Category: Business

MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada and Saskatchewan Announce Continued Commitment Through the 2025 Crop Insurance Program

Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on February 19, 2025

Today, Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison announced continued funding and commitment through the 2025 Crop Insurance Program, administered by the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC).

“Our business risk management programs are a producer’s first line of defense when it comes to protecting their operation,” MacAulay said. “Our government is pleased to partner with Saskatchewan to make sure producers have access to the support they need, when they need it.”

“SCIC’s Business Risk Management programs remain strong and are here for Saskatchewan producers when they have challenging times,” Harrison said. “The Crop Insurance Program offers producers the security they need, no matter what 2025 may have in store. I encourage all Saskatchewan producers to take a proactive approach to their coverage: select options, fine-tune and adjust coverage and costs within the program to further mitigate their risks.”

SCIC’s existing suite of Business Risk Management programs continues to demonstrate support for Saskatchewan producers. Over the last four years, the Crop Insurance Program paid approximately $7 billion in claims, in addition to other program benefits. Crop Insurance continues to be a sound program, with premiums set to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program. A combination of Crop Insurance premium and government funds, along with private reinsurance, is in place to ensure the program remains stable. Funds are managed to build premium reserves in good production years, in order for money to flow back to producers during challenging ones. Premiums are cost-shared 60 per cent by federal and provincial governments and 40 per cent by producers.

Administration costs are fully funded by federal and provincial governments.

Trusted and relevant partnerships ensure the Crop Insurance Program remains innovative and responsive for Saskatchewan producers. SCIC collaborates regularly with industry groups to support farmers and ranchers, assisting with overall direction of policy and program offerings. Work continues developing future opportunities to enhance support for the livestock sector. SCIC is evaluating new remote sensing technologies to measure soil moisture and plant growth, to evaluate potential improvements to forage and pasture insurance. This focus will ensure forage insurance is relevant and accessible for Saskatchewan livestock producers.

“We appreciate the continued focus and work on forage insurance,” Saskatchewan Cattle Association (SCA) Chair Chad Ross said. “We are directly involved with the National Forage Working Group. Throughout the 2025 season, we will continue to consult on these projects, as producer feedback and understanding is critical in program design and acceptance.”

“This continued work on forage insurance has potential to improve the program for livestock producers,” Saskatchewan Stock Grower’s Association (SSGA) President Jeff Yorga said. “We look forward to our ongoing involvement at the national level, to ensure Saskatchewan producers have access to a variety of insurance options. We are hopeful, continued work throughout 2025, will bring it all together as another viable positive outcome for risk management programming.”

March 31, 2025, is the deadline for Saskatchewan producers to apply, reinstate or cancel their Crop Insurance contract. Producers must select their insured crops and coverage levels or make additional changes by this date. Producers can speak with their local SCIC office to make changes or options will remain the same as the previous year.

Every growing season is unpredictable. Producers are encouraged to plan and update their coverage yearly, based on the needs of their operation. A suite of Business Risk Management Programs offers options to help producers navigate uncertainties, mitigate risk and secure the future of their operation. In addition to Crop Insurance, producers can consider AgriStability, Livestock Price Insurance and the Wildlife Damage Compensation and Prevention programs. For more information, contact a local SCIC office, call 1-888-935-0000 or visit: scic.ca.

Crop Insurance is a federal-provincial-producer cost-shared program that helps producers manage production and quality losses. Support for the program is provided by the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).

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For more information, contact:

MIL OSI Canada News –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: UTM Offshore Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to Join Industry Leaders at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

PARIS, France, February 19, 2025/APO Group/ —

As a leader in offshore energy, Julius Rone, CEO of UTM Offshore, is confirmed to speak at the upcoming Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Forum in Paris. UTM Offshore is currently playing a pivotal role in Nigeria’s energy sector, including the development of the country’s first floating LNG (FLNG) facility, along with broader investments in Africa’s energy future.

The company’s $5 billion UTM FLNG project continues to progress, with significant milestones achieved in design, construction and timeline for production. The 2.8 MTPA facility is poised to make a substantial contribution to Nigeria’s LNG capacity, strengthening the country’s position in the global energy market. In September 2024, UTM Offshore received the license from the Nigerian Federal Government to construct the project, bringing it one step closer to making a final investment decision, which is expected in 2025.

IAE 2025 (apo-opa.co/3Qlfj69) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

The UTM FLNG facility serves as a prime example of the steps required to secure significant funding for large-scale gas projects, including diversifying funding sources, securing off-take agreements and gaining government support. According to Rone, UTM Offshore signed an MOU with the African Export-Import Bank in 2021 to raise up to $2 billion for the project. The bank has since received preliminary approval to invest $350 million, while UTM has secured contracts with JGC Corp and KBR Inc. for the facility’s design. Additionally, Vitol Group has entered into an LNG off-take agreement, and last year, UTM signed a deal with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company for it to acquire a 20% stake in the project.

UTM Offshore’s participation at IAE 2025 underscores the company’s commitment to maximizing returns on investment in Africa’s energy sector, particularly through projects like UTM FLNG that connect the global investment community to Africa’s emerging energy opportunities. As Africa becomes an increasingly important player in the global energy landscape, UTM Offshore’s initiatives represent the continent’s growing capacity to provide sustainable energy solutions while fostering collaboration with international investors and stakeholders.

MIL OSI Africa –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: 6 tips on how to run a company in turbulent times – lessons from emerging markets
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Felipe Monteiro, Senior Affiliate Professor of Strategy, INSEAD

Global risks are rising, and many companies are struggling with how to adapt. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Risks Report makes it clear that challenges like escalating global tensions and conflicts, climate change, economic instability and supply chain disruptions are interconnected and build on one another. And they’re here to stay.

Meanwhile, US president Donald Trump’s tariff threats are creating more unpredictability in global trade.

Companies – mostly medium sized and large companies – have no choice but to constantly adjust their strategies. For several companies in emerging markets, this way of thinking is second nature. Firms often operate in environments with fragile institutions, volatile currencies, unreliable infrastructure and political instability. They have become used to designing strategies with turbulence in mind.

Instead of assuming every piece of global supply chains will fall into place as planned, and just-in-time strategies will always deliver, these companies have diversified and distributed their operations across multiple regions. They have been quick to build flexible, global supply chains, ensuring that if one part of the supply chain is disrupted, other regions can pick up the slack.

While this may seem like common sense, many companies are still finding it difficult to reorganise and adapt to a less predictable and reliable world.

So, how can companies look to build resilience and operate in uncertainty? By taking inspiration from those that have long navigated instability.

Over the past 17 years of teaching global strategic management, I’ve developed and taught case studies on numerous companies in developing countries that have successfully adapted and reworked their strategies in times of uncertainty. Many of these examples – from Embraer in Brazil, to Haier in China – are featured in my book, Global Strategic Management (Fifth Edition), with more to come in the upcoming sixth edition.

Based on these insights, I explore six key lessons companies can learn from firms in emerging markets.

Six ways resilient firms adapt to disruption

1. Learn, humbly, and adapt at lightning speed.

Companies in emerging markets have always had to be more adaptable. They are fast learners and quick to pivot, starting from the understanding that things may not always go as planned. As a result, they design their operations to be resilient from the start. They anticipate disruptions rather than wait for them to happen.

A classic example of this is M-Pesa. The mobile payments platform was first launched in Kenya in 2007. Initially it aimed to provide microloans to people without bank accounts. However, when users began using it for money transfers and bill payments, the company quickly adapted to meet this new demand. This ability to learn fast and change direction helped M-Pesa become a leader in mobile payments. It now serves as a global benchmark for success in the industry.

Humility is essential for this kind of swift and effective adaptation. Companies that often face tough, unpredictable conditions tend to approach challenges with a humble mindset. Instead of assuming they have all the answers, they remain open to learning and adjusting.

2. Lean on local partnerships.

When entering unfamiliar or unpredictable markets, firms often approach operations with a transactional mindset – focusing on short-term, one-off exchanges – rather than forming deep partnerships with local stakeholders. This limits their ability to understand and deal with political or social disruptions.

Natura & Co, the Brazilian cosmetics giant, offers helpful lessons. It has long focused on localising production and sourcing materials from nearby suppliers. Its focus is in the Amazon region, where it works with local communities to sustainably harvest raw materials like açaí (purple berries from South American palm trees) and Brazil nut oil. This approach:
- reduces reliance on distant sources
- increases flexibility, allowing the company to quickly adapt to regional challenges
- builds trust which in turn stabilises supply chains and helps firms gain on-the-ground intelligence.
3. Make room for redundant infrastructure.

Firms often delay investments in redundant infrastructure until after a crisis exposes vulnerabilities. For instance, firms may rely on a single data centre or power grid, assuming infrastructure reliability.

For companies like MTN Group, a telecommunications giant based in South Africa, redundancy is a necessity, not a luxury. Investing in backup power solutions and alternative communication links is essential to ensure MTN can maintain services during frequent power outages.

In critical sectors like telecommunications and technology, parallel networks, alternative energy sources and backup systems ensure uninterrupted operations in the face of infrastructure failures, climate risks or other unforeseen disturbances.

4. In unstable environments, build your own stability.

In unpredictable markets, companies have to take matters into their own hands to ensure their operations run smoothly. They fill “institutional voids” common in such markets by forming diversified business groups. These provide critical support, such as internal financing, talent development and logistical infrastructure, to work around the challenges of their operating environments.

The Tata Group, which operates across multiple industries from steel to software, is perhaps the most prominent example of this.

Another great example is MercadoLibre, Latin America’s leading e-commerce platform, which faced the challenge of fragmented transport networks that made 24- or 48-hour deliveries near impossible. The only way to improve delivery speed was for the company to build its own logistics network. By doing so, it gained greater control over its supply chain, improved its ability to scale and greatly improved delivery reliability.

5. Localise production, sustainably.

Localised production reduces reliance on complex, long-distance global supply chains and helps minimise the environmental impact of transportation. When production and sourcing are local, companies are able to cut emissions and are less vulnerable to external shocks, as they are not reliant on the smooth functioning of distant suppliers or transport routes.

Dilmah Tea took this hands-on approach by owning tea gardens, factories and packaging facilities in Sri Lanka. The company controls every step of the process, ensuring high-quality, single-origin Ceylon tea while cutting costs and emissions.

This localised approach minimises dependence on external suppliers, protecting them from problems that can arise in global supply chains, like delays or shortages.

6. Empower employees to be agile and responsive to change.

Giving employees greater responsibility can make a big difference in how well a company handles unexpected changes. Chinese home appliances and electronics company Haier took this to the next level by famously transforming into an organisation of thousands of micro-enterprises, each responsible for decision-making, resource management and profit generation.

This decentralised approach allows teams to swiftly adapt their strategies when disruptions arise. For instance, during the COVID pandemic, Haier maintained operational efficiency by enabling employees at local and product levels to make rapid, informed decisions.

By staying close to users and gathering constant feedback, Haier’s micro-enterprises are able to anticipate potential disruptions before they become major threats and develop products and services that satisfy evolving needs.

While it might not always be possible to completely shift power to individual teams, when people have the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their work, they can respond quickly to new challenges and come up with creative solutions.

Anticipation and adaptation

The challenges that seem new and overwhelming are simply part of the daily reality for those in emerging economies. For decades, companies in these regions have been anticipating and adapting. As risks grow and intertwine, companies can learn from the resilience built by businesses in emerging markets.

It all begins with a shift in mindset – recognising these challenges as the new reality and accelerating our own pace of learning and adaptation accordingly.

– 6 tips on how to run a company in turbulent times – lessons from emerging markets
– https://theconversation.com/6-tips-on-how-to-run-a-company-in-turbulent-times-lessons-from-emerging-markets-248914

MIL OSI Africa –
February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: 6 in 10 young South Africans have no jobs. Why some still reject offers of work

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Hannah J. Dawson, Senior Lecturer, Anthropology and Development Studies, University of Johannesburg

South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. The official rate is 32%, rising to 42% when discouraged job seekers are included. Among young people aged 15 to 24, unemployment reaches a staggering 60%. While much attention has focused on youth exclusion from the labour market and their survival strategies, far less is said about their experiences in precarious jobs, or why some choose to leave low-wage employment.

Across South Africa, young people are encouraged by the government, NGOs and society to accept unpaid internships, precarious apprenticeships and low-wage jobs on the assumption that these opportunities will lead to better employment. Those who quit or refuse low wage jobs are sometimes derided by employers as “lazy” or “choosy”.

In 2015 and 2016 I conducted in-depth interviews and a survey with 100 young people (aged 18-35) in the settlement of Zandspruit, near Johannesburg, for my PhD (unpublished). What they told me was that the wage work available to them did not offer a pathway to a dignified life.

Read more: South Africa’s youth are a generation lost under democracy – study

Their stories challenge society to rethink the relationship between work, dignity and citizenship. Addressing youth unemployment requires more than increasing job numbers. It demands improving job quality and recognising the aspirations of those without work.

My journal article, based on the PhD research, challenges the assumption that wage employment automatically leads to economic and social inclusion.

Work around Zandspruit

Established in the early 1990s as a small informal settlement, Zandspruit now houses over 50,000 residents within a two kilometre radius. Its unplanned expansion reflects its strategic location near new economic hubs, shaped by the shift from an industrial to a service-based economy.

Most low-end service jobs in surrounding suburbs, malls and industrial hubs offer neither financial security nor routes to what the men in my study saw as respectable adulthood.

I asked the men about their movement in and out of wage work, job experiences and work trajectories. Most had only held low-wage service jobs, which they ranked hierarchically: manual labour at the bottom, followed by hospitality and cleaning, with security and retail slightly better. Over half (57%) had never stayed in a job for more than a year. Many lasted only weeks or months.

Short-term contracts were the leading cause of job loss (35%), followed by voluntary quitting (18%) — often due to low wages — and retrenchment (15%). While temporary contracts and retrenchments explain half of all job losses, voluntary quitting is a striking trend in a country with such high unemployment.

To understand these departures, I interviewed 37 young people, mainly young men, who had left wage work in 2015-2016. They cited exploitative conditions, workplace racism, and financial and social pressures as key reasons. Their decisions reflect not just dissatisfaction with low wages but a deeper aspiration for dignity, social recognition and economic progress. Work, they insisted, should offer more than basic survival.

Why young men refuse low-wage work

All the young men I interviewed had cycled through low-paying jobs as security guards, cashiers, golf caddies, petrol attendants and call centre agents. Over half had quit because of dissatisfaction or exploitation.

Unemployed builders, tilers, and plumbers seeking jobs on the side of the road in Johannesburg, South Africa. Guillem Sartorio / AFP via Getty Images.

The most common reason for quitting was exploitative labour conditions. They spoke of employers bypassing minimum benefits, withholding pay and making unfair deductions. Contracts were rarely made permanent. More than just poor wages or bad working conditions, these jobs offered little prospect of social mobility. Some felt that no matter how hard they worked, they would never earn enough to improve their lives or achieve what they saw as key markers of respected manhood, like marriage, establishing a home and supporting a family.

Eric, who had moved on from low-end jobs to run a small IT business from home, put it simply:

When you look for a job, you don’t look for one that will drain you. You need a job that will build you so you have a future tomorrow.

His words reflect a common view: young men do not judge jobs solely by their ability to provide a means of survival, but by whether they offer a path to stability, dignity and a better future.

Workplace racism and mistreatment were also factors. Many young men recounted being undermined, insulted or unfairly treated by their superiors. The workplace became a direct encounter with South Africa’s racialised inequalities, where almost all low-wage workers are black and most employers and business owners are white.

Thatho, who quit a retail job after six months, described his frustration:

That guy [boss] is yelling at me for five days. On the sixth day I realised it’s too much. I can’t do this. I’m trying my best … It’s better if I left the company cause it’s painful when you work hard and someone says you’re not doing anything.

Being disrespected in the workplace takes a psychological and emotional toll. For some, quitting was a way to reclaim respect and a degree of autonomy.

Young men faced financial and social pressures, shaped by the male breadwinner ideal, to improve their own lives and support their families. This responsibility often motivated young men to take up or keep jobs, but it also led some to leave. Some quit in search of better-paying jobs. Others quit to escape the social demands tied to earning a wage.

One young man, who struggled to send his son to a good crèche, keep his girlfriend happy and support his unemployed siblings, explained:

Even though I’m working, I’m always left with nothing […] sometimes I feel like I’m drowning.

The inability of low-wage jobs to meet both personal and social expectations drove some to make a living in the informal economy.

Rethinking work and citizenship

Wage labour, often idealised as a path to inclusion and citizenship, falls short for many South Africans. By rejecting such jobs, these young men challenge the notion that “any job is better than no job” and assert their right to economic participation on fair and dignified terms.

– 6 in 10 young South Africans have no jobs. Why some still reject offers of work
– https://theconversation.com/6-in-10-young-south-africans-have-no-jobs-why-some-still-reject-offers-of-work-249052

MIL OSI Africa –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Remarks by Toni Gravelle, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada  

Source: Bank of Canada

OTTAWA – On Monday, February 24, 2025, Toni Gravelle, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada, will speak at the Bank of England Annual Research Conference.

Topic

Managing the Central Bank’s Balance Sheet in a Period of Quantitative Tightening

Time

8:15 (Eastern Time)

Place

London, UK.

Lock-Up

There will be no media lock-up for this event. 

Distribution

The Deputy Governor’s remarks will not be published.

Media Availability

There will be no media availability for this event.

Audience Q&A

There will be no audience Q&A period. 

Webcast

There will be no Bank of Canada webcast for this event.

Note

Media wishing to watch the Bank of England live stream can request access by emailing their full name, job title and company at
.

For more information, please contact Media Relations.

MIL OSI Canada News –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI: Orderly Integrates Monad to Deliver Omnichain DEX Liquidity

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SINGAPORE, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Orderly, a permissionless liquidity layer that delivers deep, unified liquidity across all blockchains, has announced the integration of its omnichain liquidity infrastructure with Monad, the high-performance EVM Layer 1 blockchain. This integration ensures that projects building within the Monad ecosystem, including decentralized exchanges, can access deep liquidity on demand.

By integrating Orderly’s liquidity infrastructure, developers on Monad can leverage an advanced SDK and tap into a single order book that unifies cross-chain liquidity. Orderly’s order book-based architecture is backed by over 20 professional market makers including Wintermute, Selini, and Riverside, enabling deeper market depth and tighter spreads for DEXes and perpetuals protocols.

Orderly supports a wide range EVM and non-EVM chains including Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Mantle, and Solana. Integrating with Monad aligns with Orderly’s core mission to connect with promising blockchains at an early stage, ensuring that DeFi users and developers have access to cross-chain liquidity. This enables developers to build products that tap into broad liquidity sources while offering end-users a frictionless trading experience.

Orderly Co-Founder Ran Yi said: “In a congested EVM landscape, Monad offers something genuinely different, combining the tooling and programming language developers are accustomed to with remarkable speed and throughput. It will be exciting to see the sort of trading applications that Monad projects create and the innovative ways in which they harness Orderly’s omnichain liquidity.”

Kevin McCordic, Director of Growth at the Monad Foundation, added: “Integrating Orderly’s liquidity infrastructure into Monad provides developers with instant access to deep liquidity, empowering them to build next-generation decentralized trading applications. Monad’s high-performance architecture ensures that transactions remain fast and efficient, even at scale. We look forward to seeing how builders leverage this integration to push DeFi innovation forward.”

For Orderly users, integration with Monad provides an opportunity to explore the high performance EVM chain and to potentially benefit from airdrops issued on its Layer 1. With the impending launch of the Monad testnet, developers can begin building powerful trading solutions without needing to concern themselves with sourcing liquidity.

By integrating Orderly’s cross-chain liquidity with Monad’s high-performance blockchain, this initiative contributes to an interconnected DeFi landscape with user experience at its core.

About Orderly
Orderly is the infrastructure that lets people trade anything, anywhere via a permissionless liquidity layer that delivers deep, unified liquidity across all blockchains through a single orderbook. Orderly ensures robust liquidity across major chains such as Solana, Sonic, Arbitrum, Base, Mantle, Ethereum Mainnet, OP, and Polygon, and grants traders and exchanges access to over 100 markets through their unified trading infrastructure.
Learn more: https://orderly.network/

About Monad
The Monad protocol delivers full EVM compatibility with breakthrough performance, true decentralization, production-grade security, and exceptional throughput. With Monad, developers, users, and researchers can reuse the wealth of existing applications, libraries, addresses and applied cryptography research that have all been built for the EVM. Monad has been rebuilt from the ground up to be the most efficient chain in the world while being 100% EVM compatible.
Learn more: https://www.monad.xyz/

Anabela Rea, Global PR Manager, Orderly Network
anabela@orderly.network

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d0723b10-71e6-40e1-8e24-ae6033d3020a

The MIL Network –

February 20, 2025

MIL-OSI: Treasury Bond Auction Announcement – RIKB 38 0215 – New Series – Switch Auction or Cash payment

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Series	RIKB 38 0215
ISIN	IS0000037265
Maturity Date	02/15/2038
Auction Date	02/21/2025
Settlement Date	02/26/2025
10% addition	02/25/2025

Buyback issue	RIKB 25 0612
Buyback price (clean)	99.8400

On the Auction Date, between 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., the Government Debt Management will auction Treasury bonds in the Series, with the ISIN number and with the Maturity Date according to the table above. Article 6 of the General Terms of Auction for Treasury bonds applies for the right to purchase an additional 10%. The Treasury bonds will be delivered in electronic form on the Settlement Date.

Payment for the bonds can be made in cash or with the Buyback issue at the Buyback price.

Payment in cash for the Treasury bonds must be received by the Central Bank before 14:00 on the Settlement Date. If payment is made with the Buyback issue, a notification of the amount must be received no later than by 14:00 on the Auction Date. In that case, the value of the Buyback bond is determined by the Buyback price plus accrued interest (i.e. dirty price).

No fee is paid in relation to the purchase of RIKB 25 0612.

Further reference is made to the description of the Treasury bond and the General Terms of Auction of Treasury Bonds.

For additional information please contact Oddgeir Gunnarsson, Government Debt Management, at +354 569 9635.

The MIL Network –

February 20, 2025

MIL-OSI Global: Deportation fears create ripple effects for immigrants and their communities

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kristina Fullerton Rico, Research Fellow, Center for Racial Justice, Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials detain a person on Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

The Trump administration’s plan to deport millions of immigrants living in the country without permission is falling far short of its initial goals in its first few weeks.

But there has been an increase in immigration raids in multiple cities, including Los Angeles and Miami, since Trump took office.

After Trump’s inauguration, rumors of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents roaming the streets or showing up at churches and schools have spread on social media and messaging apps, sending waves of panic in immigrant communities from coast to coast.

When I share my research on the effects of U.S. immigration policies, I find that most people intuitively understand how being deported can upend someone’s life.

In fact, research shows that deportation, and the risk of deportation, impacts more than just the person who is deported.

Deporting immigrants often separates individuals from their families, exiles them to countries that don’t feel like home, and leaves them poor, with few job prospects.

Immigrants who are deported also face social stigmas that lead to further isolation and mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety and risk of suicide.

An undocumented immigrant from Guatemala who plans to leave the country in February 2025 is seen at home with his son in Dover, Ohio, in January.
Rebecca Kiger for The Washington Post via Getty Images

A family matter

Immigrants in the country without permission tend to belong to mixed-immigration-status families, meaning that at least one family member has legal permission to be in the country or has citizenship.

In some cases, mixed-status families feel pressure to leave the U.S. together if one family member is deported.

Researchers call this phenomenon “de facto deportation.” It frequently affects young, U.S.-born children whose parents are deported.

Legal scholars argue that deporting the parents of these young U.S. citizens violates these children’s citizenship rights. Though these children are citizens, their parents’ deportations push them out of the country and away from the lives they would have had in the U.S.

In other cases, families separate when a mother, father or other adult guardian is deported. This is especially true for immigrants who are deported to dangerous places. Families are also likely to separate if a family member requires specialized medical care for a disability or chronic illness.

But it is not just actual deportations that cause harm.

The fear of deportation

Even when immigrants do not face an immediate risk of deportation, the way they live their lives is shaped by the threat of removal.

In hostile political climates, including the current moment in the U.S., immigrants feel the risk of deportation acutely.

Some researchers call the fear of deportation “deportability.” This feeling has a chilling effect, discouraging immigrants from the everyday activities they would otherwise do.

So far, immigrants’ fear is likely disproportionate to the risk of deportation. But the threat looms so large that immigrants and their families have upended their lives.

Business owners, teachers and religious leaders across the country have noticed immigrants’ glaring absence in neighborhoods that are usually bustling and now feel deserted.

In some cases, immigrants are keeping their children home from school. Others avoid going to doctor’s appointments or delay going to the hospital.

Hostility toward immigrants also has a chilling effect on cultural expression.

Research shows that Latino immigrants who fear deportation or anti-immigrant prejudice feel coerced to assimilate. They avoid speaking Spanish or their Indigenous language, like Quechua or Náhuatl, in public, and may even hesitate to teach it to their own children.

Similarly, it can feel dangerous to play music or partake in cultural traditions.

Spillover effects

Research has also found that the threat of deportation makes immigrants hesitant to report dangerous conditions at work. Since immigrants are overrepresented in dangerous industries, like construction and meatpacking, this can lead to a higher risk of being injured or even dying on the job.

Because local law enforcement agencies increasingly cooperate with federal immigration authorities, immigrants may also avoid going to the police – even when they are victims of violent crimes.

Even in cities where local law enforcement agencies refuse to work closely with ICE, the perception that they might be creates fear in immigrant communities and leads people to underutilize public programs and services.

People who have permission to be in the country are also afraid

The fear of immigration enforcement can also extend to a person who speaks a foreign language, is a person of color, or otherwise seems like they might be in the country without permission.

Perhaps the most striking example of this consists of recent reports that Native American citizens living in Southwest states like Arizona have been increasingly questioned by ICE. In response, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren has advised people to carry proof of their U.S. citizenship.

Nonwhite U.S. citizens’ fears of being deported are not unprecedented.

In the 1950s, many U.S. citizens of Mexican ancestry were deported under President Dwight Eisenhower’s mass deportation operation. Trump credits Eisenhower’s program, officially called “Operation Wetback,” after the racist slur, for inspiring his current mass deportation plans.

More than half a century later, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported that between 2015 and 2020, ICE likely arrested 674 U.S. citizens, detaining 121 and deporting 70 of them.

The entrance to a church in Chicago had a sign on its door on Feb. 10, 2025, informing ICE officials that they were not allowed to enter the building without a court order.
Luzia Geier/picture alliance via Getty Images

A sense of despair

Not surprisingly, anti-immigrant policies and threats can elicit feelings of hopelessness among immigrants. The fear of deportation can lead to significant mental health problems for immigrants and their loved ones, ranging from conditions like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder to a loss of trust in others and social isolation.

Children experience fear and confusion about the future of their lives and that of their families.

Hopelessness can lead to immigrants leaving the country on their own accord. This can happen because immigrants see no future for themselves in the U.S.

Similarly, immigrants who are detained by government authorities may agree to voluntary departure orders rather than fighting to remain in the country.

Some consequences of the fear of deportation and anti-immigrant hostility are easy to see, like when children miss school.

Others – delaying doctor’s appointments, going hungry instead of going to the food bank, tolerating abuse instead of seeking help – are harder to observe, and their negative effects may not be evident for years.

Kristina Fullerton Rico’s research has received funding from the Russell Sage Foundation and Sociologists for Women in Society.

– ref. Deportation fears create ripple effects for immigrants and their communities – https://theconversation.com/deportation-fears-create-ripple-effects-for-immigrants-and-their-communities-248817

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI: James Altucher: ‘Trump’s White House Return Could Set the Stage for the Biggest IPO of the Decade’

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

New York, NY, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Financial expert and bestselling author James Altucher is calling it now in his recent presentation: As Donald Trump returns to the White House, Altucher predicts Elon Musk’s potential Starlink IPO could become the most significant financial event of the decade. According to Altucher, the combination of pro-business policies and a renewed national focus on technological leadership will create the perfect environment for Starlink to launch a record-breaking public offering.

“The Starlink IPO is set to be a ‘Super-IPO’ unlike anything we’ve seen before,” said Altucher. “With Trump’s administration prioritizing American innovation, this could be one of the most lucrative public offerings in history.”

A New Era of Economic and Technological Expansion

Altucher points to Trump’s economic strategy as a key factor in Starlink’s potential success. With an administration poised to streamline regulatory hurdles and accelerate investment in space-based infrastructure, the conditions are aligning for what Altucher refers to as a ‘Super-IPO.’

“Trump’s administration is expected to create an environment that eliminates red tape and clears the way for American companies to dominate in space and technology,” said Altucher.

By offering high-speed internet access worldwide through its advanced satellite network, Starlink has already disrupted the telecom industry. Under the Trump administration, Altucher believes the company’s expansion could reach unprecedented heights, positioning it as one of the most powerful technology companies in the world.

Starlink’s Role in America’s Space Dominance

According to Altucher, Starlink’s IPO isn’t just about business—it’s about control over the next era of telecommunications and space dominance.

“Starlink is set to revolutionize global telecommunications, creating an entirely new paradigm for internet access worldwide,” Altucher remarked.

Musk has long hinted at taking Starlink public, stating that a predictable cash flow would be a key milestone before an IPO. Recent financial reports confirm that Starlink has now crossed that threshold, making a public offering in 2025 more likely than ever.

Why This IPO Matters More Than Ever

Starlink’s impact already stretches beyond civilian use. The network has proven critical in military operations, emergency response efforts, and global internet access in previously unreachable locations. With Starlink now generating consistent revenue and preparing for international expansion, Altucher believes this IPO could have a lasting impact on markets, investors, and global geopolitics.

“This IPO isn’t just about profit—it’s about cementing America’s leadership in space and technology,” Altucher explained.

About James Altucher

James Altucher is a 40-year veteran in AI technology, computer science, and investing. He has been a hedge fund manager, a venture capitalist, and one of the early pioneers of AI-driven market forecasting. Altucher has appeared on CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times, sharing his deep expertise on emerging technology trends. He has also founded multiple companies, sold businesses for millions, and written over 20 best-selling books on finance, entrepreneurship, and AI.

The MIL Network –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI: 100x Leverage, Double Deposit Bonus, and $50 Welcome Bonus at BexBack – Start Trading with No KYC

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SINGAPORE, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With Bitcoin’s price fluctuating below $100,000, many analysts predict a prolonged period of high volatility in the crypto market. Holding spot positions may struggle to generate short-term profits in such conditions. As a result, 100x leverage futures trading has become the preferred tool for seasoned investors looking to maximize potential gains in this volatile market. BexBack Exchange is ramping up its efforts to offer traders unmatched promotional packages. The platform now features a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, providing exceptional opportunities for investors.

What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

Suppose the Bitcoin price is $100,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

One day later, if the price rises to $105,000, your profit will be (105,000 – 100,000) * 100 BTC / 100,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

With BexBack’s deposit bonus

BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?

The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

About BexBack?

BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, and XRP futures contracts. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

Why recommend BexBack?

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Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

Website: www.bexback.com

Contact: business@bexback.com

Contact:
Amanda
business@bexback.com

Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/714b490f-cc1c-412f-beb4-9b3dc1ec2e06

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/36cd0ec5-a1f7-4760-b807-c2db6a7c6909

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/508c5eb7-e23a-4a46-ab45-202db77ee998

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f9cd05d1-9e67-4cc0-be44-b7a42a2a1bdc

The MIL Network –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI: iManage Announces Results of 2024 In-house Legal Compensation Survey Report

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

CHICAGO, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iManage, the company dedicated to Making Knowledge Work™, today announced the results of the 2024 In-house Compensation Survey conducted by legal news publication Above the Law and sponsored by iManage. Undertaken between June and September 2024, the survey includes responses from more than 1,100 attorneys, representing organizations of all sizes and more than a dozen industries. Together, their responses provide a valuable snapshot of compensation trends for in-house legal professionals interested in benchmarking their own pay or for attorneys considering a move to an in-house position.

The 2024 report reveals that median total annual compensation has risen for the majority of in-house legal professionals since 2023, from $284,000 to $300,000. Among general counsel and chief legal officers, median pay is now $365,000, up from $325,000 in 2023. However, for junior-level counsel, it is $181,500, down from $196,000.

Median pay is highest at Fortune 1000 companies. Although many respondents at small private companies earn high base salaries, the most substantial bonuses were more often reported by counsel in large legal departments.

The vast majority (86%) of respondents receive a bonus. The most common range reflects 20-29% of their base pay. Additionally, almost half of respondents receive stock as a portion of their compensation package, although it generally represents less than 25% of base pay.

In-house attorneys who reported earning $500,000 or more in total compensation are likely to serve as general counsel or chief legal officer for a private rather than a public company, and to work in either finance or technology. They are also more likely to be male than female.

This gender pay gap persists across multiple measures. Median annual compensation for male respondents is 15% higher than that for female respondents, and male respondents are more likely to report higher base salaries, bigger bonuses, and higher raises.

Location-wise, attorneys in big cities reported higher earnings than their peers in smaller markets. Also, compensation was generally higher on the West Coast and in the Mid-Atlantic region than in other parts of the country.

“iManage is trusted by over one million professionals, including 1,400+ corporate legal departments,” said Michael Powers, Global Director of Product Marketing at iManage. “Sponsoring this survey reflects our commitment to supporting legal teams with valuable insights. As AI investments accelerate across the industry, we remain focused on delivering technology that enhances productivity, mitigates risk, and maximizes secure knowledge sharing for corporate legal teams.”

About iManage
iManage is dedicated to Making Knowledge Work™. Our cloud-native platform is at the center of the knowledge economy, enabling every organization to work more productively, collaboratively, and securely. Built on more than 20 years of industry experience, iManage helps leading organizations manage documents and emails more efficiently, protect vital information assets, and leverage knowledge to drive better business outcomes. As your strategic business partner, we employ our award-winning AI-enabled technology, an extensive partner ecosystem, and a customer-centric approach to provide support and guidance you can trust to make knowledge work for you. iManage is relied on by more than one million professionals at 4,000 organizations around the world. Visit www.imanage.com to learn more.

Follow iManage via:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/imanage
X: https://x.com/imanageinc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iManage

Press contact:
Alicia Saragosa, iManage
press@imanage.com

The MIL Network –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: 6 tips on how to run a company in turbulent times – lessons from emerging markets
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Felipe Monteiro, Senior Affiliate Professor of Strategy, INSEAD

Global risks are rising, and many companies are struggling with how to adapt. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Risks Report makes it clear that challenges like escalating global tensions and conflicts, climate change, economic instability and supply chain disruptions are interconnected and build on one another. And they’re here to stay.

Meanwhile, US president Donald Trump’s tariff threats are creating more unpredictability in global trade.

Companies – mostly medium sized and large companies – have no choice but to constantly adjust their strategies. For several companies in emerging markets, this way of thinking is second nature. Firms often operate in environments with fragile institutions, volatile currencies, unreliable infrastructure and political instability. They have become used to designing strategies with turbulence in mind.

Instead of assuming every piece of global supply chains will fall into place as planned, and just-in-time strategies will always deliver, these companies have diversified and distributed their operations across multiple regions. They have been quick to build flexible, global supply chains, ensuring that if one part of the supply chain is disrupted, other regions can pick up the slack.

While this may seem like common sense, many companies are still finding it difficult to reorganise and adapt to a less predictable and reliable world.

So, how can companies look to build resilience and operate in uncertainty? By taking inspiration from those that have long navigated instability.

Over the past 17 years of teaching global strategic management, I’ve developed and taught case studies on numerous companies in developing countries that have successfully adapted and reworked their strategies in times of uncertainty. Many of these examples – from Embraer in Brazil, to Haier in China – are featured in my book, Global Strategic Management (Fifth Edition), with more to come in the upcoming sixth edition.

Based on these insights, I explore six key lessons companies can learn from firms in emerging markets.

Six ways resilient firms adapt to disruption

1. Learn, humbly, and adapt at lightning speed.

Companies in emerging markets have always had to be more adaptable. They are fast learners and quick to pivot, starting from the understanding that things may not always go as planned. As a result, they design their operations to be resilient from the start. They anticipate disruptions rather than wait for them to happen.

A classic example of this is M-Pesa. The mobile payments platform was first launched in Kenya in 2007. Initially it aimed to provide microloans to people without bank accounts. However, when users began using it for money transfers and bill payments, the company quickly adapted to meet this new demand. This ability to learn fast and change direction helped M-Pesa become a leader in mobile payments. It now serves as a global benchmark for success in the industry.

Humility is essential for this kind of swift and effective adaptation. Companies that often face tough, unpredictable conditions tend to approach challenges with a humble mindset. Instead of assuming they have all the answers, they remain open to learning and adjusting.

2. Lean on local partnerships.

When entering unfamiliar or unpredictable markets, firms often approach operations with a transactional mindset – focusing on short-term, one-off exchanges – rather than forming deep partnerships with local stakeholders. This limits their ability to understand and deal with political or social disruptions.

Natura & Co, the Brazilian cosmetics giant, offers helpful lessons. It has long focused on localising production and sourcing materials from nearby suppliers. Its focus is in the Amazon region, where it works with local communities to sustainably harvest raw materials like açaí (purple berries from South American palm trees) and Brazil nut oil. This approach:
- reduces reliance on distant sources
- increases flexibility, allowing the company to quickly adapt to regional challenges
- builds trust which in turn stabilises supply chains and helps firms gain on-the-ground intelligence.
3. Make room for redundant infrastructure.

Firms often delay investments in redundant infrastructure until after a crisis exposes vulnerabilities. For instance, firms may rely on a single data centre or power grid, assuming infrastructure reliability.

For companies like MTN Group, a telecommunications giant based in South Africa, redundancy is a necessity, not a luxury. Investing in backup power solutions and alternative communication links is essential to ensure MTN can maintain services during frequent power outages.

In critical sectors like telecommunications and technology, parallel networks, alternative energy sources and backup systems ensure uninterrupted operations in the face of infrastructure failures, climate risks or other unforeseen disturbances.

4. In unstable environments, build your own stability.

In unpredictable markets, companies have to take matters into their own hands to ensure their operations run smoothly. They fill “institutional voids” common in such markets by forming diversified business groups. These provide critical support, such as internal financing, talent development and logistical infrastructure, to work around the challenges of their operating environments.

The Tata Group, which operates across multiple industries from steel to software, is perhaps the most prominent example of this.

Another great example is MercadoLibre, Latin America’s leading e-commerce platform, which faced the challenge of fragmented transport networks that made 24- or 48-hour deliveries near impossible. The only way to improve delivery speed was for the company to build its own logistics network. By doing so, it gained greater control over its supply chain, improved its ability to scale and greatly improved delivery reliability.

5. Localise production, sustainably.

Localised production reduces reliance on complex, long-distance global supply chains and helps minimise the environmental impact of transportation. When production and sourcing are local, companies are able to cut emissions and are less vulnerable to external shocks, as they are not reliant on the smooth functioning of distant suppliers or transport routes.

Dilmah Tea took this hands-on approach by owning tea gardens, factories and packaging facilities in Sri Lanka. The company controls every step of the process, ensuring high-quality, single-origin Ceylon tea while cutting costs and emissions.

This localised approach minimises dependence on external suppliers, protecting them from problems that can arise in global supply chains, like delays or shortages.

6. Empower employees to be agile and responsive to change.

Giving employees greater responsibility can make a big difference in how well a company handles unexpected changes. Chinese home appliances and electronics company Haier took this to the next level by famously transforming into an organisation of thousands of micro-enterprises, each responsible for decision-making, resource management and profit generation.

This decentralised approach allows teams to swiftly adapt their strategies when disruptions arise. For instance, during the COVID pandemic, Haier maintained operational efficiency by enabling employees at local and product levels to make rapid, informed decisions.

By staying close to users and gathering constant feedback, Haier’s micro-enterprises are able to anticipate potential disruptions before they become major threats and develop products and services that satisfy evolving needs.

While it might not always be possible to completely shift power to individual teams, when people have the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their work, they can respond quickly to new challenges and come up with creative solutions.

Anticipation and adaptation

The challenges that seem new and overwhelming are simply part of the daily reality for those in emerging economies. For decades, companies in these regions have been anticipating and adapting. As risks grow and intertwine, companies can learn from the resilience built by businesses in emerging markets.

It all begins with a shift in mindset – recognising these challenges as the new reality and accelerating our own pace of learning and adaptation accordingly.

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

– ref. 6 tips on how to run a company in turbulent times – lessons from emerging markets – https://theconversation.com/6-tips-on-how-to-run-a-company-in-turbulent-times-lessons-from-emerging-markets-248914
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: 6 in 10 young South Africans have no jobs. Why some still reject offers of work

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Hannah J. Dawson, Senior Lecturer, Anthropology and Development Studies, University of Johannesburg

South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. The official rate is 32%, rising to 42% when discouraged job seekers are included. Among young people aged 15 to 24, unemployment reaches a staggering 60%. While much attention has focused on youth exclusion from the labour market and their survival strategies, far less is said about their experiences in precarious jobs, or why some choose to leave low-wage employment.

Across South Africa, young people are encouraged by the government, NGOs and society to accept unpaid internships, precarious apprenticeships and low-wage jobs on the assumption that these opportunities will lead to better employment. Those who quit or refuse low wage jobs are sometimes derided by employers as “lazy” or “choosy”.

In 2015 and 2016 I conducted in-depth interviews and a survey with 100 young people (aged 18-35) in the settlement of Zandspruit, near Johannesburg, for my PhD (unpublished). What they told me was that the wage work available to them did not offer a pathway to a dignified life.

Read more:
South Africa’s youth are a generation lost under democracy – study

Their stories challenge society to rethink the relationship between work, dignity and citizenship. Addressing youth unemployment requires more than increasing job numbers. It demands improving job quality and recognising the aspirations of those without work.

My journal article, based on the PhD research, challenges the assumption that wage employment automatically leads to economic and social inclusion.

Work around Zandspruit

Established in the early 1990s as a small informal settlement, Zandspruit now houses over 50,000 residents within a two kilometre radius. Its unplanned expansion reflects its strategic location near new economic hubs, shaped by the shift from an industrial to a service-based economy.

Most low-end service jobs in surrounding suburbs, malls and industrial hubs offer neither financial security nor routes to what the men in my study saw as respectable adulthood.

I asked the men about their movement in and out of wage work, job experiences and work trajectories. Most had only held low-wage service jobs, which they ranked hierarchically: manual labour at the bottom, followed by hospitality and cleaning, with security and retail slightly better. Over half (57%) had never stayed in a job for more than a year. Many lasted only weeks or months.

Short-term contracts were the leading cause of job loss (35%), followed by voluntary quitting (18%) — often due to low wages — and retrenchment (15%). While temporary contracts and retrenchments explain half of all job losses, voluntary quitting is a striking trend in a country with such high unemployment.

To understand these departures, I interviewed 37 young people, mainly young men, who had left wage work in 2015-2016. They cited exploitative conditions, workplace racism, and financial and social pressures as key reasons. Their decisions reflect not just dissatisfaction with low wages but a deeper aspiration for dignity, social recognition and economic progress. Work, they insisted, should offer more than basic survival.

Why young men refuse low-wage work

All the young men I interviewed had cycled through low-paying jobs as security guards, cashiers, golf caddies, petrol attendants and call centre agents. Over half had quit because of dissatisfaction or exploitation.

The most common reason for quitting was exploitative labour conditions. They spoke of employers bypassing minimum benefits, withholding pay and making unfair deductions. Contracts were rarely made permanent. More than just poor wages or bad working conditions, these jobs offered little prospect of social mobility. Some felt that no matter how hard they worked, they would never earn enough to improve their lives or achieve what they saw as key markers of respected manhood, like marriage, establishing a home and supporting a family.

Eric, who had moved on from low-end jobs to run a small IT business from home, put it simply:

When you look for a job, you don’t look for one that will drain you. You need a job that will build you so you have a future tomorrow.

His words reflect a common view: young men do not judge jobs solely by their ability to provide a means of survival, but by whether they offer a path to stability, dignity and a better future.

Workplace racism and mistreatment were also factors. Many young men recounted being undermined, insulted or unfairly treated by their superiors. The workplace became a direct encounter with South Africa’s racialised inequalities, where almost all low-wage workers are black and most employers and business owners are white.

Thatho, who quit a retail job after six months, described his frustration:

That guy [boss] is yelling at me for five days. On the sixth day I realised it’s too much. I can’t do this. I’m trying my best … It’s better if I left the company cause it’s painful when you work hard and someone says you’re not doing anything.

Being disrespected in the workplace takes a psychological and emotional toll. For some, quitting was a way to reclaim respect and a degree of autonomy.

Young men faced financial and social pressures, shaped by the male breadwinner ideal, to improve their own lives and support their families. This responsibility often motivated young men to take up or keep jobs, but it also led some to leave. Some quit in search of better-paying jobs. Others quit to escape the social demands tied to earning a wage.

One young man, who struggled to send his son to a good crèche, keep his girlfriend happy and support his unemployed siblings, explained:

Even though I’m working, I’m always left with nothing […] sometimes I feel like I’m drowning.

The inability of low-wage jobs to meet both personal and social expectations drove some to make a living in the informal economy.

Rethinking work and citizenship

Wage labour, often idealised as a path to inclusion and citizenship, falls short for many South Africans. By rejecting such jobs, these young men challenge the notion that “any job is better than no job” and assert their right to economic participation on fair and dignified terms.

Hannah J. Dawson received funding from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the National Research Foundation.

– ref. 6 in 10 young South Africans have no jobs. Why some still reject offers of work – https://theconversation.com/6-in-10-young-south-africans-have-no-jobs-why-some-still-reject-offers-of-work-249052

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Trump threatens to disrupt the world’s critical minerals supply – but there are reasons to be positive

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jorge Valverde, PhD Fellow, Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT), United Nations University

Nickel laterite in an open pit mine. Nickel is one of the critical minerals

There’s a chance Donald Trump’s second term as US president could have a long-term negative impact on the demand for and supply of what are known as critical minerals. These include copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and the “rare earth elements”, such as lanthanum and yttrium.

They are vital for the green energy transition, being used in electric car batteries, solar panels and wind turbines. Trump’s decision to pull out of the UN’s Paris agreement to control global warming has led to some pessimistic perspectives on this policy’s impacts.

If Trump’s move towards oil and gas is interpreted by the markets as permanent, the price incentive for new mining projects for critical minerals will fall, along with long-term supply. This could potentially threaten the green energy transition.

However, there are reasons to doubt this pessimistic scenario. Contrary to this, we believe that the new US administration policy is just a temporary shock without a significant change to the world’s energy transition trajectory. Therefore, critical mineral markets will remain buoyant in the medium and long term. This position is based on three main arguments.

1. The US holds a competitive position in critical mineral markets

There’s a generalised perception that the US depends on importing critical minerals from other countries, such as China. This is true for a handful, but, overall, America is one of the most competitive countries in producing the minerals needed for green technology.

Indeed, the US has a revealed comparative advantage in exporting a wide variety of minerals and, among them, the most critical ones.

Supplies of germanium are tightly controlled by China.
RHJPhtotos

Therefore, it will be in the US’s interests to keep the lucrative critical mineral markets dynamic. Even if the US reduces its sustainability ambitions, slowing its demand for new clean technologies, it is likely to do it carefully, so as not to harm its own industries.

Indeed, we expect the US to increase its interest in developing processing industries to recover some minerals from electronic waste or intermediate stages in some manufacturing processes. These include germanium and gallium, which are tightly controlled by China (their biggest producer) but which are vital for computer chips and renewable energy technology, as well as night-vision goggles.

2. The US produces and uses only a small share of clean technologies

China and Europe drive these markets. The US does not drive either the demand or the supply for new clean technologies. On the demand side, the US only represents 10% of world electric car sales, while China and Europe account for 66% and 20% of the market respectively.

China represents over 43% of installed solar energy capacity.
Wang An Qi Shutterstock

Similarly, for the world installed solar energy capacity, China represents over 43% of the market, Europe 20%, and the US only 10%. On the supply side, the US produces around 15% of the world’s electric cars, while China represents more than 50% of the market.

For other clean technologies, statistics are similar with a remarkable leadership of China in the production of solar panels and wind turbines.

So the policies followed by China and Europe are likely to have a much larger impact on the energy transition than the US’s. In the likely event that these countries continue pushing forward the green transition, the cost of slowing its technological catch up for the US will be too high.

Moreover, oil producer countries of the Middle East are heavily betting for new clean technologies, which could offset the lower appetite for green assets from the US. So regardless of what Trump’s administration will decide on this matter, its influence on the market for clean technologies will be limited.

3. New tariffs could further increase some minerals’ criticality

Import tariffs imposed by Trump’s first administration to promote local production damaged US exports of those industries using imported intermediate, or partly finished, goods. In other words, international trade along global value chains has modified the textbook dynamics of protectionism, and exports are hindered – and not fostered – by import protection.

President Trump has said he plans to impose 25% new tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. This could increase the criticality of some minerals for the US. For example, nickel and aluminium could become even more critical to the US economy because Canada supplies almost 40% of the nickel employed by US industry, and 70% of the aluminium.

