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Category: Artificial Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI China: China to launch Chang’e-8 lunar mission around 2029, collaborating with int’l partners

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

    China to launch Chang’e-8 lunar mission around 2029, collaborating with int’l partners

    SHANGHAI, April 24 — The China National Space Administration (CNSA) revealed Thursday that the Chang’e-8 lunar probe is scheduled for launch around 2029, and will carry payloads from 11 countries and regions and one international organization as part of international cooperation.

    The announcement was made at the opening ceremony for 2025 Space Day of China, which is celebrated annually on April 24.

    The Chang’e-8 mission will target the Leibnitz-Beta Plateau near the lunar south pole region, working with the earlier Chang’e-7 mission to conduct scientific exploration and in-situ resource utilization experiments. These efforts will lay the groundwork for the future International Lunar Research Station.

    According to CNSA, the 10 selected collaborative projects include a multi-functional robot designed by researchers in Hong Kong, a lunar rover developed by Pakistan and the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems (ISTVS), an exploration rover made by Türkiye, and radio astronomical instruments by South Africa and Peru.

    The projects also include Italy’s laser retroreflector arrays, Russia’s plasma and dust analyzer and high-energy particle detector, Thailand’s neutron analyzer, Bahrain and Egypt’s lunar surface imaging system, and Iran’s lunar potential monitor.

    Shan Zhongde, head of CNSA, said China will work closely with international partners to achieve new scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs that will ultimately benefit all of humanity.

    CNSA announced in October 2023 international cooperation opportunities for Chang’e-8 lunar mission, which offered 200 kilograms of payload resources for global partners. A total of 41 cooperation proposals were received.

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sergei Sobyanin announced the launch of summer river navigation in Moscow

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Summer navigation on the Moscow River begins on April 24, says Sergei Sobyanin in his blog.

    “In honor of the opening of the navigation season on the Moscow River, we will hold a parade of ships. More than 20 pleasure boats operating in the capital, as well as an electric vessel and a crew of water transport of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia will proceed from the Nagatinsky backwater to the Neskuchny Sad pier in the Central Administrative District. The nearest festive activities at the Northern and Southern river terminals in honor of the start of navigation are planned for April 27,” the Mayor of Moscow noted.

    By the opening of the season, city services washed the embankments, parapets and fences, tidied up the piers and approaches to the water where necessary, repaired granite and concrete foundations, replaced rubber bumpers, and updated the markings of the boundary lines and signs for boarding and disembarking.

    With the help of 500 outdoor surveillance cameras, the River Situation Center monitors the safety of the Moscow River water area around the clock. The Moscow River Police monitors order in the water area. Its employees patrol a section with a total length of 670 kilometers on water transport. During the navigation season, a special water patrol is also on duty. Passengers at the berths are assisted by employees of the TsODD passenger service, and the crews are assisted by shore sailors.

    Thanks to high-quality infrastructure and service, the popularity of river cruises and walks is growing every year.

    “Last season, the number of arrivals and departures of cruise ships from the berths of the Northern and Southern river terminals increased by 10 percent, and the number of passengers by 15 percent. This year, we expect growth of 15 percent – more than 2.5 thousand moorings,” said Sergei Sobyanin.

    The first cruise ship “Rus Velikaya” will depart from the Northern River Terminal to Tver. In total, this season the river service will cover dozens of cities, including St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl, Kazan, Perm, Plyos, Kostroma, Samara and others.

    One of the most famous routes, the Golden Ring of Rivers, will pass through the center of Moscow and along the Kremlin and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Two modern comfort-class ships, the Golden Ring and Aurum, will begin their route from the Northern River Terminal and end at the Southern.

    The river terminals themselves, after their renovation, have become not only key objects of Moscow’s transport infrastructure, but also popular public spaces. Citywide and local festivals are held here, and major holidays are celebrated.

    Since the beginning of 2025, the stations have welcomed more than 400 thousand guests and held 260 events: sports training, performances by artists, creative workshops, lectures, film screenings and others.

    The new season will feature a cruise on the new motor ship Nikolay Zharkov from the Vodohod company, launched in 2025. The comfortable five-deck vessel, over 130 meters long, takes on board almost 180 guests, who are served by about 100 crew members. The motor ship was named after the famous shipbuilder Nikolay Zharkov, under whose leadership more than 400 ships were built, including 24 submarines with nuclear power plants and 20 deep-sea rescue vehicles.

    A regular route to Khimki and a ferry to the Zakharkovo pier have resumed operation from the Northern River Terminal. This is a convenient way to travel for residents of five Moscow districts and Khimki near Moscow. Last year, the ships Moskva-1 and 850 Years of Moscow carried more than 260,000 passengers.

    Regular electric transport runs along the Moscow River all year round and in any weather. Since the opening of the service, there has not been a single day when electric vessels have stopped running along the Moscow River. During their operation, more than 1.7 million trips have been made along the Kyiv – Fili Park and ZIL – Pechatniki routes.

    Testing of the first unmanned surface boat is also beginning. It should become a universal assistant to the transport police: it will automatically record violations in the water area and help rescue people who find themselves in the water.

    The unmanned boat is equipped with a camera, lidar and modern navigation tools, and its movement is controlled by artificial intelligence. The equipment operates reliably and safely in all weather conditions.

    The technology for controlling the boat was created by specialists from the Center for Research and Development of Unmanned Transport of the State Unitary Enterprise Moscow Metro, and the project itself is the result of joint work between the Main Directorate for Transport of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the team from the Center for Advanced Development of Moscow Transport, which opened in May last year.

    “This season, we plan to launch the third regular river route Novospassky – ZIL, which will connect four districts: Danilovsky, Tagansky, Yuzhnoportovy and Zamoskvorechye. There will be four new berths on the route: Simonovsky, Torpedo, Derbenevskaya Embankment and Novospassky. The fleet of innovative river transport will be replenished with 10 new electric vessels. Some will go on the third route, and the rest will strengthen the first two routes,” the Moscow Mayor added.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12634050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: New Director General of the Bureau of Industrial Parks, MOEA, Mr. Chih-Ching Yang, outlines three core visions to drive park optimization and innovation.

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    The Bureau of Industrial Parks (BIP) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) held an inauguration and oath-taking ceremony for BIP’s new Director General on March 26. The ceremony was presided over by MOEA Vice Minister Chien-Hsin Lai, during which outgoing Acting Director General Chi-Chuan Liu handed over the official seal to incoming Director General Chih-Ching Yang. Director General Yang will continue to lead efforts in upgrading and transforming technology industrial parks and industrial parks, with a strong focus on sustainable operations and effective management.
    Director General Yang holds a master’s degree in business administration from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. He began his public service career at the grassroots level in industrial services. He has served as Division Director and Deputy Director General of the Industrial Development Bureau, Chief Secretary of the MOEA, and most recently as Director-General of the Industrial Development Administration. Known for his solid academic background, strong execution skills, and proactive leadership, Director General Yang has led the Industrial Development Administration team of MOEA’s renowned “steel battalion” in advancing key initiatives such as amendments to the Industrial Innovation Act, industrial value enhancement, medical supply preparedness during the pandemic, and the dual transformation toward smart and low-carbon development. He is widely recognized in the industry as a key force in promoting sustainable park development.
    The Bureau of Industrial Parks oversees 80 parks across Taiwan. Vice Minister Lai encouraged the bureau to continue pursuing three major tasks: providing high-quality industrial spaces to support the “Five Trusted Industries”; advancing the “Extraterritorial Equivalent to Domestic” policy to expand Taiwan’s industrial reach; and implementing the “Balanced Taiwan” strategy to deepen local industrial clusters, thereby accelerating economic policy implementation.
    Director General Yang stated that building on existing foundations, he will drive optimization and innovation in park development through three core visions:
    Smart – Promoting AI integration across industries
    Safe – Creating secure and high-quality investment environments
    Sustainable – Developing low-carbon, green, and sustainable parks
    He emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration, listening to industry voices, and leveraging government support resources to create industrial bases aligned with the needs of emerging technologies. These efforts aim to accelerate industrial development and ensure the long-term sustainability of the parks.

    Spokesman: Mr. Liu Chi-Chuan (Deputy Director General, BIP)
    Contact Number: 886-7-3613349, 0911363680
    Email: lcc12@bip.gov.tw

    Contact Person: Hsiao, Yi-Chen (Personnel Office, BIP)
    Contact Number: 886-7-3611212 ext. 639
    Email: hs0218@bip.gov.tw

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Eurocastle Releases Fourth Quarter and Year End 2024 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EUROCASTLE INVESTMENT LIMITED

                                                                                                                                                                                                                FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact:        
    Oak Fund Services (Guernsey) Limited
    Company Administrator
    Attn: Nicole Barnes
    Tel: +44 1481 723450        

    Eurocastle Releases Fourth Quarter and Year End 2024 Financial Results

    Guernsey, 24 April 2025 – Eurocastle Investment Limited (Euronext Amsterdam: ECT) today has released its annual report for the year ended 31 December 2024.

    • IFRS NAV of €22.08 million, or €22.05 per share vs €21.34 per share as at Q3 2024 and €21.77 per share as at YE 2023, reflecting an increase in the value of the Company’s holding in a Luxembourg fund under the New Investment Strategy, following the closing of its first investment in October 2024.
    • Adjusted Net Asset Value (“NAV”) of €11.35 million1, or €11.34 per share2 vs. €10.91 per share in Q3 2024 and €11.12 per share as at YE 2023.

            The tables below summarise the NAV by segment:

                         
        YE 2024 NAV   Q3 2024 NAV   YE 2023 NAV
        €’m € p.s.   €’m € p.s.   €’m € p.s.
    New Investment Strategy – Greece   5.77 5.76   0.11 0.11   0.10 0.10
    Legacy Italian Real Estate Funds   0.06 0.06   0.06 0.06   0.08 0.08
    Net Corporate Cash3   12.28 12.26   17.47 17.45   17.83 17.86
    Legacy German Tax Asset   3.97 3.97   3.73 3.72   3.73 3.73
    IFRS NAV   22.08 22.05   21.37 21.34   21.74 21.77
                       
    Legacy German Tax Reserve4   (5.99) (5.97)   (5.44) (5.43)   (5.46) (5.46)
                       
    Adjusted NAV before Liquidation Reserve   16.09 16.08   15.93 15.91   16.28 16.31
                       
    Liquidation Reserve4   (4.74) (4.74)   (5.00) (5.00)   (5.18) (5.19)
                       
    Adjusted NAV   11.35 11.34   10.93 10.91   11.10 11.12
    Ordinary shares outstanding   1,001,555   1,001,555   998,555
                         
                         

    As at 31 December 2024, the Company’s assets mainly comprise:

                1.   €12.28 million, or €12.26 per share, of net corporate cash, which is available to continue seeking investments under the New Investment Strategy.

                2.   €5.77 million, or €5.76 per share, in the Company’s first investment under the New Investment Strategy, a share in a Luxembourg fund which has opportunistically acquired a boutique retail complex in an affluent part of Athens, Greece.

                3.   A tax asset of €3.97 million, or €3.97 per share, representing amounts paid (and associated interest) in relation to additional tax assessed against a legacy German property subsidiary where the Company won the first instance of its appeal in December 2024. The German tax authorities have since appealed the decision and the Company is waiting for the date of the next hearing.

                4.   Residual interests in two legacy Italian Real Estate Fund Investments with an NAV of €0.06 million, or €0.06 per share, where the underlying properties have been fully sold, with both funds now in liquidation.

    2024 BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS

    FY 2024 Overview

    During 2024, having largely concluded its Realisation Plan, the Company made significant progress in implementing the New Investment Strategy by establishing the platform through which it can raise third party capital and make investments, while also closing on the first acquisition made as part of this strategy.

    Highlights

    • New Investment Strategy – In August 2024, Eurocastle launched a Luxembourg regulated fund, European Properties Investment Fund S.C.A., SICAV RAIF (“EPIF” or the “Fund”), through which it expects to invest alongside selected external co-investors. EPIF initially closed with Eurocastle committing to invest €8 million alongside a €2 million commitment from its JV Partner. EPIF is now being marketed to potential investors with a target size of €100 million.
    • In addition to generating attractive risk adjusted returns on its share of any investments made, Eurocastle also anticipates receiving market standard management and incentive fees from external investors. The Company sees the Fund as an attractive opportunity to earn enhanced returns on the capital it invests while also building a meaningful base for future investments.
    • In October 2024, the Fund made its first acquisition, being part of a boutique retail complex in an affluent part of Athens with Eurocastle investing a total of €5.5 million into the Fund. The asset was acquired from one of the largest Greek banks out of a distressed situation. As at the end of 2024, Eurocastle’s 80% share in the NAV of EPIF is €5.8 million. In parallel with executing this first investment, EPIF has been underwriting a number of additional opportunities.
    • Legacy Italian Real Estate Funds –The remaining NAV for these investments of €0.06 million, or €0.06 per share, reflects cash currently reserved in the funds that is expected to be released once the fund manager resolves certain potential liabilities and liquidates each fund.
    • Legacy German Tax Matter – Prior to 2024, the Company had paid a net amount of €3.7 million in relation to the Legacy German tax matter against which it has raised a corresponding tax asset (together with associated interest). The Company, in pursuing the reimbursement of this amount through the German fiscal court, won the first instance of its appeal in December 2024. Shortly after, the German tax authorities appealed the decision through the German federal tax court and the Company is currently waiting to be notified of the date of the hearing. In the meantime, €2.5 million of the €3.7 million of additional tax paid by the Company, being the additional tax assessed before late payment interest, is accruing interest at 6% per annum, which would be paid to the Company should it finally prevail in the case.
    • The remaining potential exposure, associated with the same point under dispute, is estimated to be €1.7 million. This relates to the years 2013 to 2015 which remain subject to ongoing tax audits. Notwithstanding the Company’s expectation that the tax matter will eventually be resolved in the Company’s favour, as at 31 December 2024, the full potential liability of €6.0 million, or €5.97 per share (including associated defence costs and interest accrued), is fully reserved for within the Additional Reserves.
    • Additional Reserves – As at 31 December 2024, of the total Additional Reserves of €10.7 million, €6.0 million related to the legacy German tax matter with the balance of approximately €4.7 million in place to allow for future costs and potential liabilities while the Company pursues in parallel the New Investment Strategy. The Board anticipates reviewing the appropriate level of reserves once it has further clarity on the amount of commitments received by EPIF.

    Subsequent Events

    On April 23rd, 2025, EPIF successfully held its first investor close, securing €16 million of commitments from 10 investors taking the total fund size to €26 million. Currently, a significant number of potential additional commitments are at advanced stage of due diligence, with a further close expected in May 2025.

    The commitments closed on 23 April 2025 will reduce Eurocastle’s interest in the Fund from 80% to approximately 31%. As a result, the new investors will reimburse Eurocastle an estimated total of €3.5 million of the €5.5 million it had invested to date in EPIF. This reimbursement is to align Eurocastle’s revised pro rata share of the capital called plus compensatory interest. The amount to be paid to Eurocastle is substantially in line with the relevant share of Eurocastle’s valuation of its interest in EPIF as at 31 December 2024.

           
         

    Income Statement for the Fourth Quarter 2024, Full Year 2024 and Full Year 2023

    Q4 2024 FY 2024 FY 2023
      € Thousands € Thousands € Thousands
    Portfolio Returns      
    New Investment Strategy – Greece unrealised fair value movement 429 273 –
    Legacy Italian NPLs & Other Loans realised gain                          – – 2
    Legacy Italian Real Estate Funds unrealised fair value movement                        – (18) (50)
    Fair value movement on Investments                       429 255 (48)
    Other Income 100 113 2
    Interest income                            345 827                            519
    Loss on foreign currency translation                             – (1) (2)
    Total income                        874 1,194 471
           
    Operating Expenses      
    Manager base and incentive fees 42 103 94
    Remaining operating expenses 115 745 1,012
    Other operating expenses 157 848 1,106
    Total expenses 157 848 1,106
           
    Net profit/(loss) for the period/year 717 346 (635)
    € per share 0.72 0.35 (0.64)
      Balance Sheet and Adjusted NAV Reconciliation as at 31 December 2024 New Strategy Investments Greece Legacy Italian

    Investments

    Corporate Total Total
              2024 2023
        € Thousands € Thousands € Thousands € Thousands € Thousands
    Assets          
      Other assets – – 315 315 210
      Legacy German tax asset – – 3,974 3,974 3,727
      Investments – New Investment Strategy – Greece 5,770 – – 5,770 –
      Investments – Legacy Italian Real Estate Funds – 64 – 64 82
      Cash, cash equivalents and treasury investments          
      Cash and cash equivalents – – 12,415 12,415 13,951
      Treasury investments – – – – 4,236
    Total assets 5,770 64 16,704 22,538 22,206
    Liabilities          
      Trade and other payables   – 389 389 425
      Manager base and incentive fees   – 63 63 41
    Total liabilities   – 452 452 466
    IFRS Net Asset Value 5,770 64 16,252 22,086 21,740
    Liquidation cash reserve – – (4,748) (4,748) (5,185)
    Legacy German tax cash reserve – – (2,008) (2,008) (1,728)
    Legacy German tax asset – – (3,974) (3,974) (3,727)
    Adjusted NAV 5,770 64 5,522 11,356 11,100
    Adjusted NAV (€ per Share) 5.76 0.06 5.52 11.34 11.12

    NOTICE:

    This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of the Market Abuse Regulation 596/2014.

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    For investment portfolio information, please refer to the Company’s most recent Financial Report, which will be available on the Company’s website (www.eurocastleinv.com).

    ABOUT EUROCASTLE

    Eurocastle Investment Limited (“Eurocastle” or the “Company”) is a publicly traded closed-ended investment company. On 8 July 2022, the Company announced the relaunch of its investment activity and is currently in the early stages of pursuing its new strategy by initially focusing on opportunistic real estate in Greece with a plan to expand across Southern Europe. For more information regarding Eurocastle Investment Limited and to be added to our email distribution list, please visit www.eurocastleinv.com.

    FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements may relate to, among other things, future commitments to sell real estate and achievement of disposal targets, availability of investment and divestment opportunities, timing or certainty of completion of acquisitions and disposals, the operating performance of our investments and financing needs. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of forward-looking terminology such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “potential”, “intend”, “expect”, “endeavor”, “seek”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “overestimate”, “underestimate”, “believe”, “could”, “project”, “predict”, “project”, “continue”, “plan”, “forecast” or other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions, discuss future expectations, describe future plans and strategies, contain projections of results of operations or of financial condition or state other forward-looking information. The Company’s ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is limited. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, its actual results and performance may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results or stated expectations including the risks regarding Eurocastle’s ability to declare dividends or achieve its targets regarding asset disposals or asset performance.


    1 In light of the Realisation Plan announced in November 2019, the Adjusted NAV as at 31 December 2024 reflects additional reserves for future costs and potential liabilities, which have not been accounted for under the IFRS NAV (“Additional Reserves”). No commitments for these future costs and potential liabilities existed as at 31 December 2024.
    2 Per share calculations for Eurocastle as at 31 December 2024 are based on 1,001,555 shares in issue. YE 2023 NAV per share based on 998,555 shares; Q3 2024 NAV per share based on 1,001,555 shares.
    3 Reflects corporate cash net of accrued liabilities and other assets.

    4 Reserves that were put in place when the Company realised the majority of its investment assets in 2019 in order for the Company to continue in operation and fund its
    future costs and potential liabilities. These reserves are not accounted for under IFRS.

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Haffner Energy unveils Hynoca® Flex 500 IG: A flexible, cost-effective alternative to grey hydrogen and fossil fuels

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Haffner Energy unveils Hynoca® Flex 500 IG: A flexible, cost-effective alternative to grey hydrogen and fossil fuels

    Cogeneration of hydrogen and electricity offers a unique solution for managing random hydrogen demand

    Vitry-le-François, France – April 24, 2025, 08:00am (CET)

    Haffner Energy introduces Hynoca® Flex 500 IG, a line of hydrogen production units capable of producing 12 tonnes of green hydrogen per day to be delivered under €3/kg without subsidies. Hynoca®Flex 500 IG also enables the production of cost-competitive renewable electricity to manage fluctuations in hydrogen demand or ensure energy autonomy.

    “The expectations for hydrogen are extremely high, but they remain significantly constrained by the chicken-and-egg problem and the high cost of green hydrogen production,” said Philippe Haffner, Co-founder and CEO of Haffner Energy. “Our Hynoca® Flex 500 IG solution simultaneously addresses both challenges, in a market worth over €100 billion worldwide. This is a major milestone for our company, which is expected to have a significant impact on our 2025 results, and which should also enable us to build up our order book for the coming years. More generally, it’s clearly a major paradigm shift for the global hydrogen ecosystem.”

    Thanks to existing subsidies, grants or tax credits available in most developed countries, green hydrogen is now clearly cost-competitive with grey (fossil-based) hydrogen, while providing much more flexibility and bringing a carbon-free solution. Not only does hydrogen and electricity cogeneration provide a unique solution for managing fluctuating hydrogen demand, it can also ensure energy autonomy of the system or even create opportunities in off-grid locations.

    A major breakthrough for the hydrogen market

    With unmatched flexibility, optimized energy efficiency (80%), and near-independence from power grids, Hynoca® Flex 500 IG emerges as a scalable decentralized alternative to grey hydrogen and fossil fuels. The technology is modular and standardized, which ensures reliable and replicable deployment at scale. Available worldwide, the first units can be reserved starting today, with commissioning of the first units early 2027.

    A significant EBITDA contribution starting this year

    Hynoca® Flex 500 IG is expected to make a significant contribution to Haffner Energy’s revenue – and above all to its EBITDA – for the current fiscal year, notably through paying engineering studies. The company reiterates its objective to reach EBITDA breakeven by March 31, 2026.

    Cost-effective, modular green hydrogen

    Hynoca® Flex 500 IG combines performance and modularity to meet industrial and mobility needs:

    • Flexible production, requiring minimal or no grid dependency
    • Optimization of CAPEX and OPEX, ensuring that hydrogen can be commercialized under €3/kg without subsidies Over 80% energy efficiency, maximizing process performance
    • Rapid deployment, free from grid infrastructure constraints
    • Standardized design, ensuring predictable performance and simplified integration

    A syngas with unmatched competitiveness

    Hynoca® Flex 500 IG generates highly competitive syngas, the precursor to hydrogen. Its low cost opens up new economic opportunities beyond hydrogen production.

    • Profitable peak-hour electricity generation: The cost of syngas is so competitive that it enables power production during peak hours, making it an economically viable solution to balance hydrogen demand fluctuations.
    • Operational security without rigid contracts: This flexibility allows plant operators to maintain stable production without requiring rigid offtake agreements.

    By combining hydrogen and electricity generation, Hynoca® Flex 500 IG ensures continuous operation, optimizing revenue streams and enhancing economic resilience, making final investment decisions (FID) easier.

    A strategic complement to electrolysis and power-to-liquid (PTL)

    Each Hynoca® Flex 500 IG unit generates 58,000 tonnes of biogenic CO₂ per year, a key resource for PTL (e-fuels) production and a critical enabler for hydrogen from electrolysis.

    • 58,000 tonnes of renewable CO₂ can convert 5,230 tonnes of hydrogen into 42,000 tonnes of e-methanol (or 18,000 tonnes of e-SAF), easy to transport and store
    • 5,230 tonnes of hydrogen is the volume produced each year by 60 MW of electrolyzer capacity (4,000 hours/year load factor)
    • Strategic synergy between Hynoca® Flex 500 IG and electrolysis plants, structuring the hydrogen economy

    Hynoca® Flex 500 IG not only delivers competitive hydrogen, but it also supports the expansion of electrolysis by providing a reliable source of competitive biogenic CO2.

    Proven, standardized technology for industrial scale deployment

    Hynoca® Flex 500 IG builds on Hynoca® technology, already operational at the Center for hydrogen production, testing and training in Marolles, France. This unit has been producing hydrogen that meets mobility standards.

    Scaling up this technology ensures industrial continuity with no technical risks, optimizing implementation for large-scale projects.

    Hynoca® process accepts all possible organic renewable feedstocks, including agricultural residues, sludge, manure, municipal sorted waste, and woody by-products, supporting a circular, low-carbon economy with a near-zero carbon footprint. Compatibility with all organic feedstocks means considerably lower costs, while at the same time significantly improving security of supply.

    Each Hynoca®Flex 500 IG unit consumes approximately 31,000 tonnes of dry plant-based biomass per year.

    Reservations system to manage market demand

    A recent market survey conducted by Haffner Energy indicates that demand for Hynoca® Flex 500 IG will far exceed the company’s current industrial and commercial capacity.

    To structure production and ensure timely deployment, a reservations system is currently being prepared and will open in 2025 Q3. In the meanwhile, requests for quotations can be made to the company in advance.

    Reservations, which will involve the payment of an upfront fee, constitute a win/win system for the company and its customers, allowing in particular:

    • Guarantee that customers will be served in the face of demand that is expected to far exceed supply
    • Secure delivery timelines and fixed pricing
    • Substantial savings on typical FID (Final Investment Decision) costs
    • Assistance with feedstock sourcing plans

    This system prioritizes committed clients while allowing flexibility for project development, helping to align industrial production capacity with actual market needs.

    About Haffner Energy

    Haffner Energy is a French company providing solutions for the production of competitive clean fuels. With 32 years of experience converting biomass into renewable energies, it has developed innovative proprietary biomass thermolysis and gasification technologies to produce renewable gas, hydrogen and methanol, as well as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The company also contributes to regenerating the planet, through the co-production of biogenic CO2 and biocarbon (or char/biochar). Haffner Energy is listed on Euronext Growth. (ISIN code: FR0014007ND6 – Ticker: ALHAF).

    Media relations

    HAFFNER ENERGY

    Laure BOURDON

    laure.bourdon@haffner-energy.com
    +33 (0) 7 87 96 35 15

    Sales relations

    sales@haffner-energy.com

    Investor relations

    investisseurs@haffner-energy.com

    Attachment

    • PR_Hynoca Flex 500 IG ENG_VF

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Flow Traders Leadership Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Flow Traders Leadership Update

    Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Flow Traders Ltd. (Euronext: FLOW) announces that Mike Kuehnel has conveyed to the Board of Flow Traders Ltd. his intention not to seek re-election as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for another full term at the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM). He will leave Flow Traders at the end of August to pursue a new opportunity. To ensure a seamless leadership transition, Mike has agreed to be nominated for re-election as CEO at the upcoming AGM on 13 June 2025, with his renewed term extending until 31 August 2025. The Board has initiated a search for his successor.

    Furthermore, Marc Jansen will be nominated for election as Executive Director of Flow Traders Ltd. at the forthcoming AGM. Marc has played an instrumental role in developing and expanding Flow Traders’ trading footprint. He is also a current member of the Management Board of Flow Traders B.V., the firm’s largest operating entity. In addition, Marc Jansen and Alex Kieft will be appointed as Co-Chief Trading Officers, effective immediately. They will jointly manage the Global Trading Division, focusing on expanding the Company’s trading operations across multiple asset classes and geographies.

    Mike Kuehnel
    Mike joined Flow Traders in August 2021 and was elected as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in September 2021 and subsequently appointed to the role of CEO in February 2023. During his term, Mike has been instrumental in systematically strengthening the firm by enhancing its position as a leading globally diversified trading firm. Specifically, in 2024, he initiated Flow Traders’ Trading Capital Expansion Plan, which successfully contributed to the firm’s second-best financial year in its 20-year history.

