Category: Europe

MIL-OSI: Community Bankshares, Inc. Acquires Thomas USAF / Thomas Financial Group to Completely Revolutionize Government-Guaranteed Lending Nationwide

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LAGRANGE, Ga., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Community Bankshares, Inc., one of the fastest-growing financial services companies in the nation, announces its acquisition of Thomas USAF / Thomas Financial Group, a 30-year industry leader in USDA government-guaranteed commercial lending. This acquisition, coming on the heels of the recent launch of Phoenix Lender Services, underscores Community Bankshares’ bold strategy to redefine the financial services landscape and expand its leadership in innovative lending solutions for rural and underserved markets across the United States.

A Future-Focused Partnership

“This is not just an acquisition — it’s a reimagining of what’s possible in government-guaranteed lending,” said Jeremy Gilpin, Chairman of the Board of Community Bankshares, Inc. “By combining the proven track record of Thomas Financial Group as a top USDA originator and packager with the cutting-edge capabilities of Phoenix Lender Services and lending expertise of Community Bank & Trust, we’re setting a new standard for how rural and underserved markets can access capital and thrive.”

The acquisition builds on Community Bankshares’ strategic vision of redefining how lending capital is provided across America in a manner that promotes business stability and encourages community prosperity.

Jeremy Gilpin and Chris Hurn bring more than 60 years of combined experience in government-guaranteed lending. Together, they have assembled a powerhouse leadership team within the Community Bankshares companies that is certain to shake up the industry. Their shared vision, innovative strategies, and proven success in government-guaranteed lending sets the stage for a transformative era in rural economic development and business financing.

A Legacy of Leadership

Founded by visionary entrepreneur Mike Thomas, Thomas USAF / Thomas Financial Group has been a pioneer in leveraging USDA and SBA lending programs to empower small businesses and revitalize communities. Consistently ranked as one of the top originators and packagers of USDA and SBA loans in the nation, the company has facilitated over $5 billion in financing to businesses across diverse industries, helping them navigate complex lending scenarios and achieve their financial goals.

“Founding Thomas Financial was not just about lending—it was about giving rural and underserved communities a fighting chance to grow and thrive,” said Mike Thomas, Founder of Thomas Financial Group. “As I hand the reins to the brilliant Jeremy Gilpin and the exceptional leadership at Community Bankshares, I am proud of the legacy we leave behind and confident in the transformative impact this partnership will have nationwide.”

Mike Thomas will remain actively engaged with the organization to assist with Governmental Affairs, playing a key role in shaping its strategic direction. Leveraging his decades of experience and extensive industry relationships, Mr. Thomas will focus on advocating for rural and underserved markets, as well as small businesses, to strengthen the company’s leadership in the government-guaranteed lending sector. His ongoing involvement ensures that Thomas Financial Group, along with the entire Community Bankshares family of companies, remains at the forefront of legislative initiatives, policy development, and strategic partnerships with government agencies.

“This acquisition reflects our unwavering commitment to transforming access to capital in underserved markets,” said Gilpin. “With the expertise of Thomas Financial Group and our shared values, we are building a new era of opportunity for businesses and communities nationwide.”

Community Bankshares is now positioned as a leader in addressing current challenges faced by small businesses and rural economies, particularly as they navigate a rapidly evolving financial landscape. The partnership will also ensure the continued legacy of excellence established by Thomas Financial Group, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Community Bankshares.

“We are poised to lead one of the most innovative and forward-thinking organizations in the government-guaranteed lending sector nationwide,” said Chris Hurn, President of Community Bankshares. “This collaboration not only enhances our capacity to serve businesses across the spectrum, from startups to established enterprises, but it also reaffirms our commitment to championing economic growth in rural and underserved markets. Together, we will ensure these communities remain integral to the progress and prosperity of our nation’s economy.”

For more information about Thomas Financial Group, visit www.ThomasFinancialGroup.com.

About Thomas Financial Group

Thomas Financial Group, based in Atlanta, Georgia, is now a subsidiary of Community Bankshares, Inc. and a nationally recognized leader in commercial lending solutions. Specializing in USDA and SBA programs, the company has a proven track record of empowering businesses, strengthening rural and underserved communities, and advancing government-guaranteed lending.

About Community Bankshares, Inc.

Headquartered in LaGrange, Georgia, Community Bankshares, Inc. is the parent company of Community Bank & Trust and a network of financial service subsidiaries. Phoenix Lender Services (PHX) is a subsidiary of Community Bankshares, Inc. Whose mission is redefining the way lending capital is provided across America, in a manner that promotes business stability and encourages community prosperity. The company serves a diverse clientele across the nation, fostering growth, opportunity, and collaboration.

Media Contact:

Hannah Williams
Uproar by Moburst for Community Bankshares Inc
hannah.williams@moburst.com

The MIL Network –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI: Applied Rating Index Year-End and Q4 2024 Released
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Toronto, ON., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Applied Systems® today announced the year-end and fourth quarter of 2024 results of the Applied Rating Index™, the Canadian insurance industry’s premium rate index. In Q4 2024, average premiums for both Personal Auto lines and Personal Property lines increased year over year. Quarter over quarter, premium rate change increased for Personal Auto and increased for Personal Property compared to Q3 2024.

For Personal Auto, all provinces experienced an increase year over year, with Alberta seeing the highest at 12.7% and the Atlantic Provinces the lowest at 9.0%. For Personal Property lines, all provinces experienced an increase in premium rate change year over year. Ontario saw the highest premium rate change at 9.0% and the Atlantic Provinces experienced the lowest at 4.4%.

Key findings for Q4 2024 include:
- Personal Auto: In Q4 2024, Personal Auto premium rate change increased 11.3% versus Q4 2023. Personal Auto premium rate change increased 3.9% versus Q3 2024.
- Personal Property: In Q4 2024, Personal Property premium rate change increased 7.3% versus Q4 2023. Personal Property premium rate change increased 2.1% versus Q3 2024.
- Provinces: Across Personal Auto, all provinces experienced increased premium rate change year over year with Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces seeing 12.7%, 11.1%, 9.3% and 9.0% respectively. Relative to Q3 2024, all provinces experienced an uptrend in premium rate change. Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces saw significant increases in premium rate change quarter over quarter with 1.4%, 4.2%, and 5.5% and 3.3% respectively.
  Personal Property lines experienced increased year-over-year premium rate change year across all provinces. Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces, and Saskatchewan & Manitoba saw increases in premium rate change year over year with 7.1%, 4.7%, 9.0%, 8.6%, 4.4% and 7.9% respectively. Relative to Q3 2024, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic provinces and Saskatchewan & Manitoba all saw increases quarter over quarter of 2.0%, 1.3%, 1.9%, 6.5%, 1.7% and 2.4% respectively.
“Coming out of the most destructive season in Canadian history for insured losses, the Q4 2024 results show that the premium rate index continues to climb for both Personal Auto and Personal Property, demonstrating sustained market conditions,” said Steve Whitelaw, senior vice president and general manager, Applied Systems. “As we begin 2025, the Applied Rating Index will continue tracking premium rate changes and serving as a guide for renewal and pricing decisions.”

The Applied Rating Index is a data-driven report of current conditions and trends for Personal Auto and Personal Property (Homeowners) insurance premium rates. Analyzing quotes completed, the Applied Rating Index measures the increase or decrease in average premium rate trends across Canada. The Applied Rating Index is the most complete depiction of the premium rate trends being experienced by consumers, brokerages, and their insurers across the Canadian market.

Access the complete quarterly report here.

# # #

Applied Rating Index is a trademark of Applied Systems, Inc. All data is fully anonymized when aggregating and analyzing the Applied Rating Index.

About Applied Systems
Applied Systems is the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and the innovation leader, Applied is the world’s largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applied’s people and products enable millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most.

The MIL Network –
January 29, 2025

MIL-OSI: BCB Bancorp, Inc. Earns $3.3 Million in Fourth Quarter 2024; Reports $0.16 EPS and Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend of $0.16 Per Share

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

BAYONNE, N.J., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BCB Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”), (NASDAQ: BCBP), the holding company for BCB Community Bank (the “Bank”), today reported net income of $3.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $6.7 million in the third quarter of 2024, and $6.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. Earnings per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2024 were $0.16, compared to $0.36 in the preceding quarter and $0.35 in the fourth quarter of 2023. Net income and earnings per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2024, without giving effect to the Company’s unrealized losses on equity investments and the loss on sale of non-performing loans, were $4.1 million and $0.24, respectively.

The Company also announced that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per share. The dividend will be payable on February 24, 2025 to common shareholders of record on February 7, 2025.

“We took a number of positive actions during 2024 that have strengthened our balance sheet position. We meaningfully reduced our exposure to wholesale funding and continue to work hard on replacing higher cost funding with core deposits. Additionally, we have strengthened our capital position through positive retained earnings, favorable capital actions and selective loan growth. We have been prudently building up our CECL reserves to address asset quality issues. As we tackle and remediate credit quality issues, we are also positioning the Bank to gradually start lending and booking new business with both existing and new customers,” stated Michael Shriner, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Executive Summary

Total deposits were $2.751 billion at December 31, 2024 compared to $2.725 billion at September 30, 2024.
Net interest margin was 2.53 percent for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 2.58 percent for the third quarter of 2024, and 2.57 percent for the fourth quarter of 2023.
- Total yield on interest-earning assets was 5.33 percent for the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to 5.44 percent for the third quarter of 2024, and 5.33 percent for the fourth quarter of 2023.
- Total cost of interest-bearing liabilities was 3.57 percent for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 3.62 percent for the third quarter of 2024, and 3.45 percent for the fourth quarter of 2023.
The efficiency ratio for the fourth quarter was 62.1 percent compared to 53.2 percent in the prior quarter, and 61.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The annualized return on average assets ratio for the fourth quarter was 0.36 percent, compared to 0.72 percent in the prior quarter, and 0.63 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The annualized return on average equity ratio for the fourth quarter was 4.0 percent, compared to 8.3 percent in the prior quarter, and 7.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The provision for credit losses was $4.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to $2.9 million for the third quarter of 2024, and $1.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2023.
The allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) as a percentage of total loans was 1.15 percent at December 31, 2024 compared to 1.11 percent at the prior quarter-end and 1.01 percent at December 31, 2023.
Total loans receivable, net of the allowance for credit losses, of $2.996 billion at December 31, 2024, decreased 8.6 percent from $3.280 billion at December 31, 2023.

Balance Sheet Review

Total assets decreased by $233.3 million, or 6.1 percent, to $3.599 billion at December 31, 2024, from $3.832 billion at December 31, 2023. The decrease in total assets was due to a decrease in loans of $283.4 million, offset by an increase of $37.8 million in cash and cash equivalents. The decrease in loans was primarily from loan sales and payoffs/paydowns that exceeded loan originations.

Total cash and cash equivalents increased by $37.8 million, or 13.5 percent, to $317.3 million at December 31, 2024, from $279.5 million at December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily due to loan sales and payoffs/paydowns that exceeded loan originations.

Loans receivable, net, decreased by $283.4 million, or 8.6 percent, to $2.996 billion at December 31, 2024, from $3.280 billion at December 31, 2023. Total loan decreases during the period included decreases of $187.4 million in commercial real estate multi-family loans, $57.4 million in construction loans, $29.4 million in commercial business loans, $8.4 million in residential 1-4 family loans, and $1.4 million in consumer loans. Home equity loans increased $438 thousand. The allowance for credit losses on loans increased $1.2 million to $34.8 million, or 77.8 percent of non-accruing loans and 1.15 percent of gross loans, at December 31, 2024, as compared to an allowance for credit losses on loans of $33.6 million, or 178.9 percent of non-accruing loans and 1.01 percent of gross loans, at December 31, 2023.

Total investment securities increased by $14.3 million, or 14.8 percent, to $111.2 million at December 31, 2024, from $96.9 million at December 31, 2023, as excess liquidity has been deployed into the securities portfolio.

Deposits decreased by $228.2 million, or 7.7 percent, to $2.751 billion at December 31, 2024, from $2.979 billion at December 31, 2023. A majority of the decline was due to a decrease in certificates of deposit of $193.5 million. The reduction in certificates of deposit was mainly caused by the withdrawal of brokered deposits which was partially offset by an increase in retail time deposits.

Total borrowings decreased by $12.1 million to $498.3 million at December 31, 2024 from $510.4 million at December 31, 2023. The decrease in borrowings was primarily due to the maturity of $18.0 million of FHLB debt that was paid off during 2024. The weighted average interest rate of the Company’s outstanding FHLB advances was 4.35 percent at December 31, 2024 and 4.21 percent at December 31, 2023. The weighted average maturity of such FHLB advances as of December 31, 2024 was 0.97 years. The interest rate of the Company’s subordinated debt balances was 9.25 percent at December 31, 2024 and 8.36 percent at December 31, 2023.

Stockholders’ equity increased by $9.9 million, or 3.1 percent, to $323.9 million at December 31, 2024, from $314.1 million at December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily attributable to the increase in retained earnings of $5.9 million, or 4.4 percent, to $141.9 million at December 31, 2024 from $135.9 million at December 31, 2023.

Fourth Quarter 2024 Income Statement Review

Net income was $3.3 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024 and $6.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the Bank recorded $2.2 million more in loan loss provisioning, and net interest income declined by $1.7 million. Non-interest income was also lower by $2.3 million. Offsetting these declines was a decrease in non-interest expense of $2.2 million. The Bank also recorded $1.3 million less for income tax provisioning.

Net interest income decreased by $1.7 million, or 7.2 percent, to $22.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, from $23.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease in net interest income resulted from lower interest income, offset by lower interest expense.

Interest income decreased by $3.1 million, or 6.1 percent, to $46.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, from $49.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. The average balance of interest-earning assets decreased $226.6 million, or 6.1 percent. The rate of return remained flat at 5.33 percent.

Interest expense declined $1.3 million, to $24.5 million, for the fourth quarter of 2024, from $25.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. Average interest-bearing liabilities decreased $247.2 million, or 8.3 percent. The average yield on these liabilities was 3.57 percent, versus 3.45 percent from one year earlier.

The net interest margin was 2.53 percent for the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to 2.57 percent for the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease in the net interest margin compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 was the result of the increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities. The yield on interest earning assets remained the same from one year earlier.

During the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company recognized $4.1 million in net charge-offs compared to $233 thousand in net charge offs for the fourth quarter of 2023. The Bank had non-accrual loans totaling $44.7 million, or 1.48 percent of gross loans, at December 31, 2024 as compared to $18.8 million, or 0.57 percent of gross loans, at December 31, 2023. The allowance for credit losses on loans was $34.8 million, or 1.15 percent of gross loans, at December 31, 2024, and $33.6 million, or 1.01 percent of gross loans, at December 31, 2023. The provision for credit losses on loans was $4.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to $1.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. Management believes that the allowance for credit losses on loans was adequate at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

Non-interest income decreased by $2.3 million to $938 thousand for the fourth quarter of 2024 from $3.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease in total non-interest income was related to losses on equity investments of $661 thousand in the 2024 quarter as compared to a gain on such investments of $1.1 million in the 2023 quarter, as well as the recordation of a $570 thousand loss on the sale of a non-performing loan during the fourth quarter.

Non-interest expense decreased by $2.2 million, or 13.3 percent, to $14.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2024 from $16.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease in these expenses for the fourth quarter of 2024 was driven by lower salaries and benefits expense, which declined $857 thousand. The fourth quarter of 2023 salaries and benefits included a previously disclosed one-time payment of $1.17 million to a former executive officer. Professional fees, regulatory assessment fees and advertising and promotional costs also declined by $388 thousand, $373 thousand, and $191 thousand, respectively.

The income tax provision decreased by $1.3 million, or 48.4 percent, to $1.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2024. The provision was $2.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. The consolidated effective tax rate was 29.0 percent for the fourth quarter of 2024 and 29.9 percent for the fourth quarter of 2023.

Year-to-Date Income Statement Review

Net income decreased by $10.9 million, or 36.8 percent, to $18.6 million for the twelve months of 2024 from $29.5 million for the twelve months of 2023. The decrease in net income was driven, primarily, by lower net interest income of $12.0 million, or 11.6 percent, and an increase in the provision for credit losses by $5.5 million.

Net interest income decreased by $12.0 million, or 11.6 percent, to $92.0 million for the first twelve months of 2024 from $104.1 million for the twelve months of 2023. The decrease in net interest income resulted from an increase in interest expense of $17.7 million, partly offset by an increase in interest income of $5.6 million.

Interest income increased by $5.6 million, or 3.0 percent, to $194.0 million for the twelve months of 2024, from $188.4 million for the twelve months of 2023. The increase was due to an increase of 22 basis points on interest earning assets, from 5.16 percent to 5.38 percent. Offsetting this, somewhat, was a decrease in average interest earning assets of $47.5 million, for the comparable period, which was comprised of a decrease in average loans of $84.8 million offset by an increase in average other interest-earning assets of $37.6 million.

Interest expense increased by $17.7 million, or 21.0 percent, to $102.0 million for 2024, from $84.3 million for 2023. This increase resulted primarily from an increase in the average rate on interest-bearing liabilities of 64 basis points to 3.57 percent for the twelve months of 2024, from 2.93 percent for the twelve months of 2023. Offsetting this was a decrease in average interest bearing liabilities of $18.5 million over the same comparable time period.

Net interest margin was 2.55 percent for the twelve months of 2024, compared to 2.85 percent for the twelve months of 2023. The decrease in the net interest margin compared to the prior period was largely the result of an increase in the cost of the Bank’s interest-bearing liabilities.

During the twelve months of 2024, the Company experienced $10.4 million in net charge offs compared to $704 thousand in net charge offs for the same period in 2023. The provision for credit losses was $11.6 million for the twelve months of 2024 compared to $6.1 million for the same period in 2023.

Non-interest income decreased by $1.1 million to $2.9 million for the twelve months of 2024 from $4.1 million for the twelve months of 2023. The decrease was due to losses on sales of loans of $5.3 million. This was offset by realized and unrealized gains or losses on equity investments, which were $3.7 million greater, and income on Bank-owned Life Insurance (BOLI), which was $883 thousand higher, for the comparable period. The realized and unrealized gains or losses on equity investments are based on prevailing market conditions.

Non-interest expense decreased by $3.5 million, or 5.7 percent, to $57.1 million for the twelve months of 2024 from $60.6 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease in operating expenses for 2024 was driven primarily by decreases in salaries and employee benefits of $2.6 million and advertising and promotional costs of $485 thousand. The 2023 salaries and benefits expense included the payment to a former executive described above.

The income tax provision decreased by $4.3 million, or 36.6 percent to $7.6 million for the twelve months of 2024 from $12.0 million for the same period in 2023. The consolidated effective tax rate was 29.1 percent for the twelve months of 2024 compared to 28.9 percent for the twelve months of 2023.

Asset Quality

During the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company recognized $4.1 million in net charge offs, compared to $233 thousand in net charge offs for the fourth quarter of 2023.

The Bank had non-accrual loans totaling $44.7 million, or 1.48 percent of gross loans, at December 31, 2024, as compared to $18.8 million, or 0.57 percent of gross loans, at December 31, 2023. The allowance for credit losses on loans was $34.8 million, or 1.15 percent of gross loans, at December 31, 2024, and $33.6 million, or 1.01 percent of gross loans, at December 31, 2023. The allowance for credit losses on loans was 77.8 percent of non-accrual loans at December 31, 2024, and 178.9 percent of non-accrual loans at December 31, 2023.

About BCB Bancorp, Inc.

BCB Bancorp, Inc. is a New Jersey corporation established in 2003, and is the holding company parent of BCB Community Bank. The Company has not engaged in any significant business activity other than owning all of the outstanding common stock of the Bank. Established in 2000 and headquartered in Bayonne, N.J., the Bank is the wholly-owned subsidiary of BCB Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BCBP). The Bank has twenty-three New Jersey branch offices in Bayonne, Edison, Hoboken, Fairfield, Holmdel, Jersey City, Lyndhurst, Maplewood, Monroe Township, Newark, Parsippany, Plainsboro, River Edge, Rutherford, South Orange, Union, and Woodbridge, New Jersey, and four New York branch offices in Hicksville and Staten Island, New York. The Bank provides businesses and individuals a wide range of loans, deposit products, and retail and commercial banking services. For more information, please go to www.bcb.bank.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release, like many written and oral communications presented by BCB Bancorp, Inc., and our authorized officers, may contain certain forward-looking statements regarding our prospective performance and strategies within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are including this statement for purposes of said safe harbor provisions. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe future plans, strategies, and expectations of the Company, are generally identified by use of words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,” “strive,” “try,” or future or conditional verbs such as “could,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or similar expressions. Our ability to predict results or the actual effects of our plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Accordingly, actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

The most significant factor that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated by our forward-looking statements include the ongoing impact of higher inflation levels and higher interest rates concerns, all of which could impact economic growth and could cause a reduction in financial transactions and business activities, including decreased deposits and reduced loan originations, our ability to manage liquidity and capital in a rapidly changing and unpredictable market, and supply chain disruptions.. Other factors that could cause future results to vary materially from current management expectations as reflected in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the global impact of the military conflicts in the Ukraine and the Middle East; unfavorable economic conditions in the United States generally and particularly in our primary market area; the Company’s ability to effectively attract and deploy deposits; the impact of any future pandemics or other natural disasters; changes in the Company’s corporate strategies, the composition of its assets, or the way in which it funds those assets; shifts in investor sentiment or behavior in the securities, capital, or other financial markets, including changes in market liquidity or volatility; the effects of declines in real estate values that may adversely impact the collateral underlying our loans; increase in unemployment levels and slowdowns in economic growth; our level of non-performing assets and the costs associated with resolving any problem loans including litigation and other costs; the impact of changes in interest rates and the credit quality and strength of underlying collateral and the effect of such changes on the market value of our loan and investment securities portfolios; the credit risk associated with our loan portfolio; changes in the quality and composition of the Bank’s loan and investment portfolios; changes in our ability to access cost-effective funding; deposit flows; legislative and regulatory changes, including increases in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, insurance rates; monetary and fiscal policies of the federal and state governments; changes in tax policies, rates and regulations of federal, state and local tax authorities; demands for our loan products; demand for financial services; competition; changes in the securities or secondary mortgage markets; changes in management’s business strategies; changes in consumer spending; our ability to retain key employees; the effects of any reputational, credit, interest rate, market, operational, legal, liquidity, or regulatory risk; expanding regulatory requirements which could adversely affect operating results; civil unrest in the communities that we serve; and other factors discussed elsewhere in this report, and in other reports we filed with the SEC, including under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, and our other periodic reports that we file with the SEC.

Annualized, pro forma, projected and estimated numbers are used for illustrative purpose only, are not forecasts and may not reflect actual results.

Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Reported amounts are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). This press release also contains certain supplemental Non-GAAP information that the Company’s management uses in its analysis of the Company’s financial results. The Company’s management believes that providing this information to analysts and investors allows them to better understand and evaluate the Company’s financial results for the periods in question.

The Company provides measurements and ratios based on tangible stockholders’ equity and efficiency ratios. These measures are utilized by regulators and market analysts to evaluate a company’s financial condition and, therefore, the Company’s management believes that such information is useful to investors. For a reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP financial measures included in this press release, see “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below.


	Statements of Income – Three Months Ended,
	December 31, 2024			September 30, 2024		December 31, 2023		Dec 31, 2024 vs. Sept 30, 2024		Dec 31, 2024 vs. Dec 31, 2023
Interest and dividend income:	(In thousands, except per share amounts, Unaudited)
Loans, including fees	$	41,431		$	42,857	$	43,893	-3.3	%	-5.6	%
Mortgage-backed securities		473			303		293	56.1	%	61.4	%
Other investment securities		978			994		991	-1.6	%	-1.3	%
FHLB stock and other interest-earning assets		3,771			4,472		4,527	-15.7	%	-16.7	%
Total interest and dividend income		46,653			48,626		49,704	-4.1	%	-6.1	%

Interest expense:
Deposits:
Demand		5,866			5,686		5,015	3.2	%	17.0	%
Savings and club		156			146		177	6.8	%	-11.9	%
Certificates of deposit		12,218			13,670		13,308	-10.6	%	-8.2	%
		18,240			19,502		18,500	-6.5	%	-1.4	%
Borrowings		6,219			6,079		7,282	2.3	%	-14.6	%
Total interest expense		24,459			25,581		25,782	-4.4	%	-5.1	%

Net interest income		22,194			23,045		23,922	-3.7	%	-7.2	%
Provision for credit losses		4,154			2,890		1,927	43.7	%	115.6	%

Net interest income after provision for credit losses		18,040			20,155		21,995	-10.5	%	-18.0	%

Non-interest income income (loss) :
Fees and service charges		1,187			1,196		1,445	-0.8	%	-17.9	%
(Loss) gain on sales of loans		(554	)		35		11	-1682.9	%	-5136.4	%
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on equity investments		(661	)		1,132		1,029	-158.4	%	-164.2	%
Bank-owned life insurance (“BOLI”) income		636			652		597	-2.5	%	6.5	%
Other		330			112		69	194.6	%	378.3	%
Total non-interest income		938			3,127		3,228	-70.0	%	-70.9	%

Non-interest expense:
Salaries and employee benefits		7,117			7,139		7,974	-0.3	%	-10.7	%
Occupancy and equipment		2,483			2,591		2,606	-4.2	%	-4.7	%
Data processing and communications		1,754			1,681		1,721	4.3	%	1.9	%
Professional fees		599			618		987	-3.1	%	-39.3	%
Director fees		269			351		274	-23.4	%	-1.8	%
Regulatory assessment fees		769			666		1,142	15.5	%	-32.7	%
Advertising and promotions		212			182		403	16.5	%	-47.4	%
Other real estate owned, net		–			–		4	0.0	%	-100.0	%
Other		1,164			701		1,457	66.0	%	-20.1	%
Total non-interest expense		14,367			13,929		16,568	3.1	%	-13.3	%

Income before income tax provision		4,611			9,353		8,655	-50.7	%	-46.7	%
Income tax provision		1,339			2,685		2,593	-50.1	%	-48.4	%

Net Income		3,272			6,668		6,062	-50.9	%	-46.0	%
Preferred stock dividends		475			475		182	-0.0	%	160.7	%
Net Income available to common stockholders	$	2,797		$	6,193	$	5,880	-54.8	%	-52.4	%

Net Income per common share-basic and diluted
Basic	$	0.16		$	0.36	$	0.35	-54.9	%	-52.9	%
Diluted	$	0.16		$	0.36	$	0.35	-54.9	%	-53.0	%

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding
Basic		17,056			17,039		16,876	0.1	%	1.1	%
Diluted		17,108			17,064		16,884	0.3	%	1.3	%

	Statements of Income – Twelve Months Ended,
	December 31, 2024			December 31, 2023			Dec 31, 2024 vs. Dec 31, 2023
Interest and dividend income:	(In thousands, except per share amounts, Unaudited)
Loans, including fees	$	172,046		$	169,559		1.5	%
Mortgage-backed securities		1,378			880		56.6	%
Other investment securities		3,953			4,226		-6.5	%
FHLB stock and other interest-earning assets		16,632			13,695		21.4	%
Total interest and dividend income		194,009			188,360		3.0	%

Interest expense:
Deposits:
Demand		22,158			16,915		31.0	%
Savings and club		620			620		0.0	%
Certificates of deposit		55,442			39,157		41.6	%
		78,220			56,692		38.0	%
Borrowings		23,768			27,606		-13.9	%
Total interest expense		101,988			84,298		21.0	%

Net interest income		92,021			104,062		-11.6	%
Provision for credit losses		11,570			6,104		89.5	%

Net interest income after provision for credit losses		80,451			97,958		-17.9	%

Non-interest income:
Fees and service charges		4,717			5,334		-11.6	%
(Loss) gain on sales of loans		(5,325	)		36		-14891.7	%
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on equity investments		379			(3,361	)	-111.3	%
Bank-owned life insurance (“BOLI”) income		2,634			1,751		50.4	%
Other		535			251		113.1	%
Total non-interest income		2,940			4,088		-28.1	%

Non-interest expense:
Salaries and employee benefits		28,229			30,827		-8.4	%
Occupancy and equipment		10,247			10,340		-0.9	%
Data processing and communications		6,960			6,968		-0.1	%
Professional fees		2,416			2,735		-11.7	%
Director fees		1,151			1,083		6.3	%
Regulatory assessments		3,530			3,585		-1.5	%
Advertising and promotions		863			1,348		-36.0	%
Other real estate owned, net		–			7		-100.0	%
Other		3,725			3,698		0.7	%
Total non-interest expense		57,121			60,591		-5.7	%

Income before income tax provision		26,270			41,455		-36.6	%
Income tax provision		7,647			11,972		-36.1	%

Net Income		18,623			29,483		-36.8	%
Preferred stock dividends		1,832			702		160.9	%
Net Income available to common stockholders	$	16,791		$	28,781		-41.7	%

Net Income per common share-basic and diluted
Basic	$	0.99		$	1.71		-42.1	%
Diluted	$	0.99		$	1.70		-42.0	%

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding
Basic		17,007			16,870		0.8	%
Diluted		17,018			16,932		0.5	%

Statements of Financial Condition	December 31, 2024			September 30, 2024			December 31, 2023			Dec 31, 2024 vs. Sept 30, 2024		Dec 31, 2024 vs. Dec 31, 2023
ASSETS	(In Thousands, Unaudited)
Cash and amounts due from depository institutions	$	14,075		$	12,617		$	16,597		11.6	%	-15.2	%
Interest-earning deposits		303,207			230,506			262,926		31.5	%	15.3	%
Total cash and cash equivalents		317,282			243,123			279,523		30.5	%	13.5	%

Interest-earning time deposits		735			735			735		–		–
Debt securities available for sale		101,717			98,169			87,769		3.6	%	15.9	%
Equity investments		9,472			10,133			9,093		-6.5	%	4.2	%
Loans held for sale		–			250			1,287		-100.0	%	-100.0	%
Loans receivable, net of allowance for credit losses on loans of $34,789, $34,693 and $33,608, respectively		2,996,259			3,087,914			3,279,708		-3.0	%	-8.6	%
Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (“FHLB”) stock, at cost		24,272			24,732			24,917		-1.9	%	-2.6	%
Premises and equipment, net		12,569			12,008			13,057		4.7	%	-3.7	%
Accrued interest receivable		15,176			16,496			16,072		-8.0	%	-5.6	%
Deferred income taxes		17,181			17,370			18,213		-1.1	%	-5.7	%
Goodwill and other intangibles		5,253			5,253			5,253		0.0	%	0.0	%
Operating lease right-of-use asset		12,686			13,438			12,935		-5.6	%	-1.9	%
Bank-owned life insurance (“BOLI”)		76,040			75,404			73,407		0.8	%	3.6	%
Other assets		10,476			8,745			10,428		19.8	%	0.5	%
Total Assets	$	3,599,118		$	3,613,770		$	3,832,397		-0.4	%	-6.1	%

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

LIABILITIES
Non-interest bearing deposits	$	520,387		$	528,089		$	536,264		-1.5	%	-3.0	%
Interest bearing deposits		2,230,471			2,196,491			2,442,816		1.5	%	-8.7	%
Total deposits		2,750,858			2,724,580			2,979,080		1.0	%	-7.7	%
FHLB advances		455,361			466,424			472,811		-2.4	%	-3.7	%
Subordinated debentures		42,961			67,042			37,624		-35.9	%	14.2	%
Operating lease liability		13,139			13,878			13,315		-5.3	%	-1.3	%
Other liabilities		12,874			13,733			15,512		-6.3	%	-17.0	%
Total Liabilities		3,275,193			3,285,657			3,518,342		-0.3	%	-6.9	%

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Preferred stock: $0.01 par value, 10,000 shares authorized		–			–			–		–		–
Additional paid-in capital preferred stock		24,723			29,763			25,043		-16.9	%	-1.3	%
Common stock: no par value, 40,000 shares authorized		–			–			–		0.0	%	0.0	%
Additional paid-in capital common stock		200,935			200,605			198,923		0.2	%	1.0	%
Retained earnings		141,853			141,770			135,927		0.1	%	4.4	%
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(5,239	)		(5,678	)		(7,491	)	-7.7	%	-30.1	%
Treasury stock, at cost		(38,347	)		(38,347	)		(38,347	)	0.0	%	0.0	%
Total Stockholders’ Equity		323,925			328,113			314,055		-1.3	%	3.1	%

Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity	$	3,599,118		$	3,613,770		$	3,832,397		-0.4	%	-6.1	%

Outstanding common shares		17,063			17,048			16,904

	Three Months Ended December 31,
		2024						2023
	Average Balance		Interest Earned/Paid		Average Yield/Rate (3)		Average Balance		Interest Earned/Paid		Average Yield/Rate (3)
	(Dollars in thousands)
Interest-earning assets:
Loans Receivable⁽⁴⁾⁽⁵⁾	$	3,081,846	$	41,431	5.38	%	$	3,311,946	$	43,893	5.30	%
Investment Securities		110,447		1,451	5.26	%		93,638		1,284	5.48	%
Other Interest-earning assets⁽⁶⁾		309,804		3,771	4.87	%		323,064		4,527	5.61	%
Total Interest-earning assets		3,502,097		46,653	5.33	%		3,728,648		49,704	5.33	%
Non-interest-earning assets		124,554						124,809
Total assets	$	3,626,651					$	3,853,457
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Interest-bearing demand accounts	$	551,971	$	2,682	1.94	%	$	578,890	$	2,184	1.51	%
Money market accounts		380,136		3,184	3.35	%		359,366		2,832	3.15	%
Savings accounts		254,093		156	0.25	%		288,108		177	0.25	%
Certificates of Deposit		1,048,341		12,218	4.66	%		1,140,656		13,307	4.67	%
Total interest-bearing deposits		2,234,541		18,240	3.27	%		2,367,020		18,500	3.13	%
Borrowed funds		508,113		6,219	4.90	%		622,860		7,282	4.68	%
Total interest-bearing liabilities		2,742,654		24,459	3.57	%		2,989,880		25,782	3.45	%
Non-interest-bearing liabilities		560,345						557,156
Total liabilities		3,302,999						3,547,036
Stockholders’ equity		323,652						306,420
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	3,626,651					$	3,853,457
Net interest income			$	22,194					$	23,922
Net interest rate spread⁽¹⁾					1.76	%					1.88	%
Net interest margin⁽²⁾					2.53	%					2.57	%

^{(1) Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the average yield on average interest-earning assets and the average cost of average interest-bearing liabilities.}
^{(2) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets.}
^{(3) Annualized.}
^{(4) Excludes allowance for credit losses.}
^{(5) Includes non-accrual loans.}
^{(6) Includes Federal Home Loan Bank of New York Stock.}

	Year Ended December 31,
		2024						2023
	Average Balance		Interest Earned/Paid		Average Yield/Rate (3)		Average Balance		Interest Earned/Paid		Average Yield/Rate (3)
	(Dollars in thousands)
Interest-earning assets:
Loans Receivable⁽⁴⁾⁽⁵⁾	$	3,196,538	$	172,046	5.38	%	$	3,281,334	$	169,559	5.17	%
Investment Securities		99,733		5,331	5.35	%		100,000		5,106	5.11	%
Other interest-earning assets⁽⁶⁾		308,248		16,632	5.40	%		270,659		13,695	5.06	%
Total Interest-earning assets		3,604,519		194,009	5.38	%		3,651,993		188,360	5.16	%
Non-interest-earning assets		124,441						123,652
Total assets	$	3,728,960					$	3,775,645
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Interest-bearing demand accounts	$	553,013	$	9,701	1.75	%	$	658,023	$	8,426	1.28	%
Money market accounts		372,205		12,457	3.35	%		334,353		8,489	2.54	%
Savings accounts		264,430		620	0.23	%		305,778		620	0.20	%
Certificates of Deposit		1,153,235		55,442	4.81	%		980,617		39,157	3.99	%
Total interest-bearing deposits		2,342,883		78,220	3.34	%		2,278,771		56,692	2.49	%
Borrowed funds		511,916		23,768	4.64	%		594,564		27,606	4.64	%
Total interest-bearing liabilities		2,854,799		101,988	3.57	%		2,873,335		84,298	2.93	%
Non-interest-bearing liabilities		554,037						602,691
Total liabilities		3,408,836						3,476,026
Stockholders’ equity		320,124						299,618
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	3,728,960					$	3,775,644
Net interest income			$	92,021					$	104,062
Net interest rate spread⁽¹⁾					1.81	%					2.22	%
Net interest margin⁽²⁾					2.55	%					2.85	%

^{(1) Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the average yield on average interest-earning assets and the average cost of average interest-bearing liabilities.}
^{(2) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets.}
^{(3) Annualized.}
^{(4) Excludes allowance for credit losses.}
^{(5) Includes non-accrual loans.}
^{(6) Includes Federal Home Loan Bank of New York Stock.}

	Financial Condition data by quarter
	Q4 2024			Q3 2024			Q2 2024			Q1 2024			Q4 2023

	(In thousands, except book values)
Total assets	$	3,599,118		$	3,613,770		$	3,793,941		$	3,849,195		$	3,832,397
Cash and cash equivalents		317,282			243,123			326,870			352,448			279,523
Securities		111,189			108,302			94,965			96,189			96,862
Loans receivable, net		2,996,259			3,087,914			3,161,925			3,226,877			3,279,708
Deposits		2,750,858			2,724,580			2,935,239			2,991,659			2,979,080
Borrowings		498,322			533,466			510,710			510,573			510,435
Stockholders’ equity		323,925			328,113			320,732			320,131			314,055
Book value per common share¹	$	17.54		$	17.50		$	17.17		$	17.24		$	17.10
Tangible book value per common share²	$	17.23		$	17.19		$	16.86		$	16.93		$	16.79

	Operating data by quarter
	Q4 2024			Q3 2024			Q2 2024			Q1 2024			Q4 2023
	(In thousands, except for per share amounts)
Net interest income	$	22,194		$	23,045		$	23,639		$	23,143		$	23,922
Provision for credit losses		4,154			2,890			2,438			2,088			1,927
Non-interest income (loss)		938			3,127			(3,234	)		2,109			3,228
Non-interest expense		14,367			13,929			13,987			14,838			16,568
Income tax expense		1,339			2,685			1,163			2,460			2,593
Net income	$	3,272		$	6,668		$	2,817		$	5,866		$	6,062
Net income per diluted share	$	0.16		$	0.36		$	0.14		$	0.32		$	0.35
Common Dividends declared per share	$	0.16		$	0.16		$	0.16		$	0.16		$	0.16

	Financial Ratios(3)
	Q4 2024			Q3 2024			Q2 2024			Q1 2024			Q4 2023
Return on average assets		0.36	%		0.72	%		0.30	%		0.61	%		0.63	%
Return on average stockholders’ equity		4.04	%		8.29	%		3.52	%		7.46	%		7.91	%
Net interest margin		2.53	%		2.58	%		2.60	%		2.50	%		2.57	%
Stockholders’ equity to total assets		9.00	%		9.08	%		8.45	%		8.32	%		8.19	%
Efficiency Ratio⁴		62.11	%		53.22	%		68.55	%		58.76	%		61.02	%

	Asset Quality Ratios
	Q4 2024			Q3 2024			Q2 2024			Q1 2024			Q4 2023
	(In thousands, except for ratio %)
Non-Accrual Loans	$	44,708		$	35,330		$	32,448		$	22,241		$	18,783
Non-Accrual Loans as a % of Total Loans		1.48	%		1.13	%		1.01	%		0.68	%		0.57	%
ACL as % of Non-Accrual Loans		77.8	%		98.2	%		108.6	%		155.4	%		178.9	%
Individually Analyzed Loans		83,399			66,048			60,798			65,731			54,019
Classified Loans		152,714			98,316			87,033			97,739			85,727

^{(1) Calculated by dividing stockholders’ equity, less preferred equity, to shares outstanding.}
^{(2) Calculated by dividing tangible stockholders’ common equity, a non-GAAP measure, by shares outstanding. Tangible stockholders’ common equity is stockholders’ equity less goodwill and preferred stock. See “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures by quarter.”}
^{(3) Ratios are presented on an annualized basis, where appropriate.}
^{(4) The Efficiency Ratio, a non-GAAP measure, was calculated by dividing non-interest expense by the total of net interest income and non-interest income. See “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures by quarter.”}

	Recorded Investment in Loans Receivable by quarter
	Q4 2024			Q3 2024			Q2 2024			Q1 2024			Q4 2023
	(In thousands)
Residential one-to-four family	$	239,870		$	241,050		$	242,706		$	244,762		$	248,295
Commercial and multi-family		2,246,677			2,296,886			2,340,385			2,392,970			2,434,115
Construction		135,434			146,471			173,207			180,975			192,816
Commercial business		342,799			371,365			375,355			378,073			372,202
Home equity		66,769			67,566			66,843			65,518			66,331
Consumer		2,235			2,309			2,053			2,847			3,643
	$	3,033,784		$	3,125,647		$	3,200,549		$	3,265,145		$	3,317,402
Less:
Deferred loan fees, net		(2,736	)		(3,040	)		(3,381	)		(3,705	)		(4,086	)
Allowance for credit losses		(34,789	)		(34,693	)		(35,243	)		(34,563	)		(33,608	)

Total loans, net	$	2,996,259		$	3,087,914		$	3,161,925		$	3,226,877		$	3,279,708

	Non-Accruing Loans in Portfolio by quarter
	Q4 2024			Q3 2024			Q2 2024			Q1 2024			Q4 2023
	(In thousands)
Residential one-to-four family	$	1,387		$	410		$	350		$	429		$	270
Commercial and multi-family		32,973			27,693			27,796			12,627			8,684
Construction		586			586			586			3,225			4,292
Commercial business		10,530			6,498			3,673			5,916			5,491
Home equity		231			123			43			44			46
Consumer		–			20			–			–			–
Total:	$	45,707		$	35,330		$	32,448		$	22,241		$	18,783

	Distribution of Deposits by quarter
	Q4 2024			Q3 2024			Q2 2024			Q1 2024			Q4 2023
	(In thousands)
Demand:
Non-Interest Bearing	$	520,387		$	528,089		$	523,816		$	531,112		$	536,264
Interest Bearing		553,731			527,862			549,239			552,295			564,912
Money Market		395,004			366,655			371,689			361,791			370,934
Sub-total:	$	1,469,122		$	1,422,606		$	1,444,744		$	1,445,198		$	1,472,110
Savings and Club		252,491			255,115			258,680			272,051			284,273
Certificates of Deposit		1,029,245			1,046,859			1,231,815			1,274,410			1,222,697
Total Deposits:	$	2,750,858		$	2,724,580		$	2,935,239		$	2,991,659		$	2,979,080

	Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures by quarter

	Tangible Book Value per Share
	Q4 2024			Q3 2024			Q2 2024			Q1 2024			Q4 2023
	(In thousands, except per share amounts)
Total Stockholders’ Equity	$	323,925		$	328,113		$	320,732		$	320,131		$	314,055
Less: goodwill		5,253			5,253			5,253			5,253			5,253
Less: preferred stock		24,723			29,763			28,403			27,733			25,043
Total tangible common stockholders’ equity		293,949			293,097			287,076			287,145			283,759
Shares common shares outstanding		17,063			17,048			17,029			16,957			16,904
Book value per common share	$	17.54		$	17.50		$	17.17		$	17.24		$	17.10
Tangible book value per common share	$	17.23		$	17.19		$	16.86		$	16.93		$	16.79

	Efficiency Ratios
	Q4 2024			Q3 2024			Q2 2024			Q1 2024			Q4 2023
	(In thousands, except for ratio %)
Net interest income	$	22,194		$	23,045		$	23,639		$	23,143		$	23,922
Non-interest income (loss)		938			3,127			(3,234	)		2,109			3,228
Total income		23,132			26,172			20,405			25,252			27,150
Non-interest expense		14,367			13,929			13,987			14,838			16,568
Efficiency Ratio		62.11	%		53.22	%		68.55	%		58.76	%		61.02	%

CONTACT:	MICHAEL SHRINER,
	PRESIDENT & CEO
	JAWAD CHAUDHRY,
	EVP & CFO
	(201) 823-0700

The MIL Network –

January 29, 2025

MIL-OSI: 1GLOBAL taps Nokia voice and packet core solutions to enhance network operations in existing markets, expand new ones
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Press Release

1GLOBAL taps Nokia voice and packet core solutions to enhance network operations in existing markets, expand new ones
- Deal swaps out competitors and includes Nokia Evolved Packet Core (EPC), Nokia IMS Voice Core, and Nokia NetGuard security solutions.
- EPC will be deployed in eight countries, including Australia, the UK, and the US, while Nokia IMS Voice Core will be rolled out in three markets, including the Netherlands.
XX January 2025

Espoo, Finland – 1GLOBAL, a leading communications services provider and MVNO active in nine major markets across the globe, has selected Nokia core and security solutions to help the operator enhance and optimize network operations in existing markets like the UK and US, while rolling out services in new territories such as Brazil, South America’s largest telecoms market.

Hakan Koç, co-Founder & CEO of 1GLOBAL, said: “Our mission at 1Global is to offer device and communications solutions that connect people, networks, and devices instantly and at scale anywhere around the world. We are pleased to partner with Nokia to further strengthen 1GLOBAL’s network operations. This will enable us to roll out new services that elevate our network quality and the overall customer experience more quickly, securely, and flexibly. Technological excellence and delivering value to our customers are at the heart of everything we do at 1Global. Nokia shares this vision, which makes them a great partner for us as we execute the next phase of 1Global’s ambitious growth strategy.”

1GLOBAL will use several Nokia products to enhance its networks, including Nokia Evolved Packet Core, Nokia IMS Voice Core, and Nokia NetGuard security solutions. 1GLOBAL will employ Nokia Evolved Packet Core to more effectively manage data traffic running through its networks, including internet access and data calls. It will be deployed in several markets, including Australia, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US.

Nokia IMS Voice Core, a fully cloud-native architecture with flexible scaling, will improve 1GLOBAL’s time to market and provisioning of new voice, video, and messaging services. Nokia IMS Voice Core will help 1GLOBAL optimize its network management through automation while providing the company with the flexibility to choose the infrastructure of its choice, a key pillar of Nokia’s multi-cloud strategy.

1GLOBAL will also utilize NetGuard Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) to protect against rising cyber threats. NetGuard EDR is a telco-specific threat detection product that provides real-time, automated monitoring of network infrastructure for rapid detection and mitigation of security incidents.

Erez Sverdlov, Vice President, Cloud and Network Services Market Leader for Europe at Nokia, said: “We are thrilled to take this important step of providing 1GLOBAL with several Nokia solutions that will upgrade its core network infrastructure and applications to be fully cloud-native, and deliver a more advanced, secure, and reliable network experience for its subscribers.”

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.

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.

About 1 Global

1GLOBAL empowers its partners and clients with transformative technologies, strategic communications solutions and future-proof connectivity. By pioneering global connectivity solutions, 1GLOBAL leads the new generation of digital transformation with a suite of products designed to revolutionize communication and compliance across borders. Every offering reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence for Enterprise Clients, IoT Customers, Mobile Operators, Financial Institutions and many more global businesses.

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

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The MIL Network –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI: NANO Nuclear Energy Expands Intellectual Property Portfolio with Acquisition of Key Worldwide Patents for Composite Moderator for Nuclear Reactor Systems
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

New York, N.Y., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today highlighted additional important patents recently acquired from Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. (USNC), which augment protections for NANO Nuclear’s modular microreactor technologies under development.

Patent No. US 11,264,141 B2, titled “Composite Moderator for Nuclear Reactor Systems,” relates to the design and construction of composite moderators with a view towards improving safety and waste management by addressing graphite oxidation found in conventional, individual moderator systems. Additionally, the patented advanced design reduces waste and structural deterioration, enabling the moderator to serve throughout the fuel’s lifecycle without requiring replacement in the reactor core. This intellectual property is expected to enhance the protections for NANO Nuclear’s own proprietary advanced portable ZEUS and ODIN microreactors, as well the KRONOS MMR^™ and LOKI MMR^™ reactors, all of which are currently in development.

The U.S. patent is accompanied by related patents issued in Canada, the Russian Federation, Japan, The People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and by the European Patent Office. An application with the World Intellectual Property Organization is currently in progress. Today’s announcement follows last week’s announcement of NANO Nuclear’s acquisition of patents from USNC supporting modular transportable reactors with variable operations and multiple core configurations and applications, including the generation of electric power and process heat.

Figure 1 – NANO Nuclear expands intellectual property portfolio to protect proprietary advanced portable ZEUS and ODIN microreactors, as well the KRONOS MMR^™ and LOKI MMR^™ reactors, all of which are currently in development.

“As our technical teams continue their deeper exploration of the various nuclear technology patents we acquired from USNC, the benefits that these pivotal patents will provide to our development plans becomes more apparent,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Reactor Development of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Regarding the composite moderator patent highlighted today, this innovative design is expected to reduce the maintenance requirements of our modular, portable nuclear reactors while improving overall performance. We believe it will also play a key role in eliminating excess waste byproducts, enabling NANO Nuclear to build cleaner, more robust and cost-effective energy systems.”

“The addition of this world-class intellectual property to our portfolio is key in the development and eventual deployment of our innovative, portable and secure nuclear energy systems,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Improving the functionality of these critical parts enables us to cut down the waste produced during operation and create a safer and more efficient product. These important patents not only create the potential to improve performance but also underscores our commitment to sustainability and thoughtful design.”

About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors. NANO Nuclear is also developing patented stationary KRONOS MMR^™ Energy System and space focused, portable LOKI MMR^™.

Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR^™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.

For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:
Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
Business Tel: (212) 634-9206

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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the recently acquired intellectual property described herein. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

Attachment
- NANO Nuclear Energy Inc.
The MIL Network –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mayor delighted to launch Feel the Beat: An Afro-Inspired Bank Holiday Celebration

Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

Mayor delighted to launch Feel the Beat: An Afro-Inspired Bank Holiday Celebration

28 January 2025

The amazing sound and incredible energy of Afrobeats is set to vibrate around St Columb’s Hall at a special fundraising night planned by the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council for Spring this year.

Feel the Beat: An Afro-Inspired Bank Holiday Celebration will feature top DJs Renzo Rose, DJ Rob and DJ Lui who will play a mix of Afrobeats, amapiano, dancehall, hip-hop, R’n’B and commercial music guaranteed to have you on the dancefloor all night long.

Revealing her plans for Feel the Beat, which will take place on 25^th May 2025, Mayor Lilian Seenoi Barr said: “I am so excited to bring this night of Afrobeats to St Columb’s Hall. I would encourage everyone to come along and enjoy a night of incredible energy and top tunes. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never been to an Afrobeats event before, if you love music you’ll love this night.”

The event is planned as a fundraiser for the Bud Club, the charity the Mayor has chosen to support during her year in office. BUD is an inclusive provision for young people with disabilities and specific/complex needs.

Tickets are now on sale and the Mayor is encouraging people to get theirs early to avoid disappointment. She explained: “This night is perfect for anyone who loves energetic music and would enjoy a night full of friendship and positivity. And remember, by buying a ticket you will also be supporting the awesome Bud Club and all the work that they do. This is all possible because of the sponsorship support given by the Garvan O’Doherty group.

“So get your tickets now and get ready to dance like you have never danced before at Feel the Beat in St Columb’s Hall. I can’t wait to see you all on the dancefloor.”

Tickets for the Feel the Beat: An Afro-Inspired Bank Holiday Celebration are now on sale and can be purchased at https://AfroBeatCelebration.eventbrite.co.uk

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: AMERICA/USA – The Franciscans martyred because they refused to approve polygamy will be beatified

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Tuesday, 28 January 2025

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – They refused to approve the practice of polygamy among baptized Native Americans. For this they became martyrs. Four centuries after the events of 1597 in the coastal villages of Georgia, Pope Francis has authorized the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the Decree regarding the recognition of the martyrdom of the Servants of God Pedro da Corpa, Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos, Miguel de Añón, Antonio de Badajoz and Francisco de Veráscola.They were five religious of the Order of Friars Minor who were killed in the territory of the current diocese of Savannha in the United States of America “out of hatred of the faith”. All of them were Spanish and had set out as missionaries to spread the Gospel among the Guale people who lived on the coast of Georgia. In their villages polygamy was practiced.Friar Pedro de Corpa, who set out for the New Continent in 1587, arrived in the village of Tolomato (near present-day Darien) and, together with his confreres, decided to baptize an adult Guale only if he had entered into a monogamous marriage.Everything seemed to be going well but, as can be read on the official website of the Ordo Fratrum Minorum, which has published a detailed biography of the five missionaries after the announcement of the recognition of martyrdom, when a young local warrior named Juanillo, who had been baptized and already married, decided to take a second wife. The warrior, a nephew of the tribal chief, was to take charge of the village. In the end, Juanillo decided to ignore the warnings of Friar Pedro da Corpa regarding his baptismal obligation, left the mission and joined forces with other natives of the interior region against the Franciscan. In the first days of September 1597, the warriors attacked Friar Pedro in his hut, killing him with an axe.The hatred of the faith, as laid down in the decree published today, soon turned against the other four Friars Minor who lived in the other villages. The second to die was Friar Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos. At the time of the events, he was working in the village of Tupiquí, near what is now Eulonia. When he found himself facing the group of armed natives, knowing that his death was imminent, he asked for permission to celebrate his last Mass. This was granted, and at the end of the service he too was killed with an axe blow and his body was left in the forest to be eaten by the animals.Friar Miguel de Añón was a missionary on the island of Santa Catalina, along with lay brother Antonio de Badajoz. The chief warned the latter of the uprising that was spreading against the friars, but he did not flee, preferring to stay in the village with Friar Miguel. Both endured their martyrdom, which was preceded by much torture, in faith. Their bodies were buried in the village chapel. The last of the five Franciscans to be martyred was Friar Francisco de Veráscola. He was entrusted with the new mission on the island of Asao, now San Simón, opposite the present city of Brunswick, Georgia. His imposing stature and physical strength earned him the nickname “the Cantabrian giant”. This quality made him popular with the Guale youth, with whom he competed in wrestling and ball games. At the time of the death of his companions, he was not present: he had travelled by canoe to San Agustín to collect material for the chapel. When he arrived in Asao, he was immediately attacked by insurgents who killed him with an axe blow.Centuries later, in the diocese of Savannah, just over forty years ago, in 1981, the process for the beatification and canonization of these martyrs began, initiated by the American bishops. Now the decree recognizing the martyrdom of the five religious has been published. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 27/1/2025)
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January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/DR CONGO – Bishop of Goma: “The neonatal ward at the Charité Maternelle General Hospital is affected by fighting”

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – Fighting continues in Goma, the capital of North Kivu, which the M23 rebels took over between Sunday 26 and Monday 27 January (see Fides, 27/1/2025). The M23 forces are encountering resistance from soldiers of the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and pro-government Wazalando militiamen. Four other South African soldiers from the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) were killed in the clashes, after nine soldiers had already been killed in the last two days. The clashes are concentrated in the area of the airport, which has now also been taken over by the M23.The situation in the city remains chaotic. There are fighting, power and communication outages and looting. Residents are fleeing the city. The World Food Programme (WFP) has meanwhile expressed concern about the suspension of the distribution of humanitarian aid in the region, which could lead to severe food shortages in the next 24 hours. In a message published yesterday, January 27, the Bishop of Goma, Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, reported “I am horrified to learn of the bombings, including those targeting the neonatal department of the Charité Maternelle General Hospital, resulting in the deaths of newborns, and the attack on the diocesan procuracy compound, which shattered the windows of the newly inaugurated building”. “I deplore the looting of certain businesses and warehouses by the population and, at times, by the military, further worsening an already dire humanitarian situation,” wrote the Bishop of Goma. “I urge all parties involved in the current armed conflict, as well as the population, to show absolute respect for human life and for private and public infrastructure, which must be preserved by all under any circumstances, in accordance with human dignity and international law” continues Mgr. Ngumbi Ngengele. The Bishop concludes by urging “the Clergy, Consecrated Persons, as well as the faithful, and all people of goodwill, to provide the necessary assistance to anyone in need”. Meanwhile, demonstrations are taking place in Kinshasa against the “invasion of Rwanda in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 28/1/2025)
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January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/TANZANIA – Resignation and appointment of the Bishop of Iringa

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Tuesday, 28 January 2025

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Iringa, Tanzania, presented by Bishop Tarcisius Ngalalekumtwa.The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Romanus Elamu Mihali, of the clergy of Mafinga, until now episcopal vicar for the clergy of the diocese of Mafinga and parish priest of Ujewa, as bishop of Iringa, Tanzania.Msgr. Romanus Elamu Mihali was born on 10 June 1969 in Itulituli, Mufindi, and studied philosophy and theology at Peramiho Major Seminary in Songea.He was ordained a priest on 13 July 2000 for the clergy of Iringa.After ordination, he first served as deputy parish priest of Saint Paul the Apostle in Ilula, Iringa (2000-2003) and teacher and formator at Saint Kizito Minor Seminary in Mafinga (2003-2005). He carried out his studies for a degree in zoological sciences, a degree in natural sciences, and a bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Kerala, India (2005-2011), and went on to hold the roles of deputy parish priest of Virgin Mary of Fatima in Usomaki, Iringa (2012-2015) and parish priest of Virgin Mary of the Assumption in Ujewa, Iringa (2015-2024).After the erection of the diocese of Mafinga in 2024, he was incardinated in the new diocese.Since 2024 he has served as parish priest of Virgin Mary of the Assumption in Ujewa, Mafinga, episcopal vicar for the clergy, and secretary for health of the diocese of Mafinga. (EG) (Agenzia Fides, 28/1/2025)
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January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICA – “Simplicity and poverty”: the words that extend Christmas to the rest of the year in Monasao

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Tuesday, 28 January 2025

SMA

Monasao (Agenzia Fides) – In Central Africa, the month of December was marked by a series of important celebrations, such as Republic Day (December 1st) and, for the Christian community, Christmas and New Year celebrations between December 31st and January 1st. Father Michele tells us how the Pygmies of the Monasao Mission lived these special days.”In Monasao there are many children. During the end-of-year celebrations, they go through the village asking for a sweet or something to eat after singing and wishing the family a happy new year,” says Father Michele Farina, a Fidei donum missionary from the Italian diocese of Savona who lives and works among the Bayaka Pygmy people.”In 2024 I celebrated my third Christmas in Monasao and if I had to choose a few words to sum up the way it is lived in our village, they would be simplicity and poverty. Thanks to these words that come to life here, Christmas in Monasao also extends to the rest of the year,” continues the priest, who is associated with the Society of African Missions (SMA). “Half of our village is inhabited by Bayaka pygmies (see Fides, 18/4/2023), most of whom live in huts (called hutte) that look very similar to a manger. These are very simple huts that the Bayaka have built in the forest. They are a semi-nomadic people who move according to the season to hunt, their main occupation. Having the necessary wood and foliage, they can build their huts in a day. They are small, hemispherical and have a small entrance from which every morning and every evening all the members of the family, even ten people, come and go. In the evening, they light a small fire in the middle of the hut to keep warm and to ward off insects.” “At Christmas, a small hut is also prepared in the church,” explains Father Michael, “in which the family of Nazareth is placed. The joy of this celebration characterizes the entire celebration in the church, with songs, dances and the donations in nature that people bring to the offertory. If the joy of meeting the Lord is so great every Sunday at Mass, then it is even greater at Christmas. There are not many things, just a few decorations made of simple drawings, scraps of paper and a few balloons hung on a string, a few palm branches and the hut with Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus transform the church to make Christmas even more solemn.”“There is no big meal on Christmas Eve, no special lunch on December 25 for the families in Monasao, apart from the usual menu: cassava, coconut leaves, a piece of meat for a few privileged people…,” concludes the missionary. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 28/1/2025)
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January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/MYANMAR – A missionary community in times of war: the Church of Yangon in synod, with its eyes turned towards suffering humanity

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Yangon (Agenzia Fides) – Building an authentically synodal community, which walks with Christ towards wounded humanity, and authentically missionary, capable of proclaiming the Gospel and bringing consolation in the difficulties and challenges of the present time, marked by a tragic civil conflict that is tearing the nation apart: it is in this spirit that the Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Yangon gathered yesterday, January 27, in the parish hall of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Yangon to begin a week of study and discussion, in order to continue and apply to the local context the ideas that emerged from the Synod on synodality. Alongside Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, were the auxiliary bishops, more than 60 priests, 50 religious and 55 lay delegates who brought their experience and the point of view of the communities and parishes scattered throughout the diocese.The participants discussed the need to be an “outgoing community” in a region where the entire population, and with it the Catholic community, is experiencing moments of discouragement, displacement, poverty and lack of basic necessities. The meeting, explained Father Hyginus Myint Soe, facilitator and moderator of the works, was held according to the “synodal method of conversation in the spirit”, which consists of listening together to the voice of the Holy Spirit, with a view to common discernment. This method, as experienced during the Synod in the Vatican, includes the phases of listening, reflection, prayer, discussion and decision-making. As Father Hyginus Myint Soe explains, “those present first shared their experiences, prayers and reflections. Then there was a silent prayer in which each participant shared his thoughts on what he had heard from the experiences of others.”The intention of the ecclesial assembly is to “renew the entire archdiocese, moving towards change and development, listening for six days to the Holy Spirit who invites us to synodal conversion.” For each theme, the priest indicated, “a discussion is planned, followed by a prayerful reflection before the Blessed Sacrament.”The points that will be addressed, during a dense week of common life, are diverse: the spirit of a synodal and missionary Church; the administration of the Church; the mission in the digital environment; the formation of faith; and also: education, priestly and religious life, socio-pastoral development, the condition of the family; the presence and life of ecclesial movements, the safeguarding of creation. The method of “conversation in the spirit” will be applied to each of these areas.One of the points that the Church of Yangon keeps in mind – while living in a “desert time”, immersed in a nation suffering from civil conflict – is that activity in churches is now reduced to a minimum and often limited to the celebration of the sacraments. The commitment of priests, religious and lay people is therefore to “get out of the comfort zone”, to go towards the needy, the burdened, those who, especially in rural areas, are victims of poverty or are prey to despair: where there is a lack of housing, work, food, daily subsistence, education for children and young people. The week of reflection and discernment will define the face of an outgoing community towards the poor and suffering humanity. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 28/1/2025)
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January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: To the participants and guests of the XXXIII International Christmas Educational Readings

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

In 2025, the International Christmas Educational Readings will be held in Moscow from January 26 to 30.

Your Holiness!

Dear friends!

Welcome to the XXXIII International Christmas Educational Readings.

The forum is taking place in the year of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. And it is symbolic that its central theme is dedicated to this significant date.

All these decades we have kept the memory of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. Of those who bravely fought at the front, worked in the rear, defeated fascism. The feat of our people today is the main moral guideline, helps to resist any external threats, defend national interests.

Recently, there have been increasing calls to revise the results of World War II and to belittle the significance of the Great Victory. It is necessary to stop any attempts to distort the truth about those events. Do everything so that young people study the history of the Fatherland, know at what price the liberation of the Motherland was won in 1941-1945. Pay special attention to the spiritual, moral and patriotic education of the younger generation. At present, this work is being carried out with the active participation of the Russian Orthodox Church, religious organizations of other traditional faiths, and the public.

I am confident that the recommendations and proposals prepared during your meeting will be put into practice and will serve to improve teaching activities.

I wish the participants and guests of the XXXIII International Christmas Educational Readings fruitful work, interesting discussions and all the best.

M. Mishustin

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: GUU presented the “Course on Business and Entrepreneurship” at the conference of thematic partners of “Artek”

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

The IX International Conference of Thematic Partners “Artek at 100%” was held in the International Children’s Center “Artek”, in which representatives of the State University of Management with the program “Course for Business and Entrepreneurship” took part.

The International Children’s Center “Artek” annually holds a competition for additional general development programs, and in the year of the 100th anniversary of “Artek”, which will be celebrated in 2025, this conference becomes a particularly important milestone in the history of the center, demonstrating its openness to cooperation.

This year, the center plans to implement more than 170 programs with the participation of 130 partners, in all areas that exist in the Russian Federation. Within the framework of partner programs, Artek will be visited by more than 17 thousand children from 89 regions of our vast homeland, as well as from foreign countries. The “red thread” of the anniversary year will be the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory and the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland. Patriotic events will also be implemented jointly with partner organizations.

It should be noted that for the second year in a row, the State University of Management has become the winner of the competition of additional general development programs. This time, on behalf of the State University of Management, the conference was attended by first-year master’s students in the Project Management program, Maria Larshina and Polina Ponikarovskaya, who are members of the project team of the Business and Entrepreneurship Course program. This program was developed on the initiative of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, and a large team of the best specialists from the State University of Management took part in its development.

The International Conference of Thematic Partners “Artek at 100” was held from January 19 to 22. On the first day of the conference, plenary sessions were held dedicated to the activities of Artek, key events of 2025 and the role of partner organizations in creating meaningful programs and the educational environment of the Artek Information Technology Center.

On the second day of the conference, the participants visited the Korsun Children’s Center, a branch of Artek in Sevastopol. Round tables were held there, as well as a ceremony to award certificates to the winners of the competition for additional general development programs. The winner’s certificate was presented to representatives of the State University of Management by the First Deputy Director of the Artek International Children’s Center, Elena Zhivoglyad. For the 100th anniversary of the International Children’s Center, a documentary film, Artek. 100 Years of Happy Childhood, was created together with the Media Glob team. The first viewers were thematic partners – participants of the IX International Conference.

On the last day of the conference “Artek at 100%” a festival of creativity was held, where participants were able to exchange experiences, ideas and their skills. The event featured more than 40 platforms from thematic partners of “Artek”. The State University of Management organized a point “Entrepreneurial Puzzle”, where participants could test their ingenuity and knowledge, as well as learn more about the additional general development program “Course on Business and Entrepreneurship”.

Let us add that the additional general development program “Course on Business and Entrepreneurship” is aimed at training qualified personnel for medium and small businesses by involving teenagers and young people. Its goal: to develop entrepreneurship competencies in students by means of interactive forms of training, project and game technologies. The main events of the program include: practical classes, conversations, discussions, project work in groups, business and role-playing games, quizzes.

Over the course of three days, representatives of partner organizations, together with Artek employees, developed mechanisms for integrating thematic programs into the educational process of the children’s center, discussed the regulatory framework for the partners’ activities, information and methodological support for the educational process, and much more.

Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 01/28/2025

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Law Library’s Newly Published Legal Report Titled, “Access to Information for Persons with Disabilities in Selected Jurisdictions”

Source: US Global Legal Monitor

The Law Library of Congress recently published a multinational report, Access to Information for Persons with Disabilities in Selected Jurisdictions, which provides individual surveys of selected jurisdictions and gives an overview of their legislation on access to information for persons with disabilities. Providing access constitutes one of the human rights protections specifically guaranteed under article 21 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Our research surveyed 27 jurisdictions, namely, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Congo (Democratic Republic), Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, England, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and Taiwan.

This report surveys how the rights of persons with disabilities are protected, notably, if a jurisdiction’s constitution expressly protects persons with disabilities. It further describes the rights to information, in particular legal information, access to justice, and culture, and includes current legislative proposals as they concern persons with disabilities. The report also surveys which jurisdictions offer publicly funded libraries that specifically serve the blind and visually impaired.

A majority of the jurisdictions surveyed are parties to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled and the jurisdictions have adopted legislation and procedures to make convenience copies of copyrighted material available to persons with disabilities. Several jurisdictions are also part of networks facilitating such access, such as the Accessible Books Consortium, or provide access to Bookshare.

The report is accompanied by maps and a table of primary resources. The maps reflect our findings on surveyed jurisdictions with the first map describing whether jurisdictions expressly protect persons with disabilities in their constitutions. The second map illustrates whether the jurisdiction has specific legislation that addresses access to information for persons with disabilities. Additional maps show which countries have ratified the Marrakesh Treaty and what countries have designated “NLS-style” libraries, specifically mandated to provide access and services to persons with disabilities.

The report supported the Law Library’s Human Rights Day Webinar on Laws Governing Accessibility from Around the World.

We invite you to review our report, here.

The report is an addition to the Law Library’s Legal Reports (Publications of the Law Library of Congress) collection, which includes over 4,000 historical and contemporary legal reports covering a variety of jurisdictions, researched and written by foreign law specialists with expertise in each area. To receive alerts when new reports are published, you can subscribe to email updates for Law Library Reports (click the “subscribe” button on the Law Library’s website). The Law Library also regularly publishes articles related to human rights and civil liberties in the Global Legal Monitor.

Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Man charged following fatal collision in Northolt

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A man has been charged and will appear in court following a fatal collision in Northolt.

Kamil Rouibah – 25 (14.02.99) of Squirrel Rise, Marlow Bottom will appear in custody at Uxbridge Magistrate Court on 28 January charged with causing death by dangerous driving; causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.

A second man, aged 25, who was arrested following the collision has been released with no further action.

This follows an incident at around 04:40hrs on Monday, 27 January when a BMW car came to the notice of a patrolling police car due to the alleged speed at which it was traveling.

A short time later the BMW was involved in a collision with another vehicle, a Ford Focus, being driven by a member of the public in Ruislip Road.

London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade were called and attended.

Sadly the driver of the Ford Focus, a man aged 47, died at the scene. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.

Two occupants of the BMW were taken to hospital for treatment before being discharged. They were arrested and dealt with as above.

MIL Security OSI –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: OSCE PCUz supports the seventh edition of the “Open Data Challenge” hackathon

Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

Headline: OSCE PCUz supports the seventh edition of the “Open Data Challenge” hackathon

Contestants and organizers of the seventh “Open Data Challenge” hackathon. (OSCE/IT Park Uzbekistan) Photo details

From 24 to 26 January, IT enthusiasts gathered at the New Uzbekistan University in Tashkent for the seventh edition of the “Open Data Challenge” hackathon.
This annual competition was organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) together with IT-Park Uzbekistan and the Statistics Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
More than 150 young people gathered in teams and competed to develop technological solutions based on the data opened by public authorities. Out of 60 registered teams, 8 made it to the final, with the top three teams producing projects ranging from a platform designed to analyze tenders from the open data platform etender.uzex.uz, a startup that uses artificial intelligence for people with disabilities and a chatbot for analyzing data in real time using open data.
This popular event offers a unique opportunity to further demonstrate the practical relevance and applicability of open data while engaging youth in proposing solutions to current challenges.
Open data plays an important role in the monitoring and evaluation of state bodies’ activities. In addition to strengthening public control and its anti-corruption component, the publication of data has a direct economic impact and a hugely untapped social potential.
Through the development of new services and products that offer responses to known problems or gaps, new jobs are created, and the IT community is strengthened.
Taking into account the multifaceted aspect of data, the development of an open data ecosystem in Uzbekistan is an integral part of the PCUz’ activities to promote economic development, as well as good governance.

MIL OSI Europe News –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI: 89% of IT Leaders Worry GenAI Flaws Could Negatively Impact Their Organization’s Cybersecurity Strategies, Sophos Survey Finds
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

OXFORD, United Kingdom, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks today released a new report, “Beyond the Hype: The Businesses Reality of AI for Cybersecurity,” which surveyed 400 IT leaders on their use of AI in security. The survey found that, despite 65% having adopted generative artificial intelligence (GenAI capabilities) 89% of IT leaders are concerned that flaws in GenAI cybersecurity tools could put their organization at risk.

Additionally, according to new Sophos X-Ops research, “Cybercriminals Still Not Getting on Board the AI Train (Yet),” also released today, there has been a slight but noteworthy shift in the way cybercriminals use AI. After investigating several underground forums, Sophos X-Ops found that, while there’s still skepticism about GenAI, some criminals are using it to automate mundane tasks, such as crafting bulk emails and analyzing data. Others are incorporating it into spam and social engineering toolkits.

“As with many other things in life, the mantra should be ‘trust but verify’ regarding generative AI tools. We have not actually taught the machines to think; we have simply provided them the context to speed up the processing of large quantities of data,” said Chester Wisniewski, director, global field CTO, Sophos. “The potential of these tools to accelerate security workloads is amazing, but it still requires the context and comprehension of their human overseers for this benefit to be realized.”

With some form of AI embedded in the cybersecurity infrastructure of 98% of organizations surveyed, IT leaders expressed concern about potential over-reliance on AI, with 87% of respondents stating they were concerned about a resulting lack of cybersecurity accountability.

GenAI and Reducing Burnout

Different-sized organizations expressed different priorities for utilizing GenAI. While large organizations (those with more than 1,000 employees) are prioritizing improved protection, respondents with 50-99 employees rated reducing burnout as their top desired benefit from GenAI tools. However, complicating matters, across all sizes of organizations, 84% of leaders surveyed said they were concerned about pressure to reduce cybersecurity professional headcount due to unrealistic expectations about AI’s abilities to replace human operators.

Other Key Findings from the “Beyond the Hype” Report:
- Costs of GenAI Are Hard to Quantify: 75% of IT leaders agree that the costs of GenAI in cybersecurity products are hard to quantify.
- Companies Are Counting on Savings from GenAI: While 80% of IT leaders believe that GenAI will significantly increase the cost of cybersecurity tools, most organizations believe GenAI offers a path to lowering overall cybersecurity expenditure with 87% of respondents believing the savings of GenAI will offset the costs.
To learn more about IT leaders utilizing AI, read the report, “Beyond the Hype: The Businesses Reality of AI for Cybersecurity,” on Sophos.com.

To learn more about cybercriminal attitudes towards GenAI, read the report, “Cybercriminals Still Not Getting on Board the AI Train (Yet),” on Sophos.com.

Learn More About

About Sophos
Sophos is a global leader and innovator of advanced security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, including Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and incident response services and a broad portfolio of endpoint, network, email, and cloud security technologies. As one of the largest pure-play cybersecurity providers, Sophos defends more than 600,000 organizations and more than 100 million users worldwide from active adversaries, ransomware, phishing, malware, and more. Sophos’ services and products connect through the Sophos Central management console and are powered by Sophos X-Ops, the company’s cross-domain threat intelligence unit. Sophos X-Ops intelligence optimizes the entire Sophos Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem, which includes a centralized data lake that leverages a rich set of open APIs available to customers, partners, developers, and other cybersecurity and information technology vendors. Sophos provides cybersecurity-as-a-service to organizations needing fully managed security solutions. Customers can also manage their cybersecurity directly with Sophos’ security operations platform or use a hybrid approach by supplementing their in-house teams with Sophos’ services, including threat hunting and remediation. Sophos sells through reseller partners and managed service providers (MSPs) worldwide. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at www.sophos.com.

The MIL Network –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ivory Act protections come into force for four more species
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Act will ban the importing, exporting and dealing in items containing ivory from Hippopotamus, narwhal, killer and sperm whale
Hippopotamus, narwhal, killer whale and sperm whale will have greater legal protection from today (28 January) under the UK’s world leading Ivory Act.

The Act will now ban the importing, exporting and dealing in items containing ivory from these magnificent animals – previously the Ivory Act only covered elephants.

The Ivory Act provides for one of the toughest bans on ivory sales in the world and anyone found guilty of breaching the ban faces tough penalties including an unlimited fine or up to five years in jail.

Closing domestic ivory markets is a critical part of the UK’s global conservation efforts. Hippopotamus is the species most at extinction risk from the trade in its ivory after elephants.

All four species are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) and already threatened by climate change with poaching and trading in their ivory – which is found in teeth and tusks – having the potential to exacerbate these threats and make their long-term survival less likely.

Mary Creagh, International Nature Minister, said:

“Today is an important moment for all wildlife lovers. The poaching of these wonderful animals for their ivory is sickening and this government will do all we can to end this horrible trade.

“The Ivory Act is one of the toughest bans in the world. This new government is showing global leadership by enshrining these protections into law to tackle the poaching of these iconic animals.”

The UK is a world leader in international conservation. Supported by ambitious domestic action and new international partnerships, we are putting climate and nature at the heart of our foreign policy including appointing a new International Nature Envoy.

Working with partners across the world we are building global ambition on nature and pushing to accelerate delivery of the UN Global Biodiversity Framework to halt the loss and reverse of wildlife internationally.

The ban is being introduced after extensive consultation and provides a limited exemption for the existing trade in artistic and cultural artefacts.

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Published 28 January 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI: HomeTrust Announces the Sale of Knoxville Branches to Apex Bank

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ASHEVILLE, N.C. and CAMDEN, Tenn., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTBI) (“Company”), the holding company of HomeTrust Bank (“HomeTrust”), and Apex Bank (“Apex”) today announced that HomeTrust and Apex have entered into a definitive purchase and assumption agreement (the “agreement”) under which Apex will acquire HomeTrust’s two branches in Knoxville, Tennessee. Under the terms of the agreement, Apex will acquire the physical locations, related fixed assets, and substantially all the customer deposit accounts which are currently estimated at $42 million. HomeTrust will retain the loan accounts associated with the branches.

“This transaction aligns with our strategic plan to tighten our geographic footprint, improve our branch efficiencies, and allocate our capital to support our long-term growth in other core markets,” said Hunter Westbrook, HomeTrust’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

Matt Daniels, President and CEO of Apex Bank said, “Being locally owned and operated, we are excited to expand our footprint in Knoxville. This investment will allow us to better serve customers and support the community. We will continue to look for opportunities to expand our presence in the area and remain committed to providing personalized financial solutions that help individuals and businesses thrive.”

The proposed transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by applicable regulatory authorities, is currently anticipated to close in the second quarter of 2025.

Piper Sandler & Co. served as HomeTrust’s financial advisor for the transaction, while Silver, Freedman Taff & Tiernan LLP provided legal counsel. Baker Donelson provided legal counsel for Apex.

About HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc.
HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for HomeTrust Bank. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had assets of $4.6 billion. The Bank, founded in 1926, is a North Carolina state chartered, community-focused financial institution committed to providing value added relationship banking with over 30 locations as well as online/mobile channels. Locations include: North Carolina (the Asheville metropolitan area, the “Piedmont” region, Charlotte, and Raleigh/Cary), South Carolina (Greenville and Charleston), East Tennessee (Kingsport/Johnson City, Knoxville, and Morristown), Southwest Virginia (Roanoke Valley) and Georgia (Greater Atlanta).

About Apex Bank
Apex Bank was founded in 1931 and is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. Apex Bank has experienced tremendous growth since 2008, increasing total assets from $157 million to over $1.35 billion in 2025. The bank currently has 20 retail locations and a Knoxville-based national mortgage servicing center. Apex Bank has consistently been ranked as one of the best-performing community banks in the nation for the past 16 years, including the award of Tennessee’s Top Community Bank from Independent Community Bankers of America and other leading rankings in the financial industry.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact, but instead are based on certain assumptions including statements with respect to the Company’s beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, assumptions and statements about future economic performance and projections of financial items. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated or implied by forward-looking statements. The factors that could result in material differentiation include, but are not limited to, the impact of bank failures or adverse developments involving other banks and related negative press about the banking industry in general on investor and depositor sentiment; the remaining effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on general economic and financial market conditions and on public health, both nationally and in the Company’s market areas; natural disasters, including the effects of Hurricane Helene; expected revenues, cost savings, synergies and other benefits from merger and acquisition activities might not be realized to the extent anticipated, within the anticipated time frames, or at all, costs or difficulties relating to integration matters, including but not limited to customer and employee retention, might be greater than expected, and goodwill impairment charges might be incurred; increased competitive pressures among financial services companies; changes in the interest rate environment; changes in general economic conditions, both nationally and in our market areas; legislative and regulatory changes; and the effects of inflation, a potential recession, and other factors described in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission – which are available on the Company’s website at www.htb.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Any of the forward-looking statements that the Company makes in this press release or in the documents the Company files with or furnishes to the SEC are based upon management’s beliefs and assumptions at the time they are made and may turn out to be wrong because of inaccurate assumptions, the factors described above or other factors that management cannot foresee. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

www.htb.com
www.apexbank.com

The MIL Network –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI: Zscaler Now Offers Natively Integrated Zero Trust Solution for RISE with SAP
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS), the leader in cloud security and an SAP partner, is now offering customers its Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) service, natively integrated within RISE with SAP. Zscaler Private Access™ (ZPA™) for SAP, delivered through the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform, helps enable SAP customers with on-prem ERP workloads to simplify and de-risk their cloud migration, without the complexity and risk associated with traditional VPNs.

As per Zscaler’s 2024 VPN Risk report, 56% of organizations have been targets of cyberattacks exploiting VPN security vulnerabilities in the last year. These incidents underscore the growing imperative to move away from traditional perimeter-based defenses towards a more robust Zero Trust architecture to enable secure access to an organization’s most critical ERP infrastructure.

By running ZPA within customers’ containerized RISE with SAP cloud environments, Zscaler can deliver native zero trust connectivity to SAP S/4HANA Cloud applications across deployment models, including multi-cloud or hybrid cloud. With this foundation, Zscaler also empowers customers with Zscaler Data Protection for compliance and Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM) with Zscaler Digital Experience™ (ZDX™) for an improved user experience.

Businesses that use RISE with SAP can leverage ZPA to benefit from:
- Secure, Agile Cloud Access: RISE with SAP combines all the components that businesses need to pursue their business transformation strategies securely. With the integration of ZPA within RISE with SAP, customers can eliminate traditional firewalls and VPNs which unlocks cloud agility and improves security and compliance.
- Natively supported Zero Trust protection: By provisioning Zscaler connectors natively, Zero Trust access is enabled within the RISE with SAP environment, without the need for traditional VPNs. This ensures that customers can run their technology operations in a managed, secure cloud infrastructure with built-in security and data protection.
- Secure access for workforce and business partners: ZPA delivers seamless client-based and client-less Zero Trust connectivity, ensuring secure, direct access for employees and third parties from anywhere to RISE with SAP applications and resources.
Corporate, Customer and GSI Quotes

“Customers have been using the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange to protect their SAP workloads across a large range of SAP applications for years,” said Punit Minocha, EVP, Business Development & Corporate Strategy at Zscaler. “Now, we are launching a solution that natively integrates within RISE with SAP to facilitate the secure migration of workloads to a managed service and provides improved user-friendliness by eliminating the burden of traditional firewalls and VPNs. Customers achieve application modernization while also securing remote access to business-critical applications and therefore facilitating the ‘working from anywhere’ culture that is so important to today’s workforce.”

“The integration of Zscaler Private Access with RISE with SAP enables streamlined Zero Trust security across SAP applications, providing secure access for users and partners while supporting compliance and performance, no matter where their workforce, apps or data resides,” said Roland Costea, Chief Information Security Office, SAP Enterprise Cloud Services.

“Using Zscaler Private Access platform, we can confidently enable secure, remote access to SAP resources while maintaining the flexibility and scalability needed,” said Tobias Thörmann, Network Security Architect, Volkswagen AG. “This new integrated solution that Zscaler and SAP have created is an important capability to support our digital transformation with secure cloud services.”

“Zscaler’s ZPA integration with RISE with SAP marks a significant step forward in securing and optimizing enterprise applications in the cloud,” said Georgios Billios, Group Service Manager, Siemens AG. “By seamlessly connecting users to SAP services while maintaining the highest standards of security and performance, this partnership empowers organizations to innovate and scale with confidence in today’s digital landscape, which we will evaluate in our own RISE with SAP implementations.”

“This innovative solution will enable organizations like ours to enhance the security and reliability of our SAP applications,” said Nataliia Iskra, Head of IT Security Operations, Deutsche Börse. “By enabling secure, zero-trust access to critical systems without the need for traditional VPNs, Zscaler empowers our teams to work with confidence, no matter where they are. This innovative approach reduces risk, ensures regulatory compliance, and ultimately strengthens the foundation of our IT security strategy.”

“Using Zscaler’s ZPA solution to securely access SAP applications is a strategic move for organizations aiming to fortify their enterprise security,” said Britta Simms, Managing Director, Accenture. “Moving beyond traditional perimeter defenses like VPNs allows organizations to ensure that every access request is validated based on identity, context, and risk. This continuous authentication model is essential for protecting SAP applications in the cloud, enabling organizations to embrace digital transformation while maintaining a robust security posture.”

“Modern organizations operate SAP systems across a hybrid landscape and today’s distributed workers need access to these systems from different locations,” said Sachin Singh, Managing Director, Deloitte & Touche LLP. “This new solution offered jointly by Zscaler and SAP simplifies migration of SAP applications to the cloud by allowing users to have a consistent, secure experience, no matter where these applications are hosted. With our deep technical cybersecurity knowledge and this new solution from Zscaler and SAP, we can help clients navigate data protection compliance while utilizing digital experience monitoring for optimizing user experience during the migration.”

Join us for our exclusive virtual event featuring leaders from SAP, Siemens, Volkswagen, Deutsche Börse, Deloitte, Accenture, and Capgemini, in which they will discuss the partnership in detail. Register here.

For more information on the latest Zscaler and SAP integration, please visit – https://www.zscaler.com/partners/sap.

About Zscaler

Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across more than 160 data centers globally, the SSE-based Zero Trust Exchange™ is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.

SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

Media Contacts
Nick Gonzalez
press@zscaler.com

The MIL Network –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: AuraSwiss: BaFin also warns consumers about the website auraswiss.co

Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) again warns consumers about the company AuraSwiss and the services it is offering. BaFin has already issued a warning, on 3 January 2025, about AuraSwiss and its website auraswiss.net, which has since been deactivated. The unknown operators are now using the nearly identical website auraswiss.co. BaFin suspects the operators of the websites of offering consumers financial, investment and cryptoasset services without the required authorisation.

The content of the websites is identical to other platforms that BaFin has previously warned consumers about and that display the same opening sentence: “Invest in Success Prosper with Confidence!”

Anyone conducting banking business or providing financial, investment or cryptoasset services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the necessary authorisation. Information on whether a particular company has been granted authorisation by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.

BaFin is issuing this information on the basis of section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG) and section 10 (7) of the German Cryptomarkets Supervision Act (Kryptomaerkteaufsichtsgesetz).

Please be aware:

BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.

MIL OSI Economics –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Trump pulls out of WHO and Paris – how did international bodies get through deglobalisation last time around?

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Perri 6, Emeritus Professor of Public Management, Queen Mary University of London

Donald Trump has ordered the US to leave the World Health Organization. Skorzewiak / Shutterstock

Following Donald Trump’s return to the White House, much attention has been given to his plans for tariffs on imported goods, deportations of illegal migrants, and cuts to federal government spending. Fewer column inches have addressed the implications of his presidency for global regulatory bodies.

Just as he did during his first term, Trump has announced the withdrawal of the US from the World Health Organization (WHO) and from the Paris climate accords.

And because his tariffs programme will challenge World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, Trump is likely to continue the US policy of stymieing the WTO’s appellate body, which adjudicates on trade disputes between states. US withdrawals from other international regulatory bodies are also possible.

Each of the bodies from which Trump withdrew last time around survived. However, threats to global regulatory bodies today could be greater than they were during Trump’s first term.

In the US and beyond, deglobalisation has so far been evident only in state policies, and not in trade flows. China, for example, has set up and now dominates several regional investment and trade organisations to provide alternatives to the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

However, tariff retaliation and bloc-based regulatory standards could soon turn “slowbalisation” – a trend whereby political support for open trade has gradually weakened and the rate of growth in world trade has slowed – into trade deglobalisation.

We have been here before. The 1930s were characterised by high tariffs, breakup of trade into blocs, and withdrawals and expulsions of major powers from global bodies. In the 1940s, which saw the breakout of the second world war, trade was conducted almost exclusively among allies.

Yet almost all international regulatory bodies survived during this period, albeit they were bruised and were able to achieve less as a result.

Our study, which was published in 2021, distinguished pathways through which three distinct groups of global regulatory bodies either survived or else handed over their archives, networks and organisational capacity to their UN-era successors.

Preserving rule sets

One inter-war group of industry-specific global regulators oversaw capital-intensive and infrastructure-heavy international industries such as telecommunications and railways. This group included the International Telecommunications Union and a modest alphabet soup of closely cooperating railway bodies.

In these fields, interconnection depended on common but frequently updated and adjusted rule sets for technology, accounting and routing management. They also required continuous statistical collections by international bureaus.

Unable to agree major regulatory innovation after the global economic crisis began in 1931, these bodies reduced their focus to managing and maintaining their existing rule sets and information services.

On the outbreak of war in Europe, their bureaus went into a phase of severely reduced activity, with many of their activities suspended. However, they continued to collect and publish statistics, maintained their networks within member states, and developed ambitious plans for peacetime.

The International Telecommunications Union and the railway authorities resumed operations shortly after the end of hostilities with their rule sets intact.

Individual brokering work

A second cluster were generic bodies, responsible for the oversight of labour relations and aspects of capital flows. These are faster-moving fields than infrastructure-heavy industries. These bodies included the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Economic and Financial Organisation of the League of Nations (EFO).

They provided expertise for negotiating agreements on particular problems. In the case of the ILO, this included conventions on working time, women’s working conditions, and forced labour. The EFO brokered financial support with strict conditions for Austria and Hungary, then new and struggling states which faced acute financial crises in the early 1920s.

These organisations faced increasing difficulties during the deglobalisation of the 1930s. But they continued to provide bilaterally negotiated support for many countries. The ILO, for example, provided technical assistance to some south American governments on the design of social insurance schemes, while the EFO’s financial committee worked with central banks.

Survival or bequest was secured by the brokering work of key individual leaders who were able to exploit fluid networks among states, firms and unions in global labour and capital debates.

The EFO secured the transfer of key staff, networks and traditions to post-war bodies including the UN Economic and Social Council and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. And the ILO’s director-general, Edward Phelan, was crucial in negotiating with the US to relaunch the organisation with a new programme for the post-war era.

New international clubs

A third group of regulatory bodies was created precisely in response to the 1930s global economic crisis. These were international commodity unions for goods such as tin, rubber, tea and sugar.

Most were publicly run cartels, often backed by the imperial blocs that dominated the fragmenting world trade system. Like many cartels, their cohesion was fragile. But many of those that were successfully established managed to survive the 1930s and the war that followed.

Their survival depended less on the formal administrative organisation of the infrastructure bodies or the individual brokering work that sustained the capital and labour bodies. It was dependent more on their ability to draw upon club-like collective bonds both among major producing and exporting firms and among officials across key producer states and imperial authorities.

Within the tightly bonded International Tin Committee, for example, a succession of agreements on prices, quotas and voting rights were settled. Despite initial US reluctance to see these international commodity unions continue into peacetime, President Harry Truman was persuaded of their temporary value for economic order during reconstruction.

Some even continued until the 1970s, when they collapsed in that decade’s global economic turmoil. Freer markets then superseded intergovernmental cartels.

Trump’s policies, as well as those of China, Russia and other major powers, may again endanger the roles of global regulatory bodies. But some will survive by focusing on the routine maintenance services provided by their bureaus, and some will empower individual leaders to negotiate their way to reinvention and survival.

Others will pass their capacity to new agencies when deglobalisation eventually abates. And some new international bodies may emerge in response to conditions in industries most adversely affected by the changing terms of trade.

Our work has led us to conclude that which strategy is chosen depends on two things. First, on the features of the field being regulated. And second on the informal social organisation within the international bodies and member states, which shapes how people can act and the skills they can sustain.

It remains to be seen how informal social organisation in the WHO and climate treaty system will now evolve after US withdrawal.

Eva Heims has received funding from the ESRC.

Martha Prevezer and Perri 6 do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Trump pulls out of WHO and Paris – how did international bodies get through deglobalisation last time around? – https://theconversation.com/trump-pulls-out-of-who-and-paris-how-did-international-bodies-get-through-deglobalisation-last-time-around-247919

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to new AI Chatbot DeepSeek

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

January 28, 2025

Scientists comment on DeepSeek, a new AI Chatbot.

Prof Neil Lawrence, DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning at Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, said:

“I think the progress is unsurprising, and I think it’s just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the type of innovation we can expect in these models. History shows that big firms struggle to innovate as they scale, and what we’ve seen from many of these big firms is a substitution of compute investment for the intellectual hard work. I’ve been suggesting that this has made the conditions ideal for a “Dreadnaught moment” where current technology is rapidly rendered redundant by new thinking. I don’t think DeepSeek is it, because the innovations deployed are relatively incremental, but it shows that we’re still in the age of the Newcomen engine, there’s plenty of space for budding James Watts to emerge, and that they are less likely to come from established players.”

Comment provided by the SMC pilot for Ireland:

Dr Deepak Padmanabhan, Senior Lecturer, School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queen’s University Belfast, said:

“DeepSeek is causing massive disruption in financial markets. Mainstream narratives contrast the technology with ChatGPT and illustrate the differences in technological aspects. The far more long-reaching effect it would have would not be technological, it would be political, for it could disrupt the paradigms entrenched in the tech industry in substantive ways. There could be several aspects:

“Open-Source Software: DeepSeek’s code to train AI models is open source. This means that anybody can download the code and use it to develop their own AI. This is a significant step towards democratisation of AI. The open-source availability of code for an AI that competes well with contemporary commercial models is a significant change. Yet, if one is to download and run the code to develop their own AI, they would still need to have access to large datasets and tremendous computational power – but this is nevertheless a massive step forward.

“Computational Power: AI has been noted to pose massive computational requirements over the past decade leading to corporate dominance in AI research [ https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ade2420 ]. With massive compute requirements yielding well to monopolisation of the space, big tech, and the government funding landscape (that are in turn influenced by big tech) have shown limited interests in prioritising AI research towards reducing computational requirements. DeepSeek’s models have been noted to require far lesser computational requirements than today’s commercial models. This could potentially ignite new interest in reducing computational requirements for future AI, with positive effects towards environment.

“No plans for Commercialisation: It has been highlighted that DeepSeek has no plans for commercialisation [ https://www.chinatalk.media/p/deepseek-ceo-interview-with-chinas ]. This makes it a very interesting development in that this marks a moment when a player with qualitatively different ideas enters a commercially-dominated space. This is a change against the prevailing trends – OpenAI was noted as moving to a full commercial model (from a partly non-profit model) in recent times. It may be interesting how commercial players respond to this challenge.

“In other words, the entry of DeepSeek could potentially hasten a paradigm shift in AI and pose a real challenge to commercial dominance in the sector. It may be a little too far to see this as a pathway towards taking AI into public hands, but that’s the direction of travel that DeepSeek brings to the table.

“Cheaper AI, Pervasive AI: One of the potential first effects would be cheaper consumer AI, and a fall in the profit margins within the tech sector. But it could also accelerate disruption by making AI pervasive, bringing more sectors and more jobs under threat.

“Cautious Optimism: It may be tempting to hope that open-source AI would lead to effects similar to what was seen in the 1990s when the dominance of Microsoft’s windows was challenged very well by open-source Linux. Yet, AI is not just software and computational resources – there is data too. So, there are further hurdles to overcome. We could view this development with optimism, but we must be cautious. For example, the ethos of the open-source movement was diluted with corporate players substantively entering the system leading to what has been called a ‘Corporate dominance in Open Source Ecosystems’ [ https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3540250.3549117 ]. To develop, sustain and strengthen open-source ethos within AI would require many more developments in the same direction as DeepSeek.”

Declared interests

Prof Neil Lawrence: No conflicts.

Dr Padmanabhan: None

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Budget agreements secured

Source: Scottish Government

New funding for bus fares, drug services and free school meals.

Agreements have been reached separately with the Scottish Liberal Democrats and Scottish Green Party to support the 2025-26 Budget.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison has announced she will table amendments to the 2025-26 Budget Bill to allocate £16.7 million funding to:
• Bolster drug and alcohol services, including £1 million for specialist support for babies born addicted to drugs
• Begin a £2 bus fare cap pilot in one regional transport area
• Further strengthen support for hospices from £4 million to £5 million
• Increase Nature Restoration by £3 million to its highest ever level
• Invest in targeted support for the College sector and protect Corseford College
• Extend free school meal eligibility in S1-S3 in eight local authority areas for pupils in receipt of Scottish Child Payment
• Offer flexibility for Orkney Island Council in terms of capital and resource funding

Ms Robison said:

“We are determined to deliver on the issues that matter most to the people of Scotland – and that is why this Budget invests in public services and in eradicating child poverty, acts in the face of the climate emergency, and supports jobs.

“The First Minister was clear that we would bring forward a budget by Scotland for Scotland, and the negotiations we have taken forward have been in that spirit. These additional initiatives demonstrate the value of a progressive approach and dialogue.

“During every stage of this process the Liberal Democrats and the Greens have engaged in our discussions in a positive and constructive manner.

“Through seeking compromise I believe we are delivering a budget that will strengthen services and support our communities. With the agreements with these two parties now in place this will secure a majority in parliament in support of the Budget Bill.”

Background

Finance Secretary letter to Finance and Public Administration Committee

Budget (Scotland) Bill

The new initiatives will be funded through reallocation of funding for debt servicing in 2025-26, given that debt servicing costs will be lower than expected when the draft Budget was published; and an additional drawdown of £3 million from revenues raised from Scotwind, to support nature restoration.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Money available to businesses to display support for Spectra

Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

Aberdeen City Council is offering a one-time grant of £500 to individual local businesses that want to show their support for Spectra – Scotland’s Festival of Light – when it returns to the city next week.

Spectra, runs from Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 February and will see Aberdeen city centre filled with artwork, light installations, projections and thousands of visitors.

The Council is interested in hearing from businesses on how they might ‘Spectra-fy’ their business but also how, they could incorporate light-based displays, decorations and adornments to their premises for the duration of the festival.

Councillor Martin Greig, culture spokesperson for Aberdeen City Council, said: “Our one-off grants to local businesses are intended to make the city and the city centre even more vibrant during the period of the Spectra displays. This has become a very popular annual event and we want the business community to benefit as much as possible from the increased footfall.

“Last year there were over 100,000 visitors to the festival over the four days. Businesses are invited to consider how they can use the Council’s special grant scheme to take advantage of the increased footfall, for example, they could apply to extend opening hours or find other ways of attracting customers. It will be a splendid celebration hence it is important to take the interests of traders into account.”

Applicants are advised to read the Application Guidance in full. Any questions should be emailed to the project team at BusinessSupport@aberdeencity.gov.uk

The application form can be found here.

Applications will be accepted until 28 February 2025 or until such time as funding has been fully allocated. Retrospective bids will be considered providing they are able to provide evidence that money spent was explicitly tied to the Spectra festival.

All complete applications received will be assessed and verified against the eligibility criteria by Aberdeen City Council. Incomplete applications may not be reviewed.

Successful applicants will be informed by offer letter. All decisions will be made at the discretion of Aberdeen City Council and are subject to the availability of funds.

This scheme has been funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

For more information on Spectra 2025 and to sign up for the latest news and offers go to www.spectraaberdeen.com

Information about grants available to businesses to host and support other events in the city is available here.

ENESS – Sky Castle – a dreamy, interactive sound and light installation, featuring a cluster of inflatable arches that span in colourful symphony across public space. It will be located in Union Terrace Gardens during Spectra 2025. Image by Gavin Jowitt photography.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Government proposes measures to ensure that more people with removal orders leave the country
Source: Government of Sweden

Government proposes measures to ensure that more people with removal orders leave the country – Government.se
Press release from Ministry of Justice

Published 28 January 2025

The Government has adopted a bill that aims to ensure that more people who have been issued with removal orders return to their country of origin.

The Government wants to streamline returns and reduce incentives for aliens issued with removal orders to remain in Sweden. The bill therefore includes the following proposals:

that a removal order should apply for five years from the date an alien leaves the country, or longer if a re-entry ban is in force;

the option of issuing longer re-entry bans than is currently possible if an alien has not left the country when the deadline for voluntary departure has expired.

In the bill, the Government also proposes that the possibility of applying for a residence permit for work from within the country following a failed asylum application – sometimes referred to as ‘changing track’ – be eliminated.

“Today, around one in four asylum seekers have already had their cases examined. Ensuring that people who receive expulsion orders also leave the country is fundamental to maintaining confidence in our migration system. These proposals reduce incentives to stay in Sweden once an expulsion order has been issued,” says Minister for Migration Johan Forssell.

“Sweden has had lax rules on returns for decades and this is an important step towards changing that. ‘Changing track’, which has undermined regulated immigration, will be abolished. The regulation whereby expulsion orders become statute-barred after just four years will be removed and replaced with a regulation that will force more people to return home,” says Ludvig Aspling, migration policy spokesperson for the Sweden Democrats.

It is proposed that the legislative amendments enter into force on 1 April 2025.

Press contact
MIL OSI Europe News –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Radio 1 Big Weekend is coming to Liverpool!
Source: City of Liverpool

Radio 1 Breakfast Show, Greg James has revealed that superstar Sam Fender will be headlining Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025 which will be held in Liverpool from Friday 23 May – Sunday 25 May. Myles Smith, Wet Leg, Blossoms and Lola Young (following her debut UK #1 with ‘Messy’ as announced on Radio 1’s Official Chart last Friday) were also announced as the first acts set to perform.

Over the course of the weekend, around 100 acts will take to the stage, from the biggest artists in the world to exciting new and emerging artists, performing across four stages: Radio 1 Main Stage, Radio 1 New Music Stage, Radio 1 Dance and BBC Introducing. With over 100,000 music fans expected to attend, the event promises to be an unforgettable music spectacular.

The first artists to be announced are (in alphabetical order):
- Blossoms
- Lola Young
- Myles Smith
- Sam Fender
- Wet Leg
Radio 1’s Big Weekend, the station’s flagship live music event, kicks off the UK’s festival season by bringing some of the biggest UK and international artists to cities that may not otherwise host such a large scale event. From Taylor Swift in Norwich, Miley Cyrus in Middlesbrough, Stormzy in Exeter, Lana Del Rey in Hull, Ed Sheeran in Coventry, Bruno Mars in Derry/Londonderry, The 1975 in Dundee, and Sabrina Carpenter in Luton, music fans around the UK have seen superstar acts perform on their doorsteps. The festival shines a light on the surrounding area and provides a major boost to the local economy, with huge demand for tickets ensuring the event sells out almost immediately every year. Last year’s festival generated £7 million for the host city of Luton.

This year, the BBC is working closely with Liverpool City Council to ensure that Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025 is a safe and secure environment for all those attending the festival.

Sam Fender says: “Excited to announce we’re coming to Liverpool for Radio 1’s Big Weekend in May. Thanks for inviting us – see you there!”

Myles Smith says: “This is unreal. Big Weekend was always a dream of mine, and to be on the line-up again is insane. Thank you to everyone who’s been listening, supporting, and coming to shows. I couldn’t have done this without you. See you there!”

Blossoms say: “We’re delighted that Radio 1 have invited us to play at this year’s Big Weekend. Even more so because it’s taking place in Liverpool, a city close to our hearts, where we’ve worked and recorded every single one of our albums since our debut in 2016. It’s going to be a really special weekend and we can’t wait to perform.”

Lola Young says: “I can’t wait to play Radio 1’s Big Weekend. It’s going to get Messy! Me + the Liverpool crowd = One Big Weekend… see what I did there!!”

Greg James says: “FINALLY…Radio 1 HAS COME BACK…to Liv…er…pooool!

“The last time I was there I was doing a big game of Hide and Seek and was hidden in the Liver building for a week so it’ll be nice to see some daylight and enjoy it properly this time. We can’t wait to bring the biggest artists in the world to this brilliant city in May. Everyone’s going to LOVE the line-up!”

Aled Haydn Jones, Head of Radio 1, says: “We’re thrilled to bring Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025 to Liverpool. Liverpool’s vibrant music scene and rich history make it the perfect setting for this iconic event. With incredible artists already announced and more to be announced in the coming months, it’s set to be an unmissable weekend.”

Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, says: “Radio 1’s Big Weekend has found the perfect home this year in Liverpool. Our music, our audiences and our history of delivering world class major events add up to what is certain to be an incredible three days this May.”

Further information about Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025, including headliners and full line-up and ticketing details will be announced on Radio 1 in the coming months.

BBC Radio 1 will broadcast live from the festival site across the weekend, with performances and tracks available live and on demand across Radio 1’s iPlayer channel and BBC Sounds.

Radio 1 and Liverpool City Council will be working together to try and make this the most sustainable outdoor live music event ever produced in the city in line with the BBC’s Sustainability programme and Liverpool’s status as the first UN Accelerator City for climate action. For more information about Liverpool please head to the Visit Liverpool website.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council motion supports extension to lifespan of power stations Lancaster City Council has welcomed the recent decision to extend the operating lifespan of Heysham’s two nuclear power stations.
Source: City of Lancaster

Lancaster City Council has welcomed the recent decision to extend the operating lifespan of Heysham’s two nuclear power stations.

Heysham One

At a recent meeting of Full Council, the following motion was passed:

This Council welcomes last month’s announcement that following a detailed technical review of the power stations, EDF’s licensee board has decided to extend generation dates for Heysham 1 by one year to 2027 and Heysham 2 by two years to 2030.

This decision is great news for Heysham and the wider local community. The power stations are a provider of high skill, high wage jobs, and the extension of the generating life of the power stations secures employment for more than 1,500 staff and contractors. The power stations are anchor institutions, with supply chains and spending power boosting the local economy. They are also a major source of business rate revenue for the Council, whose significant contributions help secure a higher standard of local services and protect more Council jobs than would otherwise be possible.

This decision is also excellent news nationally. Extending the generating lives of the Heysham stations will bolster the UK’s security of supply and support plans for the rapid expansion of renewables by helping to maintain grid stability. Nuclear power is a low carbon source of energy, and a key element of the Government’s strategy to provide clean power by 2030.   Ensuring the baseload with nuclear power also helps limit the UK’s dependence on imported gas, a regrettable situation which has caused an energy crisis and led to inflated household bills.

Council has confidence in the safety considerations underpinning this decision. We note that ongoing generation from the stations will ultimately depend not on decisions by EDF, but on the outcome of future inspections, the results of which are reviewed by the independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation.  

Looking to the future, Council notes that Heysham is a location earmarked by the Government for the potential siting of one or more Small Modular Reactors (SMR), that EDF is an approved development partner for these new technologies, and that the first reactors of this type are intended to be delivered by 2029. Council supports bringing ‘New Nuclear’ to Heysham and welcomes the continuation of the benefits this would bring to both our residents and the rest of the UK.

Council resolves that:
1. The Chief Executive will write to the Secretary” of State for Energy and Climate Change, Cat Smith MP and Lizzi Collinge MP, welcoming the generating life extensions to Heysham 1 & 2, and conveying our support for bringing New Nuclear to Heysham and a timeline for this project to achieve, so we can plan for the future engineers and the stability of the Council.
2. That we publicise these views via our various communications channels.
3. That a full response to any consultation on New Nuclear is prepared on behalf of the Council by Business Committee at the appropriate time.
Last updated: 28 January 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement on Vintage by the Sea 2025 Following Friday’s announcement regarding Vintage by the Sea 2025, Lancaster City Council has released the following statement.

Source: City of Lancaster

Following Friday’s announcement regarding Vintage by the Sea 2025, Lancaster City Council has released the following statement.

Councillor Caroline Jackson, leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “We are all deeply saddened by the announcement about Vintage by the Sea and know this was not an easy decision for the organisers, who have put so much into the event over the years to make it a success.

“From a city council perspective we were once again looking forward to supporting the festival, but we are just one of the festival’s funders and recognise that the landscape is tough and other organisations may have had to alter their priorities due to the current state of the economy.

“Although it is disappointing that the event will not take place in 2025, the door is still open for the future and the council will provide both Deco Publique and Hemingway Design with every encouragement and help they need to return in the future.

“We are also looking forward to working with Deco on other projects separate from Vintage by the Sea and together we are exploring a number of exciting opportunities.

“The council also remains committed to supporting other festival and event organisers and only recently agreed to fund Baylight to the tune of £15,000 in direct funding as well as ‘in-kind’ support equal to £15,000, which will cover costs associated with public safety such as road closure and barriers.

“Without this support the event may not have taken place in 2025 and is an example of how the city council is supporting the arts and events sector.”

Last updated: 28 January 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin: The capital’s emergency response system is constantly being improved

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

The capital’s emergency response system is constantly being improved. This was reported in its telegram channel Sergei Sobyanin reported.

“This allows us to reduce the number of fires and accidents on water and the number of victims every year,” the Mayor of Moscow wrote.

Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin

The city is introducing new methods of interaction, mastering samples of modern technology, and developing the infrastructure of the fire and rescue garrison. big job for personnel training. In addition, a unique joint mobile group, which included specialists from engineering and municipal enterprises of the city economy.

“The Moscow city system for preventing and eliminating emergency situations is capable of resolving issues of national importance. In particular, the capital’s specialists are restoring the infrastructure of Lugansk and Donetsk, and were among the first to come to the aid of residents of the Kursk region,” noted Sergei Sobyanin.

Every day, more than 1,400 firefighters and rescuers are on duty, armed with about 700 units of equipment.

In 2024, the capital purchased 132 units of modern equipment to equip fire and rescue units. Among them are airboats, fire trucks-bases of the gas and smoke protection service, aerial ladders, fire trucks, command vehicles, and an all-terrain vehicle. The new equipment will help ensure the safety of the multi-million city even better.

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/12322050/

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 29, 2025

Category: Europe

Mayor delighted to launch Feel the Beat: An Afro-Inspired Bank Holiday Celebration

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January 28, 2025

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