Category: Economy

MIL-OSI: YieldMax® ETFs Announces Distributions on MARO, MRNY, ULTY, NVDY, LFGY, and Others

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

CHICAGO and MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax^® today announced distributions for the YieldMax^®Weekly Payers and Group B ETFs listed in the table below.

ETF Ticker¹	ETF Name	Distribution Frequency	Distribution per Share	Distribution Rate^2,⁴	30-Day SEC Yield³	ROC⁵	Ex-Date & Record Date	Payment Date
CHPY	YieldMax^® Semiconductor Portfolio Option Income ETF	*Weekly*	$0.3730	35.07%	0.04%	100.00%	7/17/25	7/18/25
GPTY	YieldMax^® AI & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF	*Weekly*	$0.2956	32.36%	0.00%	100.00%	7/17/25	7/18/25
LFGY	YieldMax^® Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF	*Weekly*	$0.4799	62.40%	0.00%	90.24%	7/17/25	7/18/25
QDTY	YieldMax^® Nasdaq 100 0DTE Covered Call ETF	*Weekly*	$0.1906	22.29%	0.00%	0.00%	7/17/25	7/18/25
RDTY	YieldMax^® R2000 0DTE Covered Call ETF	*Weekly*	$0.3330	38.07%	1.65%	38.62%	7/17/25	7/18/25
SDTY	YieldMax^® S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call ETF	*Weekly*	$0.1481	17.13%	0.07%	0.00%	7/17/25	7/18/25
ULTY	YieldMax^® Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF	*Weekly*	$0.1035	85.69%	0.00%	81.67%	7/17/25	7/18/25
YMAG	YieldMax^® Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs	*Weekly*	$0.1515	51.27%	63.17%	50.61%	7/17/25	7/18/25
YMAX	YieldMax^® Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs	*Weekly*	$0.1041	39.01%	82.40%	76.75%	7/17/25	7/18/25
BABO	YieldMax^® BABA Option Income Strategy ETF	Every 4 weeks	$0.3820	32.17%	3.22%	11.74%	7/17/25	7/18/25
DIPS	YieldMax^® Short NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF	Every 4 weeks	$0.1716	31.92%	3.59%	88.67%	7/17/25	7/18/25
FBY	YieldMax^® META Option Income Strategy ETF	Every 4 weeks	$0.4992	38.91%	2.87%	0.00%	7/17/25	7/18/25
GDXY	YieldMax^® Gold Miners Option Income Strategy ETF	Every 4 weeks	$0.3321	29.03%	3.22%	0.00%	7/17/25	7/18/25
JPMO	YieldMax^® JPM Option Income Strategy ETF	Every 4 weeks	$0.5085	38.99%	2.70%	0.00%	7/17/25	7/18/25
MARO	YieldMax^® MARA Option Income Strategy ETF	Every 4 weeks	$2.3718	125.17%	3.09%	0.00%	7/17/25	7/18/25
MRNY	YieldMax^® MRNA Option Income Strategy ETF	Every 4 weeks	$0.2004	101.03%	3.07%	0.00%	7/17/25	7/18/25
NVDY	YieldMax^® NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF	Every 4 weeks	$1.0285	75.28%	2.78%	37.15%	7/17/25	7/18/25
PLTY	YieldMax^® PLTR Option Income Strategy ETF	Every 4 weeks	$2.5602	48.72%	2.99%	0.00%	7/17/25	7/18/25
Weekly Payers & Group C ETFs scheduled for next week: CHPY GPTY LFGY QDTY RDTY SDTY ULTY YMAG YMAX ABNY AMDY CONY CVNY FIAT HOOY MSFO NFLY PYPY

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

Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling (866) 864-3968.

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

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

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

¹ All YieldMax^®ETFs shown in the table above (except YMAX, YMAG, FEAT, FIVY and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX, FEAT have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. YMAG has a management fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.83% for a gross expense ratio of 1.12%. FIVY has a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.59% for a gross expense ratio of 0.88%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax^®ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio of 1.40%, and a net expense ratio after the fee waiver of 1.30%. The Advisor has agreed to a fee waiver of 0.10% through at least February 28, 2026.

² The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on July 15, 2025. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.

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

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

⁵ ROC refers to Return of Capital. The ROC percentage indicates how much the distribution reflects an investor’s initial investment. The figures shown for each Fund in the table above are estimates and may later be determined to be taxable net investment income, short-term gains, long-term gains (to the extent permitted by law), or return of capital. Actual amounts and sources for tax reporting will depend upon the Fund’s investment activities during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. Your broker will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year to tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

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

Important Information

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

Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax^® ETFs.

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

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

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

Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GPTY)

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

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

Risk Disclosure (applicable only to MARO)

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

Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)

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

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

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

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

Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)

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

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

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

Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)

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

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

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

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

Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)

Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA, MSTR), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole. Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

Risk Disclosures (applicable only to CHPY)

Semiconductor Industry Risk. Semiconductor companies may face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, and such competition may have an adverse effect on their profit margins. Semiconductor companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. Semiconductor companies’ supply chain and operations are dependent on the availability of materials that meet exacting standards and the use of third parties to provide components and services.

The products of semiconductor companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Capital equipment expenditures could be substantial, and equipment generally suffers from rapid obsolescence. Companies in the semiconductor industry are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights would adversely affect the profitability of these companies.

Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)

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

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

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

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

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025

MIL-OSI: OTC Markets Group Welcomes Asante Gold Corp to OTCQX

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Asante Gold Corp (CSE: ASE; GSE: ASG; OTCQX: ASGOF), a Canadian gold exploration, development and operating company with a high-quality portfolio of projects and mines in Ghana, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market.

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

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

Dave Anthony, President and CEO, stated: “We are pleased that Asante’s common shares have been approved for trading on the OTCQX Best Market. This quotation will enhance Asante’s visibility within the U.S. investment community and provide U.S. investors with the ability to trade Asante shares in US dollars. Along with the Company’s application and conditional acceptance for listing the Company’s common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange, the OTCQX quotation is a further step in Asante’s growth strategy increasing North America market exposure diversifying the Company’s shareholder base.”

About Asante Gold Corp
Asante is a gold exploration, development and operating company with a high-quality portfolio of projects and mines in Ghana. Asante is currently operating the Bibiani and Chirano Gold Mines and continues with detailed technical studies at its Kubi Gold Project. All mines and exploration projects are located on the prolific Bibiani and Ashanti Gold Belts. Asante has an experienced and skilled team of mine finders, builders and operators, with extensive experience in Ghana. The Company is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and the Ghana Stock Exchange. Asante is also exploring its Keyhole, Fahiakoba and Betenase projects for new discoveries, all adjoining or along strike of major gold mines near the centre of Ghana’s Golden Triangle. Additional information is available on the Company’s website at www.asantegold.com.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market, OTCID™ Basic Market and Pink Limited™ Market. Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN, OTC Link NQB, and MOON ATS™ are each SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

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

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: OTC Markets Group Welcomes Dowway Holdings Limited to OTCQX

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Dowway Holdings Limited (HKEX: 8403; OTCQX: DOWAY), one of the leading integrated exhibition and event management service providers in the PRC, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Dowway Holdings Limited upgraded to OTCQX from the OTCQB® Venture Market.

Dowway Holdings Limited begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “DOWAY.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

The OTCQX Market is designed for established, investor-focused U.S. and international companies. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Graduating to the OTCQX Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among U.S. investors.

About Dowway Holdings Limited
The Group is one of the leading integrated exhibition and event management service provider in the PRC. It mainly serves as a project manager for exhibitions and events and provides a comprehensive range of related services. These services include design, planning, coordination and management of exhibitions and events covering theme, stage and venue design and overall planning, feasibility studies, procurement of construction materials and equipment. The Group has strategically expanded its business scope by venturing into the e-commerce services sector. Since 2024, the Group commenced its e-commerce services in the PRC, focusing on the development of SaaS platform solutions that integrates supply chain management, risk control and customer relationship management. Currently, the Group provides SaaS platform services to a merchant in the 3C leasing industry, encompassing computers, communication devices, and consumer electronics. The Group aims to further enhance the platform to cater to chain restaurants and other merchandise trading industries.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.
OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market, OTCID™ Basic Market and Pink Limited™ Market. Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN, OTC Link NQB, and MOON ATS™ are each SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

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

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: GDS Announces Completion of its C-REIT Initial Public Offering on the Shanghai Stock Exchange

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SHANGHAI, China, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GDS Holdings Limited (“GDS Holdings”, “GDS” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: GDS; HKEX: 9698), a leading developer and operator of high-performance data centers in China, today announced that the initial public offering (“IPO”) on the Shanghai Stock Exchange of its previously announced China REIT (“C-REIT”) has been successfully completed. The retail offering was closed ahead of schedule in light of the high level of subscriptions. The IPO attracted strong interest from both institutional and retail investors, with the institutional order book 166 times covered at the final offering price as previously announced and the retail offering 456 times over-subscribed. The C-REIT is expected to be listed and start trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in early August under the fund code 508060.

About GDS Holdings Limited

GDS Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: GDS; HKEX: 9698) is a leading developer and operator of high-performance data centers in China. The Company’s facilities are strategically located in and around primary economic hubs where demand for high-performance data center services is concentrated. The Company’s data centers have large net floor area, high power capacity, density and efficiency, and multiple redundancies across all critical systems. GDS is carrier and cloud-neutral, which enables its customers to access the major telecommunications networks, as well as the largest PRC and global public clouds, which are hosted in many of its facilities. The Company offers co-location and a suite of value-added services, including managed hybrid cloud services through direct private connection to leading public clouds, managed network services, and, where required, the resale of public cloud services. The Company has a 24-year track record of service delivery, successfully fulfilling the requirements of some of the largest and most demanding customers for outsourced data center services in China. The Company’s customer base consists predominantly of hyperscale cloud service providers, large internet companies, financial institutions, telecommunications carriers, IT service providers, and large domestic private sector and multinational corporations. The Company also holds a non-controlling 35.6% equity interest in DayOne Data Centers Limited which develops and operates data centers in International markets.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

GDS Holdings Limited
Laura Chen
Phone: +86 (21) 2029-2203
Email: ir@gds-services.com

Piacente Financial Communications
Ross Warner
Phone: +86 (10) 6508-0677
Email: GDS@tpg-ir.com

Brandi Piacente
Phone: +1 (212) 481-2050
Email: GDS@tpg-ir.com

GDS Holdings Limited

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Bitcoin Solaris Enters Final Phase of Presale Ahead of July 31 Launch
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TALLINN, Estonia, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitcoin Solaris (BTC-S), a hybrid blockchain project focused on scalability, mobile accessibility, and decentralization, has entered the final phase of its presale, with the official token launch scheduled for July 31, 2025. This marks a significant milestone for the project, which has rapidly gained attention for its technical architecture and energy-efficient mining approach.

As of today, Bitcoin Solaris is in Phase 12 of its presale, with tokens available at $12, offering a 4% bonus for early adopters. The upcoming launch price is set at $20, creating strong interest from retail participants ahead of the final listing.

Bitcoin Solaris: Built for Scalability, Speed, and Real-World Utility

Bitcoin Solaris aims to revolutionize how we interact with blockchain technology in our daily lives, without the bottlenecks.
- Dual-layer blockchain structure
- Hybrid consensus combining PoW for security and DPoS for scalability
- 10,000+ transactions per second with 2-second finality
- Fully audited by Cyberscope and Freshcoins for security confidence
When it comes to blockchain architecture, Bitcoin Solaris merges the old-school security of Bitcoin with the modern-day efficiency demanded by DeFi, gaming, and real-world applications. The project’s ongoing partnership with Solana ensures lightning-fast transaction speeds during its early growth, while its native chain continues to evolve.

Why Bitcoin Solaris Is Exploding Right Now

Bitcoin Solaris is not just hype. It is backed by a robust technical foundation and a clear roadmap. Beyond the headlines, there’s a practical reason people are flocking to this project: it is accessible and built for mass adoption.
- Mobile mining through the upcoming Solaris Nova App makes BTC-S available to everyone.
- Mining is as simple as downloading an app. No technical knowledge required.
- 99.95% more energy efficient than Bitcoin, making it environmentally sustainable.
Through the exciting release of the Solaris Nova App, BTC-S will put mining into the hands of everyday users globally. Whether you’re on an iPhone, Android, or desktop, mining BTC-S is as simple as pressing a button. More miners mean more network security, which means greater value for early adopters.

If you want to understand why Bitcoin Solaris is gaining such traction, multiple influencers have broken it down in detail:

All point to the same thing: Bitcoin Solaris is shaping up to be the smartest entry point for investors looking for that second shot at crypto wealth.

The Presale Is Heating Up, And Nearly Over

We are in Phase 12 of the presale, and things are moving fast:
- Current Price: $12
- Next Phase: $13
- Bonus this round: 4%
- Launch Price: $20
- Potential return: 150%
With only around 3 weeks remaining until the July 31, 2025 launch date, urgency is key. Bitcoin Solaris has already raised over $6.6M, with more than 14,150 unique users locking in their positions. This is shaping up to be one of the shortest and most explosive presales in recent crypto history.

Wallets like Trust Wallet and Metamask are recommended for seamless token delivery after launch.

If you missed the first crypto boom, this presale is structured to ensure you don’t miss the next.

You can secure your place directly through the Bitcoin Solaris website.

Advanced Technology Driving a Wealth-Building Future

What sets BTC-S apart isn’t just hype. It is the tech. The hybrid consensus model gives you both security and speed, while the dual-layer system ensures scalability without congestion.
- Base Layer (PoW): Security through proven blockchain methods
- Solaris Layer (DPoS): 100,000 TPS with 2-second finality
- Smart contracts built on Rust and Solana standards
- Zero-Knowledge Proofs for privacy-focused users
BTC-S is not merely theoretical. Its roadmap is precise and ambitious. You can view the detailed Bitcoin Solaris Roadmap for more insights.

About Bitcoin Solaris

Bitcoin Solaris is a decentralized blockchain platform built to enable scalable, secure, and energy-efficient applications. Its dual-consensus system and mobile-first approach are designed to bring blockchain utility to mainstream users while maintaining robust decentralization principles.

For more information on Bitcoin Solaris:
Website: https://www.bitcoinsolaris.com/
Telegram: https://t.me/Bitcoinsolaris
X: https://x.com/BitcoinSolaris

Media Contact:
Xander Levine
press@bitcoinsolaris.com
Press Kit: Available upon request

Disclaimer: This content is provided by Bitcoin Solaris. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f563e283-5f50-4dca-9e28-2fc3ce0967fe

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d0119e70-5802-4954-ba22-95faf579444c

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2c8e4e5c-19b2-4f52-ba98-8e9743a02893

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/45dc316d-777c-46f5-998f-03072b12533b

The MIL Network –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Lucinity and Zenoo partner to deliver full-lifecycle compliance—from onboarding to investigation

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lucinity and Zenoo have formed a strategic partnership to provide financial institutions with a unified approach to compliance that connects onboarding, perpetual KYC, investigations, and reporting. By combining Zenoo’s no-code orchestration engine with Lucinity’s AI-powered case management platform, the partnership enables compliance teams to unify compliance processes, reduce manual work, and improve data quality across the entire customer lifecycle.

The partnership bridges a long-standing gap in compliance operations: the disconnect between onboarding and KYC systems and the tools used for risk investigation. This integration enables institutions to carry high-quality data—such as identity verification, address validation, and fraud indicators—from the first customer interaction through to ongoing detection and case review. By unifying these stages, the collaboration supports stronger data integrity, more effective monitoring, and reduced false positives.

Zenoo allows compliance teams to build and deploy onboarding and KYC workflows without engineering support. Their platform includes a visual journey builder for designing logic and flows, a real-time UI editor for branded customer experiences, and a marketplace of pre-integrated providers for identity verification, sanctions screening, and fraud checks. These workflows are dynamic, localized, and adapt to regulatory requirements and customer profiles. Zenoo also supports ongoing KYC by triggering re-verifications, updates, and risk reviews based on lifecycle events or behavioural changes, enabling a shift from static to perpetual KYC.

Lucinity provides the infrastructure to act on those signals. Its platform includes a centralized Case Manager that consolidates alerts from AML, sanctions, fraud, and onboarding. Customer 360 gives investigators full context across internal and third-party sources, while the Luci AI Agent supports analysts with on-demand background checks, data lookups, and follow-up actions. Luci can also call Zenoo workflows directly—for example, to request a document from a customer or trigger a batch of identity verifications—without requiring integration work. Exceptions flagged during onboarding, such as failed checks or friction points, are automatically routed into Lucinity as structured cases. This gives compliance teams one place to manage investigations across the entire lifecycle.

What distinguishes the partnership is its modular, API-first approach, allowing institutions to customize their compliance architecture without being locked into a single vendor stack. By connecting two interoperable platforms, the collaboration supports a flexible model for managing compliance workflows. This integration helps organizations move away from manual processes toward a more dynamic and intelligent ecosystem.

Guðmundur Kristjánsson, Founder and CEO of Lucinity, said: “Zenoo strengthens our platform by delivering better onboarding data from the start. It improves Customer 360, sharpens case triage, and gives Luci more context to support faster, more accurate investigations.”

Stuart Watkins, founder and CEO of Zenoo, added: “With Lucinity, we’re extending the value of onboarding far beyond the initial customer interaction. Now, the data we capture can drive real-time decisions, trigger investigations, and improve the quality of compliance across the board.”

Contact
Celina Pablo
celina@lucinity.com
+354 792 4321

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025
India reiterates zero tolerance for money laundering, terror funding

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

India has reaffirmed its commitment to combat money laundering and terror financing, aligning its domestic frameworks with global standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Established in 1989 during the G7 Summit in Paris, FATF plays a crucial role in protecting the integrity of the global financial system. With 40 members today, the body’s recommendations have shaped anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) regimes worldwide, with over 200 countries pledging to comply.

India became FATF’s 34th member in 2010 and has since demonstrated zero tolerance towards terror financing and money laundering. The country’s frameworks, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (2002) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (1967), are designed to detect and disrupt illicit flows of funds linked to organised crime, terrorism, and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The FATF regularly identifies jurisdictions with weak measures through its public “grey list” and “blacklist.” As of June June 13, 2025, 24 countries — including South Africa, Syria, and Vietnam — are under increased monitoring. Nations like North Korea, Iran, and Myanmar remain on the blacklist due to persistent strategic deficiencies. Notably, FATF data shows that out of 139 countries reviewed, 86 have undertaken reforms to strengthen their AML/CFT frameworks.

India’s proactive approach is reflected in its consistent alignment with FATF standards and contributions to global assessments and case studies, demonstrating its role as a responsible player in safeguarding global security and financial transparency.

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Salazar Introduces Historic Bipartisan DIGNITY Act to Finally Fix America’s Broken Immigration System
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)

strong>WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) and Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) introduced a new and improved version of the DIGNITY Act – the DIGNITY Act of 2025: a bold, historic, and commonsense immigration reform bill.

They were joined by a group of 20 members including Reps.Mike Lawler (NY-17), David Valadao (CA-22), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Gabe Evans (CO-08), Marlin Stutzman (IN-03), Don Bacon (NE-02), Young Kim (MA-04), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Susie Lee (NV-03), Adam Gray (CA-13), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Mike Levin (CA-49), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Laura Gillen (NY-04), and Jake Auchincloss (MA-04).

At a press conference held at the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Salazar outlined a revolutionary path forward to fix a system that has been broken for decades.

“The Dignity Act of 2025 is a revolutionary bill that offers the solution to our immigration crisis: secure the border, stop illegal immigration, and provide an earned opportunity for long-term immigrants to stay here and work,” said Congresswoman Salazar. “No amnesty. No handouts. No citizenship. Just accountability and a path to stability for our economy and our future.”

“I have seen firsthand the devastating consequences of our broken immigration system, and as a member of Congress, I take seriously my obligation to propose a solution. Realistic, common-sense compromise is achievable, and is especially important given the urgency of this moment. I consider the Dignity Act of 2025 a critical first step to overhauling this broken system,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “Immigrants – especially those who have been in the United States for decades – make up a critical component of our communities and also of the American workforce and economy. The vast majority of immigrants are hard-working, law-abiding residents; and, most Americans recognize that it is in our country’s best interest to find bipartisan reforms. We can enact legislation that incorporates both humanity and security, and the Dignity Act of 2025 offers a balanced approach that restores dignity to people who have tried to navigate a broken system for far too long. The reintroduction of this legislation includes changes that reflect the challenges in today’s political environment. I’m proud of my bipartisan work with Representative Salazar, who has been a strong partner on this issue since December 2022. It is our hope that Congress seizes the opportunity to take an important step forward on this issue.”

The Dignity Act delivers a long-overdue solution: it secures the border, restores law and order, revitalizes the American Workforce, and allows certain long-term undocumented immigrants to earn legal status, without amnesty or a path to citizenship. The bill restores order while offering a tough but fair opportunity for those who have contributed to the country.

Unlike past efforts, the DIGNITY Act is fully funded through restitution payments and application fees made by immigrants, requiring NO taxpayer dollars.

“In conversations across NY-17, I’ve heard a lot of frustration, both from employers struggling to fill jobs and families looking to reunite with their loved ones,” said Congressman Lawler. “We must do this by fixing our broken legal immigration system, securing our borders, and creating a fair, earned process for those who are already here and contributing. The Dignity Act honors America’s legacy of being a nation of immigrants and that’s why I’m proud to support it.”

“As the grandson of Mexican immigrants and a former cop and soldier, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of a secure border and a fair immigration system,” said Congressman Evans. “I’m proud to help introduce Congresswoman Salazar’s bipartisan DIGNITY Act, which prioritizes border security while delivering a practical solution for immigrants who want to work hard, follow our laws, and be productive members of society. Our legislation accomplishes what Latino business owners and community members have been asking for: give immigrants positively contributing to our community an opportunity to pursue the American Dream.”

Key provisions of the Dignity Act include:
- Border Security: Fully funds modern border infrastructure and enforcement.
- Mandatory E-Verify: Prevents illegal hiring and protects American jobs.
- Asylum Reform: Ends catch-and-release, and ensures timely and credible outcomes.
- Dreamer Protections: Grants legal status and a path to permanent residency.
- The Dignity Program: A 7-year earned legal status program allowing undocumented immigrants to live and work legally, with renewable status based on good conduct and restitution.
- Workforce Development: Expands training, apprenticeships, and education for American workers.
- Legal Immigration Reform: Updates visa categories to align with 21st-century economic needs.
With growing bipartisan support and endorsements from immigration groups, faith leaders, businesses, the agricultural sector, educators, and community leaders, the Dignity Act presents the strongest and most viable opportunity in years to achieve meaningful, lasting immigration reform.

The legislation acknowledges a key truth: most undocumented individuals are not seeking citizenship at all costs, but rather the dignity of living and working legally, contributing to society, paying taxes, being safe from deportation, and traveling to see family during the holidays.

At the same time, the Dignity Act makes clear that this will be the final fix, because real border security and enforcement must be in place to prevent future crises.

WHY NOW?

The immigration crisis is no longer confined to border towns. From the recent riots in Los Angeles to overwhelmed communities across the country, the consequences of a broken system are unfolding in plain sight. Millions live in the shadows, our economy suffers from labor shortages, and the border remains a flashpoint of national concern.

For too long, Congress has failed to act, leaving communities, law enforcement, and immigrants caught in a system that doesn’t work.

The Dignity Act delivers a real solution: secure the border and provide undocumented immigrants who meet strict conditions with an earned opportunity to live and work legally, with dignity and accountability.

It balances compassion with law and order.

This is a defining moment to act. The American people want security, dignity, and a system that works. The Dignity Act makes that possible.

BACKGROUND:

For generations, the United States has been a beacon of hope for those fleeing violence, seeking opportunity, and building a better life. But our broken immigration system has left too many in the shadows and too many Americans without answers.

The Dignity Act reaffirms that while we are a nation of laws, we are also a nation of second chances. By restoring order and creating a clear, enforceable process, this legislation renews the American legacy of hope and opportunity.

RESOURCES:

Full press conference, click here.

One-pager on the Dignity Act, click here.

Detailed summary of the Dignity Act, click here.

Section-by-section breakdown of the Dignity Act, click here.

Full text of the bill, click here.

MIL OSI USA News –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Unusable stocks following the entry into force of the Commission’s proposed legislation on lead ammunition – E-002811/2025

Source: European Parliament

Question for written answer E-002811/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Riho Terras (PPE)

The EC’s proposed legislation on lead ammunition draws a distinction between ‘large-calibre’ (≥ 5.6 mm) and ‘small-calibre’ (

As lead ammunition cannot simply be discarded or repurposed, mainly on account of its explosive components, after the proposed transitional period of 18 months, producers, sellers and users would be left with significant unusable stocks of lead-based centrefire ammunition.

Could the Commission explain whether appropriate compensation mechanisms have been considered for affected stakeholders, who would suffer financial losses as a result of being left with unusable stocks of lead-based centrefire ammunition after 18 months?

Submitted: 9.7.2025

Last updated: 16 July 2025

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Sound economic governance as a precondition for RRF payments – 16-07-2025

Source: European Parliament

The €650 billion Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) finances reform and investment measures in EU Member States until 2026 to mitigate the socio-economic upshots of the pandemic and foster the twin transitions. Article 10 of the RRF Regulation sets out conditions for commitment and payment suspensions based on the macroeconomic position of Member States. In cases where the public finances of EU countries are not in line with the EU economic governance framework and Member States do not make any credible efforts to correct macroeconomic imbalances, the European Commission may propose the enactment of RRF suspensions to the Council. Any suspension would stop the countries concerned from benefiting in full and on time from RRF grants and loans. The Commission has not proposed any such suspension so far.

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Netherlands: EIB, Rabobank, and DLL partner to provide €1 billion for European SMEs with a focus on sustainability and agriculture
Source: European Investment Bank

EIB
- The European Investment Bank signs two €250 million loan facilities with Rabobank and its subsidiary DLL, aimed at supporting access to finance for European companies.
- The Rabobank facility targets SMEs and mid-caps in the Netherlands committed to investing in the energy transition and enhancing their organizational sustainability.
- The DLL facility provides access to finance, in multiple EU countries, to SMEs and mid-caps focused on climate action and sustainability, with an emphasis on circularity, food, and energy transitions.
Rabobank, DLL, and the European Investment Bank are partnering to increase access to finance for SMEs and mid-caps with a particular emphasis on sustainability and bioeconomy sectors, including agriculture.

Rabobank will borrow €250 million from the EIB and match this amount with its own funds, making €500 million available to support small-scale projects undertaken by Dutch SMEs and mid-caps, with a focus on sustainability and agriculture. Specifically, at least 40% of investments are earmarked for climate-relevant investments, and at least 40% of the available funding will be directed towards bioeconomy sectors, including agriculture.

DLL has secured an additional €250 million, which it will also match with its own funds, aiming to improve access to finance for SMEs and mid-caps across the EU. The focus will be on France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Poland, Ireland, and the Netherlands, targeting investments in sustainability by local companies.

In total, the combined EIB loans as well as Rabobank and DLL’s matching funds will make €1 billion in new funding available for SMEs and mid-caps, with a particular focus on financing climate-relevant and agricultural projects.

“It is important to understand that climate financing is a key driver of economic growth,” states EIB Vice President Robert de Groot. “We have to look at the bigger picture, which is that climate change is disrupting business and economic behaviours. We have a long track-record with Rabobank and DLL in terms of climate relevant financing, and hope that this facility can convince other financiers to make available more support for entrepreneurs developing more sustainable projects.”

Carlo van Kemenade, Director Retail NL and Member of the Managing Board of Rabobank: “We are proud to build on the successful partnership with the EIB and the new launch of impact loans. Sustainability is an important pillar of Rabobank’s strategy. Clients are also very positive about this impact loan. The interest rate discount is both a reward for the impact they have as a leader in sustainability and an encouragement to continue on the path we have set with our clients.”

“As a transition partner for a better world, DLL believes that sustainability is fundamental to long-term business success,” says Lara Yocarini, Member of the Managing Board, Rabobank, and CEO and Chair of the Executive Board of DLL. “The attractive funding from the European Investment Bank will enhance our ability to provide more accessible, affordable, and tailored leasing solutions, ultimately reducing barriers for our partners and customers to invest in more sustainable equipment and technology.”

Background information:

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals. Over the last ten years, the EIB has made available more than €27 billion in financing for Dutch projects in various sectors, including research & development, transport, drinking water, healthcare, and SMEs.

The EIB is the European Union’s bank; the only bank owned by and representing the interests of the European Union Member States, The Netherlands owns a 5,2% share of the EIB. It works closely with other EU institutions to implement EU policy and is the world’s largest multilateral borrower and lender. The EIB provides finance and expertise for sustainable investment projects that contribute to EU policy objectives. More than 90% of its activity is in Europe.

About Rabobank

Rabobank is an international financial services provider operating on the basis of cooperative principles. It offers retail banking, wholesale banking, private banking, leasing, and real estate services. As a cooperative bank, Rabobank puts customers’ interests first in its services. Rabobank is committed to being a leading customer-focused cooperative bank in the Netherlands and a leading food and agri bank worldwide. Rabobank employed 49,000 FTE per 31 December 2024. Rabobank Group is active in 37 countries.

About DLL

DLL is a global asset finance company for equipment and technology with a managed portfolio of more than EUR 47 billion. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, DLL provides financial solutions within the Agriculture, Construction, Energy Transition, Food, Healthcare, Industrial, Technology, Transportation, and Workplace industries in more than 25 countries. The company partners with equipment manufacturers, dealers, and distributors to enable easier access to equipment, technology, and software, to support business growth.

DLL is committed to a more sustainable future for the environment and the communities in which it operates. Combining customer focus and industry knowledge, DLL provides financial solutions for the complete asset life cycle, including commercial finance, retail finance and used equipment finance. DLL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rabobank Group.
MIL OSI Europe News –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Missions – CONT Mission to Bratislava (Slovakia), 26-28 May 2025 – Mission Report – 26-05-2025 – Committee on Budgetary Control

Source: European Parliament

CONT mission to Slovakia © Image used under license from Adobe Stock

The purpose of this mission was to assess the situation in Slovakia related to ensuring the sound financial Management of EU funds and, more generally, to the protection of the EU’s financial interests.

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 16, 2025
Beacon of inspiration: Union Cabinet hails Shubhanshu Shukla’s return from ISS

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday passed a resolution celebrating the safe return of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from the International Space Station (ISS), calling it “a moment of pride, glory, and joy for the entire nation.”

Shukla, part of the four-member Axiom-4 crew, returned to Earth on Tuesday aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule after spending 18 days in orbit. With this mission, Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS and only the second Indian to travel to space, four decades after Rakesh Sharma’s historic 1984 mission.

Hailing the milestone as a “watershed moment” for the country, the Cabinet said the mission heralds a new chapter in India’s space programme and offers a preview of what lies ahead in its human spaceflight ambitions.

“This successful mission significantly elevates India’s global standing in space exploration,” the resolution stated. “It is a vital stepping stone towards India’s own human spaceflight programme, including the Gaganyaan and the Bharatiya Antariksha Station. It reaffirms India’s resolve to be at the forefront of human space exploration.”

The Cabinet underlined India’s growing role in global space cooperation, particularly through the scientific experiments conducted by Shukla aboard the ISS.

He carried out a series of pioneering microgravity studies on muscle regeneration, algal and microbial growth, crop viability, microbial survivability, cognitive performance in space, and the behaviour of cyanobacteria. The resolution noted that these experiments will significantly enhance the global scientific understanding of human spaceflight and microgravity environments, while also contributing valuable insights for India’s future space missions.

The resolution credited Prime Minister Modi’s “visionary and decisive leadership” for enabling India’s recent space achievements and for pushing the country to the frontlines of space exploration. It recalled with pride the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, which made India the first country to land near the Moon’s South Pole on August 23, 2023, a date now commemorated as National Space Day. It also highlighted the success of the Aditya-L1 solar mission, which has advanced global understanding of solar activity and its effects.

Pointing to the transformation of India’s space economy, the Cabinet noted that structural reforms in the sector have led to the emergence of around 300 space-tech start-ups.

“The emergence of around 300 new start-ups in this sector has not only led to job creation at a large scale, but also nurtured a vibrant ecosystem of innovation, entrepreneurship and technology-driven development,” the resolution said.

More than a personal triumph, the Cabinet described Shukla’s mission as a “beacon of inspiration” for the youth of India. “It will ignite scientific temper, fuel curiosity, and inspire countless young Indians to pursue careers in science and embrace innovation,” the resolution said.

“The Cabinet reaffirms its firm conviction that this mission will energise the national resolve to build Viksit Bharat—a Developed India—by 2047, as envisioned by the Prime Minister,” it added.

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Food Minister Daniel Zeichner: Good Food Cycle speech
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Speech

Food Minister Daniel Zeichner: Good Food Cycle speech

Speech by Food Minister Daniel Zeichner launching the Good Food Cycle at Darley Street Market in Bradford.
Well, good afternoon everybody and thank you. First of all, thank you to Andrew, and to all our brilliant contributors – really fantastic.

Politicians often say they’re really pleased to be in places. And I am pleased to be in places – but I have been really thrilled to be here. I’ve not been to Bradford before, and I’ve been absolutely knocked out by what I’ve seen this morning. I’m so pleased to be here.

I’m told you’re one of the UK’s youngest, most diverse, and dynamic cities. I represent Cambridge, and we probably could have a little discussion about that – but I think you may be winning! What I know for sure is that you’ve got a rich food culture here. I’ve been seeing it outside, I’ve been hearing about it, and I’m so thrilled that we made the decision that Bradford should be the place to come and talk about the government’s vision for our food system. What we’re calling the Good Food Cycle.

And I hope that’s a phrase that will stick in your minds – because that’s what this is all about.

Let me start, though, by thanking some of the people who’ve made this morning possible: Bradford 2025, the local council – I’m delighted to be here working with you – and Inn Churches. Very impressed by the work you’re doing.

I’ve heard about Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food, I’ve seen some of the demonstrations that are being done outside with some of the children – I’ve met some of the children – who are extraordinarily confident and well-informed about raw beans! Very good for them!

Living Well, the wider community, all the efforts being made to empower, educate, and inspire as many people as possible to cook great-tasting, healthy food for themselves and their families. I think this project here, which I’ve been hearing about – clearly a long time in the making – what a fantastic achievement in this year of 2025.

It really does show how communities, local government, food producers and processors can work together for the community. Because it shows that good, healthy food can be accessible to everyone, and help bring communities together.

And just in my brief tour around, I could see how that’s being brought to life.

I’m told it’s £31 million of investment into the heart of Bradford – it shows what can be done to support local food producers, what you’re making, and how we used to have those strong local food production systems. What a chance to re-energise that!

But of course, this sits in a wider context – one that includes household-name food businesses with a national footprint, like Morrisons, like Marks and Spencer. They all play a part in our national food system.

And let’s pay tribute to that national food system, because it is one of the most extraordinary and advanced in the world. Huge, huge things. I remember, I was the shadow minister during the Covid crisis, and there was a point where it wasn’t entirely clear that we could carry on feeding the nation. But people stepped up. And it really showed what an amazing system this is.

But we also have to be aware that the current food system does have some challenges.

Henry Dimbleby – a lot of you will be aware – did a lot of work a few years ago on this. He called it the junk food cycle. Which, at one level, is harsh. But what he was pointing out was that there are internal dynamics within the system that keep producing negative feedback loops.

That’s the thing we want to address.

I think it can be addressed. I think there are many people in this room who have been working on this for many, many years. But it’s possible to do something about it. To do it differently.

And that’s why I’ve come here today – to launch what we’re calling the Good Food Cycle. We think it’s a really significant step in the change we want to take together.

And I think this is actually a very special moment because it’s the first time, as far as I can see, that the whole of government is aligned on a vision for the food system, looking ahead to the future. And it’s one which puts people and the planet at its heart.

Now, we haven’t done this alone. This is not just about government. We’ve worked across the food system.

Sarah [Bradbury, IGD CEO] has been saying this – and our colleagues involved in the systems process have told us too – we’ve worked with industry, trying to do what only government can do: convene and coordinate action on food.

And the reason we’re doing this is not just because it’s a good thing to do – it’s because what we’re hearing from people, right across the country, across generations and communities, is that this is really, really important.

Because the one thing we all do – is eat. And we should take joy and celebration in that. It’s really important.

So, over the last six months – in the early part of this government – we’ve spoken to over 400 individuals. That’s been coordinated through the process – thank you to everyone who helped make that happen.

We’ve heard from organisations, from businesses. We’ve been asking the question: What would a good food system look like?

I’m very grateful to the people who’ve been sitting on the Food Strategy Advisory Board – some of you may have read about that – Sarah has been providing the secretariat and more; keeping together a complicated group of people with very different views, but we’re working well together – and the Systems Advisory Council. Also, the F4 – that’s the grouping of the key parts of industry. All of them have been involved in this discussion. So many people from academia as well – I see leading academic figures locally.

All have given time and effort to help us develop what we believe is a shared vision.

[Political line removed]

Well, I’m absolutely determined, as the food minister, that we will not make that mistake.

We will listen. We’ll work alongside those in the food system who make key decisions – and also those who play key roles in that system. Whether that’s a supermarket boss, or someone who’s making the Sunday lunch. Or someone working in a shop.

All those people are going to be involved in this discussion.

This is a vision for a healthier, more affordable, sustainable, and resilient 21st-century UK food system that grows the economy, feeds the nation, nourishes people, and protects the environment and climate – now and in the future.

So, for the next steps to make our Good Food Cycle vision a reality, we’ve identified ten priority outcomes that we’ll be working with people to deliver.

Those outcomes are focused on:

Ensuring everyone has access to healthier and more affordable food

Creating the conditions for a thriving and growing food sector, with more investment in healthy, sustainable, affordable food

Ensuring a secure, sustainable and resilient food supply

Building on vibrant local food cultures – like we’ve seen here in Bradford

We know there’s a huge prize for investing in the UK food system, which is why we are focused on creating the right conditions to bring money and talent into the UK food system.

Because when we grow, make, and sell healthy food, frankly, everyone benefits.

Now, the cost of healthy food is a key concern for working people across the country. And we’re focused on food and nutritional security, from a household to a national level.

One way to support a secure and more resilient food system is to enhance our food security monitoring – in response to continued volatility from geopolitical and climate shocks.

It’s critical that this information is transparent and available to people across the food system.

Today I am committing to a new annual food security statistics publication to be published in the years between the triennial UK Food Security Report, starting this year.

It will be a more frequent and focused publication, designed to ensure that key UK food security analysis is made public in order to capture emerging trends, and to support both policymakers and the public.

That’s a government step we’re announcing today – to ensure we continue to support a more secure food supply chain in this country, so we can build a stronger future.

I believe now is the time to act and make positive change to support our nation. Because with climate, health, and economic pressures growing, we stand to lose out if we don’t act now. Action on improving the food system isn’t just for national government – frankly, it’s for all of us.

So, I’d like to say just a little bit about what I’ve heard is happening here in Bradford – and I hope you’ll find it as inspirational as I do.

I understand that in February of this year, the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, in collaboration with others, unveiled over 30 innovative projects as part of its Creative Health programme, harnessing the transformative power of culture and creativity to tackle some of the district’s most urgent health and social challenges.

And we’re already seeing great outcomes from this work.

The Cookery School, run by Inn Churches in this Market, in partnership with Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food, teaches children and adults how to make healthy, fresh, tasty meals from scratch for themselves and their families.

Living Well is an initiative led by Bradford Council Public Health, the NHS Bradford and Craven Health and Care Partnership and a wide range of key stakeholders and community groups. They are helping to address the rising levels of obesity and reduce the high levels of early and preventable deaths within the district.

I’d like to thank the initiatives leaders, the Bradford Council and Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership for all their hard work in helping individuals to live well.

This government wants to work across the food system to make the healthy choice the easy choice for people in Bradford and across the country.

But a healthy food system is not only about what we eat, it is also about how our food is produced and the impact it has on the environment.

When we come together to eat – we are sharing in something incredibly powerful. Culture. 

Which brings me back to why I am here in Bradford today. Culture and Community are closely interlinked. Communities build culture. This building is the site of a shift in culture. One which is about connecting people with their local food producers, as well as supporting them to have the skills to use this amazing bounty of British ingredients.

Everyone should be able to take pride and joy in what they grow and eat. And we want local producers to grow more of what we eat and communities to eat more of what we grow.

This Government is here to enable, protect and prepare. Enable health, growth and productivity. Protect food standards. Prepare for the impacts of a more extreme weather and more volatile world.

This is a cross-government strategy, and we will work collaboratively to ensure we take the right steps to address the needs of the nation.

This is a milestone in our commitment to transform the food system. So today, we set out what we want to achieve, and why it’s important.

Now and in the future, we’ll work with citizens, with civil society, with farmers, with fishers, with food businesses to agree how to reach that vision, and how we will measure our progress.

If we can replicate some of the energy and commitment I have seen today and enable the growth of other Darley Street markets in other towns across the country; enable every class of school children to enjoy healthy, delicious food; enable investment in responsible food businesses , we will be well on our way.

Friends, together we can make the healthy, sustainable choice the easy and obvious one – for everyone. Together, we can create the Good Food Cycle.

Updates to this page

Published 16 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Bitget COO Tours UCLA, Harvard and LALIGA Business School, Accelerating Blockchain Education

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VICTORIA, Seychelles, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, is making bold strides in the academic space, blending blockchain education with real-world brand strategy. On a recent multi-campus tour, Bitget COO Vugar Usi Zade visited LALIGA Business School, UCLA, and Harvard, where he shared how Bitget’s global partnerships and Web3 initiatives are rewriting the playbook for the future of finance, sponsorship, and digital culture.

Vugar Usi Zade, Bitget COO speaking at LALIGA Business School

At LALIGA Business School, Vugar delivered a dedicated MBA session on “The Business of Entertainment and Sponsorships as Growth Tools,” using Bitget’s high-profile collaborations with Juventus and Lionel Messi as a blueprint for strategic scaling. The case study examined how such partnerships drive awareness, increase user acquisition, and deepen market trust across diverse regions. A key highlight was Bitget’s multi-year partnership with LALIGA, which was examined as a model for upper-funnel activation and regional engagement.

Students analyzed Bitget’s stadium-level branding efforts, VIP and KOL-led activations, and the broader impact of experiential campaigns, such as watch parties featuring LALIGA footballers, helping localize the Bitget brand while expanding its global footprint. The class also discussed Bitget’s recent campaign with Raphinha, FC Barcelona winger, showcasing how player-focused storytelling can reinforce brand positioning across football’s passionate fan base.

“The Bitget x LALIGA collaboration is more than a sponsorship—it’s a long-term partnership built on shared values and global vision,” said Vugar Usi Zade, COO of Bitget. “From stadiums to classrooms, we’re committed to bringing the excitement of Spanish football and the promise of blockchain technology to audiences worldwide. Our collaboration with LALIGA Business School reflects that ambition in educating the next generation of business leaders while placing Bitget at the intersection of sport, finance, and innovation.”

Bitget’s Blockchain4Youth initiative, a $10 million global program designed to educate and empower young talent in the Web3 space, has already partnered with over 70 universities worldwide, including LALIGA Business School. Through this collaboration, MBA students gain priority access to the Bitget Builders Program, a structured graduate track that includes a COO apprenticeship, international mentorship, and real-world experience across Bitget’s business verticals.

As part of its academic outreach, Bitget brought Web3 to the classroom, delving into tokenomics with students at UCLA’s Department of Economics and taking center stage at the Harvard Blockchain Conference, where the company was featured as a case study in next-generation crypto innovation.

Whether breaking down blockchain basics or reimagining sports sponsorships in the digital age, Bitget’s campus tour reflects a growing push to connect with future talent, spark curiosity, and bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world Web3 impact.

About Bitget

Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a leading non-custodial crypto wallet supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens. It offers multi-chain trading, staking, payments, and direct access to 20,000+ DApps, with advanced swaps and market insights built into a single platform.

Bitget is driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

Aligned with its global impact strategy, Bitget has joined hands with UNICEF to support blockchain education for 1.1 million people by 2027. In the world of motorsports, Bitget is the exclusive cryptocurrency exchange partner of MotoGP™, one of the world’s most thrilling championships.

For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet
For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/db591935-1bbf-4ef5-929c-fb8c22e16132

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/085a7fc1-4f14-4a79-b5d8-d7e0064f5baa

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025
Cabinet clears special exemption for NLCIL to boost renewable energy drive

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved a special exemption for NLC India Limited (NLCIL) to invest Rs.7,000 crore in its renewable energy expansion plans without adhering to certain existing investment guidelines for Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).

The decision will allow NLCIL to infuse the funds into its wholly owned subsidiary, NLC India Renewables Limited (NIRL). The subsidiary can then invest in renewable energy projects directly or through joint ventures without seeking prior approvals under the current delegation of powers. The exemption also lifts the ceiling that limits overall investment by CPSEs in joint ventures and subsidiaries to 30% of their net worth.

According to the official statement, this move will provide NLCIL and its subsidiary greater financial and operational flexibility to pursue large-scale renewable energy projects.

The approval supports NLCIL’s target of developing 10.11 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and expanding this further to 32 GW by 2047. It aligns with India’s broader climate commitments made at COP26, including building 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2070.

NLCIL, a Navratna CPSE engaged in lignite mining and power generation, currently operates seven renewable energy assets with a combined installed capacity of 2 GW. These assets will be transferred to NIRL as part of the new arrangement.

The statement said NIRL will serve as the main platform for driving the company’s green energy projects and is actively looking at new opportunities in the sector, including participating in competitive bids for upcoming projects.

The approval is expected to help reduce India’s dependence on fossil fuels, lower coal imports, and support reliable round-the-clock power supply across the country.

July 16, 2025
Cabinet approves PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana to boost agricultural productivity

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

In a step to transform India’s agricultural landscape, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the “Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana” for a period of six years starting from the financial year 2025–26. The scheme, which was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, aims to uplift 100 districts with low agricultural productivity, low cropping intensity, and limited credit access.

Drawing inspiration from NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme, this is the first scheme of its kind focused exclusively on agriculture and allied sectors. It is designed to enhance crop productivity, promote diversification and sustainable farming, strengthen post-harvest storage, improve irrigation, and expand credit access for farmers.

The scheme will operate through convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 central departments, along with state-level initiatives and partnerships with the private sector. At least one district from every state and union territory will be included, with the total allocation based on net cropped area and the number of operational holdings in each region.

To ensure efficient execution, committees will be formed at district, state, and national levels. Each district will prepare a customized Agriculture and Allied Activities Plan through its District Dhan-Dhaanya Samiti, which will include progressive farmers. These plans will align with national goals such as water and soil conservation, crop diversification, and the expansion of organic and natural farming.

Implementation of the scheme will be tracked via 117 key performance indicators using a digital dashboard with monthly updates. Central Nodal Officers will oversee progress in each district, while NITI Aayog will provide regular guidance and evaluation.

July 16, 2025
Cabinet approves PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana to boost agricultural productivity

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

In a step to transform India’s agricultural landscape, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the “Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana” for a period of six years starting from the financial year 2025–26. The scheme, which was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, aims to uplift 100 districts with low agricultural productivity, low cropping intensity, and limited credit access.

Drawing inspiration from NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme, this is the first scheme of its kind focused exclusively on agriculture and allied sectors. It is designed to enhance crop productivity, promote diversification and sustainable farming, strengthen post-harvest storage, improve irrigation, and expand credit access for farmers.

The scheme will operate through convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 central departments, along with state-level initiatives and partnerships with the private sector. At least one district from every state and union territory will be included, with the total allocation based on net cropped area and the number of operational holdings in each region.

To ensure efficient execution, committees will be formed at district, state, and national levels. Each district will prepare a customized Agriculture and Allied Activities Plan through its District Dhan-Dhaanya Samiti, which will include progressive farmers. These plans will align with national goals such as water and soil conservation, crop diversification, and the expansion of organic and natural farming.

Implementation of the scheme will be tracked via 117 key performance indicators using a digital dashboard with monthly updates. Central Nodal Officers will oversee progress in each district, while NITI Aayog will provide regular guidance and evaluation.

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Patients who feel heard are more likely to stick with medical treatment
Source: The Conversation – France – By Diana Pérez-Arechaederra, Associate Professor of Organizational Psychology, ESCP Business School

In the 2000s, when I worked as a psychologist in long-term elderly care and primary healthcare services, many of the patients I saw were living with chronic or complex conditions. These situations required that patients trust care providers, consistently adhere to treatments and, often, receive care over an extended period of time.

But what stood out to me were the differences in how those protocols were applied. Some practitioners took time to explain something clearly, asked questions that showed genuine care, or invited patients into a conversation about their treatment. I also noticed how differently patients responded when none of that happened.

The quality of communication – the level of respect, attention and clarity – often made the difference between patients’ cooperation and resistance, between their motivation and withdrawal.

These observations led me to systematically investigate the psychological processes involved in how patients perceive fairness in healthcare.

What I found, in collaboration with colleagues, is that this “soft” dimension of care – how people perceive their treatment, how information is shared with them, and how much time and space they are given to take part in the process – has very real effects on behaviour. Patients’ perception of respect – what we call interactional fairness – often hinges on whether they are given the chance to ask questions, make sense of information, weigh different options and even participate in making decisions. For patients to follow a practitioner’s recommendations, they need to feel informed, heard, respected and involved – not just treated.

What fairness looks like in practice

In our study, we examined two forms of what psychologists call organizational justice in healthcare settings:
- Interactional justice – the sense of being treated with dignity, attentiveness and respect
- Informational justice – the perception that shared information is clear, complete, timely and relevant
We surveyed over 850 patients in Spain and the United States who had visited a healthcare provider in the previous six months. We asked them how they experienced their interactions with health professionals, how much they trusted those professionals, how satisfied they were with the service, whether they followed medical advice, and whether they intended to return to the same provider.

What we saw was a clear pattern. Patients who perceived fairness – being treated with respect and given clear and appropriate information – were more likely to trust their healthcare provider. That trust, in turn, shaped whether they felt able to engage with treatment and sustain their relationship with (or, in the language of our study, their “loyalty” to) the healthcare service or physician. What we call informational fairness had a particularly strong direct link to adherence to treatments or clinical advice, showing its importance for understanding patient behaviour.

In healthcare, patients are navigating uncertainty, vulnerability, and long-term relationships with systems and providers. Their ability to understand, participate in and trust that process is integral to care.

A weekly e-mail in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter!

Insights across borders

Despite the structural and institutional differences between Spain, with its predominantly public healthcare system, and the United States, where healthcare is largely organised through the private sector, our goal was to identify common patterns in how patients interpret and engage with services. Specifically, we sought to understand whether similar cognitive and emotional processes create the patient experience, regardless of the broader healthcare system in place.

Using path analysis models, we assessed the relationships between patients’ perceptions of fairness and their resulting levels of trust and satisfaction, and then, the relationship between those perceptions and patients’ adherence and loyalty to the service. While patients in the United States exhibited slightly stronger associations between perceived fairness and both trust and satisfaction, the overall nature of the relationships was highly consistent across both countries.

These findings suggest that despite differences in how care is delivered and financed, patients in both countries respond to their healthcare interactions in fundamentally similar ways. This matters for healthcare providers and policymakers across diverse settings who are aiming to enhance patient-centred care.

Recognizing patients as agents

At the heart of this is an ethical question: Are patients treated as agents in their own care, or simply as objects of intervention?

Medicine is not a closed, flawless system. It is a developing field of research being translated into practice, and its shortcomings are shaped by social and structural biases, and by the fact that patients may not be given all of the options they should receive. In areas such as women’s health, chronic pain, mental health and rare diseases, patients often offer insights that clinical protocols miss. When their lived experience is ignored or dismissed, we lose opportunities for better diagnoses, more responsive and efficient care, and more sustainable treatment plans.

À lire aussi :
Doctors need to talk through treatment options better for black men with prostate cancer

When I was working in elderly care, I remember the testimony of a resident who was very upset because his parenteral treatment (an injection) had been changed to an enteral one (a drink). Nobody informed him about the change. When I asked him why he was so unhappy, he said: “I much preferred the injections because the clinician who came to administer them was very nice to me. We were friends. Now, I’ll never see her again.”

I’m not sure whether continuing with the parenteral administration was even possible, but what was certain is that nobody asked him what he preferred. And that had an impact on him.

Listening to patients is not merely being polite: it is recognizing that they have information that professionals lack. And that the ethical foundation of health care depends not only on what medical professionals do to patients, but on how they work with them.

What can be done

Creating fairer care involves the following concrete practices, which come from our findings:
- Designing information systems that support timely, accessible and patient-centred communication
- Designing procedures and allocating enough time for professionals to conduct themselves in accordance with interactional and informational fairness principles
- Training for professionals in relational and communication skills that foster patients’ perceptions of respect and dignity
- Educating patients about what care can reasonably provide to help set appropriate expectations
- Reframing patient participation so that patients are not just surveyed after the fact, but listened to and given agency throughout the care process
À lire aussi :
Power to the patient: Person-centred care and how you can take your health into your own hands

None of this is separate from clinical quality. On the contrary, it is what allows clinical care to work best and for all. When patients feel that they matter – that they are respected and informed – they are more likely to collaborate, follow through and return for more care if they need it. That would benefit patients, their practitioners, healthcare systems and society.

The scientific article referred to in this piece was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), whose projects, RD24/0005/0018, were co-funded by the European Union and the Facility for Recovery and Resilience (MRR). The Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS) was involved in the development of RD24/0005/0018. Projects PI22/01677 and PI20/00321 were co-financed by the European Union. The government of Castilla y León also collaborated in the funding of this study through research projects BioSan 2009 and BioSan 2011. These funders played no role in the study design, data analysis, results reporting or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

– ref. Patients who feel heard are more likely to stick with medical treatment – https://theconversation.com/patients-who-feel-heard-are-more-likely-to-stick-with-medical-treatment-260750
MIL OSI Analysis –
July 16, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ21: Fire safety of old buildings

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Vincent Cheng and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (July 16):

Question:

It has been reported that a No. 3 alarm fire broke out at New Lucky House in Jordan in April last year, resulting in five deaths and 40 injuries of members of the public. This Council subsequently passed the Fire Safety (Buildings) (Amendment) Bill 2024 (the Bill) in December last year to enable the Government to carry out fire safety improvement works for target building owners who fail to comply with the Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance, and to increase the penalties imposed on persons who fail to comply with Fire Safety Directions, etc., so as to enhance the fire safety standards of old buildings. However, it is learnt that at present, there are still cases with, among others, public passageways obstructed by miscellaneous articles and smoke stop doors not closed in individual composite buildings and factory buildings. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that the Hong Kong Fire Services Department (FSD) indicated in January this year that the authorities had inspected about 1 000 old buildings with higher risk and issued more than 8 600 Fire Hazard Abatement Notices (FHANs), of the percentage of “three-nil buildings” among such buildings, the number of persons prosecuted and convicted, and the reasons why they were prosecuted, with a breakdown by the 18 districts across the territory;

(2) given that the authorities issued FHANs to or took enforcement actions against the non-compliant buildings during the inspections of the buildings mentioned in (1), of the compliance rate of the buildings concerned so far; whether the authorities will further inspect the buildings concerned on a regular basis; if so, of the details;

(3) of the number of old buildings which the authorities will proactively inspect in the coming year;

(4) given that according to the paper submitted by the Government to the Panel on Security of this Council in December last year, the FSD will select 10 to 20 old buildings at the initial stage after the passage of the Bill for the Government to carry out defaulted works, of the number of buildings finally selected by the authorities, as well as their names, and the number of three-nil buildings among such buildings; the progress and estimated costs of the relevant works;

(5) whether the authorities will consider increasing the number of buildings for which defaulted works will be carried out; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(6) as it is learnt that although the FSD is inviting some owners of old buildings to participate in the Pilot Scheme on the Internet of Things (IoT) fire detection system (the Scheme) which aims to make use of IoT technology by installing sensors inside flats or in the public areas of buildings, so that in the event of a fire, the sensors will transmit the relevant information directly to the FSD, thereby speeding up the efficiency of the authorities in carrying out fire-fighting operations, only a small number of buildings in each district are invited to participate in the Scheme, of the details of the Scheme and the criteria adopted by the authorities for inviting building owners to participate in the Scheme?

Reply:

President,

Fire safety of buildings is a matter of great concern to the Government. A multi-pronged approach has been taken to improve the fire safety standards of old buildings.

With regard to law enforcement, the Fire Services Department (FSD) handles fire hazards in buildings (including old buildings) in accordance with the Fire Services Ordinance (Cap. 95). Generally speaking, during the inspections of buildings in respect of fire safety or complaints, if it is discovered that the means of escape are obstructed or locked, the smoke stop doors are left open or defective, the fire service installations or equipment (FSIs) are not in efficient working order or have not undergone annual inspection, etc., the FSD will issue a Fire Hazard Abatement Notice (FHAN) or instigate prosecution against the relevant parties.

Moreover, in respect of legislation, to enhance the fire safety standard of old buildings, the Government enacted the Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance (Cap. 572) (the Ordinance) which stipulates that composite and domestic buildings constructed in or before 1987 (target buildings) must be enhanced to meet modern fire protection requirements. Being the enforcement authorities (EAs), the FSD and the Buildings Department (BD) conduct joint inspections of target buildings across the territory in a systematic manner, and in light of the actual condition of the buildings and in accordance with the requirements of the Ordinance, issue Fire Safety Directions (Directions) to the owners or occupiers, specifying the required fire safety improvement works. There are about 14 000 target buildings regulated under the Ordinance. As of end-May 2025, about 11 430 target buildings have been inspected and over 400 000 Directions have been issued. Among those issued Directions, about 40 per cent of them have been complied with or discharged, with the remaining some 60 per cent are being followed-up on. Most of these target buildings are making positive progress in taking forward fire safety improvement works and some are in the early stages showing initial progress in complying with the requirements of the Ordinance. Some other buildings face genuine difficulties in co-ordinating efforts, e.g. some building owners being missing or untraceable, making it impossible to co-ordinate relevant works. For cases lacking progress without reasonable excuse, the EAs will progressively instigate prosecutions against relevant buildings.

The Government has been proactively providing various kinds of support (including support on financial aspects, co-ordination among owners and technical aspects) to owners of old buildings, assisting them in carrying out fire safety improvement works. To further enhance the fire safety standards of target buildings, amendments were made to the Ordinance, with the relevant Amendment Ordinance came into effect on December 13, 2024, empowering the FSD and the BD to carry out fire safety improvement works for owners who have failed to comply with the requirements of the Ordinance ( defaulted works), and to recover the relevant fees from them upon completion of the works. In addition, the above-mentioned Amendment Ordinance has also introduced different measures with a view to driving owners’ compliance with the requirements of the Ordinance on their own initiative. The FSD and the BD, as the EAs, are proactively implementing the relevant targeted measures.

My reply to the questions raised by the Hon Cheng is as follows:

(1) In response to the tragic fire at New Lucky House occurred in April 2024, the FSD proactively conducted, under a risk-based principle, about 8 200 inspections against some 1 000 old composite buildings with relatively higher fire risk. A total of 8 661 FHANs were issued during the inspections. The number of FHANs issued to “three-nil buildings”, and the number of successful prosecutions and convictions, are tabulated by District Council districts distribution below –

Districts	Of the total of 8 661 FHANs issued by FSD
Districts	The number of FHANs issued to “three-nil buildings”	The number of successful prosecutions and convictions
Islands	0	0
Central & Western	71	6
Wan Chai	23	21
Eastern	101	1
Southern	16	0
Kowloon City	169	54
Kwun Tong	98	14
Wong Tai Sin	28	2
Yau Tsim Mong	416	179
Sham Shui Po	1 074	40
Tsuen Wan	21	0
Kwai Tsing	0	0
Tuen Mun	0	0
Sha Tin	0	0
Sai Kung	0	0
Tai Po	14	2
North	0	0
Yuen Long	81	5
Total	2 112	324

In respect of the reasons for instigating prosecution, a majority number of cases involved smoke stop door-related irregularities (involving 259 cases), followed by obstruction to means of escape (involving 42 cases) and FSI-related irregularities (involving 23 cases).

(2) & (3) With respect to the proactive inspections mentioned in (1) above, a total of 8 661 FHANs were issued by the FSD. As of end-June 2025, over 90 per cent of them had been complied with.

To further step up law enforcement actions against fire hazards in target buildings, the FSD has established the Building Improvement Special Duty Team (known as the Divisional Public Safety Team) in March 2025 in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories regions respectively to enhance district-based risk management efforts. In the coming year, the FSD will proactively carry out inspections of 1 800 old buildings, strengthening law enforcement and enhancing fire safety education.

(4) As far as the implementation of the defaulted works mechanism is concerned, we have established a clear, objective and transparent mechanism to set a threshold and to prioritise defaulted works. During the initial stage of the defaulted works mechanism, a pilot scheme will be implemented by the EAs, under which 10 target buildings have been selected for the Government to carry out defaulted works, among which, more than half of them are “three-nil buildings”. The EAs plan to award works consultancy and contractor contracts in the third quarter of 2025, and it is expected that contractors may commence the works in the fourth quarter of 2025 and the defaulted works for the first building will be completed by mid-2026.

The EAs are in the procurement process for engaging works consultants and contractors. Therefore, cost of works is yet to be available. Following the completion of investigation and assessment on the defaulted works by the works consultants appointed by the EAs, the EAs may make available to the building owners concerned the initial proposal and preliminary total cost estimate for the defaulted works.

ã€€ã€€As mentioned above, in addition to the introduction of defaulted works, we also introduced different measures in the legislative amendment exercise on the Ordinance, with a view to driving owners’ compliance with the requirements of the Ordinance on their own initiative. One of those measures introduced is on publishing information of Directions, etc. on the EAs’ websites, providing members of the public and prospective buyers with information about the compliance status of target buildings with the Ordinance, further driving owners to carry out fire safety improvement works. To this end, the FSD and the BD have respectively published on their websites (Note) information about Directions or Fire Safety Compliance Orders (FSCOs), etc. (i.e. the address of the building or part to which the Direction/FSCO relates, the serial number, date of issue and compliance status of the Direction and FSCO). This will allow members of the public (including the prospective buyers/tenants of target buildings units) to have better knowledge of the outstanding legal liabilities of the target buildings, thereby encouraging owners to comply with the requirements of the Ordinance.

(5) When implementing the pilot scheme, the EAs will closely monitor the implementation and execution of the defaulted works mechanism, and maintain close co-ordination with relevant government departments, in order to ensure its effective operation in a sustainable manner. The EAs will decide on the number and schedule of defaulted works per annum after consolidating the experience, taking into account factors such as the industry’s capacity to undertake such works, and formulate long-term and holistic strategies for the mechanism, with a view to assisting owners with genuine difficulties in enhancing the fire protection of old buildings. The EAs expect that defaulted works can be carried out for around 20 to 60 target buildings each year.

(6) The FSD has long moved with the times and made good use of innovative technologies to enhance operational efficiency and bring convenience and benefits to the public. Looking ahead, the FSD will explore the collaboration with telecommunication service providers to promote smart firefighting, accelerate digital transformation, and explore innovative application of technologies, such as 5G, big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence in rescue, fire prevention and emergency management. This includes exploring the use of IoT technology to transmit data from fire detectors directly to the FSD’s system for early fire detection, etc., the purpose of which is to enhance the fire safety standard of buildings while holistically improving the level of intelligentisation and informatisation in firefighting. The FSD is currently undertaking preliminary preparatory work for implementing the relevant scheme (including considering a basket of factors, such as building age, number of building storeys, and whether it is a “three-nil building”, etc., in order to select suitable buildings for the pilot scheme). As in the cases of implementing other new measures, after exploring the application of the aforesaid technologies for the implementation of the pilot scheme, the FSD will consolidate relevant experience and review the effectiveness for considering the way forward of the relevant initiative.

Note:
FSD’s relevant website is at fsdns.hkfsd.gov.hk/en
BD’s relevant website is at www.bd.gov.hk/en/resources/online-tools/search/index.html

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 16, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ8: Measures to encourage childbirth

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Shang Hailong and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (July 16):

Question:

It has been reported that Hong Kong’s fertility rate has remained persistently low in recent years, with the total fertility rate for 2023 standing at only 0.8, which is significantly below the replacement level of 2.1 required to maintain the population level. This situation presents profound challenges to Hong Kong’s future economic development, public service demands and workforce structure. The latest report published by the United Nations Population Fund indicates that the primary cause of the global decline in fertility rates is insufficient “reproductive autonomy”, which includes structural barriers such as economic pressure, gender inequality, lack of partner support and want of comprehensive reproductive health services. There are views that Hong Kong’s current pro-natalist policies largely focus on providing short-term economic incentives (e.g. allowances and increased maternity leave) without formulating long-term strategies to address the aforementioned structural barriers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it will conduct a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the existing pro-natalist measures, and propose ground-breaking policies to address the current structural economic issues faced by citizens (such as high housing costs, intense educational competition, and job instability);

(2) given that a survey has reportedly indicated that only 22 per cent of enterprises offer family-friendly measures beyond those required by law, whether the authorities will consider implementing a “family-friendly workplace certification” programme, through which enhanced subsidies would be provided to enterprises to offer more flexible working arrangements and childrearing support;

(3)whether the authorities will consider drawing on overseas and the Mainland experiences to actively expand the childcare service network, such as by exploring the introduction of a “neighbourhood childcare voucher scheme”, subsidising parents to use qualified private childcare services within their communities, or making better use of idle government sites or community facilities in commercial areas to establish more childcare service centres; and

(4) whether the authorities will consider allowing “top talent”, “quality migrants” and “professionals” admitted under various talent admission schemes to apply for the Newborn Baby Bonus scheme, with a view to encouraging more talent to stay in Hong Kong and contribute to its development?

Reply:

President,

The issue of childbearing straddles across a number of policy areas and bureaux, including the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office, the Labour and Welfare Bureau, the Education Bureau, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Health Bureau and the Housing Bureau. A consolidated reply by relevant government bureaux and departments is as follows:

(1) Childbearing is a major life decision which involves different considerations. Fertility cannot be boosted substantially by Government’s policies alone. Various government bureaux and departments have adopted a range of measures to encourage fertility.

In respect of child care, the Government has been supporting parents who cannot take care of their children temporarily through subsidising NGOs to provide a variety of day child care services, including Child Care Centre (CCC) services for children aged from birth to under three, After School Care Programme and Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project (NSCCP). To strengthen support for working families in childbearing, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) is setting up 11 aided standalone CCCs in phases over the three years starting from 2024, doubling the total number of service places to reach around 2 000. The SWD is also extending the After School Care Programme for pre-primary children to cover all districts in phases, and increasing the number of service places under the NSCCP to 2 500 with the estimated number of beneficiaries increasing to 25 000. The Government has also launched the School-based After School Care Service Scheme to provide focused support for students in need (particularly those from single-parent families) to stay in school after school hours for care and learning support, thereby allowing their parents to take up jobs. Over 120 primary schools covering 18 districts across the territory participated in the scheme in the 2024/25 school year, providing about 6 000 places. We will encourage more schools to participate in the scheme in the 2025/26 school year without imposing any quota. Meanwhile, the Government reviews the Working Family Allowance (WFA) Scheme from time to time. The rates of the household and child allowances under the WFA Scheme have been increased by 15 per cent across the board with effect from April 2024, benefiting all households receiving the WFA. The WFA Scheme provides additional allowances for relevant childbearing families, and increasing the rates of the WFA helps further alleviate the burden of grassroots working families. Taking a four-person household with two eligible children as an example, the maximum monthly WFA they may receive have increased from the original amount of $4,200 to $4,830 at present.

Hong Kong’s education system values equity and diversity. The government provides 12 years’ free primary and secondary education through public sector schools, and ensures the provision of sufficient public sector school places for students eligible for receiving education in Hong Kong. Regardless of students’ backgrounds, all are given access to quality education. Diversified support mechanisms are in place to cater to individual differences and promote whole-person development. Our competitive edge is clearly reflected in the excellent performance of Hong Kong students in international studies and assessments. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 results underscore Hong Kong’s outstanding performance in educational equity. Hong Kong ranked second among countries or economies with high academic achievements, indicating that the family socio-economic status of Hong Kong students, including occupation and education level of their parents, had minimal bearing on their performance. This demonstrates that, under our education system, schools are able to provide ample and appropriate education support services for students with different socio-economic backgrounds. The results reaffirmed the merits of the Hong Kong education system in providing all students with quality and equal education opportunities, thereby facilitating social mobility. Besides, the Government has launched the Kindergarten Education Scheme since the 2017/18 school year with the objectives of providing good quality and highly affordable kindergarten education, and enhancing the accessibility of students to different modes of services that suit their specific needs. About 90 per cent of half-day kindergartens are currently free of charge, while the school fees for whole-day kindergartens are maintained at a low level. Families with financial needs may apply for fee remission under the Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme (KCFRS). At present, parents can receive full level of fee remission under the KCFRS.

The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) has been supporting the work of the Family Council (the Council) in promoting a culture of loving families to the general public through organising different publicity programmes and activities. In October 2024, the HYAB and the Council launched the five-year Funding Scheme on the Promotion of Family Education (the Scheme). With annual funding of $8 million, the Scheme subsidises non-profit-making community projects in promoting family education to meet the needs of different families. For the 2024-25 round of applications, a total of 12 projects have been approved. On the other hand, the Council has been encouraging the wider adoption of more diversified and flexible family-friendly employment practices (FFEPs) in the community. These measures will also help promote a childbearing-friendly environment. Since 2023-24, the Council has been launching promotional videos entitled “Family-friendly Workplace” featuring various FFEPs adopted by local companies with sharings by employers and employees. The FFEPs presented include breastfeeding-friendly arrangements, allowing employees to bring their children to work during summer vacation, work-from-home arrangement and flexible work hours, etc. The Council has also collaborated with the Radio Television Hong Kong to produce radio programmes to promulgate different FFEPs. The Council will continue the relevant promotion work.

In terms of tax measures, the basic child allowance and the additional child allowance for each child born during the year of assessment (YA) have been raised to $130,000 starting from YA 2023/24. Moreover, starting from YA 2024/25, for taxpayers who live with their children born on or after October 25, 2023, and meet the prescribed conditions, the deduction ceiling for home loan interest or domestic rents may be raised from $100,000 to $120,000 for a maximum of 19 YAs. These measures help alleviate the financial burden of taxpayers from raising children.

As regards healthcare services, the Government has been committed to supporting assisted reproductive (AR) services and promoting healthy fertility, to assist those who wish to have children. Currently, nine public hospitals under the Hospital Authority (HA) offer assisted reproductive services, among which Queen Mary Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, and Kwong Wah Hospital provide in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) services. The HA is gradually increasing the publicly subsidised service quotas of assisted reproductive services for IVF treatment starting from 2024-25, from the previous 1 100 per year to 1 800 per year in 2028-29, and in parallel enhancing the training for relevant professionals. Achievement of the relevant target is underway, where the HA provided 100 additional subsidised service quotas in 2024-25 as planned, and 300 more quotas will be in place in 2025-26, followed by an additional service quota of 100 places per year in the three years that follow. In addition, the HA repositioned seven AR drugs from self-financed items to special drugs in the HA Drug Formulary in late April this year, whereby patients are only required to pay standard fees if prescribed these seven drugs under specified clinical applications, reducing the financial burden on patients receiving the relevant AR drug therapies. Aside from public AR services, starting from the year of assessment 2024-25, the Government is providing tax deductions for expenses on AR services under salaries tax and personal assessment, to relieve the financial burden from the relevant expenditure and encourage couples faced with fertility difficulties to seek medical assistance as necessary. In the meantime, the Department of Health will also revamp maternal and child health and family planning services, providing new pre-pregnancy health services to reproductive age group women at the Maternal and Child Health Centres in phases, as well as review and adjust the scope of the subsidised family planning service currently provided by non-government organisations, to promote healthy fertility. Furthermore, the Council on Human Reproductive Technology plans to lift the statutory maximum storage periods of gametes and embryos for own use within this year, to allow the members of the public to make their own decisions on the storage duration of gametes and embryos depending on their health and other conditions, so as to better realise reproductive autonomy.

In respect of housing, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) has implemented the Families with Newborns Allocation Priority Scheme and the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme to encourage childbearing by giving incentives to family applicants of public rental housing (PRH) and subsidised sale flats (SSF) sale exercises. Regarding the allocation of PRH, the HA has implemented the Families with Newborns Allocation Priority Scheme since April 1, 2024. PRH family applications with babies born on or after October 25, 2023, and aged one or below are credited one year of waiting time. As at end-June 2025, about 5 000 PRH applications have been credited one year of waiting time under the scheme, of which about 420 families have already been successfully housed to PRH. As for SSF, starting from the Sale of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) Flats 2024 (HOS 2024), the HA has implemented the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme which was announced in the 2023 Policy Address. A quota of about 40 per cent of the new flats for sale (i.e. 2 900 flats) under HOS 2024 were set aside for eligible applicants under the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme and the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members for balloting and priority flat selection. Family applicants of HOS with babies born or after October 25, 2023, are eligible if their children are aged three or below on the closing day of the application. During the application period of HOS 2024, the HA received a total of around 106 000 applications. Among them, around 50 000 were family applicants, of which around 19 000 (i.e. about 40 per cent) applied under the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members and Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme. Among these 19 000 applicants, 800 applicants have successfully purchased flats through the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme. If eligible families applying under the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme fail to purchase a flat under HOS 2024, they may still apply under the Scheme for priority flat selection as long as their children are aged three or below on the closing day of the application in subsequent SSF sale exercises.

(2) Through publicity and promotional activities, the Labour Department (LD) motivates employers to adopt employee-oriented good human resources management measures and implement family-friendly employment practices, including allowing flexible work arrangements, granting special leave approval to cater for family needs of employees and providing relevant support to employees’ family life, etc. Implementing FFEPs enables employees to balance the needs of taking care of their family, and also helps employers recruit and retain staff. Considering the diverse circumstances of enterprises, it is more appropriate to adopt an approach that motivates and encourages enterprises to flexibly implement FFEPs. The LD will continue to take forward relevant work by launching publicity and promotion through various channels, including organising activities on the Good Employer Charter.

(3) As regards the network of child care services, the SWD is setting up 11 aided standalone CCCs in phases over the three years starting from 2024. The SWD has been continuously reviewing the service planning for CCCs and would consider the overall situations of child care services and the characteristics of individual districts so as to take follow-up measures in a timely manner, including enhancing service promotion, and adjusting the planned provision of CCCs and the distribution of service places, etc., to better meet the service demand of the community.

Regarding the planning for child care facilities, the Government has incorporated the population-based planning ratios into the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines in respect of aided standalone CCCs, with a view to reserving necessary sites and space for these facilities early in the planning process of new and redeveloped areas. The SWD has been maintaining close contact with relevant departments to identify suitable sites in various development or redevelopment of public housing estates and urban renewal projects for the provision of child care facilities. In addition, the SWD will make the best use of vacant government accommodation/premises and vacant non-domestic premises in public housing estates to explore whether they are suitable for the use of child care facilities. The SWD will also provide relevant information and assistance to private organisations applying for registration to operate CCCs, and encourage private organisations to provide child care support for their employees.

(4) The Government announced in the 2023 Policy Address that a cash reward of $20,000 will be provided to eligible parents for each baby born from October 25, 2023, for a period of three years. Starting from October 25, 2023, parents can submit an application for the bonus at the same time when registering the birth of their baby and applying for a birth certificate. As of end-June 2025, a total of 49 567 qualified applications have been received, and the bonus has been distributed to 48 984 applicants, at a total amount of approximately $979 million. The Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration is carrying out a review of the Newborn Baby Bonus Scheme. In the review, suggestions which have been raised in the community, including whether to cover families under different talent schemes, will be considered.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ2: Promoting safe and healthy development of low-altitude economy industries

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Chan Siu-hung and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (July 16):

Question:

The National Development and Reform Commission has earlier on emphasised the expansion of application scenarios for low-altitude economic activities in a well-classified and orderly manner, on the premise that risks be stringently controlled and safety be ensured. On promoting the safe and healthy development of the low-altitude economy industries, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that the establishment of a “visible and manageable” fully digitalised low-altitude airspace management system is a key element in managing and controlling the safe and orderly flights of a wide range of high-traffic-density and high-frequency aircrafts in the airspace, whether the Government has a timetable for the establishment of the system concerned; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) as there are views pointing out that the data derived from the low-‍altitude economy have high economic values, and data security will have a direct impact on the efficiency and safety of the use of airspace, whether the Government will study the establishment of a data security system to promote standardised management and the safe and efficient use of low-altitude data, as well as to facilitate the transformation of data value; and

(3) whether it will, by drawing reference from the development experience in the Mainland and other places around the world, conduct quantitative analysis on the economic benefits brought about by low-altitude infrastructure and the related industries, and formulate a plan for development of such facilities through a public-‍private partnership approach, so as to attract more infrastructure investments; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

Low-altitude economy (LAE) is a national strategic emerging industry and an example of developing new quality productive forces. For LAE to “fly far”, it must first “fly steady”. Therefore, safety is undoubtedly a prerequisite for LAE development.

In consultation with the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, the Development Bureau (DEVB) and the Civil Aviation Department, the reply to the Hon Chan’s question is as follows:

(1) Robust low-altitude infrastructure is a critical element in ensuring the safe and orderly operation of low-altitude flying activities. Given Hong Kong’s unique urban landscape characterised by dense high-rise buildings and varied terrain, the low-altitude operating environment is particularly challenging. The establishment of digitalised low-altitude infrastructure, particularly the Smart Low-altitude Traffic Management System, coupled with the formulation of a comprehensive data policy, is essential to ensuring the safe, efficient, and sustainable development of LAE.

Building on the experience gathered from the Regulatory Sandbox (Sandbox) pilot projects, the Government will formulate the conceptual model and technical specifications for a Smart Low-altitude Traffic Management System. To implement these plans, the Government will commence a technical study within this year, drawing on the Mainland and international advanced practices to ensure that the technical parameters of low-altitude infrastructure, including the Smart Low-altitude Traffic Management System, are compatible with regional and international regulatory standards.

(2) The development of LAE will generate significant volumes of data resources such as flight data collected during unmanned aircraft operations, the secure and efficient utilisation of which will directly affect the industry’s development potential. In respect of data management and data security of government systems, the relevant bureaux and departments (B/Ds) at present must comply with the Government IT Security Policy and Guidelines, which require for example encrypting data both in transit and at rest, prohibiting the storage of sensitive and personal data on public cloud platforms, and conducting regular security risk assessments and audits as well as privacy impact assessments for B/Ds’ information systems. These measures aim to ensure that data are kept secure and reliable and meet all applicable legislative and regulatory requirements, including requirements on privacy protection of personal data.

Given the above and in accordance with the open data policy of the Government, data collected by LAE projects can, depending on the circumstances, be made available to the public via the existing digital infrastructures such as the Open Data Portal and the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure Portal (CSDI), thereby fostering more LAE-related applications and industry development. In fact, a considerable amount of data beneficial to the development of the LAE, e.g. maps, aerial photographs, 3D spatial data, building data, traffic data and weather data, etc, has already been shared with the industry through the aforementioned government data platforms, facilitating various sectors to explore more application scenarios of low-altitude flying activities and unlock the full potential of the data.

Furthermore, the DEVB, the Lands Department and relevant departments will jointly explore the feasibility of sharing LAE-related data through a unified platform, and build a three-dimensional information hub dedicated to low-altitude flying activities as a pilot project to conduct a proof-of-concept for sharing data collected by unmanned aircraft. This hub will make reference to the data sharing model of the Mainland and closely connect with the CSDI developed by the DEVB to unify and integrate data from different sources, and be equipped with relevant data dashboards to enable thematic information sharing between the Government and relevant stakeholders relating to low-altitude flying activities.

(3) The development of low-altitude infrastructure is a forward-looking systematic project. Through government guidance and cross-sector collaboration, it can accelerate industrial upgrading and drive the robust growth of LAE. In addition to the investment of government resources, we believe that private market participation is also an indispensable driving force, particularly in areas such as the construction of takeoff/landing sites and the planning of mobile radio communications network. Drawing reference from the experiences and various models adopted in the Mainland and other regions, we will proceed step-by-step in taking forward the relevant work on the development of LAE infrastructure. Throughout this process, the Government will, on the premises of safeguarding aviation and public safety, explore various operational models conducive to the development of LAE to foster long-term economic benefits.

At present, the Government is testing different low-altitude flying application scenarios, technical and site requirements, and cross-departmental regulatory co-ordination through the Sandbox pilot projects. The aims are to gather data, accumulate experience, and examine the infrastructure, safety standards, and legislative and regulatory framework necessary for LAE development, thereby providing trial experience and evidence-based foundation of various application scenarios for the planning of LAE development, including the feasible models for the construction of LAE infrastructure. Our vision is that while the Government creates a favourable ecosystem through top-level design, standard-setting, and institutional innovation, the private sector will drive industrial advancement through technological breakthrough and business model innovation. This public-private collaboration model will pave the way for the sustainable development of LAE in Hong Kong.

Thank you, President.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Perth and Kinross Apprentice Awards open for nominations
Source: Scotland – City of Perth

The Perth and Kinross Apprentice Awards 2025, developed in partnership by Perth and Kinross Council, Skills Development Scotland (opens new window), Developing the Young Workforce Tay Cities (opens new window), Perthshire Chamber of Commerce (opens new window) and UHI Perth (opens new window), opened for entries on Monday 14 July and will close on Friday 8 August 2025.

The awards aim to highlight the value of apprenticeships to individuals, businesses and the wider economy, and to encourage more local nominations for the national Scottish Apprenticeship Awards later this year.

Award categories include:
- Foundation Apprentice of the Year
- Modern Apprentice (SCQF Level 5) of the Year
- Modern Apprentice (SCQF Level 6+) of the Year
- Graduate Apprentice of the Year
- Apprenticeship Employer of the Year
Winners will be announced at a celebration event in early September, ahead of the national awards.

As of 31 March 2025, there were 981 Modern Apprentices in training across Perth and Kinross. In the past year alone, 654 new apprenticeships were supported by Skills Development Scotland, with nearly 60% of those aged 16-24. The local Modern Apprenticeship achievement rate stands at an impressive 84.1%.

Thomas Glen, Chief Executive of Perth and Kinross, said: “The Perth and Kinross Apprenticeship Awards are a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on the achievements of our local apprentices and the employers who support them. Apprenticeships offer young people a valuable route into rewarding careers, and these awards allow us to celebrate that success and the positive impact apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and our wider community.”

A spokesperson for Skills Development Scotland said: “Apprenticeships support individuals, employers and Perthshire’s economy offering high quality opportunities for people to gain valuable skills that support them throughout their career and meet local industry demands now and for the future.”

Vicki Unite, Chief Executive of Perthshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Apprenticeships are a powerful force for growth – for individuals, for businesses, and for our region as a whole. These new awards are a brilliant opportunity to shine a spotlight on the talent, dedication and potential that exists right here in Perth and Kinross. We’re proud to be part of a partnership that’s committed to celebrating the achievements of our apprentices and the employers who support them.”

Lesley English, Regional Lead, Developing the Young Workforce Tay Cities, said: “Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), is delighted to be a key partner in driving these awards forward. DYW’s continued commitment to connecting young people with meaningful career opportunities is integral to the event’s mission: to recognise and reward those making a difference across the apprenticeship landscape. This event is about more than just awards, it’s about celebrating the impact apprenticeships have—not just on individuals, but on the businesses and communities they serve. We’re proud to support the next generation of skilled professionals.”

Sarah-Jane Urquhart, National Training Programmes Manager, UHI Perth, said: ”UHI Perth is proud to be part of the strong partnership supporting the Perth and Kinross Apprenticeship Awards, celebrating the achievements of apprentices and their employers across the region. This partnership reflects our commitment to skills development and lifelong learning, and we are excited to help shine a light on the value of apprenticeships. These awards highlight how apprenticeships not only equip individuals with practical, career ready skills but also strengthen local businesses and communities.”

To enter the awards complete the simple online nomination form:
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Global Net Lease Announces Release Date for Second Quarter 2025 Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Net Lease, Inc. (NYSE: GNL) (“GNL” or the “Company”) announced today that it will release its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025 on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 after the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

The Company will host a conference call and audio webcast on Thursday, August 7, 2025, beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET, to discuss the second quarter results and provide commentary on business performance. The results will be released before the call which will be conducted by GNL’s management team. A question-and-answer session will follow the prepared remarks.

Dial-in instructions for the conference call and the replay are outlined below. This conference call will also be broadcast live over the Internet and can be accessed by all interested parties through the GNL website, www.globalnetlease.com, in the “Investor Relations” section. To listen to the live call, please go to the “Investor Relations” section of the Company’s website at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register and download any necessary audio software. For those who are not able to listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available shortly after the call on the GNL website.

Conference Call Details

Live Call
Dial-In (Toll Free): 1-833-816-1441
International Dial-In: 1-412-317-0533

Conference Replay*
Domestic Dial-In (Toll Free): 1-844-512-2921
International Dial-In: 1-412-317-6671
Conference Replay Number: 10201018

*Available from 2:00 p.m. ET on August 7, 2025 through November 7, 2025.

About Global Net Lease, Inc.

Global Net Lease, Inc. is a publicly traded real estate investment trust listed on the NYSE, which focuses on acquiring and managing a global portfolio of income producing net lease assets across the United States, United Kingdom, and Western and Northern Europe. Additional information about GNL can be found on its website at www.globalnetlease.com.

Important Notice

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the outcome to be materially different. The words such as “may,” “will,” “seeks,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “estimates,” “projects,” “potential,” “predicts,” “plans,” “intends,” “would,” “could,” “should” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of the Company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include the risks that any potential future acquisition or disposition by the Company is subject to market conditions, capital availability and timing considerations and may not be identified or completed on favorable terms, or at all. Some of the risks and uncertainties, although not all risks and uncertainties, that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those presented in the Company’s forward-looking statements are set forth in the “Risk Factors” and “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” sections in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and all of its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as such risks, uncertainties and other important factors may be updated from time to time in the Company’s subsequent reports. Further, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time, unless required by law.

Contacts:
Investor Relations
Email: investorrelations@globalnetlease.com
Phone: (332) 265-2020

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Cority Continues to Be a Leader in the Sustainability Software Market, According to Prominent Industry Analyst Report
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TORONTO, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cority, the sustainable performance software company, has been named a leader in the 2025 Verdantix Green Quadrant for ESG & Sustainability Reporting Software. The report highlights Cority’s ability to provide a unified platform for EHS+ and sustainability, which enables organizations to move beyond compliance reporting to data-driven sustainability performance management.

As demand for trustworthy, auditable sustainability data accelerates, Cority’s unified platform stands apart. Verdantix highlighted Cority’s strength in unifying compliance, risk, and operational performance data with sustainability metrics. Cority’s integrated approach enables organizations to consolidate this data within a single system, ensuring consistent, high-quality data flows that support forecasting, target-tracking, and regulatory reporting, according to Verdantix.

The report reinforces Cority’s long-held belief that sustainability performance can’t be managed in isolation. It must be integrated with the full scope of operational and EHS data to drive real results—particularly in moderate to risk-heavy industries such as manufacturing, energy, chemicals, and industrial operations.

“Cority is uniquely positioned to help organizations not only meet their sustainability reporting obligations, but also to operationalize their data and drive real-time improvements,” said Alex Hardwick, director of sustainability planning & enablement at Cority. “This recognition by Verdantix underscores the value of our integrated platform for enterprises navigating complex, fast-moving sustainability requirements.”

Meeting the Market’s Moment

The sustainability software market is maturing fast, driven by evolving regulations such as the EU’s Omnibus proposal reshaping the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and California’s Climate disclosure laws, along with voluntary reporting frameworks often aligned with the ISSB standards and rising investor scrutiny. According to the Verdantix report, nearly 60% of firms now use software for ESG and sustainability reporting—a sharp rise from 40% just three years ago.

Organizations are increasingly seeking platforms that unify operational, risk, finance, and sustainability data to meet these growing demands. Verdantix highlights this shift:

“The demand for more performance monitoring may also be the impetus for various software tools, such as sustainability reporting, EHS, and carbon management, to come together in one platform.”

Cority is the only enterprise-grade solution recognized for this integrated approach in the 2025 Green Quadrant. Its converged EHS+ platform, CorityOne enables global firms to not only report on sustainability performance but also to trace sustainability metrics back to source operations, allowing proactive adjustments that improve outcomes across the value chain.

Key Highlights from the Report:
- Top Scores: Cority received top scores for Data Acquisition & Architecture, Data Management, Organizational Structure, User Interface, and Customer Success.
- Data Integrity & Scale: Cority earned high marks for scalable, high-integrity data management, essential for large, multinational organizations.
- Advanced Functionality: The platform’s ability to integrate ESG and EHS data in a single environment supports forecasting, compliance, and operational decision-making.
- Market Position: Positioned among the leading providers, Cority stands apart from most competitors with clear separation from the pack.
Verdantix also specifically cited Cority’s acquisition strategy and expanding functionality across key solution areas as strengths. The report also noted Cority’s partnerships with firms like Arcadia to streamline AI-powered data ingestion—further reducing manual data burdens.

The Verdantix Green Quadrant is one of the industry’s most comprehensive, evidence-based
assessments of ESG and sustainability reporting software. The 2025 edition evaluates 21 of the most prominent providers based on rigorous functional and market momentum criteria.

The complete report can be downloaded at https://www.cority.com/reports/green-quadrant-esg-reporting-and-data-management-software/

About Cority
Cority is the sustainable performance software company, helping customers transform operating risks into a performance advantage. Our flagship platform, CorityOne, merges deep industry expertise with intelligent software so customers can engage their workforce to see and prevent risks that impact people, the environment, and performance. For 40 years, Cority has been the trusted solution for thousands of organizations in a range of operationally complex industries worldwide, including oil & gas, chemicals, food & beverage, utilities, manufacturing, and healthcare. To learn more, visit www.cority.com

Media Contact
Natalie Rizk
RiotMind
natalier@theriotmind.agency

The MIL Network –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Bitget Rolls Out Web3 Young Learners’ Encyclopedia to Schools, Libraries, and Beyond

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VICTORIA, Seychelles, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has announced the release of Web3 Young Learners’ Encyclopedia, marking a key milestone in its #Blockchain4Youth global education initiative. The print edition will be distributed across schools, libraries, and community centers to promote blockchain literacy among young learners, while the digital version will be available through CoinGecko, the leading independent crypto data aggregator.

Structured as an A-to-Z guide, the encyclopedia introduces young readers to the world of blockchain through easy-to-understand terms, think “A is for Altcoin” and “Z is for Zero-Knowledge Proofs.” Each letter features clear definitions and playful illustrations that break down complex ideas into bite-sized, beginner-friendly explanations. It’s a fun, approachable way to spark curiosity about digital finance and help kids grasp the building blocks of Web3 from an early age.

“To me, education remains the most effective entry point to the future of blockchain,” said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget. “The encyclopedia is designed to bridge the knowledge gap by meeting young learners where they are with clear language and relevant examples, in a format that makes blockchain approachable.”

The development of the encyclopedia was undertaken in collaboration with Cryptita Plays, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to empowering youth through blockchain education and outreach programs. Drawing from its experience working directly with students and educators in underserved communities, Cryptita Plays provided valuable on-the-ground insights that helped shape the content and approach of the encyclopedia. This partnership reinforces the shared goal of both organizations—to make blockchain education more approachable, inclusive, and impactful for young learners worldwide.

“Our aim has always been to make blockchain meaningful to the next generation—not as a distant concept, but as something they can see, touch, and understand,” said Arshelene Lingao, founder of Cryptita Plays. “This encyclopedia is a tool to help bring those ideas to life and beyond the classroom.”

The print rollout will commence in areas where internet access is limited or inconsistent, allowing for offline education in underserved regions. The printed edition complements the online version of the encyclopedia, which remains accessible to learners worldwide, encouraging learning and multilingual adaptation. The online encyclopedia can be found here. To extend its reach, the digital edition will also be hosted on CoinGecko, making the encyclopedia more accessible to young learners, educators, and blockchain newcomers globally. CoinGecko users can redeem the encyclopedia through the Candy Rewards program using Candies earned from daily check-ins. View the CoinGecko page here.

“Blockchain is often framed as the future, but its impact already shapes lives today. The goal is to ensure young people, regardless of geography or background, have the tools to participate in that future,” said Vugar Usi Zade, COO of Bitget. “This encyclopedia is one way of turning abstract concepts into real plans. It’s a small start, but an important one.”

The encyclopedia is part of Bitget’s broader Blockchain4Youth initiative, a global education effort aimed at equipping the next generation with foundational knowledge of blockchain and digital assets. Designed to be both accessible and engaging, the initiative delivers learning resources through physical publications like the encyclopedia, as well as digital content and in-person programming. By introducing key Web3 concepts in formats that are age-appropriate and widely accessible, Blockchain4Youth aims to make blockchain literacy a practical reality for students worldwide, particularly in regions where access to emerging technology education is limited.

To learn more about the encyclopedia, visit here.

About Bitget

Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a leading non-custodial crypto wallet supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens. It offers multi-chain trading, staking, payments, and direct access to 20,000+ DApps, with advanced swaps and market insights built into a single platform. Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist), and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet
For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/87f81256-cc72-4690-b851-d57be60236ac

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Minister Burke introduces an amended audit exemption regime for small and micro companies
Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

16th July 2025

The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, has today announced the commencement of Section 22 of the Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Act 2024.

This provides for a change to the current audit exemption regime, whereby small and micro sized companies will not, in future, automatically lose the privilege of audit exemption on a first occasion, in a five-year period, of late filing of an annual return with the Companies Registration Office (CRO).

Minister Burke said:

“I am pleased to sign the Commencement Order, putting in place an amended audit exemption regime for those small and micro sized companies that are late filing annual returns with the CRO. For the minority of small businesses that do not file on time, the loss of audit exemption can have a disproportionate impact due to the significant costs associated with providing two years of audited financial statements. This new regime will ease the burden on small companies, reducing paperwork and regulatory obligations on our SME sector while bearing in mind the importance of timely filing of annual returns with the CRO”

Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, Niamh Smyth added:

“Timely filing of annual returns is a key aspect of company law and access to company information is important for a whole range of stakeholders. It is important to emphasise that companies will still be subject to late filing fees if annual returns are not filed on time with the CRO. I would encourage all companies and their advisors to ensure that they are in a position to file in accordance with statutory filing deadlines.”

Notes for Editors

Section 22 replaces section 363 of the Companies Act 2014 (whereby a company loses its audit exemption on the first occasion of its failure to deliver an annual return) with an updated regime as follows:
- provides that a company that qualifies as a small company will not be entitled to an audit exemption for the following two years where it fails to deliver its annual return and has previously failed to file an annual return in any of the previous five financial years
- further provides that a company’s first annual return or previous failure to file an annual return before the commencement of the provision (as the company has already lost its audit exemption) shall not be considered a previous failure.
This approach being introduced retains late filing fees in all cases but does not penalise small businesses further with the loss of audit exemption where a once-off late filing may arise in any five-year period.

The remaining provisions of the 2024 Act relate to a variety of administrative and filing matters relating to the CRO and will be commenced later in 2025.

ENDS

For further information please contact Press Office, Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, press.office@enterprise.gov.ie or (01) 631-2200

Back to Department News

Back to Top
MIL OSI Europe News –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Reminder plan ahead: Dawsons Corner and Stanningley Bypass improvements enter next phase
Source: City of Leeds

Over four weeks starting on Monday 28 July 2025, road repairs and resurfacing works will take place on the Stanningley Bypass, as part of the £44.179m Dawsons Corner and Stanningley Bypass improvement scheme.

Road users are now being urged to prepare to plan ahead, as traffic management (contraflow where vehicles are directed to travel in the opposite direction to the normal flow of traffic) works begin later this month to make improvements to the A647/A6120 Dawsons Corner junction, with repairs and resurfacing works on the Stanningley Bypass.

The work has been planned to coincide with the reduced levels of traffic over the school summer holidays, allowing for these works to progress as quickly as possible with some significant disruption expected to journeys over the coming weeks.

Traffic management will be in place 24/7 along with 30mph speed limits to help complete this work efficiently and for the safety of all road users. During the set up and switch around of the traffic management, there will be partial closures of the bypass and some of the access/slip roads will have local diversions. Access to Pudsey train station will be maintained at all times.

The road traffic management system will safely allow repairs and surfacing works to take place, starting northbound from 8pm Monday 28 July until 11 August and then southbound from 5am Sunday 12 August, until Tuesday 26 August.

The Owlcotes Shopping Centre slip road will be closed to facilitate changes to the traffic management on the following dates:
- Monday 28 July 8pm-5am
- Monday 11 August 8pm-5am
- Monday 25 August 8pm-5am
- Tuesday 26 August 8pm-5am (contingency date)
Over the previous three summer holiday periods the council has carried out Stanningley Bypass joint and resurfacing repairs work, as part of the highway’s annual maintenance programme. The road works involve the repair of over 140 structures on Stanningley Bypass and associated resurfacing works.

These changes to the junction when complete will reduce congestion and delays, helping to support economic growth across Leeds and Bradford, as well as improve air quality. Improvements will see better traffic flow, with bus journey times reduced and safer crossing facilities for cyclists and pedestrians.

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, said:

“The team are working hard to minimise disruption by planning, co-ordinating and sequencing large highways schemes across Leeds. They need careful planning with other works, not always in our control and events across our busy city. We have done lots of work to try and minimise the disruption these works will create, but what ever the amount of planning there may be some delays.

“Starting from Monday 28 July, to coincide with four weeks of the school summer holidays, please plan ahead when travelling between Bradford and Leeds (A647) or using the (A6120) outer ring road through Dawsons Corner. You will need to allow extra time for your journeys, be patient and follow the signed road diversions in place. For more information, please see the Dawsons Corner project website https://dawsonscorner.commonplace.is/.

“We thank everyone for their ongoing patience while we continue to work hard to minimise the disruption over the summer and thank those who have already changed the way they travel into and around the city centre.”
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ6: Subsidising patients to purchase continuous glucose monitors

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by Dr the Hon David Lam and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (July 16):

Question:

It is learnt that a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is a small sensor that can be inserted under the skin of the arm or abdomen to continuously measure the blood glucose level. Studies have found that using a CGM helps patients with Type 1 diabetes control their conditions and improve their quality of life, as well as reduce the incidence of serious diabetes-related complications. However, there are views pointing out that CGMs need to be replaced every two weeks, placing a considerable financial burden on low-income patient families. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) as it has been reported that the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital currently only provides a limited number of CGMs to young diabetes patients, while the “Jockey Club Support for Young People with Diabetes” funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club only provides eligible diabetes patients between the ages of 2 and 30 with access to a two-year CGM supply, which fails to meet the long-term needs of the patients, whether the Government knows if the Hospital Authority (HA) will continuously provide young diabetes patients with a full year’s supply of CGMs to cater for their needs; and

(2) whether it knows if HA will include CGMs in Privately Purchased Medical Items and, through the Samaritan Fund, provide subsidies to diabetes patients in financial need; if HA will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

Diabetes is one of the common chronic diseases in Hong Kong, with a prevalence of 8.5 per cent among persons aged 15-84 in Hong Kong as indicated in the Population Health Survey 2020-22. Diabetes is mainly classified into Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is caused by the dysfunction of insulin-producing cells, which may be related to hereditary factors, autoimmune disorders or some environmental factors. Type 2 diabetes is caused by the body’s resistance to insulin. Apart from hereditary factors, key factors for developing Type 2 diabetes are associated with unhealthy lifestyle, including dietary patterns, obesity or lack of exercise.

The Hospital Authority (HA) provides diversified services to support various types of diabetic patients, including general out-patient services and specialist out-patient Diabetes Centre services. The general out-patient services serve patients with relatively stable conditions.

Meanwhile, the Diabetes Centres deliver comprehensive consultation and treatment services for patients with more complex conditions, overseen by a team of mainly endocrinologists and specialised diabetes nurses. The Centres provide patients with services including diabetes assessment, consultation, treatment, self-management education, metabolic risk assessment, so as to enable early detection of complications and facilitate appropriate management. Doctors will arrange various tests and treatment plans based on individual circumstances of patients.

In consultation with the HA, the consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon David Lam is as follows:

All diabetic patients require regular monitoring of their blood glucose levels. The traditional monitoring methods include blood tests and checking of blood glucose levels by home-use blood glucose meters. The continuous glucose monitoring system (CGM) mentioned in the question raised by Dr the Hon David Lam, which involves sensors inserted under the skin for measurement of blood glucose levels at all times and places, serves as a special monitoring tool for particular patients with clinical needs.

At present, the HA has guideline in place to provide CGM to individual patients with clinical needs for free in a timely manner, mainly for patients who need to monitor their blood glucose levels frequently so as to adjust their treatment plans, such as those requiring multiple daily insulin injections with unstable blood glucose levels, prone to hypoglycaemia, or suffering from hypoglycaemia unawareness. It includes Type 1 and Type 2 paediatric and adult diabetic patients. By collecting hundreds of glucose readings daily, CGM monitors blood glucose control parameters for these patients with specific clinical needs, including time-in-range, glucose variability and trend graphs. This assists the healthcare team in devising more appropriate treatment plans for patients. Additionally, CGM can improve glucose control and reduce the occurrence of hypoglycaemia in diabetic patients prone to hypoglycaemia or those suffering from hypoglycaemia unawareness.

Nonetheless, not all diabetic patients have the clinical need for CGM. Furthermore, since the CGM needs to be inserted under the skin and worn for extended periods, some patients may experience discomfort or unease, while skin allergies may even occur in some cases. As CGM measures glucose levels in interstitial fluid, the readings provided may slightly lag behind actual blood glucose level and have certain degree of discrepancy.

While providing appropriate treatment to patients, the HA must ensure that the limited public healthcare resources are utilised in a rational and optimal manner. In 2024, there were over 658 000 patients with diabetes receiving care from the HA. On this basis, providing CGM with a two-week service lifespan to all diabetic patients continuously for the whole year would not only cause information overload of blood glucose readings to healthcare personnel, but also entail an additional expenditure of several billion dollars per annum. As with the introduction of new drugs and devices, we have to take into account the cost-effectiveness and feasibility when determining the scope of use for individual monitoring devices.

The HA will continuously review the coverage of relevant services and technology development and, under the principle of optimising the utilisation of limited public resources, evaluate clinical services guidelines, including the use of different suitable testing methods to monitor the blood glucose levels of patients according to the clinical conditions and the actual needs of diabetic patients, so as to ensure the provision of suitable treatment to all patients with diabetes.

Thank you, President.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: World gathers to finance sustainable development of the future

Source: Government of Sweden

On 30 June – 3 July, the UN’s 4th International Conference on Financing for Development is taking place in Seville. Sweden is participating with a broad delegation headed by State Secretary Diana Janse. The aim of the Conference is to agree on a new global framework for how sustainable development will be financed – the so-called Sevilla Commitment. The Conference is an important opportunity to strengthen the implementation of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, and to demonstrate that the countries of the world are able to address global challenges together through cooperation, despite a difficult geopolitical context.

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 16, 2025

Category: Economy

Key provisions of the Dignity Act include:

Food Minister Daniel Zeichner: Good Food Cycle speech

Updates to this page

What fairness looks like in practice

Insights across borders

Recognizing patients as agents

What can be done