Category: Education

MIL-OSI Australia: 2025 Fellows announced
Source: State Library of NSW

Tonight the State Library celebrated the 50th anniversary of its prestigious research program by unveiling its largest-ever cohort of Fellows, awarding a total of $186,000 across eight categories.

Highlights include the announcement of the inaugural creative writing fellowship, a new Summer Fellows program and two artists-in-residence.

The 2025 Fellows are:

Inaugural IMAGO Fellow – Dr Sheila Ngoc Pham for ‘Fantasia: On Anne Spencer Parry and Australian fantasy and science fiction in the late 20th century’

Australian Religious History Fellow – Dr Zac Roberts for ‘Changing Representations of Indigenous Peoples in the NSW Jewish Press’

CH Currey Memorial Fellow – Dr Dominic Kelly for ‘From Cold War to Culture War: Quadrant and Australian conservatism’

Nancy Keesing AM Fellow – Dr Clara Sitbon for ‘Piecing the Puzzle: Mapping the literary works of Carter Brown’

Dr AM Hertzberg AO Fellow – Dr Luciano Cardellicchio for ‘From Caravans to Schools, from Airplanes to Houses: Plywood innovation in the post-war construction sector of Australia’

Ross Steele AM Fellow – Dr Ruth Pullin for ‘From Sketchbook to Canvas: Eugene von Guérard’s sketchbooks and the making of pictures’

Merewether Fellow – Dr Nicholas Pitt for ‘Benevolent Cattle? A more-than-human history of the Hawkesbury Benevolent Society and the place of benevolence in the colonial project of NSW’

DS Mitchell Memorial Fellow – Dr Shirleene Robinson AM for ‘Mapping the Contribution, Strategies and Networks of Women in Australia’s First LGBTIQ+ Rights Groups, 1969–1974’

The Library also launched its new Summer Fellows Program with support from the Library Foundation. These nine tertiary students and creative practitioners will receive $1,000 each and the opportunity to acquire essential archival research skills for their future careers:
- Phillip Bartlett: ‘A Possible Narrative of the Macquarie Chest’s Bottom Drawer’
- Ira Friedberg: ‘Bad Times in Red Brick Flats’ Anita Gowers: ‘Pictures Frames in the State Library of NSW Picture Collections‘
- Moon Kerr: ‘George Goodman’s Daguerreotypes of the Lawson Family’
- Annabelle McEwen: ‘How the Body is Defined and Usurped via Visual Mediation’
- Hamish McPherson: ‘Transgender Liberation in NSW 1950–2000’
- Eloise Reddy: ‘1980–90s Cultural Planning and Contemporary Placemaking Discourse’
- Bronwyn Rennex: ‘Ralph Clark and the Birds’
- Suzanne Smith: ‘The Save Our Sons Movement during the Vietnam War’
The reinvigorated artist-in-residence program will see Michelle Arnott create a set of images of the Library and its surrounds using synthetic polymer paint, and Sarah Randall will produce a series of still-life paintings based on letters and diaries held within the Library’s collections.

Learn more about the Library’s Fellowship program

MIL OSI News –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ Campaign gains Global Momentum with Plantation Drive in Colombia

Source: Government of India (2)

India’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ Campaign gains Global Momentum with Plantation Drive in Colombia

Minister of State Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh leads Plantation Drive in Colombia to promote ‘#Plant4Mother’ Initiative

Posted On: 30 OCT 2024 1:02PM by PIB Delhi

On the side lines of the 16th Meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP 16) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, led a plantation drive under the framework of ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (#Plant4Mother)’ Campaign in University of Valle, Cali, Colombia on 29th October 2024. The plantation drive was graced by His Excellency Mr. Vanlalhuma, Ambassador of India to Colombia; Ms. Mónica García Solarte, Vice Rector, University of Valle; and Mr. Guillermo Murillo Vargas, Rector, University of Valle, along with the participation of faculty members and students. A sapling was also planted in the University on the name of mother of Shri Tanmay Kumar, Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
During the plantation drive, the Rector; Vice Rector and Director of International Cooperation of the University of Valle, also planted saplings on the name of their mother.

On the occasion, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh interacted with the faculty members and students of the University and encouraged them to embrace sustainable practices in their daily lives and emphasized on involvement of youth in environmental conservation. More than 30 students and faculty members enthusiastically participated the plantation drive.

The campaign ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (#Plant4Mother)’ was launched on Word Environment Day this year, by Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi. It is a unique initiative combining environmental responsibility with a heartfelt tribute to mothers. This campaign was inaugurated with the planting of a Peepal tree by the Prime Minister.

During the launch of this Campaign, Shri Modi emphasized on the involvement of citizens worldwide and importance of collective efforts to improve the environment and spoke of India’s strides in increasing forest cover over the past decade. This campaign aligns with the Nation’s quest for sustainable development.

***

VM/GS

(Release ID: 2069475) Visitor Counter : 28

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 25, 2025

MIL-OSI: Dayforce Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results¹

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Dayforce® recurring revenue of $333.2 million, up 19%

Total revenue of $440.0 million, up 17%

Year-to-date net cash provided by operating activities of $200.1 million, up 54%

MINNEAPOLIS and TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dayforce, Inc. (“Dayforce” or the “Company”) (NYSE:DAY) (TSX:DAY), a global leader in human capital management (“HCM”) technology, today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024.

“Our dedicated team achieved excellent results in the third quarter, positioning us to finish 2024 with strength,” said David Ossip, Chair and CEO of Dayforce. “Dayforce recurring revenue grew 19% year-over-year, and year-to-date cash flows from operating activities were up 54%, underscoring our ability to both grow and generate profits at scale. We continue to see organizations across the globe realize greater value as they simplify their people operations with the all-in-one Dayforce platform.”

“In the third quarter, we repurchased approximately $30 million worth of shares under our $500 million share repurchase program that we launched last quarter highlighting our progress in enhancing our overall profit profile and the flexibility of our cash-generative business model,” said Jeremy Johnson, CFO of Dayforce. “Looking forward, we are excited to meet many of our investors in-person at our inaugural Investor Day alongside our Dayforce Discover conference in Las Vegas where we will outline our strategy for future growth.”

Financial Highlights for the Third Quarter 2024¹

Total revenue was $440.0 million, an increase of 16.6%, or 16.7% on a constant currency basis.
Dayforce recurring revenue was $333.2 million, an increase of 19.2%, or 19.3% on a constant currency basis. Excluding float revenue, Dayforce recurring revenue was $292.0 million, an increase of 18.9%, or 19.0% on a constant currency basis.
Cloud recurring gross margin was 79.0%, compared to 77.0%. Adjusted cloud recurring gross margin was 79.9%, compared to 78.3%.
Operating profit was $20.8 million compared to $26.5 million. Adjusted operating profit was $103.2 million compared to $89.4 million.
Net income was $2.0 million, compared to net loss of $3.8 million. Adjusted net income was $74.5 million, compared to $58.3 million.
Adjusted EBITDA was $126.1 million, compared to $107.2 million.
Diluted net income per share was $0.01, compared to diluted net loss per share of $0.02. Adjusted diluted net income per share was $0.47, compared to $0.37.
Net cash provided by operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $200.1 million, compared to $129.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Free cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $117.3 million, compared to $41.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Supplemental Detail

6,730 customers were live on the Dayforce platform as of September 30, 2024, an increase of 73 customers since June 30, 2024 and an increase of 384 customers since September 30, 2023, or 6.1% year-over-year.²
Dayforce recurring revenue per customer was $159,496 for the trailing twelve months ended September 30, 2024, an increase of 14.9%.³
The average float balance for Dayforce’s customer funds during the quarter was $4.48 billion and the average yield on Dayforce’s float balance was 4.0%, an increase of 20 basis points year-over-year. Float revenue from invested customer funds was $45.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024.
The average U.S. dollar to Canadian dollar foreign exchange rate was $1.36 for the three months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $1.34 for the three months ended September 30, 2023. Dayforce presents percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis in order to exclude the effect of foreign currency rate fluctuations, which it believes is useful to management and investors. Percentage change in revenue was calculated on a constant currency basis by applying the average foreign exchange rate in effect during the comparable prior period.

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

Business Highlights

Dayforce was named a Leader in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud HCM Suites for 1,000+ Employee Enterprises for the fifth consecutive year in October 2024. The Company also scored highest in both North American Compliance Suite 1,000-2,500 and North American Compliance Suite 2,500+ in the 2024 Critical Capabilities report for Cloud HCM Suites for Enterprises with 1000+ Employees.
The Company earned a 2024 Top HR Products of the Year Award from Human Resources Executive Magazine for Dayforce Career Explorer and placed on the Constellation ShortList™ within four categories: Workforce Management Suites, HCM Suites with a North American Focus, Global HCM Suites, and Payroll for North American SMBs.
Dayforce attained a five-star rating for the second year in a row on Newsweek’s list of America’s Greenest Companies 2025, recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2024, named a Top 10 company for workers by JUST Capital, placed on the Most Loved Workplaces list for young professionals, and awarded a TrustRadius Tech Cares award for the company’s efforts in social responsibility and volunteerism.

Sales Highlights

A North American hospitality company that specializes in managing and developing luxury hotels and resorts selected the full Dayforce suite to support 22,000 employees across U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
A major multi-brand Australian retailer has selected Dayforce as its unified HCM solution to support their 12,000 employees across Australia and New Zealand.
A global manufacturing and distribution leader, operating in over 12 countries, selected the full Dayforce suite to enhance the experience of 8,500 employees across the United States and Canada.
A wholesale distributor of food service and janitorial supplies, with 7,200 employees in the U.S. and Canada chose Dayforce as its comprehensive human capital management solution, opting for the full Dayforce suite of products with Managed Benefits.
A world-leading manufacturer and retailer of footwear chose the full Dayforce suite to support its 5,300 employees globally.
A U.S.-based online gaming and sports entertainment company chose Dayforce Managed Payroll Services to support its 4,100 employees across the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom (“U.K.”).
A U.K.-based clothing retailer chose the full Dayforce Talent suite and Global Payroll to effectively manage its workforce of 3,800 employees across 12 countries.
A U.S. construction company selected the full Dayforce suite for consolidating and modernizing its systems across 48 states and 32 unique FEINs for its 3,500 employees.
A regional commuter railroad corporation in the U.S. has chosen Dayforce as its unified HCM solution, including the full Talent Suite, to effectively manage its workforce of 3,300 employees.
A global manufacturer and distributor of medical devices operating in 33 countries, chose Dayforce for Global Pay, Time, and Managed Benefits in the U.S. to support 2,300 employees.

New Customer Highlights

A British multinational hotel and restaurant company with 38,000 employees went live across the U.K. with Dayforce Managed Payroll, HR, Workforce Management, and Talent.
A prominent U.S. manufacturer recently went live with Dayforce HR, Payroll, Time, Wallet, Document Management for its 10,000 employees.
A U.K. fashion retailer with 400 stores and 10,000 employees has recently implemented Dayforce HR, Workforce Management, Payroll, and Dayforce Wallet.
A leading senior living organization recently deployed the full Dayforce suite, supporting 6,300 active employees across the U.S.
A well-established U.S. logistics company has gone live with the full Dayforce suite to support its 5,200 employees.
A well-established U.S.-based insurance company has gone live with the full Dayforce suite supporting its 4,800 employees across North America.
A North American technology company migrated to Dayforce Managed Payroll to support nearly 4,700 U.S. employees.
A global office furniture manufacturer has implemented Dayforce HR, Payroll, Time, Analytics, and Dayforce Wallet for almost 4,000 U.S. employees.
A U.S.-based energy services company with 1,200 employees has implemented Dayforce Payroll, Benefits, Time, Core HR, Onboarding, and Recruiting.
A nonprofit organization dedicated to the governance and promotion of golf in America recently undertook a full-suite implementation of Dayforce to support its 400 employees.

Product Roadmap Highlights

In the third quarter, Dayforce launched new product capabilities to help Dayforce customers realize quantifiable value through enriched workforce engagement, enhanced analytics, and improved employee financial wellness, and to update their compliance capabilities.

The new Dayforce Learning was announced, with enhancements that will better equip organizations with the advanced learning and development capabilities needed to grow, engage, and enrich their workforces.
Dayforce People Analytics enhancements include:
- Measures, a new KPI and performance management tool, that surfaces performance across 28+ metrics, allowing organizations to configure intelligent nudges that can surface changes requiring their attention
- Data Cards display Measures in the Advanced Experience Hub, embedding awareness of performance metrics across the organization
- Machine learning enhanced prediction gives organizations a view into future performance
Dayforce Wallet updates include a new Savings feature, which allows users to route some of their earnings into a saving plan, a new Cashless Tips feature, which allows employers to pay out pre-tax or net tips by automating their distribution at the end of a shift, and a new Dayforce Wallet widget that integrates on-demand pay into Dayforce Hub, allowing employees to view and request available pay directly. As of September 30, 2024, over 1,290 customers were live on Dayforce Wallet.
Dayforce Payroll enhancements include a reimagined payroll experience that offers real-time insight into pay variances, helping users detect anomalies by highlighting areas needing attention.
240+ compliance updates up to the end of the third quarter, will bolster the Company’s industry-leading position in compliance by addressing changes in regional taxes, workers’ compensation, garnishments, and multiple state and city rate changes.

Business Outlook

Based on information available as of October 30, 2024, Dayforce is issuing the following guidance for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024 as indicated below. Comparisons are on a year-over-year basis, unless stated otherwise.

Guided Metrics	Full Year 2024	Fourth Quarter 2024
Total revenue	$1,747 million to $1,752 million, an increase of 15% to 16% on a GAAP basis or 16% on a constant currency basis.	$452 million to $457 million, an increase of 13% to 14% on a GAAP basis or 13% to 15% on a constant currency basis.
Dayforce recurring revenue, excluding float	$1,163 million to $1,168 million, an increase of 21% on a GAAP and on a constant currency basis.	$311 million to $316 million, an increase of 21% to 23% on a GAAP and on a constant currency basis.
Float revenue	$192 million	$37 million
Adjusted EBITDA	$492 million to $507 million	$120 million to $135 million

Dayforce is also providing an initial outlook for full year 2025 as follows:

Total revenue growth, excluding float, between 14% and 15%, on a constant currency basis
Adjusted EBITDA margin above 31%
Free cash flow as a percentage of total revenue above 12%

Dayforce has not reconciled the Adjusted EBITDA ranges, Adjusted EBITDA margin, or free cash flow for the fourth quarter or full years of 2024 or 2025 to the directly comparable GAAP financial measures because applicable information for the future period, on which these reconciliations would be based, is not available without unreasonable efforts due to uncertainty regarding, and the potential variability of, depreciation and amortization, share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, changes in foreign currency exchange rates, and other items.

Foreign Exchange

For the fourth quarter of 2024, Dayforce’s guidance assumes an average U.S. dollar to Canadian dollar foreign exchange rate of $1.38, which results in an average rate of $1.37 for the full year of 2024, compared to an average rate of $1.36 and $1.35 for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, respectively.

Conference Call Details

Dayforce will host a live webcast and conference call to discuss the third quarter 2024 earnings at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on October 30, 2024. Those wishing to participate via the webcast should access the call through the Investor Relations section of the Dayforce website. Those wishing to participate via the telephone may dial in at 877-497-9071 (USA) or 201-689-8727 (International). The webcast replay will be available through the Investor Relations section of the Dayforce website.

About Dayforce

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

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact or relating to present facts or current conditions included in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give Dayforce’s current expectations and projections relating to its financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance, and business. Users can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements relating to the fourth quarter and full fiscal years of 2024 and 2025, as well as those relating to future growth initiatives. These statements may include words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “assume”, “project,” “seek,” “plan,” “intend,” “believe,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “continue,” “likely,” “should,” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events, but not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on assumptions that Dayforce has made in light of its industry experience and its perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors that it believes are appropriate under the circumstances. As users consider this press release, it should be understood that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. These assumptions and Dayforce’s future performance or results involve risks and uncertainties (many of which are beyond its control). In particular:

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

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


Dayforce, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

	September 30,			December 31,
	2024			2023
(In millions, except per share data)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and equivalents	$	494.1		$	570.3
Restricted cash		—			0.8
Trade and other receivables, net		255.8			228.8
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		153.3			126.7
Total current assets before customer funds		903.2			926.6
Customer funds		4,000.7			5,028.6
Total current assets		4,903.9			5,955.2
Right of use lease assets, net		14.7			19.1
Property, plant, and equipment, net		228.3			210.1
Goodwill		2,394.5			2,293.9
Other intangible assets, net		228.3			230.2
Deferred sales commissions		215.6			192.1
Other assets		131.7			110.3
Total assets	$	8,117.0		$	9,010.9

Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	$	7.3		$	7.6
Current portion of long-term lease liabilities		6.0			7.0
Accounts payable		73.1			66.7
Deferred revenue		42.7			40.2
Employee compensation and benefits		77.9			92.9
Other accrued expenses		66.3			30.4
Total current liabilities before customer funds obligations		273.3			244.8
Customer funds obligations		4,004.6			5,090.1
Total current liabilities		4,277.9			5,334.9
Long-term debt, less current portion		1,209.9			1,210.1
Employee benefit plans		25.0			27.7
Long-term lease liabilities, less current portion		14.0			18.9
Other liabilities		34.2			21.1
Total liabilities		5,561.0			6,612.7
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock, $0.01 par, 500.0 shares authorized, 157.8 and 156.3 shares issued and outstanding, respectively		1.6			1.6
Additional paid in capital		3,291.5			3,151.1
Accumulated deficit		(340.5	)		(317.8	)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(396.6	)		(436.7	)
Total stockholders’ equity		2,556.0			2,398.2
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	8,117.0		$	9,010.9


Dayforce, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024		2023
(In millions, except per share data)
Revenue:
Recurring	$	375.9		$	325.4		$	1,123.6	$	958.2
Professional services and other		64.1			52.1			171.2		155.8
Total revenue		440.0			377.5			1,294.8		1,114.0
Cost of revenue:
Recurring		87.4			80.5			265.1		239.4
Professional services and other		75.1			66.1			210.8		197.0
Product development and management		55.4			53.3			166.8		153.5
Depreciation and amortization		20.8			17.1			58.6		47.4
Total cost of revenue		238.7			217.0			701.3		637.3
Gross profit		201.3			160.5			593.5		476.7
Selling and marketing		86.4			61.8			248.5		177.5
General and administrative		94.1			72.2			269.4		204.9
Operating profit		20.8			26.5			75.6		94.3
Interest expense, net		8.8			8.9			33.2		27.2
Other (income) expense, net		(6.3	)		5.1			5.7		6.6
Income before income taxes		18.3			12.5			36.7		60.5
Income tax expense		16.3			16.3			29.4		51.3
Net income (loss)	$	2.0		$	(3.8	)	$	7.3	$	9.2
Net income (loss) per share:
Basic	$	0.01		$	(0.02	)	$	0.05	$	0.06
Diluted	$	0.01		$	(0.02	)	$	0.05	$	0.06
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic		158.1			155.7			157.6		155.0
Diluted		159.7			155.7			159.9		158.2


Dayforce, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023
(In millions)
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	$	7.3		$	9.2
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense		(27.5	)		13.9
Depreciation and amortization		151.5			84.1
Amortization of debt issuance costs and debt discount		3.2			3.3
Loss on debt extinguishment		4.3			—
Provision for doubtful accounts		4.7			4.2
Net periodic pension and postretirement cost		7.6			0.9
Share-based compensation expense		118.4			118.0
Change in fair value of contingent consideration		9.0			11.8
Other		(1.2	)		0.3
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, excluding effects of acquisitions:
Trade and other receivables		(26.2	)		(62.0	)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		(4.5	)		(20.1	)
Deferred sales commissions		(22.9	)		(25.9	)
Accounts payable and other accrued expenses		5.9			8.5
Deferred revenue		(6.5	)		7.5
Employee compensation and benefits		(16.1	)		(23.2	)
Accrued taxes		22.5			11.0
Payment of contingent consideration		(20.9	)		—
Other assets and liabilities		(8.5	)		(11.9	)
Net cash provided by operating activities		200.1			129.6

Cash flows from investing activities
Purchases of customer funds marketable securities		(483.2	)		(252.0	)
Proceeds from sale and maturity of customer funds marketable securities		283.4			326.4
Purchases of marketable securities		(10.0	)		—
Proceeds from sale and maturity of marketable securities		7.6			—
Expenditures for property, plant, and equipment		(8.7	)		(15.4	)
Expenditures for software and technology		(74.1	)		(72.9	)
Acquisition costs, net of cash acquired		(173.1	)		—
Other		—			(1.0	)
Net cash used in investing activities		(458.1	)		(14.9	)

Cash flows from financing activities
(Decrease) increase in customer funds obligations, net		(1,049.9	)		311.0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock under share-based compensation plans		22.0			40.3
Repurchases of common stock		(28.8	)		—
Proceeds from debt issuance		650.0			—
Repayment of long-term debt obligations		(646.5	)		(6.0	)
Payment of debt refinancing costs		(11.4	)		—
Payment of contingent consideration		(3.0	)		—
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities		(1,067.6	)		345.3

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, restricted cash, and equivalents		(18.2	)		5.1
Net (decrease) increase in cash, restricted cash, and equivalents		(1,343.8	)		465.1
Cash, restricted cash, and equivalents at beginning of period		3,421.4			3,151.2
Cash, restricted cash, and equivalents at end of period	$	2,077.6		$	3,616.3

Reconciliation of cash, restricted cash, and equivalents to the condensed consolidated balance sheets
Cash and equivalents	$	494.1		$	510.3
Restricted cash		—			0.8
Restricted cash and equivalents included in customer funds		1,583.5			3,105.2
Total cash, restricted cash, and equivalents	$	2,077.6		$	3,616.3


Dayforce, Inc. Revenue Financial Measures (Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Percentage change in revenue			Impact of changes in foreign currency (a)			Percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis (a)
	2024		2023		2024 vs. 2023						2024 vs. 2023
	(In millions)
Revenue:
Recurring revenue:
Dayforce recurring, excluding float	$	292.0	$	245.6		18.9	%		(0.1	)%		19.0	%
Dayforce float		41.2		34.0		21.2	%		(0.3	)%		21.5	%
Total Dayforce recurring		333.2		279.6		19.2	%		(0.1	)%		19.3	%
Powerpay recurring, excluding float		20.2		19.6		3.1	%		(2.0	)%		5.1	%
Powerpay float		4.2		4.4		(4.5	)%		(2.2	)%		(2.3	)%
Total Powerpay recurring		24.4		24.0		1.7	%		(2.0	)%		3.7	%
Total Cloud recurring		357.6		303.6		17.8	%		(0.3	)%		18.1	%
Other recurring (b)		18.3		21.8		(16.1	)%		0.9	%		(17.0	)%
Total recurring revenue		375.9		325.4		15.5	%		(0.2	)%		15.7	%
Professional services and other (c)		64.1		52.1		23.0	%		(—	)%		23.0	%
Total revenue	$	440.0	$	377.5		16.6	%		(0.1	)%		16.7	%

a)	Dayforce has calculated percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis by applying the average foreign exchange rate in effect during the comparable prior period. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for discussion of percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis.
b)	Float attributable to Other recurring was $0.2 million and $0.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024, and 2023, respectively.
c)	For the three months ended September 30, 2024, Professional services and other consisted of $61.8 million and $2.3 million associated with Dayforce and Other, respectively. For the three months ended September 30, 2023, Professional services and other consisted of $48.2 million, $3.8 million, and $0.1 million associated with Dayforce, Other, and Powerpay, respectively.

	Nine Months Ended September 30,				Percentage change in revenue			Impact of changes in foreign currency (a)			Percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis (a)
	2024		2023		2024 vs. 2023						2024 vs. 2023
	(In millions)
Revenue:
Recurring revenue:
Dayforce recurring, excluding float	$	852.1	$	706.5		20.6	%		(0.2	)%		20.8	%
Dayforce float		139.9		112.5		24.4	%		(0.2	)%		24.6	%
Total Dayforce recurring		992.0		819.0		21.1	%		(0.2	)%		21.3	%
Powerpay recurring, excluding float		60.6		58.8		3.1	%		(1.2	)%		4.3	%
Powerpay float		14.4		13.4		7.5	%		(0.7	)%		8.2	%
Total Powerpay recurring		75.0		72.2		3.9	%		(1.1	)%		5.0	%
Total Cloud recurring		1,067.0		891.2		19.7	%		(0.3	)%		20.0	%
Other recurring (b)		56.6		67.0		(15.5	)%		(1.0	)%		(14.5	)%
Total recurring revenue		1,123.6		958.2		17.3	%		(0.3	)%		17.6	%
Professional services and other (c)		171.2		155.8		9.9	%		(0.2	)%		10.1	%
Total revenue	$	1,294.8	$	1,114.0		16.2	%		(0.3	)%		16.5	%

a)	Dayforce has calculated percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis by applying the average foreign exchange rate in effect during the comparable prior period. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for discussion of percentage change in revenue on a constant currency basis.
b)	Float attributable to Other recurring was $0.9 million and $1.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, and 2023, respectively.
c)	For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, Professional services and other consisted of $164.4 million, $6.6 million, and $0.2 million associated with Dayforce, Other, and Powerpay, respectively. For the three months ended September 30, 2023, Professional services and other consisted of $144.6 million, $11.1 million, and $0.1 million associated with Dayforce, Other, and Powerpay, respectively.


Dayforce, Inc. Share-Based Compensation Expense and Related Employer Taxes (Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2024		2023		2024		2023
	(in millions)
Cost of revenue – Cloud	$	3.0	$	3.9	$	9.6	$	11.9
Cost of revenue – Other		0.6		0.5		1.7		1.2
Professional services and other		4.0		4.4		11.7		13.5
Product development and management		8.1		7.8		25.0		25.7
Sales and marketing		9.4		6.4		27.2		19.0
General and administrative		14.5		13.4		43.2		47.0
Total	$	39.6	$	36.4	$	118.4	$	118.3


Dayforce, Inc. Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited)

The following tables reconcile Dayforce’s reported results to its non-GAAP financial measures:

	Three Months Ended September 30, 2024
	As reported		As reported margins (a)			Share-based compensation		Amortization		Other (b)			As adjusted (b)		As adjusted margins (a)
	(Dollars in millions, except per share data)
Cost of Cloud recurring revenue	$	75.1		79.0	%	$	3.0	$	—	$	0.1		$	72.0		79.9	%

Operating profit	$	20.8		4.7	%	$	39.6	$	29.6	$	13.2		$	103.2		23.5	%

Net income	$	2.0		0.5	%	$	39.6	$	29.6	$	3.3		$	74.5		16.9	%
Interest expense, net		8.8					—		—		—			8.8
Income tax expense (c)		16.3					—		—		(4.0	)		20.3
Depreciation and amortization		52.1					—		29.6		—			22.5
EBITDA	$	79.2				$	39.6	$	—	$	7.3		$	126.1		28.7	%

Net income per share – diluted (d)	$	0.01				$	0.25	$	0.19	$	0.02		$	0.47

a)	Cloud recurring gross margin is defined as total Cloud recurring revenue less cost of Cloud recurring revenue as a percentage of total Cloud recurring revenue. Operating profit margin and net profit margin are determined by calculating the percentage operating profit and net (loss) income are of total revenue. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted margins.
b)	The as adjusted column is a non-GAAP financial measure, adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items including $9.0 million related to the fair value adjustment for the DataFuzion contingent consideration, $3.2 million of restructuring expenses, $3.2 million of costs associated with the planned termination of its frozen U.S. pension plan, $1.0 million of fees associated with initiating the receivables securitization program, and $9.1 million of foreign exchange gain, along with a $4.0 million net adjustment for the effect of income taxes related to these items. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted metrics.
c)	Income tax effects have been calculated based on the statutory tax rates in effect in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions during the period.
d)	GAAP and Adjusted diluted net income per share are calculated based upon 159.7 million weighted average shares of common stock.

	Three Months Ended September 30, 2023
	As reported			As reported margins (a)			Share-based compensation		Amortization		Other (b)			As adjusted (b)		As adjusted margins (a)
	(Dollars in millions, except per share data)
Cost of Cloud recurring revenue	$	69.9			77.0	%	$	3.9	$	—	$	—		$	66.0		78.3	%

Operating profit	$	26.5			7.0	%	$	36.4	$	20.5	$	6.0		$	89.4		23.7	%

Net (loss) income	$	(3.8	)		(1.0	)%	$	36.4	$	20.5	$	5.2		$	58.3		15.4	%
Interest expense, net		8.9						—		—		—			8.9
Income tax expense (c)		16.3						—		—		(5.5	)		21.8
Depreciation and amortization		38.7						—		20.5		—			18.2
EBITDA	$	60.1					$	36.4	$	—	$	10.7		$	107.2		28.4	%

Net (loss) income per share – diluted (d)	$	(0.02	)				$	0.23	$	0.13	$	0.03		$	0.37

a)	Cloud recurring gross margin is defined as total Cloud recurring revenue less cost of Cloud recurring revenue as a percentage of total Cloud recurring revenue. Operating profit margin and net profit margin are determined by calculating the percentage operating profit and net income are of total revenue. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted margins.
b)	The as adjusted column is a non-GAAP financial measure, adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items including $4.7 million of foreign exchange loss, $4.6 million related to the impact of the fair value adjustment for the DataFuzion contingent consideration, $1.2 million of restructuring expenses, and $0.2 million related to the abandonment of certain leased facilities, along with a $5.5 million net adjustment for the effect of income taxes related to these items. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted metrics.
c)	Income tax effects have been calculated based on the statutory tax rates in effect in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions during the period.
d)	GAAP diluted net loss per share is calculated based upon 155.7 weighted average shares of common stock, and Adjusted diluted net income per share is calculated based upon 158.8 million weighted average shares of common stock.

	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024
	As reported		As reported margins (a)			Share-based compensation		Amortization		Other (b)			As adjusted (b)		As adjusted margins (a)
	(Dollars in millions, except per share data)
Cost of Cloud recurring revenue	$	228.5		78.6	%	$	9.6	$	—	$	0.9		$	218.0		79.6	%

Operating profit	$	75.6		5.8	%	$	118.4	$	87.5	$	25.7		$	307.2		23.7	%

Net income	$	7.3		0.6	%	$	118.4	$	87.5	$	5.5		$	218.7		16.9	%
Interest expense, net		33.2					—		—		—			33.2
Income tax expense (c)		29.4					—		—		(27.0	)		56.4
Depreciation and amortization		151.5					—		87.5		—			64.0
EBITDA	$	221.4				$	118.4	$	—	$	32.5		$	372.3		28.8	%

Net income per share – diluted (d)	$	0.05				$	0.74	$	0.55	$	0.03		$	1.37

a)	Cloud recurring gross margin is defined as total Cloud recurring revenue less cost of Cloud recurring revenue as a percentage of total Cloud recurring revenue. Operating profit margin and net profit margin are determined by calculating the percentage operating profit and net income are of total revenue. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted margins.
b)	The as adjusted column is a non-GAAP financial measure, adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items including $15.7 million of restructuring expenses, $9.7 million of costs associated with the planned termination of its frozen U.S. pension plan, $9.0 million related to the fair value adjustment for the DataFuzion contingent consideration, $1.0 million of fees associated with initiating the receivables securitization program, and $2.9 million of foreign exchange gain, along with a $27.0 million net adjustment for the effect of income taxes related to these items. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted metrics.
c)	Income tax effects have been calculated based on the statutory tax rates in effect in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions during the period.
d)	GAAP and Adjusted diluted net income per share are calculated based upon 159.9 million weighted average shares of common stock.

	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023
	As reported		As reported margins (a)			Share-based compensation		Amortization		Other (b)			As adjusted (b)		As adjusted margins (a)
	(Dollars in millions, except per share data)
Cost of Cloud recurring revenue	$	204.8		77.0	%	$	11.9	$	—	$	—		$	192.9		78.4	%

Operating profit	$	94.3		8.5	%	$	118.3	$	32.7	$	15.6		$	260.9		23.4	%

Net income	$	9.2		0.8	%	$	118.3	$	32.7	$	(1.8	)	$	158.4		14.2	%
Interest expense, net		27.2					—		—		—			27.2
Income tax expense (c)		51.3					—		—		(22.7	)		74.0
Depreciation and amortization		84.1					—		32.7		—			51.4
EBITDA	$	171.8				$	118.3	$	—	$	20.9		$	311.0		27.9	%

Net income per share – diluted (d)	$	0.06				$	0.75	$	0.21	$	(0.01	)	$	1.00

a)	Cloud recurring gross margin is defined as total Cloud recurring revenue less cost of Cloud recurring revenue as a percentage of total Cloud recurring revenue. Operating profit margin and net profit margin are determined by calculating the percentage operating profit and net income are of total revenue. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted margins.
b)	The as adjusted column is a non-GAAP financial measure, adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items including $11.8 million related to the impact of the fair value adjustment for the DataFuzion contingent consideration, $5.3 million of foreign exchange loss, $3.4 million of restructuring expenses, and $0.4 million related to the abandonment of certain leased facilities, along with a $22.7 million net adjustment for the effect of income taxes related to these items. Please refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section for additional information on the as adjusted metrics.
c)	Income tax effects have been calculated based on the statutory tax rates in effect in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions during the period.
d)	GAAP and Adjusted diluted net income per share are calculated based upon 158.2 million weighted average shares of common stock.


Dayforce, Inc. Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow (Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
	(In millions)
Net cash provided by operating activities	$	91.8		$	36.6		$	200.1		$	129.6
Expenditures for property, plant, and equipment		(2.0	)		(5.3	)		(8.7	)		(15.4	)
Expenditures for software and technology		(26.4	)		(26.5	)		(74.1	)		(72.9	)
Free cash flow	$	63.4		$	4.8		$	117.3		$	41.3

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

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

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

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

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

Dayforce defines its non-GAAP financial measures as follows:

EBITDA is defined as net (loss) income before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, and Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA, as adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, and certain other items.
Adjusted EBITDA margin is determined by calculating the percentage Adjusted EBITDA is of total revenue.
Adjusted Cloud recurring gross margin is defined as Cloud recurring gross margin, as adjusted to exclude share-based compensation and related employer taxes, and certain other items, as a percentage of total Cloud recurring revenue.
Adjusted operating profit is defined as operating profit, as adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items.
Adjusted net income is defined as net (loss) income, as adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, and certain other items, all of which are adjusted for the effect of income taxes.
Adjusted net profit margin is determined by calculating the percentage Adjusted net income is of total revenue.
Adjusted diluted net income per share is calculated by dividing adjusted net income by diluted weighted average common shares outstanding. When adjusted diluted net income per share is positive, diluted weighted average common shares outstanding incorporate the effect of dilutive equity instruments.
Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities, as adjusted to exclude capital expenditures.
Percentage change in revenue, including total revenue and revenue by solution, on a constant currency basis is calculated by applying the average foreign exchange rate in effect during the comparable prior period.
Dayforce recurring revenue per customer is an indicator of the average size of Dayforce recurring revenue customers. To calculate Dayforce recurring revenue per customer, the Company starts with Dayforce recurring revenue on a constant currency basis by applying the same exchange rate to all comparable periods for the trailing twelve months and excludes float revenue and Ascender, ADAM HCM, and eloomi revenue. This amount is divided by the number of live Dayforce customers at the end of the trailing twelve month period, excluding Ascender, ADAM HCM, and eloomi. The Company has not reconciled the Dayforce recurring revenue per customer because there is no directly comparable GAAP financial measure.

Source: Dayforce, Inc.

For further information, please contact:

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

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

The MIL Network –

January 25, 2025

MIL-OSI: Xtract One’s New Gateway Selected to Secure Tift County Schools

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xtract One Technologies (TSX: XTRA)(OTCQX: XTRAF)(FRA: 0PL) (“Xtract One” or the “Company”) today announced their newly-debuted Xtract One Gateway (“Gateway”) has been selected by Tift County Schools in Tifton, Georgia, to protect school entrances, ensuring a welcoming, streamlined, and secure experience for all individuals entering the buildings.

Tift County Schools is set to deploy Xtract One Gateway at the entrances of their high school and middle schools, with plans to deploy the system across all K-12 schools in the future. This installation aims to strengthen safety and security measures within the district, and highlights the joint dedication to prioritize the well-being of students and staff while maintaining a positive school atmosphere. By differentiating between everyday items—such as laptops, tablets, 3-ring binders, cell phones, and keys—and potential threats such as firearms, Gateway ensures a smooth and secure entry experience for students and visitors who enter carrying a medium volume of personal belongings. The system features advanced bi-directional screening technology for weapon detection and identification, allowing individuals to keep their personal belongings on them, and reducing the need for separate bag searches, thereby dramatically reducing screening times.

“As a district with 11 schools, nearly 7,700 students, and over 1,000 teachers and staff members, it’s critically important for us to prioritize our students’ learning, well-being, and overall school experience. We’re excited to be using Xtract One Gateway to further our mission to protect and nurture the future generations of Tift County,” said Jonathan Judy, Chief Information Officer at Tift County School District. “We investigated several technologies to secure our facilities and found that Gateway provided a broad set of weapons detection while also significantly reducing unnecessary bag searches, x-ray machines, or complex operations. Our students, teachers, staff, and visitors deserve the best, and with Xtract One’s enhanced security solution, we’ll be able to deliver an atmosphere district-wide for anyone entering our schools that is even more secure, with an experience that still remains inviting.”

“Safe schools are a prerequisite for student achievement and, to a larger extent, an important standard for the well-being of the surrounding community that supports the school. We’re continuing to deliver innovative security solutions that empower schools to address modern threats and enhance safety without compromising the welcoming environment that students deserve,” said Peter Evans, CEO of Xtract One. “With technology like Gateway complementing existing security operations, students will benefit from enhanced, non-invasive security that allows them to walk into school freely without needing to divest their personal belongings. This sets a new standard for school safety and allows students to focus on their education.”

To learn more, visit www.xtractone.com.

About Xtract One
Xtract One Technologies is a leading technology-driven provider of threat detection and security solutions leveraging AI to deliver seamless and secure experiences. The Company makes unobtrusive weapons and threat detection systems that enable facility operators to prioritize and deliver improved “Walk-right-In” experiences while providing unprecedented safety. Xtract One’s innovative portfolio of AI-powered Gateway solutions excels at allowing facilities to discreetly screen and identify weapons and other threats at points of entry and exit without disrupting the flow of traffic. With solutions built to serve the unique market needs for schools, hospitals, arenas, stadiums, manufacturing, distribution, and other customers, Xtract One is recognized as a market leader delivering the highest security in combination with the best individual experience. For more information, visit www.xtractone.com or connect on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks detailed from time to time in the continuous disclosure filings made by the Company with securities regulations. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. The Company has no obligation to update any forward looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law.

No securities exchange or commission has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact:
Xtract One Inquiries: info@xtractone.com, http://www.xtractone.com
Investor Relations: Chris Witty, Darrow Associates, cwitty@darrowir.com, 646-438-9385
Media Contact: Kristen Aikey, JMG Public Relations, kristen@jmgpr.com, 212-206-1645

The MIL Network –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa’s fight against extreme poverty needs a new strategy – model shows how social grants could work

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ramos Emmanuel Mabugu, Professor, Sol Plaatje University

South Africa has been struggling for decades to reduce poverty, inequality and unemployment and raise the rate of economic growth.

Economic growth has been slow since a recession in 2008. The annual growth rate averaged 1.1% between 2009 and 2021, slowing to 0.6% in 2023.

Unemployment remains stubbornly above 30%. It was 32.9% in the first quarter of 2024.

The country’s Gini coefficient, a measure of how income is distributed across the population, is estimated to be 0.63, one of the worst in the world. Poverty levels remain high too. A large number of people live in extreme poverty. According to Statistics South Africa, an estimated 40.0% of the population (or 25 million people) have a monthly consumption expenditure of below R9,096 (which is used as the lower-bound poverty line). And 55.5% of the population falls within the upper-bound poverty line, with monthly consumption expenditure of below R13,656.

This is despite government’s extensive spending on social assistance and other support mechanisms. In the 2023/24 fiscal year, there were 18.8 million social grant beneficiaries (about 35% of the population) with an annual cost to the fiscus of R217.1 billion (US$12.2 billion). This is expected to increase to R259.3 billion (US$14.6 billion) in 2026/27.

Social support also includes spending on health, education, social protection, community development and employment programmes which protect the most vulnerable groups. In addition, the government has extended the Social Relief of Distress Grant which was introduced during the COVID pandemic.

Based on my research as an economist for the last 20 years, I believe the government won’t make much progress in reducing unemployment, inequality and poverty unless it adopts a different strategy – one that targets extreme poverty reduction explicitly.

In a recent paper, colleagues and I identify key conditions for reducing extreme poverty through social transfers. We designed an economic simulation model to track the effect of increasing social grants to very poor South Africans to move them out of extreme poverty. This would be done by transferring an average of R4,020 (US$225) to every extremely poor South African. Based on our assumptions, about 25 million individuals would be eligible for this social transfer.

Moving about 25 million South Africans out of extreme poverty would cost on average US$6.5 billion per year. We argue that this cost is worth carrying. Our model also showed that, under certain conditions, poverty-alleviation social transfers can be good for the broader economy.

Additional benefits

We know that social grants are important instruments to fight poverty and inequality in South Africa. They can produce sizeable multiplier effects in the economy.

But we wanted to know more about how society benefits when a large share of the public budget is transferred to poor households.

What makes the model we built to explore this different is that we simulated the economic implications of a hypothetical South Africa with lower poverty and inequality outcomes. More precisely, we set the poverty headcount rate at the lower-bound poverty line at 5.0% under both unconstrained and constrained scenarios. This is the conventionally accepted definition of extreme poverty eradication.

The tool combined a macroeconomic model to project the economic impacts and a micro-simulation model to work out the poverty and inequality effects.

We tested a combination of policy options, including social grants, and their multiplier effects and funding implications. We considered two financing scenarios: one that involved a budget deficit and one which was budget-neutral.

Under a budget-neutral scenario, funding for interventions would be taken from budgets allocated for other purposes and put towards poverty alleviation instead.

Key findings

The model showed that the South African economy, measured by the level of gross domestic product (GDP), would grow faster (by 0.5 percentage points) when the transfer was designed to support poor people’s progressive engagement in economic participation rather than simply providing them with a basic cash grant. This can be done, for instance, by expanding and upgrading the current social assistance schemes such as the public work programmes. These have been shown to have positive outcomes for economic participation.

When people who receive income transfers are able to work, they contribute to a higher supply of goods and services as well as to higher demand.

The inflationary effects, in particular food price increases, are limited under this scenario.

On the other hand, GDP deteriorates by 1 percentage point when there is no requirement or condition for participation (when grant recipients still don’t have a job). Under this scenario food demand increases and related price increases contribute to reducing consumers’ purchasing power.

What needs to be done

Our model shows how poverty-alleviation social transfers can have positive economic outcomes under two conditions.

First, the expansion of the grant lifting approximately 25 million South Africans above the lower-bound poverty line of R9,606 has to be done under a budget-neutral funding arrangement.

Second, the transfer has to be made with a requirement that there is an increase in the economic participation of extremely poor beneficiaries. In other words, the grant only has a positive effect if the very poor beneficiaries can find work or are required to participate in a certain kind of public work activity.

The fiscal cost of the poverty alleviating grant transfer would be around 1.6% of GDP or 4.9% of public expenditure. This would mean increasing social spending by 4.9%. Alternatively, spending on other areas would have to be cut by the same proportion.

In either scenario, the findings show that this constraint might even be relaxed if the fiscal transfer enabled poor people to get work or if the cash transfer was conditional on recipients doing certain work.

In our view the benefits of this are massive in terms of extreme poverty eradication.

– South Africa’s fight against extreme poverty needs a new strategy – model shows how social grants could work
– https://theconversation.com/south-africas-fight-against-extreme-poverty-needs-a-new-strategy-model-shows-how-social-grants-could-work-241694

MIL OSI Africa –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Thirty years of WTO technical assistance enhancing participation in world trade

Source: World Trade Organization

Since its establishment in 1995, the WTO has supported the participation of developing economies and least-developed countries (LDCs) in the multilateral trading system through the provision of technical assistance, helping beneficiaries develop their capacity to take full advantage of global trade. Over the past 30 years, more than 320,000 government officials have benefited from this assistance.

WTO technical assistance is a pivotal function of the organization and has evolved constantly to meet the emerging needs of the beneficiaries and a changing global environment, with an increasing focus on achieving measurable results.

Regional breakdown of activities

The WTO has conducted over 10,000 technical assistance activities for its eligible members and observers since 1995. In the initial three years following the organization’s establishment, these activities were carried out globally, without focusing on particular regions. However, starting in 1998, the focus shifted toward addressing the specific needs of individual members, either regionally or at the domestic level.

Africa has consistently received the largest share of technical assistance, averaging around 30 per cent of annual activities and rising as high as 40 per cent between 2005 and 2011 (see Chart 1). The Asia-Pacific region has benefited from roughly 20 per cent of activities. The Middle East, the Caribbean, and Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia have received respectively between 5 per cent and 10 per cent annually. Latin America has also featured prominently in technical assistance programmes, receiving on average approximately 10 per cent of activities.

Developing online technical assistance

The launch in 2004 of the WTO technical assistance e-Learning platform, which was upgraded in 2022, was a game-changer in terms of delivering more accessible technical assistance and providing more cost-effective training. The platform gained additional importance during the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel restrictions prevented face-to-face activities.

Since 1995, over 110,000 government officials have been trained via the e-Learning platform, representing more than a third of the total number of beneficiaries (see Chart 2). The number of e‑Learning participants per year has surpassed the number of beneficiaries of face-to-face activities since 2014. More recently, a new approach, combining e‑Learning, face-to-face and virtual activities is gradually being introduced.

WTO technical assistance is primarily aimed at government officials, but its outreach extends to other key groups, including the academic community through the WTO Chairs Programme, as well as members of parliament, journalists, the private sector and non-governmental organizations.

Evolving pedagogical approaches

In 2010, a progressive learning strategy was introduced to improve the efficient use of resources in technical assistance delivery by focusing on advancing participants’ skills progressively. This progressive learning strategy structures technical assistance activities around three levels of learning — introductory, intermediate and advanced — and two training paths — for generalists and for specialists — with the aim of building beneficiaries’ capacity in a sustainable and cumulative manner.

The training methods used in the delivery of technical assistance programmes have also evolved over time. While the approach in 1995 was predominantly lecture-based, the proportion of lectures in the total training time has been somewhat reduced since 2013 in favour of face-to-face activities incorporating more hands-on sessions and interactive pedagogical techniques (see Chart 3). Recent years have seen the introduction of mentoring and coaching.

In addition to training programmes, the first internship programme was launched in 1998. Since then, four other similar programmes have been set up. These internship opportunities have collectively benefited more than 800 participants from over 100 WTO members and observers.

Priorities for technical assistance

WTO technical assistance is governed by biennial plans setting out priorities and strategies to ensure that the needs of beneficiaries are effectively met. In 2013, a results-based management approach was implemented to improve monitoring of all WTO technical assistance activities, from planning to evaluation. The approach aims to produce specific and measurable results to improve beneficiaries’ capacity to participate in the multilateral trading system.

Since its introduction, the proportion of technical assistance targets fully or partially met, such as successful completion of the courses, reached 91 per cent in 2018. This number declined between 2020 and 2022 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on technical assistance delivery but rose again in 2023 (see Chart 4).

WTO negotiations and implementation of WTO agreements: Some measurable results

Technical assistance has contributed to improving the capacity of developing WTO members and observers, and particularly LDCs, to engage effectively in WTO negotiations and participate in the work of WTO bodies. It has also been essential to economies wishing to join the WTO as they proceed through their WTO accession processes.

For several recent agreements negotiated at the WTO (e.g., the agreements on trade facilitation, fisheries subsidies and investment facilitation for development), provisions related to technical assistance for developing and LDC members have been crucial to concluding the negotiations. Over the past 10 years alone, thousands of government officials have benefited from technical assistance training programmes designed to strengthen their capacity to comply with obligations under WTO agreements and to benefit fully from these WTO agreements (see Chart 5).

The topics covered by technical assistance training programmes have continued to evolve over the years in line with the priorities defined by beneficiaries. This flexibility allows WTO technical assistance to take account of evolving issues on the WTO agenda, such as digital trade, the green economy and inclusive trade.

The impact of these efforts can be measured in different ways. For example, WTO technical assistance has striven through capacity-building to stimulate a sustained increase in the number of proposals or other documents covering a variety of topics under negotiation or discussion submitted to WTO bodies by technical assistance beneficiaries. These contributions have been invaluable in making trade deliberations and decision-making more inclusive.

Strengthening the capacity of technical assistance beneficiaries to fulfil their transparency obligations under various WTO agreements, including by notifying new trade measures, is among the performance targets for WTO technical assistance. As the overall volume of notification obligations has increased each year, technical assistance efforts have enabled beneficiaries not only to keep pace with their new notification obligations, but even to reduce their backlog progressively.

Financial commitments to WTO technical assistance

WTO technical assistance is financed both by the regular budget of the WTO Secretariat and by means of voluntary contributions made by WTO members to trust funds. A total of over CHF 500 million has been committed since 1995. Contributions from the regular budget reached their highest levels between 2002 and 2013 and have remained at CHF 4.5 million since then. Meanwhile, members’ voluntary contributions have steadily declined, dropping from CHF 23 million on average between 2007 and 2009 to CHF 6.3 million in 2023 (see Chart 6).

Sustained funding continues to be essential to responding efficiently to the evolving needs of members and securing the technical assistance necessary for an inclusive multilateral trading system.

MIL OSI Economics –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Do we need a European DARPA to cope with technological challenges in Europe?
Source: The Conversation – France – By David W. Versailles, Professor, strategic management and innovation management, co-director of PSB’s newPIC chair, PSB Paris School of Business

The headquarters of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Virginia. ajay_suresh/Flickr, CC BY

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is often held as a model for driving technology advances. For decades, it has contributed to military and economic dominance by bridging the gap between military and civilian applications. European policymakers frequently reference DARPA in discussions, as outlined in the 2024 Draghi Report, but an EU equivalent has yet to materialise. To create such an agency, the governance and management of European innovation programmes would need drastic changes.

DARPA supports disruptive innovation

Founded in 1958, DARPA operates under the US Department of Defense (DoD) with a straightforward mission: to fund high-risk technological programmes that could lead to radical innovation. DARPA provides support throughout the innovation process, focusing on environments where new uses for technology must be invented or adapted. Although part of the DoD, DARPA funds projects that promise technological and economic superiority whether they align with current military priorities or not. DARPA has backed projects like ARPANET, the precursor to the internet, and the GPS. Today, DARPA shows interest in autonomous vehicles for urban areas and new missile technologies.

As part of its core mission, DARPA accepts high financial risks on exploration projects and makes long-term commitments to these projects. Many emblematic successes explain why DARPA is a reference agency. However, the list of failed projects is even longer. Both failures and successes feed the exploration process in emerging industrial sectors. They represent opportunities to learn together and build collective strategies in innovation ecosystems.

Five key principles of DARPA

DARPA’s success stems not just from its stability but from adhering to five organisational principles that allow it to explore deep tech in an open innovation context:
- Independence: DARPA operates independently from other military services, research & development centres and federal agencies, allowing it to explore options outside dominant research paradigms. While cooperation is possible, its decisions and directions are not influenced by other parts of the federal administration.
- Agility: The agency’s flat organisational structure minimises bureaucracy. Its independent decision-making processes and streamlined contracting allow it to pivot quickly, test new concepts and collaborate with academic or private sector partners. Agility also enables DARPA to test new exploration or experimentation methods that are often based on user-centric approaches. Potential military or civilian end-users are involved very early in innovation projects to discuss potential uses and applications. This approach has recently led DARPA to absorb the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO), where officers from the different military services (Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines) and all military ranks test new technological solutions (from different maturity levels), fostering co-creation processes with military innovators and expanding the agency’s impact.
- Sponsorship: High-ranking executives within the DoD and other federal administrations (NASA, Department of Energy) endorse, but do not commission, DARPA’s projects. This sponsorship model increases a project’s potential impact and allows for swift adaptation if a project fails.
- Community building: DARPA creates innovation communities with a mix of diverse expertise. By bringing different perspectives together, it fosters collective strategies essential for disruptive innovation.
- Diverse leadership: Project managers come from a range of backgrounds, including civilian experts, military officers and private-sector professionals. All have demonstrated scientific and technological expertise and a solid capability to bridge dreams and foresight with reality. All have a perfect command of risk and complexity management. Managers serve three- to four-year terms focused on driving technological disruption and building new innovation ecosystems. Their diverse expertise sets DARPA apart from other federal agencies.
The challenge of a European DARPA

The Draghi Report on European competitiveness suggests that a European DARPA could help bridge technological gaps, reduce dependencies and accelerate the green transition. However, implementing this model would require a seismic shift in how European agencies operate. Creating a new agency would be ineffective without ensuring that all principles underlying the success of DARPA are implemented in Europe.

Even if Europe actively promotes deep tech and devotes significant budgets to it, European public policies and ways of working prevailing in national and European agencies are hardly consistent with the DARPA model. European agencies do not have much autonomy in their decisions about the exploration of new ventures or human resource management. They clearly demonstrate an outcome-focused orientation inconsistent with DARPA’s approach to risk.

Two main challenges

European agencies often lack the stable missions, scope and ambition seen at DARPA. The European Space Agency (ESA), the European Defence Agency (EDA) and Eurocontrol highlight the difficulties in developing cohesive, cross-border innovation ecosystems. A European DARPA would require a unified ambition among EU member states, a challenging feat given the institutional and geopolitical divides within Europe. The debates around the European Defence Fund illustrate how complex it is to reach consensus on shared objectives and funding.

Adopting DARPA’s five organisational principles would represent a cultural revolution for European agencies in relation to EU bureaucratic norms and the budgetary controls of individual member states. Implementing these changes would also disrupt the existing power balance between countries. The DARPA model is inconsistent with the European “fair returns” model that refers to proportionality rules between funding, research operations and then industrial repartition during the production phase between member states in each project. The DARPA model would only focus on existing competencies, excellence, risk-taking approaches and entrepreneurial mindsets.

Establishing a European DARPA would require a fundamental rethinking of public policy management in Europe. Its success would depend on whether European stakeholders are willing to adopt DARPA’s core principles, including its independence, agility and willingness to accept failure. Creating an agency is one thing; ensuring it adheres to the structures that make DARPA effective is another. The question remains: Is Europe ready for this transformation?

David W. Versailles has received funding from the French Ministry of Defence to develop this research.

Valérie Mérindol has received funding from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces to develop this research.

– ref. Do we need a European DARPA to cope with technological challenges in Europe? – https://theconversation.com/do-we-need-a-european-darpa-to-cope-with-technological-challenges-in-europe-240696
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: South Africa’s fight against extreme poverty needs a new strategy – model shows how social grants could work

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ramos Emmanuel Mabugu, Professor, Sol Plaatje University

South Africa has been struggling for decades to reduce poverty, inequality and unemployment and raise the rate of economic growth.

Economic growth has been slow since a recession in 2008. The annual growth rate averaged 1.1% between 2009 and 2021, slowing to 0.6% in 2023.

Unemployment remains stubbornly above 30%. It was 32.9% in the first quarter of 2024.

The country’s Gini coefficient, a measure of how income is distributed across the population, is estimated to be 0.63, one of the worst in the world. Poverty levels remain high too. A large number of people live in extreme poverty. According to Statistics South Africa, an estimated 40.0% of the population (or 25 million people) have a monthly consumption expenditure of below R9,096 (which is used as the lower-bound poverty line). And 55.5% of the population falls within the upper-bound poverty line, with monthly consumption expenditure of below R13,656.

This is despite government’s extensive spending on social assistance and other support mechanisms. In the 2023/24 fiscal year, there were 18.8 million social grant beneficiaries (about 35% of the population) with an annual cost to the fiscus of R217.1 billion (US$12.2 billion). This is expected to increase to R259.3 billion (US$14.6 billion) in 2026/27.

Social support also includes spending on health, education, social protection, community development and employment programmes which protect the most vulnerable groups. In addition, the government has extended the Social Relief of Distress Grant which was introduced during the COVID pandemic.

Based on my research as an economist for the last 20 years, I believe the government won’t make much progress in reducing unemployment, inequality and poverty unless it adopts a different strategy – one that targets extreme poverty reduction explicitly.

In a recent paper, colleagues and I identify key conditions for reducing extreme poverty through social transfers. We designed an economic simulation model to track the effect of increasing social grants to very poor South Africans to move them out of extreme poverty. This would be done by transferring an average of R4,020 (US$225) to every extremely poor South African. Based on our assumptions, about 25 million individuals would be eligible for this social transfer.

Moving about 25 million South Africans out of extreme poverty would cost on average US$6.5 billion per year. We argue that this cost is worth carrying. Our model also showed that, under certain conditions, poverty-alleviation social transfers can be good for the broader economy.

Additional benefits

We know that social grants are important instruments to fight poverty and inequality in South Africa. They can produce sizeable multiplier effects in the economy.

But we wanted to know more about how society benefits when a large share of the public budget is transferred to poor households.

What makes the model we built to explore this different is that we simulated the economic implications of a hypothetical South Africa with lower poverty and inequality outcomes. More precisely, we set the poverty headcount rate at the lower-bound poverty line at 5.0% under both unconstrained and constrained scenarios. This is the conventionally accepted definition of extreme poverty eradication.

The tool combined a macroeconomic model to project the economic impacts and a micro-simulation model to work out the poverty and inequality effects.

We tested a combination of policy options, including social grants, and their multiplier effects and funding implications. We considered two financing scenarios: one that involved a budget deficit and one which was budget-neutral.

Under a budget-neutral scenario, funding for interventions would be taken from budgets allocated for other purposes and put towards poverty alleviation instead.

Key findings

The model showed that the South African economy, measured by the level of gross domestic product (GDP), would grow faster (by 0.5 percentage points) when the transfer was designed to support poor people’s progressive engagement in economic participation rather than simply providing them with a basic cash grant. This can be done, for instance, by expanding and upgrading the current social assistance schemes such as the public work programmes. These have been shown to have positive outcomes for economic participation.

When people who receive income transfers are able to work, they contribute to a higher supply of goods and services as well as to higher demand.

The inflationary effects, in particular food price increases, are limited under this scenario.

On the other hand, GDP deteriorates by 1 percentage point when there is no requirement or condition for participation (when grant recipients still don’t have a job). Under this scenario food demand increases and related price increases contribute to reducing consumers’ purchasing power.

What needs to be done

Our model shows how poverty-alleviation social transfers can have positive economic outcomes under two conditions.

First, the expansion of the grant lifting approximately 25 million South Africans above the lower-bound poverty line of R9,606 has to be done under a budget-neutral funding arrangement.

Second, the transfer has to be made with a requirement that there is an increase in the economic participation of extremely poor beneficiaries. In other words, the grant only has a positive effect if the very poor beneficiaries can find work or are required to participate in a certain kind of public work activity.

The fiscal cost of the poverty alleviating grant transfer would be around 1.6% of GDP or 4.9% of public expenditure. This would mean increasing social spending by 4.9%. Alternatively, spending on other areas would have to be cut by the same proportion.

In either scenario, the findings show that this constraint might even be relaxed if the fiscal transfer enabled poor people to get work or if the cash transfer was conditional on recipients doing certain work.

In our view the benefits of this are massive in terms of extreme poverty eradication.

Ramos Emmanuel Mabugu 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. South Africa’s fight against extreme poverty needs a new strategy – model shows how social grants could work – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-fight-against-extreme-poverty-needs-a-new-strategy-model-shows-how-social-grants-could-work-241694

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: How the Line Manager Induction Programme helped me as a leader

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Ministry of Justice senior project manager Cathryn Rees says the Line Manager Induction programme helped her to support her team better.

Cathryn Rees, Ministry of Justice

Despite more than ten years line management experience before joining the Civil Service, Ministry of Justice senior project manager Cathryn Rees opted to do the Line Manager Induction Programme to find out about how things were done in her new workplace.

Discovering the induction programme

Cathryn’s primary motivation for signing up for the Induction was a desire to help her direct reports more effectively. “I know some research out there says people don’t leave organisations, they leave their manager,” she said. “It’s crucial to provide the right support to avoid that.” She also wanted to align her management style with the latest standards in the Civil Service, particularly as her team was rolling out its own line management training targeted at new managers.

Practical insights and personal growth

What stood out to Cathryn during the training was the programme’s practical focus and reflective exercises. One module, in particular, resonated with her, encouraging self-assessment and helping her understand how her decisions and prioritisation impacted her team. “It was enlightening to reflect on how people might see me and how I affect others.”

The structure of the programme was another highlight for Cathryn. She appreciated the flexible, bite-sized approach to learning available through Civil Service Learning. “I liked that I could start and stop as needed, which made it easy to fit into my schedule,” she explained.

The open, non-prescriptive tone of the training also appealed to her, as it encouraged exploration and personal growth rather than rigid rule following.

Benefits of the induction

Cathryn’s experience underscored how the programme benefits both new and experienced managers alike. “The induction helped me understand what my team members might be going through and allowed me to support them better,” she said. She also saw the value in the training for her own development, as it provided insights into managing not just downwards but across her team and upwards in the organisation. “It wasn’t just about line management – it was about improving all your communication and leadership skills,” she reflected.

For Cathryn, the Line Manager Induction Programme provided a framework for consistent, effective management practices, which was essential in her work to build a positive culture within her team. “Good line management starts with individual conversations and support,” she said. “This programme gave me the tools to have those conversations and to grow both myself and my team.”

Cathryn recommends the programme to anyone stepping into a managerial role or looking to refine their leadership approach. “Whether you’re new to line management or experienced, the induction is a practical and valuable resource. It helps you not only support your team better but also develop your own leadership skills in the process.”

The Line Management Induction Programme is available to do on Civil Service Learning and is part of the Civil Service recommended learning curriculum.

Read the stories of civil servants who have completed the Line Managemer Induction Programme:

HMRC senior manager Nikki Fisher

Department for Business and Trade senior manager Marc Fitchett

Updates to this page

Published 30 October 2024

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Life and the law explored in new podcast series The University of Aberdeen’s School of Law has launched a new podcast series looking at a range of topical issues viewed through a legal lens.

Source: University of Aberdeen

The first four episodes are available nowThe University of Aberdeen’s School of Law has launched a new podcast series looking at a range of topical issues viewed through a legal lens.
In each episode hosts Neil Weightman and Lauren Mitchell will chat to law lecturers to get their take on a variety of topics from energy law and cryptocurrency to freedom of speech and the impact of copyright on the music industry.
Across the 10-part series, they will use real-world cases to bring each episode’s theme to life, while keeping the topics interesting and fun for a broad audience ranging from undergraduates, postgraduates and members of the public.
“There isn’t a topic in existence that the law doesn’t bump up against, which gives us endless scope to offer insights and perspective on some of the key challenges facing society today,” said Professor Greg Gordon, Head of the School of Law.
“These podcasts will shine a light on the breadth of expertise that exists within the School and the scope of the research, policy affairs and public-facing issues that we play an active part in tackling.
“Tailored towards a wide audience, we hope they will be both interesting and fun to listen to.”
The first four episodes are available now across platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music, as well as the University website, with further episodes to come in the new year.
The series includes:

There isn’t a topic in existence that the law doesn’t bump up against, which gives us endless scope to offer insights and perspective on some of the key challenges facing society today.” Professor Greg Gordon, Head of the School of Law

Episode 1: Anti-SLAPP Laws: Protecting the Public
Dr Francesca Farrington and Professor Justin Borg-Barthet discuss anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) laws and their crucial role in safeguarding freedom of speech. SLAPPs are lawsuits aimed at silencing critics, such as journalists, activists, and human rights defenders, by burdening them with costly legal battles.
Episode 2: Crypto Assets, Blockchain, and the Law
Delve into the legal dimensions of crypto assets and blockchain technology with Dr Alisdair MacPherson and Professor Burcu Yüksel Ripley. They discuss how crypto assets challenge traditional legal concepts of property, regulation, and financial transactions. The conversation covers the regulatory gaps, the treatment of crypto assets under English and Scots law, and the broader legal implications of decentralised systems like blockchain.
Episode 3: Copyright Law: Taylor Swift and the Music Industry
Professor Abbe Brown, Dr Titilayo Adebola and Professor Greg Gordon discuss the complex legal landscape of copyright law, with the Taylor Swift case as a central example. The episode explores how copyright operates as a property right, its territorial nature, and the significant role of contracts in determining artists’ control over their creations.
Episode 4: Energy Law and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Future
Professor Greg Gordon and Dr Daria Shapovalova discuss the legal challenges surrounding the energy transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon sources. The episode explores the critical role that law and policy play in decarbonising energy systems, securing supply and addressing energy poverty.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Offshore trade unionist and community archaeologist to be recognised with honorary degrees A trade unionist and offshore health and safety campaigner and a community archaeologist and will be recognised with honorary degrees from the University of Aberdeen.

Source: University of Aberdeen

Jake Molloy (left) and Colin Shepherd (right)A trade unionist and offshore health and safety campaigner and a community archaeologist and will be recognised with honorary degrees from the University of Aberdeen.
Jake Molloy and Colin Shepherd will receive Master of the University (MUniv) awards during the 2024 Winter graduations.
Jake Molloy is a trade unionist and offshore health and safety campaigner. Jake spent almost two decades working offshore in the North Sea’s oil and gas industry, an experience which led him to actively campaign for improvements to health and safety in the offshore industry.
In 1997, he assumed the role of General Secretary of the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee (OILC), an independent trade union for offshore workers. OILC was founded in 1989 in response to a series of high-profile incidents, including the Piper Alpha disaster.
After merging with the RMT Union in 2008, he became the RMT Regional Organiser with responsibility for all offshore energy activity and has served on a number of industry forums including the Oil Spill Prevention Recovery Advisory Group (OSPRAG) which reviewed the impact of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG) looking into helicopter safety in the sector after a number of fatal accidents, the Step Change Leadership Group which engages workers in offshore health, safety and environmental matters, and the Energy Jobs Task Force, and the Strategic Leadership Group, for Scottish Government as well as the UK Government’s North Sea Transition group.
Since 2022, he has served as a Commissioner on the Scottish Government’s Just Transition Commission, an independent advisory body which provides advice and scrutiny on how to deliver Scotland’s just transition to a low carbon economy. In 2023, Jake retired from the RMT Union after a twenty-five-year career as a senior trade union official but continues to participate in the climate change debate, with a particular interest in how to deliver a just transition for workers and society.
Colin, who is also an honorary research fellow at the University, has been a leading figure in the Bennachie Landscapes Project, jointly developed by the Bailies of Bennachie, a community group dedicated to the conservation and interpretation of the hill of Bennachie, and the University of Aberdeen, across a twelve-year period.
He holds a PhD from the University of Exeter which examined the role of iconography in the development of early medieval kingship in North-west Europe, and his research interests focus on landscape and the changing patterns of ideological thought and its effects upon socio-economic change in the later middle ages.
Colin has authored, co-authored and edited numerous publications on the history and archaeology of North-east Scotland and his work has helped to extend our understanding of the history and archaeology of North-east Scotland.
His work has also nurtured a team of community researchers working on the historic and current management of the landscape of North-east Scotland.
Professor George Boyne, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen said: “Master of the University degrees are awarded to those who have made important contributions to the success of the University, to the local community, and to the region.
“Both Jake Molloy and Colin Shepherd exemplify this, and their achievements will inspire our graduands as they begin their own career journeys.
“We look forward to presenting them with their honorary degrees at our Winter Graduation ceremonies.”
Jake Molloy will receive his award on Monday November 25 at 10.30am while Colin Shepherd’s will be presented during the morning ceremony on Tuesday November 26.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: June Labour Market Report published30 October 2024 Statistics Jersey have today published the June 2024 Labour Market report. This report is published every six months and covers key aspects of the job market for both the private and public sector.… Read more
Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

30 October 2024

Statistics Jersey have today published the June 2024 Labour Market report. This report is published every six months and covers key aspects of the job market for both the private and public sector.

Summary for the Labour Market Report in June 2024
The total number of jobs was 65,290. This was made up of 55,590 jobs in the private sector and 9,710 jobs in the public sector. The number of jobs, in both private and public sectors, were at their highest recorded to date.

There was an annual increase of 510 jobs (0.8%) since June 2023.

In the private sector there was an annual increase of 70 jobs (0.1%). There was a decrease of 70 jobs filled by entitled or entitled for work individuals since June 2023, which was more than offset by increases in jobs filled by other residential statuses.

In the public sector there was an annual increase of 440 jobs (4.7%). This increase was driven by an increase of 450 in the number of Government of Jersey (GOJ) core jobs (permanent and fixed term employees). The departments with the largest annual increase in core staff were Children, Young People, Education and Skills (up 190) and Health and Community Services (up 150).

In the private sector at the sectoral level

Three sectors saw notable annual increases in jobs:

130 jobs in private education, health and other services (up 1.5%)

120 jobs in financial and legal activities (up 0.9%)

100 jobs in miscellaneous business activities (up 1.6%)

Three sectors recorded notable annual decreases in jobs:

160 jobs in construction and quarrying (down 2.5%)

100 jobs in hotels, restaurants and bars (down 1.5%)

80 jobs in wholesale and retail (down 1.1%)

Over the last five years (from June 2019 to June 2024)

There was an increase of 2,820 all sector jobs (up 4.5%) from June 2019.

The total number of private sector jobs increased over five years by 930 (up 1.7%).

Public sector jobs increased by 1,890 from June 2019 to June 2024 (up 24.2%), which has brought the proportion of workforce jobs in Government of Jersey core jobs (13.2%) above the average for the last two decades (12.1%).
Labour Market June 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Universities – New genetic web tool to help restore climate-resilient marine ecosystems – Flinders

Source: Flinders University

Australians love their coastal and marine environments but much of the world’s ecosystems are in various stages of decline and in urgent need of restoration.

In the face of increased human pressures and climate change, a team of Australian scientists led by Dr Georgina Wood at Flinders University have launched a new online tool to assist marine managers and restoration experts to bolster the resilience of marine habitat-forming species. (ref. https://www.reefadapt.org/ )

The ‘Reef Adapt’ initiative, developed by experts from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD), Flinders University and The University of Western Australia (UWA), aims to expand the tools available to promote diverse, adaptable and resilient ecosystems.

Described in a new article in Communications Biology, Reef Adapt harnesses genetic data from diverse marine species – including key reef-building corals and habitat-forming kelps, but with scope to expand to other taxa – to map out areas likely to harbour populations adapted to current and future environmental conditions.
The innovative web platform is designed for the rapid inclusion of genetic, biophysical and environmental data into planning of marine restoration and assisted conservation initiatives.

The tool provides users with maps that identify areas with populations suited to their specific restoration sites under current and future climate scenarios. The platform will initially house data for 27 species collected from 420 sample locations across the globe. Users will also be able to upload their own data to the site, further supporting the conservation of other species and areas.

While guidelines for terrestrial ecosystem restoration seed-sourcing exists, for example, the US National Seed Strategy and Australia’s Florabank, Reef Adapt is one of the first tool of its kind for marine environments.

The project follows similar projects on land, such as Australia’s NSW Restore and Renew program, to remove barriers of access to genetic data and improve restoration and assisted gene flow.

Dr Georgina Wood, an Australian Research Council Early Career Industry Fellow with Flinders University and Adjunct Research Fellow at UWA, says global efforts to restore ecosystems are intensifying, including the Convention on Biological Diversity’s recent adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework which aims to put 30% of degraded ecosystems under effective restoration by 2030.

“Alongside the increase in scale of marine restoration projects, there is a need ensure that restoration practices keep up with the latest available science, including the use of cutting-edge genomic information to make informed decisions about where to source restoration stock material,” says researcher Dr Wood.

“Our world is changing now more rapidly than ever before. Ideally, every restoration project would incorporate climate adaptation into their design, but the data needed for this are typically difficult to access. Reef Adapt puts this information directly into the hands of both managers and practitioners,” she says.

The easy-to-use web platform hosts vital genetic information for government, not-for-profit and community organisations – removing barriers of access to vital information that the team hopes will improve both immediate and long-term restoration outcomes.

Dr Melinda Coleman, NSW DPIRD Senior Principal Research Scientist, says the Reef Adapt online webtool will help guide marine restoration and assisted adaptation programs now and into the future.

“The revolutionary new Reef Adapt tool will use cutting-edge genomic data and seascape analyses to help marine managers, restoration practitioners and other stakeholders including aquaculture make informed decisions about where to source stock for restoration or aquaculture as well as help select climate proof stock that will withstand future ocean conditions,” explains says Dr Coleman.

“We hope that this webtool will be used broadly across marine and conservation managers, community groups or anyone embarking on marine restoration as well as aquaculture proponents.”

Dr Wood says the new Nature article and user manual give examples, with several case studies of ecologically and evolutionarily diverse taxa, including the staghorn coral (Acropora kentii), cauliflower coral (Pocillopora damicornis), golden kelp (Ecklonia radiata) and crayweed (Phyllospora comosa).

Development of the tool required collection of almost 10,000 reference data points from published population genetic literature, as well as a suite of environmental data and oceanographic models.

The article, ‘Reef Adapt: A tool to inform climate-smart marine restoration and management decisions’ (2024) by GV Wood (Flinders), KJ Griffin (UWA), M van der Mheen (UWA), MF Breed (Flinders), JM Edgeloe (UWA), C Grimaldi (UWA / Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth), A Minne (UWA), I Popovic (University of Queensland), K Filbee-Dexter (UWA / Institute of Marine Research, Norway), MJH van Oppen (Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville / University of Melbourne), T Wernberg (UWA / Institute of Marine Research, Norway) and MA Coleman (UWA / NSW DPI, Fisheries) has been published in Communications Biology DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06970-4 (link to come).

Dr Georgina (‘George’) Wood will present on the use of digital tools to progress marine restoration at the 10th Western Society of Naturalists’ annual meeting in Oregon, US next month. Dr Wood and Dr Coleman also presented on Reef Adapt at the Adapt NSW 2024 conference in Sydney this week.

Acknowledgements: The researchers received support from an ARC Linkage grant and ARC Industry Fellowship to GV Wood, the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy and NSW DPIRD, as well as the Norwegian Research Council GecoKelp Project.

MIL OSI – Submitted News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: UConn, EPA Launch Regional Environmental Justice Center

Source: US State of Connecticut

A multi-disciplinary team of researchers at UConn has received a five-year $10 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to lead a New England regional center focused on environmental justice.

On Wednesday, Oct. 30, UConn launched the Environmental Justice Thriving Community Technical Assistance Center (EJ-TCTAC). In close partnership with the EPA, the University will provide critical support to communities throughout New England.

The center will benefit cities, towns, and recognized Tribes throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, offering assistance with navigating the federal grant process, engagement efforts, and identifying funding opportunities as the region embraces evolving environmental challenges.

“As Connecticut’s flagship university, UConn takes pride in service to our communities and helping to prepare them for the environmental challenges they face in the present and the future,” says Pamir Alpay, UConn Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. “With the EPA’s generous support, we are proud to extend our expertise and resourcefulness to support environmental justice throughout the cities, towns, and Tribes of New England.”

UConn won the grant through a competitive process among other universities in the region. UConn is well-positioned to lead the Center thanks to the expertise of faculty working in various areas related to environmental justice and existing connections with community organizations.

“Too often, communities with the most pressing environmental justice concerns have been left behind due to barriers in accessing federal funding,” says EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “UConn’s technical assistance center is a game-changer for New England and will provide greater access to services to ensure overburdened and underserved communities and our Tribal nations can access historic investments to address generational environmental and health disparities.”

The center became operational with the launch of its website, environmental-justice.program.uconn.edu.

Carolyn A. Lin, professor in the Department of Communication, leads the team as the director of the EJ-TCTAC. The team includes associate directors Rupal Parekh, assistant professor in the School of Social Work; David Chacon-Hurtado, assistant research professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering; Diego Cerrai, assistant professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering; and Chris Newell, the director of Native American Cultural Programs as the tribal liaison.

“We have a very large group of talented faculty and researchers who have been working on environment-related projects and a lot of them have an environmental justice focus as well,” Lin says. “We hope to excel and do even more than is anticipated successfully.”

Environmental justice highlights that certain communities, typically lower-income and communities of color, are more likely to be at risk of suffering from environmental harms like pollution and vulnerability to climate change-related impacts like flooding.

“The need for environmental justice work is very high,” Lin says. “Climate change does not wait for us. The problems are here, and the consequences are obvious. They may not all manifest all at once, but people who live in those communities understand those consequences and they have suffered from them.”

The Center will support urban, rural, and Tribal communities throughout New England, helping organizations access funding from federal and state agencies to complete environmental justice projects.

Community organizations will be able to submit requests for free support with tasks like needs assessment, identifying funding sources, grant preparation, grant applications, and grant management. The team will engage partners directly and create digital informational resources, including webinars, podcasts and videos.

Through this technical assistance, the Center will support projects aimed at improving the quality of life and economic development of communities most affected by environmental injustices.

“My hope for the Center is that we can use our combined talent and resources, not to mention our passion for this line of work, to truly make a difference in the New England region across urban, rural, and tribal communities,” Lin says.

The Center is partnering with the EPA; the Institute for New England Native American Studies at the University of Massachusetts, Boston; the New England Environmental Finance Center at the University of Southern Maine; the New England Rural Health Association; Groundwork USA, and the Environmental Protection Network. These partnerships will help the team strengthen its connection with communities and better understand their needs.

“The only purpose of our Center is to serve the needs of communities across New England,” Lin says. “We have a very strong commitment to pulling together any kind of resources we can and building coalitions with communities and state governments and tribal nations. Because if you unite you are much bigger and much stronger in what you can do.”

For example, one environmental justice concern in Connecticut is transportation equity. Expanding public transit networks is not only good for the environment, as it cuts carbon emissions by reducing dependence on cars, but it also increases mobility for people who do not own a car.

“How do we improve our transportation system so that disadvantaged communities who don’t have good access to public transportation will be able to travel more efficiently in terms of time and cost to actually have better educational and economic opportunities,” asks Lin.

Other initiatives may tackle health disparities related to pollution exposure and toxic infrastructures, helping community organizations combat sources of pollution, develop educational resources, or connect community residents to healthcare services.

“Environmental issues are directly relevant to our health,” Lin says. “The air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil beneath us all affect our well-being.”

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: UConn Reads Announces ’24-’25 Selection: ‘All We Can Save’

Source: US State of Connecticut

There is a renaissance blooming in the climate movement: leadership that is rooted in compassion, connection, creativity, and collaboration. But while it’s clear that women and girls are vital voices and agents of change for this planet, they are too often missing from the proverbial “table.” More than a problem of bias, it’s a dynamic that sets us up for failure. To change everything, we need everyone.

With this in mind, UConn Reads invites all members of the UConn community to join in an engaging discussion around this year’s book selection: “All We Can Save.”

Since 2011, UConn Reads has gathered students, staff, alumni, faculty, and community members who share an interest and sense of pride in the University, who relish intelligent, respectful debate, and who bring their own individual perspectives and personal experiences to a thought-provoking and engaging conversation.

“All We Can Save” is a collection of provocative and illuminating essays from women on the front lines of climate change, as those most at risk, and those most likely to solve it. Edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine Wilkinson, the book is a bestselling collection of writings by 60 women and offering abundant wisdom and solutions to lead humanity forward.

Intermixing essays with poetry and art, this book is a guide for knowing and holding what has been done to the world, while bolstering our resolve never to give up on each other or our collective future.

A national bestseller and named one of the best books of the year in 2020 by Smithsonian Magazine, the editors have curated a collection of “hope-filled perspectives on the climate crisis that has inspired many to think on the side of action rather than being paralyzed with worry about the future of the planet.” The publication has also sparked the All We Can Save Movement, to nurture future leaders of the climate community and encourage meaningful action.

The book was selected in collaboration with UConn for Women’s Herstory Month, being celebrated by the Women’s Center in March 2025.

If you would like to be involved with this year’s programming, please reach out to UConn Reads.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI: DeFi Technologies’ Subsidiary Valour Expands Offerings with First-Ever Valour Bittensor (TAO) SEK ETP in the Nordics on Spotlight Stock Market
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
- Introduction of Valour Bittensor (TAO) SEK ETP: DeFi Technologies’ subsidiary Valour Inc. has launched the Valour Bittensor (TAO) ETP on Sweden’s Spotlight Stock Market, marking the first Bittensor ETP in the Nordics and expanding its suite of digital asset products with this cutting-edge decentralized machine learning asset. With a market cap of $3.9 billion, TAO ranks #25 among digital assets globally.
- Investment Opportunities in Decentralized Machine Learning: The Valour Bittensor (TAO) SEK ETP provides Nordic investors with unique exposure to TAO, the native token of the Bittensor network, now accessible for the first time in the region. Bittensor revolutionizes machine learning by creating a decentralized, peer-to-peer marketplace where machine intelligence can be exchanged, fostered, and traded. This network functions as a hive mind, pooling AI model intelligence into an ever-growing digital knowledge base and incentivizing global collaboration among developers.
- Strategic Product Expansion: The launch of the first Valour Bittensor ETP in the Nordics underscores Valour’s commitment to bringing innovative digital assets to the market. Listed on the Spotlight Stock Market, this ETP offers Nordic investors the opportunity to invest in groundbreaking advancements within decentralized AI and machine learning, representing a significant step forward in providing regional access to transformative digital assets.
TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DeFi Technologies Inc. (the “Company” or “DeFi Technologies”) (CBOE CA: DEFI) (GR: R9B) (OTC: DEFTF), a crypto-native technology company at the forefront of merging traditional capital markets with decentralized finance (“DeFi“), proudly announces that its subsidiary Valour Inc. (“Valour“), a leading issuer of exchange-traded products (“ETPs“) providing simplified access to digital assets, has listed the first-ever Valour Bittensor (TAO) ETP in the Nordics on the Spotlight Stock Market. This launch provides investors with seamless access to TAO, the token that fuels Bittensor’s decentralized machine learning protocol. With a market cap of $ 3.9 billion, TAO ranks #25 among digital assets globally.

The Valour Bittensor (TAO) SEK ETP (ISIN: CH1213604619) is the latest addition to Valour’s range of innovative digital asset products, now available to Nordic investors. The ETP brings unparalleled exposure to the Bittensor network, which turns machine intelligence into a tradable asset within a decentralized marketplace. TAO’s unique utility extends beyond traditional token use by representing individual contributions to this shared intelligence pool, embodying the collective insights within the Bittensor ecosystem. Featuring a 1.9% management fee, this ETP provides streamlined access to the rapidly growing world of decentralized AI.

“With the TAO ETP, we’re setting a new standard for AI-backed investments, linking investors to the future of decentralized intelligence,” commented Elaine Buehler, Head of Product at Valour. “This launch brings traditional investors into a dynamic AI ecosystem, pushing the boundaries of digital asset investment in the Nordics for the first time.”

Unlike traditional centralized machine learning models, Bittensor allows AI models to exchange capabilities and predictions directly in a peer-to-peer network. This decentralized structure encourages diversity and innovation, making Bittensor a key driver in the evolution of machine learning.

“By launching the Valour Bittensor ETP in Sweden, we’re expanding investor access to the transformative potential of decentralized machine learning,” said Johanna Belitz, Head of Nordics at Valour. “Our focus remains on providing high-quality products that reflect current market demands and foster innovation. This is an important milestone as the first Bittensor ETP in the Nordics.”

About DeFi Technologies
DeFi Technologies Inc. (CBOE CA: DEFI) (GR: R9B) (OTC: DEFTF) is a financial technology company that pioneers the convergence of traditional capital markets with the world of decentralized finance (DeFi). With a dedicated focus on industry-leading Web3 technologies, DeFi Technologies aims to provide widespread investor access to the future of finance. Backed by an esteemed team of experts with extensive experience in financial markets and digital assets, we are committed to revolutionising the way individuals and institutions interact with the evolving financial ecosystem. Follow DeFi Technologies on Linkedin and Twitter, and for more details, visit https://defi.tech/

About Valour
Valour Inc. and Valour Digital Securities Limited (together, “Valour”) issues exchange traded products (“ETPs”) that enable retail and institutional investors to access digital assets in a simple and secure way via their traditional bank account. Valour is part of the asset management business line of DeFi Technologies Inc. (CBOE CA: DEFI) (GR: R9B) (OTC: DEFTF).

In addition to their novel physical backed digital asset platform, which includes 1Valour Bitcoin Physical Carbon Neutral ETP, 1Valour Ethereum Physical Staking, and 1Valour Internet Computer Physical Staking, Valour offers fully hedged digital asset ETPs with low to zero management fees, with product listings across European exchanges, banks and broker platforms. Valour’s existing product range includes Valour Uniswap (UNI), Cardano (ADA), Polkadot (DOT), Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX), Cosmos (ATOM), Binance (BNB), Ripple (XRP), Toncoin (TON), Internet Computer (ICP), Chainlink (LINK), Hedera (HBAR), Core (CORE), Enjin (ENJ), Valour Bitcoin Staking (BTC), Bitcoin Carbon Neutral (BTCN), Sui (SUI), Valour Digital Asset Basket 10 (VDAB10) and 1Valour STOXX Bitcoin Suisse Digital Asset Blue Chip ETPs with low management fees. Valour’s flagship products are Bitcoin Zero and Ethereum Zero, the first fully hedged, passive investment products with Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) as underlyings which are completely fee free. For more information about Valour, to subscribe, or to receive updates, visit valour.com.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking information:
This press release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to the the listing of Valour Bittensor (TAO) ETP; the development of the TAO token; investor confidence in Valour’s ETPs; investor interest and confidence in digital assets; the regulatory environment with respect to the growth and adoption of decentralized finance; the pursuit by the Company and its subsidiaries of business opportunities; and the merits or potential returns of any such opportunities. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but is not limited the acceptance of Valour exchange traded products by exchanges; growth and development of decentralised finance and cryptocurrency sector; rules and regulations with respect to decentralised finance and cryptocurrency; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

THE CBOE CANADA EXCHANGE DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE

For further information, please contact:

Olivier Roussy Newton
Chief Executive Officer
ir@defi.tech
(323) 537-7681

The MIL Network –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI: InspireSemi Announces Annual General and Special Meeting and Appointment of Director

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia and AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Inspire Semiconductor Holdings Inc. (TSXV: INSP) (“Inspire” or the “Company”), a chip design company that provides revolutionary high-performance, energy-efficient accelerated computing solutions for High Performance Computing (HPC), AI, graph analytics, and other compute-intensive workloads, is pleased to announce that the Annual General and Special meeting (the “AGSM“) for the year ended December 31, 2023 will be held in person at the Company’s offices at 11305 Four Points Drive, Suite 2-250, Austin, TX 78726 at 9:30 a.m. (Austin time) on November 20, 2024.

The Notice of AGSM, Management Information Circular (the “Circular”), Financial Statements Request Form, Form of Proxy and Voting Instruction Form (the “Materials”) will be mailed to shareholders and posted on the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca not later than the date of this release. The Materials can also be found on the Company’s website at www.inspiresemi.com, investors tab.

Shareholders of record as of October 11, 2024 are entitled to vote their shares of the Company at the AGSM. The Company encourages its shareholders to vote in advance of the AGM using the instructions on the Voting Instruction Form or the Form of Proxy that were mailed to them with the Materials. Shareholders are reminded that proxies must be received by 9.30 a.m. (Austin Time) on November 18, 2024.

In addition to the usual matters presented to shareholders at an annual general meeting, the Company will be seeking the approval of its shareholders to delist its subordinate voting shares from the TSX Venture Exchange. For reasons further explained in the Circular, the Company deems the delisting to be an extremely important matter for the Company. The Company encourages all shareholders to review the information in the Circular and to vote in favour of the delisting at the AGSM.

If any shareholder has not received their voting instructions by mail by mid November and wishes to vote at the AGSM, the Company encourages those shareholders to contact the Corporate Secretary by email to secretary@inspiresemi.com who will be happy to assist with retrieving your individual voting instructions.

Advance Notice

This press release is deemed notice, in accordance with the Company’s Advance Notice By-Law (the “By-Law”), which amongst other things, includes a provision that requires advance notice to the Company in circumstances where nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors are made by shareholders of the Company other than pursuant to: (i) a requisition of a meeting made pursuant to the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the “Act”); or (ii) a shareholder proposal made pursuant to the provisions of the Act.

In the case of an annual meeting of shareholders, notice to the Company must be made not less than 30 nor more than 65 days prior to the date of the annual meeting; provided, however, that, in the event that the annual meeting is to be held on a date that is less than 50 days after the date on which the first public announcement of the date of the annual meeting was made, notice may be made not later than the close of business on the 10th day following such public announcement. Therefore, in this case of the AGSM notice of any nomination must be received by the Company by November 9, 2024.

Shareholders must provide notice of any nomination for director to the Corporate Secretary by email to secretary@inspiresemi.com and in proper written form and including all the details required in accordance with the By Law, a copy of which can be found on the Company’s website at www.inspiresemi.com, investors tab.

Appointment of Director

The Company is also pleased to announce that it has appointed Mr. Jeff Brown to its board of directors effective October 29, 2024.

Mr. Brown has had a long and successful career in the media industry, with extensive experience in distribution, digital marketing and brand management. He currently owns and runs JB & Associates, a strategic and business building consulting firm and is a Faculty Lecturer in Entertainment Media Management, Cinema and Television Arts at California State University.

Previously he was with Warner Bros for over 26 years as a prominent executive in the Home Entertainment division, ending as Executive Vice President in January 2023. He helped lead Warner Bros. with its move into streaming, digital (VOD/EST) and physical media (DVD/Blu-ray). He managed P&L for distribution of television content, including WBTV, HBO, Turner productions and third-party partner brands such as the BBC and Peanuts, leading to Warner Bros. holding the top placed market share for nearly 20 years. He
oversaw the implementation of new customer acquisition strategies and adherence to best-in-class data driven analytics. He also previously worked in brand management and finance for other large brands including Nestle, General Mills and the Gap.

Mr. Brown holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, a BSE in Finance from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Political Science from University of Pennsylvania.

The Company welcomes Mr. Brown to the board and looks forward to his future contributions to the success of Inspire.

Mr. Brown was nominated as a director by Humanitario Capital LLC pursuant to nomination rights granted to it under the Convertible Loan Agreement between it and the Company dated September 23, 2024. Further information regarding the Convertible Loan Agreement can be found in the Company’s press released dated September 23, 2024.

About InspireSemi

InspireSemi (TSXV: INSP) provides revolutionary high-performance, energy-efficient accelerated computing solutions for High-Performance Computing (HPC), AI, graph analytics, and other compute-intensive workloads. The Thunderbird I ‘supercomputer-cluster-on-a-chip’ is a disruptive, next-generation datacenter accelerator designed to address multiple underserved and diversified industries, including financial services, computer-aided engineering, energy, climate modeling, cybersecurity, and life sciences & drug discovery. Based on the open standard RISC-V instruction set architecture, InspireSemi’s solutions set new standards of performance, energy efficiency, and ease of programming. InspireSemi is headquartered in Austin, TX.

For more information visit https://inspiresemi.com
Follow InspireSemi on LinkedIn

Company Contact
Ron Van Dell, CEO
(737) 471-3230
rvandell@inspiresemi.com

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). Statements concerning InspireSemi’s objectives, goals, strategies, priorities, intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations and estimates, and the business, operations, financial performance and condition of InspireSemi are forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” (or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass.

Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information regarding: (i) the business plans and expectations of the Company including expectations with respect to production and development; and (ii) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans, strategies or beliefs as of the date of this presentation, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of InspireSemi, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to the Company including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources and are based on management’s current expectations or beliefs. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect management’s expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking information reflects management’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to them and on assumptions they believe to be not unreasonable in light of all of the circumstances. In some instances, material factors or assumptions are discussed in this news release in connection with statements containing forward-looking information. Such material factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to: (i) statements relating to the business and future activities of, and developments related to, the Company after the date of this press release; (ii) expectations for other economic, business, regulatory and/or competitive factors related to the Company or the technology industry generally; (iv) the risk factors referenced in this news release and as described from time to time in documents filed by the Company with Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca; and (v) other events or conditions that may occur in the future. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and, other than as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The MIL Network –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 19th Eco Expo Asia opens today (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

19th Eco Expo Asia opens today (with photos)
19th Eco Expo Asia opens today (with photos)
********************************************

The 19th Eco Expo Asia is being held at AsiaWorld-Expo from today (October 30) to November 2. The theme of the Expo this year is “Fostering Green Innovations for Carbon Neutrality”. About 190 officials from around 40 official delegations from various cities and provinces in Mainland China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Belt and Road countries have been invited, bringing together international exhibitors, industry professionals to showcase cutting-edge green solutions, exchange views and share experiences. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said, “Eco Expo Asia is a golden opportunity for us to discuss and advance our shared commitments to a sustainable future. Green innovation solutions are of paramount importance in our decarbonisation journey. During the Expo, we will see the latest innovations and technologies around the world in new energy, climate adaptation and other environmental areas.” Mr Tse remarked that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The documentary series “Enchanting China” was produced by the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) and the Environmental Protection Department, in collaboration with the Center for Environmental Education and Communications of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. “Beautiful Hong Kong” was produced by the EEB. The two documetaries showcase the contributions and achievements made by the country and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in environmental protection and nature conservation. An extract of “Enchanting China” and “Picturesque Bays of Hong Kong”, the first episode of “Beautiful Hong Kong”, was shown at the opening ceremony. Mr Tse stressed that although Hong Kong’s carbon emissions peaked in 2014, and compared to the peak carbon emissions today have been reduced by about a quarter already, achieving carbon neutrality in Hong Kong by 2050 is still a significant challenge. The HKSAR Government is boosting the promotion of green low-carbon transformation and the development of new energy, new productive forces and green scientific research industries through multiple measures, leading Hong Kong towards carbon neutrality. The Secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Sun Jinlong, was invited to give a keynote speech at the opening ceremony. The Expo’s feature event, the Eco Asia Conference, is being held from today to November 1. In the Government Session, the Deputy Secretary General of the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China and the Director of the Department of National Economy, Mr Yuan Da, and the Director-General of the Department of Energy Conservation and Resources Comprehensive Utilization of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Wang Peng, introduced the latest environmental policies of the Mainland. In addition, the Vice Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr Phouvong Luangxaysana; the General Manager of Saudi Arabia’s Corporate Communications and Media of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Mr Saleh Abdulmohsen S Bindakhil; the Permanent Secretary of Myanmar’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Mr Hla Maung Thein; the Director of Brunei’s Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation of the Ministry of Development, Ms Hajah Martinah binti Haji Tamit; and the Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change, Dr Le Ngoc Cau, shared their countries’ latest environmental and conservation policies. The Conference will once again feature the Hydrogen Economy Forum, allowing Hong Kong to capitalise on the environmental and economic opportunities brought by the global development of hydrogen energy, helping Hong Kong to achieve carbon neutrality, developing new quality productive forces, and maintaining international competitiveness. The EEB continued to participate in the Expo this year by setting up four exhibition zones, namely: “Smart Technology”, “Energy-saving and Green Buildings”, “Community Waste Reduction”, and “Green Transportation”, highlighting the HKSAR Government’s various measures and achievements in decarbonisation. The “Smart Technology” zone introduces high-tech applications in daily environmental protection work, including artificial intelligence (AI) environmental air disturbance detection mechanical dogs, 5G mesh network sampling robot teams, AI coastal cleaning monitoring systems, and AI construction noise recognition systems; the “Energy-saving and Green Buildings” zone covers the sustainable development of an online platform for electromechanical innovation and regional cooling systems; the “Community Waste Reduction” zone introduces smart recycling; and the “Green Transportation” zone highlights Hong Kong’s latest development of hydrogen energy and displays the first hydrogen-powered street-washing vehicle in Hong Kong. To tie in with the “Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong” announced by the EEB this year, visitors can try riding on the hydrogen fuel cell double-deckers on the second day (October 31) and the fourth day (November 2) of the Expo. The Expo is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, and co-organised by the EEB. In addition, 10 government bureaux/departments, namely the Architectural Services Department, the Civil Engineering and Development Department, the Drainage Services Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Fire Services Department, the Highways Department, the Hong Kong Observatory, the Housing Department, the Transport Department, and the Water Supplies Department are participating in the exhibition to introduce their initiatives in environmental protection and achieving carbon neutrality for Hong Kong. Eco Expo Asia will open to the public for free on the last day of the event (November 2) to encourage citizens to participate in environmental protection and promote green living. For details, please refer to the Eco Expo Asia’s website (www.hktdc.com/event/ecoexpoasia/en).

Ends/Wednesday, October 30, 2024Issued at HKT 20:05

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: “Entrepreneurial Holidays at the State University of Management” will be held for schoolchildren

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

On October 28, the Career Guidance Center launched the project “Entrepreneurial Holidays at the State University of Management”.

The opening of the event was attended by Nikolai Mikhailov, Advisor to the Rectorate of the State University of Management, Elena Likhatskikh, Director of the Center for Career Guidance, and Andrei Kolchin, Head of the Career Guidance Department.

During the first days of the holidays from October 28 to 30, more than 200 10th grade students from Moscow schools visited the State University of Management.

The children learned about the basics of entrepreneurship and project activities, became familiar with modern marketing tools, learned how to create a successful business and tested their strength in the game “The World of Digital Money”.

For two years, the State University of Management has been working with partner schools that have opened entrepreneurship classes. This academic year, there are eleven such schools.

The work is being carried out within the framework of a grant from the Department of Education and Science of the City of Moscow.

Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 10/30/2024

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 –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Behind the craze for creative cultural products

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

After a nine-day tour in north China’s Shanxi Province, one man is determined to “bring home” the grand pagodas and exquisite sculptures that took his breath away.

“I have spent more than 1,000 yuan (140 U.S. dollars), which is about a tenth of my holiday budget, on souvenirs!” said the 30-year-old visitor surnamed Ma.

Shanxi is renowned for its ancient architecture and is home to over 28,000 ancient structures. Its popularity has been boosted recently by the phenomenal video game “Black Myth: Wukong,” which is based on the Chinese classic novel “Journey to the West.”

“I was fascinated by the ancient architecture, and the fridge magnets were equally amazing,” Ma said. “Each city has its unique creative cultural products. They are like miniatures of the attractions. For me, buying these keepsakes is like preserving the beauty of this trip forever.”

Shanxi Province launched “Following Wukong to visit Shanxi” this summer, an activity that encourages tourists to “check in” at the filming locations of the video game. It is due to end on Thursday.

Shortly after the launch, a Monkey King creative product shop opened on the business street in the heart of Taiyuan. It has since been packed with enthusiastic customers vying for products like fridge magnets, notebooks and playing cards.

Yang Liu, with the shop, told Xinhua that their intention of opening the shop was to take a chance and promote the culture and tourism of the province. Since September 27, their sales have reached 200,000 yuan.

Shanxi is not alone. Across China, various cultural and creative products are now sought-after mementos or gifts for friends, with their images going viral on social media: necklaces that draw inspiration from traditional brush painting in the Palace Museum; wooden combs in the shape of traditional Chinese musical instruments; vanity mirrors bearing patterns resembling the one on display in the Luoyang Museum of central China; keyboards with the colors of the famous Dunhuang murals and the nine-colored deer image…

According to a report by Zhiyan Consulting, the market size of China’s cultural and creative products reached 16.38 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 13.09 percent. In 2020, the sector’s market size accounted for 10.67 percent of the global total, and by 2023 it had risen to 11.56 percent.

One fridge magnet capturing the elaborate details of a superbly delicate empress crown from ancient China, a treasured piece from the National Museum of China (NMC), has emerged as an internet sensation and sparked a buying spree.

Aspiring collectors even start queuing from 6 a.m. outside the museum for their chance to snag the memento. Many exchange tips on how to obtain the popular magnet on social media.

In just three months since its launch, nearly 80,000 magnets have been sold, boosting sales of the entire series of empress crown memorabilia including key chains, furry toys and popsicles, with a total revenue exceeding 10 million yuan, even when facing production capacity constraints. The current daily production capacity for magnets has reached 3,000 units, with potential for further increase to meet growing market demand.

Liao Fei with the management and development department of NMC disclosed that the design was inspired by social media, where they saw a lot of visitors posting photos of the empress crown.

Head of a seven-member team, he said: “We always watch the exhibitions and search on social media to see what tourists like.”

They are also constantly improving the products. Liao found that while there were tips on social media on how to obtain such a fridge magnet, few talked about its unique features. So they decided to make it more innovative.

On September 27, an AR fridge magnet featuring the empress crown was released, which could be “worn” by the buyer on a mobile phone screen after a scan of the QR code. More than 2,300 such magnets were sold within two hours after its release.

“In recent years, there has been a boom in the number of such creative products that are of use in various aspects of people’s life,” said Song Yanli, a saleswoman at the official gift shop of the Dunhuang Museum in northwest China’s Gansu Province.

Noting that buyers today are knowledgeable enough to discern all the cultural elements adopted in the design, the 32-year-old said that they must develop more products to keep pace with public demand.

“With the improvement of people’s living standard, the consuming behavior of youngsters is changing,” said Mao Jinhuang, a professor with the School of Economics at Lanzhou University. “They are no longer satisfied with simple material consumption but pay more attention to the purchase experience.”

He believed that while the creative cultural products could offer emotional value to the customers, the craze for them also reflected young people’s love for and interest in Chinese traditional culture.

According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the added value of cultural and related industries in 2022 stood at 5.38 trillion yuan, more than 15 fold of that in 2004, with the share of that in GDP increasing from 2.13 percent to 4.46 percent in the 18 years.

Bu Xiting, associate researcher with the School of Cultural Industries Management at the Communication University of China, noticed that creative cultural products are becoming a new growth point of tourism consumption. “They have increased the income at tourist attractions, propelled the development of relevant industries and become a driving force to promote local economic growth.

In the first half of this year, China’s domestic tourist trips reached 2.72 billion, with total tourism expenditure amounting to 2.7 trillion yuan, marking year-on-year increases of 14.3 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

“With the deepened integration of creative cultural products and the tourism industry, it is expected that such products could play a more important role in boosting the high-quality development of the industry in the future,” Bu said.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China unveils new regulation for professional doctorate in engineering

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

BEIJING, Oct. 30 — China has released its first set of guidelines outlining criteria and requirements for theses and practice-oriented outputs in professional doctorate applications in engineering to enhance talent cultivation, according to the Ministry of Education.

The pilot document containing these guidelines encompasses provisions on the scope and quality of dissertations for candidates pursuing a professional engineering doctorate. It also introduces criteria and protocols for awarding the degree based on practical achievements.

The guidelines follow the passage of a law on academic degrees by China’s national legislature this April. The law, set to take effect next year, allows graduate students to earn their degrees either through a thesis or by submitting required practice-oriented outputs.

The new guidelines require dissertations to focus on engineering applications and applied research, highlighting the applicant’s proficiency in fundamental theory, specialized knowledge and independent professional practice.

It is stressed that doctorate applications based on practical achievements should include tangible deliverables and a written summary report.

China regards education, science and technology, and talent development as the fundamental and strategic foundations for modernization. The country has strived to promote the integrated reform of institutions and mechanisms related to these areas in order to boost innovation.

According to an official with the Office of the State Council Academic Degrees Committee, the guidelines emphasize not only the ability of engineering doctoral students to independently engage in professional practice but also the importance of innovation and diversity.

Experts believe the newly unveiled guidelines underscore the training focus and standards of professional degrees, emphasizing practice-based innovation capabilities.

The regulation will apply to eight categories of professional degrees, including electronic information, mechanical engineering, materials and chemicals, and energy and power engineering.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Abortion and marijuana ballot measures may bring out Florida Democrats, but the GOP has 1M more active voters in the Sunshine State

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Daniel A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, University of Florida

Could ballot initiatives bring more Democrats to the polls in Florida? Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The number of voters registered as Democrats has tumbled in recent years in Florida, effectively removing the Sunshine State as a battleground and placing it firmly in the red column.

At least that’s the dominant narrative found in many media outlets. And it is true that Republican Donald Trump won the state in both 2016 and 2020.

Still, Nikki Fried, the Florida Democratic party chair, thinks Florida Democrats are making a “clear resurgence.”

Buoyed by broad support for two statewide initiatives on the ballot – the legalization of recreational marijuana and the establishment of a constitutional right to abortion up to viability – Fried is predicting robust turnout of Democratic voters this November despite concerns hurricanes Helene and Milton may suppress turnout.

Fried suggests that Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Debbie Mucarsel-Powell will benefit from the two hot issues on the ballot. A ban on most abortions after six weeks went into effect in Florida on May 1, 2024, with the state Supreme Court at the same time deciding to put the issue to voters.

The marijuana ballot measure looks likely to pass, while support for the abortion access measure is more uncertain. But the point is that these are the types of issues that bring Democrats – and unaffiliated voters – out to the polls.

I’ve written extensively on direct democracy and Florida politics. My research shows how ballot measures can have what I call “educative effects,” not only bolstering turnout but also priming voters to choose candidates who support the same initiatives they do.

This goes a long way to explain Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to thwart both measures, going so far as to use taxpayers’ dollars to oppose the abortion amendment.

Florida’s abortion amendment needs to pass with 60% of the vote, so turnout is key.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo

Active voters

But Fried and the Democrats face a major hurdle – a widening voter registration gap – as Florida Republicans are quick to point out. Over the past several years, the GOP steadily narrowed the Democratic Party’s lead in voter registrations in the Sunshine State, finally surpassing Democrats’ plurality of active registered voters in 2021.

Fried thinks the widening gap between registered Republicans and Democrats is a mirage. She claims that the Republican advantage is an artifact of a shift in state law that more aggressively reclassifies voters as being “inactive” if they don’t vote in two general election cycles or keep their information on file with local supervisors of elections.

There is no question that the law, which went into effect in 2022, has deflated Democratic registration numbers. Here are the stats.

According to the Florida secretary of state’s website, updated on Oct. 7, 2024, there are more than 1 million more registered Republicans (5,455,480) than Democrats (4,400,561) in Florida, followed by no party affiliation (3,584,982) and those registered with minor parties (404,890). That is, Republicans appear to account for more than 39% of registered voters in the Sunshine State, while Democrats make up less than 32%.

However, the numbers posted on Florida’s official website, which amount to nearly 13.7 million registered voters, are misleading: They tally only active voters in the state.

There are more than 2.5 million inactive voters on the rolls as of Aug. 1, 2024, according to my calculation of publicly available raw voter files. This brings the total number of registered voters in Florida to more than 16 million people.

Inactive and unaffiliated voters

Inactive registered voters have every right to cast ballots just like active voters. The main difference between the two groups is that inactive voters didn’t vote in 2020 or 2022.

There are hundreds of thousands more inactive Democrats and unaffiliated voters than Republicans on the rolls. This is likely the result of lackluster campaigns in the state for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in 2020 and for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist in 2022. Uninspired Democrats and unaffiliated voters didn’t show up to the polls, particularly in 2022.

Currently, according to the publicly available Florida voter rolls, there are over 900,000 inactive Democrats and over 921,000 inactive unaffiliated voters, compared with fewer than 643,000 inactive Republicans. So, while Republicans account for 39% of active voters, they account for only 25% of inactive voters.

To sharpen the point: 1 in 10 Republicans are currently inactive, whereas nearly 2 in 5 of all registered Democrats and more than 1 in 5 unaffiliated voters in Florida are inactive. These inactive voters tend not to receive the same attention from parties and groups trying to mobilize registered voters to the polls.

There’s no question that the fortunes of the Florida Democratic Party have tumbled over the past decade. Twelve years ago, just prior to the 2012 general election, Democrats accounted for 40% of all active registered voters. It’s been a sharp decline down to 32%.

But the difference has not been made up by Republicans. From 2012 to 2024, the share of active voters registered as Republicans increased by only 3 percentage points, from 36% to 39%.

The biggest increase in the share of active voters over the same period is with unaffiliated voters, whose share jumped 5 percentage points, from less than 21% in 2012 to 26% in 2024. These unaffiliated voters in Florida tend to be younger and Hispanic, many of whom likely have been turned off by the toxic political landscape in the state.

But back to the November election and Fried’s prognostications.

Will the two statewide ballot measures – Amendment 3 on recreational marijuana and Amendment 4 on reproductive rights – offset the rise in Republican voter registration in Florida? Is the sizable lead of Republican active voters a mirage, only to disappear as Election Day nears?

It will come down to turnout and whether inactive Democratic and unaffiliated voters’ support for Amendment 3 and Amendment 4 primes them to back the Democratic ticket.

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

– ref. Abortion and marijuana ballot measures may bring out Florida Democrats, but the GOP has 1M more active voters in the Sunshine State – https://theconversation.com/abortion-and-marijuana-ballot-measures-may-bring-out-florida-democrats-but-the-gop-has-1m-more-active-voters-in-the-sunshine-state-239538

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Misinformation is more than just bad facts: How and why people spread rumors is key to understanding how false information travels and takes root

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kate Starbird, Professor of Human Centered Design & Engineering, University of Washington

Spreading rumors is problematic but understandable. H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Archive Photos via Getty Images

On Sept. 20, 2024, a newspaper in Montana reported an issue with ballots provided to overseas voters registered in the state: Kamala Harris was not on the ballot. Election officials were able to quickly remedy the problem but not before accusations began to spread online, primarily among Democrats, that the Republican secretary of state had purposefully left Harris off the ballot.

This false rumor emerged from a common pattern: Some people view evidence such as good-faith errors in election administration through a mindset of elections being untrustworthy or “rigged,” leading them to misinterpret that evidence.

As the U.S. approaches another high-stakes and contentious election, concerns about the pervasive spread of falsehoods about election integrity are again front of mind. Some election experts worry that false claims may be mobilized – as they were in 2020 – into efforts to contest the election through tactics such as lawsuits, protests, disruptions to vote-counting and pressure on election officials to not certify the election.

Our team at the University of Washington has studied online rumors and misinformation for more than a decade. Since 2020, we have focused on rapid analysis of falsehoods about U.S. election administration, from sincere confusion about when and where to vote to intentional efforts to sow distrust in the process. Our motivations are to help quickly identify emerging rumors about election administration and analyze the dynamics of how these rumors take shape and spread online.

Through the course of this research we have learned that despite all the discussion about misinformation being a problem of bad facts, most misleading election rumors stem not from false or manipulated evidence but from misinterpretations and mischaracterizations. In other words, the problem is not just about bad facts but also faulty frames, or the mental structures people rely on to interpret those facts.

Misinformation may not be the best label for addressing the problem – it’s more an issue of how people make sense of the world, how that sensemaking process is shaped by social, political and informational dynamics, and how it begets rumors that can lead people to a false understanding of events.

Rumors – not misinformation

There is a long history of research on rumors going back to World War II and earlier. From this perspective, rumors are unverified stories, spreading through informal channels that serve informational, psychological and social purposes. We are applying this knowledge to the study of online falsehoods.

Though many rumors are false, some turn out to be true or partially true. Even when false, rumors can contain useful indications of real confusions or fears within a community.

Rumors can be seen as a natural byproduct of collective sensemaking – that is, efforts by groups of well-meaning people to make sense of uncertain and ambiguous information during dynamic events. But rumors can also emerge from propaganda and disinformation campaigns that lead people to misinterpret or mischaracterize their own and others’ experiences.

University of Washington’s Kate Starbird explains rumors as collective sensemaking.

Evidence, frames and (mis)interpretations

Prior research describes collective sensemaking as a process of interactions between evidence and frames. Evidence includes the things people see, read and hear in the world. Frames are mental schema that shape how people interpret that evidence.

The relationship between evidence and frames flows in two directions. When people encounter novel events or new evidence, they try to select the best frame from their mental filing cabinets. The selected frame then determines what evidence they focus on and what evidence they exclude in their interpretations. This evidence-frame view of collective sensemaking can help researchers understand rumors and disinformation.

Everyone has their own ways of interpreting events based on their unique experiences. But your frames are not yours alone. Frames are shaped, sometimes intentionally, by information from media, political leaders, communities, colleagues, friends, neighbors and family. Framing – the process of using, building, reinforcing, adapting, challenging and updating frames – can be a deliberate strategy of political communication.

Frames play a role in generating rumors, shaping how people interpret emerging events and novel evidence. False rumors occur when sensemaking goes awry, often due to people focusing on the wrong piece of evidence or applying the wrong frame. And disinformation, from this perspective, is the intentional manipulation of the sensemaking process, either by introducing false evidence or distorting the frames through which people interpret that evidence.

In 2020, we saw these dynamics at work in a rumor about Sharpie pens in Arizona. In the lead-up to the election, President Donald Trump and his allies repeatedly alleged that the election would be rigged – setting a powerful frame for his followers. When voters noted that the Sharpie pens provided by election officials were bleeding through their ballots, many interpreted their experiences through the frame of a “rigged election” and became concerned that their ballots would not be counted.

A Maricopa County, Arizona, election worker counts ballots in the 2020 election as false rumors that Sharpie pens were ruining ballots spread online.
AP Photo/Matt York

Some people shared those experiences online, where they were soon amplified and given meaning by others, including online influencers. Concerns and suspicions grew. Soon, members of Trump’s family were repeating false claims that the bleed-through was systematically disenfranchising Republican voters. The effect was circular and mutually reinforcing. The strategic frame inspired misinterpretations of evidence – real bleed-through falsely seen as affecting ballot counting – that were shared and amplified, strengthening the frame.

Social media sensemaking

Collective sensemaking is increasingly taking place online, where it is profoundly shaped by social media platforms, from features such as repost and like buttons to algorithmic recommendations to the connections between accounts.

Not so long ago, many people hoped that the internet would democratize information flows by removing the historical gatekeepers of information and disrupting their ability to set the agenda – and the frames – of conversation. But the gatekeepers have not been erased; they have been replaced. A group of newsbrokering influencers have taken their place, in part by gaming the ways online systems manipulate attention.

Many of these influencers work by systematically seeking out and amplifying content that aligns with prevailing political frames set by elites in politics and media. This gives creators the incentive to produce content that resonates with those frames, because that content tends to be rewarded with attention, the primary commodity of social media.

These dynamics were at work in February 2024, when an aspiring creator produced a man-on-the-street video interviewing migrants to the U.S. that was selectively edited and captioned to falsely claim to show undocumented migrants planning to vote illegally in U.S. elections. This resonated with two prominent frames: the same rigged-election frame from 2020 and another that framed immigration as harmful to the U.S.

The video was shared across multiple platforms and exploded in views after being amplified by a series of accounts with large followings on X, formerly Twitter. X CEO Elon Musk commented with an exclamation point on one post with the embedded video. The creator soon found himself on Fox News. He currently has hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram and continues to produce similar content.

Interactions between influencers and online audiences result in content that fits strategic frames. Emerging events provide new evidence that people can twist to fit prevailing frames, both intentionally and unintentionally. Rumors are the byproducts of this process, and online attention dynamics fuel their spread.

Collective sensemaking and election 2024

Heading into the 2024 election, false and misleading claims about election integrity remain widespread. Our team has tracked more than 100 distinct rumors since the beginning of September. The machinery for quickly converting perceived evidence from elections into widely shared rumors and conspiracy theories is increasingly well oiled.

Experts discuss election integrity and efforts to undermine voter confidence.

One concerning development is an increase in so-called election integrity organizations that seek to recruit volunteers who share the rigged-election frame. The groups aim to provide volunteers with tools to streamline the collection and amplification of evidence to support the rigged-election frame.

One worry is that these volunteers may misinterpret what they see and hear on Election Day, generating additional rumors and false claims about election integrity that reinforce that increasingly distorted frame. Another is that these false claims will feed lawsuits and other attempts to contest election results.

However, we hope that by shedding light on some of these dynamics, we can help researchers, journalists, election officials and other decision-makers better diagnose and respond to rumors about election integrity in this cycle. Most importantly, we believe that this collective sensemaking lens can help us all to both empathize with well-meaning people who get caught up in sharing false rumors and see how propagandists manipulate these processes for their gain.

Kate Starbird receives funding from the National Science Foundation, Knight Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies.

Stephen Prochaska has received funding from the National Science Foundation, Knight Foundation, and Hewlett Foundation.

– ref. Misinformation is more than just bad facts: How and why people spread rumors is key to understanding how false information travels and takes root – https://theconversation.com/misinformation-is-more-than-just-bad-facts-how-and-why-people-spread-rumors-is-key-to-understanding-how-false-information-travels-and-takes-root-241748

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sharing the stories and lessons of witch-hunting in Scotland The University of Aberdeen is introducing people around the world to the history of witch-hunting and the witch trials in Scotland.

Source: University of Aberdeen

North Berwick witchesThe University of Aberdeen is introducing people around the world to the history of witch-hunting and the witch trials in Scotland.
With wide-brimmed hats, black cats, broomsticks and crooked noses, witches in popular culture are instantly recognisable a staple of Halloween events.
But in previous centuries changes in attitudes and approaches to magic led to suspicion and accusations which spread through Scottish communities as paranoid hunts sought to root out those thought to derive powers from the Devil.
The University has created an online short course ‘Scottish Witch-Hunting and the Rise of a Protestant Culture 1590-1690’ which provides an opportunity for anyone with a professional or personal interest in the history of Scottish witchcraft to take an in-depth look at Scottish attitudes and approaches to magic, the preternatural and the supernatural.
Professor Bill Naphy, Emeritus Professor of History, said: “Witches may been seen by guisers today as a bit of fun but in the middle of the 16th century, they were seen as conspirators trying to destroy society.
“This wasn’t unique to Scotland but the ripples of panic it caused were far reaching with Scotland’s execution rate per head of population about five times the European average.
“It means this is a really important area for study, not just in understanding about witchcraft and the brutal investigations, trials and often executions of those accused but in piecing together the wider issues and changes facing society at this time.”
The course explores the involvement of King James VI and I who in 1591 became convinced that a group of North Berwick witches tried to kill him and his wife when their vessel was caught in storms as they attempted to travel to Denmark.
As a result he becomes the only reigning monarch to ever serve as a judge in a witch trial and writes a book about witchcraft titled ‘Daemonologie’. This originally circulates in manuscript form and Professor Naphy says it was ‘clearly aimed at his sons so they will know when they become powerful how to find witches’ but is published widely following a panic which begins in Aberdeen in January 1597.
Professor Naphy explains: “The North Berwick witch trials of 1591 are notorious because of the sheer number of ‘witches’, widely agreed to be around 70 most of whom were women, executed in one hunt in a small Scottish town.
“But the lesser-known Aberdeen witch hunt in 1597 demonstrates how far panic swept across Scottish society, even prompting the demand for the publication of the King’s book.
“City leaders in Aberdeen became convinced that they had such a serious problem on their hands that they were able to secure a five-year commission to find and try all witches in the north-east.
“Once the idea took root that there was a witch plot or ‘cell’ the threshold for evidence necessary to prove guilt decreased and investigators become increasingly concerned with finding wider connections.
“In Aberdeen this saw accusations levied against the Leys family and at his trail Thomas Leys confessed, undoubtedly under coercion, to having led a coven of witches in a dance at the fish cross the previous Halloween – a satanic party right in front of the tollbooth.”
This soon led to extensive witch hunts across not only the north-east but many parts of Scotland.
“Thomas implicated a number of women that took the commissioners from Aberdeen to the tiny village of Lumphanan in their hunt for conspiratorial cells,” Professor Naphy added.
“In total 24 ‘witches’ were executed in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including a significant proportion of the adult female population of Lumphanan and this little known 1597 hunt triggered panic across many regions of Scotland that resulted in many more deaths through execution.
“This is an important period to highlight dangers of a moral panic and study of these events serves as a timely reminder that while today witches are seen as part of the fun of Halloween, we should not forget brutal treatment and execution of those accused of so-called crimes of dark magic.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Simple science summaries written by AI help people understand research and trust scientists

Source: The Conversation – USA – By David Markowitz, Associate Professor of Communication, Michigan State University

Smoothing out the complexity can help with comprehension. kislev/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Artificial intelligence-generated summaries of scientific papers make complex information more understandable for the public compared with human-written summaries, according to my recent paper published in PNAS Nexus. AI-generated summaries not only improved public comprehension of science but also enhanced how people perceived scientists.

I used a popular large language model, GPT-4 by OpenAI, to create simple summaries of scientific papers; this kind of text is often called a significance statement. The AI-generated summaries used simpler language – they were easier to read according to a readability index and used more common words, like “job” instead of “occupation” – than summaries written by the researchers who had done the work.

In one experiment, I found that readers of the AI-generated statements had a better understanding of the science, and they provided more detailed, accurate summaries of the content than readers of the human-written statements.

I also investigated what effects the simpler summaries might have on people’s perceptions of the scientists who performed the research. In this experiment, participants rated the scientists whose work was described in the simpler texts as more credible and trustworthy than the scientists whose work was described in the more complex texts.

In both experiments, participants did not know who wrote each summary. The simpler texts were always AI-generated, and the complex texts were always human-generated. When I asked participants who they believed wrote each summary, they ironically thought the more complex ones were written by AI and simpler ones were written by humans.

It can feel like you need a Ph.D. to understand science research published in a journal.
R.Tsubin/Moment via Getty Images

Why it matters

Have you ever read about a scientific discovery and felt like it was written in a foreign language? If you’re like most Americans, new scientific information is probably hard to understand – especially if you try to tackle a science article in a research journal.

In an era where scientific literacy is crucial for informed decision-making, the abilities to communicate and grasp complex ideas are more important than ever. Trust in science has been declining for years, and one contributing factor may be the challenge of understanding scientific jargon.

This research points to a potential solution: using AI to simplify science communication. By making scientific content more approachable, this work demonstrates that AI-generated summaries may help to restore trust in scientists and, in turn, encourage greater public engagement with scientific issues. The question of trust is particularly important, as people often rely on science in their daily lives, from eating habits to medical choices.

What still isn’t known

As AI continues to evolve, its role in science communication may expand, especially if using generative AI becomes more commonplace or sanctioned by journals. Indeed, the academic publishing field is still establishing norms regarding the use of AI. By simplifying scientific writing, AI could contribute to more engagement with complex issues.

While the benefits of AI-generated science communication are perhaps clear, ethical considerations must also be considered. There is some risk that relying on AI to simplify scientific content may remove nuance, potentially leading to misunderstandings or oversimplifications. There’s always the chance of errors, too, if no one pays close attention.

Additionally, transparency is critical. Readers should be informed when AI is used to generate summaries to avoid potential biases.

Simple science descriptions are preferable to and more beneficial than complex ones, and AI tools can help. But scientists could also achieve the same goals by working harder to minimize jargon and communicate clearly – no AI necessary.

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

– ref. Simple science summaries written by AI help people understand research and trust scientists – https://theconversation.com/simple-science-summaries-written-by-ai-help-people-understand-research-and-trust-scientists-241105

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Fighting antibiotic resistance at the source – using machine learning to identify bacterial resistance genes and the drugs to block them

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Abdullahi Tunde Aborode, Mississippi State University

Current methods of identifying resistance mutations in microbes can miss other ways resistance can develop. koto_feja/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health problem around the world. When bacteria like E. coli no longer respond to antibiotics, infections become harder to treat.

To develop new antibiotics, researchers typically identify the genes that make bacteria resistant. Through laboratory experiments, they observe how bacteria respond to different antibiotics and look for mutations in the genetic makeup of resistant strains that allow them to survive.

While effective, this method can be time-consuming and may not always capture the full picture of how bacteria become resistant. For example, changes in how genes work that don’t involve mutations can still influence resistance. Bacteria can also exchange resistance genes between each other, which may not be detected if only focusing on mutations within a single strain.

My colleagues and I developed a new approach to identify E. coli resistance genes by computer modeling, allowing us to design new compounds that can block these genes and make existing treatments more effective.

Identifying resistance

To predict which genes contribute to resistance, we analyzed the genomes of various E. coli strains to identify genetic patterns and markers associated with resistance. We then used machine learning algorithms trained on existing data to highlight novel genes or mutations shared across resistant strains that might contribute to resistance.

E. coli is one of many bacterial species developing resistance to common antibiotics.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/National Institutes of Health via Flickr, CC BY-NC

After identifying resistance genes, we designed inhibitors that specifically target and block the proteins these genes produce. By analyzing the structure of the proteins these genes code for, we were able to optimize our inhibitors to strongly bind to these specific proteins.

To reduce the likelihood that bacteria would evolve resistance to these inhibitors, we targeted regions of their genome that code for proteins critical to their survival. By interfering with how bacteria carry out important functions, it makes it more difficult for them to develop mechanisms to compensate. We also prioritized compounds that work differently from existing antibiotics to minimize cross-resistance.

Finally, we tested how effectively our inhibitors could overcome antibiotic resistance in E. coli. We used computer simulations to assess how strongly a number of inhibitors bind to target proteins over time. One inhibitor called hesperidin was able to strongly bind to the three genes in E. coli involved in resistance that we identified, suggesting it may be able to help combat antibiotic-resistant strains.

A global threat

The World Health Organization ranks antimicrobial resistance as one of the top 10 threats to global health. In 2019, bacterial antibiotic resistance killed an estimated 4.95 million people worldwide.

By targeting the specific genes responsible for resistance to existing drugs, our approach could lead to treatments for challenging bacterial infections that are not only more effective but also less likely to contribute to further resistance. It can also help researchers keep up with bacterial threats as they evolve.

Some microbes can transfer resistance to other microbes.

Our predictive approach could be adapted to other bacterial strains, allowing for more personalized treatment strategies. In the future, doctors could potentially tailor antibiotic treatments based on the specific genetic makeup of the bacteria causing the infection, potentially leading to better outcomes.

As antibiotic resistance continues to rise globally, our findings may provide a crucial tool in the fight against this threat. Further development is needed before our methods can be used in the clinic. But by staying ahead of bacterial evolution, targeted inhibitors could help preserve the efficacy of existing antibiotics and reduce the spread of resistant strains.

Nothing to disclose.

– ref. Fighting antibiotic resistance at the source – using machine learning to identify bacterial resistance genes and the drugs to block them – https://theconversation.com/fighting-antibiotic-resistance-at-the-source-using-machine-learning-to-identify-bacterial-resistance-genes-and-the-drugs-to-block-them-237919

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: US candidates neck-and-neck a week before elections

Source: China State Council Information Office

The race for the White House is neck and neck just a week before Americans cast their ballots for the next president.

Republican candidate Donald Trump leads Democratic candidate Kamala Harris by an average of 0.4 percentage points in national polls as of Tuesday, according to the U.S. election information website Real Clear Politics.

Trump leads by just a hair in many swing states, including Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina, while Harris leads by half a point in Michigan.

The swing states are likely to determine the election outcome, and both candidates have been actively campaigning there, attending rallies to present their case to voters.

“The presidential race remains tight, but Harris has been outspending Trump by a 2 or 3 to 1 margin in advertising,” Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

Inflation and the economy are among the main issues. While President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris have overseen an economy with low unemployment, many voters are outraged over the high prices that have taken hold during the current administration.

Besides, Trump’s campaign has been accusing the Biden-Harris administration of leading to a major increase in crime in urban areas.

Stores are now locking up their merchandise, as shoplifters brazenly fill up garbage bags full of goods and simply walk out of the store without paying. Drug addicts shoot up heroin and other hard drugs in broad daylight in many cities. They harass and physically assault passersby, and urinate and defecate on sidewalks in downtown areas.

At the same time, Trump has ruffled several feathers, as he is known to do, with what critics call incendiary rhetoric.

Critics also blasted Trump for his plan to launch the mass deportation operation of millions of immigrants who illegally poured over the border since the current administration took office. Trump’s critics fear this could lead to problems including breaking up families and giving law enforcement too much power.

It remains unknown what undecided voters will do.

“Many undecided voters will not vote at all,” Clay Ramsay, a researcher at the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua, adding that the people who are unlikely to vote, based on past elections, accounts for a large percentage of adults.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Strengthening Alliances Through Learning, NPS Hosts European International Alumni Symposium

Source: United States Navy

The symposium, sponsored in part by the Department of State as part of the U.S. International Military Education Training (IMET) program, is in direct support of the Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro’s strategic priorities to strengthen international alliances for collective defense. It also supports the “Enhance Partnerships” objective in the Naval Education Strategy by offering opportunities to learn alongside our allies and partners, which is a key component to succeeding in deterring conflict and the strategic power competition.

“In so many ways, [educational institutions] are the engines of what happens in the future,” said Adm. Stuart Munsch, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples, during his welcoming remarks. “They not only equip individuals with the skill sets to think about particular knowledge areas but, more broadly, to think critically and strategically. These institutions are what provide this foundation for our future, and the Naval Postgraduate School is among them.”

Building on the Indo-Pacific NPS Alumni Symposium held last year, the European symposium agenda spanned a full three days, packed with plenary sessions, panels, and keynote addresses, which included discussions ranging from energy security and space systems to contested logistics and climate change. NPS faculty presented and discussed cutting-edge research in emerging defense technologies, furthering academic collaboration, shared learning, and strategic engagement with international partners.

Beyond the formal sessions and professional exchange, the symposium also provided an opportunity to advance important relationships, maritime statecraft, and reconnect NPS with its global community of alumni.

“These relationships matter and continuing to cultivate them matters because our alumni network is a vital resource,” said U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander and Commander, U.S. European Command. “It provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and foster innovation all around the globe.”

In addition to robust discussions on security and defense, participants valued the chance to reconnect with former classmates, professors, and new colleagues from across Europe.

“NPS helped us reach a deeper understanding of where we’re going together. In terms of cooperative security and collective defense right now, NPS is very well represented in key positions in NATO, not only in the operational side of the house but also in the future planning,” said Maj. Gen. Claudiu Dobocan, commander, Romanian Special Operations Command and a 2004 NPS Defense Analysis graduate. “NPS is on the forefront for relation building but also on the front of conceptual theories which will push forward NATO and U.S. instruments.”

Among the many discussions held during the event, one key session focused on climate and energy security in Europe, featuring panelist Kristen Fletcher of NPS’ Energy Academic Group who highlighted important ongoing research in the field. Symposium attendees and NPS faculty visited the Schneefernerhaus Environmental Research Station, Germany’s highest environmental research facility, where they learned about the facility’s history and ongoing climate research, which furthered the discussion.

“This symposium has given us the chance to share global perspectives on climate security,” Fletcher said. “The research shared with us today on increasing greenhouse gas emissions, along with physical observations of a nearly depleted glacier, highlights the need for awareness and partnerships to understand the impacts of climate change on military missions.”

As the symposium concluded, participants expressed gratitude for the opportunity to reunite with old colleagues, meet new ones, and discuss shared challenges and opportunities for collaboration.

NPS attracts students from around the globe, advancing their skills while also supporting the development of enduring personal connections. International alumni symposiums focus on strengthening those relationships while addressing present-day challenges, reaffirming the collective dedication to global security.

“NPS gives us the opportunity to connect people from different countries, different cultures, building trust and the feeling that we are stronger together,” said 2024 Security Studies graduate Tea Nikolashvili, director, Defense Institution Building School, Ministry of Defense, Georgia. “Symposiums like this are an additional opportunity for us to communicate with our peers and widen our perspectives as well as build professional networks, supporting both national and international security objectives and implementation processes.”

The event was organized by NPS’ International Graduate Programs Office (IGPO) with additional support from the NPS Foundation and Alumni Association. More than 7,000 students from nearly 130 countries have graduated from NPS since 1954.

“None of us are as strong as all of us,” said Danial Pick, director of IGPO. “Allied countries send their best to NPS, and they contribute so much to our learning beyond their coursework and research to enhance our culture and strengthen future alliances, which are so important today.”

Through the institution’s unique, defense-focused graduate education and research programs and a student body reaching all corners of the globe, NPS continues to drive knowledge and relevant innovation to enhance the strategic capabilities of the United States as well as its international partners.

“It was a privilege to collaborate with senior military representatives and NPS alumni from around the globe to discuss and execute the importance of strategic engagement among international partners,” said NPS President retired Vice. Adm. Ann Rondeau. “I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone who worked diligently to ensure the symposium was a success, especially to the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies and Director retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Barre R. Seguin for graciously co-hosting our first NPS European International Alumni Symposium – it was a great team effort!”

NPS, located in Monterey, California, provides defense-focused graduate education, including classified studies and interdisciplinary research, to advance the operational effectiveness, technological leadership, and warfighting advantage of the Naval service. Established in 1909, NPS offers master’s and doctorate programs to Department of Defense military and civilians, along with international partners, to deliver transformative solutions and innovative leaders through advanced education and research. For more information, visit NPS at https://nps.edu.

Check out highlights and hear from symposium attendees in this recap of NPS’ first-ever European International Alumni Symposium, https://youtu.be/KSJq5QHAoC8.

MIL Security OSI –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Survey “Socio-psychological well-being”

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

The research and communication platform “Caring Person” is conducting a sociological survey “Socio-psychological well-being” from October 25 to November 17.

Students, teachers, and administrators of higher education institutions can share their feelings about their university and what areas need to be changed. Students can also assess their employment prospects after graduation.

Your opinion is important and directly influences the future development of the university!

Link to the survey

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 –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova: More than 30 thousand primary healthcare facilities will be modernized in 2025–2030

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

October 30, 2024

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

October 30, 2024

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

October 30, 2024

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

October 30, 2024

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

October 30, 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin opened the plenary session of the 3rd National Congress with International Participation “National Healthcare”

October 30, 2024

At the end of the plenary session, the winners of the All-Russian competition of young leaders – healthcare organizers were awarded

October 30, 2024

Previous news Next news

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

The central event of the third national congress with international participation “National Healthcare” took place in the Great Hall of the State Kremlin Palace – the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the Present Day”, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding scientist and physician.

The plenary session of the third national congress with international participation “National Healthcare” was opened by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

The moderator of the plenary session was Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova. The event was attended by Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov, Head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing Anna Popova, Governor of the Orenburg Region Denis Pasler, and TV presenter of the Russia 24 TV channel Alexandra Suvorova.

The plenary session included a discussion of key areas of development and achievements of the Russian healthcare system through the prism of the merits of the outstanding Soviet healthcare organizer N.A. Semashko: development of human health; accessibility of medical care regardless of place of residence; unity of prevention and treatment; public involvement in the implementation of state policy in the field of healthcare; ensuring sanitary well-being; healthcare management from a scientific point of view; provision of affordable healthy food for everyone and modern affordable medical products.

“The peculiarity of this congress was its dedication to one of the significant organizers, the first People’s Commissar of Health Nikolai Aleksandrovich Semashko, who laid the foundations of the world’s first state health care system and formed a hierarchical state centralized model with a district principle of providing primary health care, which was subsequently implemented in many countries of the world – Great Britain, Norway, France, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and others. We carried the main principles of Semashko’s system through the years and laid them at the foundation of our Russian health care system,” emphasized Tatyana Golikova.

The state character of the Russian healthcare system, its free nature and accessibility for citizens, has been preserved.

“Every year, the state’s expenses on paying for medical care alone increase and by the end of 2023 amounted to 4 trillion rubles. Over the past five years, compared to 2018, expenses on paying for medical care have increased by 1.5 trillion rubles. And by the end of 2024, such expenses are preliminarily estimated at 4.5 trillion rubles,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Currently, medical care is provided by 7 thousand state and municipal medical organizations, including more than 300 federal ones.

The federal law “On the Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation” establishes an approach to the formation of human health from birth and throughout the entire period of his life.

The entire population of our country is attached to medical organizations. And at least 118 million people use their capabilities annually, including almost 31 million children. Medical organizations annually perform more than 1 billion cases of medical care.

As Tatyana Golikova noted, in order to implement the main principle of Soviet medicine – disease prevention and prophylaxis – since 2024, the volume of medical care provided in outpatient settings has been increased, and dispensary observation at the workplace has been introduced. “But so far only 36 regions of our country have taken advantage of this opportunity. I ask all regions to more actively implement this approach to dispensary observation,” the Deputy Prime Minister said. She emphasized that the principle of accessibility of medical care at the place of residence, work or study is the main one in Russian legislation.

Accessibility of medical care and its provision itself are impossible without medical personnel. “Until 2023, we noted a decrease in the number of doctors. Therefore, a whole range of measures was implemented at the federal level, which allowed us, by the end of 2023, for the first time in the last five years, to stop this decline and increase the number of doctors by 7.5 thousand people without taking into account new regions,” Tatyana Golikova emphasized.

Developing and continuing the foundations laid by Nikolai Aleksandrovich Semashko, the primary health care system is being actively modernized, which in 1978 was recognized by the World Health Organization as the best in the world, which was recorded in a specially adopted declaration. Therefore, the federal project for the modernization of the primary health care system is the most resource-intensive project of the new national project “Long and Active Life”.

“Over the past three years, we have already modernized over 18,000 healthcare facilities, which affected over 24 million of our citizens. By the end of 2025, within the framework of current regional programs, we will modernize almost 2,000 more facilities. The plans for 2025-2030 include over 30,000 more facilities, where over 80 million residents of the country receive medical care, including those living in rural areas, urban-type settlements and small towns,” noted Tatyana Golikova.

The priority of prevention in health protection has been established by law, the unity of prevention and treatment has been regulated. Almost 5 thousand medical prevention departments and health centers have been opened in its development. 35.5 million people have applied to these departments for training in the principles of a healthy lifestyle. Another 9 million people have been trained in so-called schools.

The population is provided with medical examinations and preventive check-ups.

Since 2024, as part of the Year of the Family, a medical examination to assess reproductive health has been introduced for the first time. Over 3 million men and women of reproductive age have already been examined. In 11% of cases, diseases that negatively affect reproductive function were detected. Additional examination and treatment of such patients is being carried out.

“We have preserved and strengthened the state system of ensuring sanitary well-being and social hygiene, the foundations of which were laid by Nikolai Aleksandrovich. We have launched a new federal project, “Sanitary Shield of the Country”. We have formed a single centralized system for responding to possible infectious threats. As a result, we have ensured a multiple reduction in infectious diseases. Last year alone, such a reduction was 30%. More than 17 million cases of infectious pathology were prevented,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

Since 2019, a separate project aimed at promoting healthy eating has been implemented within the framework of the national project “Demography”. The project’s activities have already covered more than 40 million people.

Research for the development of medical science is conducted by over 400 scientific, medical and educational organizations. These organizations perform almost 5.5 thousand studies for medicine. 120 billion rubles have been allocated from various sources for these purposes.

“We have created conditions for the development of the medical and pharmaceutical industries. In 2023 alone, Russian medical products worth over 1 trillion rubles were produced,” said Tatyana Golikova.

The participants of the discussion presented information in the format of “was – became – will be” on each thematic area of the session: since the time of N.A. Semashko, achievements of the present time and what will be implemented in the future, in focus on the advantages of the Soviet and Russian health care system and the replication of the Soviet experience of building a health care system in other countries.

The final plenary session included an award ceremony for the winners of the All-Russian Competition of Young Leaders – Healthcare Organizers. The competition was held by the Central Research Institute of Healthcare and Informatics with the support of the Ministry of Healthcare. The award ceremony was held by Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and Minister of Healthcare Mikhail Murashko.

The plenary session ended with an opera ball featuring artists from the Helikon Opera musical theatre.

The third national congress with international participation “National Healthcare” was held with the support of the Russian Government. The event was organized by the Ministry of Healthcare and the Roscongress Foundation. The organizational partner of the event was the Central Research Institute for Healthcare Organization and Informatization of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russia.

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 –

January 25, 2025

Category: Education

India’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ Campaign gains Global Momentum with Plantation Drive in ColombiaMinister of State Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh leads Plantation Drive in Colombia to promote ‘#Plant4Mother’ Initiative

Additional benefits

Key findings

What needs to be done

Regional breakdown of activities

Developing online technical assistance

Evolving pedagogical approaches

Priorities for technical assistance

WTO negotiations and implementation of WTO agreements: Some measurable results

Financial commitments to WTO technical assistance

DARPA supports disruptive innovation

Five key principles of DARPA

The challenge of a European DARPA

Two main challenges

Additional benefits

Key findings

What needs to be done

Discovering the induction programme

Practical insights and personal growth

Benefits of the induction

Updates to this page

30 October 2024

Summary for the Labour Market Report in June 2024

Active voters

Inactive and unaffiliated voters

Rumors – not misinformation

Evidence, frames and (mis)interpretations

Social media sensemaking

Collective sensemaking and election 2024

Why it matters

What still isn’t known

Identifying resistance

A global threat

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

Russian President Vladimir Putin opened the plenary session of the 3rd National Congress with International Participation “National Healthcare”

At the end of the plenary session, the winners of the All-Russian competition of young leaders – healthcare organizers were awarded

India’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ Campaign gains Global Momentum with Plantation Drive in Colombia

Minister of State Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh leads Plantation Drive in Colombia to promote ‘#Plant4Mother’ Initiative