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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Marks the 45th Anniversary of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces

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

    LEXINGTON, SC—The FBI Columbia Field Office this week is recognizing the 45th anniversary of the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).

    The initial JTTF began in 1989 in New York City with a partnership between the New York Field Office and the New York City Police Department. Then, leaders from the agencies discussed how to combine expertise and resources to locate terrorist organizations responsible for attacks in the city. These conversations led to the creation of the first JTTF.

    The JTTFs are the nation’s front-line defense against international and domestic terrorism. JTTFs gather evidence, follow leads, make arrets, provide security for special events, collect and share intelligence, and respond to various threats and incidents.

    Following the 9/11 attacks, FBI leadership directed all FBI field offices to establish a JTTF. In addition, the FBI established its National Joint Terrorism Task Force to support the local task forces in June of 2002. The NJTTF, at FBI Headquarters, enhances communication, coordination, and cooperation from partner agencies. JTTFs have disrupted dozens of plots in the past four decades.

    Today, there are nearly 200 task forces around the country, including at least one in the FBI’s field offices with about 4,400 members from participating state, local, and federal agencies.

    The FBI Columbia field office’s JTFF has 19 task force officers and analysts from 12 participating agencies across South Carolina.

    “The persistent threat of terrorism across South Carolina demands a united front,” said Reid Davis, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI Columbia Field Office relies on our strong partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and their JTTF members to swiftly disrupt threats and respond with precision whenever danger arises.”

    The FBI Columbia Field Office counts numerous disruptions of its own, including a plan by a Barnwell man to detonate explosives in public locations in Pickens County in 2019 to express his frustration with the Department of Social Services. One device exploded near the Pickens County Courthouse causing minor damage to the building. Michael Lambert Seabrooke,41, was sentenced in 2021 to 12 years in federal prison for possession of explosive devices and two counts of malicious damage and attempt to damage by means of explosive materials.

    The FBI Columbia JTTF also investigated a case where individuals shot at a Duke Energy regulator bank in Dalzell in 2023 which caused significant damage. One suspect, Donald Ray Hurst, 35, of Sumter, pleaded guilty to destruction of an energy facility, and is awaiting sentencing. A second individual allegedly involved, Chad Allen Kron, 33, of Sumter, was charged with destruction of an energy facility and possessing an unregistered firearm. Kron is awaiting trial.

    If you see or know about suspicious activity involving chemical, biological, or radiological materials, report it to 1-800-CALL-FBI. You can also submit online tips at tips.fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harbour Grace — Harbour Grace RCMP responds to vehicle crash; driver flees from police in another vehicle and is arrested

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Harbour Grace RCMP responded to a vehicle crash near Hearts Desire that occurred on April 15, 2025. The driver of that vehicle fled the scene in another vehicle. Both drivers were arrested.

    Shortly before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Harbour Grace RCMP received the report of the crash. As officers were attending, information received indicated that the driver of the vehicle was departing the crash in another vehicle. Police observed the described vehicle in the oncoming lane, traveling at a high rate of speed head-on towards the marked police vehicle. The police vehicle swerved to avoid a collision as the suspect vehicle passed by.

    Police turned the patrol vehicle around to attempt a traffic stop and observed the suspect vehicle pull into a residential driveway in Hearts Content. Officers pulled into the driveway, blocking the possible exit and the suspect vehicle reversed into the marked police vehicle. The driver of this vehicle, a 23-year-old woman, showed signs of drug impairment. She was arrested for impaired operation, flight from police and dangerous operation.

    The driver involved in the Hearts Desire crash, a 26-year-old man, was unlicensed and was operating a vehicle without insurance or registration. He remains under investigation for multiple offences under the Highway Traffic Act.

    The woman was transported to the detachment where a drug recognition evaluation was completed. Officers await the results of the testing to determine if charges of drug impaired driving are appropriate. She also remains under investigation for flight from police, dangerous operation and assault with a weapon. Charges are anticipated.

    No one was injured.

    The investigation is continuing.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Auto Shanghai 2025: Cerence AI Partners with Industry Leaders to Showcase xUI, its Hybrid, Agentic AI Assistant Platform

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHANGHAI and BURLINGTON, Mass., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC) (“Cerence AI”), a global leader pioneering conversational AI-powered user experiences, will demo Cerence xUI™, its agentic AI assistant platform that works across the edge and the cloud, for the first time at Auto Shanghai 2025. The platform will be showcased in both English and Mandarin in partnership with Great Wall Motor (GWM) and TCL, a leading consumer electronics company.

    Cerence AI will demonstrate xUI in a GWM car, unveiling the future of LLM-powered in-car experiences in a real vehicle setting. In addition, in partnership with TCL, Cerence AI will showcase an in-car interaction experience integrating Cerence xUI with TCL’s Intelligent Automotive solutions in a state-of-the-art driving simulator. The demos will include:

    • Multi-Modal SLM – New multi-modal capabilities with CaLLM Edge™ that make in-car interactions smarter, more perceptive, and more human than ever, going far beyond pure infotainment.
    • Integrated Model Architecture – Cerence xUI leverages the CaLLM™ family of language models, third-party LLMs, real-time data sources, and contextual data from the car to create an engaging, conversational interface. In Cerence AI and TCL’s joint demo, users will also have simple access to DeepSeek.
    • Dual- and Multi-Seat Interaction and Multi-Screen Synchronization – Voice-controlled screen casting and operations will allow for synchronized interactions between front and rear seats, fostering collaboration among the driver, passengers, and Cerence xUI for intelligent dialogue.
    • Smart Home Integration – Seamless connectivity between Cerence xUI and TCL’s extensive ecosystem of smart home systems, allowing for intelligent home control directly from the car.

    “Auto Shanghai 2025 marks an important milestone in the Cerence xUI journey, with the first public demo of our next-gen, agentic AI platform,” said Christian Mentz, Chief Revenue Officer, Cerence AI. “We are thrilled to team up with industry leaders GWM and TCL as our innovation partners telling this exciting story to the world. With GWM, we continue our long-term partnership to bring AI innovation to their cars as they expand globally, and it’s an honor to have a GWM vehicle in our booth as the first illustration of Cerence xUI in a real car. And, we are excited to collaborate with TCL to showcase advanced in-car interaction, as well as together explore opportunities beyond automotive.”

    “In the era of intelligent mobility, voice has become the most natural bridge between humans and vehicles. As a global leader in AI-powered voice technology, Cerence continues to push the boundaries of smart interaction,” said Nicole Wu, Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, GWM. “At GWM, we are proud to partner with Cerence to co-create intelligent cockpit experiences that are not only advanced, but intuitive and human centric. Looking ahead, we believe our continued collaboration will drive innovation and shape a smarter, more connected future of mobility.”

    Ryan Hao, General Manager, TCL Automotive BU, said, “As TCL continues to expand its presence in the automotive sector, this collaboration underscores our shared commitment to innovative breakthroughs. By combining TCL’s cutting-edge intelligent cockpit technologies with Cerence AI’s extensive automotive experience and leading advancements in AI, we aspire to revolutionize the future of mobility through transformative opportunities.”

    Cerence AI’s booth at Auto Shanghai is located at NECC Shanghai, Hall 8.2, booth number 8BD002. To learn more about Cerence AI, visit www.cerence.ai, and follow the company on LinkedIn.

    About Cerence Inc.
    Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC) is a global industry leader in creating intuitive, seamless, AI-powered experiences across automotive and transportation. Leveraging decades of innovation and expertise in voice, generative AI, and large language models, Cerence powers integrated experiences that create safer, more connected, and more enjoyable journeys for drivers and passengers alike. With more than 500 million cars shipped with Cerence technology, the company partners with leading automakers, transportation OEMs, and technology companies to advance the next generation of user experiences. Cerence is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, with operations globally and a worldwide team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of AI innovation. For more information, visit www.cerence.ai.

    Contact Information

    Kate Hickman | Tel: 339-215-4583 | Email: kate.hickman@cerence.com 

    The MIL Network –

    April 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Teads Celebrates Major Milestone as CTV HomeScreen Powers 1,500 Campaigns

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The new Teads (NASDAQ: OB), the omnichannel outcomes platform for the open internet, today announced a significant milestone for CTV HomeScreen (formerly CTV Native), an immersive way for advertisers to reach audiences on exclusive experiences at incremental moments of high attention. Since its launch in 2023, 1,500 CTV HomeScreen campaigns have been run by premium brands globally, including Cartier, Nestlé, and Air France.

    As brands prioritize omnichannel strategies, CTV HomeScreen enables advertisers to place content directly on the first screen consumers see when turning on their connected televisions. By integrating within the operating systems of major television manufacturers such as LG and Hisense, Teads’ CTV HomeScreen ads provide brands with access to audiences that may not otherwise be reachable through ad-supported tiers on streaming platforms. CTV HomeScreen ads deliver high levels of attention through impactful, unique creative experiences. Teads’ programmatic advertiser platform, Teads Ad Manager (TAM) enables brands to connect the moments of the consumer journey across all screens — creating a continuity of advertising experiences from CTV to web and app.

    “By placing high-impact native ads directly on smart TV home screens, we provide brands with premium, brand-safe placements that capture superior attention at the moment of content discovery,” said Jeremy Arditi, Co-President, Chief Business Officer of the Americas. “This approach ensures brands own the first moment on TV screens, maximizing both visibility and engagement in an uncluttered environment.”

    Over the past year, Teads has strengthened its CTV offering through expanded access to premium HomeScreen inventory, including exclusive partnerships with VIDAA US and LG Ad Solutions covering 330 million TV screens worldwide, in over 50 countries. In addition to Homescreen, TAM enables advertisers to reach audiences across more than 7,000 CTV apps globally, optimizing performance through CTV instream video campaigns.

    “The partnership between LG and Teads unlocks a powerful value proposition for advertisers,” said Serge Matta, President of Global Ad Sales at LG Ad Solutions. “From the moment a viewer powers on their TV, they’re met with stunning creatives, brought to life by Teads. It’s a seamless blend of innovation and scale.”

    Capturing Audience Attention at Scale

    CTV HomeScreen placements are displayed on the first screen viewers see when they turn on their smart TVs. This enhances ad effectiveness and extends audience reach beyond traditional commercial breaks. According to TVision (2024), viewers often spend time browsing for content—up to 10 minutes—before encountering ad clutter, making this window a high-attention moment. In fact, 74% of attention goes to the first ad seen on the home screen.

    In 1,500 CTV HomeScreen campaigns, Teads has helped brands like Cartier, Nestlé, Air France, Bvlgari, and Nissan deliver impactful moments that drive measurable engagement. Cartier’s first-ever 3D CTV HomeScreen campaign generated over 12 million impressions, while Air France saw a 22% increase in recommendation intent by securing premium placements on Smart TV home screens. In addition, Nestlé achieved a 9% lift in ad recall, leveraging Teads’ high-attention CTV HomeScreen formats to enhance brand impact.

    “This initiative showcases how advertising innovation and precise data can strengthen brand image and consumer engagement. Teads’support in this campaign allowed us to combine exclusive formats with rigorous measurement, demonstrating real value for the brand,” said Catherine Masson, Director of Brand Media Strategy and Media Buying at Air France.

    Now Available in Teads Ad Manager

    Brands can now seamlessly combine CTV HomeScreen with mobile and desktop formats within a single buying platform, making it easier to plan, execute, and optimize omnichannel campaigns and ensuring a more cohesive, data-driven approach to audience engagement.

    With real-time attention measurement, contextual targeting, and planning and insight tools, Teads Ad Manager offers advertisers an all-in-one solution to maximize impact across every screen. This latest integration reflects Teads’ commitment to future-proofing CTV advertising by delivering premium placements, innovative ad formats, and advanced measurement tools.

    Teads was recently announced as a finalist in the Best CTV Ad Tech Platform category by the Digiday Streaming and Video Awards. For more information on Teads’ CTV HomeScreen solutions, visit https://thenewteads.com/.

    About The New Teads
    Outbrain Inc. (Nasdaq: OB) and Teads S.A. combined on February 3, 2025 and are operating under the new Teads brand. The new Teads is the omnichannel outcomes platform for the open internet, driving full-funnel results for marketers across premium media. With a focus on meaningful business outcomes, the combined company ensures value is driven with every media dollar by leveraging predictive AI technology to connect quality media, beautiful brand creative, and context-driven addressability and measurement. One of the most scaled advertising platforms on the open internet, the new Teads is directly partnered with more than 10,000 publishers and 20,000 advertisers globally. The company is headquartered in New York, with a global team of nearly 1,800 people in 36 countries.

    For more information, visit https://thenewteads.com/.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements generally relating to possible or assumed future results of our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, plans and objectives, and statements relating to our recently completed acquisition (the “Acquisition”) of TEADS, a private limited liability company (société anonyme) incorporated and existing under the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (“Teads”). You can generally identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “foresee,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions or are not statements of historical fact. We have based these forward- looking statements largely on our expectations and projections regarding future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors including, but not limited to: the ability of Outbrain to successfully integrate Teads or manage the combined business effectively; our ability to realize anticipated benefits and synergies of the Acquisition, including, among other things, operating efficiencies, revenue synergies and other cost savings; our due diligence investigation of Teads may be inadequate or risks related to Teads’ business may materialize; unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the Acquisition; the outcome of any securities litigation, stockholder derivative or other litigation related to the Acquisition; our ability to raise additional financing in the future to fund our operations, which may not be available to us on favorable terms or at all; the volatility of the market price of our common stock and any drop in the market price of our common stock following the Acquisition; our ability to attract and retain customers, management and other key personnel; overall advertising demand and traffic generated by our media partners; factors that affect advertising demand and spending, such as the continuation or worsening of unfavorable economic or business conditions or downturns, instability or volatility in financial markets, and other events or factors outside of our control, such as tariffs and trade wars, U.S. and global recession concerns, geopolitical concerns, including the ongoing war between Ukraine-Russia and conditions in Israel and the Middle East, supply chain issues, inflationary pressures, labor market volatility, bank closures or disruptions, the impact of challenging economic conditions, political and policy changes or uncertainties in connection with the new U.S. presidential administration, and other factors that have impacted and may further impact advertisers’ ability to pay; our ability to continue to innovate, and adoption by our advertisers and media partners of our expanding solutions; the potential impact of artificial intelligence (“AI”) on our industry and our need to invest in AI-based solutions; the success of our sales and marketing investments, which may require significant investments and may involve long sales cycles; our ability to grow our business and manage growth effectively; our ability to compete effectively against current and future competitors; the loss or decline of one or more of our large media partners, and our ability to expand our advertiser and media partner relationships; conditions in Israel, including the sustainability of the recent cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and any conflicts with other terrorist organizations or countries; our ability to maintain our revenues or profitability despite quarterly fluctuations in our results, whether due to seasonality, large cyclical events, or other causes; the risk that our research and development efforts may not meet the demands of a rapidly evolving technology market; any failure of our recommendation engine to accurately predict attention or engagement, any deterioration in the quality of our recommendations or failure to present interesting content to users or other factors which may cause us to experience a decline in user engagement or loss of media partners; limits on our ability to collect, use and disclose data to deliver advertisements; our ability to extend our reach into evolving digital media platforms; our ability to maintain and scale our technology platform; our ability to meet demands on our infrastructure and resources due to future growth or otherwise; our failure or the failure of third parties to protect our sites, networks and systems against security breaches, or otherwise to protect the confidential information of us or our partners; outages or disruptions that impact us or our service providers, resulting from cyber incidents, or failures or loss of our infrastructure; significant fluctuations in currency exchange rates; political and regulatory risks in the various markets in which we operate; the challenges of compliance with differing and changing regulatory requirements, including with respect to privacy; the timing and execution of any cost-saving measures and the impact on our business or strategy; and the risks described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 31, 2024and in subsequent reports filed with the SEC. Accordingly, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as an indication of future performance. We cannot assure you that the results, events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur, and actual results, events, or circumstances could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation and do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Media Contact

    press@outbrain.com

    Investor Relations Contact

    IR@outbrain.com

    (332) 205-8999

    The MIL Network –

    April 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Hanover Bank Announces Core Banking System Conversion to Drive Digital Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MINEOLA, N.Y., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hanover Bank, the bank subsidiary of Hanover Bancorp (Nasdaq “HNVR”), is excited to announce its conversion to a new core banking system, a significant technological upgrade designed to improve the banking experience for our clients, streamline operations for employees, and drive greater value for all our stakeholders. Our core banking system conversion was successfully completed on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.

    As the bank continues to evolve into a more business-focused financial institution, we remain committed to providing the best possible service to our customers. This upgrade strengthens Hanover Bank’s ability to offer digitally forward business banking solutions that are agile and expected to drive success in today’s economy.

    Further, this transition will enhance our ability to offer innovative services and solutions while maintaining the security, reliability, and trust that our clients have come to expect. With a focus on improving our customer experience, the new system will offer:

    • Faster and More Efficient Services: Clients will benefit from improved user interfaces and digital banking tools, enabling us to provide an even higher level of convenience and responsiveness.
    • Enhanced Security: As digital banking continues to grow, security is of paramount importance, and our new core system features state-of-the-art security protocols, ensuring that client data and transactions are safeguarded at the highest level.
    • Customizable Business Solutions: Our new core banking system allows for more tailored product offerings and integrated banking solutions designed to streamline banking and financial management for our clients.

    “Our core banking conversion is not just about technology – it’s about creating long-term value for our clients, helping them grow and succeed in an increasingly digital and competitive marketplace,” stated Michael P. Puorro, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Hanover Bank.

    Hanover Bank’s employees have undergone comprehensive training to leverage the full capabilities of the new system, empowering them to serve clients with more speed and accuracy. With more automated and simplified back-office functions due to the efficiencies created by the conversion, our focus on delivering top-tier, unparalleled service will only continue to grow.

    Better functionality on more competitive financial terms bolsters our sustained commitment to efficient operations. The conversion also brings advantages for all stakeholders, including:

    • Operational Efficiency: The new core system will allow for better management of resources, reduce operational costs, and improve profitability. This translates into a stronger, more sustainable financial institution poised for continued growth.
    • Improved Reporting and Insights: Enhanced reporting tools will provide real-time, actionable insights, supporting more informed decision-making and business strategies.

    “We are proud to make this investment in the future of our bank. Our core conversion marks a significant milestone in Hanover Bank’s journey toward creating an even more efficient, secure, and client-focused banking experience. Our commitment to innovation means we are always seeking ways to increase our value to clients, employees, stakeholders, and the communities in which we operate. With this new system in place, we are poised for a future where banking is not only faster and more robust, but also more personalized and responsive to our clients’ needs,” concluded Mr. Puorro.

    About Hanover Community Bank and Hanover Bancorp, Inc.

    Hanover Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: HNVR), is the bank holding company for Hanover Community Bank, a community commercial bank focusing on highly personalized and efficient services and products responsive to client needs. Management and the Board of Directors are comprised of a select group of successful local businesspeople who are committed to the success of the Bank by knowing and understanding the metro-New York area’s financial needs and opportunities. Backed by state-of-the-art technology, Hanover offers a full range of financial services. Hanover offers a complete suite of consumer, commercial, and municipal banking products and services, including multi-family and commercial mortgages, residential loans, business loans and lines of credit. Hanover also offers its customers access to 24-hour ATM service with no fees attached, free checking with interest, telephone banking, advanced technologies in mobile and internet banking for our consumer and business customers, safe deposit boxes and much more. The Company’s corporate administrative office is located in Mineola, New York where it also operates a full-service branch office along with additional branch locations in Garden City Park, Hauppauge, Forest Hills, Flushing, Sunset Park, Rockefeller Center and Chinatown, New York, and Freehold, New Jersey, with a new branch opening in Port Jefferson, New York in mid 2025.

    Hanover Community Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and is an Equal Housing/Equal Opportunity Lender. For further information, call (516) 548-8500 or visit the Bank’s website at www.hanoverbank.com.

    Press Contact:
    Ms. Annette Esposito
    First VP – Director of Marketing
    (516) 548-8500

    The MIL Network –

    April 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Rigetti Wins Innovate UK’s Quantum Missions Pilot Competition to Advance Quantum Error Correction Capabilities on Superconducting Quantum Computers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Rigetti, in collaboration with Riverlane and the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), has been selected as one of the winners of Innovate UK’s Quantum Missions pilot competition. Leveraging Rigetti’s quantum computer hosted at the NQCC, the £3.5 million Rigetti-led consortium aims to benchmark and enhance the quantum error correction capabilities of superconducting quantum computers — a requirement for achieving large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computing.

    BERKELEY, Calif., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rigetti UK Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rigetti Computing, Inc. (Nasdaq: RGTI) (“Rigetti” or the “Company”), a pioneer in full-stack quantum-classical computing, today announced that it has been selected as one of the winners of Innovate UK’s Quantum Missions pilot competition to benchmark and enhance quantum error correction (QEC) capabilities on superconducting quantum computers. Rigetti will lead a £3.5 million consortium alongside Riverlane and the NQCC Superconducting Circuits Team to leverage Rigetti’s superconducting quantum computer hosted at the NQCC to conduct ambitious QEC tests that advance state-of-the-art metrics and demonstrate real-time QEC capabilities — a requirement for universal, fault-tolerant quantum computing.

    Fault-tolerant quantum computing has the potential to usher in a new era of computational power to solve real-world problems. Achieving fault tolerance requires QEC to be effectively integrated with quantum computing technology, and with that comes addressing critical challenges. These include processing bottlenecks in classical control systems and their integration with quantum error decoding technology, as well as the high error rates of current quantum computers. The project aims to make measurable advancements towards overcoming these challenges by developing key capabilities required for executing a large number of quantum operations on Rigetti’s UK-based quantum computer.

    As part of the project, Rigetti will upgrade its existing NQCC quantum computer. The upgrades will include:

    • Deploying a larger 36-qubit quantum processing unit (QPU), updating from the current 24-qubit QPU
    • Integrating Rigetti’s latest generation control system, enabling improved qubit control and a fully programmable, low-latency interface with Riverlane’s Quantum Error Correction (QEC) Stack

    Riverlane will lead the QEC experiments, identifying key improvements to enhance system performance and meet crucial QEC metrics. The NQCC Superconducting Circuits Team will support the system upgrade and provide quality assurance for the QEC experiments.

    “Our NQCC testbed continues to serve as a critical resource for advancing our technology capabilities. We believe that we have a tremendous advantage on our path to fault-tolerant quantum computing with Riverlane’s QEC expertise and our modular, open architecture that lends itself to flexible and innovative solutions to scale our technology,” says Dr. Subodh Kulkarni, Rigetti CEO. “Moreover, we benefit from the strong advantages of superconducting qubits, which we believe are the winning qubit modality given their fast gate speeds and clear path to scaling.”

    “Developing high-performance quantum error correction is critical to achieving fault-tolerant quantum computing, and this project provides an ideal environment to advance those capabilities,” said Steve Brierley, Riverlane CEO & Founder. “By integrating our QEC stack with Rigetti’s upgraded superconducting quantum computer, we aim to achieve measurable improvements in key performance metrics, including throughput, latency, and decoding accuracy, which are essential for real-time error correction. We look forward to making significant progress through this collaboration.”

    The Quantum Missions pilot competition was established to accelerate quantum computing and quantum networking projects by increasing their capabilities and removing technological barriers to their commercialization and adoption. Rigetti was also awarded two additional Quantum Missions pilot competition projects:

    • Collaboration with SEEQC to integrate its digital chip-based technology with Rigetti’s 9-qubit Novera™ QPU hosted at the NQCC with the goal of identifying and understanding the key system components needed for scalable QEC. The project partners also include Cambridge Consultants, Oxford Instruments Nanotechnology Tools, NQCC, and University of Edinburgh.
    • Collaboration with TreQ, Qruise, Q-CTRL, and Oxford Ionics to create an open-architecture quantum computing testbed. The project will offer eight unique configurations by combining two quantum processors, two control systems, and two quantum software stacks. The project will also deliver an open specification for quantum workflows, creating a common interface between quantum software and hardware.

    These projects build on Rigetti’s leadership in the UK’s quantum computing ecosystem, including launching the first fully operational quantum computer at the NQCC and leading a three-year £10 million consortium to deploy one of the first UK-based quantum computers hosted at Oxford Instruments’ Tubney Woods facility.

    About Rigetti
    Rigetti is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. The Company has operated quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 and serves global enterprise, government, and research clients through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services platform. In 2021, Rigetti began selling on-premises quantum computing systems with qubit counts between 24 and 84 qubits, supporting national laboratories and quantum computing centers. Rigetti’s 9-qubit Novera QPU was introduced in 2023 supporting a broader R&D community with a high-performance, on-premises QPU designed to plug into a customer’s existing cryogenic and control systems. The Company’s proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides high-performance integration with public and private clouds for practical quantum computing. Rigetti has developed the industry’s first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems. The Company designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industry’s first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility. Learn more at https://www.rigetti.com/.

    Rigetti Computing Media Contact:
    press@rigetti.com

    Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this communication may be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including but not limited to, expectations with respect to the Company’s business and operations, including its expectations related to the Innovate UK grants as part of the Quantum Missions pilot competition and work with Riverlane to benchmark and enhance quantum error correction (QEC) capabilities on superconducting quantum computers; SEEQC, NQCC, Cambridge Consultants, Oxford Instruments Nanotechnology Tools, and University of Edinburgh to integrate a digital chip-based technology with Rigetti’s 9-qubit Novera™ QPU hosted at the NQCC with the goal of identifying and understanding the key system components needed for scalable QEC; and TreQ, Qruise, Q-CTRL, and Oxford Ionics to create an open-architecture quantum computing testbed. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events and can be identified by terminology such as “commit,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “intend,” “strive,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “estimate,” “believe,” “predict,” “potential,” “pursue,” “aim,” “goal,” “outlook,” “anticipate,” “assume,” or “continue,” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Rigetti and its management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: Rigetti’s ability to achieve milestones, technological advancements, including with respect to its roadmap, help unlock quantum computing, and develop practical applications; the ability of Rigetti to complete ongoing negotiations with government contractors successfully and in a timely manner; the potential of quantum computing; the ability of Rigetti to obtain government contracts and the availability of government funding; the ability of Rigetti to expand its QCS business; the success of Rigetti’s partnerships and collaborations; Rigetti’s ability to accelerate its development of multiple generations of quantum processors; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Rigetti or others; the ability to continue to meet stock exchange listing standards; costs related to operating as a public company; changes in applicable laws or regulations, including taxes and tariffs; the possibility that Rigetti may be adversely affected by other economic, business, or competitive factors; Rigetti’s estimates of expenses and profitability; the evolution of the markets in which Rigetti competes; the ability of Rigetti to execute on its technology roadmap; the ability of Rigetti to implement its strategic initiatives, expansion plans and continue to innovate its existing services; disruptions in banking systems, increased costs, international trade relations, political turmoil, natural catastrophes, warfare, and terrorist attacks; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements other than as required by applicable law. The Company does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

    The MIL Network –

    April 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada’s new immigration policy favours construction workers but leaves the rest behind

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Shiva S. Mohan, Research Fellow, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration & Integration program, Toronto Metropolitan University

    Migrant workers have long been recognized as essential to Canada’s economy. But that recognition rarely translates into meaningful inclusion. As Canada embarks on new immigration reforms, persistent inequalities continue to define who truly belongs, and who remains excluded.

    In March, the federal government announced a new national pathway to permanent residence for up to 6,000 out-of-status construction workers.

    Although framed as a recognition of essential labour, the new program highlights a deeper reality: Canada’s immigration reforms continue to prioritize business and industry needs. In this instance, those needs are in housing and construction.

    This selective approach reveals deeper patterns in Canada’s immigration system, often described as a hierarchy of deservingness. This framework assigns greater value to certain types of labour, while sidelining others. This sidelining is often based on race, gender and class and limits access to recognition and rights for all essential workers.

    Former Immigration Minister Marc Miller estimated that between 300,000 and 600,000 out-of-status people were living in Canada as of 2024. The new construction worker pathway, while important for some, will address only a tiny fraction of this population.



    Read more:
    A national caregiving strategy is coming — what could it mean for Canadians?

    Political and industry priorities

    With a federal election on the horizon, the construction worker pathway is as much a political move as a policy reform.

    The program expands on a pilot that granted permanent residence to approximately 1,365 people and their families in the Greater Toronto Area before closing in December 2024.

    The current national rollout of the program reflects public and industry pressure to address Canada’s housing crisis. Housing has become a top priority for governments across the country.

    Developers and industry groups, such as the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, have long lobbied for faster housing construction and more skilled trades workers. Their advocacy, combined with widespread concern over affordability, made it politically attractive to prioritize construction labour rather than implement broader regularization efforts.

    But this approach exposes who is left out. Sectors like caregiving, domestic work and agriculture, largely dominated by racialized and feminized labour continue to be excluded from clear and inclusive pathways to status.

    Canada’s low-wage economy has historically depended on the labour of racialized and immigrant women. Migrants in these sectors, often work in private or hidden spaces, making their labour less visible and politically legible.

    Caregiving and domestic work in Canada have historically been undervalued. It is often framed as natural extensions of women’s roles and systematically marginalized in immigration policy through programs like the Live-in Caregiver Program.

    Fragmented, insufficient system

    Research confirms that Canada’s approach remains fragmented and insufficient. As part of my work with MIrreM, an international project studying irregular migration and regularization policies, we found that Canadian programs are often small, sector-specific and constrained by narrow eligibility criteria.

    New federal government Home Care Worker Immigration pilots offer another highly competitive pathway to residency.

    But these programs remain narrowly targeted, restricted and quickly capped, with application limits often reached on the same day they open. They also provide little relief for the many out-of-status caregivers already living and working in Canada.

    Other countries have demonstrated that large-scale, inclusive reforms are possible, offering Canada a model to follow.

    Spain’s 2005 regularization program successfully granted legal status to 700,000 people. The Spanish assessment recognized employment records, community ties and long-term residence. This model shows that broad, fair regularization strategies can balance administrative efficiency with political feasibility.

    Meanwhile, Canada’s fragmented reforms exclude most out-of-status critical workers. And it leaves them without any sustainable pathway to status, prolonging their vulnerability and insecurity.



    Read more:
    Personal support workers are the backbone of health care but the bottom of the power structure

    A comprehensive immigration strategy needed

    Canada urgently needs a transparent, fair and scaleable immigration strategy. It must be one that values people’s contributions, not just the immediate needs of businesses.

    Cleaners, caregivers, farm labourers, food service workers and others deserve the same recognition and opportunity as those in construction.

    A comprehensive regularization strategy would not only uphold dignity and fairness. It would also strengthen Canada’s economy, improve labour protections and promote social inclusion.

    As Canadians prepare to head to the polls, the incoming government faces a critical choice.

    It can continue with piecemeal, politically convenient reforms that leave most out-of-status workers behind. Or it can commit to a broad, rights-based regularization strategy that recognizes the full social fabric of those who sustain this country.

    Shiva S. Mohan 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. Canada’s new immigration policy favours construction workers but leaves the rest behind – https://theconversation.com/canadas-new-immigration-policy-favours-construction-workers-but-leaves-the-rest-behind-253792

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Inclusion Awards recipients announced

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Ravi Krishnamurthy accepts the Leader in Inclusion award from Mark Mulligan of Icon Water.

    In brief

    • Winners of this year’s Chief Minister’s Inclusion Awards have been announced.
    • The Awards celebrate people with disability who are leaders in the community.
    • The six award winners are listed in this story.

    Recipients of the Chief Minister’s Inclusion Awards have been announced.

    The Awards celebrate people with disability who are leaders in the Canberra community.

    They recognise those who improve the experiences of people with disability in the workplace, business and community.

    The nomination process

    Anybody can nominate someone in one of the six award categories.

    Nominees can be:

    • individuals
    • teams
    • local businesses
    • community organisations

    Self-nominations are also welcome.

    The judging process

    The judging panel includes:

    • people with disability
    • awards sponsors
    • ACT Inclusion Council members
    • members of the Canberra business community.

    “It is wonderful to see the achievements of all the winners… They are taking us one step closer to a truly inclusive capital,” ACT Inclusion Council Chair Mr David Smith said.

    The winners

    Leader in Inclusion – Ravi Krishnamurthy
    Ravi has been a relentless force for change in the Canberra community for more than 20 years.

    Excellence in Inclusive and Innovative Employment Practices – The Apollo Neurodiversity Program
    This program offers neurodivergent people a career in ICT within the Australian Public Service.

    Excellence in Collaborating with people with Disability – Safer Me Safer You Project Advisory Group
    Safer Me Safer You Project Advisory Group, by Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT, has set a benchmark for inclusive co-design.

    Excellence in Access and Inclusion – Netball ACT’s 2024 All Abilities Netball program
    Netball ACT’s 2024 All Abilities Netball program has enabled people with disability to play netball in a mainstream competition, making sport more inclusive.

    Excellence in Innovation and Impact – Derek Brewer
    Derek is the founder of Panache Special Needs Driver Training Program. This supports neurodivergent learner drivers and other learner drivers with disability.

    Sue Salthouse Award for Championing Human Rights and Equality – Renée Heaton
    Renée is a powerful advocate and leader. She has led the ACT Disability Reference Group for almost four years.

    Congratulations to the winners and all nominees.

    View the list of finalists and winners on the ACT Inclusion Council website.

    Read more like this:

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

    April 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Atana Wins 2025 HR Tech Award for Best Talent Development Solution

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BELLEVUE, Wash., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Seeking to redefine workplace culture and training, Atana has been named Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution for Learning and Talent Development in the 2025 HR Tech Awards. The award marks Atana’s second notable win this month.

    The HR Tech Awards, powered by Lighthouse Research & Advisory and presented by UNLEASH, spotlight excellence and innovation across the HR technology landscape. The program is designed to help HR leaders and technology buyers identify solutions that drive real results.

    “Atana distinguishes itself with a comprehensive, award-winning training platform that is designed to create a more respectful and inclusive workplace, using engaging content to tackle even the most challenging topics like diversity and sexual harassment prevention,” said Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer, Lighthouse Research & Advisory. “By leveraging behavioral theory and robust analytics, Atana empowers organizations to drive meaningful change and quantify the positive impact on both employees and the business as a whole.”

    Atana CEO John Hansen shared, “Winning an HR Tech Award is a proud moment for the Atana team. It’s a testament to how our solution innovates and elevates workplace training, driving employee engagement and delivering measurable impact across the workforce. This recognition fuels our mission to help create healthy, positive and respectful workplaces.”

    Now in its sixth year, the HR Tech Awards are judged by an independent panel of industry practitioners, educators and consultants. Each winner is vetted based on overall innovation, product demonstrations and customer case studies. Lighthouse Research & Advisory notes that with more than 5,000 providers competing in today’s HR technology landscape, the HR Tech Awards recognize 1-2 percent of those companies in the space, reinforcing Atana’s value in the market.

    For more information about Atana’s award-winning solutions, visit atana.com.

    About Atana

    Bringing together decades of experience, award-winning courses, and a powerful analytics platform, Atana takes learners from best intentions to actionable and measurable behavioral change at scale. With Atana, employers can build more inclusive workplaces through engaging content and science-backed learning and development. For more information, please visit atana.com.

    Note to editors: Trademarks and registered trademarks referenced herein remain the property of their respective owners.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f2e8d93b-07b9-488b-8af4-d77f5b7fcecb

    The MIL Network –

    April 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Admiral Group agrees to sell its U.S. motor business to JC Flowers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Admiral Group agrees to sell its U.S. motor business to JC Flowers

    Admiral Group plc announces that it has entered into an agreement to sell its U.S. motor insurance business, including Elephant Insurance Company and Elephant Insurance Services (“Elephant”), to J.C. Flowers & Co. (“J.C. Flowers”), a global private investment firm dedicated to investing in the financial services industry, for an undisclosed cash consideration (before customary adjustments and transaction and related expenses) representing approximately the net asset value of Elephant. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in Q4 2025.

    Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Elephant Insurance offers U.S. customers simple and affordable car insurance. The company’s tools allow customers to find the best protection for their needs and budget, with tools that are easy to use and understand.

    Costantino Moretti, Head of International Insurance, Admiral Group said: 
    “In Elephant, we have built a business with a great foundation, and selling the company to J.C. Flowers is the right decision to ensure its future success. J.C. Flowers and Elephant have a shared ambition for generating growth and value. This partnership will allow the business to continue to deliver the high-quality insurance products and services that US motorists need.”

    “This is a good outcome not only for Elephant and its employees, but also the Group and our shareholders. This transaction will enable us to focus on the opportunities we see for delivering long-term sustainable growth in our businesses in the UK and Mainland Europe.”

    Eric Rahe, Managing Director and Co-President, J.C. Flowers said:
    “J.C. Flowers has a long, distinguished history of investing in the insurance industry, and we will leverage our experience to help Elephant Insurance generate new opportunities as a standalone company. We are excited to partner with the Elephant team as the business enters this new stage of development.”

    Alberto Schiavon, CEO of Elephant Insurance said: “We are very excited to be joining forces with J.C. Flowers. This partnership will enable us to benefit from their extensive expertise which will play a critical role for the next phase of our growth strategy and add value for our customers, whilst maintaining our distinctive culture.”

    ENDS

    Notes to Editors
    Admiral’s corporate broker, BofA Securities, is acting as exclusive financial advisor and Sidley Austin LLP as legal advisor to Admiral Group in connection with this transaction. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, is acting as exclusive financial advisor and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP as legal advisor to J.C. Flowers in connection with this transaction.

    Enquiries

    Media:
    For Admiral:
    Addy Frederick
    addy.frederick@admiralgroup.co.uk
    +44 (0) 7500 171 810

    Analysts and investors:
    Diane Michelberger
    diane.michelberger@admiralgroup.co.uk
    +44 (0) 7881 305 063

    For J.C. Flowers:
    Jennifer Hurson
    Lambert by LLYC
    jhurson@lambert.com

    About Admiral Group
    Admiral Group plc is a leading FTSE 100 Financial Services company offering motor, household, travel and pet insurance as well as personal lending products. Established in 1993 in the UK, the Group now has offices in Canada, France, Gibraltar, India, Italy, Spain, and the US.

    About J.C. Flowers & Co
    J.C. Flowers is a leading private investment firm dedicated to investing globally in the financial services industry. Founded in 1998, the firm has invested more than $18 billion of capital, including co-investment, in 67 portfolio companies in 18 countries across a range of industry subsectors including banking, insurance and reinsurance, specialty finance, business and insurance services, wealth management and capital markets, payments and software. With approximately $4 billion of assets under management, J.C. Flowers has offices in New York, London and Palm Beach. For more information, please visit www.jcfco.com.

    The MIL Network –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2025 EPS of $0.45; Adjusted EPS of $0.57

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Continued Growth in Core Deposits and Business Loans On a Year-over-Year Basis

    Net Interest Margin Expands by 16 basis points on a Linked Quarter Basis to 2.95%

    HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: DCOM) (the “Company” or “Dime”), the parent company of Dime Community Bank (the “Bank”), today reported net income available to common stockholders of $19.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, or $0.45 per diluted common share, compared to net loss available to common stockholders of $22.2 million, or $(0.54) per diluted common share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2024 and net income available to common stockholders of $15.9 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, or $0.41 per diluted common share.

    First quarter 2025 results included $7.2 million of pre-tax expenses related to the final settlements associated with the termination of the legacy Bridgehampton National Bank pension plan.

    Adjusted net income available to common stockholders (non-GAAP) totaled $24.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, an increase of 42% versus the prior quarter and an increase of 67% versus the quarter ended March 31, 2024 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release). Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) totaled $0.57 per share for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, an increase of 36% versus the prior quarter and an increase of 50% versus the quarter ended March 31, 2024.

    Stuart H. Lubow, President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Company, stated, “Our first quarter results were marked by strong Net Interest Margin (“NIM”) expansion and continued progress in diversifying our balance sheet. Our enhanced earnings power and robust capital ratios position us well for future growth. As outlined below we have made a strong start to the year from a recruiting standpoint, and are poised to continue to add talented individuals and gain market share in the quarters ahead.”

    Year-to-date Recruiting Update

    • Hired Tom Geisel to Senior Executive Leadership Team. Mr. Geisel was instrumental in the growth and transformation of Sterling National Bank into a highly profitable $30 billion institution;
    • Hired Robert Rowe as incoming Chief Credit Officer (experience includes Chief Credit Officer at Sterling National Bank and Chief Risk Officer at CIT); incumbent Chief Credit Officer Brian Teplitz to retire at the end of May 2025;
    • Hired Jim LoGatto as an Executive Vice President to build Dime’s presence in Manhattan; Mr. LoGatto was previously the Director of US Private Banking at Israel Discount Bank of New York;
    • Hired Toni Badolato as Group Leader to grow lending presence on Long Island; Ms. Badolato was previously with M&T;
    • Hired George Taitt as Group Director and Amy Grandy as Associate Group Director to strengthen deposit presence in Queens; the Group was previously with the former Signature Bank and its successor, Flagstar Bank.

    Highlights for the First Quarter of 2025 included:

    • Total deposits increased $717.0 million on a year-over-year basis;
    • Core deposits (excluding brokered and time deposits) increased $1.35 billion on a year-over-year basis;
    • The ratio of average non-interest-bearing deposits to average total deposits for the first quarter was 29.5%;
    • The cost of total deposits declined by 19 basis points versus the prior quarter;
    • The net interest margin increased to 2.95% for the first quarter of 2025 compared to 2.79% for the prior quarter;
    • The Company’s Common Equity Tier 1 Ratio increased to 11.12% at the end of the first quarter.

    Management’s Discussion of Quarterly Operating Results

    Net Interest Income

    Net interest income for the first quarter of 2025 was $94.2 million compared to $91.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2024 and $71.5 million for the first quarter of 2024.

    The table below provides a reconciliation of the reported net interest margin (“NIM”) and adjusted NIM excluding the impact of purchase accounting accretion on the loan portfolio.

                         
    (Dollars in thousands)   Q1 2025   Q4 2024   Q1 2024  
    Net interest income   $ 94,213     $ 91,098     $ 71,530    
    Purchase accounting amortization (accretion) on loans (“PAA”)     (124 )     (1,268 )     (82 )  
    Adjusted net interest income excluding PAA on loans (non-GAAP)   $ 94,089     $ 89,830     $ 71,448    
                         
    Average interest-earning assets   $ 12,963,320     $ 12,974,958     $ 13,015,755    
                         
    NIM(1)     2.95   %   2.79   %   2.21   %
    Adjusted NIM excluding PAA on loans (non-GAAP)(2)     2.94   %   2.75   %   2.21   %

    (1)   NIM represents net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
    (2)   Adjusted NIM excluding PAA on loans represents adjusted net interest income, which excludes PAA amortization on acquired loans divided by average interest-earning assets.

    Mr. Lubow commented, “While there has been a fair bit of volatility in the macroeconomic environment in recent weeks, Dime has multiple levers to grow our NIM over time.

    • First, we have a significant loan repricing opportunity starting in the second half of 2025 that will continue through 2027, assuming current forecasted interest rate levels remain accurate.
    • Second, and as demonstrated in the most recent rate cutting cycle, should the Federal Reserve cut short term rates in 2025 we anticipate a reduction in deposit costs, which will drive further NIM expansion.
    • Finally, core deposit growth and a continued focus on business loan growth will benefit our NIM over time as we continue to grow customers and hire productive teams.”

    Loan Portfolio

    The ending weighted average rate (“WAR”) on the total loan portfolio was 5.25% at March 31, 2025, a 1 basis point decrease compared to the ending WAR of 5.26% on the total loan portfolio at December 31, 2024.

    Outlined below are loan balances and WARs for the quarter ended as indicated.

                                     
        March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024   March 31, 2024  
    (Dollars in thousands)   Balance   WAR(1)   Balance   WAR(1)   Balance   WAR(1)  
    Loans held for investment balances at period end:                                
    Business loans(2)   $ 2,788,848   6.55 % $ 2,726,602   6.56 % $ 2,327,403   6.90 %
    One-to-four family residential, including condominium and cooperative apartment     961,562   4.77     952,195   4.72     873,671   4.48  
    Multifamily residential and residential mixed-use(3)(4)     3,780,078   4.46     3,820,492   4.49     3,996,654   4.57  
    Non-owner-occupied commercial real estate     3,191,536   5.07     3,231,398   5.13     3,386,333   5.24  
    Acquisition, development, and construction     140,309   7.96     136,172   7.95     175,352   8.40  
    Other loans     6,402   10.39     5,084   10.51     5,170   7.10  
    Loans held for investment   $ 10,868,735   5.25 % $ 10,871,943   5.26 % $ 10,764,583   5.34 %

    (1) WAR is calculated by aggregating interest based on the current loan rate from each loan in the category, adjusted for non-accrual loans, divided by the total balance of loans in the category.
    (2) Business loans include commercial and industrial loans and owner-occupied commercial real estate loans.
    (3) Includes loans underlying multifamily cooperatives.
    (4) While the loans within this category are often considered “commercial real estate” in nature, multifamily and loans underlying cooperatives are reported separately from commercial real estate loans in order to emphasize the residential nature of the collateral underlying this significant component of the total loan portfolio.

    Outlined below are the loan originations, for the quarter ended as indicated.

                       
    (Dollars in millions)   Q1 2025   Q4 2024   Q1 2024
    Loan originations   $ 71.5   $ 187.5   $ 98.3

    Deposits and Borrowed Funds

    Period end total deposits (including mortgage escrow deposits) at March 31, 2025 were $11.61 billion, compared to $11.69 billion at December 31, 2024 and $10.90 billion at March 31, 2024. The Company reduced its brokered deposit levels to $285.6 million at March 31, 2025, compared to $422.8 million at December 31, 2024 and $897.1 million at March 31, 2024.

    Total Federal Home Loan Bank advances were $508.0 million at March 31, 2025 compared to $608.0 million at December 31, 2024 and $773.0 million at March 31, 2024.

    Non-Interest Income

    Non-interest income was $9.6 million during the first quarter of 2025, compared to a loss of $33.9 million during the fourth quarter of 2024, and income of $10.5 million during the first quarter of 2024. Fourth quarter 2024 results included $42.8 million of pre-tax loss-on-sale of securities related to the re-positioning of the available-for-sale securities portfolio.

    Non-Interest Expense

    Total non-interest expense was $65.5 million during the first quarter of 2025, $60.6 million during the fourth quarter of 2024, and $52.5 million during the first quarter of 2024. Excluding the impact of the loss on extinguishment of debt, amortization of other intangible assets, severance expense, settlement loss related to the termination of a legacy pension plan, and the FDIC special assessment, adjusted non-interest expense was $58.0 million during the first quarter of 2025, $57.7 million during the fourth quarter of 2024, and $51.7 million during the first quarter of 2024 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).

    Mr. Lubow commented, “Excluding the impact of the legacy Bridgehampton National Bank pension plan termination, first quarter expenses were well-controlled and in-line with our previous expectations.”

    The ratio of non-interest expense to average assets was 1.90% during the first quarter of 2025, compared to 1.76% during the linked quarter and 1.52% during the first quarter of 2024. Excluding the impact of the loss on extinguishment of debt, amortization of other intangible assets, severance expense, the FDIC special assessment and settlement loss related to the termination of a legacy pension plan, the ratio of adjusted non-interest expense to average assets was 1.68% during the first quarter of 2025, 1.68% during the fourth quarter of 2024, and 1.50% during the first quarter of 2024 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).

    The efficiency ratio was 63.1% during the first quarter of 2025, compared to 105.9% during the linked quarter and 64.0% during the first quarter of 2024. Excluding the impact of net (gain) loss on sale of securities and other assets, fair value change in equity securities and loans held for sale, severance expense, the FDIC special assessment, settlement loss related to the termination of a legacy pension plan, loss on extinguishment of debt and amortization of other intangible assets the adjusted efficiency ratio was 55.8% during the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 58.0% during the linked quarter and 64.7% during the first quarter of 2024 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).

    Income Tax Expense

    Income tax expense was $7.3 million during the first quarter of 2025, $3.3 million during the fourth quarter of 2024, and $6.6 million during the first quarter of 2024. The fourth quarter of 2024 income tax expense was inclusive of $9.1 million of income tax expense related to the taxable gain and Modified Endowment Contract Tax (“MEC”) Tax on the surrender of legacy BOLI assets. The effective tax rate for the first quarter of 2025 was 25.3%. Excluding the tax impact of the BOLI surrender, the fourth quarter 2024 effective rate was a tax benefit of 33.5%. The effective tax rate for the first quarter of 2024 was 27.1%.

    Credit Quality

    Non-performing loans were $58.0 million at March 31, 2025, compared to $49.5 million at December 31, 2024 and $34.8 million at March 31, 2024.

    A credit loss provision of $9.6 million was recorded during the first quarter of 2025, compared to a credit loss provision of $13.7 million during the fourth quarter of 2024, and a credit loss provision of $5.2 million during the first quarter of 2024.

    Capital Management

    Stockholders’ equity increased $15.5 million to $1.41 billion at March 31, 2025, compared to $1.40 billion at December 31, 2024.

    The Company’s and the Bank’s regulatory capital ratios continued to be in excess of all applicable regulatory requirements as of December 31, 2024. All risk-based regulatory capital ratios increased in the first quarter of 2025.

    Dividends per common share were $0.25 during the first quarter of 2025 and the fourth quarter of 2024, respectively.

    Book value per common share was $29.58 at March 31, 2025 compared to $29.34 at December 31, 2024.

    Tangible common book value per share (which represents common equity less goodwill and other intangible assets, divided by the number of shares outstanding) was $25.94 at March 31, 2025 compared to $25.68 at December 31, 2024 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).

    Earnings Call Information

    The Company will conduct a conference call at 8:30 a.m. (ET) on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, during which CEO Lubow will discuss the Company’s first quarter 2025 financial performance, with a question-and-answer session to follow.

    Participants may access the conference call via webcast using this link: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/cbadbvnq. To participate via telephone, please register in advance using this link: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BIafdc630ea47c427ea6661eb613e46913. Upon registration, all telephone participants will receive a one-time confirmation email detailing how to join the conference call, including the dial-in number along with a unique PIN that can be used to access the call. All participants are encouraged to dial-in 10 minutes prior to the start time.

    A replay of the conference call and webcast will be available on-demand for 12 months at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/cbadbvnq.

    ABOUT DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC.
    Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for Dime Community Bank, a New York State-chartered trust company with over $14 billion in assets and the number one deposit market share among community banks on Greater Long Island (1).

    (1) Aggregate deposit market share for Kings, Queens, Nassau & Suffolk counties for community banks with less than $20 billion in assets.

    This news release contains a number of forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These statements may be identified by use of words such as “annualized,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions.

    Forward-looking statements are based upon various assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of management’s experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors it believes are appropriate under the circumstances. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors (many of which are beyond the Company’s control) that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on such statements. Factors that could affect our results include, without limitation, the following: the timing and occurrence or non-occurrence of events may be subject to circumstances beyond the Company’s control; there may be increases in competitive pressure among financial institutions or from non-financial institutions; changes in the interest rate environment may affect demand for our products and reduce interest margins and the value of our investments; changes in government monetary or fiscal policies and actions may adversely affect our customers, cost of credit and overall result of operations; changes in deposit flows, the cost of funds, loan demand or real estate values may adversely affect the business of the Company; changes in the quality and composition of the Company’s loan or investment portfolios or unanticipated or significant increases in loan losses may negatively affect the Company’s financial condition or results of operations; changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines may cause the Company’s financial condition to be perceived differently; changes in corporate and/or individual income tax laws may adversely affect the Company’s financial condition or results of operations; general socio-economic conditions, public health emergencies, international conflict, inflation, and recessionary pressures, either nationally or locally in some or all areas in which the Company conducts business, or conditions in the securities markets or the banking industry may be less favorable than the Company currently anticipates and may adversely affect our customers, our financial results and our operations; legislation or regulatory changes may adversely affect the Company’s business; technological changes may be more difficult or expensive than the Company anticipates; there may be failures or breaches of information technology security systems; success or consummation of new business initiatives may be more difficult or expensive than the Company anticipates; there may be difficulties or unanticipated expense incurred in the consummation of new business initiatives or the integration of any acquired entities; and litigation or other matters before regulatory agencies, whether currently existing or commencing in the future, may delay the occurrence or non-occurrence of events longer than the Company anticipates. For discussion of these and other risks that may cause actual results to differ from expectations, please refer to the sections entitled “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and updates set forth in the Company’s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.

    Contact: Avinash Reddy  
    Senior Executive Vice President – Chief Financial Officer  
    718-782-6200 extension 5909  
    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
    (In thousands)
     
     
        March 31,   December 31,   March 31,
        2025     2024     2024  
    Assets:                  
    Cash and due from banks   $ 1,030,702     $ 1,283,571     $ 370,852  
    Securities available-for-sale, at fair value     710,579       690,693       859,216  
    Securities held-to-maturity     631,334       637,339       589,331  
    Loans held for sale     2,527       22,625       8,973  
    Loans held for investment, net:                  
    Business loans(1)     2,788,848       2,726,602       2,327,403  
    One-to-four family and cooperative/condominium apartment     961,562       952,195       873,671  
    Multifamily residential and residential mixed-use(2)(3)     3,780,078       3,820,492       3,996,654  
    Non-owner-occupied commercial real estate     3,191,536       3,231,398       3,386,333  
    Acquisition, development and construction     140,309       136,172       175,352  
    Other loans     6,402       5,084       5,170  
    Allowance for credit losses     (90,455 )     (88,751 )     (76,068 )
    Total loans held for investment, net     10,778,280       10,783,192       10,688,515  
    Premises and fixed assets, net     33,650       34,858       44,501  
    Restricted stock     66,987       69,106       74,346  
    BOLI     389,167       290,665       352,277  
    Goodwill     155,797       155,797       155,797  
    Other intangible assets     3,644       3,896       4,753  
    Operating lease assets     45,657       46,193       51,988  
    Derivative assets     98,740       116,496       135,162  
    Accrued interest receivable     56,044       55,970       55,369  
    Other assets     94,574       162,857       110,012  
    Total assets   $ 14,097,682     $ 14,353,258     $ 13,501,092  
    Liabilities:                  
    Non-interest-bearing checking (excluding mortgage escrow deposits)   $ 3,245,409     $ 3,355,829     $ 2,819,481  
    Interest-bearing checking     950,090       1,079,823       635,640  
    Savings (excluding mortgage escrow deposits)     1,939,852       1,927,903       2,347,114  
    Money market     4,271,363       4,198,784       3,440,083  
    Certificates of deposit     1,121,068       1,069,081       1,555,157  
    Deposits (excluding mortgage escrow deposits)     11,527,782       11,631,420       10,797,475  
    Non-interest-bearing mortgage escrow deposits     88,138       54,715       101,229  
    Interest-bearing mortgage escrow deposits     4       6       173  
    Total mortgage escrow deposits     88,142       54,721       101,402  
    FHLBNY advances     508,000       608,000       773,000  
    Other short-term borrowings     —       50,000       —  
    Subordinated debt, net     272,370       272,325       200,174  
    Derivative cash collateral     85,230       112,420       132,900  
    Operating lease liabilities     48,432       48,993       54,727  
    Derivative liabilities     92,516       108,347       122,112  
    Other liabilities     63,197       70,515       79,931  
    Total liabilities     12,685,669       12,956,741       12,261,721  
    Stockholders’ equity:                  
    Preferred stock, Series A     116,569       116,569       116,569  
    Common stock     461       461       416  
    Additional paid-in capital     623,305       624,822       492,834  
    Retained earnings     803,202       794,526       819,130  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss (“AOCI”), net of deferred taxes     (39,045 )     (45,018 )     (85,466 )
    Unearned equity awards     (12,909 )     (7,640 )     (10,191 )
    Treasury stock, at cost     (79,570 )     (87,203 )     (93,921 )
    Total stockholders’ equity     1,412,013       1,396,517       1,239,371  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 14,097,682     $ 14,353,258     $ 13,501,092  

    (1) Business loans include commercial and industrial loans, owner-occupied commercial real estate loans and Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans.
    (2) Includes loans underlying multifamily cooperatives.
    (3) While the loans within this category are often considered “commercial real estate” in nature, multifamily and loans underlying cooperatives are here reported separately from commercial real estate loans in order to emphasize the residential nature of the collateral underlying this significant component of the total loan portfolio.

    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
    (Dollars in thousands except share and per share amounts)
     
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,   December 31,   March 31,
        2025   2024     2024  
    Interest income:                  
    Loans   $ 142,705   $ 148,000     $ 143,565  
    Securities     11,323     10,010       7,880  
    Other short-term investments     7,837     7,473       9,564  
    Total interest income     161,865     165,483       161,009  
    Interest expense:                  
    Deposits and escrow     58,074     64,773       73,069  
    Borrowed funds     8,381     8,542       14,697  
    Derivative cash collateral     1,197     1,070       1,713  
    Total interest expense     67,652     74,385       89,479  
    Net interest income     94,213     91,098       71,530  
    Provision for credit losses     9,626     13,715       5,210  
    Net interest income after provision     84,587     77,383       66,320  
    Non-interest income:                  
    Service charges and other fees     4,643     3,942       4,544  
    Title fees     98     226       133  
    Loan level derivative income     61     491       406  
    BOLI income     3,993     2,825       2,461  
    Gain on sale of Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans     82     22       253  
    Gain on sale of residential loans     32     83       77  
    Fair value change in equity securities and loans held for sale     18     15       (842 )
    Net loss on sale of securities     —     (42,810 )     —  
    Gain on sale of other assets     —     554       2,968  
    Other     706     791       467  
    Total non-interest income (loss)     9,633     (33,861 )     10,467  
    Non-interest expense:                  
    Salaries and employee benefits     35,651     35,761       32,037  
    Severance     76     1,254       42  
    Occupancy and equipment     8,002     7,569       7,368  
    Data processing costs     4,794     4,483       4,313  
    Marketing     1,666     1,897       1,497  
    Professional services     2,116     2,345       1,467  
    Federal deposit insurance premiums(1)     2,047     2,116       2,239  
    Loss on extinguishment of debt     —     —       453  
    Loss due to pension settlement     7,231     1,215       —  
    Amortization of other intangible assets     252     285       307  
    Other     3,676     3,688       2,788  
    Total non-interest expense     65,511     60,613       52,511  
    Income (loss) before taxes     28,709     (17,091 )     24,276  
    Income tax expense(2)     7,251     3,322       6,585  
    Net income (loss)     21,458     (20,413 )     17,691  
    Preferred stock dividends     1,822     1,821       1,821  
    Net income (loss) available to common stockholders   $ 19,636   $ (22,234 )   $ 15,870  
    Earnings (loss) per common share (“EPS”):                  
    Basic   $ 0.45   $ (0.54 )   $ 0.41  
    Diluted   $ 0.45   $ (0.54 )   $ 0.41  
                       
    Average common shares outstanding for diluted EPS     42,948,690     40,767,161       38,255,559  

    (1) Fourth quarter of 2024 included $0.1 million of pre-tax expense related to the FDIC special assessment for the recovery of losses related to the closures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.
    (2) Fourth quarter of 2024 includes $9.1 million of income tax expense related to the taxable gain and MEC Tax on the surrender of legacy BOLI assets.

    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Dollars in thousands except per share amounts)
     
        At or For the Three Months Ended  
        March 31,   December 31,   March 31,  
        2025   2024     2024  
    Per Share Data:                    
    Reported EPS (Diluted)   $ 0.45   $ (0.54 )   $ 0.41  
    Cash dividends paid per common share     0.25     0.25       0.25  
    Book value per common share     29.58     29.34       28.84  
    Tangible common book value per share(1)     25.94     25.68       24.72  
    Common shares outstanding     43,799     43,622       38,932  
    Dividend payout ratio     55.56 %   (46.30 ) %   60.98 %
                         
    Performance Ratios (Based upon Reported Net Income):                    
    Return on average assets     0.62 %   (0.59 ) %   0.51 %
    Return on average equity     6.04     (6.02 )     5.68  
    Return on average tangible common equity(1)     6.92     (8.16 )     6.64  
    Net interest margin     2.95     2.79       2.21  
    Non-interest expense to average assets     1.90     1.76       1.52  
    Efficiency ratio     63.1     105.9       64.0  
    Effective tax rate     25.26     (19.44 )     27.13  
                         
    Balance Sheet Data:                    
    Average assets   $ 13,777,665   $ 13,759,002     $ 13,794,924  
    Average interest-earning assets     12,963,320     12,974,958       13,015,755  
    Average tangible common equity(1)     1,145,915     1,080,177       968,719  
    Loan-to-deposit ratio at end of period(2)     93.6     93.0       98.8  
                         
    Capital Ratios and Reserves – Consolidated:(3)                    
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets(1)     8.15 %   7.89   %   7.21 %
    Tangible equity to tangible assets(1)     8.99     8.71       8.09  
    Tier 1 common equity ratio     11.12     11.06       10.00  
    Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio     12.23     12.17       11.11  
    Total risk-based capital ratio     15.71     15.65       13.78  
    Tier 1 leverage ratio     9.46     9.38       8.48  
    Consolidated CRE concentration ratio(4)     442     447       534  
    Allowance for credit losses/ Total loans     0.83     0.82       0.71  
    Allowance for credit losses/ Non-performing loans     155.85     179.37       218.42  

    (1) See “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables for reconciliation of tangible equity, tangible common equity, and tangible assets.
    (2) Total deposits include mortgage escrow deposits, which fluctuate seasonally.
    (3) March 31, 2025 ratios are preliminary pending completion and filing of the Company’s regulatory reports. 
    (4) The Consolidated CRE concentration ratio is calculated using the sum of commercial real estate, excluding owner-occupied commercial real estate, multifamily, and acquisition, development, and construction, divided by consolidated capital. The March 31, 2025 ratio is preliminary pending completion and filing of the Company’s regulatory reports.

    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED AVERAGE BALANCES AND NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Dollars in thousands)    		  
       
        Three Months Ended  
        March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024   March 31, 2024  
                    Average               Average               Average  
        Average         Yield/   Average         Yield/   Average         Yield/  
        Balance   Interest   Cost   Balance   Interest   Cost   Balance   Interest   Cost  
    Assets:                                                  
    Interest-earning assets:                                                  
    Business loans(1)   $ 2,748,142   $ 45,047   6.65 % $ 2,681,953   $ 46,791   6.94 % $ 2,308,319   $ 39,224   6.83 %
    One-to-four family residential, including condo and coop     962,046     11,069   4.67     943,319     11,061   4.66     886,588     9,770   4.43  
    Multifamily residential and residential mixed-use     3,796,754     42,329   4.52     3,848,579     44,152   4.56     4,000,510     46,019   4.63  
    Non-owner-occupied commercial real estate     3,214,758     41,326   5.21     3,265,906     42,865   5.22     3,371,438     44,776   5.34  
    Acquisition, development, and construction     138,428     2,906   8.51     139,440     3,101   8.85     169,775     3,692   8.75  
    Other loans     5,740     28   1.98     4,781     30   2.50     5,420     84   6.23  
    Securities     1,372,563     11,323   3.35     1,455,449     10,010   2.74     1,578,330     7,880   2.01  
    Other short-term investments     724,889     7,837   4.38     635,531     7,473   4.68     695,375     9,564   5.53  
    Total interest-earning assets     12,963,320     161,865   5.06 %   12,974,958     165,483   5.07 %   13,015,755     161,009   4.98 %
    Non-interest-earning assets     814,345               784,044               779,169            
    Total assets   $ 13,777,665             $ 13,759,002             $ 13,794,924            
                                                       
    Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity:                                                  
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                                                  
    Interest-bearing checking(2)   $ 912,852   $ 4,164   1.85 % $ 912,645   $ 5,115   2.23 % $ 582,047   $ 1,223   0.85 %
    Money market     4,076,612     31,294   3.11     3,968,793     33,695   3.38     3,359,884     30,638   3.67  
    Savings(2)     1,970,338     14,185   2.92     1,905,866     14,828   3.10     2,368,946     22,810   3.87  
    Certificates of deposit     973,108     8,431   3.51     1,126,859     11,135   3.93     1,655,882     18,398   4.47  
    Total interest-bearing deposits     7,932,910     58,074   2.97     7,914,163     64,773   3.26     7,966,759     73,069   3.69  
    FHLBNY advances     509,111     4,066   3.24     509,630     4,241   3.31     1,094,209     12,143   4.46  
    Subordinated debt, net     272,341     4,302   6.41     272,311     4,301   6.28     200,188     2,553   5.13  
    Other short-term borrowings     633     13   8.33     543     —   —     77     1   5.22  
    Total borrowings     782,085     8,381   4.35     782,484     8,542   4.34     1,294,474     14,697   4.57  
    Derivative cash collateral     104,126     1,197   4.66     99,560     1,070   4.28     130,166     1,713   5.29  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities     8,819,121     67,652   3.11 %   8,796,207     74,385   3.36 %   9,391,399     89,479   3.83 %
    Non-interest-bearing checking(2)     3,322,583               3,396,457               2,909,776            
    Other non-interest-bearing liabilities     213,876               209,712               247,717            
    Total liabilities     12,355,580               12,402,376               12,548,892            
    Stockholders’ equity     1,422,085               1,356,626               1,246,032            
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 13,777,665             $ 13,759,002             $ 13,794,924            
    Net interest income         $ 94,213             $ 91,098             $ 71,530      
    Net interest rate spread               1.95 %             1.71 %             1.15 %
    Net interest margin               2.95 %             2.79 %             2.21 %
    Deposits (including non-interest-bearing checking accounts)(2)   $ 11,255,493   $ 58,074   2.09 % $ 11,310,620   $ 64,773   2.28 % $ 10,876,535   $ 73,069   2.70 %

    (1) Business loans include commercial and industrial loans, owner-occupied commercial real estate loans and PPP loans.
    (2) Includes mortgage escrow deposits.

    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED SCHEDULE OF NON-PERFORMING ASSETS
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
        At or For the Three Months Ended
        March 31,   December 31,   March 31,
    Asset Quality Detail   2025     2024     2024  
    Non-performing loans (“NPLs”)                  
    Business loans(1)   $ 21,944     $ 22,624     $ 18,213  
    One-to-four family residential, including condominium and cooperative apartment     3,763       3,213       3,689  
    Multifamily residential and residential mixed-use     —       —       —  
    Non-owner-occupied commercial real estate     31,677       22,960       15  
    Acquisition, development, and construction     657       657       12,910  
    Other loans     —       25       —  
    Total Non-accrual loans   $ 58,041     $ 49,479     $ 34,827  
    Total Non-performing assets (“NPAs”)   $ 58,041     $ 49,479     $ 34,827  
                       
    Total loans 90 days delinquent and accruing (“90+ Delinquent”)   $ —     $ —     $ —  
                       
    NPAs and 90+ Delinquent   $ 58,041     $ 49,479     $ 34,827  
                       
    NPAs and 90+ Delinquent / Total assets     0.41 %     0.34 %     0.26 %
    Net charge-offs (“NCOs”)   $ 7,058     $ 10,611     $ 739  
    NCOs / Average loans(2)     0.26 %     0.39 %     0.03 %

    (1) Business loans include commercial and industrial loans, owner-occupied commercial real estate loans and PPP loans.
    (2) Calculated based on annualized NCOs to average loans, excluding loans held for sale.

    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION
    (Dollars in thousands except per share amounts)

    The following tables below provide a reconciliation of certain financial measures calculated under generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) (as reported) and non-GAAP measures. A non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of historical or future financial performance, financial position or cash flows that excludes or includes amounts that are required to be disclosed in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP in the United States. The Company’s management believes the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures provides investors with a greater understanding of the Company’s operating results in addition to the results measured in accordance with GAAP. While management uses these non-GAAP measures in its analysis of the Company’s performance, this information should not be viewed as a substitute for financial results determined in accordance with GAAP or considered to be more important than financial results determined in accordance with GAAP.

    The following non-GAAP financial measures exclude pre-tax income and expenses associated with the fair value change in equity securities and loans held for sale, net loss (gain) on sale of securities and other assets, severance, the FDIC special assessment, loss on extinguishment of debt and loss due to pension settlement. The non-GAAP financial measures also include taxes related to the surrender of BOLI assets.  

                         
        Three Months Ended  
        March 31,   December 31,   March 31,     
        2025     2024     2024    
    Reconciliation of Reported and Adjusted (non-GAAP) Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders                    
    Reported net income (loss) available to common stockholders   $ 19,636     $ (22,234 )   $ 15,870    
    Adjustments to net income(1):                    
    Fair value change in equity securities and loans held for sale     (18 )     (15 )     842    
    Net loss (gain) on sale of securities and other assets     —       42,256       (2,968 )  
    Severance     76       1,254       42    
    FDIC special assessment     —       126       —    
    Loss on extinguishment of debt     —       —       453    
    Loss due to pension settlement     7,231       1,215       —    
    Income tax effect of adjustments noted above(1)     (2,237 )     (14,258 )     518    
    BOLI tax adjustment(2):     —       9,073       —    
    Adjusted net income available to common stockholders (non-GAAP)   $ 24,688     $ 17,417     $ 14,757    
                         
    Adjusted Ratios (Based upon Adjusted (non-GAAP) Net (Loss) Income as calculated above)                    
    Adjusted EPS (Diluted)   $ 0.57     $ 0.42     $ 0.38    
    Adjusted return on average assets     0.77   %   0.56   %   0.48   %
    Adjusted return on average equity     7.46       5.67       5.32    
    Adjusted return on average tangible common equity     8.68       6.52       6.18    
    Adjusted non-interest expense to average assets     1.68       1.68       1.50    
    Adjusted efficiency ratio     55.8       58.0       64.7    

    (1) Adjustments to net (loss) income are taxed at the Company’s approximate statutory tax rate.
    (2) Reflects income tax expense related to the taxable gain and MEC Tax on the surrender of legacy BOLI assets during the three months ended December 31, 2024.

    The following table presents a reconciliation of operating expense as a percentage of average assets (as reported) and adjusted operating expense as a percentage of average assets (non-GAAP):

                         
        Three Months Ended    
           March 31,      December 31,      March 31,     
        2025       2024       2024      
    Operating expense as a % of average assets – as reported   1.90   %     1.76   %     1.52   %    
    Severance   —       (0.04 )     —      
    FDIC special assessment   —       —       —      
    Loss on extinguishment of debt   —       —       (0.01 )    
    Loss due to pension settlement   (0.21 )     (0.04 )     —      
    Amortization of other intangible assets   (0.01 )     —       (0.01 )    
    Adjusted operating expense as a % of average assets (non-GAAP)   1.68   %     1.68   %     1.50   %    

    The following table presents a reconciliation of efficiency ratio (non-GAAP) and adjusted efficiency ratio (non-GAAP):

                         
        Three Months Ended  
           March 31,       December 31,       March 31,      
        2025     2024     2024    
    Efficiency ratio – as reported (non-GAAP) (1)        63.1   %     105.9   %     64.0   %  
    Non-interest expense – as reported   $ 65,511     $ 60,613     $ 52,511    
    Severance     (76 )     (1,254 )     (42 )  
    FDIC special assessment     —       (126 )     —    
    Loss on extinguishment of debt     —       —       (453 )  
    Loss due to pension settlement     (7,231 )     (1,215 )     —    
    Amortization of other intangible assets     (252 )     (285 )     (307 )  
    Adjusted non-interest expense (non-GAAP)   $ 57,952     $ 57,733     $ 51,709    
    Net interest income – as reported   $ 94,213     $ 91,098     $ 71,530    
    Non-interest income (loss) – as reported   $ 9,633     $ (33,861 )   $ 10,467    
    Fair value change in equity securities and loans held for sale     (18 )     (15 )     842    
    Net loss (gain) on sale of securities and other assets     —       42,256       (2,968 )  
    Adjusted non-interest income (non-GAAP)   $ 9,615     $ 8,380     $ 8,341    
    Adjusted total revenues for adjusted efficiency ratio (non-GAAP)   $ 103,828     $ 99,478     $ 79,871    
    Adjusted efficiency ratio (non-GAAP) (2)     55.8   %     58.0   %     64.7   %  

    (1)   The reported efficiency ratio is a non-GAAP measure calculated by dividing GAAP non-interest expense by the sum of GAAP net interest income and GAAP non-interest income.
    (2)   The adjusted efficiency ratio is a non-GAAP measure calculated by dividing adjusted non-interest expense by the sum of GAAP net interest income and adjusted non-interest income.

    The following table presents the tangible common equity to tangible assets, tangible equity to tangible assets, and tangible common book value per share calculations (non-GAAP):

                         
        March 31,   December 31,   March 31,  
        2025     2024     2024    
    Reconciliation of Tangible Assets:                    
    Total assets   $ 14,097,682     $ 14,353,258     $ 13,501,092    
    Goodwill     (155,797 )     (155,797 )     (155,797 )  
    Other intangible assets     (3,644 )     (3,896 )     (4,753 )  
    Tangible assets (non-GAAP)   $ 13,938,241     $ 14,193,565     $ 13,340,542    
                         
    Reconciliation of Tangible Common Equity – Consolidated:                    
    Total stockholders’ equity   $ 1,412,013     $ 1,396,517     $ 1,239,371    
    Goodwill     (155,797 )     (155,797 )     (155,797 )  
    Other intangible assets     (3,644 )     (3,896 )     (4,753 )  
    Tangible equity (non-GAAP)     1,252,572       1,236,824       1,078,821    
    Preferred stock, net     (116,569 )     (116,569 )     (116,569 )  
    Tangible common equity (non-GAAP)   $ 1,136,003     $ 1,120,255     $ 962,252    
                         
    Common shares outstanding     43,799       43,622       38,932    
                         
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets (non-GAAP)     8.15   %   7.89   %   7.21   %
    Tangible equity to tangible assets (non-GAAP)     8.99       8.71       8.09    
                         
    Book value per common share   $ 29.58     $ 29.34     $ 28.84    
    Tangible common book value per share (non-GAAP)     25.94       25.68       24.72    

    The MIL Network –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: United Community Banks, Inc. Reports First Quarter Earnings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GREENVILLE, S.C., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE: UCB) (United) today announced net income for the first quarter of 2025 of $71.4 million and pre-tax, pre-provision income of $106.6 million. Diluted earnings per share of $0.58 for the quarter represented an increase of $0.07 from the first quarter a year ago and a decrease of $0.03 from the fourth quarter of 2024.

    On an operating basis, United’s diluted earnings per share of $0.59 were up 13% from the year-ago quarter. The primary drivers of the increased earnings per share year-over-year were higher net interest income and lower noninterest expenses, partly offset by lower noninterest income and a higher provision for credit losses.

    United’s return on assets was 1.02%, or 1.04% on an operating basis. Return on common equity was 7.9%, and return on tangible common equity on an operating basis was 11.2%. On a pre-tax, pre-provision basis, operating return on assets was 1.55% for the quarter. At quarter-end, tangible common equity to tangible assets was 9.18%, up 21 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Chairman and CEO Lynn Harton stated, “The first quarter was a strong start to the year. Our teams delivered solid loan and deposit growth in what has typically been a seasonally weak quarter. Loans grew by $249 million, or 5.6% annualized, and customer deposits increased $309 million, or 5.4% annualized. Our net interest margin expanded by 10 basis points, helping us to grow net interest income by $1.7 million from the fourth quarter, despite two fewer accruing days. Credit quality remained stable, with first quarter net charge-offs holding steady at 0.21% of average loans. Our provision for credit losses increased by $4.0 million from the fourth quarter, covering first quarter net charge-offs as well as loan growth, slightly increasing our allowance for credit losses to 1.21% of loans, up from 1.20% on December 31, 2024. Expenses improved on an absolute basis from both the fourth and first quarters of 2024, reflecting our ongoing efforts to control costs.”

    Harton continued, “We are particularly excited that our bankers were recognized once again by J.D. Power as #1 in Customer Satisfaction in the Southeast, along with #1 in Trust and #1 in People. This year marks our 75ᵗʰ anniversary, and we’re off to a strong start. I’m proud to make this milestone meaningful for our customers, employees, and shareholders. We’re also excited to continue growing our presence in Florida with the recent announcement of our planned acquisition of American National Bank, headquartered in Oakland Park. This expansion will strengthen our footprint in the fast-growing South Florida market. Our teams have been collaborating closely for several months, and we expect to close the transaction on May 1.”

    United’s net interest margin increased 10 basis points to 3.36% from the fourth quarter. The average yield on interest-earning assets was down four basis points to 5.29%, while the cost of interest-bearing liabilities decreased 19 basis points, leading to a 15-basis-point increase in the net interest spread. The 10-basis-point increase in net interest margin reflects progress in lowering the cost of funds through reduction in deposit rates and redemption of debt instruments, and to a lesser extent, the seasonal outflow of higher-priced public funds deposits.

    Net charge-offs were $9.6 million, or 0.21% of average loans, during the quarter, equal to the fourth quarter of 2024. Nonperforming assets were 33 basis points relative to total assets, improved from 42 basis points for the fourth quarter.

    First Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights:

    • EPS up $0.07 compared to first quarter 2024 on a GAAP basis and up $0.07, or 13%, on an operating basis; EPS down $0.03 compared to the fourth quarter on a GAAP basis and down $0.04, or 6%, on an operating basis
    • Total revenue improved $8.9 million, or 3.7%, year-over-year
    • Net interest margin of 3.36% increased by 10 basis points from the fourth quarter, reflecting a lower cost of funds
    • Loan production of $2.0 billion led to loan growth of $249 million, up 5.6% annualized, from the fourth quarter
    • Customer deposits were up $309 million from the fourth quarter, with most of the growth in money market deposits
    • Noninterest income was down $4.9 million on a linked quarter basis mostly due to the absence of unusual fourth quarter gains in the form of a mortgage servicing right write-up and other unusual gains
    • Mortgage closings of $187 million compared to $171 million a year ago; mortgage rate locks of $330 million compared to $260 million a year ago
    • Noninterest expenses improved $2.0 million compared to the fourth quarter on a GAAP basis and down $1.1 million on an operating basis
    • Efficiency ratio of 56.7%, or 56.2% on an operating basis
    • Net income of $71.4 million and pre-tax, pre-provision income of $106.6 million
    • Return on assets of 1.02%, or 1.04% on an operating basis
    • Pre-tax, pre-provision return on assets of 1.55% on an operating basis
    • Return on common equity of 7.9%
    • Return on tangible common equity of 11.2% on an operating basis
    • Provision for credit losses was $15.4 million; allowance for credit losses coverage up slightly to 1.21% of total loans
    • Net charge-offs of $9.6 million, or 21 basis points as a percent of average loans
    • Nonperforming assets improved $22 million from December 31, 2024, to 0.33% of total assets
    • Maintained robust capital ratios with preliminary Common Equity Tier 1 increasing to 13.3%
    • Quarterly common dividend of $0.24 per share declared during the quarter, up 4% year-over-year

    Conference Call
    United will hold a conference call on Tuesday, April 22 at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss the contents of this press release and to share business highlights for the quarter. Participants can pre-register for the conference call by navigating to https://dpregister.com/sreg/10198403/fed7e1f137. Those without internet access or unable to pre-register may dial in by calling 1-844-676-1337. Participants are encouraged to dial in 15 minutes prior to the call start time. The conference call also will be webcast and can be accessed by selecting “Events and Presentations” under “News and Events” within the Investor Relations section of the company’s website, ucbi.com.


    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Selected Financial Information
    (in thousands, except per share data)

        2025       2024     First Quarter
    2025–2024
    Change
      First
    Quarter    		   Fourth
    Quarter    		   Third
    Quarter    		   Second
    Quarter    		   First
    Quarter    		  
    INCOME SUMMARY                      
    Interest revenue $ 335,357     $ 344,962     $ 349,086     $ 346,965     $ 336,728      
    Interest expense   123,336       134,629       139,900       138,265       137,579      
    Net interest revenue   212,021       210,333       209,186       208,700       199,149     6 %
    Noninterest income   35,656       40,522       8,091       36,556       39,587     (10 )
    Total revenue   247,677       250,855       217,277       245,256       238,736     4  
    Provision for credit losses   15,419       11,389       14,428       12,235       12,899      
    Noninterest expenses   141,099       143,056       143,065       147,044       145,002     (3 )
    Income before income tax expense   91,159       96,410       59,784       85,977       80,835     13  
    Income tax expense   19,746       20,606       12,437       19,362       18,204     8  
    Net income   71,413       75,804       47,347       66,615       62,631     14  
    Non-operating items   1,297       2,203       29,385       6,493       2,187      
    Income tax benefit of non-operating items   (281 )     (471 )     (6,276 )     (1,462 )     (493 )    
    Net income – operating (1) $ 72,429     $ 77,536     $ 70,456     $ 71,646     $ 64,325     13  
    Pre-tax pre-provision income (5) $ 106,578     $ 107,799     $ 74,212     $ 98,212     $ 93,734     14  
    PERFORMANCE MEASURES                      
    Per common share:                      
    Diluted net income – GAAP $ 0.58     $ 0.61     $ 0.38     $ 0.54     $ 0.51     14  
    Diluted net income – operating (1)   0.59       0.63       0.57       0.58       0.52     13  
    Cash dividends declared   0.24       0.24       0.24       0.23       0.23     4  
    Book value   28.42       27.87       27.68       27.18       26.83     6  
    Tangible book value (3)   20.58       20.00       19.66       19.13       18.71     10  
    Key performance ratios:                      
    Return on common equity – GAAP (2)(4)   7.89 %     8.40 %     5.20 %     7.53 %     7.14 %    
    Return on common equity – operating (1)(2)(4)   8.01       8.60       7.82       8.12       7.34      
    Return on tangible common equity – operating (1)(2)(3)(4)   11.21       12.12       11.17       11.68       10.68      
    Return on assets – GAAP (4)   1.02       1.06       0.67       0.97       0.90      
    Return on assets – operating (1)(4)   1.04       1.08       1.01       1.04       0.93      
    Return on assets – pre-tax pre-provision, excluding non-operating items (1)(4)(5)   1.55       1.55       1.50       1.54       1.40      
    Net interest margin (fully taxable equivalent) (4)   3.36       3.26       3.33       3.37       3.20      
    Efficiency ratio – GAAP   56.74       56.05       65.51       59.70       60.47      
    Efficiency ratio – operating (1)   56.22       55.18       57.37       57.06       59.15      
    Equity to total assets   12.56       12.38       12.45       12.35       12.06      
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets (3)   9.18       8.97       8.93       8.78       8.49      
    ASSET QUALITY                      
    Nonperforming assets (“NPAs”) $ 93,290     $ 115,635     $ 114,960     $ 116,722     $ 107,230     (13 )
    Allowance for credit losses – loans   211,974       206,998       205,290       213,022       210,934     —  
    Allowance for credit losses – total   223,201       217,389       215,517       224,740       224,119     —  
    Net charge-offs   9,607       9,517       23,651       11,614       12,908      
    Allowance for credit losses – loans to loans   1.15 %     1.14 %     1.14 %     1.17 %     1.15 %    
    Allowance for credit losses – total to loans   1.21       1.20       1.20       1.23       1.22      
    Net charge-offs to average loans (4)   0.21       0.21       0.52       0.26       0.28      
    NPAs to total assets   0.33       0.42       0.42       0.43       0.39      
    AT PERIOD END ($ in millions)                      
    Loans $ 18,425     $ 18,176     $ 17,964     $ 18,211     $ 18,375     —  
    Investment securities   6,661       6,804       6,425       6,038       5,859     14  
    Total assets   27,874       27,720       27,373       27,057       27,365     2  
    Deposits   23,762       23,461       23,253       22,982       23,332     2  
    Shareholders’ equity   3,501       3,432       3,407       3,343       3,300     6  
    Common shares outstanding (thousands)   119,514       119,364       119,283       119,175       119,137     —  
     
    (1) Excludes non-operating items as detailed on Non-GAAP Performance Measures Reconciliation on next page. (2) Net income less preferred stock dividends, divided by average realized common equity, which excludes accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). (3) Excludes effect of acquisition related intangibles and associated amortization. (4) Annualized. (5) Excludes income tax expense and provision for credit losses.

    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Non-GAAP Performance Measures Reconciliation
    (in thousands, except per share data)

          2025       2024  
        First
    Quarter    		   Fourth
    Quarter    		   Third
    Quarter    		   Second
    Quarter    		   First
    Quarter
                         
    Noninterest income reconciliation                    
    Noninterest income (GAAP)   $ 35,656     $ 40,522     $ 8,091     $ 36,556     $ 39,587  
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       27,209       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (2,400 )
    Noninterest income – operating   $ 35,656     $ 40,522     $ 35,300     $ 36,556     $ 37,187  
                         
    Noninterest expense reconciliation                    
    Noninterest expenses (GAAP)   $ 141,099     $ 143,056     $ 143,065     $ 147,044     $ 145,002  
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       (5,100 )     —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       764       (2,500 )
    Merger-related and other charges     (1,297 )     (2,203 )     (2,176 )     (2,157 )     (2,087 )
    Noninterest expenses – operating   $ 139,802     $ 140,853     $ 140,889     $ 140,551     $ 140,415  
                         
    Net income to operating income reconciliation                    
    Net income (GAAP)   $ 71,413     $ 75,804     $ 47,347     $ 66,615     $ 62,631  
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       27,209       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (2,400 )
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       5,100       —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       (764 )     2,500  
    Merger-related and other charges     1,297       2,203       2,176       2,157       2,087  
    Income tax benefit of non-operating items     (281 )     (471 )     (6,276 )     (1,462 )     (493 )
    Net income – operating   $ 72,429     $ 77,536     $ 70,456     $ 71,646     $ 64,325  
                         
    Net income to pre-tax pre-provision income reconciliation                    
    Net income (GAAP)   $ 71,413     $ 75,804     $ 47,347     $ 66,615     $ 62,631  
    Income tax expense     19,746       20,606       12,437       19,362       18,204  
    Provision for credit losses     15,419       11,389       14,428       12,235       12,899  
    Pre-tax pre-provision income   $ 106,578     $ 107,799     $ 74,212     $ 98,212     $ 93,734  
                         
    Diluted income per common share reconciliation                    
    Diluted income per common share (GAAP)   $ 0.58     $ 0.61     $ 0.38     $ 0.54     $ 0.51  
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       0.18       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (0.02 )
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       0.03       —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       —       0.02  
    Merger-related and other charges     0.01       0.02       0.01       0.01       0.01  
    Diluted income per common share – operating   $ 0.59     $ 0.63     $ 0.57     $ 0.58     $ 0.52  
                         
    Book value per common share reconciliation                    
    Book value per common share (GAAP)   $ 28.42     $ 27.87     $ 27.68     $ 27.18     $ 26.83  
    Effect of goodwill and other intangibles     (7.84 )     (7.87 )     (8.02 )     (8.05 )     (8.12 )
    Tangible book value per common share   $ 20.58     $ 20.00     $ 19.66     $ 19.13     $ 18.71  
                         
    Return on tangible common equity reconciliation                    
    Return on common equity (GAAP)     7.89 %     8.40 %     5.20 %     7.53 %     7.14 %
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       2.43       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (0.22 )
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       0.46       —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       (0.07 )     0.23  
    Merger-related and other charges     0.12       0.20       0.19       0.20       0.19  
    Return on common equity – operating     8.01       8.60       7.82       8.12       7.34  
    Effect of goodwill and other intangibles     3.20       3.52       3.35       3.56       3.34  
    Return on tangible common equity – operating     11.21 %     12.12 %     11.17 %     11.68 %     10.68 %
                         
    Return on assets reconciliation                    
    Return on assets (GAAP)     1.02 %     1.06 %     0.67 %     0.97 %     0.90 %
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       0.31       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (0.03 )
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       0.06       —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       (0.01 )     0.03  
    Merger-related and other charges     0.02       0.02       0.03       0.02       0.03  
    Return on assets – operating     1.04 %     1.08 %     1.01 %     1.04 %     0.93 %
                         
    Return on assets to return on assets – pre-tax pre-provision reconciliation                    
    Return on assets (GAAP)     1.02 %     1.06 %     0.67 %     0.97 %     0.90 %
    Income tax expense     0.29       0.30       0.19       0.29       0.27  
    Provision for credit losses     0.23       0.16       0.21       0.18       0.19  
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       0.40       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (0.04 )
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       0.08       —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       (0.01 )     0.04  
    Merger-related and other charges     0.01       0.03       0.03       0.03       0.04  
    Return on assets – pre-tax pre-provision – operating     1.55 %     1.55 %     1.50 %     1.54 %     1.40 %
                         
    Efficiency ratio reconciliation                    
    Efficiency ratio (GAAP)     56.74 %     56.05 %     65.51 %     59.70 %     60.47 %
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       (7.15 )     —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       0.60  
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       (2.07 )     —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       0.31       (1.05 )
    Merger-related and other charges     (0.52 )     (0.87 )     (0.99 )     (0.88 )     (0.87 )
    Efficiency ratio – operating     56.22 %     55.18 %     57.37 %     57.06 %     59.15 %
                         
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets reconciliation                    
    Equity to total assets (GAAP)     12.56 %     12.38 %     12.45 %     12.35 %     12.06 %
    Effect of goodwill and other intangibles     (3.06 )     (3.09 )     (3.20 )     (3.24 )     (3.25 )
    Effect of preferred equity     (0.32 )     (0.32 )     (0.32 )     (0.33 )     (0.32 )
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets     9.18 %     8.97 %     8.93 %     8.78 %     8.49 %

    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Loan Portfolio Composition at Period-End

        2025     2024
    		   Linked
    Quarter
    Change    		   Year over
    Year
    Change
    (in millions) First
    Quarter    		   Fourth
    Quarter    		   Third
    Quarter    		   Second
    Quarter    		   First
    Quarter    		    
    LOANS BY CATEGORY                          
    Owner occupied commercial RE $ 3,419     $ 3,398     $ 3,323     $ 3,297     $ 3,310     $ 21     $ 109  
    Income producing commercial RE   4,416       4,361       4,259       4,058       4,206       55       210  
    Commercial & industrial   2,506       2,428       2,313       2,299       2,405       78       101  
    Commercial construction   1,681       1,656       1,785       2,014       1,936       25       (255 )
    Equipment financing   1,723       1,663       1,603       1,581       1,544       60       179  
    Total commercial   13,745       13,506       13,283       13,249       13,401       239       344  
    Residential mortgage   3,218       3,232       3,263       3,266       3,240       (14 )     (22 )
    Home equity   1,099       1,065       1,015       985       969       34       130  
    Residential construction   171       178       189       211       257       (7 )     (86 )
    Manufactured housing (1)   —       2       2       321       328       (2 )     (328 )
    Consumer   183       186       188       183       180       (3 )     3  
    Other   9       7       24       (4 )     —       2       9  
    Total loans $ 18,425     $ 18,176     $ 17,964     $ 18,211     $ 18,375     $ 249     $ 50  
                               
    LOANS BY MARKET                          
    Georgia $ 4,484     $ 4,447     $ 4,470     $ 4,411     $ 4,356     $ 37     $ 128  
    South Carolina   2,821       2,815       2,782       2,779       2,804       6       17  
    North Carolina   2,666       2,644       2,586       2,591       2,566       22       100  
    Tennessee   1,880       1,799       1,848       2,144       2,209       81       (329 )
    Florida   2,572       2,527       2,423       2,407       2,443       45       129  
    Alabama   1,009       996       996       1,021       1,068       13       (59 )
    Commercial Banking Solutions   2,993       2,948       2,859       2,858       2,929       45       64  
    Total loans $ 18,425     $ 18,176     $ 17,964     $ 18,211     $ 18,375     $ 249     $ 50  
     
    (1) At March 31, 2025, manufactured housing loans are included with consumer loans.

    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Credit Quality
    (in thousands)

          2025     2024
        First
    Quarter    		   Fourth
    Quarter    		   Third
    Quarter
    NONACCRUAL LOANS            
    Owner occupied RE   $ 8,949     $ 11,674     $ 7,783  
    Income producing RE     16,536       25,357       31,222  
    Commercial & industrial     22,396       29,339       28,856  
    Commercial construction     5,558       7,400       7,356  
    Equipment financing     8,818       8,925       9,123  
    Total commercial     62,257       82,695       84,340  
    Residential mortgage     22,756       24,615       21,851  
    Home equity     4,091       4,630       4,111  
    Residential construction     811       57       118  
    Manufactured housing (2)     —       1,444       1,808  
    Consumer     1,423       138       152  
    Total nonaccrual loans     91,338       113,579       112,380  
    OREO and repossessed assets     1,952       2,056       2,580  
    Total NPAs   $ 93,290     $ 115,635     $ 114,960  
        2025     2024
      First Quarter   Fourth Quarter   Third Quarter
    (in thousands) Net Charge-
    Offs    		   Net Charge-
    Offs to
    Average
    Loans     (1)    		   Net Charge-
    Offs    		   Net Charge-
    Offs to
    Average
    Loans     (1)    		   Net Charge-
    Offs    		   Net Charge-
    Offs to
    Average
    Loans     (1)
    NET CHARGE-OFFS (RECOVERIES) BY CATEGORY                        
    Owner occupied RE $ 126     0.02 %   $ (184 )   (0.02 )%   $ (184 )   (0.02 )%
    Income producing RE   718     0.07       (1,001 )   (0.09 )     1,409     0.13  
    Commercial & industrial   2,447     0.40       4,075     0.69       4,577     0.79  
    Commercial construction   (138 )   (0.03 )     2     —       36     0.01  
    Equipment financing   5,042     1.21       5,812     1.43       5,268     1.32  
    Total commercial   8,195     0.24       8,704     0.26       11,106     0.33  
    Residential mortgage   (1 )   —       145     0.02       32     —  
    Home equity   (62 )   (0.02 )     (33 )   (0.01 )     36     0.01  
    Residential construction   219     0.51       7     0.02       111     0.22  
    Manufactured housing (2)   —     —       114     23.41       11,556     28.51  
    Consumer   1,256     2.76       580     1.24       810     1.74  
    Total $ 9,607     0.21     $ 9,517     0.21     $ 23,651     0.52  
                             
    (1) Annualized.                        
    (2) At March 31, 2025, manufactured housing loans are included with consumer loans.

    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

    (in thousands, except share and per share data)   March 31,
    2025    		   December 31,
    2024
    ASSETS        
    Cash and due from banks   $ 198,287     $ 296,161  
    Interest-bearing deposits in banks     438,425       223,712  
    Cash and cash equivalents     636,712       519,873  
    Debt securities available-for-sale     4,322,644       4,436,291  
    Debt securities held-to-maturity (fair value $1,952,235 and $1,944,126, respectively)     2,338,571       2,368,107  
    Loans held for sale     37,344       57,534  
    Loans and leases held for investment     18,425,365       18,175,980  
    Less allowance for credit losses – loans and leases     (211,974 )     (206,998 )
    Loans and leases, net     18,213,391       17,968,982  
    Premises and equipment, net     391,020       394,264  
    Bank owned life insurance     346,410       346,234  
    Goodwill and other intangible assets, net     953,357       956,643  
    Other assets     634,269       672,330  
    Total assets   $ 27,873,718     $ 27,720,258  
    LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY        
    Liabilities:        
    Deposits:        
    Noninterest-bearing demand   $ 6,257,032     $ 6,211,182  
    NOW and interest-bearing demand     6,155,141       6,141,342  
    Money market     6,637,506       6,398,144  
    Savings     1,105,374       1,100,591  
    Time     3,446,567       3,441,424  
    Brokered     160,785       168,292  
    Total deposits     23,762,405       23,460,975  
    Short-term borrowings     —       195,000  
    Long-term debt     254,287       254,152  
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities     356,130       378,004  
    Total liabilities     24,372,822       24,288,131  
    Shareholders’ equity:        
    Preferred stock; $1 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; 3,662 shares Series I issued and outstanding; $25,000 per share liquidation preference     88,266       88,266  
    Common stock, $1 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized, 119,514,298 and 119,364,110 shares issued and outstanding, respectively     119,514       119,364  
    Common stock issuable; 584,083 and 600,168 shares, respectively     12,983       12,999  
    Capital surplus     2,711,721       2,710,279  
    Retained earnings     754,971       714,138  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (186,559 )     (212,919 )
    Total shareholders’ equity     3,500,896       3,432,127  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 27,873,718     $ 27,720,258  

    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)

        Three Months Ended
    March 31,
    (in thousands, except per share data)     2025       2024  
    Interest revenue:        
    Loans, including fees   $ 274,056     $ 283,983  
    Investment securities, including tax exempt of $1,678 and $1,721, respectively     58,850       46,436  
    Deposits in banks and short-term investments     2,451       6,309  
    Total interest revenue     335,357       336,728  
             
    Interest expense:        
    Deposits:        
    NOW and interest-bearing demand     37,390       46,211  
    Money market     49,541       50,478  
    Savings     624       706  
    Time     31,379       36,389  
    Deposits     118,934       133,784  
    Short-term borrowings     1,107       —  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     433       —  
    Long-term debt     2,862       3,795  
    Total interest expense     123,336       137,579  
    Net interest revenue     212,021       199,149  
             
    Noninterest income:        
    Service charges and fees     9,535       9,264  
    Mortgage loan gains and other related fees     6,122       7,511  
    Wealth management fees     4,465       6,313  
    Net gains from sales of other loans     1,396       1,537  
    Lending and loan servicing fees     4,165       4,210  
    Securities gains, net     6       —  
    Other     9,967       10,752  
    Total noninterest income     35,656       39,587  
             
    Provision for credit losses     15,419       12,899  
             
    Noninterest expenses:        
    Salaries and employee benefits     84,267       84,985  
    Communications and equipment     13,699       11,920  
    Occupancy     10,929       11,099  
    Advertising and public relations     1,881       1,901  
    Postage, printing and supplies     2,561       2,648  
    Professional fees     5,931       5,988  
    Lending and loan servicing expense     1,987       1,827  
    Outside services – electronic banking     2,763       2,918  
    FDIC assessments and other regulatory charges     4,642       7,566  
    Amortization of intangibles     3,286       3,887  
    Merger-related and other charges     1,297       2,087  
    Other     7,856       8,176  
    Total noninterest expenses     141,099       145,002  
    Income before income taxes     91,159       80,835  
    Income tax expense     19,746       18,204  
    Net income     71,413       62,631  
    Preferred stock dividends     1,573       1,573  
    Earnings allocated to participating securities     411       345  
    Net income available to common shareholders   $ 69,429     $ 60,713  
             
    Net income per common share:        
    Basic   $ 0.58     $ 0.51  
    Diluted     0.58       0.51  
    Weighted average common shares outstanding:        
    Basic     120,043       119,662  
    Diluted     120,201       119,743  


    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Average Consolidated Balance Sheets and Net Interest Analysis
    For the Three Months Ended March 31,

        2025       2024  
    (dollars in thousands, fully taxable equivalent (FTE)) Average
    Balance    		   Interest   Average
    Rate    		   Average
    Balance    		   Interest   Average
    Rate
    Assets:                      
    Interest-earning assets:                      
    Loans, net of unearned income (FTE) (1)(2) $ 18,213,501     $ 273,930     6.10 %   $ 18,299,739     $ 283,960     6.24 %
    Taxable securities (3)   6,737,658       57,172     3.39       5,828,391       44,715     3.07  
    Tax-exempt securities (FTE) (1)(3)   356,712       2,245     2.52       366,350       2,311     2.52  
    Federal funds sold and other interest-earning assets   400,592       3,001     3.04       674,594       6,805     4.06  
    Total interest-earning assets (FTE)   25,708,463       336,348     5.29       25,169,074       337,791     5.39  
                           
    Noninterest-earning assets:                      
    Allowance for credit losses   (210,169 )             (212,996 )        
    Cash and due from banks   219,540               221,203          
    Premises and equipment   396,443               386,021          
    Other assets (3)   1,610,104               1,618,315          
    Total assets $ 27,724,381             $ 27,181,617          
                           
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity:                      
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                      
    Interest-bearing deposits:                      
    NOW and interest-bearing demand $ 6,134,004       37,390     2.47     $ 6,078,090       46,211     3.06  
    Money market   6,583,963       49,541     3.05       5,864,217       50,478     3.46  
    Savings   1,096,308       624     0.23       1,192,828       706     0.24  
    Time   3,446,048       30,831     3.63       3,596,486       35,944     4.02  
    Brokered time deposits   50,447       548     4.41       50,343       445     3.56  
    Total interest-bearing deposits   17,310,770       118,934     2.79       16,781,964       133,784     3.21  
    Federal funds purchased and other borrowings   80,760       1,107     5.56       13       —     —  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances   38,900       433     4.51       4       —     —  
    Long-term debt   254,220       2,862     4.57       324,838       3,795     4.70  
    Total borrowed funds   373,880       4,402     4.77       324,855       3,795     4.70  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   17,684,650       123,336     2.83       17,106,819       137,579     3.23  
                           
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities:                      
    Noninterest-bearing deposits   6,194,217               6,398,079          
    Other liabilities   369,939               390,451          
    Total liabilities   24,248,806               23,895,349          
    Shareholders’ equity   3,475,575               3,286,268          
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 27,724,381             $ 27,181,617          
                           
    Net interest revenue (FTE)     $ 213,012             $ 200,212      
    Net interest-rate spread (FTE)         2.46 %           2.16 %
    Net interest margin (FTE) (4)         3.36 %           3.20 %
     
    (1) Interest revenue on tax-exempt securities and loans includes a taxable-equivalent adjustment to reflect comparable interest on taxable securities and loans. The FTE adjustment totaled $991,000 and $1.06 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024. The tax rate used to calculate the adjustment was 26%, reflecting the statutory federal income tax rate and the federal tax adjusted state income tax rate.
    (2) Included in the average balance of loans outstanding are loans on which the accrual of interest has been discontinued and loans that are held for sale.
    (3) Unrealized gains and losses on AFS securities, including those related to the transfer from AFS to HTM, have been reclassified to other assets. Pretax unrealized losses of $269 million in 2025 and $322 million in 2024 are included in other assets for purposes of this presentation.
    (4) Net interest margin is taxable equivalent net interest revenue divided by average interest-earning assets.


    About United Community Banks, Inc.
    United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE: UCB) is the financial holding company for United Community, a top 100 U.S. financial institution committed to building stronger communities and improving the financial health and well-being of its customers. United Community offers a full range of banking, mortgage and wealth management services. As of March 31, 2025, United Community Banks, Inc. had $27.9 billion in assets and operated 200 offices across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The company also manages a nationally recognized SBA lending franchise and a national equipment finance subsidiary, extending its reach to businesses across the country. United is an 11-time winner of J.D. Power’s award for highest customer satisfaction among consumer banks in the Southeast and was named the most trusted bank in the region in 2025. The company has also been recognized eight consecutive years by American Banker as one of the “Best Banks to Work For.” In commercial banking, United earned five 2025 Greenwich Best Brand awards, including national honors for middle market satisfaction. Forbes has consistently named United among the World’s Best and America’s Best Banks. Learn more at ucbi.com.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures
    This press release, including the accompanying financial statement tables, contains financial information determined by methods other than in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. This financial information includes certain operating performance measures, which exclude merger-related and other charges that are not considered part of recurring operations, such as “noninterest income – operating”, “noninterest expense – operating”, “operating net income,” “pre-tax, pre-provision income,” “operating net income per diluted common share,” “operating earnings per share,” “tangible book value per common share,” “operating return on common equity,” “operating return on tangible common equity,” “operating return on assets,” “return on assets – pre-tax, pre-provision – operating,” “return on assets – pre-tax, pre-provision,” “operating efficiency ratio,” and “tangible common equity to tangible assets.” These non-GAAP measures are included because United believes they may provide useful supplemental information for evaluating United’s underlying performance trends. These measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative to or substitute for, measures determined in accordance with GAAP, and are not necessarily comparable to non-GAAP measures that may be presented by other companies. To the extent applicable, reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable measures as reported in accordance with GAAP are included with the accompanying financial statement tables.

    Caution About Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In general, forward-looking statements usually may be identified through use of words such as “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “will,” “should,” “plan,” “estimate,” “predict,” “continue” and “potential,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, and include statements related to the expected benefits of the acquisition of ANB Holdings, Inc. (“ANB”). Forward-looking statements are not historical facts and represent management’s beliefs, based upon information available at the time the statements are made, with regard to the matters addressed; they are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that change over time and could cause actual results or financial condition to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements.

    Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to (1) the risk that the cost savings and any revenue synergies from the ANB acquisition may not be realized or take longer than anticipated to be realized, (2) disruption from the ANB acquisition of customer, supplier, employee or other business partner relationships, (3) the possibility that the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the ANB acquisition may be greater than anticipated, (4) reputational risk and the reaction of each of the companies’ customers, suppliers, employees or other business partners to the ANB acquisition, (5) the failure of the ANB acquisition to close or any unexpected delay in closing the ANB acquisition, (6) the risks relating to the integration of ANB’s operations into the operations of United, including the risk that such integration will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected, (7) the risks associated with United’s pursuit of future acquisitions, (8) the risk associated with expansion into new geographic or product markets, (9) the dilution caused by United’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock in the ANB acquisition, and (10) general competitive, economic, political and market conditions. Further information regarding additional factors which could affect the forward-looking statements contained in this press release can be found in the cautionary language included under the headings “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in United’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and other documents subsequently filed by United with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

    Many of these factors are beyond United’s ability to control or predict. If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if the underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, shareholders and investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this communication, and United undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for United to predict their occurrence or how they will affect United.

    United qualifies all forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

    For more information:
    Jefferson Harralson
    Chief Financial Officer
    (864) 240-6208
    Jefferson_Harralson@ucbi.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sergei Sobyanin approved plans to replace elevators in residential buildings

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Sergei Sobyanin approved plans for the implementation of the program for replacing elevator equipment in apartment buildings. The Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement made a report on this topic Petr BiryukovIn 2025, it is planned to replace 4,265 elevators in the capital’s buildings.

    There are over 117,000 elevators installed in Moscow apartment buildings. This is almost a quarter of their total number in Russia. About 22,000 residential buildings are equipped with elevators, more than 65 percent of which are higher than 10 stories.

    As of 2010, over 17 percent of elevators in Moscow apartment buildings were beyond their service life. Without appropriate measures, their number could exceed 25 percent of the total number of elevators in the next few years.

    In 2011, the Moscow Government decided to implement a large-scale program to replace elevator equipment in the housing stock. Since 2015, this work has continued as part of the regional capital repair program.

    In total, since 2011, about 49.2 thousand new elevators have been installed in residential buildings in the capital (42 percent of the total number of elevators in Moscow apartment buildings), which are used by almost four million city residents.

    Thanks to a systematic approach to solving the problem, since 2018 there are no elevators in the capital’s housing stock that exceed the 25-year service life. Replacement is carried out on a planned basis – in the year of expiration of the established service life.

    In 2025–2034, 50.9 thousand elevators will be replaced within the framework of the regional program. Thus, in total, 100.1 thousand elevators will be replaced in Moscow in 2011–2034.

    New Moscow elevators meet the most modern requirements for safety, operating comfort and appearance, including:

    — an extended doorway (up to 700–800 millimetres) for comfortable access to the cabin for passengers with a wheelchair or baby carriage — if possible, where the dimensions of the elevator shaft allow;

    — modern wear-resistant finish in elevator cabins: for example, elevator cabin panels are made of metal-plastic, and the floor covering is made of corrugated aluminum;

    – a control panel finished in polished stainless steel with a built-in electronic display, push-button elements with circular stainless steel backlighting, as well as modern full-color light panels;

    — energy-efficient LED lamps and indication systems – they provide energy savings;

    — infrared sensors that prevent the elevator doors from closing if there is a passenger or cargo in the plane of the doorway;

    — frequency converter of the main drive motor of elevators — it allows to smooth out peak loads on the power supply system of the house and increases the service life of the motor and kinematic elements of the elevator many times;

    — frequency converter of the motor in the door drive, which increases the service life of the mechanism and reduces the noise level;

    — handrails, Braille buttons in the cabin — for passengers with disabilities.

    The elevator equipment installed as part of the regional capital repair program is manufactured in Russia. At the same time, since 2015, the bulk of the replaced elevators were supplied by enterprises of the Moscow region – Karacharovsky Mechanical and Shcherbinsky Elevator-Building Plants. Their production capacities allow them to fully meet the need for elevator equipment for the implementation of the program for its replacement in all apartment buildings of the city.

    To improve the efficiency of work and support Russian production, amendments were made to federal legislation at the initiative of the Moscow Government in 2024. They allow the regional operator (the Moscow capital repairs fund) to centrally purchase equipment and materials for capital repairs, as well as to conclude long-term contracts for their supply with counter investment obligations of the supplier to localize production on the territory of the subject.

    Such contracts guarantee the supply of high-quality equipment, and allow the creation of conditions for opening new production capacities and jobs. They also ensure import substitution and localization of production.

    In 2024, the capital repair fund signed special contracts with the Karacharovsky Mechanical Plant and the Shcherbinsky Elevator-Building Plant. They provide for the delivery of over 45 thousand modern elevators over 10 years.

    At the same time, all delivered elevators must comply with a single standard, have high technical characteristics and a modern design. In particular, the new elevators are distinguished by low noise and vibration levels, smooth acceleration and braking. The cabins stop exactly flush with the floor of the floor, they have a TFT display, a mirror and a handrail on the back or side wall, and the walls are painted with special anti-vandal paint.

    As part of the implementation of special contracts, the Karacharovsky Mechanical Plant and the Shcherbinsky Elevator-Building Plant will carry out large-scale modernization, build new production buildings and localize serial production of new-generation passenger elevators.

    The implementation of special contracts will guarantee the supply of high-quality elevator equipment for the implementation of the regional capital repair program.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12647050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: RentRedi Launches “Chat 2.0” to Enhance Landlord-Tenant Communication

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RentRedi, the fastest-growing all-in-one property management software that makes renting easy for both landlords and renters, has launched Chat 2.0, a robust new in-app messaging feature designed to enhance communication between landlords and renters. Chat 2.0 allows for real-time, two-way communication between landlords and tenants directly within the RentRedi app.

    Responding to high demand from both landlords and tenants, RentRedi developed Chat 2.0 to create a more centralized, efficient, and seamless way for them to connect with each other. The new feature promotes a better renting experience for landlords and tenants by eliminating the need to rely on text threads, voicemails, or other disorganized methods of communication.

    “Tenants were trying to use our support chat to reach their landlords, and landlords were telling us they needed a dedicated space to communicate within the app,” said RentRedi Co-founder and CEO Ryan Barone. “Chat 2.0 is our answer to that. We built it to keep communication clear, centralized, and easy to find—so our customers can spend less time tracking down messages and more time focusing on what matters.”

    Key benefits of Chat 2.0 include:

    • Centralized Messaging: Messaging is available in the RentRedi mobile app and on the RentRedi website, meeting customers needs on their preferred platform. Conversations stay within the RentRedi platform, so messages aren’t lost in personal text threads.
    • Easy Search Functionality: Landlords can search chats by property, unit, or tenant name. Tenants can search by property and unit.
    • Push Notifications: Landlords and tenants receive mobile push notifications for new messages to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
    • Improved Organization: Message history is stored in one place, making it easier to revisit previous discussions.
    • Team Access: Teammates with global access or access to the “notifications” module can send messages, making collaboration across teams seamless.
    • Stronger Relationships: Better communication fosters better landlord-tenant relationships—ultimately benefiting both sides.

    Chat 2.0 was designed to solve common communication breakdowns reported by landlords, such as tenants leaving them poor ratings due to the lack of communication, delays in resolving lease issues, payment disputes, application updates, maintenance requests falling through the cracks, and the overall frustration and confusion caused by relying on outside messaging platforms or forgotten email threads.

    A RentRedi customer reveled at the feature in a recent review, writing: “I can communicate about technician arrivals or repairs or emergencies even while I am away in another state! Being able to get real-time updates from the tenants is priceless. I also like that I don’t have to give my personal phone number out to all the tenants and my maintenance manager can communicate with me or whomever is available at that time.”

    As part of its ongoing commitment to improving the landlord-tenant experience, RentRedi will soon add the ability to attach documents and photos to chat messages—making Chat 2.0 an even more versatile tool for property management.

    Chat 2.0 is now live and available for all RentRedi users. See the feature in action on RentRedi’s YouTube Channel.

    About RentRedi

    RentRedi offers an award-winning, comprehensive property management platform that simplifies the renting process for landlords and renters by automating and streamlining processes. Landlords can quickly grow their rental businesses by using RentRedi’s all-in-one web and mobile app to collect rent, list and market vacancies, find and screen tenants, sign leases, and manage maintenance and accounting. Tenants enjoy the convenience and benefits of RentRedi’s easy-to-use mobile app that allows them to pay rent, set up auto-pay, build credit by reporting rent payments to all three major credit bureaus, prequalify and sign leases, and submit 24/7 maintenance requests.

    Founded in 2016, RentRedi is VC-backed and a proven leader in the PropTech market. The company ranks No. 180 on the Inc. 5000 list and No. 13 on the Inc. 5000 Regionals list. It was also named an Inc. Power Partner in 2023 and 2024, and to Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech list in 2024, as well as HousingWire’s Tech100 list in 2025. To date, RentRedi has more than $28 billion in assets under management with nearly 200,000 landlords and tenants using the platform. The company partners with technology leaders such as Zillow, TransUnion, Experian, Equifax, Realtor.com, Lessen, Thumbtack, Plaid, and Stripe to create the best customer experience possible. For more information visit RentRedi.com.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ddce0b6b-4615-4175-b38d-00cb2e6ef316.

    The MIL Network –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – MCEC welcomes the sweetest Good Friday Appeal yet

    Source: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)

    22 April 2025 – Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and The Good Friday Appeal have joined forces for the 11th consecutive year, raising a record $23.8 million to support life-saving care for children across Victoria.

    “We love opening our doors every year to welcome thousands of families to enjoy a day of fun and celebration, while raising much-needed funds for sick children across Victoria,” Chief Executive, Natalie O’Brien AM said.

    “It’s a truly rewarding experience and you can see how much joy this event brings to the local community and the MCEC team,” Ms O’Brien added.

    MCEC’s talented chefs played a crucial role in this year’s success, baking an astonishing 20 metres of hot cross buns, made up of nearly 3,000 buns.  

    Alessandro Bartesaghi, MCEC’s award-winning pastry chef said, “The Good Friday Appeal event is really close to my heart and I love creating something special for the children every year.”  

    “This year I really wanted to push the boundaries and try something we’ve never done before. And what a better way than baking the longest table of hot cross buns you’ve ever seen! I was inspired by Japanese baking techniques to create a very soft, delicious bun that everyone can enjoy,” he added.

    In addition, MCEC’s interactive Ice Cream-o-Rama served 1,200 house-made ice creams. All profits from the sale of the hot cross buns and ice creams were generously donated to the Good Friday Appeal, further contributing to the remarkable total raised this year.

    All funds raised from the event will contribute to groundbreaking research, family care programs and state of the art equipment at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

    This year’s appeal also extended its impact across the state, providing a significant boost to regional paediatric health services at Barwon Health, Bendigo Health, Grampians Health, Goulburn Valley Health, Albury Wodonga Health and Latrobe Regional Health.

    “For over 10 years MCEC has generously supported the Good Friday Appeal, providing the venue and services for our family fun event, Kids Day Out, the all important Phone Room and Money Counting Room”, Rebecca Cowan, Executive Director of the Good Friday Appeal, said.

    “Thank you to Natalie O’Brien and the team at MCEC who worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth delivery of this huge event, which allows the community to make a difference to the lives of sick children and their families”.

    The collaboration between MCEC and the Good Friday Appeal continues to demonstrate the power of community spirit.

    ABOUT MCEC
    At Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), visionary ideas come to life, and the world’s thought leaders gather. The iconic venue hosts dynamic exhibitions, conferences, galas, and concerts—everyone who visits leaves inspired and excited.  

    MCEC loves all communities and interests, creating a space where everyone feels welcome. Blending trendy eats, sustainability, and cutting-edge tech, it creates mind-blowing, globally recognised events.  

    Thanks to its progressive sustainability practices, choosing MCEC means making a positive environmental impact. Feel Melbourne’s vibe, discover the next big thing, and be part of the conversation that shapes the future.

    Acknowledgement of Country

    Built on the banks of the Birrarung (Yarra River), Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) Acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Narrm, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and to Elders of all First Nations communities that visit MCEC. We recognise the ongoing significance of the Birrarung to Traditional Owners as a life source and a meeting place for millennia and seek to honour this long-standing tradition of building community and exchanging ideas on these lands.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Athene Survey Finds Sandwich Generation’s Retirement Plans Affected by Intergenerational Caregiving

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WEST DES MOINES, Iowa , April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new survey conducted by Athene of the Sandwich Generation, defined as people aged 40-59 who provide financial or caregiving support to both adult children and elderly relatives, found that nearly three quarters (73%) of respondents have adjusted their retirement goals to support their adult children or aging relatives, including:1

    • Delaying retirement (34%)
    • Using retirement assets to support their family (22%)
    • Not planning to retire at all (9%)

    “As the retirement age population in the U.S. grows, the Sandwich Generation represents the next wave in America’s retirement crisis, with potential long-term implications for individuals, families and the economy,” said Mike Downing, Athene Chief Operating Officer.

    Although the Sandwich Generation’s average age of expected retirement is 65, only 24% of respondents have a written retirement plan and 30% indicate they are concerned about having to rely on their children for financial support in retirement.

    “Many retirees don’t have the luxury of assuming that the traditional ‘three legs’ of the retirement stool – social security, savings and investments, and workplace pensions – will fully secure their retirement,” said Downing. “Early preparation has never been more important.”

    Among respondents who support older family members who have an income source, 83% say those family members depend on Social Security, which often doesn’t provide sufficient retirement income to cover a retiree’s full expenses. Only 14% have an annuity, which provides guaranteed income in retirement.

    Guaranteed Income Can Support Financial Confidence

    Among respondents who say they are not completely confident in their ability to provide support to family, approximately two-thirds (66%) say that increased income would improve their confidence, outweighing other factors including:

    • Increased savings and investments (43%)
    • Support from other family members (42%)
    • Lower debt (38%)

    Guaranteed income is one tool available through a financial professional that can help the Sandwich Generation manage the financial aspects of caregiving and plan for retirement. Importantly, respondents who had already incorporated guaranteed income into their financial strategies tended to have higher incomes, and reported more confidence, less stress and greater preparedness for retirement.

    “As Americans face the financial responsibility of supporting their families, strategies to diversify their sources of income in retirement are more critical than ever,” said Downing. “Understanding your options and creating a plan are the most effective steps to balance the dual responsibilities of supporting family and securing your retirement.”

    Significant Caregiving Impact on Women

    Athene’s survey found that caregiving for adult children and elderly relatives affected women in the Sandwich Generation disproportionately, with women surveyed reporting higher levels of financial strain than men (53% vs. 40%). Women were also less likely than men to proactively plan their finances across a number of measures, putting them at an additional disadvantage when preparing for retirement:

    • Seek advice from a financial professional (36% vs. 57%)
    • Have a written retirement plan (19% vs. 30%)
    • Discuss financial planning with elderly relatives (57% vs. 68%)

    Financial Professional Support Critical

    A trusted financial professional can help devise solutions. An overwhelming majority (90%) of respondents already working with a financial professional say that their relationship had a positive impact on their financial future.

    Although the majority of respondents (53%) say they are concerned about maintaining their standard of living in retirement, those respondents not currently working with a financial professional were more likely to be worried about not having enough assets to retire (47% vs. 30%).

    About Athene
    Athene is the leading retirement services company, with over $360 billion of total assets as of December 31, 2024, and operations in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, and Japan. Athene is focused on providing financial security to individuals by offering an attractive suite of retirement income and savings products and also serves as a solutions provider to corporations. For more information, please visit www.athene.com.

    Contact:
    Alyssa Castelli
    Director, External Relations
    +1 (646) 768-7304
    Alyssa.castelli@athene.com

    1 Athene contracted Harris Poll to survey 1,024 adults aged 40-59 who provide financial support to at least one adult child (aged 18 and out of high school) living in their home without significantly contributing to household expenses, and who provide financial or caregiving support to at least one elderly relative. The survey was conducted between January 2, 2025 and January 19, 2025.

    The MIL Network –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First new affordable homes completed on former eyesore pub site in Bilston

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The Happy Wanderer pub on Green Lanes was subject to arson attacks and anti social behaviour since closing in 2017 due to poor trade.

    It was demolished by the previous owner in September 2021, with the site aligned to City of Wolverhampton Council’s Vacant Properties Taskforce work to bring derelict sites back into use.

    Black Country Housing Group (BCHG) seized the opportunity to purchase the land for affordable housing to rent, with Keon Homes constructing 13, 2 and 3 bedroom houses, and 6, 1 bedroom flats.

    This week, the first 9 houses were handed over to BCHG ready for the first tenants to move in at the end of this month.

    Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Linda Leach, was invited to see the first of the finished homes alongside City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Housing, Councillor Steve Evans.

    Councillor Evans said: “This is a prime example of the work we are doing through our vacant properties taskforce to bring derelict sites back into use to create a better environment for all.

    “Our planners worked hard with the previous owners of this site, encouraging them to make it safe and remove the risk of further anti social behaviour for the benefit of the local community in Bilston.

    “We were delighted to see Black Country Housing Group and Keon Homes come on board to progress the site for much needed affordable housing and seeing the first completed homes being handed over is great for everyone; supporting residents and boosting the local economy.”

    Black Country Housing Group Chief Executive Designate, Adrian Eggington, said: “We are pleased to have built 19 brand new homes in Bilston, Wolverhampton, working in partnership with Keon Homes and City of Wolverhampton Council, supported by grant funding from Homes England.

    “The mixture of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom affordable rented homes provide high quality, much needed homes which are highly energy efficient, giving the new occupiers a comfortable and affordable living experience as well as reducing overall environmental impact. Our new customers are thrilled to be moving in over the next few weeks.”

    Jim Woodsford, Planning and Pre-Development Manager at Keon Homes, said: “Providing much needed affordable homes on an otherwise redundant site is fantastic news for the area, especially given the site’s previous issues of anti social behaviour.

    “We have worked with the planning team at Wolverhampton Council from an early design inception stage to create a family friendly development that we can all be proud of. Delivering affordable family homes is at the very heart of what we do at Keon Homes and we hope future residents enjoy the fruits of everyone’s hard work.”

    The development has also been supported by West Midlands Police’s Secured by Design (SBD) initiative to meet high standards in preventing crime.

    West Midlands Police Force Design Out Crime & Crime Reduction Manager, Mark Silvester, said: “Bilston Green Lanes is another fantastic new housing development and is testament to the support and collective work we have done with Wolverhampton Council, highlighting their continued dedication to creating safe and sustainable communities within the city.

    “Secured by Design offers numerous benefits by focusing on integrating security measures from the outset of building projects, leading to reduced crime rates, increased public confidence, and cost effective solutions.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Stay home, save lives’: New research shows Covid restrictions had no effect on behaviour People did not alter their behaviour to follow enhanced local restrictions during the pandemic and they may have been more effective if based around factors other than just Covid-19 cases according to new research from the University of Aberdeen.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    People did not alter their behaviour to follow enhanced local restrictions during the pandemic and they may have been more effective if based around factors other than just Covid-19 cases according to new research from the University of Aberdeen.
    People did not alter their behaviour to follow enhanced local restrictions during the pandemic and they may have been more effective if based around factors other than just Covid-19 cases according to new research from the University of Aberdeen.
    The study published in Translational Behavioral Medicine looked at people’s behaviour during the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland.  
    The team examined adherence to restrictions introduced during the pandemic including social distancing, mask-wearing, staying at home and hand washing.  
    They compared people’s behaviours before and after local restrictions were implemented. They also compared behaviours of those living in areas with increased restrictions to those living in areas without.  
    Results showed that people did not change their behaviour when restrictions were tightened and that applied to all behaviours including social distancing and mask wearing. 
    They also found people in high or low restriction areas behaved no differently to each other.   
    Led by Dr Chantal den Daas, Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology, in collaboration with the Covid Health and Adherence Research in Scotland (CHARIS) project, the team interviewed individuals across Scotland at random from March to November 2020, to get a representative sample of the Scottish population.  
    The respondents answered questions about their behaviours from the past week, including if they had left their home, if they had adhered to the two-metre social distancing rule, if they had worn a mask in a shop or on public transport and if they washed their hands as soon as they got home.  
    Dr den Daas said: “When local restrictions were introduced in 2020 due to an increase in Covid-19 case numbers, we thought we would see a change in behaviour after they were implemented. But this was not what we found. 
    “It is really important to build an understanding of what could have been done differently and how we can effectively influence public behaviour in the future should we be faced with another public health crisis.  
    “This research provided insight on the type of information we should aim to collect in future pandemics, to see if we can find better measures to predict cases, examine the need for restrictions and the effect of any restrictions put in place.  
    “Future research in acute outbreaks should assess behaviour and beliefs about the virus, risk on an ongoing basis and identify the need for intervention even before cases rates start to go up.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Advocacy – Zero Waste Network Aotearoa responds to proposal to update Waste Minimisation Act

    Source: Zero Waste Network Aotearoa

    22 April 2025 – The Government announced its proposals for updating the Waste Minimisation Act and the Litter Act today. The proposals would combine these two Acts into one, extend producer responsibility and permit local government to use its share of the waste disposal levy on a wider range of activities unrelated to waste.

    “The Zero Waste Network Aotearoa has been advocating for the Waste Minimisation Act to be updated for many years. Most of the proposals outlined in the consultation documents are positive steps forward for our sector. We need these basic blocks in place so we can build more effective reuse and recycling systems.” says Zero Waste Network spokesperson Sue Coutts. “However some careful thinking needs to be done to find the right balance on the range of activities councils can spend their waste levy fund allocation on.”

    “We are especially pleased to see the focus on extending producer responsibility. The proposals will put a better framework in place for developing schemes to collect up products, like e-waste and textiles, and packaging, like drink bottles, cans and cartons so they can be reused and recycled.” says Sue Coutts.

    “Making producers responsible for covering the real costs to collect, sort and transport the products and packaging they put into the market will take the burden off ratepayers and councils. A better producer responsibility framework is the first step towards setting up effective and easy to use systems like a Container Deposit Return Scheme that would collect 85%+ of our empty drink bottles, cans and cartons and radically reduce litter.”

    “The Waste Levy is a critical tool which uses a charge on each tonne of rubbish to create a pool of capital to invest in building waste prevention and reduction infrastructure. This strategy only works if the pool of capital is ring fenced for waste minimisation and closely related activities. Otherwise, it will fail to address the very problem it exists to solve. “says Sue Coutts.

    “Expanding the range of activities that councils can spend their allocation on to cover  anything that could have an environmental benefit or reduce environmental harm sets the scope too wide. Diluting this fund creates a mismatch between the very high public expectations around waste minimisation and the actual capability of councils to deliver.”

    “It does make a lot of sense to remove the waste levy exclusion for waste-to-energy. Closing this loophole means landfill and waste-to-energy disposal options would both face the same cost structure which is a fairer way to approach it.” says Sue Coutts.

    “We encourage everyone who wants to prevent waste, litter and pollution and increase reuse, repair and recycling to have their say before this consultation closes on 1 June. Then the challenge for us all will be getting the best version of the updates through the house so we can get on with the practical work of putting real solutions to our waste problems in place.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Rosneft supports the celebration of the main holiday of Yamal’s indigenous peoples

    Source: Rosneft

    Headline: Rosneft supports the celebration of the main holiday of Yamal’s indigenous peoples

    With the support of RN-Purneftegaz and Kharampurneftegaz (part of Rosneft’s oil and gas production complex), the village of Kharampur celebrated Reindeer Herder’s Day, a holiday of the indigenous people of the North. Reindeer herders and fishermen from all over the Purovsky District of Yamal, as well as guests from the towns of Gubkinsky and Tarko-Sale, gathered in the ethnic village, where more than 800 Forest Nenets now live.

    Traditional reindeer sled races were held on the banks of the Ayvasedapur River. The fastest participants received gifts from oil workers. The parade of reindeer sleds became a spectacular part of the holiday, for which the residents of the ethnic village also decorated the reindeer with beads and ribbons of multi-coloured cloth. Reindeer herders also competed in national sports – wrestling, jumping over sleds, throwing a tynzian to a khorei (a tynzian is a harness and a khorei is a long pole used to chase reindeer). Women participated in a competition for the best traditional attire. The beadweaving class at the boarding school built by Rosneft in Kharampur teaches young people the traditions and techniques of beading and national costume sewing.

    The guests were treated to traditional Nenets cuisine: stroganina, salted fish, venison shurpa and desserts made of tundra berries. The festival culminated with a concert by Yamal artistic groups.

    One of the key areas of Rosneft’s social policy is the preservation of the national culture of the indigenous peoples of the North and their traditional way of life. The Company’s enterprises implement numerous projects in their regions of operation, developing infrastructure in northern villages, supporting reindeer herding families, and improving the material and technical base of educational institutions and social facilities in the ancestral homelands of indigenous minorities.

    For reference:

    The settlement of Kharampur (translated from Nenets – ‘Larch on the noisy river’) was founded in the 1920s as a permanent trading post. The settlement was revived as an ethnic village in 2002 with the support of Rosneft. With the help of Rosneft, Kharampur has become the center of the Forest Nenets culture. The oil workers built the utility and social infrastructure of the settlement, a cultural and leisure centre, a library and a boarding school where the children of reindeer herders and fishermen, in addition to the general education programme, study their native language and traditional crafts. Two-storey octagonal cottages were built for the residents, stylised as Nenets national dwelling – a chum.

    RN-Purneftegaz is running a grant project aimed at preserving the unique language and national identity of the Forest Nenets.

    Department of Information and Advertising
    Rosneft
    March 20, 2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Homes fit for heroes: Raft of new measures to improve military family housing

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Homes fit for heroes: Raft of new measures to improve military family housing

    Living conditions for families in military housing will be transformed under a new Consumer Charter, as Defence Secretary John Healey promised to “stop the rot” in military housing.

    Defence Secretary John Healey visits military housing

    • New Consumer Charter for families in military homes, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.
    • Measures will include higher move-in standards, more reliable repairs, renovation of the worst homes, and a named housing officer for every family – all in place before the one-year anniversary of 36,000 military homes being brought back into public ownership.
    • Pledge comes alongside the announcement of an independent, expert team appointed to help deliver a rapid Defence Housing Strategy – with work already underway.

    The Charter will be part of a new Defence Housing Strategy, to be published later this year, which will set out further plans to improve the standard of service family homes across the country.

    Under the Charter, basic consumer rights, from essential property information and predictable property standards, to access to a robust complaints system, will be rapidly introduced. These will be underpinned by new, published satisfaction figures, putting forces families front and centre.

    The wider Defence Housing Strategy – overseen by the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People, Al Carns – will also turbocharge the development of surplus military land, creating opportunities for Armed Forces homeownership. It will further support the delivery of affordable homes for families across Britain as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    It follows the Government’s landmark deal, completed in January, to bring back 36,000 military homes into public ownership, reversing a 1996 sale described by the Public Accounts Committee as “disastrous”, and saving the taxpayer £600,000 per day by eliminating rental payments to a private company.

    The announcement follows the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to deliver “homes for heroes” and means that under this government, support will be there for veterans at risk of homelessness. This included removing local connection tests for veterans seeking social housing, meaning as of November, veterans will have access to the housing support they need.

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:

    Our Armed Forces serve with extraordinary dedication and courage to keep us safe. It is only right that they and their families live in the homes they deserve.

    For too long, military families have endured substandard housing without the basic consumer rights that any of us should expect in our homes. That must end and our new Consumer Charter will begin to stop the rot and put families at the heart of that transformation.

    We cannot turn around years of failure on forces housing overnight, but by bringing 36,000 military homes back into public ownership, we’ve already taken greater control and are working at pace to drive up standards. This is about providing homes fit for the heroes who serve our nation, and I’m determined to deliver the decent, affordable housing that our forces families have every right to expect.

    The new Consumer Charter will include the following commitments: 

    • A strengthened move-in standard so families can have confidence that the home they are moving into will be ready on time and will be clean and functional.

    • Improved, clearer information for families ahead of a move, including photographs and floor plans of all homes when a family applies for housing.

    • More reliable repairs, including an undertaking to complete urgent repairs within a set timeline consistent with Awaab’s Law, and a new online portal for service personnel to manage repairs.

    • Raising the minimum standard of forces family housing with a new programme of works targeted at the worst homes, with up to 1,000 refurbished as a downpayment on the broader programme of renewal to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy.

    • Better and clearer communication for families, including a named housing officer for every service family who they can contact for specific housing related queries.

    • A new, simpler complaints process that will shorten the process to two stages in line with industry best practice, so that service personnel and families have a quicker resolution, backed up by the new Armed Forces Commissioner.

    • Modernising policies to allow more freedom for families to make improvements, giving them a greater sense of pride in their homes.

    These improvements will be in place by the one-year anniversary of the announcement to buy back military homes last December, with final detail to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy following consultation with military personnel and their families.

    Many of the commitments in the Charter will be achieved by driving better performance – and better value for the taxpayer – from existing suppliers of maintenance and support for service family housing.

    The new standards will be underpinned by new published customer satisfaction measures and enhanced accountability so families can have confidence in the improvements being made. This will sit alongside an independently conducted stock survey, as recommended by the Kerslake review of military housing which was published last year.

    The Defence Housing Strategy will be driven by an independent review team whose members have been announced today, and which will be chaired by former Member of Parliament and housing expert Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE, drawing on expertise from industry and forces families.

    In the meantime, the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People have instructed the MOD to immediately plan improvements for the new Consumer Charter, as part of a short-term action plan to enhance the family homes after years of neglect.

    Natalie Elphicke Ross, Chair of the Defence Housing Strategy Review said:

    Our pride in our armed forces must include pride in our military homes. Delivering better housing, boosting home ownership opportunities for service personnel and improving the experiences of service families will be at the heart of our work.

    David Brewer, Chief Operating Officer of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said:

    We are dedicated to making changes that will bring real improvements to the lives of families living in military homes and the plans set out in the new charter are an important step towards doing this.

    The advisory team, announced today, brings together an exceptional group of individuals, who through their expertise and experience will help ensure our housing strategy maximises benefits, not just to families living in military homes, but to communities and industry more widely.

    Antony Cotton MBE said:

    Our Armed Forces community are the backbone of our society, so improving the standard of service family housing is essential if we are to continue to retain and recruit the soldiers, sailors and aviators that protect us selflessly, every day. I welcome this consumer charter as a starting point to give our military families an improved service, and homes they deserve.

    Background

    The members appointed to the Defence Housing Strategy review team are: 

    • Chair, Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE, Director and Head of Housing at The Housing & Finance Institute. Previously Natalie chaired the New Homes Quality Board on standards and redress for customers of new build homes, co-chaired the Elphicke-House Report 2015 on the role of local authorities in housing supply and served as an expert adviser on the development of the national strategy for estate regeneration. A former law firm partner specialising in housing finance, Natalie’s experience includes advising central and local governments, lenders, developers and housing associations on financing, structuring and delivering homes across all tenures.

    • Bill Yardley, Chair of McCarthy Stone Shared Ownership Limited. Bill serves as Chair of a regulated residential development company and is a Non- Executive Director at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, in the Houses of Parliament and at the Surrey Property Group Limited. He has previously worked at board level in the public and private sectors in residential development, regulated housing, property investment, education and the NHS and has been a public member of Network Rail and chaired a charity. Bill has also served as a Crown Representative and on the Government Construction Board.

    • Cat Calder, Housing Specialist, Army Families Federation. Cat is a housing professional with over 13 years of experience advocating for improved living conditions for families in military accommodation. She has held key positions within the Army Families Federation and has direct experience of military housing, having previously lived in service family accommodation for a number of years.

    • Nigel Holland, former Divisional Chair, Taylor Wimpey and Non-Executive Director of The Riverside Group. Formerly a Divisional Chair of Taylor Wimpey, one of the UK’s largest residential developers. Nigel is also a Non-Executive Director of The Riverside Group, a major provider of affordable housing, care and support services in England and Scotland, with more than 75,000 homes in management. He has a wealth of experience in the homebuilding industry, leading large-scale developments in the UK and overseas. 

    • Alex Notay, Chair and Commissioner, Radix Big Tent Housing Commission. Alexandra is an internationally recognised expert on housing, placemaking and ESG. She has 20 years’ strategic advisory and investment experience across four continents and in August 2024 took over as Chair of the Radix Big Tent Housing Commission. Until July 2024 she was Placemaking and Investment Director at Thriving Investments, the fund and asset management arm of Places for People Group, overseeing a UK-wide residential strategy.

    • James Hall, Housing and Land, Greater London Authority. James has over a decade’s experience in housing and development, working with the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He worked extensively on strategy, policy and communications in Westminster and Whitehall, and most recently worked at the Greater London Authority on housing policy and delivery.

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    Published 18 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Mayor Announces Opening of Sports Complex for Blind Children

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In the north-east, a sports complex of boarding school No. 1 has opened. This was reported in on your telegram channel Sergei Sobyanin said.

    “This unique educational institution on 3rd Mytishchinskaya Street has been teaching and rehabilitating children with severe visual impairments for over 140 years. Thanks to the talent of teachers, the work of parents and their own persistence, many of the school’s graduates achieve great success in life. Now the children have even more opportunities to improve their health and play sports,” the Moscow Mayor wrote.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin

    The construction of the sports complex on 3rd Mytishchinskaya Street (building 5, building 6) was completed in December 2024. It has all the necessary conditions for sports and rehabilitation of people with special needs – blind and visually impaired students of boarding school No. 1.

    The sports complex’s exterior finish is made of blue and white aluminum panels, complemented by vertical slats and pylons. Decorative screens made of perforated aluminum protect the space from sunlight, ensuring comfortable exercise at any time of day. The stained glass windows on the first floor create a feeling of lightness and spaciousness. The façade is decorated with the name of the specialized Moscow boarding school No. 1 for the education and rehabilitation of the blind, written in Braille.

    The four-story building with an area of 4.7 thousand square meters houses:

    — a swimming pool for recreational swimming 25 by 11 meters with four lanes and stands for spectators; a stationary lift has been installed for comfortable immersion in the water for students with disabilities;

    — a universal sports hall with spectator space: with the help of special partitions it can be divided into several sections, which allows for simultaneous training and competitions in various sports, including mini-football, basketball and volleyball;

    – gym;

    — a recreational space with a salt cave and a showdown table (a game for the visually impaired that combines elements of table tennis and air hockey).

    In addition, the new complex has comfortable changing rooms, storage facilities for equipment and a medical center.

    A barrier-free environment has been created inside the sports complex. In particular, tactile tiles for the visually impaired are laid on the floor throughout the building – not on the right or left, as in standard sports complexes, but as a central path. The buttons of the information terminal at the entrance are equipped with inscriptions made in Braille.

    An elevator with a lifting capacity of up to a thousand kilograms has been installed. At the second floor level, a covered heated passage has been arranged, which will allow comfortable and safe movement between the main building of the boarding school and the sports complex without going outside.

    The area next to the sports complex was landscaped and greened. Sports and playgrounds were equipped here, and small architectural forms were installed.

    The new sports complex on 3rd Mytishchinskaya Street will host physical education classes and additional training, as well as competitions in swimming, goalball, mini-football (group B1, sports for the blind), track and field, judo and other sports.

    Individual lessons are provided for children with severe and multiple developmental disabilities outside of school hours. It is expected that up to 150 students will visit the swimming pool weekly, and up to 300 schoolchildren will visit the gym.

    In addition, from May, from Monday to Saturday in the evening (from 18:00 to 22:00), the sports complex will be open for training to all those who wish to do so by prior appointment.

    Boarding school No. 1 for the education and rehabilitation of the blind

    The history of Moscow Boarding School No. 1 for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind dates back more than 140 years, when in the fall of 1882, on the first floor of a three-story building in Sokolovsky (now Elektrichesky) Lane, the Moscow Educational and Upbringing Institution for Blind Children (20 people) was opened, under the patronage of Empress Maria Feodorovna. Blind children received primary education in accordance with the program of a two-year primary school for sighted children and were taught accessible crafts: weaving baskets, straw rugs, edge carpets and chair seats, making brushes, knitting stockings and scarves, and needlework.

    In October 1918, the institution was renamed Children’s Home No. 1 for the Blind, where children received free primary education and were fully supported by the state. Nine years later, it was transformed into the Moscow Institute for Blind Children, which switched to eight-year education in 1932.

    During the Great Patriotic War, the institute was evacuated to the city of Menzelinsk in the Tatar ASSR. Graduates who remained in Moscow worked at the educational and production enterprises of the All-Russian Society of the Blind and prepared products for the front: boxes for anti-tank mines, iron stoves for trenches and dugouts, various brushes. A group of graduates, led by the blind teacher of Russian language and literature Maria Ksenofontova, organized patronage over military hospitals in Moscow. They taught blind soldiers to read and write using Braille.

    In 1948, the institute was transformed into Secondary General Education Boarding School No. 1 for blind children with 11 years of education.

    In 1956, the institution moved to a new four-story building on Novoalekseevskaya Street (now 3rd Mytishchinskaya Street, Building 5), where it remains to this day. Throughout its history, Boarding School No. 1 has been an important scientific and methodological center, conducting scientific research in the field of typhlopedagogy and typhlopsychology, developing educational programs and scientific and methodological manuals, and holding thematic events to improve the qualifications of specialists working with blind and visually impaired children. In particular, the school was a pioneer in the introduction of computer technology for blind users and programmers, programs for special types of labor training, special training for admission to universities, and the integration of the blind into society.

    Over the years of its work, more than 1.6 thousand people have graduated from the school. Among them are scientists, teachers, lawyers and attorneys, musicians and composers, writers and journalists, poets, programmers, computer system operators, managers and foremen of enterprises of the All-Russian Society of the Blind, outstanding athletes (masters of sports, winners of world and European championships) and other specialists.

    Today, Boarding School No. 1 is a modern specialized educational institution, where 352 children study, 80 percent of whom are totally blind. The children undergo adapted programs of preschool, primary, basic and secondary general education.

    The boarding school has created all the conditions for the harmonious development of children with special needs, and this is largely due to the team of highly qualified typhlopedagogic teachers and educators who generously give the children their knowledge, rich experience and boundless love. The school’s workforce consists of 267 employees, including 62 teachers, 50 educators and 40 teaching staff.

    The education is based on the reading and writing system of the French typhlopedagogue Louis Braille and lasts one year longer than in regular schools – 12 years, because the primary school course takes five years.

    A nine-year course of study has been developed for children with combined diseases and severe developmental disabilities. Since 2017, there have been work rehabilitation groups for such school graduates. The children are engaged in carpentry, knitting from wool on their fingers and weaving string bags with a fishing shuttle.

    In addition to the main educational building on 3rd Mytishchinskaya Street (building 5), boarding school No. 1 includes:

    — a preschool department with 24-hour care on Raketny Boulevard (building 14);

    — a rehabilitation department on Kosmonavtov Street (building 4), where work rehabilitation groups are organized;

    — the health resort and recreational structural unit “Solnyshko” in the village of Kostino in the Moscow region, where children receive comprehensive rehabilitation services in an inpatient setting.

    In 2022, an all-Russian center for gifted visually impaired children was opened on the school’s premises, where talented children from other regions of our country can enroll based on the results of testing in mathematics, Russian and English, as well as an interview. Currently, 23 children from 14 subjects of the Russian Federation (Khabarovsk and Krasnoyarsk territories, Nizhny Novgorod, Orenburg, Ryazan and other regions) are studying here as part of this project.

    The socio-cultural rehabilitation of children is facilitated by additional education, represented by programs of various focus areas: physical education and sports, artistic and aesthetic, cultural and natural science. In particular, since 2018, a branch of the E.F. Svetlanov Children’s Art School (Equal Opportunities Department) has been operating at Boarding School No. 1, where 70 people with profound visual impairments study. 95 percent of children attend clubs and sections.

    In the 2023/2024 academic year, 17 eleventh-graders graduated from the school. Five of them were awarded federal and Moscow medals for outstanding academic achievements. Based on the results of the Unified State Exam, 44 graduates (37 percent) received more than 220 points in three subjects, of which 20 people (17 percent) received more than 250 points. Six people received 100 points in one subject.

    In addition, last academic year, 18 students received diplomas of winners and prize winners of the municipal stage of the All-Russian School Olympiad. Two students became prize winners of the regional stage, 44 students became prize winners of the city Olympiad “Museums. Parks. Estates”, and one student became the winner of the Moscow championship “Abilympics” in the “Vocal” competence. In the 2024/2025 academic year, two students became prize winners of the Moscow School Olympiad.

    Thanks to its high educational results, the school is annually a laureate of the Moscow Mayor’s grants (first and second degree).

    The capital’s education system for people with disabilities

    For children with various developmental disabilities, the Moscow city social protection system has eight rehabilitation and educational centers, where about two thousand children undergo comprehensive rehabilitation and receive a quality education.

    Highly qualified doctors, psychologists, teachers, speech therapists and other specialists work with the children, and the centers themselves are equipped with modern innovative equipment. For example, today VR helmets are used to teach children with disabilities: thanks to augmented reality, teachers simulate situations that are only available in the laboratory or in special conditions. Students try themselves in the role of chefs or interns in chemical laboratories. Visualization and immersion in a specific situation help children understand the processes taking place, and thanks to the game form, the knowledge gained during classes is absorbed much better.

    Based on the results of the 2023/2024 academic year, 15 graduates of boarding schools were awarded federal and Moscow medals for outstanding academic achievements.

    It is planned to build a new rehabilitation and educational center for 800 students in the territory of TiNAO.

    At the same time, the majority of children with special needs (over 42 thousand) study in regular city schools, where the most favorable conditions for social adaptation have been created for them.

    In the 2023/2024 academic year, inclusive practices were implemented in 478 educational organizations in Moscow.

    It is possible to choose the form of training:

    – in groups or classes together with students who do not have special educational needs;

    – in separate groups or classes with small occupancies;

    — in special correctional schools implementing adapted educational programs for various nosological groups.

    Every year the number of students with disabilities who are winners and prize winners of the All-Russian and Moscow School Olympiads is growing.

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

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

    HTTPS: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12646050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: The fifth all-Russian online voting for improvement projects has started

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The all-Russian online voting for improvement projects will last until June 12. Residents of the country will be able to choose the territories that will be improved next year. The voting is being held within the framework of the federal project “Formation of a comfortable urban environment”. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

    “Improvement of courtyards and public areas changes the appearance of populated areas, improves the quality of life of citizens in municipalities. Thanks to this work, new points of attraction for people are created in the regions, which also stimulates the development of small and medium-sized businesses, the creation of new jobs, and the growth of domestic tourism. It is important that the initiators of changes and the formation of a comfortable urban environment are the residents themselves. All-Russian voting for improvement objects has started on the platform suburban medium. It will be held until June 12. This event has been held since 2021 as part of the federal project “Formation of a Comfortable Urban Environment”. It is included in our new national project “Infrastructure for Life”. This year, more than 6 thousand objects from about 1.7 thousand municipalities were submitted for the all-Russian online voting. Compared to last year, the number of objects has increased by 630,” said Marat Khusnullin.

    Both improvement projects and specific design projects for spaces that were previously selected in the region are put up for voting. The list of objects put up for voting is formed by municipalities taking into account proposals from residents. Any person over 14 years of age can vote for a specific project.

    “For the fifth year now, voting has united the residents of our country and given them the opportunity to make a unique contribution to the development of their region. This year, the number of municipalities represented in the all-Russian vote has increased by 81. Last year, 17.2 million people took part in the vote. This shows the growing interest of citizens in the processes taking place in their regions. Every vote matters, and it is thanks to the active participation of residents that we can identify the most pressing needs and implement them,” said Minister of Construction and Housing and Public Utilities Irek Faizullin.

    For the fifth time, the all-Russian online voting will be held with the participation of volunteers. Every year, the number of volunteers involved is growing thanks to the support of the platform for good deeds “Dobro.RF”. If in 2021, just over 11 thousand volunteers were involved in the project, then last year there were already more than 200 thousand. The main tasks of the volunteers are to talk about the areas planned for improvement, help residents vote and answer basic questions about voting. This year, to further involve citizens in voting, volunteers will use a special mobile application “Gosuslugi. Volunteer”.

    “We see great interest from volunteers in participating in this project. Last year, they collected more than 70% of residents’ votes, which is a very significant contribution. Through the all-Russian vote, residents actually participate in the development of their cities and the transformation of territories, and volunteers in this regard fulfill an important mission of conductor of initiatives that change our lives and the environment of Russian cities for the better,” emphasized Artem Metelev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Youth Policy and Chairman of the Board of the Dobro.RF Association.

    You can also take part in the voting with the help of volunteers in public places, as well as in the mobile application “Gosuslugi. Let’s Decide Together”.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: More than four million viola seedlings will decorate the capital’s flower beds

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Specialists from the city’s municipal services complex will plant more than 4.2 million viola seedlings this spring. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement Petr Biryukov.

    “Viola is traditionally the first to appear in flowerbeds, as it can withstand frosts down to minus three degrees. The planting of more than 4.2 million seedlings is planned, and work has already begun,” noted Petr Biryukov.

    When growing plants in urban greenhouses, modern technologies are used, including an automated seeding complex, light supply systems, supplementary lighting and fogging, as well as drip irrigation. This allows you to create a special microclimate, grow strong and healthy plants that quickly adapt to the difficult conditions of the urban environment. In addition, seedlings are hardened so that the flowers feel comfortable in any weather.

    As part of the month of beautification, which traditionally begins on April 1, the capital’s flower beds were prepared for the new season. They were cleared of garbage and wood chips, the soil was loosened and fertilizers were added.

    Quickly find out the main news of the capital inofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152976073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Best Online Casinos in New Zealand: Top Real Money Casino Goes To 7Bit Casino, Rated by Experts!

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

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    7Bit’s game quality is driven by partnerships with leading software providers, a hallmark of Best Online Casinos New Zealand. Key providers include:

    • NetEnt: Known for high-RTP pokies like Starburst.
    • Microgaming: Offers progressive jackpots like Mega Moolah.
    • Evolution Gaming: Powers live dealer games with HD streams.
    • Betsoft: Delivers 3D slots with immersive themes.

    These providers ensure fair, engaging games with regular updates, keeping 7Bit at the forefront of the best no KYC casino market.

    Tips for Maximizing Your Experience at 7Bit Casino

    To get the most out of 7Bit Casino, a leader in Best Online Casinos New Zealand, consider these tips:

    1. Claim Bonuses Wisely: Start with the welcome bonus and check wagering requirements.
    2. Play High-RTP Games: Focus on pokies like Blood Suckers (98% RTP) for better returns.
    3. Use Crypto for Speed: Bitcoin and Ethereum offer the fastest withdrawals.
    4. Join Tournaments: Participate in slot races for extra rewards.
    5. Set Limits: Use responsible gambling tools to manage your budget.

    The Future of Online Gambling in New Zealand

    The Best Online Casinos in New Zealand are evolving with technology. Trends shaping the industry include:

    • Crypto Adoption: More casinos, like 7Bit, are embracing cryptocurrencies for anonymity and speed, reinforcing their status as the best no KYC casino platforms.
    • VR and AR Gaming: Virtual reality pokies and live dealer tables are emerging.
    • AI-Powered Support: Chatbots and personalized offers are enhancing player experiences.
    • Mobile-First Design: With 7Bit’s upcoming app, mobile gaming is set to dominate.

    7Bit is well-positioned to lead these trends, ensuring it remains a top new online casino in 2025 and beyond.

    Final Words About The Best Online Casinos New Zealand

    The Best Online Casinos New Zealand deliver thrilling, secure gaming, and 7Bit Casino leads with its 7,000+ games, rapid payouts, and crypto support. Its generous bonuses, VIP program, and upcoming mobile app make it the ultimate new online casino for Kiwi players. Explore 7Bit for the best online pokies and play responsibly!

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    1. How do I verify if an online casino accepts NZ players and offers geo-targeted bonuses?
    Check the casino’s terms and conditions or promotions page; reputable sites often tailor welcome bonuses in NZD or include offers specifically for Kiwi players.

    2. What makes an online casino truly “NZ-friendly” beyond accepting NZD?
    Top NZ casinos offer local payment methods (like POLi or Interac), fast withdrawals, local customer support hours, and game libraries featuring pokies popular with Kiwi players.

    3. How can I tell if an online casino is rigged or fair in New Zealand?
    Look for a license from reputable regulators (e.g., MGA, Curacao) and independent auditing certificates from eCOGRA or iTech Labs. “Provably Fair” games add extra transparency.

    4. Are crypto casinos safe for NZ players, and what are the benefits?
    Yes, if licensed. Crypto casinos offer fast, anonymous withdrawals, no KYC in many cases, and exclusive bonuses. Just make sure to use a secure wallet and a verified platform.

    5. Do NZ online casinos offer VIP programs or loyalty schemes worth joining?
    Yes — many top casinos reward regular play with comp points, cashback, faster withdrawals, and personal account managers. Always compare VIP tiers and perks across sites.

    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AT 7BIT CASINO & GET EXCITING BONUSES

    Email: Support@7bitCasino.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the 7Bit Casino. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

    Disclaimer and Affiliate Disclosure

    General Disclaimer
    This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only, not legal or financial advice. Content is based on research and public information as of April 2025. No warranties are made regarding accuracy. Users must verify information before acting.

    Casino and Gambling Disclaimer
    Online gambling carries financial risks and is not suitable for all. Ensure you’re of legal gambling age in New Zealand. Gambling laws vary, and it’s your responsibility to comply. We don’t promote gambling; participation is at your risk. 7Bit Casino is a third-party platform, and we’re not liable for losses or issues.

    Affiliate Disclosure
    This article may contain affiliate links, earning us a commission at no cost to you. Our reviews remain unbiased, recommending only valuable Best Online Casinos New Zealand.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bea2fdb2-713f-4dd8-8c6a-9388de5cd240

    The MIL Network –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Best No KYC Casinos 2025: 7Bit Casino Rated as the Top Instant Withdrawal Casino with No Verification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RENO, Nev., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In light of that, our team set out to find the best no KYC casinos available to players in 2025, digging through dozens of crypto-friendly platforms. After extensive research and testing, one casino clearly stood out – 7Bit Casino.

    With its commitment to player anonymity, ultra-fast crypto payouts, and massive game selection, 7Bit Casino passed every benchmark and proved to be the best no KYC casino of 2025.

    Why 7Bit Stands Out

    7Bit Casino appears to excel among the best no KYC casinos due to its vast game library, anonymous crypto transactions, and generous bonuses. It’s likely ideal for players seeking privacy without sacrificing variety or security.

    How to Get Started

    Visit the 7Bit Casino website, sign up, deposit using crypto or fiat, and claim a 325% welcome bonus up to 5.25 BTC plus 250 free spins.

    >>CLICK HERE TO JOIN 7BIT CASINO & GET 325% WELCOME BONUS UP TO 5.25 BTC PLUS 250 FREE SPINS<<

    Game Highlights

    Popular games like Mega Moolah, live blackjack, and Texas Hold’em seem to cater to all preferences, making it a top anonymous online casino.

    VIP Program and Loyalty Rewards

    7Bit Casino offers a robust VIP program designed to reward loyal players with exclusive perks. The program is tier-based, with levels ranging from Newbie to Hero. As players wager real money, they earn Comp Points (CPs) at a rate of 0.0042 BTC per point, which can be exchanged for bonus cash. Higher tiers unlock benefits like:

    • Increased Cashback: Up to 20% with reduced wagering requirements (as low as 1x for top tiers).
    • Exclusive Bonuses: Personalized offers, including free spins and deposit matches.
    • Dedicated Account Managers: Priority support for high-level VIPs.
    • Faster Withdrawals: Expedited processing for crypto transactions.

    The VIP program enhances the appeal of 7Bit Casino as a top no KYC casino, rewarding consistent play with tangible benefits.

    Payment Options

    Crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum) offers anonymity; fiat options like Pay ID ensure fast transactions, positioning 7Bit as a leading Pay ID casino.

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    In this detailed review, we’ll explore why 7Bit Casino is among the best no KYC casinos in 2025. We’ll cover its key features, pros and cons, how to join, our selection criteria, popular games, payment methods, responsible gambling practices, and why it’s a top anonymous online casino.

    A Closer Look at the Best No KYC Casino: 7Bit Casino

    7Bit Casino, operating for over a decade, holds a license from the Curacao eGaming Commission, ensuring a secure and fair gaming environment. As one of the best no KYC casinos, it allows players to enjoy games without identity verification, appealing to those who value privacy. Its support for cryptocurrencies and minimal registration requirements make it a leading anonymous online casino.

    With a robust mobile platform and a vast game library, 7Bit Casino caters to both casual and seasoned players. With the rising popularity of online gaming platforms prioritizing privacy, no KYC casinos have seen a surge in demand. Among these, 7Bit Casino stands out as a top contender in 2025, offering anonymous play, cryptocurrency payments, and a vast selection of over 10,000 games.

    Our team researched numerous best no KYC casinos, and 7Bit Casino consistently ranked high due to its focus on player privacy, fast transactions, and diverse gaming options. Whether you’re spinning slots, playing live dealer games, or enjoying table games like blackjack and roulette, 7Bit Casino delivers an unmatched experience as a no id verification casino.

    Why 7Bit Casino is Our Favorite No KYC Casino

    7Bit Casino tops our list of best no KYC casinos for several reasons. Its welcome bonus is among the most generous, offering a 325% match up to 5.25 BTC plus 250 free spins across four deposits:

    • First Deposit: 100% match up to 1.5 BTC + 100 free spins.
    • Second Deposit: 75% match up to 1.25 BTC + 100 free spins.
    • Third Deposit: 50% match up to 1.5 BTC.
    • Fourth Deposit: 100% match up to 1 BTC + 50 free spins.

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    Beyond the welcome offer, 7Bit Casino provides ongoing promotions like weekly cashback, daily free spins, and seasonal offers, enhancing the player experience. Its game library, with over 10,000 titles, includes slots, table games, and live dealer options, ensuring variety for all preferences. The casino’s seamless payment options, including crypto and pay ID casino features, add convenience, while 24/7 customer support ensures prompt assistance.

    Pros and Cons of 7Bit Casino

    Pros Cons
    Over 10,000 games, including slots, table games, and live dealer options. High wagering requirements on bonuses.
    Anonymous play with cryptocurrency payments, no KYC required. Mixed customer support reviews.
    Fast withdrawals via crypto and Pay ID.  
    Generous welcome bonus and frequent promotions.  
    24/7 customer support via email and live chat.  

    Despite minor drawbacks, 7Bit Casino remains a top choice among the best no KYC casinos.

    How To Join 7Bit Casino

    Joining 7Bit Casino, a leading no ID verification casino, is simple:

    1. Visit 7Bit Casino: Go to the official website.
    2. Create an Account: Click “Sign Up,” enter your email, choose a currency, and set a username and password.
    3. Make Your First Deposit: Navigate to the cashier, select a payment method (crypto or fiat), and deposit the minimum amount to activate the welcome bonus.
    4. Claim the Welcome Bonus: The bonus is automatically credited after your deposit, no promo code needed.
    5. Start Playing: Explore the game library and enjoy real-money gaming.

    This streamlined process makes 7Bit Casino ideal for new online casino players seeking a no ID verification casino.

    How We Selected the Best No KYC Casino

    We evaluated the best no KYC casinos based on strict criteria to ensure a safe, rewarding experience:

    • License and Security: Must be licensed by a reputable authority.
    • Bonuses and Promotions: Generous offers for new and existing players.
    • Casino Games: Diverse selection catering to all preferences.
    • Casino Game Providers: Partnerships with top developers for quality games.
    • Banking Methods: Flexible options, especially cryptocurrencies.
    • Customer Support: 24/7 availability for prompt assistance.

    7Bit Casino excels in these areas, making it the best no-KYC casino.

    License and Security

    7Bit Casino is licensed by the Curacao eGaming Commission, ensuring fairness and security. It uses SSL encryption to protect player data, reinforcing its status as a trusted anonymous online casino (Curacao eGaming).

    Bonuses and Promotions

    7Bit Casino offers a 325% welcome bonus up to 5.25 BTC plus 250 free spins, alongside regular promotions:

    • Weekly Cashback: Up to 20% on losses.
    • Monday Offer: 25% up to 6.5 mBTC + 50 free spins.
    • Wednesday Offer: Up to 100 free spins on Snoop Dogg Dollars.
    • Friday Offer: 111 free spins for a 0.52 mBTC deposit.
    • Weekend Offer: 99 free spins on 7Bit CasinoMillion.
    • Telegram Bonuses: Exclusive free spins via the Telegram channel.

    These offers make 7Bit Casino a favorite among the best no KYC casinos.

    Casino Games

    With over 10,000 games, 7Bit Casino offers slots, table games, live dealer games, and instant wins from providers like NetEnt and Microgaming, ensuring high-quality gameplay.

    Casino Game Providers

    7Bit Casino partners with over 100 providers, including NetEnt, Microgaming, BGaming, Platipus, 3 Oaks, and 1spin4win, delivering a diverse, high-quality game library (7Bit Casino Providers).

    Banking Methods

    7Bit Casino supports cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin) for anonymous transactions and fiat options (VISA, Mastercard, Skrill, Neosurf, Paysafe Card). The pay ID casino feature ensures fast transactions for Australians.

    Customer Support

    7Bit Casino provides 24/7 support via email (support@7bitcasino.com) and live chat. While most players report positive experiences, some note occasional delays (Trustpilot Reviews).

    Best No KYC Casino Games

    7Bit Casino’s game library, with over 10,000 titles, is a key reason it’s among the best no KYC casinos. It offers slots, table games, live dealer games, and instant wins.

    1.   Online Slots

    Slots dominate 7Bit Casino’s offerings, with thousands of titles:

    • Mega Moolah: A progressive jackpot slot with an African safari theme, known for life-changing wins (Mega Moolah Review).
    • Johnny Cash: A Wild West-themed slot with stacked wilds and free spins.
    • Raging Lion: Features a lion theme with frequent payouts and multipliers.
    • Starburst: Vibrant gems and expanding wilds for simple, exciting gameplay.
    • Book of Dead: Egyptian-themed with high volatility and big win potential.
    • Gonzo’s Quest: Avalanche reels and free falls in a quest for El Dorado.
    • Immortal Romance: Vampire-themed with multiple bonus features.
    • Thunderstruck II: Norse mythology slot with progressive jackpots.

    2.   Live Dealer Games

    7Bit Casino offers over 100 live dealer games, streamed in real-time:

    • Live Roulette: American, European, French, and Lightning Roulette variants.
    • Live Blackjack: Classic, multi-hand, and high-roller tables.
    • Live Baccarat: Squeeze and speed baccarat options.
    • Live Poker: Texas Hold’em and Three Card Poker.

    3.   Poker

    Poker options include:

    • Texas Hold’em: Popular for strategic gameplay.
    • Omaha: Fast-paced with complex strategy.
    • Caribbean Stud: Casino-style with progressive jackpots.

    4.   Roulette

    Over 113 roulette variants:

    • European Roulette: Single zero for better odds.
    • American Roulette: Double zero for added excitement.
    • French Roulette: La Partage rule for lower house edge.
    • Multi-Wheel Roulette: Multiple wheels for increased action.

    5.   Blackjack

    162 blackjack variants:

    • Single Deck Blackjack: Simple rules for strategic play.
    • Atlantic City Blackjack: Multi-hand option.
    • European Blackjack Gold Series: Enhanced graphics and gameplay.

    6.   Other Popular Games

    Instant win games include:

    • Aviator: Crash game with high multipliers.
    • JetX: Cash out before the jet crashes.
    • Smash: Smash objects to reveal prizes.
    • Plinko: Arcade-style with prize drops.

    Tournaments and Competitive Play

    7Bit Casino hosts engaging tournaments that add excitement to the gaming experience. Key events include:

    • Weekly Slots Race: A 7-day competition with a prize pool of up to 5 BTC. Players earn points based on bets and wins, with the top 150 leaderboard positions receiving rewards.
    • Daily Drop Tournaments: 24-hour events with smaller prize pools (0.5–1 BTC), focusing on specific providers or themes, ideal for quick competitions.
    • Seasonal Events: Special tournaments tied to holidays or new game releases, offering free spins, cash prizes, and exclusive rewards.

    These tournaments make 7Bit Casino a dynamic, anonymous online casino, fostering a competitive yet rewarding environment.

    Best No KYC Casino Payment Methods

    7Bit Casino excels in payment flexibility, a hallmark of the best no KYC casinos.

    Cryptocurrency Payments

    Cryptocurrencies ensure anonymity:

    Cryptocurrency Features
    Bitcoin (BTC) Secure, fast transactions.
    Ethereum (ETH) Low fees, quick processing.
    Litecoin (LTC) Lightweight, fast withdrawals.
    Dogecoin (DOGE) Affordable for casual players.

    Crypto payments are processed within 24 hours, ideal for anonymous online casino players.

    Fiat Methods

    Fiat options include:

    Fiat Currency Features
    VISA/Mastercard Easy deposits may require verification
    Neosurf Prepaid card for anonymity.
    Skrill/Neteller Fast e-wallet transactions
    Bank Transfer Slower, secure for large withdrawals.
    Paysafe Card Secure prepaid vouchers

    The pay ID casino feature ensures quick transactions for Australians.

    Responsible Gambling Tools in Depth

    Beyond standard responsible gambling tools, 7Bit Casino provides advanced features to promote safe play:

    • Self-Exclusion Options: Players can request temporary or permanent account suspension.
    • Reality Checks: Customizable pop-up reminders to track gaming time.
    • Loss and Wager Limits: Adjustable caps to control spending and betting.

    These tools align with industry standards, ensuring 7Bit Casino remains a responsible pay id casino for players prioritizing safety.

    Why 7Bit Casino Excels for Anonymous Play

    7Bit Casino is the best no KYC casino due to its focus on privacy. No KYC requirements allow instant play, while cryptocurrency payments ensure anonymity. SSL encryption protects data, balancing privacy with security. This makes 7Bit Casino ideal for players prioritizing discretion without compromising quality.

    Mobile Gaming at 7Bit Casino

    7Bit Casino offers a seamless mobile experience on iOS and Android, accessible via browsers. The mobile platform mirrors the desktop version, with over 10,000 games optimized for touchscreens, ensuring players enjoy the best no KYC casino experience on the go.

    Player Feedback and Reputation

    Recent player reviews highlight 7Bit Casino’s strengths and areas for improvement. Positive feedback emphasizes the vast game selection, fast crypto withdrawals, and generous bonuses. For instance, a player reported a 244.4x win on Wolf of 7bit Street, showcasing the platform’s potential for big payouts. However, some users note occasional delays in fiat withdrawals and high wagering requirements (35x–40x). Despite these, 7Bit maintains a 4-star Trustpilot rating based on over 1,169 reviews, reflecting its reliability as a best no KYC casino.

    Common Inquiries

    1.   Does 7Bit Casino ever require KYC?

    Ans: Generally, no for crypto users, but KYC may be requested for suspicious activity or large fiat transactions.

    2.   How fast are crypto withdrawals, and are there fees?

    Ans: Withdrawals are usually processed within minutes to a few hours. 7Bit charges no fees, but blockchain network fees apply.

    3.   Are there provably fair games at 7Bit Casino?

    Ans: Yes, mainly in the “BTC Games” section, offering verifiable fairness using cryptographic algorithms.

    4.   Can I get rewards without KYC?

    Ans: Yes, VIP perks, cashback, and bonuses are available without ID verification for crypto users.

    5.   Is 7Bit Casino licensed and secure?

    Ans: Yes, it’s licensed in Curacao, uses SSL, supports 2FA, and stores crypto in secure cold wallets.

    7Bit Casino Conclusion: The Best No KYC Casino

    7Bit Casino is among the best no KYC casinos in 2025, offering privacy, over 10,000 games, generous bonuses, and flexible payments. Fast crypto withdrawals, a robust mobile platform, and 24/7 support make it a top anonymous online casino. Ultimately, 7Bit Casino is a standout best no KYC casino for its ability to combine privacy, security, and an expansive gaming ecosystem.

    Whether you’re chasing progressive jackpots, engaging in live dealer action, or enjoying instant-win games, 7Bit delivers a thrilling, player-centric experience. Its focus on responsible gambling, with tools like deposit limits and self-exclusion, ensures a safe environment, while its forward-thinking approach positions it as a leader in the evolving online gaming landscape. For anyone seeking a secure, private, and exhilarating gaming journey in 2025, 7Bit Casino is the definitive choice.

    Email: Support@7bitCasino.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the 7Bit Casino. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

    Legal Disclaimer

    This content is for informational purposes only. Ensure compliance with local gambling laws.

    Affiliate Disclosure

    Some links may be affiliate links, earning a commission at no cost to you. Recommendations are based on objective evaluation.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/660f7dac-9451-4cd3-a355-273dbc4f1538

    The MIL Network –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: To truly understand Pope Francis’ theology – and impact – you need to look to his life in Buenos Aires

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fernanda Peñaloza, Senior Lecturer in Latin American Studies, University of Sydney

    Pope Francis’ journey from the streets of Flores, a neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to the Vatican, is a remarkable tale.

    Born in 1936, Jorge Bergoglio was raised in a middle-class family of Italian Catholic immigrants.

    Bergoglio defied his mother’s wish for him to become a medical doctor and chose instead to pursue priesthood, a calling he felt during confession. The young man joined the Jesuits in the 1950s, attracted to the order’s vow of poverty and its ethos of serving others and living simply.

    He became a priest in 1969, Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, and took on the papacy in 2013. As Pope Francis, his dedication to social justice was deeply rooted in the Latin American context.

    The region’s history of inequality, poverty and political upheaval greatly influenced his perspective.

    The young Argentinian priest

    Bergoglio, a devoted supporter of the San Lorenzo soccer team, was also a confident tango dancer, mate drinker, and an unconditional admirer of his compatriot, Jorge Luis Borges, one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.

    In 1965, the two men collaborated on the publication of short stories written by Bergoglio’s literature students. The students had been inspired by a seminar led by Borges, organised by the young priest.

    Borges thought highly of Bergoglio, finding him charming and intelligent. For Borges, Bergoglio was a Jesuit through and through, noting the clerics of that order had been historically transgressive as well as possessors of a good sense of humour.

    While Borges never saw him transformed into Pope Francis, his observations somehow fit with the respect Bergoglio earned as a global leader.

    Theology of the people

    As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he lived modestly, often taking public transport and dedicating himself to the poor and disenfranchised. He personally attended the needs of underprivileged neighbourhoods known as villas miseria (literally “misery towns”) in Argentine Spanish.

    He was a vocal opponent to economic inequality. During the 2001 Argentine economic crisis he advocated for the rights and dignity of impoverished citizens.

    Pope Francis hails from a region deeply influenced by the progressive movements of Catholic priests and nuns, who were significantly inspired by liberation theology during the 1960s in Latin America.

    Liberation theology developed in Latin America during the latter part of the 20th century, as a reaction to significant political and theological transformations in the area. It believed in political liberation for the oppressed, inspired by the Cuban Revolution and Second Vatican Council by Pope John XXIII, both in 1959.

    While Francis did not fully subscribe to the tenets of liberation theology, much of his dedication to social justice aligns with its ideals. Pope Francis’ social awareness was deeply shaped by the “theology of the people”.

    Distinct to Argentina, and emerging in the 1960s, the theology of the people shared liberation theology’s focus on social justice, but is devoid of Marxist ideology, and emphasises the dignity and agency of the marginalised and the impoverished.

    During Argentina’s dictatorial regime from 1976–83, Bergoglio led the Jesuits. But he did not adopt the highly dangerous stance of full opposition typical among liberation theologians elsewhere in Argentina and other parts of Latin America.

    Commenting on Latin American affairs

    In his early years as the Pope, he resonated with progressive Catholics across Latin America, because of his grounding in Argentinian theology and his focus on social justice. But in recent years, his popularity in some Latin American countries declined.

    In Argentina, this dip in enthusiasm is partly attributed to his decision not to visit, despite travelling to neighbouring nations.

    More profoundly, the decline likely stems from his fixed stance against contentious issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion. To the disappointment of many Argentines and other Latin American citizens, he refused to compromise.

    Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis received all Argentine presidents – even those who were previously critical of him, such as Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

    He maintained a strong connection to his Buenos Aires roots and remained engaged with Argentina’s social and political landscape, often commenting on situations that provoke strong reactions from politicians.

    He was a critic of policies instituted by the current President of Argentina, Javier Milei, particularly Milei’s libertarian model of economy and the government’s brutal response to public dissent and opposition. In September 2024, the Pope famously said:

    the government put its foot down: instead of paying for social justice, it paid for pepper spray.

    An alternative model of leadership

    By reflecting on how Pope Francis’ theology is rooted in the Argentina he grew up in, we can better understand his actions as Pope.

    He made significant contributions in the Latin American region. He played a mediating role between the United States and Cuba, supported the peace process in Colombia, and highlighted the environmental devastation caused by mining companies in the Amazon.

    He publicly apologised to Indigenous peoples of Latin America for the Church’s historical complicity with colonialism, and acknowledged his inaction allowed the Chilean clergy to overlook sexual abuse cases.

    He appointed clergymen from non-European countries, enhancing representation from Asia, Africa and Latin America and increased the participation of women within the Church’s leadership structures.

    His landmark encyclical, Laudato Si’, underscored the moral imperative to address climate change, inspiring accolades from global leaders. His critique of Israel and the conflict in Gaza underscored his consistent opposition to war and advocacy for peace.

    Despite existing tensions and contradictions within his papacy – particularly regarding the Church’s stance on LGBTQIA+ issues and women’s rights – Pope Francis’s approach to global issues remained steadfast and aligned with his core values, and the Buenos Aires he came of age in.

    Francis’s leadership is a product of his upbringing and a catalyst for regional and global dialogue on social justice.

    The profound influence of the Latin American region on him is well captured by long time friend, Uruguayan lawyer and activist, Guzman Carriquiry who described the Pope as:

    Priest, and profoundly priest; Jesuit and profoundly Jesuit; Latin American, and profoundly Latin American.

    Fernanda Peñaloza 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. To truly understand Pope Francis’ theology – and impact – you need to look to his life in Buenos Aires – https://theconversation.com/to-truly-understand-pope-francis-theology-and-impact-you-need-to-look-to-his-life-in-buenos-aires-255003

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bureau of Indian Standards announces 500 internships for students from MoU partner institutions

    Source: Government of India

    Bureau of Indian Standards announces 500 internships for students from MoU partner institutions

    Internship programme to promote standardisation awareness and practical engagement in industries

    Convention marks renewed commitment to embed quality and standards culture in Indian academia

    Posted On: 22 APR 2025 12:51PM by PIB Delhi

    The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body under the Government of India, announced internship opportunities for 500 students from its partner institutions in the field of standardisation. The announcement was made at the Annual Convention of BIS Standardisation Chairs and Nodal Faculty of MoU Partner Institutions, held recently.

    The internships will be offered to students enrolled in 4-year degree courses, 5-year integrated degree courses, postgraduate degrees, and diploma programmes. The 8-week internship will include pre-standardisation work in two key industries, QCO (Quality Control Order) compliance surveys in collaboration with BIS offices, and site visits to large-scale units, MSMEs and laboratories. Students will undertake detailed studies on manufacturing and testing processes, raw materials, in-process controls, and other aspects of product quality and conformity assessment.

    Key achievements of the BIS-Academia interface include:

    • Standardisation modules have been incorporated into the curriculum of 15 institutes.
    • More than 130 research and development projects have been commissioned.
    • Over 50 institutions have established BIS Corners and Academic Dashboards.
    • A total of 198 Standards Clubs have been formed across 52 institutes.
    • More than 3,400 students from 74 institutes participated in national quizzes.
    • 500 student internships are planned for the 2025-26 academic year.

    Director General, BIS, Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari in his inaugural address, said, that this partnership is a shared national mission to embed a culture of quality and standardisation across academia. Deputy Director General (Standardisation), BIS, Shri Rajeev Sharma encouraged institutions to foster action-oriented collaborations and contribute actively to the country’s quality ecosystem.

    The convention hosted technical sessions on curriculum integration, standards formulation, student engagement through Standards Clubs, and other promotional activities. In an open house discussion, partner institutions shared best practices and innovative models for academic collaboration.

    The event concluded with a collective resolve to strengthen the culture of standardisation across Indian academia, empowering students and faculty to meaningfully engage with national and global quality systems.

    Representatives from 58 partner institutes participated in the convention. Five institutions— IIT Roorkee, SSEC Chennai, NIT Jalandhar, SVCE Chennai, and PSNACET Dindigul—were felicitated for their exceptional performance in BIS-related activities as per the MoU.

    ***

    Abhishekh Dayal/ Nihi Sharma/ Ishita Biswas

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SCST at Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum+ 2025 – Ministerial Panel (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Speech by SCST at Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum+ 2025 – Ministerial Panel (English only) 
    Honourable ministers, heads of delegations, Consul Generals, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
     
    Good afternoon. Just now I was so eager to welcome you that I almost jumped on stage myself. On behalf of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), I would like to extend our warmest welcome to all of you to the Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum+ (ACCF+) 2025. May I take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to Mr Gao Zheng, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, who will be delivering a speech for us in a short moment. 
     
    This year’s ACCF+ has received an unprecedented participation of senior delegations from 17 countries in the region, with five of the countries sending delegations to join this Forum for the first time. Your active participation and unwavering support not only sustains the continued success of this Forum, but also reaffirms Hong Kong’s unique position as an international hub for arts and culture, as well as the “super connector” for bridging countries across Asia and beyond, for meaningful cultural exchanges.
     
    The theme of this year’s Forum is “Connect, Create, Engage: Bridging Cultures for All”. I trust you would agree with me that this is something that we, as cultural ministers and government leaders, need to seriously contemplate at this point in time. The world has undergone rapid and vigourous changes since the last ACCF held in 2022, and these changes are multifaceted, especially when we are now entering a volatile age of geopolitical tension and tariff wars. What impacts the arts and cultural development of a place most is undoubtedly the amplified diversity through technology. We should all recognise that technological advancement is something inevitable, so instead of resisting it, we should adopt a people-oriented approach to embrace it. And to achieve this, my strategy is to connect more with people, to create more for people and to engage more people. After all, culture is from people, and is about people.
     
    Situated right in the heart of Asia, with a convergence of diverse cultures and global connections, Hong Kong is blessed with unique advantages to play the important role as a “super connector” between China, our motherland, and the rest of the world.  With the clear support in China’s National 14th Five‑Year Plan, we have been striving to develop Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges. Together with the competitive edge in the commercial sector, Hong Kong is also the largest art trading centre in Asia. All these have been written on the name card of Hong Kong now. We will surely work hard to make our name card more shiny and promote our strengths, but more importantly, we will make good use of these attributes to build connections with our friends in the region and the rest of the world. This is why Hong Kong is taking a leadership role in hosting this renowned event once again, and presenting various large-scale forums and summits, such as the Museum Summit organised last month by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in partnership with The Guimet ‑ National Museum of Asian Arts in France, which received a record-high total registration of over 7 000 participants. One-third of them were non-Hong Kong registrants, from 39 countries. These achievements boost not only our confidence in consolidating our role, but Hong Kong’s attractiveness to draw in new arts and cultural ideas and collaboration opportunities. As a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures, Hong Kong’s potential could only be fully unleashed with the constant stimuli from the rest of the world.
     
    Good connections is a solid foundation. With it, we can create more for our people. For the sake of arts and cultural development in Hong Kong, my priorities now go to creating space, opportunities, and more importantly an ecosystem. The cultural landscape in Hong Kong is much broadened with the full operation of the world-class West Kowloon Cultural District and the state-of-the-art Kai Tak Sports Park which was opened last month. The recent Coldplay concert hosting over 200 000 audience members coming from all over the world is a strong testimony of Hong Kong’s strong capability in staging world-class events. So, we will definitely work hard to make good use of the space with sufficient quality content. 
     
    Apart from attracting mega events and world-class artists to Hong Kong, we will also create opportunities for our home-grown artists and talent to shine. On this, we are taking bold steps to develop new initiatives that provide such a platform, an example of which is the inaugural Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX) launched in 2024 that brought together arts institutions and practitioners from around the world. The HKSAR Government has already committed to supporting the second edition of HKPAX in the 2025-26 Budget Speech. The Forum today will undoubtedly serve as another precious platform in connecting partners, fostering exchanges and co-operation, and engaging cultural communities with constructive and inspirational thoughts and initiatives.
     
    Currently, Hong Kong is home to a number of globally acclaimed galleries, auction houses and art fairs. Hong Kong’s low tax rate and thriving art fairs have attracted art lovers from around the world to participate in Hong Kong’s art trading events. These qualities have contributed to the emergence of Hong Kong’s art trading and auction market, making Hong Kong one of the world’s top three art trading centres. As you know, Art Basel Hong Kong has developed into a prominent international event for visual arts since its debut in Hong Kong in 2013.  
     
    The advancement in infrastructure and enrichment of platforms have worked together to create a more pluralistic cultural environment, allowing space and conditions for industry building and the integrated development of culture, sports and tourism. The achievements did not happen by accident. This is one of the four strategic directions in the Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development that we promulgated in November 2024 to enhance the ecosystem for the arts, culture and creative industries. Along this direction, we will continue to improve infrastructure, promote cross-sectoral and cross-genre collaborations, nurture talent, and more importantly, to collaborate with all sectors of society for the better future of arts and cultural development. 
     
    Very soon, my dear friends, you will be sharing your constructive and inspirational experiences and opinions for fostering arts and cultural growth at this Ministerial Panel. I look forward to learning from the immense interflow of ideas and insightful discussions that will ensue. On behalf of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, I would like to once again express my heartfelt gratitude for your honourable presence at ACCF+ 2025. Your participation and contribution is deeply meaningful to us and to the enhancement of people-to-people bonding in the region. 
     
    Thank you very much.
    Issued at HKT 16:45

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    CategoriesMIL-OSI

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Unemployment and underemployment statistics for January – March 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         According to the latest labour force statistics (i.e. provisional figures for January – March 2025) released today (April 22) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 3.2% in January – March 2025, same as that in December 2024 – February 2025. The underemployment rate also remained unchanged at 1.1% in the two periods.
     
         Comparing January – March 2025 with December 2024 – February 2025, movements in the unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) in different industry sectors varied. Relatively notable increases were observed in the information and communications sector, social work activities sector, professional and business services sector (excluding cleaning and similar activities), and construction sector. Movements in the underemployment rate in different industry sectors also varied, but the magnitudes were generally not large.
     
         Total employment decreased by around 16 800 from 3 709 500 in December 2024 – February 2025 to 3 692 700 in January – March 2025.  Over the same period, the labour force also decreased by around 5 800 from 3 821 300 to 3 815 500.
     
         The number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) increased by around 11 100 from 111 700 in December 2024 – February 2025 to 122 800 in January – March 2025.  Over the same period, the number of underemployed persons also increased by around 2 000 from 40 700 to 42 700.
      
    Commentary
     
         Commenting on the latest unemployment figures, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, said, “The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stayed low at 3.2% in January – March 2025, same as December 2024 – February 2025. The underemployment rate also remained unchanged at 1.1%. The labour force and total employment declined further to 3 815 500 and 3 692 700 respectively from the preceding three-month period.”
     
         The unemployment rates of various sectors showed different movements in January – March 2025 compared with the preceding three-month period, with increases recorded in sectors such as the information and communications sector, the social work activities sector, the professional and business services sector (excluding cleaning and similar activities), and the construction sector; while declines were observed in the transportation sector and the insurance sector.
     
         Looking ahead, Mr Sun said, “The increasingly uncertain external environment due to escalated trade conflicts may weigh on hiring sentiment in some sectors. Nonetheless, the continued growth of the Mainland economy, supported by the Central Government’s boosting policies, alongside the SAR Government’s various policy measures to continuously promote economic growth and support enterprises, are expected to provide support to labour demand. The SAR Government will stay vigilant and continue to closely monitor the labour market situation.”
     
    Further information
     
         The unemployment and underemployment statistics were compiled from the findings of the continuous General Household Survey.
     
         In the survey, the definitions used in measuring unemployment and underemployment follow closely those recommended by the International Labour Organization. The employed population covers all employers, self-employed persons, employees (including full-time, part-time, casual workers, etc.) and unpaid family workers. Unemployed persons by industry (or occupation) are classified according to their previous industry (or occupation).
     
         The survey for January – March 2025 covered a sample of some 26 000 households or 68 000 persons, selected in accordance with a scientifically designed sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong. Labour force statistics compiled from this sample represented the situation in the moving three-month period of January to March 2025.
     
         Data on labour force characteristics were obtained from the survey by interviewing each member aged 15 or over in the sampled households.
     
         Statistical tables on the latest labour force statistics can be downloaded at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/scode200.html). More detailed analysis of the labour force characteristics is given in the “Quarterly Report on General Household Survey” which is published four times a year. The latest issue of the report contains statistics for the quarter October – December 2024 while the next issue covering the quarter January – March 2025 will be available by end May 2025. Users can also browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050001&scode=200).
     
         For enquiries about labour force statistics, please contact the General Household Survey Section (3) of the C&SD (Tel: 2887 5508 or email: ghs@censtatd.gov.hk).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 22, 2025
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