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Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI: LET Mining launches smart cloud mining to easily earn passive income

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the rapid development of digital assets, more and more people are looking for ways to participate in the cryptocurrency market without frequent operations, lower risks and more stable returns. To meet this demand, LET Mining officially launched a new generation of smart cloud mining services, allowing users to start a stable and efficient passive income path with just one click.

    What is smart cloud mining?
    Smart cloud mining is a computing power leasing method based on cloud technology and artificial intelligence. Users do not need to buy mining machines, do not need technical experience, and do not need to bear equipment operation and maintenance and high electricity costs. They only need to choose a computing power package, and the system will automatically deploy it to global data centers for mining operations.

    LET Mining‘s “Smart Cloud Mining” system further optimizes the efficiency and experience of traditional cloud mining-introducing AI computing power scheduling, green energy mining and revenue prediction models to make the revenue more stable and controllable, and truly realize “easy participation and automatic revenue”.

    How to start LET Mining?
    1. Log in and quickly register an account to get a free $12 reward
    2. Use $12 to buy a cloud mining contract, or buy a cloud mining contract that suits your investment strategy

    contract Investment Amount Contract duration Total income
    Experience Contract $100 2 days $100 + $8
    BTC Classic Hash Power $500 5 days $500 + $30
    BTC Classic Hash Power $1,400 12 days $1,400 + $216.72
    DOGE Classic Hash Power $3,000 22 days $3,000 + $904.2
    BTC Advanced Hash Power $8,000 37 days $8,000 + $4736

    (Click to view more high-yield cloud mining contracts)
    Get income every day, and you can continue to buy contracts or withdraw funds

    What are the advantages of LET Mining?
    ✅ One-click start, no equipment required
    Users do not need to download software or configure hardware, just select the computing power package on the platform to start the mining process with one click.

    ✅ Support multiple currencies
    The platform supports a variety of mainstream crypto assets, including:
    Bitcoin (BTC): the representative of digital gold;
    Ripple (XRP): extremely fast settlement speed, suitable for quick remote mining;
    Dogecoin (DOGE): active community, large fluctuations but great potential.

    ✅ Stable passive income arrives daily
    The system settles mining income daily and automatically distributes it to the user account, so that daily passive income can be achieved without any operation.

    ✅ AI intelligent computing power scheduling
    Through the background algorithm system, the platform will automatically switch to the optimal mining mode according to the real-time difficulty, computing power market supply and demand and currency market dynamics to improve the overall profit performance.

    ✅ Green and environmentally friendly, low-carbon mines 
    LET Mining is committed to sustainable development. Its mines are located in areas rich in green energy such as Iceland, Canada, and Northern Europe. It fully adopts clean energy such as hydropower and wind power, taking into account both income and environmental protection.

    Passive income is no longer out of reach
    Whether you are a cryptocurrency novice or a long-term holder who hopes to increase the value of your assets, LET Mining provides you with a convenient, safe, and low-threshold mining solution. Especially for those who don’t have time to watch the market, are not good at trading, but want to participate in the blockchain economy, smart cloud mining is undoubtedly an ideal way to passive income.

    Conclusion
    With the launch of LET Mining smart cloud mining, “let your assets work for you” is no longer just a slogan, but a real and feasible path. No matter where you are, you can join the global digital mining network and achieve stable daily income in just a few steps. Sign up for LET Mining now and start a new chapter in your crypto passive income.
    (Click to download the APP)

    For media inquiries, please contact:
    LETMining
    info@letmining.com
    21 Mansell Street, London, U.K.
    https://letmining.com/

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Westport to Issue Q2 2025 Financial Results on August 11, 2025 and Provides an Update on the Divestment of the Light-Duty Segment

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Westport Fuel Systems Inc. (TSX: WPRT / Nasdaq: WPRT) (“Westport” or “The Company”) announces that the Company will release Q2 2025 financial results on Monday, August 11, 2025, after market close. A conference call and webcast to discuss the financial results and other corporate developments will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.

    Time: 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT)
    Call Link: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI842f3b76bd5b44c7aee3e609a6cc77b3
    Webcast: https://investors.westport.com

    Participants may register up to 60 minutes before the event by clicking on the call link and completing the online registration form. Upon registration, the user will receive dial-in info and a unique PIN, along with an email confirming the details.

    The webcast will be archived on Westport’s website and a replay will be available at https://investors.westport.com

    Light-Duty Divestment Transaction Update

    Westport today reaffirms its commitment to the pending sale of its Light-Duty Segment to a wholly-owned investment vehicle of Heliaca Investments Coöperatief U.A. (“Heliaca Investments”), a Netherlands based investment firm supported by Ramphastos Investments Management B.V. a prominent Dutch venture capital and private equity firm (the “Transaction”), first announced in March 2025. The closing of the Transaction is now expected to occur in July 2025, slightly later than originally anticipated. The revised timeline reflects an updated regulatory review process. The Company continues to work closely with all parties as the remaining conditions to close are finalized.

    About Westport Fuel Systems

    At Westport Fuel Systems, we are driving innovation to power a cleaner tomorrow. We are a leading supplier of advanced fuel delivery components and systems for clean, low-carbon fuels such as natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane, and hydrogen to the global transportation industry. Our technology delivers the performance and fuel efficiency required by transportation applications and the environmental benefits that address climate change and urban air quality challenges. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with operations in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America, we serve our customers in approximately 70 countries with leading global transportation brands. At Westport Fuel Systems, we think ahead. For more information, visit www.westport.com.

    Investor Inquiries:
    Investor Relations
    T: +1 604-718-2046
    E: invest@westport.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: AGF Announces Results of Special Meetings of Securityholders and Implementation of Certain Fund Changes Approved by Securityholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following special meetings of securityholders held on June 26, 2025, AGF Investments Inc. (AGF Investments) today announced that securityholders approved the proposed changes to the investment objectives of AGF Short-Term Income Class and AGF Global Sustainable Growth Equity Fund (each a “Fund”, and collectively, the “Funds”), as follows:

    Fund Current Investment Objective Proposed Investment Objective
    AGF Short-Term Income Class The Fund’s objective is to provide maximum income while preserving capital and liquidity. It invests primarily in short-term instruments, government guaranteed securities and corporate paper with a minimum A credit rating. The Fund’s objective is to provide maximum income, while preserving capital and liquidity. It invests primarily in Canadian money market instruments, such as Canadian treasury bills.
    AGF Global Sustainable Growth Equity Fund The Fund’s investment objective is to provide long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity securities, globally, which fit the Fund’s concept of sustainable development. The Fund’s investment objective is to provide long-term capital appreciation by investing in companies that are delivering a positive sustainability impact by providing solutions to the key challenges in sustainable development.
         

    The new investment objectives will be implemented by AGF Investments by an amendment to the simplified prospectus of the Funds, on or about July 15, 2025. In connection with the investment objective changes, the following changes will also be made to the Funds on or about July 15:

    • Strategy Changes: The investment strategies of the Funds will be amended to align with the new investment objectives of the Funds, as further detailed in the management information circular referenced below.
    • Name Change: AGF Short-Term Income Class will change its name to AGF Canadian Money Market Class.

    At the meetings, securityholders also approved changes to the capital structure of AGF All World Tax Advantage Group Limited, as per disclosure included in the management information circular.

    Additional information regarding the changes in investment objective, and other associated changes, is provided in the Funds’ management information circular, which is available on www.AGF.com and www.sedarplus.ca.

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual fund securities are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or by any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurances the fund will be able to obtain its net asset value at a constant amount or that the full amount of your investment in the fund will be returned to you. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

    About AGF Management Limited

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

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

    Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, AGF has investment operations and client servicing teams on the ground in North America and Europe. With over $53 billion in total assets under management and fee-earning assets, AGF serves more than 815,000 investors. AGF trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AGF.B.

    About AGF Investments

    AGF Investments is a group of wholly owned subsidiaries of AGF Management Limited, a Canadian reporting issuer. The subsidiaries included in AGF Investments are AGF Investments Inc. (AGFI), AGF Investments America Inc. (AGFA), AGF Investments LLC (AGFUS) and AGF International Advisors Company Limited (AGFIA). The term AGF Investments may refer to one or more of these subsidiaries or to all of them jointly. This term is used for convenience and does not precisely describe any of the separate companies, each of which manages its own affairs.

    AGF Investments entities only provide investment advisory services or offers investment funds in the jurisdiction where such firm and/or product is registered or authorized to provide such services.

    AGF Investments Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AGF Management Limited and conducts the management and advisory of mutual funds in Canada.

    Media Contact

    Amanda Marchment
    Director, Corporate Communications
    416-865-4160
    amanda.marchment@agf.com  

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: One bad rainstorm away from disaster: why proposed changes to forestry rules won’t solve the ‘slash’ problem

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Bloomberg, Adjunct Senior Fellow, Te Kura Ngahere-New Zealand School of Forestry, University of Canterbury

    Murry Cave/Gisborne District Council, CC BY-SA

    The biggest environmental problems for commercial plantation forestry in New Zealand’s steep hill country are discharges of slash (woody debris left behind after logging) and sediment from clear-fell harvests.

    During the past 15 years, there have been 15 convictions of forestry companies for slash and sediment discharges into rivers, on land and along the coastline.

    Such discharges are meant to be controlled by the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry, which set environmental rules for forestry activities such as logging roads and clear-fell harvesting. The standards are part of the Resource Management Act (RMA), which the government is reforming.

    The government revised the standards’ slash-management rules in 2023 after Cyclone Gabrielle. But it it is now consulting on a proposal to further amend the standards because of cost, uncertainty and compliance issues.

    We believe the proposed changes fail to address the core reasons for slash and sediment discharges.

    We recently analysed five convictions of forestry companies under the RMA for illegal discharges. Based on this analysis, which has been accepted for publication in the New Zealand Journal of Forestry, we argue that the standards should set limits to the size and location of clear-felling areas on erosion-susceptible land.

    Why the courts convicted 5 forestry companies

    In the aftermath of destructive storms in the Gisborne district during June 2018, five forestry companies were convicted for breaches of the RMA for discharges of slash and sediment from their clear-fell harvesting operations. These discharges resulted from landslides and collapsed earthworks (including roads).

    There has been a lot of criticism of forestry’s performance during these storms and subsequent events such as Cyclone Gabrielle. However, little attention has been given to why the courts decided to convict the forestry companies for breaches of the RMA.

    The courts’ decisions clearly explain why the sediment and slash discharges happened, why the forestry companies were at fault, and what can be done to prevent these discharges in future on erosion-prone land.

    New Zealand’s plantation forest land is ranked for its susceptibility to erosion using a four-colour scale, from green (low) to red (very high). Because of the high erosion susceptibility, additional RMA permissions (consents) for earthworks and harvesting are required on red-ranked areas.

    This map shows areas with the highest and lowest susceptibility to erosion.
    David Palmer/Te Uru Rākau, CC BY-SA

    New Zealand-wide, only 7% of plantation forests are on red land. A further 17% are on orange (high susceptibility) land. But in the Gisborne district, 55% of commercial forests are on red land. This is why trying to manage erosion is such a problem in Gisborne’s forests.

    Key findings from the forestry cases

    In all five cases, the convicted companies had consents from the Gisborne District Council to build logging roads and clear-fell large areas covering hundreds or even thousands of hectares.

    A significant part of the sediment and slash discharges originated from landslides that were primed to occur after the large-scale clear-fell harvests. But since the harvests were lawful, these landslides were not relevant to the decision to convict.

    Instead, all convictions were for compliance failures where logging roads and log storage areas collapsed or slash was not properly disposed of, even though these only partly contributed to the collective sediment and slash discharges downstream.

    The court concluded that:

    1. Clear-fell harvesting on land highly susceptible to erosion required absolute compliance with resource consent conditions. Failures to correctly build roads or manage slash contributed to slash and sediment discharges downstream.

    2. Even with absolute compliance, clear-felling on such land was still risky. This was because a significant portion of the discharges were due to the lawful activity of cutting down trees and removing them, leaving the land vulnerable to landslides and other erosion.

    The second conclusion is critical. It means that even if forestry companies are fully compliant with the standards and consents, slash and sediment discharges can still happen after clear-felling. And if this happens, councils can require companies to clean up these discharges and prevent them from happening again.

    This is not a hypothetical scenario. Recently, the Gisborne District Council successfully applied to the Environment Court for enforcement orders requiring clean-up of slash deposits and remediation of harvesting sites. If the forestry companies fail to comply, they can be held in contempt of court.

    A typical scale of clear-felling affected by the June 2018 storms.
    Murry Cave/Gisborne District Council, CC BY-SA

    Regulations are not just red tape

    This illustrates a major problem with the standards that applies to erosion-susceptible forest land everywhere in New Zealand, not just in the Gisborne district. Regulations are not just “red tape”. They provide certainty to businesses that as long as they are compliant, their activities should be free from legal prosecution and enforcement.

    The courts’ decisions and council enforcement actions show that forestry companies can face considerable legal risk, even if compliant with regulatory requirements for earthworks and harvesting.

    Clear-felled forests on erosion-prone land are one bad rainstorm away from disaster. But with well planned, careful harvesting of small forest areas, this risk can be kept at a tolerable level.

    However, the standards and the proposed amendments do not require small clear-fell areas on erosion-prone land. If this shortcoming is not fixed, communities and ecosystems will continue to bear the brunt of the discharges from large-scale clear-fell harvests.

    To solve this problem, the standards must proactively limit the size and location of clear-felling areas on erosion-prone land. This will address the main cause of catastrophic slash and sediment discharges from forests, protecting communities and ecosystems. And it will enable forestry companies to plan their harvests with greater confidence that they will not be subject to legal action.

    Mark Bloomberg receives funding from the government’s Envirolink fund and from local authorities and forestry companies. He is a member of the NZ Institute of Forestry and the NZ Society of Soil Science.

    Steve Urlich 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. One bad rainstorm away from disaster: why proposed changes to forestry rules won’t solve the ‘slash’ problem – https://theconversation.com/one-bad-rainstorm-away-from-disaster-why-proposed-changes-to-forestry-rules-wont-solve-the-slash-problem-258280

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The drought in southern Australia is not over – it just looks that way

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew B. Watkins, Associate research scientist, School of Earth, Atmopshere & Environment, Monash University

    Andrew Watkins

    How often do you mow your lawn in winter? That may seem like an odd way to start a conversation about drought. But the answer helps explain why our current drought has not broken, despite recent rain – and why spring lamb may be more expensive this year.

    Southern Australia has been short of rain for 16 months. Western Victoria, the agricultural regions of South Australia (including Adelaide) and even parts of western Tasmania are suffering record dry conditions. Those rainfall measurements began in 1900 (126 years ago).

    Large parts of southeastern Australia have experienced the lowest rainfall on record over the past 16 months. Serious deficiency means among the driest 10% of such periods on record, Severe deficiency means among the driest 5%.
    Bureau of Meteorology

    Fewer and less intense rain-bearing weather systems have been crossing the southern coastline since February 2024, compared to normal. Put simply, the land has not received enough big dumps of rain.

    But June has finally brought rain to some drought-affected regions. There’s even an emerald green tinge to the fields in certain agricultural areas. But it’s now too cold for plants to really grow fast, meaning farmers will be carting hay and buying extra feed for livestock until the weather warms in spring.

    Lambs in the Adelaide Hills have little to eat without extra feed.
    Saskia Jones

    Too little, too late

    This month, some areas received good rainfall – including places near Melbourne and, to a lesser degree, Adelaide. City people may be forgiven for thinking the drought has broken and farmers are rejoicing. But drought is not that simple.

    Unfortunately, the rainfall was inconsistent, especially further inland. The coastal deluge in parts of southern Australia in early June didn’t extend far north. Traditionally, the start of the winter crop-growing season is marked by 25mm of rain over three days – a so-called “autumn break”. But many areas didn’t receive the break this year.

    The lack of rain (meteorological drought) compounded the lack of water in the soil for crops and pasture (agricultural drought). Parts of Western Australia, SA, Victoria, Tasmania and southern New South Wales had little moisture left in their soils. So some rain is quickly soaked up as it drains into deeper soils.

    To make matters worse, autumn was the warmest on record for southern Australia, following its second-warmest summer on record. This can increase the “thirst” of the atmosphere, meaning any water on the surface is more likely to evaporate. Recent thirsty droughts, such as the 2017–19 Tinderbox Drought in NSW, were particularly hard-hitting.

    Some areas may have experienced “flash drought”, which is when the landscape and vegetation dry up far quicker than you would expect from the lack of rain alone. By May, areas of significantly elevated evaporative stress were present in southeastern SA, Victoria, southern NSW and northern Tasmania.

    In late May and early June, and again this week, there have been winter dust storms in SA. Such dust storms are a bad sign of how dry the ground has become.

    Some regions no longer have enough water to fill rivers and dams (hydrological drought). Water restrictions have been introduced in parts of southwest Victoria and Tasmania. The bureau’s streamflow forecast does not look promising.

    The landscape near Mortlake in western Victoria was still dry in late May. Typically the autumn break (first post-summer rain event of more than 25 mm) occurs here by early May.
    Andrew Watkins

    A green drought

    Remember that lawn mowing analogy? The winter chill has already set in across the south. This means it’s simply too cold for any vigorous new grass growth, and why you are not mowing your lawn very often at the moment.

    Cool temperatures, rather than just low rainfall, also limit pasture growth. While from a distance the rain has added an emerald sheen to some of the landscape, it’s often just a green tinge. Up close, it’s clear there is very limited new growth.

    Rather than abundant and vigorous new shoots, there’s just a little bit of green returning to surviving grasses. This means there’s very limited feed for livestock. To make matters worse, sometimes the green comes from better-adapted winter weeds.

    There will be a lot of hay carting, regardless of rainfall, until spring when the soils start to warm up once again and new growth returns. This all adds up to fewer stock kept in paddocks or a big extra cost in time and money for farmers – and ultimately, a more expensive spring lamb barbecue.

    Is this climate change?

    Southern Australia (southern WA, SA, Tasmania, Victoria and southern NSW) used to experience almost weekly rain events in autumn and early winter. Cold fronts and deep low-pressure systems rolling in from the west brought the bulk of the rainfall.

    Now there is a far more sporadic pattern in these regions. Rainfall in the April to October crop and pasture growing season has declined by around 10–20% since the middle of last century. The strongest drying trend is evident during the crucial months between April and July.

    Further reductions in southern growing season rainfall are expected by the end of this century, especially in southwestern Australia. Southeastern regions, including southern Victoria, parts of SA and northern Tasmania, also show a consistent drying trend, with a greater time spent in drought every decade.

    Drought is complex. Just because it’s raining doesn’t always mean it has rained enough, or at the right time, or in the right place. To make matters worse, a green drought can even deceive us into thinking everything is fine.

    Breaking the meteorological drought will require consistent rainfall over several months. Breaking the agricultural drought will also require more warmth in the soils. Outlooks suggest we may have to wait for spring.

    This article includes scientific contributions from David Jones and Pandora Hope from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.



    Read more:
    Why is southern Australia in drought – and when will it end?

    Ailie Gallant receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub.

    Pallavi Goswami works at Monash University. She receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program, Climate Systems Hub.

    Andrew B. Watkins 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. The drought in southern Australia is not over – it just looks that way – https://theconversation.com/the-drought-in-southern-australia-is-not-over-it-just-looks-that-way-259543

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: Yorkville Acquisition Corp. Announces Pricing of $150,000,000 Initial Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Mountainside, NJ, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Yorkville Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) announced today the pricing of its initial public offering of 15,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit. The units are expected to be listed on The Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”) and trade under the ticker symbol “YORKU” beginning June 27, 2025. Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-third of one redeemable warrant, each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to certain adjustments. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and warrants are expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “YORK” and “YORKW”, respectively. The underwriter has been granted a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,250,000 units offered by the Company to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering is expected to close on June 30, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

    Clear Street is acting as the sole book-running manager in the offering. D. Boral Capital LLC is acting as co-manager of the offering. DLA Piper LLP (US) is serving as legal counsel to the Company and Maples and Calder (Cayman LLP) is serving as Cayman Islands legal counsel to the Company. Loeb & Loeb LLP is serving as legal counsel to Clear Street.

    A registration statement on Form S-1 (333-286569) relating to these securities sold in the initial public offering has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and was declared effective on June 26, 2025. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained, when available, from Clear Street, Attn: Syndicate Department, 150 Greenwich Street, 45th floor, New York, NY 10007, by email at ecm@clearstreet.io, or from the SEC website at www.sec.gov.

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

    About Yorkville Acquisition Corp.

    The Company is a blank check company incorporated in the Cayman Islands as an exempted company incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The Company has not selected any specific business combination target and has not, nor has anyone on its behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination. While the Company may pursue a business combination target in any business or industry, it intends to focus its search for businesses at the intersection of media, technology, and entertainment.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the registration statement and related preliminary prospectus filed in connection with the initial public offering with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.

    Contact Information

    Yorkville Acquisition Corp.
    1012 Springfield Avenue
    Mountainside, New Jersey 07092 

    Kevin McGurn
    Chief Executive Officer
    Email: kjmcgurn@gmail.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 2026 Annual Meetings: High-level African Development Bank delegation on consultation mission in Brazzaville

    Source: African Development Bank Group
    A high-level delegation from the African Development Bank, led by the Secretary General, Vincent Nmehielle and the Director General for Central Africa, Léandre Bassolé, has concluded a consultation mission to the Republic of Congo in preparations for the Bank’s 2026 Annual Meetings which will be hosted in Brazzaville.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Spotlight on NDC 3.0: Scaling Ambition and Action in Africa at SB62 Side Event

    Source: African Development Bank Group

    As countries gathered in Bonn for the 62nd session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB62), a high-level side event titled “Making the Investment Case for African NDCs”, co-organized by the African Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), brought much-needed focus to the importance of making African Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) more holistic, implementable, and investment-ready.

    The event provided a timely platform to elevate African perspectives and showcase ongoing efforts to align climate ambition with long-term development priorities and financial viability as countries prepare their next generation of NDCs (NDC 3.0).

    Opening the discussion, Margaret Athieno Mwebesa, Commissioner of Uganda’s Climate Change Department, welcomed the Bank’s ongoing technical support in conducting the stock take for Uganda’s current Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) as part of the NDC 3.0 process. She emphasized the critical link between financing and implementation, noting:

    “Without investments, our NDCs are as good as useless. With less than 10% of Uganda’s NDC financing mobilized as of 2024, we must do more to make our climate plans truly bankable.”

    In a compelling keynote, Prof. Anthony Nyong, Director for Climate Change and Green Growth at the African Development Bank, highlighted the urgency of scaling support for climate investment in Africa and the need for strengthened partnerships: “Africa does not lack ambition. What it needs is partnership, investment, and systems-level support,” he stated. “Let us move beyond doom and gloom. Africa is ripe for climate-smart investment—home to 70 percent of its infrastructure yet to be built, rich in renewables, and holding vast reserves of arable land and critical minerals.”

    He also highlighted the Bank’s Climate financing milestones—growing from nine percent to 55 percent climate finance commitment between 2016 – 2023 and outlined tools such as the Africa NDC Hub, Adaptation Benefits Mechanism, and Climate Action Window, all designed to unlock investment-ready, country-driven climate actions.

    Ms. Sung-Ah Kyun, Associate Director of Climate Strategy and Delivery of the EBRD and co-Chair of the MDB Policy and Country/Client Engagement Working Group, added, “MDBs have been collectively working to support countries in developing and implementing their NDCs and LTS, including at sectoral and subnational levels, and are accelerating these efforts through the MDB LTS Program, launched at COP28 and hosted under World Bank’s Climate Support Facility”

    The event featured a moderated country dialogue, exploring the evolving experiences of Botswana, Ghana, and Zimbabwe in developing and implementing their NDCs.

    Representing Ghana, Seidu Issifu, Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, reflected on Ghana’s progress and outlook. He emphasized the country’s financing needs—between $9.3 billion and $15 billion for the 2021–2030 period—and called for increased support in identifying and scaling sectoral investment opportunities, especially in energy, transport, and agriculture.

    From Botswana, Balisi Gopolang, Director of Climate Change, shared lessons learned from their second NDC submission. He noted that while the initial INDC process was new and unfamiliar, Botswana is now better positioned to mobilize partnerships, with a focus on energy investments that span both mitigation and adaptation goals.

    Lovemore Dhoba, Deputy Director for Climate Change in Zimbabwe, presented the country’s recently submitted NDC 3.0, which prioritizes the integration of cross-cutting issues such as gender and youth. He reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to aligning climate ambitions with development priorities through effective institutional coordination.

    The panel discussion, moderated by Uzoamaka Nwamarah, Climate Change Advisor, The Commonwealth Secretariat, brought together experts from development partners and UN agencies to reflect on how they are supporting African countries in strengthening NDCs.

    Davinah Milenge Uwella, Chief Programme Coordinator at the African Development Bank, spoke about Africa NDC Hub, hosted by the Bank, which brings together 21 other member partners to coordinate Technical Assistance support to African countries to prepare and implement NDCs, Long-Term Strategies, National Adaptation Plans and Biennial Transparency Report.

    She emphasized the Africa NDC Hub’s ongoing role in providing coordinated technical assistance, with over 10 countries provided with NDC and strategies development support. Paola Ridolfi, Climate Change Adviser at the World Bank, emphasized the importance of evidence-based investment planning and highlighted the role of the World Bank’s Country Climate and Development Reports in unlocking climate finance and aligning investments with development pathways.

    From UNDP, Catherine Diam-Valla, Co-Lead of the UNDP Climate Promise 2025, highlighted the broad footprint of the Climate Promise initiative, supporting countries to embed NDCs into national development frameworks, strengthen climate budgeting and transparency systems, and build access to carbon markets.

    Chiagozie Udeh, Programme Specialist at UNFPA, stressed the need for NDCs to reflect population dynamics, gender equality, and youth empowerment for inclusive, people-centered climate action. “The climate crisis is not just about emissions—it’s about people. We must ensure our NDCs are responsive to social realities.”

    The session also featured a technical presentation by Lucy Naydenova, Adaptation Benefits Mechanism Expert at the African Development Bank, on a practical guide for a holistic approach to NDC 3.0, focusing on how adaptation outcomes can be monetized to crowd in private investment.

    Prof. Nyong concluded by affirming the “Bank’s commitment to working hand-in-hand with partners—governments, MDBs, the private sector, and civil society to ensure that Africa’s climate goals are not only well-articulated, but well-financed and effectively implemented.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: How the Bank’s Africa Circular Economy Facility nurtures the creativity of young entrepreneurs in Rwanda

    Source: African Development Bank Group
    It’s a warm morning in Kigali. Motorbikes weave through early traffic, shopkeepers arrange displays, and entrepreneurs bustle in pursuit of their ideas. Rwanda is home to over 4 million youth aged between 14 and 35 years, or about 39% of the total population.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Spare the Trees So Investors Can See the Forest: Remarks before the Executive Compensation Roundtable

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Good afternoon. Thank you to Chairman Atkins for convening today’s roundtable and thank you to the moderators and panelists for joining us to discuss this important topic. On a recent trip to Alaska, one of the most striking sights was the rich forests of Sitka spruces clustering on steep mountainsides climbing up from the sea. I quickly stowed my binoculars in favor of taking in the whole scene. Absent a distinguishing feature—a different tree type, an intriguing root system, a bald eagle perched on its branches, or a bear lurking in its shade—the grandeur of the forest is lost when focusing on any one tree. Trying not to lose sight of the forest for the trees in beautiful Alaska brings me back to the ugly reality of executive compensation disclosure. Over the years, executive compensation disclosure has become increasingly unwieldy and expensive and decreasingly useful. The SEC’s rules focus excessively on random trees rather than giving a realistic view of the forest. They direct readers’ attention to a set of executive compensation items that, largely, entertain the onlooker rather than educate the investor. Preparing the lengthy and complex disclosures eats up lots of resources—management time and attention, attorneys’ and accountants’ billable hours, and even trees as pages of disclosures pile up—and distort corporate decision-making.

    Done right, disclosure rules are one form of investor protection. Material information provided to prospective investors arms them with “a rational basis to evaluate [a company and] its securities.”[1] My primary question for today’s panels is whether our current disclosure rules on executive compensation accomplish that goal.

    Some executive compensation rules seem more responsive to the general public’s curiosity than a genuine investor need for material information. Painstakingly calculated tallies of perks, like rides on the corporate jet, housing allowances for overseas assignments, or car services give us a tiny window into executives’ lives, but do little to fill out an investor’s picture of the company. Lately, our rulemakings have taken a “more is better” approach to executive compensation disclosure. These tack-on rules to the growing alphabet of Item 402 of Reg S-K—we are almost all the way through the alphabet[2]—do not provide new information. Instead, these rules re-package and re-present data that investors mostly already have. Or they add details that are immaterial. Do investors even look at this “new” information? And if they do, are we confident it gives them a rational basis to evaluate a security’s price?

    Consider, for example, pay ratio disclosure and pay-versus-performance disclosure. In his statement of dissent on the pay ratio rule, then Commissioner Dan Gallagher noted that it could have been “marginally less useless” if it were limited to U.S. full-time employees.[3] While not a ringing endorsement of the rule or any of its possible permutations, his comment highlights that even with respect to a rule mandated by Congress as this rule was, the Commission retains some latitude to implement it in the best way possible. More recently, pursuant to another Dodd-Frank mandate, the Commission adopted the pay-versus-performance rule. The overarching feedback I hear on the rule is that it is a regulatory “tax” on public companies without a corresponding benefit for investors. Management, and the high-priced consultants and lawyers they hire, spend hours preparing the various narratives, tables, and graphs that produce nothing but yawns of disinterest from investors.

    More concerning than the direct costs of producing executive compensation disclosures are the costs that arise from the distortion of corporate behavior in response to executive compensation disclosure mandates. Perhaps a company opts for a compensation scheme that is less effective at aligning incentives because of the way such a scheme will be reflected under SEC disclosure rules that do not necessarily represent economic reality. Or perhaps a company opts not to provide security for its executives because it appears in a laundry list of examples of perks in a 2006 Commission release that incidentally declines to define what a perk is.[4] Now may be time for the Commission to return to a more nuanced approach to personal security disclosure that considers the context in which those measures are provided.[5] Some companies have even gone so far as to eliminate perks altogether while offsetting such “cost-saving” measures with increases to base salaries. Executive compensation disclosure, along with other disclosures, should reflect rather than direct corporate actions.

    The age-old philosophical question is whether a falling tree makes a sound when nobody is around to hear it. The more relevant and less philosophical question for today’s discussion is if the disclosures we are mandating do not provide investors a rational basis to assess a company, why mandate them at all? I look forward to hearing from today’s moderators and panelists about how we can improve our executive compensation mandates so that they serve investors.

     

    [1] Alan B. Levenson, The Role of the SEC as a Consumer Protection Agency, 27 Bus. Law. 61, 62  (1971) (“The economic justification for disclosure as the keystone of investor protection lies in the belief that material corporate and financial information disseminated to prospective investors provides a rational basis to evaluate securities and this is a necessary precondition to efficient markets.”).

    [2] Executive compensation disclosure mandates run from Regulation S-K 402(a) to 402(x).

    [5] Disclosure of Management Remuneration, 43 Fed. Reg. 6,060, 6,063 (Feb. 13, 1978) (“The taking of various security measures for the protection of executives may not result in any remuneration to such executive if the individual’s life has been threatened because of his position in the company or if the company reasonably believes that the individual’s safety is in jeopardy.”), https://archives.federalregister.gov/issue_slice/1978/2/13/6057-6065.pdf#page=4.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: TOP Ships Announces Approval of Listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market for Spin-Off of Rubico Inc.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATHENS, Greece, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TOP Ships Inc. (the “Company” or “TOP Ships”) (NYSE American: TOPS), an international owner and operator of modern, fuel-efficient “ECO” tanker vessels, announced today that the application of Rubico Inc. (“Rubico”), to list its common shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market has been approved. In addition, the registration statement on Form 20-F filed by Rubico in connection with its spin-off from Top Ships Inc has been declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

    The distribution of Rubico common shares to securityholders of TOP Ships is expected to be made within July 2025. TOP Ships will announce the distribution date via a future press release.

    Rubico common shares are expected to commence trading on a standalone basis on the Nasdaq Capital Market on the first trading day after the date of distribution, under the ticker “RUBI”.

    As previously announced, TOP Ships intends through Rubico to effect a spin-off of two of its vessels, the M/T Eco Malibu and M/T Eco West Coast, each a modern, high specification, scrubber-fitted and fuel-efficient 157,000 dwt Suezmax tanker. As part of the spin-off transaction, TOP Ships intends to distribute 100% of the common shares of Rubico pro rata to its securityholders of record as of June 16, 2025.

    Rubico has filed a registration statement on Form 20-F pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 with the SEC, which includes a more detailed description of the terms of the spin-off. A copy of the registration statement on Form 20-F is available at www.sec.gov.

    About TOP Ships Inc.

    TOP Ships Inc. is an international owner and operator of ocean-going vessels focusing on modern, fuel-efficient eco tanker vessels transporting crude oil, petroleum products (clean and dirty) and bulk liquid chemicals. For more information about TOP Ships Inc., visit its website: www.topships.org.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding the proposed spin-off and the prospects and strategies of TOP Ships and Rubico following the spin-off, the valuation of the shares of Rubico and TOP Ships following the spin-off, and the listing of Rubico’s common shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

    The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words “believe,” “anticipate,” “intends,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “potential,” “may,” “should,” “expect,” “pending,” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including, without limitation, our management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records, and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs, or projections. Please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward‐looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this communication.

    For further information please contact:
    Alexandros Tsirikos
    Chief Financial Officer
    TOP Ships Inc.
    Tel: +30 210 812 8107
    Email: atsirikos@topships.org

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Whatever happened to the Albanese government’s wellbeing agenda?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Sollis, Research Fellow, University of Tasmania

    DavideAngelini/Shutterstock

    The Albanese government devoted time and energy in its first term to developing a wellbeing agenda for the economy and society.

    It was a passion project of Treasurer Jim Chalmers, who wanted better ways to measure national welfare beyond traditional economic indicators such as growth, jobs and inflation.

    Chalmers developed the Measuring What Matters framework to try to better align economic, social and environmental goals as

    part of a deliberate effort to put people and progress, fairness and opportunity at the very core of our thinking about our economy and our society.

    As Labor settles into its second term, what has happened to its wellbeing agenda? And how much was a poor consultation process to blame for it apparently falling by the wayside?

    Measuring What Matters

    Measuring What Matters was badged as a wellbeing framework to improve the lives of Australians and help better inform policy-making across all levels of government.

    It tracked 50 indicators spread across five overarching themes:

    • healthy
    • secure
    • sustainable
    • cohesive
    • prosperous.

    There was also a standalone indicator on life satisfaction.

    The data is updated annually by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, with the Treasury due to report on outcomes every three years.

    The first Measuring What Matters statement in 2023 showed improvements across some indicators, such as life expectancy, job opportunities and accepting diversity. But it also revealed higher rates of chronic illness and problems with housing affordability.

    The fanfare surrounding the release has since fizzled, and wellbeing is now seldom mentioned.

    Furthermore, there is little evidence insights have been taken up by the government. The Australian National Audit Office recently noted the challenge of embedding Measuring What Matters in policy, as well as the absence of any evaluation work to gauge its effectiveness.

    The wellbeing agenda appears to have been sidelined for two reasons: an insufficient consultation process to properly develop the framework, and the cost-of-living crisis.

    Poor consultation

    Wellbeing frameworks have high potential to impact policy. But they need to be developed and implemented in the right way.

    One crucial factor is adequate community engagement, which would have helped ensure accurate representation of what people truly value in terms of wellbeing. Done properly, it could also have secured buy-in from the community, depoliticised the initiative, and even strengthened democracy.

    But adequate time was not taken to get the consultation process right, with the government in a rush to release Measuring What Matters. Announced in the October 2022 Budget, two consultation phases were undertaken.

    The first, mainly with technical experts, took three months. The second, which sought feedback from individuals and community groups, was even shorter. It was over in just one month.

    Measuring What Matters was released shortly after, in July 2023.

    Our research, recently published in the Australian Journal of Social Issues, analysed the public consultation phase. We found it was inadequate across four areas.

    Comprehensiveness: the timeframe for phase two was too short to allow organisations and communities to meaningfully engage.

    Reach: there was limited engagement with the general public.

    Transparency: the community was not informed how feedback would be incorporated in the framework and no consultation report was published.

    Genuineness: while some feedback was incorporated in the framework, key topics raised in the consultation were not acted on, including greater involvement of First Nations people.

    Greater community engagement would have ensured the framework, and any policy it produced, better reflected what Australians value for their wellbeing. It would have also promoted people’s ownership of the framework, helping to foster greater understanding and support for the initiative.

    Although Measuring What Matters is now established, it is not too late to realise proper community engagement.

    Taboo subject

    The other factor to run interference was the cost-of-living crisis, which dominated the government’s first term.

    Ministers were hesitant to talk about much else. Any references to wellbeing, which for some may elicit images of people meditating or practising yoga, might have been seen as risky.

    This is a shame. Wellbeing policies have the potential to improve people’s lives.

    We can draw some inspiration from an alliance of countries, including New Zealand, Scotland, Finland, Iceland and Wales, which have at various times put people’s wellbeing at the forefront of policy development and evaluation.

    For example, while progress has been slow and there have been key challenges to overcome, the Welsh Well-being of Future Generations Act has led to policy changes such as a moratorium on roads being built to improve people’s health and the environment.

    Perhaps if the Albanese government had leaned in to its own wellbeing framework to help navigate the cost-of-living crisis, people may have fared better.

    The agenda’s future?

    The Albanese government’s large majority gives it space to revitalise its wellbeing framework.

    Undertaking a national conversation, similar to the one rolled out in Wales, would help build grassroots support and ensure it truly “measures what matters” to people.

    A stronger Measuring What Matters would not only provide the electorate with a clear indication the government is listening, but would also help ensure policy improves people’s lives in a meaningful way.

    Kate Sollis is a consultant to the Wellbeing Government initiative at the Centre for Policy Development and President of the Bega Valley Data Collective. She was previously employed at the Australian Bureau of Statistics

    Paul Campbell is a research fellow, whose work is supported by the ANU-Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government Wellbeing Framework research partnership. He was previously employed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

    Nicholas Drake 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. Whatever happened to the Albanese government’s wellbeing agenda? – https://theconversation.com/whatever-happened-to-the-albanese-governments-wellbeing-agenda-258580

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Announces Plan to Introduce Bill Authorizing Trade Agreement Negotiations With the Middle East

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    06.26.25

    Cantwell Announces Plan to Introduce Bill Authorizing Trade Agreement Negotiations With the Middle East

    ‘I believe we need more diplomatic solutions for the region, and I think trade could be a part of that,’ says Cantwell during Washington (DC) International Trade Association roundtable; Under bill from top Dem on the Commerce Committee, partner countries would need to join the Abraham Accords, support nuclear nonproliferation, and coordinate export controls

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, announced a plan to introduce legislation to authorize the administration to pursue negotiations of a trade agreement with the Middle East during a roundtable forum hosted by the Washington International Trade Association (WITA). The agreement would be focused on the information communications technology supply chain.

    “This week, obviously, the U.S. engaged in strikes on Iran to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon, and the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas remains tenuous.

    “I believe we need more diplomatic solutions for the region, and I think trade could be a part of that,” Sen. Cantwell said.

    “Many countries in the Middle East want to diversify their economies and are interested in developing artificial intelligence. I will be introducing legislation to authorize the negotiations of a Middle East trade agreement, an agreement focused on information communication technology. It was built upon what Senators McCain and Baucus introduced 22 years ago to create a Middle East trade preference program in support of the U.S.-Middle East free trade area. I happened to travel to that area with them to talk about this.

    “The legislation that I’m considering would have requirements that partner countries join the Abraham Accords, normalize diplomatic relations with Israel, support reconstruction of Gaza, join in the efforts to support nuclear nonproliferation, and coordinate strong export controls.

    “I think these are the approaches that we should be taking in alliance-building.”

    Sen. Cantwell announced the details of her proposed legislation during a WITA-hosted forum at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., alongside former U.S. Trade Representatives Carla Hills (served under President George H.W. Bush) and Susan Schwab (served under President George W. Bush). Nasim Fussell, VP of Trade and International Policy at Business Roundtable, served as moderator.

    Video of the hourlong roundtable is HERE; a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s opening remarks is HERE.

    Sen. Cantwell is a longtime champion of free trade and opening up new global markets. In April, she introduced the bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025 to reaffirm Congress’ key role in setting and approving U.S. trade policy, and reestablish limits on the president’s ability to impose unilateral tariffs. Her bill has since picked up 12 additional cosponsors – an equal mix of Republicans and Democrats – and been endorsed by multiple major U.S. business organizations, including the National Retail Federation, which is the largest retail trade association in the world. House members also introduced a bipartisan companion bill, which is also cosponsored by an equal number of Republicans and Democrats.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Oxley Bridge Acquisition Limited Completes $253 Million Initial Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Vancouver, BC, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oxley Bridge Acquisition Limited (the “Company”) announced today the closing of its initial public offering of 25,300,000 units, which includes 3,300,000 units issued pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option in full. The offering was priced at $10.00 per unit, resulting in gross proceeds of $253,000,000.

    The Company’s units began trading on June 25, 2025 on The Nasdaq Global Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) under the ticker symbol “OBAWU.” Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share of the Company and one-half of one redeemable warrant, with each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share of the Company at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to certain adjustment. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Once the securities constituting the units begin separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and warrants are expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “OBA” and “OBAWW,” respectively.

    Of the proceeds received from the consummation of the initial public offering (including the exercise of the over-allotment option) and a simultaneous private placement of warrants, $253,000,000 (or $10.00 per unit sold in the offering) was placed in trust.

    The Company is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, amalgamation, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The Company may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business or industry or at any stage of its corporate evolution. The Company’s primary focus, however, will be to search globally for a target with operations or prospects focusing on global consumer and technology sectors with disruptive growth potential through the use of technology that can benefit from operations in Asia, excluding the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong and Macau.

    The Company’s management team is led by Jonathan Lin, its Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors (the “Board”), and Gary Chan, its Chief Financial Officer. The Board also includes Norma Chu, Enrique Gonzalez, Gan Wee Leong, and Jack Cho.

    Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. acted as sole book-running manager for the offering.

    A registration statement relating to the securities was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 24, 2025. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements.” No assurance can be given that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus for the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. Copies of these documents are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

    Investor Contact:

    Oxley Bridge Acquisition Limited
    Jonathan Lin
    ir@oxleybridgeacquisition.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ETH Regains Momentum as PFMCrypto Launches AI-Driven ETH Cloud Mining Contracts, Aiming for Stable Returns

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Ethereum (ETH) continues its steady upward trend, approaching the key $2,500 resistance level and targeting a potential breakout above $3,500, ETH holders are increasingly looking for platforms that offer both investment opportunities and consistent returns. Among them, PFMCrypto stands out. This AI-powered cloud mining platform has officially launched its ETH mining contracts, designed to provide ETH holders and crypto investors with reliable, low-barrier income opportunities. With ultra-low entry thresholds, AI-driven optimization, and full capital protection, users can now earn passive income without owning or managing mining hardware.

    Click here to explore PFMCrypto’s official website.

    What Is PFMCrypto ETH Cloud Mining?
    PFMCrypto Cloud Mining is a remote digital asset mining platform where users can rent eco-friendly, high-performance mining infrastructure and earn cryptocurrency rewards. The platform supports a diverse range of assets including XRP, DOGE, BTC, ETH, BCH, LTC, and SOL, eliminating the technical and financial barriers of traditional mining.

    With a 100% remote setup, users don’t need to purchase expensive mining machines or understand blockchain mechanics. Simply register, select a mining plan, and begin receiving daily rewards.

    Flexible ETH Mining Contracts Now Available on PFMCrypto
    Since the launch of its ETH mining contracts, PFMCrypto has seen contract purchases surge 295% week-over-week. The platform offers over 10 ETH contract options, allowing users to choose plans that suit their financial goals and budgets:

    • $100 ETH Plan – 2-Day Term – Earn $3.00 per day (plus a $2 bonus)
    • $1,000 ETH Plan – 9-Day Term – Earn $13.10 per day
    • $5,000 ETH Plan – 30-Day Term – Earn $78.50 per day
    • $10,000 ETH Plan – 40-Day Term – Earn $180.00 per day

    These figures are not speculative projections—they are based on real usage data from PFMCrypto’s 9.2 million global users, and are powered by high-performance cloud infrastructure and AI-backed profit optimization models.

    Click here to explore more ETH mining contracts.

    Why PFMCrypto ETH Mining Is Built for Everyone
    – No Hardware Required: Users rent computing power from PFMCrypto’s industrial-grade mining network—no setup or equipment needed.
    – Zero Maintenance Costs: All electricity, repair, and operational risks are fully covered by PFMCrypto.
    – Beginner Friendly: No technical knowledge required. Users simply register and choose a plan. New users receive a $10 welcome bonus instantly.
    – Daily Withdrawals & Capital Protection: Earnings can be withdrawn daily, and the original investment is fully refunded at the end of the contract, ensuring both income potential and safety.

    PFMCrypto: A Global Decentralized Mining Platform
    Founded in 2018, PFMCrypto has built a trusted cloud mining ecosystem with over 9.2 million active users across 192 countries and regions. The platform supports mining for leading cryptocurrencies including BTC, ETH, XRP, LTC, DOGE, and SOL, and is known for its scalability, transparency, and user-first approach.
    With the launch of ETH mining contracts, PFMCrypto empowers investors to benefit from Ethereum’s growth while generating stable and predictable income, regardless of short-term market fluctuations.

    How to Start ETH Cloud Mining with PFMCrypto
    1. Register: Create a free account and receive a $10 signup bonus plus daily login rewards.
    Click here to sign up now.
    2. Choose a Contract: Select from a wide range of ETH mining strategies based on your personal goals.
    3. Start Earning: Once your contract is activated, daily returns begin immediately—no manual oversight required.

    About PFMCrypto
    PFMCrypto is an AI-driven cloud mining platform where users can mine leading cryptocurrencies without hardware or technical complexity. Founded in 2018, the platform combines real-time optimization algorithms, capital protection, and a rapidly growing global user base to deliver one of the most efficient cloud mining models in the crypto space.

    With a focus on transparency, security, and long-term value, PFMCrypto is redefining how investors earn income in the Web3 era—making crypto mining accessible to everyone.

    Visit https://pfmcrypto.net to learn more and start mining ETH today.

    Media Contact:

    Amelia Elspeth
    PFMcrypto
    info@pfmcrypto.net

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ecae05a2-1af3-494f-88b8-5921e3f4cd0e

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Diamondback Energy, Inc. Schedules Second Quarter 2025 Conference Call for August 5, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIDLAND, Texas, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FANG) (“Diamondback”), today announced that it plans to release second quarter 2025 financial results on August 4, 2025 after the market closes.

    In connection with the earnings release, Diamondback will host a conference call and webcast for investors and analysts to discuss its results for the second quarter of 2025 on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. CT. Access to the live webcast, and replay which will be available following the call, may be found here. The live webcast of the earnings conference call will also be available via Diamondback’s website at www.diamondbackenergy.com under the “Investor Relations” section of the site.

    About Diamondback Energy, Inc.

    Diamondback is an independent oil and natural gas company headquartered in Midland, Texas focused on the acquisition, development, exploration and exploitation of unconventional, onshore oil and natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin in West Texas. For more information, please visit www.diamondbackenergy.com.                                                

    Investor Contact:
    Adam Lawlis
    +1 432.221.7467
    alawlis@diamondbackenergy.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Viper Energy, Inc., a Subsidiary of Diamondback Energy, Inc., Schedules Second Quarter 2025 Conference Call for August 5, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIDLAND, Texas, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Viper Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: VNOM) (“Viper”), a subsidiary of Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FANG) (“Diamondback”), today announced that it plans to release second quarter 2025 financial results on August 4, 2025 after the market closes.

    In connection with the earnings release, Viper will host a conference call and webcast for investors and analysts to discuss its results for the second quarter of 2025 on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. CT. Access to the live webcast, and replay which will be available following the call, may be found here. The live webcast of the earnings conference call will also be available via Viper’s website at www.viperenergy.com under the “Investor Relations” section of the site.

    About Viper Energy, Inc.

    Viper is an oil and gas company formed by Diamondback to own, acquire and exploit oil and natural gas properties in North America, with a focus on oil-weighted basins, primarily the Permian Basin in West Texas. For more information, please visit www.viperenergy.com.

    About Diamondback Energy, Inc.

    Diamondback is an independent oil and natural gas company headquartered in Midland, Texas focused on the acquisition, development, exploration and exploitation of unconventional, onshore oil and natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin in West Texas.  For more information, please visit www.diamondbackenergy.com.

    Investor Contact:
    Chip Seale
    +1 432.247.6218
    cseale@viperenergy.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nasdaq to Hold Second Quarter 2025 Investor Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) has scheduled its second quarter 2025 financial results announcement.

      Who: Nasdaq’s CEO, CFO, and additional members of its senior management team
         
      What: Review Nasdaq’s second quarter 2025 financial results
         
      When: Thursday, July 24, 2025
        Results Call: 8:00 AM Eastern
         

    Senior management will be available for questions from the investment community following prepared remarks.

    All participants can access the conference via webcast through the Nasdaq Investor Relations website at http://ir.nasdaq.com/.

    Note: The press release and results presentation for the second quarter 2025 results will be posted on the Nasdaq Investor Relations website at http://ir.nasdaq.com/ on Thursday, July 24, 2025 at approximately 7:00 AM Eastern.

    About Nasdaq

    Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving corporate clients, investment managers, banks, brokers, and exchange operators as they navigate and interact with the global capital markets and the broader financial system. We aspire to deliver world-leading platforms that improve the liquidity, transparency, and integrity of the global economy. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software, exchange capabilities, and client-centric services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence. To learn more about the company, technology solutions and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on X @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

    Media Relations Contact:

    David Lurie
    +1.914.538.0533
    David.Lurie@Nasdaq.com

    Investor Relations Contact:

    Ato Garrett
    +1.212.401.8737
    Ato.Garrett@Nasdaq.com

    -NDAQF-

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Alto Ingredients, Inc. Names Gilbert Nathan Chair, Dianne Nury Vice-Chair and Elects Two New Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    – Jeremy T. Bezdek is a seasoned expert in energy transition –

    – Alan R. Tank has played pivotal roles in advancing renewable energy, including decarbonization –

    PEKIN, Ill., June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alto Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTO), leading producer and distributor of specialty alcohols, renewable fuels, and essential ingredients, named Gilbert Nathan Chair and Dianne Nury Vice-Chair of the board of directors and announced that Alan R. Tank and Jeremy T. Bezdek were elected as directors at the Company’s annual meeting on June 25th.

    “I am honored to serve as Chairman and look forward to working with the Board and management as we progress on our strategic initiatives to increase shareholder value,” said Gilbert Nathan, Chair of Alto Ingredients. “We welcome our new board members and are excited to add their wealth of experience and expertise.”

    “We are thrilled to welcome distinguished industry leaders to our board of directors,” said Bryon McGregor, CEO of Alto Ingredients. “As an entrepreneur, investor, and strategic advisor, Alan has played pivotal roles in advancing renewable energy, including decarbonization. Jeremy’s expertise in capital raising, complex transactions, and operational excellence will be invaluable as Alto Ingredients continues to expand our market presence. Together with the board, their vision and experience will be instrumental as we accelerate our growth strategy and advance our commitment to sustainability and innovation.”

    Jeremy T. Bezdek is an accomplished senior executive with three decades of experience in leadership, business development, M&A, strategy execution, project development, investment origination, finance and commercial roles across the energy, renewables, and advanced manufacturing sectors. He has large company and startup experience and served on ten boards of directors, both public and private, since 2010. As president and founder of Ad Astra Advisors, Mr. Bezdek provides strategic advisory services, guiding companies through strategy, complex transactions, growth, fundraising, and organizational priorities. Mr. Bezdek spent 26 years with Koch Industries in a variety of finance and commercial leadership roles, including managing director of Koch Strategic Platforms, an investment arm of Koch Investment Group. In that role, he led investments in the energy transition vertical for Koch Strategic Platforms. He spent most of his career at a Koch subsidiary Flint Hills Resources where he directed multi-billion-dollar investments and transformative growth initiatives. Under his leadership, the team was very active in acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures, as well as making multiple investments in early-stage development companies related to refining, biofuels and chemicals industries.

    Mr. Bezdek has a B.S. in Business Administration, concentration in finance, from the University of Kansas.

    Alan R. Tank brings more than three decades of executive leadership and board experience across the agriculture, food, and renewable energy sectors. Since 2024, Mr. Tank has served as an advisor to Mercator Partners, an asset management platform that invests in decarbonization opportunities. Since 2022, he has served as an advisor to Eion Corp, a carbon capture and removal company. Since 2017, he has served as an executive advisor to Blue Sea Capital, a private equity firm focusing on the industrial growth, aerospace and healthcare sectors. Since 2015, he has co-owned and managed Tank Brothers Farm/Tank Customs, his family farm in eastern Iowa, as its managing member. Until 2016, Mr. Tank served as chief executive officer and managing partner of Revolution Energy Solutions, a company he co-founded in 2006 that developed, owned and operated renewable energy/waste-to-energy projects on agricultural platforms in the US. In 2001, Mr. Tank also founded AgCert International, a world leader in the production and sale of agriculturally derived greenhouse gas emission reductions used to satisfy the Kyoto Protocol and European Union Emission Trading Scheme requirements and served as its chief executive officer until 2005. He serves on the board to WestMET Group and Victory Hemp Foods.

    Mr. Tank holds a B.S. in Animal Science, from Iowa State University.

    About Alto Ingredients, Inc.
    Alto Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTO) is a leading producer and distributor of specialty alcohols, renewable fuels and essential ingredients. Leveraging the unique qualities of its facilities, the company serves customers in a wide range of consumer and commercial products in the Health, Home & Beauty; Food & Beverage; Industry & Agriculture; Essential Ingredients; and Renewable Fuels markets. For more information, please visit www.altoingredients.com. 

    Media and Company IR Contact:
    Michael Kramer, Alto Ingredients, Inc., 916-403-2755
    Investorrelations@altoingredients.com 

    IR Agency Contact:
    Kirsten Chapman, Alliance Advisors Investor Relations, 415-433-3777
    Investorrelations@altoingredients.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Stifel Reports May 2025 Operating Data

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ST. LOUIS, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) today reported selected operating results for May 31, 2025, in an effort to provide timely information to investors on certain key performance metrics. Due to the limited nature of this data, a consistent correlation to earnings should not be assumed.

    Ronald J. Kruszewski, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “In May, recruiting and market appreciation drove a 3% increase in total client assets and a 4% increase in fee-based assets. Client money market and insured product levels decreased less than 1% during the month primarily due to lower Smart Rate balances as Sweep balances experienced a slight decline. Investment banking activity was negatively impacted by increased market volatility in April, but we have seen momentum increase and our pipelines build throughout the quarter as markets have stabilized. As a result, we anticipate investment banking revenue in the quarter to be down approximately 10% from the second quarter of 2024 but we remain cautiously optimistic for the full year 2025.”

    Selected Operating Data (Unaudited)
      As of   % Change
    (millions) 5/31/2025 5/31/2024 4/30/2025   5/31/2024 4/30/2025
    Total client assets $501,357 $465,959 $485,551   8% 3%
    Fee-based client assets $199,078 $176,461 $190,545   13% 4%
    Private Client Group fee-based client assets $173,557 $154,544 $166,029   12% 5%
    Bank loans, net (includes loans held for sale) $21,204 $19,822 $21,536   7% (2)%
    Client money market and insured product (1) $25,827 $26,230 $26,073   (2)% (1)%

    (1) Includes Sweep deposits, Smart Rate deposits, Third-party Bank Sweep Program, and Other Sweep cash.

    Company Information

    Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifel’s broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners and Miller Buckfire business divisions; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; and Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC; in Canada through Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc.; and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Company’s broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A., and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A., offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Company’s website at www.stifel.com. For global disclosures, please visit www.stifel.com/investor-relations/press-releases.

    Media Contact: Neil Shapiro (212) 271-3447 | Investor Contact: Joel Jeffrey (212) 271- 3610 | www.stifel.com/investor-relations

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: FlexShopper Granted 180-Day Extension

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOCA RATON, Fla., June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FlexShopper, Inc. (Nasdaq: FPAY) (“FlexShopper”), a leading provider of lease-to-own (LTO) payment solutions, today announced that on June 18, 2025, it received notification from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) that Nasdaq approved the Company’s request for a 180-calendar day extension (the “Extension”) to regain compliance with Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) (the “Rule”). The Rule requires timely filing of all required periodic financial reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

    The Extension was granted following Nasdaq’s review of materials submitted by the Company on June 16, 2025. Based on this review, the Nasdaq Staff determined to provide an exception, allowing FlexShopper additional time to achieve compliance with the Rule.

    FlexShopper is working with its independent auditor and external advisors to complete its annual audit for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. The Company expects to provide an update on the status of its delayed 2024 financial filings in the near term.  

    During the New Compliance Period, FlexShopper’s common shares will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Stock Market. If at any time before October 13, 2025, the Company files its Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2024 and its Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2025, it is expected that Nasdaq would notify the Company that it has regained compliance with the Listing Rule 5250(c)(1). In the event the Company does not file its Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2024 and its Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2025 by October 13, 2025, the Company may be subject to delisting of the common shares from the Nasdaq, at which time the Company may request a review of the delisting determination by a Nasdaq Hearings Panel.

    About FlexShopper

    FlexShopper, Inc. is a leading national financial technology company that offers innovative payment options to consumers. FlexShopper provides a variety of flexible funding options for underserved consumers through its direct-to-consumer online marketplace at Flexshopper.com and in partnership with merchants both online and at brick-and-mortar locations. FlexShopper’s solutions are crafted to meet the needs of a wide range of consumer segments through lease-to-own and lending products.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    All statements in this release that are not based on historical fact are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” or other comparable terms. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding expectations of the annual audit and filing of the Company’s 10-K and 10-Q, the continued listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market, and expectations concerning our business strategy. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, as a result of various factors including, among others, the following: our ability to obtain adequate financing to fund our business operations in the future; the failure to successfully manage and grow our FlexShopper.com e-commerce platform; our ability to maintain compliance with financial covenants under our credit agreement; our dependence on the success of our third-party retail partners and our continued relationships with them; our compliance with various federal, state and local laws and regulations, including those related to consumer protection; the failure to protect the integrity and security of customer and employee information; and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements made in this release speak only as of the date of this release, and FlexShopper assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in expectations, except as otherwise required by law.

    Company Contact:
    FlexShopper, Inc.
    Investor Relations
    ir@flexshopper.com

    Investor and Media Contact:
    Andrew Berger
    Managing Director
    SM Berger & Company, Inc.
    Tel (216) 464-6400
    andrew@smberger.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Trupanion to Host 2025 Annual Investor Day on September 17

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SEATTLE, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trupanion, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRUP), a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs, will host its Annual Investor Day on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. This annual event is designed to be the best opportunity for Trupanion shareholders and guests to understand Trupanion’s achievements and challenges over the past year and its strategic vision going forward.

    Management remarks are expected to commence shortly after 9:00 am Pacific Time. The event will feature presentations and extensive Q&A with the teams responsible for leading the execution of the Company’s strategic growth plan.

    Registration can be found here or on the events portion of Trupanion’s investor relations website found here.

    About Trupanion

    Trupanion is a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs throughout the United States, Canada, and certain countries in Continental Europe with over 1,000,000 pets currently enrolled. For over two decades, Trupanion has given pet owners peace of mind so they can focus on their pet’s recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is committed to providing pet parents with the highest value in pet medical insurance with unlimited payouts for the life of their pets. With its patented process, Trupanion is the only North American provider with the technology to pay veterinarians directly in seconds at the time of checkout. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol “TRUP”. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Accelerant Insurance Company of Canada or GPIC Insurance Company. Policies are sold and administered in Canada by Canada Pet Health Insurance Services, Inc. dba Trupanion 309-1277 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver, BC V7J 0A2 and in the United States by Trupanion Managers USA, Inc. (CA license No. 0G22803, NPN 9588590). Canada Pet Health Insurance Services, Inc. is a registered damage insurance agency and claims adjuster in Quebec #603927. For more information, please visit trupanion.com.

    Contacts

    Laura Bainbridge, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications
    Gil Melchior, Director, Investor Relations
    Investor.Relations@trupanion.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Streaming giants have helped bring Korean dramas to the world – but much is lost in translation

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sung-Ae Lee, Lecturer, Macquarie University

    In less than a decade, Korean TV dramas (K-dramas) have transmuted from a regional industry to a global phenomenon – partly a consequence of the rise of streaming giants.

    But foreign audiences may not realise the K-dramas they’ve seen on Netflix don’t accurately represent the broader Korean TV landscape, which is much wider and richer than these select offerings.

    At the same time, there are many challenges in bringing this wide array of content to the rest of the world.

    The rise of hallyu

    Korean media was transformed during the 1990s. The end of military dictatorship led to the gradual relaxation of censorship.

    Satellite media also allowed the export of K-dramas and films to the rest of East Asia, and parts of Southeast Asia. Some of the first K-dramas to become popular overseas included What Is Love (1991–92) and Star in My Heart (1997). They initiated what would later become known as the Korean wave, or hallyu.

    The hallyu expansion continued with Winter Sonata (2003), which attracted viewers in Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia. Dae Jang Geum/Jewel in the Palace (2005) resonated strongly in Chinese-speaking regions, and was ultimately exported to more than 80 countries.

    A breakthrough occurred in 2016. Netflix entered South Korea and began investing in Korean productions, beginning with Kingdom (2019–21) and Love Alarm (2019–21).

    In 2021, the global hit Squid Game was released simultaneously in 190 countries.

    But Netflix only scratches the surface

    Last year, only 20% of new K-drama releases were available on Western streaming platforms. This means global discussions about K-dramas are based on a limited subgroup of content promoted to viewers outside South Korea.

    Moreover, foreign viewers will generally evaluate this content based on Western conceptions of culture and narrative. They may, for instance, have Western preferences for genre and themes, or may disregard locally-specific contexts.

    This is partly why Korean and foreign audiences can end up with very different ideas of what “Korean” television is.

    Genres

    When a K-drama is classified as a sageuk (historical drama) but also incorporates elements of fantasy, mythology, romance, melodrama, crime fiction and/or comedy, foreign audiences may dismiss it as “genre-confused”. Or, they may praise it for its “genre-blending”.

    But the drama may not have been created with much attention to genre at all. The highly inventive world-building of pre-Netflix dramas such as Arang and the Magistrate (2012) and Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016) prominently feature all the aforementioned genres.

    While foreign viewers may think visual media begins with readily identifiable genres, many K-dramas aren’t produced on this premise.

    Themes

    Western viewers (and other viewers watching through a Western lens) might assume “liberal” themes such as systemic injustice, women’s rights and collusion in politics entered K-dramas as a result of Western influence. But this is a misconception.

    The emergence of such themes can be attributed to various changes in Korean society, including the easing of censorship, rapid modernisation, and the imposition of neoliberal economics by the International Monetary Fund in 1997.

    Although gender disparities still exist in South Korea, economic uncertainty and modernisation have prompted a deconstruction of patriarchal value systems. Female-centred K-dramas have been around since at least the mid-2000s, with women’s independence as a recurring theme in more recent dramas.

    Local contexts

    A major barrier to exporting K-dramas is the cultural specificity of certain elements, such as Confucian values, hierarchical family dynamics, gender codes, and Korean speech codes.

    The global success of a K-drama comes down to how well its culturally-specific elements can be adapted for different contexts and audiences.

    In some cases, these elements may be minimised, or entirely missed, by foreign viewers.

    For example, in Squid Game, the words spoken by the killer doll in the first game are subtitled as “green light, red light”. What the doll actually says is “mugunghwa-kkochi pieot-seumnida”, which is also what the game is called in Korean.

    This translates to “the mugunghwa (Rose of Saron) has bloomed”, with mugunghwa being South Korea’s national flower.

    These words, in this context, are meant to ironically redefine South Korea as a site of hopelessness and death. But the subtitles erase this double meaning.

    It’s also difficult for subtitles to reflect nuanced Korean honorific systems of address. As such, foreign viewers remain largely oblivious to the subtle power dynamics at play between characters.

    All of this leads to a kind of cultural “flattening”, shifting foreign viewers’ focus to so-called universal themes.

    A case study for global success

    Nevertheless, foreign viewers can still engage with many culturally-specific elements in K-dramas, which can also serve as cultural literacy.

    The hugely successful series Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022) explores the personal and professional challenges faced by an autistic lawyer.

    Director Yoo In-sik described the series as distinctly Korean in both its humour and the legal system it portrays, and said he didn’t anticipate its widespread popularity.

    Following success in South Korea, the series was acquired by Netflix and quickly entered the top 10 most popular non-English language shows.

    The global appeal can be attributed to its sensitive portrayal of the protagonist, the problem-solving theme across episodes, and what Yoo describes as a kind and considerate tone. Viewers who resonate with these qualities may not even need to engage with the Korean elements.

    Many K-dramas that achieve global success also feature elements typically considered “Western”, such as zombies.

    While the overall number of zombie-themed productions is low, series and films such as Kingdom (2019–21), All of Us Are Dead (2022), Alive (2020) and Train to Busan (2016) have helped put Korean content on the map.

    One potential effect of the zombie popularity may be the displacement of Korean mythological characters, such as fox spirits, or gumiho, which have traditionally held significant narrative space.

    Shin Min-ah and Lee Seung-gi star in the acclaimed romantic comedy series My Girlfriend is a Gumiho (2010).
    IMDB

    Local production under threat

    The influence of streaming giants such as Netflix is impacting South Korea’s local production systems.

    One consequence has been a substantial increase in production costs, which local companies can’t compete with.

    The early vision of low-cost, high-return projects such as Squid Game is rapidly diminishing.

    Meanwhile, Netflix is exploring other locations, such as Japan, where dramas can be produced for about half the price of those in Korea. If this continues, the rise of Korean content may slow down.

    Sung-Ae Lee 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. Streaming giants have helped bring Korean dramas to the world – but much is lost in translation – https://theconversation.com/streaming-giants-have-helped-bring-korean-dramas-to-the-world-but-much-is-lost-in-translation-257547

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Brands want us to trust them. But as the SPF debacle shows, they need to earn it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Harrison, Director, Master of Business Administration Program (MBA); Co-Director, Better Consumption Lab, Deakin University

    It’s quite unsettling to discover something so central to our cultural rituals – the “slop” in the Aussie mantra of “Slip! Slop! Slap!” – can no longer be trusted.

    We’ve never really had to scrutinise sunscreen. We slop it on because Sid the Seagull (in his role as spokesbird for the Cancer Council) told us to. We’ve learned about sun protection factors (SPF) and made choices to protect ourselves. We do it because it works.

    Or so we thought.

    Consumer group Choice recently tested 20 sunscreen brands and found only four met their labelled SPF claims. The findings have shaken consumers’ trust in the brands that make these products, and perhaps, in the institutions responsible for regulating them.

    Trust is the silent architecture of our lives that makes everything from catching a bus to undergoing surgery feel possible. Indeed, we are born into trust. From infancy, we are wired to trust, first in our caregivers, then later in life in the cues and symbols such as endorsements, SPF ratings, brands or rankings that help us navigate a complex world.

    It’s also why we rarely read the fine print or terms and conditions.

    The original Sid the Seagull video from the Cancer Council.

    The role of power in trust relationships

    Trust, and its erosion in public life, has become such a critical issue that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has made it a focus of Friday’s Consumer Congress, titled “Who can we trust? Regulating in an environment of declining consumer trust”.

    Something that is often missed in discussions around trust is that it is also a social arrangement, shaped by power and vulnerability. Trust is nearly always asymmetric; those with the least power are usually required to place their trust first and most fully.

    The powerful rarely have to reciprocate that vulnerability. They hold the information, set the rules and shape the narrative. When things go wrong, the powerful often walk away relatively unscathed, while the vulnerable are left to navigate complex complaints or refund systems.

    Increasingly, we are told to be savvy, to read the fine print and to “do the research”.
    But putting the responsibility on the individual reframes structural failures as personal shortcomings. It places the burden of vigilance and scrutiny on people who lack the time or expertise to meaningfully assess risk.

    A breach of faith

    The issue is compounded by a wider trend across many businesses that have misread their relationship with consumers. Much of our trust in brands is automatic.

    We are more inclined to trust claims from familiar or warm-sounding sources, with research showing warmth comes first. People tend to judge others and institutions by their perceived warmth before considering their competence. So a brand that feels benevolent often earns our trust before we assess its actual performance.

    Qantas, a brand that built its entire identity around the idea that it was “us”, trashed our trust when it began acting like a transactional retail business, rather than one built on relationships.

    Management and the board failed to grasp they had been given something rare: a kind of cultural endearment underpinned by trust and perceived reciprocity that made Australians feel personally invested in its success.

    While Qantas does retain market share, the erosion of this emotional bond means many customers are more willing to try its competitors. It will struggle to rebuild that trust simply with price deals or heartstring-tugging ad campaigns.

    One of Qantas’ ad campaigns with an emotional appeal to customers.

    The response matters

    For organisations such as the Cancer Council, whose trustworthiness is built on moral authority, the response to failure matters deeply. Its decision to acknowledge the findings and commit to retesting was more than public relations. It was an act of relational repair.

    In contrast, some of the other corporate brands in the survey responded by disputing Choice’s methodology. That reveals an outdated corporate reflex – one that attacks the messenger rather than engaging with the message. This defensive posture reflects a mindset shaped more by legal risk and brand control than by public accountability or ethical responsibility.

    Still, individual responses are not enough. We need systems designed with human limits in mind. Trust cannot be sustained if it is constantly tested by complexity, misinformation and opaque accountability.

    Consumer bodies such as Choice provide a public service by filling the gap between what people assume and what they can verify. But more broadly, businesses and regulators must treat trust as a relationship, not a marketing goal.

    The system needs to prevent harm, not deal with the fallout

    Rebuilding trust means putting people at the centre of consumer regulation. A human-centred system does not treat people as problems to be managed. It treats them as participants in a shared moral project. It requires systems grounded in evidence, designed around real human behaviour and focused on preventing harm rather than managing fallout.

    One way to do this is through collaborative regulation. This approach brings together consumer representatives, regulators, behavioural experts and industry to design rules and standards that reflect how people actually behave (as opposed to how we hope they behave). This reduces asymmetries of power, and ensures trust is earned and maintained over time.

    This collaborative approach has been successfully adopted in local government and health. But it only works when collaboration is approached in good faith by all parties, not just a “tick-the-box” exercise.

    Of course, this approach runs counter to a legal system that tends to prioritise the system over the people it serves, and process over outcomes. But the goal shouldn’t be to force better ideas into outdated frameworks. Instead, we should design systems that lead to better outcomes for everyone.

    Paul Harrison has received research funding from ASIC, the Consumer Action Law Centre, ACCAN, Victorian Health Association, and the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

    – ref. Brands want us to trust them. But as the SPF debacle shows, they need to earn it – https://theconversation.com/brands-want-us-to-trust-them-but-as-the-spf-debacle-shows-they-need-to-earn-it-259565

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: FHLBank San Francisco Invests $52.6 Million to Preserve Affordable Housing in San Francisco

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) today announced a $52.6 million investment in a Fannie Mae bond issuance that will support the continuing affordability of 230 housing units for very low-income residents living near Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.

    “With the authority FHLBanks have to make prudent investments in mission-consistent securities, we are proud to be able to support the affordability of these local and much-needed housing units,” said Joe Amato, interim president and CEO of FHLBank San Francisco. “This investment aligns with our mission to be a reliable supplier of low-cost liquidity to our member financial institutions and deliver resources that supports affordable housing and community investment in our region. Consistent with our obligation to our mission, we will continue to seek opportunities to invest in the creation, development, and purchase of affordable housing in the communities our members serve.”

    According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, there is a deficit of nearly 170,000 affordable rental homes available for households earning 50% or below the area median income in the San Francisco metro area. Housing experts emphasize that investments like this are essential to meeting the regions urgent housing needs.

    “Preserving existing affordable housing has to be a critical component of any strategy to address the Bay Area’s current housing crisis,” said Ben Metcalf, managing director at UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation. “However, the scale of the problem is such that we simply can’t get there unless institutional capital providers step up to the plate in a big way. That’s why FHLBank San Francisco’s bond purchase in San Francisco is so significant.”

    FHLBank San Francisco’s $52.6 million investment to maintain affordability of the homes in the Wharf Plaza I and II buildings near Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco follows a $10 million investment in Nevada Housing Division Mortgage Revenue Bonds earlier this year to support low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyer downpayment assistance programs.

    FHLBank San Francisco partners with its member financial institutions to support affordable housing initiatives throughout its three-state region of Arizona, California, Nevada, and other areas where its members do business. Since 1990, FHLBank San Francisco has provided affordable housing and downpayment assistance grants to support the construction, rehabilitation, or purchase of over 155,000 homes affordable to lower-income households. Together, the 11 regional FHLBanks that make up the Federal Home Loan Bank System are one of the largest privately capitalized sources of grant funding for affordable housing in the United States.

    About Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

    The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California, and Nevada build strong communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutions — commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions — propel homeownership, finance quality affordable housing, drive economic vitality, and revitalize whole neighborhoods. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant and resilient.

    Contact:

    Tom Flannigan

    tom.flannigan@fhlbsf.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Massachusetts Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Lynnfield Strip Mall Fire

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Massachusetts of the July 28, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the Lynnfield strip mall fire occurring on  Sept. 10, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Massachusetts counties of Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk as well as the New Hampshire counties of Hillsborough and Rockingham.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.  

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and PNPs cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners and PNPs get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 28, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Massachusetts Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Lynnfield Strip Mall Fire

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Massachusetts of the July 28, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the Lynnfield strip mall fire occurring on  Sept. 10, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Massachusetts counties of Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk as well as the New Hampshire counties of Hillsborough and Rockingham.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.  

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and PNPs cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners and PNPs get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 28, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A foundation for the future: state breaks ground on affordable housing site in Stockton

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 26, 2025

    What you need to know: La Passeggiata on Lindsey Street in Stockton is the latest site to be transformed from excess, underutilized state land into affordable housing under Governor Newsom’s executive order.

    STOCKTON — Today, state leaders broke ground on a new affordable housing community in downtown Stockton. Through an executive order signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, the former state-owned site will be turned into 94 homes for low-income households.

    “Once again, the Excess Sites program is helping transform state-owned land into something more: hope and stability for our state’s residents. California continues to lead by example in addressing the nation’s affordable housing crisis.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The Excess Sites program is administered in partnership by the California Department of General Services (DGS) and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The program identifies state-owned land available and suitable for housing and creates a digital inventory of those properties through the State Excess Sites – Affordable Housing Opportunities Map Viewer. The sites are awarded to developers via a long-term ground lease allowing for low-cost development of affordable housing. This community is being developed by Visionary Home Builders of California.

    “The State’s Excess Sites program continues to transform neighborhoods across California by turning underutilized state property into affordable housing and revitalizing communities,” Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Tomiquia Moss said. “This energy-efficient project will reduce the community’s carbon footprint and breathe new life into Downtown Stockton with housing and services for families and seniors.”

    “Having grown up in Stockton, I am honored to be a part of this transformation to provide safe and stable housing for members of the community who need it most,” said Government Operations Secretary Nick Maduros. “This marks another step on California’s journey toward addressing housing needs while staying committed to our sustainability goals.”  
     

    Project details

    The plans for La Passeggiata at 622 East Lindsey Street in Stockton include two buildings, five and six stories high, connected by a breezeway. The five-story building will have 39 one- and two-bedroom apartments, and the six-story building will have 55 two- and three-bedroom apartments. The units will have energy-efficient appliances, rooftop gardens, and will utilize solar energy for seniors and families.

    “The modern, energy-efficient units at La Passeggiata will provide homes for dozens of local families who need an affordable place to live,” DGS Director Ana M. Lasso said. “This project harnesses the best of state, local and nonprofit collaboration to deliver much needed sustainable, affordable housing across the state.”

    “Thanks to the Governor’s executive order, nearly an acre of land sitting unused in the heart of Stockton—blocks from the Civic Center and waterfront—will be transformed into critically needed affordable housing,” HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez said. “Through this ongoing partnership, we are connecting residents in need of housing stability to jobs, transit, amenities, and opportunity.”

    From state land to affordable housing

    In 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order N-06-19, tasking HCD and DGS with tackling the state’s affordable housing crisis by identifying underutilized state-owned land that could be converted into affordable housing, considering factors such as proximity to job centers, amenities, and public transit. The order has since been utilized to create hundreds of affordable homes on nearly 50 state-owned sites, including:

    • 248 new homes at Sugar Pine Village for families and workers in the Tahoe region
    • 58 new homes for seniors under construction with an additional 150 new homes  starting construction within the year at Mulberry Gardens Senior Apartments in Riverside
    • 75 new homes at 750 Golden Gate Avenue with an additional 92 new homes at 850 Turk Street in San Francisco
    • 58 new homes at Sonrisa in Sacramento

    Recent news

    Jun 25, 2025

    News What you need to know: There are many disingenuous claims swirling about California gas prices “set to soar” – the truth is that gas prices won’t come anywhere close to increasing by 65 cents, as many would have you believe.   SACRAMENTO – California gas prices…

    Jun 25, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom announced $135 million is available for wildfire prevention grants – protecting communities from catastrophic wildfire at the same time as President Trump adds new strain to firefighting resources. SACRAMENTO – As President…

    Jun 25, 2025

    News What you need to know: As part of California Jobs First, the state is awarding $15 million through the Regional Investment Initiative to support California Native American tribal partners in creating jobs and developing high-paying and fulfilling careers….

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Toxic algae blooms are lasting longer than before in Lake Erie − why that’s a worry for people and pets

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Gregory J. Dick, Professor of Biology, University of Michigan

    A satellite image from Aug. 13, 2024, shows an algal bloom covering approximately 320 square miles (830 square km) of Lake Erie. By Aug. 22, it had nearly doubled in size. NASA Earth Observatory

    Federal scientists released their annual forecast for Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms on June 26, 2025, and they expect a mild to moderate season. However, anyone who comes in contact with toxic algae can face health risks. And 2014, when toxins from algae blooms contaminated the water supply in Toledo, Ohio, was a moderate year, too.

    We asked Gregory J. Dick, who leads the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, a federally funded center at the University of Michigan that studies harmful algal blooms among other Great Lakes issues, why they’re such a concern.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s prediction for harmful algal bloom severity in Lake Erie compared with past years.
    NOAA

    1. What causes harmful algal blooms?

    Harmful algal blooms are dense patches of excessive algae growth that can occur in any type of water body, including ponds, reservoirs, rivers, lakes and oceans. When you see them in freshwater, you’re typically seeing cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae.

    These photosynthetic bacteria have inhabited our planet for billions of years. In fact, they were responsible for oxygenating Earth’s atmosphere, which enabled plant and animal life as we know it.

    The leading source of harmful algal blooms today is nutrient runoff from fertilized farm fields.
    Michigan Sea Grant

    Algae are natural components of ecosystems, but they cause trouble when they proliferate to high densities, creating what we call blooms.

    Harmful algal blooms form scums at the water surface and produce toxins that can harm ecosystems, water quality and human health. They have been reported in all 50 U.S. states, all five Great Lakes and nearly every country around the world. Blue-green algae blooms are becoming more common in inland waters.

    The main sources of harmful algal blooms are excess nutrients in the water, typically phosphorus and nitrogen.

    Historically, these excess nutrients mainly came from sewage and phosphorus-based detergents used in laundry machines and dishwashers that ended up in waterways. U.S. environmental laws in the early 1970s addressed this by requiring sewage treatment and banning phosphorus detergents, with spectacular success.

    How pollution affected Lake Erie in the 1960s, before clean water regulations.

    Today, agriculture is the main source of excess nutrients from chemical fertilizer or manure applied to farm fields to grow crops. Rainstorms wash these nutrients into streams and rivers that deliver them to lakes and coastal areas, where they fertilize algal blooms. In the U.S., most of these nutrients come from industrial-scale corn production, which is largely used as animal feed or to produce ethanol for gasoline.

    Climate change also exacerbates the problem in two ways. First, cyanobacteria grow faster at higher temperatures. Second, climate-driven increases in precipitation, especially large storms, cause more nutrient runoff that has led to record-setting blooms.

    2. What does your team’s DNA testing tell us about Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms?

    Harmful algal blooms contain a mixture of cyanobacterial species that can produce an array of different toxins, many of which are still being discovered.

    When my colleagues and I recently sequenced DNA from Lake Erie water, we found new types of microcystins, the notorious toxins that were responsible for contaminating Toledo’s drinking water supply in 2014.

    These novel molecules cannot be detected with traditional methods and show some signs of causing toxicity, though further studies are needed to confirm their human health effects.

    Blue-green algae blooms in freshwater, like this one near Toledo in 2014, can be harmful to humans, causing gastrointestinal symptoms, headache, fever and skin irritation. They can be lethal for pets.
    Ty Wright for The Washington Post via Getty Images

    We also found organisms responsible for producing saxitoxin, a potent neurotoxin that is well known for causing paralytic shellfish poisoning on the Pacific Coast of North America and elsewhere.

    Saxitoxins have been detected at low concentrations in the Great Lakes for some time, but the recent discovery of hot spots of genes that make the toxin makes them an emerging concern.

    Our research suggests warmer water temperatures could boost its production, which raises concerns that saxitoxin will become more prevalent with climate change. However, the controls on toxin production are complex, and more research is needed to test this hypothesis. Federal monitoring programs are essential for tracking and understanding emerging threats.

    3. Should people worry about these blooms?

    Harmful algal blooms are unsightly and smelly, making them a concern for recreation, property values and businesses. They can disrupt food webs and harm aquatic life, though a recent study suggested that their effects on the Lake Erie food web so far are not substantial.

    But the biggest impact is from the toxins these algae produce that are harmful to humans and lethal to pets.

    The toxins can cause acute health problems such as gastrointestinal symptoms, headache, fever and skin irritation. Dogs can die from ingesting lake water with harmful algal blooms. Emerging science suggests that long-term exposure to harmful algal blooms, for example over months or years, can cause or exacerbate chronic respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal problems and may be linked to liver cancers, kidney disease and neurological issues.

    The water intake system for the city of Toledo, Ohio, is surrounded by an algae bloom in 2014. Toxic algae got into the water system, resulting in residents being warned not to touch or drink their tap water for three days.
    AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari

    In addition to exposure through direct ingestion or skin contact, recent research also indicates that inhaling toxins that get into the air may harm health, raising concerns for coastal residents and boaters, but more research is needed to understand the risks.

    The Toledo drinking water crisis of 2014 illustrated the vast potential for algal blooms to cause harm in the Great Lakes. Toxins infiltrated the drinking water system and were detected in processed municipal water, resulting in a three-day “do not drink” advisory. The episode affected residents, hospitals and businesses, and it ultimately cost the city an estimated US$65 million.

    4. Blooms seem to be starting earlier in the year and lasting longer – why is that happening?

    Warmer waters are extending the duration of the blooms.

    In 2025, NOAA detected these toxins in Lake Erie on April 28, earlier than ever before. The 2022 bloom in Lake Erie persisted into November, which is rare if not unprecedented.

    Scientific studies of western Lake Erie show that the potential cyanobacterial growth rate has increased by up to 30% and the length of the bloom season has expanded by up to a month from 1995 to 2022, especially in warmer, shallow waters. These results are consistent with our understanding of cyanobacterial physiology: Blooms like it hot – cyanobacteria grow faster at higher temperatures.

    5. What can be done to reduce the likelihood of algal blooms in the future?

    The best and perhaps only hope of reducing the size and occurrence of harmful algal blooms is to reduce the amount of nutrients reaching the Great Lakes.

    In Lake Erie, where nutrients come primarily from agriculture, that means improving agricultural practices and restoring wetlands to reduce the amount of nutrients flowing off of farm fields and into the lake. Early indications suggest that Ohio’s H2Ohio program, which works with farmers to reduce runoff, is making some gains in this regard, but future funding for H2Ohio is uncertain.

    In places like Lake Superior, where harmful algal blooms appear to be driven by climate change, the solution likely requires halting and reversing the rapid human-driven increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

    Gregory J. Dick receives funding for harmful algal bloom research from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the United States Geological Survey, and the National Institutes for Health. He serves on the Science Advisory Council for the Environmental Law and Policy Center.

    – ref. Toxic algae blooms are lasting longer than before in Lake Erie − why that’s a worry for people and pets – https://theconversation.com/toxic-algae-blooms-are-lasting-longer-than-before-in-lake-erie-why-thats-a-worry-for-people-and-pets-259954

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China Agricultural Development Bank has issued loans totaling 2.7 trillion yuan for Yangtze and Yellow River conservation since 2021

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 26 (Xinhua) — The China Agricultural Development Bank said Thursday it has issued loans totaling about 2.7 trillion yuan (about 377 billion U.S. dollars) since 2021 to preserve the ecosystems of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.

    In particular, the bank allocated 2.09 trillion yuan to protect the Yangtze River and 605.2 billion yuan to protect the ecosystem of the Yellow River basin. According to the bank, these loans have significantly supported efforts to preserve the ecosystems of China’s two main rivers.

    The financial institution assured that it would expand its lending support for the protection of the two rivers, focusing on key areas such as water security, transport infrastructure, rural upliftment and food security.

    The Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, known as the “mother rivers” of China, are the first and second longest rivers in the country, respectively. The two river basins are considered the cradle of Chinese civilization. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –