Hot on the heels of this furore has been a notice from the minister of land reform and rural development, Mzwanele Nyhontso, that the government is embarking on a new bit of legislation, the “Equitable Access to Land Bill”.
There have been discussions over the last 10 years about developing a land reform framework bill or land redistribution bill. The main idea is to foster conditions that enable citizens to get access to land equitably. Land ownership was heavily skewed towards white people under apartheid.
The parliamentary committee heard from the minister on 20 February 2025 that there were gaps between the white paper on South African land policy and existing legislation. The bill seeks to close the gaps. It would provide for, among other things, principles for access to land, access to land by the state and citizens, the identification and selection of beneficiaries, applications and records for land allocations, a register of agricultural land, notification of present land ownership, land ownership ceilings, a land tribunal and regulations.
Based on our years of work on land reform and agricultural policy it’s unclear to us why such a bill is necessary. We believe there are two reasons a new law would be superfluous. Firstly, South Africa already has roughly 16 laws that address the issue of land. Secondly, policymakers tend to ignore the facts on land reform progress.
It is hard not to view the obsession with new legislation by every new minister as a distraction from the core issues. The minister should be focusing on distributing the land the government has acquired to black farmers and give them title deeds. This will be sufficient effort to build an inclusive agricultural sector, while continuing with existing programmes of land acquisition from the open market.
There are also other areas that should be reformed that would make a difference. These include making more finance available to aspirant black farmers and fixing the deeds office to reduce land registration times.
What’s in place
There should be no need for new legislation if one considers all the different pieces of legislation and government programmes that are already aimed at a more equitable distribution of land. There are at least 16 laws related to farm land and the restitution and redistribution process. These include:
Preservation and Development of Agricultural Land Act, signed into
law in January 2025
State Land Disposal Act, 1961 (Act No. 48 of 1961)
Deeds Registries Act, 1937 (Act No. 47 of 1937)
Land Reform: Provision of Land and Assistance Act, 1993 (Act No. 126 of
1993)
Restitution of Land Rights Act, 1994 (Act No. 22 of 1994)
Communal Property Associations Act, 1996 (Act No. 28 of 1996)
Land Reform (Labour Tenants) Act, 1996 (Act No. 3 of 1996)
Protection of Informal Land Rights Act, 1996 (Act No. 31 of 1996)
Extension of Security of Tenure Act, 1997 (Act No. 62 of 1997).
In addition, South African policymakers tend to ignore the facts on land reform progress.
As we have argued before, the mix of government programmes to restore land rights and redistribute land has already addressed 25% of the total area of farm land defined and registered by formal title deeds. This means that 19.5 million hectares of the 77.5 million hectares of South Africa’s farm land have been affected by the government land reform programmes.
Calls for the state to redistribute this land to black farmers have been falling on deaf ears, and black farmers continue to despair.
The government has been slow to distribute the land it has acquired. This shows that the problem of South Africa’s land reform is not only about acquisition but also the distribution of land with title deeds to beneficiaries.
Included in the total of 19.5 million hectares are private purchases of farm land by black South Africans. We estimate a total of 2.4 million hectares have been acquired in this way up to the end of 2024.
These individuals used their own funds or borrowed funds to acquire the land without using any of the state programmes.
Some answers
We have always argued that the private transactions where no bureaucrats are involved happen much quicker than any government programmes. The table below shows the relevant statistics for the last four years and confirms the argument.
The table shows that over the last four years private land transactions (that is without any involvement of bureaucrats) have contributed 32% to the total area of farmland transferred or restituted. The land claims process, in terms of the Restitution of Land Rights Act, has made the biggest contribution of 60% (with 36% of land restituted via financial compensation and 24% of land transferred to claimants). Other government land reform programmes made a very small contribution.
Do we have more equitable access to farm land (or rural land) after 30 years of democracy? To answer this question, we need to take into account the occupation of farm land under traditional tenure arrangements and occupation on land owned by the state, including the South African Development Trust land as well as the land recently acquired by the state under the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy programme, which is in most cases leased to black beneficiaries for short terms.
In addition, we account for the land redistribution programme and the land transferred back to land claimants. The numbers below provide an interesting picture of black ownership of rural land in South Africa. In some provinces, equitable access has shown remarkable progress, as shown in the table below.
Instead of a new law, this is what’s needed
First, access to affordable and preferential finance for land acquisition by black farmers would make an important contribution to equitable access. But no new law is needed to enable this. The answer lies in changing the way the Land Bank is funded so that it can provide affordable finance to aspirant farmers. This would be a game changer.
Secondly, government should act on the president’s proposal to establish the Land Reform Agency, release more unused state land for agricultural use and change the regulations to facilitate private land donations to beneficiaries.
Thirdly, fix the processes and data issues in the deeds office, which could reduce the time and costs to register property transfers.
Wandile Sihlobo is the Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC).
Johann Kirsten 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.
Hot on the heels of this furore has been a notice from the minister of land reform and rural development, Mzwanele Nyhontso, that the government is embarking on a new bit of legislation, the “Equitable Access to Land Bill”.
There have been discussions over the last 10 years about developing a land reform framework bill or land redistribution bill. The main idea is to foster conditions that enable citizens to get access to land equitably. Land ownership was heavily skewed towards white people under apartheid.
The parliamentary committee heard from the minister on 20 February 2025 that there were gaps between the white paper on South African land policy and existing legislation. The bill seeks to close the gaps. It would provide for, among other things, principles for access to land, access to land by the state and citizens, the identification and selection of beneficiaries, applications and records for land allocations, a register of agricultural land, notification of present land ownership, land ownership ceilings, a land tribunal and regulations.
Based on our years of work on land reform and agricultural policy it’s unclear to us why such a bill is necessary. We believe there are two reasons a new law would be superfluous. Firstly, South Africa already has roughly 16 laws that address the issue of land. Secondly, policymakers tend to ignore the facts on land reform progress.
It is hard not to view the obsession with new legislation by every new minister as a distraction from the core issues. The minister should be focusing on distributing the land the government has acquired to black farmers and give them title deeds. This will be sufficient effort to build an inclusive agricultural sector, while continuing with existing programmes of land acquisition from the open market.
There are also other areas that should be reformed that would make a difference. These include making more finance available to aspirant black farmers and fixing the deeds office to reduce land registration times.
What’s in place
There should be no need for new legislation if one considers all the different pieces of legislation and government programmes that are already aimed at a more equitable distribution of land. There are at least 16 laws related to farm land and the restitution and redistribution process. These include:
Preservation and Development of Agricultural Land Act, signed into law in January 2025
State Land Disposal Act, 1961 (Act No. 48 of 1961)
Deeds Registries Act, 1937 (Act No. 47 of 1937)
Land Reform: Provision of Land and Assistance Act, 1993 (Act No. 126 of 1993)
Restitution of Land Rights Act, 1994 (Act No. 22 of 1994)
Communal Property Associations Act, 1996 (Act No. 28 of 1996)
Land Reform (Labour Tenants) Act, 1996 (Act No. 3 of 1996)
Protection of Informal Land Rights Act, 1996 (Act No. 31 of 1996)
Extension of Security of Tenure Act, 1997 (Act No. 62 of 1997).
In addition, South African policymakers tend to ignore the facts on land reform progress.
As we have argued before, the mix of government programmes to restore land rights and redistribute land has already addressed 25% of the total area of farm land defined and registered by formal title deeds. This means that 19.5 million hectares of the 77.5 million hectares of South Africa’s farm land have been affected by the government land reform programmes.
Calls for the state to redistribute this land to black farmers have been falling on deaf ears, and black farmers continue to despair.
The government has been slow to distribute the land it has acquired. This shows that the problem of South Africa’s land reform is not only about acquisition but also the distribution of land with title deeds to beneficiaries.
Included in the total of 19.5 million hectares are private purchases of farm land by black South Africans. We estimate a total of 2.4 million hectares have been acquired in this way up to the end of 2024.
These individuals used their own funds or borrowed funds to acquire the land without using any of the state programmes.
Some answers
We have always argued that the private transactions where no bureaucrats are involved happen much quicker than any government programmes. The table below shows the relevant statistics for the last four years and confirms the argument.
The table shows that over the last four years private land transactions (that is without any involvement of bureaucrats) have contributed 32% to the total area of farmland transferred or restituted. The land claims process, in terms of the Restitution of Land Rights Act, has made the biggest contribution of 60% (with 36% of land restituted via financial compensation and 24% of land transferred to claimants). Other government land reform programmes made a very small contribution.
Do we have more equitable access to farm land (or rural land) after 30 years of democracy? To answer this question, we need to take into account the occupation of farm land under traditional tenure arrangements and occupation on land owned by the state, including the South African Development Trust land as well as the land recently acquired by the state under the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy programme, which is in most cases leased to black beneficiaries for short terms.
In addition, we account for the land redistribution programme and the land transferred back to land claimants. The numbers below provide an interesting picture of black ownership of rural land in South Africa. In some provinces, equitable access has shown remarkable progress, as shown in the table below.
Instead of a new law, this is what’s needed
First, access to affordable and preferential finance for land acquisition by black farmers would make an important contribution to equitable access. But no new law is needed to enable this. The answer lies in changing the way the Land Bank is funded so that it can provide affordable finance to aspirant farmers. This would be a game changer.
Secondly, government should act on the president’s proposal to establish the Land Reform Agency, release more unused state land for agricultural use and change the regulations to facilitate private land donations to beneficiaries.
Thirdly, fix the processes and data issues in the deeds office, which could reduce the time and costs to register property transfers.
– Land reform in South Africa doesn’t need a new law: the state should release property it owns – economists – https://theconversation.com/land-reform-in-south-africa-doesnt-need-a-new-law-the-state-should-release-property-it-owns-economists-250674
International efforts to eradicate the death penalty came into sharp focus at the Human Rights Council on Tuesday, where UN human rights chief Volker Türk decried a substantial increase in global executions in the last two years.
“While a number of countries argue that it lies within their national sovereignty, from my perspective, it is incompatible with human dignity and the right to life,” the High Commissioner told Member States, during a discussion about the contribution of judiciaries to advancing human rights over the issue.
The punishment had “no place” in the 21st century, Mr. Turk, continued, noting that “the top executing countries over recent years include the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and the United States of America”.
Clear evidence
Latest UN data indicates that in 2023, 1,153 executions took place in 16 countries, representing a 31 per cent increase from 2022 and the highest number in the past eight years.
“That followed a 53 per cent increase in executions between 2021 and 2022,” the High Commissioner said, adding that the figures do not take into account China, “where there is a lack of transparent information and statistics on the death penalty. I call on the Chinese authorities to change this policy and join the trend towards abolition.”
Global South leading abolition
Although drug-related offences do not meet the “most serious crimes” justification for executions under international human rights law, they account for more than 40 per cent of death penalty executions – the highest number since 2016.
“This proportion has also risen sharply over the past two years, and almost all of these executions took place in the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Mr. Türk explained.
In more positive developments and despite a global rise in executions, a growing number of countries are abolishing the practice – spurred by the Global South.
Today, 113 countries have scrapped the death penalty completely. This includes Zimbabwe – where President Emmerson Mnangagwa approved a law ending executions at the end of 2024 – along with 26 other countries in Africa.
Key to abolition are judicial reform and discretion in commuting executions to lesser punishments, the High Commissioner insisted. Malawi and Malaysia have implemented such reforms, leading to fewer death sentences, Mr. Türk continued, as he called for greater efforts globally to ensure fair trials and avoid wrongful convictions.
He urged nations to move towards the complete abolition of the death penalty, advocate for moratoriums, and ensure that the death penalty is only used for the most serious crimes.
Zimbabwe focus
Also addressing the Council, Zimbabwe Attorney General Virginia Mabiza explained that the death penalty had been introduced by colonial rulers in the 18th century, enduring beyond the country’s independence in 1980.
She said that more than 56 per cent of the population wanted the death penalty to remain in the statute books when asked in 1999, while between 1980 and 2005, 105 convicted offenders were executed.
“Since then, no other executions have been carried out in Zimbabwe, and this can be attributed to policy decisions coupled with judicial discretion against capital punishment,” the Attorney General told the Council.
And pointing to several instances where the Supreme Court in Harare determined that the death penalty constituted a violation of a prisoner’s human rights, Ms. Mabiza said that sentences were “often commuted death sentences to life imprisonment”.
For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, February 25, 2025 USDL-25-0247
Technical information: (202) 691-6378 * cpsinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/cps
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY: LABOR FORCE CHARACTERISTICS -- 2024
In 2024, the employment-population ratio--the proportion of the population that is employed--
was 22.7 percent among those with a disability, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported
today. In contrast, the employment-population ratio for those without a disability was 65.5
percent. The employment-population ratio for people with a disability changed little from
2023 to 2024, following a 1.2 percentage-point increase from 2022 to 2023. The employment-
population ratio for those without a disability decreased by 0.3 percentage point in 2024.
The unemployment rate for people with a disability (7.5 percent) changed little in 2024,
while the rate for those without a disability increased by 0.3 percentage point over the
year to 3.8 percent.
The data on people with a disability are collected as part of the Current Population Survey
(CPS), a monthly sample survey of about 60,000 households that provides statistics on
employment and unemployment in the United States. The collection of data on people with a
disability is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment
Policy. For more information, see the Technical Note in this news release.
Highlights from the 2024 data:
--Half of all people with a disability were age 65 and over, nearly three times larger than
the share for those with no disability. (See table 1.)
--For all ages, the employment-population ratio was much lower for people with a disability
than for those with no disability. (See table 1.)
--Unemployment rates were much higher for people with a disability than for those with no
disability across all educational attainment groups. (See table 1.)
--Workers with a disability were nearly twice as likely to work part time as workers with
no disability. (See table 2.)
--Workers with a disability were more likely to be self-employed than were workers with no
disability. (See table 4.)
Demographic characteristics
People with a disability accounted for about 13 percent of the population in 2024. Those
with a disability tend to be older than people with no disability, reflecting the increased
incidence of disability with age. In 2024, half of those with a disability were age 65 and
over, compared with about 18 percent of those with no disability. Overall, women were more
likely to have a disability than were men, partly reflecting the greater life expectancy of
women. Among the major race and ethnicity groups, people who are White (13.0 percent) and
Black or African American (13.1 percent) had a higher prevalence of disability than those
who are Asian (6.8 percent) and Hispanic or Latino (8.7 percent). (See table 1.)
Employment
In 2024, the employment-population ratio for people with a disability changed little at
22.7 percent. The ratio for those with no disability decreased by 0.3 percentage point to
65.5 percent. The lower ratio among people with a disability reflects, in part, the older
age profile of people with a disability; people age 65 and over are less likely to be
employed regardless of disability status. However, across all age groups, people with a
disability were much less likely to be employed than those with no disability.
(See tables A and 1.)
Among people with a disability ages 16 to 64, the employment-population ratio, at 37.4
percent in 2024, changed little over the year. Similarly, the ratio for people with a
disability age 65 and over was little changed at 8.1 percent. (See table A.)
People with a disability were less likely to have completed a bachelor's degree or higher
than were those with no disability. In 2024, about 23 percent of all people with a
disability had completed a bachelor's degree or higher compared with about 42 percent of
those with no disability. Among both groups, those who had attained higher levels of
education were more likely to be employed than were those with less education. For all
levels of education, people with a disability were much less likely to be employed than
their counterparts with no disability. (Educational attainment data are presented for
those age 25 and over.) (See table 1.)
