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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister announces Canada-U.S. Economic Summit

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    While the tariffs proposed by the United States have been paused for 30 days, this is an important opportunity to build a long-term prosperity agenda for Canada. One that is resilient, that breaks down barriers between provinces and territories, and that is diversified in global trade.

    The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the Canada-U.S. Economic Summit, a landmark event hosted with members of the Council on Canada-U.S. Relations to galvanize business and investment across Canada. The Summit will take place in Toronto, Ontario, on February 7, 2025.

    The Canada-U.S. Economic Summit will build on the work of the Prime Minister’s Council on Canada-U.S. Relations and bring together Canadian leaders in trade, business, public policy, and organized labour. Using their sectoral expertise, the leaders will explore ways to grow Canada’s economy, make it easier to build and trade within the country, diversify export markets, and rejuvenate productivity. The Summit will see increased co-ordination, co-operation, and interoperability between partners, including through issue- and sector-specific conversations.

    Canada is the ninth-largest economy in the world. We have world-class talent, critical minerals, natural resources, a dynamic tech ecosystem, and an ambition to grow. The Canada-U.S. Economic Summit is our ambition in action – the next stride in fully unlocking our economic growth.

    The Canadian government, Canadian businesses, Canadian organized labour, Canadian civil society, and tens of millions of Canadians from coast to coast to coast are aligned and united with the same mission – building a stronger Canada, with more jobs, bigger paycheques, and long-term prosperity.

    Quote

    “The Canada-U.S. Economic Summit is Team Canada at its best. We are bringing together partners across business, civil society, and organized labour to find ways to galvanize our economy, create more jobs and bigger paycheques, make it easier to build and trade within our borders, and diversify export markets. We want businesses, investors, and workers to choose Canada.”

    Quick Facts

    • Canada and the U.S. are each other’s largest trade partners, with nearly $3.6 billion (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services crossing the border each day in 2023.
    • Backed by an investment of $1.3 billion and built around five pillars, Canada’s Border Plan is bolstering border security, strengthening our immigration system, and contributing to ensuring Canada’s future prosperity.
    • Last year, more than $530 billion worth of goods and services moved across provincial and territorial borders, representing almost 20 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product.
    • On January 17, 2025, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened the first meeting of the newly established Council on Canada-U.S. Relations. The Council, which comprises leaders in business, innovation, and policy, will provide advice to the Prime Minister and Cabinet on issues related to Canada-U.S. relations, including the threat of tariffs.
    • The Committee on Internal Trade consists of all federal, provincial, and territorial ministers responsible for internal trade, and is responsible for supervising the implementation of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA). This includes providing oversight over a number of CFTA working groups, assisting in the resolution of disputes, approving the annual operating budget of the Internal Trade Secretariat, and considering any other matter that may affect the operation of the CFTA.

    Associated Links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Air Pollution Worsened COVID-19 Mortality, Especially in Vulnerable Communities

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, statistics emerged showing significant discrepancies in mortality by county.

    Shinsuke Tanaka, assistant professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, wanted to use his expertise in environmental and health economics to help understand what was at the root of this puzzle.

    “I wanted to understand what could explain that spatial heterogeneity of Covid’s impacts,” Tanaka says.

    Tanaka published a paper in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management showing that counties with more days of downwind pollution from power plants had higher COVID-19 mortality rates. This impact was more pronounced in under-resourced communities.

    When Tanaka began his research during the 2020 lockdown, there had been a few studies looking at the links between short-term (daily or monthly) exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 mortality. But very few had considered the impacts of long-term air pollution exposure.

    Tanaka looked at the impacts of air pollution on counties within 20 miles of fossil-fueled power plants. He determined this was an appropriate radius based on readings from EPA air pollution monitors showing that air pollutants travelled downwind about that far before dissipating.

    Then, Tanaka calculated what percentage of days in a 10-year period before the pandemic a given county in the contiguous U.S. was downwind of power plant pollution.

    “That gives me a measure of long-term exposure to pollution for each county before Covid started,” Tanaka says.

    Tanaka found that counties with an average downwind frequency of 13.5% had 28% more COVID-19 deaths within the first week of April 2020 compared to upwind counties the same distance from a plant.

    Tanaka extended his research until the third mortality peak in January 2021. He found the cumulative mortality rate was 45% higher for communities that were more frequently downwind.

    Tanaka’s findings also demonstrated that these impacts were greater in counties with higher poverty rates, lower health insurance coverage, and lower education levels.

    “That indicates that disadvantaged communities and counties faced even greater burdens of pollution from these power plants during the pandemic,” Tanaka says.

    Such underlying disparities mean people in these communities are more likely to have underlying health conditions and less access to health care when they get sick.

    Other studies on links between air pollution and health have struggled to separate air pollution from other potentially confounding variables. By focusing on downwind patterns, an essentially random natural event, Tanaka was able to isolate air pollution as a variable.

    “This method allowed me to isolate the impact of pollution exposure more effectively,” Tanaka says.

    By demonstrating a method that can successfully isolate long-term air pollution exposure from confounding variables, Tanaka’s study paves the way for more research on other health outcomes.

    “COVID-19 is, of course, a very specific mortality, and I expect to see more studies on the impact of long-term air pollution exposure on various other health outcomes.”

    Research such as Tanaka’s demonstrates that the significant public health costs of fossil fuels will remain critical to public policy discussions.

    “It will be very important to understand which power plants are having greater impacts, and what plants should be closed,” Tanaka says. “Those discussions should continue.”

    This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on  Enhancing Health and Well-Being Locally, Nationally, and Globally.

    Follow UConn CAHNR on social media

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Department of Defense Program Funds Study of Cranial Regeneration

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Biomedical engineering researchers at UConn Health believe there might be a way to use ultrasound to compel the body to regrow cranial tissue.

    Yusuf Khan, an associate professor of orthopedic surgery, and Dr. David Hersh, associate professor of neurosurgery, have been studying whether some principles of bone development in children could apply to bone healing in adults who’ve had part of their skull removed and replaced.

    A decompressive craniectomy (left) is performed to accommodate intracranial swelling by removing a large portion of the skull. When the swelling resolves, a cranioplasty (right) is performed to replace the missing bone, often with the original bone flap that had been removed during the first surgery. (Images provided by David Hersh)

    They recently were awarded a two-year grant totaling $435,000 through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program’s Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program, part of the Department of Defense.

    A decompressive craniectomy, or the removal of a portion of the skull, is a potentially life-saving intervention for when a patient suffers from brain edema, or severe swelling, such as when there has been a traumatic brain injury. The procedure gives the swelling brain more space, relieving pressure and lowering the risk of herniation, which can be fatal.

    Hersh, a pediatric neurosurgeon at Connecticut Children’s who performs craniectomies on select patients with certain conditions, notes that after the follow-up cranioplasty, which is when the portion of skull that had been removed is then reattached, that piece of bone can have problems reintegrating with the remainder of the skull. In some cases, the bone gets resorbed, meaning it instead starts to shrink and get absorbed by the body.

    “You end up being left with big gaps in the bone, which can leave the underlying brain at risk,” Hersh says. “And then the patient needs even more surgeries to provide appropriate coverage, which might involve a synthetic replacement.”

    Dr. David Hersh (left), UConn School of Medicine associate professor of neurosurgery and pediatric neurosurgeon at Connecticut Children’s, speaks with Yusuf Khan, associate program director of the UConn School of Medicine’s Skeletal Biology and Regeneration Graduate Program, in Khan’s lab at UConn Health. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo)

    Original bone has many biological and other advantages over synthetic materials, such as metals or hard plastics, and trying to eliminate or reduce the need for synthetics is one of the tenets of regenerative engineering.

    In 2019, Hersh started collaborating with Khan, who had been studying therapeutic ultrasound and how it facilitates fracture repair. Hersh had prior experience using therapeutic ultrasound for neurosurgical applications such as for blood brain barrier opening.

    “David came to me with a very specific pediatric problem that he wanted to try to solve,” Khan says. “This grant really grew from the original pediatric application, but, through us working together over the years, we realized the potential for adults, too. And the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program is an ideal funder for a project like this because of the type of battlefield injuries that soldiers unfortunately experience.”

    The focus is on the dura, the thin layer of tissue that encloses the brain, and whether low-intensity ultrasound can provide a physical force that the cells can sense, possibly stimulating cranial bone regeneration.

    “We think that there’s something unique about those dural cells in that they respond to physical forces, just like bone cells do,” Khan says. “We’ve seen interesting responses by dural cells from young animals that are exposed to ultrasound, and we’re now going to explore whether skeletally mature cells act the same way. We plan to add stem cells to the defect site to study how they communicate with dural cells and whether this can stimulate new bone formation.”

    Hannah Anderson is a 2025 Ph.D. candidate in The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering. Yusuf Khan is her mentor. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)

    Khan likens it to how certain fractures actually benefit from weight-bearing during the healing process.

    Hersh says the body already provides an encouraging clue.

    “Our hypothesis is based on what people have learned about normal development –the skull grows in response to the underlying dura releasing signals that then stimulate bone formation,” Hersh says. “We think that happens as a result of the brain itself growing when we’re young and applying mechanical strain to the dura, which then signals to the bone above it. So, our aim is to recreate that natural process to facilitate bone healing in a way that’s similar to the original bone development.”

    While studying this issue may have utility for wounded warriors, its potential applications may extend far beyond that. Examples include patients undergoing a decompressive craniectomy and subsequent cranioplasty for reasons unrelated to combat, including in the setting of civilian traumatic brain injury and certain severe types of stroke.

    “This collaboration on regenerating cranial bone is so important for the future of our wounded warriors,” says Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, the founder and director of the Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering. “It is also beneficial to any mature patient with a traumatic brain injury. Congratulations to Dr. Khan and Dr. Hersh for securing funding to continue their life-altering research.”

    The UConn School of Medicine’s Dr. David Hersh (left) and Yusuf Khan are studying how ultrasound may help the body regrow skull bone, funded through a grant from the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo)

    Khan is the associate program director of the UConn School of Medicine’s Skeletal Biology and Regeneration Graduate Program and a member of the Laurencin Institute.

    “This is a great example of the power of academic interdisciplinary medicine, where a talented surgeon brought a clinical problem to an engaged and creative scientist-engineer to work towards the betterment of patient care,” says Dr. Isaac Moss, chair of UConn Health’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. “When I connected Drs. Hersh and Khan five years ago, it was clear that these two faculty members would form a great partnership and it’s great to see fruits from this collaboration.”

    Dr. Ketan Bulsara, chair of UConn Health’s Department of Neurosurgery, agrees.

    “The interdepartmental collaboration between Dr. Hersh from neurosurgery and Dr. Khan from orthopedic surgery is just another example of our symbiotic clinical and research excellence that has the potential to transform patient care through our tripartite mission,” Bulsara says. “I congratulate them both on receiving this prestigious grant, and congratulate Dr. Jonathan Martin also for leading our exemplary pediatric neurosurgery team at Connecticut Children’s.”

    Martin, a professor of surgery and pediatrics, directs Connecticut Children’s Division of Neurosurgery and holds its Paul M. Kanev Chair of Pediatric Neurosurgery.

    “We have been privileged to partner with the UConn Health Department of Neurosurgery through the neurosurgery residency program, which has also expanded our access to new clinical and research partners,” Martin says. “The collaboration between Connecticut Children’s and UConn Health has accelerated the ability of exceptional faculty like Dr. Hersh to pursue answers to difficult questions that will benefit patients well beyond Connecticut and Western New England.”

    The grant starts Feb. 1. While the research is in its very early stages, Khan says when the time comes, the work in the lab will be easily translatable.

    “To me, this represents the best version of a clinician-research collaboration, where there is a clinical need looking for a solution, and there is a research solution looking for the ideal clinical application,” he says. “This demonstrates the power of and the need for clinician-scientist collaborations.”

    The work was supported by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs endorsed by the Department of Defense, in the amount of $435,465.00, through the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program under Award No. HT9425-25-1-0053. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs or the Department of Defense.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hospital Payment Program and Medical Debt Relief Initiative Approved for Another Year

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Hospital Payment Program and Medical Debt Relief Initiative Approved for Another Year

    Hospital Payment Program and Medical Debt Relief Initiative Approved for Another Year
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    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services received approval from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services to continue the Healthcare Access and Stabilization Program (HASP) that makes hospital incentives for the state’s medical debt relief initiative possible. The first two years were approved in July 2024. This new approval supports the state’s work to relieve more than $4 billion and a decade’s worth of medical debt for nearly 2 million low-and middle-income North Carolinians and prevent accumulation of new debt going forward.

    “Carrying medical debt for too many people is like carrying a financial anvil. North Carolina’s medical debt relief initiative is giving these folks a clean credit slate,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I am pleased that CMS has approved this initiative for another year so we can continue to create a stronger health care system and healthier North Carolina for every person.”

    In its third year, for services provided to Medicaid managed care enrollees from July 2025 to June 2026, the HASP program will include nearly $6.5 billion in gross revenue if all North Carolina hospitals continue to participate in the medical debt relief initiative. Importantly, HASP dollars are not being used to implement medical debt relief for consumers. Rather, hospitals are required to relieve medical debt deemed uncollectable and adopt certain charity care policies as a condition of eligibility to receive enhanced HASP payments.

    North Carolina’s program is the first in the nation to leverage Medicaid state directed payment authority to encourage hospitals to both relieve historical medical debt and adopt forward-looking protections to prevent the accumulation of debt.

    “North Carolina’s innovative medical debt relief plan ensures people with low-income are protected from harmful debt collection practices and financial ruin,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “This program is a win-win for North Carolina so that people can receive the care they need without fear of costly medical debt while supporting financial sustainability for hospitals.”

    Last year, all 99 acute care hospitals in the state signed on to participate. In addition to mitigating medical debt, hospitals are also required to implement more robust and standardized financial assistance policies and eliminate reporting of medical debt to credit agencies.

    More than 20 million Americans had outstanding medical debt in 2021. Among those experiencing health care-related debt nationally, more than 40 percent have fully or nearly exhausted personal savings or taken on credit card debt to cover their medical debts. Other than income and job loss, medical expenses are the highest contributor to personal bankruptcy in the United States. The ultimate impact is significant harm to patients – eight in 10 people with medical debt have deferred needed medical care due to the expense.

    Research shows that medical debt relief is a highly bi-partisan issue with strong support from Democratic and Republican leaders. Polling shows 80% of people want their state and federal elected officials to pass policies to reduce health care costs. Medical debt relief is an initiative leadership can use to significantly improve the lives of their constituents.

    People who are eligible do not need to take any action to have their medical debt relieved. Hospitals are working with Undue Medical Debt to notify patients directly if they meet the eligibility requirements. For more information about HASP and North Carolina’s Medical Debt Relief Incentive Program, please see the FAQ and Toolkit for other states interested in implementing similar programs.

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte recibió la aprobación de los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid (CMS, por sus siglas en inglés) para continuar el Programa de Acceso y Estabilización de la Atención Médica (HASP) que hace posible los incentivos hospitalarios para la iniciativa estatal de alivio de la deuda médica. Los dos primeros años fueron aprobados en julio de 2024. Esta nueva aprobación respalda el trabajo del estado para aliviar más de $4 mil millones y una década de deuda médica para casi 2 millones de habitantes de Carolina del Norte de bajos y medianos ingresos y evitar la acumulación de nueva deuda en el futuro.

    “Llevar deudas médicas para demasiadas personas es como llevar un yunque financiero. La iniciativa de alivio de la deuda médica de Carolina del Norte está dando a estas personas un borrón y cuenta nueva”, dijo el gobernador Josh Stein. “Me complace que los CMS hayan aprobado esta iniciativa por un año más para que podamos continuar creando un sistema de atención médica más sólido y una Carolina del Norte más saludable para cada persona”.

    En su tercer año, para los servicios prestados a los afiliados a la atención administrada de Medicaid desde julio de 2025 hasta junio de 2026, el programa HASP incluirá casi $6.5 mil millones en ingresos brutos si todos los hospitales de Carolina del Norte continúan participando en la iniciativa de alivio de la deuda médica. Es importante destacar que los dólares de HASP no se están utilizando para implementar el alivio de la deuda médica para los consumidores. Más bien, los hospitales están obligados a aliviar la deuda médica considerada incobrable y adoptar ciertas políticas de atención de caridad como condición de elegibilidad para recibir pagos HASP mejorados.

    El programa de Carolina del Norte es el primero en la nación en aprovechar la autoridad de pago dirigida por el estado de Medicaid para alentar a los hospitales a aliviar la deuda médica histórica y adoptar protecciones para evitar la acumulación de deuda.

    “El innovador plan de alivio de la deuda médica de Carolina del Norte garantiza que las personas con bajos ingresos estén protegidas de las prácticas dañinas de cobro de deudas y la ruina financiera”, dijo el secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Dev Sangvai. “Este programa es beneficioso para Carolina del Norte para que las personas puedan recibir la atención que necesitan sin temor a una deuda médica costosa y al mismo tiempo apoyar la sostenibilidad financiera de los hospitales”.

    El año pasado, los 99 hospitales de cuidados intensivos del estado se inscribieron para participar. Además de mitigar la deuda médica, los hospitales también deben implementar políticas de asistencia financiera más sólidas y estandarizadas y eliminar la notificación de la deuda médica a las agencias de crédito.

    Más de 20 millones de estadounidenses tenían deudas médicas pendientes en 2021. Entre las personas que experimentan deudas relacionadas con la atención médica a nivel nacional, más del 40 por ciento han agotado por completo o casi por completo sus ahorros personales o se han endeudado con tarjetas de crédito para pagar sus deudas médicas. Aparte de los ingresos y la pérdida de empleo, los gastos médicos son el mayor contribuyente a la bancarrota personal en los Estados Unidos. El impacto final es un gran daño para los pacientes: ocho de cada diez personas con deudas médicas han diferido la atención médica necesaria debido al gasto.

    La investigación muestra que el alivio de la deuda médica es un tema altamente bipartidista con un fuerte apoyo de los líderes demócratas y republicanos. Las encuestas muestran que el 80% de las personas quieren que sus funcionarios electos estatales y federales aprueben políticas para reducir los costos de atención médica. El alivio de la deuda médica es una iniciativa que el liderazgo puede utilizar para mejorar significativamente las vidas de sus constituyentes.

    Las personas que son elegibles no necesitan tomar ninguna medida para que se les alivie su deuda médica. Los hospitales están trabajando con Undue Medical Debt para notificar directamente a los pacientes si cumplen con los requisitos de elegibilidad. Para obtener más información sobre HASP y el Programa de Incentivos para el Alivio de Deudas Médicas de Carolina del Norte, consulte las Preguntas frecuentes y el Kit de herramientas para otros estados interesados en implementar programas similares.  

    Feb 5, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, December and Annual 2024

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

    The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $98.4 billion in December, up $19.5 billion from $78.9 billion in November, revised.

    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Deficit
    Deficit: $98.4 Billion  +24.7%°
    Exports: $266.5 Billion  –2.6%°
    Imports: $364.9 Billion  +3.5%°

    Next release: Thursday, March 6, 2025

    (°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changes

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, February 5, 2025

    Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)

    December exports were $266.5 billion, $7.1 billion less than November exports. December imports were $364.9 billion, $12.4 billion more than November imports.

    The December increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $18.9 billion to $123.0 billion and a decrease in the services surplus of $0.6 billion to $24.5 billion.

    For 2024, the goods and services deficit increased $133.5 billion, or 17.0 percent, from 2023. Exports increased $119.8 billion or 3.9 percent. Imports increased $253.3 billion or 6.6 percent.

    Three-Month Moving Averages (exhibit 2)

    The average goods and services deficit increased $4.7 billion to $83.8 billion for the three months ending in December.

    • Average exports decreased $1.2 billion to $268.8 billion in December.
    • Average imports increased $3.5 billion to $352.7 billion in December.

    Year-over-year, the average goods and services deficit increased $19.2 billion from the three months ending in December 2023.

    • Average exports increased $9.8 billion from December 2023.
    • Average imports increased $29.0 billion from December 2023.

    Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7)

    Exports of goods decreased $7.5 billion to $170.2 billion in December.

      Exports of goods on a Census basis decreased $6.7 billion.

    • Consumer goods decreased $1.8 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations decreased $1.4 billion.
    • Industrial supplies and materials decreased $1.8 billion.
      • Crude oil decreased $0.9 billion.
      • Other petroleum products decreased $0.3 billion.
      • Other precious metals decreased $0.3 billion.
      • Fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides decreased $0.3 billion.
    • Capital goods decreased $1.4 billion.
      • Computers decreased $0.9 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft increased $1.4 billion.
    • Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines decreased $0.9 billion.
      • Trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles decreased $0.4 billion.
      • Other automotive parts and accessories decreased $0.3 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments decreased $0.8 billion.

    Exports of services increased $0.4 billion to $96.3 billion in December.

    • Travel increased $0.3 billion.
    • Financial services increased $0.1 billion.

    Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8)

    Imports of goods increased $11.4 billion to $293.1 billion in December.

      Imports of goods on a Census basis increased $11.3 billion.

    • Industrial supplies and materials increased $10.8 billion.
      • Finished metal shapes increased $9.2 billion.
      • Nonmonetary gold increased $1.0 billion.
    • Consumer goods increased $2.2 billion.
      • Toys, games, and sporting goods increased $0.8 billion.
      • Cell phones and other household goods increased $0.8 billion.
    • Capital goods increased $1.3 billion.
      • Computers increased $1.2 billion.
      • Computer accessories increased $0.9 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft decreased $1.1 billion.
    • Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines decreased $2.2 billion.
      • Passenger cars decreased $1.6 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments increased $0.1 billion.

    Imports of services increased $1.0 billion to $71.8 billion in December.

    • Transport increased $0.5 billion.
    • Travel increased $0.3 billion.

    Real Goods in 2017 Dollars – Census Basis (exhibit 11)

    The real goods deficit increased $14.9 billion, or 15.4 percent, to $111.9 billion in December, compared to a 17.3 percent increase in the nominal deficit.

    • Real exports of goods decreased $5.4 billion, or 3.7 percent, to $141.9 billion, compared to a 3.8 percent decrease in nominal exports.
    • Real imports of goods increased $9.5 billion, or 3.9 percent, to $253.8 billion, compared to a 4.0 percent increase in nominal imports.

    Revisions

    In addition to revisions to source data for the November statistics, the seasonally adjusted goods data were revised for January through November so that the totals of the seasonally adjusted months equal the annual totals.

    Revisions to November exports

    • Exports of goods were revised up $0.1 billion.
    • Exports of services were revised up $0.1 billion.

    Revisions to November imports

    • Imports of goods were revised up $0.8 billion.
    • Imports of services were revised up $0.1 billion.

    Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: Monthly – Census Basis (exhibit 19)

    The December figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Netherlands ($5.0), South and Central America ($3.5), United Kingdom ($2.3), Hong Kong ($0.7), Brazil ($0.4), Saudi Arabia ($0.4), Belgium ($0.3), and Australia ($0.2). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China ($25.3), European Union ($20.4), Mexico ($15.2), Switzerland ($13.0), Vietnam ($11.4), Canada ($7.9), Germany ($7.6), Taiwan ($6.9), Ireland ($6.2), South Korea ($5.6), Japan ($5.5), India ($4.9), Italy ($4.1), Malaysia ($2.5), France ($1.1), Israel ($0.8), and Singapore ($0.4).

    • The deficit with Switzerland increased $9.1 billion to $13.0 billion in December. Exports decreased $0.7 billion to $1.2 billion and imports increased $8.4 billion to $14.2 billion.
    • The deficit with Canada increased $2.9 billion to $7.9 billion in December. Exports decreased $0.4 billion to $29.1 billion and imports increased $2.5 billion to $37.0 billion.
    • The deficit with Ireland decreased $3.1 billion to $6.2 billion in December. Exports decreased $0.1 billion to $1.2 billion and imports decreased $3.2 billion to $7.5 billion.

    Annual Summary for 2024

    Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)

    For 2024, the goods and services deficit was $918.4 billion, up $133.5 billion from $784.9 billion in 2023. Exports were $3,191.6 billion, up $119.8 billion from 2023. Imports were $4,110.0 billion, up $253.3 billion from 2023.

    The 2024 increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $148.5 billion, or 14.0 percent, to $1,211.7 billion and an increase in the services surplus of $14.9 billion, or 5.4 percent, to $293.3 billion.

    The goods and services deficit was 3.1 percent of current-dollar gross domestic product in 2024, up from 2.8 percent in 2023.

    Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7)

    Exports of goods increased $38.6 billion to $2,083.8 billion in 2024.

      Exports of goods on a Census basis increased $47.1 billion.

    • Capital goods increased $40.2 billion.
      • Computer accessories increased $11.3 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft engines increased $8.7 billion.
      • Computers increased $8.2 billion.
      • Semiconductors increased $8.1 billion.
    • Other goods increased $17.9 billion. (See the “Notice” for more information.)
    • Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines decreased $10.8 billion.
      • Other automotive parts and accessories decreased $4.3 billion.
      • Passenger cars decreased $4.0 billion.
      • Trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles decreased $3.0 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments decreased $8.5 billion.

    Exports of services increased $81.2 billion to $1,107.8 billion in 2024.

    • Travel increased $26.3 billion.
    • Other business services increased $16.0 billion.
    • Telecommunications, computer, and information services increased $11.9 billion.
    • Financial services increased $11.6 billion.

    Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8)

    Imports of goods increased $187.1 billion to $3,295.6 billion in 2024.

      Imports of goods on a Census basis increased $187.2 billion.

    • Capital goods increased $103.3 billion.
      • Computer accessories increased $33.5 billion.
      • Computers increased $28.3 billion.
      • Semiconductors increased $9.4 billion.
      • Other industrial machinery increased $9.0 billion.
    • Consumer goods increased $48.4 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $43.6 billion.
    • Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines increased $16.1 billion.
      • Passenger cars increased $10.0 billion.
      • Other automotive parts and accessories increased $4.8 billion.
    • Foods, feeds, and beverages increased $15.9 billion.
      • Meat products increased $3.5 billion.
      • Fruits, frozen juices increased $2.3 billion.
      • Bakery products increased $2.2 billion.
      • Other foods increased $2.0 billion.
      • Vegetables increased $1.7 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments decreased $0.2 billion.

    Imports of services increased $66.2 billion to $814.4 billion in 2024.

    • Travel increased $19.2 billion.
    • Charges for the use of intellectual property increased $12.2 billion.
    • Transport increased $11.7 billion.
    • Insurance services increased $11.5 billion.

    Real Goods in 2017 Dollars – Census Basis (exhibit 11)

    The real goods deficit increased $98.8 billion, or 9.6 percent, to $1,132.4 billion in 2024, compared to a 13.2 percent increase in the nominal deficit.

    • Real exports of goods increased $41.7 billion, or 2.5 percent, to $1,737.8 billion, compared to a 2.3 percent increase in nominal exports.
    • Real imports of goods increased $140.5 billion, or 5.1 percent, to $2,870.2 billion, compared to a 6.1 percent increase in nominal imports.

    Goods by Selected Countries and Areas – Census Basis (exhibits 14 and 14a)

    The 2024 figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Netherlands ($55.5), South and Central America ($47.3), Hong Kong ($21.9), Australia ($17.9), and United Kingdom ($11.9). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China ($295.4), European Union ($235.6), Mexico ($171.8), Vietnam ($123.5), Ireland ($86.7), Germany ($84.8), Taiwan ($73.9), Japan ($68.5), South Korea ($66.0), Canada ($63.3), India ($45.7), Thailand ($45.6), Italy ($44.0), Switzerland ($38.5), Malaysia ($24.8), Indonesia ($17.9), France ($16.4), Austria ($13.1), and Sweden ($9.8).

    • The deficit with the European Union increased $26.9 billion to $235.6 billion in 2024. Exports increased $2.6 billion to $370.2 billion and imports increased $29.4 billion to $605.8 billion.
    • The deficit with Taiwan increased $26.1 billion to $73.9 billion in 2024. Exports increased $2.4 billion to $42.3 billion and imports increased $28.5 billion to $116.3 billion.
    • The surplus with the Netherlands increased $12.7 billion to $55.5 billion in 2024. Exports increased $8.3 billion to $89.6 billion and imports decreased $4.4 billion to $34.1 billion.

    All statistics referenced are seasonally adjusted; statistics are on a balance of payments basis unless otherwise specified. Additional statistics, including not seasonally adjusted statistics and details for goods on a Census basis, are available in exhibits 1-20b of this release. For information on data sources, definitions, and revision procedures, see the explanatory notes in this release. The full release can be found at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/index.html or www.bea.gov/data/intl-trade-investment/international-trade-goods-and-services. The full schedule is available in the Census Bureau’s Economic Briefing Room at www.census.gov/economic-indicators/ or on BEA’s website at www.bea.gov/news/schedule.

    Next release: March 6, 2025, at 8:30 a.m EST
    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, January 2025

    Notice

    Impact of Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Release of CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM)

    The CBSA introduced a new accounting system (CARM) on October 21, 2024. As a result, importers in Canada have experienced delays in filing shipment information. These delays affected the compilation of statistics on U.S. exports of goods to Canada for September through December 2024, which are derived from data compiled by Canada through the United States – Canada Data Exchange. A dollar estimate of the filing backlog is included in estimates for late receipts and, following the Census Bureau’s customary practice for late receipt estimates, is included in the export end-use category “Other goods” as well as in exports to Canada. This estimate will be replaced with the actual transactions reported by the Harmonized System classification in June 2025 with the release of “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, Annual Revision.” Until then, please refer to the supplemental spreadsheet “CARM Exports to Canada Corrections,” which provides a breakdown of the late receipts by 1-digit end-use category. This spreadsheet will be updated as late export transactions are received to reflect reassignments from the initial “Other goods” category to the appropriate 1-digit end-use category.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Indicators Division, International Trade Macro Analysis Branch, on 800-549-0595, option 4, or at eid.international.trade.data@census.gov or BEA, Balance of Payments Division, at InternationalAccounts@bea.gov.

    Upcoming Changes to the Real (Chained-Dollar) Series

    Effective with the release of the February 2025 statistics on April 3, 2025, the Census Bureau will continue to use the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes to calculate the chained-dollar series (exhibits 10 and 11). The BLS will be implementing changes to the indexes with the release of the February 2025 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes on March 18, 2025. The changes to the indexes could impact the chained-dollar values. Please refer to the BLS notice for additional information on the Upcoming Change to Data Source for Import and Export Price Indexes: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Statistical Methods Division, International Trade Statistical Methods Branch, on 301-763-3080.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Oxbridge / SurancePlus Selects Coinbase Prime to Support Strategic Bitcoin and Ethereum Investment

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: OXBR) (“Oxbridge Re”), together with its subsidiary SurancePlus, is engaged in the tokenization of Real-World Assets (“RWAs”), initially with tokenized reinsurance securities, and in providing reinsurance solutions to property and casualty insurers in the Gulf Coast region of the United States, today announced it has selected Coinbase Prime to facilitate the purchase and secure custody of Bitcoin and Ethereum along with potentially other cryptocurrencies as a treasury reserve asset.

    Jay Madhu, CEO of Oxbridge, commented, “Our collaboration with Coinbase underscores our commitment to integrating cutting-edge blockchain solutions into our financial framework. By working with Coinbase, we are confident in our ability to securely manage digital assets while paving the way for new investment opportunities that align with our blockchain vision.”

    Ryan Ballantyne, Institutional Sales Manager of Coinbase, commented, “Oxbridge / SurancePlus’ decision to include Bitcoin and Ethereum as a treasury reserve asset underscores the increasing alignment between traditional finance and blockchain technology. We look forward to supporting their Bitcoin and Ethereum investment and innovative approach to integrating blockchain into real-world applications (RWAs). Selecting Coinbase Prime ensures a trusted and secure platform for buying and storing their crypto investments.”

    About Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited 

    Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: OXBR, OXBRW) (“Oxbridge”) is headquartered in the Cayman Islands. The company offers tokenized Real-World Assets (“RWAs”) as tokenized reinsurance securities and reinsurance business solutions to property and casualty insurers, through its wholly owned subsidiaries SurancePlus Inc., Oxbridge Re NS, and Oxbridge Reinsurance Limited.

    Insurance businesses in the Gulf Coast region of the United States purchase property and casualty reinsurance through our licensed reinsurers Oxbridge Reinsurance Limited and Oxbridge Re NS.

    Our Web3-focused subsidiary, SurancePlus Inc. (“SurancePlus”), has developed the first “on-chain” reinsurance RWA of its kind to be sponsored by a subsidiary of a publicly traded company. By digitizing interests in reinsurance contracts as on-chain RWAs, SurancePlus has democratized the availability of reinsurance as an alternative investment to both U.S. and non-U.S. investors. 

    Company Contact:
    Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited
    Jay Madhu, CEO
    +1 345-749-7570
    jmadhu@oxbridgere.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project” and other similar words and expressions are intended to signify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and conditions but rather are subject to various risks and uncertainties. A detailed discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from such forward-looking statements is included in the section entitled “Risk Factors” contained in our Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on 26th March 2024. The occurrence of any of these risks and uncertainties could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Any forward-looking statements made in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release and, except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this press release, even if the Company’s expectations or any related events, conditions or circumstances change.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Democrats are switching off the news – a psychologist explains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Geoff Beattie, Professor of Psychology, Edge Hill University

    Many Democrats appear to be switching off mainstream news channels and other media, following Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election.

    Around 72% of Democrats say they feel a need to limit their consumption of news about politics and government, according to a recent poll by AP-NORC.

    Research has highlighted the negative effects of news avoidance (resistance to, or avoidance of, news) on people’s political knowledge and civic engagement, the cornerstones of democratic thought and action.

    Research also shows what prompts news avoidance generally – and the return of Trump may be increasing the percentage of people in the US who are turning away from news and current affairs.

    Research from the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland measured how news avoidance varied across several nations between 2016 and 2019. It also attempted to identify the drivers of news avoidance.

    Researchers found the proportion of consumers who actively avoided the news varied significantly from one country to another – and for some, it was temporary.

    In their sample of five countries, they found news avoidance was highest in Argentina (45%) and the US (41%) and lowest in Finland (17%) and Japan (11%), with Israel somewhere in between. The US, it seems, has always been high but there are some suggestions it is getting worse.

    People made conscious decisions about what news to consume and what to avoid, given the amount of news available. News overload and cognitive fatigue (where people feel worn out by the amount of news they feel they should listen to) were especially important when there was intense national news focus on certain individuals. Examples of this could be coverage of the corruption case involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, or Trump’s recent stream of executive orders.

    But factors can vary. The study found that in Japan, the main cognitive driver was “a reluctance to discuss or be exposed to subjective and often extreme opinions”. In Argentina, it was a distrust of politicians generally.

    However, emotional factors were also critical to news avoidance. Many interviewees reported feeling emotional distress, sadness, fear and anger with certain types of negative news, to the extent that it sometimes affected their mental health.

    But emotional factors also affect specific behaviour. News avoidance can become “news aversion” (more emotional, more visceral), turning away from the news not because of some deliberate rational judgment (“I’ll reduce my viewing a little, according to American Psychological Association guidelines”) but because of overwhelming feelings of anxiety or disgust when confronted by certain stories or individuals.

    Disgust is a powerful negative emotion linked to very quick responding, and could create a need to turn away from something immediately. Feelings of anxiety may be linked to images of political figures, for instance.

    I have just finished writing a book exploring climate anxiety. For some, this can be a debilitating form of anxiety, and it is growing globally especially among young people. It can be overwhelming, affecting study, work and sleep.

    What can you do about news avoidance?

    The recent image of Trump yelling that “we’re going to drill, baby, drill” has been implanted in the minds of many who suffer from climate anxiety, possibly intensifying their distress.

    For many Democrats, the aftermath of Trump’s victory was emotionally devastating. On October 24 2024 (two weeks before the election), an open letter was published in the New York Times signed by 233 mental health professionals with the following warning: “We have an ethical duty to warn the public that Donald Trump is an existential threat to democracy. His symptoms of severe, untreatable personality disorder – malignant narcissism – makes him deceitful, destructive, deluded and dangerous. He is grossly unfit for leadership.”

    For Democrats in particular, Trump may display many negative features including his lack of remorse or self-awareness, his break from traditional political norms and use of populist, nationalist rhetoric, or his rejection of civil discourse in favour of divisive and inflammatory language.

    So Trump’s victory seemed, to many Democrats, to signal the triumph of ignorance, bigotry and authoritarianism. An emotional response from them was always likely, and chimes with this avoiding of news.

    Cognitive dissonance

    Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that when individuals are confronted with information (in this case from Trump) that contradicts their deeply held beliefs but they still sit and listen dutifully, this can create considerable psychological discomfort.

    To reduce this discomfort, people often engage in behaviour that avoids or minimises this conflict. But they can’t change their political views, and they can’t change Trump or his policies (he has got an incredibly powerful mandate), so that leaves few other options. Or perhaps just one: avoiding the relentless media cycle of Trump’s tweets, policies, pronouncements, presidential pardons, and executive orders.

    By switching off, Democrats – and even some Republicans – can temporarily ease the cognitive dissonance they feel, and this may allow some emotional relief.

    Moreover, this avoidance might help protect them against the further erosion of their political and social identity. They might feel that if they continue to consume news that reaffirms Trump’s power, or as if they are accepting their defeat and their misreading of the American public and, by extension, the legitimacy of his presidency.

    But where will that disengagement take them? And how easy will it be for them to overcome their visceral response to reengage, to reassert themselves and fight back? It’s always more difficult when thoughts and emotion are so tightly intertwined like this.

    But for US Democrats, engagement based on accurate information is critical for the ongoing democratic process, regardless of how painful this might feel right now.

    Geoff Beattie 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. Why Democrats are switching off the news – a psychologist explains – https://theconversation.com/why-democrats-are-switching-off-the-news-a-psychologist-explains-248512

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Friendship, a covenant, romance – no matter what you call it, David’s love for Jonathan is one of the Bible’s most beautiful

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jacob F. Love, Lecturer in Religious Studies, University of Tennessee

    An illustration of David and Jonathan from ‘Sunday at Home – A Family Magazine for Sabbath reading, 1883,’ published by the Religious Tract Society in London. whitemay/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

    For the idea of love, biblical Hebrew has precious few synonyms. Yet the Hebrew of the Bible can communicate a rich sensation of love: the love of a man for a woman, the love of any human being for their fellow human, the love of Israel for Israel’s God, and the love of God for all people.

    As a religion scholar, however, I believe one of the greatest loves in the Bible is a story of friendship: the intense devotion between the warrior Jonathan and David, who later became king of Israel and Judah. For many readers, their relationship represents a platonic ideal, while others see something more.

    ‘With all your heart’

    The main word for expressing love in the Hebrew Bible is “ahavah,” from the root “ahav.” It appears, for example, in the classic description of the relationship between God and Israel in the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 6: “You shall love (v’ahavta) the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”

    There are several places in the Hebrew Bible that demand that people care for one another, regardless of membership in any group, such as a tribe. Consider Leviticus 19:34, which invokes the Israelites’ suffering as slaves in Egypt: “you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

    The word “ahav” is also used to express emotional, romantic and sexual love, as in Genesis 29, the story of Jacob and Rachel. The young man serves Laban, Rachel’s father, for seven years in exchange for her hand in marriage – which seem “but a few days because of his love for her.” But Laban tricks Jacob into marrying Rachel’s sister, Leah, first – then working another seven years for Rachel.

    A steadfast love

    Among the more passionate poems in the Hebrew Bible is one David is said to have pronounced for Jonathan and his father, Saul, the Israelite king.

    A 14th century illustration of David and Jonathan’s first meeting.
    National Manuscript Center/Wikmedia Commons

    The three first meet when David, portrayed as a young shepherd, volunteers to fight Goliath, who is portrayed as a towering giant of a soldier, a champion of the Philistines battling Israel. Shockingly, David slays him with a simple sling and stone, and Saul meets with the boy.

    “After David finished speaking to Saul,” the author of 1 Samuel relates, “the body of Jonathan was bound to the body of David, and Jonathan loved him as he loved his own self.” The Hebrew word I translate as “body” here is a famously ambiguous one, “nefesh,” usually rendered as “soul,” “life” or “personality.”

    Many translators read this passage to mean that Jonathan and David form a covenant, a pact. Jonathan immediately removes his clothing and weapons and gives them to the other young man.

    Their loyalty is tested as Saul becomes jealous of David’s increasing success. Yet the young men’s bond is steadfast.

    Jonathan eventually dies in battle, and Saul commits suicide. David composes a beautiful eulogy poem mourning both men, but his description of Jonathan is particularly striking:

    Jonathan lies slain upon your high places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

    How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

    The passage uses a rare synonym for “ahav” when it describes Jonathan as “greatly beloved”: “na’am,” suggesting “love,” “affection” or “pleasantness.”

    Labeling love

    What could David have meant by “your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women”? It is not surprising that many have wondered whether this suggests an intimate relationship.

    That would appear to contradict prohibitions on homosexuality found in the Book of Leviticus. One thing to consider, however, is that Leviticus is devoted to priestly concerns. The prohibition is not found in the Book of Deuteronomy, which repeats so many of the prohibitions found in Leviticus. Another question is whether we really know what the Levitical language means: What exactly is being prohibited here?

    Rembrandt’s painting of the pair, after Jonathan warns David of Saul’s plan to kill him.
    Hermitage Museum via Wikimedia Commons

    One thing we can say with certainty is that LGBTQ+ love and identities have existed throughout human history, regardless of what they are called. Various cultures have been more or less sympathetic to sexual variation, but that variation has always been there.

    David had many wives. Indeed, one of the most famous stories about him is his depravity in condemning a soldier, Uriah the Hittite, to a brutal death so that David could take Uriah’s wife, Bat-Sheva, as his own. But who’s to say whether David might have been open to an intimate relationship with a man he essentially called his lover?

    David’s life was fraught with tragedy, and his family infamous for scandal – perhaps none greater than the tale of his son Amnon raping his half-sister Tamar. Nevertheless, tradition reveres him as the greatest king of Israel and Judah, the author of beautiful poetry and the father of King Solomon, who is credited with the ultimate biblical love poem, the Song of Songs.

    I’d like to give the final word to the sages of the Mishnah, rabbinic literature written around the year 250 C.E.:

    “All love that depends on something, when that something ceases, the love fails; but all love that does not depend on anything will never cease. What is an example of love that depended on something? Such was the love of Amnon for Tamar. And what is an example of love that did not depend on anything? Such was the love of David and Jonathan.”

    Jacob F. Love is affiliated with Marble City Opera.

    – ref. Friendship, a covenant, romance – no matter what you call it, David’s love for Jonathan is one of the Bible’s most beautiful – https://theconversation.com/friendship-a-covenant-romance-no-matter-what-you-call-it-davids-love-for-jonathan-is-one-of-the-bibles-most-beautiful-248080

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FDIC Releases Documents Related to Supervision of Crypto-Related Activities

    Source: US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC

    WASHINGTON – Today, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) released 175 documents related to its supervision of banks that engaged in, or sought to engage in, crypto-related activities.

    Acting Chairman Travis Hill issued the following statement in connection with the release:

    “I have been critical in the past of the FDIC’s approach to crypto assets and blockchain.  As I said last March, the FDIC’s approach ‘has contributed to a general perception that the agency was closed for business if institutions are interested in anything related to blockchain or distributed ledger technology.’

    “Upon becoming Acting Chairman, I directed staff to conduct a comprehensive review of all supervisory communications with banks that sought to offer crypto-related products or services.  While this review remains underway, we are releasing a large batch of documents today, in advance of a court-ordered deadline of Friday.  Our decision to release these documents reflects a commitment to enhance transparency, beyond what is required by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), while also attempting to fulfill the spirit of the FOIA request.

    “Previously, the FDIC released 25 so-called ‘pause’ letters sent to 24 institutions interested in pursuing crypto- or blockchain-related activities.  The documents released today include (1) additional correspondence with those 24 institutions and (2) correspondence with additional institutions beyond those 24.  The documents that we are releasing today show that requests from these banks were almost universally met with resistance, ranging from repeated requests for further information, to multi-month periods of silence as institutions waited for responses, to directives from supervisors to pause, suspend, or refrain from expanding all crypto- or blockchain-related activity.  Both individually and collectively, these and other actions sent the message to banks that it would be extraordinarily difficult—if not impossible—to move forward.  As a result, the vast majority of banks simply stopped trying.

    “Looking forward, we are actively reevaluating our supervisory approach to crypto-related activities.  This includes replacing Financial Institution Letter (FIL) 16-2022 and providing a pathway for institutions to engage in crypto- and blockchain-related activities while still adhering to safety and soundness principles.  The FDIC also looks forward to engaging with the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets established by the President’s January 23, 2025 Executive Order.”

    A link to the FDIC’s FOIA Reading Room is available here.

    # # #

    MEDIA CONTACT: 
    Media Requests
    mediarequests@FDIC.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rarely used oil, coal helped power New England during recent cold snap

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    February 5, 2025

    Below average temperatures in the eastern United States during the week of January 19, 2025, resulted in high demand for electricity. On January 21 at 6:00 p.m. eastern time, ISO-New England (ISO-NE), the organization operating an integrated grid in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, recorded peak hourly demand of 19,600 megawatts (MW). Although demand was elevated, it was lower than the 20,308 MW that ISO-NE forecast peak demand would be in its 2024/2025 winter assessment published on November 7, 2024. Temperatures were more moderate in New England than in the Midwest, which tempered electricity demand somewhat in New England.

    Although the grid had sufficient generating capacity to satisfy demand, a significant share of that supply came from sources that rarely operate. The grid required running older thermal generating plants that burn oil and coal. Between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. eastern time on January 20, 2025, and between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on January 21, 2025, thermal plants that burn oil provided more electricity to the ISO-NE electricity grid than plants that burn natural gas, which is relatively uncommon. On January 21, 2025, the same group of thermal plants in ISO-NE provided more than 4,000 MW of electricity per hour to the grid between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. At the same time, one of the two remaining coal-fired plants that burns coal in the region, the Merrimack facility in New Hampshire, supplied close to 300 MW to the grid from the evening of January 19 to the morning of January 25.

    Oil and coal offset curtailed generation from natural gas-fired power plants from January 18 to January 22. Prices for natural gas were high, and supplies were short during this period because of more demand for natural gas from other consumers, such as homes and businesses. Later in the week, more natural gas was made available, including supply received from a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Everett, Massachusetts. This supply helped boost generation from natural gas-fired power plants beginning on January 22.

    Two other major sources of electricity in New England were steady suppliers during the cold snap. The region’s three nuclear reactors steadily provided 3,350 MW of power throughout the period, joined by consistent imports of power from Canada. At 11:00 p.m. on January 18, imports of electricity from Canada surpassed 4,200 MW and averaged 2,886 MW per hour between midnight on January 18 and midnight on January 26.

    Principal contributors: Kimberly Peterson, Sue Smith

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: American Rebel CEO Andy Ross to Appear on ABC-TV Tampa Weekday Morning Show Morning Blend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Appearance Scheduled to Air on Friday, February 7 Broadcast Between 10 – 11 am Eastern

    Nashville, TN, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) (“American Rebel” or the “Company”), creator of American Rebel Beer (americanrebelbeer.com) and a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of branded safes, personal security and self-defense products and apparel (americanrebel.com), is excited to announce that its CEO Andy Ross will appear on the Friday, February 7 broadcast of Morning Blend (abcactionnews.com/morning-blend) on ABC Action News Tampa. Andy’s segment will appear between 10- 11 am Eastern Standard Time. Andy will promote the SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout (prosuperstarshootout.com) and his Saturday concert appearance on the American Rebel Beer stage near the starting line at the conclusion of racing, discuss the company’s sponsorship of Tony Stewart Racing’s Funny Car driven by Matt Hagan and the ongoing launch of American Rebel Beer.

    “The PRO Superstar Shootout is the Pro Bowl of the NHRA drag racing season,” said Andy Ross. “Last year’s debut event was a massive success and American Rebel and I are honored to participate. The PRO Superstar Shootout is a chance for the race teams to have some friendly competition and a dress rehearsal for the NHRA season. There’s nothing better than a weekend at the track, except a weekend at the track with an after party. I can’t wait to play my brand of country patriotic rock ‘n’ roll for these great fans.”

    “Coming to Florida to support the PRO Superstar Shootout and the Matt Hagan Dodge//SRT Hellcat American Rebel Light Funny Car is very important for American Rebel,” continued Andy Ross. “We recently had a launch party for American Rebel Beer in Nashville at Kid Rock’s bar on Broadway and Tony, Matt and some of the other Tony Stewart Racing Team folks came into town to support us…it meant the world to me and our company. It’s more than business, it’s family.”

    “I can’t wait to unleash the American Rebel Beer Funny Car with Andy Ross at Bradenton,” said Matt Hagan. “Andy and the American Rebel Beer Team are going full throttle as they launch a new premium domestic light beer. We’re proud to promote his brand and watch them expand into more states and bars nationwide. I’m honored to represent them and stand behind their bold American spirit.”

    “It’s always a good time when Andy plays a concert at the racetrack,” continued Matt Hagan. “He likes to rock and that suits us just fine.”

    About American Rebel Light Beer

    Produced in partnership with AlcSource, American Rebel Light Beer (americanrebelbeer.com) is a premium domestic light lager celebrated for its exceptional quality and patriotic values. It stands out as America’s Patriotic, God-Fearing, Constitution-Loving, National Anthem-Singing, Stand Your Ground Beer.

    American Rebel Light is a Premium Domestic Light Lager Beer – All Natural, Crisp, Clean and Bold Taste with a Lighter Feel. With approximately 100 calories, 3.2 carbohydrates, and 4.3% alcoholic content per 12 oz serving, American Rebel Light Beer delivers a lighter option for those who love great beer but prefer a more balanced lifestyle. It’s all natural with no added supplements and importantly does not use corn, rice, or other sweeteners typically found in mass produced beers.

    About Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Nitro

    As tenacious as Stewart is in the cockpit of a racecar, he’s proven equally adept at providing cars and equipment for racing’s elite. The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion can also list 31 owners’ titles to his resume, from NASCAR to USAC to the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. In 2023 Stewart earned his 31st owner title when Matt Hagan and the TSR Funny Car team earned the championship on November 11th. His team, Tony Stewart Racing, fields a powerhouse lineup in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series with Tony in Top Fuel and Matt Hagan in Funny Car. After more than four decades of racing around in circles, Stewart has embarked on a straight and narrow path, albeit at more than 300 mph. For more information on TSR Nitro go to tsrnitro.com.

    About American Rebel Holdings, Inc.

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

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc.
    info@americanrebel.com

    American Rebel Beverages, LLC
    Todd Porter, President
    tporter@americanrebelbeer.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

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

    Company Contact:
    tporter@americanrebelbeer.com
    info@americanrebel.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Oxbridge / SurancePlus Selects Coinbase Prime to Support Strategic Investments in Digital Assets

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: OXBR) (“Oxbridge Re”), together with its subsidiary SurancePlus, is engaged in the tokenization of Real-World Assets (“RWAs”), initially with tokenized reinsurance securities, and in providing reinsurance solutions to property and casualty insurers in the Gulf Coast region of the United States, today announced it has selected Coinbase Prime to facilitate its investments in other digital assets as part of its investment strategy.

    Jay Madhu, CEO of Oxbridge, commented, “Our collaboration with Coinbase underscores our commitment to integrating cutting-edge blockchain solutions into our financial framework. By working with Coinbase, we are confident in our ability to securely manage digital assets while paving the way for new investment opportunities that align with our blockchain vision.”

    Ryan Ballantyne, Institutional Sales Manager of Coinbase, commented, “Oxbridge / SurancePlus’ decision to include Digital Assets as a treasury reserve asset underscores the increasing alignment between traditional finance and blockchain technology. We look forward to supporting their investments and innovative approach to integrating blockchain into real-world applications (RWAs). Selecting Coinbase Prime ensures a trusted and secure platform for buying and storing their Digital Assets.”

    Additional details regarding Oxbridge / SurancePlus strategic decision to include digital assets as part of its treasury can be seen here: oxbridgere.com/press-releases/

    About Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited 

    Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: OXBR, OXBRW) (“Oxbridge”) is headquartered in the Cayman Islands. The company offers tokenized Real-World Assets (“RWAs”) as tokenized reinsurance securities and reinsurance business solutions to property and casualty insurers, through its wholly owned subsidiaries SurancePlus Inc., Oxbridge Re NS, and Oxbridge Reinsurance Limited.

    Insurance businesses in the Gulf Coast region of the United States purchase property and casualty reinsurance through our licensed reinsurers Oxbridge Reinsurance Limited and Oxbridge Re NS.

    Our Web3-focused subsidiary, SurancePlus Inc. (“SurancePlus”), has developed the first “on-chain” reinsurance RWA of its kind to be sponsored by a subsidiary of a publicly traded company. By digitizing interests in reinsurance contracts as on-chain RWAs, SurancePlus has democratized the availability of reinsurance as an alternative investment to both U.S. and non-U.S. investors. 

    Company Contact:
    Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited
    Jay Madhu, CEO
    +1 345-749-7570
    jmadhu@oxbridgere.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project” and other similar words and expressions are intended to signify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and conditions but rather are subject to various risks and uncertainties. A detailed discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from such forward-looking statements is included in the section entitled “Risk Factors” contained in our Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on 26th March 2024. The occurrence of any of these risks and uncertainties could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Any forward-looking statements made in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release and, except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this press release, even if the Company’s expectations or any related events, conditions or circumstances change.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Alice Group USA Announces Acquisition Strategy and Transformation of TFLM

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alice Group USA, LLC announces the acquisition of the controlling shareholder block of Tofla Megaline Inc. (OTCQB: TFLM) as the first major step in the capitalization of its ambitious strategy to transform TFLM into a real estate, financial services, and tech group aimed at improving inclusion, asset ownership, and access to technology for entrepreneurs, startups, and business owners in the United States. TFLM’s development strategy will include providing co-working spaces, financial services, and IT support, including AI-driven office solutions.

    In the coming weeks, Alice Group USA intends to bring on a world-class management team with deep expertise in AI, technology development, and real estate. This new leadership team, is expected to have a robust background in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and innovative financial technologies, with the goal of providing a significant core advantage to Alice in executing its transformative business plan.

    The integration of AI-driven solutions across the real estate and financial platforms with the goal of enabling TFLM to streamline operations, enhance data-driven decision-making, and drive unparalleled value for entrepreneurs, startups, and underserved communities. The team’s technological expertise will be utilized in driving TFLM’s growth, improving efficiency, and expanding market opportunities within the emerging AI and real estate sectors. This strong technological foundation positions TFLM to be a leader in the next generation of AI-powered financial services and real estate management.

    As the first stage of its strategic development, TFLM is seeking to acquire equity interests in Nexus Workspaces, a leading coworking brand in Florida and Georgia. The assets to be acquired, in a series of transactions subject to entering definitive agreements and various closing convictions, include:

    • Nexus’s proprietary technology, designed to streamline commercial property management, enhance operational efficiency, and automate workspace and support solutions for use within the Nexus workspaces. This acquisition will enable TFLM to develop additional suites of services for growing entrepreneurs, start-ups, and minority businesses, including the provision of financial products and venture capital.
    • The acquisition of Boundary Midtown Atlanta, a Class A office portfolio strategically located in Midtown Atlanta. The $75 million asset features a 75%+ occupancy rate and is expected to generate consistent income while allowing TFLM to repurpose select vacancies for Nexus-branded operations.
    • The acquisition of five additional commercial office properties under the Nexus Workspaces brand, covering 251,622 square feet across Florida and Atlanta. With 90% occupancy and over 800 tenants, this portfolio offers a prime opportunity for revenue growth through AI-enhanced commercial real estate management.

    Upon completion of these acquisitions, TFLM will have acquired a diverse set of high-value real estate assets. TFLM has identified additional real estate assets and has begun negotiations to acquire and add to its real estate portfolio, with a focus on Florida and other targeted markets. It is the intent of these strategic acquisitions to further enhance TFLM’s long-term growth and operational capabilities, expanding its market presence and fostering sustained revenue generation.

    TFLM is seeking to become the U.S. operating company for a group of businesses aimed at democratizing capital access and enhancing financial efficiency, especially for minority-owned businesses, real estate owners, and start-up companies. We are in advanced discussions with businesses in the U.S. involved in neo-banking, provision of AI-enhanced services, and investment risk assessment to complete a powerful and compelling suite of products that will harness the power of American entrepreneurialism while providing investors with the security derived from a grounding in the long-term growth and stable cash flow of prime real estate holdings.

    Alice Group USA believes that the suite of products being developed and acquired by TFLM will have international application, and has hired Brigg Macadam Capital, an international corporate finance firm with a track record of providing access to capital for companies’ global business objectives. Tim Murray, CEO of Brigg Macadam Capital, commented:

    “We are incredibly excited to work with Alice Group USA and TFLM. By merging AI-driven financial services with strategic real estate acquisitions, Alice’s management team is seeking to build a next-generation ecosystem that has huge relevance in international markets.”

    About Alice Group USA, LLC

    Alice Group USA is an innovative investment and technology firm specializing in AI-powered financial solutions, real estate acquisitions, and market-defining investment strategies. With a strong emphasis on capital access, wealth creation, and inclusive finance, the company is pioneering the future of AI-driven financial ecosystems.

    About TFLM (Tofla Megaline Inc.)

    TFLM is an OTCQB-listed public entity undergoing a strategic transformation which commenced with Alice Group USA’s acquiring its control position. By integrating high-value real estate, AI-driven solutions, and fintech innovations, TFLM is set to emerge as a leading diversified company.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements 

    Forward-Looking Statements
    The discussions in this press release contain forward-looking statements reflecting our current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and relate to future periods. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and speak only as of the date hereof. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

    Contact

    Alice Group USA

    info@alicegroup.ai

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nigeria’s Brics partnership: economist outlines potential benefits

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stephen Onyeiwu, Professor of Economics & Business, Allegheny College

    During its 16th annual summit in Kazan, Russia, Brics – a group of emerging economies determined to act as a counterweight to the west and to whittle down the influence of global institutions – invited Nigeria and eight other countries to join it as “partner” countries. Nigeria formally accepted the invitation in January 2025. That invitation has generated questions about how Nigeria stands to benefit, especially when US president Donald Trump is threatening to sanction members of the group if they replace the US dollar as reserve currency. It was established in 2006 and initially composed of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. South Africa joined in 2010 and the bloc added four new members (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates) in 2023. In this interview, development economist Stephen Onyeiwu argues that Nigeria stands to gain from a Brics partnership, but would have to carefully balance its domestic interests with those of its western allies and Brics.

    What does it mean to be a Brics ‘partner’ country?

    The introduction of Brics partnership is an expansion mechanism designed to bring in more participants without giving them full membership. It is akin to “observer” status.

    Brics partners can participate in special sessions of summits and foreign ministers’ meetings, as well as other high-level events. Partners can also contribute to the organisation’s official documents and policy statements.

    But partners cannot host annual Brics summits or determine the venue. Neither can they select new members and partners.

    How beneficial is Brics partnership to Nigeria?

    The main benefit would be access to finance offered by Brics’ New Development Bank.

    The New Development Bank was established as an alternative to western-dominated international financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. These institutions are sometimes used by the leading western countries to keep developing countries in line on global issues.

    Some developing countries are reluctant to criticise western countries for fear of losing access to funding by western-backed international financial institutions.

    Nigeria has been running a budget deficit of about 5% of GDP since 2019, and it needs funding to pay for the deficits. The New Development Bank could be an important source of funding for investment in Nigeria’s infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, and so on.

    New Development Bank loans are also available in member countries’ local currencies. They don’t have to earn foreign exchange to repay the loans. This fosters exchange rate stability and promotes economic growth. The New Development Bank raises funds in member countries’ local currencies, and lends them to member countries.

    Nigeria could use its Brics partnership to garner the group’s support in matters that affect Nigeria globally. For instance, there have been requests for African countries to be included as permanent members (without veto power) of the UN security council. South Africa and Nigeria have been touted as potential candidates. Should this issue be raised at the UN, Nigeria can count on the support of its Brics allies, which includes two permanent members (China and Russia) of the security council.

    Mutual understanding and cooperation with other Brics members and partners might spill over into economic, trade and investment agreements. Friendly countries are more likely to trade with each other and invest in each other’s economy.

    How can Nigeria maximise its status as a Brics partner?

    Nigeria should use it to attract foreign direct investment in strategic sectors of the economy, such as infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture and technology.

    Some Brics members, like China, India, and the UAE, have investors that are seeking investment outlets abroad. Nigeria could use the bloc’s annual summits to showcase investment opportunities.

    The global economy is transitioning into “frontier industries and technologies”, such as big data, artificial intelligence, solar, drones, gene editing, 3D printing, blockchains, Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, robotics and nanotechnology. China, India and Brazil are already well advanced in these technologies.

    Nigeria should use its partnership with these countries to build capabilities in frontier industries and technologies. It could get favourable terms in the transfer of these technologies.

    Nigeria seeks to diversify its economy from reliance on the export of hydrocarbons. But Nigerian producers have had a hard time accessing global markets. The country should negotiate trade deals that provide access to Brics markets, especially agricultural and agro-processed products, arts and crafts.

    But Nigeria has to promote economic growth and structural transformation at home. If the Nigerian economy falters, it is unlikely the country will be invited to become a full member of Brics.

    Would adding new members and partners reduce western dominance?

    Brics has so far not been able to significantly change the dynamics of the international political economy. Adding new members and partners, while symbolic, will not act as an effective counterweight to the influence of the G7 and G20 groups of nations.

    Most of the countries and partners in Brics are either allies of western countries or neutral on global issues. They are unlikely to support decisions or actions that are grossly inimical to western interests.

    Egypt and the UAE, for instance, receive military aid from the United States. Ethiopia and Nigeria are top recipients of foreign aid in Africa, much of it from western-backed financial institutions.

    The only outlier in the mix is Iran, whose membership was promoted by Russia. But Iran has no leverage to influence others in the bloc.

    On balance, therefore, Brics will not be a threat to western countries.

    Brics aspires to weaken the dominance of the US dollar for international transactions. Close to 90% of international trade transactions are conducted with the US dollar.

    Brics countries plan to reduce dollar dominance by encouraging member countries to settle their trade and financial transactions using their domestic currencies. For instance, South African businesses could purchase Chinese goods using the South African rand, while the Chinese could do the same for South African goods using the Chinese yuan. The more members you have in Brics swapping their currencies, the less important the US dollar will be.

    It is unlikely, however, that an increase in the number of Brics members and partners will weaken the dollar. Most will continue to have significant economic relationships with the west, including trade and foreign aid.

    They will also continue to conduct business with many non-Brics countries, which also have economic relationships with the west. They will need the US dollar to transact with many other countries.

    So increasing the number of Brics members and partners does not pose a threat to dollar dominance.

    Stephen Onyeiwu 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. Nigeria’s Brics partnership: economist outlines potential benefits – https://theconversation.com/nigerias-brics-partnership-economist-outlines-potential-benefits-248943

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Trump’s rage defies historical and literary comparisons, according to a classics expert

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rachel Hadas, Professor of English, Rutgers University – Newark

    Donald Trump’s anger has been building and now seems volcanic. Abstract Aerial Art/Getty Images

    The Greek divinity Nemesis, rarely depicted in art, has no place in the Olympian pantheon of a dozen gods and goddesses. But she’s an omnipresent force of retribution, an implacable force of punishment that arrives, if not sooner, then later.

    Nemesis can bide her time for generations, but there’s no escaping her.

    So too, it seems, with President Donald Trump, who is “clearly not a man who discards his grudges easily,” William Galston of the Brookings Institution said recently. This observation is an understatement.

    Trump’s resentment has been steaming since the 2020 presidential election. Now that he is again president, he’s far from appeased; his ire is boiling over.

    “Flooding the zone,” a term borrowed from football, was former Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s way of describing the Trumpian tactic of issuing a barrage of statements whose sheer pace and multiplicity, not to mention contents, are intended to stymie any impulse at rational response.

    As he has gained fame and power, Trump’s contemptuous rage at his opponents and his appetite for vengeance appear to have sharpened.

    Like Nemesis, Trump is now pursuing his perceived enemies, using the power of the presidency. Among his recent retribution: He has
    fired Department of Justice officials and staff who worked on criminal investigations and prosecutions of him; he has revoked security clearances for intelligence officials to “punish his perceived opponents,” as one news story put it. And he has removed the portrait of Gen. Mark Milley from the Pentagon wall that traditionally features portraits of the retired chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as Milley was. In 2024, journalist Bob Woodward reported that Milley had told him, “No one has ever been as dangerous to this country as Donald Trump. Now I realize he’s a total fascist. He is the most dangerous person to this country” – clearly sparking Trump’s ire.

    As a poet and student of the classics, my impulse is to find analogs for this behavior, this temperament – precedents that might help provide some perspective.

    Trump displays his anger during a rally on Nov. 3, 2024, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

    Tyrants, heroes and horses

    Historians, I thought, would be able to come up with analogs. For example, Trump’s initial choice of a political ally, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, as attorney general – widely seen as unqualified for the post and who later withdrew – was likened to the Roman emperor Caligula, who made his horse a senator. Figures from Greek history, from the Athenian tyrant Pisistratus to Alexander the Great, could be famously power-hungry and vindictive.

    Classical epic and drama furnish plenty of rage, which is the first word of the Homeric epic “The Iliad.”

    Since epic and tragic heroes are in positions of power, temperament and action mesh. The Greek hero Achilles’ clash with the Greek army’s commander Agamemnon at the outset of “The Iliad” is psychologically plausible. Each man feels insulted and slighted by the other; both have cause for resentment.

    Achilles nurses his rage at all his fellow Greeks until, much later in the epic, his grief at the death of his beloved Patroklos sends him back into battle. This larger-than-life hero is vulnerable, changeable and human.

    Perhaps the most famous example of vengeance in Greek tragedy is Aeschylus’ trilogy, “The Oresteia.” When Clytemnestra murders her husband, Agamemnon, on his return from Troy, she has three comprehensible motives. Agamemnon has sacrificed their daughter; he has brought home a mistress, Cassandra; and Clytemnestra feels loyalty, both personal and political, to Aegisthus, her husband’s cousin, whom she has taken as a lover in her husband’s absence and who has his own reasons for hating Agamemnon.

    So vindicated does Clytemnestra feel in having murdered Agamemnon – and Cassandra as well – that she proudly compares her action to rain that fertilizes the crops. As rain is part of the cycle of the seasons, her act has righted the balance of justice.

    Agamemnon was murdered in cold blood by Clytemnestra and Aegisthus, in vengeance for Iphigenia’s death and all the grief he’d given them both.
    Flaxman, artist, from The Print Collector/Getty Images

    Cunning rage leads to death

    Turning to a few of Shakespeare’s more vengeful characters, Iago in “Othello” is an embodiment of a cunning rage that leads him to systematically destroy the innocent Othello’s marriage. He does this by falsely hinting – and then planting a chain of evidence suggesting – that Othello’s bride, Desdemona, is unfaithful.

    Othello eventually kills both Desdemona and himself. But the Romantic critic Samuel Taylor Coleridge famously referred to Iago’s “motiveless malignancy,” since it’s hard to be sure exactly why Iago is so set on destroying Othello.

    Hamlet himself is a reluctant avenger who keeps putting off the act of revenging his father’s murder. In the history play named for him, Richard III’s resentment, going back to having been a deformed and unloved child, makes more sense. Richard lusts after power; he systematically and clandestinely murders his own brother and nephews, who would stand between him and his elder brother Edward’s throne.

    Whether motivated by political ambition, generalized rancor or an inherited assignment, none of these figures ends well. They all have enemies, and they all – except Iago, who will be tortured and executed – die on stage. All have done plenty of damage; none survives long to feel vindicated. Even Clytemnestra’s triumph is short-lived, since her own son, Orestes, will soon avenge his father’s death by murdering his mother – Clytemnestra.

    But all these figures seem to feel personal passion. Even the opaque Iago has one chief target: Othello. They don’t present compelling parallels to Trump, whose anger appears to be simultaneously private and public.

    Easily offended, Trump is quick to strike back with insults; but he also seems to have an insatiable appetite for broader and deeper punishment, meted out to more people and even after a lapse of time. Hence literary parallels are less than compelling.

    Trump’s anger seems more general than personal. His aggrieved sense of having been wronged, victimized by his enemies, is a constant in his career. But his targets shift. One day it’s judges; another day it’s election officials. Yet another day, it’s the “deep state.”

    And Trump’s implacable resentment has struck a chord among many Americans whose resentment has a more rational basis. Trump’s base may believe he is speaking for them – “I am your warrior. I am your justice,” he said in a speech at a conservative forum, but his first priority has always been himself.

    A spirit, ranging for revenge

    The damage done by Trump is often inflicted by others. Their threats, harassment and even violence are done in the name of Trump.

    He has pardoned almost all of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists, some of whom have now boasted they will acquire guns.

    Trump has removed government protection from figures who have dared to disagree with him and have received death threats, including Dr. Anthony Fauci.

    Shakespeare, turning history into great poetry, comes to mind after all. In “Julius Caesar,” knowing that his funeral oration over the body of the assassinated Caesar will stir up an angry mob, Mark Antony muses:

    “And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
    With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
    Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice
    Cry ‘Havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war”

    Antony imagines Caesar’s vengeful spirit rising from the underworld to incite further violence. Not only will Caesar’s assassins be punished, but the hell of civil war will be let loose to cause widespread suffering. Precisely who Trump wants to punish appears secondary to his delight in releasing precisely those hellish dogs. Everyone is a potential enemy and a potential victim.

    “I am your retribution,” Trump has said. Nothing in Trump’s continuing story more clearly echoes the classics than this ominous melding of self with a superhuman principle of revenge.

    Such a merging of a mortal individual with a pitilessly abstract power like Nemesis is closer to myth than to history. Or so it would be comforting to assume.

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

    – ref. Why Trump’s rage defies historical and literary comparisons, according to a classics expert – https://theconversation.com/why-trumps-rage-defies-historical-and-literary-comparisons-according-to-a-classics-expert-248510

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: As Trump tries to slash US foreign aid, here are 3 common myths many Americans mistakenly believe about it

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joannie Tremblay-Boire, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, University of Maryland

    U.S. lawmakers and employees and supporters of the U.S. Agency for International Development speak outside the agency’s headquarters on Feb. 3, 2025. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

    U.S. foreign aid is in disarray.

    The Trump administration froze most aid disbursements on Jan. 20. According to billionaire Elon Musk, an adviser to President Donald Trump with “special government employee status,” the U.S. Agency for International Development, widely known as USAID, had been shut down as of Feb. 3, 2025.

    Although the Trump administration lacks the legal authority to do this, hundreds of people on the agency’s staff have been put on unpaid leave or fired, according to news reports.

    And the agency’s official website wasn’t working. A partial replacement, however, had appeared within the State Department’s website.

    I’m a scholar of public policy who researches nonprofits, which in the foreign aid sphere are often called nongovernmental organizations. These groups are responsible for carrying out many programs funded by foreign aid from governments such as the United States.

    In light of the Trump administration’s attack on the government’s main foreign aid agency and the disruption of this funding, I believe it’s important to debunk three common myths:

    1. The U.S. spends too much on foreign aid.
    2. The U.S. spends more than its fair share on foreign aid compared with other countries.
    3. Corrupt governments squander U.S. foreign aid.

    What is foreign aid?

    Foreign aid consists of money, goods and services – such as training – that government agencies provide to other countries. Foreign aid falls into two broad categories: economic assistance and military – sometimes called security – aid.

    Economic assistance includes all programs with development or humanitarian objectives. That tends to include projects related to health, disaster relief, the promotion of civil society, agriculture and the like. Most U.S. economic aid dollars come from the State Department budget, including spending allocated by USAID, which has operated as an independent agency since the Kennedy administration.

    On Feb. 3, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that he was serving as USAID’s acting director, indicating that the agency was no longer independent of the State Department.

    While U.S. taxpayers have long spent just a few bucks each on foreign aid every year, the impact is profound, saving millions of people from hunger, averting the worst of natural disasters such as droughts and flooding, tackling life-threatening diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, and more.

    Myth No. 1: US spends too much on foreign aid

    The United States consistently spends only about 1% of its budget on foreign aid, including military and economic support. The 2023 aid managed by USAID totaled about US$40 billion.

    Americans tend to believe that their government spends a far bigger share of its budget on foreign aid than it does.

    In a survey the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted in 2015, it found that, on average, Americans believed that foreign aid accounts for nearly one-third of the budget. Only 3% of those polled answered correctly that foreign aid constituted 1% or less of total federal spending.

    Myth No. 2: US spends more than its fair share

    According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States is by far the leading national source of economic assistance dollars. In 2023, it contributed $64.7 billion in overseas development assistance, far outpacing the $37.9 billion spent by Germany, the second-biggest source of that kind of aid. Some of this assistance is managed by USAID, some by the Department of State, and a small portion by other government agencies, such as the Treasury and Health and Human Services departments.

    That tells only part of the story, however. The United States spends very little on foreign aid relative to the size of its economy, particularly compared with other rich countries. The U.S. spent about 0.24% of its gross national income on overseas development assistance in 2023. By comparison, Norway, the top contributor by this metric, gave 1.09% of its gross national income in overseas development aid that year. The United States ranks toward the bottom of OECD countries, close to Portugal and Spain, by this measurement.

    In 1970, the United Nations General Assembly agreed that “economically advanced countries” would aim to direct at least 0.7% of their national income to overseas development assistance. Although developed countries have repeatedly mentioned this target in agreements and at summits since then, very few countries have reached that goal. In 2023, only five countries met the 0.7% target.

    The OECD average was just 0.37% in 2023 – far higher than the 0.24% the U.S. provided that year.

    Myth No. 3: Corrupt governments squander US aid

    You may think that foreign aid consists of government-to-government transfers of money. But governments channel most aid through nonprofits such as Catholic Relief Services, public-private partnerships, private companies such as Chemonics International and Deloitte, and multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank.

    In fact, according to the Congressional Research Service, between 2013 and 2022, most U.S. foreign assistance bypassed governments altogether: NGOs received 24% of the money, for-profit companies 21%, multilateral organizations 34%, and other organizations, such as universities, research institutes and faith-based organizations, 7%.

    When the political scientist Simone Dietrich researched this question, she found that the United States outsources a lot of its foreign aid to NGOs. This is especially the case with the support it provides countries with bad governance and rampant corruption such as Sudan and Sri Lanka, which could be likely to squander or swipe those funds.

    To be sure, corrupt governments sometimes do squander U.S. foreign aid. But it is important to understand that most aid never enters the coffers of those corrupt governments in the first place.

    Even without Trump’s proposed cuts, US fails to lead

    Even if Trump fails at his current bid to greatly reduce foreign aid spending, other countries, including the United Kingdom and Denmark, are spending far more on economic assistance for the world’s poorest people, as a share of their economies, than the U.S. does.

    Slashing foreign aid would damage U.S. credibility with American allies, reduce U.S. influence around the globe and – as a group of more than 120 retired generals and admirals predicted when Trump tried to slash foreign aid in his first administration – make Americans less safe.

    Parts of this article appeared in a story first published on April 6, 2017, and have been updated.

    Joannie Tremblay-Boire does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. As Trump tries to slash US foreign aid, here are 3 common myths many Americans mistakenly believe about it – https://theconversation.com/as-trump-tries-to-slash-us-foreign-aid-here-are-3-common-myths-many-americans-mistakenly-believe-about-it-248979

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Water is the other US-Mexico border crisis, and the supply crunch is getting worse

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Gabriel Eckstein, Professor of Law, Texas A&M University

    View of the Rio Grande flowing through Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, photographed from the Paso Del Norte International Bridge. Paul Rarje/AFP via Getty Images

    Immigration and border security will be the likely focus of U.S.-Mexico relations under the new Trump administration. But there also is a growing water crisis along the U.S.–Mexico border that affects tens of millions of people on both sides, and it can only be managed if the two governments work together.

    Climate change is shrinking surface and groundwater supplies in the southwestern U.S. Higher air temperatures are increasing evaporation rates from rivers and streams and intensifying drought. Mexico is also experiencing multiyear droughts and heat waves.

    Growing water use is already overtaxing limited supplies from nearly all of the region’s cross-border rivers, streams and aquifers. Many of these sources are contaminated with agricultural pollutants, untreated waste and other substances, further reducing the usability of available water.

    As Texas-based scholars who study the legal and scientific aspects of water policy, we know that communities, farms and businesses in both countries rely on these scarce water supplies. In our view, water conditions on the border have changed so much that the current legal framework for managing them is inadequate.

    Unless both nations recognize this fact, we believe that water problems in the region are likely to worsen, and supplies may never recover to levels seen as recently as the 1950s. Although the U.S. and Mexico have moved to address these concerns by updating the 1944 water treaty, these steps are not long-term solutions.

    The Rio Grande flows south from Colorado and forms the 1,250-mile (2,000-kilometer) Texas-Mexico border.
    Kmusser/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

    Growing demand, shrinking supply

    The U.S.-Mexico border region is mostly arid, with water coming from a few rivers and an unknown amount of groundwater. The main rivers that cross the border are the Colorado and the Rio Grande – two of the most water-stressed systems in the world.

    The Colorado River provides water to more than 44 million people, including seven U.S. and two Mexican states, 29 Indian tribes and 5.5 million acres of farmland. Only about 10% of its total flow reaches Mexico. The river once emptied into the Gulf of California, but now so much water is withdrawn along its course that since the 1960s it typically peters out in the desert.

    The Rio Grande supplies water to roughly 15 million people, including 22 Indian tribes, three U.S. and four Mexican states and 2.8 million irrigated acres. It forms the 1,250-mile (2,000-kilometer) Texas-Mexico border, winding from El Paso in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east.

    The Colorado River flows through seven U.S. states and crosses into Mexico at the Arizona-California border.
    USGS

    Other rivers that cross the border include the Tijuana, San Pedro, Santa Cruz, New and Gila. These are all significantly smaller and have less economic impact than the Colorado and the Rio Grande.

    At least 28 aquifers – underground rock formations that contain water – also traverse the border. With a few exceptions, very little information on these shared resources exists. One thing that is known is that many of them are severely overtapped and contaminated.

    Nonetheless, reliance on aquifers is growing as surface water supplies dwindle. Some 80% of groundwater used in the border region goes to agriculture. The rest is used by farmers and industries, such as automotive and appliance manufacturers.

    Over 10 million people in 30 cities and communities throughout the border region rely on groundwater for domestic use. Many communities, including Ciudad Juarez; the sister cities of Nogales in both Arizona and Sonora; and the sister cities of Columbus in New Mexico and Puerto Palomas in Chihuahua, get all or most of their fresh water from these aquifers.

    A booming region

    About 30 million people live within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of the border on both sides. Over the next 30 years, that figure is expected to double.

    Municipal and industrial water use throughout the region is also expected to increase. In Texas’ lower Rio Grande Valley, municipal use alone could more than double by 2040.

    At the same time, as climate change continues to worsen, scientists project that snowmelt will decrease and evaporation rates will increase. The Colorado River’s baseflow – the portion of its volume that comes from groundwater, rather than from rain and snow – may decline by nearly 30% in the next 30 years.

    Precipitation patterns across the region are projected to be uncertain and erratic for the foreseeable future. This trend will fuel more extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, which could cause widespread harm to crops, industrial activity, human health and the environment.

    Further stress comes from growth and development. Both the Colorado River and Rio Grande are tainted by pollutants from agricultural, municipal and industrial sources. Cities on both sides of the border, especially on the Mexican side, have a long history of dumping untreated sewage into the Rio Grande. Of the 55 water treatment plants located along the border, 80% reported ongoing maintenance, capacity and operating problems as of 2019.

    Drought across the border region is already stoking domestic and bilateral tensions. Competing water users are struggling to meet their needs, and the U.S. and Mexico are straining to comply with treaty obligations for sharing water.

    Cross-border water politics

    Mexico and the United States manage water allocations in the border region mainly under two treaties: a 1906 agreement focused on the Upper Rio Grande Basin and a 1944 treaty covering the Colorado River and Lower Rio Grande.

    Under the 1906 treaty, the U.S. is obligated to deliver 60,000 acre-feet of water to Mexico where the Rio Grande reaches the border. This target may be reduced during droughts, which have occurred frequently in recent decades. An acre-foot is enough water to flood an acre of land 1 foot deep – about 325,000 gallons (1.2 million liters).

    Allocations under the 1944 treaty are more complicated. The U.S. is required to deliver 1.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water to Mexico at the border – but as with the 1906 treaty, reductions are allowed in cases of extraordinary drought.

    Until the mid-2010s, the U.S. met its full obligation each year. Since then, however, regional drought and climate change have severely reduced the Colorado River’s flow, requiring substantial allocation reductions for both the U.S. and Mexico.

    In 2025, states in the U.S. section of the lower Colorado River basin will see a reduction of over 1 million acre-feet from prior years. Mexico’s allocation will decline by approximately 280,500 acre-feet under the 1944 treaty.

    This agreement provides each nation with designated fractions of flows from the Lower Rio Grande and specific tributaries. Regardless of water availability or climatic conditions, Mexico also is required to deliver to the U.S. a minimum of 1,750,000 acre-feet of water from six named tributaries, averaged over five-year cycles. If Mexico falls short in one cycle, it can make up the deficit in the next five-year cycle, but cannot delay repayment further.

    The U.S. and Mexico are struggling to share a shrinking water supply in the border region.

    Since the 1990s, extraordinary droughts have caused Mexico to miss its delivery obligations three times. Although Mexico repaid its water debts in subsequent cycles, these shortfalls raised diplomatic tensions that led to last-minute negotiations and large-scale water transfers from Mexico to the U.S.

    Mexican farmers in Lower Rio Grande irrigation districts who had to shoulder these cuts felt betrayed. In 2020, they protested, confronting federal soldiers and temporarily seizing control of a dam.

    U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum clearly appreciate the political and economic importance of the border region. But if water scarcity worsens, it could supplant other border priorities.

    In our view, the best way to prevent this would be for the two countries to recognize that conditions are deteriorating and update the existing cross-border governance regime so that it reflects today’s new water realities.

    Gabriel Eckstein is affiliated with the Permanent Forum on Binational Waters, International Association for Water Law, and International Water Resources Association.

    Rosario Sanchez receives funding from the USGS under the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program Act. She is affiliated with Texas A&M University and the non-profit as a volunteer to the Permanent Forum of Binational Waters, the International Association of Hydrogeologists, and the International Water Resources Association.

    – ref. Water is the other US-Mexico border crisis, and the supply crunch is getting worse – https://theconversation.com/water-is-the-other-us-mexico-border-crisis-and-the-supply-crunch-is-getting-worse-244722

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Reverence for the sacred waters of the Ganga and belief in its power to wash away sins bring millions to India’s Maha Kumbh festival

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Sudipta Sen, Professor of History, University of California, Davis

    Pilgrims take a dip in the sacred waters of Sangam, at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers during the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj on Jan.13, 2025. Niharika Kulkarni/AFP via Getty Images

    Millions of people have been visiting Prayagraj, a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, to take part in the Maha Kumbh festival – a six-week-long event that began on Jan. 13, 2025.

    Called the world’s largest religious gathering, the event has already drawn 148 million people. Attendance is expected to exceed 400 million by the time it ends on Feb. 26, and surging crowds have already claimed dozens of lives at the sacred site.

    Attendees range from Indian business tycoons and members of parliament to social media personages, film stars and celebrities, including the philanthropist billionaire Laurene Powell Jobs, widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs, who is a member of an ashram in Prayagraj.

    As a historian of the Ganga and its ecology, I am captivated by the enduring power of unwavering devotion that continues to drive pilgrims to this sacred site, despite the dangers posed by surging crowds and the spread of contagion. At least 30 people have been trampled to death and 60 have been injured in the stampede that followed this year.

    Ritual bathing at the confluence of large rivers has always had a special significance in Hindu rituals. Of such places, the Sangam, or confluence, at the city of Prayagraj is the most revered because this is where the rivers Ganga and Yamuna meet with the fabled Saraswati, also known as the goddess of learning and the arts – the unseen, mythical river that flows underneath.

    Hindus believe that bathing at the pilgrimage of Prayag has the power to wash away every sin known to humankind.

    Mythology behind the Kumbh

    The Kumbh festival is named after the celestial pitcher or “kumbha” that held the much coveted “amrita,” the nectar of immortality. In Hindu mythology, during what is known as the Age of Truth, the powerful clans of the asuras (demons) and devas (gods) fiercely battled over the source of eternal life.

    The cosmic ocean then was filled with milk, which they churned to draw out the nectar that would make them immortal. According to mythology, the asuras succeeded in the beginning, but their exertions disturbed Vasuki, the coiled, eternal snake at the Earth’s core, releasing a deadly poison that threatened to destroy the heavens. When the turn of the devas came, nectar was finally released from the depths of the netherworld. They drank the elixir and defeated the asuras.

    An illustration of the cosmic churning of the ocean.
    245CMR via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    During this epic battle, four drops of the nectar fell to the Earth in places that are held scared. Two are cities in present-day northern India, Haridwar and Prayag, and two in central India, Nashik and Ujjain – all located along meeting points of rivers.

    An overwhelming multitude of people

    The festival of the Kumbh also marks the 12-year orbital circuit of the planet Jupiter, or Brihaspati, the harbinger of good fortune and wealth.

    The present gathering commemorates the Maha Kumbh, or “Great” Kumbh, which is an exceptionally rare and auspicious event that takes place once every 144 years, following the completion of 12 regular Kumbh cycles. This sacred gathering is celebrated exclusively at Prayag.

    A gathering of this immense scale presents a monumental challenge for local and national authorities, testing their ability to coordinate the arrival and departure of hundreds of millions of people and housing them in thousands of tents in a city that is assembled just for the few weeks of the gathering.

    It serves as a showcase of the nation’s organizational prowess while striving to preserve the sanctity of this ancient festival. Not only have sandbags been laid for miles along the banks where pilgrims are congregating, local authorities have deployed 2,760 CCTV cameras to keep track of the throngs, prevent stampedes and prevent families from being separated.

    The 2025 event has been dubbed the first digital Maha Kumbh, where police and volunteers are using artificial intelligence-based software to locate missing people and deliver emergency alerts during unexpected crowd surges. They have also installed underwater drones to monitor bathers and prevent drowning. The state government allocated US$765 million (64 billion rupees) for infrastructure and support of police, medical staff and ambulances.

    Despite extensive preparations, the early rush for a bathing spot in the Ganga spiraled out of control just before dawn on Jan. 26 and many people were trampled. Such tragedies are not new to the Kumbh gathering. During the 1954 Kumbh, a much more devastating stampede resulted in the deaths of nearly 800 people. A melee at the train station during the 2013 Kumbh killed 36 people.

    The enduring appeal

    Over the centuries, countless pilgrims have bathed and prayed in the Ganga, driven by the enduring belief that its waters possess the power to cleanse the spirit and cure diseases.

    However, throngs of people wading into the Ganga often stoked the dread of infection and disease. In the latter half of the 19th century, during the heyday of British colonial rule, administrative officials considered mass ritual bathing at festivals such as Kumbh a great threat to public sanitation and hygiene and a potential source of cholera outbreaks. The colonial empire grew increasingly concerned after the number of pilgrims arriving in Prayag rose exponentially after the advent of the railways in the 1860s.

    Despite such fears, barring isolated episodes of cholera – the last one being in 1906, attributed to pilgrims drinking water from polluted pools – there has been little evidence of a major epidemic at the Kumbh in recorded history.

    Faith in the river’s purity has also been emboldened by research on high levels of oxygenation of the river water from algae and concentrations of the bacteriophage virus in the Ganga’s shallow pools, capable of eliminating harmful bacteria like E. coli.

    The magnificent celebration of the Kumbh and the enduring reverence for the sacred waters of the Ganga reflect a live connection to both myth and history across the great subcontinent of India.

    For the millions of pilgrims who bathe in the sacred waters, it is a continuation of the enduring belief in healing and spiritual redemption, both in this life and the next.

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

    – ref. Reverence for the sacred waters of the Ganga and belief in its power to wash away sins bring millions to India’s Maha Kumbh festival – https://theconversation.com/reverence-for-the-sacred-waters-of-the-ganga-and-belief-in-its-power-to-wash-away-sins-bring-millions-to-indias-maha-kumbh-festival-247676

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s administration seems chaotic, but he’s drawing directly from Project 2025 playbook

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Zachary Albert, Assistant Professor of Politics, Brandeis University

    The Heritage Foundation flag flies over its building in July 2024 in Washington. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

    In his first few days back in office, President Donald Trump engaged in a whirlwind of executive actions, from exiting the World Health Organization, to deploying military personnel and National Guard troop to the U.S.-Mexico border.

    Many of these actions are unprecedented. Some appear to be illegal and unconstitutional, according to legal experts and judges. But none of them should come as a surprise – nearly all of them were outlined in 2022 in a plan called Project 2025.

    A Heritage Foundation representative attends a Moms for Liberty National Summit in Washington on Aug. 30, 2024.
    Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

    Project 2025 is top of Trump’s to-do list

    Project 2025 is a multifaceted strategy to advance conservative policies in the federal government. Part of this effort revolves around the “Mandate for Leadership,” a 922-page document published in April 2023 that outlines a slew of proposed governmental policy changes.

    The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank and advocacy group, organized the collaborative effort. A long list of other right-leaning research organizations and interest groups, like Moms for Liberty and Turning Point USA, also participated in Project 2025.

    In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Project 2025 participants wrote on the plan’s website that “to rescue the country from the grip of the radical Left,” they would “need both a governing agenda and the right people in place, ready to carry this agenda out on day one of the next conservative administration.”

    In my research on think tanks, I’ve investigated how these research organizations can influence public policymaking. The most potent strategy is to ally with a political party and support its objectives through research and advocacy. This is exactly what the Heritage Foundation has done via Project 2025.

    Even though Trump said during his 2024 campaign that he was not affiliated with the project, evidence of Project 2025’s agenda can be seen throughout the beginning of his second term – as well as in his first administration.

    For example, on Jan. 20, 2025, Trump echoed the plan’s statement that “men and women are biological realities” when he signed an executive order that, in part, recognizes “two sexes, male and female” that are “not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.” This order led to the removal of transgender references from government websites.

    Other orders are similarly aligned with Project 2025. Take Trump’s executive order that, in part, eliminated the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, or OFCCP, a government office previously charged with ensuring companies working with the government did not discriminate against any employees. Project 2025 recommended, quite simply, to “eliminate OFCCP.”

    Some news reports have found that there are already many other examples of Trump policy decisions and executive orders that appear to mirror Project 2025 recommendations.

    One CNN analysis from Jan. 31 found that more than two-thirds of the 53 executive orders Trump issued during his first week in office “evoked proposals outlined in [the] ‘Mandate for Leadership.‘”

    Heritage Foundation’s decades of activism

    Project 2025’s influence on Trump reflects the Heritage Foundation’s growing importance to the Republican Party.

    In my forthcoming book about the polarization and politicization of policy research organizations, I show the many ways that think tanks like the Heritage Foundation have become embedded within partisan networks and intimately connected to politicians. Increasingly, Heritage and other partisan-aligned think tanks, including progressive groups like the Center for American Progress, use their research to consistently support partisan agendas that align with their policy goals.

    The relationship between the Heritage Foundation and the GOP represents the most extreme version of this dynamic. The think tank has supported Republican presidents as far back as Ronald Reagan, using another policy document – also called the “Mandate for Leadership” – to secure significant policy gains through his administration. But the symbiosis between the Heritage Foundation and the GOP has been particularly notable since Trump gained more influence in the party.

    At the start of Trump’s first term, as one Heritage Foundation researcher told me in 2017, the think tank recognized that the “administration didn’t have much policy depth, so when they won the election they were sort of like, ‘Now what do we do?’ And that’s where Heritage comes in. … We work on these issues year-round, so we’ll stand by your side.”

    The Heritage Foundation also vetted potential staffers for federal government positions. This led to more than 66 Heritage employees or former employees working for the Trump administration by the middle of 2018.

    But Heritage has not entirely dictated Trump’s agenda. While the group did say that Trump “embraced 64 percent of our 321 recommendations” by the end of 2017, the think tank has also revamped its agenda to align with Trump on the issues he cared most about, like trade and culture wars.

    As the think tank’s president, Kevin Roberts, said in 2024, Heritage views its job as “institutionalizing Trumpism.”

    The people connecting Trump to Project 2025

    Many of the contributors to the “Mandate for Leadership” had been Trump administration officials, like Russ Vought, the former director of the Office of Management and Budget and current nominee for the same position.

    This list also includes John Ratcliffe, the former director of National Intelligence and incoming CIA director, and Tom Homan, former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and current border czar.

    In all, more than half of the plan’s 312 authors, editors and contributors previously worked in the first Trump administration.

    An incredibly important but often underappreciated part of Project 2025 was its staffing effort: The coalition worked to identify, vet and train potential staffers and appointees who are now making their way into the Trump administration and executive agencies.

    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer gestures toward a visual aid about Project 2025 during a news conference in September 2024 in Washington.
    Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

    What people – and the law – say about Project 2025

    Polling from January 2025 shows that a majority of Americans oppose many of Trump’s actions since retaking office, sometimes by large margins.

    Even during the presidential campaign, both Project 2025 itself and the policy ideas it advocated were broadly unpopular. Democrats consistently warned about the plan in their attacks against Republicans.

    The lack of popular approval for Project 2025 and its proposals is notable because the Heritage Foundation has historically invested time and money into gaining public support for its work. It even operates an initiative that polls citizens on how they “interpret arguments for and against our policy recommendations and how we can best gain their understanding and support.”

    There are also legal considerations.

    Many of Trump’s actions – like saying the government will deny citizenship to children born to some immigrants in the U.S. – rest on potentially unconstitutional interpretations and expansions of presidential power.

    This represents another about-face for the think tank, which has historically opposed efforts to empower the president at the expense of congressional authority. Indeed, the Heritage Foundation was founded to work through Congress to accomplish its goals. But with Project 2025, it seems it is pursuing a new strategy.

    How successful the Heritage Foundation is in helping Trump implement Project 2025 proposals will partially depend on how the public reacts. Whether Congress asserts its control over budgetary matters and exercises general oversight of the executive branch will also matter, as will the decisions made by the American judicial system.

    These checks and balances have helped sustain American democracy for nearly 250 years – whether they will continue to do so remains to be seen.

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

    – ref. Trump’s administration seems chaotic, but he’s drawing directly from Project 2025 playbook – https://theconversation.com/trumps-administration-seems-chaotic-but-hes-drawing-directly-from-project-2025-playbook-248821

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Lightning strikes link weather on Earth and weather in space

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lauren Blum, Assistant Professor of Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder

    Lightning, when coupled with solar flares, can knock electrons flying above the Earth out of place. AP Photo/David Zalubowski

    There are trillions of charged particles – protons and electrons, the basic building blocks of matter – whizzing around above your head at any given time. These high-energy particles, which can travel at close to the speed of light, typically remain thousands of kilometers away from Earth, trapped there by the shape of Earth’s magnetic field.

    Occasionally, though, an event happens that can jostle them out of place, sending electrons raining down into Earth’s atmosphere. These high-energy particles in space make up what are known as the Van Allen radiation belts, and their discovery was one of the first of the space age. A new study from my research team has found that electromagnetic waves generated by lightning can trigger these electron showers.

    A brief history lesson

    At the start of the space race in the 1950s, professor James Van Allen and his research team at the University of Iowa were tasked with building an experiment to fly on the United States’ very first satellite, Explorer 1. They designed sensors to study cosmic radiation, which is caused by high-energy particles originating from the Sun, the Milky Way galaxy, or beyond.

    James Van Allen, middle, poses with a model of the Explorer 1 satellite.
    NASA

    After Explorer 1 launched, though, they noticed that their instrument was detecting significantly higher levels of radiation than expected. Rather than measuring a distant source of radiation beyond our solar system, they appeared to be measuring a local and extremely intense source.

    This measurement led to the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts, two doughnut-shaped regions of high-energy electrons and ions encircling the planet.

    Scientists believe that the inner radiation belt, peaking about 621 miles (1000 kilometers) from Earth, is composed of electrons and high-energy protons and is relatively stable over time.

    The outer radiation belt, about three times farther away, is made up of high-energy electrons. This belt can be highly dynamic. Its location, density and energy content may vary significantly by the hour in response to solar activity.

    Charged particles, with their trajectories shown as blue and yellow lines here, exist in the radiation belts around Earth, depicted here as the yellow, green and blue regions.

    The discovery of these high-radiation regions is not only an interesting story about the early days of the space race; it also serves as a reminder that many scientific discoveries have come about by happy accident.

    It is a lesson for experimental scientists, myself included, to keep an open mind when analyzing and evaluating data. If the data doesn’t match our theories or expectations, those theories may need to be revisited.

    Our curious observations

    While I teach the history of the space race in a space policy course at the University of Colorado, Boulder, I rarely connect it to my own experience as a scientist researching Earth’s radiation belts. Or, at least, I didn’t until recently.

    In a study led by Max Feinland, an undergraduate student in my research group, we stumbled upon some of our own unexpected observations of Earth’s radiation belts. Our findings have made us rethink our understanding of Earth’s inner radiation belt and the processes affecting it.

    Originally, we set out to look for very rapid – sub-second – bursts of high-energy electrons entering the atmosphere from the outer radiation belt, where they are typically observed.

    Many scientists believe that a type of electromagnetic wave known as “chorus” can knock these electrons out of position and send them toward the atmosphere. They’re called chorus waves due to their distinct chirping sound when listened to on a radio receiver.

    Feinland developed an algorithm to search for these events in decades of measurements from the SAMPEX satellite. When he showed me a plot with the location of all the events he’d detected, we noticed a number of them were not where we expected. Some events mapped to the inner radiation belt rather than the outer belt.

    This finding was curious for two reasons. For one, chorus waves aren’t prevalent in this region, so something else had to be shaking these electrons loose.

    The other surprise was finding electrons this energetic in the inner radiation belt at all. Measurements from NASA’s Van Allen Probes mission prompted renewed interest in the inner radiation belt. Observations from the Van Allen Probes suggested that high-energy electrons are often not present in this inner radiation belt, at least not during the first few years of that mission, from 2012 to 2014.

    Our observations now showed that, in fact, there are times that the inner belt contains high-energy electrons. How often this is true and under what conditions remain open questions to explore. These high-energy particles can damage spacecraft and harm humans in space, so researchers need to know when and where in space they are present to better design spacecraft.

    Determining the culprit

    One of the ways to disturb electrons in the inner radiation belt and kick them into Earth’s atmosphere actually begins in the atmosphere itself.

    Lightning, the large electromagnetic discharges that light up the sky during thunderstorms, can actually generate electromagnetic waves known as lightning-generated whistlers.

    Lightning strikes generate electromagnetic waves, which can travel into the radiation belts above the Earth’s atmosphere.
    mdesigner125/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    These waves can then travel through the atmosphere out into space, where they interact with electrons in the inner radiation belt – much as chorus waves interact with electrons in the outer radiation belt.

    To test whether lightning was behind our inner radiation belt detections, we looked back at the electron bursts and compared them with thunderstorm data. Some lightning activity seemed correlated with our electron events, but much of it was not.

    Specifically, only lightning that occurred right after so-called geomagnetic storms resulted in the bursts of electrons we detected.

    Geomagnetic storms are disturbances in the near-Earth space environment often caused by large eruptions on the Sun’s surface. This solar activity, if directed toward Earth, can produce what researchers term space weather. Space weather can result in stunning auroras, but it can also disrupt satellite and power grid operations.

    We discovered that a combination of weather on Earth and weather in space produces the unique electron signatures we observed in our study. The solar activity disturbs Earth’s radiation belts and populates the inner belt with very high-energy electrons, then the lightning interacts with these electrons and creates the rapid bursts that we observed.

    These results provide a nice reminder of the interconnected nature of Earth and space. They were also a welcome reminder to me of the often nonlinear process of scientific discovery.

    Lauren Blum receives funding from NASA and the NSF.

    – ref. Lightning strikes link weather on Earth and weather in space – https://theconversation.com/lightning-strikes-link-weather-on-earth-and-weather-in-space-243772

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Nigeria’s Brics partnership: economist outlines potential benefits

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stephen Onyeiwu, Professor of Economics & Business, Allegheny College

    During its 16th annual summit in Kazan, Russia, Brics – a group of emerging economies determined to act as a counterweight to the west and to whittle down the influence of global institutions – invited Nigeria and eight other countries to join it as “partner” countries. Nigeria formally accepted the invitation in January 2025. That invitation has generated questions about how Nigeria stands to benefit, especially when US president Donald Trump is threatening to sanction members of the group if they replace the US dollar as reserve currency. It was established in 2006 and initially composed of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. South Africa joined in 2010 and the bloc added four new members (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates) in 2023. In this interview, development economist Stephen Onyeiwu argues that Nigeria stands to gain from a Brics partnership, but would have to carefully balance its domestic interests with those of its western allies and Brics.

    What does it mean to be a Brics ‘partner’ country?

    The introduction of Brics partnership is an expansion mechanism designed to bring in more participants without giving them full membership. It is akin to “observer” status.

    Brics partners can participate in special sessions of summits and foreign ministers’ meetings, as well as other high-level events. Partners can also contribute to the organisation’s official documents and policy statements.

    But partners cannot host annual Brics summits or determine the venue. Neither can they select new members and partners.

    How beneficial is Brics partnership to Nigeria?

    The main benefit would be access to finance offered by Brics’ New Development Bank.

    The New Development Bank was established as an alternative to western-dominated international financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. These institutions are sometimes used by the leading western countries to keep developing countries in line on global issues.

    Some developing countries are reluctant to criticise western countries for fear of losing access to funding by western-backed international financial institutions.

    Nigeria has been running a budget deficit of about 5% of GDP since 2019, and it needs funding to pay for the deficits. The New Development Bank could be an important source of funding for investment in Nigeria’s infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, and so on.

    New Development Bank loans are also available in member countries’ local currencies. They don’t have to earn foreign exchange to repay the loans. This fosters exchange rate stability and promotes economic growth. The New Development Bank raises funds in member countries’ local currencies, and lends them to member countries.

    Nigeria could use its Brics partnership to garner the group’s support in matters that affect Nigeria globally. For instance, there have been requests for African countries to be included as permanent members (without veto power) of the UN security council. South Africa and Nigeria have been touted as potential candidates. Should this issue be raised at the UN, Nigeria can count on the support of its Brics allies, which includes two permanent members (China and Russia) of the security council.

    Mutual understanding and cooperation with other Brics members and partners might spill over into economic, trade and investment agreements. Friendly countries are more likely to trade with each other and invest in each other’s economy.

    How can Nigeria maximise its status as a Brics partner?

    Nigeria should use it to attract foreign direct investment in strategic sectors of the economy, such as infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture and technology.

    Some Brics members, like China, India, and the UAE, have investors that are seeking investment outlets abroad. Nigeria could use the bloc’s annual summits to showcase investment opportunities.

    The global economy is transitioning into “frontier industries and technologies”, such as big data, artificial intelligence, solar, drones, gene editing, 3D printing, blockchains, Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, robotics and nanotechnology. China, India and Brazil are already well advanced in these technologies.

    Nigeria should use its partnership with these countries to build capabilities in frontier industries and technologies. It could get favourable terms in the transfer of these technologies.

    Nigeria seeks to diversify its economy from reliance on the export of hydrocarbons. But Nigerian producers have had a hard time accessing global markets. The country should negotiate trade deals that provide access to Brics markets, especially agricultural and agro-processed products, arts and crafts.

    But Nigeria has to promote economic growth and structural transformation at home. If the Nigerian economy falters, it is unlikely the country will be invited to become a full member of Brics.

    Would adding new members and partners reduce western dominance?

    Brics has so far not been able to significantly change the dynamics of the international political economy. Adding new members and partners, while symbolic, will not act as an effective counterweight to the influence of the G7 and G20 groups of nations.

    Most of the countries and partners in Brics are either allies of western countries or neutral on global issues. They are unlikely to support decisions or actions that are grossly inimical to western interests.

    Egypt and the UAE, for instance, receive military aid from the United States. Ethiopia and Nigeria are top recipients of foreign aid in Africa, much of it from western-backed financial institutions.

    The only outlier in the mix is Iran, whose membership was promoted by Russia. But Iran has no leverage to influence others in the bloc.

    On balance, therefore, Brics will not be a threat to western countries.

    Brics aspires to weaken the dominance of the US dollar for international transactions. Close to 90% of international trade transactions are conducted with the US dollar.

    Brics countries plan to reduce dollar dominance by encouraging member countries to settle their trade and financial transactions using their domestic currencies. For instance, South African businesses could purchase Chinese goods using the South African rand, while the Chinese could do the same for South African goods using the Chinese yuan. The more members you have in Brics swapping their currencies, the less important the US dollar will be.

    It is unlikely, however, that an increase in the number of Brics members and partners will weaken the dollar. Most will continue to have significant economic relationships with the west, including trade and foreign aid.

    They will also continue to conduct business with many non-Brics countries, which also have economic relationships with the west. They will need the US dollar to transact with many other countries.

    So increasing the number of Brics members and partners does not pose a threat to dollar dominance.

    – Nigeria’s Brics partnership: economist outlines potential benefits
    – https://theconversation.com/nigerias-brics-partnership-economist-outlines-potential-benefits-248943

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Video: U.S. Army: ALWAYS Ready!

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    : DMD

    About the U.S. Army:

    The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

    Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
    Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

    Connect with the U.S. Army online:
    Web: https://www.army.mil

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
    X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
    #USArmy #Soldiers #Military #JPMRC

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVg14ciQN9M

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN – Local health authorities forced to suspend HIV & AIDS program in Yambio: thousands of lives at risk

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 5 February 2025

    Yambio (Agenzia Fides) – The suspension of the HIV & AIDS program in Yambio has placed thousands of lives at risk. Healthcare workers, patients, and local authorities are now calling for urgent intervention to restore funding and ensure continued access to life-saving treatment.Following the decision to halt the activities of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for 90 days, which makes the United States the main country for providing humanitarian aid, the Western Equatoria State Ministry of Health has confirmed the suspension of the HIV & AIDS program in Yambio due to funding cuts from the United States, leaving thousands of vulnerable individuals uncertain about their future.“The program was halted following decisions from the United States. I spoke with the program director of CMMB Yambio, and they assured me that discussions are ongoing. We expect to receive further updates soon,” said Health Minister James Abdallah Arona to the local press.The Minister expressed concern about the impact of the decision, emphasizing that the program was heavily reliant on international donors, including USAID and Sweden. “If funding stops, people will suffer. I urge the national government and our partners to engage donors to ensure continued support for our vulnerable population,” said Arona.According to reports, the HIV/AIDS prevalence in Western Equatoria is 6.8%. This is higher than the prevalence in the other states of the greater Equatoria region, which are Central Equatoria (3.1%) and Eastern Equatoria (4.0%).“We were instructed to halt all ongoing services. Before closing, we informed all county health departments about the development,” said the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) clinician from CMMB Yambio, Henry Biata Nzari. “The government must act swiftly to prevent further suffering. The community is highly vulnerable, and the impact of this suspension could be devastating,” he stressed.USAID was founded in 1961 with the aim of fighting global poverty, providing humanitarian assistance to countries affected by conflict or health emergencies, and supporting the development of democratic societies by improving their potential. Since the 1980s, USAID has worked in the areas of food security, the right to education and humanitarian assistance, focusing on combating the spread of pandemic threats and diseases such as HIV and malaria, as well as supporting maternal and child health. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 5/2/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Dayforce Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results1

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Dayforce® recurring revenue of $347.9 million, up 19% year-over-year in the fourth quarter

    Total revenue of $465.2 million, up 16% year-over-year in the fourth quarter

    Full year 2024 net cash provided by operating activities of $281.1 million, up 28%

    Annual Dayforce gross revenue retention rate of 98%

    MINNEAPOLIS and TORONTO, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dayforce, Inc. (“Dayforce” or the “Company”) (NYSE:DAY) (TSX:DAY), a global leader in human capital management (“HCM”) technology, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

    “2024 was a year of outstanding progress and innovation for Dayforce. We launched the Dayforce brand, maintained our product positioning as leaders in HCM, and drove significant innovation to help our customers achieve their best work,” said David Ossip, Chair and CEO of Dayforce. “We are optimistic about 2025 as current and prospective customers continue to recognize the value the Dayforce platform provides as they streamline HCM processes and navigate compliance complexities.”

    “The fourth quarter of 2024 was the strongest sales quarter in our history – helping us close out a successful year with robust growth across both new business and add-on sales,” said Stephen Holdridge, President and COO of Dayforce. “We saw a healthy mix of enterprise, major-market, and global sales on top of annual gross retention rate of 98% – another company record. This momentum, alongside the strength of our sales pipeline, gives us great confidence in our right to continue winning in 2025.” 

    “Looking out to 2025, we plan to continue executing on the vision laid out during our November investor day, operating the business for optimal cash generation while maintaining our pace of innovation and high levels of customer success,” said Jeremy Johnson, CFO of Dayforce. “I’m pleased that we are starting the year with demonstrable progress toward our profitability goals, raising our 2025 Adjusted EBITDA guidance 100 basis points to 32%.”

    Financial Highlights for the Fourth Quarter 20241

    • Total revenue was $465.2 million, an increase of 16.4%, or 17.0% on a constant currency basis.
    • Dayforce recurring revenue was $347.9 million, an increase of 19.1%, or 19.5% on a constant currency basis. Excluding float revenue, Dayforce recurring revenue was $307.6 million, an increase of 20.0%, or 20.4% on a constant currency basis.
    • Cloud recurring gross margin was 80.0%, compared to 77.0%, an increase of 3.0 percentage points. Adjusted Cloud recurring gross margin was 80.4%, compared to 78.1%, an increase of 2.3 percentage points.
    • Operating profit was $28.5 million, compared to $38.8 million. Adjusted operating profit was $103.3 million, compared to $78.9 million.
    • Net income was $10.8 million, compared to $45.6 million. Adjusted net income was $97.1 million, compared to $80.3 million.
    • Adjusted EBITDA was $129.2 million, compared to $99.2 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 27.8%, compared to 24.8%, an increase of 3.0 percentage points.
    • Diluted net income per share was $0.07, compared to $0.29. Adjusted diluted net income per share was $0.60, compared to $0.50.

    Financial Highlights for the Full Year 20241

    • Total revenue was $1,760.0 million, an increase of 16.3%, or 16.7% on a constant currency basis.
    • Dayforce recurring revenue was $1,339.9 million, an increase of 20.6%, or 20.8% on a constant currency basis. Excluding float revenue, Dayforce recurring revenue was $1,159.7 million, an increase of 20.4%, or 20.7% on a constant currency basis.
    • Cloud annualized recurring revenue (“ARR”) was $1,474.1 million, an increase of 17.9%, or $223.5 million.2
    • Cloud recurring gross margin was 78.9%, compared to 77.0%, an increase of 1.9 percentage points. Adjusted Cloud recurring gross margin was 79.8%, compared to 78.3%, an increase of 1.5 percentage points.
    • Operating profit was $104.1 million, compared to $133.1 million. Adjusted operating profit was $410.5 million, compared to $339.8 million.
    • Annual Dayforce gross revenue retention rate was 98.0% for the full year of 2024, compared to 97.1%.2
    • Net income was $18.1 million, compared to $54.8 million. Adjusted net income was $315.8 million, compared to $238.7 million.
    • Adjusted EBITDA was $501.5 million, compared to $410.2 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 28.5%, compared to 27.1%, an increase of 1.4 percentage points.
    • Diluted net income per share was $0.11, compared to $0.35. Adjusted diluted net income per share was $1.97, compared to $1.51.
    • Net cash provided by operating activities was $281.1 million, compared to $219.5 million.
    • Free cash flow was $171.5 million, compared to $105.1 million. Free cash flow margin was 9.7%, compared to 6.9%, an increase of 2.8 percentage points.
    • Cash and equivalents were $579.7 million, compared to $570.3 million.

    Supplemental Detail

    • 7.62 million global employees were live on the Dayforce platform as of December 31, 2024, up 11.4% compared to 6.84 million global employees as of December 31, 2023.3
    • 6,876 customers were live on the Dayforce platform as of December 31, 2024, an increase of 146 customers since September 30, 2024 and an increase of 483 customers since December 31, 2023, or 7.6% year-over-year.3
    • Dayforce recurring revenue per customer was $163,101 for the trailing twelve months ended December 31, 2024, an increase of 11.1%.4
    • The average float balance for Dayforce’s customer funds during the quarter was $4.68 billion and the average yield on Dayforce’s float balance was 3.8%, a decrease of 10 basis points year-over-year. Float revenue from invested customer funds was $45.1 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024.
    • The average U.S. dollar to Canadian dollar foreign exchange rate was $1.40 for the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to $1.36 for the three months ended December 31, 2023. Dayforce presents percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis in order to exclude the effect of foreign currency rate fluctuations, which it believes is useful to management and investors. Percentage change in revenue was calculated on a constant currency basis by applying the average foreign exchange rate in effect during the comparable prior period.

    1 The financial highlights are on a year-over-year basis, unless otherwise stated. All financial results are reported in United States (“U.S.”) dollars and in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”), unless otherwise stated.
    2 Excluding Ascender and eloomi.
    3 Excluding Ascender, ADAM HCM, and eloomi.
    4 Excluding float revenue, Ascender, ADAM HCM, and eloomi revenue, and on a constant currency basis. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for discussion of percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis.

    Business Highlights

    • The Company launched its first mass advertising campaign across the U.S. after uniting its global brand as Dayforce.
    • Dayforce announced the launch of the Dayforce Partner Network to create growth opportunities and provide an exceptional experience for customers.
    • Dayforce was named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape – Worldwide Cloud-Enabled Human Capital Management 2024 Vendor Assessment and a Leader in the Nucleus Research Full Suite Talent Acquisition Technology Value Matrix 2024.
    • Dayforce won the gold medal and was named a Leader in Software Reviews Data Quadrant Awards for both HCM Enterprise Software and WFM Enterprise Software and was recognized by Constellation Research for excellence in Workforce Management Suites, HCM Suites with a North American Focus, Global HCM Suites, and Payroll for North American SMBs.
    • For the second consecutive year, Dayforce was named by Newsweek magazine and the Best Practice Institute as one of the Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces in America, made Computerworld’s list of Best Places to Work in IT, and earned a place on the United Kingdom’s (“U.K.”) Most Loved Workplace list.
    • Dayforce achieved record attendance at Dayforce Discover 2024, its annual customer conference in Las Vegas, where it welcomed its global community of customers, prospective customers, partners, and industry disruptors.

    Sales Highlights

    • A large member-owned retail cooperative selected the full Dayforce suite to support all 66,000 employees at 362 stores across nine states in the U.S.
    • A large global manufacturer and distributor of paints and coatings supporting 60,000 employees has expanded its partnership with Dayforce Payroll and Workforce Management for its regions beyond the U.S.
    • A global air services provider with over 48,000 employees across 35 countries has expanded its partnership with Dayforce to its U.S. operations. The company, which employs 3,200 in the U.S., has purchased the full suite of Dayforce products, including Managed Payroll.
    • A space exploration company selected Dayforce Payroll and Time and Attendance to support its 18,000 employees.
    • A global manufacturer of construction equipment selected Dayforce for Managed Payroll and Time and Attendance, supporting 6,500 employees and 500 pensioners globally.
    • A large Indigenous organization in the U.S. selected the full Dayforce suite to support 5,000 employees across Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado.
    • A specialty food distributor with 5,000 employees across the U.S. and Canada has expanded its Dayforce partnership to include Advanced Experience Hub, Succession Planning, Co-Pilot, Career Explorer, Engagement, and Talent Acquisition Management.
    • A global beverage company has expanded its partnership with Dayforce choosing Time and Managed Payroll, to support 3,100 employees across the United States and Canada.
    • A global leader specializing in radiation detection, measurement, and monitoring solutions opted for the full Dayforce HCM suite to support its 3,000 employees globally.

    Customer Highlights

    • A global aviation services provider with over 55,000 employees across 36 countries has successfully gone live with Dayforce HR and Payroll for 8,000 employees in the U.K. and plans to continue its global rollout of the platform.
    • A leading American entertainment company with 23,000 employees successfully launched Dayforce Talent – Performance, Learning, Compensation, and Succession Planning – across its U.S. operations.
    • A leading U.K. contract catering and support services provider successfully implemented Dayforce HR and Payroll for its 10,500 employees.
    • A large public sector organization in North Carolina has gone live with Dayforce HR, Payroll, Benefits, Time, and People Analytics to support 8,000 employees.
    • A U.S gaming and digital entertainment company has successfully gone live with Dayforce HR, Payroll, Time and People Analytics, supporting 5,800 employees across the U.S. and Canada.
    • A global cybersecurity company has gone live with Dayforce HR, Payroll, and Time and Attendance, supporting 2,900 employees across the U.S.
    • A leading U.S. based commercial real estate company has successfully implemented Dayforce, using HR, Managed Payroll, Managed Benefits, Time and Talent to support its 2,650 employees.

    Product Roadmap Highlights

    In the fourth quarter, Dayforce continued to set a new standard for the HCM industry by bringing product capabilities to market to help organizations invest in their people and push their businesses forward.

    • 900+ compliance updates in 2024 further strengthen the company’s industry-leading position in compliance by addressing taxes, workers’ compensation, garnishments, dependent care, and multiple state and city rate changes.
    • New intelligence capabilities across the Dayforce suite will help customers simplify and accelerate business processes including:
      • Dayforce Co-Pilot, made generally available to all customers in Q4, optimizes people operations by enabling a more informed, empowered, and productive workforce through a powerful GenAI assistant that is personalized to answer contextual questions, summarize data, and provide step-by-step guidance.
      • Dayforce Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) Agents, announced at Dayforce Discover, will help customers accelerate workflows, efficiencies, and decision-making by automating repetitive tasks across the employee lifecycle.
      • AI-enhanced Dayforce Demand Forecasting, a new capability, better predicts demand and labor needs by delivering AI-enhanced insights through machine learning algorithms to help organizations plan more effectively.
      • Dayforce Workforce Insights, a new feature, provides critical workforce insights and serves as a one-stop shop for people leaders.
    • Dayforce Shift Marketplace supercharges staffing mobility by enabling workers to search for, select, and fill open shifts, right from their mobile device. Shift Marketplace provides workers with the up-front information required to understand their role, work, and compensation.
    • Dayforce Talent enhancements elevate the experience for talent acquisition professionals by enabling them to hire at scale, reduce complexities in recruitment, and view qualified candidates quickly and efficiently.
    • Dayforce Wallet updates include new direct-to-bank functionality with the option to continue to access available pay using Dayforce Wallet or to choose to send pay directly to another personal bank account and expanded access to on-demand pay using Dayforce Mobile.

    Business Outlook

    Based on information available as of February 5, 2025, Dayforce is issuing the following guidance for the full year and first quarter of 2025 as indicated below. Comparisons are on a year-over-year basis, unless stated otherwise.

    First Quarter 2025 Guidance

    • Total revenue, excluding float, of $421 million to $427 million, an increase of approximately 13.5% to 15% on a GAAP basis, or approximately 15.5% to 17% on a constant currency basis.
    • Float revenue of $53 million.
    • Adjusted EBITDA margin of 31% to 32%.

    Full Year 2025 Guidance

    • Total revenue, excluding float, of $1,745 million to $1,760 million, an increase of approximately 11.9% to 12.8% on a GAAP basis, or approximately 14% to 15% on a constant currency basis.
    • Dayforce recurring revenue, excluding float, of $1,315 million to $1,340 million, an increase of approximately 13.4% to 15.5% on a GAAP basis, or approximately 15% to 17% on a constant currency basis.
    • Float revenue of $180 million.
    • Adjusted EBITDA margin of 32%.
    • Free cash flow margin of 12%.

    Please refer to the “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for a reconciliation of Dayforce’s free cash flow margin guidance. Dayforce has not reconciled the Adjusted EBITDA margin ranges for the first quarter or full year of 2025 to the directly comparable GAAP financial measures because applicable information for the future period, on which these reconciliations would be based, is not available without unreasonable efforts due to uncertainty regarding, and the potential variability of, depreciation and amortization, share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, changes in foreign currency exchange rates, and other items.

    Foreign Exchange

    For the first quarter and full year of 2025, Dayforce’s guidance assumes an average U.S. dollar to key foreign currencies as follows:

      % of 2024 total
    revenue    		 Foreign exchange
    rate assumed in
    guidance    		 Foreign exchange rate
    in Q1 2024    		 Foreign exchange rate
    in FY 2024
    U.S. dollar to Canadian dollar 21% 1.44 1.35 1.37
    U.S. dollar to Australian dollar 4% 1.61 1.52 1.52
    U.S. dollar to Great British pound 3% 0.81 0.79 0.78
             

    Conference Call Details

    Dayforce will host a live webcast and conference call to discuss the fourth quarter and full year 2024 earnings at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on February 5, 2025. Those wishing to participate via the webcast should access the call through the Investor Relations section of the Dayforce website. Those wishing to participate via the telephone may dial in at 877-497-9071 (USA) or 201-689-8727 (International). The webcast replay will be available through the Investor Relations section of the Dayforce website.

    About Dayforce

    Dayforce makes work life better. Everything we do as a global leader in HCM technology is focused on improving work for thousands of customers and millions of employees around the world. Our single, global people platform for HR, Pay, Time, Talent, and Analytics equips Dayforce customers to unlock their full workforce potential and operate with confidence. To learn how Dayforce helps create quantifiable value for organizations of all sizes and industries, visit dayforce.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact or relating to present facts or current conditions included in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give Dayforce’s current expectations and projections relating to its financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance, and business. Users can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements relating to the full year and first quarter of 2025, as well as those relating to future growth initiatives. These statements may include words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “assume”, “project,” “seek,” “plan,” “intend,” “believe,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “continue,” “likely,” “should,” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events, but not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on assumptions that Dayforce has made in light of its industry experience and its perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors that it believes are appropriate under the circumstances. As users consider this press release, it should be understood that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. These assumptions and Dayforce’s future performance or results involve risks and uncertainties (many of which are beyond its control). In particular:

    • its inability to maintain its high Cloud solutions growth rate, manage its domestic and international growth effectively, or execute on its growth strategy;
    • the impact of disruptions to the movement of funds to initiate payroll-related transactions on behalf of  customers;
    • its failure to manage its aging technical operations infrastructure;
    • system breaches, interruptions or failures, including cyber-security breaches, identity theft, or other disruptions that could compromise customer information or sensitive company information, including its ongoing consent order with the Federal Trade Commission regarding data protection;
    • its failure to comply with applicable privacy, data protection, information security, and financial services laws, regulations and standards;
    • its inability to successfully compete in the markets in which Dayforce operates and expand its current offerings into new markets or further penetrate existing markets due to competition;
    • its failure to properly update its solutions to enable its customers to comply with applicable laws;
    • its failure to provide new or enhanced functionality and features, including those that may involve artificial intelligence or machine learning;
    • its inability to maintain necessary third-party relationships, and third-party software licenses, and identify errors in the software it licenses;
    • its inability to offer and deliver high-quality technical support, implementation, and professional services;
    • its inability to attract and retain senior management employees and highly skilled employees;
    • the impact of its outstanding debt obligations on its financial condition, results of operations, and value of its common stock;
    • its ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, and the effect of the existing material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting on its business, financial condition, and results of operations; or
    • the impact of adverse economic and market conditions on its business, operating results, or financial condition.

    Although Dayforce has attempted to identify important risk factors, additional factors or events that could cause Dayforce’s actual performance to differ from these forward-looking statements may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Dayforce to predict all of them. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of Dayforce’s assumptions prove incorrect, its actual financial condition, results of operations, future performance, and business may vary in material respects from the performance projected in these forward-looking statements. In addition to any factors and assumptions set forth above in this press release, the material factors and assumptions used to develop the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: the general economy remains stable; the competitive environment in the HCM market remains stable; the demand environment for HCM solutions remains stable; Dayforce’s implementation capabilities and cycle times remain stable; foreign exchange rates, both current and those used in developing forward-looking statements, specifically U.S. dollar to Canadian dollar, remain stable at, or near, current rates; Dayforce will be able to maintain its relationships with its employees, customers, and partners; Dayforce will continue to attract qualified personnel to support its development requirements and the support of its new and existing customers; and that the risk factors noted above, individually or collectively, do not have a material impact on Dayforce. Any forward-looking statement made by Dayforce in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Dayforce undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

         
    Dayforce, Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (Unaudited)
         
      December 31,  
      2024     2023  
    (In millions, except per share data)          
    Assets          
    Current assets:          
    Cash and equivalents $ 579.7     $ 570.3  
    Restricted cash   —       0.8  
    Trade and other receivables, net   264.8       228.8  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets   137.5       126.7  
    Total current assets before customer funds   982.0       926.6  
    Customer funds   5,001.5       5,028.6  
    Total current assets   5,983.5       5,955.2  
    Right of use lease assets, net   12.3       19.1  
    Property, plant, and equipment, net   223.7       210.1  
    Goodwill   2,336.7       2,293.9  
    Other intangible assets, net   189.2       230.2  
    Deferred sales commissions   231.8       192.1  
    Other assets   139.8       110.3  
    Total assets $ 9,117.0     $ 9,010.9  
               
    Liabilities and stockholders’ equity          
    Current liabilities:          
    Current portion of long-term debt $ 7.3     $ 7.6  
    Current portion of long-term lease liabilities   5.7       7.0  
    Accounts payable   77.0       66.7  
    Deferred revenue   42.3       40.2  
    Employee compensation and benefits   126.8       92.9  
    Other accrued expenses   31.5       30.4  
    Total current liabilities before customer funds obligations   290.6       244.8  
    Customer funds obligations   5,024.2       5,090.1  
    Total current liabilities   5,314.8       5,334.9  
    Long-term debt, less current portion   1,209.1       1,210.1  
    Employee benefit plans   5.9       27.7  
    Long-term lease liabilities, less current portion   10.8       18.9  
    Other liabilities   30.1       21.1  
    Total liabilities   6,570.7       6,612.7  
    Commitments and contingencies          
    Stockholders’ equity:          
    Common stock, $0.01 par, 500.0 shares authorized, 159.0 and 156.3 shares issued and outstanding, respectively   1.6       1.6  
    Additional paid in capital   3,363.2       3,151.1  
    Accumulated deficit   (335.8 )     (317.8 )
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss   (482.7 )     (436.7 )
    Total stockholders’ equity   2,546.3       2,398.2  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 9,117.0     $ 9,010.9  
                   
    Dayforce, Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
    (Unaudited)
               
      Three Months Ended December 31,     Year Ended December 31,  
      2024     2023     2024     2023  
    (In millions, except per share data)                      
    Revenue:                      
    Recurring $ 393.7     $ 339.1     $ 1,517.3     $ 1,297.3  
    Professional services and other   71.5       60.6       242.7       216.4  
    Total revenue   465.2       399.7       1,760.0       1,513.7  
    Cost of revenue:                      
    Recurring   87.6       85.5       352.7       324.9  
    Professional services and other   80.2       68.6       291.0       265.6  
    Product development and management   57.0       56.4       223.8       209.9  
    Depreciation and amortization   21.8       19.4       80.4       66.8  
    Total cost of revenue   246.6       229.9       947.9       867.2  
    Gross profit   218.6       169.8       812.1       646.5  
    Selling and marketing   93.5       72.7       342.0       250.2  
    General and administrative   96.6       58.3       366.0       263.2  
    Operating profit   28.5       38.8       104.1       133.1  
    Interest expense, net   7.4       8.9       40.6       36.1  
    Other expense (income), net   20.2       (5.6 )     25.9       1.0  
    Income before income taxes   0.9       35.5       37.6       96.0  
    Income tax (benefit) expense   (9.9 )     (10.1 )     19.5       41.2  
    Net income $ 10.8     $ 45.6     $ 18.1     $ 54.8  
    Net income per share:                      
    Basic $ 0.07     $ 0.29     $ 0.11     $ 0.35  
    Diluted $ 0.07     $ 0.29     $ 0.11     $ 0.35  
    Weighted average shares outstanding:                      
    Basic   158.3       156.2       157.8       155.3  
    Diluted   161.8       159.2       160.4       158.5  
                                   
    Dayforce, Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
    (Unaudited)
         
      Year Ended December 31,  
      2024     2023  
    (In millions)          
    Cash flows from operating activities          
    Net income $ 18.1     $ 54.8  
    Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:          
    Deferred income tax (benefit) expense   (34.1 )     4.1  
    Depreciation and amortization   209.8       132.5  
    Amortization of debt issuance costs and debt discount   4.2       4.4  
    Loss on debt extinguishment   4.3       —  
    Provision for doubtful accounts   10.1       5.4  
    Net periodic pension and postretirement cost   10.1       1.1  
    Share-based compensation expense   155.5       136.7  
    Change in fair value of contingent consideration   9.0       4.3  
    Other   0.1       1.0  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities, excluding effects of acquisitions:          
    Trade and other receivables   (48.0 )     (48.3 )
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets   (3.3 )     (22.1 )
    Deferred sales commissions   (43.9 )     (39.5 )
    Accounts payable and other accrued expenses   15.7       9.3  
    Deferred revenue   (4.4 )     (1.3 )
    Employee compensation and benefits   12.8       (7.5 )
    Accrued taxes   (3.6 )     (4.7 )
    Payment of contingent consideration   (20.9 )     —  
    Other assets and liabilities   (10.4 )     (10.7 )
    Net cash provided by operating activities   281.1       219.5  
               
    Cash flows from investing activities          
    Purchases of customer funds marketable securities   (541.1 )     (528.1 )
    Proceeds from sale and maturity of customer funds marketable securities   353.4       445.5  
    Purchases of marketable securities   (16.2 )     (6.8 )
    Proceeds from sale and maturity of marketable securities   14.7       2.0  
    Expenditures for property, plant, and equipment   (14.3 )     (19.0 )
    Expenditures for software and technology   (95.3 )     (95.4 )
    Acquisition costs, net of cash acquired   (173.1 )     —  
    Other   —       (1.0 )
    Net cash used in investing activities   (471.9 )     (202.8 )
               
    Cash flows from financing activities          
    Increase in customer funds obligations, net   51.8       200.9  
    Proceeds from issuance of common stock under share-based compensation plans   56.6       49.0  
    Repurchases of common stock   (36.1 )     —  
    Proceeds from debt issuance   650.0       —  
    Repayment of long-term debt obligations   (648.3 )     (7.9 )
    Payment of debt refinancing costs   (11.4 )     —  
    Payment of contingent consideration   (3.0 )     —  
    Net cash provided by financing activities   59.6       242.0  
               
    Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, restricted cash, and equivalents   (36.3 )     11.5  
    Net (decrease) increase in cash, restricted cash, and equivalents   (167.5 )     270.2  
    Cash, restricted cash, and equivalents at beginning of period   3,421.4       3,151.2  
    Cash, restricted cash, and equivalents at end of period $ 3,253.9     $ 3,421.4  
               
    Reconciliation of cash, restricted cash, and equivalents to the
    consolidated balance sheets    		          
    Cash and equivalents $ 579.7     $ 570.3  
    Restricted cash   —       0.8  
    Restricted cash and equivalents included in customer funds   2,674.2       2,850.3  
    Total cash, restricted cash, and equivalents $ 3,253.9     $ 3,421.4  
               
    Supplemental cash flow information          
    Cash paid for interest $ 45.3     $ 52.4  
    Cash paid for income taxes   56.4       43.0  
    Cash received from income tax refunds   0.8       0.6  
                   
    Dayforce, Inc.
    Revenue Financial Measures
    (Unaudited)
                           
      Three Months Ended
    December 31,    		     Percentage
    change in
    revenue    		     Impact of
    changes in
    foreign
    currency
    (a)    		     Percentage
    change in
    revenue on
    a constant
    currency
    basis (a)    		  
      2024     2023     2024 vs.
    2023    		           2024 vs.
    2023    		  
      (In millions)                    
    Revenue:                            
    Recurring revenue:                            
    Dayforce recurring, excluding float $ 307.6     $ 256.4       20.0 %     (0.4 )%     20.4 %
    Dayforce float   40.3       35.7       12.9 %     (0.5 )%     13.4 %
    Total Dayforce recurring   347.9       292.1       19.1 %     (0.4 )%     19.5 %
    Powerpay recurring, excluding float   23.1       23.1       (— )%     (2.6 )%     2.6 %
    Powerpay float   4.4       5.0       (12.0 )%     (4.0 )%     (8.0 )%
    Total Powerpay recurring   27.5       28.1       (2.1 )%     (2.8 )%     0.7 %
    Total Cloud recurring   375.4       320.2       17.2 %     (0.7 )%     17.9 %
    Other recurring (b)   18.3       18.9       (3.2 )%     0.5 %     (3.7 )%
    Total recurring revenue   393.7       339.1       16.1 %     (0.6 )%     16.7 %
    Professional services and other (c)   71.5       60.6       18.0 %     (0.8 )%     18.8 %
    Total revenue $ 465.2     $ 399.7       16.4 %     (0.6 )%     17.0 %
    a) Dayforce has calculated percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis by applying the average foreign exchange rate in effect during the comparable prior period. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for discussion of percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis.
    b) Float attributable to Other recurring was $0.4 million and $0.5 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024, and 2023, respectively.
    c) For the three months ended December 31, 2024, Professional services and other consisted of $69.4 million, $1.9 million, $0.2 million associated with Dayforce, Other, and Powerpay, respectively. For the three months ended December 31, 2023, Professional services and other consisted of $57.6 million, $2.7 million, and $0.3 million associated with Dayforce, Other, and Powerpay, respectively.
       
      Year Ended December 31,     Percentage
    change in
    revenue    		     Impact of
    changes in
    foreign
    currency
    (a)    		     Percentage
    change in
    revenue on
    a constant
    currency
    basis (a)    		  
      2024     2023     2024 vs.
    2023    		           2024 vs.
    2023    		  
      (In millions)                    
    Revenue:                            
    Recurring revenue:                            
    Dayforce recurring, excluding float $ 1,159.7     $ 962.9       20.4 %     (0.3 )%     20.7 %
    Dayforce float   180.2       148.2       21.6 %     (0.3 )%     21.9 %
    Total Dayforce recurring   1,339.9       1,111.1       20.6 %     (0.2 )%     20.8 %
    Powerpay recurring, excluding float   83.7       81.9       2.2 %     (1.6 )%     3.8 %
    Powerpay float   18.8       18.4       2.2 %     (1.6 )%     3.8 %
    Total Powerpay recurring   102.5       100.3       2.2 %     (1.6 )%     3.8 %
    Total Cloud recurring   1,442.4       1,211.4       19.1 %     (0.3 )%     19.4 %
    Other recurring (b)   74.9       85.9       (12.8 )%     (0.7 )%     (12.1 )%
    Total recurring revenue   1,517.3       1,297.3       17.0 %     (0.3 )%     17.3 %
    Professional services and other (c)   242.7       216.4       12.2 %     (0.3 )%     12.5 %
    Total revenue $ 1,760.0     $ 1,513.7       16.3 %     (0.4 )%     16.7 %
    a) Dayforce has calculated percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis by applying the average foreign exchange rate in effect during the comparable prior period. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for discussion of percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis.
    b) Float attributable to Other recurring was $1.3 million and $2.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
    c) For the year ended December 31, 2024, Professional services and other consisted of $233.8 million, $8.5 million, and $0.4 million associated with Dayforce, Other, and Powerpay, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2023, Professional services and other consisted of $202.1 million, $13.8 million, and $0.5 million associated with Dayforce, Other, and Powerpay, respectively.
       
    Dayforce, Inc.
    Share-Based Compensation Expense and Related Employer Taxes
    (Unaudited)
               
      Three Months Ended
    December 31,    		     Twelve Months Ended
    December 31,    		  
      2024     2023     2024     2023  
      (in millions)  
    Cost of revenue – Cloud $ 1.7     $ 3.5     $ 11.3     $ 15.4  
    Cost of revenue – Other   0.5       0.3       2.2       1.5  
    Professional services and other   2.5       3.7       14.2       17.2  
    Product development and management   7.6       6.8       32.6       32.5  
    Sales and marketing   9.1       4.5       36.3       23.5  
    General and administrative   16.8       —       60.0       47.0  
    Total $ 38.2     $ 18.8     $ 156.6     $ 137.1  
                                   
    Dayforce, Inc.
    Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures
    (Unaudited)
     
    The following tables reconcile Dayforce’s reported results to its non-GAAP financial measures:
         
      Three Months Ended December 31, 2024  
      As
    reported    		     As
    reported
    margins
    (a)    		     Share-based
    compensation    		     Amortization     Other (b)     As
    adjusted
    (b)    		     As
    adjusted
    margins
    (a)    		  
      (Dollars in millions, except per share data)  
    Cost of Cloud recurring revenue $ 75.2       80.0 %   $ 1.7     $ —     $ 0.1     $ 73.4       80.4 %
                                             
    Operating profit $ 28.5       6.1 %   $ 38.2     $ 32.5     $ 4.1     $ 103.3       22.2 %
                                             
    Net income $ 10.8       2.3 %   $ 38.2     $ 32.5     $ 15.6     $ 97.1       20.9 %
    Interest expense, net   7.4             —       —       —       7.4        
    Income tax benefit (c)   (9.9 )           —       —       (8.8 )     (1.1 )      
    Depreciation and amortization   58.3             —       32.5       —       25.8        
    EBITDA $ 66.6           $ 38.2     $ —     $ 24.4     $ 129.2       27.8 %
                                             
    Net income per share – diluted $ 0.07           $ 0.24     $ 0.20     $ 0.10     $ 0.60        
    (a) Cloud recurring gross margin is defined as total Cloud recurring revenue less cost of Cloud recurring revenue as a percentage of total Cloud recurring revenue. Operating profit margin and net profit margin are determined by calculating the percentage operating profit and net income are of total revenue. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted margins.
    (b) The as adjusted column is a non-GAAP financial measure, adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items. The adjustment to operating profit consists of $4.1 million of restructuring expenses. The adjustments to net income also include $17.1 million of foreign exchange loss, $3.2 million of costs associated with the planned termination of its frozen U.S. pension plan, and a $8.8 million net adjustment for the effect of income taxes related to these items. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted metrics.
    (c) Income tax effects have been calculated based on the statutory tax rates in effect in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions during the period.
       
      Three Months Ended December 31, 2023  
      As
    reported    		     As
    reported
    margins
    (a)    		     Share-based
    compensation    		     Amortization     Other (b)     As
    adjusted
    (b)    		     As
    adjusted
    margins
    (a)    		  
      (Dollars in millions, except per share data)  
    Cost of Cloud recurring revenue $ 73.7       77.0 %   $ 3.5     $ —     $ —     $ 70.2       78.1 %
                                             
    Operating profit $ 38.8       9.7 %   $ 18.8     $ 27.8     $ (6.5 )   $ 78.9       19.7 %
                                             
    Net income $ 45.6       11.4 %   $ 18.8     $ 27.8     $ (11.9 )   $ 80.3       20.1 %
    Interest expense, net   8.9             —       —       —       8.9        
    Income tax benefit (c)   (10.1 )           —       —       0.5       (10.6 )      
    Depreciation and amortization   48.4             —       27.8       —       20.6        
    EBITDA $ 92.8           $ 18.8     $ —     $ (12.4 )   $ 99.2       24.8 %
                                             
    Net income per share – diluted $ 0.29           $ 0.12     $ 0.17     $ (0.07 )   $ 0.50        
    (a) Cloud recurring gross margin is defined as total Cloud recurring revenue less cost of Cloud recurring revenue as a percentage of total Cloud recurring revenue. Operating profit margin and net profit margin are determined by calculating the percentage operating profit and net income are of total revenue. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted margins.
    (b) The as adjusted column is a non-GAAP financial measure, adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items. The adjustments to operating profit consist of a $7.5 million gain related to the impact of the fair value adjustment for the DataFuzion contingent consideration, a $0.3 million gain related to the abandonment of certain leased facilities, and $1.3 million of restructuring expenses. The adjustments to net income also include $5.9 million of foreign exchange gain and a $0.5 million net adjustment for the effect of income taxes related to these items. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted metrics.
    (c) Income tax effects have been calculated based on the statutory tax rates in effect in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions during the period.
       
      Year Ended December 31, 2024  
      As
    reported    		     As
    reported
    margins
    (a)    		     Share-based
    compensation    		     Amortization     Other (b)     As
    adjusted
    (b)    		     As
    adjusted
    margins
    (a)    		  
      (Dollars in millions, except per share data)  
    Cost of Cloud recurring revenue $ 303.7       78.9 %   $ 11.3     $ —     $ 1.0     $ 291.4       79.8 %
                                             
    Operating profit $ 104.1       5.9 %   $ 156.6     $ 120.0     $ 29.8     $ 410.5       23.3 %
                                             
    Net income $ 18.1       1.0 %   $ 156.6     $ 120.0     $ 21.1     $ 315.8       17.9 %
    Interest expense, net   40.6             —       —       —       40.6        
    Income tax expense (c)   19.5             —       —       (35.8 )     55.3        
    Depreciation and amortization   209.8             —       120.0       —       89.8        
    EBITDA $ 288.0           $ 156.6     $ —     $ 56.9     $ 501.5       28.5 %
                                             
    Net income per share – diluted $ 0.11           $ 0.98     $ 0.75     $ 0.13     $ 1.97        
    (a) Cloud recurring gross margin is defined as total Cloud recurring revenue less cost of Cloud recurring revenue as a percentage of total Cloud recurring revenue. Operating profit margin and net profit margin are determined by calculating the percentage operating profit and net income are of total revenue. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted margins.
    (b) The as adjusted column is a non-GAAP financial measure, adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items. The adjustments to operating profit consist of $19.8 million of restructuring expenses, $9.0 million related to the impact of the fair value adjustment for the DataFuzion contingent consideration, and $1.0 million of fees associated with initiating the receivables securitization program. The adjustments to net income also include $14.2 million of foreign exchange loss, $12.9 million of costs associated with the planned termination of our frozen U.S. pension plan, and a $35.8 million net adjustment for the effect of income taxes related to these items. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted metrics.
    (c) Income tax effects have been calculated based on the statutory tax rates in effect in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions during the period.
       
      Year Ended December 31, 2023  
      As
    reported    		     As
    reported
    margins
    (a)    		     Share-based
    compensation    		     Amortization     Other (b)     As
    adjusted
    (b)    		     As
    adjusted
    margins
    (a)    		  
      (Dollars in millions, except per share data)  
    Cost of Cloud recurring revenue $ 278.5       77.0 %   $ 15.4     $ —     $ —     $ 263.1       78.3 %
                                             
    Operating profit $ 133.1       8.8 %   $ 137.1     $ 60.5     $ 9.1     $ 339.8       22.4 %
                                             
    Net income $ 54.8       3.6 %   $ 137.1     $ 60.5     $ (13.7 )   $ 238.7       15.8 %
    Interest expense, net   36.1             —       —       —       36.1        
    Income tax expense (c)   41.2             —       —       (22.2 )     63.4        
    Depreciation and amortization   132.5             —       60.5       —       72.0        
    EBITDA $ 264.6           $ 137.1     $ —     $ 8.5     $ 410.2       27.1 %
                                             
    Net income per share – diluted $ 0.35           $ 0.86     $ 0.38     $ (0.09 )   $ 1.51        
    (a) Cloud recurring gross margin is defined as total Cloud recurring revenue less cost of Cloud recurring revenue as a percentage of total Cloud recurring revenue. Operating profit margin and net profit margin are determined by calculating the percentage operating profit and net income are of total revenue. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted margins.
    (b) The as adjusted column is a non-GAAP financial measure, adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items. The adjustments to operating profit consist of $4.7 million of restructuring expenses, $4.3 million related to the impact of the fair value adjustment for the DataFuzion contingent consideration, and $0.1 million related to the abandonment of certain leased facilities. The adjustments to net income also include $0.6 million of foreign exchange gain and a $22.2 million net adjustment for the effect of income taxes related to these items. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted metrics.
    (c) Income tax effects have been calculated based on the statutory tax rates in effect in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions during the period.
       
    Dayforce, Inc.
    Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow
    (Unaudited)
     
    The following table reconciles Dayforce’s reported results to free cash flow:
               
      Three Months Ended December 31,     Year Ended December 31,  
      2024     2023     2024     2023  
      (In millions)  
    Net cash provided by operating activities $ 81.0     $ 89.9     $ 281.1     $ 219.5  
    Capital expenditures   (26.8 )     (26.1 )     (109.6 )     (114.4 )
    Free cash flow $ 54.2     $ 63.8     $ 171.5     $ 105.1  
                           
    Operating cash flow margin (a)   17.4 %     22.5 %     16.0 %     14.5 %
    Free cash flow margin (b)   11.7 %     16.0 %     9.7 %     6.9 %
                                   

    The following table reconciles Dayforce’s free cash flow guidance:

      Year Ended December 31,
    2025    		  
      Low range     High range  
      (In millions)  
    Net cash provided by operating activities $ 334     $ 339  
    Capital expenditures   (105 )     (105 )
    Free cash flow $ 229     $ 234  
               
    Operating cash flow margin (a)   17.4 %     17.5 %
    Free cash flow margin (b)   11.9 %     12.1 %
    (a) Operating cash flow margin is determined by calculating the percentage that operating cash flow is of total revenue.
    (b) Free cash flow margin is determined by calculating the percentage that free cash flow is of total revenue.
       

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    Dayforce uses certain non-GAAP financial measures in this release including:

    Non-GAAP Financial Measure   GAAP Financial Measure
    EBITDA   Net income
    Adjusted EBITDA   Net income
    Adjusted EBITDA margin   Net profit margin
    Adjusted Cloud recurring gross margin   Cloud recurring gross margin
    Adjusted operating profit   Operating profit
    Adjusted operating profit margin   Operating profit margin
    Adjusted net income   Net income
    Adjusted net profit margin   Net profit margin
    Adjusted diluted net income per share   Diluted net income per share
    Free cash flow   Net cash provided by operating activities
    Free cash flow margin   Operating cash flow margin
    Percentage change in revenue, including total revenue and revenue by solution, on a constant currency basis   Percentage change in revenue, including total revenue and revenue by solution
    Cloud annualized retention rate   No directly comparable GAAP measure
    Dayforce revenue retention rate   No directly comparable GAAP measure
    Dayforce recurring revenue per customer   No directly comparable GAAP measure
         

    Dayforce believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to management and investors as supplemental measures to evaluate its overall operating performance including comparison across periods and with competitors. Dayforce’s management team uses these non-GAAP financial measures to assess operating performance because these financial measures exclude the results of decisions that are outside the normal course of its business operations, and are used for internal budgeting and forecasting purposes both for short- and long-term operating plans. Additionally, Adjusted EBITDA is a component of its management incentive plan and Adjusted Cloud recurring gross margin and Adjusted operating profit are components of certain performance based equity awards for its named executive officers. Additionally, Dayforce believes that the non-GAAP financial measure free cash flow is meaningful to investors because it is a measure of liquidity that provides useful information in understanding and evaluating the strength of Dayforce’s liquidity and future ability to generate cash that can be used for strategic opportunities or investing in its business. The exclusion of capital expenditures facilitates comparisons of Dayforce’s liquidity on a period-to-period basis and excludes items that management does not consider to be indicative of Dayforce’s liquidity.

    These non-GAAP financial measures are not required by, defined under, or presented in accordance with, GAAP, and should not be considered as alternatives to Dayforce’s results as reported under GAAP, have important limitations as analytical tools, and its use of these terms may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies in its industry. Dayforce’s presentation of non-GAAP financial measures should not be construed to imply that its future results will be unaffected by similar items to those eliminated in this presentation. Please refer to Dayforce’s full financial results, including further discussion of non-GAAP financial measures, on the Investor Relations portion of its website at investors.dayforce.com.

    Dayforce defines its non-GAAP financial measures as follows:

    • EBITDA is defined as net income before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, and Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA, as adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, and certain other items.
    • Adjusted EBITDA margin is determined by calculating the percentage Adjusted EBITDA is of total revenue.
    • Adjusted Cloud recurring gross margin is defined as Cloud recurring gross margin, as adjusted to exclude share-based compensation and related employer taxes, and certain other items, as a percentage of total Cloud recurring revenue.
    • Adjusted operating profit is defined as operating profit, as adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items.
    • Adjusted net income is defined as net income, as adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items, all of which are adjusted for the effect of income taxes.
    • Adjusted net profit margin is determined by calculating the percentage Adjusted net income is of total revenue.
    • Adjusted diluted net income per share is calculated by dividing adjusted net income by diluted weighted average common shares outstanding. When adjusted diluted net income per share is positive, diluted weighted average common shares outstanding incorporate the effect of dilutive equity instruments.
    • Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities, as adjusted to exclude capital expenditures.
    • Free cash flow margin is determined by calculating the percentage that free cash flow is of total revenue.
    • Percentage change in revenue, including total revenue and revenue by solution, on a constant currency basis is calculated by applying the average foreign exchange rate in effect during the comparable prior period.
    • Cloud ARR is calculated by starting with recurring revenue at year end, excluding revenue from Ascender and eloomi, subtracting the once-a-year charges, annualizing the revenue for customers live for less than a full year to reflect the revenue that would have been realized if the customer had been live for a full year, and adding back the once-a-year charges. We have not reconciled Cloud ARR because there is no directly comparable GAAP financial measure.
    • Annual Dayforce revenue retention rate is calculated as a percentage, excluding Ascender and eloomi, where the numerator is the Dayforce ARR for the prior year, less the Dayforce ARR from lost Dayforce customers during that year; and the denominator is the Dayforce ARR for the prior year. We have not reconciled Annual Dayforce revenue retention rate because there is no directly comparable GAAP financial measure.
    • Dayforce recurring revenue per customer is an indicator of the average size of Dayforce recurring revenue customers. To calculate Dayforce recurring revenue per customer, we start with Dayforce recurring revenue on a constant currency basis by applying the same exchange rate to all comparable periods for the trailing twelve months and excludes float revenue, and Ascender, ADAM HCM, and eloomi revenue. This amount is divided by the number of live Dayforce customers at the end of the trailing twelve month period, excluding Ascender, ADAM HCM, and eloomi. We have not reconciled the Dayforce recurring revenue per customer because there is no directly comparable GAAP financial measure.

    Source: Dayforce, Inc.

    For further information, please contact:

    Investor Relations
    1-844-829-9499
    investors@dayforce.com

    Public Relations
    1-647-417-2117
    teri.murphy@dayforce.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Recent Draganfly Sales and Activities with Policing Agencies Signals Growing Focus on Northern (Canada) Border Security 

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Draganfly Confirms Its Strategic & Tactical Positioning and Preparedness for Growing Border Security Demand Amid Global Trade and Security Initiatives

    Saskatoon, SK., Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO) (FSE: 3U8) (“Draganfly” or the “Company”), an award‑winning leader in drone solutions and systems development, today confirms through recent sales activities its positioning and preparedness to support the enhancement of border security amid evolving global trade and security uncertainties and shifting geopolitical dynamics. Highlighting recent sales activities with policing agencies, Draganfly continues to strengthen its position to support border security with advanced drone technology solutions.

    “Recent global trade challenges, tariff uncertainties, and security concerns underscore the critical importance of secure borders and resilient supply chains,” said Cameron Chell, CEO of Draganfly Inc. “Our recent sales activities with policing agencies is a testament to our ability and readiness to provide drone technology and services in support of border security solutions.”

    Draganfly’s comprehensive product portfolio—featuring high‑resolution, electro-optical/infra-red and low-light sensors with real‑time data processing capabilities available in multiple tactical communication and control configurations—is designed to deliver multi-mission capabilities for challenging mission profiles. With an emphasis on North American‑made innovation, the Company is committed to supporting the security needs of government agencies and border authorities, ensuring that technology remains at the forefront of national security and economic stability.

    “As we continue to navigate an era of rapid geopolitical change, it is essential that both the public and private sectors collaborate to safeguard borders,” added Chell. “Draganfly is proud to be at the leading edge of this effort, leveraging our technological expertise to help create a more secure and resilient border.”

    About Draganfly

    Draganfly Inc. is the creator of quality, cutting-edge drone solutions, software, and AI systems that revolutionize how organizations operate and serve their stakeholders. With over 24 years of innovation, Draganfly is recognized as a leader in the public safety, agriculture, industrial inspections, security, mapping, and surveying markets. The Company’s commitment to ingenuity and first-class services drives its goal to save time, money, and lives across the globe.

    For more information on Draganfly, please visit Draganfly’s website. For additional investor information, visit:

    The CSE Listing
    NASDAQ Listing
    Frankfurt Listing

    Media Contact Erika Racicot Email: media@draganfly.com

    Company Contact Email: info@draganfly.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This release contains certain “forward looking statements” and certain “forward-looking ‎‎‎‎information” as ‎‎‎‎defined under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎and information can ‎‎‎‎generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‎‎‎‎‎“may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, ‎‎‎‎‎“estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue”, “plans” or similar ‎‎‎‎terminology. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎and information are based on forecasts of future ‎‎‎‎results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and ‎‎‎‎assumptions that, while believed by ‎‎‎‎management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant ‎‎‎‎business, economic and ‎‎‎‎competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎include, but are not ‎‎‎‎limited to, statements with respect to Draganfly’s comprehensive product portfolio’s ability to deliver multi-mission capabilities for challenging mission profiles. Forward-‎‎‎‎looking statements and information are subject to various ‎known ‎‎and unknown risks and ‎‎‎‎‎uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to ‎control or ‎‎predict, that ‎‎‎‎may cause ‎the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be ‎materially ‎‎different ‎‎‎‎from those ‎expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions ‎about ‎‎such ‎‎‎‎risks, uncertainties ‎and other factors set out here in, including but not limited to: the potential ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎impact of epidemics, ‎pandemics or other public health crises, including the ‎COVID-19 pandemic, on the Company’s business, operations and financial ‎‎‎‎condition; the ‎‎‎successful integration of ‎technology; the inherent risks involved in the general ‎‎‎‎securities markets; ‎‎‎uncertainties relating to the ‎availability and costs of financing needed in the ‎‎‎‎future; the inherent ‎‎‎uncertainty of cost estimates; the ‎potential for unexpected costs and ‎‎‎‎expenses, currency ‎‎‎fluctuations; regulatory restrictions; and liability, ‎competition, loss of key ‎‎‎‎employees and other related risks ‎‎‎and uncertainties disclosed under the ‎heading “Risk Factors“ ‎‎‎‎in the Company’s most recent filings filed ‎‎‎with securities regulators in Canada on ‎the SEDAR ‎‎‎‎website at www.sedar.com and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on EDGAR through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes ‎‎‎no obligation to update forward-‎looking ‎‎‎‎information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-‎‎‎looking information represents ‎‎‎‎‎managements’ best judgment based on information currently available. ‎‎‎No forward-looking ‎‎‎‎statement ‎can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. ‎‎‎Accordingly, readers ‎‎‎‎are advised not to ‎place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or ‎‎‎information.‎

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Joy, Music, and Community Come Together to Celebrate Martin Luther King Legacy

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Smiles, singing, and spirits soared at the 2025 Dr. Marting Luther King Living Legacy Convocation last Friday at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. The event featured performances from UConn’s gospel choir, Voices of Freedom, and special guest Grammy-nominated Gospel artist, Todd Dulaney.

    MLK Legacy Awardees also received recognition during the event. The Living Legacy Convocation was organized by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

    Jonelle Reynolds, director of diversity and inclusion initiatives at UConn, gives remarks during the Dr. Martin Luther King Living Legacy Convocation at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

    The convocation has grown since last year, with a full awardee selection committee, more submitted nominations, and a ceremony in a bigger space with a pre-event reception.

    Jonelle Reynolds, Director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives, served as co-chair of the awardee selection committee and emcee for the evening.

    Reynolds says she hoped the event would give attendees a chance to breathe and to take a break from stressful news around the world.

    “Anxiety, fear, frustration, anger, hopelessness – those are negative feelings that have been impacting some of our communities,” she says. “This is really an opportunity for people to put all of that aside and just be present in the room with each other.”

    Guest poet Nadia Sims performed a new piece, “Reclaiming My Slice,” that was inspired by her wanting to live and prosper freely as a Black woman and as an American, she says.

    Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment at UConn Nathan Fuerst gives Alexis Monteiro, a residence hall director at UConn, the 2025 MLK Legacy Award for staff during the Dr. Martin Luther King Living Legacy Convocation at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

    “I want to get to a place where being American is enough to secure and pursue happiness and liberty and life,” Sims says. “Martin Luther King had a dream and that is my dream – to just do what I need to do as a citizen and have that be enough.”

    After recipients received their awards, Voices of Freedom took the stage and brought energy to the audience. Directed by Lisa Clayton, attendees united with the voices on stage as a giant choir with all voices tuned in the right key.

    “I am excited that Voices of Freedom was asked to honor the memory and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Our amazing students shared their melodious voices to help create an incredible night,” Clayton says.

    The highlight of the evening was Todd Dulaney’s performance. He performed many of his gospel hits and had everyone in the Jorgensen Center on their feet dancing and singing along. Members of Voices of Freedom even had the opportunity to display their vocal talent when several members had solo moments during Dulaney’s set.

    “I’m so glad I came,” one smiling audience member said. “It really was great way to end the week and it way good way to kick off Black History Month.”

    Award winners included a mix of students, staff & faculty, alumni, and community members:
    Undergraduate Student: Andy Zhang
    Graduate Student: Adanma Akoma
    Faculty: Kate Capshaw
    Staff: Alexis Monteiro
    Team: CAHNR Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Strategic Vision Implementation Committee
    Alum: N. Chineye (Chi) Anako
    Community Member: Nelson Merchan

    Based on the crowd’s response, the celebration will continue to grow and be a highlight for many.

    “I want it to be not just something that people are excited about in the UConn community but the entire Connecticut community,” Reynolds says.” “My hope is that five years from now it’s even bigger and the Jorgensen Center will be packed.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson wins fight against Biden-era woke policies, government overreachRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced a court victory in fighting government overreach and Biden-era woke policies. The U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota ruling in favor of a 21-state coalition, including South Carolina, stopped a federal agency from making any more regulations and threw out an agency rule that was based on ideology instead of science. 

    “This is one of the many examples of woke bureaucrats making rules they didn’t have the authority to make, and with no accountability to the American people,” Attorney General Wilson said. “Now, we’ve gone back to upholding the rule of law.” 

    Besides exceeding the agency’s authority, this unlawful rule would have delayed essential construction projects in South Carolina and all states by requiring reevaluation of potential environmental impact of those projects. 

    The case challenged a regulation written by the Council on Environmental Quality (“CEQ”), which was itself created by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (“NEPA”). That act requires all federal agencies to analyze what kinds of environmental effects are likely to result from federal action. NEPA set up the CEQ to “make recommendations to the President” and “develop and recommend to the President national policies that foster and promote the improvement of environmental quality.” 

    However, CEQ exceeded its authority by going from giving “recommendations to the President” to setting regulations on its own. The Court ruled, “The plain text of the statute does not give CEQ authority to issue binding regulations.” 

    U.S. District Judge Daniel M. Traynor concluded his ruling by writing, “The first step to fixing a problem is admitting you have one. The truth is that for the past forty years all three branches of government operated under the erroneous assumption that CEQ had authority. But now everyone knows the state of the emperor’s clothing and it is something we cannot unsee.” 

    Joining South Carolina in the case, led by Iowa and North Dakota, were the states of Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. 

    You can read the ruling here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Over 3,300 Entries Received for WAVES 2025 “Reel Making” Challenge with participation from 20 Countries and across India

    Source: Government of India

    Over 3,300 Entries Received for WAVES 2025 “Reel Making” Challenge with participation from 20 Countries and across India

    From Digital Reels to Global Deals: Winners to gain unprecedented access & recognition; Finalists to compete globally with Ministry’s endorsement

    Themes of Viksit Bharat”, highlighting India’s existing technological & infrastructure advancements, and “India @ 2047” reflected in the reels

    Present India’s innovation journey by showcasing creativity and vision for the country’s progress; 15th March, 2025 to be the last date of registration

    Posted On: 05 FEB 2025 3:25PM by PIB Delhi

    The “Reel Making” challenge at the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 has received an overwhelming response, with 3,379 registrations from across India and 20 countries.

    Create in India

     The competition, launched as a key initiative under WAVES 2025, highlights India’s growing influence as a global hub for media and entertainment while also reflecting the country’s rapidly expanding digital creator economy. It aligns with the Government of India’s “Create in India” vision, empowering talent from across the nation and beyond.

    The competition has seen notable international participation from Afghanistan, Albania,  the United States, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, UAE, Australia, and Germany, among others. This global reach highlights the increasing influence of India’s creative sector and the appeal of WAVES as a premier platform for content creators worldwide.

    Tawang to Port Blair: Soaring nationwide storytelling surge

    Domestically, the challenge has drawn entries from diverse and remote locations across India, including Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh), Dimapur (Nagaland), Kargil (Ladakh), Leh, Shopian (Kashmir), Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Teliamora (Tripura), Kasaragod (Kerala) and Gangtok (Sikkim). The strong response to WAVES’ “Reel Making” challenge from smaller towns and emerging creative hubs reflects India’s rich storytelling traditions and growing digital creator ecosystem.

    As part of the challenge, participants above the age of 20 are required to create reels on themes such as “Viksit Bharat”, highlighting India’s existing technological and infrastructure advancements, and “India @ 2047”, envisioning the nation’s future growth in these sectors. These themes provide a platform for storytellers to present India’s innovation journey through concise 30-60 second films, showcasing their creativity and vision for the country’s progress.

    The winners of the Reel Making challenge will receive exclusive opportunities, including:

    • An invitation to a Meta-hosted event and a reels masterclass in 2025.

    • All-expenses-paid access to WAVES 2025, where they will be honored.

    • Ministry support for finalists to participate in international-level content creator competitions.

    • Winner reels will be showcased in the prestigious WAVES Hall of Fame, on the official WAVES website, and social media platforms.

    ‘Make in India, Make for the World’

    WAVES 2025 takes its inspiration from Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s vision and mission to provide a new global identity to India’s creative prowess and establish India as a premier destination for media, entertainment, and content creation. This Summit will bring together industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators to discuss emerging trends, foster collaborations, showcase India’s rich creative ecosystem and to implement PM’s vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’

    With participation covering almost the entire length and breadth of India and 20 other countries so far, the Reel Making challenge stands as a testament to India’s diverse and dynamic storytelling landscape, reinforcing its standing as a powerhouse in the global Media & Entertainment industry.

    For more details, visit: https://wavesindia.org/challenges-2025

    *****

    Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha

    (Release ID: 2099990) Visitor Counter : 48

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: APEDA’s financial assistance schemes boost 47.3% surge in India’s fruit and vegetable exports

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 04 FEB 2025 7:58PM by PIB Delhi

    • APEDA strengthens exporter growth with new schemes for infrastructure, quality, and market development
    • India’s fruit and vegetable exports reach 123 countries, with 17 new market added in 3 years

    The Department of Commerce through Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) provides financial assistance to its member exporters of APEDA from across the country, for export promotion of its Scheduled products, including for Fruits & vegetables, under Agriculture and Processed Foods Export Promotion Scheme of APEDA for the 15th Finance Commission Cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26) in following three broad areas:

    Scheme for infrastructure Development – Financial assistance for setting up of packhouse facilities with packing / grading lines, pre-cooling unit with cold storage and refrigerated transportation etc., cable system for handling of crops like banana, pre-shipment treatment facilities such as irradiation, vapor heat treatment, hot water dip treatment and common infrastructure facilities, reefer vans and missing gap in the existing infrastructure of individual exporters.

    Scheme for Quality Development – Financial assistance for purchase of laboratory testing equipment, installation of quality management system, handheld devices for capturing farm level coordinates for traceability and testing of water, soil, residues and pesticides etc.

    Scheme for Market Promotion – The assistance covers participation of exporters in international trade fairs, organizing buyer seller meets and developing packaging standards for new products and upgrading the existing packaging standards.

    The details of financial assistance guidelines are available at APEDA Website www.apeda.gov.in under the “Scheme” tab.

    As a result of these initiatives, there has been a growth of 47.3%, in the volume of exports of fruits and vegetables between the period 2019-20 to 2023-24.

    Export data of fruits and vegetables in last five years

    Country: All

    Product: Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

     

    Value In USD Million

    Qty In Thousand MT

    Products

    2019-20

    2020-21

    2021-22

    2022-23

    2023-24

    2019-20

    2020-21

    2021-22

    2022-23

    2023-24

    Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

    1,282.43

    1,342.13

    1,527.63

    1,635.95

    1,814.58

    2,659.48

    3,148.08

    3,376.25

    4,335.68

    3,911.95

    Source: DGCIS

     

    Growth in terms of Volume in the last five years =47.30%

    Growth in terms of Value in the last five years= 41.50 %

    The Government maintains the record of total exports of fruits and vegetables from India. The export figures of States are compiled on the basis of the State-of-Origin code reported by the exporters in the shipping bills. Thus, the state wise data of exports of Fruits and vegetables is not available as the same is not validated by DGCI&S. However, the major states producing Fruits and vegetables are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka.

    India’s Export of Mango and Onion to World (By Variety)

    Product

    Variety

    USD Million

    Qty in MT

    2019-20

    2020-21

    2021-22

    2022-23

    2023-24

    2019-20

    2020-21

    2021-22

    2022-23

    2023-24

    Mango

    Other Mangoes

    0.00

    25.42

    23.48

    33.26

    36.18

    0.00

    15795.09

    17448.90

    17257.28

    23786.16

    Kesar

    0.00

    2.92

    6.91

    4.97

    11.25

    0.00

    983.73

    2319.08

    1749.97

    3787.01

    Alphonso (Hapus)

    0.00

    6.08

    10.09

    7.84

    8.68

    0.00

    3195.86

    5994.86

    2829.76

    2673.39

    Banganapalli

    0.00

    1.46

    3.01

    2.00

    3.20

    0.00

    830.55

    1674.04

    856.91

    1081.68

    Chausa

    0.00

    0.05

    0.05

    0.03

    0.24

    0.00

    40.98

    25.64

    19.72

    488.26

    Langda

    0.00

    0.08

    0.16

    0.12

    0.19

    0.00

    48.99

    122.16

    70.02

    81.94

    Dasheri

    0.00

    0.09

    0.11

    0.06

    0.17

    0.00

    49.50

    75.92

    34.70

    75.54

    Totapuri

    0.00

    0.07

    0.17

    0.20

    0.16

    0.00

    47.47

    151.01

    116.60

    91.95

    Mallika

    0.00

    0.03

    0.09

    0.06

    0.07

    0.00

    41.40

    61.16

    28.81

    38.17

    Mangoes , Fresh/Dried,

    56.11

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    49658.68

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    Total Mangoes

    56.11

    36.20

    44.07

    48.54

    60.14

    49658.68

    21033.57

    27872.77

    22963.77

    32104.10

    Onion

    Other Onions Fresh of Chilled

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    434.78

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    1606683.97

    Rose Onions Fresh of Chilled

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    38.94

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    110755.38

    Onions, Fresh/Chilled

    324.20

    378.49

    460.56

    561.38

    0.00

    1149896.84

    1578016.57

    1537496.85

    2525258.35

    0.00

    Total Onions

    324.20

    378.49

    460.56

    561.38

    473.72

    1149896.84

    1578016.57

    1537496.85

    2525258.35

    1717439.35

     

    Source: DGCIS

     

    Note :- ITC HS Code with (*) mark of the Commodity is either dropped or re-allocated

     

    In FY 2023-24, India’s exports of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables reached 123 countries. In the last 3 years, Indian fresh produce entered 17 new markets, some of which are Brazil, Georgia, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, Czech Republic, Uganda, Ghana etc. This has been achieved through a host of measures such as participation in international trade fairs, actively pursuing market access negotiations, organizing buyer seller meets etc.

    Department of Commerce is working in close coordination with the MoA&FW in prioritizing agriculture products for market access negotiations to reach new markets. As a result, India has achieved new market access in following commodities in the last three years:

    • Indian Potatoes and Onions in Serbia
    • Baby corn and fresh banana in Canada
    • Pomegranate arils in Australia, USA, Serbia, and New Zealand
    • Whole pomegranates in Australia via Irradiation treatment

     

    The barriers in accessing new markets differ from product to product and are dynamic in nature. Some of the major barriers in accessing new markets for fruits & vegetables are:

    • Long geographic distance from India raising the costs of logistics.
    • Delay in grant of market access by importing countries for certain products.
    • Stringent Phyto-sanitary requirements imposed by some importing countries.
    • Delay in registration of enterprises in certain countries.

    To address the above issues, various steps are being taken by the Department of Commerce:

    • For expand market access to our products, MoA&FW & APEDA have identified key products and key countries for intensifying market access negotiations.
    • Development of Sea protocols for horticulture products to reduce logistic expenses and to enable larger volume of exports.
    • Regular follow up with the counterpart authorities of importing countries with support of our Missions abroad for registration of facilities and market access negotiations.
    • For meeting stringent Phyto-sanitary requirements, setting up of traceability system and a system of farmer and facility registration.

     

    This information has been provided by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

    ***

    Abhishek Dayal/Abhijith Narayanan/Asmitabha Manna

    (Release ID: 2099814) Visitor Counter : 374

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Assistance Available for Self-Employed Wildfire Survivors

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Assistance Available for Self-Employed Wildfire Survivors

    Assistance Available for Self-Employed Wildfire Survivors

    LOS ANGELES – Self-employed individuals in Los Angeles who became unemployed as a direct result of the wildfires, may apply for FEMA Individual Assistance, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) and/or U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loans.  FEMA Individual AssistanceFEMA may be able to provide funds to repair or replace disaster-damaged tools and equipment required for your job. This help is available to a wide variety of applicants, including artists, musicians, mechanics, and many other occupations.Eligible Occupational ToolsOccupational tools are tools and equipment required for self-employment or not provided by an employer but required for employment. Examples of essential tools include:Computers required by an employer or for self-employment when you are responsible for the replacement of the computer. Technology and equipment involved in the creation of art, music, photography, etc.Tools and equipment such as power tools, tractors, plows, seeders, planters, harvesters, sprayers, hay balers, utility vehicles, lawnmowers, etc.Art materials, paint, brushes, canvas, clay, musical instruments, theatrical tools such as movable flooring, drapery, makeup, costumes as well as sound and lighting equipment.Uniforms required for work when you are responsible for replacement of the uniforms.This assistance may be available if the items were damaged by the disaster, you do not have another working item that can meet this need, and the loss of the item was not covered by insurance.Required DocumentationTo be eligible for self-employment assistance, you must provide documentation that proves you are self-employed, such as federal tax return documents, and meet the general eligibility criteria for FEMA assistance. Self-employed survivors should provide FEMA with:Insurance documents for all potential coverages and benefits.Itemized receipts or estimates for repairing or replacing the requested items. A written statement that explains the items are needed for self-employment.To find out if you are eligible, apply to FEMA:Go online to disasterassistance.gov/.Download the FEMA App for mobile devices.Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.Visit a Disaster Recovery Center.UCLA Research Park West10850 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064Open Daily: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.Altadena Disaster Recovery Center540 W. Woodbury Rd., Altadena, CA 91001Open Daily: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.The deadline to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance is March 10, 2025.Disaster Unemployment Assistance Los Angeles County workers impacted by the severe wildfires and winds can now apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) or regular unemployment benefits. The Employment Development Department (EDD) administers these benefits. DUA is for workers – such as self-employed people – who are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits and lost their jobs or had hours reduced because of the disaster. The deadline to submit a DUA application is March 10, 2025. Visit the State of California’s Employment Development Department for more information on how to apply. U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster LoansThe U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), FEMA’s federal partner in disaster recovery, offers low-interest disaster loans to help homeowners, renters, private non-profit organizations, and business of all sizes recover from declared disasters, Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA gov/disaster. Disaster loan information and application forms can be obtained by scheduling an in-person appointment at a SBA Disaster Recovery Center or by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955.
    sasha.kirsch
    Wed, 02/05/2025 – 02:10

    MIL OSI USA News –