Category: Entertainment

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India Showcases Creative and Technological Might at WAVES 2025

    Source: Government of India

    India Showcases Creative and Technological Might at WAVES 2025

    Discussions at WAVES on AI, Social Media and Advertising reflect India’s expanding footprint in the Digital Media sector

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 9:24PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 1 May 2025

    The inaugural session of WAVES 2025 was graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who officially opened the summit at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai. In his keynote address, PM Modi emphasized India’s rich storytelling heritage and its potential to become a global hub for content creation. He highlighted the convergence of content, creativity, and culture as the pillars of the ‘Orange Economy,’ urging creators worldwide to “Create in India, Create for the World.” The Prime Minister also paid tribute to Indian cinema legends by releasing commemorative postage stamps. He called upon global creators to explore India’s diverse narratives, stating that every street, mountain, and river in India carries a story waiting to be told. The session was attended by dignitaries from over 100 countries, industry leaders, and renowned artists, marking a significant step in India’s journey to becoming a creative superpower.

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2125725

    AI and Creativity: Adobe and NVIDIA Chart the Future

    Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe, highlighted India’s emergence as a global hub of creativity powered by digital tools and generative AI. With over 100 million content creators and 500 million OTT consumers, Narayen described India as “the world’s next creative superpower.” He showcased Adobe’s Firefly AI models and stressed ethical AI, content authenticity, and creator attribution as vital for sustainable growth.

    In a fireside chat, Richard Kerris and Vishal Dhupar of NVIDIA explored how AI is revolutionizing the creative pipeline—allowing content to be generated, localized, and personalized at scale. “India has long exported talent. Now it can export culture,” Kerris declared, emphasizing AI’s ability to amplify regional voices and transform India into a storytelling giant.

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2125947

    YouTube to offer more support to boost the Creator Economy

    YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced a ₹850 crore investment to accelerate India’s creator economy, citing over 15,000 Indian channels with more than 1 million subscribers. Joined by global creators Mark Rober and Gautami Kawale (Slayy Point), Mohan underlined YouTube’s role in taking Indian stories global. “India isn’t just leading in music and film—it’s now a Creator Nation,” he said. Kawale shared how regional Indian content, when rooted in culture, has universal appeal, while Rober spoke about the power of STEM content crossing borders through AI-enabled dubbing and localization.

    WPP and the Advertising Renaissance

    Mark Read, CEO of WPP, described the advertising industry’s $1 trillion global footprint and its shift towards AI-led storytelling. He unveiled WPP’s open video production platform and shared a campaign featuring Shah Rukh Khan to demonstrate hyper-personalized content creation using motion AI. “AI is not replacing creativity—it is expanding it,” Read said, outlining the role of MSMEs and digital tools in democratizing access to quality advertising.

     

    Global Collaboration: UK-India Cultural Pact

    In a keynote that blended diplomacy and personal heritage, Lisa Nandy, UK Secretary of State for DCMS, emphasized the cultural bridge between India and the UK. She announced a Bilateral Cultural Federation Agreement to strengthen ties across cinema, museums, and performing arts. “From Manchester to Mumbai, we must empower the next generation of storytellers,” she urged, citing the legacy of figures like Sophia Duleep Singh and modern UK-Indian creatives.

    Panel Highlights: AI, Culture, and Influence; Two panel discussions deepened the discourse:

    “India M&E @100: The Future of Media and Entertainment” featured leaders from Eros Now, Jetsynthesys, and GroupM. They emphasized that India is in the fourth wave of disruption, where AI-led IP creation and Gen Z consumption patterns are reshaping the industry.

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2125886

    “The Business of Influence”, moderated by YouTube’s Gautam Anand, showcased creators like Chef Ranveer Brar, ChessTalk’s Jeetendra Advani, and Japanese YouTuber Mayo Murasaki. From chess to agriculture, they demonstrated how digital platforms are taking Indian knowledge global while preserving cultural authenticity.

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2125889

     

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    TEAM PIB WAVES 2025: Rajith/LekshmiPriya/CShekhar|137

    (Release ID: 2125960) Visitor Counter : 76

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCSD to hold “Jazz Appreciation from Legends” Lecture Demonstration Series from June to August (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has once again invited members of “Fountain de Chopin”, a local emerging jazz music group, as the speakers and demonstrators for a  ecture demonstration series entitled “Jazz Appreciation from Legends” that will be held from June to August. This new series consists of 10 lectures, each featuring one renowned jazz musician and his/her profound impact on future generations in each lecture. Complemented by live demonstrations of the musicians’ iconic compositions, audiences will be guided to appreciate the unique styles of various jazz music genres.

         Details of each lecture are as follows:——————————————–
    Date: June 6 (Friday)———————————————
    Date: June 13 (Friday)———————————————
    Date: June 20 (Friday)———————————————
    Date: July 4 (Friday)———————————————
    Date: July 11 (Friday)———————————————
    Date: July 18 (Friday)———————————————
    Date: August 1 (Friday)———————————————
    Date: August 8 (Friday)———————————————
    Date: August 15 (Friday)———————————————
    Date: August 29 (Friday)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City commemorates VE Day 80 with community events

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The City of Wolverhampton Council has made £20,000 available in grants from the Safer Prosperity Fund, enabling communities to mark this historic occasion in style.  

    Residents will be holding street parties and joining together in parks, community centres, places of worship – even allotments.

    VE Day, celebrated annually on 8 May, commemorates the day in 1945 when Nazi Germany officially surrendered to the Allied forces, ending nearly 6 years of brutal conflict in Europe. The 80th anniversary serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by countless individuals and the enduring spirit of unity and resilience that characterised the Allied victory.

    Councillor Obaida Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Digital and Community, said: “VE Day is a time for us to reflect on the immense sacrifices made by those who fought for our freedom. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the peace and prosperity that their bravery has afforded us.

    “As we mark this 80th anniversary, let us honour their legacy by fostering a community spirit of unity and remembrance.”

    In addition to community based celebrations, the council will be hosting several special events:

    • Coffee morning at Central Library at 10.30am on Thursday 8 May. Staff will dress in red, white, and blue, and there will be a green screen and sing along with school children in Central Library. The young poet laureate and primary poet champion have been commissioned to write a poem to be read at the event and shared widely on social media.
       
    • VE Family Celebration Event at Bantock Park on Monday 5 May, from 11am to 3pm – a themed event with bunting, 40s singers, The Bluebird Belles, and craft activities. 
       
    • Wolverhampton Art Gallery will be displaying artwork from their collection for the 80th commemoration of VE Day. The featured artwork is by Edward Bawden, titled “Ravenna: Tired Tanks parked in the Viale Farini, 1944.”

    Councillor Ahmed added: “We’re inviting all residents to participate in these events and join in commemorating this historic occasion. Together, we can ensure that the legacy of VE Day continues to inspire future generations.”

    Additionally, veterans will be attending a wide range of events including The Black Soldiers Story Untold, highlighting the often overlooked contributions of Black soldiers during VE/VJ Day and providing a platform to celebrate their courage, Vaisakhi at West Park will be honouring Sikh war veterans at Vaisakhi, Veterans in the Community will come together for a buffet, music, quiz and raffle, Bilston Memory Café will be holding a celebration for people with dementia and local veterans, while the RAFA Club will be opening its doors to families, veterans and children alike to commemorate VE Day next Saturday 10 May.

    National celebrations will be honouring the momentous announcement made by Prime Minister Winston Churchill at 3pm on 8 May, 1945, signalling the end of the Second World War in Europe after nearly 6 years of brutal conflict. 2025 will also mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day on 15 August, 1945, which signified the Allies’ defeat of Japan.

    For more details of the national celebrations, visit the VE/VJ Day 80 website.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI: Shell plc publishes first quarter 2025 press release

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, May 2, 2025

    “Shell delivered another solid set of results in the first quarter of 2025. We further strengthened our leading LNG business by completing the acquisition of Pavilion Energy, and high-graded our portfolio with the completion of the Nigeria onshore and the Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park divestments.

    Our strong performance and resilient balance sheet give us the confidence to commence another $3.5 billion of buybacks for the next three months, consistent with the strategic direction we set out at our Capital Markets Day in March.”

    Shell plc Chief Executive Officer, Wael Sawan


     

    SOLID RESULTS; RESILIENT BALANCE SHEET; CONSISTENT DISTRIBUTIONS

    • Q1 2025 Adjusted Earnings1 of $5.6 billion reflect strong performance across the business. CFFO excluding working capital was $11.9 billion for the quarter. Working capital outflow was $2.7 billion in Q1 2025.
    • Strengthened LNG trading and optimisation capabilities with the Pavilion Energy acquisition and high-graded the portfolio with the completion of the divestments of the Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park2, and SPDC3 in Nigeria.
    • Disciplined capital allocation, with 2025 cash capex outlook of $20 – 22 billion.
    • Commencing another $3.5 billion share buyback programme for the next 3 months, making this the 14th consecutive quarter of at least $3 billion in buybacks. Total shareholder distributions paid over the last 4 quarters were 45% of CFFO, consistent with the 40 – 50% of CFFO through the cycle distribution target announced at Capital Markets Day 2025.
    • Resilient balance sheet with gearing (including leases) of 19%.
    $ million1 Adj. Earnings Adj. EBITDA CFFO Cash capex
    Integrated Gas 2,483 4,735 3,463 1,116
    Upstream 2,337 7,387 3,945 1,923
    Marketing 900 1,869 1,907 256
    Chemicals & Products4 449 1,410 130 458
    Renewables & Energy Solutions (42) 111 367 403
    Corporate (457) (261) (531) 19
    Less: Non-controlling interest (NCI) 94      
    Shell Q1 2025 5,577 15,250 9,281 4,175
    Q4 2024 3,661 14,281 13,162 6,924

    1Income/(loss) attributable to shareholders for Q1 2025 is $4.8 billion. Reconciliation of non-GAAP measures can be found in the unaudited results, available at www.shell.com/investors.
    2 Completed on April 1, 2025.
    3The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited.
    4Chemicals & Products Adjusted Earnings at a subsegment level are as follows: Chemicals $(0.1) billion and Products $0.6 billion.


     

    • CFFO excluding working capital is $11.9 billion in Q1 2025 and reflects tax payments of $2.9 billion. Working capital outflow is $2.7 billion, consistent with outflows as we have seen in the first quarters of recent years.
    • Net debt of $41.5 billion includes the lease additions related to the Pavilion Energy acquisition as well as a drawdown on the loan facilities provided at the completion of the sale of SPDC in Nigeria.
    $ billion1 Q1 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2024 Q1 2025
    Working capital (2.8) (0.3) 2.7 2.4 (2.7)
    Divestment proceeds 1.0 0.8 0.2 0.8 0.6
    Free cash flow 9.8 10.2 10.8 8.7 5.3
    Net debt 40.5 38.3 35.2 38.8 41.5

    1 Reconciliation of non-GAAP measures can be found in the unaudited results, available at www.shell.com/investors.


     

    Q1 2025 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DRIVERS

    INTEGRATED GAS

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 outlook
    Realised liquids price ($/bbl) 63 64
    Realised gas price ($/thousand scf) 8.1 7.4
    Production (kboe/d) 905 927 890 – 950
    LNG liquefaction volumes (MT) 7.1 6.6 6.3 – 6.9
    LNG sales volumes (MT) 15.5 16.5
    • Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, reflecting lower exploration well write-offs. Trading and optimisation results were in line with Q4 2024, despite higher unfavourable (non-cash) impact from expiring hedging contracts.
    • Q2 2025 production and liquefaction outlook reflects higher scheduled maintenance across the portfolio.

    UPSTREAM

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 outlook
    Realised liquids price ($/bbl) 71 71
    Realised gas price ($/thousand scf) 7.0 7.4
    Liquids production (kboe/d) 1,332 1,335
    Gas production (million scf/d) 3,056 3,020
    Total production (kboe/d) 1,859 1,855 1,560 – 1,760
    • Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, reflecting lower depreciation following year-end reserves updates and lower well write-offs, partially offset by lower sales volumes.
    • Q2 2025 production outlook reflects scheduled maintenance and the completed sale of SPDC in March 2025.

    MARKETING

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 outlook
    Marketing sales volumes (kb/d) 2,795 2,674 2,600 – 3,100
    Mobility (kb/d) 2,041 1,964
    Lubricants (kb/d) 77 87
    Sectors & Decarbonisation (kb/d) 678 623
    • Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, supported by seasonally stronger margins in Lubricants.

    CHEMICALS & PRODUCTS

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 outlook1
    Refinery processing intake (kb/d) 1,215 1,362
    Chemicals sales volumes (kT) 2,926 2,813
    Refinery utilisation (%) 76 85 87 – 95
    Chemicals manufacturing plant utilisation (%) 75 81 74 – 82
    Global indicative refining margin ($/bbl) 5.5 6.2
    Global indicative chemical margin ($/t) 138 126

    1Following the Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park divestment, IRM, ICM and associated sensitivities have been updated for Q2 2025; see the guidance tab of the Quarterly Databook, available at www.shell.com/investors.

    • Trading and optimisation results were significantly higher than in Q4 2024 and in line with contributions in Q2 and Q3 of 2024, while the Chemicals results continued to be impacted by a weak margin environment.
    • Q2 2025 outlook reflects the completed sale of the Energy and Chemicals Park in Singapore.

    RENEWABLES & ENERGY SOLUTIONS

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025
    External power sales (TWh) 76 76
    Sales of pipeline gas to end-use customers (TWh) 165 184
    Renewables power generation capacity (GW)* 7.4 7.5
    • in operation (GW)
    3.4 3.5
    • under construction and/or committed for sale (GW)
    4.0 4.0

    *Excludes Shell’s equity share of associates where information cannot be obtained.

    • Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, with higher seasonal demand and volatility driving higher trading and optimisation, particularly in the Americas.

    Renewables and Energy Solutions includes activities such as renewable power generation, the marketing and trading and optimisation of power and pipeline gas, as well as carbon credits, and digitally enabled customer solutions. It also includes the production and marketing of hydrogen, development of commercial carbon capture and storage hubs, investment in nature-based projects that avoid or reduce carbon emissions, and Shell Ventures, which invests in companies that work to accelerate the energy and mobility transformation.

    CORPORATE

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 outlook
    Adjusted Earnings ($ billion) (0.4) (0.5) (0.6) – (0.4)

    UPCOMING INVESTOR EVENTS

    May 20, 2025 Annual General Meeting
    July 31, 2025 Second quarter 2025 results and dividends
    October 30, 2025 Third quarter 2025 results and dividends


     

    USEFUL LINKS

    Results materials Q1 2025
    Quarterly Databook Q1 2025
    Webcast registration Q1 2025
    Dividend announcement Q1 2025
    Capital Markets Day 2025 materials


     

    ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE (NON-GAAP) MEASURES
    This announcement includes certain measures that are calculated and presented on the basis of methodologies other than in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) such as IFRS, including Adjusted Earnings, Adjusted EBITDA, CFFO excluding working capital movements, free cash flow, Divestment proceeds and Net debt. This information, along with comparable GAAP measures, is useful to investors because it provides a basis for measuring Shell plc’s operating performance and ability to retire debt and invest in new business opportunities. Shell plc’s management uses these financial measures, along with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, in evaluating the business performance.

    This announcement may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as Adjusted Earnings and divestments. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile the non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of the company, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are estimated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.

    CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
    The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this announcement, “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience to reference Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. “Subsidiaries”, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this announcement refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The terms “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; “anticipate”; “aspire”; “aspiration”; ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; “desire”; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; “vision”; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks, including climate change; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including tariffs and regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East, and a significant cyber security, data privacy or IT incident; (n) the pace of the energy transition; and (o) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this announcement and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, May 2, 2025. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement.
    All amounts shown throughout this announcement are unaudited. The numbers presented throughout this announcement may not sum precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures, due to rounding.
    Shell’s Net Carbon Intensity
    Also, in this  announcement, we may refer to Shell’s “net carbon intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “net carbon intensity” or NCI is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

    Shell’s Net-Zero Emissions Target
    Shell’s operating plan and outlook are forecasted for a three-year period and ten-year period, respectively, and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next three and ten years. Accordingly, the outlook reflects our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plan and outlook cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is outside our planning period. Such future operating plans and outlooks could include changes to our portfolio, efficiency improvements and the use of carbon capture and storage and carbon credits. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans and outlooks to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

    The content of websites referred to in this announcement does not form part of this announcement.

    We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this announcement that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

    The financial information presented in this announcement does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434(3) of the Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”). Statutory accounts for the year ended December 31, 2024 were published in Shell’s Annual Report and Accounts, a copy of which was delivered to the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales. The auditor’s report on those accounts was unqualified, did not include a reference to any matters to which the auditor drew attention by way of emphasis without qualifying the report and did not contain a statement under sections 498(2) or 498(3) of the Act.

    The information in this announcement does not constitute the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements which are contained in Shell’s first quarter 2025 unaudited results available on www.shell.com/investors.

    CONTACTS

    • Media: International +44 207 934 5550; U.S. and Canada: Contact form

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Voluntary surrender program exceeds gaming machine reduction target

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 02/05/2025

    Two venues have gone completely gaming machine free and 296 gaming machine authorisations have been surrendered since March 2024 as part of the ACT Government’s voluntary surrender program.

    The voluntary electronic gaming machine surrender program, which ended yesterday, successfully reduced the number of machines in the territory to less than 3500.

    With the success of the voluntary surrender program the number of machine authorisations in the ACT has decreased by almost 30 per cent from 4,956 in 2018 to 3494 today.

    As part of the program, both The Statesman Hotel in Curtin and the Canberra Bowling Club in Forrest have voluntarily surrendered all of their gaming machine licenses.

    Minister for Gaming Reform, Dr Marisa Paterson, expressed gratitude to the venues for their participation in the voluntary surrender process, but emphasized that there is still significant work ahead.

    “The government has met its commitment to reduce poker machine authorisations in the ACT to 3,500 by 1 July 2025, and we remain dedicated to further reducing that number to 1,000 by 2045,” Minister Paterson said.

    “I commend the licensees who have embraced the opportunity to participate in the voluntary surrender scheme. This is a crucial step in diversifying their revenue streams away from a reliance on revenue from electronic gaming machines.

    “It’s especially pleasing to see some venues taking the opportunity to go pokie-free, providing great examples to the community and club sector that there is a strong future for clubs without machines.”

    The $5.145 million voluntary surrender program offered venues $15,000 for each gaming machine authorisation surrendered, with $20,000 per authorisation for venues that gave up all of their gaming machines.

    A total of 28 different venues surrendered gaming machine authorisations as part of the program. The Vikings Group and Canberra Southern Cross Club Group both led the way with 40 surrenders each, and the Canberra Raiders Sports Club Group surrendered 38.

    “The ACT Government remains committed to reducing gambling-related harm, and we will continue working with local clubs to build a sustainable industry – one that fosters community connections without depending on gambling revenue,” Minister Paterson said.

    The ACT Government last month opened a tender to conduct the Independent inquiry into the future of the ACT clubs industry. The tender closes on 20 May, with a report due back to government in early 2026.

    Quotes attributable to Canberra Bowling Club President, David Kimber:

    “The Canberra Bowling Club is using the revenue from surrendering our poker machines to help strengthen the club’s future.

    “We have invested some of the returns into a live music setup, including a stage, PA system and curtains, and have plans for a large deck to provide an outside hospitality space.

    “We are also taking this opportunity to bring forward a review of our medium to long-term future. We are looking at how we make ourselves sustainable, and what sort of club we will be with alternatives to pokies and gambling. We recognise the need to build on our bowls-related revenue. The increased cash reserve creates opportunities that we might not otherwise have had to invest in new strategic directions and broaden our sources of revenue.”

    – Statement ends –

    Marisa Paterson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ending Taxpayer Subsidization Of Biased Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
    Section 1.  Purpose.  National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) receive taxpayer funds through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).  Unlike in 1967, when the CPB was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options.  Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence. 
    At the very least, Americans have the right to expect that if their tax dollars fund public broadcasting at all, they fund only fair, accurate, unbiased, and nonpartisan news coverage.  No media outlet has a constitutional right to taxpayer subsidies, and the Government is entitled to determine which categories of activities to subsidize.  The CPB’s governing statute reflects principles of impartiality:  the CPB may not “contribute to or otherwise support any political party.”  47 U.S.C. 396(f)(3); see also id. 396(e)(2). 
    The CPB fails to abide by these principles to the extent it subsidizes NPR and PBS.  Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter.  What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens. 
    I therefore instruct the CPB Board of Directors (CPB Board) and all executive departments and agencies (agencies) to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS.
    Sec. 2.  Instructions to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  (a)  The CPB Board shall cease direct funding to NPR and PBS, consistent with my Administration’s policy to ensure that Federal funding does not support biased and partisan news coverage.  The CPB Board shall cancel existing direct funding to the maximum extent allowed by law and shall decline to provide future funding.
    (b)  The CPB Board shall cease indirect funding to NPR and PBS, including by ensuring that licensees and permittees of public radio and television stations, as well as any other recipients of CPB funds, do not use Federal funds for NPR and PBS.  To effectuate this directive, the CPB Board shall, before June 30, 2025, revise the 2025 Television Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria and the 2025 Radio Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria to prohibit direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS.  To the extent permitted by the 2024 Television Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria, the 2024 Radio Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria, and applicable law, the CPB Board shall also prohibit parties subject to these provisions from funding NPR or PBS after the date of this order.  In addition, the CPB Board shall take all other necessary steps to minimize or eliminate its indirect funding of NPR and PBS.
    Sec. 3.  Instructions to Other Agencies.  (a)  The heads of all agencies shall identify and terminate, to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, any direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS. 
    (b)  After taking the actions specified in subsection (a) of this section, the heads of all agencies shall identify any remaining grants, contracts, or other funding instruments entered into with NPR or PBS and shall determine whether NPR and PBS are in compliance with the terms of those instruments.  In the event of a finding of noncompliance, the head of the relevant agency shall take appropriate steps under the terms of the instrument.
    (c)  The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall determine whether “the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio (or any successor organization)” are complying with the statutory mandate that “no person shall be subjected to discrimination in employment . . . on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.”  47 U.S.C. 397(15), 398(b).  In the event of a finding of noncompliance, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall take appropriate corrective action.
    Sec. 4.  Severability.  If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any agency, person, or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other agencies, persons, or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
    Sec. 5.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
                                  DONALD J. TRUMP
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        May 1, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ends the Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    ENDING TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZATION OF BIASED MEDIA: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order ending the taxpayer subsidization of National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
    NPR and PBS receive tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds each year, primarily from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
    The Order ceases federal funding to NPR and PBS to the maximum extent allowed by law.
    It also ceases indirect funding to PBS and NPR by prohibiting local public radio and television stations and any other recipients of CPB funds from using taxpayer dollars to support these organizations.
    The Order mandates that the CPB revise its 2025 General Provisions to explicitly prohibit direct or indirect funding to NPR and PBS.
    It directs all federal agencies to terminate any direct or indirect funding to NPR and PBS and to review existing grants and contracts for compliance.
    The Order instructs the FCC and relevant agencies to investigate whether NPR and PBS have engaged in unlawful discrimination. 
    EXPOSING BIAS IN PUBLIC BROADCASTING: NPR and PBS have fueled partisanship and left-wing propaganda with taxpayer dollars, which is highly inappropriate and an improper use of taxpayers’ money, as President Trump has stated.
    Unlike in 1967, when CPB was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options, making government funding of news media outdated, unnecessary, and corrosive to journalistic independence.
    Moreover, while the CPB is legally mandated to be “nonpolitical [in] nature” and not “contribute to or otherwise support any political party,” both NPR and PBS make significant in-kind contributions to the Democrat party and its political causes.
    An NPR editor found that registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans 87 to zero in the newsroom’s editorial positions.
    NPR’s President and CEO admitted that she regards “truth” as a harmful “distraction” from NPR’s objectives.
    To illustrate its partisan capture, NPR management asked its editors to avoid the term “biological sex” when discussing transgender issues.
    NPR has run stories defending looting and suggesting that crime fears are racist and has described its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices as “inseparable” from its content.
    NPR refused to cover the Hunter Biden laptop story, calling it a waste of time and a distraction, despite that it was highly relevant to the presidential election.
    NPR repeatedly insisted COVID-19 did not originate in a lab and refused to explore the theory.
    The FBI, CIA, and Department of Energy have all since deemed the lab-leak theory the likely cause.

    NPR ran a Valentine’s Day feature around “queer animals,” in which it suggested the make-believe clownfish in “Finding Nemo” would’ve been better off as a female, that “banana slugs are hermaphrodites,” and that “some deer are nonbinary.”
    Research shows that “congressional Republicans faced 85% negative coverage, compared to 54% positive coverage of congressional Democrats,” on PBS’s flagship news program.
    Over a six-month period, PBS News Hour used versions of the term “far-right” 162 times, but “far-left” only 6 times.
    A PBS station featured drag queen Lil Miss Hot Mess on a program meant for kids ages 3-8.
    PBS produced a movie titled “Real Boy” which celebrates a transgender teen’s transition.  
    PBS show Sesame Street partnered with CNN for a town hall aimed presenting children with a one-sided narrative to “address racism” amid the Black Lives Matter riots.
    PBS’s coverage of the 2024 Republican National Convention was 72% negative, while its coverage of the 2024 Democratic National Convention was 88% positive.
    No media outlet has a Constitutional right to taxpayer subsidized operations, and it’s highly inappropriate for taxpayers to be forced to subsidize biased, partisan content.
    SAFEGUARDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS: President Trump is working to ensure taxpayer dollars are no longer wasted on progressive pet projects, but rather used to benefit hardworking Americans.
    President Trump established the “Department of Government Efficiency” to examine how to streamline the federal government, eliminate unnecessary programs, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
    President Trump launched a 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, ensuring every new rule is justified by clear benefits.
    President Trump terminated DEI discrimination in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending.
    The Trump Administration is aggressively investigating Biden-era programs that wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on inefficient and politically-driven projects, including canceling unnecessary government contracts and grants that do not serve the national interest.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-Evening Report: Unexpected humour and reflections on a complex past: my top 5 films from the 2025 German Film Festival

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudia Sandberg, Senior Lecturer, Technology in Culture and Society, The University of Melbourne

    Foreign audiences often associate German cinema with tragedy, trauma and death. Certainly, major historical events such as the second world war and the Fall of the Berlin Wall — cornerstones of German film — are present in this year’s selection at the 2025 German Film Festival.

    Alongside these themes is a variety of contemporary topics, innovative fictional formats and strong documentary work. The increased presence of women in directing and producing roles also brings female experiences sharply into focus.

    Here are my highlights from this year’s programme.

    Riefenstahl (2024)

    Leni Riefenstahl (1902–2003), Hitler’s favourite filmmaker, has been a subject of controversy for decades – explored in documentaries such as The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993).

    Now, with access to new material from Riefenstahls’ private archive, director Andres Veiel and journalist Sandra Maischberger cast a fresh eye over this complex figure.

    Using extensive visual materials, they trace Riefenstahl’s journey from dancer to actress, to filmmaker and photographer – capturing everything from her pioneering cinematic techniques to her entanglement with political power and personal vanity. And they are not afraid to confront uncomfortable aspects of her past.

    Her claim to have endured an unwanted romantic pursuit by Nazi minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels (first made in her 1987 memoir) appears in new light as an older Riefenstahl faces questioning from aggressive TV interviewers. She unflinchingly and fiercely maintains her version of events.

    Is Leni Riefenstahl a creative genius, a political victim, or an ignorant perpetrator? This film invites audiences to grapple with this old question anew — and perhaps come to their own conclusion.

    Montages depict Riefenstahl’s life from youth to old age, culminating in an image of an elderly lady who, even late in life, manipulates camera angles and lighting to ensure a more flattering appearance.

    Two to One (2024)

    Some German films such as Balloon (2018) or The Last Execution (2022) have a tendency to explore East Germans as either victims of oppression, or complicit with the regime of the German Democratic Republic.

    But there are also films that rebel against such simplification – such as Beauty and Decay (2019), Dear Thomas (2021) and Someday We’ll Tell Each Other Everything (2023) – to powerfully present the many dimensions of former East Germany and its people.

    Among them is Two to One, a thoughtful picture by director Nadja Brunckhorst, which fluctuates between thriller, comedy and melodrama. Based on a true story, this film remembers the delirious time between the Fall of the Berlin Wall and Reunification.

    It is July 1990, and just days after the deadline for exchanging East German marks to more valued West German marks at the exchange rate of 2:1. This halved the life savings of many East Germans.

    We follow a Hausgemeinschaft (community of renters) who discover millions of East German mark bills in an underground bunker. They cleverly use the more privileged members of their old and new worlds – sleek Western sales representatives and former East German diplomats – to transform the worthless bills into West mark and buy goods for everyone.

    Two to One stars Ronald Zehrfeld (also in the festival opener Long Story Short), Sandra Hueller and Peter Kurth in top form.

    Dying (2024)

    As a contender in the 2024 Berlin Film Festival (where it won best screenplay), and winner of the 2024 German Film Award, Dying comes highly recommended.

    Versatile German actor Lars Eidinger is cast as Tom, a youth orchestra conductor trying to pull off his best friend’s composition “Dying”. Not only does the performance never please the composer, his private world is also a mess.

    Tom is raising someone else’s child. His father (Hans-Uwe Bauer) suffers dementia. His sister Ellen (Lilith Stangenberg) can’t keep up with the expectations of their estranged parents. And his mother’s (Corinna Harfouch) thinly veiled contempt for her own son is visible in a breathtaking scene involving the seemingly innocent ritual of coffee and cake.

    But despite its weighty subject matter, humour appears in the most unexpected places.

    There is Ellen’s affair with her boss, a dentist, who ends up drunk in a bar — where she pulls one of his teeth. There is also the quietly absurd scene of her ageing parents trying to drive home from the supermarket: one nearly blind, the other unable to remember where they live.

    A film that uses absurdity and tenderness to break through emotional tension with surprising charm, Dying is a must see.

    I Want It All (2025)

    Singer and actress Hildegard Knef would have turned 100 this year.

    Knef was one of the most prominent and daring post-WWII West German female artists. Driven from a young age to become successful, she began her career in the 1946 rubble film, The Murderers Are Among Us.

    In her 2025 documentary I Want It All, director Luzia Schmidt captures Knef in rehearsals, at home, in the recording studio and through press photos. The film is a vivid portrait of an unapologetic woman constantly under scrutiny, as the German public seemed entitled to access every corner of her life.

    Knef comes across as sharp but self-aware. The artist discusses her stage fright and the art of holding an audience’s attention. Her candid remarks about undergoing plastic surgery, as a female artist navigating the ruthless entertainment industry, remain just as relevant today.

    Arguably the greatest assets of the film are the reflective comments from Knef’s daughter, Tinta, who speaks with empathy and kindness about her mother’s ambition and vulnerabilities.

    I Want It All is a treat for anyone who is familiar with Knef, and for those who want to know more about this grand dame of German culture.

    Cicadas (2025)

    An idyllic countryside in summer: a paradise retreat for some, and a prison for others.

    Isabell is the daughter of an architect, who is paralysed by a stroke. His beautifully designed house is in disrepair and no one can pay for it, but Isabell can’t get him to sell it. Meanwhile, Isabell’s marriage to her needy French husband Philippe is strained by a shared trauma.

    Anja, a single mum to young Greta, navigates a fragile existence. In a region with weak infrastructure, she moves between low-paying jobs, barely making ends meet.

    When the two women meet, their bond forms cautiously. Both are shaped by differences in class, age and life experience, yet there is a connection that bridges these divides.

    Carried by compelling performances by Saskia Rosenthal and Nina Hoss (the latter of whom had worked with director Ina Weisse in The Audition (2019)), Cicadas is a quiet drama about vulnerability and loss of control that evolves in the open landscapes of the Brandenburg region.

    Claudia Sandberg 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. Unexpected humour and reflections on a complex past: my top 5 films from the 2025 German Film Festival – https://theconversation.com/unexpected-humour-and-reflections-on-a-complex-past-my-top-5-films-from-the-2025-german-film-festival-254788

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI USA: Beyer Video Statement On Federal Court Hearing In Case Of Detained Georgetown Scholar Dr. Badar Khan Suri

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

    Rep. Don Beyer issued a video statement today after attending a hearing at the Eastern District of Virginia courthouse on the case of his constituent, Dr. Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University who lives in Arlington, Virginia, and who was in the country legally when he was detained without charges on orders from the Trump Administration in March. Beyer met with counsel for Dr. Suri yesterday in his Washington, D.C. office. A transcript of Beyer’s statement follows below. 

    Dr. Suri was detained in March by masked agents outside his home in Rosslyn, and moved to a series of prisons and detention centers, ultimately ending in Texas. He is still being held there today, over 1,300 miles away from his wife, who is a U.S. citizen, and three young children. According to Dr. Suri’s counsel, “His son spent days crying uncontrollably following his father’s disappearance, and has now stopped speaking.” Dr. Suri has never been charged with a crime and the government has never produced evidence that he did anything wrong.

    In today’s hearing, Dr. Suri’s attorneys sought his return to Virginia, with Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles seeking further information from the government on their justification for moving him to Texas. The government claimed Dr. Suri was removed to Texas to prevent overcrowding at a Virginia detention center, yet, as Judge Giles pointed out, Suri had a room with a bed to himself in Virginia whereas, for the first 10 days of his detention in Texas Suri “was forced to sleep on the floor of the television room with the TV blaring nonstop and the lights on 24/7.”

    Judge Giles gave the government 24 hours to answer questions about the transfer, with a further 24 hours for response from Dr. Suri’s legal team, and a ruling to follow next week. 

    Transcript of Rep. Beyer’s video statement:

    “This is Congressman Don Beyer, representing Northern Virginia in the U.S. House, and it’s Thursday afternoon, May 1st. I’m here in front of the U.S. courthouse in Alexandria.

    “I just spent two hours listening to, Judge Patricia Giles, and the arguments over Dr. [Badar] Khan Suri. 

    “He’s my constituent here legally in America. He’s a postdoc graduate student and teacher at Georgetown University working on conflict resolution. 

    “He was picked up, a little less than two months ago, late at night by three plain-clothes ICE agents [with] no identification, put in an unmarked car and whisked off to Chantilly, to Farmville, to Chesterfield and then Richmond, to Louisiana, and finally to Texas. 

    “We’re here today because his lawyers are making the case that he should never have been taken from Virginia when a writ of habeas corpus had been filed. 

    “I’m very upset by this. Dr. [Suri] – no one has accused him of doing anything wrong. More than anything else, this is a great example – another sad example of the Trump administration’s attempt to instill fear and repression into our college campuses and to immigrants, or people with voices they don’t like, across this country. 

    “We have to fight back. We have to resist. I’ll be doing everything I can to help Dr. [Suri] and his family, and I encourage each one of us to do all that we can to tell these stories, to help educate the American people about what’s happening, and this threat to our Constitution, to our rights. 

    “It is Kafkaesque when somebody can be kidnapped without reason, without acknowledgment, without logic, without charges, and taken off to be locked in a prison in Texas, not knowing what happens next.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Mexican Fiesta Street Party in Hargreaves Mall

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    In celebration of the exclusive Frida Kahlo: In her own image exhibition at Bendigo Art Gallery, Hargreaves Mall will be transformed into a Mexican-themed Fiesta Bendigo Street Party tomorrow, Saturday May 3, 2025 from 11am to 4pm.

    This community event will celebrate the rich music, delicious food, colourful culture, stunning fashion, and engaging dance of Mexico.

    The City of Greater Bendigo has curated the event in partnership with the Mexican Social and Cultural Association of Victoria, a non-profit organisation that seeks to promote and share Mexican culture with Victorians.

    Coordinator Creative City Maree Tonkin said the street party was a fun day out for the whole family.

    “The Fiesta Bendigo Street Party in Hargreaves Mall will bring together the vibrant colours, fun and excitement of Mexican culture,” Ms Tonkin said.

    “People of all ages will be entertained with stage performances from The Mexican Music Man, Mexbourne Dance Company, Lenin, and 7-piece Mariachi band Los Romanticos.

    “Children can join in the fun with free activities that includes breaking open piñatas which are an important part of Mexican cultural celebration tradition.

    “The fiesta will also have face painting, circus activities and craft workshops to keep little hands creative and entertained.

    “You can also browse a special market with Mexican-inspired treasures and there will be two food stalls to complement the Fiesta Party.

    “Bring your family and friends and join us for a day full of festivities and immerse yourself in the spirit of Mexico at the Fiesta Bendigo Street Party in Hargreaves Mall tomorrow, Saturday May 3.”

    One of the key aims in the City’s adopted Hargreaves Mall Action Plan is to get more people, more often into the city centre.

    The City has hosted over 200 fantastic activations in Hargreaves Mall over the past year, offering free entertainment for families including popular school holiday events.

    For the full Fiesta Bendigo program, visit: 

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update, unexplained death, Woodridge

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attributable to Detective Inspector Haley Ryan:

    Police investigating the death of a person in Woodridge overnight are appealing for CCTV footage from the community.

    An investigation was initiated after a body was located inside a burnt-out vehicle on Ladbrooke Drive at around 11.40pm.

    Initial indications suggest the death is not suspicious and the death will be referred to the Coroner.

    Although the death is not considered to be suspicious, Police are appealing for CCTV footage to establish the events leading up to the incident.

    Police would like to hear from anyone who may have CCTV or dashcam footage in the surrounding streets, specifically Ladbrooke Drive and Woodridge Crescent.

    If you have information that may assist in Police’s enquiries, please contact us online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or call 105.

