Category: Economy

  • MIL-Evening Report: Detroit’s population grew in 2023, 2024 − a strategy to welcome immigrants helps explain the turnaround from decades of population decline

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul N. McDaniel, Associate Professor of Geography, Kennesaw State University

    The Mexican-American community in southwest Detroit held a rally in March 2025, asking ICE to leave the immigrant community alone. Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    Detroit’s population grew in 2024 for the second year in a row. This is a remarkable comeback after decades of population decline in the Motor City.

    What explains the turnaround? One factor may be Detroit’s efforts to attract and settle immigrants.

    These efforts continue despite a dramatic national shift in tone toward new arrivals. This includes executive orders from the second Trump administration targeting immigrant communities, international students and their universities, and cities in which immigrants live.

    We study urban geography and immigrant integration. Despite these federal policy shifts, our own research and that of others has found that local leaders in cities across the U.S. are actively working to bring immigrants in and help them become part of local communities, generally for economic reasons.

    Our recent publications on immigrant integration and immigrant community engagement show how and why cities adapt to changes in their population and economies.

    Detroit and other former immigrant gateway metro areas such as Buffalo, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and St. Louis, Missouri experienced significant immigration in the early 20th century. These population booms were followed by a period of decline in immigration numbers.

    Now these cities are using branding strategies to construct inclusive identities designed to attract and retain immigrants. It may be surprising to think of a city branding itself, but local governments often work with private nonprofits to shape and manage their city’s image. They try to build a unique and desirable identity for the city, differentiate it from competitors, and attract new businesses, residents and tourists this way.

    Here are three reasons why Detroit and other cities want to welcome immigrants:

    1. Encouraging economic growth and attracting talent

    Immigration has a positive impact on the economy, research shows.

    Local leaders in Detroit recognize that in a global economy, a thriving industrial sector and robust labor market are linked to the contributions of immigrant communities. They also understand that the growth of these communities brings positive economic ripple effects.

    Immigrants are more likely than the general population to own their own businesses. Organizations such as Global Detroit encourage entrepreneurship through programs such as the Global Talent Retention Initiative, Global Talent Accelerator and Global Entrepreneur in Residence and provide resources for small businesses.

    Immigrants also fill labor needs, from high-tech fields such as engineering and research to manual labor sectors such as construction and food service.

    The City of Detroit Office of Immigrant Affairs promotes economic development and immigrant integration through education, English as a second language programs, economic empowerment and community resources.

    These efforts are paying off by attracting immigrants to the city.

    This economic impact extends to tourism as well. The region’s marketing campaigns embracing diversity shape how visitors perceive the region. The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau spotlights the unique experiences the city’s diverse neighborhoods offer to tourists.

    2. Enhancing community and regional resilience

    Regional resilience describes a region’s ability to withstand and adapt to challenges such as economic shocks and natural disasters. Cities like Detroit that are still trying to bounce back from deindustrialization know from experience how critical this is.

    Immigration contributes to regional resilience, research shows. In addition to supporting local economies and strengthening the labor force, the arrival of immigrants in Detroit has helped offset native-born population decline, stabilizing the overall population and bolstering local tax bases.

    According to our analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area grew by 1.2%, from a total population of 4,291,843 in 2010 to 4,342,304 in 2023.

    According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the Detroit metro area’s native-born population decreased by 58,693 people during that 13-year period, while the foreign-born population increased by 109,154. The top five countries of origin for immigrants in the metro area are India, Iraq, Mexico, Yemen and Lebanon.

    From 2023 to 2024, the metro area’s population gained 40,347 immigrants and lost 11,626 native born residents – resulting in a population gain of 28,721.

    Efforts to welcome immigrants in Detroit and its surrounding communities contributed to this trend of immigrant population growth offsetting overall population decline.

    3. Promoting social cohesion and enhanced civic engagement

    Successful place brands are rooted in inclusion and a strong civil society. Detroit’s rich tapestry of cultures in areas such as Dearborn and Hamtramck creates a vibrant regional identity.

    Organizations such as Global Detroit’s Welcoming Michigan actively support local grassroots efforts to build mutual respect and ensure that immigrants are able to participate fully in the social, civic and economic fabric of their hometowns.

    Examples include Global Detroit’s Social Cohesion Initiative, Common Bond and Opportunity Neighborhoods. These initiatives help bring neighborhood residents of various backgrounds together to share their cultures, support each other’s small businesses and socialize. Such programs strengthen the region’s democratic foundations and enhance its appeal as a welcoming and inclusive place to live.

    Forging a way forward

    Detroit has found that welcoming immigrants and integrating them into the life of the city is one way to navigate the economic, political and cultural challenges it faces.

    And it is not alone in embracing this strategy. Other cities practicing similar strategies include Baltimore; Boise, Idaho; Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas; Dayton, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; New Orleans; Pittsburgh; Roanoke, Virginia; and Salt Lake City.

    Although not all cities choose to pursue such strategies, in those that do, local leaders signal a region ready for a globalized future.

    Paul N. McDaniel previously received funding from the National Geographic Society, served on the Content Advisory Board for the Welcoming Standard and on the Steering Committee for Welcoming America’s One Region Initiative, and is a member of the American Association of Geographers.

    Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez was co-PI on funding received from the National Geographic Society and served on the national pilot program with Welcoming America One Region Initiative’s Steering Committee and Program Evaluation Team.

    ref. Detroit’s population grew in 2023, 2024 − a strategy to welcome immigrants helps explain the turnaround from decades of population decline – https://theconversation.com/detroits-population-grew-in-2023-2024-a-strategy-to-welcome-immigrants-helps-explain-the-turnaround-from-decades-of-population-decline-255557

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SPbGASU specialists awarded the St. Petersburg Government Prize for their contribution to the development of education

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Evgeny Rybnov, Alexander Solodkiy and Stanislav Evtyukov (fourth, third and second from the right) at the awards ceremony

    On May 29, in the assembly hall of Smolny, the Governor of St. Petersburg, Alexander Dmitrievich Beglov, ceremoniously presented the St. Petersburg Government Prizes for achievements in the field of higher and secondary vocational education.

    In the nomination “Scientific achievements that contribute to improving the quality of training specialists and highly qualified personnel”, the laureates were the rector of SPbGASU Evgeny Ivanovich Rybnov, the head of the department of transport systems and road and bridge construction Stanislav Sergeevich Evtyukov and professor of the department of transport systems and road and bridge construction Alexander Ivanovich Solodkiy. They were awarded the high award for the study “Scientific support for the formation of competencies of highly qualified personnel in the field of intelligent transport systems”.

    One of the most important tasks of the Russian transport system is to ensure maximum efficiency of the transport and road complex by more fully satisfying the needs of the economy and citizens for safe and efficient transport services. This task can be achieved through two mutually complementary areas of activity: the development of transport infrastructure and the introduction of technologies for organizational management of the transport system using modern information, telecommunications and telematic technologies – intelligent transport systems (ITS).

    The paper evaluates the effectiveness of Russian practice in implementing ITS. An algorithm has been developed for creating cooperative ITS, in which, based on high-speed wireless communication, interaction between vehicles, with the infrastructure and with all participants in the passenger transportation processes is carried out.

    The obtained results have been implemented in the system of training and retraining highly qualified personnel, are used in the development of state requirements for the qualifications of experts and specialists in the field of ITS, as well as teachers of the three-level system of training drivers/operators of vehicles, and have been tested at scientific and practical conferences of various levels.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Africa: MKS PAMP to Participate at Mining in Motion as Bronze Sponsor

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ACCRA, Ghana, May 30, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The Mining in Motion 2025 Summit – Ghana’s premier gathering for mining stakeholders – welcomes global precious metals trading and investment firm MKS PAMP as a bronze sponsor.

    Taking place on June 2 – 4, 2025 in Accra, the summit will serve as a platform for MKS PAMP to showcase its growing contributions to Ghana’s mining sector, particularly its support for responsible and inclusive gold supply chains.

    As a sponsor, MKS PAMP will take part in high-level panel discussions, highlighting innovative financing models aimed at empowering Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector.

    The company’s global operations – spanning sourcing, refining, trading, and supplying of precious metals – include a strong focus on Ghanaian gold, contributing to both local industry growth and the stability of global gold supply.

    Through its partnership with the Bank of Ghana, MKS PAMP is actively supporting ASGM operators by providing financial and technical assistance. The partnership is designed to help small-scale miners transition into the formal gold market, ensuring they benefit from global trading standards while enhancing traceability and compliance.

    In addition to supporting small-scale miners, MKS PAMP also works with large-scale operators to reinforce transparency across the value chain. In a notable collaboration with Newmont Corporation – which operates the Ahafo and Akyem Mines in Ghana – MKS PAMP launched mine-to-market traceable gold bars. The solution enables consumers to track the origin of their gold while offering regulators and stakeholders confidence in the transparency and ethical sourcing of monetized resources.

    At Mining in Motion, MKS PAMP will delve deeper into these contributions through participation in exclusive networking sessions and project showcases, engaging with local, regional, and international partners. The firm’s participation at Mining in Motion reflects a broader commitment to supporting sustainable development, responsible sourcing, and emerging investment opportunities within Ghana’s expanding gold sector.

    Organized by the Ashanti Green Initiative – led by Oheneba Kwaku Duah, Prince of Ghana’s Ashanti Kingdom – in collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, World Bank, and the World Gold Council, with the support of Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the summit offers unparalleled opportunities to connect with industry leaders.

    Stay informed about the latest advancements, network with industry leaders, and engage in critical discussions on key issues impacting small-scale miners and medium- to large-scale mining in Ghana. Secure your spot at the Mining in Motion 2025 Summit by visiting www.MiningInMotionSummit.com. For sponsorship opportunities or delegate participation, contact Sales@ashantigreeninitiative.org.

    MIL OSI Africa

  • India’s real GDP grows at 6.5% in FY 2024-25; Q4 sees strong 7.4% expansion

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The National Statistics Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), has released the Provisional Estimates of Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the financial year 2024–25, along with the Quarterly Estimates for the January–March period (Q4) of the same year.

    India’s real GDP at constant (2011–12) prices is estimated to have grown by 6.5% in FY 2024–25, reaching ₹187.97 lakh crore, compared to ₹176.51 lakh crore in 2023–24. At current prices, the nominal GDP has increased by 9.8%, amounting to ₹330.68 lakh crore, up from ₹301.23 lakh crore in the previous financial year.

    Real Gross Value Added (GVA) for the year is estimated at ₹171.87 lakh crore, reflecting a 6.4% growth from ₹161.51 lakh crore in FY 2023–24. The nominal GVA stands at ₹300.22 lakh crore, a 9.5% increase over the previous year.

    In the fourth quarter (January to March) of FY 2024–25, real GDP rose to ₹51.35 lakh crore, a 7.4% increase from ₹47.82 lakh crore in Q4 of FY 2023–24. Nominal GDP during the same period reached ₹88.18 lakh crore, reflecting a 10.8% growth. Real GVA in Q4 stood at ₹45.76 lakh crore, up 6.8% from ₹42.86 lakh crore, while nominal GVA reached ₹79.46 lakh crore, marking a 9.6% increase.

    Among the key drivers of this economic performance, the construction sector led with an annual growth of 9.4%, accelerating to 10.8% growth in Q4. The public administration, defence, and other services sector followed with 8.9% growth during the year and 8.7% in Q4. Financial, real estate, and professional services saw a 7.2% increase annually and 7.8% growth in the final quarter.

    The primary sector, which includes agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing, mining, and quarrying, registered a growth rate of 4.4% in FY 2024–25, a notable improvement from 2.7% in the previous year. In Q4 alone, the sector grew by 5.0%, up significantly from 0.8% in the same quarter of the previous year.

    Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) recorded a 7.2% growth during FY 2024–25, reflecting stronger consumer spending compared to 5.6% in FY 2023–24. Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF), an indicator of investment demand, grew by 7.1% for the full year and 9.4% in Q4.

    The GDP estimates were compiled using the benchmark-indicator method, based on the extrapolation of the previous year’s estimates using sector-specific performance indicators. These include data from the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), financial performance of listed companies, crop and livestock output, energy and construction material production, transport and trade data, banking and insurance activity, GST collections, and government expenditure records.

    The estimates also reflect the tax and subsidy data available from both the Central and State Governments. For tax calculations, both GST and non-GST revenues were considered, and for subsidies, major components such as food, urea, petroleum, and nutrient-based subsidies were accounted for.

    These provisional figures are subject to revision based on updated inputs from source agencies. Users are advised to interpret the data with this in mind.

    The next release of GDP data, covering the first quarter of FY 2025–26 (April–June), is scheduled for 29 August 2025.

  • MIL-OSI: SHARC Energy Announces Q1 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SHARC International Systems Inc. (CSE: SHRC) (FSE: IWIA) (OTCQB: INTWF) (“SHARC Energy” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce it has filed financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2025. All figures are in Canadian Dollars and in accordance with IFRS unless otherwise stated.

    First Quarter Financial Highlights:

    • Revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2025 (“Q1 2025”) is $1.01 million (M), representing 47% of the full year revenue in 2024 and a 30% increase over the $0.78M of revenue reported in the three months ended March 31, 2024 (“Q1 2024”).
    • As of May 30, 2025, the Company has a Sales Pipeline1 of 16.5M and Sales Order Backlog2of $3.5M. This represents a $0.5M increase or 18% growth in Sales Order Backlog since April 29, 2025 disclosure. Sales Pipeline saw a marginal decrease of 1% since April 29, 2025 disclosure reflecting the deliberate efforts by the Company to refill the pipeline once projects convert to the order book. The combined pipeline showed an aggregate growth of 1% or $0.3M from the previous disclosure on April 29, 2025. The $3.5M Sales Order Backlog, which is estimated to be converted to revenue within an average of 12 months from disclosure, represents a 64% improvement compared to the year ended December 31, 2024 revenue of $2.17M. The Company continues to observe the maturity of its Sales Pipeline providing the Company’s revenue more consistency and with reduced volatility, providing a solid platform to scale and grow.
    • During Q1 2025, the Company also reported a loss of $0.92M and an Adjusted EBITDA3 loss of $0.61M. This compares to a loss of $0.76M and an Adjusted EBITDA loss of $0.85M in the comparative quarter representing a 20% and 22% increase, respectively.
    • Gross margins for Q1 2025 were 31% compared to 38% in Q1 2024. Management remains optimistic that this margin range aligns with our expectations for the coming quarters but the margin percentage varies dependent on sales mix and stage of completion of each project.

    Michael Albertson, Chief Executive Officer and President of SHARC Energy, said, “We are off to a strong start to the 2025 fiscal year with the Company reporting revenue of just over $1 million which represents a 30% increase over Q1 2024 and 47% of the full year revenue earned in the 2024 fiscal year. More importantly, despite the delivery of revenue, Sales Order Backlog increased by 18% and represents a 64% improvement over 2024 revenue sitting at $3.5 million as of the reporting date. SHARC Energy’s revenue growth continues to gain momentum.”

    Mr. Albertson continues, “We recently disclosed key District Energy System (“DES”) projects, Lebreton Flats in Ottawa and Senakw in Vancouver, which are leveraging SHARC Wastewater Energy Transfer (WET) systems as the core component to power their thermal networks harnessing wastewater as the key renewable resource. WET supported solutions continue to grow in awareness and acceptance with the Company learning of projects in planning across North America and globally. In the Greater Vancouver, British Columbia region alone, there are several municipal or utility supported DES/Thermal Energy Networks (“TENs”) ranging in size and scale in different stages of development that will increase SHARC Energy’s local footprint over the next few years. In the United States, legislation allowing or mandating utilities to develop DES/TENs demonstration projects or pilots have been passed in eight states, including the State of New York and recently added California, where the Company has installations in progress, projects in design and a growing list of leads looking to implement Wastewater Energy Transfer with DES/TENs.”

    “We are continuing to progress into new sectors for the SHARC and PIRANHA with promising opportunities developing within wastewater treatment facilities, universities, water utilities, correctional facilities and the design & build/energy sectors. These sectors are increasingly receptive to SHARC Energy’s offerings which is promising as these sectors can provide fewer regulatory hurdles, long-term customer relationships, shorter sales cycles, and the potential for larger-scale projects. The Company anticipates the closing of new business in these adjacent sectors as early as this year.”

    “Furthermore, SHARC Energy is gearing up to launch new products in its portfolio which will be introduced to the market soon. With the support of original equipment manufacturer relationships SHARC Energy has, we feel there is significant opportunity to better serve more customers and increase our revenue and margin dollars earned going forward. SHARC Energy’s tailwinds are strong and set to propel the Company to profitability in the coming years. We are very excited about our position in the thermal energy market.” stated Mr. Albertson.

    Q1 2025 Highlights and Subsequent Events

    • Fred Andriano appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors. On May 5, 2025, the Company announced significant changes to its Board of Directors, appointing Fred Andriano as Chairman of the Board and Executive Officer, replacing Lynn Mueller, who will now serve as Vice Chairman and Executive Officer. Furthermore, the Company accepted the retirement and resignation of Eleanor Chiu as Director.
    • False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility (“NEU”) Expansion. The Company continued work on the supply and maintenance agreement with the City of Vancouver for the provision and maintenance of five SHARC systems for the False Creek NEU Expansion. During the period, the Company completed all remaining milestones of the agreement.
    • SHARC System Featured in Ottawa’s Lebreton Flats District Energy Project. The Company announced that two SHARC 880 Wastewater Energy Transfer (“WET”) systems will be used to power a district energy system in Canada’s capital city. SHARC Energy anticipates commencing submittals for the SHARC WET Systems in 2025 with equipment build and delivery expected during 2026.

    For complete financial information for the three months ended March 31, 2025, please see the Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

    About SHARC Energy

    SHARC International Systems Inc. is a world leader in energy recovery from the wastewater we send down the drain every day. SHARC Energy’s systems recycle thermal energy from wastewater, generating one of the most energy-efficient and economical systems for heating, cooling & hot water production for commercial, residential, and industrial buildings along with thermal energy networks, commonly referred to as “District Energy”.

    SHARC Energy is publicly traded in Canada (CSE: SHRC), the United States (OTCQB: INTWF) and Germany (Frankfurt: IWIA) and you can find out more on our SEDAR profile.

    Learn more about SHARC Energy: Website | Investor Page | LinkedIn | YouTube | PIRANHA | SHARC

    ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

    Fred Andriano
    Chairman

    The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    Forward-Looking Statements 

    Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified using words such as “anticipate”, “plan”, “estimate”, “expect”, “may”, “will”, “intend”, “should”, and similar expressions. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. SHARC Energy’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information because of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. SHARC Energy believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Company’s expectations as of the date hereof and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation. 


    1 Sales Pipeline is a non-IFRS measure. Please see discussion of Alternative Performance Measures and Non-IFRS Measures in the Q1 2025 MD&A.
    2 Sales Order Backlog is a non-IFRS measure. Please see discussion of Alternative Performance Measures and Non-IFRS Measures in the Q1 2025 MD&A.
    3 Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure. Please see discussion of Alternative Performance Measures and Non-IFRS Measures in the Q1 2025 MD&A.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Restive Ventures Opens Applications for 9th Fintech Founder Cohort

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Restive Ventures, the premier seed-stage venture firm focused on fintech innovation, is now accepting applications for its 9th cohort. This application-based investment cycle is open to early-stage founders building the future of financial services, with a growing focus on AI-native companies accelerating transformation across the financial ecosystem.

    Since its launch in 2018, Restive-backed startups have raised over $800 million in follow-on capital and created over $5 billion in enterprise value, reshaping how millions of people and businesses interact with money, data, and infrastructure.

    Applications are open from May 30 to July 15. Founders can apply here.

    “We’re seeing a massive resurgence in fintech—especially in companies where AI is being used to unlock new workflows, reimagine user experiences, and build radically more efficient companies,” said Ryan Falvey, Managing Partner at Restive. “We want to meet technical founders building in this moment—those creating high-velocity businesses in payments, infrastructure, compliance, risk, and more.”

    Restive’s previous cohorts drew over 1,500 applications, with a final group of 10 companies selected. Over 70% of the cohort was AI-native, building across financial infrastructure, compliance, lending, and B2B payments. Founders represented a global mix, including teams from the U.S., Mexico, the U.K., and India, and brought deep technical backgrounds from companies like Stripe, Plaid, and Coinbase.

    Who Should Apply

    The cohort is designed for pre-seed and seed-stage companies, whether the product is live or still in development. Restive is especially interested in startups where:

    • AI is being used to rethink legacy financial processes and empower small, lean teams to build products exceptionally fast
    • Teams are engineering-led with a deep understanding of the technical problem they’re solving
    • The business touches a regulated space, enterprise workflow, or consumer financial experience
    • Founders are seeking early capital plus high-touch connectivity to fintech operators, regulators, and follow-on VCs

    What Selected Startups Receive:

    • At least a $500,000 initial investment at market terms
    • One-on-one support from fintech operators and an industry-leading network of founders
    • Curated introductions to partners, regulators, and future investors
    • Ongoing capital support throughout the company’s early growth

    Restive’s selection process is open to any fintech startup, pre-seed or seed, across a wide range of verticals. “In the last quarter alone, we’ve seen fintech M&A activity and IPO interest pick up and a strong return of venture appetite in early-stage deals,” said Cameron Peake, Partner at Restive. “There’s a clear market pull—and we want to help the most promising founders move faster.”

    Fintech founders interested in joining the next cohort can learn more and apply here.

    About Restive Ventures
    Restive is on a mission to help entrepreneurs build the world’s best fintech companies. Restive partners with early founders who have an unrelenting vision to improve fintech and build world-changing companies. The team provides a foundation of early-stage capital, deep operational expertise, and systematic connections to help founders launch and grow more quickly. Learn more at https://www.restive.com or follow X/Twitter and LinkedIn.

    Contact:

    Press@restive.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Bitcoin Depot Eliminates Up-C Corporate Structure

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitcoin Depot Inc. (Nasdaq: BTM) (“Bitcoin Depot” or the “Company”), a U.S.-based Bitcoin ATM operator and leading fintech company, announced it has simplified its organizational and capital structure by eliminating its Up-C Restructuring (the “Up-C Restructuring”).

    Pursuant to the Up-C Restructuring, BT Assets, Inc., an entity controlled by the Company’s Founder and CEO, Brandon Mintz, that held Common Units in BT HoldCo LLC and shares of the Company’s Class V Common Stock has merged with a subsidiary of the Company and received 41,193,024 shares of the Company’s Class M common stock, which will continue to carry 10 votes per share, as consideration in the merger.

    In connection with the Up-C Restructuring, all of the shares of the Company’s Class V Common Stock held by BT Assets have been transferred to the Company and cancelled. After giving effect to the Up-C Restructuring, Mintz holds a total of 41,193,024 shares of the Company’s Class M Common Stock and 142,973 shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock.

    Post-transaction, Bitcoin Depot now wholly-owns its principal operating subsidiaries. The Company believes the simpler structure will offer benefits like better stock liquidity, easier use of stock for acquisitions, and a clearer corporate profile.

    In addition, the Up-C Restructuring extinguishes the $2.2 million Tax Receivable Agreement liability and will lead to further long-term savings, as the Company estimates its cash tax rate will be reduced by an estimated 12 percentage points. Other professional services costs associated with tax, accounting and legal will also be reduced by this simpler structure.

    About Bitcoin Depot

    Bitcoin Depot Inc. (Nasdaq: BTM) was founded in 2016 with the mission to connect those who prefer to use cash to the broader, digital financial system. Bitcoin Depot provides its users with simple, efficient and intuitive means of converting cash into Bitcoin, which users can deploy in the payments, spending and investing space. Users can convert cash to bitcoin at Bitcoin Depot kiosks in 48 states and at thousands of name-brand retail locations in 29 states through its BDCheckout product. The Company has the largest market share in North America with over 8,400 kiosk locations as of February 25, 2025.  Learn more at www.bitcoindepot.com

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release and any oral statements made in connection herewith include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are any statements other than statements of historical fact, and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expectations of plans, business strategies, objectives and growth and anticipated financial and operational performance, including our growth strategy and ability to increase deployment of our products and services, our ability to strengthen our financial profile, and worldwide growth in the adoption and use of cryptocurrencies. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current beliefs, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events. Forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as “anticipate,” “appears,” “approximately,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “designed,” “effect,” “estimate,” “evaluate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “goal,” “initiative,” “intend,” “may,” “objective,” “outlook,“ ”plan,“ ”potential,“ ”priorities,“ ”project,“ ”pursue,“ ”seek,“ ”should,“ ”target,“ ”when,“ ”will,“ ”would,” or the negative of any of those words or similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. In making these statements, we rely upon assumptions and analysis based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, and expected future developments, as well as other factors we consider appropriate under the circumstances. We believe these judgments are reasonable, but these statements are not guarantees of any future events or financial results. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond our control.

    These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the business combination; risks relating to the uncertainty of our projected financial information; future global, regional or local economic and market conditions; the development, effects and enforcement of laws and regulations; our ability to manage future growth; our ability to develop new products and services, bring them to market in a timely manner and make enhancements to our platform; the effects of competition on our future business; our ability to issue equity or equity-linked securities; the outcome of any potential litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries; and those factors described or referenced in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that we do not presently know or that we currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect our expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our assessments to change.

    We caution readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or other factors that affect the subject of these statements, except where we are expressly required to do so by law. All written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

    Contacts:

    Investors 
    Cody Slach,
    Gateway Group, Inc. 
    949-574-3860 
    BTM@gateway-grp.com

    Media 
    Brenlyn Motlagh, Ryan Deloney 
    Gateway Group, Inc.
    949-574-3860 
    BTM@gateway-grp.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: NIRI Philadelphia Elects 2025 – 2026 Board Members

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PHILADELPHIA, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Philadelphia Chapter of NIRI: The Association for Investor Relations is pleased to announce that its members have elected nine investor relations leaders to serve on the Board of Directors for the 2025–2026 term.

    “I’m proud of the accomplishments and strong connections we’ve built together as a chapter,” said Nahla A. Azmy, NIRI Philadelphia Board President. “It’s an honor to continue serving in this role alongside such an esteemed group of returning board members. I look forward to building on our momentum and creating even more opportunities for learning, leadership, and community in the year ahead.”

    The 2025 -2026 NIRI Philadelphia Board of Directors include:

    President
    Nahla Azmy, Investor Relations & Financial Communications Leader

    Executive Vice President
    Andrew Bjorkman, Director – Regional Head, Mid-Atlantic & Northwest at NYSE

    Vice President, Treasurer
    Joe Shiffler, Director, Investor Relations at Power Integrations

    Vice President, Programs
    Michael Wherley, Vice President, Investor Relations at Nouryon

    Vice President, Marketing & Communications
    Gene Cleary, Vice President, Investor Relations, M&A and External Reporting at Aramark

    Vice President, Technology
    Alex Whitelam, Vice President, Investor Relations at Dorman Products

    Vice President, Membership
    Curt Brooks, Director, Investor Relations at FMC Corp.

    Co-Vice President, Sponsorships
    Lisa Caperelli, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications Professional at CAP Strategies, LLC
    Rebecca Gardy, Senior Vice President, Chief Investor Relations Officer at The Campbell’s Company

    About the NIRI Philadelphia Chapter
    NIRI Philadelphia, formed in 1971, is a professional association of investor relations officers, communicators, consultants and providers serving organizations in the Greater Philadelphia area. NIRI Philadelphia includes members from a variety of industries and market cap sizes who are responsible for communications between their organizations, the investing public, and the financial community. NIRI Philadelphia’s goal is to provide its members the resources needed to be strategic leaders in their organizations.

    About NIRI: The Association for Investor Relations 
    Founded in 1969, NIRI is the professional association of corporate officers and investor relations consultants responsible for communication among corporate management, shareholders, securities analysts, and other financial community constituents. NIRI is the largest professional investor relations association in the world with members representing over 1,500 publicly held companies and $12 trillion in stock market capitalization.

    Contact: President@niriphiladelphia.org

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Australian Oilseeds Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COOTAMUNDRA, Australia, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: COOT), a manufacturer and seller of sustainable edible oils to customers globally, today announced financial results for its third quarter fiscal 2025 ended March 31, 2025.

    Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights Compared to Prior Year

    • Sales revenue increased 49.8% to A$9.4 million driven by broad-based growth across retail, wholesale and high protein meal categories.
    • Retail oil revenue increased 69.4% to A$4.7 million reflecting expanded distribution at several leading retailers in Australia along with the addition of new SKUs.
    • Net loss of A$0.6 million compared to net income of A$41 thousand, reflecting changes to sales mix, planned investments in brand and marketing, as well as higher professional fees, insurance and employee costs.

    “We were pleased to deliver strong year-over-year growth in the third quarter, led by our retail category where our expanded distribution network and broader product lineup drove results,” said Gary Seaton, Chief Executive Officer. “We also saw robust demand across customers and channels, validating our commitment to premium quality. We remain steadfast in our commitment to eliminating chemicals from the edible oil production and manufacturing systems and continue to believe we are well positioned for significant growth and improving returns over the long term.”

    About Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited. Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: COOT) through its subsidiaries, including Australian Oilseeds Investments Pty Ltd., an Australian proprietary company, is focused on the manufacture and sale of sustainable oilseeds (e.g., seeds grown primarily for the production of edible oils) and is committed to working with all suppliers in the food supply chain to eliminate chemicals from the production and manufacturing systems to supply quality products to customers globally. The Company engages in the business of processing, manufacture and sale of non-GMO oilseeds and organic and non-organic food-grade oils, for the rapidly growing oilseeds market, through sourcing materials from suppliers focused on reducing the use of chemicals in consumables in order to supply healthier food ingredients, vegetable oils, proteins and other products to customers globally. Over the past 20 years, the Company’s cold pressing oil plant has grown to become the largest in Australia, pressing strictly GMO-free conventional and organic oilseeds.

    Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding our financial outlook, business strategy and plans, market trends and market size, opportunities and positioning. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “believe,” “hope,” “target,” “project,” “goals,” “estimate,” “potential,” “predict,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “intend,” “shall” and variations of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond our control. For example, global economic conditions could in the future reduce demand for our products; we could in the future experience cybersecurity incidents; we may be unable to manage or sustain the level of growth that our business has experienced in prior periods; our financial resources may not be sufficient to maintain or improve our competitive position; we may be unable to attract new customers, or retain or sell additional products to existing customers; we may experience challenges successfully expanding our marketing and sales capabilities, including further specializing our sales force; customer growth could decelerate in the future; we may not achieve expected synergies and efficiencies of operations from recent acquisitions or business combinations, and we may not be able to pay off our convertible notes when due. Further information on potential factors that could affect our financial results is included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for June 30, 2024 and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent our views only as of the date of this press release and we assume no obligation and do not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

    Contact
    Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited
    126-142 Cowcumbla Street
    Cootamundra New South Wales 2590
    Attn: Amarjeet Singh, CFO
    Email: amarjeet.s@energreennutrition.com.au

    Investor Relations Contact
    Reed Anderson
    (646) 277-1260
    reed.anderson@icrinc.com 

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: NowVertical Secures Up to $26 Million USD in Financing with HSBC to Fuel Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NowVertical Group Inc. (TSXV: NOW) (“NowVertical” or the “Company“), a leading data and AI solutions provider, announced that NowVertical, NowVertical UK Ltd. and NowVertical Group, Inc. and certain of their affiliates have entered into a senior secured facilities agreement (the “Facilities Agreement”) with HSBC UK Bank plc (“HSBC”), as arranger, original lender and agent. Unless otherwise specified, all dollar amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars.

    Pursuant to the Facilities Agreement, NowVertical UK Ltd. and NowVertical Group, Inc., as borrowers, have access to credit facilities of up to $18 million (together, the “Facilities”) which may be increased by up to an additional $8 million upon the approval of HSBC, for total credit of up to $26 million.

    This Financing Agreement is truly transformational for NowVertical,” said Sandeep Mendiratta, CEO of NowVertical. “It simplifies our capital structure by consolidating debt previously spread across multiple lenders into a single, long-term facility with significantly improved terms. This provides immediate access to capital to fuel our organic growth under the ‘One Brand, One Business’ strategy, while also positioning us to pursue targeted, strategic acquisitions. Importantly, the Facilities give us the flexibility to renegotiate or fully retire our existing convertible loan, materially reducing our cost of capital and preserving our cash position. Combined with a shift from short-term to long-term debt, this strengthens our balance sheet and allows us to operate with greater agility. HSBC’s support reflects the institutional confidence we’ve unlocked by evolving into a single, integrated business—providing enhanced capital access and a stronger foundation for scalable, strategic growth.”

    “We are pleased to support NowVertical’s next phase of growth,” said Chris Winter, Senior Corporate Relationship Director at HSBC. “This partnership underscores our confidence in NowVertical’s vision and growth strategy.”

    Pursuant to the Facilities Agreement, the borrowers have access to the Facilities, a portion of which will be used to repay existing debt, with the remainder available for general working capital purposes and acquisitions. The Facilities consist of: (i) a $6 million term loan, amortizing equally over 5 years and maturing on the fifth anniversary of the Facilities Agreement; and (ii) a $12 million revolving credit facility with an initial 3-year term, which may be extended for up to an additional 24 months. In addition, amounts available under the revolving credit facility may be increased to $20 million upon the exercise of an accordion option and certain ancillary facilities, subject to HSBC’s consent.

    Amounts drawn under the Facilities shall bear interest at a competitive interest rate ranging from 2.25% per annum to 3.75% per annum in respect of the term loan and 1.75% per annum to 3.25% per annum in respect of the revolving credit facility, in each case above the SOFR floating rate, with rates increasing or decreasing based on NowVertical’s net leverage position. In addition, NowVertical is obligated to pay a commitment fee in respect of undrawn amounts available under the revolving credit facility. The initial blended interest rate on the Facilities is approximately 7.25%.

    In connection with entering into the Facilities Agreement, NowVertical will use amounts available under the Facilities to prepay certain existing term debt, including obligations to TD Bank and Export Development Canada. The obligations of the borrowers under the Facilities have been guaranteed by NowVertical and certain of NowVertical’s subsidiaries, including NowVertical UK Limited, NowVertical UK Holdings Limited, Acrotrend Solutions Limited, NowVertical Group, Inc., and Resonant Analytics, LLC (collectively, the “Guarantors”), and security granted by the Company and the Guarantors, including: (i) a pledge of all of the issued and outstanding shares of each of the material Guarantors; and (ii) a security interest in substantially all of the assets of the Company and certain of the Guarantors.

    Concurrently with the execution of the Facilities Agreement, NowVertical entered into a subordination agreement with HSBC and TSX Trust Company (“TSX Trust”), in its capacity as trustee under the debenture indenture dated as of October 5, 2022, pursuant to which TSX Trust confirmed the subordination of the amounts owing to the holders of senior unsecured convertible debentures to obligations of NowVertical under the Facilities Agreement.

    NowVertical is pleased to have worked with Fort Capital Partners as its advisor on this transaction.

    About NowVertical Group Inc.
    NowVertical is a global data and analytics company which helps clients transform data into tangible business value with AI, fast. Offering a comprehensive suite of solutions and services, the Company enables clients to quickly harness the full potential of their data, driving measurable outcomes and accelerating potential return on investment. Enterprises optimize decision-making, improve operational efficiency, and unlock long-term value from their data using the Company’s AI-Infused first party and third-party technologies. NowVertical is growing organically and through strategic acquisitions.

    For further details about NowVertical, please visit www.nowvertical.com.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For further information, please contact:

    Andre Garber, CDO 
     IR@nowvertical.com 

    Investor Relations: Bristol Capital Ltd.
    Stefan Eftychiou
     stefan@bristolir.com
    +1(905)326-1888 x60 

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (together “forward-looking statements“), including, with respect to the availability of funds under the Facilities, the ability of NowVertical to utilize funds under the Facilities, the effect of the Facilities on NowVertical’s operations contemplated in this press release on NowVertical’s business, finances and operations. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies, certain of which are unknown. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “should”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, “estimate”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “believe” or “continue”, or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by inherent risks and uncertainties, including: adverse market conditions; risks inherent in the data analytics and artificial intelligence sectors in general; regulatory and legislative changes; that future results may vary from historical results; inability to service the Company’s debt; any inability to realize the expected benefits and synergies of acquisitions or dispositions; that market competition may affect the business, results and financial condition of the Company and other risk factors identified in documents filed by the Company under its profile at www.sedarplus.com, including the Company’s management’s discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited Announces Conversion of Existing A$5 Million of Debt to Equity, Strengthening Balance Sheet Moving Forward

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COOTAMUNDRA, Australia, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: COOT), a manufacturer and seller of sustainable edible oils to customers globally, today announced a A$5 million debt-to-equity conversion (the “Conversion”).

    In connection with the conversion, JSKS Enterprises Pty Ltd., (“JSKS”), an entity controlled by Gary Seaton, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Company’s Board of Directors, converted approximately A$5 million of its outstanding loan into 4,452,479 shares of Company’s ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value per share (“Ordinary Shares”).

    Gary Seaton, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We continue to be very pleased with the momentum and trajectory of our business. The decision to convert a meaningful portion of debt to equity strengthens our balance sheet and enhances financial flexibility while also demonstrating the long-term commitment to the Company’s future by management and its shareholders, which will reduce our debt by A$5 million and increases our shareholders’ equity by the same amount, and is in line with our strategy to optimize our capital structure.”

    Pursuant to the Conversion, the principal amount of all loans made to the Company by JSKS, along with accrued interest through April 30, 2025, will be deemed repaid by the Company and all of its obligations with respect to the principal amount and accrued interest will be satisfied in full and cancelled. In exchange, the Company has issued to JSKS 4,452,479 Ordinary Shares. 

    About Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited. Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: COOT) through its subsidiaries, including Australian Oilseeds Investments Pty Ltd., an Australian proprietary company, is focused on the manufacture and sale of sustainable oilseeds (e.g., seeds grown primarily for the production of edible oils) and is committed to working with all suppliers in the food supply chain to eliminate chemicals from the production and manufacturing systems to supply quality products to customers globally. The Company engages in the business of processing, manufacture and sale of non-GMO oilseeds and organic and non-organic food-grade oils, for the rapidly growing oilseeds market, through sourcing materials from suppliers focused on reducing the use of chemicals in consumables in order to supply healthier food ingredients, vegetable oils, proteins and other products to customers globally. Over the past 20 years, the Company’s cold pressing oil plant has grown to become the largest in Australia, pressing strictly GMO-free conventional and organic oilseeds.

    Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding our financial outlook, business strategy and plans, market trends and market size, opportunities and positioning. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “believe,” “hope,” “target,” “project,” “goals,” “estimate,” “potential,” “predict,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “intend,” “shall” and variations of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond our control. For example, global economic conditions could in the future reduce demand for our products; we could in the future experience cybersecurity incidents; we may be unable to manage or sustain the level of growth that our business has experienced in prior periods; our financial resources may not be sufficient to maintain or improve our competitive position; we may be unable to attract new customers, or retain or sell additional products to existing customers; we may experience challenges successfully expanding our marketing and sales capabilities, including further specializing our sales force; customer growth could decelerate in the future; we may not achieve expected synergies and efficiencies of operations from recent acquisitions or business combinations, and we may not be able to pay off our convertible notes when due. Further information on potential factors that could affect our financial results is included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for June 30, 2024 and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent our views only as of the date of this press release and we assume no obligation and do not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

    Contact
    Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited
    126-142 Cowcumbla Street
    Cootamundra New South Wales 2590
    Attn: Amarjeet Singh, CFO
    Email: amarjeet.s@energreennutrition.com.au

    Investor Relations Contact
    Reed Anderson
    (646) 277-1260
    reed.anderson@icrinc.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: CERo Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. Doses First Patient with CER-1236 in Phase 1 Clinical Trial for Acute Myeloid Leukemia and is Advancing Through Protocol-Defined Evaluations

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CERO Chief Medical Officer to discuss trial protocol in poster at the American Society for Clinical Oncology Conference

    The first patient has been dosed and is advancing through protocol-defined evaluations

    SOUTH SAN FRANSCISCO, Calif., May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CERo Therapeutics Holdings, Inc., (Nasdaq: CERO) (“CERo” or the “Company”) an innovative cellular immunotherapy company seeking to advance the next generation of engineered T cell therapeutics that employ phagocytic mechanisms, announces it has dosed the first patient in its Phase 1 clinical trial of CER-1236.  The patient was dosed at the lead trial site in a study focused on patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).  Now more than seven days post-infusion, monitoring continues for key safety, tolerability, and efficacy endpoints.  The study will be featured in a poster being presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology being held in Chicago May 30-June 3, 2025. 

    Abhishek Maiti, M.D., assistant professor of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, is the lead investigator of the trial. He worked with Cero team on publishing the novel preclinical data in Clinical Cancer Research.

    The first-in-human, multi-center, open label, Phase 1/1b study is designed to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of CER-1236 in patients with acute myeloid leukemia that is either relapsed/refractory, or in remission with measurable residual disease, or newly diagnosed patients with TP53 mutated MDS/AML or AML. The two-part study has begun with dose escalation to determine the highest tolerated dose and recommended dose for Phase 2, followed by an expansion phase to evaluate safety and efficacy.  Primary outcome measures include incidence of adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs), incidence of dose limited toxicities and estimation of overall response rate (ORR), complete response (CR), composite complete response (cCR), and measurable residual disease (MRD).  Secondary outcome measures include pharmacokinetics (PK).

    Robert Sikorski, M.D. Ph.D., CERo Therapeutics’ Chief Medical Officer remarked, “The completion of first-in-human dosing represents a clinical development milestone for CER-1236, a novel autologous CAR-T therapeutic candidate targeting TIM 4L.  Protocol-specified evaluations of safety, pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, and efficacy endpoints are in progress.  We look forward to communicating results as data matures.”

    A peer-reviewed manuscript with robust preclinical data was published earlier in Clinical Cancer Research. The Company is presenting a poster that outlines the Phase 1/1b study at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2025 Annual Meeting in Chicago May 30-June 3, 2025 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center. The abstract for the poster, titled, “First in human study of autologous chimeric engulfment receptor T-cell CER-1236 targeting TIM-4-L in acute myeloid leukemia (CertainT-1)” can be found here.  The poster session, at which Dr. Sikorski will be present, is being held June 1st, and is titled, “Hematologic Malignancies – Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Allotransplant.”

    CERo CEO Chris Ehrlich concluded, “We are grateful for the participation of our first patient and to the many people who have worked tirelessly to reach this milestone, including our CERO team, our consultants and study sites.  We look forward to discussing additional outcomes, which we continue to believe will validate the scientific work performed to date with CER-1236.”

    About CERo Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

    CERo is an innovative immunotherapy company advancing the development of next generation engineered T cell therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. Its proprietary approach to T cell engineering, which enables it to integrate certain desirable characteristics of both innate and adaptive immunity into a single therapeutic construct, is designed to engage the body’s full immune repertoire to achieve optimized cancer therapy. This novel cellular immunotherapy platform is expected to redirect patient-derived T cells to eliminate tumors by building in engulfment pathways that employ phagocytic mechanisms to destroy cancer cells, creating what CERo refers to as Chimeric Engulfment Receptor T cells (“CER-T”). CERo believes the differentiated activity of CER-T cells will afford them greater therapeutic application than currently approved chimeric antigen receptor (“CAR-T”) cell therapy, as the use of CER-T may potentially span both hematological malignancies and solid tumors. CERo has commenced clinical trials for its lead product candidate CER-1236 for hematological malignancies.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This communication contains statements that are forward-looking and as such are not historical facts. This includes, without limitation, statements regarding the financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations of CERo. These statements constitute projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements, and are not guarantees of performance. Such statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this communication, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “strive,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. When CERo discusses its strategies or plans, it is making projections, forecasts or forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on the beliefs of, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to, CERo’s management.

    Actual results could differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements in this communication. Certain risks that could cause actual results to differ are set forth in CERo’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and the documents incorporated by reference therein. The risks described in CERo’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are not exhaustive. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all such risk factors, nor can CERo assess the impact of all such risk factors on its business, or the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. You should not put undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements made by CERo or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. CERo undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Contact:
    Chris Ehrlich
    Chief Executive Officer
    chris@cero.bio

    Investors:
    CORE IR

    investors@cero.bio

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Lending and Deposit Rates of Scheduled Commercial Banks – May 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Data on lending and deposit rates of scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) (excluding regional rural banks and small finance banks) received during the month of May 2025 are set out in Tables 1 to 7.

    Highlights:

    Lending Rates:

    • The weighted average lending rate (WALR) on fresh rupee loans of SCBs stood at 9.26 per cent in April 2025 (9.35 per cent in March 2025).

    • The WALR on outstanding rupee loans of SCBs declined to 9.70 per cent in April 2025 from 9.77 per cent in March 2025.1

    • 1-Year median Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate (MCLR) of SCBs moderated to 8.95 per cent in May 2025 from 9.00 per cent in April 2025.

    Deposit Rates:

    • The weighted average domestic term deposit rate (WADTDR) on fresh rupee term deposits of SCBs stood at 6.30 per cent in April 2025 as compared to 6.65 per cent in March 2025.

    • The weighted average domestic term deposit rate (WADTDR) on outstanding rupee term deposits of SCBs was 7.01 per cent in April 2025 (7.03 per cent in March 2025).1

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2025-2026/445


    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ready for the summer: Governor Newsom announces lifesaving heat-ranking tool, invests $32 million to help communities combat extreme heat

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 29, 2025

    What you need to know: California is launching CalHeatScore – a groundbreaking tool to help protect vulnerable populations from dangerous heatwaves. The state’s new tool provides localized warnings and resources for extreme heat events. Governor Newsom is also announcing $32.4 million in funding to help 47 California communities protect people from dangerous heat events.

    SACRAMENTO – With summer around the corner and temperatures expected to soar to record highs this weekend, California is taking new actions to protect communities from extreme heat – the number one cause of weather-related deaths in the state. 

    Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the launch of CalHeatScore, a cutting-edge tool to forecast and rank heat severity risks and connect Californians with available resources to stay safe during extreme heat events. With CalHeatScore, California becomes the first state in the nation – and one of the only jurisdictions in the world – to launch a heat-ranking system. Today’s announcement comes as the Trump Administration makes life-threatening cuts to the federal government’s weather monitoring apparatus.

    CalHeatScore, developed by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), brings together ZIP-code level data to provide locally tailored guidance. The tool identifies groups most susceptible to extreme heat – such as older adults and children – and provides tips for staying safe, such as how to recognize signs of heat illness. The tool additionally integrates other important data sets, like locations for the nearest cooling centers.

    Map above shows CalHeatScore extreme heat forecast for Friday, May 30. The darkest shades represent the highest heat score of 4 (scale of 0 to 4).

    Governor Newsom additionally announced $32.4 million to support 47 California communities in lifesaving extreme heat mitigation efforts. The Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program aims to support local, tribal, and regional efforts to combat dangerous heat exposure by building long-lasting infrastructure solutions and strengthening community resilience needed to withstand extreme heat events.

    Extreme heat kills – and with the federal government cutting the very programs that help forecast it, California is taking aggressive action to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat and build resilience in our most vulnerable communities.

    With the first major heat of the summer expected this weekend, we’re connecting more Californians – particularly those that are most vulnerable to dangerous heat – to life-saving information, resources, and programs across the state.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    In a hotter, drier world, connecting Californians with extreme weather information and resources has never been more important – especially as the federal government cuts critical programs providing pertinent information on weather.

    First-in-the-nation heat-ranking tool

    The new CalHeatScore tool will be leveraged across state government, providing early warning that allows resources to be mobilized with greater speed and precision to communities that need it. To ensure the new tool works for Californians, the state will continue gathering input from the public, which will be used to shape future updates. 

    “Every single preventable death is one too many,” said Yana Garcia, California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection. “This groundbreaking tool will help Californians plan and respond so they can stay safe when a heat wave is about to strike. And it will shore up the state’s all-in fight against the very real dangers that climate change keeps bringing to our doorstep.”

    In 2021, the California Department of Insurance’s Climate Insurance Workgroup recommended California build a system to rank heat waves to better communicate the deadly risks to Californians and help communities prepare, similar to how tropical storms and hurricanes are described by “category” level. 

    As part of a broader climate package in 2022, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2238 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas to codify CDI’s recommendation by requiring the state to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system. 

    “CalHeatScore is an important tool to prepare Californians for extreme heat,” said Nancy Ward, Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). “It helps increase our readiness for heat events and protect those at greatest risk.”

    Chart above shows the range of CalHeatScore rankings.

    Building on investments to protect Californians

    The funding announced today builds on the Governor’s Extreme Heat Action Plan, which guides the state’s response to extreme heat events. Developed in partnership with more than 20 state agencies and informed by more than 1,000 individuals through listening sessions and public engagement, these grants respond directly to community needs and build on existing state programs. 

    Extreme heat solutions announced today combine physical infrastructure with nature-based solutions and in-home technology to create more resilient communities. In Los Angeles, the county will work with local organizations to provide safer spaces by planting tree canopies, installing water fountains, and hosting educational programming in parks across the county. In Northern California, North Coast Opportunities and the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California, will partner to provide solar-powered air conditioning in the homes of vulnerable community members.  

    “California is taking aggressive action to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat and build resilience in our most vulnerable communities,” said Samuel Assefa, Director of Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), the agency overseeing the funding. “With lives on the line each summer, the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program will provide critical infrastructure investments in heat vulnerable communities.”

    Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the state, claiming more lives annually than any other climate threat, including fires and floods. Last year, California communities experienced the hottest summer on record in 130 years. According to a report from the Department of Insurance, from 2013 to 2022, seven extreme heat events resulted in nearly 460 deaths, over 5,000 hospitalizations and about 344 adverse birth outcomes.

    State research shows a correlation between heat and a range of negative health effects including death, lower birth weight, and increased emergency room visits and hospitalizations for conditions ranging from heart conditions to poor mental health. Extreme heat also takes an economic toll on the state, with an estimated $7.7 billion of lost wages, agricultural disruptions, and power outages. 

    Extreme heat calls for more water 

    During periods of extreme heat, access to water is more critical than ever to prevent illness and death. California is expected to lose 10% of its water supply due to hotter and drier conditions, threatening the water supply for millions of Californians. As part of the May Revision, the Governor advanced a groundbreaking proposal to fast-track and streamline one of California’s most important water management and climate adaptation projects, the Delta Conveyance Project, creating much-needed and long-overdue improvements to the State Water Project, which provides water for 27 million people and 750,00 acres of farmland. These vital improvements will help offset and recover these future climate-driven water losses, and yet, it has been plagued by delays and red tape.

    Without action, the ability of the State Water Project to reliably deliver water to homes, farms and businesses will decline. The Governor calls on the legislature to quickly adopt these improvements to ensure that California is ready for a drier and hotter future, and its communities are safe and protected.   

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 2025, as “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.”The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONCalifornia is home to more than 6…

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:LaCandice Ochoa, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Independent Living and Community Access Division at the Department of Rehabilitation. Ochoa has been Dean of…

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement after a federal court ruled today that President Trump exceeded his use of emergency powers to enact broad-sweeping tariffs that hurt states, consumers, and businesses: “Like we said when we filed…

    MIL OSI USA News

  • Stock market ends lower ahead of key GDP data

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The domestic market closed lower in Friday’s trading session. At the end of trading, the Sensex was down 182.01 points or 0.22 per cent at 81,451.01 while the Nifty was down 82.9 points or 0.33 per cent at 24,750.70.

    Midcap and smallcap closed almost flat. The Nifty Midcap 100 index closed down 37.25 points at 57,420.00 and the Nifty Smallcap 100 index closed down 6.10 points at 17,883.30.

    Metal and IT stocks led the decline. Nifty Metal index closed down by 1.69 per cent and Nifty IT index down by 1.15 per cent. Apart from this, auto, pharma and FMCG sectors also saw a decline. Only PSU bank, financial services and media indices closed in the green.

    The Nifty remained volatile with a slightly negative bias on the first day of the June series. On the smaller time frame, the index has formed a bearish moving average crossover.

    “The RSI on the hourly chart indicates bearish price momentum, suggesting short-term weakness. Additionally, signs of exhaustion are visible on the daily RSI, accompanied by a strong negative divergence,” said Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities.

    However, Nifty has been struggling to move beyond a certain level. Immediate support is placed at 24,700; a breach below this level could lead to a decline towards 24,500. On the higher side, 24,800 is likely to act as a crucial resistance, as call writers have built significant positions at that level.

    The impact of GDP figures will be seen on the market in coming trading sessions, said analysts.

    A range-bound movement continued in the market, with the temporary reinstatement of US tariffs by the appeal court influencing investors to stay sidelined.

    “The global market may contend with macroeconomic concerns as the global trade landscape has yet to see stability, which may navigate a short-term consolidation. Meanwhile, FII inflows continued due to the volatility in the US 10-year yield and an expectation of solid domestic Q4 GDP data later today and a rate cut by RBI,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited.

    Rupee traded weak by 8 paise at 85.52 as the dollar index gained 0.25 per cent to 99.46.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Richard Hughes nominated for reappointment as Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Richard Hughes nominated for reappointment as Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility

    The Chancellor today (30 May) has nominated Richard Hughes for reappointment as Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

    The Chancellor today (30 May) has nominated Richard Hughes as Chair of the OBR for a second and final 5-year term of office. 

    The OBR is the UK’s official independent economic and fiscal forecaster, responsible for examining and reporting on the sustainability of the public finances. The Budget Responsibility Committee (BRC), led by the Chair, has executive responsibility for the OBR and is responsible for judgements made in preparation of the OBR’s economic and fiscal forecasts.  

    Fiscal stability is at the heart of this government’s most important mission to grow the economy. This is why the first bill it passed included the fiscal lock, so that no administration can sideline the OBR. 

    The Treasury Committee approves all appointments to the BRC. Richard will appear before the committee for a pre-appointment hearing in due course.


    Further information 

    • Richard Hughes has been the Chair of the OBR since 2020. He is the second permanent Chair. 

    • As set out in the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011, appointments to the OBR’s BRC require consent from the Treasury Committee.  

    • The Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011 allows each term of a BRC member, including the Chair’s, to be up to 5 years in length and each member may serve a maximum of two terms.

    About the OBR  

    The OBR was created in 2010 to provide independent analysis of the UK’s public finances. The OBR is led by the three members of the BRC who have executive responsibility for carrying out the core functions of the OBR, including any judgements made in the preparation of the economic and fiscal forecasts. The current members of the BRC are: 

    • Richard Hughes (Chair) 

    • Professor David Miles 

    • Tom Josephs

    About the reappointment process  

    Reappointments are not automatic, and each case is considered on its own merits. The decision to nominate Richard Hughes for reappointment was made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in line with the requirements of the Governance Code for Public Appointments. Richard’s reappointment will be finalised subject to the Treasury Committee’s consent.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Monetary Statistics for April 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

    According to statistics published today (May 30) by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, total deposits with authorized institutions increased by 0.6 per cent in April 2025. Among the total, Hong Kong dollar deposits decreased by 0.7 per cent, while foreign currency deposits increased by 1.6 per cent in April, mainly reflecting fund flows of corporates. In the year to end-April, total deposits and Hong Kong dollar deposits increased by 4.1 per cent and 4.4 per cent respectively. Renminbi deposits in Hong Kong increased by 7.4 per cent in April to RMB1,030.9 billion at the end of April, mainly reflecting fund flows of corporates. The total remittance of renminbi for cross-border trade settlement amounted to RMB1,362.1 billion in April, compared with RMB1,184.0 billion in March. It should be noted that changes in deposits are affected by a wide range of factors, such as interest rate movements and fund-raising activities. It is therefore more appropriate to observe the longer-term trends, and not to over-generalise fluctuations in a single month.

    Total loans and advances decreased by 0.2 per cent in April, while increased by 0.5 per cent in the year to end-April. Among the total, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) and loans for use outside Hong Kong decreased by 0.1 per cent and 0.3 per cent respectively in April. The Hong Kong dollar loan-to-deposit ratio remained virtually unchanged at 72.3 per cent at the end of April, as Hong Kong dollar loans and Hong Kong dollar deposits decreased at a similar pace.

    Hong Kong dollar M2 and M3 both decreased by 0.6 per cent in April, while increased by 6.5 per cent and 6.6 per cent respectively when compared to a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted Hong Kong dollar M1 decreased by 1.0 per cent in April, while increased by 5.5 per cent compared to a year ago, reflecting in part investment-related activities. Total M2 and total M3 both increased by 0.7 per cent in April. Compared to a year earlier, total M2 and total M3 both increased by 9.3 per cent.

    As monthly monetary statistics are subject to volatilities due to a wide range of transient factors, such as seasonal funding demand as well as business and investment-related activities, caution is required when interpreting the statistics.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE meets senior officials from foreign governments attending Signing Ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CE meets senior officials from foreign governments attending Signing Ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation  
    Mr Lee met respectively with the Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Mr Ignazio Cassis; the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Mr Mohammad Ishaq Dar; the Minister for Justice and Attorney General of Papua New Guinea, Mr Pila Niningi; and the Deputy Prime Minister of Laos, Mr Saleumxay Kommasith, today, welcoming them to attend the Signing Ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed). Mr Lee said that upon its establishment, the IOMed will provide friendly, flexible, economical and efficient mediation services for international disputes. Hong Kong is encouraged to contribute to and serve the successful establishment and operation of the IOMed.
     
    On economic and trade co-operation, Mr Lee said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government attaches great importance on strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations with different countries. In the face of emerging unilateralism and protectionism, the HKSAR Government will remain steadfast in maintaining Hong Kong’s status as a free port and pursuing free trade policies, ensuring the free flow of goods, capital and information, and attracting enterprises from around the world to trading and investment opportunities in Hong Kong.
     
    Mr Lee added that Hong Kong, as an international financial, shipping and trade centre, is the only city that enjoys both the China advantage and the global advantage. He welcomed enterprises from all countries to leverage Hong Kong’s platform to explore overseas and Mainland markets.
    Issued at HKT 19:35

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE meets Member of Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met today (May 30) at Government House with Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Wang Yi, to welcome Mr Wang as he visits Hong Kong and attends the Signing Ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (the Convention). Mr Lee and Mr Wang had a working luncheon and exchanged views on the work of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), and international exchanges and co-operation related to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan; and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Carol Yip, also attended the meeting.

    Mr Lee expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Central Government for its strong support in establishing the IOMed headquarters in Hong Kong. He noted that the IOMed is a high-level international organisation. He said that the Central Government demonstrated its staunch support to the HKSAR in its development as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region under the National 14th Five-Year Plan through setting up the IOMed Preparatory Office in Hong Kong, completing the negotiations on the Convention, facilitating the consensus among different parties on situating the IOMed headquarters in Hong Kong, and hosting the signing ceremony of the Convention in Hong Kong.

    Mr Lee said that the presence of Mr Wang in Hong Kong to witness the historic moment of signing the Convention is a great encouragement to him and the HKSAR Government. The HKSAR Government is well-equipped to promote the IOMed and to develop Hong Kong into a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.

    Mr Lee said that basing the IOMed headquarters in Hong Kong will bring a host of significant benefits to the city.

    First, the IOMed will elevate Hong Kong’s international status and role in international mediation. Under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong, as the only common law jurisdiction in China, boasts an established legal system, a solid foundation of the rule of law, diverse legal and dispute resolution services, and a wide pool of legal professionals with a global perspective. He noted that Hong Kong could make important contributions to the work of the IOMed.

    Second, the IOMed will generate substantial economic benefits. Its service demand will create a large number of job opportunities in positions such as mediators, translators and researchers. The IOMed will also attract international organisations, non-governmental organisations and academic institutions to establish a presence in Hong Kong, drawing high-quality conferences and exhibitions to the city and further boosting sectors like hospitality, food and beverages, logistics and transportation, as well as industries in the conference economy. With a status on par with the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration of the United Nations in The Hague, the IOMed will become a pivotal institution for resolving international disputes. This will facilitate deeper economic co-operation between Hong Kong and overseas economies such as regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, creating more business opportunities.

    Third, the IOMed will further enhance Hong Kong’s ecosystem related to the rule of law, promoting the popularity of a mediation culture and encouraging the community in resolving issues through dialogue. Mr Lee highlighted that the IOMed will help Hong Kong attract more legal and dispute resolution professionals from around the globe, contributing to the development of the legal framework for dispute resolution and further consolidating Hong Kong’s status as an international legal hub.

    Mr Lee also expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR, and Chinese diplomatic and consular missions overseas for their continued support in deepening the HKSAR Government’s international exchanges and co-operation. This includes the meticulous arrangements for overseas visits of Mr Lee and other HKSAR Government officials, enabling Hong Kong to more effectively showcase its unparalleled advantages of having the strong support of the country while maintaining connectivity with the world under the “one country, two systems” principle.

    Noting that consular protection of the country has always been the strongest safeguard for Hong Kong people travelling abroad, Mr Lee thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its ongoing support and care provided to the people of Hong Kong through Chinese diplomatic and consular missions overseas. The HKSAR Government will continue to enhance Hong Kong people’s understanding of consular protection policies and work related to Hong Kong, and raise their awareness and capabilities in the areas of security and protection.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Remuneration package for Members of Eighth-Term LegCo

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Remuneration package for Members of Eighth-Term LegCo 
    A Government spokesman said today (May 30) that the Independent Commission had conducted a thorough review on the remuneration package for Members of the Eighth-Term LegCo. The Independent Commission had adopted a holistic approach and taken into account a host of factors before arriving at its recommendations.
     
    Factors that the Independent Commission had considered include:

    (a) the role and functions of LegCo Members;
    (b) the objective to enable a broad spectrum of quality individuals from different sectors of the community to serve the public in the capacity of LegCo Members vis-a-vis other pursuits;
    (c) the provision of a remuneration package that is adequate for LegCo Members to discharge their core duties;
    (d) views of LegCo Members;
    (e) utilisation rates of the allowances currently available to Members;
    (f) the economic situation of Hong Kong; and
    (g) market rates of salaries and rentals.
     
    Concerning the proposals put forward by the LegCo Subcommittee on Members’ Remuneration and Operating Expenses Reimbursement (LegCo Subcommittee) to the Independent Commission in July last year, the Independent Commission considers the proposals to adopt a weighted index as the basis for annual adjustment to Members’ Office Operation Expenses Reimbursement (OOER) and abolish the one-third reduction in the monthly remuneration for LegCo Members who also serve on the Executive Council (ExCo) (Dual Members) reasonable. However, in the face of the economic situation and the pressure on public finances, including the Government proposing in the 2025-26 Budget to reinforce the fiscal consolidation programme to strictly contain public expenditure, the Independent Commission recognises that it may not be a suitable time to implement changes in the remuneration package for LegCo Members which may lead to additional financial implications.   
     
    The Independent Commission has also reviewed other components of the remuneration package, including the monthly remuneration for the LegCo President, the President’s Deputy and other LegCo Members, end-of-service gratuity and medical allowance, as well as the OOER, Entertainment and Travelling Expenses Reimbursement (ETER), Setting Up and Information Technology Expenses Reimbursement (SUITER) and Winding Up Expenses Reimbursement (WUER). The Independent Commission considers the current levels adequate and recommends that status quo be maintained for these items. The Independent Commission therefore recommends that the existing remuneration package of the Seventh-Term LegCo be adopted for Members of the Eighth-Term LegCo. 
     
    “The Government expresses its gratitude towards the Independent Commission for its dedicated efforts in and valuable advice on reviewing the remuneration package for Members of the Eighth-Term LegCo, as well as to the LegCo Subcommittee for making proposals to the Independent Commission.
     
         “On the proposal to abolish the one-third reduction in the monthly remuneration for Dual Members, the Government accepts the observations of the Independent Commission that as a matter of principle, a Dual Member is performing two roles and does not devote lesser time in LegCo as compared with their counterparts, and should be entitled to both honoraria in full. The Government also acknowledges the contributions and dedication of Dual Members to society, particularly in balancing their dual roles in both the ExCo and LegCo to assist the Government in gathering public opinions and explaining policies,” the spokesman said. 
     
    In accordance with the said decision, the remuneration package for Members of the Eighth-Term LegCo (based on the rate effective from October 1, 2024) (Note 1) will comprise:(b) end-of-service gratuity at 15 per cent of the total remuneration for the term (payable at term end per term);
    (c) medical allowance at $37,890 per annum;
    (d) OOER at $2,984,860 per annum;
    (e) ETER at $238,400 per annum (Note 3);
    (f) SUITER at $375,000 per term (Note 4); and
    (g) WUER (being 1/12 of the annual OOER plus actual severance payments per term).
     
    Based on the remuneration package effective from October 1, 2024, the total funding for the remuneration package for Members of the Eighth-Term LegCo is estimated to be about $1.76 billion, or about $19.7 million per Member per term.  Implementing the results of the current review will not bring about additional financial implications.
     
    The Independent Commission is chaired by Mr Carlson Tong and comprises Mr Kevin Lam, Ms Winnie Tam, Mr Philip Tsai, Professor Alexander Wai and Ms Winnie Wong as members. It advises the Chief Executive, among others, on the remuneration package for LegCo Members. The Independent Commission started a comprehensive review of the remuneration package for Members of the Eighth-Term LegCo in mid-2024 and completed it in May 2025. The Independent Commission’s Review Report is available at www.admwing.gov.hk/pdf/IC Report_Eng.pdf 
    Note 1: The existing mechanism whereby Members’ monthly remuneration, medical allowance, OOER, ETER and the LegCo President’s additional entertainment allowance will be adjusted in October each year in accordance with movements of the Consumer Price Index (C) will be maintained.
     
    Note 2: The existing arrangement that the monthly remuneration for the LegCo President, the President’s Deputy and Dual Members will be fixed at 200 per cent, 150 per cent and two-thirds of the monthly remuneration of their fellow LegCo Members respectively will be maintained.
     
    Note 3: The LegCo President is entitled to an additional President’s Entertainment Allowance at $238,630 per annum.
     
    Note 4: For Members who have claimed setting up expenses in the previous term, they can claim $262,500 in the new term.
    Issued at HKT 17:15

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SFST’s speech at “Hong Kong Night” business networking reception and seminar in Vancouver, Canada (English only) (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    SFST’s speech at “Hong Kong Night” business networking reception and seminar in Vancouver, Canada (English only) (with photo) 
    Distinguished guests, industry leaders and innovators, friends in Canada and from around the world,
     
    Good evening, everyone. Thanks for having me today for this very special occasion, called “Hong Kong Night”. I must say I always wonder why we have “Hong Kong night” in broad daylight. I suppose it could be a distinctive feature of this city which everybody loves. Just now, our colleague from Cathay Pacific mentioned to me that there will be a draw right after for tickets so I’m sure that explains why you are all here.
     
    Let me give you some flavour in terms of how Hong Kong has been faring, and also at the same time some talking points that you may want to share after this session. I want to give you an overview in terms of how Hong Kong has done so far in financial services under my portfolio, and also in particular the reason why I’m here in Vancouver because this is my last stop, after Toronto and also Ottawa. Through this visit, I had the opportunity to see many people at the government, regulators and also financial institutions. What I am impressed most is that it’s really a place where people are looking for a change. You already have a new government. At the same time, you are looking for ways to diversify, in terms of your economy, and also in terms of financial activities. So I think Hong Kong comes at the right time, where it’s a very viable option, either you are a corporate, an individual, or even an investor, to consider that in the context of diversification.
     
    Before I further proceed, maybe first of all, let me give you an overview of how Hong Kong’s been faring so far. I’ve been asked a lot in terms of the impact of tariffs on Hong Kong. I understand that there will be a fireside chat by Rocky (the Director and Head of Policy Research of the Financial Services Development Council, Dr Rocky Tung) later on, and I’ll leave that to the experts. But that said, Hong Kong being a service economy, I must say we don’t have much to export. At the same time, we are a free economy as stipulated in our Basic Law. So far so good in terms of our resilience, I would say, in the broader context of geopolitical change.
     
    More specifically, in our capital market, recently we do see an upsurge in our stock market. Right now, our average daily turnover is exceeding US$32 billion, and also we’ve welcomed a number of key mega IPOs (initial public offerings), like the recent one is CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited). It’s a major or global battery manufacturer for EVs (electric vehicles), and they just got listed at the same time, offering a shares equivalent to the size of around HK$41 billion. And funny enough, when you look at the composition of the investors, we have those from the US. At the same time, we also have investors from the Middle East, where the Kuwait Sovereign Wealth Fund, what we call the KIA, Kuwait Investment Authority, actually put in US$500 million in that offer. So you can see that despite all the talk about the deglobalisation or decoupling, finance, in particular, capital formation takes place, and also monies after returns.
     
    Of course, that is not alone in terms of what we are welcoming. We also welcome Canadian companies to list in Hong Kong as well. Right now, we have around six Canadian companies already listed in Hong Kong, like Manulife and also some of the mining and oil and gas companies. I do very much welcome many more listings, especially from this part of the world, where it could be tech, could be mining, or for other types of new economic activities.
     
    The second part I want to highlight, apart from how Hong Kong has been faring, is in terms of my observations so far this year, so far in my visit. Apart from the general ones that I just highlighted, I do see a number of areas that Hong Kong and Canada can work together. First of all, wealth management, because I got the chance to see and meet a number of insurance companies and banks from this part of the world. In fact, many of them are heavily invested and also have a strong presence in Hong Kong, like Manulife, which takes up 27 per cent of our Mandatory Provident Fund, a pension service system in Hong Kong. And also Sun Life, which is in collaboration with Dah Sing Bank in Hong Kong through the bank insurance businesses. Also we have CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) and others that already have a strong presence in corporate banking in Hong Kong.
     
    Many people see wealth management as an emerging trend, an area where we should work together. Because in the way that we see the world, like all of you, people are looking for ways to diversify. Many of the traditional markets where people want to park their wealth in the Anglo-Saxon world, people are still changing their minds in terms of whether they should diversify through geography or through products. In either way, Hong Kong is an option, because we have been the largest offshore cross-boundary wealth management centre so far in Asia, and we are looking to be the biggest one in the world. It is an area that we are very keen to develop further. Right now, we have 2 700 single family offices. We are going to have facilitated at least 200 more family offices by the end of this year. Also, we are going to have more tax concessions for family offices to cover private credit, carbon credit, and virtual assets. I will leave these details to our Invest Hong Kong colleagues. They will have all the details. All I want to say is wealth management, in particular in terms of family offices and high-net-worth individuals, is an area that I think Hong Kong can walk closely together with this country.
     
    The second area that I think is important to note in terms of collaboration is about what the host mentioned just now – the Web Summit Vancouver. The reason that I’m here is because we just passed a law to regulate stablecoin issues in Hong Kong. It is a big topic, not just in Hong Kong, but regionally, because many people see virtual assets as speculative. But that said, stablecoins being underpinned by fiat currency is a different animal, which potentially can be used in the form of payment. At a time when the US dollar or US-related assets are being questioned, I think many of the alternatives, also at the same time, in the form of stablecoins, have that role to play.
     
    In that regard, I have more to share in terms of our ecosystem effort to build an ecosystem in Hong Kong for our virtual assets. We have already 10 virtual asset exchanges, and also at the same time, we are going to issue licenses for stablecoin issuers. And very soon, we will also regulate these virtual asset custodians. For anyone of you who are participating, in this space, I do urge you to look at what Hong Kong has done and also at the same time how you can leverage the opportunities for your own development.
     
    Last but not least, in terms of what I want to inform this group is having debriefed all of you about what Hong Kong has done in terms of wealth management and virtual assets and also fintech in general, I’m sure that you do see a lot of need to come to Hong Kong. So even though you may not be able to get those free tickets, I’m sure you’re all rich enough to buy your own and also give yourself a reason to come to Hong Kong soon. And anytime, anywhere, you’re most welcome. Thank you.
    Issued at HKT 16:49

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by CE at Signing Ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Speech by CE at Signing Ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation 
    Honourable Minister Wang Yi (Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs), Your Excellencies, ministers and officials from around the world, honourable representatives of international organisations, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
     
    Good morning. I am delighted to join you on this historic occasion: to celebrate with you the signing of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation.
     
    Gathered here today, in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, are high-level representatives of over 80 countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe; and from the United Nations and about 20 international organisations. A very warm welcome to Hong Kong!
     
    It is a privilege for us to host this signing ceremony, and to serve as the IOMed headquarters, once the Convention enters into force.
     
    This singular occasion is made possible by the ongoing and dedicated efforts of China, our country, in working with around 20 states, since late 2022, to establish an intergovernmental organisation devoted to mediation. After five rounds of intensive negotiation since 2023, co-ordinated by the IOMed Preparatory Office, the negotiating states concluded the very Convention signed today.
     
    The IOMed will become the world’s first intergovernmental international legal organisation dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation. It also reflects our shared confidence in mediation as a peaceful means to maintain international peace and security, as stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations.
     
    The IOMed will provide a pathway for countries – regardless of culture, language and legal system – to resolve international disputes based on mutual respect and understanding. This is increasingly important amid mounting geopolitical tensions. When protectionism threatens to derail the international trade order, and when unilateralism looms over global supply chains, it is dialogue – not division – that restores balance.
     
    China has long championed equity and unity. The Chinese virtue of “和而不同”, meaning “harmony in diversity”, is deeply rooted in our community and culture. This value of mutual respect in spite of differences also sits at the heart of mediation, the IOMed, and a world that seeks co-operation over conflict.
     
    Despite geopolitical turbulence, Hong Kong builds bridges, not walls. Under our unique “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong is the only world city that enjoys both the China advantage and the global advantage. With the support of the National 14th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong has risen as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia-Pacific region.
     
    We are the only common law jurisdiction in China, and the only jurisdiction in the world with a bilingual common law system in both Chinese and English. We have a long tradition of the rule of law, and our courts exercise their judicial power independently. Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal, which is vested with the power of final adjudication, has on its bench eminent jurists from both Hong Kong and overseas common law jurisdictions.
     
    Our robust, efficient and well-respected legal system is supported by world-class legal and dispute resolution professionals. Often bilingual or even multilingual, they are well-versed in international rules and practices, and help to position Hong Kong as a preferred venue for dispute resolution.
     
    In this year’s International Arbitration Survey, Hong Kong is the most preferred seat of arbitration in the Asia-Pacific region, and shares second place globally with another jurisdiction. Our economy also came first in “business legislation” and “international trade” in the World Competitiveness Yearbook. In the latest Business Ready Report published by the World Bank Group, Hong Kong ranks eighth in “dispute resolution” among the 50 economies covered.
     
    All this underscores Hong Kong’s effectiveness as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” among many economies. We contribute to cross-border investment and economic activity through our top-notch professional services. Our “one country, two systems” advantages make us well-placed to be the headquarters of the important institution of the IOMed.
     
    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is devoted to supporting the IOMed’s provision of friendly, flexible, economical and efficient mediation services. We actively promote a vibrant culture of mediation. In fact, it is a general policy to incorporate a mediation clause in all government contracts. We are also enhancing the system on local accreditation and disciplinary matters of the mediation profession.
     
    And we go all out to build bridges with the world. Hong Kong will actively promote the IOMed’s valuable work in settling international disputes through mediation, and advocate mediation as a global tool for peace and justice across borders.
     
    Ladies and gentlemen, the establishment of the IOMed’s headquarters in Hong Kong is a great honour for our city. The headquarters, as you may know, will be based in the building that once housed the Wan Chai Police Station, just a stone’s throw away from here. Built in 1932, this iconic building has a long association with law and order in Hong Kong. From its prime downtown location, it has also witnessed the transformation of our city that has long treasured unity. In its new role as the IOMed headquarters, the building will play a vital part in the future of Hong Kong as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services.
     
    We are working to complete the conversion of the building for its new mission. I’m happy to say that it could open its doors as early as the end of this year. We look forward not only to welcoming its new occupants, but also to supporting them in building new bridges for a more connected, peaceful and prosperous future through mediation.
     
    I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Central Government for its staunch support of Hong Kong, allowing Hong Kong the honour of housing the IOMed headquarters here. My sincere gratitude also goes to the international community, for placing your trust and confidence in our city. Let’s renew our commitment to peace, justice and the rule of law. Let’s cultivate a mediation culture together. Let’s build a strong IOMed for a global community of shared future founded on peace and prosperity. Please enjoy the day and enjoy Hong Kong. Thank you.
    Issued at HKT 11:50

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI China: Old industry heartland enhances IP protection for emerging sectors

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

    HARBIN, May 30 — China is enhancing intellectual property (IP) protection in emerging industries within its traditional industrial hubs to foster innovation and revitalization, according to the country’s top IP regulator on Friday.

    Once the backbone of the country’s heavy industry, the northeastern provinces of Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang, along with the neighboring Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, have been focusing on IP development in high-end equipment manufacturing, new-generation information technology, biomedicine, new materials and modern agriculture.

    By the end of 2024, the number of valid invention patents in these strategic emerging industries had reached 46,000, according to the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA).

    The achievement is part of the region’s broader IP growth: by the end of April 2025, the four provincial-level regions have owned a total of 195,000 valid invention patents, marking a 10.2 percent year-on-year increase; the number of valid registered trademarks has reached 2.16 million, up 7.7 percent year-on-year.

    This region has long been a vital industrial and agricultural base for China, making significant industrial and economic contributions in the early decades following the founding of New China in 1949. It continues to play a key role in safeguarding national security in defense, food, ecology, energy and industry.

    Amid a key national strategy to revitalize the northeast China, the CNIPA has offered professional IP support to the region’s cutting-edge research in fields, such as robotics, new energy, coal chemical industry, and aerospace equipment manufacturing, leveraging the region’s rich scientific institutions and top universities.

    Local IP agencies across the region have also explored numerous ways to boost IP growth.

    Liaoning Province has established national-level centers to provide training for enterprises facing foreign-related IP disputes; Heilongjiang has introduced financial policies to encourage laboratory researchers to commercialize their invention patents; and Jilin has built IP-favored industrial zones for modern agriculture and photo-electronic information enterprises.

    Moreover, Inner Mongolia offers local enterprises expedited IP services for patent applications in biology and new materials sectors, ensuring timely protection of their innovations and preventing imitation or infringement by competitors.

    “We will continue efforts to turn IP — the intangible assets — into the tangible forces driving high-quality development,” said Yang Zhihong, deputy head of the Inner Mongolia’s IP agency.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI: Toobit Lowers Maintenance Margin Requirements for Select Perpetual Contracts

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Toobit, an award-winning global digital asset exchange, today announces an adjustment to the maintenance margin requirements (MMR) for 10 USDT-margined perpetual swap contracts. With some pairs seeing up to a 25% reduction in requirements, the update will enhance capital efficiency and provide traders with greater flexibility in managing leveraged positions.

    The MMR updates apply to the following contract pairs: HEI, ONG, OMNI, ZKJ, OXT, GLM, G, MTL, GHST, and STG, all traded against USDT. The update follows trading patterns that show increased demand for flexible leverage and more refined risk thresholds across these contracts.

    Key highlights include:

    • Reduced MMR across multiple tier levels, allowing for more efficient margin utilization.
    • Improved entry thresholds for higher leverage tiers, particularly beneficial for professional and high-volume traders.
    • Granular position limit scaling, designed to ensure effective risk control while preserving trading flexibility.

    “We’ve seen how even small shifts in margin structure can unlock more flexibility and profitability for active traders,” said Mike Williams, Chief Communication Officer at Toobit. “These updates reflect what our users are telling us. They want more control, tighter spreads on capital, and the ability to scale positions efficiently. We hear them, and this is a direct response to that.”

    Maintenance margin requirements are the minimum amount of money a trader must keep in their account when using borrowed funds to trade. This makes sure traders have enough funds to cover any losses that may result from their trades. If the money in the account falls below this level, the trader will get a margin call, asking them to add more funds or close some trades.

    Lower maintenance margin requirements mean greater flexibility and freedom for traders, allowing them to hold larger positions with less capital tied up. This change reduces the risk of margin calls, giving traders more room to manage their trades during market fluctuations without the immediate pressure to add funds.

    Toobit continues to evaluate and adjust its trading parameters in response to evolving market dynamics and user feedback. These adjustments are part of a broader effort to provide a competitive, secure, and trader-centric derivatives trading environment.

    About Toobit

    Toobit is where the future of crypto trading unfolds—an award-winning cryptocurrency derivatives exchange built for those who thrive exploring new frontiers. With deep liquidity and cutting-edge technology, Toobit empowers traders worldwide to navigate the digital asset markets with confidence. We offer a fair, secure, seamless, and transparent trading experience, ensuring every trade is an opportunity to discover what’s next.

    For more information about Toobit, visit: Website | X | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Instagram

    Contact: Davin C.

    Email: market@toobit.com

    Website: www.toobit.com

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

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

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0b610e8c-bc3d-4943-8283-91bf52a3b4c7

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Hola Prime Launches Performance Coaching Initiative to Tackle the #1 Barrier to Trader Success: The Mind

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, NY, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In proprietary trading, success is often measured in percentages and profit curves. But behind every chart is a human being, and according to Hola Prime, one of the fastest-growing prop firms globally, that human element is the most overlooked edge in trading.

    To address this critical gap, Hola Prime has launched a new Performance Coaching Initiative, bringing psychological resilience, discipline, and emotional intelligence to the forefront of trader development. The firm has onboarded two accomplished professionals – Lara Leon and Stanislava Puac Jovanovic – and aims to solve what the firm calls “the #1 barrier to consistent trader performance: the mind.”

    “We’ve funded traders all around the globe, and the pattern is clear – strategy alone doesn’t make you consistent. Psychology does,” said Somesh Kapuria, CEO of Hola Prime. “Our Performance Coaching Initiative is built to tackle that challenge head-on.”

    Prop firms often compete on speed, funding, and payouts. But Hola Prime is betting that the next evolution of trading support won’t be just financial – it will be behavioral.

    Whether it’s FOMO, overtrading, revenge trading, or the inability to recover after a loss, psychological missteps are responsible for more failed trading careers than poor technical knowledge. Despite this, few firms invest in helping traders build emotional resilience, daily structure, and self-awareness.

    Hola Prime’s new program is designed to fill that void, offering one-on-one performance coaching, guided psychological routines, and mindset-focused support for its funded traders. The goal is not short-term motivation, but long-term, measurable consistency.

    Globally Renowned Performance Coaches

    To drive the initiative, Hola Prime has onboarded:

    • Lara Leon, a performance coach with over a decade of experience in psychology and active trading. A psychotherapist by training and a trader by passion, Lara blends cognitive insight with technical market expertise – covering order flow, volume profiles, and multi-timeframe analysis. Her coaching focuses on building internal discipline, trade journaling, and walking through emotional pitfalls with clarity and structure.
    • Stanislava Puac Jovanovic, a psychologist and life coach with over 15 years of experience across education, coaching, and systemic psychotherapy. Certified in CBT, REBT, assertive communication, mindfulness, and NLP, she brings a holistic understanding of emotional regulation, stress management, and performance psychology – tools essential for thriving in high-pressure trading environments.

    Both coaches will offer traders structured frameworks to improve risk management, build sustainable habits, and enhance decision-making under stress.

    This initiative marks a shift in how prop firms support their traders – not just with capital, but with cognitive and emotional infrastructure.

    For Hola Prime, performance coaching is not an add-on – it’s a foundational investment in trader longevity. At a time when retail traders face increased market volatility, higher expectations, and rapid information flow, support is more essential than ever.

    “The future of prop trading belongs to firms that understand one truth,” said Kapuria. “The edge isn’t just in the market. It’s in the mind.”

    Social Links

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holaprime_global/  

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtVEJa1Ml132Be7tnk-DjeQ  

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hola-prime/?viewAsMember=true  

    X: https://x.com/HolaPrimeGlobal  

    Discord: https://discord.gg/TJ7TcHPXBf  

    Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/HolaPrime/  

    Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/HolaPrime/  

    Medium: https://medium.com/@social_46267  

    Media Contact

    Company: Hola Prime

    Contact: Media Team

    Email: marketing@holaprime.com

    Website: https://holaprime.com/

    SOURCE: Hola Prime

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Matador Technologies Inc. Announces $1.5 Million Strategic Investment by Arrington Capital

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Matador Technologies Inc. (“Matador” or the “Company”) (TSXV: MATA, OTCQB: MATAF), a Bitcoin-focused company, announces the closing of a CAD$1.5 million investment from Arrington Capital, a digital asset management firm, as part of its non-brokered private placement offering of units (“Units”) at $0.62 per Unit (the “Offering”). The Offering was announced on May 22, 2025.

    As part of this first tranche, the Company issued 2,419,354 Units. Each Unit consists of one common share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to acquire one additional common share at $0.77 for a period of 12 months from issuance. The warrants include an acceleration clause: if the closing price of the Company’s common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”) equals or exceeds $1.15 for five consecutive trading days following four months and one day after the closing date, the Company may accelerate the expiry to 30 days after issuing a related press release.

    Arrington Capital (https://www.arringtoncapital.com/), co-founded by Michael Arrington, is an investor in blockchain and digital asset ventures. Their investment supports Matador’s development of financial technologies focused on Bitcoin and tokenized real-world assets.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome Arrington Capital as a strategic investor,” said Deven Soni, CEO of Matador Technologies Inc. “Their deep conviction in the Bitcoin ecosystem and global perspective on digital assets align perfectly with Matador’s vision. This investment enhances our ability to accelerate development of Bitcoin-native financial products and scale our platform globally.”

    “This is more than just a capital raise—it’s a signal that the world’s top digital asset investors see the same future we do,” said Mark Moss, Chief Visionary Officer at Matador.

    Matador is currently the only public Canadian company developing gold and precious metal products on the Bitcoin network. Its treasury strategy includes holdings in both Bitcoin and gold.

    The securities issued in this tranche are subject to a statutory hold period expiring on September 30, 2025. Net proceeds of the Offering are expected to be allocated approximately one-third to each of the following: (i) the purchase of Bitcoin; (ii) gold acquisition and the Company’s Grammies initiative; and (iii) general corporate purposes. The Offering remains subject to final approval by the TSX Venture Exchange.

    For additional information, please contact:

    Media Contact:
    Sunny Ray
    President
    Email: sunny@matador.network

    Phone: 647-496-6282

    About Matador Technologies Inc.
    Matador Technologies Inc. is a publicly traded Bitcoin ecosystem company that holds Bitcoin as its primary treasury asset and builds products to enhance the Bitcoin network. Through a self-reinforcing model that combines strategic Bitcoin accumulation, Bitcoin-native product development, and participation in digital asset infrastructure, Matador aims to grow long-term shareholder value without dilution.

    The Company’s flagship offering, the Digital Gold Platform, allows users to buy, sell, and trade 1-gram gold units inscribed as Bitcoin Ordinals—bridging traditional value with decentralized technology. With a Bitcoin-first strategy, a debt-free balance sheet, and a clear focus on innovation, Matador is helping shape the future of financial infrastructure on Bitcoin.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

    This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

    Forward Looking Statements – Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with the implementation of the Company’s treasury management strategy, risks relating to whether any subsequent tranches of the Offering will be concluded as currently proposed or at all, risks relating to the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals and the launch of the Company’s mobile application as currently proposed or at all. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company, including with respect to the potential acquisition of digital assets and/or US dollars, the pricing of such acquisitions and the timing of future operations. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.

    The MIL Network

  • PM Modi inaugurates projects worth ₹47,600 crore in Kanpur, highlights India’s self-reliance in defence sector

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday laid the foundation stone for development and defence-related projects worth approximately ₹47,600 crore during his visit to Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Addressing a large public gathering, the Prime Minister said that the visit, initially scheduled for April 24, was postponed following the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam.

    Paying tribute to Shubham Dwivedi, a resident of Kanpur who lost his life in the attack, the Prime Minister said the entire nation shares the sorrow and anguish of the victims. He also highlighted the success of Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the attacks, noting that the Indian armed forces destroyed terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and forced the adversary to plead for de-escalation.

    Reaffirming India’s stance against terrorism, the Prime Minister said, “Our response will be decisive. The timing and nature of our actions will be determined solely by our forces. India will no longer tolerate nuclear blackmail or make distinctions between state and non-state actors in Pakistan.” He added that Operation Sindoor is not yet over, and India will eliminate threats wherever they exist.

    Highlighting the strength of indigenous defence capabilities, PM Modi said Operation Sindoor showcased the impact of ‘Make in India’, with domestically produced weapons like the BrahMos missile hitting targets with precision. He reiterated the government’s commitment to making India self-reliant in defence, stating that the era of dependence on foreign countries for military needs is ending.

    He also pointed to the major role Uttar Pradesh is playing in this transformation, noting that seven historic ordnance factories, including the one in Kanpur, have now been converted into advanced defence production units. He underlined that the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor, especially the Kanpur node, is emerging as a key centre for the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative in the defence sector.

    The Prime Minister informed the gathering that AK-203 rifle production has already commenced in Amethi, and the BrahMos missile system now has a new base in Uttar Pradesh, signalling the state’s growing stature in defence manufacturing. He added that with these developments, Uttar Pradesh is poised to lead India’s journey towards becoming a major defence exporter.

    The Prime Minister said that these investments will not only strengthen India’s defence sector but also create new employment opportunities for thousands of youth in the region. He expressed confidence that the upcoming defence-related projects will boost the state’s economy and industrial capabilities.

  • MIL-OSI: OTC Markets Group Welcomes Badger Infrastructure Solutions Ltd. to OTCQX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Badger Infrastructure Solutions Ltd. (TSX: BDGI; OTCQX: BDGIF), North America’s largest provider of non-destructive excavating and related services, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Badger Infrastructure Solutions Ltd. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink® market.

    Badger Infrastructure Solutions Ltd. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “BDGIF.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

    Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their U.S. investors. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

    “We are excited to be added to the OTCQX® Best Market, which provides the opportunity to broaden our market access, enhance liquidity, and strengthen our U.S. investor presence. This move enhances our visibility within the U.S. investment community and provides a convenient way for investors to trade our shares in their own currency and local market. It positions us to expand our investor base as we continue to build sustainable, scalable growth while delivering exceptional service and value to our customers and stakeholders,” said Rob Blackadar, Badger Infrastructure’s President & CEO.

    About Badger Infrastructure Solutions Ltd.
    Badger Infrastructure Solutions Ltd. is North America’s largest provider of non-destructive excavating and related services. Badger works for contractors and facility owners in a broad range of infrastructure industries and in general commercial construction. Badger’s customers typically operate near high concentrations of underground power, communication, water, gas and sewer lines, where safety and economic risks are high and where non-destructive excavation provides a safe alternative for certain customer excavation requirements. The Company’s key technology is the Badger HydrovacTM, which uses a pressurized water stream to liquify the soil cover, which is then removed with a powerful vacuum system and deposited into a storage tank. Badger is unique in the non-destructive excavation industry because it designs and manufactures all of its hydrovac units at its plant in Red Deer, AB, which has an annual production capacity of more than 350 hydrovac units. To complement the Badger Hydrovac, the Company has a select number of specialty units, including combo trucks, sewer and flusher units, and Air Vacs. The Company is headquartered in Calgary, AB, has a U.S. administrative office and training centre in Brownsburg, IN, a suburb of Indianapolis, IN, and services customers from approximately 140 field locations across both Canada and the United Sates.

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

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

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

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

    Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

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

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Paycheck-to-Paycheck to Financial Freedom: Bitcoin Solaris Opens Mobile Mining Access Ahead of Nova App Launch

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TALLINN, Estonia, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitcoin Solaris (BTC-S), a decentralized blockchain protocol focused on real-world accessibility and mobile-first infrastructure, has officially opened early access to its Nova App—a passive mobile mining platform that enables users to earn daily crypto rewards from any smartphone or personal device. This announcement comes as the project enters Phase 5 of its presale, ahead of the app’s full public rollout.

    Mining from a Smartphone: Turning Idle Time into Daily Income

    The Nova App, now in limited beta release, allows users to earn BTC-S tokens by allocating 1–5 GB of storage and idle CPU power while their device charges. Rewards are distributed daily based on uptime, with no hardware requirements, no technical knowledge, and no upfront capital needed to participate. The team shared a picture of the app in the Telegram group, and the community went absolutely wild with excitement.

    By removing traditional barriers such as staking lockups or expensive mining rigs, Bitcoin Solaris makes digital asset participation viable for anyone with a smartphone, regardless of income or experience. The app is designed to operate seamlessly in the background, creating a new kind of income stream for global users living paycheck-to-paycheck.

    Infrastructure Built for Global Scale

    Bitcoin Solaris runs on a dual-layer blockchain architecture optimized for throughput and decentralization. The protocol combines multiple consensus models—including Proof-of-Stake (PoS), Proof-of-Capacity (PoC), Proof-of-History (PoH), and Proof-of-Time (PoT)—to support:

    • 10,000+ transactions per second
    • 2-second finality
    • Thousands of simultaneous mobile miners

    This architecture is designed to ensure that as Nova App adoption grows, the network can distribute mining rewards efficiently—without congestion, centralization, or performance bottlenecks.

    Independent Verification and Presale Opportunity

    Bitcoin Solaris has completed third-party security audits from Cyberscope and Freshcoins, along with KYC verification of its founding team. These steps provide foundational trust for new users entering the crypto space through BTC-S.

    Currently in Presale Phase 5, Bitcoin Solaris is offering tokens at $5 USDT, with a planned launch price of $20 USDT. Key presale details include:

    • Presale Ends: July 31, 2025
    • Token Price (Phase 5): 5 USDT
    • Public Listing Price: 20 USDT
    • Bonus: 11% additional tokens
    • Fixed Supply: 21 million BTC-S
    • Presale Allocation: 20% (4.2 million tokens)
    • Future Distribution: Exclusively via Nova App mining

    This phase offers early users the opportunity to join the network before mining difficulty adjusts upward and token distribution shifts to on-chain mining rewards

    Early Participation Still Open

    Bitcoin Solaris is currently in presale phase 5, where BTC-S is priced at 5 USDT. The planned public listing price is 20 USDT, creating a clear opportunity for discounted entry before centralized exchange exposure and mobile mining rollout. From the total 21 million BTC-S supply, 4.2 million tokens (20%) are allocated across presale stages. There is no inflation — future token distribution occurs only through Nova App mining.

    This presale phase offers more than price advantage. It ensures access to early mining when competition is low and difficulty is minimal. Timing, as history shows, is the primary wealth driver in crypto. For retail users, this is that moment.

    In a recent segment, Crypto Volt explains why Bitcoin Solaris is not just another presale but a system designed to bring working-class participants into the same wealth cycle that defined crypto’s early success stories. From mobile mining to supply caps, he outlines how BTC-S is replicating the conditions that allowed early adopters to break free from paycheck dependency.

    Bitcoin Solaris is more than a token—it’s a financial tool for the global majority. Whether you’re a gig worker, student, or first-time crypto participant, BTC-S offers a chance to earn daily and grow value long-term with nothing more than a connected device.

    The Nova App public release is scheduled alongside the token listing, but early access is now open to presale participants and selected community members.

    Start Earning. Start Early.

    Bitcoin Solaris aims to bridge the gap between passive tech users and active digital asset earners. With mobile mining, a fixed supply model, and verified infrastructure, the network is building toward a more inclusive financial future one daily reward at a time.

    To learn more or participate in the presale:
    Website: https://bitcoinsolaris.com/
    X (Twitter): https://x.com/BitcoinSolaris
    Telegram: https://t.me/Bitcoinsolaris

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

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

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

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/81d959ff-b71e-4c72-9fe5-041dad27513a

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/655ce773-ce3c-491d-9f7e-d6ca761a57d8

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/354b1750-eeb6-447b-b1a0-4f5a81f89eba

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6f270fa8-361e-4f4f-b224-db5200870fc3

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Spain: EIB finances Teknia with €30 million loan to support R&D investments for the European automotive sector

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • The loan will support Teknia’s research and development (R&D investments) in Spain, Poland, Romania, Germany, Sweden and Czech Republic to develop more sustainable manufacturing technologies for automotive components.
    • This operation by the European Investment Bank (EIB) supports innovation and sustainability in a strategic sector for the EU economy.
    • The agreement contributes to the EIB’s strategic priorities of innovation, climate action and cohesion.
    • The operation is backed by InvestEU, an EU programme that aims to unlock over €372 billion in investment by 2027.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Teknia have signed a loan worth €30 million to finance the company’s research and development activities, and measures to apply them in manufacturing of components for the automotive sector.  Teknia is a Spanish company present in 13 countries specialised in the manufacture of metal and plastic components for mobility solutions using a wide range of technologies.

    The EIB loan will support Teknia’s investments in R&D and in its facilities located in Spain, Poland, Romania, Germany, Sweden and Czechia. The investments will focus on the application of advanced manufacturing technologies, product diversification and cutting CO2 emissions. The company, one of the leading Spanish automotive suppliers, will reinforce its manufacturing capabilities and digitalization which are important pillars of its strategic plan in course.  

    The operation contributes to the EU’s cohesion policy as a significant part of the investments (approximately 51%) will be made in cohesion regions.

    “We are very pleased to be joining forces with Teknia to foster innovation and sustainability in the European automotive sector,” said Antonio Lorenzo, head of the EIB’s Corporate Lending Division Spain and Portugal. “This new financing is a clear example of how the EIB is helping companies to become more sustainable, more innovative and more competitive while contributing to strengthening Europe’s leading position in strategic sectors”.

    “This important loan will allow us to keep growing during these challenging times in the automotive sector and focus even more in innovation to manufacture the mobility of the future in our plants in the most sustainable way, decreasing the carbon footprint of the group”, Javier Quesada de Luis, Teknia CEO, explained. “We look to the future with optimism and will keep reinforcing our operations digitalizing our plants and innovating to codevelop new products together with our clients”.

    The EIB operation will boost EU competitiveness and help to reindustrialise a sector undergoing transformation due to the impact of developments like electrification and digitalisation.

    The loan contributes to the EIB Group’s strategic priorities of innovation and climate action and cohesion. These are three of the Group’s eight priorities set out in its Strategic Roadmap for the years 2024-2027.

    The EIB loan is partially guaranteed by InvestEU, the flagship EU programme to mobilise over €372 billion of additional public and private sector investment to support EU policy goals from 2021 to 2027.

    Background information  

    EIB 

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the European Union, and the capital markets union.  

    The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.  

    All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.  

    Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers. Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.

    High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

    InvestEU

    The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investment for EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that invest in projects, leveraging on the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increasing their risk-bearing capacity and mobilising at least €372 billion in additional investment.

    Teknia

    Teknia is a multinational group specializing in the manufacturing of mobility components through metal and plastic components in a wide range of technologies.

    Founded in 1992 as a global supplier to the automotive industry, Teknia is present in 13 countries, with 23 plants and more than 3,500 employees. The company’s clients include the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers, as well as other Tier-1 suppliers. Teknia’s revenues reached €431 million in 2024.

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