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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence’ − an astronomer explains how much evidence scientists need to claim discoveries like extraterrestrial life

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chris Impey, University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona

    The universe is filled with countless galaxies, stars and planets. Astronomers may find life one day, but they will need extraordinary proof. ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre (CEA Paris-Saclay), G. Anselmi

    The detection of life beyond Earth would be one of the most profound discoveries in the history of science. The Milky Way galaxy alone hosts hundreds of millions of potentially habitable planets. Astronomers are using powerful space telescopes to look for molecular indicators of biology in the atmospheres of the most Earth-like of these planets.

    But so far, no solid evidence of life has ever been found beyond the Earth. A paper published in April 2025 claimed to detect a signature of life in the atmosphere of the planet K2-18b. And while this discovery is intriguing, most astronomers – including the paper’s authors – aren’t ready to claim that it means extraterrestrial life exists. A detection of life would be a remarkable development.

    The astronomer Carl Sagan used the phrase, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence,” in regard to searching for alien life. It conveys the idea that there should be a high bar for evidence to support a remarkable claim.

    I’m an astronomer who has written a book about astrobiology. Over my career, I’ve seen some compelling scientific discoveries. But to reach this threshold of finding life beyond Earth, a result needs to fit several important criteria.

    When is a result important and reliable?

    There are three criteria for a scientific result to represent a true discovery and not be subject to uncertainty and doubt. How does the claim of life on K2-18b measure up?

    First, the experiment needs to measure a meaningful and important quantity. Researchers observed K2-18b’s atmosphere with the James Webb Space Telescope and saw a spectral feature that they identified as dimethyl sulfide.

    On Earth, dimethyl sulfide is associated with biology, in particular bacteria and plankton in the oceans. However, it can also arise by other means, so this single molecule is not conclusive proof of life.

    Second, the detection needs to be strong. Every detector has some noise from the random motion of electrons. The signal should be strong enough to have a low probability of arising by chance from this noise.

    The K2-18b detection has a significance of 3-sigma, which means it has a 0.3% probability of arising by chance.

    That sounds low, but most scientists would consider that a weak detection. There are many molecules that could create a feature in the same spectral range.

    The “gold standard” for scientific detection is 5-sigma, which means the probability of the finding happening by chance is less than 0.00006%. For example, physicists at CERN gathered data patiently for two years until they had a 5-sigma detection of the Higgs boson particle, leading to a Nobel Prize one year later in 2013.

    The announcement of the discovery of the Higgs boson took decades from the time Peter Higgs first predicted the existence of the particle. Scientists, such as Joe Incandela shown here, waited until they’d reached that 5-sigma level to say, ‘I think we have it.’

    Third, a result needs to be repeatable. Results are considered reliable when they’ve been repeated – ideally corroborated by other investigators or confirmed using a different instrument. For K2-18b, this might mean detecting other molecules that indicate biology, such as oxygen in the planet’s atmosphere. Without more and better data, most researchers are viewing the claim of life on K2-18b with skepticism.

    Claims of life on Mars

    In the past, some scientists have claimed to have found life much closer to home, on the planet Mars.

    Over a century ago, retired Boston merchant turned astronomer Percival Lowell claimed that linear features he saw on the surface of Mars were canals, constructed by a dying civilization to transport water from the poles to the equator. Artificial waterways on Mars would certainly have been a major discovery, but this example failed the other two criteria: strong evidence and repeatability.

    Lowell was misled by his visual observations, and he was engaging in wishful thinking. No other astronomers could confirm his findings.

    Mars, as taken by the OSIRIS instrument on the ESA Rosetta spacecraft during its February 2007 flyby of the planet and adjusted to show color.
    ESA & MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/RSSD/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA, CC BY-SA

    In 1996, NASA held a press conference where a team of scientists presented evidence for biology in the Martian meteorite ALH 84001. Their evidence included an evocative image that seemed to show microfossils in the meteorite.

    However, scientists have come up with explanations for the meteorite’s unusual features that do not involve biology. That extraordinary claim has dissipated.

    More recently, astronomers detected low levels of methane in the atmosphere of Mars. Like dimethyl sulfide and oxygen, methane on Earth is made primarily – but not exclusively – by life. Different spacecraft and rovers on the Martian surface have returned conflicting results, where a detection with one spacecraft was not confirmed by another.

    The low level and variability of methane on Mars is still a mystery. And in the absence of definitive evidence that this very low level of methane has a biological origin, nobody is claiming definitive evidence of life on Mars.

    Claims of advanced civilizations

    Detecting microbial life on Mars or an exoplanet would be dramatic, but the discovery of extraterrestrial civilizations would be truly spectacular.

    The search for extraterrestrial intelligence, or SETI, has been underway for 75 years. No messages have ever been received, but in 1977 a radio telescope in Ohio detected a strong signal that lasted only for a minute.

    This signal was so unusual that an astronomer working at the telescope wrote “Wow!” on the printout, giving the signal its name. Unfortunately, nothing like it has since been detected from that region of the sky, so the Wow! Signal fails the test of repeatability.

    ‘Oumuamua is the first object passing through the solar system that astronomers have identified as having interstellar origins.
    European Southern Observatory/M. Kornmesser

    In 2017, a rocky, cigar-shaped object called ‘Oumuamua was the first known interstellar object to visit the solar system. ‘Oumuamua’s strange shape and trajectory led Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb to argue that it was an alien artifact. However, the object has already left the solar system, so there’s no chance for astronomers to observe it again. And some researchers have gathered evidence suggesting that it’s just a comet.

    While many scientists think we aren’t alone, given the enormous amount of habitable real estate beyond Earth, no detection has cleared the threshold enunciated by Carl Sagan.

    Claims about the universe

    These same criteria apply to research about the entire universe. One particular concern in cosmology is the fact that, unlike the case of planets, there is only one universe to study.

    A cautionary tale comes from attempts to show that the universe went through a period of extremely rapid expansion a fraction of a second after the Big Bang. Cosmologists call this event inflation, and it is invoked to explain why the universe is now smooth and flat.

    In 2014, astronomers claimed to have found evidence for inflation in a subtle signal from microwaves left over after the Big Bang. Within a year, however, the team retracted the result because the signal had a mundane explanation: They had confused dust in our galaxy with a signature of inflation.

    On the other hand, the discovery of the universe’s acceleration shows the success of the scientific method. In 1929, astronomer Edwin Hubble found that the universe was expanding. Then, in 1998, evidence emerged that this cosmic expansion is accelerating. Physicists were startled by this result.

    Two research groups used supernovae to separately trace the expansion. In a friendly rivalry, they used different sets of supernovae but got the same result. Independent corroboration increased their confidence that the universe was accelerating. They called the force behind this accelerating expansion dark energy and received a Nobel Prize in 2011 for its discovery.

    On scales large and small, astronomers try to set a high bar of evidence before claiming a discovery.

    Chris Impey receives funding from the Natonal Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

    – ref. ‘Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence’ − an astronomer explains how much evidence scientists need to claim discoveries like extraterrestrial life – https://theconversation.com/extraordinary-claims-require-extraordinary-evidence-an-astronomer-explains-how-much-evidence-scientists-need-to-claim-discoveries-like-extraterrestrial-life-254914

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘I were but little happy, if I could say how much’: Shakespeare’s insights on happiness have held up for more than 400 years

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Cora Fox, Associate Professor of English and Health Humanities, Arizona State University

    Joanna Vanderham as Desdemona and Hugh Quarshie as the title character in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of ‘Othello.’ Robbie Jack/Corbis via Getty Images

    What is “happiness” – and who gets to be happy?

    Since 2012, the World Happiness Report has measured and compared data from 167 countries. The United States currently ranks 24th, between the U.K. and Belize – its lowest position since the report was first issued. But the 2025 edition – released on March 20, the United Nations’ annual “International Day of Happiness” – starts off not with numbers, but with Shakespeare.

    “In this year’s issue, we focus on the impact of caring and sharing on people’s happiness,” the authors explain. “Like ‘mercy’ in Shakespeare’s ‘Merchant of Venice,’ caring is ‘twice-blessed’ – it blesses those who give and those who receive.”

    Shakespeare’s plays offer many reflections on happiness itself. They are a record of how people in early modern England experienced and thought about joy and satisfaction, and they offer a complex look at just how happiness, like mercy, lives in relationships and the caring exchanges between people.

    Contrary to how we might think about happiness in our everyday lives, it is more than the surge of positive feelings after a great meal, or a workout, or even a great date. The experience of emotions is grounded in both the body and the mind, influenced by human physiology and culture in ways that change depending on time and place. What makes a person happy, therefore, depends on who that person is, as well as where and when they belong – or don’t belong.

    Happiness has a history. I study emotions and early modern literature, so I spend a lot of my time thinking about what Shakespeare has to say about what makes people happy, in his own time and in our own. And also, of course, what makes people unhappy.

    From fortune to joy

    Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
    Tony Hisgett/Flickr via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    “Happiness” derives from the Old Norse word “hap,” which meant “fortune” or “luck,” as historians Phil Withington and Darrin McMahon explain. This earlier sense is found throughout Shakespeare’s works. Today, it survives in the modern word “happenstance” and the expression that something is a “happy accident.”

    But in modern English usage, “happy” as “fortunate” has been almost entirely replaced by a notion of happiness as “joy,” or the more long-term sense of life satisfaction called “well-being.” The term “well-being,” in fact, was introduced into English from the Italian “benessere” around the time of Shakespeare’s birth.

    The word and the concept of happiness were transforming during Shakespeare’s lifetime, and his use of the word in his plays mingles both senses: “fortunate” and “joyful.” That transitional ambiguity emphasizes happiness’ origins in ideas about luck and fate, and it reminds readers and playgoers that happiness is a contingent, fragile thing – something not just individuals, but societies need to carefully cultivate and support.

    For instance, early in “Othello,” the Venetian senator Brabantio describes his daughter Desdemona as “tender, fair, and happy / So opposite to marriage that she shunned / The wealthy, curled darlings of our nation.” Before she elopes with Othello she is “happy” in the sense of “fortunate,” due to her privileged position on the marriage market.

    Later in the same play, though, Othello reunites with his new wife in Cyprus and describes his feelings of joy using this same term:

    …If it were now to die,
    ‘Twere now to be most happy, for I fear
    My soul hath her content so absolute
    That not another comfort like to this
    Succeeds in unknown fate.

    Desdemona responds,

    The heavens forbid
    But that our loves and comforts should increase
    Even as our days do grow!

    They both understand “happy” to mean not just lucky, but “content” and “comfortable,” a more modern understanding. But they also recognize that their comforts depend on “the heavens,” and that happiness is enabled by being fortunate.

    “Othello” is a tragedy, so in the end, the couple will not prove “happy” in either sense. The foreign general is tricked into believing his young wife has been unfaithful. He murders her, then takes his own life.

    The seeds of jealousy are planted and expertly exploited by Othello’s subordinate, Iago, who catalyzes the racial prejudice and misogyny underlying Venetian values to enact his sinister and cruel revenge.

    James Earl Jones playing the title role and Jill Clayburgh as Desdemona in a 1971 production of ‘Othello.’
    Kathleen Ballard/Los Angeles Times/UCLA Library via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Happy insiders and outsiders

    “Othello” sheds light on happiness’s history – but also on its politics.

    While happiness is often upheld as a common good, it is also dependent on cultural forces that make it harder for some individuals to experience. Shared cultural fantasies about happiness tend to create what theorist Sara Ahmed calls “affect aliens”: individuals who, by nature of who they are and how they are treated, experience a disconnect between what their culture conditions them to think should make them happy and their disappointment or exclusion from those positive feelings. Othello, for example, rightly worries that he is somehow foreign to the domestic happiness Desdemona describes, excluded from the joy of Venetian marriage. It turns out he is right.

    Because Othello is foreign and Black and Desdemona is Venetian and white, their marriage does not conform to their society’s expectations for happiness, and that makes them vulnerable to Iago’s deceit.

    Similarly, “The Merchant of Venice” examines the potential for happiness to include or exclude, to build or break communities. Take the quote about mercy that opens the World Happiness Report.

    The phrase appears in a famous courtroom scene, as Portia attempts to persuade a Jewish lender, Shylock, to take pity on Antonio, a Christian man who cannot pay his debts. In their contract, Shylock has stipulated that if Antonio defaults on the loan, the fee will be a “pound of flesh.”

    “The quality of mercy is not strained,” Portia lectures him; it is “twice-blessed,” benefiting both giver and receiver.

    It’s a powerful attempt to save Antonio’s life. But it is also hypocritical: Those cultural norms of caring and mercy seem to apply only to other Christians in the play, and not the Jewish people living alongside them in Venice. In that same scene, Shylock reminds his audience that Antonio and the other Venetians in the room have spit on him and called him a dog. He famously asks why Jewish Venetians are not treated as equal human beings: “If you prick us, do we not bleed?”

    Actor Henry Irving as Shylock in a late 19th-century performance of ‘The Merchant of Venice.’
    Lock & Whitfield/Folger Shakespeare Library via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Shakespeare’s plays repeatedly make the point that the unjust distribution of rights and care among various social groups – Christians and Jews, men and women, citizens and foreigners – challenges the happy effects of benevolence.

    Those social factors are sometimes overlooked in cultures like the U.S., where contemporary notions of happiness are marketed by wellness gurus, influencers and cosmetic companies. Shakespeare’s plays reveal both how happiness is built through communities of care and how it can be weaponized to destroy individuals and the fabric of the community.

    There are obvious victims of prejudice and abuse in Shakespeare’s plays, but he does not just emphasize their individual tragedies. Instead, the plays record how certain values that promote inequality poison relationships that could otherwise support happy networks of family and friends.

    Systems of support

    Pretty much all objective research points to the fact that long-term happiness depends on community, connections and social support: having systems in place to weather what life throws at us.

    And according to both the World Happiness Report and Shakespeare, contentment isn’t just about the actual support you receive but your expectations about people’s willingness to help you. Societies with high levels of trust, like Finland and the Netherlands, tend to be happier – and to have more evenly distributed levels of happiness in their populations.

    Shakespeare’s plays offer blueprints for trust in happy communities. They also offer warnings about the costs of cultural fantasies about happiness that make it more possible for some, but not for all.

    Cora Fox has received funding from an NEH grant for activities not directly related to this research.

    – ref. ‘I were but little happy, if I could say how much’: Shakespeare’s insights on happiness have held up for more than 400 years – https://theconversation.com/i-were-but-little-happy-if-i-could-say-how-much-shakespeares-insights-on-happiness-have-held-up-for-more-than-400-years-198583

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s ‘Garden of American Heroes’ is a monument to celebrity and achievement – paid for with history funding that benefits everyday Americans

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jennifer Tucker, Professor of History, Wesleyan University

    Donald Trump speaks in front of a wax statue of John Wayne at the John Wayne Museum in Winterset, Iowa, during the 2016 GOP primaries. Al Drago/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

    Donald Trump first came up with his plan for a “National Garden of American Heroes” at the end of his first term, before President Joe Biden quietly tabled it upon replacing Trump in the White House.

    Now, with Trump back in the Oval Office – and with the country’s 250th anniversary fast approaching – the project is back. The National Endowment for the Humanities is seeking to commission 250 statues of famous Americans from a predetermined list, to be displayed at a location yet to be determined.

    It isn’t clear who compiled the list of 250 to be honored. It includes names that are largely recognizable and whose accomplishments are well-known: politicians like Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy; jurists Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia; activists such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Harriet Tubman; celebrities such as John Wayne and Julia Child; and sports stars like Kobe Bryant and Babe Ruth.

    Donald Trump announces some famous Black Americans he plans to include in his ‘National Garden of American Heroes’ during a Black History Month event on Feb. 20, 2025, at the White House.

    The statue garden coincides with an executive order from March 2025 in which the Trump administration denounced what it saw as historical revisionism that had recast the country’s “unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness.” Instead, it had constructed a story of the nation that portrayed it “as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed,” which “fosters a sense of national shame.”

    “We don’t need to overemphasize the negative,” explained Lindsey Halligan, a 35-year-old insurance lawyer who is named in the order as one of the people tasked with reforming museums that receive government funds.

    Trump often casts himself as a man of the people. But as historians, we don’t see a garden of heroes as a populist effort. To us, it represents a top-down approach to U.S. history, akin to the hagiography that Americans already regularly get from movies, television and professional sports.

    And it comes at a cost: It’s going to be paid for with funds that had been previously allotted to tell stories about people and places that may be less familiar than the proposed figures for Trump’s garden. But they’re nonetheless meaningful to countless communities across the nation.

    Only the movers and shakers matter

    Trump’s fixation on America’s luminaries is adjacent to the “great man” theory of history.

    In 1840, Scottish philosopher and historian Thomas Carlyle published “On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History,” in which he argued that “The History of the world is but the Biography of great men.”

    American biologist and eugenicist Frederick Adams Woods embraced the great man theory in his 1913 work, “The Influence of Monarchs: Steps in a New Science of History.” In it, he investigated 386 rulers in Western Europe from the 12th century until the French Revolution. He proposed a scientific measurement to quantify the relative impact these rulers had on the course of civilization.

    Then and now, many other historians and sociologists have pushed back, arguing that the “Great Man” view of history oversimplifies the past by attributing major historical events to the actions of a few influential individuals, while ignoring broader social, economic and cultural forces.

    Nonetheless, it continues to have broad appeal. It’s very popular among corporate leaders, for example, many of whom like to portray themselves as visionaries, with their business successes proof of their genius.

    Trump’s garden of heroes reflects his penchant for celebrating wealth, champions and successes, akin to what Walt Disney tried to capture with his Disney World ride Carousel of Progress, which highlights American technological advances.

    A national redundancy?

    However, the U.S. already has a national statuary hall, which opened in the U.S. Capitol in 1870. Each state has contributed two statues; for example, Massachusetts honors Samuel Adams and John Winthrop, while Ohio celebrates James Garfield and Thomas Edison.

    Today there are 102 statutes, though just 14 women.

    Importantly, the roster is fluid – not set in stone – and reflects debates over whom the nation ought to celebrate.

    Over time, the representation has become slightly more inclusive. The first woman, Illinois educator Frances Willard, was added in 1905. Only in 2022 did a Black American appear, when educator Mary Bethune replaced a Confederate general from Florida. And in 2024, Johnny Cash replaced James Paul Clarke, a former governor and senator from Arkansas with Confederate sympathies.

    Family members and elected officials attend the unveiling of the statue of Johnny Cash at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 24, 2024.
    Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

    What about everyday Americans?

    We don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebrating and honoring popular figures in American history. But we do think there’s an issue when it comes at the expense of other historical and archival projects.

    The New York Times reported that US$34 million for the project would come from funds formerly allocated to the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities, whose budget has been cut by 85%.

    Many of the grants that have been slashed explore, celebrate and preserve history in ways that stand in stark contrast to a statue garden. They involve, as Gal Beckerman writes in the Atlantic, efforts that “are about asking questions, about uncovering hidden or overlooked experiences, about closely examining texts or adding to the public record.”

    They include one that supports the digitization of local newspapers and archival records; another to collect and preserve oral histories of local communities; a grant that funds the production of documentaries and podcasts about local communities; traveling exhibitions that bring items from the Smithsonian’s collection to small towns and rural areas; and a grant to fund the collection of first-person accounts of Native Americans who attended U.S. government-run boarding schools.

    These and countless similar history projects serve millions of people far from Washington, and they have broad support from lawmakers and citizens of all political stripes.

    In 1938, as forces of fascism gathered in Europe, a Connecticut high school social science teacher said, “The greatest need of America, on the threshold of the greatest epoch of its history, is citizens who understand the past out of which the nation has grown. … Let us look into the souls of the leaders and the common people who have made America great.”

    In his 2016 campaign, Trump promised to work on behalf of everyday Americans – the “forgotten man and woman.” But the proposed statue garden of famous figures cuts out the common people from America’s story – not just as subjects of history, but as its stewards for future generations.

    With funds slashed from organizations dedicated to local history, we wonder how many more stories will go untold.

    Jennifer Tucker has received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities for research that examines the social and cultural role of modern technology, such as facial recognition, through a historical lens.

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

    – ref. Trump’s ‘Garden of American Heroes’ is a monument to celebrity and achievement – paid for with history funding that benefits everyday Americans – https://theconversation.com/trumps-garden-of-american-heroes-is-a-monument-to-celebrity-and-achievement-paid-for-with-history-funding-that-benefits-everyday-americans-254564

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Colors are objective, according to two philosophers − even though the blue you see doesn’t match what I see

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Elay Shech, Professor of Philosophy, Auburn University

    What appear to be blue and green spirals are actually the same color. Akiyoshi Kitaoka

    Is your green my green? Probably not. What appears as pure green to me will likely look a bit yellowish or blueish to you. This is because visual systems vary from person to person. Moreover, an object’s color may appear differently against different backgrounds or under different lighting.

    These facts might naturally lead you to think that colors are subjective. That, unlike features such as length and temperature, colors are not objective features. Either nothing has a true color, or colors are relative to observers and their viewing conditions.

    But perceptual variation has misled you. We are philosophers who study colors, objectivity and science, and we argue in our book “The Metaphysics of Colors” that colors are as objective as length and temperature.

    Perceptual variation

    There is a surprising amount of variation in how people perceive the world. If you offer a group of people a spectrum of color chips ranging from chartreuse to purple and asked them to pick the unique green chip – the chip with no yellow or blue in it – their choices would vary considerably. Indeed, there wouldn’t be a single chip that most observers would agree is unique green.

    Generally, an object’s background can result in dramatic changes in how you perceive its colors. If you place a gray object against a lighter background, it will appear darker than if you place it against a darker background. This variation in perception is perhaps most striking when viewing an object under different lighting, where a red apple could look green or blue.

    Of course, that you experience something differently does not prove that what is experienced is not objective. Water that feels cold to one person may not feel cold to another. And although we do not know who is feeling the water “correctly,” or whether that question even makes sense, we can know the temperature of the water and presume that this temperature is independent of your experience.

    Similarly, that you can change the appearance of something’s color is not the same as changing its color. You can make an apple look green or blue, but that is not evidence that the apple is not red.

    Under different lighting conditions, objects take on different colors.
    Gyozo Vaczi/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    For comparison, the Moon appears larger when it’s on the horizon than when it appears near its zenith. But the size of the Moon has not changed, only its appearance. Hence, that the appearance of an object’s color or size varies is, by itself, no reason to think that its color and size are not objective features of the object. In other words, the properties of an object are independent of how they appear to you.

    That said, given that there is so much variation in how objects appear, how do you determine what color something actually is? Is there a way to determine the color of something despite the many different experiences you might have of it?

    Matching colors

    Perhaps determining the color of something is to determine whether it is red or blue. But we suggest a different approach. Notice that squares that appear to be the same shade of pink against different backgrounds look different against the same background.

    The smaller squares may appear to be the same color, but if you compare them with the strip of squares at the bottom, they’re actually different shades.
    Shobdohin/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    It’s easy to assume that to prove colors are objective would require knowing which observers, lighting conditions and backgrounds are the best, or “normal.” But determining the right observers and viewing conditions is not required for determining the very specific color of an object, regardless of its name. And it is not required to determine whether two objects have the same color.

    To determine whether two objects have the same color, an observer would need to view the objects side by side against the same background and under various lighting conditions. If you painted part of a room and find that you don’t have enough paint, for instance, finding a match might be very tricky. A color match requires that no observer under any lighting condition will see a difference between the new paint and the old.

    Is the dress yellow and white or black and blue?

    That two people can determine whether two objects have the same color even if they don’t agree on exactly what that color is – just as a pool of water can have a particular temperature without feeling the same to me and you – seems like compelling evidence to us that colors are objective features of our world.

    Colors, science and indispensability

    Everyday interactions with colors – such as matching paint samples, determining whether your shirt and pants clash, and even your ability to interpret works of art – are hard to explain if colors are not objective features of objects. But if you turn to science and look at the many ways that researchers think about colors, it becomes harder still.

    For example, in the field of color science, scientific laws are used to explain how objects and light affect perception and the colors of other objects. Such laws, for instance, predict what happens when you mix colored pigments, when you view contrasting colors simultaneously or successively, and when you look at colored objects in various lighting conditions.

    The philosophers Hilary Putnam and Willard van Orman Quine made famous what is known as the indispensability argument. The basic idea is that if something is indispensable to science, then it must be real and objective – otherwise, science wouldn’t work as well as it does.

    For example, you may wonder whether unobservable entities such as electrons and electromagnetic fields really exist. But, so the argument goes, the best scientific explanations assume the existence of such entities and so they must exist. Similarly, because mathematics is indispensable to contemporary science, some philosophers argue that this means mathematical objects are objective and exist independently of a person’s mind.

    The color of an animal can exert evolutionary pressure.
    Paul Starosta/Stone via Getty Images

    Likewise, we suggest that color plays an indispensable role in evolutionary biology. For example, researchers have argued that aposematism – the use of colors to signal a warning for predators – also benefits an animal’s ability to gather resources. Here, an animal’s coloration works directly to expand its food-gathering niche insofar as it informs potential predators that the animal is poisonous or venomous.

    In fact, animals can exploit the fact that the same color pattern can be perceived differently by different perceivers. For instance, some damselfish have ultraviolet face patterns that help them be recognized by other members of their species and communicate with potential mates while remaining largely hidden to predators unable to perceive ultraviolet colors.

    In sum, our ability to determine whether objects are colored the same or differently and the indispensable roles they play in science suggest that colors are as real and objective as length and temperature.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Colors are objective, according to two philosophers − even though the blue you see doesn’t match what I see – https://theconversation.com/colors-are-objective-according-to-two-philosophers-even-though-the-blue-you-see-doesnt-match-what-i-see-234467

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: These 4 tips can make screen time good for your kids and even help them learn to talk

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Erika Squires, Assistant Professor, Wayne State University

    Getting involved when your kids are watching digital media can make it an educational experience, rather than just entertainment. damircudic/E+ via Getty Images

    Screen time permeates the lives of toddlers and preschoolers. For many young children, their exposure includes both direct viewing, such as watching a TV show, and indirect viewing, such as when media is on in the background during other daily activities.

    As many parents will know, research points to several negative effects of screen time. As scholars who specialize in speech pathology and early childhood development, we are particularly interested in the recent finding that too much screen time is associated with less parent-child talk, such as fewer conversational turns between parents and children.

    As a result, the American Academy of Pediatrics and World Health Organization suggest limiting screen time for children.

    Beyond quantity, they also emphasize the quality of a child’s engagement with digital media. Used in moderation, certain kinds of media can have educational and social benefits for children – and even contribute to language development.

    These tips may help parents structure and manage screen time more effectively.

    No. 1: Choose high-quality content

    Parents can enhance their children’s screen-time value by choosing high-quality media – that is, content with educational benefit. PBS Kids has many popular shows, from “Nature Cat” to “Sid the Science Kid,” that would qualify as educational.

    Two other elements contribute to the quality of screen time.

    First, screen content should be age-appropriate – that is, parents should choose shows, apps and games that are specifically designed for young children. Using a resource such as Common Sense Media allows parents to check recommended ages for television shows, movies and apps.

    Second, parents can look for shows that use evidence-based educational techniques, such as participatory cues. That’s when characters in shows break the “third wall” by directly talking to their young audience to prompt reflection, action or response. Research shows that children learn new words better when a show has participatory cues – perhaps because it encourages active engagement rather than passive viewing.

    Many classic, high-quality television shows for young children feature participatory cues, including “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” “Dora the Explorer,” “Go Diego Go!” and “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.”

    No. 2: Join in on screen time

    The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents and children watch media together whenever possible.

    Screen time doesn’t have to look like this.
    kbeis/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

    This recommendation is based on the evidence that increased screen media use can reduce parent-child conversation. This, in turn, can affect language development. Intentionally discussing media content with children increases language exposure during screen time.

    Parents may find the following joint media engagement strategies useful:

    • Press pause and ask questions.
    • Point out basic concepts, such as letters and colors.
    • Model more advanced language using a “think aloud” approach, such as, “That surprised me! I wonder what will happen next?”

    No. 3: Connect what’s on screen to real life

    Learning from media is challenging for young children because their brains struggle to transfer information and ideas from screens to the real world. Children learn more from screen media, research shows, when the content connects to their real-life experiences.

    To maximize the benefits of screen time, parents can help children connect what they are viewing with experiences they’ve had. For example, while watching content together, a parent might say, “They’re going to the zoo. Do you remember what we saw when we went to the zoo?”

    This approach promotes language development and cognitive skills, including attention and memory. Children learn better with repeated exposure to words, so selecting media that relates to a child’s real-life experiences can help reinforce new vocabulary.

    No. 4: Enjoy screen-free times

    Ensuring that a child’s day is filled with varied experiences, including periods that don’t involve screens, increases language exposure in children’s daily routines.

    Two ideal screen-free times are mealtimes and bedtime. Mealtimes present opportunities for back-and-forth conversation with children, exposing them to a lot of language. Additionally, bedtime should be screen-free, as using screens near bedtime or having a TV in children’s bedrooms disrupts sleep.

    Alternatively, devoting bedtime to reading children’s books accomplishes the dual goals of helping children wind down and creating a language-rich routine.

    Having additional screen-free, one-on-one, parent-child play for at least 10 minutes at some other point in the day is good for young children. Parents can maximize the benefits of one-on-one play by letting their children decide what and how to play.

    Even in small doses, parent-child playtime is important.
    Vera Livchak/Moment via Getty Images

    A parent’s role here is to follow their child’s lead, play along, give their child their full attention – so no phones for mom or dad, either – and provide language enrichment. They can do this by labeling toys, pointing out shapes, colors and sizes. It can also be done by describing activities – “You’re rolling the car across the floor” – and responding when their child speaks.

    Parent-child playtime is also a great opportunity to extend interests from screen time. Including toys of your child’s favorite characters from the shows or movies they love in playtime transforms that enjoyment from screen time into learning.

    Lucy (Kathleen) McGoron receives funding from Michigan Health Endowment fund and SAMHSA.

    Erika Squires 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. These 4 tips can make screen time good for your kids and even help them learn to talk – https://theconversation.com/these-4-tips-can-make-screen-time-good-for-your-kids-and-even-help-them-learn-to-talk-242580

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Hotter and drier climate in Colorado’s San Luis Valley contributes to kidney disease in agriculture workers, new study shows

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Katherine Ann James, Associate Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

    Agricultural workers exposed to a hotter and drier climate are at an increased risk of kidney damage. George Rose/via Getty Images

    Heat and humidity contributed to kidney damage and disease in the San Luis Valley in Colorado between 1984 and 1998, according to our recently published work in the peer-reviewed journal Weather, Climate, and Society.

    The San Luis Valley is the largest high valley desert in North America. Many of its residents work in agriculture and are exposed to worsening air quality. That decline is due to increased wildfires, dust and temperatures, in combination with low humidity. This change was in part caused by the region’s climate becoming more arid due to a 23-year drought.

    I’m an environmental epidemiologist with an engineering background. For nearly two decades, I have partnered with the San Luis Valley community to investigate how water systems affect human health. Over the past eight years, my team’s research has focused on the far-reaching human health effects of the drought in the area.

    In this study, we used data from a cohort of people in the San Luis Valley who were originally recruited for research on the risk factors for Type 2 diabetes. Researchers often look to established datasets to evaluate new hypotheses because it avoids the need to recruit new study participants. This dataset includes 15 years of clinical, behavioral, demographic, genetic and environmental exposure data. Using it in our recent study allowed us to evaluate the impacts of drought conditions on kidney health.

    Our study suggests that a 10% decline in humidity is associated with a 2% increase in risk for acute kidney injury, while accounting for known risk factors for kidney disease. Those risk factors include age, sex, diabetes and hypertension.

    These findings are supported by our previous study that examined the effects of drought and heat on emergency and urgent care visits for kidney-related issues between 2003 and 2017 in the San Luis Valley.

    The two studies align with growing evidence that climate-related changes, particularly heat and humidity, are contributing to kidney injury. Over time, this means that more people are developing chronic kidney disease.

    Why it matters

    Globally, 10% of the population has kidney disease. In 2021, kidney diseases were the ninth leading cause of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. People experiencing poverty or limited access to health care are disproportionately affected.

    In the U.S., more than 1 in 7 adults has chronic kidney disease. That does not account for those with undiagnosed kidney disease.

    Extended exposure to drought conditions coupled with inadequate water intake has been linked to kidney stones, acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease.

    Dehydration, especially in outdoor workers who labor in hot or dry conditions, is a known contributor to both acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease.

    Acute kidney injury is characterized by a reduction in kidney function that is reversible.

    Chronic kidney disease is kidney damage that is progressive and may not be reversible.

    Studies in Florida and California have shown declining kidney health in agriculture workers as working conditions are becoming hotter and drier.

    Outdoor workers in agriculture, forestry, mining, ranching and construction are susceptible to the effects of changing outdoor conditions coupled with physical labor. This combination exacerbates dehydration and leads to acute and chronic kidney disease.

    What other research is being done

    In addition to these studies, our research team is involved in other projects aimed at addressing the health impacts of a changing climate.

    One such initiative is the Mountain West Climate-Health Engagement Hub, which focuses on reducing exposure to decreased air quality. This includes the deployment of do-it-yourself air filters and development of low-cost, point-of-use water filters to mitigate exposure to the secondary effects of drought.

    Do-it-yourself air filters can reduce exposure to decreased air quality.
    The Washington Post/Getty Images

    In the Centers for Health, Work & Environment, where I am affiliated, multiple national and international studies are focused on agriculture workers, farm owners and ranchers.

    These studies examine how heat, air quality and drought affect kidney, cardiovascular and mental health. These broader studies aim to inform policy and interventions to safeguard the health of workers globally and particularly in regions most vulnerable to climate change.

    The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

    Katherine Ann James receives funding from National Institutes of Health and CDC-National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health

    – ref. Hotter and drier climate in Colorado’s San Luis Valley contributes to kidney disease in agriculture workers, new study shows – https://theconversation.com/hotter-and-drier-climate-in-colorados-san-luis-valley-contributes-to-kidney-disease-in-agriculture-workers-new-study-shows-248402

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Florida, once considered a swing state, is firmly Republican – a social anthropologist explains what caused this shift

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alexander Lowie, Postdoctoral associate in Classical and Civic Education, University of Florida

    Florida has attracted new residents since the pandemic, as well as a growth in conservative politics. iStock / Getty Images Plus

    Florida has undergone a dramatic political transformation over the past decade from a swing state to Republican stronghold.

    Florida’s recent congressional special election on April 1, 2025, showcased the state’s increasingly conservative identity, when Republicans won both congressional seats.

    Still, Democrats felt hopeful about these results, since the two Democratic contenders lost by slimmer margins in the 1st and 6th districts than in other recent elections.

    As a political anthropologist who has conducted fieldwork in central Florida, I’ve spent over five years tracking the growth of conservative political groups like the Proud Boys and Moms for Liberty, whose leaderships are based in Florida.

    I’ve seen firsthand how conservative activist networks and the growth of culture war politics, among other factors, have reshaped Florida’s political identity.

    Florida’s Republican state Sen. Randy Fine holds a victory party on April 1, 2025, in Ormond Beach, Fla.
    Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    The state that stopped swinging

    Although political strategists have historically considered Florida a swing state in presidential elections, it has consistently voted Republican since 1948.

    It has only voted for Democratic presidential candidates five times since 1964, for Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and twice for Barack Obama. President Donald Trump has won Florida three times in a row, most recently winning the 2024 election in all but six of Florida’s 67 counties.

    The main battleground since 2000 has been the I-4 Corridor, which connects Tampa, Orlando and Daytona. In 2000, President George W. Bush won the corridor by 4,400 votes. Since Bush only won Florida by 537 votes, and thus the presidency, the area became a top priority for both political parties.

    Some Democrats have said Florida’s political evolution happened gradually and then all at once.

    In 2012, there were almost 1.5 million more registered Democratic voters than Republicans in Florida. In 2020, Democrats’ advantage dropped to about 97,000. And by September 2024, there were almost 1 million more registered Republicans than Democrats.

    Steve Schale, the head of Obama’s 2008 campaign in Florida, argues that this shift happened because the Democratic Party lost the support of some white voters.

    Republicans have also actively courted Hispanic voters, while Democrats falsely believed that young Hispanics would inherently lean toward their party.

    This assumption has hurt the Democratic cause because, for example, some Hispanic voters in Florida, like many Cuban Americans, have long favored Republican. In fact, Trump performed so well with Hispanics in Florida in 2024 that it was the only state in which he received more of the Hispanic vote than Kamala Harris.

    State-level conservative success

    Florida has also had a Republican governor since 1998, a state Senate Republican majority since 1995 and a state House majority since 1997. This Republican dominance has only grown since Trump’s 2016 election.

    In 2018, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis received Trump’s endorsement and went from being relatively unknown in the gubernatorial primaries to the Republican nominee. He ultimately assumed office in 2019.

    Since then, DeSantis has successfully passed a slew of laws and policies reflecting the conservative values of what he saw as the new Floridian electorate.

    For example, DeSantis passed a six-week abortion ban measure into law in 2023.

    With DeSantis’ approval, Florida’s state Legislature also blocked diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state colleges in 2023 and banned lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity for public grade school students that same year.

    In 2023, the Florida governor also signed a law that allowed people to carry concealed weapons without a permit.

    The pandemic factor

    Some conservative political pundits and DeSantis supporters say that the governor’s COVID-19 policies are among the factors that have attracted newcomers to the state.

    Almost 300,000 people moved from out of state to Florida between April 2020 and April 2021, equal to roughly 903 people relocating to the state each day.

    The governor ordered Floridians to stay at home during April 2020, but many of his restrictions were lifted at the end of the month.

    DeSantis did not enforce mask mandates, vaccine requirements and other measures that were common in other states.

    During my fieldwork in Florida from 2022 through 2024, I met multiple people who moved to rural parts of the state because they did not want their lives to be severely restricted during the pandemic.

    One man in his early 50s stated, “During COVID my wife and I realized how screwed we were if things got really bad. We hated the lockdowns and got scared about not having enough food. If things got really bad, we didn’t want to trust other people, we wanted to be self-sufficient. So, we decided to get a place in the middle of the woods, on our own property, that we could go to if everything went to hell.”

    This couple settled on moving from out of state to a rural area of Florida, where they thought they had the best chance of avoiding future lockdown restrictions.

    DeSantis’ policy successes and his “freedom first” response to the pandemic have been celebrated by conservatives nationally.

    Moms for Liberty members in Viera, Fla., protest student face mask mandates in 2023.
    Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gety Images

    Florida’s home for the alt-right

    As Florida lawmakers have continued to push conservative policies since the pandemic, Florida-based activist groups like Moms for Liberty have mobilized to support and expand them.

    Moms for Liberty was founded in 2021 by three Florida former school board members who opposed COVID-19 regulations during the pandemic.

    Moms for Liberty is headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, and is focused on reshaping public school curriculum to exclude what its members see as “woke” themes, like sexual orientation.

    The group lobbied for the 2022 Parental Rights in Education Act and the Stop-Woke Act, referred to by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” law. This law restricts Florida classrooms from teaching kids in kindergarten through third grade about sexual orientation and gender identity, and also limits instruction on these subjects in higher grades.

    Florida has increasingly become a stronghold for other kinds of political activists, some of whom were instrumental in the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2021. Florida was home to 11.5% of the 716 people who were initially charged with participating in the Capitol riots.

    The most notable of these Jan. 6 arrests is Enrique Tarrio, a Miami native who has served as the symbolic leader of the Proud Boys, an alt-right “Western chauvinist” group.

    Alt-right activists are a minority of Florida’s conservative population. In my fieldwork, I have spoken to many Florida conservatives who did not identify with the Proud Boys or other alt-right groups – but were still sympathetic to many of their populist and conservative causes.

    No longer in play?

    Florida is now a major Republican stronghold with Floridians becoming increasingly prominent in national politics. Trump’s Cabinet has 23 people – 16 of them are connected to Florida.

    These include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who served as a senator in Florida, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, who served as Florida’s state attorney general.

    Though some Democrats may feel optimistic about the special election results, they have lost the Sunshine State, at least for now.

    Alexander Lowie 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. Florida, once considered a swing state, is firmly Republican – a social anthropologist explains what caused this shift – https://theconversation.com/florida-once-considered-a-swing-state-is-firmly-republican-a-social-anthropologist-explains-what-caused-this-shift-253905

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government signs new international agreement in boost to British business

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    Government signs new international agreement in boost to British business

    Businesses will save time and money on repetitive legal action thanks to new international rules coming into force across the UK on 1 July.

    • Agreement will cut delays and costs for UK businesses
    • UK judgments against foreign suppliers will be recognised by participating countries overseas
    • This will boost the UK legal sector and drive economic growth, part of the government’s Plan for Change

    The UK Government has signed up to the Hague 2019 Convention, which means other countries will more easily recognise and enforce UK court judgments in cross-border disputes – sparing firms from costly and repetitive court battles.

    Currently, if a UK business wins a case in a UK court against a company based in another country, business leaders face the threat of time-consuming enforcement processes or even identical legal action overseas for the same dispute – causing delays, increasing costs and creating confusion to the consumer.

    The new rules will provide a simpler enforcement route to existing complex systems, giving one clear consistent set of shared rules – that the UK helped shape – making the process easier for everyone.

    Streamlining the process will save businesses time and money, encourage foreign companies to use the UK’s world-class lawyers and courts to settle their disputes and grow the economy overall.

    Justice Minister, Lord Ponsonby, said:

    This Convention delivers real benefits for British businesses dealing with international disputes.

    As part of our Plan for Change we’re boosting UK firms’ confidence to trade by minimising legal costs and ensuring justice across borders, all while cementing Britain’s role as a global legal powerhouse committed to the rule of law.

    The Convention will enhance international legal collaboration. It will apply to judgments in civil and commercial matters, strengthening the UK’s position as a global hub for dispute resolution.

    The 2019 Hague Convention is already being applied by 29 parties, from Ukraine to EU countries, with Uruguay joining last year. This means UK civil and commercial judgments will be recognised and enforced in these nations and that the UK will recognise judgments made in their courts.

    With 91 members of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), a major multilateral forum for private international law rules which has produced numerous conventions including the 2019 Hague Convention, Hague 2019 has a potentially global reach. 

    The Convention will apply to judgments given in proceedings that commence on or after 1 July 2025 across the entire United Kingdom or in other participating countries.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Services Opening at Sydney River Health Centre

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Healthcare professionals will start seeing patients at the Sydney River Health Centre next week as construction nears completion on the new home for several different clinics and services currently spread across Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

    The Eastern Zone Hip and Knee Clinic, Cape Breton Heart Lung Wellness Centre and the Sydney Diabetes Centre will open in the new location on Monday, April 28.

    “We’re changing healthcare across Nova Scotia by connecting health services and programs under one roof to deliver community-based comprehensive care,” said Addictions and Mental Health Minister Brian Comer, MLA for Cape Breton East, on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “When all services are available and fully operational, the new health centre will have a capacity of more than 30,000 patient visits each year.”

    Other services at the centre – Sydney and Area Community Rehabilitation Services and Coastal Family Health – will open by the end of June.

    Family physicians with Coastal Family Health have accepted patients from retiring physician practices and will continue to accept new patients from the Need a Family Practice Registry when they have capacity.

    The new health centre, at 1173 Kings Rd. in Sydney River, will include 31 exam rooms, a gymnasium, warm-up and cool-down rooms, education rooms and administrative offices.

    Quotes: “The Sydney River Health Centre is designed to ensure patients receive the right care, at the right time, under one roof, and it is good to see that we are one step closer to that goal. In addition, having a new, modern facility is another tool we can use to attract new physicians to the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.” — Brett MacDougall, Vice-President Operations, Eastern Zone, Nova Scotia Health

    Quick Facts:

    • Coastal Family Health is staffed by six doctors, three licensed practical nurses, a dietitian, social worker and physiotherapist; it is an example of a health home, where patients receive comprehensive care from a team of healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurse practitioners, dietitians, social workers and others
    • Sydney Diabetes Centre provides a variety of diabetes programs and services for patients
    • Eastern Zone Hip and Knee Clinic includes an orthopedic assessment clinic and rehabilitation programs to prepare patients for surgery
    • Sydney and Area Community Rehabilitation Services includes physiotherapy and occupational therapy
    • Cape Breton Heart Lung Wellness Centre includes cardiac and pulmonary rehab programs

    Additional Resources: News release – New Collaborative Care Clinic Coming to Sydney River: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/08/21/new-collaborative-care-clinic-coming-sydney-river

    Other than cropping, Province of Nova Scotia photos are not to be altered in any way

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Prospect Park Announces Full Revocation of Cease Trade Order

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Prospect Park Capital Corp. (the “Company”) is pleased to announce that the failure-to-file cease trade order (the “FFCTO”) issued by the Ontario Securities Commission (the “OSC”) has been revoked.

    The FFCTO was issued by the OSC on February 3, 2023 as a result of the Company’s failure to file its ‎annual financial statements, related management discussion and analysis (“MD&A”) and certifications for the year ended September 30, 2022‎, as required by National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations (“NI 51-102”) and National Instrument 52-109 – Certification of Disclosure in Issuers’ Annual and Interim Filings. The Company applied to the OSC for full revocation of the FFCTO and the order granting the same was issued effective April 24, 2025.

    The Company has filed the following continuous disclosure documents:

    • Audited annual financial statements, accompanying MD&As and related certificates for the years ended September 30, 2022, 2023 and 2024;
    • Unaudited interim financial statements, accompanying MD&As and related certificates for the interim periods ended December 31, 2022, March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023, December 31, 2023, March 31, 2024, June 30, 2024, and December 31, 2024;
    • Executive compensation disclosure in accordance with Form 51-102F6 for the years ended September 30, 2022, 2023 and 2024;
    • Audit committee disclosure in accordance with Form 52-110F2 for the years ended September 30, 2022, 2023 and 2024 ‎(this disclosure was included in the applicable annual MD&A); ‎and
    • Corporate governance disclosure required by Form 58-101F2 for the years ended September 30, 2022, 2023 and 2024 ‎(this disclosure was included in the applicable annual MD&A).

    As a result, the Company has now filed all continuous disclosure required by the OSC, and the Company has given the following undertakings to the OSC:

    1. The Company will hold an annual general meeting of its shareholders on or before July 24, 2025 (the “Meeting”).
    2. The Company will include a schedule of investment portfolio or similar disclosure in its annual and interim financial statements and certain financial and non-financial disclosure about private company investees within the Company’s portfolio that represent 10% or more of the Company’s assets, subject to certain exclusions, in its annual and interim MD&A.
    3. While the Company is reasonably construed as an “income trust” or “issuer in this policy” pursuant to section 1.2 of National Policy 41-201 – Income Trusts and Other Indirect Offerings with respect to each non-reporting issuer entity in which the Company has an equity investment (each, an “Investee”) where (i) such Investee’s financial statements are not consolidated with those of the financial statements ‎of the Company, and (ii) either (A) the Company’s annual EBITDA received from such Investee during the ‎applicable fiscal year is more than 33.33% of the Company’s total annual consolidated EBITDA during ‎that fiscal year, or (B) the assets of such Investee as at the end of the applicable fiscal year represent ‎more than 33.33% of the Company’s total consolidated assets as at the end of such fiscal year, the Company will file on its SEDAR+ profile (i) annual audited financial statements and related management’s discussion and analysis in respect of the applicable Investee(s), and (ii) an annual certificate concurrently with providing the financial statements referenced in (i) above, that it has complied with the above undertakings.

    The Company has also amended and restated By-Law No. 1, which the Company will seek shareholder confirmation at the Meeting, and the directors of the Company have amended its investment policy, a copy of which has been filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.com).

    The Company is continuing its operations as an investment corporation with the objective of enhancing shareholder value, and further intends to continue building its portfolio of investments.

    In addition, the Company will be applying to the Canadian Securities Exchange for a reinstatement of the listing of its common shares that were delisted on July 30, 2024, subject to satisfaction of all necessary listing requirements. While the Company intends to satisfy all of the applicable listing criteria, no assurance can be given that its application will be approved or the timing thereof.

    For more information please contact:

    James Greig
    Chief Executive Officer
    Prospect Park Capital Corp.
    Tel: (778) 788-2745

    This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information relates to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “intends”, “expects” or “anticipates”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “should”, “would” or will “potentially” or “likely” occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as “forward-looking statements”, are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management’s expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things: the timing and completion of a shareholders’ meeting; the Company being able to comply with undertakings; the Company continuing to build its portfolio of investments; and the timing and completion of a reinstatement of the listing of its common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange.

    Such statements reflect the ‎Company’s current views and ‎intentions with respect to future events, and ‎current information ‎available to the Company, and ‎are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and ‎assumptions‎, including, without limitation, the Company having necessary capital, and Investees complying with requests, contractual or otherwise, to provide certain information or documents to the Company.

    These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risks related to the failure of the Company to receive the required corporate and regulatory approvals, access to capital, negotiation and completion of new acquisitions, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company’s disclosure documents filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedarplus.com.

    Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this news release is made as of the date of this news release. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement referred to herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: China deepens international collaboration to push forward deep-space exploration

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

    SHANGHAI, April 25 — China, with an open stance, is collaborating with the international community to drive breakthroughs in deep-space exploration and foster resource sharing, striving to build a shared future in space.

    On the occasion of Space Day of China, which is celebrated annually on April 24, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced a series of international collaboration initiatives to advance deep-space exploration.

    Seven institutions from six countries — France, Germany, Japan, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United States — have been authorized to borrow the lunar samples collected by China’s Chang’e-5 mission for scientific research.

    In 2020, the Chang’e-5 mission retrieved samples from the moon weighing about 1,731 grams, which were the first lunar samples in the world in over 40 years, helping advance humanity’s knowledge about the moon.

    Shan Zhongde, head of the CNSA, said China’s lunar exploration program has always adhered to the principles of equality, mutual benefits, peaceful utilization and win-win cooperation, sharing achievements with the international community.

    He added that CNSA will continue to accept international applications for lunar sample research, expressing hope that global scientists will make new discoveries that expand human knowledge and benefit humanity.

    With the advancement of China’s lunar exploration program, international cooperation continues to deepen. The CNSA announced that the Chang’e-8 mission, which is scheduled for launch around 2029, will carry payloads from 11 countries and regions and one international organization.

    Developers of the instruments to be aboard the Chang’e-8 are from Asia, Europe, Africa and South America.

    The Chang’e-8 mission will target the Leibnitz-Beta Plateau near the lunar south pole region, working with the earlier Chang’e-7 mission to conduct scientific exploration and in-situ resource utilization experiments. These efforts will lay the groundwork for the future International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).

    The ILRS, initiated by China, is a scientific experimental facility consisting of sections on the lunar surface and in lunar orbit, and is projected to be built in two phases: a basic model to be built by 2035 in the lunar south pole region, and an extended model to be built in the 2040s.

    A total of 17 countries and international organizations, and more than 50 international research institutions, have joined the ILRS, according to Bian Zhigang, deputy director of the CNSA.

    Bian stressed that the ILRS will offer new opportunities and platforms for fostering global cooperation, technological innovation and shared development.

    China welcomes international partners to participate in various stages of the ILRS and at all levels of the mission. This will promote the use of space technology to benefit humanity and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity in the field of outer space, he said.

    Amjad Ali, a senior official with the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) of Pakistan, said that the CNSA leads in inclusive space exploration, enabling emerging space nations like Pakistan to rise.

    The Chang’e-8 mission will carry a 30-kilogram lunar rover developed by SUPARCO, contributing to terrain mapping and regolith analysis.

    “The CNSA-SUPARCO partnership strengthens intercultural dialogue, diplomacy and peaceful collaboration, proving that shared dreams can unite nations among the stars,” he added.

    Humanity can reach deeper space through collaboration from lunar soil to Martian surface.

    China aims to launch the Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission around 2028, with the primary scientific goal of searching for signs of life. The retrieval of samples from Mars is the most technically challenging space exploration mission since the Apollo program, and no such retrieval has ever been accomplished, said Liu Jizhong, chief designer of the mission.

    Despite this mission’s considerable challenges and limited resources, China still plans to allocate 20 kilograms of resources for international collaboration.

    China invites global partners to jointly advance Mars exploration and research, thereby expanding humanity’s understanding of the red planet, said CNSA.

    Joining hands, humanity can unlock mysteries beyond the stars.

    An astronomical satellite jointly developed by China and France has detected a gamma-ray burst dating back 13 billion years, likely originating from the collapse of an early star forming a black hole or a neutron star. This discovery offers humanity a glimpse into the universe’s infancy.

    The discovery made by the Space-based multi-band Variable Object Monitor (SVOM) was also released on the Space Day of China.

    The SVOM project, a major bilateral space collaboration between China and France spanning nearly two decades, is a contribution that Chinese and French scientists and engineers have made to the international astronomy community through years of cooperation, integrating high-tech resources from both countries.

    “Together, we will pool efforts to promote the development of the world’s space industry, ensuring that space innovations serve and enhance human well-being across broader domains, at deeper levels, and to higher standards,” Shan emphasized at the opening ceremony for the Space Day of China.

    At the invitation of the Permanent Mission of China in Vienna, the Permanent Representatives of Kenya and South Africa to Vienna, along with diplomats from the Permanent Missions of Venezuela, Belarus, Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan to Vienna, made a special trip to China to participate in the series of activities for the Space Day.

    Award-winning paintings created by Chinese children, depicting their space dreams, were presented to these diplomats.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Leads Bipartisan Senate Delegation to Pope’s Funeral in Rome

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins today announced she is leading a bipartisan delegation of Catholic U.S. Senators to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday.

    “It is a tremendous honor to be selected to lead this bipartisan delegation of United States Senators to Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis and pay our respects to his life and legacy,” said Senator Collins. “Pope Francis’s profound commitment to celebrate the Risen Lord, even on the day before his death, and share God’s grace with people from all walks of life inspired believers around the world. He truly embodied God’s boundless love for us all. It is an incredible blessing to have the opportunity to represent the Senate and honor the life of Pope Francis with my colleagues.”

    Senator Collins is leading the bipartisan delegation, which also includes Senators Richard Durbin, Michael Rounds, Ed Markey, and Eric Schmitt.

    Senator Collins met Pope Francis in 2015 when he became the first pontiff to address Congress.

    Senator Collins also met Pope John Paul II and attended his funeral in 2005.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Around the Air Force: Space Force Warfighting Framework, Training Range Improvements, Integrating Air and Missile Defense

    Source: United States Air Force

    Headline: Around the Air Force: Space Force Warfighting Framework, Training Range Improvements, Integrating Air and Missile Defense

    In this week’s look Around the Air Force, the U.S. Space Force outlines a vision for space superiority, Combat Support Training Ranges get improvements for warfighters, and the Air Force works with the Army on a large-scale military modernization experiment.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on a revamped long-term budget for the Union in a changing world – A10-0076/2025

    Source: European Parliament 2

    MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

    on a revamped long-term budget for the Union in a changing world

    (2024/2051(INI))

     

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to Articles 311, 312, 323 and 324 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027[1] and to the joint declarations agreed between Parliament, the Council and the Commission in this context and the related unilateral declarations,

    – having regard to Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/2053 of 14 December 2020 on the system of own resources of the European Union and repealing Decision 2014/335/EU, Euratom[2],

    – having regard to the amended Commission proposal of 23 June 2023 for a Council decision amending Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/2053 on the system of own resources of the European Union (COM(2023)0331),

    – having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources[3] (the IIA),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (recast)[4] (the Financial Regulation),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2020 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget[5] (the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation),

    – having regard to its position of 27 February 2024 on the draft Council regulation amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027[6],

    – having regard to its resolution of 10 May 2023 on own resources: a new start for EU finances, a new start for Europe[7],

    – having regard to its resolution of 15 December 2022 on upscaling the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework: a resilient EU budget fit for new challenges[8],

    – having regard to its position of 16 December 2020 on the draft Council regulation laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027[9],

    – having regard to the Interinstitutional Proclamation on the European Pillar of Social Rights of 13 December 2017[10] and to the Commission Action Plan of 4 March 2021 on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (COM(2021)0102),

    – having regard to the Agreement adopted at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 15) in Montreal on 19 December 2022 (Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework),

    – having regard to the Agreement adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 21) in Paris on 12 December 2015 (the Paris Agreement),

    – having regard to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,

    – having regard to the report of 30 October 2024 by Sauli Niinistö entitled ‘Safer together – strengthening Europe’s civilian and military preparedness and readiness’ (the Niinistö report),

    – having regard to the report of 9 September 2024 by Mario Draghi entitled ‘The future of European competitiveness’ (the Draghi report),

    – having regard to the report of 4 September 2024 of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture entitled ‘A shared prospect for farming and food in Europe’,

    – having regard to the report of 17 April 2024 by Enrico Letta entitled ‘Much more than a market – speed, security, solidarity: empowering the Single Market to deliver a sustainable future and prosperity for all EU Citizens’ (the Letta report),

    – having regard to the report of 20 February 2024 of the High-Level Group on the Future of Cohesion Policy entitled ‘Forging a sustainable future together – cohesion for a competitive and inclusive Europe’,

    – having regard to the Budapest Declaration on the New European Competitiveness Deal,

    – having regard to the joint communication of 26 March 2025 entitled ‘European Preparedness Union Strategy’ (JOIN(2025)0130),

    – having regard to the joint white paper of 19 March 2025 entitled ‘European Defence Readiness 2030’ (JOIN(2025)0120),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 7 March 2025 entitled ‘A Roadmap for Women’s Rights’ (COM(2025)0097),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2025 entitled ‘The Clean Industrial Deal: a joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation’ (COM(2025)0085),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 19 February 2025 entitled ‘A Vision for Agriculture and Food’ (COM(2025)0075),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 11 February 2025 entitled ‘The road to the next multiannual financial framework’ (COM(2025)0046),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 29 January 2025 entitled ‘A Competitiveness Compass for the EU’ (COM(2025)0030),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 9 December 2021 entitled ‘Building an economy that works for people: an action plan for the social economy’ (COM(2021)0778),

    – having regard to the European Council conclusions of 20 March 2025, 6 March 2025 and 19 December 2024,

    – having regard to the political guidelines of 18 July 2024 for the next European Commission 2024-2029,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 20 November 2024 entitled ‘EU budget and place-based policies: proposals for new design and delivery mechanisms in the MFF post-2027’[11],

    – having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinions of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Development, the Committee on Budgetary Control, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, the Committee on Transport and Tourism, the Committee on Regional Development, the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, the Committee on Culture and Education, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A10-0076/2025),

    A. whereas, under Article 311 TFEU, the Union is required to provide itself with the means necessary to attain its objectives and carry through its policies;

    B. whereas the Union budget is primarily an investment tool that can achieve economies of scale unattainable at Member State level and support European public goods, in particular through cross-border projects; whereas all spending through the Union budget must provide European added value and deliver discernible net benefits compared to spending at national or sub-national level, leading to real and lasting results;

    C. whereas spending through the Union budget, if effectively targeted, aligned with the Union’s political priorities and better coordinated with spending at national level, helps to avoid fragmentation in the single market, promote upwards convergence, decrease inequalities and boost the overall impact of public investment; whereas public investment is essential as a catalyst for private investment in sectors where the market alone cannot drive the required investment;

    D. whereas the NextGenerationEU recovery instrument (NGEU) established in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic enabled significant additional investment capacity of EUR 750 billion in 2018 prices – beyond the Union budget, which amounts to 1.1 % of the EU-27’s gross national income (GNI) – prompting a swift recovery and return to growth and supporting the green and digital transitions; whereas NGEU will not be in place post-2027;

    E.  whereas in 2022 Member States spent an average of 1.4 % of gross domestic product (GDP) on State aid – significantly more than their contribution to the Union budget – with over half of the State aid unrelated to crises;

    F. whereas the Union budget, bolstered by NGEU and loans through the SURE scheme, has been instrumental in alleviating the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 crisis and in responding to the effects of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; whereas the Union budget remains ill-equipped, in terms of size, structure and rules, to fully play its role in adjusting to evolving spending needs, addressing shocks and responding to crises and giving practical effect to the principle of solidarity, and to enable the Union to fulfil its objectives as established under the Treaties;

    G. whereas people rightly expect more from the Union and its budget, including the capacity to respond quickly and effectively to evolving needs and to provide them with the necessary support, especially in times of crisis;

    H. whereas, since the adoption of the current multiannual financial framework (MFF), the political, economic and social context has changed beyond recognition, compounding underlying structural challenges for the Union and leading to a substantial revision of the MFF in 2024;

    I. whereas the context in which the Commission will prepare its proposals for the post-2027 MFF is every bit as challenging, with the established global and geopolitical order changing quickly and radically, the return of large-scale warfare in the Union’s immediate neighbourhood, a highly challenging economic and social backdrop and the worsening climate and biodiversity crisis; whereas, as the Commission has made clear, the status quo is not an option and the Union budget will need to change accordingly;

    J. whereas the US administration has decided to retreat from the country’s post-war global role in guaranteeing peace and security, in leading on global governance in the rules-based, multilateral international order and in providing essential development and humanitarian aid to those most in need around the world; whereas the Union will therefore have to step up to fill part of the void the US appears set to leave, placing additional demands on the budget;

    K. whereas the Union has committed to take all the steps needed to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest and to protect nature and reverse biodiversity loss; whereas delivering on the policy framework put in place to achieve this objective will require substantial investment; whereas the Union budget will have to play a key role in providing and incentivising that investment;

    L. whereas, in order to compensate for the budget’s shortcomings, there have been numerous workaround solutions that make the budget more opaque, leaving the public in the dark about the real volume of Union spending, undermining the longer-term predictability of investment the budget is designed to provide and undercutting not only the principle of budget unity, but also Parliament’s role as a legislator and budgetary and discharge authority and in holding the executive to account;

    M. whereas the Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities; whereas breaches of those values undermine the cohesion of the Union, erode the rights of Union citizens and weaken mutual trust among Member States;

    1. Insists that, in a fast changing world where people rightly expect more from the Union and its budget and where the Union is confronted with a growing number of crises, the next MFF must be endowed with increased resources compared to the 2021-2027 period, moving away from the historically restrictive, self-imposed level of 1 % of GNI;

    2. Underscores that the next MFF must focus on financing European public goods with discernible added value compared to national spending; highlights the need for enhanced synergies and better coordination between Union and national spending; emphasises that spending will have to address major challenges, such as the return of large-scale warfare in the Union’s immediate neighbourhood, a highly challenging economic and social backdrop, a competitiveness gap and the worsening climate and biodiversity crisis;

    3. Considers that the ‘one national plan per Member State’ approach as envisaged by the Commission, with the Recovery and Resilience Facility model as a blueprint, cannot be the basis for shared management spending post-2027; underlines that the design of shared management spending under the next MFF must fully safeguard Parliament’s roles as legislator and budgetary and discharge authority and be designed and implemented through close collaboration with regional and local authorities and all relevant stakeholders;

    4. Calls for the next MFF to continue support for economic, social and territorial cohesion in order to help bind the Union together, deepen the single market, promote convergence and reduce inequality, poverty and social exclusion;

    5. Considers that the idea of an umbrella Competitiveness Fund merging existing programmes as envisaged by the Commission is not fit for purpose; stresses that the fund should instead be a new instrument taking advantage of a toolbox of funding based on lessons learned from InvestEU and the Innovation Fund and complementing existing, highly successful programmes;

    6. Stresses that, in particular in the light of the US’s retreat from its role as a global guarantor of peace and security, there is a clear need to progress towards a genuine Defence Union, with the next MFF supporting a comprehensive security approach through an increase in investment; stresses that defence spending cannot come at the expense of nor lead to a reduction in long-term investment in the economic, social and territorial cohesion of the Union;

    7. Calls for genuine simplification for final beneficiaries by avoiding programmes with overlapping objectives, diverging eligibility criteria and different rules governing horizontal provisions; underlines that simplification cannot mean more leeway for the Commission without the necessary checks and balances and must therefore be achieved with full respect for the institutional balance provided for in the Treaties;

    8. Insists on enhanced in-built crisis response capacity in the next MFF and sufficient margins under each heading; stresses that, alongside predictability for investment, spending programmes should retain a substantial in-built flexibility reserve, with allocation to specific policy objectives to be decided by the budgetary authority; underlines that flexibility for humanitarian aid should be ring-fenced; considers that the post-2027 MFF should include two special instruments – one dedicated to ensuring solidarity in the event of natural disasters and one for general-purpose crisis response;

    9. Underlines that compliance with Union values and fundamental rights is an essential pre-requisite to access EU funds; insists that the Union budget be protected against misuse, fraud and breaches of the principle of the rule of law and calls for a stronger link between the rule of law and the Union budget post-2027;

    10. Underlines that the repayment of NGEU borrowing must not endanger the financing of EU policies and priorities; stresses, therefore, that all costs related to borrowing backed by the Union budget or the budgetary headroom be treated distinctly from appropriations for EU programmes within the future MFF architecture;

    11. Calls on the Council to adopt new own resources as a matter of urgency in order to enable sustainable repayment of NGEU borrowing; stresses that new genuine own resources, beyond the IIA, are essential for the Union’s higher spending needs; considers that all instruments and tools should be explored in order to provide the Union with the necessary resources, and considers, in this respect, that joint borrowing presents a viable option to ensure that the Union has sufficient resources to respond to acute Union-wide crises, such as the ongoing crisis in the area of security and defence;

    12. Stands ready to work constructively with the Council and Commission to deliver a long-term budget that addresses the Union’s needs; highlights that the post-2027 MFF is being constructed in a far from ‘business as usual’ context and takes seriously its institutional role as enshrined in the Treaties; insists that it will only approve a long-term budget that is fit for purpose for the Union in a changing world and calls for swift adoption of the MFF to enable timely implementation of spending programmes from 1 January 2028;

    A long-term budget with a renewed spending focus

    13. Considers that, in view of the structural challenges facing the Union, the post-2027 MFF should adjust its spending focus to ensure that the Union can meet its strategic policy aims as detailed below;

     

    Competitiveness, strategic autonomy, social, economic and territorial cohesion and resilience

    14. Is convinced that boosting competitiveness, decarbonising the economy and enhancing the Union’s innovation capacity are central priorities for the post-2027 MFF and are vital to ensure long-term, sustainable and inclusive growth and a thriving, more resilient economy and society;

    15. Considers that the Union must develop a competitiveness framework in line with its own values and political aims and that competitiveness must foster not only economic growth, but also social, economic and territorial cohesion and environmental sustainability as underlined in both the Draghi and Letta reports;

    16. Underlines that, as spelt out in the Letta and Draghi reports, the European economy and social model are under intense strain, with the productivity, competitiveness and skills gap having knock-on effects on the quality of jobs and on living standards for Europeans already grappling with high housing, energy and food prices; is concerned that a lack of job opportunities and high costs of living increase the risk of a brain drain away from Europe;

    17. Points out that Draghi puts the annual investment gap with respect to innovation and infrastructure at EUR 750-800 billion per year between 2025 and 2030; underlines that the Union budget must play a vital role but it cannot cover that shortfall alone, and that the bulk of the effort will have to come from the private sector – points to the need to exploit synergies between public and private investment, in particular by simplifying and harmonising the EU investment architecture;

    18. Stresses that the Union budget must be carefully coordinated with national spending, so as to ensure complementarity, and must be designed such that it can de-risk, mobilise and leverage private investment effectively, enabling start-ups and SMEs to access funds more readily; calls, therefore, for programmes such as InvestEU, which ensures additionality and follows a market-based, demand-driven approach, to be significantly reinforced in the next MFF; considers that financial instruments and budgetary guarantees are an effective use of resources to achieve critical Union policy goals and calls for them to be further simplified;

    19. Insists that more must be done to maximise the potential of the role of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group – together with other international and national financial institutions – in lending and de-risking in strategic policy areas, such as climate and, latterly, security and defence projects; calls for an increased risk appetite and ambition from the EIB Group to crowd in investment, based on a strong capital position, and for a reinforced investment partnership to ensure that every euro spent at Union level is used in the most effective manner;

    20. Emphasises that funding for research and innovation, including support for basic research, should be significantly increased, should be focused on the Union’s strategic priorities, should continue to be determined by the principle of excellence and should remain merit-based; considers that there should be sufficient resources across the MFF and at national level to fund all high-quality projects throughout the innovation cycle and to achieve the 3 % GDP target for research and development spending by 2030;

    21. Stresses that the next MFF, building on the current Connecting Europe Facility, should include much greater, directly managed funding for energy, transport and digital infrastructure, with priority given to cross-border connections and national links with European added value; considers that such infrastructure is an absolute precondition for a successful deepening of the single market and for increasing the Union’s resilience in a changing geopolitical order;

    22. Points out that a secure and robust space sector is critical for the Union’s autonomy and sovereignty and therefore needs sustained investment;

    23. Underlines that a more competitive, productive and socially inclusive economy helps to generate high-quality, well-paid jobs, thus enhancing people’s standard of living; emphasises that, through programmes such as the European Social Fund+ and Erasmus+, the Union budget can play an important role in supporting education and training systems, enhancing social inclusion, boosting workforce adaptability through reskilling and upskilling, and thus preparing people for employment in a modern economy;

    24. Insists that the Union budget should continue to support important economic and job-creating sectors where the Union is already a world leader, such as tourism and the cultural and creative sectors; underscores the need for dedicated funding for tourism, including to implement the EU Strategy for Sustainable Tourism, in the Union budget post-2027; points to the importance of Creative Europe in contributing to Europe’s diversity and competitiveness and in supporting vibrant societies;

    25. Stresses that, in order to compete with other major global players, the European economy must also become more competitive and resilient on the supply side by investing more in the Union’s open strategic autonomy through enhanced industrial policy and a focus on strategic sectors, resource-efficiency and critical technologies to reduce dependence on third countries;

    26. Considers that, in light of the above, the idea of an umbrella Competitiveness Fund merging existing programmes as envisaged by the Commission is not fit for purpose; stresses that the fund should instead be a new instrument taking advantage of a toolbox of funding based on lessons learned from InvestEU and the Innovation Fund; recalls that, under Article 182 TFEU, the Union is required to adopt a framework programme for research;

    27. Notes that, in the Commission communication on the competitiveness compass, the Commission argues that a new competitiveness coordination tool should be established in order to better align industrial and research policies and investment between EU and national level; notes that the proposed new tool is envisaged as part of a ‘new, lean steering mechanism’ designed ‘to reinforce the link between overall policy coordination and the EU budget’; insists that Parliament must play a full decision-making role in both mechanisms;

    28. Emphasises that food security is a vital component of strategic autonomy and that the next MFF must continue to support the competitiveness and resilience of the Union’s farming and fisheries sectors, including small-scale and young farmers and fishers, and help the sectors to better protect the climate and biodiversity, as well as the seas and oceans; highlights that a modern and simplified common agricultural policy is crucial for increasing productivity through technical progress, ensuring a fair standard of living for farmers, guaranteeing food security and the production of safe, high-quality and affordable food for Europeans, fostering generational renewal and ensuring the viability of rural areas;

    29. Points out that the farming sector is particularly vulnerable to inflationary shocks which affect farmers’ purchasing power; calls for adequate and predictable funding for the common agricultural policy in the next MFF;

    30. Recalls that social, economic and territorial cohesion is a cornerstone of European integration and is vital in binding the Union together and deepening the single market; reaffirms, in that respect, the importance of the convergence process; underlines that a modernised cohesion policy must follow a decentralised, place-based, multilevel governance approach and be built around the shared management and partnership principle, fully involving local and regional authorities and relevant stakeholders, ensuring that resources are directed where they are most needed to reduce regional disparities;

    31. Stresses that cohesion policy funding must tackle the key challenges the Union faces, such as demographic change and depopulation, and target the regions and people most in need; calls, furthermore, for enhanced access to EU funding for cities, regions and urban authorities;

    32. Recalls the importance of the social dimension of the European Union and of promoting the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, its Action Plan and headline targets; emphasises that the Union budget should, therefore, play a pivotal role in reducing inequality, poverty and social exclusion, including by supporting children, families and vulnerable groups; recalls that around 20 million children in the Union are at risk of poverty and social exclusion; stresses that addressing child poverty across the Union requires appropriately funded, comprehensive and integrated measures, together with the efficient implementation of the European Child Guarantee at national level; emphasises that Parliament has consistently requested a dedicated budget within the ESF+ to support the Child Guarantee as a central pillar of the EU anti-poverty strategy;

    33. Highlights, in this regard, the EU-wide housing crisis affecting millions of families and young people; stresses the need for enhanced support for housing through the Union budget, in particular via cohesion policy, and through other funding sources, such as the EIB Group and national promotional banks; acknowledges that, while Union financing cannot solve the housing crisis alone, it can play a crucial role in financing urgent measures and complementing broader Union and national efforts to improve housing affordability and enhance energy efficiency of the housing stock;

    34. Points out that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has had substantial economic and social consequences, in particular in Member States bordering Russia and Belarus; insists that the next MFF provide support to these regions;

    The green and digital transitions

    35. Highlights that the green and digital transitions are inextricably linked to competitiveness, the modernisation of the economy and the resilience of society and act as catalysts for a future-oriented and resource-efficient economy; insists therefore, that the post-2027 MFF must continue to support and to further accelerate the twin transitions;

    36. Recalls that the Union budget is an essential contributor to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, including through support for the 2030 and 2040 targets; underlines that the transition will require a decarbonisation of the economy, in particular through the deployment of clean technologies, improved energy and transport infrastructure and more energy-efficient housing; notes that the Commission estimates additional investment needs to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at 1.5 % of GDP per year compared to the decade 2011-2020 and that, while the Union budget alone cannot cover the gap, it must remain a vital contributor; calls, therefore, for increased directly managed support for environment and biodiversity protection and climate action building on the current LIFE programme;

    37. Underlines that industry will be central in the transition to net zero and the establishment of the Energy Union, and that support will be needed in helping some industrial sectors and their workers to adapt; stresses the importance of a just transition that must leave no one behind, requiring, inter alia, investment in regions that are heavily fossil-fuel dependent and increased support for vulnerable households, in particular through the Just Transition Mechanism and the Social Climate Fund;

    38. Points to the profound technological shift under way, with technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum both creating opportunities, in terms of the Union’s economic potential and global leadership and improvements to citizens’ lives, and posing reliability, ethical and sovereignty challenges; stresses that the next MFF must support research into, and the development and safe application of digital technologies and help people to hone the knowledge and skills they need to work with and use them;

    Security, defence and preparedness

    39. Recalls that peace and security are the foundation for the Union’s prosperity, social model and competitiveness, and a vital pillar of the Union’s geopolitical standing; stresses that the next MFF must support a comprehensive security approach by investing significantly more in safeguarding the Union against the myriad threats it faces;

    40. Underlines that, as the Niinistö report makes clear, multiple threats are combining to heighten instability and increase the Union’s vulnerability, chief among them the fragmenting global order, the security threat posed by Russia and Belarus, growing tensions globally, hostile international actors, the globalisation of criminal networks, hybrid campaigns – which include cyberattacks, foreign information manipulation, disinformation and interference and the instrumentalisation of migration – increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events as a result of climate change, and health threats;

    41. Points out that the Union has played a vital role in achieving lasting peace on its territory and must continue to do so by adjusting to the reality of war on its doorstep and the need to vastly boost defence infrastructure, capabilities and readiness, including through the Union budget, going far beyond the current allocation of less than 2 % of the MFF;

    42. Notes that European defence capabilities suffer from decades of under-investment and that, according to the Commission, the defence spending gap currently stands at EUR 500 billion for the next decade; underlines that the Union budget alone cannot fill the gap, but has an important role to play, in conjunction with national budgets and with a focus on clear EU added value; considers that the Union budget and lending through the EIB Group can help incentivise investment in defence; stresses that defence spending must not come at the expense of social and environmental spending, nor must it lead to a reduction in funding for long-standing Union policies that have proved their worth over time;

    43. Underlines the merits of the defence programmes and instruments put in place during the current MFF, which have enhanced joint research, production and procurement in the field of defence, providing a valuable foundation on which to build further Union policy and investment;

    44. Emphasises that, given the geopolitical situation, there is a clear need to act and to progress towards a genuine Defence Union, in coordination with NATO and in full alignment with the neutrality commitments of individual Member States; concurs, in that regard, with the Commission’s analysis that the next MFF must provide a comprehensive and robust framework in support of EU defence;

    45. Underscores the importance of a competitive and resilient European defence technological and industrial base; considers that enhanced joint EU-level investment in defence in the next MFF backed up by a clear and transparent governance structure can help to avoid duplication, generate economies of scale, and thus significant savings for Member States, reduce fragmentation and ensure the interoperability of equipment and systems; underscores the importance of technology in modern defence systems and therefore of investing in research, cyber-defence and cybersecurity and in dual-use products; points to the need to direct support towards the defence industry within the Union, thus strengthening strategic autonomy, creating quality high-skilled jobs, driving innovation and creating cross-border opportunities for EU businesses, including SMEs;

    46. Points to the importance of increasing support in the budget for military mobility, which upgrades infrastructure for dual-use military and civilian purposes, enabling the large-scale movement of military equipment and personnel at short notice and thus contributing to the Union’s defence capabilities and collective security; highlights, in that regard, the importance of financing for the trans-European transport networks to enable their adaptation for dual-use purposes;

    47. Emphasises that the Union needs to ramp up funding for preparedness across the board; is alarmed by the growing impact of natural disasters, which are often the result of climate change and are therefore likely to occur with greater frequency and intensity in the future; points out that, according to the 2024 European Climate Risk Assessment Report, cumulated economic losses from natural disasters could reach about 1.4 % of Union GDP;

    48. Underlines, therefore, that, in addition to efforts to mitigate climate change through the green transition, significant investment is required to adapt to climate change, in particular to prevent and reduce the impact of natural disasters and severe weather events; considers that support for this purpose, such as through the current Union Civil Protection Mechanism, must be significantly increased in the next MFF and made available quickly to local and regional authorities, which are often on the frontline;

    49. Emphasises that reconstruction and recovery measures after natural disasters must be based on the ‘build back better’ approach and prioritise nature-based solutions; stresses the importance of sustainable water management and security and hydric resilience as part of the Union’s overall preparedness strategy;

    50. Recalls that the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked economic and social havoc globally and that a key lesson from the experience is that there is a need to prioritise investment in prevention of, preparedness for and response to health threats, in medical research and disease prevention, in access to critical medicines, in healthcare infrastructure, in physical and mental health and in the resilience and accessibility of public health systems in the Union; recalls that strategic autonomy in health is key to ensuring the Union’s preparedness in this area;

    51. Considers that the next MFF must build on the work done in the current programming period by ensuring that the necessary investment is in place to build a genuine European Health Union that delivers for all citizens;

    52. Underlines that, with technological developments, it has become easier for malicious and opportunistic foreign actors to spread disinformation, encourage online hate speech, interfere in elections and mount cyberattacks against the Union’s interests; insists that the next MFF must invest in enhanced cybersecurity capabilities and equip the Union to counter hybrid warfare in its various guises;

    53. Stresses that a free, independent and pluralistic media is a fundamental component of Europe’s resilience, safeguarding not only the free flow of information but also a democratic mindset, critical thinking and informed decision-making; points to the importance of investment in independent and investigative journalism, fact-checking initiatives, digital and media literacy and critical thinking to safeguard against disinformation, foreign information manipulation and electoral interference as part of the European Democracy Shield initiative and therefore to guarantee democratic resilience; underscores the need for continued Union budget support for initiatives in these areas;

    54. Underscores the importance of continued funding, in the next MFF, for effective protection of the EU’s external borders; underlines the need to counter transnational criminal networks and better protect victims of trafficking networks, and to strengthen resilience and response capabilities to address hybrid attacks and the instrumentalisation of migration, by third countries or hostile non-state actors; highlights, in particular, the need for support to frontline Member States for the purposes of securing the external borders of the EU;

    55. Underlines that the EU’s resilience and preparedness are inextricably linked to those of its regional and global partners; emphasises that strengthening partners’ capacity to prevent, withstand and effectively respond to extreme weather events, health crises, hybrid campaigns, cyberattacks or armed conflict also lowers the risk of spill-over effects for Europe;

    External action and enlargement

    56. Insists that, in a context of heightened global instability, the Union must continue to engage constructively with third countries and support peace, and conflict prevention, stability, prosperity, security, human rights, the rule of law, equality, democracy and sustainable development globally, in line with its global responsibility values and international commitments;

    57. Regrets the fact that external action in the current MFF has been underfunded, leading to significant recourse to special instruments and substantial reinforcements in the mid-term revision; notes, in particular, that humanitarian aid funding has been woefully inadequate, prompting routine use of the Emergency Aid Reserve;

    58. Underlines that the US’s retreat from its post-war global role in guaranteeing peace, security and democracy, in leading on global governance in the rules-based, multilateral international order and in providing essential development and humanitarian aid to those most in need around the world will leave an enormous gap and that the Union has a responsibility and overwhelming strategic interest in helping to fill that gap; calls on the Commission to address the consequences of the US’s retreat at the latest in its proposal for the post-2027 MFF;

    59. Stresses that the next MFF must continue to tackle the most pressing global challenges, from fighting climate change, to providing relief in the event of natural disasters, preventing and addressing violent conflict and guaranteeing global security, ensuring global food security, improving healthcare and education systems, reducing poverty and inequality, promoting democracy, human rights, the rule of law and social justice and boosting competitiveness and the security of global supply chains, in full compliance with the principle of policy coherence for development; emphasises, in particular, the need for support for the Union’s Southern and Eastern Neighbourhoods;

    60. Underlines that, in particular in light of the drastic cuts to the USAID budget, the budget must uphold the Union’s role as the world’s leading provider of development aid and climate finance in line with the Union’s global obligations and commitments; recalls, in that regard, that the Union and its Member States have collectively committed to allocating 0.7 % of their GNI to official development assistance and that poverty alleviation must remain its primary objective; insists that the budget must continue to support the Union in its efforts to defend the rules-based international order, democracy, multilateralism, human rights and fundamental values;

    61. Insists that, given the unprecedented scale of humanitarian crises, mounting global challenges and uncertainty of US assistance under the current administration, humanitarian aid funding must be significantly enhanced and that its use must remain solely needs-based and respect the principles of neutrality, independence and impartiality; emphasises that the needs-based nature of humanitarian aid requires ring-fenced funding delivered through a stand-alone spending programme, distinct from other external action financing; underscores, furthermore, that effective humanitarian aid provision is contingent on predictability through a sufficient annual baseline allocation;

    62. Emphasises that humanitarian aid, by its very nature, requires substantial flexibility and response capacity; considers, therefore, that, in addition to an adequate baseline figure, humanitarian aid will require significant ring-fenced flexibility in its design to enable an effective response to the growing crises;

    63. Emphasises that, in a context in which global actors are increasingly using trade interdependence as a means of economic coercion, the Union must bolster its capacity to protect and advance its own strategic interests, develop more robust tools to counter coercion and ensure genuine reciprocity in its partnerships; stresses that such an approach requires the strategic allocation of external financing so as to support, for example, economic, security and energy partnerships that align with the Union’s values and strategic interests;

    64. Considers that enlargement represents an opportunity to strengthen the Union as a geopolitical power and that the next MFF is pivotal for preparing the Union for enlargement and the candidate countries for accession; recalls that the stability, security and democratic resilience of the candidate countries are inextricably connected to those of the EU and require sustained strategic investment, linked to reforms, to support their convergence with Union standards; underlines the important role that citizens and civil society organisations play in the process of enlargement;

    65. Points to the need for strategically targeted support for pre-accession and for growth and investment; is of the view that post-2027 pre-accession assistance should be provided in the form of both grants and loans; believes, in that context, that the future framework should allow for innovative financing mechanisms, as well as lending to candidate countries backed by the budgetary headroom (the difference between the own resources and the MFF ceilings);

    66. Stresses that financial support must be conditional on the implementation of reforms aligned with the Union acquis and policies and adherence to Union values; emphasises, in this regard, the need for a strong governance model that ensures parliamentary accountability, oversight and control and a strong, effective anti-fraud architecture;

    67. Reiterates its full support for Ukrainians in their fight for freedom and democracy and deplores the terrible suffering and impact resulting from Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression; welcomes the decision to grant Ukraine and the neighbouring Republic of Moldova candidate country status and insists on the need to deploy the necessary funds to support their accession processes;

    68. Underlines that pre-accession support to Ukraine has to be distinct from and additional to financial assistance for macroeconomic stability, reconstruction and post-war recovery, where needs are far more substantial and require a concerted international effort, of which support through the Union budget should be an important part;

    69. Is convinced that the existing mandatory revision clause in the event of enlargement should be maintained in the next framework and that national envelopes should not be affected; underlines that the next MFF will also have to put in place appropriate transitional and phasing-in measures for key spending areas, such as cohesion and agriculture, based on a careful assessment of the impacts on different sectors;

    Fundamental rights, Union values and the rule of law

    70. Emphasises the importance of the Union budget and programmes like Erasmus+ and Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values in promoting and protecting democracy and the Union’s values, fostering the Union’s common cultural heritage and European integration, enhancing citizen engagement, civic education and youth participation, safeguarding and promoting fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the rule of law; calls, in this regard, for increased funding for Erasmus+ in the next MFF; points to the importance of the independence of the justice system, the sound functioning of national institutions, de-oligarchisation, robust support for and, in line with article 11(2) TEU, an active dialogue with civil society, which is vital for fostering an active civic space, ensuring accountability and transparency and informing policymakers about best practices from the ground;

    71. Highlights, in that connection, that the recast of the Financial Regulation requires the Commission and the Member States, in the implementation of the budget, to ensure compliance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights and to respect the values on which the Union is founded, which are enshrined in Article 2 TEU; expects the Commission to ensure that the proposals for the next MFF, including for the spending programmes, are aligned with the Financial Regulation recast;

    72. Stresses that instability in neighbouring regions and beyond, poverty, underlying trends in economic development, demographic changes and climate change, continue to generate migration flows towards the Union, placing significant pressure on asylum and migration systems; underlines that the post-2027 MFF must support the full and swift implementation of the Union’s Asylum and Migration Pact and effective return and readmission policies, in line with fundamental rights and EU values, including the principle of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility; underlines, moreover, that, in line with the Pact, the EU must pursue enhanced cooperation and mutually beneficial partnerships with third countries on migration, with adequate parliamentary scrutiny, and that such cooperation must abide by EU and international law;

    73. Underlines that compliance with Union values and fundamental rights is an essential pre-requisite to access EU funds; highlights the importance of strong links between respect for the rule of law and access to EU funds under the current MFF; believes that the protection of the Union’s financial interests depends on respect for the rule of law at national level; welcomes, in particular, the positive impact of the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation in protecting the Union’s financial interests in cases of systemic and persistent breaches of the rule of law; calls on the Commission and the Council to apply the regulation strictly, consistently and without undue delay wherever necessary; emphasises that decisions to suspend or reduce Union funding over breaches of the rule of law must be based on objective criteria and not be guided by other considerations, nor be the outcome of negotiations;

    74. Points to the need for a stronger link between the rule of law and the Union budget post-2027 and welcomes the Commission’s commitment to bolster links between the recommendations in the annual rule of law report and access to funds through the budget; calls on the Commission to outline, in the annual rule of law report from 2025 onwards, the extent to which identified weaknesses in rule of law regimes potentially pose a risk to the Union budget; welcomes, furthermore, the link between respect for Union values and the implementation of the budget and calls on the Commission to actively monitor Member States’ compliance with this principle in a unified manner and to take swift action in the event of non-compliance;

    75. Calls for the consolidation of a robust rule of law toolbox, building on the current conditionality provisions under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the horizontal enabling conditions in the Common Provisions Regulation and the relevant provisions of the Financial Regulation and insists that the toolbox should cover the entire Union budget; underlines the need for far greater transparency and consistency with regard to the application of tools to protect the rule of law and for Parliament’s role to be strengthened in the application and scrutiny of such measures; insists, furthermore, on the need for consistency across instruments when assessing breaches of the rule of law in Member States;

    76. Recalls that the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation provides that final recipients should not be deprived of the benefits of EU funds in the event of sanctions being applied to their government; believes that, to date, this provision has not been effective and stresses the importance of applying a smart conditionality approach so that beneficiaries are not penalised because of their government’s actions; calls on the Commission, in line with its stated intention in the political guidelines, to propose specific measures to ensure that local and regional authorities, civil society and other beneficiaries can continue to benefit from Union funding in cases of breaches of the rule of law by national governments without weakening the application of the regulation and maintaining the Member State’s obligation to pay under Union law;

     A long-term budget that mainstreams the Union’s policy objectives

    77. Stresses that a long-term budget that is fully aligned with the Union’s strategic aims requires that key objectives be mainstreamed across the budget through a set of horizontal principles, building on the lessons from the current MFF and RRF;

    78. Recalls that the implementation of horizontal principles should not lead to an excessive administrative burden on beneficiaries and be in line with the principle of proportionality; calls for innovative solutions and the use of automated reporting tools, including artificial intelligence, to achieve more efficient data collection;

    79. Underlines, therefore, that the next MFF must ensure that, across the board, spending programmes pursue climate and biodiversity objectives, promote and protect rights and equal opportunities for all, including gender equality, support competitiveness and bolster the Union’s preparedness against threats;

    80. Points out that effective mainstreaming is best achieved through a toolbox of measures, primarily through policy, project and regulatory design, thorough impact assessments and solid tracking of spending and, in specific cases, spending targets based on relevant and available data; welcomes the significant improvements in performance reporting in the current MFF, which allow for much better scrutiny of the impact of EU spending and calls for this to be further developed in the next programing period;

    81. Welcomes the development of a methodology to track gender-based spending and considers that the lessons learnt, in particular as regards the collection of gender-disaggregated data, the monitoring of implementation and impact and administrative burden, should be applied in the next MFF in order to improve the methodology; calls on the Commission to explore the feasibility of gender budgeting in the next MFF; stresses, in the same vein, the need for a significant improvement in climate and biodiversity mainstreaming methodologies to move towards the measurement of impact;

    82. Regrets that the Commission has not systematically conducted thorough impact assessments, including gender impact assessments, for all legislation involving spending through the budget and insists that this change;

    83. Is pleased that the climate mainstreaming target of 30 % is projected to be exceeded in the current MFF; regrets, however, that the Union is not on track to meet the 10 % target for 2026 for biodiversity-related expenditure; insists that the targets in the IIA have nevertheless been a major factor in driving climate and biodiversity spending; calls on the Commission to adapt the spending targets contributing positively to climate and biodiversity in line with the Union policy ambitions in this regard, taking into account the investment needs for these policy ambitions;

    84. Stresses, furthermore, that the Union budget should be implemented in line with Article 33(2) of the Financial Regulation, therefore without doing significant harm[12] to the specified objectives, respecting applicable working and employment conditions and taking into account the principle of gender equality;

    85. Welcomes the Commission’s commitment to phase out all fossil fuel subsidies and environmentally harmful subsidies in the next MFF; expects the Commission to come forward with its planned roadmap in this regard as part of its proposal for the next MFF;

    A long-term budget with an effective administration at the service of Europeans

    86. Underlines the need for Union policies to be underpinned by a well-functioning administration; insists that, post-2027, sufficient financial and staff resources be allocated from the outset so that Union institutions, bodies, decentralised agencies and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office can ensure effective and efficient policy design, high-quality delivery and enforcement, provide technical assistance, continue to attract the best people from all Member States, thus ensuring geographical balance, and have leeway to adjust to changing circumstances;

    87. Regrets that the Union’s ability to implement policy effectively and protect its financial interests within the current MFF has been undermined by stretched administrative resources and a dogmatic application of a policy of stable staffing, despite increasing demands and responsibilities; points, for example, to the failure to provide sufficient staff to properly implement and enforce the Digital Services[13] and Digital Markets Acts[14], thus undercutting the legislation’s effectiveness and to the repeated redeployments from programmes to decentralised agencies to cover staffing needs; insists that staffing levels be determined by an objective needs assessment when legislation is proposed and definitively adopted, and factored into planning for administrative expenditure from the outset;

    88. Emphasises that the Commission has sought, to some degree, to circumvent its own stable staffing policy by increasing staff attached to programmes and facilities and thus not covered by the administrative spending ceiling; underscores, however, that such an approach merely masks the problem and may ultimately undermine the operational capacity of programmes; insists, therefore, that additional responsibilities require administrative expenditure and must not erode programme envelopes;

    89. Stresses that up-front investment in secure and interoperable IT infrastructure and data mining capabilities can also generate longer-term cost savings and hugely enhance policy delivery and tracking of spending;

    90. Acknowledges that, in the absence of any correction mechanism in the current MFF, high inflation has significantly driven up statutory costs, requiring extensive use of special instruments to cover the shortfall; regrets that the Council elected not to take up the Commission’s proposal to raise the ceiling for administrative expenditure in the MFF revision, thus further eroding special instruments;

    A long-term budget that is simpler and more transparent

    91. Stresses that the next MFF must be designed so as to simplify the lives of all beneficiaries by cutting unnecessary red tape; underlines that simplification will require harmonising rules and reporting requirements wherever possible, including, as relevant, ensuring consistency between the applicable rules at European, national and regional levels; underlines, in that respect, the need for a genuine, user-friendly single entry point for EU funding and a simplified application procedure designed in consultation with relevant stakeholders; points out, furthermore, that the next MFF must be implemented as close to people as possible;

    92. Calls for genuine simplification where there are overlapping objectives, diverging eligibility criteria and different rules governing horizontal provisions that should be uniform across programmes; considers that an assessment of which spending programmes should be included in the next MFF must be based on the above aspects, on the need to focus spending on clearly identified policy objectives with clear European added value and on the policy intervention logic of each programme; stresses that reducing the number of programmes is not an end in itself;

    93. Underlines that simplification cannot mean more leeway for the Commission without the necessary checks and balances and must therefore be achieved with full respect for the institutional balance provided for in the Treaties;

    94. Insists that simplification cannot come at the expense of the quality of programme design and implementation and that, therefore, a simpler budget must also be a more transparent budget, enabling better accountability, scrutiny, control of spending and reducing the risks of double funding, misuse and fraud; underlines that any reduction in programmes must be offset by a far more detailed breakdown of the budget by budget line, in contrast to some programme mergers in the current MFF, such as the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI – Global Europe), which is an example not to follow; calls, therefore, for a sufficiently detailed breakdown by budget line to enable the budgetary authority to exercise proper accountability and ensure that decision-making in the annual budgetary procedure and in the course of budget implementation is meaningful;

    95. Recalls that transparency is essential to retain citizens’ trust, and that fraud and misuse of funds are extremely detrimental to that trust; underlines, therefore, the need for Parliament to be able to control spending and assess whether discharge can be granted; insists that proper accountability requires robust auditing for all budgetary expenditure based on the application of a single audit trail; calls on the Commission to put in place harmonised and effective anti-fraud mechanisms across funding instruments for the post-2027 MFF that ensure the protection of the Union’s budget;

    96. Reiterates its long-standing position that all EU-level spending should be brought within the purview of the budgetary authority, thereby ensuring transparency, democratic control and protection of the Union’s financial interests; calls, therefore, for the full budgetisation of (partially) off-budget instruments such as the Social Climate Fund, the Innovation Fund and the Modernisation Fund, or their successors;

    A long-term budget that is more flexible and more responsive to crises and shocks

    97. Points out that, traditionally, the MFF has not been conceived with a crisis response or flexibility logic, but rather has been designed primarily to ensure medium-term investment predictability; underlines that, in a rapidly changing political, security, economic and social context, such an approach is no longer tenable; insists on sufficient in-built crisis response capacity in the next MFF;

    98. Underscores that the current MFF has been beset by a lack of flexibility and an inability to adjust to evolving spending priorities; considers that the next MFF needs to strike a better balance between investment predictability and flexibility to adjust spending focus; highlights that spending in certain areas requires greater stability than in others where flexibility is more valuable; stresses that recurrent redeployments are not a viable way to finance the Union’s priorities as they damage investments and jeopardise the delivery of agreed policy objectives;

    99. Believes that, while allocating a significant portion of funding to objectives up-front, spending programmes should retain a substantial in-built flexibility reserve, with allocation to specific policy objectives to be decided by the budgetary authority; notes that the NDICI – Global Europe’s emerging challenges and priorities cushion provides a model for such a flexibility reserve, but that the decision-making process for its mobilisation must not be replicated in the future MFF; points to the need for stronger, more effective scrutiny powers of the co-legislators over the setting of policy priorities and objectives and a detailed budgetary breakdown to ensure that the budgetary authority is equipped to make meaningful and informed decisions;

    100. Underlines that the MFF must have sufficient margins under each heading to ensure that new instruments or spending objectives agreed over the programming period can be accommodated without eroding funding for other policy and long-term strategic objectives or eating into crisis response capacity;

    101. Underlines that the possibility for budgetary transfers under the Financial Regulation already provides for flexibility to adjust to evolving spending needs in the course of budget implementation; stresses that, under the current rules, the Commission has significant freedom to transfer considerable amounts between policy areas without budgetary authority approval, which limits scrutiny and control; calls, therefore, for the rules to be changed so as to introduce a maximum amount, in addition to a maximum percentage per budget line, for transfers without approval; considers that for transfers from Union institutions other than the Commission that are subject to a possible duly justified objection by Parliament or the Council, a threshold below which they would be exempt from that procedure could be a useful measure of simplification;

    102. Recalls that the current MFF has been placed under further strain due to high levels of inflation in a context where an annual 2 % deflator is applied to 2018 prices, reducing the budget’s real-terms value and squeezing its operational and administrative capacity; considers, therefore, that the future budget should be endowed with sufficient response capacity to enable the budget to adapt to inflationary shocks;

    103. Calls for a root-and-branch reform of the existing special instruments to bolster crisis response capacity and ensure an effective and swift reaction through more rapid mobilisation; underlines that the current instruments are both inadequate in size and constrained by excessive rigidity, with several effectively ring-fenced according to crisis type; points out that enhanced crisis response capacity will ensure that cohesion policy funds are not called upon for that purpose and can therefore be used for their intended investment objectives;

    104. Considers that the post-2027 MFF should include only two special instruments – one dedicated to ensuring solidarity in the event of natural disasters (the successor to the existing European Solidarity Reserve) and one for general-purpose crisis response and for responding to any unforeseen needs and emerging priorities, including where amounts in the special instrument for natural disasters are insufficient (the successor to the Flexibility Instrument); insists that both special instruments should be adequately funded from the outset and able to carry over unspent amounts indefinitely over the MFF period; believes that all other special instruments can either be wound up or subsumed into the two special instruments or into existing programmes;

    105. Calls for the future Flexibility Instrument to be heavily front-loaded and subsequently to be fed through a number of additional sources of financing: unspent margins from previous years (as with the current Single Margin Instrument), the annual surplus from the previous year, a fines-based mechanism modelled on the existing Article 5 of the MFF Regulation, reflows from financial instruments and decommitted appropriations; underlines that the next MFF should be designed such that the future special instruments are not required to cover debt repayment;

    106. Underlines that re-use of the surplus, of reflows from financial instruments and surplus provisioning and of decommitments would require amendments to the Financial Regulation;

    107. Points out that, with sufficient up-front resources and such arrangements for re-using unused funds, the budget would have far greater response capacity without impinging on the predictability of national GNI-based contributions; insists that an MFF endowed with greater flexibility and response capacity is less likely to require a substantial mid-term revision;

    A long-term budget that is more results-focused

    108. Emphasises that, in order to maximise impact, it is imperative that spending under the next MFF be much more rigorously aligned with the Union’s strategic policy aims and better coordinated with spending at national level; underlines that, in turn, consultation with regional and local authorities is vital to facilitate access to funding and ensure that Union support meets the real needs of final recipients and delivers tangible benefits for people; underscores the importance of technical assistance to implementing authorities to help ensure timely implementation, additionality of investments and therefore maximum impact;

    109. Underlines that, in order to support effective coordination between Union and national spending, the Commission envisages a ‘new, lean steering mechanism’ designed ‘to reinforce the link between overall policy coordination and the EU budget’; insists that Parliament play a full decision-making role in any coordination or steering mechanism;

    110. Considers that the RRF, with its focus on performance and links between reforms and investments and budgetary support, has helped to drive national investments and reforms that would not otherwise have taken place;

    111. Underlines that the RRF can help to inform the delivery of Union spending under shared management; recalls, however, that the RRF was agreed in the very specific context of the COVID-19 pandemic and cannot, therefore, be replicated wholesale for future investment programmes;

    112. Points out that spending under shared management in the next MFF must involve regional and local authorities and all relevant stakeholders from design to delivery through a place-based and multilevel governance approach and in line with an improved partnership principle, ensure the cross-border European dimension of investment projects, and focus on results and impact rather than outputs by setting measurable performance indicators, ensuring availability of relevant data and feeding into programme design and adjustment;

    113. Underlines that the design of shared management spending under the next MFF must safeguard Parliament’s role as legislator, budgetary and discharge authority and in holding the executive to account, putting in place strict accountability mechanisms and guaranteeing full transparency in relation to final recipients or groups of recipients of Union spending funds through an interoperable system enabling effective tracking of cash flows and project progress;

    114. Considers that the ‘one national plan per Member State’ approach envisaged by the Commission is not in line with the principles set out above and cannot be the basis for shared management spending post-2027; recalls that, in this regard, the Union is required, under Article 175 TFEU, to provide support through instruments for agricultural, regional and social spending;

    A long-term budget that manages liabilities sustainably

    115. Recalls Parliament’s very firm opposition to subjecting the repayment of NGEU borrowing costs to a cap within an MFF heading given that these costs are subject to market conditions, influenced by external factors and thus inherently volatile, and that the repayment of borrowing costs is a non-discretionary legal obligation; stresses that introducing new own resources is also necessary to prevent future generations from bearing the burden of past debts;

    116. Deplores the fact that, under the existing architecture and despite the joint declaration by the three institutions as part of the 2020 MFF agreement whereby expenditure to cover NGEU financing costs ‘shall aim at not reducing programmes and funds’, financing for key Union programmes and resources available for special instruments, even after the MFF revision, have de facto been competing with the repayment of NGEU borrowing costs in a context of steep inflation and rising interest rates; recalls that pressure on the budget driven by NGEU borrowing costs was a key factor in cuts to flagship programmes in the MFF revision;

    117. Underlines that, to date, the Union budget has been required only to repay interest related to NGEU and that, from 2028 onwards, the budget will also have to repay the capital; underscores that, according to the Commission, the total costs for NGEU capital and interest repayments are projected to be around EUR 25-30 billion a year from 2028, equivalent to 15-20 % of payment appropriations in the 2025 budget;

    118. Acknowledges that, while NGEU borrowing costs will be more stable in the next MFF period as bonds will already have been issued, the precise repayment profile will have an impact on the level of interest and thus on the degree of volatility; insists, therefore, that all costs related to borrowing backed by the Union budget or the budgetary headroom be treated distinctly from appropriations for EU programmes within the MFF architecture;

    119. Points, in that regard, to the increasing demand for the Union budget to serve as a guarantee for the Union’s vital support through macro-financial assistance and the associated risks; underlines that, in the event of default or the withdrawal of national guarantees, the Union budget ultimately underwrites all macro-financial assistance loans and therefore bears significant and inherently unpredictable contingent liabilities, notably in relation to Ukraine;

    120. Calls, therefore, on the Commission to design a sound and durable architecture that enables sustainable management of all non-discretionary costs and liabilities, fully preserving Union programmes and the budget’s flexibility and response capacity;

    A long-term budget that is properly resourced and sustainably financed

    121. Underlines that, as described above, the budgetary needs post-2027 will be significantly higher than the amounts allocated to the 2021-2027 MFF and, in addition, will need to cover borrowing costs and debt repayment; insists, therefore, that the next MFF be endowed with significantly increased resources compared to the 2021-2027 period, moving away from the historically restrictive, self-imposed level of 1 % of GNI, which has prevented the Union from delivering on its ambitions and deprived it of the ability to respond to crises and adapt to emerging needs;

    122. Considers that all instruments and tools should be explored in order to provide the Union with those resources, in line with its priorities and identified needs; considers, in this respect, that joint borrowing through the issuance of EU bonds presents a viable option to ensure that the Union has sufficient resources to respond to acute Union-wide crises such as the ongoing crisis in the area of security and defence;

    123. Reiterates the need for sustainable and resilient revenue for the Union budget; points to the legally binding roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources in the IIA, in which Parliament, the Council and the Commission undertook to introduce sufficient new own resources to at least cover the repayment of NGEU debt; underlines that, overall, the basket of new own resources should be fair, linked to broader Union policy aims and agreed on time and with sufficient volume to meet the heightened budgetary needs;

    124. Recalls its support for the amended Commission proposal on the system of own resources; is deeply concerned by the complete absence of progress on the system of own resources in the Council; calls on the Council to adopt this proposal as a matter of urgency; and urges the Commission to spare no effort in supporting the adoption process;

    125. Calls furthermore, on the Commission to continue efforts to identify additional innovative and genuine new own resources and other revenue sources beyond those specified in the IIA; stresses that new own resources are essential not only to enable repayment of NGEU borrowing, but to ensure that the Union is equipped to cover its the higher spending needs;

    126. Calls on the Commission to design a modernised budget with a renewed spending focus, driven by the need for fairness, greater simplification, a reduced administrative burden and more transparency, including on the revenue side; underlines that existing rebates and corrections automatically expire at the end of the current MFF;

    127. Welcomes the decision, in the recast of the Financial Regulation, to treat as negative revenue any interest or other charge due to a third party relating to amounts of fines, other penalties or sanctions that are cancelled or reduced by the Court of Justice; recalls that this solution comes to an end on 31 December 2027; invites the Commission to propose a definitive solution for the next MFF that achieves the same objective of avoiding any impact on the expenditure side of the budget;

    A long-term budget grounded in close interinstitutional cooperation

    128. Underlines that Parliament intends to fully exercise its prerogatives as legislator, budgetary authority and discharge authority under the Treaties;

    129. Recalls that the requirement for close interinstitutional cooperation between the Commission, the Council and Parliament from the early design stages to the final adoption of the MFF is enshrined in the Treaties and further detailed in the IIA;

    130. Emphasises Parliament’s commitment to play its role fully throughout the process; believes that the design of the MFF should be bottom-up and based on the extensive involvement of stakeholders; underlines, furthermore, the need for a strategic dialogue among the three institutions in the run-up to the MFF proposals;

    131. Calls on the Commission to put forward practical arrangements for cooperation and genuine negotiations from the outset; points, in particular, to the importance of convening meetings of the three Presidents, as per Article 324 TFEU, wherever they can aid progress, and insists that the Commission follow up when Parliament requests such meetings; reminds the Commission of its obligation to provide information to Parliament on an equal footing with the Council as the two arms of the budgetary authority and as co-legislators on MFF-related basic acts;

    132. Recalls that the IIA specifically provides for Parliament, the Council and the Commission to ‘seek to determine specific arrangements for cooperation and dialogue’; stresses that the cooperation provisions set out in the IIA, including regular meetings between Parliament and the Council, are a bare minimum and that much more is needed to give effect to the principle in Article 312(5) TFEU of taking ‘any measure necessary to facilitate the adoption of a new MFF’; calls, therefore, on the successive Council presidencies to respect not only the letter, but also the spirit of the Treaties;

    133. Recalls that the late adoption of the MFF regulation and related legislation for the 2014-2020 and 2021-2027 periods led to significant delays, which hindered the proper implementation of EU programmes; insists, therefore, that every effort be made to ensure timely adoption of the upcoming MFF package;

    134. Expects the Commission, as part of the package of MFF proposals, to put forward a new IIA in line with the realities of the new budget, including with respect to the management of contingent liabilities; stresses that the changes to the Financial Regulation necessary for alignment with the new MFF should enter into force at the same time as the MFF Regulation;

    135. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Oxbridge / SurancePlus to Attend TOKEN2049 Dubai

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: OXBR) (“Oxbridge Re”), together with its subsidiary SurancePlus, is engaged in the tokenization of Real-World Assets (“RWAs”), initially with tokenized reinsurance securities and in providing reinsurance solutions to property and casualty insurers in the Gulf Coast region of the United States. The company today announced its participation in TOKEN2049 Dubai, one of the world’s premier blockchain events, taking place from April 30 to May 1, 2025 at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE.

    TOKEN2049 Dubai is expected to host over 15,000 attendees from more than 160 countries, with participation from over 4,000 companies. The conference features industry-defining keynotes, panels, networking sessions and side events.

    Oxbridge and SurancePlus will highlight their SEC-compliant compliant tokenized reinsurance securities, offering access to an asset class traditionally not accessible to most. These offerings are currently listed on the Securitize platform and issued using the Avalanche blockchain, providing regulatory alignment, investor transparency, and efficient execution. Qualified investors have access to two high-yield investment opportunities that deliver returns uncorrelated to capital markets.

    Learn more and invest at SurancePlus.com/invest

    Jay Madhu, CEO of Oxbridge, commented, TOKEN2049 Dubai is a great opportunity to engage with stakeholders across the digital asset ecosystem. We will be discussing updates on our tokenized reinsurance offerings and how we are broadening access to this asset class through compliant, blockchain-based securities.”

    Meet Oxbridge / SurancePlus at TOKEN2049 Dubai

    Investors and potential partners interested in Oxbridge and SurancePlus’ tokenized reinsurance offerings are encouraged to connect with the team during the event. Contact details are provided below.

    Disclaimer: This press release does not constitute an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy the EtaCat Re or ZetaCat Re tokenized reinsurance securities (the “Securities”). The Securities are not required to be, and have not been, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in reliance on the exemptions provided by Regulation S and SEC Rule 506(c) thereunder. Offers and sales of the Securities are made only by, and pursuant to, the terms set forth in the Confidential Private Placement Memorandum relating to the Securities. The offering of the Securities is not being made to persons in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky, or other laws of such jurisdiction.

    About Oxbridge Re Holdings Limited 

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

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

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

    Company Contact:

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

    Forward-Looking Statements

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: North American Construction Group Ltd. Announces Pricing of Private Placement Offering of $225 Million Senior Unsecured Notes

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ACHESON, Alberta, April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — North American Construction Group Ltd. (“NACG”) (TSX: NOA / NYSE: NOA) announced today that it has entered into an underwriting agreement to sell, pursuant to a private placement offering (the “Offering”), $225 million aggregate principal amount of 7.75% Senior Unsecured Notes due May 1, 2030 (the “Notes”). The Notes will be issued at a price of $1,000 per $1,000 of Notes. The Notes will accrue interest at the rate of 7.75% per annum, payable in cash in equal payments semi-annually in arrears each November 1 and May 1, commencing on November 1, 2025. The Notes will be issued pursuant to an indenture to be entered into between NACG and Computershare Trust Company of Canada, as trustee.

    NACG intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to repay indebtedness under its existing Credit Agreement, and for general corporate purposes.

    The Notes are being conditionally offered for sale in Canada on a private placement basis pursuant to certain prospectus exemptions. The Notes have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act“), or any state securities laws, and are being offered and sold in the United States only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws and outside the United States in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act.

    The Offering is being led by National Bank Financial Inc., including its U.S. affiliates, ATB Securities Inc., Scotia Capital Inc., TD Securities Inc., BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., CIBC World Markets Inc., Canaccord Genuity Corp., Raymond James Ltd., and Ventum Financial Corp.

    Subject to customary closing conditions, the closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about May 1, 2025.

    This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, nor shall there be any offer or sale of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

    About the Company

    North American Construction Group Ltd. is a premier provider of heavy civil construction and mining services in Australia, Canada, and the U.S. For over 70 years, NACG has provided services to the mining, resource and infrastructure construction markets.

    Forward-Looking Information

    The information provided in this release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “should” or similar expressions and include guidance with respect to the Offering, including, but not limited to, the expected closing of the Offering and the use of proceeds of the Offering. The material factors or assumptions used to develop the above forward-looking statements, and the risks and uncertainties to which such forward-looking statements are subject, include, but are not limited to, the closing of the Offering, the anticipated closing date of the Offering and the expected use of proceeds of the Offering, interest rates and market conditions, heavy equipment demand, and credit risks and existing indebtedness. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements because of any number of factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond NACG’s control. Although NACG believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and NACG cautions you to not place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements. NACG undertakes no obligation, other than those required by applicable law, to update or revise such forward-looking statements. For more complete information about NACG, please read our disclosure documents filed with the SEC and the CSA. These free documents can be obtained by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov or on the CSA website at www.sedarplus.ca and on our company website at www.nacg.ca.

    For more information, contact:

    Jason Veenstra, CPA, CA
    Chief Financial Officer
    North American Construction Group Ltd.
    (780) 960.7171
    ir@nacg.ca
    www.nacg.ca

    Source: North American Construction Group Ltd.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Harbourfront Wealth Acquires KJ Harrison & Partners, a $2.2 billion CIRO dealer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Harbourfront Wealth Holdings Inc. (“Harbourfront Wealth”) proudly announces the acquisition of KJ Harrison & Partners (“KJH”), a premier High Net Worth and Family Office boutique. This strategic acquisition strengthens Harbourfront Wealth’s leadership in independent wealth management across Canada.

    With this milestone transaction, which includes KJH’s registered investment dealer under Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), Harbourfront Wealth’s total assets under administration (AUA) is approaching CAD $11 billion. This expansion further enhances Harbourfront Wealth’s ability to deliver customized wealth solutions to high-net-worth families and private clients.

    Both firms are deeply committed to independence, transparency and delivering an exceptional client experience, making KJH a natural fit within Harbourfront Wealth.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome KJ Harrison & Partners to the Harbourfront Wealth family,” said Danny Popescu, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Harbourfront. “KJH’s reputation for exceptional, client-centric wealth management aligns perfectly with our culture and commitment to excellence. This partnership amplifies our ability to offer innovative and industry-leading investment solutions for clients nationwide. Together, we are well-positioned to accelerate growth and redefine independent wealth management in Canada.”

    “At KJ Harrison & Partners, we have always focused on delivering solid, long-term, risk-adjusted investment returns and highly personalized wealth solutions with exceptional client service,” said Joel Clark, Chief Executive Officer of KJ Harrison & Partners. “Joining Harbourfront Wealth allows us to continue this legacy while enhancing our capabilities through access to a robust investment platform, cutting-edge technology, and advanced compliance and risk management. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership creates for our clients and our team.”

    About KJ Harrison & Partners (KJH)

    Founded in 2001, KJ Harrison & Partners is a leading private investment management and wealth advisory firm dedicated to serving high-net-worth individuals, families, and family offices. KJH is recognized for its bespoke investment strategies, comprehensive wealth planning, and unwavering commitment to helping clients achieve long-term financial success.

    About Harbourfront Wealth

    Founded in 2013, Harbourfront Wealth is an independent wealth advisory and investment management firm headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. Harbourfront Wealth encompasses a registered securities dealer/investment advisory firm serving established advisors and their high-net-worth clients, an investment fund manager specializing in third-party managed alternative investment funds, and a U.S. SEC-registered investment advisory firm.

    Learn more: www.harbourfrontwealth.com

    Media Contact

    Sheila Malchenko

    Harbourfront Wealth Management

    smalchenko@harbourfrontwealth.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: One Step at a Time: Labyrinths (Even Temporary Ones) Are a Place for Wellness

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    For centuries, labyrinths have served as symbols of personal journeys, struggles, and triumphs. In addition to being the setting for classic myths, labyrinths are also a place where, with each thoughtful step, one can wander and process topics weighing heavily on the mind.

    UConn Department of Sociology Professor-in-Residence Phoebe Godfrey, Department of Geography, Sustainability, Community and Urban Studies Professor Carol Atkinson-Palombo, and students recently installed a temporary labyrinth on campus to raise awareness for the possibility of a permanent remembrance labyrinth on the Storrs campus. The temporary chalk labyrinth can be found in between the Austin Building and Beach Hall until the next rain. 

    Godfrey is inspired to advocate for a future labyrinth as a place on campus where people can gather, and temporary labyrinths are a great way to share the idea and purpose of the project. “My classes are all linked to helping students connect more deeply with their bodies, and the Earth as part of their and planetary well-being, and labyrinths are a great way to do this,” says Godfrey. “Many other schools have built them for similar reasons, including a small one at Eastern Connecticut State University.” 

    After the success of the buddy bench project, Godfrey connected with UConn’s Director of Site Planning & University Landscape Architect Sean Vasington with the idea. 

    Alanna Torres-Laboy ’23 (CLAS), ’25 MA, a graduate assistant in UConn’s Dean of Students Office, walks on the temporary labyrinth set up on the Founders Green on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

    “For decades prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and since, health care providers have emphasized the importance of natural and built environments and their influence on our overall health and wellbeing, recommending nature-based programs as one way to help alleviate stress,” Vasington says. “There is also a strong connection between the quality of the conditions and features of a campus landscape and the mental health of students, including their ability to perform to their full potential academically. UConn is fortunate to have beautiful, open grounds and forests with ample walking paths and communal sitting areas; however it can also benefit from more quiet, reflective spaces within the campus core that connect us to nature. The proposed garden and labyrinth will do just that.” 

    Godfrey also attended a conference and met with educators at the University of Massachusetts who are working toward building a permanent installation on their campus. The UMass project has been underway for almost 10 years, and was bolstered by a study that suggested that labyrinth walking can lower blood pressure and pulse rate and increase overall satisfaction.  

    As with the current labyrinth installation, in Spring 2024 a temporary labyrinth was constructed between the Austin Building and Beach Hall for Earth Day. The installation included a journal for participants to share their thoughts or reflections, and the response was greater than anticipated.  

    Godfrey says around 25 people who visited the labyrinth last year wrote in the journal about their positive experiences interacting with the labyrinth. 

    “The diverse and yet collectively positive impact of labyrinths on university students has been documented,” says Godfrey. “Positive impacts include mental health and well-being, connecting walkers to a sense of place, sacredness and an ancient practice, and offering opportunities for lessons in contemplation and self-care. These claims were and continue to be supported by our student testimonies.” 

    Ella Barnett ‘24 (CLAS) helped with the construction of the labyrinth last spring and came back this year as an alum to help and document this year’s labyrinth through photography.

    “It has been beautiful to watch the labyrinth come to life for the second year in a row. I am grateful that it is able to create a space where individuals have an excuse to connect on the simplest terms, being a human with thought on Earth,” says Barnett.  

    Eduen Smith ’25 (CLAS) also helped construct this spring’s labyrinth.

    “This pop-up labyrinth is linked to a pop-up class from last fall based on the book ‘All We Can Save.’ The signs you see at the labyrinth were made by the students in class. They showcase some excerpts from various pieces in the book,” says Smith. “For me, this labyrinth is an example of how our students should be supported. A labyrinth is a simple creation that can impact folx’s mental health in profoundly positive ways. It’d also be a great permanent addition to our campus and even help beautify it!” 

    Though the spring installation was created with spray paint, other types of temporary labyrinths can be projected by light, constructed with yarn, or made of canvas or any other material — the creative possibilities are endless. 

    The potential project was granted space behind Arjona and engineered a few years ago, but to make it happen, Godfrey says, new momentum must be generated by recognizing the value of such ancient practice for our students now and into the future.  

    “The next challenge is to raise funding to complete the design and installation. Based on the success of the previous temporary installation, we hope this Spring installation will continue to build awareness and support for our permanent version,” says Godfrey. 

    When the weather is nice, people gather around Mirror Lake or Swan Lake, and landmarks like the former beloved Swing Tree and the buddy benches serve as areas where people can sit and enjoy the scenery. The labyrinth project’s collaborators hope the plan goes forward so the labyrinth can be another place on campus where students can hang out and enjoy the outdoors. In the meantime, to alleviate the end-of-semester stress, spend some time decompressing while you explore the latest temporary labyrinth installation.  

    The importance of decompressing and living in the moment is illustrated by a quote from a student who left a reflection of their time in the labyrinth in the journal:

    “My intention entering the labyrinth was to let go of this sense of hopelessness that has taken over me recently. As I took a stone, I prepared my body to take a breath and begin the walk. As I walked through the labyrinth, I imagined each hopeless thought as a stone that was weighing me down that dropped from my shoulders with every step I took. Finally, as I reached the center of the labyrinth, I placed the stone in the middle, symbolizing my own ‘pilgrimage for hope’. I felt connected to the Earth.” 
     

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. García, Meng, Vargas, and Espaillat Oppose the Dismantling of Office Supporting English Language Learners, Call for Reversal of Decision

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Tuesday, U.S. Representatives Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Grace Meng (NY-06), Juan Vargas (CA-52), and Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) , joined by 41 colleagues, sent a letter urging U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to immediately reverse the Department of Education’s decision to dismantle the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) and terminate nearly all its staff. 

    In the letter, Members denounce the Department’s March decision to merge OELA into the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), stating it “severely undermines the Department’s ability to meet its legal and moral obligations to English Learners (ELs).

    “Dismantling OELA is an outright attack on the more than five million English Learners in our public schools,” the letter states. “These students—most of whom are U.S. citizens–deserve targeted support and resources. Gutting the very office responsible for that support is not just irresponsible—it’s indefensible.”

    OELA oversees key federal programs, including the $890 million Title II English Language Acquisition grants, and supports initiatives to recruit bilingual educators, improve instruction, and disseminate resources through the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA). The termination of OELA staff with specialized expertise, the letter argues, jeopardizes the Department’s ability to administer these programs and enforce Title III requirements. 

    The letter emphasizes that OELA is statutorily mandated to operate as a standalone office reporting directly to the Secretary. Its elimination raises serious legal questions and signals a disregard for congressional intent under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). 

    The letter demands full transparency on the legal and equity impact of the Department’s actions, and they request a response by April 30, 2025. The letter also poses direct questions to Secretary McMahon about the Department’s plans for administering Title III grants, conducting equity analyses, and ensuring the continued prioritization of English Learners under the reorganized structure.

    “We commend Congressman García for standing up for English Learners at a time when their access to quality education is under threat,” said Janet Murguia, President and CEO, UnidosUS. “The Department’s decision to gut OELA not only undermines critical educational support, but it also violates the principles of equity and inclusion for all students. We urge the Administration to reinstate OELA as an independent office with the authority and expertise our students deserve.”

    “The hypocrisy is befuddling. Just weeks after signing an executive order mandating English as our official language, the president destroys the office dedicated to helping students learn it,” said Randi Weingarten, President of American Federation of Teachers. “President Trump might not care, but as the union representing most of the educators who teach in schools with English language learners, we are committed to the intellectual and social development of all students—and we will continue to fight for the tools and resources they need to succeed and navigate the world around them.”

    A full text of the letter is available here. 

    Co-signers of the letter include: Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Monica McIver (NJ-10), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) Shri Thanadar (MI-13), Darren Soto (FL-09), Linda Sánchez (CA-36), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Salud Carabajal (CA-24), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Henry “Hank Johnson” (GA-04), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Norma Torres (CA-35), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Danny Davis (IL-07), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dina Titus (NV-01), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Summer Lee (PA-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Judy Chu (CA-28), Ed Case (HI-01), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Sarah McBride (DE-AL), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Janice Schakowsky (IL-09), Greg Casar (TX-35), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Jared Huffman (CA-02), and Jerrold Nadler (NY-12). 

    A full list of endorsing organizations is available here. 

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Stauber, Minnesota Republicans Request Review of Rep. Angie Craig’s Potential Ethics Violations

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08), Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (MN-06), and Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01) sent a letter to the House Committee on Ethics and the Committee on House Administration urging them to review potential violations of House rules by Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02). 

    “House Ethics rules clearly prohibit Members of Congress from using official resources to promote political events. Yet, Rep. Angie Craig used her taxpayer-funded congressional office to further her political ambitions by publicizing campaign-sponsored events and soliciting donations for political fundraising,” the Representatives stated. “This misuse of public resources erodes the trust Americans place in their elected officials and undermines the integrity of our institutions, which is why we are calling on the House Ethics Committee and the Committee on House Administration to thoroughly review Rep. Craig’s conduct.” 

    Read the full letter below: 

    Dear Chairmen Guest and Steil and Ranking Members DeSaulnier and Morelle, 

    We write today regarding Rep. Angie Craig’s potential violations of House rules through the use of official office resources for campaign purposes.  

    As you know, both the House Ethics Manual and the Members’ Handbook strictly prohibit the use of official House resources, including the Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA), official communications, congressional office equipment, office supplies, and congressional staff time, for campaign or political purposes. 

    On April 5, 2025, Rep. Angie Craig, who represents Minnesota’s Second Congressional District, had an Op-Ed published in the Minnesota Star Tribune newspaper from her official office where she made the announcement that she would be holding ‘town halls’ in the four U.S. House Congressional Districts represented by Republicans, excluding the three other U.S. House Congressional Districts represented by Democrats. On April 6, 2025, Rep. Angie Craig published a post from her official social media account – @RepAngieCraig – promoting that Op-Ed and reiterating her announcement that she would be hosting ‘town halls’ in Minnesota’s First, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Congressional Districts, again only those represented by Republicans. On April 16, 2025, Rep. Angie Craig published a post from her political campaign social media that the week of April 21st and April 25th, 2025, Rep. Craig would hold ‘town halls’ in Grand Rapids, St. Cloud, Willmar, and Mankato, Minnesota, all of which are located outside the Representative’s district. These ‘town halls’ which were initially published and promoted through Rep. Angie Craig’s official office are now directing people to Rep. Angie Craig’s political campaign website and soliciting support for her political campaign. 

    The integrity of the House and the trust of the American people in our institution demand full transparency and accountability in matters of official conduct. Misusing public funds for campaign activity undermines the confidence of our constituents and the principle that elected office should be used to serve the people, not advance one’s own political ambitions.

    We urge your committees to conduct a thorough review of this matter and to take any steps necessary to ensure full compliance with all applicable rules and statutes. Thank you for your attention to this matter and your commitment to upholding the ethical standards that the American people rightfully expect of their elected representatives.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Best Online Casinos Canada: Why 7Bit Casino Is Ranked As Top Canadian Online Casino

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PORTLAND, Ore., April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Whether you are looking for luck-based games like slots or skill-based games like poker, 7Bit Casino delivers the best. In this review, we’ll examine its features, including its bonus offers, game collection, payment methods, and signup process, which make 7Bit the best online casino in Canada.

    Click Here To Join 7Bit Casino

    A Closer Look at the Best Online Casino in Canada: 7Bit Casino

    Serving Canadian online casino players with a unique gambling experience for years, 7Bit, the best online casino Canada has established a strong position in the online gambling industry. With a generous bonus package, including a 325% welcome pack up to 5.25 BTC and 250 free spins, special cashbacks, exclusive Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday bonuses, this best online casino Canada offers its players an enhanced bankroll, giving them more reason to play.

    7Bit’s game collection is incomparable, from slots to table games and video poker to live dealer games, players are offered an extensive game library. It is rare that you don’t find a game that caters to your preferences at 7Bit online casino Canada.

    In addition to traditional blackjack, roulette, and poker, players can enjoy premier Bitcoin games, making it a go-to gambling platform for crypto enthusiasts. Of the approximately 5,000 games available, at least 4,000 are based on crypto gambling. For players who are afraid of risking money, demo games are available; enjoy gambling without staking your pocket at 7Bit, the best online casino in Canada.

    Payment options are numerous. Whether you are into traditional payments or digital transactions like cryptocurrency, you can find your choice of payment option at 7Bit, the best Canadian online casino. With a wide range of options, the deposit and withdrawal process is seamless, helping players to focus more on gaming without waiting long for transactions to complete. However, the credit card and bank transfers take a bit more time to complete, compared to e-wallet and crypto transactions.

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    What Makes 7Bit the Best Online Casino in Canada?

    Reviewing many online casinos, including their bonus policies, game varieties, encryption technologies, customer support, and many other factors, we concluded 7Bit as the best online casino in Canada. Below, we discuss the features of this casino that contributed to its wide popularity and acceptance among Canadian players.

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    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/26c8297c-4df1-47b1-9448-a50bdd966987

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Ramirez, Housing Advocates Say “Hands Off” Affordable Housing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Delia Ramirez – Illinois (3rd District)

    CHICAGO, IL — Yesterday, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), local advocates, and public housing residents demanded the Trump Administration abandon actions that deepen the housing affordability crisis, reverse its layoffs of 50% of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) staff, and reinstate more than $52.5 million in frozen HUD funds for Illinois.  During a press conference, the Congresswoman also announced the reintroduction of critical housing legislation that would expand affordable housing funding and protect tenants’ rights to organize. The legislative package includes her Tenants’ Right to Organize Act and a bill to expand permanent housing for veterans through the Veterans Affairs Grant Per Diem Program. 

    “In the midst of an affordable housing crisis, the Administration is putting in motion a cruel plan to rob working families of the resources we need to thrive and prosper in order to pad the pockets of their billionaire friends. But that won’t deter us. We are standing strong in the plan we unveiled for the future of housing, a progressive vision of affordable, sustainable housing for all, by tenants and for tenants,” said Congresswoman Ramirez, referencing her legislative package for affordable housing unveiled in April 2024. “We believe that HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT. That is why I am using every tool at my disposal to fight back in DC and support our communities organizing for affordable housing for all.”

    “We are pleased to welcome Congresswoman Ramirez to 65th Infantry Borinqueneers Apartments, which Hispanic Housing constructed in 2016 to provide supportive housing to veterans with incomes as low as 30% of the area median income,” said Tony Hernandez, President & CEO of Hispanic Housing Development Corporation. “These 48 units are a testament to how a public-private partnership like the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit can combine with dedicated rental subsidies through HUD and the VA to help build homes for those who have served our country. This development could not have been built and could not operate without the HUD and VA programs that Congresswoman Ramirez is fighting to preserve and without the LIHTC, which she is working to expand.“

    “Housing is a basic human right—-and that right is under threat as federal housing programs and funding are threatened with cuts and staff are let go,” said Joy Arugete, CEO of Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation. “But this isn’t just about housing, it’s also about the economy. According to the National Association of Home Builders, building 1000 apartments generates 1250 jobs and $55.9 million in tax and other revenue for local, state, and federal governments. We must come together to ensure everyone has a place to call home, so our communities can truly thrive.”

    “Without federal funding sources and the people who make them possible, families will not be able to save or leverage their homes for education, receive lifesaving healthcare, or pass down a home to build generational wealth,” said Amanda Zahorak, Senior Advocacy & Communications Manager for DuPage and Chicago South Suburbs DuPage Habitat for Humanity. “HUD cuts are an injustice to the very magic of being able to show the world what can happen when the government, private, and nonprofit sectors come together to provide the resources our communities need to thrive.”

    “As this new administration quietly pulls back support from HUD, low-income families are already suffering. Rent keeps rising, but housing assistance is shrinking while over 10 million renters nationally pay more than half their income just to stay housed,” said Catherine Serpa, CHA resident and Local Advisory Council President for North Central and North West Scattered Sites. And now, programs like Section 8 are being scaled back, leaving families in crisis. Housing is a human right—not a budget cut. If we let this continue, we’re not just losing homes. We’re losing lives.”

    “The Administration is turning its back on low-income tenants. It is thus especially important that renters are able to turn towards each other. The Tenants’ Right to Organize Act expands protections to ensure that more renters can come together to advocate for better living conditions –windows that keep out the cold, consistently running water –  without fear of reprisal,” said tenants’ rights attorney Eric Sirota.

    To watch the full press conference, CLICK HERE. 

    For photos, CLICK HERE.

    Background:

    Since coming to Congress, Congresswoman Ramirez has built a coalition with progressives in Congress, local housing leaders, and national organizations to advance a bold vision for the future of housing. Congresswoman Ramirez is centering tenants’ vision and power as a cornerstone of our housing future. Her legislation empowers tenants, especially low-income, women, Black, Brown, and immigrant tenants, to transform the housing landscape in our country.

    Ramirez’s multisectoral focus on housing responds to the current national housing crisis, worsened by Trump’s policies. According to the National Housing Coalition, there is a staggering 7.1 million shortage of affordable homes, with over 293,000 just in Illinois. The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates 771,480 people are experiencing street and shelter homelessness on any given day, setting new records. In addition, tens of thousands of Illinois families live doubled-up with family and friends. It is estimated that the expansion of tariffs on steel, aluminum, lumber, and other construction materials will increase the cost to build affordable, quality housing. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Tracks Snowmelt to Improve Water Management

    Source: NASA

    As part of a science mission tracking one of Earth’s most precious resources – water – NASA’s C-20A aircraft conducted a series of seven research flights in March that can help researchers track the process and timeline as snow melts and transforms into a freshwater resource. The agency’s Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) installed on the aircraft collected measurements of seasonal snow cover and estimate the freshwater contained in it.
    “Seasonal snow is a critical resource for drinking water, power generation, supporting multi-billion dollar agricultural and recreation industries,” said Starr Ginn, C-20A project manager at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.  “Consequently, understanding the distribution of seasonal snow storage and subsequent runoff is essential.”
    The Dense UAVSAR Snow Time (DUST) mission mapped snow accumulation over the Sierra Nevada mountains in California and the Rocky Mountains in Idaho. Mission scientists can use these observations to estimate the amount of water stored in that snow.

    “Until recently, defining the best method for accurately measuring snow water equivalent (SWE) – or how much and when fresh water is converted from snow – has been a challenge,” said Shadi Oveisgharan, principal investigator of DUST and scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “The UAVSAR has been shown to be a good instrument to retrieve SWE data.”
    Recent research has shown that snow properties, weather patterns, and seasonal conditions in the American West have been shifting in recent decades. These changes have fundamentally altered previous expectations about snowpack monitoring and forecasts of snow runoff. The DUST mission aims to better track and understand those changes to develop more accurate estimates of snow-to-water conversions and their timelines.
    “We are trying to find the optimum window during which to retrieve snow data,” Oveisgharan said. “This estimation will help us better estimate available fresh snow and manage our reservoirs better.”

    The DUST mission achieved a new level of snow data accuracy, which is partly due to the specialized flight paths flown by the C-20A. The aircraft’s Platform Precision Autopilot (PPA) enables the team to fly very specific routes at exact altitudes, speeds, and angles so the UAVSAR can more precisely measure terrain changes.
    “Imagine the rows made on grass by a lawn mower,” said Joe Piotrowski Jr., operations engineer for NASA Armstrong’s airborne science program. “The PPA system enables the C-20A to make those paths while measuring terrain changes down to the diameter of a centimeter.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Marshall Fires Up Hybrid Rocket Motor to Prep for Moon Landings

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s Artemis campaign will use human landing systems, provided by SpaceX and Blue Origin, to safely transport crew to and from the surface of the Moon, in preparation for future crewed missions to Mars. As the landers touch down and lift off from the Moon, rocket exhaust plumes will affect the top layer of lunar “soil,” called regolith, on the Moon. When the lander’s engines ignite to decelerate prior to touchdown, they could create craters and instability in the area under the lander and send regolith particles flying at high speeds in various directions.
    To better understand the physics behind the interaction of exhaust from the commercial human landing systems and the Moon’s surface, engineers and scientists at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, recently test-fired a 14-inch hybrid rocket motor more than 30 times. The 3D-printed hybrid rocket motor, developed at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, ignites both solid fuel and a stream of gaseous oxygen to create a powerful stream of rocket exhaust.
    “Artemis builds on what we learned from the Apollo missions to the Moon. NASA still has more to learn more about how the regolith and surface will be affected when a spacecraft much larger than the Apollo lunar excursion module lands, whether it’s on the Moon for Artemis or Mars for future missions,” said Manish Mehta, Human Landing System Plume & Aero Environments discipline lead engineer. “Firing a hybrid rocket motor into a simulated lunar regolith field in a vacuum chamber hasn’t been achieved in decades. NASA will be able to take the data from the test and scale it up to correspond to flight conditions to help us better understand the physics, and anchor our data models, and ultimately make landing on the Moon safer for Artemis astronauts.”

    Over billions of years, asteroid and micrometeoroid impacts have ground up the surface of the Moon into fragments ranging from huge boulders to powder, called regolith.
    Regolith can be made of different minerals based on its location on the Moon. The varying mineral compositions mean regolith in certain locations could be denser and better able to support structures like landers.

    Of the 30 test fires performed in NASA Marshall’s Component Development Area, 28 were conducted under vacuum conditions and two were conducted under ambient pressure. The testing at Marshall ensures the motor will reliably ignite during plume-surface interaction testing in the 60-ft. vacuum sphere at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, later this year.
    Once the testing at NASA Marshall is complete, the motor will be shipped to NASA Langley. Test teams at NASA Langley will fire the hybrid motor again but this time into simulated lunar regolith, called Black Point-1, in the 60-foot vacuum sphere. Firing the motor from various heights, engineers will measure the size and shape of craters the rocket exhaust creates as well as the speed and direction the simulated lunar regolith particles travel when the rocket motor exhaust hits them.
    “We’re bringing back the capability to characterize the effects of rocket engines interacting with the lunar surface through ground testing in a large vacuum chamber — last done in this facility for the Apollo and Viking programs. The landers going to the Moon through Artemis are much larger and more powerful, so we need new data to understand the complex physics of landing and ascent,” said Ashley Korzun, principal investigator for the plume-surface interaction tests at NASA Langley. “We’ll use the hybrid motor in the second phase of testing to capture data with conditions closely simulating those from a real rocket engine. Our research will reduce risk to the crew, lander, payloads, and surface assets.”

    Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all.
    For more information about Artemis, visit:
    https://www.nasa.gov/artemis

    Corinne Beckinger Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256.544.0034  corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Jersey Pine Barrens Ablaze

    Source: NASA

    Wildland fires have long been integral to New Jersey’s Pinelands, or Pine Barrens. These highly flammable coastal forests host pitch pines and other trees that thrive with occasional burns.
    Yet with hundreds of thousands of people living within these coastal forests, burns can shift rapidly from rejuvenating ecosystems to destroying infrastructure and threatening human life, particularly during droughts. A fire that began in a wildlife management area near Waretown on April 22, 2025, offered a stark reminder of this delicate balance. Within two days, the fire had grown into one of the largest fires New Jersey has seen in decades.
    The OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on Landsat 9 captured images of the Jones Road fire on April 23. In the natural-color scene (left), thick smoke obscures the fire’s mark on the land below. The burned area is evident in the false-color image (right) showing shortwave infrared, near infrared, and visible light (OLI bands 6-5-3). This band combination makes it easier to identify unburned vegetated areas (green) and the recently burned landscape (brown). A sand mine is visible in the upper left of the images. A broader view of the natural-color image is below.

    An ongoing drought made the Pine Barrens particularly susceptible to fire in spring 2025. An April analysis of shallow groundwater and soil moisture using NASA observations from the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and GRACE-FO (GRACE Follow On) satellites showed anomalously dry conditions, according to data posted by the National Drought Mitigation Center. At the time of the fire, the U.S. Drought Monitor had classified drought in the region as “severe.”
    According to news reports, the fast-moving fire led to evacuations of large numbers of people from Lacey and Ocean townships, threatened many homes, and sent smoke wafting toward New York City. At times, officials closed both the Garden State Parkway and Route 532. As of April 24, more than 15,000 acres had burned, and the fire was 50 percent contained, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. As of that date, all evacuation orders had been lifted and the Garden State Parkway had been reopened, the fire service noted.
    NASA’s satellite data is part of a global system of observations that are used to track fire behavior and analyze emerging trends. Among the real-time wildfire monitoring tools that NASA makes available are FIRMS (Fire Information for Resource Management System) and the Worldview browser.
    NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New England Village Foods Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Almonds in “19th Hole Snack Mix”

    Source: US Food and Drug Administration

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    April 24, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    April 24, 2025
    Product Type:
    Food & BeveragesAllergens
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Undeclared almonds

    Company Name:
    New England Village Foods
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    New England Village Snacks

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    19th Hole Snack Mix

    Company Announcement
    New England Village Foods of Milford NH is recalling all lots of 5 -ounce and 10 -ounce containers of New England Village Snacks “19th Hole Snack Mix” because they may contain undeclared almonds. People who have allergies to almonds run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.
    The recalled “19th Hole Snack Mix” were distributed to small independent grocery markets and convenience stores throughout New England, New York and Pennsylvania.
    The product comes in 5- ounce and 10- ounce, clear cups and tubs with re-closable lids marked with UPC – 609465693477 (5 oz.) and UPC – 642147152459 (10 oz.) located on the lid of the product printed in black ink.
    No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this issue.
    The recall was initiated after a customer discovered that the almond-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of almonds. Subsequent investigation indicates the issue was caused by a temporary breakdown in the companies packaging process.
    Production of the product has been temporarily suspended.
    Consumers who have purchased the 5 -ounce or 10 -ounce packages of “19th Hole Snack Mix” are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with any questions or concerns may contact New England Village Foods at 1.603.554.1873 (M-F 7AM to 4PM Eastern).

    Company Contact Information

    Consumers:
    New England Village Foods
    1.603.554.1873

    Product Photos

    Content current as of:
    04/24/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Topic(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 4.24.25

    Source: US State of California 2

    Apr 24, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Leia Bailey, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Bailey has been Deputy Director of Communications and Outreach at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation since 2021. Bailey was the Associate Executive Director at the California Craft Brewers Association from 2016 to 2021. She was a Public Relations Account Manager at Perry Communications Group from 2014 to 2016. Bailey was a Public Relations Manager at Appency: Mobile Application Marketing from 2012 to 2014. She was an Account Coordinator at McGrath Power Public Relations and Communications in 2012. Bailey earned a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Journalism from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and compensation is $193,008. Bailey is a Democrat.

    Miranda Flores, of Folsom, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the Governor’s Office of Land Use, Climate, and Innovation. Flores has been Deputy Secretary of Legislation at the California Natural Resources Agency since 2020. She held multiple roles in the Office of State Assemblymember Bill Quirk in the California State Assembly from 2012 and 2017, including Legislative Director, Interim Chief of Staff, Legislative Aide, and Executive Assistant. Flores was Executive Assistant in the Office of State Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg in the California State Senate from 2010 to 2012. She was Office Manager and Scheduler in the Office of State Senator Jenny Oropeza in the California State Senate from 2008 to 2010. Flores was Lead Capitol Secretary Technician for the California State Senate Sergeant-at-Arms from 2003 to 2008. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $190,536. Flores is a Democrat.

    Crystal Young, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Communications at the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Young has been Director of Communications to the First Partner in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2022. She was a Press Secretary in the Office of the California Attorney General from 2020 to 2022. Young was the Communications Coordinator for Teamsters Local 856 from 2017 to 2020. She was a Staff Writer at the United Domestic Workers of America from 2015 to 2017. Young was a Program Manager at the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor from 2011 to 2015. She was an Eligibility Specialist at the State of Michigan Department of Human Services in 2011. Young was an Investigative Assistant at the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights from 2008 to 2009. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Social Justice from Loyola University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Adrian College. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $155,004. Young is a Democrat.

    Kevin Matulich, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Clean Economy and Infrastructure at the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Matulich has been a Deputy Cabinet Secretary in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2023. He held multiple positions at the California Employment Development Department from 2014 to 2023, including Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs, Assistant Director, Assistant Director of Policy and External Affairs, and Special Assistant to the Director. Matulich earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from University of California, Santa Barbara. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $181,416. Matulich is a Democrat.

    Brianna Nicole Mallari, of West Sacramento, has been appointed Special Assistant to the Secretary at the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Mallari has been an Office Technician at the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency since 2024. She was a Women’s Basketball Coach and Director of Scheduling at Del Oro High School from 2021 to 2025. Mallari was a Human Resources Administrator at Advanced Integrated Pest Management from 2022 to 2024. She was a Personal Assistant at Hilay.Co from 2020 to 2022. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $70,692. Mallari is a Democrat.

    Patricia Lock Dawson, of Riverside, has been appointed to the California Air Resources Board. Lock Dawson has been Mayor of the City of Riverside since 2020. She was a Trustee of the Board of Education at the Riverside Unified School District from 2011 to 2020. Lock Dawson was the President and Owner at PLD Consulting Governmental Affairs from 2001 to 2020. She was a Wildlife Biologist at the Bureau of Land Management from 1994 to 1998. Lock Dawson earned a Master of Business Administration from Claremont Graduate University, a Master of Science degree in Forestry from the University of Washington, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology (Ecology) from the University of California, Riverside. This position requires Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Lock Dawson is registered without party preference.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Apr 24, 2025

    News What you need to know: California’s second C-130 Hercules airtanker is ready for firefighting operations, adding to the state’s arsenal that stands ready to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire. SACRAMENTO – With peak fire season on the horizon,…

    Apr 24, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring April 24, 2025 as “Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.”The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONOn April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Empire…

    Apr 23, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Annabelle Hopkins, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Government Affairs at the California Public Advocates Office. Hopkins has been Government Relations Manager at…

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom proclaims Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide

    Source: US State of California 2

    Apr 24, 2025

    Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring April 24, 2025 as “Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.”

    The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below:

    PROCLAMATION

    On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Empire began its systematic genocide of Armenian people, a minority group that had long been treated as second-class citizens. The Armenian Genocide began with the forced deportation and murder of hundreds of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders and ended with the deaths of 1.5 million men, women, and children. It was the first genocide of the 20th century. Armenians around the world continue to face targeted persecution, evidenced by the recent violence towards over 120,000 indigenous Christian Armenians from Artsakh in 2023.

    As we remember the victims and survivors on this somber anniversary, we honor the strength and resilience of the Armenian people, who have built new lives and thriving communities in all corners of the globe. Thousands made their homes in California, and we are immeasurably greater for their contributions. 

    Shamefully, this community continues to be the target of hateful acts that too often go unreported. These, and other ongoing threats to the Armenian people, are painful reminders of the need to not only learn the lessons of history but also to redouble efforts to address discrimination and violence. California is taking action to confront racial, ethnic, and religious hate through enhanced security at houses of worship and other at-risk cultural centers, anti-hate programs that promote tolerance and support victims, an anonymous reporting hotline for victims and witnesses of hate acts, and other resources.

    California is committed to continuing this work to protect the safety and well-being of all our communities. Let us recommit ourselves to remembering the painful lessons of the past and always speaking out against hatred and atrocities anywhere they occur.

    NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim April 24, 2025 as “Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.”

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 18th day of April 2025.
     

    GAVIN NEWSOM
    Governor of California

    ATTEST:
    SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.
    Secretary of State

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of peak fire season, California adds second C-130 airtanker to world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet

    Source: US State of California 2

    Apr 24, 2025

    What you need to know: California’s second C-130 Hercules airtanker is ready for firefighting operations, adding to the state’s arsenal that stands ready to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire.

    SACRAMENTO – With peak fire season on the horizon, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the state’s second C-130 Hercules (C-130H) airtanker is now ready for firefighting operations. This strengthens California’s ability to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire, adding to the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world. 

    Last year, California became the first state in the nation to own, operate, and deploy a C-130H airtanker for wildfire suppression. The first C-130H was a critical part of the state’s firefight in Los Angeles earlier this year. Since it went into operation, the tanker has flown 90 missions responding to 36 fires and dropping 253,702 gallons of retardant.  

    Tanker 121, a former United States Coast Guard aircraft, has been officially placed into CAL FIRE service today after undergoing precise and critical modifications. This is the second of seven planned C-130H airtankers, and is a mission-critical asset in an era of increased year-round wildfire frequency and intensity. 

    These large-capacity, highly specialized aircraft deliver significant volumes of fire retardant in a single mission, enhancing CAL FIRE’s ability to protect communities and natural resources. 

    Governor Newsom — in partnership with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, the late U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, and Representative Ken Calvert — spearheaded this initiative for California to take on ownership of these aircraft, speed up the time to have them flying firefighting operations in California, and expand CAL FIRE’s firefighting capabilities.

    At a hangar in Sacramento, the Governor joined CAL FIRE Chief Joe Tyler, firefighting personnel, and those who helped make the C-130H possible to celebrate the milestone.  

    The largest aerial firefighting force in the world is getting even bigger. Thanks to our champions in Congress – Senator Padilla, Representative Calvert, and the late, great Senator Feinstein – California’s second C-130 airtanker is ready to take flight, just in time ahead of peak fire season.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Today, the Governor also received a demonstration of CAL FIRE’s new C-130H simulator – the only one of its kind in the nation owned by a fire department. The simulator helps train pilots and engineers specifically for C-130 firefighting missions.  

    The journey to integrate the C-130H aircraft into CAL FIRE’s fleet began in 2018 when California secured approval to acquire seven of these aircraft from the Coast Guard. President Joe Biden signed legislation in late 2023, officially transferring ownership of the seven C-130H aircraft to the state, where CAL FIRE would complete the work of retrofitting the aircraft for wildfire suppression operations.

    “The completed transfer of federal C-130 airtankers to CAL FIRE is equipping California’s firefighters with significantly expanded capabilities to protect vulnerable communities from wildfires and save lives,” said Senator Padilla. “Pushing the Air Force to complete this transfer has been a top priority of mine since I joined the Senate, which is why I worked to pass legislation to get it done as quickly as possible. As we saw with the first retrofitted aircraft fighting the Los Angeles fires, these powerful planes will enable California to respond to wildfires more quickly and effectively as we face more extreme conditions and increasingly devastating disasters.”

    “The C-130 Hercules aircraft that have been transferred from the federal government to CAL FIRE are game changing additions to our wildfire response aviation arsenal,” said Representative Calvert. “Our bipartisan efforts to secure the C-130s are an important step in better protecting Californians from dangerous wildfires. I look forward to all seven of the C-130s being operational and deployed across California in the near future.”

    CAL FIRE’s C-130 program involved substantial contributions from multiple partners. The United States Air Force and the United States Coast Guard provided support in maintaining these aircraft, including the replacement of inner and outer wing boxes and essential spare parts. Following their arrival at CAL FIRE Aviation Headquarters, the aircraft underwent extensive modifications, including the installation of a 4,000-gallon tank and a sophisticated retardant delivery system (RDS). 

    “Placing the second C-130H airtanker into service is another milestone in ensuring Californians are protected from the growing threat of wildfire,” said CAL FIRE Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler. “This addition strengthens our aerial firefighting capabilities and demonstrates our continued commitment to safeguarding lives, property, and natural resources across the state.”

    Building on unprecedented progress 

    Even before this, California had built up the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world, including the recently added – and night-time capable – firefighting Fire Hawk helicopters. These new C-130Hs will be strategically located throughout the state at CAL FIRE bases to mobilize when needed, adding to the helicopters, other aircraft, and firefighters ready to protect Californians. This follows California’s leadership in utilizing innovation and technology to fight fires smarter, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), satellites, and more for wildfire detection, projection, and suppression.

    In addition to nearly doubling the state’s budget for CAL FIRE in recent years, the state has also dramatically increased work to prevent wildfire. While 57% of California’s forests are federally managed, the state government manages only 3% of the forestland. On state land, more than 2,200 projects are complete or underway, and in recent years, California has treated nearly 2 million acres – made possible by scaling up investments to 10 times the amount from when the Governor took office in 2019.

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  • MIL-OSI: Best Crypto Casinos 2025: JACKBIT, Rated as Best Bitcoin Casino Without Verification & Fast Payout

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LARNACA, Cyprus, April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Crypto casinos will thrive in 2025, but not every platform will deliver the same experience. After evaluating dozens of online casino sites, JACKBIT rises above the rest with its generous bonuses, cutting-edge games, lightning-fast registration, and no-KYC requirement.

    In this guide, we’ll break down its key strengths and weaknesses, welcome bonuses, and why it’s one of the top crypto casinos of the year.

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    What sets JACKBIT apart from the competition? It’s not just the sleek design or the massive collection of 7,000+ casino games and free spins—it’s the complete crypto gambling experience. JACKBIT offers instant deposits and withdrawals, a strict no-KYC policy, and a rewarding VIP program with up to 30% rakeback.

    As one of the top-rated Bitcoin casinos in 2025, JACKBIT prioritizes player security and delivers a seamless, responsible gaming environment. Add in $10,000 in weekly giveaways, 10,000 free spins every week, BTC 10 cashback every week, and a cutting-edge crypto sportsbook, and it’s clear: JACKBIT isn’t just another online casino—it’s a full-scale crypto entertainment destination.

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    Why We Chose JACKBIT as the Best Crypto Casino

    Integrating an intuitive game interface with an extensive gaming library, comprising more than 7000 games, along with an irreplaceable crypto-friendly environment, offering players a privacy-oriented, low-cost, and high-speed gambling experience, JACKBIT casino has quickly gained popularity since its launch in 2022. Licensed under the Curacao Gaming Control Board, this casino boasts a variety of games, including classic brick-and-mortar games to high-performance games from well-known developers like Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, and Microgaming.

    Supporting different cryptocurrencies, JACKBIT casino streamlines its withdrawal and deposit process, making it easy for players to claim their winnings without hassles. Offering a secure platform for gambling while ensuring a unique and tangible reward system through bonuses and promotions, this crypto casino gives players a top-notch gameplay experience; once you log in, rare are the chances to get away.

    Licensing & Regulation at JACKBIT Crypto Casino

    • Operates with a legitimate license under the Curacao Gaming Control Board

    JACKBIT casino is licensed under the renowned licensing body for crypto casinos, the Curacao eGaming License. Unlike crypto casinos that prefer less stringent regulators, adhering to one of the strong and well-known regulatory bodies highlights JACKBIT’s commitment towards players, ensuring protection and compliance with law.

    Integrating SSL encryption technology with its security system, the platform offers provably fair games, ensuring all games are fair and not manipulated by the casino. Eliminating the need for KYC verification, where players are required to provide their personal and financial information to enable gambling, JACKBIT promotes private and anonymous gambling.

    JACKBIT Casino Game Library
    A wide collection of games from popular and established game developers, such as roulette, poker, baccarat, blackjack, live dealer games, and progressive slots. JACKBIT casino is known for its extensive game library, offering more than 7,000 games, including games from over 80 renowned developers such as Pragmatic Play. This casino gives players a wide selection to choose from.

    The fast and sleek interface delivers a unique gaming experience, irrespective of whether you play on desktop or mobile devices. From traditional slots to live dealer games and exclusive crypto games, JACKBIT has at least one game for every crypto enthusiast.

    Game Category Popular Games
    Slots 7,000 slots, including retro-3 reel fruit slots to modern 5 reel video slots. Book of the Dead and Gates of Olympus are two popular slots available.
    Blackjack Multiple blackjack variants from popular providers covering classic blackjack, multi-hand, and VIP blackjack tables.
    Roulette European and American roulette, along with French and Auto roulette variants.
    Poker Caribbean Stud, Three-card poker, and Jacks or Better.
    Live Casino Games Live games from Pragmatic Live and Evolution Ezugi
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    JACKBIT Bonus and Promotions

    Whether you are a seasonal player or a high roller, JACKBIT Casino’s exciting bonuses and promotions meet your demands. With a unique rakeback system, delivering up to 30% for player losses, it boosts players’ confidence to play the game even after a loss. While some renowned slots offer free spins, sports betting players can make use of free bets; there’s a variety of bonuses tailored to every player’s needs.

    CLAIM WELCOME BONUS OF 100 FREE SPINS, ALONG WITH 30% RAKEBACK

    In addition to welcome bonuses and free spins, loyal players are rewarded with up to $10,000 in cash prizes and 10,000 free spins every week. The VIP players also get access to VIP tier levels, exclusive events, and perks, providing an enhanced reward opportunity.

    The withdrawal speed and limits are high for VIP players compared to other random players. The transparent and generous rakeback system puts the player’s money back into their pocket, daily, weekly, or monthly, based on their activities.

    Payment Options at JACKBIT Casino

    JACKBIT consists of multiple payment options, including cryptocurrency transactions and fiat payments. JACKBIT casino is not just a crypto casino; players can choose modern transactions like crypto or utilize traditional banking methods.

    Traditional payment methods include MasterCard, while crypto transactions include BTC, ETH, XRP, LTC, USDT, BNB, DASH, BCH, DOGE, XMR, TRX, MATIC, DAI, SHIBA, LINK, CARDANO, USDC, SOL, and BUSD.

    Maximum Payout and Payout Speed

    Instant deposits and faster withdrawals, with low fees and no KYC requirement.

    Lining up with the player sentiments to not lose their portion of winnings on transaction fees, JACKBIT sets the payout fees at a minimum, giving players their maximum winnings from the game.

    Cryptocurrencies being the main medium of transactions, JACKBIT casino promotes instant deposits and withdrawals, enhancing the overall gameplay without interruptions and delayed waiting time. Under the terms and conditions, the average withdrawal time is 1 to 10 minutes.

    User Experience at JACKBIT Casino

    • Mobile-friendly user interface with sleek design and faster loading times.

    The design and appearance of JACKBIT casino are incredible, from vibrant graphics to attractive tables and captivating color themes, everything adds to the engaging gambling adventure. The JACKBIT casino has a mobile-friendly interface, giving players seamless navigation and faster loading times. The casino operates on all iOS and Android devices, letting players play their favorite casino games from every corner of the world.

    Also, the instant transaction process and minimal transaction fees relieve the players and let them focus completely on games without interruptions or the stress of high costs. The immersive gaming environment takes players to a new world, making them forget their daily life problems and issues.

    JACKBIT Casino Customer Service

    • 24/7 efficient customer service through emails, chat, and telephonic communications.

    The customer support team at JACKBIT casino deserves appreciation; they deliver users crisp and clear information within a few seconds or minutes, depending on the rarity of the queries. The customer service agents are well-informed about their duties, and whether the question is about the game, deposit features, VIP programs, or anti-money laundering policies of the casino, the team has the answers. Offering a smooth and enjoyable customer service, through mail, chat, and live telephonic conversions, JACKBIT clears all your queries precisely and accurately in no time.

    Responsible Gambling Tools at JACKBIT Casino

    Exclusive responsible gambling tools, including self-exclusion programs like cooling-off periods, to prevent players from gambling addiction. Casino games can be addictive at times, preventing players from staying away from the game even if they want to.

    Being one of the reputable and trusted casinos, JACKBIT offers players unique responsible gambling tools, putting a boundary on their gambling thirst, helping them to quit from their game when they can’t afford to lose.

    Responsible gambling tools Uses
    Deposit limits Prevents players from gambling outside their budgets
    Loss limits Controls how much a player is willing to lose over a specific period of time
    Session time limits Puts a limit on the time a player remains active
    Wagering limits Determines how much a player can bet over a specific timeframe
    Cooling-off periods Let players take a break from gambling by temporarily inactivating their accounts.
    Reality checks Reminds players how long they have been playing through pop-up messages

    Countries Restricted

    JACKBIT is available in most countries; however, restricted in some countries with strict gambling rules. With different gambling laws in different countries aligned with their cultural, economic, and social factors, JACKBIT casino is available in some countries while restricted in others.

    The casino delivers its services to most countries; however is restricted in Belarus, Burma, Cuba, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Liberia, Netherlands, Russia, Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe.

    • However, by using VPN services, players from these restricted countries can access the platform.

    Pros and Cons of JACKBIT Casinos
    Like every coin has two sides, JACKBIT casino has both pros and cons, players have to effectively balance these two attributes to make a maximum profit out of their winnings.

    ✅Pros ❌Cons
    Mobile-friendly design No traditional fiat payment available
    Support multiple cryptocurrencies Restricted to some countries
    Impressive rakebacks on every deposit  
    Wide collection of games  
    Attractive bonuses, including 100 free spins on first deposit  
    No KYC requirement  
    Fast withdrawal and low transaction fees  
    A wide range of betting options is available  

    How to Sign Up for the JACKBIT Crypto Casino? Step By Step

    Signing up for JACKBIT Casino is easy, safe, and hassle-free. Since players don’t have to verify KYC documents, the process gets completed in a few steps with less time involved. Below is the step-by-step guide to get signed up for the JACKBIT Crypto casino.

    • Visit the official website

    To start playing at the JACKBIT casino, players have to navigate to the official website and complete the signup process. Signup includes entering the name, email address, and area of residence. Secure your account with a strong password and choose your preferred currency for gambling.

    • Make the first deposit

    Once the signup is completed, go to the wallet section. Select your preferred deposit methods from the collection of deposit methods available, including Bitcoin, Tether, USDT, or any other crypto. Follow the instructions and complete the deposit process. Also, don’t forget to claim the 30% rakeback and 100 free spins first deposit bonuses.

    • Play your favorite games

    After the deposit is confirmed, players can choose the games from the gaming library. Whether slots, table games, or live dealer games, select the game of your preference and enjoy a safe and secure gaming experience at JACKBIT.

    PLAY AT JACKBIT NOW – FAST SIGN-UP, BIG BONUSES, NO KYC!

    Tips for an Enjoyable and Safe Gambling Experience at JACKBIT Casino

    Online casinos are indeed an advantage, from travelling miles to play their favorite casino games, now players can enjoy games at their fingertips, all with a network connection and a compatible device. The rise of crypto casinos has even eased the gambling process, allowing players to stay anonymous while taking part in instant and low-cost gambling transactions.

    However, there are certain things players have to keep in mind while gambling at crypto casinos.

    • Protect your personal and financial data

    Though crypto casinos don’t ask for personal information, being a platform prone to scams and risks, the chances are high that your data can be manipulated. Players have to protect their information with strong passwords and encryption technologies like two-factor authentication, preventing hackers from accessing their accounts. Never share private keys or recovery phrases of your custodial wallets with anyone.

    • Diversify Assets

    Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile assets; their price fluctuates within minutes, sometimes resulting in significant losses. To mitigate the impact of losses, players are instructed to diversify their deposits, ie, instead of sticking only on one cryptocurrency, utilize different cryptocurrencies for their gambling needs, so that players can avoid the huge losses from price volatility.

    • Secure your account from Phishing and other scams

    Crypto casinos are widely exploited by hackers. Stop responding to unauthorized and uninvited emails that ask for personal or financial information. It is important to note that reliable and trustworthy casinos never ask for personal information through illegitimate sources. If you have suspicions about scams, contact your casino customer service and take adequate steps to prevent losing money.

    • Responsible gambling is the key to success

    The chances are high that players get into the allure of casino games and fail to go back even if they wanted to. Gambling causes addiction, and players have to practice responsible gambling for long-term wins and profits. Chasing losses is the act of desperados, and it is advised not to gamble money that you can’t afford a lose.

    Also, make use of the responsible gambling tools at JACKBIT casino, like deposit limits, loss limits, reality checks, and cooling-off periods, to get rid of the addictive nature of gambling.

    Conclusion: Why JACKBIT Casino is the Best Crypto Casino in 2025?

    Offering players a wide collection of games, robust security, mobile-friendly design, exclusive bonuses, and promotions, along with instant and low-cost payments through cryptocurrency transactions, JACKBIT casino stands at the top of the best crypto casinos. Perfectly blending privacy, security, game varieties, and bonus features in a way many other casinos fail to line up, JACKBIT casino delivers players a unique and thrilling gambling experience.

    Whether to hit the casino table, spin the wheel, or take part in live dealer games, JACKBIT casino is your go-to game hub, irrespective of your game experience. Sign up for the JACKBIT casino and explore the games and bonuses for your best gambling adventure in 2025.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    1. Is JACKBIT a legit gambling platform?
    Yes. JACKBIT is a legal crypto casino licensed under the Curacao eGaming License. Players can gamble safely, securely, and anonymously at JACKBIT casino, making it one of the best crypto casinos to play in 2025.

    2. What are the games available at JACKBIT crypto casino?
    From classic table games like baccarat, roulette, blackjack, and poker to live dealer games and progressive slots, there is at least one game for everyone.

    3. Can I play at JACKBIT crypto casino without KYC documents?
    Yes, you can play at JACKBIT casino without KYC, helping you stay anonymous while gambling.

    4. What are the different bonuses available at JACKBIT casino?
    100 free spins are received as welcome bonuses, and every player gets a 30% rakeback along with weekly $10,000 bonuses and 10,000 free spins.

    5. Is JACKBIT available in all countries?
    JACKBIT casino service is available in most countries; however is restricted to Belarus, Burma, Cuba, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Liberia, Netherlands, Russia, Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe players. You can use any VPN to address some sort of connection problems in some countries.

    Email: support@jackbit.com

    Disclaimers and Affiliate Disclosure

    1. General Disclaimer
      This content is for informational purposes only and not legal or financial advice. Information is based on research available at the time of writing. Verify details independently before acting.
    2. Gambling Disclaimer
      Online gambling involves risk and may not be suitable for everyone. Ensure you meet the legal age and follow your local laws. We do not promote gambling, and participation is at your own risk. JACKBIT is a third-party site; we are not responsible for any issues.
    3. Affiliate Disclosure
      We may earn a commission through affiliate links at no extra cost to you. Our reviews remain unbiased, and we only recommend services we trust. Please do your own research before making any decisions.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/56744353-5ea8-4e4a-92b6-514796bc963a

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