NewzIntel.com

Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI Banking: New research: AI could make breast cancer screening more accurate and easier

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: New research: AI could make breast cancer screening more accurate and easier

    At Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, we’ve been working with partners at the University of Washington, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, and other institutions to explore whether artificial intelligence can help bring greater clarity, accuracy, and trust to breast cancer screening. 

    This week, our joint research team released the results of a new study published in Radiology, detailing a promising AI approach that aims not just to detect cancer—but to do so in a way that radiologists can trust and patients can understand. 

    The challenges with current breast cancer screening 

    Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. In the United States alone, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Early detection through screening is the most powerful tool available to save lives, with a 20% to 40% reduction in mortality for women aged 50-69—yet it remains an imperfect science. 

    Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is among the most sensitive screening tools available, especially for women at higher risk. But for all its sensitivity, MRI comes with serious trade-offs: high rates of false positives, significantly increased anxiety for patients, and unnecessary biopsies. The problem is especially acute for the nearly 50% of women who have dense breast tissue—a condition that not only increases the risk of breast cancer but also makes it harder to detect abnormalities through traditional imaging methods like mammograms. 

    Too often, these challenges translate into a troubling equation: more scans, more uncertainty, and more follow-up procedures that turn out to be unnecessary. In fact, only a small fraction—less than 5%—of women undergoing breast MRI screening are ultimately diagnosed with cancer. 

    A smarter model, built for the real world 

    The model—called FCDD (Fully Convolutional Data Description)—is based on anomaly detection rather than standard classification. That’s an important shift. Instead of trying to learn what every possible cancer looks like, the model learns what normal breast scans look like and flags anything that deviates.

    This approach is particularly effective in real-world screening settings where cancer is rare and abnormalities are highly varied. Across a dataset of over 9,700 breast MRI exams, the model was tested in both high- and low-prevalence scenarios—including realistic screening populations where just 1.85% of scans contained cancer.

    Here’s what we found:

    • Improved accuracy in low-prevalence populations: FCDD outperformed traditional AI models in identifying malignancies while dramatically reducing false positives. In screening-like settings, it achieved double the positive predictive value of standard models and cut false alarms by more than 25%.
    • Exceptional explainability: Unlike most AI models, FCDD doesn’t just give a “yes” or “no”—it generates heatmaps that visually highlight the suspected tumor location in the two-dimensional MRI projection. These explanation maps matched expert radiologist retrospective annotations with 92% accuracy (pixel-wise AUC), far exceeding other models.
    • Generalizability across institutions: Without retraining, the model maintained high performance on a publicly available external dataset and an independent internal dataset, suggesting strong potential for broader clinical adoption.

    Making AI impactful, not just impressive 

    This model is more than a technical achievement. It’s a step toward making AI useful in clinical workflows—providing triage support, reducing time spent on normal cases, and focusing radiologists’ attention where it matters most. By improving specificity at high sensitivity thresholds (95–97%), the model could help reduce unnecessary callbacks and biopsies, easing emotional and financial burdens for patients. 

    Importantly, the code and methodology have been made open to the research community. You can explore the project here: GitHub Repository, and the paper here.

    As with all AI in healthcare, the path to impact requires more than algorithms. It requires trust. Trust is built not only by performance metrics but also by transparency, interpretability, and a clear understanding of the clinical context in which these tools are deployed. 

    Where we go from here 

    We still have work ahead. The model will need to be tested prospectively in larger, diverse clinical populations. But the results are promising—and they mark an important shift in how we think about the role of AI in medicine. Rather than asking doctors to trust a black box, we’re building models that shine a light on what they see and why. 

    “We are very optimistic about the potential of this new AI model, not only for its increased accuracy over other models in identifying cancerous regions but its ability to do so using only minimal image data from each exam. Importantly, this AI tool can be applied to abbreviated contrast-enhanced breast MRI exams as well as full diagnostic protocols, which may also help in shortening both scan times and interpretation times,” said Savannah Partridge, Professor of Radiology at the University of Washington and senior author of the study. “We are excited to take the next steps to assess its utility for enhancing radiologist performance and clinical workflows.” 

    AI will not replace radiologists. But with the right design and oversight, it can give them sharper tools and clearer signals to increase confidence in evaluating difficult cases.  

    Breast cancer is a global challenge. With AI, we have a chance to detect it earlier, reduce unnecessary interventions, and ultimately save more lives. That is a future worth building toward—one pixel, one scan, and one breakthrough at a time. 

    Tags: AI, AI for Good

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: New research: AI could make breast cancer screening more accurate and easier

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: New research: AI could make breast cancer screening more accurate and easier

    At Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, we’ve been working with partners at the University of Washington, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, and other institutions to explore whether artificial intelligence can help bring greater clarity, accuracy, and trust to breast cancer screening. 

    This week, our joint research team released the results of a new study published in Radiology, detailing a promising AI approach that aims not just to detect cancer—but to do so in a way that radiologists can trust and patients can understand. 

    The challenges with current breast cancer screening 

    Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. In the United States alone, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Early detection through screening is the most powerful tool available to save lives, with a 20% to 40% reduction in mortality for women aged 50-69—yet it remains an imperfect science. 

    Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is among the most sensitive screening tools available, especially for women at higher risk. But for all its sensitivity, MRI comes with serious trade-offs: high rates of false positives, significantly increased anxiety for patients, and unnecessary biopsies. The problem is especially acute for the nearly 50% of women who have dense breast tissue—a condition that not only increases the risk of breast cancer but also makes it harder to detect abnormalities through traditional imaging methods like mammograms. 

    Too often, these challenges translate into a troubling equation: more scans, more uncertainty, and more follow-up procedures that turn out to be unnecessary. In fact, only a small fraction—less than 5%—of women undergoing breast MRI screening are ultimately diagnosed with cancer. 

    A smarter model, built for the real world 

    The model—called FCDD (Fully Convolutional Data Description)—is based on anomaly detection rather than standard classification. That’s an important shift. Instead of trying to learn what every possible cancer looks like, the model learns what normal breast scans look like and flags anything that deviates.

    This approach is particularly effective in real-world screening settings where cancer is rare and abnormalities are highly varied. Across a dataset of over 9,700 breast MRI exams, the model was tested in both high- and low-prevalence scenarios—including realistic screening populations where just 1.85% of scans contained cancer.

    Here’s what we found:

    • Improved accuracy in low-prevalence populations: FCDD outperformed traditional AI models in identifying malignancies while dramatically reducing false positives. In screening-like settings, it achieved double the positive predictive value of standard models and cut false alarms by more than 25%.
    • Exceptional explainability: Unlike most AI models, FCDD doesn’t just give a “yes” or “no”—it generates heatmaps that visually highlight the suspected tumor location in the two-dimensional MRI projection. These explanation maps matched expert radiologist retrospective annotations with 92% accuracy (pixel-wise AUC), far exceeding other models.
    • Generalizability across institutions: Without retraining, the model maintained high performance on a publicly available external dataset and an independent internal dataset, suggesting strong potential for broader clinical adoption.

    Making AI impactful, not just impressive 

    This model is more than a technical achievement. It’s a step toward making AI useful in clinical workflows—providing triage support, reducing time spent on normal cases, and focusing radiologists’ attention where it matters most. By improving specificity at high sensitivity thresholds (95–97%), the model could help reduce unnecessary callbacks and biopsies, easing emotional and financial burdens for patients. 

    Importantly, the code and methodology have been made open to the research community. You can explore the project here: GitHub Repository, and the paper here.

    As with all AI in healthcare, the path to impact requires more than algorithms. It requires trust. Trust is built not only by performance metrics but also by transparency, interpretability, and a clear understanding of the clinical context in which these tools are deployed. 

    Where we go from here 

    We still have work ahead. The model will need to be tested prospectively in larger, diverse clinical populations. But the results are promising—and they mark an important shift in how we think about the role of AI in medicine. Rather than asking doctors to trust a black box, we’re building models that shine a light on what they see and why. 

    “We are very optimistic about the potential of this new AI model, not only for its increased accuracy over other models in identifying cancerous regions but its ability to do so using only minimal image data from each exam. Importantly, this AI tool can be applied to abbreviated contrast-enhanced breast MRI exams as well as full diagnostic protocols, which may also help in shortening both scan times and interpretation times,” said Savannah Partridge, Professor of Radiology at the University of Washington and senior author of the study. “We are excited to take the next steps to assess its utility for enhancing radiologist performance and clinical workflows.” 

    AI will not replace radiologists. But with the right design and oversight, it can give them sharper tools and clearer signals to increase confidence in evaluating difficult cases.  

    Breast cancer is a global challenge. With AI, we have a chance to detect it earlier, reduce unnecessary interventions, and ultimately save more lives. That is a future worth building toward—one pixel, one scan, and one breakthrough at a time. 

    Tags: AI, AI for Good

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Researcher Spotlight: Violeta Sanchez i Nogue’s Journey to Bioprocess Development at NREL

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    On a Christmas morning in the early 1990s, in a small town north of Barcelona, a young Violeta Sanchez i Nogue’s interest in chemistry was born. She unwrapped a junior chemistry lab kit that would ignite a love of science and lead to a successful career as a senior researcher at NREL.

    Violeta Sanchez i Nogue, now a senior researcher, started her career at NREL as a postdoctoral researcher. Photo by Werner Slocum, NREL

    “With the kit, you could run lots of different assays inside glass tubes with different chemical compounds,” Sanchez i Nogue said. “It even had an alcohol burner! In retrospect probably not the safest game, but you can imagine lots of color changes and fume generation when reactions were taking place. I had lots of fun playing with this game with my sister, and I was just fascinated by it.”

    With visions of someday working in a chemistry lab, Sanchez i Nogue took an opportunity to expand her horizons by joining an engineering boot camp during the summer before high school graduation.

    “I really enjoyed it, as it gave me exposure to university-level research,” she said. “We spent a couple of weeks taking environmental samples in the Pyrenees and analyzing them in a lab the university had installed at the mountain hostel. Most of the researchers were from the chemical engineering department, so I had the chance to learn about the types of research they were doing.”

    Combining Scientific Passions

    Needless to say, she was hooked. She decided to combine her two interests and pursue a degree in chemical engineering at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. During her undergraduate studies, she completed an internship at Lund University in Sweden, where she later returned to earn a Ph.D. in engineering. It was here that she became familiar with NREL’s leading work on lignocellulosics and bioethanol—the focus of her thesis.

    Sanchez i Nogue worked for a startup company developing yeast strains and processes for second-generation ethanol and other biotech applications. In the summer of 2015, she joined NREL as a postdoctoral researcher working on a project to produce renewable carbon fibers.

    “It just felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when a colleague from grad school sent me the job posting,” Sanchez i Nogue said. “It was a relatively big project with universities, other national labs, and industrial partners. This first project was ambitious, and the fermentations I was running were really fast, but it was an amazing experience to be able to work with a highly multidisciplinary team. After a few months of being at NREL, I had the opportunity to join another project, which I am still part of.”

    Working With Microorganisms

    “While one might think the challenges an organism faces when we put them in bioreactors are really different compared to their native environment, you can actually leverage lots of natural strengths and weaknesses from learning about their origins,” Sanchez i Nogue said.

    Violeta Sanchez i Nogue works with digesters in NREL’s Field Test Laboratory Building. Photo from Violeta Sanchez i Nogue, NREL

    Most of her projects have parallel efforts across the laboratory in metabolic engineering, separations, catalysis, and analysis.

    “Working on multidisciplinary projects with people who all have unique sets of expertise and backgrounds can be challenging at times,” Sanchez i Nogue said. “But it always feels like a pivotal moment when synergies occur because people work together.”

    “I love the fact that I learn something new every single day,” she said. “I have what I consider one of the greatest privileges in a job: I work with dedicated, hard-working, and kind people, and this is a pleasure not everyone has.”

    Seeking New Challenges

    While the development of core capabilities happens on a laboratory scale, Sanchez i Nogue also works at the pilot scale in NREL’s Integrated Biorefinery Research Facility and externally with different industrial and university project partners.

    Given her proclivity for collaboration, Sanchez i Nogue is not one to shy away from a new challenge. In 2023, she worked to onboard new operations in NREL’s Field Test Laboratory Building to be able to use different types of organic waste (including food waste, manure, and wastewater). Today, she is doing similar work on setting up an aerobic gas fermentation system in NREL’s new Research and Innovation Laboratory that will allow the use of hydrogen, oxygen, and flue gases.

    “Deploying new capabilities in the lab is often challenging,” Sanchez i Nogue said. “Who do we bring to the table to help moving things forward? How does it fit into the current lab operations? Which changes will be needed to implement it safely? It is a lot of work behind the scenes.”

    Sanchez i Nogue’s behind-the-scenes work has a history of paying off.

    “Over these last years, I have been fortunate to work with people who took our challenges as theirs, and that has allowed for instrumental changes to the system,” she said. “I am happy to contribute to expanding NREL’s bioeconomy and sustainable transportation research capabilities!”

    Living Beyond the Lab

    Outside of work, Sanchez i Nogue enjoys cooking, baking, reading, gardening, and raising her 2-year-old daughter, which includes answering endless whys about people and nature’s curiosities.

    “We recently had a nice opportunity to see a couple of robins nesting in our front yard, so we talked about how and why they were constructing the nest, laying the eggs, incubating them, feeding them, teaching them to fly, and more,” she said. “She is also fascinated by butterflies and has just started to distinguish ants from spiders.”

    Her daughter’s expanding love of learning about the world around her mirrors that of her own, nurtured by the fateful junior chemistry lab kit from many Christmases ago.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: HSE Strengthens Ties with Central Asia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University “Higher School of Economics” –

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Lagos is young and diverse, so what shapes ethnic and religious prejudice among teens? Our study tried to find out

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Leila Demarest, Associate Professor, Institute of Political Science, Leiden University

    Lagos State, with an estimated population of 20 million, is Africa’s largest metropolis. Home to Nigeria’s commercial capital, it is a magnet for internal migration, drawing in a mix of the country’s ethnic groups. Nigeria is estimated to have between 150 and 500 distinct ethnic groups, many of which are represented in Lagos.

    The original inhabitants of Lagos were Yoruba. As the colonial capital, the city experienced early migration from the Igbo group from the south-east. The Hausa-Fulani, from the north, are another important group to have been drawn to Lagos. More recent migration to the city has also been caused by insecurity in the north of Nigeria.

    The social interactions between people from diverse backgrounds have been studied extensively as dynamics of exclusion are often pervasive in developed and developing societies alike. In multi-ethnic societies in Africa where there has been violent conflict, the question of peaceful coexistence is all the more important.

    In Nigeria, past ethno-religious violence has led to massive casualties. The 1960s Biafra war and lethal riots in Kaduna and Jos in recent decades stand out. Lesser tensions are also present in Lagos state around competition for jobs and access to political power.

    Intergroup tensions in Lagos may give rise to concerns about the risk of more serious threats.

    But do we see this in adolescents, who haven’t yet started competing with each other for jobs and resources? In schools, young people generally have equal status, common goals, intergroup cooperation, and potential for friendship. Could new generations overcome the adversarial past?

    We have decades of research between us straddling group behaviour and identity formation, peace and conflict dynamics, and ethnicity and religion in sub-Saharan Africa. For our research we aimed to gain a picture of intergroup dynamics among Lagos adolescents.

    We concluded from surveying young people that higher diversity levels encourage more friendships and cross-group political discussions, which lead to positive relations between ethnic groups. But waiting for this to happen naturally may not be the best approach. It may leave smaller minority groups exposed to discrimination in the meantime. Policy interventions may encourage a quicker development of positive relations.

    Survey of Lagos adolescents

    Nigeria has a large youth population. Half of the people who live in Lagos state are younger than 25. That could have an important impact on future developments in the city, including intergroup relations.

    In 2019, we surveyed final year secondary school students in 36 schools across the state to find out how they viewed other societal groups and which factors affected their views. Most previous research on intergroup relations has focused on adults.

    We aimed to obtain a sample of Lagos adolescents who experienced diversity in their daily lives. To achieve this, we drew from both urban and rural districts. Our final sample contained 70 % Yoruba, 16 % Igbo, 2 % Hausa-Fulani, and 12 % other minority group adolescents.

    We found that:

    • adolescents who reported more cross-group friendships had more positive attitudes, including higher trust, towards other groups

    • those exposed to political discussions in diverse contexts were more likely to hold positive attitudes towards other ethnic and religious groups

    • when youths experienced more diversity in their schools and neighbourhoods they were less likely to stereotype members of groups

    • they were also less likely to report a preference for their own group when it comes to teachers, future bosses, marriage partners and electoral candidates.

    In contrast, youths exposed to political discussions in ethnic enclaves held negative views.

    Diversity and contact

    We used statistical analyses to investigate intergroup relations among our youth sample. We first asked whether there was a relationship between exposure to other groups and attitudes towards them. While urban areas, especially megacities like Lagos, are often characterised by diversity, many ethnic enclaves or homogeneous neighbourhoods exist.

    We found that higher exposure to diversity had mixed effects. It was associated with less stereotyping and in-group preference, but also related to lower trust in others in general.

    Mixed effects are not surprising, as scholars have long held that exposure to diversity does not really tell us how people actually relate to one another: what matters more is positive contact between individuals from different groups. Contact has been robustly associated with more positive intergroup attitudes in predominantly western-focused studies. In Africa-focused studies results have been mixed, with some finding positive and others no real impact of contact.

    Our findings provide evidence for positive contact theory as adolescents with more cross-group friendships held more positive attitudes towards other groups and also had higher trust. This demonstrates actual positive contact is more important than mere exposure to diversity.

    We also found that exposure to political narratives mattered. Youths who were exposed to political discussions in diverse contexts were more likely to hold positive attitudes towards other ethnic and religious groups.

    Policy implications

    Intergroup attitudes are formed at an early age. Once developed, prejudice or tolerance have a tendency to “stick” over time. Questions on the development of positive attitudes are in need of urgent attention in Africa because of the continent’s youthful populations and many African countries’ experiences with ethnic and religious conflict.

    This brings us to the question of whether tolerance of others can be fast-tracked, especially at an early age, and when youth can be targeted through school interventions. Evidence from other (western) studies suggests that multicultural education, in which pupils are exposed to different cultures in the curriculum, cross-group class discussions on political themes, and cross-group school projects, may encourage positive intergroup relations.

    These types of policies come with an important warning though. As we have seen during our field work, many schools, especially public schools, face large class sizes due to resource constraints and teacher training is minimal. Corporal punishment is still implemented. Group work and deliberation are difficult to manage with large numbers and a lack of training, and teachers also risk bringing their own prejudices to the classroom.

    So it’s important to design interventions carefully and more research is needed to do this effectively in African contexts.

    – Lagos is young and diverse, so what shapes ethnic and religious prejudice among teens? Our study tried to find out
    – https://theconversation.com/lagos-is-young-and-diverse-so-what-shapes-ethnic-and-religious-prejudice-among-teens-our-study-tried-to-find-out-260720

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: A European Summer for Sciences Po Students at Bucharest

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    Students in front of the entrance at 1 St-Thomas (credits: Pierre Morel)

    Virtual Undergraduate Open House day 2025

    Come meet our teams and students at our campuses.

    Sign-up

    Virtual Graduate Open House day 2025

    Meet faculty members, students and representatives and learn more about our 30 Master’s programmes.

    Sign-up

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: What Canada could learn from the tragic consequences of the Texas flash flood

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Gordon McBean, Professor Emeritus, Department of Geography and Environment, Western University

    On July 4, a horrific flash flood occurred in central Texas, mainly impacting Kerr County. The heavy rain started at about 3 a.m., resulting in rainwater surging down mountain slopes, causing the waters in the Guadalupe River to rise by eight metres very quickly.

    At least 132 people have been confirmed dead as of July 14; most of them were in Kerr County. The area is under renewed flood warnings as heavy rains threaten to continue.

    In recognition of the scope of this tragedy, it’s important to determine why it happened. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott stated that a special session of the state legislature will be held in late July to investigate the emergency response.

    Acting to reduce impacts

    Local Texas officials are facing questions over their actions in the hours — and years — before the flood. In recent years, multiple efforts in Kerr County to build a more substantial flood warning system have faltered or been abandoned due to budget concerns.

    In 2015, a deadly Memorial Day flood in Kerr County rekindled debate over whether to install a flood monitoring system and sirens that would alert the public to evacuate when the river rose to dangerous levels. Some officials, cognizant of a 1987 flood that killed eight people on a church camp bus, thought it should be done, but the idea ran into opposition.

    Some residents and elected officials opposed the installation of sirens, citing the cost and noise that they feared would result from repeated alarms. As a result, Kerr Country did not have emergency sirens that could have warned residents about the rising waters.

    Critical warnings

    The critical challenge for communicating flash floods is ensuring that early warnings reach vulnerable populations. Unlike slow-onset river floods, flash floods leave very limited time for reaction. This makes accurate short-term forecasting and community preparedness essential.

    The U.S. National Weather Service issued its first public warning about the flooding in Kerr County at 1:14 a.m. on July 4, warning of life-threatening flash flooding, with subsequent warnings triggering alerts.

    Floodwaters surged dramatically as the Guadalupe River rose nearly eight metres in about 45 minutes. The 4:03 a.m. warning instructed residents to “Move to higher ground now! This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation.”

    The warnings were disseminated at night through emergency management systems and television and radio stations, but many people, including hundreds of children at summer camps, did not receive them.

    Government agencies at all levels need to work together to ensure that residents of impacted areas move effectively to outside of the flood area or at least to higher elevation areas or safe buildings.

    CBC News covers the flood warnings issued during the Texas floods.

    Societal impacts

    The World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Assessment for 10-year periods ranked extreme weather events as the highest global risk in both the 2024 and 2025 assessments. Floods are a very important extreme weather event.

    The U.S. National Centers for Environmental Information published its review of events for the period 1980-2024. Tropical cyclones were the costliest weather and climate disasters, followed by: droughts, wildfires and flooding, which had an average cost of US$4.5 billion per event. The number of billion-dollar inland flood events has increased in the U.S.

    Note that the dollar costs of these events in these assessments do not include the many societal impacts, including mental trauma and other health impacts.

    Terminations at U.S. agencies

    There have been major reductions in the staffing and budgetary support of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Services, which is part of NOAA.



    Read more:
    Terminations at U.S. government agencies that monitor extreme weather events will have negative effects

    The impacts of these reductions on the weather and flood forecasts that would have alerted Texans on July 4 are not yet clear. At the time of writing, the website for the National Weather Services office for Austin/San Antonio, which covers the region that includes hard-hit Kerr County, shows six of 27 positions are listed as vacant. One important vacancy is that of the key manager responsible for issuing warnings and co-ordinating with local emergency management officials.

    The U.S. government has also reduced the funding for research on weather systems, including floods. There have also been reductions in the funding support for scientific analyses of how climate change will affect the severity of storms.

    Deep funding cuts to NOAA may result in the termination of both the National Severe Storms Lab and the Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations at the University of Oklahoma, which will have a highly negative impact on the understanding of storms.



    Read more:
    Trump’s budget cuts are adding to risk in life-threatening floods and emergencies

    Canadian floods

    The Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory was established in 2024 at Western University to conduct leading research on severe weather in Canada.

    Flooding is the most common and costly disaster in Canada. In the past decade, floods have averaged nearly $800 million in insured losses annually.

    Over time, the potential for extreme rainfall events is increasing. Heavy rainfall events and their ensuing flood risks are increasing because of warmer temperatures.

    Canadian data shows that climate change is driving increasingly severe and frequent floods.

    Is Canada prepared?

    Flooding will only get worse in the future, and government action is needed to manage this growing risk. One of the ways in which Canada isn’t prepared is that most flood-risk maps are out of date, with some being decades old.

    While Environment and Climate Change Canada issues weather watches and warnings for things like tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and rainfall, it doesn’t provide flood forecasts.

    Most provinces argue that water resources are natural resources and are therefore under provincial jurisdiction. This means that weather forecasts across the country are provided by the Meteorological Service of Canada, while flood forecasts are produced by each of the provinces.

    It is important to take actions to address adaptation and climate resilience that consider future floods and their impacts. Federal, provincial and territorial governments will need to work together to avoid tragedies.

    Gordon McBean has received funding from the Canadian funding agencies (SSHRC, NSERC) for academic research in the past. He has received funding for research from Western University including one grant that has not yet been completed and from the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction to participate in scientific meetings and conferences.

    – ref. What Canada could learn from the tragic consequences of the Texas flash flood – https://theconversation.com/what-canada-could-learn-from-the-tragic-consequences-of-the-texas-flash-flood-260755

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How AI can help protect bees from dangerous parasites

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Farnaz Sheikhi, Postdoctoral Associate in Computer Vision, University of Calgary

    Tiny but mighty, honeybees play a crucial role in our ecosystems, pollinating various plants and crops. They also support the economy. These small producers contribute billions of dollars to Canada’s agriculture industry, making Canada a major honey producer.

    However, in the winter of 2024, Canada’s honey industry faced a severe collapse. Canada lost more than one-third of its beehives, primarily due to the widespread infestation of Varroa mites.

    Traditional methods for controlling these parasites now seem less effective, and the industry needs a transition to smart beekeeping if it is to survive.

    We are currently conducting research to develop a non-invasive and sustainable method for the early detection of Varroa mites. Our proposed approach uses artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze images from beehives, automatically classifying them based on the presence of Varroa mites and the level of infestation.

    Varroa infestations

    Varroa mites are tiny parasites that attach to honeybees, feed on their body tissue and transmit viruses throughout the colony. Over the years, these parasites have developed resistance to the traditional control methods, necessitating more aggressive treatments. However, these treatments can endanger the health of honeybees.

    The Prairie provinces — Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba — are Canada’s top honey-producing regions, with Alberta alone contributing almost 40 per cent of the country’s total honey production.

    Canada lost an average of 34.6 per cent of its bee colonies in the winter of 2024 — 2.4 per cent more than the loss of the previous year. The winter losses across Canada ranged from 9.8 per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador to 61.3 per cent on Prince Edward Island. In the Prairie provinces, colony losses reached almost 40 per cent.

    Investigations reported that Varroa mite infestations were a key contributing factor causing the devastation.

    Economic impact on Canada

    Winter 2024 losses had a devastating effect on Canada’s beekeepers. The high cost of honeybees as well as the intensive labour and time needed to rebuild hives make them difficult to replace.

    Within a stable environment and a thriving industry, increased investment yields higher returns. In 2023, the number of beekeepers and bee colonies in Canada increased by 3.29 per cent and 2.4 per cent, respectively.

    Yet, in 2024, Canada experienced an 18.3 per cent decrease in honey production. The total national value of the harvest declined by 24.5 per cent, dropping from from $283 million in 2023 to $214 million. The Prairie provinces were hit hardest; the value of honey solely produced in Alberta fell from $100 million in 2023 to $75 million in 2024.

    Limitations of current monitoring methods

    Preventing mites requires frequent hive monitoring. Although timely detection is critical for treating hives, manual inspection is time-consuming and labour-intensive. Furthermore, frequent manual monitoring can pose risks to the health and well-being of honeybees.

    Alcohol washes, sugar shakes and using sticky boards are among the methods for Varroa mites monitoring. In a typical alcohol wash test, about 300 bees per colony are sampled. These bees are washed in rubbing alcohol. Then, they are shaken rigorously to check for Varroa mites. The problem with this method is that all the bees tested die in the process.

    While other methods, such as the sugar shake and using sticky boards, do not kill the bees tested, they deliver limited results and are not always as accurate.

    This makes none of the current methods ideal; each involves a trade-off between invasiveness and accuracy. And given that testing must be done frequently, they all pose risks to the health of honeybees themselves. So what’s the solution?

    Using AI to detect Varroa mites

    There is an urgent need for the beekeeping industry to evolve to help prevent further losses and support the resilience of bee populations. Climate change and resistance of mites to traditional treatments are environmental alarms demanding a change in our beekeeping approaches.

    This is where artificial intelligence comes in. Using imaging systems, sensors embedded in hives, image-processing techniques and AI, researchers are now able to continuously collect and analyze hive data to detect Varroa mites.

    In this approach, a camera is placed inside the beehive brood box to capture images of the honeybees. These images are then transmitted via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for storage and analysis.

    A neural network can be trained on the collected images — first to detect bees using object-detection algorithms, and then to identify Varroa mites on the bees through colour transformation techniques. Once mites are detected, their number within the hive can be automatically counted.

    Using this technology, beekeepers can benefit from automatic monitoring of the hives. When the level of infestation is specified by the system, it can also recommend effective treatments for hives. This way, Varroa mites can be detected and treated at an early stage, allowing hives to survive the winter more smoothly.

    Transitioning to smart beekeeping is a strategic solution that is non-invasive and environmentally friendly, cost-effective and profitable in the long term. The good news is that researchers at the University of Calgary and beekeepers are already working together to make this happen and preserve the sweetness of honey across our land.

    Farhad Maleki receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
    Alberta Innovate. He is affiliated with McGill University, where he serves as an adjunct Assistant Professor.

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

    – ref. How AI can help protect bees from dangerous parasites – https://theconversation.com/how-ai-can-help-protect-bees-from-dangerous-parasites-259495

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Lagos is young and diverse, so what shapes ethnic and religious prejudice among teens? Our study tried to find out

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Leila Demarest, Associate Professor, Institute of Political Science, Leiden University

    Lagos State, with an estimated population of 20 million, is Africa’s largest metropolis. Home to Nigeria’s commercial capital, it is a magnet for internal migration, drawing in a mix of the country’s ethnic groups. Nigeria is estimated to have between 150 and 500 distinct ethnic groups, many of which are represented in Lagos.

    The original inhabitants of Lagos were Yoruba. As the colonial capital, the city experienced early migration from the Igbo group from the south-east. The Hausa-Fulani, from the north, are another important group to have been drawn to Lagos. More recent migration to the city has also been caused by insecurity in the north of Nigeria.

    The social interactions between people from diverse backgrounds have been studied extensively as dynamics of exclusion are often pervasive in developed and developing societies alike. In multi-ethnic societies in Africa where there has been violent conflict, the question of peaceful coexistence is all the more important.

    In Nigeria, past ethno-religious violence has led to massive casualties. The 1960s Biafra war and lethal riots in Kaduna and Jos in recent decades stand out. Lesser tensions are also present in Lagos state around competition for jobs and access to political power.

    Intergroup tensions in Lagos may give rise to concerns about the risk of more serious threats.

    But do we see this in adolescents, who haven’t yet started competing with each other for jobs and resources? In schools, young people generally have equal status, common goals, intergroup cooperation, and potential for friendship. Could new generations overcome the adversarial past?

    We have decades of research between us straddling group behaviour and identity formation, peace and conflict dynamics, and ethnicity and religion in sub-Saharan Africa. For our research we aimed to gain a picture of intergroup dynamics among Lagos adolescents.

    We concluded from surveying young people that higher diversity levels encourage more friendships and cross-group political discussions, which lead to positive relations between ethnic groups. But waiting for this to happen naturally may not be the best approach. It may leave smaller minority groups exposed to discrimination in the meantime. Policy interventions may encourage a quicker development of positive relations.

    Survey of Lagos adolescents

    Nigeria has a large youth population. Half of the people who live in Lagos state are younger than 25. That could have an important impact on future developments in the city, including intergroup relations.

    In 2019, we surveyed final year secondary school students in 36 schools across the state to find out how they viewed other societal groups and which factors affected their views. Most previous research on intergroup relations has focused on adults.

    We aimed to obtain a sample of Lagos adolescents who experienced diversity in their daily lives. To achieve this, we drew from both urban and rural districts. Our final sample contained 70 % Yoruba, 16 % Igbo, 2 % Hausa-Fulani, and 12 % other minority group adolescents.

    We found that:

    • adolescents who reported more cross-group friendships had more positive attitudes, including higher trust, towards other groups

    • those exposed to political discussions in diverse contexts were more likely to hold positive attitudes towards other ethnic and religious groups

    • when youths experienced more diversity in their schools and neighbourhoods they were less likely to stereotype members of groups

    • they were also less likely to report a preference for their own group when it comes to teachers, future bosses, marriage partners and electoral candidates.

    In contrast, youths exposed to political discussions in ethnic enclaves held negative views.

    Diversity and contact

    We used statistical analyses to investigate intergroup relations among our youth sample. We first asked whether there was a relationship between exposure to other groups and attitudes towards them. While urban areas, especially megacities like Lagos, are often characterised by diversity, many ethnic enclaves or homogeneous neighbourhoods exist.

    We found that higher exposure to diversity had mixed effects. It was associated with less stereotyping and in-group preference, but also related to lower trust in others in general.

    Mixed effects are not surprising, as scholars have long held that exposure to diversity does not really tell us how people actually relate to one another: what matters more is positive contact between individuals from different groups. Contact has been robustly associated with more positive intergroup attitudes in predominantly western-focused studies. In Africa-focused studies results have been mixed, with some finding positive and others no real impact of contact.

    Our findings provide evidence for positive contact theory as adolescents with more cross-group friendships held more positive attitudes towards other groups and also had higher trust. This demonstrates actual positive contact is more important than mere exposure to diversity.

    We also found that exposure to political narratives mattered. Youths who were exposed to political discussions in diverse contexts were more likely to hold positive attitudes towards other ethnic and religious groups.

    Policy implications

    Intergroup attitudes are formed at an early age. Once developed, prejudice or tolerance have a tendency to “stick” over time. Questions on the development of positive attitudes are in need of urgent attention in Africa because of the continent’s youthful populations and many African countries’ experiences with ethnic and religious conflict.

    This brings us to the question of whether tolerance of others can be fast-tracked, especially at an early age, and when youth can be targeted through school interventions. Evidence from other (western) studies suggests that multicultural education, in which pupils are exposed to different cultures in the curriculum, cross-group class discussions on political themes, and cross-group school projects, may encourage positive intergroup relations.

    These types of policies come with an important warning though. As we have seen during our field work, many schools, especially public schools, face large class sizes due to resource constraints and teacher training is minimal. Corporal punishment is still implemented. Group work and deliberation are difficult to manage with large numbers and a lack of training, and teachers also risk bringing their own prejudices to the classroom.

    So it’s important to design interventions carefully and more research is needed to do this effectively in African contexts.

    Leila Demarest received funding from the Leiden University Fund (grant reference W19304-5-01)

    Arnim Langer receives funding from Research Foundation Flanders (FWO).

    – ref. Lagos is young and diverse, so what shapes ethnic and religious prejudice among teens? Our study tried to find out – https://theconversation.com/lagos-is-young-and-diverse-so-what-shapes-ethnic-and-religious-prejudice-among-teens-our-study-tried-to-find-out-260720

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bozeman Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking

    Source: US FBI

    MISSOULA – A Bozeman man accused of sending threatening emails to a student at Montana State University admitted to charges yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Rex Wu, Jr., 23, pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking. Wu faces 5 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Court Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing has been set for November 6, 2025. Wu was released on conditions pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that the MSU Police Department contacted the FBI in February 2023 because a student was receiving harassing and threatening communications. The emails were racially charged and included threats to kill the student and other members of the campus group she was affiliated with. The messages were sent from several accounts, including some on platforms that make it difficult to identify the owner. Law enforcement eventually identified Wu as the likely culprit by linking an IP address at a local apartment to him, as well as online donation records and various Gmail accounts. FBI agents interviewed Wu in Bozeman on February 27, 2025, and he admitted sending several harassing emails to the MSU student.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Starnes prosecuted the case. The FBI and Montana State University Campus Police conducted the investigation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Whose turn is it? The question is at the heart of language and chimpanzees ask it too

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Kayla Kolff, Postdoctoral researcher, Osnabrück University

    When we think about what sets humans apart from other animals, language often comes to mind. Language is more than words – it also relies on the ability to build shared understanding through conversation.

    At the heart of conversation is turn-taking: the ability to coordinate interaction in time. This means alternating speaking roles, where one person speaks and the other listens, and responding in ways that keep the exchange moving forward.

    But is this uniquely human? Increasingly, scientists are finding signs of turn-taking beyond our species – in visual cues in Siamese fish, in meerkat calls, and, as our recent study suggests, also in the grooming behaviour of chimpanzees.

    As primatologists and biologists, we are interested in the evolutionary origins and driving forces behind human communication and cognition.

    One animal behaviour that’s been said to involve features resembling human communication is grooming – combing through or licking each other’s fur. It’s one of the ways that some animals connect and bond with one another.

    Grooming is a central part of the daily lives of chimpanzees, a species that together with bonobos represent humans’ closest living relatives. Chimpanzees engage in grooming to build relationships, reduce stress, and strengthen their friendships. While we know why they groom, and whom they prefer to groom, we do not know much about how it is organised. Does grooming happen randomly, or do chimpanzees take turns? And might things like age, their position in the group, family ties, or friendships influence the interaction? There may be another layer to grooming, shaped by social decisions made in the moment.

    To answer this, we looked at whether grooming interactions involve turn-taking. We found that chimpanzees living in their natural environments do take turns, using a range of signals and movements to engage each other within the interaction. We then went on to check whether age, social standing, family ties and friendships affected the exchange of turns.

    We found that especially age and social standing shaped how individuals accommodated their partners. This is in line with Communication Accommodation Theory, which is the idea that individuals adapt their communication according to the characteristics of recipients. Our findings open a new window on chimpanzee social cognition and provide perspectives on the evolutionary foundations of human communication.

    Grooming coordination in the wild

    To investigate how chimpanzees coordinate their grooming interactions, we studied male eastern chimpanzees at the Ngogo field site, in Uganda’s Kibale National Park. Over the course of ten months, we observed and filmed grooming interactions among 42 males in their natural environment using a digital camera.

    As chimpanzee grooming is not just a simple back-and-forth where one chimpanzee grooms and then gets groomed in return, we paid close attention to gestures and additional actions. Gestures are bodily movements used to get another chimpanzee’s attention or to ask for something, such as raising an arm to invite more grooming. Actions, on the other hand, are things one chimpanzee does to another, such as grooming, approaching or leaving.

    Based on these, we identified four types of turn exchanges:

    • action–action

    • action–gesture

    • gesture–action

    • gesture–gesture.

    We observed that chimpanzees actively managed the interaction, using actions and gestures to start, invite, or respond to their partner’s participation.

    What shapes participation in these exchanges?

    Some chimpanzees were more likely than others to take turns during grooming. A closer look revealed that age and social status played a key role. Older males, who in chimpanzee societies tend to hold more dominant positions, were more likely to get responses from others. Younger males, especially adolescents, were more likely to take a turn in response to others than to have others take a turn in response to them – suggesting they were more often responding than being responded to.

    That makes a lot of sense when you think about chimpanzee social life. Younger individuals are still figuring out their place in the group, and grooming can be a way to build and nurture relationships and to learn the social ropes and finesses. Older males already have stable and strong friendships; they often receive grooming from others and tend to give less in return.

    Surprisingly, friendships and family ties did not influence the chances of turn-taking, although these are important aspects of chimpanzee lives. What mattered more were age and social standing. Think of it like choosing a lunch seat at school: you might choose to sit near an older student or someone popular, even if it meant not sitting with your friends or family.

    Grooming interaction between Gus (a subadult male) and Jackson (an adult male and the alpha), both of whom also appear in the Netflix documentary Chimp Empire.

    When we looked more closely at different types of turn-taking, one stood out: gesture–gesture exchanges. These looked a lot like social negotiations, where both chimpanzees gestured to each other before any grooming happened. These kinds of exchanges were more common when a chimpanzee interacted with an older individual, who may be more experienced in handling social situations and better at getting what they want, whether that means “groom me” or “keep going in grooming me”.

    This study suggests that chimpanzees take turns as a strategic social tool to achieve goals like being groomed instead of doing the grooming themselves. Who you are, who you are interacting with, and what you might stand to gain from the exchange all shape how things unfold.

    What this tells us

    Our findings reveal that chimpanzee grooming is a complex behaviour, organised through structured exchanges of gestures and actions, shaped by strategies for engaging with others. It’s about more than the grooming itself.



    Read more:
    Inside the chimpanzee medicine cabinet: we’ve found a new way chimps treat wounds with plants

    This ability to coordinate action and respond to others suggests a basic foundation that may have helped lay the groundwork for the evolution of human communication.

    Kayla Kolff received funding from the DFG, German Research Foundation.

    This project is part of a project that was funded by an EUConsolidator
    grant (772000, TurnTaking) to SP of the European
    Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon
    2020 research and innovation programme.

    – ref. Whose turn is it? The question is at the heart of language and chimpanzees ask it too – https://theconversation.com/whose-turn-is-it-the-question-is-at-the-heart-of-language-and-chimpanzees-ask-it-too-258736

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Africans survived 10,000 years of climate changes by adapting food systems – study offers lessons for modern times

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Leanne N. Phelps, Associate research scientist, Columbia University

    Imagine living in a place where a single drought, hurricane, or mudslide can wipe out your food supply. Across Africa, many communities do exactly that – navigate climate shocks like floods, heatwaves, and failed harvests.

    What’s often overlooked in the development policies to tackle these threats is a powerful sources of insight: Africa’s own history.

    Around 14,700 to 5,500 years ago, much of Africa experienced wetter conditions – a time referred to as the African Humid Period. As wet conditions declined around 5,500 years ago, major social, cultural, and environmental changes ensued across the continent.

    We’re part of a multidisciplinary team of scientists who recently published a study about how diverse African communities adapted to climate variability over the past 10,000 years. This is the first study to explore thousands of years of change in people’s livelihoods across the continent using isotopic data.

    This continent-wide approach offers novel insights into how livelihoods formed and evolved across space and time.

    Prior theories often assumed that societies and their food systems evolved in a linear way. In other words they developed from simple hunting and gathering communities to politically and socially complex societies practising agriculture.

    Instead, what we see is a complex mosaic of adaptable strategies that helped people survive. For 10,000 years, African communities adapted by mixing herding, farming, fishing and foraging. They blended different practices based on what worked at different times in their specific environment. That diversity across communities and regions was key to human survival.

    That has real lessons for food systems today.

    Our research suggests that rigid, top-down development plans, including ones that privilege intensifying agriculture over diversified economies, are unlikely to succeed. Many modern policies promote narrow approaches, like focusing only on cash crops. But history tells a different story. Resilience isn’t about choosing the “best” or most “intensive” method and sticking with it. Rather it’s about staying flexible and blending different strategies to align with local conditions.

    The clues left behind

    We were able to develop our insights by looking at the clues left behind by the food people ate and the environments they lived in. We did this by analysing the chemical traces (isotopes) in ancient human and domestic animal bones from 187 archaeological sites across the African continent.

    We sorted the results into groups with similar features, or “isotopic niches”. Then we described the livelihood and ecological characteristics of these niches using archaeological and environmental information.



    Read more:
    Tooth enamel provides clues on tsetse flies and the spread of herding in ancient Africa

    Our methods illustrated a wide range of livelihood systems. For example, in what are now Botswana and Zimbabwe, some groups combined small-scale farming with wild food gathering and livestock herding after the African Humid Period. In Egypt and Sudan, communities mixed crop farming – focused on wheat, barley, and legumes – with fishing, dairy, and beer brewing.

