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  • MIL-OSI: Purpose Investments Inc. Announces June 2025 Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Purpose Investments Inc. (“Purpose”) is pleased to announce distributions for the month of June 2025 for its open-end exchange traded funds and closed-end funds (“the Funds”).                                                        

    The ex-distribution date for all Open-End Funds is June 26, 2025. The ex-distribution date for all closed-end funds is June 30, 2025.

    Open-End Funds Ticker
    Symbol    		 Distribution
    per
    share/unit    		 Record
    Date    		 Payable
    Date    		 Distribution
    Frequency
    Apple (AAPL) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units APLY $0.1667 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Canadian Financial Income Fund – ETF Series BNC $0.1225¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Bond Fund – ETF Units BND $0.0866 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units BRKY $0.1000 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF Units BTCY $0.0850 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF Non-Currency Hedged Units BTCY.B $0.0970 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF USD Units BTCY.U US $0.0815 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Credit Opportunities Fund – ETF Units CROP $0.0875 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Credit Opportunities Fund – ETF USD Units CROP.U US $0.0975 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Ether Yield – ETF Units ETHY $0.0405 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Ether Yield ETF – ETF Non-Currency Hedged Units ETHY.B $0.0500 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Ether Yield ETF – ETF Units Non-Currency Hedged USD Units ETHY.U US $0.0395 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – ETF Units FLX $0.0461 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Units FLX.B $0.0551 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – Non-Currency Hedged USD – ETF Units FLX.U US $0.0385 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Bond Class – ETF Units IGB $0.0860¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Microsoft (MSFT) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF units MSFY $0.1300 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Active Balanced Fund – ETF Units PABF $0.1650 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Active Conservative Fund – ETF Units PACF $0.1900 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Active Growth Fund – ETF Units PAGF $0.1550 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Enhanced Premium Yield Fund – ETF Series PAYF $0.1375¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Total Return Bond Fund – ETF Series PBD $0.0590¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Core Dividend Fund – ETF Series PDF $0.1050¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Enhanced Dividend Fund – ETF Series PDIV $0.0950¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Real Estate Income Fund – ETF Series PHR $0.0720¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose International Tactical Hedged Equity Fund – ETF Series PHW $0.1500 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose International Dividend Fund – ETF Series PID $0.0780 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Monthly Income Fund – ETF Series PIN $0.0830¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Multi-Asset Income Fund – ETF Units PINC $0.0840 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Diversified Real Asset Fund – ETF Series PRA $0.2100 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Conservative Income Fund – ETF Series PRP $0.0600¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Premium Yield Fund – ETF Series PYF $0.1100¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Premium Yield Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Series PYF.B $0.1230¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Premium Yield Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF USD Series PYF.U US $0.1200¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Core Equity Income Fund – ETF Series RDE $0.0875¹ 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Emerging Markets Dividend Fund – ETF Units REM $0.0950 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Canadian Preferred Share Fund – ETF Units RPS $0.0950 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose US Preferred Share Fund – ETF Series RPU $0.0940 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose US Preferred Share Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Units2 RPU.B / RPU.U $0.0940 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Strategic Yield Fund – ETF Units SYLD $0.0970 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    AMD (AMD) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YAMD $0.2500 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Amazon (AMZN) Yield Shares Purpose ETF- ETF Units YAMZ $0.4000 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Broadcom (AVGO) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YAVG $0.1800 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Coinbase (COIN) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YCON $0.3000 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Costco (COST) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YCST $0.1200 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Alphabet (GOOGL) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units YGOG $0.2500 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Tech Innovators Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YMAG $0.2000 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    META (META) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YMET $0.2400 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Netflix (NFLX) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YNET $0.1500 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    NVIDIA (NVDA) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units YNVD $0.7500 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Palantir (PLTR) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YPLT $0.2500 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Tesla (TSLA) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units YTSL $0.5500 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    UnitedHealth Group (UHN) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YUNH $0.1100 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
               
    Closed-End Funds Ticker
    Symbol    		 Distribution 
    per
    share/unit    		 Record
    Date    		 Payable
    Date    		 Distribution
    Frequency
    Big Banc Split Corp, Class A BNK $0.1200¹ 06/30/2025 07/14/2025 Monthly
    Big Banc Split Corp – Preferred Shares BNK.PR.A $0.0700¹ 06/30/2025 07/14/2025 Monthly
               

    Estimated June 2025 Distributions for Purpose USD Cash Management Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, and Purpose US Cash Fund

    The June 2025 distribution rates for Purpose USD Cash Management Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, and Purpose US Cash Fund are estimated to be as follows:

    Fund Name Ticker
    Symbol    		 Estimated
    Distribution
    per unit    		 Record
    Date    		 Payable
    Date    		 Distribution
    Frequency
    Purpose USD Cash Management Fund – ETF Units MNU.U US $0.3405 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Cash Management Fund – ETF Units MNY $0.2175 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose High Interest Savings Fund – ETF Units PSA $0.1030 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
    Purpose US Cash Fund – ETF Units PSU.U US $0.3375 06/26/2025 07/03/2025 Monthly
               

    Purpose expects to issue a press release on or about June 25, 2025, which will provide the final distribution rate for Purpose USD Cash Management Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, and Purpose US Cash Fund. The ex-distribution date will be June 26, 2025.

    1. Dividend is designated as an “eligible” Canadian dividend for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and any similar provincial and territorial legislation.
    2. Purpose US Preferred Share Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Units have both a CAD and USD purchase option. Distribution per unit is declared in CAD, however, the USD purchase option (RPU.U) distribution will be made in the USD equivalent. Conversion into USD will use the end-of-day foreign exchange rate prevailing on the ex-distribution date.

    About Purpose Investments Inc.

    Purpose Investments is an asset management company with more than $21 billion in assets under management. Purpose Investments has an unrelenting focus on client-centric innovation and offers a range of managed and quantitative investment products. Purpose Investments is led by well-known entrepreneur Som Seif and is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent technology-driven financial services company.

    For further information please contact:
    Keera Hart
    Keera.Hart@kaiserpartners.com
    905-580-1257

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus and other disclosure documents before investing. Investment funds are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurance that the full amount of your investment in a fund will be returned to you. If the securities are purchased or sold on a stock exchange, you may pay more or receive less than the current net asset value. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Border Patrol Didn’t Release a Single Illegal into the U.S. Last Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    U.S. Border Patrol didn’t release a single illegal immigrant into the interior of the U.S. last month, the New York Post reports — the latest victory in President Donald J. Trump’s relentless commitment to securing the homeland and a remarkable turnaround from the 64,000 illegals released into the country under the Biden Administration just one year ago.
    Promises made, promises kept.
    From the Post:
    “Border Patrol agents didn’t release a single migrant into the US last month — a staggering drop after the Biden administration allowed 64,000 illegal crossers in the country in May 2024, The Post can exclusively reveal.
    Agents caught 8,725 migrants crossing illegally at the southern border last month. That’s a 93% decrease from May 2024, when 117,905 were nabbed, according to internal data obtained by The Post.
    And Acting Customs and Border Protection commissioner Pete Flores said it’s a result of the Trump administration’s tough border policies.”
    Click here to read the full story.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 17 June 2025 Departmental update Jordan’s new drink-driving law will save lives on the roads

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Jordan has taken a bold step to make its roads safer with the ratification of a new drink-driving law that meets World Health Organization (WHO) best practice criteria.

    With technical support from WHO, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan introduced legislation that lowers the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers to 0.05 grams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood for the general population, bringing the country closer to global standards that save lives.

    Drinking and driving significantly increases the risk and severity of road crashes. In low- and middle-income countries, where 92% of road deaths occur, between 33% and 69% of drivers killed in crashes have consumed alcohol.

    “Jordan’s landmark drink-driving law is a major step forward in efforts to reduce road deaths,” said Dr Iman Shankiti, WHO Representative to Jordan. “This builds on the commendable progress in reducing preventable road fatalities in recent years. Looking forward, WHO is here to help implement the new law and advance road safety however we can.”

    With an estimated 1514 road traffic fatalities each year and a fatality rate of 13.6 deaths per 100,000 population, Jordan is slightly below the global average of 15 deaths per 100,000 population. Yet while road deaths are declining, the country faces challenges related to legislation around speed limits, seatbelt use, child restraints, helmet use and impaired driving.

    The adoption of the new law follows extensive engagement with WHO, including a series of consultations with countries across the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region that focused on developing laws that address key road user behaviours.

    The WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023 notes 166 countries report having drink-driving laws, yet only 53 UN Member States meet all three WHO best practice criteria. This requires countries to have a drink-driving law in place, to set blood alcohol concentration at 0.05 grams or below per decilitre for the general population and at 0.02 grams per decilitre or below for novice drivers. Jordan’s new law meets two of the three criteria.

    With WHO support, efforts will focus on ensuring the law is effectively implemented, properly enforced and clearly communicated to enforcement authorities and the public. The WHO Drink-Driving Manual for Decision Makers notes that laws must be evidence-based, context-relevant and supported by robust enforcement and public awareness to save lives.

    “Jordan’s progress demonstrates what is possible when leadership, evidence and commitment come together. With the new drink-driving law in place, the country is taking meaningful action to protect lives and build a safer future on its roads,” said Dr Iman Shankiti, WHO Representative to Jordan.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Govt Bill strips vital job protections from workers

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    The Employer Relations Amendment Bill will make work even less secure for Kiwis.

    “At a time when New Zealanders are doing it tough, the Government wants to cut worker protections and make it easier to fire people,” Labour workplace relations and safety spokesperson Jan Tinetti said.

    “Christopher Luxon should be focused on creating well-paying jobs and strengthen worker protections. Instead, he’s cut women’s future pay and thinks what New Zealanders need is fewer sick days and less job security.

    “Yesterday, Christopher Luxon signalled he is open to halving sick leave days from 10 to five. Opening the door to cuts to sick leave is wrong and Labour will fight it.

    “Now, they’ve introduced a Bill that would effectively bypass union-negotiated protections for workers.

    “Their Bill repeals rules that provide benefits to new employees in collective bargaining agreements in their first 30 days. They are stripping away protections for new workers who aren’t yet union members.

    “It also makes it harder for workers who have been dismissed to seek remedies or reinstatement. Put another way, it’s about to get a lot easier for an employer to fire you.

    “Labour will stand up for fairness at work and protect workers’ rights,” Jan Tinetti said.

    Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Govt overreach removes power from local councils

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    Ministers will now be able to override the decisions of councils and locally elected officials.

    “Chris Bishop has taken National’s general disdain for local councils up a notch and has assigned himself the role of Chief Council Despot,” Labour local government spokesperson Tangi Utikere said.

    “Councils are elected by the people they serve and know their regions and cities best. Chris Bishop deciding that plans made by local communities are overly restrictive without any evidence to back it up is wrong.

    “National’s Resource Management Act legislation is getting the whims of every minister taped to it – instead of protecting natural and urban environments and delivering better outcomes, the hodge podge law is giving Chris Bishop a free pass to do whatever he likes.

    “New Zealand is not a sandpit for Chris Bishop to play in.

    “We had a bipartisan agreement on Medium Density Residential Standards which National backed out of. They shafted councils on water, pulled out of RMA reform that was already underway to fix intensification, and used their fast-track law to override much of what local communities want.

    “National has long displayed a thinly veiled disdain for local Government, offending regional and local councils at every turn, it’s not just rude, it’s poor politics. There is absolutely nothing heroic about this,” Tangi Utikere said.

    Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Logan Ridge Finance Corporation Announces Adviser Funded Cash Payment to Shareholders in Connection with its Merger with Portman Ridge Finance Corporation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The Company’s Investment Adviser Will Finance an Incremental $0.47 Per Share Payment to Logan Ridge Shareholders Immediately Prior to Closing.

    Payment Effectively Results in Logan Ridge Shareholders Receiving 100% of NAV as of March 31, 2025 Adjusted for Estimated Transaction Costs.

    NEW YORK, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Logan Ridge Finance Corporation (NASDAQ: LRFC) (“Logan Ridge” or “LRFC”), today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Mount Logan Management LLC, LRFC’s investment adviser (“Mount Logan” or “Investment Adviser”), in connection with its previously announced merger with and into Portman Ridge Finance Corporation (NASDAQ: PTMN) (“Portman Ridge” or “PTMN” and the “Merger”).

    Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, and contingent upon the closing of the Merger, LRFC’s Investment Adviser will finance a pre-closing cash payment of $0.47 per share to LRFC shareholders of record as of May 6, 2025. This payment, when combined with the previously announced Tax Distribution of no less than $1,000,000, or $0.38 per share, and the 1.5x PTMN shares received for each LRFC share outstanding, will equal 100% of Logan Ridge’s net asset value (“NAV”), based on both Logan Ridge’s and Portman Ridge’s respective NAVs per share as of March 31, 2025 adjusted for estimated transaction costs.

    All terms and conditions of the Merger remain unchanged and in full effect. The Mount Logan funded payment outlined above represents a commitment by Mount Logan to the combined company and was designed to further align the Merger with shareholder feedback, while maintaining the core strategic and financial rationale for the combination.

    Management Commentary

    Ted Goldthorpe, President and Chief Executive Officer of LRFC and PTMN, and Head of the BC Partners Credit Platform, stated, “We are pleased to announce this agreement, which will provide enhanced value to Logan Ridge shareholders through an additional $0.47 per share payment. We appreciate our shareholders’ support and constructive engagement throughout this process and we look forward to successfully closing the Merger.”

    Special Meeting of Shareholders

    The LRFC special meeting is scheduled for June 20, 2025, at 10:30 am ET. LRFC urges its shareholders to cast their votes by following the instructions outlined in the joint proxy statement. Shareholders of LRFC can also access the virtual meeting and vote by going to the following website: http://www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/LRFC2025SM, or by calling 1-833-218-3962 and providing the control number which is listed in the proxy card received.

    Shareholders can access the joint proxy statement and prospectus by clicking HERE. Shareholders who have questions about the joint proxy statement or about voting their shares should contact the companies’ proxy solicitor, Broadridge, at 1-833-218-3962.

    About Logan Ridge Finance Corporation

    LRFC is a business development company (a “BDC”) that invests primarily in first lien loans and, to a lesser extent, second lien loans and equity securities issued by lower middle-market companies. LRFC invests in performing, well-established middle-market businesses that operate across a wide range of industries. It employs fundamental credit analysis, targeting investments in businesses with relatively low levels of cyclicality and operating risk. For more information, visit www.loganridgefinance.com.

    About Portman Ridge Finance Corporation

    PTMN is a publicly traded, externally managed investment company that has elected to be regulated as a BDC under the 1940 Act. PTMN’s middle market investment business originates, structures, finances and manages a portfolio of term loans, mezzanine investments and selected equity securities in middle market companies. PTMN’s investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, Sierra Crest Investment Management LLC (“Sierra Crest”). PTMN’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), earnings releases, press releases and other financial, operational and governance information are available on Portman Ridge’s website at www.portmanridge.com.

    About BC Partners Advisors L.P. and BC Partners Credit
    BC Partners Advisors L.P. (“BC Partners”) is a leading international investment firm in private equity, private credit and real estate strategies. Established in 1986, BC Partners has played an active role in developing the European buyout market for three decades.

    Today, BC Partners executives operate across markets as an integrated team through the firm’s offices in North America and Europe. For more information, please visit https://www.bcpartners.com/.

    BC Partners Credit was launched in February 2017 and has pursued a strategy focused on identifying attractive credit opportunities in any market environment and across sectors, leveraging the deal sourcing and infrastructure made available from BC Partners.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    Some of the statements in this communication constitute forward-looking statements because they relate to future events, future performance or financial condition. The forward-looking statements may include statements as to future operating results of PTMN and LRFC, and distribution projections; business prospects of PTMN and LRFC, and the prospects of their portfolio companies; and the impact of the investments that PTMN and LRFC expect to make. In addition, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “seek,” “plan,” “should,” “estimate,” “project” and “intend” indicate forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements include these words. The forward-looking statements contained in this communication involve risks and uncertainties. Certain factors could cause actual results and conditions to differ materially from those projected, including the uncertainties associated with (i) the ability of the parties to consummate the merger on the expected timeline, or at all; (ii) the expected synergies and savings associated with the merger; (iii) the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the merger, including the expected elimination of certain expenses and costs due to the merger; (iv) the percentage of PTMN shareholders and LRFC shareholders voting in favor of the applicable Proposal (as defined below) submitted for their approval; (v) the possibility that competing offers or acquisition proposals will be made; (vi) the possibility that any or all of the various conditions to the consummation of the merger may not be satisfied or waived; (vii) risks related to diverting management’s attention from ongoing business operations; (viii) the combined company’s plans, expectations, objectives and intentions, as a result of the merger; (ix) any potential termination of the merger agreement; (x) the future operating results and net investment income projections of PTMN, LRFC or, following the closing of the merger, the combined company; (xi) the ability of Sierra Crest to implement its future plans with respect to the combined company; (xii) the ability of Sierra Crest and its affiliates to attract and retain highly talented professionals; (xiii) the business prospects of PTMN, LRFC or, following the closing of the merger, the combined company, and the prospects of their portfolio companies; (xiv) the impact of the investments that PTMN, LRFC or, following the closing of the merger, the combined company expect to make; (xv) the ability of the portfolio companies of PTMN, LRFC or, following the closing of the merger, the combined company to achieve their objectives; (xvi) the expected financings and investments and additional leverage that PTMN, LRFC or, following the closing of the merger, the combined company may seek to incur in the future; (xvii) the adequacy of the cash resources and working capital of PTMN, LRFC or, following the closing of the merger, the combined company; (xviii) the timing of cash flows, if any, from the operations of the portfolio companies of PTMN, LRFC or, following the closing of the merger, the combined company; (xix) the risk that stockholder litigation in connection with the merger may result in significant costs of defense and liability; and (xx) future changes in laws or regulations (including the interpretation of these laws and regulations by regulatory authorities). PTMN and LRFC have based the forward-looking statements included in this document on information available to them on the date hereof, and they assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Although PTMN and LRFC undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, you are advised to consult any additional disclosures that they may make directly to you or through reports that PTMN and LRFC in the future may file with the SEC, including the Registration Statement and Joint Proxy Statement (in each case, as defined below), annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K.

    No Offer or Solicitation

    This communication is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, a prospectus or an advertisement and the communication is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities in PTMN, LRFC or in any fund or other investment vehicle managed by BC Partners or any of its affiliates.

    Additional Information and Where to Find It

    This communication relates to the proposed merger of PTMN and LRFC and certain related matters (the “Proposals”). In connection with the Proposals, PTMN has filed a registration statement (Registration No. 333-285230) with the SEC (the “Registration Statement”) that contains a combined joint proxy statement for PTMN and LRFC and a prospectus of PTMN (the “Joint Proxy Statement”) and has mailed the Joint Proxy Statement to its and LRFC’s respective shareholders. The Registration Statement and Joint Proxy Statement will contain important information about PTMN, LRFC and the Proposals. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. SHAREHOLDERS OF PTMN AND LRFC ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, JOINT PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PTMN, LRFC AND THE PROPOSALS. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain the documents filed with the SEC free of charge at the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov or, for documents filed by PTMN, from PTMN’s website at https://www.portmanridge.com, and, for documents filed by LRFC, from LRFC’s website at https://www.loganridgefinance.com.

    Participants in the Solicitation

    LRFC, its directors, certain of its executive officers and certain employees and officers of Mount Logan and its affiliates may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the Proposals. Information about the directors and executive officers of LRFC is set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K/A, which was filed with the SEC on April 29, 2025. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be considered participants in the solicitation of the LRFC shareholders in connection with the Proposal will be contained in the Registration Statement, including the Joint Proxy Statement included therein, and other relevant materials when such documents become available. These documents may be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.

    Contacts:
    Logan Ridge Finance Corporation
    650 Madison Avenue, 3rd floor
    New York, NY 10022

    Brandon Satoren
    Chief Financial Officer (PTMN and LRFC)
    Brandon.Satoren@bcpartners.com
    (212) 891-2880

    The Equity Group Inc.
    Lena Cati
    lcati@equityny.com
    (212) 836-9611

    Val Ferraro
    vferraro@equityny.com
    (212) 836-9633

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Portman Ridge Finance Corporation Announces Corporate Rebranding, New Monthly Base Distribution, and Value Creation Initiatives

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company to be Renamed “BCP Investment Corporation” and Trade Under New Ticker “BCIC”

    Transition to Paying the Quarterly Base Distribution Monthly in 2026

    Company, Management, Adviser and Other Affiliates Intend to Acquire up to 20% of Common Shares Over Next 24 Months to the Extent the Stock Trades Below 80% of NAV

    NEW YORK, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Portman Ridge Finance Corporation (NASDAQ: PTMN) (“Portman Ridge” or “PTMN”), today announced several updates and initiatives, aimed at enhancing shareholder value. These initiatives include a corporate name change, the transition to paying a monthly distribution, and an enhanced stock purchase program. These changes will go into effect following the successful closing of the merger with Logan Ridge Finance Corporation (“LRFC”).

    Upon closing, Portman Ridge will rebrand and begin operating under the name BCP Investment Corporation (the “Company” or “BCIC”). In connection with the rebranding, the Company will continue to trade on the Nasdaq under the new ticker symbol “BCIC”. This change better reflects the fact that the Company is fully integrated into the broader BC Partners Credit Platform and the credit platform’s commitment to the Company, which is a leading global alternative asset manager with almost $9.0 billion in assets under management across its credit platforms.

    Additionally, beginning in 2026, the Company will transition to paying its currently quarterly base distribution on a monthly basis, while retaining the potential for quarterly supplemental distributions. The quarterly supplemental distributions will continue to approximate 50% of the incremental net investment income earned in excess of the base monthly distributions. We believe that the transition to a monthly base distribution will be valued by investors and has the potential to increase liquidity in the Company’s stock.

    To further align our interests with shareholders and drive additional value creation, the Company, along with its management, its adviser and their affiliates intend to acquire up to 20% of the Company’s outstanding common stock over the next 24 months to the extent the Company’s shares continue to trade below 80% of net asset value (“NAV”), which implies a share price of $15.08 based Portman Ridge’s March 31, 2025 NAV per share, or a 31% premium to PTMN’s June 16, 2025 closing market price. These purchases will begin no earlier than 60 calendar days following the date of the closing of the LRFC merger and may occur through various methods, including open market purchases and privately negotiated transactions, and may be conducted pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 and Rule 10b-18 trading plans. In this regard and as previously announced, PTMN’s Board of Directors has authorized an open market stock repurchase program of up to $10 million for the period from March 12, 2025 to March 31, 2026. The Company, its management and its adviser also reserve the right to conduct tender offers as part of the Company’s broader value creation initiatives.

    Management Commentary

    Ted Goldthorpe, President and Chief Executive Officer of PTMN and Head of the BC Partners Credit Platform, stated, “The corporate rebranding of Portman Ridge to BCP Investment Corporation reflects the Company’s affiliation with the broader BC Partners Credit Platform and underscores the significance of the Company to the platform as well as the credit platform’s commitment to its success.

    Finally, we remain committed to addressing the discount to NAV at which our shares currently trade as well as increasing our ownership in the Company for better alignment with shareholders. We believe these value creation initiatives represent a thoughtful and constructive framework that supports long-term value creation for our shareholders.”

    Special Meeting of Shareholders

    The PTMN special meeting is scheduled for June 20, 2025, at 10:00 am ET. PTMN urges its shareholders to cast their votes by following the instructions outlined in the joint proxy statement. Shareholders of PTMN can also access the virtual meeting and vote by going to the following website: http://www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PTMN2025SM, or by calling 1-833-218-3911 and providing the control number which is listed in the proxy card received.

    Shareholders can access the joint proxy statement and prospectus by clicking HERE. Shareholders who have questions about the joint proxy statement or about voting their shares should contact the companies’ proxy solicitor, Broadridge, at 1-833-218-3911.

    About Portman Ridge Finance Corporation

    PTMN is a publicly traded, externally managed closed-end investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. PTMN’s middle market investment business originates, structures, finances and manages a portfolio of term loans, mezzanine investments and selected equity securities in middle market companies. PTMN’s investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, Sierra Crest Investment Management LLC, an affiliate of BC Partners Advisors L.P. PTMN’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), earnings releases, press releases and other financial, operational and governance information are available on Portman Ridge’s website at www.portmanridge.com.

    About BC Partners Advisors L.P. and BC Partners Credit
    BC Partners is a leading international investment firm in private equity, private credit and real estate strategies. Established in 1986, BC Partners has played an active role in developing the European buyout market for three decades.

    Today, BC Partners executives operate across markets as an integrated team through the firm’s offices in North America and Europe. For more information, please visit https://www.bcpartners.com/.

    BC Partners Credit was launched in February 2017 and has pursued a strategy focused on identifying attractive credit opportunities in any market environment and across sectors, leveraging the deal sourcing and infrastructure made available from BC Partners.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    Some of the statements in this communication constitute forward-looking statements because they relate to future events, future performance or financial condition. The forward-looking statements may include statements as to future operating results and distribution projections of the Company; business prospects of the Company, and future share repurchase/purchase activity. In addition, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “seek,” “plan,” “should,” “estimate,” “project” and “intend” indicate forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements include these words. The forward-looking statements contained in this communication involve risks and uncertainties. More information on the risks and other potential factors that could affect these forward-looking statements is included in Registration Statement and Joint Proxy Statement (in each case, as defined below). Although PTMN and LRFC undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, you are advised to consult any additional disclosures that they may make directly to you or through reports that PTMN and LRFC in the future may file with the SEC, including the Registration Statement and Joint Proxy Statement, annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K.

    No Offer or Solicitation

    This document is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, a prospectus or an advertisement and the communication of this document is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities in PTMN, LRFC or in any fund or other investment vehicle managed by BC Partners or any of its affiliates.

    Additional Information and Where to Find It

    This document relates to the proposed merger of PTMN and LRFC and certain related matters (the “Proposals”). In connection with the Proposals, PTMN has filed a registration statement (Registration No. 333-285230) with the SEC (the “Registration Statement”) that contains a combined joint proxy statement for PTMN and LRFC and a prospectus of PTMN (the “Joint Proxy Statement”) and has mailed the Joint Proxy Statement to its and LRFC’s respective shareholders. The Registration Statement and Joint Proxy Statement will contain important information about PTMN, LRFC and the Proposals. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. SHAREHOLDERS OF PTMN AND LRFC ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, JOINT PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PTMN, LRFC AND THE PROPOSALS. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain the documents filed with the SEC free of charge at the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov or, for documents filed by PTMN, from PTMN’s website at https://www.portmanridge.com, and, for documents filed by LRFC, from LRFC’s website at https://www.loganridgefinance.com.

    Participants in the Solicitation

    PTMN, its directors, certain of its executive officers and certain employees and officers of PTMN’s investment adviser and its affiliates may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the Proposals. Information about the directors and executive officers of PTMN is set forth in its proxy statement for its 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 29, 2025. LRFC, its directors, certain of its executive officers and certain employees and officers of LRFC’s investment adviser, and its affiliates may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the Proposals. Information about the directors and executive officers of LRFC is set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K/A, which was filed with the SEC on April 29, 2025. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be considered participants in the solicitation of the PTMN and LRFC shareholders in connection with the Proposals will be contained in the Registration Statement, including the Joint Proxy Statement included therein, and other relevant materials when such documents become available. These documents may be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.

    Contacts:
    Portman Ridge Finance Corporation
    650 Madison Avenue, 3rd floor
    New York, NY 10022

    Brandon Satoren
    Chief Financial Officer
    Brandon.Satoren@bcpartners.com
    (212) 891-2880

    The Equity Group Inc.
    Lena Cati
    lcati@equityny.com
    (212) 836-9611

    Val Ferraro
    vferraro@equityny.com
    (212) 836-9633

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP Announces Regular Quarterly Cash Distribution and Listing For Sale of Vantage at Fair Oaks

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OMAHA, Neb., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP (NYSE: GHI) (the “Partnership”) announced that the Board of Managers of Greystone AF Manager LLC (“Greystone Manager”) declared a cash distribution to the Partnership’s Beneficial Unit Certificate (“BUC”) holders of $0.30 per BUC.

    The cash distribution will be paid on July 31, 2025 to all BUC holders of record as of the close of trading on June 30, 2025. The BUCs will trade ex-distribution as of June 30, 2025.

    Commenting on the Partnership’s quarterly distribution, Chief Executive Officer Ken Rogozinski stated, “Persistently high interest rates, coupled with higher capitalization rates, have combined to create a more muted environment for sales of certain high quality joint venture properties within our investment portfolio, particularly in Texas markets. As a result, we are reducing our quarterly distribution to appropriately align with the current operating environment. Our quarterly distribution equates to a 9.5% annualized distribution yield based on our net book value as of March 31, 2025, which we believe is attractive in the current operating environment.”

    Greystone Manager is the general partner of America First Capital Associates Limited Partnership Two, the Partnership’s general partner. Distributions to the Partnership’s BUC holders, including regular and any supplemental distributions, are determined by Greystone Manager based on a disciplined evaluation of the Partnership’s current and anticipated operating results, financial condition and other factors it deems relevant. Greystone Manager continually evaluates the factors that go into BUC holder distribution decisions, consistent with the long-term best interests of the BUC holders and the Partnership.

    The Partnership also announced that Vantage at Fair Oaks, a 288-unit market rate multifamily property located in Boerne, TX (the “Property”), was publicly listed for sale by Institutional Property Advisors Texas at the direction of the Property-owning entity’s managing member. The Partnership’s non-controlling investment in the Property was originated in September 2021 and the Partnership contributed equity totaling $12.0 million to date. Construction of the Property was completed in May 2023. Consistent with past Vantage property sales, the managing member controls the listing and sales process under the terms of the Property-owning entity’s operating agreement, with the Partnership entitled to certain net proceeds upon the successful completion of the sale of the Property.

    About Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP

    Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP was formed in 1998 under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act for the primary purpose of acquiring, holding, selling and otherwise dealing with a portfolio of mortgage revenue bonds which have been issued to provide construction and/or permanent financing for affordable multifamily, seniors and student housing properties. The Partnership is pursuing a business strategy of acquiring additional mortgage revenue bonds and other investments on a leveraged basis. The Partnership expects and believes the interest earned on these mortgage revenue bonds is excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes. The Partnership seeks to achieve its investment growth strategy by investing in additional mortgage revenue bonds and other investments as permitted by its Second Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement, dated December 5, 2022, (the “Partnership Agreement”), taking advantage of attractive financing structures available in the securities market, and entering into interest rate risk management instruments. Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP press releases are available at www.ghiinvestors.com.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    Certain statements in this press release are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for “forward-looking statements” provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by use of statements that include, but are not limited to, phrases such as “believe,” “expect,” “future,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “foresee,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “estimates,” “potential,” “continue,” or other similar words or phrases. Similarly, statements that describe objectives, plans, or goals also are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of the Partnership. The Partnership cautions readers that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, implied, or projected by such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: defaults on the mortgage loans securing our mortgage revenue bonds and governmental issuer loans; the competitive environment in which the Partnership operates; risks associated with investing in multifamily, student, senior citizen residential properties and commercial properties; general economic, geopolitical, and financial conditions, including the current and future impact of changing interest rates, inflation, and international conflicts (including the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war) on business operations, employment, and financial conditions; uncertain conditions within the domestic and international macroeconomic environment, including monetary and fiscal policy and conditions in the investment, credit, interest rate, and derivatives markets; adverse reactions in U.S. financial markets related to actions of foreign central banks or the economic performance of foreign economies, including in particular China, Japan, the European Union, and the United Kingdom; the general condition of the real estate markets in the regions in which the Partnership operates, which may be unfavorably impacted by pressures in the commercial real estate sector, incrementally higher unemployment rates, persistent elevated inflation levels, and other factors; changes in interest rates and credit spreads, as well as the success of any hedging strategies the Partnership may undertake in relation to such changes, and the effect such changes may have on the relative spreads between the yield on investments and cost of financing; the aggregate effect of elevated inflation levels over the past several years, spurred by multiple factors including expansionary monetary and fiscal policy, higher commodity prices, a tight labor market, and low residential vacancy rates, which may result in continued elevated interest rate levels and increased market volatility; the Partnership’s ability to access debt and equity capital to finance its assets; current maturities of the Partnership’s financing arrangements and the Partnership’s ability to renew or refinance such financing arrangements; local, regional, national and international economic and credit market conditions; recapture of previously issued Low Income Housing Tax Credits in accordance with Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code; geographic concentration of properties related to investments held by the Partnership; changes in the U.S. corporate tax code and other government regulations affecting the Partnership’s business; and the other risks detailed in the Partnership’s SEC filings (including but not limited to, the Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K). Readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements.

    If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes or if any of the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements proves to be incorrect, the developments and future events concerning the Partnership set forth in this press release may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date of this document. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our expectations and beliefs to change. The Partnership assumes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, unless obligated to do so under the federal securities laws.

    MEDIA CONTACT:
    Karen Marotta
    Greystone
    212-896-9149
    Karen.Marotta@greyco.com
     
    INVESTOR CONTACT:
    Andy Grier
    Senior Vice President
    402-952-1235
     

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP Announces Regular Quarterly Cash Distribution and Listing For Sale of Vantage at Fair Oaks

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OMAHA, Neb., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP (NYSE: GHI) (the “Partnership”) announced that the Board of Managers of Greystone AF Manager LLC (“Greystone Manager”) declared a cash distribution to the Partnership’s Beneficial Unit Certificate (“BUC”) holders of $0.30 per BUC.

    The cash distribution will be paid on July 31, 2025 to all BUC holders of record as of the close of trading on June 30, 2025. The BUCs will trade ex-distribution as of June 30, 2025.

    Commenting on the Partnership’s quarterly distribution, Chief Executive Officer Ken Rogozinski stated, “Persistently high interest rates, coupled with higher capitalization rates, have combined to create a more muted environment for sales of certain high quality joint venture properties within our investment portfolio, particularly in Texas markets. As a result, we are reducing our quarterly distribution to appropriately align with the current operating environment. Our quarterly distribution equates to a 9.5% annualized distribution yield based on our net book value as of March 31, 2025, which we believe is attractive in the current operating environment.”

    Greystone Manager is the general partner of America First Capital Associates Limited Partnership Two, the Partnership’s general partner. Distributions to the Partnership’s BUC holders, including regular and any supplemental distributions, are determined by Greystone Manager based on a disciplined evaluation of the Partnership’s current and anticipated operating results, financial condition and other factors it deems relevant. Greystone Manager continually evaluates the factors that go into BUC holder distribution decisions, consistent with the long-term best interests of the BUC holders and the Partnership.

    The Partnership also announced that Vantage at Fair Oaks, a 288-unit market rate multifamily property located in Boerne, TX (the “Property”), was publicly listed for sale by Institutional Property Advisors Texas at the direction of the Property-owning entity’s managing member. The Partnership’s non-controlling investment in the Property was originated in September 2021 and the Partnership contributed equity totaling $12.0 million to date. Construction of the Property was completed in May 2023. Consistent with past Vantage property sales, the managing member controls the listing and sales process under the terms of the Property-owning entity’s operating agreement, with the Partnership entitled to certain net proceeds upon the successful completion of the sale of the Property.

    About Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP

    Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP was formed in 1998 under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act for the primary purpose of acquiring, holding, selling and otherwise dealing with a portfolio of mortgage revenue bonds which have been issued to provide construction and/or permanent financing for affordable multifamily, seniors and student housing properties. The Partnership is pursuing a business strategy of acquiring additional mortgage revenue bonds and other investments on a leveraged basis. The Partnership expects and believes the interest earned on these mortgage revenue bonds is excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes. The Partnership seeks to achieve its investment growth strategy by investing in additional mortgage revenue bonds and other investments as permitted by its Second Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement, dated December 5, 2022, (the “Partnership Agreement”), taking advantage of attractive financing structures available in the securities market, and entering into interest rate risk management instruments. Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP press releases are available at www.ghiinvestors.com.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    Certain statements in this press release are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for “forward-looking statements” provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by use of statements that include, but are not limited to, phrases such as “believe,” “expect,” “future,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “foresee,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “estimates,” “potential,” “continue,” or other similar words or phrases. Similarly, statements that describe objectives, plans, or goals also are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of the Partnership. The Partnership cautions readers that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, implied, or projected by such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: defaults on the mortgage loans securing our mortgage revenue bonds and governmental issuer loans; the competitive environment in which the Partnership operates; risks associated with investing in multifamily, student, senior citizen residential properties and commercial properties; general economic, geopolitical, and financial conditions, including the current and future impact of changing interest rates, inflation, and international conflicts (including the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war) on business operations, employment, and financial conditions; uncertain conditions within the domestic and international macroeconomic environment, including monetary and fiscal policy and conditions in the investment, credit, interest rate, and derivatives markets; adverse reactions in U.S. financial markets related to actions of foreign central banks or the economic performance of foreign economies, including in particular China, Japan, the European Union, and the United Kingdom; the general condition of the real estate markets in the regions in which the Partnership operates, which may be unfavorably impacted by pressures in the commercial real estate sector, incrementally higher unemployment rates, persistent elevated inflation levels, and other factors; changes in interest rates and credit spreads, as well as the success of any hedging strategies the Partnership may undertake in relation to such changes, and the effect such changes may have on the relative spreads between the yield on investments and cost of financing; the aggregate effect of elevated inflation levels over the past several years, spurred by multiple factors including expansionary monetary and fiscal policy, higher commodity prices, a tight labor market, and low residential vacancy rates, which may result in continued elevated interest rate levels and increased market volatility; the Partnership’s ability to access debt and equity capital to finance its assets; current maturities of the Partnership’s financing arrangements and the Partnership’s ability to renew or refinance such financing arrangements; local, regional, national and international economic and credit market conditions; recapture of previously issued Low Income Housing Tax Credits in accordance with Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code; geographic concentration of properties related to investments held by the Partnership; changes in the U.S. corporate tax code and other government regulations affecting the Partnership’s business; and the other risks detailed in the Partnership’s SEC filings (including but not limited to, the Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K). Readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements.

    If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes or if any of the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements proves to be incorrect, the developments and future events concerning the Partnership set forth in this press release may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date of this document. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our expectations and beliefs to change. The Partnership assumes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, unless obligated to do so under the federal securities laws.

    MEDIA CONTACT:
    Karen Marotta
    Greystone
    212-896-9149
    Karen.Marotta@greyco.com
     
    INVESTOR CONTACT:
    Andy Grier
    Senior Vice President
    402-952-1235
     

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Republic Digital Acquisition Company Announces the Separate Trading of its Class A Ordinary Shares and Warrants, Commencing June 23, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, NY, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Republic Digital Acquisition Company (Nasdaq: RDAGU) (the “Company”) announced today that, commencing June 23, 2025, holders of the units sold in the Company’s initial public offering may elect to separately trade the Company’s Class A ordinary shares and warrants included in the units. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. The Class A ordinary shares and warrants that are separated will trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbols “RDAG” and “RDAGW,” respectively. Those units not separated will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “RDAGU.”

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of the Company, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About Republic Digital Acquisition Company

    Republic Digital Acquisition Company is a special purpose acquisition company incorporated under the laws of Cayman Islands for the purpose of effecting a merger, amalgamation, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The Company may pursue an initial business combination in any business or industry but expects to focus on a target in fintech, software and cryptocurrency industries.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may include, and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may include, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements regarding possible business combinations and the financing thereof, and related matters, as well as all other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus for the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

    Company Contact

    Republic Digital Acquisition Company
    RDAC-PR@republic.co

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Silvaco to Host a Tech Talk on the Diffusion of Innovation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Silvaco Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVCO, “Silvaco”), a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software, today announced it will host a tech talk exploring “The Diffusion of Innovation: Investing in the Ecosystem Expansion”.

    This session is intended to provide investors and analysts with an in-depth understanding of how Silvaco is expanding the ecosystem for its innovative products, including the Fab Technology Co-Optimization™ (FTCO) solution. There will also be an opportunity for Q&A with management.

    Event Details:

    • Event Title: “The Diffusion of Innovation: Investing in the Ecosystem Expansion”
    • Date/Time: Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time
    • Presenter: Ian Chan, Chief Revenue Officer

    A live webcast, as well as a replay, of the event will be available on the company’s investor relations website at https://investors.silvaco.com/.

    About Silvaco Group, Inc.
    Silvaco is a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation. Silvaco’s solutions are used for semiconductor and photonics processes, devices, and systems development across display, power devices, automotive, memory, high performance compute, foundries, photonics, internet of things, and 5G/6G mobile markets for complex SoC design. Silvaco is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. Learn more at silvaco.com.

    Contacts
    Media Relations:
    Tiffany Behany, press@silvaco.com

    Investor Relations:
    Greg McNiff, investors@silvaco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. Declares Second Quarter Cash Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc., (NYSE: SFBS) (“ServisFirst”), the holding company for ServisFirst Bank, today announces: At a meeting held on June 16, 2025, its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.335 per share, payable on July 9, 2025, to stockholders of record as of July 1, 2025.  

    About ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc.

    ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company based in Birmingham, Alabama. Through its subsidiary ServisFirst Bank, ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. provides business and personal financial services from locations in Atlanta, Birmingham, Charleston, Dothan, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, North Carolina, Northwest Florida, Tennessee, Virgina Beach, and West Central Florida. ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. files periodic reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Copies of its filings may be obtained through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or at www.servisfirstbank.com.

    More information about ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. may be obtained over the Internet at www.servisfirstbank.com or by calling (205) 949-0302.

    Contact: ServisFirst Bank
    Davis Mange (205) 949-3420
    DMange@servisfirstbank.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Mountain America Credit Union Honored with Best of State Award for Credit Unions in Business Services

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANDY, Utah, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mountain America Credit Union is proud to announce it has been honored with the prestigious 2025 Best of State Award for Best Credit Union in the Business Services category, a recognition that reflects the credit union’s unwavering commitment to putting its members first—including its thriving community of business members.

    A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available in this link.

    This latest accolade underscores Mountain America’s dedication to empowering businesses with innovative financial solutions, personalized service, and a mission-driven approach that prioritizes people over profits. Whether it’s helping small businesses grow or providing expert financial advice to entrepreneurs, Mountain America remains steadfast in its core purpose: guiding members forward.

    “We are honored to receive this year’s Best of State Award for Credit Unions in business services,” said Sterling Nielsen, president and CEO of Mountain America Credit Union. “This award belongs to our incredible team and our members. It reflects our commitment to always putting our members—individuals and businesses alike—at the center of everything we do. Whether through digital innovation or one-on-one financial guidance, we strive to help our members reach their goals and build lasting success.”

    The Best of State recognition follows another significant national honor—Mountain America was recently ranked among the Top 5 Large Credit Unions in the nation for Customer Service Excellence by J.D. Power, highlighting the institution’s superior service across both individual and business banking relationships.

    Mountain America continues to invest in services that meet the evolving needs of businesses, from flexible lending options to advanced digital banking tools, all backed by the credit union’s hallmark personalized service.

    The Best of State Awards recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations that demonstrate excellence and innovation in their field, contribute positively to the quality of life in Utah, and differentiate themselves through superior performance.

    For more information on business services offered by Mountain America Credit Union, visit macu.com/business.

    About Mountain America Credit Union
    With more than 1 million members and $20 billion in assets, Mountain America Credit Union helps its members define and achieve their financial dreams. Mountain America provides consumers and businesses with a variety of convenient, flexible products and services, as well as sound, timely advice. Members enjoy access to secure cutting-edge mobile banking technology, over 100 branches across multistate region, and more than 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Mountain America—guiding you forward. Learn more at macu.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Mountain America Credit Union Honored with Best of State Award for Credit Unions in Business Services

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANDY, Utah, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mountain America Credit Union is proud to announce it has been honored with the prestigious 2025 Best of State Award for Best Credit Union in the Business Services category, a recognition that reflects the credit union’s unwavering commitment to putting its members first—including its thriving community of business members.

    A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available in this link.

    This latest accolade underscores Mountain America’s dedication to empowering businesses with innovative financial solutions, personalized service, and a mission-driven approach that prioritizes people over profits. Whether it’s helping small businesses grow or providing expert financial advice to entrepreneurs, Mountain America remains steadfast in its core purpose: guiding members forward.

    “We are honored to receive this year’s Best of State Award for Credit Unions in business services,” said Sterling Nielsen, president and CEO of Mountain America Credit Union. “This award belongs to our incredible team and our members. It reflects our commitment to always putting our members—individuals and businesses alike—at the center of everything we do. Whether through digital innovation or one-on-one financial guidance, we strive to help our members reach their goals and build lasting success.”

    The Best of State recognition follows another significant national honor—Mountain America was recently ranked among the Top 5 Large Credit Unions in the nation for Customer Service Excellence by J.D. Power, highlighting the institution’s superior service across both individual and business banking relationships.

    Mountain America continues to invest in services that meet the evolving needs of businesses, from flexible lending options to advanced digital banking tools, all backed by the credit union’s hallmark personalized service.

    The Best of State Awards recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations that demonstrate excellence and innovation in their field, contribute positively to the quality of life in Utah, and differentiate themselves through superior performance.

    For more information on business services offered by Mountain America Credit Union, visit macu.com/business.

    About Mountain America Credit Union
    With more than 1 million members and $20 billion in assets, Mountain America Credit Union helps its members define and achieve their financial dreams. Mountain America provides consumers and businesses with a variety of convenient, flexible products and services, as well as sound, timely advice. Members enjoy access to secure cutting-edge mobile banking technology, over 100 branches across multistate region, and more than 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Mountain America—guiding you forward. Learn more at macu.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Solomon Islanders safe but unable to leave Israel amid war on Iran

    RNZ Pacific

    The Solomon Islands Foreign Ministry says five people who completed agriculture training in Israel are safe but unable to come home amid the ongoing war between Israel and Iran.

    The ministry said in a statement that the Solomon Islands Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, was closely monitoring the situation and maintaining regular contact with the students.

    Ambassador Cornelius Walegerea said that given the volatile nature of the current situation, the safety of their citizens in Israel — particularly the students — remained their top priority.

    “Once the airport reopens and it is deemed safe for them to travel, the students will be able to return home.”

    The five Solomon Islands students have undertaken agricultural training at the Arava International Centre for Agriculture in Israel since September 2024.

    The students completed their training on June 5 and were scheduled to return home on June 17.

    The students have been advised to strictly follow instructions issued by local authorities and to continue observing all precautionary safety measures.

    Ministry updates
    The ministry will continue to provide updates as the situation develops.

    Its travel advisory, issued the day Israel attacked Iran last Friday, said the ministry “wishes to advise all citizens not to travel to Israel and the region”.

    Citizens studying in Israel were told they “should now make every effort to leave Israel”.

    Meanwhile, a friend of a New Zealander stuck in Iran said the NZ government needed to help provide safe passage, and that the advice so far had been “vague and lacking any substance whatsover”.

    The woman told RNZ the advice from MFAT until yesterday had been to “stay put”, before an evacuation notice was issued.

    MFAT declined interview
    MFAT declined an interview, but told RNZ it had heard from a small number of New Zealanders seeking advice about how to depart from Iran and Israel.

    It would not provide any further detail regarding those individuals.

    MFAT said the airspace was currently closed over both countries, which would likely continue.

    The agency understood departure via land border crossings had been taking place, but that carried risks and New Zealanders “should only do so if they feel it is safe”.

    Meanwhile, the NZ government said visitors from war zones in the Middle East could stay in New Zealand until it was safe for them to return home.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: G7 leaders fail to stand up and propel climate action

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Toronto, Canada, G7 leaders have failed to deliver outcomes that advance bold climate action, as the shadow of a stand-off with the US held back urgently needed progress.

    Tracy Carty, Climate Politics Expert, Greenpeace International said: “As G7 leaders grapple with how to de-escalate multiple conflicts they can ill afford to ignore another threat to global stability – the worsening climate emergency.” 

    “But even before the latest intensification in the Middle East, the climate had already been sidelined, as the G7 – under Canada’s leadership – tiptoed around Trump’s climate denialism. The leaders of these nations – among the most responsible for global emissions – cannot retreat and hide.”

    “The G7 must urgently work towards bold action to cut emissions, hold the fossil fuel industry accountable, and ensure big polluters pay their fair share for the climate damage already unfolding across the globe.”

    Keith Stewart, Senior Energy Strategist, Greenpeace Canada said: “Canada is literally a country on fire, but despite wanting to discuss an improved joint response to wildfires, it allowed the summit to end with a statement on the issue that included no mention of tackling the climate crisis fuelling the latest disaster.”

    “This was a wasted opportunity as Canada ducked away from a confrontation with Trump. But true leadership requires standing up to climate denialists and fostering cooperation instead of deepening climate culpability. The G7 cannot abdicate its responsibility to lead the charge for bold, urgent global action to cut emissions and the time to act is now.”

    ENDS

    Contacts:

    Aaron Gray-Block, Climate Politics Communications Manager, Greenpeace International, [email protected]

    Gaby Flores, Communications Coordinator, Greenpeace International, +1 214 454 3871, [email protected]

    Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to Dutch study looking at sexual function in transgender adults who had had puberty blockers in adolescence and then cross-sex hormones

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine & Research looks at sexual function of transgender adults who had taken puberty blockers during adolescence. 

    Prof Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics, Open University, said:

    “I should start by saying that I’m no expert in sexual medicine, and certainly not in the sexual problems and issues faced by trans people.  It does seem to me, as a non-expert, that much of the information in this new study will be useful to those who do work with trans people on these matters (and to trans people themselves).

    “I do, however, have expertise in the design and interpretation of research studies, and because of that I have some doubts about the interpretation of some of the findings, including how they are described in the press release.  (The press release does generally match what is said in the research paper.)

    “The research paper tells us that, of their group who had been treated with puberty blockers and later with gender-affirming hormones, 58% of the trans men and 50% of the trans women reported at least one sexual dysfunction.  52% of the trans men and 40% of the trans women said they were satisfied with their sex lives.  My doubts are mostly about some comparisons within these groups in the study, and particularly about comparisons with other groups that weren’t in the study (trans people who did not have puberty blockers, and cis people).

    “The first issue to note is that the number of participants was pretty small for trans men (50 of them) and very small for trans women (just 20).  This in itself limits how far the findings can be generalized beyond people attending the clinic where the research was done.

    “But how do these rates of sexual dysfunction compare to other groups?  Are those percentages large or small?  Some comparisons between groups are made in the research paper and reported in the press release, and here I have some doubts.

    “Some comparisons are made within the participants in the study.  For instance, a quote in the release says, “There was also no difference between people who started puberty blockers early or later in puberty.”  That does generally match what the research paper says.  However, this was an observational study.  In observational studies, there are always doubts about what is causing what.  That’s because there will be differences between the groups being compared in terms of other factors, and perhaps the other factors are causing any observed differences in the outcomes.  This extends to doubts about whether a lack of difference between people who got puberty blockers at different stages is because the stage of starting the blockers has no real effect – maybe it does have an effect but that is masked by some other factors.

    “Typically in this kind of study, the researchers would make statistical adjustments to try to allow for the effects of other factors that differed between subgroups of the participants.  But in this study, that could not be done because the number of participants was too small.  So there must remain some doubt about whether the puberty stage when puberty blockers began does affect the level of sexual problems later.  It might not, or it might.

    “However, the researchers make comparison with other groups too, groups on which this study did not itself collect any data.  It’s always very awkward to make comparisons between findings from different studies that might use different measurement methods – different questionnaires in this case – and possibly very different populations of participants, where differences in other factors may be very important.