As a consequence, new tariffs could indeed increase the criticality of some minerals. Indeed, this was probably in some way behind the decisions to postpone the tariff increases and to only impose them on selected products.

The energy policies of the new American administration will have ripple effects. But these are likely to be temporary and the market in critical minerals is unlikely to be affected long term. The global transition to clean energy seems safe, for now.

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

– ref. Trump threatens to disrupt the world’s critical minerals supply – but there are reasons to be positive – https://theconversation.com/trump-threatens-to-disrupt-the-worlds-critical-minerals-supply-but-there-are-reasons-to-be-positive-249058

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: National Wealth Fund makes first investment in Scotland
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Scottish Secretary welcomes £43.5m boost for sustainable packaging firm that will encourage growth, creating jobs and prosperity
The National Wealth Fund has made its first investment in Scotland since its transformation to help boost growth as part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change.

The NWF is committing £43.5m in direct equity for sustainable packaging company Pulpex, which is to build its first commercial-scale manufacturing facility near Glasgow. A further £10m co-investment is coming from the Scottish National Investment Bank with an additional boost coming from existing investors to take the total funds behind the firm to £62m.

The company has developed a unique fibre-based bottle as an alternative to glass and plastic. The product is manufactured from sustainably-sourced wood pulp and designed to be recycled in the same way as paper or card in normal household recycling streams. Its patented technology results in a recyclable and biodegradable end-product with a lower carbon impact than current glass or plastic packaging.

Pulpex’s Glasgow plant, which will produce 50 million bottles per year and create the UK’s first fibre bottle supply chain, will create 35 new jobs in Scotland.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

Our Plan for Change is about going further and faster to kickstart economic growth so working people have more money in their pockets. That’s why we established the National Wealth Fund which in the last six months has fuelled 8,600 jobs and unlocked £1.6 billion of private investment in the industries that turbocharge growth in our economy. This latest NWF investment is welcome news, creating jobs, sustainable growth and opportunity in Scotland.

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:

I’m delighted to see this first investment in Scotland from the new National Wealth Fund. Boosting business is a cornerstone of our Plan for Change and will create jobs and opportunities to raise living standards.

Just last month, we announced that Glasgow had been chosen as one of four areas where the UK Government will develop investment pipelines and this new Pulpex facility, to be built on the outskirts of the city, is a prime example of how supporting regional growth will benefit people right across the UK. The firm’s innovative bottling solution will aid the decarbonisation of our packaging industry and help accelerate our Net Zero goals as we drive delivery of clean power by 2030.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:

“This investment by the Scottish National Investment Bank will build on Glasgow’s rich history of innovation and deliver more green jobs for the future. To drive investment into Scotland, we have allocated £200 million to the Bank for the next financial year. The Bank has a strong track record of success and has generated more than £1.4 billion of private sector investment since opening for business in 2020.”

The investment announced today will enable the construction of Pulpex’s first manufacturing facility to reach commercial-scale capacity. The financing will help create the conditions for growth in both Scotland and the wider alternative packaging sector.

A move from plastic and glass to paper packaging will enable a step change in decarbonising the packaging industry and its efforts to increase the recycling rates of consumer goods, with the material benefiting from the highest recycling rates and most sophisticated infrastructure compared to other packaging alternatives.

In the UK alone, over 38.5 million plastic bottles are used every day, with around 16 million ending up in landfill, being burnt, or littering the environment and waterways, according to Water UK. The UK’s 25 Year Environment Plan aims to double resource productivity and eliminate all avoidable waste, including plastic, by 2050. This means investments in economically viable and ready-to-go options like Pulpex are critical interventions for the future sustainability of the consumer goods industry.

John Flint, National Wealth Fund CEO, said:

“We need to recycle more and unlock the growth potential of the circular economy. That requires sophisticated, long-term investment, both in infrastructure and packaging innovation. Exciting technological advancements like Pulpex are a great example of that potential, but they need catalytic investment to scale and commercialise. Through financing Pulpex’s new facility in Glasgow, we will help remove barriers to future investment from private capital and lay the foundations for further growth.”

Scott Winston, Pulpex, said:

“Thanks to the National Wealth Fund, the Scottish National Investment Bank, our Pulpex team and to our stakeholders for their continued support. This investment will drive the decarbonisation of the packaging sector using leading edge Material Bioscience to ensure this much-needed alternative to glass and plastic will deliver its ambition. Accelerated by the incredible business ecosystem that flourishes within Glasgow, this will be a visible shining star demonstrating the scalability of Pulpex technology for partners to adopt globally.”

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Published 19 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Illegal tobacco and vapes seized in shops across Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay

Source: City of Plymouth

More than £37,000 of illegal tobacco, vapes and cash was seized by Trading Standards officers during a recent operation.

The five-week operation during January and February saw officers from the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, supported by Devon and Cornwall Police and Avon and Somerset Police, look for illegal tobacco.

During the operation officers visited 14 shops across the region including in Brixham, Crediton, Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, Paignton, Plymouth, Taunton, Teignmouth and Wellington.

They used detection dogs to look for hidden stashes.

Only one shop was found to not be selling illegal products. All but one of the 14 shops were found to be selling illegal products.

Alex Fry, Operations Manager for Heart of the South West Trading Standards, said: “The removal of illegal tobacco and vapes from the marketplace is a high priority for us and we have conducted a number of intelligence-led operations over the last few weeks.

“The service uses detection dogs so regardless of where it is hidden, in a storage container or retail premises, the dogs have the ability to sniff out even small quantities of tobacco and vapes that are hidden from view.

“The sale of counterfeit and illicit tobacco and illegal vapes is big business and those shops involved can undercut other local general stores who are trying to operate legally during difficult economic conditions.”

Councillor Sally Haydon, Cabinet member with responsibility for community safety, said: “We are working hard to make Plymouth a healthier city and removing cheap, illegal tobacco and vapes from our shops is a high priority.

“This is not a victimless crime. The availability of these products at pocket money prices encourages children to start smoking and vaping and the proceeds are often used to fund other criminal activities.

“We are finding increasingly elaborate methods to hide illegal tobacco but no matter where it’s hidden on the premises our detection dogs can find it.”

Investigations into those premises found selling the items are ongoing. To report concerns of counterfeit or other illegal products email [email protected] or phone 01392 383000.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: S. 257, Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act of 2025

Source: US Congressional Budget Office

S. 257 would require the Department of Commerce to assess and prepare for disruptions to supply chains for goods that are critical to national or economic security. The bill would establish an interagency working group to identify actions that the federal government can take to mitigate the economic effects of incidents that cause gaps in manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, and distribution networks for those critical goods. The bill also would require the department to report annually to the Congress on the effectiveness of its efforts.

Implementing S. 257 would not impose significant new operating requirements on the Department of Commerce and other federal agencies because those agencies are already performing most of the responsibilities that would be required under the bill. CBO estimates that preparing the required assessments and reports would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025‑2030 period. Any spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Aldo Prosperi. The estimate was reviewed by Christina Hawley Anthony, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

Phillip L. Swagel

Director, Congressional Budget Office

MIL OSI USA News –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CEPA forum held

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Ministry of Commerce today co-organised a forum on the Second Agreement Concerning Amendment to the Mainland & Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) Agreement on Trade in Services (Amendment Agreement II).

The forum aimed to familiarise business sectors with the liberalisation measures and implementation arrangements of the Amendment Agreement II signed by both sides under the CEPA framework on October 9, 2024.

The Hong Kong SAR Government thanked the central government for its support for the Hong Kong SAR, with the Ministry of Commerce and relevant authorities actively responding to the Hong Kong SAR Government’s proposal of further opening up the Mainland market to Hong Kong in trade in services and signing the Amendment Agreement II, enabling more Hong Kong businesses and professionals to enter the Mainland market with more preferential treatment.

Representatives from over 20 central ministries and Hong Kong SAR Government bureaus and departments briefed participants at the forum on the content and implementation arrangements of the Amendment Agreement II as well as the criteria and procedures for application for preferential treatment, and answered questions from the trade.

Over 350 people, including representatives from local and foreign chambers of commerce, consulates, major trade associations and professional sectors, participated in the forum.

To be implemented on March 1, the Amendment Agreement II introduces new liberalisation measures across a number of service sectors where Hong Kong enjoys competitive advantages, thus making it easier for Hong Kong service suppliers and professionals to set up enterprises and develop businesses in the Mainland.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI: Jamf named as a Representative Vendor in the 2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Endpoint Management Tools
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, J amf (NASDAQ: JAMF) the standard in managing and securing Apple at work, announced it has been included as a Representative Vendor in the 2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Endpoint Management Tools.

As the report points out: “Using a unified endpoint management (UEM) tool remains the best approach to managing the entire employee device fleet. However, Gartner clients frequently report UEM feature gaps with nonstandard devices and challenges with patching speed, custom reporting and complex migrations.”

“We’re proud to be named in this latest report,” said Henry Patel, Chief Strategy Officer at Jamf. “We’re seeing more and more market validation of what we’ve long known at Jamf – that specialized expertise matters when it comes to Apple device management. Jamf’s speed, reliability, and feature completeness allow us to close those feature gaps experienced by customers attempting to apply traditional UEM tools to Apple devices.”

Dedicated Apple-first solutions like Jamf remain essential. Jamf is the only security and management platform for the Apple ecosystem. This strategic approach addresses the feature gaps of traditional UEMs by providing the following:
- Seamless support for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS with same-day compatibility for Apple updates, which is not always the case for platform-agnostic UEM vendors.
- Security capabilities—such as endpoint and network protection, compliance enforcement, and Zero Trust Network Access—that are designed to complement Apple’s built-in security stack rather than overlap with it.
- Patching and update capabilities for Apple devices that outperform general-purpose UEMs, ensuring immediate security updates without waiting for third-party integrations.
- Automated Mac provisioning, compliance monitoring, and streamlined workflows to ensure IT teams can manage Macs with minimal effort beyond enrollment.
- Integrations with Microsoft Entra ID, Intune, Okta, Google, and other security tools to ensure Apple devices fit seamlessly within enterprise security stacks.
Gartner, Market Guide for Endpoint Management Tools, By Tom Cipolla, Lina Al Dana, Sunil Kumar, 13 January 2025.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Jamf
Jamf’s purpose is to simplify work by helping organizations manage and secure an Apple experience that end users love and organizations trust. Jamf is the only company in the world that provides a complete management and security solution for an Apple-first environment that is enterprise secure, consumer simple and protects personal privacy. To learn more, visit www.jamf.com.

Media Contact:
Liarna La Porta | media@jamf.com

Investor Contact:
Jennifer Gaumond | ir@jamf.com

The MIL Network –
February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI: Applied Closed 2024 with More Agencies Selecting Applied Epic as Platform of Choice, Including 7 of Top 10 Largest Insurance Brokers

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Chicago, IL., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Applied Systems^® today announced more agencies are choosing to consolidate and standardize on Applied Epic^® and its Digital Agency^® technology than any other system. Notably, seven of the top 10 largest brokers ranked by Business Insurance in 2024 have chosen Applied Epic to automate their operations and create more intelligence and productivity.

Applied’s Digital Agency solution offers a comprehensive management system, coupled with an integrated payments and accounting reconciliation hub, the leading personal and commercial lines rating and automation solutions, and the largest network of carrier connectivity, all backed by award-winning customer support and extensive cyber-security protection. As the leading insurance technology specialist, Applied grounds its solutions in an unparalleled depth of expertise in insurance-specific workflows and the largest insurance datasets in the industry. Applied’s vertical focus creates unique value for its customers, enabling Applied to deliver the practical power of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) in insurance-specific solutions that create productivity and support more profitable revenue growth. Unlike generalized solutions, Applied’s products require minimal customization and reduce reliance on multiple disparate systems by delivering an integrated suite of insurance solutions that cover the end-to-end policy lifecycle. This helps insurance agencies focus their precious resources on the most valuable work – building, retaining, and growing their client relationships and books of business.

In 2024, Applied significantly expanded its AI investments by acquiring Planck, the leading insurance-specific AI company. Planck massively enhances Applied’s AI capabilities, providing the expertise to take advantage of the rapid development of powerful AI models by applying them to insurance-specific workflows and datasets, allowing Applied to deliver value across the Digital Roundtrip of Insurance. Applied recently launched AI capabilities within Applied Epic, including robust communication summarization that helps CSRs and producers gain back hours in their workday. Applied will soon launch the Applied Book Builder product, focused on delivering powerful insights and efficiencies for the renewal and new business prospecting processes, and will follow that with an exciting lineup of other AI-enabled products throughout 2025 and beyond. By delivering these AI capabilities natively within Applied’s product ecosystem, agencies can confidently use them, knowing their data remains within the security infrastructure of existing systems and processes.

“AI is emerging as a powerful capability that presents the insurance industry with new opportunities to grow their businesses more profitably,” said Taylor Rhodes, chief executive officer of Applied Systems. “While any company will have access to generalized AI models and capabilities, the way to make AI most effective is to marry it with industry-specific expertise and datasets so that AI can learn your business and provide powerful insights and automation that are specifically relevant to your business strategy. As the leading insurance technology partner, we are focused on building unmatched value through connecting the Digital Roundtrip of Insurance, infusing it with insurance-specific AI capabilities throughout the policy lifecycle.”

# # #

About Applied Systems
Applied Systems is the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and the innovation leader, Applied is the world’s largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applied’s people and products enable millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most.

The MIL Network –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI: Dinewise, Inc. (DWIS) Releases Corporate Update for 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Discussion of New Initiatives and Plans for the Future

ATLANTA, GA, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dinewise, Inc (OTC PINK-DWIS) (referred to as “Dinewise”, “we”, “us”, “our” or the “Company”) a fintech company operating as PawnTrust Inc., providing solutions to the pawn shop industry today announces its corporate update for Q1/2025.

The PawnTrust Marketplace

The development team is in the testing phase of the PawnTrust Marketplace, which is expected to go live in April 2025. Management is focused on creating the first-ever pawn partner network, seamlessly integrating pawn shop inventory onto the PawnTrust platform. This initiative will allow local pawn shops to display their inventory nationally overnight, significantly increasing their exposure. PawnTrust will leverage its marketing expertise and financial strength to drive additional engagement for its Pawn Partner network. With nearly 11,000 pawn shops nationwide, the company aims to onboard 10% of them initially. The platform integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance sales through AI-driven descriptive tags and a context-based search function. This user-friendly interface ensures an immersive and engaging shopping experience, ultimately improving customer satisfaction and driving sales growth. AI remains a key component in the company’s strategy to stay competitive and compliant in the evolving financial industry.

TitlePal Acquisition

PawnTrust is in the final stages of negotiations to acquire TitlePal, a fintech company that has developed an innovative online solution for Title Pawn transactions The Company expects to finalize the acquisition in early Q1 2025. TitlePal is actively processing loans and has successfully tested its online platform with favorable results. This acquisition will enable TitlePal to expand into Alabama, Texas, and Mississippi, effectively doubling its receivable base by year-end. The platform has streamlined the title loan process to a 30-minute online transaction, significantly reducing the time typically required in traditional methods.

Registration Statement & Compliance

The company is finalizing its 2023 and 2024 audits and expects to file its registration statement by April 2025. As part of its growth strategy, Dinewise has identified board members with the necessary expertise to facilitate market penetration. Additionally, the company is in discussions with regulators to implement both a name and ticker symbol change. Dinewise remains current in its filings and is committed to maintaining transparency with its shareholder base.

CEO Corner

To reinforce its commitment to transparency, the company has launched “CEO Corner,” a weekly update from CEO Michael Farr on the company’s YouTube channel (@PawnTrust). Initially scheduled for February 7, the first episode will now premiere on February 28, following a decision to enhance production quality through a partnership with Bellamar Pictures; an Atlanta-based film company. This exclusive agreement ensures professional-grade production that aligns with PawnTrust’s commitment to excellence.

“When I accepted the role of Chief Executive Officer, my goal was to build a strong and enduring foundation. We have been diligently reinforcing the core of this company. When our investors assess our progress, they will recognize a company built on stability, capable of navigating any challenge with confidence,” Michael Farr, CEO.

About PawnTrust

PawnTrust is an exclusively tailored marketplace for the estimated 11,000 pawn shops nationwide. The online marketplace (www.pawntrust.com) digitizes the inventory using advanced image recognition algorithms to automate item descriptions of the participating pawn shops and markets them on a national scale. The marketplace contains cutting-edge technology that streamlines the borrowing, buying, and bartering transactions typically found at a pawn shop. The platform plans to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize pricing, reduce fraud, and create personalized search recommendations to enhance the customer’s experience. These enhancements let consumers experience a frictionless shopping experience on their mobile app that gives them instant access to this nationwide inventory of pawn shops. Not only does this provide a more efficient way for consumers to shop, eliminating the need to visit multiple stores, but it also amplifies the reach of individual pawn shop owners. By joining the PawnTrust- ‘Pawn Partners’ network, shop owners gain access to a broader audience, enhancing their visibility and sales opportunities. This innovative approach aligns customer convenience with business growth, reshaping how people interact with the pawn industry. Consumers that purchase items outside of their local area will have their items conveniently shipped to them. As the intermediary in each transaction, PawnTrust earns a fee on every item sold in the marketplace. Many of these local pawn shops lack an online presence or the capital to market their inventory on a national scale. By bridging this gap, PawnTrust opens up opportunities for incremental sales from a wider buying base, effectively transforming the pawn shop and micro-lending industries. This model not only supports local businesses but also extends their reach, driving growth and innovation within the market.”

Forward-Looking Information

This release includes statements that may constitute ”forward-looking” statements, usually containing the words ”believe,” ”estimate,” ”project,” ”expect” or similar expressions. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While the Company believes the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurances such expectations will prove to be accurate. Security holders are cautioned such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Certain factors may cause results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements made in this release. Factors that would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, acceptance of the Company’s current and future products and services in the marketplace, the ability of the Company to develop effective new products and receive regulatory approvals of such products, competitive factors, dependence upon third-party vendors, risks and uncertainties related to the current unknown duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and other risks detailed in the Company’s periodic report filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.

Investor Relations:
Resources Unlimited
718-269-3366
mike@resourcesunlimitedllc.com

The MIL Network –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI: Willis appoints Helen Campbell Head of Property Wordings in North America

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Willis, a WTW business, (Nasdaq: WTW), today announced the appointment of Helen Campbell as Head of Property Wordings in North America. Her role covers property policy language, terms and conditions for both the insurance and reinsurance businesses at WTW.

Based in Bermuda and reporting directly to Scott Pizzi, Head of Property Broking, North America, Campbell will focus on analysis and tailoring of property policies and the related coverage details to provide clients with a well-defined, clear understanding of relevant terms and conditions associated with their specific property exposures.

Joining from Argo Group, Campbell most recently served as Senior Vice President and Head of Contract Wordings for the firm. Prior to Argo, she served as Contract Wordings Manager at Ironshore Insurance. With more than 25 years of industry experience, she rejoins Willis, having previously focused on contract wordings with the company at the beginning of her career.

Commenting on Campbell’s appointment, Pizzi commented, “Helen brings a specialized, technical expertise, which is rare in our industry, yet critically important in delivering comprehensive property solutions for our clients. I am thrilled to have her join the team.”

About WTW

At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk, and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce, and maximize performance.

Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you.
Learn more at wtwco.com.

Media Contact

Douglas Menelly
Douglas.Menelly@wtwco.com +1 (516) 972 0380

The MIL Network –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI: CDPQ announces increase to previously announced sale of common shares of Intact Financial

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MONTREAL, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CDPQ today announced that it has increased the size of its previously announced sale of common shares of Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC). Pursuant to the amended terms, CDPQ has agreed to sell 3,577,000 common shares, representing approximately 2.0% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Intact as of February 19, 2025.

The common shares are being sold at a gross price of $278.60 per share, which has been underwritten by CIBC Capital Markets and National Bank Financial. CDPQ expects to receive gross cash proceeds of approximately $996,552,200 from the offering.

ABOUT CDPQ
At CDPQ, we invest constructively to generate sustainable returns over the long term. As a global investment group managing funds for public pension and insurance plans, we work alongside our partners to build enterprises that drive performance and progress. We are active in the major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. As at June 30, 2024, CDPQ’s net assets totalled CAD 452 billion. For more information, visit cdpq.com, consult our LinkedIn or Instagram pages, or follow us on X.

CDPQ is a registered trademark owned by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and licensed for use by its subsidiaries.

ABOUT INTACT FINANCIAL CORPORATION
Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC) is the largest provider of Property and Casualty (P&C) insurance in Canada, a leading Specialty lines insurer with international expertise and a leader in Commercial lines in the UK and Ireland. The business has grown organically and through acquisitions to almost $24 billion of total annual operating direct premiums written (DPW).
In Canada, Intact distributes insurance under the Intact Insurance brand through agencies and a wide network of brokers, including its whollyowned subsidiary BrokerLink. Intact also distributes directly to consumers through the belairdirect brand and affinity partnerships. Additionally, Intact provides exclusive and tailored offerings to high-net-worth customers through Intact Prestige. In the US, Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions provides a range of Specialty insurance products and services through independent agencies, regional and national brokers, wholesalers and managing general agencies. Across the UK, Ireland, and Europe, Intact provides Personal, Commercial and/or Specialty insurance solutions through the RSA, 123.ie, NIG and FarmWeb brands.

For more information
MEDIA RELATIONS TEAM
CDPQ
+ 1 514 847-5493
medias@cdpq.com

Caroline Audet
Manager, Media Relations and Public Affairs, Intact Financial
Intact Financial Corporation
416 227-7905/514 985-7165
media@intact.net

The MIL Network –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: On the Polytechnic’s birthday, the exhibition “Laboratory and Museum of Mineralogy and Geology” opened

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

On February 19, the Polytechnic University turned 126 years old, and on the university’s birthday, the Polytechnicians received a wonderful gift: a new exhibition of the SPbPU History Museum, “The Laboratory and Museum of Mineralogy and Geology,” opened in the Chemical Building.

In 1902, one of the first four departments of the Polytechnic Institute was metallurgy. And each department at that time had its own museum. The laboratory and museum of mineralogy were located on the first floor of the Chemical Pavilion. The total area of the premises was 639 m². The laboratory was equipped with modern devices and instruments, there was a special library, which contained reference books and publications on metallurgy and metallography.

The museum showcases included a systematic collection of minerals arranged according to the Dana system; a collection of physical properties of minerals consisting of 200 samples; 400 samples of rocks; a collection of general features of rocks consisting of 150 samples; a collection of dynamic geology consisting of 200 samples; a collection of historical geology consisting of 750 samples; and 150 samples of ore-forming minerals.

Today, on the initiative of the rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy, the director of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport Anatoly Popovich and with the financial support of VTB Bank, the historical exhibition has been restored almost in full and supplemented with new exhibits.

“In honor of the Polytechnic University’s birthday, we had to give a gift to all of us – and we did, we restored the Mineralogy Museum,” Andrey Rudskoy said at the grand opening ceremony. “Here we will see the beauty and harmony of the world created by God, the study of which helped us, students of the metallurgical faculty, to become professionals and achieve a lot in life.”

“It is a great honor to be involved in such an event,” added Yuri Levchenko, Senior Vice President of VTB Bank and Polytechnic graduate. “I once took exams in this auditorium, so the restoration of the museum is my personal history, as is the history of the entire Chemical Building and the entire Polytechnic Institute.”

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the director of the SPbPU History Museum, Valery Klimov, conducted the first tour of the new exhibition.

“We restored historical display cases and minerals collected from all over the world – from Brazil, North America, Australia, New Zealand. And I put this quartz found in the Urals separately,” said Valery Yuryevich. “The museum also has modern technologies, for example, on this screen you can read more about the minerals and leaf through a very interesting reprint of the 1914 book “Metallurgical Department”, which describes in detail everything that happened in our beloved chemical house.”

In addition to the reprint, the exhibition also features the original paper inventory book of the chemical house metallurgical laboratory, in which records were kept from 1902 to 1937; they are well preserved. The museum premises are also decorated with the original portrait of Dmitry Mendeleyev, painted by the artist Drozdov in 1914, and portraits of famous polytechnic metallurgists, founders of scientific and pedagogical schools in the field of metal science and metallurgy.

The museum contains many interesting exhibits, including a world map made from minerals, a historic sink for washing test tubes, and a variety of laboratory equipment and instruments. For example, a glass research chamber; a direct current voltmeter and a Hartmann pointer galvanometer pyrometer N. S. Kurnakov, created in 1904 at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute according to the design of the head of the Department of General Chemistry from 1902 to 1930 Nikolai Kurnakov. This is the only copy in the world.

Another gift for the 126th anniversary of the Polytechnic University was the opening of an auditorium named after Academician I. V. Gorynin, a graduate of the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute, in the Chemical Building. The auditorium was opened by the rector of SPbPU, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Rudskoy and the scientific director of the I. V. Gorynin Central Research Institute of Structural Materials “Prometheus” of the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexey Oryshchenko.

“For me, Igor Vasilyevich Gorynin was a summit that was scary to approach, but he treated me, his student, like a father, and this obliged me to do a lot,” Andrei Ivanovich shared. “We remember, love and respect Igor Vasilyevich, he always was, is and will be a great polytechnician, a great metallurgist.”

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Is Donald Trump on a constitutional collision course over NATO?

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Aaron Ettinger, Associate Professor, International Relations, Carleton University

Over the past few weeks, United States President Donald Trump has let loose a flurry of executive orders aiming to impose the MAGA agenda unilaterally.

The legal challenges and judicial stays that have followed speak to the degree to which the limits of presidential authority are at risk in America. These limits include the making and breaking of international treaties.

In the crosshairs is NATO, the very existence of which is threatened by Trump more than anything else.

Read more:
Allies or enemies? Trump’s threats against Canada and Greenland put NATO in a tough spot

But can he sign an executive order and unilaterally denounce the North Atlantic Treaty — which forms the legal basis of NATO — or any international treaty, for that matter? The answer is uncertain, but perhaps not for long.

Vice President J.D. Vance has stated on social media that “judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power,” suggesting that Trump won’t be checked or balanced by the judiciary or other branches of government. This sets up a high stakes battle over the limits of “legitimate” presidential authority.

Any unilateral termination of the North Atlantic Treaty would likely end up in the U.S. Supreme Court. This question therefore is about more than just NATO. It’s about the power of the presidency to override Congress, ignore courts, terminate treaties and reshape the international order.

How to quit an alliance

To leave NATO, all a member needs to do is say so. Article 13 of the North Atlantic Treaty lays out simple instructions: give notice of denunciation to the U.S. government, which will then tell the other members. Basically, Trump can inform himself and likely post something to social media and the one-year countdown clock begins.

But can Trump unilaterally withdraw from NATO in a way that’s constitutional? This is where things get ambiguous.

The more appropriate question is: “Can the U.S. president unilaterally terminate an act of Congress?”

The U.S. Constitution requires that international treaties have the “advice and consent” of “two-thirds of senators present” to become law. America’s adoption of the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 followed this process. But on treaty termination, the constitution is silent.

This is remarkable because the U.S. has been terminating treaties since 1798. Naturally, the authority over treaty termination has been debated for just as long.

The arguments boil down to this: if treaties are regarded as analogous to domestic law, then Trump needs the consent of two-thirds of the Senate to terminate the North Atlantic Treaty.

If the domestic analogy is rejected or treaties are regarded as falling under the vested powers of the presidency — or as giving the president wiggle room to suspend elements of the agreement — then Trump can do what he wants.

The Supreme Court’s stance

Does the Supreme Court have anything to say? No, and deliberately so.

In 1979, the court dismissed a suit brought by Sen. Barry Goldwater against President Jimmy Carter after Carter terminated a 25-year-old mutual defence treaty with Taiwan. The court dismissed the case as a non-justiciable political question.

A similar outcome occurred in 2002 when President George W. Bush unilaterally withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty with Russia. Members of Congress filed suit, but the case was dismissed by a federal court on the same grounds.

What we have now is a practice of treaty termination that is governed by the norms of shared power over foreign policy between Congress and the presidency, exactly the kind of guardrails that Trump loves to ignore.

So it seems that Trump could have a path to denouncing the North Atlantic Treaty. But there’s a twist.

The Marco Rubio twist

At the end of 2023, Congress passed the Defense Department budget that included a provision meant to forestall any unilateral withdrawal from NATO.

Buried deep in the 974-page National Defense Authorization Act is a provision that prohibits the president from “suspending, terminating, denouncing, or withdrawing” from NATO “except with the advice and consent of 2/3 of the Senate.” That clause, spearheaded by then-senator and current Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is critical because of a court decision that’s nearly as old as NATO itself.

In 1952, in the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer case, the Supreme Court clarified the parameters on executive power. It argued presidential authority on any matter is “is at its lowest ebb” when working against congressional authority.

The Rubio clause may be the exact constitutional authority that stops Trump in his tracks. But stay tuned: this is all subject to change.

What’s next?

In 2025, the conditions for unilateral withdrawal seem to align perfectly for Trump: constitutional ambiguity, antiquated norms of polite governance and deferential courts.

It might seem that Trump could denounce the North Atlantic Treaty with a few thumbstrokes, but that obscure provision in the Pentagon budget changes things. Any unilateral denunciation of NATO by Trump would set him on a collision course with Congress, and the matter would rocket toward the Supreme Court.

So far, though, Trump hasn’t raised the spectre of termination. Instead, he has been more interested in increasing the NATO defence spending target to five per cent of GDP, up from two per cent, a requirement that would be difficult for many members to meet.

It’s possible that including that language in the next NATO summit declaration would be enough for Trump. He’d look tough without the constitutional fight at home. Supporters of NATO, the durability of U.S. treaties and the separation of powers in America can only hope that will be enough.

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

– ref. Is Donald Trump on a constitutional collision course over NATO? – https://theconversation.com/is-donald-trump-on-a-constitutional-collision-course-over-nato-248363

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The dangers of ‘Jekyll and Hyde leadership’: Why making amends after workplace abuse can hurt more than it helps

Source: The Conversation – USA – By John Sumanth, James Farr Fellow & Associate Professor of Management, Wake Forest University

Not the picture of leadership. LMPC via Getty Images

A glance at the day’s headlines reveals a universal truth: Leadership matters.

Whether uplifting and ethical or toxic and abusive, leaders profoundly shape our lives. And this is especially true on the job. Research consistently shows that leadership influences employees’ attitudes, behaviors and emotions, driving key organizational outcomes such as creativity, employee engagement, well-being and financial performance.

Unfortunately, research also shows that supervisors abuse their employees far too often and then try to manage impressions to compensate for their bad behavior. But what happens when a leader tries to “make up” for past abuse by suddenly acting ethically? And do employees have to experience the abuse firsthand for it to hurt them?

As professors who study management – and who’ve heard horror stories of employees working under mercurial bosses – we wanted to find answers. So we conducted a study, which was recently published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

Our research includes multiple samples of full-time employees in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. To begin, we surveyed 222 employees and 66 supervisors to gather insights into workplace leadership and work experiences. We focused on two contrasting leadership behaviors: ethical leadership and abusive supervision. We also conducted experiments with 400 people, presenting them with stories about managers who alternately display both ethical leadership and abusive supervision and asking them how they would respond.

Across these studies, we found that employees who experience such oscillating leadership often end up worse off – in terms of their emotional well-being and job performance – than if they were consistently being abused. By going back and forth between abusive and ethical behaviors, leaders create greater confusion, leaving their employees emotionally exhausted.

Instead of providing relief, acts of ethical leadership ironically serve to amplify the damage done by prior abusive behavior.

Jekyll and Hyde leadership in practice

As an example, consider Steve Jobs, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Apple for more than a decade until his death in 2011. While Jobs was an icon to many people, he reportedly swung between toxic and positive leadership behavior while dealing with subordinates.

For example, when Jobs’ exacting standards weren’t met, he would reportedly storm into meetings and profanely berate the team responsible for not living up to his lofty expectations. Yet, despite these outbursts, he was also described as a leader who believed in his employees’ potential, expressing unwavering confidence in their abilities and empowering them to exceed their own expectations.

This kind of unpredictable leadership can leave workers emotionally exhausted, wondering: “Which version of my boss will show up today? Will this kindness last, or is it just a setup for another blow?” Unsurprisingly, this isn’t good for productivity.

Employees value stability and predictability in their leaders. A supervisor who bounces between harsh criticism and warm praise creates an emotional roller coaster for the team. When employees see a supervisor as unpredictable, they experience more stress and emotional exhaustion, which hurts their job performance and willingness to share ideas.

Interestingly, we found that workers don’t even need to be directly targeted by an abusive supervisor to be affected; employees whose immediate supervisors get the Jekyll-and-Hyde treatment from their higher-ups suffer similar consequences.

These negative reactions occur, in part, because employees begin to doubt that their immediate supervisors are able to effectively influence higher-level leaders. In other words, the psychological toll of Jekyll-and-Hyde leaders isn’t limited to direct encounters but can also be experienced vicariously.

How companies can banish Mr. Hyde

The good news is that organizations can break this cycle – and workers are likely to be less stressed and more productive when they do. Here are three steps every organization can take:

• Train leaders to manage stress without lashing out. High-pressure environments are prevalent these days, but abusive leader behavior doesn’t have to be. Providing leaders with tools like emotional intelligence training and conflict resolution skills can help leaders navigate both personal and professional challenges more constructively.

• Address the abusive behavior directly. When abusive actions occur, ignoring them or asking the leader to “be nicer next time” isn’t enough. Structured interventions – like one-on-one coaching, counseling or formal sanctions – are essential for generating real change. Employees need to see that the organization is living up to its stated values and ideals.

• Foster a culture of trust and accountability. Tools like 360-degree feedback reports – which involve feedback from supervisors, peers and subordinates – can help leaders gain deeper insight into their behaviors. These can be used not just for development, but also for heightened accountability. Creating a climate of psychological safety – in which employees can report concerns without fear of retaliation – is key to rebuilding trust. So is ensuring clear, consistent responses to reports of abusive supervision.

Great leaders understand the power of trust and setting an example. Employees want leaders they can rely on, not ones who keep them guessing. So leaders should be wary about employing ethical leadership as a quick fix for past mistakes. Rather, it’s about showing up consistently, authentically, and with integrity every single day.

For leaders at all levels, the takeaway is simple: Consistency fosters success. Organizations that prioritize stable, ethical leadership create workplaces where employees feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work.

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. The dangers of ‘Jekyll and Hyde leadership’:
Why making amends after workplace abuse can hurt more than it helps – https://theconversation.com/the-dangers-of-jekyll-and-hyde-leadership-why-making-amends-after-workplace-abuse-can-hurt-more-than-it-helps-244622

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Investors value corporate tax responsibility – at least when the company is based somewhere with a lot of inequality, research shows

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Erica Neuman, Assistant Professor of Accounting, University of Dayton

When corporations based in areas of above-average income inequality pay more taxes, it’s not just the public that appreciates it – investors do, too. That’s the key finding of our recent research published in the journal Accounting and the Public Interest.

Our finding challenges traditional economic theory holding that investors see corporate taxes as a transfer of wealth from shareholders to the state. That would suggest investors value only strategies that minimize taxes. The reality isn’t so simple.

As accounting professors at the University of Dayton, we study the intersection of corporate taxes and corporate social responsibility. We wanted to better understand how corporate taxes affect firm value and stock prices, and whether that relationship changes if a company is headquartered in an area with high income inequality.

So we looked at financial data from over 1,500 firms over a 10-year period between 2011 and 2019, as well as the income inequality in the metro areas where they’re headquartered. For the latter point, we used the Gini coefficient, a measure of income distribution in a given place. This is a particularly useful context for looking at corporate taxes, since one of the key functions of taxation is to counter inequality.

We found that there’s a negative relationship between corporate taxes and firm value for companies headquartered in areas of average inequality. In other words, paying more corporate taxes lowers firm value. That’s in line with previous research and traditional economic theory.

However, we found that when local income inequality rises above the average, the relationship between corporate taxes and firm value flips. This flip suggests that some companies actually receive a financial benefit from paying corporate taxes.

Why? We found that these companies enjoy a reputational benefit for being socially responsible taxpayers. Indeed, our results were driven by businesses that are are otherwise widely viewed as good corporate citizens. For those companies, paying taxes represents one of many socially responsible behaviors.

Why it matters

Our research offers evidence that investors view corporate taxes positively when they’re consistent with other socially responsible behaviors. Given that corporations have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders, this finding suggests that corporate taxes can play a role in a company’s corporate social responsibility, or CSR, efforts.

Our findings also align with a 2023 KPMG survey of more than 300 chief tax officers that found more than half said they cared more about looking like good corporate citizens than reducing their tax burdens.

An extensive body of research has shown that companies’ investments in CSR activities aren’t just selfless – they’re linked with improved operational and financial outcomes. There’s evidence that businesses that prioritize CSR are better able to attract quality employees; have improved corporate reputations; and are more profitable as judged by return on assets, return on equity and return on sales.

While work on tax responsibility has lagged behind other CSR research, evidence is mounting that paying corporate taxes has positive effects. Much of this research indicates that companies that aggressively minimize tax payments and gain a reputation as “tax avoiders” face harm to their reputation – and therefore, the bottom line.

Our study dovetails this research and identifies a specific context in which investors view corporate taxes favorably. At a time of tax reform both globally and in the U.S., and as lawmakers and pundits continue to call for greater tax transparency, companies should be aware of the role of corporate tax responsibility in their overall CSR portfolio.

What’s next

Corporate tax responsibility is complex and not yet well defined. Our current research examines other circumstances that lead investors to value corporate taxes, which will help companies to quantify the value of including taxes in their CSR portfolios.

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

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. Investors value corporate tax responsibility – at least when the company is based somewhere with a lot of inequality, research shows – https://theconversation.com/investors-value-corporate-tax-responsibility-at-least-when-the-company-is-based-somewhere-with-a-lot-of-inequality-research-shows-225961

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: DEI programs are designed to help white people too – here’s how

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Liza Bondurant, Associate Professor of Secondary Math Education, Mississippi State University

Many DEI programs support students with a disability, about a fifth of whom are white. simonkr/E+ via Getty Images

While diversity, equity and inclusion may on the surface seem focused on certain groups, in fact DEI programs benefit people from all walks of life – including white people.

President Donald Trump and other conservatives have increasingly attacked such initiatives as discriminatory based on the presumption that they benefit only students of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Most recently, Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 20, 2025, directing federal agencies, including the Department of Education, to eliminate support for DEI positions and projects. The order labels them “illegal and immoral discrimination” and “radical and wasteful.”

The impact of this sweeping order has been seismic across the U.S. government, private sector and in education in particular as universities have begun eliminating or rebranding their DEI programs and the Department of Education has removed any initiative and even any document or material that referenced diversity, equity or inclusion.

As professors of education who have studied DEI programs in higher education, we believe these attacks represent a misconception about which groups DEI higher education programs actually support. The reality is, DEI policies help a wide range of people access and succeed in college regardless of their racial or ethnic background.

Breaking down DEI funding by race

It’s a challenge to determine the exact percentages of federal DEI funding allocated to groups of students broken down by race and ethnicity. There is limited publicly available data.

Broadly speaking, a large majority of people within most racial and ethnic groups receive some kind of federal funding – some of which is connected to DEI programs. That includes 81% of Black students, 74% of American Indian/Alaska Native students, 72% of Hispanic or Latino students, 70% of white students, and 66% of Asian students, according to a 2023 report from the National Center for Education Statistics based on data during the 2019-20 academic year.

The center’s data does not indicate whether those grants were explicitly designated for DEI initiatives. For example, Pell Grants are need-based, but not explicitly DEI.

That said, DEI initiatives encompass a broad range of programs that support various underrepresented groups, including first-generation college students and students with disabilities. They also benefit women and veterans. Each of these groups invariably includes many white students.

University DEI programs support underrepresented students from all kinds of backgrounds, such as those who are the first in their family to attend college, about half of whom are white.
AP Photo/Darron Cummings

First-generation students

At most universities, a portion of DEI funding is dedicated to programs designed to support the success of first-generation students, or students whose parents did not graduate from college.

DEI initiatives enhance first-generation students’ academic success by addressing their unique challenges, such as financial constraints, cultural adjustments and unfamiliarity with college environments. They do this through tailored support programs, inclusive learning communities and mentorship opportunities.

Research shows that first-generation students are likely to adopt what psychologists call performance avoidance goals – such as the fear of looking incompetent – so they play it safe and don’t try too hard, which can hinder their academic success. But DEI efforts such as faculty engagement programs and dorm communities that mix academics and social support help foster supportive environments that mitigate those challenges.

National data shows that 56% of college students are first-generation attendees. White students represent 46% of that group, more than any other single race.

Students with disabilities

People with disabilities make up the largest minority group in America – and represent a growing share of college students.

Disability access is a vital yet often overlooked component of DEI efforts, with 20.5% of undergraduate students reporting a disability. Many institutions address this through disability services, which ensure students receive such appropriate testing accommodations as extended exam times, classroom support and access to assistive technology.

Accommodations for individuals with both sensory and physical disabilities are universally accepted and ensure access to everyone regardless of their ability. DEI initiatives, particularly those focusing on accessibility and support services, play a pivotal role in ensuring students with disabilities have equal opportunities to succeed.

Given that disabilities affect people from every ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic background, the erasure of DEI programs that support them hurts all groups – and that includes white people, who made up 21.1% of all undergraduate students with disabilities in the 2019-20 academic year.

We believe it is particularly critical to fund programs that include students with disabilities because, in the past, public providers did not create equitable opportunities for all.

Before the passage of key legislation such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, students with disabilities were often excluded from mainstream educational settings or received inadequate support. Even since those laws were enacted, enforcement has been inconsistent, and gaps in accessibility persist today.

Women and veterans

In addition to those two groups, DEI programs also target women and veterans.

For women, who make up more than half of college students, they promote equity in male-dominated fields such as science, technology, engineering and math, and leadership roles in government, academia and the private sector.

For veterans, DEI programs provide tailored resources like academic support, mental health services and career transition assistance that recognize the unique challenges some of them face in higher education.

The GI Bill, which provides financial assistance to veterans pursuing higher education, has also gotten caught up in Trump’s DEI purge. While it wasn’t designed back in 1944 as a DEI initiative – and has often failed to ensure equitable access for Black veterans – the Department of Veterans Affairs has recently tried to provide targeted support to veterans of diverse backgrounds. Trump’s order ended those programs.

While veterans make up only 6% of undergraduate students, the majority of them – about 60% – are white, with 16% Black, 14% Hispanic and 3% Asian.

Close to home

Collectively, those groups and others have benefited from the over US$1 billion in grants the Education Department has allocated to DEI programs since 2021.

Diversity encompasses a lot more than just race, and that’s why DEI programs are intended to benefit a broad range of people who historically have been underrepresented at universities or have lacked support.

For both of us, the end of these types of programs hits close to home. One of us is white, and one of us is Black, but we’ve both benefited from DEI initiatives aimed at first-generation college students and women.

We also both have family members who are veterans or who have disabilities and who have received financial support and resources that made a significant difference in their ability to go to college.

Most American families – even if they don’t realize it – can tell a similar story of how programs aimed at diversity, equity and inclusion helped them achieve the American dream.

Trump’s order describes DEI programs as “illegal and immoral discrimination programs” and says Americans deserve “a government committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect.”

In our view, the orders are more likely to have the opposite effect.

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. DEI programs are designed to help white people too – here’s how – https://theconversation.com/dei-programs-are-designed-to-help-white-people-too-heres-how-248989

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Canada is getting high-speed rail
Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

The Toronto-Quebec City corridor is a megaregion. It’s home to 18 million people, 40 per cent of our GDP, over 700,000 students, and more than 30 colleges and universities. This dynamic hub needs a transportation system that gets people from city to city, in the fastest time possible.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that Canada is developing a high-speed rail network in the Toronto-Quebec City corridor. This transformative rail network will span approximately 1,000 km and reach speeds of up to 300 km/hour, with stops in Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, Trois-Rivières, and Quebec City. Once operational, current travel times will be slashed in half – getting you from Montréal to Toronto in three hours. The official name of this high-speed rail service will be Alto.

A country that believes in itself invests in its people and infrastructure. As Canada’s largest ever infrastructure project, high-speed rail will turbocharge the Canadian economy – boosting GDP by up to $35 billion annually, creating over 51,000 good-paying jobs during construction, and unlocking enhanced productivity for decades to come. By connecting economic hubs at rapid speed, businesses will have more markets to sell to and workers will have more job opportunities. Electrified, high-speed rail will also help Canada reduce its emissions and meet its climate targets. By giving travellers an efficient and reliable option to get around, we will save Canadians time when they travel, boost tourism, connect communities, and spur affordable housing development across the region.

Cadence has been carefully selected to not only co-design and build, but also to finance, operate, and maintain this project. Cadence is a consortium of world-renowned companies with expertise and know-how in the design, development, and operation of large-scale transportation infrastructure. Cadence will collaborate and support Alto as work begins on detailed design, Indigenous consultations, land acquisition, and the environmental assessments necessary to enable construction.

This decision is the result of years of careful deliberations and de-risking, as well as meaningful investment from the Government of Canada.

Canada is the ninth-largest economy in the world and Canadians deserve the best transportation options. We have world-class talent, critical minerals, natural resources, a dynamic technology ecosystem, and an ambition to grow. High-speed rail in our most populated corridor is our ambition in action. Alongside investing in high-speed rail, we are also creating more jobs with bigger paycheques, fast-tracking new affordable homes, and protecting Canadian interests.

Quotes

“Canada is getting high-speed rail. Today’s announcement of Alto, a high-speed rail system between Toronto and Quebec City, will transform our economy – drastically shortening commute times for millions of Canadians, turbocharging economic growth, creating thousands of good-paying jobs, improving productivity, and reducing emissions. Montréal to Toronto in three hours – you can’t beat that.”

“Today’s announcement will put passengers first, with dedicated tracks between Toronto and Quebec City passing through Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, and Trois-Rivières. This will cut train travel times in half. It will promote growth in regional economies and reduce emissions at the same time. It’s a nation-building project we can all be proud of.”

“I’m firmly convinced that the way a project is developed is as crucial as the project itself. Which is why we are developing it now, in collaboration with Cadence, relying on the best practices of the industry. We have assembled a unique group of talents, combining the know-how of a federal Crown corporation with the experience of a consortium of world-class private partners. Together, we will build a project that will surpass the highest expectations of Canadians.”

Quick Facts
- Canadian passenger rail service currently runs on tracks owned by freight rails, which limits the frequency of the service they offer and leads to delays.
- To address these challenges, the Government of Canada has been advancing better passenger rail since 2016.
- Canada’s investment in the co-development phase of the project represents $3.9 billion over six years, starting in 2024-25. This is in addition to the $371.8 million that was provided in Budget 2024.
- Budget 2022 launched an innovative, rigorous procurement process that brought in world-class rail companies. A Request for Expressions of Interest was completed in October 2022, the Request for Qualifications in July 2023, and as part of the Request for Proposals (RFP), three world-class consortiums (bidders) submitted their final bid submissions in 2024.
- The procurement was completed on budget and was overseen by a fairness monitor.
- In November 2022, the Government of Canada created a Crown corporation, VIA HFR (now Alto), to provide oversight of this project.
- Alto and Cadence will be signing a contract setting out the terms of the next phase of the project – its co-development.
Associated Link

MIL OSI Canada News –
February 20, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Lufthansa plans own ground services at Munich Airport

Source: Lufthansa Group

Lufthansa plans to handle part of the flights of Lufthansa Group Airlines at Munich Airport itself later this year. A potential 100% acquisition of Swissport Losch GmbH & Co. KG at the Munich location from the current shareholders, Swissport Cargo Services Deutschland GmbH and Losch Airport Service München GmbH, could further enhance operational stability and reliability for Lufthansa Group Airlines’ customers.

The acquisition is particularly subject to the granting of a license, the commercial agreement, and the approval of the relevant antitrust authorities. With this strategic letter of intent, Lufthansa is underscoring its commitment to the Munich location. As part of the planned takeover, Lufthansa intendeds to retain the jobs of the employees at Swissport Losch GmbH & Co. KG and to offer them long-term prospects. As part of the planned transaction, the existing shareholders will continue to provide advice on the development of self-handling.

“Securing jobs at Munich Airport and further developing the travel experience for our customers are of great importance to Lufthansa. Swissport Losch is a strong company with a long-standing partnership with Lufthansa. The company has outstanding employees who are characterized above all by their professionalism, commitment and service quality,” says Jens Ritter, CEO Lufthansa Airlines and Hub Manager Munich.

“The future of Swissport Losch and its employees in Munich is very important to us. We are pleased that we can offer our employees a secure future with this perspective,” says Marc Losch, CEO LOSCH Airport Service.

“We are proud to support Lufthansa in the transition to their self-handling setup on the basis of our long-term partnership with the Lufthansa Group at Munich Airport. Our global expertise, particularly at major aviation hubs, will contribute to the operational stability and the takeover of Swissport Losch by Lufthansa provides exciting prospects for Munich’s talented ground service professionals,” says Warwick Brady, President & CEO of Swissport International.

MIL OSI Economics –

February 20, 2025

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Jekyll and Hyde leadership in practice

How companies can banish Mr. Hyde

Why it matters

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