    Herders, in particular, developed highly flexible strategies. They adapted to hot plains, dry highlands, and everything in between. Pastoral systems (farming with grazing animals) show up at more archaeological sites than any other food system. They also have the widest range of chemical signatures – evidence of their adaptability to shifting environments.

    Our study also used isotopic data to build up a picture of how people were using livestock. Most animal management systems were reliant on grasses (plants such as millet and tropical pasture), and adapted to diverse ecological conditions. Some systems were highly specialised to semi-arid and mountainous environments. Others included mixed herds adapted to wetter or lower elevation regions. In other cases, animals were kept as stock in small numbers to supplement other livelihoods – providing milk, dung, and insurance against crop failure.



    Read more:
    Pastoralists are an asset to the world – and we have a lot to learn from them

    This adaptability helps clarify why, over the past millennium, pastoral systems have remained so important, especially in areas with increasing aridity.

    Mixed livelihood strategies

    The study also provides strong evidence for interactions between food production and foraging, whether at community or regional level.

    Dynamic, mixed livelihood strategies, including interactions like trade within and between communities near and far, were especially apparent during periods of climatic stress. One of these periods was the end of the African Humid Period (from about 5,500 years ago), when a drier climate created new challenges.

    In south-eastern Africa, from 2,000 years ago, there was a rise of diverse livelihood systems blending herding, farming and foraging in complex ways. These systems likely emerged in response to complex environmental and social change. Complex changes in social networks – especially around sharing land, resources, and knowledge – likely underpinned the development of this resilience.



    Read more:
    Hunter-gatherer diets weren’t always heavy on meat: Morocco study reveals a plant-based diet

    How the past can inform the future

    Ancient livelihood strategies offer a playbook for surviving climate change today.

    Our analysis suggests that over thousands of years, communities that combined herding, farming, fishing and gathering were making context-specific choices that helped them weather unpredictable conditions. They built food systems that worked with the land and sea, not against them. And they leaned on strong social networks, sharing resources, knowledge and labour.

    Past responses to climate shifts can inform current and future strategies for building resilience in regions facing socio-environmental pressures.

    Leanne N. Phelps is affiliated with Columbia Climate School at Columbia University; Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, UK; and NGO Vaevae based in Andavadoake, Toliara, Madagascar

    Kristina Guild Douglass receives funding from The US National Science Foundation. She is affiliated with the NGO Vae Vae.

    – ref. Africans survived 10,000 years of climate changes by adapting food systems – study offers lessons for modern times – https://theconversation.com/africans-survived-10-000-years-of-climate-changes-by-adapting-food-systems-study-offers-lessons-for-modern-times-260240

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Africans survived 10,000 years of climate changes by adapting food systems – study offers lessons for modern times

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Leanne N. Phelps, Associate research scientist, Columbia University

    Imagine living in a place where a single drought, hurricane, or mudslide can wipe out your food supply. Across Africa, many communities do exactly that – navigate climate shocks like floods, heatwaves, and failed harvests.

    What’s often overlooked in the development policies to tackle these threats is a powerful sources of insight: Africa’s own history.

    Around 14,700 to 5,500 years ago, much of Africa experienced wetter conditions – a time referred to as the African Humid Period. As wet conditions declined around 5,500 years ago, major social, cultural, and environmental changes ensued across the continent.

    We’re part of a multidisciplinary team of scientists who recently published a study about how diverse African communities adapted to climate variability over the past 10,000 years. This is the first study to explore thousands of years of change in people’s livelihoods across the continent using isotopic data.

    This continent-wide approach offers novel insights into how livelihoods formed and evolved across space and time.

    Prior theories often assumed that societies and their food systems evolved in a linear way. In other words they developed from simple hunting and gathering communities to politically and socially complex societies practising agriculture.

    Instead, what we see is a complex mosaic of adaptable strategies that helped people survive. For 10,000 years, African communities adapted by mixing herding, farming, fishing and foraging. They blended different practices based on what worked at different times in their specific environment. That diversity across communities and regions was key to human survival.

    That has real lessons for food systems today.

    Our research suggests that rigid, top-down development plans, including ones that privilege intensifying agriculture over diversified economies, are unlikely to succeed. Many modern policies promote narrow approaches, like focusing only on cash crops. But history tells a different story. Resilience isn’t about choosing the “best” or most “intensive” method and sticking with it. Rather it’s about staying flexible and blending different strategies to align with local conditions.

    The clues left behind

    We were able to develop our insights by looking at the clues left behind by the food people ate and the environments they lived in. We did this by analysing the chemical traces (isotopes) in ancient human and domestic animal bones from 187 archaeological sites across the African continent.

    We sorted the results into groups with similar features, or “isotopic niches”. Then we described the livelihood and ecological characteristics of these niches using archaeological and environmental information.



    Read more:
    Tooth enamel provides clues on tsetse flies and the spread of herding in ancient Africa

    Our methods illustrated a wide range of livelihood systems. For example, in what are now Botswana and Zimbabwe, some groups combined small-scale farming with wild food gathering and livestock herding after the African Humid Period. In Egypt and Sudan, communities mixed crop farming – focused on wheat, barley, and legumes – with fishing, dairy, and beer brewing.

    Herders, in particular, developed highly flexible strategies. They adapted to hot plains, dry highlands, and everything in between. Pastoral systems (farming with grazing animals) show up at more archaeological sites than any other food system. They also have the widest range of chemical signatures – evidence of their adaptability to shifting environments.

    Our study also used isotopic data to build up a picture of how people were using livestock. Most animal management systems were reliant on grasses (plants such as millet and tropical pasture), and adapted to diverse ecological conditions. Some systems were highly specialised to semi-arid and mountainous environments. Others included mixed herds adapted to wetter or lower elevation regions. In other cases, animals were kept as stock in small numbers to supplement other livelihoods – providing milk, dung, and insurance against crop failure.



    Read more:
    Pastoralists are an asset to the world – and we have a lot to learn from them

    This adaptability helps clarify why, over the past millennium, pastoral systems have remained so important, especially in areas with increasing aridity.

    Mixed livelihood strategies

    The study also provides strong evidence for interactions between food production and foraging, whether at community or regional level.

    Dynamic, mixed livelihood strategies, including interactions like trade within and between communities near and far, were especially apparent during periods of climatic stress. One of these periods was the end of the African Humid Period (from about 5,500 years ago), when a drier climate created new challenges.

    In south-eastern Africa, from 2,000 years ago, there was a rise of diverse livelihood systems blending herding, farming and foraging in complex ways. These systems likely emerged in response to complex environmental and social change. Complex changes in social networks – especially around sharing land, resources, and knowledge – likely underpinned the development of this resilience.



    Read more:
    Hunter-gatherer diets weren’t always heavy on meat: Morocco study reveals a plant-based diet

    How the past can inform the future

    Ancient livelihood strategies offer a playbook for surviving climate change today.

    Our analysis suggests that over thousands of years, communities that combined herding, farming, fishing and gathering were making context-specific choices that helped them weather unpredictable conditions. They built food systems that worked with the land and sea, not against them. And they leaned on strong social networks, sharing resources, knowledge and labour.

    Past responses to climate shifts can inform current and future strategies for building resilience in regions facing socio-environmental pressures.

    Leanne N. Phelps is affiliated with Columbia Climate School at Columbia University; Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, UK; and NGO Vaevae based in Andavadoake, Toliara, Madagascar

    Kristina Guild Douglass receives funding from The US National Science Foundation. She is affiliated with the NGO Vae Vae.

    – ref. Africans survived 10,000 years of climate changes by adapting food systems – study offers lessons for modern times – https://theconversation.com/africans-survived-10-000-years-of-climate-changes-by-adapting-food-systems-study-offers-lessons-for-modern-times-260240

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Whose turn is it? The question is at the heart of language and chimpanzees ask it too

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Kayla Kolff, Postdoctoral researcher, Osnabrück University

    When we think about what sets humans apart from other animals, language often comes to mind. Language is more than words – it also relies on the ability to build shared understanding through conversation.

    At the heart of conversation is turn-taking: the ability to coordinate interaction in time. This means alternating speaking roles, where one person speaks and the other listens, and responding in ways that keep the exchange moving forward.

    But is this uniquely human? Increasingly, scientists are finding signs of turn-taking beyond our species – in visual cues in Siamese fish, in meerkat calls, and, as our recent study suggests, also in the grooming behaviour of chimpanzees.

    As primatologists and biologists, we are interested in the evolutionary origins and driving forces behind human communication and cognition.

    One animal behaviour that’s been said to involve features resembling human communication is grooming – combing through or licking each other’s fur. It’s one of the ways that some animals connect and bond with one another.

    Grooming is a central part of the daily lives of chimpanzees, a species that together with bonobos represent humans’ closest living relatives. Chimpanzees engage in grooming to build relationships, reduce stress, and strengthen their friendships. While we know why they groom, and whom they prefer to groom, we do not know much about how it is organised. Does grooming happen randomly, or do chimpanzees take turns? And might things like age, their position in the group, family ties, or friendships influence the interaction? There may be another layer to grooming, shaped by social decisions made in the moment.

    To answer this, we looked at whether grooming interactions involve turn-taking. We found that chimpanzees living in their natural environments do take turns, using a range of signals and movements to engage each other within the interaction. We then went on to check whether age, social standing, family ties and friendships affected the exchange of turns.

    We found that especially age and social standing shaped how individuals accommodated their partners. This is in line with Communication Accommodation Theory, which is the idea that individuals adapt their communication according to the characteristics of recipients. Our findings open a new window on chimpanzee social cognition and provide perspectives on the evolutionary foundations of human communication.

    Grooming coordination in the wild

    To investigate how chimpanzees coordinate their grooming interactions, we studied male eastern chimpanzees at the Ngogo field site, in Uganda’s Kibale National Park. Over the course of ten months, we observed and filmed grooming interactions among 42 males in their natural environment using a digital camera.

    As chimpanzee grooming is not just a simple back-and-forth where one chimpanzee grooms and then gets groomed in return, we paid close attention to gestures and additional actions. Gestures are bodily movements used to get another chimpanzee’s attention or to ask for something, such as raising an arm to invite more grooming. Actions, on the other hand, are things one chimpanzee does to another, such as grooming, approaching or leaving.

    Based on these, we identified four types of turn exchanges:

    • action–action

    • action–gesture

    • gesture–action

    • gesture–gesture.

    Mulligan (left) and Carter (right) members of the Ngogo chimpanzee community in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Kayla Kolff, Author provided (no reuse)

    We observed that chimpanzees actively managed the interaction, using actions and gestures to start, invite, or respond to their partner’s participation.

    What shapes participation in these exchanges?

    Some chimpanzees were more likely than others to take turns during grooming. A closer look revealed that age and social status played a key role. Older males, who in chimpanzee societies tend to hold more dominant positions, were more likely to get responses from others. Younger males, especially adolescents, were more likely to take a turn in response to others than to have others take a turn in response to them – suggesting they were more often responding than being responded to.

    That makes a lot of sense when you think about chimpanzee social life. Younger individuals are still figuring out their place in the group, and grooming can be a way to build and nurture relationships and to learn the social ropes and finesses. Older males already have stable and strong friendships; they often receive grooming from others and tend to give less in return.

    Surprisingly, friendships and family ties did not influence the chances of turn-taking, although these are important aspects of chimpanzee lives. What mattered more were age and social standing. Think of it like choosing a lunch seat at school: you might choose to sit near an older student or someone popular, even if it meant not sitting with your friends or family.

    Grooming interaction between Gus (a subadult male) and Jackson (an adult male and the alpha), both of whom also appear in the Netflix documentary Chimp Empire.

    When we looked more closely at different types of turn-taking, one stood out: gesture–gesture exchanges. These looked a lot like social negotiations, where both chimpanzees gestured to each other before any grooming happened. These kinds of exchanges were more common when a chimpanzee interacted with an older individual, who may be more experienced in handling social situations and better at getting what they want, whether that means “groom me” or “keep going in grooming me”.

    This study suggests that chimpanzees take turns as a strategic social tool to achieve goals like being groomed instead of doing the grooming themselves. Who you are, who you are interacting with, and what you might stand to gain from the exchange all shape how things unfold.

    What this tells us

    Our findings reveal that chimpanzee grooming is a complex behaviour, organised through structured exchanges of gestures and actions, shaped by strategies for engaging with others. It’s about more than the grooming itself.

    Read more: Inside the chimpanzee medicine cabinet: we’ve found a new way chimps treat wounds with plants

    This ability to coordinate action and respond to others suggests a basic foundation that may have helped lay the groundwork for the evolution of human communication.

    – Whose turn is it? The question is at the heart of language and chimpanzees ask it too
    – https://theconversation.com/whose-turn-is-it-the-question-is-at-the-heart-of-language-and-chimpanzees-ask-it-too-258736

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Delegation from Arkhangelsk region visited Polytech

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    A working meeting was held at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University between SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy, the Minister of Science, Higher Education and Technological Development of the Arkhangelsk Region Alexey Aksenov and the Acting Rector of the Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov Mikhail Danilov.

    The main topic of discussion was the creation of the “Competence Center for the Application of Laser Welding and Additive Technologies in Shipbuilding”. The initiative is aimed at developing joint scientific research, accelerating the implementation of innovative technologies and strengthening the country’s technological sovereignty in key industries.

    The meeting was attended by the rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy, the vice-rector for research work of SPbPU Yuri Fomin, the head of the Research Laboratory “Laser and Additive Technologies” of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport Mikhail Kuznetsov, and professor of the Higher School of Physics and Materials Technology of IMMiT Sergey Parshin.

    “Polytechnic has always been and remains a forge of engineering personnel capable of not only working in the current conditions, but also shaping the technological agenda of tomorrow. Today, we are betting on the development of advanced technologies in the field of materials science, laser and additive processes, digital engineering – those areas that are already determining the appearance of the industry of the future. Cooperation with colleagues from the Arctic region opens up new horizons: we combine fundamental science, engineering schools and real production tasks. I am confident that this synergy will become the basis for comprehensive solutions that can change the infrastructure of the North and become an example for other regions of the country,” Andrey Rudskoy emphasized.

    It is worth noting that over the course of three years of close cooperation with the Scientific and Educational Center “Russian Arctic” of NArFU, specialists of the Scientific and Research Laboratory “Laser and Additive Technologies” of IMMiT SPbPU have completed several projects on direct laser growth and laser welding of thin metals. Now the polytechnicians are faced with the task of developing a technology for hybrid laser-arc welding of samples with a blunting thickness of at least 30 mm. In the future, joint interests include the creation of a technological complex and the introduction of laser technologies into the production of city-forming enterprises.

    At the meeting, the guests voiced a proposal to create a center, discussed the levels of interaction and upcoming stages of joint work.

    “For the Arkhangelsk Region, the development of advanced production technologies capable of ensuring reliable and efficient operation in the conditions of the North and the Arctic is especially important. Joint scientific projects and the creation of a competence center are a step towards a real technological breakthrough. We are counting on practical results and are ready for systematic work on the implementation of new solutions in shipbuilding and related industries,” noted Alexey Aksenov.

    During the visit, a tour of the university campus and research laboratories of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport of SPbPU took place. The guests examined the equipment of the Laser and Additive Technologies Research Laboratory in most detail. They were interested in the robotic technological complexes and exhibits manufactured as part of joint projects with the Russian Arctic Research and Education Center of NArFU.

    “In recent years, within the framework of cooperation with the Scientific and Educational Center “Russian Arctic” of NArFU, we have successfully implemented several projects using direct laser growth and laser welding technologies. We see great interest in laser technologies from the Arctic region and are confident that the next stage of cooperation will allow us to move from pilot solutions to large-scale integration of technologies into production,” said Mikhail Kuznetsov, Director of the Russian-German Center for Laser Technologies.

    Alexey Aksenov and Mikhail Danilov showed keen interest in the scientific developments of the Polytechnic University and expressed readiness for further cooperation. Following the meeting, a decision was made to hold a series of working meetings for a more detailed discussion of the project.

    The visit of the delegation from the Arkhangelsk region became an important step towards strengthening interregional scientific and technical cooperation. SPbPU and NArFU intend to develop a strategic partnership aimed at the technological development of the shipbuilding industry and the Arctic region.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: How women are trapped in years of homelessness that often begin in their teens

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mary Vaccaro, Lecturer in Social Work, McMaster University

    Many women without children in their care who become homeless in Canada remain homeless for many years. Yet their experiences remain misunderstood and largely ignored because of the ways we define and measure homelessness in Canada.

    I have worked in the women’s emergency shelter system in Hamilton, Ont., since 2012. I have met many women who have been navigating homelessness for years — with no permanent solution to their housing crisis. For my PhD in social work, I interviewed 21 women who had experienced homelessness for a year or longer in Hamilton. I asked them about their experiences, and through art-based activities, about their ideas for housing and support.

    What I learned in the interviews, combined with existing research, highlights a hidden crisis. Within our current system resides a profound human cost that manages, instead of resolves, homelessness.

    Many women who experience homelessness do so for far longer than the federal government’s definition of chronic homelessness, which is six consecutive months or 18 months over three years. Research from the United Kingdom that focuses on long-term and unresolved homelessness for women found that the ways women experience homelessness is to “go around in circles” without having their housing or support needs met.

    Among the women I spoke with, more than half had been experiencing homelessness for 10 years or longer. Six of the the women said they have never had a safe place of their own to live for the entirety of their adult lives.

    All of the women who participated in this project accessed the services offered by the homeless serving sector, including shelters and outreach workers, designed to resolve their homelessness. Yet none of these women were able to have their housing and support needs met.

    This means their experience of homelessness has persisted for years, and even decades.

    Homelessness often starts in their teens

    More than half of the participants I spoke with first experienced homelessness before they turned 18. Their primary route into youth homelessness was gender-based violence. They ran away from home when they were teenaged girls to escape violence and became caught in a cycle of events that include: hospitalization, incarceration, staying in youth shelters, living in group homes and unsafe places.

    The Pan-Canadian Women’s Housing and Homelessness Survey, as well as a study on Toronto youth, echo what the women I spoke with told me. Studies from the United States also confirm similar patterns — homelessness begins early in life for a majority of women, and is often followed by a chronic, chaotic churn of precarious housing and homelessness situations.

    The women in my study described a frustrating and exhausting cycle of going among institutions such as hospitals, jails, emergency shelters, drop-in programs and transitional housing programs. They had all spent periods of time living outdoors, in encampments, in motels, with unsafe people and in other precarious and temporary housing arrangements. This phenomena is well-documented in existing Canadian research.

    Better definitions, better data

    The Canadian government defines those who have been homeless and using shelters for more than 180 days a year as experiencing “acute chronicity.”

    Another term used by the federal government for individuals who have accessed shelters at least once in each of the last three years is “prolonged instability.”

    People who meet one or both of these criteria are considered to have the highest housing needs in the country.

    According to recent federal data, women and gender-diverse people across Canada experience slightly higher rates of acute chronicity than men (13.4 per cent for men, 15.4 per cent for women, and 13.9 per cent for gender-diverse people). But the real numbers for women are likely much higher due to under-reporting.

    Research shows women remain invisible to official systems during periods of homelessness. For example, the available data relies solely on information about emergency shelter usage. It does not capture experiences of homelessness that occur outside of the shelter system.

    Women are less likely than their male counterparts to access shelters and other formal supports. Instead, they rely on precarious, unsafe and temporary housing arrangements to navigate homelessness.

    In Canada, there are also fewer emergency women-specific shelter beds than for men

    Rethinking responses to long-term homelessness

    For the women I spoke with, the official 180 days or three years that makes someone officially chronically homeless in Canada does not even begin to describe the length and complexity of their experiences of homelessness.

    They described wanting to live in supportive, gender-specific housing programs that foster community and care. Highly supportive housing typically integrates health and social services and a range of other support services. This type of integrated housing does exist across Canada — examples are the Block Line Supportive Housing Program operated by YWCA Kitchener-Waterloo and the Women’s Building (Alpha House) in Calgary — but there is not enough of it.

    The current measurements from the government of Canada fall short of capturing the complexity of the homeless experience for many Canadian women.

    Government officials must therefore not only rethink their definitions of those in the most housing need, they must develop responsive housing solutions to meet the needs of women who have been homeless for many years.

    Mary Vaccaro consults for YWCA Hamilton. She receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. How women are trapped in years of homelessness that often begin in their teens – https://theconversation.com/how-women-are-trapped-in-years-of-homelessness-that-often-begin-in-their-teens-259239

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: What Flowers Say: New Exhibition at the School of Design

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University “Higher School of Economics” –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    HSE ART GALLERY in partnership with the platform Artz. Vork continues the cycle of group exhibition projects from the “Big Themes” series, rethinking fundamental ideas and offering new interpretations of timeless concepts. This time, the theme of the exhibition was flowers – their images, symbolism and meanings.

    Flowers are traditionally associated with transience: they do not live long, quickly fade, and disappear almost without a trace. Therefore, flora in art often becomes an image of memory, loss, something that slips away but continues to exist. Alexandra Lurye, Maria Panina, Anna Stavinozhenko, and Alina Kerimova work in this vein. In the context of the climate and political crisis, flora is increasingly acquiring features of vulnerability and anxiety — as in the works of Anastasia Kovaleva, Alexandra Zamurueva, and Polina Filippova. Some artists — Irina Afanasyeva and Galya Fadeeva — radically rethink the very idea of the “language of flowers,” rejecting established symbols in favor of new ways of expression. When we talk about flowers, we most often imagine something living, fragile, tangible. But what happens when flora loses its materiality and turns into a digital image? This question is asked by Masha Rogova, Dariella, and Olga Filina. Flowers at the exhibition become a reason for a conversation about identity, personal history and deep self-reflection — in the works of Inga Tatarshao, Ekaterina Ivanitskaya and Marya Dmitrieva. Separately, the exhibition presents “Flower Horoscope” — a fantasy digital project by the art group Agey Tomesh.

    One of the conceptual lines of the exhibition is the metaphorical convergence of the phenomena of herbarium and collecting. To collect a herbarium and to collect art means to touch time. In both cases, it is about choosing, selecting and preserving what can disappear. However, in the post-digital era, when the boundaries between the physical and the virtual are increasingly blurred, a new form of interaction with art is emerging – phygital collecting, combining the material (physical) and the digital (digital). Being part of the exhibition program Biennale of private collections, the project invites us to reflect on the nature of phygital collecting. This format became the basis of the platform Artz. Vork, where viewers can find all the works on display — add a memorable piece to their digital collection and purchase a print based on it. The Flower Horoscope is an archaic system of symbolic classification found in cultural layers of the supposed pre-continental period. Unlike astrological systems based on observation of stellar movement, this model correlates human individuality with phenological cycles — the flowering time of plants, seasonal weather changes, and the migration of fauna.

    Each day of the modern calendar year corresponds to a certain type of ancient plant (usually a flower), supposedly possessing its own “character” or behavioral metaphor. It is believed that a person born on this day inherits the qualities attributed to “his” plant, as well as its supposed role in the natural-social structure.

    Choose a flower

    Art group Agey Tomesh, Dariella, Ira Afanasyeva, Marya Dmitrieva, Alexandra Zamurueva, Ekaterina Ivanitskaya, Alina Kerimova, Anastasia Kovaleva, Alexandra Lurye, Maria Panina, Masha Rogova, Anna Stavinozhenko, Inga Tatarshao, Galya Fadeeva, Olga Filina, Polina Filippova.

    HSE ART GALLERY in the Vinzavod Contemporary Art Center4th Syromyatnichesky Lane, 1/8с6 (entrance C8, floor 2)

    Gallery opening hours: Tuesday–Sunday | 12:00–20:00Free admission by prior arrangementregistration

    Director of HSE ART GALLERY: Vassa Pyrkova Curator of HSE ART GALLERY: Ilya Kronchev-IvanovProducers: Anna Aravina, Polina Saratovskaya, Anastasia Shabashova, Elena KirpuGraphic design: HSE DESIGN LAB

    We use cookies to improve the HSE website and make it more convenient to use. More detailed information about the use of cookies can be found Here, our rules for processing personal data are – Here. By continuing to use the site, you confirm that you have been informed of the use of cookies by the HSE website and agree with our rules for processing personal data. You can disable cookies in your browser settings.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: McKenzie unveils R6.3 billion budget to boost local talent in sports and arts

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has tabled a R6.3 billion budget this morning that he believes will help unlock local talent in both the sports, and arts and culture sectors.

    “Change is difficult, but it’s necessary… Access and opportunity matter, and even the greatest of talents need that opportunity. That is why, to invest in all our talent, both in sport, and arts and culture, as well as preserving our heritage, the department has a budget of R6.3 billion for the 2025/26 financial year,” McKenzie said on Tuesday in Parliament. 

    Under Programme 2, Recreation Development and Sport Promotion, the Minister announced that the department will allocate R1.281 billion. 

    To continue supporting sports in the country, McKenzie said R98.5 million will be allocated toward federation support.

    “One of the biggest changes coming for our federations will be the provision of an office building for them to share, as many have been running their sports out of the boots of their cars.” 

    WATCH | 

    [embedded content]

    To support and develop local talent, the department has allocated over R627 million through the conditional grant for this financial year. 

    According to the Minister, funding will be used for the purchase of equipment and attire for schools, clubs and hubs, as well as for training individuals in coaching, technical officiating, administration courses, and employment opportunities.

    Repatriation

    Under Programme 4, Heritage Promotion and Preservation, the department has allocated R2.787 billion, which includes R1.6 billion for the construction, maintenance, upgrading, and operation of valued libraries.

    “Following the success of our inaugural programme to return the remains of South African fallen heroes from Zimbabwe and Zambia last year, we shall continue to repatriate the human remains of freedom fighters who fell outside the country during the struggle.

    “I am told that there could still be 5 000 bodies that need to be returned, and we should not rest until they are home.” 

    READ | Government, judiciary reaffirm commitment to justice

    The Minister said they are currently negotiating with Scottish authorities to repatriate the remains of Khoi and San ancestors from the University of Glasgow’s Hunterian Museum by September 2025. 

    He also mentioned that government is nearing the conclusion of the reburial process for 58 ancestral remains from the Northern Cape.

    This effort is guided by the Northern Cape Reburial Task Team, which includes representatives from the Nama, Griqua, Korana, and San communities.

    Museums

    The ministry is also driving a campaign, under the theme: “Reimagining South African Heritage for a New Era”, which is aimed at making museums relevant to a new, curious generation, ultimately increasing visitor numbers.

    “One of the first projects we are focusing on is Robben Island, which is undergoing a major revamp and facelift.”

    Creative arts

    Under Programme 3, focused on Arts and Culture Promotion and Development, his department is allocating R1.725 billion. 

    To enhance skills and transform the cultural and creative industries, he stated that they will continue to recruit and place approximately 300 young people. 

    This initiative aims to improve their chances of gaining employment and becoming self-employed in creative fields.

    Sector clusters

    He announced that the interim boards for the 17 sector clusters within the cultural and creative industry are now fully operational. 

    These boards are responsible for organising their respective sectors, promoting collaboration, and addressing challenges such as copyright protection, fair labour practices, and equitable distribution of funding. 

    According to the Minister, they will receive a total budget of R34 million to support their operations.

    “We understand the frustration of our creatives. For the past 30 years and the years before that, they have not seen their lives change for the better.”

    In support of the preservation and development of the Khoi and San languages, the N|uu language in particular, the department is setting aside R2 million for a targeted call for proposals to preserve these languages. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How women are trapped in years of homelessness that often begin in their teens

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mary Vaccaro, Lecturer in Social Work, McMaster University

    Many women without children in their care who become homeless in Canada remain homeless for many years. Yet their experiences remain misunderstood and largely ignored because of the ways we define and measure homelessness in Canada.

    I have worked in the women’s emergency shelter system in Hamilton, Ont., since 2012. I have met many women who have been navigating homelessness for years — with no permanent solution to their housing crisis. For my PhD in social work, I interviewed 21 women who had experienced homelessness for a year or longer in Hamilton. I asked them about their experiences, and through art-based activities, about their ideas for housing and support.

    What I learned in the interviews, combined with existing research, highlights a hidden crisis. Within our current system resides a profound human cost that manages, instead of resolves, homelessness.

    Many women who experience homelessness do so for far longer than the federal government’s definition of chronic homelessness, which is six consecutive months or 18 months over three years. Research from the United Kingdom that focuses on long-term and unresolved homelessness for women found that the ways women experience homelessness is to “go around in circles” without having their housing or support needs met.

    Among the women I spoke with, more than half had been experiencing homelessness for 10 years or longer. Six of the the women said they have never had a safe place of their own to live for the entirety of their adult lives.

    All of the women who participated in this project accessed the services offered by the homeless serving sector, including shelters and outreach workers, designed to resolve their homelessness. Yet none of these women were able to have their housing and support needs met.

    This means their experience of homelessness has persisted for years, and even decades.

    Homelessness often starts in their teens

    More than half of the participants I spoke with first experienced homelessness before they turned 18. Their primary route into youth homelessness was gender-based violence. They ran away from home when they were teenaged girls to escape violence and became caught in a cycle of events that include: hospitalization, incarceration, staying in youth shelters, living in group homes and unsafe places.

    The Pan-Canadian Women’s Housing and Homelessness Survey, as well as a study on Toronto youth, echo what the women I spoke with told me. Studies from the United States also confirm similar patterns — homelessness begins early in life for a majority of women, and is often followed by a chronic, chaotic churn of precarious housing and homelessness situations.

    The women in my study described a frustrating and exhausting cycle of going among institutions such as hospitals, jails, emergency shelters, drop-in programs and transitional housing programs. They had all spent periods of time living outdoors, in encampments, in motels, with unsafe people and in other precarious and temporary housing arrangements. This phenomena is well-documented in existing Canadian research.

    Better definitions, better data

    The Canadian government defines those who have been homeless and using shelters for more than 180 days a year as experiencing “acute chronicity.”

    Another term used by the federal government for individuals who have accessed shelters at least once in each of the last three years is “prolonged instability.”

    People who meet one or both of these criteria are considered to have the highest housing needs in the country.

    According to recent federal data, women and gender-diverse people across Canada experience slightly higher rates of acute chronicity than men (13.4 per cent for men, 15.4 per cent for women, and 13.9 per cent for gender-diverse people). But the real numbers for women are likely much higher due to under-reporting.

    Research shows women remain invisible to official systems during periods of homelessness. For example, the available data relies solely on information about emergency shelter usage. It does not capture experiences of homelessness that occur outside of the shelter system.

    Women are less likely than their male counterparts to access shelters and other formal supports. Instead, they rely on precarious, unsafe and temporary housing arrangements to navigate homelessness.

    In Canada, there are also fewer emergency women-specific shelter beds than for men

    Rethinking responses to long-term homelessness

    For the women I spoke with, the official 180 days or three years that makes someone officially chronically homeless in Canada does not even begin to describe the length and complexity of their experiences of homelessness.

    They described wanting to live in supportive, gender-specific housing programs that foster community and care. Highly supportive housing typically integrates health and social services and a range of other support services. This type of integrated housing does exist across Canada — examples are the Block Line Supportive Housing Program operated by YWCA Kitchener-Waterloo and the Women’s Building (Alpha House) in Calgary — but there is not enough of it.

    The current measurements from the government of Canada fall short of capturing the complexity of the homeless experience for many Canadian women.

    Government officials must therefore not only rethink their definitions of those in the most housing need, they must develop responsive housing solutions to meet the needs of women who have been homeless for many years.

    Mary Vaccaro consults for YWCA Hamilton. She receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. How women are trapped in years of homelessness that often begin in their teens – https://theconversation.com/how-women-are-trapped-in-years-of-homelessness-that-often-begin-in-their-teens-259239

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI: White River Bancshares Co. Reports Net Income of $3.30 million, or $1.34 Per Diluted Share, in 2Q25; Results Driven by Loan Growth and Net Interest Margin Expansion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — White River Bancshares Company (OTCQX: WRIV) (the “Company”), the holding company for Signature Bank of Arkansas (the “Bank”), today reported net income increased to $3.30 million, or $1.34 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $1.85 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2024. The Company reported net income of $2.63 million, or $1.07 per diluted share, for the prior quarter. In the first six months of 2025, net income increased to $5.93 million, or $2.42 per diluted share, compared to $2.36 million, or $1.11 per diluted share, in the first six months of 2024. All financial results are unaudited and all per share data has been adjusted to reflect the two-for-one stock split effected September 4, 2024.

    “We had a strong second quarter—the most profitable quarter we’ve ever had,” said Gary Head, Chairman and CEO. “We have been blessed to have incredible loan growth throughout the history of our company, and we build on that momentum quarter after quarter. Our Signature Bank family is the best group of bankers I’ve been associated with in my 43-year banking career. Their teamwork and commitment to excellence consistently go above and beyond expectations.”

    “As a community bank, expanding our deposit base to support new loan growth is critical,” said Scott Sandlin, Chief Strategy Officer. “Our Bank has made deposit gathering a primary focus, and our team has done an outstanding job—deepening relationships with existing clients while also bringing in new customers. As a result, total deposits increased 4.0% during the second quarter of 2025 and 23.2% year-over-year. At quarter end, demand and non-interest bearing accounts represented 18.7% of total deposits, and savings and interest-bearing transaction accounts represented 38.4% of total deposits. We will continue to actively seek more opportunities to grow deposits in the coming quarters to meet the increasing demand for loans.”

    Second Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights:

    • Net income for the second quarter of 2025 increased to $3.30 million, or $1.34 per diluted share, compared to $1.85 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2024.
    • Net interest income increased 31.7% to $11.9 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $9.0 million in the second quarter of 2024.
    • Net interest margin (“NIM”) increased 31 basis points to 3.56% in the second quarter of 2025, compared to 3.25% in the second quarter of 2024.
    • The Company recorded an $800,000 provision for credit losses in the second quarter of 2025, compared to a $432,000 provision for credit losses in the second quarter of 2024.
    • Net loans increased 21.6% to $1.194 billion at June 30, 2025, compared to $982.3 million at June 30, 2024.
    • Nonperforming loans represented 0.03% of total loans at June 30, 2025, compared to 0.00% a year ago.
    • Total deposits increased $235.3 million, or 23.2%, year-over-year, to $1.249 billion at June 30, 2025, compared to $1.014 billion at June 30, 2024.
    • Core deposits (demand and non-interest-bearing, savings and interest-bearing transaction accounts, CDs under $250,000 and CDARs reciprocal deposits) represented 70.10% of total deposits at June 30, 2025.
    • Tangible book value per common share was $41.17 at June 30, 2025, compared to $37.00 a year ago.

    Income Statement

    In the second quarter of 2025, the Company generated a return on average assets of 0.94% and a return on average equity of 12.62%, compared to 0.79% and 10.64%, respectively, in the first quarter of 2025 and 0.63% and 8.26%, respectively, in the second quarter of 2024.

    “Our second quarter net interest margin expanded by 17 basis points from the previous quarter and 31 basis points year-over-year, driven by loan growth and increased yields on our interest-earning assets,” said Brant Ward, President. NIM was 3.56% in the second quarter of 2025, compared to 3.39% in the first quarter of 2025, and 3.25% in the second quarter of 2024. In the first six months of 2025, NIM expanded 37 basis points to 3.48%, compared to 3.11% in the first six months of 2024.

    Net interest income increased 31.7% to $11.9 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $9.0 million in the second quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to year-over-year loan growth. Total interest income increased 24.8% to $21.2 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $17.0 million in the second quarter of 2024, primarily attributable to the increase in loans. Total interest expense increased to $9.3 million in the second quarter of 2025, from $8.0 million in the second quarter of 2024, primarily due to an increase in deposit costs. In the first six months of 2025, net interest income increased 31.9% to $22.5 million, compared to $17.1 million in the first six months of 2024.

    Noninterest income increased 7.9% to $2.1 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $1.9 million in the second quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to an increase in secondary market fee income, which more than offset the decrease in wealth management fee income during the second quarter of 2025. In the first six months of 2025, noninterest income increased 14.5% to $4.0 million, compared to $3.5 million in the first six months of 2024.

    Noninterest expense was $8.9 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $8.1 million in the second quarter of 2024, as expenses have normalized following the investment in expanding the Company’s market presence over the past few years. In the first six months of the year, noninterest expense increased 6.0% to $17.4 million, compared to $16.4 million in the first six months of 2024.

    Balance Sheet

    Total assets increased 18.4% to $1.434 billion at June 30, 2025, from $1.211 billion at June 30, 2024, and increased 4.0% compared to $1.379 billion at March 31, 2025. Cash and cash equivalents totaled $25.6 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $49.5 million a year ago. Investment securities totaled $140.5 million at June 30, 2025, an increase from $115.5 million at June 30, 2024.

    Loans, net of allowance for credit losses, increased 21.6% to $1.194 billion at June 30, 2025, compared to $982.3 million at June 30, 2024, and increased 5.9% compared to $1.128 billion at March 31, 2025.

    Total deposits increased 23.2% to $1.249 billion at June 30, 2025, compared to $1.014 billion at June 30, 2024, and increased 4.0% compared to $1.201 billion at March 31, 2025. Demand and non-interest-bearing deposits decreased less than 1% compared to June 30, 2024, while savings and interest-bearing transaction accounts increased 37.6% compared to June 30, 2024.

    FHLB advances were $21.5 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $54.3 million at June 30, 2024, and $21.6 million at March 31, 2025. Total stockholders’ equity increased to $102.5 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $92.0 million at June 30, 2024, and $100.5 million at March 31, 2025. Tangible book value per common share was $41.17 at June 30, 2025, compared to $37.00 at June 30, 2024, and $40.33 at March 31, 2025.

    Credit Quality

    Due to strong quarterly loan growth, the Company recorded an $800,000 provision for credit losses in the second quarter of 2025. This is compared to a $670,000 provision for credit losses in the first quarter of 2025, and a $432,000 provision for credit losses in the second quarter of 2024.

    There were $365,000 in nonperforming loans at June 30, 2025. This compared to $420,000 in nonperforming loans at March 31, 2025, and $32,000 in nonperforming loans at June 30, 2024. Nonperforming loans represented 0.03% of total loans on June 30, 2025, 0.04% of total loans on March 31, 2025, and 0.00% of total loans a year ago.

    “We remain conservative in building our credit loss reserves, continually reviewing our loan mix, assessing growth trends, and factoring in both regional and national economic conditions to ensure our allowance remains appropriately calibrated,” said Jeff Maland, Chief Risk Officer. The allowance for credit losses was $14.0 million, or 1.16% of total loans, at June 30, 2025, compared to $13.3 million, or 1.17% of total loans, at March 31, 2025, and $12.4 million, or 1.25% of total loans, at June 30, 2024.

    Net loan recoveries were $11,000 in the second quarter of 2025. This compared to net loan charge-offs of $137,000 in the first quarter of 2025, and net loan charge-offs of $111,000 in the second quarter of 2024.

    Capital

    The Bank’s capital ratios continued to exceed regulatory “well-capitalized” requirements, with a Total risk-based capital ratio estimate of 11.69%, a Tier 1 ratio of 10.44%, and a Leverage ratio of 9.12% for the Bank at June 30, 2025.

    About White River Bancshares Company

    White River Bancshares Company is the single bank holding company for Signature Bank of Arkansas, headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Bank has locations in Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Rogers, Brinkley, Harrison and Jonesboro, Arkansas. Founded in 2005, Signature Bank of Arkansas provides a full line of financial services to small businesses, families and farms. White River Bancshares Company (OTCQX: WRIV), trades on the OTCQX® Best Market.  

    In the second quarter of 2025, the Signature Bank celebrated its 20-year anniversary of service to its Arkansas communities. In tandem with the celebration, the organization updated its mission statement:
    We are committed to being a trusted local bank for business owners, individuals, and families who seek personalized service from people they know. Our mission is to empower our customers to strengthen their connections through every interaction, ensuring that their dollars are reinvested locally to support the growth and prosperity of the community we share. We have a passion for preserving the traditions of community banking as we embrace the power of technology.

    About the Region

    White River Bancshares Company is headquartered in thriving Northwest Arkansas in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA. The region is home to the corporate headquarters for Walmart Stores Inc, Sam’s Club, Tyson Foods, Simmons Foods, and J.B. Hunt Transport. Hundreds of other market-leading companies including Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola and Rubbermaid maintain offices in the region in order to maintain their relationships with the locally based Fortune 500 companies. Northwest Arkansas is also home to the state’s flagship public educational institution, The University of Arkansas, and its Sam M. Walton College of Business. The region has seen significant growth in its medical and arts infrastructures with the continued expansion of Washington Regional Medical System, Northwest Medical System, Mercy Health System of Northwest Arkansas and Arkansas Children’s Hospital Northwest. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Walton Arts Center have led the expansion of the arts. Northwest Arkansas has been repeatedly recognized in recent years as one of the best places to live in the country and remains one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions. In May 2024, Walmart issued a relocation mandate requiring most of its remote employees, as well as most of its office workers in Dallas, Atlanta and Toronto to move to, in most cases, Bentonville by November 1, 2024. While the company did not disclose a number, Bloomberg reported that the number of Walmart employees who would be moving to Bentonville would be in the thousands. Walmart is making a major investment in its hometown facilities, building a new, 350-acre headquarters campus, including walking and biking trails, a hotel, fitness facilities and a large childcare center.

    The Company has expanded eastward, with new markets in Jonesboro and Harrison. Jonesboro, located in Craighead County, is a city located on Crowley’s Ridge in the northeastern corner of Arkansas. It is the home of Arkansas State University and the cultural and economic center of Northeast Arkansas. Jonesboro also houses the region’s hospital network. U.S. Steel Corp. announced that it would locate a new $3 billion steel factory in Northeast Arkansas in Osceola, a move expected to create 900 jobs with an average pay over $100,000 annually, making it the largest capital investment project in Arkansas history. Harrison sits below Branson, Missouri, which is a family tourist destination and outdoor recreation, and is well known as an entertainment destination.

    The Company currently operates out of ten locations; three in Washington County; three in Benton County; two in Monroe County; one in Boone County; and one in Craighead County.

    The housing market in Washington and Benton counties remains robust. According to the Northwest Arkansas Board of Realtors, the average home in Washington County sold for $429,000 in May 2025, with an average of 97 days on the market. For Benton County, the average house sold for $461,000, with an average of 92 days on the market.

    Source:
    http://www.nwarealtors.org/market-statistics/

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements about future events. These forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions of management of the Company and the Bank and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” or similar expressions or the negative of those terms. Our ability to predict results of future events and the actual effect of future plans or strategies are inherently uncertain, and actual results may differ materially from those predicted in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could have a material adverse effect on our operations and future prospects or that could affect the outcome of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates; the economic health of the local real estate market; general economic conditions; credit deterioration in our loan portfolio that would cause us to increase our allowance for loan losses; legislative or regulatory changes; technological developments; monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board; the quality or composition of our loan and securities portfolios; demand for loan products in our market areas; deposit flows and costs of capital; competition; retention and recruitment of qualified personnel; demand for financial services in our market areas; and changes in accounting principles, policies, and guidelines. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. The Company does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

    Contact: Scott Sandlin, Chief Strategy Officer
      479-684-3754
       
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (Unaudited)
                   
        For the Three Months Ended  
        June 30,   March 31,   June 30,  
          2025     2025     2024  
                   
    INTEREST INCOME              
    Loans, including fees   $ 19,611,698   $ 18,315,006   $ 15,763,452  
    Investment securities     1,431,773     1,258,571     1,083,415  
    Federal funds sold and other     175,917     232,978     162,250  
    Total interest income     21,219,388     19,806,555     17,009,117  
                   
    INTEREST EXPENSE              
    Deposits     8,538,199     8,312,455     7,106,512  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     296,860     393,057     448,263  
    Notes payable     477,735     475,425     398,017  
    Federal funds purchased and other     7,113     13,022     21,787  
    Total interest expense     9,319,907     9,193,959     7,974,579  
    NET INTEREST INCOME     11,899,481     10,612,596     9,034,538  
    Provision for credit losses     800,000     670,000     432,000  
    NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES     11,099,481     9,942,596     8,602,538  
                   
    NON-INTEREST INCOME              
    Service charges and fees on deposits     162,185     171,186     154,816  
    Wealth management fee income     994,100     1,017,829     1,065,553  
    Secondary market fee income     223,956     128,824     113,926  
    Bank owned-life insurance income     82,190     80,603     80,478  
    Gain on sales and write-downs of foreclosed assets     15,475     –     326  
    Other     616,667     544,141     527,064  
    TOTAL NON-INTEREST INCOME     2,094,573     1,942,583     1,942,163  
                   
    NON-INTEREST EXPENSE              
    Salaries and benefits     5,185,716     4,931,692     4,784,556  
    Occupancy and equipment     1,189,886     1,145,101     936,818  
    Data processing     857,198     858,115     704,080  
    Marketing and business development     609,549     397,137     473,618  
    Professional services     699,968     650,708     617,890  
    Amortization of other intangible assets     53,037     53,036     53,037  
    Other     326,224     393,498     494,203  
    TOTAL NON-INTEREST EXPENSE     8,921,578     8,429,287     8,064,202  
                   
    Income before income taxes     4,272,476     3,455,892     2,480,499  
    Income tax provision     974,775     826,085     631,462  
    NET INCOME   $ 3,297,701   $ 2,629,807   $ 1,849,037  
                   
    EARNINGS PER SHARE              
    Basic (1)   $ 1.35   $ 1.07   $ 0.81  
    Diluted (1)   $ 1.34   $ 1.07   $ 0.81  
                   
    (1 ) Prior periods adjusted to give effect to stock split effected in the form of a dividend on September 4, 2024.  
           
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY  
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME  
    (Unaudited)  
                 
          Six Months Ended  
          June 30,  
          2025   2024  
                 
    INTEREST INCOME            
    Loans, including fees     $ 37,926,704   $ 30,758,374  
    Investment securities       2,690,344     2,012,455  
    Federal funds sold and other       408,895     258,404  
    Total Interest Income       41,025,943     33,029,233  
                 
    INTEREST EXPENSE            
    Deposits       16,850,654     14,091,305  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances       689,917     968,582  
    Notes payable       953,160     796,034  
    Federal funds purchased and other       20,135     100,047  
    Total interest expense       18,513,866     15,955,968  
    NET INTEREST INCOME       22,512,077     17,073,265  
    Provision for credit losses       1,470,000     1,080,000  
    NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES       21,042,077     15,993,265  
                 
    NON-INTEREST INCOME            
    Service charges and fees on deposits       333,371     305,165  
    Wealth management fee income       2,011,929     1,911,059  
    Secondary market fee income       352,780     170,990  
    Bank owned life insurance income       162,793     160,359  
    Gain on sales and write-downs of foreclosed assets       15,475     1,376  
    Other       1,160,808     976,319  
    TOTAL NON-INTEREST INCOME       4,037,156     3,525,268  
                 
    NON-INTEREST EXPENSE            
    Salaries and benefits       10,117,408     9,784,089  
    Occupancy and equipment       2,334,987     1,864,942  
    Data processing       1,715,313     1,494,649  
    Marketing and business development       1,006,686     937,315  
    Professional services       1,350,676     1,287,757  
    Amortization of intangible asset       106,073     106,073  
    Other       719,722     898,039  
    TOTAL NON-INTEREST EXPENSE       17,350,865     16,372,864  
                 
    Income before income taxes       7,728,368     3,145,669  
    Income tax provision       1,800,860     787,404  
    NET INCOME     $ 5,927,508   $ 2,358,265  
                 
    EARNINGS PER SHARE            
    Basic (1)     $ 2.42   $ 1.11  
    Diluted (1)     $ 2.42   $ 1.11  
                 
      (1 ) Prior periods adjusted to give effect to stock split effected in the form of a dividend on September 4, 2024.  
                 
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY  
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS  
    (Unaudited)  
                   
        June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024  
                   
    ASSETS                      
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 25,604,276     $ 48,360,156     $ 49,495,763    
    Investment securities     140,544,711       134,968,153       115,526,915    
    Loans held for sale     2,442,642       874,009       997,907    
    Loans     1,208,102,220       1,141,369,199       994,754,063    
    Allowance for credit losses     (14,033,740 )     (13,347,855 )     (12,434,130 )  
    Net loans     1,194,068,480       1,128,021,344       982,319,933    
    Premises and equipment, net     37,411,490       35,647,835       30,442,837    
    Foreclosed assets held for sale     –       310,406       777,606    
    Accrued interest receivable     7,024,823       6,629,881       5,433,391    
    Bank owned life insurance     9,942,100       9,859,911       9,614,851    
    Deferred income taxes     4,522,795       4,220,559       4,788,942    
    Other investments     7,925,019       6,782,614       8,094,125    
    Intangible assets, net     1,697,167       1,750,204       1,909,313    
    Other assets     2,783,012       1,825,830       1,733,790    
    TOTAL ASSETS   $ 1,433,966,515     $ 1,379,250,902     $ 1,211,135,373    
                   
    LIABILITIES & STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY                      
    Deposits:              
    Demand and non-interest-bearing   $ 233,078,431     $ 231,331,391     $ 233,230,007    
    Savings and interest-bearing transaction accounts     479,532,136       456,733,576       348,391,562    
    Time deposits     536,591,123       512,882,444       432,248,979    
    Total deposits     1,249,201,690       1,200,947,411       1,013,870,548    
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     21,518,084       21,593,143       54,314,495    
    Notes payable     26,159,110       26,141,832       26,090,002    
    Operating lease liability     21,918,414       20,029,714       15,930,503    
    Reserve for losses on unfunded commitments     1,603,000       1,478,000       1,433,000    
    Accrued interest payable     2,636,403       2,731,699       2,714,687    
    Other liabilities     8,433,777       5,798,159       4,745,292    
    TOTAL LIABILITIES     1,331,470,478       1,278,719,958       1,119,098,527    
                   
    Stockholders’ equity:              
    Common stock (1)     24,876       24,882       24,698    
    Surplus (1)     102,893,483       102,784,831       102,457,705    
    Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)     6,787,654       4,714,375       (2,484,500 )  
    Treasury stock, at cost     (1,284,359 )     (1,265,731 )     (1,132,905 )  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (5,925,617 )     (5,727,413 )     (6,828,152 )  
    TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY     102,496,037       100,530,944       92,036,846    
                   
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY   $ 1,433,966,515     $ 1,379,250,902     $ 1,211,135,373    
                   
    (1 ) Prior periods adjusted to give effect to stock split effected in the form of a dividend on September 4, 2024.  
                   
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY
    SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
                   
        (Unaudited)  
        Three Months Ended  
        June 30,   March 31,   June 30,  
                   
    FOR THE PERIOD              
    Net income   $ 3,297,701     $ 2,629,807     $ 1,849,037    
    Net income before taxes     4,272,476       3,455,892       2,480,499    
    Dividends declared per share (1)     0.50       –       0.50    
                   
                   
    PERIOD END BALANCE              
    Total assets   $ 1,433,966,515     $ 1,379,250,902     $ 1,211,135,373    
    Total investments     140,544,711       134,968,153       115,526,915    
    Total loans, net     1,194,068,480       1,128,021,344       982,319,933    
    Allowance for credit losses     (14,033,740 )     (13,347,855 )     (12,434,131 )  
    Total deposits     1,249,201,690       1,200,947,411       1,013,870,548    
    Stockholders’ equity     102,496,037       100,530,944       92,036,846    
                   
                   
    RATIO ANALYSIS              
    Return on average assets (annualized)     0.94 %     0.79 %     0.63 %  
    Return on average equity (annualized)     12.62 %     10.64 %     8.26 %  
    Net loans/Deposits     95.59 %     93.93 %     96.89 %  
    Total Stockholders’ Equity/Total assets     7.15 %     7.29 %     7.60 %  
    Net loan losses/Total loans     -0.00 %     0.01 %     0.01 %  
    Uninsured & unpledged deposits     32.37 %     31.00 %     31.21 %  
                   
                   
    PER SHARE DATA              
    Shares outstanding (1)     2,448,246       2,449,317       2,435,700    
    Weighted average shares outstanding (1)     2,448,734       2,446,747       2,291,316    
    Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (1)     2,454,485       2,451,161       2,291,316    
    Basic earnings (1)   $ 1.35     $ 1.07     $ 0.81    
    Diluted earnings (1)     1.34       1.07       0.81    
    Book value (1)     41.87       41.04       37.79    
    Tangible book value (1)     41.17       40.33       37.00    
                   
                   
    ASSET QUALITY              
    Net (recoveries) charge-offs   $ (10,889 )   $ 136,970     $ 110,968    
    Classified assets     402,406       853,745       1,090,758    
    Nonperforming loans     364,853       419,985       32,054    
    Nonperforming assets     364,853       730,391       809,660    
    Total nonperforming loans/Total loans     0.03 %     0.04 %     0.00 %  
    Total nonperforming loans/Total assets     0.03 %     0.03 %     0.00 %  
    Total nonperforming assets/Total assets     0.03 %     0.05 %     0.07 %  
    Allowance for credit losses/Total loans     1.16 %     1.17 %     1.25 %  
                   
                   
    (1 ) Prior periods adjusted to give effect to stock split effected in the form of a dividend on September 4, 2024.  
                   
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY  
    INTEREST INCOME AND EXPENSE  
    (Unaudited)  
                                           
        Three Months Ended  
        June 30,   March 31,   June 30,  
          2025       2025       2024    
        Average       Average   Average       Average   Average       Average  
        Balance   Interest   Yield/Rate   Balance   Interest   Yield/Rate   Balance   Interest   Yield/Rate  
                                           
    Interest-earning assets:                                      
    Federal funds sold and other   $ 15,102,485   $ 175,917   4.67 %   $ 23,287,989   $ 232,978   4.06 %   $ 11,798,448   $ 162,250   5.53 %  
    Investment securities available-for-sale (1)     138,229,178     1,289,470   3.74 %     133,405,472     1,208,821   3.67 %     114,427,481     941,900   3.31 %  
    Loans receivable     1,169,591,045     19,611,698   6.73 %     1,106,648,533     18,315,006   6.71 %     973,396,880     15,763,452   6.51 %  
    Total interest-earning assets     1,322,922,708   $ 21,077,085   6.39 %     1,263,341,994   $ 19,756,805   6.34 %     1,099,622,809   $ 16,867,602   6.17 %  
    Noninterest-earning assets     81,927,528             81,821,189             74,503,352          
    Total assets   $ 1,404,850,236           $ 1,345,163,183           $ 1,174,126,161          
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                                      
    Interest-bearing deposits   $ 985,435,006   $ 8,538,199   3.48 %   $ 937,669,969   $ 8,312,455   3.60 %   $ 770,303,642   $ 7,106,512   3.71 %  
    FHLB advances and federal funds purchased     26,552,308     303,973   4.59 %     36,654,930     406,079   4.49 %     40,440,625     470,050   4.67 %  
    Notes payable     26,150,819     477,735   7.33 %     26,131,761     475,425   7.38 %     25,506,601     398,017   6.28 %  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities     1,038,138,133   $ 9,319,907   3.60 %     1,000,456,660   $ 9,193,959   3.73 %     836,250,868   $ 7,974,579   3.84 %  
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities     261,876,451             244,466,979             247,820,333          
    Total liabilities     1,300,014,584             1,244,923,639             1,084,071,201          
    Stockholders’ equity     104,835,652             100,239,544             90,054,960          
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 1,404,850,236           $ 1,345,163,183           $ 1,174,126,161          
    Net interest-earning assets   $ 284,784,575           $ 262,885,334           $ 263,371,941          
    Net interest spread       $ 11,757,178   2.79 %       $ 10,562,846   2.61 %       $ 8,893,023   2.33 %  
    Net interest margin           3.56 %           3.39 %           3.25 %  
                                           
    (1 ) Excludes investments in bank stock (Federal Reserve Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank, and First National Bankers Bankshares).      
                                           
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY  
    INTEREST INCOME AND EXPENSE  
    (Unaudited)  
                               
        Six Months Ended June 30,  
          2025       2024    
        Average       Average   Average       Average  
        Balance   Interest   Yield/Rate   Balance   Interest   Yield/Rate  
                               
    Interest-earning assets:                          
    Federal funds sold and other   $ 19,172,625   $ 408,895   4.30 %   $ 10,071,062   $ 258,404   5.16 %  
    Investment securities available-for-sale (1)     135,830,651     2,498,291   3.71 %     114,434,010     1,842,786   3.24 %  
    Loans receivable     1,138,293,665     37,926,704   6.72 %     967,102,566     30,758,374   6.40 %  
    Total interest-earning assets     1,293,296,941   $ 40,833,890   6.37 %     1,091,607,638   $ 32,859,564   6.05 %  
    Noninterest-earning assets     81,874,656             72,612,145          
    Total assets   $ 1,375,171,597           $ 1,164,219,783          
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                          
    Interest-bearing deposits   $ 961,684,434   $ 16,850,654   3.53 %   $ 766,601,621   $ 14,091,305   3.70 %  
    FHLB advances and federal funds purchased     31,575,711     710,052   4.53 %     45,594,923     1,068,629   4.71 %  
    Notes payable     26,141,343     953,160   7.35 %     25,500,463     796,034   6.28 %  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities     1,019,401,488   $ 18,513,866   3.66 %     837,697,007   $ 15,955,968   3.83 %  
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities     253,207,317             240,831,655          
    Total liabilities     1,272,608,805             1,078,528,662          
    Stockholders’ equity     102,562,792             85,691,121          
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 1,375,171,597           $ 1,164,219,783          
    Net interest-earning assets   $ 273,895,453           $ 253,910,631          
    Net interest spread       $ 22,320,024   2.70 %       $ 16,903,596   2.22 %  
    Net interest margin           3.48 %           3.11 %  
                               
    (1 )   Excludes investments in bank stock (Federal Reserve Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank, and First National Bankers Bankshares).
                               

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: White River Bancshares Co. Reports Net Income of $3.30 million, or $1.34 Per Diluted Share, in 2Q25; Results Driven by Loan Growth and Net Interest Margin Expansion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — White River Bancshares Company (OTCQX: WRIV) (the “Company”), the holding company for Signature Bank of Arkansas (the “Bank”), today reported net income increased to $3.30 million, or $1.34 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $1.85 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2024. The Company reported net income of $2.63 million, or $1.07 per diluted share, for the prior quarter. In the first six months of 2025, net income increased to $5.93 million, or $2.42 per diluted share, compared to $2.36 million, or $1.11 per diluted share, in the first six months of 2024. All financial results are unaudited and all per share data has been adjusted to reflect the two-for-one stock split effected September 4, 2024.

    “We had a strong second quarter—the most profitable quarter we’ve ever had,” said Gary Head, Chairman and CEO. “We have been blessed to have incredible loan growth throughout the history of our company, and we build on that momentum quarter after quarter. Our Signature Bank family is the best group of bankers I’ve been associated with in my 43-year banking career. Their teamwork and commitment to excellence consistently go above and beyond expectations.”

    “As a community bank, expanding our deposit base to support new loan growth is critical,” said Scott Sandlin, Chief Strategy Officer. “Our Bank has made deposit gathering a primary focus, and our team has done an outstanding job—deepening relationships with existing clients while also bringing in new customers. As a result, total deposits increased 4.0% during the second quarter of 2025 and 23.2% year-over-year. At quarter end, demand and non-interest bearing accounts represented 18.7% of total deposits, and savings and interest-bearing transaction accounts represented 38.4% of total deposits. We will continue to actively seek more opportunities to grow deposits in the coming quarters to meet the increasing demand for loans.”

    Second Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights:

    • Net income for the second quarter of 2025 increased to $3.30 million, or $1.34 per diluted share, compared to $1.85 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2024.
    • Net interest income increased 31.7% to $11.9 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $9.0 million in the second quarter of 2024.
    • Net interest margin (“NIM”) increased 31 basis points to 3.56% in the second quarter of 2025, compared to 3.25% in the second quarter of 2024.
    • The Company recorded an $800,000 provision for credit losses in the second quarter of 2025, compared to a $432,000 provision for credit losses in the second quarter of 2024.
    • Net loans increased 21.6% to $1.194 billion at June 30, 2025, compared to $982.3 million at June 30, 2024.
    • Nonperforming loans represented 0.03% of total loans at June 30, 2025, compared to 0.00% a year ago.
    • Total deposits increased $235.3 million, or 23.2%, year-over-year, to $1.249 billion at June 30, 2025, compared to $1.014 billion at June 30, 2024.
    • Core deposits (demand and non-interest-bearing, savings and interest-bearing transaction accounts, CDs under $250,000 and CDARs reciprocal deposits) represented 70.10% of total deposits at June 30, 2025.
    • Tangible book value per common share was $41.17 at June 30, 2025, compared to $37.00 a year ago.

    Income Statement

    In the second quarter of 2025, the Company generated a return on average assets of 0.94% and a return on average equity of 12.62%, compared to 0.79% and 10.64%, respectively, in the first quarter of 2025 and 0.63% and 8.26%, respectively, in the second quarter of 2024.

    “Our second quarter net interest margin expanded by 17 basis points from the previous quarter and 31 basis points year-over-year, driven by loan growth and increased yields on our interest-earning assets,” said Brant Ward, President. NIM was 3.56% in the second quarter of 2025, compared to 3.39% in the first quarter of 2025, and 3.25% in the second quarter of 2024. In the first six months of 2025, NIM expanded 37 basis points to 3.48%, compared to 3.11% in the first six months of 2024.

    Net interest income increased 31.7% to $11.9 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $9.0 million in the second quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to year-over-year loan growth. Total interest income increased 24.8% to $21.2 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $17.0 million in the second quarter of 2024, primarily attributable to the increase in loans. Total interest expense increased to $9.3 million in the second quarter of 2025, from $8.0 million in the second quarter of 2024, primarily due to an increase in deposit costs. In the first six months of 2025, net interest income increased 31.9% to $22.5 million, compared to $17.1 million in the first six months of 2024.

    Noninterest income increased 7.9% to $2.1 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $1.9 million in the second quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to an increase in secondary market fee income, which more than offset the decrease in wealth management fee income during the second quarter of 2025. In the first six months of 2025, noninterest income increased 14.5% to $4.0 million, compared to $3.5 million in the first six months of 2024.

    Noninterest expense was $8.9 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $8.1 million in the second quarter of 2024, as expenses have normalized following the investment in expanding the Company’s market presence over the past few years. In the first six months of the year, noninterest expense increased 6.0% to $17.4 million, compared to $16.4 million in the first six months of 2024.

    Balance Sheet

    Total assets increased 18.4% to $1.434 billion at June 30, 2025, from $1.211 billion at June 30, 2024, and increased 4.0% compared to $1.379 billion at March 31, 2025. Cash and cash equivalents totaled $25.6 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $49.5 million a year ago. Investment securities totaled $140.5 million at June 30, 2025, an increase from $115.5 million at June 30, 2024.

    Loans, net of allowance for credit losses, increased 21.6% to $1.194 billion at June 30, 2025, compared to $982.3 million at June 30, 2024, and increased 5.9% compared to $1.128 billion at March 31, 2025.

    Total deposits increased 23.2% to $1.249 billion at June 30, 2025, compared to $1.014 billion at June 30, 2024, and increased 4.0% compared to $1.201 billion at March 31, 2025. Demand and non-interest-bearing deposits decreased less than 1% compared to June 30, 2024, while savings and interest-bearing transaction accounts increased 37.6% compared to June 30, 2024.

    FHLB advances were $21.5 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $54.3 million at June 30, 2024, and $21.6 million at March 31, 2025. Total stockholders’ equity increased to $102.5 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $92.0 million at June 30, 2024, and $100.5 million at March 31, 2025. Tangible book value per common share was $41.17 at June 30, 2025, compared to $37.00 at June 30, 2024, and $40.33 at March 31, 2025.

    Credit Quality

    Due to strong quarterly loan growth, the Company recorded an $800,000 provision for credit losses in the second quarter of 2025. This is compared to a $670,000 provision for credit losses in the first quarter of 2025, and a $432,000 provision for credit losses in the second quarter of 2024.

    There were $365,000 in nonperforming loans at June 30, 2025. This compared to $420,000 in nonperforming loans at March 31, 2025, and $32,000 in nonperforming loans at June 30, 2024. Nonperforming loans represented 0.03% of total loans on June 30, 2025, 0.04% of total loans on March 31, 2025, and 0.00% of total loans a year ago.

    “We remain conservative in building our credit loss reserves, continually reviewing our loan mix, assessing growth trends, and factoring in both regional and national economic conditions to ensure our allowance remains appropriately calibrated,” said Jeff Maland, Chief Risk Officer. The allowance for credit losses was $14.0 million, or 1.16% of total loans, at June 30, 2025, compared to $13.3 million, or 1.17% of total loans, at March 31, 2025, and $12.4 million, or 1.25% of total loans, at June 30, 2024.

    Net loan recoveries were $11,000 in the second quarter of 2025. This compared to net loan charge-offs of $137,000 in the first quarter of 2025, and net loan charge-offs of $111,000 in the second quarter of 2024.

    Capital

    The Bank’s capital ratios continued to exceed regulatory “well-capitalized” requirements, with a Total risk-based capital ratio estimate of 11.69%, a Tier 1 ratio of 10.44%, and a Leverage ratio of 9.12% for the Bank at June 30, 2025.

    About White River Bancshares Company

    White River Bancshares Company is the single bank holding company for Signature Bank of Arkansas, headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Bank has locations in Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Rogers, Brinkley, Harrison and Jonesboro, Arkansas. Founded in 2005, Signature Bank of Arkansas provides a full line of financial services to small businesses, families and farms. White River Bancshares Company (OTCQX: WRIV), trades on the OTCQX® Best Market.  

    In the second quarter of 2025, the Signature Bank celebrated its 20-year anniversary of service to its Arkansas communities. In tandem with the celebration, the organization updated its mission statement:
    We are committed to being a trusted local bank for business owners, individuals, and families who seek personalized service from people they know. Our mission is to empower our customers to strengthen their connections through every interaction, ensuring that their dollars are reinvested locally to support the growth and prosperity of the community we share. We have a passion for preserving the traditions of community banking as we embrace the power of technology.

    About the Region

    White River Bancshares Company is headquartered in thriving Northwest Arkansas in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA. The region is home to the corporate headquarters for Walmart Stores Inc, Sam’s Club, Tyson Foods, Simmons Foods, and J.B. Hunt Transport. Hundreds of other market-leading companies including Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola and Rubbermaid maintain offices in the region in order to maintain their relationships with the locally based Fortune 500 companies. Northwest Arkansas is also home to the state’s flagship public educational institution, The University of Arkansas, and its Sam M. Walton College of Business. The region has seen significant growth in its medical and arts infrastructures with the continued expansion of Washington Regional Medical System, Northwest Medical System, Mercy Health System of Northwest Arkansas and Arkansas Children’s Hospital Northwest. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Walton Arts Center have led the expansion of the arts. Northwest Arkansas has been repeatedly recognized in recent years as one of the best places to live in the country and remains one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions. In May 2024, Walmart issued a relocation mandate requiring most of its remote employees, as well as most of its office workers in Dallas, Atlanta and Toronto to move to, in most cases, Bentonville by November 1, 2024. While the company did not disclose a number, Bloomberg reported that the number of Walmart employees who would be moving to Bentonville would be in the thousands. Walmart is making a major investment in its hometown facilities, building a new, 350-acre headquarters campus, including walking and biking trails, a hotel, fitness facilities and a large childcare center.

    The Company has expanded eastward, with new markets in Jonesboro and Harrison. Jonesboro, located in Craighead County, is a city located on Crowley’s Ridge in the northeastern corner of Arkansas. It is the home of Arkansas State University and the cultural and economic center of Northeast Arkansas. Jonesboro also houses the region’s hospital network. U.S. Steel Corp. announced that it would locate a new $3 billion steel factory in Northeast Arkansas in Osceola, a move expected to create 900 jobs with an average pay over $100,000 annually, making it the largest capital investment project in Arkansas history. Harrison sits below Branson, Missouri, which is a family tourist destination and outdoor recreation, and is well known as an entertainment destination.

    The Company currently operates out of ten locations; three in Washington County; three in Benton County; two in Monroe County; one in Boone County; and one in Craighead County.

    The housing market in Washington and Benton counties remains robust. According to the Northwest Arkansas Board of Realtors, the average home in Washington County sold for $429,000 in May 2025, with an average of 97 days on the market. For Benton County, the average house sold for $461,000, with an average of 92 days on the market.

    Source:
    http://www.nwarealtors.org/market-statistics/

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements about future events. These forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions of management of the Company and the Bank and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” or similar expressions or the negative of those terms. Our ability to predict results of future events and the actual effect of future plans or strategies are inherently uncertain, and actual results may differ materially from those predicted in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could have a material adverse effect on our operations and future prospects or that could affect the outcome of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates; the economic health of the local real estate market; general economic conditions; credit deterioration in our loan portfolio that would cause us to increase our allowance for loan losses; legislative or regulatory changes; technological developments; monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board; the quality or composition of our loan and securities portfolios; demand for loan products in our market areas; deposit flows and costs of capital; competition; retention and recruitment of qualified personnel; demand for financial services in our market areas; and changes in accounting principles, policies, and guidelines. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. The Company does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

    Contact: Scott Sandlin, Chief Strategy Officer
      479-684-3754
       
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (Unaudited)
                   
        For the Three Months Ended  
        June 30,   March 31,   June 30,  
          2025     2025     2024  
                   
    INTEREST INCOME              
    Loans, including fees   $ 19,611,698   $ 18,315,006   $ 15,763,452  
    Investment securities     1,431,773     1,258,571     1,083,415  
    Federal funds sold and other     175,917     232,978     162,250  
    Total interest income     21,219,388     19,806,555     17,009,117  
                   
    INTEREST EXPENSE              
    Deposits     8,538,199     8,312,455     7,106,512  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     296,860     393,057     448,263  
    Notes payable     477,735     475,425     398,017  
    Federal funds purchased and other     7,113     13,022     21,787  
    Total interest expense     9,319,907     9,193,959     7,974,579  
    NET INTEREST INCOME     11,899,481     10,612,596     9,034,538  
    Provision for credit losses     800,000     670,000     432,000  
    NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES     11,099,481     9,942,596     8,602,538  
                   
    NON-INTEREST INCOME              
    Service charges and fees on deposits     162,185     171,186     154,816  
    Wealth management fee income     994,100     1,017,829     1,065,553  
    Secondary market fee income     223,956     128,824     113,926  
    Bank owned-life insurance income     82,190     80,603     80,478  
    Gain on sales and write-downs of foreclosed assets     15,475     –     326  
    Other     616,667     544,141     527,064  
    TOTAL NON-INTEREST INCOME     2,094,573     1,942,583     1,942,163  
                   
    NON-INTEREST EXPENSE              
    Salaries and benefits     5,185,716     4,931,692     4,784,556  
    Occupancy and equipment     1,189,886     1,145,101     936,818  
    Data processing     857,198     858,115     704,080  
    Marketing and business development     609,549     397,137     473,618  
    Professional services     699,968     650,708     617,890  
    Amortization of other intangible assets     53,037     53,036     53,037  
    Other     326,224     393,498     494,203  
    TOTAL NON-INTEREST EXPENSE     8,921,578     8,429,287     8,064,202  
                   
    Income before income taxes     4,272,476     3,455,892     2,480,499  
    Income tax provision     974,775     826,085     631,462  
    NET INCOME   $ 3,297,701   $ 2,629,807   $ 1,849,037  
                   
    EARNINGS PER SHARE              
    Basic (1)   $ 1.35   $ 1.07   $ 0.81  
    Diluted (1)   $ 1.34   $ 1.07   $ 0.81  
                   
    (1 ) Prior periods adjusted to give effect to stock split effected in the form of a dividend on September 4, 2024.  
           
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY  
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME  
    (Unaudited)  
                 
          Six Months Ended  
          June 30,  
          2025   2024  
                 
    INTEREST INCOME            
    Loans, including fees     $ 37,926,704   $ 30,758,374  
    Investment securities       2,690,344     2,012,455  
    Federal funds sold and other       408,895     258,404  
    Total Interest Income       41,025,943     33,029,233  
                 
    INTEREST EXPENSE            
    Deposits       16,850,654     14,091,305  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances       689,917     968,582  
    Notes payable       953,160     796,034  
    Federal funds purchased and other       20,135     100,047  
    Total interest expense       18,513,866     15,955,968  
    NET INTEREST INCOME       22,512,077     17,073,265  
    Provision for credit losses       1,470,000     1,080,000  
    NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES       21,042,077     15,993,265  
                 
    NON-INTEREST INCOME            
    Service charges and fees on deposits       333,371     305,165  
    Wealth management fee income       2,011,929     1,911,059  
    Secondary market fee income       352,780     170,990  
    Bank owned life insurance income       162,793     160,359  
    Gain on sales and write-downs of foreclosed assets       15,475     1,376  
    Other       1,160,808     976,319  
    TOTAL NON-INTEREST INCOME       4,037,156     3,525,268  
                 
    NON-INTEREST EXPENSE            
    Salaries and benefits       10,117,408     9,784,089  
    Occupancy and equipment       2,334,987     1,864,942  
    Data processing       1,715,313     1,494,649  
    Marketing and business development       1,006,686     937,315  
    Professional services       1,350,676     1,287,757  
    Amortization of intangible asset       106,073     106,073  
    Other       719,722     898,039  
    TOTAL NON-INTEREST EXPENSE       17,350,865     16,372,864  
                 
    Income before income taxes       7,728,368     3,145,669  
    Income tax provision       1,800,860     787,404  
    NET INCOME     $ 5,927,508   $ 2,358,265  
                 
    EARNINGS PER SHARE            
    Basic (1)     $ 2.42   $ 1.11  
    Diluted (1)     $ 2.42   $ 1.11  
                 
      (1 ) Prior periods adjusted to give effect to stock split effected in the form of a dividend on September 4, 2024.  
                 
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY  
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS  
    (Unaudited)  
                   
        June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024  
                   
    ASSETS                      
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 25,604,276     $ 48,360,156     $ 49,495,763    
    Investment securities     140,544,711       134,968,153       115,526,915    
    Loans held for sale     2,442,642       874,009       997,907    
    Loans     1,208,102,220       1,141,369,199       994,754,063    
    Allowance for credit losses     (14,033,740 )     (13,347,855 )     (12,434,130 )  
    Net loans     1,194,068,480       1,128,021,344       982,319,933    
    Premises and equipment, net     37,411,490       35,647,835       30,442,837    
    Foreclosed assets held for sale     –       310,406       777,606    
    Accrued interest receivable     7,024,823       6,629,881       5,433,391    
    Bank owned life insurance     9,942,100       9,859,911       9,614,851    
    Deferred income taxes     4,522,795       4,220,559       4,788,942    
    Other investments     7,925,019       6,782,614       8,094,125    
    Intangible assets, net     1,697,167       1,750,204       1,909,313    
    Other assets     2,783,012       1,825,830       1,733,790    
    TOTAL ASSETS   $ 1,433,966,515     $ 1,379,250,902     $ 1,211,135,373    
                   
    LIABILITIES & STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY                      
    Deposits:              
    Demand and non-interest-bearing   $ 233,078,431     $ 231,331,391     $ 233,230,007    
    Savings and interest-bearing transaction accounts     479,532,136       456,733,576       348,391,562    
    Time deposits     536,591,123       512,882,444       432,248,979    
    Total deposits     1,249,201,690       1,200,947,411       1,013,870,548    
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     21,518,084       21,593,143       54,314,495    
    Notes payable     26,159,110       26,141,832       26,090,002    
    Operating lease liability     21,918,414       20,029,714       15,930,503    
    Reserve for losses on unfunded commitments     1,603,000       1,478,000       1,433,000    
    Accrued interest payable     2,636,403       2,731,699       2,714,687    
    Other liabilities     8,433,777       5,798,159       4,745,292    
    TOTAL LIABILITIES     1,331,470,478       1,278,719,958       1,119,098,527    
                   
    Stockholders’ equity:              
    Common stock (1)     24,876       24,882       24,698    
    Surplus (1)     102,893,483       102,784,831       102,457,705    
    Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)     6,787,654       4,714,375       (2,484,500 )  
    Treasury stock, at cost     (1,284,359 )     (1,265,731 )     (1,132,905 )  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (5,925,617 )     (5,727,413 )     (6,828,152 )  
    TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY     102,496,037       100,530,944       92,036,846    
                   
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY   $ 1,433,966,515     $ 1,379,250,902     $ 1,211,135,373    
                   
    (1 ) Prior periods adjusted to give effect to stock split effected in the form of a dividend on September 4, 2024.  
                   
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY
    SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
                   
        (Unaudited)  
        Three Months Ended  
        June 30,   March 31,   June 30,  
                   
    FOR THE PERIOD              
    Net income   $ 3,297,701     $ 2,629,807     $ 1,849,037    
    Net income before taxes     4,272,476       3,455,892       2,480,499    
    Dividends declared per share (1)     0.50       –       0.50    
                   
                   
    PERIOD END BALANCE              
    Total assets   $ 1,433,966,515     $ 1,379,250,902     $ 1,211,135,373    
    Total investments     140,544,711       134,968,153       115,526,915    
    Total loans, net     1,194,068,480       1,128,021,344       982,319,933    
    Allowance for credit losses     (14,033,740 )     (13,347,855 )     (12,434,131 )  
    Total deposits     1,249,201,690       1,200,947,411       1,013,870,548    
    Stockholders’ equity     102,496,037       100,530,944       92,036,846    
                   
                   
    RATIO ANALYSIS              
    Return on average assets (annualized)     0.94 %     0.79 %     0.63 %  
    Return on average equity (annualized)     12.62 %     10.64 %     8.26 %  
    Net loans/Deposits     95.59 %     93.93 %     96.89 %  
    Total Stockholders’ Equity/Total assets     7.15 %     7.29 %     7.60 %  
    Net loan losses/Total loans     -0.00 %     0.01 %     0.01 %  
    Uninsured & unpledged deposits     32.37 %     31.00 %     31.21 %  
                   
                   
    PER SHARE DATA              
    Shares outstanding (1)     2,448,246       2,449,317       2,435,700    
    Weighted average shares outstanding (1)     2,448,734       2,446,747       2,291,316    
    Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (1)     2,454,485       2,451,161       2,291,316    
    Basic earnings (1)   $ 1.35     $ 1.07     $ 0.81    
    Diluted earnings (1)     1.34       1.07       0.81    
    Book value (1)     41.87       41.04       37.79    
    Tangible book value (1)     41.17       40.33       37.00    
                   
                   
    ASSET QUALITY              
    Net (recoveries) charge-offs   $ (10,889 )   $ 136,970     $ 110,968    
    Classified assets     402,406       853,745       1,090,758    
    Nonperforming loans     364,853       419,985       32,054    
    Nonperforming assets     364,853       730,391       809,660    
    Total nonperforming loans/Total loans     0.03 %     0.04 %     0.00 %  
    Total nonperforming loans/Total assets     0.03 %     0.03 %     0.00 %  
    Total nonperforming assets/Total assets     0.03 %     0.05 %     0.07 %  
    Allowance for credit losses/Total loans     1.16 %     1.17 %     1.25 %  
                   
                   
    (1 ) Prior periods adjusted to give effect to stock split effected in the form of a dividend on September 4, 2024.  
                   
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY  
    INTEREST INCOME AND EXPENSE  
    (Unaudited)  
                                           
        Three Months Ended  
        June 30,   March 31,   June 30,  
          2025       2025       2024    
        Average       Average   Average       Average   Average       Average  
        Balance   Interest   Yield/Rate   Balance   Interest   Yield/Rate   Balance   Interest   Yield/Rate  
                                           
    Interest-earning assets:                                      
    Federal funds sold and other   $ 15,102,485   $ 175,917   4.67 %   $ 23,287,989   $ 232,978   4.06 %   $ 11,798,448   $ 162,250   5.53 %  
    Investment securities available-for-sale (1)     138,229,178     1,289,470   3.74 %     133,405,472     1,208,821   3.67 %     114,427,481     941,900   3.31 %  
    Loans receivable     1,169,591,045     19,611,698   6.73 %     1,106,648,533     18,315,006   6.71 %     973,396,880     15,763,452   6.51 %  
    Total interest-earning assets     1,322,922,708   $ 21,077,085   6.39 %     1,263,341,994   $ 19,756,805   6.34 %     1,099,622,809   $ 16,867,602   6.17 %  
    Noninterest-earning assets     81,927,528             81,821,189             74,503,352          
    Total assets   $ 1,404,850,236           $ 1,345,163,183           $ 1,174,126,161          
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                                      
    Interest-bearing deposits   $ 985,435,006   $ 8,538,199   3.48 %   $ 937,669,969   $ 8,312,455   3.60 %   $ 770,303,642   $ 7,106,512   3.71 %  
    FHLB advances and federal funds purchased     26,552,308     303,973   4.59 %     36,654,930     406,079   4.49 %     40,440,625     470,050   4.67 %  
    Notes payable     26,150,819     477,735   7.33 %     26,131,761     475,425   7.38 %     25,506,601     398,017   6.28 %  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities     1,038,138,133   $ 9,319,907   3.60 %     1,000,456,660   $ 9,193,959   3.73 %     836,250,868   $ 7,974,579   3.84 %  
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities     261,876,451             244,466,979             247,820,333          
    Total liabilities     1,300,014,584             1,244,923,639             1,084,071,201          
    Stockholders’ equity     104,835,652             100,239,544             90,054,960          
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 1,404,850,236           $ 1,345,163,183           $ 1,174,126,161          
    Net interest-earning assets   $ 284,784,575           $ 262,885,334           $ 263,371,941          
    Net interest spread       $ 11,757,178   2.79 %       $ 10,562,846   2.61 %       $ 8,893,023   2.33 %  
    Net interest margin           3.56 %           3.39 %           3.25 %  
                                           
    (1 ) Excludes investments in bank stock (Federal Reserve Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank, and First National Bankers Bankshares).      
                                           
    WHITE RIVER BANCSHARES COMPANY  
    INTEREST INCOME AND EXPENSE  
    (Unaudited)  
                               
        Six Months Ended June 30,  
          2025       2024    
        Average       Average   Average       Average  
        Balance   Interest   Yield/Rate   Balance   Interest   Yield/Rate  
                               
    Interest-earning assets:                          
    Federal funds sold and other   $ 19,172,625   $ 408,895   4.30 %   $ 10,071,062   $ 258,404   5.16 %  
    Investment securities available-for-sale (1)     135,830,651     2,498,291   3.71 %     114,434,010     1,842,786   3.24 %  
    Loans receivable     1,138,293,665     37,926,704   6.72 %     967,102,566     30,758,374   6.40 %  
    Total interest-earning assets     1,293,296,941   $ 40,833,890   6.37 %     1,091,607,638   $ 32,859,564   6.05 %  
    Noninterest-earning assets     81,874,656             72,612,145          
    Total assets   $ 1,375,171,597           $ 1,164,219,783          
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                          
    Interest-bearing deposits   $ 961,684,434   $ 16,850,654   3.53 %   $ 766,601,621   $ 14,091,305   3.70 %  
    FHLB advances and federal funds purchased     31,575,711     710,052   4.53 %     45,594,923     1,068,629   4.71 %  
    Notes payable     26,141,343     953,160   7.35 %     25,500,463     796,034   6.28 %  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities     1,019,401,488   $ 18,513,866   3.66 %     837,697,007   $ 15,955,968   3.83 %  
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities     253,207,317             240,831,655          
    Total liabilities     1,272,608,805             1,078,528,662          
    Stockholders’ equity     102,562,792             85,691,121          
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 1,375,171,597           $ 1,164,219,783          
    Net interest-earning assets   $ 273,895,453           $ 253,910,631          
    Net interest spread       $ 22,320,024   2.70 %       $ 16,903,596   2.22 %  
    Net interest margin           3.48 %           3.11 %  
                               
    (1 )   Excludes investments in bank stock (Federal Reserve Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank, and First National Bankers Bankshares).
                               

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: New Payscale Research Points to AI and Social Media Driving Salary Misinformation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • 1 in 5 employees are sourcing salary information from AI assistants and another 1 in 5 are turning to social media platforms like TikTok, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook
    • 27% of employees using AI assistants, like ChatGPT, for salary research said it gave them higher salary expectations than other sources and 38% of employers agree that the use of generative AI in salary research is driving salary higher expectations than ever
    • 63% of HR and business leaders surveyed have seen an increase in employees coming to them with salary requests based on inaccurate or unverified data in the last year, with nearly half reporting an increase in employee turnover due to salary-related conflicts over the past year

    BOSTON, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Payscale Inc., the leading provider of compensation intelligence solutions, today released its 2025 Pay Confidence Gap Report, revealing a widening disconnect between employers and employees around salary expectations, fueled by pay misinformation.

    Generative AI is quickly becoming a go-to tool in salary research. The 2025 Pay Confidence Gap Report shows that roughly one in five employees (18%) turn to AI assistants like ChatGPT for compensation insights, and 70% of employers have noticed a rise in employees using AI to shape salary expectations. But using generative AI as a barometer of salary expectations is creating new tensions; 27% of AI-using employees say it inflated their expectations compared to other sources, and 38% of employers agree AI tools are driving salary demands higher than ever before.

    Social media platforms like TikTok, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook are also major drivers of unverified salary information. With one in five employees (19%) using these platforms for their salary research, the spread of pay misinformation is further amplified. In fact, 63% of HR and business leaders surveyed have seen an increase in employees coming to them with salary requests based on inaccurate or unverified data in the last year. This is fueling employee distrust around salaries, with nearly half (48%) of employers reporting an increase in employee turnover due to salary-related conflicts over the past year.

    The report reveals that employers may be underestimating this pay confidence gap and falling short on effectively communicating pay decisions and strategies. Employers overwhelmingly believe their employees trust their pay decisions (93%). However, employees aren’t so optimistic, with only two thirds (69%) reporting they trust their employer’s decisions on pay. Almost half of employees (41%) say they have never had a transparent discussion with their employer about how their pay is determined. Without clear communications from managers and HR leadership, employees are left to seek information from other sources like AI and social media.

    “The avenues for employees to educate themselves on salary expectations are expanding,” said Ruth Thomas, chief compensation strategist at Payscale. “Employees are still gaining knowledge from traditional sources like family and friends and industry salary guides, but AI and social media are driving up salary expectations without the verified data and role context needed to inform compensation. In the face of mounting misinformation, too many employers aren’t having the right conversations with their employees about pay. It’s critical they develop compensation strategies that are rooted in transparency, driven by data, and ensure compensation decisions are communicated clearly to improve pay confidence among employees.”

    Additional findings from Payscale’s Pay Confidence Gap Report include:

    • Salary conversations are becoming increasingly challenging for employers to navigate: Almost three quarters (72%) of employers have seen an increase in employees negotiating salaries based on information they’ve found online in the last year, highlighting the importance of arming managers with the right data to navigate tough pay conversations. Two-thirds (66%) of employees would consider leaving their job if a pay conversation is handled poorly. To combat the rise of tough pay conversations, HR leaders are looking for support from leadership on pay decisions (46%), greater pay transparency (44%), and reliable, accurate, and up-to-date compensation data insights (42%).
    • Cost of labor versus cost of living puts regional pay differences in the spotlight: While employers are more focused on the cost of labor, employees are feeling the strain of the rising cost of living. Two-thirds (66%) of employers reported an increase in the number of employees challenging their pay based on the local cost of living in the last year and almost half (47%) report internal conflicts over pay differences between employees in different geographies. As a result of these conflicts, almost half (49%) of employees have considered leaving their job in the last year because they don’t feel their salary has kept up with the cost of living in their city or region. Two thirds (64%) of the employers surveyed say they are actively hiring U.S. employees from locations with a lower cost of living to keep salaries down.
    • Economic uncertainty reshapes pay conversations and workforce decisions: The state of the economy is impacting salary conversations for both employers and employees. More than half (53%) of employers expect pay conversations to become more challenging over the next year due to economic uncertainty. A third (33%) are reassessing their pay structures and 32% report being more cautious with pay increases. For employees, the report reveals an equally cautious approach to pay conversations, with only 23% saying they are more likely to ask for a salary increase in the current economic climate.
    • A growing focus on merit-based pay amid an ongoing talent crunch: Skills shortages are reshaping employee leverage in pay negotiations. Over two-thirds of employers (68%) say skills shortages have impacted employee bargaining power over the past year, and most (70%) have increased compensation beyond typical pay ranges to attract or retain top performers. Employees bringing special skills expect to be rewarded for high performance, and 76% of those surveyed said they would consider leaving their job if their performance isn’t adequately reflected in their compensation package. Yet, a third (32%) of employees surveyed feel they are not adequately compensated based on their performance. Employees at lower job levels were more likely than managers or executives to feel that their performance did not affect their pay.

    To provide a comprehensive analysis of the key compensation challenges facing employers and employees, Payscale surveyed 1,000 US employees (aged 18+) and 500 US business leaders, HR leaders, and HR managers with responsibility for compensation decision-making within their organization. The full report and its methodology can be accessed here.

    About Payscale

    Payscale is the original compensation innovator for organizations who want to scale their business with pay and transform their largest investment into their greatest advantage. With decades of innovation in sourcing reputable data and developing AI-powered tools, Payscale delivers actionable insights that turn pay from a cost to a catalyst. Its suite of solutions — Payfactors, Marketpay, and Paycycle — empower 65% of Fortune 500 companies and businesses like Panasonic, ZoomInfo, Chipotle, AccentCare, University of Washington, American Airlines, and TJX Companies.

    Create confidence in your compensation. Payscale.

    To learn more, visit www.payscale.com.

    Contact: Press@Payscale.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mayor heads historic trade mission to Africa to drive trade, investment and cultural links

    Source: Mayor of London

    • Sadiq is first Mayor of London to lead trade mission to Africa
    • Mayor will visit Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa to boost trade and growth and further develop cultural links
    • Mayor to visit four cities in five days – Lagos, Accra, Johannesburg and Cape Town  
    • Trade between UK and Africa worth £50bn
    • The Mayor says that over the next decade there are ‘huge opportunities’ to deepen partnerships between London and African nations.

    Sadiq Khan will this week become the first Mayor of London to lead a trade mission to Africa, banging the drum for the capital as a place to invest and strengthening ties with countries across the continent.

    Sadiq will visit Lagos in Nigeria, Accra in Ghana, and Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa – four cities in five days – to boost trade links with London and build on extensive connections between the region and the capital’s growing African diaspora.

    Alongside the visit, the Mayor’s growth agency London & Partners will host a trade delegation of 27 London-based companies that are looking to grow their business and access opportunities in this dynamic and important region of the world.  

    The bilateral trade relationship between Africa and London has shown consistent growth over recent years, despite global challenges. More businesses from London expand into Africa than from any other city globally and the UK stands as one of Africa’s significant trading partners. With trade between the UK and Africa worth £50bn in 2024* and UK exports up six per cent year on year, the Mayor is hoping that his visit will contribute to future economic growth both in London and the cities he visits.

    The visit also helps to celebrate London’s cultural links and history with the African continent. Londoners of African heritage have played, and continue to play, a huge part of life in the capital, from food and music, to art and culture and sport. Nigeria is the eighth most common country of birth for Londoners, with the country among the top 10 fastest growing populations in London, and Ghana in the top 30 fastest growing between 2001 and 2021. Last month London hosted the football Unity Cup, which saw Ghana and Nigeria go head-to-head in a semi-final at Brentford’s stadium. 

    New analysis from Dealroom has ranked Lagos as the world’s top emerging tech hub.** In Lagos, the Mayor will attend a flagship tech event hosted by London and Partners, the growth agency for London, where he will encourage Nigerian tech businesses to invest in London.

     Just last week, Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) became the first Nigerian banking entity to list all of its shares directly on the London Stock Exchange, highlighting the close economic ties that already exist between London and the African continent.

    Africa’s Creative Vibrancy Index ranks Lagos as the top city for creative economy performance and the Mayor will also host a major culture and creative industries reception to celebrate the status of Lagos and London as cultural and creative industry powerhouses. This will also look to encourage even greater ties between the creative industry ecosystems in both cities – from the arts to music and film.

    Trade between the UK and Ghana stood at around £1.4 billion in 2024. In Accra, the Mayor will deliver a speech on innovation and entrepreneurship to students at the University of Ghana, hosted by Imperial College London. Imperial is the first UK university to have a permanent base solely focused on science and technology in Africa, building on the rapid increase in the number of scientific advancements and breakthroughs by researchers from Imperial working with scientists in Ghana in recent years. He will also launch the British High Commission’s new business campaign that will promote trade between the two cities.

    In Johannesburg, the Mayor will commemorate Mandela Day – an annual international day in honour of Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on 18 July, Mandela’s birthday. Nelson Mandela made a number of visits to London during his lifetime, including a state visit in 1996 by invitation of Queen Elizabeth II, and speaking in Trafalgar Square in 2005 in support of the Make Poverty History Campaign. His impact on South Africa, the UK and the wider world is celebrated by a statue in Parliament Square, and last year the Mayor provided funding to support the first cultural centre and museum dedicated to the history of the Anti-Apartheid Movement in Britain.

    Finally, the Mayor will visit Cape Town where he will join London businesses from his trade delegation who are seeking new opportunities in Africa. He will attend London & Partners’ London x Cape Town Tech Summit, which will bring together London and South Africa’s dynamic tech sectors, developing opportunities for collaboration between the two cities in driving innovation, attracting investment and scaling transformative technologies. He will also take part in events marking the huge role sport can play in supporting communities, both in London and in Africa.

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am delighted to be visiting Africa this week – the first visit of its kind by a Mayor of London – to bang the drum for the capital and further develop the strong ties between our countries.

    “Africa has the world’s fastest growing populations, and is seeing major economic growth across many of its economies. Over the next decade there are huge opportunities to deepen partnerships with London. I will be working tirelessly throughout this visit to drive trade and investment across critical sectors including finance, education, health, tech creative and sustainability.

    “Londoners of African heritage have played, and continue to play, a huge role in making London the greatest city in the world, and this trip is an opportunity to celebrate our shared heritage, history and culture with the African continent – as we build a better and fairer city for everyone.”  

    Laura Citron, CEO of London & Partners, said: “London is one of the best places in the world to build a business. But it doesn’t thrive in isolation. Its strength comes from global connections. Markets like Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya offer real opportunities for growth. These trade missions focus on building strong partnerships between London and some of the most important emerging business hubs in the region. London is home to important African diaspora communities, which are a great strength in our diverse city.”

    Lord Collins of Highbury, UK Minister for Africa said: “Sir Sadiq’s visit marks an exciting moment for the UK’s relationship with countries across Africa, and is a strong demonstration of our commitment to deepening our ties with the continent. 

     

    “Strengthening our trade, investment, and cultural ties is not only vital for shared economic growth, but also for fostering long-term partnerships that are rooted in respect and open up opportunities for all.”

    Dr Lloyd Anderson, the Acting Regional Director for Sub Saharan at the British Council, said: “On behalf of the British Council in Sub Saharan Africa, I am delighted to welcome Mayor Sadiq Khan on his historic trade mission to this vibrant continent. The visit will not only strengthen the bonds between London and Africa, but showcase the immense potential for trade, investment and cultural programmes.

    “Given Africa’s dynamic economies and diverse cultures, there are precedented opportunities for collaborations that celebrate our shared heritage and drive innovation across sectors such as creative industries and education. I look forward to witnessing the fruitful partnerships that will emerge from this mission, enhancing not only economic ties but also the cultural connections that enrich both London and Africa.”

    Jonny Baxter, British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, said: “The Mayor of London’s visit underscores the UK Government’s commitment to strengthening economic and cultural ties with Nigeria. From trade to fintech and fashion, our collaboration is driving innovation and growth.

    “Through the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership, we’re committed to unlocking new opportunities that benefit both our economies, and this visit is a powerful step forward in that journey of inclusive growth.”

    Antony Phillipson, British High Commissioner to South Africa, said: “The Mayor of London’s visit marks a significant moment in deepening the economic ties between South Africa and London, with a focus on trade, innovation, and cultural links. His engagements in Cape Town show the tangible benefits of collaboration to drive inclusive, sustainable growth for both our economies.”

    Orla Browne, Head of Insights at Dealroom, said: “Lagos is the world’s top emerging tech hub in our 2025 ‘Rising Stars’ ranking — and for good reason. Its tech ecosystem has grown 11-fold in enterprise value since 2017 to $15B, produced five unicorns like Flutterwave and OPay, and attracted significant foreign investment. In the context of a low-income national economy, Lagos shows how tech can be a powerful driver of economic growth.”

    Tom Attenborough, Head of International Primary Markets, London Stock Exchange Group, said; “The London Stock Exchange has been a consistent funding partner – both to Governments and to the wider African economy – with more than 90% of the bonds issued by African Sovereigns currently listed on our markets and more than 100 companies from 20 African countries with a market capitalisation of $110bn listed here. London’s capital markets continue to play actively in directing financing to opportunities that support economic development across Africa.”

    Olu Alake, CEO of The Africa Centre, London UK, said: “The Africa Centre warmly welcomes The Mayor of London’s trade mission to Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa as part of his office’s focus on Africa. For over 60 years, we have had the pleasure of fostering meaningful engagements and innovative partnerships between the United Kingdom and the African continent. Mayor Khan’s visit represents a timely and strategic opportunity to deepen economic, cultural and innovation ties with the continent in a spirit of genuine partnership. We stand ready to support all efforts that will advance inclusive growth and mutual prosperity.”

    London-based businesses in Africa as part of London & Partners trade delegation include fintech company Abound who specialise in AI-powered lending.

    Michelle He, Co-Founder and COO of Abound said: “We’re excited to take part in this historic trade mission to Africa. We’ve already partnered with one African unicorn, LemFi, and are excited to continue to grow our presence in what is becoming such an important fintech hub.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Don’t miss your station: all escalators lead to Polytech

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The heat is on: real summer has arrived in St. Petersburg, and applicants have just over a week to apply for admission to a university. There are many opportunities, but it is difficult to make the right choice. Not all graduates leave school with a clear understanding of where exactly they will go to get higher education. Sometimes a strong emotion becomes a turning point for making a decision. For example, many students stay to study at the Polytechnic University under the impression of the beauty of its buildings and park. But first, they need to get there. Potential students will be helped by… superheroes of the Polytechnic Universe.

    Now you can see them on light boxes in the vestibules and on the escalators of eleven stations of the St. Petersburg metro, and they will definitely not let you go astray. If you get on the wrong line, change to the red one. If you hear in the train: “The next station is Politekhnicheskaya”, get off, this is where you need to go. Go up the escalator, the superheroes will wave their hand in greeting – and now you are outside, and you are greeted by the snow-white main building of the Polytechnic and a green park with a 46-meter old tower. You must admit, there is no better place for student life.

    “This year we have kept the slogan of the previous admissions campaign, “You are the main hero!” It has proven itself well,” said Dmitry Voronov, Head of the Department for Promotion of Educational Programs at SPbPU. “The corporate style with comic book characters was created by the Visual Communications Department of the Public Relations Office, and the advertising layouts were prepared by the Department for Promotion of Educational Programs.”

    Let us recall that in 2024, almost 145 thousand applications were submitted for budget places in the bachelor’s and specialist’s degree programs at the Polytechnic University – this is 70% more than in 2023. It is too early to sum up the results of the 2025 admissions campaign, but by July 15, 108,126 applications had already been submitted for all forms of study in the bachelor’s and specialist’s degree programs. The largest number – 26,000 applications – were received by the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity, in second place (25,000) – the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade, in third (12,000) – the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport.

    Among the areas of training, the most popular are “Software Engineering”, “Construction”, “Information Systems and Technologies”.

    The admissions committee notes the continued high demand of applicants for all areas of the IT sphere and the growing interest in such areas of training as: “Nuclear Power Engineering and Thermal Physics”, “Thermal Power Engineering and Thermal Engineering”, “Automation of Technological Processes and Production”, “Biotechnology”.

    The acceptance of documents continues. The rules of the admission campaign and its progress can be found aton our website.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Don’t miss your station: all escalators lead to Polytech

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The heat is on: real summer has arrived in St. Petersburg, and applicants have just over a week to apply for admission to a university. There are many opportunities, but it is difficult to make the right choice. Not all graduates leave school with a clear understanding of where exactly they will go to get higher education. Sometimes a strong emotion becomes a turning point for making a decision. For example, many students stay to study at the Polytechnic University under the impression of the beauty of its buildings and park. But first, they need to get there. Potential students will be helped by… superheroes of the Polytechnic Universe.

    Now you can see them on light boxes in the vestibules and on the escalators of eleven stations of the St. Petersburg metro, and they will definitely not let you go astray. If you get on the wrong line, change to the red one. If you hear in the train: “The next station is Politekhnicheskaya”, get off, this is where you need to go. Go up the escalator, the superheroes will wave their hand in greeting – and now you are outside, and you are greeted by the snow-white main building of the Polytechnic and a green park with a 46-meter old tower. You must admit, there is no better place for student life.

    “This year we have kept the slogan of the previous admissions campaign, “You are the main hero!” It has proven itself well,” said Dmitry Voronov, Head of the Department for Promotion of Educational Programs at SPbPU. “The corporate style with comic book characters was created by the Visual Communications Department of the Public Relations Office, and the advertising layouts were prepared by the Department for Promotion of Educational Programs.”

    Let us recall that in 2024, almost 145 thousand applications were submitted for budget places in the bachelor’s and specialist’s degree programs at the Polytechnic University – this is 70% more than in 2023. It is too early to sum up the results of the 2025 admissions campaign, but by July 15, 108,126 applications had already been submitted for all forms of study in the bachelor’s and specialist’s degree programs. The largest number – 26,000 applications – were received by the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity, in second place (25,000) – the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade, in third (12,000) – the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport.

    Among the areas of training, the most popular are “Software Engineering”, “Construction”, “Information Systems and Technologies”.

    The admissions committee notes the continued high demand of applicants for all areas of the IT sphere and the growing interest in such areas of training as: “Nuclear Power Engineering and Thermal Physics”, “Thermal Power Engineering and Thermal Engineering”, “Automation of Technological Processes and Production”, “Biotechnology”.

    The acceptance of documents continues. The rules of the admission campaign and its progress can be found aton our website.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Weird space weather seems to have influenced human behavior on Earth 41,000 years ago – our unusual scientific collaboration explores how

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Raven Garvey, Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Michigan

    Wandering magnetic fields would have had noticeable effects for humans. Maximilian Schanner (GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany)

    Our first meeting was a bit awkward. One of us is an archaeologist who studies how past peoples interacted with their environments. Two of us are geophysicists who investigate interactions between solar activity and Earth’s magnetic field.

    When we first got together, we wondered whether our unconventional project, linking space weather and human behavior, could actually bridge such a vast disciplinary divide. Now, two years on, we believe the payoffs – personal, professional and scientific – were well worth the initial discomfort.

    Our collaboration, which culminated in a recent paper in the journal Science Advances, began with a single question: What happened to life on Earth when the planet’s magnetic field nearly collapsed roughly 41,000 years ago?

    Weirdness when Earth’s magnetic shield falters

    This near-collapse is known as the Laschamps Excursion, a brief but extreme geomagnetic event named for the volcanic fields in France where it was first identified. At the time of the Laschamps Excursion, near the end of the Pleistocene epoch, Earth’s magnetic poles didn’t reverse as they do every few hundred thousand years. Instead, they wandered, erratically and rapidly, over thousands of miles. At the same time, the strength of the magnetic field dropped to less than 10% of its modern day intensity.

    So, instead of behaving like a stable bar magnet – a dipole – as it usually does, the Earth’s magnetic field fractured into multiple weak poles across the planet. As a result, the protective force field scientists call the magnetosphere became distorted and leaky.

    The magnetosphere normally deflects much of the solar wind and harmful ultraviolet radiation that would otherwise reach Earth’s surface.

    So, during the Laschamps Excursion when the magnetosphere broke down, our models suggest a number of near-Earth effects. While there is still work to be done to precisely characterize these effects, we do know they included auroras – normally seen only in skies near the poles as the Northern Lights or Southern Lights – wandering toward the equator, and significantly higher-than-present-day doses of harmful solar radiation.

    The skies 41,000 years ago may have been both spectacular and threatening. When we realized this, we two geophysicists wanted to know whether this could have affected people living at the time.

    The archaeologist’s answer was absolutely.

    Human responses to ancient space weather

    For people on the ground at that time, auroras may have been the most immediate and striking effect, perhaps inspiring awe, fear, ritual behavior or something else entirely. But the archaeological record is notoriously limited in its ability to capture these kinds of cognitive or emotional responses.

    Researchers are on firmer ground when it comes to the physiological impacts of increased UV radiation. With the weakened magnetic field, more harmful radiation would have reached Earth’s surface, elevating risk of sunburn, eye damage, birth defects, and other health issues.

    In response, people may have adopted practical measures: spending more time in caves, producing tailored clothing for better coverage, or applying mineral pigment “sunscreen” made of ochre to their skin. As we describe in our recent paper, the frequency of these behaviors indeed appears to have increased across parts of Europe, where effects of the Laschamps Excursion were pronounced and prolonged.

    Naturally occurring ochre can act as a protective sunscreen if applied to skin.
    Museo Egizio di Torino

    At this time, both Neanderthals and members of our species, Homo sapiens, were living in Europe, though their geographic distributions likely overlapped only in certain regions. The archaeological record suggests that different populations exhibited distinct approaches to environmental challenges, with some groups perhaps more reliant on shelter or material culture for protection.

    Importantly, we’re not suggesting that space weather alone caused an increase in these behaviors or, certainly, that the Laschamps caused Neanderthals to go extinct, which is one misinterpretation of our research. But it could have been a contributing factor – an invisible but powerful force that influenced innovation and adaptability.

    Cross-discipline collaboration

    Collaborating across such a disciplinary gap was, at first, daunting. But it turned out to be deeply rewarding.

    Archaeologists are used to reconstructing now-invisible phenomena like climate. We can’t measure past temperatures or precipitation directly, but they’ve left traces for us to interpret if we know where and how to look.

    An artistic rendering of how far into lower latitudes the aurora might have been visible during the Laschamps Excursion.
    Maximilian Schanner (GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany)

    But even archaeologists who’ve spent years studying the effects of climate on past behaviors and technologies may not have considered the effects of the geomagnetic field and space weather. These effects, too, are invisible, powerful and best understood through indirect evidence and modeling. Archaeologists can treat space weather as a vital component of Earth’s environmental history and future forecasting.

    Likewise, geophysicists, who typically work with large datasets, models and simulations, may not always engage with some of the stakes of space weather. Archaeology adds a human dimension to the science. It reminds us that the effects of space weather don’t stop at the ionosphere. They can ripple down into the lived experiences of people on the ground, influencing how they adapt, create and survive.

    The Laschamps Excursion wasn’t a fluke or a one-off. Similar disruptions of Earth’s magnetic field have happened before and will happen again. Understanding how ancient humans responded can provide insight into how future events might affect our world – and perhaps even help us prepare.

    Our unconventional collaboration has shown us how much we can learn, how our perspective changes, when we cross disciplinary boundaries. Space may be vast, but it connects us all. And sometimes, building a bridge between Earth and space starts with the smallest things, such as ochre, or a coat, or even sunscreen.

    Agnit Mukhopadhyay has received funding from NASA Science Mission Directorate and the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School.

    Raven Garvey and Sanja Panovska do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Weird space weather seems to have influenced human behavior on Earth 41,000 years ago – our unusual scientific collaboration explores how – https://theconversation.com/weird-space-weather-seems-to-have-influenced-human-behavior-on-earth-41-000-years-ago-our-unusual-scientific-collaboration-explores-how-257216

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: b1BANK Promotes Heather Roemer to Chief Administrative Officer 

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BATON ROUGE, La., July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — b1BANK, the banking subsidiary of Business First Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: BFST), announced the promotion of Heather Roemer to executive vice president and chief administrative officer. 

    Roemer oversees the teams responsible for business transformation programs and product management, marketing and communications, and human resources and talent development, and continues to serve as president of b1 FOUNDATION. In her expanded role, she helps align people, priorities and operations across the organization, and serves on various steering committees focused on the bank’s strategic direction.

    “Heather combines institutional knowledge, operational excellence and a deep sense of care for our people and communities,” said Jude Melville, chairman and CEO of b1BANK. “She has helped shape the culture and infrastructure that support our mission, and I’ve asked her to take on the critical responsibility of leading integrations as we continue to expand through acquisitions. I look forward to the impact she will have on the direction of our organization in this role.” 

    Over the past 16 years, Roemer has played a key role in the bank’s growth and community engagement, helping shape its culture, operations and long-term vision. A founding leader of b1 FOUNDATION, she has led initiatives focused on financial literacy, entrepreneurship education and community empowerment throughout the bank’s footprint. 

    “I am honored to step into this role and continue building on the strong foundation we’ve created together at b1BANK,” Roemer said. “As we look ahead, I’m excited to work with our talented team to further strengthen our organization and deepen our impact in the communities we serve.” 

    Roemer is a graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University, where she served as class president. She also holds a degree from Louisiana State University.

    About Business First Bancshares Inc. 
    As of March 31, 2025, Business First Bancshares Inc. (Nasdaq: BFST), through its banking
    subsidiary b1BANK, has $7.8 billion in assets and $7.1 billion in assets under management through b1BANK’s affiliate Smith Shellnut Wilson LLC (SSW), excluding $0.9 billion of b1BANK assets managed by SSW. b1BANK operates banking centers and loan production offices across Louisiana and Texas, providing commercial and personal banking products and services. b1BANK is a 2024 Mastercard “Innovation Award” winner and a multiyear recipient of American Banker magazine’s “Best Banks to Work For.” Visit b1BANK.com for more information.

    Media Contact: Misty Albrecht
    b1BANK
    225.286.7879
    Misty.Albrecht@b1BANK.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/082c0896-a2ca-4d31-a7e0-5b2b32adef6b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How 17M Americans enrolled in Medicaid and ACA plans could lose their health insurance by 2034

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Simon F. Haeder, Associate Professor of Public Health, Texas A&M University

    The millions of people losing insurance include many who get coverage through the ACA marketplace. sesame/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

    The big tax and spending package President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025, will cut government spending on health care by more than US$1 trillion over the next decade.

    Because the final version of the legislation moved swiftly through the Senate and the House, estimates regarding the number of people likely to lose their health insurance coverage were incomplete when Congress approved it by razor-thin margins. Nearly 12 million Americans could lose their health insurance coverage by 2034 due to this legislation, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

    However, the number of people losing their insurance by 2034 could be even higher, totaling more than 17 million. That’s largely because it’s likely that at least 5 million Americans who currently have Affordable Care Act marketplace health insurance will lose their coverage once subsidies that help fund those policies expire at the end of 2025. And very few Republicans have said they support renewing the subsidies.

    In addition, regulations the Trump administration introduced earlier in the year will further increase the number of people losing their ACA marketplace coverage.

    As a public health professor, I see these changes, which will be phased in over several years, as the first step in a reversal of the expansion of access to health care that began with the ACA’s passage in 2010. About 25.3 million Americans lacked insurance in 2023, down sharply from 46.5 million when President Barack Obama signed the ACA into law. All told, the changes in the works could eliminate three-quarters of the progress the U.S. has made in reducing the number of uninsured Americans following the Affordable Care Act.

    Millions will lose their Medicaid coverage

    The biggest number of people becoming uninsured will be Americans enrolled in Medicaid, which currently covers more than 78 million people.

    An estimated 5 million will eventually lose Medicaid coverage due to new work requirements that will go into effect nationally by 2027.

    Work requirements target people eligible for Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act’s expansion. They tend to have slightly higher incomes than other people enrolled in the program.

    Medicaid applicants who are between 19 and 64 years old will need to certify they are working at least 80 hours a month or spending that much time engaged in comparable activities, such as community service.

    When these rules have been introduced to other safety net programs, most people lost their benefits due to administrative hassles, not because they weren’t logging enough hours on the job. Experts like me expect to see that occur with Medicaid too.

    Other increases in the paperwork required to enroll in and remain enrolled in Medicaid will render more than 2 million more people uninsured, the CBO estimates.

    And an additional 1.4 million would lose coverage because they may not meet new citizenship or immigration requirements.

    In total, these changes to Medicaid would lead to more than 8 million people becoming uninsured by 2034.

    Many of those who aren’t kicked out of Medicaid would also face new copayments of up to US$35 for appointments and procedures – making them less likely to seek care, even if they still have health insurance.

    The new policies also make it harder for states to pay for Medicaid, which is run by the federal government and the states. They do so by limiting the taxes states charge medical providers, which are used to fund the states’ share of Medicaid funding. With less funding, some states may try to reduce enrollment or cut benefits, such as home-based health care, in the future.

    Losing Medicaid coverage may leave millions of low-income Americans without insurance coverage, with no affordable alternatives for health care. Historically, the people who are most likely to lose their benefits are low-income people of color or immigrants who do not speak English well.

    A supporter of the Affordable Care Act stands in front of the Supreme Court building on Nov. 10, 2020.
    Samuel Corum/Getty Images

    ACA marketplace policies may cost far more

    The new law will also make it harder for the more than 24 million Americans who currently get health insurance through Affordable Care Act marketplace plans to remain insured.

    For one, it will be much harder for Americans to purchase insurance coverage and qualify for subsidies for 2026.

    These changes come on the heels of regulations from the Trump administration that the Congressional Budget Office estimates will lead to almost 1 million people losing their coverage through the ACA marketplace. This includes reducing spending on outreach and enrollment.

    What’s more, increased subsidies in place since 2021 are set to expire at the end of the year. Given Republican opposition, it seems unlikely that those subsidies will be extended.

    Not extending the subsidies alone could mean premiums will increase by more than 75% in 2026. Once premiums get that unaffordable, an additional 4.2 million Americans could lose coverage, the Congressional Budget Office estimates.

    With more political uncertainty and reduced enrollment, more private insurers may also withdraw from the ACA market. Large insurance companies such as Aetna, Cigna and UnitedHealth have already raised concerns about the ACA market’s viability.

    Should they exit, there would be fewer choices and higher premiums for people getting their insurance this way. It could also mean that some counties could have no ACA plans offered at all.

    Ramifications for the uninsured and rural hospitals

    When people lose their health insurance, they inevitably end up in worse health and their medical debts can mount. Because medical treatments usually work better when diagnoses are made early, people who end up uninsured may die sooner than if they’d still had coverage.

    Having to struggle to pay the kinds of high medical bills people without insurance face takes a physical, mental and financial toll, not just on people who become uninsured but also their families and friends. It also harms medical providers that don’t get reimbursed for their care.

    Public health scholars like me have no doubt that many hospitals and other health care providers will have to make tough choices. Some will close. Others will offer fewer services and fire health care workers. Emergency room wait times will increase for everyone, not just people who lose their health insurance due to changes in Trump’s tax and spending package.

    Rural hospitals play a crucial role in health care access.

    Rural hospitals, which were already facing a funding crisis, will experience some of the most acute financial pressure. By one estimate, more than 300 hospitals are at risk of closing.

    Children’s hospitals and hospitals located in low-income urban areas also disproportionately rely on Medicaid and will struggle to keep their doors open.

    Republicans tried to protect rural hospitals by designating $50 billion in the legislative package for them over 10 years. But this funding comes nowhere near the $155 billion in losses KFF expects those health care providers to incur due to Medicaid cuts. Also, the funding comes with a number of restrictions that could further limit its effectiveness.

    What’s next

    Some Republicans, including Sens. Mike Crapo and Ron Johnson, have already indicated that more health care policy changes could be coming in another large legislative package.

    They could include some of the harsher provisions that were left out of the final version of the legislation Congress approved. Republicans may, for example, try to roll back the ACA’s Medicaid expansion.

    Moving forward, spending on Medicare, the insurance program that primarily covers Americans 65 and older, could decline too. Without any further action, the CBO says that the law could trigger an estimated $500 billion in mandatory Medicare cuts from 2026 to 2034 because of the trillions of dollars in new federal debt the law creates.

    Trump has repeatedly promised not to cut Medicare or Medicaid. And yet, it’s possible that the Trump administration will issue executive orders that further reduce what the federal government spends on health care – and roll back the coverage gains the Affordable Care Act brought about.

    Portions of this article first appeared in a related piece published on June 13, 2025.

    Simon F. Haeder has previously received funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for unrelated projects.

    – ref. How 17M Americans enrolled in Medicaid and ACA plans could lose their health insurance by 2034 – https://theconversation.com/how-17m-americans-enrolled-in-medicaid-and-aca-plans-could-lose-their-health-insurance-by-2034-260664

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Rethinking the MBA: Character as the educational foundation for future business leaders

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Andrew J. Hoffman, Holcim (US) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise, Ross School of Business, School for Environment & Sustainability, University of Michigan

    Questions about the role of business education have led to introspection among business school leaders and researchers. Supatman/iStock via Getty Images

    Programs to help students discern their vocation or calling are gaining prominence in higher education.

    According to a 2019 Bates/Gallup poll, 80% of college graduates want a sense of purpose from their work. In addition, a 2023 survey found that 50% of Generation Z and millennial employees in the U.K. and U.S. have resigned from a job because the values of the company did not align with their own.

    These sentiments are also found in today’s business school students, as Gen Z is demanding that course content reflect the changes in society, from diversity and inclusion to sustainability and poverty. According to the Financial Times, “there may never have been a more demanding cohort.”

    And yet, business schools have been slower than other schools to respond, leading to calls ranging from transforming business education to demolishing it.

    What are business schools creating?

    Historically, studies have shown that business school applicants have scored higher than their peers on the “dark triad” traits of narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism. These traits can manifest themselves in a tendency toward cunning, scheming and, at times, unscrupulous behavior.

    Over the course of their degree program, other studies have found that business school environments can amplify those preexisting tendencies while enhancing a concern for what others think of them.

    And these tendencies stick after graduation. One study examined 9,900 U.S. publicly listed firms and separated the sample by those run by managers who went to business school and those whose managers did not. While they found no discernible difference in sales or profits between the two samples, they found that labor wages were cut 6% over five years at companies run by managers who went to business school, while managers with no business degree shared profits with their workers. The study concludes that this is the result “of practices and values acquired in business education.”

    But there are signs that this may be changing.

    Questioning value

    Business leaders play a significant role in society, but they aren’t always trusted.
    miniseries/E+ via Getty Images

    Today, many are questioning the value of the MBA.

    Those who have decided it is worth the high cost either complain of its lack of rigor, relevance and critical thinking or use it merely for access to networks for salary enhancement, treating classroom learning as less important than attending recruiting events and social activities.

    Layered onto this uncertain state of affairs, generative artificial intelligence is fundamentally altering the education landscape, threatening future career prospects and short-circuiting the student’s education by doing their research and writing for them.

    This is concerning because of the outsized role that business leaders play in today’s society: allocating capital, developing and deploying new technologies and influencing political and social debates.

    At times, this role is a positive one, but not always. Distrust follows that uncertainty.

    Only 16% of Americans had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in corporations, while 51% of Americans between 18 and 29 hold a dim view of capitalism.

    Facing this reality, business educators are beginning to reexamine how to nurture business leaders who view business not only as a means to making money but also as a vehicle in service to society.

    Proponents such as Harry Lewis, former dean of Harvard College; Derek Bok, former president of Harvard University; Harold Shapiro, former president of Princeton University; and Anthony Kronman, former dean of the Yale Law School, describe this effort as a return to the original focus of a college education.

    Not ethics, but character formation

    Character education could challenge business students to consider what type of leaders they aspire to be.
    MoMo Productions/Digital Vision via Getty Images

    Business schools have often included ethics courses in their curriculum, often with limited success. What some schools are experimenting with is character formation.

    As part of this experimentation is the development of a coherent moral culture that lies within the course curriculum but also within the cocurricular programming, cultural events, seminars and independent studies that shape students’ worldviews; the selection, socialization, training and reward systems for students, staff and faculty; and other aspects that shape students’ formation.

    Stanford’s Bill Damon, one of the leading scholars on helping students develop a sense of purpose in life, describes a revised role for faculty in this effort, one of creating the fertile conditions for students to find meaning and purpose on their own.

    I use this approach in my course on vocation discernment in business, shifting from a more traditional academic style to one that is more developmental.

    This is relational teaching that artificial intelligence cannot do. It involves bringing the whole person into the education process, inspiring hearts as much as engaging heads to form competent leaders who possess character, judgment and wisdom.

    It allows an examination of both the how and the why of business, challenging students to consider what kind of business leader they aspire to be and what kind of legacy they wish to establish.

    It would mark a return to the original focus of early business schools, which, as Rakesh Khurana, a professor of sociology at Harvard, calls out in his book “From Higher Aims to Hired Hands: The Social Transformation of American Business Schools and the Unfulfilled Promise of Management as a Profession,” was to train managers in the same vocational way we train doctors “to seek the higher aims of commerce in service to society.”

    Reshaping business education

    Most business school curricula are similar, but there are examples that break the mold.
    Oscar Wong/Moment via Getty Images

    The good news is that there are emerging exemplars that are seeking to create this kind of curriculum through centers such as Notre Dame University’s Institute for Social Concerns and Bates College’s Center for Purposeful Work and courses such as Stanford University’s Designing Your Life and the University of Michigan’s Management as a Calling.

    These are but a few examples of a growing movement. So, the building blocks are there to draw from. The student demand is waiting to be met. All that is needed is for more business schools to respond.

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

    – ref. Rethinking the MBA: Character as the educational foundation for future business leaders – https://theconversation.com/rethinking-the-mba-character-as-the-educational-foundation-for-future-business-leaders-259223

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How universities can keep protests from turning violent: 3 lessons from the 2024 pro-Palestinian encampments

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Matthew J. Mayhew, Professor of Higher Education, The Ohio State University

    Pro-Palestinian supporters march outside Columbia University in September 2024. AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura

    In spring 2024, pro-Palestinian student encampments that began at Columbia and Harvard spread to university campuses throughout the U.S. as Israel invaded Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack. At least 100 campuses had encampments for at least a few days during this period.

    While some campuses erupted in violence, others remained peaceful and didn’t experience the open conflict that led to congressional hearings, university presidents losing their jobs and repercussions that are continuing to be felt today.

    What made the difference?

    In spring 2024, Ohio State University’s College Impact Laboratory, where we all work, surveyed universities to learn more about whether their campuses experienced protests, what happened and how they handled them. Part of our goal was to understand how spiritual leaders played a role, if any, in managing the protests. We’ve been analyzing the data ever since. The results from those who responded point to several lessons universities could learn from to avoid violence in future protests.

    Campuses are a critical arena for activism

    Campus protests have long been a defining feature of social and political change in the U.S. From the civil rights movements of the 1950s and 1960s to the student-led climate strikes of recent years, higher education institutions have served as a critical space for activism.

    Often, these protests reflect broader societal tensions, and how universities respond has played a significant role in shaping their outcomes.

    Historically, protests have been most likely to escalate when students feel unheard. In contrast, institutions that adopt proactive strategies, such as facilitating conversations or including students in decision-making, often experience better outcomes.

    A George Washington University student carries a Palestinian flag at a student encampment protesting the Israel-Hamas war in May 2024.
    AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

    Snapshot of the pro-Palestinian protests

    As our survey data shows, the pro-Palestinian protests illustrate this dynamic.

    To gather data, the College Impact Laboratory sent questionnaires to administrators at the 329 universities that participate in our Interfaith Spiritual, Religious and Secular Campus Climate Index, also known as the INSPIRES Index, as well as hundreds of colleges and universities in our recruitment database.

    In all, 35 schools responded to our 23-question survey. Of those, we found that most protests were led by students, half lasted less than a week, and the vast majority were nonviolent. Fifteen did not have protests, while the rest did. While the number of institutions that participated in this survey is relatively small, it does give us key insights into what schools were thinking.

    Half of the campuses with protests reported law enforcement involvement – either campus police or city officers – with 20% experiencing physical altercations between protesters and police. Other disruptive actions such as academic interruptions, vandalism, physical violence and doxxing were reported with varying frequencies.

    Protests at campuses that participated in our survey peaked during April and May 2024, with 70% of them experiencing demonstrations in these months.

    Here are three takeaways from the survey, suggesting steps universities can take before and during future protests to avoid escalation:

    1. Involve students in guidelines for engagement – early

    At every surveyed institution that reported protests, students were at the forefront of organizing and leading these efforts.

    Yet, despite this clear student leadership, about one-third of institutions said they didn’t consult with students to establish guidelines for engagement. Those that did invited representatives from student organizations or student government officers into the policymaking process to determine what protocols would be followed to manage protests and keep them peaceful.

    On campuses where administrators didn’t engage with student leaders, tensions tended to escalate, and protests disrupted the institutions for weeks, often after police were called in or curfews were imposed.

    While many of the protests lasted only one to seven days, we found that institutions that opened lines of communication early between administration and student protest leaders were more likely to deescalate tensions quickly. In contrast, campuses where administrators did not engage early on saw protests lasting weeks or involving greater disruptions.

    Also, institutions that engaged early with student leaders were less likely to face stronger demands, such as calls for administrators to be fired, divestment from Israeli companies or calls to defund the campus police.

    Our survey results suggest it’s important for administrators to engage with students early to establish clear guidelines to make it less likely future protests spiral into violence.

    2. Communicate openly, often and before protests

    Discussion of difficult topics, such as the conflict between Israel and Palestinians, shouldn’t wait until protests break out to begin. We found that every school in our survey that proactively supported dialogue between Jews and Muslims – before the war broke out – didn’t see violence result from the protests.

    Dialogue isn’t just a strategy for preventing protests from spiraling out of control; it is fundamental to intergroup learning in higher education. These events create safe spaces for students − whether Arab, Jewish, Palestinian or members of different ethnic or religious groups − to engage with classmates with different points of view.

    But even once protests begin, dialogue can help. When institutions engaged in dialogue, during or as a result of a protest, the protests were less likely to involve violence. At half of the campuses that participated in our survey and experienced protests, protests were ended peacefully through dialogue.

    Brown, for example, modeled the power of institutional listening in its response to its April 2024 encampment. Rather than escalating tensions, university leaders engaged directly with student activists, resulting in a peaceful resolution and a commitment to bring the students’ divestment proposal to a formal vote in October. It ultimately failed to pass the board of directors.

    Demonstrators unfurl a banner on a lawn after an encampment protesting the Israel-Hamas war was taken down at Brown University on April 30, 2024, in Providence, R.I.
    AP Photo/David Goldman

    3. Involve relevant groups in decision-making

    Most administrators in our survey, as they considered how to engage with protesters, reached out to relevant student groups such as those that focus on Jewish and Muslim students to better understand their perspectives.

    However, only 28% consulted a religious or spiritual life office staff member on campus.

    Religious or spiritual life staff are present on both private and public campuses and may include university-employed multifaith chaplains, interfaith coordinators or directors of spiritual life. Unlike student-led religious groups, these professionals often serve as liaisons to the religious and nonreligious communities represented on campus.

    The focus of such roles on serving students from all worldviews positions them as key resources for deescalation through community outreach, support and two-way communication. Additionally, these professionals have valuable expertise in religious pluralism and community relationships. This experience helps them to advise administrators on policy and potential courses of action in times of tension.

    Consulting with university staff with a focus on religion or spiritual life makes particular sense given the nature of the protests and how religion is intertwined, but our data suggests they may be underutilized more broadly for their expertise in navigating tensions related to competing worldviews.

    Proactive engagement with these leaders not only helps campuses navigate an immediate crisis but demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity and respect for different groups’ perspectives.

    Leading by example

    Put another way, our research suggests institutions can avoid the negative outcomes of protests by embodying the traits commonly associated with universities, such as showing mutual respect, fostering democratic debate and engaging in critical thinking even on divisive issues. Engaging from a mindset of goodwill with student leaders shows administrators value student voices and are willing to work collaboratively toward solutions.

    But when campuses ignore peaceful protests or refuse to engage with student leaders, they risk turning manageable situations into prolonged crises.

    At a time when divisions run deep, we believe campuses that lead by example by embracing dialogue and engaging student activists before, during and after protests take place are not only likely to see less violence, but are likely to help heal America’s great divides.

    Matthew J. Mayhew receives grant funding for various research projects from the National Science Foundation, the ECMC Foundation, the Templeton Religion Trust, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, and Pew Charitable Trusts. Currently, Dr. Mayhew leads the College Impact Laboratory at The Ohio State University. He is the Principal Investigator for the INSPIRES Index project and is the current editor of the Digest of Recent Research.

    Renee L. Bowling works for the College Impact Lab at The Ohio State University that produces the INSPIRES Index and serves as Chair of NASPA’s Spirituality and Religion in Higher Education Knowledge Community.

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

    – ref. How universities can keep protests from turning violent: 3 lessons from the 2024 pro-Palestinian encampments – https://theconversation.com/how-universities-can-keep-protests-from-turning-violent-3-lessons-from-the-2024-pro-palestinian-encampments-252278

    MIL OSI Analysis –