    Please use the reference number P062417472.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI: $HAREHOLDER ALERT: The M&A Class Action Firm Continues To Investigate The Merger – ALBT, NDOI, DNB, RSLS

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monteverde & Associates PC (the “M&A Class Action Firm”), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2024 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. We are headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and are investigating:

    • Avalon GloboCare Corp. (NASDAQ: ALBT), relating to the proposed merger with YOOV Group Holding Limited. Under the terms of the agreement, Avalon equity holders are expected to own between approximately 2.5% to 2.2% of the common stock of the combined company.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/avalon-globocare-corp-albt/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Endo, Inc. (OTC: NDOI), relating to the proposed merger with Mallinckrodt plc. Under the terms of the agreement, Endo shareholders will own 49.9% of the combined company on a pro forma basis.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/endo-inc-ndoi/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DNB), relating to the proposed merger with Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. Under the terms of the agreement, Dun & Bradstreet shareholders will receive $9.15 in cash for each share of common stock they own.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/dun-bradstreet-holdings-inc-dnb/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • ReShape Lifesciences Inc. (NASDAQ: RSLS), relating to the proposed merger with Vyome Therapeutics, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, ReShape and Vyome will combine in an all-stock transaction, with ReShape stockholders owning approximately 11.1% of the combined company.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/reshape-lifesciences-inc-rsls/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE THE SAME. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:

    1. Do you file class actions and go to Court?
    2. When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?
    3. What cases did you recover money in and how much?

    About Monteverde & Associates PC

    Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders…and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    No company, director or officer is above the law. If you own common stock in any of the above listed companies and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

    Contact:
    Juan Monteverde, Esq.
    MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC
    The Empire State Building
    350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740
    New York, NY 10118
    United States of America
    jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com
    Tel: (212) 971-1341

    Attorney Advertising. (C) 2025 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com).  Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Aid is under attack – meet Pacific community leaders implementing Kiwi funded aid – ChildFund

    Source: ChildFund New Zealand

    Join ChildFund for a special session on New Zealand’s aid in the Pacific.
    Pacific community leaders from Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu are visiting New Zealand to talk about their projects funded by the New Zealand public and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
    Aid is under attack.
    They will be joined by geo-political experts for a frank discussion – what’s working, what’s not, and how do we navigate the volatile geo-politics in our region.
    Venue: ChildFund, 2 Kitchener St, Level 3, Auckland CBD, 1010
    Date: Wednesday 7 May
    Time: 4pm-5:30pm (nibbles and drinks provided)
    Join us for a spirited discussion:
    Sharon Inone – National Geographic Society’s Explorer of the Year. CEO of Greenergy Pacific, a community organisation leading development and climate projects in Temotu Province, Solomon Islands. Sharon came home after working at the United Nations in New York, because she ‘wanted to get things done faster’ and bring clean water to the island where she grew up.
    Teima Onorio – Country Director of ChildFund Kiribati. Leads water and food security projects in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, plus projects to up-skill young people. Teima works closely with the Kiribati government.
    Robert Oliver – Global Executive Director and host of Pacific Island Food Revolution. Robert’s ‘Masterchef’ type TV show promoted healthy local food, and has helped lower rates of non-communicable-diseases in the Pacific. Robert’s new TV projects will focus on supply chains and markets for Pacific food.
    Joanna Bourke – CEO of Pacific Cooperation Foundation, an organisation that amplifies Pacific voices, and builds partnerships between government, business, and communities. With a background in tourism, international trade, and Pacific development, Joanna brings business and community together, both in New Zealand and the Pacific.
    Josie Pagani – CEO of ChildFund with more than 25 years’ experience in development and politics. Also, a geo-political media commentator with a fortnightly column in the Post.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Transcript: Protecting Subway Riders and Transit Workers

    Source: US State of New York

    arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul joined MTA officials and law enforcement to highlight a FY 2026 New York State Budget deal that delivers on the Governor’s public safety commitments to continue making our subways safer for all riders and transit workers. These major investments increase the presence of law enforcement, make crucial safety upgrades in protective barriers and LED lighting and continue cracking down on fare evasion. New York City’s Subways continue to experience the lowest levels of crime overall outside the pandemic since the 1990s — and as a result of the Governor’s continued efforts to prioritize public safety and make our subways safer, crime is down 11 percent since last year and down 16 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels.

    B-ROLL of the Governor taking the subway, meeting construction workers and subway riders is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

    VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    It’s great to see all of you and you’re really making a profound difference here. Always happy to be back riding our subway system. Nothing like it in the world. I want to thank Janno Lieber for leading an organization that has been down and out and now it’s back. And I’m so proud to say that we’ve achieved so much together over my last three and a half years to empower the MTA to head on a path that they know is sustainable and delivers the highest quality of service to the people he cares the most about. And those are our commuters. Let’s give round applause to Janno Lieber here today.

    Michael Kemper, our chief of security. Thank you, Michael, for finding every possible way we can to protect our commuters, our riders, our visitors. Superintendent Steven James, thank you for responding whenever I need you. You’ve been asked to do the extraordinary, whether it’s helping with gun interdiction on the streets to calming down prison strikes and right here in our subway. So I thank you and all the members of our State Police team for the extraordinary work you do every day. Brigadier General Isabel Smith, the director of joint staff and commander of the National Guard. I want to thank the National Guard for their presence here, making people feel calmer and safer.

    And I’ve heard that from moms who literally come up to me and say, “I feel a lot better having my child go to the subway when I see more people in uniform. And you help make that happen.” So let’s hear it for our National Guard and our MTA police, our state police and to everyone who cares so deeply about the success of this subway system.

    It may be overstated, but this is the beating heart of this city. This is what sets us apart from all others. Getting people anywhere they want to go within minutes. It’s extraordinary. And beneath every day – underneath these towering skyscrapers in our busy streets – millions of people for every walk of life come together. They head off to work. They head off to school. They visit families and friends. They go to doctor’s appointments.

    And the experience, all the wonder that the city has to offer. But I’ll tell you this – when I first took office three and a half years ago, this system faced a triple threat. First of all, subway crime was raging, absolutely raging. I would say as an aftermath – an outgrowth – of the pandemic, of which we know we were the epicenter for the nation. Ridership was down, it was absolutely lagging. And the MTA faced a looming fiscal crisis that threatened to bring this system to a screeching halt. Those were real challenges, but we were undaunted.

    We knew we needed to lean hard into them and find solutions that would work. So we secured significant recurring funding to save the MTA from literally going off the fiscal cliff. We got it done a few years ago, and we took bold, decisive action to protect riders.

    And you see it, as I mentioned, with the presence of law enforcement on the platforms and in the trains. You see it in the National Guard presence and you see it in the new platform, barriers and cameras docked in every single subway car. And I want to say we had a goal to get it done in a few years, and I want to thank the MTA for rising to the challenge I put out and said, “No, we’re going to shave off a lot of time. I want a camera in every single train so people feel secure and our law enforcement can reach and find and prosecute the law breakers.”

    So we made some real progress there as well. Now, subway crime, now, is down 16 percent compared to 2019. Why do I go back to 2019? I subtract it out. The higher years of the pandemic, because otherwise this would be a lot bigger drop. But I want to deal in realities.

    What was the world like before the pandemic when people were not so anxious about going on the subway? We are now down 16 percent compared to 2019. And just from last year, we’d already started seeing dramatic downward trends. We’re still 11 percent lower than last year at this time. So ridership continues to rise. Ticking up seven percent year over year.

    But I’ll say this, I more than anyone know, there’s still more work to do. Just last week, a man was stabbed to death on the five train, right in the middle of rush hour – a galling attack that shocked so many riders. That’s proof. That’s proof we still have more work to do. I acknowledge that. And in January, I came here and up, I outlined a plan to ramp up our efforts.

    I vow to fund the state funding for the first time in history, not just MTA police, not just state police, but funding the MTA – picking up the costs of the MTA – so there’s two NYPD police officers on every overnight train. When you see the police officers, NYPD, on those overnight trains starting at nine o’clock at night till 6:00 a.m. that is the New York State taxpayers working hard to make sure that this lifeline of our economic heartbeat is still viable and thriving. So we did that.

    We also vowed to make more security upgrades and I vowed to end the insanity of violent criminals getting off with crimes because of technicalities, whether it happens on the subway or happens on our streets. And I vowed to keep people who have severe mental health problems who are in our subways, on our streets. I said, we vowed to get them off these city streets and subway stations and in our trains – and get them into a hospital bed where they can get some help.

    I thought it was cruel to abandon them. Yes, they have civil rights. Of course they do. But some people don’t have the mental capacity to make decisions for their own health and wellbeing. How do we abandon them? That’s not what a civilized society does. And we said no more.

    And I’m proud to say with our new budget, securely in place – almost done – we delivered on these promises. And when it comes to public safety, I refuse to back down. Absolutely refuse to back down. So let me break down what we accomplished.

    First, an additional $45 million for Joint Task Force Empire Shield. That’s our National Guard. We want to make sure they’re funded and can remain here. This is the elite unit that protects New York City, including our subways. The National Guard members you see are an important part of that. $77 million in this year’s budget to make sure we can continue funding those NYPD on the overnight trains. These officers really are the unsung heroes. Those late night rides have to be stressful. Sometimes you walk into a car and you don’t know the unknown. It’s a frightening dynamic, and I want to thank them. Because they’re protecting the nurses and doctors who are on the midnight shift. The cooks and bartenders who clock out late, and all the people who have to rise before the sun are construction workers, our bakers, our baristas.These are the people who keep our city running and we must keep them safe.

    We also, as I mentioned, are taking the steps to take care of those languishing with mental health problems. And I’ll say this, we’re going to make a difference in their lives. We’re going to make sure they get the help they need, but we couldn’t do it up until now. Here’s why. Because we didn’t have the system in place to care for them. Because of decades of disinvestment in our system, our health care system, our mental health system – that we didn’t have enough beds, we didn’t have enough practitioners, we didn’t have enough people with long-term strategies and supportive housing.

    And I’m so proud after the first billion dollars investment I made back when I was brand new Governor. We are now positioned to be able to give these people the help they need. That’s why we can welcome them in and take good care of them. We’re also strengthening Kendra’s Law to ensure those with serious mental illness receive consistent treatment in the community so they don’t fall between the cracks.

    Also, investing $30 million in our homeless outreach teams, these safe option support teams. My God, they’re doing God’s work every single day you see them. I’ve come to thank them. And they’re so compassionate, and they don’t give up on anybody. They believe that everybody has value and they want to help them retrieve their full potential despite how hard life has been for them. These are compassionate public servants who’ve helped over 1,000 New Yorkers escape lives on the street and find, get this permanent housing. 1,000 people who are long term chronically homeless right here — now have a home to call and make sure it’s a safe place for them to rest their heads at night. Because you know what? It’s not just about public safety for all of us. It’s about human dignity and giving people what they deserve.

    As I mentioned, we reformed our criminal justice laws because – while a lot of people aren’t quite sure what discovery laws are, and that’s okay – what happens under changes that were made back in 2019? I will say this, and I’ve said this from the beginning, there were many changes that were necessary. The system was absolutely skewed against the defendants, and that was unfair. But we also know that the pendulum has swung way too far, and now the defense lawyers are able to lie and wait literally the night before a case is supposed to be presented and raise objections that a judge must say, based on the law, you must have this case dismissed now because the clock has run out. Or if there’s minor technicalities and the cases are legendary, you hear the reasons that cases are thrown out, whether it’s a crime in the subway or domestic violence incidents. You want to make sure that people do not escape because of a senseless loophole that we have now fixed. That’s how you start making people safer. That’s how you hold people accountable.

    And if you wear a mask to hide your identity while you’re committing a crime, you’ll face an additional charge. That’s important because we’ve seen in the subway people masking themselves, trying to evade the cameras that we put in place. But if you’re hiding under a mask, how are our police supposed to identify you and make sure you don’t hurt somebody else the next day? This is another force for ensuring that we have public safety.

    But also here’s the music to Janno’s ears – we are fully funding the $68 billion Capital Plan, and I want to thank the leaders in the Legislature for working hard with me. It’s been an interesting, always, always interesting process, but we’re also making sure through that we’re also upgrading $1 billion more in crucial physical security upgrades. So what we’re going to do, we’ll have platform barriers at 100 additional stations. LED lighting. I want them brighter. I want people to see. We’ll also continue swapping out the aging turnstiles. Guess what? Ones that are hard to evade, ones you can’t hurdle over or crawl under. So we’re going to be getting those out there. So those shameless fare invaders and everybody’s doing this who create unnecessary stress and chaos for the other riders who are actually doing what they’re supposed to do.So we’re going to stop them as well.

    We’re also going to make sure the MTA – we fully fund their repairs. And something that’s near and dear to my heart since I proposed it a few years ago, is to do the Interborough Express once and for all the money is there because as much as we love Manhattan, people who are trying to go from Brooklyn to Queen should not have to make us stop here first, let’s inject some common sense into our residents lives and let them have the quality of life they deserve, and less time traveling from one borough to another.

    Making ADA stations ADA accessible and enhancing, enhancing service to and from the Hudson Valley. So we’re going to continue with these goals and I’m always looking forward to partnering with the MTA as we go forth for the years ahead to make good on all these financial commitments.

    But mark my words. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure that the people of this city and this state are safe. And I’ll put the investments where they need to go. I’ll make the changes in the law where necessary because we won’t stop until every single person has what they deserve – the right to be safe in their homes and their communities, and in our subways.

    Thank you very much. Let me hand this now over to Janno Lieber, the Chairman and CEO of the MTA.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Employers Holdings, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2025 Results and Declares Increase in Regular Quarterly Dividend to $0.32 per Share and New Share Repurchase Authorization of $125 Million

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RENO, Nev., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Employers Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) (NYSE:EIG), a holding company with subsidiaries that are specialty providers of workers’ compensation insurance and services focused on small and mid-sized businesses engaged in low-to-medium hazard industries, today reported financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    Financial Highlights:
    (All comparisons vs. the first quarter of 2024).

    • Net income per diluted share decreased by 53%, from $1.11 to $0.52;
    • Adjusted net income per diluted share increased 30%, from $0.67 to $0.87;
    • Gross premiums written increased 1%, from $210.9 million to $212.1 million;
    • Net premiums earned decreased 1%, from $184.9 million to $183.0 million;
    • Underwriting expense ratio improved from 25.0% to 23.4%;
    • Net investment income increased 20%, from $26.8 million to $32.1 million;
    • Record number of ending policies in-force of 133,121, a 4% increase; and
    • Returned $27.5 million to stockholders through a combination of share repurchases and regular quarterly dividends.

    Management Commentary

    Chief Executive Officer Katherine Antonello commented: “First quarter net premiums earned were flat compared to 2024, driven by higher renewal premiums offset by lower new business and a reduction in audit premiums. Rate increases and underwriting actions taken to maintain our underwriting profitability targets in certain states impacted new business premiums, while final audit premiums decreased in-line with the moderation of employment and wage growth. We have identified several refinements in our underwriting and pricing approach that we believe will allow us to maintain our underwriting discipline but also return to moderate new business growth. Our appetite expansion effort continues to identify areas of profitable growth, and our success has given us the confidence to accelerate this effort. We again ended the period with another record number of policies in-force, which were up 4% year-over-year.

    We recorded our current accident year loss and LAE ratio on voluntary business at 66.0%, slightly above the 64.0% we maintained throughout 2024. As was the case in the first quarter of 2024, a full actuarial study was not performed, and the amount of indicated net prior year loss reserve development was consistent with our expectations. We will evaluate our prior year reserves in more detail at mid-year when we routinely perform a full reserve study.

    Our commission expense ratio was 12.6%, versus 13.6% a year ago. We continue to see improvement in our underwriting expense ratio, which decreased to 23.4%, from 25.0% a year ago.

    Our net investment income was $32.1 million, up 20% from a year ago. The increase was primarily due to returns from our investments in limited partnerships.

    Lastly, we raised our regular quarterly dividend to $0.32 per share, an increase of 7%, and announced a new $125.0 million share repurchase plan after exhausting the former plan prior to its scheduled expiration. These actions reflect our strong balance sheet, abundant underwriting capital, and the confidence in the Company’s future operations.”

    Summary of First Quarter 2025 Results

    (All comparisons vs. the first quarter of 2024, unless otherwise noted).

    Gross premiums written were $212.1 million, an increase of 1%. The increase was due to strong retention in renewal business writings partially offset by a decline in new business writings and lower final audit premiums. Net premiums earned were $183.0 million, a decrease of 1%.

    Losses and loss adjustment expenses were $120.7 million, an increase of 4%. The increase was primarily due to a higher current accident year loss and loss adjustment expense estimate. The Company’s loss and loss adjustment expense ratio was 66.0% (66.8% excluding LPT), versus 63.0% (64.1% excluding LPT).

    Commission expense was $23.0 million, a decrease of 8%. The Company’s commission expense ratio was 12.6%, versus 13.6% a year ago. The decrease was primarily due to a release of commissions payable associated with non-performing policies sent to collections.

    Underwriting expenses were $42.9 million, a decrease of 7%. The Company’s underwriting expense ratio was 23.4%, versus 25.0% a year ago. The decrease primarily related to lower bad debt expense and compensation-related expenses.

    Net investment income was $32.1 million, an increase of 20%. The increase was primarily due to returns from our investments in private equity limited partnerships, along with higher book yields on our fixed maturity securities.

    Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains on investments reflected on the income statement were $(12.8) million, versus $11.4 million.

    Income tax expense was $3.1 million (19.5% effective rate), versus $7.0 million (19.8% effective rate). The effective rates during each of the periods included income tax benefits and exclusions associated with tax-advantaged investment income, LPT adjustments, deferred gain amortization and related adjustments, and tax credits utilized.

    The Company’s book value per share including the deferred gain of $48.25 increased 12.3% year-over-year and 2.5% during the first quarter of 2025, computed after considering dividends declared. During the first quarter this measure was favorably impacted by $21.1 million of after-tax unrealized gains arising from fixed maturity securities (which are reflected on the balance sheet) partially offset by $9.2 million of net after tax unrealized losses arising from equity securities and other investments (which are reflected on the income statement). The Company’s adjusted book value per share of $50.75 increased by 8.5% year-over-year and 1.0% during the first quarter of 2025, computed after considering dividends declared.

    Second Quarter 2025 Dividend Declaration

    On April 30, 2025, the Company’s Board of Directors declared an increase in our regular quarterly dividend to $0.32. The dividend is payable on May 28, 2025 to stockholders of record as of May 14, 2025.

    Stock Repurchases and New Stock Repurchase Authorization

    During the first quarter of 2025, the Company repurchased 406,101 shares of its common stock at an average price of $49.69 per share. During the period from April 1, 2025 through April 29, 2025, the Company repurchased a further 170,000 shares of its common stock at an average price of $48.35 per share.

    On April 30, 2025, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a new stock repurchase program to allow for repurchases of up to $125.0 million of our common stock from May 6, 2025 through December 31, 2026. The new program replaces a similar program that was scheduled to expire on July 31, 2025, but its repurchase authorization has been exhausted.

    Earnings Conference Call and Webcast

    The Company will host a conference call on Friday, May 2, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time / 8:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

    To participate in the live conference call, you must first register here. Once registered you will receive dial-in numbers and a unique PIN number.

    The webcast will be accessible on the Company’s website at www.employers.com through the “Investors” link.

    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures to GAAP

    The information in this press release should be read in conjunction with the Financial Supplement that is attached to this press release and available on our website.

