Category: Transport

MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/ARAB EMIRATES – Jubilee in the Vicariate of Southern Arabia, Bishop Martinelli: our being a “Church of migrants” helps us to place all our hope in Christ

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Friday, 7 February 2025

photo Paolo Andrea Valente

Abu Dhabi (Agenzia Fides) – The Church in the Vicariate of Southern Arabia is a “Church of migrants”, where the common experience of being migrant is to feel that there is always “something missing or lacking”, starting from their homeland and their distant loved ones. But this perception should be “an opportunity”, first of all for us to open up to each other, and, at the same time, “this condition” brings out the source and the dynamism of Christian hope, “a hope that does not disappoint us because it is rooted in the love of Christ, an irrevocable love, a love forever”.This is what Capuchin Franciscan Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, writes in his pastoral letter addressed to the Catholic communities present in the Vicariate of Southern Arabia, which includes Oman, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, on the occasion of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Catholic Church.Bishop Martinelli points to the characteristic factors – pilgrimage and hope – that characterize the Jubilee period, highlighting the many things that migrants and pilgrims have in common: “Today we are called to be pilgrims of hope” because “a pilgrim goes through the adversities of life knowing that God never abandons him or her. Being pilgrims, reminds us that we are migrants. And like a pilgrim, a migrant is also always on the move”.“We live in this part of the world, far from our homes and our countries of origin. We are a Church of migrants, we come from over a hundred different nations. Our life here depends on the condition of our jobs and on many circumstances that are not in our control. Precisely in these situations of being migrants, we are called to live with a greater passion, the role of being the pilgrims of hope”, said the Bishop, citing the Bull “Spes non confundit” (n. 13), in which the Pope calls for “signs of hope for migrants who leave their homelands behind in search of a better life for themselves and for their families. Their expectations must not be frustrated by prejudice and rejection”.Being a migrant, continues Martinelli, “always means dealing with limitations”, such as the absence of families. “Even if we have a lot of help, we cannot have everything that we have in our countries of origin” and this makes us all understand “the temporariness of life”.“I I invite you to live your reality of being migrants in this land of Arabia as part of your pilgrimage, towards the Kingdom of Heaven, continually supported by Christian hope. We are made for eternal happiness; let us not be deceived by the temporary goods,” the Apostolic Vicar continued.“Mass migration,” the Apostolic Vicar wrote, “is changing the face of societies and face of the Church. Being aware of this epochal change, being migrants and pilgrims of hope leads us to live intensely and in harmony, our being a Church composed of people who come from many different countries and at the same time promote peace and solidarity in social life. In this way, united in diversity, we can be a prophetic sign of the Kingdom of God.”Bishop Martinelli also recalls that this year marks 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which gave us “the Creed, which we recite every Sunday. It is still recognized today by all the Churches and denominations of Christianity. Celebrating the Nicene Creed has a great ecumenical value, it pushes us to work for the promotion of unity among all Christians”.“I invite you to live with great vigor this Holy Year of hope. I encourage you to participate in the programs and the events of our vicariate, especially in the churches declared as shrines for the jubilee (vedi Fides 10/1/2025) and in some of the international events planned in Rome”, concluded the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 7/2/2025)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/PHILIPPINES – “State of food emergency” while the country is in electoral campaign

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Foto di Eduardo Prim su Unsplash

Manila (Agenzia Fides) – The state of “food emergency” declared by the Philippine government to counter the “rice crisis” – due to an “extraordinary” increase in the price of the country’s staple food – “is an economic problem, but it also has political implications: we are in the electoral campaign, with a view to the elections in May, and the rice issue will influence this period. It will be used by politicians to capitalize on the consensus for or against President Marcos”, underlines Antonio Ledesma, Archbishop Emeritus of Cagayan de Oro on the island of Mindanao, in an interview with Fides.“In Mindanao”, says the Jesuit, “there is discontent at the moment, but people can still buy rice at the market. Of course, this is an important issue and we are in a precarious balance”. “There are farmers who have a low income from growing rice for sale,” the Archbishop continued. “Their situation overlaps with the problem of imports, since domestic demand in the Philippines cannot be met by local production. Making the country self-sufficient in rice needs and finding measures to achieve this is an open and protracted problem.These are all issues that affect the common good, but they are now entering the electoral campaign and are in danger of being instrumentalized,” he explains.The declaration of rice food emergency was signed on February 4 and allows for the release of rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) to stabilize prices “and ensure that rice, a staple food for millions of Filipinos, remains accessible to consumers,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. A release of 300,000 tons of rice, about 30,000 per month, is planned for a period of 10 months to stabilize the market through lower prices. The NFA will start selling its rice stocks in selected markets to government-controlled companies at a price of 36 pesos per kilo, while rice currently sells between 50 and 60 pesos per kilo. This will benefit both consumers and local farmers as rice will be available at a lower price. The food safety emergency will remain in effect until it is lifted by the department. In this regard, Laurel stressed that food prices have remained high despite the decline in global rice prices and the reduction of tariffs on imported rice in July 2024. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), rice inflation reached 4.2 percent at the end of 2024, with a steady increase. In this situation, welfare programs for the sale of cheaper rice in centers and outlets under the “Rice for all” program were launched to help the country’s citizens, especially from the poorer sections of the population. In the Catholic communities, to support the food security of the poorest, the “Pondo ng Pinoy” program is active, an anti-poverty initiative that was first launched in the Diocese of Manila in 2004 and has now spread to 30 dioceses. The basis of the program is the formula “a little for many”, in which as many people as possible are invited to donate 25 cents every day as a gesture of charity towards those in need. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 7/2/2025)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard medevacs snorkeler in distress in Atlantic Ocean waters north of Dominican Republic

Source: United States Coast Guard

02/07/2025 07:04 AM EST

A Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter aircrew conducted a medevac for a snorkeler from the motor vessel Sea Hunter in Atlantic Ocean waters, approximately 70 nautical miles north of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Wednesday. The snorkeler was a 70-year-old man, U.S. citizen, who experienced a near drowning event while snorkeling off the motor vessel Sea Hunter. “This mission presented a significant challenge, as time was of the essence and required meticulous planning of fuel, communications, and extensive coordination between Sector San Juan and the Sea Hunter crew,” said Lt. William Boardman, Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk aircraft commander for the case. “Our team worked efficiently on scene to ensure a safe return to Puerto Rico. The patient was successfully transferred to Emergency Medical Service personnel and transported to a higher level of care. A huge thank you to everyone involved.”

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MIL Security OSI –

February 8, 2025

MIL-OSI: Plains All American Reports Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results; Provides Update on Efficient Growth Initiatives and Announces 2025 Guidance

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

HOUSTON, Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (Nasdaq: PAA) and Plains GP Holdings (Nasdaq: PAGP) today reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 results, announced 2025 guidance and provided the following highlights:

2024 Results

Fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 Net income attributable to PAA of $36 million and $772 million, respectively, and 2024 Net cash provided by operating activities of $726 million and $2.49 billion, respectively
Delivered strong fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA above the top-end of guidance with $729 million and $2.78 billion, respectively
Generated full-year 2024 Adjusted Free Cash Flow (excluding changes in Assets & Liabilities; including impact from legal settlements) of $1.17 billion and exited the year with leverage at 3.0x
Net income for the quarter includes the impact of a $225 million charge resulting from the write-off of a receivable for Line 901 insurance proceeds and $140 million of non-cash charges related to the write-down of two U.S. NGL terminals

Efficient Growth Initiatives

Closed all three previously announced bolt-on acquisitions for approximately $670 million net to PAA, including the acquisition of Ironwood Midstream Energy
Closed on previously announced purchase of approximately 12.7 million units, or 18%, of its Series A Preferred Units for a purchase price of approximately $330 million
Continue pursuing a long runway of synergistic and strong return bolt-on opportunities across the asset footprint

2025 Outlook

Expect full-year 2025 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA of $2.80 – $2.95 billion
Announced distribution increase of $0.25 per unit payable February 14, 2025, representing a 20% aggregate increase in the annualized distribution versus 2024 levels (new annual distribution of $1.52 per unit)
In January, successfully raised $1 billion in aggregate senior unsecured notes at 5.95% due 2035
Anticipate leverage ratio to be at or below the low-end of leverage target range of 3.25x to 3.75x, continuing to provide significant balance sheet optionality and flexibility
Expect to generate approximately $1.15 billion of Adjusted Free Cash Flow (excluding changes in Assets & Liabilities), which is reduced by approximately $580 million for previously announced bolt-on transactions closed in the first quarter
Remain focused on disciplined capital investments, anticipating full-year 2025 Growth Capital of +/- $400 million and Maintenance Capital of +/- $240 million net to PAA

“We continue delivering strong financial and operating results and increasing return of capital to unitholders. As evidenced by our recently announced acquisitions, we have the ability to leverage our integrated asset base and financial strength to drive accretive transactions and deliver value to our customers and unitholders,” said Plains Chairman and CEO Willie Chiang. “We remain confident entering 2025, with strong operational momentum and focus on executing our efficient growth strategy. Our strong performance and positive outlook combined with the contribution from recent bolt-on acquisitions continues driving meaningful cash flow and underpins increasing returns to unitholders all while maintaining capital discipline and financial flexibility.”

Plains All American Pipeline

Summary Financial Information (unaudited)
(in millions, except per unit data)

	Three Months Ended December 31,					%			Twelve Months Ended December 31,				%
*GAAP Results*	2024			2023		Change			2024		2023		Change
Net income attributable to PAA	$	36		$	312		(88	)%	$	772	$	1,230		(37	)%
Diluted net income/(loss) per common unit	$	(0.04	)	$	0.35		(111	)%	$	0.73	$	1.40		(48	)%
Diluted weighted average common units outstanding		704			701		—	%		702		699		—	%
Net cash provided by operating activities	$	726		$	1,011		(28	)%	$	2,490	$	2,727		(9	)%
Distribution per common unit declared for the period	$	0.3800		$	0.3175		20	%	$	1.3325	$	1.1200		19	%

	Three Months Ended December 31,					%			Twelve Months Ended December 31,				%
*Non-GAAP Results* ⁽¹⁾	2024			2023		Change			2024		2023		Change
Adjusted net income attributable to PAA	$	357		$	355		1	%	$	1,318	$	1,250		5	%
Diluted adjusted net income per common unit	$	0.42		$	0.42		—	%	$	1.51	$	1.42		6	%
Adjusted EBITDA	$	867		$	875		(1	)%	$	3,326	$	3,167		5	%
Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA ⁽²⁾	$	729		$	737		(1	)%	$	2,779	$	2,711		3	%
Implied DCF per common unit and common unit equivalent	$	0.64		$	0.68		(6	)%	$	2.49	$	2.46		1	%
Adjusted Free Cash Flow	$	365		$	710	**			$	1,247	$	1,798		(31	)%
Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions	$	79		$	458	**			$	102	$	809		(87	)%
Adjusted Free Cash Flow (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities) ⁽³⁾	$	134		$	402		**		$	1,173	$	1,604		(27	)%
Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities) ⁽³⁾	$	(152	)	$	150	**			$	28	$	615		(95	)%


**	Indicates that variance as a percentage is not meaningful.
⁽¹⁾	See the section of this release entitled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Selected Items Impacting Comparability” and the tables attached hereto for information regarding our Non-GAAP financial measures, including their reconciliation to the most directly comparable measures as reported in accordance with GAAP, and certain selected items that PAA believes impact comparability of financial results between reporting periods.
⁽²⁾	Excludes amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Plains Oryx Permian Basin LLC joint venture, Cactus II Pipeline LLC and Red River Pipeline LLC.
⁽³⁾	Fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 Adjusted Free Cash Flow (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities) includes the negative impact of a $225 million charge resulting from the write-off of a receivable for Line 901 insurance proceeds.

Summary of Selected Financial Data by Segment (unaudited)
(in millions)

	Segment Adjusted EBITDA
	Crude Oil			NGL
Three Months Ended December 31, 2024	$	569		$	154
Three Months Ended December 31, 2023	$	563		$	169
*Percentage change in Segment Adjusted EBITDA versus 2023 period*	1		%	(9		)%

	Segment Adjusted EBITDA
	Crude Oil			NGL
Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2024	$	2,276		$	480
Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2023	$	2,163		$	522
*Percentage change in Segment Adjusted EBITDA versus 2023 period*	5		%	(8		)%

Fourth-quarter 2024 Crude Oil Segment Adjusted EBITDA increased 1% versus comparable 2023 results primarily due to higher tariff volumes on our pipelines, tariff escalations and contributions from acquisitions. These items were partially offset by fewer market-based opportunities, as well as an increase in estimated costs for long-term environmental remediation obligations.

Fourth-quarter 2024 NGL Segment Adjusted EBITDA decreased 9% versus comparable 2023 results primarily due to lower weighted average frac spreads in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Plains GP Holdings

PAGP owns an indirect non-economic controlling interest in PAA’s general partner and an indirect limited partner interest in PAA. As the control entity of PAA, PAGP consolidates PAA’s results into its financial statements, which is reflected in the condensed consolidating balance sheet and income statement tables attached hereto.

Conference Call and Webcast Instructions

PAA and PAGP will hold a joint conference call at 9:00 a.m. CT on Friday, February 7, 2025 to discuss fourth-quarter performance and related items.

To access the internet webcast, please go to https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/xp2zqt6q/.

Alternatively, the webcast can be accessed on our website at https://ir.plains.com/news-events/events-presentations. Following the live webcast, an audio replay will be available on our website and will be accessible for a period of 365 days. Slides will be posted prior to the call at the above referenced website.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Selected Items Impacting Comparability

To supplement our financial information presented in accordance with GAAP, management uses additional measures known as “non-GAAP financial measures” in its evaluation of past performance and prospects for the future and to assess the amount of cash that is available for distributions, debt repayments, common equity repurchases and other general partnership purposes. The primary additional measures used by management are Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA, Implied Distributable Cash Flow (“DCF”), Adjusted Free Cash Flow and Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions.

Our definition and calculation of certain non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures of other companies. Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA, Implied DCF and certain other non-GAAP financial performance measures are reconciled to Net Income, and Adjusted Free Cash Flow, Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions and certain other non-GAAP financial liquidity measures are reconciled to Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities (the most directly comparable measures as reported in accordance with GAAP) for the historical periods presented in the tables attached to this release, and should be viewed in addition to, and not in lieu of, our Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. In addition, we encourage you to visit our website at www.plains.com (in particular the section under “Financial Information” entitled “Non-GAAP Reconciliations” within the Investor Relations tab), which presents a reconciliation of our commonly used non-GAAP and supplemental financial measures. We do not reconcile non-GAAP financial measures on a forward-looking basis as it is impractical to do so without unreasonable effort.

Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings before (i) interest expense, (ii) income tax (expense)/benefit, (iii) depreciation and amortization (including our proportionate share of depreciation and amortization, including write-downs related to cancelled projects and impairments, of unconsolidated entities), (iv) gains and losses on asset sales, asset impairments and other, net, (v) gains and losses on investments in unconsolidated entities and (vi) interest income on promissory notes by and among PAA and certain Plains entities, and (vii) adjusted for certain selected items impacting comparability. Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA excludes the portion of Adjusted EBITDA that is attributable to noncontrolling interests.

Management believes that the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA and Implied DCF provides useful information to investors regarding our performance and results of operations because these measures, when used to supplement related GAAP financial measures, (i) provide additional information about our core operating performance and ability to fund distributions to our unitholders through cash generated by our operations and (ii) provide investors with the same financial analytical framework upon which management bases financial, operational, compensation and planning/budgeting decisions. We also present these and additional non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted net income attributable to PAA and basic and diluted adjusted net income per common unit, as they are measures that investors, rating agencies and debt holders have indicated are useful in assessing us and our results of operations. These non-GAAP financial performance measures may exclude, for example, (i) charges for obligations that are expected to be settled with the issuance of equity instruments, (ii) gains and losses on derivative instruments that are related to underlying activities in another period (or the reversal of such adjustments from a prior period), gains and losses on derivatives that are either related to investing activities (such as the purchase of linefill) or purchases of long-term inventory, and inventory valuation adjustments, as applicable, (iii) long-term inventory costing adjustments, (iv) items that are not indicative of our core operating results and/or (v) other items that we believe should be excluded in understanding our core operating performance. These measures may be further adjusted to include amounts related to deficiencies associated with minimum volume commitments whereby we have billed the counterparties for their deficiency obligation and such amounts are recognized as deferred revenue in “Other current liabilities” in our Consolidated Financial Statements. We also adjust for amounts billed by our equity method investees related to deficiencies under minimum volume commitments. Such amounts are presented net of applicable amounts subsequently recognized into revenue. Furthermore, the calculation of these measures contemplates tax effects as a separate reconciling item, where applicable. We have defined all such items as “selected items impacting comparability.” Due to the nature of the selected items, certain selected items impacting comparability may impact certain non-GAAP financial measures, referred to as adjusted results, but not impact other non-GAAP financial measures. We do not necessarily consider all of our selected items impacting comparability to be non-recurring, infrequent or unusual, but we believe that an understanding of these selected items impacting comparability is material to the evaluation of our operating results and prospects.

Although we present selected items impacting comparability that management considers in evaluating our performance, you should also be aware that the items presented do not represent all items that affect comparability between the periods presented. Variations in our operating results are also caused by changes in volumes, prices, exchange rates, mechanical interruptions, acquisitions, divestitures, investment capital projects and numerous other factors. These types of variations may not be separately identified in this release, but will be discussed, as applicable, in management’s discussion and analysis of operating results in our Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Non-GAAP Financial Liquidity Measures

Management uses the non-GAAP financial liquidity measures Adjusted Free Cash Flow and Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions to assess the amount of cash that is available for distributions, debt repayments, common equity repurchases and other general partnership purposes. Adjusted Free Cash Flow is defined as Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities, less Net Cash Provided by/(Used in) Investing Activities, which primarily includes acquisition, investment and maintenance capital expenditures, investments in unconsolidated entities and the impact from the purchase and sale of linefill, net of proceeds from the sales of assets and further impacted by distributions to and contributions from noncontrolling interests and proceeds from the issuance of related party notes. Adjusted Free Cash Flow is further reduced by cash distributions paid to our preferred and common unitholders to arrive at Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions.

We also present these measures and additional non-GAAP financial liquidity measures as they are measures that investors have indicated are useful. We present the Adjusted Free Cash Flow (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities) for use in assessing our underlying business liquidity and cash flow generating capacity excluding fluctuations caused by timing of when amounts earned or incurred were collected, received or paid from period to period. Adjusted Free Cash Flow (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities) is defined as Adjusted Free Cash Flow excluding the impact of “Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions” on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Adjusted Free Cash Flow (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities) is further reduced by cash distributions paid to our preferred and common unitholders to arrive at Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities).


PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (in millions, except per unit data)

	Three Months Ended December 31,						Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
REVENUES	$	12,402		$	12,698		$	50,073		$	48,712

COSTS AND EXPENSES
Purchases and related costs		11,227			11,558			45,560			44,531
Field operating costs ⁽¹⁾		578			363			1,768			1,425
General and administrative expenses		93			87			381			350
Depreciation and amortization		258			273			1,026			1,048
(Gains)/losses on asset sales, asset impairments and other, net		159			(9	)		160			(152	)
Total costs and expenses		12,315			12,272			48,895			47,202

OPERATING INCOME		87			426			1,178			1,510

OTHER INCOME/(EXPENSE)
Equity earnings in unconsolidated entities		154			92			452			369
Gain on investments in unconsolidated entities, net		15			—			15			28
Interest expense, net ⁽²⁾		(112	)		(97	)		(430	)		(386	)
Other income, net ⁽²⁾		20			17			65			102

INCOME BEFORE TAX		164			438			1,280			1,623
Current income tax expense ⁽³⁾		(52	)		(41	)		(195	)		(145	)
Deferred income tax benefit		7			2			28			24

NET INCOME		119			399			1,113			1,502
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		(83	)		(87	)		(341	)		(272	)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO PAA	$	36		$	312		$	772		$	1,230

NET INCOME/(LOSS) PER COMMON UNIT:
Net income/(loss) allocated to common unitholders — Basic and Diluted	$	(27	)	$	248		$	514		$	976
Basic and diluted weighted average common units outstanding		704			701			702			699
Basic and diluted net income/(loss) per common unit	$	(0.04	)	$	0.35		$	0.73		$	1.40


⁽¹⁾	Field operating costs include $225 million and $345 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, respectively, resulting from adjustments related to the Line 901 incident that occurred in May 2015, including the write-off of a receivable for Line 901 insurance proceeds in the fourth quarter of 2024 and settlements in the third quarter of 2024.
⁽²⁾	PAA and certain Plains entities have issued promissory notes by and among such entities to facilitate financing. “Interest expense, net” and “Other income, net” each include $17 million and $48 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, respectively, related to interest on such notes. These amounts offset and do not impact Net Income or Non-GAAP metrics such as Adjusted EBITDA, Implied DCF and Adjusted Free Cash Flow.
⁽³⁾	The increase in current income tax expense for the 2024 periods was largely associated with Canadian withholding tax on dividends from our Canadian entities to other Plains entities driven by timing of dividend payments.

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET DATA (in millions)

	December 31, 2024		December 31, 2023
ASSETS
Current assets (including Cash and cash equivalents of $348 and $450, respectively)	$	4,802	$	4,913
Property and equipment, net		15,424		15,782
Investments in unconsolidated entities		2,811		2,820
Intangible assets, net		1,677		1,875
Linefill		968		976
Long-term operating lease right-of-use assets, net		332		313
Long-term inventory		280		265
Other long-term assets, net		268		411
Total assets	$	26,562	$	27,355

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ CAPITAL
Current liabilities	$	4,950	$	5,003
Senior notes, net		7,141		7,242
Other long-term debt, net		72		63
Long-term operating lease liabilities		313		274
Other long-term liabilities and deferred credits		990		1,041
Total liabilities		13,466		13,623

Partners’ capital excluding noncontrolling interests		9,813		10,422
Noncontrolling interests		3,283		3,310
Total partners’ capital		13,096		13,732
Total liabilities and partners’ capital	$	26,562	$	27,355

DEBT CAPITALIZATION RATIOS
(in millions)

	December 31, 2024			December 31, 2023
Short-term debt	$	408		$	446
Long-term debt		7,213			7,305
Total debt	$	7,621		$	7,751

Long-term debt	$	7,213		$	7,305
Partners’ capital excluding noncontrolling interests		9,813			10,422
Total book capitalization excluding noncontrolling interests (“Total book capitalization”)	$	17,026		$	17,727
Total book capitalization, including short-term debt	$	17,434		$	18,173

Long-term debt-to-total book capitalization		42	%		41	%
Total debt-to-total book capitalization, including short-term debt		44	%		43	%

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
COMPUTATION OF BASIC AND DILUTED NET INCOME/(LOSS) PER COMMON UNIT ⁽¹⁾ (in millions, except per unit data)

	Three Months Ended December 31,						Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Basic and Diluted Net Income/(Loss) per Common Unit
Net income attributable to PAA	$	36		$	312		$	772		$	1,230
Distributions to Series A preferred unitholders		(44	)		(44	)		(175	)		(173	)
Distributions to Series B preferred unitholders		(19	)		(20	)		(78	)		(76	)
Amounts allocated to participating securities		(1	)		(1	)		(10	)		(10	)
Other		1			1			5			5
Net income/(loss) allocated to common unitholders	$	(27	)	$	248		$	514		$	976

Basic and diluted weighted average common units outstanding ^{(2) (3)}		704			701			702			699

Basic and diluted net income/(loss) per common unit	$	(0.04	)	$	0.35		$	0.73		$	1.40


⁽¹⁾	We calculate net income/(loss) allocated to common unitholders based on the distributions pertaining to the current period’s net income. After adjusting for the appropriate period’s distributions, the remaining undistributed earnings or excess distributions over earnings, if any, are allocated to common unitholders and participating securities in accordance with the contractual terms of our partnership agreement in effect for the period and as further prescribed under the two-class method.
⁽²⁾	The possible conversion of our Series A preferred units was excluded from the calculation of diluted net income/(loss) per common unit for each of the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 as the effect was antidilutive.
⁽³⁾	Our equity-indexed compensation plan awards that contemplate the issuance of common units are considered potentially dilutive unless (i) they become vested only upon the satisfaction of a performance condition and (ii) that performance condition has yet to be satisfied. Equity-indexed compensation plan awards that are deemed to be dilutive are reduced by a hypothetical common unit repurchase based on the remaining unamortized fair value, as prescribed by the treasury stock method in guidance issued by the FASB.

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW DATA (in millions)

	Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2024
	2024			2023
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income	$	1,113		$	1,502
Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		1,026			1,048
(Gains)/losses on asset sales, asset impairments and other, net		160			(152	)
Deferred income tax benefit		(28	)		(24	)
Change in fair value of Preferred Distribution Rate Reset Option		—			(58	)
Equity earnings in unconsolidated entities		(452	)		(369	)
Distributions on earnings from unconsolidated entities		505			458
Gain on investments in unconsolidated entities, net		(15	)		(28	)
Other		107			156
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions		74			194
Net cash provided by operating activities		2,490			2,727

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Net cash used in investing activities ⁽¹⁾		(1,504	)		(702	)

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Net cash used in financing activities ⁽¹⁾		(1,077	)		(1,976	)

Effect of translation adjustment		(11	)		—

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash		(102	)		49

Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period		450			401
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	$	348		$	450


⁽¹⁾	PAA and certain Plains entities have issued promissory notes by and among such entities to facilitate financing. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, “Net cash used in investing activities” includes a cash outflow of $629 million associated with our investment in related party notes. An equal and offsetting cash inflow associated with our issuance of related party notes is included in “Net cash used in financing activities.”

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
(in millions)

	Net to PAA ⁽¹⁾								Consolidated
	Three Months Ended December 31,				Twelve Months Ended December 31,				Three Months Ended December 31,				Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024		2023		2024		2023		2024		2023		2024		2023
Investment capital expenditures:
Crude Oil	$	55	$	75	$	214	$	245	$	80	$	100	$	300	$	334
NGL		41		14		115		65		41		14		115		65
Total Investment capital expenditures		96		89		329		310		121		114		415		399
Maintenance capital expenditures		68		58		242		214		73		63		261		231
	$	164	$	147	$	571	$	524	$	194	$	177	$	676	$	630


⁽¹⁾	Excludes expenditures attributable to noncontrolling interests.

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
NON-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS (in millions, except per unit and ratio data)

Computation of Basic and Diluted Adjusted Net Income Per Common Unit ⁽¹⁾:

	Three Months Ended December 31,						Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Basic and Diluted Adjusted Net Income per Common Unit
Net income attributable to PAA	$	36		$	312		$	772		$	1,230
Selected items impacting comparability – Adjusted net income attributable to PAA ⁽²⁾		321			43			546			20
Adjusted net income attributable to PAA	$	357		$	355		$	1,318		$	1,250
Distributions to Series A preferred unitholders		(44	)		(44	)		(175	)		(173	)
Distributions to Series B preferred unitholders		(19	)		(20	)		(78	)		(76	)
Amounts allocated to participating securities		(1	)		(1	)		(11	)		(10	)
Other		1			1			5			5
Adjusted net income allocated to common unitholders	$	294		$	291		$	1,059		$	996

Basic and diluted weighted average common units outstanding ^{(3) (4)}		704			701			702			699

Basic and diluted adjusted net income per common unit	$	0.42		$	0.42		$	1.51		$	1.42


⁽¹⁾	We calculate adjusted net income allocated to common unitholders based on the distributions pertaining to the current period’s net income. After adjusting for the appropriate period’s distributions, the remaining undistributed earnings or excess distributions over earnings, if any, are allocated to the common unitholders and participating securities in accordance with the contractual terms of our partnership agreement in effect for the period and as further prescribed under the two-class method.
⁽²⁾	See the “Selected Items Impacting Comparability” table for additional information.
⁽³⁾	The possible conversion of our Series A preferred units was excluded from the calculation of diluted adjusted net income per common unit for each of the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 as the effect was antidilutive.
⁽⁴⁾	Our equity-indexed compensation plan awards that contemplate the issuance of common units are considered potentially dilutive unless (i) they become vested only upon the satisfaction of a performance condition and (ii) that performance condition has yet to be satisfied. Equity-indexed compensation plan awards that are deemed to be dilutive are reduced by a hypothetical common unit repurchase based on the remaining unamortized fair value, as prescribed by the treasury stock method in guidance issued by the FASB.

Net Income/(Loss) Per Common Unit to Adjusted Net Income Per Common Unit Reconciliation:

	Three Months Ended December 31,					Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023		2024		2023
Basic and diluted net income/(loss) per common unit	$	(0.04	)	$	0.35	$	0.73	$	1.40
Selected items impacting comparability per common unit ⁽¹⁾		0.46			0.07		0.78		0.02
Basic and diluted adjusted net income per common unit	$	0.42		$	0.42	$	1.51	$	1.42


⁽¹⁾	See the “Selected Items Impacting Comparability” and the “Computation of Basic and Diluted Adjusted Net Income/(Loss) Per Common Unit” tables for additional information.

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA and Implied DCF Reconciliation:

	Three Months Ended December 31,						Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Net Income	$	119		$	399		$	1,113		$	1,502
Interest expense, net of certain items ⁽¹⁾		95			97			382			386
Income tax expense		45			39			167			121
Depreciation and amortization		258			273			1,026			1,048
(Gains)/losses on asset sales, asset impairments and other, net		159			(9	)		160			(152	)
Gain on investments in unconsolidated entities, net		(15	)		—			(15	)		(28	)
Depreciation and amortization of unconsolidated entities ⁽²⁾		26			20			84			87
Selected items impacting comparability – Adjusted EBITDA ⁽³⁾		180			56			409			203
Adjusted EBITDA	$	867		$	875		$	3,326		$	3,167
Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests		(138	)		(138	)		(547	)		(456	)
Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA	$	729		$	737		$	2,779		$	2,711

Adjusted EBITDA	$	867		$	875		$	3,326		$	3,167
Interest expense, net of certain non-cash items ⁽⁴⁾		(92	)		(92	)		(365	)		(367	)
Maintenance capital		(73	)		(63	)		(261	)		(231	)
Investment capital of noncontrolling interests ⁽⁵⁾		(24	)		(24	)		(86	)		(87	)
Current income tax expense		(52	)		(41	)		(195	)		(145	)
Distributions from unconsolidated entities in excess of/(less than) adjusted equity earnings ⁽⁶⁾		—			(15	)		11			(37	)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests ⁽⁷⁾		(114	)		(97	)		(425	)		(333	)
Implied DCF	$	512		$	543		$	2,005		$	1,967
Preferred unit cash distributions paid ⁽⁷⁾		(63	)		(64	)		(254	)		(241	)
Implied DCF Available to Common Unitholders	$	449		$	479		$	1,751		$	1,726

Weighted Average Common Units Outstanding		704			701			702			699
Weighted Average Common Units and Common Unit Equivalents		775			772			773			770

Implied DCF per Common Unit ⁽⁸⁾	$	0.64		$	0.68		$	2.49		$	2.47
Implied DCF per Common Unit and Common Unit Equivalent ⁽⁹⁾	$	0.64		$	0.68		$	2.49		$	2.46

Cash Distribution Paid per Common Unit	$	0.3175		$	0.2675		$	1.2700		$	1.0700
Common Unit Cash Distributions ⁽⁷⁾	$	223		$	188		$	891		$	748
Common Unit Distribution Coverage Ratio	2.01x			2.55x			1.97x			2.31x

Implied DCF Excess	$	226		$	291		$	860		$	978


⁽¹⁾	Represents “Interest expense, net” as reported on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations, net of interest income associated with promissory notes by and among PAA and certain Plains entities.
⁽²⁾	Adjustment to exclude our proportionate share of depreciation and amortization expense (including write-downs related to cancelled projects and impairments) of unconsolidated entities.
⁽³⁾	See the “Selected Items Impacting Comparability” table for additional information.
⁽⁴⁾	Amount excludes certain non-cash items impacting interest expense such as amortization of debt issuance costs and terminated interest rate swaps.
⁽⁵⁾	Investment capital expenditures attributable to noncontrolling interests that reduce Implied DCF available to PAA common unitholders.
⁽⁶⁾	Comprised of cash distributions received from unconsolidated entities less equity earnings in unconsolidated entities (adjusted for our proportionate share of depreciation and amortization, including write-downs related to cancelled projects and impairments, and selected items impacting comparability of unconsolidated entities).
⁽⁷⁾	Cash distributions paid during the period presented.
⁽⁸⁾	Implied DCF Available to Common Unitholders for the period divided by the weighted average common units outstanding for the period.
⁽⁹⁾	Implied DCF Available to Common Unitholders for the period, adjusted for Series A preferred unit cash distributions paid, divided by the weighted average common units and common unit equivalents outstanding for the period. Our Series A preferred units are convertible into common units, generally on a one-for-one basis and subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments, in whole or in part, subject to certain minimum conversion amounts.

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
Net Income Per Common Unit to Implied DCF Per Common Unit and Common Unit Equivalent Reconciliation:

	Three Months Ended December 31,					Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023		2024		2023
Basic net income/(loss) per common unit	$	(0.04	)	$	0.35	$	0.73	$	1.40
Reconciling items per common unit ^{(1) (2)}		0.68			0.33		1.76		1.07
Implied DCF per common unit	$	0.64		$	0.68	$	2.49	$	2.47

Basic net income/(loss) per common unit	$	(0.04	)	$	0.35	$	0.73	$	1.40
Reconciling items per common unit and common unit equivalent ^{(1) (3)}		0.68			0.33		1.76		1.06
Implied DCF per common unit and common unit equivalent	$	0.64		$	0.68	$	2.49	$	2.46


⁽¹⁾	Represents adjustments to Net Income to calculate Implied DCF Available to Common Unitholders. See the “Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA and Implied DCF Reconciliation” table for additional information.
⁽²⁾	Based on weighted average common units outstanding for the period of 704 million, 701 million, 702 million and 699 million, respectively.
⁽³⁾	Based on weighted average common units outstanding for the period, as well as weighted average Series A preferred units outstanding of 71 million for each of the periods presented.

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Non-GAAP Financial Liquidity Measures Reconciliation:

	Three Months Ended December 31,						Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Net cash provided by operating activities	$	726		$	1,011		$	2,490		$	2,727
Adjustments to reconcile Net cash provided by operating activities to Adjusted Free Cash Flow:
Net cash used in investing activities ⁽¹⁾		(264	)		(257	)		(1,504	)		(702	)
Cash contributions from noncontrolling interests		17			53			57			106
Cash distributions paid to noncontrolling interests ⁽²⁾		(114	)		(97	)		(425	)		(333	)
Proceeds from the issuance of related party notes ⁽¹⁾		—			—			629			—
Adjusted Free Cash Flow ⁽³⁾	$	365		$	710		$	1,247		$	1,798
Cash distributions ⁽⁴⁾		(286	)		(252	)		(1,145	)		(989	)
Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions ⁽³⁾⁽⁵⁾	$	79		$	458		$	102		$	809

	Three Months Ended December 31,						Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Adjusted Free Cash Flow ⁽³⁾	$	365		$	710		$	1,247		$	1,798
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions ⁽⁶⁾		(231	)		(308	)		(74	)		(194	)
Adjusted Free Cash Flow (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities) ⁽⁷⁾⁽⁸⁾	$	134		$	402		$	1,173		$	1,604
Cash distributions ⁽⁴⁾		(286	)		(252	)		(1,145	)		(989	)
Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities) ⁽⁷⁾⁽⁸⁾	$	(152	)	$	150		$	28		$	615


⁽¹⁾	PAA and certain Plains entities have issued promissory notes by and among such entities to facilitate financing. “Proceeds from the issuance of related party notes” has an equal and offsetting cash outflow associated with our investment in related party notes, which is included as a component of “Net cash used in investing activities.”
⁽²⁾	Cash distributions paid during the period presented.
⁽³⁾	Management uses the non-GAAP financial liquidity measures Adjusted Free Cash Flow and Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions to assess the amount of cash that is available for distributions, debt repayments, common equity repurchases and other general partnership purposes. Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions shortages, if any, may be funded from previously established reserves, cash on hand or from borrowings under our credit facilities or commercial paper program.
⁽⁴⁾	Cash distributions paid to preferred and common unitholders during the period.
⁽⁵⁾	Excess Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions is retained to establish reserves for future distributions, capital expenditures, debt reduction and other partnership purposes. Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions shortages may be funded from previously established reserves, cash on hand or from borrowings under our credit facilities or commercial paper program.
⁽⁶⁾	See the “Condensed Consolidated Cash Flow Data” table.
⁽⁷⁾	Management uses the non-GAAP financial liquidity measures Adjusted Free Cash Flow (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities) and Adjusted Free Cash Flow after Distributions (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities) to assess the underlying business liquidity and cash flow generating capacity excluding fluctuations caused by timing of when amounts earned or incurred were collected, received or paid from period to period.
⁽⁸⁾	Fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 Adjusted Free Cash Flow (Excluding Changes in Assets & Liabilities) includes the negative impact of a $225 million charge resulting from the write-off of a receivable for Line 901 insurance proceeds.

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
SELECTED ITEMS IMPACTING COMPARABILITY (in millions)

	Three Months Ended December 31,						Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Selected Items Impacting Comparability: ⁽¹⁾
Derivative activities and inventory valuation adjustments ⁽²⁾	$	(6	)	$	43		$	(85	)	$	(101	)
Long-term inventory costing adjustments ⁽³⁾		17			(62	)		9			(35	)
Deficiencies under minimum volume commitments, net ⁽⁴⁾		41			(8	)		31			(12	)
Equity-indexed compensation expense ⁽⁵⁾		(8	)		(8	)		(36	)		(36	)
Foreign currency revaluation ⁽⁶⁾		1			(11	)		17			(8	)
Line 901 incident ⁽⁷⁾		(225	)		(10	)		(345	)		(10	)
Transaction-related expenses ⁽⁸⁾		—			—			—			(1	)
Selected items impacting comparability – Adjusted EBITDA	$	(180	)	$	(56	)	$	(409	)	$	(203	)
Gain on investments in unconsolidated entities, net		15			—			15			28
Gains/(losses) on asset sales, asset impairments and other, net ⁽⁹⁾		(159	)		9			(160	)		152
Tax effect on selected items impacting comparability		3			4			13			13
Aggregate selected items impacting noncontrolling interests		—			—			(5	)		(10	)
Selected items impacting comparability – Adjusted net income attributable to PAA	$	(321	)	$	(43	)	$	(546	)	$	(20	)


⁽¹⁾	Certain of our non-GAAP financial measures may not be impacted by each of the selected items impacting comparability. See the “Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA and Implied DCF Reconciliation” and “Computation of Basic and Diluted Adjusted Net Income Per Common Unit” table for additional details on how these selected items impacting comparability affect such measures.
⁽²⁾	We use derivative instruments for risk management purposes and our related processes include specific identification of hedging instruments to an underlying hedged transaction. Although we identify an underlying transaction for each derivative instrument we enter into, there may not be an accounting hedge relationship between the instrument and the underlying transaction. In the course of evaluating our results, we identify differences in the timing of earnings from the derivative instruments and the underlying transactions and exclude the related gains and losses in determining adjusted results such that the earnings from the derivative instruments and the underlying transactions impact adjusted results in the same period. In addition, we exclude gains and losses on derivatives that are related to (i) investing activities, such as the purchase of linefill, and (ii) purchases of long-term inventory. We also exclude the impact of corresponding inventory valuation adjustments, as applicable. For applicable periods, we excluded gains and losses from the mark-to-market of the embedded derivative associated with the Preferred Distribution Rate Reset Option of our Series A preferred units.
⁽³⁾	We carry crude oil and NGL inventory that is comprised of minimum working inventory requirements in third-party assets and other working inventory that is needed for our commercial operations. We consider this inventory necessary to conduct our operations and we intend to carry this inventory for the foreseeable future. Therefore, we classify this inventory as long-term on our balance sheet and do not hedge the inventory with derivative instruments (similar to linefill in our own assets). We treat the impact of changes in the average cost of the long-term inventory (that result from fluctuations in market prices) and write-downs of such inventory that result from price declines as a selected item impacting comparability.
⁽⁴⁾	We, and certain of our equity method investees, have certain agreements that require counterparties to deliver, transport or throughput a minimum volume over an agreed upon period. Substantially all of such agreements were entered into with counterparties to economically support the return on capital expenditure necessary to construct the related asset. Some of these agreements include make-up rights if the minimum volume is not met. We record a receivable from the counterparty in the period that services are provided or when the transaction occurs, including amounts for deficiency obligations from counterparties associated with minimum volume commitments. If a counterparty has a make-up right associated with a deficiency, we defer the revenue attributable to the counterparty’s make-up right and subsequently recognize the revenue at the earlier of when the deficiency volume is delivered or shipped, when the make-up right expires or when it is determined that the counterparty’s ability to utilize the make-up right is remote. We include the impact of amounts billed to counterparties for their deficiency obligation, net of applicable amounts subsequently recognized into revenue or equity earnings, as a selected item impacting comparability. We believe the inclusion of the contractually committed revenues associated with that period is meaningful to investors as the related asset has been constructed, is standing ready to provide the committed service and the fixed operating costs are included in the current period results.
⁽⁵⁾	Our total equity-indexed compensation expense includes expense associated with awards that will be settled in units and awards that will be settled in cash. The awards that will be settled in units are included in our diluted net income per unit calculation when the applicable performance criteria have been met. We consider the compensation expense associated with these awards as a selected item impacting comparability as the dilutive impact of the outstanding awards is included in our diluted net income per unit calculation, as applicable. The portion of compensation expense associated with awards that will be settled in cash is not considered a selected item impacting comparability.
⁽⁶⁾	During the periods presented, there were fluctuations in the value of the Canadian dollar to the U.S. dollar, resulting in the realization of foreign exchange gains and losses on the settlement of foreign currency transactions as well as the revaluation of monetary assets and liabilities denominated in a foreign currency. The associated gains and losses are not integral to our results and were thus classified as a selected item impacting comparability.
⁽⁷⁾	Includes costs recognized during the period related to the Line 901 incident that occurred in May 2015. For the 2024 periods, includes the write-off of a receivable for Line 901 insurance proceeds in the fourth quarter of 2024 and the impact of settlements in the third quarter of 2024.
⁽⁸⁾	Includes expenses associated with the Rattler Permian Transaction.
⁽⁹⁾	For the 2024 periods, primarily includes non-cash charges related to the write-down of two U.S. NGL terminals. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 primarily includes gains related to the sale of our Keyera Fort Saskatchewan facility.

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA BY SEGMENT (in millions)

	Three Months Ended December 31, 2024						Three Months Ended December 31, 2023
	Crude Oil			NGL			Crude Oil			NGL
Revenues ⁽¹⁾	$	11,959		$	535		$	12,187		$	623
Purchases and related costs ⁽¹⁾		(11,019	)		(300	)		(11,306	)		(364	)
Field operating costs ⁽²⁾⁽³⁾		(503	)		(75	)		(274	)		(89	)
Segment general and administrative expenses ^{(2) (}⁴⁾		(74	)		(19	)		(68	)		(19	)
Equity earnings in unconsolidated entities		154			—			92			—

Other segment items: ⁽⁵⁾
Depreciation and amortization of unconsolidated entities		26			—			20			—
Derivative activities and inventory valuation adjustments		(16	)		22			(52	)		9
Long-term inventory costing adjustments		(9	)		(8	)		58			4
Deficiencies under minimum volume commitments, net		(41	)		—			8			—
Equity-indexed compensation expense		8			—			8			—
Foreign currency revaluation		(4	)		(1	)		18			5
Line 901 incident		225			—			10			—
Segment amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests ⁽⁶⁾		(137	)		—			(138	)		—
Segment Adjusted EBITDA	$	569		$	154		$	563		$	169

Maintenance capital expenditures	$	48		$	25		$	39		$	24


⁽¹⁾	Includes intersegment amounts.
⁽²⁾	Field operating costs and Segment general and administrative expenses include equity-indexed compensation expense.
⁽³⁾	Field operating costs for the three months ended December 31, 2024 include higher expenses related to (i) $225 million resulting from the write-off of a receivable for Line 901 insurance proceeds and (ii) an increase in estimated costs for long-term environmental remediation obligations.
⁽⁴⁾	Segment general and administrative expenses reflect direct costs attributable to each segment and an allocation of other expenses to the segments. The proportional allocations by segment require judgment by management and are based on the business activities that exist during each period.
⁽⁵⁾	Represents adjustments utilized by our CODM in the evaluation of segment results. Many of these adjustments are also considered selected items impacting comparability when calculating consolidated non-GAAP financial measures such as Adjusted EBITDA. See the “Selected Items Impacting Comparability” table for additional discussion.
⁽⁶⁾	Reflects amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Permian JV, Cactus II Pipeline LLC and Red River Pipeline LLC.

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA BY SEGMENT (in millions)

	Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2024						Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2023
	Crude Oil			NGL			Crude Oil			NGL
Revenues ⁽¹⁾	$	48,720		$	1,724		$	47,174		$	1,935
Purchases and related costs ⁽¹⁾		(45,033	)		(898	)		(43,805	)		(1,123	)
Field operating costs ⁽²⁾⁽³⁾		(1,440	)		(328	)		(1,053	)		(372	)
Segment general and administrative expenses ^{(2) (}⁴⁾		(298	)		(83	)		(271	)		(79	)
Equity earnings in unconsolidated entities		452			—			369			—

Other segment items: ⁽⁵⁾
Depreciation and amortization of unconsolidated entities		84			—			87			—
Derivative activities and inventory valuation adjustments		5			80			17			142
Long-term inventory costing adjustments		1			(10	)		22			13
Deficiencies under minimum volume commitments, net		(31	)		—			12			—
Equity-indexed compensation expense		36			—			35			1
Foreign currency revaluation		(22	)		(5	)		19			5
Line 901 incident		345			—			10			—
Transaction-related expenses		—			—			1			—
Segment amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests ⁽⁶⁾		(543	)		—			(454	)		—
Segment Adjusted EBITDA	$	2,276		$	480		$	2,163		$	522

Maintenance capital expenditures	$	183		$	78		$	145		$	86


⁽¹⁾	Includes intersegment amounts.
⁽²⁾	Field operating costs and Segment general and administrative expenses include equity-indexed compensation expense.
⁽³⁾	Field operating costs for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 include higher expenses related to (i) $225 million resulting from the write-off of a receivable for Line 901 insurance proceeds, (ii) $120 million associated with settlements related to the Line 901 incident that occurred in May 2015 and (iii) an increase in estimated costs for long-term environmental remediation obligations.
⁽⁴⁾	Segment general and administrative expenses reflect direct costs attributable to each segment and an allocation of other expenses to the segments. The proportional allocations by segment require judgment by management and are based on the business activities that exist during each period.
⁽⁵⁾	Represents adjustments utilized by our CODM in the evaluation of segment results. Many of these adjustments are also considered selected items impacting comparability when calculating consolidated non-GAAP financial measures such as Adjusted EBITDA. See the “Selected Items Impacting Comparability” table for additional discussion.
⁽⁶⁾	Reflects amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Permian JV, Cactus II Pipeline LLC and Red River Pipeline LLC.

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
OPERATING DATA BY SEGMENT

	Three Months Ended December 31,				Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024		2023		2024		2023
Crude Oil Segment Volumes
Crude oil pipeline tariff (by region) ⁽¹⁾
Permian Basin ⁽²⁾		6,846		6,710		6,731		6,356
South Texas / Eagle Ford ⁽²⁾		421		411		403		410
Mid-Continent ⁽²⁾		478		503		506		507
Gulf Coast ⁽²⁾		214		250		218		260
Rocky Mountain ⁽²⁾		461		452		474		372
Western		259		237		256		214
Canada		349		340		346		341
Total crude oil pipeline tariff ^{(1) (2)}		9,028		8,903		8,934		8,460

Commercial crude oil storage capacity ^{(2) (3)}		72		72		72		72

Crude oil lease gathering purchases ⁽¹⁾		1,661		1,518		1,586		1,452

NGL Segment Volumes ⁽¹⁾
NGL fractionation		138		127		132		115
NGL pipeline tariff		224		188		213		180
Propane and butane sales		127		125		92		86


⁽¹⁾	Average volumes in thousands of barrels per day calculated as the total volumes (attributable to our interest for assets owned by unconsolidated entities or through undivided joint interests) for the period divided by the number of days in the period. Volumes associated with assets acquired during the period represent total volumes for the number of days we actually owned the assets divided by the number of days in the period.
⁽²⁾	Includes volumes (attributable to our interest) from assets owned by unconsolidated entities.
⁽³⁾	Average monthly capacity in millions of barrels calculated as total volumes for the period divided by the number of months in the period.

PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
NON-GAAP SEGMENT RECONCILIATIONS (in millions)

Supplemental Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA Reconciliation:

	Three Months Ended December 31,				Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024		2023		2024		2023
Crude Oil Segment Adjusted EBITDA	$	569	$	563	$	2,276	$	2,163
NGL Segment Adjusted EBITDA		154		169		480		522
Adjusted other income, net ⁽¹⁾		6		5		23		26
Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA ⁽²⁾	$	729	$	737	$	2,779	$	2,711


⁽¹⁾	Represents “Other income, net” as reported on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations, excluding interest income on promissory notes by and among PAA and certain Plains entities, as well as other income, net attributable to noncontrolling interests, adjusted for selected items impacting comparability. See the “Selected Items Impacting Comparability” table for additional information.
⁽²⁾	See the “Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA attributable to PAA and Implied DCF Reconciliation” table for reconciliation to Net Income.

PLAINS GP HOLDINGS AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (in millions, except per share data)

	Three Months Ended December 31, 2024									Three Months Ended December 31, 2023
				Consolidating									Consolidating
	PAA			Adjustments ⁽¹⁾			PAGP			PAA			Adjustments ⁽¹⁾			PAGP
REVENUES	$	12,402		$	—		$	12,402		$	12,698		$	—		$	12,698

COSTS AND EXPENSES
Purchases and related costs		11,227			—			11,227			11,558			—			11,558
Field operating costs		578			—			578			363			—			363
General and administrative expenses		93			1			94			87			1			88
Depreciation and amortization		258			—			258			273			—			273
(Gains)/losses on asset sales, asset impairments and other, net		159			—			159			(9	)		—			(9	)
Total costs and expenses		12,315			1			12,316			12,272			1			12,273

OPERATING INCOME		87			(1	)		86			426			(1	)		425

OTHER INCOME/(EXPENSE)
Equity earnings in unconsolidated entities		154			—			154			92			—			92
Gain on investments in unconsolidated entities, net		15			—			15			—			—			—
Interest expense, net		(112	)		17			(95	)		(97	)		—			(97	)
Other income, net		20			(17	)		3			17			—			17

INCOME BEFORE TAX		164			(1	)		163			438			(1	)		437
Current income tax expense		(52	)		—			(52	)		(41	)		—			(41	)
Deferred income tax (expense)/benefit		7			(2	)		5			2			(16	)		(14	)

NET INCOME		119			(3	)		116			399			(17	)		382
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		(83	)		(44	)		(127	)		(87	)		(243	)		(330	)
NET INCOME/(LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO PAGP	$	36		$	(47	)	$	(11	)	$	312		$	(260	)	$	52

Basic and diluted weighted average Class A shares outstanding								197									196

Basic and diluted net income/(loss) per Class A share							$	(0.05	)							$	0.27


⁽¹⁾	Represents the aggregate consolidating adjustments necessary to produce consolidated financial statements for PAGP.

PLAINS GP HOLDINGS AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (in millions, except per share data)

	Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2024									Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2023
				Consolidating									Consolidating
	PAA			Adjustments ⁽¹⁾			PAGP			PAA			Adjustments ⁽¹⁾			PAGP
REVENUES	$	50,073		$	—		$	50,073		$	48,712		$	—		$	48,712

COSTS AND EXPENSES
Purchases and related costs		45,560			—			45,560			44,531			—			44,531
Field operating costs		1,768			—			1,768			1,425			—			1,425
General and administrative expenses		381			6			387			350			6			356
Depreciation and amortization		1,026			—			1,026			1,048			3			1,051
(Gains)/losses on asset sales, asset impairments and other, net		160			—			160			(152	)		—			(152	)
Total costs and expenses		48,895			6			48,901			47,202			9			47,211

OPERATING INCOME		1,178			(6	)		1,172			1,510			(9	)		1,501

OTHER INCOME/(EXPENSE)
Equity earnings in unconsolidated entities		452			—			452			369			—			369
Gain on investments in unconsolidated entities, net		15			—			15			28			—			28
Interest expense, net		(430	)		48			(382	)		(386	)		—			(386	)
Other income, net		65			(48	)		17			102			—			102

INCOME BEFORE TAX		1,280			(6	)		1,274			1,623			(9	)		1,614
Current income tax expense		(195	)		—			(195	)		(145	)		—			(145	)
Deferred income tax (expense)/benefit		28			(37	)		(9	)		24			(68	)		(44	)

NET INCOME		1,113			(43	)		1,070			1,502			(77	)		1,425
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		(341	)		(626	)		(967	)		(272	)		(955	)		(1,227	)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO PAGP	$	772		$	(669	)	$	103		$	1,230		$	(1,032	)	$	198

Basic and diluted weighted average Class A shares outstanding								197									195

Basic and diluted net income per Class A share							$	0.52								$	1.01


⁽¹⁾	Represents the aggregate consolidating adjustments necessary to produce consolidated financial statements for PAGP.

PLAINS GP HOLDINGS AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET DATA (in millions)

	December 31, 2024							December 31, 2023
			Consolidating							Consolidating
	PAA		Adjustments ⁽¹⁾			PAGP		PAA		Adjustments ⁽¹⁾			PAGP
ASSETS
Current assets	$	4,802	$	(26	)	$	4,776	$	4,913	$	3		$	4,916
Property and equipment, net		15,424		—			15,424		15,782		—			15,782
Investments in unconsolidated entities		2,811		—			2,811		2,820		—			2,820
Intangible assets, net		1,677		—			1,677		1,875		—			1,875
Deferred tax asset		—		1,220			1,220		—		1,239			1,239
Linefill		968		—			968		976		—			976
Long-term operating lease right-of-use assets, net		332		—			332		313		—			313
Long-term inventory		280		—			280		265		—			265
Other long-term assets, net		268		—			268		411		—			411
Total assets	$	26,562	$	1,194		$	27,756	$	27,355	$	1,242		$	28,597

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ CAPITAL
Current liabilities	$	4,950	$	(26	)	$	4,924	$	5,003	$	2		$	5,005
Senior notes, net		7,141		—			7,141		7,242		—			7,242
Other long-term debt, net		72		—			72		63		—			63
Long-term operating lease liabilities		313		—			313		274		—			274
Other long-term liabilities and deferred credits		990		—			990		1,041		—			1,041
Total liabilities		13,466		(26	)		13,440		13,623		2			13,625

Partners’ capital excluding noncontrolling interests		9,813		(8,462	)		1,351		10,422		(8,874	)		1,548
Noncontrolling interests		3,283		9,682			12,965		3,310		10,114			13,424
Total partners’ capital		13,096		1,220			14,316		13,732		1,240			14,972
Total liabilities and partners’ capital	$	26,562	$	1,194		$	27,756	$	27,355	$	1,242		$	28,597


⁽¹⁾	Represents the aggregate consolidating adjustments necessary to produce consolidated financial statements for PAGP.

PLAINS GP HOLDINGS AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL SUMMARY (unaudited)
COMPUTATION OF BASIC AND DILUTED NET INCOME/(LOSS) PER CLASS A SHARE (in millions, except per share data)

	Three Months Ended December 31,					Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2024			2023		2024		2023
Basic and Diluted Net Income/(Loss) per Class A Share
Net income/(loss) attributable to PAGP	$	(11	)	$	52	$	103	$	198
Basic and diluted weighted average Class A shares outstanding		197			196		197		195

Basic and diluted net income/(loss) per Class A share	$	(0.05	)	$	0.27	$	0.52	$	1.01

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this release consist of forward-looking statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from results or outcomes anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the following:

general economic, market or business conditions in the United States and elsewhere (including the potential for a recession or significant slowdown in economic activity levels, the risk of persistently high inflation and supply chain issues, the impact of global public health events, such as pandemics, on demand and growth, and the timing, pace and extent of economic recovery) that impact (i) demand for crude oil, drilling and production activities and therefore the demand for the midstream services we provide and (ii) commercial opportunities available to us;
declines in global crude oil demand and/or crude oil prices or other factors that correspondingly lead to a significant reduction of North American crude oil and NGL production (whether due to reduced producer cash flow to fund drilling activities or the inability of producers to access capital, or both, the unavailability of pipeline and/or storage capacity, the shutting-in of production by producers, government-mandated pro-ration orders, or other factors), which in turn could result in significant declines in the actual or expected volume of crude oil and NGL shipped, processed, purchased, stored, fractionated and/or gathered at or through the use of our assets and/or the reduction of the margins we can earn or the commercial opportunities that might otherwise be available to us;
fluctuations in refinery capacity and other factors affecting demand for various grades of crude oil and NGL and resulting changes in pricing conditions or transportation throughput requirements;
unanticipated changes in crude oil and NGL market structure, grade differentials and volatility (or lack thereof);
the effects of competition and capacity overbuild in areas where we operate, including downward pressure on rates, volumes and margins, contract renewal risk and the risk of loss of business to other midstream operators who are willing or under pressure to aggressively reduce transportation rates in order to capture or preserve customers;
the successful operation of joint ventures and joint operating arrangements we enter into from time to time, whether relating to assets operated by us or by third parties, and the successful integration and future performance of acquired assets or businesses;
the availability of, and our ability to consummate, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures or other strategic opportunities and realize benefits therefrom;
environmental liabilities, litigation or other events that are not covered by an indemnity, insurance or existing reserves;
negative societal sentiment regarding the hydrocarbon energy industry and the continued development and consumption of hydrocarbons, which could influence consumer preferences and governmental or regulatory actions that adversely impact our business;
the occurrence of a natural disaster, catastrophe, terrorist attack (including eco-terrorist attacks) or other event that materially impacts our operations, including cyber or other attacks on our or our service providers’ electronic and computer systems;
weather interference with business operations or project construction, including the impact of extreme weather events or conditions (including wildfires and drought);
the impact of current and future laws, rulings, legislation, governmental regulations, executive orders, trade policies, tariffs, accounting standards and statements, and related interpretations that (i) prohibit, restrict or regulate the development of oil and gas resources and the related infrastructure on lands dedicated to or served by our pipelines, (ii) negatively impact our ability to develop, operate or repair midstream assets, or (iii) otherwise negatively impact our business or increase our exposure to risk;
negative impacts on production levels in the Permian Basin or elsewhere due to issues associated with (or laws, rules or regulations relating to) hydraulic fracturing and related activities (including wastewater injection or disposal), including earthquakes, subsidence, expansion or other issues;
the pace of development of natural gas or other infrastructure and its impact on expected crude oil production growth in the Permian Basin;
the refusal or inability of our customers or counterparties to perform their obligations under their contracts with us (including commercial contracts, asset sale agreements and other agreements), whether justified or not and whether due to financial constraints (such as reduced creditworthiness, liquidity issues or insolvency), market constraints, legal constraints (including governmental orders or guidance), the exercise of contractual or common law rights that allegedly excuse their performance (such as force majeure or similar claims) or other factors;
loss of key personnel and inability to attract and retain new talent;
disruptions to futures markets for crude oil, NGL and other petroleum products, which may impair our ability to execute our commercial or hedging strategies;
the effectiveness of our risk management activities;
shortages or cost increases of supplies, materials or labor;
maintenance of our credit ratings and ability to receive open credit from our suppliers and trade counterparties;
our inability to perform our obligations under our contracts, whether due to non-performance by third parties, including our customers or counterparties, market constraints, third-party constraints, supply chain issues, legal constraints (including governmental orders or guidance), or other factors or events;
the incurrence of costs and expenses related to unexpected or unplanned capital or maintenance expenditures, third-party claims or other factors;
failure to implement or capitalize, or delays in implementing or capitalizing, on investment capital projects, whether due to permitting delays, permitting withdrawals or other factors;
tightened capital markets or other factors that increase our cost of capital or limit our ability to obtain debt or equity financing on satisfactory terms to fund additional acquisitions, investment capital projects, working capital requirements and the repayment or refinancing of indebtedness;
the amplification of other risks caused by volatile or closed financial markets, capital constraints, liquidity concerns and inflation;
the use or availability of third-party assets upon which our operations depend and over which we have little or no control;
the currency exchange rate of the Canadian dollar to the United States dollar;
inability to recognize current revenue attributable to deficiency payments received from customers who fail to ship or move more than minimum contracted volumes until the related credits expire or are used;
significant under-utilization of our assets and facilities;
increased costs, or lack of availability, of insurance;
fluctuations in the debt and equity markets, including the price of our units at the time of vesting under our long-term incentive plans;
risks related to the development and operation of our assets; and
other factors and uncertainties inherent in the transportation, storage, terminalling and marketing of crude oil, as well as in the processing, transportation, fractionation, storage and marketing of NGL as discussed in the Partnerships’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Plains:

PAA is a publicly traded master limited partnership that owns and operates midstream energy infrastructure and provides logistics services for crude oil and natural gas liquids (“NGL”). PAA owns an extensive network of pipeline gathering and transportation systems, in addition to terminalling, storage, processing, fractionation and other infrastructure assets serving key producing basins, transportation corridors and major market hubs and export outlets in the United States and Canada. On average, PAA handles over 8 million barrels per day of crude oil and NGL.

PAGP is a publicly traded entity that owns an indirect, non-economic controlling general partner interest in PAA and an indirect limited partner interest in PAA, one of the largest energy infrastructure and logistics companies in North America.

PAA and PAGP are headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, please visit www.plains.com.

Contacts:

Blake Fernandez
Vice President, Investor Relations
(866) 809-1291

Michael Gladstein
Director, Investor Relations
(866) 809-1291

The MIL Network –

February 8, 2025

MIL-OSI: Fourth Star Launches Immersive Media Streaming Platform
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

San Francisco, CA , Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fourth Star, the cutting-edge virtual reality immersive media streaming platform, is officially available to the public. This innovative platform transforms traditional entertainment by enabling users to seamlessly watch standard 2D, 180 and 360 immersive media content and movies. Fourth Star redefines how audiences engage with immersive storytelling, offering an unparalleled first-person centric perspective on entertainment.

“Fourth Star is more than just a platform – it’s a revolution in entertainment,” said Greg Simon, Co-Founder & CEO of Fourth Star. “We’ve created an immersive experience where users can not only consume content but also actively participate in it. Our vision is to transform how people experience media content and movies in a way that has never been done before.”

A New Era of Interactive Entertainment
The largest immersive media streaming platform available on Sidequest, users can explore nearly forty unique environments, interact with AI-driven crew, and experience entertainment in an entirely new way. Whether socializing in the Café, customizing avatars in private Apartments or Ships, or stepping directly into a movie’s storyline, Fourth Star offers a groundbreaking approach to digital engagement.

“The combination of VR, AI, and blockchain in Fourth Star sets a new standard for immersive entertainment,” said Craig Wiltshire, CTO of Fourth Star.”Our vision is to seamlessly integrate all three technologies into the user experience. We are redefining the entertainment experience from passive observation to active creation.”

Built for Content Partners
Fourth Star is a self-serve platform designed for content partners of all sizes, from individual creators to blockbuster studios. Content partners can set up an account, create content channels, and begin monetizing their work immediately. No integration is required, allowing for seamless onboarding and instant access to a global audience. The Creator Portal empowers partners to distribute and profit from their immersive media with ease, making Fourth Star a truly open and accessible metaverse for digital entertainment.

Key Features of Fourth Star
- VR Streaming Platform – Users can access nearly forty environments and own their own luxury apartments and ships all equipped with an immersive media streaming entertainment hub.
- Social & Customization – Connect with others in dynamic social hubs, personalize your avatar, and invite your friends to your own luxury apartment and ship.
- Player Portal – Users can access the web-based marketplace to explore content, invite friends,
- Creator Portal – Set up an account, create content channels, and begin monetizing your work immediately. No integration is required, allowing for seamless onboarding and instant access to a global audience.
- Blockchain Integration – The FSTR token, built on the Polygon blockchain, powers the ecosystem, providing secure transactions and exclusive rewards.
- AI-Powered Companions – Coming soon
FSTR: The Utility Token Powering Fourth Star
FSTR serves as the primary ecosystem currency within the Fourth Star platform, enabling users to purchase Apartments, Ships, AI Companions, and exclusive content. Token holders benefit from:
- VIP Access – Exclusive events, early screenings, and red carpet experiences.
- Discounts – 25% savings on in-app purchases (IAPs) and entertainment content.
FSTR can be purchased today to unlock the above benefits and more at the Probit Global Exchange using this link: https://tinyurl.com/35jbbcxb

A New Paradigm in Entertainment
Fourth Star is designed to deliver the future of entertainment through merging cinematic storytelling with interactive gaming, offering:
- A seamless transition from passive to interactive experiences.
- A thriving community for players, creators, and investors.
- Advanced AI integration for interactive AI characters.
- Don’t just watch the star in the movie, become the star.
Availability and Access
Fourth Star is now live and available for users worldwide on Sidequest. Whether you’re an explorer, content creator large to small, storyteller, or entertainment enthusiast, Fourth Star provides an immersive space to experience digital entertainment like never before.

About Fourth Star
Fourth Star was established in 2022 with platform design and environmental modeling. In 2023, focus turned to closed alpha and beta testing, alongside workshops with content creators. By Q1 2024, we launched the open beta, gathering feedback and introducing creators. In Q2 2024, we launched the FSTR, sold ships and apartments, and developed our creator and partner reward systems. In 2025, we’ll be launching ‘Genevieve’, an AI-powered comprehensive marketing system, advanced AI tools enabling the generation of immersive content and interactive storylines, AI companions, a creator reward system introducing virtual asset rentals, and interactive gamified blockbuster films.

Join Fourth Star
Ready to explore the next frontier of entertainment?

Website: https://www.fourthstar.com/
Telegram: https://t.me/fourthstarhq
X/Twitter: https://x.com/fourthstarhq
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@fourthstarmetaverse?si=-9iy08EVubLrzFp1

Media Contact:
Greg Simon
CEO and Co-Founder
greg@fourthstar.com
XVerse Inc. (DBA Fourth Star)

The MIL Network –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Update on the future of Grenfell Tower
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

The Deputy Prime Minister has met bereaved families and survivors of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and written to both them and residents in the immediate community, to share her decision that Grenfell Tower will be carefully taken down to the ground.
The Deputy Prime Minister has met bereaved families and survivors of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and written to both them and residents in the immediate community, to share her decision that Grenfell Tower will be carefully taken down to the ground.

This is a deeply personal matter for the people affected and the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to keeping their voice at the heart of this process. She recognises how difficult it is for them and her priority has been to let them know her decision first.  

Listening to the community

The Deputy Prime Minister has prioritised engagement with the community since her appointment in July and has met bereaved families, survivors and residents in the immediate community.

In November last year, the Deputy Prime Minister explained to families that she would listen to their views and consider expert information before making a decision on the future of the Tower in February. From November she offered bereaved and survivors the opportunity to meet in-person in North Kensington and Whitehall, or online, at different times and individually when families felt more comfortable with this. She has also spent time with representative groups, residents’ associations, schools and faith leaders. She is grateful to everyone who shared their view – whether directly with her, with the Minister or officials – and especially to the bereaved and survivors.  

The Tower was the home of the 72 innocent people who lost their lives, and of survivors whose lives were forever changed. It is clear from conversations it remains a sacred site. It is also clear that there is not a consensus about what should happen to it.

For some, Grenfell Tower is a symbol of all that they lost. The presence of the Tower helps to ensure the tragedy is never forgotten and can act as a reminder of the need for justice and accountability. Being able to see the Tower every day helps some people continue to feel close to those they lost. For others it is a painful reminder of what happened and is having a daily impact on some members of the community. Some have suggested that some floors of the Tower should be retained for the memorial, others have said that this would be too painful.

Expert advice

The Deputy Prime Minister has considered independent expert advice. Engineering advice says that the Tower is significantly damaged. It remains stable because of the measures put in place to protect it but even with installation of additional props, the condition of the building will continue to worsen over time. Engineers also advise it is not practicable to retain many of the floors of the building in place as part of a memorial that must last in perpetuity.

Taking the engineering advice into account the Deputy Prime Minister concluded that it would not be fair to keep some floors of the building that are significant to some families, whilst not being able to do so for others and knowing that, for some, this would be deeply upsetting.

How the Tower will be taken down

The government is committed to taking the next steps respectfully and carefully. There will be continued support for, and engagement with, the community throughout the process. There will be no changes to the Tower before the eighth anniversary. 

In the coming months, the government will confirm the specialist contractor that will develop a detailed plan for taking the Tower down. The work will be led by technical experts with specific health and safety responsibilities and will include a methodology that includes environmental, health and safety measures and a detailed programme of work. It will likely take around two years to sensitively take down the Tower through a process of careful and sensitive progressive deconstruction that happens behind the wrapping.

We continue to support the independent Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission as the community choose a design team to work with them on designing a memorial. The Deputy Prime Minister will ensure that materials from the site, communal areas of the Tower, or parts of the Tower can be carefully removed and returned for inclusion as part of the memorial, if the community wishes.

Continued commitment for the community

The department has regularly consulted the Metropolitan Police, HM Coroner and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry to ensure decisions about the site do not interfere with their important work in pursuit of justice and accountability. The Police and HM Coroner have again recently confirmed they have everything they need.

The Deputy Prime Minister’s commitment to the community continues. She will ensure bereaved families, survivors and residents continue to have opportunities to speak with her and the Building Safety Minister on issues that matter to them most.

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Updates to this page

Published 7 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Celebrating apprentices in Portsmouth!

Source: City of Portsmouth

National Apprenticeship Week runs from Monday 10 February – Sunday 16 February, and is an opportunity to celebrate and shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make.

The council has a long-established apprenticeship offer, working with local businesses to create a positive impact on local and regional communities and businesses.

This includes the council’s partnership with Solent Business & Skills Solutions on the Transfer to Transform scheme, which they have been partnering on since 2021. The initiative allows large organisations, like the council, to make a direct impact on apprenticeship opportunities across the city and Solent area by transferring levy funds to local employers.

As part of the week, the council’s Stronger Futures team will be highlighting the different pathways into children’s social care, including a social work degree apprenticeship and careers in fostering or residential care.

Cllr Chris Attwell, Cabinet Member for Central Services said:

“National Apprenticeship Week is an excellent opportunity to celebrate apprentices and promote the benefits of apprenticeships to residents, parents, carers and employers.

“Over the last couple of weeks, I have been fortunate to visit a wide and diverse range of apprenticeship opportunities across our community. I have spent time visiting council apprentices in schools, finance, children’s social care and housing and have enjoyed seeing the positive impact they are having on their teams.

“I also had opportunity to meet with partner companies and local employers who said that their businesses benefit from increased productivity, filling skills gaps within their industries and developing ongoing opportunities.

“We are committed to developing and supporting apprenticeships throughout the city and would like to congratulate all the apprentices!”

There are lots of different activities and events happening across the city, where students, parents, guardians and employers can explore apprenticeships.

As well as events, we are sharing case studies from employers and their apprentices across the city on our website and social media.

Anyone of any age can complete an apprenticeship, you can look for opportunities on the council’s careers portal or through the Government’s website. There is also an online event to support parents and carers if their child is thinking about an Apprenticeship as their next step after school or college.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Delimobil IPO on Moscow Exchange turns one year old

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

February 7, 2025 marks one year since the IPO of PJSC Carsharing Russia (DELHI) on the Moscow Exchange, the first IPO of 2024. The company operates in the carsharing market under the Delimobil brand.

The issuer used the funds raised for business development and general corporate purposes.

Delimobil’s market capitalization currently exceeds 35 billion rubles, with a free float of 9%. The shareholder base has doubled since the start of exchange trading and currently numbers about 95,000 private and institutional investors. Delimobil shares are included in the second-level quotation list of the Moscow Exchange and are included in the settlement bases Moscow Exchange Broad Market Index, Moscow Exchange IPO Index, Moscow Exchange Consumer Sector Index and others.

Delimobil is the largest car sharing service in Russia by fleet size and number of trips. The company started operating in 2015. By the end of 2024, the demand for the service had increased by 20%, the number of cities of presence had grown to 13, the company’s fleet had reached 31.7 thousand cars, the number of registered users in the service had exceeded 11 million, and the company had also scaled its network of its own service stations to 15 facilities.

Moscow Exchange is the largest Russian exchange, the only multifunctional platform in Russia for trading shares, bonds, derivatives, currencies, money market instruments and commodities. The Moscow Exchange Group includes a central depository, as well as a clearing center that performs the functions of a central counterparty in the markets, which allows Moscow Exchange to provide clients with a full cycle of trading and post-trading services.

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

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

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

HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.M.M.

MIL OSI Russia News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI: Xtract One Technologies to be used for Hospital Weapons Detection Screening in Manitoba

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TORONTO, Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xtract One Technologies (TSX: XTRA)(OTCQX: XTRAF)(FRA: 0PL) (“Xtract One” or the “Company”) today announced its Xtract One Gateway (“Gateway”) has been selected to protect key hospital locations in Manitoba, including at the province’s Health Sciences Centre and Crisis Response Centre locations operated by Shared Health.

The system will redefine the security experience by not only balancing powerful threat detection with seamless flow for individuals, but also enhancing safety standards and optimizing operational efficiency.

“Healthcare environments today face two security challenges: providing top-tier security while ensuring that both patients and caregivers feel safe and comfortable,” said Peter Evans, CEO of Xtract One. “This is a trend we’re seeing across the healthcare sector, where providers are actively looking for solutions to these growing challenges, and we welcome the opportunity to play a role in securing health facility environments.”

Xtract One’s portfolio of screening solutions are designed specifically for scanning individuals and their belongings, allowing seamless passage through checkpoints and reducing the need for separate bag searches, thereby improving screening times dramatically. Gateway unobtrusively scans individuals, their pockets, their bags and backpacks for potential mass casualty weapons while distinguishing harmless personal items like laptops, tablets, three-ring binders, notebooks, eyeglass cases, keys, and phones, streamlining access into and out of facilities without disrupting the flow of movement.

To learn more, visit www.xtractone.com.

About Xtract One
Xtract One Technologies is a leading technology-driven provider of threat detection and security solutions leveraging AI to deliver seamless and secure experiences. The Company makes unobtrusive weapons and threat detection systems that enable facility operators to prioritize and deliver improved “Walk-right-In” experiences while providing unprecedented safety. Xtract One’s innovative portfolio of AI-powered Gateway solutions excels at allowing facilities to discreetly screen and identify weapons and other threats at points of entry and exit without disrupting the flow of traffic. With solutions built to serve the unique market needs for schools, hospitals, arenas, stadiums, manufacturing, distribution, and other customers, Xtract One is recognized as a market leader delivering the highest security in combination with the best individual experience. For more information, visit www.xtractone.com or connect on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks detailed from time to time in the continuous disclosure filings made by the Company with securities regulations. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. The Company has no obligation to update any forward looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law.

For further information, please contact:
Xtract One Inquiries: info@xtractone.com, http://www.xtractone.com
Investor Relations: Chris Witty, Darrow Associates, cwitty@darrowir.com, 646-438-9385
Media Contact: Kristen Aikey, JMG Public Relations, kristen@jmgpr.com, 212-206-1645

The MIL Network –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £15 million food surplus fund now open for applications
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Food redistribution charities can submit applications for grants starting at £20,000
Food redistribution charities can now submit applications for a new £15 million Government scheme, which is helping to ensure surplus food is delivered to those who need it.

Every year, an estimated 330,000 tonnes of edible food is either wasted or repurposed as animal feed before leaving farm gates. This food should be going onto the nation’s plates, but charities often lack the resources to salvage it and provide it to the most vulnerable.

The new Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme will strengthen links between farms and charities to help solve the problem of food surplus on farms, with grants starting from £20,000 to help organisations fight hunger in communities.

From today (Friday 7 February), applicants can submit bids outlining how they intend to form relationships with farmers to access any surplus food, and how they would seek to increase their capacity to redistribute this food to communities.

The funding can go towards purchasing new packaging and labelling equipment and vehicles to move goods from farms to a redistribution organisation, as well as new equipment, like fridges or freezers, to safely store food and ensure it lasts longer.

The fund is open to food redistribution charities and any groups with an interest are encouraged to apply.

Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said:

Nobody wants to see good food go to waste – especially farmers who work hard to put food on our nation’s tables. This fund will help charities work more closely with farmers to create new ways to get fresh produce to the people who need it most.

I encourage our brilliant, dedicated redistribution charities and non-profits to apply for this funding to ensure more British fruit and veg gets to those who need it most.

In a joint statement, the CEOs of The Bread and Butter Thing, City Harvest, FareShare, The Felix Project and Co-Chairs of The Xcess Group said:

As leaders of the surplus food redistribution sector and following years of campaigning, we are delighted to welcome the launch of this fund ahead of British growing season.

It presents an opportunity to make a profound impact by empowering local charities and community organisations. These groups are the backbone of British society, and we are proud to support them.

By working across the charitable redistribution sector, we can help ensure that this scheme is implemented efficiently through our joint capacity, delivers tangible value to taxpayers, and helps millions of meals reach as many people as possible at a time of considerable need.

Applications can be submitted online until 11:55am on 13 March 2025.

There is more to come as the Government moves to ensure the throwaway society is ended for good.

A new Circular Economy Taskforce, comprising members from industry, academia, and civil society across the UK, has been set up. They will lead on the development of a Circular Economy Strategy for England, which will outline how individual sectors can contribute to ambitions in this area.

This is alongside continued support for the Courtauld Commitment 2030, managed by environmental NGO WRAP, which looks to deliver a more sustainable supply chain and reduce food waste in the home – tackling food waste and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.

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Published 7 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Return of 35 Malaysian Chevening scholars concludes year-long Chevening 40th anniversary celebrations
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

35 Malaysians have returned home after completing their post-graduate studies in the UK under the Chevening Awards Programme.
Acting Deputy British High Commissioner Tom Shepherd with the 35 returning Malaysian Chevening scholars

This cohort saw 34 scholars completing their Master’s degree and one scholar completing an Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies fellowship programme. They are the 40th batch of Malaysian Chevening alumni since the establishment of the scholarship programme in 1983, and their return also marks the conclusion of the year-long 40th anniversary of the Chevening Awards

Acting Deputy British High Commissioner to Malaysia, Tom Shepherd, hosted a reception today to welcome home the 2023/24 cohort of scholars. In congratulating the returning scholars, Sheperd said:

The UK’s commitment to education and fostering global talent remains steadfast and the Chevening Programme is a great example of this. Strengthening the bond between the UK and Malaysia, these alumni have returned not only equipped with invaluable knowledge and skills but empowered to make a real difference in Malaysia, contributing to its continued growth and prosperity.

The Chevening Award is the UK Government’s global scholarship programme, funded and administered by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. This is complemented by generous sponsorships by Malaysian corporate partners including Yayasan Khazanah, CIMB Foundation and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation. British universities are also providing additional funding in support of the Chevening programme.

Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah, KGB, AO, Founder and Chairman of the Sunway Group and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation said:

The Chevening Scholarships Scheme has recently celebrated its 40th Anniversary and has, over the years, nurtured key talent in many countries in the world. The Scholarships have become a byword for excellence, prestige, loyalty and satisfaction. It has been JCF’s pleasure to support a Chevening Scholarship since 2018, and we look forward to doing so for many years in the future. This is a flagship programme in our links with the United Kingdom, which have seen us partner with Oxford, Cambridge, Lancaster, and the Royal College of Physicians.

Norhidayah Aslah, Head of Scholarship, Yayasan Hasanah, said:

Yayasan Khazanah is proud to support and celebrate the return of our Chevening scholars, who have gained invaluable global perspectives and expertise. Their experiences and insights will contribute significantly to Malaysia’s growth and development. We look forward to seeing them apply their knowledge, drive positive change, and make a lasting impact in their respective fields.

Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff, Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Foundation said:

CIMB Foundation is deeply committed to uplifting communities and driving positive societal impact through education, a core impact area that aligns with Chevening Scholarship. By investing in learning and development, we empower outstanding individuals with the expertise and leadership skills needed to drive meaningful change.

The returning batch of Malaysian Chevening scholars from the 2023/24 academic year have graduated from disciplines such as Medical Ultrasound, Film Aesthetics, and Conservation and International Wildlife Trade. They attended prestigious institutions such as the University of Oxford, King’s College London and London School of Economics.

Scholar Mandeep Singh who got a Masters in Anthropology and Development from London School of Economics and Political Science said:

I am glad I made my voice count during my year in the LSE. While I got to contribute to various intellectual debates concerning the Global South, I did not lose sight of the everyday challenges which left economic growth precarious for the many. Through my postgraduate studies, I have urged anthropologists to play an active role in making development policies fair and just. I hope to work with public and social sectors to make this a case in Malaysia.

Scholar Nur Ezzah, who attended SOAS, University of London and obtained a Master’s in Human Rights, Conflict and Justice, said:

My Masters provided me with an in-depth understanding of the complexities surrounding human rights issues and equipped me with the tools to critically analyse policies and legislation through a human rights lens. My current role allows me to advocate for marginalised communities, ensuring that human rights principles are integrated into policies and legislation, fostering social justice and equality. My most memorable experience during my Chevening year was attending the Hay Festival of Literature and Arts in Hay-On-Wye, where I met some of my favourite authors and camped under the stars in that charming book town.

Malaysia is the second largest recipient of Chevening awards in ASEAN and the 35 returning scholars are now part of the 2,000-strong Chevening Alumni in Malaysia.

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Published 7 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s railway passenger trips exceed 300M during ongoing Spring Festival travel rush

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

China’s railways have handled over 300 million passenger trips during the ongoing 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway) said on Friday.
As of Thursday, the country’s railway passenger trips during this period had reached 310 million, according to China Railway.
Railway passenger trips on Thursday alone totaled 15.14 million, data revealed.
Railway departments across the country have allocated transportation capacity scientifically, strengthened travel services, and ensured that passengers have safe, orderly and comfortable journeys.
Chinese authorities expect an unprecedented 9 billion inter-regional trips during this year’s Spring Festival travel rush.
This travel surge, the world’s largest annual human migration, kicked off on Jan. 14 and will continue through Feb. 22 this year.

MIL OSI China News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: AI-enabled National Consumer Helpline system set up; gives sector-wise analysis of grievances

Source: Government of India

AI-enabled National Consumer Helpline system set up; gives sector-wise analysis of grievances

National Consumer Helpline available as toll-free number “1915” or through web portal

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 11:36AM by PIB Delhi

In a significant move towards enhancing consumer grievance redressal mechanisms, the Department of Consumer Affairs, under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, has adopted an AI-enabled National Consumer Helpline (NCH) system that offers sector-wise analysis of grievances.

This new technology-driven approach is aimed at improving the speed and efficiency of resolving consumer issues, particularly in the education sector.

As a result of these technological advancements, the number of calls received by NCH has grown more than tenfold, from 12,553 in December 2015 to 1,55,138 in December 2024. This exponential growth reflects the rising confidence of consumers in the helpline. Similarly, the average number of complaints registered per month has surged from 37,062 in 2017 to 1,12,468 in 2024. The monthly average number of grievances registered digitally has increased from 54,893 in the FY 2023-24 to 68,831 in FY 2024-25 (as of December 2024).

The Department therefore, urges all consumers to utilize the National Consumer Helpline accessible via a toll-free number 1915 or web portal https://consumerhelpline.gov.in/user/signup.php for any grievances related to products or services, ensuring that their voices are heard and that their issues are resolved promptly and effectively.

The NCH has seen a remarkable reduction in the grievance disposal time. In 2024, the disposal rate of consumer grievances decreased to 48 days, down from 66.26 days in 2023. This reflects a substantial improvement in the resolution time; ensuring consumer’s concerns are addressed promptly.

A key component of this strategy involves proactively identifying and transitioning companies with the highest number of grievances to ‘convergence partners.’ Once onboarding as a ‘convergence partner’ with NCH, these companies, which have the highest number of unresolved consumer complaints, are required to prioritize swift and effective grievance redressal in collaboration with the NCH. Under its initiative aimed at enhancing consumer welfare and promoting fair trade practices, NCH has successfully surpassed the significant milestone of 1,038 convergence companies to date, up from 263 in 2017.

This initiative has already yielded promising results, especially in sectors such as education, where faster resolution of consumer complaints has become a priority. With NCH’s AI-driven, sector-specific analysis, these convergence partners can now act more effectively and efficiently in resolving consumer issues, thereby enhancing consumer trust and satisfaction. It is a Win-Win situation for both consumers & companies.

As a result of this ongoing initiative, many large companies identified with the highest number of consumer grievances have now become official convergence partners of the National Consumer Helpline. Their inclusion is expected to lead to quicker resolutions and a higher disposal rate of consumer grievances, ultimately benefiting millions of consumers across the country.

The NCH, a vital initiative of Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, has proven to be a cornerstone in the effective and timely redressal of consumer grievances. Operating at the pre-litigation stage, the helpline has made significant strides in resolving consumer complaints across a wide range of sectors, including Broadband & Internet, E-commerce, Consumer Durables, Digital Payment Modes, Petroleum, Banking, healthcare, consumer durables, real estate, and automobiles, etc. without requiring consumers to resort to formal legal proceedings.

Below are key highlights that demonstrate the significant impact of the NCH in promoting consumer rights and enhancing the grievance redressal mechanism:

Some of the key success stories includes:

Broadband & Internet: A consumer from West Bengal encountered difficulties in obtaining a refund from an Internet service provider for services that were not availed. After reaching out to the National Consumer Helpline, the issue was resolved promptly. The provider issued a full refund and rectified the consumer’s account. Additionally, other satisfied consumers shared their positive feedback with the department, commending the efficient and effective resolution of their issues.

E-Commerce Sector: A consumer from Karnataka raised an issue regarding the refund and return of a defective product received from an online retailer. Following the intervention of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), the product was replaced, and a refund was promptly facilitated, enhancing the consumer’s trust in e-commerce platforms. Furthermore, the consumer shared their positive feedback, reflecting their increased trust in NCH 2.0. The review emphasized the effectiveness and reliability of the helpline in resolving issues swiftly and efficiently, further bolstering consumer confidence in the platform’s services.

Consumer Durables: A citizen from Rajasthan reported a major malfunction in a product he had purchased. Despite his continuous requests, the company had failed to address the issue. With the assistance of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), the product was promptly replaced, and the company issued a formal apology. Furthermore, consumers from different states shared their valuable feedback about the NCH team, praising their professionalism and efficiency in resolving grievances.

Digital Payment Mode: A complaint was raised by a consumer from Delhi who was unable to use his online transaction service, and an amount of Rs. 45,000/- was frozen in his account. After engaging the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), the issue was resolved swiftly, with the bank unfreezing the amount and restoring the consumer’s access to their account. Furthermore, other satisfied consumers shared their positive reviews with the department, praising the efficient and timely intervention by NCH in resolving their grievances.

Petroleum: A buyer in Telangana encountered extra charges that exceeded the MRP when receiving a cylinder he had booked. With the intervention of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), the issue was swiftly resolved, and the consumer was compensated, safeguarding his rights. Additionally, consumers from various corners of the nation shared their views regarding the operation of NCH 2.0.

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Abhishek Dayal/Nihi Sharma

(Release ID: 2100545) Visitor Counter : 15

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 (Commencement) Notice gazetted

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 (Commencement) Notice gazetted
Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 (Commencement) Notice gazetted
****************************************************************************

The Government published in the Gazette today (February 7) the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 (Commencement) Notice (Commencement Notice). The new “no case to answer” appeal mechanism under the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 (Amendment Ordinance) will come into operation on April 14, 2025. The Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2023 was passed by the Legislative Council (LegCo) on July 12, 2023. Sections 4, 7 and 9 of, and Part 2 of the Schedule to, the Amendment Ordinance provide for a “no case to answer” appeal mechanism, which allows the prosecution to appeal against rulings of no case to answer made by the Court of First Instance of the High Court in criminal trials with a jury. The new appeal mechanism has since awaited enactment of the Criminal Procedure (Appeal against Ruling of No Case to Answer) Rules (Rules) before it commences. The Rules, which set out the relevant procedural matters for the new appeal mechanism to facilitate its smooth operation in practice, were made by the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee under section 9 of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance (Cap. 221) on November 14, 2024. The Rules were approved by the LegCo on January 8, 2025. With a view to bringing the new appeal mechanism into operation as soon as practicable, the Secretary for Justice, under section 1(3) of the Amendment Ordinance, has appointed April 14, 2025, as the day on which the relevant provisions come into operation. The Rules will come into operation on the same day. A spokesman for the Department of Justice said, “The new ‘no case to answer’ appeal mechanism addresses the lacuna in the criminal appeal system due to the prosecution’s inability to appeal against erroneous rulings of no case to answer made by judges of the Court of First Instance in jury trials and prevents possible miscarriage of justice.” The Commencement Notice will be tabled at the LegCo on February 12 for negative vetting.

Ends/Friday, February 7, 2025Issued at HKT 11:35

NNNN

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4445–4446: Cloudy Days are Here

Source: NASA

Earth planning date: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025
Overnight before planning today, Mars reached a solar longitude of 40 degrees. The solar longitude is how we like to measure where we are in a Mars year. Each year starts at 0 degrees and advances to 360 degrees at the end of the year. For those of us on the Environmental Science (ENV) team, 40 degrees is a special time as it marks the beginning of our annual Aphelion Cloud Belt (ACB) observation campaign. During this time of year, the northern polar ice cap is emerging into the sunlight, causing it to sublimate away and release water vapor into the atmosphere. At the same time, the atmosphere is generally colder, since Mars is near aphelion (its furthest distance from the Sun).
Together, these two factors mean that Mars’ atmosphere is a big fan of forming clouds during this part of the year. Gale is right near the southern edge of the ACB, so we’re starting to take more cloud movies to study how the ACB changes during the cloudy season. (Jezero Crater, home to Perseverance, is much closer to the heart of the ACB, so keep an eye on their Raw Images page over the next several months as well.
The drive from Monday’s plan ended early, after just about 4 meters instead of the 38 meters that had been planned (about 13 feet vs. 125 feet). We initially thought this might have been because our left-front wheel ran into the side of a large rock (see the image above), but after we got our hands on the drive data, it turned out that the steering motor on the right front wheel indicated that a rock was in the way on that side too, so Curiosity stopped the drive to await further instruction from Earth. This is a well-understood issue, so we should be back on the road headed west today.
The cold weather is still creating power challenges, so we had to carefully prioritize our activities today. Despite the drive fault, we received the good news that it was safe to unstow the arm, so we were able to pack in a full set of MAHLI, APXS, and DRT activities. Before that, though, we start as usual with some remote sensing activities, including ChemCam LIBS and Mastcam observations of “Beacon Hill” (some layered bedrock near the rover) and a ChemCam RMI mosaic of the upper portion of Texoli butte.
After taking a 3½-hour nap to recharge our batteries, we get into the arm activities. These start off with some MAHLI images of the MAHLI and APXS calibration targets, then continue with MAHLI and APXS observations of “Zuma Canyon.” This is followed by DRT, APXS, and MAHLI activities of some bedrock in our workspace, “Bear Canyon.” Although we then take another short nap, we don’t yet stow the arm as we have a pair of lengthy post-sunset APXS integrations. The arm is finally stowed about an hour and a half before midnight.
The second sol of this plan begins with some more remote sensing activities, starting with ChemCam LIBS on “Mission Point”. This is followed by a series of Mastcam images of “Crystal Lake” (polygonal fractures in the bedrock), “Stockton Flat” (fine lamination in the bedrock), “Mount Waterman,” and Mission Point. We then finish with some ENV activities, including a Mastcam tau and Navcam line-of-sight to measure dust in the atmosphere and a Navcam cloud movie. This plan ends with a (hopefully!) lengthy drive west and many hours asleep to recharge our batteries as much as possible before planning starts again on Friday. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that REMS, RAD, and DAN continue to diligently monitor the environment throughout this plan.
Written by Conor Hayes, Graduate Student at York University

MIL OSI USA News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel Releases 2024 Annual Report

Source: NASA

The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), an advisory committee that reports to NASA and Congress, issued its 2024 annual report Thursday examining the agency’s safety performance, accomplishments, and challenges during the past year.
The report highlights 2024 activities and observations on NASA’s work, including:

strategic vision and agency governance
Moon to Mars management
future of U.S. presence in low Earth orbit
health and medical risks in human space exploration

“Over the past year, NASA has continued to make meaningful progress toward meeting the intent of the broad-ranging recommendations the panel has made over the last several years,” said retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Susan J. Helms, chair of ASAP. “We believe that the agency’s careful attention to vision, strategy, governance, and program management is vital to the safe execution of NASA’s complex and critical national mission.”
This year’s report reflects the panel’s continued focus on NASA’s strategies for risk management and safety culture in an environment of growing space commercialization. Specifically, the panel cites its 2021 recommendations for NASA on preparing for future challenges in a changing landscape, including the need to evaluate NASA’s approach to safety and technical risk and to evolve its role, responsibilities, and relationships with private sector and international partners.
Overall, the panel finds NASA is continuing to make progress with respect to the agency’s strategic vision, approach to governance, and integrated program management. The NASA 2040 new agencywide initiative is working to operationalize the agency’s vision and strategic objectives across headquarters and centers. With the establishment of NASA’s Moon to Mars Program Office in 2023, it finds NASA has implemented safety and risk management as a key focus for NASA’s Artemis campaign.
The 2024 report provides details on the concrete actions the agency should take to fulfill its previous recommendations and spotlights its recommendations for the agency moving ahead. It addresses safety assessments for Moon to Mars and current International Space Station operations, as well as risk-related issues surrounding NASA’s planned transition to commercial low Earth orbit destinations.
It covers relevant areas of human health and medicine in space and the impact of budget constraints and uncertainty on safety.
The annual report is based on the panel’s 2024 fact-finding and quarterly public meetings; direct observations of NASA operations and decision-making; discussions with NASA management, employees, and contractors; and the panel members’ experiences.
Congress established the panel in 1968 to provide advice and make recommendations to the NASA administrator on safety matters after the 1967 Apollo 1 fire claimed the lives of three American astronauts.
To learn more about the ASAP, and view annual reports, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/asap
-end-
Jennifer Dooren / Elizabeth ShawHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600jennifer.m.dooren@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov

MIL OSI USA News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Robot Gets a Grip

Source: NASA

Blue tentacle-like arms attached to an Astrobee free-flying robot grab onto a “capture cube” in this image from Feb. 4, 2025. The experimental grippers demonstrated autonomous detection and capture techniques that may be used to remove space debris and service satellites in low Earth orbit.
The Astrobee system was designed and built at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley for use inside the International Space Station. The system consists of three cube-shaped robots (named Bumble, Honey, and Queen), software, and a docking station used for recharging. The robots use electric fans as a propulsion system that allows them to fly freely through the microgravity environment of the station. Cameras and sensors help them to “see” and navigate their surroundings. The robots also carry a perching arm that allows them to grasp station handrails to conserve energy or to grab and hold items.
Image credit: NASA/Suni Williams

MIL OSI USA News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom signs executive order to further prepare for future urban firestorms, stepping up already nation-leading strategies
Source: US State of California 2
Feb 6, 2025
What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed an executive order to launch key initiatives to continue adapting to future extreme firestorm events in urban communities and leading the way to build a more resilient state.

Sacramento, California – Adding to California’s nation-leading fire safety standards, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed an executive order to further improve community hardening and wildfire mitigation strategies to neighborhood resilience statewide. A copy of the executive order is available here.

We are living in a new reality of extremes. Believe the science – and your own damn eyes: Mother Nature is changing the way we live and we must continue adapting to those changes. California’s resilience means we will keep updating our standards in the most fire-prone areas.

Governor Gavin Newsom

The executive order issued by Governor Newsom does the following:

Directs the State Board of Forestry to accelerate its work to adopt regulations known as “Zone 0,” which will require an ember-resistant zone within 5 feet of structures located in the highest fire severity zones in the state.

Tasks the Office of the State Fire Marshal with releasing updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for areas under local government responsibility, adding 1.4 million new acres of land into the two higher tiers of fire severity, which will update building and local planning requirements for these communities statewide.

Requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to work with local, federal and tribal partners on improvements to the Federal resource ordering system for wildfire response.

Protecting homes

Science has shown that combustible material within the immediate five feet of a structure contributes the greatest risk of embers directly or indirectly igniting the home. “Zone 0” regulations under development for new and existing construction would require an ember-resistant zone within the immediate 5-feet of structures in local area Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in Local Responsibility Areas, and Fire Hazard Severity Zones in State Responsibility Areas.

Zone 0 regulations would move forward this year in tandem with financial assistance and relief for homeowners, proposed in the Governor’s January Budget, and to be augmented by the California Conservation Corps supporting work in vulnerable communities and in coordination with local Fire Safe Councils. While it is anticipated that the regulations would apply to new construction upon taking effect, requirements for existing homes would likely be phased in over three years to allow homeowners to prepare and prioritize mitigations and secure financial assistance.

Research suggests that the cost of building a home with Zone 0 mitigations already incorporated adds little to no cost to building a comparable home without those features.

Updating fire hazard severity areas

To ensure future resiliency against urban firestorms, local government planners and developers will have to factor in wildfire-hardening requirements in building planning, design, and construction within nearly 2.3 million acres of land in areas where local governments are responsible for wildfire prevention and response, known as local responsibility areas.

The release of updated Fire Hazard Severity Zones for Local Responsibility Area maps would identify new areas where new development is required to adhere to the highest standards of wildfire resilient building codes and land-use planning. These new zones and maps would add approximately 1.4 million new acres of land into the two higher tiers of fire hazard severity. Specifically, they would expand current wildfire building resiliency requirements in the High-Fire Hazard Severity Zone to approximately 1.16 million new acres, and they would expand both current wildfire building and local planning resiliency requirements in the Very High- Fire Hazard Severity Zone to approximately 247,000 new acres.

The release of these updated zones and maps, which are expected to be released one region at a time beginning in Northern California, would begin a 120-day clock for local government jurisdictions to adopt local ordinances incorporating the State Fire Marshal’s recommendations.

The release of these Local Responsibility Area maps would follow last year’s release of equivalent updated zones and maps in the State Responsibility Area, and follow months of planning discussions, including consultation with insurance providers who have developed their own models to determine risk, premiums and coverage that are independent of the state’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps.

Investing in wildfire prevention

Overall, the state has more than doubled investments in wildfire prevention and landscape resilience efforts, providing more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience since 2020, with an additional $1.5 billion from the 2024 Climate Bond to be committed beginning this year for proactive projects that protect communities from wildfire and promote healthy natural landscapes. Of note, since 2021, the State has made strategic investments in at least 61 fuels reduction projects near the Palisades and Eaton fire perimeters through projects treated over 14,500 acres.

The Newsom Administration has invested $2 billion to support CAL FIRE operations, a 47% increase since 2018, which has helped build CAL FIRE from 5,829 positions to 10,741 in that same period, and the Administration is now implementing shorter workweeks for state firefighters to prioritize firefighter well-being while adding 2,400 additional state firefighters to CAL FIRE’s ranks over the next five years.

Augmenting technological advancements and pre-deployment opportunities

The Newsom Administration has also overseen the expansion of California’s aerial firefighting fleet, including the addition of more than 16 helicopters with several equipped for night operations, expanded five helitack bases, and assumed ownership of seven C-130 air tankers, making it the largest fleet of its kind globally.

California is also leveraging AI-powered tools to spot fires quicker, has deployed the Fire Integrated Real-Time Intelligence System (FIRIS) to provide real-time mapping of wildfires, and has partnered with the U.S. Department of Defense to use satellites for wildfire detection and invested in LiDAR technology to create detailed 3D maps of high-risk areas, helping firefighters better understand and navigate complex terrains.

In anticipation of severe fire weather conditions in early January 2025, Cal OES approved the prepositioning of 65 fire engines, as well as more than 120 additional firefighting resources and personnel in Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, and CAL FIRE moved firefighting resources to Southern California including 45 additional engines and six hand crews to the region.

During the wildfires, California was able to mobilize more than 16,000 personnel including firefighters, National Guard servicemembers, California Highway Patrol officers and transportation teams to support the response to the Los Angeles firestorms, and more than 2,000 firefighting apparatus composed of engines, aircraft, dozers and water tenders to aid in putting out the fires.
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What they’re saying:

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, original author of the Mental Health Services Act: “Twenty years ago, I never could have dreamed that we would have the strong leadership we have today, committing billions and making courageous policy changes that question the conventional wisdom on mental health. Now, with the passage of Proposition 1. California is delivering on decades old promises to help people living with brain-based illnesses, to live better lives, to live independently and to live with dignity in our communities. This is a historic moment and the hard work is ahead of us.“

Senator Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), author of Senate Bill 326: “Today marks a day of hope for thousands of Californians who are struggling with mental illness – many of whom are living unhoused. I am tremendously grateful to my fellow Californian’s for passing this important measure. And I am very appreciative of this Governor’s leadership to transform our behavioral health care system!”

Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), author of Assembly Bill 531: “This started as an audacious proposal to address the root cause of homelessness and today, Californians can be proud to know that they did the right thing by passing Proposition 1. Now, it’s time for all of us to get to work, and make sure these reforms are implemented and that we see results.”

Bigger picture: Transforming the Mental Health Services Act into the Behavioral Health Services Act and building more community mental health treatment sites and supportive housing is the last main pillar of Governor Newsom’s Mental Health Movement – pulling together significant recent reforms like 988 crisis line, CalHOPE, CARE Court, conservatorship reform, CalAIM behavioral health expansion (including mobile crisis care and telehealth), Medi-Cal expansion to all low-income Californians, Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (including expanding services in schools and on-line), Older Adult Behavioral Health Initiative, Veterans Mental Health Initiative, Behavioral Health Community Infrastructure Program, Behavioral Health Bridge Housing, Health Care Workforce for All and more.

More details on next step here
Recent news

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News What you need to know: Building on yesterday’s positive meetings on Capitol Hill and with President Trump, Governor Newsom continued his bipartisan outreach in meetings with House and Senate leadership that focused on securing critical disaster aid for the…

Feb 6, 2025

News What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom today announced he will issue an executive order to harden communities from wind-propelled wildfires that turn into urban firestorms. Washington, D.C. — After meeting with key state and federal leaders on recovery…

Feb 5, 2025

News What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, DC to meet with President Trump and members of Congress — focusing on securing critical disaster aid for the survivors of the Los Angeles fires and ensuring impacted families who lost their…

MIL OSI USA News –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: AMERICA/COLOMBIA – Bishops on the serious crisis in the country: “We must not let ourselves be deprived of hope”

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Friday, 7 February 2025

CEC

Bogota (Agenzia Fides) – “We are seriously concerned about the requests for help and the needs of the populations and communities that are seriously affected,” write the Colombian Bishops gathered in Bogota for the Plenary Assembly.”It is urgent to pay special attention to migrants, displaced persons, returnees, victims of the increasing violence in the country’s rural areas.” The Colombian Bishops are referring to the region of Catatumbo, where violence has been raging for some time, plunging the region into the most serious crisis since 2002 (see Fides, 30/1/2025).During the Plenary Assembly, which began on February 3, the Bishops’ Conference drew attention to the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro, after a controversial cabinet meeting broadcast live on national television. “The country is in a serious crisis,” warned the bishops, calling for “effective responses” to the “profound, urgent and painful problems that afflict the nation.””We declare our solidarity with Catatumbo and other regions of the country,” they declared.”In addition, the problem remains latent, not only of deported migrants, but also of those displaced and expelled due to the violence in the regions,” the bishops said. They therefore strongly appealed to the national government and all state institutions to work in a coordinated manner and focus on the good of the nation, “in order to realize the united and peaceful country that we all long for.””Today more than ever, let us not lose hope, but let us concentrate our efforts and support the initiatives that are being carried out in the communities,” the bishops said. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 7/2/2025)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: We Do Not Part by Han Kang: a haunting story which forces the reader to remember a horrific incident in Korea’s past that it tried to erase

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hyunseon Lee, Professorial Research Associate at Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, and Centre for Creative Industries, Media and Screen Studies, SOAS, University of London

Jeju inhabitants awaiting execution in late 1948 wikimedia, CC BY

We Do Not Part is the latest book by Korean writer Han Kang, who won the Nobel prize in literature in 2024. The book begins in fragments that ebb between dark dream, waking nightmare and memories of how the book’s protagonist Kyungha got to this terrible way of living.

Even for those who do not know much about Korean history, it is fairly clear that something awful has changed Kyungha. When she closes her eyes images of women clutching children, black tree trunks jutting like limbs from the earth and so much snow flood into her mind.

This experience has sapped all life from Kyungha and she is, when we meet her, simply waiting for death. That is, until her friend Inseon injures herself and asks Kyungha to travel to her home on the island of Jeju, south of mainland Korea, to look after her beloved pet bird, Ama.

When she gets there, a violent snowstorm leaves her trapped in Inseon’s compound. Here, she stumbles upon the investigation into her friend’s family and its connection to the Jeju 4.3 massacre in the 1940s.

In the early morning of April 3 1948, 359 members of the South Korean Workers’ Party and partisans carried out attacks on 12 police facilities and the homes of conservative leaders. They killed 12 people, including family members, before fleeing to the Halla Mountains. The term “Jeju 4.3” came from the date the incident is considered by many to have begun, even though it officially lasted from March 1 1947 to September 21 1954.

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What followed was a massive counterinsurgency operation by the South Korean government (with US backing) to exterminate communists and their sympathisers on the island. While officially numbers are still not known, it is believed that more than 30,000 Jeju people (10% of Jeju’s population at the time), including women and children, were killed.

In We Do Not Part, we find out that Inseon’s mother, who died several years earlier, was a survivor of Jeju 4.3. Han Kang’s impressive approach to presenting the memories of Jeju 4.3 is multi-layered, subtle, fragmentary and contains a high degree of sensitivity as she recounts the massacre from the perspective of Inseon and her mother.

Inseon is part of a what the Holocaust and cultural memory scholar Marianne Hirsch termed the “postmemory generation”. She is the child of a survivor who has inherited a “catastrophic [history] not through direct recollection but through haunting postmemories”.

Inseon has absorbed the stories of her mother as her own. For instance, in one of the first extracts of Inseon’s memories she speaks of her mother and her sister finding their family dead in the snow.

I remember her. The girl roaming the schoolyard, searching well into the evening. A child of 13 clinging to her 17-year-old sister as if her sister wasn’t a child herself, hanging on by a sleeve, too scared to see but unable to look away.

However, Inseon doesn’t remember. She wasn’t there. But, as Hirsch writes of the postmemory generation, such distinct “memories” are mediated by “imaginative investments, projections and creations”.

Han Kang’s skilful use of Inseon’s postmemory carefully gives voice to the feelings of Inseon’s mother. Han Kang does this through presenting these in fragments that recount first Inseon’s investigative work, and then Inseon’s mother’s research into the family’s losses. These are inserted in passages of recounted conversations, writing and descriptions of photographs and films.

These pieces are scattered amid Kyungha’s time in the dreamlike and snow buried compound. The intermingling of past and present, dream and reality, art and life creates an almost hallucinatory quality where the edges blur as Kyungha inherits Inseon’s memories – which she inherited from her mother. In each transference, these stories become new.

This retelling and remembering is important. The 1947 to 1949 uprising is considered by some historians, particularly the American historian Bruce Cummings, as the precursor to the Korean civil war, which left the country divided into North and South. However, for almost 50 years, the very existence of the massacre was officially censored and repressed.

It was only in 2000s that the incident was recognised and the National Committee for Investigation of the Truth about the Jeju 4.3 Incident was established. In 2003, then-president Roh Moo-hyun apologised for the deaths of the innocents and the state repression against the survivors, who had been severely stigmatised as enemies of the state and branded “red insurgents” (pokto).

Hang Kang’s novel makes it clear that Jeju 4.3 is not simply an issue of the past, but one of the present that persists and lives on in the lives of all who it has touched. Inseon was born the only daughter of a mother who witnessed the massacre and a father who survived, not only on Jeju, but also afterwards on the Korean mainland. This parentage means she cannot forget nor repress it, it constantly intrudes into her life.

Han Kang urges the public to bear witness, the reader does so through Kyungha. As she delves into the history through memory and official documents, we too do the same. In this act of reading we remember and name the tragedy.

Ultimately, this becomes an act of commemoration of the victims whose spirits still seem unable to leave this life as they remain on the island in the form of wind, birds, trees, snow and sea. We see, as Kyungha sees, Jeju 4.3 has left too much pain and too many scars on the souls for them to forget and leave.

We Do Not Part is captivating, moving and from sentence to sentence Han Kang’s sensitive approach to Jeju 4.3 makes us reflect on why we still need to remember and commemorate this tragedy and the many others that still go ignored.

Hyunseon Lee 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. We Do Not Part by Han Kang: a haunting story which forces the reader to remember a horrific incident in Korea’s past that it tried to erase – https://theconversation.com/we-do-not-part-by-han-kang-a-haunting-story-which-forces-the-reader-to-remember-a-horrific-incident-in-koreas-past-that-it-tried-to-erase-249200

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Charges to be introduced at on-street parking bays in St Albans and Harpenden, and a brand new Access Permit for older residents using the Council’s car parks
Source: St Albans City and District

Publication date: 28 Jan 2025

Charges are to be introduced at some limited waiting on-street parking bays in St Albans and Harpenden following an extensive public consultation.

St Albans City and District Council’s original proposals have been modified in response to feedback from residents, Councillors, businesses and community groups.

One aim of the proposals is to encourage active travel, such as cycling and walking, where possible, rather than car use, to improve the local environment.

Other aims are to ensure a greater turnover of premium parking places and improve enforcement by enabling new methods such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition.

Four new disabled bays are also being created to provide improved parking facilities for motorists with Blue Badges in Harpenden’s town centre.

The charges will affect an additional 243 bays in Harpenden and an additional 70 in St Albans, and are due to come into effect on Monday 17 February.

Motorists will have several payment options, including contactless via pay and display machines, with new equipment to be installed at key locations; the mobile phone app PayByPhone; and, soon after implementation, and cash or chip and pin at PayPoint outlets.

The decision to introduce charges required a Traffic Regulation Order authorised by the Council’s Strategic Director for Community and Place Delivery in consultation with Councillor Helen Campbell, Lead for Parking.

Cllr Campbell said:

I fully understand some people will be disappointed at being charged for a service they have been getting for free.

In making the decision, we analysed the responses to the consultations and engaged with stakeholders such as ward Councillors and Harpenden Town Council.

We listened to the feedback and we made some significant changes as a result, such as changing the start of the controlled hours to 9am in Harpenden to help parents dropping off for school, and meeting requests for a longer free period of 30 mins. In addition, we will also be improving access to Harpenden town centre for Blue Badge holders.

Cllr Campbell added:

The charges are benchmarked against other local authorities, with many towns of a similar size to Harpenden having long had charges for on-street bays. As with other parking charges, we will monitor the impact of the changes and review if necessary.

The charges will:
- Apply from 9am to 6pm in Harpenden and, reflecting local conditions, 8.30am to 6.30pm in St Albans, both Monday to Saturday, with no charge outside these hours.
- Allow for a 30-minutes free period once a day.
- Be £1.25 for 30 minutes, so the charge for a one-hour stay will be £1.25 while the two-hour cost will be £3.75, both including the free period.
- Cover a maximum stay of two hours with no return for two hours.
Charges will not be considered at bays in York Road, St Albans, as originally proposed, until a wider review of parking in the area takes place.

Five limited waiting bays in Leyton Green, Harpenden, will be converted into resident parking bays for the benefit of local households.

Revenue from charges will go towards the Council’s on-street car parking services budget, which is currently running at a deficit, and towards greater levels of parking enforcement.

Cllr Campbell added:

The Secretary of State is clear that parking services should be self-sufficient, funded by fees and charges, instead of subsidised by other Council services as is the case at the moment. The revenue generated will help reduce the on-street parking service deficit, which is in the interest of all Council taxpayers as it will ensure we can better protect some of our other services.

Should any surplus income arise from on-street car parking, it would have to be kept in a ring-fenced budget and only be invested in parking, highways and environmental improvements.

ACCESS PERMIT

Alongside these changes to the way on street parking operates, the Council has also approved a brand new Access Permit to help older people who may have difficulties with digital applications. This pass will be made available for purchase from Monday 10 February and will cover all the District Council car parks.

The pass will cost £190 a year and be valid for one visit a day for up to three hours.

To be eligible for the pass, a person would need to be a resident of the District and aged 70 or over.

Media contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727- 819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Glow up for old railway line in Preston thanks to community groups

Source: City of Preston

Network Rail is working with community groups to clean up an area in Preston that has been blighted by fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.

It comes after several tonnes of household rubbish, a selection of old sofas, mattresses and bikes have been illegally deposited along the disused Preston to Longridge railway line near Skeffington Road in Deepdale.

The area was once a section of railway but has been used as a dumping ground by some local residents and businesses, prompting anger and frustration from the community. But now, Network Rail is working with community groups to remove rubbish and prune back trees and brambles so it can be a more positive space.

The work is expected to take up to a year to complete and will focus on removing waste, pruning back trees and other vegetation and working with the community to use the area in a more respectful way.

Nationally, millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money is spent clearing up after criminal dumpers each year. And Network Rail is warning those found to be at fault could face criminal prosecutions.

Ian Croucher, Lancashire maintenance protection coordinator from Network Rail, said:

It has been heartbreaking to see this old railway line being targeted by waste criminals. But now, thanks to the local community we have a plan to clear up the site so it can be used in a more positive way. Unsightly waste like this near Skeffington Road is a health and environmental hazard. Anyone who sees fly-tipping happening on the railway should immediately contact the British Transport Police.

Councillor Freddie Bailey, Cabinet member for environment and community safety at Preston City Council, said:

It’s sad and disappointing that we find situations at some locations where people feel it’s okay to just dump their waste. We’re grateful for the work of community groups in helping to keep Preston tidy, and the work taking place at this site is already making an impact.

Unsightly waste like this near Skeffington Road is unpleasant for people and a hazard for wildlife. Fly-tipping and littering are ultimately criminal and anti-social acts.

Dumping rubbish anywhere creates an eyesore and the clear-up costs could be better spent elsewhere, either for private landowners or taxpayers if it’s the Council footing the bill.

We continue to work with Network Rail combining our many resources to prevent fly tipping and to ensure the area is nicer for everyone.

Visit Network Rail – Litter and Fly-tipping for more information on how we’re working to keep the railway and our surrounding land tidy.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: A scheduled weekly meeting of the Government Commission was held to coordinate work to eliminate the consequences of the emergency caused by the sinking of tankers in the Kerch Strait

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev held a meeting of the government commission to coordinate work to eliminate the consequences of the emergency caused by the sinking of tankers in the Kerch Strait in December 2024. All work in the emergency zone continues in accordance with the previously approved interdepartmental plan.

After the fuel oil was completely pumped out of the stern of the Volgoneft-239 tanker, work is underway to dismantle the external and internal structures of the vessel. As of today, about 10% of the total tonnage of the stern has been dismantled. The work is being carried out in accordance with the schedule and should be completed by March 31 of this year.

Work on land continues. The installation of a protective embankment continues on the beach area of Anapa and Temryuk district; more than 30 km of the embankment have been laid, of which more than 15 km are covered with nets. The main function of this embankment is to protect the coast from oil pollution as a result of possible emissions from the water area, including in adverse weather conditions.

Data from regular measurements of air, drinking water, and bioresource samples remain normal.

“Active work to eliminate the consequences of the emergency situation continues. All planned and approved plans are being implemented in full. Waste and contaminated soil are being disposed of, and the hull structures of the Volgoneft-239 tanker are being dismantled. We continue to evaluate options for raising the sunken fragments of the Volgoneft-239 and the Volgoneft-212 tanker, taking into account the assessment of all necessary environmental safety requirements. We will make a decision on this issue in February,” noted Vitaly Savelyev.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

February 8, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NUMBER OF MGNREGA WORKERS

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 4:24PM by PIB Delhi

State/Union Territory(UT)-wise number of active workers whose Jobcards were deleted under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) during the financial years 2019-20 to 2024-25 (as on 04.02.2025) is given at Annexure.

Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is a demand-driven wage employment scheme and the responsibility of implementation of the scheme is vested with the Government of concerned States/UTs. Updation/deletion of Job Cards is a regular exercise conducted by the States/UTs. Job cards have been deleted mainly for the reasons such as fake/duplicate/incorrect job cards, family shifted from Gram Panchayat permanently, Gram Panchayat classified as Urban etc.

To ensure more transparency in the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS in the States/UTs, the Ministry has decided that States/UTs shall ensure capturing of attendance at the worksite through National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) App with geo-tagged two-time stamped photographs of the worker in a day for all the works (except Individual Beneficiary Scheme/Project) through NMMS w.e.f 1st January, 2023.

In case worksite is not located in network covered area or attendance could not be uploaded due to any other network issue then attendance can be captured in offline mode and can be uploaded once the device comes into network covered area. In case of exceptional circumstances owing to which attendance could not be uploaded, the provision for exemption also exists.

Ministry of Rural Development has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) vide letter dated 25.01.2025 to all States/UTs, with clear guidelines regarding deletion and restoration of job cards. The SOP ensures compliance with the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS guidelines, promotes transparency and protects the rights of workers by defining conditions for deletion.

The SOP emphasizes the importance of due process, including the publication of draft lists of job cards marked for deletion, verification at Gram Sabhas, and the right of appeal for affected workers. It also mandates the linking of job cards with Aadhaar to eliminate duplicate and fraudulent entries. These measures are aimed at preventing misuse of job cards while ensuring that genuine beneficiaries are not excluded. The Ministry is committed to maintaining the integrity of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS and ensuring that the benefits of the scheme reaches eligible rural households.

Annexure

Sl. No.	States/UTs-wise number of active workers whose Job cards were deleted under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS during the financial years 2019-20 to 2024-25 (as on 04.02.2025).
Sl. No.	State/UTs	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
1	Andaman and Nicobar	0	0	4	6	10	26
2	Andhra Pradesh	0	0	10654	256678	154658	79837
3	Arunachal Pradesh	0	0	703	4006	8955	8414
4	Assam	0	0	25741	82953	154262	379789
5	Bihar	0	0	197417	1183405	203384	251529
6	Chhattisgarh	0	0	20271	116583	249202	66524
7	Dn Haveli And Dd					0	0
8	Goa	0	0	0	4	3	10
9	Gujarat	0	0	17274	69476	88558	15408
10	Haryana	0	0	4009	7883	4202	2759
11	Himachal Pradesh	0	0	1427	7458	9569	2953
12	Jammu And Kashmir	0	0	5101	20782	50591	22542
13	Jharkhand	0	0	78708	259989	163406	151852
14	Karnataka	0	0	28752	158752	58166	14400
15	Kerala	0	0	1295	5730	21418	2602
16	Ladakh	339	1033	206	734	470	236
17	Lakshadweep	0	0	0	0	0	0
18	Madhya Pradesh	0	2	935912	495850	896927	55013
19	Maharashtra	0	0	6843	71428	21646	13281
20	Manipur	0	0	305	998	3904	3636
21	Meghalaya	0	0	657	3433	16976	10907
22	Mizoram	0	0	4405	3228	4173	8871
23	Nagaland	0	0	1778	1864	3191	8130
24	Odisha	0	7	339454	520051	262216	222441
25	Puducherry	0	0	9	110	134	146
26	Punjab	0	0	14720	90601	24089	7947
27	Rajasthan	0	0	23681	153981	214454	24614
28	Sikkim	0	0	263	449	753	550
29	Tamil Nadu	0	2	21996	128553	146106	77193
30	Telangana	3	39	2212	159995	40720	30152
31	Tripura	0	0	1971	2767	13201	5795
32	Uttar Pradesh	0	0	154326	1127994	608107	26209
33	Uttarakhand	0	0	3014	12791	20577	16789
34	West Bengal	0	0	5921	506981	40663	2309
	Total	342	1083	1909029	5455513	3484691	1512864

This information was given by Minister of State for Rural Development, Shri Kamlesh Paswan in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

******

MG/KSR

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Anganwadi workers technologically empowered with the provision of smartphones for efficient monitoring and service delivery under Mission Poshan 2.0

Source: Government of India (2)

Anganwadi workers technologically empowered with the provision of smartphones for efficient monitoring and service delivery under Mission Poshan 2.0

Provision of performance linked incentives for Anganwadi workers and helpers for growth measurement, home visits and opening of Anganwadi centres

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 4:12PM by PIB Delhi

Poshan Abhiyaan, an overarching scheme for holistic nourishment was launched on 8^th March 2018 to improve nutritional outcomes for children, adolescents, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Under Poshan Abhiyaan, Incremental Learning Approach (ILA) was incorporated in order to build and strengthen the capacity of Anganwadi workers. Under the 15th Finance Commission, to address the challenge of malnutrition, various components like Anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent girls (of 14-18 years in Aspirational Districts and North-Eastern region) have been subsumed under the umbrella Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0).

Under Mission Poshan 2.0, Anganwadi workers (AWWs) have been technologically empowered with the provision of smartphones for efficient monitoring and service delivery. IT systems have been leveraged to strengthen and bring about transparency in nutrition delivery support systems at the Anganwadi centres and for dynamic identification of stunting, wasting, under-weight prevalence among children (0-6 years). It has facilitated near real time data collection for Anganwadi Services such as, daily attendance, Early childhood care and Education (ECCE), Provision of Hot Cooked Meal (HCM)/Take Home Ration (THR-not raw ration), Growth Measurement etc. This application is working as a job aid for Anganwadi Worker replacing the need for maintaining physical registers; thereby reducing her workload.

The learning modules on nutrition and early care and education for capacity building of all Anganwadi workers are readily available online on Poshan Tracker.

Further, Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (PBPB) initiative was launched on 10th May, 2023 for upskilling of all Anganwadi workers to build their capacity to provide early childhood care and nutrition service to children below six years of age. As on date, 31,114 SLMTs (CDPOs, Supervisors and Additional Resource Persons) and 145,481 AWWs have been trained across the country under Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi programme.

One of the key program elements of the Mission Poshan 2.0 is incentivizing Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) monthly for optimal delivery of nutrition and health services and supporting behaviour change. There is a provision of performance linked incentives of Rs 500/- per month and Rs 250/- per month for Anganwadi workers and Anganwadi helpers respectively for growth measurement, home visits and opening of Anganwadi centres.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Lok Sabha in reply to a question today.

*****

SS/MS

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Anganwadi centres are the world’s largest childcare institutions dedicated to providing essential care and support to children ensuring delivery of care facilities till the last mile

Source: Government of India (2)

Anganwadi centres are the world’s largest childcare institutions dedicated to providing essential care and support to children ensuring delivery of care facilities till the last mile

In a first of its kind approach, Ministry has extended the services of childcare through Anganwadi cum Crèche

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 4:11PM by PIB Delhi

Government’s sustained initiatives on education, skilling and employment of women have resulted in increased opportunities for their employment, and more and more women are now in gainful employment, working within or outside their homes. Growing industrialization and urbanisation have also led to increased migration into the cities. Past few decades have shown a rapid increase in nuclear families. Thus, the children of such working women, who were earlier getting support from joint families while they were at work, are now in need of day care services which have to provide quality care and protection for the children. Lack of proper day-care services is, often, a deterrent for women to go out and work. Hence, there is an urgent need for improved quality and reach of day care services/crèches for working women amongst all socioeconomic groups both in the organized and unorganized sectors.

To address these difficulties faced by the working mothers in giving due child care and protection to their children, day-care crèche facilities are being provided through Palna Scheme. Crèche services formalise the child care responsibilities hitherto considered as part of domestic work. Formalization of care work supports the “decent work campaign” to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 8 – Decent work and economic growth. This will also enable more mothers, who will be free from unpaid child-care responsibilities, to take up gainful employment.

Anganwadi centres are the world’s largest childcare institutions dedicated to providing essential care and support to children ensuring delivery of care facilities till the last mile. In a first of its kind approach, Ministry has extended the services of childcare through Anganwadi cum Crèche (AWCC). This will ensure whole day childcare support ensuring their well-being in a safe and secure environment. Anganwadi cum Crèche initiative aims to increase ‘women work force participation’ in the economy. The objective of Palna Scheme is to provide quality crèche facility in safe and secure environment for children (from ages 6 months – 6 years), nutritional support, health and cognitive development of children, growth monitoring & immunization. Crèche facilities under Palna are provided to all mothers, irrespective of their employment status.

Palna is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme ensuring the participation of State/ UT government to ensure better day-to-day monitoring and proper implementation of scheme, and is implemented with a funding ratio of 60:40 between Centre and State Governments and UTs with legislature except North East & Special Category States where ratio is 90:10. For UTs without legislature, 100% funding is provided by the central government.

Proposals for establishment and operation of AWCCs are received from the respective State Governments/UT Administrations. As on date, a total of 11,395 AWCCs have been approved as per proposals received from various States/UTs.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Lok Sabha in reply to a question today.

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SS/MS

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens related to The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens related to The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited
Fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens related to The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited
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The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited relating to fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens, which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website. The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks). Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the websites or login screens concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

Ends/Friday, February 7, 2025Issued at HKT 18:07

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has undertaken cohesive convergent efforts for protection and empowerment of the girl child
Source: Government of India (2)

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has undertaken cohesive convergent efforts for protection and empowerment of the girl child

The scheme is 100% funded by Central Government and has been expanded to cover all districts of the country

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 4:01PM by PIB Delhi

BBBP scheme launched on 22^nd January, 2015 aims to prevent Gender based sex selection and to ensure survival and protection of girl child and also to ensure education of the girl child. The scheme is 100% funded by the Central Government and has been expanded to cover all the districts of the country. The government of West Bengal is not implementing the Scheme.

The objectives of the Scheme are as follows:
- Improvement in the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) by 2 points every year.
- Improvement in the percentage of institutional deliveries to the rate of 95% or above.
- 1% increase in 1st Trimester Anti-Natal Care (ANC) Registration per year.
- 1% increase in enrolment at secondary education level and skilling of girls/women per year.
- To check dropout rate among girls at secondary and higher secondary levels.
- Raising awareness about safe Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM).
The latest reports from Health Management Information System (HMIS) of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) reveal that Sex ratio at Birth (SRB) is showing improving trends and has increased from 918 to 930 at national level during 2014-15 to 2023-24 with a net positive change of 12 points.

Further, Gross Enrolment ratio of girls in the schools at secondary level has increased from 75.51 percentage in 2014-15 to 78 percentage in 2023-24 [as per Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE)-data, Ministry of Education].

As per reports taken from Health Management Information System (HMIS) of Ministry of Health & Family welfare (MoHFW), percentage of institutional deliveries has increased from 61% in 2014-15 to 97.3% in 2023-24.

Similarly, as per the HMIS data, Percentage of 1st trimester Ante-natal care registration have increased from 61% in 2014-15 to 80.5% in 2023-24.

Ministry has developed an operational manual which inter-alia includes a thematic calendar for suggested convergence activities at district level with month wise specific themes for holistic development of the Girl Child and to ensure year-round engagement of girls, their families and communities.

Under the Mission Shakti guidelines the allocation of funds to the districts is based on their differential SRB status. Keeping in mind the differential SRB status of districts as on 2020-21 (as per HMIS data of MoH&FW), three brackets for release of funds under BBBP component have been prescribed. The districts with SRB less than or equal to 918 is being provided assistance of Rs.40 Lakh per year, districts having SRB from 919 to 952 is being provided assistance of Rs. 30 lakh per year and districts having SRB more than 952 is being provided assistance of Rs. 20 lakh per year. Further, any new district formed in the coming years will also be kept under Rs. 30 lakh bracket.

Over the past years, BBBP has successfully captured the national consciousness, mobilizing communities, government agencies, civil society, and media to work together in fostering a supportive and equitable environment for girls. Through focused interventions like awareness drives on PCPNDT act, opening of Sukanya Samriddhi Accounts for the girl child and provision of maternity benefit under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) seek to promote positive behavioral change towards girl child. They have achieved significant progress in improving the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB), raising awareness about the importance of girl education, and ensuring better healthcare for girls and women.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has undertaken cohesive convergent efforts for protection and empowerment of the girl child and has become a cornerstone for all schemes/programmes and policies at all levels for the safety, security and empowerment of the girl child through life cycle continuum.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Lok Sabha in reply to a question today.

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Indian Athletes, Fitness Influencers Rally Behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Call to Fight Obesity

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 3:25PM by PIB Delhi

Indian sports athletes and fitness influencers are stepping up to support Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s clarion call to combat obesity, made at the opening ceremony of the 38th National Games 2025 in Dehradun.

Indian hockey legend PR Sreejesh stressed the need for dietary awareness. “Eating well is the first step towards a healthier, happier life. Let’s make Fit Food India a lifestyle, inspired by PM Narendra Modi ji’s commitment to fitness,” he wrote on social media platform X.

Eating well is the first step towards a healthier, happier life. Let’s make #FitFoodIndia a lifestyle, inspired by PM Narendra Modi ji’s commitment to fitness. @FitIndiaOff

— sreejesh p r (@16Sreejesh) February 7, 2025

Table tennis star Manika Batra echoed the sentiment, promoting the importance of mindful eating. “The food we eat shapes our health. Let’s commit to nutritious choices and make Fit Food India a way of life, contributing to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji’s mission for a fitter India,” she posted on X.

The food we eat shapes our health. Let’s commit to nutritious choices and make #FitFoodIndia a way of life, contributing to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji’s mission for a fitter India. @FitIndiaOff

— Manika Batra (@manikabatra_TT) February 6, 2025

Fit India icon and MMA champion Sangram Singh meanwhile emphasized the urgency of prioritizing health, urging people to adopt a fit lifestyle. “The most essential thing for the human body is to eat well and stay fit. Our Hon’ble Prime Minister has urged this to everybody, and we must fight against obesity. At the end of life, wealth and luxuries won’t matter—only our body will carry us forward. Let’s make ourselves healthy and take the country ahead,” said Singh in a video.

With sports icons backing the movement, the fight against obesity is gaining momentum. Last Sunday, the Fit India Sundays on Cycle initiative at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium in the national capital saw Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya leading a 250+ group of doctors and nutritionists taking forward Hon’ble Prime Minister’s call to fight obesity in India.

Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi made the clarion call for the same at the opening ceremony of the 38th National Games in Dehradun. He called for a fight against obesity that is affecting all age groups, both young and old.

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Himanshu Pathak

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) drives Swachhata Pakhwada: A two-week cleanliness campaign being implemented during February 1-15, 2025

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 3:08PM by PIB Delhi

Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) celebrates a fortnight long Swachhata Pakhwada this year, inspired by the Prime Minister’s vision to make swachhata “everyone’s business” and to involve all Central Government Ministries and Departments including all the attached institutions/organizations/autonomous bodies/CPSEs also in swachhata related activities.

Swachhata pledge being administered by Shri S Krishnan, Secretary MeitY

10 years of swachhata pakhwada

The year 2025 is the 10th consecutive year of Swachhata Pakhwada implementation. The proposed calendar, along with guidelines for Swachhata Pakhwada, has been shared with all the associated organizations of MeitY. They are engaging in Shramdan activities in the communities where they are located and to which they are connected by virtue of their work. Departmental canteens run by MeitY have been taken up for priority Swachhata makeover.

A Step towards clean India, healthy India

The Swachhata Pledge was administered by Secretary MeitY on 03.02.2025 with the participation of AS, JSs, GCs, CISF officers & staff, CEOs and officers and officials of MeitY. The officers/officials of autonomous/ attached/subordinate offices/statutory bodies/Autonomous societies and PSUs viz. NIC, STQC, CCA, ICERT, UIDAI, NIELIT, STPI, ERNET India, C-DAC, C-MET, SAMEET, SCL, BISAG(N) NIXI, NICSI, DIC (incl. My-Gov, NeGD), CSC participated in their respective Swachhata pledges.

The banners and posters on Swachhata Pakhwada were prominently displayed. All organizations participated enthusiastically on daily basis to achieve the goal of “Clean India and Healthy India: With your cooperation, a step towards cleanliness”. Activities like removal of unwanted clutter, dusting and sanitization, waste segregation, toilet cleaning etc. were carried out to achieve cleaner workplace and pleasant surrounding area.

Photographs and videos of the event were taken and uploaded on Swachhata Portal. The MeitY has also issued messages on X social media.

MeitY के सचिव श्री एस. कृष्णन और सभी अधिकारियों ने गर्व के साथ आज स्वच्छता शपथ ली, जिससे उन्होंने एक स्वच्छ, हरित और स्वस्थ भारत के प्रति अपनी प्रतिबद्धता को और अधिक मजबूत किया।https://t.co/Zmk9gZW5eN

— Ministry of Electronics & IT (@GoI_MeitY) February 4, 2025

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Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha

(Release ID: 2100614) Visitor Counter : 80

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025

Category: Transport

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AI-enabled National Consumer Helpline system set up; gives sector-wise analysis of grievancesNational Consumer Helpline available as toll-free number “1915” or through web portal

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Anganwadi workers technologically empowered with the provision of smartphones for efficient monitoring and service delivery under Mission Poshan 2.0Provision of performance linked incentives for Anganwadi workers and helpers for growth measurement, home visits and opening of Anganwadi centres

Anganwadi centres are the world’s largest childcare institutions dedicated to providing essential care and support to children ensuring delivery of care facilities till the last mileIn a first of its kind approach, Ministry has extended the services of childcare through Anganwadi cum Crèche

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has undertaken cohesive convergent efforts for protection and empowerment of the girl childThe scheme is 100% funded by Central Government and has been expanded to cover all districts of the country

AI-enabled National Consumer Helpline system set up; gives sector-wise analysis of grievances

National Consumer Helpline available as toll-free number “1915” or through web portal

Anganwadi workers technologically empowered with the provision of smartphones for efficient monitoring and service delivery under Mission Poshan 2.0

Provision of performance linked incentives for Anganwadi workers and helpers for growth measurement, home visits and opening of Anganwadi centres

Anganwadi centres are the world’s largest childcare institutions dedicated to providing essential care and support to children ensuring delivery of care facilities till the last mile

In a first of its kind approach, Ministry has extended the services of childcare through Anganwadi cum Crèche

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has undertaken cohesive convergent efforts for protection and empowerment of the girl child

The scheme is 100% funded by Central Government and has been expanded to cover all districts of the country