBA star and youth sports advocate Yao Ming said that sports should also be viewed as a way to build children’s emotional resilience and character.

    “We must encourage more children to step onto sports fields, reconnect with nature, and engage in real human interaction,” said Yao. “Only then can they grow into a generation with not just strong bodies, but strong minds.”

    Safety concerns are also gaining prominence. “Beyond physical risks, doing sports with new technologies, for instance, demands robust data management systems to safeguard students’ information and prevent misuse or leakage,” said Wang Zongping, a professor at Nanjing University of Science and Technology.

    Wang added that schools are increasingly abandoning rigid and repetitive training regimes in favor of collaborative and inspirational activities that foster teamwork and even awaken dreams.

    Chen Haoyu, a sixth grader at Tangjian Central Primary School, was once so shy that he hardly dared answer questions in class, but gradually built his confidence through jumping rope. “It opened a switch in my heart,” said Chen, who has competed overseas and claimed two gold medals in international games.

    “Sports have also taught me to face challenges bravely,” said the 12-year-old. “That’s a lesson I’ll carry for the rest of my life.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Appointment of District Officer for Sham Shui Po District (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Mr Oscar Wong will assume the post of District Officer (Sham Shui Po) on June 20.
     
         Since joining the Administrative Service in 2015, Mr Wong has served in the then Home Affairs Bureau and the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau.
     
         He is currently a Senior Administrative Officer (Tourism) at the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: 21Shares Launches 21Shares Hedera ETP (HDRA) on Euronext

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New ETP offers regulated exposure to one of the most scalable and sustainable distributed ledger technologies

    Zurich, 3 June 2025 – 21Shares AG (“21Shares”), one of the world’s largest issuers of crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs), today announced the launch of the 21Shares Hedera ETP (Ticker: HDRA). The product is now listed on Euronext Amsterdam (USD) and Euronext Paris (EUR), offering investors simple, transparent, and regulated access to Hedera’s enterprise-grade DLT (distributed ledger technology).

    Exchange Product Name Ticker ISIN Fee
    Euronext Paris and Euronext Amsterdam 21Shares Hedera ETP HDRA CH1456607683 2.50%

    The 21Shares Hedera ETP provides 100% physically backed exposure to HBAR, the native token of the Hedera network. It allows investors to gain institutional-grade access, directly through traditional bank or brokerage accounts, to one of the most energy-efficient and scalable distributed ledger technologies available today.

    “With its unique architecture, strong governance model, and real-world adoption, Hedera stands out as one of the most advanced distributed ledger technologies on the market,” said Duncan Moir, President at 21Shares and Board Member at Hedera Hashgraph LLC. “By launching the 21Shares Hedera ETP, we are enabling both institutional and retail investors to participate in the growing Hedera ecosystem through a fully regulated, transparent investment vehicle.”

    Hedera is an open-source distributed ledger designed for real-world innovation and enterprise use. It is governed by a global council of up to 39 renowned institutions, including Google, IBM, LG, Dell, EDF, and Deutsche Telekom, operating under legally binding, transparent terms. This governance model emphasises trust, resilience, and long-term stability – redefining decentralisation for scalable, mainstream adoption.

    “As more institutions seek secure ways to access digital assets, 21Shares continues to lead the way by bridging traditional finance and crypto with clarity and confidence,” said Gregg Bell, Chief Business Officer at Hedera Foundation. “This collaboration gives investors a straightforward way to access HBAR and brings them closer to a network trusted by leading institutions worldwide.”

    Unlike traditional blockchains, Hedera leverages its novel Hashgraph consensus mechanism that delivers industry-leading performance. It supports up to 500,000 transactions per second under testing conditions, offers predictable, fixed fees in USD, and consumes just 0.000003 kWh per transaction – making it 1,000 times more energy-efficient than a typical Visa transaction. 

    For more information, visit www.21Shares.com.

    Notes to editors

    About 21Shares

    21Shares is one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange traded product providers and offers the largest suite of crypto ETPs in the market. The company was founded to make cryptocurrency more accessible to investors, and to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance. 21Shares listed the world’s first physically-backed crypto ETP in 2018, building a seven-year track record of creating crypto exchange-traded funds that are listed on some of the biggest, most liquid securities exchanges globally. Backed by a specialized research team, proprietary technology, and deep capital markets expertise, 21Shares delivers innovative, simple and cost-efficient investment solutions.

    21Shares is a member of 21.co, a global leader in decentralized finance. For more information, please visit www.21Shares.com

    Media Contact
    Matteo Valli
    matteo.valli@21shares.com

    About Hedera Foundation

    Hedera Foundation fuels the innovation and development of public-network applications on the Hedera network. By providing grants, technical assistance, and community support, we empower projects that leverage Hedera’s fast, secure, and sustainable ledger to solve real-world problems. Learn more at hedera.foundation.

    DISCLAIMER

    This document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities of 21Shares AG in any jurisdiction. Neither this document nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any offer or commitment whatsoever or for any other purpose in any jurisdiction. Nothing in this document should be considered investment advice.

    This document and the information contained herein are not for distribution in or into (directly or indirectly) the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which the distribution or release would be unlawful.

    This document does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. The securities of 21Shares AG to which these materials relate have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There will not be a public offering of securities in the United States. Neither the US Securities and Exchange Commission nor any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States has approved or disapproved of an investment in the securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of the contents of this presentation. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

    Within the United Kingdom, this document is only being distributed to and is only directed at: (i) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”); or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”); or (iii) persons who fall within Article 43(2) of the Order, including existing members and creditors of the Company or (iv) any other persons to whom this document can be lawfully distributed in circumstances where section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply. The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

    Exclusively for potential investors in any EEA Member State that has implemented the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) is made available on the Issuer’s website under www.21Shares.com.

    The approval of the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) should not be understood as an endorsement by the SFSA of the securities offered or admitted to trading on a regulated market. Eligible potential investors should read the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) and the relevant Final Terms before making an investment decision in order to understand the potential risks associated with the decision to invest in the securities. You are about to purchase a product that is not simple and may be difficult to understand.

    This document constitutes advertisement within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 and the Swiss Financial Services Act (the “FinSA”) and not a prospectus. The 2024 Base Prospectus of 21Shares AG has been deposited pursuant to article 54(2) FinSA with BX Swiss AG in its function as Swiss prospectus review body within the meaning of article 52 FinSA. The 2024 Base Prospectus and the key information document for any products may be obtained at 21Shares AG’s website (https://21shares.com/ir/prospectus or https://21shares.com/ir/kids).

    ###

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Dragonboat race gets ‘M’ Mark status

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Major Sports Events Committee announced today that it has awarded “M” Mark status to the 2025 Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, which will be held in Victoria Harbour, by Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade, from June 7 to 8.

    Major Sports Events Committee Chairman Wilfred Ng said the event is the largest dragon boat race in Hong Kong and combines sporting endeavour with traditional culture, attracting elite teams and dragon boat athletes from various countries and regions to compete fiercely and vie for honour.

    He added that the race not only promotes dragon boating but also attracts many overseas travellers to the city, strengthening Hong Kong’s status as a centre for major international sports events.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –