Latest news with #BSK
GMA Network
23-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec hopes for automated barangay, SK polls in future
Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday that he is hoping for the passage of a law that would allow the conduct of an automated or hybrid method of voting in Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in the future. 'Sana magkaroon ng batas na para isama o yung ninanais ng iba na magkaroon ng tinatawag na hybrid — may manual na, mayroon pang automated. Susuporta kami sa ganoon. Una, hindi naman ganoon karami ang iboboto sa barangay…so hindi ganoon kahaba yung babasahin katulad ng sa national at local elections,' said Chairperson George Garcia said in an interview. (I hope there will be a law to include it or what some are wishing for, which is hybrid voting — there is manual and there is automated elections at the same time. We will support that. Because in the first place, there are only a few positions to vote for in the the canvassing of votes is not that long like in the national and local elections.) The upcoming BSKE on December 1 will be done manually, which means the public will cast their votes by writing the names of their bets for barangay captain, members of Sangguniang Barangay, and chairperson and members of SK. Garcia pointed out that having automated BSKE will not only produce faster results, but it will also safeguard electoral board members and canvassers from any threats. 'Kasi kapag mas mabilis ang resulta, hindi 'yan tumatagal nang magdamag o hanggang kinabukasan…walang violence, walang ballot box snatching, wala yung mga intimidation, threat, o kaya pagkamatay,' he added. (Because when the results are faster, it won' take overnight or until the next will be no violence, no ballot box snatching, no intimidation, threats, or even death.) Comelec conducted a pilot testing of automated BSK polls in three areas in Dasmariñas City, Cavite in 2023. Garcia said the barangays were able to proclaim the winners within an hour. However, the Comelec official said that some people still prefer writing down their votes. 'Sa bandang huli, may reason din kasi, aaminin ko kung bakit manual ang eleksyon sa ating barangay…kapag barangay gusto talaga sinusulat ng mga kababayan natin ang kanilang boto. Ayan naman, kinikilala natin ang bagay na 'yan. At siyempre mas matipid kapag manual na halalan,' said Garcia. (I must admit that there's a reason why the elections in the barangays are done manually. It's because many residents still prefer to write down their votes. And we recognize their preferences and manual elections would save us money as well.) The Comelec earlier launched on Friday the KAISA Project to kick off the preparations for the December polls. — BAP, GMA Integrated News
Cision Canada
14-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Blue Sky Uranium Expands Drill Plan to Advance the Ivana Uranium-Vanadium Project
TSX Venture Exchange: BSK Frankfurt Stock Exchange: MAL2 OTCQB Venture Market (OTC): BKUCF VANCOUVER, BC, May 14, 2025 /CNW/ - Blue Sky Uranium Corp. (TSXV: BSK) (FSE: MAL2) (OTC: BKUCF), ("Blue Sky" or the"Company") is pleased to announce an update to the 2025 drill program to advance the Ivana Uranium-Vanadium deposit towards feasibility. The drill program is being planned and executed by Blue Sky's joint-venture operating company Ivana Minerales S.A., (" JVCO", a partnership with Abatare Spain, S.L.U.). The updated programs have led to a doubling of the original budget to US$6.0M, beyond the minimum annual commitment of US$3M for the first year stipulated in the joint-venture agreement. The new estimate includes US$4.4M for the infill drilling program and US$1.6M for a subsequent exploration drilling program. Nikolaos Cacos, President & CEO of the Company stated, "It is clear that JVCO has decided to move forward with an aggressive work plan aimed at achieving technical and economic feasibility in the shortest possible time. This supports the near-term goal for Ivana: building a strong asset for our shareholders that offers Argentina a potential domestic uranium supply for its nuclear energy generation." As previously reported, the next program is expected to include up to 6,000 metres of reverse circulation (" RC") drilling. The program has been refined to include approximately 330 drill holes with an estimated average depth of 18 metres as shown in Figure 1. This will include infill drilling to support the reclassification of some inferred mineral resources to indicated mineral resources and to improve the geological modeling to allow the design of the deposit to be adjusted for mining. A second phase RC drill program of up to 2,500 metres now been planned to follow the infill program. This program will test at least two new high-potential exploration targets surrounding Ivana. Drilling proposals are currently being evaluated, and the JVCO team is prioritizing the availability of equipment and the possibility of having two rigs drilling simultaneously to accelerate the work plan. The Company expects the drill program to begin this fiscal quarter once the final technical, legal and community requirements have been completed. In addition to planning the drill program, the JVCO technical team is continuing its process of evaluating engineering companies capable of advancing the other technical and economic aspects of the project toward feasibility. In adherence to the principles of both joint-venture participants, the winning bid will offer the highest standards of modern and sustainable mining, extensive local experience, the ability and assurance of meeting the proposed goals within the required timeline and a commitment to an appropriate budget. Qualified Persons The technical contents of this news release have been reviewed and approved by Mr. Ariel Testi, CPG, who works for the Company and is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101. About Ivana Minerales S.A. Ivana Minerales S.A. is the operating company for the joint-venture between Blue Sky and its partner Abatare Spain, S.L.U. (" COAM") to advance the Ivana Uranium-Vanadium deposit in Rio Negro Province of Argentina. The activities of JVCO are subject to the earn-in transaction (the " Agreement") in which COAM will fund cumulative expenditures of US$35 million to acquire a 49.9% indirect equity interest in the Ivana deposit, and then has the further right to earn up to an 80% equity interest in JVCO by completion of a feasibility study and funding the costs and expenditures up to US$160,000,000 to develop and construct the project to commercial production, subject to the terms and conditions in the Agreement. For additional details, please refer to the News Release dated February 27, 2025, as well as the Company's latest Financial Statements & MD&A available at About Blue Sky Uranium Corp. Blue Sky Uranium Corp. is a leader in uranium discovery in Argentina. The Company's objective is to deliver exceptional returns to shareholders by rapidly advancing a portfolio of surficial uranium deposits into low-cost producers, while respecting the environment, the communities, and the cultures in all the areas in which we work. Blue Sky has the exclusive right to properties in two provinces in Argentina. The Company's Amarillo Grande Project was an in-house discovery of a new district that has the potential to be both a leading domestic supplier of uranium to the growing Argentine market and a new international market supplier. Blue Sky is advancing its flagship Ivana Uranium-Vanadium Deposit through a joint venture with subsidiaries of Corporación América Group. The Company is a member of the Grosso Group, a resource management group that has pioneered exploration in Argentina since 1993. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Nikolaos Cacos" _____________________________________ Nikolaos Cacos, President, CEO and Director Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, the "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Any statements that are contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "will", "estimates", "believes", "intends" "expects" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward-looking statements that, other than statements of historical fact, address activities, events or developments the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, statements about the Company's planned drilling campaign at the Ivana deposit and the timing thereof and the prospective nature of the "Bajo Huenteleo" target area. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: uncertainty relating to mineral resources; risks related to heavy metal and transition metal price fluctuations, particularly uranium and vanadium; ri sks relating to the dependence of the Company on key management personnel and outside parties; the potential impact of global pandemics; risks and uncertainties related to governmental regulation and the ability to obtain, amend, or maintain licenses, permits, or surface rights; risks associated with technical difficulties in connection with mining activities; and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, including in respect of the Company's planned drilling program described in this news release. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Readers are encouraged to refer to the Company's public disclosure documents for a more detailed discussion of factors that may impact expected future results. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by securities law. SOURCE Blue Sky Uranium Corp.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
How we tested the soil in Altadena and Pacific Palisades
Over three days in late March, four Los Angeles Times environment reporters and an editor fanned out across the Eaton and Palisades burn scars to collect 40 soil samples from residential properties: 10 in each burn area from properties where debris removal was completed by the Army Corps of Engineers and 10 in each burn area from the yards of standing homes. Read more: Treated Like Dirt: Uncovering the toxic soil lurking in L.A.'s burn zones At each stop, the team donned vinyl gloves and boot coverings to prevent the spread of contamination and collected five evenly spaced samples with a hand-held tool that takes 4-inch soil cores. At standing homes, we sampled throughout the yard. At destroyed properties, we sampled within the former structure's footprint, where the federal cleanup crews had cleared debris and scraped up to 6 inches of soil. Times journalists mixed these five samples in a lined bucket to create one 'composite' sample to be tested in the lab. This sample pattern is designed to account for a wide range of soil conditions on each property and serve as an average, since it is possible that one part of a given property might be fully devoid of metal contamination while another might be heavily polluted. Composite sampling is a common practice in wildfire recovery. Between every property, the team sanitized all soil collection equipment with distilled water and wipes, and changed gloves and boot covers — so that no potential toxins could accidentally track from one site to another. We stored the samples in lab-provided jars, and kept the samples refrigerated at 38-40 degrees. At the end of the collection week, our editor drove the samples to BSK Associates, a state-certified environmental testing laboratory that tested soil on behalf of the government following the 2018 Camp fire and 2024 Mountain, Park and Borel fires. BSK used an Environmental Protection Agency-approved method to test for 17 metals most often studied in post-fire recovery. To do this, BSK used an instrument that sorts out different elements from within the soil by mass and counts the atoms. Since each of these 17 elements has a unique atomic mass — for example, only lead has an atomic mass of 0.34 trillion billionths of a gram — BSK could then determine the concentration of the metals. Read more: When FEMA failed to test soil for toxic substances after the L.A. fires, The Times had it done. The results were alarming At each step of the process, our team and BSK meticulously documented the chain of custody for the samples, creating a record of, at each moment, which individual was responsible for the safekeeping of each individual sample. The Times' methodology rigorously followed soil-testing practices from previous official post-wildfire efforts. Our team reviewed documents outlining the response for the Camp and Woolsey fires, and spoke with soil-testing experts familiar with the standard methodology for California wildfires. To find participants, we identified standing properties using the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's damage inspection data and properties that had finished debris removal using the Army Corps' dashboard. All participants consented to testing on their properties, and their exact addresses have been anonymized. The testing methodology used by The Times is a conservative reading. By using composite samples, high levels of contamination from one part of the property can become diluted by relatively uncontaminated sections elsewhere on the property. Read more: The L.A. wildfires left lead and other toxins in the soil of burn zones. Here are their health risks Further, due to cost considerations, The Times' methodology differed from typical postfire soil testing practices in one key way: In previous fires, soil testers would collect multiple composite samples for larger properties, roughly one sample per 500 square feet. Our team took only one composite sample per property, regardless of size. This means The Times' results had a greater potential to miss smaller contamination hot spots on properties. The Times found two properties cleared by the Army Corps in Altadena still had contamination above the state's typical health-based cleanup goals: one arsenic, one lead. Altadena's standing homes had arsenic, lead and mercury levels above typical cleanup goals, across three of the 10 homes our team tested. The Times found only a single reading above typical cleanup goals in the Palisades: a standing home with high levels of arsenic. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
04-05-2025
- Science
- Los Angeles Times
How we tested the soil in Altadena and Pacific Palisades
Over three days in late March, four Los Angeles Times environment reporters and an editor fanned out across the Eaton and Palisades burn scars to collect 40 soil samples from residential properties: 10 in each burn area from properties where debris removal was completed by the Army Corps of Engineers and 10 in each burn area from the yards of standing homes. At each stop, the team donned vinyl gloves and boot coverings to prevent the spread of contamination and collected five evenly spaced samples with a hand-held tool that takes 4-inch soil cores. At standing homes, we sampled throughout the yard. At destroyed properties, we sampled within the former structure's footprint, where the federal cleanup crews had cleared debris and scraped up to 6 inches of soil. Times journalists mixed these five samples in a lined bucket to create one 'composite' sample to be tested in the lab. This sample pattern is designed to account for a wide range of soil conditions on each property and serve as an average, since it is possible that one part of a given property might be fully devoid of metal contamination while another might be heavily polluted. Composite sampling is a common practice in wildfire recovery. Between every property, the team sanitized all soil collection equipment with distilled water and wipes, and changed gloves and boot covers — so that no potential toxins could accidentally track from one site to another. We stored the samples in lab-provided jars, and kept the samples refrigerated at 38-40 degrees. At the end of the collection week, our editor drove the samples to BSK Associates, a state-certified environmental testing laboratory that tested soil on behalf of the government following the 2018 Camp fire and 2024 Mountain, Park and Borel fires. BSK used an Environmental Protection Agency-approved method to test for 17 metals most often studied in post-fire recovery. To do this, BSK used an instrument that sorts out different elements from within the soil by mass and counts the atoms. Since each of these 17 elements has a unique atomic mass — for example, only lead has an atomic mass of 0.34 trillion billionths of a gram — BSK could then determine the concentration of the metals. At each step of the process, our team and BSK meticulously documented the chain of custody for the samples, creating a record of, at each moment, which individual was responsible for the safekeeping of each individual sample. The Times' methodology rigorously followed soil-testing practices from previous official post-wildfire efforts. Our team reviewed documents outlining the response for the Camp and Woolsey fires, and spoke with soil-testing experts familiar with the standard methodology for California wildfires. To find participants, we identified standing properties using the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's damage inspection data and properties that had finished debris removal using the Army Corps' dashboard. All participants consented to testing on their properties, and their exact addresses have been anonymized. The testing methodology used by The Times is a conservative reading. By using composite samples, high levels of contamination from one part of the property can become diluted by relatively uncontaminated sections elsewhere on the property. Further, due to cost considerations, The Times' methodology differed from typical postfire soil testing practices in one key way: In previous fires, soil testers would collect multiple composite samples for larger properties, roughly one sample per 500 square feet. Our team took only one composite sample per property, regardless of size. This means The Times' results had a greater potential to miss smaller contamination hot spots on properties. The Times found two properties cleared by the Army Corps in Altadena still had contamination above the state's typical health-based cleanup goals: one arsenic, one lead. Altadena's standing homes had arsenic, lead and mercury levels above typical cleanup goals, across three of the 10 homes our team tested. The Times found only a single reading above typical cleanup goals in the Palisades: a standing home with high levels of arsenic.
Associated Press
26-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
BSK Holdings Inc and Xebra Expand Partnership to Launch Elements Products in the United States
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 26, 2025 / Xebra Brands Ltd. ('Xebra' or the 'Company') (CSE:XBRA)(OTCQB:XBRAF)(FSE:9YC0), a pioneer in the Mexican cannabis market and exclusive holder of cannabis (-1% THC) commercialization rights in Mexico, is and BSK Holdings Inc. ('BSK'), are pleased to announce the expansion of the partnership to include the launch of Elements branded CBD products in the United States. The move into the U.S. market represents a significant next step for the Elements brand, and an expansion into the largest hemp and CBD market in the world. BSK has a proven track record of building and scaling brands in the U.S. market which will allow Xebra to tap into an established network and infrastructure. BSK's proven online sales ecosystem, supported by an in-house team of digital marketers, operations specialists, fulfillment partners, manufacturing capabilities, and executives who have built some of the most successful CBD brands in the space and created over $100M in revenue across their brands over the last 5 years. BSK's brands reach millions of consumers every year along with a strong track record in direct-to-consumer marketing, subscription-based sales, and national retail partnerships. Xebra aims to leverage this expertise, to develop a list of initial SKUs and products to launch into key regional markets where consumer interest in premium wellness CBD products continues to see strong demand. Over the coming fiscal quarter, BSKwill work with Xebra to identify key products, secure manufacturing and distribution partners, develop a market entry and launch plan, marketing strategy, US payment and banking partners, and assist Xebra to develop an E-commerce direct-to-consumer website for the Elements brand. The U.S. CBD market remains one of the largest and most mature globally, with revenue exceeding USD $5 billion in 2024, and projected to grow at a CAGR of 15% through 2030. BSK plans to position Elements in both wellness and active lifestyle verticals, tapping into existing consumer segments familiar with CBD as part of their daily routines. This move also signals continued alignment between Xebra and BSK as they work together to maximize the reach of the Elements brand across North America. While Xebra remains focused on leading the CBD market in Mexico, diversifying into the U.S, complements a broader vision to establish Elements as a trusted North-American CBD brand. 'We're incredibly encouraged by BSK's commitment to the Elements brand and their roadmap to scale it across the U.S.,' commented Rodrigo Gallardo, Interim CEO of Xebra Brands. 'This step represents continued momentum and validates our belief that Elements can compete and succeed in top-tier CBD markets.' About Xebra Brands Xebra Brands is a leading cannabis company dedicated to providing high-quality, innovative products to consumers worldwide. Xebra is a pioneer in the Mexican cannabis sector and the only company legally allowed to cultivate, manufacture, operate, and sell cannabis (-1% THC) in Mexico. About BSK Holdings Inc. BSK is a leading CBD company known for its top-selling Keoni and AMMA branded products in the U.S. market. With decades of industry experience and a proven track record of success, BSK is dedicated to providing high-quality CBD products through innovative e-commerce strategies. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Rodrigo Gallardo Interim CEO For more information, contact: 1 (888) XEBRA 88 [email protected] Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain 'forward-looking information' and 'forward-looking statements', as such terms are defined under applicable securities laws (collectively, 'forward-looking statements'). Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as 'plans', 'expects' ,"is expected', 'budget', 'scheduled,' 'estimates', 'forecasts', 'intends', 'anticipates' or 'believes' or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results 'may', 'could', 'would', 'might' or 'will' be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements herein include, but are not limited to, statements with respect Strategy 2025 and the Company's growth strategy into the CBD market, the roadmap to accelerate growth in the North American CBD market, the Company's expected growth pillars of Cultivation, Manufacturing and Retail and the planned business activities under each such pillar, that the Company is actively seeking to amend current provisions under the Company's Mexican cultivation licences that limit cultivation scale, the aim to collaborate with major agricultural institutions in Mexico for large-scale, low-cost outdoor cannabis cultivation, expectations with respect to the Company's legal proceedings in Mexico, including the results and timing thereof, the expectation that Chapingo University will initiate pilot projects once confined site approval is granted, the anticipation for the importation process the two CBD products, which were manufactured in partnership with Restorative Botanicals, to be completed by April 2025 and the expectation for launch shortly thereafter, the Company's plans for e-commerce partnerships with Amazon Mexico and Mercado Libre is Mexico and the intention to leveraging expertise from a major U.S. e-commerce partner for market expansion and that the Company is seeking partnerships with CBD brands and that such partnerships may expedite the Company's path to self-sustainability. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond Xebra's ability to predict or control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Specific reference is made to Xebra's most recent annual management discussion and analysis on file with certain Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities for a discussion of some of the factors underlying forward-looking statements, which include, without limitation, the inability of Xebra to retain the authorizations granted by COFEPRIS, the inability to successfully complete financings on terms acceptable to Xebra or at all, the inability to generate sufficient revenues or to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plan; changes in government legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in various countries; risks associated with agriculture and cultivation activities generally, including inclement weather, access to supply of seeds, poor crop yields, and spoilage; compliance with import and export laws of various countries; significant fluctuations in cannabis prices and transportation costs; the risk of obtaining necessary licenses and permits; inability to identify, negotiate and complete potential acquisitions, dispositions or joint ventures for any reason; the ability to retain key employees; dependence on third parties for services and supplies; non-performance by contractual counter-parties; general economic conditions; the continued growth in global demand for cannabis products and the continued increase in jurisdictions legalizing cannabis; and the timely receipt of regulatory approvals for license applications on terms satisfactory to Xebra. In addition, there is no assurance Xebra will: be a low-cost producer or exporter; obtain a dominant market position in any jurisdiction; have products that will be unique. The foregoing list is not exhaustive and Xebra undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of the foregoing except as required by law. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies could affect Xebra's actual performance and cause its actual performance to differ materially from what has been expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, Xebra. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those set out in such statements.
