Category: Americas

MIL-OSI USA: Amata Champions Service Dogs for Veterans, Expanding On Prior Legislative Efforts

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, who serves as Vice Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC), is delighted to be part of the introduction of the Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act in the U.S. House of Representatives by a bipartisan group of 24 Members of Congress.

“I’ve gladly cosponsored other bills in previous Congresses, such as the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act, to encourage this wonderful work for our Veterans, in providing trained Service Dogs that are a blessing to many Veterans’ lives, but now this bill expands on these efforts in important new ways to reach many more needs,” said Vice Chairman Amata.

Under this legislation, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs would award grants to nonprofit organizations to assist with programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans, including training for the service dogs, and extending the availability of this program to veteran disabilities, such as blind, deaf, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), military sexual trauma, paralysis, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The PAWS for Veterans Act, signed into law in 2021 after four years of congressional efforts, put a focus on Veterans learning to train their own or others’ dogs, and included a successful pilot program.

The new Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act is led by sponsor Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) with Morgan McGarvey (D-KY) co-leading the legislation. Original cosponsors are Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (American Samoa), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Eleanor Norton Holmes (D-DC), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Don Davis (D-NC), David Valadao (R-CA), Greg Murphy (R-NC), Wesley Hunt (R-TX), John Rutherford (R-NE), Jason Crow (D-CO), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Nancy Mace (R-SC), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Michael Rulli (R-OH), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Craig Goldman (R-TX), August Pfluger (R-TX), Nick LaLota (R-NY).

Upwards of 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, and more than 450,000 service members have been diagnosed with at least one traumatic brain injury over the past two decades. As a result, these veterans suffer from high rates of depression, anxiety, joblessness, homelessness, and substance use disorders, and tragically, on average nearly 17 veterans die by suicide each day.

Tens of thousands of service dogs help veterans with disabilities across the United States. Service dogs assist with conditions like blindness, mobility impairments, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury. This bipartisan bill establishes a VA grant program to fund nonprofit organizations providing trained service dogs to eligible veterans at no cost. The nonprofits must meet requirements, including training standards and aftercare services, and be accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or a similar organization. The program aims to support veterans with disabilities like PTSD, TBI, military sexual trauma, and more.

Numerous veterans organizations have endorsed this legislation: American Veterans (AMVETS), Americas Warrior Partnership (AWP), American Kennel Club (AKC), American Humane, Americas VetDogs, Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), Chief Warrant Officers Association (CWOA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Dog Tag Buddies, Elizabeth Dole Foundation (EDF), Guardian Angels, HunterSeven Foundation, Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Jewish War Veterans of America (JWV), K9s For Warriors, Lions Club International, National Military Families Association (NMFA), Non-Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Pet Advocacy Network, Retrieving Freedom, Semper K9 Assistance Dogs, The American Legion (TAL), The Independence Fund (TIF), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), TREA: The Enlisted Association (TREA), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Warrior Canine Connection, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).

“This is about giving our heroes the tools they need to thrive — not just survive —when they come home,” said Congressman Luttrell.

“As a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and proud grandson of veterans, I know we need to do more to help our veterans address both the visible and invisible wounds of war. These brave men and women put on the uniform to defend our freedom and we have a moral obligation to support them,” said Congressman McGarvey.

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MIL OSI USA News –

April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: THOMPSON, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AND PATIENTS WARN OF DEVASTATING REPUBLICAN HEALTH CARE CUTS

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Thompson Representing the 5th District of CALIFORNIA

Congressional Republicans’ plan to slash health care to fund tax giveaways for the ultra-rich will harm care for everyone

Davis, CA – On Friday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04), Chief Behavioral Officer/Chief Community Health Officer for CommuniCare+OLE Health Sara Gavin, Interim Vice Chancellor of UC Davis Health Dr. Bruce Lee Hall, Yolo County Supervisor Sheila Allen, patient advocate Kate Laddish, and Susanna Hernandez of SEIU Local 2015 participated in a press conference at Yolo Health and Human Services’ Davis Office. The speakers warned that Congressional Republicans’ plan to cut at least $880 billion from the budget that funds Medicaid in order to fund tax breaks for the ultra-rich will devastate local access to care for everyone.

“Congressional Republicans have mandated an $880 billion healthcare budget cut, something that can’t be done without destroying Medicaid. And the destruction of Medicaid will hurt everyone,” said Thompson. “One-third of health care in California comes from Medicaid. Without this funding, hospitals and health centers in our community will be forced to slash services or shut down altogether. That means everyone loses access to care. All of this is for one purpose: to facilitate a tax giveaway for the richest people in our country.”

BACKGROUND

In February, Congressional Republicans passed a partisan budget bill that instructs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicare and Medicaid, to cut its spending by $880 billion. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has since analyzed the budget and confirmed that the Committee cannot meet Congressional Republicans’ mandated level of spending cuts without deep cuts to Medicaid. Millions of people would lose coverage entirely, and those who remain covered would see reduced benefits and fewer available providers.

Congressional Republicans’ proposed cuts to health care and nutrition programs in their budget bill add up to nearly the exact amount of savings the party needs in order to implement their tax bill delivering massive tax breaks for corporations and those making over $743,000 per year.

Watch a video of the press conference here.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Robert Aderholt Announces Winners of 2025 4th Congressional District Art Competition
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

Best of Show Winner to Have Artwork Displayed in U.S. Capitol, Receives Full Scholarship
HANCEVILLE, AL — Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) proudly announced the winners of the 2025 4th Congressional District Art Competition during a special awards ceremony held Monday morning at Wallace State Community College.

The top honor, Best of Show, was awarded to Natalie Jones, an 11th grader at DAR School in Grant. Natalie’s exceptional piece—a colorful 3D crocheted tree—will be displayed in the United States Capitol for the next year as part of the national Congressional Art Competition exhibit. As the Best of Show winner, Natalie will also travel to Washington, D.C. this summer to participate in the national awards ceremony. In addition to this prestigious recognition, she has been awarded a full two-year scholarship to Wallace State Community College.

Reflecting on her piece, Natalie said:

“So, I really like the art collages and most of them that I see on places like Pinterest and other websites all the pieces are flat. I wanted to do something that came off of the canvas. Something that was really colorful and brought the colors of art and nature together.”

Congressman Aderholt praised all the participating students for their creativity and talent, stating:

“Each year I continue to be amazed at the level of artistic ability we see from students across the 4th District. The imagination and dedication these young artists pour into their work is truly inspiring. I want to extend my sincere thanks to Wallace State Community College and its president, Dr. Vicki Karolewics, for once again hosting this wonderful event and for their continued support of arts education in our schools.”

Additional Winners by Category:

Paintings
1. Lilli Gilliland – JB Pennington High School
2. Yadira Juan – Russellville High School
3. Yumiya Xie – Florence High School
Drawings
1. Elianna Hollis – Cullman High School
2. Ashley Pankey – Boaz High School
3. Luke McCurdy – Guntersville High School
Collages
1. Flor Gonzalez – DAR High School
2. Alexx Stadelman – DAR High School
3. Frankie Kate Kruger – Cullman High School
Prints
1. Holt Hurt – Florence High School
2. Emma Beavers – West Point High School
3. Peyton Millsap – Haleyville High School
Mixed Media
1. Vanessa Corona Rios – Guntersville High School
2. Isabella Smith – Sumiton Christian School
3. Harper Granger – Cullman High School
Computer Graphics
1. Maria Agnello – St. Bernard Prep School
2. Laiken Rice – DAR High School
3. Matthew Jiminez – Crossville High School
Photography
1. Juan Dominguez – Haleyville High School
2. Stacy Johnson – Florence High School
3. Crystal Gonzalez – Guntersville High School
MIL OSI USA News –
April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: A Winning Collaboration: How an Internship Program is Connecting Top Data Science Students to UConn Sports Teams

Source: US State of Connecticut

Six years ago, UConn Field Hockey head coach Paul Caddy reached out to the head of the Department of Statistics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He wanted to find an informal way for students learning statistical methods to work with his team, integrating data analytics to gain a competitive edge.

After a pandemic and various other obstacles, the collaboration never came to fruition.

Then, in Fall 2023, Alyssa O’Keefe, an academic advisor in the Department of Statistics and Applied Data Analysis, launched a formalized sports analytics internship program and Caddy saw a new opportunity to bring that vision to life.

For the past two years, the Sports Statistics Experiential Learning Program has provided UConn Athletics with statistical information to improve their performance while allowing students the opportunity to gain practical hands-on experience to prepare them for careers in data.

O’Keefe says she got the idea for the program after the parent of an incoming student asked if it would be okay for her to leverage her connection with a coach to get her son experience with a team. O’Keefe says she saw an opportunity to expand that access to other students who may not have those personal connections.

“I’ve had so many students sit across my desk telling me that their dream job would be sports analytics,” O’Keefe says. “We have 18 teams. How could we not have a way to make this connection for them?”

In the Fall 2024, the program paired Caddy with Julia Mazzola ’25 (CLAS), a statistical data science and economics double major, who analyzed attacking penalty corners, a crucial scoring opportunity that happens when a foul is made in the area around the goal. The data provided real-time insights that Caddy says he’ll use as part of his coaching throughout the seasons.

“In the couple of seasons leading up to this one, our performance has not been what it needs to be offensively or defensively on corners,” Caddy says. “So, we need to get some data to see what works and what doesn’t.”

Julia Mazzola ’25 (CLAS), a statistical data science and economics double major, worked as a sports analytics intern with UConn Field Hockey in the Fall of 2024. (Contributed by Julia Mazzola)

Having previously met Joe Ferriss, former director of Men’s Hockey Operations, O’Keefe reached out with her idea of partnering statistics students with athletic teams. Ferriss was impressed with the concept and became the first to agree to join the program.

As word spread around the Athletics teams of O’Keefe’s initiative, more teams began to show interest. The program began with just three teams— baseball, men’s hockey and football—but has since expanded to 11 teams including the women’s basketball team which won the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship.

The internship program will be adding the Department of Sports Performance to its list of participating athletics programs in the fall and O’Keefe says she hopes more teams will sign on.

Unlike traditional coursework, this internship places students in dynamic sports environments where they work on various analytical projects tailored to the needs of the teams they’re paired with. Projects include tracking player positioning and movement through game footage, assessing player performance during various points of the game to refine strategy, providing statistical insights during competitions, and analyzing recruitment data.

Many interns work directly with coaching staff, integrating data into team meetings and game planning, O’Keefe says.

Students can earn credits for the internship and can intern for a semester or a full year. The time commitment varies from one placement to another, and O’Keefe says students selected for the program must agree to the conditions before they begin.

Mazzola interned with Caddy’s team for one semester, and Caddy says she felt like a member of the team.

“It is a unique experience,” Caddy says. “She’s on the sidelines during games. She’s going to get a championship ring because we won the Big East Championship. We think she’s part of the field hockey family.”

He says he hopes to continue working with student interns and that Mazzola’s project is something the team “can lean on a little bit, moving through the seasons.”

For Mazzola, the program is a career stepping stone. She plans to start her career in underwriting at the Cigna Group after she graduates in May and credits the internship with reinforcing her passion for analytics and problem-solving.

“One thing about underwriting is there’s a lot of moving pieces, and there’s a lot to learn,” she says. “You have to take in many aspects when you make a decision, and the field hockey internship was very helpful in learning how to piece things together, like solving a puzzle.”

MIL OSI USA News –

April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: UConn Graduate Programs Ranked Among the Best in the Nation

Source: US State of Connecticut

The University of Connecticut offers graduate programs across a wide variety of fields and disciplines that rank among the very best in the United States, according to rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

Programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, the Neag School of Education, and UConn School of Law were all singled out as being among the best among their peers. The recognition highlights UConn’s commitment to student excellence and support generally, as well as the efforts of the schools and colleges measured in the rankings.

“We are proud to see our graduate programs recognized among the nation’s best in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings,” says Provost and Chief Academic Officer Anne D’Alleva. “This achievement reflects the exceptional dedication of our faculty, the talent of our students, and our continued investment in graduate education.”

The School of Business’ Flex MBA programs ranked No. 33 in the nation for the second consecutive year, up from 37 two years ago. Executive Director Mia Hawlk credits the program’s commitment to innovation for its continued success.

“The MBA market is very competitive, and we’ve worked hard to pair the best of a traditional business education with new, relevant, and current course topics. It is a constant cycle of re-examining and updating programs,” she says.

The MBA program offers optional “MBA Now’’ courses which have included special courses on topics such as sustainability and artificial intelligence for managers.

“I think our success is testament to the commitment of the University and the School of Business to deliver outstanding business education to our students and to the Connecticut workforce,’’ Hawlk says.

For the second year in a row, multiple graduate programs within UConn’s Neag School of Education have earned recognition as among the best in the country.

In addition, the Neag School appears for the tenth consecutive year as one of the top 30 public graduate schools of education in the United States, tied at No. 28. Among all graduate schools of education across the nation, both public and private, the Neag School stands tied at No. 37.

All of the Neag School’s three departments are represented in the 2025 specialty education program rankings: No. 18 (tie) in Special Education Programs; No. 28 (tie) in Educational Administration Programs; and No. 34 in Curriculum and Instruction programs.

“For more than a decade, the Neag School has been recognized as one of the preeminent schools of education in the nation,” Dean Jason G. Irizarry says. “The longevity of our impressive national rankings are a direct result of the unwavering dedication of faculty, staff, and students, and I’m proud that several of our individual programs are once again featured in the specialty rankings. This achievement reflects the pride we all share in our collective commitment to excellence and further solidifies our position as a leader in higher education.”

Among graduate programs within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences ranked by U.S. News, the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences has long been renowned for its education, research, clinical practice, and public outreach missions. The new rankings reflect that, with the Audiology program rising 5 points to No. 14 in the country, and the Speech Language Pathology program rising seven points to No. 32 in the country.

The UConn School of Public Policy, within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, earned praise for its Public Affairs program, which was ranked No. 36 in the country, up three places from last year. The School’s Public Finance and Budgeting Program was ranked No. 9 in the country.

UConn School of Law rose 5 points to the rank of 50, up 21 from two years ago, and the school’s part-time Evening Division rose from No. 10 to the seventh best in the country. The overall rank in the magazine’s 2024-25 Best Law Schools list reflects particular strength in bar passage and employment outcomes for UConn Law graduates.

In addition to U.S. News, in recent years The National Jurist’s preLaw magazine has listed the UConn School of Law among the best value law schools in the nation. It has also recognized UConn Law as a top school in environmental law, tax law, intellectual property, alternative dispute resolution, child and family law, and human rights law.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Royal Navy aircraft carrier in final preparation to lead multinational deployment to Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

Royal Navy aircraft carrier in final preparation to lead multinational deployment to Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific

Nearly 4,000 British personnel will support the deployment, which will deliver trade events in Singapore, Japan, and India, promoting Britain’s world-leading industry
HMS Prince of Wales

Final preparations are underway for a multinational deployment, led by the Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to the security of the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific, while providing an opportunity to promote British trade and industry.

Aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales is scheduled to sail from Portsmouth on 22 April, where it will proceed to join a formation of warships, supply ships, and aircraft off the coast of Cornwall, before departing for the Mediterranean where it will conduct exercises to reinforce European security.

Around 2,500 personnel from the Royal Navy and 592 from the Royal Air Force will be involved in the eight-month deployment, which will see the group sail through the Indian Ocean to conduct exercises and port visits with partners including the US, India, Singapore, and Malaysia. They will be joined by around 900 personnel from the British Army for exercises during the deployment.

The deployment, named Operation Highmast, provides an opportunity for the UK’s Armed Forces to conduct a major global deployment and a chance to exercise complex operations alongside partners and allies in the region, with 12 other nations supporting the deployment with ships or personnel.

The Indo-Pacific is a critical region for UK trade, with imports and exports in the region worth billions of pounds for the UK economy, and the deployment will provide a chance for UK companies to take part in trade events during port visits.

Trade between the UK and Indo-Pacific accounted for 17% of total trade between the UK and all trading partners in the 12 months to September 2024, with the total amount traded in goods and services between the UK and Indo-Pacific standing at £286 billion in the same period.

As the biggest class of ship in the Royal Navy, the flight decks of HMS Prince of Wales and her sister ship are roughly the size of three football pitches and defended by advanced weapons. A maritime strike force of this size is composed of multiple types of ship, frigates, destroyers, submarines, and supply ships to support logistics.

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:

I want to thank the thousands of our Armed Forces personnel involved in the delivery of this immensely complex operation, demonstrating the UK’s world-leading capability to deploy a major military force around the world.

This is a unique opportunity for the UK to operate in close coordination with our partners and allies in a deployment that not only shows our commitment to security and stability, but also provides an opportunity to bolster our own economy and boost British trade and exports.

As one of only a handful of countries in the world able to lead a deployment of this scale, the Royal Navy is once again demonstrating its formidable capability while protecting British values and sending a powerful message of deterrence to any adversary.

Of the 12 other nations supporting the deployment, Norway will provide a warship to support the carrier strike group for the entire duration of the deployment. Canada and Spain are among the other nations providing support to the deployment.

After its compliment of up to 24 Royal Air Force F-35B Lighting fighter jets is embarked on board HMS Prince of Wales, and the departure for the Mediterranean, the group will initially be placed under NATO command as it joins Exercise Neptune Strike – testing the Alliance’s ability to use high-end maritime strike capabilities, including multiple aircraft carrier and amphibious strike groups.

The group will transit though the Indian Ocean, conducting exercises and port visits with partners including the US, India, Singapore and Malaysia, before joining 19 partner nations for Exercise Talisman Sabre near Australia, and then training alongside the Japanese Self Defence Forces and conducting a port visit to India.

Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP, said:

Through this deployment of our Carrier Strike Group and 4,000 Service Personnel, we will stand firm with our allies against those who challenge the international order. Reminding the world that the security of the Euro Atlantic and Indo-Pacific are fundamentally indivisible.

This isn’t just about hard power; it’s about building influence and opening new trade opportunities both for defence and other sectors of our economy which will deliver British jobs and growth.

This deployment follows the Prime Minister’s historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, demonstrating this Government’s commitment to keep the UK secure at home and strong abroad.

Following the inaugural deployment in 2021, the Carrier Strike Group 2025 highlights the strength of the UK’s leadership in seeking to uphold stability in the Indo-Pacific. This has been bolstered by the Royal Navy’s persistent presence in the region through HMS Spey and HMS Tamar, as well as the landmark Global Combat Air Programme collaboration.

Keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority and is the foundation of its Plan for Change. The strength, capability and global reach of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, demonstrated through Operation Highmast, is critical to the security and stability of the UK, supporting the delivery of the Government’s five missions.

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Published 8 April 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Extending the TikTok Enforcement Delay

US Senate News:

Source: The White House
class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Extension. (a) The enforcement delay specified in section 2(a) of Executive Order 14166 of January 20, 2025 (Application of Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to TikTok), is further extended until June 19, 2025. During this period, the Department of Justice shall take no action to enforce the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (the “Act”) (Public Law 118-50, Div. H) or impose any penalties against any entity for any noncompliance with the Act, including for distributing, maintaining, or updating (or enabling the distribution, maintenance, or updating) of any foreign adversary controlled application as defined in the Act. In light of this direction, even after the expiration of the above-specified period, the Department of Justice shall not take any action to enforce the Act or impose any penalties against any entity for any conduct that occurred during the above-specified period or any period prior to the issuance of this order, including the period of time from January 19, 2025, to the date of this order.
(b) The Attorney General shall take all appropriate action to issue written guidance to implement the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.
(c) The Attorney General shall further issue a letter to each provider stating that there has been no violation of the statute and that there is no liability for any conduct that occurred during the above-specified period, as well as for any conduct from the effective date of the Act until the date of this order.
(d) Because of the national security interests at stake and because section 2(d) of the Act vests authority for investigations and enforcement of the Act only in the Attorney General, attempted enforcement by the States or private parties represents an encroachment on the powers of the Executive. The Attorney General shall exercise all available authority to preserve and defend the Executive’s exclusive authority to enforce the Act.
Sec. 2. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: Extending the TikTok Enforcement Delay

Source: The White House

class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Extension. (a) The enforcement delay specified in section 2(a) of Executive Order 14166 of January 20, 2025 (Application of Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to TikTok), is further extended until June 19, 2025. During this period, the Department of Justice shall take no action to enforce the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (the “Act”) (Public Law 118-50, Div. H) or impose any penalties against any entity for any noncompliance with the Act, including for distributing, maintaining, or updating (or enabling the distribution, maintenance, or updating) of any foreign adversary controlled application as defined in the Act. In light of this direction, even after the expiration of the above-specified period, the Department of Justice shall not take any action to enforce the Act or impose any penalties against any entity for any conduct that occurred during the above-specified period or any period prior to the issuance of this order, including the period of time from January 19, 2025, to the date of this order.

(b) The Attorney General shall take all appropriate action to issue written guidance to implement the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.

(c) The Attorney General shall further issue a letter to each provider stating that there has been no violation of the statute and that there is no liability for any conduct that occurred during the above-specified period, as well as for any conduct from the effective date of the Act until the date of this order.

(d) Because of the national security interests at stake and because section 2(d) of the Act vests authority for investigations and enforcement of the Act only in the Attorney General, attempted enforcement by the States or private parties represents an encroachment on the powers of the Executive. The Attorney General shall exercise all available authority to preserve and defend the Executive’s exclusive authority to enforce the Act.

Sec. 2. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Two Major Grants for Teen Substance Use Treatment

Source: US State of Connecticut

Sarah Feldstein Ewing, Vice Chair for Research in UConn School of Medicine’s psychiatry department, is fascinated by teen psychology. Why do teens make the choices they make? What factors influence their decision-making? And how can caregivers and counselors help support them in making healthy decisions?

Her research into these questions has spanned an impressive early career across multiple institutions. Now, Feldstein Ewing is the enthusiastic recipient of two major federal grants.

Pain and Teen Substance Use

Feldstein Ewing leads one of two sites receiving a combined $3,355,184 over five years from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for a project exploring young adult use of cannabis and opioids. As an expert in adolescent substance use, Feldstein Ewing is partnering with Anna C. Wilson, a pediatric pain specialist. Wilson is a colleague at Feldstein Ewing’s former institution, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).

The study follows young people in Oregon, where underage cannabis use saw a significant uptick following state legalization of recreational adult cannabis use in 2015.

“Kids in Oregon were starting to make choices not to drink, but instead to use cannabis, because they were under the impression that it would not have been legalized if cannabis wasn’t safe,” says Feldstein Ewing.

Sarah Feldstein Ewing is the Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Psychiatry at UConn Health. (Courtesy photo)

At the same time, many teens and young adults are prescribed opioids at some point, whether due to a major injury or a routine procedure like wisdom teeth extraction. This means that co-use of cannabis and opioids is likely occurring for this age group.

But little is understood about the potential harms of using these two types of substances simultaneously, especially for young people. It is also unclear how effective and safe cannabis is for relieving pain in this age group, even though many young people report self-medicating pain with cannabis.

The research team will be alerted to new opioid prescriptions for emerging adults via local medical record updates. From there, they can follow up with the patients to assess their pain and substance use history, as well as personal risk factors for substance use and related problems.

Patients will be monitored closely for two weeks after their initial opioid prescription, and will receive follow-up check-ins at regular intervals over the next two years. Throughout this time, the researchers will track their outcomes in terms of pain, mental health, and substance use. The central hypothesis is that pain experiences, as well as patterns of opioid and cannabis use in the acute pain period (immediately after the inciting medical event), will influence opioid use, cannabis use, and related problems over time.

“Often, for people who have opioid addiction later on, they talk about how they started when they got a prescription after a broken bone or some other medical event during their teen years,” Feldstein Ewing says.

The team will also explore psychosocial risk factors for substance use and related problems, like loneliness and depression.

“We just don’t know what goes into the choice around who uses what [substances],” Feldstein Ewing explains. “We do know that if you’re struggling with sadness and loneliness, you’re more likely to use cannabis and other substances, so we want to know, is that also true for prescription pain medication?”

Into the Hyperscanner

From the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), Feldstein Ewing has received a five-year grant totaling $2,737,888 to help determine the efficacy of group therapy for adolescents who are in counseling for alcohol use.

“Most kids get group therapy,” Feldstein Ewing says, “but even though group therapy is widely used, the data on how well it works and why are ambiguous at best.”

Part of the problem is that teens are uniquely influenced by what others think and say about them. Socially, this is a gift, Feldstein Ewing points out – it allows them to adapt to a variety of social environments, with greater ease than most adults – but it can be a hindrance in the context of group healing.

The research team is looking for iatrogenic effects, meaning effects that occur in the context of treatment.

Like an infection picked up at a hospital, harmful statements from peers in group therapy may lead to poorer therapeutic outcomes for teens. On the flip side, though, hearing positive encouragement from peers may provide a healing boost for this age group that is even greater than what adults would experience in the same type of behavioral treatment.

To test this hypothesis, the researchers are using a technique called hyperscanning, where MRI units are connected side by side so that two patients can interact with each other and be scanned simultaneously. The equipment is located at the University of Texas at Dallas, where Feldstein Ewing’s longtime neuroimaging collaborator and co-PI, Francesca Filbey, is a neuroscience professor.

In the scanner, each patient will hear negative and positive statements about their capacity to reduce or stop their drinking, in the voice of the other patient. These statements will come directly from their group therapy session, which will be recorded.

Then, the researchers can observe the real-time changes in the brain as the patients actively select each type of statement for their co-participating peer.

How does it feel to hear a disparaging remark about your perceived ability to stop drinking – even when it’s something you’ve heard countless times before? How does it feel to be encouraged by someone whose opinion you value? How much does that make you feel like you can change your drinking? Feldstein Ewing will be able to examine how these peer statements impact patients’ brains, as well as how these statements impact patients’ own perceived ability to change their behavior.

The researchers will also track the participants following their group therapy experiences to see how their drinking behavior changes or stays the same over the course of 12 months.

Toward Effective Interventions for Teens

Both these projects are geared toward designing better interventions for teens who are struggling with alcohol and substance use.

Currently, many young people receive the same therapy as adults. But Feldstein Ewing’s research has shown that this may be a “square peg, round hole” approach – what works for adults may be ineffective or even discouraging for adolescents.

With the insight gained from these projects, Feldstein Ewing will help pioneer new clinical strategies to revolutionize the field of teen substance use treatment.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Trump state visit looking more ridiculous with every passing day

Source: Scottish Greens

08 Apr 2025 External Affairs

Donald Trump is no friend of Scotland. He must not be allowed to visit.

More in External Affairs

The UK government’s proposed state visit for Donald Trump is looking more ridiculous with every passing day, says Scottish Green Co-Leader Lorna Slater, who has urged Downing Street to cancel it.

The call comes as the White House has imposed tariffs on the UK, and while Keir Starmer and other leaders have tried to cozy up to him.

Ms Slater said:

“The proposed state visit is looking more ridiculous and misguided with every passing day. There is nothing to be gained by grovelling to Donald Trump and giving him the trappings and prestige that he desires.

“Time and again he has proven he cannot be trusted and has even inflicted tariffs on the UK. What kind of message does it send if we roll out the red carpet for him at the same time as he is doing that?

“Donald Trump is a danger to human rights around the world and a danger to our climate. He represents the worst of politics and the decisions he’s making are having a terrible impact on migrant communities, women’s rights and on the US economy.

“He is not a friend of Scotland, and is not going to change who he is because the Prime Minister asks him to.”

Ms Slater added:

“Scotland’s future can and must be with a closer Europe. That is where Keir Starmer’s priorities should be.

“We can’t wait silently while Trump does even more damage. We should be looking to build our green economy and reach out to countries like Canada that have also been targeted by the White House.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

April 9, 2025

MIL-OSI: Enphase Energy Announces Conference Call to Review First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

FREMONT, Calif., April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH), a global energy technology company and the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems, announced today that it will host a conference call and webcast on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its first quarter 2025 financial results for the period ended March 31, 2025. The live webcast can be accessed on the Enphase Energy Investor Relations website at investor.enphase.com, and a recorded version of the call will also be available there approximately one hour after the call.

What:		Enphase Energy’s First Quarter 2025 Financial Results Earnings Conference Call and Webcast
Date:		Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Time:		4:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Live Call:		833.634.5018
International:		+1.412.902.4214
Replay:		United States: 877.344.7529 International: +1.412.317.0088 Canada: 855.669.9658 Replay access code: 9557806

About Enphase Energy, Inc.

Enphase Energy, a global energy technology company based in Fremont, CA, is the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems that enable people to harness the sun to make, use, save, and sell their own power — and control it all with a smart mobile app. The company revolutionized the solar industry with its microinverter-based technology and builds all-in-one solar, battery, and software solutions. Enphase has shipped approximately 80.0 million microinverters, and approximately 4.7 million Enphase-based systems have been deployed in more than 160 countries. For more information, visit https://enphase.com/.

©2025 Enphase Energy, Inc. All rights reserved. Enphase Energy, Enphase, the “e” logo, IQ, and certain other marks listed at https://enphase.com/trademark-usage-guidelines are trademarks or service marks of Enphase Energy, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Other names are for informational purposes and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact:

Zach Freedman
Enphase Energy, Inc.
Investor Relations
ir@enphaseenergy.com

This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

The MIL Network –

April 9, 2025

MIL-OSI: Plantro Ltd. Announces Amendments to Terms and Extension to Premium All-Cash Tender Offer to Acquire up to 15% of Class A Limited Voting Shares of Information Services Corporation
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
- Tender Offer expiry extended to April 28, 2025 to allow shareholders more time to consider the Tender Offer
- Amendments and extension, which will benefit ISC shareholders, following constructive engagement with the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan and the Ontario Securities Commission
ST. MICHAEL, Barbados, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Plantro Ltd. (“Plantro”) today announced amendments to the terms of, and an extension of, its offer to acquire up to 2,777,342 Class A Limited Voting Shares (the “Class A Shares”) in the capital of Information Services Corporation (TSX: ISC) (“ISC” or the “Company”), (the “Tender Offer”) at a price of $27.25 per Class A Share, payable in cash (the “Tender Price”). The amendments and extension, which will benefit ISC shareholders, were made following constructive engagement with the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan and the Ontario Securities Commission.

Plantro continues to believe the Tender Offer is an opportunity for ISC shareholders to receive an attractive premium, amid volatile markets, for a highly illiquid stock. Plantro was surprised and disappointed at the aggressive and hyperbolic posture adopted by ISC’s board of directors (the “ISC Board”) in response to the Tender Offer. Plantro has made repeated requests to meet with the Chair, other members of the ISC Board and management. However, the ISC Chair, Board and management have not responded, opting instead to have their legal counsel issue hostile letters to Plantro explicitly stating that ISC has rejected the opportunity to meet.

Plantro respectfully urges the ISC Board to reconsider its current approach, particularly regarding personal attacks and mischaracterizations. For example, ISC referenced Dye & Durham, an unrelated company to this matter, in which both Plantro and ISC were shareholders in 2015. At that time, ISC acquired a 30% stake in Dye & Durham for $3.3 million. If ISC had the business acumen and foresight to hold onto and maintain this 30% investment until Dye & Durham’s most recent annual meeting of shareholders, the value of that stake at that time would have exceeded ISC’s entire unaffected market capitalization of approximately $450 million.

In light of the changes made to the Tender Offer for the benefit of ISC shareholders, Plantro strongly encourages the ISC Board to reconsider its recommendation to shareholders.

Important Amendments for ISC Shareholders

The terms of the Tender Offer and related Letter of Transmittal are amended as follows:
- Extended Tender Offer Period – The Tender Offer is now open for acceptance by shareholders of the Company until 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on April 28, 2025 (the “Expiry Time”), unless the Tender Offer is further extended, varied or withdrawn.
- Tender Offer Made to All Shareholders – Plantro is making the Tender Offer to all shareholders of the Company, including shareholders who were not holders of record on March 13, 2025 and the Crown Investment Corporation of Saskatchewan.
- No Longer Acquiring Shares on a First Come First Serve Basis – Plantro will only take up and pay for Class A Shares that are deposited pursuant to the Tender Offer as at the Expiry Time, and not on a “first come, first served” and/or “rolling” basis. As a result, if more than the maximum number of Class A Shares for which the Tender Offer is made are delivered in accordance with the Tender Offer and not withdrawn at the time of take up of the Class A Shares, the Class A Shares to be purchased from each depositing shareholder will be determined on a pro rata basis according to the number of Class A Shares delivered by each shareholder, disregarding fractions, by rounding down to the nearest whole number of Class A Shares.
- Shareholders Have the Right to Opt Out of Voting Tender – Plantro has further amended the Tender Offer to allow Class A Shareholders of record on March 13, 2025, to opt out of appointing representatives of Plantro as their nominees and proxy in respect of such shares owned by a shareholder that are not deposited pursuant to the Tender Offer and ultimately taken up and paid for. For clarity, such opt out right will not apply to Class A Shares of record on March 13, 2025, which are deposited pursuant to the Tender Offer and ultimately taken up and paid for, and the holder of such shares will be required to appoint representatives of Plantro as its nominees and proxy for the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders to be held on May 13, 2025 in respect of such shares.
Plantro is relying on the exemption under section 9.2(4) of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations to the circular requirements of applicable Canadian proxy solicitation laws. For further details, please see below under the heading “Information in Support of Public Broadcast Exemption Under Canadian Law”. The Tender Offer is not a formal or exempt take-over bid under Canadian securities laws and regulations. In no event will Plantro (or its affiliates or associates) make any such purchases of Class A Shares that would result in Plantro, together with its affiliates and associates, beneficially owning or exercising control or direction over more than 15% of the outstanding Class A Shares upon completion of the Tender Offer.

Full details of the Tender Offer are included in the Offer Documents and are available online on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Plantro’s Advisors

Plantro has engaged Goodmans LLP as its legal advisor, Carson Proxy as its information agent, Odyssey Trust Company as depositary, and Gagnier Communications as its strategic communications advisor.

About Plantro

Plantro is a privately-held company, with an established track record of making successful investments in undervalued and high quality legal, financial, and information services businesses.

Shareholder Questions

Shareholders who have questions with respect to the Tender Offer, or who need assistance in depositing their Class A Shares, please contact the depositary and information agent for the Tender Offer:

Depositary: Odyssey Trust Company

Toll Free (US & Canada): 1-888-290-1175
Calls (All Regions): 587-885-0960
Email: corp.actions@odysseytrust.com

Information Agent: Carson Proxy

North America Toll Free: 1-800-530-5189
Local and Text: 416-751-2066
Email: info@carsonproxy.com

Information in Support of Public Broadcast Exemption Under Canadian Law

Plantro is relying on the exemption under section 9.2(4) of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations to make this public broadcast solicitation. The following information is provided in accordance with corporate and securities laws applicable to public broadcast solicitations.

This solicitation is being made by Plantro, and not by or on behalf of management of ISC. The information agent will receive a fee of up to $250,000 for its services as information agent under the Tender Offer, plus ancillary payments and disbursements. Based upon publicly available information, ISC’s registered and head office is located at 300 – 10 Research Drive, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 7J7, Canada. Plantro is soliciting proxies in reliance upon the public broadcast exemption to the solicitation requirements under applicable Canadian corporate and securities laws, conveyed by way of public broadcast, including press release, speech or publication, and by any other manner permitted under applicable Canadian securities laws. In addition, this solicitation may be made by mail, telephone, facsimile, email or other electronic means as well as by newspaper or other media advertising and in person by representatives of Plantro. All costs incurred for such solicitation will be borne by Plantro.

A registered shareholder who has given a proxy under the terms of the Letter of Transmittal may, prior to its Class A Shares being taken up and paid for under the Tender Offer, revoke the proxy by instrument in writing, including a proxy bearing a later date. The instrument revoking the proxy must be deposited at the registered office of ISC at least 48 hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, preceding the date of the meeting or an adjournment or postponement thereof, or with the Chair of the meeting on the day of the meeting, or in any other manner permitted by law, provided that, in each circumstance, a copy of such revocation has been delivered to the depositary, at its principal office in Toronto, Ontario, Canada prior to the Class A Shares relating to such proxy having been taken up and paid for under the Tender Offer.

A non-registered shareholder may revoke a form of proxy or voting instruction form given to an intermediary at any time by written notice to the intermediary in accordance with the instructions given to the non-registered shareholder by its intermediary. Non-registered shareholders should contact their broker for assistance in ensuring that forms of proxies or voting instructions previously given to an intermediary are properly revoked.

None of Plantro nor, to its knowledge, any of its associates or affiliates, has any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction since the commencement of ISC’s most recently completed financial year, or in any proposed transaction which has materially affected or will materially affect ISC or any of its subsidiaries. None of Plantro nor, to its knowledge, any of its associates or affiliates, has any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter to be acted upon at any upcoming shareholders’ meeting, other than as set out herein.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release may contain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Specifically, certain statements contained in this press release, including without limitation statements regarding the Tender Offer, taking up and paying for Class A Shares deposited under the Tender Offer, and the expiry of the Tender Offer, contain “forward-looking information” and are prospective in nature. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “plans”, “targets”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “an opportunity exists”, “is positioned”, “estimates”, “intends”, “assumes”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate” or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “will” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking statements.

Statements containing forward-looking information are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the future outcomes expressed or implied by the statements containing forward-looking information.

Although Plantro believes that the expectations reflected in statements containing forward-looking information herein made by it (and not, for greater certainty, any forward-looking statements attributable to the Company) are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Material factors or assumptions that were applied in formulating the forward-looking information contained herein include the assumption that the business and economic conditions affecting the Company’s operations will continue substantially in the current state, including, without limitation, with respect to industry conditions, general levels of economic activity, continuity and availability of personnel, local and international laws and regulations, foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates, inflation, taxes, that there will be no unplanned material changes to the Company’s operations, and that the Company’s public disclosure record is accurate in all material respects and is not misleading (including by omission).

Plantro cautions that the foregoing list of material factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. While these factors and assumptions are considered by Plantro to be appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances as of the date of this press release, they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Plantro and there is no assurance that they will prove correct.

Important facts that could cause outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information include, among other things, actions taken by the Company in respect of the Tender Offer, the content of subsequent public disclosures by the Company, the failure to satisfy the conditions to the Tender Offer, general economic conditions, legislative or regulatory changes and changes in capital or securities markets. If any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if the opinions, estimates or assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results or future events might vary materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Although Plantro has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other risk factors not presently known to Plantro or that Plantro presently believes are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking information.

Statements containing forward-looking information in this press release are based on Plantro’s beliefs and opinions at the time the statements are made, and there should be no expectation that such forward-looking information will be updated or supplemented as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, and Plantro disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by applicable law. All of the forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements.

1380-9916-3157

The MIL Network –
April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI: Melissa Celebrates 40th Anniversary as the Address Expert

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Celebrating an industry milestone, Melissa today announced its 40^th anniversary as the Address Expert. The company is a global leader in data quality and address management solutions, and now marks four decades of innovation and market leadership in data quality, identity verification, and customer address management.

Established in 1985 by Ray Melissa, the company started with a simple ZIP Code data offering aimed at improving address accuracy for mailers. Today, Melissa has grown into a global powerhouse, serving over 10,000 businesses worldwide with a robust suite of solutions that enhance address, email, phone, and identity verification. Melissa’s newly released catalog features a spectrum of integrations, tools, and services supporting customer data quality across key international arenas such as fintech and financial services, healthcare, public sector services, and online commerce.

“For Melissa, 2025 is an incredibly special year,” said company founder Ray Melissa. “It’s gratifying to reflect on our journey—from a small data provider to an industry leader shaping the future of data quality and verification. Operating at the crossroads of customer data, global business operations, and emerging AI-driven platforms, we take pride in empowering enterprises to harness the full potential of clean, standardized data in an increasingly connected world.”

Melissa has long focused on global growth, building partnerships that serve a worldwide enterprise customer base and support data professionals from developers to database managers to data end-users. In 2024 alone, the company introduced new integrations with FedRAMP^®, Shopify, Microsoft AppSource, and Google Workspace, reinforcing its presence in cloud-based data services. Additionally, Melissa expanded its international footprint by opening new offices in Mexico and Brazil, further solidifying its role as a trusted partner across five continents.

Beyond geographic expansion, Melissa has remained at the forefront of technological advancements in data quality. The company recently launched its Melissa Alert Service, a cutting-edge solution designed for continuous data monitoring and automated cleansing. Melissa’s success has also been built on strong collaborations with key postal agencies, technology providers, and recognized authoritative data sources. The company maintains USPS^® CASS™, PAVE™, NCOALink^® Service, and Canada Post SERP^® certifications, ensuring its data solutions meet the highest postal standards worldwide. Melissa is also partnered with ESRI, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, with data integrations that support retailers with optimized address data for smarter ecommerce. Partnerships with Salesforce, Talend, Stripe, Snowflake, and other major platforms continue to enable seamless integrations for enterprise clients.

“Our partnerships have been instrumental in driving Melissa’s reach,” added Melissa. “By working alongside leading global organizations and authoritative data sources, we ensure that businesses have access to the most accurate, up-to-date, and compliant data solutions available. We don’t plan on slowing down and can see a bright future for continued pioneering of smart, sharp data tools to empower business.”

Click here to download Melissa’s 2025 Data Quality and Enrichment Catalog; to connect with members of Melissa’s global intelligence team, visit www.Melissa.com or call 1-800-MELISSA.

About Melissa
Powering clean customer data for 40 years, Melissa is the Address Expert. Providing address validation, address autocomplete, and geo-verified address data for 240+ countries, Melissa supports global businesses with its offices across five continents. Melissa’s suite of data quality, ID verification, and location data tools and services drives better decision-making, reduced costs, increased efficiency, and improved compliance. Our APIs, CRM and ecommerce integrations, and online tools help Melissa’s 10,000 customers worldwide process billions of addresses daily, fully capitalizing on the business value of customer data. For more information, visit www.Melissa.com or call 1-800-MELISSA (635-4772).

Media contacts
Greg Brown
Vice President, Global Marketing, Melissa
greg.brown@Melissa.com
+1-800-635-4772 x1130

MPoweredPR for Melissa
pr@mpoweredpr.com
+1-877-794-6777

The MIL Network –

April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Innovators in Action: How IIT Graduates at SRI-N are Shaping the Future of Technology

Source: Samsung

Meet the next generation of innovators—students from India’s top IITs, who are redefining what is possible at Samsung R&D Institute Noida (SRI-N).

Established in 2007 with the primary focus of mobile software development and testing, SRI-N is actively involved in developing localized and advanced solutions to suit market needs for South West Asia and develop models for Middle East Asia, North America (USA and Canada), Europe & CIS regions.

Nestled in a sprawling lush green campus on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway in Delhi NCR, SRI-N is a launchpad for innovation, where some of the country’s most brilliant young minds come together to push boundaries and bring ideas to life.

(L-to-R) Gajendra Nawal, Subhashish Moitra, Harsh Pratik, Lalit Kumar, and Yash Verma

Take for instance, Lalit Kumar, an engineer in SRI-N’s Android Application team, who always knew he wanted to work at a place that values innovation.

Similarly, Yash Sharma, an engineer working on sensor drivers, said, “The brand value, the research-driven culture, and the hunger for innovation are unparalleled. At Samsung, we don’t just follow trends—we set them.”

Freedom to Create and Execute Ideas
One of the defining aspects of life at SRI-N is the freedom to think, create, and innovate. Interns and young engineers are encouraged to push the boundaries of what is possible. Whether it’s developing new AI-driven smartphone features or working on breakthrough semiconductor technologies, every idea is valued and nurtured.

Harsh Pratik, an Android Application engineer, highlighted the level of support young engineers receive.

Harsh Pratik, an Android Application engineer, highlighted the level of support young engineers receive. “We are completely free to share our ideas, especially when it comes to research and patents. Experienced engineers are always there to guide us, and if an idea has potential, Samsung provides every possible resource to bring it to life,” he said.

“Since day one, I have been part of projects that are dedicated to providing high-quality, innovative solutions. The exposure, learning, and responsibilities keep me motivated to do my best.” – Subhashish Moitra

Subhashish Moitra

This freedom to explore and innovate extends beyond work—it is a mindset that Samsung cultivates in its employees. Shubhashish Moitra, who works in AI and machine learning, believes that Samsung’s encouragement of new ideas makes all the difference.

A Culture of Mentorship and Collaboration
For young engineers, working at Samsung means being surrounded by some of the best minds in the industry. The collaborative work environment ensures that everyone from fresh recruits to experienced mentors is constantly learning from each other. “Every day is an opportunity to learn from incredibly talented individuals who bring diverse perspectives and deep technical expertise,” said Gajendra Nawal, Chief Engineer in the Service Framework team.

“Samsung has always been a hub of innovation, delivering the best and most reliable products worldwide. When I got the opportunity to be part of this culture, I knew I was exactly where I wanted to be.” – Lalit Kumar

Lalit Kumar

The openness of senior engineers and team leaders plays a huge role in fostering innovation. “If we get stuck on an issue, we can always reach out to our seniors. They are welcoming and always ready to help,” said Lalit Kumar.

Patent Culture: Encouraging Young Innovators
Samsung’s commitment to innovation is reflected in its strong focus on patents and intellectual property. The company has dedicated Ideation Teams that help young engineers refine their ideas into patentable innovations. Yash Sharma, who is actively working towards filing a patent, said, “One of the most striking aspects of Samsung’s culture is its approach to patents. Every idea, no matter how big or small, is discussed, evaluated, and supported.”
“For those who have always dreamt of making a mark in the world of technology, this is the perfect place to start. Even engineers who have not worked on patents yet are actively exploring and learning about the process. “I am eagerly going through ideations and learning how to contribute to Samsung’s vast portfolio of innovations,” said Harsh Pratik.

Impacting Millions, One Innovation at a Time
Beyond the technical excellence and mentorship, what truly makes SRI-N special is the impact its engineers create. Every project they work on—whether it is AI-driven smartphone enhancements, advanced semiconductor technologies, or next-gen software solutions—touches millions of lives worldwide.
For young engineers, Samsung is more than just a workplace—it is a platform to dream, build, and lead the future of technology. And, as they continue to innovate, their journey at SRI-N is shaping not only their own futures but also the future of the tech world itself.

MIL OSI Economics –

April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Law Library Publishes New Report Titled “Israel: Interstate Legal Assistance”

Source: US Global Legal Monitor

The Law Library of Congress recently published a report, Israel: Interstate Legal Assistance, which addresses the conditions, scope, and procedures for provision of legal assistance to foreign states under Israel’s Interstate Legal Assistance Law, 5758-1998, as amended.

In accordance with Israel‘s Interstate Legal Assistance Law, 5758-1998, as amended, legal assistance to other countries may be provided in connection with the service of documents, collection of evidence, and other legal actions related to civil or criminal matters. The competent authority to receive and decide on requests for legal assistance in Israel under the law is the Minister of Justice or the minister’s designee. To be considered, the request must be submitted on behalf of a competent foreign authority, the designation of which is conveyed to its Israeli counterpart.

Assistance is not provided, among other reasons, in connection with arrest or other procedure pending extradition, or in connection with an offense considered a military offense, or offenses of a political nature under definitions provided in the law. The law provides for the procedures that must be followed by foreign states in filing requests for interstate legal assistance.

To find out more, we invite you to review our report, here.

Information on Israel’s extradition law and procedures is available at a Law Library report titled Israel: Extradition Law Evolution from Sheinbein to Rosenstein. Note that we have also previously blogged on the Sheinbein Saga and the Evolution of Israel’s Extradition Law.

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

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

MIL OSI USA News –

April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Putting the smackdown at Fort Huachuca!

Source: US Army (video statements)

The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

Connect with the U.S. Army online:
Web: https://www.army.mil
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
#USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo2Wiu2aNQs

MIL OSI Video –

April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI: Abaxx Provides Q1 2025 Corporate Update
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TORONTO, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Abaxx Technologies Inc. (CBOE:ABXX)(OTCQX:ABXXF) (“Abaxx” or the “Company”), a financial software and market infrastructure company, majority shareholder of Abaxx Singapore Pte Ltd., the owner of Abaxx Commodity Exchange and Clearinghouse (individually, “Abaxx Exchange” and “Abaxx Clearing”), and producer of the SmarterMarkets™ Podcast, provides an update on operational milestones and the continued execution of the Company’s business strategy in the first quarter of 2025.

The Company also announces that it plans to host an investor call and presentation on Thursday, April 10th. For more information, see “Q1 2025 Business Update Investor Call” below.

Abaxx Corporate Milestone Highlights

Commercial Development
- Executed the Company’s first trades in Nickel Sulphate and Lithium Carbonate Futures, including the world’s first trade of a non-Chinese, USD-denominated and physically-deliverable Lithium Carbonate Futures contract.
- The Company saw the first OTC LNG cargo trade indexed to Abaxx LNG Futures (see the Company’s press release from March 24, 2025).
- Established active market makers in all three LNG contracts and both carbon contracts across our trading hours.
- A total of six clearing firms, 29 trading firms, and 14 interdealer brokers (IDBs) are now connected to Abaxx Exchange and Clearing, with an additional four clearing firms, 12 trading firms, and 12 IDBs currently in progress.
- Completed the first brand listing under the Lithium Carbonate Futures contract.
- Finalized onboarding with a major global data distribution network expected to expand visibility of Abaxx markets to over 100 million viewers. Added six new market data partners in Q1 2025, bringing the total to six.
- Engaged in exploratory discussions with an external exchange group seeking to use Abaxx Clearing for third-party clearing services, and also engaged in exploratory discussions with external exchange groups based in China to collaborate on cross-jurisdictional (i.e. onshore/offshore) product listing opportunities with Abaxx Exchange and Clearing.
Exchange Product Development
- Launched four new battery metals contracts in Q1 2025, including Nickel Sulphate Futures and three regional physically-deliverable Lithium Carbonate Futures contracts.
- Submitted a 1-kilobar Singapore Gold Futures contract for regulatory review.
- Currently in the final development stage of: (i) a financially-settled copper spread contract to support price transparency in global base metals markets, and (ii) the first contracts in a suite of weather futures.
Risk and Regulatory Development
- Applied to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for recognition as a Foreign Board of Trade (FBOT).
- Completed public consultation on rule amendments to introduce additional currencies as acceptable margin collateral.
- Convened the inaugural meeting of its Risk Advisory Panel and successfully executed a default management fire drill.
Systems and Operations Development
- Expanded system capabilities to support multi-currency settlement and collateralization, with projected completion by May 2025.
- Completed the upgrade of Verifier+ (a digital credentials storage provider) into the Abaxx Trade Registration Platform.
- Continued progress on ISO/IEC 27001 audit for Abaxx Exchange infrastructure, with certification targeted for June 2025.
- Enhanced client onboarding workflows and expanded market data access to support growing participant demand.
Abaxx Console Suite Development
- Rolled out Verifier+ v2.0 with expanded capabilities and integrated the app with Abaxx Exchange to enable passwordless login for the Abaxx Trade Registration Platform (ATRP).
- Advanced Abaxx Messenger into pre-release testing as a member support tool for Abaxx Exchange.
- Reached the initial development milestone for Abaxx Sign, currently progressing through testing and feedback with design partners.
- Initiated development of AbaxxOne, a middleware solution connecting enterprise identity systems (e.g., Auth0, Okta) to ID++ and the Abaxx Console Suite.
Financing Development
- On March 27, 2025, the Company announced it had closed the first tranche of a non-brokered private placement, securing C$22.85 million through the issuance of secured convertible debentures bearing 7.0% annual interest, convertible at C$13.00 per share and maturing in 2028. The Company is currently in discussions for a potential second tranche (see the Company’s press release dated March 27, 2025).
Following the successful launch of Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing in mid-2024, the first quarter of 2025 marked a period of accelerated growth across product development, commercial engagement, and systems expansion. First trades were executed in the Nickel Sulphate and Lithium Carbonate markets, alongside the first OTC LNG cargo trade indexed to Abaxx LNG Futures, reflecting early adoption of our benchmark contracts.

We launched four new contracts across our battery metals product suite and submitted a 1-kilobar Singapore Gold Futures contract to support Asia’s kilobar market, an offering not currently matched in London or New York. In parallel, we incorporated Abaxx Spot, a separate entity designed to support convergence between futures and physical gold markets. While the gold futures contract will be listed by Abaxx Exchange, Abaxx Spot enables electronic settlement and physical delivery of 99.99% purity kilobars in Singapore through a secure, transparent gold pool. Together, these initiatives advance our vision of building smarter markets for physical gold trading. Onboarding momentum continued through targeted, on-the-ground engagement at commercial events globally.

We also scaled platform infrastructure, enhancing client onboarding workflows, expanding market data access, and progressing toward ISO 27001 certification. Core protocol development advanced with upgrades to the ID++ protocol and Verifier+, the initiation of AbaxxOne middleware, and continued development of Abaxx Messenger.

The following sections provide further information related to these developments across business units and platform initiatives.

Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing Developments

Risk and Regulatory: Abaxx Exchange submitted its application to the U.S. CFTC for recognition as a Foreign Board of Trade (FBOT). Once granted, this recognition would enable U.S. trading participants to directly access products listed on Abaxx Exchange. In February, the Company completed a public consultation on rule amendments to support the introduction of additional currencies as acceptable margin collateral. These amendments are now under regulatory review, with the final list of approved currencies to be announced in due course.

The Company also convened the inaugural meeting of its Risk Advisory Panel on March 17, 2025 with participation from all three direct clearing members. The Risk Advisory Panel serves as a forum for ongoing collaboration between the clearinghouse and its members to strengthen risk management, transparency, and operational resilience. In late March, Abaxx Clearing conducted its first default management firedrill with member participation, a process which validated its preparedness to manage member defaults and execute crisis response procedures effectively.

Commercial: The Abaxx Commercial team secured market participation leading to the first trades in Nickel Sulphate and Lithium Carbonate Futures during the first quarter of 2025, including the world’s first trade of a non-Chinese, USD-denominated and physically-deliverable Lithium Carbonate Futures contract. The quarter also saw the first OTC LNG cargo trade indexed to Abaxx LNG Futures, reflecting growing confidence in Abaxx’s benchmark contracts. Active market makers were established across all three LNG contracts and both carbon contracts during core trading hours.

Onboarding efforts continued across firm types. Abaxx maintained six active clearing members and non-direct clearing firm connections, with four additional clearers, that include global bank clearers, currently in progress to establish new clearing connectivity. Twenty-nine trading firms comprised of merchant traders and financial trading firms are now fully onboarded to execute Block Trades with twelve additional firms currently in the onboarding process; clients connected to Abaxx continue to be able to access Abaxx markets through the central limit order book. Fourteen interdealer brokers (IDBs) are onboarded with twelve more in progress. The quarter also included the first brand listing under the Lithium Carbonate Futures contract.

Abaxx representatives participated in over 300 high-level meetings across 10 global industry events in Q1 2025. Executives were featured on panels at both E-World and the FT Commodities Global Summit, supporting commercial visibility and momentum. Abaxx was also shortlisted for the World LNG Award for Outstanding Contribution 2024.

To support commercial growth in Asia in Q1, Abaxx expanded marketing efforts in China, including the launch of a dedicated Chinese-language website (https://cn.abaxx.exchange/) and the announcement of a co-hosted Mandarin-language battery metals seminar with Shanghai Metals Market, taking place April 8, 2025. The team also engaged in exploratory discussions with an external exchange group seeking to use Abaxx Clearing for third-party clearing services, and also engaged in exploratory discussions with external exchange groups based in China to collaborate on cross-jurisdictional (i.e. onshore/offshore) product listing opportunities with Abaxx Exchange and Clearing.

To support broader market visibility, Abaxx Exchange launched abaxx.exchange/marketdata to provide access to market data publicly. Abaxx also formally launched its market data program in Q1, with six partners onboarded to date: five subscribers and one redistributor. Progress is underway to onboard multiple data distributors, including the leading global financial data provider currently in technical integration, another with a distribution network expected to extend Abaxx market visibility to over 100 million viewers, as well as additional partners supporting our broader data distribution strategy.

Systems and Operations: Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing continued to operate reliably with no downtime since launch, supporting stable onboarding and trading. Systems testing is underway to support multi-currency settlement and collateralization, with rollout on track for completion by May 2025. The ISO/IEC 27001 audit for Abaxx Exchange infrastructure is in progress, with certification targeted for June 2025.

The Company continues to enhance client onboarding workflows to ensure a seamless experience for market participants. In parallel, integration work is advancing across major market data vendors to expand access to Abaxx Exchange market data and meet growing participant demand.

Exchange Product Development: Development of the Gold Singapore Futures contract progressed through Stage 3 (Industry Review/Risk/Regulatory), with launch planning underway. Abaxx also advanced a regional copper spread futures contract, a suite of weather derivatives, and carbon market contracts aligned with regional compliance programs, each currently in Stage 3. Certain weather and compliance carbon futures are expected to become the first Abaxx contracts priced in currencies other than U.S. dollars.

Enhancements to the LNG contract suite included updates to the LNG Northwest Europe contract to incorporate Phase 2 compliance requirements under the EU Methane Regulation. Additional research is underway to update the list of eligible ports, including newly commissioned infrastructure. As of April 4, 2025, Calcasieu Pass LNG was added as an Eligible Loading Port under the Abaxx LNG Gulf of Mexico Futures Contract.

Phase 2 work also continued on contract extensions designed to complement Abaxx benchmark products, as well as on meeting regulatory requirements for a suite of physically and financially-settled options.

Additional Corporate Updates

Abaxx Console Apps: The Company released upgrades to the ID++ protocol and Verifier+ in Q1 2025, including integrations with Abaxx Exchange and SmarterMarkets Coffeehouse™. Verifier+ improvements followed its public release on the Apple App Store and Google Play, with enhanced app speed, simplified account recovery, broader device compatibility, and expanded user controls for account editing and deletion. Device-native features such as PIN entry and camera functionality were also upgraded.

Messenger is in its final stages of pre-release testing ahead of deployment as a user support tool for Abaxx Exchange. Feature development for initial release is complete, with improvements to maintaining performance at scale now in testing. These include faster load times for messages, improved performance under load, and interface tools that help support teams manage multiple, ongoing conversations.

Development of AbaxxOne was initiated as a middleware solution connecting enterprise identity systems (e.g., Auth0, Okta) to the Abaxx ecosystem.

Abaxx Sign reached its initial functional milestone and is now progressing through internal testing and design partner feedback cycles.

Integration of PrivacyCode progressed in Q1, with Verifier+ now available as a login option. This marks continued growth in the number of applications and platforms offering Verifier+ as a privacy-enabled authentication method across the Abaxx ecosystem.

SmarterMarkets™: SmarterMarkets™ conducted on-site interviews at key industry events hosted by the Futures Industry Association and Financial Times in Q1 2025, capturing real-time insights from global market participants for upcoming compilation episodes. These conversations contribute to the ongoing dialogue around the future of energy, climate, technology, and finance — conversations that the SmarterMarkets Coffeehouse platform is designed to elevate.

Development also began on the mobile application for SmarterMarkets Coffeehouse™, and contributor onboarding was completed for the first cohort of over 50 thought leaders across energy, AI, digital identity, carbon, and market infrastructure. Early contributors have begun publishing content on the platform. By combining verifiable credentials with tiered levels of access, Coffeehouse is designed to facilitate more open and trusted dialogue than traditional social media environments currently support.

Those interested in joining as commenters or members can join the waitlist at https://smartermarkets.media/waitlist/.

Q1 2025 Business Update Investor Call

The Company plans to host a quarterly business update investor presentation, to provide a business update and respond to investor questions.

The Company will hold the investor presentation via Zoom Meetings on Thursday, April 10th, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time Zone (EST). The Company invites current and prospective shareholders to attend this quarterly business update and Q&A session with the Abaxx executive team. Attendees may email their questions in advance to ir@abaxx.tech.

Registration will be required to access the meeting. Following the presentation, a recording of the session will be made available on the Abaxx Investor Relations website at investors.abaxx.tech.

PRESENTATION DETAILS
DATE: Thursday, April 10, 2025
TIME: 10:00 a.m. EST
LOCATION: Zoom Meeting
To receive the meeting link and passcode, please register here.
QUESTIONS: Please submit questions ahead of the presentation to: ir@abaxx.tech

About Abaxx Technologies

Abaxx is building Smarter Markets — markets empowered by better financial technology and market infrastructure to address our biggest challenges, including the energy transition. In addition to developing and deploying financial technologies that make communication, trade, and transactions easier and more secure, Abaxx is a majority-owner of Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing, subsidiaries recognized by MAS as an RMO and ACH, respectively.

Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing are a Singapore-based commodity futures exchange and clearinghouse, introducing centrally cleared, physically deliverable commodities futures and derivatives to provide better price discovery and risk management tools for the commodities critical to our transition to a lower-carbon economy.

For more information please visit abaxx.tech, abaxx.exchange and smartermarkets.media.

For more information about this press release, please contact:
Steve Fray, CFO
Tel: +1 647 490 1590

Media and investor inquiries:
Abaxx Technologies Inc.
Investor Relations Team
Tel: +1 647 490 1590
E-mail: ir@abaxx.tech

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain “forward-looking statements” which do not consist of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe Abaxx’s future plans, objectives, or goals, including words to the effect that Abaxx expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as “seeking”, “should”, “intend”, “predict”, “potential”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “estimates”, “may”, “could”, “would”, “will”, “continue”, “plan” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Since forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to Abaxx, Abaxx does not provide any assurance that actual results will meet respective management expectations. Risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors involved with forward- looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information related to Abaxx in this press release includes, but is not limited to: the business plans and objectives of Abaxx; the development of new products, futures contracts, markets and technologies and associated benefits; anticipated receipt of regulatory approvals; closing of a second tranche offering of secured convertible debentures; and onboarding of clearing members and firms. Such factors impacting forward-looking information include, among others: the inability to receive regulatory approvals in connection with financings or inability to finalize transaction documentation; risks relating to the global economic climate; dilution; Abaxx’s limited operating history; future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing; the competitive nature of the industry; currency exchange risks; the need for Abaxx to manage its planned growth and expansion; the effects of product development and need for continued technology change; protection of proprietary rights; the effect of government regulation and compliance on Abaxx and the industry; acquiring and maintaining regulatory approvals for Abaxx’s products and operations; the ability to list Abaxx’s securities on stock exchanges in a timely fashion or at all; network security risks; the ability of Abaxx to maintain properly working systems; reliance on key personnel; global economic and financial market deterioration impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital; and volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance. In addition, particular factors which could impact future results of the business of Abaxx include but are not limited to: operations in foreign jurisdictions, protection of intellectual property rights, contractual risk, third-party risk; clearinghouse risk, malicious actor risks, third-party software license risk, system failure risk, risk of technological change; dependence of technical infrastructure; and changes in the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restriction on labor and international travel and supply chains, and the risk factors identified in the Company’s most recent management discussion & analysis filed on SEDAR+. Abaxx has also assumed that no significant events occur outside of Abaxx’s normal course of business.

Abaxx cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. In addition, although Abaxx has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. When relying on forward- looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Abaxx has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraphs will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release represents the expectations of Abaxx as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Abaxx undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and information. Cboe Canada does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

The MIL Network –
April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Individual arrested for charges related to importing prohibited weapons
Source: Government of Canada News

Petrolia, Ontario
OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau | Canada Border Services Agency
April 8, 2025

An individual is facing 24 charges under the Criminal Code (CC) and the Customs Act (CA) after a package was intercepted containing seven prohibited weapons.

On February 27, 2025, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) intercepted a package destined for a location in Petrolia. The package contained seven prohibited weapons. The CBSA’s Ontario Firearms Smuggling Enforcement Team (OFSET) engaged Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) members assigned to the Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) for further investigation.

On March 19, 2025, a warrant was executed by members from BEST, OPP-led Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit, CBSA-OFSET and Lambton County OPP Community Street Crime Unit at a residence in Petrolia. As a result, investigators seized:
- Brass knuckles
- Two automatic opening knives
- A brass knuckle knife
- A centrifugal opening knife with a thumb stud
- A conducted energy weapon
- Three butterfly knives
Phillip GRENDEL, age 32 of Petrolia, has been charged with the following offences contrary to the CC and CA:
- Attempt to possess a prohibited weapon – seven counts
- Possession of a prohibited weapon – two counts
- Import a prohibited weapon knowing it’s unauthorized – seven counts
- Unauthorized importation of a prohibited weapon – seven counts
- Smuggling prohibited goods into Canada
The accused was released from custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Sarnia on April 16, 2025.

If you have any information about suspicious cross-border activity, please contact the CBSA Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060.

MIL OSI Canada News –
April 9, 2025
MIL-OSI: OTC Markets Group Welcomes TDG Gold Corp. to OTCQX

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced TDG Gold Corp. (TSXV: TDG; OTCQX: TDGGF), a major mineral tenure holder in the historical Toodoggone District of north-central British Columbia, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. TDG Gold Corp. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink® market.

TDG Gold Corp. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “TDGGF.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

Trading on the OTCQX Market offers companies efficient, cost-effective access to the U.S. capital markets. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

TDG Gold Corp.’s CEO and Director, Fletcher Morgan, commented, “As TDG continues to grow, so too does our shareholder base. Trading on OTCQX will increase TDG’s visibility, liquidity and accessibility to our current and prospective U.S. and global shareholders.”

About TDG Gold Corp.
TDG is a major mineral tenure holder in the historical Toodoggone District of north-central British Columbia, Canada, with 100% ownership of ~50,000 hectares of brownfield and greenfield exploration ground.

In 2023, TDG defined the 5.5 sq.km Greater Shasta-Newberry exploration target area (news release Jan 25, 2023) which is located directly adjacent to the gold-rich copper porphyry AuRORA1 discovery announced by Freeport McMoran Inc. and Amarc Resources Ltd. (news release Jan 17, 2025).

In 2024, TDG identified new copper-gold target areas over an expanded footprint covering ~53 sq.km known as the ‘Baker Complex’ (news release Feb 28, 2024), including the North Quartz (news release Apr 02, 2024) and Trident (news release Mar 07, 2024) targets. In January 2025, TDG identified an additional porphyry copper +/- molybdenum target at Erebus located within the Bot project (news release Jan 17, 2025). In February 2025, TDG completed the Sofia acquisition, which includes porphyry copper +/- molybdenum +/- gold targets (ARIS Report 41231).

TDG’s other projects include the former producing, gold-silver Shasta and gold-silver-copper Baker mines, which produced intermittently between 1981-2012, and the historical high-grade gold Mets developed prospect, all of which are road accessible, and combined have over 65,000 m of historical drilling. These projects have been advanced through compilation of historical data, new geological mapping, geochemical and geophysical surveys and, at Shasta, 13,250 m of modern HQ drill testing of the known mineralization occurrences and their potential extensions. In 2025, TDG published an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for Shasta (news release Jan 08, 2025), which remains open at depth and along strike.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX^® Best Market, OTCQB^® Venture Market, and Pink^® Open Market.

Our OTC Link^® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN, OTC Link NQB, and MOON ATS™ are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:
OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com

The MIL Network –

April 8, 2025
MIL-OSI: Questor Announces Award of $2.4MM Contract

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

CALGARY, Alberta, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Questor Technology Inc. (“Questor”, the “Company”), listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker QST, has secured a $2.4 million contract to supply clean combustion solutions in Iraq. This Middle East and North Africa (MENA) initiative aims to significantly reduce flaring and methane emissions. Notably, this is the second unit being supplied in the MENA region for the same client, a leading global exploration and production company renowned for its efforts in minimizing flaring and methane emissions associated with energy production.

Iraq is the second-largest crude oil producer in OPEC and the sixth-largest total petroleum liquids producer globally, with production exceeding 4.4 million barrels per day. Questor’s clean combustion solution will be integrated into the Al Ratawi site to reduce emissions in line with Iraq’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) guidelines. Questor’s ISO 14034-certified clean combustion units are engineered to meet the highest global emissions standards, ensuring 99.99% combustion efficiency. These units are designed to handle complex pollutants, including sour gas, making them ideal for large-scale oil and gas processing facilities and refineries. Manufactured in Canada, Questor’s technology not only delivers significant cost savings in capital, fuel, and operations but also supports sustainable energy production. This latest contract underscores Questor’s expanding presence in the MENA region and its commitment to advancing environmental goals through innovative solutions.

Questor is proud to partner with its clients to responsibly and sustainably produce energy globally. This purchase order highlights Questor’s reputation for delivering cost-effective, high-performance technology and highlights its expanding presence in global markets. As the company continues to grow, it remains dedicated to advancing sustainable energy infrastructure and supporting its clients in achieving their environmental goals.

ABOUT QUESTOR TECHNOLOGY INC.

Questor Technology Inc., incorporated in Canada under the Business Companies Act (Alberta) is an environmental emissions reduction technology company founded in 1994, with global operations. The Company is focused on clean air technologies that safely and cost effectively improve air quality, support energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Company designs, manufactures and services high efficiency clean combustion systems that destroy harmful pollutants, including Methane, Hydrogen Sulfide gas, Volatile Organic Hydrocarbons, Hazardous Air Pollutants and BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene) gases within waste gas streams at 99.99 percent efficiency per its ISO 14034 Certification. This enables its clients to meet emission regulations, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, address community concerns and improve safety at industrial sites.

The Company also has proprietary heat to power generation technology and is currently targeting new markets including landfill biogas, syngas, waste engine exhaust, geothermal and solar, cement plant waste heat in addition to a wide variety of oil and gas projects. The combination of Questor’s clean combustion and power generation technologies can help clients achieve net zero emission targets for minimal cost. The Company is also doing research and development on data solutions to deliver an integrated system that amalgamates all the emission detection data available to demonstrate a clear picture of the site’s emission profile.

The Company’s common shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “QST”. The address of the Company’s corporate and registered office is #1920, 707 – 8th Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2P 1H5.

QUESTOR TRADES ON THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE UNDER THE SYMBOL ‘QST’

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This document is not intended for dissemination or distribution in the United States.

The MIL Network –

April 8, 2025
MIL-OSI: Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation (Nasdaq: MSSA) Announces Extension and Continued Progress

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

New York, NY, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation (Nasdaq: MSSA), originally listed on NASDAQ as a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC), is dedicated to facilitating the public listing of its target company through a strategic business combination.

The transaction, which spans the telecom industry and involves extensive regulatory requirements and government approvals, has encountered complexities typical of de-SPAC processes. Recognizing these challenges, the company is diligently working to secure all necessary clearances.

In support of these efforts, shareholders have approved an additional nine-month extension to complete the transaction. This extended timeline will allow Metal Sky Star to finalize the necessary regulatory approvals and strategic steps.

Furthermore, discussions with NASDAQ have confirmed that while trading in Metal Sky Star’s shares will transition to the OTC market, once the final government approval is obtained and the transaction is completed, the surviving entity is expected to re-list on NASDAQ provided it satisfies the relevant initial listing standards.

Metal Sky Star remains committed to transparency and will continue to provide updates as it moves toward completing this transformative transaction.

About Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation

Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation is a blank check company formed under the laws of the Cayman Islands for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements”. 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 final prospectus for the offering filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. 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 Contacts:

Wenxi He
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
221 River Street, 9th Floor, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030
201-721-8789
Email: olivia@metalskystar.com

The MIL Network –

April 8, 2025

MIL-OSI: AGF Management Limited Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TORONTO, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Reported quarterly adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.48
Total assets under management and fee-earning assets of $53.8 billion
Increased quarterly dividend per share to 12.5 cents

AGF Management Limited (AGF or the Company) (TSX: AGF.B) today announced financial results for the first quarter ended February 28, 2025.

AGF reported total assets under management and fee-earning assets¹ of $53.8 billion compared to $53.6 billion as at November 30, 2024 and $45.0 billion as at February 29, 2024.

“In a challenging market environment shaped by political change, we have excelled and continued to deliver on our strategy,” said Kevin McCreadie, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, AGF. “Our long-term approach aims to deliver on our strategic imperatives; while also ensuring we can thrive through changing market cycles and uncertainty.”

AGF’s mutual fund gross sales were $1,568 million for the quarter compared to $993 million in the previous quarter and $914 million in the prior year quarter. Mutual fund net sales were $258 million compared to $5 million in the previous quarter and net redemptions of $125 million in the prior year quarter.

“Recent market volatility has reinforced the importance of providing investors with access to diverse capabilities and offerings,” said Judy Goldring, President and Head of Global Distribution, AGF. “With alternatives playing an increasingly important role in portfolios, this quarter we have focused on further building out our strategies with the launch of products across our lines of business.”

_{¹ Fee-earning assets represents assets in which AGF has carried interest ownership and earns recurring fees but does not have ownership interest in the managers.}

Key Business Highlights:

In January, AGF Capital Partners, AGF Management Limited’s multi-boutique alternatives business announced the launch of the AGF NHC Tactical Alpha Fund, an absolute return-oriented strategy that aims to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns across market regimes while maintaining low beta to traditional asset classes.
In February, AGF Investments Inc. announced the launch of AGF Enhanced U.S. Income Plus Fund, an alternative mutual fund that seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation and generate a high level of consistent income by investing in U.S. equity securities and employing dynamic options strategies such as put writing and covered call writing.
AGF Investments Inc. was recognized with FundGrade A+® Awards for AGF American Growth Fund, AGF Fixed Income Plus Fund and AGF Global Select Fund.
Taking another important step forward in our ongoing commitment to gender equity, AGF Management Limited announced a new partnership with VersaFi, (formerly Women in Capital Markets). This renowned organization is focused on addressing barriers to women’s advancement, sharing best practices and strategies for progress, and developing actionable policies and industry-leading programs to advance gender diversity in the workplace.

Financial Highlights:

Adjusted EBITDA² for the three months ended February 28, 2025 was $47.9 million, compared to $39.6 million for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and $49.5 million for the comparative prior year period.
Net management, advisory and administration fees² for the three months ended February 28, 2025 was $85.2 million, compared to $83.6 million for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and $74.9 million for the comparative prior year period.
Adjusted revenue from AGF Capital Partners for the three months ended February 28, 2025 was $23.6 million, compared to $18.2 million for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and $24.4 million for the comparative prior year period. The decrease year over year was driven by change in fair value adjustments, offset by the consolidation of KCPL financial results. Revenue from AGF Capital Partners can be variable quarter to quarter and can be impacted by fair value adjustments, timing of monetizations and cash distributions as well as performance fees and carried interest.
Adjusted selling, general and administrative costs² for the three months ended February 28, 2025 was $63.6 million, compared to $66.2 million for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and $53.5 million for the comparative prior year period. The increase in adjusted SG&A from prior year reflects the consolidation of KCPL as well as increases driven by higher performance-based compensation and the market environment.
Adjusted net income attributable to equity owners² for the three months ended February 28, 2025 was $32.1 million ($0.48 adjusted diluted EPS), compared to $29.8 million ($0.45 adjusted diluted EPS) and $33.7 million ($0.51 adjusted diluted EPS) for the comparative prior year period.


	Three months ended
		February 28,			November 30,			February 29,
(in millions of Canadian dollars, except per share data)		2025			2024			2024

Revenues
Management, advisory and administration fees	$	122.8		$	120.2		$	108.6
Trailing commissions and investment advisory fees		(37.6	)		(36.6	)		(33.7	)
Net management, advisory and administration fees²	$	85.2		$	83.6		$	74.9
Deferred sales charges		1.2			1.3			2.0
Adjusted revenue from AGF Capital Partners²		23.6			18.2			24.4
Other revenue²		1.5			2.7			1.7
Total adjusted net revenue²		111.5			105.8			103.0

Selling, general and administrative		67.8			70.2			57.9
Adjusted selling, general and administrative²		63.6			66.2			53.5

EBITDA²		44.2			36.9			45.1
Adjusted EBITDA²		47.9			39.6			49.5

Net income – equity owners of the Company		30.9			28.7			30.5
Adjusted net income – equity owners of the Company²		32.1			29.8			33.7

Diluted earnings per share		0.46			0.43			0.46

Adjusted diluted earnings per share²		0.48			0.45			0.51

Free cash flow²		31.6			21.4			21.2

Dividends per share		0.115			0.115			0.110


(end of period)	Three months ended
		February 28,		November 30,		February 29,
(in millions of Canadian dollars)		2025		2024		2024

Mutual fund assets under management (AUM)³	$	31,167	$	30,662	$	26,186
ETFs and SMA AUM		2,913		2,537		1,676
Segregated accounts and sub-advisory AUM		6,529		6,977		7,162
Total AGF Investments AUM		40,609		40,176		35,024
AGF Private Wealth AUM		8,623		8,567		7,836
AGF Capital Partners AUM		2,468		2,752		48
Total AUM	$	51,700	$	51,495	$	42,908
AGF Capital Partners fee-earning assets⁴		2,142		2,111		2,104
Total AUM and fee-earning assets⁴	$	53,842	$	53,606	$	45,012

Net mutual fund sales (redemptions)³		258		5		(125	)
Average daily mutual fund AUM³		30,853		29,173		25,197

_{² Net management, advisory and administration fees, adjusted revenue from AGF Capital Partners, total net revenue, adjusted selling, general and administrative, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted diluted earnings per share and free cash flow are not standardized measures prescribed by IFRS. The Company utilizes non-IFRS measures to assess our overall performance and facilitate a comparison of quarterly and full-year results from period to period. They allow us to assess our investment management business without the impact of non-operational items. These non-IFRS measures may not be comparable with similar measures presented by other companies. These non-IFRS measures and reconciliations to IFRS, where necessary, are included in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis available at www.agf.com.}
_{³ Mutual fund AUM includes retail AUM and institutional client AUM invested in customized series offered within mutual funds.}
_{⁴ Fee-earning assets represents assets in which AGF has carried interest ownership and earns recurring fees but does not have ownership interest in the managers.}

For further information and detailed financial statements for the first quarter ended February 28, 2025, including Management’s Discussion and Analysis, which contains discussions of non-IFRS measures, please refer to AGF’s website at www.agf.com under ‘About AGF’ and ‘Investor Relations’ and at www.sedarplus.com.

Conference Call

AGF will host a conference call to review its earnings results today at 11 a.m. ET.

The live audio webcast with supporting materials will be available in the Investor Relations section of AGF’s website at www.agf.com or at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/4ch7jtxw. Alternatively, the call can be accessed over the phone by registering here or in the Investor Relations section of AGF’s website at www.agf.com, to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN.

A complete archive of this discussion along with supporting materials will be available at the same webcast address within 24 hours of the end of the conference call.

About AGF Management Limited

Founded in 1957, AGF Management Limited (AGF) is an independent and globally diverse asset management firm. Our companies deliver excellence in investing in the public and private markets through three business lines: AGF Investments, AGF Capital Partners and AGF Private Wealth.

AGF brings a disciplined approach, focused on incorporating sound, responsible and sustainable corporate practices. The firm’s collective investment expertise, driven by its fundamental, quantitative and private investing capabilities, extends globally to a wide range of clients, from financial advisors and their clients to high-net worth and institutional investors including pension plans, corporate plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations.

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, AGF has investment operations and client servicing teams on the ground in North America and Europe. With over $52 billion in total assets under management and fee-earning assets, AGF serves more than 815,000 investors. AGF trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AGF.B.

About AGF Investments

AGF Investments is a group of wholly owned subsidiaries of AGF Management Limited, a Canadian reporting issuer. The subsidiaries included in AGF Investments are AGF Investments Inc. (AGFI), AGF Investments America Inc. (AGFA), AGF Investments LLC (AGFUS) and AGF International Advisors Company Limited (AGFIA). The term AGF Investments may refer to one or more of these subsidiaries or to all of them jointly. This term is used for convenience and does not precisely describe any of the separate companies, each of which manages its own affairs. AGF Investments entities only provide investment advisory services or offers investment funds in the jurisdiction where such firm and/or product is registered or authorized to provide such services.

About AGF Capital Partners

AGF Capital Partners is AGF’s multi-boutique alternatives business with diverse capabilities across both private assets and alternative strategies. Clients benefit from the specialized investment expertise of Affiliate Managers¹ combined with the organizational support and breadth of resources of AGF Management Limited (AGF). With over 18 years average experience, AGF Capital Partners Affiliate Managers including, Kensington Capital Partners Limited, New Holland Capital, LLC and AGF SAF Private Credit, manage approximately C$13.8 billion* in alternative AUM and fee earning assets on behalf of institutional and retail clients. Affiliate Manager AUM may not be consolidated into AGF Management Limited’s reported AUM.

*US AUM converted FX rate at February 28, 2025 (1.44)

The term ‘Affiliate Manager’ refers to any partner regardless of relationship structures or revenue sharing agreements. The form of AGF’s structured partnership interests in Affiliate Managers differs from Affiliate Manager to Affiliate Manager. The structure of the relationship with a particular Affiliate Manager, or the revenue that AGF agrees to share in, may change. Affiliate Managers only provide investment advisory services or offer products in the jurisdiction where such firm, individuals and/or product is registered or authorized to provide such services.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated.

AGF Management Limited shareholders, analysts and media, please contact:

Nick Smerek
VP, Financial Planning & Analysis
416-865-4337, InvestorRelations@agf.com

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements about the Company, including its business operations, strategy and expected financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or include words such as ‘expects,’ ‘estimates,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘intends,’ ‘plans,’ ‘believes’ or negative versions thereof and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as ‘may,’ ‘will,’ ‘should,’ ‘would’ and ‘could.’ In addition, any statement that may be made concerning future financial performance (including income, revenues, earnings or growth rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects, fund performance, and possible future action on our part, is also a forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements are based on certain factors and assumptions, including expected growth, results of operations, business prospects, business performance and opportunities. While we consider these factors and assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about future events and are inherently subject to, among other things, risks, uncertainties and assumptions about our operations, economic factors and the financial services industry generally. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual events and results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made by us due to, but not limited to, important risk factors such as level of assets under our management, volume of sales and redemptions of our investment products, performance of our investment funds and of our investment managers and advisors, client-driven asset allocation decisions, pipeline, competitive fee levels for investment management products and administration, and competitive dealer compensation levels and cost efficiency in our investment management operations, as well as general economic, political and market factors in North America and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, business competition, taxation, changes in government regulations, unexpected judicial or regulatory proceedings, technological changes, cybersecurity, the possible effects of war or terrorist activities, outbreaks of disease or illness that affect local, national or international economies, natural disasters and disruptions to public infrastructure, such as transportation, communications, power or water supply or other catastrophic events, and our ability to complete strategic transactions and integrate acquisitions, and attract and retain key personnel. We caution that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. The reader is cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully and not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Other than specifically required by applicable laws, we are under no obligation (and expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or alter the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For a more complete discussion of the risk factors that may impact actual results, please refer to the ‘Risk Factors and Management of Risk’ section of the 2024 Annual MD&A.

FundGrade A+® Awards:

FundGrade A+® is used with permission from Fundata Canada Inc., all rights reserved. The annual FundGrade A+® Awards are presented by Fundata Canada Inc. to recognize the “best of the best” among Canadian investment funds. The FundGrade A+® calculation is supplemental to the monthly FundGrade ratings and is calculated at the end of each calendar year. The FundGrade rating system evaluates funds based on their risk-adjusted performance, measured by Sharpe Ratio, Sortino Ratio, and Information Ratio. The score for each ratio is calculated individually, covering all time periods from 2 to 10 years. The scores are then weighted equally in calculating a monthly FundGrade. The top 10% of funds earn an A Grade; the next 20% of funds earn a B Grade; the next 40% of funds earn a C Grade; the next 20% of funds receive a D Grade; and the lowest 10% of funds receive an E Grade. To be eligible, a fund must have received a FundGrade rating every month in the previous year. The FundGrade A+® uses a GPA-style calculation, where each monthly FundGrade from “A” to “E” receives a score from 4 to 0, respectively. A fund’s average score for the year determines its GPA. Any fund with a GPA of 3.5 or greater is awarded a FundGrade A+® Award. For more information, see www.FundGradeAwards.com. Although Fundata makes every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein, the accuracy is not guaranteed by Fundata.

AGF American Growth Fund won in the U.S. Equity CIFSC Category, out of 237 funds. The FundGrade A+ start date was 12/31/2014 and the FundGrade A+ end date was 12/31/2024.

AGF Global Select Fund won in the Global Equity CIFSC Category, out of 306 funds. The FundGrade A+ start date was 12/31/2014 and the FundGrade A+ end date was 12/31/2024.

AGF Fixed Income Plus Fund won in the Canadian Fixed Income CIFSC Category, out of 137 funds. The FundGrade A+ start date was 12/31/2014 and the FundGrade A+ end date was 12/31/2024.

The MIL Network –

April 8, 2025

MIL-OSI: AGF Management Limited Declares First Quarter 2025 Dividend

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TORONTO, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On April 7, 2025, the Board of Directors of AGF Management Limited declared a dividend of 12.5 cents per share on both the Class B Non-Voting shares and the Class A Voting common shares of the company. This dividend will be payable on April 23, 2025 to shareholders of record on April 14, 2025.

About AGF Management Limited

Founded in 1957, AGF Management Limited (AGF) is an independent and globally diverse asset management firm. Our companies deliver excellence in investing in the public and private markets through three business lines: AGF Investments, AGF Capital Partners and AGF Private Wealth.

AGF brings a disciplined approach, focused on incorporating sound, responsible and sustainable corporate practices. The firm’s collective investment expertise, driven by its fundamental, quantitative and private investing capabilities, extends globally to a wide range of clients, from financial advisors and their clients to high-net worth and institutional investors including pension plans, corporate plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations.

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, AGF has investment operations and client servicing teams on the ground in North America and Europe. With over $52 billion in total assets under management and fee-earning assets, AGF serves more than 815,000 investors. AGF trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AGF.B.

AGF Management Limited shareholders, analysts and media, please contact:

Nick Smerek
VP, Financial Planning & Analysis
416-865-4337, InvestorRelations@agf.com

The MIL Network –

April 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Airbus launches the A220 Airspace cabin with Air Canada

Source: Airbus

Headline: Airbus launches the A220 Airspace cabin with Air Canada

The A220 is joining the Airspace cabin Family and will take off for the first time with launch customer Air Canada. The new A220 cabin will boast the full Airspace suite including new Airspace XL bins with deliveries starting in early 2026.

MIL OSI Economics –

April 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Airbus lance la cabine A220 Airspace avec Air Canada

Source: Airbus

Headline: Airbus lance la cabine A220 Airspace avec Air Canada

L’A220 rejoint la famille des cabines Airspace et décollera pour la première fois avec le client de lancement Air Canada. La nouvelle cabine de l’A220 sera équipée de toute la gamme Airspace, y compris les nouveaux compartiments à bagages Airspace XL dont les livraisons commenceront au début de l’année 2026.

MIL OSI Economics –

April 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Banking: Airbus launches the A220 Airspace cabin with Air Canada

Source: Airbus

Headline: Airbus launches the A220 Airspace cabin with Air Canada

The A220 is joining the Airspace cabin Family and will take off for the first time with launch customer Air Canada. The new A220 cabin will boast the full Airspace suite including new Airspace XL bins with deliveries starting in early 2026.

MIL OSI Global Banks –

April 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Banking: Airbus lance la cabine A220 Airspace avec Air Canada

Source: Airbus

Headline: Airbus lance la cabine A220 Airspace avec Air Canada

L’A220 rejoint la famille des cabines Airspace et décollera pour la première fois avec le client de lancement Air Canada. La nouvelle cabine de l’A220 sera équipée de toute la gamme Airspace, y compris les nouveaux compartiments à bagages Airspace XL dont les livraisons commenceront au début de l’année 2026.

MIL OSI Global Banks –

April 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA Astronaut, Crewmates Arrive Safely at Space Station

Source: NASA

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, arrived at the International Space Station on Tuesday, bringing the number of residents to 10 for the next two weeks.
The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft carrying Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky docked to the Prichal module at 4:57 a.m. EDT, following a three-hour, two-orbit journey to the space station. They launched at 1:47 a.m. (10:47 a.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
When hatches open at approximately 7:20 a.m., the trio will join the Expedition 72 crew, including NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Don Pettit, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Kirill Peskov, Ivan Vagner, and Alexey Ovchinin.
NASA’s live coverage of hatch opening will begin at 7 a.m. on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms.
Expedition 73 will begin on Saturday, April 19, following the departure of Pettit, Ovchinin, and Vagner, as they conclude a seven-month science mission aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Watch the ceremonial change of command at 2:40 p.m. on Friday, April 18, as Ovchinin transfers the distinction to Onishi, live on NASA+.
Throughout his eight-month stay aboard the orbital outpost, Kim will conduct scientific research in technology development, Earth science, biology, human research, and more. This is the first flight for Kim and Zubritsky, and the third for Ryzhikov.
Learn more about space station activities at:
https://www.nasa.gov/station
-end-
Joshua FinchHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Sandra JonesJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

MIL OSI USA News –

April 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA Tech Developed for Home Health Monitoring

Source: NASA

Even before we’re aware of heart trouble or related health issues, our bodies give off warning signs in the form of vibrations. Technology to detect these signals has ranged from electrodes and patches to watches. Now, an innovative wall-mounted technology is capable of monitoring vital signs. Advanced TeleSensors Inc. developed the Cardi/o Monitor with an exclusive license from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
Over the course of five years, NASA engineers created a small, inexpensive, contactless device to measure vital signs, a challenging task partly because monitoring heart rate requires picking out motions of about one three-thousandth of an inch, which are easily swamped by other movement in the environment.
By the late 1990s, hardware and computing technology could meet the challenge, and the NASA JPL team created a prototype the size of a thick textbook. It would emit a radio beam toward a stationary person, working similarly to a radar, and algorithms differentiated cardiac and respiratory activity from the “noise” of other movements.
When Sajol Ghoshal, now CEO of Austin, Texas-based Advanced TeleSensors, participated in a demonstration of the prototype, he saw the potential for in-home monitoring. By then, developing an affordable device was possible due to the miniaturization of sensors and computing technology.

The Cardi/o Monitor is 3 inches square and mounts to a ceiling or wall. It can detect vital signs from up to 10 feet. Multiple devices can be scattered throughout a house, with a smartphone app controlling settings and displaying all data on a single dashboard. The algorithms NASA developed detect heartbeat and respiration, and the company added heart rate variability detection that indicates stress and sleep apnea.
If there’s an anomaly, such as a dramatic heart rate increase, an alert in the app calls attention to the situation. Up to six months of data is stored in a secure cloud, making it accessible to healthcare providers. This limits the need for regular in-person visits, which is particularly important for conditions such as infectious diseases, which can put medical professionals and other patients at risk.
Through the commercialization of this life-preserving technology, NASA is at the heart of advancing health solutions.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4502-4504: Sneaking Past Devil’s Gate

Source: NASA

Written by Michelle Minitti, Planetary Geologist at Framework
Earth planning date: Friday, April 4, 2025
We continue to make progress driving up Mount Sharp, each day gaining new perspectives on the spectacular, towering buttes surrounding our path. To get to the next canyon we can ascend, we have to swing around the north end of a small ridgeline, “Devil’s Gate,” which is on the right side of the image above.
The blocks scattered around the base of Devil’s Gate are ripe with interesting structures, which motivated the acquisition of an RMI mosaic across the ridge. Those blocks are also inconvenient for driving and parking the rover with all six wheels firmly on the ground, the latter of which is needed to be able to unstow the arm for APXS and MAHLI observations. Our last drive ended with our front wheels not quite on solid ground, so we had to forego arm work this weekend. But as you can imagine with the view around us, Devil’s Gate was not the only feature that the team was excited to image. ChemCam added a second RMI mosaic along the base of “Texoli” butte, which you can see the flank of on the left side of the image above. Mastcam planned a mosaic across an expanse of bedrock that looks like rolling waves frozen in place at “Maidenhair Falls.”
The rocks right in front of the rover were also wonderfully complex in their textures and structures. ChemCam targeted two different textures expressed in the workspace — one across fine layers at “Arroyo Burro” and one across rough, platy, and gray material at “Arroyo Conejo.” Mastcam documented the block containing both these targets with a stereo mosaic that will give us a three-dimensional view of its structures.
We planned a drive to get us further around the base of Devil’s Gate, after which we will acquire an autonomously-targeted ChemCam LIBS raster and early morning Navcam and Mastcam mosaics looking back on the path we have recently traveled. DAN is scheduled for about seven hours of data collecting across the plan, both during science blocks and our drive. The sky gets a lot of attention in this plan with suites of observations taken at two different times — near midday and early morning — to assess variability across the day. Each window of time had Navcam dust-devil and cloud movies, and measurements of the amount of dust in the atmosphere. The early morning block of observations also had multiple cloud movies cover the full sky. REMS and RAD have regular measurements across the sols.
See you Monday, when we are a bit farther past Devil’s Gate!

MIL OSI USA News –

April 8, 2025

Category: Americas

Congressional Republicans’ plan to slash health care to fund tax giveaways for the ultra-rich will harm care for everyone

Best of Show Winner to Have Artwork Displayed in U.S. Capitol, Receives Full Scholarship

Royal Navy aircraft carrier in final preparation to lead multinational deployment to Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:

Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP, said:

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