Workers with a disability were more likely to be employed part time than were those with
no disability. About 31 percent of those with a disability usually worked part time compared
with about 17 percent of workers without a disability. About 4 percent of workers with a
disability worked part time for economic reasons. These individuals would have preferred
full-time employment but were working part time because their hours had been reduced or
they were unable to find full-time jobs. (See table 2.)
In 2024, people with a disability were more likely to work in sales and office occupations
than were those with no disability (20.8 percent compared with 18.4 percent, respectively).
Workers with a disability were also more likely than those with no disability to work in
service occupations (19.0 percent compared with 16.3 percent) and in production,
transportation, and material moving occupations (14.2 percent compared with 12.2 percent).
People with a disability were much less likely to work in management, professional, and
related occupations than were their counterparts with no disability (37.9 percent compared
with 44.1 percent). Workers with a disability were also somewhat less likely to work in
natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations (8.1 percent compared with
9.0 percent). (See table 3.)
A larger share of people with a disability were self-employed than were those with no
disability in 2024 (9.2 percent versus 6.0 percent). Those with a disability were slightly
more likely to be employed by the federal government than were their counterparts with no
disability (3.3 percent and 2.6 percent), while the proportions of people employed by state
and local governments were about the same regardless of disability status. In contrast,
people with a disability were less likely to be employed as private wage and salary workers
(76.6 percent) than were those with no disability (80.5 percent). (See table 4.)
Unemployment
The unemployment rate for people with a disability was about twice that of those with no
disability in 2024. (Unemployed people are those who did not have a job, were available for
work, and were actively looking for a job in the 4 weeks preceding the survey.) The
unemployment rate for people with a disability changed little in 2024 at 7.5 percent, while
the rate for people without a disability increased by 0.3 percentage point to 3.8 percent.
(See tables A and 1.)
Among people with a disability, the unemployment rates were the same for men and women in
2024 (7.5 percent). These rates were little different from a year earlier. Among the major
race and ethnicity groups, the jobless rates for people who are White, Black or African
American, Asian, and Hispanic or Latino showed little change over the year. As is the case
among people without a disability, the jobless rates for those with a disability were higher
among people who are Black or African American (10.7 percent) and Hispanic or Latino
(9.4 percent) than among people who are White (6.9 percent) and Asian (6.3 percent).
(See table 1.)
Not in the labor force
People who are neither employed nor unemployed are considered not in the labor force. A
large proportion of people with a disability--about 75 percent--were not in the labor force
in 2024, compared with about 32 percent of those with no disability. In part, this too
reflects the older age profile of people with a disability; people age 65 and over were
much less likely to participate in the labor force than were those in younger age groups.
Across all age groups, however, people with a disability were less likely to participate
in the labor force than were those with no disability. (See table 1.)
For both people with and without a disability, the vast majority of those who were not in
the labor force did not want a job. In 2024, about 3 percent of those with a disability
wanted a job, lower than about 6 percent of those without a disability. Among people who
wanted a job, a subset is classified as marginally attached to the labor force. These
individuals wanted and were available for work and had looked for a job sometime in
the prior 12 months but had not looked for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey.
(People marginally attached to the labor force include discouraged workers.) About 1
percent of people with a disability were marginally attached to the labor force in 2024.
(See table 5.)
Table A. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population by disability status and age, 2023 and 2024 annual averages[Numbers in thousands]
Characteristic
2023
2024
Total, 16 years and over
16 to 64 years
65 years and over
Total, 16 years and over
16 to 64 years
65 years and over
PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY
Civilian noninstitutional population
33,501
16,685
16,816
33,945
16,915
17,030
Civilian labor force
8,112
6,715
1,397
8,328
6,886
1,441
Participation rate
24.2
40.2
8.3
24.5
40.7
8.5
Employed
7,528
6,196
1,331
7,701
6,326
1,375
Employment-population ratio
22.5
37.1
7.9
22.7
37.4
8.1
Unemployed
585
519
66
627
561
66
Unemployment rate
7.2
7.7
4.7
7.5
8.1
4.6
Not in labor force
25,389
9,970
15,419
25,618
10,029
15,589
PEOPLE WITH NO DISABILITY
Civilian noninstitutional population
233,441
191,998
41,443
234,626
191,920
42,706
Civilian labor force
159,004
149,206
9,798
159,779
149,580
10,198
Participation rate
68.1
77.7
23.6
68.1
77.9
23.9
Employed
153,509
143,961
9,548
153,645
143,744
9,900
Employment-population ratio
65.8
75.0
23.0
65.5
74.9
23.2
Unemployed
5,495
5,245
250
6,134
5,836
298
Unemployment rate
3.5
3.5
2.6
3.8
3.9
2.9
Not in labor force
74,437
42,792
31,645
74,847
42,340
32,507
NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
Technical Note
The estimates in this release are based on annual average data obtained from
the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS, which is conducted by the U.S.
Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is a monthly survey of
about 60,000 eligible households that provides information on the labor force
status, demographics, and other characteristics of the nation's civilian
noninstitutional population age 16 and over.
Questions were added to the CPS in June 2008 to identify people with a
disability in the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over. The
addition of these questions allowed the BLS to begin releasing monthly labor
force data from the CPS for people with a disability. The collection of these
data is sponsored by the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment
Policy.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial
7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Reliability of the estimates
Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsampling
error. When a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed, there is
a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the true population values
they represent. The component of this difference that occurs because samples
differ by chance is known as sampling error, and its variability is measured
by the standard error of the estimate. There is about a 90-percent chance, or
level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will differ by no more
than 1.6 standard errors from the true population value because of sampling
error. BLS analyses are generally conducted at the 90-percent level of
confidence.
The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling error can
occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of the
population, inability to obtain information for all respondents in the sample,
inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct information, and
errors made in the collection or processing of the data.
Additional information about the reliability of data from the CPS and
estimating standard errors is available at
www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#reliability.
CPS estimates are controlled to population totals that are available by
age, sex, race, and Hispanic ethnicity. These controls are developed by the
Census Bureau and are based on complete population counts obtained in the
decennial census. In the years between decennial censuses, they incorporate
the latest information about population change (births, deaths, and net
international migration). As part of its annual update of population
estimates, the Census Bureau introduces adjustments to the total population
controls. The updated controls typically have a negligible impact on
unemployment rates and other ratios. The estimates of the population of
people with a disability are not controlled to independent population totals
of people with a disability because such data are not available. Without
independent population totals, sample-based estimates are more apt to vary
from one time period to the next. Information about population controls is
available at www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#pop.
Disability questions and concepts
The CPS uses a set of six questions to identify people with disabilities.
In the CPS, people are classified as having a disability if there is a response
of "yes" to any of these questions. The disability questions appear in the CPS
in the following format:
This month we want to learn about people who have physical, mental, or emotional
conditions that cause serious difficulty with their daily activities. Please answer
for household members who are 15 years old or over.
--Is anyone deaf or does anyone have serious difficulty
hearing?
--Is anyone blind or does anyone have serious difficulty
seeing even when wearing glasses?
--Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does
anyone have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or
making decisions?
--Does anyone have serious difficulty walking or climbing
stairs?
--Does anyone have difficulty dressing or bathing?
--Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does
anyone have difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a
doctor's office or shopping?
The CPS questions for identifying individuals with disabilities are only
asked of household members who are age 15 and over. Each of the questions ask
the respondent whether anyone in the household has the condition described, and
if the respondent replies "yes," they are then asked to identify everyone in
the household who has the condition. Labor force measures from the CPS are
tabulated for people age 16 and over. More information on the disability
questions and the limitations of the CPS disability data is available on the
BLS website at www.bls.gov/cps/cpsdisability_faq.htm.
Other definitions
Other definitions used in this release are described briefly below.
Additional information on the concepts and methodology of the CPS is available
at www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm.
Employed. Employed people are all those who, during the survey reference
week, (a) did any work at all as paid employees; (b) worked in their own
business, profession, or on their own farm; or (c) worked 15 hours or more as
unpaid workers in a family member's business. People who were temporarily
absent from their jobs because of illness, bad weather, vacation, labor
dispute, or another reason also are counted as employed.
Unemployed. Unemployed people are those who had no employment during the
reference week, were available for work at that time, and had made specific
efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the
reference week. People who were waiting to be recalled to a job from which they
had been laid off need not have been looking for work to be classified as
unemployed.
Civilian labor force. The civilian labor force comprises all people
classified as employed or unemployed.
Unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the number unemployed as a
percent of the labor force.
Not in the labor force. People not in the labor force include all those who
are not classified as employed or unemployed. Information is collected on their
desire for and availability to take a job at the time of the CPS interview, job
search activity in the prior year, and reason for not looking in the 4-week
period ending with the reference week. This group includes individuals marginally
attached to the labor force, defined as people not in the labor force who want
and are available for a job and who have looked for work sometime in the past 12
months (or since the end of their last job if they held one within the past 12
months). They are not counted as unemployed because they had not actively searched
for work in the prior 4 weeks. Within the marginally attached group are discouraged
workers--people who are not currently looking for work because they believe there
are no jobs available or there are none for which they would qualify. The other
people marginally attached to the labor force group includes people who want a
job but had not looked for work in the past 4 weeks for reasons such as family
responsibilities or transportation problems.
Part time for economic reasons. People classified as at work part time for
economic reasons, a measure sometimes referred to as involuntary part time, are
those who gave an economic reason for working 1 to 34 hours during the reference
week. Economic reasons include slack work or unfavorable business conditions,
inability to find full-time work, and seasonal declines in demand. Those who
usually work part time must also indicate that they want and are available for
full-time work to be classified as part time for economic reasons.
Occupation, industry, and class of worker. The occupation, industry, and
class of worker classifications for the employed relate to the job held in the
survey reference week. People with two or more jobs are classified in the job
at which they worked the greatest number of hours. People are classified using
the 2018 Census occupational and 2017 Census industry classification systems.
The class-of-worker breakdown assigns workers to the following categories:
private and government wage and salary workers, self-employed workers, and
unpaid family workers. Wage and salary workers receive wages, salary,
commissions, tips, or pay in kind from a private employer or from a government
unit. Self-employed people are those who work for profit or fees in their own
business, profession, trade, or farm. Only the unincorporated self-employed are
included in the self-employed category. Self-employed people who respond that
their businesses are incorporated are included among wage and salary workers.
Unpaid family workers are people working without pay for 15 hours a week or
more on a farm or in a business operated by a family member in their household.
Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population by disability status and selected characteristics, 2024 annual averages[Numbers in thousands]
Characteristic
Civilian noninsti- tutional population
Civilian labor force
Not in labor force
Total
Participation rate
Employed
Unemployed
Total
Percent of population
Total
Rate
TOTAL
Total, 16 years and over
268,571
168,106
62.6
161,346
60.1
6,761
4.0
100,465
Men
130,939
88,974
68.0
85,313
65.2
3,661
4.1
41,965
Women
137,633
79,132
57.5
76,033
55.2
3,100
3.9
58,500
PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY
Total, 16 years and over
33,945
8,328
24.5
7,701
22.7
627
7.5
25,618
Men
15,923
4,308
27.1
3,984
25.0
324
7.5
11,615
Women
18,023
4,020
22.3
3,717
20.6
303
7.5
14,003
Age
16 to 64 years
16,915
6,886
40.7
6,326
37.4
561
8.1
10,029
16 to 19 years
876
242
27.6
184
21.0
58
23.9
634
20 to 24 years
1,271
596
46.9
517
40.6
79
13.3
675
25 to 34 years
2,625
1,522
58.0
1,393
53.1
129
8.5
1,103
35 to 44 years
2,689
1,402
52.1
1,310
48.7
92
6.6
1,287
45 to 54 years
3,417
1,405
41.1
1,301
38.1
104
7.4
2,012
55 to 64 years
6,036
1,719
28.5
1,621
26.8
98
5.7
4,317
65 years and over
17,030
1,441
8.5
1,375
8.1
66
4.6
15,589
Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
White
26,629
6,584
24.7
6,129
23.0
455
6.9
20,045
Black or African American
4,593
1,045
22.8
934
20.3
112
10.7
3,548
Asian
1,219
252
20.7
236
19.4
16
6.3
967
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
4,277
1,188
27.8
1,076
25.2
111
9.4
3,089
Educational attainment
Total, 25 years and over
31,798
7,490
23.6
7,000
22.0
490
6.5
24,309
Less than a high school diploma
4,427
556
12.6
499
11.3
57
10.2
3,871
High school graduates, no college
11,075
2,081
18.8
1,912
17.3
169
8.1
8,993
Some college or associate degree
8,838
2,379
26.9
2,224
25.2
155
6.5
6,459
Bachelor’s degree and higher
7,459
2,474
33.2
2,365
31.7
109
4.4
4,985
PEOPLE WITH NO DISABILITY
Total, 16 years and over
234,626
159,779
68.1
153,645
65.5
6,134
3.8
74,847
Men
115,016
84,666
73.6
81,329
70.7
3,337
3.9
30,350
Women
119,610
75,113
62.8
72,316
60.5
2,797
3.7
44,497
Age
16 to 64 years
191,920
149,580
77.9
143,744
74.9
5,836
3.9
42,340
16 to 19 years
16,709
6,242
37.4
5,477
32.8
765
12.3
10,467
20 to 24 years
20,116
14,697
73.1
13,655
67.9
1,042
7.1
5,419
25 to 34 years
41,802
35,660
85.3
34,202
81.8
1,457
4.1
6,142
35 to 44 years
41,491
36,001
86.8
34,887
84.1
1,114
3.1
5,490
45 to 54 years
36,617
31,532
86.1
30,738
83.9
794
2.5
5,085
55 to 64 years
35,185
25,448
72.3
24,785
70.4
663
2.6
9,737
65 years and over
42,706
10,198
23.9
9,900
23.2
298
2.9
32,507
Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
White
178,457
121,048
67.8
116,904
65.5
4,144
3.4
57,409
Black or African American
30,410
21,001
69.1
19,794
65.1
1,207
5.7
9,409
Asian
16,756
11,429
68.2
11,034
65.9
394
3.5
5,327
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
44,645
31,702
71.0
30,151
67.5
1,551
4.9
12,942
Educational attainment
Total, 25 years and over
197,801
138,839
70.2
134,512
68.0
4,326
3.1
58,962
Less than a high school diploma
14,868
8,597
57.8
8,090
54.4
507
5.9
6,271
High school graduates, no college
52,631
34,175
64.9
32,813
62.3
1,362
4.0
18,455
Some college or associate degree
48,149
33,460
69.5
32,403
67.3
1,057
3.2
14,689
Bachelor’s degree and higher
82,153
62,607
76.2
61,206
74.5
1,400
2.2
19,547
NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (White, Black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. People whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.
Table 2. Employed full- and part-time workers by disability status and age, 2024 annual averages[Numbers in thousands]
Disability status and age
Employed
At work part time for economic reasons
Total
Usually work full time
Usually work part time
TOTAL
16 years and over
161,346
133,361
27,985
4,467
16 to 64 years
150,070
126,401
23,669
4,267
65 years and over
11,276
6,960
4,316
200
People with a disability
16 years and over
7,701
5,322
2,379
303
16 to 64 years
6,326
4,641
1,684
275
65 years and over
1,375
680
695
27
People with no disability
16 years and over
153,645
128,039
25,605
4,164
16 to 64 years
143,744
121,760
21,985
3,991
65 years and over
9,900
6,280
3,621
172
NOTE: Full time refers to people who usually work 35 hours or more per week; part time refers to people who usually work less than 35 hours per week.
Table 3. Employed people by disability status, occupation, and sex, 2024 annual averages[Percent distribution]
Occupation
People with a disability
People with no disability
Total
Men
Women
Total
Men
Women
Total employed (in thousands)
7,701
3,984
3,717
153,645
81,329
72,316
Occupation as a percent of total employed
Total employed
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Management, professional, and related occupations
37.9
34.7
41.3
44.1
39.8
49.1
Management, business, and financial operations occupations
16.6
17.3
16.0
19.1
19.6
18.5
Management occupations
11.5
12.8
10.2
12.9
14.1
11.4
Business and financial operations occupations
5.1
4.4
5.8
6.2
5.4
7.1
Professional and related occupations
21.3
17.5
25.4
25.1
20.2
30.6
Computer and mathematical occupations
3.1
4.2
1.9
4.0
5.6
2.2
Architecture and engineering occupations
1.8
2.7
0.8
2.2
3.5
0.8
Life, physical, and social science occupations
0.8
0.8
0.9
1.2
1.1
1.3
Community and social service occupations
2.0
1.5
2.6
1.8
1.0
2.7
Legal occupations
1.0
0.9
1.2
1.1
1.0
1.3
Education, training, and library occupations
5.6
3.1
8.4
6.0
3.0
9.3
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
2.6
2.4
2.8
2.1
2.0
2.3
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
4.3
1.9
6.8
6.6
3.0
10.6
Service occupations
19.0
16.0
22.2
16.3
13.0
19.9
Healthcare support occupations
4.3
1.3
7.5
3.3
1.0
6.0
Protective service occupations
1.6
2.4
0.8
1.9
2.7
1.0
Food preparation and serving related occupations
5.4
4.7
6.2
5.0
4.3
5.7
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
5.0
6.4
3.5
3.5
3.9
3.1
Personal care and service occupations
2.6
1.2
4.2
2.5
1.1
4.0
Sales and office occupations
20.8
14.7
27.4
18.4
13.8
23.6
Sales and related occupations
9.6
8.6
10.8
8.7
8.6
8.8
Office and administrative support occupations
11.2
6.1
16.6
9.7
5.2
14.8
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations
8.1
14.9
0.9
9.0
15.9
1.1
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
0.5
0.6
0.3
0.6
0.8
0.4
Construction and extraction occupations
4.4
8.1
0.4
5.3
9.6
0.5
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
3.3
6.1
0.3
3.0
5.5
0.3
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations
14.2
19.8
8.2
12.2
17.5
6.3
Production occupations
5.5
7.3
3.5
4.9
6.6
3.0
Transportation and material moving occupations
8.7
12.5
4.7
7.3
10.9
3.3
Table 4. Employed people by disability status, industry, class of worker, and sex, 2024 annual averages[Percent distribution]
Industry and class of worker
People with a disability
People with no disability
Total
Men
Women
Total
Men
Women
Total employed (in thousands)
7,701
3,984
3,717
153,645
81,329
72,316
Industry as a percent of total employed
Total employed
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Agriculture and related industries
2.1
3.0
1.2
1.4
1.8
0.8
Nonagricultural industries
97.9
97.0
98.8
98.6
98.2
99.2
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
0.3
0.5
0.1
0.4
0.6
0.1
Construction
6.3
10.9
1.5
7.5
12.6
1.8
Manufacturing
8.5
11.5
5.3
9.4
12.5
5.8
Wholesale trade
1.6
2.0
1.1
2.0
2.6
1.3
Retail trade
13.1
12.8
13.5
10.0
9.9
10.0
Transportation and utilities
5.9
7.8
3.8
6.1
8.7
3.1
Information
1.7
1.8
1.6
1.8
2.0
1.5
Financial activities
5.8
5.1
6.6
6.8
6.4
7.3
Professional and business services
12.0
13.5
10.5
13.3
14.5
11.9
Education and health services
21.8
11.3
33.0
23.1
11.1
36.5
Leisure and hospitality
9.5
8.9
10.0
8.7
8.0
9.5
Other services
6.0
5.7
6.3
4.7
4.1
5.4
Public administration
5.4
5.3
5.5
5.0
5.1
4.9
Class of worker as a percent of total employed
Total employed
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Wage and salary workers
90.7
89.5
92.0
94.0
93.2
94.8
Private industries
76.6
77.4
75.9
80.5
82.2
78.5
Government
14.1
12.2
16.1
13.5
11.0
16.3
Federal
3.3
3.6
2.9
2.6
2.7
2.4
State
5.0
3.4
6.7
4.7
3.5
6.0
Local
5.8
5.2
6.4
6.3
4.8
7.9
Self-employed workers, unincorporated
9.2
10.4
7.9
6.0
6.8
5.1
Table 5. People not in the labor force by disability status, age, and sex, 2024 annual averages[Numbers in thousands]
Category
Total, 16 years and over
16 to 64 years
Total, 65 years and over
Total
Men
Women
PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY
Total not in the labor force
25,618
10,029
4,876
5,152
15,589
People who currently want a job
798
542
253
289
256
Marginally attached to the labor force
203
159
77
83
43
Discouraged workers
45
31
18
13
14
Other people marginally attached to the labor force
157
128
59
69
29
PEOPLE WITH NO DISABILITY
Total not in the labor force
74,847
42,340
16,227
26,113
32,507
People who currently want a job
4,792
4,170
2,009
2,161
622
Marginally attached to the labor force
1,355
1,239
676
563
116
Discouraged workers
363
332
202
130
31
Other people marginally attached to the labor force
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On February 25, 2025, the State University of Management held a regular meeting of the Academic Council. The agenda included 14 items, including reporting on educational activities, approval of curricula and plans, as well as increased scholarships.
According to tradition, the meeting began with a ceremony to award university employees for their work achievements and congratulate them on their birthdays, which was conducted by the Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Dmitry Bryukhanov.
The working program was opened by the Head of the Electronic Dean’s Office of the University Natalia Tymchuk with a report on the results of the winter examination session of the 2024/2025 academic year. The session was attended by 5,247 full-time bachelor’s degree students, and 80% of them successfully completed the midterm assessment. Of the 835 full-time master’s degree students, 269 people passed the session with excellent marks, exceeding all other categories in their number. In the correspondence forms of bachelor’s and master’s degrees, 96% of students successfully passed the session, and only one student in the master’s degree program was left in arrears. In general, the number of successful students in all forms of study at SUM has increased compared to the same period last year.
The Director of the Institute of Personnel Management, Social and Business Communications Alexey Chudnovsky spoke about the results of the implementation of work plans for 2024 and the development prospects for 2025. At the beginning of his speech, the speaker noted the continuing effectiveness of traditional methods of attracting applicants – open days, master classes and presentations. And this is despite the fact that work in this area in social networks is carried out in accordance with the spirit of the times. Then the professor reported on the functioning of additional professional education programs, which accept participants in a special military operation and veterans of the Russian Guard.
Alexey Danilovich outlined the broad geography of the institute’s international activities – the formation of an educational cluster with universities in Turkey, Iran, China, India, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, the UAE and other countries. He also noted the activities of the BRICS Higher School, which conducts three educational programs in English and works with the support of Rossotrudnichestvo and law enforcement agencies that facilitate the recruitment of students. The director of the Institute of Postgraduate Studies and the History of the Broadcasting System also mentioned the work of the Department of Foreign Languages, which is highly valued by students and partners from the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.
Reporting on the project work of the institute’s students, Aleksey Chudnovsky pointed out the high academic performance in this area – 11 projects by IUPSiBK students made it to the finals (27% of the total number of finalists), and 3 projects won prizes (a quarter of the total number of places).
Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Maria Karelina put to a vote the issue of creating a department of scientific and technical information and coordination of dissertation councils and approving its Regulations. As a result of the restructuring, the new division will include employees of the departments of statistics, dissertation councils and postgraduate studies with the preservation of jobs. This decision will increase the efficiency of work and the speed of communications in the designated areas of the university’s activities.
The report by Natalia Starkova, Director of the Department of Academic Policy and Implementation of Educational Programs, on the approval of higher education programs for the 2025–2026 academic year aroused keen interest among the members of the Academic Council. Vadim Dikikh, Director of the Department of Digital Development and Admission of Applicants, joined the discussion and explained the technical features of the new state electronic system for registering educational programs.
Deputy Director of the Department of Academic Policy and Implementation of Educational Programs Olga Zhuravleva put to a vote the issue of approving the amounts of increased state academic scholarships from February 1, 2025. The scholarships will be increased compared to the previous period. The Academic Council also approved scholarships for sports achievements, which will be issued subject to excellent studies, also from February 1.
At the end of the meeting, at the suggestion of the Chairperson of the Student Council of the State University of Management, Valeria Burlakova, the Academic Council decided to provide significant discounts on tuition in the current semester to three students whose fathers are taking part in a special military operation.
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 02/25/2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
NextGen, a youth and democracy group, encouraging University of Central Florida students to vote early on campus in the 2018 midterms, Orlando, Florida, Oct. 25, 2018. Willie J. Allen Jr./AP Images
I am a lecturer of political science who studies American political development and public law, and my research suggests that expanding on-campus early-voting sites can boost turnout in U.S. elections by making voting more convenient – not only for students but for residents of surrounding communities too.
My research shows that 59,205 votes were cast across 12 Florida campuses hosting early-voting sites in 2018. That number increased to 92,344 at 11 locations in 2020 and jumped again – by about 50,000 votes – during the 2024 election.
During 14 days of early voting in October and November 2024, 142,085 Floridians cast ballots across 16 on-campus early-voting sites across the state. One-quarter of them – 35,245 voters – took advantage of three campus sites in Miami-Dade County, the state’s most populous county.
A 2019 study by the Andrew Goodman Foundation, a nonprofit promoting youth participation in democracy, determined that overall voter turnout in Florida increased during the 2018 election, in comparison with previous midterm elections, in part “due to the added convenience” of on-campus voting.
On-campus early voting makes elections more accessible for all voters.
My data from 2024 shows that 35% of voters at Florida’s 16 on-campus early-voting sites were registered Democrats and 32% were registered Republicans. The remaining 33% registered with minor parties or had no party affiliation.
A 2019 report from the Andrew Goodman Foundation found “Hispanic and Black voters disproportionately cast ballots” at campus locations alongside college-age voters. It also said that 56% of early voters at campus sites were under age 30.
Before casting a ballot, voters face four decisions. First, whether to register to vote. Second, whether to vote in an election. Third, how to vote: early in-person, vote-by-mail or on Election Day. Fourth, whom or what to vote for.
Florida shows that college campuses play an important role in increasing access to voting, not just for students but for residents in the surrounding communities, too. Nearly 3% of the 5.4 million people who voted early in person statewide in 2024 cast their ballot at a campus polling site, up from 2.2% in 2018.
Across the country, from Iowa to Texas, many schools and election officials host early on-campus voting.
In other places, however, state and local laws, or decisions by local officials, prevent many campuses from hosting polling sites.
For example, Ohio limits the number of early-voting sites to one per county. That meant that, in 2024, Ohio State University had no campus early-voting sites, and for its students the closest place to vote in person was about 6 miles (10 kilometers) away.
In South Carolina, though some campuses do host polling sites, the university where I teach, Clemson, does not. In 2024, students had to travel four miles to reach the nearest in-person early-voting location in Pickens County.
A recent study found that long distances and travel times to polling locations constitute “a barrier to voting.” And students, as a population, often have particularly limited access to transportation.
Further studies will show more precisely how on-campus early voting expands the voter universe. But my vote tracking and other new research provides some clues, suggesting that early in-person voting on campus increases early voting and diversifies the electorate.
Expanding on-campus early voting, then, is not just about convenience. It is about empowering the next generation of voters and strengthening democracy.
Stephen C. Phillips does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Historians differ about the framers’ precise intent regarding the executive branch. But the general consensus is twofold: First, domestic lawmaking power, including the critical “power of the purse,” would rest with Congress; second, the president would not be the equivalent of a king.
Fresh off the coercion of King George III, the framers were in no mood to recreate the British system. They debated extensively about whether the executive branch should be led by more than one person. A single chief executive was eventually favored in part because other institutional checks, including the selection of the president by the American people and Congress’ ability to impeach, seemed sufficient. And, of course, Congress would retain lawmaking powers.
Almost immediately, however, Congress began delegating some of that power to the presidency. As the nation grew and Congress found itself unable to manage the ensuing demands, it put more and more policymaking powers into the executive branch.
Congress frequently passed vaguely worded statutes and left important details largely to the president about how to manage, for instance, immigration or the environment. President-as-policymaker and the development of an immense federal bureaucracy that is now in the crosshairs of Trump and Elon Musk was one unintended result.
I’m a constitutional law scholar, and I can comfortably respond: With all due respect, Mr. President, no. Article 2 does not grant the president unlimited power.
Here’s what the Constitution does say – and doesn’t say – about the power of the president.
The Constitution divides power among the three branches of the federal government – executive, legislative and judicial.
Article 1 specifies in great detail the structure and powers of Congress. In comparison, Article 2 is relatively short, outlining the powers of the executive branch, which now encompasses the president, his advisers and various departments and agencies.
There is no extensive laundry list of enumerated powers for the executive branch. Instead, there is a smattering. The president is given the power to “grant reprieves and pardons,” to “receive ambassadors,” and, with the consent of the Senate, “make treaties” and “appoint” various federal officials. The president is also the “Commander in Chief.”
Aside from the ability to veto legislation and “recommend” policies to Congress, the president was intended to serve primarily as an administrator of congressional statutes, not a policymaker.
It is other, much less precise language in Article 2 that undergirds much of what Trump claims he can do – and what opponents say he cannot.
Specifically, Section 1 states, “The Executive power shall be vested in a President,” and Section 3 requires the President to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.”
On their face, these “vesting” and “take care” clauses seem relatively innocuous, reflecting the framers’ view that the President would implement rather than create the nation’s public policy. Congress would have that prerogative, with the president generally confined to ensuring those laws were carried out appropriately.
Trump and his allies, however, have seized on these words as authorizing unlimited control over each of the 4 million employees of the executive branch and, through program changes and spending freezes, allowing him to exert significant policymaking power for the nation.
The administration has now surpassed what even the strongest proponents of presidential power may have once argued. Trump adviser Stephen Miller has said, “All executive power is vested in the one man elected by the whole nation. No unelected bureaucrat has any ‘independent’ authority.”
Yet the overriding goal of the framers at the Constitutional Convention was to avoid creating an American version of the British monarchy, with a single, unaccountable ruler in charge of national policymaking, free to implement his vision at will.
President Donald Trump signs an executive order on Feb. 14, 2025, at the White House. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Going around Congress
Trump is not the first president to use Article 2’s ambiguity to push the boundaries of executive authority.
Particularly since the end of World War II and the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, presidents have seized upon the same phrases in the Constitution to put their particular political agendas into action.
Barack Obama, for instance, famously touted his “phone and pen” as a way to make policy when Congress refused.
The vehicle for most executive branch policymaking, including by Trump, has been the executive order. Executive orders are mentioned nowhere in the Constitution, but presidents have, since the very earliest days of the republic, issued these directives under their “executive” and “take care” power. Since the founding, there have been tens of thousands of executive orders, used by Democratic and Republican presidents alike.
Because they have the force of law and remain in place until revoked by a subsequent president, executive orders have often faced legal challenges. Currently, there are more than 80 lawsuits challenging Trump’s executive orders for violating both federal law and the Constitution. Some orders, but not all, have been halted by lower courts.
But if many presidents have believed that Article 2 of the Constitution gives them the power to make policy via executive order, the nation’s highest court hasn’t always agreed.
Out of bounds?
Requests to the high court to rule on Trump’s executive orders are a virtual certainty.
Historically, the Supreme Court has struck down some executive orders as outside the scope of Article 2. As the court wrote in 1952, “In the framework of our Constitution, the President’s power to see that the laws are faithfully executed refutes the idea that he is to be a lawmaker.”
Whether Trump’s various directives are within his Article 2 authority or violate both the letter and spirit of the Constitution awaits determination, most likely by the U.S. Supreme Court. Much of the genius of that document is its often ambiguous language, letting the government adapt to a changing nation.
Yet that very ambiguity has allowed both sides of today’s political divide to claim that their version of executive power is faithful to the framers’ vision. As with the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movements, such a dispute could very well drive the U.S. to the breaking point.
Congress or the American people may eventually decide that Trump has gone too far. The next presidential election is years away, but Congress still retains the power of impeachment. More realistically, they could rein him in via legislation, as they did with President Richard Nixon.
For now, it is up to the judicial system to evaluate what the administration has done. Courts will need to use their constitutionally mandated authority to evaluate whether Trump has exceeded his.
Electricity generators plan to retire 12.3 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in 2025, a 65% increase in retirements compared with 2024. Last year, 7.5 GW was retired from the U.S. power grid, the least generation retired since 2011, according to data reported to us in our latest inventory of electric generators. Coal generating capacity accounts for the largest share of planned capacity retirements (66%), followed by natural gas (21%).
Coal. Electric generators report that they plan to retire 8.1 GW of coal-fired capacity in 2025, or 4.7% of the total U.S. coal fleet that was in operation at the end of 2024. Coal retirements decreased to 4.0 GW last year, less than the 9.8 GW of coal capacity retired in each of the last 10 years.
The largest U.S. coal plant that generators plan to retire this year is the 1,800-megawatt (MW) Intermountain Power Project in Utah, where an 840-MW natural gas combined-cycle power block is expected to come online in July. J H Campbell (1,331 MW) in Michigan and Brandon Shores (1,273 MW) in Maryland are two other large coal plants expected to retire this year.
Natural gas. This year, generators plan to retire 2.6 GW of U.S. natural gas capacity, representing 0.5% of the natural gas fleet in operation at the end of 2024. Almost all of the expected retirements are simple-cycle natural gas turbine power plants, which burn natural gas in a single turbine to produce electricity and are less efficient compared with combined-cycle natural gas plants.
More than 62% of the natural gas retirements will come from V H Braunig Units 1, 2, and 3 (859 MW) in Texas and Eddystone Units 3 and 4 (760 MW) in Pennsylvania. Both plants are retiring old steam units installed between 1966 and 1974. Another 29% of the natural gas retirements will come from 16 simple-cycle combustion turbines totaling 754 MW at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Johnsonville station in Tennessee. These units, installed in 1975, will be replaced with 10 new, modern aeroderivative gas turbines, which will add 500 MW of natural gas capacity back to the Johnsonville station.
Petroleum. Petroleum-fired power plants make up around 2.3% of generating capacity in the United States. This year, 1.6 GW of U.S. petroleum-fired capacity is scheduled to retire. More than half of the retiring capacity comes from the Herbert A Wagner power plant in Maryland, where Talen Energy plans to retire three of its oil-fired units totaling 828 MW. The next-largest retirement comes from the TVA’s Allen power plant in Tennessee, where TVA plans to shut down its 20-unit combustion turbine site totaling 427 MW.
Principal contributor: Office of Energy Statistics staff
TIME USE SURVEY (TUS) (JANUARY – DECEMBER, 2024) “Increase in women participation in employment-related activities”
“More acknowledgement of caregiving activities regardless of gender within Indian families”
“Time spent in Culture, leisure, mass-media and sports practices has increased in both men and women”
Posted On: 25 FEB 2025 4:00PM by PIB Delhi
Introduction
Time Use Survey (TUS) provides a framework for measuring time dispositions by the population on different activities. It is an important source of information about the activities that are performed by the population and the time duration for which such activities are performed. One distinguishing feature of the Time Use Survey from other household surveys is that it can capture time disposition on different aspects of human activities, be it paid, unpaid or other activities with such details which is not possible in other surveys.
India is among the few countries, including Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, USA and China that conduct the National Time Use Survey to analyze how people allocate their time to various daily activities. The primary objective of the Survey is to measure the participation of men and women in paid and unpaid activities. TUS is an important source of information on the time spent in unpaid caregiving activities, volunteer work, and unpaid domestic service-producing activities of the household members. It also provides information on time spent on learning, socializing, leisure activities, self-care activities, etc., by the household members.
The National Statistics Office (NSO), MoSPI conducted the first all-India Time Use Survey during January – December 2019. The present TUS conducted during January – December 2024 is the second such All-India Survey.
Key Highlights of the Results of Time Use Survey, 2024 (TUS, 2024):
During 2024, 75 percent of the males and 25 per cent of the females in the age group 15-59 years, participated in employment and related activities during the reference period of 24 hours. Such participation was 70.9 percent for males and 21.8 percent for females in the age group 15-59 years during 2019.
Female participants aged 15-59 years in unpaid domestic services spent about 315 minutes during 2019 in those activities, which has come down to 305 minutes during 2024 signifying the shift from unpaid to paid activities.
41 per cent of females aged 15-59 years participated in caregiving for their household members, male participation in this age group in such caregiving was 21.4 per cent. Also, female participants in caregiving activities spent about 140 minutes in a day, compared to 74 minutes spent by male participants aged 15-59 years. This corroborates the Indian social fabric wherein most of the caregiving responsibilities for household members are borne by the females of the household.
24.6 per cent of the rural population aged 15-59 years participated in producing goods for own final use and they spent 121 minutes a day doing such activities.
89.3 per cent of children aged 6-14 years participated in learning activities and they spent around 413 minutes in a day for such activities.
People aged 6 years and above spent 11 per cent of their days’ time in culture, leisure, mass media and sports practices during 2024, compared to 9.9 per cent of the days’ time spent during 2019.
708 minutes in a day was spent on self-care and maintenance activities by persons aged 6 years and above. Females of this age group spent 706 minutes while males spent 710 minutes in such activities.
Features of the Survey
In TUS, 2024, respondents were asked about their activities performed in the designated time slots of 30 minutes and the same was recorded against the corresponding slot. In case of multiple activities in a time slot, a maximum of three activities which were performed for 10 minutes or more, were recorded. Information on time use was collected for persons aged 6 years and above with a reference period of 24 hours.
Coverage: This survey covered 1,39,487 households (rural: 83,247 and urban: 56,240). Information on time use was collected from each member of age 6 years and above of the selected households. This survey enumerated 4,54,192 persons aged 6 years and above (rural: 2,85,389 and urban: 1,68,803).
Data Collection: In this survey data on time use was collected through CAPI (Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews). Information on time use was collected with a reference period of 24 hours starting from 4:00 AM on the day before the date of the interview to 4:00 AM on the day of the interview
Presentation of the estimates: All-India level estimates for persons of age 6 years and above, obtained from the Time Use Survey, 2024, have been presented in the Fact Sheet.
Major Indicators: The major indicators generated from TUS, 2024 are described here.
PARTICIPATION RATE: Participation rate in a day in any activity is calculated as the percentage of persons performing that activity during the day.
AVERAGE TIME SPENT IN A DAY PER PARTICIPANT: The average time spent in a day per participant for any activity is calculated by considering those who participated in the activity. Estimates of average time in a day in different activities derived by considering only the participants in the activities are referred to as average time spent in a day per participant.
AVERAGE TIME SPENT IN A DAY PER PERSON: The average time spent in a day per person for any activity is calculated by considering all the persons irrespective of whether they participated in the activity or not. By this approach, the distribution of the total time of 1440 minutes of a day per person in different activities is derived.
The key findings of the TUS 2024 are given in the Statements annexed while the Fact Sheet is accessible at https://mospi.gov.in.
Key Findings of the Survey
Table 1: Percentage of persons of age 6 years and above participating in different activities in a day
all-India
Description of the activity
sector
gender
rural
urban
rural+urban
male
female
person
Employment and related activities
41.1
40.5
40.9
60.8
20.7
40.9
Production of goods for own final use
21.6
6.2
16.8
13.0
20.7
16.8
Unpaid domestic services for household members
54.2
53.9
54.1
27.1
81.5
54.1
Unpaid caregiving services for household members
26.5
24.5
25.9
17.9
34.0
25.9
Unpaid volunteer, trainee and other unpaid work
1.0
1.1
1.0
0.9
1.1
1.0
Learning
21.7
20.7
21.4
22.6
20.2
21.4
Socializing and communication,
community participation and religious practice
90.1
90.8
90.3
89.8
90.7
90.3
Culture, leisure, mass-media and sports practices
91.8
95.8
93.0
95.3
90.7
93.0
Self-care and maintenance
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Note: The estimates have been calculated considering all the activities in a time slot
Table 2: Average time (in minutes) spent in a day per participant of age 6 years and above in different activities
all-India
Description of the activity
sector
gender
rural
urban
rural+urban
male
female
person
Employment and related activities
417
490
440
473
341
440
Production of goods for own final use
123
64
116
137
104
116
Unpaid domestic services for household members
241
232
238
88
289
238
Unpaid caregiving services for household members
115
117
116
75
137
116
Unpaid volunteer, trainee and other unpaid work
121
123
122
139
108
122
Learning
413
419
414
415
413
414
Socializing and communication, community participation and religious practice
142
131
138
138
139
138
Culture, leisure, mass-media and sports practices
165
183
171
177
164
171
Self-care and maintenance
711
701
708
710
706
708
Note: The estimates have been calculated considering all the activities in a time slot
Table 3: Percentage share of total time in different activities in a day per person of age 6 years and above
all-India
Description of the activity
sector
gender
rural
urban
rural+urban
male
female
person
Employment and related activities
11.9
13.8
12.5
19.9
4.9
12.5
Production of goods for own final use
1.9
0.3
1.4
1.3
1.5
1.4
Unpaid domestic services for household members
9.1
8.7
9.0
1.7
16.4
9.0
Unpaid caregiving services for household members
2.1
2.0
2.1
0.9
3.3
2.1
Unpaid volunteer, trainee and other unpaid work
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
Learning
6.3
6.0
6.2
6.5
5.8
6.2
Socializing and communication, community participation and
religious practice
8.9
8.3
8.7
8.6
8.8
8.7
Culture, leisure, mass-media and sports practices
10.5
12.2
11.0
11.7
10.3
11.0
Self-care and maintenance
49.4
48.7
49.2
49.3
49.0
49.2
Total
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Note: (i) The estimates have been calculated considering all the activities in a time slot
(ii) Figures may not add up to 100 due to rounding off.
Raksha Mantri confers 32 gallantry, distinguished service & meritorious service medals to ICG personnel ICG has grown into a formidable, trustworthy & one of the world’s most efficient marine forces: Shri Rajnath Singh
RM exhorts marine forces to remain alert of conventional and unconventional threats
Posted On: 25 FEB 2025 1:25PM by PIB Delhi
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh conferred gallantry, distinguished service, and meritorious service medals to the personnel of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) during the 18th ICG Investiture Ceremony held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on February 25, 2025. A total of 32 medals – six President’s Tatrakshak Medals (Distinguished Service), 11 Tatrakshak Medals (Gallantry) and 15 Tatrakshak Medals (Meritorious Service) – for 2022, 2023 and 2024 were presented to the personnel for their exemplary service, acts of valour, and selfless dedication to duty, often in challenging & extreme conditions.
Congratulating the personnel, Raksha Mantri described the medals as not just a memento, but a symbol of bravery, perseverance and unwavering resolve towards maintaining the honour of the tricolour. He commended the personnel for their efforts in ensuring coastal security, organisational efficiency, seizure of drugs, rescue operations and international exercises.
Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted the growth of ICG into a formidable, trustworthy and one of the most efficient marine forces in the world. “Geographically, India is surrounded by sea on three sides and its coastline is vast. The nation’s strategic security faces two types of threats. The first is war which is dealt by the Armed Forces, and the second are the challenges of piracy, terrorism, infiltration, smuggling & illegal fishing for which the marine forces, especially ICG, are always alert. ICG, working proactively to tackle these challenges, is a key player in ensuring strategic security,” he said.
In the last one year, ICG has achieved significant achievements in maritime safety, security and humanitarian operations. It apprehended 14 boats and 115 pirates, apart from carrying out a major drug seizure of about Rs 37,000 crore. In addition, ICG saved 169 lives through various rescue operations and provided medical assistance to 29 seriously injured people.
Raksha Mantri termed these achievements as not just statistics, but a story of ICG’s courage and dedication towards national security. By being alert on the maritime borders, ICG not only stops illegal infiltration, but also helps in positively impacting India’s sovereignty and internal security, he said. Shedding light on the emergence of unconventional threats due to the latest technological advancements, he called upon the marine forces, especially ICG, to remain alert of challenges such as cyber attacks, data breach, signal jamming, radar disruption and GPS spoofing, in addition to the conventional threats.
Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that the vision of a secure & prosperous India can only be realised if its security system is robust and the forces are strong. He reiterated Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led Government’s commitment to increasing the efficiency of ICG. “Indian Coast Guard has been allocated Rs 9,676.70 crore for the Financial Year 2025-26, which is 26.50% more than the previous budget. It is a crucial step towards modernising ICG. In addition, the procurement of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels, six Air Cushion Vehicles, 22 Interceptor Boats, six Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels and 18 Next Generation Fast Patrol Vessels has been approved to make ICG stronger,” he said.
Raksha Mantri acknowledged ICG’s focus on technological advancements, while commending the foundation laying of the Digital Coast Guard project. All these efforts will continuously strengthen the ICG to effectively deal with conventional and unconventional threats, he said, assuring the Government’s full support in achieving this objective.
Prior to the ceremony, Raksha Mantri inspected the Ceremonial Guard of Honour, reflecting the solemnity and importance of the occasion. The awardees and their families also interacted with Shri Rajnath Singh, marking a fitting conclusion to the event. Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth, Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani, other senior officials of ICG & Ministry of Defence and the families of the awardees were present on the occasion.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), in collaboration with MyGov, is set to launch an exciting data-visualization hackathon titled “Innovate with GoIStats”, centered around the theme “Data-Driven Insights for Viksit Bharat”.The hackathon aims to inspire India’s young and brightest minds – students and researchers to utilize the vast official statistics generated by the National Statistics Office (NSO) for creating innovative data driven insights.
The hackathon will invite participants to explore and analyse official statistics from the reports, microdata and other datasets available on the website of the Ministry, such as the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), Household Consumer Expenditure Survey (HCES), Annual Survey of Industries (ASI),Consumer Price Index (CPI), Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and more to create impactful visualizations to support evidence-based policymaking in the journey towards Viksit Bharat. Participants can gain hands-on experience with official statistics while creating a stronger foundation for data-driven policy insights.
The Hackathon will take place on the MyGov platform, from 25th February 2025 to 31st March 2025. Students pursuing undergraduate, postgraduate or doing research can participate. The top 30 entries, selected by a panel of expert evaluators from the industry and academia will get prize money, with one first prize of ₹2 Lakhs, followed by two second prizes of ₹1 Lakh each, two third prizes of ₹50,000 each and twenty-five consolation prizes of ₹20,000 each.
Participate in ‘Innovate with GoIStats’ – where data meets vision.
For more information and to register, please visit the link:
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
HEFEI, Feb. 25 — Wu Zenghe, who has been in the bed-and-breakfast (B&B) business for over a decade, feels that the enthusiasm for cultural travel consumption among China’s elderly has been constantly rising in recent years.
His B&B, especially designed for the elderly and located in the Huizhou ancient town, a popular tourist destination in Shexian County, east China’s Anhui Province, has only been operating for a year but has already attracted groups of silver-haired visitors from first-tier cities.
As one of the first batch of B&Bs to combine local history, beautiful scenery and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the county, Wu’s B&B regularly invites doctors to provide health management services, including the likes of medical lectures and TCM physiotherapy, while also providing tourism services tailored to suit the elderly, such as slow-paced travel plans.
“Travel for health is about to see an influx of those born in the 1960s and 1970s, who have the ability and willingness to spend on health management and better tourism experiences,” he said.
The silver economy is providing huge consumption energy in the cultural tourism market. Statistics from the China Tourism Academy showed that the number of tourist trips made by those aged 60 and above had reached 1.16 billion in 2023 — accounting for 20.6 percent of China’s total domestic tourists. It is estimated that by 2028, the value of the silver-haired tourism market will reach about 2.7 trillion yuan (roughly 376 billion U.S. dollars), revealing strong growth momentum.
Earlier this month, nine Chinese government agencies and state-owned enterprises, including the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, unveiled an action plan to expand and improve senior-friendly tourism train services, in the latest bid to create more inclusive and enjoyable travel experiences for the elderly.
It plans to create a nationwide network of specialized trains catering to older travelers by 2027 — featuring over 100 designed routes and 2,500 scheduled trips annually.
According to a blue paper on China’s silver economy, the sector is currently valued at 7 trillion yuan, with tourism being a key growth area.
Elderly adults in China had amassed wealth totaling 78.4 trillion yuan by 2023, according to the China National Committee on Ageing. The value of the silver economy is projected to reach 30 trillion yuan by 2035.
The growing market size of the silver-haired group has also promoted upgrading of the accommodation industry. For example, hotels in many places in China have launched innovations such as silent floors and non-slip bathrooms.
According to H World Group, one of China’s largest hotel operators, rooms that are equipped with elderly-friendly facilities proved popular last year — with an occupancy rate of more than 90 percent in 2024.
“China’s rural areas offer good scenery and environments, and these benefits are now coupled with improving accommodation conditions as well as medical services. We both feel very comfortable in body and mind,” said Sun Tian, a tourist from Shanghai, adding that he and his wife meet up with old friends for a stay in a health resort in the Yangtze River Delta region for a period each year, while they often shop online for agricultural products from the health resort area after returning to Shanghai.
An Accredited Official Statistics Publication for Scotland.
Scotland’s Chief Statistician today released Recorded Crime in Scotland, year ending December 2024.
In the year ending December 2024:
The police in Scotland recorded 298,308 crimes. This was 1% lower than the 302,076 crimes recorded in the year ending December 2023, but 1% higher than the 296,263 crimes recorded in the year ending December 2020.
Non-sexual crimes of violence were 2% lower compared to the year ending December 2023 (decreasing from 71,900 to 70,637 crimes), but 10% higher compared to the year ending December 2020 (increasing from 63,938 to 70,637 crimes).
Sexual crimes were 2% lower compared to the year ending December 2023 (decreasing from 14,894 to 14,539 crimes), but 11% higher compared to the year ending December 2020 (increasing from 13,106 to 14,539 crimes).
Crimes of dishonesty were less than 1% lower compared to the year ending December 2023 (decreasing from 111,682 to 111,265 crimes), but 16% higher compared to the year ending December 2020 (increasing from 96,286 to 111,265 crimes).
Damage and reckless behaviour was 7% lower compared to the year ending December 2023 (decreasing from 42,124 to 39,249 crimes), and 12% lower compared to the year ending December 2020 (decreasing from 44,419 to 39,249 crimes).
Crimes against society were 2% higher compared to the year ending December 2023 (increasing from 61,476 to 62,618 crimes), but 10% lower compared to the year ending December 2020 (decreasing from 69,241 to 62,618 crimes).
The number of offences recorded by the police in Scotland was 177,172. This is 1% lower than the 179,616 offences recorded in the year ending December 2023, and 6% lower than the 187,752 offences recorded in the year ending December 2020.
The statistics provide information on recorded crimes up to year ending December 2024, and the previous four years. For additional and more detailed commentary on the recording of crimes and offences, we recommend users refer to the 2023-24 (or year ending March 2024) Accredited Official Statistics bulletin. This includes time series analysis over the longer term (back to 1971), statistics on cyber-crimes and clear-up rates.
Contraventions of Scottish criminal law are divided for statistical purposes into crimes and offences. ‘Crime’ is generally used for the more serious criminal acts. The less serious termed ‘offences’, although the term ‘offence’ may also be used in relation to serious breaches of criminal law. The distinction is made only for statistical reporting purposes and the ‘seriousness’ of the offence is generally related to the maximum sentence that can be imposed.
Accredited Official Statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of Official Statistics in Scotland can be accessed at: Statistics and research – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Secure Care Statistics for the period from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024 have been published today.
Key findings include:
During 2023-24, there were an average of 60 children in secure care accommodation – up 2% from an average of 59 children in 2022-23.
149 admissions to Secure Care Accommodation took place during 2023-24 – a 3% decrease from the previous year (154).
On average, 48 children were from within Scotland (up 30% on 2022-23) and 12 were from outside Scotland (down 45% on 2022-23).
Emergency beds were used for a total number of 11 nights – continuing the noticeable reduction starting in 2020, in total, six residents used an emergency bed during the 2023-24.
This report is part of the Children’s Social Work Statistics publication series. The statistics include data collected from four secure care accommodation services in Scotland: Good Shepherd Secure Unit, Kibble Safe Centre, Rossie Secure Accommodation Services and St. Mary’s Kenmure. These figures relate to the reporting year 01 August 2023 to 31 July 2024.
Secure accommodation is a form of residential childcare that restricts the freedom of children under the age of 18. It is for the small number of children who may be at significant risk to themselves, or others in the community, and whose needs and risks can only be managed in secure care’s controlled settings. It aims to be a nurturing environment that is able to address specific needs and behaviours whilst providing care, including health and education. There are various legal routes to secure care, but the majority of children are placed there via the children’s hearing system or the court.
Accredited Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics.
Through the Mortgage Market Sector Development Program, ADB is providing a $50-million policy-based loan to support mortgage market reforms that will economize the government’s housing subsidy and policy framework and create a conducive environment and infrastructure for market-based mortgage lending. It is also providing a $300-million financial intermediation loan to finance the country’s new mortgage refinancing company that enables domestic commercial banks to provide residential mortgage and housing improvement loans. A technical assistance grant of $800,000 supports the implementation of the program.
Strengthening the policy, regulatory, and legal framework. Findings from a review of the policy, regulatory, and legal framework for the mortgage finance sector and housing market assessment formed the basis for the design of the program. The study recommended that subsidy arrangements be revised to ensure that higher subsidies are provided to lower income households and regressive subsidies are changed.
Improving the housing strategy and subsidy framework. ADB provided the Ministry of Economy and Finance recommendations on revising the housing finance and subsidy approach as a result of which the government adopted series of changes to enable gradual transformation of state housing programs toward a market-based principles and improving the subsidy targeting.
Establishing and operationalizing a wholesale mortgage refinance company. The government established the Uzbekistan Mortgage Refinancing Company with ADB support and equity investment from government and commercial banks. It provides banks with access to local currency long-term funding. The company prefinances and refinances eligible mortgage loans and housing improvement loans issued by participating banks at an interest rate close to market rates.
To support operationalization of the company, the project tapped the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and its consulting team of experts, most of them active and retired CEOs and board chairpersons of international and national mortgage refinance corporations including from Armenia, France, Malaysia, and Pakistan. The team prepared the company’s business plan, human resources plan, legal framework, institutional arrangement, internal policies and procedures, list of products and services, and risk management plan. The government believed that the first CEO of the mortgage refinancing company was of utmost importance to building everyone’s confidence in this new institution and was directly involved in vetting and hiring the CEO.
Expanding and improving data collection. The project supported work on improving housing statistics, introducing a housing price index in Uzbekistan, and developing a mortgage market database and website. International experts provided in-person and on-line training to ministries, banks, and other stakeholders. A new system was introduced to collect housing sector data (i.e., mortgage loans by type, terms, program and other categories) through updates to the annual statistical reporting forms for commercial banks. The collected data is also shared with the Ministry of Finance.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins, co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, and Michael Bennet (D-CO) reintroduced the High-Rise Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act to help place more sprinklers in older high-rise residential buildings where fires are especially dangerous. Companion legislation has been reintroduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11) and John Larson (D-CT-1), another co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus.
“The annual cost of fires is enormous, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Americans and causing billions of dollars in property damage. Fortunately, state-of-the-art sprinkler systems can help avert these tragedies by controlling and extinguishing fires, protecting firefighters, and saving countless lives,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would create a tax incentive for property owners to modernize the sprinkler systems in their high-rise buildings, helping better protect these communities.”
“Older high-rise apartments pose serious risks for residents and firefighters because they were completed before modern fire codes required sprinklers,” said Senator Bennet. “This common-sense, bipartisan bill can help save lives by encouraging building owners to modernize their properties by installing sprinklers.”
Recent research has found that Americans “have the least amount of time today to safely exit their homes in the event of a fire than at any time in history,” and fire deaths have steadily increased over the last decade. However, the current tax code does not adequately incentivize high-rise building owners to install fire sprinklers, since it treats them similarly to plumbing and depreciates the costs over 39 years. The High-Rise Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act encourages high-rises to modernize their fire prevention systems by decreasing this cost recovery to 15 years.
“Fire sprinklers are one of the most effective ways to save the lives of both civilians and firefighters in the event of a fire,” said Bill Webb, Executive Director, Congressional Fire Services Institute. “The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) strongly supports the High-Rise Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act, which will make it more economical to install fire sprinkler systems in residential high-rise properties. Incentivizing installation of fire sprinkler systems will help to protect property and most importantly, save lives. CFSI looks forward to working with Senators Bennet and Collins, and Representatives Malliotakis and Larson to help this bill become law.”
“Residential high-rise structures are among the most challenging and dangerous environments the fire service operates in,” said Victor Stagnaro, Chief Executive Officer, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. “Automatic fire sprinklers are a proven technology that contains fire, provides residents the necessary time to evacuate, and saves lives. We applaud Senator Bennet, Senator Collins, Representative Malliotakis, and Representative Larson for their continued commitment to the safety of our citizens and the health and well-being of our nation’s firefighters.”
“Sprinklers save lives by helping address unique challenges posed by high-rise buildings such as longer egress times and distance, fire department accessibility and fire control,” Jim Pauley, President and CEO, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). “NFPA strongly supports the bipartisan High-Rise Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act and urges Congress to act quickly.”
“Statistics consistently show that fire sprinkles save lives,” said Steve Hirsch, Chair, National Volunteer Fire Council. “I applaud Senators Bennet and Collins and Reps. Malliotakis and Larson for reintroducing this important legislation, which would incentive the installation of sprinklers in high-rise buildings.”
“Almost every high-rise fire in this country has a firefighter injury and many more are having civilian and firefighter fatalities,” said Shane Ray, President, National Fire Sprinkler Association. “There should not be a high-rise building in America in 2025 that is not properly protected. Thank you to Congressman Larson, Congresswoman Malliotakis, Senator Bennet, and Senator Collins for protecting the occupants and firefighters.”
“I thank Senators Bennet and Collins for introducing the High-Rise Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act,” said Chief Josh Waldo, President and Board Chair, International Association of Fire Chiefs. “Passage of this legislation would be a historic accomplishment by incentivizing the installation of fire sprinklers in high-rise buildings. As we have seen in the Grenfell Tower fire in the UK and in fires here in America, we must have the best fire protection systems possible in high-rises to save human life.”
Unaffordable GP visits has become a pressing issue amid the increasing cost-of-living crisis. About 30% of Australians delayed or didn’t see a GP in 2023–24.
To solve this problem, Labor has proposed extending bulk billing incentives to all Australians. It hopes to increase bulk billing from 78% to 90% by 2030.
The Coalition has promised to match Labor’s plan.
Why not aim for 100%? It might seem a worthy goal to make GP care free for everyone, for every visit. But the evidence suggests there’s benefit to getting those on higher incomes to contribute a small amount to the cost of seeing a GP.
GP care should be free for these Australians
We should aim for access to GP care to be affordable and equitable. For some people, this should mean they can access the services for free.
Appointments for children should be free. Making health checks regular and accessible during childhood is an effective long-term investment which can delay the onset of disease.
GP visits should also be free for people with low incomes. Free primary care can mean people who would otherwise avoid seeing a GP can have their ongoing conditions managed, undergo preventive health checks, and fill prescriptions.
When people skip GP visits and can’t afford to fill their prescriptions, their conditions can worsen. This can reduce the person’s quality of life, and require higher-cost emergency department visits and hospital care.
Appointments in rural and remote areas should also be free. Australians living in rural and remote areas currently pay more to see a GP, have less access to care when they need it, and experience poorer health outcomes and shorter lives than their city counterparts.
Making GP visits free for rural and remote Australians would help reduce this rural–urban gap.
However, providing free GP care for everyone can cause unnecessary strain on health budgets and make the policy unsustainable in the long run.
What can happen if you make care free for all?
In general, when the price is low, or something is free, people use these services more. This includes medical care and medications. Free GP care may encourage more people to see their GP more than is necessary.
Previous research showed that free care increased the use of health care but does not necessarily improve health outcomes, especially for those who are relatively healthy.
If people are using GP services when they’re not really needed, this takes limited resources from those who really need them and can increase waiting times.
Australia is already experiencing a GP shortage. Higher patient volumes could leave existing GPs overwhelmed and overstretched. This can reduce the quality of care.
To balance affordability for patients with the financial viability of primary care, Australians who can afford to contribute to the cost of their GP care should pay a small amount.
However, the A$60 many of us currently pay to visit a GP is arguably too expensive, as it may prompt some to forego care when they need it.
A relatively smaller co-payment in the range of around $20 to $30 to visit the GP would help discourage unnecessary visits when resources are limited, but be less likely to turn patients off seeking this care.
Providing free GP visits for all may not be efficient or sustainable, but making it more affordable and equitable can lead to a more efficient and sustainable care system and doing so is within our reach.
Yuting Zhang has received funding from the Australian Research Council (future fellowship project ID FT200100630), Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Victorian Department of Health, and National Health and Medical Research Council. In the past, Professor Zhang has received funding from several US institutes including the US National Institutes of Health, Commonwealth fund, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She has not received funding from for-profit industry including the private health insurance industry.
Karinna Saxby has previously received funding from the Department of Health and Aged Care,
When you’re deciding what to eat for lunch or dinner, do you consider the meal’s greenhouse gas emissions? How do you compare the carbon footprint of a beef sandwich with that of a falafel wrap?
Most people can’t tell what’s better for the climate. Even those who care deeply about making sustainable food choices can struggle.
In Australia, meat products are responsible for almost half (49%) the greenhouse gas emissions of products consumed at home. Switching from these high-emission foods to lower-emission foods, such as plant-based meals, can significantly reduce household emissions. But a lack of knowledge may be stopping people doing the right thing.
The good news is my colleagues and I have a simple solution. Highlighting the source of the food as animal- or plant-based on carbon labels makes a big difference to consumer choices. In our latest research, we show this new carbon label encourages switching from animal-based to plant-based foods.
Closing the knowledge gap
Previous research has shown consumers consistently underestimate the vast difference in greenhouse gas emissions between animal- and plant-based foods. For instance, producing one kilogram of beef emits 60kg of greenhouse gases, whereas producing the same quantity of peas emits just 1kg of greenhouse gases. However, most people think the gap between the two is much smaller.
This matters because collectively, our food choices have a big impact on climate change. Agriculture generates almost a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, with animal products the biggest contributors.
Making carbon labels more informative
A “carbon footprint” refers to the greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product.
Most carbon labels follow a similar approach. They typically display a number representing greenhouse gas emissions, and a traffic-light system indicating the level of environmental impact from green (low) to red (high). But such labels do not indicate whether the food is animal- or plant-based. So a high carbon score does not help people identify the source of the emissions.
We designed a new type of label. It clearly displays whether the food is sourced mainly from animals or plants, along with the standard emissions score and traffic-light colour code. This approach is especially useful for the growing segment of pre-prepared and packaged foods such as soups and other ready-to-eat meals, which often contain a mix of meat and plant-based food.
Our label creates a mental link between a food source and its carbon impact. When a consumer sees high carbon scores and red traffic lights appearing more frequently on meat and other animal products, they begin to make the connection between those products and higher emissions. This is key to addressing a lack of knowledge around food carbon emissions.
We tested our label against the existing labels in a series of experiments with 1,817 everyday consumers from Australia, the United States and the Netherlands.
One experiment involved soup. Compared with the group exposed to the standard carbon label, the group exposed to our label learned to associate animal-based soups with higher greenhouse gas emissions more effectively. They were more accurate at estimating the greenhouse gas emissions of a second batch of soups without labels.
This improved knowledge also translates to more climate-friendly food choices. In another experiment with Australian consumers, we encouraged participants to choose five meals from ten options. Five were animal-based and five were plant-based.
Half the participants saw the meal options with our carbon labels, and the other half did not see the carbon labels. The group exposed to our carbon labels chose fewer animal-based options in their weekly meal plan. In this case, we don’t know whether a third group exposed to the standard label would also make more climate-friendly choices, but our earlier experiments suggested our label was more effective.
In the final experiment conducted in the Netherlands, displaying our carbon label made university students more likely to choose the plant-based snack option rather than the animal-based option.
While people who care most about sustainable eating may think they know better than others, we found that is not the case. These people were not better able than other participants to tell the difference in greenhouse gas emissions between animal- and plant-based foods without seeing our carbon label.
But they were better learners. When confronted with the facts about the differences between animal and plant-based foods on our labels, they were more likely to change their choices and switch to plant-based foods.
What this means for consumers and businesses
A simple change to food labels could help consumers make more informed environmental choices. For businesses and policymakers, it shows displaying only carbon numbers isn’t enough – the food source is crucial.
Some forward-thinking restaurants and food companies are already experimenting with adding carbon labels to the menu to encourage diners to choose climate-friendly dishes. Our research suggests this approach could be more effective when combined with the new carbon labels we designed.
As Australia grapples with meeting its climate commitments, helping consumers understand the environmental impact of their food choices will become increasingly important.
The challenge for businesses, policymakers and researchers isn’t convincing people to care about sustainability – they already do. Almost half of Australian shoppers (46%) say sustainability is important to them and influences their purchases, despite cost-of-living pressures.
But most sustainable actions in retail involve recyclable packaging, products and materials, and local produce. The carbon emission implications of these actions, sadly, are far less than reducing animal-based food consumption.
Instead, we need to focus on giving people the tools to make their environmental concerns count. Our carbon labels could be the key to helping consumers turn their sustainable intentions into meaningful climate action.
Yi Li 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.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
MILWAUKEE – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) hosted a roundtable discussion to highlight the dire consequences of Congressional Republicans’ moves to cut Medicaid to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. Senator Baldwin was joined by Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and members of the Milwaukee County Commission on Aging to discuss how these cuts jeopardize critical services for seniors. 5.6 million Americans count on Medicaid for their long-term care bills, with Medicaid paying for over half of long-term care in the United States for primarily seniors.
“Republicans are threatening to rip away health care from over one million Wisconsinites on Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. These aren’t just statistics, these are real people who will have their lives upended if they lose their health care. Today, I was able to hear how devastating this would be for our seniors in Milwaukee,” said Senator Baldwin. “Medicaid is the lifeline that provides health care for 8 million seniors, ensures over 30 million kids can see a doctor and get health care, and helps our rural hospitals keep their doors open.”
“We know that Medicaid is vital for working families across Wisconsin. Any cuts to federal Medicaid funding would have a detrimental impact on the health, safety, and prosperity of folks in Milwaukee County,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “I’m grateful that Senator Tammy Baldwin is fighting for our residents, families, and children every single day. Let’s continue working together to protect the quality, affordable health care that Wisconsinites need.”
Republicans are planning deep cuts to Medicaid that will jeopardize the coverage of 72 million Americans, or 1 in 5 people living in the United States who use Medicaid. This includes nearly half of all children, 31.5 million, over 8.3 million seniors, and around 15 million people with disabilities. Medicaid also pays for 6 out of 10 of residents in nursing homes, with 5.6 million Americans counting on Medicaid for their long-term care bills and Medicaid paying for over half of long-term care in the United States. Severe cuts to Medicaid will also jeopardize rural hospitals and clinics’ ability to keep their doors open. Over 12 million rural Americans rely on Medicaid for health care.
In Wisconsin, over 1.2 million people are enrolled in Medicaid. About 1 in 3 children in Wisconsin’s rural and metro communities have Medicaid coverage. More than 300,000 kids under age 19 are members of BadgerCare Plus or another Wisconsin Medicaid program.
Republicans released a budget blueprint that directed the committee with jurisdiction over Medicaid to find $880 billion in cuts for their upcoming budget to pay for tax breaks for the super-wealthy and large corporations. Last week, President Trump endorsed that blueprint. As Republicans move forward with their legislation, their plans to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid will jeopardize care for individuals with autism, seniors seeking long-term care, low- and middle-class children, and Americans who rely on rural hospitals. Republicans also rejected Democrats’ repeated attempts last week to protect Medicaid from being cut to fund billionaire tax breaks.
Police data shows that violent crime has fallen for the first time since 2018, indicating that the Government’s tough-on-crime and victims-first approach is working, Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith say. “After year-on-year increases in violent crime since 2018, it is encouraging to see a reversal of this rise with a two per cent drop in the numbers for 2024,” Mr Mitchell says. “It is especially encouraging when you consider that violent crime increased by 51 per cent between 2018 and 2023. “This drop coincides with New Zealand’s prison population hitting its highest level since 2018, and a raft of other Police statistics showing crime overall reducing, with total victimisations down two per cent, and assaults and serious assaults both down 1 per cent. “This is good to see, and what it shows is that after six years of emptying our prisons, and a soft-on-crime approach, the Government’s approach of restoring consequences for crime, and backing Police with new powers, is beginning to yield results. “Police are getting back to basics. They’re highly visible and demonstrating why they’re a world class Police Force. New tools enabling Police to crack down on gangs have proved their worth, with the insignia ban enabling Police to net further charges on a raft of things including drugs and firearms. Getting Police back out on the beat with 40 per cent more foot patrols, has seen aggravated robberies drop by 8 per cent, and the upward trend around theft in retail premises starting to slow. “With theft in retail premises up 11 per cent there is still more work to do but I am pleased to note that the violent element of that has plateaued, and the upward trend overall is slowing – which will be welcome relief for our small retail business owners across the country.” “The latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey also shows how effective our work to restore law and order has been,” Mr Goldsmith says. “There were 24,000 fewer victims over the year ending October 2024, compared to June 2024. “These results are extremely promising, but we expect the data to remain volatile before a longer-term trend emerges. There’s still more work to do. “It’s important to remember this survey covers a 24-month period, so it will take some time before we see the full positive results of tougher legislation”. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and ensuring there are 20,000 fewer victims of serious violent crime by 2029.”
Notes to editors:
Statistics (nationwide)
2023
2024
Percentage change
Ram raids
495
207
-58%
Foot patrols
56,134
78.830
+40%
Total victimisations
381,743
373,684
-2%
Serious assaults
55,470
54,656
-1%
Resulting in injury
25,129
24,509
-2%
Not resulting in injury
30,341
30,147
-1%
Common assault
21,432
21,397
0%
Abduction and kidnapping
475
482
+1%
Aggravated robbery
3,261
2,988
-8%
Unlawful entry with intent/Burglary, break and enter
66,355
62,200
-6%
Victimisations at retail premises:
2023
2024
Percentage change
Acts intended to cause injury
4,353
4,341
0%
Robbery, extortion and related offences
915
895
-2%
Unlawful entry with intent/Burglary, break and enter
8,023
8,294
+3%
Theft and related offences
109,991
122,773
+12%
Violent crime is not a category of data that Police tracks, and therefore data is based off of @Charteddaily’s post on x: https://x.com/Charteddaily/status/1885143695667978298. Their measure for violent crime includes common and sexual assaults, abductions, robberies and blackmail.
Data on excess mortality in EU/European Economic Area (EEA) countries is collected by the EuroMOMO project and by the Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the EU.
The EuroMOMO project is a European mortality monitoring activity based on overall mortality, but not cause-specific, supported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), and hosted by Statens Serum Institut, Denmark[1].
The statistical office of the European Union (DG ESTAT) publishes an excess mortality indicator, which is based on data from National Statistical Institutes on weekly deaths on a voluntary basis since April 2020[2].
In the years 2020-2023 the excess deaths rates correlate with the COVID-19 waves and are inversely correlated with vaccination coverage, as highlighted by the WHO[3].
The Commission supports ongoing studies on post-COVID and its link to various disease outcomes, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancers, or neural dysfunctions[4].
The ECDC recommends further immunisation as the most effective measure to protect against severe viral respiratory diseases[5] and scenario modelling has shown that high vaccine uptake at the population level is strongly correlated with reduced disease burden.
As Canada moves into 2025, its productivity still lags, despite efforts by the federal government to address the issue in the 2024 federal budget.
Canada’s productivity has declined in nine of the last 10 quarters. Between 2015 and 2023, Canadian productivity fell by an average of 0.8 per cent per year. This means that, for every hour worked by Canadian employees, their output decreased by about eight per cent over that entire period.
From an employer’s perspective, the main factor influencing productivity is the number of hours worked. For employees, the best proxy is wages received per hour worked — two related variables with differing implications.
To date, Canada’s strategy to improve productivity has been very traditional, in that its primary aim has been to provide incentives for improved business performance.
Global productivity issues
Canada’s productivity stagnation struggles are not unique. A December 2024 OECD working paper highlighted a widespread slowdown across the OECD nations.
From 1995 to 2023, ouputs from labour and capital inputs — know as multifactor productivity — declined sharply in both small and large advanced OECD countries.
In Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Spain and the United Kingdom, productivity has nearly stalled. Greece, Italy, Luxembourg and Mexico experienced prolonged periods of negative growth.
The OECD paper also found a link between productivity decline and stagnating human capital development. Since 2003, young citizens of OECD countries have underperformed on standardized tests in science, math and reading.
At the same time, many skilled immigrants to these countries are selected from the sciences and must score exceptionally high on language proficiency exams such as the International English Language Testing System.
This raises questions about how countries assess and utilize human capital, and whether traditional productivity measures fully capture workforce potential.
Innovation in productivity approaches
Innovation improves productivity, yet Canada’s 2024 budget fails to embrace this principle. The 2024 budget prescribed five main strategies to address Canada’s productivity issues:
incentives for entrepreneurs;
fiscal incentives for productivity-enhancing assets;
regulatory sandboxes to reduce bureaucratic red tape;
However, the initiatives largely continue to follow the traditional approach which focuses on incentivizing businesses to increase output, rather than focusing on workers — the factor most relevant to productivity.
One of the budget’s major assumptions, which has so far failed to materialize, was that productivity would grow by 1.8 per cent between 2024 and 2028, despite a 1.8 per cent decline over the previous three years and a 0.8 per cent decline over the preceding decade.
Another overlooked factor is that declining wages also decrease productivity. Instead of focusing solely on business incentives, a more effective labour-agency approach would also incentivize those who own the denominator in the productivity formula — workers.
This issue is particularly evident in Canada, where conversations about productivity are being shaped by immigration trends. In 2023, Canada welcomed one million new immigrants without a corresponding increase in economic output. From July 2023 to July 2024, immigrant underemployment rose by 3.1 to 12.6 per cent.
Some critics have blamed immigrants for Canada’s productivity struggles, but this narrative risks fostering anti-immigrant sentiment. While population growth may contribute to declining per capita productivity, in reality, many highly qualified immigrants end up underemployed or unemployed through no fault of their own.
A 2024 Statistics Canada report highlighted this missed economic opportunity, stating: “recent immigrants were more likely than people born in Canada to be employed in professional occupations and lower-skilled and labourer occupations.”
Canada’s current approach to productivity is incomplete. While business incentives play a role, productivity growth cannot be achieved without investing in workers — particularly immigrants, who represent a growing share of the workforce.
Canada and other OECD nations are missing an opportunity by failing to fully utilize immigrant talent. Rather than blaming immigrants for productivity declines, countries should recognize immigrants as valuable contributors. Proper credential recognition and expanding workforce integration programs could allow immigrants to contribute at their full economic potential.
A truly innovative productivity strategy would fund reskilling, upskilling and mentorship programs for immigrants and youth. It would also support equity initiatives to ensure immigrants aren’t exploited or paid less than their counterparts.
Improving career mobility is also essential. Helping immigrants transition into high-output sectors, such as technology or engineering, through retraining programs and targeted incentives could strengthen productivity.
Addressing wage inequity is also crucial. Ensuring immigrants receive fair wages aligned with their qualifications will improve worker motivation and productivity, consistent with the arguments of efficient wage theory.
If these issues remain unaddressed, Canada risks continued productivity stagnation by overlooking a key opportunity to harness the potential of its immigrant workforce.
Ako Ufodike receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Tampa, FL, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alpha Sigma Capital Researchhas released an in-depth report on XNET Mobile (XNET), a pioneering force in the decentralized wireless (DeWi) industry. As mobile data consumption continues to surge, traditional mobile network operators (MNOs) and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) face increasing challenges in scaling their infrastructure efficiently. XNET is addressing this critical industry need with an innovative blockchain-powered solution that enhances network capacity while reducing reliance on costly physical infrastructure.
Key Highlights from the Report:
Seamless Connectivity: XNET enables over 150 million mobile devices to connect automatically, leveraging blockchain-based incentives and carrier-grade hardware.
Scalable Data Offloading: Provides a cost-effective solution for MNOs and MVNOs to offload data through carrier-grade WiFi and LTE/5G interconnects.
Strategic Partnerships: Direct partnership with AT&T exemplifies XNET’s ability to integrate with traditional MNOs and enhance network scalability.
Decentralized Network Expansion: Uses WiFi 6+ and Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) networks to enhance connectivity in underserved and high-traffic areas.
Blockchain-Powered Model: Operates on Solana, allowing communities and entrepreneurs to build network infrastructure while earning tokenized incentives.
Industry Disruption: XNET’s approach challenges traditional mobile infrastructure models, providing a sustainable and decentralized alternative.
Despite liquidity challenges in the broader Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) sector, which have impacted the performance of the $XNET token, XNET remains uniquely positioned for long-term growth. “The mobile wireless industry has remained relatively unchanged for decades, and XNET is bringing a much-needed shift in how connectivity is built and managed,” said Enzo Villani, CEO, at Alpha Sigma Capital. “By utilizing blockchain technology and a decentralized model, XNET is providing a sustainable solution to meet the growing demand for high-speed, reliable mobile connectivity.”
About Alpha Transform Holdings Alpha Transform Holdings (ATH) is a leading digital asset investment firm, combining strategic advisory, research, and capital investment to drive innovation in Web3 and blockchain.
About Alpha Sigma Capital Research Active Investing in the Blockchain Economy.™
Alpha Sigma Capital Research is provided by Alpha Sigma Capital Advisors, LLC, the Investment Manager for the Alpha Blockchain/Web3 Fund and Alpha Liquid Fund. Alpha Sigma Capital (ASC) investment funds are focused on emerging blockchain companies that are successfully building their user-base, demonstrating real-world uses for their decentralized ecosystems, and moving blockchain technology towards mass-adoption. ASC is focused on companies leveraging blockchain technology to provide value-add in areas such as fintech, AI, supply chain, and healthcare. Apply to receive research at www.alphasigma.fund/research.
DISCLAIMER This is for informational use only. This is not investment advice. Other than disclosures relating to Alpha Transform Holdings (ATH) and Alpha Sigma Capital (ASC) this information is based on current public information that we consider reliable, but we do not represent it as accurate or complete, and it should not be relied on as such. The information, opinions, estimates, and forecasts contained herein are as of the date hereof and are subject to change without prior notification. We seek to update our information as appropriate.
Any forecasts contained herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be relied upon as advice or interpreted as a recommendation. The price of crypto assets may rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Past performance is not a guide to future performance, future returns are not guaranteed, and a loss of original capital may occur. Fluctuations in exchange rates could have adverse effects on the value or price of, or income derived from certain investments. We and our affiliates, officers, directors, and employees, excluding equity and credit analysts, will from time to time have long or short positions in, act as principal in, and buy or sell, the securities or derivatives, if any, referred to in this press release.
The information on which the information is based has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable such as, for example, the company’s financial statements filed with a regulator, the company website, the company white paper, pitchbook, and any other sources. While Alpha Sigma Capital has obtained data, statistics, and information from sources it believes to be reliable, Alpha Sigma Capital does not perform an audit or seek independent verification of any of the data, statistics, and information it receives. Unless otherwise provided in a separate agreement, Alpha Sigma Capital does not represent that the contents meet all of the presentation and/or disclosure standards applicable in the jurisdiction the recipient is located. Alpha Sigma Capital and its officers, directors, and employees shall not be responsible or liable for any trading decisions, damages, or other losses resulting from, or related to, the information, data, analyses, or opinions within the report.
Crypto and/or digital currencies involve substantial risk, are speculative in nature, and may not perform as expected. Many digital currency platforms are not subject to regulatory supervision, unlike regulated exchanges. Some platforms may commingle customer assets in shared accounts and provide inadequate custody, which may affect whether or how investors can withdraw their currency and/or subject them to money laundering. Digital currencies may be vulnerable to hacks and cyber fraud as well as significant volatility and price swings.
BOSTON, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rhino Federated Computing, the global leader in enterprise Federated Computing platforms, announced today a partnership with Flower, the world’s most popular open-source Federated Learning (FL) framework and Decentralized AI developer community. This partnership enables organizations from all industries to seamlessly benefit from the rapidly growing Flower ecosystem via Rhino Federated Computing Platform (FCP), unlocking unparalleled ease of deployment, security, and scalability.
Developer-Friendly Federated AI with Flower Labs
Flower has long been celebrated for its unmatched ease-of-use, large-active developer community and industry-firsts like FlowerLLM. The Flower framework simplifies the building of FL systems due to its:
Diverse ML Framework and Tool Compatibility: Flower seamlessly works with TensorFlow, PyTorch, XGBoost, MLX, JAX, and many more ML tools which simplifies adoption by existing AI teams, and the integration effort even for organizations employing diverse AI/ML toolchains.
Best-in-Class PETs Support: Flower offers AI developers a rich set of privacy-enhanced technologies (PETs) including many varieties of differential privacy, secure aggregation, homomorphic encryption to name a few, that are optimized under Flower for a wide range of ML hardware platforms.
Scalable and Customizable to Enterprise Environments: The underlying Flower architecture is built for high-performance with large-scale production environments in mind; the framework also offers out-of-the-box flexibility to support custom enterprise requirements such as aggregation and learning algorithms, user authentication, networking protocols and data formats.
By integrating Flower Labs’ framework into Rhino FCP, organizations can now leverage the framework’s unique benefits while operating within a platform designed for enterprise environments.
Rhino FCP: Enterprise Federated Computing
Rhino Federated Computing Platform (FCP) is a scalable, secure, and production-grade federated computing solution designed to orchestrate both site-specific and federated workflows without requiring data transfer. It supports multi-cloud and hybrid enabling enterprises to unlock proprietary data for AI and analytics. Rhino differentiates with:
Enterprise-Grade Orchestration & Security – Provides centralized management with decentralized execution, ensuring encryption, role-based access control (RBAC), and audit logging to meet regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001, and SOC 2 Type II; Rhino has passed security reviews with numerous large, rigorous organizations across regulated industries.
Scalable & Infrastructure-Agnostic – Enables distributed computing across multi-cloud and on-prem environments, minimizing operational complexity while optimizing performance. Available in multiple cloud marketplaces.
Seamless Integration with Data & AI Ecosystems – Supports leading federated learning frameworks, and integrates a wide range of software for pre-processing, data harmonization and viewing model training, analytics, AI workflows and storage.
Privacy-Preserving AI & Federated Analytics – Supports technologies like tokenization, differential privacy, homomorphic encryption and privacy preserving federated analytics / statistics to extract insights without exposing sensitive data.
With Rhino FCP, enterprises can rapidly deploy, scale, and operationalize federated AI while maintaining full control over security, compliance, and data governance.
Democratizing Federated Learning Across Industries
Combining the rich ecosystem of Flower with the enterprise-hardened capabilities of Rhino FCP, opens doors for enterprises to rapidly adopt Federated Learning without compromising on security or operational efficiency. From healthcare and pharmaceuticals to finance, manufacturing, and retail, organizations can now adopt cutting-edge AI techniques with ease, unlocking insights from distributed data while protecting sensitive information.
“Rhino is proud to offer the world’s leading enterprise-hardened Federated Computing Platform,” said Rhino co-founder & CEO, Dr. Ittai Dayan, “Adding Flower’s framework to Rhino FCP will broaden the network of people able to collaborate, bringing massive value to all participants.”
“Flower is on a mission to make federated AI the new default,” said Flower Labs Co-Founder & CEO, Daniel J. Beutel, “Bringing Flower compatibility to Rhino FCP will enable more enterprises to benefit from and contribute back to the large and growing Flower ecosystem.”
About Rhino Federated Computing
Rhino’s Federated Computing Platform (Rhino FCP) unites siloed data with edge computing and federated learning, empowering enterprises to accelerate data strategies and to expand AI partnerships & use cases. Visit https://www.rhinofcp.com/ to learn more.
About Flower Labs
Flower (https://flower.ai) enables organizations and companies to train better AI models by safely leveraging distributed data. The Flower open-source framework and eco-system is the de-facto standard for federated AI in both research and production around the world. It offers a unified approach to decentralized forms of learning, analytics, and evaluation; with a focus on an easy-to-use AI developer experience. To learn more about Flower visit https://flower.ai/
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently chaired a meeting of the Korean Worker’s Party Secretariat, the body responsible for prescribing correct behaviour and ensuring it’s adhered to by party members. The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that this meeting was convened to address various shortcomings in discipline (tangnaegyuryurŭl ranp’ok) – including binge drinking by some party officials.
The meeting was concerned with two violations of party discipline in particular. Party officials in Onchon County (about 60km west of the capital, Pyongyang) were accused of making inadequate preparations for their local party meeting, which – as a result – was held in a “grossly formalistic (hyŏngshikchŏkŭro) way”.
In North Korea’s early political history, accusations of being formalistic related to overly celebrating foreign governments and their methods of socialism. But used in relation to the officials in Onchon County, it meant going through the motions, and not displaying enough genuine enthusiasm and engagement with the political process.
This lack of ideological zeal was reportedly further displayed when 40 of the officials went on a “drinking spree” – an act considered directly opposed to the party’s line on maintaining discipline. In the English-language version of the Rodong Sinmun news article, these officials were branded as a “corrupt group”. But in the Korean-language version, they were more colourfully condemned as a “rotten group” (ssŏgŏppajin muri) and an “arrogant rabble” (pangjahan ohapchijol).
In response, Kim stated that the behaviour of the party officials was a “political and moral” crime which undermined the foundations of the Korean Worker’s Party. Consequently, the Onchon County party committee was dissolved and the 40 officials involved in the drunken revelry were earmarked for punishment. While it was not mentioned what punishment the officials would receive, it’s likely at the very least they will be subject to ideological re-education.
Accusations of drunkenness and alcoholism as a means of criticising and purging party officials is nothing new in North Korea. In December 1955, Pak Il-u (then the minister of post and telecommunications) was accused of leading a depraved lifestyle and being an alcoholic. This was done to besmirch his reputation, justify his expulsion from the Korean Worker’s Party, and imprison him.
It isn’t illegal to drink in North Korea. Alcohol has a strong cultural presence: it is used on formal occasions to celebrate weddings, relieve sadness during funerals, and commemorate the birthdays of leaders.
In recent years, the country has even promoted its alcoholic products on postage stamps. In 2022, the government issued a stamp depicting three variations of Taedonggang Beer, produced at a state-owned domestic brewery since 2002. The beer is named after the Taedong river, which runs through Pyongyang.
The following year, a stamp depicting Pyongyang Soju was issued. This rice and corn-based liquor has been produced at a state-owned factory since 2009. With an alcohol content of 25%, North Korea’s soju has a higher alcohol content than South Korea’s best-selling version, Jinro Chamisul Original (20.1% ABV).
In June 2015, Kim designated Pyongyang Soju as the national liquor – underlining that alcohol holds an important place both in North Korea’s cultural heritage and contemporary society.
That’s not to say North Koreans are heavy drinkers compared with their compatriots in the south, who – according to pre-COVID statistics – drink about twice as much. In North Korea, a litre of alcohol costs about the same as a kilo of corn (a proxy for a day’s food), which may explain this.
Political and moral vice
But excessive drinking is regarded, as Kim stated, as a political and moral vice. Alcohol and other drug taking, such as methamphetamine use, is bound up with mental health as a sign of degeneracy.
Given that mental health care in North Korea is virtually non-existent (mental health conditions are correlated with ideological problems), drinking, smoking and other drug use often become coping mechanisms for people living there. But these have all become regarded as anti-state activities.
In recent years, North Korea has cracked down more strictly on what is seen as the “ideological and cultural poisoning” of society. For example, it has been reported that people have been sentenced to lengthy prison sentences or execution for consuming and/or distributing foreign media, using foreign slang terms, or wearing foreign clothes and hairstyles.
Divorcing couples and those caught selling hot dogs have reportedly been the most recent examples of people’s anti-state behaviour receiving labour camp sentences. Divorce represents dissent to the socialist idea of collectivism, prioritising group needs (family) over individual desires.
Therefore, the attack on excessive alcohol consumption – and it being publicly reported on – can be seen as another development in the trend of North Korea clamping down on individualistic behaviour, because it does not conform to the ideals of how people in this socialist society should behave.
David Hall 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.
Source: US National Agricultural Statistics Service
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will continue to collect the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties through April 18, 2025. Conducted just once every five years, the Census of Horticultural Specialties is the only source of detailed production and sales data for U.S. floriculture, nursery, and specialty crop industries, including greenhouse food crops.
Breastcancer cases areexpectedtoincreaseby 38 percentgloballyby 2050,withannualdeathsfromthediseaseprojectedtoriseby 68 percent,accordingto a new reportfromthe International Agency forResearchon Cancer (IARC), aspecialisedbranchof the WorldHealthOrganization(WHO).
The findings, published in Nature Medicine on Monday, warn that if current trends continue, the world will see 3.2 million new breast cancer cases and 1.1 million related deaths each year by mid-century.
The burden will be disproportionately felt in low- and middle-income countries, where access to early detection, treatment and care remains limited.
“Every minute, four women are diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide and one woman dies from the disease, and these statistics are worsening,” said Dr. Joanne Kim, an IARC scientist and co-author of the report.
“Countries can mitigate or reverse these trends by adopting primary prevention policies, such as WHO’s recommended ‘best buys’ for noncommunicable disease prevention, and by investing in early detection and treatment,” she explained.
A growing global burden
Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women worldwide and the second most common cancer overall.
In 2022 alone, an estimated 2.3 million new cases were diagnosed, with 670,000 deaths reported. However, the report highlights significant disparities across regions.
The highest incidence rates were recorded in Australia, New Zealand, North America and Northern Europe, while the lowest rates were found in South-Central Asia and parts of Africa.
Meanwhile, the highest mortality rates were reported in Melanesia, Polynesia and Western Africa, where limited access to healthcare contributes to poorer outcomes.
The link between breast cancer survival and economic development is stark: in high-income countries, 83 percent of diagnosed women survive,whereas in low-income countries, more than half of women diagnosed with breast cancer die from it.
Urgent need for action
The WHO launched the Global Breast Cancer Initiative in 2021, aiming to reduce breast cancer mortality rates by 2.5 per cent per year, which could prevent 2.5 million deaths by 2040.
The initiative focuses on early detection, timely diagnosis and access to quality treatment.
“Continued progress in early diagnosis and improved access to treatment are essential to address the global gap in breast cancer and ensure that the goal of reducing suffering and death from breast cancer is achieved by all countries worldwide,” she said.
The path forward
The report underscores the importance of stronger health systems, increased funding for breast cancer screening and treatment, and the adoption of cost-effective prevention policies.
With the projected rise in cases and deaths, the international community faces an urgent challenge – one that requires coordinated action to ensure millions of lives are not lost to a disease that is increasingly preventable and treatable.
We expect 63 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale electric-generating capacity to be added to the U.S. power grid in 2025 in our latest Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory report. This amount represents an almost 30% increase from 2024 when 48.6 GW of capacity was installed, the largest capacity installation in a single year since 2002. Together, solar and battery storage account for 81% of the expected total capacity additions, with solar making up over 50% of the increase.
Solar. In 2024, generators added a record 30 GW of utility-scale solar to the U.S. grid, accounting for 61% of capacity additions last year. We expect this trend will continue in 2025, with 32.5 GW of new utility-scale solar capacity to be added. Texas (11.6 GW) and California (2.9 GW) will account for almost half of the new utility-scale solar capacity addition in 2025. We expect five other states (Indiana, Arizona, Michigan, Florida, and New York) each to account for more than 1 GW of added solar capacity in 2025 and collectively account for 7.8 GW of planned solar capacity additions.
Battery storage. In 2025, capacity growth from battery storage could set a record as we expect 18.2 GW of utility-scale battery storage to be added to the grid. U.S. battery storage already achieved record growth in 2024 when power providers added 10.3 GW of new battery storage capacity. This growth highlights the importance of battery storage when used with renewable energy, helping to balance supply and demand and improve grid stability. Energy storage systems are not primary electricity sources, meaning the technology does not create electricity from a fuel or natural resource. Instead, they store electricity that has already been created from an electricity generator or the electric power grid, which makes energy storage systems secondary sources of electricity.
Wind. In 2025, we expect 7.7 GW of wind capacity to be added to the U.S. grid. Last year, only 5.1 GW was added, the smallest wind capacity addition since 2014. Texas, Wyoming, and Massachusetts will account for almost half of 2025 wind capacity additions. Two large offshore wind plants are expected to come online this year: the 800-megawatt (MW) Vineyard Wind 1 in Massachusetts and the 715-MW Revolution Wind in Rhode Island.
Natural gas. Developers plan to build 4.4 GW of new natural gas-fired capacity in the United States during 2025: 50% from simple-cycle combustion turbines and 36% from combined-cycle power blocks. Utah, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Tennessee account for more than 70% of these planned natural gas additions. The two largest natural gas plants expected to come online in 2025 are the 840-MW Intermountain Power Project in Utah and the 678.7-MW Magnolia Power in Louisiana. The natural gas capacity additions at the Intermountain Power Project will replace 1,800 MW of coal-fired capacity at the plant, which is scheduled to be retired in July.
Principal contributor: Office of Energy Statistics staff
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Dr. Swati Dhingra reappointed to the Monetary Policy Committee
Dr. Swati Dhingra has been reappointed as an external member to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has announced.
Her three-year term was due to end on 8 August 2025. Following her appointment for a second term, Dr. Dhingra will continue to hold the post until 8 August 2028.
Dr. Swati Dhingra is an Associate Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE), and an Associate of the Centre for Economic Performance at LSE. Her research has been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council; European Research Council; International Growth Centre; UK Research and Innovation; and she was awarded the Office for National Statistics’ Research Excellence People’s Choice Award 2019.
From 1 January 2023, Dr. Swati Dhingra has been Director of the Review of Economic Studies. She has also been a member of the UK’s Trade Modelling Review Expert Panel and the LSE’s Economic Diplomacy Commission.
About the reappointment process
Reappointments are not automatic, and each case is considered on its own merits. This reappointment was made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in line with the requirements of the Governance Code for Public Appointments.
About the Monetary Policy Committee
The independent MPC makes decisions about the operation of monetary policy. It comprises of the Governor of the Bank of England, three Deputy Governors, the Bank of England’s Chief Economist and four external members. External members, who are appointed by the Chancellor, may serve up to two three-year terms on the MPC.
The appointment of external members to the MPC is designed to ensure that the Committee benefits from thinking and expertise in addition to that gained inside the Bank. Each member of the MPC has expertise in the field of economics and monetary policy. They are independent and do not represent particular groups or areas.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A conference abstract presented at the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) Conference looks at emulsifier restriction in people with Crohn’s disease.
Dr Dominic Farsi, Postdoctoral Researcher in Nutrition Science, INRAE (l’Institut national de recherche pour l’agriculture, l’alimentation et l’environnement), France, said:
Does the press release accurately reflect the science?
“Yes.
Is there enough data and information available to be able to assess the quality of the science?
“Yes I believe there is enough information. In addition, ECCO is one of the prominent organisations in gastroenterology and this abstract will have been reviewed by the conference committee (though that is different from journal peer review) and also the fact that it is being presented at the meeting would suggest that it is of a high standard as it has been accepted and chosen for the meeting.
How does this work fit with the existing evidence? + What are the implications in the real world? Is there any overspeculation?
“A lot of the evidence to date surrounding emulsifiers and Crohn’s comes from rodent models, which while informative, will always have limitations, as, it is rodents, not humans. This evidence does suggest that food additive emulsifiers may negatively impact the gastrointestinal environment, including the gut microbiota. The evidence in humans is very limited and so this study could be viewed as foundational to help understand the potential impact of food additive emulsifiers in Crohn’s. This study is a first of its kind and to date, we have not had significant data such as this, the results are positive and exciting, and as more research is performed in this topic, it will help further develop our understanding. If future research confirms that making a dietary change such as removing emulsifiers from the diet can help people manage Crohn’s, then that would be viewed as very positive – but we need more evidence first.”
Prof Kim Barrett, Vice Dean for Research and Distinguished Professor of Physiology and Membrane Biology, UC Davis School of Medicine, said:
“This preliminary presentation reports that removing emulsifiers from the diet may be helpful in patients with Crohn’s disease. It’s difficult to be fully confident in the conclusions since details of the study are not yet available, and more subjects dropped out of the control group vs. the treatment arm. Nevertheless, the findings available are consistent with predictions from previous animal studies, and could offer a simple and inexpensive way to reduce symptoms in patients with limited treatment options.”
Prof Gary Frost, Chair in Nutrition and Dietetics, Imperial College London, said:
“I think that the study is well designed, it is clear how they have decreased exposure to emulsifiers to all in the trial then reintroduced them in a portfolio of food in the control group giving the low emulsifier diet (LED) group foods that had a low emulsifier content.
“The intention to treat results look clear as reported in the abstract but the protocol results suggests that about 60% of the control group did not finish the study there for the results are not so clear. There needs to be more understanding about the reasons for the stark difference in not completing the trial. (The results are expressed in two ways. The intention to treat results include all the volunteers in the study even if they dropped out. Although the authors do not say how they used the data usually the last recorded measure is taken as the final results. This means if someone dropped out at 4 weeks the results at 4 weeks will be taken as the last results and analysed with others that have completed at 8 weeks. It is this analysis that shows a significant difference. The per protocol analysis only analyses people who completed the trial. The problem they have is only 49 of the 75 controls completed the study. There is no explanation for this level of patients not completing.)”
Prof Alexandra Johnstone, Theme Lead for Nutrition, Obesity and Disease, Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, said:
“There is currently a lot of interest in the role for ultra processed foods and health, and this study embraces this trend, to examine the role of emulsifiers, which are food additives, within a specific UK patient group. Regulatory bodies ensure that food additives are rigorously tested for safety and additives continue to undergo long‐term monitoring for their effects on chronic health conditions. Food additives that pass these safety tests are given an ‘E’ number which must be listed on packaging. Whilst consumption of some food additives (e.g. artificial sweeteners) can be limited through food choice, it is much more difficult to avoid ingestion of emulsifiers (also known as surfactants or detergents) because they are commonly added to a wide variety of foods within the modern Western diets. Some emulsifiers are man-made or synthetic (e.g. polysorbates) and some occur naturally (e.g. lecithin). In this study, the emulsifiers that were provided, were carrageenan, carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80 (control). For example, carboxymethylcellulose is a non‐digestible polysaccharide polymer, hence its common use as a thickening agent and stabilizer in food emulsions.
“Emerging evidence1,2,3 suggests that permitted dietary emulsifiers may impact on gut health through impairing intestinal barrier function, thus increasing antigen exposure, and/or by modulating the microbiota, thus potentially increasing the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – Crohn’s disease is a form of IBD.
“The study to be presented at European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) Conference in Berlin provides hope for patients with Crohn’s disease to manage symptoms. The press release accurately reflects the brief data shared in the abstract, and I would welcome seeing the full dataset as a paper, once peer reviewed. The limitations of the study are that this is a relatively small group of patients (N=154) and conducted over a short time-frame (8 weeks). Patients with active flare in their disease were recruited, which was measured as inflammatory response, and the study abstract results indicate that the low emulsifier diet reduced inflammatory symptoms and promoted remission. It was good to read the quote from the patient in the press release about the positive impact this had on quality of life. Going forward, a peer-reviewed publication will likely reveal a more comprehensive analysis and discussion from the study team, including exploring the putative mechanism(s) of action. For example, recognising the small subject numbers and limitations of the results that would need to be explored in a larger cohort of patients. The study does offers hope for patients for future research on management of symptoms through dietary changes.”
1 Partridge D, Lloyd KA, Rhodes JM, Walker AW, Johnstone AM, Campbell BJ. Food additives: Assessing the impact of exposure to permitted emulsifiers on bowel and metabolic health – introducing the FADiets study. Nutr Bull. 2019 Dec;44(4):329-349. doi: 10.1111/nbu.12408.
2 Naimi, S., Viennois, E., Gewirtz, A.T. et al. Direct impact of commonly used dietary emulsifiers on human gut microbiota. Microbiome 9, 66 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-020-00996-6
3 Chassaing B, Koren O, Goodrich JK, Poole AC, Srinivasan S, Ley RE, Gewirtz AT. Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome. Nature. 2015 Mar 5;519(7541):92-6. doi: 10.1038/nature14232. Epub 2015 Feb 25. Erratum in: Nature. 2016 Aug 11;536(7615):238. doi: 10.1038/nature18000.
Dr Elizabeth Lund, Independent Nutrition Consultant, previously Research Leader at Quadram Institute of Biological Sciences, Norwich, said:
“This study looking at the potential benefit of diets low in emulsifiers shows a potential benefit for patients with mild to moderate Crohn’s disease. It is only an abstract for a meeting and thus lacks detail and has not yet been peer reviewed. This is important for journalists to recognise. The nearly 20% drop out rate, that is the difference between those recruited and those completing the study, is on the high side but not atypical. I would want to better understand why these people dropped out. Nevertheless, the data looks very promising and – emphasising this data is yet to be peer reviewed – would suggest that this diet is well worth a try for Crohn’s patients, probably helping many if not all who suffer from this condition. It is unlikely this is the only trigger for Crohn’s; inflammatory conditions tend to be very individual.”
Dr Baptiste Leurent, Associate Professor in Medical Statistics, UCL, said:
“This research is only published as a short summary, and it is difficult to assess its quality. The results could be interesting, but their validity can only be assessed (and communicated to the public) once the full study will be published.
“I am particularly concerned by the data presented in Table 1, which suggest that the differences found could be related to assumptions made regarding missing data.
“The abstract does not state clearly how many participants had Crohn’s disease activity index (CDAI) data at 8 weeks, but the numbers reported suggest there may have been participants with missing CDAI response, particularly in the control group. And that all of them may have been counted as “no CDAI response” in the primary (intention-to-treat) analysis.
“Given there was much more missing data in the control group, this would explain (at least some of) the lower CDAI response seen in the intervention group. When looking at the `per-protocol’ analysis (participants with actual CDAI data) none of the results were statistically different between the two groups.
“Much other information is missing from the abstract to assess the study validity. For example, it is not clear if the participants were aware of the emulsifier content of the food they were receiving, how similar were the two types of food received (apart from the emulsifier content), and to which extent participants ate the food they received. Note that what is being evaluated here is receiving regular emulsifier-free food, compared to receiving regular high emulsifier content food. It is not what is defined as LED (“low emulsifier diet”) in the abstract, which consisted of dietary advice and other material (both groups received this). No protocol or analysis plan were published – it would be important to know if the outcomes reported here are all the outcomes that were originally planned to be looked at or if there were others.
“Further information is needed before these results can be communicated to the public, and I would be very concerned if any diet recommendation is made based on this abstract.”
Rachel Richardson, Methods Support Unit Manager, Evidence Production and Methods Directorate, Cochrane, said:
“It is difficult to properly assess this study as all we have is an abstract. This means that the full report of the study is not available for scrutiny. It would be helpful to have more detail in order to assess the validity and generalisability of these results.
“A few examples: the number of people who dropped out was high – only 73% completed the study, even though it only lasted for 8 weeks and the drop-out rate was higher in the control group than in the intervention group. High rates of dropout can lead to bias in a study’s results, so it would be helpful to know more about why people dropped out.
“Another example is the fact that the authors adjusted the results for a variety of possible confounding factors, including BMI. However this was a randomised trial which means that confounders should be evenly distributed between groups and no adjustments are necessary. It would be useful to know why authors needed to do this.
“A final striking point is that we do not know from the abstract whether the results were precise enough to demonstrate meaningful improvement across all possible scenarios. The confidence intervals, or margins of error, were quite wide for a number of the effect estimates. Whilst improvement could be significant, there is also the possibility that the effect could be small, which may mean no clinical difference.”
Prof Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics, Open University, said:
“These findings are interesting. However, they are based on a conference abstract. The full research report will not (yet) have been through the full peer review process, that it will need to go through before it can be published in a scientific journal. Peer reviewers might (or might not) pick up important problems in the complete trial report. Also, we don’t have by any means complete information, only a press release and a rather brief abstract (summary) of the findings. So, while on the face of it the results look encouraging, it’s just not possible to evaluate the quality of the research properly on the basis of the information available.
“Overall, statistically, the results don’t seem to me to be nearly as clear-cut as the press release implies. I’ll explain why I think this below. It all rather depends on the reasons for the different rates of completing the full trial for the trial in the two groups (those who were on the diet without emulsifiers, and the control group who had emulsifiers). The small amount of information we have doesn’t allow me to make a judgement on that. Maybe the trial does show everything that the press release says it shows, but it remains possible that it doesn’t, not entirely anyway. We need to know more.
“One issue is as follows. As is usual in reports of randomised clinical trials, the researchers present two different sets of comparisons between the ‘intervention’ group (who had a diet without emulsifiers) and the ‘control’ group (who were given some emulsifiers). One is the so-called ‘intention to treat’ comparison, which compared the results for everyone for whom results are available, regardless of whether they stayed on the diet that they were allocated to for the duration of the trial. The other is the so-called ‘per-protocol’ analysis, that compares the results of only those patients who continued on the diet they were allocated to, for the full duration of the trial. Usually the results of the intention to treat analysis are considered to be more revealing. However, it’s important to consider the per-protocol results as well, particularly if a lot of people didn’t remain on the allocated treatment for the full period. In this trial, about four out of five (81%) of those allocated to the emulsifier-free diet were on that diet throughout, and so contributed to the per-protocol analysis. But a considerably smaller proportion, only about two out of three (65%), of those allocated to the control diet remained on it throughout. The information we have doesn’t give an explanation for the differences in completion rates, and it might well matter. Maybe people on the control diet were more likely to drop out because they felt it wasn’t helping them, or maybe they were eating more emulsifiers than usual and felt this was disagreeing with their digestion or health, or maybe something else – we don’t know.
“The results repeated in the press release are based on the intention to treat analysis. But the results from the per-protocol analysis are less clear-cut, and indeed, apart from the finding about the proportion who said their symptoms improved, the other three outcomes given in the table in the Abstract don’t have large enough differences between the no-emulsifier and the control group to allow a conclusion that differences are definitely due to anything other than random chance. (This doesn’t mean that they are due to no more than chance, just that it’s still feasible that they could be no more than chance.)
“Another issue is that the trial is not comparing what patients with Crohn’s disease do on a diet without emulsifiers, compared to what they would otherwise have eaten. The control group of patients ate a diet containing emulsifiers, together with some snacks provided by the researchers, that also contained emulsifiers. The patients in the intervention (no emulsifiers) group also were given snacks and some food provided by the researchers, but without emulsifiers. I am no dietician, but I do know some people with Crohn’s disease, and they all avoid various types of food. So the comparison in the trial seems to be between people definitely eating a special diet with no emulsifiers, with another group who are eating a different special diet that does contain emulsifiers. This makes sense, to ensure, as far as practicable, that all the patients in each of the two groups are eating more or less the same things as the others in their group, but it does imply that the researchers are not comparing people on a special diet free of emulsifiers, with those eating what they would typically eat anyway. You’d have to ask a dietician rather than a statistician to be sure of how important this is in the context of real-world diets.”
Abstract title: ‘Emulsifier restriction is an effective therapy for active Crohn’s disease: the ADDapt trial – a multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, re-supplementation trial in 154 patients’ by A. Bancil et al was presented at the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) Conference in Berlin. The embargo lifted at 17:20 UK time on Friday 21 February 2025.
There is no paper.
Declared interests
Dr Dominic Farsi: “During part of this study, I was within the department and involved in other diet trials, however not this one (the ADDapt trial). I have since left this role and I am now a Postdoctoral Researcher at INRAE in France. I have no other conflicts of interest.”
Prof Kim Barrett: “I have no conflicts of interest.”
Prof Gary Frost: “None.”
Prof Alexandra Johnstone: “AJ holds funding from UKRI which involves UK retail partners, the Scottish Government. She currently holds voluntary committee position with Nutrition Society, Association for Nutrition and British Nutrition Foundation.”
Dr Elizabeth Lund: “No conflicts of interest to declare.”
Dr Baptiste Leurent: “No conflict of interest.”
Rachel Richardson: “I have no interests to declare.”
Prof Kevin McConway: “Previously a Trustee of the SMC and a member of its Advisory Committee.”
