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  • MIL-OSI: Ingersoll Rand Sets Industry Standards for Sustainable Progress

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Ingersoll Rand earns “A List” rating from CDP in the environmental stewardship category for the second year in a row
    • Ranked #1 globally in the Machinery and Electrical Equipment industry with a top 1% score on the 2024 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment and included on the Dow Jones Best-in-Class Indices for the third year in a row
    • Near-term and net-zero Scope 1, 2, and 3 targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), validating Ingersoll Rand’s proposed emission reduction strategy
    • Named to TIME’s inaugural list of World’s Best Companies in Sustainable Growth

    DAVIDSON, N.C., Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ingersoll Rand Inc., (NYSE: IR) a global provider of mission-critical flow creation and life science and industrial solutions, continues to demonstrate meaningful progress against its ambitious sustainability strategy and goals with new recognition from CDP, the Dow Jones Best-in-Class Indices (previously the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices), the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and TIME.

    As of February 6, 2025, Ingersoll Rand has been recognized with an “A List” rating by CDP for its effective climate change actions and environmental leadership. Our company stands out among over 22,000 evaluated for its greenhouse gas reduction, sustainable product design, and climate management strategies.

    As of February 10, 2025, Ingersoll Rand received a score of 81 out of 100 on the 2024 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment. The company remained in the top 1% of companies in our industry (IEQ Machinery and Electrical Equipment industry) and was included in the Dow Jones Best-in Class World and North America Indices for the third consecutive year.

    In addition, Ingersoll Rand was included on TIME’s inaugural list of the World’s Best Companies in Sustainable Growth, and its near-term and net-zero targets have been validated for Scope 1, 2, and 3 by the SBTi.1 The TIME award and approval of targets by SBTi reinforce Ingersoll Rand’s commitment to both financial growth and sustainable leadership.

    “Being recognized as an industry leader demonstrates how Ingersoll Rand is living our purpose of Making Life Better,” said Vicente Reynal, chairman and chief executive officer of Ingersoll Rand. “From our new product development process to our revenue growth strategy and our commitment to employee safety, we are setting the standard for what it means to leverage sustainability to drive long-term shareholder value.”

    A replay of Ingersoll Rand’s 2024 sustainability investor call and presentation can be found here.

    1 Details on Ingersoll Rand’s validated targets are available on the SBTi dashboard: https://sciencebasedtargets.org/companies-taking-action#dashboard.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements related to Ingersoll Rand Inc.’s (the “Company” or “Ingersoll Rand”) expectations regarding the performance of its business, its financial results, its liquidity and capital resources and other non-historical statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “target,” “endeavor,” “seek,” “predict,” “intend,” “strategy,” “plan,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “on track to” “will continue,” “will likely result,” “guidance” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than historical facts are forward-looking statements.

    These forward-looking statements are based on Ingersoll Rand’s current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from these current expectations. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. The inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation that such plans, estimates or expectations will be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such plans, estimates or expectations include, among others, (1) adverse impact on our operations and financial performance due to natural disaster, catastrophe, global pandemics (including COVID-19), geopolitical tensions, cyber events or other events outside of our control; (2) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from completed and proposed business combinations; (3) uncertainty of the expected financial performance of the Company; (4) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of completed and proposed business combinations; (5) the ability of the Company to implement its business strategy; (6) difficulties and delays in achieving revenue and cost synergies; (7) inability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel; (8) evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes; (9) changes in general economic and/or industry specific conditions; (10) actions by third parties, including government agencies; and (11) other risk factors detailed in Ingersoll Rand’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as such factors may be updated from time to time in its periodic filings with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive.

    Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Ingersoll Rand undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or development, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements.

    About Ingersoll Rand Inc.

    Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE:IR), driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and ownership mindset, is dedicated to Making Life Better for our employees, customers, shareholders, and planet. Customers lean on us for exceptional performance and durability in mission-critical flow creation and life science and industrial solutions. Supported by over 80+ respected brands, our products and services excel in the most complex and harsh conditions. Our employees develop customers for life through their daily commitment to expertise, productivity, and efficiency. For more information, visit www.IRCO.com.

    Contacts:
    Investor Relations:
    Matthew.Fort@irco.com

    Media:
    Meghan.Winston@irco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Welcome Croatia’s Anti-Discrimination Measures, Raise Issues Concerning Reported Exploitation of Migrant Workers and the Social Benefit Scheme

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its review of the second periodic report of Croatia under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, with Committee Experts commending the State’s law and national action plan against discrimination, and raising issues concerning reported exploitation of migrant workers and the social benefit scheme.

    Karla Vanessa Lemus de Vásquez, Committee Expert and Lead Member of the Taskforce on Croatia, welcomed Croatia’s law against discrimination and the national action plan on combatting discrimination and protecting human rights.

    Joo-Young Lee, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce on Croatia, said migrant workers in Croatia were particularly vulnerable to poor working conditions, including non-payment for work, and failure to provide breaks or employment contracts.  What measures had been taken to address labour exploitation of migrant workers?

    Ms. Lee also cited reports that social assistance benefits were inadequate and often not sufficient to cover the cost of living.  What measures had the State party taken to address this?  Why had the number of beneficiaries decreased recently, and why did some regions require recipients of benefits to participate in community service?

    Ivan Vidiš, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy of Croatia and head of the delegation, introducing the report, said that the State party was proud of the reforms underway in Croatia.  In early 2023, Croatia joined the Schengen area, and the euro was introduced as a national currency.

    Mr. Vidiš said the National Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination for the period up to 2027 was adopted to ensure coordinated action by State administration bodies in the field of human rights protection and anti-discrimination, and to raise awareness of equality.

    On protections for migrant workers, Mr. Vidiš said labour legislation provided for third-country nationals legally working in Croatia to have the same rights as national workers, and the new Act on Combatting Undeclared Work obliged the employer to pay six months of salary to unregistered workers as well as a fine.

    On the social benefit scheme, the delegation said the number of recipients of the guaranteed minimum benefit had been dropping recently, in line with the reduction in unemployment.  The benefit had been increased three times in recent years, and the State party had developed a new Social Welfare Act that would increase the minimum social benefit.  The Act would also allow for persons to be excused from community service activities if they were unable to participate.

    In concluding remarks, Ms. Lemus de Vásquez thanked the delegation for the information shared, which provided insight into the progress achieved and measures planned to give effect to the Covenant in Croatia.  The Committee’s aim was to ensure the full realisation of economic, social and cultural rights for all persons in Croatia.

    Mr. Vidiš, in his concluding remarks, said Croatia was passionate about its work, open about its challenges, and determined to address them.  Economic, social and cultural rights were the cornerstone of the State party’s efforts.  Mr. Vidiš thanked the Committee for its constructive approach to the dialogue.

    In her concluding remarks, Laura-Maria Craciunean-Tatu, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for the open and constructive way in which it had participated in the dialogue.  The Committee hoped that Croatia would address the Committee’s forthcoming recommendations with a constructive spirit.

    The delegation of Croatia was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy; Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Property; Ministry of Science, Education and Youth; Office for Human Rights and Rights of National Minorities; Ministry of Finance; Croatian Employment Service; Ministry of the Interior; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition; Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs; Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation; and the Permanent Mission of Croatia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    The Committee’s seventy-seventh session is being held until 28 February 2025.  All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Webcasts of the meetings of the session can be found here, and meetings summaries can be found here.

    The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 12 February to begin its consideration of the fifth periodic report of Peru (E/C.12/PER/5).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the second periodic report of Croatia (E/C.12/HRV/2).

    Presentation of Report

    IVAN VIDIŠ, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy of Croatia and head of the delegation, said that the State party was proud of the reforms underway in Croatia.  In early 2023, Croatia joined the Schengen area, and the euro was introduced as a national currency.  As part of the European Economic Area, Croatia was exposed to inflationary developments caused the pandemic and then the war in Ukraine.  The Government intervened to a limited extent in energy prices and provided seven aid packages, all with the aim of protecting particularly vulnerable population groups.

    The National Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination for the period up to 2027 was adopted to ensure coordinated action by State administration bodies in the field of human rights protection and anti-discrimination, and to raise awareness of equality. 

    The State party had implemented a series of measures to strengthen workers’ rights.  The new Act on Combatting Undeclared Workers provided strict measures for employers who did not declare workers, including giving such workers the right to be registered and receive pay, pension and health insurance for the last six months, and foreign workers had access to the same protections as national workers.  Active employment policy measures had resulted in a historically low number of unemployed people.  Unemployment benefits had been increased and amendments had also been made to the labour legislation, laying down provisions on work through digital labour platforms and limiting the use of fixed-term contracts.

    In 2024, the salaries of civil servants and public service employees financed from the State budget were reformed towards a more transparent and fairer system.  The remuneration system for judges and prosecutors had also been revised to ensure that they could work smoothly and independently.  The minimum wage was constantly increasing and had almost doubled compared to 2019.

    To promote the social inclusion of vulnerable groups, the Government had provided increased rights and coverage for these groups in the Social Welfare Act and adopted the inclusive benefit, which significantly improved living standards.  Further, the State party had implemented measures to support elderly people.

    A new national plan for protection against violence against women and domestic violence, covering the period up to 2028, was under development.  As part of this plan, in 2024, a package of regulations dedicated to combatting violence against women and domestic violence entered into force, which included amendments to the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, and the Act on Protection from Domestic Violence.  The legislative package tightened sentencing and strengthened protective measures for victims.  The revised Criminal Code introduced a definition of “gender-based violence against women” that was in line with the Istanbul Convention and a new criminal offence of femicide.

    There were 123,000 foreign workers in Croatia.  The State party had introduced legislation to combat undeclared work, and existing labour legislation provided for third-country nationals legally working in Croatia to have the same rights as national workers.

    After the 2020 earthquakes, many public facilities had been renovated, and multi-dwelling buildings and family replacement houses were being built.  To ensure the availability of housing, especially for young families, Croatia’s first national housing policy plan up to 2030 had been drawn up.  At the end of 2024, the Government adopted a programme for the construction and renovation of housing units in assisted areas to help young people and families access housing and to encourage population growth in these areas.

    Significant measures had also been taken over the last three years to strengthen the free legal aid system.  A call for funding for projects to provide primary legal aid was launched for a three-year period from 2023 to 2025.  Funding for projects increased by 100 per cent in 2023.

    Croatia expressed its strong commitment to the realisation of the human rights enshrined in the Covenant, demonstrated by its achievement of a high level of human rights protection.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    KARLA VANESSA LEMUS DE VÁSQUEZ, Committee Expert, Country Rapporteur and Lead Member of the Taskforce on Croatia, asked about the number of cases in which the Covenant was invoked in domestic courts.  What was the domestic legal status of the treaty bodies’ observations?  Did Croatia plan to adopt the Optional Protocol?  How had the legislature and civil society participated in implementing the Committee’s previous concluding observations and in drafting the State party’s reports?  Did the State party have a national follow-up mechanism to coordinate follow-up activities?

    Croatia had great potential, considering its location, resources and human capital.  However, the State party was reportedly overdependent on the tourism industry, which hampered the productivity of businesses.  What measures were in place to increase the productivity of the private sector and reduce dependence on tourism?  Were there measures in place to build workers’ capacities?

    Croatia did not have a national action plan on business and human rights and due diligence regulations were not sufficient.  What measures had the State party implemented to transpose the European Union directive on due diligence into national law?  What measures were in place to ensure due diligence in the private sector and to help victims of human rights violations to access justice?

    Croatia had received low grades in greenhouse gas emissions, energy usage, and climate policy in a recent review.  Would Croatia be able to meet its climate commitments for 2030 and 2050?  What were the main challenges in this regard?  How would the State party rapidly cut greenhouse gas emissions?  What plans were in place to eradicate subsidies for fossil fuels and to reallocate funds to renewable energy?

    Official development assistance represented 0.2 per cent of gross domestic product, well below the 0.7 per cent recommended by the United Nations.  Were there plans to increase the budget allocated to such assistance in the next few years?

    The Committee welcomed the law against discrimination and the national action plan on combatting discrimination and protecting human rights.  Had the 2024 and 2025 plans been implemented and to what extent?

    The Roma had been facing discrimination regarding access to housing and healthcare in Croatia.  What progress had been made in combatting hate crimes against the Roma and in implementing the national action plan on inclusion of the Roma?  What measures were in place to address the gender gap in participation in the labour market and to combat stereotypes against women in the private sector?  Were there any wage equality measures in place?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said Croatia had one of the highest growth rates for gross domestic product in the European Union, at 3.6 per cent.  The State party had been using European Union funds to increase skills for around 140,000 citizens.  Judicial experts and judges had received training on the Covenant.  Croatia was working to continuously train public officers on human rights, particularly the rights of the Roma and vulnerable women and girls.

    Discussion on signing the Optional Protocol was ongoing, with public consultations being carried out.  If stakeholders found that the Optional Protocol was relevant to Croatia, the State party would launch ratification procedures.

    Croatia had working groups for developing legislation that included experts from line ministries and civil society representatives.  Analyses were carried out to determine areas where legislation needed to be aligned with international law and the recommendations of treaty bodies.

    Croatia had a strong tourism industry due to its location and natural and cultural heritage.  The Government was promoting sustainable tourism, implementing accommodation and environmental policies to regulate development in the sector.  There were around 270,000 pieces of property used for short-term renting to tourists.  New regulations addressed this, encouraging owners to provide long-term rental schemes and permanent housing.

    The State party was working on reforming vocational training to increase its availability, quality and relevance, and reduce school dropouts.  A new modular curriculum had been developed to allow students to engage in work experience activities.

    The new national action plan on the inclusion of the Roma covered the period of 2021 to 2027.  Around 57 per cent of financing programmes were in the education field.  The Government was also working on policies promoting access to healthcare and improved quality of life for the Roma population.

    Croatia was a part of the European Union’s ambitious climate policy, which aimed to make Europe climate neutral by 2050.  Under this policy, Croatia was working to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.  The national strategy on low carbon development and the national energy and climate plan had been developed to guide efforts to achieve climate objectives.  The plan included a measure for gradually abolishing subsidies for fossil fuels.  The State party had been monitoring national emissions using a database on emissions.

    Croatia’s gender employment gap, at 11.4 per cent, was lower than the European Union average.  Wage transparency policies were helping the State to achieve equal pay for equal work.  Measures had been developed to support access to employment for women in rural areas and women over the age of 50.

