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Category: Australia

  • MIL-OSI USA: Southeast Texas man convicted of distributing child sexual abuse materials following multi-national investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Angel Valdez, a 19-year-old Corpus Christi resident, was convicted April 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas of distributing child sexual abuse materials following a multi-national investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Corpus Christi Police Department, and law enforcement authorities in Australia.

    Valdez came to the attention of authorities in December 2023 after he posted a comment to social media supporting the work of an individual who had recently been sentenced to prison in Australia for animal cruelty.

    Australian authorities launched an investigation and began conversations with Valdez in an undercover capacity. During those communications, Valdez spoke about his interest in animal cruelty and his interest in child sexual abuse materials. On Feb. 14, 2024, Valdez sent a video of child sexual abuse materials depicting a prepubescent girl being forced to perform sex acts on an adult female.

    Authorities executed a search warrant at Valdez’ residence in Corpus Christi June 28, 2024, and discovered a laptop containing child sexual abuse materials. Following the discovery, Valdez admitted that he had participated in the online conversations and distributed the video containing a minor being sexually abused.

    “As a direct result of multi-national cooperation between Homeland Security Investigations special agents, officers from the Corpus Christi Police Department and our law enforcement partners in Australia, we have successfully removed a dangerous predator from the local community who preyed on two of our most innocent and vulnerable populations – children and animals,” said ICE HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Vile criminals like this individual will find no refuge, as law enforcement agencies across the globe stand united in their commitment to pursue justice relentlessly and remove dangerous threats from our society.”

    Valdez is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 12. At that time, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman is prosecuting the case.

    For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to investigate child exploitation in Southeast Texas follow us on X @HSIHouston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Bank of the James Announces First Quarter of 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LYNCHBURG, Va., April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bank of the James Financial Group, Inc. (the “Company”) (NASDAQ:BOTJ), the parent company of Bank of the James (the “Bank”), a full-service commercial and retail bank, and Pettyjohn, Wood & White, Inc. (“PWW”), an SEC-registered investment advisor, today announced unaudited results of operations for the three month period ended March 31, 2025. The Bank serves Region 2000 (the greater Lynchburg MSA) and the Blacksburg, Buchanan, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Nellysford, Roanoke, and Wytheville, Virginia markets.

    Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was $842,000 or $0.19 per basic and diluted share compared with $2.19 million or $0.48 per basic and diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

    Robert R. Chapman III, CEO of the Bank, commented: “Our focus during the past several years on managing interest expense in a significantly higher rate environment was reflected in the first quarter’s lower year-over-year interest expense. Appropriate adjustments to loan rates and optimizing the performance of the Bank’s investments continued to generate steady interest income growth. As a result, net interest margin and interest spread continued to trend positively. Strong, quality earnings over the years have supported our ability to build and maintain a strong cash position and exceptional liquidity.

    “The Company’s core operations for first quarter of 2025 produced solid earnings. However, our earnings were negatively impacted by a non-recurring expense paid to a consultant that we used to successfully negotiate a contract with our core service provider. We anticipate that this contract will result in significant long-term cost savings.

    “We anticipate that the holding company’s cash position will allow it to pay off approximately $10 million of capital notes as they mature in June, without the need to raise new capital. Eliminating this debt-related interest expense will reduce our interest expense by approximately $327,000 annually and will help reduce our overall interest-bearing liabilities rate. The Company and Bank will continue to maintain sound capital positions.

    “Operationally, the first quarter of 2025 was highlighted by steady growth of commercial real estate loans, with stable income contributions from a balanced portfolio of commercial, residential mortgage, construction, and consumer loans. Fee income contributions from commercial treasury services, credit and debit card processing, and PWW’s wealth management activities have continued to generate complementary noninterest income.

    “We continue to emphasize relationship banking with commercial and retail clients, providing the broad range of capabilities and expertise that position Bank of the James as the go-to source for financial services. We offer stability and security in a period of significant economic uncertainty.

    “The Company is building value for shareholders, as evidenced by growth in stockholders’ equity, retained earnings, and a higher book value per share in the first quarter. We remain focused on efficient operations, maintaining superior asset quality, and sustainable growth.”

    President Mike Syrek commented on expansion and growth opportunities, noting, “We are very excited to announce the addition of two accomplished commercial relationship managers, Brandon Caldwell and Kevin Flint. Both bring considerable experience in the commercial lending space and will further strengthen and grow our regional markets. Caldwell comes to Bank of the James from the USDA, having served there after an extended stint as the senior lending officer at Highlands Community Bank. Caldwell has experience at both small and large-sized institutions, and along with his experience with the USDA, we believe his experience will help us expand our reach in multiple markets. Flint comes to Bank of the James with a dual background in credit and investments. Flint spent most of his career with Truist and its predecessors, managing high-profile commercial clients within the markets we serve. Kevin also is a Certified Financial Planner and has spent the last few years working as a CFP. Flint’s dual roles will help further the growth in our Harrisonburg market as well as beyond.

    “These additions help strengthen an already high-performing commercial team and illustrate our focus on growth and obtaining additional market share in the regions that we serve. We are delighted to have both men as part of the Bank of the James family.”

    First Quarter of 2025 Highlights

    • Net income and earnings per share (EPS) in the first quarter of 2025 were impacted by higher noninterest expense, primarily reflecting a one-time approximately $1 million expense related to the negotiation of a contract with our banking core provider. Over the 65-month term of this contract, the Company anticipates realizing up to $5 million in savings as compared to our previous contract.
    • Total interest income rose 6.90% to $11.23 million in the first quarter of 2025 compared with $10.51 million a year earlier. The growth primarily reflected higher yields on loans, commercial real estate (CRE) growth, and the addition of higher-rate residential mortgages. The average yield earned on loans, including fees, increased to 5.56% compared with 5.28% a year earlier.
    • Net interest income after provision for credit losses increased to $7.58 million in the first quarter of 2025 compared with net interest income after recovery of credit losses of $7.50 million a year earlier for the full year of 2024. Interest expense in the first quarter declined from the previous year’s first quarter due to a decrease in the average rate paid on interest bearing liabilities.
    • Net interest margin in the first quarter of 2025 improved to 3.25%, reflecting a steady upward quarterly trend from 3.02% in the first quarter of 2024. Interest spread in the first quarter rose to 2.95% from 2.73% in the prior year’s first quarter.
    • Total noninterest income of $3.28 million in the first quarter of 2025 was stable compared with a year earlier, primarily reflecting continuing strong contributions from commercial treasury services, residential mortgage origination fee income, and wealth management fee income from PWW, which generated $0.09 earnings per share in the first quarter.
    • Loans, net of the allowance for credit losses, increased to $642.39 million at March 31, 2025 from $636.55 million at December 31, 2024 and $601.12 million a year earlier.
    • Commercial real estate loans (owner occupied and non-owner occupied) led lending activity, increasing to $359.76 million from $335.53 million at December 31, 2024 and from $305.52 million a year earlier.
    • Measures of asset quality remained strong, highlighted by a ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans of 0.28% at March 31, 2025, low levels of nonperforming loans, and zero other real estate owned (OREO).
    • Total assets grew 3% to $1.01 billion at March 31, 2025 from $979.24 million at December 31, 2024. Total assets increased by $26.84 million from March 31, 2024.
    • Total deposits were $911.68 million at March 31, 2025, up from $882.40 million at December 31, 2024, reflecting growth in core deposits (noninterest bearing demand deposits, NOW, money market and savings).
    • Shareholder value measures included growth in stockholders’ equity to $68.35 million at March 31, 2025 from $64.87 million at December 31, 2024, higher retained earnings, and a book value per share of $15.04, up from $14.28 at December 31, 2024.
    • On April 15, 2025, the Company’s board of directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per common share to stockholders of record as of June 6, 2025, to be paid on June 20, 2025.

    First Quarter of 2025 Operational Review

    The Company retained a consultant to assist it in negotiating an amendment to and extension of the contract with its provider of its core banking platform— the platform we use for processing transactions, maintaining customer accounts, and supporting other critical banking functions. As previously noted, first quarter 2025 net income and earnings per share reflected the expense associated with this engagement. The Company anticipates that the new contract with our core provider, which was effective April 1, 2025, will generate significant savings over the 65-month term of the contract.

    Net interest income after provision for credit losses for the first quarter of 2025 was $7.58 million compared to net interest income after recovery of credit losses of $7.50 million a year earlier. The provision for credit losses in the first quarter of 2025 was $137,000.

    Total interest income was $11.23 million in the first quarter of 2025 compared with $10.51 million a year earlier. The year-over-year increases primarily reflected upward rate adjustments to variable rate commercial loans and new loans reflecting the prevailing rate environment.

    Investment portfolio management and appropriate rate increases on loans continued to contribute to year-over-year growth in yields on total earning assets, which were 4.73% in the first quarter of 2025 compared with 4.60% a year earlier.

    Total interest expense in the first quarter of 2025 was $3.52 million compared with $3.56 million a year earlier, primarily reflecting a stabilizing interest rate environment and the Bank’s management of rates paid on interest-bearing deposits, including time deposits.

    A stabilizing interest rate environment and the Company’s upward adjustments to floating rate commercial loans and rates on originated and retained residential mortgages contributed to gradual margin pressure relief during the past several quarters. In the first quarter of 2025, the net interest margin was 3.25% compared with 3.02% a year earlier, while interest spread was 2.95% for the quarter compared with 2.73% a year earlier.

    Noninterest income in the first quarter of 2025 was $3.28 million compared with $3.31 million in the first quarter of 2024. The predominant amount of noninterest income in the first quarter of 2025 was generated by fees from debit card activity, commercial treasury services, gains on sale of loans held for sale, and wealth management fees generated by PWW. This slight decrease was due to a decrease in revenue from our mortgage division.

    Noninterest expense in the first quarter of 2025 was $9.83 million compared with $8.09 million a year earlier. The year-over-year increase primarily reflected the previously mentioned contract negotiation fee and higher salaries and employee benefits.

    Balance Sheet: Strong Cash Position, High Asset Quality

    Total assets were $1.01 billion at March 31, 2025 compared with $979.24 million at December 31, 2024. The increase was due primarily to increases in cash and cash equivalents, securities available for sale, and loans.

    Loans, net of allowance for credit losses, were $642.39 million at March 31, 2025 compared with $636.55 at December 31, 2024, reflecting growth of commercial real estate loans.

    Commercial real estate loans (owner-occupied and non-owner occupied, excluding construction loans) totaled $359.76 million at March 31, 2025 compared with $335.53 million at December 31, 2024, reflecting new loans and moderate loan payoffs. Of this amount in the first quarter of 2025, commercial real estate (non-owner occupied) was $205.13 million and commercial real estate (owner occupied) was $154.63 million. The Bank closely monitors concentrations in these segments and has no commercial real estate loans secured by large office buildings in large metropolitan city centers.

    Commercial construction/land loans were $11.54 million, declining from prior levels as projects concluded. Residential construction/land loans at March 31, 2025 were $26.36 million compared with $26.15 million at December 31, 2024. Commercial and industrial loans were $59.98 million at March 31, 2025 compared to $66.42 million at December 31, 2024.

    Residential mortgage loans that the Company intends to keep on the balance sheet totaled $111.65 million at March 31, 2025, essentially unchanged from December 31, 2024, and from a year earlier. Growth of these retained mortgages has been minimal, as the Bank has continued to focus on selling the majority of originated mortgage loans to the secondary market. Consumer loans (open-end and closed-end) totaled $80.12 million, compared with $78.31 million at December 31, 2024.

    Ongoing high asset quality continues to have a positive impact on the Company’s financial performance. The ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans at March 31, 2025 was 0.28% compared with 0.25% at December 31, 2024. The allowance for credit losses on loans to total loans was 1.08% at March 31, 2025 compared with 1.09% at December 31, 2024. Total nonperforming loans were $1.80 million at March 31, 2025 compared with $1.64 million at December 31, 2024. As a result of having no OREO, total nonperforming assets were the same as total nonperforming loans.

    Total deposits were $911.68 million at March 31, 2025 compared with $882.40 million at December 31, 2024. Core deposits (noninterest bearing demand deposits, NOW, money market and savings) were $698.92 million compared with $651.90 million at December 31, 2024. Time deposits declined during the period. At March 31, 2025, the Bank had no brokered deposits.

    Key measures of shareholder value were positive. Stockholders’ equity was $68.35 million at March 31, 2025, up from $64.87 million at December 31, 2024. Retained earnings increased to $43.19 million at March 31, 2025 from $42.80 million at December 31, 2024. Book value per share rose to $15.04 at March 31, 2025 from $14.28 at December 31, 2024, and continued to reflect quarterly fluctuations in required fair market valuations of the Company’s available-for-sale investment portfolio.

    Interest rate fluctuations result in adjustments to the fair value in the Company’s available-for-sale securities portfolio (known as “mark-to-market”), which are reflected in accumulated other comprehensive loss. These mark-to-market losses are excluded when calculating the Bank’s regulatory capital ratios. The available-for-sale securities portfolio is composed primarily of securities with explicit or implicit government guarantees, including U.S. Treasuries and U.S. agency obligations, and other highly rated debt instruments. The Company does not expect to realize the unrealized losses, as it has the intent and ability to hold the securities until their recovery, which may be at maturity. Management continues to diligently monitor the creditworthiness of the issuers of the debt instruments within its securities portfolio.

    About the Company

    Bank of the James, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of the James Financial Group, Inc. opened for business in July 1999 and is headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia. The Bank currently services customers in Virginia from offices located in Altavista, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Blacksburg, Buchanan, Charlottesville, Forest, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, Madison Heights, Nellysford, Roanoke, Rustburg, and Wytheville. The Bank offers full investment and insurance services through its BOTJ Investment Services division and BOTJ Insurance, Inc. subsidiary. The Bank provides mortgage loan origination through Bank of the James Mortgage, a division of Bank of the James. The Company provides investment advisory services through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pettyjohn, Wood & White, Inc., an SEC-registered investment advisor. Bank of the James Financial Group, Inc. common stock is listed under the symbol “BOTJ” on the NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC. Additional information on the Company is available at www.bankofthejames.bank.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “plan” and similar expressions and variations thereof identify certain of such forward-looking statements which speak only as of the dates on which they were made. Bank of the James Financial Group, Inc. (the “Company”) undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Such factors include, but are not limited to, competition, general economic conditions, potential changes in interest rates, changes in the value of real estate securing loans made by the Bank, as well as geopolitical conditions. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from those in the forward-looking statements is contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    CONTACT: J. Todd Scruggs, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (434) 846-2000.

    FINANCIAL RESULTS FOLLOW

    Bank of the James Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
    Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (dollar amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

      (unaudited)    
    Assets 3/31/2025   12/31/2024
           
    Cash and due from banks $ 25,760     $ 23,287  
    Federal funds sold   69,206       50,022  
    Total cash and cash equivalents   94,966       73,309  
           
    Securities held-to-maturity (fair value of $3,237 in 2025 and $3,170 in 2024)   3,602       3,606  
    Securities available-for-sale, at fair value   192,780       187,916  
    Restricted stock, at cost   1,821       1,821  
    Loans, net of allowance for credit losses of $7,022 in 2025 and $7,044 in 2024   642,388       636,552  
    Loans held for sale   4,739       3,616  
    Premises and equipment, net   19,257       18,959  
    Interest receivable   2,970       3,065  
    Cash value – bank owned life insurance   23,094       22,907  
    Customer relationship Intangible   6,585       6,725  
    Goodwill   2,054       2,054  
    Deferred tax asset   8,113       8,936  
    Other assets   9,357       9,778  
    Total assets $ 1,011,726     $ 979,244  
           
           
    Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity      
           
    Deposits      
    Noninterest bearing demand $ 138,619     $ 129,692  
    NOW, money market and savings   560,300       522,208  
    Time deposits   212,764       230,504  
    Total deposits   911,683       882,404  
           
    Capital notes, net   10,049       10,048  
    Other borrowings   9,146       9,300  
    Deferred tax liability   294       –  
    Income taxes payable   –       86  
    Interest payable   688       722  
    Other liabilities   11,518       11,819  
    Total liabilities $ 943,378     $ 914,379  
    Stockholders’ equity      
    Common stock $2.14 par value; authorized 10,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 4,543,338 as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024   9,723       9,723  
    Additional paid-in-capital   35,253       35,253  
    Accumulated other comprehensive (loss)   (19,819 )     (22,915 )
    Retained earnings   43,191       42,804  
    Total stockholders’ equity $ 68,348     $ 64,865  
           
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 1,011,726     $ 979,244  
                   

    Bank of the James Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
    Consolidated Statements of Operations
    (dollar amounts in thousands, except per share amounts) (unaudited)

      For the Three Months Ended
      March 31,
    Interest Income 2025
      2024
    Loans $ 8,906     $ 8,024  
    Securities      
    US Government and agency obligations   454       338  
    Mortgage backed securities   387       809  
    Municipals – taxable   311       286  
    Municipals – tax exempt   18       18  
    Dividends   13       12  
    Corporates   135       135  
    Interest bearing deposits   123       133  
    Federal Funds sold   887       754  
    Total interest income   11,234       10,509  
           
    Interest Expense      
    Deposits      
    NOW, money market savings   1,248       1,275  
    Time deposits   2,079       2,090  
    Finance leases   17       20  
    Other borrowings   89       92  
    Capital notes   82       82  
    Total interest expense   3,515       3,559  
           
    Net interest income   7,719       6,950  
           
    Provision for (recovery of) credit losses   137       (553 )
           
    Net interest income after provision for (recovery of) credit losses   7,582       7,503  
           
    Noninterest income      
    Gain on sales of loans held for sale   837       927  
    Service charges, fees and commissions   981       953  
    Wealth management fees   1,255       1,163  
    Life insurance income   188       159  
    Other   22       105  
           
    Total noninterest income   3,283       3,307  
    Noninterest expenses      
    Salaries and employee benefits   4,777       4,445  
    Occupancy   570       493  
    Equipment   670       607  
    Supplies   142       145  
    Professional and other outside expense   1,715       801  
    Data processing   820       751  
    Marketing   198       30  
    Credit expense   186       188  
    FDIC insurance expense   142       109  
    Amortization of intangibles   140       140  
    Other   466       379  
    Total noninterest expenses   9,826       8,088  
           
    Income before income taxes   1,039       2,722  
           
    Income tax expense   197       535  
           
    Net Income $ 842     $ 2,187  
           
    Weighted average shares outstanding – basic and diluted   4,543,338       4,543,338  
           
    Earnings per common share – basic and diluted $ 0.19     $ 0.48  
                   

    Bank of the James Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries
    Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data
    Unaudited

    Selected Data: Three
    months
    ending
    Mar 31,
    2025
    Three
    months
    ending
    Mar 31,
    2024
    Change
         
