Category: Economy

MIL-OSI: SCOR announces the filing of a tender offer for the entire share capital of MRM

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Press release
October 9, 2024 – N° 14

SCOR announces the filing of a tender offer
for the entire share capital of MRM

To read this information in full, please confirm that you have read and understood the disclaimer on SCOR’s website here.

* *

SCOR, a leading global reinsurer

As a leading global reinsurer, SCOR offers its clients a diversified and innovative range of reinsurance and insurance solutions and services to control and manage risk. Applying “The Art & Science of Risk”, SCOR uses its industry-recognized expertise and cutting-edge financial solutions to serve its clients and contribute to the welfare and resilience of society.

The Group generated premiums of EUR 19.4 billion in 2023 and serves clients in around 160 countries from its 35 offices worldwide.

For more information, visit: http://www.scor.com

Media Relations
Alexandre Garcia
media@scor.com

Investor Relations
Thomas Fossard
tfossard@scor.com

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All content published by the SCOR group since January 1, 2024, is certified with Wiztrust. You can check the authenticity of this content at wiztrust.com.

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SCOR Press Release

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025

MIL-OSI: SIMPPLE Ltd. Announces New Contracts and Partnerships in Australia and New Zealand
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Singapore, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SIMPPLE Ltd. (NASDAQ: SPPL) (“SIMPPLE” or “the Company”), a leading technology provider and innovator in the facilities management (FM) sector, today announced the closing of multiple contracts and strategic partnerships in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). The contracts included agreements to provide:
- an end-to-end integrated cleaning services and compliance solution incorporating workforce management, IoT sensors and robotics, at two international and one regional Australian airport, to the aviation services arm of a global Danish outsourcing company with annual revenue of over $11 billion;
- a cleaning services and compliance solution, at five campuses of an Australian university, to the education services arm of that same Danish company;
- a cleaning services and compliance solution, at a food manufacturing plant in Sydney, to the manufacturing services division of a global UK-headquartered facilities management services company with annual revenue of over $2 billion; and
- a cleaning services and compliance solution, at a major retail centre in Sydney, for another division of that same UK-headquartered company.
Aggregate revenue from these four contracts is projected at approximately $2.35 million.

SIMPPLE’s recently completed strategic partnerships include five collaborations aimed at distributing SIMPPLE Robotics and software capabilities and building a service delivery, maintenance and support network across ANZ. These new partners include:
- a provider of robotic solutions and services to the hospitality, retail and healthcare industries in Australia;
- a Sydney-headquartered supplier of autonomous security robots and other technology solutions to major corporate and government customers in Australia;
- a Sydney-headquartered retailer and wholesaler of cleaning equipment and supplies;
- a Brisbane-headquartered supplier of cleaning, catering, hospitality, health and hygiene supplies to businesses in Australia; and
- a supplier of A.I. robotic solutions in New Zealand.
Spearheading the closing of these contracts and partnerships was the new leadership team at the recently established SIMPPLE Australia Pty Ltd subsidiary in Brisbane. This team includes Aloysius Chong, SIMPPLE’s former CEO relocated in February 2023 to Australia to serve as SIMPPLE Australia Pty Ltd’s Director of Brand and Product Strategy; James Yatras, appointed in February 2023 as SIMPPLE’s Head of Australia and New Zealand; and Greg Crisp, appointed in June 2024 as the Company’s Regional Sales Director for Australia and New Zealand.

“These contracts and partnerships mark a significant step in our strategic expansion into the lucrative Australia and New Zealand markets,” said SIMPPLE Ltd CEO Norman Schroeder. “These agreements also highlight our Company’s capability to venture into a wide range of new sectors covering aviation, education, healthcare, and manufacturing – a significant expansion from our existing retail, institutions, and commercial office sectors.”

The new agreements, he said, also stem from the unique position, held by SIMPPLE Australia Pty Ltd and its ANZ partners, of being that region’s only supplier of end-to-end facilities management solutions able to integrate software, robotics, ESG auditing and reporting, IoT sensors and other diverse data collection technologies into a single platform.

This platform, he added, is built modular to accommodate small businesses, yet can be scaled up and/or down to meet the variable requirements of large enterprise-wide organizations.

“Going forward,” said the CEO, “we believe the ANZ region offers SIMPPLE major growth potential. I am confident that our Australia Pty Ltd team is expertly positioned to drive this growth by providing targeted best of breed solutions to facility owners, operators, and service providers in this market.”

Mr. Schroeder underscored the Company’s potential in the ANZ market by referencing SIMPPLE Australia Pty Ltd’s announcement, on September 12, that its new range of AI spot cleaning robots had received the Excellence Award (Innovation) for Large Equipment at the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) Cleaning & Hygiene Expo in Sydney.

According to recent data from Expert Market Research, the Australia facility management market was valued at $37.37 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% to reach a value of $56.93 billion by 2032. This growth, said the study, is expected to be driven by rising numbers of infrastructure development projects, increased focus on sustainability and cost optimization, and the growing need for outsourcing of technology integration services within facilities.

A Mordor Intelligence report projected that the facilities management markets in Australia and New Zealand are expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% and 2.5%, respectively, from 2024 through 2029. Growth in Australia, said Mordor, is expected to be fuelled by multiple industries adopting integrated FM services models that can meet all core customer needs on a large scale, and by those FM models incorporating newer technologies allowing for intelligent buildings and work environments. Future New Zealand FM sector growth, said the report, will be spurred by increasing end-user awareness of the need for energy conservation and developed building infrastructure.

“The possibilities for SIMPPLE in ANZ are plentiful,” concluded Mr. Schroeder. “We look forward to announcing further progress for this region in the near future.”

About SIMPPLE LTD.

Headquartered in Singapore, SIMPPLE LTD. is an advanced technology solution provider in the emerging PropTech space, focused on helping facilities owners and managers manage facilities autonomously. Founded in 2016, the Company has a strong foothold in the Singapore facilities management market, serving over 60 clients in both the public and private sectors and extending out of Singapore into Australia and the Middle East. The Company has developed its proprietary SIMPPLE Ecosystem, to create an automated workforce management tool for building maintenance, surveillance and cleaning comprised of a mix of software and hardware solutions such as robotics (both cleaning and security) and Internet-of-Things (“IoT”) devices.

For more information on SIMPPLE, please visit: https://www.simpple.ai

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. In addition, from time to time, we or our representatives may make forward-looking statements orally or in writing. We base these forward-looking statements on our expectations and projections about future events, which we derive from the information currently available to us. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or our future performance, including: our financial performance and projections; our growth in revenue and earnings; and our business prospects and opportunities. You can identify forward-looking statements by those that are not historical in nature, particularly those that use terminology such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “contemplates,” “estimates,” “believes,” “plans,” “projected,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “hopes” or the negative of these or similar terms. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including: our ability to change the direction of the Company; our ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; and the competitive environment of our business. These and other factors may cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement.

Forward-looking statements are only predictions. The forward-looking events discussed in this press release and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives, may not occur, and actual events and results may differ materially and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about us. We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives might not occur.

For investor and media queries, please contact:
SIMPPLE LTD.
Investor Relations Department
Email: ir@simpple.ai

Visit the Investor Relation Website: https://www.investor.simpple.ai/

Skyline Corporate Communications Group, LLC
Scott Powell, President
1177 Avenue of the Americas, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Tel: (646) 893-5835
Email: info@skylineccg.com

The MIL Network –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: New trade in services pact signed

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Ministry of Commerce today signed the Second Agreement Concerning Amendment to the Mainland & Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) Agreement on Trade in Services (Amendment Agreement II).

Chief Executive John Lee witnessed the signing of the new agreement by Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Deputy China International Trade Representative of the Ministry of Commerce Li Yongjie this afternoon.

Scheduled to be implemented on March 1, 2025, the Amendment Agreement II introduces new liberalisation measures across several service sectors where Hong Kong enjoys competitive advantages, such as financial services, construction and related engineering services, testing and certification, telecommunications, motion pictures, television and tourism services.

The Trade & Industry Department explained that the liberalisation measures take various forms, including removing or relaxing restrictions on equity shareholding and business scope in the establishment of enterprises, relaxing qualification requirements for Hong Kong professionals providing services, and easing restrictions on Hong Kong’s exports of services to the Mainland market.

Most of the measures apply to the whole Mainland, while some of them are designated for pilot implementation in the nine Pearl River Delta municipalities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, it added.

The Chief Executive thanked the central government for its care and support for the Hong Kong SAR, as well as the Ministry of Commerce and relevant authorities for actively working towards the Hong Kong SAR Government’s proposal of further opening up the Mainland market to Hong Kong in trade in services.

“The Amendment Agreement II introduces new liberalisation measures across different service sectors where Hong Kong enjoys competitive advantages, making it easier for Hong Kong service suppliers to establish enterprises and develop business on the Mainland, enabling more Hong Kong professionals to obtain qualifications to practise on the Mainland, allowing more of Hong Kong’s quality services to be provided to the Mainland market, and contributing to and serving the country’s development,” he said.

“The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to encourage different sectors of the community to leverage the unique advantages of ‘one country, two systems’ and join hands with their counterparts on the Mainland to promote the competitiveness of the professional services sector, in order to inject new impetus to economic development and achieve high-quality development.”

Speaking at a media session after the signing ceremony, the Financial Secretary pointed out that the further relaxation under CEPA will enable Hong Kong firms and professional sectors to get into the Mainland market a lot easier.

“Depending on specific sectors, the progress will be different. But I am sure for the professional sectors, people are very keen to expand their foothold into the Mainland by using the Greater Bay Area as the starting point. So this will have a very positive impact on Hong Kong,” Mr Chan said.

An example of the measures regarding construction and related engineering services is that Hong Kong general practice surveying enterprises will be allowed to provide professional services in Guangdong Province through filing of records.

For tourism services, there will be measures to optimise the implementation of the 144-hour visa-exemption policy for foreign group tours entering Guangdong from Hong Kong.

Mr Chan said the Government will be communicating with the different sectors and working with the different stakeholders to move as fast as possible, to materialise the various implementation details, so that the businesses and professionals in Hong Kong would find it useful and easier to expand into the Mainland.

Furthermore, the department noted that the Amendment Agreement II brings institutional innovation and collaboration enhancement, including the addition of allowing Hong Kong-invested enterprises to adopt Hong Kong law and allowing Hong Kong-invested enterprises to choose for arbitration to be seated in Hong Kong.

It also added commitments regarding domestic regulation to ensure the transparency, predictability and efficiency of regulations on trade in services.

In addition, the new agreement removed the period requirement on Hong Kong service suppliers to engage in substantive business operations in Hong Kong for three years in most service sectors.

This will allow Hong Kong startups to enjoy the preferential treatment under CEPA in a shorter time and attract enterprises and talent from around the world to establish a presence in Hong Kong and explore the Mainland market, the department noted.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: StepStone Private Wealth Surpasses $5 Billion in AUM Milestone

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — StepStone Private Wealth (“SPW”) today announced it has surpassed $5 billion in global assets under management, making it one of the fastest growing private market asset managers serving financial professionals and their high net worth clients.

Powered by StepStone Group, one of the largest global institutional allocators to the private markets, SPW was founded in 2019 to expand access to these assets for the private wealth market.

“In 2019, the mission of our founding team was to design a platform where financial professionals could more easily access private markets, reducing the friction and burden of investing in these opportunities,” said Bob Long, CEO of StepStone Private Wealth. “Reaching $5 billion in AUM in five years demonstrates that advisors are eager to allocate client assets to portfolios curated by an organization as globally respected as StepStone – comprised of world-class expertise and top talent across investing, operations, data & analytics, legal, marketing and distribution. We expect that our team, with their focus on bringing convenience, transparency and efficiency to private markets investing for our clients and prospective clients, will be central to our success as we continue our global expansion.”

SPW launched its first registered closed-end evergreen fund – the StepStone Private Markets Fund or SPRIM, ticker: XPMIX – in 2020, allowing accredited investors to gain exposure to private equity, real assets, and private debt through one convenient vehicle. SPRIM transitioned to daily admittance and daily valuation in 2023, among the first in the industry to introduce a daily NAV for a multi asset-class private markets fund. As of September 30, 2024 the fund now stands at $3.1 billion of AUM and has produced an annualized return of 23.08% since inception.

The firm has since expanded its investment offerings to include venture capital and growth equity through the StepStone Private Venture and Growth Fund, or SPRING; infrastructure through the StepStone Private Infrastructure Fund or STRUCTURE, ticker: STRUX; and private credit through the StepStone Private Credit Income Fund or CRDEX, ticker: CRDEX. SPW offers offshore options for each of its funds for investors outside the US.

“We are grateful for the support of our distribution partners across the registered investment advisor, independent broker dealer, wire house, and international channels,” said Neil Menard, Partner & President of Distribution at StepStone Private Wealth. “Through their collaboration, we have been able to reach tens of thousands of new investors who have been seeking private markets solutions like ours. We look forward to working in partnership with more firms and their advisors across the globe to advance their ability to provide clients with institutional-caliber allocations to private markets portfolios.”

About StepStone

StepStone Group Inc. (Nasdaq: STEP) is a global private markets investment firm focused on providing customized investment solutions and advisory and data services to its clients. As of June 30, 2024, StepStone was responsible for approximately $701 billion of total capital, including $170 billion of assets under management. StepStone’s clients include some of the world’s largest public and private defined benefit and defined contribution pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and insurance companies, as well as prominent endowments, foundations, family offices and private wealth clients, which include high-net-worth and mass affluent individuals. StepStone partners with its clients to develop and build private markets portfolios designed to meet their specific objectives across the private equity, infrastructure, private debt and real estate asset classes.

Contacts

Shareholder Relations:
Seth Weiss
shareholders@stepstonegroup.com
+1 (212) 351-6106

Media:
Brian Ruby / Chris Gillick / Matt Lettiero, ICR
StepStonePR@icrinc.com
+1 (203) 682-8268

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Before investing you should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other information is in the SPRIM, SPRING, STRUCTURE, and CREDX prospectus, a copy of which may be obtained from StepStone Private Wealth at 704.215.4300 or by visiting stepstonepw.com. An investor should read the prospectus carefully before investing.

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 redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Performance shown is net of fees. For the most recent month end performance please call 704.215.4300 or visit stepstonepw.com.

An investment in the Funds involve risks. The Funds should be considered speculative investments that entail substantial risks, and a prospective investor should invest in the Funds only if it can sustain a complete loss of its investment. Fund shares are illiquid and appropriate only as a long-term investment. There is no secondary market for the Funds’ Shares and the Funds expect that no secondary market will develop in the foreseeable future. Investments may consist of loans to small and/or less well-established privately held companies that have reduced access to the capital markets, resulting in diminished capital resources and the ability to withstand financial distress. While the Fund provides transparent disclosure of structure, strategy, holdings, and financial condition, the valuation of the Fund’s investments in Private Markets Investment Funds is ordinarily determined based upon valuations provided by the Investment Managers on a quarterly basis. A large percentage of these securities do not have a readily ascertainable market price and are fair valued by the Investment Manager subject to future adjustment or revision. Please see the prospectuses for details of these and other risks.

The Funds are distributed by UMB Distribution Services, LLC which is not affiliated with StepStone Group.

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Quaint Oak Bank Receives SBA Preferred Lender Program Designation

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SOUTHAMPTON, Pa., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quaint Oak Bank announced it has been granted the Preferred Lender Program (PLP) designation by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). This prestigious designation is a testament to Quaint Oak Bank’s expertise, experience, and commitment to supporting small businesses across the nation.

The PLP designation enables Quaint Oak Bank to streamline the SBA loan approval process, providing customers with greater speed and certainty in securing financing. As a PLP lender, the established financial institution is authorized to make unilateral approvals on SBA-guaranteed loans.

“Our long-standing track record of successful SBA lending has culminated in this recognition,” said Steven Willard, SBA Team Leader and Commercial Relationship Manager. “We are committed to offering the best possible service to our customers and believe that this new designation will enhance our ability to do so.”

With the SBA’s backing, Quaint Oak Bank can offer flexible financing options to businesses that may not qualify for conventional loans, including those lacking collateral or with projected rather than historical cash flow. This program is particularly beneficial for startups, business acquisitions, and companies experiencing rapid growth.

For more information about Quaint Oak Bank’s SBA lending services and how the PLP designation can benefit your business, visit http://www.quaintoak.com/business-banking/commercial-loans/sba-loans/.

About Quaint Oak Bank
Quaint Oak Bank is a Pennsylvania-chartered savings bank and wholly owned subsidiary of Quaint Oak Bancorp [QNTO], a financial services company. Providing exceptional customer service since 1926, Quaint Oak Bank has adapted and grown to match the ever-changing demands of the market. Dedicated to delivering ground-breaking banking technology to its customers, Quaint Oak Bank offers financial solutions that fuel the future of business. Learn more at http://www.quaintoak.com.

Contact
Jake R. Doneker
Vice President, Commercial Relationships
Quaint Oak Bank
215.364.4059

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Alation Unveils AI Governance Solution to Power Safe and Reliable AI for Enterprises
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alation Inc., the data intelligence company, today launched its AI Governance solution to help organizations realize value from their data and AI initiatives. The solution ensures that AI models are developed using secure, compliant, and well-documented data. With capabilities such as lineage for AI auditability, AI documentation, data discovery and custom tagging, and data quality flags, organizations can confidently accelerate AI development, mitigate risks, and optimize their AI investments for business impact.

As regulatory demands rise and data environments grow more complex, organizations struggle to scale AI applications—including machine learning (ML) and generative AI (GenAI)—beyond proof-of-concept stages. Despite growing adoption, research from McKinsey shows only 11% of organizations have successfully scaled these initiatives, largely due to challenges in data governance, compliance, and security. New and evolving regulations, such as GDPR, the EU AI Act, and frameworks like the OECD AI Principles and NIST AI Risk Management Framework, further complicate governance requirements.

Alation’s AI Governance solution equips organizations with trusted, compliant data and the visibility to confidently scale AI initiatives while adhering to governance policies. By cataloging training datasets, LLM prompts, AI models, and API endpoints in a unified platform, Alation ensures traceability across the AI ecosystem, enabling compliance and fostering collaboration. This transparency mitigates AI risks by allowing teams to trace errors, correct biases, and maintain accountability throughout the AI lifecycle. With curated features ensuring data quality and best practices like model card documentation, Alation streamlines AI development, accelerates time-to-value, and delivers governed collaborative AI outcomes. By reinforcing trust and explainability, Alation helps enterprises future-proof and centralize their AI efforts, driving measurable impact.

“Alation is critical to increasing the confidence and the value of our data, providing a single source of truth that drives informed decision-making across the organization,” said Ilya Gilin, Leader of Data and AI/ML Governance at Interac. “As we scale our AI initiatives, Alation delivers the transparency, traceability, and governance needed to build, document, and validate analytical models confidently. With features like data quality flags and lineage for AI auditability, we can ensure our model inventory is accurate and timely while maintaining compliance and operational excellence. By transforming data into a strategic asset, Alation fuels innovation and future-proofs our data governance program.”

“Alation delivers critical guardrails required to help keep AI initiatives safe, ethical, and compliant,” said Stewart Bond, Vice President of Data Intelligence and Integration Software Research at IDC. “Alation helps enterprises find, understand, and trust their data and now brings this expertise to AI—now a top boardroom priority. Alation’s AI Governance solution equips data and business teams to track and validate data before it feeds into AI models while supporting model development, documentation, and validation. By providing a trusted platform, Alation enables organizations to deploy and scale reliable, auditable AI, ensuring compliance, mitigating risks, and driving measurable, AI-driven business outcomes.”

“The potential for AI to revolutionize industries—from preventing financial fraud to accelerating drug development—is immense, but realizing that potential and driving true business value depends on trusted, high-quality data,” said Satyen Sangani, CEO and co-founder of Alation. “Alation’s AI Governance solution ensures AI initiatives are built on secure, compliant, and transparent data, enabling faster innovation with confidence. As enterprises continue to invest in AI infrastructure to scale large models, Alation turns those investments into real-world applications that deliver measurable ROI, reduce risk, and scale AI safely and ethically—unlocking significant business value.”

Alation’s AI Governance solution enables organizations to confidently scale AI initiatives and drive measurable business outcomes by leveraging:
- Accurate Datasets for Trusted Models: Alation equips data scientists, ML experts, and AI engineers with trusted, compliant, contextual data. By leveraging Alation’s Intelligent Search and custom tags, users can quickly locate and tag relevant and compliant datasets needed to build trusted AI models, ensuring a strong foundation for AI initiatives.
- Streamlined AI Documentation and Collaboration: Alation provides a single source of truth for documenting and managing AI models using model card templates. By centralizing collaboration within the AI Governance solution, teams can collaborate in the context of specific models, ensuring unified visibility across all stakeholders. This promotes governance, compliance, and the efficient discovery and sharing of AI/ML models across the enterprise, driving operational efficiency and transparency.
- Auditable AI Lineage and Traceability: Alation delivers end-to-end lineage from datasets to AI models, offering full visibility into the AI lifecycle. By cataloging training datasets, LLM prompts, AI models, and output data in a single source of truth, Alation ensures traceability for internal stakeholders and auditors. This enables organizations to diagnose issues, enforce compliance, and maintain trust in AI systems, embedding safety, ethics, and governance throughout the entire process.
- Compliance and Risk Mitigation: Alation’s AI and data governance framework flags non-compliant datasets and ensures AI models are built on reliable, governed data. This mitigates operational risks, prevents costly errors, and safeguards data integrity—ensuring organizations meet the highest regulatory standards while driving innovation.
- AI Readiness Accelerator: Alation’s Expert Services offering accelerates AI adoption by providing expert guidance and best practices for model card development. Customers can also engage system integrators from the Alation ecosystem to implement these practices, ensuring they are prepared to scale AI initiatives and deliver measurable business impact.
To learn more, read our blog, AI Governance Best Practices: A Framework for Data Leaders.

Register for the webinar, “Building Trust in AI: Best Practices for AI Governance from IDC’s Stewart Bond,“ on October 23, 2024, at 8 AM PT. Gain expert insights from Stewart Bond, IDC’s Vice President of Data Intelligence and Integration Software Research, and David Chao, CMO of Alation, on navigating AI governance challenges, improving AI safety, and harnessing trusted data to drive successful AI initiatives.

About Alation
Alation is the data intelligence company. Nearly 600 global enterprises — including 40% of the Fortune 100 — rely on Alation to realize value from their data and AI initiatives. Customers such as Cisco, DocuSign, Nasdaq, Pfizer, and Samsung trust Alation’s platform for self-service analytics, cloud transformation, data governance, and AI-ready data, fostering data-driven innovation at scale. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, Alation has been recognized five times by Inc. Magazine as one of the Best Workplaces. To learn more, visit http://www.alation.com.

Media Contact
Lauren Lloyd
Director, Corporate Communications
541-490-6115
lauren.lloyd@alation.com

The MIL Network –
January 23, 2025

MIL-OSI: ASM announces details of the Q3 2024 conference call and webcast

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Almere, the Netherlands
October 9, 2024

ASM International N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) will report its third quarter 2024 financial results at approximately 6:00 p.m. CET on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.

ASM will host the quarterly earnings conference call and webcast on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. CET.

Conference-call participants should pre-register using this link to receive the dial-in numbers, passcode and a personal PIN, which are required to access the conference call.

A simultaneous audio webcast and replay will be accessible at this link.

About ASM International

ASM International N.V., headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, and its subsidiaries design and manufacture equipment and process solutions to produce semiconductor devices for wafer processing, and have facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia. ASM International’s common stock trades on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol: ASM). For more information, visit ASM’s website at http://www.asm.com.

Contacts
Investor and media relations	Investor relations
Victor Bareño	Valentina Fantigrossi
T: +31 88 100 8500	T: +31 88 100 8502
E: investor.relations@asm.com	E: investor.relations@asm.com

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025

MIL-OSI: FloQast CEO Mike Whitmire and Accounting Operations Evangelist Stefan van Duyvendijk Publish New Book to Empower Controllers and Accounting Teams

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FloQast, an Accounting Transformation Platform created by accountants for accountants, today announced the release of “Shift Happens: The Rise of the Operational Mindset and How Controllers Can Drive Real Value,” a new book co-authored by FloQast CEO and Co-Founder Mike Whitmire and Accounting Operations Evangelist Stefan van Duyvendijk. Available on the Amazon Kindle Store starting October 9, the book offers critical insights for accounting professionals as they navigate a rapidly changing business landscape.

