Category: housing

MIL-OSI Video: UK The Brighton Bomb: Lord Butler of Brockwell shares his experience on #LordSpeakersCorner

Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)

Forty years ago this month, Robin Butler – Principle Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher – was in the room with the prime minister when the Brighton bomb exploded nearby in their hotel.

Hear from Lord Butler of Brockwell as he talks to the Lord Speaker about the experience, plus working with five prime ministers, in the latest Lord Speaker’s Corner.

Watch or listen now – search ‘House of Lords’ on YouTube or visit https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/lord-butler-of-brockwell–lord-speakers-corner/

#LordSpeakersCorner #HouseOfLords

Catch-up on House of Lords business:

Watch live events: https://parliamentlive.tv/Lords
Read the latest news: https://www.parliament.uk/lords/

Stay up to date with the House of Lords on social media:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/UKHouseofLords
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/UKHouseofLords/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKHouseofLords
• Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/ukhouseoflords/albums
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-house-of-lords
• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@UKHouseOfLords

#HouseOfLords #UKParliament #Shorts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP12TvKo7lU

MIL OSI Video –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: 14-month sentence for an engineering executive charged with rigging bids for Québec City contracts
Source: Government of Canada News

On October 25, André Côté, a former executive for engineering firm Roche ltée, Groupe-conseil (now Norda Stelo), received a 14-month conditional sentence, consisting of seven months of house arrest and a seven-month curfew. He will also have to complete 100 hours of community service.

October 28, 2024 – GATINEAU, QC – Competition Bureau

On October 25, André Côté, a former executive for engineering firm Roche ltée, Groupe-conseil (now Norda Stelo), received a 14-month conditional sentence, consisting of seven months of house arrest and a seven-month curfew. He will also have to complete 100 hours of community service.

Mr. Côté was charged with participating in a bid-rigging scheme for Québec City contracts between 2006 and 2010. He pleaded guilty on June 21 before the Court of Quebec, admitting to conspiring to divide up Québec City municipal infrastructure contracts among seven other engineering-consulting firms while he was vice-president of infrastructure for Roche in Québec.

Charges were also brought against a second individual in the same case in November 2023, and legal proceedings are still ongoing against him.
- Following an investigation by the Competition Bureau, criminal charges were brought in November 2023 against two former executives of engineering-consulting firms, André Côté and Patrice Mathieu, for conspiracy to rig bids, conspiracy to commit fraud, and fraud over $5,000.
- Mr. Côté’s former employer, Roche ltée, Groupe-conseil (now Norda Stelo Inc.), had to pay $750,000 under a settlement reached by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada for rigging bids for municipal infrastructure contracts in Québec, including in Québec City.
- Six other engineering-consulting firms, namely, Dessau, Genivar (now WSP Canada), SNC-Lavalin, CIMA+, BPR and Teknika HBA inc. (now EXP Services Inc.), have also reached settlement agreements with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada for bid-rigging municipal infrastructure contracts in Quebec, including in Québec City. The total amount of these settlements amounts to over 12 million dollars.
- The Competition Bureau investigation was launched following an immunity application from AECOM Consultants Inc. submitted through its immunity and leniency program.
- When the Bureau receives evidence that a criminal offence has occurred, it refers the case to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC). The PPSC then decides whether charges should be laid and has authority over any resulting prosecution.
- Bid-rigging is a criminal offence under the Canadian Competition Act.
- The Bureau strongly encourages anyone who suspects a company or individual of being involved in illegal agreements, such as bid-rigging, price-fixing, market allocation, restricting supply, or wage-fixing and no-poaching agreements, to report it through its online complaint form.
The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency that protects and promotes competition for the benefit of Canadian consumers and businesses. Competition drives lower prices and innovation while fueling economic growth.

MIL OSI Canada News –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Windsor Mill Woman Sentenced to More Than Five Years’ Imprisonment in Connection with Conspiracy Involving Fraudulently Obtaining and Attempting to Obtain More Than $3 Million in COVID-19 Cares Act Loans

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

Glenn Used COVID-19 CARES Act Funds to Pay for a Vacation to Jamaica, a Mercedes-Benz, Luxury Jewelry, including a 31 Carat Diamond Necklace and items from Luis Vuitton, Neiman Marcus, Dior, Cartier, Gucci, Chanel and Hermes.

Baltimore, Maryland – On October 23, 2024, Tomeka Glenn, a/k/a “Tomeka Harris” and “Tomeka Davis,” age 47, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, was sentenced by United States District Judge Richard D. Bennett to 65 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release in connection with her conviction on conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to the submission of millions of dollars in fraudulent COVID-19 CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications. Judge Bennett also directed Glenn to pay restitution in the amount of $3,016,275.62.

Glenn’s co-defendant Kevin Davis, age 43, also of Windsor Mill, Maryland, pleaded guilty on January 25, 2024 to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Judge Bennett on May 22, 2024 sentenced him to 24 months’ imprisonment.

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge William J. Delbagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department.

Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program, administered through the Small Business Administration (“SBA”). The SBA also offered an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and/or an EIDL advance to help businesses meet their financial obligations. An EIDL advance did not have to be repaid, and small businesses could receive an advance, even if they were not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount was $10,000.

According to Glenn’s plea agreement, beginning in June 2020 and continuing through March 2021, Glenn and various co-conspirators prepared numerous false and fraudulent EIDL and PPP loan applications for various businesses (including some that did not exist in any legitimate capacity) that included false information concerning, among other things, number of employees, monthly payroll costs, and revenue. The PPP applications also routinely included false and fraudulent Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) tax forms and bank statements, which were submitted by Glenn to substantiate the false representations made in the applications.

Glenn admitted that she received kickback payments from the loan borrowers in exchange for her assistance in connection with the submission of fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications, ultimately receiving more than $400,000 in kickbacks in connection with the scheme. These kickbacks typically amounted to 10% to 20% of the loan amount. In total, the kickback scheme resulted in the disbursement of at least $2,715,649.12 in fraudulently obtained PPP and EIDL funds in connection with 23 fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans.

According to Glenn’s plea agreement, Glenn and Davis, received $300,726.50 in PPP/EIDL funds for various entities that they controlled, and Glenn attempted to obtain $601,511.20 in additional fraudulent PPP and EIDL funds too.

Glenn used the fraudulently obtained funds to pay for a luxury vacation at a resort in Jamaica, to purchase a 2021 Mercedes-Benz S580 sedan valued at $148,171.60, to buy thousands of dollars in luxury jewelry, as well as numerous other luxury goods, including items from Luis Vuitton, Neiman Marcus, Dior, Cartier, Gucci, Chanel, and Hermes.

At the time of her scheme, neither Glenn nor Davis had any legitimate source of income, and in May 2020, each applied for unemployment insurance benefits in the State of Maryland. In addition, as detailed in Davis and Glenn’s plea agreements, on January 6, 2023, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at their residence. Davis and Glenn were present at the residence at the time of the search and were arrested in connection with the fraudulent COVID-19 CARES Act loans. According to Davis’s plea agreement, during the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement found and seized four firearms loaded with ammunition—a 9mm firearm, and three .40 caliber firearms. Later investigation revealed that one of the .40 caliber firearms had earlier been reported stolen by its owner. As further detailed in Davis’s plea, the firearms were hidden by Davis in the air ducts of the residence: two firearms were hidden in the main bedroom air duct where Davis slept and kept his personal effects; the other two firearms were in the air duct of the bathroom closets to the main bedroom. Moreover, two of the firearms were further stuffed in socks in an attempt to hide them. Davis admitted that he possessed and secreted the firearms in the air ducts of his home (and in the socks) in an attempt to conceal them from law enforcement after learning that federal agents had a warrant to search his home. As admitted to at his plea, Davis’s concealment of the firearms constitutes attempted obstruction of the administration of justice with respect to the investigation. Each of the four firearms recovered from Davis’s home on January 6, 2023 were later found to have his DNA on them. A later review of Davis’s iCloud account revealed the existence of, among other things, a series of videos depicting Davis handling firearms, including a shotgun and an assault rifle. Davis knew that his previous felony conviction prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition.

As part of their plea agreements, Glenn and Davis will be required to forfeit their interest in any assets derived from or obtained by them as a result of, or used to facilitate the commission of, their illegal activities. Specifically, Glenn is required to forfeit a money judgment in the amount of at least $700,726.50; the 2021 Mercedes-Benz; cash in bank accounts she controlled that were held in the names of business entities; and jewelry, including her 3.03 carat yellow diamond engagement ring, Rolex, Cartier and Breitling watches, and a Diamond Miami Cuban Link Chain with 31.5 carats of VS1 diamonds. Davis must forfeit the firearms and ammunition.

The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI, the SBA-OIG, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley, who is prosecuting the case. He also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber and Paralegal Specialist Juliette Jarman.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.

# # #

MIL Security OSI –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Real Estate Developer Sentenced to Prison for Bribing Former Taylor Mayor

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

DETROIT –Real estate developer was sentenced to one year and a day in prison for bribing former Mayor of Taylor Richard Sollars with cash, home renovations, and other things of value in exchange for obtaining tax-foreclosed properties from the City of Taylor for redevelopment, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.

Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Shady Awad, 44, of Allen Park was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith.

According to court documents, between 2016 and 2018, Awad provided a steady stream of bribes to then-mayor Sollars in the form of cash, home improvements to Sollars’ home and lake house, appliances, and other items of value. Awad also agreed to charge more than $19,000 to his credit cards, and then convert the charges to cash for Sollars. In total, Awad provided Sollars with goods and services valued at $85,011.73, in exchange for being permitted to acquire tax-foreclosed properties to redevelop through the City of Taylor’s Right of First Refusal (ROFR) program. This was a program designed to allow Taylor to acquire tax-foreclosed properties from Wayne County for redevelopment. As a result of the bribes Awad paid to Sollars, Sollars recommended to City Council that Awad be awarded the vast majority of the City’s ROFR properties.

“Mr. Awad’s conviction and sentence should send a strong message that not only will public officials who accept bribes be brought to justice by my office, but also, those who seek to gain an advantage by bribing public officials will face serious consequences as well,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison.

“Mr. Awad and the former Mayor of Taylor unlawfully corrupted the City of Taylor’s real estate redevelopment program, meant to benefit the city and its residents, for their own private gain,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “FBI Michigan’s Detroit Area Corruption Task Force remains committed to rigorously investigating public corruption, especially individuals who cheat the system by bribing public officials.”

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Robert Moran.

MIL Security OSI –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Former Taylor Mayor Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Bribery Conspiracy

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

DETROIT –Richard Sollars was sentenced to 71 months in prison for conspiring to accept bribes and engaging in wire fraud while he was the Mayor of the City of Taylor, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.

Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Between 2016 and 2018, Sollars, 50, exercised his authority and influence as Mayor and recommended to the Taylor City Council that Realty Transition, a company owned by his co-defendant, Shady Awad, be awarded the vast majority of the tax-foreclosed properties that the City had or would acquire under its Right of First Refusal (ROFR) program. This was a program designed to allow Taylor to acquire tax-foreclosed properties from Wayne County for redevelopment. Sollars recommended Realty Transition for the ROFR program, intending to be influenced and rewarded by the free home renovations and other items of value that Awad provided to Sollars for his personal residence, office, and lake house. After an evidentiary hearing, the Court found that Sollars received bribes from Awad totaling $85,011.73 as part of this bribery scheme. The bribes included items such as home renovations, a humidor, kitchen appliances, a washer and dryer, a Dyson vacuum cleaner, a camera, and cash.

In addition, as part of his election efforts, Sollars established a campaign account entitled, “Committee to Elect Richard Sollars, Jr.” Sollars engaged in a scheme to defraud his donors by fraudulently using donated funds for his personal benefit rather than for his political campaign. In furtherance of the fraudulent scheme, Sollars directed his campaign treasurer to provide him with signed blank checks from his campaign account. Sollars then made those checks payable to Dominick’s Market in various amounts, each purporting to represent payment for catering services provided to the campaign. As known to Sollars, the owner of Dominick’s Market, Hadir Altoon, prepared false invoices for catering services that were not actually provided. Instead, Altoon would provide Sollars with some or all of the proceeds from the cashed fraudulent checks for Sollars’s personal use. After an evidentiary hearing, the Court found that Sollars received $70,362.98 from this, and other, wire fraud schemes related to his campaign account.

“Sollars, as the Mayor of the City of Taylor, pledged to represent the best interests of the citizens he represented and the voters who supported him. Instead, he used his elected office to award city contracts and spend campaign funds for his own personal financial enrichment,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Sollars’s conviction and sentence demonstrate my office’s commitment to ensuring that those elected officials who place their own greed above their duties to the citizens in the community will be held to answer for their breach of trust.”

“The diligent work of the FBI’s Detroit Area Corruption Task Force, working in collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, resulted in the conviction of Richard Sollars, the former mayor of the City of Taylor,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Gibson. “This betrayal of public trust is a stark reminder of the importance of integrity and accountability in public office. We remain committed to upholding the principles of justice and transparency, ensuring that such actions do not go unpunished. Today’s sentencing of Mr. Sollars brings closure to a lengthy and thorough investigation of the former mayor’s administration.”

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Robert Moran.

MIL Security OSI –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preston City Council encourages eligible residents to apply for Round 6 of the Household Support Fund
Source: City of Preston

Preston City Council encourages eligible residents to apply for Round 6 of the Household Support Fund

Round 6 of the Household Support Fund is now open for applications from all residents of Preston to apply for help and assistance with;
- energy and water bills
- food
- essentials linked to energy, water and food
- wider essentials.
The objective of this round of funding is to help residents of Preston with rising energy costs, however continued support is also available for other essentials too.

Councillor Khan, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said:

“Schemes like the Household Support Fund are intended to help those who need help and support during these difficult times, and I would urge all eligible residents in need of help and assistance with energy and water bills, food and essential items to apply.”

To be eligible, applicants must reside in the Preston area. More than one application will be considered in this round of funding, however there must be a minimum of three months between applications.

Funding is aimed at anyone who cannot pay for essential items and to those residents who are no longer eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment to apply.

You do not have to be in receipt of benefits to get help from your local council. If you are in receipt of benefits, they will not be affected if you receive a payment from the Household Support scheme.

For a list of supporting evidence and more information, visit the Household Support Fund page.

How to apply for the Household Support Fund

You can apply online via the Household Support Fund form, and for any queries or help with your online application please call 01772 906777.

Applications are open from today, Monday, 28 October 2024 until Monday, 31 March 2025. However, this is subject to change if all funds have been exhausted.

Further Information

Preston City Council actively applies and prioritises the principles of Community Wealth Building wherever applicable and appropriate. Community Wealth Building is an approach which aims to ensure the economic system builds wealth and prosperity for everyone.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Browning Woman Admits Assaulting Child on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

GREAT FALLS — A Browning woman accused of beating and injuring child in a residence on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to child abuse and assault charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Micah Lynn Brown, 25, pleaded guilty to felony child abuse and to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury of an individual under 16 years, as indicted. Brown faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $50,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the child abuse charge and a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years in prison on the assault charge.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Feb. 19, 2025. Brown was detained pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that on March 21, Brown was drinking when she returned home to a residence she shared with a boyfriend and children. The boyfriend confronted Brown about her drinking and then left the house to use the phone at a nearby residence. When he returned about 10 minutes later, the front door was blocked by a couch that had been moved. Upon entering, the boyfriend heard the victim, identified as Jane Doe, who was under the age of three, screaming and found her injured in a backroom. Brown was in the same room but didn’t say anything. The boyfriend removed the children from the home and called law enforcement. Witnesses told law enforcement that the victim had soiled her diaper and threw it on the ground, angering Brown, who then assaulted the child. The victim was treated for injuries at the Browning Community Hospital.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and the FBI conducted the investigation.

XXX

MIL Security OSI –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: How Apple developed the world’s first end-to-end hearing health experience
Source: Apple

Headline: How Apple developed the world’s first end-to-end hearing health experience

October 28, 2024

UPDATE

Inside the Audio Lab:
How Apple developed the world’s first end‑to‑end hearing health experience

Apple’s state-of-the-art Audio Lab in Cupertino, California, supports the innovative work of its acoustic engineers. They use the lab to conduct user studies in various listening rooms and test new features in its anechoic chambers, which completely absorb reflective sounds and isolate external noise.

The Audio Lab is the hub for the design, measurement, tuning, and validation of all of Apple’s products with speakers or microphones. It’s also the center for Apple’s multiyear, cross-team collaboration to build the groundbreaking new hearing health features on AirPods Pro 2. Available today as a free software update,¹ the end-to-end experience helps minimize exposure to loud environmental noise with Hearing Protection, track hearing with an at-home Hearing Test, and receive assistance for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss using AirPods Pro as a clinical-grade Hearing Aid.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1.5 billion people around the world are living with hearing loss. “Hearing loss affects individuals in every region and country, yet often goes unrecognized. Hearing is a core component of communication for so many and is an important factor for health and wellbeing,” says Shelly Chadha, M.D., the World Health Organization’s technical lead for hearing. “Technology can play an important role in raising awareness and providing intervention options for those affected by hearing loss.”

“Every person’s hearing is different, so we created an innovative, end-to-end hearing health experience that addresses this variability in a way that’s both simple to use and adaptable to a wide range of needs. That’s especially important because hearing loss affects people of all ages with different levels of tech savviness,” says Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health. “With the Hearing Aid feature, we wanted to build something so intuitive, it felt like an extension of your senses. We knew the results would literally change people’s lives — and democratize access to treatment for a condition that affects more than a billion people.”

Engineers used highly specialized spaces across the Audio Lab to help make these breakthrough features possible.

“From the quietest sounds we can hear for the Hearing Test feature, to speech in noisy restaurants for the Hearing Aid feature, and even concert levels for Hearing Protection, we can bring the real world into our acoustics facilities with playback of calibrated soundscapes from all over the world, or take accurate acoustic measurements at the touch of a button,” says Kuba Mazur, Apple’s hearing health lead engineer within Acoustics Engineering.

The Longwave anechoic chamber was built on a separate foundation that uses springs to isolate it from the rest of the lab, allowing for accurate sound measurements without any noise or vibration disturbances. The chamber includes a custom-built loudspeaker and microphone arc that can measure head-related transfer functions, or in other words, how sound interacts with the human body. Having both the loudspeaker and microphone arrays within this chamber makes it a unique space with many applications, including AirPods, iPhone, and HomePod development.

“Your ears are natural amplifiers, each uniquely shaped and often slightly asymmetric,” Mazur continues. “When sound reaches one ear first before the other, it creates a time difference in how we perceive sound. This is important for us to understand so we can build experiences that accurately represent the sounds in your environment. And we do this in our anechoic chambers by having someone sit in a rotating chair with AirPods Pro to capture the audio.”

On the other side of the Audio Lab, to ensure the highest sound quality in every audio product Apple makes, the Fantasia Lab uses a spherical array of 50 loudspeakers to simulate hundreds of real-world sound scenes — like a shopping mall, busy street, or travel on an airplane — in a tightly controlled, evenly distributed sound field.

To fine-tune and validate the Hearing Aid feature, a broad demographic of study participants with a wide range of hearing levels were put into this controlled environment to complete a speech-in-noise test. The test consisted of a participant sitting in a chair in the middle of the space while a complex sound scene, like a noisy restaurant, played. The participant then had to repeat the words of a single speaker, distinguishing from background conversations.

“This lab is about recreating. Just as our users experience their everyday lives moving through shopping malls or having dinner with loved ones, we had to ensure these features would meet their needs,” says Mazur. “We brought the outside in to tune and validate features that we’re building on AirPods, like the Hearing Aid feature, Conversation Boost, and Transparency mode.”

Additionally, three clinical-grade audiometric booths — the type that patients would typically encounter during hearing tests in a clinician’s office — are permanently installed in the Audio Lab. For internal testing, the engineering team worked with audiologists in the booths to conduct thousands of clinical-grade audiometry tests and software-based hearing tests prior to moving the new Hearing Test feature into clinical validation studies.

Design is also core to the user experience and played an important role in user testing of the new features. One key experience was taking the test itself. The team had to identify design approaches that would simplify the Hearing Test and Hearing Aid setup. It also needed to be easier to understand than the typical series of numbers a person receives during a doctor’s visit.

“Within our health features, we focus on clarity and meeting users where they’re at,” says Heather Daniel, a producer in Apple’s Design Studio who helps manage all of the design work for health features. “Take the Hearing Test feature. We understood that for many people, this might be their very first time taking a hearing test, so we had to make it as seamless as possible.”

Simplifying these experiences required teams across Apple working together every step of the way to build this software to meet the requirements for clinical testing and delivering the best product to customers.

“Just thinking about the innovation that was necessary, the density of the technology that goes into AirPods, and the amount of effort and attention to detail that went into building these complex software features,” Mazur continues, “so many teams came together — including software and hardware engineering, design, health, accessibility, clinical ops, regulatory, and the human factors engineering team — to ensure the best quality and experience.”

The end-to-end hearing health experience on AirPods Pro 2 is just the latest example of Apple’s commitment to helping users on their personal health journeys. For many team members, it’s the epitome of what is possible when innovation meets passion to deliver products and software that are useful and help improve users’ day to day.

“The fact that people can walk around wearing their AirPods, that they can protect their hearing at concerts and get insights on their hearing health using these features over time — AirPods are doing what each person wants or needs them to do,” says Mazur. “They’re truly the interface to the ear.”
1. Some features are not available in all regions. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.
Press Contact

Zaina Khachadourian

Apple

zkhachadourian@apple.com

Apple Media Helpline

media.help@apple.com
MIL OSI Economics –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Media Advisory: Infrastructure Announcement in Saint John

Source: Government of Canada News

Media advisory

Members of the media are invited to an infrastructure announcement with Wayne Long, Member of Parliament for Saint John–Rothesay; Her Worship Donna Noade Reardon, Mayor of the City of Saint John; and Dr. Sandra Bell, Saint John Theatre Company Board Chair.

Saint John, New Brunswick, October 28, 2024 — Members of the media are invited to an infrastructure announcement with Wayne Long, Member of Parliament for Saint John–Rothesay; Her Worship Donna Noade Reardon, Mayor of the City of Saint John; and Dr. Sandra Bell, Saint John Theatre Company Board Chair.

Date:
Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Time:
1:30 p.m. ADT

Location:
Saint John County Courthouse (tent behind the building)
22 Sydney Street
Saint John, NB, E2L 2L8

Contacts

For more information (media only), please contact:

Sofia Ouslis
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Sofia.Ouslis@infc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
Email: media-medias@infc.gc.ca
Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
Web: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

Stephen Tobias
Executive Director
Saint John Theatre Company
506-654-0532
stephen@saintjohntheatrecompany.com

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Middle East: Foreign Secretary’s statement, 28 October 2024

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

Foreign Secretary David Lammy gave an oral statement to the House of Commons on the situation in the Middle East.

Delivered on:

28 October 2024

With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement on the Middle East.

After over a year of horrifying violence, civilian suffering has increased, the conflict has widened, the risks of a yet wider regional war have risen.

Today, Mr Speaker, I want to address three elements of this crisis, and outline the urgent steps the Government’s taking in response.

Mr Speaker, I will first consider events over the weekend. Targeted Israeli strikes hit military sites inside Iran, including a missile manufacturer and an air defence base.

This was in response to Iran’s escalatory ballistic missile attacks on Israel condemned across the House. These attacks were the latest in a long history of malign Iranian activity. Its nuclear programme, with their total enriched uranium stockpile now reported by the IAEA to be thirty times the JCPoA limit. And political, financial and military support for militias, including Hizballah and Hamas.

Let me be clear. The Government unequivocally condemns Iranian attacks on Israel. This Government has imposed three rounds of sanctions on Iranian individuals and organisations responsible for malign activity, most recently on the fourteenth of October. And we have consistently supported Israel’s right to defend itself against Iranian attacks, and attacks by Iranian-backed terrorists, whose goal is the complete eradication of the Israeli state. We do not mourn the deaths of the heads of proscribed terrorist organisations.

The priority now is immediate de-escalation. Iran should not respond. All sides must exercise restraint. We do not wish to see the cycle of violence intensifying, dragging the whole region into a war with severe consequences. Escalation is in no one’s interest as it risks spreading the regional conflict further. We and our partners have been passing this message clearly and consistently. Yesterday, Mr Speaker, I spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Aragchi and Israeli Foreign Minister Katz and urged both countries to show restraint and avoid further regional escalation.

Mr Speaker, let me turn to the devastating situation in northern Gaza, where the United Nations estimates over four hundred thousand Palestinian civilians remain.

Access to essential services worsen by the day. Yet still, very little aid is being allowed in. Israel’s evacuation order in the north has displaced tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians. Driven from destruction, disease, and despair. To destruction, disease and despair. Nine in ten Gazans have been displaced since the war began. Some have had to flee more than ten times in the past year. What must parents say to their children? How can they explain this living nightmare? How can they reassure it will ever end?

There is no excuse for Israeli’s government’s ongoing restrictions on humanitarian assistance – they must let more aid in now. Aid is backed up at Gaza’s borders. In many cases funded by the UK and our partners. But now stuck, out of reach of those who need it so desperately. These restrictions fly in the face of Israel’s public commitments. They risk violating international humanitarian law. They are a rebuke to every friend of Israel, who month after month have demanded action to address the catastrophic conditions facing Palestinian civilians. So let me be clear once again. This Government condemns these restrictions in the strongest terms.

Since our first day in office, the Government has led efforts to bring this nightmare to an end. We have announced funding for UK-Med’s efforts to provide medical treatment in Gaza, for UNICEF’s work to support vulnerable families in Gaza, for Egyptian health facilities treating medically evacuated Palestinians from Gaza.

We are matching donations to the Disaster Emergency Committee’s Middle East Humanitarian Appeal. And, together with France and Algeria, we called an emergency UN Security Council meeting to address the dire situation. We sanctioned extremist settlers, making clear their actions do not serve the real interests of either Israel or the region.

And we have moved quickly to restore funding to UNRWA, overturning the position of the last Government. We did that to support UNRWA’s indispensable role in assisting Palestinians, and to enable them to implement the recommendations of the independent Colonna report.

All over the world, in every war zone, every refugee camp, the United Nations is a beacon of hope. And so it’s a matter of profound regret that the Israeli parliament is considering shutting down UNRWA’s operations. The allegations against UNRWA staff earlier this year were fully investigated, and offer no justification for cutting off ties with UNRWA.

This weekend, we therefore joined partners in expressing concerns at the Knesset’s legislation, and urged Israel to ensure UNRWA’s lifesaving work continues. We call on UNRWA to continue its path to reform, demonstrating its commitment to the principle of neutrality.

And finally, Mr Speaker, I will cover the conflict in Lebanon. A country that has endured so much in my lifetime and now sees fighting escalate once again, killing many civilians, and forcing hundreds of thousands from their homes. While in northern Israel, communities live in fear of Hizballah attacks, unable to return home.

Here too, the Government has led efforts to respond. Our swift call for an immediate ceasefire was taken up by our partners and in the United Nations Security Council. The Defence Secretary and I have visited Lebanon, where Britain’s ongoing support for the Lebanese Armed Forces is widely recognised as an investment in a sovereign and effective Lebanese state.

At the start of October, I announced ten million pounds for the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. Last week, my Right Honourable Friend Minister Dodds announced further funding for the most vulnerable amongst those fleeing from Lebanon into Syria, while my Honourable Friend Minister Falconer joined the Lebanon Support Conference in Paris. And today, my Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister will meet Prime Minister Mikati to reassure him of our support.

Mr Speaker, across the region, our priorities are clear. De-escalation. Humanitarian assistance. Immediate ceasefires. Upholding international law. Political solutions.

This is how we save lives. How we liberate hostages, like British national Emily Damari. And how we pull the region back from the brink.

The Government has stepped up our diplomatic engagement to this end. The Prime Minister has spoken directly to both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Pezeshkian. While I have made five visits to the region in just four months, held around fifty calls and meetings with Ministers and leaders in the region, and spoke this weekend to US Secretary Blinken, just back from the region.

Mr Speaker, it is a source of deep frustration that these efforts have not yet succeeded. We have no illusions about the deep-seated divisions in this region. A region scarred by fighting and false dawns in the past. But it is never too late for peace. Never too late for hope.

This Government will not give up on the people of the region. We will keep playing our part in achieving a lasting solution. So that, one day, they might all live side by side in peace and security.

I commend this statement to the House.

Updates to this page

Published 28 October 2024

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 25, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger Fly-By: October 25, 2024

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

Pfluger Fly-By: October 25, 2024

Washington, October 25, 2024

October 25, 2024

DOE Cover-Up of LNG Report

I led forty-five of my colleagues in sending a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm raising serious concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability within the agency regarding the Biden-Harris Administration’s handling of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.

In the letter, we write: “The Biden-Harris Administration’s attempt to conceal its findings on liquefied natural gas impacts is troubling. Despite evidence that U.S. LNG benefits both the economy and global energy security, the Department of Energy has imposed an indefinite ban on LNG exports to non-free trade agreement countries without legal justification.”

The American people deserve accountability on the decision-making process surrounding our energy future. Read more in the Daily Caller here or below.

CBP Releases Fiscal Year 2024 Border Apprehensions

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released final border encounters for Fiscal Year 2024, ending the year with 3 million illegal alien apprehensions and bringing the numbers under the Biden-Harris Administration up to over 10 million illegal aliens.

For the past four years, the Biden-Harris Administration has unleashed chaos at American borders by reversing President Trump’s border policies and creating mass-parole programs. Their policies have allowed millions of inadmissible aliens to be released into our communities.

House Republicans have fought to restore order at the border and enforce the laws on our books. It is four years too late for the Biden-Harris Administration to secure the border and protect Americans. Read the Committee on Homeland Security’s Startling Fact Sheet here or below.

Federal Judge Orders Virginia to Add Noncitizens to Voter Rolls

Today, a federal judge ordered the State of Virginia to reinstate 1,600 individuals who identified as noncitizens to their voter rolls. This move is alarming, especially during a presidential election year.

My legislation preventing illegal aliens and foreign nationals from voting in Washington, D.C., and the Republican-led SAVE Act, which prevents noncitizen voting nationwide, both passed the U.S. House of Representatives. These bills are being held up in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

This is not a partisan issue. Noncitizens, illegal immigrants, and foreign nationals do not have the right to vote in this country or determine the integrity of our elections. I will continue standing up for free and fair elections to ensure only citizens are voting in the United States of America.

Meta Suppressing Political Content from Users

For the past year, I have actively engaged with Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and probed its decision to actively opt users out from viewing political content.

Social media has become a vital tool for government agencies and Members of Congress to communicate with constituents. Preventing users from viewing political or social content is a grave threat, especially during emergencies or times of need. Read more about the letter in The Hill here or below.

National Retail Federation ‘Crime Fighter Award’

I am honored to be recognized as a Retail Crime Fighter by the National Retail Federation for my support of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act.

Organized retail crime is out of control across the country, harming small businesses and threatening public safety. As Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence, I have led the charge to address the cause of organized retail crime along with the impact on American businesses. We must continue to aid law enforcement across the country to deter retail crime.

Female Athletes Lost Nearly 900 Medals to Transgender Athletes

A U.N. report titled “Violence against women and girls in sports” revealed that female athletes have lost nearly 900 athletic competition medals to transgender athletes.

As a father to girls in sports, this is unacceptable. I was proud to vote in favor of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which protects female athletes by clarifying that under Title IX, sex shall be recognized solely on a person’s genetics at birth and blocks biological males from competing in school athletic programs for women or girls. It is sad that we must continue to fight for biological men to stay out of women’s sports.

I will always defend the rights of women and girls to have fair competition in sports. Read more in the New York Post here.

Biden-Harris Spent $900 Million on Flawed COVID-19 Campaign

The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce released a report unveiling the failings of a $900 million COVID-19 public relations campaign overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This campaign, funded by taxpayer dollars, was used to amplify flawed messaging on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic led to prolonged closures of small businesses and schools. I am proud of the Committee for uncovering the truth behind the Administration’s use of taxpayer dollars that led to public distrust in our public health institutions. Read the report here or below.

Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for daily updates.

Rep. August Pfluger

Member of Congress

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Warner Encourages Virginians to Apply for Participation in 2025 Inaugural Parade

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden wave to members of Fauquier County’s Canine Companions for Independence during the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Parade

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a special message encouraging groups throughout Virginia to apply for participation in the 2025 Presidential Inaugural Parade, which will be held on Monday, January 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

“Presidential inaugurations are not just symbolic ceremonies – they are an instrument of democracy by which we execute the peaceful transfer of power in this country,” said Sen. Warner. “I encourage Virginia’s talented entities – including our many marching bands, floats, and equestrian groups – to take part in this time-honored tradition, dating back when President Jefferson rode his horse from the Capitol to the President’s House in a procession that would become the Inaugural Parade we know today.”

The Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR) Parade Coordinator Office is now accepting applications through December 4, 2024 for the 60^th Inaugural Parade. The JTF-NCR is responsible for collecting and organizing all 2025 Presidential Inaugural Parade applications, which are then reviewed by the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC), a group tasked with organizing all Inaugural events at the discretion of the President-Elect.

In 2017, the parade consisted of 48 non-Department of Defense elements chosen from 141 applications. Groups interested in applying are encouraged to review the parade application guide before registering for an account, which can be done HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First tenants move into pioneering affordable homes in Edinburgh

Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

Tenants have moved into the first ‘net zero ready’ affordable homes to be delivered in Granton Waterfront.

A housing emergency was declared in Edinburgh last year and the 75 energy efficient homes for social and mid-market rent at Granton Station View built by CCG (Scotland) Ltd on behalf of the Council are part of the local authority’s £1.3bn regeneration of the area to provide much needed affordable housing.

The project is part of the major transformation of Granton Waterfront to create a new coastal town in the north of the city with tenants and homeowners also due to start moving into over 400 ‘net zero ready’ homes for social rent, mid-market rent and homes for sale at Western Villages throughout next year. Work is also well underway to deliver a further 143 ‘net zero ready’ social and mid-market rent homes at Silverlea due for completion in Summer 2026.

The homes at Granton Station View are the first Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) programme pilot which is part of a collaborative programme between local and national government, academia and the construction industry that has developed a new model for delivering affordable housing in Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. The homes will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the city’s 2030 net zero target. The homes were largely manufactured offsite and have high performance energy efficient features which will help reduce utility bills for tenants. Features include triple glazing, communal zero direct emissions heating as well as solar panels linked to the communal energy centre being provided. The University of Edinburgh will monitor the energy efficiency of the building design for the first year.

Granton Station View was supported by of over £6.6m funding from the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme (ASHP).

Other innovative features in the development include an underground waste collection system, cycle parking twice the capacity of the residents living there and links to existing and established walking, cycling and wheeling routes.

Three commercial spaces are also situated underneath the homes at Granton Station View providing business and employment opportunities for the area. Two of the spaces have recently been let out ensuring that residents of Granton Station View will have access to a local convenience store with a post office and a fitness gym.

As well as delivering over 3,500 ‘net zero’ homes in the next 10 years, the wider £1.3 billion Granton Waterfront regeneration will include a primary school, a health centre, commercial and cultural space as well as a new public park at the iconic Granton Gasholder, currently being restored.

Council leader Cammy Day said:

Today’s announcement is welcome news as the housing emergency we declared last year means we have a chronic shortage of housing in the city.

Despite Scottish Government cuts in affordable housing, the homes at Granton Station View are part of an exciting pilot project which will not just help us ease this shortage but will provide many individuals and families with comfortable modern homes using the very latest technology to keep energy bills down.

I wish everyone moving into Granton Station View well and look forward to seeing hundreds of other individuals and families move into the high-quality homes we are delivering at Western Villages and Silverlea as part of our wider £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

I am pleased that the City of Edinburgh Council has delivered 75 high-quality, energy-efficient homes for social and Mid-Market Rent in Granton. These homes were backed by over £6.6 million of Scottish Government funding and they will help to meet the needs of the local community for generations to come, whilst supporting Scotland’s net-zero ambitions.

We remain focused on delivering 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032 with at least 70% for social rent and 10% in our rural and island communities.

CCG (Scotland) Managing Director, David Wylie, said:

Scotland is in a housing emergency and our planet is in the midst of a climate emergency. Both issues are some of the most challenging that will face this generation and it is fundamental that we tackle both in equal measure by delivering more, sustainable homes like we have here at Granton Station View.

Through our own, pioneering construction methods and a new delivery model that focuses on streamlined procurement and collaborative working, we have unlocked brownfield land and evidenced that a just net zero transition is achievable, the needs of our communities can be met, and our carbon impact can be significantly lowered.

We thank the partners of the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator programme for their support during construction, and we look forward to continuing our work with the Council at Western Villages where a further 444 net zero ready homes, including 56 for sale from CCG Homes, will be completed in 2025.

The EHD programme has developed a housing delivery model for ‘net zero ready’ homes across the six council areas in the City Region Deal. As part of this programme, in Edinburgh, there are also 140 affordable homes being built in Greendykes which will be ready in 2027 and another 40 affordable homes currently being designed for Burdiehouse Crescent. These homes will have similar energy saving features.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Murphy Holds Roundtable Discussion on Expanding Access to Public Contracting Opportunities for Historically Marginalized Businesses

Source: US State of New Jersey

Discussion Seeks to Address Findings of Statewide Disparity Study

TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy today held a roundtable discussion where he met with legislators and stakeholders to gather input on potential legislative remedies and ongoing administrative initiatives to eliminate disparities in the public procurement process and create a more equitable business environment for Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) in New Jersey.

The discussion follows the release of a comprehensive statewide disparity study earlier this year – the first since 2005 – which reviewed statewide procurement data relating to goods and services, professional services, and construction between 2015 and 2020, and found statistically significant disparities in the awarding of public contracts to MWBEs. The study was necessary so that the State had a legal basis for addressing these gaps. This discussion also follows a series of meetings over the past months led by the Governor’s Office and the Department of Treasury with community partners, faith leaders, labor, and diverse business chambers across the state.

“One of New Jersey’s best attributes has always been its vast diversity. Our state is home to people of so many different backgrounds, who all deserve the opportunity to succeed in their chosen field; however, lingering inequities continue to create barriers to entry for our minority and women-owned businesses that want to contract with our state government. This is unacceptable and, with the help of our lawmakers and business community, we will take action,” said Governor Murphy. “Today’s meeting underscores our steadfast commitment to building a stronger, fairer, more equitable, and more inclusive New Jersey. I look forward to continuing this conversation and working with our partners in the Legislature and our state’s business community to create a system where all businesses can thrive.”

The Governor was joined by Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus; Senator Nellie Pou, Chair of the Legislative Latino Caucus; Assemblyman Sterley Stanley, Chair of the Asian American Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus; and Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity and Member of the Legislative Black Caucus.

The African American Chamber of Commerce, the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, the Punjabi Chamber of Commerce, the Veteran’s Chamber of Commerce, and the NJ Diverse Business Advisory Council — a coalition representing small and diverse businesses in New Jersey, such as LGBTQ+ and veteran-owned businesses — were also in attendance, in addition to Senior Pastor of Saint James AME Church Reverend Ronald Slaughter, Jo-Ann Povia, Chief of Staff to the Department of the Treasury and Associate Deputy State Treasurer, Michelle Bodden, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the Economic Development Authority, and Jayné Johnson, Director of the Governor’s Office of Equity.

“I want to commend Governor Murphy for his courageous leadership in commissioning the public contracting disparity study that equips us to make long-needed reforms. I also want to thank the Treasurer and the Treasury team for their work in overseeing the disparity study and Chief Diversity Officer Candice Alfonso for getting it over the finish line, as well as our partners in the Legislature and the business community who joined us at the table today to discuss legislative reforms. The study— as an assessment tool— equips us to tailor remedies specific to the study’s findings and the nuances of New Jersey law,” said Jayné Johnson, Director, Governor’s Office of Equity. “Our office has convened the Cabinet and the authorities across state government in support of efforts to accelerate capacity-building through initiatives that engage historically marginalized businesses. We are also leading statewide efforts to advance people-centered workplace initiatives—recognizing that when our colleagues have a better awareness of their neighbors, the outcomes of our policies and systems are more equitable and responsive.”

“From day one, Treasury has been committed to advancing the Murphy Administration’s goal of building a more equitable landscape for New Jersey businesses,” said State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio. “The recent disparity study overseen by Treasury’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, led by Chief Diversity Officer Candice Alfonso, shone a light on inequities faced by diverse businesses in the public contracting system. This years-long effort will serve as a roadmap as the State plans responsive action to promote a more equitable procurement process.”

“Under Governor Murphy’s leadership, New Jersey has made tremendous strides to increase transparency and create a more equitable economy, especially across state contracting opportunities for diverse entrepreneurs. I am proud of the investments we are making to bolster diverse-owned businesses and ensure they have the capacity to secure larger-scale contracts,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “But undoing decades of unfair treatment and unequal outcomes is a work in progress, and conversations like the one today are critical to guaranteeing our work to improve the procurement process is bold, meaningful, and transparent.”

Throughout the Murphy Administration, the State has instituted a number of initiatives designed to promote equitable contracting practices and uplift small businesses across all sectors. This has ranged from bonding readiness assistance to matchmaking and outreach events, complementing a whole-of-government approach to create new opportunities for New Jersey’s MWBEs.

Today’s discussion served as a valuable working session for representatives from the Executive and Legislative Branches to hear directly from industry stakeholders, fostering a collaborative foundation as the State works to establish concrete legislative solutions to make the public bidding process more accessible and resolve disparities in procurement processes.

“We have a moral obligation to ensure economic opportunities for every New Jerseyan,” said Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin. “Equity in the contracting process for minority- and women-owned businesses will benefit every corner of our state. We have demonstrated that when every community has the chance to thrive, it grows the entire economy. I commend the work of my colleagues in the Legislature, the Administration, and the business community to find solutions to the challenges outlined in the Disparity Study and look forward to our next steps.”

“Today’s discussion will serve as an important foundation as we work on viable, long-term solutions to make New Jersey’s business community more equitable,” said Senator Nellie Pou, Chair of the Legislative Latino Caucus. “We must ensure our minority and women-owned businesses are able to succeed in New Jersey, especially when it comes to doing business with the State. I was pleased to see so many come together in collaboration this morning and look forward to continuing our work in this space.”

“The findings of the New Jersey Disparity Study serve as a stark reminder of the long road we still must travel to ensure true equity for minority- and women-owned businesses in our state,” said Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter, Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus. “This study sheds light on critical gaps that continue to limit fair access to government contracts and the essential resources needed to allow these businesses not only to compete but to thrive. Armed with this data, we’re seizing this opportunity to enact real change. After hearing from our communities and stakeholders earlier this year, we introduced a bold package of a dozen bills that will help shape a more inclusive New Jersey. One where every business owner has a fair shot at success. Roundtable discussions like today’s are vital steps forward, bringing us closer to a more equitable economy that benefits all New Jerseyans.”

“The New Jersey Disparity Study authored an undeniable truth: minority and women-owned businesses are not being afforded the public contract opportunities that align with their product. This disparity does not reflect their ability to deliver quality services. Instead, it highlights systemic barriers that have gone unaddressed, barriers that allow state agencies to be relaxed about diversifying vendors and broadening business opportunities, and this demands immediate, decisive action,” said Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity. “Since this report was released, I have collaborated with many stakeholders like the African American Chamber of Commerce NJ and the New Jersey State Women’s Chamber of Commerce to launch a targeted legislative agenda focused on eliminating these obstacles and creating a more fair approach to market competition. But our commitment needs to go beyond legislation; it’s about real, actionable solutions for business owners and the government agencies responsible for contracting. By deepening our work with stakeholders and business leaders, we’re positioning New Jersey as a model of economic fairness and inclusion driving lasting impact for diverse business owners and strengthening our state economy.”

“The recently released disparity study highlighted the urgent need for change, and this roundtable was an important step in ensuring that New Jersey’s public contracting opportunities reflect the diversity of our communities,” said Assemblyman Sterley Stanley, Chair of the Asian American Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. “Minority- and women-owned businesses have faced significant marginalization, but by working with stakeholders, our fellow legislators, and government representatives, we can create pathways for all businesses to succeed in today’s marketplace.”

“I am grateful to Governor Murphy for his invitation to discuss how we move forward with policies and systems that will yield more equitable outcomes for the 1.2 million black residents and over 88,000 black owned businesses. Blacks have demonstrated tremendous patience, sacrifice, and support to help so many New Jerseyans to achieve their goals; now it’s time for the leadership within all sectors of our state to apply that same level of vigor and intentionality in partnership with the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey to enable our constituency to achieve their dreams and aspirations,” said John Harmon, Founder, President, and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey.

“Since the Disparity Study results were presented, the Governor’s Office has been highly engaged in keeping us informed. We’ve been part of roughly a dozen meetings, working closely together. While the findings are stark, the Governor’s Office has shown unwavering partnership from day one, committing to meaningful collaboration and sustained efforts. This joint approach aims to create a level playing field, drive increased competition, and ultimately secure greater savings for the state,” said Carlos Medina, Chair of the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey.

“Governor Murphy’s proactive approach in addressing the findings of the disparity study is paving the way for a more inclusive economy in New Jersey,” said Robin Tabakin, Public Policy Leader and President Elect of New Jersey State Women’s Chamber of Commerce. “I appreciate that Governor Murphy has taken the initiative to sign legislation directing the Department of the Treasury to establish procurement goals that prioritize women, minority, veteran, and LGBTQ owned businesses. Additionally, by increasing delegated purchasing authority for state agencies from $46,000 to $250,000, he has empowered these agencies to create real opportunities for diverse businesses in state contracting. His commitment to working with state chambers is critical to building a stronger, more equitable economic future for all New Jerseyans.”

“I want to applaud Governor Murphy and his Administration for the groundbreaking step they have taken toward remedying the stark economic injustices uncovered in this disparity study. As one of the founders of, and today’s representative of, the New Jersey Diverse Business Advisory Council—a coalition of diverse business chambers across the state, including the Veteran’s Chamber—I urge us all to continue to be reminded of the stark findings in this study and to ensure the remedies are inclusive of all the impacted communities outlined in the study, and even those not in the study, including our veteran, minority, and LGBTQ+ business owners. I look forward to working with the members of this roundtable and the community at large in the coming months to deliver on this critical initiative,” said Francisco Cortes, Founder of the NJ Diverse Business Advisory Council & President of the NJ State Veteran’s Chamber of Commerce.

“The Punjabi Chamber of Commerce along with our fellow Asian Americans commends Governor Murphy for directing attention and resources to addressing disparity in public contracting opportunities for Minority and Women Business Enterprises. New Jersey is fortunate to have a Governor who not only recognizes the disparity but is willing to assert leadership in remedying this serious issue,” said Gurpreet “Gary” Pasricha, Founder of the Punjabi Chamber of Commerce.

“By being the first Governor to conduct a disparity study in our state’s history, Governor Murphy has taken a measurable step towards fostering equity and inclusivity in our State’s multi-billion dollar contracting sphere. This conversation today to address these disparities not only highlights the commitment to achieving economic justice for all, but also sets a precedent for leadership in creating a more just society. As a faith leader, I will work to see that the state accomplishes this tall task and that the effects trickle down to every member of my community. I look forward to sharing this much-needed information with the various houses of worship and community groups throughout the state, as it all flows through us. This is a pivotal step by the Governor that will indeed pave the way for meaningful change,” said Senior Pastor of Saint James AME Church Reverend Ronald Slaughter.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Deluzio Cosponsors Legislation to Rein in Corporate Landlords and Lower Housing Costs
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17)

CARNEGIE, PA – This week, Representatives Chris Deluzio (PA-17) joined as an original co-sponsor of the Stop Wall Street Landlords Act reintroduced by Ro Khanna (CA-17), Katie Porter (CA-47), and Mark Takano (CA-39). This bill would end large institutional investors’ ability to use taxpayer dollars to subsidize the acquisition of single-family residential homes.

Since the 2008 housing crash and subsequent foreclosure crisis, increased investor activity in America’s housing market has normalized excessive fees and abusive practices while artificially driving up housing and rent prices. Investors bought 18% of all homes that sold in the fourth quarter of this year and 26% of the most affordable homes. In California, Nevada, Florida, Georgia, and other states where corporate landlords own a large concentration of single-family homes used as rental properties, investors are driving up the cost of rent.

“Low- and middle-income families in Western PA and across the country are being pushed out because of predatory practices by large corporate landlords buying up homes in our communities,” said Representative Chris Deluzio (PA-17). “Too many Wall Street investors are not good landlords; they have neglected maintenance, local taxes, and more—all while taking homes off the market. That is why I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of the Stop Wall Street Landlords Act—to help level the playing field and bring down housing costs in America.”

“Homes should be owned by people, not wealthy corporate landlords who are buying up affordable single-family homes and pushing the dream of homeownership out of reach for ordinary Americans,” said Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17). “Affordable housing is one of the most pressing issues in my district and across the state. The Stop Wall Street Landlords Act will ensure that taxpayer dollars are not being used to fuel the housing crisis with more subsidies to corporate landlords. I’m proud to lead this effort with Representatives Porter and Takano to put affordable housing for families first.”

“As a single mom of three, it’s heartbreaking when my kids question whether they’ll be able to afford a home in the future,” said Rep. Katie Porter (CA-47). “Americans across the country, especially in my home state of California, are counting on lawmakers to lower the cost of housing. I’m helping lead the Stop Wall Street Landlords Act to crack down on wealthy corporate landlords who drive up the cost of housing and push families out of the market—all to line their own pockets. Every American deserves to have a fair shot at homeownership, and this bill will help level the playing field.”

“With big corporations and private equity using their pricing power to raise costs on everything from groceries to gas, it is no wonder they are also targeting single-family homes,” said Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39). “Not only are “Wall Street landlords driving up the cost of housing by monopolizing ownership of single-family residences, but they are doing so by using taxpayer dollars. It’s time we put the people’s bottom line first—not private equity’s. The Stop Wall Street Landlords Act, which I am proud to lead with Representatives Khanna and Porter, will keep corporations out of the single-family housing market for good.”

“Owning a home has always been a big part of the American dream,” said Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12). “But because corporate investors buy up whole neighborhoods of single-family homes, leading to a rapid increase in the cost of housing, the idea of owning a home for many families across New Jersey remains just a dream. I’m proud to co-sponsor the Stop Wall Street Landlords Act to put a stop to this predatory practice, and give everyone a fair shot at a stable future for themselves and their families.”

Specifically, the Stop Wall Street Landlords Act will:
- End large institutional investors’ ability to benefit from tax breaks reserved for homeowners – namely mortgage interest, insurance, and depreciation deductions.
- Direct the Federal Housing Financial Agency (FHFA) and related agencies Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae to (a) prohibit large institutional investors from purchasing mortgages on single-family residential (SFR) homes – or any interest in such a mortgage – and (b) from newly lending on a security or securitizing any SFR mortgage under which the mortgagee meets the bill definition of a specified large investor.
The bill makes exceptions for mom-and-pop landlords, housing providers that participate in federal affordable housing programs, nonprofits and developers committed to building and supplying affordable single-family homes to owner occupiers in the American housing market.

For the full text of the bill, click here.

Cosponsors: Representatives Chris Deluzio, Katie Porter, Mark Takano, Raúl M. Grijalva, Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Barbara Lee, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Jonathan L. Jackson.

Endorsing groups: California Democratic Renters Council, Churches United For Fair Housing, Consumer Action, Destination: Home, National Coalition for the Homeless, Private Equity Stakeholder Project, Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness.

###

MIL OSI USA News –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Biden-Harris Administration, alongside Congresswoman Wilson, Announce $389 million towards Miami-Dade County’s Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Frederica S Wilson (24th District of Florida)

The Federal Transit Administration, alongside Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-24), announced that it is advancing the Miami-Dade County Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project into the Engineering phase of the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program.

This means the Federal Transit Administration will invest $389,474,434 in Miami-Dade County. The total project plan is $927.3 million, and under this plan, the Federal Transit Administration will provide $389.4 million, Miami Dade County will provide 337.9 million, and the State of Florida will commit $200 million.

Congresswoman Wilson, a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said, “The Federal Transit Administration’s announcement is a game-changer for Miami-Dade County and brings our community much closer to seeing the Northeast Corridor become a reality. Traffic and transit options have been issues across Miami-Dade County for as long as I can remember, especially in areas like Wynwood, Aventura, Little Haiti, and North Miami. I’m proud to have worked with our county officials and federal partners at the Federal Transit Administration to help secure these funds for Miami-Dade County. Constructing the Northeast Corridor will help reduce traffic, provide more transportation options, create jobs, contribute to our efforts to combat the climate crisis, and allow Miami-Dade County to become the modern, transit-connected community it deserves to be. While more work lies ahead, today marks a large milestone in our efforts to construct the Northeast Corridor.”

Congresswoman Wilson represents the areas where the Northeast Corridor would be constructed, including North Miami, Aventura, and Little Haiti. She has been a consistent advocate for the Northeast Corridor and has previously requested $454 million in funds from the federal government for the Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project. She was also one of five cosponsors of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, which helped allow this funding for the Northeast Corridor.

“We are grateful to the Biden-Harris administration and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg for continuing to support this critical project and our SMART Program to offer more affordable transportation options to our community,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “The Northeast Corridor and its local commuter rail service will help reduce traffic and give many residents, especially in underserved areas, more options to access jobs, education and opportunities. This service will be a gamechanger for those who need it most as we continue building the future of transit in Miami-Dade.”

Next, the project will need a second rating from the Federal Transit Administration, considering factors such as mobility improvements, land use, and environmental benefits. Miami-Dade Transportation and Public Works already scored well enough on the first review to move into the Engineering phase and grant preliminary approval for a Capital Investment Grant. If they receive a strong score again and complete all engineering work, they’ll be able to secure a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the Federal Transit Administration. This agreement would commit the Federal Transit Administration to provide $389.3 million for the project, pending the availability of funding through annual appropriations, as this transit program relies on the General Fund instead of guaranteed Highway Trust Fund dollars.

No congressional approval is needed on a project-specific level, but Congress will have to approve funds for all Capital Investment Grants projects as part of the annual Congressional appropriations process to ensure the funds for this project.

“The Federal Transit Administration’s $389 million investment in Miami-Dade’s Northeast Corridor is a monumental step forward in our efforts to create a modern, connected transit system that serves our residents and visitors,” said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins. “This funding is a testament to our community’s vision and the commitment from leaders like Congresswoman Federica Wilson to make that vision a reality. With stops in places like Wynwood, Little Haiti, and at the FIU Biscayne Bay campus, expanding and improving our transit options means less traffic congestion, a cleaner environment, and enhanced access to jobs, healthcare, and educational opportunities for thousands. I am proud to advocate for this vital project alongside our congressional partners and look forward to the progress that will transform how we move across Miami-Dade.”

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins, who represents the area where the Northeast Corridor would be constructed, has traveled numerous times between Miami-Dade and Washington, D.C., to advocate for this funding.

Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Oliver Gilbert said, “This announcement by the FTA marks a commitment to a more accessible, resilient, and inclusive Miami-Dade County. Whether it’s jobs, housing, or educational opportunities, the federal support for the Northeast Corridor will bring transformative change and make it easier for people to connect with what matters most in their lives.”

Cathy Dos Santos, Executive Director of Transit Alliance Miami, said, “In August of 2024, 80% of Miami-Dade voters gave our elected officials a mandate to expand mass rapid transit, the Northeast Corridor delivers. This rail project is a giant step towards a robust, competitive transit network that secures the economic well-being of Miami-Dade. For our workers and families, this commuter rail will be a completely new way of moving that’s safe, fast, affordable, and enjoyable, compared to the traffic nightmare of the I-95. We commend Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and Commissioner Higgins for fighting to secure this funding and Miami-Dade’s future!”

For the approval letter from the Federal Transit Administration, click here.

For the details on the Federal Transit Administration’s announcement, click here.

The Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project includes 13.5 miles of commuter rail, with 7 stations, including Miami Central, Wynwood, Design District, Little Haiti, North Miami, FIU/Biscayne, and West Aventura.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Wittman Hosts Veterans Seminar in Midlothian
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01)

MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) today hosted a community seminar at American Legion Post 354 in Midlothian to convene veterans, their families, support organizations, and community members to provide resources and discuss the challenges faced by the veterans community in Virginia’s First District. The seminar was a follow-up to a similar event the congressman hosted in Mechanicsville earlier this month.

Watch the livestream here.

“Our veterans made great sacrifices for us on the battlefield, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for that service,” said Rep. Wittman. “These heroes and their families deserve access to the highest level of care, employment and educational opportunities, and support from their community. Our veterans have earned their benefits through sacrifice, service, and hardship, and I believe they should receive the most efficient delivery of benefits possible. I remain committed to protecting these hard-earned benefits for our nation’s heroes.”

The congressman was joined by Harry Schein, veterans service representative at the Virginia Department of Veterans Services, and Bill Barksdale, assistant director of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ Roanoke Regional Office.

Virginia’s First District is home to many veterans, with over 700,000 veterans residing in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Throughout his time in Congress, Rep. Wittman has reintroduced multiple pieces of legislation that would remove administrative roadblocks to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services and to bring accountability to the VA by increasing transparency:
- Voted for the PACT Act
  - Expands VA health care to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during their military service.
  - Extends the period of time post-9/11 combat veterans have to enroll in VA health care from five to 10 years post-discharge.
  - Requires veterans enrolled in VA health care to be screened regularly for toxic exposure related concerns.
  - Invests in VA health care facilities by authorizing 31 major medical health clinics and research facilities in 19 states.
  - Requires VA to conduct outreach to any veteran who had previously filed a claim for benefits related to toxic exposure and was denied ensuring they are aware of the opportunity to refile.
- Cosponsored the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act
  - Improves the delivery of healthcare, benefits, and services at the VA for veterans, their families, and their survivors.
  - Expands economic opportunity, modernizes the disability claims process, improves elder care, and expands mental health support.
- Cosponsored the Not Just a Number Act
  Directs the VA to study which programs work best to stop suicide and expand upon them.
  
  Enhances accuracy of data, timely reporting of veteran suicides, and improves prevention efforts through better service delivery and the proposal of new administrative structures.
###

MIL OSI USA News –
January 25, 2025

MIL-OSI: NorthEast Community Bancorp, Inc. Reports Results for the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Oct. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NorthEast Community Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: NECB) (the “Company”), the parent holding company of NorthEast Community Bank (the “Bank”), generated net income of $12.7 million, or $0.97 per basic share and $0.95 per diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to net income of $11.8 million, or $0.80 per basic and diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2023. In addition, the Company generated net income of $36.9 million, or $2.81 per basic share and $2.78 per diluted share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to net income of $34.2 million, or $2.42 per basic share and $2.41 per diluted share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Kenneth A. Martinek, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We are pleased to report another quarter of strong earnings due to the strong performance of our loan portfolio. Despite the challenging high interest rate environment during 2023 that continued into most of 2024, offset by a reduction in interest rates towards the end of the third quarter of 2024, loan demand remained strong with originations and outstanding commitments remaining robust. As has been in the past, construction lending in high demand-high absorption areas continues to be our focus.”

Highlights for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2024 are as follows:

Performance metrics continue to be strong with a return on average total assets ratio of 2.62%, a return on average shareholders’ equity ratio of 16.48%, and an efficiency ratio of 36.04% for the three months ended September 30, 2024. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company generated a return on average total assets ratio of 2.61%, a return on average shareholders’ equity ratio of 16.55%, and an efficiency ratio of 36.37%.
Net interest income increased by $1.2 million and $5.5 million, or 4.6% and 7.7%, respectively, for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to the same periods in 2023.
Our commitments, loans-in-process, and standby letters of credit outstanding totaled $659.0 million at September 30, 2024 compared to $719.6 million at December 31, 2023.

Balance Sheet Summary

Total assets increased $203.8 million, or 11.6%, to $2.0 billion at September 30, 2024, from $1.8 billion at December 31, 2023. The increase in assets was primarily due to an increase in net loans of $173.6 million and an increase in cash and cash equivalents of $29.1 million.

Cash and cash equivalents increased $29.1 million, or 42.4%, to $97.8 million at September 30, 2024 from $68.7 million at December 31, 2023. The increase in cash and cash equivalents was a result of an increase in deposits of $228.0 million, partially offset by a decrease in borrowings of $57.0 million, an increase of $173.6 million in net loans, and stock repurchases of $2.4 million.

Equity securities increased $2.4 million, or 13.5%, to $20.5 million at September 30, 2024 from $18.1 million at December 31, 2023. The increase in equity securities was attributable to the purchase of $2.0 million in equity securities during the third quarter of 2024 and market appreciation of $445,000 due to market interest rate volatility during the nine months ended September 30, 2024.

Securities held-to-maturity decreased $799,000, or 5.0%, to $15.1 million at September 30, 2024 from $15.9 million at December 31, 2023 due to $810,000 in maturities and pay-downs of various investment securities, partially offset by a decrease of $10,000 in the allowance for credit losses for held-to-maturity securities.

Loans, net of the allowance for credit losses, increased $173.6 million, or 11.0%, to $1.8 billion at September 30, 2024 from $1.6 billion at December 31, 2023. The increase in loans, net of the allowance for credit losses, was primarily due to loan originations of $569.2 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2024, consisting primarily of $499.7 million in construction loans with respect to which approximately 34.1% of the funds were disbursed at loan closings, with the remaining funds to be disbursed over the terms of the construction loans. In addition, during the nine months ended September 30, 2024, we originated $44.7 million in commercial and industrial loans, $14.0 million in non-residential loans, $4.2 million in multi-family loans, and $600,000 in mixed-use loans.

Loan originations during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 resulted in a net increase of $148.8 million in construction loans, $14.4 million in commercial and industrial loans, $9.2 million in non-residential loans, $3.6 million in multi-family loans, and $788,000 in consumer loans. The increase in our loan portfolio was partially offset by decreases of $1.7 million in residential loans and $1.2 million in mixed-use loans, coupled with normal pay-downs and principal reductions.

The allowance for credit losses related to loans decreased to $4.8 million as of September 30, 2024 from $5.1 million as of December 31, 2023. The decrease in the allowance for credit losses related to loans was due to a credit to the provision for credit losses totaling $145,000 and charge-offs of $115,000.

Premises and equipment decreased $507,000, or 2.0%, to $24.9 million at September 30, 2024 from $25.5 million at December 31, 2023 primarily due to the depreciation of fixed assets.

Investments in Federal Home Loan Bank stock decreased $217,000, or 23.4%, to $712,000 at September 30, 2024 from $929,000 at December 31, 2023. The decrease was due primarily to the mandatory redemption of Federal Home Loan Bank stock totaling $315,000 in connection with the maturity of $7.0 million in advances in 2024, offset by purchases of Federal Home Loan Bank stock totaling $98,000 due to the growth of our mortgage loan portfolio.

Bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”) increased $486,000, or 1.9%, to $25.6 million at September 30, 2024 from $25.1 million at December 31, 2023 due to increases in the BOLI cash value.

Accrued interest receivable increased $1.2 million, or 9.4%, to $13.5 million at September 30, 2024 from $12.3 million at December 31, 2023 due to an increase in the loan portfolio.

Real estate owned decreased $478,000, or 32.8%, to $978,000 at September 30, 2024 from $1.5 million at December 31, 2023 due to a charge-off of $478,000 resulting from a decrease in the estimated fair value of the foreclosed property.

Right of use assets — operating decreased $422,000, or 9.2%, to $4.1 million at September 30, 2024 from $4.6 million at December 31, 2023, primarily due to amortization.

Other assets decreased $548,000, or 6.8%, to $7.5 million at September 30, 2024 from $8.0 million at December 31, 2023 due to decreases in tax assets of $671,000, prepaid expenses of $56,000, miscellaneous assets of $4,000, and securities receivables of $1,000, partially offset by increase in suspense accounts of $184,000.

Total deposits increased $228.0 million, or 16.3%, to $1.6 billion at September 30, 2024 from $1.4 billion at December 31, 2023. The increase in deposits was primarily due to the Bank offering competitive interest rates to attract deposits. This resulted in a shift in deposits whereby certificates of deposit increased $230.5 million, or 30.3%, and NOW/money market accounts increased $83.5 million, or 57.4%, partially offset by decreases in savings account balances of $53.4 million, or 27.7%, and non-interest bearing demand deposits of $32.6 million, or 10.9%.

Federal Home Loan Bank advances decreased $7.0 million, or 50.0%, to $7.0 million at September 30, 2024 from $14.0 million at December 31, 2023 due to the maturity of borrowings in 2024. Federal Reserve Bank borrowings of $50.0 million at December 31, 2023 were paid-off during the nine months ended September 30, 2024.

Advance payments by borrowers for taxes and insurance increased $442,000, or 21.9%, to $2.5 million at September 30, 2024 from $2.0 million at December 31, 2023 due primarily to accumulation of real estate tax payments by borrowers.

Lease liability – operating decreased $384,000, or 8.3%, to $4.2 million at September 30, 2024 from $4.6 million at December 31, 2023, primarily due to amortization.

Accounts payable and accrued expenses increased $2.4 million, or 17.8%, to $16.0 million at September 30, 2024 from $13.6 million at December 31, 2023 due primarily to increases in dividends payable of $3.2 million and deferred compensation of $395,000, partially offset by a decrease in accrued expense of $810,000. The allowance for credit losses for off-balance sheet commitments decreased $130,000, or 12.5%, to $908,000 at September 30, 2024 from $1.0 million at December 31, 2023.

Stockholders’ equity increased $30.3 million, or 10.8% to $309.6 million at September 30, 2024, from $279.3 million at December 31, 2023. The increase in stockholders’ equity was due to net income of $36.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the amortization expense of $1.4 million relating to restricted stock and stock options granted under the Company’s 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, a reduction of $652,000 in unearned employee stock ownership plan shares coupled with an increase of $532,000 in earned employee stock ownership plan shares, an exercise of stock options totaling $14,000, and $10,000 in other comprehensive income, partially offset by stock repurchases totaling $2.5 million and dividends paid and declared of $6.7 million.

Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 and 2023

Net Interest Income

Net interest income was $26.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $25.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in net interest income of $1.2 million, or 4.6%, was primarily due to an increase in interest income that exceeded an increase in interest expense.

The increase in interest income is attributable to increases in the average balances of loans, interest-bearing deposits, and investment securities, partially offset by a decrease in the average balances of FHLB stock. The increase in interest income is also attributable to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate increases in 2023 that continued until September 2024.

The increase in market interest rates in 2023 that continued until September 2024 also caused an increase in our interest expense. As a result, the increase in interest expense for the three months ended September 30, 2024 was due to an increase in the cost of funds on our deposits and borrowed money. The increase in interest expense was also due to an increase in the average balances on our certificates of deposits, our interest-bearing demand deposits, and our borrowed money, offset by a decrease in the average balances on our savings and club deposits.

Total interest and dividend income increased $6.0 million, or 17.2%, to $41.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 from $35.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in interest and dividend income was due to an increase in the average balance of interest earning assets of $282.6 million, or 18.0%, to $1.9 billion for the three months ended September 30, 2024 from $1.6 billion for the three months ended September 30, 2023, partially offset by a decrease in the yield on interest earning assets by 6 basis points from 8.95% for the three months ended September 30, 2023 to 8.89% for the three months ended September 30, 2024.

Interest expense increased $4.9 million, or 48.9%, to $14.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 from $10.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in interest expense was due to an increase in the cost of interest bearing liabilities by 59 basis points from 3.86% for the three months ended September 30, 2023 to 4.45% for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and an increase in average interest bearing liabilities of $301.8 million, or 29.1%, to $1.3 billion for the three months ended September 30, 2024 from $1.0 billion for the three months ended September 30, 2023.

Our net interest margin decreased 72 basis points, or 11.3%, to 5.68% for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to 6.40% for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease in the net interest margin was due to the increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities outpacing the increase in the yield on interest-earning assets.

Credit Loss Expense

The Company recorded a provision for credit loss of $105,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to a provision for credit loss of $156,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The credit loss expense of $105,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 was comprised of a credit loss expense for off-balance sheet commitments of $105,000 primarily attributable to an increase in the weighted average remaining maturity for the aggregate unfunded off-balance sheet commitments. The credit loss expense of $156,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2023 was comprised of credit loss for loans of $438,000, partially offset by credit loss expense reduction for off-balance sheet commitments of $278,000 and credit loss expense reduction for held-to-maturity securities of $4,000.

With respect to the allowance for credit losses for loans, we charged-off $82,000 during the three months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to charge-offs of $71,000 during the three months ended September 30, 2023. These charge-offs during the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 were against various unpaid overdrafts in our demand deposit accounts.

We recorded no recoveries from previously charged-off loans during the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.

Non-Interest Income

Non-interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2024 was $1.3 million compared to non-interest income of $221,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase of $1.1 million, or 510.4%, in total non-interest income was primarily due to increases of $977,000 in unrealized gain on equity securities, $225,000 in other loan fees and service charges, $26,000 in miscellaneous other non-interest income, and $14,000 in BOLI income, partially offset by a decrease of $114,000 in investment advisory fees.

The increase in unrealized gain (loss) on equity securities was due to an unrealized gain of $547,000 on equity securities during the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to an unrealized loss of $430,000 on equity securities during the three months ended September 30, 2023. The unrealized gain of $547,000 on equity securities during the three months ended September 30, 2024 was due to market interest rate volatility during the quarter ended September 30, 2024.

The increase of $225,000 in other loan fees and service charges was due to an increase of $210,000 in other loan fees and loan servicing fees and an increase of $15,000 in ATM/debit card/ACH fees.

The decrease in investment advisory fees was due to the disposition in January 2024 of the Bank’s assets relating to the Harbor West Wealth Management Group. As a result of the transaction, the Bank no longer generates investment advisory fees.

Non-Interest Expense

Non-interest expense increased $1.0 million, or 11.7%, to $10.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 from $8.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase resulted primarily from increases of $477,000 in real estate owned expense, $435,000 in salaries and employee benefits, $119,000 in occupancy expense, and $112,000 in outside data processing expense, partially offset by decreases of $53,000 in equipment expense, $39,000 in other operating expense, and $5,000 in advertising expense.

Income Taxes

We recorded income tax expense of $4.9 million and $4.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the three months ended September 30, 2024, we had approximately $203,000 in tax exempt income, compared to approximately $187,000 in tax exempt income for the three months ended September 30, 2023. Our effective income tax rates were 27.8% and 27.3% for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Results of Operations for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 and 2023

Net Interest Income

Net interest income was $77.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to $72.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in net interest income of $5.5 million, or 7.7%, was primarily due to an increase in interest income that exceeded an increase in interest expense.

The increase in interest income is attributable to increases in loans and interest-bearing deposits, partially offset by decreases in investment securities and FHLB stock. The increase in interest income is also attributable to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate increases during 2023 that continued until September 2024.

The increase in market interest rates in 2023 that continued until September 2024 also caused an increase in our interest expense. As a result, the increase in interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was due to an increase in the cost of funds on our deposits and borrowed money. The increase in interest expense was also due to increases in the balances on our certificates of deposits, our interest-bearing demand deposits, and our borrowed money, offset by a decrease in the balances of our savings and club deposits.

Total interest and dividend income increased $24.2 million, or 25.4%, to $119.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $95.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in interest and dividend income was due to an increase in the average balance of interest earning assets of $332.7 million, or 22.7%, to $1.8 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $1.5 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and an increase in the yield on interest earning assets by 19 basis points from 8.66% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 to 8.85% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024.

Interest expense increased $18.7 million, or 79.9%, to $42.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $23.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in interest expense was due to an increase in the cost of interest bearing liabilities by 101 basis points from 3.35% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 to 4.36% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, and an increase in average interest bearing liabilities of $355.6 million, or 38.2%, to $1.3 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $931.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Net interest margin decreased 80 basis points, or 12.2%, for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 to 5.74% compared to 6.54% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Credit Loss Expense

The Company recorded a credit loss expense reduction totaling $286,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to a credit loss expense totaling $767,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The credit loss expense reduction of $286,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was comprised of a credit loss expense reduction for loans of $145,000, a credit loss expense reduction for off-balance sheet commitments of $130,000, and a credit loss expense reduction for held-to-maturity investment securities of $11,000. The credit loss expense reduction for loans of $145,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was primarily attributed to favorable trends in the economy. The credit loss expense reduction for off-balance sheet commitments of $130,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was primarily attributed to a reduction of $69.1 million in the level of off-balance sheet commitments, partially offset by an increase in the weighted average remaining maturity for the aggregate unfunded off-balance sheet commitments during the quarter ended September 30, 2024.

The credit loss expense of $767,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 was comprised of credit loss expense for loans of $1.2 million, partially offset by a credit loss expense reduction for off-balance sheet commitments of $395,000 and credit loss expense reduction for held-to-maturity investment securities of $1,000.

We charged-off $115,000 during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as compared to charge-offs of $285,000 during the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The charge-offs of $115,000 during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 were against various unpaid overdrafts in our demand deposit accounts. The charge-offs of $285,000 during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 were comprised of a charge-off of $159,000 related to three performing construction loans on the same project whereby we sold the loans to a third-party subsequent to June 30, 2023 at a loss of $159,000. The remaining charge-offs of $126,000 for the 2023 period were against various unpaid overdrafts in our demand deposit accounts.

We recorded no recoveries from previously charged-off loans during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.

Non-Interest Income

Non-interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $2.6 million compared to non-interest income of $2.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase of $277,000, or 11.8%, in total non-interest income was primarily due to increases of $772,000 in unrealized gains on equity securities, $196,000 in other loan fees and service charges, and $23,000 in miscellaneous other non-interest income, offset by decreases of $371,000 in BOLI income and $343,000 in investment advisory fees.

The increase in unrealized gain (loss) on equity securities was due to an unrealized gain of $445,000 on equity securities during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to an unrealized loss of $327,000 on equity securities during the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The unrealized gain of $445,000 on equity securities during the 2024 period was due to market interest rate volatility during the nine months ended September 30, 2024.

The increase of $196,000 in other loan fees and service charges was due to increases of $164,000 in other loan fees and loan servicing fees, $27,000 in ATM/debit card/ACH fees, and $5,000 in savings account fees.

The decrease in BOLI income was primarily due to two death claims totaling $1.8 million on BOLI policies that resulted in additional BOLI income of $404,000 in the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease in investment advisory fees was due to the disposition in January 2024 of the Bank’s assets relating to the Harbor West Wealth Management Group. As a result of the transaction, the Bank no longer generates investment advisory fees.

Non-Interest Expense

Non-interest expense increased $3.2 million, or 12.1%, to $29.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $26.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase resulted primarily from increases of $1.7 million in salaries and employee benefits, $800,000 in other operating expense, $475,000 in real estate owned expense, $286,000 in outside data processing expense, and $226,000 in occupancy expense, partially offset by decreases of $183,000 in equipment expense and $110,000 in advertising expense.

Income Taxes

We recorded income tax expense of $14.4 million and $13.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, we had approximately $597,000 in tax exempt income, compared to approximately $956,000 in tax exempt income for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease in tax exempt income was due to two death claims totaling $1.8 million on BOLI policies during the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Our effective income tax rates were 28.1% and 28.2% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Asset Quality

Non-performing assets were $5.4 million at September 30, 2024 compared to $5.8 million at December 31, 2023. At September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, we had two non-performing construction loans totaling $4.4 million secured by the same project located in the Bronx, New York. We successfully foreclosed on these two loans on October 21, 2024 and the balances were transferred to foreclosed real estate. The other non-performing assets consisted of one foreclosed property at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023. Our ratio of non-performing assets to total assets remained low at 0.27% at September 30, 2024 as compared to 0.33% at December 31, 2023.

The Company’s allowance for credit losses related to loans was $4.8 million, or 0.27% of total loans as of September 30, 2024, compared to $5.1 million, or 0.32% of total loans, as of December 31, 2023. Based on a review of the loans that were in the loan portfolio at September 30, 2024, management believes that the allowance for credit losses related to loans is maintained at a level that represents its best estimate of inherent losses in the loan portfolio that were both probable and reasonably estimable.

In addition, at September 30, 2024, the Company’s allowance for credit losses related to off-balance sheet commitments totaled $908,000 and the allowance for credit losses related to held-to-maturity debt securities totaled $126,000.

Capital

The Company’s total stockholders’ equity to assets ratio was 15.73% as of September 30, 2024. At September 30, 2024, the Company had the ability to borrow $832.1 million from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, $14.8 million from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York and $8.0 million from Atlantic Community Bankers Bank.

The Bank’s capital position remains strong relative to current regulatory requirements and the Bank is considered a well-capitalized institution under the Prompt Corrective Action framework. As of September 30, 2024, the Bank had a tier 1 leverage capital ratio of 14.76% and a total risk-based capital ratio of 14.04%.

The Company completed its first stock repurchase program on April 14, 2023 whereby the Company repurchased 1,637,794 shares, or 10%, of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock. The cost of the stock repurchase program totaled $23.0 million, including commission costs and Federal excise taxes. Of the total shares repurchased under this program, 957,275 of such shares were repurchased during 2023 at a total cost of $13.7 million, including commission costs and Federal excise taxes.

The Company commenced its second stock repurchase program on May 30, 2023 whereby the Company will repurchase 1,509,218, or 10%, of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had repurchased 1,091,174 shares of common stock under its second repurchase program, at a cost of $17.2 million, including commission costs and Federal excise taxes.

About NorthEast Community Bancorp

NorthEast Community Bancorp, headquartered at 325 Hamilton Avenue, White Plains, New York 10601, is the holding company for NorthEast Community Bank, which conducts business through its eleven branch offices located in Bronx, New York, Orange, Rockland, and Sullivan Counties in New York and Essex, Middlesex, and Norfolk Counties in Massachusetts and three loan production offices located in New City, New York, White Plains, New York, and Danvers, Massachusetts. For more information about NorthEast Community Bancorp and NorthEast Community Bank, please visit www.necb.com.

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding anticipated future events and can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” and “intend” or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.” These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results include, but are not limited to, changes in market interest rates, regional and national economic conditions (including higher inflation and its impact on regional and national economic conditions), legislative and regulatory changes, monetary and fiscal policies of the United States government, including policies of the United States Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board, the quality and composition of the loan or investment portfolios, demand for loan products, decreases in deposit levels necessitating increased borrowing to fund loans and securities, competition, demand for financial services in NorthEast Community Bank’s market area, changes in the real estate market values in NorthEast Community Bank’s market area, the impact of failures or disruptions in or breaches of the Company’s operational or security systems, data or infrastructure, or those of third parties, including as a result of cyberattacks or campaigns, and changes in relevant accounting principles and guidelines. Additionally, other risks and uncertainties may be described in our annual and quarterly reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which are available through the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating any forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Except as required by applicable law or regulation, the Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to release publicly the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

CONTACT:	Kenneth A. Martinek
	Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

PHONE:	(914) 684-2500

NORTHEAST COMMUNITY BANCORP, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
(Unaudited)

	September 30,			December 31,
	2024			2023
	(In thousands, except share
	and per share amounts)
ASSETS
Cash and amounts due from depository institutions	$	16,023		$	13,394
Interest-bearing deposits		81,766			55,277
Total cash and cash equivalents		97,789			68,671
Certificates of deposit		100			100
Equity securities		20,547			18,102
Securities held-to-maturity (net of allowance for credit losses of $126 and $136, respectively)		15,061			15,860
Loans receivable		1,760,504			1,586,721
Deferred loan (fees) costs, net		(245	)		176
Allowance for credit losses		(4,833	)		(5,093	)
Net loans		1,755,426			1,581,804
Premises and equipment, net		24,945			25,452
Investments in restricted stock, at cost		712			929
Bank owned life insurance		25,568			25,082
Accrued interest receivable		13,463			12,311
Real estate owned		978			1,456
Property held for investment		1,380			1,407
Right of Use Assets – Operating		4,144			4,566
Right of Use Assets – Financing		348			351
Other assets		7,496			8,044
Total assets	$	1,967,957		$	1,764,135
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Liabilities:
Deposits:
Non-interest bearing	$	267,592		$	300,184
Interest bearing		1,360,475			1,099,852
Total deposits		1,628,067			1,400,036
Advance payments by borrowers for taxes and insurance		2,462			2,020
Borrowings		7,000			64,000
Lease Liability – Operating		4,241			4,625
Lease Liability – Financing		599			571
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		15,965			13,558
Total liabilities		1,658,334			1,484,810

Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 25,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding	$	—		$	—
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 75,000,000 shares authorized; 14,020,602 shares and 14,144,856 shares outstanding, respectively		140			142
Additional paid-in capital		109,368			109,924
Unearned Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) shares		(5,911	)		(6,563	)
Retained earnings		205,699			175,505
Accumulated other comprehensive income		327			317
Total stockholders’ equity		309,623			279,325
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	1,967,957		$	1,764,135

NORTHEAST COMMUNITY BANCORP, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended September 30,					Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2024		2023			2024			2023
						(In thousands, except per share amounts)
INTEREST INCOME:
Loans	$	39,484	$	33,757		$	114,821		$	91,826
Interest-earning deposits		1,472		1,181			4,058			2,886
Securities		227		199			662			650
Total Interest Income		41,183		35,137			119,541			95,362
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits		14,630		9,889			40,459			23,050
Borrowings		257		109			1,559			299
Financing lease		10		10			29			28
Total Interest Expense		14,897		10,008			42,047			23,377
Net Interest Income		26,286		25,129			77,494			71,985
Provision for (reversal of) credit loss		105		156			(286	)		767
Net Interest Income after Provision for (Reversal of) Credit Loss		26,181		24,973			77,780			71,218
NON-INTEREST INCOME:
Other loan fees and service charges		589		364			1,613			1,417
Earnings on bank owned life insurance		167		153			486			857
Investment advisory fees		–		114			–			343
Unrealized gain (loss) on equity securities		547		(430	)		445			(327	)
Other		46		20			90			67
Total Non-Interest Income		1,349		221			2,634			2,357
NON-INTEREST EXPENSES:
Salaries and employee benefits		5,135		4,700			15,738			14,079
Occupancy expense		735		616			2,116			1,890
Equipment		187		240			661			844
Outside data processing		681		569			1,924			1,638
Advertising		128		133			310			420
Real estate owned expense		488		11			527			52
Other		2,607		2,646			7,864			7,064
Total Non-Interest Expenses		9,961		8,915			29,140			25,987
INCOME BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES		17,569		16,279			51,274			47,588
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES		4,883		4,436			14,416			13,413
NET INCOME	$	12,686	$	11,843		$	36,858		$	34,175

NORTHEAST COMMUNITY BANCORP, INC.
SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
	(In thousands, except per share amounts)						(In thousands, except per share amounts)
Per share data:
Earnings per share – basic	$	0.97		$	0.80		$	2.81		$	2.42
Earnings per share – diluted		0.95			0.80			2.78			2.41
Weighted average shares outstanding – basic		13,075			14,743			13,108			14,143
Weighted average shares outstanding – diluted		13,417			14,822			13,279			14,192
Performance ratios/data:
Return on average total assets		2.62	%		2.87	%		2.61	%		2.95	%
Return on average shareholders’ equity		16.48	%		17.26	%		16.55	%		16.95	%
Net interest income	$	26,286		$	25,129		$	77,494		$	71,985
Net interest margin		5.68	%		6.40	%		5.74	%		6.54	%
Efficiency ratio		36.04	%		35.17	%		36.37	%		34.96	%
Net charge-off ratio		0.02	%		0.02	%		0.01	%		0.03	%

Loan portfolio composition:								September 30, 2024			December 31, 2023
One-to-four family							$	3,507		$	5,252
Multi-family								202,516			198,927
Mixed-use								28,399			29,643
Total residential real estate								234,422			233,822
Non-residential real estate								30,312			21,130
Construction								1,368,222			1,219,413
Commercial and industrial								125,520			111,116
Consumer								2,028			1,240
Gross loans								1,760,504			1,586,721
Deferred loan (fees) costs, net								(245	)		176
Total loans							$	1,760,259		$	1,586,897
Asset quality data:
Loans past due over 90 days and still accruing							$	–		$	–
Non-accrual loans								4,413			4,385
OREO property								978			1,456
Total non-performing assets							$	5,391		$	5,841

Allowance for credit losses to total loans								0.27	%		0.32	%
Allowance for credit losses to non-performing loans								109.52	%		116.15	%
Non-performing loans to total loans								0.25	%		0.28	%
Non-performing assets to total assets								0.27	%		0.33	%

Bank’s Regulatory Capital ratios:
Total capital to risk-weighted assets								14.04	%		14.11	%
Common equity tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets								13.76	%		13.78	%
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets								13.76	%		13.78	%
Tier 1 leverage ratio								14.76	%		16.21	%

NORTHEAST COMMUNITY BANCORP, INC.
NET INTEREST MARGIN ANALYSIS
(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended September 30, 2024								Three Months Ended September 30, 2023
	Average			Interest		Average			Average			Interest		Average
	Balance			and dividend		Yield			Balance			and dividend		Yield
	(In thousands, except yield/cost information)								(In thousands, except yield/cost information)
Loan receivable gross	$	1,717,875		$	39,484		9.19	%	$	1,446,946		$	33,757		9.33	%
Securities		34,920			212		2.43	%		33,754			181		2.14	%
Federal Home Loan Bank stock		712			15		8.43	%		929			18		7.75	%
Other interest-earning assets		98,903			1,472		5.95	%		88,156			1,181		5.36	%
Total interest-earning assets		1,852,410			41,183		8.89	%		1,569,785			35,137		8.95	%
Allowance for credit losses		(4,914	)							(4,404	)
Non-interest-earning assets		90,313								85,133
Total assets	$	1,937,809							$	1,650,514

Interest-bearing demand deposit	$	228,975		$	2,423		4.23	%	$	78,768		$	522		2.65	%
Savings and club accounts		140,047			848		2.42	%		235,613			1,624		2.76	%
Certificates of deposit		946,290			11,359		4.80	%		707,142			7,743		4.38	%
Total interest-bearing deposits		1,315,312			14,630		4.45	%		1,021,523			9,889		3.87	%
Borrowed money		23,603			267		4.52	%		15,631			119		3.05	%
Total interest-bearing liabilities		1,338,915			14,897		4.45	%		1,037,154			10,008		3.86	%
Non-interest-bearing demand deposit		271,207								322,213
Other non-interest-bearing liabilities		19,758								16,694
Total liabilities		1,629,880								1,376,061
Equity		307,929								274,453
Total liabilities and equity	$	1,937,809							$	1,650,514

Net interest income / interest spread				$	26,286		4.44	%				$	25,129		5.09	%
Net interest rate margin							5.68	%							6.40	%
Net interest earning assets	$	513,495							$	532,631
Average interest-earning assets
to interest-bearing liabilities		138.35	%							151.36	%

NORTHEAST COMMUNITY BANCORP, INC.
NET INTEREST MARGIN ANALYSIS
(Unaudited)

	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024								Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023
	Average			Interest		Average			Average			Interest		Average
	Balance			and dividend		Yield			Balance			and dividend		Yield
	(In thousands, except yield/cost information)								(In thousands, except yield/cost information)
Loan receivable gross	$	1,672,582		$	114,821		9.15	%	$	1,353,446		$	91,826		9.05	%
Securities		34,071			607		2.38	%		39,375			589		1.99	%
Federal Home Loan Bank stock		752			55		9.75	%		1,002			61		8.12	%
Other interest-earning assets		93,417			4,058		5.79	%		74,308			2,886		5.18	%
Total interest-earning assets		1,800,822			119,541		8.85	%		1,468,131			95,362		8.66	%
Allowance for credit losses		(4,977	)							(4,640	)
Non-interest-earning assets		90,087								83,200
Total assets	$	1,885,932							$	1,546,691

Interest-bearing demand deposit	$	202,097		$	6,300		4.16	%	$	84,920		$	1,433		2.25	%
Savings and club accounts		160,296			3,032		2.52	%		262,977			5,373		2.72	%
Certificates of deposit		880,741			31,127		4.71	%		567,378			16,244		3.82	%
Total interest-bearing deposits		1,243,134			40,459		4.34	%		915,275			23,050		3.36	%
Borrowed money		43,916			1,588		4.82	%		16,216			327		2.69	%
Total interest-bearing liabilities		1,287,050			42,047		4.36	%		931,491			23,377		3.35	%
Non-interest-bearing demand deposit		282,786								329,993
Other non-interest-bearing liabilities		19,163								16,373
Total liabilities		1,588,999								1,277,857
Equity		296,933								268,834
Total liabilities and equity	$	1,885,932							$	1,546,691

Net interest income / interest spread				$	77,494		4.49	%				$	71,985		5.31	%
Net interest rate margin							5.74	%							6.54	%
Net interest earning assets	$	513,772							$	536,640
Average interest-earning assets
to interest-bearing liabilities		139.92	%							157.61	%

The MIL Network –

January 25, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy announces $3.6 million in Hurricanes Laura, Delta, Ida aid for Louisiana
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $3,568,827 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for Louisiana disaster aid.

“Hurricanes Laura, Delta and Ida damaged many facilities across south Louisiana, including educational buildings and churches. This $3.6 million will help communities rebuild and recover from some of the high costs sustained during these storms,” said Kennedy.

The FEMA aid will fund the following:
- $1,312,778 to the Society of the Roman Catholic Church of the Diocese of Lafayette for the restoration of the St. Francis Mission Chapel due to Hurricane Laura damage.
- $1,202,044 to the Office of Risk Management to repair multiple state educational facilities, the 3rd Circuit Appeal Courthouse and surrounding buildings due to Hurricane Delta damage.
- $1,054,005 to the Greater Lafourche Port Commission for emergency protective measures during Hurricane Ida.
MIL OSI USA News –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative will support AI innovation and adoption in British Columbia

Source: Government of Canada News

PacifiCan funding of over $32 million will help businesses bring new technologies to market and adopt AI

October 28, 2024 – Burnaby, British Columbia – PacifiCan

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a transformational opportunity for British Columbians. With a strong AI ecosystem – one that includes researchers developing technology, companies creating AI-based solutions to the world’s challenges, and adopters putting the power of AI to work in their operations – British Columbian businesses are well-positioned to leverage the power of AI to drive innovation across the province, creating jobs and economic growth.

Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), announced that businesses and not-for-profit organizations will be able to apply for funding from the new Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative in British Columbia beginning November 18. In British Columbia, PacifiCan will deliver the RAII with $32.2 million, making investments that help businesses commercialize and adopt AI technologies.

To ensure that Canada stays at the forefront of innovation, the Government of Canada is making strategic investments that will help drive AI adoption across the country. This includes $200 million over five years for Canada’s regional development agencies (RDAs) to deliver the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) to help businesses bring new AI technologies to market and speed up AI adoption across the country.

In British Columbia, PacifiCan will prioritize projects that not only have strong economic benefits but also bring positive outcomes for human health, the environment, and/or economic resilience and productivity across a wide range of sectors. PacifiCan will welcome project ideas from both businesses and not-for-profit organizations.

PacifiCan is investing in British Columbian businesses, workers and organizations to ensure they have access to the tools they need to succeed at home and compete in the global economy.

More information is available on PacifiCan’s web page: Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative – Canada.ca

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: UConn Researchers Working to Extinguish ‘Inflammatory Fire’ Stroke Causes in the Brain

Source: US State of Connecticut

It’s been more than three decades, but still there are only two treatments for a stroke: either rapid use of a clot-busting medication called tPA or surgical removal of a clot from the brain with mechanical thrombectomy. However, only 5% to 13% percent of stroke cases are actually eligible for these interventions.

In his research laboratory at UConn School of Medicine, Rajkumar Verma Ph.D., of the Department of Neuroscience and the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo).

“We need to be persistent with our research to find a new therapy for stroke,” says Rajkumar Verma, M.Pharm., Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Neuroscience at UConn School of Medicine working in cross-campus collaboration with Professor Raman Bahal Ph.D. of the Deparment of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the UConn School of Pharmacy. “Stroke research is hard and challenging to do. But without trying we won’t make progress. We need to keep trying. UConn is determined to keep trying.”

In addition to being life-threatening, stroke is the major cause of long-term disability worldwide.

“When a stroke strikes a patient, we don’t have any treatment to offer to effectively repair the brain’s damage. Once brain cells and tissue are damaged by a stroke, nothing can help restore the damage. In essence, the cascading inflammation caused by a stroke in the brain is like a fire in a house. We need to find a way to stop stroke’s fire,” says Verma.

Verma and his multidisciplinary research team believe they have found a new innovative therapy to try to stop a stroke’s “fire” or inflammation. This October they reported their new findings in the journal Molecular Therapy: Nucleic Acid.

To try to more effectively control a stroke’s damage and turn back time, UConn researchers are leveraging the power of micro-RNA (MiRNA), small molecules that regulate protein expression inside cells as they are able to control multiple proteins at a time.

“MiRNAs are small RNA molecules that help cells to regulate multiple gene and protein expression,” says Verma. “UConn researchers discovered that during a stroke these MiRNA get dysregulated, thus leading to brain damage by multiple unchecked proteins. Also, our laboratory research has confirmed the presence of increased levels of one such MiRNA, known as miRNA-141-3p, in blood samples of stroke patients.”

Novel gamma PNA based miRNA-141-3p inhibitors (syPNA-141) reduced brain damage (image on right with less atrophy) after stroke in mouse model of ischemic stroke. (Courtesy of Verma laboratory image).

Verma adds, “We are thrilled to report that we have successfully tested a novel MiRNA-141-3p inhibitor synthesized in our collaborator Dr. Bahal’s lab with the ability to reduce stroke damage and extinguish spreading inflammatory fire in the brain. In mouse models, we have seen swift restoration of once-lost motor function and memory. Also, we see a decrease in brain injury and enhanced expression of neuroprotective genes and growth factors fueling the brain’s recovery from stroke.”

The new promising therapeutic modality developed to inhibit stroke is called anti-miR-141-3p. UConn’s medical school is currently working to commercialize the discovery and take it toward clinical trial testing as a future treatment option for stroke.

Verma says UConn’s research findings once again showcase the powerful tool of miRNA and the promise of their newly developed miRNA inhibitor’s ability to stop the overexpression of dangerous, dysregulated bad proteins causing inflammation in the brain post-stroke.

Verma came to the U.S. over a decade ago from India and continued his stroke research journey at UConn School of Medicine studying stroke.

“I saw the big therapeutic gap in a new drug treatment for stroke to mitigate its brain damage and help with post-stroke recovery, and was motivated to try to fill this gap by learning more about stroke and by performing more translational research. I have chosen to stay at UConn for my stroke research, as UConn excels at this.”

But Verma is also driven to fight stroke personally.

“So many people have a personal story or family member who has been personally impacted about stroke – including me,” Verma shares. “My father died from a cardiovascular incident. We are not sure if it was in the brain or the heart. But this experience has led to my motivation for pursuing more stroke research.”

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How a Trump election win could hit the US food industry and leave millions of Americans hungry

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Shonil Bhagwat, Professor of Environment and Development, The Open University

Sheila Fitzgerald/Shutterstock

As the US presidential election inches closer, a recent survey found that the economy is the top issue for voters, and many are also concerned about healthcare, foreign policy and inequality. Amid all the noise about these key issues however, food has received only marginal coverage in the campaigning despite the country’s high cost of living.

Project 2025, a 900-page policy document produced by conservative thinktank the Heritage Foundation, has become a major talking point in the election campaign. Although Republican candidate Donald Trump has denied any links between his campaign and Project 2025, the people who have authored this document are no strangers to the former president, with more than half of the 307 contributors having served in the Trump administration or on his campaign or transition teams.

Trump’s Democratic rival in the race to the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris, has been very vocal about the dangers to the American people if the Project 2025 proposals were to be implemented. Instead, her campaign has promised an “opportunity economy” to support the American middle class, which will seek to cut prices and taxes, lower household costs, and offer various tax reliefs.

Analyses of Harris’ versus Trump’s economic policies suggest that the tariffs Trump has proposed will cause a rise in prices of imported goods – including food. On the other hand, Trump’s policies could lower energy costs because more domestic fossil fuel production could make US-produced foodstuffs cheaper.

But Project 2025 proposes deregulation of US dietary guidelines and US food assistance programmes, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC), and the National School Lunch Program. Democrats have argued that this will “drastically reduce” the access that families have to fresh American-grown food, threatening the health of the most vulnerable.

Read more:
How Harris and Trump’s economic pledges stack up

Democrats have also claimed that Project 2025 policies would reduce support to small-scale farmers, favouring large agribusinesses while deregulating the flow of ultra-processed food manufactured and distributed by influential corporations. Some estimates suggest that 73% of US food supply is already made up of ultra-processed foods, and they have been found to provide 60% of the calories consumed by the average US adult.

The links between ultra-processed food and negative health outcomes are increasingly being drawn. As such, food policy under Project 2025 would be very likely to have a negative impact on wider public health in the US.

But at the same time, Project 2025 would probably make healthcare less affordable and more restrictive for millions of citizens. It promises to reinstate the ability of the pharmaceutical industry to fix prices, raising the cost of drugs for American people.

It would also cut funding for health coverage for low-income Americans, threatening the survival of hospitals, health centres or doctors who serve those people.

These healthcare policies, combined with deregulation of the food industry and dietary guidelines, as well as the defunding of food assistance programmes, could spell a triple whammy for the health and wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable people in America.

How do Harris’s plans compare?

Harris’s plans, on the other hand, aim to make healthcare less expensive and more accessible, particularly for those from vulnerable groups such as black Americans or those on low incomes, the elderly or veterans.

But while these proposals might remove barriers to healthcare, they won’t directly improve food provision for Americans. Some of the proposals in Harris’s “opportunity economy”, however, could directly address the issue.

The outcome of the presidential election could have serious consequences for food security and wellbeing – especially among America’s poorer populations.
Tada Images/Shutterstock

Harris’s proposals focus on strengthening and diversifying supply chains for food production, processing and distribution. She has been outspoken about investigating price-fixing of food products by large corporations – and prosecuting firms anywhere in the supply chain where this is found to have happened.

Harris’s plans would also support small producers, processors, distributors, family farms and food and farm workers with more funding to compete with large conglomerates. This could result in more decentralised supply chains, which are known to make it easier to provide healthier food to more people by encouraging crop diversity and lowering the cost of fresh local products.

And she is promising to crack down on mergers and acquisitions of food corporations, which are known to compromise the sustainable provision of healthy food by curbing farmers’ bargaining power and leaving communities with little say over how their land is used.

Food is integral to the public sector economy, alongside things such as providing healthcare, protecting the environment and reducing inequalities. The organisation of the entire food system – from production to processing, trade to transport, and consumption to nutrition – needs to consider ways in which feeding a country can strenghten its public sector economy, and meet its obligation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The US has already made a commitment to these goals through global food security programmes like Feed the Future.

These issues are especially pertinent to the US, as its food system is highly centralised. In fact, 6% of farms grow 60% of food. Meanwhile family farms – which represent 88% of the total – contribute only 19%. Harris’s proposals could go some way to correcting this imbalance. But the rhetoric coming from her rivals on the other hand could ultimately end up making the US worse off in terms of food provision and health.

Shonil Bhagwat is a member of the UK Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs Science Advisory Council: Social Science Expert Group and the National Trust, UK, Specialist Advice Network: Natural Environment Advisory Group. He has received funding from UK Research and Innovation (Research England, Natural Environment Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council), European Union Horizon 2020, The Leverhulme Trust, The Royal Society, and the British Ecological Society.

– ref. How a Trump election win could hit the US food industry and leave millions of Americans hungry – https://theconversation.com/how-a-trump-election-win-could-hit-the-us-food-industry-and-leave-millions-of-americans-hungry-242316

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Japan-style ‘tiny forests’ are taking root in British cities

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hanyu Qi, PhD Candidate, School of Architecture and Landscape, University of Sheffield

Anatta_Tan/Shutterstock

A staggering one in three people in England lack access to nature-rich spaces within a short walk from their homes. Now, a growing movement is bringing nature back to cities across the UK. The Miyawaki forest method involves planting a diverse mix of densely packed native woodland trees – or “tiny forests” – that grow quickly in small areas, around the size of a tennis court.

Already, there are more than 280 Miyawaki-style forests nationwide. Tucked away within housing estates, school grounds and wasteland on the urban edge, these urban forests are growing faster than conventionally planted trees.

This tree planting approach was developed by Japanese ecologist Akira Miyawaki in the 1970s. Proponents argue that tiny forests create more habitat for wildlife and increase the capacity of land to store carbon, although few studies aim to quantify those benefits in western countries. If planted in a certain way, they can help create a more complete plant community structure from the ground up to the canopy.

This means that the forest has distinct layers from the slow-growing canopy species right down to the smaller shrubs and ground covering herbs. These habitats are self-sustaining, so after three to five years’ growth they apparently don’t need much maintenance.

The environmental charity Earthwatch Europe uses the Miyawaki method to plant tiny forests in urban areas. So far, with the help of local communities, they have planted 285 forests since 2022.

Some local councils and community groups are embracing this tiny forest revolution. At Tychwood in Witney, near Oxford, the UK’s first tiny forest now has an outdoor classroom area that’s used by schoolchildren and local residents who can work on citizen science projects and tree maintenance.

Since it was first planted in March 2020, the habitat has become home to insects, birds and lots of native plants such as oak, birch, crab apple, dogwood and goat willow.

But while a government-funded pilot project called Trees Outside Woodlands has received attention for its possible socio-environmental benefits, very little research has quantified how best to do this effectively. One report published by conservation charity the Tree Council shows that Miyawaki plots have significantly higher survival rates and are more cost-effective than non-Miyawaki plots. But lots of unknowns remain.

A climate of uncertainty

Despite recognition of the potential benefits, including carbon storage, biodiversity conservation and educational opportunities, there’s a lot of uncertainty about how to apply the tiny forest method in different climates, particularly in the UK.

Our recent study, published in the Arboricultural Journal, explores how suitable these tiny forests are within the UK context. Our interviews with 12 professionals (tree experts from academia or practitioners) reveal that while half of them supported the Miyawaki method, especially in specific urban areas such as schools and small parks, concerns remained about tree mortality and the high costs of buying saplings, prepping soil and maintaining trees. A few people told us that they could see potential in using unused farmland to establish tiny forests in rural settings too.

Climate adaptation is paramount and planting trees in urban environments has never been more important. Access to nature also improves people’s health and wellbeing, with green spaces helping to connect communities and reduce loneliness, as well as mitigate the negative effects of climate change, such as air pollution, heatwaves and flooding, and improve biodiversity.

As UK cities face both climate change and biodiversity loss, the tiny forest method offers a promising solution. There are still many challenges to overcome as this movement is still in its infancy – but it could be key to a greener, more resilient future.

Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like? Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

Nicola Dempsey is on the Board of Green Estate, CIC, Secretary of the Sheffield Green Spaces Forum and a member of the Sheffield Street Tree Partnership.

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

– ref. Japan-style ‘tiny forests’ are taking root in British cities – https://theconversation.com/japan-style-tiny-forests-are-taking-root-in-british-cities-239005

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How a crisis of truth is putting US electoral system under stress

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Clodagh Harrington, Lecturer in American Politics, University College Cork

America is in the grip of a crisis of truth and its political and electoral systems are under duress. Losing the connection between what is true and what is fiction could have enormous consequence in the middle of this US election campaign.

Academics refer to this as an epistemological crisis, a situation where different people believe different “truths” and it becomes difficult to get a shared understanding of key facts. This, they argue, can lead to polarisation and potentially, even, an ungovernable country, based on an inability to decide on what is factually correct.

Jonathan Rauch, the journalist and author of The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth, says historically disagreement about what is true has, on some occasions, led to untold killing and suffering.

Right now in the US, it’s clear that there are massive differences in what people believe is true. Polls show, for instance, that around 69% of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters think the 2020 election result was not legitimate and that Joe Biden did not win.

This division is amplified by what is happening in and around the campaigns, and the use of new and developing techniques. The Trump campaign, for instance, continues to make claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

Sharing misinformation (that is, when inaccurate content is disseminated but not with the intent to mislead) has always been part of political life, but it is now quickly amplified by social media. Spreading disinformation takes this to the next level, when organisations or individuals deliberately spread lies. But the means to do so have grown more sophisticated, as demonstrated in the recent Moldovan election, where a massive Russian disinformation campaign was discovered.

History reminds us that fake news is at a premium during wartime and the world is currently experiencing two major conflicts. In both cases, the geopolitical consequences for the US are sky-high.

By spring 2024, US news media were reporting on Russia’s potential to interfere in the US election. The US administration’s position on the Ukraine war in particular matters greatly to the Kremlin, and it is no secret that a Donald Trump victory would suit Putin far better than a continuation of the Ukraine-funding Democrat alternative.

What is an epistemological crisis?

In September, US officials warned of election threats, not only from Russia but also Iran and China. Former director of the US Cyber-Security and Infrastructure Agency, Chris Krebs, stated that 2024 is “lining up to be a busy election interference season”. What makes these multi-faceted and constantly evolving threats even harder to manage is the fact that Maga influencers are embroiled in the proceedings. This makes a unified American response against an external threat all but impossible.

Read more:
Why do millions of Americans believe the 2020 presidential election was ‘stolen’ from Donald Trump?

One recent such example involved a company in Tennessee which was used by members of the Russian state-owned broadcaster RT (formerly Russia Today) to spread Russia-friendly content. The content-creators were paid US$10 million (£7.7 million) by RT to publish pro-Russia videos in English on a range of social media platforms. The RT employees were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agent Registration Act.

This is one of many developments by the foreign interference machine as the election on November 5 nears. Other incidents include dozens of internet domains used by the Kremlin to spread disinformation on websites designed to look like news sites and to undermine support for Ukraine. The US government response to these complex and boundary-blurring threats is complicated by the tension between maintaining discretion and informing the public.

Old challenges, new technology

Looking back, the 2016 presidential campaign and subsequent victory for Trump brought many firsts, some comical, others deadly serious in this post-truth arena. The lighter side included inaccurate claims made by White House press secretary Sean Spicer about the size of Trump’s 2017 inauguration crowd. When Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway declared on television to have “alternative facts” to those reported by the media on the crowd size, her phrase entered general use.

With hindsight, such falsehoods now seem a little quaint, as the images from the day told the truth better than any script. Far more disturbingly, Russia’s Project Lakhta involved a “hacking and disinformation campaign” described in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 2019 Report as vast and complex in scale. The scheme involved human and technological input and targeted politicians on the political left and right, with a view to causing maximum disruption. Just a year later, Russia interfered in the 2020 race, this time spreading falsehoods about Biden and working in Trump’s favour.

Fast forward to 2024 and we are awash with AI-created images and writing. Now any sort of lie is possible. Deep fakes, voice, image and video manipulation now mean that we literally can no longer believe our ears and eyes.

Kellyanne Conway on alternative facts.

Meanwhile, back on the campaign trail in 2024, Team Trump demonstrates few qualms when dishing out alternative facts. A long-time proponent of “truthful hyperbole” the former real-estate dealer takes exaggeration to a point no longer on the scale. From sharing an AI-generated image of Taylor Swift endorsing him (she soon backed his opponent) to claims that helicopters were not getting through with hurricane relief, the news cycle is awash with baseless content.

An inevitable outcome of this crisis and conflict over truth is voters’ confusion and disengagement, and increasing public tension, with a new poll reporting that the majority of Americans are expecting violence after the election.

Voters deserve to know whether what they know is real, but in this campaign it is increasingly clear that they don’t and the consequences of this could be stark.

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

– ref. How a crisis of truth is putting US electoral system under stress – https://theconversation.com/how-a-crisis-of-truth-is-putting-us-electoral-system-under-stress-242046

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: US election: Puerto Rican voters could deliver Donald Trump an unwelcome ‘October surprise’

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Todd Landman, Professor of Political Science, University of Nottingham

As it moves into the final week, the US election campaign remains so tight that most commentators are calling it a toss-up. But Donald Trump’s campaign may have just dealt itself its own “October surprise” – something no candidate for the US president wants as it stands for a last-minute disaster.

At his much anticipated “closing argument” rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 27, various warm-up speakers engaged in strong, dark rhetoric about the state of the nation that laid the ground for Trump to take the stage and assert his position as the “protector”,“fixer”, and “liberator” of what he and his support base like to think of as an “occupied” country.

But the tone and content of the event was problematic from the start. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made opening remarks in which he described Puerto Rico as an “island of garbage”.

Deep offence at these remarks rippled across America’s Puerto Rican community and beyond. His slur on Puerto Rico drew condemnation across the political spectrum and mobilised a rash of new endorsements for the Harris-Walz campaign. The incident has raised the prospect of a Puerto Rican backlash that could well have an impact on the outcome of the election.

Tony Hinchcliffe: an October surprise?

Causing such deep offence to a significant minority population at a crucial moment in the campaign could have real consequences. Ultimately, the outcome of the election is determined by electoral college votes. These, in the end, will rely heavily on tallies across seven swing states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Caroline, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The outcome of the 2016 and 2020 elections, although the Democrats received far more votes than the Republicans in total (3 million and 7 million, respectively), came down to very close margins across these swing states. In 2020, Joe Biden won the electoral college vote across these seven states – but with an average of less than half a percentage point (0.47%).

Why Puerto Rico matters

Puerto Rico is what is known as an “unincorporated territory” of the United States. Since it is not a state, it does not have any electoral college votes. But Puerto Ricans are citizens of the United States – a status they have enjoyed since 1917 – and can move freely between Puerto Rico and the mainland.

Those who reside in Puerto Rico may not vote in federal elections, but those who do live in the United States are eligible to vote in the states where they are registered.

Historically Puerto Ricans have been more likely to support the Democrats. But their turnout has been in consistent in the past. And both campaigns have made special effort to target this group. If enough people take offence at Hinchcliffe’s remarks, this could have a significant impact on the election result.

Millions of Puerto Ricans have made successful lives and careers in the US. As of 2021, Puerto Ricans make up 2% of the US population (5.8 million, up from 4.7 million in 2010). Despite this relatively low percentage overall, it is the distribution of the Puerto Rican population that makes them important in the presidential election.

The table below shows the Puerto Rican population across swing states in 2024 as well as the number of electoral college votes that are up for grabs in each state and the winning vote margin for Joe Biden in 2020. The figures in the table are for the whole Puerto Rican population.

Across these seven swing states, it is clear that the distribution of Puerto Ricans is not insignificant. This is especially the case in the key state of Pennsylvania. The total number and proportion of Puerto Ricans living there is easily large enough to affect the marginal vote share needed to tip the state to one of the two main political parties, which has 19 electoral college votes.

It’s telling that the Harris-Walz campaign was in Pennsylvania actively courting Latino voters at the same time the rally was underway in New York. The rapid impact from the rally manifested in real time and included the endorsement of the Harris-Walz campaign from world-famous celebrities.

Shortly after the remarks at the rally, Bad Bunny, the world’s most-streamed musical artist on Spotify between 2020 and 2022, endorsed Harris, as did singer Ricky Martin and actress Jennifer Lopez, whose parents come from Puerto Rico.

Bad Bunny showed his support by resharing with his millions of social media followers a video of Harris speaking about Trump’s response to the devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria that ravaged Puerto Rico in 2017. Ricky Martin posted “Esto es lo que piensan en nosotros” (This is what they think of us) with a tag of “vote for @kamalaharris”.

In a race where margins of victory are extremely thin, a small island country like Puerto Rico with its special status and mobile voters may just tip the scales in Harris’s direction.

Todd Landman receives funding from International Justice Mission, US State Department Trafficking in Persons Office, J. Sainsbury’s Ltd., and the US National Institute for Justice. .

– ref. US election: Puerto Rican voters could deliver Donald Trump an unwelcome ‘October surprise’ – https://theconversation.com/us-election-puerto-rican-voters-could-deliver-donald-trump-an-unwelcome-october-surprise-242326

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Hoyle: $10.2 Million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding to Boost Eugene Transportation Projects

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04)

October 28, 2024

For Immediate Release: October 28, 2024

WASHINGTON D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and U.S. Representative Val Hoyle announced today $10,215,123 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds are headed to the Eugene area for two transportation projects. The federal grants awarded will support the deployment of a mobility app for residents and fund airport terminal reconstruction efforts at Eugene Airport (EUG), also known as Mahlon Sweet Field.

“Oregonians in every corner of our state should be able to get where they need to go safely and efficiently,” U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley said. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was a once-in-a-generation investment that is bringing critical federal dollars to our communities for major transportation projects. These latest funds to the Eugene area will bring a first-of-its-kind app for everyone from students to rural Oregonians to connect with regional transportation options, as well as funds for energy efficiency and capacity upgrades at Eugene Airport. I’ll keep fighting for investments like these to better connect cities and towns across Oregon.”

“From mass transit on the ground to travel by air, I’m gratified these federal resources are headed to Eugene so Oregonians in and around the city can more easily get from Point A to Point B,” U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said. “I worked to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to generate investments just like these that expand modern, safe and energy-smart transportation opportunities throughout our state. And I’ll keep battling to bring similar transportation funds from this landmark law to every nook and cranny of Oregon.”

“The $5.3 million for LTD’s first-of-its-kind mobility app will help students with transportation challenges get to and from school and the $5 million for Eugene Airport will help us keep pace with the 41% growth in passenger growth over the last 5 years,” U.S. Representative Val Hoyle said. “I would like to thank Senators Merkley and Wyden, local leaders, as well as Secretary Buttigieg, the Department of Transportation, and the White House, for helping us ensure that Oregonian tax dollars always come back home to Oregon to invest in our local priorities and communities.”

The two U.S. Department of Transportation awards and project descriptions can be found below:

$5,215,123 for Lane Transit District (LTD)’s Regional Mobility-Enabling Service Hub (Regional MESH). Regional MESH will create a first-of-its-kind regional mobility management platform integrating diverse transit services for users, including school transportation, into one planning platform, design and deploy on-demand transit in a low-income school district and optimize existing fixed-route rural transit service. Data from trip queries from an associated trip planning app will inform future transit planning and performance management. This funding comes from the Federal Highway Administration’s Advanced Transportation Technologies and Innovative Mobility Deployment (ATTAIN) Program.

$5,000,000 for Eugene Airport to fund a portion of the Concourse A reconstruction and connector bridge expansion project including restroom and utilities upgrades to increase energy efficiency and capacity. This funding comes from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Terminal Program.

“LTD has the necessary expertise to build a reliable and affordable practical service,” said Jameson Auten, LTD’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are grateful for the support that got us here from U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, and U.S. Representative Val Hoyle.”

“We are so grateful to be awarded this competitive Airport Terminal Program (ATP) grant. This is the first step in furthering terminal expansion plans at the Eugene Airport to better serve our regional community,” said Cathryn Stephens, Airport Director.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NBC News: Senators take aim at big private equity landlords as rents soar

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

October 24, 2024

As Wall Street financiers snapped up huge swaths of the nation’s rental housing market in recent years, the deals sailed through unchallenged. Now, with the costs of renting an apartment or home out of reach for a growing number of Americans, four Democratic senators say these transactions need more scrutiny.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., sent a letter to private equity giant KKR on Wednesday, demanding information about its recent $2.1 billion purchase of 5,200 rental apartments across eight states. Among her questions: How does KKR plan to ensure that long-term tenants will be able to stay in their homes and what proportion of profits does KKR expect to generate from hikes in rents and fees at the apartments?

“KKR is just the latest private equity firm using the housing crisis to rake in profits while squeezing families,” Warren said in a statement to NBC News. “I’m sounding the alarm because we can’t solve the housing crisis unless we crack down on predatory practices by Wall Street investors.”

…

Read the full story here.

By: Gretchen Morgenson
Source: NBC News

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Business Insider: More student-loan borrowers are taking advantage of an updated route to get rid of their debt in bankruptcy court, top Democratic senators say

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

October 28, 2024

An updated process for student-loan borrowers to get rid of their debt in bankruptcy court is working, a group of Democratic senators said.

On Monday, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Dick Durbin led Sens. Raphael Warnock and Sheldon Whitehouse in sending a letter — first viewed by Business Insider — to the Justice and Education Departments regarding the status of recent guidance intended to make it easier for borrowers to have success in bankruptcy court.

Discharging student loans in bankruptcy court has been historically difficult. Borrowers had to prove a standard known as “undue hardship,” in which they cannot maintain a minimal standard of living, their circumstances aren’t likely to improve, and they have made a good-faith effort to repay their debt.

…

Read the full story here.

By: Ayelet Sheffey
Source: Business Insider

Previous Article

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Remarks by the Deputy Prime Minister announcing healthy meals for kids in Manitoba

Source: Government of Canada News

We’ve been through a tough time. When COVID first hit, our country suffered the deepest recession since the Great Depression. Our economy shrank by 17 per cent and it’s been tough getting out of that. In recent weeks, we’ve had some good news. What we’ve been seeing is light at the end of the tunnel. We are approaching a soft landing for the Canadian economy after the turbulence of the COVID recession and what followed.

October 18, 2024 – Winnipeg, Manitoba

Check against delivery

I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are in Treaty 1 territory and that the land on which we gather today is the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Ojibway, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of the Red River Métis.

I want to start by saying a couple of things about the Canadian economy.

We’ve been through a tough time. When COVID first hit, our country suffered the deepest recession since the Great Depression. Our economy shrank by 17 per cent and it’s been tough getting out of that. In recent weeks, we’ve had some good news. What we’ve been seeing is light at the end of the tunnel. We are approaching a soft landing for the Canadian economy after the turbulence of the COVID recession and what followed.

What kind of good news am I talking about? First of all, inflation in September was at 1.6 per cent. That is in the lower end of the Bank of Canada’s target range, below the central target of two per cent. For the past nine months, inflation has been within the Bank of Canada’s target range. I know that is a relief for people here.

What that means is that interest rates are coming down, too. Canada was the first G7 country to lower interest rates for the first time, the first G7 country to lower interest rates for the second time and the first G7 country to lower interest rates for the third time. That is a relief for a lot of Canadians, a lot of Manitobans as well.

Wages and employment are going up. We had strong jobs numbers in September. The Canadian economy added 47,000 new jobs and unemployment went down a bit. For the past 20 months, wages have been outpacing inflation.

All these things are important for Canadians, for families like the parents of the kids here who want to ensure they can take care of their kids, feed their kids, pay their mortgage, pay their rent. What that economic progress means is that we as a country are able to make investments in our most precious resources, our kids.

That is why we announced the National School Food Program in the 2024 Budget, which is, in my opinion, one of our government’s key programs.

The National School Food Program is one of the most important investments we can make in our kids, in our families. It’s $1 billion over five years. It’s going to mean 400,000 kids can get fed at school, 400,000 kids who are hungry in their classroom are going to be able to have a snack or some breakfast or some lunch. That’s going to make such a difference to them, to their teachers. A family with two kids will save as much as $800 a year on groceries.

We can only deliver a program like this when we have provincial partners who share our values, who share our commitment to Canada’s kids. That’s what we have in Manitoba. That is why I am deeply thrilled to be able to announce today that we have a deal with the great province of Manitoba to invest in school food for Manitoba’s kids.

The federal government is investing $17.2 million over three years to expand school food programs in Manitoba. Manitoba is putting money on the table too. The result is 19,080 more kids in Manitoba are going to get school meals.

Manitoba is, as usual, in a leadership position with Premier Kinew. Manitoba is just the second province to conclude a school food deal. It’s meaningful for every parent who has a kid and knows their kid is going to get a snack, for every kid who’s not going to be hungry.

This is part of our government’s absolute commitment to investing in families and in children. It is a companion program to our national system of early learning and childcare, and Manitoba is also playing a leadership role in the country. You guys are down to $10 a day. That is fantastic. That is saving a family in Manitoba $2,610 per child per year, a real affordability measure. There is also the Canada Child Benefit, where a family can get up to $7,787 per child per year thanks to that benefit. When you put those programs together, this is a real investment in the most important people in our country, our kids.

I would like to thank the Government of Manitoba, especially Premier Kinew, who is an excellent partner for us. Our work is not always easy but, because we share the same values, we are able to work together to get things done.

We need our economy to grow, but that needs to be growth with a purpose. Our purpose needs to be to invest in Canadians. There is no better investment and no more important investment that we can make than investing in our beautiful, amazing, precious children. That’s what we’re here to celebrate today. Thank you.

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: MC Duke: a pioneering British rapper more people should know about

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adam de Paor-Evans, Research Lead at Rhythm Obscura / Lecturer in the School of Art, Design and Architecture, University of Plymouth

MC Duke (Kashif Adham) was a key figure in the development of hip-hop in Britain in the late 80s. When he died in April, British rap lost a giant. From the East End of London, Duke strengthened the evolution of the genre in the UK by relating directly to US hip-hop and an emerging British rap identity through his lyrics and visual style.

At the time of MC Duke’s arrival on the rap scene, British hip-hop was transitioning from the electro-based sound by London artists such as DSM, Three Wize Men and Family Quest, to a more sample-based style, much like the sounds of US artists Eric B. and Rakim and Biz Markie.

In this transition, Duke emerged as the frontrunner in this new generation due to his embrace of hip-hop’s visual tropes as much as his sound.

His first release, Jus-Dis landed in 1987 on Hard As Hell! Rap’s Next Generation, a compilation released on Music Of Life – a staple label for homegrown British talent. Jus-Dis presents Duke’s battle rap attitude through the diss track – a concept where the song’s narrative attacks another party.

His lyrics and wordplay on the song title present social commentary on Britain and its legal system: “There ain’t no law, there’s only jus-dis.” Duke also brought the idea of the diss to live audiences throughout the UK by accelerating the dispute with Overlord X, another pioneering British rapper, as part of his stage routine.

His first proper single release, Miracles, the next year, visually presented MC Duke and his DJ, DJ Leader 1, for the first time to audiences. The record sleeve depicts Duke donning a bright red goose jacket, a black leather cap, Cazal-style shades, gold rope chain and a name belt buckle – all highly sought-after attire in hip-hop fashion.

These fashion choices linked the US image of rap with an emerging British one. In the US, rap pioneers T La Rock and Kool Moe Dee had previously used similar accessories on album covers to denote a sense of identity. In the UK, graffiti writers and breakdancers particularly were sporting name belt buckles.

Miracles heavily samples The Jackson Sister’s I Believe In Miracles, which was a mainstay of the rare groove scene that developed in London during the early 80s. With the inclusion of vocal samples from Run-D.M.C.’s Run’s House and Public Enemy’s Bring The Noise, Miracles starts to bring together a transatlantic idea of hip-hop.

Got To Get Your Own based on Reuben Wilson’s song of the same name and MC Duke’s follow-up single, I’m Riffin (English Rasta) heavily samples Funky Like A Train (link) by Equals, again a core record from many rare groove playlists.

The introduction to I’m Riffin (English Rasta) is sampled from the powerful speech by American civil rights leader Jesse Jackson from Introduction (Complete). This immediately frames MC Duke’s lyrics with a sense of Black identity and history, as he raps: “Known to speak about men of freedom, Look for books on King and read ‘em”.

Duke returns the narrative to a sense of the everyman: “We cover and smother another brother, Throw him away just like a used rubber,” twice referring to the system as at the heart of Black-on-Black crime.

Duke’s “English Rasta” pseudonym is also a comment on Jamaican culture in Britain, in particular the second generation who grew up through an evolving Black British identity.

M.C. Duke and DJ Leader 1’s debut album Organised Rhyme challenges the British class system, the aristocracy, colonialism and imperialism. Duke claims their associated visual tropes and brings them into a rap frame fusing tweed suits, hunting boots, Bentley cars and stately homes with the African medallions and chunky gold jewellery of hip-hop.

In 1990, Duke countered the conventions of the British aristocracy as a producer and performer on the album The Royal Family, a collective of artists from the Music Of Life camp, including the likes of Lady Tame and Doc Savage. This album resonates with US label-related collectives such as Marley Marl’s Juice Crew and The 45 King’s Flavor Unit. Again, this enforces the transatlantic approach to hip-hop that Duke maintained.

Duke’s work ensured British fans felt homegrown rap was becoming closer to US artists like Eric B. & Rakim and Public Enemy. Additionally, his music laid the foundation for future solo British rappers as diverse as Ty, Dizzee Rascal and Stormzy.

As well as being a forerunner in British hip-hop, Duke worked across dance genres and influenced many jungle, drum ‘n’ bass and grime emcees. As Jumpin Jack Frost (the DJ behind the seminal jungle track Burial, which he released under the alias Leviticus) attested: “Duke was a true trailblazer who was one of the first UK MCs with a major record deal … His legacy will be remembered as someone who helped to shape UK MCs from jungle to grime we all owe MC Duke a lot.”

MC Duke bridged the gap between US hip-hop history and set a new British trajectory for rap. His work should serve as a critical signpost for British rap audiences.

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

– ref. MC Duke: a pioneering British rapper more people should know about – https://theconversation.com/mc-duke-a-pioneering-british-rapper-more-people-should-know-about-229966

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025

Category: housing

Preston City Council encourages eligible residents to apply for Round 6 of the Household Support Fund

Councillor Khan, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said:

How to apply for the Household Support Fund

Further Information

Media advisory

Contacts

Updates to this page

Pfluger Fly-By: October 25, 2024

Rep. August Pfluger

How do Harris’s plans compare?

A climate of uncertainty

Old challenges, new technology

Why Puerto Rico matters