    Interest income $ 11,234   $ 10,509     6.90 %      
    Interest expense   3,515     3,559     -1.24 %      
    Net interest income   7,719     6,950     11.06 %      
    Provision for (recovery of) credit losses   137     (553 )   -124.77 %      
    Noninterest income   3,283     3,307     -0.73 %      
    Noninterest expense   9,826     8,088     21.49 %      
    Income taxes   197     535     -63.18 %      
    Net income   842     2,187     -61.50 %      
    Weighted average shares outstanding – basic   4,543,338     4,543,338     –        
    Weighted average shares outstanding – diluted   4,543,338     4,543,338     –        
    Basic net income per share $ 0.19   $ 0.48   $ (0.29 )      
    Fully diluted net income per share $ 0.19   $ 0.48   $ (0.29 )      
                 
    Balance Sheet at
    period end:
    Mar 31,
    2025
    Dec 31,
    2024
    Change Mar 31,
    2024
    Dec 31,
    2023
    Change
    Loans, net $ 642,388   $ 636,552     0.92 % $ 601,115   $ 601,921     -0.13 %
    Loans held for sale   4,739     3,616     31.06 %   4,640     1,258     268.84 %
    Total securities   196,382     191,522     2.54 %   218,440     220,132     -0.77 %
    Total deposits   911,683     882,404     3.32 %   893,494     878,459     1.71 %
    Stockholders’ equity   68,348     64,865     5.37 %   60,437     60,039     0.66 %
    Total assets   1,011,726     979,244     3.32 %   984,891     969,371     1.60 %
    Shares outstanding   4,543,338     4,543,338     –     4,543,338     4,543,338     –  
    Book value per share $ 15.04   $ 14.28   $ 0.76   $ 13.30   $ 13.21   $ 0.09  
    Daily averages: Three
    months
    ending
    Mar 31,
    2025
    Three
    months
    ending
    Mar 31,
    2024
    Change
         
    Loans $ 646,788   $ 608,172   6.35 %      
    Loans held for sale   2,391     2,481   -3.63 %      
    Total securities (book value)   219,550     248,748   -11.74 %      
    Total deposits   922,207     884,555   4.26 %      
    Stockholders’ equity   64,778     59,891   8.16 %      
    Interest earning assets   963,688     926,354   4.03 %      
    Interest bearing liabilities   800,249     765,728   4.51 %      
    Total assets   1,021,766     978,867   4.38 %      
                 
    Financial Ratios: Three
    months
    ending
    Mar 31,
    2025
    Three
    months
    ending
    Mar 31,
    2024
    Change
         
    Return on average assets   0.33 %   0.90 % (0.57 )      
    Return on average equity   5.27 %   14.69 % (9.42 )      
    Net interest margin   3.25 %   3.02 % 0.23        
    Efficiency ratio   89.31 %   78.85 % 10.46        
    Average equity to average assets   6.34 %   6.12 % 0.22        
                 
    Allowance for credit losses: Three
    months
    ending
    Mar 31,
    2025
    Three
    months
    ending
    Mar 31,
    2024
    Change
         
    Beginning balance $ 7,044   $ 7,412   -4.96 %      
    Retained earnings adjustment related to impact of adoption of ASU 2016-13   –     –   N/A      
    Provision for (recovery of) credit losses*   29     (501 ) -105.79 %      
    Charge-offs   (63 )   (65 ) -3.08 %      
    Recoveries   12     74   -83.78 %      
    Ending balance   7,022     6,920   1.47 %      
                 
    * does not include provision for or recovery of unfunded loan commitment liability
                 
                 
    Nonperforming assets: Mar 31,
    2025
    Dec 31,
    2024
    Change Mar 31,
    2024
    Dec 31,
    2023
    Change
    Total nonperforming loans $ 1,799   $ 1,640   9.70 % $ 558   $ 391   42.71 %
    Other real estate owned   –     –   N/A   –     –   N/A
    Total nonperforming assets   1,799     1,640   9.70 %   558     391   42.71 %
                 
    Asset quality ratios: Mar 31,
    2025
    Dec 31,
    2024
    Change Mar 31,
    2024
    Dec 31,
    2023
    Change
    Nonperforming loans to total loans   0.28 %   0.25 % 0.02     0.09 %   0.06 % 0.03  
    Allowance for credit losses for loans to total loans   1.08 %   1.09 % (0.01 )   1.14 %   1.22 % (0.08 )
    Allowance for credit losses for loans to nonperforming loans   390.33 %   429.51 % (39.18 )   1240.14 %   1895.65 % (655.51 )

    The MIL Network –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: From Sydney to the World – Valueex (VUEE) Exchange Announces Entry into the U.S. Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Fresno, CA, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recently, the renowned exchange Valueex (VUEE) announced its official entry into the U.S. market, garnering significant attention. Amid the accelerating transformation of global financial markets, technology is reshaping the investment landscape at an unprecedented pace. From artificial intelligence to blockchain, innovative technologies are unlocking limitless possibilities for investors, while security and trust have become key bridges to the future. It is against this backdrop that the Valueex Exchange (VUEE) has emerged. Since its establishment in 2023, VUEE has rapidly risen as a trusted fintech pioneer among global investors, leading the industry into a new era of intelligence and globalization with its secure, efficient, and innovative trading platform.

    Technology-Driven Financial Transformation

    Valueex Exchange was founded by a group of top experts deeply engaged in the fintech sector, with the mission of “driving financial innovation through technology” and a commitment to reshaping the operational model of traditional exchanges. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, VUEE offers users a seamless trading experience through high-speed transaction matching, robust security measures, and intelligent risk management systems. The platform supports diverse asset trading, including cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, and will soon launch U.S. stock trading services to cater to both novice and experienced investors.

    By integrating artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and blockchain technology, VUEE has achieved exceptional performance in efficiency, transparency, and user satisfaction. Its AI-driven one-click investment tool intelligently optimizes portfolios based on user preferences, while the USDT and USDC stablecoin trading models eliminate foreign exchange risks in cross-border transactions, making global investment more accessible and cost-effective.

    Rigorous Compliance and Security at Its Core

    Security and trust are the foundational pillars of VUEE. The platform strictly adheres to international regulatory standards, holding authoritative qualifications as a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and a Money Services Business (MSB) in the U.S., and is regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), ensuring full compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements. These qualifications provide legal assurance for investors, protecting their assets from market risks and cyber threats.

    Strategic partnerships with multiple global regulatory bodies and financial institutions further bolster VUEE’s credibility. Its advanced cybersecurity protocols and comprehensive compliance measures create a transparent and trustworthy trading environment, allowing investors to participate in the global market with peace of mind.

    Outstanding Achievements and Global Reach

    Since its establishment, Valueex Exchange has achieved remarkable success. In just two years, the platform has surpassed 500,000 registered users across multiple countries and regions, with an average daily trading volume exceeding $1 billion. In 2025, VUEE officially entered the U.S. market and, leveraging its excellent reputation in Australia, quickly attracted over 30,000 U.S. users, demonstrating strong brand influence and market competitiveness.

    Looking ahead, VUEE plans to further expand into Europe, Asia, and South America, enriching its asset classes and launching more innovative features. Its upcoming U.S. stock trading service has received stringent certification from the SEC and MSB, providing global users with convenient access to the U.S. market and helping investors seize more wealth growth opportunities.

    Core Advantages of Valueex Exchange

    Valueex Exchange is regarded as a leading global one-stop trading platform, characterized by the following key features:

    • • Advanced Technology Architecture: The platform utilizes AI-driven tools, blockchain technology, and high-frequency trading systems to support efficient and precise transaction processing.
    • • Global Trading Support: By facilitating trading with stablecoins (such as USDT and USDC) and multi-currency compatibility, the platform streamlines cross-border transaction processes, enhancing the experience for global users.
    • • Wide Applicability: The platform offers an intuitive interface and personalized investment strategies to meet the diverse needs of both novice and professional investors.
    • • Strict Compliance Standards: Holding U.S. RIA and MSB qualifications and being regulated by the SEC ensures the safety and legality of the trading environment.

    Strong Market Performance: The rapidly growing global user base (over 500,000) and high average daily trading volume (over $1 billion) reflect widespread market recognition of the platform.

    Co-Creating the Future of Finance

    Valueex Exchange is not just a trading platform; it is a leader in the future of finance. Through continuous investments in technological innovation and global compliance, VUEE is dedicated to building an open, intelligent, and inclusive financial ecosystem. Whether diversifying your portfolio, participating in U.S. stock trading, or utilizing AI-driven investment tools, VUEE empowers you to confidently seize global opportunities.

    A VUEE spokesperson stated, “We are committed to providing investors with a safe, efficient, and forward-looking trading experience. The rapid growth of the U.S. market is an important milestone in our global expansion, and we look forward to delivering exceptional financial services to more users.”

    Join Valueex Exchange today to embark on your global investment journey! Visit valueexchanges.com for more details and take a step toward wealth growth with a trusted platform.

    https://web.valueexchanges.com

    Disclaimer:  The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.

    The MIL Network –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: China has identified how to fight back against Trump’s tariffs, and is not ready to back down

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chee Meng Tan, Assistant Professor of Business Economics, University of Nottingham

    US ports are now starting to see scheduled shipments from China decline as the result of Donald Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese goods. The port of Los Angeles, the biggest port for Chinese goods in the US, is predicting scheduled shipments in early May to be about a third lower than the same time last year.

    Declining numbers of ships arriving stocked with Chinese imports are likely to affect US supermarket shelves soon, and after warnings from US supermarket bosses, Trump responded by saying trade talks between the US and China were under way in the past few days. But Chinese president Xi Jinping quickly denied talks were happening, suggesting he has no intention of backing away from a fight with the US.

    As one of the most powerful leaders in the history of the People’s Republic of China, Xi has fashioned himself as a nationalistic icon. So if China perceives Trump’s tariffs as a bully tactic designed to undermine it, backing down from a confrontation with the US would seriously undermine Xi’s strongman image and rhetoric.

    This is something that Trump probably hadn’t considered. At a rally marking his 100 days in office, the US president was still suggesting that China would just back down and “eat the tariffs”.

    While tariffs appear to be the primary weapon in the trade war, China might have more tactics to hit back at Trump and the US economy. The question is what might they be?

    A few weeks ago it seemed like Washington might punish China’s lack of willingness to negotiate with more tariffs, but now it’s clear that Trump is willing to make a deal and is trying to get China to come to the table. Trump is now implying that US tariffs on China could come down substantially. And US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has called the trade war with China “unsustainable”.

    Leveraging agriculture and energy

    China has reduced its reliance on US farm imports since the trade war began in Trump’s first presidency. This is bad news for Washington as agriculture is one few sectors in the US that actually has a large trade surplus with China. The 125% retaliatory tariffs will harm the sector’s profitability.

    But China’s retaliatory tariffs aren’t the only issue American farmers have to contend with. As the trade war escalates, China has been using bureaucratic hurdles to restrict US agricultural products from entering China and as a potential negotiation tool. For instance, China has delayed the renewals of export license renewals of US pig farmers, and refused to renew licenses of poultry farmers for “health and safety” reasons.

    What’s the impact of tariffs?

    Beijing’s actions might be designed to particularly hit the economy in core Trump supporting states. A major part of Trump and the Republican party’s base lies in “red states”, such as Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas, all have significant farming communities. Focusing on agricultural issues is a tactic that Beijing realises will hit home with Trump voters.

    Out of the 444 US counties designated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as farming-dependent, 77.7% voted for Trump during the 2024 US presidential election. So, any hardship faced by the agriculture sector due to Trump’s own actions is likely to lose him support from a major political base. And with mid-term elections in 2026, Trump has to tread carefully when antagonising Beijing.

    Another support base that Beijing might seek to undermine is those involved in the fossil fuel sector. In the past, the US has been a top supplier of natural gas to China.

    China has not imported natural gas from the US since early February 2025, and has sought its natural gas from Australia, Indonesia, and Brunei. As the trade war continues, it is unlikely that the US would be able to sell its natural gas to China anytime soon, and this will have an impact on the energy industry – one of Trump’s major political support bases.

    Restricting minerals

    Another huge problem that the US faces stems from China’s restriction of the export of critical minerals. They include seven rare earth minerals namely samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium. While these are used in the clean energy and automobile sectors, the biggest concern would come from the US defence complex.

    These critical minerals are used in manufacturing fighter jets, submarines, missiles, and radar systems. China has an effective monopoly on the extraction and processing of rare earths, while the US lacks such capabilities. This means that China’s export restrictions are likely to affect America’s defence industry, while Beijing rapidly expands its ammunition and military technology.

    The White House probably anticipated export restrictions of critical minerals from China. After all, Beijing had banned the export of critical minerals to Japan in 2010 over a fishing trawler dispute, and stopped exporting “dual-use” metals that can be used to produce civilian and military technology, such as gallium, germanium and tungsten.

    What’s next?

    For the last few years, China has been trying to overcome an ailing economy that was primarily fuelled by a real-estate crisis. Trump probably expected China to buckle under pressure and come crawling to the negotiation table. After all, the Chinese Communist Party needs to fix its economy fast. The establishment has long relied on delivering economic prosperity to legitimise its rule over China.

    Right now the tit-for-tat battle continues. By April 11, US tariffs on China peaked at 145%, while China’s retaliatory tariffs on US goods reached an unprecedented 125%.

    Although it is clearly fighting back, China could go even further by selling off US treasuries and increasing US interest rates and thus borrowing cost. But unlike Trump, Xi often plays the long game. After all, Trump’s term as president will be over in less than four years, while Chinese president Xi has no term limits. All the latter has to do is exercise patience, and a friendlier US president might come around.

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

    – ref. China has identified how to fight back against Trump’s tariffs, and is not ready to back down – https://theconversation.com/china-has-identified-how-to-fight-back-against-trumps-tariffs-and-is-not-ready-to-back-down-255325

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Tony Blair opposes phasing out fossil fuels. These academics disagree

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition

    Rapidly phasing out fossil fuels and limiting energy consumption to tackle climate change is “a strategy doomed to fail” according to former UK prime minister Tony Blair.

    In the foreword of a new report, Blair urges governments to rethink their approach to reaching net zero emissions.

    Instead of policies that are seen by people as involving “financial sacrifices”, he says world leaders should deploy carbon capture and storage, including technological and nature-based approaches, to meet the rising demand for fossil fuels.

    But speak to many academic experts on climate change and they will tell a very different story: that there is no strategy for addressing climate change that does not involve ending, or at least massively reducing, fossil fuel combustion.


    This roundup of The Conversation’s climate coverage comes from our award-winning weekly climate action newsletter. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed.


    A fossil fuel phase-out is ‘essential’

    “There is a wealth of scientific evidence demonstrating that a fossil fuel phase-out will be essential for reining in the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change,” says Steve Pye, an associate professor of energy at UCL.




    Read more:
    COP28 president is wrong – science clearly shows fossil fuels must go (and fast)


    “I know because I have published some of it.”

    Ed Hawkins, a climate scientist at the University of Reading, agrees.

    “Rapidly reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, and not issuing new licenses to extract oil and gas, is the most effective way of minimising future climate-related disruptions,” he says.




    Read more:
    Science shows the severe climate consequences of new fossil fuel extraction


    “The sooner those with the power to shape our future recognise this, the better.”

    Fossil fuels are responsible for 90% of the carbon dioxide heating the climate. The amount burned annually is still rising, and so is the rate at which the world is getting hotter. Scientists now fear we are approaching irreversible tipping points in the climate system, hence their support for an urgent replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy.




    Read more:
    Climate tipping points are nearer than you think – our new report warns of catastrophic risk


    Blair is confident that an emergency response on this scale can be avoided by absorbing CO₂ immediately after burning fossil fuels, from the smokestacks where the greenhouse gas is concentrated.

    Not all of the emissions responsible for climate change would be prevented. UCL earth system scientist Mark Maslin says that natural gas, which would linger as an energy source thanks to carbon capture, still leaks from pipelines and storage vessels upstream of power plants.




    Read more:
    The UK’s £22 billion bet on carbon capture will lock in fossil fuels for decades


    Commercial applications of the technology also have a poor track record. Just two large-scale coal-fired power plants are operating with CCS worldwide – one in the US and one in Canada.

    “Both have experienced consistent underperformance, recurring technical issues and ballooning costs,” Maslin says.

    CCS is no alternative to turning off the fossil fuel taps.
    Pan Demin/Shutterstock

    Blair might baulk at what he perceives to be the expense of ditching fossil fuels. But economic modelling led by Oxford University’s Andrea Bacilieri suggests his concern is misplaced. A rapid phase-out of fossil fuels could save US$30 trillion (US$1 trillion a year) by 2050 she concludes, compared with allowing power plants and factories to keep burning them with CCS.

    Developing CCS will be necessary to help manage an orderly transition from fossil fuels according to Myles Allen, a professor of geosystem science at Oxford University. But it is not a substitute for undergoing that transition, he says.




    Read more:
    Getting carbon capture right will be hard – but that doesn’t make it optional


    “Above all, we need to make sure the availability of CCS does not encourage yet more CO₂ production.”

    Keeping the public on board

    Is Blair right to fret about a public backlash to lower energy use? Academics suggest multiple reasons to think otherwise if the alternative is prolonging the use of fossil fuels.




    Read more:
    Should you get a heat pump? Here’s how they compare to a gas boiler


    Replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump that runs on electricity, for example, can lower a household’s energy consumption without a deliberate effort. That’s because renewable appliances convert power to heat more efficiently (how much depends on how well insulated the home is).




    Read more:
    Heat pumps without home insulation could raise bills and energy demand – here’s what the government can do


    In fact, it’s dependence on fossil fuel that is preventing many households from making this switch. The high wholesale price of gas determines the cost of electricity for UK consumers.




    Read more:
    How gas keeps the UK’s electricity bills so high – despite lots of cheap wind power


    And surveys repeatedly show that support for net zero policies is broad and deep in the UK – including those that would involve lifestyle changes say Lorraine Whitmarsh (University of Bath), Caroline Verfuerth and Steve Westlake (both Cardiff University), who research public behaviour and climate change.




    Read more:
    Net zero: direct costs of climate policies aren’t a major barrier to public support, research reveals


    “Crucially, the public wants and needs the government to show clear and consistent leadership on climate change,” they say.

    Meanwhile, what can corrode public acceptance of sacrifices is the high-consuming behaviour of a minority (think pop stars in rockets, as Westlake recently argued). And, arguably, the statements of powerful people like Blair.




    Read more:
    Why Katy Perry’s celebrity spaceflight blazed a trail for climate breakdown


    New research even suggests the politics that Blair and many others like him favour might also play a role here. Felix Schulz (Lund University) and Christian Bretter (The University of Queensland) are social scientists who study how ideology affects personal views on climate policy.

    They identified respondents in six countries (the UK, US, Germany, Brazil, South Africa and China) who shared Blair’s neoliberal worldview, which the pair define as a belief that individuals are primarily responsible for their own fortune, and need to take care of themselves – as well as an abiding faith in the free market.




    Read more:
    People with neoliberal views are less likely to support climate-friendly policies – new research


    “We observed a strong link between a neoliberal worldview and lack of support for the climate policies in our study,” they say.

    Schulz and Bretter urge us to consider how someone’s ideology ultimately shapes their understanding of the problem and its solutions as well.

    – ref. Tony Blair opposes phasing out fossil fuels. These academics disagree – https://theconversation.com/tony-blair-opposes-phasing-out-fossil-fuels-these-academics-disagree-254530

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Canada: Increased BC Parks licence plate sales support more, better parks programs

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Sales of the BC Parks licence plates continue to grow, helping to protect unique species and ecosystems, and improving visitors’ experiences in provincial parks.

    Between April 2023 and March 2024, more than 84,000 BC Parks licence plates were bought, a 7% increase from the same period a year before.

    “Everyone who has bought BC Parks licence plates is supporting a more sustainable future by contributing to the protection and preservation of unique species and sensitive ecosystems, as well as supporting First Nations to share their cultures and histories,” said Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks. “From the mountains to the coast, we’ve worked with First Nations and community partners on a variety of grassroots projects. My recent visit with BC Parks staff has shown me first-hand the work that can be accomplished with these programs that are making an incredible impact on parks.”

    The licence-plate sales generated approximately $11 million in net revenue, supporting more than 250 projects and programs in parks throughout B.C. This includes a wide range of initiatives, such as the Student Ranger Program, wildlife inventories, partnerships with First Nations on educational programs and signs, wildfire-fuel mitigation, invasive-species management, ecosystem restoration, and educational programs for children and families.

    At Helliwell Park on Hornby Island, licence-plate funds help support the recovery of the endangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly. In 2015, BC Parks partnered with community members and scientists to begin restoring the park’s coastal-bluff meadows. The goal was to create habitat suitable for the release of hundreds of Taylor’s checkerspot larvae being captively bred at the Greater Vancouver Zoo.

    Historically, the Taylor’s checkerspot was found in several areas of southern Vancouver Island, including Helliwell Park in the early 1990s. The species was thought to be gone from Canada. However, undocumented populations were found on Denman Island in 2006 and on private land in the Courtenay area in 2018.

    Last year was the fourth year that captively bred Taylor’s checkerspot larvae were reintroduced into Helliwell Park. The butterflies are now breeding in the park and adult butterflies have been spotted flying around.

    “Support from the licence-plate program has been crucial to the success of our project,” said Chris Junck, outreach co-ordinator, Taylor’s Checkerspot Recovery Project. “In particular, consistent funding for several years enabled us to expand habitat restoration areas required to re-establish the butterfly population, and conduct surveys to monitor their survival.”

    In Gowlland Tod Park near Victoria, the PEPÁḴEṈ HÁUTW̱ Foundation used funding from the licence-plate program to assist with ecosystem restoration and the development of a restoration lesson plan for teachers to encourage land-based learning and respect for Indigenous culture.

    More than 500 students and volunteers have helped remove invasive plants, plant and seed native species and remediate contaminated areas in the park. The foundation is also in the process of installing interpretive signs to increase public awareness, understanding and respect for the importance of protecting and nurturing native species.

    The Tod Inlet area of Gowlland Tod Park is also known as SNIDȻEȽ in the SENĆOŦEN language of the W̱SÁNEĆ people and means Place of the Blue Grouse. It is an important area to the W̱SÁNEĆ and abundant with traditional food resources. 

    “The SNIDȻEȽ Resiliency Project is a collaborative initiative actively restoring the important native ecosystems of SNIDȻEȽ, which is the first WŚANEĆ village site,” said Judith Lyn Arney, ecosystems director for the PEPÁḴEṈ HÁUTW̱ Foundation. “Since 2010, W̱SÁNEĆ children and community members, local schools and organizations, international visitors and programs, and countless individuals passionate about reciprocity to the land have all participated in the healing of this special place. The PEPAKEṈ HÁUTW̱ Foundation is grateful for the support of the licence-plate program in this beautiful project.”

    Funding from the licence-plate program helped buy an adaptive mountain bike in the Kootenays so people with mobility challenges can enjoy outdoor recreation. It has also helped the BC Parks iNaturalist Program reach one million observations within six years.

    The iNaturalist Program is a collaboration between the BC Parks Foundation, BC Parks, University of Victoria and Simon Fraser University, and encourages people to use iNaturalist to instantly identify plants and animals in parks by recording and sharing their observations. More than 13,000 people have contributed to the project, recording nearly 14,000 species in parks and protected areas. Scientists use the data to better understand what species live in parks. They have found endangered and threatened species, as well as discovering new species for B.C. and Canada.

    “Your BC Parks licence plate not only looks great on your car, it shows you are a proud B.C. resident who supports the most beautiful places in this province,” said Andy Day, CEO, BC Parks Foundation. “Funds from your licence plate are used to keep parks beautiful and create more activities and adventures for you to enjoy, many of which you can now find at www.DiscoverParks.ca. Thanks for keeping B.C. beautiful by getting a plate.”

    The BC Parks Licence Plate Program is a partnership between the Province and ICBC. Licence-plate sales have been steadily increasing since 2020. As of March 2025, more than 552,000 licence plates have been sold, generating more than $54 million in net revenue for the program.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about the BC Parks Licence Plate Program and how to purchase a licence plate, visit: https://bcparks.ca/get-involved/buy-licence-plate/

    To view the 2023/2024 licence plate program report, visit: https://bcparks.ca/get-involved/buy-licence-plate/#annual-report

    For more information about BC Parks, visit: https://bcparks.ca/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: People with neoliberal views are less likely to support climate-friendly policies – new research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Felix Schulz, Research Fellow, Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, Lund University

    Sambulov Yevgeniy/Shutterstock

    Donald Trump won the US election on a campaign that included rolling back environmental laws. In the UK, Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch has called the national net zero target “impossible”. And former prime minister Tony Blair has said the current approach of phasing out fossil fuels is “doomed to fail”.

    Meanwhile in Germany, the parties in the most likely incoming coalition government hardly engaged with climate policy during the recent election campaign – and the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), which openly denies human-made climate change, received 20% of the vote.

    With political leaders around the world moving away from progressive climate policy, it’s worth asking: is this what the public wants?

    When it comes to the climate, what people think is influenced by where they live and what else they believe in. In recently published research, we sought to find out just how much people’s ideologies affected their views on climate policy.

    We surveyed representative samples of the public in six countries about their attitudes towards different types of climate policy. We asked about support for regulation (for example, building and vehicle standards or product bans), taxes (like carbon taxes), subsidies (to promote low-carbon alternatives), and information-based policies (such as emission disclosure requirements). Our survey covered policies in transport, housing, energy and industry.

    We also asked respondents about their ideologies: cultural worldviews, personal values, free market beliefs and political trust. Our findings reveal how people’s ideologies shape their support for climate policies.

    We included three high-income countries of the global north (the US, UK and Germany) and three upper-middle income countries from the global south (Brazil, South Africa and China). Together, these six countries are responsible for half of global CO₂ emissions.

    Our definition of global south, which includes countries such as China, is based on work by UN Trade and Development and the UN G-77 countries. It includes Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, most of Asia (excluding Israel, Japan and South Korea) and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand). These countries generally have lower per capita income and are considered “developing” compared to global north countries.

    This comparison is important because, as we will explain, political and economic ideologies that originated in the global north can influence how people view climate policies.

    Across all policy types, we found more support for climate policies in the global south countries. In the global north countries, we found only minority support for regulatory policies and climate-related taxes. In Germany, support for regulatory policies and taxes was as little as 18%.

    Subsidies for the four sectors – for example, to support renewable energy projects or the production of green steel – received 35% support in Germany and 48% in the US. In contrast, the majority of the public in the three countries of the global south supported subsidies and regulatory climate policies.

    As with subsidies, we found strong majority support for information-based policies in the three countries of the global south (74-79%), against only minority support in Germany (36%) and the US (49%). In the UK, 53% supported information-based climate policies.

    Personal values play a role in support for the policies. Our findings show people with stronger biospheric values – the importance people place on the environment and the relationship between humans and nature – are more supportive of climate policies. This is true irrespective of the country they live in. People who are more trusting of political institutions and politicians also support these policies more.

    But demographics such as age, gender, education or income have a negligible effect on attitudes towards these policies, when accounting for other factors in our analysis.

    Neoliberalism and the climate

    We observed a strong link between a neoliberal worldview and lack of support for the climate policies in our study. As a political economic project, neoliberalism originated in the global north. But it continues to take root in the global south, particularly in Latin America.

    The belief that individuals need to take care of themselves and are responsible for their own fortune and problems was associated with less support for climate policies. And in every country we studied, we found a strong relationship between support for the free market and lack of support for climate policies.

    People who believe the free market is best at allocating outcomes efficiently and meeting human needs without government interference, and that it is more important than some local environmental concerns, show less support for the climate policies.

    These two sets of beliefs – individualistic worldviews and support for the free market – are the core principles of neoliberal thought.

    In the Global North countries, we found only only minority support for regulatory policies and climate-related taxes.
    Fotogrin/Shutterstock

    The superiority of the market over governments as an efficient and fair allocation machine has been the mantra of neoliberal politicians, thinktanks and institutions for more than half a century.

    Neoliberalism opposes government regulation and spending, and supports the free market. It also fosters an individualistic worldview. Instead of seeing themselves as workers, citizens or members of a collective, people are persuaded to internalise market logic – to see themselves as individuals who are out to maximise their personal profit.

    The cultural shift from more communitarian and egalitarian ideals towards an ideology based on the self-driven individual and the free market has been quite successful. Empirical evidence from 41 countries shows that individualist practices and values around the world have surged significantly over the past 50 years.

    We know from research that what the public thinks (or votes for) does influence what governments do. This is true even when accounting for the influence of powerful interest groups.

    So, those creating and campaigning for urgently needed climate policies need to take this into account. Support for climate policies isn’t just about whether someone believes in human-made climate change or cares about the planet – there are deeply-rooted ideological factors at play too.

    Felix Schulz receives funding from Formas, a Swedish research council for sustainable development and the Hans-Böckler-Foundation.

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

    – ref. People with neoliberal views are less likely to support climate-friendly policies – new research – https://theconversation.com/people-with-neoliberal-views-are-less-likely-to-support-climate-friendly-policies-new-research-253478

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: No criminal charges over death of ice hockey player during game – what this means for sport and the law

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Victoria Silverwood, Lecturer in Criminology, Director of Swansea Centre of Research in Sport & Society (SCORSS), Swansea University

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that no criminal charges will be brought against Canadian ice hockey player Matt Petgrave in relation to the death of American player Adam Johnson during a British Elite League match in October 2023.

    Petgrave had been arrested in November 2023 on suspicion of manslaughter after his skate blade struck Johnson’s neck during open play in a game between Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers. Johnson was taken to hospital but later died. Thousands of fans had been watching the match at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena.

    Petgrave was released and bailed seven times over the following 17 months while South Yorkshire Police continued their investigation. He had denied the allegations and called the incident a “tragic accident”.

    The decision ends a case that has gripped the ice hockey community. It has also raised difficult legal questions about violence in sport, degrees of responsibility, and how far criminal law should intervene in such incidents.

    Deaths in professional sport are rare, and criminal investigations following them are even rarer. Johnson’s death occurred in an extremely fast and physical game where players wear blades on their feet and routinely engage in full-contact play.

    Although this was a workplace incident, since both men were employees of their respective clubs, it was not handled by the Health and Safety Executive, as many fatal incidents in other professions would be. Instead, the case was investigated by Sheffield Council and South Yorkshire Police.

    The decision to arrest Petgrave surprised many in the sport. It is understood that all parties voluntarily cooperated with the investigation. What is often overlooked is that an arrest can help protect the rights of the person under investigation, ensuring legal representation and placing time limits on police questioning.

    Still, many questioned the length of the process, particularly the 17-month delay and repeated bail extensions. For the families of both Johnson and Petgrave, the uncertainty has been long and painful.

    What does the law saw about violence in sport?

    Sport enjoys a special relationship with the law, as my research has explored. Players are generally considered to have given “implied consent” to physical contact that would otherwise be unlawful – as long as that contact stays within the normal rules of the game.

    Ice hockey, with its high-speed collisions and culture of on-ice fighting, clearly tests the limits of that consent. But where is the line between a legal part of the game and criminal behaviour?

    To bring a criminal charge, the CPS must be satisfied of two things. First, that there is enough evidence to provide a realistic chance of conviction. And second, that a prosecution would be in the public interest. In this case, neither threshold was met.

    Criminal convictions in sport are extremely rare. In one of the few UK cases, a recreational ice hockey player, Macauley Stones, received a suspended jail sentence for grievous bodily harm during an on-ice brawl in 2017. In the trial, the judge criticised the “legal vacuum” that exists in contact sports such as ice hockey.

    This grey area affects the public interest test, as all criminal cases risk complication by the confused nature of consent. So, it is not surprising that investigations into Johnson’s death took such a long time, or that the decision was ultimately made not to charge Petgrave with a crime.

    Safety reforms

    Johnson’s death has already led to some promising changes to ice hockey player safety. Shortly after the incident, the coroner called for neck protection to be compulsory for players.

    Neck guards, which help prevent skate blade injuries, were immediately enforced by governing body England Ice Hockey, and later adopted by the Elite Ice Hockey League in which Petgrave and Johnson played. They have also been adopted by the International Ice Hockey Federation and the American Hockey League.

    This rapid response was perhaps surprising in a sport that has often been slow to bring in new safety measures. Helmets only became compulsory in North America’s National Hockey League in the late 1970s, and face visors even later.




    Read more:
    Hockey’s wake-up call: Neck guards should be mandatory following Adam Johnson’s death


    The tragedy has also united the ice hockey community globally in raising awareness of, and funds to support, player safety. Campaigns like Adam’s Angels have raised money for player safety initiatives, including providing bleed kits to teams across the UK.

    Although the criminal investigation is now closed, the broader legal questions are far from settled. Without charges being brought, the courts will not have the chance to examine the role of implied consent in this case. So, no new legal precedent will be set. That task will probably fall to the sport’s governing bodies.

    Some may assume that because ice hockey is a minority sport in the UK, this case has few wider effects. But legal precedent doesn’t always stay within its original context. A ruling about consent to violence in ice hockey could have had ripple effects across other high-contact and combat sports, from rugby to boxing and beyond.

    Johnson’s death shocked not only ice hockey fans but the wider sporting public. And while no criminal case will be heard, the conversation about safety in high-risk sport is far from over.

    Dr Victoria Silverwood has previously received PhD funding from The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). She is affiliated with Progressive Rugby.

    – ref. No criminal charges over death of ice hockey player during game – what this means for sport and the law – https://theconversation.com/no-criminal-charges-over-death-of-ice-hockey-player-during-game-what-this-means-for-sport-and-the-law-255552

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: DOGE’s AI surveillance risks silencing whistleblowers and weakening democracy

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Thomas Stuart, Lecturer in Communications, Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria

    The United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is reportedly using artificial intelligence to surveil federal agency communications for anti-Donald Trump and anti-Elon Musk sentiment.

    AI tools now automate firings and assess U.S. federal employees’ sentiment and alignment with the administration’s “mission.” Musk, who has been appointed a “special government employee” by the U.S. president and leads DOGE, has framed these moves as an attempt to cut waste and increase efficiency.

    At least one agency, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has reportedly warned staff to watch what they say, type or do online.

    The move has been largely overshadowed by tariff debates and constitutional concerns. But research on AI and governance suggests surveillance may erode the transparency that defines public institutions.

    Now, with Musk signalling he may scale back his involvement with DOGE, questions remain about how the system will operate in his absence — and whether anyone will be tasked with dismantling it.

    Disruption replaces due process

    Musk has presented DOGE as a lean, tech-driven solution to government bloat — a message he has repeated in interviews and on social media. Artificial intelligence, he argues, can cut red tape, trim costs and optimize operations.

    However, within federal agencies, AI has been used less to support public servants than to evaluate them — and in some cases, to eliminate them.

    Since DOGE assumed control over key functions within the Office of Personnel Management in January, hundreds of federal employees have been dismissed without formal explanation. DOGE also restricted access to cloud systems and sidelined career officials.

    DOGE was established by Trump through an executive order on Jan. 20, 2025 and tasked with cutting federal spending.
    (Shutterstock)

    Concerns over data security soon followed. In March, a federal judge barred DOGE from accessing Treasury systems, citing a “chaotic and haphazard” approach that posed a “realistic danger” of exposing sensitive financial information.

    Internally, DOGE operates through tools more familiar to startups than government agencies. Staff use disappearing messages via the Signal messenger app and draft documents in Google Docs rather than approved federal platforms.

    Grok, a generative AI chatbot launched by Musk in 2023, has been integrated across departments, though its tasks remain unclear.

    How Doge’s AI targets workers

    Earlier this year, thousands of federal employees received an email from the Office of Personnel Management asking them to provide five bullet points listing what they accomplished that week. “Failure to respond,” Musk warned on X, “will be taken as a resignation.”

    The message triggered uncertainty across departments. Without clear legal guidance, many workers were left guessing whether silence would mean termination. The Department of Justice and several intelligence agencies warned staff not to respond.




    Read more:
    Musk’s ruthless approach to efficiency is not translating well to the U.S. government


    Others, like the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Transportation, instructed staff to comply with DOGE’s requests. HHS later warned responses could “be read by malign foreign actors.” The EPA distributed template responses to help staff navigate the demand.

    The following week, the Office of Personnel Management clarified participation was voluntary. By then, responses had already been processed.

    DOGE reportedly planned to feed the responses into a large language model to determine whether an employee was mission-critical. Musk later denied this, describing the exercise as a test “to see if the employee had a pulse.”

    DOGE’S algorithms judge allegiance

    According to reports, DOGE’s AI tools have now been deployed across agencies to monitor political sentiment of workers. There is no indication that these systems otherwise assess employee competence or efficacy.

    Trump administration officials reportedly said some government employees have been informed that DOGE is examining staff for signs of perceived disloyalty to both the Trump administration and Musk himself.

    When AI is used in this way — without transparency or clear performance frameworks — it optimizes for compliance rather than capability.

    AI designed to detect dissent offers little support for the work of public service. Rather than recognizing expertise or ethical judgment, these tools reduce complex decision-making to surface-level signs of loyalty.

    Effective collaboration between humans and AI depends on clear boundaries. AI might complement the public service by identifying patterns in data, for example. Humans though must retain authority over context and judgment. When AI polices allegiance, those boundaries collapse, sidelining human skill and integrity.

    AI surveillance rewrites workplace behaviour

    The inherent limitations of large language models amplify these risks. These models cannot reliably read nuance, navigate ethical grey areas or understand intent. Assigning surveillance or employee evaluations to these systems invites errors.

    Worse, such blunt tools force civil servants into self-censorship to avoid misinterpretation. Public service shifts from informed expertise to performative alignment.

    For employees, the consequences extend beyond flawed assessments. AI surveillance deployed through tools like Grok and Signal creates uncertainty about how performance is measured and by whom.

    As surveillance systems degrade psychological safety, employees disengage and become discouraged. Far from enhancing productivity, covert monitoring erodes trust in both management and mission.

    This atmosphere weakens accountability. Whistle-blowing often reflects loyalty to institutional values rather than defiance. By reframing personal beliefs and integrity as disloyalty, DOGE will silence mechanisms that safeguard transparency.

    AI surveillance becomes institutional

    Musk recently announced his involvement at DOGE “will drop significantly”, likely beginning in May. The move is attributed in part to pressure from Republicans urging Trump to distance himself from Musk, as well as pressure from Tesla investors.

    Despite his expected departure, around 100 DOGE employees — and the AI frameworks they manage — will remain embedded across federal departments. Musk’s departure may shift headlines, but it will leave structural risks embedded within federal operations.

    Once governments adopt new surveillance tools, they rarely dismantle them, regardless of whether their architect stays to oversee them. With no clear formal oversight beyond presidential discretion, the surveillance system is likely to outlast Musk’s tenure.

    Employees monitored for political conformity are less likely to raise concerns, report misconduct or challenge flawed directives.

    As human resource protocols are bypassed and oversight is diminished, the balance could shift from policy grounded in principle to regulations grounded in algorithms. Governance risks giving way to control, which could weaken the political neutrality of the civil service.

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

    – ref. DOGE’s AI surveillance risks silencing whistleblowers and weakening democracy – https://theconversation.com/doges-ai-surveillance-risks-silencing-whistleblowers-and-weakening-democracy-254358

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: CIC – Issuer Call Notice (Titres Participatifs)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (SEE “DISCLAIMER” BELOW).

    Paris, April 30th, 2025

    Notice of Early Redemption

    To : (i)      The Noteholders of the below mentioned Notes;
    (ii)      Euronext Paris
    (iii)      Fiscal Agent.

    Dear Sirs,

    Crédit Industriel et Commecial S.A.,
    €137,205,000 “Titres Participatifs” Variable Rate Notes issued on 28 May 1985 (the ‘’Notes”)

    (ISIN Code: FR0000047805)

    Crédit Industriel et Commercial S.A., (formerly “Compagnie Financière de Crédit Industriel et Commercial’’) is the issuer (the “Issuer’’) of the Notes.

    In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Notes (the ‘’Conditions’’), the Issuer hereby gives notice that it is exercising in whole its right to redeem the Notes pursuant to the provision Redemption (‘’Remboursement’’) of the Listing Particulars (“Issuer Call Option”) of the Notes.

    We, the Issuer, instruct you as Fiscal Agent, to authorise the French Central Securities Depository to cancel the Notes redeemed on 28 May, 2025 (“Early Redemption Date”).

    For the purposes of the Issuer Call:

    (i) the Issuer Call Date will be 28 May, 2025; and
    (ii) the Optional Redemption Amount(s) or Early Redemption Amount excluding accrued interest is: EUR 300.68 per Denomination.

    Unless otherwise defined in this notice, capitalised terms used in this notice shall have the meaning given to them in the Listing Particulars (‘’Note d’Information’’) dated Mai, 1985, as applicable, relating to the Notes.

    Yours faithfully,

    For and on behalf of

    Crédit Industriel et Commercial

    By: Alexandre SAADA

    Duly authorised

    DISCLAIMER
    This press release does not constitute an offer to purchase, or the solicitation of an offer to sell, the Instruments in the United States, Canada, Australia, or Japan or in any other jurisdiction, including France. The distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this press release comes are required to inform themselves and observe any such restrictions. No communication may be distributed to the public in any jurisdiction in which registration or approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction where such action would be required; CIC disclaims any liability for any violation by any person of such restrictions.

    Contacts
    Corporate Communications and Press Relations Department: +33 (0)1 53 48 26 00 – compresse@cic.fr
    Investor Relations: bfcm-web@creditmutuel.fr

    About CIC
    CIC is a leading bank in France and internationally, and the bank of one in three businesses in France. It provides nearly 5.5 million customers with a French network of nearly 1,800 branches and 20,000 employees, as well as international branches in 37 countries. In order to meet the needs of all economic players and to build up a constantly efficient offer on a daily basis, it combines financial, insurance, telephony and cutting-edge technological services with a high level of financial solidity backed by that of its parent company, Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale. For more information, visit cic.fr

    Attachment

    • Issue Call Notices_Titres Participatifs CIC_Signed

    The MIL Network –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Passed by Senate Commerce Committee: Fischer’s Bill to Strengthen U.S. Telecommunications Against Foreign Adversaries

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    FACT Act now eligible for Senate Floor vote

    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer’s (R-Neb.) legislation to strengthen American telecommunications against foreign adversaries passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee. The Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency (FACT) Act now awaits consideration on the Senate floor. Fischer introduced the bill in January of this year. 

    If signed into law, the FACT Act would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to publicly identify entities that hold FCC licenses, authorizations, or other grants of authority that are owned, wholly or partially, by foreign adversarial governments. This includes the governments of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. In addition to Fischer, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.).

    “We cannot let authoritarian and adversarial regimes like China and Russia continue to have silent footholds in our tech and telecommunications markets. My bill will direct the FCC to evaluate the communications risks foreign ownership ties pose to America’s national securityand ensure that we can respond to these threats. I’m grateful a bipartisan group of my colleagues voted yes on this legislation, and I look forward to its passage on the Senate Floor,” said Fischer.

    “We must protect our nation in every way we can from global adversaries who are trying to hack our systems and access our information. I’m glad to see that our bipartisan bill to help protect our telecommunications systems from adversarial nations, including China, Russia, and Iran, passed out of committee today. I’ll keep pushing to secure our networks and strengthen our national security,” said Rosen. 

    Click here to view Fischer’s remarks in support of her FACT Act in today’s hearing.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Companjon and Omio expand globally with Cancel for any reason – No questions asked and no documentation required

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Companjon is a global leader in CFAR and in embedded insurance solutions
    • Omio is the leading multi-modal travel booking platform
    • Omio Flex, CFAR developed with the partnership between Omio and Companjon, was first introduced in EEA countries and the UK, and now make it available for the rest of the world

    DUBLIN, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Companjon, a leading Insurtech company specializing in dynamic embedded insurance, announced the rollout of its flexible cancellation solution for Omio to the rest of the world. Omio Flex was developed in partnership with the multi-modal travel booking platform, bringing ultimate flexibility to travel plans. From now on, Omio customers from all over the world can cancel their train and bus journeys for any reason up to 15 minutes before departure (depending on fare type).

    The solution is seamlessly integrated into Omio’s customer journey from purchasing to cancelling. Users can select it in the ticket configuration process. If customers with Omio Flex decide not to travel, they can simply cancel their trip and receive a payment of up to 100% of the purchase fare (depending on fare type). Omio pays the compensation directly to the customer. The solution was first introduced in EEA countries and the UK, and after a successful trial period, Omio decided to make it available for the rest of the world as well. Companjon will use its advanced technology into Omio’s booking platform and ensuring a seamless customer experience for Omio users.

    Matthias Naumann, CEO, Companjon, said: “We’ve been proud of our collaboration with Omio since day one, and we’re thrilled to take it a step further. The expansion of Omio Flex allows customers across the world to cancel for any reason, with no questions asked and no documentation required. Travellers consistently highlight flexibility as one of the most valued features when booking trips. Embedding our technology into Omio’s booking platform is essential to staying ahead of the competition. Both teams—Omio and Companjon—have invested heavily in developing this product, with our unique technology and data-driven insights playing a key role in bringing it to life.”

    Veronica Diquattro, President B2C Europe, Omio, commented, “Journeys don’t always go as planned. The ability to cancel a booking for any reason is an important cornerstone of our promise to offer seamless travel anywhere in the world. Our customer data shows that flexibility is a key travel consideration, which is why we’re excited to now offer Omio Flex globally. Companjon’s advanced technology and data insights were instrumental in helping us address the evolving demands of our users and developing this product.”

    About Omio

    Since its foundation in 2013, the Omio Group has helped customers discover new ways of travelling. Thanks to its two interconnected platforms, Omio and Rome2Rio, Omio is the world’s leading travel platform for searching, comparing, and booking. Omio B2B Partnership services OTAs and mobility providers with bespoke business solutions. Omio supports its customers in their desire to explore Europe, the US, Canada and Southeast Asia by train, bus, flight, and ferry. Omio sells more than 80,000 tickets daily, employs over 430 staff from more than 50 countries and maintains offices in Berlin, Prague, Melbourne, London and Bangalore. The Omio Group offers its customers journeys that move them.

    www.omio.com

    About Companjon 

    Companjon is a leading B2B2C Insurtech start-up specializing in fully digital, AI-driven embedded insurance. Its modern, end-to-end insurance solutions enable companies to delight their customers and drive more business value from stronger brand loyalty and new ancillary revenue opportunities. Companjon designs, builds, and underwrites its dynamic solutions on a 100% cloud-based platform capable of issuing 32,000 policies per second, integrating API gateways easily, and leveraging the latest advanced technology. It has been recognized as one of the World’s Top Insurtech Companies 2024 by CNBC and one of the world’s most innovative insurtechs by FinTech Global for four consecutive years (2021-2024).

    Companjon seeks to change the way people think about insurance by creating seamless and positive experiences when things don’t go as planned: being right there when ‘life’ happens. The company is registered in Ireland and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

    www.companjon.com

    Media Contact:
    Simone Vottari
    +353 86 032 4630
    press@companjon.com

    The MIL Network –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Laurel Lee Introduces Bipartisan Second Chance Legislation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Laurel Lee – Florida (15th District)

    Washington, D.C.– Today, Representatives Laurel Lee (R-FL) and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) introduced the Fresh Start Act, a bipartisan bill to provide support for rehabilitated individuals to have access to employment, housing, and educational opportunities.

    “People who have worked to turn their lives around after a criminal conviction deserve the opportunity to move forward, not be held back by administrative barriers. Today, nearly one-third of Americans have a criminal record that can prevent them from getting a job, finding housing, or pursuing education—even when they qualify for record-sealing or expungement. The Fresh Start Act of 2025 modernizes and streamlines these processes for states, helping more individuals access the opportunities they’ve earned. I look forward to seeing my colleagues come together to pass this important legislation and ensure that everyone who deserves a second chance has the opportunity to build a better future,” said Congresswoman Laurel Lee.

    Approximately one-third of Americans have criminal records that can hinder their ability to secure employment, housing, or educational opportunities. While many of them qualify for record-sealing or expungement under state laws, the process is frequently complicated, time-consuming, and costly.

    The Fresh Start Act would allow states that have enacted automated record-sealing or expungement laws to apply for federal infrastructure grants to help streamline the process. This federal legislation builds on the momentum of Clean Slate policies enacted in 2018 by a diverse group of 12 states including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Virginia.

    “No one should be denied a job, housing, or education because of bureaucratic red tape,” said Rep. Kamlager-Dove. “Millions of Americans have arrest or conviction records that are eligible to be sealed or expunged, yet many are blocked by confusing, burdensome, and costly processes. I’m proud to cosponsor the bipartisan Fresh Start Act, which helps individuals who have been exonerated or who have paid their debts to society get a chance to contribute to their communities. This legislation will give states the resources they need to implement automatic record clearance systems that offer people a fresh start.”

    Sheena Meade, CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative, said, “The Fresh Start Act recognizes what we’ve seen on the ground: Clean Slate has the power to change lives. This legislation is an essential component of modernizing state infrastructure, making sure federal support is spent on common-sense solutions that are serious about safety and benefit communities across the country. A fresh start should be more than a promise; it should be a reality. With the Fresh Start Act, it can be.”

    Jason Pye, Executive Director of the Due Process Institute, said, “The Fresh Start Act is a commonsense policy solution to help improve states’ record-sealing laws. The bill crucially allocates already existing funding to help with the implementation of proven recidivism reduction strategies that result in better economic outcomes and safer communities for us all. We urge members of Congress to join in cosponsoring and supporting this bipartisan legislation.”

    Akua Amaning, Director of Criminal Justice Reform, Center for American Progress said, “Everyone deserves the opportunity to unlock their full potential. Yet, for far too many people who have been impacted by America’s criminal legal system, a second chance can be hard to achieve with an arrest or conviction record. The Fresh Start Act will provide important resources to states that are working to remove unnecessary barriers to employment, housing, education, and other critical life resources due to having a record. In helping to create pathways to automatic record expungement at the state level, The Fresh Start Act will not only help individuals transform their lives, but will also improve economic security and public safety outcomes for all. We applaud the bipartisan support for this measure and urge Congress to swiftly pass the Fresh Start Act.”

    Patrick Plein, Director of CPAC’s Nolan Center for Justice, said, “Communities are safer when individuals returning from prison are given a fair chance to reintegrate into society and rebuild their lives. The Fresh Start Act recognizes that people are more than their past mistakes—they are hard working parents, employees, and neighbors with the potential to prosper. By removing barriers to opportunity, these bills strengthen families, boost our economy, and promote public safety.”

    “The Fresh Start Act is a common sense measure that will help give people who have fulfilled their justice system obligations a second chance,” said Nan Gibson, Executive Director of the JPMorganChase Policy Center. “The bill would make federal grants available to states to upgrade their justice system infrastructure so that states can implement Clean Slate legislation and strengthen their workforce.  Over the last six years, our firm has hired more than 21,000 people with a record whose history had no bearing on the requirements of their job, because we know implementing fair chance hiring practices is good for our business and the economy.  This measure will enable companies like ours to continue to connect individuals to meaningful career pathways, opening doors to opportunities that transform lives, lift up communities and strengthen the workforce.”

    Summary:

    • Amends 34 U.S.C. §40302 (National Criminal History Improvement Program, or NCHIP) to include funding for covered automatic expungement and record sealing laws.
    • Covered Expungement Law—The term “automatic” is defined as expungement or sealing that does not require any action on the part of the eligible individual. The term “covered expungement law” is defined as a law of a State that provides for the automatic expungement or sealing of a criminal record, subject to requirements imposed by the State.
    • Reporting Requirements—A State that receives a grant under the Fresh Start Act of 2025 is required to produce and send a report to the Attorney General, under the guidelines established by the Attorney General, that provides information on:
      • the number of individuals eligible for automatic expungement or sealing disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender;
      • the number of individuals whose records have been expunged or sealing disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender;
      • and the number of individuals who application for expungement or sealing are still pending disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender;
    • Inaccessibility of Data for Reporting—If data required for reporting are not available, the State is required to develop and report a plan to obtain as much of the data as possible no later than one (1) year after the first year the grant is awarded.
    • Publication—The Attorney General is required to publish and make publicly available a report containing data collected under the reporting requirements.

    Read the bill text here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Trilateral E-7A agreement marks new milestone with KC-46 certification

    Source: United States Air Force

    Headline: Trilateral E-7A agreement marks new milestone with KC-46 certification

    In a historic first, the U.S. Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and Royal Air Force collaborated to rapidly improve global combat capability while gathering critical test data for future acquisition of the E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Trilateral E-7A agreement marks new milestone with KC-46 certification

    Source: United States Air Force

    In a historic first, the U.S. Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and Royal Air Force collaborated to rapidly improve global combat capability while gathering critical test data for future acquisition of the E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft.

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Victorian school buildings update

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    The possible options, estimated costs and timescales to improve the sustainability of Aberdeen City Council’s Victorian school buildings went before the Education and Children’s Services committee yesterday (Tuesday 29 April).

    Committee members approved the recommendations of the Victorian Schools Programme report which included the Outline Business Case.  The preferred options (Appendix A) for the 10 in-scope schools were detailed in a confidential report due to the commercially sensitive costs involved and heard in private.

    Councillor Martin Greig, the Convener of Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: “It is important to do all we can to ensure that every city schools is able to provide the best possible learning environment for the benefit of pupils. The ‘Outline Business Case’ for the ten Victorian Granite schools is the latest part of the Council’s strategy to maintain and improve the school estate in the long term. Detailed and careful planning is needed to identify how we can manage to upgrade these older buildings. Funding will be a major challenge with the very finite resources available.”

    Councillor Jessica Mennie, Vice-Convener of Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: “The Victorian Schools Programme report highlights the significant amount of work that we are committed to delivering over the next 15 years to ensure that we can provide the highest quality, sustainable and nurturing environments in our Victorian Schools. It’s important we invest in our heritage schools, whilst ensuring our learning environments are accessible and fit for purpose.”

    The Victorian school buildings included within the scope of this project are:

    • Aberdeen Grammar School
    • Ashley Road School
    • Broomhill School
    • Culter School
    • Gilcomstoun School
    • Kittybrewster School
    • Skene Square School
    • St Joseph’s RC School
    • Sunnybank School
    • Woodside School

    Some of the common suitability challenges affecting many of the schools include accessibility issues; lack of breakout spaces for small group work and pupil support; limited space for outdoor learning; lack of space for dining and PE provision; and inadequate toilet facilities. In addition, several schools are at or already exceed their available pupil capacity, and space within the school sites for extending the buildings is severely limited.

    The cost of the preferred option, programming and cost implications for the Victorian Schools Programme will be added to the development of the School Estate Plan annual update report, which will be presented to the Education and Children’s Services committee in September 2025.

    This will enable the costs to be considered within the budget setting process for 2026/27 along with the cost for any other new priorities which may be identified in the School Estate Plan update. 

    Photo: Aberdeen Grammar School. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Australia: Wacky and wonderful sports to try in 2025

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Looking to get active in the new year? If the inside of a gym gives you nightmares, and running isn’t your thing, why not try something with a bit more personality? 

    Canberra offers plenty of fun and unique sports to explore.  

    These sports are a great way to stay active while trying something new and exciting.

    Dodging, ducking, and diving – dodgeball will test your endurance, stamina and skill, all while you have a blast!  

    Urban Rec Canberra host two dodgeball leagues. You can get a team together or register as an individual and make new friends along the way.

    It may be low-profile in Australia, but handball is kind of a big deal. One of the most popular team sports in Europe, over 183 countries play handball – and it’s even in the Olympics!

    This isn’t your traditional schoolyard foursquare. Handball is a high paced, full contact indoor sport that resembles a mix of soccer, netball and basketball.

    Canberra Handball have a variety of competitions, including a social competition that runs all year round – perfect for a novice looking to give the sport a try.

    Broomball is a unique sport that blends elements of ice hockey and field hockey. Instead of skating, players run on the ice wearing special broomball shoes.

    In Canberra, ACT Broomball runs a summer and a winter season. The summer season runs from mid-October until early April, and the winter season typically runs from late April/early May until early October.

    Quadball is a fast-paced, full-contact sport played by hundreds of people across Australia (and thousands more worldwide).  

    Inspired by the fictional sport ‘quidditch’ in the Harry Potter series, the rules of quadball are similar to their source material, with some modifications (and a little less magic).  

    If you’re keen to jump on a broom and get involved – the Canberra Quadball Club is ready to help you get started.

    Combining elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, pickleball is a favourite with players of all ages and abilities.

    Played indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court, pickleball is gaining popularity across the ACT – including at ‘The Pickledome’ in Fadden.

    Pickleball ACT runs daily social play, both northside and southside. There are also tryout sessions.

    Not into team or partner sports? No problem – there are plenty of exciting individual sports to explore.

    Nordic walking transforms a simple walk into a full-body workout. Far more than just walking with poles, this low-impact and affordable exercise is a fun and effective way to stay fit.

    In Canberra, the Capital Nordic Walking community offers beginner courses, skill enhancement lessons, and group walks.

    Looking to unleash your inner Viking? Axe throwing sounds like the sport for you.

    Axe throwing a fun sport where participants throw steel axes at a target to try and receive the highest score. More than just a backyard hobby, axe throwing is a competitive sport with a global following.

    MIL OSI News –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Robert Garcia and Congresswoman Lisa McClain Introduce Bipartisan “Common Cents Act” to Eliminate the Penny

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Garcia California (42nd District)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) and Congresswoman Lisa McClain (MI-09) introduced the Common Cents Act to end the minting of the penny and require cash transactions to be rounded up or down to the nearest five cents. Full text of the bill can be found here. 

    “It doesn’t make sense to continue producing the penny, which costs three times more than it’s worth to create and distribute,” said Congressman Garcia. “As the cost of living continues to rise and with more folks tapping their phones or cards for payment, we shouldn’t be pouring millions of taxpayer dollars into a coin that is rarely used. By halting production, we would actually cut waste and boost efficiency in a common-sense way.”

    “Pennies are a waste of taxpayer dollars. It doesn’t make sense to spend millions each year minting coins that so few people actually use. President Trump’s common-sense idea should become law. We are taking a decisive step toward fiscal responsibility and updating our currency for the 21st century,” said Congresswoman McClain.

    The bill would take effect one year after its enactment and follows the successful elimination of one-cent coins in several other countries, including Australia and Canada. Additionally, a final decision on whether the U.S. Mint will cease production of the penny is currently pending. Non-cash transactions, such as credit card, debit card, mobile phone payments, and checks, would not be affected. The cost of producing a penny is roughly 3.7 times its face value, driven by rising metal prices. By eliminating the penny, this bill aims to reduce unnecessary costs, save taxpayer money, and streamline the U.S. currency system, eliminating waste and making it more efficient for both consumers and businesses.

    Congressman Garcia is dedicated to eliminating waste, improving government efficiency, and saving taxpayer dollars. On the Oversight Committee, Congressman Garcia works to ensure all government operations are effective and streamlined. Last Congress, two of Congressman Garcia’s bipartisan bills, the Eliminate Useless Reports Act and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Inspector General Parity Act aimed at improving government efficiency were signed into law, which will save taxpayer dollars and promote more accountable government operations. Congressman Garcia previously introduced the FLASH Act (Fast-Track Logistics for Acquiring Supplies in a Hurry Act) to streamline procurement processes within the Department of Health and Human Services during emergencies. This legislation would eliminate waste, reduce delays, and ultimately save taxpayer dollars while streamlining access to essential resources.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Kamlager-Dove Statement on Democrats Winning, Trump Losing in the First 100 Days

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) released the following statement on Trump’s first 100 days in his second term:

    “In just 100 days, we have witnessed the Trump Administration unleash economic turmoil, global embarrassment, and a full-scale assault on our federal government. But across the country, we have also seen a powerful shift as the American people–including Trump voters–reject this disastrous and diabolical agenda. 

    “Democrats have led the charge in the courts, Congress, and our communities. We’ve supported over 220 lawsuits against the administration, winning more times than not. We’ve introduced common-sense legislation to reclaim Congress’ oversight authority and have flipped the script in hearings to demand answers from those in power. While Republicans have run from their constituents, Democrats have run into our districts to hear from those we serve.

    “In these challenging times, I find hope in the voices of young people demanding better from their leaders. I draw inspiration from the democracy-loving Americans rallying at federal buildings to support federal workers, the constitution, and vital services like Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. And I am encouraged that—even with the odds stacked against us—we have blocked some of the most harmful proposals from this administration.

    “The next 100 days and beyond won’t be easy. But, together, we will keep fighting for what’s right—and we will keep winning.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Mimecast Appoints Ranjan Singh as Chief Product & Technology Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LEXINGTON, Mass., April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RSA Conference 2025, San Francisco – Mimecast, a global cybersecurity leader transforming the way businesses manage and secure human risk, today announced that Ranjan Singh has joined its executive leadership team as Chief Product & Technology Officer.

    Singh brings more than two decades of experience leading product innovation and delivering exceptional, customer-focused cybersecurity solutions. His appointment marks a significant milestone in Mimecast’s evolution, bringing together its product and engineering teams under one unified organization, focused on accelerating transformation, expanding market leadership, and redefining how organizations secure their human layer against modern threats.

    Prior to joining Mimecast, Singh spent more than three years as Chief Product Officer at Kaseya, where he helped drive the company’s rapid global expansion, managing a portfolio of more than 40 SaaS products and contributing to more than $1.5 billion in revenue. His leadership roles at Crestron Electronics and IPC Systems further cemented his reputation for delivering product excellence at scale.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome Ranjan to Mimecast during such a pivotal time for our company,” said Marc van Zadelhoff, CEO of Mimecast. “Ranjan’s deep experience in scaling world-class products, his passion for innovation, and his relentless focus on customer outcomes makes him the ideal leader to drive our Human Risk Management platform forward.”

    Singh’s leadership will be crucial as Mimecast has increased research and development investment by almost 50% over the last two years to deliver adaptive, AI-driven solutions that empower organizations to better manage insider risk, protect email and collaboration environments, and enhance overall cyber resilience.

    Mimecast also recently appointed Rob Juncker as Chief Product Officer. Juncker, who will report directly to Singh, held the role of Chief Technology Officer at Code42 prior to Mimecast’s acquisition in July 2024. These key executive appointments underscore Mimecast’s commitment to excellence in delivering the best possible platform for their global customer base. Preceding both was the earlier appointment of Igor Shmukler as Chief Development Officer, and the addition of Amol Kulkarni to the Mimecast Board of Directors. Kulkarni is a long-time technology executive, most recently at CrowdStrike where he held the title of Chief Product and Engineering Officer.

    “I’m incredibly excited to join Mimecast at a time when securing human risk has never been more important,” said Ranjan Singh. “Mimecast’s vision, culture, and commitment to customer success are what drew me here. I look forward to working alongside very talented colleagues to deliver an exceptional platform that makes organizations more secure, resilient, and empowered to meet the future with confidence.”

    Singh holds a bachelor’s degree from Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia, and a master’s degree from New York University. Originally from India and having lived in Australia and the United States, Singh’s global perspective and cross-market leadership experience will further strengthen Mimecast’s innovation and growth.

    About Mimecast 

    Mimecast is a leading cybersecurity company transforming the way businesses manage and secure human risk. Its AI-powered, API-enabled connected human risk platform is purpose-built to protect organizations from the spectrum of cyber threats. Integrating cutting-edge technology with human-centric pathways, our platform enhances visibility and provides strategic insight.

    By enabling decisive action and empowering businesses to protect their collaborative environments, our technology safeguards critical data and actively engages employees in reducing risk and enhancing productivity. More than 42,000 businesses worldwide trust Mimecast to help them keep ahead of the ever-evolving threat landscape.

    From insider risk to external threats, customers get more with Mimecast. More visibility. More agility. More control. More security.

    Mimecast is a registered trademark or trademark of Mimecast Services Limited in the United States and/or other countries. All other products and/or services referenced are trademarks of their respective companies.

    Press Contacts

    Tim Hamilton
    Principal, Global Corporate Communications Manager
    +1 603-918-6757
    thamilton@mimecast.com

    General inquiries
    press@mimecast.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ef4b4592-eb73-417d-a00a-963944252864

    The MIL Network –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: From the Chinese Exclusion Act to pro-Palestinian activists: The evolution of politically motivated deportations

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rick Baldoz, Associate Professor of American Studies, Brown University

    New York Tribune of Jan. 3, 1920, announcing massive roundups of ‘aliens’ deemed to be ‘Reds.’ Library of Congress

    The recent deportation orders targeting foreign students in the U.S. have prompted a heated debate about the legality of these actions. The Trump administration made no secret that many individuals were facing removal because of their pro-Palestinian advocacy.

    In recent months, the State Department has revoked hundreds of visas of foreign students with little explanation. On April 25, 2025, the administration restored the legal status of many of those students, but warned that the reprieve was only temporary.

    Because of their tenuous legal status in the U.S., immigrant activists are vulnerable to a government seeking to stifle dissent.

    Critics of the Trump administration have challenged the legality of these removal orders, arguing that they violate constitutionally protected rights, including freedom of speech and due process.

    The administration asserts that the executive branch has nearly absolute authority to remove immigrants. The White House has cited legislation passed during the peak of the nation’s Cold War hysteria, like the McCarran-Walter Act of 1952, which expanded the government’s deportation powers.

    I’m a historian of immigration, U.S. empire and Asian American studies. The current removal orders targeting student activists echo America’s long and lamentable past of jailing and expelling immigrants because of their race or what they say or believe – or all three.

    The arrest of Turkish graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk by Department of Homeland Security agents in Somerville, Mass., on March 25, 2025.

    Where it began

    The United States’ current deportation process traces its roots to the late 19th century as the nation moved to exercise federal control of immigration.

    The impetus for this shift was anti-Chinese racism, which reached a fever pitch during this period, culminating in the passage of laws that restricted Chinese immigration.

    The influx of Chinese immigrants to the West Coast during the mid-to-late 19th century, initially fueled by the California Gold Rush, spurred the rise of an influential nativist movement that accused Chinese immigrants of stealing jobs. It also claimed that they posed a cultural threat to American society due to their racial otherness.

    The Geary Act of 1892 required Chinese living in the U.S to register with the federal government or face deportation.

    The Supreme Court addressed the constitutionality of these statutes in 1893 in the case of Fong Yue Ting v. United States. Three plaintiffs claimed that anti-Chinese legislation was discriminatory, violated constitutional protections prohibiting unreasonable search and seizure, and contravened due process and equal protection guarantees.

    The Supreme Court affirmed the Geary Act’s deportation procedures, formulating a novel legal precept known as the plenary power doctrine that remains a key tenet of U.S. immigration law today.

    Court confirms the law

    The doctrine included two key assertions.

    First, the federal government’s authority to exclude and deport aliens was an inherent and unqualified feature of American sovereignty. Second, immigration enforcement was the exclusive domain of the congressional and executive branches that were charged with protecting the nation from foreign threats.

    The court also ruled that the deportation of immigrants in the country lawfully was a civil, rather than criminal matter, which meant that constitutional protections like due process did not apply.

    The government ramped up deportations in the aftermath of World War I, fueled by wartime xenophobia. American officials singled out foreign-born radicals for deportation, accusing them of fomenting disloyalty.

    The front page of the Ogden Standard, from Ogden City, Utah, on Nov. 8, 1919, announcing the arrest and planned deportation of ‘alien Reds.’
    Library of Congress

    Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, who ordered mass arrests of alleged communists, pledged to “tear out the radical seeds that have entangled Americans in their poisonous theories” and remove “alien criminals in this country who are directly responsible for spreading the unclean doctrines of Bolshevism.”

    This period marked a new era of removals carried out primarily on ideological grounds. Jews and other immigrants from southern and eastern Europe were disproportionately targeted, highlighting the cultural affinities between anti-radicalism and racial and ethnic chauvinism.

    ‘Foreign’ agitators

    The campaign to root out so-called subversives living in the United States reached its apex during the 1940s and 1950s, supercharged by figures like anti-communist crusader Sen. Joseph McCarthy and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.

    The specter of foreign agitators contaminating American political culture loomed large in these debates. Attorney General Tom Clark testified before Congress in 1950 that 91.4% of the Communist Party USA’s leadership were “either foreign stock or married to persons of foreign stock.”

    Congress passed a series of laws during this period requiring that subversive organizations register with the government. They also expanded the executive branch’s power to deport individuals whose views were deemed “prejudicial to national security,” blurring the lines between punishing people for unlawful acts – such as espionage and bombings – and what the government considered unlawful beliefs, such as Communist Party membership.

    While deporting foreign-born radicals had popular support, the banishment of immigrants for their political beliefs raised important constitutional questions.

    Harry Bridges, a West Coast labor leader, and his daughter, Jacqueline, 14, as they listen to proceedings during Bridges’ deportation hearing in San Francisco in July 1939.
    Underwood Archives/Getty Images

    Prosecution or persecution?

    In a landmark case in 1945, Wixon v. Bridges, the Supreme Court did assert a check on the power of the executive branch to deport someone without a fair hearing.

    The case involved Harry Bridges, Australian-born president of the International Longshoremen and Warehousemen’s Union. Bridges was a left-wing union leader who orchestrated a number of successful strikes on the West Coast. Under his leadership, the union also took progressive positions on civil rights and U.S. militarism.

    The decision in the case hinged on whether the government could prove that Bridges had been a member of the Communist Party, which would have made him deportable under the Smith Act, which proscribed membership in the Communist Party.

    Since no proof of Bridges’ membership existed, the government relied on dodgy witnesses and assertions that Bridges was aligned with the party because he shared some of its political positions. Accusations of “alignment” with controversial political organizations are similar to the charges made against foreign students currently at risk of deportation by the Trump administration.

    The Supreme Court vacated Bridges’ deportation order, declaring that the government’s claim of “affiliation” with the Communist Party was too vaguely defined and amounted to guilt by association.

    As the excesses and abuses of the McCarthy era came to light, they invited greater scrutiny about the dangers of unchecked executive power. Some of the more draconian statutes enacted during the Cold War, like the Smith Act, have been overhauled. The federal courts have toggled back and forth between narrow and liberal interpretations of the Constitution’s applicability to immigrants facing deportation – shifts that reflect competing visions of American nationhood and the boundaries of liberal democracy.

    From union leaders to foreign students

    There are some striking parallels between the throttling of civil liberties during the Cold War and President Donald Trump’s crusade against foreign students exercising venerated democratic freedoms.

    Foreign students appear to have replaced the immigrant union leaders of the 1950s as the targets of government repression. Presumptions of guilt based on hyperbolic claims of affiliation with the Communist Party have been replaced by allegations of alignment with Hamas.

    As in the past, these invocations of national security offer the pretext for the government’s efforts to stifle dissent and to mandate political conformity.

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

    – ref. From the Chinese Exclusion Act to pro-Palestinian activists: The evolution of politically motivated deportations – https://theconversation.com/from-the-chinese-exclusion-act-to-pro-palestinian-activists-the-evolution-of-politically-motivated-deportations-254683

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Ecora Resources PLC to Present at the Metals & Mining Virtual Investor Conference May 8th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ecora Resources (OTCQX: ECRAF), based in London, focused on critical minerals royalties and streams, today announced that Geoff Callow, Head of Investor Relations, will present live at the Metals & Mining Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on May 8th.

    DATE: May 8th
    TIME: 10:00 AM ET
    LINK: https://bit.ly/4iG9fko

    Available for 1×1 meetings: May 6-9th, 12-13th, 2025

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    About Ecora Resources
    Ecora is a leading critical minerals focused royalty company.

    Our vision is to be globally recognised as the royalty company of choice synonymous with commodities that support trends of electrification by continuing to grow and diversify our royalty portfolio in line with our strategy. We will achieve this through building a diversified portfolio of scale over high quality assets that drives low volatility earnings growth and shareholder returns.

    The mining sector has an essential role to play in the energy transition, with commodities such as copper, nickel and cobalt – key materials for manufacturing batteries and electric vehicles. Copper also plays a critical role in our electricity grids. All these commodities are mined and there are not enough mines in operation today to supply the volume required to achieve the energy transition.

    Our strategy is to acquire royalties and streams over low-cost operations and projects with strong management teams, in well-established mining jurisdictions. Our portfolio has been reweighted to provide material exposure to this commodity basket and we have successfully transitioned from a coal orientated royalty business in 2014 to one that by 2026 will be materially coal free and comprised of over 90% exposure to commodities that support a sustainable future. The fundamental demand outlook for these commodities over the next decade is very strong, which should significantly increase the value of our royalty portfolio.

    Ecora’s shares are listed on the London and Toronto Stock Exchanges (ECOR) and trade on the OTCQX Best Market (OTCQX: ECRAF).

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®

    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    CONTACTS:
    Ecora Resources PLC
    Geoff Callow
    Head of IR
    Callow@ecora-resources.com

    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com

    The MIL Network –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Best Sugar Baby Websites and Apps: Top Sugar Daddy Sites For Sugar Dating in 2025 By Sugar Daddy Meet

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Vaughan,Ontario, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Understanding Sugar Dating in 2025

    We have seen so many aspects of life evolve with respect to technology, innovations, and all it aligns with the modern world today. And this has also applied in the world of finding love, companionship, or dating. Traditional dating scenes have also evolved with more people turning towards finding connections That align with their respective lifestyles, personal goals, and expectations. We are trying to talk about sugar dating, it has gained popularity over the last one decade and has become the alternative to finding a very unique relationship dynamic that focuses on emotional support, mutual understanding, financial assistance along with companionship. 

    ⇒ Join the Best Sugar Daddy Website for Free!

    The most fundamental approach of sugar dating is a consensual agreement between two individuals or adults; typically, a sugar baby is one who is considered to be younger and is seeking gifts, membership, or financial stability, whereas a sugar daddy is one who might offer these resources to the sugar baby in exchange of emotional connection, and companionship.

    What Is a Sugar Baby Website?

    It is a very non-traditional dynamic in the world of dating. Sugar dating is simply when one person dons the role of a sugar baby who is often the younger one with someone who is referred to as a sugar daddy or a sugar mommy who is often the elder one, and they are in a relationship in exchange for financial support, experiences, gifts.

    Flirt Smarter. Join SugarDaddyMeet Now – It’s Free to Start!

    How sugar dating platforms work?

    Unlike the normal dating applications, a sugar baby dating website or apps are built using unique tools to harness honest conversations. Several unique features such as identity checks, income verification, and arrangement based filtration help the users connect with their compatible matches with common relationship values. And in this world where cheating and deceit is so common, finding a sugar baby site that is not just about aesthetics or use of friendliness but also about safety and success rates is very crucial. Especially if you are someone who is just entering the world of sugar, baby dating, then finding a supportive digital experience can make a lot of difference.

    Who are sugar babies and sugar daddies?

    Sugar baby: The very meaning of sugar baby translates to a mutual benefit. A sugar baby is someone who tends to value mentorship, support, and financial security for exchange of intimacy, companionship, or emotional support. All of these dynamics are discussed, beforehand and agreed upon, which makes the whole experience empowering and not exploitative. Sugar babies tend to be younger men and women, including students or people in their earlier careers who really seek financial support from their dating arrangements.

    Sugar daddy: A sugar daddy is considered to be the person who is older, financially sound individual, who loves providing financial support, lifestyle, benefits, or gifts to their younger companion, known by the name of sugar, baby.the arrangement between a sugar daddy and a sugar baby is built purely on mutual understanding where both of the parties come to agreement of certain terms of the relationship, it could be mentorship, companionship, financial support, or emotional support.

    Don’t Chase. Attract. Join SugarDaddyMeet & Let Him Find You.

    Things to Look for in a Good Sugar Baby Website

    If you are someone who has just entered the world of sugar dating, then finding a good sugar baby website can be both empowering and exciting. These platforms have enabled opportunities for connections that are mutually beneficial, where transparency as well as consent play a vital role. However, we need to keep in mind that not every interaction can be ideal and some can be dangerous. Therefore, identifying the red flags especially on the platform where you are trying to find a sugar baby or a daddy is very crucial. Sure are a couple of things you might want to look out for while finding a good sugar baby website for yourself:

    • Safety and privacy features: it is crucial to find sugar baby websites that are of high-quality, which offer features such as control over the privacy of profile, offer encryption of messages, and come with inbuilt fraud prevention systems.
    • Verification process: user verification is the ultimate necessity when it comes to sugar baby or sugar daddy. To prevent fake profiles from registering on the website and to prevent falling prey to any scam which could potentially create safety concerns, the best sugar baby websites, verify their users through government ID checks, phone, confirmation, or photo verification.
    • Member quality (real vs fake profiles): a good sugar baby website will provide transparent intentions to its users. Such platforms support open dialogues wherein the individual from both the sites can voice out their expectations, goals, and arrangements. This helps distinguish between real profiles versus fake profiles.
    • Costs and premium features: every sugar baby website comes with its own set of unique features, and some of its primary features might come at a cost. Therefore, it is essential for you to hunt for a sugar baby website that fits your budget and alliance with every feature that you are looking out for.
    • Ease of use (mobile apps, design): an intuitive and clean design of a sugar baby website will help its users Stay more focused on meaningful communication to find their perfect sugar daddy or sugar baby to enjoy sugar dating.

    Be Bold. Be Desired. Be Spoiled. Join SugarDaddyMeet Today.

    How to Find a Sugar Daddy (The Fun + Flirty Way )

    Looking for a sugar daddy who’s generous, charming, and knows how to spoil you? You’re not alone, babe—and yes, he’s out there. Finding him isn’t about chasing—it’s about attracting. And with a little confidence and sparkle, you can have him wrapped around your finger (Rolex optional ).

    First things first: choose the right playground. Apps like SugarDaddyMeet.com are full of upscale, successful men who are ready to invest in a connection that’s as exciting as it is mutually rewarding. No more guessing games—just real men with real intentions.

    Dress your profile to impress. Flirty but classy pics, a fun and confident bio, and a hint of what makes you irresistible. Show your charm, wit, and ambition. Remember: sugar daddies love confidence and a little sass.

    When you chat, keep it light, playful, and polished. Flirt with finesse. Ask about his passions, tease him a little, and show you’re not just pretty—you’ve got presence.

    And don’t forget, sugar—it’s your world. Set your boundaries, know your worth, and only say yes to someone who makes you feel like the main character.

    Because you’re not just looking for a sugar daddy—you’re looking for your upgrade.

    Best Sugar Baby Website and App

    SugarDaddyMeet.com

    When it comes to dating and building meaningful connections, trust is important — but sometimes, it’s the little extras that make all the difference. SugarDaddyMeet.com creates a space where people can form mutually rewarding relationships without worrying about social stigma, especially when age is a factor.

    For women interested in meeting successful, generous partners, the site opens the door to connecting with confident, well-established men. Meanwhile, men in search of elegance and charm can discover genuine connections with attractive, engaging women.
    If you’re looking to explore relationships based on mutual benefit, respect, and understanding — without judgment — this platform offers a welcoming environment for just that. This platform has been around for nearly two decades and continues to perform reliably. With a user base that has grown to over 2 million people, it’s clear that many still trust and actively use the service. 
    That kind of ongoing popularity speaks volumes about its quality and consistency.

    Key Features

    Primary features of sugar daddy include:

    • Emphasising customer support: Sugardaddymeet.com gives excellent customer support to all of its members. The support team is available always to assist its users with any questions or concerns they might have using the platform. The team is efficient and well trained in handling all types of user queries. The sugardaddymeet.com platform also provides priority customer support for premium members, ensuring that their queries get priority, attention and are solved swiftly.
    • Secret photos and videos: The Sugardaddymeet.com website provides all of its members with several unique functionalities and features that immensely enhance the users online dating experience. Once such feature has to be the incredible ability to view hidden videos and photos of a particular particular user’s match. it grants them exclusive media and details, understanding the particular match’s likes, dislikes, interest, and personalities.
    • Higher search in rankings: The Sugardaddymeet.com platform offers its users, options of purchasing credit bundles, which can be unlocked to enjoy an array of premium benefits and features, including the ability to increase one’s ranking on the website. With the help of these credit bundles the users can improvise their visibility when a potential match Looks for similar interest. This feature helps users to stand out and create a strong impression on the platform.
    • Conversation starters: The Sugardaddymeet.com platform has a very distinctive system of credit which allows its users to begin conversations by using credits in multiples of tens and unlocking them in a permanent manner. This allows users to revisit conversations with their potential matching individuals without having to pay for an entire month’s subscription as in the case of other platforms. This approach has been celebrated as a very unique feature.
    • The swipe and match method: this matching game on the sugardaddymeet.com platform is very engaging and follows. A straightforward approach where the users are presented with potential profiles or pictures of sugar, daddies or sugar babies and asked if they are interested. Members can swipe right if they find the profile interesting and if they do not want to go forward with it, all they have to do is swipe left. When two users swipe right on each other’s profile, that is considered a match.

    Ready to Be Pampered? Create Your Free Profile Now.

    Pros of using Sugardaddymeet.com platform

    • Active user base: the platform has several users who live in nearby areas, this increases the likelihood of finding a suitable match which is practical.
    • User friendly interface: The platform is very easy for users to navigate and comes in an attractive design and rich functionality.
    • Successful dates in a short span of time: The platform is efficient in helping its users go on real time dates within a small time frame.
    • Comprehensive filter and search options: the platform comes with an advanced search functionality that allows its users to do filtering of potential matches in a precise manner. This makes it easier to find ideal partners quickly.
    • Privacy protection: site gives utmost importance on its users privacy by providing options to hide profiles completely or in a selective manner.
    • 24/7 live support: the customer support is available round the clock to its users to solve any issue that they might face.
    • Robust verification for credibility: several verification methods are conducted on its users, such as email, photo, and phone validations to ensure an authentic and safe dating environment.

    Cons of using sugardaddymeet.com platform

    • Unfamiliar features: the sugardaddymeet.com platform offers so many features that some users might get overwhelmed and will have difficulty in understanding how to explore it or might take time.
    • Cost of sugar babies: unlike other sugar daddy websites that charge only for sugar daddy and not for sugar babies, the sugardaddymeet.com platform charges both parties which might be a drawback.

    Who it’s best for: well, the answer to this can be limitless, but the sugardaddymeet.com platform is best for those who are on a lookout for a transparent dating relationship with common understanding. It is for the younger ones who seek financial support along with a relationship. It is also for those older ones who are longing to feel young again, but do not want to jump into relationships.

    Join the Elite Circle of Sugar Babies – Your Dream Sugar Daddy Awaits!

    Sugar Daddy Meet Customer Reviews 

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Alina M. Toronto, Canada
    I never imagined a dating site could lead to something this magical. I met Daniel here—a thoughtful, successful gentleman who sees me for who I am, not just how I look. From candlelit dinners in Yorkville to weekend getaways in the Rockies, our connection keeps deepening. SugarDaddyMeet made it feel effortless to find someone who values both luxury and genuine affection.

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Luca R. Milan, Italy
    As a busy entrepreneur, I didn’t have time to play games. SugarDaddyMeet introduced me to Sofia, a kind and ambitious woman with elegance and heart. We share more than just lavish tastes—we share values. Whether we’re sipping Barolo on the lake or talking till sunrise, she brings out the best in me. It’s not just dating, it’s an experience of romance on a whole new level.

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Chloe W. Sydney, Australia
    When I joined, I hoped for someone mature and sincere—and that’s exactly what I found. Mark is everything I didn’t know I needed: generous with both his time and heart. From sunrise walks on Bondi Beach to private dinners overlooking the harbor, every moment feels like a chapter in a love story. SugarDaddyMeet gave me the fairytale I thought only existed in movies.

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Noah J. New York City, USA
    I was searching for more than just beauty—I wanted substance wrapped in elegance. SugarDaddyMeet helped me find Ana, a smart, stylish woman with a soft heart. Our weekends in the Hamptons, shared laughter, and romantic strolls in Central Park made me believe in real, grown-up love again. This site doesn’t just match profiles—it connects soulmates.

    Don’t Wait for Him to Find You – Take Control and Join SugarDaddyMeet!

    Free vs Paid Sugar Baby Sites: Which Is Better?

    • A lot of doubts and questions pop-up for this and we are here to tell you that most of the sugar daddy websites allow users to join for free, but for the best experience a premium membership is required. It means that you will be able to set your profile and browse on the platform for free, but you might need to pay in order to send messages, unlock certain premium features, and also see as to who has viewed your profile. 
    • For the safest and most practical experience, we recommend opting for premium membership because this will ensure that you have access to premium features which helps you understand your match better and communicate without any hindrance.

    How to Stay Safe While Using Sugar Baby Apps

    • Safety must be regarded as the most important part of using a sugar daddy website. So if you’re someone who are new to the same or have been a part of such dating websites for a while, it is very important for you to understand how to protect yourself online. And it is vital for both sugar, daddies and sugar babies to spot the red flax and follow smart and effective safety habits right from the beginning.
    • Always remember to opt for public venues for your first meeting such as cafes or restaurants. It is best to avoid private residences or secluded locations for safety purposes. If possible, inform a trusted family member of Friend about your meeting whereabouts.
    •  Discuss expectations clearly as honest discussions about what is expected mutually with your such as the frequency of meetings, financial support, and boundaries. This will ensure that both of you are on the same page.

    ⇒ Join a Top-Rated Sugar Daddy Website Today

    Sugar Dating vs. Traditional Dating: What’s the Real Difference?

    When it comes to relationships, one size doesn’t fit all. Sugar dating and traditional dating offer very different experiences—and understanding those differences can help you choose the path that truly suits your lifestyle and values.

    Traditional dating often revolves around trial and error. It can mean endless swiping, unclear intentions, and investing time in people who may not share your goals. It’s romantic, yes—but sometimes frustratingly vague. You might go on several dates before figuring out if someone wants commitment, fun, or simply attention.

    Sugar dating, on the other hand, is refreshingly direct. Both sugar babies and sugar daddies (or mommies) are upfront about what they’re looking for—whether that’s companionship, mentorship, emotional connection, or financial support. There’s no pretending. Expectations are clear, and relationships are built on mutual benefit and respect.

    In sugar dating, luxury and lifestyle aren’t side perks—they’re part of the equation. It’s dating with clarity, class, and a little extra sparkle. While traditional dating often hopes to grow into something meaningful, sugar dating begins with intention and purpose.

    So if you’re tired of mixed signals and ready for a relationship that reflects your worth, sugar dating may just be the upgrade you’ve been looking for.

    ✨ Your Perfect Sugar Daddy is Waiting – Create Your Free Profile Now!

    Tips for Creating a Successful Sugar Baby Profile

    • Choosing the right photos: Posting a mix of photos and videos helps others get a clearer sense of who you are. This kind of visual insight often draws more attention to your profile and can boost the likelihood of someone reaching out to connection
    • Writing an attractive bio: providing comprehensive information. While you are registering on the platform, helps the system accurately match you with a suitable candidate. You can include everything in the bio right from why you are seeking out for a match, what are your expectations, and what you can contribute as a partner to an individual. All these will help in highlighting your profile to a potential match.
    • Messaging tips: before starting a conversation, take some time to review the profile to understand common hobbies and interests. This will help you start a more engaging conversation.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    Is it legal to be a sugar baby?
    It is completely fine to be a sugar baby as long as the relationship is consensual and nothing illegal is undertaken in the arrangement.

    How much allowance do sugar babies usually get?
    This varies depending on location and relationship but according to the platform, most of the sugar babies receive anywhere between $2500-$5000 per month. Certain allowances are non-monetary such as vacations, tuition assistance, shopping spree, and so on.

    Are there sugar baby sites without upfront payment?
    Yes, there are several websites that offer free or free – trial memberships, which do not require any payment.

    What’s the best sugar baby app for beginners?
    We would highly recommend sugardaddymeet.com platform as it is safe, trusted, and comes with good user reviews.

    Is Sugar Dating Right for You as a Sugar Baby?

    Are you a woman who knows what she wants—and isn’t afraid to ask for it? If you dream of rooftop dinners, designer gifts, and deep conversations with someone who appreciates your beauty and brains, sugar dating might just be your perfect match.

    Being a sugar baby isn’t about gold digging—it’s about goal setting. Whether you’re building your career, funding your education, or simply love the finer things in life, sugar dating connects you with successful, sophisticated partners who get it. Think mentorship over meaningless swiping, and luxury over late-night “wyd” texts.

    Sugar dating is for the bold, the confident, and the classy. It’s for women who value their time and expect the same in return. It’s about mutual respect, clear expectations, and—let’s be honest—a little bit of sparkle.

    Of course, this lifestyle comes with responsibilities: setting boundaries, knowing your worth, and owning your power. But if you’re ready to step into a world where affection and ambition go hand in hand, sugar dating might be more than right for you—it might be your glow-up moment.

    Final Thoughts: Finding the Best Sugar Dating Site for You

    Sugar Daddy Meet stands out as a go-to platform for those exploring sugar dating, thanks to its simple, easy-to-use layout that makes finding local connections straightforward. While there’s room for improvement — like the addition of live customer chat — the site still offers a solid experience. Navigation is smooth, the links and features are clearly laid out, and the support team is responsive when needed.

    Getting started is quick, and the search tools are surprisingly effective, making it a good fit whether you’re new to this scene or have some experience. Many users describe it as a safe and dependable space where age-gap relationships are welcomed without judgment. For those seeking genuine arrangements without the hassle, Sugar Daddy Meet can be a refreshing change of pace. Some users have also claimed that they found real connection through these platforms who value their sense of living life without any thread attached. And that these connections have lasted for a long duration of time as the platform encourages one to express their expectations in the most honest way.

    Project name: SugarDaddyMeet.com
    10 – 8707 Dufferin St,
    Suite 160 Vaughan,
    Ontario L4J 0A6
    Canada
    Company website: https://www.sugardaddymeet.com/
    email: support@SugarDaddyMeet.com
    Content Accuracy Disclaimer
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    It is the responsibility of the reader to verify product information directly through the official website or manufacturer prior to making a purchasing decision. Any reliance placed on the information in this article is done strictly at your own risk.
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    All product reviews and descriptions reflect the author’s honest opinion based on available public data, user feedback, and scientific references at the time of writing. The inclusion of affiliate links does not influence the objectivity or integrity of the content. However, readers are encouraged to independently verify product information and consult with healthcare professionals prior to purchase or use.
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    Attachment

    • Sugar Daddy Meet

    The MIL Network –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Banco Santander-Chile Announces First Quarter 2025 Earnings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTIAGO, Chile, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Banco Santander Chile (NYSE: BSAC; SSE: Bsantander) announced today its results1 for the three-month period ended March 31, 2025, and first quarter 2025 (1Q25).

    Solid financial performance with a ROAE2of 25.7% in 1Q253, the fourth consecutive quarter with a ROAE of over 20%.

    As of March 31, 2025, the bank’s net income attributable to shareholders totaled $278 billion ($1.47 per share and $0.62 per ADR), representing a 131.0% YoY4 increase and an ROAE of 25.7%, compared to an ROAE of 11.2% in 1Q24. The increase in results is explained by an increase in the bank’s main revenue lines. Operating income increased 33.2% YoY, driven by better net interest and readjustment income.

    Compared to the previous quarter, 4Q24, the bank’s net income attributable to shareholders increased by 0.5%. The UF variation in 1Q25 was slightly lower than in 4Q24, which reduced QoQ5 readjustment gains. This was offset by higher fees and results from financial transactions and improved expense control. This resulted in a ROAE of 25.7% in 1Q25, marking the fourth consecutive quarter with ROAEs above 20%.

    Dividend payment of Ch$3.19 per share with a dividend yield of 5.4%. A solid CET1 ratio6of 10.7%.

    At our Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting on April 22, 2025, the distribution of 70% of our 2024 earnings, amounting to $857,623 million, was approved. These earnings represent a dividend of $3.18571574 Chilean pesos per share, for a total of $600,336 million.

    Likewise, it was approved that the remaining 30% be partially allocated to increasing the Accumulated Earnings from previous years by the amount necessary to cover the payment of the next three interest coupons on the fixed-term bonds for $29.993 billion and to increase the Bank’s Reserves and Other Retained Earnings by $227.294 billion.

    Our CET1 ratio remains at a solid 10.7% at the end of March 2025, with the overall Basel III ratio reaching 16.9%. The Bank’s capital includes a dividend payment provision of 70% of 2024 earnings and a 60% provision of 2025 earnings to date.

    Strong recovery of NIM7, reaching 4.1% in 1Q25

    Net interest and readjustment income (NII) accumulated as of March 31, 2025, increased 41.7% compared to the same period in 2024. This increase in NII was due to higher net interest income due to the impact of a lower monetary policy rate on our funding cost, which fell from 5.3% to 3.9% in 3M25. The increase is also explained by higher readjustment income, resulting from a greater variation in the UF during the quarter compared to the same quarter last year.

    Compared to 4Q24, net interest and readjustment income decreased slightly due to lower inflation in 1Q25 compared to the previous quarter.

    Given the above, the NIM increased from 2.7% in 1Q24 to 4.2% in 4Q24 to 4.1% in 1Q25.

    Gravity: Migration of our systems to the cloud. Best-in-class efficiency8of 35.0% in 1Q25.

    In 1Q25, the Bank celebrated the major milestone of the Gravity project, the migration from the Mainframe to the Cloud. In January, we transitioned processing to our new Cloud, which resulted in higher technology expenses related to the change and write-downs and impairments related to legacy systems.

    The Bank’s efficiency ratio reached 35.0% as of March 31, 2025, better than the 47.4% of the same period in the previous year. Total operating expenses (which include other expenses) decreased 1.7% in 3M25 compared to 3M24, driven by lower other operating expenses related to the restructuring of our branch network and the transformation to Work/Café.

    The customer base continues to expand, with total customers increasing by 9.4% YoY and digital customers increasing by 6.6% YoY.

    Our strategy of strengthening our digital products has led to continued growth in our customer base, reaching approximately 4.3 million customers, of which nearly 2.3 million are digital customers (88% of our active customers).

    The Bank’s market share in checking accounts remains strong at 22.5% through February 2025, driven by increased customer demand for US dollar checking accounts, as customers can open these types of accounts digitally through our platform in a few easy steps. This also demonstrates the success of Getnet’s strategy to encourage cross-selling of other products such as the Cuenta Pyme Life.

    Net commissions increased by 16.8% in 3M25, reaching recurrence levels9of 61.8%.

    Net commissions increased 16.8% in the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, driven by increased customer numbers and greater product usage. As a result, the recurrence ratio (total net commissions divided by structural support expenses) increased from 57.8% as of March 2024 to 61.8% as of March 2025, demonstrating that more than half of the Bank’s expenses are financed by commissions generated by our customers.

    Banco Santander Chile is one of the companies with the highest risk ratings in Latin America, with an A2 rating from Moody’s, A- from Standard & Poor’s, A+ from the Japan Credit Rating Agency, AA- from HR Ratings, and A from KBRA. All of our ratings have a stable outlook as of the date of this report.

    As of March 31, 2025, the bank had total assets of Ch$67,059,423 million (US$70,284 million), total gross loans (including those owed by banks) at amortized cost of Ch$41,098,666 million (US$43,075 million), total deposits of Ch$30,607,715 million (US$32,080 million), and bank owners’ equity of Ch$4,400,233 million (US$4,612 million). The BIS capital ratio was 16.9%, with a core capital ratio of 10.7%. As of March 31, 2025, Santander Chile employed 8,712 people and had 237 branches throughout Chile.

    CONTACT INFORMATION
    Cristian Vicuña
    Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Investor Relations
    Banco Santander Chile
    Bandera 140, Floor 20
    Santiago, Chile
    Email: irelations@santander.cl Website: www.santander.cl


    1 The information contained in this report is presented in accordance with Chilean Bank GAAP as defined by the Financial Markets Commission (FMC).
    2 Annualized net income attributable to shareholders of the Bank divided by the average equity attributable to equity holders
    3 The first quarter of 2025
    4 Year on year.
    5 Quarter on quarter
    6 Common Equity Tier 1 under Chilean regulation.
    7 NIM: Net interest margin. Net interest income and annualized adjustments divided by interest-earning assets.
    8 Efficiency: operating expenses including impairment and other operating expenses/ financial margin + fees+ financial transactions and net other operating income.
    9 Recurrence: net commissions divided bycore support costs.

    The MIL Network –

    May 1, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: Confirmed: Australian weapons sold to Israel, reveals Declassified Australia

    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. –

    SPECIAL REPORT: By Michelle Fahy

    The Australian counter-drone weapons system seen at a weapons demonstration in Israel recently is actually just one of a few that were sold by the Canberra-based company Electro Optic Systems (EOS) and sent through its wholly-owned US subsidiary to Israel, Declassified Australia can reveal.

    It was the ABC who broke the news of the EOS weapons system being provided for the demonstration trial. In response, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese continued to insist, as he has since the war in Gaza began, that Australia does not sell weapons to Israel.

    However the weapon displayed wasn’t just provided on loan for the demonstration – the weapon has been “sold” to the Israelis. Declassified Australia can reveal that EOS, by its own admission, sold more than one of its R400 weapons systems to the Israelis prior to the demonstration.

    • READ MORE: Other Declassified Australia reports

    An EOS company presentation, titled “2024 Full Year Results”, describes a “potential new customer” for the R400 weapon in the “Middle East” (page 36). The presentation, prepared for EOS shareholders and lodged with the Australian Stock Exchange, is dated 25 February 2025.

    EOS describes this potential new customer for its R400 as a “Preliminary” stage opportunity, valued at less-than-A$100 million, and states that more than one weapon was sold:

    “Sample products sold, demo held, discussions underway.” [Emphasis added]

    The company also points out a sense of urgency with the potential sale:

    “Potential to accelerate due to operational requirements.”

    In another section of the report (page 16), EOS reports a single entry in the “Preliminary” stage of a potential sale of R400 weapons, with the “Bid being prepared or submitted”.

    EOS states (page 36) the “estimated opportunity size” of the sale is up to “$100 million”. At a unit price per system of A$1.55 million that potential contract is enough to purchase 60 of the R400 counter-drone system.

    Under the heading “Notable Demonstrations” (page 15), EOS refers to “Counter Drone evaluation testing with New Customer”, held in January 2025, with an accompanying photograph of its R400 counter-drone cannon with five senior Israeli defence leaders posing beside it at the testing site.

    EOS itself has revealed that the new customer is clearly Israel.

    EOS states it had “supported a local prime [a major local weapons company] to demonstrate counter-drone capabilities in a high profile local demonstration”. EOS states that its R400 weapon system had “performed extremely well, earning high praise from the organisers.”

    An extract from the Electro Optic Systems (EOS) company document titled “2024 Full Year Results”, showing a photograph of the EOS R400 counter-drone weapon system that was demonstrated to gathered Israeli defence and industry officials in January 2025. Image: Electro Optic Systems

    The location of the demonstration of the Australian weapon is verified as being in Israel’s southern Negev Desert by a 5 February press release about the weapon testing, released by Israel’s Ministry of Defence.  [Note: Since publication of this article, the Press Release has been taken down from the Israeli Defense Ministry website, but is still available here, for now.]

    An Israel Defense Force photograph included with the press release, is the same photo of the R400 weapon and Israeli officials, as published in the EOS document. Israel’s Ministry of Defence also posted this video of the final demonstration event, with a firing of the EOS R400 weapons system appearing at 01:06.

    In the photograph standing behind the Australian company’s weapon are four senior Israeli defence officials, together with an Israeli defence industry CEO.

    A photo distributed with an Israel Ministry of Defense press release showing the EOS R400 counter-drone weapons system at operational trials testing advanced counter-drone technologies organised by the Directorate of Defence Research & Development in January 2025. Pictured: Acting director-general of the Israel Ministry of Defence, Itamar Graf (from left); Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz; CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Boaz Levy; Head of Israel Defence Force’s Planning and Force Build-Up Directorate, Maj.Gen. Eyal Harel; Head of the Israel Directorate of Defence Research & Development, Brig.Gen. (retd) Dr Daniel Gold. Image: Israel Ministry of Defense

    Countering drone attacks
    EOS’ powerful R400 remote weapons system has a 2km range and is renowned for its lethality and precision in targeting. Using a sophisticated gimbal, its accuracy is maintained even when the system is mounted and used atop a moving vehicle. The weapon can be seen in use on a moving vehicle here in this video clip.

    The EOS R400 is not solely a counter-drone weapons system. It can be configured to fire weapons ranging from machine guns, to 30mm cannons, automatic grenade launchers, anti-tank guided missiles and 70mm rockets, meaning it can be used against multiple types of targets in addition to drones — including people, buildings, armoured vehicles, and tanks.

    The R400 Slinger variation is marketed by EOS as a system designed solely to counter modern drone threats with a single, lethal shot.

    The Australian company’s customer in Israel is noted in the EOS company document as being an Israeli “local prime” arms manufacturer. Both Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Elbit Systems participated in the demonstration trials, each demonstrating a Counter Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) that incorporated a 30mm cannon.

    EOS sees a big future for the R400 and its suite of remote weapons systems. The EOS 2024 Financial Report was lodged with ASX on 25 February 2025. In the “Market Overview”section, it discusses weapons contracts signed in 2024, and notes (page 8) that:

    “[EOS] Defence Systems is in active discussions and contract negotiations for the provision of RWS [Remote Weapons Systems] and related components with other potential customers.”

    “Assuming the evaluation of these systems progresses positively, EOS would hope to move to sell larger, commercial quantities to these customers.” 

    EOS R-400S Mk 2 30mm Remote Weapons Station being fired while mounted to a tactical vehicle. Image: Video screen shot/Defence Technology Review Magazine

    Australia obliged to act on defence transfers
    In October 2024, the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory reported on the implementation of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) findings that Israel may be committing “genocide”.

    As reported by Kellie Tranter in Declassified Australia in November, the Australian government’s international legal responsibilities extend to investigating and regulating individuals and corporate entities who act in and from Australia to support the legally proscribed conduct of the Israeli State.

    The Commission stated:

    “Thus, the Commission recommends that any State engaged in such transfer or trade to Israel shall cease its transfer or trade until the State is satisfied that the goods and technology subject to the transfer or trade are not contributing to maintaining the unlawful occupation or to the commission of war crimes or genocide and thereafter throughout any period when the State is not so satisfied.” [Emphasis added]

    The UN Commission makes clear what trade it refers to:

    “On the issue of arms and military transfer and trade relating to Israel’s military capability, States have a duty to conduct a due diligence review of all transfer and trade agreements with Israel, including but not limited to equipment, weapons, munitions, parts, components, dual use items and technology, to determine whether the goods or technology subject to the transfer or trade contribute to maintaining the unlawful occupation or are used to commit violations of international law.” [Emphasis added]

    If the government becomes aware of an impending military transfer of weapons or technology defined above, to Israel – as the stated intentions of EOS reported here make clear – it is obliged to investigate and if necessary intervene to halt the transfer:

    “This includes both preexisting agreements and future transfers to Israel. States are obliged to demonstrate that any transfer or trade relating to military capability is not being used by Israel to maintain the unlawful occupation or commit violations of international law.” [Emphasis added]

    Words are not enough
    The Australian government and the Defence Department have continued their obfuscation of Australia’s weapons trade with Israel, as Declassified Australia has been reporting repeatedly.

    ABC television has reported how the government continues to insist no weapons or ammunition had been supplied “directly to Israel” since its latest genocidal war on Gaza began. The addition of the word “directly” is a notable change to the government’s wording, since this EOS news emerged.

    In response to the ABC report, Prime Minister Albanese said: “We do not sell arms to Israel . . .  We looked into this matter and the company has confirmed with the Department of Defence that the particular system was not exported from Australia. Australia does not export arms to Israel.”

    Declassified Australia has previously reported on the Albanese Government’s repeated and misleading use of the phrase “to Israel”. Arms companies are known for exporting their weaponry, or parts and components thereof, via third party countries in an attempt to cover their tracks.

    A defence industry source told the ABC the Australian-made components of the EOS R400 remote weapons system were assembled at the company’s wholly-owned US subsidiary in Alabama USA, before being shipped to Israel without an Australian export approval.

    Military exports, including ammunition, munitions, parts and components, do not need to travel ‘directly’ to Israel to be prohibited under the Arms Trade Treaty.

    Governments are required to find out where their weapons will, or may, end up and then make responsible decisions that comply with the treaty. A government must consider and assess the potential ‘end users’ of its military exports.

    A UN expert panel has issued repeated demands that States and companies cease all arms transfers to Israel or risk complicity in international crimes, possibly including genocide. It stated:

    “An end to transfers must include indirect transfers through intermediary countries that could ultimately be used by Israeli forces, particularly in the ongoing attacks on Gaza.…” [Emphasis added.]

    Greens’ defence spokesperson, Senator David Shoebridge, has said, “What we might be seeing here is the impact of what’s called AUKUS Pillar 2, the removal of any controls for the passage of weapons between Australia and the United States, and then Australia permitting the United States to send Australian weapons anywhere”.

    The EOS R400 remote weapon system integrated with the Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Image: US Army

    Not the first time
    EOS has a history of supplying its remote weapons systems to military regimes accused of extensive war crimes.

    During the catastrophic Yemen war which started in 2014, despite significant evidence of war crimes, EOS sold its weapons systems to both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. EOS enjoyed the full support of the Turnbull coalition government and its defence industry minister Christopher Pyne.

    In early 2019, ABC TV reported, Saudi Arabia awarded Australian weapons manufacturer EOS a contract to supply it with 500 of its R400 Remote Weapons Systems.

    The company has also benefited from the government-industry ‘revolving door’. Former chief of army, Peter Leahy, was on the EOS board from 2009 until late 2022, encompassing the period of the Yemen war. He served as the company’s chair from mid-2021 until his departure.

    The two longest-serving current members of the EOS board are former chief of air force, Geoff Brown (joined 2016) and former Labor senator for the ACT, Kate Lundy (joined 2018).

    The release of a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report in 2023 raised serious concerns about EOS and its Saudi Arabian arms deals.

    HRW’s report revealed that hundreds, possibly thousands, of unarmed migrants and asylum-seekers had been killed at the Yemen-Saudi border in the 15 months between March 2022 and June 2023, allegedly by Saudi officers.

    Human Rights Watch says it identified on Google Earth what looks like “a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle” near a Saudi border guard posts north of the Yemeni refugee trail in January 1, 2023.

    The vehicle has what appears to be “a heavy machine gun mounted in a turret on its roof”. This description closely matches the military equipment that Australia sold to Saudi Arabia a few years earlier.

    Declassified Australia put a number of questions to EOS, the Department of Defence, and the offices of the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, and the Foreign Minister. None responded to our questions on this matter.

    Michelle Fahy is an independent writer and researcher, specialising in the examination of connections between the weapons industry and government, and has written in various independent publications. She is on X @FahyMichelle, and on Substack at UndueInfluence.substack.com. This article has been republished from Declassified Australia with permission.

    This article was first published on Café Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: William Morris: new exhibition reveals how Britain’s greatest designer went viral

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marcus Waithe, Professor of Literature and the Applied Arts, University of Cambridge

    Hadrian Garrard, the curator of Morris Mania – an innovative exhibition now showing at the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, east London – tells the story of being in King’s Cross Station and spotting someone wheeling a shopping trolley covered in a plasticised Morris pattern. It reminded me of the time when a student thanked me for my teaching with a pair of Morris-themed flip-flops.

    Mugs, tea towels, notepads, handbags and all manner of other incongruous objects make up this world of Morris merchandise. Much of it is made in China and remote from the purposes William Morris had in mind. How did this Victorian designer and socialist, known for championing craftsmanship and preferring substance over style, become an icon of consumer culture?


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.


    The exhibition’s tagline – How Britain’s Greatest Designer Went Viral – makes good sense. It’s not just that Morris stages an escape from the Victorian decorative world, but that his art proliferates in uncontrolled ways. The walk from Walthamstow station lays the groundwork in this regard: exhibition posters in shop windows, end-of-terrace murals and even the civic architecture, speak of something leaking from the gallery walls.

    The first display in the exhibition tell the story of how we got here. Morris began spreading thanks to the commissions he received from aristocratic and royal clients. They were drawn to the medieval ethos of his work, and its rejection of industrialism in the arts. An important early contract was for the interiors at St James’s Palace.

    But these establishment associations soon morphed and mutated, first among the English middle classes, who welcomed Morris’s designs into their suburban villas despite his new fondness for revolution, and then more remotely: one photograph shows Morris-patterned walls at St Peterburg’s Winter Palace, taken shortly after the Bolsheviks stormed the building. The socialism as it were, is turned inside out.

    The earliest Morris merchandise was printed for a centenary exhibition at the V&A Museum in 1934. One of its patterned postcards appears in a display case, the souvenir of Morris’s own daughter, May, whose handwriting is on the back. In 1966, Morris’s designs went out of copyright, marking a watershed. Pop Victoriana and Laura Ashley floral dresses depended on it for their reproductive freedoms.

    George Harrison’s “golden lily” jacket, from the Chelsea boutique Granny Takes a Trip, stands out as a poignant example of the ways in which Morris was recut and repurposed for the counterculture.

    Morris’s “rose” pattern proves a particularly intrepid traveller, as the design chosen for the officers’ cushions on HMS Valliant, an early nuclear-powered submarine. Its onboard domesticity blends curiously with the menace of its mission.

    Three turning points prepare us for the newest forms of Morris mania. The V&A’s 1996 exhibition repopularised Morris’s work, and thanks to new digital technology, its merchandise included printed mugs.

    Then, in 2001, the British government instructed public collections to open their doors for free. In search of new income streams, museums turned to selling themed objects through their shops. The rise of China as a manufacturing hub complemented this emphasis – less by revolutionising working conditions and democratising design, as Morris had hoped, than with a flood of cheaply produced goods.

    Beyond this revealing timeline, what really impresses is the exhibition’s care in preserving distinctions. It’s particularly careful to show that going viral need not mean selling out. From Nanjing – a major centre of Chinese manufacturing – comes a poster for the 2023 exhibition Beyond William Morris at the Nanjing Museum. It attracted over a million visitors, reminding us that behind the merchandise are new wells of love and respect.

    Something similar applies at the level of making. For every sweatshop Hello Kitty, the same character appears in a beautifully crafted yukata (a casual kimono) in Liberty fabrics made in Japan.

    A Brompton Bike hangs from the wall – manufactured in London, and sporting a handsome “willow bough” livery. Likewise, a neon “strawberry thief” motif, made at Walthamstow’s God’s Own Junk Yard, rekindles the embers of local production. This emphasis extends to the exhibition’s own making. A film documents the weaving of the Axminster carpet that furnishes the main room. Even the labels were dyed by hand with weld, a natural pigment whose use Morris revived.

    In these ways, the exhibition champions ethical and bespoke production, while confronting the darker currents that move objects around our world. It also stays curious enough to push further by exploring the kitsch new frontier of “Morris” patterns generated by AI, or by populating a Victorian dresser with “crowdsourced” Morris bric-a-brac.

    There might have been more space to consider why the surface effects of pattern travel so readily, and to quote Morris’s writings on the subject. But much of that is implicit and there for audiences to follow up.

    Morris Mania excels by nurturing the joy behind all this promiscuous growth. Most pleasingly, that trolley from King’s Cross makes a reappearance, dressed here in an AI-adapted “strawberry thief”, courtesy of Sholley Trolleys, Clacton-on-Sea. Just like Morris himself, it was made in Essex.

    Morris Mania: How Britain’s Greatest Designer Went Viral is at the William Morris Gallery until September 21 2025.

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

    – ref. William Morris: new exhibition reveals how Britain’s greatest designer went viral – https://theconversation.com/william-morris-new-exhibition-reveals-how-britains-greatest-designer-went-viral-254761

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Historic Market Hall to reopen with free week of music, workshops and family fun

    Source: City of Derby

    The transformed Derby Market Hall will open with a spectacular week-long celebration packed with music, creative workshops, and family-friendly activities.

    The doors will officially open to the public at 11am on Saturday 24 May, almost 159 years to the day since its original grand opening. 

    The iconic Grade II listed building has undergone a significant £35.1 million restoration, creating a vibrant venue that brings together the best of the region’s independent shopping, eating, drinking, and entertainment under one beautiful roof.

    The Market Hall was officially declared open on 29 May 1866 by Mayor Frederick Longdon, with a special inaugural event that included a performance of Handel’s Messiah. The very performance inspired the formation of Derby Choral Union shortly afterwards.

    Exactly 159 years later, on Thursday 29 May 2025, Derby Choral Union will return to the Market Hall to celebrate the reopening with a performance of popular choral pieces, honouring their historic performance in the Market Hall. 

    The £35.1m transformation, partly funded with £9.43m from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) began with the Market Hall’s most iconic feature: the cast iron, copper, and glass roof. Designed by Melbourne engineer Rowland Mason Ordish, whose later work included the roof of London’s St Pancras railway station, this distinctive element needed significant repair.  

    As it reopens to the public, visitors will see at first hand the results of a careful, multi-million-pound restoration, aimed at preserving the rich heritage of the Grade-II listed building while also introducing modern enhancements.

    Visitors can also explore a diverse array of independent stalls and sample the cosmopolitan selection of food and drinks in the bustling food court. The opening week will also provide a taste of the exciting ongoing programme of entertainment and activities planned for the Market Hall. 

    The venue’s opening week coincides with the May half-term school break so there’s something planned for all ages! A detailed schedule of the week’s events is available on the Derby Market Hall website. All events are free of charge for visitors.

    Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, said: 

    I’m so pleased to be able to honour the historical significance of the Market Hall’s original opening ceremony by having Derby Choral Union performing a variety of popular choral pieces exactly 159 years later.

    The packed opening week programme is just the beginning and showcases how Derby Market Hall will be a vibrant flagship destination for shopping, dining and entertainment.

    The opening date is now just a few weeks away and I’m so excited for everyone to finally see the significant transformation and enjoy all the Market Hall has to offer. The transformed Market Hall will attract visitors from across the region and beyond.

    The grand opening day will kick off with the unique sounds of Deep Down Brass, setting a lively tone for the day. Throughout Saturday, visitors can enjoy live music from walkabout acts and sessions on the Market Hall stage. The musical entertainment will continue until 9:30pm, with a fantastic line-up of local talent including Carl North, Sura Laynes, Leah Wilcox, Anna Milne, and Masha Terry entertaining the crowds.

    Opening day will also feature engaging activities for all ages, including workshops in photography and illustration. Folk 3-D will guide a workshop to create beautiful paper flowers and, later, the Lost Boys will offer their innovative Ancestories Virtual Reality headset sessions for a unique and immersive experience. Some of the events and workshops will be held in the venue’s new upstairs multi-use space, the Ordish Room. The room is named after Rowland Mason Ordish, the Derbyshire-born engineer who designed the Market Hall’s iconic roof in the 1860s, in a nod to the building’s stunning built heritage. 

    The fun continues every day for the rest of the week and into the following weekend, with a packed programme featuring:

    • Live music from talented local artists on the Market Hall stage
    • Entertaining walkabout acts both indoors and outdoors, on Cornmarket and Osnabruck Square
    • Theatre performances and virtual reality sessions in the Market Hall’s multi-use space
    • Workshops in crafts, pottery, music, performance and songwriting

    Located at the heart of the city centre, linking Derbion and St Peter’s Quarter with the Cathedral Quarter and Becketwell, the redeveloped Market Hall will play a key role in widening the diversity of the city centre and is expected to generate £3.64m for the local economy every year.

    Follow Derby Market Hall on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with what’s going on. Full details of the programme of events are available on the Derby Market Hall website.

    Osnabruck Square, the space outside Derby Market Hall, is set to open in July 2025. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: YieldMax™ ETFs Announces Distributions on CONY (102.91%), FIAT (100.78%), CVNY (86.83%), ULTY (81.75%), YMAX (67.85%), and Others

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax™ today announced distributions for the YieldMax™ Weekly Payers and Group C ETFs listed in the table below.

    ETF
    Ticker
    1
    ETF Name Distribution
    Frequency
    Distribution
    per Share
    Distribution
    Rate
    2,4
    30-Day
    SEC Yield3
    ROC5 Ex-Date &
    Record Date
    Payment
    Date
    CHPY YieldMax™ Semiconductor Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.6229 – – 87.69% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    GPTY YieldMax™ AI & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.2926 38.49% 0.00% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    LFGY YieldMax™ Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.4721 65.90% 0.00% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    QDTY YieldMax™ Nasdaq 100 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.3362 43.92% 0.00% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    RDTY YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.4696 56.41% 0.00% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    SDTY YieldMax™ S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.3110 38.70% 0.00% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    ULTY YieldMax™ Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF Weekly $0.0936 81.75% 2.21% 100.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    YMAG YieldMax™ Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.1010 35.45% 69.89% 79.99% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    YMAX YieldMax™ Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.1744 67.85% 96.57% 73.04% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    ABNY YieldMax™ ABNB Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.6020 64.20% 3.62% 94.97% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    AMDY YieldMax™ AMD Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.3365 62.42% 2.97% 94.47% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    CONY YieldMax™ COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.6510 102.91% 4.42% 96.77% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    CVNY YieldMax™ CVNA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $2.6816 86.83% 2.44% 68.30% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    FIAT YieldMax™ Short COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.5618 100.78% 1.73% 0.00% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    MSFO YieldMax™ MSFT Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.5255 42.19% 3.75% 92.04% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    NFLY YieldMax™ NFLX Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.9230 64.06% 3.58% 95.72% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    PYPY YieldMax™ PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.5519 55.23% 4.19% 94.52% 5/1/25 5/2/25
    Weekly Payers & Group D ETFs scheduled for next week: CHPY GPTY LFGY QDTY RDTY SDTY ULTY YMAG YMAX AIYY AMZY APLY DISO MSTY SMCY WNTR XYZY YQQQ


    Standardized Performance and Fund details can be obtained by clicking the ETF Ticker in the table above or by visiting us at
    www.yieldmaxetfs.com

    Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling (833) 378-0717.

    Note: DIPS, FIAT, CRSH, YQQQ and WNTR are hereinafter referred to as the “Short ETFs.”

    Distributions are not guaranteed. The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield are not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs. In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from period to period and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant.

    Investors in the Funds will not have rights to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to the underlying reference asset(s).

    1All YieldMax™ ETFs shown in the table above (except YMAX, YMAG, FEAT, FIVY and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX, YMAG and FEAT have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. FIVY has a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.59% for a gross expense ratio of 0.88%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax™ ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio after the fee waiver of 1.30%. The Advisor has agreed to a fee waiver of 0.10% through at least February 28, 2026.

    2The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on April 29, 2025. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.

    3The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended March 31, 2025, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period.

    4Each ETF’s strategy (except those of the Short ETFs) will cap potential gains if its reference asset’s shares increase in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset’s shares decrease in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF. Each Short ETF’s strategy will cap potential gains if its reference asset decreases in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset increases in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF.

    5ROC refers to Return of Capital. The ROC percentage is the portion of the distribution that represents an investor’s original investment.

    Each Fund has a limited operating history and while each Fund’s objective is to provide current income, there is no guarantee the Fund will make a distribution. Distributions are likely to vary greatly in amount.

    Important Information

    This material must be preceded or accompanied by the prospectus. For all prospectuses, click here.

    Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax™ ETFs.

    THE FUND, TRUST, AND ADVISER ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY UNDERLYING REFERENCE ASSET.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable to all YieldMax ETFs referenced above, except the Short ETFs)

    YMAX, YMAG, FEAT and FIVY generally invest in other YieldMax™ ETFs. As such, these two Funds are subject to the risks listed in this section, which apply to all the YieldMax™ ETFs they may hold from time to time.

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Referenced Index Risk. The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Index (or the Index ETFs). This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of companies that comprised the Index or an ETF that tracks the Index, even though it does not.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way. Investors in the Fund will not have the right to receive dividends or other distributions or any other rights with respect to the companies that comprise the Index but will be subject to declines in the performance of the Index.

    Russell 2000 Index Risks. The Index, which consists of small-cap U.S. companies, is particularly susceptible to economic changes, as these firms often have less financial resilience than larger companies. Market volatility can disproportionately affect these smaller businesses, leading to significant price swings. Additionally, these companies are often more exposed to specific industry risks and have less diverse revenue streams. They can also be more vulnerable to changes in domestic regulatory or policy environments.

    Call Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s call writing strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in the positive price returns of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold call options and over longer periods.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of call option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in increases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Call Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, which focuses on an individual security (ARKK, TSLA, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSFT, DIS, XOM, JPM, AMD, PYPL, SQ, MRNA, AI, MSTR, Bitcoin ETP, GDX®, SNOW, ABNB, BABA, TSM, SMCI, PLTR, MARA, CVNA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GPTY)

    Artificial Intelligence Risk. Issuers engaged in artificial intelligence typically have high research and capital expenditures and, as a result, their profitability can vary widely, if they are profitable at all. The space in which they are engaged is highly competitive and issuers’ products and services may become obsolete very quickly. These companies are heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. The issuers are also subject to legal, regulatory, and political changes that may have a large impact on their profitability. A failure in an issuer’s product or even questions about the safety of the product could be devastating to the issuer, especially if it is the marquee product of the issuer. It can be difficult to accurately capture what qualifies as an artificial intelligence company.

    Technology Sector Risk. The Fund will invest substantially in companies in the information technology sector, and therefore the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.

    Risk Disclosure (applicable only to MARO)

    Digital Assets Risk: The Fund does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than the Fund. Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)

    Currency Risk: Indirect exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

    Depositary Receipts Risk: The securities underlying BABO and TSMY are American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

    Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight.

    Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)

    Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund is exposed indirectly to the securities of foreign issuers selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities.

    Risk of Investing in Gold and Silver Mining Companies. The Fund is exposed indirectly to gold and silver mining companies selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies.

    The Fund invests in options contracts based on the value of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX®), which subjects the Fund to some of the same risks as if it owned GDX®, as well as the risks associated with Canadian, Australian and Emerging Market Issuers, and Small-and Medium-Capitalization companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)

    YBIT does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than YBIT.

    Bitcoin Investment Risk: The Fund’s indirect investment in Bitcoin, through holdings in one or more Underlying ETPs, exposes it to the unique risks of this emerging innovation. Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, and its market is influenced by the changing Bitcoin network, fluctuating acceptance levels, and unpredictable usage trends.

    Digital Assets Risk: Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility. Potentially No 1940 Act Protections. As of the date of this Prospectus, there is only a single eligible Underlying ETP, and it is an investment company subject to the 1940 Act.

    Bitcoin ETP Risk: The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Bitcoin ETP. This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of the Bitcoin ETP, even though it does not. Bitcoin ETPs are subject, but not limited, to significant risk and heightened volatility. An investor in a Bitcoin ETP may lose their entire investment. Bitcoin ETPs are not suitable for all investors. In addition, not all Bitcoin ETPs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Those Bitcoin ETPs that are not registered under such statute are therefore not subject to the same regulations as exchange traded products that are so registered.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Price Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the value of the underlying reference asset. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the underlying reference asset, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, the Fund is subject to the risk that the value of the underlying reference asset increases. If the value of the underlying reference asset increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses.

    Put Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s put writing (selling) strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in decreases in the value of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold put options and over longer periods.

    Purchased OTM Call Options Risk. The Fund’s strategy is subject to potential losses if the underlying reference asset increases in value, which may not be offset by the purchase of out-of-the-money (OTM) call options. The Fund purchases OTM calls to seek to manage (cap) the Fund’s potential losses from the Fund’s short exposure to the underlying reference asset if it appreciates significantly in value. However, the OTM call options will cap the Fund’s losses only to the extent that the value of the underlying reference asset increases to a level that is at or above the strike level of the purchased OTM call options. Any increase in the value of the underlying reference asset to a level that is below the strike level of the purchased OTM call options will result in a corresponding loss for the Fund. For example, if the OTM call options have a strike level that is approximately 100% above the then-current value of the underlying reference asset at the time of the call option purchase, and the value of the underlying reference asset increases by at least 100% during the term of the purchased OTM call options, the Fund will lose all its value. Since the Fund bears the costs of purchasing the OTM calls, such costs will decrease the Fund’s value and/or any income otherwise generated by the Fund’s investment strategy.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in decreases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Put Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA, MSTR), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)

    Index Overview. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a benchmark index that includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, based on market capitalization.

    Index Level Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the Index level. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the Index, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the Index level, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Index level increases. If the Index level increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. The Fund may also be subject to the following risks: innovation and technological advancement; strong market presence of Index constituent companies; adaptability to global market trends; and resilience and recovery potential.

    Index Level Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will benefit from decreases in the Index level experienced over the Put Period. This means that if the Index level experiences a decrease in value below the strike level of the sold put options during a Put Period, the Fund will likely not experience that increase to the same extent and any Fund gains may significantly differ from the level of the Index losses over the Put Period. Additionally, because the Fund is limited in the degree to which it will participate in decreases in value experienced by the Index level over each Put Period, but has significant negative exposure to any increases in value experienced by the Index level over the Put Period, the NAV of the Fund may decrease over any given period. The Fund’s NAV is dependent on the value of each options portfolio, which is based principally upon the inverse of the performance of the Index level. The Fund’s ability to benefit from the Index level decreases will depend on prevailing market conditions, especially market volatility, at the time the Fund enters into the sold put option contracts and will vary from Put Period to Put Period. The value of the options contracts is affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of component companies that comprise the Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the Index and the remaining time to the options’ expiration, as well as trading conditions in the options market. As the Index level changes and time moves towards the expiration of each Put Period, the value of the options contracts, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, will change. However, it is not expected for the Fund’s NAV to directly inversely correlate on a day-to-day basis with the returns of the Index level. The amount of time remaining until the options contract’s expiration date affects the impact that the value of the options contracts has on the Fund’s NAV, which may not be in full effect until the expiration date of the Fund’s options contracts. Therefore, while changes in the Index level will result in changes to the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally anticipates that the rate of change in the Fund’s NAV will be different than the inverse of the changes experienced by the Index level.

    YieldMax™ ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Tidal Financial Group, or YieldMax™ ETFs.

    © 2025 YieldMax™ ETFs

    The MIL Network –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Chief Executives appointed to lead TRA

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    New Chief Executives appointed to lead TRA

    The UK Trade Remedies Authority has confirmed the appointment of Jessica Blakely and Carmen Suarez as Chief Executives in a jobshare arrangement.

    The UK Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has today confirmed the appointment of Jessica Blakely and Carmen Suarez as Chief Executives in a jobshare arrangement. They will take up the role from 2 June.

    The Trade Remedies Authority is the UK’s independent public body responsible for investigating allegations of unfair trading practices and unforeseen surges in imports that cause injury to UK industry. It makes evidence-based recommendations to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. 

    The TRA’s Chair Nick Baird recently met with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade to agree how during the current global trade turmoil, the TRA will be stepping up its active data monitoring of emerging trade risks to help the Government spot and tackle the potential dumping of unfairly low-priced goods into the UK.

    New leadership on trade remedies

    Jessica and Carmen join the TRA from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and have held a number of senior roles both within and outside government, with a particular focus on trade, investment and regulation.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:  

    “This Government is standing up for our national interest, and as part of our Plan for Change, creating a level playing field where UK businesses can thrive and grow.

    The work of the TRA has never been more important in achieving this objective, and I’m delighted to welcome Jessica and Carmen to their new role. Their skills will be vital to ensure the TRA continues to protect British producers from unfairly low-priced imports.”

    Jessica and Carmen have jobshared since 2017. Their senior roles together have included: leading the Department for Business’ (BEIS) analytical work on EU Exit and international trade; the coordination of the UK Government work on no-deal business readiness; Senior Responsible Officers (SROs) for the level playing field chapter of the UK/EU trade negotiations (including subsidy control and remedial measures); establishing the UK’s domestic subsidy control regime; leading on Brexit Opportunities and regulatory reform in Cabinet Office; and most recently, leading the delivery of local growth funds and Freeports in MHCLG.

    Before joining the Civil Service, Jessica’s career featured 12 years working in Investment Banking, providing strategic and financial advice to CEOs and boards of directors on mergers, acquisitions and capital raisings in London, Singapore and Sydney. After joining the Civil Service in 2010, she led analytical work in BEIS’ Better Regulation Executive and then the Europe Directorate.

    Carmen joined the Civil Service in 2017 from the Financial Conduct Authority, where she led on embedding competition in financial regulation. Previously, she worked at the Competition and Markets Authority and Office of Fair Trading. including as lead on a number of market studies and head of evaluation. Before these Civil Service roles, she was Chief Economist at the National Farmers Union of England and Wales.

    TRA Chair Nick Baird said: ‘I am delighted that two leaders of Jessica and Carmen’s quality have joined us at this turbulent time in the international trade environment. They have exactly the skills and experience to lead the TRA through the changes that are needed to help UK business navigate this new world.’

    New appointees Carmen and Jessica said: “We are thrilled to be joining the TRA and look forward to working with its Board, staff and stakeholders to ensure that trade remedies, particularly at this crucial time, are a cornerstone of the UK’s international standing and growth ambitions.”

    Background Information

    • Trade remedy measures are a trade defence tool to protect domestic industries against injury caused by unfair trade practices or unforeseen increases in imports. They are a specific type of tariffs allowed under World Trade Organization rules when specific criteria are met (evidence of dumping, subsidy or a surge in imports). They usually take the form of an additional duty placed on imports of specific products, which are collected by HMRC prior to a good entering into free circulation.
    • The TRA has been led by Steve O’Donoghue as interim Chief Executive since March 2025, when the TRA’s previous Chief Executive Oliver Griffiths left to take up a new role – TRA announces interim CEO and confirms board leadership – GOV.UK.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 30 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Axi Celebrates Axi Select’s Two $1M Funded Traders in Sydney, Australia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SYDNEY, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Leading online FX and CFD broker Axi proudly announced a few months ago their first-ever Axi Select traders to have reached the Pro M stage of their capital allocation program, with each securing $1 million in funding.

    To celebrate this major milestone and their remarkable achievement, the two traders, Francisco Quesada Godines and Daniel Gutiérrez Viñas, visited Axi’s headquarters in Sydney, Australia, where they were formally inducted into the Axi Pro Hall of Fame, and were presented with their $1M cheques, celebration trophies, and certificates of achievement. The visit also included a series of interviews where the traders reflected on their trading journey with Axi Select, their strategies to reaching the top milestone of the program, and the unique opportunities that the program provides.

    Rajesh Yohannan, Chief Executive Officer of Axi, shared his excitement for the program’s success, noting “The value of Axi Select extends far beyond funding. Both Francisco and Daniel benefitted from an array of support features such as the EDGE score, our dashboard and leaderboard, our exclusive trading room, and our vast educational resources, each one designed to elevate traders’ edge in the markets.”

    Following the incredible news of Axi Select’s first two $1,000,000 funded traders, 22-year-old Kayan Freitas also joined the ranks of Pro M traders, accessing the top funding amount. Reflecting on his success, the trader commented that “It’s a big responsibility”, but, at the same time, is confident in his skills and is ready to rise to the challenge.

    Launched in 2023, Axi Select offers traders the opportunity to access capital funding up to $1,000,000 USD and earn up to 90% of their profits. Moreover, Axi Select traders benefit from $0 membership fees*, trading on a live account, unrestrictive trading conditions, an exclusive trading room, and more.

    Watch video https://youtu.be/25ZOZBFUB3Y?si=QQuj4uDnxG-BJ8_g

    The Axi Select programme is only available to clients of AxiTrader Limited. CFDs carry a high risk of investment loss. In our dealings with you, we will act as a principal counterparty to all of your positions. This content is not available to AU, NZ, EU and UK residents. For more information, refer to our Terms of Service. * Standard trading fees and minimum deposit apply.  

    About Axi

    Axi is a global online FX and CFD trading company, with thousands of customers in 100+ countries worldwide. Axi offers CFDs for several asset classes including Forex, Shares, Gold, Oil, Coffee, and more.

    For more information or additional comments from Axi, please contact: mediaenquiries@axi.com

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/af0cd73a-fe85-42d6-891a-4348cc3016d4

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0a6eebca-9de1-4c28-86c6-97a19edd13cd

    The MIL Network –

    April 30, 2025
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