Controllers today face increasing pressure to move beyond traditional accounting responsibilities and embrace a more strategic, operational role within their organizations. “Shift Happens” explores this transformation, providing a roadmap for controllers and accounting teams to elevate their influence and steer organizational strategy, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty and business volatility.

“Shift Happens” draws from the real-world experiences of Whitmire, van Duyvendijk, and other finance leaders at top-tier organizations to deliver actionable advice for controllers looking to position themselves as operational leaders. By adopting a mindset that balances financial expertise with strategic decision-making, controllers can help their companies thrive in today’s complex and fast-paced environment.

“The controller’s role is changing fast,” said Mike Whitmire, co-founder and CEO of FloQast, CPA. “Accountants understand a company’s finances better than anyone, which puts them in a unique position to help shape business strategy with real data and insights. With today’s economic pressures and talent shortages, businesses can’t afford to overlook this expertise. Our book gives controllers and their teams the tools they need to step up and make a real difference.”

Stefan van Duyvendijk echoes Whitmire’s sentiment: “Controllers already have the skills and insights needed to drive operational success, but too often they are limited to financial reporting. With an operational mindset, they can expand their influence, bringing valuable insights to the table that impact the entire organization.”

“Shift Happens” empowers controllers and accounting teams to embrace this broader scope, teaching them how to bridge the gap between accounting functions and business operations. The book provides practical guidance on how to navigate complex financial regulations, communicate effectively with senior executives, and manage cross-functional teams.

Earn 10 CPE/CPD Credits with FloQademy!

As part of its mission to provide continuous education to accounting professionals, FloQast is offering readers the opportunity to earn 10 CPE/CPD credits through FloQademy. Head to floqademy.floqast.com/shift-happens to claim your credits and explore other informative and entertaining courses designed to enhance your accounting expertise.

About the Authors:

Mike Whitmire is the CEO and co-founder of FloQast, which he established in 2013 to address critical inefficiencies in accounting operations. With a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Syracuse University, Whitmire’s early career included roles at Ernst & Young and Cornerstone OnDemand, where he contributed to a successful IPO. In addition to “Shift Happens,” Whitmire is also the author of the Amazon best-selling book “Controller’s Code: The Secret Formula to a Successful Career in Finance.” Outside of his work in the accounting industry, Whitmire is an avid woodworker and a dedicated Los Angeles Dodgers fan.

Stefan van Duyvendijk serves as the Accounting Operations Evangelist at FloQast. Prior to joining FloQast, van Duyvendijk held corporate controller positions at Kodiak Cakes and Skullcandy, building extensive experience in financial operations and regulatory compliance. His expertise includes ASC 606 implementation, close process improvements, business combinations, and financial statement audits. When he’s not advocating for accounting innovation, Stefan enjoys skiing the slopes around his home in Utah.

Book Availability and Pricing: “Shift Happens: The Rise of the Operational Mindset and How Controllers Can Drive Real Value” will be available on the Amazon Kindle Store starting October 9 for a limited-time introductory price of $2.99 for the Kindle edition and $7.75 for the paperback.

About FloQast

FloQast, an Accounting Transformation Platform created by accountants for accountants, enables organizations to automate a variety of accounting operations. Trusted by more than 2,800 global accounting teams – including Twilio, Los Angeles Lakers, Zoom, and Snowflake – FloQast enhances the way accounting teams work, enabling customers to automate close management, account reconciliations, accounting operations, and compliance activities. With FloQast, teams can utilize the latest advancements in AI technology to manage aspects of the close, reduce their compliance burden, stay audit-ready, and improve accuracy, visibility, and collaboration overall. FloQast is consistently rated #1 across all user review sites. Learn more at FloQast.com.

Contact:
Kyle Cabodi
FloQast Director of Corporate Communications
kyle.cabodi@floqast.com

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Axyom.Core Announces Industry-First 4G/5G Dual Mode Enterprise Small Cells Improving Signal Strength in Indoor Areas

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ANDOVER, Mass., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Axyom.Core, a leader in cloud-native wireless core and radio access network (RAN) solutions, today announced the commercial launch of the industry’s first 4G/5G dual-mode enterprise femtocell product. It extends service coverage indoors where access would otherwise be limited or unavailable.

Service providers can deploy these small cells in their own offices, shops, and other facilities, as well as sell them to enterprise customers, such as hospitals, offices, retail stores, and schools which show a significant rise in demand for small cell solutions, driven by the rapid adoption of 5G technologies and the growing need for indoor wireless coverage.

Axyom.Core’s new femtocell product—supporting both 5G NSA (Non-Standalone) and SA (Standalone) architectures—is well-positioned to meet this demand, offering high capacity and exceptional throughput for improved quality of service.

“These small cells for enterprises improve indoor communication by providing stronger, more reliable signal strength and a cost-effective solution,” said Kurt Daniel, CEO, Axyom.Core. “By enhancing the flexibility of indoor coverage, this new offering can benefit organizations of all sizes, addressing the common frustration of poor signal strength indoors and helping them meet their connectivity needs more efficiently and affordably.”

The launch of this dual-mode small cell product marks a significant milestone for Axyom.Core, which continues to lead the way in advancing cloud-native wireless solutions.

To learn more, register for the webinar on October 29, Redefining Indoor Coverage and Capacity.

Trusted by six of the world’s top 10 communications service providers, Axyom.Core’s products include high-performance 4G and 5G converged core solutions, Femto core, security gateways, and enterprise RAN. The Axyom.Core platform offers unparalleled efficiency, scalability, and economics, ensuring that customers remain at the forefront of the rapidly evolving telecommunications landscape.

Axyom.Core was acquired by Lumine Group on April 30, 2024, marking the group’s 14th corporate carve-out. The acquisition strengthens Lumine Group’s portfolio in the communications and media software sector with Axyom.Core continuing to operate autonomously under its new brand identity.

About Axyom.Core
Axyom.Core is a global leader in cloud-native wireless core and radio access network solutions, trusted by major communications service providers worldwide. Our advanced product portfolio includes high-performance 4G and 5G Converged core, Femto core, security gateways, and enterprise RAN units. Axyom.Core is dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of the telecommunications industry. For more information, visit http://www.axyomcore.ai.

About Lumine Group
Lumine Group acquires, strengthens, and grows vertical market software businesses in the Communications and Media industry. Learn more at http://www.luminegroup.com.

Media Contact
Glenn Rossman
glenn@eckertcomms.com
914-623-8354

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New funding to support autistic and learning-disabled people in Westminster | Westminster City Council

Source: City of Westminster

A charity in London will support the “hidden population” of autistic and learning-disabled people in Westminster, thanks to new funding.

Learning Disability Network London (LDN London) currently runs a community centre, the Enablement Hub, on the Harrow Road in Westminster. With support from Westminster Council the charity will expand its current community programme to Victoria, giving advice and running workshops at a second Hub at Victoria Library.

The charity will grow its team to help more people in the local community.

LDN London’s Enablement Hubs support learning disabled and autistic people who get little or no support to manage their lives. They take part in workshops about life skills, including health and relationships, finance, and safety, make friends, and join in activities and events.

With this funding from Westminster Council’s Fairer Westminster Investment Programme, LDN London will be able to reach more learning disabled and autistic people across Westminster who want help in their daily lives.

On Friday 13 September, LDN London and Westminster Council officially opened the new Enablement Hub at Victoria Library with a ribbon-cutting and a workshop.

Councillor Nafsika Butler-Thalassis, Westminster’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, attended the event. She said:

“I am so pleased that we are funding LDN London to provide much-needed support, advice, and activities for learning disabled and autistic residents. This is an important step towards ensuring learning disabled and autistic residents are empowered to extend their independence, learn new skills and participate in activities they enjoy.”

Kym, a local resident who regularly goes to the Enablement Hubs, said:

“I really enjoy coming along to the sessions, especially the sports, dancing and singing sessions. I’ve also enjoyed helping and volunteering. It’s been great socially too and meeting other residents.”

LDN London will also recruit five new team members as part of this programme, including two autistic or learning disabled apprentices.

The charity will hire two community outreach workers to give up to 25 hours one-to-one help, supporting people with managing bills, going to health appointments, and completing forms. LDN London will also employ a community engagement worker to lead on initiatives for autistic people.

Sally, who is one of the interns for LDN London’s Enablement Hub, said:

“I’ve enjoyed the sessions and as part of it I’ve been given the opportunity to be an intern at LDN London focusing on community engagement. I’ve learnt quite a lot”.

LDN London has been supporting learning disabled and autistic people in London for over 60 years. The charity was previously named The Westminster Society.

The Enablement Hubs are tackling inequalities faced by learning disabled and autistic people. Those who don’t qualify for support often must do tasks they find difficult on their own. They also face many challenges in their daily lives because of a lack of the right support and prejudice in society- including poor healthcare, higher rates of mental health problems, loneliness and being victims of crime and hate crimes.

The charity’s aim for The Enablement Hubs is to support people with learning disabilities to overcome social isolation, be more independent and to be fully included in the community.

Mandy Crowford, Assistant CEO at LDN London, said: “Too many learning disabled, and autistic people don’t get the support they want and need, and we hope to change that. We want to help this hidden population to live safe, happy and healthy lives.”

Luana Baptista, head of community engagement at LDN London, said: “We are grateful for this funding, which means we can reach even more learning disabled and autistic people and help them to be fully included in our communities.”

The workshops at The Enablement Hubs focus on life skills that help people to live independently and have healthy, safe and fulfilling lives. Recent workshops have been on voting, having healthy relationships, inclusive trips to The British Museum, as well as regular men’s and women’s groups.

If you would like to find out more about The Enablement Hubs, visit Learning Disability Network London’s website:

LDN Community Hubs

LDN London’s Hubs are based at 389A Harrow Road and at Victoria Library.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: VanEck Launches $30M Fund to Support Innovation in Fintech, Crypto and AI

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

The Fund is available to Qualified Purchasers Only, is subject to significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Please carefully read the Private Placement Memorandum before investing.

NEW YORK, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VanEck, a leading global investment management firm, announces the launch of VanEck Ventures, a $30 million early-stage fund dedicated to investing in visionary founders operating at the intersection of fintech, digital assets, and artificial intelligence. This launch marks VanEck’s strategic expansion into venture capital, building on its long-established record of identifying and supporting transformative markets.

“From pioneering an approach to gold investing in 1968 to recognizing the disruptive potential of Bitcoin in 2017, embracing a long-term view on transformative opportunities has always been part of our investment philosophy. This fund extends that vision into the early-stage venture space,” said Jan van Eck, CEO of VanEck. “We look forward to supporting founders of what we believe are some of the most disruptive companies in fintech—those building the future of finance.”

VanEck Ventures invests in category-defining founders pushing the boundaries of financial applications and markets leveraging emerging technologies like blockchain and large language models. The fund’s investment philosophy focuses on supporting exceptional teams building at the application layer while maintaining an infrastructure-agnostic approach. The fund’s core investment themes include tokenized assets, internet native financial marketplaces, and next-generation payments building on stablecoins and tokenized capital markets.

The fund is led by Wyatt Lonergan and Juan Lopez, both seasoned investors with experience in fintech and crypto ventures. Previously, Lonergan and Lopez headed Circle Ventures, the venture arm of USDC-issuer Circle, where they successfully invested over $50 million in early-stage companies ranging from infrastructure to consumer applications. Their leadership, combined with VanEck’s strong reputation in asset management, positions VanEck Ventures as a valuable partner for emerging innovative startups. VanEck’s global workforce and senior leadership support the fund from an operational and advisory perspective.

“Three inflection points core to our investment thesis are starting to reshape the foundation of the internet: stablecoins emerging as an open-source banking layer, the commoditization of blockspace, and AI breakthroughs. The convergence of these is creating unprecedented opportunities for globally connected, user-centric financial experiences, and we are excited to back founders building on these innovations,” said Wyatt Lonergan, General Partner at VanEck Ventures.

The fund expects to make 25 to 35 investments with check sizes ranging from $500,000 to $1 million, focusing on companies that offer both strategic and financial upside. The fund has already made 4 investments yet to be announced.

“Over the past few years, we’ve seen stablecoins enable seamless, large-scale value storage and transfer along with Linux-like composability,” said Juan Lopez, General Partner at VanEck Ventures. “As several on-chain utilities, focused on programmability and compliance, come to market with growing regulatory clarity, it’s never been a more exciting time to build. Our goal is to be a long-term partner to bold founders defining the next phase of blockchain utility.”