    “In the research paper, the researchers make informal comparisons about the level of sexual problems between the people in their own study, who all had puberty blockers and then, later, gender-affirming hormones, with people in a different study who had gender-affirming treatment that started in adulthood, and so had no puberty blockers.  They report that the other study (reference 26 in the new paper) found that 54% of sexually active trans men and 69% of sexually active trans women reported at least one sexual difficulty.  Those rates are higher than the rates in the new study, but (as the paper points out) there are several differences between the new study and the one used for comparison.  But nevertheless the press release says, “The frequency of sexual problems was consistent with previous studies among transgender adults who did not start hormone therapy until adulthood.”  Given the small numbers of participants, and the fact that there are reasonably substantial differences between the two studies in terms of sexual difficulties, I think that’s going a bit too far.

    “Also, part of a quote in the press release says, “This [the level of satisfaction with their sex lives of the participants in the new study] corresponds to the sexual satisfaction of the cisgender population.”  I think that’s going too far as well: The research article quotes rates of sexual dysfunction in cis women in young women in the Netherlands and adult women in the US as 42% and 43% respectively, and in the new study, 50% of the trans women reported at least one sexual dysfunction.  (But remember there were only 20 trans women in the new research.)  For adult cis men in the US and England, the researchers quote that 31% and 34% reported sexual dysfunction.  In the new study, 58% of the trans men reported at least one sexual dysfunction.

    “I think the best we can say is that all these percentages are in roughly the same ballpark.  But does it make sense to say that they ‘correspond’?  How far does it make sense at all to compare data on adults, on average much older than the people in the new study, and to compare recent data (in the new study) with data going back to1998 and 2000 for the UK and US results?  And anyway, to what extent might all these figures represent what participants want to tell researchers, rather than what they truly think about their own sex lives?”

    Dr Channa Jayasena, Associate Professor in Reproductive Endocrinology, Imperial College London, said:

    “Puberty blockers ‘switch off’ a hormone signal from the brain which tells the body to develop male or female adult characteristics.  Puberty blockers are approved in many countries to stop puberty in children with gender dysphoria who do not want to go through puberty aligned with their birth sex.  In the UK, puberty blockers cannot be given, and a clinical trial is planned to investigate how well they treat symptoms in children with gender dysphoria.

    “The current study used questionnaires to investigate rates of sexual problems in patients who had been treated with puberty blockers starting from the ages of 11-18 years.  The size and design of the study is like other studies investigating sexual symptoms in patients.  The authors found that about half of transgender individuals who were given puberty blockers between ages 11 and 18 years reported sexual satisfaction as adults; the authors state that levels of sexual satisfaction reported in their study were similar to levels of satisfaction reported previously for individuals starting treatment for gender dysphoria as adults.  It would have been helpful to have included another group of young people without gender dysphoria, to judge how much gender dysphoria affects sexual satisfaction.  In addition, we currently do not know whether puberty blockade alters sexual satisfaction for young people with gender dysphoria if given

    ‘Sexual satisfaction and dysfunction in transgender adults following puberty suppression treatment during adolescence’ by Isabelle S. van der Meulen et al. was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine & Research at 01:01 UK time on Wednesday 18 June 2025. 

    Declared interests

    Prof Kevin McConway: “No conflicts.”

    Dr Channa Jayasena: “None.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Chair’s Summary

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    The Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) gathered in Kananaskis, Alberta, from June 15-17, 2025, with the objective of building stronger economies by making communities safer and the world more secure, promoting energy security and accelerating the digital transition, as well as fostering partnerships of the future.  

    Five decades after its founding in 1975, the G7 continues to demonstrate its value as a platform for advanced economies to coordinate financial and economic policy, address issues of peace and security, and cooperate with international partners in response to global challenges.  

    G7 Leaders focused on economic developments. In a context of rising market volatility and shocks to international trade, as well as longer-term trends toward fragmentation and global imbalances, they discussed the need for greater economic and financial stability, technological innovation, and an open and predictable trading regime to drive investment and growth. They considered ways to collaborate on global trade to boost productivity and grow their economies, emphasizing energy security and the digital transition. They acknowledged that both are underpinned by secure and responsible critical mineral supply chains and that more collaboration is required, within and beyond the G7. Leaders undertook to safeguard their economies from unfair non-market policies and practices that distort markets and drive overcapacity in ways that are harmful to workers and businesses. This includes de-risking through diversification and reduction of critical dependencies. Leaders welcomed the new Canada-led G7 initiative – the Critical Minerals Production Alliance – working with trusted international partners to guarantee supply for advanced manufacturing and defence.

    G7 Leaders expressed support for President Trump’s efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. They recognized that Ukraine has committed to an unconditional ceasefire, and they agreed that Russia must do the same. G7 Leaders are resolute in exploring all options to maximize pressure on Russia, including financial sanctions. The G7 met with President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Mark Rutte to discuss their support for a strong and sovereign Ukraine, including budgetary defence and recovery and reconstruction support.

    G7 Leaders reiterated their commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. They exchanged on the evolving situation, following Hamas’s terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, and the active conflict between Israel and Iran. Leaders discussed the importance of unhindered humanitarian aid to Gaza, the release of all hostages and an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Leaders also talked about the need for a negotiated political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that achieves lasting peace. Leaders affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself, and were clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. They underlined the importance of protecting civilians. They expressed their readiness to coordinate to safeguard the stability of international energy markets. They urged that the resolution of this crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza. G7 Leaders released a statement on recent developments between Israel and Iran.

    Leaders highlighted the importance of a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific, based on the rule of law, and discussed growing economic cooperation with the region. They stressed the importance of constructive and stable relations with China, while calling on China to refrain from market distortions and harmful overcapacity, tackle global challenges and promote international peace and security. Leaders discussed their ongoing serious concerns about China’s destabilizing activities in the East and South China Seas and the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. They expressed concern about DPRK’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs and the need to jointly address DPRK cryptocurrency thefts fueling these programs. The need to resolve the abductions issue was also raised. Leaders acknowledged the links between crisis theatres in Ukraine, the Middle East and Indo-Pacific. Leaders discussed other instances of crisis and conflict, including in Africa and Haiti. 

    The G7 Leaders underscored their resolve to ensure the safety and security of communities. They condemned foreign interference, underlining the unacceptable threat of transnational repression to rights and freedoms, national security and state sovereignty. Leaders highlighted the importance of ongoing collaboration to promote border security and counter migrant smuggling and illicit synthetic drug trafficking, noting recent successes. They stressed the need to work with countries of origin and transit countries. Leaders discussed the impacts of increasingly extreme weather events around the world. They highlighted the need for more international collaboration to prevent, fight and respond to wildfires, which are destroying homes and ecosystems, and driving pollution and emissions. 

    The G7 welcomed participation in the Summit by the President of South Africa, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, President of the Republic Korea, Lee Jae-myung, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, as well as UN Secretary General, António Guterres, and President of the World Bank, Ajaypal Singh Banga. Together, they identified ways to collaborate on energy security in a changing world, with a focus on advancing technology and innovation, diversifying and strengthening critical mineral supply chains, building infrastructure, and mobilizing investment. They discussed just energy transitions as well as sustainable and innovative solutions to boost energy access and affordability, while mitigating the impact on climate and the environment. They talked about the consequences of growing conflicts for shared prosperity, including energy security, and the need to work towards a shared peace. 

    Leaders and guests had a productive discussion on the importance of building coalitions with reliable partners – existing and new – that include the private sector, development finance institutions and multilateral development banks, to drive inclusive economic growth and advance sustainable development. The upcoming United Nations’ Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development was raised as an opportunity to continue these discussions, including on private capital mobilization. 

    G7 Leaders agreed to collaborate with partners on concrete outcomes that deliver for everyone. To this end, they agreed to six joint statements. Their commitments included: 

    • Securing high-standard critical mineral supply chains that power the economies of the future.
    • Driving secure, responsible and trustworthy AI adoption across public and private sectors, powering AI now and into the future, and closing digital divides.
    • Boosting cooperation to unlock the full potential of quantum technology to grow economies, solve global challenges and keep communities secure.
    • Mounting a multilateral effort to better prevent, fight and recover from wildfires, which are on the rise around the world.
    • Protecting the rights of everyone in society, and the fundamental principle of state sovereignty, by continuing to combat foreign interference, with a focus on transnational repression.
    • Countering migrant smuggling by dismantling transnational organized crime groups. 

    G7 Leaders welcomed the endorsement by many outreach partners of the Critical Minerals Action Plan and the Kananaskis Wildfire Charter. 

    Discussions at the Kananaskis Summit were informed by the recommendations of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council (GEAC), which stressed the social and economic benefits of gender equality, and of all G7 engagement groups. 

    The G7 remains committed to working with domestic and international stakeholders and partners, including local governments, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, industry and international organizations, to advance shared priorities. 

    The G7 will continue its work under Canada’s presidency throughout 2025, and looks forward to France’s leadership in 2026.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese vice premier urges improved industrial innovation, sound development of platform economy

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

    Chinese vice premier urges improved industrial innovation, sound development of platform economy

    GUANGZHOU, June 17 — Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has stressed the importance of efforts to improve the efficiency and quality of industrial innovation, and to promote the sound development of the platform economy.

    Zhang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an investigation and research tour in south China’s Guangdong Province, which lasted from Sunday to Tuesday.

    He said that efforts should be made to integrate scientific and technological innovation deeply with industrial innovation, and to improve the platform economy’s governance system to create a fair and orderly development environment for the sector.

    According to Zhang, it is imperative that we use technological innovation as a guide, promote the research and development of key core technologies, and build a virtuous cycle in which technological breakthroughs drive industrial upgrading.

    He also stressed the importance of improving laws and regulations related to the platform economy’s rules, algorithms, charges and livestreaming sales, of strengthening regular supervision, and of cracking down harshly on irregularities stemming from irrational rat-race competition.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi calls on China, Uzbekistan to introduce more measures for trade liberalization, facilitation

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

    Xi calls on China, Uzbekistan to introduce more measures for trade liberalization, facilitation

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, June 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    ASTANA, June 17 — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called on China and Uzbekistan to introduce more measures to promote trade liberalization and facilitation.

    Xi made the remarks in a meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the second China-Central Asia Summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

    Xi noted that last year he and Mirziyoyev met twice, in Beijing and Astana respectively, and made strategic plans for the development of bilateral relations.

    Cooperation between the two countries in various fields has shown a favorable situation of full-scale expansion and vigorous development, he said.

    China, he added, is willing to work with Uzbekistan to strengthen the synergy of development strategies and exchange of governance experiences, implement more mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation projects, boost the development of both countries, and jointly build a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future that is more substantial and dynamic.

    Xi emphasized that China and Uzbekistan should expand the scale of bilateral trade and investment, advance the high-quality construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, foster a multidimensional connectivity framework, and expand practical cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, new energy, smart agriculture and public health.

    The two sides should actively promote the reciprocal establishment of cultural centers, organize well the second China-Uzbekistan educational forum, continue to strengthen cooperation on poverty alleviation, and promote people-to-people connectivity, Xi added.

    Xi also stressed the need to further deepen law enforcement and security cooperation, jointly combat terrorism, separatism and extremism, and work together to address new threats and challenges, so as to safeguard regional peace and stability.

    Xi said the two sides should strengthen collaboration within multilateral platforms, including the China-Central Asia mechanism and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to jointly safeguard international equity and justice and uphold the international economic and trade order.

    For his part, Mirziyoyev said that President Xi is a distinguished statesman on the world stage, who has led China in implementing effective domestic and foreign policies, promoting substantial progress in economic and social development, with China’s economy becoming a major engine of the global economy.

    No major global issue can be resolved without China’s involvement, he added.

    Mirziyoyev described Uzbekistan and China as close as brothers, noting that frequent exchanges at all levels and robust cooperation across various fields have brought bilateral relations to their highest level in history.

    The Uzbek side values its friendly relations with China, appreciates China’s long-standing selfless support for Uzbekistan’s economic and social development, and will unwaveringly adhere to the one-China principle, he said.

    The Uzbek side is willing to strengthen exchanges with China on governance experience, learn from China’s successful practices in poverty alleviation, expand the scale of trade and investment, enhance cooperation with China in such fields as cutting-edge technologies, connectivity, agriculture and green energy, and promote the high-quality development of bilateral relations, Mirziyoyev said.

    He said Uzbekistan also stands ready to enhance law enforcement and security cooperation with China, with a firm commitment to combating terrorism, separatism, and extremism.

    The Uzbek side highly appreciates President Xi’s three major global initiatives, which carry significant relevance in today’s world, and is willing to work closely with China to fully implement them, jointly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, safeguard international fairness and justice, and advance the noble cause of world peace and development, Mirziyoyev said.

    The two leaders also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East.

    Xi said all related parties should work to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East as soon as possible and avoid further escalation.

    Xi said China is deeply worried as Israel’s military operation against Iran has caused a sudden escalation of tensions in the Middle East, adding that China opposes any actions that infringe upon sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of other countries.

    He said military conflicts are not the solution to problems, and the escalation of regional situations is not in the common interests of the international community.

