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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s video message on the occasion of the Lunar New Year

    Source: United Nations – English

    strong>Download the video:
    https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+Luna+New+Year+29+Jan+25/MSG+SG+Lunar+New+Year+2025+Global+Version+CLEAN+16+DEC+24.mp4

    Happy Lunar New Year.

    I am pleased to send my warmest wishes to everyone celebrating Lunar New Year – and this Year of the Snake.

    The snake symbolizes wisdom, resilience, and renewal. 

    In these trying times, let us be guided by these qualities and renew our commitment to peace, equality, and justice.

    Let us embrace this time of new beginnings with hope and determination to create a better future for all.

    May the Year of the Snake bring good health, happiness, prosperity, and new beginnings.

    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Operation Southern Spear: Latest Development in Operationalizing Robotic and Autonomous Systems

    Source: United States Navy

    MAYPORT, Fla.  –  U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is advancing the Navy’s Hybrid Fleet Campaign through Operation Southern Spear, which will start later this month in U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility (USSOUTHCOM AOR) and at U.S. 4th Fleet Headquarters at Naval Station Mayport.
     
    “Southern Spear will operationalize a heterogeneous mix of Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) to support the detection and monitoring of illicit trafficking while learning lessons for other theaters,” said Cmdr. Foster Edwards, 4th Fleet’s Hybrid Fleet Director. “Southern Spear will continue our (4th Fleet’s) move away from short-duration experimentation into long-duration operations that will help develop critical techniques and procedures in integrating RAS into the maritime environment.”
     
    Specifically, Operation Southern Spear will deploy long-dwell robotic surface vessels, small robotic interceptor boats, and vertical take-off and landing robotic air vessels to the USSOUTHCOM AOR. 4th Fleet will operationalize these unmanned systems through integration with U.S. Coast Guard cutters at sea and operations centers at 4th Fleet and Joint Interagency Task Force South. Southern Spear’s results will help determine combinations of unmanned vehicles and manned forces needed to provide coordinated maritime domain awareness and conduct counternarcotics operations.
     
    U.S. 4th Fleet is conducting Operation Southern Spear in support of our Navy’s Project 33 targets to operationalize RAS. Using RAS to increase presence in, and awareness of, strategically and economically important maritime regions will help decision-making, strengthen sovereignty, and facilitate regional cooperation.
     
    “Operation Southern Spear is the next step in our Hybrid Fleet Campaign,” said Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet. “We look forward to the results of Southern Spear. Hybrid Fleet operations increase our collaboration with partners in the region while furthering the Navy’s tactics, techniques, procedures, and processes.”
     
    U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is the trusted maritime partner for Caribbean, Central and South America maritime forces leading to improved unity, security and stability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Universal Periodic Review 48: UK Statement on Egypt

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Statement at Egypt’s Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the UK, Simon Manley.

    Thank you, Mr President.

    The United Kingdom recognises Egypt’s progress, including the 2021 National Human Rights Strategy.

    The arbitrary detention of journalists, activists and human rights defenders remains deeply concerning. The continued detention of Alaa Abd El-Fattah, detained for spreading false news, who has now served his five-year sentence including pre-trial detention, is unacceptable.

    We recommend that Egypt:

    1. Releases Human Rights Defender Alaa Abd El-Fattah,

    2. Releases all detainees held for exercising their right to freedom of expression and lifts restrictions on news and social media websites in line with the ICCPR.

    3. Ensures the new Criminal Procedures Code guarantees fair trial standards, and ends the practice of ‘rotating’ detainees in pre-trial detention,

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Sentenced For Illegal Reentry Into The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Richard A. Lazarra has sentenced Jonathan Javier Godoy-Pivaral (29, Honduras) to over 5 months in prison for illegal reentry into the United States by a removed alien. Godoy-Pivaral pleaded guilty on November 6, 2024.

    According to court documents, on February 26, 2018, Godoy-Pivaral was removed from the United States. At some time thereafter, he unlawfully reentered the United States, and was arrested for burglary of an unoccupied conveyance on June 19, 2024, in Hillsborough County. 

    This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ocala Man Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison For Attempting To Meet A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – United District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Rickey Lee Miller, Jr. (45, Ocala) to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a life term of supervised release, for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Miller entered a guilty plea on September 6, 2024.

    According to court documents, on July 27, 2024, a detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office posed as a 15-year-old girl on an online messaging platform. Miller contacted the undercover detective’s account and initially asked if she wanted to “hang out.” Miller then engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the detective. During that conversation, Miller asked the detective if she would be interested in having “some fun” with Miller and a female friend. He also asked, “[W]ill you tell my friend your 18[?] I really don’t want her to know your real age.” When Miller subsequently drove to a predetermined location with his friend to meet with the minor for sex, he was arrested by law enforcement. The cellphone located in Miller’s vehicle was confirmed to be the phone communicating with the undercover detective. 

    “Attempting to entice a minor into harmful activity is a serious crime, and this prosecution underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Orlando assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “Alongside our partners at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Chiefland Police Department, we will work tirelessly to hold offenders accountable and ensure that our children are safe from those who seek to exploit them.”

    This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Chiefland Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Oricidin Launches Groundbreaking Dental Gel for Long-Term Periodontitis Treatment

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BEVERLY HILLS, California, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Orocidin A/S, a subsidiary of Nordicus Partners Corporation (OTCQB: NORD) (“Nordicus” or the “Company”), a financial consulting company specializing in supporting Nordic and U.S. life sciences companies in establishing themselves in the U.S. market, has developed a novel, proprietary dental gel that represents a significant breakthrough in the long-term treatment of periodontitis.

    This innovative low-viscosity gel, featuring a unique active ingredient, offers an effective and convenient solution for long-term management of this widespread oral health condition. The gel is applied by dentists using a syringe and flushing cannula to deliver the treatment directly into dental pockets. Upon contact with oral cavity moisture, the gel forms a semi-solid, bioadhesive crystalline matrix. This structure enables the slow and localized release of the active peptide, ensuring sustained treatment efficacy over time.

    The formulation leverages an optimized ratio of triglycerides, monoglycerides, and water. When exposed to water naturally present in the oral cavity, the gel rapidly forms a semi-solid bioadhesive crystalline matrix, enabling the slow, localized release of the active peptide for effective, long-term treatment of periodontitis. All components are biocompatible and FDA-approved for oral use, ensuring safety and effectiveness for patients.

    “Oricidin’s innovative dental gel represents a significant advancement in the treatment of periodontitis,” said Allan Wehnert, Founder and CEO of Orocidin. “By combining cutting-edge science with patient-centered design, we aim to improve both outcomes and the overall dental care experience,”.

    For further information, contact:

    Mr. Henrik Rouf
    Chief Executive Officer
    Phone +1 310 666 0750
    Email hr@nordicuspartners.com

    Investor Relations
    Jonathan Paterson
    Harbor Access Investor Relations
    Jonathan.Paterson@Harbor-Access.com
    Tel +1 475 477 9401

    About Nordicus Partners Corporation

    Nordicus Partners Corporation is the only U.S. publicly traded business accelerator and holding company for Nordic life sciences companies. Leveraging decades of combined management experience in domestic and global corporate sectors, Nordicus excels in corporate finance activities including business and market development, growth strategies, talent acquisition, partnership building, capital raising, and facilitating company acquisitions and sales. In 2024, Nordicus acquired 100% of Orocidin A/S, a Danish preclinical-stage biotech company developing next-generation therapies for periodontitis and 100% of Bio-Convert ApS, a Danish preclinical-stage biotech company dedicated to revolutionizing the treatment of oral leukoplakia. For more information about Nordicus, please visit: www.nordicuspartners.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Threads and BlueSky.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate,” “intend,” “continue” or “believe” or the negatives thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss our plans, strategies, prospects and expectations concerning our business, operating results, financial condition and other similar matters. We believe that it is important to communicate our future expectations to our investors. There may be events in the future, however, that we are not able to predict accurately or control. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date on which we make it. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. 

            

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Summit State Bank Reports Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA ROSA, Calif., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Summit State Bank (the “Bank”) (Nasdaq: SSBI) today reported a net loss of $6,605,000, or $0.98 loss per diluted share for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to net income of $1,901,000, or $0.28 per diluted share for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2023. The current quarter’s results were impacted by expenses including a $6,646,000 provision for credit losses on loans and a $4,119,000 one-time non-cash impairment charge to write off the remaining balance of goodwill. The Bank has taken significant charge offs and provisions for credit losses in the fourth quarter of 2024 as a proactive step towards resolving its problem loans. The goodwill impairment was a result of the Bank’s stock price trading below book value and is a non-cash charge that does not impact the Bank’s cash flows, liquidity, or regulatory capital. The Bank ended the year with improved regulatory capital ratios and is focused on expanding net interest margin in 2025.

    For the year ended December 31, 2024, the Bank reported a net loss of $3,656,000, or $0.54 loss per diluted share compared to net income of $10,822,000, or $1.62 per diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2023. The 2024 net income loss was primarily attributable to annual provision for credit losses on loans totaling $7,958,000 and a one-time non-cash goodwill impairment expense of $4,119,000.

    Pre-tax, pre-provision net income before goodwill1 was $2,994,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to $2,122,000, $1,267,000, $1,955,000 and $2,643,000 for the quarters ended September 30, 2024, June 30, 2024, March 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023, respectively. “At the beginning of 2024, the Bank was negatively impacted by the ongoing strains that the high-interest rate environment put on our funding costs,” said Brian Reed, President and CEO. “By the fourth quarter of 2024, the Bank’s core operating results improved due to a lower cost of funds and improved noninterest income.”

    “The Bank continues to focus on maintaining strong capital levels and did that effectively in 2024 by strategically managing the balance sheet and suspending cash dividends.
    As such, the Board determined it will also suspend cash dividends in the first quarter of 2025 so that we can build capital, increase liquidity, and position the Bank to create long-term value for our shareholders.”

    “The largest negative impact on the Bank’s performance in 2024 was a result of the heightened level of non-performing assets,” said Reed. “We have been aggressively pursuing solutions to these problem loans and have reduced our non performing loans by $9,160,000 in the fourth quarter of 2024. We anticipate non performing loans will be further reduced by $18,187,000 in the first half of 2025 as a result of loan payoffs from the sale of collateral that is currently under contract to be sold.”

    “We are headed into 2025 feeling positive about our prospects subsequent to our significant progress in resolving problem loans. We continue to maintain our well capitalized status and sufficient liquidity after having realized successive quarters of improved net operating income results,” concluded Reed.

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights (at or for the three months ended December 31, 2024)

    • The Bank’s Tier 1 Leverage ratio increased to 8.92% at December 31, 2024 compared to 8.85% at December 31, 2023. This ratio remains above the minimum of 5% required to be considered “well-capitalized” for regulatory capital purposes.
    • The Bank has implemented numerous operating cost saving initiatives including an 8% reduction in force.
    • The Bank’s annualized loss on average assets and annualized loss on average equity for the fourth quarter of 2024 was 2.39% and 25.94%, respectively. The pre-tax, pre-provision return on average assets before goodwill1 and pre-tax, pre-provision return on average equity before goodwill1 in the fourth quarter would have been 1.08% and 11.76%, respectively.
    • Net income was a loss of $6,605,000 for the fourth quarter of 2024. Pre-tax, pre-provision net income before goodwill1 was $2,994,000 for the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to $2,122,000, $1,267,000, $1,955,000 and $2,643,000 for the quarters ended September 30, 2024, June 30, 2024, March 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023, respectively.
    • Collateral relating to two of the non performing loans is in contract to sell in the first half of 2025 and the expected proceeds represent 65% or $18,010,000 of the remaining $27,754,000 of non performing loans.
    • The allowance for credit losses to total loans was 1.50% after charging off $8,343,000 and recording a $6,646,000 provision for credit losses to replenish reserves on December 31, 2024.
    • The Bank maintained strong total liquidity of $435,409,000, or 40.8% of total assets as of December 31, 2024. This includes on balance sheet liquidity (cash and equivalents and unpledged available-for-sale securities) of $111,471,000 or 10.4% of total assets, plus available borrowing capacity of $323,938,000 or 30.3% of total assets.
    • The Bank has been strategically managing its loan and deposit portfolios to reduce risk in the balance sheet and improve capital ratios. The Bank has been successful in reducing the size of its balance sheet as noted below:
      • Net loans decreased $33,627,000 to $904,999,000 at December 31, 2024, compared to $938,626,000 one year earlier and decreased $12,368,000 compared to $917,367,000 three months earlier.
      • Total deposits decreased 5% to $962,562,000 at December 31, 2024, compared to $1,009,693,000 at December 31, 2023, and decreased 4% when compared to the prior quarter end of $1,002,770,000.
    • Book value was $13.61 per share, compared to $14.40 per share a year ago and $14.85 in the preceding quarter.

    Operating Results

    For the fourth quarter of 2024, the annualized loss on average assets was 2.39% and the annualized loss on average equity was 25.94%. This compared to an annualized return on average assets of 0.67% and an annualized return on average equity of 8.02%, respectively, for the fourth quarter of 2023. These ratios were negatively impacted during the fourth quarter of 2024 by a credit loss provision and one-time goodwill impairment. Without the impact from these items, the pre-tax, pre-provision return on average assets before goodwill1 and the pre-tax, pre-provision return on average equity before goodwill1 would have been 1.08% and 11.76%, respectively, for the three months ended December 31, 2024.

    For the year ended 2024, the loss on average assets was 0.37% and the loss on average equity was 3.69%. This compares to the return on average assets of 0.95% and return on average equity of 11.56%, respectively, for the year ended 2023.

    The Bank’s net interest margin was 2.88% in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to its lowest quarterly net interest margin this year of 2.71% which occurred in the second and third quarters of 2024. The current net interest margin is also higher compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 of 2.85%. This was primarily attributable to the cost of deposits decreasing in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 2.87% compared to 3.05% during the preceding quarter. “We are starting to see an improvement in cost of funds in response to the Federal Reserve rate decreases. As CDs mature, we expect to see continued improvement in deposit pricing in the near future,” said Reed. “In addition, loan yields have started to improve as our existing loans have started to reprice.”

    Interest and dividend income decreased 1.0% to $14,935,000 in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to $15,036,000 in the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease in interest income is attributable to a $182,000 decrease in interest on investment securities and a $137,000 decrease in interest on deposits with banks offset by an increase of $214,000 in interest and fees on loans.

    Noninterest income increased in the fourth quarter of 2024 to $1,373,000 compared to $297,000 in the fourth quarter of 2023. The increase is primarily attributed to the Bank recognizing $857,000 in gains on sales of SBA guaranteed loan balances in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to no gains on sales of SBA guaranteed loan balances in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Operating expenses increased in the fourth quarter of 2024 to $10,200,000 compared to $5,483,000 in the fourth quarter of 2023. The increase is primarily due to a one-time non-cash impairment charge of $4,119,000 to write off the remaining balance of goodwill. In addition, the Bank recorded a $443,000 loss related to an external check fraud event during the fourth quarter of 2024. The Bank has filed an insurance claim related to this fraud loss and may be partially reimbursed by insurance at a later date.

    “We remain focused on enhancing revenue generation and driving significant cost efficiencies to improving our operational effectiveness. To date we have leveraged existing staff and technologies to reduce third-party expenses, eliminated raises and bonuses, reduced employee benefits Bank-wide, and reduced director fees.”

    Balance Sheet Review

    During 2024, the Bank strategically managed its loan and deposit portfolios to reduce risk in the balance sheet and improve capital ratios. As a result of the efforts, net loans decreased 4% to $904,999,000 and total deposits also decreased 5% to $962,562,000 as of December 31, 2024 compared to December 31, 2023.

    Net loans were $904,999,000 at December 31, 2024 compared to $938,626,000 at December 31, 2023, and decreased 1% compared to September 30, 2024. The Bank’s largest loan types are commercial real estate loans which make up 78% of the portfolio, “secured by farmland” totaling 9% of the portfolio, and 7% in commercial and industrial loans. Of the commercial real estate total, approximately 34% or $231,000,000 is owner occupied and the remaining 66% or $451,000,000 is non-owner occupied. The Bank’s entire loan portfolio is well diversified between industries including office space which totals $116,400,000.

    Total deposits were $962,562,000 at December 31, 2024 compared to $1,009,693,000 at December 31, 2023, and decreased 4% compared to the prior quarter end. At December 31, 2024, noninterest bearing demand deposit accounts decreased 8% compared to a year ago and represented 19% of total deposits; savings, NOW and money market accounts decreased 9% compared to a year ago and represented 49% of total deposits, and CDs increased 4% compared to a year ago and comprised 32% of total deposits.

    Shareholders’ equity was $92,261,000 at December 31, 2024, compared to $100,662,000 three months earlier and $97,678,000 a year earlier. The decrease in shareholders’ equity compared to a year ago was due to a reduction in retained earnings. At December 31, 2024 book value was $13.61 per share, compared to $14.85 three months earlier, and $14.40 at December 31, 2023.

    The Bank’s Tier 1 Leverage ratio continues to exceed the minimum of 5% necessary to be categorized as “well-capitalized” for regulatory capital purposes. The Tier-1 leverage ratio at the end of 2024 was 8.92%, an increase compared to 8.85% at the end of 2023.

    Credit Quality

    “Our primary focus remains on managing asset quality and reducing portfolio risk,” said Reed. “To that end we charged off loans of $8,343,000 and recorded a $6,646,000 provision for credit losses to replenish reserves during the fourth quarter of 2024. Three credits represent 94% or $26,040,000 of our non performing loans and are “secured by farmland” which have been hit hard by the current environment. The bank holds a small portion of its total loans in this industry and actively monitors the performance of these loans. Collateral relating to two of these three non performing loans is in contract to sell in the first half of 2025 and represents 65% or $18,010,000 of the non performing portfolio. The remaining non performing loans are being reserved at current appraisal value less selling cost.”

    Non performing assets were $32,884,000, or 3.08% of total assets, at December 31, 2024. This compared to $41,971,000 in non performing assets at September 30, 2024, and $44,206,000 in non performing assets at December 31, 2023. Non performing assets include $5,130,000 for one other real estate owned loan at December 31, 2024 and September 30, 2024, compared to no other real estate owned loans at December 31, 2023.

    There were $8,343,000 in net charge-offs during the three months ended December 31, 2024, compared to no charge-offs during the three months ended September 30, 2024 and net recoveries of $9,000 during the three months ended December 31, 2023.

    For the fourth quarter of 2024, consistent with factors within the allowance for credit losses model, the Bank recorded a $6,646,000 provision for credit loss expense for loans, a $8,000 provision for credit losses for unfunded loan commitments and a $2,000 reversal of credit losses on investments. This compared to a $31,000 reversal of credit loss expense on loans, a $65,000 reversal of credit losses on unfunded loan commitments and a $31,000 provision for credit losses on investments in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    The allowance for credit losses to total loans was 1.50% on December 31, 2024, and 1.60% on December 31, 2023. The decrease is due to $9,690,000 in loan charge-offs offset with a provision for credit losses on loans of $7,958,000 and $91,000 reversal of credit losses on unfunded loan commitments recorded during the year ended December 31, 2024.

    About Summit State Bank

    Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Sonoma County, Summit State Bank is an award-winning community bank serving the North Bay. The Bank serves small businesses, nonprofits and the community, with total assets of $1.1 billion and total equity of $92 million as of December 31, 2024. The Bank has built its reputation over the past 40 years by specializing in providing exceptional customer service and customized financial solutions to aid in the success of its customers.

    Summit State Bank is committed to embracing the diverse backgrounds, cultures and talents of its employees to create high performance and support the evolving needs of its customers and community it serves. Through the engagement of its team, Summit State Bank has received many esteemed awards including: Top Performing Community Bank by American Banker, Best Places to Work in the North Bay and Diversity in Business by North Bay Business Journal, Corporate Philanthropy Award by the San Francisco Business Times, and Hall of Fame by North Bay Biz Magazine. Summit State Bank’s stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol SSBI. Further information can be found at www.summitstatebank.com.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Preliminary Financial Results and Forward-looking Statements

    The financial results in this release are preliminary and unaudited. Final audited financial results and other disclosures will be reported in Summit State Bank’s annual report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2024 and may differ materially from the results and disclosures in this release due to, among other things, the completion of final review procedures, the occurrence of subsequent events or the discovery of additional information.

    Except for historical information, the statements contained in this release, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are non-historical statements regarding management’s expectations and beliefs about the Bank’s future financial performance and financial condition and trends in its business and markets. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would” and “could” are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements regarding future operating results, operating improvements, loans sales and resolutions, cost savings, insurance recoveries and dividends. The forward-looking statements in this release are based on current information and on assumptions about future events and circumstances that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict and beyond the Bank’s control. As a result of those risks and uncertainties, the Bank’s actual future results and outcomes could differ, possibly materially, from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this release. Those risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk of incurring credit losses; the quality and quantity of deposits; the market for deposits, adverse developments in the financial services industry and any related impact on depositor behavior or investor sentiment; risks related to the sufficiency of the Bank’s liquidity; fluctuations in interest rates; governmental regulation and supervision; the risk that the Bank will not maintain growth at historic rates or at all; general economic conditions, either nationally or locally in the areas in which the Bank conducts its business; risks associated with changes in interest rates, which could adversely affect future operating results; the risk that customers or counterparties may not performance in accordance with the terms of credit documents or other agreements due a decline in credit worthiness, business conditions or other reasons;; adverse conditions in real estate markets; and the inherent uncertainty of expectations regarding litigation, insurance claims and the performance or resolution of loans. Additional information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties to which the Bank’s business and future financial performance are subject is contained in the Bank’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and other documents the Bank files with the FDIC from time to time. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s views only as of the date of this release. The Bank undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

    1Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    This release contains non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) financial measures in addition to the results presented in accordance with GAAP. These Non-GAAP financial measures include pre-tax, pre-provision net operating income before goodwill, pre-tax, pre-provision return on average assets before goodwill (“ROAA”), and pre-tax, pre-provision return on average equity (“ROAE”) before goodwill. We believe the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures, provides useful information to assess our consolidated financial condition and consolidated results of operations and to assist investors in evaluating our financial results relative to our history results and those of our peers.

    Not all companies use identical calculations or the same definitions of pre-tax, pre-provision net operating income before goodwill, pre-tax, pre-provision ROAA before goodwill and pre-tax, pre-provision ROAE before goodwill, so the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures used by other companies. These non-GAAP financial measures have inherent limitations, are not required to be uniformly applied, and are not audited. These non-GAAP financial measures should be taken together with the corresponding GAAP measure and should not be considered a substitute for the GAAP measure. Reconciliations of the most directly comparable GAAP measures to these non-GAAP financial measurements are presented below.

    Contact: Brian Reed, President and CEO, Summit State Bank (707) 568-4908

                         
        Three Months Ended
                         
        December 31, 2024   September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   March 31, 2024   December 31, 2023
        (In thousands)
    Reconciliation of non-GAAP pre-tax, pre-provision income net of goodwill                
                         
    Net (loss) income   $ (6,605 )   $ 626     $ 928     $ 1,395     $ 1,901  
    Excluding provision for (reversal of) credit losses   6,652       1,294       (16 )     (85 )     (65 )
    Excluding (reversal of) provision for income taxes   (1,172 )     202       355       645       807  
    Pre-tax, pre-provision income (non-GAAP) $ (1,125 )   $ 2,122     $ 1,267     $ 1,955     $ 2,643  
                         
    Excluding goodwill impairment     4,119       –       –       –       –  
    Pre-tax, pre-provision income net of goodwill (non-GAAP) $ 2,994     $ 2,122     $ 1,267     $ 1,955     $ 2,643  
                       
                         
                         
        Three Months Ended
                         
        December 31, 2024   September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   March 31, 2024   December 31, 2023
        (In thousands)
    Reconciliation of non-GAAP return on average assets                  
                         
    Average assets   $ 1,098,890     $ 1,098,469     $ 1,078,700     $ 1,087,960     $ 1,123,057  
    (Loss) return on average assets (1)     -2.39%       0.23%       0.35%       0.51%       0.67%  
                         
    Net (loss) income   $ (6,605 )   $ 626     $ 928     $ 1,395     $ 1,901  
    Excluding provision for (reversal of) credit losses   6,652       1,294       (16 )     (85 )     (65 )
    Excluding (reversal of) provision for income taxes   (1,172 )     202       355       645       807  
    Pre-tax, pre-provision income (non-GAAP) $ (1,125 )   $ 2,122     $ 1,267     $ 1,955     $ 2,643  
                         
    Excluding goodwill impairment     4,119       –       –       –       –  
    Pre-tax, pre-provision income net of goodwill (non-GAAP) $ 2,994     $ 2,122     $ 1,267     $ 1,955     $ 2,643  
                         
    Adjusted return on average assets (non-GAAP) (1)   1.08%       0.77%       0.47%       0.72%       0.93%  
                         
    (1) Annualized.                
                         
        Three Months Ended
                         
        December 31, 2024   September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   March 31, 2024   December 31, 2023
        (In thousands)
    Reconciliation of non-GAAP return on average shareholders’ equity                
                         
    Average shareholders’ equity   $ 101,313     $ 99,962     $ 97,548     $ 97,471     $ 94,096  
    (Loss) return on average shareholders’ equity (1)   -25.94%       2.48%       3.82%       5.74%       8.02%  
                         
    Net (loss) income   $ (6,605 )   $ 626     $ 928     $ 1,395     $ 1,901  
    Excluding provision for (reversal of) credit losses   6,652       1,294       (16 )     (85 )     (65 )
    Excluding (reversal of) provision for income taxes   (1,172 )     202       355       645       807  
    Pre-tax, pre-provision income (non-GAAP) $ (1,125 )   $ 2,122     $ 1,267     $ 1,955     $ 2,643  
                         
    Excluding goodwill impairment     4,119       –       –       –       –  
    Pre-tax, pre-provision income net of goodwill (non-GAAP) $ 2,994     $ 2,122     $ 1,267     $ 1,955     $ 2,643  
                         
    Adjusted return on average shareholders’ equity (non-GAAP) (1)   11.76%       8.42%       5.21%       8.04%       11.14%  
                         
    (1) Annualized.                
                     
                   
    SUMMIT STATE BANK
    STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (In thousands except earnings per share data)
                   
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31, 2024   December 31, 2023   December 31, 2024   December 31, 2023
      (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)
                   
    Interest and dividend income:              
    Interest and fees on loans $ 13,623     $ 13,409     $ 53,574     $ 52,560  
    Interest on deposits with banks   655       792       2,060       4,410  
    Interest on investment securities   530       712       2,614       2,855  
    Dividends on FHLB stock   127       123       514       416  
    Total interest and dividend income   14,935       15,036       58,762       60,241  
    Interest expense:              
    Deposits   7,099       7,113       28,495       24,227  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances   6       –       337       177  
    Junior subordinated debt   128       94       454       375  
    Total interest expense   7,233       7,207       29,286       24,779  
    Net interest income before provision for credit losses   7,702       7,829       29,476       35,462  
    Provision for (reversal of) credit losses on loans   6,646       (31 )     7,958       342  
    Provision for (reversal of) credit losses on unfunded loan commitments   8       (65 )     (91 )     (68 )
    (Reversal of) provision for credit losses on investments   (2 )     31       (22 )     58  
    Net interest income after provision for (reversal of) credit              
    losses, unfunded loan commitments and investments   1,050       7,894       21,631       35,130  
    Non-interest income:              
    Service charges on deposit accounts   225       219       926       872  
    Rental income   61       54       241       193  
    Net gain on loan sales   857       –       2,114       2,481  
    Net gain on securities   6       –       6       –  
    FHLB prepayment fee   –       –       –       1,024  
    Other income   224       24       865       631  
    Total non-interest income   1,373       297       4,152       5,201  
    Non-interest expense:              
    Salaries and employee benefits   3,429       3,044       15,639       15,399  
    Occupancy and equipment   413       386       1,761       1,713  
    Goodwill impairment   4,119       –       4,119       –  
    Other expenses   2,239       2,053       7,889       7,938  
    Total non-interest expense   10,200       5,483       29,408       25,050  
    (Loss) income before provision for income taxes   (7,777 )     2,708       (3,625 )     15,281  
    (Reversal of) provision for income taxes   (1,172 )     807       31       4,459  
    Net (loss) income $ (6,605 )   $ 1,901     $ (3,656 )   $ 10,822  
                   
    Basic (loss) earnings per common share $ (0.98 )   $ 0.28     $ (0.54 )   $ 1.62  
    Diluted (loss) earnings per common share $ (0.98 )   $ 0.28     $ (0.54 )   $ 1.62  
                   
    Basic weighted average shares of common stock outstanding   6,719       6,698       6,714       6,695  
    Diluted weighted average shares of common stock outstanding   6,719       6,698       6,714       6,698  
                                   
    SUMMIT STATE BANK  
    BALANCE SHEETS  
    (In thousands except share data)  
             
      December 31, 2024   December 31, 2023  
      (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)  
             
    ASSETS        
             
    Cash and due from banks $ 51,403   $ 57,789  
    Total cash and cash equivalents   51,403     57,789  
             
    Investment securities:        
    Available-for-sale, less allowance for credit losses of $36 and $58        
    (at fair value; amortized cost of $80,887 in 2024 and $97,034 in 2023)   68,228     84,546  
             
    Loans, less allowance for credit losses of $13,769 in 2024 and $15,221 in 2023   904,999     938,626  
    Bank premises and equipment, net   5,155     5,316  
    Investment in Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) stock, at cost   5,889     5,541  
    Goodwill   –     4,119  
    Other real estate owned   5,130     –  
    Affordable housing tax credit investments   7,484     8,405  
    Accrued interest receivable and other assets   19,269     18,166  
             
    Total assets $ 1,067,557   $ 1,122,508  
             
    LIABILITIES AND        
    SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY        
             
    Deposits:        
    Demand – non interest-bearing $ 185,756   $ 201,909  
    Demand – interest-bearing   193,355     244,748  
    Savings   47,235     54,352  
    Money market   226,879     212,278  
    Time deposits that meet or exceed the FDIC insurance limit   70,717     63,159  
    Other time deposits   238,620     233,247  
    Total deposits   962,562     1,009,693  
             
    FHLB advances   –     –  
    Junior subordinated debt, net   5,935     5,920  
    Affordable housing commitment   583     4,094  
    Accrued interest payable and other liabilities   6,216     5,123  
             
    Total liabilities   975,296     1,024,830  
             
    Total shareholders’ equity   92,261     97,678  
             
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 1,067,557   $ 1,122,508  
             
     
    Financial Summary
    (In thousands except per share data)
                     
        As of and for the   As of and for the
        Three Months Ended   Year Ended
        December 31, 2024   December 31, 2023   December 31, 2024   December 31, 2023
        (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)
    Statement of Income Data:                
    Net interest income   $ 7,702     $ 7,829     $ 29,476     $ 35,462  
    Provision for (reversal of) credit losses on loans     6,646       (31 )     7,958       342  
    Provision for (reversal of) credit losses on unfunded loan commitments   8       (65 )     (91 )     (68 )
    (Reversal of) provision for credit losses on investments     (2 )     31       (22 )     58  
    Non-interest income     1,373       297       4,152       5,201  
    Non-interest expense     10,200       5,483       29,408       25,050  
    (Reversal of) provision for income taxes     (1,172 )     807       31       4,459  
    Net (loss) income   $ (6,605 )   $ 1,901     $ (3,656 )   $ 10,822  
                     
    Selected per Common Share Data:                
    Basic earnings per common share   $ (0.98 )   $ 0.28     $ (0.54 )   $ 1.62  
    Diluted earnings per common share   $ (0.98 )   $ 0.28     $ (0.54 )   $ 1.62  
    Dividend per share   $ –     $ 0.12     $ 0.28     $ 0.48  
    Book value per common share (1)   $ 13.61     $ 14.40     $ 13.61     $ 14.40  
                     
    Selected Balance Sheet Data:                
    Assets   $ 1,067,557     $ 1,122,508     $ 1,067,557     $ 1,122,508  
    Loans, net     904,999       938,626       904,999       938,626  
    Deposits     962,562       1,009,693       962,562       1,009,693  
    Average assets     1,098,890       1,123,057       1,091,047       1,142,790  
    Average earning assets     1,064,872       1,089,808       1,058,766       1,110,801  
    Average shareholders’ equity     101,313       94,096       99,082       93,621  
    Nonperforming loans     27,754       44,206       27,754       44,206  
    Other real estate owned     5,130       –       –       –  
    Total nonperforming assets     32,884       44,206       32,884       44,206  
                     
    Selected Ratios:                
    (Loss) return on average assets (2)     -2.39 %     0.67 %     -0.34 %     0.95 %
    (Loss) return on average shareholders’ equity (2)     -25.94 %     8.02 %     -3.69 %     11.56 %
    Efficiency ratio (3)     112.47 %     67.47 %     87.47 %     61.60 %
    Net interest margin (2)     2.88 %     2.85 %     2.78 %     3.19 %
    Common equity tier 1 capital ratio     10.19 %     9.90 %     10.19 %     9.90 %
    Tier 1 capital ratio     10.19 %     9.90 %     10.19 %     9.90 %
    Total capital ratio     11.94 %     11.75 %     11.94 %     11.75 %
    Tier 1 leverage ratio     8.92 %     8.85 %     8.92 %     8.85 %
    Common dividend payout ratio (4)     0.00 %     42.63 %     -51.81 %     30.05 %
    Average shareholders’ equity to average assets     9.22 %     8.38 %     9.08 %     8.19 %
    Nonperforming loans to total loans     3.02 %     4.63 %     3.02 %     4.63 %
    Nonperforming assets to total assets     3.08 %     3.94 %     3.08 %     3.94 %
    Allowance for credit losses to total loans     1.50 %     1.60 %     1.50 %     1.60 %
    Allowance for credit losses to nonperforming loans     49.61 %     34.43 %     49.61 %     34.43 %
             
    (1) Total shareholders’ equity divided by total common shares outstanding.        
    (2) Annualized.        
    (3) Non-interest expenses to net interest and non-interest income, net of securities gains.            
    (4) Common dividends divided by net (loss) income available for common shareholders.        
             

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: CMD Portal Awards 2025: AFL wins ‘Most Improved Bond Issuer’ award

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

                                                                 Press release
    28/01/2025

    CMD Portal Awards 2025: AFL wins ‘Most Improved Bond Issuer’ award

    AFL, the French local government funding agency, is rewarded for the second time by CMD Portal – a network of more than 35,000 bond market experts – and wins the “Most Improved Bond Issuer” prize, the most efficient bond issuer. This distinction reflects the bank’s proven ability to place its debt with a growing and diversified investor base across multiple currencies. Now well established as frequent bond issuer, AFL is on its way to become a significant borrower in the capital markets, offering investors the only diversified exposure to the French local public sector.

    A funding program in full expansion for 10 years

    Created 10 years ago by and for the French local authorities, AFL’s mission is to facilitate access to financing and is among the leading lenders to local governments.

    Since its creation, the bank has been able to maintain its financial strength while expanding its operations. It has doubled its financing program, diversified its issuance currencies, and increased the frequency of both private placements and benchmark transactions with the objective to improve liquidity for investors. AFL’s bond issues are now located nearly on the entire Euro curve, which allows it to broaden its access to the market.

    Ten years after the beginning of its activities, AFL’s balance sheet stands at nearly €11 billion, reflecting the dynamic growth in loan production granted to local authorities since its first bond issue in 2015.

    Issuance of new products and expansion into new international markets

    Since 2023, AFL has had the ability to issue callable bonds. On this segment, the bank has already and successfully completed six transactions of this type in 2024, with an average size of €37 million, totaling €221 million.

    In April 2024, AFL entered the public Swiss Franc (CHF) market with an inaugural transaction of CHF 110 million. This strategic bond issuance broadened AFL’s already diverse investor base, which now spans France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Benelux, the UK, Northern Europe, and Asia.

    The institution now has a base of more than 300 international investors, including banks, private banks, fund managers, insurance companies, pension funds, and a growing number of central banks and official institutions.

    Lastly, in December 2024, AFL issued €50 million of subordinated debt securities, with the aim of enabling it to deploy its business plan while strengthening its equity base.

    2024 constitutes a pivotal year for AFL in two respects:

    • AFL was able to maintain its AA- rating when S&P downgraded France’s sovereign rating from AA to AA- in May 2024, leading the bank to now share the same as the French central government. AFL has thus strengthened its position compared to other public sector banking institutions.
    • Additionally, the HQLA 1 qualification granted by the ACPR in respect of for AFL’s debt on June 21, 2024, following the change in the risk weighting of French local authorities to 0%, has contributed to significantly enhancing the eligibility of AFL’s debt securities in the portfolios of investors, particularly banks.

    Key Takeaways:


    €11 billion in loans     granted over the past 10 years

    3rd largest lender to French local authorities

    Recognized as a public development bank in 2021

    HQLA 1 since June 2024

    AA-/AA- (S&P/Fitch)
    Same credit rating as the French government

    About AFL

    “The Company’s mission is to embody a responsible finance to strengthen the local world’s empowerment so as to better deliver the present and future needs of its inhabitants.”

    By creating our bank, the first one that we own and manage, we, French local authorities, have decided to act to deepen decentralization. Our bank, Agence France Locale (AFL), is not a financial institution similar to any other. Created by and for local authorities, it aims to strengthen our freedom, our ability to develop projects and our responsibility as local public actors. Its culture of prudence spares us from the dangers of complexity and its governance from downward slides of conflicts of interest. The main objective is to provide local world with an access to cost-efficient resources, under total transparency. The principles of solidarity and equity drive us. We are convinced that together we go further. We decided that our institution would be agile, addressing all types of local authorities, from the largest regions to the smallest municipalities. We see profit as a means to maximize public spending, not as an end goal. Through AFL, we support a local world committed to take up social, economic, and environmental challenges. AFL strengthens our empowerment: to carry out projects in our territories, today and tomorrow, to the benefits of the inhabitants. We are proud to have a bank whose development is like us, even more responsible and sustainable. We are Agence France Locale.

    Press contact
    Justine GUIGUES – Press Relation Officer
    justine.guigues@afl-banque.fr
    +33 6 74 94 29 66

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sudan and Eastern DRC: Foreign Secretary’s statement

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Foreign Secretary made a statement to the House of Commons on the situation in Sudan and Eastern DRC on 28 January.

    With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement on the situation in Sudan and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    The latest conflict in Sudan has now lasted twenty-one months.

    This weekend, the Rapid Support Forces attacked the last functional hospital in the besieged city of El-Fasher, in Darfur.

    The World Health Organisation assess some seventy patients and their families were killed.

    This attack is far from isolated.

    In recent weeks, the RSF shelled the ZamZam camp, where displaced people are trapped outside El-Fasher.

    While there are widespread reports of extrajudicial killings by militias aligned to the Sudanese armed forces in Wad Medani.

    The Government condemns these attacks in the strongest possible terms.

    They show a callous disregard for international humanitarian law and innocent Sudanese civilians.

    Exact figures for those killed and displaced in Sudan are hard to come by.

    But we know aid is being blocked from reaching those in need.

    And this is without a shadow of a doubt one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes of our lifetimes.

    I saw this for myself, Madam Deputy Speaker, last week in Adré, on the Chad-Sudan border.

    This was the first ever Foreign Secretary to visit Chad.

    I felt it was my duty to confront the true horror of what is unfolding.

    To bear witness.

    And raise up the voices of those suffering, mainly women, so horrendously.

    88 per cent of the refugees at Adré are women and children.

    I met nurses in a clinic, fighting to save the lives of starving children.

    I met a woman who showed me her scars.

    She had been burned.

    She had been beaten.

    She had been raped.

    Turning to DRC, conflict there has gripped the east for over thirty years.

    An M23 rebel offensive at the start of this year had already seized Masisi and Minova.

    This weekend saw them enter Goma, the region’s major city, which M23 last occupied in 2012.

    Brave UN peacekeepers from South Africa, Malawi and Uruguay have tragically been killed.

    And with hundreds of thousands having already fled M23 to Goma, there is potential for a further humanitarian catastrophe.

    I have not yet travelled as Foreign Secretary to meet those fleeing Eastern DRC

    But the reports speak for themselves.

    This is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman or girl with children as young as nine reportedly attacked and mutilated by machete-wielding militias. 

    Around a quarter of DRC’s population are facing acute food insecurity.

    And frequent bombardment of the makeshift camps which shelter those who have fled their homes.

    I regret to say, Madam Deputy Speaker, that Foreign Secretaries updating the House on conflicts in Africa is something of a rarity.

    As I discussed yesterday with African Ambassadors and High Commissioners, the surge of conflict globally includes the number in Africa almost doubling in the past decade.

    This is causing untold damage and holding back economic growth – the bedrock of our future partnership with African countries.  

    But where is the outrage?

    Again and again in Adré, I was asked:

    What is the world doing to help us?

    The truth is, if we were witnessing the horrors of El-Fasher and Goma on any other continent, or, for that matter, seeing the extremist violence in the Sahel and Somalia anywhere else in the world, there would be far more attention across the Western world.

    Indeed, one recent survey of armed conflict in 2024 contained spotlights on Europe, Eurasia, Asia and the Americas, but none on Africa.

    There should be no hierarchy of conflicts, but there is one.

    Every human life is of equal worth.

    The impact of these wars, Madam Deputy Speaker, is clear for all to see.

    You only have to be willing to look.

    I could not see atrocities such as these, and shrug my shoulders.

    However, the House will also understand the UK’s national interest in addressing these conflicts.

    Irregular migration from Sudan to Britain alone increased by 16% last year. 

    Unscrupulous smuggling gangs are looking to profit from the misery in places such as Sudan and DRC. 

    And the longer these wars last, the greater their ripple effects.

    Neighbours like Chad and many others are working hard to manage this crisis alongside others nearby.

    But further escalation only increases instability and the risks of conflict elsewhere.

    With Sudan sitting along the major trade routes of the Red Sea and eastern DRC one of the most resource-rich regions in the world.

    This is something we cannot tolerate.

    This Government therefore refuses to let these conflicts be forgotten.

    Working with Sierra Leone, the UK prepared a UN Security Council Resolution on Sudan to address the humanitarian catastrophe.

    Shockingly, despite support from every other member, including China, Russia wielded their veto.

    But Russian cynicism will not deter us.

    We will continue to use our Security Council seat to shine a light on what is happening and work with our African partners on broader UN reform.

    We have also doubled UK aid, supporting over one million displaced people.

    I saw our impact at the Adré crossing, and announced a further twenty million pounds to support food production and sexual and reproductive services.

    The UK is the third largest humanitarian donor on the crisis, having offered almost 250 million pounds in support this financial year.

    We have been redoubling our diplomatic efforts as well.

    In the spring, I am looking to gather Ministers in the UK to galvanise international support for peace.

    We need to see three things.

    First, the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces committing a permanent ceasefire and protection of civilians.

    Second, unrestricted humanitarian access into and within Sudan, and a permanent UN presence.

    And finally, an international commitment to a sustained and meaningful political process.

    Instead of new and even more deadly weapons entering the conflict, we want to see consistent calls for all political parties to unite behind a common vision of a peaceful Sudan.

    We will engage with all those willing to work on bringing the conflict to an end.

    On DRC, the UK, has also reacted quickly to the current crisis, we now advise British Nationals not to the Rubavu district in Western Rwanda on the border with Goma.

    And we are continuing our humanitarian assistance , having provided 62 million pounds this financial year.

    This enables lifesaving assistance such as clean drinking water, treatment for malnourished children, and support for victims of sexual violence.

    Ultimately however, we need a political solution.

    We know that M23 rebels could not have taken Goma without material support from Rwandan Defence Forces.

    My Noble Friend, Lord Collins of Highbury, and I have been urging all sides to engage in good faith in African-led processes.

    Lord Collins spoke to the Rwandan and Angolan Foreign Ministers last week.

    And in the last few days, I have spoken to both Rwandan President Kagame and South African Foreign Minister Lamola.

    For all the complexities of such a long-running conflict, we must find a way to stop the killing.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, civilians in Sudan and eastern DRC must feel so powerless.

    Power seems gripped by those waging war around them.

    The Government, our partners, cannot simply will a ceasefire into being.

    But this is not a licence for inaction.

    As we have seen in Gaza, it can take hundreds of days of diplomatic failure to reach even the most fragile of ceasefires.

    So for our part, Madam Deputy Speaker, the UK will keep doing all in our power to get the world focused on these conflicts.

    And, somehow, to bring them to an end.

    I comment this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Duchess of Edinburgh opens Sandhurst facility for army musicians

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    A new band facility on the Sandhurst Estate, Surrey has been formally opened by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh.

    HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh talks to some of the musicians during her visit. (MOD Crown Copyright)

    Her Royal Highness opened the facility in her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Army Music (RCAM).

    The new purpose-built band facility – named The Duchess of Edinburgh Hall – houses two distinguished bands from RCAM: the Band of the Coldstream Guards and the Army Engagement Ensemble. The building provides a modern, sustainable acoustic space for rehearsals and performances.

    The RCAM, which performs at State Ceremonial events, has received significant MOD investment under the £5.1 billion Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Portfolio.

    The facility was delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) contracting to Willmott Dixon, Pick Everard and HLM Architects. It was funded under the DEO Army Programme, which makes up the largest share of the DEO Portfolio, and is delivering a better structured and more sustainable defence estate. This supports military capability and enhances the lived experience of service personnel.

    Major General Richard Clements CBE, Director of Basing and Infrastructure, said:

    The new band facility at Sandhurst will enable army musicians to carry out their supporting state and ceremonial duties and national and international engagement for defence, both today and into the future. It is a fantastic example of the significant investment we are making to deliver benefits for our people, support military training and capability, and build a more sustainable estate.

    Combining modern buildings with the refurbishment of existing infrastructure, the Duchess of Edinburgh Hall comprises a glass-roofed atrium for ensemble performance practice, rehearsal rooms, an instrument store, music library, offices, storage space and a crew room. The design also includes solar panels and air source heat pumps.

    Sherin Aminossehe, MOD Director of Infrastructure and the Senior Responsible Owner for the DEO Portfolio, said:

    DEO is committed to delivering the highest quality buildings that improve the lived experience of our military personnel. This is evidenced in these impressive new facilities being opened today, which not only provide bespoke and very modern spaces for these prestigious bands to train in, but do so in a way that carefully integrates itself within the existing infrastructure to preserve the important history of the site.

    Historic stables dating back to the 1800s have been transformed into modern changing facilities, including the refurbished ‘Sullivan Block’, which is named after Thomas Sullivan who served as Bandmaster at The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst from 1845 to 1857. He was the father of Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan of ‘Gilbert and Sullivan’ fame. 

    Warren Webster, DIO MPP Army Programme Director, said:

    It’s fantastic to see this excellent new facility being opened by HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh. The different elements of the facility were carefully designed to meet the needs of army musicians and it was a pleasure to see Her Royal Highness’s reaction to them. The musicians have been making great use of the Duchess of Edinburgh Hall since its completion and we look forward to hearing their music fill these spaces for decades to come.

    The Band of the Coldstream Guards is a 54-piece symphonic wind band that supports a variety of high-profile events, including state ceremonies, public duties, commemorative and celebratory events, and repatriations. Additionally, it contributes to the UK’s defence efforts both domestically and internationally through community engagement and events. The Army Engagement Ensemble focuses on recruitment, supporting Recruiting Group and the army’s main effort to attract future soldiers.

    Major Justin Teggarty, Director of Music and Officer Commanding, Band of the Coldstream Guards said:

    This new facility is perfect for the Band’s needs. The quality of the design and finish is highly impressive, and we now have a comfortable, purpose-built, modern building in which to rehearse, collaborate and function to the highest standard. I am particularly impressed with the acoustics in the atrium: it is fantastic to be able to play together in a space that does justice to the talent and professionalism of army musicians.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s video message on the occasion of the Lunar New Year

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Download the video:
    https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+Luna+New+Year+29+Jan+25/MSG+SG+Lunar+New+Year+2025+Global+Version+CLEAN+16+DEC+24.mp4

    Happy Lunar New Year.

    I am pleased to send my warmest wishes to everyone celebrating Lunar New Year – and this Year of the Snake.

    The snake symbolizes wisdom, resilience, and renewal. 

    In these trying times, let us be guided by these qualities and renew our commitment to peace, equality, and justice.

    Let us embrace this time of new beginnings with hope and determination to create a better future for all.

    May the Year of the Snake bring good health, happiness, prosperity, and new beginnings.

    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Mapping groundwater in southern Alberta

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson joins 19 states in urging Costco to end unlawful DEI policiesRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined attorneys general from 18 other states in calling on Costco to end its unlawful diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, which they assert violate state and federal anti-discrimination laws. The letter, sent to Costco’s leadership, demands the company repeal these divisive policies within 30 days, emphasizing that Costco’s practices stand in direct opposition to its stated motto, “Do the right thing.”

    “Costco’s DEI policies may have a fancy name, but at their core, they’re about discrimination, not diversity,” said Attorney General Wilson. “America was built on the idea that individuals are judged by their character and contributions, not the color of their skin. Costco should focus on merit, not woke politics.”

    The letter highlights the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which struck down race-based preferences and classifications. Justice Clarence Thomas’s opinion in that case reaffirmed that such practices contradict the principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, which guarantee that all individuals are created equal and must be treated equally under the law.

    In recent months, many companies, including Amazon, Ford, McDonald’s, Meta, and Walmart, have abandoned or reevaluated their DEI policies in light of legal challenges and public pressure. Costco, however, has doubled down, with its board of directors unanimously opposing a shareholder proposal to study the financial risks associated with these policies.

    “Costco’s refusal to step away from discriminatory practices not only risks lawsuits but also jeopardizes the trust of its customers, employees, and investors,” added Attorney General Wilson. “The Supreme Court has made it crystal clear: eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it.”

    The letter also urges Costco to redirect its focus to other pressing issues, including allegations of slave labor in its supply chain, rather than clinging to policies that sow division and violate the law. The attorneys general have requested a response from Costco within 30 days, either confirming the repeal of its DEI policies or providing an explanation for their continuation.

    You can read the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Athabasca — Athabasca RCMP seek public assistance in identifying suspects after officer was injured – Update 2

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Athabasca RCMP, with the assistance of Boyle RCMP, attended and executed a search warrant on a rural property located in Athabasca County. As a result of this investigation, one male has been arrested in relation to the events of Oct. 25, 2024.

    A 62-year-old individual, a resident of Athabasca County, has been charged with the following offences:

    • Dangerous operation causing bodily harm
    • Flight from PO
    • Fail/refuse breath screening
    • Fail to stop after accident causing bodily harm
    • Aggravated assault on Peace Officer

    The individual was taken before a justice of the peace and has been remanded as the matter is adjourned until tomorrow. The individual is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 30, 2024 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Westlock, Alta.

    Athabasca RCMP would like to thank the public for their tips and ask that no further information be submitted at this time.

    Background:

    Oct. 28, 2024

    Athabasca RCMP seek public assistance in identifying suspects after officer was injured – Update 1

    Athabasca RCMP have arrested one individual in connection to the incident that occurred on Oct. 25, 2024.

    No additional information is available at this time. An additional update is anticipated.

    Athabasca RCMP would like to thank the public for their assistance.

    Background:

    Oct. 28, 2024

    Athabasca RCMP seek public assistance in identifying suspects after officer was injured

    During the evening of Oct. 25, 2024, an Athabasca RCMP officer initiated a traffic stop on a white Ford F150 in relation to a suspicious vehicle complaint. The driver, who appeared impaired at the time of the traffic stop, refused to provide identification. There was a hunting rifle in between the driver and passenger in the front seat of the pickup truck. The officer attempted to arrest the driver when the driver fled, causing injuries to the officer.

    The suspect vehicle is described as:

    • 2009-2014 Ford F-150 super crew (4 full doors), white in color
    • Missing passenger sideview mirror
    • Possible damage to right headlight and passenger door
    • Likely XLT trim line
    • Chrome bumpers and grille (no fog lights)
    • Running boards
    • Goodyear Duratrac tires
    • Trailer hitch
    • Covered in dried mud
    • No bed attachments (headache rack, tonneu cover, etc.)

    The driver is described as:

    • 60-65-year-old male
    • Grey facial hair
    • Glasses
    • Wearing hunting camo
    • Witnessed smoking

    The passenger is described as:

    • 30-40-year-old male
    • Orange beard
    • Wearing hunting camo and a toque
    • Glasses

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Behavioral Innovations Transforms Applied Behavior Analysis Scheduling Operations with CentralReach’s AI-Powered Scheduling Solution, CR ScheduleAI

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Fort Lauderdale, FL, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CentralReach, the leading provider of Autism and IDD Care software for ABA, multidisciplinary, and special education, shared that its CR ScheduleAI™ solution is helping customers such as Behavioral Innovations transform ABA scheduling with just a few clicks. Powered by the company’s proprietary AI agent, cari™, CR ScheduleAI maximizes ABA and multidisciplinary schedules analyzing hundreds of data points to match the right provider with the right client to enable CentralReach customers including Behavioral Innovations maximize authorization hours, Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) requested hours, and reduce burden on scheduling staff.

    Amid the ongoing shortage of qualified clinicians and RBTs in autism and IDD care, where waitlists often span 6 to 18+ months, CR ScheduleAI helps schedulers maximize RBT-to-client availability to enable providers to meet the growing demand more efficiently. CR ScheduleAI automatically accounts for language preferences, preferred providers, location of services, drive time, authorized service hours, client and technician availability and cancellations, and more, allowing users to see a minimum of 20% increase in appointments and helping reduce extensive wait times that often lead to delayed interventions or inconsistent treatment.

    “Before CR ScheduleAI, it took upwards of eight to ten hours to create a schedule personalized to match client preferences and meet clinical requirements and RBT requested hours, often resulting in inefficiencies and unfilled time slots for providers,” explained Jennifer Stanley, Senior Director of Business Optimization for Behavioral Innovation. “With CR ScheduleAI, we now experience a 75% time savings, allowing us to create schedules for 3,000 employees across 86 clinics more efficiently, improving clinic utilization rates and drastically reducing time spent on manual scheduling tasks.”

    The solution is also adding new enhancements that will further optimize the scheduling process, including:

    ●  Embedded Cancellations: Schedulers can now quickly reoptimize the schedule to account for one or multiple cancellations that could be due to employee turnover, client churn, and other unexpected factors.

    ●  Interactive Drafts: Schedulers can now also interact, bulk edit, and partially publish an optimized schedule in real-time, making scenario planning even easier.

    “The complexities and layers involved in ABA scheduling are immense and increase exponentially as you scale to serve more clients. There are overt losses to inadequate scheduling, like revenue and turnover, but also many hidden costs that practices are often unaware of until it’s too late,” said Chris Sullens, CEO of CentralReach. “And, while third party point solutions can offer some benefit, I know from my 10+ years building software for a scheduling-intensive logistics and field service company that maximum benefit can only be achieved with a deeply integrated agent-based scheduling solution that is integrated into a practice’s core workflow and has full access to data and constraints in real time. We have made significant investments over many years to create the automation layer necessary to power an enterprise-grade solution and the coming user experience enhancements in the first half of 2025 will make CR ScheduleAI even easier and more powerful than it is today. We’re proud to see the impact that CR ScheduleAI is having on customers’ ability to meet rising demand more efficiently and excited to see the impact it will have in helping to close the autism and IDD care gap as adoption continues to ramp.”

    For more information on CR ScheduleAI visit: https://centralreach.com/products/scheduleai/

    About CentralReach
    CentralReach is the leading provider of autism and IDD care software, providing the only complete, end-to-end software and services platform that helps children and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) – and those who serve them – unlock potential, achieve better outcomes, and live more independent lives. With its roots in Applied Behavior Analysis, the company is revolutionizing how the lifelong journey of autism and IDD care is enabled at home, school, and work with powerful and intuitive solutions purpose-built for each care setting.

    Trusted by more than 185,000 professionals globally, CentralReach is committed to ongoing product advancement, market-leading industry expertise, world-class client satisfaction, and support of the autism and IDD community to propel autism and IDD care into a new era of excellence. For more information, please visit CentralReach.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: France’s military withdrawal presents opportunities and risks to West African states

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Yolaine Frossard de Saugy, PhD Candidate, International Relations, McGill University

    In early January, Côte d’Ivoire announced that French troops would be withdrawing from the country and the military base of Port-Bouët would be handed over to Côte d’Ivoire’s army. The announcement is part of a seismic shift in France’s decades-long presence across francophone Africa.

    It is the latest echo of a larger trend that’s seen French troops withdraw or be expelled from its former sphere of influence, losing diplomatic and military weight in countries France had formerly colonized. Since 2022, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and now Côte d’Ivoire, have terminated defence agreements with France.

    This may present an opportunity for a long overdue assertion of sovereignty by the region’s countries. However, an ongoing threat from terror groups and the eagerness of other entities to step in could instead lead to more instability and a reinforcement of authoritarianism or regime fragmentation.

    France’s withdrawal

    Following the wave of independence in the 1960s, France entered in an array of agreements with its former colonies. These helped ensure France’s continued influence in Western Africa and its international standing.

    In addition to close political and economic ties, which included currency control by France and support to friendly leaders, this also involved the largest permanent military presence by a former colonial power, with troops stationed at various times in Cameroon, Gabon, Senegal, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Djibouti, Chad, Niger, Mali and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as military assistance to others.

    This large military presence has long been controversial. Historically, France was involved in a number of covert or overt military operations with dubious ends, including deadly interventions in Cameroon in the 1960s and support for the Rwandan government during the 1994 genocide.

    More recently, it was criticized for backing of authoritarian regimes and leaders and an inadequate approach to anti-terrorism, including through the Serval and Barkhane missions in Mali and the broader Sahel region — the vast semi-arid region of Africa separating the Sahara Desert to the north and tropical savannahs to the south — between 2012 and 2022.

    Criticism has also been leveraged at the neocolonial intent of France’s policy, especially in the wake of comments such as President Emmanuel Macron’s remark that African countries were not sufficiently grateful for France’s interventions, which many decried as insensitive to the historical context and implications of France’s role.

    Change was therefore long overdue, and over the past three years, a number of developments have seemed to show that France’s star was waning.

    A surge of anti-French sentiment spread across the Sahel and beyond. A series of coups in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso put in power military leaders who were eager to shake off French presence, leading to the departure of French forces from bases there.

    Leaving Côte d’Ivoire’s Port-Bouët was done in a more orderly fashion, and France presented it as part of a voluntary reorganization of its presence.

    Still, it is hard not to read this withdrawal as part of a wider reckoning with the failure of past policies and a rising desire of African leaders to reclaim sovereignty. This was indeed voiced out loud in the cases of Burkina Faso, Chad and Senegal, where a symbolic repudiation of French heritage is also taking place through the changing of street names.

    Risks of foreign influence

    This moment could provide an opportunity for West African states to shake off the remnants of the power imbalance that characterized France’s presence, and reshuffle the cards of military and diplomatic co-operation. This could lead to an era of more equal partnerships and responsiveness to popular aspirations.

    There are signs that such moves are taking place in the economic area, with Mali, for instance, asserting its sovereignty on resource extraction.

    However, the security situation in the Sahel has continued to deteriorate since the French withdrawal. New partners of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger — such as the new iterations of the Wagner group, a Russian mercenary corps used as a proxy by the Russian government to widen its influence — have failed to protect civilians or undermine insurgencies.

    In some cases, they have even been accused of taking part in the violence. The military juntas in power have delayed promised democratic transitions, and sometimes turned to the scapegoating of minorities as a litmus test of their anti-western credentials instead.

    This situation is therefore more likely to lead to further instability, especially as Russia is consolidating its involvement in the Sahel, China seeks to make further inroads in the region to strengthen its stance as the alternative to western support, and new nations such as Turkey and even Ukraine are seeking to widen their influence and reach.



    Read more:
    Ukrainian special operations abroad are part of its broader war effort against Russia

    Governments in countries like Chad seem to be turning to multiple new partners for support in maintaining security. This could help them conclude fairer agreements, but it also heightens the risk of regime fragmentation and internal violence if competing forces vie for influence.

    Sudan’s civil war, fuelled by the support of external countries =like Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, offers a cautionary tale of what is at risk when multiple new entities seek access or export their rivalries to the continent.

    Asserting sovereignity

    The political landscape across West Africa is rapidly changing. France seeks new partners outside of its traditional area but sees its influence diminishing across the board. The potential for a more isolationist United States under President Donald Trump is likely to leave a power vacuum in many parts of the world, further opening the door to new forces drawn to Africa’s natural resources and geostrategic importance.

    These trends provide African countries with an opportunity to change longstanding patterns. However, they also come with heightened risks, especially in an emerging multipolar world order where mid-level powers, rising major powers and reconstituting great powers seek opportunities to assert their influence.

    The only potential counterbalance to these dangers is strong regional co-ordination between West African states.

    Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have left the historical regional grouping ECOWAS, whose effectiveness had been hampered by its historical dependence on western funding. They have, however, formed their own alliance and there are now talks of expanding co-operation with neighbours, including Togo and Ghana.

    Whether this can at last provide truly African solutions to the continent’s challenges and offset the centrifugal forces already at play remains to be seen.

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

    – ref. France’s military withdrawal presents opportunities and risks to West African states – https://theconversation.com/frances-military-withdrawal-presents-opportunities-and-risks-to-west-african-states-248098

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Charter Market traders offered FREE training in essential business skills

    Source: St Albans City and District

    Publication date:

    Traders at St Albans Charter Market are to be offered FREE training and advice to improve their skills and help their business grow.

    St Albans City and District Council, which runs the market, has teamed up with St Albans Enterprise Agency (STANTA) to make the assistance available.

    To qualify for the 12 hours of free help, a trader needs to be a regular at the Market and have run their business for up to five years.

    They can then apply to have a choice of training and advice modules under the Government-backed Get Enterprising programme delivered by STANTA. This includes:

    • Business advice from an experienced adviser.

    • Assistance with choosing the most suitable business structure.

    • Free workshops with content ranging from business planning, bookkeeping to digital marketing and AI.

    Get Enterprising is funded by the Government with the aim of helping new and fledgling businesses.

    Councillor Paul de Kort, the Council’s Leader and Lead for Economic Development, said:

    This is a great opportunity for some of our Charter Market entrepreneurs to get first class training and advice on a wide range of business matters.

    We want to support our traders who not only create a great atmosphere in the City Centre, but also help the local economy by bringing in visitors and creating jobs.

    This training will assist them, not just in managing their businesses but in growing them as well. A market is a wonderful place to start a business as some of Britain’s leading business people started out that way.

    I am delighted that we are building a strong relationship with STANTA and together in the future we will look io provide more support and training opportunities for our traders.

    STANTA’s Executive Director Steve Bedford said:

    We are delighted to work alongside St Albans City and District Council to make available our business advice and skills workshop services to St Albans Market traders. 

    We have a wide remit in terms of supporting startups, young and small business in the area and look forward to working with the market traders.

    STANTA is an independent enterprise agency which has been active in St Albans, Harpenden and the surrounding area for more than 40 years.

    A not-for-profit service, it has helped local people start, grow and develop successful businesses: https://stanta.co.uk/.

    Charter Market traders will receive details of how to apply to the scheme from the Council’s markets team.

    Photo: the Charter Market.

    Media contact:  John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727- 819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AFSCME’s Saunders on the federal funding freeze: This is a blatant overreach straight from Project 2025

    Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement in response to reporting that the Trump administration has halted federal financial assistance including billions in funding to programs that working families depend on:

    “Billionaires and their anti-union extremist friends have amassed more power and influence than ever, and they are using it now to rob working people. This is a blatant overreach of presidential powers that comes straight from Project 2025. These actions will hurt those who are most vulnerable: families, seniors and people with disabilities who depend on Medicaid for health care; new mothers and newborns who need nutrition assistance; kids who receive education through Head Start or their food through school breakfast and lunch programs; people who rely on housing assistance to keep a roof over their heads, and so many others.

    “At the same time, the Senate just confirmed a billionaire hedge fund manager to run the Treasury department and is about to confirm Russell Vought, the architect of Project 2025, who will immediately seek to slash public services to hand out trillions in tax cuts to his wealthy friends. Make no mistake: this funding freeze is his handiwork. We urge the administration to reverse course on this freeze immediately.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Preventing the Spread of Avian Influenza

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced New York State’s ongoing proactive measures to prevent the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and facilitate early detection, particularly on New York farms. Following the detection of HPAI in poultry on a farm in Suffolk County and in several wild and domestic birds at a learning center in Putnam County, the State is encouraging organizations in contact with wild birds to remain vigilant for signs of illness in their domestic animals. Farms are urged to practice biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of the virus. While HPAI can spread quickly among wild birds and poultry, there have been no documented human cases in New York State, and the risk to humans is low.

    “At my direction, New York State is continuing to monitor for HPAI and take proactive measures to keep our communities safe,” Governor Hochul said. “While the risk to public health remains low, I encourage all New Yorkers, especially individuals frequently in contact with poultry and wild birds, to remain vigilant and take the necessary steps to protect our state.”

    New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “New York State has been monitoring for HPAI and taking a number of proactive measures to prevent the spread of HPAI in the state since the first detection in a backyard poultry operation here in 2022. The protocols we have in place, and continue to update, for early detection in poultry and livestock are working, helping us to identify cases and deploy resources to help. We encourage everyone who keeps poultry and livestock to be vigilant about minimizing their animals’ exposure to the virus and to wild bird populations and practice good biosecurity measures.”

    New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “As Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza continues to be detected in New York State, we are remaining vigilant and are working closely with our state and local partners to minimize the risk to people who have or may come into contact with infected animals. The State Department of Health will continue to support farmers and other industry professionals who have contact with wild birds with resources and guidance. While the risk to humans remains low, we will continue to monitor these detections in animals including livestock and poultry to assess any potential risks to public health and safety.”

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “The DEC continues to work closely with State and federal partners to reduce the spread of HPAI. New Yorkers are encouraged to avoid direct contact with sick or dead wild birds and poultry, especially waterfowl and raptors, and hunters are reminded to not harvest sick or dead animals. People should report unusual wildlife mortalities to their local DEC regional office.”

    The New York State Department of Health is also reminding the public that this recent HPAI detection does not present an immediate public health concern. The State Department of Health is providing guidance and resources to the local health departments that responded to these two situations. Individuals who may have had contact with infected birds are being monitored for symptoms and will be evaluated for HPAI if any become sick.

    While both recent HPAI cases are under control and surveillance of surrounding farms continues, the State continues to urge those involved in poultry production to take extra steps to prevent their flocks from becoming infected. All poultry producers, from small backyard to large commercial operations, should review their biosecurity plans and take precautions to protect their birds. Poultry biosecurity materials and checklists can be found on the USDA’s “Defend the Flock” website.

    In addition to practicing good biosecurity, poultry owners should keep their birds away from wild ducks and geese and their droppings. Outdoor access for poultry should be limited at this time, particularly as the State continues to see HPAI detections in wild bird populations.

    To report sick birds, unexplained high number of deaths, or sudden drop in egg production, please contact the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) Division of Animal Industry at (518) 457-3502 or the USDA at (866) 536-7593.

    HPAI in Dairy Cattle
    AGM also recently announced that it is implementing new testing initiatives on dairy farms as part of its aggressive, proactive response to the outbreak of HPAI in livestock in other states. Working in close collaboration with federal partners, including USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, FDA, and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and state partners, including the New York State Department of Health, this enhanced testing strategy is part of the State’s effort to protect animal and human health and prevent the transmission of HPAI in livestock in New York State. While there have been no detections of HPAI in livestock in New York to date, the State’s comprehensive approach is aimed at ensuring the state remains free of HPAI and facilitating early detection.

    In addition to the new testing initiative, New York State has implemented multiple preventative measures to protect animal and human health since the first detection of HPAI in dairy cattle in Texas in March 2024. In April, June, and August 2024, the Department issued orders on import requirements for dairy cattle coming into New York as well as testing requirements for lactating dairy cattle entering fairs or exhibitions. These orders continue to remain in place until further notice.

    USDA offers several producer support programs that are available to all dairy producers as well as certain programs only available to dairy producers with HPAI-positive herds. These programs include tools to support biosecurity planning and implementation as well as financial support programs to offset costs associated with HPAI testing, veterinary expenses, personal protective equipment purchases, milk disposal, and milk losses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harbour Grace — Harbour Grace RCMP investigates damage to parked vehicle at Trinity Conception Square, seeks public’s assistance

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Harbour Grace RCMP is investigating damages to a vehicle that was parked close to Columbus Drive, in front of Wal-Mart on the parking lot of the Trinity Conception Square. The damage occurred sometime between 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on January 24, 2025.

    Suspect(s) smashed the rear driver-side window of a 2016 Black Chevrolet Trax. Nothing was stolen from inside the vehicle. Given the area is heavily populated and the time of day when the crime occurred, police are looking for any possible witnesses to the incident.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Anyone having information about this crime, including any available dash cam surveillance footage is asked to contact Harbour Grace RCMP at 709-596-5014. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sonils Eyes Regional Growth, Steps Up as Champion Sponsor for Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2025

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

    BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of the), January 28, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Angolan logistics provider Sonils has joined the upcoming Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) 2025 – taking place in Brazzaville from March 24-26 – as a Champion Sponsor. The inaugural CEIF conference will convene industry leaders, policymakers and stakeholders to explore investment opportunities and advancements within the Republic of Congo’s burgeoning energy sector.

    Sonils, which serves as the integrated logistics and services arm of Angola’s state-owned Sonangol, supports the country’s primary onshore oil and gas supply bases. The company provides support to Angola’s oil and gas industry through the provision of facilities and areas allocated for the management of the country’s offshore operations.

    The inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum, set for March 24-26, 2025, in Brazzaville, under the patronage of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo, will bring together international investors and local stakeholders to explore national and regional energy and infrastructure opportunities. The event will explore the latest gas-to-power projects and provide updates on ongoing expansions across the country.

    Sonils has a history of supporting regional oil production through services related to cargo handling, engineering and the development of specialized oil and gas facilities. By leveraging its established infrastructure and industry knowledge, the company is well-positioned to play a pivotal role in supporting the Congo’s energy sector growth.

    Having exported its first LNG cargo in February 2024 and with aims to double its crude oil production within the next three years, the Congo is well-positioned to leverage Sonils’ expertise in logistics and infrastructure development. The company’s experience in managing large-scale logistics operations can assist the Congo in efficiently handling increased production volumes and expanding its export capabilities.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UKSPF funding boost for local projects

    Source: City of Canterbury

    Home  »  Latest News   »   UKSPF funding boost for local projects

    Sixteen projects and initiative across the district have benefitted from United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) money over the last few months.

    The city council has been awarding the grants having secured this UK government funding for schemes that invest in local communities and spaces.

    Three such projects are Startlab, Arcade Britannia and the Whitstable Beavers and Cubs.

    Startlab (pictured below), which received UKSPF funding of £9,960, is a community arts programme with a focus on inclusion and creativity led by the Canterbury Theatre & Festival Trust.

    It runs across the district and features a wide mix of activities, including a collaborative choral project for primary school children, an all-inclusive community dance project for aspiring choreographers and dancers, and professionally-led comedy workshops for the over 60s.

    Beach Creative (pictured below) in Herne Bay was awarded £8,324 in UKSPF funding for the Arcade Britannia project, a celebration of the central role of amusement arcades in British culture.

    The initiative comprised an exhibition and a variety of events with its centrepiece being an interactive digital recreation of a late 1980s seaside arcade enhanced by stories of the people who worked and played there.

    And a new Whitstable Beavers and Cubs group (pictured top), as part of the 2nd Whitstable Sea Scouts, is thriving following its funding boost of a contributory UKSPF grant of £1,900.

    The group runs from Blean Village Hall, and as well as providing all sorts of fun activities for local children, the project also increases the number of volunteer ‘leaders’ required to grow Beavers and Cubs packs to ensure schemes can continue for years to come.

    Cabinet member for economic development and inclusion, Cllr Chris Cornell, paid a visit to all three projects to hear more about how the UKSPF grants had made such a difference.

    He said: “We’re very proud to have funded schemes for people of all ages across the district through our UKSPF money. It was really inspiring to see that so many people have benefitted from all of these, making new friends and enjoying experiences they otherwise would not have had.

    “When you are making decisions on who and what to fund, you can get a sense of what can be achieved by reading an application, but it’s only through seeing the outcomes with your own eyes that you realise how special that is.

    “I thank everyone involved in all our UKSPF-funded projects for their passion, commitment and support for their local communities.”

    Published: 28 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Saunders on BLS Report: AFSCME is proud to have welcomed tens of thousands of new members in 2024

    Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement in response to the BLS annual report on union membership and earnings released today:

    “AFSCME is proud to report that tens of thousands of new members have joined our union family. This growth comes after a year of relentless organizing, with new AFSCME locals forming in health care, emergency response, public safety, the cultural sector and more. The message we are hearing across all workplaces is clear and consistent: Organizing in a union is the best way to ensure workers have the freedom to secure a better future, especially in the face of rising attacks by billionaires and anti-union extremists who see our growth and seek to stop it.

    “As the Bureau of Labor Statistics illustrates in their annual report on union membership and earnings, unionized workplaces offer higher wages and better benefits, giving workers peace of mind. This is especially true for women and workers of color who see pay gaps close when they win a seat at the table. As we move into 2025, we take this momentum with us, standing strong and committed to organizing – both internally and externally – for our seat at the table.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: TODAY: Governor Newsom, Magic Johnson, and Casey Wasserman to announce details of ‘LA Rises’ initiative

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jan 28, 2025

    LOS ANGELES COUNTY — Governor Gavin Newsom, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Casey Wasserman, will announce “LA Rises,” a new public-private philanthropic initiative supporting Los Angeles as it recovers and rebuilds from recent firestorms.

    WHEN: Tuesday, January 28 at approximately 1 p.m.

    LIVESTREAM: Governor’s Twitter page, Governor’s Facebook page, and the Governor’s YouTube page. This event will also be available to TV stations on the LiveU Matrix under “California Governor.”

    **NOTE: This in-person press event will be open to credentialed media only. Media interested in attending must RSVP by clicking here no later than 11 a.m., January 28. Location information will be provided upon confirmation.

    Media Advisories, Recent News

    Recent news

    Jan 28, 2025

    News Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter, Mark Walter Family Foundation, and Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation will provide an initial commitment of up to $100 million  LA Rises will support city and county efforts to help accelerate recovery LOS ANGELES — In the wake of one of…

    Jan 27, 2025

    News LOS ANGELES — Scientists, water managers, state leaders, and experts throughout the state are calling out the federal administration’s ongoing misinformation campaign on water management in California. Here is a snapshot of what water leaders and media are saying…

    Jan 25, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Bret Ladine, of Sacramento, has been appointed Director of the Financial Information System for California (FI$Cal). Ladine has been General Counsel at the California State…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Battleford — Battlefords RCMP seek public’s help locating male wanted for aggravated assault

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On January 24, 2025 at approximately 9 p.m., Battlefords RCMP received a report of a serious assault at a residence on 18th Avenue in North Battleford.

    Officers immediately responded. Investigation determined an altercation occurred between two adult males. One stabbed the other, who was taken to hospital with injuries described as serious in nature.

    The suspect then fled the scene of the assault. It was determined he was on court-ordered conditions, including a curfew that was electronically monitored, and orders not to possess a knife.

    As a result of continued investigation, 25-year-old Keaton Nicotine from North Battleford is charged with:

    – one count, aggravated assault, Section 268(2), Criminal Code;

    – one count, uttering threats, Section 264.1(1)(a), Criminal Code; and

    – one count, fail to comply with release order condition, Section 145(5)(a), Criminal Code.

    A warrant has been issued for his arrest and Battlefords RCMP are actively working to locate him.

    Officers ask members of the public to report all sightings of Keaton Nicotine and information on his whereabouts.

    Keaton Nicotine is described as approximately 6′ tall and 180 lbs. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

    If you see him, do not approach him. Call Battlefords RCMP by dialling 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gun Traffickers Who Bought Guns in South Carolina and Sold Them in the Northeast Sentenced to Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREENVILLE, S.C. — Ruben Enrique Chavez-Muniz, 24, of Bronx, New York and Destiny Shannon Mercado, 28, and Daquasia Catherine Mercado, 25, both of Spartanburg, were sentenced for their roles in a gun trafficking conspiracy.  

    Evidence presented to the court showed that, between January of 2020 and January 2021, Destiny Shannon Mercado purchased a large number of firearms (mostly handguns) from federal firearms licensees in South Carolina. Mercado then transported the guns to New York, where Chavez-Muniz, a gang member, would sell them for a significant profit. Destiny Shannon Mercado subsequently recruited her sister, Daquasia Catherine Mercado, who also purchased and attempted to purchase several guns for the traffickers.

    Over the course of the conspiracy, Destiny Shannon Mercado purchased at least 66 firearms and attempted to purchase five more. Daquasia Catherine Mercado purchased at least 12 firearms and attempted to purchase six more. To date, more than 25% of the firearms purchased by these traffickers have been recovered by law enforcement in New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Several of these guns have been found at crime scenes or recovered from prohibited persons, and two of the guns were recovered from juveniles.

    “Stopping the illegal flow of firearms to juveniles and criminal networks is a top priority for public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina, “We will continue to prosecute straw purchasers and traffickers like those sentenced in this conspiracy.”

    “Cutting off the supply of firearms to prohibited individuals remains a top priority,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Firearms trafficking poses a danger to both local communities and communities across the country. Identifying and apprehending the individuals responsible for putting guns in the hands of prohibited individuals plays a major role in protecting public safety.”

    Chief United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain sentenced both Ruben Enrique Chavez-Muniz and Destiny Shannon Mercado to 42 months in prison, with their sentences to be followed by three-years of court ordered supervision. Daquasia Catherine Mercado was sentenced to five years of probation. There is no parole in the federal system.

    The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the New York Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: BATON ROUGE WOMAN SENTENCED TO 13 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR COVID-19 FRAUD

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Gernesia Williams, 47, of Baton Rouge, to 13 months in federal prison following her conviction for knowing conversion of government funds. The Court further sentenced Williams to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $110,030.47 in restitution.

    According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, between approximately April 2020 and January 2023, Williams knowingly converted more than $100,000 in loan proceeds she obtained as part of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program for her own use. As a condition to obtaining the loans, she promised to use the proceeds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, Williams misspent at least $110,030.47 of the loan proceeds on herself and others, including more than $30,000 on jewelry and more than $20,000 on a destination wedding in Florida. 

    Anyone with information about allegations of pandemic fraud can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Collins Introduce Bipartisan Bills that Support Vermont’s Maple Industry 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) recently joined Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) to introduce the Making Agricultural Products Locally Essential (MAPLE) Act and the Supporting All Producers (SAP) Act, two bipartisan, bicameral bills to support Vermont’s maple industry.  
    The MAPLE Act would provide a new market for maple syrup producers while increasing seniors’ access to nutritious, locally sourced maple syrup products by adding maple syrup to the eligible products under the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). SFMNP gives low-income seniors access to locally grown fruits, vegetables, honey, and herbs at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture programs. The bill is cosponsored in the Senate by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Angus King (I-Maine), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and led in the House by Reps. Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23) and Joe Courtney (D-CT-02).  
    The SAP Act would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consult with maple producers when determining education and research priorities for the Acer Access and Development Program (Acer), a competitive grant program supporting research and education related to maple syrup production and sustainability in the industry. The bill is cosponsored in the Senate by Senator Angus King and is led in the House by Reps. Nick Langworthy and Becca Balint (VT-At-Large). 
    “Sharing our state’s world-class maple with families across the country is a lifelong tradition for Vermonters. Preserving this part of our culture is crucial to ensuring Vermont’s sugarmakers can continue setting the gold standard in maple production for generations to come,” said Senator Welch. “The MAPLE Act and the SAP Act are strong, bipartisan bills that will support Vermont’s first-in-the-nation maple industry, and benefit maple lovers and our local economy.” 
    “Maine is the third largest producer of pure maple syrup in the country, producing more than 575,000 gallons in a normal season, and bringing in more than $55 million to our state each year while supporting hundreds of local jobs,” said Senator Collins. “These bills support both local producers and consumers and make this market more accessible for all Mainers.” 
    “New York’s farmers and growers are some of the most important drivers of our state and district’s economy, and provide critical food resources to Americans,” said Rep. Langworthy. “These pieces of legislation are specifically crafted with the help of stakeholders and leaders to help our hardworking farmers and producers, benefit seniors, and help our rural communities grow. I was disappointed we couldn’t get bipartisan cooperation to get the Farm Bill passed in the last Congress, but I look forward to working with House Agriculture Chairman GT Thompson and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure these initiatives stay in the base text of the bill and we get it across the finish line.”  
    “The Seniors Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) has long helped seniors afford fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, and herbs from their local farmers markets. My colleagues and I are working together once again to expand the program to allow local maple syrup to be purchased with SFMNP benefits,” said Rep. Courtney. “The MAPLE Act would help seniors afford high-quality local maple syrup while supporting Connecticut’s excellent maple syrup producers. I look forward to working with my colleagues and our maple syrup producers to see this bill advanced in the new Congress.”  
    “In Vermont, our tight-knit communities flourish in part because of the strength of our culture and family farms, which in many towns is driven by maple syrup production. Input from maple producers themselves will allow for further education and research methods to strengthen this critical industry. I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation with Rep. Langworthy and Sen. Welch to support our region’s maple industry,” said Rep. Balint. 
    The MAPLE Act and SAP Act are endorsed by the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association, New York Farm Bureau, and the New York State Maple Producers Association. 
    Learn more about the MAPLE Act and read the full text of the bill. 
    Learn more about the SAP Act and read the full text of the bill.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: JLT Mobile Computers AB changes management following discontinuation of subsidiary JLT Software Solutions AB

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Växjö, Sweden, January 28, 2025 * * * JLT Mobile Computers, a leading supplier of reliable computers for demanding environments, announces a change in management following the discontinuation of JLT Software Solutions, which was announced on January 17, 2025 (press release 1/17/2025).

    The software development is now being integrated with the Group’s other product development for better cost-efficiency, management, and customer-driven development. This means that the operations of JLT Software Solutions AB will be discontinued, and Andreas Nivard, former CEO and CPO, is leaving the company.

    Visit jltmobile.com for more information about products and services. Financial information can be found on the company’s investor pages.

    About JLT Mobile Computers

    JLT Mobile Computers is a leading supplier of rugged mobile computing devices and solutions for demanding environments. 30 years of development and manufacturing experience have enabled JLT to set the standard in rugged computing, combining outstanding product quality with expert service, support and solutions to ensure trouble-free business operations for customers in warehousing, transportation, manufacturing, mining, ports and agriculture. JLT operates globally from offices in Sweden, France, and the US, complemented by an extensive network of sales partners in local markets. The company was founded in 1994, and the share has been listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market stock exchange since 2002 under the symbol JLT. Eminova Fondkommission AB acts as Certified Adviser. Learn more at jltmobile.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Innovation: Infomaniak inaugurates a data center that recycles 100% of its energy and will heat 6,000 households a year for at least 20 years

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Yesterday, the Swiss cloud provider Infomaniak officially inaugurated its new data center, which has been recovering 100% of the electricity it uses since 11 November. Located in a residential area of Geneva, on an underground site of the participatory and eco-responsible cooperative of la Bistoquette, the data center has no impact on the landscape and recycles 100% of the local renewable energy it consumes. At full capacity, it will feed 1.7 MW (or 14.9 GWh/year) into the region’s heating network, enabling 6,000 Minergie-A households to be heated a year or 20,000 people to take a 5-minute shower every day. This new generation of data centers, which has already received a number of awards, has been documented by students from EPFL, IMD and the University of Lausanne with a view to making it open source and enabling it to be reproduced on a large scale.

    Inauguration of the D4, a data center that is revolutionising the cloud industry

    Infomaniak’s new data center, a symbol of technological innovation and sustainability, was officially inaugurated yesterday, with the public authorities and key project stakeholders in attendance. Their collective commitment was essential in making this world first a reality. The project exceeds the standards of similar infrastructures in terms of environmental integration and energy recovery.

    Since 2 p.m. on 11 November 2024, all the electricity consumed by this structure, in the form of heat, has already been fed back into the district heating network of the Canton of Geneva. This achievement marks a key stage in the region’s energy transition, transforming an energy-intensive facility into an active player in energy recovery.

    Currently operating at 25% of its potential capacity, Infomaniak’s data center will gradually increase its output to reach full capacity by 2028, guaranteeing a sustainable contribution to society for at least 20 years.

    The future of the cloud: circular energy with no impact on the landscape

    Having already won several awards for the energy efficiency of its infrastructures, which have been operating without air conditioning since 2013, Infomaniak is addressing four major challenges facing the cloud industry with this new data center model:

    1. 100% of the electricity used by the data center is reused to heat households via a district heating network.
    2. The facility does not require additional water or air conditioning to be cooled.
    3. It is built on an underground site in a residential area.
    4. It has no impact on the landscape.

    “In the real world, data centers convert electricity into heat. With the exponential growth of the cloud, this energy is currently being released into the atmosphere and wasted. There is an urgent need to upgrade this way of doing things, to connect these infrastructures to heating networks and adapt building standards,” explains Boris Siegenthaler, Infomaniak’s Founder and Chief Strategy Officer.        

    Nothing is wasted, everything is transformed

    Unlike existing projects that recycle a fraction of the energy they consume, the system implemented by Infomaniak goes further.

    All the electricity consumed (by servers, inverters, ventilation, etc.) is converted into heat at a temperature of 40 to 45°C. This heat is then transferred to an air/water exchanger, which integrates it into a hot water circuit. Heat pumps then raise its temperature to transfer the waste heat from the data center to the heating network.

    The originality of the system lies in the use of both sides of the pump:

    • The gas in the heat pumps expands by capturing the energy in the water, which drops from 45°C to 28°C. This cooled water is fed into the air/water exchanger to cool the servers, eliminating the need for traditional air conditioning.
    • The gas in the pumps is then compressed to transmit energy to the district heating network, raising the water temperature to 67 °C in summer and 85 °C in winter to meet the needs of the district heating operator.

    The recovery mechanism is therefore the same as the one that keeps the servers at an optimal operating temperature. The additional energy required to run the heat pumps is also recycled, and it is the cold released by this process that keeps the servers cool.

    “Today, PUE, which measures the energy efficiency of data centers, is no longer sufficient in the face of the climate emergency. We also need to take ERE into account, which evaluates the energy actually consumed compared to the energy reused, as well as the ERF, which measures the proportion of the data center’s total energy that is reused for other purposes, such as district heating. Taken together, these three indicators provide a more complete picture of the energy impact of digital infrastructures,” explains Boris Siegenthaler, Infomaniak’s Founder and Chief Strategy Officer.

    6,000 homes heated and 3,600 t CO₂e saved each year

    At full capacity, the new data center will house some 10,000 servers in an underground area measuring 1,800 m2. It will provide the heating network with 1.7 MW, equivalent to the energy needed to heat 6,000 Minergie-A households per year or allow 20,000 people to take a 5-minute shower every day.

    Geneva will avoid having to burn 3,600 t CO2e of natural gas per year or the equivalent of 5,500 t CO2e of pellets per year, not to mention eliminate 211 lorries per year transporting 13 tonnes of material and the microparticles associated with pellet transport and combustion.

    An economically neutral operation

    In financial terms, recycling waste heat is a neutral operation for Infomaniak. Without the servers, this data center cost CHF 12 million, including a CHF 6 million advance from the cloud provider to adapt heat levels those required by heating network. Part of this CHF 6 million was provided by the Cantonal Energy Office of the Canton of Geneva (OCEN) and the heating network operator (SIG). The remainder will be gradually amortised by the heat produced by Infomaniak, at cost price.

    From finding the site (June 2019) to commissioning the first servers (December 2023), the project took a total of four and a half years to complete, whereas Infomaniak would usually build a data center in two years. The main challenges involved were finding a location that was both secure and close to a district heating network capable of permanently absorbing the associated volume of heat, and negotiating a contract with the district heating network operator.

    Good for Europe’s technological sovereignty

    This data center strengthens Europe’s technological sovereignty and creates value for many local companies by relying on equipment manufactured exclusively in Europe, with the exception of the security cameras used:

    • Trane heat pumps (France)
    • Ebmpapst fans (Germany)
    • Siemens power rails (Germany)
    • Siemens switchboard (Germany)
    • Minkels server racks (Netherlands)
    • ABB inverters (Switzerland)
    • Margen generator (Italy)
    • Meyer-Burger solar panels (Switzerland/Germany)

    The local economy will also benefit directly from the impact of this project.

    A new generation of data centers that is open source

    This innovation can be reproduced and the expertise gained during the course of the project has been made available free of charge. This model works, demonstrating to the cloud industry and policymakers that it is possible to double the value of energy from data centers. It also shows that the digital sector should no longer be seen as an end consumer of electricity, but as an actor in the energy transition.

    Infomaniak’s new data center, which was awarded the Swiss Ethics Prize and the Sustainable Development Prize of the Canton of Geneva in 2023, has been documented by UNIL, IMD and EPFL as part of the e4s.center programme to illustrate its energy efficiency in real time and make it easier to reproduce. This work is available for free at https://d4project.org/ and includes:

    • A technical guide explaining how to replicate this data center model.
    • Real-time monitoring of data center operational performance
    • A summary for policymakers with information to improve regulations on the design and sustainability of data centers

    Two new similar data centers already planned

    To support its growth, Infomaniak is actively looking for heating networks for its future data centers. “We already have 1.1 MW ready to be fed into a heating network, and by 2028, a new data center of at least 3.3 MW will be needed to meet demand. The principle is simple: we buy electricity locally and provide our carbon-free waste heat free of charge,” explains Boris Siegenthaler.

    Key figures

    • Average PUE: 1.09 (European average: 1.6)
    • ERE and ERF: see online
    • 2 1.7 MW heat pumps
    • Total area: 1,800 m2
    • Total budget (without servers): CHF 12 million
    • Total energy recycled at full capacity: 1.7 MW
    • Number of servers at full capacity: approximately 10,000 (200 47U racks)
    • Capacity of the solar power plant linked to this data center: 130 kWp (364 modules)
    • GPUs currently installed in this data center: Nvidia L4, A100 and H100

    Resources

    The MIL Network –