NewzIntel.com

Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI: KANZHUN LIMITED Announces Board Change

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BEIJING, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  KANZHUN LIMITED (“BOSS Zhipin” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: BZ; HKEX: 2076), a leading online recruitment platform in China, today announced that Ms. Hongyu Liu has been appointed as an independent non-executive director of the Company and a member of the nomination committee.

    Ms. Hongyu Liu, aged 52, is a financial expert with over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Ms. Liu currently serves as a managing director at Intermediate Capital Asia Pacific Limited, where she started her role in 2016. She previously served as a principal at TPG Capital, and held the position of vice president at Lazard China Limited. Her earlier career also includes over seven years at JP Morgan Chase, where she held various roles in the United States and Hong Kong, with her last position being a vice president.

    Ms. Liu earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance from Renmin University of China, a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School of Tufts University, and an MBA from Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. She also serves on the International Board of Advisors at Tufts University. Ms. Liu is a Chartered Financial Analyst and is licensed under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (the “SFO”) as a representative to carry out Type 1 (dealing in securities) and Type 4 (advising on securities) regulated activities.

    The Company would like to welcome Ms. Liu to the board. The Company believes that her expertise and experience will be a valuable asset to the Company’s development.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements which are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to,” and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in announcements made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, in its interim and annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about the Company’s beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

    About KANZHUN LIMITED

    KANZHUN LIMITED operates the leading online recruitment platform BOSS Zhipin in China. The Company connects job seekers and enterprise users in an efficient and seamless manner through its highly interactive mobile app, a transformative product that promotes two-way communication, focuses on intelligent recommendations, and creates new scenarios in the online recruiting process. Benefiting from its large and diverse user base, BOSS Zhipin has developed powerful network effects to deliver higher recruitment efficiency and drive rapid expansion.

    For more information, please visit https://ir.zhipin.com.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    KANZHUN LIMITED
    Investor Relations
    Email: ir@kanzhun.com

    In China：

    PIACENTE FINANCIAL COMMUNICATIONS
    Helen Wu
    Tel: +86-10-6508-0677
    Email: kanzhun@tpg-ir.com

    In the United States:

    PIACENTE FINANCIAL COMMUNICATIONS
    Brandi Piacente
    Phone: +1-212-481-2050
    Email: kanzhun@tpg-ir.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: From grey to green: Derby City Centre gets a makeover

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Centre has undergone a transformative green makeover thanks to funding from the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

    New planters have been installed around the city centre, giving a fresh and vibrant feel to the area.

    Many of the new planters have seating incorporated, which has been designed to be accessible to all visitors. Whether stopping for a quick rest or enjoying the sunshine, people can now experience Derby in a whole new way.

    Alongside the new planters, residents will already be familiar with the living roof bus shelters, which continue to be installed around the city. On top of being more visually appealing, these shelters also provide food sources and habitats for a wide variety of pollinating insects.

    Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability, said:

    This project marks a real step forward in making Derby a greener, more climate-conscious city. By adding trees, plants, and accessible seating, we’re turning grey spaces into greener, more welcoming areas.

    Over the last year I have been holding several events with schools across the city as part of the Derby Promise. Their voices have been clear; make our city greener. I hope that they like the new greening of our city.

    These changes not only improve the look and feel of our streets, but also support biodiversity, help tackle air pollution and create a more resilient urban environment for the future.”

    These new planters have been installed by Whitehouse on behalf of Derby City Council.

    In 2020, Derby City Council and Nottingham City Council secured £161m from the Transforming Cities Fund to invest in local transport infrastructure that will improve sustainable transport options, support growth, and encourage more low carbon journeys.

    As part of this wider vision, Derby’s city centre streets have been reimagined to provide improved access for road users and pedestrians, improve traffic flow, and reduce emissions. This includes new segregated cycle lanes, wider pavements, and improved traffic signals.

    The greenery and seating has been strategically placed where Transforming Cities infrastructure works were completed. These enhancements are not just aesthetic, but are helping to revive Derby’s city centre by creating a more pleasant environment that attracts visitors, supports local businesses, and encourages sustainable travel choices.

    The new planters and seating areas are the latest in our plans to make Derby a greener city. Six new pocket parks have recently been installed around Derby, providing an accessible, safe space for citizens to take a break.

    The Transforming Cities Fund works support actions in the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan to increase active and sustainable travel, increase biodiversity which in turn improves health and wellbeing whilst supporting the local economy.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Eternal Deposits”: Development of Endowments in Russia Discussed at Polytechnic University

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University hosted the Eternal Deposits Assembly and the Endowment EXPO exhibition, organized by the National Endowment Association with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

    The plenary session was opened by the Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies of SPbPU Maxim Pasholikov.

    “The topic of endowments is in demand now, in recent years we have seen its rebirth, and the issues that the National Endowment Association raises, initiating various sessions and events, certainly influence the development and promotion of endowments,” Maxim Aleksandrovich noted in his welcoming speech. “These issues are related to motivational co-financing, and to the attraction of state corporations, and to the involvement of society as a whole in charity. I think many of you will agree that there is romance in the topic of endowments, because we are talking about eternal capital, about the fact that the result may appear not in a year or two, but in fifty or a hundred years, and our descendants will receive it. That is why our business seems so romantic and especially valuable to me.”

    Svetlana Lavrova, Chairperson of the Board of the National Endowment Association, agreed that there is a certain romanticism in the fact that an endowment, on the one hand, is important for the financial market, and on the other hand, it supports the non-profit sector, ensuring its sustainability and independence.

    “The financial sector is interested in finances, and the beneficiaries of all this are simply people,” Svetlana Nikolaevna explained. “The development of endowments balances the interests of business and society.”

    Director of NAE Alexey Anisin presented statistics on the endowment industry for 2024 and the dynamics of its development since 2011. Targeted capital is created to support universities, schools, sports associations, and cultural institutions. Today, there are already 407 of them, 360 are registered, and the volume of funds in endowments, according to management companies, amounted to 155.5 billion rubles.

    Alexey Anisin noted that this year the number of Assembly participants and partners has increased significantly: We held the First Assembly “Eternal Deposits” in 2023. Last year we decided to make exhibition “Endowment EXPO”. We invited not only endowment funds, but also management companies, universities, schools, museums. We realized that those people who, especially in the regions, are engaged in this topic, lack a community, communication, because if in Moscow, in St. Petersburg there are many endowments, there is a certain professional circle where people communicate, then in the regions it is much more difficult. The industry itself is not yet sufficiently represented in the media field. An important function of such an exhibition is to tell the widest possible circle of people, including donors, about the endowment.

    The plenary session was also attended by the co-founder and president of the Rybakov Foundation Ekaterina Rybakova, the general director of the Potanin Foundation Oksana Oracheva, the director of the Federal Center for Cultural Heritage Our Norilsk, and a member of the board of the National Association of Ecologists Anna Makukha.

    On the first day of the assembly, discussions were held on the tracks “Basics and Reviews”, “Consultations and Special Events” and “Special Sessions”, where participants discussed issues of investing and developing endowments in various fields.

    Maxim Pasholikov, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies at SPbPU, gave a presentation at the “University Endowment Review” track. He shared his experience of attracting funds to the Polytechnic’s endowment funds (there are currently six of them), and then the audience exchanged examples and ideas for filling their endowments. Maxim Pasholikov separately said that since this year, the monitoring system of the Ministry of Education and Science’s “Priority-2030” program has included an indicator of the effectiveness of attracting funds to endowment funds, so the universities participating in the program have an additional incentive to develop alumni communities, partnerships and other mechanisms for increasing endowment funds.

    At the end of the first day of the Assembly, the winners and prize winners of the Eternal Contribution Prize were awarded. The ceremony was hosted by Associate Professor of the Higher School of Law and Forensic Science of the Humanitarian Institute of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, winner of the competition and recipient of the Eternal Contribution-2022 Prize Artem Klinitsky.

    In 2025, the special prize of the organizing committee of the award was received by a team of authors, which included Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Higher School of International Relations and the Higher School of Social Sciences of the Humanities Institute of SPbPU Ilya Sidorchuk, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of St. Petersburg State University Evgeny Rostovtsev and a student of the Humanities Institute of the Polytechnic University Svetlana Danilova.

    The study by the co-authors is dedicated to the Society for Assistance to Students of the Imperial St. Petersburg University and the importance of endowment capital in its activities.

    “The society was founded in 1873 and up until the revolution it successfully coped with its tasks,” said Ilya Viktorovich. “We came to the conclusion that there were many ways to support the society and raise funds, for example, membership fees, charity concerts. But, as practice has shown, the most effective was the use of perpetual deposits. It was thanks to them that it became possible to implement such projects as the construction of a sanatorium in Yevpatoria and the organization of a student canteen, which fed many needy young people for free.”

    “As they said today on one of the tracks, time goes by, but many students are still forced to look for money for clothing, food, housing, education, especially in the humanities, where there are fewer and fewer budget places every year,” added Svetlana Danilova. “That is why our work is relevant, and this historical experience can be useful.”

    Photo archive

    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: R3 signals strategic shift to lead the convergence of public and private blockchains to deliver internet capital markets through collaboration with Solana Foundation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    • Collaboration brings together R3’s leading private enterprise blockchain with Solana’s high performance public mainnet
    • Drives institutional adoption of public blockchain networks, capitalizing on greater regulatory clarity and growing institutional demand for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs)
    • Announcement marks new strategic direction for R3, signalling its leadership in driving the convergence of public and private networks to unlock the next era of internet capital markets
    • Enables regulated financial institutions to directly access the speed and scale of Solana for broader asset distribution, enhanced liquidity, and a decisive step in bringing TradFi to DeFi

    {{DATELINECITY_DATE_GLOBENEWSWIRE_BUG}R3 and Solana Foundation today announce a strategic collaboration to bring regulated financial institutions and their real-world assets onto Solana. It will deliver the first enterprise-grade, permissioned consensus service offered to the public directly on a Layer 1 network. This brings the institutional TradFi and DeFi worlds into true convergence, marrying the unparalleled reach of R3 into the TradFi ecosystem with the scale, liquidity, and innovation of internet capital markets. As the world’s most used public blockchain, the Solana blockchain offers unmatched performance, low fees, and a vibrant global ecosystem – making it the ideal foundation for the next generation of regulated digital finance.

    R3 has invited Lily Liu, President of the Solana Foundation, to R3’s Board of Directors, marking a strategic shift for R3 that unites the strengths of public and permissioned blockchains.

    Solana and R3 will bring regulated assets onto a public blockchain at a time when the RWA sector is at a pivotal juncture: regulatory tailwinds are spurring investor confidence in digital assets, financial institutions are becoming increasingly comfortable with leveraging public networks, and the DeFi sector is maturing. These forces are driving growing demand for high-quality, tokenized assets on public networks.

    As the world’s largest collection of permissioned RWA networks, with over $10 billion in regulated assets on-chain across its platforms, the R3 ecosystem is ideally positioned to meet this demand. R3’s Corda has the most live, in-production use cases and millions of transactions processed daily by leading institutional players. Integrating with Solana’s blockchain will enable these assets to flow to meet the growing demand on public networks, and unlock new settlement options across these ecosystems, including using high-quality stablecoins. Unlike traditional interoperability approaches, this comprehensive integration means private transactions on Corda can be confirmed directly on Solana mainnet, inheriting the network’s performance and security, and enabling true transactional atomicity.

    The collaboration will create a consensus service deployed on Solana to enable native interoperability between R3’s existing Corda platform – as well as other private networks – and Solana, bridging the gap between permissioned and public blockchain ecosystems for the first time. This will enable regulated financial institutions – including banks, financial market infrastructure providers, and asset managers – to fully harness the openness and efficiency of Solana without re-writing their applications or compromising on compliance, security, or asset control.

    R3 chose Solana as its public Layer-1 substrate and the basis for its new consensus service following an extensive evaluation and technical review of decentralized protocols, selecting Solana for its low transaction fees, speed, scalability, as well as the Solana ecosystem’s robust developer community, and relationships with numerous regulated financial institutions, including Blackrock, Franklin Templeton, and Hamilton Lane which have all deployed regulated assets on the network.

    Critically, this collaboration simplifies the complexity of managing RWAs on public blockchains – bringing Corda’s proven strengths in identity, privacy, and compliance to a public and permissioned environment. This allows traditional financial institutions to operate with the same control and clarity they expect from enterprise-grade infrastructure, while unlocking the scale and flexibility of a public network. 

    “This is a major step forward for the institutional adoption of public blockchain,” said Lily Liu, President of the Solana Foundation. “R3’s decision to bring its regulated financial network onto Solana is powerful validation that public blockchains have reached institutional readiness. With Solana’s unmatched performance, enterprise-grade permissioning, and growing roster of regulated assets, we’re not just witnessing convergence between TradFi and DeFi – we’re enabling it. This collaboration signifies that the future of capital markets will be built on public infrastructure. We’re thrilled that the Solana ecosystem is leading the way.”

    David E. Rutter, Founder and CEO of R3 commented: “We’ve never pursued blockchain for its own sake – our mission is to solve real financial problems. After years of laying the groundwork, R3 is ready to bring our experience and our network of regulated financial institutions towards a new public future with one of the best and most trusted public ecosystems – Solana. This is more than a milestone; it’s a strategic realignment for the entire industry. We know DeFi isn’t coming to TradFi, so it’s up to us to build the connective infrastructure that links these two ecosystems. This is about adapting to deliver real-world utility, institutional-grade readiness, and shaping the long-term future of regulated markets.”

    Clearstream, a leading post-trade infrastructure provider at the forefront of digitizing financial markets, is a long-standing user of R3’s Corda which underpins its digital collateral solution. 

    Jens Hachmeister, Head of Issuer Services & New Digital Markets at Clearstream, commented: “Tokenization isn’t just about digitizing assets – it’s about building scalable, global infrastructure where real-world assets can interact directly and securely, no matter where investors are located. The convergence of public and private blockchains is no longer a future promise – it’s happening now. This is a generational shift in how value moves, and a compelling moment for any institution looking to enter the crypto space. We’re excited for what’s ahead.”   

    Media Contacts

    Eterna Partners for R3

    R3@eternapartners.com

    +44 (0)7442 230 170

    Solana

    press@solana.org

    About R3

    R3 is the leader in real-world asset (RWA) tokenization and interoperability solutions, driving market digitization and bridging the largest on-chain RWA ecosystem with DeFi.

    Corda is an open, permissioned DLT platform powering the tokenization of assets and currencies connecting global markets. Corda enables tokenization with control, providing diverse asset mobility in a secure, trusted environment. 

    R3 is committed to progressing financial markets by enabling an open, trusted and advanced digital economy for real-world assets.  

    For further information, please visit www.r3.com.

    About Solana

    Solana is a blockchain built for mass adoption. It’s a high performance network that is utilized for a range of use cases, including finance, NFTs, payments, and gaming. Solana operates as a single global state machine, and is open, interoperable and decentralized. For more information, please visit https://solana.com.

    About Solana Foundation

    The Solana Foundation is a non-profit foundation based in Zug, Switzerland, dedicated to the decentralization, adoption, and security of the Solana network. For more information, please visit https://solana.org/.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ae6d91e9-9bb4-4a47-b3e3-7a873993c009

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Rhino Federated Computing Raises $15M Series A to Scale Federated AI Across Regulated Industries

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rhino Federated Computing, the leading platform for federated AI collaboration, today announced the close of an oversubscribed $15 million Series A funding round led by AlleyCorp. All existing institutional investors participated, including LionBird, Fusion Fund, Arkin Digital Health, Qiming Venture Partners USA, Telus Global Ventures and Keren Maccabi, as well as new investors Wilson’s Bird Capital, Mr. Frank Sica, and Gaingels. The round brings Rhino FCP’s total funding to over $30 million to-date.

    Founded in 2020 by Dr. Ittai Dayan (who led AI development and deployment at Mass General Brigham and was a researcher at Harvard Medical School) and Yuval Baror (serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience building AI based production systems), Rhino FCP enables enterprises to work together on AI and data science initiatives without centralizing data—fueling a new era of federated AI that protects data ownership, complies with regulation, and accelerates innovation. The company is already powering major use cases, including:

    With this new capital, Rhino will scale these capabilities across more customers and regulated sectors, bringing to market a robust, enterprise-grade solution for organizations looking to collaborate with data at scale.

    “Federated AI is the future of innovation in regulated industries,” said Dr. Ittai Dayan, CEO and co-founder of Rhino Federated Computing. “We’re helping organizations unlock the power of their data—not in isolation, but as part of an interconnected, secure network. This investment allows us to accelerate that mission and expand the reach of our platform.”

    Dr. Alexi Nazem, General Partner head of healthcare at AlleyCorp, added: “In the rapidly advancing era of artificial intelligence, unique data is becoming incredibly valuable. But often that data is private and proprietary, so private, secure, and effective collaboration tools are necessary to activate and realize the true value of that data. It’s a difficult challenge, especially in highly sensitive fields like healthcare and financial services, and Rhino’s federated AI platform is the most compelling foundation we’ve seen for making that possible.”

    About Rhino Federated Computing
    Headquartered in Boston, MA, with an R&D center in Tel Aviv, Rhino has built the trusted end-to-end tech stack for federated AI in regulated industries. Rhino FCP enables data-driven collaboration across institutional and geographic boundaries—without requiring data centralization—empowering enterprises to safely scale AI and analytics across increasingly large networks. Rhino is committed to delivering scalable, secure, and compliant data collaboration without sacrificing speed or control.

    Media Contact
    media@rhinofcp.com
    www.rhinofcp.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Philadelphia Insurance Companies Recognized with Duck Creek Standard of Excellence Customer Award at Formation ’25

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Duck Creek Technologies, the global intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance, has named Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY) a recipient of its 2025 Standard of Excellence Customer Award winner at Formation ’25, its flagship customer conference held this week in Orlando, Florida.

    The Duck Creek Standard of Excellence Customer Awards recognize customers who have achieved the highest level of excellence through their implementation of Duck Creek solutions and who have a vision to advance their business, while reimagining the future of insurance. The award recognizes PHLY for its outstanding achievement in digital transformation and innovation in insurance operations.

    Together with Ernst & Young, LLP (EY US), PHLY leveraged Duck Creek’s cloud-native, SaaS-based solutions, including Duck Creek Policy, Duck Creek Insights, and Duck Creek Producer Portal, to reimagine how Philadelphia Insurance Companies BOP (PHLYBOP) policies are delivered, driving major advancements across operational efficiency, customer experience, and market responsiveness.

    “This recognition highlights the power of teamwork and the strength of our technology partnerships,” said Brent Skiles, SVP of Insurance Operations at Philadelphia Insurance Companies. “Together, we’ve helped PHLY launch a future-ready platform that meets the needs of our broker and agency partners, while scaling for tomorrow’s opportunities.”

    Facing the need to modernize legacy systems, PHLY set out to implement a digital-first strategy, reduce manual processes, and use data to drive better decisions and customer insights. With Duck Creek’s solutions, they achieved:

    • Automated policy lifecycle management, improving speed and accuracy;
    • Real-time data access and analytics to support decision-making and compliance;
    • A modern, agent-facing experience via the Duck Creek Producer Portal; and
    • Rapid deployment of BOP products across multiple states using pre-configured templates and scalable APIs.

    The foundational release of the reimagined BOP offering launched in three states in late 2024, with rollout to 20 additional states planned throughout 2025. PHLY’s transformation has already led to increased market share, improved customer satisfaction, and stronger agent engagement, setting a new benchmark for excellence in digital insurance delivery.

    “Philadelphia Insurance Companies demonstrated what’s possible when a forward-thinking insurer embraces modern technology to meet complex market demands,” said William Magowan, SVP North American Sales at Duck Creek Technologies. “Their strategic use of Duck Creek OnDemand, Policy, Insights, and Producer is a prime example of how carriers can deliver meaningful transformation with speed and scale.”

    Duck Creek celebrates PHLY’s incredible success in the P&C Insurance Industry.

    About Duck Creek Technologies   
    Duck Creek Technologies is the global intelligent solutions provider defining the future of the property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance industry. We are the platform upon which modern insurance systems are built, enabling the industry to capitalize on the power of the cloud to run agile, intelligent, and evergreen operations. Authenticity, purpose, and transparency are core to Duck Creek, and we believe insurance should be there for individuals and businesses when, where, and how they need it most. Our market-leading solutions are available on a standalone basis or as a full suite, and all are available via Duck Creek OnDemand. Visit www.duckcreek.com to learn more. Follow Duck Creek on our social channels for the latest information – LinkedIn and X.

    About Philadelphia Insurance Companies

    For over 60 years, Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY) has delivered stability and peace of mind through enduring partnerships with our customers, brokers, and independent agents nationwide. We provide commercial property/casualty and professional liability coverages, comprehensive risk management, and expert claims handling across 120+ specialized industries.  

    As a proud member of Tokio Marine Group, one of the largest insurance groups in the world, PHLY’s exceptional financial strength has been independently validated through the highest ratings from the AM Best Company [“A++” (Superior)] and Standard & Poor’s [“A+”] since 2011. PHLY is nationally recognized as a member of Ward’s Top 50 since 2001, Business Insurance’s Best Places to Work in Insurance since 2010, and ranked as one of America’s Best Midsize Employers by Forbes.  

    For more information, please visit PHLY.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.   

    Media Contacts:   
    Marianne Dempsey/Tara Stred   
    duckcreek@threeringsinc.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: TransUnion Analysis Uncovers Surprising Truth: Inflation-Adjusted Debt Growth Much Smaller Over the Last Five Years

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As consumers grapple with rising costs and high interest rates, recent studies have revealed an increased reliance on credit products to help make ends meet. Despite the seemingly rapid growth in balances, a new analysis by TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) uncovers a more complex reality.

    According to TransUnion’s newly released Q1 2025 Credit Industry Insights Report (CIIR) total consumer balances have steadily increased over recent years. Total balances in nominal dollar terms (before adjusting for inflation) across all consumer credit products rose from $14.1 trillion in Q1 2020 to $18.0 trillion in Q1 2025, approximately 28%. The cumulative Consumer Price Index increase over that same time period, as measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, was nearly 24%. When adjusted for inflation, total balance growth in real dollar terms is more modest, amounting to $0.5 trillion over the five-year period, an increase of closer to 3%.

    The analysis also revealed that inflation-adjusted balances for consumers actually declined in real dollar terms across the majority of credit risk tiers from 2020 to 2025. This decrease was most pronounced in the prime risk tier, which saw a 14% drop in balances after adjusting for inflation. In contrast, super prime consumers experienced an 18% growth in balances over the same period. Much of the increase for super prime borrowers was attributed to higher mortgage balances. The only other risk tier to see an inflation-adjusted increase over the period was subprime at 1.9%.

    “Our latest analysis reveals a picture of credit usage that goes beyond simply an increase in total balances,” said Jason Laky, executive vice president and head of financial services at TransUnion. “When we account for the recent period of higher inflation, the rise in balances suggests that consumers in most risk tiers are not over-extended. In fact, many consumers experienced significant income gains since 2019, which have enabled most borrowers to effectively manage their debt levels.”

    Total Inflation-Adjusted Balances Across All Accounts Have Declined Across The Majority of Risk Tiers Since 2019
      % nominal dollar change 2020 to 2025 % real dollar change for 2020 to 2025 –
    inflation adjusted
    Super prime 46.5% 18.2%
    Prime plus 9.4% -11.7%
    Prime 7.2% -13.5%
    Near prime 11.6% -9.9%
    Subprime 26.2% 1.9%


    Source: TransUnion U.S. Consumer Credit Database

    “These findings challenge the idea that consumers are simply accumulating credit card debt. Instead, they highlight how balances reflect the current economic reality,” said Michele Raneri, vice president and head of U.S. research and consulting at TransUnion. “It’s understandable that only subprime consumers have experienced an inflation-adjusted increase in real credit card average balances, as this demographic has likely felt the impact of higher costs most acutely. But for other risk tiers of borrowers, their card balance growth has been less than the rate of inflation, indicating that many consumers may have further borrowing capacity.”

    To learn more about the latest consumer credit trends, register for the Q1 2025 Quarterly Credit Industry Insights Report webinar. Read on for more specific insights about credit cards, personal loans, auto loans and mortgages.

    Serious consumer-level credit card delinquencies decline YoY for second consecutive quarter

    Q1 2025 CIIR Credit Card Summary

    The first quarter of 2025 reflected credit card trends indicating a return to equilibrium, similar to those observed towards the end of 2024. Notably, consumer-level delinquencies of 90+ days past due decreased for the second consecutive quarter, dropping by 12 basis points year-over-year (YoY) to 2.43%. This marks the first consecutive quarters of YoY delinquency decline since 2020, during the height of the pandemic. In Q4 2024, total originations volume experienced a slight YoY increase of 0.1%. Although modest, this represents the first YoY growth in six quarters. Subprime originations saw a YoY growth of 2.9% in Q4 2024, the first in eight quarters, while super prime originations grew by 5.3% for the second consecutive quarter. Despite the uptick in originations, credit line amounts on new cards continue to trend downward. The average credit line on new accounts decreased slightly by 0.3% YoY in Q4 2024, with growth in super prime lines offsetting smaller lines in prime and below.

    Instant Analysis

    “We continue to observe signs that serious delinquencies may have peaked, with consumers managing their credit card usage more effectively. The year-over-year decline in 90+ days past due delinquencies, along with slower balance growth and stable utilization rates, indicates emerging market stability. We anticipate further declines in serious delinquencies in the coming quarters, primarily due to lenders’ intentional management of credit lines and cardholder risk profiles.”

    – Paul Siegfried, senior vice president and credit card business leader at TransUnion

    Q1 2025 Credit Card Trends

    Credit Card Lending Metric
    (Bankcard)    		 Q1 2025 Q1 2024 Q1 2023 Q1 2022

    Number of Credit Cards
    (Bankcards)    		 563.0 million 543.1 million 523.2 million 490.0 million
    Borrower-Level Delinquency
    Rate (90+ DPD)    		 2.43% 2.55% 2.26% 1.62%
    Total Credit Card Balances $1.07 Trillion $1.02 Trillion $917 billion $769 billion

    Average Debt Per Borrower    		 $6,371 $6,218 $5,733 $5,026
    Number of Consumers
    Carrying a Balance    		 172.0 million 169.0 million 165.3 million 158.9 million
    Prior Quarter Originations* 19.4 million 19.3 million 20.6 million 21.2 million
    Average New Account Credit
    Lines*    		 $5,612 $5,628 $5,421 $4,634


    *Note: Originations are viewed one quarter in arrears to account for reporting lag.
    Click here for a Q1 2025 credit card industry infographic. For more credit card industry information, click here for episodes of Extra Credit: A Card and Banking Podcast by TransUnion.

    Shift to less risky borrowers drives decline in unsecured personal loan delinquency in Q1 2025

    Q1 2025 CIIR Unsecured Personal Loan Summary

    In Q4 2024, unsecured personal loan originations hit a new high of 6.3 million, a 26% increase over Q4 2023, driven by all risk tiers, especially super prime, with 29% growth YoY. This led to a 17% YoY growth in total new account balances to $34 billion. Total balances for Q1 2025 only grew for above prime tiers, reaching $253 billion, a 3% increase over the prior year. A record 24.6 million consumers had balances, a 5% increase YoY, but average balances per consumer only grew for above prime tiers. Lenders expanded their borrower base but maintained cautious exposure, leading to a 7% decrease in average new account balances for Q4 2024, the fifth consecutive quarter of decline. Subprime delinquencies fell to 14.0% in Q1 2025 from 15.6% last year, while other risk tiers saw increases. The overall borrower-level delinquency rate declined to 3.49% in Q1 2025 from 3.75% last year, thanks to a balanced lending mix.

    Instant Analysis

    “The unsecured personal loan market has not only rebounded but also expanded, setting new records in loan volumes and balances. Growth is evident across all credit risk tiers, with super prime borrowers leading in year-over-year growth in the most recent quarter. Lenders appear to be limiting loan amounts for individual consumers, even as the aggregate borrower-level delinquency rate continues to decline. Increased competition and demand in the lowest risk credit tiers, along with advances in risk management practices, are now resulting in lower delinquency rates. These factors should support sustained growth, even in a challenging macroeconomic environment.“

    – Josh Turnbull, senior vice president and consumer lending business leader at TransUnion

    Q1 2025 Unsecured Personal Loan Trends
    Personal Loan Metric Q1 2025 Q1 2024 Q1 2023 Q1 2022
    Total Balances $253 billion $245 billion $225 billion $178 billion
    Number of Unsecured
    Personal Loans    		 29.8 million 28.1 million 26.9 million 23.9 million
    Number of Consumers with
    Unsecured Personal Loans    		 24.6 million 23.5 million 22.4 million 20.4 million
    Borrower-Level Delinquency
    Rate (60+ DPD)    		 3.49% 3.75% 3.91% 3.25%
    Average Debt Per Borrower $11,631 $11,829 $11,281 $9,896
    Average Account Balance $8,496 $8,737 $8,356 $7,448
    Prior Quarter Originations* 6.3 million 5.0 million 5.2 million 5.7 million


    *Note: Originations are viewed one quarter in arrears to account for reporting lag.
    Click here for additional unsecured personal loan industry metrics. Click here for a Q1 2025 unsecured personal loan industry infographic.

    Mortgage originations see YoY growth as delinquencies tick up

    Q1 2025 CIIR Mortgage Loan Summary

    Another sign that the previously sluggish mortgage originations market is beginning to rebound is that mortgage originations saw a YoY increase of 30.2% in Q4 2024, reaching 1.2 million, with 78% of those being purchase originations. The 15.4% YoY growth in purchase originations marks its first annual increase since Q2 2021. Origination volumes remain low compared to historical norms. Home equity originations rose 11% YoY, marking the third consecutive quarter of YoY increases. Meanwhile, 60+ days past due (DPD) account-level delinquencies ticked up YoY in Q1 2025 for the 12th consecutive quarter, reaching 1.44%. This represents a growth of 21 basis points YoY in Q1 2025, though the rate remains relatively low compared to historical levels. As home prices continue to climb, the average amount of new mortgage loans has followed suit, increasing by nearly $40,000 YoY to $366,443 in Q4 2024.

    Instant Analysis

    “Due to the anticipated impacts of announced tariffs on near-term inflation, mortgage rates are expected to remain elevated above 6% in the next quarter. Without a significant decrease in mortgage rates, origination activity for both purchases and refinances is likely to remain subdued. Although the upward trend in mortgage delinquencies continues, the levels remain below long-term averages, and far below historical highs during the Great Financial Crisis, but still warrant close monitoring.”

    – Satyan Merchant, senior vice president, automotive and mortgage business leader at TransUnion

    Q1 2025 Mortgage Trends
    Mortgage Lending
    Metric    		 Q1 2025 Q1 2024 Q1 2023 Q1 2022
    Number of Mortgage
    Loans

    53.6 million

    53.2 million

    52.9 million

    51.5 million
    Consumer-Level
    Delinquency Rate
    (60+ DPD)    		 1.36% 1.14% 0.90% 0.80%
    Prior Quarter
    Originations*    		 1.2 million 0.9 million 1.0 million 2.9 million
    Average Loan
    Amounts
    of New Mortgage
    Loans*    		 $366,443 $327,102 $327,050 $315,661
    Average Balance per
    Consumer    		 $266,843 $260,745 $253,514 $241,203
    Total Balances of All
    Mortgage Loans    		 $12.5 trillion $12.1 trillion $11.8 trillion $10.9 trillion


    * O    riginations are viewed one quarter in arrears to account for reporting lag.
    Click here for additional mortgage industry metrics. Click here for a Q1 2025 mortgage industry infographic.

    Auto originations trend up ahead of tariffs

    Q1 2025 CIIR Auto Loan Summary

    Auto loan originations in Q4 2024 reached 6.2 million, representing an 8% YoY growth. This growth was observed across all risk tiers, with super prime leading at 15.7% YoY growth. The increase was largely driven by Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in late 2024, rising inventories, and the return of incentives. New vehicles made up 47% of those financed in Q4 2024, as compared to 53% used, the highest Q4 share for new vehicles since pre-pandemic times. Leasing share continued to approach pre-pandemic levels, rising to 26% in Q1 2025. The 60+ DPD delinquency rate increased by 5 basis points YoY in Q1 2025 to 1.38%. This rate exceeds the peak delinquency rate of 1.33% observed in Q1 2009, although the rate of growth has recently slowed. Overall, new vehicle loan vintages continue to show consistent performance compared to pre-pandemic periods (2018/2019). However, when broken down by risk tiers, recent new vehicle vintages have elevated delinquency levels, particularly for prime and below tiers.

    Instant Analysis

    “There have been positive signs of recovery and momentum across all tiers, not just super prime. The return of incentives has provided a tailwind to vehicle sales and financing. Nevertheless, some of this progress may reverse if the recently announced trade policies are implemented long-term, as they could further impact affordability. Despite this, we expect Q1 2025 originations to increase, as many consumers likely tried to secure a new vehicle before the tariffs were implemented.”

    – Satyan Merchant, senior vice president, automotive and mortgage business leader at TransUnion

    Q1 2025 Auto Loan Trends

    Auto Lending Metric    		 Q1 2025 Q1 2024 Q1 2023 Q1 2022

    Total Auto Loan Accounts    		 80.0 million 80.1 million 80.1 million 80.5 million

    Prior Quarter Originations    1    		 6.2 million 5.8 million 5.8 million 6.5 million
    Average Monthly Payment
    NEW    2    		 $759 $746 $741 $657
    Average Monthly Payment
    USED    2    		 $526 $521 $521 $509
    Average Balance per
    Consumer    		 $24,413 $24,035 $23,214 $21,606
    Average Amount Financed on
    New Auto Loans    2    		 $42,877 $41,222 $41,539 $40,184
    Average Amount Financed on
    Used Auto Loans    2    		 $26,494 $25,655 $26,260 $27,995
    Consumer-Level Delinquency
    Rate (60+ DPD)    		 1.56% 1.50% 1.34% 1.09%


    1    Note: Originations are viewed one quarter in arrears to account for reporting lag.
    2Data from S&P Global Mobility AutoCreditInsight, Q1 2025 data only for January and February.
    Click here for additional auto industry metrics. Click here for a Q1 2025 auto industry infographic.

    For more information about the report, please register for the Q1 2025 Credit Industry Insight Report webinar.

    About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)

    TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries. We make trust possible by ensuring each person is reliably represented in the marketplace. We do this with a Tru™ picture of each person: an actionable view of consumers, stewarded with care. Through our acquisitions and technology investments we have developed innovative solutions that extend beyond our strong foundation in core credit into areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world.

    http://www.transunion.com/business

    Contact Dave Blumberg
      TransUnion
    E-mail dblumberg@transunion.com
    Telephone 312-972-6646

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: American Rebel Congratulates Tony Stewart on Top Fuel Victory at Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Stewart’s Fourth Consecutive Final and Second Victory of his Top Fuel Career

    American Rebel Light Beer Sponsorship of Tony Stewart Racing Drivers Tony Stewart and Matt Hagan Celebrate Stewart Win and Stewart Heads to 109th Indianapolis 500 to Join the INDYCAR on FOX team for Pre-Race Show

    Nashville, TN, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) (“American Rebel” or the “Company”), creator of American Rebel Beer (americanrebelbeer.com) and a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of branded safes, personal security and self-defense products and apparel (americanrebel.com), is proud to congratulate Tony Stewart on his victory at the Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals in the Top Fuel Dragster (nhra.com) this past weekend at the Route 66 Raceway (route66raceway.com) in Chicago. This past weekend’s race marked the fourth consecutive final for Stewart and the second victory of his Top Fuel Career.

    “I said at Vegas that I was extremely impressed and pleased with the progress our team has been making,” said Stewart. “There were tricky track conditions on Friday, so I was excited about getting number one qualifier in Q1. There are a lot of heavy hitters that can really perform when the track is great and we just hadn’t been there yet. When the track cooled off and we ran a 3.67 (ET) yesterday, we got really excited. We had talked amongst our group about how tough it is to race for a championship at the end of the season when we haven’t raced in cooler conditions like we will have in the Fall. We had that this weekend, so to run that well was very encouraging. Now we have data that we can go back and look at and won’t be starting from scratch. We had a mixture of warm and cool conditions today for eliminations. I talked with Leah (Pruett, Stewart’s wife and driver of the Tony Stewart Racing (tsrnitro.com) Top Fuel Dragster until she stepped away to start a family) before the Final about what I had to do to beat Justin (Ashley). We concluded I had to just keep doing what I’ve been doing and get up on the wheel. You know when you race Justin, you have to bring your “A game” and rise to the occasion. His reaction times are the best out here and he does that both in qualifying and eliminations. That makes today’s win for our Rinnai crew that much more special. They have a great team and program. When you can beat them, it is a feather in your cap because you’re beating one of the best teams in the business.”

    “I couldn’t be more proud for Tony, Leah, Matt and the entire Tony Stewart Racing team,” said American Rebel CEO Andy Ross. “Tony making four consecutive finals with two of them being wins is amazing; and Matt is also running really well. Our distributors, retailers and customers love our association with Tony Stewart Racing and Tony’s support team have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help American Rebel Beer every way they can. It’s been a fantastic experience!”

    Stewart’s previous three consecutive final-round appearances came at the 65th NHRA Winternationals, NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, and American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte in addition to the fourth consecutive final-round appearance at the Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Chicago.

    The fact that Tony Stewart may be the most versatile driver in the history of auto racing was highlighted again this weekend as Stewart earned a trifecta in Chicago with Stewart’s previous win on the oval track in Chicago, his win as a team owner with driver Donny Schatz’s 2005 and 2017 wins on the dirt track, and now Stewart’s win in Top Fuel on the dragstrip. Stewart’s versatility will again be highlighted this coming weekend as Stewart will join Danica Patrick and Chris Myers and the INDYCAR on FOX team and participate in the pre-race show for the 109th Indianapolis 500. Pre-race coverage begins at 10 am Eastern.

    American Rebel is an associate sponsor on the Tony Stewart driven Top Fuel Dragster and the Matt Hagan driven Funny Car for all 20 races of the NHRA Mission Foods 2025 season as well as the primary sponsor of the Matt Hagan Funny Car for five races, including the American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and the primary sponsor of the Tony Stewart Top Fuel Dragster for one race during the 2025 season. Being a sponsor provides opportunities for vast exposure during the race broadcasts on Fox Sports, Fox Sports 1 (FS1) and Fox Sports 2 (FS2). Ratings for NHRA telecasts are very strong and visibility continues to expand through additional streaming options through NHRA.tv.

    In addition to the strong television viewership of NHRA racing, NHRA has unveiled exciting opportunities for digital media and content creators for the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Aiming to change the way influencers, content creators and digital media members experience drag racing, NHRA is working to expand its reach across social media platforms with its Cornwell Tools Burnout Box Content Creator Zone. This expansion and emphasis in the digital media space will significantly benefit American Rebel.

    American Rebel has also benefitted from the relationship with Tony Stewart Racing through the social media reach of Tony Stewart, Matt Hagan and Leah Pruett. Tony Stewart has nearly 750,000 followers on X (@TonyStewart) and over 250,000 followers on Instagram (@tsrsmoke). Matt Hagan has nearly 150,000 followers on Instagram (@matthagan_fc) and Leah Pruett has nearly 400,000 followers on Instagram (@leah.pruett).

    Primary sponsorship dates for American Rebel Beer on the Matt Hagan Funny Car are April 25 – 27 at the American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Concord, NC; June 20 – 22 at the Virginia NHRA Nationals at North Dinwiddle, VA; August 14 – 17 at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, MN; September 26 – 28 at the NHRA Midwest Nationals near St. Louis, MO; and October 30 – November 2 at the NHRA Nevada Nationals in Las Vegas, NV. American Rebel Beer will also be a primary sponsor for the Tony Stewart Top Fuel Dragster on September 26 – 28 at the NHRA Midwest Nationals near St. Louis, MO.

    About American Rebel Light Beer

    Produced in partnership with AlcSource, American Rebel Light Beer (americanrebelbeer.com) is a domestic premium light lager celebrated for its exceptional quality and patriotic values. It stands out as America’s Patriotic, God-Fearing, Constitution-Loving, National Anthem-Singing, Stand Your Ground Beer.

    American Rebel Light is a Premium Domestic Light Lager Beer – All Natural, Crisp, Clean and Bold Taste with a Lighter Feel. With approximately 100 calories, 3.2 carbohydrates, and 4.3% alcoholic content per 12 oz serving, American Rebel Light Beer delivers a lighter option for those who love great beer but prefer a more balanced lifestyle. It’s all natural with no added supplements and importantly does not use corn, rice, or other sweeteners typically found in mass produced beers.

    About Tony Stewart Racing

    Headquartered in Brownsburg, Indiana, Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Nitro fields two entries in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. After more than four decades of racing around in circles, Tony Stewart embarked on a straight and narrow path, albeit more than 300 mph. The championship-winning racecar driver who has successfully transitioned to being a championship-winner team owner, formed the TSR nitro team in 2021, with 2022 marking the team’s first season in competition. Matt Hagan pilots the Funny Car and Tony Stewart took over driving duties in 2024 for wife Leah Pruett in the Top Fuel dragster as they started a family. Hagan is a four-time Funny Car champion (2011, 2014, 2020 and 2023) from Christiansburg, Virginia. Stewart hails from Columbus, Indiana and earned his first Top Fuel victory at the 2025 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas. He also won the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year title. Stewart finished second in the 2023 Top Alcohol Dragster championship standings.

    About American Rebel Holdings, Inc.

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) has operated primarily as a designer, manufacturer and marketer of branded safes and personal security and self-defense products and has recently transitioned into the beverage industry through the introduction of American Rebel Beer. The Company also designs and produces branded apparel and accessories. To learn more, visit americanrebelbeer.com or americanrebel.com. For investor information, visit americanrebelbeer.com/investor-relations.

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc.
    info@americanrebel.com

    American Rebel Beverages, LLC
    Todd Porter, President
    tporter@americanrebelbeer.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. American Rebel Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ: AREB; AREBW) (the “Company,” “American Rebel,” “we,” “our” or “us”) desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words “forecasts” “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include benefits of a launch party, actual launch timing and availability of American Rebel Beer, success and availability of the promotional activities, our ability to effectively execute our business plan, and the Risk Factors contained within our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

    Company Contact:
    tporter@americanrebelbeer.com
     info@americanrebel.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: CapEx Finance Index (CFI) April 2025: New Business Volumes Dip; Financial Conditions Strengthen

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WASHINGTON, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    • FORECAST: A slight contraction in new business volumes suggests a 0.4% decline in new durable goods orders in April.
    • Total new business volume (NBV) rose by $10 billion seasonally adjusted among surveyed ELFA member companies, a decrease of 3.2% from the prior month.
    • NBV year-to-date contracted by 1.0% relative to the same period in 2024.
    • Year-over-year, NBV dropped by 4.4% on a non-seasonally adjusted basis.
    • Charge-offs (losses) declined to 0.40%, the largest single-month decrease since October of 2020.

    “The April CFI showed a sector that weathered the recent surge in economic and financial market volatility. Demand for new equipment eased a little, but remained healthy, especially given all the April ups-and-downs,” said Leigh Lytle, President and CEO at ELFA. “Financial conditions strengthened remarkably, with losses and delinquencies plummeting. The across-the-board improvement in charge-offs highlights the industry’s resiliency, while the reduction in delinquencies suggests more improvements in financial conditions are on the horizon. Even if some of the impact from changing trade policy is delayed, the strength in financial conditions shows that it will take a lot more than uncertainty to knock the industry off course. While I don’t expect calm waters over the remainder of the year, I am optimistic that uncertainty will ease, which suggests a strong second half of the year for our industry.”

    New business volumes edged lower. New business volume growth cooled in April, declining 3.2% from the prior month. The $10 billion in overall new business volume is the second highest reading in 2025 and remained close to its two-year trend. Activity at banks and captives declined by 6.1% and 10.4%, respectively, while new volumes grew by 0.1% at independents. Over the last five months, the equipment finance industry has experienced an uptick in demand volatility, much of it in new business volumes at banks, which make up roughly half of the CapEx Finance Index. Even with the slowdown in new activity at banks, the average monthly rate of new business volumes was $5.1 billion over the first four months of the year, which is in line with the average over the last six months of 2024. New volume growth for small ticket deals dropped by 18.3% to $2.8 billion. Year-to-date, the small ticket index is down 20.6%, and the average monthly volume of new business remains well below its 2024 average.

    The pace of job losses slowed. Employment in the equipment finance industry was down 2.0% over the previous 12 months. That’s a slower rate of contraction than the 2.7% yearly decline in March. Employment at banks and captives both declined, while headcount at independents increased.

    Credit approvals shot up to the highest rate in over two years. The overall credit approval rate jumped to 77.4%, a rise of almost 1.4 percentage points. That is double the 0.7 percentage point increase in the prior month. The overall credit approval rate has so far risen by 3.1 percentage points in 2025.

    Financial conditions strengthened markedly. Aging receivables over 30 days fell by over 40 basis points to 1.8% in April. That is the lowest delinquency rate since June of 2023, and the biggest decline since November of that same year. Delinquencies on small ticket deals dropped by 34 basis points, and rates at banks and independents declined. Aging receivables at captives erased a March decrease, rising to 2.5%. After climbing for two months, the overall charge-off rate dropped to its lowest point since October last year. The loss rate on small ticket acquisitions also declined, as did the charge-off rate for banks, captives and independents.

    “We are cautiously optimistic about the months ahead and the stability of the economy and our industry as we head into summer,” said Daryn Lecy, CLFP, SVP/Chief Operating Officer, Oakmont Capital Services. “There are macroeconomic reasons to wait and see, as negotiations on tariffs begin and will likely take time. Additionally, several significant economic reports are set to be released in the coming weeks, which may impact business and consumer confidence. Specific to our industry, recent positive data—such as strong credit approvals—aligns well with substantially improved month-over-month delinquency and loss figures, giving us further reasons for optimism. Our industry is comprised of talented individuals and creative problem solvers who will adapt and position themselves to secure opportunities in any economic conditions.”

    Industry Confidence
    The Monthly Confidence Index from ELFA’s affiliate, the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation, increased to 44.5 in May, up from 41.9 in April, as equipment finance companies await further clarity around tariff policies.

    About ELFA’s CFI
    The CapEx Finance Index (CFI) is the only real-time dataset that tracks nationwide conditions in the equipment financing industry. The information is compiled from a diversified set of businesses that respond to questions about demand for equipment financing, employment, and changes in financial conditions. The resulting data is organized by institution type, such as banks, captives, and independents, and is classified into overall activity and financing for small ticket equipment and software. The CFI is released monthly from Washington, D.C., generally one day before the U.S. Department of Commerce’s durable goods report. More detail on the data and methodology can be found at www.elfaonline.org/CFI.

    About ELFA
    The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) represents financial services companies and manufacturers in the $1 trillion U.S. equipment finance sector. ELFA’s over 600 member companies provide essential financing that helps businesses acquire the equipment they need to operate and grow. Learn how equipment finance contributes to businesses’ success, U.S. economic growth, manufacturing and jobs at www.elfaonline.org.

    Follow ELFA:
    X: @ELFAonline
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/115191

    Media/Press Contact: Krishna Magalona, PR Manager, ELFA, Krishna@360livemedia.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b4b94a8a-22d2-45f2-a618-8c1d5c73620e

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Stansberry Asset Management Named to PSN Top Guns List of Best Performing Strategies for Q1 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WESTLAKE, Texas, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stansberry Asset Management (“SAM”) has been named to the celebrated PSN Top Guns List of best performing separate accounts, managed accounts, and managed ETF strategies for Q1 2025. The highly anticipated list, published by Zephyr, remains one of the most important references for investors and asset managers.

    “Q1 2025 presented a fascinating market narrative marked by significant rotation and global shifts. Success demanded adaptability, deep market understanding, and strategic positioning,” says PSN Product Manager Nick Williams. “PSN Top Guns managers demonstrated exceptional skill in navigating these complex dynamics, where value sectors outperformed growth, international markets showed strength, and policy shifts created both challenges and opportunities. Their expertise in reading and responding to these evolving market conditions continues to showcase the enduring value of active management in separately managed accounts.”

    SAM’s recognition highlights the strength of two flagship strategies—Gold and Income—which posted standout performance and offered clients differentiated results in a highly dynamic market.

    “Our Gold and Income strategies stood out in Q1 not only for their positive performance but also for how they navigated volatility with purpose,” said Austin Root, Chief Investment Officer at SAM. “Gold offered a meaningful hedge amid rising macroeconomic uncertainty, while our Income strategy delivered yield without sacrificing downside protection. This recognition from Zephyr underscores the value of our active, research-driven approach.”

    Through PSN’s proprietary performance screens, the PSN Top Guns awards products in six proprietary categories across more than 75 universes, based on consistent performance over time.

    SAM’s Gold strategy earned a PSN Top Guns Q1 and 1-Year award, meaning it ranked in the top ten returns of the US Equity Universe, comprised of 2,658 other strategies. For Q1 2025, the strategy ranked #1, and for the 1-Year period ending 3/31/2025, it ranked #2 within the universe.

    The Gold strategy is designed for investors seeking to increase their exposure to precious metals—primarily gold—as a hedge against inflation, currency risk, and market turmoil. It employs a four-pronged approach to generate income and grow capital while maintaining gold’s core role as a long-term store of value. In today’s environment of rising volatility and macroeconomic uncertainty, gold remains an essential allocation in diversified portfolios.

    SAM’s Income strategy earned a PSN Top Guns Q1 award, ranking #2 in the US Balanced Universe among 300 other strategies.

    The Income strategy is built to deliver reliable yield while participating in upside markets and offering protection during drawdowns. Actively managed and forward-looking, it searches for yield across traditional and non-traditional sources, favoring companies with strong shareholder-return policies including dividends, buybacks, and special distributions. Its flexible structure allows it to adapt to evolving market conditions while remaining anchored in risk-conscious income generation.

    The complete list of PSN Top Guns and an overview of the methodology can be located at https://psn.fi.informais.com/.

    To Learn more about SAM’s Gold and Income Strategies you can visit:
    Gold Strategy: https://www.stansberryam.com/gold/
    Income Strategy: https://www.stansberryam.com/income/

    About Stansberry Asset Management (SAM)

    Stansberry Asset Management is a registered investment advisory firm headquartered in Westlake, Texas, with offices in New York, NY, Clifton Park, NY and San Mateo, CA with clients across the country. SAM marries informed, active, sophisticated investment management with holistic financial and wealth planning, all with a focus on helping clients build and preserve their legacy. SAM’s approach is rooted in rigorous analysis, strategic insight, and a commitment to client-centric service. For more information, please visit www.stansberryam.com.

    About PSN
    For more than four decades, PSN has been a top resource for investment professionals. Asset managers rely on Zephyr’s PSN to effectively reach institutional and retail investors. Over 2,800 firms, 285 universes, and more than 21,000 products comprise the PSN SMA database showing asset breakdowns, compliance, key personnel, ownership diversity, ESG, business objectives and strategy, style, fees, GIC sectors, fixed income ranges and full holdings. Unique to PSN is its robust historical database of over 40 Years of Data Including Net and Gross-of-Fee Returns. PSN Outlook for 2025 provides insight and trends about the SMA industry. You can view it online here.
    Visit PSN online to learn more.

    Contact:

    Claire Snider
    info@stansberryam.com
    646.854.4370

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Middlefield Banc Corp. Announces Retirement of Darryl E. Mast from Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIDDLEFIELD, Ohio, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Middlefield Banc Corp. (NASDAQ: MBCN) today announced the retirement of Darryl E. Mast from its Board of Directors, effective May 14, 2025.

    Mr. Mast joined the Middlefield Banking Company’s Board of Directors in 2011 and has been a Director of Middlefield Banc Corp. since 2013. His leadership, insight, and expertise have been integral to the success of Middlefield Banc Corp. and The Middlefield Banking Company, and his contributions have left a lasting impact.

    “We are grateful for Darryl’s unwavering commitment to the Bank,” stated Ronald L. Zimmerly, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer. “His leadership has been instrumental in shaping the Bank’s growth, and we will certainly miss his valuable perspective. On behalf of everyone at the Bank, we wish him nothing but the best as he begins his next chapter.”

    Following Mr. Mast’s retirement, his position on the Board will not be replaced, and the number of directors will be fixed at 11 members.

    About Middlefield Banc Corp.
    Middlefield Banc Corp., headquartered in Middlefield, Ohio, is the Bank holding Company of The Middlefield Banking Company, with total assets of $1.89 billion at March 31, 2025. The Bank operates 21 full-service banking centers and an LPL Financial® brokerage office serving Ada, Beachwood, Bellefontaine, Chardon, Cortland, Dublin, Garrettsville, Kenton, Mantua, Marysville, Middlefield, Newbury, Orwell, Plain City, Powell, Solon, Sunbury, Twinsburg, and Westerville. The Bank also operates a Loan Production Office in Mentor, Ohio.

    Additional information is available at www.middlefieldbank.bank

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
    This press release of Middlefield Banc Corp. and the reports Middlefield Banc Corp. files with the Securities and Exchange Commission often contain “forward-looking statements” relating to present or future trends or factors affecting the banking industry and, specifically, the financial operations, markets and products of Middlefield Banc Corp. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties. There are a number of important factors that could cause Middlefield Banc Corp.’s future results to differ materially from historical performance or projected performance. These factors include, but are not limited to: (1) a significant increase in competitive pressures among financial institutions; (2) changes in the interest rate environment that may reduce interest margins; (3) changes in prepayment speeds, charge-offs and loan loss provisions; (4) less favorable than expected general economic conditions; (5) legislative or regulatory changes that may adversely affect businesses in which Middlefield Banc Corp. is engaged; (6) technological issues which may adversely affect Middlefield Banc Corp.’s financial operations or customers; (7) changes in the securities markets; or (8) risk factors mentioned in the reports and registration statements Middlefield Banc Corp. files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Middlefield Banc Corp. undertakes no obligation to release revisions to these forward-looking statements or to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.

    Company Contact: Investor and Media Contact:
    Ron Zimmerly
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Middlefield Banc Corp.
    (419) 673-1217
    RZimmerly@middlefieldbank.com    		 Andrew M. Berger
    Managing Director
    SM Berger & Company, Inc.
    (216) 464-6400
    andrew@smberger.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Statement on the appointment of Cecilia Skingsley as County Governor of Stockholm

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    I extend my warmest congratulations to Cecilia and wish her all the best in this new role. Under her leadership, the BIS Innovation Hub made great strides towards fulfilling our strategic goal of helping central banks face the challenges of the future by exploring cutting-edge financial technologies. It recently completed its expansion to seven centres worldwide, concluded over 30 projects, started many others and has synthesised the lessons from these experiments for the broader community of central banks, regulators and supervisors. Cecilia has built a skilled and passionate team steeped in the culture of innovation and ready to take on more challenges.

    Cecilia’s expertise in policymaking and innovation was evident long before joining the BIS, in her previous roles as First Deputy Governor of Sveriges Riksbank and as chair of the BIS’s Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures Future of Payments Working Group. I am sure that the global central banking community will join me in wishing Cecilia the best of luck in this important new chapter of her impressive public service career.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI imposes monetary penalty on The Aska Central Co-operative Bank Ltd., Aska, Odisha

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated May 20, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand only) on The Aska Central Co-operative Bank Ltd., Aska, Odisha (the bank) for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Membership of Credit Information Companies (CICs) by Co-operative Banks’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 25(1)(iii) read with Section 23(4) of the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005.

    The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2024. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the following charge against the bank was sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:

    The bank had failed to furnish credit information of its customers to any of the Credit Information Companies.

    This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of this monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2025-2026/389

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: FMQs: Polluters must pay to prevent climate breakdown

    Source: Scottish Greens

    22 May 2025 Climate

    Climate breakdown already costs households in Scotland over £3,000 a year on average.

    More in Climate

    Climate inaction will cost Scottish households and the economy unless big polluters are made to pay, says Scottish Greens Co-Leader Lorna Slater MSP at First Minister’s Questions.

    Research by Global Witness has revealed that the costs of climate breakdown in the UK amount to an estimated £3,000 per household over the course of 2025.

    The cost of wildfires, flooding, crop losses, and more, means higher bills for households, such as insurance and everyday essentials, warns Tax Justice UK.

    Scottish Greens have long called for a windfall tax on the fossil fuel sector to pay for a Just Transition for North East workers, and to fund urgent climate action.

    In the Holyrood chamber, Ms Slater asked the First Minister:

    “Your Government has spent the last year ripping up policies designed to tackle the climate emergency. And I know the First Minister knows that delaying action on climate, actually costs a lot more in the long run.

    “Analysis from Global Witness shows that climate damage is already costing Scottish households £3,000 every year, on average, while multinational fossil fuel giants are still raking in billions of pounds of profit.

    “Unless polluters pay, communities will be worse off and the super rich will keep getting richer.

    “So that we can invest more now, not only to save money later, but to create green jobs and opportunities that we know will benefit Scotland, will the First Minister support policies to tax polluters?”

    Responding to Ms Slater, the First Minister did not set out any clear examples of climate action or attempts to make polluters pay his government would take.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Disaster Relief to Maryland Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by March Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Maryland who sustained economic losses caused by drought beginning Mar. 4.

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore County, Carroll, Frederick, Howard and Montgomery, and Prince George in Maryland and District of Columbia, Adam and York in Pennsylvania as well as Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun in Virginia.  

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

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

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.62% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

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

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is Jan. 6, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: NorthStrive Biosciences Announces Completion of Phase I Strategic Review for EL-22 Targeting Muscle Loss Associated with GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs and Age-Related Sarcopenia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Northstrive Biosciences Inc. (“Northstrive”), a subsidiary of PMGC Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ELAB) (the “Company,” “PMGC,” “we,” or “our”), today announced the completion of a Phase I strategic research and literature synthesis for EL-22 (formerly BLS-M22), its first-in-class oral myostatin-engineered probiotic. The analysis, conducted in collaboration with Yuva Biosciences and supported by AI-based scientific review technology from Yuva Biosciences’ MitoNova™, provided valuable insights into EL-22’s proposed mechanism of action and will help guide further exploration into its potential to address critical unmet needs in muscle-wasting conditions, including GLP-1-associated atrophy and age-related sarcopenia.

    EL-22 is leveraging a myostatin-engineered probiotic approach to address obesity’s pressing issue of preserving muscle while on weight loss treatments, including GLP-1 receptor agonists. The oral biologic is designed to induce a targeted immune response against myostatin, a key negative regulator of muscle growth. Unlike traditional injectable antibodies, EL-22 leverages genetically engineered Lactobacillus casei to stimulate the gut immune system, offering a convenient, patient-friendly oral delivery method with potential safety and efficacy advantages.

    Key Highlights from the Report:

    • Strong Preclinical Rationale: Synthesized findings from published peer-reviewed literature, highlight noteworthy effects of EL-22 in mdx mice on antibody production, serum CK, body weight, motor function, and muscle histology.
    • Unique Oral Vaccine Approach: EL-22 is distinct from the more common systemic administration of antibodies or gene therapy vectors. Utilizing Lactobacillus casei as a delivery vehicle to stimulate mucosal and systemic immunity against myostatin is a novel immunological strategy for a muscle-wasting disorder.
    • Targeting GLP-1-Associated Muscle Loss: With the rapid expansion of GLP-1 receptor agonists in obesity and diabetes, EL-22 is well-positioned to address the growing concern of associated muscle loss. The company is prioritizing this indication for its next clinical development milestone.
    • Strategic Next Steps: NorthStrive intends to launch a Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial targeting GLP-1 users and begin regulatory engagement to advance EL-22 toward an IND filing in the United States.

    About Northstrive Biosciences Inc.

    Northstrive Biosciences Inc., a PMGC Holdings Inc. company, is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development and acquisition of cutting-edge aesthetic medicines. Northstrive’s lead asset, EL-22, leverages an engineered probiotic approach to address obesity’s pressing issue of preserving muscle while on weight loss treatments, including GLP-1 receptor agonists. For more information, please visit www.northstrivebio.com.

    About Yuva Biosciences, Inc.

    Yuva Biosciences is a longevity company harnessing the cutting edge of mitochondrial science to address the root cause of aging. By partnering with consumer brands and biotech innovators, Yuva Biosciences develops solutions for aging-related concerns including hair loss, skin wrinkles, and several other conditions driven by a decline in mitochondrial function. The company is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. For more information, please visit www.yuvabio.com.

    About PMGC Holdings Inc.

    PMGC Holdings Inc. is a diversified holding company that manages and grows its portfolio through strategic acquisitions, investments, and development across various industries. Currently, our portfolio consists of three wholly owned subsidiaries: Northstrive Biosciences Inc., PMGC Research Inc., and PMGC Capital LLC. We are committed to exploring opportunities in multiple sectors to maximize growth and value. For more information, please visit https://www.pmgcholdings.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Words such as “believes,” “expects,” “plans,” “potential,” “would” and “future” or similar expressions such as “look forward” are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, activities of regulators and future regulations and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. These and other risks are described more fully in PMGC’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on March 28, 2025, and its other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the SEC. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except to the extent required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

    IR Contact:

    IR@pmgcholdings.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Young Kim Secures SALT Cap Increase, Tax Cuts in Historic Package 

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-40) voted in favor of H.R. 1, which takes historic steps to uplift working families and small businesses, get our country back on the right fiscal track, and streamline and strengthen our federal government to better serve the American people.  

    Rep. Kim, who serves as Republican co-chair of the State and Local Tax (SALT) Caucus, secured a 400% increase in the cap on SALT deductions, allowing hardworking California families to keep more money in their pockets and providing vital relief for  her constituents hurt by the current $10,000 SALT cap. 

    “Californians I represent have been bearing the brunt of persistent inflation due to wasteful spending from Washington and Sacramento. It’s past time for relief. Increasing the SALT cap 400% is a huge win that allows middle-class families I represent to keep more hard-earned money in their pockets,” said Rep. Young Kim. 

    “This bill takes important steps to ensure federal dollars are stretched as far as possible and strengthen Medicaid for our most vulnerable citizens. I will keep working to get our country back on the right track and protect the American dream for future generations,” she continued. 

    In addition to providing much-needed SALT relief, H.R. 1 supports the American people through initiatives such as: 

    • Protecting Medicaid for future generations of our most vulnerable citizens, including seniors, women, children, and disabled Americans;  
    • Extending middle-class tax cuts and the child tax credit originally enacted in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; and, 
    • Promoting financial literacy and opportunity by creating a pilot program where newborns receive $1,000 in a tax advantaged investment account. 

    According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, nearly 25,000 small and pass-through businesses across Rep. Kim’s district will see an increase of approximately $21,906,300 in their qualified business income deduction through the bill’s passage. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Councillor Paul De Kort re-elected Leader of St Albans City and District Council

    Source: St Albans City and District

    Publication date:

    Councillor Paul De Kort has been re-elected Leader of St Albans City and District Council.

    He was voted to the role for the second year in succession at the annual meeting of the Full Council on Wednesday 21 May.

    Cllr De Kort will chair the Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee which has responsibility for the budget and other financial issues.

    He will also chair the Planning Policy and Climate Committee, which is overseeing the progress of the Local Plan.

    Cllr De Kort represents Harpenden East ward and has been a Councillor since 2021. He has previously held several key committee positions including Vice Chair of Resources and Chair of Audit.

    He said after the meeting confirmed his appointment:

    I am delighted to have been voted Leader again by my fellow Councillors. 

    During the coming year, we will continue our work on behalf of our residents to make St Albans District an even better place to live and work.

    Over the past 12 months, we have completed the construction of Jubilee Square, a landmark development in a sustainable location in the heart of the City. It has provided 30 new social rent homes for people on our housing register and it will also considerably increase footfall in the centre once the commercial space is occupied.

    In the year ahead, we are on track to get our Local Plan adopted, a blueprint for the sustainable growth of St Albans District over the next 16 years.

    This will allow for 15,000 much-needed new homes as well as £750 million of new infrastructure including new schools, better public transport, locations for 15,000 jobs, green spaces and health facilities.

    We will also remain committed to tackling the climate emergency, promoting inclusive communities and ensuring that our leisure facilities remain at a very high level. We have achieved all this despite the challenging financial climate.

    The Council meeting also agreed to the appointment of six other Lead Councillors who will each have a wide range of responsibilities. They are:

    Councillor Helen Campbell: Deputy Leader, Chair of the Public Realm Committee and Lead for car parking, parks and leisure.

    Councillor Terrie Smith: Vice-Chair of the Public Realm Committee and Lead for heritage, waste and recycling.

    Councillor Simon Johns: Chair of the Housing and Inclusion Committee and Lead for housing services and homelessness.

    Councillor Sarwar Shamsher: Vice-Chair of the Housing and Inclusion Committee and Lead for equality, inclusion and community safety.

    Councillor Giles Fry: Vice-Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee and Lead for resources.

    Councillor Jacqui Taylor: Vice-Chair of the Planning Policy and Climate Committee and Lead for sustainability, climate and housing delivery.

    Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, 01727 819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Goodbye, school: the last bell rang at the Pre-University of the State University of Management

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On May 21, 2025, the last bell rang for 11th grade students of the Pre-University of the State University of Management.

    This year, the theme of the holiday was a train journey. And before departure, the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev addressed the assembled students, their parents and teachers with a welcoming speech.

    “Two years have flown by and today you are already standing on the threshold of a new adult life. But the path of a graduate is not over yet, the most important thing is ahead – passing the Unified State Exam. As a parent, I myself went through this exciting stage and I want to wish you to worry less, because it is definitely impossible not to worry at all. Believe in your children, our Pre-University provides one of the best educations that Moscow has at the high school level. I am sure that the children will cope with all the tests with dignity and in a month we will award them with prizes and medals. I wish you all to pass the Unified State Exam with a hundred points and enter the State University of Management, because the guys from the Pre-University are already familiar with the university, know the basics of the first year and will be able to easily adapt to study,” concluded Vladimir Stroyev.

    The students of the Pre-University themselves prepared a festive concert, where they performed large-scale dance numbers, humorous skits, live performances of songs by groups and a choir, as well as live playing of musical instruments. In addition, the guys prepared several videos about their life during their studies at the Pre-University and humorous questions about teachers.

    The class teachers also came up on stage with their wishes and congratulations in return, which they read out without hiding their tears.

    Marina Grigorieva, Director of the Pre-University of the State University of Management, also congratulated the graduates.

    “I am very touched by your performance, I want to say that I love you very much too. I wish all your dreams come true: from little unicorns to presidents of large holding companies,” Marina Yuryevna admitted.

    The GUU Pre-University started working in 2020. The training is free of charge in the following term profiles: socio-economic, humanitarian and technical (IT-oriented). Depending on the choice, schoolchildren study in depth mathematics, English, computer science, information technology, social studies, economics, law, which in the future allows them to easily and successfully enter the GUU or any university in the country.

    More photos from the event in our VK community.

    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 USA: Rep. Moore Votes “Yes” on One Big Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

    Washington, D.C. – This morning, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Congressman Riley M. Moore voted “Yes” on the legislation, and earlier this morning spoke in favor of it on the House floor.

    Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

    “77 million Americans demanded generational change in November. Today, House Republicans delivered on that mandate from the American people.

    “Our One Big Beautiful Bill delivers major victories for the American people:

    “It unleashes American energy like never before, repeals billions in subsidies for the Green New Scam, expedites permitting, and kills the radical EV mandates.

    “It delivers the largest tax cut in American history by making the 2017 tax cuts permanent, eliminates tax on tips and overtime, and slashes taxes on Social Security payments.

    “It sends critical resources to immigration authorities for border security and large-scale deportation efforts, finishes construction of the border wall, invests in 21st-century defense systems like the Golden Dome, restores America’s maritime dominance, and upgrades the nation’s air traffic control system.

    “It invests in the American family by expanding the child tax credit, enhances the adoption tax credit, establishes federal savings accounts for new babies, defunds big abortion, and ends government funding for all sex-change surgeries.

    “This bill delivers for West Virginia and the American people. We strengthened Medicaid for those who need it, cut spending by over $1.5 trillion, and will soon see our economy enter a new Golden Age. I’m proud to have voted “Yes” today, and urge the Senate to quickly pass this legislation and send it to President Trump for signature.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Speaker Johnson: The President is waiting with his pen. And the American people are waiting for relief.

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — Ahead of passage, Speaker Johnson delivered the closing argument for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on the House floor this morning, arguing for its swift passage and immediate consideration by the U.S. Senate.

    Click here to watch Speaker Johnson’s full remarks

    Below are Speaker Johnson’s remarks as delivered:

    After a long week and a long night and countless hours of work over the past year, a lot of prayer and a lot of teamwork, my friends, it quite literally is again Morning in America, isn’t it? And after four long years of President Biden’s failures, President Trump’s America First agenda is finally here, and we are advancing that today.

    What we’re going to do here this morning is truly historic, and it will make all the difference in the daily lives of hard-working Americans. The Dallas waitress pulling overtime, the Detroit mom counting bills late at night, the Kentucky coal miner waiting on his second chance. These are the forgotten men and women of our country that we are all called here to serve, and the One Big Beautiful Bill will deliver for those people.

    It revives our economy. It will deliver historic tax relief. It will make the largest investment in our border security in a generation. It will unleash affordable American energy again, restore common sense to government, secure generational savings and strengthen our national defense, while it also strengthens our essential programs like Medicaid for the people who need it the most. That’s what we’re doing with the One Big Beautiful Bill.

    To put it simply, this bill gets Americans back to winning again, and it’s been a long time coming. This One Big Beautiful Bill is the most consequential legislation that any party has ever passed, certainly under a majority this thin. Legislation of this magnitude is truly nation shaping and life changing. It’s the kind of transformational change that future generations will study one day.

    They’ll look back at this day as a turning point in American history, and it’s exactly what we were sent here to do. Let the record show that when the House Democrats vote in a few moments, this is what they’ll be voting for. Their vote will show that they are apparently for the largest tax increase in the history of our country. They will be voting for when they vote against this bill, waste, fraud, and abuse. They will be voting against safer communities, American energy dominance and American strength on the world stage.

    Today wouldn’t be possible without the leadership of arguably the most powerful and the most successful and the most respected president in the modern era of the United States. Our Democratic colleagues mock the objective truth. We were delivered unified government, my friends, in November, the White House, the Senate and the House were delivered to the party on this side of the aisle. So you can laugh all you want.

    None of this would be possible without the leadership of the 45th and the 47th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and it would not be possible without the really hard work of the men and women on this side of the aisle.

    I just want to name our chairman of their House committees that produced and did all the hard work to produce the big, beautiful bill. Scripture says we give honor where honor is due, Mr. Leader, and we’re going to do that here quickly: Chairman G.T. Thompson of the Agriculture Committee, Chairman Mike Rogers of the Armed Services Committee, Chairman Jodey Arrington of the Budget Committee, Chairman Tim Walberg, Education and Workforce Committee, Chairman Brett Guthrie, Energy and Commerce Committee, Chairman French Hill, Financial Services Committee, Chairman Mark Green, Homeland Security Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, Judiciary Committee, Chairman Bruce Westerman, House Natural Resources Committee, Chairman James Comer Oversight and Accountability Committee, Chairman Sam Graves, Transportation and Infrastructure, Chairman Jason Smith, Ways and Means Committee, and I want to make special mention of Chairwoman Virginia Foxx of the Rules Committee, who, by my count, sat in that chair and led that Rules Committee for almost seemed like two straight days. And I think she took two short breaks. She’s the “iron lady of the House,” and I’m so grateful for all their hard work.

    The beauty of what we produce with the One Big Beautiful Bill over here is that this was a team effort. This was men and women who were elected to come here, the duly elected representatives of the people back home. They rolled up their sleeves. They got down in the trenches. We began this effort over a year ago.

    It was actually March of last year, because we anticipated, and we believed, that we would be delivered unified government, that we would have a Republican leader in the White House, Donald J. Trump, that we would have the Senate and the house, and that we would have that moment of opportunity. And so, we planned, and we worked, and we locked arms together as a team, and we have delivered this against all odds.

    The media has tried to divide us. They’ve written our eulogy about 10 times, and you know what? Sometimes it’s good to be underestimated, isn’t it? But we got this done, and I’m so proud of the work of every member of this House Republican Conference who worked in their committees. Every single member had a say in this, every single constituent, the millions of people that are represented here, have their voices and their interests reflected, because we did this together as a team, and it’s quite an achievement.

    I just want to say that all that tireless work has led to the hard work of crafting this legislation, and we’ve been ready since day one to deliver on this agenda. Unified control of government is a rare mandate. It doesn’t happen very often. It’s happened just three times for our party in the last half century. We do not take it for granted, and we are delivering on that mandate here today.

    The American people gave us a mandate in November. They sent a message with their vote. They gave this side of the aisle the power, and we’re going to use it to make their lives better. What we’re achieving here today is nothing short of historic, and that’s true. House Republicans are getting it done again.

    In the Republican Party, see, we believe in a simple principle. We believe that America really is a shining city on a hill. Ronald Reagan used to talk about that, he was referencing Scripture. He understood that America is exceptional. He understood that, as it says right there above the Speaker’s rostrum, our national motto, that we trust in God, in God is our trust. These are the things that make our nation exceptional, and the people of our country, they deserve, they deserve better.

    We’ve been working hard to deliver so that the people of our country see this again as a shining city on a hill, and that people around the world see us for who we should be. One thing that we can all agree on, on both sides of the aisle, is that a strong America is good for everybody, all around the world. All of us together, regardless of party, were called here to stand together and defend those freedoms and to defend those foundations that made us the greatest nation in the history of the world. All of us have to look and recognize that the shine has not been on that city in a while. We’re here to restore it, and this piece of legislation, as large as it is and historic as it is, will do that very thing.

    Now look, we’re accomplishing a big thing here today, but we know this isn’t the end of the road just yet. We’ve been working closely with Leader Thune and our Senate colleagues, the Senate Republicans, to get this done and delivered to the President’s desk by our Independence Day, that’s July 4.

    Today proves that we can do that, and we will do that. And it doesn’t matter how much the media doubts this, or how much the Democrats, you know, give us their narratives. Doesn’t matter how long the speeches are. It doesn’t change the facts; we’re delivering, and we’re doing it in a big way.

    So, to our friends in the Senate, I would just say, the President is waiting with his pen. The American people are waiting for this relief. They are waiting for these life changing results, and we are going to finish this job. This is a historic moment that we will be talking to our children and our grandchildren about, and everyone will remember America’s back. I yield back.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes President Trump’s America First Agenda

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

    Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. After voting in support of the bill, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) issued the following statement:

    “House Republicans have met the moment before us with passage of today’s historic legislation. Through months of hard work, valuable input from all Members of our conference, and a clear mandate from 77 million Americans—the House has delivered the people’s agenda,” said Congressman Allen. “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act codifies President Trump’s priorities by providing resources to secure the border, making a generational investment in America’s defense, bolstering domestic energy dominance, avoiding the largest tax hike in history, and protecting our most vulnerable communities. My colleagues in the Senate must move expeditiously in passing our bill and sending it to President Trump’s desk. The sooner this legislation is signed into law, the sooner our economy will experience record growth and American families, workers, and businesses will see the relief they have long deserved.”

    THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT:

    • Makes the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent – protecting the average taxpayer from a 22% tax hike.
      • The average taxpayer in GA-12 would see a 24% tax hike if the Trump Tax Cuts expire.
      • A family of 4 making $60,966, the median income in GA-12, would see a $1,160 tax increase if the Trump Tax Cuts expire.
      • Over 6,000 family-owned farms in GA-12 would have their death tax exemption slashed in half next year if the Trump Tax Cuts expire.
    • Delivers on President Trump’s priorities of no tax on tips, overtime pay, and car loan interest, and provides additional tax relief for seniors. 
    • Provides funding for 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel.
    • Provides an effective border wall system, specifically:
      • Completion of 701 miles of primary wall.
      • Construction of 900 miles of river barriers.
      • 629 miles of secondary barriers.
      • Replacement of 141 miles of vehicle and pedestrian barriers.
    • Rescinds wasteful Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) spending which led to runaway inflation.
    • Streamlines processes for developing energy infrastructure which will unleash American energy, help secure affordable and reliable energy for Americans, and support exporting energy to aid our allies.
    • Ensures that Medicaid only pays for American citizens and legal immigrants by strengthening citizenship verifications to determine eligibility, saving tens of billions of dollars.
    • Increases personal accountability to help lift Americans out of poverty by establishing work requirements in Medicaid for able-bodied adults who do not have dependent children or elderly parents in their care.
    • Strengthens accountability for students and taxpayers, streamlines student
      loan options, and simplifies student loan repayment.

    BACKGROUND: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, otherwise known as the reconciliation bill, is a combination of individual bills advanced by 11 House committees as instructed by the Republican Budget Framework. Congressman Allen sits on two of the 11 committees, the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Education and Workforce Committee, in which he played an integral role in crafting and advancing the language under each committee’s jurisdiction. Legislation brought to a vote under the reconciliation process in the United States Senate only requires a simple majority vote.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Republicans Pass President Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ – U.S. Representative Barry Loudermilk

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)

    Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) issued the following statement on the House of Representatives passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.

    “Today, my Republican colleagues and I passed President Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill Act — a historic win for the American people. An extensive amount of work went into this legislation, which will extend tax cuts for hard-working Americans, unleash American energy stifled by the Democrats’ Green New scam, and provide much-needed support for our brave Border Patrol agents. This bill also gives the administration the tools to investigate, expose and cut fraud, waste, and abuse within federal government agencies, while protecting the core services that many Americans rely upon.

    “This is an historic bill aimed at delivering on the mandate the American people gave us in November. Republicans have ensured that Americans can keep more of what they earn, and pay lower prices for food and gas, as a result of our pro-energy approach. Americans can also expect a return to a safer nation, as we equip Border Patrol and Homeland Security with the tools needed to expel foreign terrorists and criminals — and to keep them from returning. The Big, Beautiful Bill is the pro-family, pro-America policy needed to restore American excellence at home and abroad.”

    Background

    Border Security

    • Provides funding for 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel.
    • Provides funding for detention capacity sufficient to maintain an average daily population of at least 100,000 aliens.
    • Provides funding for at least one million annual removals.
    • Introduces a new series of fees that provide funding and resources to various agencies.
    • Funds the hiring of 10,000 new ICE agents and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) criminal investigators
    • Codifies permanent fees for immigration services, to ensure cost recovery and reduce the federal deficit.

    • Provides $12 billion to reimburse states for actions taken to deter, mitigate, or prevent unlawful or illicit activities related to border security.

    Permanent Extension of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

    • Makes the 2017 Trump-era tax cuts permanent – protecting the average taxpayer from a 22 percent tax hike.
    • Saves the average American family $1,700 – the equivalent of 9 weeks of groceries.
    • Increases real annual take-home pay for a median-income household with two children by roughly $4,000 to $5,000.
    • Raises annual real wages by $2,100 to $3,300 per worker.
    • Delivers on President Trump’s priorities of no tax on tips, overtime pay, or car loan interest, and provides additional tax relief for our seniors.

    • Repeals the requirement for firearm silencers and takes the manufacturer tax on silencers to $0
    • Locks in and boosts the doubled Child Tax Credit for more than 40 million families, and provides additional tax relief for American families.
    • Supports working families by expanding access to childcare and making the paid leave tax credit permanent.
    • Puts American families in control of their health care by expanding health savings accounts and cementing into law a Trump Administration policy that offers more choice and flexibility for health coverage options.
    • Starts building financial security for America’s children, at birth, with the creation of new savings accounts.

    Unleashes American Energy

    • Reinstates quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales, generating $12 billion in revenue.
    • Mandates at least thirty lease sales in the Gulf of America over the next fifteen years, and six in the Cook Inlet, generating billions of dollars in new revenue.
    • Returns to reasonable oil and natural gas royalty rates.
    • Requires geothermal lease sales, generating $23 million in new revenue.
    • Resumes leasing for energy production in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, generating over $1 billion in new revenue and savings.
    • Resumes coal leasing on federal lands.
    • Increases timber sales on federal lands and requires long-term timber contracts.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Townsville man fined for illegal dumping

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 22 May 2025

    The man received a hefty fine for unlawfully dumping the rubbish.

    DETSI investigates every case of illegal dumping.

    A man has received a hefty fine for unlawfully dumping rubbish in bushland in the Townsville Town Common Conservation Park.

    Remote cameras captured a ute with rubbish in the tray entering the conservation park on 16 March 2025. The vehicle was later captured leaving the conservation park with an empty tray.

    Rangers from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) conducted a site inspection and discovered the waste, which included air-conditioning units, empty boxes and other general waste.

    Executive Director Waste and Enforcement Jackie McKeay said officers from DETSI’s Litter and Illegal Dumping Compliance Operations issued a show cause notice to the driver of the vehicle.

    “The man admitted that he dumped the waste in the conservation park, and he went back to clean it up,” Ms McKeay said.

    “He was issued with a Penalty Infringement Notice for $2,580. This fine is a reminder to Queenslanders that our remote cameras can be anywhere at any time.

    “We take a zero-tolerance approach to illegal dumping, and we investigate every report we receive.

    “Recently, the Queensland Government made it easier for people to report illegal dumping with the new Litter and Illegal Dumping Online Reporting System.

    “Unlawfully dumping waste is a pollution risk and a fire hazard, and it can harm our native animals.”

    People can report littering and illegal dumping to their local council or via the online reporting tool: Report it.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $2 million to extinguish battery fire risk in Queensland

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 22 May 2025

    Sparked by the recent spike in battery fires, the Queensland Government has committed $2 million to put out the battery fire risk in Queensland by expanding collection points.

    With more than 200 battery-related fires in Queensland in the past year, the Local Government Battery Collection Program is part of the Queensland Government’s three-point plan to tackle battery safety.

    Grants of up to $100,000 are available for Queensland councils or groups of councils to expand battery collection points and provide safer and more convenient disposal of problem batteries that currently have limited options for disposal.

    By supporting Queensland councils to expand the number of collection points, this funding will not only make it safer and easier to properly dispose of batteries; but environmental risks and fires caused by battery combustion in council waste collection trucks and facilities will also be reduced.

    Executive Director at the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation Claire Andersen said the three-point plan addresses risks to human safety, council infrastructure and the environment.

    “Lithium-ion batteries power our everyday lives – from simple AA batteries to e-scooters to rechargeable toothbrushes.

    “But when disposed of incorrectly they can spark dangerous fires that put lives at risk, shut down essential services and leave councils and ratepayers footing the bill of costly damage and repairs.

    “With the increase in battery fires over the past year, it was clear that urgent action was needed – so we quickly established our three-point plan which is rolling out now.

    “This is an integral aspect of this plan; these grants are available to all Queensland councils or groups of councils to expand their battery collection points.

    “Not only are we funding battery collection expansion, but we are also working with industry to implement strategies and powering up public awareness and education.

    “Our message is simple: don’t bin your batteries.”

    To find your nearest battery collection point visit: www.recyclemate.com.au

    For more information on the Local Government Battery Collection Program or to make an application, click here.

    Media contact:                 DETSI Media Unit on (07) 3339 5831 or media@des.qld.gov.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former IRS Employee Ordered to Repay Funds From PPP Loan Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FORT WAYNE – Rakita Davis, 45 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to federal felonies for wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Davis was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay $55,213.61 in restitution to the Small Business Administration.

    According to documents in the case, Davis falsely claimed gross income for a business that did not exist when she applied for two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in 2021. The PPP program provided loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses as part the CARES Act and for emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Davis, who was employed by the IRS when she applied for the loans, falsely claimed that she was the sole proprietor of a catering business when in reality, no such business existed. As a result of her fraudulent representations, Davis received PPP funds which she used for her own benefit on personal items such as jewelry, airfare, luxury car rentals, and vacations.

    “This sentencing demonstrates the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to investigate and bring to justice those who victimize the American taxpayer,” said Kelly Moening, TIGTA Special Agent-in-Charge. “Fraudulently applying for loans through a federal program meant to assist Americans in need will be met with aggressive investigation and prosecution. I want to thank our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their commitment to this goal.”  

    This case was investigated by the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin C. Sheridan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Vimeo to Present at Upcoming Jefferies and TD Cowen Conferences

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (NASDAQ: VMEO) – Vimeo, one of the largest and most trusted private video networks in the world, today announced that Gillian Munson, Vimeo’s Chief Financial Officer, will participate in the following financial conferences:

    A replay of the webcasts will be available on the Vimeo Investor Relations website, https://vimeo.com/investors, for 90 days following the conferences.

    About Vimeo:
    Vimeo (NASDAQ: VMEO) is the world’s most innovative video experience platform. We enable anyone to create high-quality video experiences to better connect and bring ideas to life. We proudly serve our community of millions of users – from creative storytellers to globally distributed teams at the world’s largest companies – whose videos receive billions of views each month. Learn more at www.vimeo.com.

    Press Contact:
    Frank Filiatrault
    frank.filiatrault@vimeo.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: DSS, Inc. Reports Strong Q1 2025 Financial Performance, Setting the Stage for Strategic Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DSS, Inc. (NYSE American: DSS), a multinational company operating across diverse industries including packaging, real estate, and biomedical innovation, today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2025, highlighting meaningful progress in its financial repositioning and a strong foundation for corporate execution in the coming quarters.

    In a quarter focused on streamlining operations and financial discipline, DSS delivered significant improvements in key financial metrics:

    • 28% Year-Over-Year Revenue Growth: Total revenues rose sharply, fueled by a 30% increase in printed product sales and a nearly doubling of rental income from the company’s real estate segment, which grew from $400,000 to $714,000.
    • Strategic Asset Monetization: The Company completed the sale of its Plano, TX facility, for $9.5 million, contributing to $12.88 million in cash from investing activities during the quarter.
    • Debt Reduction and Capital Discipline: DSS used proceeds from asset sales and investments to pay down over $8 million in total debt, reflecting a clear commitment to balance sheet optimization.
    • Strengthening Shareholder Equity: Through its partner company Impact BioMedical, DSS raised $1.5 million in new equity capital during Q1.
    • Improved Operating Cash Flow: Net cash used in operations improved from $2.15 million in Q1 2024 to $1.64 million in Q1 2025, underscoring early operational efficiencies.

    “These results show clear, measurable progress in the financial realignment strategy we launched earlier this year,” said Jason Grady, CEO of DSS, Inc. “In my January letter to shareholders, I outlined the urgent need to cut inefficiencies, strengthen our balance sheet, and lay the groundwork for sustained growth. This quarter proves that work is paying off. As we continue to streamline operations, we’re now turning our attention toward execution in our core verticals and identifying smart, accretive opportunities that will drive long-term value. The foundation is in place and now we’re building on it.”

    The Company plans to continue to showcase measurable results from initiatives in development, operations, and M&A activity as the year progresses. With a renewed focus on high-potential business units and capital allocation, DSS is positioning itself for a dynamic second half of 2025 and beyond.

    To read the 2025 CEO shareholder letter, visit: investors.dssworld.com

    Forward-looking Statements:

    The foregoing material may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts, including without limitation statements regarding the Company’s product development and business prospects, and can be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “should,” “continue” or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future actions or performance. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and its current plans or expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect current plans. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ significantly from those anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended, or planned. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot guarantee future results, performance, or achievements. Except as required by applicable law, including the security laws of the United States, the Company does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to actual results.

    About DSS, Inc.:

    DSS, Inc. (NYSE American: DSS) is a multinational company operating businesses across multiple high-growth sectors. DSS focuses on creating, acquiring, and investing in innovative companies that drive sustainable value for its shareholders.

    For investor and media inquiries or additional information, please contact:

    DSS, Inc. Investor Relations
    Email: IR@dssworld.com
    Phone: +1 (585) 565-2422

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Wearable Devices Secures U.S. Patent for Continuous Gesture Control, Enabling Fine-Tuned Interaction with Digital Devices

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The newly allowed patent advances Wearable Devices’ neural gesture technology, unlocking seamless pinch-to-zoom, volume control, and object manipulation in mid-air

    Yokneam Illit, Israel, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wearable Devices Ltd. (the “Company” or “Wearable Devices”) (Nasdaq: WLDS, WLDSW), a technology growth company specializing in artificial intelligence (“AI”)-powered touchless sensing wearables, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has allowed a continuation of  its patent titled “Gesture and Voice-Controlled Interface Device”.

    Traditional gesture sensing systems continuously track hand and finger movements but lack clear “start” and “end” points, making it difficult for devices to understand when a user truly intends to zoom, adjust volume, or manipulate an object. As a result, unintuitive solutions have been used – such as requiring the use of both hands, adding special buttons, or abandoning continuous control altogether. The same goes for voice assistants, which require a “wake word”, prompting them to wait for further instructions.

    Wearable Devices’ newly allowed patent defines a method to extract precise start and end points from continuous gestures. This breakthrough enables devices to support natural and intuitive control gestures like pinch-to-zoom not just for zooming images, but also for adjusting volume, resizing objects, or moving elements – seamlessly and touch-free.

    The technology is ideally suited for augmented reality (“AR”) headsets, gesture-controlled smart devices, and wearable controllers based on cameras, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), or electromyography (EMG) sensors – making mid-air fine control finally accessible and natural.

    “This patent unlocks the full potential of touchless control, allowing users to adjust digital environments as intuitively as they would on a touchscreen – but without ever needing to touch a device,” said Guy Wagner, President and Chief Scientist at Wearable Devices.

    About Wearable Devices

    Wearable Devices Ltd. (Nasdaq: WLDS, WLDSW) is a growth company pioneering human-computer interaction through its AI-powered neural input touchless technology. Leveraging proprietary sensors, software, and advanced AI algorithms, the Company’s consumer products – the Mudra Band and Mudra Link – are defining the neural input category both for wrist-worn devices and for brain-computer interfaces. These products enable touch-free, intuitive control of digital devices using gestures across multiple operating systems.

    Operating through a dual-channel model of direct-to-consumer sales and enterprise licensing and collaborations, Wearable Devices empowers consumers with stylish, functional wearables for enhanced experiences in gaming, productivity, and extended reality (“XR”). In the business sector, the Company provides enterprise partners with advanced input solutions for immersive and interactive environments, from AR/virtual reality (“VR”)/XR to smart environments.

    By setting the standard for neural input in the XR ecosystem, Wearable Devices is shaping the future of seamless, natural user experiences across some of the world’s fastest-growing tech markets. Wearable Devices’ ordinary shares and warrants trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols “WLDS” and “WLDSW,” respectively.

    Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the “safe harbor” created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “estimate,” “anticipate” or other comparable terms. For example, we are using forward-looking statements when we discuss the benefits and advantages of our products and technology, our aim to make neural input as intuitive and accessible as possible, and the potential of our touchless control technology in enabling devices to support natural and intuitive control gestures and allowing users to adjust digital environments. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: the trading of our ordinary shares or warrants and the development of a liquid trading market; our ability to successfully market our products and services; the acceptance of our products and services by customers; our continued ability to pay operating costs and ability to meet demand for our products and services; the amount and nature of competition from other security and telecom products and services; the effects of changes in the cybersecurity and telecom markets; our ability to successfully develop new products and services; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative, strategic alliance agreements, licensing and supplier arrangements; our ability to comply with applicable regulations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed on March 20, 2025 and our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

    Investor Relations Contact
    Michal Efraty
    IR@wearabledevices.co.il

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EBA launches consultation on amended disclosure requirements for ESG risks, equity exposures and aggregate exposure to shadow banking entities

    Source: European Banking Authority

    • The EBA proposes a proportionate ESG disclosure framework aligned with the European Commission’s initiative to simplify sustainability reporting.
    • Simplified requirements are proposed for small and medium banks, as well as clarifications and enhancements to streamline reporting. No new obligations are introduced for large-listed banks.
    • To support institution’s implementation, the EBA proposes to introduce transitional measures and supervisory flexibility aimed at reducing the compliance burden for institutions.

    The European Banking Authority (EBA) today launched a public consultation on proposed amendments to the European Commission’s Implementing Regulation on Pillar 3 disclosures under the CRR3. The proposal specifies enhanced and proportionate disclosure requirements related to ESG-related risks, equity exposures and aggregate exposure to shadow banking entities. It also implements the new codes for the statistical classification of economic activities in the EU (NACE).  The. Today’s proposal aims to enhance transparency and consistency of disclosures in a proportionate manner. The consultation runs until 22 August 2025.

    This consultation paper finalises the implementation of the Pillar 3 disclosure requirements introduced by the banking package (CRR3), including the extension of the scope of application of ESG risks-related disclosures to all institutions and the disclosure of information on shadow banking and equity exposures.

    In line with the European Commission’s omnibus proposal  to reduce reporting costs and simplify sustainability reporting, the EBA has designed a proportionate approach for ESG disclosures based on the institution’s type, size and complexity, with simplified disclosures for banks other than large, particularly for those that are small or non-listed.

    Furthermore, the consultation does not introduce any new requirement on banks already disclosing ESG related information (large listed banks),  but aims to simplify the reporting process by clarifying the existing requirements based on the experience gained. It does this by introducing materiality considerations regarding the frequency of some of the disclosures and by ensuring full and permanent alignment with the Taxonomy Regulation in terms of scope and definition of the Green Asset Ratio (GAR) templates.

    Transitional provisions have been introduced to support institutions and facilitate the initial implementation of the new requirements. For ESG disclosures, in particular, consistently with these transitional provisions, in order to clarify expectations, ensure consistency and reduce operational burden, for the period until the ITS now being consulted starts applying, the EBA is encouraging supervisory flexibility. For this purpose, the EBA is considering issuing a no action letter advising competent authorities not to prioritise the enforcement of the disclosure of certain templates related to the Green Asset Ratio and Taxonomy Regulation for large and listed institutions; nor the enforcement of the disclosure of any ESG-related templates for other institutions.

    Finally, the EBA is further supporting institutions in their compliance with disclosure requirements by providing an updated mapping tool between Pillar 3 and supervisory reporting.

    Consultation process

    Responses to the consultation can be sent to the EBA by clicking on the “Submit response” button on the consultation page.

    All contributions received will be published after the consultation closes, unless requested otherwise. The deadline for the submission of comments is 22 August 2025

    A public hearing on this consultation will take place via conference call on 26 June 2025 from 11:00 to 12:30 CEST. Deadline for registration is 24 June 2025 at 16:00 CEST.

    Legal basis and background

    Regulation (EU) 2024/1623 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR3) implements the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS)’s December 2017 Basel III post-crisis regulatory reforms in EU, while considering the specific aspects of the EU’s banking sector. The new banking package envisages further harmonisation of supervisory powers and enforcement tools and an increase in transparency and proportionality in the Pillar 3 disclosure requirements.

    The EBA’s plan on how to implement the mandates included in the Banking Package is explained in the ‘EBA Roadmap on strengthening the prudential framework’, published in December 2023. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3172 including the new and amended disclosure requirements directly linked to Basel III implementation was published last year as part of step 1 of the EBA roadmap. As part of step 2 of the EBA roadmap, the Pillar 3 disclosure framework is amended to consider the other CRR 3 amendments to Part Eight of the CRR, including disclosure requirements on equity exposures (Article 438(e) of CRR3); new disclosure requirements on the aggregate exposure to shadow banking entities (Article 449b of CRR3); and the extension of the scope of application of disclosure requirements on ESG risks to all institutions (Article 449a of CRR3).

    In addition, the Guidelines on disclosure of non-performing and forborne exposures (EBA/GL/2018/10 as amended by EBA/GL/2022/13) are repealed, considering the extension of the disclosure requirements on non-performing exposures and forbearance to listed SNCI and other non-listed institutions in accordance with the CRR 3 Articles 433b and 433c.

    On February 26, 2025, the Commission published the Omnibus proposal aimed at simplifying sustainability reporting under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and Taxonomy Regulation.

    MIL OSI Europe News –