    Xi said China is ready to work with all parties to play a constructive role in restoring peace and stability in the Middle East.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, June 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s Statement on Adriana Smith

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Adriana Smith’s Family Was Denied the Right to Make Medical Decisions for Months, After She Was Declared Brain Dead, Due to Georgia Abortion Ban

    Pressley Joins Williams, Jacobs in Introducing Resolution Condemning Anti-Abortion Laws that Denied Smith’s Dignity and Human Rights

    Adriana’s Son Chance was Delivered via Postmortem Emergency C-Section and Adriana Will be Taken Off Life Support

    Resolution Text (PDF)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) released the following statement on the tragic case of Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old Georgia mother who was declared brain dead in February and had been kept on artificial life support without her family’s consent. The Georgia hospital where Adriana died indicated that the state’s extreme abortion ban mandated Adriana remain on life support because she was 9 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. On Friday, June 13, 2025, her infant son, named Chance, was born prematurely at approximately 4:41 a.m. via a postmortem emergency Cesarean section. Chance weighs about 1 pound, 13 ounces and is currently in the NICU. Adriana is being taken off life support today.

    “Adriana Smith was a beloved daughter, a devoted mother, and a compassionate nurse denied dignity and basic human rights,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus. “She and her family were failed by a broken system that ignored her pain and then forced them to endure months of trauma under cruel, dehumanizing laws. These laws stripped Adriana of her dignity and denied her family the right to make deeply personal medical decisions. I hope their experiences compel Congress and the states to finally end cruel abortion bans, end fetal personhood laws, and confront the Black maternal morbidity crisis once and for all. I am proud to join Congresswoman Williams and our colleagues on this resolution to honor Adriana’s life, uplift her family, and recommit ourselves to fighting for reproductive freedom, Black maternal health, the right to abortion care and the bodily autonomy of every person who calls this country home. We join Adriana’s family members in praying for strength for baby Chance and mourning the loss of Adriana.”

    In light of this solemn update, Congresswoman Pressley joined Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) and Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51) in introducing a resolution recognizing the deeply disturbing case of Adriana Smith.

    The resolution calls for urgent legislative and policy changes to protect the rights, autonomy, and dignity of pregnant people — particularly Black women, who are disproportionately impacted by systemic medical neglect and restrictive anti-abortion laws.

    “I extend my sympathies to Adriana Smith’s family as they spend their final moments with Adriana on their terms. Adriana Smith deserved better at every point of this tragedy. Her family, along with baby Chance, remain in my family’s prayers as they navigate life after this unimaginably devastating situation that Georgia’s laws imposed on them. From my service in the State Senate when the LIFE Act was passed in 2019, I know that the bill was drafted in a way that created uncertainty among medical providers and my constituents in Georgia’s 5th District about what is permitted under the law and how the law would be enforced. The clear intention of this was to create a chilling effect on doctors providing essential maternal healthcare services and on patients seeking lifesaving medical treatment. We are now seeing this lack of clarity result in unimaginable cruelty to Adriana Smith and her family,” said Congresswoman Nikema Williams.

    “My heart breaks for Adriana Smith, her family, and new baby Chance, who had to enter the world this way. Georgia’s fetal personhood law denied Adriana Smith’s family the ability to say goodbye to her on their own terms,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. “Instead, she was kept on life support, breathing through machines for nearly four months to serve as an incubator. Women are worth more than their ability to get pregnant and give birth – we are human beings who should be trusted to make our own health care decisions. It’s devastating that Adriana is the latest casualty of our nation’s Black maternal health crisis and anti-abortion laws – but let’s ensure she’s the last. This needs to be the watershed moment to end anti-abortion and fetal personhood laws and guarantee the rights and dignity of everyone to make the best health care decisions for themselves and their families.”

    Adriana Smith, a nurse and mother, sought medical care for symptoms, including an extreme headache, in early February but was not given adequate treatment. She returned the next day as her condition worsened and was declared brain dead while nine weeks pregnant on February 19. She has been kept on artificial support until her pregnancy reaches 32 weeks and the fetus can be delivered, meaning her bodily functions will have been supported for more than 5 months. Due to Georgia’s LIFE Act and uncertainty surrounding fetal personhood laws, Emory University Midtown Hospital began maintaining Adriana’s bodily functions without consent from her family.

    The resolution urges the government to:

    • Repeal state laws that ban or criminalize abortion and abortion-related services;
    • Repeal laws that exclude pregnant people from having their advance directives come into effect;
    • Clarify how anti-abortion and fetal personhood laws should be interpreted in medical settings;
    • Reaffirm and guarantee autonomy and dignity to pregnant people over their lives, well-being, and medical needs.

    While Georgia’s Attorney General has stated that nothing in the LIFE Act explicitly mandates keeping a brain-dead patient on life support, the lack of a formal legal opinion or prosecutorial guidance leaves families and doctors in limbo.

    Anti-abortion laws deprive people who can become pregnant of their autonomy by prioritizing the life of the fetus over the health, medical decisions, and rights of the pregnant person — a dehumanizing practice that violates their civil rights and reinforces systemic control over their bodies.

    Out of fear of criminalization, family separation, or mistreatment like what Adriana Smith is experiencing, many pregnant people avoid healthcare settings even when they desire care, putting their health and the health of their fetus at risk.

    The resolution declares that the House of Representatives stands with Adriana Smith’s family in their efforts to return dignity and justice to their family, condemns giving fetuses rights and taking them away from pregnant people in our laws, and condemns the troublingly common experience that Black women face in medical settings of having their pain not given full credence or treatment.

    A copy of the resolution text can be found here.

    On June 5, Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned speech on the House floor demanding justice for Adriana Smith and sharing her family’s story. Pressley connected the horrific mistreatment of Adriana Smith to the brutal history of medical violence Black women have faced in America for centuries.

    Last month, as Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, Rep. Pressley and Co-Chair Diana DeGette (CO-01) released a statement calling for the state of Georgia and the hospital in question to respect the fundamental rights of Adriana Smith and her family and condemned GOP abortion bans.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: New York ETO promotes biotechnology and academic ties with Boston (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    New York ETO promotes biotechnology and academic ties with Boston  
    At the June 15 (Boston time) welcome dinner for the Hong Kong delegation at BIO 2025, Ms Ho highlighted Hong Kong’s status as a global hub for biotech innovation and fundraising. She also noted Hong Kong’s strong presence at BIO 2025, showcasing the depth and diversity of the city’s biotechnology sector, including pharmaceuticals, immunotherapies, gene editing, diagnostics and stem cell technologies.
     
    The Hong Kong delegation included representatives from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and its delegation of 16 leading biotech portfolio companies, the medical faculties of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, as well as representatives from the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, Invest Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. At the Hong Kong Pavilion, they showcased the city’s life and health sciences capabilities, aiming to attract global enterprises, talent, and investment, and reinforcing Hong Kong’s status as a global biotech hub.
     
    At the “Hong Kong x Boston Biotech Disrupt Night” on June 16 (Boston time) hosted by Invest Hong Kong, Ms Ho spoke on Hong Kong’s strategic advantages in biotechnology, citing world-class infrastructure, strong intellectual property protection, top-tier universities, and a vibrant start-up ecosystem. She also emphasised government support, funding and initiatives such as InnoLife Healthtech Hub and the New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme. The event, attended by over 140 biotech industry representatives and investors, also featured a panel discussion featuring Hong Kong and Boston’s biotech leaders where they had an insightful exchange on the potential of Boston biotech companies in leveraging Hong Kong for their Asian market expansion.
     
         “Hong Kong offers a nurturing environment for life sciences—combining policy support, research excellence, and regulatory certainty. As the world’s second-largest fundraising hub for biotech IPOs, we also offer deep access to capital and a highly international talent pool. With our world-class infrastructure, common law system, robust IP protections, and proximity to Mainland China and Asia, we serve as a gateway and global launchpad for biotech companies aiming to scale and internationalise”, she said.
     
    While in Boston, Ms Ho also met with representatives of the academia to explore areas of mutual interests and promoted Hong Kong’s various talent admission schemes and the city’s commitment to become an international education and research hub. Her meetings included discussions with Visiting Fellow of Practice at Harvard University’s Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies Mr Mitchell Presnick; and representatives from the University of Massachusetts Boston, including the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Mr Joseph B. Berger; the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Ms Karen Ferrer-Muñiz; and the Vice Provost of Research and Strategic Initiatives, Mr Bala Sundaram. She also attended a reception hosted by the Mayor of Boston Ms Michelle Wu for key international biotech leaders and stakeholders.
    Issued at HKT 7:40

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: PBK Miner: Revolutionizing Bitcoin Mining with Free Cloud Mining and Sustainable Technology

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Carshalton, UK, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PBK Miner is a UK-based company that has reshaped the cryptocurrency mining landscape with its innovative cloud mining contracts. Today, the company takes a deep dive into how its platform is leading the latest cryptocurrency cloud mining revolution. The cloud mining service provided by PBK Miner is designed to help users increase their income in a passive way, allowing them to accumulate cryptocurrency wealth in the shortest possible time.

    With the continuous advancement of technology, the world is gradually moving towards an operating model based on renewable energy. PBK Miner uses renewable energy such as solar energy and wind energy to power its cloud mining business, significantly reducing mining costs and feeding excess electricity back to the grid. This not only effectively saves energy consumption, but also brings considerable returns to investors, demonstrating the huge potential of new energy.

    In the fast-growing cryptocurrency space, simplicity and profitability are crucial, and the cloud mining offered by the company is undoubtedly an attractive option for newcomers who want to earn a stable income.

    What is Cloud Mining

    Cloud mining is a remote cryptocurrency mining technology that covers a variety of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin mining. In this way, users can use the computing power of cloud mining companies to achieve profitability and avoid personal investment in hardware and maintenance. Users can access large mining farms with powerful computing power, which will work tirelessly to crack cryptocurrency puzzles and receive cryptocurrency rewards.

    Benefits of Cloud Mining

    • Easy investment: Users can easily invest without complicated procedures
    • No need to buy hardware: Users do not need to buy any professional mining equipment, which lowers the investment threshold.
    • No technical knowledge required: For beginners, cloud mining has low technical requirements and is easy to get started
    • No operating costs: Users do not need to bear operating costs such as electricity and maintenance fees during the mining process
    • Flexibility and reliability: Cloud mining provides flexible options, and users can adjust their investment strategies according to their needs
    • Start immediately: Interested users can quickly start mining without tedious preparations

    Why choose PBK Miner

    PBK Miner is committed to providing efficient and clean energy. The platform was founded in the UK in 2019 and currently has more than 8 million members worldwide. Since its establishment, the company has always focused on the Bitcoin mining business. At present, PBK Miner not only has advanced mining technology, but also has deployed multiple large-scale mining farms. According to statistics provided by the company, PBK Miner accounts for about 5.3% of the global computing power.

    About PBK Miner

    Founded in 2019 and headquartered in England, PBK Miner is a global leader in the cryptocurrency cloud mining industry. After years of development and continuous growth, we currently have more than 100 large-scale environmentally friendly energy mining farms around the world, with users in 183+ countries and regions. We are deeply trusted by more than 8 million users around the world and are committed to always being at the forefront of blockchain and cryptocurrency technology applications.

    PBK Miner Platform Advantages

    Cutting-edge equipment: The platform uses equipment provided by top mining machine manufacturers such as Bitmain, Antminer, and Jueneng Combination Miner to ensure the stable operation and efficient production capacity of Bitcoin mining machines.

    Legality and global users: PBK Miner was legally established in the UK in 2019 and is protected and regulated by the British government. With advanced technology, it has attracted more than 8 million real users around the world.

    Intuitive interface: The platform’s user-friendly interface design allows cryptocurrency novices to easily get started and navigate smoothly.

    Support for a variety of popular cryptocurrencies: Users can settle a variety of popular cryptocurrencies, such as USDT-TRC20, BTC, ETH, LTC, USDC, BNB, USDT-ERC20, BCH, DOGE, SOL (Solana), XRP, etc.

    Stable income: The contracts launched by the platform have daily income, and the principal is automatically returned when the contract expires to ensure the safety of user investment.

    Professional team: The platform has an experienced IT team and a 24/7 real-time customer service team to solve problems for users at any time.

    Affiliate Program: By referring a friend, you can earn up to $30,000 in referral bonuses, increasing your earning opportunities.

    How to join PBK Miner

    Register: Register now to get a $10 bonus ($0.60 for daily sign-in).

    Choose a contract: After successfully registering, the next step is to choose a mining contract that meets your goals and budget. PBK Miner offers a variety of contracts to meet different needs, whether you are a novice or an experienced miner, you can easily get started.

    Start making profits: After selecting and activating a mining contract, you just need to wait for the system to do all the work for you. PBK Miner’s advanced technology ensures that your mining operations run efficiently, thereby maximizing your potential profits.

    Choose the contract that suits your investment strategy:

    Experience contract: investment amount: $100, total net profit: $100 + $7.

    Classic contract: investment amount: $500, total net profit: $500 + $32.5.

    Classic contract: investment amount: $3000, total net profit: $3000 + $870.

    Prepaid contract: investment amount: $5000, total net profit: $5000 + $2325.

    Advanced contract: investment amount: $10,000, total net profit: $10,000 + $7425.

    As your mining activity progresses, earnings will begin to accumulate in your account. You can track your mining progress through the platform dashboard and withdraw your earnings when you are ready.

    For more information about the new contract, please visit the official PBK Miner platform website: https://pbkminer.com/.

    In short 

    PBK Miner is a company legally registered in the UK, focusing on network encryption technology services. It is authorized and regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority and strictly abides by local laws and regulations. PBK Miner provides a simple and convenient way to make profits from cloud mining. Whether you are a mining novice or an experienced investor, the platform aims to help users easily maximize their profits.

    Start using PBK Miner’s worry-free cloud mining solution now and increase your income!

    For more details, please visit the PBK Miner official website:

    https://pbkminer.com/, or download our mobile apps from Google Play and Apple Store.

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or a trading recommendation. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and may result in the loss of funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or trading recommendations. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and the possibility of losing funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: WTW appoints Ryan Pischke Growth Leader for Michigan and Ohio

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WTW (NASDAQ: Willis Towers Watson), a leading global advisory, broking, and solutions company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ryan Pischke as Growth Leader for Michigan and Ohio within its Corporate Risk & Broking (CRB) segment in North America.

    With more than two decades of experience in insurance brokerage and client advisory services, Pischke brings a proven track record of revenue growth, talent development, and strategic leadership across complex markets. In this role, Ryan will be responsible for accelerating WTW’s presence in the Michigan and Ohio markets through client relationship development, talent acquisition, community engagement, and brand elevation.

    “Ryan’s leadership and market insight will be instrumental as we continue to build a dynamic and inclusive growth culture in two of our most strategically important markets,” said Mark Vila, Midwest Leader, CRB, North America. “His experience in both client-facing and operational leadership roles, combined with his passion for talent development, make him the ideal fit for this position.”

    As Growth Leader, Ryan will collaborate across industry verticals, broking teams, and client service groups to deliver integrated solutions and exceptional client experiences. He will also lead initiatives to recruit revenue-generating talent, drive cross-segment sales opportunities, and spearhead innovation through community and brand-building efforts.

    Prior to joining WTW, Ryan held leadership roles at Gallagher Bassett and most recently served as the President of Property and Casualty in the Central Region at USI, where he was recognized for his success in building high-performing teams and fostering enduring client relationships.

    Melissa Dunn, Deputy Midwest Leader and Head of CRB Ohio, Pittsburgh and Michigan, added, “I am thrilled to welcome Ryan to the team, where I am sure he will contribute to our culture of collaboration, innovation, and client impact. I look forward to working with him to drive sustainable growth while strengthening our commitment to clients, colleagues, and the communities we serve.”

    About WTW

    At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance.

    Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you.

    Learn more at wtwco.com.

    Media Contact

    Douglas Menelly
    Douglas.Menelly@wtwco.com +1 (516) 972-0380

    Arnelle Sullivan
    Arnelle.Sullivan@wtwco.com +1 (718) 208-0474

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Concerned Stockholders Affirm Nomination of Director Candidates to Drive Change at Ionic

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Reiterate Commitment to Fight for Liquidity and Transparency Against Entrenched Incumbents

    Set Record Straight on Ionic’s Most Recent Misleading Statements

    Urge Their Fellow Stockholders to Learn More About Their Plan for Change at www.ionicvote.com

    SAN FRANCISCO, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tony Vejseli, Chris Villinger, and Brett Perry (the “Concerned Stockholders”), stockholders of Ionic Digital Inc. (“Ionic” or the “Company”), today issued a public letter to their fellow stockholders announcing that, pursuant to the ruling of the Delaware Court of Chancery that the Ionic board of directors breached its fiduciary duty and ordering the Company to reopen its nomination window for director candidates, the Concerned Stockholders have submitted a new nomination of their two highly qualified candidates, Mike Abbate and Oliver Wiener, for the two Class I Board seats up for election at the Company’s 2025 annual meeting of stockholders scheduled for July 2, 2025.

    The full text of the letter can be found on the Concerned Stockholder’s website at www.ionicvote.com and below:

    Fellow Ionic Digital Stockholders:

    Tony Vejseli, Chris Villinger, and Brett Perry (together, the “Concerned Stockholders,” “we,” or “us”) are stockholders of Ionic Digital Inc. (“Ionic” or the “Company”) and have long been committed to fighting for the rights of our fellow stockholders. We believe our recent victory in the Delaware Court of Chancery, in which the court found that the Ionic board of directors (the “Board”) breached its fiduciary duties in seeking to entrench itself by reducing the size of the Board as a defensive tactic in the midst of a proxy contest. This ruling against each of the current Board members vindicates many of our concerns regarding the disgraceful lack of oversight and disregard for stockholder rights at Ionic.

    Pursuant to the court’s order that the Company reopen its nomination window for director candidates for election to the two open Class I Board seats at the Company’s 2025 annual meeting of stockholders scheduled for July 2, 2025 (the “Annual Meeting”), we are pleased to announce that we have re-nominated Mike Abbate and Oliver Wiener, two highly-qualified candidates whom we have vetted thoroughly and are confident possess the background and experience in capital markets, corporate finance and the cryptocurrency space that we believe is necessary drive the much-needed change highlighted by the Delaware Court of Chancery’s decision and finally put stockholder value first at Ionic. The bios of our candidates are below, and interested stockholders can learn more at www.ionicvote.com.

    We also feel it is critical to set the record straight regarding certain misleading claims made by Ionic in its latest stockholder communication. While we are confident that no stockholder of Ionic would take the current Board’s statements at face value, given its long history of obfuscation and documented failure to focus on stockholder interests, we believe that stockholders deserve the whole truth, and that the election at the Annual Meeting should be made on a fully-informed basis and not be manipulated by misleading insinuations and distortions.

    For instance, the Board purports to believe that our interests conflict with those of our fellow stockholders. But nothing could be further from the truth – our only interests, and the only interests of our director candidates, are in creating stockholder value and generating liquidity after the long and undeserved drought spearheaded by the incumbent Board. Neither we nor any of our director candidates have any commitment to pursuing any particular liquidity pathway, and if elected, Messrs. Abbate and Wiener would consider all options for liquidity consistent with their fiduciary duties to stockholders – something the incumbent Board is clearly and demonstrably incapable of doing itself.

    Ionic also attempts to smear Mr. Wiener’s stellar reputation as a successful veteran of fintech and blockchain-based investments by focusing exclusively on his experience as a member of the advisory board of FTX, an advisory position of platitude, not fiduciary duty. Ionic refuses to acknowledge Mr. Wiener’s deep experience with and understanding of the cryptocurrency industry, a depth of expertise not possessed by a single member of the incumbent Board.

    Ionic falsely claims that Elizabeth LaPuma is the only nominee with decades of experience in capital markets, corporate finance and corporate transformation – but Mr. Wiener, not Ms. LaPuma, is the only candidate for election to the Board who served as senior leadership of an investment bank for two decades and founded a private equity firm, bringing more capital markets and finance experience to the table than the entire incumbent Board, including Ms. LaPuma. We further emphasize that among the many impressive and relevant items on Mr. Wiener’s resume, there is not a single judgment by a court that he ever breached a fiduciary duty to his stockholders, nor any period of failure in which he sat on a board for a year and a half collecting obscene board fees and juggling a rotating cast of executives, consultants, and auditors while failing to deliver on repeated promises of liquidity for long-suffering stockholders – which is more than can be said for any member of the Ionic Board.

    Finally, we note that Ionic’s most recent stockholder communication includes some limited scraps of operational data, and we applaud the Company for recognizing, if only belatedly and only as a result of our hard-fought engagement, that it needs to communicate with stockholders. But we emphasize that these communications remain sporadic, opportunistic, and incomplete. It should be highly concerning to all Ionic stockholders that the Company has failed to produce an annual report or any standard financial disclosures. Critically, over a year and a half of existence, Ionic has still never released a single data point regarding its costs and expenses. In fact, we understand the Company has engaged three separate investment banks, but has failed to disclose exactly how much it is paying these expensive advisors. Stockholders deserve to know how much of our money is being burned by a Board that has already demonstrated that it doesn’t care about its duties to its stockholders.

    The Concerned Stockholders believe that the incumbent Board has had more than adequate opportunity to prove itself, and it has failed. Over the last year and a half, the incumbent Board has proven only that it lacks the necessary experience to oversee the business of Ionic. As Scott Flanders himself testified in the Delaware Court of Chancery, regarding the operations of the Company:

    “…material safety issues, just gross negligent construction, not adhering to any kind of best practices, the performance, and lack of responsiveness from Hut 8.”

    Stockholders deserve real change – we urge you to throw away your WHITE proxy card and vote for Mike Abbate and Oliver Wiener on the GOLD Proxy Card today to cast a vote for restoring transparency, accountability, and liquidity to Ionic.

    Learn more at www.ionicvote.com

    Contact Information
    Investor Contact:
    Saratoga Proxy Consulting LLC
    John Ferguson / Ann Marie Mellone
    (888) 368-0379
    (212) 257-1311
    info@saratogaproxy.com

    Our Candidates:

    Michael Abbate, age 46, currently serves as an Advisor to Figure Markets Holdings, Inc. (“Figure Markets”), a decentralized custody and exchange for financial assets, since February 2025. Previously, Mr. Abbate served as Chief Investment Officer of Figure Markets, from January 2024 to January 2025. Prior to Figure Markets, Mr. Abbate served as Managing Partner of NovaWulf Digital Management, LP (“NovaWulf”), an investment manager focused on digital assets, from August 2021 to January 2024 and as a private investor from January 2021 to August 2021. Earlier in his career, Mr. Abbate worked for over 16 years at King Street Capital Management, L.P., a leading global alternative asset manager, most recently as a Member, from March 2004 to December 2020. Mr. Abbate started his career as an investment banker in global technology at Morgan Stanley and received a Bachelor of Computer Science and Engineering from Dartmouth College.

    Oliver Wiener, age 47, has served as Founder and Managing Partner of Kensington Merchant Partners, a merchant bank, investment management and corporate development advisory business focused on Financials, Fintech, Insurance, Insuretech and Blockchain verticals, since January 2023. Previously, he served as a Portfolio Manager at Standard Investments LLC, an investment platform focused on the intersection of industry and technology, from May 2021 to December 2022. Prior to that, Mr. Wiener served as Co-Founder and Partner at BTIG, LLC, a global financial services firm, from March 2003 to May 2021. Mr. Wiener currently serves as a member of the board of directors of Chain Bridge I, a special situations fund focused on convertible bonds, SPAC securities, PIPEs, warrants and public equities, since February 2024, and The National Security Group, Inc., an insurance holding company, since October 2024. He has also served as a board observer at Figment Inc., a leading provider of blockchain infrastructure, since 2022, an advisory board member at Extend, an AI enabled post purchase protection Insurtech since 2021 and an advisor at Figment Capital, a Web3 infrastructure investment fund, since July 2021, Hangar, a private equity sponsor focused on technology and public sector markets, since March 2023, and the Opportunity Network, a non-profit focused on providing access to college and professional mobility for underrepresented students, since January 2021. He is also an active member of the Economic Club of New York and the University of Wisconsin College of Letters and Science Board of Visitors, as well as the UW Technology Entrepreneurship Office Advisory Council. Previously, he served as a member of the board of directors of Interchecks Technologies, Inc., a payment technology company, from January 2022 to January 2023, and as an advisory board member at Anchor Labs Inc., a software developer, from the spring of 2020 to the winter of 2023. Mr. Wiener also served as a founding member and President of the board of the Association for Digital Asset Markets, a private, non-profit, industry-led, broad-based association of firms operating in the digital asset space, from November 2018 to May 2021, and was a member of Prince’s Trust US Finance Committee from January 2019 to December 2023. Mr. Wiener began his career as an equities analyst at CIBC Oppenheimer. He received a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitdeer Announces Proposed Private Placement of US$300.0 Million of Convertible Senior Notes

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitdeer Technologies Group (Nasdaq: BTDR) (“Bitdeer” or the “Company”), a world-leading technology company for Bitcoin mining, today announced that it intends to offer, subject to market conditions and other factors, US$300.0 million principal amount of Convertible Senior Notes due 2031 (the “notes”) in a private placement (the “offering”) to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Company also intends to grant the initial purchasers of the notes an option to purchase, for settlement within a 13-day period beginning on, and including, the date on which the notes are first issued, up to an additional US$45.0 million principal amount of notes.

    The notes will be general senior unsecured obligations of the Company and will accrue interest payable semiannually in arrears. Upon conversion, the Company will pay or deliver, as the case may be, cash, Class A ordinary shares par value US$0.0000001 per share, of the Company (the “Class A ordinary shares”) or a combination of cash and Class A ordinary shares, at its election. The interest rate, initial conversion rate, repurchase or redemption rights and certain other terms of the notes will be determined at the time of pricing of the offering.

    Use of Proceeds

    The Company intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from the offering to pay the cost of the zero-strike call option transaction and to pay the cash consideration for the concurrent note exchange transactions, each as described below. The Company intends to use the remaining net proceeds from the offering for datacenter expansion, ASIC based mining rig development and manufacture, as well as working capital and other general corporate purposes. If the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional notes, the Company expects to use the net proceeds from the sale of the additional notes for datacenter expansion, ASIC based mining rig development and manufacture, as well as working capital and other general corporate purposes as described above.

    Zero-Strike Call Option Transaction

    In connection with the pricing of the notes, the Company intends to enter into a privately negotiated zero-strike call option transaction with one of the initial purchasers or its affiliate (the “option counterparty”) and, having an expiration date that is scheduled to occur shortly after the maturity date of the notes. Pursuant to the zero-strike call option transaction, the Company would pay a premium for the right to receive, without further payment, a specified number of Class A ordinary shares (subject to customary adjustment), with delivery thereof by the option counterparty at expiry, subject to early settlement of the zero-strike call option transaction in whole or in part at the option counterparty’s discretion. In the case of settlement at expiration or upon any early settlement, the option counterparty would deliver to the Company the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the zero-strike call option transaction or the portion thereof being settled early. The zero-strike call option transaction is intended to facilitate privately negotiated derivative transactions with respect to the Class A ordinary shares between the option counterparty (or its affiliate) and certain investors in the notes by which those investors will be able to hedge their investment in the notes. Those activities, which are expected to occur concurrently with or shortly after the pricing of the offering, could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of the Class A ordinary shares and/or the notes at that time.

    The option counterparty (or its affiliate) may modify its hedge positions by entering into or unwinding derivative transactions with respect to the Class A ordinary shares and/or purchasing or selling Class A ordinary shares or other securities of the Company in secondary market transactions at any time following the pricing of the notes and shortly before or after the expiry or early settlement of the zero-strike call option transaction, and, the Company has been advised that the option counterparty may unwind its derivative transactions and/or purchase or sell the Class A ordinary shares in connection with the expiry of the zero-strike call option transaction or any early settlement of the zero-strike call option transaction at the option counterparty’s discretion, including any early settlement relating to any conversion, repurchase or redemption of the notes. Those activities could also increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) or decrease (or reduce the size of any increase in) the market price of the Class A ordinary shares and/or the notes.

    If the zero-strike call option transaction fails to become effective, whether or not the offering is completed, the option counterparty may unwind its hedge positions with respect to the Class A ordinary shares, which could adversely affect the market price of the Class A ordinary shares and, if the notes have been issued, the market price of the notes.

    Concurrent Note Exchange Transaction

    Concurrently with the pricing of the notes in the offering, the Company expects to enter into one or more privately negotiated transactions with one or more holders of 8.50% convertible senior notes due 2029 (the “August 2029 notes”) to exchange for cash and Class A ordinary shares certain of its August 2029 notes on terms to be negotiated with each holder (each, a “note exchange transaction”). The terms of each note exchange transaction will depend on a variety of factors. No assurance can be given as to how much, if any, of the August 2029 notes will be exchanged or the terms on which they will be exchanged. This press release is not an offer to exchange the August 2029 notes, and the offering of the notes is not contingent upon the exchange of the August 2029 notes.

    In connection with any note exchange transaction, the Company expects that holders of the August 2029 notes who agree to have their August 2029 notes exchanged and who have hedged their equity price risk with respect to such notes (the “hedged holders”) will unwind all or part of their hedge positions by buying the Class A ordinary shares and/or entering into or unwinding various derivative transactions with respect to the Class A ordinary shares. The amount of the Class A ordinary shares to be purchased by the hedged holders or in connection with such derivative transactions may be substantial in relation to the historical average daily trading volume of the Class A ordinary shares. This activity by the hedged holders could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of the Class A ordinary shares, including concurrently with the pricing of the notes. The Company cannot predict the magnitude of such market activity or the overall effect it will have on the price of the notes or the Class A ordinary shares.

    The notes and any Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act, any state securities laws or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and unless so registered, may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and other applicable securities laws.

    This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification thereof under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About Bitdeer Technologies Group

    Bitdeer is a world-leading technology company for Bitcoin mining. Bitdeer is committed to providing comprehensive Bitcoin mining solutions for its customers. The Company handles complex processes involved in computing such as equipment procurement, transport logistics, datacenter design and construction, equipment management, and daily operations. The Company also offers advanced cloud capabilities to customers with high demand for artificial intelligence. Headquartered in Singapore, Bitdeer has deployed datacenters in the United States, Norway, and Bhutan.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans, and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “anticipate,” “look forward to,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Such forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to Bitdeer’s expectations regarding the proposed terms and the completion, timing and size of the proposed offering, the note exchange transactions and the zero-strike call option transaction, the expected use of proceeds from the sale of the notes and potential impact of the foregoing or related transactions on the market price of the Class A ordinary shares or the trading price of the notes. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including risks and uncertainties associated with market conditions, whether Bitdeer will offer the notes, enter into the note exchange transactions and the zero-strike call option transaction or be able to consummate the proposed offering, the note exchange transactions and the zero-strike call option transaction at the anticipated size or on the anticipated terms, or at all, and the satisfaction of closing conditions related to the proposed offering and the note exchange transactions, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Bitdeer’s annual report on Form 20-F, as well as those discussed in Bitdeer’s subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, many of which are beyond Bitdeer’s control. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. Bitdeer specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether due to new information, future events, or otherwise. Readers should not rely upon the information on this page as current or accurate after its publication date.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    Investor Relations
    Orange Group
    Yujia Zhai
    bitdeerir@orangegroupadvisors.com

    Public Relations
    BlocksBridge Consulting
    Nishant Sharma
    bitdeer@blocksbridge.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott Champions Historic Senate Passage of GENIUS Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
    WASHINGTON — Today, the United States Senate passed the bipartisan Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act – legislation Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) co-sponsored and championed as it advanced through the Senate. The GENIUS Act – which is led by Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and also cosponsored by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) – establishes a first of its kind regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, protecting consumers and strengthening national security. Under Senator Scott’s leadership, the bill passed the Senate Banking Committee in March, with every Republican and five Democrats supporting it.
    “Today is a bold step forward – not just for financial innovation, but for American leadership, consumer protection, and economic opportunity. With the GENIUS Act, we’re bringing clarity to a sector that’s been clouded by uncertainty and proving that bipartisan, principled leadership can still deliver real results for the American people. This did not happen by accident. It happened because we led – across the aisle and with purpose. I’m especially grateful to Senator Hagerty for his leadership, as well as the hard work of many of my colleagues to get this across the finish line,” said Senator Scott.
    BACKGROUND:
    Upon becoming Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Scott pledged to advance a regulatory framework that will provide clarity for the digital assets industry and promote consumer choice, education, and protection. Building on that promise, Senator Scottcreated the first-ever Subcommittee on Digital Assets, led by Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.).
    In its first legislative markup of the 119th Congress, and after considering nearly 40 amendments to the bill, the Senate Banking Committee voted to advance the GENIUS Act, with every Republican and five Democrats supporting it. 
    Ahead of the Senate’s vote on the bill, key stakeholders voiced support for the legislation. After the Senate voted to begin consideration of the bill, Senator Scott issued astatement and spoke on the Senate floor highlighting the importance of passing the bill, noting that the GENIUS Act is the result of months of good-faith, bipartisan negotiations and has benefited from extensive consultation with industry participants, legal and academic experts, and government stakeholders. 
    To read Senator Scott’s op-ed in the Washington Examiner on the GENIUS Act, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Introduces The Bicycles For Rural African Transport Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    June 17, 2025

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Bicycles for Rural African Transport Act, legislation that would establish within the United States Agency forInternational Development (USAID) a program to promote mobility in rural communities using affordable, sustainable bicycles to support access and key development objectives. 

    “U.S. foreign assistance makes up less than one percent of the federal budget—yet, it can yield millions in returns, both financially and in lives saved.  Sometimes, the simplest of tools, like a bicycle, can help make incredible progress,” said Durbin.  “Since 2019, I have worked through the appropriations process to push USAID to invest in locally appropriate and sustainable bicycles, which help meet needs in health care, education, and women and girls’ empowerment. Now that the Trump Administration has gutted USAID and is trying to jam a rescissions package through the Senate that strips global funding for the most vulnerable abroad, we need this legislation more than ever.”

    “Reliable, purpose-built bicycles are among the most cost-effective tools to improve access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities in rural communities. We applaud Senator Durbin’s leadership in reintroducing the Bicycles for Rural African Transport Act, which recognizes that mobility is foundational to development. This bill has the power to accelerate progress and unlock potential for millions of people,” said Dave Neiswander, CEO, World Bicycle Relief.

    This Bicycles for Rural African Transport Act builds on the work Durbin has done through the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) in the annual appropriations package in recent years, to provide modest funding and a comprehensive USAID assessment for a pilot program related to bicycles that has been successful at helping get girls to school, providing health services, allowing farmers to take their crops to market, and more. This bill would effectively codify those efforts, and requires USAID to report on such projects from which the agency can continue to build.  

    The legislation also emphasizes partnerships with existing entities, such as Chicago-based World Bicycle Relief, with successful models for providing access to affordable bicycles to achieve development objectives. Founded in 2005, World Bicycle Relief partners with communities across nearly two dozen countries to establish and manage a sustainable transportation ecosystem that has delivered nearly 900,000 sustainable bicycles and supported more 4.4 million people.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Judiciary Democrats Call On Secretary Noem To Testify Before The Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    June 17, 2025
    Durbin, SJC Dems cite alarming conduct such as the unnecessary use of force by masked ICE agents, family separations, targeting of workers, unjustified invocation of wartime powers, defiance of court orders, ignoring congressional oversight, and deployment of National Guard to California
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in calling on Chairman Grassley to schedule Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem for testimony before the committee.
    In a letter to Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the Senators write: “We request that you immediately convene a Judiciary Committee oversight hearing with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to discuss the Department of Homeland Security’s escalating use of alarming immigration enforcement practices.”
    The Senators cited recent alarming conduct as part of the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant agenda, writing: “Federal agents’ conduct during the incident last week with Senator Padilla has become all too common. We increasingly are seeing masked agents, acting with unnecessary force and failing to identify themselves, arresting noncitizens in raids that terrify communities and needlessly separate families. The treatment of Senator Padilla is the latest in a string of attacks on our constitutional order. Earlier this year, President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime authority that was last used during World War II to detain Japanese, Italian, and German immigrants. He has sent nearly 300 people to a dangerous and brutal prison in El Salvador without due process. He has consistently failed to comply with court orders. In recent days, he deployed the National Guard to California in response to protests of his Administration’s mass deportations over the objections of state officials.”
    The Senators continued by criticizing the Trump Administration’s hypocrisy for abandoning its promise to hold violent criminals accountable, writing: “We must ensure violent criminals are held accountable. The Administration, however, has abandoned its commitment to arresting and deporting dangerous immigrants, sweeping up hardworking, longstanding members of our communities in disorganized and dangerous raids in a misguided effort to meet arrest quotas. One Administration official reports that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller admonished U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials not to focus deportation efforts on criminals.”
    The Senate Judiciary Committee has a constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight of Executive Branch agencies under its jurisdiction, regardless of the party in charge of the White House or Congress. During the Biden Administration, then-Chair Durbin held a DHS oversight hearing months into then-Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas’ tenure.
    The Senators then admonished the Trump Administration for neglecting to comply with Congressional oversight, writing: “This Administration, however, has dismissed Congress’s critical role in ‘seek[ing] information to help inform Members as they perform their Constitutional duty to legislate and fix real problems for the American people.’ Ranking Member Durbin alone has eight outstanding letters and briefing requests that have gone unanswered by DHS. To quote you once more, Mr. Chairman, ‘oversight brings transparency, and transparency brings accountability. And, the opposite is true. Shutting down oversight requests doesn’t drain the swamp …. It floods the swamp.’”
    The Senators concluded by reiterating the necessity for a DHS oversight hearing, writing: “The President should not be allowed to bypass constitutional principles like due process, separation of powers, and federalism. Senator Padilla’s mistreatment by federal agents should be a warning to us all. We urge you to quickly schedule a hearing to ensure we have an opportunity to question Secretary Noem regarding Committee members’ many unanswered requests for information from DHS, and the cruel and un-American steps this Administration has taken to carry out its mass deportation agenda.”
    In addition to Durbin, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).
    For a full PDF of the letter to Chairman Grassley, click here.
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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Nutrition replacements fully funded for adults with Crohn’s disease who use them as their only source of nutrition

    Source: PHARMAC

    Pharmac is fully funding two brands of liquid nutrition replacements for adults with Crohn’s disease who use them as their only source of nutrition.

    The nutrition replacements are Ensure Plus and Fortisip (200ml bottles, 1.5kcal/ml) and changes to funding will take place from 1 July 2025.

    Adrienne Martin, Manager Pharmaceutical Funding says, “we are removing the additional cost on Ensure Plus and Fortisip so adults with Crohn’s disease, who use them as their only source of nutrition, can continue to access and benefit from fully funded treatment.”

    Crohn’s is a type of inflammatory bowel disease. Some people with this condition use these nutrition replacements as their exclusive diet for a period of 4–12 weeks.

    The goal of this exclusive diet is to rest the gut, to reduce inflammation and promote healing. This also may help manage symptoms and reduce the likelihood of needing surgery.

    A different fully funded nutrition replacement was previously available for these people, but the supplier stopped making it.

    “We are grateful to those who provided feedback to our proposal and shared it with their community. Having this additional information from clinicians and the community helps with our decisions.”

    “Our role is to help people access the medicines and related products they need to improve their health. We estimate around 200 adults with Crohn’s disease will benefit from the funding each year,” says Martin 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –