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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Global: When doctors don’t believe their patients’ pain – experts explain the all-too-common experience of medical gaslighting

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Elizabeth Hintz, Assistant Professor of Health Communication, University of Connecticut

    Medical gaslighting stems from centuries of gender bias in medicine. SimpleImages/Moment via Getty Images

    For people with chronic gynecological pain conditions, pain can be constant, making everyday activities like sitting, riding a bicycle and even wearing underwear extremely uncomfortable. For many of these people – most of whom identify as women – sexual intercourse and routine pelvic exams are unbearable.

    Endometriosis and vulvodynia, or chronic genital pain, are common gynecological conditions that can cause severe pain. They each affect about 1 in 10 American women.

    Yet many women face skepticism and gaslighting in health care settings when they seek care for this type of pain.

    We know this well through our research on social cognition and on how people with misunderstood health conditions manage difficult conversations with their doctors and family, as well as through volunteer work alongside people living with these conditions.

    We’ve consistently found that medical gaslighting around chronic gynecological pain is a complex societal problem, fueled by holes in medical research and training.

    ‘It’s all in your head’

    A 2024 study of patients who went to a clinic for vulvovaginal pain – pain experienced in the external female genitals and vagina – found that 45% of these patients had been told that they “just needed to relax more” and 39% were made to feel that they were “crazy”. A staggering 55% had considered giving up on seeking care.

    These results echo what one of us – Elizabeth Hintz – found in her 2023 meta-synthesis: Female patients with chronic pain conditions frequently hear this “It’s all in your head” response from doctors.

    Another study followed patients in two different major U.S. cities who were seeking care for vulvovaginal pain. The researchers found that most patients saw multiple clinicians but never received a diagnosis. Given the challenges of seeking medical care, many patients turn to social media sources like Reddit for support and information.

    These studies, among others, illustrate how people with these conditions often spend years going to clinician after clinician seeking care and being told their pain is psychological or perhaps not even real. Given these experiences, why do patients keep seeking care?

    “Let me describe the pain that would drive me to try so many different doctors, tests and treatments,” a patient with vulvovaginal pain said to her doctor. For her, sex “is like taking your most sensitive area and trying to rip it apart.”

    “I can now wear any pants or underwear that I want with no pain,” said another patient after successful treatment. “I never realized how much of a toll the pain took on my body every day until it was gone.”

    The World Health Organization estimates that at least 1 in 10 women suffers from endometriosis, yet many doctors miss it or dismiss it.

    Medical gaslighting

    Many patients worldwide experience medical gaslighting – a social phenomenon where a patient’s health concerns are not given appropriate medical evaluation and are instead downplayed, misattributed or dismissed outright.

    Medical gaslighting is rooted in centuries of gender bias in medicine.

    Women’s reproductive health issues have long been dismissed as psychological or “hysterical.” Genital and pelvic pain especially has been misattributed to psychological rather than biological causes: A century ago, Freudian psychoanalysts incorrectly believed that female sexual pain came from psychological complexes like penis envy.

    These historical views help shed light on why these symptoms are still not taken seriously today.

    Consequences of medical gaslighting

    In addition to the physical toll of untreated pain, medical gaslighting can take a psychological toll. Women may become isolated when other people do not believe their pain. Some internalize this disbelief and can begin to doubt their own perceptions of pain and even their sanity.

    This cycle of gaslighting compounds the burden of the pain and might lead to long-term psychological effects like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms. For some, the repeated experience of being dismissed by clinicians erodes their sense of trust in the health care system. They might hesitate to seek medical attention in the future, fearing they will once again be dismissed.

    Although some chronic gynecological pain conditions like endometriosis are gaining public attention and becoming better understood, these dynamics persist.

    A funding crisis

    Part of the reason for the misunderstanding surrounding chronic gynecological pain conditions is the lack of research on them. A January 2025 report from the National Academies found that research on diseases disproportionately affecting women were underfunded compared with diseases disproportionately affecting men.

    This problem has gotten worse over time. The proportion of funding from the National Institutes of Health spent on women’s health has actually declined over the past decade. Despite these known disparities, in April 2025 the Trump administration threatened to end funding for the Women’s Health Initiative, a long-running women’s health research program, further worsening the problem.

    Without sustained federal funding for women’s health research, conditions like endometriosis and vulvodynia will remain poorly understood, leaving clinicians in the dark and patients stranded.

    Disparities in care

    As hard as it is for any female patient to have their pain believed and treated, gaining recognition for chronic pain is even harder for those who face discrimination based on class or race.

    One 2016 study found that half of the white medical students surveyed endorsed at least one false belief about biological differences between Black and white patients, such as that Black people have physically thicker skin or less sensitive nerve endings than white people. The medical students and residents who endorsed these false beliefs also underestimated Black patients’ pain and offered them less accurate treatment recommendations.

    Research shows that medical students and residents often hold false beliefs about biological differences between Black and white patients.
    FG Trade Latin/E+ via Getty Images

    Studies show that women are more likely to develop chronic pain conditions and report more frequent and severe pain than men. But women are perceived as more emotional and thus less reliable in describing their pain than men. Consequently, female patients who describe the same symptoms as male patients are judged to be in less pain and are less likely to be offered pain relief, even in emergency settings and with female clinicians. Compared to male patients, female patients are more likely to be prescribed psychological care instead of pain medicine.

    These lingering erroneous beliefs about gender and race are key reasons patients’ pain is dismissed, misunderstood and ignored. The very real-life consequences for patients include delayed diagnosis, treatment and even death.

    Practical steps to disrupt medical gaslighting

    Correcting these problems will require a shift in clinical training, so as to challenge biased views about pain in women and racial minorities and to educate clinicians about common pain conditions like vulvodynia. Research suggests that medical training needs to teach students to better listen to patients’ lived experiences and admit when an answer isn’t known.

    In the meantime, people navigating the health care system can take practical steps when encountering dismissive care.

    They can educate themselves about chronic gynecological pain conditions by reading books like “When Sex Hurts: Understanding and Healing Pelvic Pain” or educational information from trusted sources like the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health, the International Pelvic Pain Society and the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease.

    Although these steps do not address the roots of medical gaslighting, they can empower patients to better understand the medical conditions that could cause their symptoms, helping to counteract the effects of gaslighting.

    If someone you know has experienced medical gaslighting and would like support, there are resources available.

    Organizations like The Endometriosis Association and the National Vulvodynia Association offer support networks and information – like how to find knowledgeable providers. Additionally, connecting with patient advocacy groups like Tight Lipped can provide opportunities for patients to engage in changing the health care system.

    Elizabeth Hintz volunteers with Tight Lipped, a non-profit patient advocacy organization by and for people with chronic vulvovaginal and pelvic pain.

    Marlene Berke volunteers with Tight Lipped, a non-profit patient advocacy organization by and for people with chronic vulvovaginal and pelvic pain.

    – ref. When doctors don’t believe their patients’ pain – experts explain the all-too-common experience of medical gaslighting – https://theconversation.com/when-doctors-dont-believe-their-patients-pain-experts-explain-the-all-too-common-experience-of-medical-gaslighting-250770

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump speaking poorly of other presidents is uncommon, but not unheard of, in American presidential history

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Peter Kastor, Professor of History & American Culture Studies, Washington University in St. Louis

    While most former presidents do not speak out about their successors after they leave the White House, Donald Trump is not the first president to criticize his former political opponents while in office. Trigger Photo/Getty Images Plus

    Former presidents don’t criticize their successors in public.

    Or do they?

    Former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden have all criticized President Donald Trump in recent months.

    In April 2025, Obama, for example, spoke about the importance of preserving the international order, meaning the system of rules, norms and institutions that have been active since World War II. He said: “And this is an important moment, because in the last two months, we have seen a U.S. government actively try to destroy that order and discredit it. And the thinking, I gather, is that somehow, since we are the strongest, we’re going to be better off if we can just bully people into doing whatever we want.”

    Biden also offered his own negative comments on April 15: “In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage,” he said in his first public remarks since leaving office.

    Some commentators have called these former presidents’ remarks “unprecedented.”

    Many Americans are accustomed to former presidents not speaking about – let alone criticizing – the current president.

    As a scholar of the presidency, I know that most presidents stay quiet about their successors, regardless of what the current president does or says. They do this to avoid undermining both their own reputations as well as the stability of the presidency itself.

    But I am also struck by the fact that this tradition is not as entrenched as former presidents might claim or as many Americans believe.

    President Jimmy Carter and his Republican challenger, Ronald Reagan, shake hands as they meet on a debate stage in 1980.
    Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images

    Presidents who bucked the norm

    President George Washington established the precedent that presidents retire after two terms and steer clear of public statement. John Quincy Adams, the sixth U.S. president, established a different model.

    After Adams lost his bid for reelection in 1828 to Andrew Jackson, he served in the House of Representatives from 1831 through 1848. Congress is an unusual perch for a former president, but it’s a place where criticizing sitting presidents and their policies is part of the job. Adams had plenty of criticism there for his successors, including Jackson and James K. Polk.

    Nearly half a century later, President Teddy Roosevelt was disappointed that his hand-picked successor, William Howard Taft, failed to live up to Roosevelt’s vision of reform. Roosevelt went from criticizing Taft privately in political circles to campaigning against him publicly in 1912, aiming to win a nonconsecutive second term. Democrat Woodrow Wilson eventually won that election, beating out Taft and Roosevelt.

    Richard Nixon, who, in 1974, became the only president to resign from office, wrote a series of books in the 1980s and 1990s that sought to redeem his own sullied image by casting himself as a visionary statesman. Nixon’s books also included plenty of unsolicited advice – and implicit criticism – for Democratic and Republican presidents alike.

    Before becoming the beloved elder statesman of the former presidents club in 1980, Jimmy Carter earned the ire of his successors for his outspokenness. He said that President Ronald Reagan’s administration was an “aberration on the political scene” and said that one of Clinton’s political pardons was “disgraceful.”

    With the exception of Roosevelt, these former presidents who criticized their successors all felt they had something to prove. Anxious to redeem their legacies, they did not retire quietly.

    A healthy foray into retirement

    So why don’t we all know these stories, and instead believe that past presidents simply keep their mouths shut?

    Americans have long treated presidential retirement as a symbol of a healthy democracy. And that story of retirement emphasizes how former presidents often leave politics behind them.

    The trajectory of presidents finding peace and contentment in retirement, surrounded by friends and family, is an appealing way for presidential biographers to end a story. These stories have included narratives about Harry Truman taking a cross-country road trip only months after leaving the White House in 1953, and George W. Bush taking up painting.

    In reality, former presidents have led complex lives of happiness and loss, withdrawal and engagement. The energy and ambition that brought them to the White House often make retirement difficult. And, over the long history of the presidency, former presidents have become increasingly public figures.

    Former Presidents Bill Clinton, left, George W. Bush and Barack Obama are seen with Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush at the inauguration of Donald Trump on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington.
    Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    A shifting role

    Another important factor in the growing prominence of former presidents is how their roles have recently changed.

    Beginning in the 1990s, former presidents and first ladies tried to publicly show friendship and agreement with their counterparts.

    George H.W. Bush and Clinton, for example, teamed up to raise money for disaster relief after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in South and Southeast Asia. In 2017, Bush’s son George W. Bush, himself a former president by that time, called Clinton his “brother with a different mother.”

    Former first lady Michelle Obama and Barack Obama have publicly thanked George W. Bush and Laura Bush for helping their family adjust to life in the White House. Michelle Obama has also become known for her personal friendship with George W. Bush.

    And as medical advances enabled former presidents to live longer than ever, the relationships within a growing former presidents club became the subject of books, movies and television segments.

    All of these stories had the same message – that all presidents are committed to their country. Likewise, the amiable relationship between former and sitting presidents shows that if party leaders could overcome partisanship in the name of unity and friendship, so too could other Americans.

    In a remarkable moment, for example, three presidents from two different parties – Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama – came together for a video before Biden’s 2021 inauguration to call for unity in a moment of crisis.

    Following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, they used their connection as presidents to tell a national story. As Bush said, “Well, I think the fact that the three of us are standing here talking about a peaceful transfer of power speaks to the institutional integrity of our country.”

    “America’s a generous country, people of great hearts. All three of us were lucky to be the president of this country,” Bush continued.

    The Republican former president looked at the Democrats on either side of him and smiled.

    Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton speak together in 2021.

    A new kind of presidential relations

    While friendships between presidents became more common in the 1990s and 2000s, Clinton and especially Trump were doing something different by the 2016 election.

    In 2016, Clinton became an active partisan in support of his wife, Hillary Clinton, during her unsuccessful bid for president.

    Both Clintons remained public critics of Trump long after he assumed office in 2017.

    For his part, Trump as a politician and then president immediately dismissed the notion of friendship with his predecessors and former competitors. He was quick to condemn Hillary Clinton – and especially Obama – in the early years of his first presidency.

    No sooner did Trump lose the 2020 election than he was heaping public scorn on Biden with an energy that only increased after Trump entered the 2024 race.

    Trump’s criticism of Biden did not stop after his 2024 victory, with the White House issuing statements like a pledge “to turn back the economic plague unleashed by the Biden Administration.”

    Trump has escalated attacks on other presidents. But he was not the first to criticize his successors or predecessors.

    Peter Kastor 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 speaking poorly of other presidents is uncommon, but not unheard of, in American presidential history – https://theconversation.com/trump-speaking-poorly-of-other-presidents-is-uncommon-but-not-unheard-of-in-american-presidential-history-255568

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: FDR united Democrats under the banner of ‘liberalism’ − but today’s Democratic Party has nothing to put on its hat

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kevin M. Schultz, Professor of History, University of Illinois Chicago

    President Franklin D. Roosevelt, left, popularized the term ‘liberal’; President Lyndon Johnson may have caused its demise. FDR: AFP/Getty; LBJ: Bettmann/Getty

    If Donald Trump has taught Americans anything, it’s that political parties can shift positions on any number of issues and retain strong support. Republicans had once been aggressive Cold Warriors, standing shoulder to shoulder with allies against Russia, but now they are isolationists. They once favored so-called “free markets,” but now they support tariffs. And they once supported cutting budget deficits, but now they balloon those deficits with tax cuts.

    Same party, different policies.

    This accords with recent scholarship showing that American political parties don’t have much ideological coherence around concepts such as “freedom” or “equality” but instead are more like social groups with strong communal bonds such as common sympathies and common enemies.

    It turns out that political parties are mostly just people rooting for their side, the way you might support a sports team. It doesn’t matter whether your team changes tactics. You still root for them.

    People do switch allegiances, but it often takes a traumatic event to stop seeing fellow partisans as good, reasonable people.

    Republicans right now have strong tribal belonging that begins and ends with a single question: Do you support President Trump? They have a banner to march under: MAGA. And a song: “God Bless the U.S.A.” They live, laugh and love to own the libs. Their signs and symbols are simple and amusing. And they are effective.

    The Democrats have nothing. No leader, no banner to march under, no signs and no symbols.

    They used to.

    In 1960, scholar Charles Frankel dived into the meaning of the politically important word ‘liberal’ in a commentary for The New York Times.
    New York Times archive

    The liberal past

    In the past, Democrats had a word to describe their sensibility: “liberal.” But now: RIP, liberal. No one, it seems, wants to be a liberal anymore.

    In my research on uses and abuses of the word liberal, I discovered that liberalism is a relatively new word in American politics, really starting only in 1932.

    That year, presidential candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt was searching for a way to fend off Republican accusations that his New Deal was “socialism,” a word with radical connotations.

    Liberalism as a word predates FDR’s usage, but he redefined it to signify the government regulation of capitalism and the use of the state to provide citizens with basic economic security.

    When in 1932 FDR accepted the nomination for president, he declared the Democratic Party “the bearer of liberalism,” by which he meant undertaking “planned action” while fighting for “the greatest good to the greatest number of our citizens.”

    FDR pitted his liberalism against his opponents, whom he labeled “conservatives.” The U.S. has had the liberal-conservative divide ever since.

    FDR’s successor, Democrat Harry Truman, recognized the power of the term, extravagantly claiming, “The liberal faith is the political faith of the great majority of Americans.”

    President John F. Kennedy gloried in the word, too, defining a liberal as “someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people.”

    In 1960, philosopher Charles Frankel argued that liberalism as defined by FDR was a banner under which every Democrat marched, concluding that “anyone who today identifies himself as an unmitigated opponent of liberalism … cannot aspire to influence on the national political scene.”

    Shifting meanings

    Not for long.

    For one thing, in the 1950s the word shifted meaning to better accord with the times, as it had done several times in the past. During the post-World War II economic expansion, “a large part of the New Deal public,” historian Richard Hofstadter wrote in 1954, “have become home-owners, suburbanites and solid citizens.”

    Liberals therefore shifted liberalism. No longer were liberals solely about providing jobs and Social Security. They also demanded increased access to higher education, medical care and civil rights, and the elevation of popular culture.

    In 1956, future presidential adviser Arthur Schlesinger Jr. called this shift one from “quantitative” to “qualitative liberalism.”

    President Lyndon Johnson put this into effect in the mid-1960s. Johnson developed anti-poverty programs such as Head Start, but he also created cultural programs such as PBS, expanded civil rights and passed Medicare and Medicaid.

    “We are a great and liberal and progressive democracy,” Johnson declared in 1966.

    But Johnson’s qualitative liberalism came with costs. The programs expanded the federal bureaucracy, which by the late 1960s became noted for being ineffective and overly regulatory.

    Civil rights laws were perceived as threatening to the white working class. And Johnson’s liberalism became wedded to the war in Vietnam, where by 1969 more than 500,000 Americans were fighting to protect liberalism from the supposedly creeping arms of communism.

    Soon, the knives were out for liberals.

    3 lines of attack

    First, right-wing thinkers had already begun to portray liberals as little more than quasi-communists pushing for civil rights beyond most Americans’ desires.

    In 1955, conservative impresario William F. Buckley Jr. founded the magazine National Review to create “a responsible dissent from the Liberal orthodoxy.” He titled his 1959 book “Up from Liberalism” and spent 217 of the book’s 229 pages attacking liberals.

    Then leftist thinkers took their shot, imagining liberals as little more than beards for capitalism and foreign policy hawks.

    Left-wing novelist Norman Mailer summed up this sentiment in 1962, writing, “I don’t care if people call me a radical, a rebel, a red, a revolutionary, an outsider, an outlaw, a Bolshevik, an anarchist, a nihilist or even a left conservative, but please don’t ever call me a liberal.”

    Left-wing author Norman Mailer said in 1962 that people could call him a Bolshevik, an anarchist, a nihilist, ‘but please don’t ever call me a liberal.’
    Fred Stein Archive/Archive Photos/Getty Images

    Civil rights advocates took their turn, seeing liberals as halfway friends, unwilling to fully embrace equality. Historian Lerone Bennett Jr. wished liberals “a fond farewell” in 1964. In that same year, writer James Baldwin called white liberals an “affliction.”

    With attacks coming from multiple sides, by the 1970s Democrats ran from the label. And without defenders, enemies redefined liberals, first as out-of-touch elitists, then as allies of corporations ignoring the demands of working people, and eventually, today, as woke snowflakes.

    In 2009, political scientists examining a hundred years of polling data found that, starting in the mid-1960s, decreasing numbers of Americans referred to themselves as liberal. And because partisanship is a social dynamic, when the club began to shrink, the researchers wrote, it turned into “a spiral in which ‘liberal’ not only is unpopular, but becomes ever more so.”

    The researchers also found that most Americans still supported “‘liberal’ public policies” such as “redistribution, intervention in the economy, and aggressive governmental action to solve social problems.” Americans, apparently, just hated the label.

    “Owning the libs” has been the glue keeping together the Republican Party ever since.

    From ‘abundance’ to ‘Waymo’

    Democrats are now searching for a new label. What can replace liberalism?

    New York Times columnist Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, who writes for The Atlantic, have proposed “abundance liberalism.” Other New York Times writers have also been busy envisioning this future. Reporter and editor David Leonhardt suggested “democratic capitalism.” Columnist Thomas Friedman improbably went with “Waymo Democrat,” referring to self-driving Waymo cars as a placeholder for an embrace of technological innovation.

    More realistically, political analyst E.J. Dionne and historian James Kloppenberg are writing a history of “social democracy” as a potential rallying cry for Democrats, pointing to its use by the most popular politician in America, Bernie Sanders.

    Whatever emerges, it’s helpful to remember that before 1932, hardly anyone in the U.S. used the word “liberal” to describe any kind of politics. Now, without finding a new emblem to rally behind, Democrats may be doing little more than battling that other neologism: MAGA.

    Kevin M. Schultz 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. FDR united Democrats under the banner of ‘liberalism’ − but today’s Democratic Party has nothing to put on its hat – https://theconversation.com/fdr-united-democrats-under-the-banner-of-liberalism-but-todays-democratic-party-has-nothing-to-put-on-its-hat-255362

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Recycling asphalt pavement can help the environment − now scientists are putting the safety of recycled pavement to the test

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jingtao Zhong, Ph.D. Student in Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee

    The composition of the asphalt mixture making up a road can determine how safe it is for cars to drive on. Tarik Seker/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    More than 90% of paved roads in the U.S. are made of asphalt, which is constructed with nonrenewable materials such as petroleum. One way to make paving more sustainable is to recycle old pavement. When roads break down and need repaving, transportation agencies can recycle their old pavement into a reusable material called reclaimed asphalt pavement, or RAP. This method reduces carbon emissions and conserves natural resources.

    Nearly 95% of new asphalt pavement projects in the U.S. incorporate RAP.

    However, researchers don’t know as much about the long-term safety and durability of RAP as they do about new pavement.

    So, can engineers make roads more sustainable without compromising safety? As civil engineering researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, we’re working with our state’s transportation department to help answer this question.

    RAP and friction

    Asphalt pavement is composed of asphalt binder and aggregates. Asphalt binder is typically sticky and black petroleum-based material that acts as glue, holding the pavement together.

    Aggregates are solid materials, such as crushed stone, gravel or sand. The pavement manufacturers coat these aggregates with asphalt to bind them together and create a durable road surface. But both of these materials are nonrenewable.

    One way to reduce the demand for new aggregates is by recycling old pavement. Contractors use a milling machine to grind up the existing pavement surface. The milled material is then reused: The old aggregates and asphalt binder from the road become part of the new mixture. These old materials are often blended with new binder and additional aggregates to make sure they can perform well.

    Why study RAP’s properties?

    One challenge with using RAP is that its properties vary significantly. RAP typically look black, since they are fully coated in asphalt. Researchers have a hard time visually inspecting them to identify the aggregate types, shapes or textures. But we developed testing procedures to measure these properties.

    The road’s ability to grip the tires, known as skid resistance, keeps vehicles from skidding or hydroplaning during wet conditions. Skid resistance is typically quantified by measuring a coefficient of friction between the tire and the pavement surface.

    Pavement friction is the force that resists the motion between a vehicle’s tire and the pavement’s surface. More friction means a vehicle is less likely to skid.

    Understanding RAP’s skid resistance-related properties is important because these attributes affect how safe the pavement is, especially when it’s wet.

    Nearly 75% of weather-related accidents occur on wet pavement. At low speeds, most of the skid resistance between a tire and the pavement comes from the texture of the aggregates.

    Most friction research has tested new aggregates. RAP needs to maintain good frictional properties to be as safe as the original, but until now, researchers haven’t fully investigated whether it does.

    How we study RAP’s properties

    Our research team developed a two-step process to better understand RAP’s safety performance. First, we extract the aggregates from the RAP. Then, we measure the frictional properties of those aggregates, since they play a key role in pavement skid resistance.

    To remove the black asphalt coating and expose the actual surface of the aggregates, we use two simple methods. The first is a mechanical method, where we crush the RAP using a hammer to expose the surface inside. The second is a chemical procedure, where we use a solvent to dissolve asphalt and leave the aggregates for further testing.

    Once we’ve cleaned the aggregates, we analyze their chemical composition and see how it relates to friction. One factor we look for is the hardness of the minerals in the aggregate. Harder minerals, such as silica, provide better friction as they keep their texture better over time instead of wearing down under traffic.

    We also use an aggregate image measurement system, which takes high-resolution images and analyzes the shape, angularity − the sharpness of the aggregate particles − and surface texture of the aggregates. These properties relate directly to skid resistance.

    Understanding the frictional properties of RAP − and, specifically, how silica content affects skid resistance − helps engineers determine whether an RAP mixture is safe for a road’s curves or intersections. These insights can guide how much RAP transportation departments can use, and where, without compromising safety. We hope our research will lead to solutions that reduce carbon emissions, conserve natural resources and keep roads safe over time.

    Jingtao Zhong receives funding from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (State project number RES2023-15).

    Baoshan Huang receives funding from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (State project number RES2023-15).

    – ref. Recycling asphalt pavement can help the environment − now scientists are putting the safety of recycled pavement to the test – https://theconversation.com/recycling-asphalt-pavement-can-help-the-environment-now-scientists-are-putting-the-safety-of-recycled-pavement-to-the-test-252348

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Basic research advances science, and can also have broader impacts on modern society

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Bruce J. MacFadden, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Florida

    As charismatic animals, sharks can stimulate interest in science, research and technology. Florida Museum (Kristin Grace photo)

    It might seem surprising, but federal research funding isn’t just for scientists. A component of many federal grants that support basic research requires that discoveries be shared with nonscientists. This component, referred to as “broader impacts” by the National Science Foundation, can make a big difference for K-12 students and teachers, museumgoers, citizen scientists and other people interested in science, while also helping the scientists themselves give back to the taxpayers that fund their work.

    Basic research, often done because of a curious scientist’s interest, may not initially have a direct application, like developing the smartphone or curing a disease. But these discoveries build important knowledge in the natural sciences, engineering, mathematics and related disciplines.

    The U.S. is a world leader in scientific and technological innovation. On the federal level, the National Science Foundation, or NSF, is one of the primary funders of this kind of basic research. In 2022, the federal government funded 40% of all basic research done in the U.S., with the remainder coming from other sources, including the business sector.

    During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted to position the U.S. for strategic and economic leadership worldwide. He commissioned physicist Vannevar Bush to develop a vision for the future of U.S. science and technology. His 1945 report, “Science: the Endless Frontier,” became the blueprint for government-funded basic research. In 1950, Congress created the National Science Foundation to promote the progress of science, advance national prosperity and welfare and secure the national defense.

    Vannevar Bush historically said that ‘without scientific progress, no amount of achievement in other directions can insure our health, prosperity and security as a nation in the modern world.’
    Office for Emergency Management Defense

    During the early decades of NSF, the 1950s until the late 1990s, proposals were mostly evaluated based on the quality of the science and the scientists doing the work. But then, the foundation created a new system, still in place today.

    Thus, each NSF research proposal is now peer-reviewed based on two criteria: intellectual merit, or the quality and novelty of the science and track record of the research team, and “broader impacts” – related activities that disseminate the discoveries to general audiences.

    Intellectual merit is about advancing science knowledge and innovation, while broader impacts describe why people who aren’t scientists should care, and how society could benefit from this research.

    Another pragmatic aspect to broader impacts is that taxpayers pay for these activities, so it’s important for them, and Congress, to understand their return on investment. These broader impacts activities communicate about, and engage the public in, research in a variety of ways.

    While researchers usually understand the intellectual merit of their NSF-funded projects, these broader impacts can be challenging to characterize.

    Broader impact activities

    Since childhood, I’ve had an interest in paleontology — the study of fossils and what we can learn from them about prehistoric life. This field is primarily basic research — adding to knowledge about ancient life. As a scientist conducting basic research, I’ve felt the responsibility to give back to society through broader impacts activities, and I’ve seen many of the benefits that these activities can have.

    My primary area of interest has been extinct mammals of the Americas, particularly the 55-million-year-old record of fossil horses on this continent. For years, NSF supported my discoveries about this interesting group of animals. Fossil horses are a classic example of evolution — in books and museum exhibits.

    A fossil horse from the Ice Age on display at the Florida Museum. Fossil horses are a classic example of evolution — both in books and museum exhibits.
    Florida Museum (Mary Warrick photo)

    Many people are generally interested in horses, so it’s easy to attract their attention with this charismatic group. They also are often surprised to learn that prehistoric horses were native to North America for millions of years. Then, during historical times, they were first introduced by humans onto the continent about 500 years ago.

    Over the years, my research team has used grant-funded broader impact activities to teach people about these fossil horses and our research. One example included working with K-12 science teachers to develop lesson plans. The students measured fossil horse teeth and explored how their teeth adapted to feeding on grasses. We’ve also developed exhibits on fossil horses and studied how they communicate science to museum visitors.

    Science teachers have joined our fieldwork to collect fossils along the Panama Canal during its recent expansion. I’ve given many talks and collaborated with fossil clubs and their members throughout the U.S. We’ve also promoted projects like Fossils4Teachers where fossil collectors donated their fossils and worked alongside K-12 teachers to develop lesson plans that were implemented back in the teachers’ classrooms.

    The Fossils4Teachers professional development workshop, hosted by the Florida Museum in 2017, is one example of a broader impacts activity.
    Florida Museum (Jeff Gage photo)

    We’ve also been able to activate peoples’ interest in other animal groups — such as fossil sharks. Through our Scientist in Every Florida School program, we gave middle school teachers study kits with real fossil shark teeth. Their students learned to identify the shark teeth and then trained computers to identify the teeth using machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence.

    Students study fossil shark teeth through a program at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
    Florida Museum (Megan Higbee Hendrickson photo)

    Broader impact outcomes

    Broader impacts activities like these can have a variety of short- and long-term outcomes. More than 50 million people visit natural history museums in the U.S. annually. Activities that promote museums can reach large numbers of people in their pursuit of lifelong learning.

    More broadly, participatory science interest groups can allow people to learn about science while informing basic research projects. Within the field of natural history, a few popular examples include the Merlin app and the iNaturalist app, both of which have millions of active observers. Merlin encourages people to submit their observations of birds, and iNaturalist accepts sightings of plants, animals and fossils, which researchers can carefully vet and use as data.

    Many of the K-12 teachers my team has worked with report that they feel more confident teaching the new science content that they learned from our collaborations.

    Interestingly, although much of the research on science professional development focuses on the teachers, scientists also report a high level of satisfaction and improved communication skills after working with these teachers, both in the field and back in the classroom.

    Basic research benefits for society

    Generations of U.S. scientists have greatly benefited from federal investments in basic research. In the 75 years since NSF’s founding, the organization has funded hundreds of thousand projects to advance science and technology.

    These have supported basic research discoveries and also the training and career development of the tens of thousands of scientists working on these projects annually.

    Many prominent scientists have gone on to be productive leaders and innovators in the U.S. and internationally. NSF has funded more than 268 Nobel laureates.

    While NSF invests in the discovery of foundational knowledge about the natural world, funded projects have not traditionally had direct applications for societal benefits. To be sure, however, many of NSF’s projects – for example, on lasers and nanotechnology – started out as curiosity-driven basic research and ended up with immense applications for technological innovation and economic prosperity.

    For example, mapping the Earth’s ocean floor’s magnetic properties during World War II helped scientists understand how the crust moves and mountains form. This led to the plate tectonic revolution in the earth sciences. This line of basic research then led to an important application: predicting the probable location of high-risk earthquake zones worldwide.

    None of these downstream applications and benefits to society would have been realized without basic research discoveries supported by federal agencies such as NSF, and the further value added through broader impacts activities.

    Bruce J. MacFadden has received funding from the U. S. National Science Foundation.

    – ref. Basic research advances science, and can also have broader impacts on modern society – https://theconversation.com/basic-research-advances-science-and-can-also-have-broader-impacts-on-modern-society-252983

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Opening Remarks at the SEC Town Hall

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Thank you very much for coming to our first “town hall” meeting together. To those of you here with me at our headquarters in Washington, it is so great to see you. And, let me add an especial welcome to you who are joining from our regional offices around the country.

    I am pleased that we can meet today to discuss the SEC; our important mission on behalf of our fellow citizens, investors, and taxpayers; as well as some of my priorities as your new Chairman.

    First and foremost, I take great pride in saying that it is a new day here at the SEC. We are returning to our core mission that Congress set for us. All of us can recite the familiar three-part mission enunciated by Congress in the Exchange Act:  protecting investors; furthering capital formation; and safeguarding fair, orderly, and efficient markets. We see these phrases on our website, on the walls of this building, in our public pronouncements. They are at the core of what brings us to work every day.

    Investor protection is the cornerstone of our mission—to hold accountable those who lie, cheat, and steal. Capital formation is at the root of what we do. Otherwise, why have the financial markets? Capital formation—building a direct, economical route for investors’ capital to find its way to entrepreneurs and industry that put capital to work to create products and services that people value and willingly pay for, because these products and services make their lives some combination of better, healthier, safer, longer, more fun. This engine of growth employs people, helping them to work and save to achieve their dreams. It is responsible for lifting them out of the poverty that unfortunately has been the traditional state of humanity for millennia.

    We should not overlook the part about fair, orderly, and efficient markets. Congress calls on us to ensure that our regulations balance costs and benefits, that they do not become too burdensome that they add needless friction to the marketplace, undermining the capital formation that yields so much benefit.

    But, what if the SEC’s leadership has directed the agency, which oversees and is responsible for the markets, to lose its own fairness, orderliness, and efficiency? Does that undermine the markets’ own approach if their policeman comports itself with inconsistent values? Predictability, due process, rule of law, integrity are all part of what create respect and project a sense that one can get a fair shake without vindictiveness or ulterior motives.

    Unfortunately, in the last four years until January, the SEC’s long-held reputation has suffered in that vein.

    Two weeks ago today, I was sworn in by Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent in the Oval Office with President Trump; my family was by my side. It was an optimistic moment in the Oval.

    I am honored by the trust and confidence that the President and the Senate placed in me to lead the SEC.

    There are so many people to whom I am thankful for helping make my appointment by President Trump even possible.

    As you know by now, I was a Commissioner from 2002 to 2008, after serving on the staff of two chairmen – Richard Breeden and Arthur Levitt. My time in public service and the private sector, both earlier in my career and more recently, have allowed me to see firsthand how regulations affect markets and investors. They can stoke innovation, facilitate investment goals, and create opportunities—or burdens—on businesses’ ability to compete and serve their customers.

    So, how we implement regulations at the SEC is crucial; it is one thing to write a regulation, quite another for it to achieve its intended goal. Regulation ideally should be smart, effective, and appropriately tailored within the confines of our statutory authority.

    It takes market experience and focused application to ensure that customers and investors of financial services firms benefit from efficient, effective, and well-designed regulation. Our goal at the SEC should be to facilitate those efforts, analyze their effectiveness, and use our enforcement power to cure and rectify wayward actions.

    In short, clear rules of the road benefit all market participants.

    Returning to this agency has been a pleasure. I have very much enjoyed seeing all the friendly faces, meeting with staff, and reconnecting with many colleagues I remember from years ago.

    I know from my own experience that the SEC’s longstanding reputation for its dedicated and highly skilled professionals is justly deserved. Your knowledge and expertise continue to impress me. I want you to know that I value and appreciate you.

    It is a high calling to work every day to protect investors, facilitate capital formation, and maintain, fair, orderly, and efficient markets. Thank you for your commitment to our mission.

    I am grateful to Commissioner Uyeda—who once upon a time was my counsel—for his stewardship of the agency from January to April, a very productive three months. Thank you, Commissioner Uyeda.

    As we look ahead, I am confident in the direction of our work. My experience over the decades will naturally inform my approach as Chairman. I told the press—who were peppering me with questions during the last crypto roundtable—that I have a list of priorities as long as my arm that I would like to achieve.

    It should be no surprise that high on that list is a sensible approach toward crypto. From 2017 until my nomination, I worked to help develop best practices for the digital assets industry and saw firsthand how ambiguous or nonexistent regulations in this space created uncertainty and inhibited innovation. That lack of regulatory framework also invites fraud.

    A top priority for me will be to tackle regulatory treatment of digital assets and distributed ledger technologies, providing a firm regulatory foundation through a rational, coherent, principled approach.

    I thank Commissioner Peirce, our own “Crypto Mom,” who is working hard on this issue.  I am proud to say that she also was once upon a time my counsel when I was Commissioner. She is known for her principled and tireless advocacy for common-sense policy. I am confident that she is the right person to lead this effort to come up with a rational regulatory framework for crypto asset markets.

    I am pleased with the efforts of the Crypto Task Force and the three roundtables it has held so far on defining security status, tailoring regulation for crypto trading, and custody considerations. I look forward to the input from industry and additional public feedback we will get during the next two roundtables on the topics of tokenization and decentralized finance.

    This is important work. Entrepreneurs across the United States and around the world are harnessing blockchain technology to modernize aspects of our financial system. I expect huge benefits from this market innovation for efficiency, cost reduction, transparency, and risk mitigation.

    This is a pivotal moment for our economy. Entrepreneurs, businesses, and individuals here at home and across the globe are eager to invest in America.

    We will work together to protect investors from fraud, keep politics out of how our securities laws and regulations are applied, and advance clear rules of the road that encourage investment in our economy to the benefit of all Americans.

    We will work together to ensure that regulations promote capital formation rather than stifle it. We will work together to ensure American investors get disclosures that actually help them understand the true risks of an investment.

    Together, we will make every effort to ensure that the U.S. is the best and most secure place in the world to invest and do business. Americans should always feel utmost confidence when investing their hard-earned dollars to save and provide for their future and the future of their families.

    I cannot say that the current times are not without uncertainty. Many of you have expressed your uncertainty to me. What will the course of the agency be? Will there be further cuts in headcount? Will we maintain regional offices?

    I am in my third week at the SEC—my 10th working day is today. I thank Commissioner Uyeda for his work during the transition time to straighten out some urgent policy issues that we faced in the courts and some organizational issues as the new Administration came into office.

    As we look forward, I am counting on Commissioner Peirce’s continued leadership of the Crypto Task Force. I would like Commissioner Uyeda to be an ambassador to IOSCO since I have enough to focus on at home. I also am happy to say that Commissioner Crenshaw has agreed to take on the SEC’s administrative law framework and procedure in light of the two Supreme Court rulings that in effect oblige us to rethink and reform this area. It is high time that we take that task to heart.

    We have had departures—many of our former colleagues accepted retirement or separation offers. I count many of them as old friends, and I salute their service over many years.  The Offices and Divisions have decreased headcount by 15% since the beginning of the current fiscal year. These departures leave vacancies that in many cases need to be filled. When I left the agency in 2008, we had approximately 3,600 employees. At our height a year ago, we had approximately 5,000 employees plus 2,000 contractors. Today we are at approximately 4,200 employees and 1,700 contractors.

    Tomorrow we will begin a process to review our technology infrastructure and our contractual obligations. This review is long overdue—call it a spring cleaning and reassessment of contracts, especially regarding information technology. We need to see what we have, where our vulnerabilities are, and how we can shore up and improve our systems.

    We will work on optimizing our efficiency. There will be targeted, common-sense reorganization to come. We also have leasing issues to be resolved—notably in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. I am working on those issues and share your concerns. Unfortunately, about 11 years ago, the agency precipitously surrendered to the General Services Administration its control over leasing, which Congress specifically granted the SEC in the Exchange Act. That action puts me in a weaker position today.

    Let me say unequivocally that I firmly believe in our regional office concept. We cannot and should not have everyone in Washington and New York. Risk management, human resource development, and practicality for our examination teams (to focus on one example) provide ample reinforcement for that position.

    I also want to salute our regional teams for their expertise and collaboration across offices to find the best resources to assign to matters. At least one direct experience that I had in the past year in which my firm was an independent compliance consultant indicates that the SEC has advanced quite a bit in this coordination over the past couple of decades. Two of our SEC colleagues from the Miami office with necessary, specific expertise played a key role in uncovering problematic activity of a Philadelphia asset manager by meticulously analyzing trades—going back to the trade blotters—to build a case.

    As I said at the outset of my remarks today, it is a new and brighter day for the SEC.

    I am here to work, with each of you, on behalf of American markets and investors. We will work with our colleagues in the Administration, especially other financial services regulators, notably the CFTC and banking regulators, and, of course, with Congress to bolster the economy and build on U.S. leadership of the global markets.

    Thank you for all that you do each and every day to advance our mission.

    If you are joining us remotely today, thank you for participating. I look forward to interacting with you in person in the near future. For those of you here at headquarters, please join me for some refreshments right outside.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Could psychedelics help you to drink less alcohol? Our new study aims to find out

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rebecca Harding, PhD Candidate, Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, UCL

    Master1305/Shutterstock

    Psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) are gaining increasing attention in psychiatry. Studies suggest they may offer therapeutic benefits for conditions such as depression, anxiety, obsessive–compulsive disorder, eating disorders and addiction.

    Our research team is investigating whether N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a fast-acting psychedelic, can help people reduce alcohol consumption.

    Alcohol is the most commonly misused substance in the UK, partly because it is legal, widely available and deeply ingrained in social culture. While many people can enjoy alcohol in moderation, a significant number struggle to control their drinking. For these people, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to serious physical, mental and social consequences.

    Traditional treatments don’t work for everyone, which is why we’re exploring alternatives, such as psychedelics, that might enable people to change their behaviour in a single, transformative experience.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. Join The Conversation for free today.

    DMT is metabolised rapidly in the body. When administered intravenously, the effects kick in almost immediately, typically within one to two minutes. However, these effects are short-lived, lasting only ten to 20 minutes.

    Despite its brief duration, many users describe the experience as intensely profound. They often report vivid visions, complex patterns and a sensation of entering a different reality. In some cases, the experience leads to a complete shift in how they think, feel and perceive the world. For many, the experience is deeply meaningful and transformative.

    But what happens in the brain during this time, and how might it influence long-term behaviour, such as reducing alcohol consumption?



    Read more:
    Psychedelic drugs can be almost as life altering as near-death experiences

    Neuroplasticity and addiction

    Our team is particularly interested in how psychedelics like DMT might help in the context of addiction. One theory is that psychedelics can temporarily enhance neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new neural connections. This temporary boost could open a window of flexibility, allowing some people to be more open to change.

    For someone stuck in the cycle of heavy drinking, this enhanced plasticity might help them break old habits and develop healthier behaviour. Essentially, it could offer the brain an opportunity to “rewire” itself and disrupt the unhealthy patterns that underlie addiction.

    We’re also focusing on the brain’s reward and motivation systems, which play a key role in addiction. These systems influence behaviour associated with pleasure, including eating, sex and drinking alcohol.

    In people with alcohol use disorder, these systems become hypersensitive to alcohol-related cues, often at the expense of other rewarding experiences. Some early research suggests psychedelics may help “reset” these reward pathways. We’re testing this theory to see whether DMT can reduce alcohol consumption by recalibrating the brain’s reward system.

    To explore these possibilities, we’ve designed a study with heavy drinkers who are motivated to reduce their alcohol intake. Every participant undergoes a thorough screening to ensure they’re fit for the study and all sessions are conducted in a highly controlled, clinical setting with medical professionals and experienced researchers overseeing the process.

    The study involves three visits to our lab at UCL. On the first and third visits, we use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity and observe how different regions of the brain interact.

    During the scans, participants watch emotionally engaging films, which offer a more natural way to study brain responses compared to abstract tasks. This helps us assess how DMT might impact brain function in real-life, emotionally charged situations.

    On the second visit, participants are randomly assigned to receive either DMT, a placebo, or a non-psychedelic drug (D-cycloserine or Lisuride). These non-psychedelic substances are believed to promote neuroplasticity without inducing the full psychedelic effects of DMT.

    The study is double-blind – neither the participants nor the researchers know which substance is being administered. This helps eliminate bias and ensures that the results are as reliable as possible.

    Additionally, we measure changes in brain activity during the drug infusion using electroencephalography (EEG). EEG tracks the brain’s electrical signals and could help us predict which participants are most likely to benefit from DMT.

    Participants also complete a range of psychological assessments, including questionnaires and tasks that measure memory, attention, mood and decision-making. This data will help us understand how changes in brain function might relate to changes in drinking behaviour.

    What we’re hoping to discover

    We’re still in the process of collecting data, but we’re excited to see whether DMT can lead to meaningful reductions in alcohol consumption. As researchers, it’s crucial that we stay objective and allow the evidence to guide our conclusions. By keeping the study “blinded” until all results are in, we ensure that our findings are unbiased and reliable.

    If DMT proves effective in helping people reduce their alcohol consumption, particularly for those who have struggled with other treatments, it could pave the way for a new approach to addiction therapy. Even if the results are inconclusive, they will still provide valuable insights into the potential role of psychedelics in addiction treatment and open up new avenues for future research.

    It’s important to emphasise that this research is taking place in a safe, controlled environment. Psychedelics are potent substances, and their effects can be unpredictable, especially outside of clinical settings. They are not a “magic bullet” and are not suitable for everyone. The controlled setting allows us to study their effects while minimising risk to participants.

    That said, we believe psychedelics offer a unique opportunity to better understand the brain and its capacity for change. By examining how transformative experiences can influence behaviour, we hope to contribute to the development of more effective treatments for addiction and other mental health conditions.

    Ravi Das receives research funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UK), Academy of Medical Sciences (UK) and Wellcome Leap (USA).

    Rebecca Harding 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. Could psychedelics help you to drink less alcohol? Our new study aims to find out – https://theconversation.com/could-psychedelics-help-you-to-drink-less-alcohol-our-new-study-aims-to-find-out-255454

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence mark 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Ottawa, ON – Today, Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence issued the following statement:

    “On 8 May 1945, Sir Winston Churchill took to the airwaves to declare the unconditional surrender of all German land, sea and air forces in Europe. The announcement marked the end of the Second World War in Europe, and a decisive victory for the Allied forces.  

    “For Canada, it meant the safe return of hundreds of thousands of troops that had fought so valiantly for freedom, democracy and global stability. Among them was Chief Warrant Officer Anton “Tony” Pearson, who enlisted in 1943 and helped liberate the Netherlands. He was in Oldenburg, Germany, with the South Saskatchewan Regiment when the German surrender was confirmed.

    “The end of the war was a moment of triumph for Canada, Newfoundland, and their Allies, but also one of solemn reflection as the more than 45,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders who made the ultimate sacrifice were mourned. These losses would not be in vain.

    “Canada would go on to play a key role in shaping the post-war order, becoming a founding member of the United Nations (UN) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and advocating for diplomacy, international development, the protection of human rights and the prevention of future conflicts.

    “At this time of increased volatility in the world, we must never forget that the peace won in the Second World War is not self-sustaining. It requires vigilance, cooperation, and a deep commitment from likeminded allies who believe in the values of democracy, justice, and human dignity. Through organizations like the UN and NATO, Canada is committed to collective defence, international cooperation and the pursuit of a world where conflicts are resolved through diplomacy rather than war.

    “As Churchill himself declared on Victory in Europe Day, 80 years ago today: ‘Long live the cause of freedom!’

    Associated Links:

    80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War – Veterans Affairs Canada

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Allied Energy Corporation Advances Gas Supply Infrastructure to Support Bitcoin Mining Partner at Thiel Site

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • AGYP advances gas-to-power site for sustainable Bitcoin mining operations
    • Trapped gas converted to energy for off-grid AI & data infrastructure
    • Thiel site prepares final testing and computing equipment delivery
    • Natural gas solutions support decentralized computing and edge centers

    CARROLLTON, Texas, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Allied Energy Corporation (OTC: AGYP) (”AGYP”), a Texas-based energy company focused on revitalizing underutilized domestic oil and gas resources, is pleased to provide a project update from the Thiel site where AGYP and its partner, Louis Energy Inc., are building out the infrastructure to deliver natural gas to support off-grid computing applications for Louis Energy Inc.

    Key Infrastructure Achievements: Turning Trapped Gas into a Strategic Asset

    AGYP and Louis Energy Inc. have been actively preparing the Thiel site to safely and efficiently channel natural gas to mobile containers for high-density computing. Completed milestones include:

    • Delivery of second modular computing container
    • Installation of on-site mobile office
    • Electrical installation preparation between Generator 2 and Container 2
    • Perimeter security fencing underway
    • Gas supply systems under validation
    • Generator test scheduled (pending P-5 approval)
    • On-site technicians conducting diagnostics and testing

    Planned Operational Advancements: Preparing for Final Integration

    AGYP is entering the final phase of its infrastructure buildout at Thiel, including:

    • Final cable installations and system optimization
    • Delivery of 10 pallets of computing equipment scheduled for next week
    • Wi-Fi connectivity via Starlink
    • Generator testing and operational clearance
    • Surveillance system installation
    • Gas system gauges and fittings to be pressure tested

    Once regulatory approvals are received, the site will begin formal gas-to-power operations.

    The Bigger Picture: Trapped Gas – An Untapped National Resource

    Stranded and flared gas—once considered a waste byproduct—is rapidly gaining traction as a sustainable, low-cost power source for decentralized infrastructure. AGYP’s work at the Thiel site is part of a broader push to transform U.S. energy usage:

    Use Cases for Trapped Gas Beyond Data Mining:

    • AI & Machine Learning Compute Farms – Powering high-density GPU systems
    • Agritech – Supporting controlled-environment agriculture in remote areas
    • Hydrogen Production – Fueling clean hydrogen from hydrocarbon sources
    • Remote & Emergency Operations – Delivering mobile energy to military and disaster response sites
    • Rural Electrification – Bringing energy to underserved communities through microgrids
    • Data & Edge Centers – Supporting low-latency applications with local infrastructure

    National Opportunity:

    • Over 1.4 billion cubic feet/day of gas is flared or vented in the U.S.
      (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2024)
    • Enough trapped gas exists to power over 10,000 MW of digital infrastructure
      (Source: Digital Wildcatters & Giga Energy)

    States like Texas, North Dakota, New Mexico, and Wyoming are seeing regulatory and ESG-driven momentum to utilize this untapped energy source.

    “We’re positioning AGYP at the center of a new energy economy—where natural gas isn’t wasted but redirected toward powering real-world innovation,” said George Montieth, CEO of AGYP.

    What’s Next for AGYP?

    With Thiel nearing full operational status, AGYP is actively exploring additional partnerships and deployment models to expand its gas-to-power strategy to other high-potential sites. In addition, further updates regarding the company’s carbon capture, gas monetization, and off-grid computing ventures will be provided in the coming months, as previously outlined in AGYP’s February 27, 2025 update.

    AGYP remains committed to turning America’s trapped gas into a strategic energy advantage.

    About AGYP:

    Allied Energy Corp. is an energy development and production company acquiring oil & gas reserves in some of the most prolific hydrocarbon bearing regions of the United States. The Company specializes in the business of reworking & re-completing ‘existing’ oil & gas wells located in the thousands of mature oil & gas producing fields across the United States. The Company applies its knowledge, experience, and effective well-remediation technologies to achieve higher production volumes, longer well life, and more efficient recovery of the proven and available oil and gas reserves in the fields/projects in which it has acquired an ownership interest. The Company will utilize updated technologies such as hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”), drilling of lateral (“horizontal”) legs in productive zones, and utilizing new cased hole electric logging to locate bypassed pays, all to enhance daily rates and oil & gas recoveries. By acquiring interests in a growing number of selected projects in various regions, Allied Energy Corp. is diversifying its exposure and effectively minimizing risk as it pursues corporate growth, top line & bottom-line revenues to the benefit of all stakeholders. There are proven, recoverable reserves contained in the many aging oil & gas fields that have been bypassed by companies moving away from these fields in search of deeper, more plentiful, but more costly reserves. The Company plans to concentrate on bypassed oil and gas as there is less competition and, as mentioned above, the costs are considerably less. Additionally, the company will acquire interests in marginal wells that can be acquired at minimal cost, of which there are 420,000 wells in the U.S. Quoting Barry Russell, President of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (“IPAA”) – “With approximately 20 percent of American oil production and 10 percent of American natural gas production coming from marginal wells, they are America’s true strategic petroleum reserve.”

    Safe Harbor Statement:

    This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has tried, whenever possible, to identify these forward-looking statements using words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “potential” and similar expressions. These statements reflect the Company’s current beliefs and are based upon information currently available to it. Accordingly, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or advise in the event of any change, addition or alteration to the information catered in this Press Release, including such forward-looking statements.

    Contact:

    Allied Energy Corporation
    Phone: 972-632-2393
    Email: info@alliedengycorp.com
    X: https://x.com/AlliedEnergyCo1

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/805afac9-47b6-422a-a74e-41ed9df311b3

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bf09204b-baac-49fe-974f-47b7e199e3a5

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/11283726-53b0-48cf-9160-09bcd53a59ec

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2a26cbf3-3990-4f81-8304-8e79d831567a

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: MicroAlgo Inc. Develops a Blockchain Storage Optimization Solution Based on the Archimedes Optimization Algorithm (AOA)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHENZHEN, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MicroAlgo Inc. Develops a Blockchain Storage Optimization Solution Based on the Archimedes Optimization Algorithm (AOA)

    Shenzhen, May. 08, 2025/––MicroAlgo Inc. (the “Company” or “MicroAlgo”) (NASDAQ: MLGO), announced a focus on addressing the efficiency bottlenecks in blockchain storage by introducing the Archimedes Optimization Algorithm (AOA) into distributed storage architecture. Through intelligent algorithmic restructuring of data storage and node collaboration mechanisms, they aim to provide an innovative solution for large-scale blockchain applications.
    The Archimedes Optimization Algorithm (AOA) is a metaheuristic algorithm that simulates the force-driven motion of objects in a fluid. Its core concept is derived from the principle of Archimedean buoyancy: the buoyant force exerted on an object immersed in a fluid equals the weight of the fluid displaced. By dynamically adjusting parameters such as density, volume, and acceleration, the algorithm models the iterative motion of an object from a random initial position toward an optimal “equilibrium point.” MicroAlgo has deeply integrated this algorithm into blockchain storage scenarios. By targeting core issues such as data sharding strategies, node resource allocation, and consensus efficiency optimization, the company has constructed a multi-objective optimization model. AOA adaptively switches between global search and local exploitation to solve for optimal storage solutions under complex constraints, achieving multiple goals including reduced data redundancy, balanced node load, and enhanced storage performance. This injects intelligent and dynamic adjusting ability into blockchain storage systems.
    MicroAlgo’s blockchain storage optimization solution uses AOA as its core engine and spans the entire data-on-chain lifecycle. The technical workflow is divided into five key stages:data Preprocessing, sharding Strategy Optimization, node Resource Allocation, consensus Mechanism Enhancement and security Strategy Tuning.
    Data Feature Analysis and Preprocessing: Multi-dimensional feature extraction is performed on data destined for the blockchain. Depending on the characteristics of different data units, differentiated preprocessing strategies are applied: lightweight serialized encoding for structured transaction data; chunk-based hashing for unstructured file data; and homomorphic encryption or zero-knowledge proof preprocessing for privacy-sensitive data. The feature vectors generated during preprocessing, along with storage constraints (such as maximum node storage capacity, network latency thresholds, and data redundancy safety margins), collectively form the input parameter space for AOA.
    Dynamic Sharding Strategy Optimization: AOA models the data sharding problem as an optimal partitioning task in multi-dimensional space. During initialization, storage nodes in the blockchain network are abstracted as “virtual objects,” where each object’s “density” corresponds to the node’s storage cost coefficient, “volume” to its remaining available storage space, and “buoyancy” to its network transmission efficiency. In the iterative process, AOA performs a global exploration phase simulating the random movement of objects in fluid, traversing various shard combinations and employing collision detection to avoid local optima. In the local exploitation phase, the algorithm converges toward the current optimal sharding plan based on gradient information and dynamically adjusts the storage node allocation for each data block. For example, frequently accessed “hot data” is preferentially stored with multiple replicas on nodes with low latency and strong computational performance to ensure fast response, while infrequently accessed “cold data” is stored using erasure coding on nodes with lower cost and larger capacity, thereby reducing redundancy while ensuring availability. Through adjustment of the adaptive Transfer Factor, the algorithm dynamically balances exploration and exploitation, ultimately producing a sharding strategy that optimizes both storage efficiency and access performance.
    Node Load Balancing and Resource Scheduling: At the node level, AOA builds a real-time load monitoring model, collecting dynamic status data such as storage utilization, CPU usage, and network bandwidth consumption, which serve as input for the algorithm’s “force analysis.” When node load exceeds a threshold (e.g., storage utilization surpasses 90%), the load balancing mechanism is triggered: by adjusting the “density” parameter (i.e., storage priority) of adjacent nodes, new data is guided toward underloaded nodes. Simultaneously, migration of low-frequency data from overloaded nodes is initiated, following a “minimum transmission cost” principle that evaluates migration paths based on network latency, data volume, and current node loads to generate the optimal migration sequence. Additionally, to accommodate heterogeneous nodes (e.g., full nodes, light nodes, edge nodes), AOA adopts a layered resource scheduling strategy: light nodes store only essential index information, edge nodes handle local data caching, and full nodes take charge of core data validation and long-term storage—thus forming a tiered storage architecture based on core-edge collaboration.
    Consensus Efficiency Enhancement and Block Optimization: At the consensus layer, AOA is deeply integrated with blockchain consensus mechanisms to optimize block generation and validation. Taking PBFT-like consensus as an example, the algorithm reformulates block packaging as a multi-objective optimization problem: it seeks balance between block size limits (e.g., 1MB maximum) and transaction throughput by analyzing transaction type (transfer vs. smart contract), priority (urgent vs. regular), and correlation (cross-contract vs. independent transactions). Based on this analysis, it dynamically adjusts transaction sorting and grouping within blocks. During node election, AOA calculates each node’s “trust density” in real time, based on historical performance (e.g., participation in consensus, data validation accuracy, and network stability), and prioritizes high-trust nodes to participate in consensus, reducing the risk of malicious interference. For PoW-based consensus, AOA predicts hash power distribution and network load to dynamically adjust mining difficulty targets, thereby shortening block intervals and reducing energy waste while maintaining decentralization.
    Adaptive Security Strategy Optimization: To meet blockchain storage demands for privacy protection and data security, AOA builds an encryption parameter optimization model. In homomorphic encryption scenarios, the algorithm automatically selects optimal parameters (e.g., modulus size, key length) based on data sensitivity and computational complexity, reducing overhead while maintaining cryptographic strength. In zero-knowledge proof contexts, AOA enhances efficiency by optimizing randomness selection and constraint composition in proof generation, minimizing on-chain storage demands. To mitigate risks of data tampering and node failure, AOA monitors anomalies in on-chain data hash values in real time, and uses cross-verification across multiple node replicas to quickly identify compromised nodes and trigger recovery workflows. During recovery, the algorithm selects the optimal replica node for synchronization based on node trust level and network connectivity, ensuring rapid system consistency restoration.
    Compared to traditional approaches, MicroAlgo’s AOA-based blockchain storage optimization solution offers significant advantages. Conventional storage strategies often rely on fixed rules—such as uniform sharding or round-robin allocation—which are prone to falling into the pitfalls of local optima. In contrast, AOA leverages a global search mechanism inspired by fluid dynamics, enabling it to rapidly explore over a million sharding combinations within a complex network of tens of millions of nodes. Its solution efficiency surpasses that of Genetic Algorithms (GA) by 40%, and reduces the number of iterations needed by 25% compared to Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), effectively avoiding the blindness of static strategies.
    The node status and data characteristics of blockchain networks are in constant flux. The AOA transfer factor mechanism dynamically switches search modes based on real-time load data: during network congestion, it enhances local exploitation to quickly stabilize system performance; during low load, it activates global exploration to discover optimal resource allocation solutions. Empirical data shows this approach controls the standard deviation of node storage utilization within 15%, reducing load imbalance by 60% compared to traditional methods.
    As blockchain penetrates deeper into Web3.0, the metaverse, and other fields, on-chain data volume will experience explosive growth. MicroAlgo’s AOA technology will continue to evolve in the following directions: at the algorithmic level, it plans to introduce quantum computing acceleration to boost AOA’s iteration speed by over 100 times, addressing optimization needs for exabyte-scale data; at the architectural level, it will explore “algorithm-hardware” co-design, developing dedicated ASIC chips for AOA hardware acceleration to reduce energy costs of blockchain nodes; at the ecosystem level, it will promote deep integration of AOA with cross-chain protocols (e.g., Polkadot, Cosmos) to build a cross-chain storage resource scheduling network, achieving the ultimate goal of “one-point on-chain, network-wide intelligent storage.”
    In the future, AOA is poised to become the “intelligent hub” of blockchain storage, driving distributed storage from “rule-driven” to “algorithmic autonomy,” laying the technical foundation for unlocking data value in the digital economy era.

    About MicroAlgo Inc.
    MicroAlgo Inc. (the “MicroAlgo”), a Cayman Islands exempted company, is dedicated to the development and application of bespoke central processing algorithms. MicroAlgo provides comprehensive solutions to customers by integrating central processing algorithms with software or hardware, or both, thereby helping them to increase the number of customers, improve end-user satisfaction, achieve direct cost savings, reduce power consumption, and achieve technical goals. The range of MicroAlgo’s services includes algorithm optimization, accelerating computing power without the need for hardware upgrades, lightweight data processing, and data intelligence services. MicroAlgo’s ability to efficiently deliver software and hardware optimization to customers through bespoke central processing algorithms serves as a driving force for MicroAlgo’s long-term development.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of MicroAlgo, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of MicroAlgo’s periodic reports on Forms 10-K and 8-K filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. Words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, MicroAlgo’s expectations with respect to future performance and anticipated financial impacts of the business transaction.

    MicroAlgo undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as may be required by law.
    Contact
    MicroAlgo Inc.
    Investor Relations
    Email: ir@microalgor.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Department of State Press Briefing – May 8, 2025 – 2:00 PM

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Spokesperson Tammy Bruce leads the Department Press Briefing, at the Department of State, on May 8, 2025.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
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    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USSTATEBPA/signup/32562

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
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    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcUeRfjSV-I

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: Red Cat to Report Q1 2025 Earnings and Provide Corporate Update on Wednesday, May 14, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat” or the “Company”), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, announces that financial results for the Q1 2025 period will be reported on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at the market close.

    Company management will host an earnings conference call at 4:30p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 to review financial results and provide an update on corporate developments. Following management’s formal remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session.

    Interested parties can listen to the conference call by dialing 1-844-413-3977 (within the U.S.) or 1-412-317-1803 (international). Callers should dial in approximately ten minutes prior to the start time and ask to be connected to the Red Cat conference call. Participants can also pre-register for the call using the following link: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10199765/ff2109d7f3

    The conference call will also be available through a live webcast that can be accessed at: https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=OqffyYp4

    A replay of the webcast will be available until May 28, 2025 and can be accessed through the above link or at www.redcat.red. A telephonic replay will be available until May 28, 2025 by calling 1-877-344-7529 (domestic) or 1-412-317-0088 (international) and using access code 2313236. Replay using an international dial-in number can be accessed at: https://services.choruscall.com/ccforms/replay.html

    About Red Cat

    Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT) is a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations. Through two wholly owned subsidiaries, Teal Drones and FlightWave Aerospace, Red Cat has developed a Family of Systems. This includes the Black Widow™, a small unmanned ISR system that was awarded the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Program of Record contract. The Family of Systems also includes TRICHON™, a fixed-wing VTOL for extended endurance and range, and FANG™, the industry’s first line of NDAA-compliant FPV drones optimized for military operations with precision strike capabilities. Learn more at www.redcat.red.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on Red Cat Holdings, Inc.’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 27, 2023. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Red Cat Holdings, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

    Contact:

    INVESTORS:
    E-mail: Investors@redcat.red

    NEWS MEDIA:
    Phone: (347) 880-2895
    Email: peter@indicatemedia.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Instant Loans Online Guaranteed Approval Direct Lenders No Credit Check – IOnline Payday Loans

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHERIDAN, Wyo., May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Instant loans are short-term loans that are processed and funded rapidly, enabling borrowers to access funds within minutes or hours, offering quick cash loans. This article explores what an instant loan is, how to apply for an instant personal loan online, the advantages and disadvantages of instant loans online guaranteed approval, emergency loans, and how to select the right lender.

    >> Click Here to Apply for No Credit Check Loans >>

    We will specifically highlight the offerings of IOnline Payday, a lender that specializes in instant loans. Topics will include payday loans with instant funding to debit cards in California and loans of up to $5,000 with instant approval.

    >> Click Here to Apply for No Credit Check Loans >>

    What is an Instant Loan Guaranteed Approval?

    An instant loan is a type of loan that can be obtained quickly, often with fast approval, although the term “instant loan” may also refer to the speed of funding, such as instant payday loans guaranteed approval direct lenders. These loans can be utilized for various personal needs and are particularly helpful in urgent financial situations such as emergency loans no credit check.

    >> Click Here to Apply for No Credit Check Loans >>

    Instant loans encompass a wide range of loan types, including payday loans, which must be repaid quickly; personal loans for bad credit, which may not require a credit check; small payday loans; and secured loans, which are backed by collateral.

    This article explores the different types of instant loans, highlighting their benefits and drawbacks.

    How to Get an Instant Loan Online Guaranteed Approval?

    Securing an instant loan online guaranteed approval has become easier than ever, thanks to the emergence and growth of digital lending platforms that simplify the application process and provide faster funding solutions, including best personal loans no credit check.

    Borrowers looking to obtain an instant loan typically start by researching lenders that offer online payday loans and IOnline Payday, ensuring they understand the terms and conditions before applying. The application process for these loans is often quick and requires minimal documentation, making them accessible even to individuals with poor credit who seek personal loans with no credit check.

    After submitting their applications, many lenders provide same-day feedback, allowing borrowers to receive the funds they need—often via direct deposit into their bank accounts—within just a few hours.

    What are the Requirements for an Instant Payday Loan?

    To qualify for an instant loan, applicants must meet several basic requirements, which are generally consistent across most lenders and loan types, including bad credit applicants. Most lenders stipulate that applicants must be at least 18 years old and legal residents of the United States.

    Income verification is essential, as lenders need to assess how borrowers will repay their loans and their repayment ability. While traditional loans consider credit history and scores, many instant loans, particularly payday loans, are designed for individuals with poor credit and often come with flexible terms and guaranteed approval in many cases.

    Here are the basic requirements for instant loans, including $255 payday loans and unsecured personal loans:

    • Age: Most lenders require applicants to be at least 18 years old, as those below this age cannot legally enter into a loan contract.
    • Income: Lenders typically prefer applicants to have a stable income, which is usually verified through paychecks. However, many lenders also accept other forms of income, such as rental income, pension income, and government assistance.
    • Residency: Some lenders may require proof of residency, as they generally prefer borrowers who are established in their communities.
    • Financial Documentation: Providing documentation such as bank statements or pay stubs can increase the likelihood of approval.

    Instant loan options are intentionally inclusive, allowing individuals with below-average credit histories to access the assistance they need, including installment loans. This approach enables even the most financially challenged individuals to receive crucial support.

    Instant Loan Options Offered by IOnline Payday

    IOnline Payday offers a diverse range of instant loan options, including short term loans, enabling borrowers to find the right solution for their financial needs. These options include online payday loans, instant cash loans, and even a $100 loan through an instant app.

    IOnline Payday specializes in providing instant loans in various amounts, from small to large, featuring a simple application process accessible to borrowers with good, fair, or even poor credit.

    Instant Personal Loan Online Guaranteed Approval

    The instant personal loan offered online by IOnline Payday is designed to provide borrowers with quick access to funds for various personal financial needs, whether for emergency expenses or planned purchases and investments.

    These loans typically feature a streamlined application process, ensuring a hassle-free experience and rapid funding upon approval. Available for a wide range of financial purposes, instant personal loans offer borrowers flexible terms and quick solutions.

    The advantages of these loans arise from their easy approval process and straightforward eligibility requirements, which enable many individuals to secure the financial support they need. Most consumers find the requirements manageable and can conveniently apply for their loan online from the comfort of their homes.

    Instant personal loans online usually offer three key benefits:

    • They expedite the funding process, often requiring little to no paperwork.
    • They can be utilized for various needs, such as medical emergencies, home improvements, or debt consolidation.
    • Lenders can provide competitive interest rates tailored to each individual’s financial situation.

    This user-friendly lending model enables borrowers to better manage their expenses and navigate financial challenges.

    Payday Loan Instant Funding to Debit Card in California with Loan Approval

    In California, the option for instant funding of payday loans to debit cards offers residents immediate access to cash, effectively addressing urgent financial needs with convenience and speed. Borrowers can apply online and have funds directly deposited into their debit accounts, ensuring a seamless experience.

    This service is particularly beneficial for individuals facing unexpected expenses, allowing them to manage their finances without prolonged waiting periods.

    Designed with accessibility in mind, this financial service enables individuals, including those from various U.S. states, to navigate their emergencies effortlessly. The straightforward application process allows them to fill out a form in just a few minutes, significantly reducing the barriers often associated with traditional banking loans. Additionally, the approval criteria are typically more lenient, which can help those with less-than-perfect credit scores.

    With instant funding, borrowers can expect to see their funds reflected in their debit accounts within hours, making it an ideal solution for urgent needs such as medical bills, car repairs, or unexpected travel expenses. Many lenders offer 24/7 support, ensuring that assistance is available whenever necessary. Ultimately, this option promotes financial well-being, enabling individuals to quickly regain control over their circumstances.

    Instant Cash Loan with Quick Application

    An instant cash loan is a financial product that provides borrowers with quick access to cash, making it easy to apply for and rapidly funded. This type of unsecured loan is popular in U.S. states for its efficiency. This type of loan is an effective solution for individuals who need immediate financial support, as it can help cover urgent expenses such as medical bills, car repairs, or other unexpected costs. The convenience and speed of obtaining an instant cash loan make it a popular choice for those who struggle to secure traditional financing options.

    The benefits of instant cash loans extend beyond mere convenience; users in London find this especially beneficial; the ability to quickly access funds during a financial crisis offers borrowers a sense of security and relief. Most instant cash loan applications, approvals, and disbursements are conducted online, allowing borrowers to complete the entire process virtually.

    Loan Features and Benefits of Instant Cash Loans:

    • Fast Approval: Most requests are processed instantly, with many lending platforms providing decisions in three minutes or less.
    • Flexible Repayment Options: Lenders offer various repayment plans that allow borrowers to choose a schedule that best fits their financial situation, easing additional stress.
    • No Collateral Required: These loans do not necessitate any assets to be pledged, making them accessible to a wider audience, including those with low credit finance.

    By utilizing these financial products, individuals can address their immediate needs while also taking steps to restore their financial well-being through platforms like CreditNinja.

    $100 Loan Instant App – Powered by IOnline Payday

    The $100 loan instant app offered by IOnline Payday exemplifies a mobile platform that provides small, short-term loans to borrowers in need with minimal complications. Users can complete a quick application directly from their mobile devices, enabling them to access funds whenever necessary. The convenience of instant approval through the app means that funds are often made available almost immediately, helping borrowers cover short-term expenses and manage immediate cash flow needs more effectively.

    This mobile app is designed to streamline the borrowing experience, making it easy and beneficial for those who require financial assistance, including those facing a credit inquiry.

    Its features facilitate a significantly quicker borrowing process compared to traditional lenders, who often impose time-consuming procedures. With the app, users can:

    • Provide their information in just a few minutes
    • Receive real-time notifications regarding their approval status
    • Access funds directly in their bank accounts without any waiting period

    The app not only simplifies the loan acquisition process but also offers crucial support for individuals seeking rapid financial assistance without excessive paperwork. It allows consumers to address urgent expenses quickly and easily, whether related to unexpected medical bills or car repairs. The ability to obtain small loans swiftly has transformed how people handle financial emergencies, providing them with a sense of enablement when facing cash flow issues.

    With the rapid growth of mobile banking, this app demonstrates how technology can deliver essential solutions while prioritizing user convenience and efficiency.

    $5,000 Loan Instant Approval – Offered by IOnline Payday Loans

    The $5,000 loan instant approval option through IOnline Payday enables borrowers to access larger amounts of money for essential expenses without the delays typically associated with traditional lending.

    This type of loan usually features a simplified application process, allowing approved applicants to receive their funds quickly and easily. Flexible terms are often available, enabling borrowers to choose repayment options that best suit their needs.

    Many lenders provide the $5,000 loan instant approval option online, leveraging modern technology to allow applicants to complete the process in minutes rather than days, as is common with traditional banks. One key characteristic of this loan option is its accessibility; obtaining it is generally straightforward. The application process is streamlined, requiring minimal documentation and avoiding lengthy background checks.

    This ease of access can be particularly beneficial for individuals facing unexpected expenses, such as medical bills or home repairs, where immediate access to funds is crucial. Big Buck Loans also offers similar services.

    The quick turnaround time for disbursement helps individuals address urgent financial needs without prolonged stress.
    Overall, the convenience of the $5,000 loan instant approval option aligns well with the fast-paced demands of today’s economy.

    $255 Payday Loan Instant Funding to Debit Card – Provided by IOnline Payday Loans

    The $255 payday loan with instant funding to a debit card is a financial product designed to provide borrowers with quick access to funds that are deposited directly into their debit cards. This feature is particularly beneficial for those facing financial emergencies, such as unexpected medical bills or car repairs. With minimal requirements and immediate availability, this payday loan serves as a rapid source of cash.

    Pros:

    • Speed: Funds are available almost immediately following a brief approval process.
    • Accessibility: It is easy to qualify for, even for individuals without established credit histories.
    • Convenience: Funds are delivered instantly to a debit card, ensuring easy access.

    Cons:

    • High Rates: Lenders often impose higher-than-average fees.
    • Debt Cycle: Frequent reliance on payday loans can lead to a cycle of borrowing that is challenging to escape.

    How Long Does it Take to Get an Instant Loan?

    The time it takes to obtain an instant loan varies depending on the lender and the type of loan. Many online payday loans, however, offer some of the fastest funding options available, including same-day funding. Most borrowers can complete the application in under an hour, and if approved, funds can be made available on the same day.

    Some lenders even provide 1-hour payday loans for situations where borrowers urgently need cash due to unforeseen circumstances. Understanding the processing times for different loan products can help borrowers plan effectively. Generally, the average loan processing time ranges from one to three business days.

    Several factors influence this timeline, including lender policies, the complexity of the application, and the type of loan being sought. Traditional banks typically take longer due to their thorough verification processes, while online lenders often expedite approval timelines to assist borrowers facing emergencies.

    The following are examples of processing times that borrowers should be aware of:

    • Same-Day Loans: Many lenders offer same-day approval and funding, which can be especially valuable for borrowers in emergencies.
    • Expedited Processing: Some lenders allow borrowers to pay an extra fee for faster loan processing.
    • Loan Types: Personal loans and payday loans may have different timelines for availability.

    Being aware of the timing associated with each of these options can help borrowers make informed decisions and select the best loan options to meet their immediate needs.

    What are the Benefits of an Instant Loan?

    Instant loans offer numerous benefits that cater to the diverse needs of borrowers, making them an increasingly popular choice for those seeking quick financial solutions.

    The streamlined application process allows individuals to apply from the comfort of their homes. Unlike traditional loans, which often require extensive paperwork, instant loans typically demand only a few essential documents.

    Additionally, many instant loans come with flexible terms, enabling borrowers to customize repayment options to fit their financial capabilities. Furthermore, these loans often provide no credit check options, making them accessible to a wider range of applicants, including those with poor credit histories.

    Ultimately, instant loans grant borrowers quick access to cash, helping them address emergency financial needs.

    Quick and Easy Application Process

    One of the main advantages of instant loans is the straightforward application process, which makes borrowing easy for those facing emergencies. Unlike traditional loans that often involve extensive paperwork and lengthy approval times, online payday loans enable borrowers to complete a short application form in just a few minutes.

    This efficiency allows applicants to bypass unnecessary steps, resulting in quick funding that addresses urgent financial needs as soon as possible. The user-friendly design of online platforms enhances accessibility, ensuring that borrowers can easily navigate the necessary steps without feeling overwhelmed.

    For individuals who may not have much experience with borrowing, online payday loans feature intuitive interfaces with clear instructions and support options that enhance the user experience and provide transparent fees.

    Several factors contribute to the ability for individuals to receive funds almost instantly, including rapid turnaround times, secure application processes, and flexible repayment options. This timely access to cash reduces stress and enables borrowers to regain their financial stability without prolonged uncertainty.

    No Credit Check Loans Required

    The availability of no credit check loans guaranteed approval offers a significant advantage for many borrowers, particularly those with poor credit who may find it challenging to secure financing through traditional means, including bad credit loans.

    Instant loans, especially payday loans, typically do not require a credit check, making them more accessible to individuals facing urgent financial needs. This feature enables borrowers to obtain the funds they require quickly, without the burden of their credit history affecting their chances of approval.

    This approach not only alleviates financial pressure but also promotes responsible borrowing by providing opportunities to rebuild credit over time. For individuals caught in a cycle of financial instability, these loans can serve as a lifeline, allowing them to address immediate expenses such as medical bills or unexpected car repairs.

    The implications of no credit checks, often seen in payday loans no credit check options, broaden access to essential funds, supporting borrowers in their efforts to regain control over their finances. This practice reduces barriers to entry for individuals who have been denied traditional loans, helps borrowers manage unforeseen economic challenges, and promotes financial inclusion by addressing the needs of underserved populations.

    By facilitating this form of immediate assistance, lenders, including those in the lender network, foster a sense of hope and possibility for those who have previously been marginalized by conventional lending practices.

    Instant Approval and Funding

    Instant loans offer quick approval and funding, making them a preferred choice for borrowers in need of immediate cash compared to traditional lending options and providing a quick online process. Many lenders in the payday loan sector can provide same-day funding as long as the application is approved.

    Whether to cover a medical bill, a car repair, or a broke appliance, the instant availability of funds is often cited as the primary benefit of these loans. For borrowers, particularly those with low incomes and little to no savings, the ability to access funds during a financial crisis is invaluable.

    While many consumer loan providers can deliver funding by the next business day, some lenders can facilitate same-day funding. These include payday lenders, who may disburse funds in cash, via money order, prepaid debit card, or through direct deposit into the borrower’s checking account.

    Rapid approval and funding provide borrowers with the means to handle urgent financial situations, such as medical emergencies, car repairs, overdue bills, and unexpected expenses, all of which can cause significant distress. Research from the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) revealed that 70% of individuals using instant loan services feel less stressed after quickly resolving their financial issues.

    Parents, for instance, can access instant cash loans to manage unexpected expenses related to their children. For example, if a child has an accident while playing and requires immediate medical attention, parents often need to pay for parking and medical bills before they can file an insurance claim, which may involve payday loans online.

    To illustrate the differences between a traditional loan and an instant loan, consider the following scenario: You need $1,500 for a family medical bill and approach your bank, where you have an excellent account history, for a traditional personal loan.

    The Traditional Loan Process: as seen in many financial institutions.

    • You submit a loan application.
    • Approval may take two to three business days, though it could be quicker if you have an existing account with the lender.
    • The lender’s underwriting process may take an additional one to two business days.
    • You receive your funds, which could take another business day, depending on the time of day you applied.

    Total Time for the Traditional Loan Process: 4-6 business days.

    The Instant Cash Loan Process:

    In contrast, the steps and timelines for an instant loan are as follows:

    • You submit a loan application.
    • The lender may approve it within an hour, provided you have accurately filled in all required fields and submitted the necessary documents.
    • Although instant loans are generally for smaller amounts (often a few hundred dollars) or short-term loans with higher interest rates, the lender may take some time to verify your information due to the increased risk of fraud.
    • The lender can transfer the funds electronically to your account or provide them via a prepaid debit card, offering flexible loan terms.

    Total Time for the Instant Cash Loan Process: A few hours.

    In summary, instant loans, including same day feedback options, deliver a significantly faster and more convenient solution for those in urgent financial need compared to traditional loans.

    Flexible Repayment Options, Including Loan Alternatives

    Flexible repayment options are a significant advantage of instant loans, enabling borrowers to customize their repayment plans based on their individual financial situations. Many lenders provide a variety of terms that cater to different budgets and repayment capacities, offering alternatives suitable for both experienced borrowers and those with poor credit.

    Whether choosing short-term repayment schedules or longer installment loans, these flexible terms help ensure that borrowers are not overwhelmed by their obligations, resulting in a more manageable repayment experience.

    The availability of tailored repayment options allows individuals to select plans that align with their income cycles and cash flow patterns. This increased adaptability greatly enhances the financial stability of borrowers by alleviating the stress associated with rigid payment schedules.

    For instance, some lenders may offer the option of bi-weekly payments instead of the standard monthly schedule, which can be more convenient for those who receive paychecks at varying intervals. Others may permit borrowers to choose longer loan terms, resulting in lower monthly payments and increased affordability.

    Ultimately, these diverse loan terms not only accommodate a range of financial situations but also enable borrowers to take control of their repayment processes, leading to improved overall financial well-being.

    What Are the Risks of an Instant Loan for Bad Credit?

    While instant loans offer several advantages, it is crucial for borrowers to understand the associated risks of this type of financing. The most significant risks of instant loans include the fact that their interest rates are often very high, resulting in substantial repayment amounts over time.

    Additionally, the short repayment terms typically associated with payday loans can lead borrowers who are unable to repay their loans quickly into a cycle of debt, which may cause further financial difficulties. By being aware of these risks, individuals can make informed decisions before accepting an instant loan.

    High Interest Rates

    The primary risk associated with instant loans is the potential for high interest rates, which can significantly increase the total amount owed. Many payday loans, designed for quick access to cash, come with very high interest rates that may not be immediately apparent to borrowers.

    As individuals navigate their financial needs, it is crucial for them to understand the implications of these elevated rates in order to avoid the risk of further financial hardship and escalating debt.

    The high interest rates on instant loans typically result from a combination of the lender’s risk assessment and the borrower’s financial situation. Borrowers often seek these loans due to urgent financial needs and limited alternatives, which creates an environment where lenders can impose excessive fees.

    Research indicates that the average annual percentage rate (APR) for payday loans can exceed 400%, dramatically increasing the repayment amount. For instance, a $500 loan at a 400% APR, if paid in full within 30 days, would require a repayment of nearly $750, highlighting the potential for hidden fees.

    Before taking out these loans, borrowers should be aware not only of the short-term benefits but also of the long-term risks associated with accumulating debt. Knowledge and awareness are essential for individuals to make informed decisions for themselves and their families.

    Short Repayment Terms

    Short repayment terms pose a significant risk associated with instant loans, particularly payday loans and their payday borrowing options, which often require repayment within just a few weeks. This limited timeframe can pressure borrowers to quickly gather the necessary funds for repayment, leading to financial strain if they are unable to meet their obligations on time.

    It is essential for anyone considering these borrowing options to fully understand the dangers of short repayment terms and to assess their ability to repay quickly. The urgency of such deadlines can compel borrowers to resort to high-interest financing options or roll over their loans, both of which can result in an inescapable debt spiral.

    To avoid falling into this precarious situation, borrowers can take several prudent steps, including exploring options like online personal loans, to mitigate the challenges posed by short repayment terms.

    • First, they should create a detailed budget that prioritizes monthly expenses, allowing them to plan their spending to ensure sufficient funds for loan repayment.
    • Additionally, exploring repayment options with lenders that offer a gradual repayment plan can be beneficial.
    • Lastly, building an emergency fund by setting aside a small amount each month— even as little as $5— can provide some savings to cover unexpected expenses.

    By taking these steps, borrowers can better manage their repayment schedules and reduce the risks associated with short-term loans.

    Potential for Debt Cycle

    The potential for a debt cycle poses a significant risk associated with instant loans, particularly for borrowers who are not adequately prepared to repay their loans on time. If individuals are unable to repay instant loans promptly, they may resort to taking out new loans to cover their existing debts, leading to a perilous borrowing chain as debts accumulate and financial strain escalates. This is a risk that borrowers must recognize to avoid becoming trapped in a cycle that can be difficult to escape and detrimental to their long-term financial health.

    It is crucial for borrowers to be aware of the signs of a debt cycle, which may include increased reliance on loans for everyday expenses, frequently changing due dates, missed payments, and accumulating late fees. To prevent falling into this trap, individuals should establish a strict budget that accounts for all expenses and repayments, ensuring they never borrow more than they can realistically afford to repay.

    If they are struggling to manage their debts, seeking financial counseling from experts like CreditNinja or David Jones can be beneficial.

    Awareness and proactive measures can help individuals evade the pitfalls of a debt cycle.

    How to Choose the Right Instant Loan Lender for Big Buck Loans?

    Choosing the right instant loan lender for your fund finance needs is a crucial step to ensure you receive the financial assistance you need while minimizing potential risks.

    With many lenders available in the instant loan market, it is vital to evaluate your options by considering several factors, including interest rates, repayment terms, and the lender’s reputation within the lending network.

    Reviewing testimonials and feedback from previous borrowers can provide valuable insights into the lender’s reliability and quality of service, helping you select a lender that best meets your needs.

    Research and Compare Lenders with Low Credit Finance

    Researching and comparing lenders is a crucial step in obtaining an instant loan, especially in cities like London, as it enables borrowers to identify options that best suit their needs. In today’s digital world, numerous tools and resources are available to assist individuals in exploring different lenders and their offerings, such as interest rates, fees, and loan terms. Investing time in research can lead to more favorable loan terms and help borrowers avoid predatory lending practices.

    Understanding the nuances of various lender offerings is essential, especially in the often complex realm of personal finance. Online comparison tools can significantly simplify this process by consolidating key elements from multiple lenders into an easy-to-read format.

    Here are some important points to keep in mind:

    • Exploring Customer Reviews: Past borrowers frequently share their experiences with lenders, and analyzing overall trends in customer satisfaction can provide valuable insight into whether a particular company is worth considering.
    • Checking Licensing and Accreditation: Always ensure that the lender is licensed to operate in your state and verify any relevant accreditations.
    • Analyzing Transparency in Terms: Seek out lenders who are upfront about their fees, terms, and penalties.

    By being as transparent as possible with lenders about their financial situations, consumers can build a more secure future for themselves.

    Read Reviews and Testimonials

    Reading reviews and testimonials is one of the most effective ways to choose an instant loan lender, as it offers insight into the experiences of other borrowers. Numerous online platforms and review sites provide individuals with access to feedback about specific lenders, highlighting their customer service, loan processes, and overall satisfaction. This information is invaluable for potential borrowers to assess a lender’s reputation within the lending network and determine whether they can trust the institution with their financial needs.

    Researching these evaluations not only promotes well-considered choices but also enables those seeking financial assistance to identify lenders that align with their expectations and values. Customer feedback serves as a compass, guiding users through the vast array of options available in the lending landscape. By exploring a diverse range of opinions, individuals can identify trends and patterns, revealing which lenders consistently meet or exceed borrower expectations.

    Consulting multiple sources enhances the reliability of the information gathered, fostering a comprehensive understanding of each lender’s offerings. Suggested methods for gathering reviews include:

    • Visiting reputable review websites
    • Participating in online forums
    • Consulting friends or family for personal experiences

    Leveraging customer testimonials can significantly enrich any borrower’s search for the right lending partner.

    Check for Proper Licensing and Regulations

    Ensuring that the immediate loan lender is credentialed and compliant is one of the most important ways to protect yourself financially. The modern financial landscape offers a multitude of options, and understanding the nuances of lenders requires careful discernment.

    Verifying a lender’s credentials is crucial, as it helps borrowers distinguish between reputable and unscrupulous lenders. Unscrupulous lenders often target individuals who may be financially inexperienced or desperate for quick financing. Engaging with uncredentialed or non-compliant lenders can lead to predatory practices, including exorbitantly high interest rates and abusive fees.

    Borrowers should begin by consulting their state’s licensing board or regulatory financial authority to verify a lender’s credentials. This typically involves one of the following steps:

    • Visiting the website of the relevant state agency, which maintains a list of licensed lenders;
    • Calling the regulatory office to inquire about a specific lender’s credentials;
    • Searching online for consumer reviews or warnings regarding particular lenders.

    If a lender lacks proper credentials and compliance, it is essential to question the reasons behind this.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is an instant loan online guaranteed approval?

    An instant loan online guaranteed approval is a type of loan that is approved and disbursed within a short period of time, usually within 24 hours. These loans are guaranteed to be approved as long as the borrower meets the minimum eligibility requirements.

    What is the difference between an instant loan and a traditional loan?

    The main difference between an instant loan and a traditional loan is the time it takes for the loan to be approved and disbursed. Traditional loans can take weeks or even months to be approved and disbursed, while instant loans can be approved and disbursed within 24 hours.

    How do I apply for an instant loan online guaranteed approval?

    To apply for an instant loan online guaranteed approval, you can visit the website of a reputable lender and fill out their application form. You will need to provide some basic personal and financial information and submit any required documents.

    Can I get an instant loan online with bad credit?
    Yes, you can still get an instant loan online with bad credit. Many lenders offer instant loans to individuals with less than perfect credit. However, keep in mind that the interest rates and loan terms may be higher for those with bad credit.

    What is the maximum amount I can borrow with an instant loan online? Can it be processed in 1 hour payday loans?

    The maximum amount you can borrow with an instant loan online varies depending on the lender and your financial situation. Some lenders offer small instant loans, such as $100 loans, while others may offer larger loans up to $5,000.

    How quickly can I receive the funds from an instant loan?

    If you are approved for an instant loan online, the funds will typically be deposited into your bank account within one business day. In some cases, you may be able to receive the funds on the same day if you apply and are approved early in the morning.

    Media Contact:
    Company Name: IOnline Payday Loans
    Registered Office Address: 1095 Sugar View Dr Ste 500 Sheridan, WY 82801
    Company Website: https://ionlinepaydayloans.com/
    Email: mria@ionlinepaydayloans.com
    Phone: 307-777-7311
    Contact person name: Mria

    Disclaimer: This announcement contains general information about IOnline payday loan services and should not be considered financial advice. Ionline Payday Loans does not guarantee loan approval, and loan terms may vary by applicant and lender requirements. Loans are available to U.S. residents only.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/07213980-370a-491b-a3af-a6643b1d5234

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b1dc704c-5252-4bf5-8efa-3a29dd3eb2de

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Today is Victory Day for World War II

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    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 #Shorts #Army

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRV-GOkmeqY

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feenstra Leads Legislation to Help Iowa Farmers Buy Precision Agriculture Equipment

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the Precision Agriculture Loan Program Act, which would establish the first-ever federal precision agriculture loan program in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. 

    “In 2022 and 2024, I attended the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa to meet with our farmers, producers, equipment manufacturers, and ag innovators. On both occasions, I was impressed by the cutting-edge advancements in farm technology that help lower input costs for our farmers, increase farm productivity and profitability, and strengthen Iowa’s ability to feed and fuel our country and the world. However, we need to make precision agriculture equipment accessible to producers across our state and around the nation,” said Rep. Feenstra. “That’s why I introduced the Precision Agriculture Loan Program Act to ensure that our producers can secure low-interest loans to invest in precision agriculture tools and make their operations more efficient. This legislation will help our farmers save precious dollars, increase yields, and compete with countries like China on a more level playing field.”

    “Despite the promise of precision agriculture, the high cost of this advanced equipment continues to put it out of reach for too many farmers,” said Rep. Panetta.  “Our bipartisan Precision Agriculture Loan Program Act would provide a practical solution by offering targeted financing to help producers purchase and adopt this technology.  By expanding access to these tools, we can strengthen farm operations, boost sustainability, and enhance our long-term food and climate security.”

    “Access to cutting-edge technology is not a nice-to-have but a must-have for farmers, ranchers, and foresters across the country. Equipment manufacturers applaud U.S. Representatives Randy Feenstra and Jimmy Panetta for championing the first-ever federal precision agriculture loan program in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. The Precision Agriculture Loan (PAL) Act will allow more farmers to leverage precision agriculture technologies to remain competitive and operate more efficiently,” said Kip Eideberg, Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

    More specifically, this legislation would offer loans up to $500,000 between 3 and 12 years in length at interest rates of less than 2% and create a list of acceptable precision agriculture technologies approved by the Farm Service Agency and covered by the USDA. This funding would also allow farmers to retrofit existing equipment with new technologies.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China warns Philippines against infringing on China’s core interests in any form

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Xinhua | 08. 05. 2025

    Keywords: any form, interests of China, infringement, China, Philippines, warned, Philippines, stern warning, departmental press, Zhang, Shandong, Thursday, exercises, Taiwan, USA, North

    BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) — Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang on Thursday issued a stern warning to the Philippines against infringing on China’s core interests in any form.

    Zhang Xiaogang made the remarks at a departmental press conference in response to a question about the appearance of the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong in waters north of the Philippines during recent joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States, as well as a statement by a Philippine Navy spokesman about possible joint exercises involving the Philippines and Taiwan. -0-

    Source: Xinhua

    China warns Philippines against infringing on China’s core interests in any form China warns Philippines against infringing on China’s core interests in any form

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Breaking: EU to impose tariffs on €95bn worth of US goods if talks fail

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Xinhua | 08. 05. 2025

    Keywords: US goods worth,if negotiations fail,billion euros,EU,urgent,duties,will introduce,list of US imports,measures may come into force,billion US dollars,commission started,USA,Thursday,amount,agreement,force

    BRUSSELS, May 8 (Xinhua) — The European Commission has launched a public consultation on a list of US imports worth 95 billion euros (107.2 billion U.S. dollars), warning that measures could come into force if talks with the United States fail to produce an agreement, the EU said in a statement on Thursday.

    Source: Xinhua

    Breaking: EU to impose tariffs on €95 billion worth of US goods if talks fail Breaking: EU to impose tariffs on €95 billion worth of US goods if talks fail

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Join us on 5/22 for a Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar: “How to Handle AI? – Italian National Regulation in the Context of European Law”

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    The following is a guest post by Dante Figueroa, a senior legal information analyst at the Law Library of Congress covering Italian, Vatican, Roman, and Canon law. Dante has previously published the following posts: From Summorum Pontificum to Traditionis Custodes: Changes in Liturgical Matters at the Catholic Church, Vatican Criminal Law and Recent Money Laundering Cases, Collections and Digitization Projects of the Vatican Apostolic Library, and The Roman Senate as Precursor of the U.S. Senate, among others. 

    Please join us on May 22, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. EDT for another entry into our Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar series with our “How to Handle AI? – Italian National Regulation in the Context of European Law” webinar. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the new reality the world is facing in the 21st century. Most know about it, but few understand it properly, and even fewer dare to predict the implications of AI in all aspects of life.

    In this context, current developments and innovations concerning AI pose meaningful challenges to governments and the private sector, in particular in the area of fundamental human rights. For instance, the inclusion of Algorithmic Decision-Making (ADM) processes in various aspects of human endeavors, such as policing, employment, health care, business, and criminal justice, may reinforce and even create new barriers to fairness in society.

    Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (“AI Act”) is the world’s first regulatory framework on AI. This regulation offers a comprehensive legislative framework for using AI, with broad coverage and allocated duties and obligations based on a hierarchy of risks to health, safety, and fundamental human rights. Accordingly, the AI Act contains regulatory tools available to member states and private actors with the ultimate purpose of shielding real or perceived disruptions caused by AI on contemporary societies. Other European Union (EU) regulations also tackle AI, including the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and the “Digital Services Act.”

    In this context, the webinar will analyze the aforementioned EU’s AI regulatory framework, from a legal and ethical perspective, to understand the challenges posed by AI innovations to the traditional human-centered environment. Particular attention will be given to the recent European Court of Justice’s decision in the “Schufa case.”

    Italy is not unaware of the many challenges posed by AI in various sectors of life. On April 23, 2024, the Council of Ministers approved a draft of a legislative bill dedicated to AI. Most recently, on March 20, 2025, a legislative bill was introduced into the Italian Senate concerning AI. However, no enacted legislation on AI currently exists in Italy.

    Accordingly, the webinar will also ponder the current and future implications of both EU and tentative domestic legislation on AI for Italy.

    Register here. 

    The main speaker will be Roberto D’Orazio, who is a senior legislative analyst at the Italian Parliamentary Library, and will present alongside Dante Figueroa, senior legal information analyst at the Law Library of Congress. Dante has a J.D. degree from the University of Concepcion, Chile, an LL.M. from the University of Chile, and an LL.M. from American University in Washington, D.C. He is fluent in Spanish, English, French, and Italian, and conversant in German and Portuguese.

    To learn about other upcoming classes on domestic and foreign law topics, visit the Legal Research Institute. Please request ADA accommodations at least five business days in advance by contacting (202) 707-6362 or [email protected].

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Tower Semiconductor to Attend the 22nd Annual Craig-Hallum Institutional Investor Conference and the 53rd Annual TD Cowen Technology, Media & Telecom Conference

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIGDAL HAEMEK, Israel, May 08, 2025 – Tower Semiconductor (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM), the leading foundry of high-value analog semiconductor solutions, will participate in the 22nd Annual Craig-Hallum Institutional Investor Conference in Minneapolis on Wednesday, May 28 and in the 53rd Annual TD Cowen Technology, Media & Telecom Conference in New York on Thursday, May 29. There will be an opportunity for investors to meet one-on-one with company representatives. Interested investors should contact the conference organizers or email the investor relations team at towersemi@kcsa.com.

    About Tower Semiconductor

    Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM), the leading foundry of high-value analog semiconductor solutions, provides technology, development, and process platforms for its customers in growing markets such as consumer, industrial, automotive, mobile, infrastructure, medical and aerospace and defense. Tower Semiconductor focuses on creating a positive and sustainable impact on the world through long-term partnerships and its advanced and innovative analog technology offering, comprised of a broad range of customizable process platforms such as SiPho, SiGe, BiCMOS, mixed-signal/CMOS, RF CMOS, CMOS image sensor, non-imaging sensors, displays, integrated power management (BCD and 700V), photonics, and MEMS. Tower Semiconductor also provides world-class design enablement for a quick and accurate design cycle as well as process transfer services, including development, transfer, and optimization, to IDMs and fabless companies. To provide multi-fab sourcing and extended capacity for its customers, Tower Semiconductor owns one operating facility in Israel (200mm), two in the U.S. (200mm), two in Japan (200mm and 300mm) which it owns through its 51% holdings in TPSCo, shares a 300mm facility in Agrate, Italy with STMicroelectronics as well as has access to a 300mm capacity corridor in Intel’s New Mexico factory. For more information, please visit: www.towersemi.com.

    Contact Information:
    Liat Avraham
    Investor Relations
    liatavra@towersemi.com | +972 4 650 6154

    David Hanover
    KCSA Strategic Communications

    towersemi@kcsa.com | 212-682-6300

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Restore Justice: 205 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in FBI-Led Nationwide Crackdown, Including Five in the Western District of Texas

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    SAN ANTONIO – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators.  The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown.  The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

    “The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

    “Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

    In the Western District of Texas, five individuals were arrested and charged with federal crimes, including Kevin Dale Franklin Jr. in El Paso, charged with receipt and distribution of child pornography; Zaid Mashhour Haddad and Mario Garcia Martinez in San Antonio, charged with access with intent to view child pornography and possession of child pornography, respectively; James Christopher Hoyt in Austin, charged with distribution of material involved the sexual exploitation of children; and Dakota Gunther Vaught in Pecos, charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

    “Cases involving the sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, will always be a priority for this U.S. Attorney’s Office, as it is most certainly our duty to protect our most vulnerable citizens—children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “These operations are significant in that they bring a vast number of resources together to carry out a shared mission and highlight critical criminal cases, but know that we work with our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners year-round and around the clock to investigate, arrest, and prosecute those who violate children, their rights and federal law.”

    “The FBI will deploy every resource available to investigate and bring to justice those who sexually exploit children, our most vulnerable population,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “None of this would be possible without the collective efforts of the FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force Officers. We also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership and dedication to this important mission.”

    “The FBI El Paso Crimes Against Children Task Force is unwavering in its mission to combat the horrific crime of child exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge John Morales for the FBI El Paso Field Office. “We pursue these cases relentlessly, every day, without exception because protecting children from predators is among our highest priorities, and we will stop at nothing to identify, investigate the abuse of innocent children, and bring these monstrous individuals responsible to justice. Day-in and day-out we work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure these predators face the full consequences of their depraved actions. Let this message be clear: if you exploit a child, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will make sure you face the full power of the justice system. There will be no refuge for those who prey on our most innocent and vulnerable.”

    Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

    In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

    This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

    The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org. 

    The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

    Other online resources:

    Electronic Press Kit

    Violent Crimes Against Children

    How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

    An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Enphase Energy Announces Easy Expansion of IQ7 Solar Systems with IQ8 Microinverters

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FREMONT, Calif., May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH), a global energy technology company and the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems, today announced the availability of new software that allows homeowners with existing legacy IQ7™ Microinverter-based systems to seamlessly expand their solar capacity using IQ8™ Microinverters. This software is now available across North America, Europe, and other key markets.

    With over one million homes worldwide using IQ7™ Microinverters, many homeowners are now looking to expand their systems to reduce energy costs and boost energy independence. Enphase’s new software enables solar installers to upgrade these systems with IQ8™ Microinverters, built for high-powered solar panels, while using the existing IQ® Gateway or IQ® Combiner hardware.

    “Enphase’s new expansion capability with the IQ8 Microinverters is a game-changer for us,” said Jeremy White, project manager at Robco Electric, an installer of Enphase products in the United States. “It allows us to offer our customers a straightforward path to scale their systems as their energy needs grow. We can now deliver more power with fewer headaches, which helps us provide the best service and keeps our business running efficiently.”

    “Homeowners are increasingly asking for ways to get more out of their existing systems, and the new IQ8 Microinverters make that possible,” said Mauricio Llovera, CEO of INVERSOL, an installer of Enphase products in Mexico. “This solution is a win-win, as it not only benefits our customers but also enables us to take on more projects without the complexity of traditional system upgrades. It’s the kind of innovation we’ve come to expect from Enphase.”

    “We’re excited to see Enphase continue to build on its existing product suite, constantly making our lives easier,” said David Monnier, CEO of La Maison des Energies, an installer of Enphase products in Switzerland. “The IQ8 Microinverters provide a seamless integration experience, allowing us to maximize energy output for our customers while maintaining the reliability and quality Enphase is known for. This capability is a significant boost to our business.”

    “The ability to upgrade existing IQ7 systems with IQ8 Microinverters opens up new opportunities for homeowners in the Netherlands,” said Jack van der Linden, account manager at Green Guys BV, an installer of Enphase products in the Netherlands. “With energy prices fluctuating, our customers want to optimize their solar systems without costly overhauls. This new solution from Enphase allows them to do just that — scaling their energy production efficiently and cost-effectively.”

    “Enphase’s latest innovation simplifies system upgrades for our customers in France, making it easier than ever to enhance solar production,” said Julien Vouriot, CEO and founder of Solair’ Forez, an installer of Enphase products in France. “We can now provide homeowners with a seamless way to integrate the latest microinverter technology, ensuring they get the most out of their solar investments while maintaining system reliability.”

    “The new software release unlocks seamless interoperability between IQ7 and IQ8 microinverters, which empowers our global installer network to deliver more value with less effort,” said Aaron Gordon, senior vice president and general manager of the systems business unit at Enphase Energy. “It’s a win for homeowners and a growth driver for our installers.”

    Enphase’s software-defined energy systems allow homeowners the ability to scale and optimize their solar investments over time. For more information about adding IQ8 Microinverters to IQ7 systems, watch the video here and visit the regional websites — United States, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Germany.

    About Enphase Energy, Inc.

    Enphase Energy, a global energy technology company based in Fremont, CA, is the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems that enable people to harness the sun to make, use, save, and sell their own power — and control it all with a smart mobile app. The company revolutionized the solar industry with its microinverter-based technology and builds all-in-one solar, battery, and software solutions. Enphase has shipped approximately 81.5 million microinverters, and approximately 4.8 million Enphase-based systems have been deployed in over 160 countries. For more information, visit https://enphase.com/.

    ©2025 Enphase Energy, Inc. All rights reserved. Enphase Energy, Enphase, the “e” logo, IQ, and certain other marks listed at https://enphase.com/trademark-usage-guidelines are trademarks or service marks of Enphase Energy, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Other names are for informational purposes and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements related to the expected capabilities and performance of Enphase Energy’s technology and products, including safety, quality, and reliability; and the ability to continually enhance and maximize the value of their investments over the lifetime of the systems. These forward-looking statements are based on Enphase Energy’s current expectations and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements as a result of such risks and uncertainties including those risks described in more detail in Enphase Energy’s most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other documents filed by Enphase Energy from time to time with the SEC. Enphase Energy undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations, except as required by law.

    Contact:

    Enphase Energy

    press@enphaseenergy.com

    This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: BermudAir Partners with Zero Hash to Launch First-of-Its-Kind Stablecoin Payments in Air Travel

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HAMILTON, Bermuda, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BermudAir, Bermuda’s first homegrown airline, today announced a groundbreaking partnership with Zero Hash to let customers purchase flights with stablecoins as part of the standard booking flow by the end of 2025. The new feature, which makes BermudAir the world’s first airline to offer native stablecoin payments for tickets during online booking on its website and mobile app, will go live by the end of 2025. The collaboration is being showcased today at the inaugural Bermuda Digital Finance Forum, underscoring the event’s focus on empowering local Bermudian businesses through cutting-edge digital finance innovation.

    This partnership will allow BermudAir passengers to natively pay with stablecoins – digital currencies pegged to fiat value – directly on the airline’s website, just as easily as using a credit card. Once live, travelers can select from over a dozen stablecoin options at checkout, enabling seamless payments that settle nearly instantly across borders.

    “By accepting stablecoins, we’re eliminating the friction of currency exchange and foreign transaction fees for our international passengers,” said Adam Scott, Founder and CEO of BermudAir. “As Bermuda’s home airline, we are proud to lead the charge in crypto and stablecoin adoption within aviation. Allowing customers to pay for flights with stablecoins isn’t just about embracing the future of travel – it’s about making the experience faster, cheaper, and more inclusive for travelers worldwide.”

    International visitors represent the majority of Bermuda’s 200,000+ annual air arrivals, many of whom currently face 1–3% foreign transaction fees on credit card bookings.12 By offering a direct stablecoin payment option, BermudAir will offer the opportunity to eliminate those costs and deliver a smoother booking experience for its globally diverse clientele. Stablecoin payments also process 24/7, ensuring ticket purchases can be confirmed in minutes without banking delays, a clear win for travelers and tourism operators.

    Zero Hash, the leading crypto, stablecoin and tokenization infrastructure provider, will power the conversion and settlement of these transactions. Zero Hash Worldwide Ltd., which holds a Class F license issued by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) under the Digital Asset Business Act, will enable BermudAir to accept digital dollar payments in a compliant, secure manner.

    Zero Hash views stablecoins as a core Alternative Payment Method (APM) poised for mass adoption in everyday transactions. The numbers support this shift: over the past 24 months, nearly 750 million people have gained access to stablecoins and crypto via a primary account on platforms like Revolut, NuBank, Robinhood, PayPal, Stripe, and Venmo. In just the last 30 days, 29.2 million unique wallets processed 705 million stablecoin transactions – totaling $3.3 trillion in volume.3

    The travel industry is uniquely positioned to lead this adoption – an early mover in loyalty programs, digital wallets, and cross-border innovation, it has a proven track record of embracing financial infrastructure before the mainstream.

    “Zero Hash is thrilled to power this first-of-its-kind stablecoin payment offering in the airline industry,” said Edward Woodford, Founder and CEO of Zero Hash. “This partnership with BermudAir exemplifies the convergence of digital finance innovation. By leveraging our stablecoin payments infrastructure, BermudAir can deliver the seamless payments and global accessibility that customers expect in the future of travel. It’s a shining example of stablecoins making a real-world impact, and we’re excited to help empower Bermudian businesses through compliant, cutting-edge technology.”

    The announcement comes amid a broader movement to onboard Bermudian businesses into digital finance. Bermuda’s government has cultivated a robust regulatory framework for fintech, making the island a hub for crypto adoption and innovation.

    The Bermuda Digital Finance Forum, hosted by Penrose Partners, SALT and The Decentralized AI Society (DAIS), is bringing community leaders together to empower local businesses and residents to leverage digital finance.

    This effort builds on BermudAir’s track record of innovation in digital finance, including a prior issuance of stablecoin bond tokens in partnership with crypto custodian XBTO.

    BermudAir’s stablecoin payment feature will be accessed by booking on flybermudair.com and the airline’s mobile app. Travelers will simply choose the stablecoin payment option during checkout, and Zero Hash will seamlessly handle the crypto-to-fiat settlement in real time. Both companies anticipate that this convenience will appeal to overseas travelers and business flyers, who can avoid exchanging currencies or incurring bank fees by paying directly in digital dollars.

    About Zero Hash
    Zero Hash is the leading infrastructure provider for crypto, stablecoin, and tokenized assets. Its API and embeddable dev-kit enables innovators to easily launch solutions across cross-border payments, commerce, trading, remittance, payroll, tokenization and on/off-ramps.

    Zero Hash powers solutions for some of the largest and innovative companies including Interactive Brokers, Stripe, Shift4, Franklin Templeton, Felix Pago, Kalshi and LightSpark. Zero Hash Holdings is backed by investors, including Point72 Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and NYCA.

    Zero Hash Worldwide Ltd. holds a Class F license issued by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) under the Digital Asset Business Act 2018 of Bermuda.

    Zero Hash Trust Company LLC has been approved by the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks as a non-depository trust company.

    Zero Hash LLC is a FinCen-registered Money Service Business and a regulated Money Transmitter that can operate in 51 U.S. jurisdictions. Zero Hash LLC and Zero Hash Liquidity Services LLC are licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. In Canada, Zero Hash LLC is registered as a Money Service Business with FINTRAC.

    Zero Hash Australia Pty Ltd. is registered with AUSTRAC as a Digital Currency Exchange Provider, with DCE registered provider number DCE100804170-001. Zero Hash Australia Pty Ltd. is registered on the New Zealand register of financial service providers, with Financial Service Provider (FSP) number FSP1004503. Zero Hash Europe B.V. is registered as a Virtual Asset Services Provider (VASP) by the Dutch Central Bank (Relation number: R193684). Zero Hash Europe Sp. Zoo is registered as a VASP by the Tax Administration Chamber of Poland in Katowice (Registration number RDWW – 1212).

    Learn more by visiting zerohash.com or following us on X @ZeroHashX

    About BermudAir
    BermudAir is Bermuda’s airline, committed to redefining the travel experience. With a fleet of Embraer E175 and E190 aircraft renowned for exceptional performance and passenger comfort, BermudAir exemplifies its commitment to excellence. Operating convenient flights to and from Westchester Country Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Charleston International Airport, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Bradley International Airport and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, and Richmond International Airport. BermudAir enhances connectivity to the U.S. East Coast, contributing to the growth and prosperity of Bermuda. BermudAir also operates flights to Toronto Pearson International Airport, Halifax Stanfield International Airport, and Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Canada. With a dedication to exceptional service and curated onboard offerings that showcase the island’s renowned hospitality and varied food and beverages available locally, BermudAir provides an unparalleled travel experience. For more information, and to book flights, please visit www.flybermudair.com.

    1gotobermuda 2024 Visitor Arrivals Report
    2bankrate.com
    3Artemis Terminal

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: xSuite Group Partners with Trenex Consulting to Expand Global Reach

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release xSuite

    xSuite Group Partners with Trenex Consulting to Expand Global Reach

    The Finance Automation consulting firm from the USA will now offer SAP user companies the software solutions of the German specialist for automated P2P processes

    Ahrensburg, Germany / Metairie, LA/USA – May 8, 2025 – xSuite Group and Trenex Consulting LLC entered into a partnership agreement in March 2025. As a new xSuite Solution Partner, Trenex will distribute, implement, and support xSuite’s solutions for automated invoice and procurement processes as well as archiving across the USA, Europe and the APAC region. Through this partnership with xSuite Group, Trenex is strategically repositioning itself within the SAP ecosystem and expanding its service portfolio for international customers.

    Headquartered in Louisiana, USA, Trenex Consulting is a globally operating IT advisory firm with deep expertise in financial process automation and SAP-driven business optimization. As companies worldwide face the challenges of digital transformation and transition to SAP S/4HANA, many are searching for modern, future-ready alternatives to legacy systems.

    Expanding SAP-Centric Capabilities

    The partnership allows Trenex to offer certified SAP solutions from xSuite that are compatible with all SAP deployment models—whether on-premises, in the cloud, or hybrid. xSuite’s modular and scalable P2P and archiving solutions stand out for their flexibility, global applicability, and futuristic product roadmap, making them ideal for companies to modernize their core financial processes ahead of their S/4 HANA migration.

    Shared Vision for Innovation and Client Value

    “We are excited to welcome Trenex as a solution partner that combines deep market knowledge with a strong track record in business process automation,” said Andreas Nowottka, Managing Director at xSuite Group. “Their commitment to delivering innovative and future-proof solutions to SAP clients around the globe aligns perfectly with xSuite’s mission.

    “Our clients demand state-of-the-art solutions—both technologically and functionally—regardless of whether they run SAP on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid setup,” added Frank (Cheng) Fan, General Manager of Trenex Consulting LLC. “xSuite checks all the boxes: modular architecture, SAP certification, and international compatibility. We also greatly value their collaborative approach and future-driven roadmap, which will empower us to support our clients over the long term.”

    About Trenex Consulting LLC
    Trenex Consulting is a global IT solutions provider specializing in ERP, EPM, Financial Process Automation (FPA), and Robotic Process Automation (RPA). With deep SAP expertise, a multilingual team, and around-the-clock support, Trenex delivers tailored services to help businesses drive digital transformation and optimize core operations worldwide. https://www.trenexconsulting.com/

    About xSuite Group
    With offices in Asia, Europe, and the U.S., xSuite is a leading innovator in optimizing SAP-based P2P workflows. The company provides software solutions and implementation services to over 1,600 clients worldwide, making it a trusted partner in modernizing AP systems and automating manual, paper-based processes.

    Press Contact:
    xSuite Group / Headquarters

    Barbara Wirtz
    Marketing & PR
    Tel. +49 (0)4102/88 38 36
    barbara.wirtz@xsuite.com
    www.xsuite.com

    Partner Contact:
    xSuite Group / International

    Tony Cheung
    Global Vice President
    Enterprise Accounts & Strategic Alliances
    Tel. +44 7561 893170
    tony.cheung@xsuite.com
    www.xsuite.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Parex Resources Announces First Quarter Results, Declaration of Q2 2025 Dividend, and Operational Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Parex Resources Inc. (“Parex” or the “Company”) (TSX: PXT) is pleased to announce its financial and operating results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2025, the declaration of its Q2 2025 regular dividend of C$0.385 per share, as well as an operational update. All amounts herein are in United States Dollars (“USD”) unless otherwise stated.

    “We entered the year with a disciplined and diversified plan aimed at delivering steady performance, and given current market volatility, are focused on sustaining base production and maintaining flexibility,” commented Imad Mohsen, President & Chief Executive Officer.

    “After a measured first quarter, drilling activity is increasing consistent with our budget. The recent tuck-in acquisition of LLA-32, an asset integral to our development plans, along with encouraging exploration results, represent key milestones that will drive near-term production. While we are well-positioned to deliver a strong second half, we will closely monitor commodity prices and our capital allocation throughout the year to maximize shareholder value.”

    Key Highlights

    • Generated Q1 2025 funds flow provided by operations (“FFO”)(1) of $122 million and FFO per share(2)(3) of $1.24.
    • Tracking to deliver FY 2025 average production guidance of 43,000 to 47,000 boe/d; YTD 2025 average production is approximately 43,100 boe/d(5)(7), with plans intact for a growing H2 2025 production profile.
    • Positive initial results at two prospects in the Southern Llanos, which are driving near-field exploration momentum.
    • Capital expenditure(6) guidance for FY 2025 remains at $285 to $315 million, though the Company continues to monitor commodity prices and could revise lower if warranted by market conditions.
    • Executed a tuck-in acquisition of the remaining working interest at LLA-32 for total consideration of $16 million.

    Q1 2025 Results

    • Average oil & natural gas production was 43,658 boe/d(7).
    • Realized net income of $81 million or $0.82 per share basic(3).
    • Generated FFO(1) of $122 million and FFO per share(2)(3) of $1.24.
    • Current taxes were $12 million; at current Brent crude oil strip pricing, the Company expects its FY 2025 effective current tax rate to be 0-3%.
    • Produced an operating netback(2) of $39.40/boe and an FFO netback(2) of $30.90/boe from an average Brent price of $74.98/bbl.
    • Incurred $57 million of capital expenditures(6), primarily from activities at Cabrestero, Capachos, and LLA-34.
    • Generated $65 million of free funds flow(6) that was used for return of capital initiatives, $10 million of bank debt repayment and increasing working capital surplus(1); working capital surplus(1) was $69 million and cash $81 million at quarter end.
    • Paid a C$0.385 per share(4) regular quarterly dividend and repurchased 524,900 shares.

    (1) Capital management measure. See “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Advisory.”
    (2) Non-GAAP ratio. See “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Advisory.”
    (3) Based on weighted average basic shares for the period.
    (4) Supplementary financial measure. See “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Advisory.”
    (5) Based on Q1 2025 actuals and estimated April 2025 average production; rounded for presentation purposes.
    (6) Non-GAAP financial measure. See “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Advisory.”
    (7) See “Operational and Financial Highlights” for a breakdown of production by product type.

    Operational and Financial Highlights Three Months Ended
    (unaudited) Mar. 31, Mar. 31, Dec. 31,
      2025 2024 2024
    Operational      
    Average daily production      
    Light Crude Oil and Medium Crude Oil (bbl/d) 10,650   7,237   9,550  
    Heavy Crude Oil (bbl/d) 32,207   45,543   34,882  
    Crude Oil (bbl/d) 42,857   52,780   44,432  
    Conventional Natural Gas (mcf/d) 4,806   3,348   5,190  
    Oil & Gas (boe/d)(1) 43,658   53,338   45,297  
           
    Operating netback ($/boe)      
    Reference price – Brent ($/bbl) 74.98   81.87   74.01  
    Oil & gas sales(4) 67.29   70.80   63.73  
    Royalties(4) (9.22 ) (11.21 ) (9.43 )
    Net revenue(4) 58.07   59.59   54.30  
    Production expense(4) (14.41 ) (12.64 ) (15.53 )
    Transportation expense(4) (4.26 ) (3.40 ) (3.87 )
    Operating netback ($/boe)(2) 39.40   43.55   34.90  
           
    Funds flow provided by operations netback ($/boe)(2) 30.90   31.32   32.39  
           
    Financial ($000s except per share amounts)      
           
    Net income 80,629   60,093   (69,051 )
    Per share – basic(6) 0.82   0.58   (0.70 )
           
    Funds flow provided by operations(5) 121,944   148,307   141,201  
    Per share – basic(2)(6) 1.24   1.43   1.43  
           
    Capital expenditures(3) 57,054   85,421   82,110  
           
    Free funds flow(3) 64,890   62,886   59,091  
           
    EBITDA(3) 139,032   192,078   (10,419 )
    Adjusted EBITDA(3) 135,407   188,228   137,312  
           
    Long-term inventory expenditures (4,648 ) 3,843   (2,569 )
           
    Dividends paid 26,365   28,531   26,658  
    Per share – Cdn$(4)(6) 0.385   0.375   0.385  
           
    Shares repurchased 5,239   15,291   16,408  
    Number of shares repurchased (000s) 525   920   1,692  
           
    Outstanding shares (end of period) (000s)      
    Basic 97,814   102,914   98,339  
    Weighted average basic 98,115   103,474   99,063  
    Diluted(8) 99,105   103,829   99,238  
           
    Working capital surplus (deficit)(5) 69,040   55,901   59,397  
    Bank debt(7) 50,000   60,000   60,000  
    Cash 81,025   61,052   98,022  

    (1) Reference to crude oil or natural gas in the above table and elsewhere in this press release refer to the light and medium crude oil and heavy crude oil and conventional natural gas, respectively, product types as defined in National Instrument 51-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities.
    (2) Non-GAAP ratio. See “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Advisory”.
    (3) Non-GAAP financial measure. See “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Advisory”.
    (4) Supplementary financial measure. See “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Advisory”.
    (5) Capital management measure. See “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Advisory”.
    (6) Per share amounts (with the exception of dividends) are based on weighted average common shares.
    (7) Borrowing limit of $240.0 million as of March 31, 2025.
    (8) Diluted shares as stated include common shares and stock options outstanding at period-end. The March 31, 2025 closing stock price was C$13.42 per share.

    LLA-32 Tuck-In Acquisition

    On March 14, 2025, Parex executed a tuck-in acquisition for the remaining working interest at LLA-32 for total consideration of $16 million. LLA-32 is located to the north and adjacent to the Company’s core LLA-34 and Cabrestero blocks.

    The strategic rationale for the acquisition was to gain full control of the asset, grow production, expand inventory, and add low-cost recompletion opportunities.

    Following the close of the acquisition, Parex started a workover program with positive results thus far, and in Q2 2025, initiated a five-well development campaign. Current production from LLA-32 is roughly 4,000 boe/d(1).

    Operational Update

    2025 Corporate Guidance & Outlook

    While Parex’s 2025 corporate guidance of average production of 43,000 to 47,000 boe/d and capital expenditures of $285 to $315 million remains unchanged as previously disclosed, the Company is closely monitoring oil price volatility to ensure that project economics remain robust.

    Given the conventional nature of Parex’s business and the structure of its drilling and service contracts, optionality exists to adjust activity levels in response to prevailing market conditions in order to ensure efficient capital allocation and maximization of shareholder value.

    For Q2 2025, average production is expected to be similar to Q1 2025, supported by increased development activity and preliminary near-field exploration success.

    Operational Update

    Average production for Q1 2025 of 43,658 boe/d(2) was in line with Management expectations. The quarter progressed steadily, which is aligned with the Company’s activity plan to support a growing H2 2025 production profile, as previously disclosed.

    April 2025 average production was 41,400 boe/d(3), with production generally consistent with lower activity levels and modest capital outlay in Q1 2025, as well as higher than budgeted downtime due to weather factors. Downtime levels have normalized and initial average production rates in May are roughly 43,200 boe/d(4).

    With budgeted activity underway, operational momentum is expected to build through the remainder of the year. Parex currently has three drilling rigs operating (two operated and one non-operated). In addition to enhanced oil recovery initiatives at Cabrestero and LLA-34, activity for Q2 2025 is primarily focused on development wells that are planned to be sequential in nature and located on existing pads that enable efficient production across parallel operations.

    Near-Term Development Activity

    • Drilling at LLA-34 that is expected to continue through Q2 2025, resulting in the expected completion of six in-fill wells;
    • Commencing operations at LLA-32, with the first well of the campaign to be completed in late Q2 2025; and
    • Achieving initial access in the Putumayo, with activity starting with a workover rig in Q2 2025.

    Near-Field Exploration Program plus Follow-Up Drilling

    As part of this program, two separate prospects have yielded positive initial results in the Southern Llanos, where operations are ongoing:

    • On LLA-74, a prospect was drilled successfully.
      • Initial production began in early May, with current output of approximately 1,200 bbl/d of heavy crude oil(5).
    • Also on LLA-74, a prospect was drilled via a vertical well.
      • Based on management’s positive initial assessment, the program has progressed with the design of two horizontal wells to optimize production and recovery.
      • The first follow-up horizontal well is currently being drilled, with expected production in late May.

    (1) Estimated average production for April 1, 2025 to April 30, 2025; light & medium crude oil: ~3,409 bbl/d, conventional natural gas: ~3,544 mcf/d; rounded for presentation purposes.
    (2) See “Operational and Financial Highlights” for a breakdown of production by product type.
    (3) Estimated average production for April 1, 2025 to April 30, 2025; light & medium crude oil: ~10,099 bbl/d, heavy crude oil: ~30,541 bbl/d, conventional natural gas: ~4,557 mcf/d; rounded for presentation purposes.
    (4) Estimated average production for May 1, 2025 to May 6, 2025; light & medium crude oil: ~10,538 bbl/d, heavy crude oil: ~31,869 bbl/d, conventional natural gas: ~4,756 mcf/d; rounded for presentation purposes.
    (5) Short-term production rate. See “Oil & Gas Matters Advisory.”

    Risk Management

    For Q1 2025, Parex entered into a Brent crude oil hedge to manage price risk on approximately 25% of planned net crude oil production, utilizing a Brent put spread at $60/bbl and $70/bbl. For Q2 2025, Parex entered into similar hedges for the months of April 2025 and May 2025.

    Parex plans to regularly evaluate market conditions, operational requirements, and other pertinent factors, to assess the need for any additional hedging actions as it progresses through 2025.

    Return of Capital Update

    Q2 2025 Dividend

    Parex’s Board of Directors have approved a Q2 2025 regular dividend of C$0.385 per share to shareholders of record on June 9, 2025, to be paid on June 16, 2025. This regular dividend payment to shareholders is designated as an “eligible dividend” for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

    Normal Course Issuer Bids

    In 2025, Parex has repurchased approximately 0.7 million shares under its NCIBs, for total consideration of roughly C$10 million.

    Q1 2025 Results – Conference Call & Webcast

    Parex will host a conference call and webcast to discuss its Q1 2025 results on Thursday, May 8, 2025, beginning at 9:30 am MT (11:30 am ET). To participate in the conference call or webcast, please see the access information below:

    Conference ID: 5403995
    Participant Toll-Free Dial-In Number: 1-646-307-1963
    Participant Dial-In Number: 1-647-932-3411
    Webcast: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/867962059

    Annual General Meeting

    On Thursday, May 8, 2025, Parex will hold its Annual General Meeting at 11:00 am MT (1:00 pm ET) both in-person and virtually. Participants may attend at the 4th Floor Conference Center, Eight Avenue Place, East Tower, 525, 8th Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta – and virtual participants can join through the following link: https:meetnow.global/M4SULLK.

    Additional information regarding the Annual General Meeting, including meeting materials, can be found at www.parexresources.com under Investors.

    About Parex Resources Inc.

    Parex is one of the largest independent oil and gas companies in Colombia, focusing on sustainable conventional production. The Company’s corporate headquarters are in Calgary, Canada, with an operating office in Bogotá, Colombia. Parex shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol PXT.

    For more information, please contact:

    Mike Kruchten
    Senior Vice President, Capital Markets & Corporate Planning
    Parex Resources Inc.
    403-517-1733
    investor.relations@parexresources.com

    Steven Eirich
    Senior Investor Relations & Communications Advisor
    Parex Resources Inc.
    587-293-3286
    investor.relations@parexresources.com

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

    Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Advisory

    This press release uses various “non-GAAP financial measures”, “non-GAAP ratios”, “supplementary financial measures” and “capital management measures” (as such terms are defined in NI 52-112), which are described in further detail below. Such measures are not standardized financial measures under IFRS and might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. Investors are cautioned that non-GAAP financial measures should not be construed as alternatives to or more meaningful than the most directly comparable GAAP measures as indicators of Parex’s performance.

    These measures facilitate management’s comparisons to the Company’s historical operating results in assessing its results and strategic and operational decision-making and may be used by financial analysts and others in the oil and natural gas industry to evaluate the Company’s performance. Further, management believes that such financial measures are useful supplemental information to analyze operating performance and provide an indication of the results generated by the Company’s principal business activities.

    Set forth below is a description of the non-GAAP financial measures, non-GAAP ratios, supplementary financial measures and capital management measures used in this press release.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    Capital expenditures, is a non-GAAP financial measure which the Company uses to describe its capital costs associated with oil and gas expenditures. The measure considers both property, plant and equipment expenditures and exploration and evaluation asset expenditures which are items in the Company’s statement of cash flows for the period and is calculated as follows:

      For the three months ended
      Mar. 31,   Mar. 31,   Dec. 31,
    ($000s)   2025     2024     2024
    Property, plant and equipment expenditures $ 44,951   $ 40,831   $ 62,799
    Exploration and evaluation expenditures   12,103     44,590     19,311
    Capital expenditures $ 57,054   $ 85,421   $ 82,110


    Free funds flow,     is a non-GAAP financial measure that is determined by funds flow provided by operations less capital expenditures. The Company considers free funds flow to be a key measure as it demonstrates Parex’s ability to fund return of capital, such as the normal course issuer bid and dividends, without accessing outside funds and is calculated as follows:

      For the three months ended
      Mar. 31,   Mar. 31,   Dec. 31,
    ($000s)   2025     2024     2024
    Cash provided by operating activities $ 87,621   $ 97,412   $ 67,847
    Net change in non-cash assets and liabilities   34,323     50,895     73,354
    Funds flow provided by operations   121,944     148,307     141,201
    Capital expenditures   57,054     85,421     82,110
    Free funds flow $ 64,890   $ 62,886   $ 59,091


    EBITDA    , is a non-GAAP financial measure that is defined as net income (loss) adjusted for finance income and expenses, other expenses, income tax expense (recovery) and depletion, depreciation and amortization.

    Adjusted EBITDA, is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as EBITDA adjusted for non-cash impairment charges, share-based compensation expense (recovery), unrealized foreign exchange gains (losses) and unrealized gains (losses) on risk management contracts.

    The Company considers EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to be key measures as they demonstrate Parex’s profitability before finance income and expenses, taxes, depletion, depreciation and amortization and other non-cash items. A reconciliation from net income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA is as follows:

      For the three months ended
      Mar. 31,   Mar. 31,   Dec. 31,
    ($000s)   2025     2024     2024
    Net income (loss) $ 80,629     $ 60,093     $ (69,051 )
    Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to EBITDA:          
    Finance income   (1,297 )     (1,257 )     (998 )
    Finance expense   5,056       4,455       4,318  
    Other expenses   1,147       739       2,208  
    Income tax expense (recovery)   3,078       75,817       (880 )
    Depletion, depreciation and amortization   50,419       52,231       53,984  
    EBITDA $ 139,032     $ 192,078     $ (10,419 )
    Non-cash impairment charges   —       —       137,841  
    Share-based compensation expense (recovery)   2,092       (2,463 )     6,149  
    Unrealized foreign exchange (gain) loss   (4,919 )     (1,387 )     2,581  
    Unrealized (gain) loss on risk management contracts   (798 )     —       1,160  
    Adjusted EBITDA $ 135,407     $ 188,228     $ 137,312  


    Non-GAAP Ratios

    Operating netback per boe, is a non-GAAP ratio that the Company considers to be a key measure as it demonstrates Parex’ profitability relative to current commodity prices. Parex calculates operating netback per boe as operating netback (calculated as oil and natural gas sales from production, less royalties, operating, and transportation expense) divided by the total equivalent sales volume including purchased oil volumes for oil and natural gas sales price and transportation expense per boe and by the total equivalent sales volume excluding purchased oil volumes for royalties and operating expense per boe.

    Funds flow provided by operations netback per boe or FFO netback per boe, is a non-GAAP ratio that includes all cash generated from operating activities and is calculated before changes in non-cash assets and liabilities, divided by produced oil and natural gas sales volumes. The Company considers funds flow provided by operations netback per boe to be a key measure as it demonstrates Parex’s profitability after all cash costs relative to current commodity prices.

    Basic funds flow provided by operations per share or FFO per share, is a non-GAAP ratio that is calculated by dividing funds flow provided by operations by the weighted average number of basic shares outstanding. Parex presents basic funds flow provided by operations per share whereby per share amounts are calculated using weighted-average shares outstanding, consistent with the calculation of earnings per share. The Company considers basic funds flow provided by operations per share or FFO per share to be a key measure as it demonstrates Parex’s profitability after all cash costs relative to the weighted average number of basic shares outstanding.

    Capital Management Measures

    Funds flow provided by operations, is a capital management measure that includes all cash generated from operating activities and is calculated before changes in non-cash assets and liabilities. The Company considers funds flow provided by operations to be a key measure as it demonstrates Parex’s profitability after all cash costs. A reconciliation from cash provided by operating activities to funds flow provided by operations is as follows:

      For the three months ended
      Mar. 31,   Mar. 31,   Dec. 31,
    ($000s)   2025     2024     2024
    Cash provided by operating activities $ 87,621   $ 97,412   $ 67,847
    Net change in non-cash assets and liabilities   34,323     50,895     73,354
    Funds flow provided by operations $ 121,944   $ 148,307   $ 141,201

    Working capital surplus, is a capital management measure which the Company uses to describe its liquidity position and ability to meet its short-term liabilities. Working capital surplus is defined as current assets less current liabilities.

      For the three months ended
      Mar. 31,   Mar. 31,   Dec. 31,
    ($000s)   2025     2024     2024
    Current assets $ 259,256   $ 276,113   $ 245,943
    Current liabilities   190,216     220,212     186,546
    Working capital surplus $ 69,040   $ 55,901   $ 59,397


    Supplementary Financial Measures

    “Oil and natural gas sales price per boe” is comprised of total commodity sales from oil and natural gas production, as determined in accordance with IFRS, divided by the total oil and natural gas sales volumes including purchased oil volumes.

    “Royalties per boe” is comprised of royalties, as determined in accordance with IFRS, divided by the total equivalent sales volume and excludes purchased oil volumes.

    “Net revenue per boe” is comprised of net revenue, as determined in accordance with IFRS, divided by the total equivalent sales volume and includes purchased oil volumes.

    “Production expense per boe” is comprised of production expense, as determined in accordance with IFRS, divided by the total equivalent sales volume and excludes purchased oil volumes.

    “Transportation expense per boe” is comprised of transportation expense, as determined in accordance with IFRS, divided by the total equivalent sales volumes including purchased oil volumes.

    “Dividends paid per share” is comprised of dividends declared, as determined in accordance with IFRS, divided by the number of shares outstanding at the dividend record date.

    Oil & Gas Matters Advisory

    The term “Boe” means a barrel of oil equivalent on the basis of 6 Mcf of natural gas to 1 barrel of oil (“bbl”). Boe’s may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversation ratio of 6 Mcf: 1 Bbl is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. Given the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil as compared to natural gas is significantly different from the energy equivalency of 6 Mcf: 1Bbl, utilizing a conversion ratio at 6 Mcf: 1 Bbl may be misleading as an indication of value.

    This press release contains a number of oil and gas metrics, including, operating netbacks and FFO netbacks. These oil and gas metrics have been prepared by management and do not have standardized meanings or standard methods of calculation and therefore such measures may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies and should not be used to make comparisons. Such metrics have been included herein to provide readers with additional measures to evaluate the Company’s performance; however, such measures are not reliable indicators of the future performance of the Company and future performance may not compare to the performance in previous periods and therefore such metrics should not be unduly relied upon. Management uses these oil and gas metrics for its own performance measurements and to provide security holders with measures to compare the Company’s operations over time. Readers are cautioned that the information provided by these metrics, or that can be derived from the metrics presented in this news release, should not be relied upon for investment or other purposes.

    Any reference in this press release to short-term production rates are useful in confirming the presence of hydrocarbons, however such rates are not determination of the rates at which such wells will continue production and decline thereafter and readers are cautioned not to place reliance on such rates in calculating the aggregate production of Parex.

    Distribution Advisory

    The Company’s future shareholder distributions, including but not limited to the payment of dividends and the acquisition by the Company of its shares pursuant to an NCIB, if any, and the level thereof is uncertain. Any decision to pay further dividends on the common shares (including the actual amount, the declaration date, the record date and the payment date in connection therewith and any special dividends) or acquire shares of the Company will be subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors of Parex and may depend on a variety of factors, including, without limitation the Company’s business performance, financial condition, financial requirements, growth plans, expected capital requirements and other conditions existing at such future time including, without limitation, contractual restrictions and satisfaction of the solvency tests imposed on the Company under applicable corporate law. Further, the actual amount, the declaration date, the record date and the payment date of any dividend are subject to the discretion of the Board. There can be no assurance that the Company will pay dividends or repurchase any shares of the Company in the future.

    Advisory on Forward Looking Statements

    Certain information regarding Parex set forth in this document contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. The use of any of the words “plan”, “expect”, “prospective”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “should”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “forecast”, “guidance”, “budget” or other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements represent Parex’s internal projections, estimates or beliefs concerning, among other things, future growth, results of operations, production, future capital and other expenditures (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof), competitive advantages, plans for and results of drilling activity, environmental matters, business prospects and opportunities. These statements are only predictions and actual events or results may differ materially. Although the Company’s management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievement since such expectations are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause Parex’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, Parex.

    In particular, forward-looking statements contained in this document include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the Company’s focus, plans, priorities and strategies; average production guidance and capital expenditure guidance; expectations and plans regarding the Company’s drilling activity, the Company’s production profile, prospects in the Southern Llanos, the LLA-32 tuck-in acquisition, drilling and programs at LLA-34, LLA-32, Putumayo, and LLA-74; expectations about the Company’s FY 2025 tax rate; plans with respect to assessing the need for additional hedging in 2025; the anticipated terms of the Company’s Q2 2025 regular quarterly dividend, including its expectation that it will be designated as an “eligible dividend”; and the anticipated date and time of Parex’s conference call to discuss Q1 2025 results.

    These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions in Canada and Colombia; an unpredictable tariff and trade environment; prolonged volatility in commodity prices; industry conditions including changes in laws and regulations including adoption of new environmental laws and regulations, and changes in how they are interpreted and enforced in Canada and Colombia; determinations by OPEC and other countries as to production levels; competition; lack of availability of qualified personnel; the results of exploration and development drilling and related activities; obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities in Canada and Colombia; the risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities; volatility in market prices for oil; fluctuations in foreign exchange or interest rates; environmental risks; changes in income tax laws or changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the oil industry; changes to pipeline capacity; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; failure of counterparties to perform under contracts; the risk that Brent oil prices may be lower than anticipated; the risk that Parex’s evaluation of its existing portfolio of development and exploration opportunities may not be consistent with its expectations; the risk that Parex may not have sufficient financial resources in the future to provide distributions to its shareholders; the risk that the Board may not declare dividends in the future or that Parex’s dividend policy changes; the risk that Parex may not be responsive to changes in commodity prices; the risk that Parex may not meet its production guidance for the year ended December 31, 2025; the risk that Parex’s 2025 capital expenditures may be greater or less than anticipated; the risk that plans and expectations related to Parex’s drilling program as disclosed herein do not materialize as expected and/or at all; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company.

    Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect Parex’s operations and financial results are included in reports on file with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR+ website (www.sedarplus.ca).

    Although the forward-looking statements contained in this document are based upon assumptions which Management believes to be reasonable, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. With respect to forward-looking statements contained in this document, Parex has made assumptions regarding, among other things: current and anticipated commodity prices and royalty regimes; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of capital expenditures; future exchange rates; the price of oil, including the anticipated Brent oil price; the impact of increasing competition; conditions in general economic and financial markets; availability of drilling and related equipment; effects of regulation by governmental agencies; receipt of partner, regulatory and community approvals; royalty rates; future operating costs; uninterrupted access to areas of Parex’s operations and infrastructure; recoverability of reserves and future production rates; the status of litigation; timing of drilling and completion of wells; on-stream timing of production from successful exploration wells; operational performance of non-operated producing fields; pipeline capacity; that Parex will have sufficient cash flow, debt or equity sources or other financial resources required to fund its capital and operating expenditures and requirements as needed; that Parex’s conduct and results of operations will be consistent with its expectations; that Parex will have the ability to develop its oil and gas properties in the manner currently contemplated; that Parex’s evaluation of its existing portfolio of development and exploration opportunities is consistent with its expectations; current or, where applicable, proposed industry conditions, laws and regulations will continue in effect or as anticipated as described herein; that the estimates of Parex’s production and reserves volumes and the assumptions related thereto (including commodity prices and development costs) are accurate in all material respects; that Parex will be able to obtain contract extensions or fulfill the contractual obligations required to retain its rights to explore, develop and exploit any of its undeveloped properties; that Parex will have sufficient financial resources to pay dividends and acquire shares pursuant to its NCIB in the future; that Parex is able to execute its plans with respect to the Company’s drilling program as disclosed herein; and other matters.

    Management has included the above summary of assumptions and risks related to forward-looking information provided in this document in order to provide shareholders with a more complete perspective on Parex’s current and future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Parex’s actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits Parex will derive. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this document and Parex disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

    This press release contains information that may be considered a financial outlook under applicable securities laws about the Company’s potential financial position, including, but not limited to; Parex’s FY 2025 capital expenditure guidance; Parex 2025 guidance, including anticipated Brent crude oil average prices, funds flow provided by operations netback; funds flow provided by operations, capital expenditures, free funds flow; and the anticipated terms of the Company’s Q2 2025 regular quarterly dividend including its expectation that it will be designated as an “eligible dividend”, all of which are subject to numerous assumptions, risk factors, limitations and qualifications, including those set forth in the above paragraphs. The actual results of operations of the Company and the resulting financial results will vary from the amounts set forth in this press release and such variations may be material. This information has been provided for illustration only and with respect to future periods are based on budgets and forecasts that are speculative and are subject to a variety of contingencies and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Accordingly, these estimates are not to be relied upon as indicative of future results. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such financial outlook. The financial outlook contained in this press release was made as of the date of this press release and was provided for the purpose of providing further information about the Company’s potential future business operations. Readers are cautioned that the financial outlook contained in this press release is not conclusive and is subject to change.

    The following abbreviations used in this press release have the meanings set forth below:

    bbl one barrel
    bbls barrels
    bbl/d barrels per day
    boe barrels of oil equivalent of natural gas; one barrel of oil or natural gas liquids for six thousand cubic feet of natural gas
    boe/d barrels of oil equivalent of natural gas per day
    mcf thousand cubic feet
    mcf/d thousand cubic feet per day
    W.I. working interest

    PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/974163af-5043-41d6-a129-53a272c53539

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Sky Quarry Signs LOI with R & R Solutions to Explore Expansion of Southwest Operations and Accelerate Market Deployment

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WOODS CROSS, Utah, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYQ) (“Sky Quarry” or “the Company”), an integrated energy solutions company committed to revolutionizing the waste asphalt shingle recycling industry, today announced that it has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with R & R Solutions Inc., the only permitted asphalt shingle recycler in New Mexico. The LOI represents a strategic step in Sky Quarry’s plan to expand its national network of modular waste-to-energy facilities and unlock new revenue opportunities in the Southwest.

    The proposed partnership will focus on planning the deployment of Sky Quarry’s proprietary equipment, mechanical processes, and intellectual property (IP) at R & R Solutions’ existing permitted site in Albuquerque, New Mexico. If implemented, the proposed project will support the production of high-value byproducts, including asphalt-coated limestone, sand, granules, bitumen, and structural-grade ground shingles for use in roofing, road repair, sealants, and other infrastructure applications.

    As part of Sky Quarry’s differentiated business model, the Company expects to generate revenue both from accepting asphalt shingle waste and from selling the recovered byproducts. At the proposed New Mexico site, Sky Quarry estimates that approximately 100,000 tons of asphalt shingle waste could be processed per year and believes that this could generate substantial annual revenue from collection fees and the sale of recycled materials such as granules and sand. The Company also believes that the feedstock could yield the equivalent of up to 150,000 barrels of oil when fully refined, representing additional potential revenue.

    “The opportunity to collaborate with R & R Solutions and build on an existing permitted site creates an attractive entry point for strengthening our national scale-up efforts and advancing commercialization,” said David Sealock, CEO and Chairman of Sky Quarry. “The Albuquerque region presents a particularly compelling opportunity due to its proximity to our PR Spring facility in Utah, which will serve as a regional hub for hydrocarbon extraction. Upon reaching an agreement with R&R Solutions based on the LOI, we believe that leveraging existing infrastructure and integrating operations across both sites will accelerate deployment, reduce capital intensity, and improve supply chain logistics for recovered oil products, efficiencies that we believe will drive stronger margins and long-term value.”

    Founded in 2013, R & R Solutions brings over a decade of experience as a leader in responsible recycling practices and is deeply integrated into the New Mexico construction ecosystem. “The proposed partnership with Sky Quarry will mark a strategic step forward for R & R Solutions,” said Jerry Daniele, Vice President of R & R Solutions. “We’ve built a strong foundation as the region’s only permitted shingle recycler, and we believe that this collaboration will give us the tools to expand our capabilities, accelerate growth, and deliver broader impact. It will allow us to scale the value we provide to customers and communities across New Mexico and move beyond traditional recycling into large-scale resource recovery, driving meaningful economic impact in the region.”

    About Sky Quarry Inc.

    Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYQ) and its subsidiaries are, collectively, an oil production, refining, and a development-stage environmental remediation company formed to deploy technologies to facilitate the recycling of waste asphalt shingles and remediation of oil-saturated sands and soils. Our waste-to-energy mission is to repurpose and upcycle millions of tons of asphalt shingle waste, diverting them from landfills. By doing so, we can contribute to improved waste management, promote resource efficiency, conserve natural resources, and reduce environmental impact. For more information, please visit skyquarry.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may include ”forward-looking statements.” All statements pertaining to our future financial and/or operating results, future events, or future developments may constitute forward-looking statements. The statements may be identified by words such as “expect,” “look forward to,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” “will,” “project,” or words of similar meaning. Such statements are based on the current expectations and certain assumptions of our management, of which many are beyond our control. These are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and factors, including but not limited to those described in our disclosures. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying expectations not occur or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results, performance, or our achievements may (negatively or positively) vary materially from those described explicitly or implicitly in the relevant forward-looking statement. We neither intend, nor assume any obligation, to update or revise these forward-looking statements in light of developments which differ from those anticipated. You are urged to carefully review and consider any cautionary statements and the Company’s other disclosures, including the statements made under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Company’s Form 10-K as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are contained.

    Investor Relations
    Jennifer Standley
    Director of Investor Relations
    Ir@skyquarry.com

    Company Website
    www.skyquarry.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Alberta has long accused Ottawa of trying to destroy its oil industry. That’s a dangerous myth

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ian Urquhart, Professor Emeritus, Political Science, University of Alberta

    “Alberta is a place soaked in self-deception.” Those words began Alberta-based journalist Mark Lisac’s 2004 book aimed at shattering the myths that have unhelpfully animated too much of Alberta’s politics over the past few decades.

    Current and former Alberta politicians are once again embracing and treating separatist grievances seriously. That means it’s time once again to highlight and challenge political misconceptions that have the potential to destroy Canada.

    Oil is the root of one such myth. The misconception? That Ottawa perenially opposes the oil and gas sector and is determined to stop its continued growth. The National Energy Program (1980), the Northern Gateway pipeline project (2016), the Energy East Pipeline (2017) and the proposed greenhouse gas pollution cap allegedly prove Ottawa’s hostility.

    Notably missing from these grievances is the Keystone XL pipeline and the Trans Mountain Expansion Project. Ottawa supported these projects aimed at transporting Alberta oilsands crude to foreign markets. The federal government even purchased the Trans Mountain project from Kinder Morgan in 2018 — not to kill it, but to build it.



    Read more:
    Justin Trudeau’s risky gamble on the Trans Mountain pipeline

    As for Keystone XL, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney thanked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for supporting the project. This doesn’t fit the separatist narrative, so it’s largely ignored.

    Oilsands booster

    No one should dispute the National Energy Program’s devastating impact on Alberta’s conventional oil and gas sector 40 years ago. But the oilsands, not conventional oil, propelled Canada to its position as the world’s fourth largest oil producer.

    Has Ottawa facilitated or obstructed the spectacular post-1990 growth of oilsands production?

    The record shows that, since the mid-1970s, Ottawa has facilitated and supported the oilsands sector. The federal government helped keep the Syncrude project alive in 1975 when it took a 15 per cent interest in Canada’s second oilsands operation.

    Ironically, Ottawa’s enthusiasm for more, not less, petroleum from the oilsands also appeared in 1980 via the National Energy Program (NEP), the devil in Alberta’s conservative catechism. What most accounts of the NEP don’t mention is that Ottawa offered tax benefits to oilsands companies while stripping them from conventional oil producers.

    Furthermore, the NEP’s “made-in-Canada” pricing effectively guaranteed Syncrude would receive the world price for its production. At $38 per barrel, Syncrude received more than double what conventional producers received. If the NEP was harsh on conventional oil producers, it helped create a golden future for the oil sands.

    In the mid-1990s, Ottawa helped propel the post-1995 oilsands boom. The industry-dominated National Task Force on Oil Sands Strategies sought federal tax concessions to promote oilsands growth. The federal government delivered them in its 1996 budget, despite Prime Minister Jean Chretien’s general concern with cutting the deficit.

    Again, these measures clearly contradict the myth of federal opposition to the oil industry.

    Generous emissions caps

    Ottawa’s policy favouritism towards the oilsands didn’t end there. It has consistently animated the federal government’s treatment of the oilsands in its climate change policies.

    The federal Climate Change Plan for Canada (2002) treated oil and gas leniently. Its measures for large industrial emitters bore a striking resemblance to the climate change policy preferences of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. Suncor and Syncrude, the two leading oilsands producers, estimated these federal proposals would add a pittance, between 20 and 30 cents, to their per barrel production costs.

    Justin Trudeau’s response to Alberta’s 2015 oilsands emissions cap also underlined Ottawa’s favouritism, not hostility, to the dominant player in Canada’s oil patch.

    Rachel Notley’s NDP government set this cap at 100 million tonnes of GHG per year, plus another 10 million tonnes allowed to new upgrading and co-generation facilities. This cap was a whopping 39 million tonnes or 55 per cent higher than what the oilsands emitted in 2014.

    This generous cap contributed to a tremendous increase in oilsands production. Healthy profits became record profits in 2022. Ottawa embraced Alberta’s largesse, incorporating the province’s cap into its post-2015 climate policies.

    Furthermore, Ottawa increased its leniency towards the oilsands by exempting new in-situ (non-mining) oilsands projects in Alberta from the federal Impact Assessment Act. This exemption applies until Alberta’s emissions cap is reached. Canada’s latest National Inventory Report on greenhouse gas emissions reported record oilsands GHG emissions of 89 million tonnes in 2023, still 11 million tonnes shy of the 100 million tonne threshold.

    Weaponizing myths

    Finally, we have today’s proposed national cap on greenhouse gas emissions. Alberta is apoplectic about the cap. But whether or not it’s intentional, Premier Danielle Smith’s outrage feeds into secessionist sentiment by seemingly misrepresenting the cap’s impact on oil and gas production.

    Smith and her environment minister use the work of the Parliamentary Budgetary Officer (PBO) to nurture their “Ottawa hates oil” narrative. They claim the officer’s analysis of the cap’s economic impact showed it “will cut oil and gas production by five per cent, or more than 245,000 barrels per day.”

    This is simply not true.

    In fact, the PBO concluded that, with the cap, oilsands production “is projected to remain well above current levels” — 15 per cent higher than in 2022. The proposed federal emissions cap, like the Alberta NDP’s cap of a decade ago, is higher than current oilsands emissions levels. The PBO concluded the proposed ceiling for oilsands emissions would be six per cent higher than 2022 emissions.

    Ottawa’s proposed cap, in fact, continues its decades-long support of the oilsands.

    Myths are central to our being. When I tell my grandsons about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, I hope to inspire curiosity, imagination and interest in their grandmother’s Irish heritage.

    But in politics, fanciful stories can be dangerous. Some weaponize myths, using the fictions at their core to encourage followers to let falsehoods rule their behaviour. That seems to be playing out yet again in Alberta. We must demand better from the political class.

    Ian Urquhart 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. Alberta has long accused Ottawa of trying to destroy its oil industry. That’s a dangerous myth – https://theconversation.com/alberta-has-long-accused-ottawa-of-trying-to-destroy-its-oil-industry-thats-a-dangerous-myth-255908

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: After 170 Years, Thoreau’s River Observations Inform Our Changing Climate

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Like an expertly choreographed dance, the sequence and timing of natural events through a season, called phenology, give us clues about how the climate is changing.

    For example, a warmer spring may lead to plants leafing and flowering early, potentially disrupting life cycles of the birds and insects who may miss this crucial window if it happens before they migrate. Climate change is throwing such timing out of balance, and unless it directly impacts humans, we may not notice.

    To study New England’s regional phenology through a historical lens, UConn Department of Earth Sciences Professor Robert Thorson is looking into 10 years’ worth of Henry David Thoreau’s meticulous, systematic records of river behavior from the 1850s to glean insights into climate change. His findings are published in The Concord Saunterer.

    A season is much more than a block of a few months on the calendar; it is a category of phenomena that varies depending on who you ask, says Thorson. For instance, a season differs if you ask a skier, a fisherman, or a student. To understand something as complex as climate change on a personal level requires helping them see that their seasons are being changed and time-shifted, no matter how they define them. This requires a well-established baseline with a clear definition for each season. Thoreau’s “Journal” provides exactly this.

    Replica of Thoreau’s boat, Musketaquid, on the bank of the Sudbury River, Lincoln, MA. (Photo courtesy of Juliet Wheeler)

    “I don’t pick Thoreau for his philosophy, he’s just a damn good observer,” says Thorson. “He is meticulous, he is daily, he is yearly, and he is systematically rigorous about roaming around 50 square miles and recording it day after day after day after day.”

    Thoreau created an impressive data set from 1850 through 1860, including the 6,000 entries Thorson has cataloged so far by reading line-by-line, indexing, and creating a spreadsheet. Thoreau recorded examples of phenology along the river – for instance, when the first ice occurred, when the river was completely frozen, when the first snow fell, and when the breakup of ice occurred.

    “From these observations, we can establish the timings of discrete phenomena from the mid-19th century using simple statistics,” says Thorson. “The next step is to compare those timings with the modern era using publicly available data; for example, minimum stream discharges from the U.S. Geological Survey.”

    Rather than seeing the year on a calendar, Thorson categorized how Thoreau saw not four, but ten discrete seasons whose exact dates were fluid and based on the physical conditions he observed rather than celestial happenings or arbitrary dates. These seasons included breakup, inland sea, aquatic spring, riparian spring, summer, drought, aquatic autumn, riparian autumn, freeze up, and winter white. Thorson details the timings and characteristics of Thoreau’s river seasons using hundreds of direct, dated, and descriptive quotes. Thorson notes that all of Thoreau’s seasons still exist today, though they have shifted in timing and intensity due to climate change.

    Thorson’s idea is to create a then-and-now comparison and to incorporate statistical analysis between Thoreau’s and modern data sets to understand patterns and trends in the complicated phenomena.

    “Even just answering the question of how much earlier ice breakup is occurring would take nothing more than a than simple statistical analysis. This is eminently translatable to the public because many residents of Thoreau country have experienced river breakup in the past,” says Thorson. “They may have had their dock ripped out by river ice, they may have gone swimming on a certain day, but not others. People could relate to this stuff, and that’s essentially what I’m trying to do.”

    Though Thoreau is remembered primarily for his writings while living on Walden Pond, Thorson points out that he actually spent most of his time on three local rivers, whether walking trails, boating, swimming, or skating.

    “This is a guy who skated 60 miles in one day — upriver to the falls at Framingham on the Sudbury River and then he turned around and skated past Concord all the way down to just north of Lowell in Billerica. Then he turned around and skated back home again. On another winter, he measured ice floes two feet thick. Imagine those conditions today. Now the river hardly freezes at all.”

    Researching this project, Thorson was delighted by the sensory detail of Thoreau’s descriptions. For example, on one August day, he felt the baking “dog-day” heat of the air, the silence of laminar streamflow, the “unctuous” iridescent sheen on sluggish water, and the fetid smell of riverbank muck draped by dead lily pads, says Thorson.

    “But within a day, he can feel fall coming, and all of a sudden, the first rains or the cooling air start to bring change. You get a completely different river from the preceding one of drought, or the one with icebergs stampeding down the river, tearing out bridges. All of this is phenology. All can be timed to a specific day.”

    With these phenological details, Thorson has laid the groundwork for creating a record of climate change. Thorson was initially inspired by Thoreau’s phenology when writing his book “The Boatman,” in which he was only able to sketch Thoreau’s river seasons briefly. With this new article, Thorson pulls it all together to identify the specific seasonal thresholds and present the information in Thoreau’s words to show readers how he saw the year. Thorson hopes the paper inspires collaboration with statisticians to help in the next step of analysis.

    “Probably the first thing I’ll do is explore where the modern records are. I also wanted to pull the historic record together and tighten portions into a robust hypothesis. Thoreau’s work is New England’s best record of broad environmental conditions for the mid-19th century. It’s astonishing. It’s two million words,” says Thorson.

    Noting the contrasts between the river phenology Thoreau so thoughtfully detailed and what we can observe today, Thorson says he hopes this work resonates with readers.

    “Breakup is the most instantaneous and dramatic point in the entire year. We don’t think much about it right now, because we don’t have a lot of river ice, but it used to be two feet thick on the river, and that says something sad about how dramatic the climate change has been. You can read dry numerical facts about how New England’s nighttime average temperatures have risen in the 100 years. But when you make climate change dramatic, as with a bridge being torn apart by a spring freshet, that’s a phenomenon associated with emotion. People pay more attention. The personal narrative of a river system year after year after year — that’s what Thoreau gave us.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: This Is Your Brain On Music: Groundbreaking UConn-led Study Shows How the Brain Keeps the Beat

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The most sophisticated musical instrument in the world is the human brain, according to a paradigm-shifting new paper in Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 

    Led by UConn psychological sciences and physics professor Edward W. Large, the research introduces neural resonance theory (NRT). NRT explains how physical structures in the brain and nervous system resonate with the structures of music, turning sequences of sounds into profound physiological and emotional experiences. 

    “In physics, resonance is everywhere,” explains Large, who directs the Music Dynamics Laboratory. “The heart is an oscillator. Circadian rhythms are oscillators, and they synchronize to the light and dark cycles of the earth.” 

    His research shows that human brain activity can also sync to various rhythms – from reggae to R&B to rhapsodies. 

    “A long-standing puzzle in music research is the presence of common features as well as variations across musical cultures,” says Ji Chul Kim, a co-author on the paper and assistant research professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences. “NRT explains this nature/nurture problem in terms of natural constraints and neural plasticity.” 

    Music, Meet Math

    Large carries himself like someone who has spent some time on stage. He’s a smart dresser, accessorizing on a Monday afternoon video interview with a small silver earring. He does have a musical past, he tells me – after double-majoring in math and classical guitar in college, he spent some time performing – but when he learned it was possible to study the science of music in graduate school, he was hooked. 

    “As soon as I saw that, I knew that’s what I was meant to do,” he says. 

    When Large transitioned from making music to studying it, he noticed that the scientific world understood music very differently than he did. 

    The prevailing understanding was that humans enjoy music because its patterns enable a pleasurable system of prediction based on learned expectations. The human brain works like autocomplete, it was thought, predicting which notes and chord shifts will come next in a sequence – and feeling rewarded when it guesses correctly. 

    But Large’s research shows that this is only part of the story. His pioneering neural resonance theory offers a new explanation: oscillations (rhythms) in the brain’s neural activity actually synchronize with the pitches and rhythms of music. This synchronization is what creates the sense of expectation or anticipation. 

    According to NRT, people can keep time, dance, and effectively improvise music because human biological processes can sync with music, from simple tunes to complex melodies. 

    “This is about embodiments – physical states of the brain that have lawful relationships to external events [like sounds],” Large says. “They’re not abstract. It’s literally the sound causing a physical resonance in the brain.” 

    This means that the human body is very much part of the music-making process. Neurons vibrate like a plucked guitar string. Seen on an EEG, brainwaves dance to drumbeats.  

    “I have always been fascinated by music and physics,” Kim says. “I am excited about the way NRT brings them together and describes the perception and performance of music as dynamic patterns formed within and between listeners and performers.” 

    Volume Up

    Large’s paper explains that this function of music is responsible for many of its uplifting qualities, like its mood- and memory-boosting properties, as well as its most universally recognized side effect: the urge to dance. (The paper refers to this phenomenon as “groove.”) 

    “This is the way I always intuitively understood music, before I went into science,” Large says. “But people wanted to talk about the brain as a computer, and its computing input/output functions. It just didn’t seem like how I experience music, or how people in general experience music. But this idea of resonance? I thought that was really compelling. 

    “So, what I set out to do was make it science,” he continues. “Instead of just New Age terminology — ‘oh, I’m resonating to this music, man’ — I wanted to ask whether, scientifically, this really does happen.” 

    Large demonstrates a form of combined light and music therapy at Pratt & Whitney Hangar Museum in East Hartford on Oct. 7, 2019. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

    Even before the publication of this latest research, Large recognized the healing potential of music. In 2016, he founded Oscillo Biosciences (named for the neural oscillations that synchronize with music) with Kim, who had recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at UConn.

    The healthcare startup uses music and light therapy to help mitigate disease progression among Alzheimer’s patients. It is a highly promising application of NRT. 

    “We’re in a clinical trial right now, and we are showing that by listening to music and watching lights in a certain frequency relationship to the music, we can cause resonance in the brain that actually improves memory,” Large says. 

    NRT has other promising potential applications, ranging from AI to education. Machines trained on neural resonance could produce more emotionally intelligent and culturally aware music. Learning tools could leverage NRT to help people better grasp rhythm and pitch. 

    In the meantime, NRT offers a scientific explanation for one of the most mysterious human experiences — how and why music moves us. 

    In addition to Large, the multi-institutional collaboration featured other researchers at the University of Connecticut and at the University of Groningen (Netherlands), the University of Illinois Chicago, Queen Mary University of London, and McGill University (Canada). The other UConn authors on the paper were Ji-Chul Kim, who is now an assistant research professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences, and Parker Tichko ‘19 Ph.D. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Neag School Class of 2025 Student Profile: Nathan Kim

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Editor’s Note: As Commencement approaches, we are featuring some of our Neag School Class of 2025 graduating students over the coming days.


    Major:     BS, Sport Management
    Hometown: North Wales, Pennsylvania

    Q: Why did you choose UConn?

    A: Even though UConn is out-of-state for me, I felt drawn to it because of the strength of the program and the unique opportunities it offered. After touring the campus, I just couldn’t say no. It had that true college-town feel, which was exactly what I wanted. Unlike city schools, where you’re walking alongside people from all walks of life, UConn felt like a tight-knit community. Everywhere I went, I’d run into students just like me, and that sense of connection was enough for me.

    Q: What’s your major or field of study, and what drew you to it?

    A: I’m a sport management major, and I’ve known I have wanted to be in this field since high school. UConn, having one of the top programs in the country, made the decision easy. To me, sports are more than just games; they’re a powerful, universal language. They give people a way to express themselves without saying a word. My goal has always been to help others and combining that with my love and passion for sports gave me the perfect path forward: using sports as a tool to make a positive impact in the world.

    Q: Did you have a favorite professor or class?

    A: Man… choosing just one professor feels impossible. I’ve been lucky to have some amazing mentors. But if I had to shout someone out, it’s Dr. Chen. He is my professor and my advisor, and he went above and beyond by agreeing to supervise a club I started at UConn. He’s been consistently supportive, both academically and personally. We’ve had countless run-ins on campus, whether it’s at the gym or just walking around, and every time, it led to a funny or motivational chat I’ll always remember.

    Q: What activities were you involved in as a student?

    A: I was the president of KSA (Korean Student Association) and founded and served as president of GIFT (Guys in Fitness Training). On the job side, I worked briefly as a tour guide and was also part of the athletic operations team for UConn’s sports programs. Getting involved in all these different spaces gave me the chance to meet incredible people and build lasting relationships. Get involved everywhere as much as you can.

    Q: What’s one thing that surprised you about UConn?

    A: I was never bored. Not once. People love to say college towns don’t have much going on, but UConn proved them all wrong. If anything, there was too much to do. Even after four years, I feel like I barely scratched the surface of everything this place has to offer.

    Q: What are your plans after graduation/receiving your degree?

    A: I plan to continue working in the sports industry. I’ve been fortunate enough to intern with a few teams, and I’m excited to explore roles in sponsorships and partnerships. Long-term, I want to build something of my own. Something rooted in sports and driven by a bigger purpose. My dream is to make a difference while doing what I love.

    Q: How has UConn prepared you for the next chapter in life?

    A: UConn taught me how to be independent and thrive on my own. Sure, it’s fun to be surrounded by friends, go to games together, and eat at the dining halls. But there were also those moments when I had to stand on my own. Those moments helped me figure out who I am, what I value, and the kind of people I want around me. Thanks to the support of my professors, advisors, and friends, I’ve learned a lot about life and about myself.

    UConn taught me how to be independent and thrive on my own. &#8212 Nathan Kim

    Q: Any advice for incoming students?

    A: Come in knowing your “why” and be proud of it. Don’t feel like you need to fit into a mold. UConn has so many clubs, organizations, and communities that you will find your people. Your journey is your own, and that’s what makes it special. Be confident in your path, even if it looks different from everyone else’s.

    Q: What’s one thing everyone should do during their time at UConn?

    A: Okay, I know the default answer is “go to a sporting game,” yes, you should definitely do that, but I want to give you a different take: use the Rec Center. Whether it’s group fitness classes, pickup sports, or just hanging out, the Rec Center is a hub of energy and good vibes. Even if you’re not super into fitness, it’s a great way to meet people and stay active. Honestly, it’s one of the gems of campus life, and I definitely took this for granted. It’s honestly one of the things I will miss the most.

    Q: What will always make you think of UConn?

    A: A husky. No doubt. Every time I see one, I instantly think of UConn. It’s more than just a mascot here. It’s part of who we are. Honestly, I might even get a husky one day.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Neag School Class of 2025 Student Profile: Matthew Kylin

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Editor’s Note: As Commencement approaches, we are featuring some of our Neag School Class of 2025 graduating students over the coming days.


    Major:     BS, Special Education and Human Rights
    Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland

    Q: Why did you choose UConn?

    A: I chose to come to UConn from out of state because of the great reputation that the Neag School of Education has developed. I want to be the best teacher that I can be, and I knew that UConn would help me do that.

    Q: What’s your major or field of study, and what drew you to it?

    A: I am a double major in special education and human rights. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in first grade, and I figured out I wanted to work in special education after spending a summer as a one-on-one aide at a summer camp. I think that a strong K-12 education system is necessary for a caring society, and I want to contribute to developing the future generation. I chose to add the double major in human rights because I wanted to approach education from a human rights perspective.

    Q: Did you have a favorite professor or class?

    A: It’s hard to choose! I have loved all my American Sign Language professors (shout out to professors Michael Schlang and Linda Pelletier), and all my education professors have been incredible. If I had to choose one class/professor, I would choose EPSY 3125 with professor Jennifer Freeman. Dr. Freeman welcomed my cohort into the Neag School with open arms, and her passion for education made it impossible not to love the class.

    Q: What activities were you involved in as a student?

    A: Throughout my time at UConn, I have been involved in several extracurricular and professional activities. I have been a part of Alpha Phi Omega, a gender-inclusive fraternity, since freshman year. I have also been a resident assistant since my sophomore year. I have also been involved in Community Outreach, the American Sign Language (ASL) Club, and working with the Department of Student Activities.

    Q: What’s one thing that surprised you about UConn?

    A: When I came to UConn, I didn’t know a single person and thought I would struggle to find my place there. The thing that surprised me most was how quickly I was able to find a community of people who have become my support system.

    Q: What are your plans after graduation/receiving your degree?

    A: After graduating with my master’s next year, I plan to begin working as a special education teacher in an elementary school!

    Q: How has UConn prepared you for the next chapter in life?

    A: UConn has given me a multitude of opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. The Neag School of Education at UConn has provided me with the opportunity to work in a variety of school settings and has developed my understanding of education from an evidence-based perspective that I know will help me be the best teacher I can be.

    UConn has given me a multitude of opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. &#8212 Matthew Kylin

    Q: Any advice for incoming students?

    A: Get involved! There is so much going on all the time around campus that you WILL find a group of people you relate to. It is sometimes scary going out of your comfort zone (I know I was terrified for a long time of putting myself out there), but it is the best way to have a positive college experience.

    Q: What’s one thing everyone should do during their time at UConn?

    A: Go to a basketball game! I didn’t even know we were known for our basketball program until I got here, but as soon as I went to my first game, I was hooked. Even if you’re not a sports person, I think it is a necessary task while being at UConn.

    Q: What will always make you think of UConn?

    A: My friends! I have met so many incredible people here, and I think all the time about how my life would be different without the people I have met over the past four years.

    MIL OSI USA News –