    There had been a spike in hate crimes following the increase in foreign workers in the State party.  To combat this, the Government had developed educational measures to promote the integration of foreign workers in society.

    Croatia was this year preparing to transpose the European Union directive on due diligence.  The national action plan on responsible businesses, which was being drafted by experts, aimed to support the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on measures implemented to bolster the capacity of the Ombudswoman’s office to ensure that it could carry out its mandate; the composition of bodies monitoring the implementation of treaty body recommendations; plans to address challenges related to disparities in regional development; the legal status of the Covenant in domestic legislation; measures to address unequal distribution of free legal aid services across the country; plans to broaden awareness raising activities on economic, social and cultural rights; and whether the State party planned to draft national action plans on human rights protections.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said that in Croatia, the Covenant had legal status and was directly applicable.  Public tender was provided to legal clinics to facilitate the provision of free legal aid across the State.  Funds for free legal aid were increased by 100 per cent in 2023 and by a further 30 per cent in 2024.  Transport fees were paid by the State when persons needed to travel more than 60 kilometres to attend courts.

    The salary system for the civil service had been reformed, including salaries for staff of the Ombudswoman’s Office.  On average, salaries for civil servants had been increased by around 30 per cent.  The budget for the Office had increased gradually since 2022.

    The Ministry of Labour, Pension System and Social Policy had a special service coordinating the implementation of the Covenant and other international documents.  Policies related to implementation were discussed with representatives of trade unions and civil society.

    The Federal Government was pursuing fiscal decentralisation and providing local and regional governments with funding to be used in regional development projects.  It sought to address gaps between less and more developed regions.

    The Social Housing Fund encouraged the population to live and work in rural areas, and a new programme on the construction of housing for young people focused on housing developments in rural areas.

    The new national action plan on human rights had been prepared but was currently being discussed in the Government.  The former plan was still in force.  National action plans on combatting trafficking in persons, promoting the inclusion of the Roma, and fighting discrimination were also being implemented.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    JOO-YOUNG LEE, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Croatia, said that the State party had implemented employment policy measures focusing on the integration of vulnerable people into the labour market.  What impact had those measures had?  What was the trend in rates of young people who were not in employment, education or training over the last five years?

    What measures were in place to address the discrimination and prejudice faced by Roma persons in the workplace?  The disability employment gap was around 23 per cent as of 2023, related to a lack of reasonable accommodation measures.  How was the State party promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workplace?

    The Committee noted legislation addressing unregistered, unpaid and precarious work, but such work remained prevalent in the State party.  Migrant workers were particularly vulnerable to poor working conditions, including non-payment for work, and failure to provide breaks or employment contracts.  What were the root causes of labour exploitation of migrant workers and what measures had been taken to address them?  How was the State party working to improve the capacity of public officials to uphold migrant workers’ rights and impose appropriate sanctions on persons who violated those rights?

    Social assistance benefits were reportedly inadequate and often not sufficient to cover the cost of living.  What measures had the State party taken to address this?  Why had the number of beneficiaries decreased recently?  What budget had been devoted to social benefits in the last five years?  What measures had been implemented to improve social services for persons with disabilities, older persons, and persons living in rural areas?

    The “at risk of poverty” rate was around 42 per cent in Croatia.  This was reportedly due to strict requirements limiting access to unemployment benefits.  How did the State party ensure that unemployed persons did not fall into poverty?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the State party provided educational and training support to unemployed persons.  Several hundreds of persons had found employment through the Government’s on-the-job training programme.

    Legislative changes and State-funded support centres had led to an increase in the registration of persons with disabilities and their inclusion in the labour market.  The unemployment rate for persons with disabilities was currently at a record low level.  The Government financed up to two-thirds of the salaries of persons with disabilities, including self-employed persons, and financed the adaption of workplaces to the needs of persons with disabilities.  The employment rate of persons with disabilities had increased by 70 per cent in recent years.

    The new Act on Combatting Undeclared Work obliged the employer to pay six months of salary to unregistered workers as well as a fine of 2,600 euros.  There was a public register of employers that had employed unregistered workers.

    The Government also had a register of persons who were not in employment, education or training.  It was planning programmes to involve these persons in education or the labour market.  Only 13 per cent of young people were currently unemployed, down from a historic high of around 50 per cent.  Croatia had removed many restrictions related to accessing unemployment benefits.

    Foreign workers received materials informing them of their rights to State services, including health care, unemployment benefits and complaints mechanisms.  The Government supported foreign workers to learn the Croatian language.

    The guaranteed minimum benefit was provided to persons who did not have basic sustenance.  More than 40,000 persons received this benefit.  The number of recipients had been dropping in recent years, in line with the reduction in unemployment.  The benefit had been increased three times in recent years, and there were plans to increase it further, along with other benefits.  The Government was working to amend the Social Welfare Act to increase the base payment for single parents and their children by 25 per cent.  The national allowance for the elderly provided support to persons who did not have sufficient pensions.  The Government was strengthening the capacities of institutions to monitor poverty and better combat it.

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    JOO-YOUNG LEE, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Croatia, said it was welcome that the Act on Foreigner Workers would be amended and that the basic social benefit had increased.

    Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on the assessment of measures for housing provided to foreign workers; the methodology used to assess citizens’ risk of poverty; why some regions required recipients of benefits to participate in community service; the timeframe in which the minimum wage had increased and whether it covered the cost of living; whether rules regarding the renewal of temporary work contracts led to unemployment; measures being taken to promote entrepreneurship; the nationalities of migrant workers in the State party; and policies being implemented to enable women to enter the labour market and promote sharing of domestic work tasks.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said there were clear criteria in place regarding the accommodation of foreign workers.  The Government was working with the embassies of foreign countries to inform migrant workers about their rights.

    The percentage of persons at risk of poverty had not increased in recent years.  The State party had developed a new Social Welfare Act that would increase the minimum social benefit and would allow for persons to be excused from community service activities if they were unable to participate.  Community service often helped unemployed persons to enter the labour market.

    Around two per cent of workers received the minimum wage.  The Government had worked to ensure that all workers in vulnerable sectors such as manufacturing received at least the minimum wage.  The nominal minimum wage had been increased by 130 per cent between 2016 and 2025.  The real increase, taking inflation into account, was around 70 per cent.  The minimum wage was calculated considering other benefits being received.

    There were around 6,000 self-employed persons receiving State benefits.  Most benefits were provided in the food and construction industries.

    The State was developing a law to promote women’s return to work after childbirth.  It was financing the construction of kindergartens and schools and providing parental leave for fathers, which more than 60 per cent of fathers were taking.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    ASRAF ALLY CAUNHYE Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Croatia, said the escalation of violence against women in recent years in the State party was of great concern.  What measures were in place to provide support for victims, particularly women with disabilities?  How was the State party preventing the abuse of women with disabilities in institutions and addressing harmful practices affecting Roma women and children?  What measures were in place to prevent all forms of trafficking in persons, identify victims, prevent reprisals against victims after they reported offences, and ensure that penalties for trafficking were commensurate with the seriousness of offences?  How was the State party addressing the effects of inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable persons?

    Croatia did not have a needs-based housing policy or an effective strategy for addressing homelessness.  Approximately 6.5 per cent per cent of the population did not have access to the water supply network and many of the Roma lived in poor housing conditions.  What measures were in place to improve access to housing and housing conditions for vulnerable persons, prevent evictions of the Roma, and tackle homelessness?

    Some people in remote areas, particularly the Roma, had limited access to health services.  There was a shortage in healthcare staff in rural areas and long waiting lists for specialised care.  What measures were in place to provide timely access to quality healthcare in remote areas and to reduce waiting lists?  How would the State party promote access to healthcare for asylum seekers and persons with disabilities?  What steps had been taken to promote access to safe abortions when mothers’ lives were at risk?  What resources had been allocated to setting up mobile health teams and community mental health care services, and to combatting the high suicide rate?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the national action plan on social services aimed to facilitate access to these services, secure a better regional distribution of services, including services for the elderly, and promote deinstitutionalisation and foster care.  Payments to foster families had been increased and media campaigns had been carried out to highlight their importance.  The act on personal assistance of 2023 regulated the recruitment of personal assistants for persons with disabilities.  Over 5,000 assistants were currently employed, and the Government was working to recruit more.

    The Government was conducting roundtables and workshops with employers to encourage the increased employment of the Roma and other vulnerable groups.  Career management centres were being established in every region of the State to support their access to employment.

    Croatia had issues with affordable housing, influenced by the war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, and inflation.  Consultations were being carried out on a national housing plan, which would be adopted soon.  Under the plan, settlement of vulnerable and young persons and settlement in underdeveloped areas would be encouraged.  Croatia had a shortage of around 270,000 residential units compared to demand.  There were also around 50,000 unused residential units; the Government planned to adopt legislation to allow the State to take over empty units and provide them to vulnerable persons.  New laws would make it possible to build more affordable housing and expand land allocated for affordable housing.  The procedure for obtaining permits for building family homes would soon be simplified.

    The State party provided housing for victims of domestic violence and was also building family homes for the Roma community in rural areas.  Housing had also been provided for persons under international protection, and for persons whose homes were destroyed in earthquakes.  The State had also provided accommodation for over 600 homeless persons.  Large cities and counties provided food to homeless persons through social kitchens.

    Croatia had amended the Act on Water, which enhanced access to water for vulnerable groups.  Local government units were obliged to provide water for human use and to install wells in public spaces.  The State was investing heavily in the water distribution network to improve the quality and availability of water.

    The Government had provided seven different support packages to reduce the prices of energy, food, fuel and gas.  As a result, Croatia had the lowest energy prices in the European Union.  Some 70 retail products had also been subsidised by the State to protect vulnerable groups, and cash supports had been provided for more than 700,000 retirees.

    The Government was working to improve the legislative framework against gender-based violence.  Gender-based violence was treated as an aggravating circumstance in the Criminal Code, and Croatia was one of the first countries in Europe to make femicide a stand-alone crime.  The law against family violence had also been amended to increase sanctions for perpetrators and support for victims.  Victims were examined via video-link unless they insisted on being in the courtroom.  Training on gender-based violence was provided for judges, prosecutors and police officers.  

    A new national action plan on the prevention of sexual violence was currently being developed.  Twenty-six shelters were available for victims of sexual and gender-based violence in all territories of the State.  Ten million euros had been devoted to financing these shelters.  A new media campaign was being carried out on preventing violence against women.

    To increase access to primary healthcare, a new healthcare service network had been established that included mobile medical and psychiatric healthcare teams.  These teams covered a wide geographical area and included emergency helicopter and maritime services.  The Government had also increased the availability of telehealth services.  Each county had at least one hospital.  Croatia was close to the European Union average for the number of doctors per 100,000 inhabitants and the number of doctors was increasing.  The Government provided funds for residencies for young doctors.

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    One Committee Expert welcomed indicators developed by the State party on measuring poverty, while another praised the State party’s various initiatives promoting access to housing.

    Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on progress in the implementation of the national strategy on reducing drug-related harm; measures to prevent house demolition and forced evictions of vulnerable groups, and remedies provided to affected persons; statistics on homelessness and the average period of stay in shelters; whether takeovers of unused units were temporary or permanent, and whether the Government planned to pay compensation to owners; how the State responded when people could not afford to pay utility bills or their mortgage; measures to prevent the discriminatory effects of reporting obligations required to receive health insurance; and plans to update poverty indicators from a multidimensional lens.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said that in 2023, the Government adopted the national strategy on addiction, which aimed to reduce harms and risks related to addiction.  Every year, it implemented over 300 intervention programmes related to addiction.  The Government primarily rehabilitated adults in the social welfare system, but some addicts were in the prison system.  Non-governmental organizations provided counselling and intervention services for addicts.  Around one-third of addicts in treatment were women.  The Government was developing measures to support women addicts and provide social housing for them.

    Under State guidelines on the provision of abortions, patients could demand terminations of pregnancy in all hospitals in the State.  In cases of conscientious objection from doctors, patients were referred to other doctors or institutions.  

    The act on compulsory health insurance provided the right to healthcare for persons under international protection and asylum seekers and their family members, as well as unaccompanied minors.  Many citizens who lived abroad used free telehealth services in Croatia, abusing the system.  This was why the obligation of reporting to authorities once every three months to obtain health insurance had been introduced.

    Croatia had adopted a strategy framework on the development of mental healthcare, which aimed to reduce the suicide rate and improve the mental health of children and workers in particular.

    Courts applied the caselaw of the European Court of Human Rights regarding evictions, so it was very difficult to forcefully evict people from their homes.  The Government was increasing fiscal pressures on unused properties and implementing measures that made long-term rent more beneficial for owners than short-term rent.  The State would also rent and sublet private unused apartments at a reduced price; it would not forcefully take these properties away from owners.  A new property tax had been developed to replace taxation on vacation homes.  All properties used for long-term rent were excluded from the tax.

    It was difficult to count homeless people who had not approached relevant service providers.  Homeless persons could receive personal identification documents by registering at a local institute for social welfare.  The Government was empowering homeless persons to gain employment.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    ASLAN ABASHIDZE, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Croatia, asked for disaggregated data on school enrolment, completion and dropout rates at primary and secondary levels for the last 10 years.  Which ethnic groups had high dropout rates?  What progress had been made in promoting the inclusion of the Roma in the education system?  All children, including Roma children, needed to attend preschool education.  Who was responsible on collecting data on Roma children who were eligible to attend preschool?  How many Roma children had attended preschool over the past five years and how many had progressed to primary and secondary education?  

    What measures were in place to ensure that refugees and migrants had access to quality Croatian language courses and higher education?  Had a new programme been adopted to support these groups in 2025?  Were there specific measures to support Serbian children’s education?  There were reports of vandalism targeting Serbian monuments and Orthodox churches.  Had these incidents been investigated and violators held responsible?  How would the Government ensure that such violence did not occur in the future?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the dropout rate in Croatia was around two per cent, which was around the lowest rate in the European Union.  There was a system that monitored students, but it did not record the national affiliation of students.  Data on Roma students had been gathered since 2008, however.  This data informed the Government’s activities for Roma students.  Around 70 per cent of Roma students attended secondary school; this was lower than the national average.  The national action plan on the inclusion of the Roma included activities encouraging education for Roma children, including scholarships for Roma pupils in secondary schools.  Annually, between 50 and 100 Roma children dropout out of school.  The number of Roma university students receiving scholarships had increased in recent years.  “Roma assistants” were employed in primary schools to support Roma children.  On average, around 400 Roma children were enrolled in kindergartens each year.  Local governments funded kindergarten education for Roma children.

    One year of preschool education was mandatory for all pupils.  The Government funded preschool programmes for each child.  Over the next three years, it would invest around 200 million euros in this public service.  Croatian language courses were provided to all students who did not speak Croatian, starting from primary level.

    Vandalism based on ethnicity was treated as a form of discrimination and a hate crime, and was punished with a harsher sentence.  The State party was cooperating with civil society organizations representing ethnic groups to prevent such incidents and bring perpetrators to justice.

    The Ministry of Culture and Media had secured funds to support the needs of national minorities.  Funds were being devoted to cultural associations, libraries and there were other measures of protecting the cultural heritage of minorities.  Public broadcasters were required to devote a portion of broadcasts to programmes for national minorities.  The Government also helped fund the cultural activities of persons with disabilities.

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on whether foreign students received free higher education; the number of foreign students in the State; steps taken to enhance inclusive education for persons with disabilities; whether indexation was used to calculate social assistance benefits; whether trade union rights were adequately granted to all workers, including police and military personnel; measures implemented to encourage reporting of racial discrimination offences and prevent such discrimination; the delegation’s response to reports of insufficient funding and will from authorities to address hate-related crimes; and statistics on crimes against Serbians.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said that in 2024, there were 531 foreign students enrolled in Croatian universities.  The Government had adopted guidelines on supporting children with disabilities, who were entitled to specially trained teaching assistants.

    Croatia used automatic indexation to calculate elderly benefits and pensions, based on cost-of-living indicators.  There was no index system for the guaranteed minimum benefit, which was increased once per year by the Government, considering various factors.  A project had been launched to better monitor poverty rates through the Central Population Register, which would be established this year.

    Trade unions in Croatia could create their own networks, participate in the drafting of legislation and national policies, and participate in parliamentary debates.  The Government was drafting an action plan to encourage all employers to conclude collective agreements.  The scope of certain collective agreements was extended by the State to prevent unfair competition or restrictions on workers’ rights.  Only active military personnel were restricted from forming trade unions in line with existing legislation; police officers could form and join unions.  Property used by trade unions was formerly owned by the State, but legislation that entered into force last week transferred ownership to a trade union fund.

    In 2023, the State party recorded 61 hate crimes against ethnic minorities.  This was a decrease from the 67 crimes reported in 2021.  Authorities needed to consider these as serious offences and respond appropriately.  The judicial academy provided training for judges and judicial workers on the prohibition of discrimination, hate crimes and hate speech, including anti-Semitism.  Thirteen workshops would be held in 2025.  Police officers were also involved in workshops on preventing anti-Semitism, hate speech and all forms of discrimination.

    Closing Remarks

    KARLA VANESSA LEMUS DE VÁSQUEZ, Committee Expert, Country Rapporteur and Lead Member of the Taskforce on Croatia, thanked the delegation for the information shared, which provided insight into the progress achieved and measures planned to give effect to the Covenant in Croatia.  The Committee’s aim was to ensure the full realisation of economic, social and cultural rights for all persons in Croatia.  She thanked all persons who had contributed to the successful dialogue.

    IVAN VIDIŠ, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy of Croatia and head of the delegation, said Croatia was making every effort to make progress.  The State party was passionate about its work, open about its challenges, and determined to address them.  Croatia had faced aggression in its past, and the Committee needed to consider the difficult path the country had travelled.  Economic, social and cultural rights were the cornerstone of the State party’s efforts.  The cost-of-living crisis was a major concern currently, but the State party’s measures supporting energy and other costs had lightened the burden for residents.  Croatia was facing a demographic decline, but incentives were in place to support a reversal of demographic trends.  Parliament had recently agreed on a declaration regarding the rights of older people, who made up an increasingly large portion of the population.  Mr. Vidiš thanked the Committee for its constructive approach to the dialogue.

     

    LAURA-MARIA CRACIUNEAN-TATU, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for the open and constructive way in which it had participated in the dialogue.  The dialogue with Croatia would continue, as the Committee would select three follow-up recommendations that it called on the State party to address within 24 months.  It hoped that Croatia would continue to address the Committee’s recommendations with a constructive spirit.

     

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

     

    CESCR25.002E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) Regains Compliance with NASDAQ Listing Standards as of February 10, 2025. (UPDATED)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nashville, Tennessee, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) (“American Rebel” or the “Company”), creator of American Rebel Beer (americanrebelbeer.com) and a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of branded safes, personal security and self-defense products and apparel (americanrebel.com), is pleased to announce that it has regained compliance with the periodic filing requirement under NASDAQ’s listing rules.

    “Maintaining our NASDAQ listing is of utmost importance to our Company and our stockholders. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to our internal and external accounting teams for their tireless efforts in ensuring our ability to file our FY2024 3rdQuarter financials that allowed American Rebel to regain compliance with NASDAQ’s listing rules.” Andy Ross, CEO of American Rebel, further commented, “The dedication and hard work of Darin Fielding, CFO of our wholly owned subsidiary, Champion Safe Co., who emerged as our regulatory lead due to his previous auditor experience was instrumental in the coordination between our independent auditors, GBQ and Eventus Advisory Group’s seasoned team of public company accounting professionals.”

    Timeline of NASDAQ Compliance Efforts

    November 14, 2024 – FY2024 3rd Quarter 10Q due

    November 22, 2024 – Company notification by NASDAQ that it no longer met the perioding listing requirement due to the inability to file the FY2024 3rd Quarter 10Q

    January 21, 2025 – Deadline for American Rebel Holdings, Inc. to submit a plan to NASDAQ to regain compliance with the listing requirements

    February 7, 2025 – American Rebel Holdings, Inc. files Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2024.

    Revenue for the three (3) months ended September 30, 2024 of $2,337,786.00

    Revenue for the nine (9) months ended September 30, 2024 of $9,637,016.00

    February 10, 2025 – American Rebel Holdings, Inc. is notified by NASDAQ Staff that with the February 7, 2025 filing of the 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2024, that the Company is deemed compliant with the NASDAQ Listing Rules.

    In the coming weeks, the Company is planning on providing a brief stockholder update from its CEO, Andy Ross, detailing the progress made in our business units throughout last year. This update will highlight the rapid growth and success American Rebel has experienced in our American Rebel Beverage business unit responsible for American Rebel Light Beer and the positive impacts of the reorganization and streamlining of our product offerings and processes at Champion Safe Co. (www.championsafe.com).

    About American Rebel Holdings, Inc.

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) has operated primarily as a designer, manufacturer and marketer of branded safes and personal security and self-defense products and has recently transitioned into the beverage industry through the introduction of American Rebel Light Beer. The Company also designs and produces branded apparel and accessories. To learn more, visit www.americanrebel.com and www.americanrebelbeer.com. For investor information, visit www.americanrebel.com/investor-relations.

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc.
    info@americanrebel.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. American Rebel Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ: AREB; AREBW) (the “Company,” “American Rebel,” “we,” “our” or “us”) desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words “forecasts” “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include benefits of marketing outreach efforts, continued compliance with Nasdaq listing requirements, our ability to effectively execute our business plan, and the Risk Factors contained within our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

    Company Contact:
    Corey Lambrecht, COO
    Corey.lambrecht@americanrebel.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 11.02.2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nokia Corporation
    Stock Exchange Release
    11 February 2025 at 22:30 EET

    Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 11.02.2025

    Espoo, Finland – On 11 February 2025 Nokia Corporation (LEI: 549300A0JPRWG1KI7U06) has acquired its own shares (ISIN FI0009000681) as follows:

    Trading venue (MIC Code) Number of shares Weighted average price / share, EUR*
    XHEL 1,390,880 4.69
    CEUX – –
    BATE – –
    AQEU – –
    TQEX – –
    Total 1,390,880 4.69

    * Rounded to two decimals

    On 22 November 2024, Nokia announced that its Board of Directors is initiating a share buyback program to offset the dilutive effect of new Nokia shares issued to the shareholders of Infinera Corporation and certain Infinera Corporation share-based incentives. The repurchases in compliance with the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (MAR), the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 and under the authorization granted by Nokia’s Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024 started on 25 November 2024 and end by 31 December 2025 and target to repurchase 150 million shares for a maximum aggregate purchase price of EUR 900 million.

    Total cost of transactions executed on 11 February 2025 was EUR 6,518,637. After the disclosed transactions, Nokia Corporation holds 245,094,754 treasury shares.

    Details of transactions are included as an appendix to this announcement.

    On behalf of Nokia Corporation

    BofA Securities Europe SA

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs which is celebrating 100 years of innovation.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Inquiries:

    Nokia Communications
    Phone: +358 10 448 4900
    Email: press.services@nokia.com
    Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications

    Nokia Investor Relations
    Phone: +358 931 580 507
    Email: investor.relations@nokia.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Connecticut Students to Hear from NASA Astronauts Aboard Space Station

    Source: NASA

    Students from Rocky Hill, Connecticut, will have the chance to connect with NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Don Pettit as they answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related questions from aboard the International Space Station.
    Watch the 20-minute space-to-Earth call at 11:40 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 18, on NASA+ and learn how to watch NASA content on various platforms, including social media.
    The event for kindergarten through 12th grade students will be hosted at Rocky Hill Library in Rocky Hill, near Hartford, Connecticut. The goal is to engage area students by introducing them to the wide variety of STEM career opportunities available in space exploration and related fields.
    Media interested in covering the event must contact by 5 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 14, to Gina Marie Davies at: gdavies@rockyhillct.gov or 860-258-2530.
    For more than 24 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network.
    Important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lay the groundwork for other agency missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars; inspiring Artemis Generation explorers and ensuring the United States continues to lead in space exploration and discovery.
    See videos and lesson plans highlighting space station research at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation
    -end-
    Abbey DonaldsonHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600Abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov
    Sandra Jones Johnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trauma dumping: how sharing experiences on social media can cause distress for other users

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alix Woolard, Senior Research Fellow, The Kids Research Institute Australia

    Stock Unit/Shutterstock

    Have you ever asked someone how their day was, or been chatting casually with a friend, only to have them tell you a horrific story that has left you feeling distressed or emotionally exhausted yourself?

    This is called “trauma dumping”. It’s when someone shares something traumatic or distressing without checking in first if the person they’re talking to has the capacity or willingness to take on that information.

    Trauma dumping is not new, and you’ve probably experienced it (or inadvertently done it yourself) at some stage in your life.

    But now, with the rise of social media platforms such as TikTok, the risk of experiencing trauma dumping has increased exponentially.

    People often turn to TikTok for support or validation. And because TikTok’s algorithm is based on attention, it’s not uncommon for highly emotional stories to gather traction and go viral.

    My colleagues and I wanted to understand more about trauma dumping on TikTok. In a recent study, we found people often share their trauma on TikTok. And this is usually done without a trigger warning.

    TikTok and mental health

    It’s estimated around 75% of the population have experienced a traumatic event at some point in their lives. This could include exposure to abuse or neglect in childhood, violence, natural disasters, the death of a loved one, or any other event which is unexpected, distressing, and causes long-term impacts on physical or mental health.

    TikTok can be an important source of support and validation, especially for young people who have faced trauma, and who may not have sufficient support offline.

    Previous research has shown TikTok provides a platform for talking about things like body image concerns, seeking support and information about gender and sexual diversity, and tackling stigma.

    But while TikTok can be a great place for community, support and validation, at the same time it can be a hotbed for trauma dumping.

    Importantly, sharing trauma on social media runs the risk of exposing other users to vicarious traumatisation, which is when a person is traumatised by someone else’s trauma.

    Vicarious trauma is most common in people who work in “frontline” jobs, such as paramedics or therapists, who deal with trauma regularly. However, anyone can be at risk. Factors including personal experiences, personality traits (such as empathy), support systems and coping strategies all play a role in whether someone might experience vicarious trauma.

    Many people who use TikTok and other social media platforms will be exposed to ‘trauma dumping’.
    Prostock-studio/Shutterstock

    In our study, we set out to explore the top videos on TikTok with one or more of five hashtags related to trauma: #traumatok, #trauma, #traumatized, #traumatic and #traumabond.

    We looked the most viewed 50 videos from each hashtag. At the time we carried out our analysis in December 2022, these 250 videos had a total of 296.6 million likes, 2.3 million comments and 4.6 million shares.

    #TraumaTok

    We found the majority of videos (about 67%) were from people sharing their trauma. In many cases severe trauma was discussed, including child maltreatment, violence and death.

    Our study also showed some videos (about 22%) were from people who claimed to be “experts” in trauma. They were using the platform to speak about the symptoms and treatment for trauma-related mental health conditions.

    Worryingly, most “experts” (84%) did not disclose their credentials. And only a small proportion (2%) said they were licensed psychologists, counsellors or medical professionals (who are trained to provide evidence-based treatment or advice for mental health).

    The remaining videos were either more general mental health content with a mix of hashtags such as “anxiety” and “depression”, or were meant to be humorous, using memes or jokes about trauma.

    One of the most concerning things we found in our study was that only 3.7% of videos had some form of trigger warning. A trigger warning, often a verbal statement by the creator, text within the video or a caption, is meant to alert the audience that potentially distressing content is discussed in the video.

    Most videos we looked at didn’t come with trigger warnings.
    Ketut Subiyanto/Pexels

    One of the limitations of our study was that we didn’t look at users’ experiences of viewing these videos. We also didn’t explore discourse on the app, such as comments and video replies.

    We can’t say for sure what it’s like for people, especially young people or people with lived experience of trauma, to watch and interact with these videos. Exploring this should be a focus for future research.

    Trigger warnings are important

    None of this is to say that sharing stories, even traumatic ones, should never happen. In fact, we know support from others is essential for healing from trauma. This can be facilitated, among other avenues, through sharing stories on social media.

    But to make this safer for everyone, TikTok should encourage trigger warnings, and creators should use them on videos where trauma is shared. This can give users the option to “opt out” and scroll on if they think they might not have the capacity to listen at that time.

    For people consuming videos on TikTok and other platforms, it’s important to be wary of misinformation and think critically about the information they see, seeking further advice from other sources.

    If you feel distressed by content you see on social media, seek support from a health-care professional.

    If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

    Alix Woolard receives funding from Embrace at The Kids.

    – ref. Trauma dumping: how sharing experiences on social media can cause distress for other users – https://theconversation.com/trauma-dumping-how-sharing-experiences-on-social-media-can-cause-distress-for-other-users-246337

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Trade liberalisation with Ukraine – E-002593/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission monitors closely the impact of the autonomous trade measures[1] adopted by the European Parliament and the Council and submits its report to the European Parliament regularly[2].

    This analysis takes into account the information on exports, imports, prices on the EU market as well as EU production of the concerned products.

    The current autonomous trade measures include a strengthened safeguard clause, and an emergency brake designed to limit the imports of certain sensitive products.

    Imports from Ukraine are subject to the same sanitary and phytosanitary standards as imports from any third country are . In addition, regarding animal welfare standards, while EU rules on animal welfare at farm level are not applicable for food imported into the EU, EU rules on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter, or equivalent rules, need to be respected for the import of meat into the EU.

    Finally, in the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement[3] and its deep and comprehensive free trade area , Ukraine has committed to align to EU legislation on production standards .

    For example , Ukraine has committed to implement EU animal welfare legislation by 2026. The upcoming review of the trade reciprocal liberalisation in accordance with Article 29 of the Association Agreement will be an opportunity to link Ukraine’s alignment to EU production standards to further trade liberalisation, in view of its path towards EU accession.

    • [1] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1392/oj
    • [2] Via the secretariat of European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade.
    • [3] http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2014/295/oj
    Last updated: 11 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Safeguarding the EU’s cognac and brandy sectors in the face of the Chinese tariff threat – E-002692/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission is fully aware of the importance of the Chinese export market for EU cognac and brandy producers and the consequences of China’s retaliatory measures.

    In this context, the Commission stands ready to consider all possibilities available within the common market Organisation[1] to offer appropriate support to EU brandy and wine spirit sector.

    However, spirit drinks do not benefit of any EU aid for their production, apart from being eligible for promotion aid in third countries. The Commission will always stand firmly and fearlessly on the side of EU producers, industry, open and fair trade.

    The Commission has followed this investigation very closely since its initiation and intervened on a number of occasions to express its objections to the questionable nature of China’s allegations and subsequent measures.

    The Commission has taken action over the imposition of provisional duties by challenging these duties at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

    By expressing its disagreement with China’s WTO-incompatible measures already at provisional stage, the EU is taking strong early action to protect the interests of its industry and economy.

    In parallel, t he Commission has engaged, and will continue to engage, with the Chinese authorities, Member States and relevant industry organisations to defend the interests of t he EU’s cognac and brandy sectors in the face of the Chinese tariffs.

    • [1] Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007, OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671-854.
    Last updated: 11 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India-Israel Business Forum & CEO Forum Held To Strengthen Bilateral Economic Ties

    Source: Government of India (2)

    India-Israel Business Forum & CEO Forum Held To Strengthen Bilateral Economic Ties

    Meeting to enhance strategic partnership unlocking opportunities for trade, investment, and tech collaboration

    India-Israel partnership, built on shared values of democracy, economic resilience, and technological advancement: Shri Piyush Goyal

    Posted On: 11 FEB 2025 7:07PM by PIB Delhi

    Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Embassy of Israel, successfully hosted the India-Israel Business Forum and the 3rd India-Israel CEO Forum in New Delhi. These landmark events reinforced the deep-rooted economic and strategic partnership between the two nations, unlocking new opportunities for trade, investment, and technological collaboration.

    Addressing the gathering during the inaugural session of the Business Forum, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal reaffirmed India’s commitment to becoming a USD 30-35 trillion economy by 2047, aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat. He emphasized the growing India-Israel partnership, built on shared values of democracy, economic resilience, and technological advancement, while underlining India’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and commitment to global peace and security.

    Highlighting India’s 10 key strengths in terms of 10 D’s, that define its economic potential, the Minister spoke about Democracy – Equal opportunities for all, Demographic Dividend – A young and skilled workforce, Diversity – A multi-dimensional economy with vast opportunities, Digitization – Rapid technological transformation, Decarbonization – Commitment to a green economy, Determination – A workforce driven by innovation, Development – A robust policy framework for growth, Dependability – A trusted global partner, Decisive Leadership – Bold economic reforms and Demand – A thriving domestic market.

    Minister Goyal also highlighted the digital prowess of India and how the country has been able to digitise very rapidly in Agritech and education and in every aspect of the economy. He emphasised that inclusive growth opens up a new set of opportunities leading to development of all regions of India. He mentioned that Israel could look upon India as a trusted and dependable partner, emphasizing the role of India during the COVID pandemic and how India has met every commitment.

    H E MK Nir Barkat, Minister of Economy and Industry, State of Israel said that the delegation to India Israel Business Forum was the biggest ever mission to any country from Israel. He said, “I want to mention that there is a special friendship between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Netanyahu throughout the years with very strong Government-to-Government collaboration.”

    He underscored two important goals of the Forum. First, to get Israeli companies’ exposure and seek collaboration opportunities with India and the second is to discover what the Government from both sides can do to make the relationship between India and Israel even deeper.

    Minister Barkat also underscored the importance of India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) and the India Israel Business Forum provides an opportunity to make that happen.

    Speaking during the inaugural session of the Business Forum, Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India highlighted that India has a large market with skills across the spectrum including skills in designing of chips and research in pharmaceuticals, highlighting collaboration opportunities with the robust innovation ecosystem of Israel and enhancing FDI both ways.

    H E Reuven Azar, Ambassador of Israel to India mentioned how India and Israel can geopolitically secure their supply chains and secondly on discovering strategies to win the race for global competition. He highlighted that both countries can come together and form the partnership in high tech manufacturing, research & development and provide the outlook for future Israel-India partnership with the signing of the Mutual Investment Agreement in March.   

    The 3rd India-Israel CEO Forum witnessed strategic discussions between industry leaders, policymakers, and investors. The CEO Forum focused on expanding India-Israel business and trade relations, particularly in Key Areas of Collaboration like:

    • Technology & Innovation: Strengthening partnerships in AI, quantum computing, smart manufacturing, and cybersecurity.
    • Agriculture & Healthcare: Leveraging Israeli agri-tech and medical R&D to enhance food security and healthcare innovation.
    • Défense & Homeland Security: Deepening cooperation in defense manufacturing and security technology.
    • Energy & Water Management: Expanding joint efforts in renewable energy, energy conservation, smart grids, and sustainable water solutions.
    • Investment & Trade Facilitation: Enhancing FDI in both directions and fostering ease of doing business.

    Mr Avi Balashnikov, Chairman of the Board, Israel Export Institute said that “people sometimes talk about big India and small Israel but when I look, I see two giants with India giant in size and scale and Israel giant in new ideas.”

    Mr. Sanjiv Puri, President, CII mentioned several areas of collaboration opportunities including AI and quantum computing, renewable energy, water, and further mentioned about strengthening of India–Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund.

    The Israel India Business Forum saw participation from industry members of India and Israel. At the B2B interactions, industry members discussed potential areas of collaboration between the countries. The Forum saw 500+ B2B meetings.

    The India-Israel Business Forum & CEO Forum mark a significant milestone in accelerating economic cooperation, trade expansion, and investment-led growth. As natural allies, India and Israel are committed to fostering a future-ready partnership, driving innovation, and creating opportunities for mutual prosperity.

    *****

     

    Abhishek Dayal/Abhijith Narayanan/Asmitabha Manna

    (Release ID: 2101930) Visitor Counter : 73

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Technology has transformed the nature of warfare; India must stay abreast with latest advancements: Raksha Rajya Mantri during DRDO seminar at Aero India 2025

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Technology has transformed the nature of warfare; India must stay abreast with latest advancements: Raksha Rajya Mantri during DRDO seminar at Aero India 2025

    35 Licensing Agreements for Transfer of Technology for 19 cutting-edge tech handed over to 32 Industries during the event

    Posted On: 11 FEB 2025 6:22PM by PIB Delhi

    “As technology has transformed the nature of warfare from conventional to unconventional & asymmetric, India must stay abreast with the latest advancements,” said Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth while addressing a DRDO seminar in Bengaluru on February 11, 2025. Raksha Rajya Mantri lauded the efforts of DRDO, industry, including MSMEs & start-ups, and academia in making the country self-reliant in defence manufacturing. He urged them to come out with more latest innovations and contribute in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

    The seminar ‘DRDO-Industry Synergy towards Viksit Bharat: Make in India, Make for the World’ was organised on the sidelines of 15th Aero India. During the event, 35 Licensing Agreements for Transfer of Technology (LATOT) for 19 niche technologies of 16 DRDO laboratories were handed over to 32 Industries to nurture indigenous technologies in the defence sector and increase awareness among prospective customers in India & abroad.

    Raksha Mantri also released the revised DRDO policy for Transfer of Technology (ToT). The policy aims to further streamline the ToT process from DRDO to industries, granting them easier access to latest technologies & DRDO expertise, while enhancing the ease of doing business for SMEs in Defence R&D. He also released the updated compendium titled ‘DRDO Products for Export’ consisting of more than 200 products/systems showcasing India’s cutting-edge defence capabilities to friendly nations.

    An Airworthiness Policy Framework – IMAP-23 was also released during the function. This document provides a paradigm shift in the certification procedure of the military aviation sector by capturing emergent requirements of Indian Industry. An Airworthiness Certification Kit was also released. It is a comprehensive compilation of policy documents and templates to enable easy appreciation of certification requirements by industries.

    During the event, Exchange of Tripartite MoU took place among Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology and the Aeronautical Society of India on Designated Engineer Representative implementation. The MoU will facilitate training engineers towards undertaking certification tasks.

    Defence industries, government agencies, delegations from friendly nations and defence attachés participated in the seminar. It included presentations from scientists and leading experts on export of defence products from India. The event also marked a panel discussion on ‘Opportunities for Industries in Defence Export’.

    *****

    VK/Savvy

    (Release ID: 2101894) Visitor Counter : 21

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement at Executive Session to Consider USTR Nominee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at an executive session to consider the nomination of Jamieson Greer to be United States Trade Representative (USTR).

    As prepared for delivery:

    “We meet today for the Committee’s consideration of Jamieson Greer to be the United States Trade Representative.

    “However, we have a colleague who cannot attend today.  Accordingly, Members may make statements today, but the vote will be held off the Senate floor once a time is confirmed.

    “Regarding Mr. Greer, he demonstrated at the hearing that that he is more than qualified to be our nation’s chief trade negotiator.  Mr. Greer thoughtfully responded to all of the questions posed to him then and in subsequent questions for the record.

    “Based on his answers, conduct at the hearing, and in meeting with him, I am confident that Mr. Greer has the experience and determination to advocate successfully for American farmers, ranchers, workers and manufacturers. 

    “Importantly, he was very clear that he is committed to reporting to and consulting with Congress.

    “Accordingly, I intend to vote in favor of Mr. Greer’s nomination.

    “I strongly encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same.

    “With that, I recognize Ranking Member Wyden for his remarks.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Jones Healthcare and Technology Innovation Conference Set to Take Place at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, NV, April 8-9, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK,, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The highly anticipated Jones Healthcare and Technology Innovation Conference will take place on April 8-9, 2025, at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. This premier event will bring together leading Healthcare and Technology companies, institutional investors, and key opinion leaders to discuss the latest trends and innovations shaping both industries. We are honored to announce Eric F. Trump as our keynote speaker for the conference, with additional speakers to be announced.

    Over the course of the two-day conference, participants will have the opportunity to engage in expert-led panels, corporate presentations, dynamic fireside chats and one-on-one meetings covering the latest developments in Healthcare and Technology. The event will serve as a platform for insightful discussions on the future of these rapidly evolving sectors, offering valuable networking opportunities for investors and innovators.

    “We are thrilled to host the Jones Healthcare and Technology Innovation Conference in Las Vegas,” said Alan Hill, CEO of Jones. “This conference will provide a unique forum for collaboration, offering a deep dive into the cutting-edge innovations in healthcare and technology. As these industries continue to converge, the event will highlight the tremendous opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for both sectors.”

    Moe Cohen, Head of Investment Banking at Jones, added, “Our goal is to foster meaningful discussions that will drive forward-thinking solutions in the healthcare and technology sectors. We are excited to bring together some of the brightest minds and most influential leaders to tackle the most pressing issues and unlock the next wave of breakthroughs in these dynamic industries.”

    If you are interested in attending, please contact your Jones representative to inquire about an invitation.

    For more information about the conference, sponsorship opportunities, or to register, please email mdoyle@jonestrading.com.

    About Jones:

    JonesTrading Institutional Services, LLC (“Jones”) is a leading full-service investment banking firm, providing a comprehensive suite of services, including capital markets, M&A, and strategic advisory to corporate clients. The firm is dedicated to building lasting partnerships by delivering innovative solutions, deep industry expertise, and tailored strategies that drive value and success. Founded in 1975, Jones has established itself as the global leader in block trading and a premier liquidity provider to institutional investors. The firm’s offerings also include derivatives trading, outsourced trading, electronic trading, prime services, private markets trading, and research/market intelligence. Member FINRA and SIPC.

    For more information, please visit jonestrading.com

    Human Resources
    HR@jonestrading.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fisheries reform: proposed amendments to the Fisheries Act

    Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

    Have your say

    Fisheries New Zealand wants your feedback on a package of proposals that will enhance value to fishers and better ensure sustainability. These proposed reforms will:

    • improve the responsiveness, efficiency, and certainty of decision-making
    • provide greater protection for on-board camera footage and ensure the on-board camera programme is workable
    • implement new rules for commercial fishers that set out when QMS (Quota Management System) fish must be landed and when they can be returned to the sea.

    The consultation opened on 12 February and will close at 5pm on 28 March 2025.

    Online public meetings

    During the consultation period, we’ll be holding 3 public online meetings. At these sessions, we’ll give you a high-level presentation on the proposals and you’ll have a chance to ask questions.

    • Session 1 – Monday 24 February 2025
    • Session 2 – Monday 3 March 2025
    • Session 3 – Thursday 13 March 2025.

    If you would like to attend one of the meetings, you must register.

    Register for an online meeting – SurveyMonkey

    We encourage you to read the consultation document before you attend.

    Consultation document

    Proposed amendments to the Fisheries Act 1996 [PDF, 2.4 MB]

    Related document: supplementary information

    Part 3 of the consultation document seeks input into how we plan to implement new rules for commercial fishers that set out when QMS species must be landed and when they can be returned to the sea. Further detail on one of the proposals is in the supplementary information document.

    Proposed adjustments to Total Allowable Catch settings for stocks where a current landing exception is removed [PDF, 585 KB]

    Why we’re making these changes

    The Government has made commitments to lift New Zealand’s productivity and economic growth – increasing opportunities and prosperity for all New Zealanders, including the seafood sector.

    We now have access to better quality and more frequent data through electronic reporting by fishers and verification of some of this data by onboard cameras and fisheries observers.

    The proposed changes respond to the Government’s goals and take advantage of new data and analytical tools to improve how we manage New Zealand’s fisheries.

    Making your submission

    We must get your feedback by 5pm on Friday 28 March 2025. We’d prefer you used our online survey form but you can also email or post a submission. 

    Online submission form – SurveyMonkey

    Email

    Email your submissions to fish.reform@mpi.govt.nz

    Post

    Post your written submission to:

    Fisheries Policy Team
    Policy and Trade Branch
    Ministry for Primary Industries
    PO Box 2526 Wellington 6140
    New Zealand.

    What to include in your email and postal submission

    Make sure you tell us:

    • the title of the consultation document [‘Proposed amendments to the Fisheries Act 1996’]
    • your name and title
    • your organisation’s name (if you are submitting on behalf of an organisation, and whether your submission represents the whole organisation or a section of it)
    • your contact details (such as phone number, address, and email).

    Submissions are public information

    Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

    People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

    If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

    Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Further cyber sanctions in response to Medibank Private cyberattack

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    The Albanese Government has imposed additional cyber sanctions in response to the 2022 cyberattack against Medibank Private.

    The attack affected millions of Medibank’s customers whose personal and sensitive medical information was stolen. Some records were published on the dark web.

    This is the first time that Australia has imposed cyber sanctions on an entity and the first time Australia has imposed sanctions on those providing the network infrastructure and services that make cyberattacks like this possible.

    The Government is imposing these cyber sanctions on the Russian entity, ZServers, and five Russian cybercriminals who provided the network infrastructure and services used to host and release the data stolen from Medibank. The individuals are ZServers’ owner, Aleksandr Bolshakov, and employees Aleksandr Mishin, Ilya Sidorov, Dmitriy Bolshakov and Igor Odintsov.

    ZServers and the five sanctioned individuals also provided enabling services that supported a range of other cybercrimes, including ransomware activities conducted by affiliates of LockBit and BianLian and other ransomware groups.

    The sanctions announced today make it a criminal offence to provide assets to ZServers or the five sanctioned individuals, or to use or deal with their assets, with penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or heavy fines. The sanctions also ban the individuals from entering Australia.

    Today’s sanctions follow the Government’s decisive action to sanction Aleksandr Ermakov, announced in January 2024, for his role in the Medibank Private data breach.

    They are a result of the close collaboration between the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), other Commonwealth agencies and key international partners, including the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US), who have all worked tirelessly to unmask these cybercriminals.

    The UK and the US have also imposed sanctions on these malicious cyber actors, demonstrating our collective resolve to combat cybercrime.

    These sanctions reflect the Albanese Government’s commitment in the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy to deter and respond to malicious cyber activity, including by using sanctions to hold cybercriminals to account.

    Malicious cyber actors continue to target Australian governments, critical infrastructure, businesses and individuals. Australia’s autonomous cyber sanctions framework is a key tool in imposing costs on cyber actors and protecting Australians from this threat.

    Australians should report cybercrimes, incidents or vulnerabilities to the Australian Signals Directorate at 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371) or https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.

    Australian businesses can help protect themselves from ransomware by updating devices, regularly backing up files and ensuring staff know to never visit suspicious websites, open emails from unknown sources or click on suspicious links. More information can be found at cyber.gov.au/ransomware

    Quotes attributable to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles:

    “These sanctions send a clear message to malicious cyber actors that there are consequences of trying to do Australians harm.

    “The Albanese Government continues to take decisive action to hold to account those responsible for one of Australia’s largest cyber incidents.

    “Importantly, this is the first cyber sanction against an enabler of cybercrime. Disrupting the criminal ecosystem in this way impacts hundreds of cybercriminals at once.”

    Quotes attributable to Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong:

    “The Albanese Government is using all elements of our national power to make Australia more secure and to keep Australians safe.

    “We are preventing, deterring and disrupting malicious cyber activity through attributions and targeted sanctions in the national interest.

    “We will continue to work with our international partners to impose costs on cyber criminals and protect Australians from cyber threats.”

    Quote attributable to Cyber Security Minister Tony Burke:

    “This Government established the cybersecurity portfolio because national security requires cybersecurity. This strong action is about keeping Australians safe.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: BitMart Launches the Global “Trading King” Campaign – A Monthly Competition for Top Crypto Traders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Mahe, Seychelles, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BitMart, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, has announced the launch of its monthly “Trading King” Campaign, a recurring trading competition designed to recognize and reward top traders worldwide. Open to participants across 46+ countries, the Campaign offers exclusive BitMart merchandise, USDT prizes, and premium rewards to outstanding traders each month.

    The Campaign provides traders with an opportunity to compete regionally and globally, showcasing their trading expertise and securing valuable prizes. Participants will be ranked based on their spot trading volume, with both regional champions and top global performers receiving special rewards.

    Campaign Structure

    • Monthly Regional Winners – Traders compete within their respective regions, including Europe, CIS, Turkey, and Brazil, among others. The trader with the highest spot trading volume in each region will be awarded custom BitMart gifts and USDT rewards.
    • Global Leaderboard – The top three traders worldwide will receive customized premium rewards, recognizing their exceptional performance on a global scale.

    Campaign Duration

    Start Date: February 1, 2025, 00:00 UTC
    End Date: February 28, 2025, 23:59 UTC

    BitMart’s Trading King Campaign not only fosters a competitive trading environment but also provides participants with exclusive incentives. With the crypto trading landscape constantly evolving, this initiative underscores BitMart’s commitment to rewarding excellence and fostering engagement within its global community.

    For full Campaign details and participation guidelines, visit: https://www.bitmart.com/activity/tradingking2025/en-US/.

    About BitMart
    BitMart is the premier global digital asset trading platform. With millions of users worldwide and ranked among the top crypto exchanges on CoinGecko, it currently offers 1,600+ trading pairs with competitive trading fees. Constantly evolving and growing, BitMart is interested in crypto’s potential to drive innovation and promote financial inclusion. To learn more about BitMart, visit their Website, follow their X (Twitter), or join their Telegram for updates, news, and promotions. Download BitMart App to trade anytime, anywhere.

    Disclaimer:

    Use of BitMart services is entirely at your own risk. All crypto investments, including earnings, are highly speculative in nature and involve substantial risk of loss. Past, hypothetical, or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. The value of digital currencies can go up or down and there can be a substantial risk in buying, selling, holding, or trading digital currencies. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital currencies is suitable for you based on your personal investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. BitMart does not provide any investment, legal, or tax advice.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: On holding auctions on February 12, 2025 to place OFZ issues No. 26248RMFS3 and No. 26233RMFS5

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    For bidders

    We inform you that, based on the letter of the Bank of Russia and in accordance with Part I. General Part and Part II. Stock Market Section of the Rules for Conducting Trading on the Stock Market, Deposit Market and Credit Market of Moscow Exchange PJSC, the order establishes the form, time, term and procedure for holding auctions for the placement and trading of the following federal loan bonds:

    1.

    Name of the Issuer Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation
    Name of security federal loan bonds with constant coupon income
    State registration number of the issue 26233RMFS from 02/14/2020
    Date of the auction February 12, 2025
    Information about the placement (trading mode, placement form) The placement of Bonds will be carried out in the Trading Mode “Placement: Auction” by holding an Auction to determine the placement price. BoardId: PACT (Settlements: Ruble)
    Trade code SE26233RMFS5
    ISIN code RO000A101F94
    Calculation code B01
    Additional conditions of placement The share of non-competitive bids in relation to the total volume of bids submitted by the Bidder may not exceed 90%.
    Trading time Trading hours: bid collection period: 12:00 – 12:30; bid execution period: 13:00 – 18:00.

    2.

    Name of the Issuer Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation
    Name of security federal loan bonds with constant coupon income
    State registration number of the issue 26248RMFS from 08.05.2024
    Date of the auction February 12, 2025
    Information about the placement (trading mode, placement form) The placement of Bonds will be carried out in the Trading Mode “Placement: Auction” by holding an Auction to determine the placement price. BoardId: PACT (Settlements: Ruble)
    Trade code CO26248RMFS3
    ISIN code RO000A108EH4
    Calculation code B01
    Additional conditions of placement The share of non-competitive bids in relation to the total volume of bids submitted by the Bidder may not exceed 90%.
    Trading time Trading hours: bid collection period: 14:30 – 15:00; bid execution period: 15:30 – 18:00.

    Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232Pr@moex.kom

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

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

    HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.Mom/N77536

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Technological changes in the stock market system from 01.03.2025

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    We inform you about changes in the stock market system planned for implementation on March 1, 2025. The changes are intended to ensure technical readiness for the start of trading in experimental mode on the stock market during additional weekend trading sessions.

    Changes in stock market trading reports

    The mandatory attribute of the trading session date is added to the reports SEM02 “Extract from the register of orders”, SEM03 “Extract from the register of transactions with securities”, SEM21 “Stock market information” and SEM42 “Register of transactions of sponsored access identifiers”:

    TradeSessionDate — date of the trading session.

    Additionally, an additional value for the SessionNo attribute is added to the SEM02, SEM03, and SEM21 reports:

    5 – Additional weekend session.

    The SEM2T tabulated report also adds the TradeSessionDate field — the date of the trading session. The field is added last.

    The updated specification of the formats of reports on the results of trades is posted on the exchange website: HTTPS: //FS. MOEX.K.MOMU/943.Updated files of schemes and styles for printed forms of reports are published on the exchange’s FTP server: HTTPS: //FTP. MEEX.K.Mom/pub/reports/eckot.

    The following reports will be sent out on the days of the additional weekend session:

    after 08:00 (morning report) — SEM42; after 19:00 — SEM02, SEM03, SEM21, as well as SEM80 “Daily report on the fulfillment of market makers’ obligations (for the market makers’ championship)” and SEM85 “Daily report on the fulfillment of market makers’ obligations”.

    Changes in stock market clearing reports

    The mandatory attribute of the trading session date is added to the reports EQM06, EQM06P, EQM06R, EQM6C, EQM6D and EQM63 “Extract from the register of transactions accepted for clearing”:

    TradeSessionDate — date of the trading session.

    The updated specification of the formats of reports on the results of clearing is posted on the exchange website: HTTPS: //FS. MOEX.K.MOM/951.Updated files of schemes and styles for printed forms of reports are published on the exchange’s FTP server: HTTPS: //FTP. MEEX.K.Mom/pub/reports/eckot.

    On the days of the additional weekend session, clearing reports are not generated or sent. Separate report files for the results of the DSVD are not expected. Information on transactions concluded in the DSVD will be included in the reports that are sent after the Main Session:

    EQM06/EQM06P/EQM06R “Extract from the register of transactions accepted for clearing”; EQM63 “Extract from the register of transactions accepted for clearing (for a Trading Participant)”; EQM6C “Extract from the register of transactions accepted for clearing (for client transactions)”; EQM6D “Extract from the register of transactions accepted for clearing (for nominal holders); EQM13 “Report on Total Net Obligations / Total Net Claims”; EQM15 “Report on Commission Fees”; EQM23 “Report on Obligations for T Transactions”.

    New version of the gateway interface Broker53 and BrokerRisk53

    Previously announced The interface update has expired. A new version will be released on March 1, 2025.

    Changes in the broker’s gateway interfaces for connecting to trading and clearing systems:

    The WEEKENDSESSION field is added to the SECURITIES, FIRMS and BANKACC tables, defining availability in the additional weekend session. The TRADEDATE field is added to the ALL_TRADES table, containing the calendar date of the transaction. The TRADESESSIONDATE field is added to the TESYSTIME and RESYSTIME tables — the date of the current trading session. The TRADESESSIONDATE field is added to the TRADES, ALL_TRADES and USTRADES tables — the date of the trading session in which the transaction was concluded. The ENTRYDATE fields are added to the ONEORDER, ORDERS and QUOTES tables — the calendar date of order registration, TRADESESSIONDATE — the date of the trading session in which the order was registered. The TRADESESSIONDATE field is added to the NEGDEALS and ONENEGDEALS tables — the date of the trading session in which the order was registered.

    A description of the new version of the gateway interfaces, as well as a comparison with the previous version, is published on the exchange’s FTP server: HTTPS: //FTP. MOEX.K.Mom/pub/klinsapi/ASC/bridge_ interfaces/Eckeys/Test.

    Changes in the Info interface:

    The following fields are added to the ALL_TRADES table: TRADESESSIONDATE — date of the current trading session, TRADEDATE — calendar date of the transaction. The WEEKENDSESSION field is added to the SECURITIES table, defining availability in the additional weekend session. The TRADESESSIONDATE field — date of the current trading session — is added to the TESYSTIME table.

    A description of the new version of the gateway interfaces, as well as a comparison with the previous version, is published on the exchange’s FTP server: HTTPS: //FTP. MOEX.K.Mom/pub/klinsapi/ASC/bridge_ interfaces/marketdat/test.

    The composition of FIX and TWIME trading protocol messages, FAST MarketData templates and SIMBA ASTS message schemas will not change.

    The additional weekend trading session will be held from 09:50:00 to 18:59:59

    During the days of the additional weekend session, the Trading and Clearing System will be available for connection via all protocols starting from 07:50 MSK. The end of availability is no earlier than 20:00 MSK.

    Registration of end customers

    The Single Client Registration Service will process all transaction types (A, U, L, R, M, D) on weekends for a client record that is registered or registered only on the stock market.

    If a client sends an “A” type transaction for a record that is registered on multiple markets, the ERC service will register the participant on the stock market, but will not register on other markets – an error message will be sent for them.

    For type “U” or “D” transactions, if the client entry is registered in addition to the stock on the FX and Futures markets, the message will be rejected completely with an error.

    Possible actions of participants:

    Register clients on the stock market, re-submit applications for the currency or futures market on Monday. Postpone registration and do not send files to the exchange during the additional weekend session, but send them on Monday.

    Admission of participants to an additional weekend session

    Moscow Exchange will admit participants to an additional weekend session at the start of trading on March 1, 2025, upon the participant’s application.

    Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232Pr@moex.kom

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

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

    HTTPS: //VVV. MEEX.K.M.M.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: February 11th, 2025 Heinrich Cosponsors American Beef Labeling Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) cosponsored the American Beef Labeling Act, legislation that would reinstate mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef. The bill is led by U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

    The legislation would require the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), in consultation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to develop a World Trade Organization-compliant means of reinstating MCOOL for beef within one year of enactment. USTR would have six months to develop a reinstatement plan followed by a six-month window to implement it. If USTR fails to reinstate MCOOL for beef within one year of enactment, it would automatically be reinstated for beef only.

    “American consumers deserve to know where their food comes from,” said Chad Franke president of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union (RMFU). “American ranchers produce the highest quality beef and they deserve to benefit from that. On behalf of RMFU members and our communities, we thank Senators Lummis and Heinrich for cosponsoring this important legislation.”

    Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and John Hoeven (R-N.D.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Melexis: update on the share buy-back program

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press release – Regulated Information

    Ieper, Belgium – 11 February 2025, 17.45 hrs CET

    Further to the initiation of the share buy-back program announced on 10 December 2024, Melexis reports the purchase of 16,000 Melexis shares on Euronext Brussels in the period from 6 to 7 February 2025.

    Trade date Total shares purchased Average price (€) Min price (€) Max price (€) Buyback amount (€)
    6/2/2025 8,000 55.15 54.25 57.10 441,205
    7/2/2025 8,000 55.24 54.20 56.15 441,910
    TOTAL 16,000 55.19 54.20 57.10 883,115

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    The AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies is an annual economic policy conference, held in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, organized by the Ministry of Finance of Saudi Arabia and the IMF Regional Office in Riyadh. The conference will convene a select group of emerging markets’ ministers of finance, central bank governors, and policymakers, as well as public and private sector leaders, international institutions, and academia. It will offer a unique platform to exchange views on domestic, regional, and global economic developments and discuss policies and reforms to spur inclusive prosperity and build resilience supported by strong international cooperation.

    The sessions with an asterisk (*) will be streamed live on this page.

    Agenda

    Day 1: February 16, 2025

    09:30-09:40 – Opening remarks by H.E. Mohammed Al-Jadaan (Minister of Finance, Saudi Arabia) and Kristalina Georgieva (Managing Director, IMF) *

    09:40-10:00 – Keynote Lecture: Emerging Markets Amid Structural Shifts in the World Economy

    The keynote address will discuss global trends and their potential implications for emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), as well as the role of international cooperation.

    • Keynote Address: H.E. Pan Gongsheng (Governor, PBOC)

    10:00-10:50 – Emerging Markets: Policy Challenges Amid Structural Shifts in the World Economy

    The panel will delve into EMDEs’ policy challenges in the context of the rising uncertainty and the changing global economic landscape. Specifically, it will cover the implications for EMDEs of (i) more frequent external shocks; (ii) elevated uncertainty; and (iii) structural challenges in the context of high debt, weak growth, energy transitions, and new technologies.

    • Moderator: Jihad Azour (Director, Middle East and Central Asia Department, IMF)

    Panelists:

    • H.E. Olayemi Cardoso (Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria)
    • José De Gregorio (Dean, School of Economics and Business, University of Chile)
    • H.E. Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari (Minister of Finance, Qatar)
    • Jin Liqun (President, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank)

    10:50-11:10 – Coffee break

    11:10-12:10 – High Debt-Low Fiscal Space—Fiscal Consolidation and Multilateral Solutions to Debt Restructuring

    Maintaining or restoring debt sustainability in EMDEs is a challenging task in the context of elevated debt, higher interest rate and weak potential growth, as well as significant spending pressures (e.g., related to sustainable development goals, defense, energy transitions, and economic diversification). The panelists will discuss the pace of the ongoing pivot towards fiscal consolidation and ways to garner support for politically difficult reforms. Potential debt restructuring mechanisms from both creditor and debtor perspectives will also be highlighted.

    • Moderator: Ryadh Alkhareif (IMFC Deputy, Saudi Arabia)

    Panelists:

    • H.E. Mohammed Al-Jadaan (Minister of Finance, Saudi Arabia)
    • Mauricio Cárdenas (Professor, Columbia University, former Minister of Finance, Colombia)
    • H.E. Situmbeko Musokotwane (Minister of Finance and National Planning, Zambia)
    • H.E. Anton Siluanov (Minister of Finance, Russia)

    12:10-13:00 – Lunch

    13:00-14:00 – Monetary Policy and Capital Flows Amid Elevated Uncertainty

    The session will discuss the path of future monetary policy in EMDEs, considering the spillovers from monetary policy in advanced economies and potential swings in global market sentiment, as well as the uncertainty around the implications for inflation, the neutral rate, and capital flows of the changing economic landscape.

    • Moderator: Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas (Economic Counsellor, Director of the Research Department, IMF)
    • Author: Hélène Rey (Professor, London Business School)

    Discussants:

    • H.E. Fatih Karahan (Governor, Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye)
    • H.E. Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput (Governor, Bank of Thailand)

    14:00-15:00 – Resilience of the Financial System in Emerging Markets

    The panel will focus on the implications of the changing global landscape for financial stability in emerging markets, as well as the policy priorities.

    • Moderator: Tobias Adrian (Director, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF)

    Panelists:

    • H.E. Ayman Mohammad Al-Sayari (Governor, SAMA)
    • H.E. Sheikh Bandar bin Mohammed bin Saoud Al Thani (Governor, Qatar Central Bank)
    • H.E. Taleh Kazimov (Governor, Central Bank of Azerbaijan)
    • H.E. Andriy Pyshnyi (Governor, National Bank of Ukraine)

    19:30-21:30 – Dinner hosted by the Ministry of Finance of Saudi Arabia

    Day 2: February 17, 2025

    09:00-10:00 – Navigating Trade Tensions and Uncertainties

    Against the backdrop of mounting risks and uncertainty, the session will discuss (i) how geoeconomic fragmentation and geopolitical risks are affecting trade and investment globally and in EMDEs; (ii) how EMDEs can adapt to these developments and mitigate risks; (iii) what policies to enhance trade and investment flows; and (iv) what changes to the current global trade system to respond to EMDEs’ needs.

    • Moderator: Indermit Gill (Chief Economist, World Bank Group)

    Panelists:

    • H. E. Adebayo Olawale Edun (Minister of Finance, Nigeria)
    • H.E. Nadia Fettah (Minister of Economy and Finance, Morocco)
    • H.E. Sergii Marchenko (Minister of Finance, Ukraine)

    10:00-11:00 – Productivity in EMDEs: Challenges and Opportunities

    Compared with the pre-pandemic period, the medium-term growth outlook has worsened significantly, including in EMDEs. The projected slowdown jeopardizes income convergence and could also lead to widening income inequality within countries. Against this backdrop, the session will take stock of EMDEs’ growth outlook, including the main headwinds, and discuss the potential challenges and opportunities from shifts in the economic landscape (e.g., AI).

    • Moderator: H.E. Muhammad Al Jasser (President, Islamic Development Bank)
    • Author: Leslie Teo (Director, AI Products, AI Singapore; Former chief economist and head of investment strategy, GIC Singapore)

    Discussants:

    • H.E. Faisal F. Alibrahim (Minister of Economy and Planning, Saudi Arabia)
    • Santiago Levy (Senior Fellow, Brookings)
    • H.E. Federico Sturzenegger (Minister of Deregulation and State Transformation, Argentina)

    11:00-11:20 – Coffee break

    11:20-12:20 – Closing Panel: A Path for Emerging Market Resilience *

    The concluding panel will focus on (i) how EMDEs should deal with shocks in the short term, taking into consideration the persistence of some global shocks; (ii) identifying the main trade-offs for fiscal and monetary policymakers to build resilience, maintain stability and spur growth (“rise strong”); and (iii) how the underlying concerns behind “anti-globalization” pressures can be addressed to revitalize global economic integration.

    • Moderator: Kristalina Georgieva (Managing Director, IMF)

    Panelists:

    • H.E. Muhammad Aurangzeb (Minister of Finance, Pakistan)
    • H.E. Rania Al-Mashat (Minister of Planning, Development, International Cooperation, Egypt)
    • H.E. Fernando Haddad (Minister of Finance, Brazil)
    • H.E. Mehmet Şimşek (Minister of Finance, Türkiye)
    • H.E. Hon. John Mbadi Ng’ongo (Minister of Finance, Kenya)

    12:20-12:40 – Closing remarks by H.E. Mohammed Al-Jadaan (Minister of Finance, Saudi Arabia) and Kristalina Georgieva (Managing Director, IMF) *

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: As global leaders, Canada and Norway’s co-operation is timely in the face of surging energy demand

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ian H. Rowlands, Professor, School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo

    In March 2023, Canada and Norway issued a joint statement on bilateral co-operation. Notably, the statement emphasized a commitment to “achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, to promoting research collaboration and to increasing trade and investment in clean technologies and renewables that help enable a green and just transition.”

    Co-operation on energy transitions offers a timely way to strengthen this bond from 2025 onwards, more than ever in light of unfolding events on the global stage.

    Canada and Norway have a long history of strong collaboration: they have had formal bilateral relations since 1942, were founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949 and the Arctic Council in 1996 and co-signatories to the Canada-European Free Trade Association’s Free Trade Agreement since 2008.

    Canada’s and Norway’s geographical and socio-economic similarities are striking, and help explain this active kinship.

    An opportune moment

    Unfolding geopolitical developments — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s continued rise and U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term — make it desirable to deepen connections between Canada and Norway.

    As researchers in environmental policy, we argue that this collaboration should focus on advancing the energy transition. Here, both countries are faced with tremendous opportunities, but also difficult decisions that require political gumption. There are national elections that will take place in each country this year, which makes this a particularly opportune political moment to address this concern.

    Both these climate-ambitious petro-powers have great potential to co-create pathways for prosperity. Both could conceivably implement advanced energy transition strategies that focus on the use of fossil fuel reserves judiciously and purposefully to finance climate change goals.

    The National Bank of Canada envisioned something like this in a 2023 report, continuing discussions that date back at least a decade. The report concluded that:

    “Similar to Norway, Canada is well positioned to benefit from both an economic and environmental standpoint if its existing energy resources can be leveraged to finance the transition to green energy.”

    Meanwhile, Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global crossed US$1.7 trillion in 2024, bearing testament to the financial strength the country has derived from the petroleum era.

    Electrification

    The connections between fossil fuel wealth and a climate-friendly transition show much potential. However, too often those advocating for continued exploitation of carbon-based resources fail to acknowledge the accelerated phaseout timetable needed for greenhouse gas emission reductions. The use of natural gas as a transition fuel, for instance, requires a long-term plan for carbon neutrality. Without that, deployment effectively locks in decades of additional emissions.

    We are all for using national resources for wealth creation if they quicken fossil fuel phase-down. But investments that impede this — such as state support for offshore wind development to electrify offshore oil rigs in Norway — are not only counter-productive, but also hypocritical.

    The real promise these countries hold for the energy transition is in the call to electrify (almost) everything. This approach simultaneously uses two pathways: “greening” the electricity grid with low-carbon energy sources, and moving fossil fuel energy demand onto these clean electricity grids.

    Digitalization, which refers to the wider socioeconomic changes inextricably linked to the shift from analog to digital systems, should also be seen as a parallel priority to enable real-time co-ordination of electricity demand and supply across coupled sectors.

    Global leadership

    Both countries already have relatively green grids. In Canada, almost 80 per cent of electricity was generated by carbon-free sources in 2023; in Norway, the equivalent figure was greater than 98 per cent. These figures measure up favourably compared to many other countries: about 60 per cent of the world’s electricity is supplied by fossil fuels, mainly coal and natural gas.

    For context, these green and greener grids have been achieved in an era of relatively flat electricity demand in many parts of both countries. But that is changing: sector demands like mobility, heating and data centres are already proving to be significant, new consumers of electricity. Huge quantities of additional electricity have to be rapidly generated while maintaining system stability.

    Electricity demand is expected to double in both countries by 2050, reaching 1,300 TWh in Canada (more than doubling the 2023 amount of just under 600 TWh), and 260 TWh in Norway (137 TWh in 2023).

    How these two frontrunner states replace existing carbon-fuelled infrastructure and meet the anticipated growth in electricity demand is of global interest.

    Energy strategy

    In policy terms in both Canada and Norway, this strategy to electrify (almost) everything is well underway. Canada’s climate change action plan includes commitment to a green grid by 2050, and implementing Clean Electricity Regulations.

    Norway is closing in on its target of 100 per cent vehicle sales being electric. And this June, the country is hosting the United Nations-supported Internet Governance Forum, which is an area critical to the sustainable energy transition.

    Solar panels in a park in Oslo, Norway.
    (Shutterstock)

    Actions need to follow ambitions, especially in industrial processes like steel-making where deployable solutions appear further down the horizon.

    Stronger bilateral collaboration could also result in positive outcomes in geopolitical developments in the Arctic. Rapidly consolidating trade relations more broadly has rarely been so important from a political perspective. Building this collaboration along energy transition synergies presents advantages that remain gravely underexploited.

    This is likely due to the political and economic status and sway that petroleum incumbents have held. But the twin transition of low-carbon electrification and digitalization offers Canada and Norway a chance to co-operate and lead their global regions into a new era of greener energy.

    Building upon their shared geographies, structures, experiences and values, the time is ripe for collaboration on the sustainable energy transition. This could include government officials, individuals from utilities and regulators, industry representatives, members of civil society and Indigenous organizations, researchers and academics.

    Together, Canada and Norway have the potential to work in tandem to move towards a more prosperous and sustainable global future.

    Ian H. Rowlands is a member of the Board of Directors of Waterloo Region Community Energy.

    Siddharth Sareen has received funding from the Research Council of Norway, Innovation Norway, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, JPI Climate and JPI Urban Europe programmes of the European Commission.

    – ref. As global leaders, Canada and Norway’s co-operation is timely in the face of surging energy demand – https://theconversation.com/as-global-leaders-canada-and-norways-co-operation-is-timely-in-the-face-of-surging-energy-demand-248283

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Centage Announces Paul Lynch as New CEO to Lead Next Phase of Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Centage, a leader in modern FP&A software, has announced the appointment of Paul Lynch as its new Chief Executive Officer. Lynch brings extensive experience in scaling B2B SaaS businesses and a clear vision for Centage’s role in transforming financial planning and analysis for mid-market companies.

    Lynch is a seasoned B2B SaaS leader, innovator, and disruptor with a proven track record of scaling fintech, developer tools, and messaging businesses. He serves as COO and Venture Partner at Scaleworks and Chairman of Import.io. Previously, he was the CEO of Assembla, successfully leading the company to an exit to Idera in September 2018. Following that, he oversaw the merger of Chargify with SaaSOptics as a larger Battery Ventures investment. Most recently, Lynch was CEO of Import.io, where post-acquisition he restructured the company, returning it to growth and profitability. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Lynch now resides in San Antonio with his wife and three young children.

    Under his leadership, Centage aims to disrupt the FP&A software space by finally breaking the stranglehold that Excel has had on budget management in the mid-market for the last four decades. Financial planning has become too complex for spreadsheets, Centage provides a powerful yet intuitive budgeting and forecasting tool—bridging the gap between spreadsheets and enterprise performance management (EPM) systems. Designed for collaboration, Centage delivers better outputs for budget owners in an Excel-like environment—without the headaches of version control or the inefficiencies of disconnected spreadsheets.

    “Every business reaches a point where Excel just isn’t enough. When financial planning gets too complex for spreadsheets, Centage is the perfect next step—powerful enough to handle your growing needs but intuitive enough to keep your team aligned,” said Paul Lynch, CEO of Centage. “With our upcoming Worksheets product launch, we’re finally removing the cumbersome overhead of Excel sheets and plugins, delivering a solution that not only provides better functionality than Excel but also offers superior security, governance, and ease of use. Our mission is to bridge the gap between the Excel-based startup and the Enterprise Performance Management corporate user, giving budget owners, in the mid-market, a collaborative, streamlined experience without the version control nightmares or spreadsheet chaos. Centage is here to make financial planning smarter, faster, and stress-free.”

    Lynch’s vision for Centage has been set to redefine how finance teams approach budgeting and forecasting, offering a solution that scales with business needs while maintaining the simplicity and flexibility that finance professionals expect. With his leadership and the early March product launch, Centage has set to deliver an even more powerful and intuitive platform that empowers finance teams to work more efficiently and make data-driven decisions with confidence.

    About Centage
    Centage is a leader in modern financial planning and analysis software, providing businesses with an intuitive, collaborative, and scalable solution for budgeting, forecasting, and reporting. Designed for finance teams looking to move beyond spreadsheets, Centage delivers real-time insights, automated planning, and seamless collaboration to help organizations drive smarter financial decisions.

    Contacts

    Marketing Content Coordinator
    Emily Schmitt
    Centage
    emily.schmitt@centage.com
    5129399782
    VP of Marketing
    Andrew Fear
    Centage
    andrew.fear@centage.com
    831-521-1735

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bdc304a8-78ac-4c23-b9d1-29ab2cd54633

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Titan Partners Announces Launch of Equity Research Division, Appoints Boris Peaker as Senior Healthcare Analyst

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Titan Partners Group, a division of American Capital Partners, (“Titan Partners” or “Titan”) is pleased to announce the launch of its Equity Research Division with the appointment of Boris Peaker, Ph.D., CFA, as Managing Director and Senior Equity Research Analyst. Dr. Peaker will lead the firm’s research initiatives in the healthcare sector, focusing on biotechnology.

    Dr. Peaker brings 17 years of experience in healthcare equity research, most recently serving as Managing Director of Biotechnology Equity Research at TD Cowen. Prior to that, he was an Executive Director at Oppenheimer & Co. and worked as a biotechnology analyst at Cowen & Co. and Rodman & Renshaw, LLC. Dr. Peaker has been recognized by multiple industry publications and associations as a top-ranked sector analyst. He holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics from Stanford University and a B.S. in Physics and Chemistry from the State University of New York.

    “The launch of our research platform, spearheaded by Dr. Peaker, marks an important milestone in Titan’s growth,” stated Jason Sands, Co-Founder and Partner at Titan. “Our mission has always been to build a business around fundamentally strong and scientifically compelling stories. Dr. Peaker’s experience and reputation align perfectly with this objective.”

    Ryan Konik, Co-Founder and Partner at Titan, added, “Dr. Peaker’s technical background, combined with his sell-side research experience, makes him an exceptional fit for our platform. His addition underscores our continued commitment to the life sciences sector.”

    About Titan Partners Group

    Titan Partners Group, a division of American Capital Partners, is a boutique investment bank specializing in tailored solutions for emerging growth companies and their investors. Headquartered in New York City, Titan Partners offers a full suite of capabilities, including investment banking, capital markets advisory, and research. Committed to setting the standard for securities transactions in the middle market, Titan Partners combines expertise, trust, and a forward-thinking approach to deliver results and help corporate clients achieve their strategic goals.

    Contact
    Titan Partners Group
    info@titanpartnersgrp.com 
    4 World Trade Center, 29th Floor
    New York, NY 10007
    (929) 833-1246
    www.titanpartnersgrp.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes the 2024 Article IV Consultation with Qatar

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    February 11, 2025

    Washington, DC: On January 27, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation[1] with Qatar.

    Growth normalization after the 2022 FIFA World Cup continued, with signs of strengthening activities more recently. Real GDP growth is projected to improve gradually to 2 percent in 2024–25 supported by public investment, spillovers from the ongoing LNG expansion project, and strong tourism. Medium-term growth is expected to accelerate to 4¾ percent on average, boosted by the significant LNG production expansion and initial gains from implementing reforms guided by the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3). Headline inflation will likely ease to 1 percent in 2024 and converge to around 2 percent over the medium term.

    With lower hydrocarbon prices, both the current account and fiscal surpluses narrowed in 2023, to 17 percent of GDP and 5½ percent of GDP, respectively. The twin surpluses moderated further in 2024. Over the medium, as Qatar’s LNG production expands massively, both the current and fiscal accounts will likely remain in surpluses, albeit declining as a share of GDP, as hydrocarbon prices are projected to fall.

    Banks are well-capitalized, liquid, and profitable, with the capital adequacy ratio of close to 20 percent and return on equity of 14½ percent, respectively, in the third quarter of 2024. Since the implementation of QCB measures to reduce banks’ net short-term foreign liabilities, banks’ non-resident deposits declined significantly, and banks have lengthened the average maturity and diversified further the sources of foreign funding. The sector-wide NPL ratio remained broadly unchanged at slightly below 4 percent and the provisioning coverage ratio is relatively high at above 80 percent.   

    Qatar has started to implement the ambitious Third National Development Strategy (NDS3) to build a more diversified, knowledge-based and private sector-driven economy. Guided by NDS3, reform momentum has strengthened significantly, including to attract and retain high-skilled expatriate workers, foster innovation, promote public-private partnerships, and further improve the business efficiency. Qatar is well positioned to leverage digitalization and AI for productivity gains, and the nation’s climate agenda is advancing.

    Risks to the outlook are broadly balanced. Main downside risks stem from the global headwinds, including a sharper-than-expected global growth slowdown, increased volatility in global financial conditions and commodity prices, and further worsening of geopolitical tensions. The regional conflict has had limited impact on Qatar but adds further to the downside risks through lower tourism and capital inflows, and more volatile hydrocarbon prices. Domestic downside risk stems mainly from further weaknesses in the real estate sector, although strong tourism and policy measures introduced in 2023 could mitigate the risk. Over the medium and long term, supply in the global natural gas market is expected to expand significantly, potentially putting downward pressure on prices. On the upside, sustained high hydrocarbon prices and accelerated NDS3 reforms would strengthen the outlook. However, if ambitious NDS3 initiatives lead to resource misallocation, both the public finance and growth prospect would be affected.

    Executive Board Assessment[2]

    Executive Directors agreed with the thrust of the staff appraisal. They welcomed Qatar’s continued resilience to external shocks and its favorable medium-term outlook, driven by significant increases in LNG production and the reforms under the Third National Development Strategy. Directors agreed that maintaining prudent macroeconomic policies and accelerating reform efforts would further solidify macroeconomic stability and resilience to shocks while boosting prosperity.

    Directors commended the authorities’ commitment to continued fiscal prudence and called for accelerating fiscal reforms. They recommended adopting a medium-term fiscal anchor to help ensure intergenerational equity, and reiterated the need to accelerate revenue diversification, particularly by introducing the value-added tax. Directors highlighted the importance of improving spending efficiency and composition, particularly by enhancing public investment management. They welcomed the ongoing efforts to strengthen fiscal institutions and adopt a full-fledged medium-term fiscal framework with enhanced fiscal risk management.

    Directors supported the authorities’ efforts to maintain financial stability and deepen domestic financial markets, while encouraging them to consider undertaking a Financial Sector Assessment Program update. They welcomed the newly introduced risk-based supervision and recommended formalizing the financial safety net and continuing to adjust macroprudential policies to mitigate potential macro-financial risks. Directors encouraged the authorities to sustain their progress in fighting financial crimes.

    Directors agreed that the exchange rate peg continues to serve Qatar well. They concurred that, as conditions allow, strengthening the operational framework would further enhance monetary policy transmission.

    Directors supported the authorities’ strategy to build a more diversified, private sector-led, and knowledge-based economy. They recommended fostering innovation and business efficiency and enhancing human capital by attracting and retaining more high-skilled expatriate workers, improving Qatari nationals’ employment in the private sector, and further increasing female labor force participation. Directors agreed that aligning domestic energy prices with export prices would benefit public finances and support climate goals. They also encouraged the authorities to close remaining data gaps, with the help of IMF capacity development.

    It is expected that the next Article IV consultation with Qatar will be held on the standard 12-month cycle.

    Qatar: Selected Macroeconomic Indicators, 2021-25
    (Quota: 735.1 million SDRs, November 2024)
    (Per capita income: U.S.$69,541, 2023)
    (Life expectancy at birth: 81.6 years, 2022)
    (Population: 3.1 million, 2023)
    Projections
    2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
    Production and prices (percent change)
    Real GDP (2018 prices) 1.6 4.2 1.2 1.7 2.4
    Hydrocarbon 1/ -0.3 1.7 1.4 1.4 3.0
    Nonhydrocarbon 2.8 5.7 1.1 1.9 2.1
    CPI inflation (average) 2.3 5.0 3.0 1.0 1.4
    Public finances (percent of GDP)
    Revenue 29.6 34.7 32.8 26.2 28.7
    Expenditure 29.4 24.3 27.3 25.9 26.2
    Current 18.3 15.6 17.5 17.2 17.5
    Capital 11.1 8.8 9.7 8.7 8.7
    Central government fiscal balance 0.2 10.4 5.6 0.3 2.5
    Money (percent change)
    Broad money 1.4 17.4 1.1 4.1 5.6
    Credit to private sector 9.5 7.4 4.9 5.5 6.1
    External sector (percent of GDP unless otherwise noted)
    Exports 58.7 68.6 60.4 58.7 60.1
    Imports 34.1 31.6 33.9 33.4 35.1
    Current account balance 14.6 26.8 17.1 16.6 15.5
    in billions of U.S. dollars 26.3 63.1 36.5 37.0 35.2
    External debt 161.4 115.5 123.2 118.1 116.8
    Central Bank’s reserves 23.5 20.1 24.2 24.5 25.4
    in months of next year’s imports 6.6 7.7 8.1 8.0 7.9
    Exchange rate (per U.S. dollar) 2/ 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6
    Real effective exchange rate (percent change) 3/ -2.6 6.5 0.2 -0.5 …
    Sources: Qatari authorities; and IMF staff estimates and projections.
    1/ Includes crude oil, natural gas, propane, butane, and condensates.
    2/ January 6, 2025
    3/ November 2024.

    [1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

    [2] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chair of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summing up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Angham Al Shami

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/02/11/pr25034-qatar-imf-executive-board-concludes-the-2024-article-iv-consultation

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoskins Warns Missourians About Romance Scams

    Source: US State of Missouri

     

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

               

    Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, CPA, Warns Missourians About Romance Scams

    JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, CPA, is urging Missourians to be vigilant against romance scams, a growing threat that preys on individuals seeking companionship online. As Valentine’s Day approaches, fraudsters are ramping up efforts to manipulate victims into sending money or divulging personal information.

    “Romance scams are among the most devastating types of fraud, not only financially but emotionally,” said Secretary Hoskins. “These scammers build trust over time, often posing as loving and devoted partners, only to exploit their victims for financial gain. Missourians should remain cautious when engaging in online relationships.”

    According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), romance scams result in millions of dollars in losses each year, with victims often targeted through dating websites, social media platforms, and messaging apps. Scammers typically craft elaborate backstories, claiming to be deployed military personnel, international businesspeople, or professionals working overseas. They create a sense of urgency, asking for money under the guise of emergencies, medical expenses, or travel costs to meet in person—requests that never materialize into a real encounter.

    To help Missourians protect themselves, Secretary Hoskins offers the following tips:

    • Be skeptical of individuals who profess love quickly or avoid in-person meetings.
    • Never send money, gift cards, or personal financial information to someone you haven’t met.
    • Conduct reverse image searches on profile pictures to check for stolen identities.
    • Discuss new online relationships with trusted friends or family members.
    • Report suspected romance scams to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office, the FTC, or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

    “Missourians deserve to form relationships built on trust, not deceit,” Secretary Hoskins emphasized. “By staying informed and vigilant, we can protect ourselves and our loved ones from these heartless schemes.”

    For more information or to report suspected fraud, visit Missouri Secretary of State’s website or contact the Securities Division at 573-751-4136.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Innovative insurance model directs millions in cash assistance to people affected by hurricane Beryl

    Source: World Food Programme

    GRENADA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has supported Caribbean nations to ensure that climate insurance payouts triggered by category-5 Hurricane Beryl in July last year are used for social subsidies to get the most vulnerable back on their feet. The Governments of Grenada, Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will use a US$ 5.5 million portion of the payout to assist people affected by the tropical storm.

    In Grenada alone, 34,000 people (30 percent of the population) required emergency assistance after Hurricane Beryl. Now, it is the first country to provide subsidies to people who lost income, under the Beryl Relief Income Support Programme (BRISP).

    WFP and CCRIF SPC (formerly the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility) work together to link tropical cyclone and excess rainfall insurance policies with national social protection systems. Through an innovative model, financial support allows countries to top-up their sovereign insurance coverage on the condition that a fixed percentage of the payout is allocated for social assistance if and when policies are triggered. 

    “Recognising the limited fiscal space of Caribbean governments, we know that it is crucial to strengthen national systems to ensure that support reaches the people who need it most, when disaster strikes,” said Brian Bogart, Representative of the WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office. “Hurricane Beryl’s impact was significant, and many people are still struggling to recover. WFP is committed to supporting strategies that assist people as they recover, without increasing the long-term debt burden of small island nations and derailing progress on national development goals.”

    WFP first introduced insurance policy top-up agreements in Dominica in 2021. Since then, WFP has helped expand the model to Belize, Dominica and Saint Lucia, with support from the European Union, the Government of Canada and the Global Shield Financing Facility. The Canada-CARICOM Climate Adaptation has recently provided funding to include Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 

    “In the face of increasing climate-related challenges, it is imperative that we strengthen our collaborative efforts to build resilience within our Caribbean communities,” said Isaac Solomon, Acting President of the Caribbean Development Bank. ” Innovative insurance models supported by CCRIF SPC and WFP are an effective method to get relief those most affected in a timely manner.”

    “Canada was keen to build on the work that started in 2021,” said Abebech Assefa, Head of Cooperation for the Eastern Caribbean at Canada’s International Trade – Global Affairs Canada. “The idea to connect a portion of CCRIF SPC payouts to social protection systems helps ensure that these funds reach the most vulnerable people. The recent experience with Hurricane Beryl has provided an opportunity to put the concept to the test.” 

    Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS) are on the frontline of climate change. The WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office was established in 2018 and has since supported governments in scaling-up climate solutions, including early warning systems, anticipatory action and insurance to protect food-insecure communities.

    #                 #                   #

    About WFP

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

    Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media; @wfp_Caribbean

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: IMF Executive Board Concludes the 2024 Article IV Consultation with Qatar

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    February 11, 2025

    Washington, DC: On January 27, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation[1] with Qatar.

    Growth normalization after the 2022 FIFA World Cup continued, with signs of strengthening activities more recently. Real GDP growth is projected to improve gradually to 2 percent in 2024–25 supported by public investment, spillovers from the ongoing LNG expansion project, and strong tourism. Medium-term growth is expected to accelerate to 4¾ percent on average, boosted by the significant LNG production expansion and initial gains from implementing reforms guided by the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3). Headline inflation will likely ease to 1 percent in 2024 and converge to around 2 percent over the medium term.

    With lower hydrocarbon prices, both the current account and fiscal surpluses narrowed in 2023, to 17 percent of GDP and 5½ percent of GDP, respectively. The twin surpluses moderated further in 2024. Over the medium, as Qatar’s LNG production expands massively, both the current and fiscal accounts will likely remain in surpluses, albeit declining as a share of GDP, as hydrocarbon prices are projected to fall.

    Banks are well-capitalized, liquid, and profitable, with the capital adequacy ratio of close to 20 percent and return on equity of 14½ percent, respectively, in the third quarter of 2024. Since the implementation of QCB measures to reduce banks’ net short-term foreign liabilities, banks’ non-resident deposits declined significantly, and banks have lengthened the average maturity and diversified further the sources of foreign funding. The sector-wide NPL ratio remained broadly unchanged at slightly below 4 percent and the provisioning coverage ratio is relatively high at above 80 percent.   

    Qatar has started to implement the ambitious Third National Development Strategy (NDS3) to build a more diversified, knowledge-based and private sector-driven economy. Guided by NDS3, reform momentum has strengthened significantly, including to attract and retain high-skilled expatriate workers, foster innovation, promote public-private partnerships, and further improve the business efficiency. Qatar is well positioned to leverage digitalization and AI for productivity gains, and the nation’s climate agenda is advancing.

    Risks to the outlook are broadly balanced. Main downside risks stem from the global headwinds, including a sharper-than-expected global growth slowdown, increased volatility in global financial conditions and commodity prices, and further worsening of geopolitical tensions. The regional conflict has had limited impact on Qatar but adds further to the downside risks through lower tourism and capital inflows, and more volatile hydrocarbon prices. Domestic downside risk stems mainly from further weaknesses in the real estate sector, although strong tourism and policy measures introduced in 2023 could mitigate the risk. Over the medium and long term, supply in the global natural gas market is expected to expand significantly, potentially putting downward pressure on prices. On the upside, sustained high hydrocarbon prices and accelerated NDS3 reforms would strengthen the outlook. However, if ambitious NDS3 initiatives lead to resource misallocation, both the public finance and growth prospect would be affected.

    Executive Board Assessment[2]

    Executive Directors agreed with the thrust of the staff appraisal. They welcomed Qatar’s continued resilience to external shocks and its favorable medium-term outlook, driven by significant increases in LNG production and the reforms under the Third National Development Strategy. Directors agreed that maintaining prudent macroeconomic policies and accelerating reform efforts would further solidify macroeconomic stability and resilience to shocks while boosting prosperity.

    Directors commended the authorities’ commitment to continued fiscal prudence and called for accelerating fiscal reforms. They recommended adopting a medium-term fiscal anchor to help ensure intergenerational equity, and reiterated the need to accelerate revenue diversification, particularly by introducing the value-added tax. Directors highlighted the importance of improving spending efficiency and composition, particularly by enhancing public investment management. They welcomed the ongoing efforts to strengthen fiscal institutions and adopt a full-fledged medium-term fiscal framework with enhanced fiscal risk management.

    Directors supported the authorities’ efforts to maintain financial stability and deepen domestic financial markets, while encouraging them to consider undertaking a Financial Sector Assessment Program update. They welcomed the newly introduced risk-based supervision and recommended formalizing the financial safety net and continuing to adjust macroprudential policies to mitigate potential macro-financial risks. Directors encouraged the authorities to sustain their progress in fighting financial crimes.

    Directors agreed that the exchange rate peg continues to serve Qatar well. They concurred that, as conditions allow, strengthening the operational framework would further enhance monetary policy transmission.

    Directors supported the authorities’ strategy to build a more diversified, private sector-led, and knowledge-based economy. They recommended fostering innovation and business efficiency and enhancing human capital by attracting and retaining more high-skilled expatriate workers, improving Qatari nationals’ employment in the private sector, and further increasing female labor force participation. Directors agreed that aligning domestic energy prices with export prices would benefit public finances and support climate goals. They also encouraged the authorities to close remaining data gaps, with the help of IMF capacity development.

    It is expected that the next Article IV consultation with Qatar will be held on the standard 12-month cycle.

    Qatar: Selected Macroeconomic Indicators, 2021-25
    (Quota: 735.1 million SDRs, November 2024)
    (Per capita income: U.S.$69,541, 2023)
    (Life expectancy at birth: 81.6 years, 2022)
    (Population: 3.1 million, 2023)
    Projections
    2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
    Production and prices (percent change)
    Real GDP (2018 prices) 1.6 4.2 1.2 1.7 2.4
    Hydrocarbon 1/ -0.3 1.7 1.4 1.4 3.0
    Nonhydrocarbon 2.8 5.7 1.1 1.9 2.1
    CPI inflation (average) 2.3 5.0 3.0 1.0 1.4
    Public finances (percent of GDP)
    Revenue 29.6 34.7 32.8 26.2 28.7
    Expenditure 29.4 24.3 27.3 25.9 26.2
    Current 18.3 15.6 17.5 17.2 17.5
    Capital 11.1 8.8 9.7 8.7 8.7
    Central government fiscal balance 0.2 10.4 5.6 0.3 2.5
    Money (percent change)
    Broad money 1.4 17.4 1.1 4.1 5.6
    Credit to private sector 9.5 7.4 4.9 5.5 6.1
    External sector (percent of GDP unless otherwise noted)
    Exports 58.7 68.6 60.4 58.7 60.1
    Imports 34.1 31.6 33.9 33.4 35.1
    Current account balance 14.6 26.8 17.1 16.6 15.5
    in billions of U.S. dollars 26.3 63.1 36.5 37.0 35.2
    External debt 161.4 115.5 123.2 118.1 116.8
    Central Bank’s reserves 23.5 20.1 24.2 24.5 25.4
    in months of next year’s imports 6.6 7.7 8.1 8.0 7.9
    Exchange rate (per U.S. dollar) 2/ 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6
    Real effective exchange rate (percent change) 3/ -2.6 6.5 0.2 -0.5 …
    Sources: Qatari authorities; and IMF staff estimates and projections.
    1/ Includes crude oil, natural gas, propane, butane, and condensates.
    2/ January 6, 2025
    3/ November 2024.

    [1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

    [2] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chair of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summing up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Angham Al Shami

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement from the 11th Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens chaired the eleventh Tata Steel/Port Talbot Transition Board in February 2025.

    The Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board met on 6 February 2025.

    The Secretary of State for Wales and Chair of the Transition Board, Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, sought endorsement from the Board to announce £8.2 million for the South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub (SWITCH). This project will support more than 100 jobs and generate more than £87 million for the South Wales economy, supporting the Government’s Plan for Change and economic growth mission.

    This is the first project to receive funding as part of the growth and regeneration projects in Port Talbot. A collaboration between Swansea University, Cardiff University and the University of South Wales, with industry and public sector partners. The Transition Board funding is in addition to the £20 million from the Swansea Bay City Deal. SWITCH will deliver research to support and join up the decarbonisation transition. The announcement of further growth and regeneration projects are due to follow.

    Today’s release of money is the fourth announcement from the UK Government’s £80m Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund which, since last July, has announced £51 million to support individual steelworkers and businesses in Tata Steel’s supply chain to protect jobs and grow the local economy.

    The Board also discussed mental health support, and further information on the interventions being developed to support mental health in the community will be announced at the next Transition Board meeting on 27th of March, following a mental health pilot at the Neath Port Talbot Council Support Hub in Aberafan Shopping Centre.

    The Board also received updates on:

    • Tata Steel UK’s decarbonisation programme;
    • The Department of Business and Trade’s plans for a steel strategy;
    • The Community Union Support Hub for affected workers; and
    • The Transition Board funds that have already been announced, including applications received for the Supply Chain fund, and support being provided from the Employment and Skills fund.

    Those in attendance included: Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, Secretary of State for Wales; Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning in the Welsh Government; Sarah Jones MP, Minister of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department; Cllr Steve K Hunt, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council; Frances O’Brien, CEO of Neath Port Talbot Council; Rajesh Nair, CEO of Tata Steel UK; Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg; David Rees, MS for Aberavon; Tom Giffard, MS for the region of South Wales West; Luke Fletcher MS for the region of South Wales West; Sarah Williams-Gardener; Anne Jessopp CBE; Katherine Bennett CBE independent members of the Board; Alun Davies, National Officer for Steel & Metals, Community Union and Jason Bartlett, Regional Officer for Unite the Union.

    ENDS

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: BexBack Revolutionizes Crypto Trading: Double Deposit Bonus, 100x Leverage & No KYC

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the price of bitcoin once again trading below $100,000, many analysts believe it will enter a long period of high volatility. Holding spot positions may not continue to generate profits in the short term. BexBack Exchange is stepping up its efforts to provide traders with irresistible preferential packages. The platform now offers a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and a 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, creating unparalleled opportunities for investors.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $100,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $105,000, your profit will be (105,000 – 100,000) * 100 BTC / 100,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, and XRP futures contracts. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

    Why recommend BexBack?

    No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

    100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

    High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

    Demo Account: Comes with 10 BTC in virtual funds, ideal for beginners to practice risk-free trading.

    Comprehensive Trading Options: Feature-rich trading available via Web and mobile applications.

    Convenient Operation: No slippage, no spread, and fast, precise trade execution.

    Global User Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer service, no matter where you are.

    Lucrative Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission, perfect for promoters.

    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

    If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com

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

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d4445477-0112-4df9-8539-ab93cd5affac

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c33fa072-02d1-4cbc-b4af-8168cc1fc992

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dddf867f-8361-4b82-adca-bc3323f36632

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/296fa3c6-0da5-45fd-a274-3afbf2099c18

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Anfield Energy to Present at the Metals and Mining Growth Virtual Investor Conference February 13th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Anfield Energy, Inc. (TSXV:AEC; OTCQB:ANLDF), with its uranium and vanadium asset portfolio based in the Southwestern United States and focused on development and the pursuit of near-term production, today announced that Corey Dias, Chief Executive Officer, will present live at the Metals and Mining Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on February 13th, 2025

    DATE: February 13th
    TIME: 11:30 AM ET
    LINK: https://bit.ly/4hPp1JA
    Available for 1×1 meetings: February 12th and 13th

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.  

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    Recent Company Highlights

    • Recently completed a $15 million equity financing
    • Announced its intention to pursue a listing of its shares on a senior US stock exchange
    • Announced that it had completed its 14-hole, 14,100-foot drill program at its Slick Rock uranium and vanadium project and outlined its 2025 plans to advance the project, including the pursuit of a Plan of Operations

    About Anfield Energy, Inc.

    Anfield is a uranium and vanadium development and near-term production company that is committed to becoming a top-tier energy-related fuels supplier by creating value through sustainable, efficient growth in its assets. Anfield is a publicly traded corporation listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (AEC-V), the OTCQB Marketplace (ANLDF) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (0AD).

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®
    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access.  Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    CONTACTS:
    Anfield Energy, Inc.
    Corey Dias
    Chief Executive Officer
    604-669-5762
    cdias@anfieldresources.com

    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. “Forward-looking information” includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including the anticipated use of proceeds from the Equity Financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals with respect to the Equity Financing and the intention to pursue a listing on a US stock exchange.

    Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved” or the negative connotation thereof.

    Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the Company will use the proceeds of the Equity Financing as currently anticipated; that the Company will receive regulatory approval with respect to the Equity Financing; and that the Company will be able to pursue a listing on a US stock exchange. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate.

    There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s plans or expectations include the risk that the Company may not use the proceeds of the Equity Financing as currently anticipated; that the Company may not receive regulatory approval with respect to the Equity Financing; the risk that the Company may not have the resources, or may otherwise be unable to pursue a listing on a US stock exchange; risks relating to the actual results of the Company’s operational activities, fluctuating commodity prices, availability of capital and financing, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes, timeliness of government or regulatory approvals and other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators.

    Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

    The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. We seek safe harbor.

    The MIL Network –