Category: Transport

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PRESS RELEASE – Samoa Airways Responds to False Allegations of Drug Transport in Coffin

Source: Government of Western Samoa

Share this:

APIA, Samoa – Samoa Airways would like to address the false and damaging allegations made by an individual named Mau Hunt this week regarding the transport of an empty coffin from Pago Pago, which he claims contained illegal drugs. These claims are entirely unfounded, and we would like to clarify the situation for the public and our valued customers.

Samoa Airways has strict guidelines and processes in place to ensure the safe and respectful transport of human remains, should a coffin need to be transported on one of our aircraft. All coffins transported by Samoa Airways are accompanied by family members or authorized representatives, and the entire process is fully documented and compliant with all applicable laws and regulations.

We want to emphasize that Samoa Airways has never transported a coffin in the manner described by Mr. Hunt, and there is no truth to the allegations of drug trafficking associated with any cargo we have handled. The safety and security of our passengers and cargo is a top priority, and we take any attempt to undermine the integrity of our operations seriously.

These allegations not only harm the reputation of Samoa Airways, but they also erode the trust that the public has in the professionalism and dedication of our staff. In light of the severity of these false claims, Samoa Airways is referring the matter to the Police. We are committed to fully cooperating with any investigation and will take all necessary steps to protect the integrity of our airline.

We strongly advise against the circulation of misinformation that could damage the trust and reputation of Samoa Airways, as well as the livelihoods of our dedicated employees.

We remain committed to providing safe, reliable, and professional services to our passengers, and we thank our customers for their ongoing trust and support.

END.

SOURCE – Samoa Airways

Share this:

February 28, 2025

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: BVI MAN AND FOUR HAITIAN NATIONALS CHARGED IN ILLEGAL ALIEN SMUGGLING CASE

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Jose Miguel Hodge, 31, of the British Virgin Islands, was charged with alien smuggling. Also charged were Junia Orelus, 32, Clawens Destin, 18, and Jean Louis Martellus, 27, all of Haiti, and Eudys Santana Santos, 33, of the Dominican Republic, with unlawful entry into the United States.

According to court records, on February 7, 2025, Customs and Border Protection Air Marine Operations agents observed Hodge operating a vessel traveling from BVI waters and later arriving at Annaberg Bay, St. John, without navigational lights. The agents intercepted and boarded Hodge’s vessel and found Orelus, Destin and Metellus, all illegal aliens, onboard. Santana Santos, also an illegal alien, was found at Annaberg Bay waiting to provide transportation to at least one of the illegal migrant onboard Hodge’s vessel.

This case is being investigated by Customs and Border Protection Air Marine Operations and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.

United States Attorney Smith reminds the public that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MIL Security OSI –

March 1, 2025

MIL-OSI: Boralex reports net earnings of $74 million for fiscal 2024 and continues construction of its large-scale projects in Québec, Ontario and the United Kingdom

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MONTREAL, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Boralex Inc. (“Boralex” or the “Corporation”) (TSX: BLX) is pleased to report its results for the three-month period and year ended December 31, 2024.

Highlights
Financial results

EBITDA(A)¹, operating income and net earnings under pressure in Q4-2024 owing to adverse wind and hydropower conditions
- Production 16% (11% on a Combined¹ basis)² lower than in Q4-2023 and 16% (12%) below anticipated production¹, due primarily to the adverse climate conditions. For fiscal 2024 overall, production was 5% (2%) lower than in 2023 and 10% (8%) below anticipated production.
- EBITDA(A) of $169 million ($191 million) for Q4-2024, down $33 million ($38 million) from Q4-2023. For fiscal 2024, EBITDA(A) was $581 million ($670 million), up $3 million (down $5 million) from 2023. The decrease in production was partly offset by the contribution of newly commissioned sites in France and the positive impact of the electricity selling price optimization strategy.
- Operating income of $78 million ($53 million) for Q4-2024, down $20 million ($66 million) from Q4-2023. For fiscal 2024, operating income totalled $226 million ($267 million), unchanged (down $39 million) from 2023.
- Net loss of $2 million in Q4-2024, down $60 million from T4-2023. For fiscal 2024, net earnings amounted to $74 million, $41 million lower than in 2023. Excluding the impairment of an asset, net earnings would have been $6 million higher in fiscal 2024 compared to fiscal 2023.

Lower cash flow related to operating activities for the quarter but balance sheet remains strong
- Net cash flows related to operating activities of $31 million for Q4-2024 and $215 million for fiscal 2024, compared to $107 million for Q4-2023 and $496 million for fiscal 2023.
- Discretionary cash flows¹ of $47 million for Q4-2024 and $158 million for fiscal 2024, down $44 million from Q4-2023 and $26 million from fiscal 2023.
- Boralex has $592 million in cash and cash equivalents and $523 million in available cash resources and authorized financing¹ as at December 31, 2024.
- A record of nearly $1.2 billion in project financing, bridge financing and letter of credit facilities obtained in 2024.

Update on development and construction activities

Portfolio of projects under development and growth path totalling 8,005 MW in the high growth potential markets of Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and France, 1,227 MW or 18% higher than in 2023
Progress in under-construction and ready-to-build projects
- Start of electrification of the Limekiln wind farm in the United Kingdom (106 MW) in February 2025, with full commissioning planned for early April, and work continues on the Apuiat wind farm in Quebec (total 200 MW, Boralex’s share 100 MW), with commissioning planned for the first half of 2025.
- Construction of the Hagersville (300 MW) and Tilbury (80 MW) storage projects in Ontario progressing on schedule, with commissioning planned for the fourth quarter of 2025. Financings closed in December 2024.
- Start of work on the Des Neiges Sud wind project in Quebec (total 400 MW, Boralex’s share 133 MW), with commissioning scheduled for 2026.
Acquisition of the Clashindarroch Wind Farm Extension project in the United Kingdom, with an installed capacity of 145 MW, and the adjacent battery energy storage system (BESS) with a maximum capacity of 50 MW, for a total capacity of 195 MW. Boralex has a 50% interest, but has control over the project and will fully consolidate the results in the financial statements.

¹	EBITDA(A) is a total of segment measures. Anticipated production is an additional financial measure. “Combined,” “discretionary cash flows” and “available cash resources and authorized financing” are non-GAAP financial measures and do not have a standardized definition under IFRS. Consequently, these measures may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies. For more details, see the Non-IFRS financial measures and other financial measures section of this press release.
²	Figures in brackets indicate results on a Combined basis as opposed to a Consolidated basis.

“The year 2024 proved to be full of challenges, which our employees met head-on. I would highlight in particular the significant effort our team invested in 2024 to secure nearly $1.2 billion in financing, a record for Boralex, on very good terms. Despite high volatility in the financial markets and pressure on the stock prices of renewable energy companies, notably in the wake of the American elections, we are convinced that renewable energy development will continue in many regions. Strong growth in electricity demand is expected in the regions where we are developing wind and solar farms and battery storage systems, namely Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and France,” said Patrick Decostre, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boralex.

Renewable energy, which is the most competitive type of energy, can be brought on line to meet demand much faster than other types of energy. Boralex is in a position to capitalize on its project pipeline and growth path, which now represent more than 8 GW of power, and will continue to develop key projects with rates of return in line with its targets.

“Boralex saw its financial results decline in fiscal 2024, mainly as a result of adverse wind conditions in France and to a lesser extent in Canada, as well as impairment of an asset. During the year, we continued to implement our various initiatives aimed at optimizing administrative, financial and development costs. We ended our 2024 financial year with net earnings of $74 million, a strong balance sheet and good financial flexibility, with over $500 million in available cash resources and authorized financing,” Mr. Decostre added.

Boralex continues to excel on the corporate social responsibility front. In 2024, the Corporation announced that it was one of the few in the industry to have had its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This recognition shows Boralex’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. In addition, Boralex ranked 94th out of the 215 S&P/TSX Composite Index companies and trusts analysed as part of The Board Games, with a score of 80/100, while in 2023 it was 102nd with a score of 76. Finally, Boralex placed 15th in the ranking of Canada’s 50 best corporate citizens, out of the 340 leading Canadian organizations analysed.

4^th quarter highlights

Three-month periods ended December 31

	Consolidated										Combined
(in millions of Canadian dollars, unless otherwise specified)		2024			2023	Change						2024			2023	Change
							$		%								$		%
Power production (GWh)¹		1,520			1,814		(294	)	(16	)		2,099			2,351		(252	)	(11	)
Revenues from energy sales and feed-in premium		228			315		(87	)	(28	)		258			345		(87	)	(25	)
Operating income		78			98		(20	)	(21	)		53			119		(66	)	(55	)
EBITDA(A)		169			202		(33	)	(17	)		191			229		(38	)	(17	)
Net earnings (loss)		(2	)		58		(60	)	>(100	)		(2	)		58		(60	)	>(100	)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to shareholders of Boralex		(16	)		37		(53	)	>(100	)		(16	)		37		(53	)	>(100	)
Per share – basic and diluted		($0.15	)	$0.36			($0.51	)	>(100	)		($0.15	)	$0.36			($0.51	)	>(100	)
Net cash flows related to operating activities		31			107		(76	)	(71	)		—			—		—		—
Cash flows from operations²		105			161		(56	)	(35	)		—			—		—		—
Discretionary cash flows		47			91		(44	)	(48	)		—			—		—		—

In the fourth quarter of 2024, Boralex produced 1,520 GWh (2,099 GWh) of power, 16% (11%) less than the 1,814 GWh (2,351 GWh) produced in the same quarter of 2023. The decrease was mainly attributable to adverse weather conditions. As a result, Boralex ended the quarter with total production that was 16% (12%) below anticipated production.

Revenues from energy sales and feed-in premiums for the three-month period ended December 31, 2024, amounted to $228 million ($258 million), 28% (25%) lower than in the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease was mainly attributable to the lower production. EBITDA(A) amounted to $169 million ($191 million), down 17% (17%) from the fourth quarter of 2023. The decline in production was partly offset by the contribution of new assets commissioned in France and the positive impact of the electricity selling price optimization strategy. Operating income totalled $78 million ($53 million), compared to $98 million ($119 million) for the same quarter of 2023. The Company posted a net loss of $2 million, which represents a $60 million decrease from the $58 million in net earnings reported for the fourth quarter of 2023.

¹	Power production includes the production for which Boralex received financial compensation following power generation limitations as management uses this measure to evaluate the Corporation’s performance. This adjustment facilitates the correlation between power production and revenues from energy sales and feed-in premium.
²	The cash flows from operations is a non-GAAP financial measure and does not have a standardized meaning under IFRS. Accordingly, it may not be comparable to similarly named measures used by other companies. For more details, see the Non-IFRS and other financial measures section of this press release.

Years ended December 31

	Consolidated									Combined
(in millions of Canadian dollars, unless otherwise specified)		2024		2023	Change						2024		2023	Change
						$		%							$		%
Power production (GWh)¹		5,691		5,973		(282	)	(5	)		7,845		8,020		(175	)	(2	)
Revenues from energy sales and feed-in premium		817		994		(177	)	(18	)		933		1,104		(171	)	(15	)
Operating income		226		226		—		—			267		306		(39	)	(12	)
EBITDA(A)		581		578		3		—			670		675		(5	)	(1	)
Net earnings		74		115		(41	)	(35	)		74		115		(41	)	(35	)
Net earnings attributable to shareholders of Boralex		36		78		(42	)	(54	)		36		78		(42	)	(54	)
Per share – basic and diluted	$0.35		$0.76		($0.41		)	(54	)	$0.35		$0.76		($0.41		)	(54	)
Net cash flows related to operating activities		215		496		(281	)	(57	)		—		—		—		—
Cash flows from operations		415		445		(30	)	(7	)		—		—		—		—
Discretionary cash flows		158		184		(26	)	(14	)		—		—		—		—
	As at Dec. 31		As at Dec. 31		Change					As at Dec. 31		As at Dec. 31		Change
						$		%							$		%
Total assets		7,604		6,574		1,030		16			8,476		7,304		1,172		16
Debt – principal balance		4,032		3,327		705		21			4,588		3,764		824		22
Total project debt		3,608		2,844		764		27			4,166		3,281		885		27
Total corporate debt		424		483		(59	)	(12	)		424		483		(59	)	(12	)

For the year ended December 31, 2024, Boralex produced 5,691 GWh (7,845 GWh) of power, less than the 5,973 GWh (8,020 GWh) produced during the same period in 2023. Revenues from energy sales and feed-in premiums for the financial year ended December 31, 2024, amounted to $817 million ($933 million), down $177 million ($171 million) or 18% (15%) from the same period in 2023.

EBITDA(A) amounted to $581 million ($670 million), up $3 million (down $5 million) from the same period last year. Operating income totalled $226 million ($267 million), essentially unchanged (down $39 million) from the same period in 2023. Overall, Boralex posted net earnings of $74 million ($74 million) for the financial year ended December 31, 2024, compared to $115 million ($115 million) for fiscal 2023.

¹	Power production includes the production for which Boralex received financial compensation following power generation limitations imposed by its customers since management uses this measure to evaluate the Corporation’s performance. This adjustment facilitates the correlation between power production and revenues from energy sales and feed-in premiums.

Outlook

Boralex’s 2025 Strategic Plan is built around the same four strategic directions as the plan launched in 2019 – growth, diversification, customers and optimization – and six corporate targets. The details of the plan, which also sets out Boralex’s corporate social responsibility strategy, are found in the Corporation’s annual report. Highlights of the main achievements for the 2024 financial year in relation to the 2025 Strategic Plan can be found in the 2024 Annual Report, in the Investors section of the Boralex website.

In the coming quarters, Boralex will continue to work on its various initiatives under the strategic plan, including project development, analysis of acquisition targets and optimization of power sales and operating costs. The Corporation will present a new plan for the period to 2030 during the course of 2025.

Finally, to fuel its organic growth, the Corporation has a portfolio of projects under development and growth path based on clearly identified criteria, totalling more than 8 GW of wind, solar and energy storage projects.

About Boralex

At Boralex, we have been providing affordable renewable energy accessible to everyone for over 30 years. As a leader in the Canadian market and France’s largest independent producer of onshore wind power, we also have facilities in the United States and development projects in the United Kingdom. Over the past five years, our installed capacity has more than doubled to over 3.1 GW. We are developing a portfolio of projects in development and construction of more than 8 GW in wind, solar and storage projects, guided by our values and our corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach. Through profitable and sustainable growth, Boralex is actively participating in the fight against global warming. Thanks to our fearlessness, our discipline, our expertise and our diversity, we continue to be an industry leader. Boralex’s shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BLX.

For more information, visit www.boralex.com or www.sedarplus.ca. Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Non-IFRS measures
Performance measures

In order to assess the performance of its assets and reporting segments, Boralex uses performance measures. Management believes that these measures are widely accepted financial indicators used by investors to assess the operational performance of a company and its ability to generate cash through operations. The non-IFRS and other financial measures also provide investors with insight into the Corporation’s decision making as the Corporation uses these non-IFRS financial measures to make financial, strategic and operating decisions. The non-IFRS and other financial measures should not be considered as substitutes for IFRS measures.

These non-IFRS and other financial measures are derived primarily from the audited consolidated financial statements, but do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS; accordingly, they may not be comparable to similarly named measures used by other companies. Non-IFRS and other financial measures are not audited. They have important limitations as analytical tools and investors are cautioned not to consider them in isolation or place undue reliance on ratios or percentages calculated using these non-IFRS financial measures.

Non-IFRS financial measures
Specific financial measure	*Use*	*Composition*	Most directly comparable IFRS measure
Financial data – Combined (all disclosed financial data)	To assess the operating performance and the ability of a company to generate cash from its operations and investments in joint ventures and associates.	Results from the combination of the financial information of Boralex Inc. under IFRS and the share of the financial information of the Interests. Interests in the Joint Ventures and associates, Share in earnings (losses) of the Joint Ventures and associates and Distributions received from the Joint Ventures and associates are then replaced with Boralex’s respective share in the financial statements of the Interests (revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities, etc.)	Respective financial data – Consolidated
Discretionary cash flows	To assess the cash generated from operations and the amount available for future development or to be paid as dividends to common shareholders while preserving the long-term value of the business. Corporate objectives for 2025 from the strategic plan.	Net cash flows related to operating activities before “change in non-cash items related to operating activities,” less (i) distributions paid to non-controlling shareholders; (ii) additions to property, plant and equipment (maintenance of operations); (iii) repayments on non-current debt (projects) and repayments to tax equity investors; (iv) principal payments related to lease liabilities; (v) adjustments for non-operational items; plus (vi) development costs (from the statement of earnings).	Net cash flows related to operating activities
Cash flows from operations	To assess the cash generated by the Company’s operations and its ability to finance its expansion from these funds.	Net cash flows related to operating activities before changes in non-cash items related to operating activities.	Net cash flows related to operating activities

Non-IFRS financial measures
Specific financial measure	*Use*	*Composition*	Most directly comparable IFRS measure
Available cash and cash equivalents	To assess the cash and cash equivalents available, as at balance sheet date, to fund the Corporation’s growth.	Represents cash and cash equivalents, as stated on the balance sheet, from which known short-term cash requirements are excluded.	Cash and cash equivalents
Available cash resources and authorized financing	To assess the total cash resources available, as at balance sheet date, to fund the Corporation’s growth.	Results from the combination of credit facilities available to fund growth and the available cash and cash equivalents.	Cash and cash equivalents

Other financial measures – Total of segments measure
*Specific financial measure*	*Most directly comparable IFRS measure*
EBITDA(A)	Operating income

Other financial measures – Supplementary Financial Measures
*Specific financial measure*	*Composition*
Credit facilities available for growth	The credit facilities available for growth include the unused tranche of the parent company’s credit facility, apart from the accordion clause, as well as the unused tranche credit facilities of subsidiaries which includes the unused tranche of the credit facility- France and the unused tranche of the construction facility.
Anticipated production	For older sites, anticipated production by the Corporation is based on adjusted historical averages, planned commissioning and shutdowns and, for all other sites, on the production studies carried out.

Combined

The following tables reconcile Consolidated financial data with data presented on a Combined basis:

					2024				2023
(in millions of Canadian dollars)	Consolidated		Reconciliation⁽¹⁾		Combined		Consolidated	Reconciliation⁽¹⁾	Combined
Three-month periods ended December 31:
Power production (GWh)⁽²⁾	1,520		579		2,099		1,814	537	2,351
Revenues from energy sales and feed-in premium	228		30		258		315	30	345
Operating income	78		(25	)	53		98	21	119
EBITDA(A)	169		22		191		202	27	229
Net earnings (loss)	(2	)	—		(2	)	58	—	58

Years ended December 31:
Power production (GWh)⁽²⁾	5,691	2,154	7,845	5,973	2,047	8,020
Revenues from energy sales and feed-in premiums	817	116	933	994	110	1,104
Operating income	226	41	267	226	80	306
EBITDA(A)	581	89	670	578	97	675
Net earnings	74	—	74	115	—	115

	As at December 31, 2024			As at December 31, 2023
Total assets	7,604	872	8,476	6,574	730	7,304
Debt – Principal balance	4,032	556	4,588	3,327	437	3,764

⁽¹⁾	Includes the respective contribution of joint ventures and associates as a percentage of Boralex’s interest less adjustments to reverse recognition of these interests under IFRS. This contribution is attributable to the North America segment’s wind farms and includes corporate expenses of $2 million under EBITDA(A) for the year ended December 31, 2024 ($2 million as at December 31, 2023).
⁽²⁾	Includes compensation following electricity production limitations.

EBITDA(A)

EBITDA(A) is a total of segment financial measures and represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, adjusted to exclude other items such as acquisition and integration costs, other losses (gains), net loss (gain) on financial instruments and foreign exchange loss (gain), with the last two items included under Other.

EBITDA(A) is used to assess the performance of the Corporation’s reporting segments.

EBITDA(A) is reconciled to the most comparable IFRS measure, namely, operating income, in the following table:

					2024						2023		Change 2024 vs 2023
(in millions of Canadian dollars)	Consolidated		Reconciliation⁽¹⁾		Combined		Consolidated		Reconciliation⁽¹⁾		Combined		Consolidated		Combined
Three-month periods ended December 31:
EBITDA(A)	169		22		191		202		27		229		(33	)	(38	)
Amortization	(73	)	(15	)	(88	)	(75	)	(14	)	(89	)	2		1
Impairment	—		(47	)	(47	)	(20	)	(1	)	(21	)	20		(26	)
Other gains (losses)	(3	)	—		(3	)	1		(1	)	—		(4	)	(3	)
Share in earnings of joint ventures and associates	(3	)	3		—		(17	)	17		—		14		—
Change in fair value of a derivative included in the share in earnings of a joint venture	—		—		—		7		(7	)	—		(7	)	—
Impairment included in the share in earnings of a joint venture	(12	)	12		—		—		—		—		(12	)	—
Operating income	78		(25	)	53		98		21		119		(20	)	(66	)

Years ended December 31:
EBITDA(A)	581		89		670		578		97		675		3		(5	)
Amortization	(297	)	(59	)	(356	)	(293	)	(58	)	(351	)	(4	)	(5	)
Impairment	(5	)	(47	)	(52	)	(20	)	(1	)	(21	)	15		(31	)
Other gains	5		—		5		1		2		3		4		2
Share in earnings of joint ventures and associates	(46	)	46		—		(59	)	59		—		13		—
Change in fair value of a derivative included in the share in earnings of a joint venture	—		—		—		19		(19	)	—		(19	)	—
Impairment included in the share in earnings of a joint venture	(12	)	12		—		—		—		—		(12	)	—
Operating income	226		41		267		226		80		306		—		(39	)

⁽¹⁾	Includes the respective contribution of joint ventures and associates as a percentage of Boralex’s interest less adjustments to reverse recognition of these interests under IFRS.

Cash flow from operations and discretionary cash flows

The Corporation computes the cash flow from operations and discretionary cash flows as follows:

	Consolidated
	Three-month periods ended				Years ended
	December 31				December 31
(in millions of Canadian dollars)	2024		2023		2024		2023
Net cash flows related to operating activities	31		107		215		496
Change in non-cash items relating to operating activities	74		54		200		(51	)
Cash flows from operations	105		161		415		445
Repayments on non-current debt (projects)⁽¹⁾	(53	)	(50	)	(240	)	(232	)
Adjustment for non-operating items⁽²⁾	5		2		7		6
	57		113		182		219
Principal payments related to lease liabilities⁽³⁾	(6	)	(4	)	(19	)	(17	)
Distributions paid to non-controlling shareholders⁽⁴⁾	(17	)	(33	)	(52	)	(57	)
Additions to property, plant and equipment (maintenance of operations)⁽⁵⁾	(3	)	2		(10	)	(6	)
Development costs (from statement of earnings)⁽⁶⁾	16		13		57		45
Discretionary cash flows	47		91		158		184

⁽¹⁾	Includes repayments on non-current debt (projects) and repayments to tax equity investors, and excludes VAT bridge financing, early debt repayments and repayments under the construction facility – Boralex Energy Investments portfolio and the CDPQ Fixed Income Inc. term loan.
⁽²⁾	For the years ended December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, favourable adjustment consisting mainly of acquisition, integration and other non-operating miscellaneous items.
⁽³⁾	Excludes the principal payments related to lease liabilities for projects under development and construction.
⁽⁴⁾	Comprises distributions paid to non-controlling shareholders as well as the portion of discretionary cash flows attributable to the non-controlling shareholder of Boralex Europe Sàrl.
⁽⁵⁾	Excludes the additions to the property, plant and equipment of regulated assets (treated as assets under construction since they are regulated assets for which investments in the plant are considered in the setting of its electricity selling price). During the fourth quarter of 2023, an amount of $4 million was reclassified as new property, plant, and equipment under construction.
⁽⁶⁾	During Q1-2024, the Corporation reclassified the employee benefits for 2023 and 2024 related to its incentive plans, which were reported in full under Operating expenses in the consolidated statements of earnings. To better allocate these expenses to the Corporation’s various functions and thus provide more relevant information to users of the financial statements, the Corporation is now allocating these costs to Operating, Administrative and Development expenses in the consolidated statements of earnings according to the breakdown of staff. This change resulted in a $1 million increase in development costs for the three-month period ended December 31, 2023 and $5 million increase for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Available cash and cash equivalents and available cash resources and authorized financing

The Corporation defines available cash and cash equivalents as well as available cash resources and authorized financing as follows:

	Consolidated
	As at December 31		As at December 31
(in millions of Canadian dollars)	2024		2023
Cash and cash equivalents	592		478
Cash and cash equivalents held by entities subject to project debt agreement and restrictions⁽¹⁾	(526	)	(388	)
Bank overdraft	(5	)	(6	)
Available cash and cash equivalents	61		84
Credit facilities available for growth	462		463
Available cash resources and authorized financing	523		547

⁽¹⁾	This cash can be used for the operations of the respective projects, but is subject to restrictions for non-project related purposes under the credit agreements.

Disclaimer regarding forward-looking statements

Certain statements contained in this release, including those related to results and performance for future periods, installed capacity targets, EBITDA(A) and discretionary cash flows, the Corporation’s strategic plan, business model and growth strategy, organic growth and growth through mergers and acquisitions, obtaining an investment grade credit rating, payment of a quarterly dividend, the Corporation’s financial targets, the projects commissioning dates, the portfolio of renewable energy projects, the Corporation’s Growth Path, the bids for new storage and solar projects and its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) objectives are forward-looking statements based on current forecasts, as defined by securities legislation. Positive or negative verbs such as “will,” “would,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “project,” “continue,” “intend,” “assess,” “estimate” or “believe,” or expressions such as “toward,” “about,” “approximately,” “to be of the opinion,” “potential” or similar words or the negative thereof or other comparable terminology, are used to identify such statements.

Forward-looking statements are based on major assumptions, including those about the Corporation’s return on its projects, as projected by management with respect to wind and other factors, opportunities that may be available in the various sectors targeted for growth or diversification, assumptions made about EBITDA(A) margins, assumptions made about the sector realities and general economic conditions, competition, exchange rates as well as the availability of funding and partners. While the Corporation considers these factors and assumptions to be reasonable, based on the information currently available to the Corporation, they may prove to be inaccurate.

Boralex wishes to clarify that, by their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, and that its results, or the measures it adopts, could be significantly different from those indicated or underlying those statements, or could affect the degree to which a given forward-looking statement is achieved. The main factors that may result in any significant discrepancy between the Corporation’s actual results and the forward-looking financial information or expectations expressed in forward-looking statements include the general impact of economic conditions, fluctuations in various currencies, fluctuations in energy prices, the risk of not renewing PPAs or being unable to sign new corporate PPA, the risk of not being able to capture the US or Canadian investment tax credit, counterparty risk, the Corporation’s financing capacity, cybersecurity risks, competition, changes in general market conditions, industry regulations and amendments thereto, particularly the legislation, regulations and emergency measures that could be implemented for time to time to address high energy prices in Europe, litigation and other regulatory issues related to projects in operation or under development, as well as certain other factors considered in the sections dealing with risk factors and uncertainties appearing in Boralex’s MD&A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

Unless otherwise specified by the Corporation, forward-looking statements do not take into account the effect that transactions, non-recurring items or other exceptional items announced or occurring after such statements have been made may have on the Corporation’s activities. There is no guarantee that the results, performance or accomplishments, as expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, will materialize. Readers are therefore urged not to rely unduly on these forward-looking statements.

Unless required by applicable securities legislation, Boralex’s management assumes no obligation to update or revise forward- looking statements in light of new information, future events or other changes.

For more information:

The MIL Network –

March 1, 2025

MIL-OSI: TeraWulf Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Announced strategic expansion into AI-driven HPC hosting with long-term data center leases expected to generate $1 billion in cumulative revenue over initial 10-year contract terms

Annual revenue and non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA increase 102% and 89% year-over-year, respectively

Expanded self-mining operating capacity by 94% year-over-year to 9.7 EH/s as compared to 5.0 EH/s in 2023

Strengthened the Balance Sheet with cash and bitcoin holdings of $275 million as of December 31, 2024

Proactively repaid legacy term loan debt ahead of schedule and financed HPC hosting growth with new 2.75% convertible notes issuance due 2030

Authorized $200 million share repurchase program and executed over $150 million of repurchases equivalent to over 24 million shares of Common Stock to date

EASTON, Md., Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TeraWulf Inc. (Nasdaq: WULF) (“TeraWulf” or the “Company”), which owns and operates vertically integrated, next-generation digital infrastructure primarily powered by zero-carbon energy, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024.

Management Commentary

“In 2024, TeraWulf achieved significant financial and operational milestones, further solidifying our leadership in sustainable digital infrastructure,” said Paul Prager, Chief Executive Officer of TeraWulf. “We expanded our self-mining capacity to 9.7 EH/s, secured long-term data center lease agreements with a credit-worthy counterparty that are expected to generate significant recurring revenue, providing a stable foundation for long-term growth, and enhanced our financial flexibility through strategic asset monetization and capital raises. As the scarcity of digital infrastructure intensifies, we believe we are exceptionally well-positioned to scale our high-performance compute (HPC) hosting and colocation services by 100-150 MW annually.”

Patrick Fleury, Chief Financial Officer, added, “Our disciplined financial management was reflected in our $500 million oversubscribed convertible debt offering, which strengthened our liquidity and funded our initial expansion into HPC hosting. The $85 million sale of our 25% equity interest in Nautilus allowed us to monetize an asset with a declining value at peak pricing and reinvest in Lake Mariner’s HPC hosting capabilities. Demonstrating confidence in our long-term growth, we also strategically repurchased over $150 million in shares in late 2024 and early 2025 while maintaining a strong liquidity position.”

Paul Prager concluded, “Looking ahead, our focus is on executing the 72.5 MW of HPC hosting capacity set for delivery in 2025. With strong demand for AI-driven compute infrastructure, we see a significant opportunity to leverage our low-cost, predominantly zero-carbon energy infrastructure platform to meet this growing need. TeraWulf sits at the convergence of bitcoin mining and HPC hosting, reinforcing our role as a leader in next-generation digital infrastructure.”

Full Year 2024 Operational and Financial Highlights

Key financial and operational highlights for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 include:

Revenue increased 102% to $140.1 million in 2024, as compared to $69.2 million in fiscal 2023, driven by increased bitcoin production and higher average realized bitcoin prices during the period.
Cost of revenue, exclusive of depreciation, increased 129% to $62.6 million in 2024, as compared to $27.3 million in fiscal 2023, driven by increased bitcoin mining capacity due to infrastructure constructed and placed in service during 2024, a near doubling of network difficulty and the impacts of the bitcoin halving in April 2024, and, to a lesser extent, an increase in realized power prices during 2024 as compared to 2023.
Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA increased by $28.5 million to $60.4 million in 2024, as compared to $31.9 million in fiscal 2023.
Reported cash and cash equivalents of $274.1 million as of December 31, 2024, as compared to $54.4 million at fiscal year-end 2023.
The Company’s legacy term loan debt was eliminated in 2024, as compared to $139.4 million at fiscal year-end 2023, significantly improving strategic and financial flexibility.

Expansion into HPC Hosting

In 2024, TeraWulf expanded into the rapidly growing digital infrastructure market with a focus on AI and HPC hosting, backed by long-term customer agreements.

A pivotal milestone in this expansion was achieved on December 23, 2024, when TeraWulf signed long-term data center lease agreements with Core42, securing 72.5 MW of hosting capacity at Lake Mariner for GPU cloud compute workloads. These lease agreements are expected to commence at various dates in 2025 and include an option to expand by an additional 135 MW.

To support this diversification of its business, the Company has upgraded its digital infrastructure at Lake Mariner, incorporating advanced liquid cooling systems and Tier 3 redundancy to optimize high-density compute workloads. This cutting-edge infrastructure further strengthens TeraWulf’s ability to attract hyperscale and enterprise customers.

Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Results

Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased 102% to $140.1 million compared to $69.2 million in fiscal 2023. The increase in revenue is primarily attributable to a 129% increase in the average price of bitcoin year-over-year. The Company increased its mining capacity at Lake Mariner to 195 MW as of December 31, 2024, as compared to 110 MW as of December 31, 2023. Despite industry-wide headwinds from the April 2024 halving and network hashrate increases, TeraWulf maintained strong mining margins, leveraging its low-cost, predominantly zero-carbon infrastructure.

Cost of revenue, exclusive of depreciation, increased 129% to $62.6 million compared to $27.3 million in fiscal 2023. These increases were driven by increased bitcoin mining capacity due to infrastructure constructed and placed in service during 2024, the impacts of the bitcoin halving in April 2024 and, to a lesser extent, an increase in realized power prices during 2024 as compared to 2023.

Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $60.4 million, as compared to $31.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of December 31, 2024, the Company held $274.5 million in cash and cash equivalents and bitcoin on its balance sheet. As of the same period, the Company had outstanding indebtedness of approximately $500 million related to the 2.75% convertible senior notes due 2030. As of February 26, 2025, TeraWulf had 383,137,722 common shares outstanding.

Investor Conference Call and Webcast

As previously announced, TeraWulf will host its fourth quarter and full year 2024 earnings call and business update for investors today, Friday, February 28, 2025, commencing at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time (5:00 a.m. Pacific Time). Prepared remarks will be followed by a question-and-answer session with management.

The conference call will be broadcast live and will be available for replay via “Events & Presentations” under the “Investors” section of the Company’s website at https://investors.terawulf.com/events-and-presentations/.

About TeraWulf

TeraWulf develops, owns, and operates environmentally sustainable, next-generation data center infrastructure in the United States, specifically designed for bitcoin mining and hosting HPC workloads. Led by a team of seasoned energy entrepreneurs, the Company owns and operates the Lake Mariner facility situated on the expansive site of a now retired coal plant in Western New York. Currently, TeraWulf generates revenue primarily through bitcoin mining, leveraging predominantly zero-carbon energy sources, including hydroelectric and nuclear power. Committed to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles that align with its business objectives, TeraWulf aims to deliver industry-leading economics in mining and data center operations at an industrial scale.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “plan,” “believe,” “goal,” “target,” “aim,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “outlook,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “project,” “seek,” “continue,” “could,” “may,” “might,” “possible,” “potential,” “strategy,” “opportunity,” “predict,” “should,” “would” and other similar words and expressions, although the absence of these words or expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations and beliefs of TeraWulf’s management and are inherently subject to a number of factors, risks, uncertainties and assumptions and their potential effects. There can be no assurance that future developments will be those that have been anticipated. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements based on a number of factors, risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, among others: (1) the ability to mine bitcoin profitably; (2) our ability to attract additional customers to lease our HPC data centers; (3) our ability to perform under our existing data center lease agreements (4) changes in applicable laws, regulations and/or permits affecting TeraWulf’s operations or the industries in which it operates; (5) the ability to implement certain business objectives, including its bitcoin mining and HPC data center development, and to timely and cost-effectively execute related projects; (6) failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and/or on acceptable terms with regard to expansion or existing operations; (7) adverse geopolitical or economic conditions, including a high inflationary environment, the implementation of new tariffs and more restrictive trade regulations; (8) the potential of cybercrime, money-laundering, malware infections and phishing and/or loss and interference as a result of equipment malfunction or break-down, physical disaster, data security breach, computer malfunction or sabotage (and the costs associated with any of the foregoing); (9) the availability and cost of power as well as electrical infrastructure equipment necessary to maintain and grow the business and operations of TeraWulf; and (10) other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Potential investors, stockholders and other readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they were made. TeraWulf does not assume any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement after it was made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law or regulation. Investors are referred to the full discussion of risks and uncertainties associated with forward-looking statements and the discussion of risk factors contained in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available at www.sec.gov.

Non-GAAP Measures

We have not provided reconciliations of preliminary and projected Adjusted EBITDA to the most comparable GAAP measure of net income/(loss). Providing net income/(loss) is potentially misleading and not practical given the difficulty of projecting event-driven transactional and other non-core operating items that are included in net income/(loss), including but not limited to asset impairments and income tax valuation adjustments. Reconciliations of this non-GAAP measure with the most comparable GAAP measure for historical periods is indicative of the reconciliations that will be prepared upon completion of the periods covered by the non-GAAP guidance. Please reference the “Non-GAAP financial information” accompanying our quarterly earnings conference call presentations on our website at www.terawulf.com/investors for our GAAP results and the reconciliations of these measures, where used, to the comparable GAAP measures.

Investors:
Investors@terawulf.com

Media:
media@terawulf.com

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
AS OF December 31, 2024 AND 2023
(In thousands, except number of shares, per share amounts and par value)

	December 31, 2024			December 31, 2023
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	274,065		$	54,439
Digital currency		476			1,801
Prepaid expenses		2,493			4,540
Other receivables		3,799			1,001
Other current assets		598			806
Total current assets		281,431			62,587
Equity in net assets of investee		—			98,613
Property, plant and equipment, net		411,869			205,284
Operating lease right-of-use asset		85,898			10,943
Finance lease right-of-use asset		7,285			—
Other assets		1,028			679
TOTAL ASSETS		787,511			378,106

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable		24,382			15,169
Accrued construction liabilities		16,520			1,526
Accrued compensation		4,552			4,413
Other accrued liabilities		4,973			4,766
Share based liabilities due to related party		—			2,500
Other amounts due to related parties		1,391			972
Current portion of operating lease liability		25			48
Current portion of finance lease liability		2			—
Insurance premium financing payable		—			1,803
Current portion of long-term debt		—			123,465
Total current liabilities		51,845			154,662
Operating lease liability, net of current portion		3,427			899
Finance lease liability, net of current portion		292			—
Long-term debt		—			56
Convertible notes		487,502			—
TOTAL LIABILITIES		543,066			155,617

Commitments and Contingencies (See Note 12)

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 100,000,000 authorized at December 31, 2024 and 2023; 9,566 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023; aggregate liquidation preference of $12,609 and $11,423 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.		9,273			9,273
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 600,000,000 and 400,000,000 authorized at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively; 404,223,028 and 276,733,329 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.		404			277
Additional paid-in capital		685,261			472,834
Treasury Stock at cost, 18,568,750 and 0 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively		(118,217	)		—
Accumulated deficit		(332,276	)		(259,895	)
Total stockholders’ equity		244,445			222,489
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY	$	787,511		$	378,106

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED December 31, 2024, 2023 AND 2022
(In thousands, except number of shares and loss per common share)

	Year Ended December 31,
		2024			2023			2022
Revenue	$	140,051		$	69,229		$	15,033

Costs and expenses:
Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation shown below)		62,608			27,315			11,083
Operating expenses		3,387			2,116			2,038
Operating expenses — related party		4,262			2,773			1,248
Selling, general and administrative expenses		57,883			23,693			22,770
Selling, general and administrative expenses — related party		12,695			13,325			13,280
Depreciation		59,808			28,350			6,667
Gain on fair value of digital currency, net		(2,200	)		—			—
Realized gain on sale of digital currency		—			(3,174	)		(569	)
Impairment of digital currency		—			3,043			1,457
Loss on disposals of property, plant, and equipment, net		17,824			1,209			—
Loss on nonmonetary miner exchange		—			—			804
Total costs and expenses		216,267			98,650			58,778

Operating loss		(76,216	)		(29,421	)		(43,745	)
Interest expense		(19,794	)		(34,812	)		(24,679	)
Loss on extinguishment of debt		(6,300	)		—			(2,054	)
Other income		3,927			231			—
Loss before income tax and equity in net income (loss) of investee		(98,383	)		(64,002	)		(70,478	)
Income tax benefit		—			—			256
Equity in net income (loss) of investee, net of tax		3,363			(9,290	)		(15,712	)
Gain on sale of equity interest in investee		22,602			—			—
Loss from continuing operations		(72,418	)		(73,292	)		(85,934	)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax		—			(129	)		(4,857	)
Net loss	$	(72,418	)	$	(73,421	)	$	(90,791	)

Loss per common share:
Continuing operations	$	(0.21	)	$	(0.35	)	$	(0.78	)
Discontinued operations		—			—			(0.04	)
Basic and diluted	$	(0.21	)	$	(0.35	)	$	(0.82	)

Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic and diluted		351,315,476			209,956,392			110,638,792

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED December 31, 2024, 2023 AND 2022
(In thousands)

	Year Ended December 31,
		2024			2023			2022
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net loss	$	(72,418	)	$	(73,421	)	$	(90,791	)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Amortization of debt issuance costs, commitment fees and accretion of debt discount		11,382			19,515			11,676
Related party expense to be settled with respect to common stock		—			2,917			2,083
Common stock issued for interest expense		—			26			82
Stock-based compensation expense		30,927			5,859			1,568
Depreciation		59,808			28,350			6,667
Amortization of right-of-use asset		1,373			1,001			303
Revenue recognized from digital currency mining and hosting services		(139,278	)		(63,877	)		(10,810	)
Gain on fair value of digital currency, net		(2,200	)		—			—
Realized gain on sale of digital currency		—			(3,174	)		(569	)
Impairment of digital currency		—			3,043			1,457
Proceeds from sale of digital currency		97,559			83,902			9,739
Digital currency paid as consideration for services		370			—			—
Loss on disposals of property, plant, and equipment, net		17,824			1,209			—
Loss on nonmonetary miner exchange		—			—			804
Loss on extinguishment of debt		6,300			—			2,054
Deferred income tax benefit		—			—			(256	)
Equity in net loss of investee, net of tax		(3,363	)		9,290			15,712
Gain on sale of equity interest in investee		(22,602	)		—			—
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax		—			129			4,857
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Decrease (increase) in prepaid expenses		2,047			555			(3,601	)
Decrease in amounts due from related parties		—			—			815
Increase in other receivables		(2,774	)		(1,001	)		—
Decrease (increase) in other current assets		288			(215	)		(46	)
(Increase) decrease in other assets		(466	)		310			(994	)
Increase (decrease) increase in accounts payable		740			(7,272	)		10,197
Increase (decrease) in accrued compensation and other accrued liabilities		694			(931	)		5,916
Increase (decrease) increase in other amounts due to related parties		480			(2,013	)		700
(Decrease) increase in operating lease liability		(11,113	)		(42	)		175
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities from continuing operations		(24,422	)		4,160			(32,262	)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities from discontinued operations		—			103			(1,804	)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities		(24,422	)		4,263			(34,066	)

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Investments in joint venture, including direct payments made on behalf of joint venture		—			(2,845	)		(46,172	)
Reimbursable payments for deposits on plant and equipment made on behalf of a joint venture or joint venture partner		—			—			(11,741	)
Reimbursement of payments for deposits on plant and equipment made on behalf of a joint venture or joint venture partner		—			—			11,716
Proceeds from sale of equity interest in investee		86,086			—			—
Purchase of and deposits on plant and equipment		(267,940	)		(75,168	)		(61,116	)
Proceeds from sales of property, plant and equipment		23,324			—			—
Proceeds from sale of net assets held for sale		—			—			13,266
Proceeds from sale of digital currency		67,371			—			—
Net cash used in investing activities		(91,159	)		(78,013	)		(94,047	)

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt, net of issuance costs paid of $0, $0 and $38		—			—			22,462
Principal payments on long-term debt		(139,401	)		(6,599	)		—
Payments of prepayment fees associated with early extinguishment of long-term debt		(1,261	)		—			—
Principal payments on finance lease		(941	)		—			—
Proceeds from insurance premium and property, plant and equipment financing		211			2,513			7,041
Principal payments on insurance premium and property, plant and equipment financing		(2,103	)		(2,738	)		(4,924	)
Proceeds from issuance of promissory notes to stockholders		—			—			3,416
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs paid of $663, $1,051 and $142		188,715			135,917			47,326
Proceeds from exercise of warrants		4,808			2,500			5,700
Purchase of capped call		(60,000	)		—			—
Purchase of treasury stock		(118,217	)		—			—
Payments of tax withholding related to net share settlements of stock-based compensation awards		(23,654	)		(2,013	)		—
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock		—			—			9,566
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes, net of issuance costs paid of $12,950, $0, and $0		487,050			—			—
Proceeds from issuance of convertible promissory note		—			1,250			14,700
Principal payments on convertible promissory note		—			—			(15,306	)
Payment of contingent value rights liability related to proceeds from sale of net assets held for sale		—			(10,964	)		—
Net cash provided by financing activities		335,207			119,866			89,981

Net change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		219,626			46,116			(38,132	)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year		54,439			8,323			46,455
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of year	$	274,065		$	54,439		$	8,323

Cash paid during the year for:
Interest	$	6,957		$	19,572		$	13,989
Income taxes	$	—		$	—		$	—

Non-GAAP Measure

The Company presents Adjusted EBITDA, which is not a measurement of financial performance under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The Company defines non-GAAP “Adjusted EBITDA” as net loss adjusted for: (i) impacts of interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; (ii) stock-based compensation expense, amortization of right-of-use asset and related party expense to be settled with respect to common stock, all of which are non-cash items that the Company believes are not reflective of its general business performance, and for which the accounting requires management judgment, and the resulting expenses could vary significantly in comparison to other companies; (iii) one-time, non-recurring transaction-based compensation expense related to the 2030 Convertible Notes (iv) equity in net income (loss) of investee, net of tax, related to Nautilus and the gain on sale of interest in Nautilus; (v) other income which is related to interest income or income for which management believes is not reflective of the Company’s ongoing operating activities; (vi) loss on extinguishment of debt and net losses on disposals of property, plant and equipment, net, which are not reflective of the Company’s general business performance and (vii) losses from discontinued operations, net of tax, which is not be applicable to the Company’s future business activities. The Company’s Adjusted EBITDA also includes the impact of distributions from investee received in bitcoin related to a return on the Nautilus investment, which management believes, in conjunction with excluding the impact of equity in net income (loss) of investee, net of tax, is reflective of assets available for the Company’s use in its ongoing operations as a result of its investment in Nautilus.

Management believes that providing this non-GAAP financial measure allows for meaningful comparisons between the Company’s core business operating results and those of other companies, and provides the Company with an important tool for financial and operational decision making and for evaluating its own core business operating results over different periods of time. In addition to management’s internal use of non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA, management believes that adjusted EBITDA is also useful to investors and analysts in comparing the Company’s performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis. Management believes the foregoing to be the case even though some of the excluded items involve cash outlays and some of them recur on a regular basis (although management does not believe any of such items are normal operating expenses necessary to generate the Company’s bitcoin related revenues). For example, the Company expects that share-based compensation expense, which is excluded from Adjusted EBITDA, will continue to be a significant recurring expense over the coming years and is an important part of the compensation provided to certain employees, officers, directors and consultants. Additionally, management does not consider any of the excluded items to be expenses necessary to generate the Company’s bitcoin related revenue.

The Company’s Adjusted EBITDA measure may not be directly comparable to similar measures provided by other companies in the Company’s industry, as other companies in the Company’s industry may calculate non-GAAP financial results differently. The Company’s Adjusted EBITDA is not a measurement of financial performance under U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to operating loss or any other measure of performance derived in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Although management utilizes internally and presents Adjusted EBITDA, the Company only utilizes that measure supplementally and does not consider it to be a substitute for, or superior to, the information provided by U.S. GAAP financial results. Accordingly, Adjusted EBITDA is not meant to be considered in isolation of, and should be read in conjunction with, the information contained in the Company’s consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

The following table is a reconciliation of the Company’s non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA to its most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measure (i.e., net loss) for the periods indicated (in thousands):

	Year Ended December 31,
		2024			2023
Net loss	$	(72,418	)	$	(73,421	)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA:
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax		—			129
Gain on sale of equity interest in investee		(22,602	)		—
Equity in net (income) loss of investee, net of tax, related to Nautilus		(3,363	)		9,290
Distributions from investee, related to Nautilus		22,776			21,949
Income tax benefit		—			—
Other income		(3,927	)		(231	)
Loss on extinguishment of debt		6,300			—
Interest expense		19,794			34,812
Loss on disposals of property, plant, and equipment, net		17,824			1,209
Depreciation		59,808			28,350
Amortization of right-of-use asset		1,373			1,001
Stock-based compensation expense		30,927			5,859
Transaction-based compensation expense		3,885			—
Related party expense to be settled with respect to common stock		—			2,917
Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA	$	60,377		$	31,864

The MIL Network –

March 1, 2025

MIL-OSI: Boralex Launches Normal Course Issuer Bid

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MONTREAL, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Boralex Inc. (“Boralex” or the “Company”) (TSX: BLX) today announced that it has authorized, and the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) has approved, a normal course issuer bid (the “NCIB”) to purchase for cancellation up to 8,669,245 Class A shares of Boralex (the “Common Shares”) over the twelve-month period commencing on March 4, 2025, and ending no later than March 3, 2026, representing approximately 10% of the “public float” (as defined in the TSX Company Manual) of the Common Shares issued and outstanding as at February 19, 2025. As of such date, there were 102,766,580 Common Shares issued and outstanding. Subject to the required regulatory approvals, the NCIB will be conducted through the facilities of the TSX or alternative trading systems in Canada, if eligible, or outside the facilities of the TSX pursuant to exemption orders issued by securities regulatory authorities. Common Shares will be acquired under the NCIB at the prevailing market price at the time of acquisition, plus brokerage fees, except that any purchases made under an issuer bid exemption order will be at a discount to the prevailing market price as per the terms of the order. Any Common Share purchased under the NCIB will be canceled.

Under the NCIB, other than purchases made under block purchase exemptions, Boralex will be allowed, subject to applicable securities laws, to purchase daily a maximum of 72,088 Common Shares representing 25% of the average daily trading volume of 288,355 Common Shares, as calculated per the TSX rules for the six-month period ended on January 31, 2025.

In connection with the NCIB, Boralex will also enter into an automatic share purchase plan (“ASPP”) on the date hereof with the designated broker responsible for the NCIB. The ASPP will allow for the purchase for cancellation of Common Shares under the NCIB, subject to certain trading parameters, by the designated broker at times when Boralex would ordinarily not be permitted to purchase its securities due to regulatory restrictions and customary self-imposed blackout periods. Pursuant to the ASPP, before entering into a blackout period, Boralex may, but is not required to, instruct the designated broker to make purchases under the NCIB in accordance with certain purchasing parameters. Such purchases will be made by the designated broker based on such purchasing parameters, without further instructions by Boralex, in compliance with the rules of the TSX, applicable securities laws and the terms of the ASPP.

Boralex believes that its Common Shares are trading from time to time at levels generally below the underlying value of the Company’s business and that the introduction of an NCIB will provide an additional tool to optimize its use of funds and create long-term value for its shareholders. This program will provide greater flexibility to carry on Boralex financial strategy without altering investments planned to seize development opportunities. Furthermore, the purchases are expected to benefit all persons who continue to hold Boralex Common Shares by increasing their equity interest in Boralex when such repurchased Common Shares are canceled.

The decisions regarding the timing and size of purchases under the NCIB are subject to management’s discretion and will be based on various factors, including the Company’s capital and liquidity positions, accounting and regulatory considerations, the Company’s financial and operational performance, alternative uses of capital, the trading price of the Common Shares and general market conditions. The NCIB does not obligate Boralex to acquire a specific dollar amount or number of shares and may be modified or discontinued at any time. Boralex has not repurchased any of its outstanding Common Shares under a normal course issuer bid in the past 12 months.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the NCIB and ASPP and the intended purchase for cancellation of Common Shares thereunder, are forward-looking statements based on current expectations, within the meaning of securities legislation. Boralex would like to point out that, by their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties such that its results or the measure it adopts could differ materially from those indicated by or underlying these statements or could have an impact on the degree of realization of a particular forward-looking statement. Unless otherwise specified by the Company, the forward-looking statements do not take into account the possible impact on its activities, transactions, non-recurring items or other exceptional items announced or occurring after the statements are made. There can be no assurance as to the materialization of the results, performance or achievements as expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Unless required to do so under applicable securities legislation, Boralex management does not assume any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events, or other changes.

About Boralex

At Boralex, we have been providing affordable renewable energy accessible to everyone for over 30 years. As a leader in the Canadian market and France’s largest independent producer of onshore wind power, we also have facilities in the United States and development projects in the United Kingdom. Over the past five years, our installed capacity has more than doubled to over 3.1 GW. We are developing a portfolio of projects in development and construction of more than 8 GW in wind, solar and storage projects, guided by our values and our corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach. Through profitable and sustainable growth, Boralex is actively participating in the fight against global warming. Thanks to our fearlessness, our discipline, our expertise and our diversity, we continue to be an industry leader. Boralex’s shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BLX.

For more information, visit boralex.com or sedarplus.com. Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

For more information

Source: Boralex inc.

The MIL Network –

March 1, 2025

MIL-OSI: AGF Investments Announces Proposed Fund and ETF Terminations

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TORONTO, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

ETF Terminations

AGF Investments Inc. (AGF Investments) today announced the proposed termination of AGF Systematic Global Multi-Sector Bond ETF (ticker: QGB), AGF Systematic International Equity ETF (ticker: QIE) and AGF Systematic US Equity ETF (ticker: QUS) (each an “AGF Investments ETF” and collectively, the “AGF Investments ETFs”) effective at the close of business on or about April 29, 2025 (the “ETF Termination Date”).

Accordingly, AGF Investments will also request to voluntarily de-list the units of the AGF Investments ETFs from Cboe Canada Inc. and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) at the close of business on or about April 28, 2025 (the “Delisting Date”), with all units still held by securityholders being subject to a mandatory redemption as of the ETF Termination Date.

Securityholders of the AGF Investments ETFs will be able to sell their units through the facilities of the applicable stock exchanges until the Delisting Date. Effective as of the close of business on February 28, 2025, no further direct subscriptions (i.e. primary market creations of new ETF units) for units of the AGF Investments ETFs will generally be accepted.

Any remaining securityholders of an AGF Investments ETF as at the ETF Termination Date will receive the net proceeds from the liquidation of the assets of the AGF Investments ETF, less all liabilities and all expenses incurred in connection with the dissolution of the AGF Investments ETF, on a pro rata basis.

AGF Investments will issue an additional press release on or about the ETF Termination Date confirming final details of the terminations, including final distributions, if any.

As a result of the proposed terminations, AGF Investments is also announcing today ad hoc distributions for AGF Systematic Global Multi-Sector Bond ETF (ticker: QGB), AGF Systematic International Equity ETF (ticker: QIE) and AGF Systematic US Equity ETF (ticker: QUS), which usually pay quarterly/annual distributions. Unitholders of record on March 7, 2025 will receive cash distributions payable on March 13, 2025.

Please note: Additional ad hoc distributions will be announced on or about April 2.

Details regarding the final “per unit” distribution amounts are as follows:

ETF	Ticker	Exchange	Cash Distribution Per Unit ($)
AGF Systematic Global Multi-Sector Bond ETF	QGB	Cboe Canada Inc.	$0.149364
AGF Systematic International Equity ETF	QIE	Toronto Stock Exchange	$0.020788
AGF Systematic US Equity ETF	QUS	Toronto Stock Exchange	$0.069762

Further information about the AGF Investments ETFs can be found at AGF.com.

Mutual Fund Termination

AGF Investments is also today announcing the proposed termination of AGF Emerging Markets Bond Fund (the “Fund”) effective on or about April 29, 2025 (the “Fund Termination Date”).

Effective as of the close of business today, units of the Fund are no longer available for purchase and AGF Investments will stop accepting purchases and switches into the Fund, including systematic purchase and switch plans.

AGF Investments is waiving the management fee that is normally applicable to the Fund from the close of business on February 28, 2025 until the Fund Termination Date. Note that there may be distributions paid by the Fund prior to the termination.

Unitholders can transfer their investments into another AGF Fund or redeem their units prior to the Fund Termination Date.

Investors who remain holding units of the Fund in client-name registered plans will have their units transferred to the same series and purchase option of AGF Canadian Money Market Fund, effective on or about April 29, 2025. Investors who remain holding units of the Fund in client-name non-registered plans and/or any nominee/intermediary-held accounts (both registered and non-registered) will have their units redeemed on or about April 29, 2025, without any redemption fees or sales charges applied.

AGF Investments strongly encourages unitholders to consult with their financial advisor to discuss their individual circumstances, including possible tax consequences, and determine the solution that best meets their investment needs.

About AGF Management Limited

Founded in 1957, AGF Management Limited (AGF) is an independent and globally diverse asset management firm. Our companies deliver excellence in investing in the public and private markets through three business lines: AGF Investments, AGF Capital Partners and AGF Private Wealth.

AGF brings a disciplined approach, focused on incorporating sound, responsible and sustainable corporate practices. The firm’s collective investment expertise, driven by its fundamental, quantitative and private investing capabilities, extends globally to a wide range of clients, from financial advisors and their clients to high-net worth and institutional investors including pension plans, corporate plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations.

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, AGF has investment operations and client servicing teams on the ground in North America and Europe. With over $54 billion in total assets under management and fee-earning assets, AGF serves more than 815,000 investors. AGF trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AGF.B.

About AGF Investments

AGF Investments is a group of wholly owned subsidiaries of AGF Management Limited, a Canadian reporting issuer. The subsidiaries included in AGF Investments are AGF Investments Inc. (AGFI), AGF Investments America Inc. (AGFA), AGF Investments LLC (AGFUS) and AGF International Advisors Company Limited (AGFIA). The term AGF Investments may refer to one or more of these subsidiaries or to all of them jointly. This term is used for convenience and does not precisely describe any of the separate companies, each of which manages its own affairs.

AGF Investments entities only provide investment advisory services or offers investment funds in the jurisdiction where such firm and/or product is registered or authorized to provide such services.

AGF Investments Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AGF Management Limited and conducts the management and advisory of mutual funds in Canada.

Disclaimer

ETFs are listed and traded on organized Canadian exchanges and may only be bought and sold through licensed dealers. Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in ETFs. Exchange-traded funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. There is no guarantee that ETFs will achieve their stated objectives and there is risk involved in investing in the ETFs. Before investing you should read the prospectus or relevant ETF Facts and carefully consider, among other things, each ETF’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. A copy of the prospectus and ETF Facts is available on AGF.com.

This information is not intended to provide legal, accounting, tax, investment, financial, or other advice, and should not be relied upon for providing such advice. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated.

Media Contact

Amanda Marchment
Director, Corporate Communications
416-865-4160
amanda.marchment@agf.com

The MIL Network –

March 1, 2025

MIL-OSI Global: Africa’s newest book prize is named after Andreé Blouin: who was she?

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Tinashe Mushakavanhu, Research Associate, University of Oxford

Andrée Blouin was a political activist and writer from the Central African Republic. Until recently, her name hardly ever appeared in the grand narratives of Africa’s liberation.

When she died in 1986, her passing was hardly in the news – a stark contrast to her pivotal role as an adviser and campaign strategist to newly independent African leaders in Algeria, both Congos, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Guinea and Ghana.

She was more than a participant. She was an organising force, an architect of resistance, a strategist who shaped the fight against colonial rule. Yet, like many women in African history, her contributions faded into the margins, overshadowed by the men she helped empower.

Interest in Blouin has been rekindled. She is featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary Soundtrack to a Coup d’État about DRC independence leader Patrice Lumumba. She worked as his speechwriter and chief of protocol.

And her memoir My Country, Africa: Autobiography of the Black Pasionaria, long out of print, was re-released and is now widely available.

Now a new annual book award called the Andrée Blouin Prize has been launched in her honour by a South Africa-based publishing house, Inkani Books. Its mission is to amplify the voices of African women, cisgender and transgender, writing about history, politics and current affairs from a left perspective.

For me as a literary historian who has been preoccupied with archives of marginal historical figures, this activation of Blouin powerfully highlights her legacy. It also invites new engagement with her work.

Who was Andrée Blouin?

Blouin was born in 1921 in Central African Republic but from the age of three she was placed in an orphanage in neighbouring Congo Brazzaville. She ran away when she was 14 and so began a life of rebellion.

She would grow up to be a formidable political operator. Her reach touches many parts of Africa. For her, the struggle was not just local, it was everywhere. As a multilingual person, she spoke a dozen languages, a gift that allowed her to easily move between places and political contexts.

Her political awakening was deeply personal – she was radicalised by her son’s death from malaria in a colonial hospital in 1942. He had been denied life-saving medication. Colonialism, she realised, was not just her own misfortune but a system of evil suffocating African lives.

Today history is vindicating this fascinating historical figure. This is happening through the wealth of archival material – photographs, videos, interviews and texts – that places her at the centre of political action. The image of African liberation tends to be men in suits. And yet a smiling Blouin can be seen with them, side by side, even addressing large crowds.

It is thanks to the refusal of this archive to be repressed that we can review moments that shaped African liberation history. And appreciate the roles that women like Blouin played.

Behind the prize

African literary prizes have seen significant growth in recent years, both in number and influence. They play an important role in promoting African literature, offering recognition and financial support to writers, and shaping the literary canon.

They can also address the need for dedicated platforms that amplify underrepresented voices.

Inkani Books describes itself as a “people’s movement-driven publishing house”. It is introducing The Andrée Blouin Prize in her honour. The impetus for the prize, according to Inkani’s publishing director Efemia Chela, was to directly challenge erasure of women in history and in political writing.

She explains:

This prize is not just an accolade; it is a reclamation of space, a declaration that African revolutionary women’s narratives will no longer be sidelined.

The publishing house, established less than five years ago, has been reissuing popular books about revolutionary figures. These include the likes of Thomas Sankara, Kwame Nkrumah, Amílcar Cabral and Frantz Fanon. These men are often celebrated for their heroism and intellectual contributions to pan-African ideas about freedom, politics and revolution.

The Andrée Blouin Prize is a bold act of reclamation, ensuring that the narratives of African revolutionary women are no longer overlooked but recognised, celebrated and centred.

In fact, this is an invitation for contemporary women to write themselves into literary history.

The inaugural winner will receive a $2,000 advance and a publishing contract with Inkani. The prize is open to all women across Africa and is dedicated to showcasing and celebrating the continent’s diverse and vibrant experiences.

It is part of a broader movement challenging historical exclusions in African publishing. Literary production is dominated by big multinational publishing companies that determine reading tastes and trends.

Last year, Nigeria-based Cassava Republic Press launched the Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize to spotlight exceptional works by Black women.

Read more:
African literary prizes are contested – but writers’ groups are reshaping them

While African publishing has not always been welcoming to women writers, a shift is underway. Writers like Nigeria’s Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Zimbabwe’s NoViolet Bulawayo, Uganda’s Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, and Zambia’s Namwali Serpell are now among the most influential voices shaping African literature today.

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

– ref. Africa’s newest book prize is named after Andreé Blouin: who was she? – https://theconversation.com/africas-newest-book-prize-is-named-after-andree-blouin-who-was-she-250828

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Secretary-General/Bangladesh, Ramadan, Türkiye & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (27 February)

Source: United Nations (Video News)

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

Highlights:
Secretary-General/Bangladesh
Secretary-General/Ramadan Message
Türkiye
Haiti
Ukraine
Sudan
Democratic Republic of the Congo/Jean-Pierre Lacroix
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Lebanon
Staff Security

SECRETARY-GENERAL/BANGLADESH
Every year, the Secretary-General does a Ramadan solidarity visit, where he likes to visit and fast with a Muslim community, which is facing distress. He began this tradition when he was High Commissioner for Refugees. In his own words, the Secretary-General said that Ramadan embodies the values of compassion, empathy and generosity. It is an opportunity to reconnect with family, with community and a chance to remember those less fortunate. These missions are to remind the world of the true face of Islam.
This year, the Secretary-General will be going to Bangladesh from the 13-16 March. He will travel to Cox’s Bazaar to join an Iftar and meet with Rohingya refugees who have been forcibly displaced from their homes in Myanmar, and also, of course, with the host Bangladeshi communities who have been generously in hosting the refugees from Myanmar.
During his visit, he will also be in the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, where he will meet with the Chief Adviser for the interim government, Professor Muhammed Yunus, as well as with young women and men and representatives from civil society.

SECRETARY-GENERAL/RAMADAN MESSAGE
In his annual message at the start of Ramadan, the Secretary-General expressed a special message of support to all those who will spend this sacred time in displacement and violence. From Gaza and the wider region, to Sudan, the Sahel and beyond.
The Secretary-General stands with all those who are suffering and joins those observing Ramadan to call for peace and mutual respect.

TÜRKIYE
On the reports coming out of Türkiye regarding Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK, and his message calling for fighters to lay down their arms and the PKK to dissolve itself, the spokesperson said that the Secretary-General welcomes this important development. This represents a glimmer of hope, which would lead to the resolution of a long-standing conflict.

HAITI
The World Food Programme (WFP) today said that, as part of their emergency response in Haiti, they continue to provide critical food assistance, cash-based transfers, and hot meals across the Artibonite, Nord, and Ouest departments. This includes $1.2 million in cash assistance, as well as nearly 3,000 meals distributed in border regions to Haitians deported back to their country.
Last week, the WFP organized the first of two humanitarian cargo flights from Panama City to Port-au-Prince. This was the first humanitarian cargo flight to land at the Port-au-Prince airport since its closure lastNovember.
The flight carried medicines, vaccines, and medical supplies for eight humanitarian organizations. A second flight is scheduled in about one month.

Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=27%20February%202025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX1Wlh5xwHk

MIL OSI Video –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Samoa Airways Reaffirms Commitment to Safety Following Drug Testing Results (18th February 2025)

Source: Government of Western Samoa

Share this:

Apia, Samoa – Samoa Airways wishes to address recent concerns regarding our drug testing program and reiterate our unwavering commitment to safety and the well-being of our passengers and employees. Safety is our top priority, and we will not compromise on this core value.

Safety First

At Samoa Airways, we prioritize safety above all else. Recent flight cancellations, while inconvenient, are a testament to our commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards. We understand the disruption this may have caused to our passengers, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. However, these measures were necessary to ensure the safety and security of our operations.

Drug Testing Program

In October 2024, Samoa Airways implemented a comprehensive drug and alcohol testing policy for all staff members. This policy is a crucial step towards enhancing the safety and well-being of our passengers and employees. Our recent drug testing, conducted by the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (SROS), revealed that 10 percent of the tested staff returned positive results for illegal and prescriptive substances and alcohol. This is a reflection of a broader societal issue that affects not just Samoa, but communities worldwide.

Immediate Actions

Upon receiving the results, we took immediate action. Three staff members who tested positive for illicit drugs have been stood down pending a final decision from our board. Six employees who tested positive for alcohol have been issued warning letters and have been retested and we are awaiting results. The pilot who was tested positive for a prescriptive drug (sleeping pill) was also stood down, has been retested and returned with a negative result and will be allowed to fly. We are committed to supporting our employees through this process and will provide the necessary Resources to address these issues.

Commitment to Partner Airlines

As the ground handler for major international carriers like Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Fiji Airways, Samoa Airways is acutely aware of the necessity to uphold a safe, drug-free environment. Our commitment to safety extends to our partner airlines, who rely on us to maintain the highest standards of operational safety. We are dedicated to mitigating the risk of accidents and ensuring optimal safety for all our operations.

Continuous Improvement

Samoa Airways is committed to continuous improvement in all aspects of our operations. We regularly review and update our safety protocols to ensure they remain effective and aligned with international best practices. Our team undergoes ongoing training to stay informed about the safety measures and procedures.

Community Support

We acknowledge that drug use is a complex issue that requires a collective effort to address. Samoa Airways is dedicated to playing our part in combating this problem. We collaborate with local authorities and health organizations to promote awareness and support initiatives aimed at addressing drug abuse.

Conclusion

We thank our passengers, partners, and the public for their understanding and support. Samoa Airways remains steadfast in our commitment to providing safe, reliable, and exceptional travel experiences. We will continue to prioritize safety and work tirelessly to maintain the trust and confidence of our valued customers.

END

Photo by the Government of Samoa (Leaosa Faaifo Faaifo)

See insights and ads

Boost post

All reactions:

4545

Share this:

February 28, 2025

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests MS-13 gang member in Iowa

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

February 28, 2025Minneapolis, MN, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Luis Enrique Baires, 28, a criminal alien from El Salvador wanted in his home country for two counts of aggravated homicide, two counts of proposition and conspiracy for the crime of aggravated homicide, and one count of illicit associations with the MS-13, Enfermos Criminales Salvatruchos clique Feb. 21 during a routine traffic stop in Des Moines, Iowa.

“Rural Iowa is not immune from central American criminals like Baires, and we will continue to face the challenge of tracking down and arresting the worst of the worst,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations St. Paul Field Office Director Matthew Putra. “Thanks to U.S. Marshals Service for assisting us in this arrest to keep communities safe.”

Baires remains in ICE custody without bond pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.

For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to enforce our nation’s immigration laws in the St. Paul Area of Operations which includes Minneapolis, Iowa, North and South Dakota and Nebraska follow us on X at @EROSaintPaul.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cyclone Flurry in the Southern Hemisphere

Source: NASA

Two different oceans were crowded with tropical cyclones in late February 2025. In the South Pacific, three storms were active at one point—an occurrence that is rare but not unheard of. Simultaneously, a trio of cyclones roiled in the neighboring Indian Ocean.
Five tropical cyclones are visible in this false-color image, acquired on February 26 by the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) sensor on the NOAA-20 satellite. The image depicts infrared signals known as brightness temperature, which are useful for distinguishing cooler cloud structures (white and purple) from the warmer surface below (yellow and orange). The day before this image was acquired, a sixth storm, Tropical Cyclone Rae, was weakening east of the area shown here after bringing heavy rain to Fiji.
Cyclones Alfred and Seru lurked alongside Rae in the South Pacific. Seru lingered offshore of Australia, reaching Category 1 strength on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale for a short time. Alfred was also forecast to stay offshore, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, but was expected to bring hazardous coastal conditions to southern Queensland. The storm was at Category 2 strength on the day of this image but would intensify to Category 4 on February 27.
Off Western Australia, Tropical Cyclone Bianca was on the tail end of its journey, having weakened to tropical storm status on February 26. The previous day, it had intensified to Category 3 but stayed far enough from land that mainland Australia and island communities were not expected to feel its effects.
Bianca’s Indian Ocean cohabitants, Honde and Garance, posed more hazards to land. The island nation of Mauritius, east of Madagascar, shut down its airport on February 26 as Garance approached, according to news reports. The storm would strengthen from Category 2 that day to Category 3 the next, with wind speeds of 190 kilometers (120 miles) per hour. Meanwhile, Honde skirted south of Madagascar as a Category 1 storm. Heavy rain, strong winds, and storm surge were forecast for central and southern Madagascar, Mauritius, and Réunion island.
Meteorologists noted that warm sea surface temperatures and weak wind shear conditions may have contributed to the proliferation of storms. A marine heat wave has lingered off of Western Australia since September 2024, and anomalously high sea surface temperatures warmed in the area in late February 2025. For the South Pacific, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology had predicted a higher-than-average likelihood of severe tropical cyclones this season due to expected warm ocean temperatures. Tropical cyclone season generally runs from November through April in the Southern Hemisphere.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using MODIS and VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). Story by Lindsey Doermann.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 1, 2025

MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC – 27 02 2025] – (CGWL)

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

FORM 8.3

PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

1. KEY INFORMATION

(a) Full name of discloser:	CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
(b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a): The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.	N/A
(c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree	LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC
(d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:	N/A
(e) Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure	27 FEBRUARY 2025
(f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”	N/A

2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

(a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

Class of relevant security:	0.375p ORDINARY
	Interests		Short positions
	Number	%	Number	%
(1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled:	9,000,505	1.1357
(2) Cash-settled derivatives:
(3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:
TOTAL:	9,000,505	1.1357

On 27/02/2025 there was a transfer in of 312 shares by a discretionary client.

All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

(b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)

Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:
Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:

3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

(a) Purchases and sales

Class of relevant security	Purchase/sale	Number of securities	Price per unit
0.375p ORDINARY	SALE	4,800	99.2151p

(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions

Class of relevant security	Product description e.g. CFD	Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position	Number of reference securities	Price per unit
NONE

(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security	Product description e.g. call option	Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc.	Number of securities to which option relates	Exercise price per unit	Type e.g. American, European etc.	Expiry date	Option money paid/ received per unit
NONE

(ii) Exercise

Class of relevant security

Product description
e.g. call option

Exercising/ exercised against

Number of securities

Exercise price per unit

(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security	Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion	Details	Price per unit (if applicable)
NONE

4. OTHER INFORMATION

(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

NONE

(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

NONE

(c) Attachments

Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached?

Date of disclosure:	28 FEBRUARY 2025
Contact name:	MARK ELLIOTT
Telephone number:	01253 376539

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

The MIL Network –

March 1, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Councils ongoing commitment to securing and preserving heritage buildings
Source: City of Preston

In recent months, Preston City Council has identified numerous empty buildings within the city centre where community safety, preventing anti-social behaviour and/or preserving their heritage value needs to be addressed.

Most of these buildings are in private ownership and so the Council has established a task group to oversee and co-ordinate action. This includes a range of departments from the Council and representatives from the Police and Fire Service.

A liaison group with representatives from Preserving Preston’s Heritage has also been set up.

The Council has taken steps to obtain ownership details and make contact with owners to draw attention to the risk to their property.

Owners of the priority buildings have been invited to meet with the task group, but so far only two have replied.

Furthermore, for certain listed buildings identified which are showing the most deterioration, it has been necessary for the Council to assess the risk to understand the extent of deterioration and damage, assess the scope of works needed to remedy it, decide whether statutory action is warranted and what type of action is appropriate.

Councillor Amber Afzal, Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulation at Preston City Council said:

By adopting a joined up, multi-agency approach to tackling the complex issues that have blighted these properties through years of neglect, good progress is now being made. Public safety is our main concern but it is critical that also, wherever possible, we retain our heritage buildings that are so important to Preston’s history and give the city its unique cultural identity.

Councillor Valerie Wise, Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building and the City Regeneration portfolio at Preston City Council is also keen to see a brighter future for these neglected buildings. She said:

Repurposing and bringing back to life these forgotten and unloved architectural gems, many of which are listed, is so important in the overall regeneration plans for the city.

We will continue to work closely with the owners and landlords of these special interest properties to rejuvenate the city centre in the best possible way for future economic growth and architectural benefit.

An update on the most significant cases is provided as follows:

27 Winckley Square (former home of Edith Rigby) – Grade II listed building

The Council has taken action and been engaging with the owners for some time in connection with community safety, preventing anti-social behaviour and/or preserving the heritage value of the building.

Certain steps have been taken by the owners, but the Council are of the view that further work is necessary.

The Council has previously instructed a survey of the building to assess its condition, which identified numerous concerns. Due to the condition of the building, it was not possible to complete the survey of the inside of the building.

In December 2024 measures were taken by the owner to provide structural support to allow an internal survey to be carried out.

The internal survey was carried out this week (week commencing 24 February), which will enable the Council to determine the scope of works necessary to remedy the deterioration and whether statutory action is warranted.

This will be communicated to the owner in the first instance.

The Council is aware the rooflight is open to the elements and the owner has confirmed that temporary measures will be taken to weatherproof the rooflight. This is an appropriate course of action until the scope of necessary repair works, which will include this, is determined.

The Old Dog Inn – Grade II listed building

The Council has drawn the owner’s attention to the rear wall, which contains numerous cracks, some of which are significant in size and if not addressed could lead to an uncontrolled collapse.

In an attempt to address the deterioration, the owner submitted a listed building consent application proposing to demolish and rebuild the rear wall. This was carefully assessed and following the submission of further information concerning the methodology of the work, listed building consent was granted in February 2025.

The listed building consent was accompanied with a letter informing the owner that given the condition of the rear wall had worsened and to prevent an uncontrolled collapse of the rear wall, the Council is actively considering the use of statutory enforcement powers to execute works urgently necessary for the preservation of the building.

To that end, the Council instructed a survey of the building, which has been carried out, to inform the owner of what steps are needed to prevent an uncontrolled collapse.

The owner is fully aware that unless the necessary works are completed within an appropriate timeframe then the works could be carried out by the Council in default.

St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Mount Street – complex of Grade II listed buildings

Planning permission and listed building consent were both granted in February 2021 for alterations to the Chapel and attached tower, demolition of five listed buildings and the erection of three apartment blocks and ten town houses.

Three out of the five buildings have been demolished. One building, adjoining the tower, has been partially demolished.

The other building adjacent to Mount Street was the subject of a fire in November 2024. The fire has left this building unsafe and dangerous, and Mount Street was closed as a result until the building is demolished to protect the public.

The delays in the demolition have largely been due to satisfying the Health and Safety Executive that the demolition methodology satisfactorily addressed the removal of asbestos and the safety of the building and those adjoining, the demolition contractors and members of the public.

Ground works commenced this week, and the demolition will start on 03 March 2025, and it is expected to be completed in 12-weeks.

Harris Institute, Grade II* listed building

The Council has taken action and is engaging with the owner in connection the deterioration of the building and its future preservation.

Certain steps have been taken by the owner, which include remediation works to the party wall, repairing the roof and addressing the water ingress, and eradicating dry rot, the latter takes time to treat and remove.

Planning permission and listed building consent were both granted in December 2024 for minor alterations, several community and office uses, and holiday lets within Regent House.

The owner has responded positively and has recently met with the Council to provide an update on the future of the building.

The approved scheme for the building will be delivered in phases, with the holiday lets opening first before the rest of the scheme is delivered.

Additional Information
- Grade II* listed – This has greater importance as a heritage asset.
Preston City Council actively applies and prioritises the principles of Community Wealth Building wherever applicable and appropriate.

Community Wealth Building is an approach which aims to ensure the economic system builds wealth and prosperity for everyone.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Councils collaborate on devolution plans

Source: City of Plymouth

In a bold move towards greater local autonomy, the Leaders of Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council, and Torbay Council are working together to explore the creation of a Mayoral Strategic Authority.

A part of the Government’s new devolution plans, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take power out of Whitehall, bring decision-making closer to the people of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay and unlock unprecedented opportunities for growth and innovation.

A Mayoral Strategic Authority promises to supercharge the region’s ability to access greater powers and unlock additional funding for economic growth and infrastructure development, such as housing and transport.

By working together, the councils aim to ensure that Devon, Plymouth and Torbay are ready to seize this unique opportunity when the government calls for further submissions of interest.

Councillor Tudor Evans OBE, Leader of Plymouth City Council, said, “Devolution is a game-changer for our communities. The devolution of powers and funding to local decision makers will enhance our ability to focus on our priorities such as increasing investment in our roads and public transport, providing better access to education and skills, tackling health inequalities and building new homes.

“By exploring the formation of a Mayoral Strategic Authority with Devon and Torbay, we’re taking decisive action to ensure that the region can harness the full benefits of local control and enhanced public services.

“Whilst Plymouth, Devon and Torbay are different places with our own cultures and identities, we also share distinct geographic characteristics, have clearly established economic connections, share existing public service boundaries, and of course already work together closely across a number of major programmes. By working together we can not only unlock greater powers and funding, but we can also ensure that our unique interests are understood by central government.”

Councillor James McInnes, Leader of Devon County Council, commented: “The formation of a mayoral strategic authority represents an opportunity for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay to speak with one voice at Westminster and attract significant additional funding and autonomy for the county of Devon.

“Other English regions have delivered more integrated transport networks, kickstarted economic development and focussed on health improvements for their residents through a mayoral model. We have already delivered a successful combined authority deal for Devon and Torbay and it is absolutely right we work together, and with the Government, to explore the potential benefits of deeper devolution for those we serve. Our part of the world is already a fantastic place to live and to do business. This has the potential to make it even better for all.”

Councillor David Thomas, Leader of Torbay Council, added, “The Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority already gives us and our residents and businesses a stronger voice with Government. Working together – as councils and with the Government and our stakeholders – is key to us meeting our ambitions.

“It is really important that we explore the benefits that a Mayoral Strategic Authority could achieve for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay. Without exploring this there is a risk that our area will be left behind. We cannot allow that to happen”.

The councils also emphasised that Cornwall Council is welcome to join their discussions at any time, should they choose to reconsider. This inclusive approach highlights the commitment to regional cooperation and shared prosperity.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 1, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Some due to ignorance, label our spirituality as superstition-VP

Source: Government of India

Vice President’s Secretariat

Some due to ignorance, label our spirituality as superstition-VP

This is the land of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee….fortunate that the festering wound he saw, is no longer present in our Constitution-VP

In our culture, we have endured cruelty, invasions…When Nalanda was set on fire, just imagine what was destroyed!- VP

About 1200-1300 years ago..our cultural and religious centers were destroyed; despite everything India’s culture could not be eradicated, it is still alive today-VP

The answer to everything today can be found in Sanatan; Sanatan stands for inclusivity-VP

Sanatan does not believe in subjugation, if you surrender to Sanatan, you are not a captive, you become a free person, a free soul-VP

Greatest adornment for any country is not its wealth, but its culture-VP

Religion cannot be seen in a narrow, conservative manner; religion cannot be assessed within limited boundaries-VP

VP addresses the Closing Ceremony of 150th Birth Anniversary of Gaudiya Mission’s founder Acharya Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad

Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 5:24PM by PIB Delhi

The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today said that some due to ignorance are labelling our sacred elements like spirituality as superstition. Underlining that Sanatan stands for inclusivity, Shri Dhnakhar stated, “ Some people, due to ignorance or blindly pursuing the meaning of things, wrongly label our sacred elements, spirituality, as superstition.”

हर बात का जवाब आज के दिन सनातन में मिल सकता है!

Sanatan stands for inclusivity, Sanatan stands for universal goodness, Sanatan stands for supremacy of the soul, Sanatan does not believe in subjugation. If you surrender to Sanatan, you are not a captive, you become a free man, a… pic.twitter.com/CCKvZacrxE

— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) February 28, 2025

“The answer to everything today can be found in Sanatan. What Sanatan teaches is essential for the system of today, no matter where in the world it is. Sanatan stands for inclusivity, Sanatan stands for universal goodness, Sanatan stands for the supremacy of the soul. Sanatan does not believe in subjugation. If you surrender to Sanatan, you are not a captive, you become a free person, a free soul”, he further stated.

कुछ लोग नासमझी, अनजाने में, अंधा-धुंध अर्थ प्राप्ति में लगने के कारण जो हमारे सात्विक तत्व हैं – Spirituality, इसको आडंबर कह देते हैं।

हमें कर्मयोगी बनना पड़ेगा and we will have to act in a manner to protect preserve and to some extent retreive and revitalise our civilisation… pic.twitter.com/9JjF67Sc1Z

— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) February 28, 2025

“Religion cannot be seen in a narrow, conservative manner. Religion cannot be assessed within limited boundaries. We must understand the true meaning of religion, and only then will we realize that we all need to resolve to make India ‘Vishwa Guru’ once again. And India becoming the ‘Vishwa Guru is the greatest auspicious message for the world”, he added.

धर्म को रूढ़िवादी तरीके से नहीं देख सकते। धर्म को संकीर्ण दायरे में आकलन नहीं कर सकते। धर्म का अर्थ समझना पड़ेगा, और तभी अंदाजा होगा कि हम सबको कृतसंकल्प होकर भारत को फिर से विश्वगुरु बनाना है और भारत का विश्वगुरु बनना दुनिया के लिए सबसे बड़ा शुभ संदेश है।

हमारी संस्कृति में… pic.twitter.com/SajA1MdP01

— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) February 28, 2025

Addressing the gathering at the closing ceremony of 150th Birth Anniversary of Gaudiya Mission’s founder Acharya Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad, Shri Dhnakhar said, “ In our culture, we have endured cruelty, invasions, and barbarism……What kind of barbarity, extremity, and reckless destruction of our religious places, our cultural symbols! When Nalanda was set on fire, just imagine what was destroyed! How many floors did Nalanda have, how many lakhs of books were there, and they were not just for India, but for the entire world. The progress of technology today has some connection to the knowledge stored in our treasure of wisdom”.

In his address he further stated, “This is the land of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who never compromised on nationalism. And what a huge sacrifice it was! Today, we are in a fortunate time, that the concerns Shyama Prasad Mukherjee had, his thoughts, his commitment to nationalism, and the festering wound he saw, is no longer present in our Constitution”.

यह श्यामाप्रसाद मुखर्जी की भूमि है, जिन्होंने राष्ट्रवाद से कभी समझौता नहीं किया। कितना बड़ा बलिदान दिया !

आज हम सुखद कालखंड में हैं, कि जो चिंता श्यामाप्रसाद मुखर्जी ने की थी, जो उनकी सोच थी, राष्ट्रवाद के प्रति कटिबद्धता थी, और जो नासूर उनको नजर आ रहा था, आज वह नासूर हमारे… pic.twitter.com/V4vstb5epL

— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) February 28, 2025

किसी भी देश का सबसे बड़ा अलंकरण यदि है तो उसकी संपदा नहीं उसका Culture है !

Culture यदि अगर एक बार गड़बड़ हो गया तो फिर गिरावट रुक नहीं सकती। आज आवश्यकता है कि हमारे बालक-बालिकाओं को हमारी संस्कृति का बोध हो।

Culture से जुड़े हुए जितने भी तत्व हैं, उनका preservation, उनको… pic.twitter.com/jsL9PZVsKG

— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) February 28, 2025

Emphasising on the significance of culture and the need to preserve the cultural aspects of society, Shri Dhankhar underlined, “Today, we need our children to have an awareness of our culture. It is a positive sign that many programs are being conducted in this direction, but if there is one greatest adornment for any country, it is not its wealth, but its culture. Once the culture is disrupted, the decline cannot be stopped. Cultural aspects, all elements related to culture, their preservation, sustenance, and protection are crucial because they define India”.

भारत क्या है? हमारी संस्कृति इसको परिभाषित करती है !

आज के दिन हैं ऐसी ताकतें हैं, जो इस पवित्र भूमि पर कुदृष्टि रखती हैं। ऐसे मौके पर हमें सजग रहने की आवश्यकता है। हमारे मूल सिद्धांतों के प्रति प्रतिबद्धता दिखानी होगी।

आज के दिन हम क्या देख रहे हैं? एक दूसरे को सहन नहीं कर पा… pic.twitter.com/nFDdkt5u0M

— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) February 28, 2025

“There was a time….when people from around the world came searching for knowledge, for light. Our institutions were of great repute, but at some point, we strayed from the path. Foreign invasions happened, this was about 1200-1300 years ago. A cruel act occurred, a thunderbolt, a violent blow struck, and our cultural and religious centers were destroyed. We had the occasion to witness barbarity in extremity. It’s unimaginable what was done. And see, despite everything that happened over 1000 years, India’s culture could not be eradicated. It is still alive today”, he added.

दुनिया के सामने भयावह चुनौतियां हैं, लेकिन आज के दिन सबसे ज्यादा जो संकट है वो मानव के मन में है।

मानव अशांत है। साधन, सम्पन्नता, शक्ति के बावजूद कमी है शांति की।

दुनिया में जब लोगों को यह कमी महसूस होती है, तो उनको एक ही North-Star दिखाई देता है – भारत@BengalGovernor… pic.twitter.com/mtqT36cwxO

— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) February 28, 2025

Referring to India as the cultural centre of the world, the Vice-President highlighted, “ India is the cultural centre of the world and Kolkata is one of the epicentres of culture ! The challenges the world faces today are frightening. They compel us to think….We talk about climate change, but the greatest crisis today lies in the human mind. Humanity is restless. Even though we are materially rich, powerful, capable of demonstrating strength, something is still missing. And when people feel this lack, they see only one North Star—India.”

Shri C.V. Ananda Bose, Hon’ble Governor of West Bengal, Shri Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Tourism, Srimad Bhakti Sundar Sanyasi Goswami Maharaj, President & Acharya, Gaudiya Mission and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

****

JK/RC/SM

(Release ID: 2106991)

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visits DRDO’s Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex in Hyderabad

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 5:23PM by PIB Delhi

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visited DRDO’s Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, the nerve centre for design and development of indigenous missile systems, in Hyderabad, Telangana on February 28, 2025. He was briefed about the missile technologies and related programmes being carried out by Research Centre Imarat (RCI). Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat and senior scientists & officials of RCI were present on the occasion.

Shri Rajnath Singh also felicitated the team of the Long-Range Hypersonic Anti-Ship Missile project, successful flight-trials of which took place in November 2024. The successful testing positioned India among the select group of nations with hypersonic missile capabilities.

Interacting with the scientists, Raksha Mantri commended them for their unparalleled contribution to India’s defence capabilities and exuded confidence that, with concerted efforts, India will find itself among the top-three economies by 2027. He called upon them to continue factoring-in the rapidly-evolving technological transformation into their projects while working with dedication and honesty.

Shri Rajnath Singh also paid glowing tributes to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on the occasion. He stated that the former President’s contributions to science & technology, missile development in particular, can never be forgotten.

In his address, the DRDO Chairman reiterated the organisation’s commitment towards developing critical technologies and ensuring that India becomes ‘Aatmanirbhar’ as well as a technology leader. “DRDO will strive to realise Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision that defence systems are made in India and made for the world,” he said.

*****

SR/Savvy/KB

(Release ID: 2106988) Visitor Counter : 79

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Giloy Takes the Global Stage: Research Publications Soar Over 300% in a Decade

Source: Government of India (2)

Giloy Takes the Global Stage: Research Publications Soar Over 300% in a Decade

New Studies Reveal Promising Role of Giloy in Immunity & Clinical Research

Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 4:52PM by PIB Delhi

The data from PubMed, a globally recognised database for biomedical and life sciences research, reveals a staggering 376.5% increase in the number of research publications around Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) over the past decade, highlighting a growing global interest in the plant’s therapeutic potential. On searching the database for studies on ‘guduchi or tinospora cordifolia or amrita’, the results show 243 studies published in 2014. In contrast, in 2024, the number rose to 913, i.e. 376.5% increase.

Image: Tinospora cordifolia, commonly known as Guduchi or Giloy, familiar as Amrita in Sanskrit, which translates to the ‘herb of immortality’, because of its abundant beneficial properties

Post-COVID Boom in Giloy Research

Notably, Guduchi is a popular herb known as Giloy and has been used in therapeutics for a long time in Ayush systems. While scientists have long been intrigued by Giloy’s medicinal properties, the years following the COVID-19 pandemic saw a major spike in research as experts explored natural immunity boosters and holistic healthcare solutions. Emerging studies reinforce its immune-modulatory, antiviral, and adaptogenic properties, making it a subject of keen interest among global researchers and healthcare practitioners.

While highlighting the efforts of the Ministry to boost scientific research in Ayush, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, stated, “Scientific validation of Ayush formulations, herbs, etc., including medicinal plants like Giloy, is a top priority for the Ministry. We are committed to strengthening research collaborations, funding scientific studies, and promoting evidence-based integration of Ayurveda with mainstream healthcare to benefit global health.”

Emphasizing the importance of scientific research and publication, Director General, CCRAS, Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya stated, “Research on medicinal plants is vital for bridging traditional wisdom with modern science. Scientific publications serve as a foundation for evidence-based validation, enhancing global acceptance and integrating Ayurveda into mainstream healthcare.”

What Makes Giloy So Special?

The increasing number of clinical studies and laboratory research suggests that Giloy may have a significant role in cancer therapy, autoimmune disease management, and even inflammatory disorders.

Dr Galib, Associate Professor at the All-India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi, explains, “Scientific exploration of Giloy is gaining momentum, with increasing studies showcasing its medicinal potential. Recent research highlights its bioactive compounds and therapeutic benefits, including immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties. This growing interest positions Giloy as a promising candidate for future clinical applications in various medical fields.”

Giloy & Scientific Research: Some Latest Findings

Among the many recent studies that have particularly piqued scientific curiosity:

February 2025: A study by Harsha Vaghasia (University School of Sciences, Gujarat University) and the team, published in PubMed, investigated the role of Giloy extracts in HPV-positive cervical cancer treatment. The findings highlight Giloy’s potential immunomodulatory benefits, paving the way for safer, more effective cancer therapies combined with conventional treatments.

January 2025: Researchers from Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, led by Ankita Das Sheth, explored Giloy’s effectiveness in managing Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis (IGM), a benign yet challenging breast disorder often mistaken for cancer. The study reported that Giloy-based phytopharmaceutical drugs provided a safe, steroid-free treatment alternative, offering a cost-effective and efficient option to avoid aggressive surgeries.

Ayush Ministry’s Proactive Support to Scholars with Technical Dossier

Recognising the increasing scientific interest in Giloy, the Ministry of Ayush has taken a proactive step by launching a technical dossier on the herb. This one-of-a-kind resource combines scientific research, therapeutic applications, and key insights to promote evidence-based practices in traditional medicine.

By integrating traditional Ayurveda wisdom with modern research, this initiative aims to raise awareness among healthcare professionals and the public, reinforcing India’s leadership in holistic wellness and integrative medicine.

With scientific studies continuing to validate the medicinal properties of Giloy, experts believe this Ayurvedic marvel is on its way to becoming a mainstream integrative healthcare solution. As the world looks toward natural, plant-based therapies, India’s centuries-old herbal wisdom may hold the key to safer, more effective treatments for some of the most pressing health challenges of our time.

****

MV/AKS

(Release ID: 2106960) Visitor Counter : 73

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Excel in frontier tech by making best use of internationally-competitive infrastructure being set-up in India: Raksha Mantri to youth during National Science Day celebrations in Hyderabad

Source: Government of India

Excel in frontier tech by making best use of internationally-competitive infrastructure being set-up in India: Raksha Mantri to youth during National Science Day celebrations in Hyderabad

“India can remain strong & secure in adverse situations if it has solutions to critical technological challenges”

Govt’s endeavour is to harness the potential of India’s youth to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, says Shri Rajnath Singh

Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 2:43PM by PIB Delhi

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has called upon the youth to inculcate scientific temper and excel in frontier technologies by making best use of the internationally-competitive infrastructure being established in the country due to the Government’s efforts. He was inaugurating Vigyan Vaibhav, a two-day science and technology extravaganza organised in Hyderabad, Telangana as part of National Science Day celebrations on February 28, 2025.

“War is increasingly moving from hardware to software-oriented. New technological breakthroughs are on the horizon and we have to take a lead in transformative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Machine Learning and Clean-tech. India can remain strong and secure in adverse situations if it has solutions to critical technological challenges. Our youth must adopt scientific outlook & critical thinking and try to go beyond the ordinary,” said Shri Rajnath Singh. He recalled the words of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam who said “Science is a beautiful gift to humanity; we should not distort it but use it for betterment of society”.

Raksha Mantri reiterated Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government’s commitment to harness modern technology for the safety and security of the nation, terming education in the field as crucial for the future. India’s youth possesses tremendous potential and it is the Government’s endeavour to harness their capabilities to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh threw light on the New Education Policy 2020 which aims to transform science education in the country by encouraging creativity, critical thinking and innovation. He added that the theme of this year’s National Science Day i.e. ‘Empowering Indian youth for global leadership in Science and Innovation for Viksit Bharat’ reflects the same approach. He described the theme as a reflection of New India’s aspiration for progress through innovation and global scientific leadership.

Speaking on the occasion, Telangana Chief Minister Shri A Revanth Reddy stated that Hyderabad has long been a hub of scientific excellence and technological innovation. He urged the young minds participating in Vigyan Vaibhav 2025 to dream big and embrace innovation with passion.

As part of the event, a grand exhibition has been organised which welcomed over 30,000 students. Featuring 200+ exhibition stalls, it provided a rare opportunity for students to witness cutting-edge defence and aerospace technologies developed by DRDO and leading Indian industries. The exhibition aimed to ignite curiosity, inspire innovation, and encourage young minds to pursue careers in STEM fields, fostering the next generation of scientists, engineers, techno-preneurs who will propel India towards global technological leadership.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat; President, Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI) Dr G Satheesh Reddy; Director Generals and Directors of DRDO; CMDs of PSUs and heads of industries attended the event.

Vigyan Vaibhav is jointly organised by DRDO, AeSI, and Kalam Institute of Youth Excellence to commemorate National Science Day in honour of legendary scientist Sir CV Raman and his ground-breaking contributions to science. The event brings together policymakers, scientists, industry leaders, academicians, and young innovators to discuss and showcase advancements that will shape the nation’s future. As India advances towards Viksit Bharat by 2047, it serves as a reminder that the path to self-reliance is paved with scientific excellence, innovation, and collaboration.

***

SR/Savvy

(Release ID: 2106896) Visitor Counter : 64

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda inaugurates 9th National Summit on Good & Replicable Practices and Innovation in Public Healthcare System in Puri, Odisha

Source: Government of India

Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda inaugurates 9th National Summit on Good & Replicable Practices and Innovation in Public Healthcare System in Puri, Odisha

National Health Policy 2017 brought about a paradigm shift in approach from curative healthcare to one that encompasses curative as well as preventive, promotive and comprehensive aspects: Shri JP Nadda

“Work done on Ayushman Arogya Mandir under the National Health Mission has strengthened the foundation of primary healthcare in the overall healthcare pyramid”

“Decline of Maternal Mortality Rate in India is double that of the global decline which highlights the effort taken in strengthening the healthcare system from the grassroot level. The Infant Mortality Rate and Under 5 Mortality Rate has also seen a noteworthy downfall”

“WHO’s World Malaria Report 2024 and Global TB Report 2024 acknowledges India’s significant achievements towards the goal of elimination of both the diseases”

Shri Nadda highlights the importance of Jan Bhagidari; credits ASHA workers, SHOs and other grassroot level health workers for the achievements made in the healthcare sector

Emphasizes the importance of making lifestyle changes to counter the threat of Non-Communicable Diseases

Merging of Odisha’s Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana with the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is a momentous step as people from Odisha can now access over 29,000 private hospitals across the country, benefiting over 4.5 crore people, especially the migrant workers: Shri Mohan Charan Majhi

Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 2:27PM by PIB Delhi

Union Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda inaugurated the 9th National Summit on Good & Replicable Practices and Innovation in the Public Healthcare System in Puri, Odisha today in the presence of Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister, Odisha; Dr. Mukesh Mahaling, Health Minister, Odisha and Dr Sambit Patra, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Puri.

The 2 days summit will showcase and document various best practices and innovations adopted by States and UTs for addressing their public health challenges. It will also provide an opportunity for knowledge sharing and cross-learning among the States/UTs.

Addressing the session, Shri JP Nadda highlighted that India has made a significant stride in healthcare since 2014. He stated that the National Health Policy 2017 brought about a paradigm shift in approach from curative healthcare to one that encompasses curative as well as preventive, promotive and comprehensive aspects. Similarly, the Union Minister noted that the government has also given a lot of impetus to tertiary healthcare in addition to improving primary and secondary healthcare.

He noted that the Union Government’s focus is on ensuring quality and affordable healthcare services for the people. On this note, he stated that the work done on Ayushman Arogya Mandir under the National Health Mission has strengthened the foundation of primary healthcare in the overall healthcare pyramid.

Shri Nadda stated that “the decline of Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in India is double that of the global decline which highlights the effort taken in strengthening the healthcare system from the grassroot level. The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Under 5 Mortality Rate has also seen a noteworthy downfall.” He also credited Odisha for its appreciable strides in IMR and MMR.

The Union Health Minister highlighted that “the WHO’s World Malaria Report 2024 acknowledges India’s significant reduction in malaria cases. Similarly, India has witnessed a noteworthy 17.7% decline in TB incidence from 2015 to 2023, a rate that is over twice the global average decline of 8.3% according to the WHO Global TB Report 2024”. He noted that despite the COVID-19 setback, India has not diluted its TB eradication target. He highlighted the ongoing 100-Day TB Elimination Campaign, spanning 455 districts across 33 states which has detected 5 lakh TB patients already.

Acknowledging the importance of Jan Bhagidari for the success of any campaign, the Union Health Minister credited the ASHA workers, SHOs and other grassroot level health workers for the achievements made in the healthcare sector. He stated that Panchayati Raj Institutions should be more empowered to further strengthen the healthcare base in India.

On the threat from Non-Communicable Diseases, Shri Nadda emphasized on the need for bringing lifestyle changes. He praised NHM for its ongoing Intensified Special NCD Screening Drive which is offering free of cost screening of Diabetes, Hypertension and 3 types of Cancer – Oral, Breast and Cervical cancer. He also highlighted a recent Lancet study which found that patients enrolled under AB PM-JAY saw a 90% rise in access to cancer treatment within 30 days, reducing delay in treatment and easing financial burden of cancer patients.

Shri Nadda noted that every district in the country will have day care cancer centers in the next 3 years with 200 districts to be covered in this year itself. He also emphasized on tele-medicine to strengthen healthcare further.

On the occasion, the Union Health Minister and other dignitaries released a Coffee Table Book on 9^th National Summit on Best Practices, Report on the 16^th Common Review Mission Report, Four Regional Conferences of NHM (2024-25) report and the Non-Communicable Diseases Conference Report (Jan 2025).

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Mohan Charan Majhi said that Odisha is an important pillar in the Union Government’s vision of a Swasthya Bharat. He said that under the motto of “Swasthya Odisha, Samruddh Odisha”, the state will bring more energy and focus in achieving all the UN SDG goals.

Shri Majhi said that the merging of Odisha’s Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana with the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PMJAY) scheme is a momentous step as people from Odisha can now access over 29,000 private hospitals across the country, benefiting over 4.5 crore people, especially the migrant workers of the state.

He informed that a slew of national institutes is coming up in the state including National Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER) and a National Institute of Speech and Hearing. He also stated that a new Government Nursing College and four dental colleges will be opened in Odisha.

Dr Mukesh Mahaling highlighted that Odisha has made remarkable achievements in institutional deliveries which has increased to more than 92% today. He stated that “MMR and IMR cases have reduced at a fast pace. Cancer treatment and chemotherapy are already provided in the district hospitals in Odisha.” He further stated that the government is working towards ensuring that all districts in Odisha have hospitals.

Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava noted that the NHM National Summits has developed into a powerful medium for delivery of equitable, quality and affordable health services. She noted that states will be able to share best practices and learnings from Common Review Missions (CRMs) held earlier which will help them in widening Jan Bhagidari, optimizing resources and meeting challenges. She urged states to continue to focus on enhancing quality standards and assess the areas where more resources are required for more effective service delivery.

Brief Note on 9^th National Summit on Best Practice:

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) organizes an annual National Innovation Summit on Good and Replicable Practices and Innovations in the Public Health System. This summit aims to showcase and document best practices and innovations adopted by States and Union Territories (UTs) to address public health challenges. It serves as a platform for knowledge sharing and cross-learning among States/UTs. The initiative began in 2013, with seven previous summits held. The eighth summit, along with Chintan Shivir, was conducted in May 2022 in Kevadia, Gujarat.

The process for the 9th National Summit on Best Practices commenced in December 2023. A directive (D.O. No. NHSRC/21-22/KMD/Best Practices/1001_part (1)) was sent to States/UTs, inviting submissions of innovations and best practices via the National Healthcare Innovation Portal (NHInP). A total of 165 entries were submitted, which included trial and duplicate entries. After a thorough review and elimination of duplicates, selected entries for oral presentations and posters were finalized, with input from Programme Divisions and under the review of the Joint Secretary (Policy).

Additionally, the dissemination of the report from the 16th Common Review Mission (CRM), conducted across 19 States in November 2024, will be a key part of the summit. The CRM involved a national briefing on November 18, 2024, followed by field visits from November 19-23, 2024, across 17 states (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Tripura, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal) and from November 26-30, 2024 in two more states (Jharkhand and Maharashtra). A total of 19 teams, including government officials, public health experts, civil society representatives, and development partners, participated in the CRM.

Smt. Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary & Mission Director (NHM), Union Health Ministry; Shri Saurabh Jain, Joint Secretary (Policy), Union Health Ministry; senior officials such as Additional Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Mission Directors, Senior Nodal officials from States/UTs (including NHM), and representatives from the Union Health Ministry, National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), and Regional Resource Centre for Northeastern States (RRC-NE) were present on the occasion.

***

MV

HFW/HFM-NHM National Summit Inauguration/28^th February 2025/1

(Release ID: 2106886) Visitor Counter : 59

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy to Inaugurate 175th Foundation Day Celebrations of Geological Survey of India at Kolkata on 4th March 2025

Source: Government of India (2)

Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy to Inaugurate 175th Foundation Day Celebrations of Geological Survey of India at Kolkata on 4th March 2025

GSI to Organize Mega Walkathon Across the Country on 2nd March 2025 to Kick Off the Commemorative Celebrations

Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 1:50PM by PIB Delhi

The Geological Survey of India (GSI), one of the oldest scientific organizations in the country, is set to celebrate its 175^th year of geoscientific legacy. To mark this historic milestone, Union Minister of Coal & Mines, Shri G Kishan Reddy will inaugurate the Foundation Day celebrations on 4^th March 2025 at Central Headquarters, Kolkata, in the esteemed presence of Shri Asit Saha, Director General, GSI, heads of organisations along with senior officials, geoscientists, and stakeholders.

Established in 1851 by Sir Thomas Oldham, GSI has played a pioneering role in geological mapping, mineral exploration, disaster studies, and geoscientific research, significantly contributing to India’s industrial and economic growth.

As a curtain-raiser to this grand celebration, GSI will organize a Pan-India Walkathon on 2^nd March 2025, bringing together geoscientists, students, policymakers, and the general public, across all GSI offices in the country. The Central Headquarters, Kolkata will serve as the focal point, with the event taking place at CK-CL Park, Salt Lake, Sector-II, led by Shri Asit Saha, Director General, GSI. More than just a commemorative event, the Walkathon will provide a unique platform to engage with communities, raise awareness about the significance of geoscience, and inspire future generations to explore and innovate. Participants from diverse backgrounds will join hands to celebrate GSI’s 175-year legacy of excellence in geosciences.

During the 175th Foundation Day celebrations on 4th March 2025, GSI will showcase its rich legacy and scientific contributions through a series of engaging events, insightful publications and unveiling of Special Postal Cover, My stamp and two geoscientific mobile apps. Diverse exhibitions and historical photo gallery highlighting a visual journey through GSI’s 175-year legacy, its milestones and achievements will be showcased. To foster public engagement and awareness about geosciences, various competitions, interactive events and a blood donation camp will be organized, encouraging participation from all walks of life, reinforcing GSI’s commitment to social responsibility and community welfare.

As one of India’s pioneering scientific institutions, GSI has evolved from discovering coal for railways to driving cutting-edge innovations in geoscience. The 175th Foundation Day celebrations will not only honour its rich legacy but also reaffirm its commitment to advancing geoscientific investigations, mineral exploration, and technological innovation for the Nation’s progress. With an overwhelming spirit of participation, the Geological Survey of India looks forward to an inspiring and impactful celebration of knowledge, fitness, and consciousness for geoscience.

****

Shuhaib T

(Release ID: 2106867) Visitor Counter : 97

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: National Waterways (Construction of Jetties/Terminals) Regulations, 2025; set to open new opportunities for private players in IWT sector

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 12:27PM by PIB Delhi

In a significant move to enhance infrastructure development and improve the ease of doing business, regulations have been put in place for the establishment of jetties and terminals by various entities, including private, public, and joint ventures, on national waterways across the country.

The National Waterways (Construction of Jetties/Terminals) Regulations, 2025, formulated by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), are designed to attract private sector investment in setting up terminals, streamline processes and promote efficient use of India’s vast waterways network.

By enabling entities, including private players, to develop and operate jetties and terminals, these regulations open up new opportunities for investment, trade, and economic growth, while also improving logistical efficiency. This initiative is expected to contribute to the reduction of transportation costs, enhance cargo movement, and support the overall growth of the inland waterways sector, positioning it as a key driver of nation’s economy.

Key Highlights of the Regulations

Under the new regulations, any entity including private, wishing to develop or operate an inland waterway terminal on a national waterway need to obtain a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NoC) from IWAI. Both existing and new terminals, whether permanent or temporary, are covered under these regulations. Permanent terminals can be maintained for the lifetime by the operator, while temporary terminals will have an initial five-year term with the possibility of extensions. The terminal developer and operator will be responsible for the technical design and construction of the terminal, ensuring it aligns with their business plan and provides adequate access.

Digital Portal for Terminal Applications

IWAI is developing an online application portal to streamline and digitise the application process for terminal developers and operators. This digital platform will enhance efficiency, transparency, and accessibility, in line with the government’s vision of Ease of Doing Business (EODB) and digitisation. The portal will provide a seamless interface for applicants to submit requests and track progress.

Boosting Private Participation and Infrastructure Development

Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, IWAI has made significant strides in developing waterways as a key engine of economic growth. The cargo movement on national waterways has surged over the last decade, from 18 million tonnes to 133 million tonnes in FY 2023-24. This advancement is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision to promote sustainable development, foster private sector participation, and enhance Ease of Doing Business by leveraging digitalisation and streamlining processes.

Additionally, the newly launched Jalvahak scheme, which aims to incentivize a shift in cargo transport by nearly 17% from the current 4700 million tonne kilometres on national waterways, is expected to further boost private sector participation.

With the enforcement of the National Waterways (Construction of Jetties/Terminals) Regulations, 2025, private entities are expected to play a greater role in the development and expansion of inland waterway terminals, thus contributing to the overall growth of the sector.

***

G.D. Hallikeri / Henry / Shweta

(Release ID: 2106826) Visitor Counter : 67

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Online auction of vehicle registration marks to be held from March 20 to 24

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Online auction of vehicle registration marks to be held from March 20 to 24
Online auction of vehicle registration marks to be held from March 20 to 24
***************************************************************************

The Transport Department (TD) today (February 28) said that the next online auction of vehicle registration marks (VRMs) will be held from noon on March 20 (Thursday) to noon on March 24 (Monday) through the auction platform E-Auction (e-auction.td.gov.hk). Interested bidders can participate in the online auction only after they have successfully registered as E-Auction users. A spokesman for the TD said, “A total of 80 Ordinary VRMs will be available at this online public auction. The list of VRMs (see Annex) has been uploaded to the E-Auction website. Applicants who have paid a $1,000 deposit to reserve the Ordinary VRM for auction should also register as an E-Auction user in advance in order to participate in the online bidding, including placing the first bid at the opening price of $1,000. Otherwise, the VRMs reserved by them may be bid on by other interested bidders at or above the opening price. Auctions for VRMs with “HK” or “XX” as a prefix, special VRMs and personalised VRMs will continue to be carried out through physical auctions by bidding paddles, and their announcement arrangements remain unchanged.” Members of the public participating in the online bidding should take note of the following important points: (1) Bidders should register in advance as an E-Auction user by “iAM Smart+” equipped with the digital signing function; or by using a valid digital certificate and an email address upon completion of identity verification. Registered “iAM Smart” users should provide their Hong Kong identity card number, while non-Hong Kong residents who are not “iAM Smart” users should provide the number of their passport or other identification documents when registering as E-Auction users. (2) Bidders are required to provide a digital signature to confirm the submission and amount of the bid by using “iAM Smart+” or a valid digital certificate at the time of the first bid of each online bidding session (including setting automatic bids before the auction begins) to comply with the requirements of the Electronic Transactions Ordinance. (3) If a bid is made in respect of a VRM within the last 10 minutes before the end of the auction, the auction end time for that particular VRM will be automatically extended by another 10 minutes, up to a maximum of 24 hours. (4) Successful bidders must follow the instructions in the notification email issued by the TD to log in to the E-Auction within 48 hours from the issuance of the email and complete the follow-up procedures, including:

completing the Purchaser Information for the issuance of the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark (Memorandum of Sale); and
making the auction payment online by credit card, Faster Payment System (FPS) or Payment by Phone Service (PPS). Cheque or cash payment is not accepted in the E-Auction.

(5) A VRM can only be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. Relevant information on the Certificate of Incorporation must be provided by the successful bidder in the Purchaser Information of the Memorandum of Sale if the VRM purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate. (6) Successful bidders will receive a notification email around seven working days after payment has been confirmed and can download the Memorandum of Sale from the E-Auction. The purchaser must apply for the VRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser within 12 months from the date of issue of the Memorandum of Sale. If the purchaser fails to do so within the 12-month period, in accordance with the statutory provision, the allocation of the VRM will be cancelled and a new allocation will be arranged by the TD without prior notice to the purchaser. The TD has informed all applicants who have reserved the Ordinary VRMs for this round of auction of the E-Auction arrangements in detail by post. Members of the public may refer to the E-Auction website or watch the tutorial videos for more information. Please call the E-Auction hotline (3583 3980) or email (e-auction-enquiry@td.gov.hk) for enquiries.

Ends/Friday, February 28, 2025Issued at HKT 15:00

NNNN

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Commission control of Recovery and Resilience Facility funds – E-000746/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-000746/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Julien Sanchez (PfE)

The NextGenerationEU recovery plan was set up in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a budget in excess of EUR 800 billion. Its key instrument is the temporary Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), which has been allocated funding of EUR 723 billion: EUR 338 billion in grants and EUR 385 billion in loans[1] (2022 prices). It is used to finance the Member States’ reforms and investments.

Direct control of the actual use of these huge sums seems to be almost non-existent at EU level.

1.How many employees did the European Anti-Fraud Office and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office have on 1 January 2021, before the establishment of the RRF, and on 1 January 2024, at the peak of its operations?

2.Taking into account the fund’s unprecedented financial implications, how many of those employees are specifically assigned on a full-time basis to monitor RRF expenditure? Does their assignment to that role come at the expense of other missions?

3.What other means have been established at EU level to ensure that the funds are carefully managed?

Submitted: 19.2.2025

[1] European Court of Auditors special report 26/2023 on the Recovery and Resilience Facility’s performance monitoring framework, p. 4.
Last updated: 28 February 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – STEM education high on the EU agenda – 28-02-2025

Source: European Parliament

In her political guidelines of July 2024, Commission President von der Leyen proposed a STEM education strategic plan, related to the Union of Skills, a key initiative from 2024 to 2029. The President highlighted not only the lack of qualified teachers in areas linked to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), but also the aim of attracting more girls and women into STEM education and careers.

MIL OSI Europe News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – STMicroelectronics’ plans to lay off 2 500 workers at its Catania facility and the effectiveness of state aid for employment in the semiconductor sector – P-000759/2025
Source: European Parliament
Priority question for written answer P-000759/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Giuseppe Antoci (The Left)

In May 2024, the Commission approved, under EU state aid rules, a EUR 2 billion Italian measure to support STMicroelectronics (STM) in the construction and operation of an integrated chip production plant for silicon carbide electrical devices in Catania.

Recently, STM applied for wage support measures for 2 500 of its 5 400 Catania-based employees[1].

The company’s reorganisation could lead to the closure of the Catania facility’s oldest production plant (known as CT6) and raises concerns about the prospects of the sectors linked to Europe’s automotive and semiconductor industries.

In the light of the Commission’s Communication[2] concerning a chips act for Europe, of its package of measures on semiconductors and of Regulation (EU) 2023/1781 – which established a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem – could the Commission answer the following questions:

1.Given the plight of STM’s Catania facility, how effective does the Commission think that Italy’s state aid measures have been?

2.How will the funds allocated to STM’s Catania project support stability and growth in employment and long-term strategic investments within the framework of the EU’s semiconductor strategy?

Submitted: 19.2.2025

[1] https://www.lasicilia.it/economia/la-crisi-di-stmicroelectronics-a-catania-2-500-dipendenti-in-cassa-integrazione-per-due-settimane-2406167/.

[2] COM(2022) 45 final.
Last updated: 28 February 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Piero Cipollone: The role of the digital euro in digital payments and finance

Source: European Central Bank

Contribution to Bancaria by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, based on remarks at the Crypto Asset Lab Conference on 17 January 2025

28 February 2025

Being a key player in digital payments and digital finance should be a priority for Europe.

As Mario Draghi pointed out in his recent report, the productivity gap between the United States and the European Union is mostly explained by technology and finance.^[1] If we take the information and communications technology (ICT) and financial sectors out, the gap disappears.

If we want to close the productivity gap with the United States, we need to focus on these areas. Digital payments and digital finance stand at the intersection of these two sectors. And they are developing fast, driven by changes in habits and technology. This is both an opportunity and a risk for Europe. It is an opportunity to close the gap by developing innovative and competitive European solutions. But if we do not seize that opportunity, we run the risk of weakening our competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy.

At the European Central Bank (ECB), as guardians of our single currency, the euro, we consider this a matter of crucial importance. Ultimately, it is about the future of our currency. Today, the euro is the second most important currency in the international monetary system. Its share across a range of indicators stands at around 20%, and the euro area accounts for around 12% of global GDP.^[2] If we want to prevent the euro from losing importance on the global stage, transacting and investing in euro needs to be seen as safe, easy and efficient, even as digitalisation transforms payments and finance.^[3]

Central bank money – the central pillar of the payments and financial system – has a key role to play in connecting the different parts of the financial system in a safe and risk-free way. This is particularly relevant in Europe, where payments and finance often remain fragmented along national lines, preventing us from fully reaping the benefits of the single European market. This is true for both retail and wholesale transactions.

For retail transactions – payments made on a daily basis by consumers and businesses – our reliance on non-European solutions weakens our strategic autonomy and is a drag on productivity growth. We should ask, for example, why we don’t have a European VISA or Mastercard. A digital euro – that is, central bank money in digital form for retail transactions – would give us the chance to increase efficiency, competition, innovation and resilience while allowing European private payment solutions to scale up and protect our monetary sovereignty.^[4]

For wholesale transactions – transactions between financial institutions – we need to avoid repeating the mistake we made in the retail sector and ensure that we provide the conditions for European actors to stay ahead of their competitors. New technologies offer us the opportunity to create an integrated European market for digital assets from the outset, in other words a European capital markets union.^[5]

A digital euro for everyday payments

For firms and households, central bank money is currently only available in the form of cash; there is currently no equivalent in digital form, which is becoming increasingly problematic because the use and acceptance of cash are declining. In the euro area, cash transactions have fallen below card transactions in value.^[6] The share of companies reporting that they do not accept cash has tripled over the last three years to 12%.^[7] The European Commission has put forward a legislative proposal to ensure the acceptance of cash^[8], and the ECB is committed to ensuring that cash remains as widely available and accessible as possible^[9]. Still, the trend towards cash being used less for daily transactions is likely to continue owing to the digitalisation of the economy in line with what has been observed in many advanced economies.

Day-to-day payments in the euro area by payment instrument, in value terms

(percentage of the value of all non-recurring day-to-day payments)

Source: ECB (2024), Study on the payment attitudes of consumers in the euro area (SPACE).

Note: The “Other” category includes bank cheques, credit transfers, direct debit, instant payments, loyalty points, vouchers and gift cards, crypto-assets, buy-now-pay-later services and other payment instruments.

Current European digital payment solutions, such as cards issued by European payment schemes, mainly cater to national markets and specific use cases. To pay across European countries, consumers have to rely on a few non-European providers. More than two-thirds of card transactions in the euro area were settled through international payment schemes in the second half of 2023.^[10] And 13 out of 20 euro area countries rely entirely on non-European solutions in the absence of their own domestic payment scheme. But even those international payment solutions are not accepted everywhere and do not cover all key use cases.

National card schemes in the euro area

Source: ECB.

As a result, one of the key objectives of central bank money – to offer the public a means of payment backed by the sovereign authority that can be used for retail transactions across the entire currency area – is not being fulfilled in the digital space.

In addition, European payments have become a prime example of the situation that Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi described in their recent reports.^[11] The fragmentation of the market along national lines, the lack of European payment solutions available on a European scale and the difficulty faced by European payment service providers in keeping pace with technological advances mean that Europe is not competitive within its own market, let alone on a global scale.

Moreover, in an unstable geopolitical environment, we are being left to rely on companies based in other countries. In future, this dependency could extend beyond traditional payment service providers. Platforms like Ant Group’s Alipay have shown they know how to bridge geographical gaps: during major events like UEFA EURO 2024 they were able to boost their payment app usage among customers in Europe.

Merchants – and consumers, who bear the costs – are left to deal with the consequences of the international card schemes’ market dominance. To give just one example, the average net merchant service charges in the EU almost doubled between 2018 and 2022.^[12] This increase occurred despite regulatory efforts to contain it. And the cost falls disproportionately on smaller retailers, who face charges that are three to four times higher than those paid by their larger counterparts.^[13]

We must move swiftly to counter the risks stemming from Europe’s current inability to secure the integration and autonomy of its retail payment system. This is one of the key reasons behind the digital euro project: to bring central bank money into the digital age. Doing so would provide firms and households with a digital equivalent to banknotes and would strengthen our monetary sovereignty.

Benefits for consumers and merchants

Complementing banknotes, the digital euro would give all European citizens and firms the freedom to make and receive digital payments seamlessly.^[14]

The digital euro would provide a single, easy, secure and universally accepted public solution for digital payments in stores, online and from person to person. It would be available both online and offline, and would be free for basic use.

For merchants, the digital euro would provide seamless access to all European consumers. Moreover, it would offer an alternative that would increase competition, thereby lowering transaction costs in a more direct way than is possible through regulations and competition authorities.^[15]

Fostering competition and innovation in an integrated payments ecosystem

The digital euro would strengthen the euro area economy by fostering competition and innovation.

European payment service providers are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with international card schemes and mobile payment solutions. As the latter grow in popularity, banks risk falling behind not only in terms of interchange fees, but also in terms of client relationships and user data.

By contrast, the digital euro would ensure that payment service providers would continue to play a central role, thus enabling them to maintain customer relationships and be compensated for their services, as is currently the case.^[16] It would also offer an alternative to co-badging with international card schemes for cross-border payments in – and potentially beyond – the euro area, thus promoting competition.

The digital euro would also expand the opportunities available to payment service providers while reducing the cost of offering their own services on a European scale. In addition, it would foster an environment conducive to the widespread adoption of payment innovations throughout the euro area.

Currently, several innovations aimed at simplifying payments are emerging within specific national markets or across a few countries, driven by European payment service providers. Although these innovations are highly commendable and would enhance people’s lives, existing structural barriers are hampering their efforts to achieve pan-European scale.

These solutions are struggling to achieve the scale needed to provide a service to everyone in the euro area. This limits their ability to compete effectively with the large international players who can fully leverage economies of scale, even on a global level.

The European Commission’s legislative proposal^[17] foresees that the digital euro would have legal tender status; this implies that it would be accepted by all merchants who currently accept electronic payments. In reality this would equate to the creation of a pan-European network which could also be used by private solutions, thus overcoming the obstacles limiting their growth.

This would foster a more integrated European payments market. As private providers expand their geographical reach and diversify their product portfolios, they will benefit from cost efficiencies and be better positioned to compete internationally.

In essence, the network effects generated by a digital euro would function as a public good, benefiting both public and private initiatives. This approach would be akin to creating a unified European railway network or European energy grid, where various companies could competitively operate their own services and deliver added value to customers.

Instead of requiring significant investment to expand existing services across the euro area, the open digital euro standards would facilitate cost-effective standardisation, making it possible for private retail payment solution providers to launch new products and functionalities on a broader scale.

Ultimately, whether through the digital euro or private solutions, this framework would unlock innovation, create new business opportunities and improve consumer access to a diverse range of goods and services.

Making this vision a shared reality

The design of the digital euro, as well as the key provision in the regulation proposed by the European Commission, contains all the key elements required to make this vision a reality.

Over the past years, we have extensively engaged with a multitude of market stakeholders to establish the digital euro’s features. We have collected and discussed the input of representatives of consumers, merchants, banks and payment service providers. Furthermore, we are now looking at how the digital euro could be used to provide services currently not available on the market. To this end, we launched a call for expressions of interest, asking for collaboration from stakeholders, and we received a very strong response. Through this inclusive approach, we want to take everyone’s needs and perspectives into consideration to produce a robust payments solution.

The role of central bank money in developing a European market for digital assets

Currently, the ECB and the national central banks of those EU Member States whose currency is the euro (which we collectively refer to as the Eurosystem) offer central bank money in digital form to financial institutions through our TARGET Services: T2 settles more than 90% of the value of large payments between financial institutions, and T2S settles securities transactions. These services have been crucial in increasing the efficiency and integration of post-trade platforms in Europe.

We are committed to continuing to provide state-of-the-art settlement services in central bank money, even as new technologies emerge.

The potential of new technologies

In this respect, we recognise the potential of new technologies, such as distributed ledger technology (DLT), to transform and improve wholesale financial markets by enabling assets to be issued or represented in digital token form.

DLT allows market participants to handle trading, settlement and custody on the same platform, reducing credit risk, transaction failures and reconciliation needs. It can enhance efficiency by operating on a 24/7, 365 days a year basis and settling transactions instantly, which could potentially reduce annual infrastructure operational costs. A shared DLT platform could lower market entry barriers, enable small and medium-sized enterprises and new players to access capital markets and facilitate the efficient trading of financial instruments currently not covered on regulated markets.

We have an opportunity to create an integrated European capital market for digital assets from the outset – in other words, a digital capital markets union.^[18]

In fact, we have recently seen an upsurge in DLT initiatives in Europe. Over 60% of EU banks are exploring or using DLT, with 22% already implementing DLT applications. Furthermore, on the securities side, there has been an increasing number of issuances on DLT.

The role of central bank money and the Eurosystem’s exploratory work

The ECB is aware that it has a role to play in this work from the very beginning.

The availability of central bank money to settle transactions using these new technologies is important for two reasons. First, if we don’t use central bank money, other settlement assets – such as stablecoins or tokenised deposits – will be used, which would reintroduce credit risks and fragmentation in the financial system. And second, the possibility to settle in central bank money is seen by the market as a key factor in the adoption of new technologies.

The Eurosystem has already worked with the market to test settling wholesale transactions in central bank money using DLT. In exploratory work we carried out in 2024, for example, we offered three different solutions to link our TARGET services to market DLT platforms. This allowed industry participants to either settle real transactions in central bank money or conduct experiments with mock transactions.^[19]

This exploratory work stands out at the global level in terms of its scale and scope. Overall, 60 industry participants took part, including incumbents and new entrants. More than 40 experiments and trials covered a wide range of securities and payments use cases, including the first issuance of an EU sovereign bond using DLT. A total value of €1.6 billion was settled via trials over a six-month period, exceeding values settled in comparable initiatives in other jurisdictions.

Next steps

In the short term, the Eurosystem will aim to make it possible to settle DLT transactions in central bank money, with a view to enabling the further development of DLT on the market.^[20] The technological solution will be based on interoperability between market DLTs and the Eurosystem, but also – and this is crucial – between market platforms, based on strong and enforceable standards.

Looking further ahead, we will investigate how DLT can be used to create a more integrated financial market. With new technology, there is the opportunity to create a new ecosystem from scratch in a more integrated and harmonised manner. One way to achieve this integrated ecosystem in the longer term would be to move towards a European shared ledger. This would bring together token versions of central bank money, commercial bank money and other digital assets on a shared, programmable platform, on which market participants could provide their services. Another option could be the coordinated development of an ecosystem of fully interoperable technical solutions, which might better serve specific use cases and enable legacy and new solutions to coexist.

The trade-offs between the benefits of such flexibility and those of bringing everyone together on one platform need further analysis. We will reflect on these trade-offs and refine this long-term vision together with private and public sector stakeholders.

Conclusion

In the current fast-moving environment, Europe cannot stand still. If we do not bring central bank money into the digital age, we will hamper Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy. And we will miss out on the opportunities that digital payments and digital finance offer. Others would reap the benefits instead.

By ensuring that central bank money keeps pace with digitalisation and new technologies, we would safeguard our monetary sovereignty. We would overcome fragmentation by offering money that can be used for any digital transactions in the euro area. We would foster competition and innovation. And we would strengthen our autonomy and resilience.

MIL OSI Europe News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Latest news – 28 February – Rare Disease Day – Committee on Public Health

Source: European Parliament

300 million people worldwide live with a rare disease. The rare disease day is the global awareness-raising campaign, taking place on the last day of February each year. The campaign has the goal of increasing equity for people living with a rare disease, improving their lives with equitable access to diagnosis, treatment, care and social opportunity.

SANT Committee has just launched a public consultation on Rare Diseases. We hold it to listen to citizen’s experiences, opinions and suggestions for our policy work. You can give us your opinion on the link below.

MIL OSI Europe News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Wild beavers: Nature’s engineers to return to English waterways
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

Press release

Wild beavers: Nature’s engineers to return to English waterways

Government to allow reintroduction of beavers into the wild after centuries of absence in a huge boost for nature conservation
Credit: Beaver Trust

Brilliant beavers reduce flood risk, create new wetlands, and boost biodiversity

Reintroductions to be carefully managed under licence from Natural England

Nature’s original master builder – the Eurasian beaver – is set to return to our waterways after centuries of absence, following a government decision to allow wild release.

Beavers are prodigious ecosystem engineers and proven climate champions – creating natural flood defences that can reduce flood risks and building wetlands which are thriving havens for wildlife.

Known as a keystone species because the habitats they create benefit myriad other species, they were once abundant in England but became extinct due to overhunting. In recent years, beavers have been returning to our waterways through a system of licensed releases into enclosures, and a limited trial of wild release in Devon.

Now in a major boost for conservation, the government has today (Friday 28 February) set out a new approach which will allow beavers to live wild in England’s treasured landscapes.

Ministers have set out how we will provide the certainty needed for conservationists, landowners and farmers in a new policy statement. It includes the detail of a new licensing system, support for landowners and farmers, and a commitment to produce a plan in consultation with these stakeholders for the long-term management of beavers in England.

The return of beavers will be carefully managed to avoid impacts on farming, food production and infrastructure. New wild release projects will need to have a project plan in place covering a 10-year period to support the introduction of beavers into a landscape before Natural England would consider granting a licence.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

“Beavers are cherished creatures who bring so many benefits for people and our precious natural environment. They create wetlands which are havens for wildlife, reduce flood risk and improve the water quality of our rivers.

“Reintroducing beavers to the wild is a critical milestone for this Government’s plan to protect and restore our natural world.”

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:

“Beavers have been missing from our landscapes for about four hundred years and this careful approach for their planned return is a significant landmark for Nature recovery in England.

“Beavers are environmental engineers. The dams, ponds and canals they build not only create amazingly rich habitats for many other species, but can also help reduce flood risk, purify water and catch carbon.

“Under licence from Natural England, the release of wild beavers will be managed to secure the long-term environmental benefits while seeking to minimise and avoid unwanted impacts.”

All existing beaver populations will be allowed to remain and expand naturally and will ensure that appropriate management measures are put in place. Existing populations of wild beavers will continue to be proactively managed by their local beaver management group.

Through this carefully planned reintroduction programme which is defined by a 5 step management approach, we will support farmers and communities to live alongside beavers, ensuring these natural problem-solvers benefit everyone.

The government will also now begin work on developing a long-term beaver management plan in England. This will build on the approach announced today and be developed with input from key stakeholders, to ensure we meet the challenges and opportunities posed by an expanding beaver population well into the future.

It is expected that the first release of wild beavers will happen at Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve soon with a licence issued to the National Trust.

Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust said:

“This is fantastic news for nature recovery and people’s livelihoods. Beavers are unparalleled in their ability to restore landscapes, create wetlands that manage flood risk, improve our water quality, and bring back wildlife.

“Since 2020, we’ve introduced beavers at three National Trust sites through licensed, enclosed releases. We’ve seen first-hand the amazing benefits these fascinating mammals provide, and we’re thrilled to receive a licence for the first wild beaver release in England.

“It’s important to us, and the communities we work in, that beaver releases across wider landscapes happen in a responsible, carefully managed way. This licensing process is in everyone’s best interests. It will lead to well-chosen sites, minimise disruption to other landowners, and ensure local communities are fully consulted and involved enabling both people and nature thrive.”  

Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency said:

“As part of our work to reduce flood risk and restore rivers to good health, the return of wild beavers will improve water quality, boost biodiversity and build resilience to climate change through nature-based solutions.

“Beavers help reduce flooding in nearby towns, remove pollutants from our precious waterways and help to create clean water. Working alongside our partners, the Environment Agency will continue to support the careful management of wild beavers”.

Applications for further wild release licences will first need to submit an ‘expression of interest’ to Natural England. The deadline for the first round of applications is 2 May 2025, with further application windows due to open in due course.

Additional information:

For more information on beaver licenses, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beavers-applying-for-a-licence-to-release-beavers-into-the-wild

Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer of Beaver Trust said:

“This landmark moment in England’s beaver story could be a significant step toward helping to address some of the key environmental challenges we face. We welcome Government recognition of beavers’ potential and hope they now demonstrate their commitment through widespread license granting and proactive restoration of this species across England.

“We are generations behind the rest of Europe in bringing this species back, we have high levels of public support for their return, so we now need a government-led national strategy and effective mitigation framework in order to facilitate population expansion and to realise the valuable societal benefits beavers can bring.

“We look forward to seeing details of the government’s announcement and hope that it will support measures that encourage people to live alongside beavers and form a productive step toward normalising this native species.”

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)

Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Updates to this page

Published 28 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is absolutely right in his vision to combat the problem of Obesity: Mr. Luke Coutinho

Source: Government of India

Our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is absolutely right in his vision to combat the problem of Obesity: Mr. Luke Coutinho

We need to have regulation and awareness about junk food for children and adults, which is contributing towards the obesity epidemic: Mr. Luke

Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 4:19PM by PIB Delhi

Our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, is absolutely right in his vision of combating this problem of obesity, said Mr. Luke Coutinho while visiting an Anganwadi Center in New Delhi today. Mr. Luke Coutinho is a renowned holistic health coach and co-founder of Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems. He is on a visit to Delhi to attend a media conclave.

Talking about nutrition, Mr. Luke said that three issues need to be focused on. First, early start at child level to get their nutrition right, second, the right education about nutrition in different languages across our diverse country and, third, access to local superfoods like millet. He added that we need to have regulation and awareness about junk food for children and adults, which is contributing towards the obesity epidemic.

Praising the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Mr. Luke said that “Shri Modi has encouraged us to use local superfoods. We can maintain a natural balanced diet with these foods and support the macros of proteins, carbohydrates and fat “.

Supporting the mission against obesity, he said that “Everyone should take personal responsibility as an Indian citizen to do our part and choose the right food, exercise every day and focus on our mental & emotional health “.

Mr. Luke said that to overcome obesity, our Prime Minister has spoken about a reduction in edible oil in our foods by 10 percent. He added that “we need awareness and mindfulness and Ghar-ka-khana (home cooked food) has to be promoted and it will require the unity of the country, honoring the Prime Minister’s vision and all of our personal responsibility to make India healthy “.

Luke Coutinho, Co-Founder, Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems, who visited the Anganwadi Centre in Delhi, praised the PM @narendramodi‘s vision for health at grassroot level. After the visit, he said that the amazing work the frontline workers at Anganwadi are doing to… pic.twitter.com/W2z3Qo0tvy

— DD News (@DDNewslive) February 28, 2025

****

MV/AKS

(Release ID: 2106933) Visitor Counter : 90

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Siu Lam Integrated Rehabilitation Services Complex officially opens (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Siu Lam Integrated Rehabilitation Services Complex officially opens (with photos)
Siu Lam Integrated Rehabilitation Services Complex officially opens (with photos)
*********************************************************************************

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, officiated at the Opening Ceremony of the Siu Lam Integrated Rehabilitation Services Complex (the Services Complex) today (February 28), and joined participating guests in witnessing the launch of the largest integrated rehabilitation services complex in Hong Kong to showcase the Government’s support and commitment to persons with disabilities and their carers. Addressing the ceremony, Mr Chan expressed gratitude to the organisations and groups that had contributed to the project. He commended the design of the Services Complex for making full use of its spatial advantages as well as incorporating smart technology and rehabilitation equipment to create a safe and comfortable living environment for the service users. He was also pleased to learn that the Services Complex smoothly implements a medical-social collaboration model, where close communication and flexible arrangements enable quality medical services for the residents with fewer hospital visits. He called on different sectors to continue to foster cross-sectoral collaboration and make joint efforts in taking forward innovation and improvement in rehabilitation services, as well as serving persons with disabilities and their families with compassion, thereby building a caring and inclusive community. Mr Chan said that the Government has long been attentive to the needs of persons with disabilities and the development of rehabilitation services. The estimated recurrent expenditure of the Social Welfare Department (SWD) on rehabilitation and medical social services has reached $12.6 billion in 2025-26, a 35 per cent increase in comparison with that of five years ago, which demonstrates the Government’s commitments in supporting persons with disabilities. The Government will continue to strive for service enhancements, including the provision of additional places for rehabilitation services, so that the total number of such service places will reach around 39 900 by 2028-29 for meeting the keen demand for support services for persons with disabilities. At the ceremony, Mr Chan, accompanied by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun; the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau; and the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Edward To, presided at the unveiling ceremony of the Services Complex. A tour of the residential care and day training facilities of the Services Complex was also arranged for the guests prior to the ceremony to showcase to them the relevant service operations. Located at 12 and 20 Hong Fai Road, Siu Lam, Tuen Mun, the Services Complex, which has commenced operation in phases starting from December 2023, was designed and constructed by consultants and contractors commissioned by the SWD. The Services Complex is operated by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, SAHK and the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, providing a total of 1 150 residential care places and 560 day training places for mentally handicapped persons, physically handicapped persons as well as persons in mental recovery. Incorporating ample communal space and large glass windows to improve ventilation and provide sufficient natural light, the Services Complex integrates with the surrounding environment to allow service users to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Ends/Friday, February 28, 2025Issued at HKT 19:00

NNNN

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 1, 2025

Category: Transport

Who was Andrée Blouin?

Behind the prize

In recent months, Preston City Council has identified numerous empty buildings within the city centre where community safety, preventing anti-social behaviour and/or preserving their heritage value needs to be addressed.

Councillor Amber Afzal, Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulation at Preston City Council said:

Councillor Valerie Wise, Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building and the City Regeneration portfolio at Preston City Council is also keen to see a brighter future for these neglected buildings. She said:

27 Winckley Square (former home of Edith Rigby) – Grade II listed building

The Old Dog Inn – Grade II listed building

St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Mount Street – complex of Grade II listed buildings

Harris Institute, Grade II* listed building

Additional Information

Giloy Takes the Global Stage: Research Publications Soar Over 300% in a DecadeNew Studies Reveal Promising Role of Giloy in Immunity & Clinical Research

Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy to Inaugurate 175th Foundation Day Celebrations of Geological Survey of India at Kolkata on 4th March 2025GSI to Organize Mega Walkathon Across the Country on 2nd March 2025 to Kick Off the Commemorative Celebrations

Contribution to Bancaria by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, based on remarks at the Crypto Asset Lab Conference on 17 January 2025

A digital euro for everyday payments

Day-to-day payments in the euro area by payment instrument, in value terms

National card schemes in the euro area

Benefits for consumers and merchants

Fostering competition and innovation in an integrated payments ecosystem

Making this vision a shared reality

The role of central bank money in developing a European market for digital assets

The potential of new technologies

The role of central bank money and the Eurosystem’s exploratory work

Next steps

Conclusion

Wild beavers: Nature’s engineers to return to English waterways

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:

Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust said:

Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency said:

Additional information:

Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer of Beaver Trust said:

Share this page

Updates to this page

Our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is absolutely right in his vision to combat the problem of Obesity: Mr. Luke CoutinhoWe need to have regulation and awareness about junk food for children and adults, which is contributing towards the obesity epidemic: Mr. Luke

Giloy Takes the Global Stage: Research Publications Soar Over 300% in a Decade

New Studies Reveal Promising Role of Giloy in Immunity & Clinical Research

Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy to Inaugurate 175th Foundation Day Celebrations of Geological Survey of India at Kolkata on 4th March 2025

GSI to Organize Mega Walkathon Across the Country on 2nd March 2025 to Kick Off the Commemorative Celebrations

Our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is absolutely right in his vision to combat the problem of Obesity: Mr. Luke Coutinho

We need to have regulation and awareness about junk food for children and adults, which is contributing towards the obesity epidemic: Mr. Luke