    Within this earnings release we present various financial measures, some of which are “non-GAAP financial measures” as defined in Regulation G pursuant to Section 401 of the Sarbanes – Oxley Act of 2002. A description of these non-GAAP financial measures, as well as a reconciliation of such non-GAAP measures to our most directly comparable GAAP financial measures is included in the attached Financial Supplement. Management believes that these non-GAAP measures are important to the Company’s investors, analysts and other interested parties who benefit from having an objective and consistent basis for comparison with other companies within our industry. Management further believes that these measures are more relevant than comparable GAAP measures in evaluating our financial performance.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    In this press release, the Company and its management discuss and make statements based on currently available information regarding their intentions, beliefs, current expectations, and projections of, among other things, the Company’s future performance, economic or market conditions, including current or future levels of inflation, potential implications of increased tariffs, changes in interest rates, labor market expectations, catastrophic events or geo-political conditions, legislative or regulatory actions or court decisions, business growth, retention rates, loss costs, claim trends and the impact of key business initiatives, future technologies and planned investments. Certain of these statements may constitute “forward-looking” statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and are often identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “target,” “project,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “pro forma,” “seek,” “likely,” or “continue,” or other comparable terminology and their negatives. The Company and its management caution investors that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Risks and uncertainties are inherent in the Company’s future performance. Factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include, among other things, those discussed or identified from time to time in the Company’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the risks detailed in the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and the Company’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

    Filings with the SEC

    The Company’s filings with the SEC and its quarterly investor presentations can be accessed through the “Investors” link on the Company’s website, www.employers.com. The Company’s filings with the SEC can also be accessed through the SEC’s EDGAR Database at www.sec.gov (EDGAR CIK No. 0001379041).

    About Employers Holdings, Inc.

    Employers Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EIG), is a holding company with subsidiaries that are specialty providers of workers’ compensation insurance and services (collectively “EMPLOYERS®”) focused on small and mid-sized businesses engaged in low-to-medium hazard industries. EMPLOYERS leverages over a century of experience to deliver comprehensive coverage solutions that meet the unique needs of its customers. Drawing from its long history and extensive knowledge, EMPLOYERS empowers businesses by protecting their most valuable asset – their employees – through exceptional claims management, loss control, and risk management services, creating safer work environments.

    EMPLOYERS is also proud to offer Cerity®, which is focused on providing digital-first, direct-to-consumer workers’ compensation insurance solutions with fast, and affordable coverage options through a user-friendly online platform.

    EMPLOYERS operates throughout the United States, apart from four states that are served exclusively by their state funds. Insurance is offered through Employers Insurance Company of Nevada, Employers Compensation Insurance Company, Employers Preferred Insurance Company, Employers Assurance Company and Cerity Insurance Company, all rated A (Excellent) by AM Best. Not all companies do business in all jurisdictions. EIG Services, Inc., and Cerity Services, Inc., are subsidiaries of Employers Holdings, Inc. EMPLOYERS® is a registered trademark of EIG Services, Inc., and Cerity® is a registered trademark of Cerity Services, Inc. For more information, please visit www.employers.com and www.cerity.com.

    Contact Information

    Michael Pedraja (775) 327-2706 or mpedraja@employers.com

         
    EMPLOYERS HOLDINGS, INC.
    Table of Contents
         
    Page    
         
    1   Consolidated Financial Highlights
         
    2   Summary Consolidated Balance Sheets
         
    3   Summary Consolidated Income Statements
         
    4   Return on Equity
         
    5   Combined Ratios
         
    6   Roll-forward of Unpaid Losses and LAE
         
    7   Consolidated Investment Portfolio
         
    8   Book Value Per Share
         
    9   Earnings Per Share
         
    10   Non-GAAP Financial Measures
         
       
    EMPLOYERS HOLDINGS, INC.
    Consolidated Financial Highlights (unaudited)
    $ in millions, except per share amounts
       
      Three Months Ended
      March 31,
        2025       2024     % change
    Selected financial highlights:          
    Gross premiums written $ 212.1     $ 210.9     1 %
    Net premiums written   210.3       209.1     1  
    Net premiums earned   183.0       184.9     (1 )
    Net investment income   32.1       26.8     20  
    Net income excluding LPT(1)   11.2       26.2     (57 )
    Adjusted net income(1)   21.3       17.2     24  
    Net Income before income taxes   15.9       35.3     (55 )
    Net Income   12.8       28.3     (55 )
    Comprehensive income   34.6       17.4     99  
    Total assets   3,556.9       3,562.8      
    Stockholders’ equity   1,075.7       1,018.9     6  
    Stockholders’ equity including the Deferred Gain(2)   1,168.1       1,116.1     5  
    Adjusted stockholders’ equity(2)   1,228.8       1,213.0     1  
    Annualized adjusted return on stockholders’ equity(3)   6.9 %     5.7 %   21 %
    Amounts per share:          
    Cash dividends declared per share $ 0.30     $ 0.28     7 %
    Earnings per diluted share(4)   0.52       1.11     (53 )
    Earnings per diluted share excluding LPT(4)   0.46       1.03     (55 )
    Adjusted earnings per diluted share(4)   0.87       0.67     30  
    Book value per share(2)   44.43       40.20     11  
    Book value per share including the Deferred Gain(2)   48.25       44.04     10  
    Adjusted book value per share(2)   50.75       47.86     6  
    Combined ratio excluding LPT:(5):          
    Loss and loss adjustment expense ratio:          
    Current Year   66.1 %     64.2 %    
    Prior Year   0.7       (0.1 )    
    Loss and loss adjustment expense ratio   66.8 %     64.1 %    
    Commission expense ratio   12.6 %     13.6 %    
    Underwriting expense ratio   23.4 %     25.0 %    
    Combined ratio excluding LPT   102.8 %     102.7 %    
    (1) See Page 3 for calculations and Page 10 for information regarding our use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
    (2) See Page 8 for calculations and Page 10 for information regarding our use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
    (3) See Page 4 for calculations and Page 10 for information regarding our use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
    (4) See Page 9 for description and calculations and Page 10 for information regarding our use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
    (5) See Pages 5 for details and Page 10 for information regarding our use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
       
             
    EMPLOYERS HOLDINGS, INC.
    Summary Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited)
    $ in millions, except per share amounts
             
        March 31,
    2025
      December 31,
    2024
    ASSETS        
    Investments, cash and cash equivalents   $ 2,537.6     $ 2,532.4  
    Accrued investment income     14.6       15.7  
    Premiums receivable, net     377.0       361.3  
    Reinsurance recoverable, net of allowance, on paid and unpaid losses and LAE     412.9       417.8  
    Deferred policy acquisition costs     63.8       59.6  
    Deferred income tax asset, net     35.0       38.3  
    Other assets     116.0       116.2  
    Total assets   $ 3,556.9     $ 3,541.3  
             
    LIABILITIES        
    Unpaid losses and LAE   $ 1,792.6     $ 1,808.2  
    Unearned premiums     428.0       402.2  
    Commissions and premium taxes payable     60.3       65.8  
    Deferred Gain     92.4       94.0  
    Other liabilities     107.9       102.4  
    Total liabilities   $ 2,481.2     $ 2,472.6  
             
    STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY        
    Common stock and additional paid-in capital   $ 424.7     $ 424.8  
    Retained earnings     1,478.5       1,472.9  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (60.7 )     (82.5 )
    Treasury stock, at cost     (766.8 )     (746.5 )
    Total stockholders’ equity     1,075.7       1,068.7  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 3,556.9     $ 3,541.3  
             
    Stockholders’ equity including the Deferred Gain (1)   $ 1,168.1     $ 1,162.7  
    Adjusted stockholders’ equity (1)     1,228.8       1,245.2  
    Book value per share (1)   $ 44.43     $ 43.52  
    Book value per share including the Deferred Gain(1)     48.25       47.35  
    Adjusted book value per share (1)     50.75       50.71  
    (1) See Page 8 for calculations and Page 10 for information regarding our use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
       
       
    EMPLOYERS HOLDINGS, INC.
    Summary Consolidated Income Statements (unaudited)
    $ in millions
       
      Three Months Ended
      March 31,
        2025       2024  
    Revenues:  
    Net premiums earned $ 183.0     $ 184.9  
    Net investment income   32.1       26.8  
    Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains on investments(1)   (12.8 )     11.4  
    Other income   0.3        
    Total revenues   202.6       223.1  
    Expenses:      
    Losses and LAE incurred   (120.7 )     (116.5 )
    Commission expense   (23.0 )     (25.1 )
    Underwriting expenses   (42.9 )     (46.2 )
    Interest and financing expenses   (0.1 )      
    Total expenses   (186.7 )     (187.8 )
    Net income before income taxes   15.9       35.3  
    Income tax expense   (3.1 )     (7.0 )
    Net Income   12.8       28.3  
    Unrealized AFS investment gains (losses) arising during the period, net of tax(2)   21.1       (11.6 )
    Reclassification adjustment for net realized AFS investment losses in net income, net of tax(2)   0.7       0.7  
    Total comprehensive income $ 34.6     $ 17.4  
    Net Income $ 12.8     $ 28.3  
    Amortization of the Deferred Gain – losses   (1.6 )     (1.5 )
    Amortization of the Deferred Gain – contingent commission         (0.4 )
    LPT contingent commission adjustments         (0.2 )
    Net income excluding LPT Agreement (3)   11.2       26.2  
    Net realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments   12.8       (11.4 )
    Income tax (benefit) expense related to items excluded from Net income   (2.7 )     2.4  
    Adjusted net income $ 21.3     $ 17.2  
    (1) Includes unrealized (losses) gains on equity securities and other investments of $(11.7) million and $12.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
    (2) AFS = Available for Sale securities.
    (3) See Page 10 regarding our use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
       
         
    EMPLOYERS HOLDINGS, INC.
    Return on Equity (unaudited)
    $ in millions
         
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,
          2025       2024  
             
    Net income A $ 12.8     $ 28.3  
    Impact of the LPT Agreement     (1.6 )     (2.1 )
    Net realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments     12.8       (11.4 )
    Income tax (benefit) expense related to items excluded from Net income     (2.7 )     2.4  
    Adjusted net income (1) B   21.3       17.2  
             
    Stockholders’ equity – end of period   $ 1,075.7     $ 1,018.9  
    Stockholders’ equity – beginning of period     1,068.7       1,013.9  
    Average stockholders’ equity C   1,072.2       1,016.4  
             
    Stockholders’ equity – end of period   $ 1,075.7     $ 1,018.9  
    Deferred Gain – end of period     92.4       97.2  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss – end of period     76.8       122.6  
    Income taxes related to accumulated other comprehensive loss – end of period     (16.1 )     (25.7 )
    Adjusted stockholders’ equity – end of period     1,228.8       1,213.0  
    Adjusted stockholders’ equity – beginning of period     1,245.2       1,199.1  
    Average adjusted stockholders’ equity (1) D   1,237.0       1,206.1  
             
    Return on stockholders’ equity A / C   1.2 %     2.8 %
    Annualized return on stockholders’ equity     4.8       11.1  
             
    Adjusted return on stockholders’ equity (1) B / D   1.7 %     1.4 %
    Annualized adjusted return on stockholders’ equity (1)     6.9       5.7  
    (1) See Page 10 for information regarding our use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
       
         
    EMPLOYERS HOLDINGS, INC.
    Combined Ratios (unaudited)
    $ in millions, except per share amounts
         
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,
          2025       2024  
             
    Net premiums earned A $ 183.0     $ 184.9  
    Losses and LAE incurred B   120.7       116.5  
    Amortization of deferred reinsurance gain – losses     1.6       1.5  
    Amortization of deferred reinsurance gain – contingent commission           0.4  
    LPT contingent commission adjustments           0.2  
    Losses and LAE excluding LPT(1) C   122.3       118.6  
    Prior year loss reserve development     1.3       (0.1 )
    Losses and LAE excluding LPT – current accident year D $ 121.0     $ 118.7  
    Commission expense E $ 23.0     $ 25.1  
    Underwriting expenses F $ 42.9     $ 46.2  
    GAAP combined ratio:        
    Loss and LAE ratio B/A   66.0 %     63.0 %
    Commission expense ratio E/A   12.6       13.6  
    Underwriting expense ratio F/A   23.4       25.0  
    GAAP combined ratio     102.0 %     101.6 %
    Combined ratio excluding LPT:(1)        
    Loss and LAE ratio excluding LPT C/A   66.8 %     64.1 %
    Commission expense ratio E/A   12.6       13.6  
    Underwriting expense ratio F/A   23.4       25.0  
    Combined ratio excluding LPT     102.8 %     102.7 %
    Combined ratio excluding LPT: current accident year:(1)        
    Loss and LAE ratio excluding LPT D/A   66.1 %     64.2 %
    Commission expense ratio E/A   12.6       13.6  
    Underwriting expense ratio F/A   23.4       25.0  
    Combined ratio excluding LPT: current accident year     102.1 %     102.8 %
    (1) See Page 10 for information regarding our use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
       
       
    EMPLOYERS HOLDINGS, INC.
    Roll-forward of Unpaid Losses and LAE (unaudited)
    $ in millions
       
      Three Months Ended
      March 31,
        2025     2024  
       
    Unpaid losses and LAE at beginning of period $ 1,808.2   $ 1,884.5  
    Reinsurance recoverable, excluding CECL allowance, on unpaid losses and LAE   412.4     428.4  
    Net unpaid losses and LAE at beginning of period   1,395.8     1,456.1  
    Losses and LAE incurred:      
    Current year losses   121.0     118.7  
    Prior year losses   1.3     (0.1 )
    Total losses incurred   122.3     118.6  
    Losses and LAE paid:      
    Current year losses   8.0     6.8  
    Prior year losses   124.6     117.4  
    Total paid losses   132.6     124.2  
    Net unpaid losses and LAE at end of period   1,385.5     1,450.5  
    Reinsurance recoverable, excluding CECL allowance, on unpaid losses and LAE   407.1     424.0  
    Unpaid losses and LAE at end of period $ 1,792.6   $ 1,874.5  
                 

    Total losses and LAE shown in the above table exclude amortization of the Deferred Gain and LPT contingent commission adjustments, which totaled $1.6 million and $2.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

     
    EMPLOYERS HOLDINGS, INC.
    Consolidated Investment Portfolio (unaudited)
    $ in millions
             
        March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
    Investment Positions:   Cost or Amortized
    Cost (1)
      Net Unrealized Gain (Loss)   Fair Value   %   Fair Value   %
    Fixed maturity securities   $ 2,165.7   $ (76.9 )   $ 2,087.4   82 %   $ 2,097.4   83 %
    Equity securities     151.4     102.7       254.2   10       259.8   10  
    Short-term investments                       0.1    
    Other invested assets     85.0     10.4       95.4   4       106.6   4  
    Cash and cash equivalents     100.4           100.4   4       68.3   3  
    Restricted cash and cash equivalents     0.2           0.2         0.2    
    Total investments and cash   $ 2,502.7   $ 36.2     $ 2,537.6   100 %   $ 2,532.4   100 %
                             
    Breakout of Fixed Maturity Securities:                        
    U.S. Treasuries and agencies   $ 68.0   $ (0.9 )   $ 67.1   3 %   $ 59.3   3 %
    States and municipalities     161.3     (1.6 )     159.7   8       159.3   8  
    Corporate securities     821.8     (33.6 )     788.0   38       803.0   38  
    Mortgage-backed securities     727.1     (36.8 )     689.9   33       684.9   33  
    Asset-backed securities     212.3           212.3   10       214.0   10  
    Collateralized loan obligations     26.4     (0.2 )     26.2   1       35.3   2  
    Bank loans and other     148.8     (3.8 )     144.2   7       141.6   7  
    Total fixed maturity securities   $ 2,165.7   $ (76.9 )   $ 2,087.4   100 %   $ 2,097.4   100 %
    Weighted average book yield     4.5%       4.5%
    Average credit quality (S&P)     A+       A+
    Duration     4.3       4.5
    (1) Amortized cost excludes allowance for current expected credit losses of $1.4 million.
       
                     
    EMPLOYERS HOLDINGS, INC.
    Book Value Per Share (unaudited)
    $ in millions, except per share amounts
                     
        March 31,
    2025
      December 31,
    2024
      March 31,
    2024
      December 31, 2023
    Numerators:                
    Stockholders’ equity A $ 1,075.7     $ 1,068.7     $ 1,018.9     $ 1,013.9  
    Plus: Deferred Gain     92.4       94.0       97.2       99.2  
    Stockholders’ equity including the Deferred Gain (1) B   1,168.1       1,162.7       1,116.1       1,113.1  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     76.8       104.5       122.6       108.9  
    Income taxes related to accumulated other comprehensive loss     (16.1 )     (22.0 )     (25.7 )     (22.9 )
    Adjusted stockholders’ equity (1) C $ 1,228.8     $ 1,245.2     $ 1,213.0     $ 1,199.1  
                     
    Denominator (shares outstanding) D   24,210,602       24,556,706       25,343,504       25,369,753  
                     
    Book value per share (1) A / D $ 44.43     $ 43.52     $ 40.20     $ 39.96  
    Book value per share including the Deferred Gain(1) B / D   48.25       47.35       44.04       43.88  
    Adjusted book value per share (1) C / D   50.75       50.71       47.86       47.26  
                     
    Year-over-year change in: (2)                
    Book value per share     13.5 %     11.9 %     14.5 %     18.1 %
    Book value per share including the Deferred Gain     12.3       10.6       13.1       16.3  
    Adjusted book value per share     8.5       9.8       10.8       10.5  
    (1) See Page 10 for information regarding our use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
    (2) Reflects the twelve month change in book value per share after taking into account dividends declared of $1.20, $1.18, $1.12 and $1.10 for the twelve month periods ended March 31, 2025, December 31, 2024, March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.
       
         
    EMPLOYERS HOLDINGS, INC.
    Earnings Per Share (unaudited)
    $ in millions, except per share amounts
         
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,
          2025       2024  
    Numerators:        
    Net income A $ 12.8     $ 28.3  
    Impact of the LPT Agreement     (1.6 )     (2.1 )
    Net income excluding LPT (1) B   11.2       26.2  
    Net realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments     12.8       (11.4 )
    Income tax (benefit) expense related to items excluded from Net income     (2.7 )     2.4  
    Adjusted net income (1) C $ 21.3     $ 17.2  
             
    Denominators:        
    Average common shares outstanding (basic) D   24,398,610       25,345,942  
    Average common shares outstanding (diluted) E   24,606,572       25,535,971  
             
    Earnings per share:        
    Basic A / D $ 0.52     $ 1.12  
    Diluted A / E   0.52       1.11  
             
    Earnings per share excluding LPT: (1)        
    Basic B / D $ 0.46     $ 1.03  
    Diluted B / E   0.46       1.03  
             
    Adjusted earnings per share: (1)        
    Basic C / D $ 0.87     $ 0.68  
    Diluted C / E   0.87       0.67  
    (1) See Page 10 for information regarding our use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
       

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    Within this earnings release we present the following measures, each of which are “non-GAAP financial measures.” A reconciliation of these measures to the Company’s most directly comparable GAAP financial measures is included herein. Management believes that these non-GAAP measures are important to the Company’s investors, analysts and other interested parties who benefit from having an objective and consistent basis for comparison with other companies within our industry. Management further believes that these measures are more relevant than comparable GAAP measures in evaluating our financial performance.

    The LPT Agreement is a non-recurring transaction that no longer provides any ongoing cash benefits to the Company. Management believes that providing non-GAAP measures that exclude the effects of the LPT Agreement (amortization of deferred reinsurance gain, adjustments to LPT Agreement ceded reserves and adjustments to the contingent commission receivable) is useful in providing investors, analysts and other interested parties a meaningful understanding of the Company’s ongoing underwriting performance.

    Deferred reinsurance gain (Deferred Gain) reflects the unamortized gain from the LPT Agreement. This gain has been deferred and is being amortized using the recovery method, whereby the amortization is determined by the proportion of actual reinsurance recoveries to total estimated recoveries, except for the contingent profit commission, which was amortized through June 30, 2024, the date of its final determination. Amortization is reflected in losses and LAE incurred.

    Adjusted net income (see Page 3 for calculations) is net income excluding the effects of the LPT Agreement, and net realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments (net of tax), and any miscellaneous non-recurring transactions (net of tax). Management believes that providing this non-GAAP measures is helpful to investors, analysts and other interested parties in identifying trends in the Company’s operating performance because such items have limited significance to its ongoing operations or can be impacted by both discretionary and other economic factors and may not represent operating trends.

    Stockholders’ equity including the Deferred Gain (see Page 8 for calculations) is stockholders’ equity including the Deferred Gain. Management believes that providing this non-GAAP measure is useful in providing investors, analysts and other interested parties a meaningful measure of the Company’s total underwriting capital.

    Adjusted stockholders’ equity (see Page 8 for calculations) is stockholders’ equity including the Deferred Gain, less accumulated other comprehensive income (net of tax). Management believes that providing this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors, analysts and other interested parties since it serves as the denominator to the Company’s adjusted return on stockholders’ equity metric.

    Return on stockholders’ equity and Adjusted return on stockholders’ equity (see Page 4 for calculations). Management believes that these profitability measures are widely used by our investors, analysts and other interested parties.

    Book value per share, Book value per share including the Deferred Gain, and Adjusted book value per share (see Page 8 for calculations). Management believes that these valuation measures are widely used by our investors, analysts and other interested parties.

    Net income excluding LPT (see Page 3 for calculations). Management believes that these performance and underwriting measures are widely used by our investors, analysts and other interested parties.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Security: Santa Clarita Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Hacking Disney Employee’s Computer, Downloading Confidential Data from Company

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A Santa Clarita man has agreed to plead guilty to hacking the personal computer of an employee of The Walt Disney Company last year, obtaining login information, and using that information to illegally download confidential data from the Burbank-based mass media and entertainment conglomerate via the employee’s Slack online communications account.

    Ryan Mitchell Kramer, 25, has agreed to plead guilty to an information charging him with one count of accessing a computer and obtaining information and one count of threatening to damage a protected computer.

    In addition to the information, prosecutors today filed a plea agreement in which Kramer agreed to plead guilty to the two felony charges, which each carry a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.

    Kramer is expected to make his initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks.

    According to his plea agreement, in early 2024, Kramer posted a computer program on various online platforms, including GitHub, that purported to be computer program that could be used to create A.I.-generated art. In fact, the program contained a malicious file that enabled Kramer to gain access to victims’ computers. 

    Sometime in April and May of 2024, a victim downloaded the malicious file Kramer posted online, giving Kramer access to the victim’s personal computer, including an online account where the victim stored login credentials and passwords for the victim’s personal and work accounts. 

    After gaining unauthorized access to the victim’s computer and online accounts, Kramer accessed a Slack online communications account that the victim used as a Disney employee, gaining access to non-public Disney Slack channels. In May 2024, Kramer downloaded approximately 1.1 terabytes of confidential data from thousands of Disney Slack channels.

    In July 2024, Kramer contacted the victim via email and the online messaging platform Discord, pretending to be a member of a fake Russia-based hacktivist group called “NullBulge.” The emails and Discord message contained threats to leak the victim’s personal information and Disney’s Slack data.

    On July 12, 2024, after the victim did not respond to Kramer’s threats, Kramer publicly released the stolen Disney Slack files, as well as the victim’s bank, medical, and personal information on multiple online platforms.

    Kramer admitted in his plea agreement that, in addition to the victim, at least two other victims downloaded Kramer’s malicious file, and that Kramer was able to gain unauthorized access to their computers and accounts.

    The FBI is investigating this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Restrepo and Maxwell Coll, both of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section, are prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI: Asure Announces First Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Reports First Quarter 2025 Total Revenues of $34.9 million

    Recurring Revenues Grew 10% from Prior Year

    AUSTIN, Texas, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Asure Software, Inc. (“we”, “us”, “our”, “Asure” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ASUR), a leading provider of cloud-based Human Capital Management (“HCM”) software solutions, today reported results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    First Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights

    • Revenue of $34.9 million, up 10% year over year, excluding ERTC revenue up 13% from the prior year first quarter
    • Recurring revenue of $33.2 million versus $30.3 million during the prior year first quarter
    • Net loss of $2.4 million versus a net loss of $0.3 million during the prior year first quarter
    • EBITDA(1) of $4.1 million versus $4.4 million during the prior year first quarter
    • Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $7.3 million versus $6.8 million during the prior year first quarter
    • Gross profit of $24.6 million versus $22.6 million during the prior year first quarter
    • Non-GAAP gross profit(1) of $26.3 million (Non-GAAP gross margin(1) of 75%) versus $23.8 million (and 75% in prior year first quarter)

    Recent Business Highlights

    • New Payroll Tax Management solution launched which is designed specifically for large Canadian companies and global enterprises with employees in Canada. Our ability to serve enterprise clients with international workforces with this innovative solution creates further opportunities to grow our business and the seamless integration of payroll tax services into major platforms such as Workday, Oracle, and SAP is a key benefit. The Canadian payroll tax solution addresses critical compliance needs for organizations managing cross-border payroll processes, reducing complexity and ensuring accurate, timely filing.
    • In April 2025 we entered into a credit agreement primarily with MidCap Financial Trust, whereby the Company may borrow up to $60 million. At closing, which occurred on April 10, we received $20 million of gross proceeds.

    (1)This financial measure is not calculated in accordance with GAAP and is defined on page 3 of this press release. A reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure to the most applicable GAAP measure begins on page 11 of this release.

    Management Commentary

    “We are excited to be off to a great start to 2025 with healthy results for our first quarter of 2025 with our revenues increasing 10% from the prior year first quarter. Our results were driven by strong performance coming from our Payroll Tax Management and initial contribution from our recently acquired product offerings,” said Asure Chairman and CEO Pat Goepel.

    “Our team is focused on continuing to execute our growth strategy. Our revenues are now more than 95% recurring, our contracted revenue backlog sits at an all-time high, and we believe that the investments we have made in the business will continue to drive greater adoption of our broadened product suite for the remainder of 2025.”

    Second Quarter 2025 and Full Year 2025 Revenue Guidance Ranges

    The Company is providing the following guidance for the second quarter of 2025 and the full year 2025 based on the Company’s year-to-date results and recent business trends. The guidance for our second quarter of 2025 and the full year 2025 excludes any contribution from future potential acquisitions.

    Guidance for 2025

    Guidance Range   Q2-2025   FY-2025
    Revenue $ 30.0 M – 32.0 M $ 134.0 M -138.0 M
    Adjusted EBITDA(1) $ 5.0 M -6.0 M   23% -24%
             

    Management uses GAAP, non-GAAP and adjusted measures when planning, monitoring, and evaluating the Company’s performance. The primary purpose of using non-GAAP and adjusted measures is to provide supplemental information that may prove useful to investors and to enable investors to evaluate the Company’s results in the same way management does.

    Management believes that supplementing GAAP disclosures with non-GAAP and adjusted disclosures provides investors with a more complete view of the Company’s operational performance and allows for meaningful period-to-period comparisons and analysis of trends in the Company’s business. Further, to the extent that other companies use similar methods in calculating adjusted financial measures, the provision of supplemental non-GAAP and adjusted information can allow for a comparison of the Company’s relative performance against other companies that also report non-GAAP and adjusted operating results.

    Management has not provided a reconciliation of guidance of GAAP to non-GAAP or adjusted disclosures because management is unable to predict the nature and materiality of non-recurring expenses without unreasonable effort.

    Management’s projections are based on management’s current beliefs and assumptions about the Company’s business, and the industry and the markets in which it operates; there are known and unknown risks and uncertainties associated with these projections. There can be no assurance that our actual results will not differ from the guidance set forth above. The Company assumes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, including its 2025 earnings guidance, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Please refer to the “Use of Forward-Looking Statements” disclosures on page 5 of this press release as well as the risk factors in our quarterly and annual reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission for more information about risk that affect our business and industry.

    Conference Call Details

    Asure management will host a conference call on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 3:30 pm Central (4:30 pm Eastern). Asure Chairman and CEO Pat Goepel and CFO John Pence will participate in the conference call followed by a question-and-answer session. The conference call will be broadcast live and available for replay via the investor relations section of the Company’s website. Analysts may participate on the conference call by dialing 877-407-9219 or 201-689-8852.

    About Asure Software, Inc.

    Asure (Nasdaq: ASUR) provides cloud-based Human Capital Management (HCM) software solutions that assist organizations of all sizes in streamlining their HCM processes. Asure’s suite of HCM solutions includes HR, payroll, time and attendance, benefits administration, payroll tax management, and talent management. The company’s approach to HR compliance services incorporates AI technology to enhance scalability and efficiency while prioritizing client interactions. For more information, please visit www.asuresoftware.com

    Non-GAAP and Adjusted Financial Measures

    This press release includes information about non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP sales and marketing expense, non-GAAP general and administrative expense, non-GAAP research and development expense, EBITDA, EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted EBITDA margin. These non-GAAP and adjusted financial measures are measurements of financial performance that are not prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and computational methods may differ from those used by other companies. Non-GAAP and adjusted financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP measures and should be read only in conjunction with the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP and adjusted financial measures are reconciled to GAAP in the tables set forth in this release and are subject to reclassifications to conform to current period presentations.

    Non-GAAP gross profit differs from gross profit in that it excludes amortization, share-based compensation, and one-time items.

    Non-GAAP sales and marketing expense differs from sales and marketing expense in that it excludes share-based compensation and one-time items.

    Non-GAAP general and administrative expense differs from general and administrative expense in that it excludes share-based compensation and one-time items.

    Non-GAAP research and development expense differs from research and development expense in that it excludes share-based compensation and one-time items.

    EBITDA differs from net income (loss) in that it excludes items such as interest, income taxes, depreciation, and amortization. Asure is unable to predict with reasonable certainty the ultimate outcome of these exclusions without unreasonable effort.

    Adjusted EBITDA differs from EBITDA in that it excludes share-based compensation, other income (expense), net and one-time expenses. Asure is unable to predict with reasonable certainty the ultimate outcome of these exclusions without unreasonable effort.

    All adjusted and non-GAAP measures presented as “margin” are computed by dividing the applicable adjusted financial measure by total revenue.

    Specifically, as applicable to the respective financial measure, management is adjusting for the following items when calculating non-GAAP and adjusted financial measures as applicable for the periods presented. No additional adjustments have been made for potential income tax effects of the adjustments based on the Company’s current and anticipated de minimis effective federal tax rate, resulting from the Company’s continued losses for federal tax purposes and its tax net operating loss balances.

    Share-Based Compensation Expenses. The Company’s compensation strategy includes the use of share-based compensation to attract and retain employees and executives. It is principally aimed at aligning their interests with those of our stockholders and at long-term employee retention, rather than to motivate or reward operational performance for any particular period. Thus, share-based compensation expense varies for reasons that are generally unrelated to operational decisions and performance in any particular period.

    Depreciation. The Company excludes depreciation of fixed assets. Also included in the expense is the depreciation of capitalized software costs.

    Amortization of Purchased Intangibles. The Company views amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, such as the amortization of the cost associated with an acquired company’s research and development efforts, trade names, customer lists and customer relationships, and acquired lease intangibles, as items arising from pre-acquisition activities determined at the time of an acquisition. While these intangible assets are continually evaluated for impairment, amortization of the cost of purchased intangibles is a static expense, one that is not typically affected by operations during any particular period.

    Interest Expense, Net. The Company excludes accrued interest expense, the amortization of debt discounts and deferred financing costs.

    Income Taxes. The Company excludes income taxes, both at the federal and state levels.

    One-Time Expenses. The Company’s adjusted financial measures exclude the following costs to normalize comparable reporting periods, as these are generally non-recurring expenses that do not reflect the ongoing operational results. These items are typically not budgeted and are infrequent and unusual in nature.

    Settlements, Penalties and Interest. The Company excludes legal settlements, including separation agreements, penalties and interest that are generally one-time in nature and not reflective of the operational results of the business.

    Acquisition and Transaction Related Costs. The Company excludes these expenses as they are transaction costs and expenses that are generally one-time in nature and not reflective of the underlying operational results of our business. Examples of these types of expenses include legal, accounting, regulatory, other consulting services, severance and other employee costs.

    Other non-recurring Expenses. The Company excludes these as they are generally non-recurring items that are not reflective of the underlying operational results of the business and are generally not anticipated to recur. Some examples of these types of expenses, historically, have included write-offs or impairments of assets, demolition of office space and cybersecurity consultants.

    Other (Expense) Income, Net. The Company’s adjusted financial measures exclude Other (Expense) Income, Net because it includes items that are not reflective of the underlying operational results of the business, such as loan forgiveness, adjustments to contingent liabilities and credits earned as part of the CARES Act, passed by Congress in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Use of Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains certain statements made by management that may constitute “forward- looking” statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements about our financial results may include expected or projected U.S GAAP and other operating and non-operating results. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “projects,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “plan,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of “forward-looking statements” include statements we make regarding our operating performance, future results of operations and financial position, revenue growth, earnings or other projections. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs. The achievement or success of the matters covered by such forward-looking statements involves risks, uncertainties and assumptions, over many of which we have no control. If any such risks or uncertainties materialize or if any of the assumptions prove incorrect, our results could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements we make.

    The risks and uncertainties referred to above include—but are not limited to—risks associated with breaches of the Company’s security measures; risks related to material weaknesses; possible fluctuations in the Company’s financial and operating results; privacy concerns and laws and other regulations may limit the effectiveness of our applications; the financial and other impact of any previous and future acquisitions; domestic and international regulatory developments, including changes to or applicability to our business of privacy and data securities laws, money transmitter laws and anti-money laundering laws; regulatory pressures on economic relief enacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that change or cause different interpretations with respect to eligibility for such programs; risk of our software and solutions not functioning adequately; interruptions, delays or changes in the Company’s services or the Company’s Web hosting; may incur debt to meet future capital requirements; volatility and weakness in bank and capital markets; access to additional capital; significant costs as a result of operating as a public company; the expiration of Employee Retention Tax Credits (“ERTC”) and the impact of the Internal Revenue Service recent measures regarding ERTC claims and the corresponding cash collections of existing receivables; the inability to continue to release timely updates for changes in laws; the inability to develop new and improved versions of the Company’s services and technological developments; customer’s nonrenewal of their agreements and other similar changes could negatively impact revenue, operating results and financial conditions; the exposure of market, interest, credit and liquidity risk on client funds held int rust; the Company’s operation in highlight competitive markets; risk that our clients could have insufficient funds that could result in limitations in the ability to transmit ACH transactions; impairment of intangible assets; litigation and any related claims, negotiations and settlements, including with respect to intellectual property matters or industry-specific regulations; various financial aspects of the Company’s Software-as-a-Service model; adverse effects to our business a result of claims, lawsuits, and other proceedings; issues in the use of artificial intelligence in our HCM products and services; adverse changes to financial accounting standards to the Company; inability to maintain third-party licensed software; evolving regulation of the Internet, changes in the infrastructure underlying the Internet or interruptions in Internet; factors affecting the Company’s deferred tax assets and ability to value and utilize them; the nature of the Company’s business model; inability to adopt new or correctly interpret existing money service and money transmitter business status; the Company’s ability to hire, retain and motivate employees and manage the Company’s growth; interruptions to supply chains and extended shut down of businesses; potential enactment of adverse tax laws, regulation, political, economic and social factors; potential sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock along with its volatility; risks associate with potential equity-related transactions including dividends, rights under the stockholder plan to discourage certain actions and other impacts as a result of actions of our stockholders.

    Please review the Company’s risk factors in its annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 6, 2025.

    The forward-looking statements, including the financial guidance and 2025 outlook, contained in this press release represent the judgment of the Company as of the date of this press release, and the Company expressly disclaims any intent, obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with regard to these forward looking statements or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. © 2025 Asure Software, Inc. All rights reserved

     
    ASURE SOFTWARE, INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (in thousands, except per share amounts)
           
      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
           
    ASSETS      
    Current assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 14,076     $ 21,425  
    Accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $6,545 and $6,328 at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively   15,800       18,154  
    Inventory   220       195  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets   5,970       4,888  
    Total current assets before funds held for clients   36,066       44,662  
    Funds held for clients   257,019       192,615  
    Total current assets   293,085       237,277  
    Property and equipment, net   20,999       19,669  
    Goodwill   94,724       94,724  
    Intangible assets, net   73,003       69,114  
    Operating lease assets, net   4,403       4,041  
    Other assets, net   12,727       11,813  
    Total assets $ 498,941     $ 436,638  
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERSEQUITY      
    Current liabilities:      
    Current portion of notes payable $ 7,948     $ 7,008  
    Accounts payable   2,475       1,364  
    Accrued compensation and benefits   2,911       4,485  
    Operating lease liabilities, current   1,432       1,438  
    Other accrued liabilities   6,071       6,600  
    Deferred revenue   4,662       8,363  
    Total current liabilities before client fund obligations   25,499       29,258  
    Client fund obligations   258,586       194,378  
    Total current liabilities   284,085       223,636  
    Long-term liabilities:      
    Deferred revenue   3,321       3,430  
    Deferred tax liability   2,903       2,612  
    Notes payable, net of current portion   6,172       5,709  
    Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent   3,892       3,578  
    Other liabilities   905       358  
    Total long-term liabilities   17,193       15,687  
    Total liabilities   301,278       239,323  
    Stockholders’ equity:      
    Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 1,500 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding          
    Common stock, $0.01 par value; 44,000 shares authorized; 27,122 and 26,671 shares issued, 27,122 and 26,671 shares outstanding at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively   271       267  
    Treasury stock at cost, zero(1)at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024          
    Additional paid-in capital   507,149       504,849  
    Accumulated deficit   (309,624 )     (307,226 )
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss   (133 )     (575 )
    Total stockholders’ equity   197,663       197,315  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 498,941     $ 436,638  
    (1) The aggregate Treasury stock of prior repurchases of the Company’s own common stock was retired and subsequently issued effective January 1, 2024. See the Consolidated Statement of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity for the impact of this transaction.
     
     
    ASURE SOFTWARE, INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
    (in thousands, except per share amounts)
     
      Three Months Ended
    March 31,
      2025   2024
           
    Revenue:      
    Recurring $ 33,187     $ 30,273  
    Professional services, hardware and other   1,667       1,379  
    Total revenue   34,854       31,652  
    Cost of sales   10,246       9,045  
    Gross profit   24,608       22,607  
    Operating expenses:      
    Sales and marketing   8,386       7,767  
    General and administrative   11,900       10,063  
    Research and development   2,029       1,769  
    Amortization of intangible assets   4,308       3,449  
    Total operating expenses   26,623       23,048  
    Loss from operations   (2,015 )     (441 )
    Interest income   171       336  
    Interest expense   (451 )     (180 )
    Other income, net   188       10  
    Loss from operations before income taxes   (2,107 )     (275 )
    Income tax expense   291       33  
    Net loss   (2,398 )     (308 )
    Other comprehensive income (loss):      
    Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities   442       (244 )
    Comprehensive loss $ (1,956 )   $ (552 )
           
    Basic and diluted loss per share      
    Basic $ (0.09 )   $ (0.01 )
    Diluted $ (0.09 )   $ (0.01 )
           
    Weighted average basic and diluted shares      
    Basic   26,961       25,334  
    Diluted   26,961       25,334  
                   
     
    ASURE SOFTWARE, INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
    (in thousands)
       
      Three Months Ended March 31,
      2025   2024
           
    Cash flows from operating activities:      
    Net loss $ (2,398 )   $ (308 )
    Adjustments to reconcile loss to net cash provided by (used in) operations:      
    Depreciation and amortization   5,972       4,860  
    Amortization of operating lease assets   374       335  
    Amortization of debt financing costs and discount   253       142  
    Non-cash interest expense   197        
    Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums on available-for-sale securities   (110 )     (78 )
    Provision for expected losses   93       46  
    Provision for deferred income taxes   291       24  
    Net realized gains on sales of available-for-sale securities   (656 )     (652 )
    Share-based compensation   1,863       1,902  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:      
    Accounts receivable   2,261       (919 )
    Inventory   (24 )     (50 )
    Prepaid expenses and other assets   (1,049 )     (473 )
    Operating lease right-of-use assets         30  
    Accounts payable   903       (960 )
    Accrued expenses and other long-term obligations   (1,737 )     (2,665 )
    Operating lease liabilities   (427 )     (141 )
    Deferred revenue   (3,810 )     (5,040 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities   1,996       (3,947 )
    Cash flows from investing activities:      
    Acquisition of intangible assets   (6,346 )     (710 )
    Purchases of property and equipment   (192 )     (240 )
    Software capitalization costs   (2,769 )     (2,435 )
    Purchases of available-for-sale securities   (6,589 )     (3,516 )
    Proceeds from sales and maturities of available-for-sale securities   3,266       2,406  
    Net cash used in investing activities   (12,630 )     (4,495 )
    Cash flows from financing activities:      
    Payments made on amounts due for the acquisition of intangibles   (723 )     (236 )
    Net proceeds from issuance of common stock   441       176  
    Net change in client fund obligations   64,207       21,122  
    Net cash provided by financing activities   63,925       21,062  
    Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents   53,291       12,620  
    Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents, beginning of period   145,712       177,622  
    Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents, end of period $ 199,003     $ 190,242  
                   
     
    ASURE SOFTWARE, INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (continued)
    (in thousands)
       
      Three Months Ended March 31,
      2025
      2024
           
    Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents to the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 14,076     $ 23,166  
    Restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents included in funds held for clients   184,927       167,076  
    Total cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents $ 199,003     $ 190,242  
           
    Supplemental information:      
    Cash paid for interest $ 125     $  
           
    Non-cash investing and financing activities:      
    Acquisition of intangible assets $ 750     $ 6,345  
    Notes payable issued for acquisitions $ 1,150     $ 827  
    Shares issued for acquisitions $     $ 4,494  
                   
     
    ASURE SOFTWARE, INC.
    RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP AND ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURES
    (unaudited)
                     
    (in thousands) Q1-25 Q4-24 Q3-24 Q2-24 Q1-24 Q4-23 Q3-23 Q2-23
    Revenue(1) $ 34,854   $ 30,792   $ 29,304   $ 28,044   $ 31,652   $ 26,264   $ 29,334   $ 30,420  
                     
    Gross Profit to non-GAAP Gross Profit                
    Gross Profit $ 24,608   $ 20,928   $ 19,704   $ 18,868   $ 22,607   $ 17,839   $ 21,280   $ 22,018  
    Gross Margin   70.6 %   68.0 %   67.2 %   67.3 %   71.4 %   67.9 %   72.5 %   72.4 %
                     
    Share-based Compensation   44     44     44     43     40     32     28     46  
    Depreciation   1,369     1,190     1,232     1,145     1,110     921     984     1,309  
    Amortization – intangibles   50     50     50     50     50     50     50     50  
    One-time expenses                
    Settlements, penalties & interest   29     25     2     3         (6 )   8      
    Acquisition and transaction costs   167     221     367     264     39              
    Other non-recurring expenses       84                          
    Non-GAAP Gross Profit $ 26,267   $ 22,542   $ 21,399   $ 20,373   $ 23,846   $ 18,836   $ 22,350   $ 23,423  
    Non-GAAP Gross Margin   75.4 %   73.2 %   73.0 %   72.6 %   75.3 %   71.7 %   76.2 %   77.0 %
                     
    Sales and Marketing Expense to non-GAAP Sales and Marketing Expense
    Sales and Marketing Expense $ 8,386   $ 6,945   $ 6,680   $ 6,924   $ 7,767   $ 6,422   $ 6,597   $ 8,515  
                     
    Share-based Compensation   322     251     269     237     243     180     210     149  
    Depreciation   1         1         1     1          
    One-time expenses                
    Settlements, penalties & interest   51     78     (5 )   5     18     6     30     4  
    Acquisition and transaction costs   30     9     68     37     11              
    Other non-recurring expenses       52                         180  
    Non-GAAP Sales and Marketing Expense $ 7,982   $ 6,555   $ 6,347   $ 6,645   $ 7,494   $ 6,235   $ 6,357   $ 8,182  
                     
    General and Administrative Expense to non-GAAP General and Administrative Expense
    General and Administrative Expense $ 11,900   $ 9,940   $ 10,378   $ 10,118   $ 10,063   $ 9,747   $ 9,294   $ 10,336  
                     
    Share-based Compensation   1,407     1,081     1,187     1,122     1,535     980     936     1,298  
    Depreciation   244     269     264     256     251     225     200     234  
    One-time expenses                
    Settlements, penalties & interest   492     142     377     304     98     284     101     432  
    Acquisition and transaction costs   491     282     371     245     57     51          
    Other non-recurring expenses   136     220     253         86     53         453  
    Non-GAAP General and Administrative Expense $ 9,130   $ 7,946   $ 7,926   $ 8,191   $ 8,036   $ 8,154   $ 8,057   $ 7,919  
                     
    Research and Development Expense to non-GAAP Research and Development Expense
    Research and Development Expense $ 2,029   $ 2,103   $ 1,973   $ 1,962   $ 1,769   $ 1,739   $ 1,803   $ 1,325  
                     
    Share-based Compensation   90     87     90     86     85     69     76     89  
    Depreciation   1       $   $   $   $   $   $  
    One-time expenses                
    Settlements, penalties & interest   9     21         27     31              
    Acquisition and transaction costs   91     153     195     369     147              
    Other non-recurring expenses       29                          
    Non-GAAP Research and Development Expense $ 1,838   $ 1,813   $ 1,688   $ 1,480   $ 1,506   $ 1,670   $ 1,727   $ 1,236  
                     

    (1)Note that first quarters are seasonally strong as recurring year-end W2/ACA revenue is recognized in this period.

     
    ASURE SOFTWARE, INC.
    RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP AND ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURES (cont.)
    (unaudited)
                     
    (in thousands) Q1-25 Q4-24 Q3-24 Q2-24 Q1-24 Q4-23 Q3-23 Q2-23
    Revenue(1) $ 34,854   $ 30,792   $ 29,304   $ 28,044   $ 31,652   $ 26,264   $ 29,334   $ 30,420  
                     
    GAAP Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA
    GAAP Net Loss $ (2,398 ) $ (3,204 ) $ (3,901 ) $ (4,360 ) $ (308 ) $ (3,582 ) $ (2,206 ) $ (3,765 )
                     
    Interest expense, net   280     211     109     (53 )   (156 )   (24 )   782     1,593  
    Income taxes   291     499     170     231     33     (158 )   (123 )   627  
    Depreciation   1,614     1,460     1,497     1,402     1,361     1,148     1,185     1,542  
    Amortization – intangibles   4,358     4,482     4,345     4,096     3,499     3,743     3,384     3,343  
    EBITDA $ 4,145   $ 3,448   $ 2,220   $ 1,316   $ 4,429   $ 1,127   $ 3,022   $ 3,340  
    EBITDA Margin   11.9 %   11.2 %   7.6 %   4.7 %   14.0 %   4.3 %   10.3 %   11.0 %
                     
    Share-based Compensation   1,863     1,463     1,591     1,488     1,902     1,260     1,251     1,582  
    One Time Expenses                
    Settlements, penalties & interest   581     266     375     339     147     283     140     436  
    Acquisition and transaction costs   779     665     1,001     914     254     51          
    Other non-recurring expenses   136     385     253         86     53         633  
    Other expense (income), net   (188 )   2             (10 )   1     1,800     93  
    Adjusted EBITDA $ 7,316   $ 6,229   $ 5,440   $ 4,057   $ 6,808   $ 2,775   $ 6,213   $ 6,084  
    Adjusted EBITDA Margin   21.0 %   20.2 %   18.6 %   14.5 %   21.5 %   10.6 %   21.2 %   20.0 %
                                                     

    (1)Note that first quarters are seasonally strong as recurring year-end W2/ACA revenue is recognized in this period.

    Investor Relations Contact
    Patrick McKillop
    Vice President, Investor Relations
    617-335-5058
    patrick.mckillop@asuresoftware.com 

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Monolithic Power Systems Earnings Commentary for the Quarter Ended March 31, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    KIRKLAND, Wash., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MPS will report its results after the market closes on May 1, 2025 and host a question-and-answer webinar at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET. The live event will be held via a Zoom webcast, which can be accessed at https://mpsic.zoom.us/j/92570889542.

    Q1 2025 Financial Summary  (Unaudited)
      GAAP
      Q1’25
      Q4’24
      Q1’24
        QoQ Change YoY Change
    Revenue ($k) $ 637,554   $ 621,665   457,885     Up 2.6% Up 39.2%
    Gross Margin 55.4%   55.4%   55.1%     Flat Up 0.3 pts
    Opex ($k) $ 184,471   $ 181,101   156,954     Up 1.9% Up 17.5%
    Operating Margin 26.5%   26.3%   20.9%     Up 0.2 pts Up 5.6 pts
    Net income ($k) $ 133,791   $ 1,449,363   92,541     Down 90.8% Up 44.6%
    Diluted EPS $ 2.79   $ 29.88   1.89     Down 90.7% Up 47.6%
      Non-GAAP
      Q1’25
      Q4’24
      Q1’24
        QoQ Change YoY Change
    Revenue ($k) $ 637,554   $ 621,665   $ 457,885     Up 2.6% Up 39.2%
    Gross Margin 55.7%   55.8%   55.7%     Down 0.1 pts Flat
    Opex ($k) $ 133,526   $ 126,117   $ 103,426     Up 5.9% Up 29.1%
    Operating Margin 34.7%   35.5%   33.1%     Down 0.8 pts Up 1.6 pts
    Net income ($k) $ 193,813   $ 198,401   $ 137,492     Down 2.3% Up 41.0%
    Diluted EPS $ 4.04   $ 4.09   $ 2.81     Down 1.2% Up 43.8%
    Tax Rate 15.0%   12.5%   12.5%     Up 2.5 pts Up 2.5 pts
    Revenue by End Market
     
        Revenue   YoY Change   % of Revenue
    End Market ($M)   Q1’25
    Q1’24   $   %     Q1’25   Q1’24  
    Storage & Computing   $ 188.5 $ 106.1   $ 82.4   77.7%     29.6 23.2
    Automotive   144.9 87.1   57.8   66.4%     22.7   19.0  
    Enterprise Data   132.9 149.7   (16.8 (11.2%   20.8   32.7  
    Communications   71.8 46.7   25.1   53.7%     11.3   10.2  
    Consumer   56.9 38.1   18.8   49.3%     8.9   8.3  
    Industrial   42.6 30.2   12.4   41.1%     6.7   6.6  
    Total   $ 637.6 $ 457.9   $ 179.7   39.2%     100 100
                               

    Ongoing Business Conditions

    In Q1 2025, MPS achieved record quarterly revenue of $637.6 million, slightly higher than revenue in the fourth quarter of 2024 and 39.2% higher than revenue in the first quarter of 2024.

    Our performance during the quarter reflected the continued strength of our diversified market strategy and a continued trend of the ordering patterns we saw at the end of 2024.

    Q1 2025 highlights include:

    • At our March 20th investor day, we showcased MPS innovation across a range of areas including new opportunities in Robotics, Automotive, Data Center, Building Automation, Medical, and Audio.
    • In Q1, Storage and Computing segment revenue increased 38% quarter-over-quarter on strong demand for both memory and notebook solutions.
    • We continue to win designs across all major Enterprise Data customers with revenue ramps expected in the second half of this year.
    • Finally, Q1 ’25 Automotive revenue increased 13% from Q4’24, the third consecutive quarter of sequential double-digit growth.

    MPS continues to focus on innovation, solving our customers’ most challenging problems, and maintaining the highest level of quality. We continue to invest in new technology, expand into new markets, and to diversify our end-market applications and global supply chain. This will allow us to capture future growth opportunities, maintain supply stability, and swiftly adapt to market changes as they occur.

    “Our proven, long-term growth strategy remains intact as we continue our transformation from being a chip-only, semiconductor supplier to a full service, silicon-based solutions provider,” said Michael Hsing, CEO and founder of MPS.

    Q1’25 Revenue Results

    MPS reported first quarter revenue of $637.6 million, slightly higher than the fourth quarter of 2024 and 39.2% higher than the first quarter of 2024. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2024, sales in Storage & Computing, Automotive, Communication and Industrial improved sequentially.

    First quarter 2025 Storage and Computing revenue of $188.5 million increased 38.1% from the fourth quarter of 2024. The sequential increase was primarily driven by higher sales of power solutions for storage and notebooks. First quarter 2025 Storage and Computing revenue was up 77.7% year over year. Storage and Computing revenue represented 29.6% of MPS’s first quarter 2025 revenue compared with 22.0% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    First quarter Automotive revenue of $144.9 million increased 12.9% from the fourth quarter of 2024 primarily from higher sales in ADAS, body electronics, and infotainment power solutions. First quarter 2025 Automotive revenue was up 66.4% year over year. Automotive revenue represented 22.7% of MPS’s first quarter 2025 revenue compared with 20.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    First quarter 2025 Communications revenue of $71.8 million was up 12.3% from the fourth quarter of 2025 primarily on higher sales into networking and optical solutions. First quarter 2025 Communications revenue was up 53.7% year over year. Communications sales represented 11.3% of our total first quarter 2025 revenue compared with 10.3% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    First quarter 2025 Industrial revenue of $42.6 million increased 4.3% from the fourth quarter of 2024 primarily due to higher sales for industrial meters. First quarter 2025 Industrial revenue was up 41.1% year over year. Industrial revenue represented 6.7% of our total first quarter 2025 revenue compared with 6.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    First quarter Consumer revenue of $56.9 million decreased 0.6% from the fourth quarter of 2024 primarily from lower sales in gaming partially offset by higher sales for TV solutions. First quarter 2025 Consumer revenue was up 49.3% year over year. Consumer revenue represented 8.9% of MPS’s first quarter 2025 revenue compared with 9.2% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    In our Enterprise Data market, first quarter 2025 revenue of $132.9 million decreased 31.8% from the fourth quarter of 2024. First quarter 2025 Enterprise Data revenue was down 11.2% year over year. Enterprise Data revenue represented 20.8% of MPS’s first quarter 2025 revenue compared with 31.3% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Q1’25 Gross Margin & Operating Income

    GAAP gross margin was 55.4%, flat to the fourth quarter of 2024. Our GAAP operating income was $168.8 million compared to $163.3 million reported in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Non-GAAP gross margin for the first quarter of 2025 was 55.7%, down 0.1 percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. Our non-GAAP operating income was $221.5 million compared to $220.7 million reported in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Q1’25 Operating Expenses

    Our GAAP operating expenses were $184.5 million in the first quarter of 2025 compared with $181.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Our Non-GAAP operating expenses were $133.5 million, up from $126.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    The differences between non-GAAP operating expenses and GAAP operating expenses for the quarters discussed here are primarily stock-based compensation and related expenses and deferred compensation plan income.

    Total stock-based compensation and related expenses, including approximately $1.7 million charged to cost of goods sold, was $53.8 million compared with $56.3 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    The Bottom Line

    First quarter 2025 GAAP net income was $133.8 million or $2.79 per fully diluted share, compared with $1.4 billion or $29.88 per share in the fourth quarter of 2024. Fourth quarter 2024 GAAP net income and EPS included the recognition of a tax benefit granted to a foreign subsidiary.

    First quarter 2025 non-GAAP net income was $193.8 million or $4.04 per fully diluted share, compared with $198.4 million or $4.09 per fully diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    The first quarter 2025 non-GAAP tax rate increased to 15% from 12.5% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    There were 48.0 million fully diluted shares outstanding at the end of the first quarter of 2025.

    Balance Sheet and Cash Flow

    Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $1,026.7 million at the end of the first quarter of 2025 compared to $862.9 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024. For the first quarter of 2025, MPS generated operating cash flow of $256.4 million compared with the fourth quarter of 2024 operating cash flow of $167.7 million.

    Accounts receivable at the end of the first quarter of 2025 were $214.9 million, representing 31 days of sales outstanding, which was 6 days higher than the 25 days reported at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Our internal inventories at the end of the first quarter of 2025 were $454.8 million, up from $419.6 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024. Days of inventory of 146 days at the end of the first quarter of 2025 was 8 days higher than at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024.

    We have carefully managed our internal inventories throughout the year, balancing the uncertainty in the market with being prepared to capture market upturns when they occur. Comparing current inventory levels using next quarter’s projected revenue, days of inventory at the end of the first quarter of 143 days was 9 days higher than at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Selected Balance Sheet and Inventory Data (Unaudited)
           
      Q1’25 Q4’24 Q1’24
    Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Short-Term Investments $ 1,026.7 M $ 862.9 M $ 1,286.4 M
    Operating Cash Flow $ 256.4 M $ 167.7 M $ 248.0 M
    Accounts Receivable $ 214.9 M $ 172.5 M $ 194.4 M
    Days of Sales Outstanding 31 Days 25 Days 39 Days
    Internal Inventories $ 454.8 M $ 419.6 M $ 396.0 M
    Days of Inventory (current quarter revenue) 146 Days 138 Days 175 Days
    Days of Inventory (next quarter revenue) 143 Days 134 Days 159 Days
           

    Q2’25 Business Outlook

    For the second quarter of 2025 ending June 30, we are forecasting:

    • Revenue in the range of $640 million to $660 million.
    • GAAP gross margin in the range of 54.9% to 55.5%.
    • Non-GAAP gross margin in the range of 55.2% to 55.8%, which excludes the impact from stock-based compensation and related expenses as well as the impact from amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets.
    • Total stock-based compensation and related expenses in the range of $58.3 million to $60.3 million including approximately $1.9 million that would be charged to cost of goods sold.
    • GAAP operating expenses between $189 million and $195 million.
    • Non-GAAP operating expenses in the range of $132.6 million to $136.6 million. This estimate excludes stock-based compensation and related expenses in the range of $56.4 million to $58.4 million.
    • Interest and other income in the range from $6.2 million to $6.6 million before foreign exchange gains or losses.
    • Non-GAAP tax rate of 15% for 2025.
    • Fully diluted shares outstanding in the range of 47.9 to 48.3 million shares.

    For further information, contact:

    Bernie Blegen
    Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
    Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    408-826-0777
    MPSInvestor.Relations@monolithicpower.com 

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This earnings commentary contains, and statements that will be made during the accompanying webinar will contain, forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including under the “Q2’25 Business Outlook” section herein, our statement regarding our business focus, our statement regarding the expansion and diversification of our global supply chain and the quote from our CEO and founder, including, among other things, (i) projected revenue, GAAP and non-GAAP gross margin, GAAP and non-GAAP operating expenses, stock-based compensation and related expenses, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, other income before foreign exchange gains or losses, and fully diluted shares outstanding, (ii) our outlook for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 and the near-term, medium-term and long-term prospects of MPS, including our ability to adapt to changing market conditions, performance against our business plan, our ability to grow despite the various challenges facing our business, our industry and the global economic environment, revenue growth in certain of our market segments, potential new business segments, our continued investment in research and development (“R&D”), expected revenue growth, customers’ acceptance of our new product offerings, the prospects of our new product development, our expectations regarding market and industry segment trends and prospects, and our projected expansion of capacity and the impact it may have on our business, (iii) our ability to penetrate new markets and expand our market share, (iv) the seasonality of our business, (v) our ability to reduce our expenses, and (vi) statements regarding the assumptions underlying or relating to any statement described in (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), or (v). These forward-looking statements are not historical facts or guarantees of future performance or events, are based on current expectations, estimates, beliefs, assumptions, goals, and objectives, and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from the results expressed by these statements. Readers of this earnings commentary and listeners to the accompanying conference call are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, continued uncertainties in the global economy, including due to the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East conflicts, global tariffs and retaliatory measures, inflation, consumer sentiment and other factors; adverse events arising from orders or regulations of governmental entities, including such orders or regulations that impact our customers or suppliers, and adoption of new or amended accounting standards; adverse changes in laws and government regulations such as tariffs on imports of foreign goods, export regulations and export classifications, and tax laws or the interpretation of same, including in foreign countries where MPS has offices or operations; the effect of export controls, trade and economic sanctions regulations and other regulatory or contractual limitations on our ability to sell or develop our products in certain foreign markets, particularly in China; our ability to obtain governmental licenses and approvals for international trading activities or technology transfers, including export licenses; acceptance of, or demand for, our products, in particular the new products launched recently, being different than expected; our ability to increase market share in our targeted markets; difficulty in predicting or budgeting for future customer demand and channel inventories, expenses and financial contingencies (including as a result of any continuing impact from the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East conflicts); our ability to efficiently and effectively develop new products and receive a return on our R&D expense investment; our ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers; our ability to meet customer demand for our products due to constraints on our third-party suppliers’ ability to manufacture sufficient quantities of our products or otherwise; our ability to expand manufacturing capacity to support future growth; adverse changes in production and testing efficiency of our products; any political, cultural, military, regulatory, economic, foreign exchange and operational changes in China, where a significant portion of our manufacturing capacity comes from; any market disruptions or interruptions in our schedule of new product development releases; our ability to manage our inventory levels; adequate supply of our products from our third-party manufacturing partners; adverse changes or developments in the semiconductor industry generally, which is cyclical in nature, and our ability to adjust our operations to address such changes or developments; the ongoing consolidation of companies in the semiconductor industry; competition generally and the increasingly competitive nature of our industry; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of companies and products that MPS acquires, and our ability to effectively and efficiently integrate these acquired companies and products into our operations; the risks, uncertainties and costs of litigation in which MPS is involved; the outcome of any upcoming trials, hearings, motions and appeals; the adverse impact on our financial performance if its tax and litigation provisions are inadequate; our ability to effectively manage our growth and attract and retain qualified personnel; the effect of epidemics and pandemics on the global economy and on our business; the risks associated with the financial market, economy, global tariffs and retaliatory measures, and geopolitical uncertainties, including the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East conflicts; and other important risk factors identified under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, including, but not limited to, our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 3, 2025. MPS assumes no obligation to update the information in this earnings commentary or in the accompanying webinar.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    This CFO Commentary contains references to certain non-GAAP financial measures. Non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net income per share, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP other income, net, non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP income before income taxes differ from net income, net income per share, gross margin, operating expenses, other income, net, operating income and income before income taxes determined in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”). Non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share exclude the effect of stock-based compensation and related expenses, which include stock-based compensation expense and employer payroll taxes in relation to the stock-based compensation, net deferred compensation plan expense (income), amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets and related tax effects. Non-GAAP gross margin excludes the effect of stock-based compensation and related expenses, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets and deferred compensation plan expense (income). Non-GAAP operating expenses exclude the effect of stock-based compensation and related expenses, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets and deferred compensation plan income (expense). Non-GAAP operating income excludes the effect of stock-based compensation and related expenses, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets and deferred compensation plan expense (income). Non-GAAP other income, net excludes the effect of deferred compensation plan expense (income). Non-GAAP income before income taxes excludes the effect of stock-based compensation and related expenses, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets and net deferred compensation plan expense (income). Projected non-GAAP gross margin excludes the effect of stock-based compensation and related expenses, and amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets. Projected non-GAAP operating expenses exclude the effect of stock-based compensation and related expenses. These non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. A schedule reconciling non-GAAP financial measures is included at the end of this press release. MPS utilizes both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures to assess what it believes to be its core operating performance and to evaluate and manage its internal business and assist in making financial operating decisions. MPS believes that the inclusion of non-GAAP financial measures, together with GAAP measures, provides investors with an alternative presentation useful to investors’ understanding of MPS’s core operating results and trends. Additionally, MPS believes that the inclusion of non-GAAP measures, together with GAAP measures, provides investors with an additional dimension of comparability to similar companies. However, investors should be aware that non-GAAP financial measures utilized by other companies are not likely to be comparable in most cases to the non-GAAP financial measures used by MPS. See the GAAP to Non-GAAP reconciliations in the tables set forth below.

    RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO NON-GAAP NET INCOME
    (Unaudited, in thousands, except per share amounts)
     
        Three Months Ended March 31,
        2025   2024
    Net income   $ 133,791     $ 92,541  
                     
    Adjustments to reconcile net income to non-GAAP net income:                
    Stock-based compensation and related expenses     53,811       51,769  
    Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets     320       291  
    Deferred compensation plan expense (income), net     (6 )     47  
    Tax effect     5,897       (7,156 )
    Non-GAAP net income   $ 193,813     $ 137,492  
                     
    Non-GAAP net income per share:                
    Basic   $ 4.05     $ 2.83  
    Diluted   $ 4.04     $ 2.81  
                     
    Shares used in the calculation of non-GAAP net income per share:                
    Basic     47,851       48,635  
    Diluted     48,006       48,928  
    RECONCILIATION OF GROSS MARGIN TO NON-GAAP GROSS MARGIN
    (Unaudited, in thousands)
        Three Months Ended March 31,
        2025   2024
    Gross profit   $ 353,230     $ 252,441  
    Gross margin     55.4 %     55.1 %
                     
    Adjustments to reconcile gross profit to non-GAAP gross profit:                
    Stock-based compensation and related expenses     1,706       1,900  
    Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets     287       258  
    Deferred compensation plan expense (income)     (163 )     440  
    Non-GAAP gross profit   $ 355,060     $ 255,039  
    Non-GAAP gross margin     55.7 %     55.7 %
    RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING EXPENSES TO NON-GAAP OPERATING EXPENSES
    (Unaudited, in thousands)
     
        Three Months Ended March 31,
        2025   2024
    Total operating expenses   $ 184,471     $ 156,954  
                     
    Adjustments to reconcile total operating expenses to non-GAAP total operating expenses:                
    Stock-based compensation and related expenses     (52,105 )     (49,869 )
    Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets     (33 )     (33 )
    Deferred compensation plan income (expense)     1,193       (3,626 )
    Non-GAAP operating expenses   $ 133,526     $ 103,426  
                     
    RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING INCOME TO NON-GAAP OPERATING INCOME
    (Unaudited, in thousands)
     
        Three Months Ended March 31,
        2025   2024
    Total operating income   $ 168,759     $ 95,487  
                     
    Adjustments to reconcile total operating income to non-GAAP total operating income:                
    Stock-based compensation and related expenses     53,811       51,769  
    Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets     320       291  
    Deferred compensation plan expense (income)     (1,356 )     4,066  
    Non-GAAP operating income   $ 221,534     $ 151,613  
                     
    RECONCILIATION OF OTHER INCOME, NET, TO NON-GAAP OTHER INCOME, NET
    (Unaudited, in thousands)
     
        Three Months Ended March 31,
        2025   2024  
    Total other income, net   $ 5,131     $ 9,540  
                   
    Adjustments to reconcile other income, net to non-GAAP other income, net:              
    Deferred compensation plan expense (income)     1,350       (4,019 )
    Non-GAAP other income, net   $ 6,481     $ 5,521  
                     
    RECONCILIATION OF INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES TO NON-GAAP INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES
    (Unaudited, in thousands)
     
        Three Months Ended March 31,
        2025   2024
    Total income before income taxes   $ 173,890     $ 105,027
                   
    Adjustments to reconcile income before income taxes to non-GAAP income before income taxes:              
    Stock-based compensation and related expenses     53,811       51,769
    Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets     320       291
    Deferred compensation plan expense (income), net     (6 )     47
    Non-GAAP income before income taxes   $ 228,015     $ 157,134
                   
    2025 SECOND QUARTER OUTLOOK
    RECONCILIATION OF GROSS MARGIN TO NON-GAAP GROSS MARGIN
    (Unaudited)
        Three Months Ending
    March 31, 2025
                     
        Low   High
    Gross margin     54.9 %     55.5 %
    Adjustment to reconcile gross margin to non-GAAP gross margin:                
    Stock-based compensation and other expenses     0.3 %     0.3 %
    Non-GAAP gross margin     55.2 %     55.8 %
                     
    RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING EXPENSES TO NON-GAAP OPERATING EXPENSES
    (Unaudited, in thousands)
        Three Months Ending
    March 31, 2025
                     
        Low   High
    Operating expenses   $ 189,000     $ 195,000  
    Adjustments to reconcile operating expenses to non-GAAP operating expenses:                
    Stock-based compensation and other expenses     (56,400 )     (58,400 )
    Non-GAAP operating expenses   $ 132,600     $ 136,600  
                     

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Reveals Second Domestic Abuse Filing Filed by Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Wife

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Reveals Second Domestic Abuse Filing Filed by Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Wife

    WASHINGTON – On Wednesday April 30, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that the wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — the so-called “Maryland Dad”—filed a petition for protection against him in 2020

      
    “The facts are clear: Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a violent illegal alien who abuses women and children

    He had no business being in our country and we are proud to have deported this violent thug,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement

    “We have now found two petitions for protection against him, in addition to the fact that he entered the country illegally and is a confirmed member of MS-13

    Our country is safer with him gone

    ” 

    According to the petition filed by Jennifer Vasquez on August 3, 2020, in the District Court of Maryland for Prince George’s County, Garcia verbally abused her, kicked her, slapped her, shoved her, mentally abused her kids, locking them in their bedroom while they cried, and detained Vasquez against her will

    In November 2019, Vasquez alleges that Garcia grabbed her by the hair while in a vehicle

    In December 2019, she states Garcia grabbed her from her hair in the car and dragged her out of the vehicle–abandoning her in the street

    In January 2020, Vasquez claims Garcia broke her son’s tablet and broke doors in their house

    In March 2020, she alleges that Garcia pushed her against the wall while breaking phones and TVs

    This newly released petition was filed in 2020, prior to the petition Vasquez filed against Garcia 2021

    In that filing, Vasquez claimed he bruised, punched, and scratched her while ripping off her shirt

    DHS has previously revealed that Garcia was involved in a suspected human trafficking incident, is an MS-13 gang member, and had been accused of domestic abuse on at least one other occasion

    Still, the media continues to call him a victim while ignoring the real victims: the women he battered, the children he terrorized, and the communities he endangered

    The Aug

    2020 protection order petition can be found here

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Need to transform global IP ecosystem; IP acts as catalyst for employment, development and innovation for all countries: Daren Tang, Director General, WIPO

    Source: Government of India

    Need to transform global IP ecosystem; IP acts as catalyst for employment, development and innovation for all countries: Daren Tang, Director General, WIPO

    The session on “The Role of IP & Copyright for Audio-Visual Performers and Content Creators” sparks insightful dialogue at WAVES 2025

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 8:06PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 1 May 2025

     

    A panel discussion titled “The Role of IP & Copyright for Audio-Visual Performers and Content Creators” was held today at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) currently underway at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai. This session brought together influential voices from the global entertainment, legal and creative industries to discuss the role of intellectual property (IP) rights in empowering creators in the digital age.

    The panel addressed the evolving legal landscape and highlighted the urgent need for stronger awareness and protection of IP rights, especially for performers and content creators whose work is increasingly vulnerable to unauthorised use and exploitation.

    Shri Ameet Datta, veteran lawyer, moderated the session, steering a dynamic discussion among an esteemed panel of experts and creators. The panel included Mr. Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), who offered a global perspective on policy frameworks and WIPO’s efforts to strengthen protections for performers worldwide. He said that India’s IP journey in last 5 decades is extraordinary and its creative economy grows tremendously. He said that there is a need to transform global IP ecosystem as IP acts as catalyst for employment, development and innovation for all countries. Talking about WIPO’s creative economy data model, he said that it is helping policy makers, economists and creators of its member states to find better metrics to measure creative economy.

    Feroz Abbas Khan, acclaimed director and playwright, shared insights from his decades-long experience in theatre and the challenges of safeguarding original creative works. He said that IP is about human dignity and society should first respect the work of artists.

    Steve Krone, noted film and television producer, emphasized the importance of copyright in protecting investments in audio-visual storytelling and the need for standardized global enforcement mechanisms. He said that copyright is not just about money but about controlling the works of creators from exploitation.

    Anjum Rajabali, veteran screenwriter, spoke about the creative process and the necessity for writers to understand and claim their rights in an increasingly complex content economy. He said that today access is far easy and restrictions should be there.

    Throughout the session, the panellists delved deeply into copyright ownership, licensing, moral rights, the impact of AI and the balance between access and protection in a rapidly digitising world.

     

    * * *

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: “Braving the Odds, Scripting a New Narrative”: WAVES 2025 celebrates courage, equality and resilience in M&E

    Source: Government of India

    “Braving the Odds, Scripting a New Narrative”: WAVES 2025 celebrates courage, equality and resilience in M&E

    Ariane Hingst, Former German Footballer and World Champion, Advocates for Equal Opportunities in Sports, at WAVES 2025

    Bianca Balti highlights the power of social media in challenging inequality and promoting fair representation at WAVES 2025

    Rona-Lee Shimon highlights media’s role in strengthening female voices and breaking cinema stereotypes at WAVES 2025

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 8:45PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 1stMay, 2025

    The panel discussion on the theme”Braving the Odds, Scripting a New Narrative” held at WAVES 2025 Global Summit today featured three inspiring speakers – Rona-Lee Shimon, well-known Israeli Actress famous for her strong roles in action-packed dramas like Fauda; Bianca Balti, globally recognized Italian model and cancer survivor; and Ariane Hingst, former German footballer and world champion – who have overcome personal or professional challenges while excelling in their fields.

     

    Instead of being held back by these challenges, the speakers used them as a chance to grow and build a new path forward. WAVES 2025 is all about celebrating people who turn tough experiences into strength and use their journeys to inspire others. It is a platform that honors courage, change and leadership, especially by those who break social barriers or rise above difficult situations.

    During the event, Ariane Hingst shared her journey as a professional footballer in a male-dominated sport. She spoke about overcoming gender bias to become a world champion and how she now uses her voice to promote fairness and equality in sports. She highlighted the lack of media coverage and proper platforms for women’s football compared to men’s and stressed the need for equal opportunities and recognition for women athletes.

     

    As part of the panel discussion, Bianca Balti, a globally recognized model and cancer survivor, shared her powerful story of resilience and her return to work after recovery. She spoke about the gender pay gap in the modeling industry, pointing out that female models are often paid less than their male counterparts and that men still occupy more space in media. Bianca emphasized that the true power of media especially social media lies in its ability to create change. It can help raise unheard voices, challenge inequality and promote fair representation, particularly for women.

     

     

    During the event, Rona-Lee Shimon highlighted that WAVES provides a platform for storytellers to change narratives and bring people together. She emphasized the importance of women uniting to create new opportunities in cinema, encouraging them to be brave, support one another, and not be afraid to stand up for change. She also noted that social media plays a key role in this movement by giving women the power to share their voices and stories. Known for her strong and dynamic roles on screen, Rona-Lee continues to break stereotypes in the entertainment industry, proving that strength, action, and depth are not defined by gender.

     

     

    Each speaker has faced personal or professional odds and instead of being defined by them, they’ve used those moments to rewrite their own story. That is exactly what WAVES 2025 stands for: celebrating individuals who are not just surviving challenges, but transforming them into platforms for change and inspiration.

    *****

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Assamese Filmmakers and Actors join the Discussion on “Challenges and Prospects of Cinema in Northeast India” at WAVES 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Assamese Filmmakers and Actors join the Discussion on “Challenges and Prospects of Cinema in Northeast India” at WAVES 2025

    Northeast is a reservoir of talent: Jahnu Barua

    “Assam needs OTT platforms to better market its films”, says Jatin Bora

    Our languages carry centuries of oral history: Aimee Barua

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 8:36PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 1 May 2025

    In a landmark moment for Northeast Indian cinema, a panel discussion titled “Challenges and Prospects of Cinema in Northeast India” was held at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai. The session brought together some of the most prominent voices from the region’s film industry to explore its vibrant cinematic landscape.


    The panel featured acclaimed filmmakers and actors including Jahnu Barua, Jatin Bora, Ravi Sarma, Aimee Baruah, HaobamPaban Kumar, and Dominic Sangma, all of whom have played instrumental roles in shaping the film culture of the Northeast.

     

    The discussion addressed a range of challenges faced by filmmakers in the region, including inadequate production infrastructure, language barriers, limited market access and a lack of institutional support. Despite these hurdles, the panelists unanimously agreed that the Northeast remains a fertile ground for cinematic innovation and cultural storytelling.

    Veteran filmmaker Jahnu Barua remarked thatthe Northeast is a reservoir of talent. Filmmakers from this region are producing remarkable work. He emphasized the region’s rich socio-cultural fabric and its abundance of untold stories. The future of Northeast cinema is very bright, with many young talents emerging, he added.

    Jatin Bora, a celebrated actor from Assam, highlighted the limited reach of Northeastern films beyond regional boundaries. Speaking on the need for digital distribution, he said, Assam needs OTT platforms to better market its films. He urged the government to support the creation of such platforms to help regional films reach broader audiences. He also called on both central and state governments to develop long-term policies to support the regional film ecosystem, stressing that without a robust distribution network, even the best films struggle to cross state lines.

    Ravi Sarma spoke about the urgent need for systemic investment in the region’s creative infrastructure. Financial backing and marketing infrastructure are crucial for the growth of the regional industry. The Northeast holds millions of beautiful and unique stories, he said.

    Actor-director Aimee Baruah focused on the role of cinema in preserving linguistic diversity. “Our languages carry centuries of oral history. Film is a powerful medium to protect and promote them,” she noted.

    Filmmakers HaobamPaban Kumar and Dominic Sangma shared insights into grassroots-level filmmaking in the region, pointing out how many storytellers continue to work without formal support systems.

    The session concluded on a hopeful note, with panellists calling for policy reforms, regional collaborations, and strategic use of OTT platforms to break traditional barriers. They urged all stakeholders, government bodies, private investors and national studios to come together in recognizing and elevating the cinematic voices of the Northeast.

    ****

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mukesh Ambani Unveils Vision for India-Led Global Entertainment Revolution at WAVES 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Mukesh Ambani Unveils Vision for India-Led Global Entertainment Revolution at WAVES 2025

    Let ‘WAVES’ be the message of hope from a resurgent new India to the world: Mukesh Ambani

    Media & Entertainment is not just India’s soft power—It’s India’s real power: Ambani

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 8:32PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 1 May 2025

    “India is not just a nation—it is a civilization of stories, where story-telling is a way of life”, said Shri Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, as he delivered the keynote address at WAVES 2025, the pioneering global media and entertainment summit started in Mumbai today.

    In a rousing and forward-looking address titled “Building the Next Global Entertainment Revolution from India,” Ambani envisioned a future where India becomes the epicentre of the world’s entertainment industry. He credited the bold vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for inspiring this transformation and hailed the WAVE Summit as a historic step in that direction. “People say Media & Entertainment is India’s soft power—I call it India’s real power,” said Ambani, affirming the country’s rising influence in global culture and creativity.

    He identified two tectonic shifts reshaping the creative landscape: geo-economics and technology. As the economic might of the Global South surges—home to 85% of the world’s population—so does its role in content creation and consumption. At the same time, cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence are revolutionizing every stage of the entertainment value chain, from content creation to distribution. “AI is dissolving the boundaries between imagination and execution. What AI is doing for entertainment today is a million times more transformative than what the silent camera did for cinema a century ago”, he flagged.

    Highlighting India’s unique strengths, Ambani said that the country is poised to lead the entertainment revolution, powered by three pillars; Compelling Content, Dynamic Demography and Technological Leadership. “India’s digital revolution is not just a story of scale—it is a story of aspiration, ambition, and transformation,” he declared.

    Concluding his keynote, Ambani offered a message of optimism: “In a polarized and uncertain world, people seek joy, connection, and inspiration. India will answer this global hunger for entertainment. Let WAVES be the message of hope from a resurgent new India to the world.”

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: WAVES 2025 highlights India’s Evolving Broadcast Regulatory Landscape and its Future Challenges

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 8:14PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 1 May 2025

     

    The media and entertainment (M&E) sector’s evolving landscape and the need for a balanced regulatory framework took prominence at the breakout sessions held as part of the global summit WAVES 2025 which was kickstarted in Mumbai today.

    The breakout session on Regulating Broadcast in the Digital Age – Key Frameworks & Challenges featured prominent voices from international and Indian media regulatory bodies. Panelists included Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Ms. Philomena Gnanapragasam, Director, Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD); Mr. Ahmed Nadeem, Secretary General, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) and Ms. Carolina Lorenzo, Director, International Affairs, Mediaset.

    Shri Lahoti outlined India’s regulatory evolution from the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act of 1995 to the digitisation of cable TV and TRAI’s current focus on consumer choice and quality of service. He emphasised TRAI’s efforts in ensuring a level playing field and advocated for deregulation wherever consumer interests are not compromised.

    The Panelists discussed the rapid rise of Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms and the complexities they introduce. With India’s digital media market reaching USD 9.7 billion in 2024, the need for balanced regulation is paramount. Shri Lahoti underscored TRAI’s proposals for digital radio, simplified network architecture, and a national broadcasting policy.

    Ms. Gnanapragasam highlighted the importance of media literacy in tandem with regulation. Mr. Nadeem advocated for a phased approach to regulation to encourage innovation while ensuring accountability. Ms. Carolina Lorenzo, Director, International Affairs, Mediaset, pointed to Europe’s experience with platform accountability and put light upon the emerging challenges of network effects in software and hardware in technologies such as smart TVs.

    The session concluded with consensus on the need for cohesive regulation while protecting the interests of the consumer and reducing regulatory complexity.

     

    * * *

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: AI Meets Creativity: Industry Leaders Outline India’s Role in the Future of Digital Expression at WAVES 2025

    Source: Government of India

    AI Meets Creativity: Industry Leaders Outline India’s Role in the Future of Digital Expression at WAVES 2025

    “AI isn’t here to replace jobs—it’s a means to an end.” — Richard Kerris, NVIDIA

    “Creativity has transformed every industry.” — Shantanu Narayen, Adobe

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 8:52PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, May 1, 2025

     

    WAVES 2025 witnessed a convergence of innovation, creativity, and cutting-edge technology with Artificial Intelligence at the heart of the discourse. Three sessions held on the inaugural day of the Summit in Mumbai today, led by global industry figures, mapped the dynamic intersection of AI with media, storytelling, and digital production—reaffirming India’s rising stature in this creative-technological evolution.

    “Creativity has transformed every industry.” — Shantanu Narayen, Adobe

    In the keynote address on “Design, Media and Creativity in the Age of AI”, Adobe Chairman and CEO Shantanu Narayen offered an expansive perspective on the evolving creative economy. Tracing the digital journey from the internet to mobile and now to artificial intelligence, Narayen pointed to India’s growing role in content creation, with over 500 million Indians consuming online content and a significant shift towards regional languages.

    He stressed that AI is not replacing creativity but amplifying it. “Generative AI is enabling Indian creators to transcend traditional mediums,” he said, noting how it supports diverse storytelling across imaging, video, and design. From cinema to real-time mobile storytelling, the creative potential is expanding.

    Highlighting India’s unique position in building AI-powered frameworks—from applications to data infrastructure—Narayen outlined a four-fold strategy: supercharge creativity and production, innovate business models, lead an AI-skilled workforce, and foster entrepreneurship. He concluded by thanking the Government of India and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for creating a visionary platform through WAVES.

    “AI isn’t here to replace jobs—it’s a means to an end.” — Richard Kerris, NVIDIA

    In a thought-provoking fireside chat titled “AI Beyond Work”, Richard Kerris, Vice President at NVIDIA, and Vishal Dhupar, Managing Director, NVIDIA India, explored how AI is redefining personal computing and creative productivity.

    Reflecting on the evolution of the PC era, Dhupar remarked, “PCs used to sleep after office hours. But humans don’t.” He explained how NVIDIA’s early vision—imagining PCs as creative companions—now resonates in a world powered by AI.

    Kerris provided a historical view, recalling the complexities of mastering 3D animation in the past. “Now, with generative AI, we can go from idea to creation much faster,” he said. Yet, he cautioned against losing touch with fundamentals: “Just because we all have a camera on our phone doesn’t make us all great photographers.”

    The speakers agreed that AI enhances human creativity rather than replacing it. “AI puts tools in your hands—but knowing the craft, the basics, that’s still essential,” Kerris stressed. Dhupar concluded: “Creative people live their work. AI doesn’t replace that—it enables it.”

    “Bringing Stories to Life with Gen AI” — Anish Mukherjee, NVIDIA

    The third session, a masterclass by Anish Mukherjee, Solutions Architect at NVIDIA, focused on the practical applications of generative AI in media. Titled “Bringing Stories to Life with Gen AI”, the session spotlighted NVIDIA’s platform approach, moving beyond hardware to transformative tools.

    Mukherjee demonstrated AI-powered solutions including converting static images to digital humans, multilingual voice-overs, and audio-based character animation. Using NVIDIA’s Fugato model, he showcased AI-generated music and realistic lip-syncing for dubbing. He also introduced Cosmos, a suite of foundational models for video generation and simulation-based training via the Omniverse platform.

    Explaining the convergence of large language models with AI animation and DLSS, he noted their role in creating immersive storytelling experiences, especially in game development. “AI-powered characters that respond intelligently to players are redefining narrative engagement,” he said.

    Mukherjee closed with a call to harness compute power, rich datasets, and algorithmic strength to unlock generative AI’s full potential. NVIDIA’s open-source ecosystem, including Nemostack, empowers creators to develop custom models, furthering innovation across industries.

    WAVES 2025: Setting the Stage for AI-Led Creative Transformation

    As discussions unfolded across the sessions, a unifying message emerged—AI is a tool for empowerment, not replacement. Whether in design, film, animation, or storytelling, the future belongs to those who understand the basics, harness new tools responsibly, and build systems rooted in ethics, creativity, and inclusion. WAVES 2025 thus stands as a testament to India’s pivotal role in the global creative and technological landscape.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: WAVES 2025 witnesses exchange of ideas on the future of Indian Media & Entertainment Industry

    Source: Government of India

    WAVES 2025 witnesses exchange of ideas on the future of Indian Media & Entertainment Industry

    Indian M&E @100: Reimagining the Future of Media and Entertainment at WAVES 2025

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 7:15PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 1 May 2025

     

    The inaugural day of WAVES 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, featured a compelling panel discussion titled “Indian M&E @100: Reimagining the Future of Media and Entertainment.” The session brought together leading voices from the industry to reflect on its growth and the road ahead as India moves towards 2047. The discussion was moderated by Vanita Kohli Khandekar, Contributing Editor, Business Standard.

    Opening the session, Vanita Kohli Khandekar recalled how the media and entertainment sector, valued at just ₹500 crore around the year 2000, has now grown into a ₹70,000 crore industry. She pointed to two policy decisions that played a critical role in fuelling this growth—the granting of industry status to filmmaking and the initial tax exemptions granted to multiplexes. She also posed an important question on the ability of AI not just to improve content quality, but also to aid in its monetisation. Emphasizing the country’s cultural and linguistic diversity, she underlined that scaling must be inclusive and sensitive to India’s varied audience.

    Vinit Karnik, Managing Director, GroupM, noted that 60% of the advertising revenue in the M&E sector today comes from digital platforms. He observed that the sector has undergone significant disruptions over the last few years, which have fundamentally reshaped how content is consumed and marketed. While acknowledging AI as a strong enabler, he emphasised that content must remain humanised—especially at a time when culture itself is being shaped by mobile technology. He highlighted the need to use technology constructively to enhance storytelling and informed the audience about Mumbai University’s new course on prompt engineering aimed at equipping future professionals.

    Rajan Navani, Founder and CEO of JetSynthesys, focused on the future of content delivery, which he believes will evolve into cross-platform interactive experiences. He stated that India holds just 2–3% of the global M&E market, and to further increase this share by 2047, it is imperative to invest in talent and enhance the country’s investment capacity. He noted that entertainment is becoming increasingly dynamic and will require different technologies for different formats. Addressing Vanita’s concerns on monetization, he pointed out the relatively low disposable income in India compared to developed markets, but expressed optimism that sustained economic growth will boost consumer spending. He cited the example of the Global e-Cricket Premier League, where audiences are already engaging in individualized consumption and payments.

    Vikram Tanna, CEO of Eros Now, called for India to aspire to become a global hub for AI innovation in media. He argued that AI would transform both the creation and delivery of content, enabling new ways for users to become creators. According to him, the digital age will present numerous inflection points, and strategic interventions are required to ensure that India remains competitive. He emphasized that simplifying new technologies—making them as accessible as the internet—will naturally expand the business. He concluded the session by noting that, in this evolving environment, it is crucial for the industry to understand how to engage with machines and harness the vast content landscape for advertising and audience engagement.

    The session offered a forward-looking view of India’s M&E sector, underscoring the interplay of policy, technology, talent, and cultural relevance in shaping its future. WAVES 2025 continues at Jio World Centre till May 4, with sessions highlighting global trends in audio-visual and entertainment industries.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: UK, Japan and Russia to Join Global Media Dialogue Along with Delegates from Over 60 Countries at WAVES 2025

    Source: Government of India

    UK, Japan and Russia to Join Global Media Dialogue Along with Delegates from Over 60 Countries at WAVES 2025

    WAVES Declaration to be made as part of the Global Media Dialogue

    Global Media Dialogue Set to Be Centerpiece of WAVES 2025 with Global Ministerial Participation

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 7:02PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 1 May 2025

     

    India is set to host the Global Media Dialogue (GMD) for the first time as part of WAVES tomorrow in Mumbai, marking a significant milestone in the country’s engagement with the global media and entertainment landscape. The Dialogue is being organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, with support from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

    Over 60 countries are expected to participate in the event, with delegations from across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Nations such as Russia, Japan, UK, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and several others will be represented at the ministerial and senior official levels. The Dialogue aims to encourage international collaboration, promote best practices, and explore avenues for policy alignment, talent exchange, and capacity building in the global media space.

    The outcome of the Dialogue is expected to be a ‘WAVES Declaration’ by participating countries reaffirming the importance of international cooperation in the media and entertainment sector and laying the groundwork for future engagements and partnerships. India, with its vibrant media ecosystem and rapidly growing entertainment industry, is uniquely positioned to host such a dialogue. The GMD marks a pivotal moment in placing India at the center of global conversations on media’s role in shaping the world.

    The Global Media Dialogue will bring together key stakeholders from around the world to discuss the evolving role of media and entertainment in shaping societies, economies, and international cooperation. The Dialogue will offer a platform for open conversations on the evolving landscape of the media and entertainment sector. With rapid technological changes, shifting content trends, and growing global interconnectedness, the Dialogue aims to encourage the exchange of ideas, experiences, and perspectives on the role of media in shaping societies, fostering innovation, and promoting international cooperation.

    On the sidelines of WAVES, India is also holding bilateral meetings with more than 10 countries, including the United Kingdom, Russia, Indonesia, Kenya, Bhutan, and Egypt, as well as international organizations like the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). These engagements reflect India’s commitment to strengthening global cooperation and fostering partnerships across key areas of mutual interest.

    The event will be graced by senior Indian leadership, including the Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs Dr. S Jaishankar, the Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Minister of State for I&B and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. L Murugan. The presence of high level dignitaries will underscore India’s commitment to fostering a robust, inclusive, and forward-looking global media environment.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: The uni student’s guide to Canberra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    • This story contains information for students about living in Canberra.

    Canberra is a brilliant city for university students.

    With so much to do and see, it can be difficult to know where to start.

    Here’s a quick guide to Canberra for students:

    Get your life admin sorted

    First things first, make sure that your details are up to date and in order.

    You know, those things like:

    • getting an ACT driver licence
    • updating your details with Medicare
    • updating your details on the electoral roll.

    You’ll also need to get familiar with Access Canberra. It’s where you can access ACT Government services and transactions.

    We’ve put together a list that tells you how to go about tackling all these tasks and more.

    Find a place to live

    If you’re not living on campus, there are a few ways to find somewhere to rent or share.

    You can also search for rental listings on:

    Housing ACT offers interest-free loans to pay rental bonds for eligible Canberrans.

    Once you’ve moved into a rental property, you can get a free home energy assessment. The Renters’ Home Energy Program can help you save on energy bills.

    Getting your home set up

    There are lots of places to get good-quality second-hand goods.

    • homewares and furniture
    • entertainment
    • electronics
    • outdoor goods
    • sports gear

    You could also try Facebook Marketplace, or join the “Buy Nothing” Facebook group for your suburb.

    Find your way with MyWay+

    Canberra’s public transport system includes bus and light rail services.

    MyWay+ is the ticketing system that provides personalised and convenient travel management. It offers a range of payment options for bus and light rail services, including smartphones, smartwatches, Mastercard or Visa cards, a physical MyWay+ travel card, digital QR code within the MyWay+ app or printed tickets.

    The MyWay+ app allows you to plan and manage your travel. You can download the MyWay+ app for free from:

    Tertiary students attending a public or private Australian university or CIT full time can access tertiary concession fares. Simply register your concession in your MyWay+ account to access discounted travel.

    And don’t forget, if you plan your journey on a Friday, you can travel for free with Fare free Fridays.

    Find out more.

    Know where to go for your health care

    The ACT Government has developed an online tool to help Canberrans find out more about local health services.

    It includes information about GP services, community-based health care services, and non-government health related services.

    Staying safe

    In the event of an emergency, call triple zero (000). This will connect you to ambulance, police and fire aid.

    Get the most out of your student card

    Many of our cultural institutions are free to enter. Some also offer student discounts for ticketed exhibitions.

    Some of Canberra’s cultural institutions include:

    Here are some stories that might help you to save money while enjoying your new city:

    If you’re a foodie, you might enjoy these stories:

    These stories will help you find some fun ways to see more of the city:

    More great resources

    The canberra.com.au website offers a handy student guide created by local experts.

    Find out more about the city and how to enjoy your time studying and living in Canberra, with articles including:

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Envisioned by Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi, WAVES is an important platform for the Entertainment Industry: Shah Rukh Khan

    Source: Government of India

    Envisioned by Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi, WAVES is an important platform for the Entertainment Industry: Shah Rukh Khan

    Time to Create Affordable Cinema Experience for Tier-2 and Tier-3 Cities: Shah Rukh Khan

    WAVES is a timely initiative converging all media platforms together: Deepika Padukone

    India’s soft power is poised to take the next leap with WAVES in the years to come: Karan Johar

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 6:50PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 1 May 2025

     

    Actor and filmmaker Shah Rukh Khan has expressed his gratitude on behalf of the film industry to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for conceptualizing and bringing together the WAVE Summit that has the potential to further strengthen the entertainment industry. He mentioned how relevant this platform is for the industry and that it will provide much-needed synergy and support from the government on various fronts.

    Speaking about the immense possibility India holds as a film-shooting destination, Khan shared how India could be the next destination for international filmmakers to ‘Shoot in India.’ Further, he emphasized on how various forms of agreements with international film bodies and industries could go a long way in shaping and strengthening India’s entertainment industry.

    Khan also stressed upon making the Indian cinema more affordable for the viewers of tier-2 and tier-3 cities. He ideated on bringing single-screen cinema experience to these cities which would help films to reach a larger audience.

    Actor Deepika Padukone also shared the view in terms of importance of WAVES and called it a timely intervention bringing together various mediums of media and entertainment industry. She said the various verticals of the sector were so far working in silos with less convergence while WAVES has a wider scope and has possibilities of weaving together films, OTT, Animation, AI, and other immersive technologies.

    While speaking on the sidelines of the Day-1 of WAVE Summit, actors Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone had an immersive interaction with filmmaker Karan Johar in a jampacked session named ‘The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler.’ They contemplated on their journey in the film industry and on how they carved out a niche for themselves. Shah Rukh Khan shared his views on the ‘outsider-insider’ tags and called the youth to treat the film industry as any other profession where hard work and perseverance has no substitute.

    Talking of the changing dynamics of the entertainment industry in the time of social media and image management, Khan suggested the newcomers to focus on their skills rather than merely focusing on their image. Padukone added that the time is to distinguish oneself through their unique strengths and abilities.

    In his concluding remarks, filmmaker Karan Johar called India a soft power which is poised to take the next leap with WAVES in the years to come.

     

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