About VanEck

VanEck has a history of looking beyond the financial markets to identify trends that are likely to create impactful investment opportunities. We were one of the first U.S. asset managers to offer investors access to international markets. This set the tone for the firm’s drive to identify asset classes and trends – including gold investing in 1968, emerging markets in 1993, and exchange traded funds in 2006 – that subsequently shaped the investment management industry.

Today, VanEck offers active and passive strategies with compelling exposures supported by well-designed investment processes. As of August 31, 2024, VanEck managed approximately $113.9 billion in assets, including mutual funds, ETFs and institutional accounts. The firm’s capabilities range from core investment opportunities to more specialized exposures to enhance portfolio diversification. Our actively managed strategies are fueled by in-depth, bottom-up research and security selection from portfolio managers with direct experience in the sectors and regions in which they invest. Investability, liquidity, diversity, and transparency are key to the experienced decision-making around market and index selection underlying VanEck’s passive strategies.

Since our founding in 1955, putting our clients’ interests first, in all market environments, has been at the heart of the firm’s mission.

General Disclosures

This is not an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation to buy or sell any of the securities, financial instruments or digital assets mentioned herein. The information presented does not involve the rendering of personalized investment, financial, legal, tax advice, or any call to action. Certain statements contained herein may constitute projections, forecasts and other forward-looking statements, which do not reflect actual results, are for illustrative purposes only, are valid as of the date of this communication, and are subject to change without notice. Actual future performance of any assets or industries mentioned is unknown. Information provided by third party sources are believed to be reliable and have not been independently verified for accuracy or completeness and cannot be guaranteed. VanEck does not guarantee the accuracy of third party data. The information herein represents the opinion of the author(s), but not necessarily those of VanEck or its other employees.

The Fund is available to Qualified Purchasers Only. Please carefully read the Private Placement Memorandum before investing. An investor should consider the investment objective, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing. There is no guarantee the Fund will achieve its investment objective and investors may lose their entire investment. The Fund is not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

The Partnership’s investment program is speculative and entails substantial risks. There can be no assurance that the Partnership’s investment objective will be achieved.

An investment in the Fund involves a high degree of risk, including, without limitation, uncertain returns, market risk, risks associated with Limited Partner default, indemnification risks, illiquidity, possible lack of diversification, lack of management control, tax risks and potential conflicts of interest. There is no guarantee that the Funds’ investment objectives will be achieved.

VANECK ABSOLUTE RETURN ADVISERS CORPORATION (“VEARA”), THE INVESTMENT MANAGER OF THE FUND, IS A MEMBER OF NFA AND IS SUBJECT TO NFA’S REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AND EXAMINATIONS. VEARA HAS ENGAGED OR MAY ENGAGE IN UNDERLYING OR SPOT VIRTUAL CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS IN THE FUND. ALTHOUGH NFA HAS JURISDICTION OVER VEARA, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT NFA DOES NOT HAVE REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY FOR UNDERLYING OR SPOT MARKET VIRTUAL CURRENCY PRODUCTS OR TRANSACTIONS OR VIRTUAL CURRENCY EXCHANGES, CUSTODIANS OR MARKETS. YOU SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT GIVEN CERTAIN MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE PRODUCTS, INCLUDING LACK OF A CENTRALIZED PRICING SOURCE AND THE OPAQUE NATURE OF THE VIRTUAL CURRENCY MARKET, THERE CURRENTLY IS NO SOUND OR ACCEPTABLE PRACTICE FOR NFA TO ADEQUATELY VERIFY THE OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OF A VIRTUAL CURRENCY OR THE VALUATION ATTRIBUTED TO A VIRTUAL CURRENCY BY VEARA.

General Digital Asset Risks

Cryptocurrencies and digital assets are not suitable for all investors. Investments in digital assets and Web3 companies are highly speculative and involve a high degree of risk. These risks include, but are not limited to: the technology is new and many of its uses may be untested; intense competition; slow adoption rates and the potential for product obsolescence; volatility and limited liquidity, including but not limited to, inability to liquidate a position; loss or destruction of key(s) to access accounts or the blockchain; reliance on digital wallets; reliance on unregulated markets and exchanges; reliance on the internet; cybersecurity risks; and the lack of regulation and the potential for new laws and regulation that may be difficult to predict. Moreover, the extent to which Web3 companies or digital assets utilize blockchain technology may vary, and it is possible that even widespread adoption of blockchain technology may not result in a material increase in the value of such companies or digital assets.

Digital asset prices are highly volatile, and the value of digital assets, and Web3 companies, can rise or fall dramatically and quickly. If their value goes down, there’s no guarantee that it will rise again. As a result, there is a significant risk of loss of your entire principal investment.

Digital assets are not generally backed or supported by any government or central bank and are not covered by FDIC or SIPC insurance. Accounts at digital asset custodians and exchanges are not protected by SPIC and are not FDIC insured. Furthermore, markets and exchanges for digital assets are not regulated with the same controls or customer protections available in traditional equity, option, futures, or foreign exchange investing.

Digital assets include, but are not limited to, cryptocurrencies, tokens, NFTs, assets stored or created using blockchain technology, and other Web3 products.

Web3 Companies include but are not limited to, companies that involve the development, innovation, and/or utilization of blockchain, digital assets, or crypto technologies.

© Van Eck Associates Corporation

©️ Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor, a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Eck Associates Corporation
666 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Phone: 800.826.2333
Email: info@vaneck.com

Media Contact

Garret J. Shaw
+1 517.213.3180
garret@serotonin.co

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6c23f9cc-2c26-4460-975f-b5b0c214c2e9

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: BloFin Shines at TOKEN2049 Singapore, Sets Sights on Expanding Presence at TOKEN2049 Dubai

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SINGAPORE, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BloFin, a leading centralized cryptocurrency exchange (CEX), made a strong impact as a sponsor of TOKEN2049 Singapore for the second consecutive year. This sponsorship underscores BloFin’s increasing influence in the cryptocurrency industry and marks its commitment to furthering its reach, with an upgraded sponsorship planned for TOKEN2049 Dubai later this year.

At TOKEN2049 Singapore, BloFin hosted the Whale Royale Yacht Club side event, a highlight of the conference. The exclusive gathering brought together key opinion leaders (KOLs), industry executives, and crypto enthusiasts, fostering meaningful discussions and collaborations within the cryptocurrency space.

BloFin Prepares for TOKEN2049 Dubai Expansion

Looking ahead, BloFin is poised to expand its footprint at TOKEN2049 Dubai, building on the success of its Singapore event. With ambitious growth plans, BloFin continues to focus on providing innovative services to its expanding global user base.

“We are proud of our achievements at TOKEN2049 Singapore and are excited to build on this momentum as we prepare for TOKEN2049 Dubai,” said Matt, CEO of BloFin. “Our mission is to continue delivering top-tier services while enhancing the user experience.”

BloFin’s Trading Engine: A Leap Forward in Speed and Reliability

In tandem with its event sponsorship, BloFin has implemented significant upgrades to its trading platform, reinforcing its reputation as a top destination for crypto traders. The recent introduction of cutting-edge technologies, including In-memory Processing and the Raft Consensus Algorithm System, has dramatically improved trading execution speeds and system reliability, even during peak periods.

These enhancements highlight BloFin’s dedication to providing a secure and efficient trading environment, in line with its brand promise, “Where Whales Are Made.” With a focus on advanced trading features, enhanced security protocols, and a seamless user experience, BloFin continues to set new standards of excellence for traders and crypto enthusiasts alike.

About BloFin

BloFin is a secure, innovative cryptocurrency centralized exchange (CEX) offering over 350 USDT-M perpetual contracts and 250 spot trading pairs. Designed for both novice and experienced traders, BloFin provides a high-performance platform with deep liquidity, competitive pricing, and minimal slippage. Beyond derivatives trading, the platform offers services such as spot trading, copy trading, demo trading, and more.

Security remains a top priority at BloFin, as demonstrated by its partnerships with Fireblocks for asset protection and Chainalysis for compliance and security. BloFin continues to enhance its offerings to provide a secure, user-friendly experience for its growing global user base.

For more information, visit BloFin’s website or follow BloFin on Telegram, Twitter.

Media Contact:
Annio W.
Head of Marketing and Public Relations
Email: annio@blofin.io

Disclaimer: This content is provided by BloFin. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e0b53214-e8dd-48b8-a75f-01f12a0bdd5b

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/da5ea658-bb4d-4580-a062-f6c43d79cc61

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Air Capital Wealth Management Launches with LPL Financial

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LPL Financial LLC (Nasdaq:LPLA) announced today that financial advisors Michael Caffrey, CRPC®, Derek Keller, CFP®, CPFA®, CRPC®, MBA, and Gabriel Parham have launched a new independent practice, Air Capital Wealth Management, through affiliation with LPL Strategic Wealth Services, a supported independence model. The team reported having served approximately $685 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets* and joins LPL from Merrill Lynch.

Based in Wichita, Kan., known as the Air Capital of the World, the advisors are longtime colleagues who each bring diverse experiences and perspectives to the team. Caffrey was mentored by his father, Ron Caffrey, and has earned recognition on several Forbes lists**. Parham also grew up in the business and recalls making 50-cents an hour as a child to help his mother file — a job that sparked his interest in investments early on. Keller has nearly two decades of experience guiding clients’ financial lives. Together, with support from two assistants, the advisors share a commitment to providing comprehensive services and personalized advice to their clients.

“Our mission is to help each individual client with their financial goals by simplifying the complexities, making it easier for them to understand,” said Parham, who noted their client base spans from doctors, engineers and pilots to farmers, teachers and small business owners. “We are passionate about building deep relationships with clients and providing them with personalized financial strategies.”

As they continue to honor the legacy of the firm’s early leaders, Ron Caffrey, Janet Johnson and Deborah Rowley, all who have since retired, the Air Capital team decided the independent model would best suit the growing needs of their business.

“We want to be able to focus on clients, their goals and objectives, not corporate mandates,” Caffrey said. “LPL provides us with the flexibility and resources we need to make our own decisions and build our business how we want. We also have several new options across the board within LPL’s open architecture platform, including more planning software, which allows us to provide even more comprehensive and personalized experiences for our clients.”

The team was drawn to LPL’s comprehensive supported independence solution, LPL Strategic Wealth Services (SW), which combines the freedom and flexibility of entrepreneurship with hands-on business services and support to help practices thrive, both operationally and strategically. In addition to having access to LPL’s innovative wealth management platform and sophisticated resources, SW advisors benefit from a truly integrated service that includes simplified pricing, technology and dedicated support to launch their practice. Then, after the transition is complete, SW teams receive ongoing operations support managed by their team of experienced professionals including a business strategist, marketing partner, CFO and administrative assistant. Advisors have one point of contact, a dedicated team and priority access to advocacy and project management for complex business issues, ultimately allowing them to stay focused on the enduring needs of their clients and the culture and evolution of their practice.

“We truly appreciate all of these dedicated resources and sophisticated capabilities behind the scenes to allow us to run the business as we see fit while also ensuring clients are getting the best care,” Keller said. “We look forward to having more time to interface with clients and providing them with differentiated experiences.”

Outside the office, all three advisors are active in the community. Keller is a Boy Scout leader, member of Shriners International and proud supporter of his alma mater, Wichita State University. Parham is a member of The American Legion and Fuse Foundation. He also supports Kansas Honor Flight and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Caffrey supports several organizations including the Wichita Wagonmasters, East YMCA Men’s Club, Senior Services of Wichita and St. Thomas Catholic Church. As independent advisors, they look forward to expanding their local presence by using Wichita-based vendors and investing more back into the community.

Scott Posner, LPL Executive Vice President, Business Development, said, “We welcome Mike, Derek and Gabe to LPL and congratulate them on the launch of their new independent business. We are committed to being a long-term partner to the Air Capital team — and all our advisors — by delivering a leading wealth management platform that supports the full lifecycle of their business.”

Related

Advisors, learn how LPL Financial can help take your business to the next level.

About LPL Financial

LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) was founded on the principle that LPL should work for advisors and institutions, and not the other way around. Today, LPL is a leader in the markets we serve, serving more than 23,000 financial advisors, including advisors at approximately 1,000 institutions and at approximately 580 registered investment advisor firms nationwide. We are steadfast in our commitment to the advisor-mediated model and the belief that Americans deserve access to personalized guidance from a financial professional. At LPL, independence means that advisors and institution leaders have the freedom they deserve to choose the business model, services and technology resources that allow them to run a thriving business. They have the flexibility to do business their way. And they have the freedom to manage their client relationships, because they know their clients best. Simply put, we take care of our advisors and institutions, so they can take care of their clients.

Securities and Advisory services offered through LPL Financial LLC (“LPL Financial”), a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. LPL Financial and its affiliated companies provide financial services only from the United States. Air Capital Wealth Management and LPL Financial are separate entities.

Throughout this communication, the terms “financial advisors” and “advisors” are used to refer to registered representatives and/or investment advisor representatives affiliated with LPL Financial.

We routinely disclose information that may be important to shareholders in the “Investor Relations” or “Press Releases” section of our website.

*Value approximated based on asset and holding details provided to LPL from end of year, 2023.

** Forbes “2024 Best-in-State Wealth Advisors,” “2024 Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams,” and “2024 Next-Gen Best-in-State.”

Media Contact:
Media.relations@LPLFinancial.com
(704) 996-1840

Tracking #639367

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Lendmark Financial Services Expands Virginia Presence with Williamsburg Branch, Marking its 47th Location in the State

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

WILLIAMSBURG, Va., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lendmark Financial Services (Lendmark), a leading provider of household credit and consumer loan solutions, continues to expand its Virginia footprint, opening a new branch in Williamsburg.

The branch is located at 6614 Mooretown Road, Suite B, and is expected to serve hundreds of customers in its first year. Sonja Winnington, who serves as the branch manager, will be responsible for administration of all daily operations. These include building personal relationships with customers and integrating into the community to ensure area residents receive a superior level of individualized loan services that meet their unique financial needs.

“As we grow our footprint in Virginia, we will continue to focus on delivering the tailored loan solutions our customers need to meet planned and unplanned life events,” said Dan Quann, Vice President of Branch Operations at Lendmark. “Our Virginia branch openings and overall branch growth demonstrate an ongoing need for diverse household financial options for consumers here and throughout the country.”

In addition to serving consumers directly, Lendmark provides financing solutions for thousands of retailers and independent auto dealerships, allowing these businesses’ customers to obtain Lendmark financing. Local businesses that are interested in partnering with Lendmark to provide financing solutions for their customers should visit the branch or call 757-378-6363.

Lendmark’s ‘Climb to Cure’ is its signature cause-related initiative. The company has committed to raising $10 million by 2025 to mark its 10-year anniversary partnering with CURE Childhood Cancer. So far, Lendmark’s employees, partners and customers have raised $8.83 million to support CURE, an Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to funding targeted pediatric cancer research that is utilized nationwide.

Lendmark customers can participate by donating $1 when closing their loan. Lendmark matches the donation.

About Lendmark Financial Services
Lendmark Financial Services (Lendmark) provides personal and household credit and loan solutions to consumers. Founded in 1996, Lendmark strives to be the lender, employer, and partner of choice by protecting household wealth, offering stability and helping consumers meet both planned and unplanned life events through affordable loan offerings. Today, Lendmark operates more than 515 branches in 22 states across the country, providing personalized services to customers and retail business partners with every transaction. Lendmark is headquartered in Lawrenceville, Ga. For more information, visit http://www.lendmarkfinancial.com.

Media Contact
Jeffrey Hamilton
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
jhamilton@lendmarkfinancial.com
678-625-3128

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c0cb5942-d810-4b17-a625-70205d6f609c

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: MELD Launches Crypto Neobank

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SINGAPORE, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MELD, a new Neobank focusing on crypto friendliness launches today with their iOS mobile app. Coming to the market with a new type of banking that merges crypto and fiat services into a single platform. MELD gives you a traditional fiat deposit account and a non-custodial crypto account together in the same wallet. Account holders can exchange between crypto and fiat or between crypto tokens on different blockchains. Bringing the best of both worlds together in one account.

MELD is approaching banking from a decentralized perspective. Through the MELD blockchain, the network is run by individuals or companies so no one single individual is in control. They currently have 26 of these independent nodes running the blockchain with plans to grow it to over 100. This is a fairly common type of blockchain, called Proof of Stake. Where MELD is innovating is on the banking side of the network.

MELD has developed a proprietary banking system from scratch that integrated several payment and currency providers, some of which duplicate each other. This way, MELD is creating decentralization on the banking side where it can pick and choose the best provider for the right transactions. This also prevents an outage from one provider to stop the service because MELD can switch to a different provider that has a simpler service, creating redundancy in their system.

In addition to this, MELD is building connectivity between the banking network and the blockchain with their zkBanking Network. This new technology duplicates all of the traditional banking transactions onto the MELD blockchain in a way that maintains privacy. With their zkBanking, users can send a proof of payment, fund or balance to a counterparty that can verify this on the blockchain.

Notwithstanding the technical innovation, the new MELD Neobank brings fast, cheap and easy banking services to users in more than 160 countries around the world. Primarily targeting users that hold crypto and need an efficient way to convert crypto into fiat to buy crypto with fiat currency. MELDs goal is to let people use crypto as easily as they can use fiat like Euros.

The banking services are mobile first, available today on iOS only, but the Android version of the Neobank is under development. You can go to the App Store and download MELDapp for Mobile in more than 160 countries.

This new Neobank wallet supports Euros with an additional 20+ currencies coming in the next few weeks along with 4 of the major blockchains, Ethereum, MELD, Avalanche and Cardano. MELD has an ambitious plan of products and services coming out in the coming months. As a result they are offering early adopters a 70% discount for 2 months. The Premium service is only €5 per month. With this subscription, you lower your fiat/crypto on and off ramping fee from 1% to an incredibly low 0.01% per exchange.

About MELD
MELD is a crypto native global neobank powered by the blockchain. Bringing fiat currencies like (30+ including USD and EUR) and crypto currencies (1000+ BTC and ETH) together in one seamless wallet supporting more than 160 countries. MELD makes it easy to navigate between these two worlds and get the best out of both. From generating a yield on your crypto to debit cards and business accounts, MELD brings fundamental banking services to everyone.

The MELD blockchain powers more than just the MELD Neobank, with a non-custodial lending and borrowing protocol and more than 30 businesses building on MELD. Users interact with all of this through the MELD web and Mobile apps helping people and businesses take full advantage of both their crypto assets and fiat assets.

You can follow the project and stay up to date with its development at these links: Website | X (Twitter) | Telegram |

Contact:
press@meld.com

Disclaimer: This content is provided by MELD. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5190354e-313c-44ef-ab60-82088e9d5d6b

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: North Carolina Physician and Medical Practice Agree to Pay $625,000 to Settle Kickback Allegations

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Dr. Eric Troyer, of Landis, North Carolina, and his medical practice, Troyer Medical Inc. P.C. (TMI), have agreed to pay $429,254 to the United States to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations arising from their involvement in laboratory kickback schemes. Troyer and TMI will pay an additional $195,746 to the State of North Carolina, which jointly funded claims paid by the North Carolina Medicaid program. Troyer and his practice have agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigations of other participants in the alleged schemes.

“Kickbacks to healthcare providers can undermine the integrity of taxpayer-funded healthcare programs and medical decision making,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue those who pay or receive illegal financial inducements, including unlawful inducements for laboratory testing.”

The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and other federally funded healthcare programs. The Anti-Kickback Statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.

The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from August 2015 to November 2021, Troyer and his medical practice received kickbacks from a laboratory in Anderson, South Carolina, in return for Troyer’s referrals to that laboratory. According to the settlement, the kickbacks to Troyer and his medical practice allegedly were disguised as payments for purported phlebotomy services, rental of office space and the lease of a chemistry analyzer machine and resulted in the submission of false or fraudulent laboratory testing claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE in violation of the False Claims Act.

“Patients should be able trust that their healthcare provider’s recommendations are for their well-being and not for the provider’s financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of the healthcare system by giving or receiving kickbacks.”

“This resolution demonstrates the FBI’s dedication to addressing violations that undermine the public’s trust in our healthcare systems,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI, along with our law enforcement and regulatory partners, remains committed to ensuring healthcare professionals provide transparent and ethical standards of service.”

“Kickback arrangements aimed at improperly influencing medical decisions will remain a top investigative priority for our agency,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our ongoing enforcement efforts in this area are focused on protecting the integrity of taxpayer-funded healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and preventing schemes that could improperly manipulate the healthcare decisions of patients and their doctors.”

“Improper financial relationships between physicians and laboratories undermine patient healthcare and trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “Kickbacks should never be a consideration in a medical practice selecting a company for laboratory testing. DCIS will continue to bring to justice medical providers who illegally enrich themselves at the expense of the American taxpayer and wellbeing of our Warfighters.”

The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, with assistance from HHS-OIG, DCIS, FBI and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office.

Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Terranova of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth C. Warren for the District of South Carolina handled the case. The United States previously resolved allegations that other physicians in South Carolina, North Carolina and Texas received kickbacks from the same laboratory.

The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

MIL Security OSI –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister announces new Ministerial Lead for Jasper
Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

Following last summer’s unprecedented wildfires that devastated the historic town of Jasper, the community is rebuilding. Businesses are getting back on their feet. Visitors are returning. Jasper is resilient.

Amid the fires, we worked closely with the Municipality of Jasper and the Government of Alberta to provide urgent support to Albertans and impacted Indigenous communities. As we look ahead, we remain committed to ensuring the long-term recovery of Jasper – one of Canada’s national treasures.

As part of the federal government’s commitment to the people of Jasper, the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, will also serve as Ministerial Lead for Jasper.

In this role, Minister Boissonnault will lead the federal government’s work to support people and businesses in Jasper and to ensure the community rebuilds stronger than ever. He will co-ordinate federal support with provincial, municipal, and Indigenous partners to accelerate the recovery process, report on its progress, and ensure environmental protection measures remain world class. He will be supported in this role by a working group of Cabinet ministers – each with their own mandate in helping Jasper recover.

Rebuilding from last summer’s wildfires will require a collective effort. The Government of Canada stands ready to provide financial assistance to the Government of Alberta through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA), to help with response and recovery costs and build back stronger.

A home to Indigenous Peoples since time immemorial and a place of natural beauty that has long attracted visitors from all over the world, Jasper is the heart of a vibrant community and national park. Our efforts to restore it are a testament to our commitment to Albertans and to conservation and environmental stewardship for future generations.

Quotes

“Our government is here for the people of Jasper. With Minister Boissonnault’s role as Ministerial Lead, we’re undertaking a collective effort – with resources, investments, and partnerships – to help Jasper recover.”

“As the Alberta Minister in Cabinet and a longtime Jasper visitor, I accept the responsibility that the Prime Minister has given me to lead the rebuild of one of our nation’s most breathtaking communities. Jasper holds a special place in the hearts of millions. My colleagues and I will work hard to give Mayor Ireland, the Town Council, local businesses, and every Jasperite the support they need to build the town back on their terms – and even better than before.”

Quick Facts
- Last summer’s wildfires in Jasper National Park were the largest to impact the park in more than a century. Firefighter crews did a heroic job in saving 70 per cent of the infrastructure in the town of Jasper. Recovery and rebuilding efforts are focused on revitalizing both the town and park.
- Over the course of the incident, over 3,000 personnel from Parks Canada and other agencies across the country worked with the common goals of suppressing the wildfires and helping community members re-enter the town and national park.
- The working group of Cabinet ministers that will support Minister Boissonnault in his role as Ministerial Lead includes:
  - Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
  - Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada
  - Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
  - Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
  - Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
  - Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
- On July 25, 2024, the Government of Canada approved a request for federal assistance from Alberta to provide firefighting resources, strategic airlift capacity, as well as resources and logistics support from the Canadian Armed Forces to help keep people in Jasper and across the province safe from harm and protect their communities from wildfires.
- On July 28, 2024, the federal government announced a donation-matching program with the Canadian Red Cross to support wildfire disaster relief and recovery efforts in Alberta, including in Jasper.
- In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the Government of Canada stepped up to ensure all those impacted could receive essential services and benefits. This included:
  - Providing enhanced Service Canada delivery, outreach to evacuees, and deployment of Service Canada employees to evacuation centres to assist clients in submitting applications for benefits, such as Employment Insurance.
  - Replacing citizenship, immigration, or travel documents that were lost, damaged, or destroyed; extending or restoring people’s temporary resident status; transitioning employer-specific work permits to open work permits, as needed.
- On October 3, 2024, Bill C-76, An Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act, received Royal Assent. The amendments made to the Act aim to enable the transfer of land use planning and development authorities from Parks Canada to the Municipality of Jasper, to support long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts.
- Through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA), the federal government covers up to 90 per cent of eligible provincial response and recovery expenses following a disaster, including:
  - Evacuation, transportation, emergency food, shelter, and clothing.
  - Repairs to public buildings and related equipment, roads, and bridges.
  - Restoration or replacement of individuals’ uninsurable dwellings (principal residences only), personal furnishings, appliances, and clothing.
  - Restoration of small businesses and farmsteads, including uninsurable buildings and equipment.
Associated Links

MIL OSI Canada News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Banking: IMF Staff and Tajikistan Authorities Reach Staff-Level Agreement on the First Review of the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI)
Source: International Monetary Fund

October 9, 2024

End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.
- IMF staff and the Tajikistan authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on the first review under the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI). The PCI aims to maintain macroeconomic stability, strengthen the authorities’ policy frameworks, and support their efforts to foster more sustainable and inclusive growth.
- Macroeconomic performance remains favorable with real GDP growth at 8.3 percent during January-August 2024, and twelve-month inflation slowing to 3.6 percent in August. The current account remained in surplus in the first half of 2024, with international reserves at comfortable levels.
- Policy priorities are to enhance revenue mobilization, rationalize tax exemptions, modernize FX and public debt markets, enhance banking supervision and macroprudential oversight, and improve governance and transparency of SOEs and other entities to strengthen the favorable business climate.
Dushanbe, Tajikistan: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Mr. Matthew Gaertner held discussions with the Tajikistan authorities during September 23-October 4, 2024, for the first review of the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI) [[1]].

At the conclusion of the mission, Mr. Gaertner issued the following statement:

“The IMF mission held productive discussions with the Tajikistan authorities and reached staff-level agreement on the policies needed to complete the first review under the PCI. The successful completion of the review is subject to approval by IMF management and the IMF Executive Board. Consideration by the Board is expected in November 2024.

“Real GDP continued to grow at 8.3 percent during January-August 2024, supported by strong growth in services and construction. Inflation declined to 3.6 percent in August from 3.8 in December, remaining below the lower bound of the National Bank of Tajikistan’s target range. The current account remained in surplus during the first half of 2024 with strong financial inflows supporting comfortable levels of FX reserves. The authorities recorded a fiscal deficit well below the program’s target in the first half of the year, anchoring a continued reduction in public debt. The banking system is stable, with robust growth in deposits and credit. Strong GDP growth and low inflation are expected to continue in 2025 but geopolitical and climate risks create uncertainty over the medium-term outlook.

“Program implementation has remained on track, with most of the quantitative targets for end-June 2024 being met and all reform targets being observed. The quantitative targets on net international reserves and the fiscal deficit were met comfortably. Improvements in revenue mobilization and debt management remain central to program objectives. Fiscal reforms have focused on quantifying losses from inefficient tax exemptions and implementing a Medium-Term Revenue Plan aiming to increase fiscal space for priority social and development spending. In line with the updated Debt Management Strategy, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) has started issuing government securities at market-based rates to diversify financing sources.

“Under the PCI, the authorities have improved monitoring of fiscal risks from state-owned enterprises (SOE), bringing all companies with state ownership of at least 20 percent under the monitoring of the MOF. Monetary and exchange rate policy reforms have centered on improving the functioning of the FX market by rationalizing the system supporting remittances and money transfers through the banking system and improving the mechanism for executing government FX transactions to better reflect prevailing market rates.

“Looking ahead, the authorities will aim to continue to rationalize tax exemptions and tax administration, modernize FX and public debt markets, improve banking supervision and macroprudential oversight, and enhance governance and transparency of SOEs and other public and private entities to support a favorable business climate and foster more sustainable and inclusive growth. Enhanced exchange rate flexibility is essential to strengthen resilience to shocks and support the transition to an interest-rate based framework. The authorities have proposed to expand the fiscal reform agenda through new measures aiming to develop a plan to streamline tax exemptions and including all companies with a minimum of 20 percent state ownership in the 2024 Statement of Fiscal Risks.

“The IMF team would like to thank the authorities for their excellent cooperation and constructive discussions.”

[[1]] The IMF’s Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI) is designed for countries that do not need balance of payments financial support. The PCI helps countries design effective economic programs that, once approved by the IMF’s Executive Board, signal to donors, multilateral development banks, and markets the Fund’s endorsement of a member’s policies.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Angham Al Shami

Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

@IMFSpokesperson
MIL OSI Global Banks –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Staff and Tajikistan Authorities Reach Staff-Level Agreement on the First Review of the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI)
Source: IMF – News in Russian

October 9, 2024

End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.
- IMF staff and the Tajikistan authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on the first review under the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI). The PCI aims to maintain macroeconomic stability, strengthen the authorities’ policy frameworks, and support their efforts to foster more sustainable and inclusive growth.
- Macroeconomic performance remains favorable with real GDP growth at 8.3 percent during January-August 2024, and twelve-month inflation slowing to 3.6 percent in August. The current account remained in surplus in the first half of 2024, with international reserves at comfortable levels.
- Policy priorities are to enhance revenue mobilization, rationalize tax exemptions, modernize FX and public debt markets, enhance banking supervision and macroprudential oversight, and improve governance and transparency of SOEs and other entities to strengthen the favorable business climate.
Dushanbe, Tajikistan: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Mr. Matthew Gaertner held discussions with the Tajikistan authorities during September 23-October 4, 2024, for the first review of the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI) [[1]].

At the conclusion of the mission, Mr. Gaertner issued the following statement:

“The IMF mission held productive discussions with the Tajikistan authorities and reached staff-level agreement on the policies needed to complete the first review under the PCI. The successful completion of the review is subject to approval by IMF management and the IMF Executive Board. Consideration by the Board is expected in November 2024.

“Real GDP continued to grow at 8.3 percent during January-August 2024, supported by strong growth in services and construction. Inflation declined to 3.6 percent in August from 3.8 in December, remaining below the lower bound of the National Bank of Tajikistan’s target range. The current account remained in surplus during the first half of 2024 with strong financial inflows supporting comfortable levels of FX reserves. The authorities recorded a fiscal deficit well below the program’s target in the first half of the year, anchoring a continued reduction in public debt. The banking system is stable, with robust growth in deposits and credit. Strong GDP growth and low inflation are expected to continue in 2025 but geopolitical and climate risks create uncertainty over the medium-term outlook.

“Program implementation has remained on track, with most of the quantitative targets for end-June 2024 being met and all reform targets being observed. The quantitative targets on net international reserves and the fiscal deficit were met comfortably. Improvements in revenue mobilization and debt management remain central to program objectives. Fiscal reforms have focused on quantifying losses from inefficient tax exemptions and implementing a Medium-Term Revenue Plan aiming to increase fiscal space for priority social and development spending. In line with the updated Debt Management Strategy, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) has started issuing government securities at market-based rates to diversify financing sources.

“Under the PCI, the authorities have improved monitoring of fiscal risks from state-owned enterprises (SOE), bringing all companies with state ownership of at least 20 percent under the monitoring of the MOF. Monetary and exchange rate policy reforms have centered on improving the functioning of the FX market by rationalizing the system supporting remittances and money transfers through the banking system and improving the mechanism for executing government FX transactions to better reflect prevailing market rates.

“Looking ahead, the authorities will aim to continue to rationalize tax exemptions and tax administration, modernize FX and public debt markets, improve banking supervision and macroprudential oversight, and enhance governance and transparency of SOEs and other public and private entities to support a favorable business climate and foster more sustainable and inclusive growth. Enhanced exchange rate flexibility is essential to strengthen resilience to shocks and support the transition to an interest-rate based framework. The authorities have proposed to expand the fiscal reform agenda through new measures aiming to develop a plan to streamline tax exemptions and including all companies with a minimum of 20 percent state ownership in the 2024 Statement of Fiscal Risks.

“The IMF team would like to thank the authorities for their excellent cooperation and constructive discussions.”

[[1]] The IMF’s Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI) is designed for countries that do not need balance of payments financial support. The PCI helps countries design effective economic programs that, once approved by the IMF’s Executive Board, signal to donors, multilateral development banks, and markets the Fund’s endorsement of a member’s policies.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Angham Al Shami

Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

@IMFSpokesperson

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/10/09/pr-24361-tajikistan-imf-and-authorities-reach-agreement-on-1st-rev-of-pci

MIL OSI
MIL OSI Russia News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: St. Petersburg Gas Forum 2024: Polytech Showcases Cutting-Edge Developments

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

From October 8 to 11, the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum 2024 is being held in the Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Centre in St. Petersburg. Russia’s leading technical university and the flagship university of PJSC Gazprom, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, traditionally participates in the exhibition and scientific-business programme of the forum. This year, SPbPU and the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences presented a joint stand.

The St. Petersburg International Gas Forum can be called a unique event without exaggeration, because it is not only an exhibition of achievements in the gas industry, but also provides opportunities for a meaningful dialogue between business, government and science. This is necessary to ensure the technological independence of the Russian energy industry, – noted the rector of SPbPU, chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Rudskoy.

Among the innovative developments that forum guests can see at the Polytechnic stand is the installation of selective laser melting with high-temperature heating of the working area “Mercury”, which solves the problems of import preemption in the economy of our country. This is an innovative project, which has no analogues in Russia. The new equipment was created in cooperation with an industrial partner – the company 3DLAM. Thanks to additive metal printing technologies, which Polytechnic is now actively engaged in, it has become possible to manufacture products of the most complex shapes from difficult-to-process alloys. The resulting samples are highly durable and reliable.

The unit is capable of heating the working area to 1300 degrees for printing new-generation heat-resistant alloys. Joint repair of T32 engine components — the Ladoga gas pumping unit — is currently being discussed.

In our partnership, we act as an equipment manufacturer, and Polytech acts as a technology center that develops the technology itself, works out modes and prepares technical specifications, according to which we create innovative installations, noted Nikolai Drobchenko, head of the 3DLAM additive technology department.

Specialists from the research laboratory “Laser and Additive Technologies” of the Institute of Metallurgy and Metallurgy of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University also demonstrate the mobile laser cladding complex “Nomad” and components of gas turbine engines restored using the laser cladding method.

“Here, there is a synergy of combining scientific research, technological and production experience,” said Mikhail Kuznetsov, head of the Laser and Additive Technologies Research Laboratory. “And all of this is combined into a new development. In this case, it is a layer-by-layer growth complex with high-temperature heating.”

Also at the Polytechnic stand, you can get acquainted with the work of virtual demonstration complexes based on VR technologies to study the main actions during maintenance and operation of compressor equipment used at underground gas storage facilities.

Traditionally, the SPbPU History Museum takes part in the exhibition. Its employees tell visitors to the stand about the Polytechnic gas plant, which produced lighting gas for laboratories.

SPbPU and SPbB RAS stand: L2, Pavilion G.

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://www.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/partnership/St. Petersburg-gas-forum-2024-polytech-demonstrates-advanced-developments/

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Sweden increasing humanitarian support to Lebanon by SEK 83.5 million

Source: Government of Sweden

Sweden increasing humanitarian support to Lebanon by SEK 83.5 million – Government.se

Press release from Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Published 09 October 2024

The military escalation in Lebanon has had major humanitarian consequences. Sweden is therefore increasing its humanitarian support to Lebanon by a total of SEK 83.5 million. The support will be divided between the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Lebanese Red Cross, Save the Children and the UN Lebanon Humanitarian Fund.

“More than one million people in Lebanon are in need of emergency humanitarian support. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes. Sweden therefore supports organisations on the ground that provide for people’s basic needs. This involves everything from blankets and mattresses to sleep on, to emergency medical care and ambulances. At the same time, let me emphasise that under international humanitarian law, parties in a conflict are obliged to protect civilians and aid workers,” says Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa.

On 1 October, the UN launched its Flash Appeal for the humanitarian response in Lebanon. The appeal underscores that one million people are in need of shelter, food, clean water, medicine and life-saving medical care. The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) – of which Sweden is one of the largest donors – has already made a payment of USD 10 million. In addition, the European Commission has increased its humanitarian support to Lebanon by EUR 30 million as a result of the crisis.

The SEK 83.5 million support package that Sweden is presenting today is a response to the UN Flash Appeal. SEK 60 million is earmarked core support from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and SEK 23.5 million new allocations from Sida. This means that Sweden’s humanitarian support to Lebanon for 2024 has more than doubled as a direct consequence of the critical situation on the ground and now totals SEK 158.3 million.

UNHCR is one of Sweden’s largest core support partners and, with the help of Swedish core support, was able to take immediate action when the crisis in Lebanon escalated. SEK 53 million of Sweden’s core support to UNHCR is now being allocated to the organisation’s activities in the region. This means that people fleeing the conflict can receive emergency assistance on both sides of the border between Lebanon and Syria. In addition, SEK 7 million of Sweden’s core support to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will now be allocated to the Lebanese Red Cross, whose work with emergency medical care, blood banks and ambulance services saves lives every day.

The new allocations approved by Sida involve SEK 20 million to the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund, a country-based pooled fund administered by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The fund allocates financial resources to trusted civil society organisations that are well established in Lebanese society and are able to help the people most in need in the most inaccessible parts of the country. Children are often the most affected by conflicts, which is why Sida has also allocated an additional SEK 3.5 million to Save the Children in Lebanon.

Press contact

MIL OSI Europe News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: North Carolina Physician and Medical Practice Agree to Pay $625,000 to Settle Kickback Allegations

Source: US State of California

Dr. Eric Troyer, of Landis, North Carolina, and his medical practice, Troyer Medical Inc. P.C. (TMI), have agreed to pay $429,254 to the United States to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations arising from their involvement in laboratory kickback schemes. Troyer and TMI will pay an additional $195,746 to the State of North Carolina, which jointly funded claims paid by the North Carolina Medicaid program. Troyer and his practice have agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigations of other participants in the alleged schemes.

“Kickbacks to healthcare providers can undermine the integrity of taxpayer-funded healthcare programs and medical decision making,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue those who pay or receive illegal financial inducements, including unlawful inducements for laboratory testing.”

The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and other federally funded healthcare programs. The Anti-Kickback Statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.

The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from August 2015 to November 2021, Troyer and his medical practice received kickbacks from a laboratory in Anderson, South Carolina, in return for Troyer’s referrals to that laboratory. According to the settlement, the kickbacks to Troyer and his medical practice allegedly were disguised as payments for purported phlebotomy services, rental of office space and the lease of a chemistry analyzer machine and resulted in the submission of false or fraudulent laboratory testing claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE in violation of the False Claims Act.

“Patients should be able trust that their healthcare provider’s recommendations are for their well-being and not for the provider’s financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of the healthcare system by giving or receiving kickbacks.”

“This resolution demonstrates the FBI’s dedication to addressing violations that undermine the public’s trust in our healthcare systems,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI, along with our law enforcement and regulatory partners, remains committed to ensuring healthcare professionals provide transparent and ethical standards of service.”

“Kickback arrangements aimed at improperly influencing medical decisions will remain a top investigative priority for our agency,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our ongoing enforcement efforts in this area are focused on protecting the integrity of taxpayer-funded healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and preventing schemes that could improperly manipulate the healthcare decisions of patients and their doctors.”

“Improper financial relationships between physicians and laboratories undermine patient healthcare and trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “Kickbacks should never be a consideration in a medical practice selecting a company for laboratory testing. DCIS will continue to bring to justice medical providers who illegally enrich themselves at the expense of the American taxpayer and wellbeing of our Warfighters.”

The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, with assistance from HHS-OIG, DCIS, FBI and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office.

Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Terranova of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth C. Warren for the District of South Carolina handled the case. The United States previously resolved allegations that other physicians in South Carolina, North Carolina and Texas received kickbacks from the same laboratory.

The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Beijing plans to expand low-altitude flights for rescue, delivery

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

BEIJING, Oct. 9 — Beijing will expand its low-altitude flight scenarios, including in emergency rescue and express delivery, as the city strives to boost the burgeoning low-altitude industry.

According to Beijing’s latest action plan on developing low-altitude economy, the city plans to host more than 5,000 enterprises engaged in the sector and increase the value of its low-altitude industry to 100 billion yuan (about 14.2 billion U.S. dollars) by 2027.

The Chinese capital will focus on expanding the use of low-altitude flights for emergency rescue and express delivery, said the plan. Regular low-altitude delivery services will be promoted in suburban districts including Yanqing, Pinggu, Miyun and Fangshan.

The city also plans to establish a low-altitude passenger route linking Beijing Daxing International Airport and Xiong’an New Area in north China’s Hebei Province, while exploring intercity air commuting between Beijing and surrounding areas.

The low-altitude economy includes both conventional general aviation and drone-supported services in low-altitude airspace. Many Chinese cities are moving quickly to establish a foothold in the sector, considering it a new track of industrial development.

In August, Beijing launched its first unmanned aerial vehicle logistics delivery route in a section of the Great Wall, which enables tourists to receive summer relief items and emergency supplies within minutes.

The eastern metropolis Shanghai also plans to have largely established a low-altitude communications network with continuous coverage throughout the region by the end of 2026 to facilitate the development of the low-altitude economy.

MIL OSI China News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Russia’s has violated the OSCE’s core principles: UK statement to the OSCE
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

UK military advisor, Nicholas Aucott, says Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has violated core principles contained in the Helsinki Final Act and the OSCE’s Code of Conduct, as Ukrainian civilians are subjected to a daily onslaught of drone attacks and missile strikes.
Location:

Vienna

Delivered on:

9 October 2024 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

Thank you, Mr Chair. This morning, and this afternoon, we discussed the Code of Conduct, a key document underpinning the very rationale for us convening here in this Forum. Amongst other things, signatories to the Code undertook to recognise the validity of the Helsinki Final Act which underpins our commitments to peace, sovereign equality amongst States, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and its subsequent full-scale invasion in 2022 violated the core principles of the Code and the Act.

And complicit in Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion, Belarus violated its commitments to the Code when it assisted Russia, supporting Russian armed forces and permitting them to use Belarusian territory for its attacks on Ukraine. By doing so, Belarus facilitated Russia’s violation of its obligation to refrain from using force against the territorial integrity of another State. Belarus continues to provide logistical and materiel support to Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia protests in this Forum when the significant majority of participating States stand up to this act of aggression. Indeed, the Code compels us to do so, ‘to act in solidarity if… norms and commitments are violated and to facilitate concerted responses to security challenges’.

Russia’s response to this act of solidarity is to distort the facts and to sow disinformation in this Forum and beyond. Russia wants to break this solidarity because Russia is suffering as a consequence; it is suffering from its choice to unleash war.

The impact for Ukraine and its people is tragic; for Ukrainian soldiers who attempt to halt Russia’s full-scale invasion, and for Ukrainian civilians who are killed and wounded, subjected to a daily onslaught of Russia’s drone and missile strikes. Ukrainians are fighting for their homeland, for their sovereign territory, for their freedom from external coercion, for the principles outlined in the Code to which we all committed, including Russia.

In September, the number of average daily Russian casualties reached a new high for the war at 1,271, meaning Russia has now likely suffered over 648,000 casualties since the war began. A terrible human cost, for an unjustified and unprovoked war in breach of international law and fundamental OSCE principles.

Mr Chair, the UK recognises the severity of the threat posed by Russia to global security, through its violation of international law and the UN Charter. This is why we have come together in solidarity; this is why we will continue to resolutely uphold the Code of Conduct and support this Forum.

We will not allow aggressors like President Putin to succeed, to trample on the fundamental tenets of this organisation. The UK’s commitment to providing Ukraine with military, financial, diplomatic, and political support remains iron clad. Thank you.

Updates to this page

Published 9 October 2024

Invasion of Ukraine

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Move to the UK if you’re coming from Ukraine

Homes for Ukraine: record your interest

Find out about the UK’s response
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Proposal for future of city council day centres

Source: City of Birmingham

The city council’s Cabinet is being asked to approve the closure of four council-run day centres, with support provided at the remaining five centres within the city.

The city council’s Cabinet is being asked to approve the closure of four council-run day centres, with support provided at the remaining five centres within the city.

This follows a consultation on the future of the council-run centres and previous improvement work which came from an independent review of the centres, approved by the council’s Cabinet in April 2023.

The council faces a significant financial challenge and in February 2024 Cabinet agreed to a savings proposal of £1.95 million for 2024-2025 and £3.35 million in 2025-2026 against the nine day centres.

The proposed closure of the four day centres further builds on the initial improvement work and the council’s ambition to consolidate the service and transform the offer for citizens by creating five thriving centres which are fully staffed and with maximum attendance. This will also provide the opportunity to work more closely with partners and local communities.

The recommendation is to close Beeches GOLDD, Harborne, Fairway and Heartlands meaning support for citizens will be provided in the five remaining centres. There are also many day opportunities outside the council-run centres which are commissioned by the council, that have capacity and the quality of service to meet the diverse needs of citizens.

Attendance at the centres has reduced significantly since 2019, with many people choosing direct payments to access alternative services.

Cllr Rob Pocock, Acting Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said:

“Many councils no longer run in-house day centres, so I’m pleased we have still found the money to keep five going across the city. But we do need to save on costs and the remaining centres do need to be fully utilised.

“Citizens using our centres have also said they want to have a wider variety of activities outside the day centres and this is what we are also developing, as part of a more modern 21st century service.

“So the package as a whole means that anyone wanting a council day centre will still be able to receive that. No staff are being made redundant. And there will actually be a wide range of additional options available,

“I do understand that people will have an attachment to the day centre they usually attend but unfortunately our centres have a low attendance rate, with most only around half full.

“While no current users will lose their service, and their loved ones will not lose their respite support, we do recognise that attending a different centre could be difficult for some. Citizens would be fully supported to relocate to an alternative service of their choice which would be equipped to meet their physical, behavioural, sensory and emotional needs.

“There is plenty of capacity in the other centres, meaning more citizens attending, creating a more stimulating environment with more opportunities to socialise. The centres will be fully staffed meaning really focused support for users.

“Re-location plans for citizens would be person-centred and staff familiar to them would be available to plan their move in a sensitive and respectful way, fully sighted on their specific needs to minimise any distress. They would also be supported to move with their friends if that was their choice. A social worker would support every citizen affected by the proposal.”

Families of citizens would also be provided with the support they need as a part of the relocation, including assessments for carers, information and advice.

Full details can be found in the Cabinet Report including consultation feedback and analysis, information on capacity and resources at all nine-day centres, frequently asked questions and a case study of when Heartlands closed temporarily.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Sky Quarry Announces Closing of Public Offering of $6.7 Million

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Shares to Begin Trading on NASDAQ on October 10, 2024, Under the Ticker Symbol “SKYQ”

WOODS CROSS, Utah, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sky Quarry Inc. (“Sky Quarry,” “SKYQ,” or the “Company”), an oil production, refining, and development-stage environmental remediation company formed to deploy technologies to facilitate the recycling of waste asphalt shingles and the remediation of oil-saturated sands and soils, today announced it raised $6,708,030 through the sale of 1,118,005 shares of its Common Stock priced at $6.00 per share. Sky Quarry expects the stock to begin trading on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol “SKYQ” on October 10, 2024.

“I would like to thank our 10,000+ individual investors who have believed in our Company and helped us get to this point in our journey. Looking ahead, we believe that our ECOSolv technology enables Sky Quarry to reduce the more than 15 million tons of waste asphalt shingles generated annually, the vast majority of which is dumped into U.S. landfills. By conserving resources, reducing landfill waste, and minimizing emissions, we are actively leading the energy transition towards more sustainable methods,” said David Sealock, Chief Executive Officer of Sky Quarry Inc.

Digital Offering, LLC, acted as the lead managing selling agent for the offering. “As pioneers in Regulation A+ and the JOBS Act for years, having developed a methodology that allows companies to reach a diverse audience of investors and trade on a National Securities Exchange, we are thrilled to be a part of this historic moment for Sky Quarry. Companies that utilize Regulation A+ for their initial capital raises can graduate to National Securities Exchanges to access the capital markets while providing liquidity to the initial supporters and investors,” said Mark Elenowitz, Managing Director of Digital Offering.

About Sky Quarry Inc.

Sky Quarry Inc. and its subsidiaries are, collectively, an oil production, refining, and a development-stage environmental remediation company formed to deploy technologies to facilitate the recycling of waste asphalt shingles and the remediation of oil-saturated sands and soils. Our waste-to-energy mission is to repurpose and upcycle millions of tons of asphalt shingle waste, diverting them from landfills. By doing so, we can contribute to improved waste management, promote resource efficiency, conserve natural resources, and reduce environmental impact. For more information, please visit http://www.skyquarry.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include ”forward-looking statements.” All statements pertaining to our future financial and/or operating results, future events, or future developments may constitute forward-looking statements. The statements may be identified by words such as “expect,” “look forward to,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” “will,” “project,” or words of similar meaning. Such statements are based on the current expectations and certain assumptions of our management, of which many are beyond control. These are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and factors, including but not limited to those described in disclosures. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying expectations not occur or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results, performance, or our achievements may (negatively or positively) vary materially from those described explicitly or implicitly in the relevant forward-looking statement. We neither intend, nor assume any obligation, to update or revise these forward-looking statements in light of developments which differ from those anticipated. You are urged to carefully review and consider any cautionary statements and other disclosures, including the statements made under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the offering statement filed with the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are contained.

Investor Relations
Chris Tyson
Executive Vice President
MZ Group – MZ North America
949-491-8235
SKYQ@mzgroup.us
http://www.mzgroup.us

Company Website

http://www.skyquarry.com

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Native USDC on Sui – available through NAVI Protocol

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PANAMA CITY, Panama, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — At the recent Token2049 event, the Sui Foundation made a significant announcement regarding the imminent support for native USDC on the Sui network.

Currently, NAVI stands as the top DeFi protocol on Sui, with $120M in USDC liquidity. This constitutes the 3rd largest USDC supply in the industry, next to Aave and Compound. As the inaugural liquidity protocol on Sui, NAVI will integrate Circle’s native USDC asset on DAY 1.

As more blockchain networks adopt USDC, with Sui being the latest addition, the role of permissionless composability—one of the fundamental principles of Web3—becomes increasingly important. This principle has fueled the rapid expansion of new applications and blockchain networks by leveraging existing open technologies.

The integration of Circle’s USDC stablecoin directly into the Sui network enhances capital efficiency and improves the user experience across several dimensions.

This milestone strengthens Sui’s standing in the blockchain industry, and NAVI will fully support native USDC by offering a suite of migration features and a capital-efficient native USDC Liquidity Pool.

Native vs Bridged USDC on Sui

Native USDC offers distinct advantages compared to bridged USDC (wUSDC). Native issuance guarantees that the asset is fully reserved and can always be redeemed 1:1 for US dollars. This adds a layer of trust for developers and users alike, who can rely on the integrity of the underlying asset.

The introduction of native USDC to the Sui network simplifies transaction processes and enhances liquidity within the ecosystem. Users will now have the ability to access USDC directly on Sui, which streamlines workflows and increases overall value for participants.

Moreover, with the adoption of Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP), users can eliminate delays typically associated with bridge withdrawals, thereby establishing a new standard for blockchain efficiency.

Native USDC available on NAVI

In its pursuit to provide the highest level of asset composability on the Sui network, the NAVI Protocol will fully integrate native USDC as a lending and borrowing liquidity pool. As part of a broader ecosystem initiative, NAVI aims to incentivize users to transition away from bridged USDC and adopt native USDC entirely.

To facilitate this shift, NAVI will introduce several in-application features designed to streamline the transition, including native USDC liquidity support, flash loan capabilities, and other functionalities. A comprehensive migration plan will be shared in the coming days, outlining the steps necessary for a seamless transition.

This complete migration is poised to significantly enhance the user experience and promote wider adoption of the Sui ecosystem.

Conclusion

The introduction of native USDC on Sui represents a substantial upgrade over the bridged version, offering enhanced functionality and a superior user experience.

NAVI Protocol is committed to delivering the best possible experience for lending and borrowing, which includes the integration of native USDC, fully backed by US dollars and redeemable on a 1:1 basis. The upcoming migration plan is expected to accelerate the adoption of native USDC, thereby contributing to the growth and improvement of the Sui DeFi ecosystem.

Contact:
Ivan Djordjevic
team@naviprotocol.io

Disclaimer: This content is provided by NAVI PROTOCOL . The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f126000c-76f8-4fbd-a4ac-f9de36f15d97
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d9a86eb7-2ead-49b4-ad52-5f892afac5d7

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025

MIL-OSI: Commercial insurance market projects stability as rates moderate across most lines of business

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — According to the latest Insurance Marketplace Realities report from WTW (Willis Towers Watson, NASDAQ: WTW), a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company, commercial insurance rates have demonstrated balance and stability throughout the year across North America. Jon Drummond, Head of Broking, North America, WTW, commented, “The industry has not categorically rewritten its position on any one line of business, but rather has taken micro-actions reacting to emerging trends.”

WTW reports that new capital in both the reinsurance and retail marketplace has led to increased competition for premium market share, excluding umbrella and excess liability. This trend has played out across the industry, which is particularly meaningful in 1^st party business where capacity was a challenge at the outset of 2024.

Capacity remains a driving force in delivering soft market conditions for financial lines. While WTW advises that it may be premature to call it a trend, there appears to be mounting focus on rate adequacy in mid-excess Directors & Officers Liability. In addition, the Cyber market projects flat to mid-single digit rate decreases across most renewals in the near term.

In casualty, Umbrella & Excess liability has seen the most amount of disruption. Loss costs continue to rise due to factors including legal system abuse, litigation financing, and the growth of concerns such as forever chemicals, to which the insurance market has responded by reducing lines of capacity available to insureds and pushing renewal rates past high single-digit.

WTW’s Marketplace Realities report concludes that while the industry is facing evolutionary change across many lines of business – e.g. climate change, nuclear verdicts, new capital entrants, etc. – the market should deliver relatively stable renewal conditions across most lines of business as the year comes to a close.

Drummond added, “It goes without saying that the current state of affairs might only be one major hurricane away from being upended, and with Milton knocking on the door, the probability of disruption is growing.”

Key Price Predictions for 2024

Property
CAT-exposed	-5% to +10%
Non-CAT exposed	-5% to +5%
Domestic casualty
General liability	+2% to +8%
Umbrella (high hazard)	+8% to +15%
Excess (high hazard)	+10% +
Excess (low hazard)	+2% to +7%
Workers’ compensation	-5% to +2%
Auto	+4% to +10%
International	Flat
Executive risks
Directors’ and officers’ public company (primary)	-10% to Flat
Directors’ and officers’ private / not-for-profit (overall)	-10% to Flat
Side A / DIC	-10% to Flat
Errors and omissions (large law firms)	+2% to +8%
Employment practices liability (primary)	-5% to +5%
Fiduciary (financial institutions)	-5% to +5%
Cyber
Cyber	-5% to Flat
Political risk
Most risks	Flat to +20%
Terrorism and political violence
Terrorism and sabotage	Flat to +10% Non-volatile territories +10% to +25% Volatile territories
Political violence	Flat to +15% Non-volatile territories +15% to +30% Volatile territories

About WTW

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

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

Media Contacts

Douglas Menelly, Public Relations Lead, North America
Douglas.Menelly@wtwco.com | +1 (516) 972 0380

Arnelle Sullivan, Public Relations Associate, North America
Arnelle.Sullivan@wtwco.com | +1 (718) 208-0474

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025

MIL-OSI: Virginia529 Rebrands as Invest529 and Commonwealth Savers to Reflect Expanded Mission

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Richmond, Va., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Virginia529, one of the nation’s largest and most highly rated education savings programs, is rebranding its flagship education savings plan as Invest529 and rebranding the organization as Commonwealth Savers. This rebrand reflects an expanded mission that has grown beyond tax-advantaged savings options for education, to include disability and retirement, positioning the organization as a national leader in comprehensive financial wellness.

In addition to Invest529, Commonwealth Savers (formerly Virginia529) oversees ABLEnow one of the country’s largest savings programs for individuals with disabilities, and RetirePath Virginia, a retirement savings program. Both ABLEnow and Invest529 are available to individuals nationwide. Commonwealth Savers also manages SOAR Virginia, a statewide initiative that aims to make post-high school education more affordable and accessible to all.

While Invest529 long has been the name of the organization’s education savings program, in Virginia, the name Virginia529 has long been synonymous with education savings, largely due to the popularity of the organization’s legacy college savings program, Prepaid529. This rebrand helps clarify that while Commonwealth Savers continues to provide the same trusted education savings options, its mission has expanded to include additional savings opportunities beyond education.

“As we change our name and expand our offerings, some things will never change. We remain dedicated to empowering savers to be capable, confident, and in control of their future,” said Mary Morris, CEO of Commonwealth Savers. “Our commitment to providing great service to every customer remains at the core of what we do. Our new name reflects our expanded mission and means we now offer even more accessible, affordable, and tax-advantaged ways to save for life’s important milestones—from education to disability and retirement savings.”

The new Invest529 and Commonwealth Savers brands will soon appear across the organization’s website and materials, representing a seamless transition into the future of financial wellness. The organization remains focused on helping families nationwide secure a strong financial foundation, regardless of where they are on their savings journey.

About Commonwealth Savers

Commonwealth Savers, formerly Virginia529, is a financial organization that helps individuals and families achieve financial wellness through a variety of tax-advantaged savings programs. With over $100+ billion in assets under management and 3+ million accounts, Commonwealth Savers is the nationwide leader in 529 education savings programs. The organization manages Invest529, a flexible, affordable education savings program, and CollegeAmerica®, the largest advisor-sold 529 plan in the nation. Through SOAR Virginia®, the organization administers a variety of scholarship and access, affordability, and attainment initiatives to foster inclusion in educational access and make postsecondary education more affordable and accessible to all. Commonwealth Savers also administers ABLEnow, a national savings program for individuals with disabilities, and ABLEAmerica, an advisor-sold disability savings option. Its newest program offering, RetirePath Virginia, helps workers across the Commonwealth save for retirement. For more information on Commonwealth Savers’ savings options, visit Commonwealthsavers.com or call 1-855-4SAVEVA. All investments are subject to risk, and prospective participants are encouraged to consult with financial professionals. For non-Virginia residents, consider whether your home state offers benefits specific to its own savings programs. ©2024 Commonwealth Savers Plan. All Rights Reserved.

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Labour are failing to honour education funding increase promise

Source: Party of Wales

“The Welsh Labour Government appear more bothered in appeasing party politics than seeking what’s best for Wales” – Cefin Campbell MS

Plaid Cymru will today (Wednesday 9 October 2024) call on Labour to honour their commitments to increase funding to education, and to tackle the wider challenges facing the sector.

Labour pledged additional funding for education in their 2024 General Election manifesto – a promise they’ve failed to deliver, says Plaid Cymru.

A NAHT report has found that schools in Wales are facing a “harrowing funding crisis”, with a 6% cut in spending per pupil.

Under Labour, funding constraints facing the education sector have exacerbated the lowest PISA scores in the UK and a recruitment and retention crisis.

Plaid Cymru’s education spokesperson, Cefin Campbell MS has said that the Labour Welsh Government is “tired and out of ideas” to fix the education system, evading accountability

Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Education, Cefin Campbell MS said:

“Under Labour, education standards have fallen, schools are struggling financially, targets to recruit secondary teachers have been missed for nearly a decade, and pupils are simply not learning the basics required for them to succeed.

“Yet instead of taking swift action to address these issues, Labour shy away from accountability and even fail to implement quick fixes to improve literacy levels.

“Despite the promise of two Labour governments working together for Wales’ benefit, the Welsh Labour Government appear more bothered in appeasing party politics and blaming local authorities for their failures than seeking what’s best for Wales. So far, they’re failing to deliver on their promises to increase funding to education.

Mr Campbell continued,

“It’s clear that after 25 years in power, the Labour Welsh Government is tired and out of ideas when it comes to fixing the education system that they themselves broke.

“Plaid Cymru won’t ever shy away from standing up for Wales’ best interests and demanding a fair funding model to invest in children’s education.

“We’re clear that we need to get to grips with the recruitment and retention crisis in our schools by tackling workload pressures; to take immediate steps to update Welsh Government literacy guidance; and to simply fund schools properly through securing fair funding from Westminster. Wales needs a fresh start – and that’s what Plaid Cymru offers.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 23, 2025

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