    Under Mike’s leadership, and in collaboration with the entire leadership team, the firm has launched several strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing efficiency through automation as well as enhancing the firm’s structure with the objective of building a fully scalable organization. As part of the firm’s strategy, Mike has played a pivotal role in developing Flow Traders’ global leadership team and in attracting key talent to enhance the firm’s capability set. Subsequently, Mike has facilitated new strategic partnerships across global financial markets, allowing the firm to capitalize on new revenue opportunities to accelerate the growth of the Flow Traders.

    Marc Jansen
    Marc joined Flow Traders in 2013 as a Trader and became Head of Trading EMEA in 2018. He continued playing a pivotal role in building out the firm’s trading operations, when he moved to the Americas, where he assumed the role of Managing Director, before being appointed Head of Trading with a focus on Digital Assets in 2021. He became Global Head of Trading and Management Board Member of Flow Traders B.V. in January 2024. Effective immediately, Marc will be appointed as Co-Chief Trading Officer.

    Alex Kieft
    Alex joined Flow Traders in 2014 as a Trader and was appointed Head of Trading EMEA in 2019, followed by Global Head of Trading with a focus on equities in 2022. Effective immediately, Alex will be appointed as Co-Chief Trading Officer and will lead the firm’s Global Trading Division alongside Marc Jansen.

    Rudolf Ferscha, Chairman of the Board, stated:
    “Flow Traders has evolved beyond its foundational trading focus, marking a significant transition that enables us to capitalize on new opportunities and forge strategic partnerships, thereby advancing our long-term strategic ambitions. This transformation has been successfully initiated and managed under Mike’s leadership, and on behalf of the entire Board, I would like to express our deepest appreciation for his numerous contributions to the firm. 

    We fully respect his decision to pursue another opportunity outside the firm and wish him every success in his future endeavors. We also thank him for his dedication to developing this strengthened leadership team. Under Mike’s guidance, the leadership team has driven the firm’s growth and expansion in recent years, notably with the successful launch of the Trading Capital Expansion Plan last year, leading to the second-best financial year in our 20-year history.

    Additionally, we are thrilled to appoint Marc and Alex as Co-Chief Trading Officers. Both Marc and Alex are esteemed leaders with a proven track record of shaping and accelerating our trading strategies across various asset classes and geographies. Their promotion reflects our dedication to strengthening our leadership and accelerating growth within our Trading Division. With a long-term focus on both talent and capital, we aim to intensify efforts in both traditional and digital asset markets, marking Flow Traders’ next phase of growth.”

    Mike Kuehnel, CEO of Flow Traders, added:
    “Throughout my tenure at Flow Traders, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of technology and innovation on global financial markets. These experiences have reinforced my conviction to engage more broadly in the field of artificial intelligence, prompting my decision not to seek another full term as CEO.

    I am immensely proud of what we have collectively achieved, as evidenced by our strengthened position as a globally diversified trading firm. Equally, I take pride in the development and growth of our global leadership team. Cultivating and attracting talent has been a pivotal focus during my four years, and I am thrilled about the current standing of this team. I have full confidence in Flow Traders’ future, and its ability to grow and become an even more significant force in promoting transparency, efficiency, and resilience within global financial markets.

    I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Board and all my colleagues at Flow Traders, it has been an exceptionally rewarding privilege to work alongside you. Serving as your CFO and CEO over the past four years has been an honor, and I am genuinely excited about the firm’s future.”

    Notes

    • Following shareholder approval at the 2025 AGM, Mike’s re-election as CEO and Executive Director will run until 31 August 2025
    • Following shareholder approval at the 2025 AGM and regulatory vetting, Marc’s election as Executive Director of Flow Traders Ltd. will be effective for a term of four years
    • In the notice for the 2025 Annual General Meeting, scheduled to be published on 2 May, all necessary information will be included in accordance with the nominations outlined in this press release

    Contact Details

    Flow Traders Ltd.

    Investors
    Eric Pan
    Phone:         +31 20 7996799
    Email:        investor.relations@flowtraders.com

    Media
    Laura Peijs
    Phone:         +31 20 7996799
    Email:        press@flowtraders.com

    About Flow Traders
    Flow Traders is a leading trading firm providing liquidity in multiple asset classes, covering all major exchanges. Founded in 2004, Flow Traders is a leading global ETP market marker and has leveraged its expertise in trading European equity ETPs to expand into fixed income, commodities, digital assets and FX globally. Flow Traders’ role in financial markets is to ensure the availability of liquidity and enabling investors to continue to buy or sell financial instruments under all market circumstances, thereby ensuring markets remain resilient and continue to function in an orderly manner. In addition to its trading activities, Flow Traders has established a strategic investment unit focused on fostering market innovation and aligned with our mission to bring greater transparency and efficiency to the financial ecosystem. With over two decades of experience, we have built a team of over 600 talented professionals, located globally, contributing to the firm’s entrepreneurial culture and delivering the company’s mission.

    Important Legal Information

    This press release is prepared by Flow Traders Ltd. and is for information purposes only. It is not a recommendation to engage in investment activities and you must not rely on the content of this document when making any investment decisions. The information in this document does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice and is not to be regarded as investor marketing or marketing of any security or financial instrument, or as an offer to buy or sell, or as a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell, securities or financial instruments.

    The information and materials contained in this press release are provided ‘as is’ and Flow Traders Ltd. or any of its affiliates (“Flow Traders”) do not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the information and materials and expressly disclaim liability for any errors or omissions. This press release is not intended to be, and shall not constitute in any way a binding or legal agreement, or impose any legal obligation on Flow Traders. All intellectual property rights, including trademarks, are those of their respective owners. All rights reserved. All proprietary rights and interest in or connected with this publication shall vest in Flow Traders. No part of it may be redistributed or reproduced without the prior written permission of Flow Traders.

    This press release may include forward-looking statements, which are based on Flow Traders’ current expectations and projections about future events, and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations. Words such as “may”, “will”, “would”, “should”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “project”, “believe”, “could”, “hope”, “seek”, “plan”, “foresee”, “aim”, “objective”, “potential”, “goal” “strategy”, “target”, “continue” and similar expressions or their negatives are used to identify these forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future whether or not outside the control of Flow Traders. Such factors may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, no undue reliance should be placed on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as at the date at which they are made. Flow Traders expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update, review or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which such statements are based unless required to do so by applicable law.

    Financial objectives are internal objectives of Flow Traders to measure its operational performance and should not be read as indicating that Flow Traders is targeting such metrics for any particular fiscal year. Flow Traders’ ability to achieve these financial objectives is inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond Flow Traders’ control, and upon assumptions with respect to future business decisions that are subject to change. As a result, Flow Traders’ actual results may vary from these financial objectives, and those variations may be material.

    Efficiencies are net, before tax and on a run-rate basis, i.e. taking into account the full-year impact of any measure to be undertaken before the end of the period mentioned. The expected operating efficiencies and cost savings were prepared on the basis of a number of assumptions, projections and estimates, many of which depend on factors that are beyond Flow Traders’ control. These assumptions, projections and estimates are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and actual results may differ, perhaps materially, from those projected. Flow Traders cannot provide any assurance that these assumptions are correct and that these projections and estimates will reflect Flow Traders’ actual results of operations.

    By accepting this document you agree to the terms set out above. If you do not agree with the terms set out above please notify legal.amsterdam@nl.flowtraders.com immediately and delete or destroy this document.

    Market Abuse Regulation
    This press release contains information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Jake Auchincloss Announces Guest for President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jake Auchincloss (Massachusetts, 4)

    March 03, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D, MA-04) is announcing former Assistant Administrator for Global Health at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Dr. Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, as his guest for President Trump’s address to a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4th. 

    Dr. Gawande is a renowned surgeon, writer, and public health leader. Prior to leading global health at USAID, he was a practicing general and endocrine surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He was the founder and chair of Ariadne Labs, a joint center for health systems innovation, and of Lifebox, a nonprofit organization working to make surgery safer globally.

    At USAID, Dr. Gawande oversaw global health efforts, providing access to preventative treatment and care. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has dismantled USAID and eliminated over ninety percent of 6,300 USAID awards, including health programs that help millions battling diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV.

    “The global vaccination efforts of Dr. Gawande and the public health officials at USAID have saved millions of lives and prevented unnecessary suffering. For the first time since 2003, a child in the U.S. has died from measles. Trump’s dismantling of USAID and his promotion of anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – who refuses to unequivocally recommend the measles vaccine – as our nation’s top health officer is reversing decades of progress in eradicating the world’s deadliest diseases,” said Congressman Jake Auchincloss

    “The experience of USAID shows what doing surgery with a chainsaw on the US government looks like. It is a bloodbath. The dismantling of USAID is costing tens of thousands of American jobs, massive loss of life, and mismanagement of billions of taxpayer dollars — the exact opposite of addressing fraud, waste, and abuse. The American people deserve to hear an explanation for why he’s firing public servants who keep America secure and cutting programs that save lives,” said Dr. Atul Gawande.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Dassault Systèmes and Airbus Extend Strategic Partnership to Use Virtual Twins for Next-Generation Programs

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, France — April 24, 2025

    Dassault Systèmes and Airbus Extend Strategic Partnership to Use Virtual Twins for Next-Generation Programs

    • Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform will be used across Airbus, company-wide, for all future generations of civil and military aircraft and helicopters
    • More than 20,000 users from every business area and the value chain will collaborate and use Dassault Systèmes’ virtual twins to improve efficiency, shorten development cycles and reduce costs
    • This is a key milestone in the digital transformation of Airbus’ ways of working and the preparation of the next generation of aerospace products

    Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA) and Airbus have extended their long-term strategic partnership, putting the 3DEXPERIENCE platform at the heart of lifecycle management of all new Airbus programs for civil and military aircraft and helicopters.

    This deployment will support the entire development chain for all Airbus civil and military aircraft and helicopters. More than 20,000 users from every business area, as well as Airbus suppliers, will be able to collaborate more effectively and use virtual twins – on premise or on a sovereign cloud – to shorten development cycles, anticipate and improve production efficiency, and enhance aftersales support – all while reducing costs.

    “Digitalization is a key enabler that we are leveraging to support our core priorities, whether it is ramping up the production of our commercial aircraft, preparing the next generation of platforms that will further contribute to the decarbonization of our sector, or pioneering the defense and security solutions of tomorrow,” said Guillaume Faury, CEO, Airbus. “This renewed partnership with Dassault Systèmes will play an important role in accelerating our progress towards these goals, while ensuring the highest levels of quality, safety and security throughout the lifecycle of our products and solutions, from design to in-service operations.”

    “Our long history of collaboration with Airbus embarks on its next chapter, enabling the entire enterprise and its value chain to innovate globally, efficiently and virtually for decades to come. Airbus can take full advantage of AI-powered generative experiences, and scientific advances in material science, modeling, simulation, production and operation systems efficiency with our 3DEXPERIENCE platform. This will open new possibilities to imagine, create and produce the experiences that will define the future of the aerospace industry,” said Bernard Charlès, Executive Chairman, Dassault Systèmes.

    Dassault Systèmes will provide Airbus with seven industry solution experiences based on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform: “Program Excellence,” “Winning Concept,” “Co-Design to Target,” “Cleared to Operate,” “Ready for Rate,” “Build to Operate,” and “Keep Them Operating.”1  

    ###

    FOR MORE INFORMATION

    Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions: http://www.3ds.com

    ABOUT DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    Dassault Systèmes is a catalyst for human progress.  Since 1981, the company has pioneered virtual worlds to improve real life for consumers, patients and citizens.  With Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 370,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, can collaborate, imagine and create sustainable innovations that drive meaningful impact.  For more information, visit:  www.3ds.com

    Dassault Systèmes Press Contacts
    Corporate / France        Arnaud MALHERBE        arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com        +33 (0)1 61 62 87 73
    North America        Natasha LEVANTI        natasha.levanti@3ds.com        +1 (508) 449 8097
    EMEA        Virginie BLINDENBERG        virginie.blindenberg@3ds.com        +33 (0) 1 61 62 84 21
    China        Grace MU        grace.mu@3ds.com        +86 10 6536 2288
    Japan        Reina YAMAGUCHI        reina.yamaguchi@3ds.com        +81 90 9325 2545
    Korea        Jeemin JEONG        jeemin.jeong@3ds.com        +82 2 3271 6653
    India        Priyanka PANDEY        priyanka.pandey@3ds.com        +91 9886302179


    1 The agreement between Dassault Systèmes and Airbus was signed in Q4 2024.

    Attachment

    • Dassault Systèmes and Airbus Extend Strategic Partnership to Use Virtual Twins for Next-Generation Programs

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Dassault Systèmes: Solid start to the year with strong subscription growth, EPS at the high end of guidance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, France — April 24, 2025

    Dassault Systèmes: Solid start to the year with strong subscription growth, EPS at the high end of guidance

    Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA) today reports its IFRS unaudited estimated financial results for the first quarter 2025 ended March 31, 2025. The Group’s Board of Directors approved these estimated results on April 23, 2025. This press release also includes financial information on a non-IFRS basis and reconciliations with IFRS figures in the Appendix.

    Summary Highlights1  

    (unaudited, non-IFRS unless otherwise noted,
    all growth rates in constant currencies)

    • 1Q25: Software revenue increased by 5% driven by recurring revenue up 7%;
    • 1Q25: Strong subscription growth of 14%, bringing New business up 7%;
    • 1Q25: 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue growth of 17%;
    • 1Q25: Diluted EPS up 5% (6% as reported) to €0.32;
    • 1Q25: Cash flow from operations grew 21%, as reported, to €813 million (IFRS);
    • FY25: Full year objectives unchanged, total revenue growth of 6-8% and diluted EPS of €1.36-€1.39.

    Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Executive Officer Commentary

    Pascal Daloz, Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Executive Officer, commented:

    “In February this year we announced Gen 7, the new generation of representation of our customers’ virtual universes – we call it 3D UNIV+RSES. This seventh generation of MODSIM data, powered by AI and spatial computing, makes the 3DEXPERIENCE the next-generation platform for knowledge and know-how, establishing it as a global IP management platform. Early customer feedback confirms that platform-based AI leveraging virtual twins creates competitive advantage. 

    We’ve had a solid start to the year. In the first quarter, the Manufacturing Industries sector performed well led by Aerospace & Defense and High Tech, along with Transportation & Mobility in China, Japan and US. At the same time, we’re accelerating in Sovereign Infrastructure, where energy, security, and AI capabilities – through high-performance data centers – are becoming strategic imperatives for nations and territories.

    We are committed to being the trusted partner for our customers – helping them stay ahead, while strengthening our leadership position for the long term and raising barriers to entry.”

    Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Financial Officer Commentary

    (revenue, operating margin and diluted EPS (‘EPS’) growth rates in constant currencies,
    data on a non-IFRS basis)

    Rouven Bergmann, Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Financial Officer, commented:

    “In the first quarter, our revenue is driven by strong subscription growth of 14%. As a result, recurring revenue now represents 86% of software revenue, highlighting the resilience of our business model. Regarding operational efficiency, we reached the upper end of our EPS guidance and saw strong growth in operating cash flow, increasing by 21% as reported.

    Entering 2025, our approach was to provide a risk-adjusted financial outlook. Since then, the introduction of new tariffs has created a more volatile market environment, which could lead to longer decision-making cycles. That said, our pipeline remains solid, and our current visibility aligns with the midpoint of our full year guidance.

    Therefore, we keep our 2025 outlook of 6-8% total revenue growth and 7-10% EPS growth unchanged. In addition, we are slightly adjusting our operating margin target, expecting a year-over-year expansion of 50-70 basis points, versus 70-100 basis points prior, to gain additional flexibility and invest in Gen 7 to support our long-term growth.”

    Financial Summary

    In millions of Euros,
    except per share data and percentages
      IFRS   Non-IFRS
      Q1 2025 Q1 2024 Change Change in constant currencies   Q1 2025 Q1 2024 Change Change in constant currencies
    Total Revenue   1,573.0 1,499.7 5% 4%   1,573.0 1,499.7 5% 4%
    Software Revenue   1,432.7 1,352.8 6% 5%   1,432.7 1,352.8 6% 5%
    Operating Margin   19.4% 21.6% (2.3)pts     30.9% 31.1% (0.2)pt  
    Diluted EPS   0.20 0.21 (9)%     0.32 0.30 6% 5%

    First Quarter 2025 Versus 2024 Financial Comparisons

    (unaudited, IFRS and non-IFRS unless otherwise noted,
    all revenue growth rates in constant currencies)

    • Total Revenue: Total revenue in the first quarter grew by 4% to €1.57 billion, and software revenue increased by 5% to €1.43 billion. Subscription & support revenue rose by 7%; recurring revenue represented 86% of software revenue, up 2 basis points versus last year. Licenses and other software revenue declined by 10% to €198 million. Services revenue was down 6% to €140 million, during the quarter.
    • Software Revenue by Geography: Revenue in the Americas increased by 7% to represent 43% of software revenue. This growth acceleration is driven by Aerospace & Defense, Transport & Mobility and High-Tech. Despite tariff uncertainty, Europe increased by 1%, led by good growth in Aerospace & Defense. Europe represented 36% of software revenue. In Asia, revenue increased by 5%, driven by India, Southeast Asia and Korea. Asia represented 22% of software revenue.
    • Software Revenue by Product Line:
      • Industrial Innovation software revenue increased by 8% to €793 million. This strong broad-based performance was led by CATIA, ENOVIA, DELMIA and NETVIBES. Industrial Innovation software represented 55% of software revenue.
    • Life Sciences software revenue was stable at €293 million, accounting for 20% of software revenue. MEDIDATA was impacted by continued CRO2 headwinds, while benefiting from the steady dynamic with Large Pharma and Mid-Market.
    • Mainstream Innovation software revenue increased by 2% to €347 million. SOLIDWORKS had a slow start to the year, but saw solid bookings and good momentum in 3DEXPERIENCE adoption. CENTRIC PLM was impacted by timing of renewals, after an exceptional year of growth in 2024. Mainstream Innovation represented 24% of software revenue, during the period.
    • Software Revenue by Industry: Aerospace & Defense, High Tech and Industrial Equipment were among the best performers during the quarter.
    • Key Strategic Drivers: 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue increased by 17%, driven by Aerospace & Defense, High Tech and Transportation & Mobility, along with opportunities in the sovereign infrastructure domain. 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue represented 39% of 3DEXPERIENCE eligible software revenue. Cloud software revenue grew by 7% and represented 25% of software revenue during the period. 3DEXPERIENCE Cloud software revenue increased by 41%.
    • Operating Income and Margin: IFRS operating income declined by 6% to €304 million, as reported. Non-IFRS operating income increased by 3% in constant currencies to €486 million (up 4% as reported). The IFRS operating margin stood at 19.4% compared to 21.6% in the first quarter of 2024. The non-IFRS operating margin totaled 30.9% versus 31.1% during the same period last year.
    • Earnings per Share: IFRS diluted EPS was €0.20, down 9% as reported. Non-IFRS diluted EPS grew to €0.32, up 6% as reported, or 5% in constant currencies.
    • Cash Flow from Operations (IFRS): Cash flow from operations totaled €813 million, an increase of 21% relative to the same period last year with strong cash collection. Cash flow from operations was principally used for the acquisition of ContentServ for €191 million (net of €11 million of cash acquired), repurchase of Treasury Shares for €80 million, repayment of debt for €59 million and €56 million for investments in CAPEX.
    • Balance Sheet (IFRS): Dassault Systèmes had a net cash position of €1.79 billion as of March 31, 2025, an increase of €0.33 billion, compared to €1.46 billion for the year ending December 31, 2024. Cash and cash equivalents totaled €4.24 billion at the end of March 2025.

    Financial Objectives for 2025

    Dassault Systèmes’ second quarter and 2025 financial objectives presented below are given on a non-IFRS basis and reflect the principal 2025 currency exchange rate assumptions for the US dollar and Japanese yen as well as the potential impact from additional non-Euro currencies:

               
          Q2 2025 FY 2025  
      Total Revenue (billion) €1.520 – €1.580 €6.567 – €6.667  
      Growth 2 – 6% 6 – 7%  
      Growth ex FX 3 – 7% 6 – 8%  
               
      Software revenue growth * 3 – 7% 6 – 8%  
        Of which licenses and other software revenue growth * (6) – 1% 2 – 6%  
        Of which recurring revenue growth * 5 – 8% 7 – 8%  
     

    Services revenue growth *

    3 – 7%

    4 – 6%  
               
      Operating Margin 29.8% – 29.9% 32.3% – 32.6%  
               
      EPS Diluted €0.30 – €0.31 €1.36 – €1.39  
      Growth (1) – 3% 7 – 9%  
      Growth ex FX 1 – 5% 7 – 10%  
               
      US dollar $1.10 per Euro $1.09 per Euro  
      Japanese yen (before hedging) JPY 155.0 per Euro JPY 156.4 per Euro  
      * Growth in Constant Currencies      

    These objectives are prepared and communicated only on a non-IFRS basis and are subject to the cautionary statement set forth below.

    The 2025 non-IFRS financial objectives set forth above do not take into account the following accounting elements below and are estimated based upon the 2025 principal currency exchange rates above: no significant contract liabilities write-downs; share-based compensation expenses, including related social charges, estimated at approximately €213 million (these estimates do not include any new stock option or share grants issued after March 31, 2025); amortization of acquired intangibles and of tangibles reevaluation, estimated at approximately €353 million, largely impacted by the acquisition of MEDIDATA and lease incentives of acquired companies at approximately €1 million.

    The above objectives also do not include any impact from other operating income and expenses, a net principally comprised of acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses, and impairment of goodwill and acquired intangible assets; from one-time items included in financial revenue; from one-time tax effects; and from the income tax effects of these non-IFRS adjustments. Finally, these estimates do not include any new acquisitions or restructuring completed after March 31, 2025.

    Corporate Announcements

    • January 23, 2025: MEDIDATA and Tigermed Renew Strategic Partnership Aimed at Accelerating Clinical Trials Globally
    • February 4, 2025: Dassault Systèmes and Volkswagen Group Implement the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform to Optimize Vehicle Development
    • February 4, 2025: Dassault Systèmes Reveals “3D UNIV+RSES” and Related AI-Based Services
    • February 4, 2025: MEDIDATA Advances New Frontiers for Life Sciences Through Patient-Centric Experiences, AI-Powered Innovations, and New Patient Engaging Alliances
    • February 25, 2025: Dassault Systèmes Announces Centric Software’s Acquisition of AI-Powered PXM Solution, Contentserv
    • February 25, 2025: Dassault Systèmes Reveals the Next Dimension of Product Design and Manufacturing with Apple Vision Pro
    • February 26, 2025: Dassault Systèmes Enters the Next Phase of Its Living Heart Project with AI-Powered Virtual Twins
    • March 19, 2025: Dassault Systèmes Intensifies the MEDIDATA Commitment to Patient Experience with Investment in Click Therapeutics for Digital Therapeutics beyond Clinical Trials
    • March 20, 2025: ICON Becomes the First Large Clinical Research Organization to Fully Integrate Medidata Clinical Data Studio, Streamlining Data Management and Review

    Today’s Webcast and Conference Call Information

    Today, Thursday, April 24, 2025, Dassault Systèmes will host, from Paris, a webcasted presentation at 9:00 AM London Time / 10:00 AM Paris time, and will then host a conference call at 8:30 AM New York time / 1:30 PM London time / 2:30 PM Paris time. The webcasted presentation and conference calls will be available online by accessing investor.3ds.com.

    Additional investor information is available at investor.3ds.com or by calling Dassault Systèmes’ Investor Relations at +33.1.61.62.69.24.

    Investor Relations Events

    • Capital Markets Day: June 6, 2025
    • Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release: July 24, 2025
    • Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Release: October 23, 2025
    • Fourth Quarter 2025 Earnings Release: February 11, 2026

    Forward-looking Information

    Statements herein that are not historical facts but express expectations or objectives for the future, including but not limited to statements regarding the Group’s non-IFRS financial performance objectives are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on Dassault Systèmes management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or performances may differ materially from those in such statements due to a range of factors.

    The Group’s actual results or performance may be materially negatively affected by numerous risks and uncertainties, as described in the “Risk Factors” section 1.9 of the 2024 Universal Registration Document (‘Document d’enregistrement universel’) filed with the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority) on March 18, 2025, available on the Group’s website www.3ds.com.

    In particular, please refer to the risk factor “Uncertain Global Environment” in section 1.9.1.1 of the 2024 Universal Registration Document set out below for ease of reference:

    “In light of the uncertainties regarding economic, business, social, health and geopolitical conditions at the global level, Dassault Systèmes’ revenue, net earnings and cash flows may grow more slowly, whether on an annual or quarterly basis, mainly due to the following factors:

    • the deployment of Dassault Systèmes’ solutions may represent a large portion of a customer’s investments in software technology. Decisions to make such an investment are impacted by the economic environment in which the customers operate. Uncertain global geopolitical, economic and health conditions and the lack of visibility or the lack of financial resources may cause some customers, e.g. within the automotive, aerospace, energy or natural resources industries, to reduce, postpone or cancel their investments, or to reduce or not renew ongoing paid maintenance for their installed base, which impact larger customers’ revenue with their respective sub-contractors;
    • the political, economic and monetary situation in certain geographic regions where Dassault Systèmes operates could become more volatile and negatively affect Dassault Systèmes’ business, and in particular its revenue, for example, due to stricter export compliance rules or the introduction of new customs barriers or controls on the exchange of goods and services;
    • continued pressure or volatility on raw materials and energy prices could also slow down Dassault Systèmes’ diversification efforts in new industries;
    • uncertainties regarding the extent and duration of costs inflation could adversely affect the financial position of Dassault Systèmes; and
    • the sales cycle of the Dassault Systèmes’ products – already relatively long due to the strategic nature of such investments for customers – could further lengthen.

    The occurrence of crises – health and political crises in particular – could have consequences both for the health and safety of Dassault Systèmes’ employees and for the Company. It could also adversely impact the financial situation or financing and supply capabilities of Dassault Systèmes’ existing and potential customers, commercial and technology partners, some of whom may be forced to temporarily close sites or to cease operations. A deteriorating economic environment could generate increased price pressure and affect the collection of receivables, which would negatively affect Dassault Systèmes’ revenue, financial performance and market position.

    Dassault Systèmes makes every effort to take into consideration this uncertain outlook. Dassault Systèmes’ business results, however, may not develop as anticipated. Furthermore, due to factors affecting sales of Dassault Systèmes’ products and services, there may be a substantial time lag between an improvement in global economic and business conditions and an upswing in the Company’s business results.

    In preparing such forward-looking statements, the Group has in particular assumed an average US dollar to euro exchange rate of US$1.10 per €1.00 as well as an average Japanese yen to euro exchange rate of JPY155.0 to €1.00, before hedging for the second quarter 2025. The Group has assumed an average US dollar to euro exchange rate of US$1.09 per €1.00 as well as an average Japanese yen to euro exchange rate of JPY156.4 to €1.00, before hedging for the full year 2025. However, currency values fluctuate, and the Group’s results may be significantly affected by changes in exchange rates.   

    Non-IFRS Financial Information

    Readers are cautioned that the supplemental non-IFRS financial information presented in this press release is subject to inherent limitations. It is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for IFRS measurements. The supplemental non-IFRS financial information should be read only in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. Furthermore, the Group’s supplemental non-IFRS financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled “non-IFRS” measures used by other companies. Specific limitations for individual non-IFRS measures are set forth in the Company’s 2024 Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on March 18, 2025.

    In the tables accompanying this press release the Group sets forth its supplemental non-IFRS figures for revenue, operating income, operating margin, net income and diluted earnings per share, which exclude the effect of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ deferred revenue, share-based compensation expense and related social charges, the amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangibles reevaluation, certain other operating income and expense, net, including impairment of goodwill and acquired intangibles, the effect of adjusting lease incentives of acquired companies, certain one-time items included in financial revenue and other, net, and the income tax effect of the non-IFRS adjustments and certain one-time tax effects. The tables also set forth the most comparable IFRS financial measure and reconciliations of this information with non-IFRS information.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION

    Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions: http://www.3ds.com

    ABOUT DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    Dassault Systèmes is a catalyst for human progress. Since 1981, the company has pioneered virtual worlds to improve real life for consumers, patients and citizens.
    With Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 370 000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, can collaborate, imagine and create sustainable innovations that drive meaningful impact.
    For more information, visit www.3ds.com

    Dassault Systèmes Investor Relations Team                        FTI Consulting

    Beatrix Martinez: +33 1 61 62 40 73                                Arnaud de Cheffontaines: +33 1 47 03 69 48

                                                                    Jamie Ricketts : +44 20 3727 1600

    investors@3ds.com

    Dassault Systèmes Press Contacts

    Corporate / France        Arnaud MALHERBE        

    arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com        

    +33 (0)1 61 62 87 73

    © Dassault Systèmes. All rights reserved. 3DEXPERIENCE, the 3DS logo, the Compass icon, IFWE, 3DEXCITE, 3DVIA, BIOVIA, CATIA, CENTRIC PLM, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, MEDIDATA, NETVIBES, OUTSCALE, SIMULIA and SOLIDWORKS are commercial trademarks or registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes, a European company (Societas Europaea) incorporated under French law, and registered with the Versailles trade and companies registry under number 322 306 440, or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners. Use of any Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries trademarks is subject to their express written approval.

    APPENDIX TABLE OF CONTENTS

    Due to rounding, numbers presented throughout this and other documents may not add up precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.    

    Glossary of Definitions

    Non-IFRS Financial Information

    Acquisitions and Foreign Exchange Impact

    Condensed consolidated statements of income

    Condensed consolidated balance sheet

    Condensed consolidated cash flow statement

    IFRS – non-IFRS reconciliation

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES – Glossary of Definitions

    Information in Constant Currencies

    Dassault Systèmes has followed a long-standing policy of measuring its revenue performance and setting its revenue objectives exclusive of currency in order to measure in a transparent manner the underlying level of improvement in its total revenue and software revenue by activity, industry, geography and product lines. The Group believes it is helpful to evaluate its growth exclusive of currency impacts, particularly to help understand revenue trends in its business. Therefore, the Group provides percentage increases or decreases in its revenue and expenses (in both IFRS as well as non-IFRS) to eliminate the effect of changes in currency values, particularly the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen, relative to the euro. When trend information is expressed “in constant currencies”, the results of the “prior” period have first been recalculated using the average exchange rates of the comparable period in the current year, and then compared with the results of the comparable period in the current year.

    While constant currency calculations are not considered to be an IFRS measure, the Group believes these measures are critical to understanding its global revenue results and to compare with many of its competitors who report their financial results in U.S. dollars. Therefore, Dassault Systèmes includes this calculation for comparing IFRS revenue figures as well non-IFRS revenue figures for comparable periods. All information at constant currencies is expressed as a rounded percentage and therefore may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.

    Information on Growth excluding acquisitions (“organic growth”)

    In addition to financial indicators on the entire Group’s scope, Dassault Systèmes provides growth excluding acquisitions effect, also named organic growth. In order to do so, the data relating to the scope is restated excluding acquisitions, from the date of the transaction, over a period of 12 months.

    Information on Industrial Sectors

    The Group provides broad end-to-end software solutions and services: its platform-based virtual twin experiences combine modeling, simulation, data science and collaborative innovation to support companies in the three sectors it serves, namely Manufacturing Industries, Life Sciences & Healthcare, and Infrastructure & Cities.

    These three sectors comprise twelve industries:

    • Manufacturing Industries: Transportation & Mobility; Aerospace & Defense; Marine & Offshore; Industrial Equipment; High-Tech; Home & Lifestyle; Consumer Packaged Goods – Retail. In Manufacturing Industries, Dassault Systèmes helps customers virtualize their operations, improve data sharing and collaboration across their organization, reduce costs and time-to-market, and become more sustainable;
    • Life Sciences & Healthcare: Life Sciences & Healthcare. In this sector, the Group aims to address the entire cycle of the patient journey to lead the way toward precision medicine. To reach the broader healthcare ecosystem from research to commercial, the Group’s solutions connect all elements from molecule development to prevention to care, and combine new therapeutics, medical practices, and Medtech;
    • Infrastructure & Cities: Infrastructure, Energy & Materials; Architecture, Engineering & Construction; Business Services; Cities & Public Services. In Infrastructure & Cities, the Group supports the virtualization of the sector in making its industries more efficient and sustainable, and creating desirable living environments.

    Information on Product Lines

    The Group’s product lines financial reporting include the following financial information:

    • Industrial Innovation software revenue, which includes CATIA, ENOVIA, SIMULIA, DELMIA, GEOVIA, NETVIBES, and 3DEXCITE brands;
    • Life Sciences software revenue, which includes MEDIDATA and BIOVIA brands;
    • Mainstream Innovation software revenue which includes SOLIDWORKS, as well as its CENTRIC PLM and 3DVIA brands.

    Starting from 2022, OUTSCALE became a brand of the Group, extending the portfolio of software applications. As the first sovereign and sustainable operator on the cloud, OUTSCALE enables governments and corporations from all sectors to achieve digital autonomy through a Cloud experience and with a world-class cyber governance.

    GEOs

    Eleven GEOs are responsible for driving the development of the Company’s business and implementing its customer‑centric engagement model. Teams leverage strong networks of local customers, users, partners, and influencers.

    These GEOs are structured into three groups:

    • the “Americas” group, made of two GEOs;
    • the “Europe” group, comprising Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and made of four GEOs;
    • the “Asia” group, comprising Asia and Oceania and made of five GEOs.

    3DEXPERIENCE Software Contribution

    To measure the relative share of 3DEXPERIENCE software in its revenues, Dassault Systèmes calculates the percentage contribution by comparing total 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue to software revenue for all product lines except SOLIDWORKS, MEDIDATA, CENTRIC PLM and other acquisitions (defined as “3DEXPERIENCE Eligible software revenue”).

    Cloud revenue

    Cloud revenue is generated from contracts that provide access to cloud-based solutions (SaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), cloud solution development and cloud managed services. These offerings are delivered by Dassault Systèmes through its own cloud infrastructure or by third-party cloud providers. They are available through different deployment methods: Dedicated cloud, Sovereign cloud and International cloud. Cloud solutions are generally offered through subscription-based models or perpetual licenses with support and hosting services.

    New business

    New business is the combination of subscription revenue and licenses & other software revenue.

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    NON-IFRS FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros, except per share data, percentages, headcount and exchange rates)

    Non-IFRS key figures exclude the effects of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ contract liabilities (deferred revenue), share-based compensation expense, including related social charges, amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation, lease incentives of acquired companies, other operating income and expense, net, including the acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses, and impairment of goodwill and acquired intangible assets, certain one-time items included in financial loss, net, certain one-time tax effects and the income tax effects of these non-IFRS adjustments.

    Comparable IFRS financial information and a reconciliation of the IFRS and non-IFRS measures are set forth in the separate tables within this Attachment.

    In millions of Euros, except per share data, percentages, headcount and exchange rates Non-IFRS reported
    Three months ended
    March 31,

    2025

    March 31,

    2024

    Change Change in constant currencies
    Total Revenue € 1,573.0 € 1,499.7 5% 4%
             
    Revenue breakdown by activity        
    Software revenue 1,432.7 1,352.8 6% 5%
    Of which licenses and other software revenue 198.1 218.5 (9)% (10)%
    Of which subscription and support revenue 1,234.6 1,134.3 9% 7%
    Services revenue 140.2 146.8 (4)% (6)%
             
    Software revenue breakdown by product line        
    Industrial Innovation 793.1 731.4 8% 8%
    Life Sciences 292.6 284.7 3% 0%
    Mainstream Innovation 347.1 336.7 3% 2%
             
    Software Revenue breakdown by geography        
    Americas 611.1 553.6 10% 7%
    Europe 513.2 503.2 2% 1%
    Asia 308.4 296.0 4% 5%
             
    Operating income € 486.1 € 466.5 4%  
    Operating margin 30.9% 31.1%    
             
    Net income attributable to shareholders € 420.1 € 397.2 6%  
    Diluted earnings per share € 0.32 € 0.30 6% 5%
             
    Closing headcount 26,225 25,780 2%  
             
    Average Rate USD per Euro 1.05 1.09 (3)%  
    Average Rate JPY per Euro 160.45 161.15 (0)%  

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    ACQUISITIONS AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE IMPACT

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros)

    In millions of Euros Non-IFRS reported o/w growth at constant rate and scope o/w change of scope impact at current year rate o/w FX impact on previous year figures
    March 31,

    2025

    March 31,

    2024

    Change
    Revenue QTD 1,573.0 1,499.7 73.3 52.6 0.9 19.8

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages)

    In millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages IFRS reported
    Three months ended
    March 31, March 31,
    2025 2024
    Licenses and other software revenue 198.1 218.5
    Subscription and Support revenue 1,234.6 1,134.3
    Software revenue 1,432.7 1,352.8
    Services revenue 140.2 146.8
    Total Revenue € 1,573.0 € 1,499.7
    Cost of software revenue (1) (129.2) (111.9)
    Cost of services revenue (131.1) (131.8)
    Research and development expenses (348.6) (311.4)
    Marketing and sales expenses (446.5) (420.3)
    General and administrative expenses (120.4) (105.1)
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation (88.3) (93.3)
    Other operating income and expense, net (4.4) (1.8)
    Total Operating Expenses (1,268.5) (1,175.6)
    Operating Income € 304.5 € 324.1
    Financial income (loss), net 30.3 30.2
    Income before income taxes € 334.8 € 354.2
    Income tax expense (75.5) (68.3)
    Net Income € 259.4 € 286.0
    Non-controlling interest 1.2 (0.3)
    Net Income attributable to equity holders of the parent € 260.5 € 285.7
    Basic earnings per share 0.20 0.22
    Diluted earnings per share € 0.20 € 0.21
    Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in millions) 1,312.3 1,313.6
    Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in millions) 1,332.2 1,331.1

            (1) Excluding amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation.

    IFRS reported

     

    Three months ended March 31, 2025
    Change (2) Change in constant currencies
    Total Revenue 5% 4%
    Revenue by activity    
    Software revenue 6% 5%
    Services revenue (4)% (6)%
    Software Revenue by product line    
    Industrial Innovation 8% 8%
    Life Sciences 3% 0%
    Mainstream Innovation 3% 2%
    Software Revenue by geography    
    Americas 10% 7%
    Europe 2% 1%
    Asia 4% 5%

                    (2) Variation compared to the same period in the prior year.

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros)

    In millions of Euros IFRS reported
    March 31, December 31,
    2025 2024
    ASSETS    
    Cash and cash equivalents 4,242.9 3,952.6
    Trade accounts receivable, net 1,709.5 2,120.9
    Contract assets 34.3 30.1
    Other current assets 464.8 464.0
    Total current assets 6,451.5 6,567.6
    Property and equipment, net 928.7 945.8
    Goodwill and Intangible assets, net 7,597.6 7,687.1
    Other non-current assets 358.9 345.5
    Total non-current assets 8,885.2 8,978.3
    Total Assets € 15,336.7 € 15,545.9
    LIABILITIES    
    Trade accounts payable 199.5 259.9
    Contract liabilities 1,716.0 1,663.4
    Borrowings, current 411.4 450.8
    Other current liabilities 1,109.7 1,147.4
    Total current liabilities 3,436.6 3,521.5
    Borrowings, non-current 2,043.3 2,042.8
    Other non-current liabilities 887.9 900.9
    Total non-current liabilities 2,931.3 2,943.7
    Non-controlling interests 14.3 14.1
    Parent shareholders’ equity 8,954.5 9,066.6
    Total Liabilities € 15,336.7 € 15,545.9

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros)

    In millions of Euros IFRS reported
    Three months ended
    March 31, March 31, Change
    2025 2024
    Net income attributable to equity holders of the parent 260.5 285.7 (25.2)
    Non-controlling interest (1.2) 0.3 (1.4)
    Net income 259.4 286.0 (26.6)
    Depreciation of property and equipment 50.5 47.6 2.8
    Amortization of intangible assets 89.6 95.2 (5.6)
    Adjustments for other non-cash items 16.1 37.7 (21.6)
    Changes in working capital 397.4 204.4 193.0
    Net Cash From Operating Activities € 813.0 € 670.9 € 142.1
           
    Additions to property, equipment and intangibles assets (55.9) (57.2) 1.2
    Payment for acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired (193.8) (4.5) (189.2)
    Other (37.8) 22.3 (60.1)
    Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities € (287.5) € (39.4) € (248.1)
           
    Proceeds from exercise of stock options 22.2 21.3 0.8
    Repurchase and sale of treasury stock (80.1) (131.1) 51.0
    Acquisition of non-controlling interests (0.2) (2.6) 2.5
    Repayment of borrowings (58.9) (0.1) (58.8)
    Repayment of lease liabilities (22.6) (24.0) 1.4
    Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities € (139.6) € (136.5) € (3.0)
           
    Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (95.7) 32.7 (128.4)
           
    Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents € 290.3 € 527.7 € (237.4)
           
           
    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period € 3,952.6 € 3,568.3  
    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period € 4,242.9 € 4,095.9  

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES
    SUPPLEMENTAL NON-IFRS FINANCIAL INFORMATION
    IFRS – NON-IFRS RECONCILIATION
    (unaudited; in millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages)

    Readers are cautioned that the supplemental non-IFRS information presented in this press release is subject to inherent limitations. It is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered as a substitute for IFRS measurements. Also, the Group’s supplemental non-IFRS financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled “non-IFRS” measures used by other companies. Further specific limitations for individual non-IFRS measures, and the reasons for presenting non-IFRS financial information, are set forth in the Group’s Document d’Enregistrement Universel for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the AMF on March 18, 2025. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-IFRS financial information should be read not in isolation, but only in conjunction with the Group’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS.

    In millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages Three months ended March 31, Change
    2025 Adjustment(1) 2025 2024 Adjustment(1) 2024 IFRS Non-IFRS(2)
    IFRS Non-IFRS IFRS Non-IFRS
    Total Revenue € 1,573.0 – € 1,573.0 € 1,499.7 – € 1,499.7 5% 5%
    Revenue breakdown by activity                
    Software revenue 1,432.7 – 1,432.7 1,352.8 – 1,352.8 6% 6%
    Licenses and other software revenue 198.1 – 198.1 218.5 – 218.5 (9)% (9)%
    Subscription and Support revenue 1,234.6 – 1,234.6 1,134.3 – 1,134.3 9% 9%
    Recurring portion of Software revenue 86%   86% 84%   84%    
    Services revenue 140.2 – 140.2 146.8 – 146.8 (4)% (4)%
    Software Revenue breakdown by product line                
    Industrial Innovation 793.1 – 793.1 731.4 – 731.4 8% 8%
    Life Sciences 292.6 – 292.6 284.7 – 284.7 3% 3%
    Mainstream Innovation 347.1 – 347.1 336.7 – 336.7 3% 3%
    Software Revenue breakdown by geography                
    Americas 611.1 – 611.1 553.6 – 553.6 10% 10%
    Europe 513.2 – 513.2 503.2 – 503.2 2% 2%
    Asia 308.4 – 308.4 296.0 – 296.0 4% 4%
    Total Operating Expenses € (1,268.5) € 181.6 € (1,086.9) € (1,175.6) € 142.4 € (1,033.2) 8% 5%
    Share-based compensation expense and related social charges (88.5) 88.5 – (46.7) 46.7 –    
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation (88.3) 88.3 – (93.3) 93.3 –    
    Lease incentives of acquired companies (0.4) 0.4 – (0.7) 0.7 –    
    Other operating income and expense, net (4.4) 4.4 – (1.8) 1.8 –    
    Operating Income € 304.5 € 181.6 € 486.1 € 324.1 € 142.4 € 466.5 (6)% 4%
    Operating Margin 19.4%   30.9% 21.6%   31.1%    
    Financial income (loss), net 30.3 0.6 30.9 30.2 1.0 31.2 1% (1)%
    Income tax expense (75.5) (21.6) (97.1) (68.3) (31.6) (99.9) 11% (3)%
    Non-controlling interest 1.2 (0.9) 0.2 (0.3) (0.3) (0.5) N/A (141)%
    Net Income attributable to shareholders € 260.5 € 159.6 € 420.1 € 285.7 € 111.5 € 397.2 (9)% 6%
    Diluted Earnings Per Share (3) € 0.20 € 0.12 € 0.32 € 0.21 € 0.08 € 0.30 (9)% 6%

    (1) In the reconciliation schedule above, (i) all adjustments to IFRS revenue data reflect the exclusion of the effect of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ contract liabilities (deferred revenue); (ii) adjustments to IFRS operating expense data reflect the exclusion of the amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation, share-based compensation expense, including related social charges, lease incentives of acquired companies, as detailed below, and other operating income and expense, net including acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses, and impairment of goodwill and acquired intangible assets; (iii) adjustments to IFRS financial loss, net reflect the exclusion of certain one-time items included in financial loss, net, and; (iv) all adjustments to IFRS income data reflect the combined effect of these adjustments, plus with respect to net income and diluted earnings per share, certain one-time tax effects and the income tax effect of the non-IFRS adjustments.

    In millions of Euros, except percentages Three months ended March 31, Change
    2025

    IFRS

    Share-based compensation expense and related social charges Lease incentives of acquired companies 2025

    Non-IFRS

    2024

    IFRS

    Share-based compensation expense and related social charges Lease incentives of acquired companies 2024

    Non-IFRS

    IFRS Non-

    IFRS

    Cost of revenue (260.3) 4.9 0.1 (255.2) (243.8) 2.9 0.2 (240.6) 7% 6%
    Research and development expenses (348.6) 32.5 0.1 (316.0) (311.4) 17.9 0.3 (293.2) 12% 8%
    Marketing and sales expenses (446.5) 24.5 0.1 (421.9) (420.3) 13.7 0.1 (406.5) 6% 4%
    General and administrative expenses (120.4) 26.6 0.0 (93.8) (105.1) 12.3 0.0 (92.7) 15% 1%
    Total   € 88.5 € 0.4     € 46.7 € 0.7      

    (2) The non-IFRS percentage increase (decrease) compares non-IFRS measures for the two different periods. In the event there is non-IFRS adjustment to the relevant measure for only one of the periods under comparison, the non-IFRS increase (decrease) compares the non-IFRS measure to the relevant IFRS measure.
    (3) Based on a weighted average 1,332.2 million diluted shares for Q1 2025 and 1,331.1 million diluted shares for Q1 2024, and, for IFRS only, a diluted net income attributable to the sharehorlders of € 260.5 million for Q1 2025 (€ 285.7 million for Q1 2024). The Diluted net income attributable to equity holders of the Group corresponds to the Net Income attributable to equity holders of the Group adjusted by the impact of the share-based compensation plans to be settled either in cash or in shares at the option of the Group.


    1 IFRS figures for 1Q25: total revenue at €1.57 billion, operating margin of 19.4% and diluted EPS at €0.20.

    2 Contract Research Organizations

    Attachment

    • Dassault Systèmes: Solid start to the year with strong subscription growth, EPS at the high end of guidance

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: STMicroelectronics Reports 2025 First Quarter Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PR No: C3332C 

    STMicroelectronics Reports 2025 First Quarter Financial Results

    • Q1 net revenues $2.52 billion; gross margin 33.4%; operating income $3 million; net income $56 million
    • Business outlook at mid-point: Q2 net revenues of $2.71 billion and gross margin of 33.4%
    • Company-wide program to reshape manufacturing footprint and resize global cost base on track; annual cost savings target in the high triple-digit million-dollar range exiting 2027 confirmed.

    Geneva, April 24, 2025 – STMicroelectronics N.V. (“ST”) (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, reported U.S. GAAP financial results for the first quarter ended March 29, 2025. This press release also contains non-U.S. GAAP measures (see Appendix for additional information).

    ST reported first quarter net revenues of $2.52 billion, gross margin of 33.4%, operating income of $3 million and net income of $56 million or $0.06 diluted earnings per share.

    Jean-Marc Chery, ST President & CEO, commented:

    • “Q1 net revenues came in line with the midpoint of our business outlook range, driven by higher revenues in Personal Electronics offset by lower-than-expected revenues in Automotive and Industrial. Gross margin was slightly below the mid-point of our business outlook range mainly due to product mix.”
    • “On a year-over-year basis, Q1 net revenues decreased 27.3%, operating margin decreased to 0.1% from 15.9% and net income decreased 89.1% to $56 million.”
    • “In the first quarter, our book-to-bill ratio improved with both Automotive and Industrial above parity.”
    • “Our second quarter business outlook, at the mid-point, is for net revenues of $2.71 billion, decreasing year-over-year by 16.2% and increasing sequentially by 7.7%; gross margin is expected to be about 33.4%, impacted by about 420 basis points of unused capacity charges.”
    • “We plan to maintain our Net Capex (non-U.S. GAAP1) plan for 2025 between $2.0 billion and $2.3 billion mainly to execute the reshaping of our manufacturing footprint.”
    • “While we see Q1 2025 as the bottom, in the current uncertain environment we are focusing on what we can control: keep on innovating to continuously improve and accelerate the competitiveness of our product and technology portfolio, focus on advanced manufacturing and tightly manage our costs. In this respect our company-wide program to reshape ST manufacturing footprint and resize our global cost base is on track and we confirm the annual cost savings target in the high triple-digit million-dollar range exiting 2027.”

    Quarterly Financial Summary

    U.S. GAAP
    (US$ m, except per share data)
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 Q/Q Y/Y
    Net Revenues $2,517 $3,321 $3,465 -24.2% -27.3%
    Gross Profit $841 $1,253 $1,444 -32.9% -41.7%
    Gross Margin 33.4% 37.7% 41.7% -430 bps -830 bps
    Operating Income $3 $369 $551 -99.2% -99.5%
    Operating Margin 0.1% 11.1% 15.9% -1,100 bps -1,580 bps
    Net Income $56 $341 $513 -83.6% -89.1%
    Diluted Earnings Per Share $0.06 $0.37 $0.54 -83.8% -88.9%

    First Quarter 2025 Summary Review
    ST made some adjustments to its segment reporting effective starting January 1, 2025. Prior year comparative periods have been adjusted accordingly. See Appendix for more detail.

    Net Revenues by Reportable Segment2 (US$ m) Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 Q/Q Y/Y
    Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment 1,069 1,348 1,406 -20.7% -23.9%
    Power and discrete products (P&D) segment 397 602 631 -34.1% -37.1%
    Subtotal: Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group 1,466 1,950 2,037 -24.8% -28.0%
    Embedded Processing (EMP) segment 742 1,002 1,047 -26.0% -29.1%
    RF & Optical Communications (RF&OC) segment 306 366 378 -16.5% -19.2%
    Subtotal: Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group 1,048 1,368 1,425 -23.4% -26.5%
    Others 3 3 3 – –
    Total Net Revenues $2,517 $3,321 $3,465 -24.2% -27.3%

    Net revenues totaled $2.52 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 27.3%. Year-over-year net sales to OEMs and Distribution decreased 25.7% and 31.2%, respectively. On a sequential basis, net revenues decreased 24.2%, 20 basis points better than the mid-point of ST’s guidance.

    Gross profit totaled $841 million, representing a year-over-year decrease of 41.7%. Gross margin of 33.4%, 40 basis points below the mid-point of ST’s guidance, decreased 830 basis points year-over-year, mainly due to product mix and, to a lesser extent, higher unused capacity charges and lower sales price.

    Operating income decreased 99.5% to $3 million, compared to $551 million in the year-ago quarter. ST’s operating margin decreased 1,580 basis points on a year-over-year basis to 0.1% of net revenues, compared to 15.9% in the first quarter of 2024. Excluding Impairment, restructuring charges and other related phase-out costs3, operating income stood at $11 million in the first quarter.

    By reportable segment, compared with the year-ago quarter:

    In Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group:

    Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 23.9% mainly due to a decrease in Analog.   
    • Operating profit decreased by 66.7% to $82 million. Operating margin was 7.7% compared to 17.5%.

    Power and Discrete products (P&D) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 37.1%.
    • Operating profit decreased from a positive $77 million to a negative $28 million. Operating margin was -6.9% compared to 12.1%.

    In Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group:

    Embedded Processing (EMP) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 29.1% mainly due to a decrease in GPAM.
    • Operating profit decreased by 71.5% to $66 million. Operating margin was 8.9% compared to 22.2%.

    RF & Optical Communications (RF&OC) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 19.2%.
    • Operating profit decreased by 59.0% to $43 million. Operating margin was 13.9% compared to 27.4%.

    Net income and diluted Earnings Per Share decreased to $56 million and $0.06 respectively compared to $513 million and $0.54 respectively in the year-ago quarter. Excluding Impairment, restructuring charges and other related phase-out costs net of the relevant tax impact, Net income and diluted Earnings Per Share2 stood at $63 million and $0.07 respectively in the first quarter of 2025.

    Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Highlights

            Trailing 12 Months
    (US$ m) Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 Q1 2025 Q1 2024 TTM Change
    Net cash from operating activities 574 681 859 2,680 5,531 – 51.5%
    Free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP1) 30 128 (134) 453 1,434 – 68.4%

    Net cash from operating activities was $574 million in the first quarter compared to $859 million in the year-ago quarter.

    Net Capex (non-U.S. GAAP), was $530 million in the first quarter compared to $967 million in the year-ago quarter.

    Free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP) was positive at $30 million in the first quarter, compared to negative $134 million in the year-ago quarter.

    Inventory at the end of the first quarter was $3.01 billion, compared to $2.79 billion in the previous quarter and $2.69 billion in the year-ago quarter. Days sales of inventory at quarter-end was 167 days, compared to 122 days for both the previous quarter and the year-ago quarter.

    In the first quarter, ST paid cash dividends to its stockholders totaling $72 million and executed a $92 million share buy-back, as part of its current share repurchase program.

    ST’s net financial position (non-U.S. GAAP4) remained strong at $3.08 billion as of March 29, 2025, compared to $3.23 billion as of December 31, 2024 and reflected total liquidity of $5.96 billion and total financial debt of $2.88 billion. Adjusted net financial position (non-U.S. GAAP1), taking into consideration the effect on total liquidity of advances from capital grants for which capital expenditures have not been incurred yet, stood at $2.71 billion as of March 29, 2025.

    Corporate developments

    On April 10, 2025, ST detailed its company-wide program to reshape manufacturing footprint and resize global cost base and confirmed the annual cost savings target in the high triple-digit million-dollar range exiting 2027. Specifically, ST disclosed further elements of its program to reshape its global manufacturing footprint.

    Business Outlook

    ST’s guidance, at the mid-point, for the 2025 second quarter is:

    • Net revenues are expected to be $2.71 billion, an increase of 7.7% sequentially, plus or minus 350 basis points.
    • Gross margin of 33.4%, plus or minus 200 basis points.
    • This outlook is based on an assumed effective currency exchange rate of approximately $1.08 = €1.00 for the 2025 second quarter and includes the impact of existing hedging contracts.
    • The second quarter will close on June 28, 2025.

    This business outlook does not include any impact for potential further changes to global trade tariffs compared to the current situation.

    Conference Call and Webcast Information

    ST will conduct a conference call with analysts, investors and reporters to discuss its first quarter 2025 financial results and current business outlook today at 9:30 a.m. Central European Time (CET) / 3:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (ET). A live webcast (listen-only mode) of the conference call will be accessible at ST’s website, https://investors.st.com, and will be available for replay until May 9, 2025.

    Use of Supplemental Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Information

    This press release contains supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information.

    Readers are cautioned that these measures are unaudited and not prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for U.S. GAAP financial measures. In addition, such non-U.S. GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled information from other companies. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information should not be read in isolation, but only in conjunction with ST’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

    See the Appendix of this press release for a reconciliation of ST’s non-U.S. GAAP financial measures to their corresponding U.S. GAAP financial measures.

    Forward-looking Information

    Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended) that are based on management’s current views and assumptions, and are conditioned upon and also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those anticipated by such statements due to, among other factors: 

    • changes in global trade policies, including the adoption and expansion of tariffs and trade barriers, that could affect the macro-economic environment and adversely impact the demand for our products;
    • uncertain macro-economic and industry trends (such as inflation and fluctuations in supply chains), which may impact production capacity and end-market demand for our products;
    • customer demand that differs from projections which may require us to undertake transformation measures that may not be successful in realizing the expected benefits in full or at all;
    • the ability to design, manufacture and sell innovative products in a rapidly changing technological environment;
    • changes in economic, social, public health, labor, political, or infrastructure conditions in the locations where we, our customers, or our suppliers operate, including as a result of macro-economic or regional events, geopolitical and military conflicts, social unrest, labor actions, or terrorist activities;
    • unanticipated events or circumstances, which may impact our ability to execute our plans and/or meet the objectives of our R&D and manufacturing programs, which benefit from public funding;
    • financial difficulties with any of our major distributors or significant curtailment of purchases by key customers;
    • the loading, product mix, and manufacturing performance of our production facilities and/or our required volume to fulfill capacity reserved with suppliers or third-party manufacturing providers;
    • availability and costs of equipment, raw materials, utilities, third-party manufacturing services and technology, or other supplies required by our operations (including increasing costs resulting from inflation);
    • the functionalities and performance of our IT systems, which are subject to cybersecurity threats and which support our critical operational activities including manufacturing, finance and sales, and any breaches of our IT systems or those of our customers, suppliers, partners and providers of third-party licensed technology;
    • theft, loss, or misuse of personal data about our employees, customers, or other third parties, and breaches of data privacy legislation;
    • the impact of IP claims by our competitors or other third parties, and our ability to obtain required licenses on reasonable terms and conditions;
    • changes in our overall tax position as a result of changes in tax rules, new or revised legislation, the outcome of tax audits or changes in international tax treaties which may impact our results of operations as well as our ability to accurately estimate tax credits, benefits, deductions and provisions and to realize deferred tax assets;
    • variations in the foreign exchange markets and, more particularly, the U.S. dollar exchange rate as compared to the Euro and the other major currencies we use for our operations;
    • the outcome of ongoing litigation as well as the impact of any new litigation to which we may become a defendant;
    • product liability or warranty claims, claims based on epidemic or delivery failure, or other claims relating to our products, or recalls by our customers for products containing our parts;
    • natural events such as severe weather, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions or other acts of nature, the effects of climate change, health risks and epidemics or pandemics in locations where we, our customers or our suppliers operate;
    • increased regulation and initiatives in our industry, including those concerning climate change and sustainability matters and our goal to become carbon neutral in all direct and indirect emissions (scopes 1 and 2), product transportation, business travel, and employee commuting emissions (our scope 3 focus), and to achieve our 100% renewable electricity sourcing goal by the end of 2027;
    • epidemics or pandemics, which may negatively impact the global economy in a significant manner for an extended period of time, and could also materially adversely affect our business and operating results;
    • industry changes resulting from vertical and horizontal consolidation among our suppliers, competitors, and customers;
    • the ability to successfully ramp up new programs that could be impacted by factors beyond our control, including the availability of critical third-party components and performance of subcontractors in line with our expectations; and
    • individual customer use of certain products, which may differ from the anticipated uses of such products and result in differences in performance, including energy consumption, may lead to a failure to achieve our disclosed emission-reduction goals, adverse legal action or additional research costs.

    Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results and performance of our business to differ materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements. Certain forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “believes”, “expects”, “may”, “are expected to”, “should”, “would be”, “seeks” or “anticipates” or similar expressions or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions.

    Some of these risk factors are set forth and are discussed in more detail in “Item 3. Key Information — Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 27, 2025. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as anticipated, believed or expected. We do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update any industry information or forward-looking statements set forth in this release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

    Unfavorable changes in the above or other factors listed under “Item 3. Key Information — Risk Factors” from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, could have a material adverse effect on our business and/or financial condition.

    About STMicroelectronics

    At ST, we are 50,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An integrated device manufacturer, we work with more than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of cloud-connected autonomous things. We are on track to be carbon neutral in all direct and indirect emissions (scopes 1 and 2), product transportation, business travel, and employee commuting emissions (our scope 3 focus), and to achieve our 100% renewable electricity sourcing goal by the end of 2027. Further information can be found at www.st.com.

    For further information, please contact:

    INVESTOR RELATIONS:
    Jérôme Ramel
    EVP Corporate Development & Integrated External Communication
    Tel: +41 22 929 59 20
    jerome.ramel@st.com

    MEDIA RELATIONS:
    Alexis Breton
    Group VP Corporate External Communications
    Tel: + 33 6 59 16 79 08
    alexis.breton@st.com

    STMicroelectronics N.V.      
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME      
    (in millions of U.S. dollars, except per share data ($))      
           
      Three months ended  
      March 29, March 30,  
      2025 2024  
      (Unaudited) (Unaudited)  
           
    Net sales 2,513 3,444  
    Other revenues 4 21  
    NET REVENUES 2,517 3,465  
    Cost of sales (1,676) (2,021)  
    GROSS PROFIT 841 1,444  
    Selling, general and administrative expenses (390) (425)  
    Research and development expenses (489) (528)  
    Other income and expenses, net 49 60  
    Impairment, restructuring charges and other related phase-out costs (8) –  
    Total operating expenses (838) (893)  
    OPERATING INCOME 3 551  
    Interest income, net 48 59  
    Other components of pension benefit costs (4) (4)  
    Gain (loss) on financial instruments, net 25 –  
    INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND NONCONTROLLING INTEREST 72 606  
    Income tax expense (13) (92)  
    NET INCOME 59 514  
    Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest (3) (1)  
    NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 56 513  
           
    EARNINGS PER SHARE (BASIC) ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 0.06 0.57  
    EARNINGS PER SHARE (DILUTED) ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 0.06 0.54  
           
    NUMBER OF WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES USED IN CALCULATING DILUTED EPS 933.6 942.3  
           
           
    STMicroelectronics N.V.      
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS      
    As at March 29, December 31, March 30,
    In millions of U.S. dollars 2025 2024 2024
      (Unaudited) (Audited) (Unaudited)
    ASSETS      
    Current assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents 1,781 2,282 3,133
    Short-term deposits 1,650 1,450 1,226
    Marketable securities 2,528 2,452 1,880
    Trade accounts receivable, net 1,385 1,749 1,787
    Inventories 3,014 2,794 2,685
    Other current assets 1,050 1,007 1,183
    Total current assets 11,408 11,734 11,894
    Goodwill 299 290 298
    Other intangible assets, net 338 346 366
    Property, plant and equipment, net 11,178 10,877 10,866
    Non-current deferred tax assets 490 464 585
    Long-term investments 96 71 22
    Other non-current assets 1,114 961 942
      13,515 13,009 13,079
    Total assets 24,923 24,743 24,973
           
    LIABILITIES AND EQUITY      
    Current liabilities:      
    Short-term debt 988 990 238
    Trade accounts payable 1,373 1,323 1,642
    Other payables and accrued liabilities 1,290 1,306 1,547
    Dividends payable to stockholders 16 88 6
    Accrued income tax 72 66 133
    Total current liabilities 3,739 3,773 3,566
    Long-term debt 1,889 1,963 2,875
    Post-employment benefit obligations 392 377 372
    Long-term deferred tax liabilities 48 47 49
    Other long-term liabilities 896 904 912
      3,225 3,291 4,208
    Total liabilities 6,964 7,064 7,774
    Commitment and contingencies      
    Equity      
    Parent company stockholders’ equity      
    Common stock (preferred stock: 540,000,000 shares authorized, not issued; common stock: Euro 1.04 par value, 1,200,000,000 shares authorized, 911,281,920 shares issued, 894,410,472 shares outstanding as of March 29, 2025) 1,157 1,157 1,157
    Additional Paid-in Capital 3,142 3,088 2,931
    Retained earnings 13,514 13,459 12,982
    Accumulated other comprehensive income 495 236 468
    Treasury stock (582) (491) (463)
    Total parent company stockholders’ equity 17,726 17,449 17,075
    Noncontrolling interest 233 230 124
    Total equity 17,959 17,679 17,199
    Total liabilities and equity 24,923 24,743 24,973
           
           
           
    STMicroelectronics N.V.      
           
    SELECTED CASH FLOW DATA      
           
    Cash Flow Data (in US$ millions) Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024
           
    Net Cash from operating activities 574 681 859
    Net Cash used in investing activities (796) (1,259) (1,254)
    Net Cash from (used in) financing activities (282) (209) 308
    Net Cash decrease (501) (795) (89)
           
    Selected Cash Flow Data (in US$ millions) Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024
           
    Depreciation & amortization 428 451 430
    Net payment for Capital expenditures (538) (501) (994)
    Dividends paid to stockholders (72) (88) (48)
    Change in inventories, net (172) (2) (12)
           

    Appendix
    ST
    Changes to reportable segments

    Following ST’s reorganization announced in January 2024 into two Product Groups and four reportable segments, we have made further progress in analyzing our global product portfolio, resulting in the following adjustments to our segments, effective starting January 1, 2025, without modifying subtotals at Product Group level: 

    • In Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group:
      • The transfer of VIPower products from Power and Discrete products (“P&D”) reportable segment to Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (“AM&S”) reportable segment.    
    • In Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group:
      • the newly created ‘Embedded Processing’ (“EMP”) reportable segment includes the former ‘MCU’ segment (excluding the RF ASICs mentioned below) as well as Custom Processing products (Automotive ADAS products).
      • the newly created ‘RF & Optical Communications’ (“RF&OC”) reportable segment includes the former ‘D&RF’ segment (excluding Automotive ADAS products) as well as some RF ASICs which were previously part of the former ‘MCU’ segment.

    We believe these adjustments are critical for implementing synergies and optimizing resources, which are necessary to fully deliver the benefits expected from our new organization.

    Our four reportable segments – within each Product Group – are now as follows: 

    • In Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group:
      • Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (“AM&S”) reportable segment, comprised of ST analog products (now including VIPower products), MEMS sensors and actuators, and optical sensing solutions.
      • Power and Discrete products (“P&D”) reportable segment, comprised of discrete and power transistor products (now excluding VIPower products).

    In this Press Release, “Analog” refers to analog products, “MEMS” to MEMS sensors and actuators and “Imaging” to optical sensing solutions.

    • In Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group:
      • Embedded Processing (“EMP”) reportable segment, comprised of general-purpose and automotive microcontrollers, connected security products and Custom Processing Products (Automotive ADAS)
      • RF & Optical Communications (“RF&OC”) reportable segment, comprised of Space, Ranging & Connectivity products, Digital Audio & Signaling Solutions and Optical & RF COT.

    In this Press release, “GPAM” refers to General purpose & automotive microcontrollers, “Connected Security” to connected security products, “Custom Processing” to automotive ADAS products.

    Prior year comparative periods have been adjusted accordingly.

    (Appendix – continued)
    ST Supplemental Financial Information

      Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q1 2024
    Net Revenues By Market Channel (%)          
    Total OEM 71% 73% 76% 73% 70%
    Distribution 29% 27% 24% 27% 30%
               
    €/$ Effective Rate 1.06 1.09 1.08 1.08 1.09
               
    Reportable Segment Data (US$ m)          
    Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment          
    – Net Revenues 1,069 1,348 1,340 1,336 1,406
    – Operating Income 82 220 216 193 246
    Power and Discrete products (P&D) segment          
    – Net Revenues 397 602 652 576 631
    – Operating Income (28) 45 80 61 77
    Subtotal: Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group          
    – Net Revenues 1,466 1,950 1,992 1,912 2,037
    – Operating Income 54 265 296 254 323
    Embedded Processing (EMP) segment          
    – Net Revenues 742 1,002 898 906 1,047
    – Operating Income 66 181 146 126 232
    RF & Optical Communications (RF&OC) segment          
    – Net Revenues 306 366 357 410 378
    – Operating Income 43 95 84 96 103
    Subtotal: Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group          
    – Net Revenues 1,048 1,368 1,255 1,316 1,425
    – Operating Income 109 276 230 222 335
    Others (a)          
    – Net Revenues 3 3 4 4 3
    – Operating Income (Loss) (160) (172) (145) (101) (107)
    Total          
    – Net Revenues 2,517 3,321 3,251 3,232 3,465
    – Operating Income 3 369 381 375 551

    (a)   Net revenues of Others include revenues from sales assembly services and other revenues. Operating income (loss) of Others include items such as unused capacity charges, including incidents leading to power outage, impairment and restructuring charges, management reorganization costs, start-up and phase out costs, and other unallocated income (expenses) such as: strategic or special research and development programs, certain corporate-level operating expenses, patent claims and litigations, and other costs that are not allocated to reportable segments, as well as operating earnings of other products. Others includes:

    (US$ m) Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q1 2024
    Unused capacity charges 123 118 104 84 63

    (Appendix – continued)
    ST Supplemental Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Information
    U.S. GAAP – Non-U.S. GAAP Reconciliation

    The supplemental non-U.S. GAAP information presented in this press release is unaudited and subject to inherent limitations. Such non-U.S. GAAP information is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered as a substitute for U.S. GAAP measurements. Also, our supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled non-U.S. GAAP measures used by other companies. Further, specific limitations for individual non-U.S. GAAP measures, and the reasons for presenting non-U.S. GAAP financial information, are set forth in the paragraphs below. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information should not be read in isolation, but only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

    ST believes that these non-U.S. GAAP financial measures provide useful information for investors and management because they offer, when read in conjunction with ST’s U.S. GAAP financials, (i) the ability to make more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of ST’s on-going operating results, (ii) the ability to better identify trends in ST’s business and perform related trend analysis, and (iii) to facilitate a comparison of ST’s results of operations against investor and analyst financial models and valuations, which may exclude these items.

    Non-U.S. GAAP Net Earnings and Non-U.S. GAAP Earnings Per Share (non-U.S. GAAP measures)

    Operating income before impairment and restructuring charges and one-time items is used by management to help enhance an understanding of ongoing operations and to communicate the impact of the excluded items, such as impairment, restructuring charges and other related phase-out costs. Adjusted net earnings and earnings per share (EPS) are used by management to help enhance an understanding of ongoing operations and to communicate the impact of the excluded items like impairment, restructuring charges and other related phase-out costs attributable to ST and other one-time items, net of the relevant tax impact.

    Q1 2025
    (US$ m, except per share data)
    Gross Profit Operating Income Net Earnings Corresponding Diluted EPS
    U.S. GAAP 841 3 56 0.06
    Impairment, restructuring charges and other related phase-out costs – 8 8 0.01
    Estimated income tax effect – – (1) –
    Non-U.S. GAAP 841 11 63 0.07

    (Appendix – continued)

    Net Financial Position and Adjusted Net Financial Position (non-U.S. GAAP measures)

    Net Financial Position, a non-U.S. GAAP measure, represents the difference between our total liquidity and our total financial debt. Our total liquidity includes cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, if any, short-term deposits, and marketable securities, and our total financial debt includes short-term debt and long-term debt, as reported in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. ST also presents adjusted net financial position as a non-U.S. GAAP measure, to take into consideration the effect on total liquidity of advances received on capital grants for which capital expenditures have not been incurred yet.

    ST believes its Net Financial Position and Adjusted Net Financial Position provide useful information for investors and management because they give evidence of our global position either in terms of net indebtedness or net cash by measuring our capital resources based on cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, if any, short-term deposits and marketable securities and the total level of our financial debt. Our definitions of Net Financial Position and Adjusted Net Financial Position may differ from definitions used by other companies, and therefore, comparability may be limited.

    (US$ m) Mar 29
    2025
    Dec 31
    2024
    Sep 28
    2024
    June 29
    2024
    Mar 30
    2024
    Cash and cash equivalents 1,781 2,282 3,077 3,092 3,133
    Short term deposits 1,650 1,450 977 975 1,226
    Marketable securities 2,528 2,452 2,242 2,218 1,880
    Total liquidity 5,959 6,184 6,296 6,285 6,239
    Short-term debt (988) (990) (1,003) (236) (238)
    Long-term debt (a) (1,889) (1,963) (2,112) (2,850) (2,875)
    Total financial debt (2,877) (2,953) (3,115) (3,086) (3,113)
    Net Financial Position (non-U.S. GAAP) 3,082 3,231 3,181 3,199 3,126
    Advances received on capital grants (377) (385) (366) (402) (351)
    Adjusted Net Financial Position (non-U.S. GAAP) 2,705 2,846 2,815 2,797 2,775

    (a)  Long-term debt contains standard conditions but does not impose minimum financial ratios. Committed credit facilities for $618 million equivalent, are currently undrawn.

    (Appendix – continued)

    Net Capex and Free Cash Flow (non-U.S. GAAP measures)

    ST presents Net Capex as a non-U.S. GAAP measure, which is reported as part of our Free Cash Flow (non-U.S. GAAP measure), to take into consideration the effect of advances from capital grants received on prior periods allocated to property, plant and equipment in the reporting period.

    Net Capex, a non-U.S. GAAP measure, is defined as (i) Payment for purchase of tangible assets, as reported plus (ii) Proceeds from sale of tangible assets, as reported plus (iii) Proceeds from capital grants and other contributions, as reported plus (iv) Advances from capital grants allocated to property, plant and equipment in the reporting period.

    ST believes Net Capex provides useful information for investors and management because annual capital expenditures budget includes the effect of capital grants. Our definition of Net Capex may differ from definitions used by other companies.

    (US$ m) Q1
    2025
    Q4
    2024
    Q3
    2024
    Q2
    2024
    Q1
    2024
    Payment for purchase of tangible assets, as reported (587) (584) (669) (690) (1,145)
    Proceeds from sale of tangible assets, as reported 2 – 2 1 2
    Proceeds from capital grants and other contributions, as reported 47 83 66 143 149
    Advances from capital grants allocated to property, plant and equipment 8 31 36 18 27
    Net Capex (non-U.S. GAAP) (530) (470) (565) (528) (967)

    Free Cash Flow, which is a non-U.S. GAAP measure, is defined as (i) net cash from operating activities plus (ii) Net Capex plus (iii) payment for purchase (and proceeds from sale) of intangible and financial assets and (iv) net cash paid for business acquisitions, if any.

    ST believes Free Cash Flow provides useful information for investors and management because it measures our capacity to generate cash from our operating and investing activities to sustain our operations.

    Free Cash Flow reconciles with the total cash flow and the net cash increase (decrease) by including the payment for purchases of (and proceeds from matured) marketable securities and net investment in (and proceeds from) short-term deposits, the net cash from (used in) financing activities and the effect of changes in exchange rates, and by excluding the advances from capital grants received on prior periods allocated to property, plant and equipment in the reporting period. Our definition of Free Cash Flow may differ from definitions used by other companies.

    (US$ m) Q1
    2025
    Q4
    2024
    Q3
    2024
    Q2
    2024
    Q1
    2024
    Net cash from operating activities 574 681 723 702 859
    Net Capex (530) (470) (565) (528) (967)
    Payment for purchase of intangible assets, net of proceeds from sale (14) (32) (20) (15) (26)
    Payment for purchase of financial assets, net of proceeds from sale – (51) (2) – –
    Free Cash Flow (non-U.S. GAAP) 30 128 136 159 (134)

    (Appendix – continued)
    Financial Calendar

    The financial calendar for 2025 is as follows:

    March 16, 2025 – April 24,2025: Quiet period
     

    April 24,2025:

     

    Q1 2025 Financial Results

     

    June 16, 2025 – July 24,2025:

     

    Quiet period

     

    July 24,2025:

     

    Q2 2025 Financial Results

     

    September 16, 2025 – October 23,2025:

     

    Quiet period

     

    October 23,2025:

     

    Q3 2025 Financial Results

    These dates are preliminary and are subject to final confirmation.


    1Non-U.S. GAAP. See Appendix for reconciliation to U.S. GAAP and information explaining why the Company believes these measures are important.
    2See Appendix for the definition of reportable segments.
    3Non-U.S. GAAP. See Appendix for reconciliation to U.S. GAAP and information explaining why the Company believes these measures are important.
    4Non-U.S. GAAP. See Appendix for reconciliation to U.S. GAAP and information explaining why the Company believes these measures are important.

    Attachment

    • C3332C -Q125 Earnings PR – April 24 2025

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Modernization in motion as China’s ‘city of the future’ takes shape rapidly

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

    XIONG’AN, Hebei Province, April 24 — At the end of March, a new sports center with a seating capacity of over 40,000 opened in Xiong’an New Area in northern China’s Hebei Province, filling a key gap in the region’s capacity to host large-scale sports and cultural events.

    The Xiong’an New Area, located about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing, was established on April 1, 2017. It aims to relieve Beijing of non-essential functions related to its status as the nation’s capital, while also advancing the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The process explores a new model of development in densely populated areas.

    According to Chinese authorities, Xiong’an has entered a pivotal stage, where large-scale infrastructure projects are advancing in tandem with accelerated relocation efforts. The focus has now shifted toward promoting high-quality development, high-standard management, and coordinated, efficient resettlement. As the much-anticipated “city of the future,” Xiong’an is taking shape at remarkable speed.

    MAJOR BREAKTHROUGHS

    At the end of 2021, Jia Mengshuang relocated from Beijing to Xiong’an for work. Her company is based in an internet industry park in the new area, which now accommodates more than 600 on-site employees.

    From the terrace of Jia’s office building, the view offers a striking glimpse of Xiong’an’s remarkable transformation. Just next door, the headquarters of China Satellite Network Group Co., Ltd. (CSCN) — the first centrally-administered state-owned enterprise (SOE) to establish a presence in the new area — officially began operations late last year. Meanwhile, the gleaming facades of two other centrally-administered SOEs’ nearly completed headquarters now rise prominently on the emerging skyline.

    As more SOEs establish a presence in Xiong’an, a series of emerging industrial clusters are driving the development of this futuristic city. Having lived and worked in Xiong’an for over half a year, Li Maofan, an employee at CSCN, is increasingly convinced that “dreams can be realized here.”

    Leveraging the presence of the satellite company and an innovation alliance for aerospace information and satellite internet, Xiong’an is developing an industrial ecosystem that spans satellite internet, spatiotemporal information, aerospace vehicles, and the intelligent manufacturing of commercial satellites. So far, it has attracted around 60 enterprises in the aerospace information sector.

    Driven by its commitment to becoming an innovation hub, the new area is also rapidly consolidating scientific and technological resources across industries such as next-generation information technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and new materials.

    Since its establishment, Xiong’an has seen the successful implementation of a series of landmark relocation projects. Four headquarters of centrally-administered SOEs, including CSCN, have already settled in the new area. Four others, including China Datang Corporation Ltd., are set to begin construction this year.

    Currently, over 4,000 Beijing-based enterprises have established operations in Xiong’an, and centrally-administered SOEs have opened over 300 branches and subsidiaries in the area.

    Supportive projects in education and healthcare are also progressing rapidly in the new area. Construction is accelerating on campus buildings for four Beijing-based universities, as well as the site for Peking University People’s Hospital, one of Beijing’s leading hospitals. Meanwhile, the Xiong’an branch of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, one of China’s most prestigious medical institutions, is set to begin construction soon.

    According to the reform and development bureau of Xiong’an, total completed investments in the new area had surpassed 860 billion yuan (about 119.25 billion U.S. dollars) by the end of February. Liu Jia, deputy director of the bureau, said that the implementation of the second batch of relocation projects is being expedited.

    SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

    Xiong’an is focusing not only on rapid development but also on prioritizing people in its approach to modernization, ensuring that ecological sustainability is integrated throughout the entire process.

    Huang Yuqiang, general manager of a tech firm, relocated his company from Beijing to Xiong’an four years ago. Huang’s company — now a national high-tech enterprise — has secured several invention patents. Its autonomous UAV inspection platform has been applied to various scenarios, including road defect inspections and park security.

    Benefiting from the local government’s robust talent attraction initiatives, Huang now enjoys a refreshingly carefree life after work. Not only did he move into a subsidized rental apartment at a 30-percent discount, but he also received a “Xiong’an talent card,” which grants him benefits related to business ventures, household registration, transportation, healthcare and children’s education.

    Content with the present and optimistic about the future, Huang transferred his family’s household registration to Xiong’an, where they now live. “We feel extremely comfortable, and our sense of happiness has greatly improved,” he said.

    Huang’s story reflects Xiong’an’s remarkable population growth. Since 2017, the new area has seen a consistent influx of residents, with its permanent population reaching 1.36 million by 2024, highlighting its increasing appeal as a hub for talent and opportunities.

    Much like Huang, Jia has gradually relocated her family to Xiong’an over two years. “Every morning, it’s just a five-minute walk to drop my child off at the kindergarten near home, followed by another 10-minute walk to the office,” said Jia, noting that it’s a simple pleasure she could never have imagined during her years in Beijing.

    Spanning an area of 1,770 square kilometers, the new area aims to create favorable living conditions for residents, with parks, recreational facilities, schools and convenience stores all within a 15-minute walk. The plan is to dedicate only 30 percent of the city’s space to urban development, leaving the rest for water and greenery, an exceptionally rare approach in China’s urban development history.

    Since 2017, Xiong’an has added a total of 481,000 mu (about 32,067 hectares) of trees, raising its forest coverage rate from 11 to 35 percent. Notably, the local country park, with a total area of approximately 18 square kilometers, is about five times the size of New York City’s Central Park.

    Baiyangdian Lake, one of northern China’s major wetlands, has undergone its largest systematic ecological restoration in history, with water quality reaching the highest level since monitoring began in 1988 after water replenishment. The lake is now home to 295 wild bird species, an increase of 89 species compared to the period before the new area was established.

    Designed to be smart, sustainable and free from “urban ills,” Xiong’an is China’s first city to achieve the synchronized development of both its digital and physical urban spaces on a citywide scale.

    One feature that consistently impresses nearly all visitors to Xiong’an is its cutting-edge smart mobility solutions. It has developed 153 kilometers of digital roads equipped with smart lampposts that integrate traffic lights and various sensors. By analyzing real-time traffic flow data, the intelligent system automatically adjusts signal timing to minimize red-light stops, significantly enhancing traffic efficiency, explained Song Laiqiang, product manager at China Telecom Digital City Technology Co., Ltd.

    Smart technology is also being used to tackle common urban challenges. According to Wang Kun, deputy director of the Rongdong administrative committee’s urban operations center, over 1,000 AI-equipped cameras across roads and neighborhoods in Rongdong district of Xiong’an can automatically detect 19 types of municipal issues, from overflowing trash bins to illegal parking. The center’s management platform then reports these issues to community workers, who resolve them promptly.

    At the heart of these smart systems is the Xiong’an urban computing center, often referred to as the city’s “brain,” which drives the construction and management of this smart city. “It integrates technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data, AI and cloud computing to enable real-time, refined and intelligent urban management,” said Li Nan, a supervisor at Xiong’an Cloud Network Technology Co., Ltd.

    “All these innovations have enabled residents to enjoy a higher quality of life in a smarter city,” Li added.

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: ASEAN digital senior officials call for collaboration towards an inclusive and trusted digital ecosystem

    Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

    JAKARTA, 23 April 2025 – The First ASEAN Digital Senior Officials’ Meeting and ASEAN Telecommunications Regulators’ Council (ADGSOM – ATRC) Leaders’ Retreat of 2025 took place on 22-23 April in Jakarta.
     
    The two-day event was chaired by Thailand as the ADGSOM Chair for 2025. The meeting discussed the outcomes and follow-up actions from the 5th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting (ADGMIN) held on 13-17 January 2025 in Bangkok. Additionally, the 5th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Anti-Online Scam (WG-AS) was held on the sidelines, to discuss ASEAN Member States’ (AMS) collective measures in tackling online scams in the region.
     
    Under the theme of Thailand’s ADGMIN Chairmanship in 2025, “Secure, Innovative, Inclusive: Shaping ASEAN’s Digital Future” is essential to fully unlock the potential of ASEAN Digital Economy by harnessing the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) which requires multiple stakeholder’s collaboration including policy makers, private sector and the community towards shaping ASEAN’s Digital Future.
     
    The meeting welcomed a proposal for joint collaboration between ADGSOM and the ASEAN Foundation to organise the ASEAN Digital Forum 2026, which will be held alongside the 6th ADGMIN in early 2026 in Viet Nam. Additionally, the development of the ASEAN Digital Outlook 2025, supported by Google.org. This initiative shall support effective long-term planning across member states, fostering sustained growth and competitiveness in the digital era. The meeting also welcomed the proposals which should strengthen public-private partnerships for knowledge exchange, policy alignment, and the coordination of digital initiatives for alignment with global digital trends and standards.
     
    The meeting welcomed the successful implementation of the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025 (ADM2025), noting that 100% of its Enabling Actions (EAs) had been initiated as of April 2025. As ADM2025 approaches its conclusion, the meeting reaffirmed the importance of sustaining the region’s digital transformation momentum through the upcoming ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2030 (ADM2030).
     
    ADM2030 will serve as a visionary framework that will set the pace for ASEAN’s digital future over the next 5 years. In this regard, Viet Nam has been entrusted to lead the development of ADM2030 in 2025, targeted for endorsement at the 6th ADGMIN in early 2026.
     
     
    ###

    Photos Credit: Biro Humas Kementerian Komunikasi dan Digital
     
    The post ASEAN digital senior officials call for collaboration towards an inclusive and trusted digital ecosystem appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Nokia lands strategic 5G RAN deal with T-Mobile US to enhance nationwide connectivity

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    Nokia lands strategic 5G RAN deal with T-Mobile US to enhance nationwide connectivity

    • Nokia boosts T-Mobile US’s award-winning 5G network with network footprint expansion and site modernization.
    • Partnership brings enhanced 5G connectivity to additional T-Mobile subscribers across the country.
    • Nokia to supply equipment from industry-leading AirScale portfolio.

    24 April 2025
    Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced a significant multi-year extension of its strategic partnership with T-Mobile US, further expanding and enhancing the Un-carrier’s industry-leading nationwide 5G network coverage and capacity. The agreement will advance T-Mobile’s network by deploying next-generation baseband and radio technologies. T-Mobile’s network already reaches more than 98 percent of the U.S. population. This collaboration demonstrates its commitment to further extending its high-performance 5G capabilities.

    Under the agreement, Nokia will supply its industry-leading AirScale Radio Access Network (RAN) portfolio – including its latest generation Habrok Massive MIMO and Levante Ultra-Performance baseband solutions. These are powered by its energy-efficient ReefShark System-on-Chip technology and will boost T-Mobile’s 5G network for maximum performance, efficiency and reliability. Nokia will also deploy its AI-powered MantaRay SON and AutoPilot, a self-organizing network solution for optimization and automation. The deal includes hardware, software, maintenance, and support services.

    This collaboration will also advance T-Mobile’s network evolution by leveraging next-generation RAN architectures that enhance agility, scalability, and operational efficiency. Nokia will continue to support T-Mobile’s groundbreaking AI-RAN initiatives, including the ongoing technology partnership at T-Mobile’s AI-RAN Innovation Center launched last year. The center is dedicated to integrating AI into RAN to revolutionize network experiences and deliver stronger business outcomes.

    Ulf Ewaldsson, President of Technology, T-Mobile, commented, “T-Mobile’s nationwide standalone 5G network has solidified our global leadership by delivering tangible benefits to our customers. This new agreement with Nokia will further enhance our current network capabilities as we strengthen our journey supercharged with 5G Advanced, laying a robust foundation for future innovation.”

    Justin Hotard, President and CEO of Nokia, said: “This new agreement strengthens our deep partnership with T-Mobile US, and extends their leadership in delivering next-generation connectivity across the U.S. By implementing Nokia’s latest AirScale RAN innovations, along with advanced virtualized and AI-RAN-based solutions, T-Mobile will unlock premium 5G performance for their customers. I’m excited to continue our partnership to shape the next chapter of mobile connectivity in the U.S.”

    Nokia is T-Mobile US’s long-standing partner in RAN. The combination of Nokia’s advanced solutions and T-Mobile’s “Challenger to Champion” strategic initiatives have helped T-Mobile to become America’s largest, fastest, and most awarded 5G network, covering more than 332 million people across two million square miles.

    Multimedia, technical information and related news
    Product Page: Nokia Cloud RAN
    Product Page: Nokia anyRAN
    Product Page: Nokia AirScale Baseband
    Product Page: MantaRay NM

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Media inquiries
    Nokia Press Office
    Email: Press.Services@nokia.com

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    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: Election meme hits and duds – we’ve graded some of the best (and worst) of the campaign so far

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University

    As Australia begins voting in the federal election, we’re awash with political messages.

    While this of course includes the typical paid ads in newspapers and on TV (those ones with the infamously fast-paced “authorised by” postscripts), political parties and lobby groups now compete especially hard for our attention online.

    And, if there’s one thing internet users love, it’s a good meme.

    Indeed, as far back as two elections ago, in the 2019 campaign, the Liberal Party discovered the power of so-called “boomer memes”, and harnessed them effectively to help secure a third term in government.

    The other parties have since caught on though, and are battling hard to win the messaging war in a way that will resonate with voters, especially those who are inclined to ignore a typical political advertisement.

    What makes a good meme?

    The best political communication often contains a few key elements.

    First, it should be developed with a clear understanding of context, purpose and audience. If the target audience can’t get the message pretty much straight away, then it’s not much good.

    It should also spark some sort of emotional reaction. It should make voters feel something and motivate them to act, or change their voting intention.

    When it comes to political memes in particular, they need to make some clear reference to widely known cultural material. This might be a trending event in popular culture, or fit into an established meme format.

    And, of course, the best memes are fun. As the quote, often attributed to American funnyman Andy Kaufman, goes: “if you can make someone laugh, you can make them think”.

    Below, we have collected some of the major Australian political parties’ recent efforts on the meme front during the 2025 election campaign, and assessed their effectiveness. We graded them from “A” for best down to “D” for worst.

    Grading political messages

    We’ll start with the “diss track” the Liberals released earlier this month.

    Liberal Party of Australia · LEAVING LABOR

    We’d give this one a “D” grade. It focuses heavily on cost of living and might spark an emotional reaction from voters who feel pain when going to the shops. But, it’s highly unlikely to hit the mark, given it was released on a minor platform, and rap music (with its Black American roots) doesn’t exactly gel with the Liberal Party’s overall image and ethos.

    One SoundCloud user probably best summed up the vibe here, by referencing another famous internet meme: “how do you do, fellow kids?”




    Read more:
    Why the Coalition’s tone-deaf diss track was bound to hit all the wrong notes


    The Liberals did much better, however, with their version of the popular AI action figure trend that’s sweeping the Internet.

    We’d give this one a solid “B+.” It features some clever one-liners, makes use of a current trend, and makes its point easily and quickly. We knock a few points off for the redundant focus on “cheaper power” This would have been better as two separate issues rather than repeating one twice.

    Instead, we give Labor’s version a “C-”.

    It looks only barely like the prime minister. He is shown as neutral rather than smiling. And the accessories chosen feel forced.

    Although both memes tap into a trend, their shelf life will likely be short. This is in contrast to political ads like the below.

    Rather than jump on the latest, short-lived trend, this ad draws on cultural material that’s more than three decades old but considered classic. The juxtaposition of a widely seen children’s cartoon with a political ad provides a surprising contrast. And the strategic editing drew more than a few giggles out of us.

    We’d give this one an “A-.” It still relies on audio, which is often disabled by default, to get its point across but is solid, overall.

    This ad by the Greens, however, misses the mark.

    We like Lady Gaga as much as the next person, but the cultural connection here seems dated and forced. Rather than focus on one key message, the ad instead mentions five separate policy positions. It also doesn’t work without audio. We’d give it a “C-.”

    The Labor Party had more of a hit with this meme, though:

    It appropriates the Venn diagram, a well-established meme format, which requires a degree of creativity and intelligence to pull off successfully. It makes a clear point, but also doesn’t bash its audience around the head with it. So, we’d give this a “B+”.

    One of the best memes we’ve seen recently, however, comes from a Facebook page connected to The Greens:

    The Simpsons has become a kind of lingua franca of the internet over the last decade or more, and has been the genesis of many, many popular memes, including during the last federal election.

    This meme not only taps into that existing internet culture, and gestures towards one of the show’s sweetest-ever moments in recounting the circumstances of Maggie’s birth, but also cleverly draws on and repurposes one of the attack lines being used against the Greens (“Can’t vote Greens. Not this time”) by the lobby group Advance Australia. It’s a clever piece of communication and one of the few “A”-grade memes we’ve encountered in the campaign so far.

    Your turn

    Keep an eye on the memes you encounter in the next few weeks in the lead-up to the election on May 3. Which ones do you find effective and why?

    But memes are only part of the story. Also consider the positions of the candidates and parties and their substantive policies. Memes, good or bad, can only go so far.

    T.J. Thomson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is an affiliated researcher with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making & Society.

    Stephen Harrington receives funding from the Australian Research Council, for the Discovery Project ‘Understanding and Combatting “Dark Political Communication”‘. He has made occasional donations to candidates for The Australian Greens.

    – ref. Election meme hits and duds – we’ve graded some of the best (and worst) of the campaign so far – https://theconversation.com/election-meme-hits-and-duds-weve-graded-some-of-the-best-and-worst-of-the-campaign-so-far-254709

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: APPLOVIN SHAREHOLDER ALERT: CLAIMSFILER REMINDS INVESTORS WITH LOSSES IN EXCESS OF $100,000 of Lead Plaintiff Deadline in Class Action Lawsuits Against AppLovin Corporation – APP

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW ORLEANS, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until May 5, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in securities class action lawsuits against AppLovin Corporation (NasdaqGS: APP), if they purchased the Company’s securities between May 10, 2023 and March 26, 2025, inclusive (the “Class Period”). These actions are pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

    Get Help

    AppLovin investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nasdaq-app/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

    About the Lawsuit

    AppLovin and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

    On February 26, 2025, analyst research reports highlighted that the Company was engaging in “Ad Fraud” and other dubious practices including reverse engineering and exploiting advertising data from Meta Platforms, and utilizing manipulative practices to artificially inflate their own ad click-through and app download rates, such as by having ads click on themselves or utilizing design gimmicks to trigger forced shadow downloads, erroneously inflating installation numbers and, in turn, its profit figures. On this news, the price of AppLovin’s shares fell from $377.06 per share on February 25, 2025 to $331.00 per share on February 26, 2025.

    Then, on March 26, 2025, Muddy Waters Research reported that the Company systematically used proprietary third-party data in ways that violated the terms of service of Facebook, Google, Snap, Reddit, as well as other platforms, potentially leading to backlash and service blocking and threatening the sustainability of the Company’s revenue growth. On this news, the price of AppLovin’s shares plummeted 20.1 percent, dropping from $327.62 to $261.70 per share on March 27, 2025.

    The first-filed case is Quiero v. AppLovin Corporation, et al., No. 25-cv-02294. A subsequent case, Wayne County Employees’ Retirement System v. AppLovin Corporation, et al., No. 25-cv-3438, expanded the class period.

    About ClaimsFiler

    ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

    To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai delivers remarks at International Holocaust Remembrance Day event

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai pays respects to Pope Francis  
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te visited the Taipei Archdiocesan Curia to pay respects in a memorial ceremony for His Holiness Pope Francis. As officiant of the ceremony, President Lai burned incense and presented flowers, fruits, and wine to pay his respects to Pope Francis. At the direction of the master of ceremonies, the president then bowed three times in front of Pope Francis’s memorial portrait, conveying his grief and deep respect for the late pope. After hearing of Pope Francis’s passing on April 21, President Lai promptly requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express sincere condolences from the people and government of Taiwan to the Vatican. The president also instructed Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) to convey condolences to the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in Taiwan.  

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai meets US CNAS NextGen fellows
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te met with fellows from the Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Program (NextGen) run by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of the United States for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The president pointed out that we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, and form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment and bring about even closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, allowing us to reduce the trade deficit and generate development that benefits both sides. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Ms. Michèle Flournoy, chair of the CNAS Board of Directors, is a good friend of Taiwan, and she has made major contributions to Taiwan-US relations through her long-time efforts on various aspects of our cooperation. I am happy to welcome Chair Flournoy, who is once again leading a NextGen Fellowship delegation to Taiwan. CNAS is a prominent think tank focusing on US national security and defense policy based in Washington, DC. Its NextGen Fellowship has fostered talented individuals in the fields of national security and foreign affairs. This year’s delegation is significantly larger than those of the past, demonstrating the increased importance that the next generation of US leaders attach to Taiwan. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincerest welcome to you all. The Taiwan Strait, an issue of importance for our guests, has become a global issue. There is a high degree of international consensus that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements in global security and prosperity. Facing military threats from China, Taiwan proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we are actively implementing military reforms, enhancing whole-of-society defense resilience, and working to increase our defense budget to more than 3 percent of GDP. Second, we are strengthening our economic resilience. As Taiwan’s economy must keep advancing, we can no longer put all our eggs in one basket. We are taking action to remain firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence and marketing worldwide. In these efforts, we are already seeing results. Third, we are standing side-by-side with other democratic countries to demonstrate the strength of deterrence and achieve our goal of peace through strength. And fourth, Taiwan is willing, under the principles of parity and dignity, to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China towards achieving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. This April 10 marked the 46th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act. We thank the US government for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to strengthen collaboration on the development of both our defense industries as well as the building of non-red supply chains. This will yield even more results and further deepen our economic and trade partnership. The US is now the main destination for outbound investment from Taiwan. Moving forward, we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. And our government will form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment. We hope this will bring Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation even closer and, through mutually beneficial assistance, allow us to generate development that benefits both our sides while reducing our trade deficit. In closing, thank you once again for visiting Taiwan. We hope your trip is fruitful and leaves you with a deep impression of Taiwan. We also hope that going forward you continue supporting Taiwan and advancing even greater development for Taiwan-US ties.  Chair Flournoy then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for making time to receive their delegation. Referring to President Lai’s earlier remarks, she said that it is quite an impressive group, as past members of this program have gone on to become members of the US Congress, leading government experts, and leaders in the think-tank world and in the private sector. She remarked that investing in this group is a wonderful privilege for her and that they appreciate President Lai’s agreeing to take the time to engage in exchange with them. Chair Flournoy emphasized that they are visiting Taiwan at a critical moment, when there is so much change and volatility in the geostrategic environment, a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of unpredictability. She stated that given our shared values, our shared passion for democracy and human rights, and our shared interests in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, this is an important time for dialogue, collaboration, and looking for additional opportunities where we can work together towards regional peace and stability.

    Details
    2025-04-18
    President Lai meets US delegation from Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific
    On the afternoon of April 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Senator Pete Ricketts, chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy. In remarks, President Lai said we hope to promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation. The president said that by deepening cooperation, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. He said a more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome you all to Taiwan. I want to take this opportunity to especially thank Chairman Pete Ricketts and Ranking Member Chris Coons for their high regard and support for Taiwan. Chairman Ricketts has elected to visit Taiwan on his first overseas trip since taking up his new position in January. Ranking Member Coons made a dedicated trip to Taiwan in 2021 to announce a donation of COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the US government. He also visited last May, soon after my inauguration, continuing to deepen Taiwan-US exchanges. Thanks to support from Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons, the US Congress has continued to introduce many concrete initiatives and resources to assist Taiwan through the National Defense Authorization Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, bringing the Taiwan-US partnership even closer. For this, I want to again express my gratitude. There has long been bipartisan support in the US Congress for maintaining security in the Taiwan Strait. Faced with China’s persistent political and military intimidation, Taiwan will endeavor to reform national defense and enhance whole-of-society defense resilience. We will also make special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP, up from the current 2.5 percent, so as to enhance Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to work together to maintain peace and stability in the region. We will also promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. We hope to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation, jointly promoting prosperity and development. We believe that by deepening cooperation through the Taiwan plus one policy, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. A more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. In closing, I wish Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons a smooth and successful visit. Chairman Ricketts then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for his hospitality. He said that he and his delegation have had a wonderful time meeting with government officials, industry representatives, and the team at the American Institute in Taiwan. Highlighting that Taiwan has long been a friend and partner of the US, he said their bipartisan delegation to Taiwan emphasizes long-time bipartisan support in the US Congress for Taiwan, and though administrations change, that bipartisan support remains. Chairman Ricketts stated that the US is committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and that they want to see peace across the Taiwan Strait. He also stated that the US opposes any unilateral change in the status of Taiwan and that they expect any differences between Taiwan and China to be resolved peacefully without coercion or the threat of force. To that end, he said, the US will continue to assist Taiwan in its self-defense and will also step up by bolstering its own defense capabilities, noting that there is broad consensus on this in the US Congress. Chairman Ricketts stated that they want to see Taiwan participate in international organizations and memberships where appropriate, and encourage Taiwan to reach out to current and past diplomatic allies to strengthen those bilateral relationships. He pointed out that the long economic relationship between the US and Taiwan is important for our as well as the entire world’s security and prosperity. He also noted that there are many opportunities for us to continue to grow the economic relationship that will help create more prosperity for our respective peoples and ensure that we are more secure in the world. Chairman Ricketts emphasized that they made this trip early on in the new US administration to work with Taiwan to develop three points: security, diplomatic relations, and the economy. He stated that in the face of rising aggression from communist China, the US will provide commensurate help to Taiwan in self-defense and that they will continue to provide the services and tools needed. In closing, Chairman Ricketts once again thanked President Lai for the hospitality and said he looks forward to dialogue on how we can continue these relationships. Ranking Member Coons then delivered remarks. Mentioning that their delegation also visited the Philippines on this trip, he said that there and in Taiwan, they have been focused on peace, stability, and security, and the ways for deepening and strengthening economic and security relations. He noted that 46 years ago, the US Senate passed the Taiwan Relations Act, adding that it was strongly bipartisan when enacted and that support for it is still strongly bipartisan today. Its core commitment, he said, is that the US will be engaged and will be a partner in ensuring that any dispute or challenge across the strait will be resolved peacefully, and that Taiwan will have the resources it needs for its self-defense. Ranking Member Coons said that between people, friendships are deepest and most enduring when they are based not just on interests but on values, and that the same is true between the US and Taiwan. Free press, free enterprise, free societies, democracy – these core shared values, he said, anchor our friendship and partnership, making them deeper. He remarked that they are grateful for the significant investment in the US being made by companies from Taiwan, but what anchors our partnership, in addition to these important investments and investments being made by Taiwan in its own security, are the values that mobilize our free-enterprise spirit and our commitment to free societies. In Europe in recent years, Ranking Member Coons said, an aggressive nation has tried to change boundaries and change history by force. He said that the US and dozens of countries committed to freedom have come to the aid of Ukraine to defend it, help it stabilize, and secure its future. So too in this region of the world, he added, the US and a bipartisan group in the US Senate are committed to stable, secure, peaceful relations and to deterring any unilateral effort to change the status quo by force. In closing, he said he is grateful for a chance to return to Taiwan after the pandemic and that he looks forward to our conversation, our partnership, and the important work we have in front of us. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

    Details
    2025-04-17
    President Lai meets New Zealand delegation from All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan  
    On the morning of April 17, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from New Zealand’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of New Zealand for reiterating the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait on multiple occasions since last year. He also stated that this year, the Taiwan-New Zealand economic cooperation agreement (ANZTEC) is being implemented in its complete form. The president expressed hope that deeper collaboration in such fields as smart agriculture, food manufacturing, biomedicine, the digital economy, and clean energy, as well as exchanges among our indigenous peoples, will allow our economies and industries to continue evolving as they adapt to the challenges arising from global changes. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I extend a warm welcome to all of our guests. New Zealand’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan was established in 2023, marking a significant milestone in the deepening of Taiwan-New Zealand relations. I would like to thank Members of Parliament Stuart Smith and Tangi Utikere for leading this delegation, and thank all our guests for demonstrating support for Taiwan through action. We currently face a rapidly changing international landscape. Authoritarian regimes continue to converge and expand. Democracies must actively cooperate and jointly safeguard peace, stability, and the prosperous development of the Indo-Pacific region. Since last year, the government of New Zealand has on multiple occasions reiterated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for these statements and demonstrations of support. This year, ANZTEC is being implemented in its complete form. We look forward to exploring even more diverse markets with New Zealand. Deeper collaboration in such fields as smart agriculture, food manufacturing, biomedicine, the digital economy, and clean energy, as well as exchanges among indigenous peoples, will allow our economies and industries to continue evolving as they adapt to the challenges arising from global changes. Taiwan and New Zealand share the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, and parliamentary diplomacy is a tradition practiced by democracies around the world. Looking ahead, our parliamentary exchanges and mutual visits are bound to become more frequent. This will enable us to explore even more opportunities for cooperation and further deepen and solidify the democratic partnership between Taiwan and New Zealand. Thank you once again for making the long journey to visit us. I wish you a fruitful and successful trip. I also hope that everyone can take time to see more of Taiwan, try our local cuisine, and learn more about our culture. I hope our guests will fall in love with Taiwan. MP Smith then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great pleasure and an honor to be received by President Lai. The MP, noting that President Lai already covered many of the points he planned to make, went on to say that New Zealand and Taiwan share many values. He indicated that both are trading nations that rely on easy access for imports and exports, and that is why freedom of navigation is so important. That is why New Zealand had a naval vessel sail through the Taiwan Strait, he said, to underline the importance of freedom of navigation and our mutual security. MP Smith said that they look forward to building stronger relationships and enhancing the trade between our two nations. He added that New Zealand has much to offer in the field of geothermal energy to assist Taiwan, and mentioned that New Zealand is third largest in terms of the number of rocket launchers for satellites, which could assist Taiwan with communications in the future. New Zealand has other products as well, he said, but looks for assistance from Taiwan’s technology and technological sector. Lastly, MP Smith stated that he looks forward to a long and prosperous relationship between Taiwan and New Zealand. MP Utikere then delivered remarks, indicating that like Taiwan, New Zealand is a nation that is surrounded by ocean, which means that they rely on strong partnerships with communities of interest all around the globe. He said that the all-party parliamentary friendship group that was established and that they are a part of goes a long way in ensuring that a secure relationship between our two parliaments can continue to prosper. The MP also thanked Taiwan’s Representative to New Zealand Joanne Ou (歐江安) and her team for their work, which has ensured the success of the delegation’s visit. He said that the delegation experienced meetings with ministers in Taiwan’s government, members of the legislature, and those from the non-government organization sector as well. He also said that they enjoyed the opportunity to visit Wulai, and that the strength of the connections between the indigenous peoples of Taiwan and the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand is something that certainly landed with members of the delegation. MP Utikere noted that he will take up President Lai’s offer on experiencing more of Taiwan, and will spend a few extra days in Tainan, which he understands has a very special place in the president’s heart, adding that he looks forward to his time and experiences there. The MP concluded his remarks by saying that this will be a relationship that continues to go from strength to strength. After their remarks, the New Zealand delegation sang the Māori song “Tutira Mai Nga Iwi” to extend best wishes to Taiwan. Also in attendance at the meeting were New Zealand Members of Parliament Jamie Arbuckle, Greg Fleming, Hamish Campbell, Cameron Luxton, and Helen White.  

    Details
    2025-04-15
    President Lai meets delegation led by Tuvalu Deputy Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone 
    On the afternoon of April 15, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Tuvalu Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development Panapasi Nelesone and his wife. In remarks, President Lai thanked Tuvalu for its staunch and long-term backing of Taiwan’s international participation. The president said he looks forward to our nations deepening bilateral ties in such areas as agriculture, medicine, education, and information and communications technology and working together toward greater peace, prosperity, and development in the Pacific region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I extend a very warm welcome to Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone and Madame Corinna Ituaso Laafai as they lead this delegation to Taiwan. Our distinguished guests are the first delegation from Tuvalu that I have received at the Presidential Office this year. During my visit to Tuvalu last year, I met and exchanged views with Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone and the ministers present. I am delighted to meet you again today and thank you once again for the hospitality you accorded my delegation. The culture of Tuvalu and the warmth of its people are not easily forgotten. Tuvalu’s support for Taiwan has also touched us deeply. I want to take this opportunity to thank Tuvalu for staunchly backing Taiwan’s international participation over the past several decades. Our two countries have supported each other like family and have together made contributions in the international arena. Last Tuesday, I received the credentials of Ambassador Lily Tangisia Faavae and expressed my hope for Taiwan and Tuvalu continuing to deepen bilateral relations. This visit by Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone is an important step in that regard. Our two countries will be signing a labor cooperation agreement and an agreement concerning the recognition of training and certification of seafarers. This will expand bilateral cooperation at multiple levels and bring our relations even closer. Taiwan and Tuvalu are maritime nations and share the values of democracy and freedom. Our two countries have stood shoulder to shoulder to protect marine resources and address the challenges posed by climate change and authoritarianism, and we aspire to work toward greater peace, prosperity, and development in the Pacific region. Our nations have produced fruitful results in such areas as agriculture, medicine, education, and information and communications technology. I anticipate that, with the support of Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone and our distinguished guests, we can continue to employ a more diverse range of strategies to begin a new chapter in our diplomatic partnership. Together, we can make even greater and more concrete contributions to regional development. Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for his kind words of welcome and the warm hospitality extended to his delegation. On behalf of the government and people of Tuvalu, he conveyed their gratitude to the president and the people of Taiwan for the generous support, as well as for the enduring friendship we share. He said that Taiwan’s steadfast commitment to our bilateral relationship has been instrumental in advancing our shared values of democracy, resilience, and sustainable development. From vital development assistance to cooperation in health, education, and climate change resilience, he added, Taiwan’s contributions have made a significant impact on the lives of the people of Tuvalu.  For Taiwan’s recent generous donation of shoes for Tuvaluan primary school students, Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone expressed thanks to President Lai. He commented that these gifts, which underscore a deep commitment to the welfare of their youth, transcend mere material support; they are symbols of care, friendship, and hope for the future generations. Noting that our bilateral relationship is built on mutual respect, shared values, and a common vision for sustainable development in the Pacific, he expressed confidence that this partnership will continue to flourish and will serve as a beacon of cooperation and solidarity within our region.  The delegation also included Tuvalu Minister of Foreign Affairs, Labour, and Trade Paulson Panapa; Minister of Public Works, Infrastructure Development and Water Ampelosa Tehulu, and was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Tuvalu Ambassador Faavae.

    Details
    2025-04-06
    President Lai delivers remarks on US tariff policy response
    On April 6, President Lai Ching-te delivered recorded remarks regarding the impact of the 32 percent tariff that the United States government recently imposed on imports from Taiwan in the name of reciprocity. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the government will adopt five response strategies, including making every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations, adopting a support plan for affected domestic industries, adopting medium- and long-term economic development plans, forming new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements, and launching industry listening tours. The president emphasized that as we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and expressed hope that all parties, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: My fellow citizens, good evening. The US government recently announced higher tariffs on countries around the world in the name of reciprocity, including imposing a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan. This is bound to have a major impact on our nation. Various countries have already responded, and some have even adopted retaliatory measures. Tremendous changes in the global economy are expected. Taiwan is an export-led economy, and in facing future challenges there will inevitably be difficulties, so we must proceed carefully to turn danger into safety. During this time, I want to express gratitude to all sectors of society for providing valuable opinions, which the government regards highly, and will use as a reference to make policy decisions.  However, if we calmly and carefully analyze Taiwan’s trade with the US, we find that last year Taiwan’s exports to the US were valued at US$111.4 billion, accounting for 23.4 percent of total export value, with the other 75-plus percent of products sold worldwide to countries other than the US. Of products sold to the US, competitive ICT products and electronic components accounted for 65.4 percent. This shows that Taiwan’s economy does still have considerable resilience. As long as our response strategies are appropriate, and the public and private sectors join forces, we can reduce impacts. Please do not panic. To address the reciprocal tariffs by the US, Taiwan has no plans to adopt retaliatory tariffs. There will be no change in corporate investment commitments to the US, as long as they are consistent with national interests. But we must ensure the US clearly understands Taiwan’s contributions to US economic development. More importantly, we must actively seek to understand changes in the global economic situation, strengthen Taiwan-US industry cooperation, elevate the status of Taiwan industries in global supply chains, and with safeguarding the continued development of Taiwan’s economy as our goal, adopt the following five strategies to respond. Strategy one: Make every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations using the following five methods:  1. Taiwan has already formed a negotiation team led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君). The team includes members from the National Security Council, the Office of Trade Negotiations, and relevant Executive Yuan ministries and agencies, as well as academia and industry. Like the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, negotiations on tariffs can start from Taiwan-US bilateral zero-tariff treatment. 2. To expand purchases from the US and thereby reduce the trade deficit, the Executive Yuan has already completed an inventory regarding large-scale procurement plans for agricultural, industrial, petroleum, and natural gas products, and the Ministry of National Defense has also proposed a military procurement list. All procurement plans will be actively pursued. 3. Expand investments in the US. Taiwan’s cumulative investment in the US already exceeds US$100 billion, creating approximately 400,000 jobs. In the future, in addition to increased investment in the US by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, other industries such as electronics, ICT, petrochemicals, and natural gas can all increase their US investments, deepening Taiwan-US industry cooperation. Taiwan’s government has helped form a “Taiwan investment in the US” team, and hopes that the US will reciprocate by forming a “US investment in Taiwan” team to bring about closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, jointly creating a future economic golden age.  4. We must eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. Non-tariff barriers are an indicator by which the US assesses whether a trading partner is trading fairly with the US. Therefore, we will proactively resolve longstanding non-tariff barriers so that negotiations can proceed more smoothly. 5. We must resolve two issues that have been matters of longstanding concern to the US. One regards high-tech export controls, and the other regards illegal transshipment of dumped goods, otherwise referred to as “origin washing.” Strategy two: We must adopt a plan for supporting our industries. For industries that will be affected by the tariffs, and especially traditional industries as well as micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, we will provide timely and needed support and assistance. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and his administrative team recently announced a package of 20 specific measures designed to address nine areas. Moving forward, the support we provide to different industries will depend on how they are affected by the tariffs, will take into account the particular features of each industry, and will help each industry innovate, upgrade, and transform. Strategy three: We must adopt medium- and long-term economic development plans. At this point in time, our government must simultaneously adopt new strategies for economic and industrial development. This is also the fundamental path to solutions for future economic challenges. The government will proactively cooperate with friends and allies, develop a diverse range of markets, and achieve closer integration of entities in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of industrial supply chains. This course of action will make Taiwan’s industrial ecosystem more complete, and will help Taiwanese industries upgrade and transform. We must also make good use of the competitive advantages we possess in such areas as semiconductor manufacturing, integrated chip design, ICT, and smart manufacturing to build Taiwan into an AI island, and promote relevant applications for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as military, security and surveillance, next-generation communications, and the medical and health and wellness industries as we advance toward a smarter, more sustainable, and more prosperous new Taiwan. Strategy four: “Taiwan plus one,” i.e., new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements: While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, our enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. This has been our national economic development strategy, and the most important aspect is maintaining a solid base here in Taiwan. We absolutely must maintain a solid footing, and cannot allow the present strife to cause us to waver. Therefore, our government will incentivize investments, carry out deregulation, and continue to improve Taiwan’s investment climate by actively resolving problems involving access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent. This will enable corporations to stay in Taiwan and continue investing here. In addition, we must also help the overseas manufacturing facilities of offshore Taiwanese businesses to make necessary adjustments to support our “Taiwan plus one” policy, in that our national economic development strategy will be adjusted as follows: to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence, strengthening US ties, and marketing worldwide. We intend to make use of the new state of supply chains to strengthen cooperation between Taiwanese and US industries, and gain further access to US markets. Strategy five: Launch industry listening tours: All industrial firms, regardless of sector or size, will be affected to some degree once the US reciprocal tariffs go into effect. The administrative teams led by myself and Premier Cho will hear out industry concerns so that we can quickly resolve problems and make sure policies meet actual needs. My fellow citizens, over the past half-century and more, Taiwan has been through two energy crises, the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, and pandemics. We have been able to not only withstand one test after another, but even turn crises into opportunities. The Taiwanese economy has emerged from these crises stronger and more resilient than ever. As we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and I hope that all parties in the legislature, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. Let us join together and give it our all. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Kamlager-Dove Statement on Rubio’s State Department Concession to DOGE

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, issued the following statement on Secretary Rubio’s proposed reorganization of the U.S. State Department:

    “The U.S. funds diplomacy and development through the State Department and USAID because when you buck soft power, you court war. And we promote democracy, human rights, women’s equality, accountability for war crimes, and anti-extremism because it makes the United States–not our adversaries–countries’ partner of choice. 

    Gutting the values-based bureaus that make us competitive, setting arbitrary personnel quotas regardless of national security needs, and cutting the department’s budget by a reported 50% will not make the State Department more effective or efficient.

    Rubio’s proposed reorganization caves to pressure from radicals like Elon Musk who fundamentally reject these American values at home and abroad. It is unsurprising but still unacceptable that this restructuring plan was developed with zero input from Congress. That’s why I preemptively introduced the Defending American Diplomacy Act, which would require Congressional approval before any reorganization of the State Department.

    A substack essay isn’t going to cut it. Rubio must testify before Congress to justify how these changes will actually enhance U.S. foreign policy and aren’t just a self-preserving concession to the MAGA culture warriors who are hungry to destroy our government from the inside.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: International Lunar Research Station attracts more partners: CNSA

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

    SHANGHAI, April 23 — A total of 17 countries and international organizations, as well as more than 50 international research institutions have joined the China-initiated International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a senior official of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said Wednesday at a conference held in Shanghai.

    In current international lunar exploration, traditional spacefaring nations continue to carry out missions, emerging space nations are constantly joining in, and commercial spaceflight is flourishing, Bian Zhigang, deputy director of the CNSA, noted at the International Conference on Developers of the ILRS.

    Lunar exploration activities are evolving from short-term missions to long-term construction, from single-craft exploration to multi-craft collaboration, and from national missions to international cooperation, Bian said. The modes of exploration and cooperation are undergoing fundamental changes, he added.

    Bian stressed that the ILRS will offer new opportunities and platforms for fostering global intelligence integration, technological innovation, inclusive cooperation, and shared development.

    Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, said that the ILRS, which is a scientific experimental facility consisting of sections on the lunar surface and in lunar orbit, is projected to be built in two phases: a basic model to be built by 2035 in the lunar south pole region, and an extended model to be built in the 2040s.

    Chang’e-7 and Chang’e-8 will become parts of the basic model.

    The ILRS will possess capabilities such as Earth-Moon transportation, energy supply, centralized control, communication, navigation, lunar surface scientific exploration and ground support capabilities, Wu said.

    It will conduct multidisciplinary, multiple-objective and comprehensive scientific and technological activities continuously, Wu added.

    The ILRS integrates observation, exploration, scientific experiments and in-situ resource utilization into a single system. It will conduct large-scale, long-duration, multiple-point continuous and real-time synchronous observations, according to Wang Chi, director of the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and a CAS academician.

    The overall scientific objectives of the ILRS include lunar geology, lunar-based astronomical observation, space environment observation of the Sun-Earth-Moon system, lunar-based fundamental science experiments, and lunar in-situ resource utilization, Wang noted.

    The CNSA has always adhered to the principles of equality, mutual benefits, the peaceful utilization of space, and win-win cooperation, Bian noted. It welcomes international partners to participate in various stages of the ILRS and at all levels of the mission. This will promote the use of space technology to benefit humanity and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity in the field of outer space, he said.

    Amjad Ali, deputy director general and chairman secretariat of the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) of Pakistan, said that the CNSA leads in inclusive space exploration, enabling emerging space nations like Pakistan to rise.

    The upcoming Chang’e-8 mission will carry a 30-kilogram lunar rover developed by SUPARCO which will contribute to terrain mapping and regolith analysis, according to Ali.

    He said that the ILRS, led by the CNSA, envisions the construction of a permanent lunar outpost by the 2030s. Pakistan’s involvement offers opportunities in science, infrastructure and in-situ resource utilization.

    “Our instruments will analyze regolith composition, test autonomous surface mobility and study lunar environmental conditions, contributing to global lunar science databases,” Ali said.

    “The CNSA-SUPARCO partnership strengthens intercultural dialogue, diplomacy and peaceful collaboration, proving that shared dreams can unite nations among the stars,” he added.

    More than 120 leaders of space agencies, as well as experts and scholars, from 13 countries, regions and international organizations attended the meeting.

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
    Section 1.  Background.  Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the modern world, driving innovation across industries, enhancing productivity, and reshaping the way we live and work.  To ensure the United States remains a global leader in this technological revolution, we must provide our Nation’s youth with opportunities to cultivate the skills and understanding necessary to use and create the next generation of AI technology.  By fostering AI competency, we will equip our students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly digital society.  Early learning and exposure to AI concepts not only demystifies this powerful technology but also sparks curiosity and creativity, preparing students to become active and responsible participants in the workforce of the future and nurturing the next generation of American AI innovators to propel our Nation to new heights of scientific and economic achievement.To achieve this vision, we must also invest in our educators and equip them with the tools and knowledge to not only train students about AI, but also to utilize AI in their classrooms to improve educational outcomes.  Professional development programs focused on AI education will empower educators to confidently guide students through this complex and evolving field.  Educators, industry leaders, and employers who rely on an AI-skilled workforce should partner to create educational programs that equip students with essential AI skills and competencies across all learning pathways.  While AI education in kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) is critical, our Nation must also make resources available for lifelong learners to develop new skills for a changing workforce.  By establishing a strong framework that integrates early student exposure with comprehensive teacher training and other resources for workforce development, we can ensure that every American has the opportunity to learn about AI from the earliest stages of their educational journey through postsecondary education, fostering a culture of innovation and critical thinking that will solidify our Nation’s leadership in the AI-driven future.
    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to promote AI literacy and proficiency among Americans by promoting the appropriate integration of AI into education, providing comprehensive AI training for educators, and fostering early exposure to AI concepts and technology to develop an AI-ready workforce and the next generation of American AI innovators.
    Sec. 3.  Definition.  For the purposes of this order, “artificial intelligence” or “AI” has the meaning set forth in 15 U.S.C. 9401(3).
    Sec. 4.  Establishing an Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force.  (a)  There is hereby established the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education (Task Force).(b)  The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall be the Chair of the Task Force.(c)  The Task Force membership shall consist of the following members:(i)     the Secretary of Agriculture;(ii)    the Secretary of Labor;(iii)   the Secretary of Energy;(iv)    the Secretary of Education;(v)     the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF);(vi)    the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy;(vii)   the Special Advisor for AI & Crypto; (viii)  the Assistant to the President for Policy; and(ix)    the heads of other such executive departments and agencies (agencies) and offices that the Chair may designate or invite to participate.(d)  The Task Force shall be responsible for implementing the policy stated in section 2 of this order and coordinating Federal efforts related to AI education, including the actions outlined in this order.
    Sec. 5.  Establishing the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge.  (a)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Task Force shall establish plans for a Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge (Challenge), and the agencies represented on the Task Force shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, implement the plans by holding the Challenge no later than 12 months from the submission of the plan.  The Challenge shall encourage and highlight student and educator achievements in AI, promote wide geographic adoption of technological advancement, and foster collaboration between government, academia, philanthropy, and industry to address national challenges with AI solutions.(b)  The Challenge shall feature multiple age categories, distinct geographic regions for competition, and a variety of topical themes of competition to reflect the breadth of AI applications, encouraging interdisciplinary exploration. (c)  The Task Force and, as appropriate, agencies represented on the Task Force shall collaborate with relevant agencies and private sector entities to provide technical expertise, resources, and promotional support for implementing the Challenge, including through existing funding vehicles.  
    Sec. 6.  Improving Education Through Artificial Intelligence.  (a)  To provide resources for K-12 AI education, agencies represented on the Task Force shall seek to establish public-private partnerships with leading AI industry organizations, academic institutions, nonprofit entities, and other organizations with expertise in AI and computer science education to collaboratively develop online resources focused on teaching K-12 students foundational AI literacy and critical thinking skills.  The Task Force shall promptly announce such public-private partnerships on a rolling basis as they are formed.(i)   The Task Force shall seek to utilize industry commitments and identify any Federal funding mechanisms, including discretionary grants, that can be used to provide resources for K-12 AI education.  To the extent practicable and as consistent with applicable law, agencies shall prioritize funding for such purposes when it would further the aims of the program for which funding is available.(ii)  The Task Force shall work to ensure the resources funded as described in subsection (i) of this section are ready for use in K-12 instruction within 180 days following the Task Force’s formal announcement of the first slate of public-private partnerships.(b)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Task Force shall identify existing Federal AI resources on which agencies may rely, such as the NSF- and Department of Agriculture-sponsored National AI Research Institutes, to support partnerships with State and local educational agencies to improve AI education.(c)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Education shall issue guidance regarding the use of formula and discretionary grant funds to improve education outcomes using AI, including but not limited to AI-based high-quality instructional resources; high-impact tutoring; and college and career pathway exploration, advising, and navigation.(d)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Education shall identify and implement ways to utilize existing research programs to assist State and local efforts to use AI for improved student achievement, attainment, and mobility.
    Sec. 7.  Enhancing Training for Educators on Artificial Intelligence.  (a)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Education shall take steps to prioritize the use of AI in discretionary grant programs for teacher training authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-10), as amended, and Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-329), as amended, including for:(i)    reducing time-intensive administrative tasks;(ii)   improving teacher training and evaluation; (iii)  providing professional development for all educators, so they can integrate the fundamentals of AI into all subject areas; and(iv)   providing professional development in foundational computer science and AI, preparing educators to effectively teach AI in stand-alone computer science and other relevant courses.(b)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Director of the NSF shall take steps to prioritize research on the use of AI in education.  The Director of the NSF shall also utilize existing programs to create teacher training opportunities that help educators effectively integrate AI-based tools and modalities in classrooms. (c)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Agriculture shall take steps to prioritize research, extension, and education on the use of AI in formal and non-formal education through 4-H and the Cooperative Extension System.  The Secretary of Agriculture shall also utilize existing programs to create teacher and educator training opportunities that help effectively integrate AI-based tools and modalities into classrooms and curriculum.
    Sec. 8.  Promoting Registered Apprenticeships.  (a)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Labor shall seek to increase participation in AI-related Registered Apprenticeships, including by:(i)   Prioritizing the development and growth of Registered Apprenticeships in AI-related occupations.  The Secretary of Labor shall establish specific goals for growing Registered Apprenticeships in AI-related occupations across industries; and(ii)  Using apprenticeship intermediary contracts and allocating existing discretionary funds, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to engage industry organizations and employers and facilitate the development of Registered Apprenticeship programs in AI-related occupations.  In doing so, the Secretary of Labor shall support the creation of industry-developed program standards to be registered on a nationwide basis, enabling individual employers to adopt the standards without requiring individual registry.(b)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Labor shall encourage States and grantees to use funding provided under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Public Law 113-128), as amended, to develop AI skills and support work-based learning opportunities within occupations utilizing AI by:(i)    issuing guidance to State and local workforce development boards encouraging the use of WIOA youth formula funds to help youth develop AI skills;(ii)   clarifying that States can use Governor set-asides to integrate AI learning opportunities into youth programs across the State; and(iii)  consistent with applicable law, establishing AI skills training and work-based learning as a grant priority in all Employment and Training Administration youth-focused discretionary grant programs.(c)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Labor, through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training, and in collaboration with the Director of the NSF, shall engage with relevant State and local workforce development boards, industry organizations, education and training providers, and employers to identify and promote high-quality AI skills education coursework and certifications across the country.  Through such engagement, the Secretary of Labor shall:(i)    identify applicable funding opportunities to expand access to high-quality AI coursework and certifications;(ii)   set performance targets for youth participation through any grants awarded for this purpose; and(iii)  utilize industry and philanthropic partnerships to the extent practicable.(d)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, and in consultation with the Secretary of Education and the Director of the NSF, the Secretary of Labor shall support the creation of opportunities for high school students to take AI courses and certification programs by giving priority consideration in awarding grants as appropriate and consistent with applicable law to providers that commit to use funds to develop or expand AI courses and certification programs.  The Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education shall encourage recipients to build partnerships with States and local school districts to encourage those entities to consider offering high school students dual enrollment opportunities to take courses to earn postsecondary credentials and industry-recognized AI credentials concurrent with high school education.(e)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, all agencies that provide educational grants shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consider AI as a priority area within existing Federal fellowship and scholarship for service programs.
    Sec. 9.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.(c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
                            DONALD J. TRUMP
    THE WHITE HOUSE,    April 23, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government launches call for evidence on men’s health 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Government launches call for evidence on men’s health 

    It will inform England’s first ever men’s health strategy to tackle the life expectancy gap.

    • Call for evidence will inform England’s first ever men’s health strategy to tackle life expectancy gap
    • Members of the public and healthcare experts will get their say on ways to tackle biggest health problems facing men as part of Plan for Change to improve health care for everyone
    • This follows government’s first ever Men’s Health Summit held in partnership with Movember, co-hosted by Arsenal and Premier League 

    The government is today (Thursday 24 April) calling for men of all ages to come forward and feed into England’s first ever men’s health strategy.

    The 12-week call for evidence will gather vital insights from the public, health and social care professionals, academics and employers so the government can properly consider how to prevent and tackle the biggest issues facing men from all backgrounds.  

    It will ask for their views on what is working and what more needs to be done to close the life expectancy gap between men and women, as men in England die nearly four years earlier than women on average. 

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: 

    Every day, men across England are dying early from preventable causes. Men are hit harder by a range of conditions, while tragically suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50. 

    Our Plan for Change means we will tackle these issues head on through a men’s health strategy, and today’s call for evidence is the crucial next step in understanding what works, what doesn’t, and how we can design services men will actually use. I urge people to come forward to share their views.

    The call for evidence will seek responses on how the government’s Plan for Change can work across the board to improve the health and wellbeing of men, through: 

    • Prevention – finding the right areas and the right ways to promote healthier behaviours  
    • Diagnosis and treatment – improving outcomes for health conditions that hit men harder
    • Encouragement to come forward – improving men’s access to, engagement with and experience of the health service

    This government is committed to fixing the NHS and getting a grip on the stark health inequalities that exist across the country through the Plan for Change, which will rebuild the health service and deliver better care for everyone. With a clearer, more tailored approach for both men and women, their distinct health needs will be met better.

    In women’s health, we’re turning the commitments in the women’s health strategy into tangible actions – taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan, investing in a major AI breast cancer screening trial, and implementing key priority areas outlines in our strategy – alongside taking wider government action to tackle violence against women and girls.

    Amy O’Connor, Global Lead, Policy and Advocacy at Movember, said:

    Too many men are dying too young, the men’s health strategy is a once in a generation opportunity to invest in positive change for men and their loved ones. Share your solutions – whether it’s more community support groups, improved education, or enhancing clinical training, to create a lasting impact on the future of men’s health.

    Julie Bentley, Samaritans CEO, said:

    Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 so it’s critical that suicide prevention is front and centre of this strategy. With men making up 75 percent of all suicides, this strategy is a real opportunity to prevent thousands of deaths.  

    Recognising what works for different groups of men, focusing on key risk factors and providing evidenced based support will be crucial and we’d encourage everyone to submit evidence to this important consultation. We look forward to working with Government on meaningful ways to cut suicide rates and save lives.

    Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community and Wellbeing Board, said: 

    We are pleased that the Government has announced plans to launch the first-ever Men’s Health Strategy with a call for evidence. It’s a significant step towards improving men’s health outcomes and ensuring that men can live healthier, longer, happier lives.

    The call for evidence will be open for views on the Department of Health and Social Care website until 17 July. The government aims to launch the men’s health strategy later this year. 

    Notes to editors 

    • The call for evidence will run for 12 weeks from 24 April 2025 to 17 July 2025. 
    • Men are disproportionately affected by a number of health conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. 
    • Around 3 in 4 people who died by suicide in 2023 were men. Suicide is the biggest cause of death in men under the age of 50. 
    • Those in the most deprived areas of England are expected to live almost 10 years less than those in the least deprived areas. 
    • The men’s health strategy was announced by the Health Secretary at the Men’s Health Summit held in partnership with Movember, hosted by Arsenal and the Premier League, in November. For more information see here Secretary of State commits to first ever men’s health strategy – GOV.UK

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    Published 24 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: iManage Receives IRAP Assessment within Australian Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iManage, the company dedicated to Making Knowledge Work™, today announced that the iManage Cloud knowledge work platform has been IRAP assessed, giving Australian governmental agencies and the law firms that do business with them a secure and fully compliant choice for managing their sensitive documents and emails.

    IRAP, or the Infosec Registered Assessors Program, is a framework established by the Australian Cyber Security Centre to assess and certify the security practices of organizations, particularly those handling sensitive government information. Endorsed IRAP Assessors assist organizations to secure their systems and data by independently assessing their cybersecurity posture, identifying security risks and suggesting mitigation measures.

    iManage was assessed by CyberCX—a leading provider of professional cyber security and cloud services across Australia and New Zealand—and achieved “Protected” status. Achieving this status means that an organization’s systems, services, or solutions have been assessed as capable of handling sensitive Australian government information, making them eligible for high-security government projects.

    “In an era where the security of sensitive data is paramount, partnering with an IRAP-assessed vendor reflects our commitment to the highest standards of cybersecurity,” said Gary Adler, Chief Digital Officer at MinterEllison. “This collaboration ensures our clients’ information is safeguarded with robust security measures, aligning with our dedication to trust and integrity in all our legal services.”

    In addition to clearing the way for usage by Federal Australian governmental bodies and the law firms who work with them, the IRAP assessment also aligns with Australian state-specific security requirements, making iManage Cloud a compelling option for state government agencies as well.

    “We are proud to have iManage Cloud officially tick the box on being IRAP assessed,” said Jim Krev, Head of Security, iManage. “As a company, iManage has always been focused on empowering knowledge workers to collaborate and be productive from anywhere, on any device, while delivering comprehensive security to protect an organization’s vital assets. Our robust ongoing investment in security—including undergoing the IRAP assessment—positions us as an ideal document and email management vendor for Australian governmental agencies and the firms who work with them that are looking to move from on-premises systems to an IRAP assessed, cloud-based vendor that meets their rigorous security requirements.”

    If you would like to learn more, join us for our upcoming Webinar on Thursday, April 29 at 11:00 a.m. AEST on “Mastering IRAP: Enhancing Security, Compliance, and Assurance for Government Data” where we are joined by Krev, CyberCX who undertook our assessment and our customer MinterEllison. Register here.

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

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

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

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA News: Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future

    Source: The White House

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Purpose.  To maximize my Administration’s historic investments in America’s reindustrialization and economic growth, my Administration will fully equip the American worker to produce world-class products and implement world-leading technologies.  My Administration will also consolidate and streamline fragmented Federal workforce development programs that are too disconnected from propelling workers into secure, well-paying, and high-need American jobs.

    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to optimize and target Federal investments in workforce development to align with our country’s reindustrialization needs and equip American workers to fill the growing demand for skilled trades and other occupations.  My Administration will further protect and strengthen Registered Apprenticeships and build on their successes to seize new opportunities and unlock the limitless potential of the American worker.

    Sec. 3.  Comprehensive Worker Investment and Development Strategy.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Education shall review all Federal workforce development programs and submit to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget a report setting forth strategies to help the American worker.  That report shall identify the following:

    (a)  Opportunities to integrate systems and realign resources to address critical workforce needs and in-demand skills of emerging industries and companies investing in the United States as determined, to the extent permissible by law, by prospective employers.  The report shall include:

    (i)    administrative reforms to agency policies and programmatic requirements;

    (ii)   process improvements to better the experience for program participants; and

    (iii)  recommendations to further restructure and consolidate programs.

    (b)  Federal workforce development and education programs, or related spending within these programs, that are ineffective or otherwise fail to achieve their desired outcomes.  Each identified program should be accompanied by a proposal to reform the program, redirect its funding, or eliminate it.

    (c)  Available statutory authorities to promote innovation and system integration in pursuit of better employment and earnings outcomes for program participants.

    (d)  Opportunities to invest in the upskilling of incumbent workers to meet rapidly evolving skill demands of their industries, including the use of Artificial Intelligence in the workplace.

    (e)  Strategies to identify alternative credentials and assessments to the 4-year college degree that can be mapped to the specific skill needs of prospective employers.

    (f)  Efficiencies to streamline information collection, including through:

    (i)    harmonizing performance measures;

    (ii)   reducing the burden on grantees; and

    (iii)  ensuring that performance outcomes are measured using the most reliable data sources.

    Sec. 4.  Expanding Registered Apprenticeships.  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Education shall submit to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget a plan to reach and surpass 1 million new active apprentices.  That plan shall identify the following:

    (a)  Avenues to expand Registered Apprenticeships to new industries and occupations, including high-growth and emerging sectors.

    (b)  Measures to scale this proven model across the country, improve its efficiency, and provide consistent support to program participants.

    (c)  Opportunities, including through the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education (Perkins V) Act and Federal student aid, to enhance connections between the education system and Registered Apprenticeships.

    Sec. 5.  Delivering Unprecedented Transparency and Accountability.  The Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Education shall improve transparency on the performance outcomes of workforce development programs and credentials supported through Federal investments, including earnings and employment data, for all Federal workforce development programs.

    Sec. 6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.  

    DONALD J. TRUMP

    THE WHITE HOUSE,

        April 23, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 164

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL4

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 164
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    530 PM CDT Wed Apr 23 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Far Western Oklahoma
    Texas Panhandle and South Plains

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon from 530 PM until Midnight
    CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter possible
    Isolated damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Relatively isolated severe storms should develop through
    early/mid-evening, particularly across the Texas and Oklahoma
    Panhandles, but potentially also across the Texas South Plains.
    These storms may reach other parts of western Oklahoma later this
    evening.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 70
    statute miles east and west of a line from 45 miles east northeast
    of Guymon OK to 55 miles south southeast of Lubbock TX. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU4).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 162…WW 163…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    24020.

    …Guyer

    SEL4

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 164
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    530 PM CDT Wed Apr 23 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Far Western Oklahoma
    Texas Panhandle and South Plains

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon from 530 PM until Midnight
    CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter possible
    Isolated damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Relatively isolated severe storms should develop through
    early/mid-evening, particularly across the Texas and Oklahoma
    Panhandles, but potentially also across the Texas South Plains.
    These storms may reach other parts of western Oklahoma later this
    evening.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 70
    statute miles east and west of a line from 45 miles east northeast
    of Guymon OK to 55 miles south southeast of Lubbock TX. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU4).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 162…WW 163…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    24020.

    …Guyer

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW4
    WW 164 SEVERE TSTM OK TX 232230Z – 240500Z
    AXIS..70 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    45ENE GUY/GUYMON OK/ – 55SSE LBB/LUBBOCK TX/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 60NM E/W /13ESE LBL – 52SSE LBB/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24020.

    LAT…LON 36919948 32930025 32930266 36910201

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU4.

    Watch 164 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (5%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (30%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (10%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (30%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (80%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Grigorenko: Digital projects allow the FAS to create equal conditions for business and protect the interests of citizens

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The creation of a real-time price monitoring system for the timely prevention of unjustified growth, the automation of the process of conducting public procurement tenders to identify anti-competitive agreements, as well as a digital format for regulating housing and communal services tariffs are the key areas of the digital transformation of the Federal Antimonopoly Service. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister – Head of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko during a meeting of the department’s board.

    The work of the FAS Russia covers all existing commodity markets, as well as the areas of tariff regulation, public procurement, and foreign investment control. The introduction of digital technologies and big data analysis allows us to significantly increase the efficiency of many processes, creating equal conditions for business and objective control over tariffs and prices for citizens.

    “Today, the FAS is becoming more than just a supervisory body. The best system is one in which there are no violations. Digital solutions and big data analysis allow us to act preventively: to deal not with the facts of violations, but to prevent them at the stage of the problem’s emergence,” noted Dmitry Grigorenko.

    Thus, the FAS of Russia, together with the Treasury of Russia, launched an information panel (dashboard) of the national system of price indicators. The service makes it possible to monitor exchange and over-the-counter transactions and display price indicators for groups of goods on one screen. Real-time analysis allows you to see the overall picture of pricing in the markets and combat speculation. At the moment, the dashboard monitors prices for gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, coal, bitumen and gas. In the future, the list of goods will be expanded.

    The GIS “Anticartel” allows for daily automated scanning of information about all tenders conducted using artificial intelligence and a risk-oriented approach. Automation of the process increases the efficiency of identifying signs of anticompetitive agreements at tenders to combat cartels. In 2025, the service is planned to be integrated with the information systems of the Federal Tax Service of Russia, the Federal Customs Service of Russia, and electronic public procurement platforms.

    The Federal State Information System “Tariff” provides for the transfer of all tariff regulation processes to a digital format and monitoring of the implementation of investment programs in the housing and communal services sector. Already in 2026, the document flow for setting housing and communal services tariffs, as well as the adoption of tariff decisions in housing and communal services and communications, will be transferred completely to electronic form. The examination of tariff applications and control over the implementation of investment programs will also be automated. This will significantly reduce the burden on regional tariff authorities and increase control by transferring document flow from paper to electronic.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Modernizes American Workforce Programs for the High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future

    Source: The White House

    OVERHAULING FEDERAL WORKFORCE TRAINING: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to modernize American workforce programs to prepare citizens for the high-paying skilled trade jobs of the future.

    • The order directs the Secretaries of Labor, Education, and Commerce to review all federal workforce programs to modernize, integrate, and re-align programs to address critical workforce needs in emerging industries.
    • These Secretaries shall provide President Trump with a streamlined and integrated plan to re-orient federal workforce programs to prepare the American economy for the opportunities presented by reshoring and re-industrialization.
    • This Comprehensive Workforce Strategy will further America’s global economic leadership and domination of key sectors by, among other things, capitalizing on the AI revolution.

    PROVIDING RETURN ON WORKFORCE INVESTMENT: After years of shuffling Americans through an economically unproductive postsecondary system, President Trump will refocus young Americans on career preparation.

    • Decades of failed political leadership have left America with a one-size-fits-all approach to workforce preparedness, which previous Administrations promoted as “college for all.”
    • The Federal Government invests over $700 billion a year in American higher education, but only about half of new college graduates find jobs that require college degrees.
    • Meanwhile, the Federal Government spends $4.1 billion on the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act and $1.4 billion on Career and Technical Education through the Perkins Act. Neither of these programs are structured to promote apprenticeships or have incentives to meet workforce training needs.
    • The Trump Administration is putting American workers first, unleashing domestic advanced manufacturing to produce the best American-made products and implement world-leading, American-developed technologies.

    BACK TO THE FUTURE OF JOBS: After decades of leadership by so-called “Experts” making wrong predictions on what the future will hold, President Trump will restore focus on sectors and programs that Made the American Economy Great in the first place.

    • In 2024, there was a shortage of 447,00 construction workers and 94,000 durable goods workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the annual shortage of skilled tradesman over the next decade will be close to half a million—and grow as the years go by.
    • This understates the problem—and the opportunity. Even the best federal government statisticians cannot predict the future. As the potential of American AI increases, and as America reshores manufacturing and makes Made in America a mark of international envy, America will need more skilled tradesman than we’re prepared to train.
    • President Trump’s Executive Order will meet the needs of the future with a focus on registered apprenticeships. The Administration will submit a plan to support more than 1 million apprenticeships per year.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reinstates Commonsense School Discipline Policies

    Source: The White House

    REINSTATING COMMONSENSE, NON-DISCRIMINATORY SCHOOL DISCIPLINE POLICIES: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to restore safety and order in American classrooms by ensuring school discipline policies are based on objective behavior, not DEI.

    • The Order requires new guidance to local and state educational agencies regarding school discipline, emphasizing compliance with Title VI protections against racial discrimination and preferencing.
    • It calls for appropriate action against educational agencies that fail to comply with Title VI by continuing to use racially preferential discipline practices. 
    • The Order requires a report to the President that includes an analysis of DEI-based school discipline and its consequences, measures to ensure that federal funds do not support racially preferential policies, including through nonprofit organizations, and proposing model discipline policies rooted in American values.   

    ENSURING SAFETY AND ORDER IN AMERICAN CLASSROOMS: President Trump is taking action to combat the increased levels of classroom disorder and school violence that teachers and students are facing due to flawed Obama-Biden policies.  

    • In 2014, the Obama Administration issued guidance pressuring schools (including with threatened loss of federal funding) to impose discipline in a manner designed to equalize disciplinary rates by race, rather than simply imposing discipline based on objective behavior alone.
    • As a result, students were disciplined differently depending on their race, and some students who should have been suspended or expelled for dangerous behavior remained in the classroom.
      • A 2018 Federal Commission on School Safety report found that schools ignored or covered up student misconduct to avoid federal scrutiny over racial disparities in discipline data.
    • Following the 2018 report, President Trump rescinded the Obama-era guidance.
    • In 2023, the Biden Administration reinstated the Obama practice of weaponizing Title VI to promote a DEI approach to school discipline, which makes schools less safe.

    MAKING AMERICA’S EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS GREAT AGAIN: President Trump prioritizes the needs of students, parents, and teachers over the demands of teachers’ unions, ensuring policies serve the interests of American families first.

    • President Trump eliminated divisive DEI programs in classrooms to foster unity and focus on academic excellence.
    • President Trump signed an Executive Order to expand educational freedom and opportunity for families.
    • President Trump directed the Secretary of Education to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States to better serve children.
    • President Trump prohibited federal funding for COVID-19 vaccine mandates in schools.
    • President Trump signed an Executive Order to keep men out of women’s sports and locker rooms.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Northfield Bancorp, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOTABLE ITEMS FOR THE QUARTER INCLUDE:

    • DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE WERE $0.19 FOR THE CURRENT QUARTER COMPARED TO $0.27 FOR THE TRAILING QUARTER, AND $0.15 FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2024.
      • Fourth Quarter 2024 earnings included a gain of $3.4 million, or $0.06 per share, on the sale and consolidation of a branch in December 2024.
    • NET INTEREST MARGIN INCREASED TO 2.38% FOR THE CURRENT QUARTER AS COMPARED TO 2.18% FOR THE TRAILING QUARTER AND 2.03% FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2024, REFLECTING LOWER FUNDING COSTS AND HIGHER YIELDS ON INTEREST-EARNING ASSETS.
    • DEPOSITS (EXCLUDING BROKERED) INCREASED $133.6 MILLION, OR 13.8% ANNUALIZED, FROM DECEMBER 31, 2024. COST OF DEPOSITS AT MARCH 31, 2025 WAS 1.94% AS COMPARED TO 1.95% AT DECEMBER 31, 2024.
    • LOANS DECLINED BY $30.7 MILLION, OR 3.0% ANNUALIZED, FROM DECEMBER 31, 2024, PRIMARILY DUE TO A DECREASE IN MULTIFAMILY LOANS, PARTIALLY OFFSET BY INCREASES IN HOME EQUITY AND CONSTRUCTION AND LAND LOANS.
    • ASSET QUALITY REMAINS STRONG WITH NON-PERFORMING LOANS TO TOTAL LOANS AT 0.48% AT MARCH 31, 2025 AND 0.51% AT DECEMBER 31, 2024.
    • THE COMPANY MAINTAINED STRONG LIQUIDITY WITH APPROXIMATELY $1.12 BILLION IN UNPLEDGED AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE SECURITIES AND LOANS READILY AVAILABLE-FOR-PLEDGE OF APPROXIMATELY $547 MILLION.
    • THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED A $10.0 MILLION REPURCHASE PLAN ON APRIL 23, 2025. THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED $5.0 MILLION PLAN WAS COMPLETED DURING THE CURRENT QUARTER AND THE COMPANY REPURCHASED 440,150 SHARES.
    • CASH DIVIDEND DECLARED OF $0.13 PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK, PAYABLE ON MAY 21, 2025, TO STOCKHOLDERS OF RECORD AS OF MAY 7, 2025.

    WOODBRIDGE, N.J., April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NORTHFIELD BANCORP, INC. (Nasdaq:NFBK) (the “Company”), the holding company for Northfield Bank, reported net income of $7.9 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $11.3 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2024, and $6.2 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The decrease in net income for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to the trailing quarter was primarily due to a $3.4 million, or $0.06 per share, gain on sale of property in the trailing quarter. The increase in net income in the current quarter as compared to the first quarter of 2024 was primarily the result of an increase in net interest income, attributable to lower funding costs and higher yields on interest-earning assets, partially offset by an increase in the provision for credit losses on loans.

    Commenting on the quarter, Steven M. Klein, the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer stated, “The Northfield team continued to focus on growing our franchise, deploying our strong capital base, and delivering solid financial performance for the quarter.” Mr. Klein commented further, “We remained focused on serving our communities, and the fundamentals of reducing our funding costs and increasing the yield on our interest-earning assets resulting in higher net interest income and net interest margin.” Mr. Klein further stated, “We remain committed to prudently managing our operating expenses, maintaining strong asset quality, and managing our strong capital levels through dividends and stock repurchases.”

    Mr. Klein concluded, “I am pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.13 per common share, payable on May 21, 2025 to stockholders of record on May 7, 2025.”

    Results of Operations

    Comparison of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 and 2024

    Net income was $7.9 million and $6.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2024, respectively. Significant variances from the comparable prior year period are as follows: a $3.9 million increase in net interest income, a $2.2 million increase in the provision for credit losses on loans, a $359,000 decrease in non-interest income, an $897,000 decrease in non-interest expense, and a $616,000 increase in income tax expense.

    Net interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2025, increased $3.9 million, or 14.0%, to $31.8 million, from $27.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, due to a $2.5 million decrease in interest expense and a $1.4 million increase in interest income. The decrease in interest expense was primarily due to a decrease in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities which decreased by 15 basis points to 2.74% for the three months ended March 31, 2025, from 2.89% for the three months ended March 31, 2024, driven by a 20 basis point decrease in the cost of borrowed funds to 3.67% from 3.87%, partially offset by a two basis point increase in the cost of interest-bearing deposits to 2.51% from 2.49%, due to a higher concentration of certificates of deposit. The decrease in the average balance of interest-bearing liabilities was primarily due to a $413.6 million, or 37.3% decrease in the average balance of borrowed funds, partially offset by a $307.8 million, or 9.9%, increase in the average balance of interest-bearing deposits. The increase in interest income was primarily due to a 23 basis point increase in the yield on interest-earning assets, specifically higher yields on mortgage-backed securities, partially offset by a $104.0 million, or 1.9%, decrease in the average balance of interest earning assets. The decrease in the average balance of interest-earning assets was primarily due to decreases in the average balance of other securities of $273.9 million, the average balance of loans of $167.4 million and the average balance of interest-earning deposits in financial institutions of $143.9 million, partially offset by an increase in the average balance of mortgage-backed securities of $483.9 million.

    Net interest margin increased by 35 basis points to 2.38% for the three months ended March 31, 2025, from 2.03% for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The increase in net interest margin was primarily due to higher yields on mortgage-backed securities, coupled with a decrease in the cost of borrowed funds. The Company accreted interest income related to purchased credit-deteriorated (“PCD”) loans of $223,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to $426,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024. Net interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2025, included loan prepayment income of $245,000 as compared to $351,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

    The provision for credit losses on loans increased by $2.2 million to $2.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $415,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024, primarily due to higher net charge-offs, changes in model assumptions, including a reduction in prepayment speeds and an increase in loss given defaults in the multifamily loans related to risk rating downgrades of certain loans in the portfolio. Net charge-offs were $2.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, primarily due to $2.4 million in net charge-offs on small business unsecured commercial and industrial loans, as compared to net charge-offs of $911,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024. Management continues to closely monitor the small business unsecured commercial and industrial loan portfolio, which totaled $25.5 million at March 31, 2025.

    Non-interest income decreased by $359,000, or 10.6%, to $3.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $3.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease of $998,000 in gains on sales of trading securities, partially offset by an increase in income on bank-owned life insurance of $675,000, primarily related to the exchange of certain policies late in the fourth quarter of 2024 which have higher yields. Losses on trading securities in the three months ended March 31, 2025, were $299,000, as compared to gains of $699,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2024. The trading portfolio is utilized to fund the Company’s deferred compensation obligation to certain employees and directors of the plan. The participants of this plan, at their election, defer a portion of their compensation.  Gains and losses on trading securities have no effect on net income since participants benefit from, and bear the full risk of, changes in the trading securities market values. Therefore, the Company records an equal and offsetting amount in compensation expense, reflecting the change in the Company’s obligations under the plan.

    Non-interest expense decreased $897,000, or 4.0%, to $21.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $22.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The decrease was primarily due to a $990,000 decrease in employee compensation and benefits, primarily attributable to a decrease in deferred compensation expense, which is described above, and had no effect on net income. Additionally, there was a $268,000 decrease in advertising expense. Partially offsetting the decreases were increases of $263,000 in professional fees related to outsourced audit services and recruitment fees and $164,000 in other expense.

    The Company recorded income tax expense of $2.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $2.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The effective tax rate for both the three months ended March 31, 2025, and March 31, 2024, was 27.0%. The effective tax rate for three months ending March 31, 2025, and March 31, 2024, were negatively impacted by increased tax expense of $79,000 and $18,000, respectively, as a result of vesting of stock awards.

    Comparison of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024

    Net income was $7.9 million and $11.3 million for the quarters ended March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively. Significant variances from the prior quarter are as follows: a $2.1 million increase in net interest income, a $640,000 increase in the provision for credit losses on loans, a $4.0 million decrease in non-interest income, a $613,000 increase in non-interest expense, and a $246,000 increase in income tax expense.

    Net interest income for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, increased by $2.1 million, or 7.1%, primarily due to a $1.7 million decrease in interest expense and a $370,000 increase in interest income. The decrease in interest expense was primarily due to an 11 basis point decrease in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities to 2.74% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, from 2.85% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, and a $7.0 million, or 0.2%, decrease in the average balance of interest-bearing liabilities attributable to an $80.4 million decrease in the average balance of borrowed funds, partially offset by a $73.3 million increase in the average balance of interest-bearing deposits. The increase in interest income was primarily due to an 11 basis point increase in the yield on interest-earning assets and a $206,000 increase in the average balance of interest-earning assets primarily due to an increase in the average balance of mortgage-backed securities of $182.4 million, partially offset by decreases in the average balance of interest-earning deposits in financial institutions of $85.2 million, the average balance of other securities of $59.4 million, and the average balance of loans of $37.5 million.

    Net interest margin increased by 20 basis points to 2.38% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, from 2.18% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, primarily due to higher yields on loans and mortgage-backed securities coupled with a decrease in the cost of funds. Net interest income for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, included loan prepayment income of $245,000 as compared to $215,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. The Company accreted interest income related to PCD loans of $223,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, as compared to $568,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2024.

    The provision for credit losses on loans increased by $640,000 to $2.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, from $1.9 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. The increase in the provision for the current quarter was primarily due to an increase in reserves in the commercial and industrial and in multifamily loans related to risk rating downgrades of certain loans in the portfolio, and higher net charge-offs. Net charge-offs were $2.8 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, as compared to net charge-offs of $2.0 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024.

    Non-interest income decreased by $4.0 million, or 56.9%, to $3.0 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, from $7.0 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. The decrease was primarily due to a $3.4 million gain on sale of property in the quarter ended December 31, 2024. Additionally, there was a $367,000 decrease in gains on sales of trading securities, net, and a $561,000 decrease in other income, primarily due to lower swap fee income. For the quarter ended March 31, 2025, losses on trading securities, net, were $299,000, compared to gains of $68,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. Partially offsetting the decreases was a $362,000 increase in income on bank owned life insurance, primarily related to the exchange of certain policies late in the fourth quarter of 2024 which have higher yields.

    Non-interest expense increased by $613,000, or 2.9%, to $21.4 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, from $20.8 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily due to increases of $280,000 in occupancy expense, related to higher repairs and maintenance costs, $201,000 in data processing costs due to an increase in core system expenses, $310,000 in professional fees primarily due to an increase in outsourced audit services and recruitment fees, and a $158,000 increase in credit loss expense/(benefit) for off-balance sheet exposure. The increase in credit loss/(benefit) for off-balance sheet exposure was due to a provision of $103,000 recorded during the quarter ended March 31, 2025, as compared to a benefit of $55,000 recorded during the quarter ended December 31, 2024. Partially offsetting the decreases was a $283,000 decrease in other expense.

    The Company recorded income tax expense of $2.9 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, compared to $2.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. The effective tax rate for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 was 27.0%, compared to 19.2% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. The effective tax rate for the quarter ending December 31, 2024, was positively impacted by the revaluation of certain state deferred tax assets.

    Financial Condition

    Total assets increased by $43.6 million, or 0.8%, to $5.71 billion at March 31, 2025, from $5.67 billion at December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily due to an increase in available-for-sale debt securities of $145.7 million, or 13.2%, partially offset by decreases in cash and cash equivalents of $66.1 million, or 39.4%, loans receivable of $30.7 million, or 0.8% and other assets of $4.5 million, or 9.6%.

    Cash and cash equivalents decreased by $66.1 million, or 39.4%, to $101.7 million at March 31, 2025, from $167.7 million at December 31, 2024, as excess liquidity was deployed into purchasing higher-yielding mortgage-backed securities. Balances fluctuate based on the timing of receipt of security and loan repayments and the redeployment of cash into higher-yielding assets such as loans and securities, or the funding of deposit outflows or borrowing maturities.

    Loans held-for-investment, net, decreased by $30.7 million, or 0.8%, to $3.99 billion at March 31, 2025 from $4.02 billion at December 31, 2024, primarily due to decreases in multifamily real estate loans, partially offset by increases in home equity and lines of credit and construction and land loans. The decrease in loan balances reflects the Company’s continued strategic focus on managing concentration risk within its commercial and multifamily real estate loan portfolios, while maintaining disciplined loan pricing. Multifamily loans decreased $29.6 million, or 1.1%, to $2.57 billion at March 31, 2025 from $2.60 billion at December 31, 2024, commercial real estate loans decreased $7.2 million, or 0.8%, to $882.6 million at March 31, 2025 from $889.8 million at December 31, 2024, one-to-four family residential loans decreased $3.4 million, or 2.3%, to $146.8 million at March 31, 2025 from $150.2 million at December 31, 2024, and commercial and industrial loans decreased $1.3 million, or 0.8%, to $162.1 million at March 31, 2025 from $163.4 million at December 31, 2024, and other loans decreased $754,000, or 34.8%, to $1.4 million at March 31, 2025 from $2.2 million at December 31, 2024. Partially offsetting these decreases were increases in home equity and lines of credit of $7.3 million, or 4.2%, to $181.4 million at March 31, 2025 from $174.1 million at December 31, 2024, and construction and land loans of $4.4 million, or 12.2%, to $40.3 million at March 31, 2025 from $35.9 million at December 31, 2024.

    As of March 31, 2025, non-owner occupied commercial real estate loans (as defined by regulatory guidance) to total risk-based capital was estimated at approximately 424%. Management believes that Northfield Bank (the “Bank”) maintains appropriate risk management practices including risk assessments, board-approved underwriting policies and related procedures, which includes monitoring Bank portfolio performance, performing market analysis (economic and real estate), and stressing of the Bank’s commercial real estate portfolio under severe, adverse economic conditions. Although management believes the Bank has implemented appropriate policies and procedures to manage its commercial real estate concentration risk, the Bank’s regulators could require it to implement additional policies and procedures or could require it to maintain higher levels of regulatory capital, which might adversely affect its loan originations, the Company’s ability to pay dividends, and overall profitability.

    Our real estate portfolio includes credit risk exposure to loans collateralized by office buildings and multifamily properties in New York State subject to some form of rent regulation limiting rent increases for rent stabilized multifamily properties. At March 31, 2025, office-related loans represented $182.4 million, or 4.6% of our total loan portfolio, with an average balance of $1.7 million (although we have originated these type of loans in amounts substantially greater than this average) and a weighted average loan-to-value ratio of 59%. Approximately 39% were owner-occupied. The geographic locations of the properties collateralizing our office-related loans are: 50.0% in New York, 48.5% in New Jersey and 1.5% in Pennsylvania. At March 31, 2025, our largest office-related loan had a principal balance of $90.0 million (with a net active principal balance for the Bank of $29.5 million as we have a 33.3% participation interest), was secured by an office facility located in Staten Island, New York, and was performing in accordance with its original contractual terms. At March 31, 2025, multifamily loans that have some form of rent stabilization or rent control totaled approximately $435.8 million, or approximately 11% of our total loan portfolio, with an average balance of $1.7 million (although we have originated these type of loans in amounts substantially greater than this average) and a weighted average loan-to-value ratio of 51%. At March 31, 2025, our largest rent-regulated loan had a principal balance of $16.7 million, was secured by an apartment building located in Staten Island, New York, and was performing in accordance with its original contractual terms. Management continues to closely monitor its office and rent-regulated portfolios. For further details on our rent-regulated multifamily portfolio see “Asset Quality”.

    PCD loans totaled $9.0 million and $9.2 million at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The majority of the remaining PCD loan balance consists of loans acquired as part of a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-assisted transaction. The Company accreted interest income of $223,000 attributable to PCD loans for three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $426,000 for three months ended March 31, 2024. PCD loans had an allowance for credit losses of approximately $2.7 million at March 31, 2025.

    Loan balances are summarized as follows (dollars in thousands):

      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
    Real estate loans:      
    Multifamily $ 2,567,913   $ 2,597,484
    Commercial mortgage   882,600     889,801
    One-to-four family residential mortgage   146,791     150,217
    Home equity and lines of credit   181,354     174,062
    Construction and land   40,284     35,897
    Total real estate loans   3,818,942     3,847,461
    Commercial and industrial loans   162,133     163,425
    Other loans   1,411     2,165
    Total commercial and industrial and other loans   163,544     165,590
    Loans held-for-investment, net (excluding PCD)   3,982,486     4,013,051
    PCD loans   9,043     9,173
    Total loans held-for-investment, net $ 3,991,529   $ 4,022,224
     

    The Company’s available-for-sale debt securities portfolio increased by $145.7 million, or 13.2%, to $1.25 billion at March 31, 2025, from $1.10 billion at December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily attributable to purchases of securities, partially offset by paydowns and maturities. At March 31, 2025, $1.21 billion of the portfolio consisted of residential mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae. In addition, the Company held $33.4 million in corporate bonds, substantially all of which were investment grade, $683,000 in municipal bonds and $608,000 in U.S. Government agency securities at March 31, 2025. Unrealized losses, net of tax, on available-for-sale debt securities and held-to-maturity securities approximated $16.7 million and $307,000, respectively, at March 31, 2025, and $21.8 million and $400,000, respectively, at December 31, 2024.

    Equity securities were $10.9 million at March 31, 2025 and $14.3 million at December 31, 2024. Equity securities are primarily comprised of an investment in a Small Business Administration Loan Fund. This investment is utilized by the Bank as part of its Community Reinvestment Act program. The decrease in equity securities was primarily due to a decrease in money market mutual funds.

    Total liabilities increased $37.2 million, or 0.7%, to $5.00 billion at March 31, 2025, from $4.96 billion at December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in borrowings of $42.8 million, partially offset by a decrease in total deposits of $6.5 million. The Company routinely utilizes brokered deposits and borrowed funds to manage interest rate risk, the cost of interest-bearing liabilities, and funding needs related to loan originations and deposit activity.

    Deposits decreased $6.5 million, or 0.2%, to $4.13 billion at March 31, 2025 as compared to $4.14 billion at December 31, 2024. Brokered deposits decreased by $140.1 million, or 53.2%, as the Company placed less reliance on brokered deposits which were used as a lower-cost alternative to borrowings in the trailing quarter. Deposits, excluding brokered deposits, increased $133.6 million, or 3.4%. The increase in deposits, excluding brokered deposits, was primarily attributable to increases of $97.1 million in transaction accounts and $41.6 million in time deposits, partially offset by decreases of $4.5 million in savings accounts, and $579,000 in money market accounts. Growth in transaction accounts and time deposits was primarily due to new municipal relationships and new commercial customer relationships.

    Estimated gross uninsured deposits at March 31, 2025 were $1.95 billion. This total includes fully collateralized uninsured governmental deposits and intercompany deposits of $1.01 billion, leaving estimated uninsured deposits of approximately $934.7 million, or 22.6%, of total deposits. At December 31, 2024, estimated uninsured deposits totaled $896.5 million, or 21.7% of total deposits.

    Deposit account balances are summarized as follows (dollars in thousands):

      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
    Transaction:      
    Non-interest bearing checking $ 722,994   $ 706,976
    Negotiable orders of withdrawal and interest-bearing checking   1,367,219     1,286,154
    Total transaction   2,090,213     1,993,130
    Savings and money market:      
    Savings   899,674     904,163
    Money market   271,566     272,145
    Total savings   1,171,240     1,176,308
    Certificates of deposit:      
    $250,000 and under   602,959     580,940
    Over $250,000   144,255     124,681
    Brokered deposits   123,289     263,418
    Total certificates of deposit   870,503     969,039
    Total deposits $ 4,131,956   $ 4,138,477
     

    Included in the table above are business and municipal deposit account balances as follows (dollars in thousands):

      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
           
    Business customers $ 891,545   $ 885,769
    Municipal (governmental) customers $ 929,611   $ 859,319
               

    Borrowed funds increased to $770.7 million at March 31, 2025, from $727.8 million at December 31, 2024. The increase in borrowings for the period was primarily due to a $67.0 million increase in borrowings under an overnight line of credit, partially offset by a decrease of $24.2 million in other borrowings due to maturities. Management utilizes borrowings to mitigate interest rate risk, for short-term liquidity, and to a lesser extent from time to time, as part of leverage strategies.

    The following table sets forth borrowing maturities (excluding overnight borrowings and subordinated debt) and the weighted average rate by year at March 31, 2025 (dollars in thousands):

    Year   Amount   Weighted Average Rate
    2025   $160,684   3.89%
    2026   148,000   4.36%
    2027   173,000   3.19%
    2028   154,288   3.96%
        $635,972   3.83%
     

    Total stockholders’ equity increased by $6.5 million to $711.1 million at March 31, 2025, from $704.7 million at December 31, 2024. The increase was attributable to net income of $7.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, an $8.1 million increase in accumulated other comprehensive income, associated with an increase in the estimated fair value of our debt securities available-for-sale portfolio, and a $900,000 increase in equity award activity, partially offset by $5.0 million in stock repurchases and $5.4 million in dividend payments. On February 26, 2025, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a $5.0 million stock repurchase program. During the three months ended March 31, 2025, the Company repurchased 440,150 of its common stock outstanding at an average price of $11.36 for a total of $5.0 million pursuant to approved stock repurchase plan. As of March 31, 2025, the Company has no outstanding repurchase program.

    The Company’s most liquid assets are cash and cash equivalents, corporate bonds, and unpledged mortgage-related securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac, that we can either borrow against or sell. We also have the ability to surrender bank-owned life insurance contracts. The surrender of these contracts would subject the Company to income taxes and penalties for increases in the cash surrender values over the original premium payments. We also have the ability to obtain additional funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank of New York utilizing unencumbered and unpledged securities and multifamily loans. The Company expects to have sufficient funds available to meet current commitments in the normal course of business. The Company’s on-hand liquidity ratio as of March 31, 2025 was 24.3%.

    The Company had the following primary sources of liquidity at March 31, 2025 (dollars in thousands):

    Cash and cash equivalents(1)   $ 89,139
    Corporate bonds(2)   $ 19,323
    Multifamily loans(2)   $ 547,043
    Mortgage-backed securities (issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac)(2)   $ 1,102,759
         

    (1) Excludes $12.5 million of cash at Northfield Bank.
    (2) Represents estimated remaining borrowing potential.

    The Company and the Bank utilize the Community Bank Leverage Ratio (“CBLR”) framework. At March 31, 2025, the Company and the Bank’s estimated CBLR ratios were 12.08% and 12.62%, respectively, which exceeded the minimum requirement to be considered well-capitalized of 9%.

    Asset Quality

    The following table details total non-accrual loans (excluding PCD), non-performing assets, loans over 90 days delinquent on which interest is accruing, and accruing loans 30 to 89 days delinquent at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 (dollars in thousands):

      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
    Non-accrual loans:      
    Held-for-investment      
    Real estate loans:      
    Multifamily $ 2,565     $ 2,609  
    Commercial mortgage   4,565       4,578  
    Home equity and lines of credit   1,267       1,270  
    Commercial and industrial   4,972       5,807  
    Total non-accrual loans   13,369       14,264  
    Loans delinquent 90 days or more and still accruing:      
    Held-for-investment      
    Real estate loans:      
    Multifamily   —       164  
    One-to-four family residential   878       882  
    Home equity and lines of credit   140       140  
    Total loans held-for-investment delinquent 90 days or more and still accruing   1,018       1,186  
    Non-performing loans held-for-sale      
    Commercial mortgage   4,397       4,397  
    Commercial and industrial   500       500  
    Total non-performing loans held-for-sale   4,897       4,897  
    Total non-performing loans   19,284       20,347  
    Total non-performing assets $ 19,284     $ 20,347  
    Non-performing loans to total loans   0.48 %     0.51 %
    Non-performing assets to total assets   0.34 %     0.36 %
    Accruing loans 30 to 89 days delinquent $ 6,845     $ 9,336  
     

    Accruing Loans 30 to 89 Days Delinquent

    Loans 30 to 89 days delinquent and on accrual status totaled $6.8 million and $9.3 million at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The following table sets forth delinquencies for accruing loans by type and by amount at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 (dollars in thousands):

      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
    Held-for-investment      
    Real estate loans:      
    Multifamily $ 1,296   $ 2,831
    Commercial mortgage   147     78
    One-to-four family residential   2,584     2,407
    Home equity and lines of credit   1,141     1,472
    Commercial and industrial loans   1,674     2,545
    Other loans   3     3
    Total delinquent accruing loans held-for-investment $ 6,845   $ 9,336
     

    The decrease in delinquent multifamily loans was primarily due to one relationship totaling $2.1 million that became current during the quarter ended March 31, 2025. The decrease in delinquent commercial and industrial loans was primarily due to five unsecured small business loans that were charged off totaling $797,000. Management continues to monitor the unsecured small business commercial and industrial loan portfolio which represents the majority of the commercial and industrial delinquencies in the table above.

    PCD Loans (Held-for-Investment)

    The Company accounts for PCD loans at estimated fair value using discounted expected future cash flows deemed to be collectible on the date acquired. Based on its detailed review of PCD loans and experience in loan workouts, management believes it has a reasonable expectation about the amount and timing of future cash flows and accordingly has classified PCD loans ($9.0 million at March 31, 2025 and $9.2 million at December 31, 2024, respectively) as accruing, even though they may be contractually past due. At March 31, 2025, 2.1% of PCD loans were past due 30 to 89 days, and 25.2% were past due 90 days or more, as compared to 2.9% and 27.1%, respectively, at December 31, 2024.

    Our multifamily loan portfolio at March 31, 2025 totaled $2.57 billion, or 64% of our total loan portfolio, of which $435.8 million, or 11%, included loans collateralized by properties in New York with units subject to some percentage of rent regulation. The table below sets forth details about our multifamily loan portfolio in New York (dollars in thousands).

    % Rent Regulated   Balance   % Portfolio Total NY Multifamily Portfolio   Average Balance   Largest Loan   LTV*   Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR)*   30-89 Days Delinquent   Non-Accrual   Special Mention   Substandard
    0   $ 279,630   39.1 %   $ 1,175   $ 16,441   50.6 %   1.48x   $ 580   $ 499   $ —   $ 1,800
    >0-10     4,696   0.6       1,565     2,107   50.9     1.33     —     —     —     —
    >10-20     18,397   2.6       1,415     2,834   48.7     1.40     —     —     —     —
    >20-30     19,268   2.7       2,141     5,449   53.2     1.65     —     —     —     —
    >30-40     14,958   2.1       1,247     3,037   47.8     1.59     —     —     —     —
    >40-50     21,558   3.0       1,268     2,710   46.9     1.77     —     —     —     —
    >50-60     9,298   1.3       1,550     2,313   39.4     1.80     —     —     —     —
    >60-70     20,765   2.9       2,966     11,181   53.4     1.51     —     —     —     —
    >70-80     22,158   3.1       2,462     4,874   47.5     1.43     —     —     —     —
    >80-90     20,516   2.9       1,140     3,124   46.1     1.64     —     —     1,124     —
    >90-100     284,164   39.7       1,733     16,698   51.6     1.60     665     2,067     3,630     4,389
    Total   $ 715,408   100.0 %   $ 1,442   $ 16,698   50.6 %   1.55x   $ 1,245   $ 2,566   $ 4,754   $ 6,189
     

    The table below sets forth our New York rent-regulated loans by county (dollars in thousands).

    County   Balance   LTV*   DSCR*
    Bronx   $ 116,944   51.2 %   1.60x
    Kings     184,545   50.5 %   1.57
    Nassau     2,155   35.8 %   1.88
    New York     48,838   46.3 %   1.61
    Queens     37,633   44.3 %   1.69
    Richmond     32,258   60.1 %   1.41
    Westchester     13,405   58.7 %   1.78
    Total   $ 435,778   50.6 %   1.59x
                 

    * Weighted Average

    None of the loans that are rent-regulated in New York are interest only. During the remainder of 2025, 27 loans with an aggregate principal balance of $46.0 million will re-price.

    About Northfield Bank

    Northfield Bank, founded in 1887, operates 37 full-service banking offices in Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York, and Hunterdon, Middlesex, Mercer, and Union counties, New Jersey. For more information about Northfield Bank, please visit www.eNorthfield.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements: This release may contain certain “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and may be identified by the use of such words as “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “plan,” “estimate,” “predict,” “continue,” and “potential” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Northfield Bancorp, Inc. Any or all of the forward-looking statements in this release and in any other public statements made by Northfield Bancorp, Inc. may turn out to be wrong. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions Northfield Bancorp, Inc. might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties as described in our SEC filings, including, but not limited to, those related to general economic conditions, particularly in the market areas in which the Company operates, competition and demand for financial services in our market area, fluctuations in real estate values and both residential and commercial real estate market conditions, changes in liquidity, the size and composition of our deposit portfolio and the percentage of uninsured deposits in the portfolio, competition among depository and other financial institutions, including with respect to fees and interest rates, changes in laws or government regulations or policies affecting financial institutions, including changes in the monetary policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the imposition of tariffs or other domestic or international governmental policies, changes in the quality and/or composition of our loan and securities portfolios, prepayment speeds, charge-offs and/or credit loss provisions, our ability to access cost-effective funding, changes in the value of our goodwill or other intangible assets, changes in regulatory fees, assessments  and capital requirements, inflation and changes in the interest rate environment that reduce our margins, reduce the fair value of financial instruments or reduce our ability to originate loans, the failure to maintain current technologies and to successfully implement future information technology enhancements, cyber security and fraud risks against our information technology and those of our third-party providers, the ability of third-party providers to perform their obligations to us, the effects of war, conflict, and acts of terrorism, our ability to successfully integrate acquired entities, and adverse changes in the securities markets. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Northfield Bancorp, Inc. does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this release, or conform these statements to actual events.

    Company Contact:
    William R. Jacobs
    Chief Financial Officer
    Tel: (732) 499-7200 ext. 2519

    (Tables follow)

    NORTHFIELD BANCORP, INC.
    SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) (unaudited)
     
      At or For the Three Months Ended
      March 31,   December 31
      2025   2024   2024
    Selected Financial Ratios:          
    Performance Ratios (1)          
    Return on assets (ratio of net income to average total assets) 0.56 %   0.43 %   0.79 %
    Return on equity (ratio of net income to average equity) 4.52     3.59     6.40  
    Average equity to average total assets 12.43     12.04     12.28  
    Interest rate spread 1.76     1.39     1.54  
    Net interest margin 2.38     2.03     2.18  
    Efficiency ratio (2) 61.57     71.43     56.75  
    Non-interest expense to average total assets 1.53     1.55     1.46  
    Non-interest expense to average total interest-earning assets 1.61     1.63     1.53  
    Average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities 129.42     128.66     129.20  
    Asset Quality Ratios:          
    Non-performing assets to total assets 0.34     0.29     0.36  
    Non-performing loans (3) to total loans (4) 0.48     0.41     0.51  
    Allowance for credit losses to non-performing loans (5) 242.73     214.83     227.72  
    Allowance for credit losses to total loans held-for-investment, net (6) 0.87     0.89     0.87  
     

    (1) Annualized where appropriate.
    (2) The efficiency ratio represents non-interest expense divided by the sum of net interest income and non-interest income.
    (3) Non-performing loans consist of non-accruing loans and loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing (excluding PCD loans), and are included in total loans held-for-investment, net.
    (4) Includes originated loans held-for-investment, PCD loans, acquired loans and loans held-for-sale.
    (5) Excludes loans held-for-sale.
    (6) Includes originated loans held-for-investment, PCD loans, and acquired loans.

    NORTHFIELD BANCORP, INC.
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (Dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts) (unaudited)
     
      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
    ASSETS:      
    Cash and due from banks $ 12,523     $ 13,043  
    Interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions   89,139       154,701  
    Total cash and cash equivalents   101,662       167,744  
    Trading securities   13,003       13,884  
    Debt securities available-for-sale, at estimated fair value   1,246,473       1,100,817  
    Debt securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost   8,883       9,303  
    Equity securities   10,855       14,261  
    Loans held-for-sale   4,897       4,897  
    Loans held-for-investment, net   3,991,529       4,022,224  
    Allowance for credit losses   (34,921 )     (35,183 )
    Net loans held-for-investment   3,956,608       3,987,041  
    Accrued interest receivable   19,648       19,078  
    Bank-owned life insurance   177,398       175,759  
    Federal Home Loan Bank of New York stock, at cost   38,350       35,894  
    Operating lease right-of-use assets   27,345       27,771  
    Premises and equipment, net   21,431       21,985  
    Goodwill   41,012       41,012  
    Other assets   42,435       46,932  
    Total assets $ 5,710,000     $ 5,666,378  
           
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:      
    LIABILITIES:      
    Deposits $ 4,131,956     $ 4,138,477  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances and other borrowings   709,159       666,402  
    Subordinated debentures, net of issuance costs   61,498       61,442  
    Lease liabilities   31,630       32,209  
    Advance payments by borrowers for taxes and insurance   29,270       24,057  
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities   35,338       39,095  
    Total liabilities   4,998,851       4,961,682  
           
    STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:      
    Total stockholders’ equity   711,149       704,696  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 5,710,000     $ 5,666,378  
           
    Total shares outstanding   42,676,274       42,903,598  
    Tangible book value per share(1) $ 15.70     $ 15.46  
     

    (1) Tangible book value per share is calculated based on total stockholders’ equity, excluding intangible assets (goodwill and core deposit intangibles), divided by total shares outstanding as of the balance sheet date. Core deposit intangibles were $57 and $69 at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, and are included in other assets.

    NORTHFIELD BANCORP, INC.
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (Dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts) (unaudited)
     
      For the Three Months Ended
      March 31,   December 31,
        2025       2024     2024  
    Interest income:          
    Loans $ 45,283     $ 46,047   $ 45,902  
    Mortgage-backed securities   12,009       4,398     9,160  
    Other securities   797       3,841     1,428  
    Federal Home Loan Bank of New York dividends   862       970     885  
    Deposits in other financial institutions   1,141       3,392     2,347  
    Total interest income   60,092       58,648     59,722  
    Interest expense:          
    Deposits   21,191       19,273     22,031  
    Borrowings   6,291       10,663     7,169  
    Subordinated debt   819       828     837  
    Total interest expense   28,301       30,764     30,037  
    Net interest income   31,791       27,884     29,685  
    Provision for credit losses   2,582       415     1,942  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses   29,209       27,469     27,743  
    Non-interest income:          
    Fees and service charges for customer services   1,620       1,615     1,634  
    Income on bank-owned life insurance   1,639       964     1,277  
    (Losses)/gains on trading securities, net   (299 )     699     68  
    Gain on sale of property   —       —     3,402  
    Other   62       103     623  
    Total non-interest income   3,022       3,381     7,004  
    Non-interest expense:          
    Compensation and employee benefits   11,775       12,765     11,761  
    Occupancy   3,533       3,553     3,253  
    Furniture and equipment   414       484     436  
    Data processing   2,122       2,147     1,921  
    Professional fees   1,072       809     762  
    Advertising   250       518     287  
    Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance   617       588     625  
    Credit loss expense/(benefit) for off-balance sheet exposures   103       83     (55 )
    Other   1,549       1,385     1,832  
    Total non-interest expense   21,435       22,332     20,822  
    Income before income tax expense   10,796       8,518     13,925  
    Income tax expense   2,920       2,304     2,674  
    Net income $ 7,876     $ 6,214   $ 11,251  
    Net income per common share:          
    Basic $ 0.19     $ 0.15   $ 0.28  
    Diluted $ 0.19     $ 0.15   $ 0.27  
    Basic average shares outstanding   40,864,529       42,367,243     40,889,355  
    Diluted average shares outstanding   40,922,829       42,408,953     41,029,275  
     
    NORTHFIELD BANCORP, INC.
    ANALYSIS OF NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Dollars in thousands) (unaudited)
     
      For the Three Months Ended
      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024   March 31, 2024
      Average Outstanding Balance   Interest   Average Yield/ Rate(1)   Average Outstanding Balance   Interest   Average Yield/ Rate(1)   Average Outstanding Balance   Interest   Average Yield/ Rate(1)
    Interest-earning assets:                                  
    Loans(2) $ 4,007,266   $ 45,283   4.58 %   $ 4,044,787   $ 45,902   4.51 %   $ 4,174,668   $ 46,047   4.44 %
    Mortgage-backed securities(3)   1,132,715     12,009   4.30       950,309     9,160   3.83       648,811     4,398   2.73  
    Other securities(3)   118,082     797   2.74       177,462     1,428   3.20       391,980     3,841   3.94  
    Federal Home Loan Bank of New York stock   36,929     862   9.47       37,065     885   9.50       39,599     970   9.85  
    Interest-earning deposits in financial institutions   118,983     1,141   3.89       204,146     2,347   4.57       262,884     3,392   5.19  
    Total interest-earning assets   5,413,975     60,092   4.50       5,413,769     59,722   4.39       5,517,942     58,648   4.27  
    Non-interest-earning assets   277,586             277,067             266,428        
    Total assets $ 5,691,561           $ 5,690,836           $ 5,784,370        
                                       
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                                  
    Savings, NOW, and money market accounts $ 2,502,664   $ 12,148   1.97 %   $ 2,424,370   $ 11,997   1.97 %   $ 2,464,297   $ 12,331   2.01 %
    Certificates of deposit   923,713     9,043   3.97       928,658     10,034   4.30       654,328     6,942   4.27  
    Total interest-bearing deposits   3,426,377     21,191   2.51       3,353,028     22,031   2.61       3,118,625     19,273   2.49  
    Borrowed funds   695,281     6,291   3.67       775,722     7,169   3.68       1,108,880     10,663   3.87  
    Subordinated debt   61,461     819   5.40       61,406     837   5.42       61,239     828   5.44  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   4,183,119     28,301   2.74       4,190,156     30,037   2.85       4,288,744     30,764   2.89  
    Non-interest bearing deposits   706,217             703,886             699,640        
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities   94,819             97,918             99,594        
    Total liabilities   4,984,155             4,991,960             5,087,978        
    Stockholders’ equity   707,406             698,876             696,392        
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 5,691,561           $ 5,690,836           $ 5,784,370        
                                       
    Net interest income     $ 31,791           $ 29,685           $ 27,884    
    Net interest rate spread(4)         1.76 %           1.54 %           1.39 %
    Net interest-earning assets(5) $ 1,230,856           $ 1,223,613           $ 1,229,198        
    Net interest margin(6)         2.38 %           2.18 %           2.03 %
    Average interest-earning assets to interest-bearing liabilities         129.42 %           129.20 %           128.66 %
     

    (1) Average yields and rates are annualized.
    (2) Includes non-accruing loans.
    (3) Securities available-for-sale and other securities are reported at amortized cost.
    (4) Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the weighted average yield on interest-earning assets and the weighted average cost of interest-bearing liabilities.
    (5) Net interest-earning assets represent total interest-earning assets less total interest-bearing liabilities.
    (6) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets.

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: A golden era for personalized medicine is approaching, but are we ready?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nazia Pathan, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University

    Biobanks have become some of the most transformative tools in medical research, enabling scientists to study the relationships between genes, health and disease on an unprecedented scale (Piqsels/Siyya)

    If there’s a disease that seems to run in your family, if you’ve had a negative reaction to a drug or wondered why a standard treatment didn’t work on you, the answers may lie in your genes.

    The unique sequence of DNA that acts as a blueprint for building and maintaining your body often plays a major role in shaping your predisposition to diseases and reactions to drugs.

    Genes in the DNA make proteins, which can act as biomarkers or influence other types of biomarkers. Biomarkers are molecules in the body that help measure health conditions, such as those detected in blood or urine tests.

    Blood glucose, for example, is a biomarker for diabetes, cholesterol levels can be biomarkers for heart diseases and albumin is a protein used to assess kidney and liver functions.

    Tailoring treatments

    By understanding a patient’s unique genetic profile, biomarker readings and lifestyle information, doctors could tailor the most effective and safest treatments for that individual.

    Genetics offer the opportunity for individualized health care that can improve patient outcomes, save lives and alleviate strain on the health-care system.

    This is the promise of personalized medicine, which is already making a difference in areas such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, mental health and rare diseases.

    The question is, are we prepared to seize this golden opportunity in Canada?

    Genetic testing and data

    Canadians are not averse to genetic testing. By 2018, a survey by Abacus Data showed around 11 per cent of Canadian adults had used direct-to-consumer genetic testing and analysis kits, and 60 per cent were open to ordering a test.

    This level of interest highlights a general acceptance of and readiness for genetic advancements in health care, which is encouraging, since we need much more reliable, population-level genetic information to make the most of this opportunity.

    Current genetic data is either scattered across relatively small, fragmented groups, which is severely limiting from a broader research perspective, or held by private companies. These companies have varying regulatory standards, raising concerns about privacy and data security, especially if a company is financially unstable or ceases to exist. This recently occurred when genetic testing company 23andMe filed for bankruptcy.




    Read more:
    With 23andMe filing for bankruptcy, what happens to consumers’ genetic data?


    The better model is publicly managed biobanks, which prioritize broad societal health over profit and offer stronger data protection through robust regulation of access, storage and usage. Strict oversight ensures the protection of individual privacy while promoting transparency.

    The potential of biobanks

    In this age of big data, biobanks have become some of the most transformative tools in medical research, enabling scientists to study the relationships between genes, health and disease on an unprecedented scale.

    This is possible because of technological advancements that allow large-scale genetic and biomarker testing, the adoption of cloud-based servers, and improvements in statistical modelling, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

    Establishing a biobank begins with collecting small amounts (five to 10 millilitres) of blood, saliva or tissue from consenting participants in the presence of health experts.

    Biobanks use next-generation sequencers to perform the genetic sequences at high speed, while the latest proteomics platforms enable measurement of thousands different biomarkers from a very small amount of blood. The resulting genetic and biomarker profiles are curated and made accessible through platforms like a national library.

    Countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States are paving the way with national efforts such as the UK Biobank and the All of Us Research Program.

    The British Biobank houses genetic and health data from more than 500,000 participants. Similarly, the U.S. program aims to enrol more than one million participants.

    Genomics in Canada

    As a genetic epidemiologist, I have had the opportunity to identify several potential genetic targets by using these treasure troves of information.

    The problem is that we don’t yet have a ready way of knowing if the results are directly applicable to the Canadian population.

    This is about to change. Genome Canada has launched the Canadian Precision Health Initiative to sequence the genomes of at least 100,000 Canadians.

    Biobanks enable scientists to study the relationships between genes, health and disease on an unprecedented scale.
    (Pixabay/Shameersrk)

    A Pan-Canadian Genome Library (PCGL) is also in the works to harmonize genetic data produced across Canada. It aims to capture, store and provide access to Canadian genomic data in a secure and ethical manner. Although this work is in the developmental phase, and the target population size remains unclear, these efforts are significant.

    These visions are closer to becoming a reality with the recent announcement of a $200 million investment in the Canadian Precision Health initiative. This is in addition to the more than $1 billion previously invested in health genomics research projects.

    These funds will support Canada’s Genomic centres, the PCGL, and enhance the translation of genomics into real-world applications, boosting the development of personalized medicine and advanced diagnostics to treat diseases.

    A potential model for the world

    Canada, with its uniquely diverse population, has a rare opportunity to lead the way in equitable, multi-ethnic genetic research that would address current biases that predominantly focus on individuals with European ancestry.

    This would ensure that everyone in Canada, including Indigenous communities, can benefit from this health-care revolution in an equitable, ethical and safe manner that balances privacy with the opportunities for groundbreaking research.

    With public trust and robust oversight, and making population-level data internationally accessible, Canada’s biobank initiative could become a model for the world in the golden era of personalized medicine.

    Nazia Pathan, PhD 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. A golden era for personalized medicine is approaching, but are we ready? – https://theconversation.com/a-golden-era-for-personalized-medicine-is-approaching-but-are-we-ready-250336

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Advances AI Education for American Youth

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    EMPOWERING AMERICA’S YOUTH: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to create new educational and workforce development opportunities for America’s youth, fostering interest and expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) technology from an early age to maintain America’s global dominance in this technological revolution for future generations.
    AI is rapidly transforming the modern world, driving innovation, enhancing productivity, and reshaping how we live and work.
    America’s youth need opportunities to cultivate the skills and understanding necessary to use and create the next generation of AI technology.
    Early training in AI will demystify this technology and prepare America’s students to be confident participants in the AI-assisted workforce, propelling our nation to new heights of scientific and economic achievement.

    Preparing our students to be leaders in AI technology also requires investing in our educators, providing them with the tools and knowledge to both train students about AI and utilize the technology in the classroom.
    Lifelong learners also need new resources to develop technical skills for a rapidly evolving work environment that increasingly incorporates digital technology.
    PROMOTING AI LITERACY AND PROFICIENCY: President Trump promised to ensure and advance America’s position as the global leader in AI technology. By incorporating AI into education and providing AI training for educators, we will help equip the next generation of American AI innovators.
    To do this, President Trump is establishing the White House Task Force on AI Education.
    The task force will be chaired by the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and include other key members of the administration, such as the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Labor, and the Special Advisor for AI & Crypto.
    The task force will plan and help agencies implement a Presidential AI Challenge, which will encourage and highlight student and educator achievements in AI, promote wide geographic adoption of technological advancement, and foster collaboration between government, academia, philanthropy, and industry to address national challenges with AI solutions.
    The task force will also establish public-private partnerships to provide resources for K-12 AI education, both to enhance AI-related education but also to better utilize AI tools in education generally.
    The order directs the Secretary of Education to prioritize the use of AI in discretionary grant programs for teacher training and directs the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to prioritize research on the use of AI in education.
    PREPARING AMERICA’S WORKFORCE: Protecting and preparing the American workforce for the challenges of the future has always been at the forefront of the President’s AI agenda.
    Today’s executive order instructs the Secretary of Labor to leverage authorities and financial incentives to increase participation in AI-related apprenticeships.
    It also instructs the Secretary of Labor to encourage States and grantees to use Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding to develop AI skills and support work-based learning opportunities within occupations utilizing AI.
    The Secretary of Labor, through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training, in collaboration with the Director of NSF, will work with State and local workforce organizations and training providers to identify and promote high-quality AI skills education coursework and certifications across the country.
    The Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Education, and the NSF Director will work together to create opportunities for high school students to take AI courses and certification programs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 163

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL3

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 163
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    350 PM CDT Wed Apr 23 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Eastern Colorado
    Western Kansas

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 350 PM
    until 1100 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered large hail likely with isolated very large hail events
    to 2.5 inches in diameter possible
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Thunderstorms will increase in coverage through the late
    afternoon and evening across the watch area, with a few supercells
    possible. Large hail is the primary concern, however a tornado or
    two could occur later this evening as well.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 70
    statute miles east and west of a line from 55 miles northeast of
    Goodland KS to 5 miles east of Elkhart KS. For a complete depiction
    of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
    WOU3).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 162…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    26030.

    …Hart

    SEL3

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 163
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    350 PM CDT Wed Apr 23 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Eastern Colorado
    Western Kansas

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 350 PM
    until 1100 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered large hail likely with isolated very large hail events
    to 2.5 inches in diameter possible
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Thunderstorms will increase in coverage through the late
    afternoon and evening across the watch area, with a few supercells
    possible. Large hail is the primary concern, however a tornado or
    two could occur later this evening as well.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 70
    statute miles east and west of a line from 55 miles northeast of
    Goodland KS to 5 miles east of Elkhart KS. For a complete depiction
    of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
    WOU3).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 162…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    26030.

    …Hart

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW3
    WW 163 SEVERE TSTM CO KS 232050Z – 240400Z
    AXIS..70 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    55NE GLD/GOODLAND KS/ – 5E EHA/ELKHART KS/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 60NM E/W /24SW MCK – 40W LBL/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2.5 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26030.

    LAT…LON 39919965 36990054 36990308 39910229

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU3.

    Watch 163 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (5%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (60%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (40%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (90%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
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