Category: Entertainment

  • MIL-OSI: iBio Expands Cardiometabolic and Obesity Pipeline through Licensing of First-in-Class Antibody Targeting Activin E from AstralBio

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: IBIO), an AI-driven innovator of precision antibody therapies, today announced a licensing agreement with AstralBio Inc. for a preclinical first-in-class antibody targeting Activin E, which was discovered using iBio’s patented Machine-Learning Antibody Engine. Activin E is a promising novel therapeutic target whose inhibition is believed to induce fat-selective weight loss and offer protection against obesity and cardiometabolic disease. iBio plans to rapidly advance testing of the antibody in more complex models following preclinical studies that demonstrated strong antibody binding, inhibition of Activin E signaling and fat-specific weight loss in an obese rodent animal model.

    The in-licensed antibody represents what iBio believes to be the first functional inhibitor of Activin E, a challenging, yet genetically validated therapeutic target playing a key role in regulating energy balance and fat distribution. Inhibiting Activin E-mediated signaling could offer a novel therapeutic strategy to reduce internal abdominal fat while preserving muscle mass—potentially reversing obesity, preventing diabetes, and improving overall cardiometabolic health. As one of several cellular components involved in cardiometabolic regulation, Activin E, along with amylin, GLP-1 and others, are part of a broader network of signaling pathways that have the potential to be targeted simultaneously to yield synergistic benefits for patients.

    Using its proprietary Machine Learning Antibody Engine and advanced epitope engineering technology, iBio designed engineered epitopes representing five key regions of the Activin E protein. This approach led to the successful development of a molecule that fully blocks Activin E-mediated signaling and inhibits its function across multiple in vitro models. In vivo proof-of-concept was established in a rodent model of obesity, where the antibody induced fat-selective weight loss as a monotherapy and showed synergistic weight loss when added to a GLP-1 receptor agonist in recently published data by iBio. iBio plans to present additional preclinical data of its antibody targeting Activin E at the International BMP Conference, taking place in Philadelphia, PA, from May 2–6.

    “Our decision to license this Activin E-targeting functional antibody, a potentially first-in-class molecule, at this early stage reflects our firm belief in Activin E as a promising therapeutic target and our confidence in building upon the strong preclinical data we recently published,” said Martin Brenner, Ph.D., DVM, iBio’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer. “This antibody represents a strategic expansion of our pipeline in cardiometabolic diseases and obesity and a significant step toward clinical development of a medication that can potentially offer meaningful benefits to patients.”

    Additionally, iBio amended its existing collaboration agreement with AstralBio to add a fifth target for the treatment of cardiometabolic disease. iBio will identify and create an antibody against such target, leveraging its proprietary Drug Discovery Platform. In exchange for adding an additional target to the collaboration and pursuant to the license agreement, AstralBio has provided iBio a $750,000 credit which iBio has applied toward the option fee for the exclusive license of the novel antibody that inhibits the function of Activin E. AstralBio will be eligible for development and commercialization milestone payments totaling up to $28 million. If iBio sublicenses the licensed product, AstralBio is to receive low to mid-single-digit sublicense fees on the proceeds of the sublicense fees. iBio is solely responsible for the research and development, manufacturing and commercialization activities of the licensed product.

    About iBio, Inc.

    iBio (Nasdaq: IBIO) is a cutting-edge biotech company leveraging AI and advanced computational biology to develop next-generation biopharmaceuticals for cardiometabolic diseases, obesity, cancer and other hard-to-treat diseases. By combining proprietary 3D modeling with innovative drug discovery platforms, iBio is creating a pipeline of breakthrough antibody treatments to address significant unmet medical needs. Our mission is to transform drug discovery, accelerate development timelines, and unlock new possibilities in precision medicine. For more information, visit www.ibioinc.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “predict,” “forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “intend” or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and include statements regarding the therapeutic potential of Activin E as a target for cardiometabolic disorders and obesity; Activin E being a promising novel therapeutic target whose inhibition is believed to induce fat-selective weight loss and offer protection against obesity and cardiometabolic disease; plans to rapidly advance testing of the antibody in more complex models; the in-licensed antibody being the first functional inhibitor of Activin E; inhibiting Activin E-mediated signaling offering a novel therapeutic strategy to reduce internal abdominal fat while preserving muscle mass potentially reversing obesity, preventing diabetes, and improving overall cardiometabolic health. As one of several cellular components involved in cardiometabolic regulation; Activin E, along with amylin, GLP-1 and others, having the potential to be targeted simultaneously to yield synergistic benefits for patients; plans to present additional preclinical data of its antibody targeting Activin E at the International BMP Conference, taking place in Philadelphia, PA from May 2–6; and the antibody having the potential to deliver meaningful benefits to patients. While iBio believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, the ability of Activin E to be a successful target for cardiometabolic disorders and obesity and iBio’s antibody to induce fat-selective weight loss and offer protection against obesity and cardiometabolic disease; iBio’s ability to obtain regulatory approvals for commercialization of its product candidates, or to comply with ongoing regulatory requirements; regulatory limitations relating to iBio’s ability to promote or commercialize its product candidates for specific indications; acceptance of iBio’s product candidates in the marketplace and the successful development, marketing or sale of products; and whether iBio will incur unforeseen expenses or liabilities or other market factors; and the other factors discussed in iBio’s filings with the SEC including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2024 and its subsequent filings with the SEC on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and iBio undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Corporate Contact:
    iBio, Inc.
    Investor Relations
    ir@ibioinc.com

    Media Contacts:
    Ignacio Guerrero-Ros, Ph.D., or David Schull
    Russo Partners, LLC
    Ignacio.guerrero-ros@russopartnersllc.com
    David.schull@russopartnersllc.com
    (858) 717-2310 or (646) 942-5604

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Devon Energy Unveils Value Enhancing Business Optimization Plan

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HIGHLIGHTS

    • Targeting $1 billion in annual pre-tax free cash flow improvements
    • Business optimization plan underway to improve margins and capital efficiency
    • Plan includes improvements to base production performance, midstream commercial terms and corporate costs
    • Expected to be completed by the end of 2026, with 30 percent achieved by year-end 2025

    OKLAHOMA CITY, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE: DVN) today announced its business optimization plan to improve margins and capital efficiency, growing free cash flow generation and driving significant shareholder value.

    “I’m excited to announce the details of our business optimization plan, set to enhance margins and deliver $1 billion in annual pre-tax free cash flow improvements by year end 2026,” said Clay Gaspar, president and CEO. “This milestone reflects the commitment, ingenuity, and talent of our employees, whose hard work and ongoing efforts continue to drive Devon’s success. This is an opportune time for us to take on this initiative, as we leverage recent leadership changes across the organization, bringing fresh perspectives and new ideas. Given the challenging market and shifting competitive landscape, this is the right moment to focus internally and improve our profitability. Importantly, this effort will create significant shareholder value by expanding our free cash flow generation and enhancing the durability of our business.”

    “Our organization has been diligently advancing this initiative and has already secured marketing agreements to drive a material margin improvement through year-end 2026. Concurrently, we have implemented technological advancements, including advanced analytics and process automation, that are further enhancing our operating performance. These combined efforts are anticipated to achieve approximately $300 million of cash flow uplift by the end of 2025, reinforcing our financial resilience. We have clear visibility into the remaining objectives and are highly confident in our ability to execute this plan effectively,” Gaspar added.

    PLAN PATHWAY AND TIMING TO DELIVER

    Devon is committed to improving its pre-tax free cash flow generation by taking steps to deliver $1.0 billion in annual improvements. The plan includes actions to achieve more efficient field-level operations and improvements in drilling and completion costs while improving operating margins and corporate costs. Approximately 30 percent of the estimated improvements are expected to be accomplished by year-end 2025, with the remaining savings realized by year-end 2026.

    The business optimization plan includes improvements in the following categories:

    Capital Efficiency$300 million
    Capture efficiencies through design optimization, cycle time reductions, facility standardization and vendor management.

    Production Optimization$250 million
    Use advanced analytics to minimize maintenance events, reduce downtime, flatten production declines and optimize operating cost structure.

    Commercial Opportunities$300 million
    Leverage scale to enhance commercial contracts to increase realizations, improve recoveries and lower GP&T cost structure.

    Corporate Cost Reductions$150 million
    Reduce interest expense and streamline corporate cost structure.

    “We are committed to transparency and accountability and will provide stakeholders with periodic updates on our progress,” Gaspar concluded.

    The company will provide additional details around the optimization plan during its scheduled first-quarter 2025 earnings conference call on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 10 a.m. CDT (11 a.m. EDT). Also provided with today’s release is a supplemental presentation, which is available on the company’s website at www.devonenergy.com.

    ABOUT DEVON ENERGY

    Devon Energy is a leading oil and gas producer in the U.S. with a diversified multi-basin portfolio headlined by a world-class acreage position in the Delaware Basin. Devon’s disciplined cash-return business model is designed to achieve strong returns, generate free cash flow and return capital to shareholders, while focusing on safe and sustainable operations. For more information, please visit www.devonenergy.com.

    FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Such statements include those concerning strategic plans, our expectations and objectives for future operations, as well as other future events or conditions, and are often identified by use of the words and phrases “expects,” “believes,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “continue,” “may,” “aims,” “likely to be,” “intends,” “forecasts,” “projections,” “estimates,” “plans,” “expectations,” “targets,” “opportunities,” “potential,” “anticipates,” “outlook” and other similar terminology. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that Devon expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Consequently, actual future results could differ materially and adversely from our expectations due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to: the risk that we are unable to successfully implement the improvements discussed in this release on the anticipated timeline or at all, which could delay or prevent us from realizing any benefits from the business optimization plan; commodity prices, cost structures and the other assumptions underlying our forecasted value uplift from the business optimization plan could differ materially from actual results; market and geopolitical uncertainty as a result of changes in trade relations and policies, such as the imposition of tariffs by the U.S., China or other countries; and any of the other risks and uncertainties discussed in Devon’s 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “2024 Form 10-K”) or other filings with the SEC.

    The forward-looking statements included in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release, represent management’s current reasonable expectations as of the date of this press release and are subject to the risks and uncertainties identified above as well as those described elsewhere in the 2024 Form 10-K and in other documents we file from time to time with the SEC. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of our forward-looking statements, and readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made in the 2024 Form 10-K and in other documents we file from time to time with the SEC. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Devon, or persons acting on its behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. We do not undertake, and expressly disclaim, any duty to update or revise our forward-looking statements based on new information, future events or otherwise.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Voice2Me.ai Launches Ultra-Secured AI Voice Agents Intelligence Platform for ServiceNow

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Fairfax, Virginia, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Voice2Me.ai officially announces the launch of the industry’s first ultra-secured AI voice agents intelligence platform, now available for ServiceNow clients. The platform introduces a ServiceNow-native solution that combines AI voice intelligence, intelligent chat, and image recognition to automate and elevate customer service operations.

    Voice2Me Logo

    Designed to help enterprises manage customer interactions more efficiently, Voice2Me.ai’s platform enables organizations to automate up to 80% of customer engagements while reducing operational costs by up to 60%.

    “Our ServiceNow-native platform delivers military-grade security with consumer-grade simplicity,” said Eva Karnaukh, CEO of Voice2Me.ai. “Enterprises can now deploy AI voice intelligence in minutes instead of months, reshaping how they approach conversational interactions at scale.”

    Key features include:

    • Ultra-Secured Headless Architecture: Zero data persistence with HIPAA and FedRAMP compliance readiness.
    • ServiceNow-Native Voice Intelligence: Embedded directly into ServiceNow workflows with no third-party tools required.
    • Instant Multilingual Support: Natural conversation capabilities in over 50 languages, enabling global service coverage.
    • Enterprise-Grade Scalability: Manages thousands of concurrent AI-driven voice interactions reliably.

    Unlike traditional add-on solutions, Voice2Me.ai offers a fully integrated voice automation experience within ServiceNow environments, allowing organizations to enhance their service desks, automate field support, and improve overall customer service delivery without complex implementation cycles.

    “Our platform is about making AI voice deployment simple, secure, and scalable for enterprises,” added Karnaukh. “With real conversational intelligence, multilingual support, and native integration, Voice2Me.ai is redefining how organizations interact with their customers and teams.”

    Voice2Me.ai’s technology is backed by partnerships with Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google, ensuring access to the latest advancements in AI voice intelligence and infrastructure.

    Committed to helping organizations optimize their customer service operations, Voice2Me.ai provides around-the-clock support, tailored onboarding programs, and ongoing platform optimization.

    Organizations can experience the future of voice-driven automation for ServiceNow by accessing a free trial at https://service24x7.ai. To learn more, visit https://voice2me.ai.

    Follow Voice2Me.ai on YouTube, X, and LinkedIn. Connect with CEO Eva Karnaukh on LinkedIn.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Ragnarok M: Classic (Chinese title: RO仙境傳說:守護永恆的愛 Classic) Ranked First in Taiwan, Second in Macau and Fourth in Hong Kong in Top Grossing of Apple App Store

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Seoul, South Korea , April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GRAVITY Co., Ltd. (NasdaqGM: GRVY) (“Gravity” or “Company”), a developer and publisher of online and mobile games, announced that GRAVITY Interactive, Inc., Gravity’s wholly-owned subsidiary, has officially launched Ragnarok M: Classic (Chinese title: RO仙境傳說:守護永恆的愛 Classic) (“Ragnarok M: Classic”), an MMORPG Mobile game, in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau on April 16, 2025 and the early success has been made, ranking among the top in launching markets.

    Ragnarok M: Classic was officially launched in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau on April 16, 2025, available for download on both Mobile and PC. It has made remarkable performance after its launch by ranking second in free download of Google Play in Taiwan and Macau, first in free download of Apple App Store in Taiwan and second in Hong Kong and Macau. It also ranked first in top grossing of Apple App Store in Taiwan, second in Macau and fourth in Hong Kong. Ragnarok M: Classic received explosive response from local users, recording over 100,000 downloads, prominently featured on both major app stores and ranked second in mobile game rankings on Bahamut, a well-known gaming community, generating significant buzz on its first day of launch.

    Gravity stated “We are pleased that Ragnarok M: Classic is achieving meaningful results in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau following its successful launch in Southeast Asia. To celebrate the official launch, we are hosting a variety of events and we look forward to continued interest and participation from users.”.

    [Gravity Official Website]
    http://www.gravity.co.kr

    [Ragnarok M: Classic (Chinese title: RO仙境傳說:守護永恆的愛 Classic) Google Play Download Page]
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gravityus.romzeny.aos

    [Ragnarok M: Classic (Chinese title: RO仙境傳說:守護永恆的愛 Classic) Apple App Store Download Page]
    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ragnarok-m-classic/id6602882281

    [Ragnarok M: Classic (Chinese title: RO仙境傳說:守護永恆的愛 Classic) Official Website]
    https://classic.ragnaroketernallove.com/

    [Ragnarok M: Classic (Chinese title: RO仙境傳說:守護永恆的愛 Classic) Official Facebook Page]
    https://www.facebook.com/RagnarokMClassic/

    [Ragnarok M: Classic (Chinese title: RO仙境傳說:守護永恆的愛 Classic) Official Discord Community]

    https://discord.gg/romclassic

    About GRAVITY Co., Ltd. —————————————————

    Gravity is a developer and publisher of online and mobile games. Gravity’s principal product, Ragnarok Online, is a popular online game in many markets, including Japan and Taiwan, and is currently commercially offered in 91 regions. For more information about Gravity, please visit http://www.gravity.co.kr.

    Contact:

    Mr. Heung Gon Kim
    Chief Financial Officer
    Gravity Co., Ltd.
    Email: kheung@gravity.co.kr

    Ms. Jin Lee
    Ms. Yujin Oh
    IR Unit
    Gravity Co., Ltd.
    Email: ir@gravity.co.kr
    Telephone: +82-2-2132-7801

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘Ne Zha 2’ signals turning point for Chinese cinema, industry leaders say

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Filmmakers and distributors gathered at an industry forum during the 15th Beijing International Film Festival on April 19 to discuss the global success of “Ne Zha 2” and its implications for China’s growing influence in the worldwide box office.

    Catherine Ying, vice president of CMC Inc. and president of CMC Pictures, speaks at a forum during the 15th Beijing International Film Festival, April 19, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the BJIFF Organizing Committee]

    “Ne Zha 2” represents a breakthrough moment not only for China’s domestic film industry but for global cinema as well, according to Catherine Ying, president of CMC Pictures, which distributed the animated blockbuster in North America, Australia and New Zealand.

    Ying reported enthusiastic receptions in all markets where the film was released, with positive responses from both international filmmakers and audiences.

    “This phenomenon demonstrated how a single film’s monumental success in one market could reaffirm cinema’s enduring power – proving films will never die but live on eternally in spirit,” she noted.

    Since debuting during this year’s Spring Festival, “Ne Zha 2” has earned more than $2.16 billion globally, with $2.1 billion from China and $20.93 million from North America. The film stands as 2025’s top-grossing release, the highest-earning Chinese film ever and the highest-grossing animated film of all time. It currently ranks fifth on the all-time worldwide box office chart.

    The executive said the release demonstrated that Chinese films require more robust promotion and distribution strategies to maximize success. Her team is now producing an English-dubbed version of “Ne Zha 2” for re-release, aiming to reach broader international viewers beyond Chinese diaspora communities.

    “The film’s universal themes and emotional resonance connect with global audiences while showcasing China’s highest standards of animation production,” Ying said. She added that her company would apply lessons from this distribution experience to develop more targeted promotion strategies for upcoming Chinese blockbusters like “Ne Zha 3” and “The Wandering Earth 3.”

    Filmmakers and distributors join a forum for exchanges at the 15th Beijing International Film Festival, April 19, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the BJIFF Organizing Committee]

    Cedric Behrel, managing director of Trinity CineAsia, which distributed “Ne Zha 2” in Europe, said the film became the highest-grossing Chinese release in the region in two decades. He noted this milestone inspires both Chinese cinema and the global film industry, as the animated feature resonates deeply with international audiences, especially younger viewers. Behrel praised Chinese filmmakers for creating distinctive stories that transcend cultural barriers.

    Veteran filmmaker Huang Jianxin expressed his belief that “Ne Zha 2” is inherently a film made for the world rather than a Chinese movie adapted for international audiences. He explained that director Jiaozi utilized a universal coming-of-age story about Nezha to create a film with innate worldwide appeal.

    “This intrinsic global quality is why it succeeded internationally, not because we modified it to be understood across cultures,” Huang added.

    He acknowledged competitive pressures from video games, short-form videos and other entertainment alternatives that cater to fragmented leisure time, questioning whether traditional film runtimes can still deliver value that justifies audiences’ time investment.

    “This year marks 130 years of world cinema and 120 years of Chinese cinema,” Huang said. “Compared to art forms like music, dance, theater and painting with millennia of history, film is still an energetic child — one that will undoubtedly forge exciting new paths.”

    He noted that while the North American box office has plateaued at around $10 billion annually, representing its industrial scale, the extraordinary performance of “Ne Zha 2” demonstrates how a single film can “break the ceiling.”

    “But we can’t expect the ceiling to replace total scale,” Huang advised, urging peers to stay confident despite inevitable fluctuations. “China’s film industry will keep climbing.”

    Director Andrew Lau, whose new film “The Dumpling Queen” releases April 30, strongly agreed. He reflected on Hong Kong cinema’s cyclical ups and downs: “Through peaks and valleys, filmmakers persist. The market may shift, but we stand united in our craft. We must keep striving to find great stories worth bringing to the screen and trying something new.”

    IMAX China CEO Daniel Manwaring speaks at a forum during the 15th Beijing International Film Festival, April 19, 2025. [Photo courtesy of BJIFF Organizing Committee]

    IMAX China CEO Daniel Manwaring presented research showing that while only 32-38% of Western audiences prefer theaters, China leads globally at 78%. “Last year was slow, but this Spring Festival proved Chinese audiences still love the big screen,” he said, emphasizing filmmakers’ responsibility to keep drawing audiences to theaters.

    Manwaring said that IMAX will expand offerings like esports broadcasts to reach new demographics this year. Last year’s “League of Legends” World Championship screenings across 200 IMAX theaters in China attracted audiences who had largely abandoned cinemas, with data showing 80% hadn’t visited a cinema in five years. However, 90% said they planned to return.

    Lau noted that cinema continually elevates the viewing experience through technological advancements. “Many audiences still don’t fully understand formats like Dolby or IMAX,” he said. “We need to better promote these tech things — to show people that watching films on phones can’t compare to the theatrical experience.”

    Manwaring acknowledged the importance of theater technology but stressed that even the best marketing and presentation cannot save films with poor storytelling.

    “Years ago, people rushed projects out to make quick money or recoup costs quickly — I understood that but felt most directors and screenwriters lacked time to develop good stories,” he said.

    “Now the industry is changing, slowing down to prioritize quality, especially after seeing what patiently developed projects like “Ne Zha 2″ can achieve,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Mayor Announces Opening of Sports Complex for Blind Children

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In the north-east, a sports complex of boarding school No. 1 has opened. This was reported in on your telegram channel Sergei Sobyanin said.

    “This unique educational institution on 3rd Mytishchinskaya Street has been teaching and rehabilitating children with severe visual impairments for over 140 years. Thanks to the talent of teachers, the work of parents and their own persistence, many of the school’s graduates achieve great success in life. Now the children have even more opportunities to improve their health and play sports,” the Moscow Mayor wrote.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin

    The construction of the sports complex on 3rd Mytishchinskaya Street (building 5, building 6) was completed in December 2024. It has all the necessary conditions for sports and rehabilitation of people with special needs – blind and visually impaired students of boarding school No. 1.

    The sports complex’s exterior finish is made of blue and white aluminum panels, complemented by vertical slats and pylons. Decorative screens made of perforated aluminum protect the space from sunlight, ensuring comfortable exercise at any time of day. The stained glass windows on the first floor create a feeling of lightness and spaciousness. The façade is decorated with the name of the specialized Moscow boarding school No. 1 for the education and rehabilitation of the blind, written in Braille.

    The four-story building with an area of 4.7 thousand square meters houses:

    — a swimming pool for recreational swimming 25 by 11 meters with four lanes and stands for spectators; a stationary lift has been installed for comfortable immersion in the water for students with disabilities;

    — a universal sports hall with spectator space: with the help of special partitions it can be divided into several sections, which allows for simultaneous training and competitions in various sports, including mini-football, basketball and volleyball;

    – gym;

    — a recreational space with a salt cave and a showdown table (a game for the visually impaired that combines elements of table tennis and air hockey).

    In addition, the new complex has comfortable changing rooms, storage facilities for equipment and a medical center.

    A barrier-free environment has been created inside the sports complex. In particular, tactile tiles for the visually impaired are laid on the floor throughout the building – not on the right or left, as in standard sports complexes, but as a central path. The buttons of the information terminal at the entrance are equipped with inscriptions made in Braille.

    An elevator with a lifting capacity of up to a thousand kilograms has been installed. At the second floor level, a covered heated passage has been arranged, which will allow comfortable and safe movement between the main building of the boarding school and the sports complex without going outside.

    The area next to the sports complex was landscaped and greened. Sports and playgrounds were equipped here, and small architectural forms were installed.

    The new sports complex on 3rd Mytishchinskaya Street will host physical education classes and additional training, as well as competitions in swimming, goalball, mini-football (group B1, sports for the blind), track and field, judo and other sports.

    Individual lessons are provided for children with severe and multiple developmental disabilities outside of school hours. It is expected that up to 150 students will visit the swimming pool weekly, and up to 300 schoolchildren will visit the gym.

    In addition, from May, from Monday to Saturday in the evening (from 18:00 to 22:00), the sports complex will be open for training to all those who wish to do so by prior appointment.

    Boarding school No. 1 for the education and rehabilitation of the blind

    The history of Moscow Boarding School No. 1 for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind dates back more than 140 years, when in the fall of 1882, on the first floor of a three-story building in Sokolovsky (now Elektrichesky) Lane, the Moscow Educational and Upbringing Institution for Blind Children (20 people) was opened, under the patronage of Empress Maria Feodorovna. Blind children received primary education in accordance with the program of a two-year primary school for sighted children and were taught accessible crafts: weaving baskets, straw rugs, edge carpets and chair seats, making brushes, knitting stockings and scarves, and needlework.

    In October 1918, the institution was renamed Children’s Home No. 1 for the Blind, where children received free primary education and were fully supported by the state. Nine years later, it was transformed into the Moscow Institute for Blind Children, which switched to eight-year education in 1932.

    During the Great Patriotic War, the institute was evacuated to the city of Menzelinsk in the Tatar ASSR. Graduates who remained in Moscow worked at the educational and production enterprises of the All-Russian Society of the Blind and prepared products for the front: boxes for anti-tank mines, iron stoves for trenches and dugouts, various brushes. A group of graduates, led by the blind teacher of Russian language and literature Maria Ksenofontova, organized patronage over military hospitals in Moscow. They taught blind soldiers to read and write using Braille.

    In 1948, the institute was transformed into Secondary General Education Boarding School No. 1 for blind children with 11 years of education.

    In 1956, the institution moved to a new four-story building on Novoalekseevskaya Street (now 3rd Mytishchinskaya Street, Building 5), where it remains to this day. Throughout its history, Boarding School No. 1 has been an important scientific and methodological center, conducting scientific research in the field of typhlopedagogy and typhlopsychology, developing educational programs and scientific and methodological manuals, and holding thematic events to improve the qualifications of specialists working with blind and visually impaired children. In particular, the school was a pioneer in the introduction of computer technology for blind users and programmers, programs for special types of labor training, special training for admission to universities, and the integration of the blind into society.

    Over the years of its work, more than 1.6 thousand people have graduated from the school. Among them are scientists, teachers, lawyers and attorneys, musicians and composers, writers and journalists, poets, programmers, computer system operators, managers and foremen of enterprises of the All-Russian Society of the Blind, outstanding athletes (masters of sports, winners of world and European championships) and other specialists.

    Today, Boarding School No. 1 is a modern specialized educational institution, where 352 children study, 80 percent of whom are totally blind. The children undergo adapted programs of preschool, primary, basic and secondary general education.

    The boarding school has created all the conditions for the harmonious development of children with special needs, and this is largely due to the team of highly qualified typhlopedagogic teachers and educators who generously give the children their knowledge, rich experience and boundless love. The school’s workforce consists of 267 employees, including 62 teachers, 50 educators and 40 teaching staff.

    The education is based on the reading and writing system of the French typhlopedagogue Louis Braille and lasts one year longer than in regular schools – 12 years, because the primary school course takes five years.

    A nine-year course of study has been developed for children with combined diseases and severe developmental disabilities. Since 2017, there have been work rehabilitation groups for such school graduates. The children are engaged in carpentry, knitting from wool on their fingers and weaving string bags with a fishing shuttle.

    In addition to the main educational building on 3rd Mytishchinskaya Street (building 5), boarding school No. 1 includes:

    — a preschool department with 24-hour care on Raketny Boulevard (building 14);

    — a rehabilitation department on Kosmonavtov Street (building 4), where work rehabilitation groups are organized;

    — the health resort and recreational structural unit “Solnyshko” in the village of Kostino in the Moscow region, where children receive comprehensive rehabilitation services in an inpatient setting.

    In 2022, an all-Russian center for gifted visually impaired children was opened on the school’s premises, where talented children from other regions of our country can enroll based on the results of testing in mathematics, Russian and English, as well as an interview. Currently, 23 children from 14 subjects of the Russian Federation (Khabarovsk and Krasnoyarsk territories, Nizhny Novgorod, Orenburg, Ryazan and other regions) are studying here as part of this project.

    The socio-cultural rehabilitation of children is facilitated by additional education, represented by programs of various focus areas: physical education and sports, artistic and aesthetic, cultural and natural science. In particular, since 2018, a branch of the E.F. Svetlanov Children’s Art School (Equal Opportunities Department) has been operating at Boarding School No. 1, where 70 people with profound visual impairments study. 95 percent of children attend clubs and sections.

    In the 2023/2024 academic year, 17 eleventh-graders graduated from the school. Five of them were awarded federal and Moscow medals for outstanding academic achievements. Based on the results of the Unified State Exam, 44 graduates (37 percent) received more than 220 points in three subjects, of which 20 people (17 percent) received more than 250 points. Six people received 100 points in one subject.

    In addition, last academic year, 18 students received diplomas of winners and prize winners of the municipal stage of the All-Russian School Olympiad. Two students became prize winners of the regional stage, 44 students became prize winners of the city Olympiad “Museums. Parks. Estates”, and one student became the winner of the Moscow championship “Abilympics” in the “Vocal” competence. In the 2024/2025 academic year, two students became prize winners of the Moscow School Olympiad.

    Thanks to its high educational results, the school is annually a laureate of the Moscow Mayor’s grants (first and second degree).

    The capital’s education system for people with disabilities

    For children with various developmental disabilities, the Moscow city social protection system has eight rehabilitation and educational centers, where about two thousand children undergo comprehensive rehabilitation and receive a quality education.

    Highly qualified doctors, psychologists, teachers, speech therapists and other specialists work with the children, and the centers themselves are equipped with modern innovative equipment. For example, today VR helmets are used to teach children with disabilities: thanks to augmented reality, teachers simulate situations that are only available in the laboratory or in special conditions. Students try themselves in the role of chefs or interns in chemical laboratories. Visualization and immersion in a specific situation help children understand the processes taking place, and thanks to the game form, the knowledge gained during classes is absorbed much better.

    Based on the results of the 2023/2024 academic year, 15 graduates of boarding schools were awarded federal and Moscow medals for outstanding academic achievements.

    It is planned to build a new rehabilitation and educational center for 800 students in the territory of TiNAO.

    At the same time, the majority of children with special needs (over 42 thousand) study in regular city schools, where the most favorable conditions for social adaptation have been created for them.

    In the 2023/2024 academic year, inclusive practices were implemented in 478 educational organizations in Moscow.

    It is possible to choose the form of training:

    – in groups or classes together with students who do not have special educational needs;

    – in separate groups or classes with small occupancies;

    — in special correctional schools implementing adapted educational programs for various nosological groups.

    Every year the number of students with disabilities who are winners and prize winners of the All-Russian and Moscow School Olympiads is growing.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12646050/

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Aggravated assault – Woodroffe

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force have arrested a 29-year-old male in relation to an aggravated assault in Woodroffe yesterday afternoon.

    Around 3:15pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre (JESCC) received reports of a female exiting a Toyota Hilux on Chung Wah Terrace and sitting on the foot path in a distressed state, whilst the Hilux pulled up next to her.

    An unknown member of the public, driving a white single cab utility, stopped to assist the female and spoke to the male driver of the Toyota Hilux from which she had exited.

    The male driver of the Toyota Hilux subsequently left the scene, and the female victim left on foot. 

    Around 3:50pm, the JESCC received further reports indicating that the male and female party had been involved in an altercation at a residence in Woodroffe earlier in the afternoon, where the male is alleged to have assaulted the female and forced her into his vehicle.

    Initial investigations have found the male and female are known to each other and there is no apparent ongoing risk to the public.

    Police later located and arrested a 29-year-old male who remains in custody with charges expected to follow.

    Investigators believe the male who stopped to assist in the vehicle pictured may be able to assist in the investigation.

    Police urge anyone in the area between 2:50pm and 3:15pm with dash-cam footage or CCTV to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number NTP2500041492. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI: Best Online Casinos in New Zealand: Top Real Money Casino Goes To 7Bit Casino, Rated by Experts!

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WELLINGTON, New Zealand, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 7Bit Casino ranks among the best online casinos in New Zealand for 2025 with its lightning-fast crypto payouts, 7,000+ games, and a generous welcome bonus of up to NZ$10,800 + 250 free spins. Kiwi players enjoy 24/7 live chat support, fair 40x wagering, and instant banking via Visa, Skrill, and top cryptos like BTC, ETH, and DOGE. With withdrawals in under 10 minutes and a sleek, mobile-friendly design, it’s a top real money casino choice for NZ players.

    >>CLICK HERE TO JOIN 7BIT CASINO<<

    How to Join 7Bit Casino?

    Joining 7Bit Casino, a standout among the Best Online Casinos in New Zealand, is simple. Follow these steps to start playing:

    1. Visit 7Bit Casino.com by clicking here
    2. Click on the Registration tab
    3. Select the welcome bonus and click “Choose.”
    4. Enter your email and password.
    5. Provide personal details: name, date of birth, phone number, currency, and address.
    6. Make a deposit to claim a 325% bonus up to NZ$10,800, 250 free spins.
    Feature Details
    Game Library Over 7,000 games, including pokies, table games, and live dealer options
    Support 24/7 live chat (under 2-min response), email, comprehensive FAQ
    Banking Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more
    Withdrawals Crypto: <10 mins, PayID: near-instant, Visa/Mastercard: 3–5 days
    License Government of Curacao (No. 8048/JAZ2020-013)


    Our Favorite Overall Casino in New Zealand

    Among all the Best Online Casinos New Zealand reviewed, 7Bit Casino excels with its expansive game library, featuring the best online pokies, blackjack, roulette, and live dealer games. Its promotions, including reload bonuses, weekly cashbacks, and a 325% welcome bonus up to NZ$10,800 with 250 free spins, captivate Kiwi players.

    Licensed by the Government of Curacao, 7Bit ensures fairness and security, making it a trusted anonymous online casino.

    CLICK HERE TO GET 325% UP TO 5.25 BTC AND 250 FREE SPINS

    Benefits of 7Bit Casino:

    • 7,000+ games from top providers like NetEnt and Pragmatic Play.
    • Diverse payment options, including NZD and crypto.
    • Lucrative welcome bonus and ongoing promotions.

    Negatives of 7Bit Casino:

    • No dedicated mobile app (in development, expected Q3 2025).
    • High wagering requirements on some bonuses.

    Why 7Bit Casino Leads the Best Online Casinos in New Zealand?

    7Bit Casino’s dominance in the Best Online Casinos New Zealand stems from its commitment to quality, security, and player satisfaction. Its Curacao license ensures regulatory compliance, while SSL encryption and blockchain verification for crypto games provide transparency, making it the best no KYC casino in New Zealand.

    The 7Bit Casino’s frequent promotions, such as weekly cashback up to 20% and free spins on popular pokies, keep players engaged.

    Game Variety and Quality

    With over 7,000 games, 7Bit Casino offers something for every Kiwi player. From high-RTP pokies to immersive live dealer tables, the platform partners with industry leaders like Evolution Gaming and Betsoft to deliver top-tier gaming experiences. Its best online pokies include progressive jackpots like Mega Moolah, appealing to players chasing big wins.

    Game Category Popular Titles RTP Range
    Pokies Gates of Olympus, Buffalo King 92%–99%
    Table Games European Blackjack, French Roulette 97%–99.5%
    Live Dealer Crazy Time, Live Baccarat 95%–98%


    Mobile Gaming Experience

    7Bit Casino’s browser-based mobile platform is a hallmark of the Best Online Casinos New Zealand. Optimized for iOS and Android, it offers full access to games, banking, and support. A native app is in beta testing, with a Q3 2025 release planned, further enhancing its appeal as a new online casino.

    How We Choose the Top-Rated Casino Sites in New Zealand

    Our selection process for the Best Online Casinos New Zealand is rigorous, focusing on key criteria to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

    The Selection Process: Defining Excellence in Online Gaming

    • Security First: The Foundation of Trust

    Security is non-negotiable for the Best Online Casinos New Zealand. 7Bit Casino’s Curacao license (No. 8048/JAZ2020-013) and 256-bit SSL encryption protect player data. Blockchain verification for crypto games ensures fairness, making it a leading anonymous online casino.

    • Rewards That Deliver

    Bonuses must be fair and achievable. 7Bit’s welcome package, NZ$10,800 and 250 free spins, has a 40x wagering requirement, lower than many competitors. Weekly promotions include:

    • Monday Reload Bonus: 25% match up to C$1,000 + 50 free spins (no code needed).
    • Wednesday Free Spins: Up to 100.
    • Easter Crypto Offer: 75 Free Spins
    • Pre-Release Offer: 35 Free Spins
    • Spring Elite Offer: 100 Free Spins
    • Weekly Cashback: Up to 20%
    • Friday Offer: 111 Free Spins
    • Weekend Offer: 99 Free Spins
    • Telegram Offer: 50 Free Spins
    • Telegram Friday Offer: 111 Free Spins
    • Telegram Sunday Offer: 66 Free Spins

    7Bit’s 7,000+ games include pokies, table games, and live dealer options from providers like NetEnt and Pragmatic Play. It’s provably fair crypto games appeal to players seeking transparency in the best no KYC casino space.

    • Mobile Gaming Perfected

    7Bit’s mobile platform ensures seamless gaming, with no compromise on quality or speed. The upcoming app will solidify its position among the Best Online Casinos in New Zealand.

    • Banking Without Limits

    7Bit offers 15+ payment methods, including Apple Pay and cryptocurrencies, with no fees and low minimum withdrawals. Crypto payouts in under 10 minutes make it a top pay ID casino.

    • Customer Support That Excels

    With a 97% resolution rate, 7Bit’s 24/7 support via live chat and email sets a benchmark for Best Online Casinos New Zealand. Responses are swift and professional.

    Payment Options

    Fast, secure payments are crucial for Best Online Casinos New Zealand. 7Bit supports a wide range of methods, ensuring flexibility for Kiwi players.

    Payment Method Deposit Time Withdrawal Time
    Visa Instant 3–5 days
    Mastercard Instant 3–5 days
    Skrill Instant Instant
    Neteller Instant Instant
    Paysafecard Instant Not available
    Bitcoin Instant <10 mins
    eZeeWallet Instant Not available
    Astropay Instant Instant
    Bitcoin Cash Instant <10 mins
    Ethereum Instant <10 mins


    Notes:

    • Crypto transactions are fee-free, ideal for best no KYC casino users.
    • POLi and Paysafecard are deposit-only, requiring alternative withdrawal methods.

    Customer Support

    Top-rated Best Online Casinos New Zealand require exceptional support. 7Bit offers 24/7 live chat (under 2-minute responses), email at support@7bit.com (replies within 4 hours), and a detailed FAQ section covering payments, bonuses, and account issues.

    The Most Popular Games at New Zealand Casino Sites

    The Best Online Casinos New Zealand cater to diverse preferences with high-quality games. 7Bit’s offerings include:

    VIEW THE BEST ONLINE CASINOS NEW ZEALAND WITH FREE SPINS & BONUS DEPOSITS

    Pokies are a cornerstone of Best Online Casinos New Zealand, with 7Bit featuring titles like Gates of Olympus, Buffalo King Megaways, and Blood Suckers (98% RTP). Progressive jackpots like Mega Moolah offer life-changing payouts.

    Blackjack combines strategy and luck, with variants like European Blackjack and Live Blackjack. House edge: 0.5%–1% with optimal strategy.

    European (2.7% house edge) and French Roulette (1.35% with La Partage) are preferable over American Roulette (5.26%) for better odds.

    Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and video poker like Jacks or Better offer house edges of 0.5%–2% with strategy, popular among Kiwi players.

    Craps delivers excitement with bets like Pass Line (1.41% house edge) or riskier Big 6/8 (9%).

    Baccarat’s simplicity shines, with Banker bets (1.06% house edge) being the optimal choice.

    • Live Dealer Games

    Powered by Evolution Gaming, live games like Blackjack, Roulette, and Crazy Time offer an authentic casino experience for Best Online Casinos New Zealand.

    • Specialty Games

    Keno, Slingo, and Scratch Cards provide casual fun with instant wins, appealing to players seeking variety.

    Exploring the Best Online Pokies at 7Bit Casino

    7Bit’s pokies library is a highlight of the Best Online Casinos New Zealand, with over 5,000 slots ranging from classic 3-reel games to modern video pokies. Popular titles include:

    • Starburst: High-RTP (96.09%) with vibrant graphics.
    • Mega Moolah: Progressive jackpot with multi-million NZD potential.
    • Johnny Cash: Themed pokie with free spins and multipliers.

    These games, powered by providers like Microgaming and Betsoft, ensure fairness and engaging gameplay, making 7Bit a go-to for best online pokies enthusiasts.

    Loyalty and VIP Programs

    7Bit Casino rewards loyal players with a comprehensive VIP program, a key feature of Best Online Casinos New Zealand. Players earn Comp Points (CPs) for every bet, which can be exchanged for bonuses or cash. The program includes:

    • 10 VIP Levels: From Newbie to Guru, each level unlocks better rewards.
    • Benefits: Higher cashback (up to 20%), exclusive bonuses, and faster withdrawals.
    • Personalized Offers: VIP managers provide tailored promotions for high rollers.

    Tournaments and Competitions

    7Bit hosts regular tournaments, adding excitement to the Best Online Casinos New Zealand. These include:

    • Weekly Slot Races: Compete for cash prizes and free spins.
    • Live Dealer Tournaments: Wager on live tables to climb leaderboards.
    • Crypto Challenges: Exclusive events for crypto users, offering BTC rewards.

    Tournaments are accessible to all players, with leaderboards updated in real-time, enhancing the competitive thrill of this new online casino.

    Responsible Gambling in New Zealand Casinos

    The Best Online Casinos New Zealand prioritize player well-being. 7Bit provides tools like deposit limits, session reminders, loss limits, and self-exclusion options. 7Bit also partners with organizations to promote safe gambling, ensuring a responsible gaming environment.

    Software Providers Powering 7Bit Casino

    7Bit’s game quality is driven by partnerships with leading software providers, a hallmark of Best Online Casinos New Zealand. Key providers include:

    • NetEnt: Known for high-RTP pokies like Starburst.
    • Microgaming: Offers progressive jackpots like Mega Moolah.
    • Evolution Gaming: Powers live dealer games with HD streams.
    • Betsoft: Delivers 3D slots with immersive themes.

    These providers ensure fair, engaging games with regular updates, keeping 7Bit at the forefront of the best no KYC casino market.

    Tips for Maximizing Your Experience at 7Bit Casino

    To get the most out of 7Bit Casino, a leader in Best Online Casinos New Zealand, consider these tips:

    1. Claim Bonuses Wisely: Start with the welcome bonus and check wagering requirements.
    2. Play High-RTP Games: Focus on pokies like Blood Suckers (98% RTP) for better returns.
    3. Use Crypto for Speed: Bitcoin and Ethereum offer the fastest withdrawals.
    4. Join Tournaments: Participate in slot races for extra rewards.
    5. Set Limits: Use responsible gambling tools to manage your budget.

    The Future of Online Gambling in New Zealand

    The Best Online Casinos in New Zealand are evolving with technology. Trends shaping the industry include:

    • Crypto Adoption: More casinos, like 7Bit, are embracing cryptocurrencies for anonymity and speed, reinforcing their status as the best no KYC casino platforms.
    • VR and AR Gaming: Virtual reality pokies and live dealer tables are emerging.
    • AI-Powered Support: Chatbots and personalized offers are enhancing player experiences.
    • Mobile-First Design: With 7Bit’s upcoming app, mobile gaming is set to dominate.

    7Bit is well-positioned to lead these trends, ensuring it remains a top new online casino in 2025 and beyond.

    Final Words About The Best Online Casinos New Zealand

    The Best Online Casinos New Zealand deliver thrilling, secure gaming, and 7Bit Casino leads with its 7,000+ games, rapid payouts, and crypto support. Its generous bonuses, VIP program, and upcoming mobile app make it the ultimate new online casino for Kiwi players. Explore 7Bit for the best online pokies and play responsibly!

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    1. How do I verify if an online casino accepts NZ players and offers geo-targeted bonuses?
    Check the casino’s terms and conditions or promotions page; reputable sites often tailor welcome bonuses in NZD or include offers specifically for Kiwi players.

    2. What makes an online casino truly “NZ-friendly” beyond accepting NZD?
    Top NZ casinos offer local payment methods (like POLi or Interac), fast withdrawals, local customer support hours, and game libraries featuring pokies popular with Kiwi players.

    3. How can I tell if an online casino is rigged or fair in New Zealand?
    Look for a license from reputable regulators (e.g., MGA, Curacao) and independent auditing certificates from eCOGRA or iTech Labs. “Provably Fair” games add extra transparency.

    4. Are crypto casinos safe for NZ players, and what are the benefits?
    Yes, if licensed. Crypto casinos offer fast, anonymous withdrawals, no KYC in many cases, and exclusive bonuses. Just make sure to use a secure wallet and a verified platform.

    5. Do NZ online casinos offer VIP programs or loyalty schemes worth joining?
    Yes — many top casinos reward regular play with comp points, cashback, faster withdrawals, and personal account managers. Always compare VIP tiers and perks across sites.

    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AT 7BIT CASINO & GET EXCITING BONUSES

    Email: Support@7bitCasino.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the 7Bit Casino. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

    Disclaimer and Affiliate Disclosure

    General Disclaimer
    This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only, not legal or financial advice. Content is based on research and public information as of April 2025. No warranties are made regarding accuracy. Users must verify information before acting.

    Casino and Gambling Disclaimer
    Online gambling carries financial risks and is not suitable for all. Ensure you’re of legal gambling age in New Zealand. Gambling laws vary, and it’s your responsibility to comply. We don’t promote gambling; participation is at your risk. 7Bit Casino is a third-party platform, and we’re not liable for losses or issues.

    Affiliate Disclosure
    This article may contain affiliate links, earning us a commission at no cost to you. Our reviews remain unbiased, recommending only valuable Best Online Casinos New Zealand.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bea2fdb2-713f-4dd8-8c6a-9388de5cd240

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Best No KYC Casinos 2025: 7Bit Casino Rated as the Top Instant Withdrawal Casino with No Verification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RENO, Nev., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In light of that, our team set out to find the best no KYC casinos available to players in 2025, digging through dozens of crypto-friendly platforms. After extensive research and testing, one casino clearly stood out – 7Bit Casino.

    With its commitment to player anonymity, ultra-fast crypto payouts, and massive game selection, 7Bit Casino passed every benchmark and proved to be the best no KYC casino of 2025.

    Why 7Bit Stands Out

    7Bit Casino appears to excel among the best no KYC casinos due to its vast game library, anonymous crypto transactions, and generous bonuses. It’s likely ideal for players seeking privacy without sacrificing variety or security.

    How to Get Started

    Visit the 7Bit Casino website, sign up, deposit using crypto or fiat, and claim a 325% welcome bonus up to 5.25 BTC plus 250 free spins.

    >>CLICK HERE TO JOIN 7BIT CASINO & GET 325% WELCOME BONUS UP TO 5.25 BTC PLUS 250 FREE SPINS<<

    Game Highlights

    Popular games like Mega Moolah, live blackjack, and Texas Hold’em seem to cater to all preferences, making it a top anonymous online casino.

    VIP Program and Loyalty Rewards

    7Bit Casino offers a robust VIP program designed to reward loyal players with exclusive perks. The program is tier-based, with levels ranging from Newbie to Hero. As players wager real money, they earn Comp Points (CPs) at a rate of 0.0042 BTC per point, which can be exchanged for bonus cash. Higher tiers unlock benefits like:

    • Increased Cashback: Up to 20% with reduced wagering requirements (as low as 1x for top tiers).
    • Exclusive Bonuses: Personalized offers, including free spins and deposit matches.
    • Dedicated Account Managers: Priority support for high-level VIPs.
    • Faster Withdrawals: Expedited processing for crypto transactions.

    The VIP program enhances the appeal of 7Bit Casino as a top no KYC casino, rewarding consistent play with tangible benefits.

    Payment Options

    Crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum) offers anonymity; fiat options like Pay ID ensure fast transactions, positioning 7Bit as a leading Pay ID casino.

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    In this detailed review, we’ll explore why 7Bit Casino is among the best no KYC casinos in 2025. We’ll cover its key features, pros and cons, how to join, our selection criteria, popular games, payment methods, responsible gambling practices, and why it’s a top anonymous online casino.

    A Closer Look at the Best No KYC Casino: 7Bit Casino

    7Bit Casino, operating for over a decade, holds a license from the Curacao eGaming Commission, ensuring a secure and fair gaming environment. As one of the best no KYC casinos, it allows players to enjoy games without identity verification, appealing to those who value privacy. Its support for cryptocurrencies and minimal registration requirements make it a leading anonymous online casino.

    With a robust mobile platform and a vast game library, 7Bit Casino caters to both casual and seasoned players. With the rising popularity of online gaming platforms prioritizing privacy, no KYC casinos have seen a surge in demand. Among these, 7Bit Casino stands out as a top contender in 2025, offering anonymous play, cryptocurrency payments, and a vast selection of over 10,000 games.

    Our team researched numerous best no KYC casinos, and 7Bit Casino consistently ranked high due to its focus on player privacy, fast transactions, and diverse gaming options. Whether you’re spinning slots, playing live dealer games, or enjoying table games like blackjack and roulette, 7Bit Casino delivers an unmatched experience as a no id verification casino.

    Why 7Bit Casino is Our Favorite No KYC Casino

    7Bit Casino tops our list of best no KYC casinos for several reasons. Its welcome bonus is among the most generous, offering a 325% match up to 5.25 BTC plus 250 free spins across four deposits:

    • First Deposit: 100% match up to 1.5 BTC + 100 free spins.
    • Second Deposit: 75% match up to 1.25 BTC + 100 free spins.
    • Third Deposit: 50% match up to 1.5 BTC.
    • Fourth Deposit: 100% match up to 1 BTC + 50 free spins.

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    Beyond the welcome offer, 7Bit Casino provides ongoing promotions like weekly cashback, daily free spins, and seasonal offers, enhancing the player experience. Its game library, with over 10,000 titles, includes slots, table games, and live dealer options, ensuring variety for all preferences. The casino’s seamless payment options, including crypto and pay ID casino features, add convenience, while 24/7 customer support ensures prompt assistance.

    Pros and Cons of 7Bit Casino

    Pros Cons
    Over 10,000 games, including slots, table games, and live dealer options. High wagering requirements on bonuses.
    Anonymous play with cryptocurrency payments, no KYC required. Mixed customer support reviews.
    Fast withdrawals via crypto and Pay ID.  
    Generous welcome bonus and frequent promotions.  
    24/7 customer support via email and live chat.  

    Despite minor drawbacks, 7Bit Casino remains a top choice among the best no KYC casinos.

    How To Join 7Bit Casino

    Joining 7Bit Casino, a leading no ID verification casino, is simple:

    1. Visit 7Bit Casino: Go to the official website.
    2. Create an Account: Click “Sign Up,” enter your email, choose a currency, and set a username and password.
    3. Make Your First Deposit: Navigate to the cashier, select a payment method (crypto or fiat), and deposit the minimum amount to activate the welcome bonus.
    4. Claim the Welcome Bonus: The bonus is automatically credited after your deposit, no promo code needed.
    5. Start Playing: Explore the game library and enjoy real-money gaming.

    This streamlined process makes 7Bit Casino ideal for new online casino players seeking a no ID verification casino.

    How We Selected the Best No KYC Casino

    We evaluated the best no KYC casinos based on strict criteria to ensure a safe, rewarding experience:

    • License and Security: Must be licensed by a reputable authority.
    • Bonuses and Promotions: Generous offers for new and existing players.
    • Casino Games: Diverse selection catering to all preferences.
    • Casino Game Providers: Partnerships with top developers for quality games.
    • Banking Methods: Flexible options, especially cryptocurrencies.
    • Customer Support: 24/7 availability for prompt assistance.

    7Bit Casino excels in these areas, making it the best no-KYC casino.

    License and Security

    7Bit Casino is licensed by the Curacao eGaming Commission, ensuring fairness and security. It uses SSL encryption to protect player data, reinforcing its status as a trusted anonymous online casino (Curacao eGaming).

    Bonuses and Promotions

    7Bit Casino offers a 325% welcome bonus up to 5.25 BTC plus 250 free spins, alongside regular promotions:

    • Weekly Cashback: Up to 20% on losses.
    • Monday Offer: 25% up to 6.5 mBTC + 50 free spins.
    • Wednesday Offer: Up to 100 free spins on Snoop Dogg Dollars.
    • Friday Offer: 111 free spins for a 0.52 mBTC deposit.
    • Weekend Offer: 99 free spins on 7Bit CasinoMillion.
    • Telegram Bonuses: Exclusive free spins via the Telegram channel.

    These offers make 7Bit Casino a favorite among the best no KYC casinos.

    Casino Games

    With over 10,000 games, 7Bit Casino offers slots, table games, live dealer games, and instant wins from providers like NetEnt and Microgaming, ensuring high-quality gameplay.

    Casino Game Providers

    7Bit Casino partners with over 100 providers, including NetEnt, Microgaming, BGaming, Platipus, 3 Oaks, and 1spin4win, delivering a diverse, high-quality game library (7Bit Casino Providers).

    Banking Methods

    7Bit Casino supports cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin) for anonymous transactions and fiat options (VISA, Mastercard, Skrill, Neosurf, Paysafe Card). The pay ID casino feature ensures fast transactions for Australians.

    Customer Support

    7Bit Casino provides 24/7 support via email (support@7bitcasino.com) and live chat. While most players report positive experiences, some note occasional delays (Trustpilot Reviews).

    Best No KYC Casino Games

    7Bit Casino’s game library, with over 10,000 titles, is a key reason it’s among the best no KYC casinos. It offers slots, table games, live dealer games, and instant wins.

    1.   Online Slots

    Slots dominate 7Bit Casino’s offerings, with thousands of titles:

    • Mega Moolah: A progressive jackpot slot with an African safari theme, known for life-changing wins (Mega Moolah Review).
    • Johnny Cash: A Wild West-themed slot with stacked wilds and free spins.
    • Raging Lion: Features a lion theme with frequent payouts and multipliers.
    • Starburst: Vibrant gems and expanding wilds for simple, exciting gameplay.
    • Book of Dead: Egyptian-themed with high volatility and big win potential.
    • Gonzo’s Quest: Avalanche reels and free falls in a quest for El Dorado.
    • Immortal Romance: Vampire-themed with multiple bonus features.
    • Thunderstruck II: Norse mythology slot with progressive jackpots.

    2.   Live Dealer Games

    7Bit Casino offers over 100 live dealer games, streamed in real-time:

    • Live Roulette: American, European, French, and Lightning Roulette variants.
    • Live Blackjack: Classic, multi-hand, and high-roller tables.
    • Live Baccarat: Squeeze and speed baccarat options.
    • Live Poker: Texas Hold’em and Three Card Poker.

    3.   Poker

    Poker options include:

    • Texas Hold’em: Popular for strategic gameplay.
    • Omaha: Fast-paced with complex strategy.
    • Caribbean Stud: Casino-style with progressive jackpots.

    4.   Roulette

    Over 113 roulette variants:

    • European Roulette: Single zero for better odds.
    • American Roulette: Double zero for added excitement.
    • French Roulette: La Partage rule for lower house edge.
    • Multi-Wheel Roulette: Multiple wheels for increased action.

    5.   Blackjack

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    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Chinese Culture Festival 2025 to hold free Chinese opera talks and exhibition

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    To promote the culture and artistic features of Chinese opera among members of the public, the Chinese Opera Festival (COF), as a core part of the Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2025, will organise a number of free talks, masterclasses and an exhibition from May to August to introduce various theatrical genres, performance styles, repertoire appreciation and more from various perspectives.
     
    Talks on the Three Kingdoms Opera
    ——————————————————————-

         Veteran Cantonese opera performing artist Yuen Siu-fai will host four talks to discuss the classic plays from the “Three Kingdoms” story that will be staged in this year’s COF from the perspectives of character portrayal, the art of adaptation, strategic plots in the storylines and genre variations.
     
    Topic: Character Portrayal in Staging “Three Kingdoms” Stories: Zhuge Liang and Jiang Wei
    Date: May 17 (Saturday)
     
    Topic: On the Adaptation of Stories from the “Three Kingdoms” for the Stage – With Examples from Excerpts and Full-length Plays
    Date: May 24 (Saturday)
     
    Topic: On the Strategic Plots: “Invoking the East Wind” and “Returning to Jingzhou”
    Date: May 31 (Saturday)
     
    Topic: Stories from the “Three Kingdoms”: From History and Literature to Traditional Theatre
    Date: June 7 (Saturday)
     
    Talks on the Art of Kunqu Opera
    ——————————————————————-

         This year’s COF features three Kunqu opera performances. Three talks will be given by seasoned Kunqu art researcher Cheung Lai-chun, who will guide audiences through the culture and stories behind the plays as well as their exquisite stage interpretations.
     
    Topic: Appreciation of “Fifteen Strings of Cash”
    Date: May 18 (Sunday)
     
    Topic: Appreciation of “Kneeling by the Pond” from “The Lioness Roars” and “Rendezvous at the Pavilion” from “Red Pear Blossom”
    Date: May 25 (Sunday)
     
    Topic: Appreciation of “Entrusting His Son” from “The Beauty Washing Silk by the River” and “Cancelling the Birthday Celebrations” from “The Pavilion of Chanting in the Wind”
    Date: June 1 (Sunday)
     
    Talks on the Culture of Chinese Opera
    ——————————————————————-

         This year’s COF features regional operatic genres that are rarely seen by Hong Kong audiences – Yuediao opera of Henan and Qinqiang opera of Shaanxi, along with selected Chinese operas based on the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”. Scholar of Chinese opera Lum Man-yee will deliver two talks, covering the evolution of “Three Kingdom” operas and the characteristics of female performers playing “xusheng” (bearded male) role in Yuediao and Qinqiang traditions respectively.
     
    Topic: Staging “Three Kingdoms” stories: from Southern Operas of the Song and Yuan Periods to Regional Operas of Today
    Date: June 8 (Sunday)
     
    Topic: Heroine Women Playing Middle-aged Men: the “Bearded Male” Cross-dressing Roles in Yuediao Opera of Henan and Qinqiang Opera of Shaanxi
    Date: June 15 (Sunday)
     
         The Talks on “Three Kingdoms” Opera, Talks on the Art of Kunqu Opera and Talks on the Culture of Chinese Opera will be conducted in Cantonese and will be held at 2.30pm at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Admission is free, and online registration is required (www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1839.html#tab_13_0). Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
     
    Masterclasses and Demonstration Talk of Kunqu Opera
    ——————————————————————-

         Main cast members of the Zhejiang Jingkun Art Center (Kun Opera Troupe) will host masterclasses and a demonstration talk delving into the techniques of sheng (male) and dan (female) role performances as well as the art of music and singing of Kunqu opera respectively.
     
    Masterclasses of Kunqu Opera:
    Venue: AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
    Moderator: Chan Chun-miu
     
    Topic: The Crafting of Dan (Female) Roles in Kunqu
    Date and time: August 14 (Thursday), 2pm
    Master: Hu Ping
     
    Topic: The Crafting of Sheng (Male) Roles in Kunqu
    Date and time: August 14 (Thursday), 4pm
    Master: Zeng Jie
     
    Demonstration Talk of Kunqu Opera:
    Venue: Theatre, Block I, Jao Tsung-I Academy
    Moderator: Cheung Lai-chun
     
    Topic: Kunqu Classics as a Living Tradition
    Date and time: August 18 (Monday), 5pm
    Speakers: Wu Xinyi, Wang Hengtao
     
         Masterclasses and Demonstration Talk of Kunqu Opera will be conducted in Putonghua. Admission is free, and online registration is required (www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1839.html#tab_13_0). Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
     
    Exhibition
    ——————————————————————-

         A “Three Kingdoms in Chinese Opera” Exhibition will be held at Hong Kong Cultural Centre and Yuen Long Theatre from May to August. The exhibition will illuminate the make-up, costumes and stage artistry of key characters in Chinese opera “Three Kingdoms” repertoires, showcasing the arts across opera genres. Admission is free.
     
    Period: May 27 (Tuesday) to June 7 (Saturday)
    Venue: Foyer Exhibition Area, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
     
    Period: July 16 (Wednesday) to August 1 (Friday)
    Venue: Exhibition Corner, Yuen Long Theatre
     
         In addition to the above-mentioned talks, masterclasses and exhibition, extended activities including meet-the-artists sessions, a backstage tour and a demonstration performance of Peking opera will be held during the CCF period to promote the artistry and culture of Chinese traditional opera. For more information about the events, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1839.html.
     
         The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public’s national identity and cultural confidence. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from both the Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2025 will be held from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, including selected programmes of the COF, “Tan Dun WE-Festival”, film screenings, exhibitions, as well as community and school activities and more, the festival provides members of the public and visitors with more opportunities to enjoy distinctive programmes that showcase fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby facilitating patriotic education and contributing to the inheritance, transformation and development of traditional Chinese culture in Hong Kong. For more information about programmes and activities of the CCF 2025, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong ICT Awards 2025 opens for enrolment

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Hong Kong ICT Awards (HKICTA) 2025 opens for enrolment today (April 22). Entries of locally developed information and communications technology (ICT) products and solutions are invited to compete for the Grand Awards in the eight award categories and the top accolade of the competition – the Award of the Year. Enrolment is free of charge and the deadline is July 14, 2025.

         The HKICTA 2025 is organised by the Digital Policy Office (DPO) with each award category to be led by a local industry association or professional body. The award categories and respective leading organisers are listed below:
     

    Award categories Leading organisers
    Digital Entertainment Award Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association
    FinTech Award Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia
    ICT Startup Award Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association
    Smart Business Award Hong Kong Computer Society
    Smart Living Award Hong Kong Information Technology Federation
    Smart Mobility Award GS1 Hong Kong
    Smart People Award The Hong Kong Council of Social Service
    Student Innovation Award Hong Kong Education City

     
         A Grand Award will be granted in each category, and the Award of the Year will be selected by a Grand Judging Panel from the eight Grand Awardees.
     
         In a bid to foster the innovative use of AI, the Best Use of AI award winner will be selected in each of the eight categories to magnify and honour outstanding achievements in harnessing the power of AI in respective areas.

         Established in 2006, the HKICTA is an annual signature event of the local ICT industry which aims to recognise and promote outstanding ICT inventions and applications, thereby encouraging the pursuit of innovation and excellence among Hong Kong’s ICT professionals and enterprises to develop innovative applications meeting business and social needs, use innovation and technology (I&T) to bring benefits to the community, and foster Hong Kong’s I&T and smart city development. Through concerted efforts of the ICT sector, academia and the Government, the HKICTA has always been highly regarded by the information technology industry, and the winners may also be nominated to compete in other regional and international competitions on behalf of Hong Kong and be sponsored to participate in overseas I&T exhibitions. The award acts as an encouragement and recognition to the winners, and enables their access to both Mainland and overseas markets.
     
         Details of the HKICTA are available on the thematic website (www.hkictawards.hk). Enquiries can be made to the DPO at 3974 5224 or by emailing hkictawards@digitalpolicy.gov.hk.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Know and Remember: The Victory Museum Invites You to Spend a Special Weekend

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Combine active and educational recreation for the whole family, learn a lot of new and interesting things about the past and present of the country, instill in children love and respect for their native land and introduce them to the history of Victory – all this can be done on the weekend. The Victory Museum has prepared a rich program of events for guests of all ages. With the support of the Moscow Government, it opens the third season of the Victory Park. The Main Patriotic project. Every weekend, cultural and educational events aimed at patriotic education and preserving historical memory will be held in Victory Park on Poklonnaya Gora. Guests will enjoy a large-scale quest “Forward to Victory” with interesting tasks, prizes and gifts, musical performances, excursions, master classes and original photo zones.

    The project will start on April 26 and 27 and will end on October 12. All events are free. You can join them on weekends from 11:00 to 19:00. Information about the program of the days will be updated weekly on the project page “Victory Park. The main patriotic”.

    New, unforgettable, eternal

    This year, more than 80 sites with various events for visitors will open on the territory of the memorial complex on Poklonnaya Gora. They will be recognizable by the stationary pavilions with the project name – “Victory Park. The Main Patriotic”.

    Muscovites and guests of the capital are in for a large-scale quest “Forward to Victory”. For the first time, the game for the whole family will take place along six unique routes throughout the Victory Park. Participants will receive “Red Army books” in which they will have to enter information about the completion of each of the 20 tasks and collect star stamps. Players will receive memorable prizes: a coin dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory, a Red Army soldier’s cap, a ticket to the Victory Museum, a certificate for visiting its unique exhibition “Battle for Moscow. The First Victory!”

    The G.O.R.A. Museum will be one of the venues for the project’s events for the first time. There are nine thematic areas, five interactive points and more than 400 examples of military equipment on display. Participants of the quest, upon presenting a “Red Army book”, will be able to visit the museum’s exposition for free and immerse themselves in the historical atmosphere of the 1940s.

    Free bus and walking tours are planned for the Victory Park memorial complex. A guided bus will depart from the Park Pobedy metro station at 12:00, 14:00, 16:00 and 18:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Walking tours will start from the Park Pobedy metro station, from Partizan Alley from the Minskaya metro station, and from the main building Victory Museum.

    A field kitchen will open at the Frontline Agitation Team and Masters Square sites. Free lunches will be served to those guests who actively participated in the quest and other project events.

    What have you prepared for the coming weekend?

    On April 26 and 27, visitors to Victory Park will be able to attend demonstration races at the DOSAAF Moscow karting club, in the pneumatic shooting range, and at the training ground for the standards of the All-Russian physical culture and sports complex “Ready for Labor and Defense.”

    At the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps site, you can learn first aid, basic fire safety rules, water and tourist rescue skills, and how to use rescue tools.

    During these days, the creative teams of the State Budgetary Cultural Institution Mosconcert, radio Gordost, children’s ensembles Domisolka and Neposedy, the musical theater Na Poklonke and others will perform at the Frontline Agitation Team site.

    At the Park Pobedy metro station and on the circular alley near the Victory Monument, original master classes will be organized: “Living History”, “What a Soldier Has in His Duffel Bag”, “Letter to the Defender of the Fatherland”, and a game library with board games will be opened. In addition, near the Park Pobedy metro station, everyone will be greeted by a photo zone with a retro car from the 1940s and reenactors in uniforms from those years.

    Park visitors will be able to try their hand at the Young Fighter Course, master orientation skills and pitch an army tent at the Zarnitsa site, and make a commemorative coin at the Masters Square. Soldier Alley will teach you how to play gorodki and organize chess tournaments.

    The project “Victory Park. The Main Patriotic” has already won the hearts of city residents and tourists.

    Last season, its events were visited by about 700 thousand people, of whom more than 100 thousand joined the historical quest. In total, over 130 thousand prizes were awarded to the project participants in 2024. More than 26 thousand people visited the free walking and bus tours of the Victory Museum around the memorial complex on Poklonnaya Gora. Together with the guides, they saw its numerous monuments: the tallest Victory monument in Russia, the sculptural compositions “Tragedy of the Nations”, “We were together in the fight against fascism”. The excursionists also learned about the history of the complex. In total, within the framework of the program “Victory Park. The main patriotic” more than 130 creative programs were held, two thousand artists performed. Everyone could take part in sports competitions, over 100 different competitions were held in the park over the course of six months – game tournaments in gorodki, chess, master classes in parachuting and many others.

    An extensive program of festive events has been prepared in Moscow for the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. You can find out more details by link.

    Get the latest news quickly official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152934073/

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Global: The story behind the ‘Moko’ drums, sacred musical instruments from the Alor-Pantar archipelago

    Source: The Conversation – Indonesia – By Francesco Perono Cacciafoco, Associate Professor in Linguistics, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

    The day was still alive when a group of Abui people danced in a circle around the ‘maasang’ – the central altar of their village – alternating coordinated movements with rhythmic pauses. The drums were played, marking each step with their sounds, believed to connect the world of the gods with the world of humans.

    They were performing the ‘lego-lego’ dance, an integral part of ancestral rituals. The dance was directed by the cadenced rhythm produced by the ‘Moko’ drums, distinctive musical instruments that are also prestigious heirlooms and sacred tools, mostly found in the Alor-Pantar archipelago, in East Nusa Tenggara.

    Recently, with Shiyue Wu, my Research Assistant at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (Suzhou, Jiangsu, China), I developed and published research about the names of the ‘Moko’ drums and bronze gongs from Alor in three representative Papuan languages spoken in the island: Abui (Central Alor), Sawila (Eastern Alor), and Kula (Eastern Alor).

    This research aims to increase our knowledge on the ‘Moko’ drums and their significance and sanctity for the cultural identity and heritage of the peoples living in the Alor-Pantar archipelago.




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    Unclear historical references

    Among the many ancestral traditions and ritual objects attested in Southeastern Indonesia, the ‘Moko’ drums represent a unique blend of symbolic and religious values and practical functions in the social life of the local Papuan communities. Technically, they are bronze kettle-drums, specifically membranophones, instruments that produce their sounds by being hit on their vibrating skins, or membranes.

    Despite their widespread use and cultural significance among indigenous communities in Alor, Pantar and beyond — like in Timor and among the Austronesian and Papuan groups of Flores —, the history and origins of these musical instruments are still relatively obscure and seem to fade into the mists of time.

    The ‘bronze gongs’ from the Alor-Pantar archipelago vary in size and are typically round, flat metal discs played with a mallet. They are equivalent to the ‘Moko’ drums, at the level of musical and social functions.

    The indigenous peoples believe that the drums and gongs have no local origins from the islands, but their possible place of production is unknown. We recently confirmed this through fieldwork conversations with our Abui local consultant.

    ‘Moko’ drums’ unique attributes

    Each ‘Moko’ drum (and bronze gong) is characterised by physical (size, shape, and the produced sounds) and aesthetic (iconography and decorations) features, which make it unique. The uniqueness of the drums and gongs is strengthened by the fact that each type of these membranophones has an ‘individual’ name, which indicates a specific category, with its dedicated musical and iconographic attributes.

    For example, there are ‘fiyaai futal’ (in Abui), the “candlenut-flower” drum, and ‘bileeqwea / bileeq-wea‘ (in Abui), the “lizard-blood” drum.

    All the ethnic groups in Alor, Pantar and surrounding areas use their own local variants for the names of the different drums. This nomenclature reflects specific ritual and trading features of each musical instrument.

    Despite this, the native speakers cannot explain the name ‘Moko’ in itself, with its etymological and semantic origins. They agree upon the likely foreign origin of the instruments, but no one can pinpoint a possible location for their production (some say Java, Makassar, India, Vietnam, or even China, but without any conclusive evidence) or the trade routes across which they were likely imported to the islands.

    Some local myths and origin stories) tell about the unexpected discovery, by local people, of ‘Moko’ drums buried in the ground, adding a veil of mystery to their enigmatic roots. Being treasured items, the drums were actually buried under the ground by locals, to avoid the risk to fall into the hands of colonisers or to be taken away by outsiders.

    The term ‘Moko’ is universally attested and used in everyday conversations by the Alor-Pantar speakers, independently of their languages and villages. However, nobody, among the locals, can explain the roots of the name or propose an interpretation for its possible meaning. The ‘Moko’ drums are, therefore, an unsolved puzzle in the context of the material culture and linguistic landscape of the Alor-Pantar archipelago.

    It is possible that the name ‘Moko’ was coined ‘internally’, in Alor and Pantar, perhaps in the ‘Alor Malay’ language, which is commonly spoken in the archipelago since the 14th century. The denomination would have, then, spread towards external areas.

    However, this hypothesis cannot be proven with incontrovertible evidence, and the direction of the naming process could have also been the opposite, from outside into Alor and Pantar.

    Our paper presents systematic lists of the names of drums and gongs, with the original denominations in the three different above-mentioned languages, the related translations, name-by-name, synthetic notes on the possible origins of their nomenclature, a catalogue of the instruments by categories (based on fieldwork and direct observation), and a set of pictures reproducing a small selection of drums according to their cultural significance.

    Beyond musical functions

    The ‘Moko‘ drums are relatively ancient ritual objects commonly used, in the past, in generally pre-Christian worship ceremonies performed by the indigenous communities. The traditions survived until today, through local folklore and public celebrations.

    The drums, as well as the related bronze gongs, still play an important role as a valuable local ‘currency’. Highly regarded as prestigious family possessions, they are used for trade and social practices embedded into traditional customs, like bride-price negotiations.

    The path towards a full understanding of the historical dynamics of the production and spread of the ‘Moko’ drums and gongs — as well as their provenance and the etymologies of their names — might still be long. However, this does not diminish their cultural and material significance among the Alor-Pantar peoples.

    Despite their obscure origins, ‘Moko’ drums and bronze gongs are meticulously catalogued, described and rated by the local communities in the islands. Periodically, a multi-ethnic council gathers to assess, update and validate the different values and levels of social prestige and rarity of every single instrument.

    This safeguarding effort, combined with the collection and systematisation of ‘first hand’ data, which we are currently developing, may considerably help in shedding light on the nature and origins of these enigmatic instruments.

    Francesco Perono Cacciafoco received funding from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU): Research Development Fund (RDF) Grant, “Place Names and Cultural Identity: Toponyms and Their Diachronic Evolution among the Kula People from Alor Island”, Grant Number: RDF-23-01-014, School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), Suzhou (Jiangsu), China, 2024-2025.

    ref. The story behind the ‘Moko’ drums, sacred musical instruments from the Alor-Pantar archipelago – https://theconversation.com/the-story-behind-the-moko-drums-sacred-musical-instruments-from-the-alor-pantar-archipelago-253225

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Security: Met officers make 15 arrests in operation targeting shoplifting gang

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Officers made 15 arrests in a Met Police operation to disrupt an organised shoplifting gang operating in south-west London.

    Eight shops were raided after they were suspected of buying items such as food and alcohol that had been stolen from major retailers and selling them on at lower prices.

    After marking 5,000 items with synthetic DNA officers were able to identify and recover around £150,000 worth of stolen goods.

    The Met is prioritising neighbourhood policing, putting more officers in local teams to tackle issues that matter most to Londoners, like shoplifting. Officers are working closely with local business owners across the capital to crack down on the most prolific shoplifters who cause the fear to retail workers and have negative impacts on local communities.

    Sergeant James Burke, from the Met’s neighbourhood policing team in south-west London, said:

    “Shoplifting pushes up prices for customers and often results in retail workers being verbally and physically abused. It also funds the drug trade and contributes to anti-social behaviour and violence.

    “The local officers in my neighbourhood team have put in months of hard work alongside impacted businesses to trial new tactics to drive down shoplifting in the area and have delivered impressive results here.”

    “The Met is focussed on targeting those involved in co-ordinating this activity and by disrupting their operation we are confident we can reduce offending and the impact it has on communities across London.”

    On Wednesday, 9 April more than 100 officers from across the Met took part in targeted activity at eight off licences or newsagents in Merton and Wandsworth. They also searched a house in Cheam.

    The operation followed months of planning to identify offending patterns by working with retailers and analysing crime reports.

    In a first for the Met, officers marked the most commonly stolen items, such as alcohol and chocolates, with SelectaDNA.

    Each mark is unique and can be traced back to the original store which means officers can return to gather more evidence, such as CCTV and victim impact statements to help bring prosecutions.

    Officers also found several own-brand items that had been made for particular supermarkets available for sale in the shops.

    Ten men, aged between 23 and 64, and three women, aged between 39 and 45, were arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods. They have since been bailed pending further enquiries.

    A further two men, both aged 48, were arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods in separate activity on Thursday, 17 April. They were also bailed.

    Searches were carried out at shops in:

    • Fernlea Road, Mitcham
    • Balham High Road
    • Kingston Road, Wimbledon
    • London Road, Tooting (x2)
    • Christchurch Road, Wimbledon
    • Church Road, Mitcham
    • Tooting High Street

    As part of the operation officers also searched a barber’s shop in Tooting High Street and a residential property in Sandy Lane, Cheam.

    Further enquiries are taking place and anyone with information about suspected offending is asked to call 101 and speak to the South West Basic Command Unit about Operation Zoridon.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The number of individual entrepreneurs in Moscow has grown by seven percent

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The number of individual entrepreneurs (IE) in Moscow, according to the Unified Register of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, amounted to almost 461 thousand in the first quarter of 2025 – seven percent more than a year earlier. This was reported in Department of Economic Policy and Development of the City of Moscow with reference to data from the unified register of small and medium-sized businesses.

    Today, every tenth individual entrepreneur in the country works in the capital. They create jobs, support competition and contribute to the growth of consumer activity in the city. A wide consumer market allows capital entrepreneurs to choose attractive areas and formats of work.

    Moscow is actively developing various digital services that make it easier to register a business, submit reports, make payments, keep accounting records and find clients, and interact with consumers. The growth in the number of entrepreneurs is also facilitated by support measures from the city: grants and subsidies, deferral of rent payments, and consulting support.

    About a third of the capital’s individual entrepreneurs – 142.8 thousand – are engaged in trade, with almost 80 percent of them in retail. 61.1 thousand (more than 13 percent) entrepreneurs are registered in professional, scientific and technical activities. 52.5 thousand businessmen (11.4 percent) work in the sphere of real estate transactions. Information and communication are also popular types of activity: 35.7 thousand individual entrepreneurs (7.8 percent) carry it out. 34.2 thousand entrepreneurs (7.4 percent) are engaged in transportation and storage.

    The leaders among the industries in terms of growth of individual entrepreneurs were the sphere of culture, sports, organization of leisure and entertainment: over the year their number grew by almost 12 percent. The top 3 included real estate transactions, where the growth amounted to more than 11 percent, as well as construction and administrative activities: in both industries the number of businessmen grew by almost 10.7 percent.

    Individual entrepreneurs are also employers. According to the results of the first quarter of 2025, the average number of employees was almost 160 thousand people, which is 4.5 percent more than a year earlier.

    Get the latest news quickly in the official telegram channelthe city of Moscow.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152917073/

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI: Call for Nominations: 2025 Global Citizen Award

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Leading international residence and citizenship advisory firm Henley & Partners, in partnership with Andan Foundation, a Swiss non-profit humanitarian organization, is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2025 Global Citizen Award.

    Created 11 years ago in 2014, the Global Citizen Award is a tribute that honors remarkable individuals working to advance any one of the global challenges affecting humanity today – challenges that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone.

    The 2025 laureate will be selected by a distinguished, independent committee and honored at the Global Citizen Award ceremony. This is a gala evening event which forms part of the annual Henley & Partners Global Citizenship Conference which is taking place this year at The Dorchester, London from 2–4 November 2025.

    Henley & Partners Chairman and Founder of the Andan Foundation, Dr Christian H. Kaelin, says the awardee’s work needs to demonstrate a positive impact on the lives of vulnerable social groups, particularly with a connection to migration-related issues. “The Global Citizen Award is open worldwide to those working in a field with a direct link to the issues they are looking to affect. The committee is looking for remarkable and inspirational individuals who demonstrate vision, courage, and innovation in driving global change, and whose actions and outlook contribute to a more just, peaceful, connected, and tolerant world.”

    The selection process is based on a majority decision of the Award Committee. The award itself consists of a bespoke sculptural medal designed by leading Italian artist Antonio Nocera, an award certificate signed by the Chairman of the Global Citizen Award Committee, and a monetary prize of USD 20,000, which goes towards supporting the awardee’s humanitarian efforts. In addition, Henley & Partners commits to working closely with the awardee for a period of one year, raising awareness of their work and supporting the selected project through the firm’s network of more than 60 offices worldwide.

    Since its inception, the Global Citizen Award has honored many remarkable individuals, including German entrepreneur Harald Höppner, who set up the refugee humanitarian aid project Sea Watch, Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder of the Gift of the Givers Foundation, Africa’s largest disaster relief organization and Monique Morrow, Co-Founder of The Humanized Internet, a digital identity project that aims to bring hope to the estimated 1.1 billion individuals in the world who cannot prove their legal identity.

    Diep Vuong, Co-Founder and President of the Pacific Links Foundation, was awarded for her work in Southeast Asia campaigning for the rights of those enslaved by human trafficking, while Prof. Dr. Padraig O’Malley received his Global Citizen Award in recognition of his work on conflict resolution and reconciliation in Northern Ireland, South Africa, and Iraq. Zannah Bukar Mustapha was recognized for the psychological, educational, spiritual and other developmental support provided to the children and widows affected by the insurgency in north-eastern Nigeria, and last year, Mohamed Nasheed, former President of the Maldives and the current Secretary-General of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, was acknowledged for his pioneering work as a human rights activist and advocate for climate action.

    Reflecting on the award’s legacy and impact, Dr. Kaelin explains that the ideals of global citizenship have always been central to Henley & Partners. Through its collaboration with the Andan Foundation, the firm extends vital support to individuals displaced by conflict, war, and climate-related crises. “Each of our Global Citizen Award recipients has moved us with their courage to tackle challenges many consider overwhelming,” he says. “Today’s global issues go far beyond individual communities or nations. More than ever, it’s essential to support those who are actively creating meaningful change in the lives of vulnerable communities worldwide.”

    Nominations close on Tuesday, 1 July 2025. You can submit your nomination online here or send it to gca@henleyglobal.com.

    Media Contact

    For further information, please contact:

    Sarah Nicklin
    Group Head of Public Relations
    sarah.nicklin@henleyglobal.com
    Mobile: +27 72 464 8965

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: HERE partners with ECARX to launch Next-Generation, In-Car Navigation at Auto Shanghai 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • The collaboration leverages HERE’s next-generation navigation platform, and ECARX’s full-stack capabilities to deliver an industry-leading navigation solution for leading Chinese automakers.
    • By integrating HERE SDK and compliant location data across 200+ countries, the solution significantly shortens development cycles for international vehicle platforms.
    • A production-ready solution, along with a demo, will debut at Auto Shanghai 2025.

    Shanghai, Auto Shanghai 2025HERE Technologies, the leading location data and technology platform, today announced its strategic partnership with ECARX, global mobility technology company ECARX (Nasdaq: ECX), on co-developing a new-generation navigation system with multi-scenario adaptability, integrating the HERE SDK navigation platform with ECARX’s full-stack solutions. 

    HERE SDK offers the latest, complete navigation and location services experience for connected vehicles. It stands out for its multi-scenario adaptability, data accuracy, coverage breadth, technical performance, and developer-friendly features, making it ideal for high-precision mapping, real-time navigation, and cross-platform support. 

    By combining HERE’s world-class AI-powered location technology with ECARX’s automotive technologies, the collaboration will empower global automotive OEMs, including Lotus, Lynk & Co, Smart and Hongqi, to deliver advanced navigation solutions that are reliable, dynamic, and personalized, offering drivers across the world an unparalleled driving experience while supporting the global shift towards intelligent, connected vehicles.

    Mike Nefkens, CEO of HERE Technologies, shared: “Together with ECARX, we’re combining cutting-edge AI-powered mapping and location services with next-generation intelligent vehicle platforms, making it easier than ever for leading automakers to deliver connected, intuitive and globally scalable navigation experiences. Our partnership is focused on increasing the speed at which automakers bring the latest in-car navigation solutions to market.”

    Ziyu Shen, Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of ECARX, added: “This deep technical collaboration fuses HERE’s world-class mapping expertise with ECARX’s full-stack software and hardware co-development platform. By standardizing HERE’s SDK—supporting compliant map data for over 200 countries and multidimensional parameter interfaces—we significantly shorten the development cycle for automaker navigation systems. This allows global vehicle models to meet data regulations across major markets and provides a plug-and-play global navigation development framework for OEMs.”

    As HERE strengthens its presence in the Chinese automotive sector, this collaboration is testament to the company’s role in powering next-generation mobility solutions for global automotive leaders. HERE Technologies is also showcasing its innovative location technology at Auto Shanghai 2025 at Booth #2B A052, demonstrating its commitment to driving the future of mobility and smart cities.

    Media contacts
    HERE Technologies
    Jordan Stark
    +1 312 316 4537
    jordan.stark@here.com

    Dr. Sebastian Kurme 
    +49 173 515 3549 
    sebastian.kurme@here.com

    About ECARX
    ECARX (Nasdaq: ECX) is a global automotive technology provider with capabilities to deliver turnkey solutions for next-generation smart vehicles, from the system on a chip (SoC), to central computing platforms, and software. As automakers develop new electric vehicle architectures from the ground up, ECARX is developing full-stack solutions to enhance the user experience, while reducing complexity and cost. Founded in 2017 and listed on the Nasdaq in 2022, ECARX now has over 1,900 employees based in 12 major locations in China, UK, USA, Sweden, Germany and Malaysia. To date, ECARX products can be found in over 8.1 million vehicles worldwide. 

    About HERE Technologies
    HERE has been a pioneer in mapping and location technology for 40 years. Today, HERE’s location platform is recognized as the most complete in the industry, powering location-based products, services and custom maps for organizations and enterprises across the globe. From autonomous driving and seamless logistics to new mobility experiences, HERE allows its partners and customers to innovate while retaining control over their data and safeguarding privacy. Find out how HERE is moving the world forward at here.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI China: 6th national campaign for fitness underway

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

    China has launched its sixth national physical fitness monitoring campaign to assess citizens’ health and help guide public fitness policies.

    The initiative, held every five years, is jointly organized by the General Administration of Sport, the Ministry of Education and seven other departments. It is currently underway across 31 provincial-level regions and includes 1,877 sampling points. Data will be collected from 248,000 people aged 3 to 79 via questionnaires and physical tests in three categories: children, adults and seniors.

    Feng Qiang, an official with the General Administration of Sport, told China Central Television that for the first time, this year’s campaign will feature the real-time uploading of data to a national platform to ensure authenticity.

    In another first, monitoring will include exercise-specific metrics such as cycling, high-knee lifts and pushups. The updates reflect shifting health priorities, with 25 core indicators now measuring body shape, physiological function, physical fitness and exercise habits.

    Body weight and body mass index are now mandatory measurements. These align with the national “Weight Management Year” campaign, which calls on the public to focus on weight control, healthy eating and regular exercise.

    According to the 2020 report, 49.6 percent of Chinese adults were overweight or obese, a 6.4 percentage point increase from the 2014 assessment.

    In Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, 3,200 residents are taking part in the testing. Xue Liang, from the Zhejiang sports science institute, said the updated standards help identify individual fitness weaknesses. Experts on-site now offer personalized exercise prescriptions based on the results.

    “Our goal is for more people to get their fitness monitored and also encouraged to exercise more often and scientifically,” Xue said.

    Hangzhou resident Wu Xiaowei said he discovered balance issues during his assessment that he had not noticed before, and now plans to address them through targeted training.

    The national data collection is scheduled to conclude by June 30, with an official report expected in November.

    Since its launch in 2000, the campaign has helped track shifting trends in public fitness.

    The fifth survey, conducted in 2019, showed modest progress overall but raised concerns about increasing weight and declining muscular strength in some groups.

    Experts noted that 25 years of continuous national fitness monitoring has helped build a clearer picture of China’s evolving public health. The data also supports the development of improved public fitness services and helps identify gaps in sports infrastructure and participation.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: Yemen’s Houthis claim fresh attacks at Israel, US aircraft carriers

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Yemen’s Houthi group said on Monday that it had launched fresh attacks at two Israeli targets and two U.S. aircraft carriers, using drones and cruise missiles.

    “We launched a drone attack at a vital target in the city of Ashkelon and another drone attack at a military target in the city of Eilat,” Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in the statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

    He didn’t identify the names of the targets in both cities in southern Israel.

    “As part of confronting the American aggression … we targeted the aircraft carrier Truman and its escorting warships in the northern Red Sea, using two cruise missiles and two drones,” Sarea said, referring to the USS S. Harry Truman.

    “We also targeted the aircraft carrier Vinson (the USS Carl Vinson) and its escorting warships in the Arabian Sea, using three cruise missiles and four drones,” he said.

    Sarea reaffirmed that the group’s attacks “will continue” against Israel and the U.S. naval forces in the region.

    According to the Houthi television, the attacks against Israel and the U.S. warships were carried out in the past 24 hours.

    The Israeli defense forces have yet to comment on the Houthi claim, nor the U.S. military.

    Meanwhile, the U.S. airstrikes in Yemen have been continuing. Early in the day, the Houthi television said the death toll from U.S. airstrikes on Sunday night against a popular market in the Shu’ub neighborhood in central Yemen’s capital Sanaa rose to 12, with 30 other “civilians” wounded.

    Also on Sunday night, the Houthi television reported other U.S. airstrikes on several Houthi locations in the northern provinces of Al-Mahwit, Saada, and Marib.

    Tensions between the Houthi group and the U.S. military have escalated since Washington resumed airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on March 15 to deter the group from targeting Israel and U.S. warships. 

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s e-commerce sector reports steady growth in Q1

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s e-commerce sector has reported steady growth in the first quarter of the year, boosted by the country’s pro-consumption policies such as its large-scale consumer goods trade-in program, the Ministry of Commerce said on Monday.

    Official data shows that China’s online retail sales totaled 3.6 trillion yuan (about 499.6 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter, with online retail sales of physical goods increasing 5.7 percent.

    There was also a 7.4-percent increase in online sales of digital products in this period, the ministry said.

    It noted that boosted by the release of quality films, China’s online entertainment sales volume grew 40 percent in the first three months.

    In the first quarter, the government and enterprises have worked together to accelerate the integration of domestic and foreign trade to cope with external risks, the ministry said, noting that more than 10 e-commerce platforms have taken swift measures to deliver quality foreign trade products to domestic households through e-commerce channels. 

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Recycled TV Components Utilized in SORPLAS™*¹ for BRAVIA™ TV Parts

    Source: Sony

    April 22, 2025

    Advancing Resource Efficiency Through “Material-to-Material Recycling”

    Sony has developed practical “Material-to-Material recycling” that reuses plastic recovered from the rear covers of end-of-life televisions in new TV products. Material-to-Material recycling refers to recycling where materials recovered from used products are reused as raw materials in new products of the same category with equivalent quality.
    This Material-to-Material Recycling has been made possible by successfully incorporating plastic recovered from end-of-life TVs by the designated collection facility*2 newly added as part of the raw material for SORPLAS, Sony’s flame-retardant recycled plastic material. This innovative recycling method utilizing SORPLAS will be implemented for the first time in the 65-inch model of the 4K OLED BRAVIA 8 (2024 models), with global shipments scheduled to begin within 2025.

    Material-to-Material Recycling of TV Rear Covers image

    BRAVIA 8 (65-inch) and its rear cover made with SORPLAS

    Rear covers collected from end-of-life TVs contain various types of plastic, which previously made direct reuse in new products difficult due to differences in strength and texture. To overcome this challenge, the BRAVIA design team collaborated with Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, the developer of SORPLAS, to create advanced sorting technology and optimal material blending methods suitable for television reuse. This technology enables the collection and sorting of specific plastics from used TV rear covers from any manufacturer for partial reuse as raw materials while maintaining the same high quality as conventional SORPLAS.
    In the future, Sony aims to achieve complete “closed-loop recycling” (fully circular recycling that reuses end-of-life products as raw materials for new products) by recovering and reusing rear covers made with SORPLAS.

    April 22nd each year marks “Earth Day,” a day for individuals to consider and take action for the global environment. To coincide with this day, Sony will publish its environmental initiatives on a website.

    • *1SORPLAS (Sustainable Oriented Recycled Plastic) is a flame-retardant recycled polycarbonate resin developed by Sony that achieves high quality with high recycled material content (up to 99%). It significantly reduces CO2 emissions during manufacturing compared to virgin materials.
    • *2Green Cycle Corporation

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

    Source: Auckland Council

    Music and the arts continue to be a beacon of light in the regeneration of Auckland’s midtown, and that leading role is ever-present this NZ Music Month across the city centre.

    Kicking off with Opera in the Strand on 1 May, a month-long festival of music will see people dancing or at least tapping their toes in streets, squares and lanes. Every tune, beat, pulse and rhythm will imprint our place in the world as a UNESCO City of Music.

    Auckland Council is hosting this free public programme of music for NZ Music Month, supported by the city centre targeted rate.

    You’ll hear a live rendition of Whakaaria Mai in the purest of opera voices from the bridges of Strand Arcade and a debut screening of acclaimed jazz pianist Joe Kaptein, soul/ funk grooves of Romi Wrights and hip hop lyricist Idol Essence at Academy Theatre for Auckland Council’s 2025 edition of Ka Mua Ka Muri Te Iho Ahau.

    Fruju Peak to play in Vulcan Lane

    Fruju Peak will rock experimental jazz in historic Vulcan Lane and the pulse of haka, the call of ancient Māori instruments, and the rhythm of poi will surround waterfront kiosk Te Wharekura.

    And with Mighty a 10-foot container hosting top musicians at Te Komititanga, music in photo form adorning the walls of Ellen Melville Centre and street-side light boxes, a music-filled midtown street party and live bands at iconic music stores, audiences will hear the diverse and unique sounds of Tāmaki Makaurau.

    Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson understands the importance of music in building community and celebrating diversity in a city.

    “This programme is so extensive we won’t need to walk far to hear live music – from opera in Strand Arcade to jazz in Vulcan Lane and the sound of ancient Māori instruments on the waterfront,” Councillor Simpson says.

    “I’m proud to see the city continuing to stamp its mark as a UNESCO City of Music and amplify the uniqueness of our place in the world through music,” she says.  

    A handful of highlights:

    Music in the city centre

    Rumpus Machine play in Music in the city centre

    Local talent is taking to the streets with live performances every Wednesday and Friday afternoon in the city. Catch rock classics from Rumpus Machine outside JB Hi-Fi and avant jazz tones from Joe Kaptein. Liven up your afternoons with George Villa and Lucian Rice at Real Groovy and local singer-songwriters cropping up across Elliott Street, Wellesley Street, Queen Street and more.

    More detail and performance times for music in the city centre.

    Music in pictures

    A pop-up photographic exhibition will showcase the talent of music photographers across Aotearoa. Since its inception in 2021, the Aotearoa Music Photography Award has awarded over $8,000 in prizes, championing photographic excellence in capturing the vibrant energy of the music scene.

    Explore compelling images from gigs, festivals, and community events, where artists and audiences connect through the lens of photography. The exhibition offers a diverse and inclusive platform for artistic expression and dialogue, highlighting photography as a cultural and creative art form. The Auckland Festival of Photography Trust presents this event as part of its annual city-wide celebration of photography and visual culture, championing emerging and established talent and promoting New Zealand’s photographic excellence.

    More detail and dates at Our Auckland.

    Music in the morning

    Dance to the beat of a special NZ Music Month edition of Morning People, featuring Pixie Lane x Kazi Flip at Il Brutto, one of Auckland’s finest dance dens – all free.

    Expect a high-energy morning rave with crisp sound, deep grooves, and a morning rave that’ll leave you buzzing. Plus, enjoy complimentary Altezano Brothers coffee, All Good bananas, and Karma Drinks to keep you fuelled.

    More detail and dates at Our Auckland.

    Music on the waterfront

    Te Whare Kairoi perform at Te Wharekura

    Join Rhythm Nation with Te Whare Kairoi every Saturday in May at Te Wharekura, historic kiosk turned environmental education space, at the western end of Te Wānanga in Quay Street. The group brings vibrant, interactive performances celebrating Māori music and movement as part of NZ Music Month.

    These free, whānau-friendly events invite you to connect with the rich whakapapa of Tāmaki Makaurau through live performance and hands-on musical experiences.

    More detail and dates at Our Auckland.

    Music at Te Komititanga

    Te Komititanga

    This NZ Music Month, step into Mighty – a 10-foot container transformed into a micro theatre in the heart of Te Komititanga. With a ticket booth, red carpet, and velvet-draped interior, this pocket-sized venue sets the stage for unforgettable one-song performances.

    The lineup is stacked with top musicians, but there’s a twist – you won’t know who you’re seeing until you step inside. With space for just a handful of people at a time, Mighty offers a rare, up-close encounter with live music in its most intimate form.

    More detail and dates at Our Auckland.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI: Wintrust Financial Corporation Reports Record First Quarter 2025 Net Income

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ROSEMONT, Ill., April 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wintrust Financial Corporation (“Wintrust”, “the Company”, “we” or “our”) (Nasdaq: WTFC) announced record quarterly net income of $189.0 million, or $2.69 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2025, compared to net income of $185.4 million, or $2.63 per diluted common share in the fourth quarter of 2024. Pre-tax, pre-provision income (non-GAAP) totaled a record $277.0 million, compared to $270.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Timothy S. Crane, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Building on our record results in 2024, we are pleased with our strong start to the year. Our balanced business model supported disciplined loan growth, which was funded by robust deposit growth in the first quarter of 2025.”

    Additionally, Mr. Crane noted, “Net interest margin in the first quarter increased by five basis points to 3.56% compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. The improvement in net interest margin was primarily attributed to decreased funding costs. The higher net interest margin and balance sheet growth supported record net interest income levels in the first quarter of 2025.”

    Highlights of the first quarter of 2025:
    Comparative information to the fourth quarter of 2024, unless otherwise noted

    • Total loans increased by $653 million, or 6% annualized.
    • Total deposits increased by approximately $1.1 billion, or 8% annualized.
    • Total assets increased by $1.0 billion, or 6% annualized.
    • Net interest income increased to $526.5 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared to $525.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, supported by improvement in net interest margin and balance sheet growth.        
      • Net interest margin increased to 3.54% (3.56% on a fully taxable-equivalent basis, non-GAAP) during the first quarter of 2025.
    • Non-interest income and non-interest expense were relatively stable in the first quarter of 2025. Notable impacts were:
      • Net gains on investment securities totaled $3.2 million.
      • Macatawa Bank acquisition-related costs were $2.7 million.
    • Provision for credit losses totaled $24.0 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to a provision for credit losses of $17.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Net charge-offs totaled $12.6 million, or 11 basis points of average total loans on an annualized basis, in the first quarter of 2025 compared to $15.9 million, or 13 basis points of average total loans on an annualized basis, in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Mr. Crane noted, “The Company exhibited disciplined and consistent loan growth, as loans increased by $653 million compared to the prior quarter, or 6% on an annualized basis. Loan pipelines are strong and we remain prudent in our review of credit opportunities, ensuring our loan growth adheres to our conservative credit standards. Strong deposit growth of $1.1 billion, or 8% on an annualized basis, in the first quarter of 2025 outpaced loan growth, which resulted in our loans-to-deposits ratio ending the quarter at 90.9%. Non-interest bearing deposits totaled $11.2 billion and comprised 21% of total deposits at the end of the first quarter of 2025. We continue to leverage our enviable market positioning to generate deposits, grow loans and expand our franchise value.”

    Commenting on credit quality, Mr. Crane stated, “Prudent credit management, involving in-depth reviews of the portfolio, has led to positive outcomes by proactively identifying and resolving problem credits in a timely fashion. We continue to be conservative, diversified, and maintain our consistently strong credit standards. We believe the Company’s reserves are appropriate and we remain committed to maintaining credit quality as evidenced by our improved net charge-offs, stable levels of non-performing loans and our core loan allowance for credit losses of 1.37%.”

    In summary, Mr. Crane concluded, “Overall, we are proud of our first quarter results and believe we are well-positioned to continue our strong momentum as we navigate the macroeconomic uncertainty in 2025. The first quarter results highlighted the quality of our core deposit franchise and multifaceted nature of our business model, which uniquely positions us to be successful. Anticipated solid loan growth in the second quarter, combined with a stable net interest margin should result in higher levels of net interest income in the second quarter of 2025. Increasing our long-term franchise value and net interest income, coupled with disciplined expense control and maintaining our conservative credit standards, remain our focus in 2025.”

    The graphs shown on pages 3-7 illustrate certain financial highlights of the first quarter of 2025 as well as historical financial performance. See “Supplemental Non-GAAP Financial Measures/Ratios” at Table 17 for additional information with respect to non-GAAP financial measures/ratios, including the reconciliations to the corresponding GAAP financial measures/ratios.

    Graphs available at the following link: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/cdbdc506-1b5a-4776-ae2e-e0b14106e712

    SUMMARY OF RESULTS:

    BALANCE SHEET

    Total assets increased $1.0 billion in the first quarter of 2025 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. Total loans increased by $653.4 million as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. The increase in loans was primarily driven by growth in the commercial and premium finance life insurance loan portfolios.

    Total liabilities increased by $734.2 million in the first quarter of 2025 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, driven by a $1.1 billion increase in total deposits. Robust organic deposit growth in the first quarter of 2025 was driven by our diverse deposit product offerings. Non-interest bearing deposits as a percentage of total deposits were 21% at March 31, 2025, relatively stable compared to recent quarters. The Company’s loans-to-deposits ratio ended the quarter at 90.9%.

    For more information regarding changes in the Company’s balance sheet, see Consolidated Statements of Condition and Table 1 through Table 3 in this report.

    NET INTEREST INCOME

    For the first quarter of 2025, net interest income totaled $526.5 million, an increase of $1.3 million as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, primarily due to improvement in net interest margin and growth in the balance sheet, partially offset by two fewer calendar days in the quarter.

    Net interest margin increased to 3.54% (3.56% on a fully taxable-equivalent basis, non-GAAP) during the first quarter of 2025, up five basis points compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. The yield on earning assets declined 11 basis points during the first quarter of 2025 primarily due to a 15 basis point decrease in loan yields. The net free funds contribution declined six basis points compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. These declines were more than offset by a 22 basis point reduction in funding cost, primarily due to a 23 basis point decline in the rate paid on interest-bearing deposits, compared to the fourth quarter of 2024.

    For more information regarding net interest income, see Table 4 through Table 7 in this report.

    ASSET QUALITY

    The allowance for credit losses totaled $448.4 million as of March 31, 2025, an increase from $437.1 million as of December 31, 2024. A provision for credit losses totaling $24.0 million was recorded for the first quarter of 2025 as compared to $17.0 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024. The higher provision for credit losses recognized in the first quarter of 2025 is primarily attributable to impacts related to the macroeconomic outlook. Future economic performance remains uncertain, thus downside risks to the baseline scenario, including widening credit spreads and lower valuations in financial markets, were considered to derive a qualitative addition to the provision for the first quarter of 2025. For more information regarding the allowance for credit losses and provision for credit losses, see Table 10 in this report.

    Management believes the allowance for credit losses is appropriate to account for expected credit losses. The Company is required to estimate expected credit losses over the life of the Company’s financial assets as of the reporting date. There can be no assurances, however, that future losses will not significantly exceed the amounts provided for, thereby affecting future results of operations. A summary of the allowance for credit losses calculated for the loan components in each portfolio as of March 31, 2025, December 31, 2024, and September 30, 2024 is shown on Table 11 of this report.

    Net charge-offs totaled $12.6 million in the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of $3.3 million as compared to $15.9 million of net charge-offs in the fourth quarter of 2024. Net charge-offs as a percentage of average total loans were 11 basis points in the first quarter of 2025 on an annualized basis, compared to 13 basis points on an annualized basis in the fourth quarter of 2024. For more information regarding net charge-offs, see Table 9 in this report.

    The Company’s delinquency rates remain low and manageable. For more information regarding past due loans, see Table 12 in this report.

    Non-performing assets and non-performing loans have remained relatively stable compared to prior quarters. Non-performing assets totaled $195.0 million and comprised 0.30% of total assets as of March 31, 2025, as compared to $193.9 million, or 0.30% of total assets, as of December 31, 2024. Non-performing loans totaled $172.4 million and comprised 0.35% of total loans at March 31, 2025, as compared to $170.8 million and 0.36% of total loans at December 31, 2024. For more information regarding non-performing assets, see Table 13 in this report.

    NON-INTEREST INCOME

    Non-interest income totaled $116.6 million in the first quarter of 2025, increasing $3.2 million, as compared to $113.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Wealth management revenue decreased by $4.7 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. Revenue in the first quarter of 2025 was impacted by the transition of systems and support for brokerage and certain private client business to a new third party in the current quarter, as well as lower assets under management due to lower market valuations. The reduction in revenue was driven by anticipated slowdown in activity from the transition, market conditions, and certain offsets to expenses. Wealth management revenue is comprised of the trust and asset management revenue of Wintrust Private Trust Company and Great Lakes Advisors, the brokerage commissions, managed money fees and insurance product commissions at Wintrust Investments and fees from tax-deferred like-kind exchange services provided by the Chicago Deferred Exchange Company.

    Mortgage banking revenue totaling $20.5 million in the first quarter of 2025 was essentially unchanged compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. For more information regarding mortgage banking revenue, see Table 15 in this report.

    The Company recognized $19.4 million in service charges on deposit accounts in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to $18.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. The $0.5 million increase in the first quarter of 2025 was primarily due to increased commercial account fees.

    The Company recognized $3.2 million in net gains on investment securities in the first quarter of 2025 as compared to $2.8 million in net losses in the fourth quarter of 2024. The net gains in the first quarter of 2025 were primarily the result of unrealized gains on the Company’s equity investment securities with a readily determinable fair value.

    For more information regarding non-interest income, see Table 14 in this report.

    NON-INTEREST EXPENSE

    Non-interest expenses totaled $366.1 million in the first quarter of 2025, decreasing $2.4 million as compared to $368.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Salaries and employee benefits expense decreased by $0.6 million in the first quarter of 2025 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. This was primarily driven by decreased commissions and incentives compensation expense related to lower mortgage originations and wealth management revenue in the quarter partially offset by higher salaries expense which can be attributed to annual merit increases taking effect in the first quarter of the year.

    Advertising and marketing expenses in the first quarter of 2025 totaled $12.3 million, which was a $0.8 million decrease as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. The reduction in the first quarter is primarily due to timing of marketing campaigns, sponsorship arrangements and other investments.

    Professional fees expense totaled $9.0 million in the first quarter of 2025, resulting in a decrease of $2.3 million as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. The decrease in the current quarter relates primarily to decreased fees on consulting services. Professional fees include legal, audit, and tax fees, external loan review costs, consulting arrangements and normal regulatory exam assessments.

    Travel and entertainment expense totaled $5.3 million in the first quarter of 2025 which decreased $2.9 million as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. The decrease is primarily due to seasonal corporate events that occur during the fourth quarter.

    The Macatawa Bank acquisition related costs were $2.7 million in the first quarter of 2025, primarily driven by consulting expenses, employee retention and severance costs, and contracted resource costs.

    For more information regarding non-interest expense, see Table 16 in this report.

    INCOME TAXES

    The Company recorded income tax expense of $64.0 million in the first quarter compared to $67.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. The effective tax rates were 25.30% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to 26.76% in the fourth quarter of 2024. The effective tax rates were partially impacted by the tax effects related to share-based compensation, which fluctuate based on the Company’s stock price and timing of employee stock option exercises and vesting of other share-based awards. The Company recorded net excess tax benefits of $3.7 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared to excess tax benefits of $50,000 in the fourth quarter of 2024 related to share-based compensation.

    BUSINESS SUMMARY

    Community Banking

    Through community banking, the Company provides banking and financial services primarily to individuals, small to mid-sized businesses, local governmental units and institutional clients residing primarily in the local areas the Company services. In the first quarter of 2025, community banking increased its commercial, commercial real estate and residential real estate loan portfolios.

    Mortgage banking revenue was $20.5 million for both the first quarter of 2025, and the fourth quarter of 2024. See Table 15 for more detail. Service charges on deposit accounts totaled $19.4 million in the first quarter of 2025 as compared to $18.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. The Company’s gross commercial and commercial real estate loan pipelines remained solid as of March 31, 2025 indicating momentum for expected continued loan growth in the second quarter of 2025.

    Specialty Finance

    Through specialty finance, the Company offers financing of insurance premiums for businesses and individuals, equipment financing through structured loans and lease products to customers in a variety of industries, accounts receivable financing and value-added, out-sourced administrative services and other services. Originations within the insurance premium financing receivables portfolios were $4.8 billion during the first quarter of 2025. Average balances increased by $213.4 million, as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. The Company’s leasing divisions’ portfolio balances increased in the first quarter of 2025, with capital leases, loans, and equipment on operating leases of $2.7 billion, $1.1 billion, and $280.5 million as of March 31, 2025 respectively, as compared to $2.5 billion, $1.1 billion, and $278.3 million as of December 31, 2024, respectively. Revenues from the Company’s out-sourced administrative services business were $1.4 million in the first quarter of 2025, which was relatively stable compared to the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Wealth Management

    Through wealth management, the Company offers a full range of wealth management services, including trust and investment services, tax-deferred like-kind exchange services, asset management, and securities brokerage services. See “Items Impacting Comparative Results,” regarding the sale of the Company’s Retirement Benefits Advisors (“RBA”) division during the first quarter of 2024. Wealth management revenue totaled $34.0 million in the first quarter of 2025, down slightly as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. At March 31, 2025, the Company’s wealth management subsidiaries had approximately $51.1 billion of assets under administration, which included $8.4 billion of assets owned by the Company and its subsidiary banks.

    ITEMS IMPACTING COMPARATIVE FINANCIAL RESULTS

    Business Combination

    On August 1, 2024, the Company completed its previously announced acquisition of Macatawa, the parent company of Macatawa Bank. In conjunction with the completed acquisition, the Company issued approximately 4.7 million shares of common stock. Macatawa operates 26 full-service branches located throughout communities in Kent, Ottawa and northern Allegan counties in the state of Michigan. Macatawa offers a full range of banking, retail and commercial lending, wealth management and ecommerce services to individuals, businesses and governmental entities. As of August 1, 2024, Macatawa had fair values of approximately $2.9 billion in assets, $2.3 billion in deposits and $1.3 billion in loans. As of March 31, 2025, the Company recorded goodwill of approximately $142.1 million on the purchase.

    Division Sale

    In the first quarter of 2024, the Company sold its RBA division and recorded a net gain of approximately $19.3 million ($20.0 million in other non-interest income from the sale, offset by $0.7 million in commissions/incentive compensation expense).

    WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
    Key Operating Measures

    Wintrust’s key operating measures and growth rates for the first quarter of 2025, as compared to the fourth quarter of 2024 (sequential quarter) and first quarter of 2024 (linked quarter), are shown in the table below:

                  % or (1)basis point (bp) change  from
    4th Quarter
    2024
      % or basis point (bp) change from
    1st Quarter
    2024
        Three Months Ended  
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)   Mar 31, 2025   Dec 31, 2024   Mar 31, 2024  
    Net income   $ 189,039     $ 185,362     $ 187,294   2   %   1   %
    Pre-tax income, excluding provision for credit losses (non-GAAP) (2)     277,018       270,060       271,629   3       2    
    Net income per common share – Diluted     2.69       2.63       2.89   2       (7 )  
    Cash dividends declared per common share     0.50       0.45       0.45   11       11    
    Net revenue (3)     643,108       638,599       604,774   1       6    
    Net interest income     526,474       525,148       464,194   0       13    
    Net interest margin     3.54 %     3.49 %     3.57 % 5   bps   (3 ) bps
    Net interest margin – fully taxable-equivalent (non-GAAP) (2)     3.56       3.51       3.59   5       (3 )  
    Net overhead ratio (4)     1.58       1.60       1.39   (2 )     19    
    Return on average assets     1.20       1.16       1.35   4       (15 )  
    Return on average common equity     12.21       11.82       14.42   39       (221 )  
    Return on average tangible common equity (non-GAAP) (2)     14.72       14.29       16.75   43       (203 )  
    At end of period                      
    Total assets   $ 65,870,066     $ 64,879,668     $ 57,576,933   6   %   14   %
    Total loans (5)     48,708,390       48,055,037       43,230,706   6       13    
    Total deposits     53,570,038       52,512,349       46,448,858   8       15    
    Total shareholders’ equity     6,600,537       6,344,297       5,436,400   16       21    

    (1)   Period-end balance sheet percentage changes are annualized.
    (2)   See Table 17: Supplemental Non-GAAP Financial Measures/Ratios for additional information on this performance measure/ratio.
    (3)   Net revenue is net interest income plus non-interest income.
    (4)   The net overhead ratio is calculated by netting total non-interest expense and total non-interest income, annualizing this amount, and dividing by that period’s average total assets. A lower ratio indicates a higher degree of efficiency.
    (5)   Excludes mortgage loans held-for-sale.

    Certain returns, yields, performance ratios, or quarterly growth rates are “annualized” in this presentation to represent an annual time period. This is done for analytical purposes to better discern, for decision-making purposes, underlying performance trends when compared to full-year or year-over-year amounts. For example, a 5% growth rate for a quarter would represent an annualized 20% growth rate. Additional supplemental financial information showing quarterly trends can be found on the Company’s website at www.wintrust.com by choosing “Financial Reports” under the “Investor Relations” heading, and then choosing “Financial Highlights.”


    WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION

    Selected Financial Highlights

        Three Months Ended
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)   Mar 31, 2025   Dec 31, 2024   Sep 30, 2024   Jun 30, 2024   Mar 31, 2024
    Selected Financial Condition Data (at end of period):
    Total assets   $ 65,870,066     $ 64,879,668     $ 63,788,424     $ 59,781,516     $ 57,576,933  
    Total loans (1)     48,708,390       48,055,037       47,067,447       44,675,531       43,230,706  
    Total deposits     53,570,038       52,512,349       51,404,966       48,049,026       46,448,858  
    Total shareholders’ equity     6,600,537       6,344,297       6,399,714       5,536,628       5,436,400  
    Selected Statements of Income Data:                    
    Net interest income   $ 526,474     $ 525,148     $ 502,583     $ 470,610     $ 464,194  
    Net revenue (2)     643,108       638,599       615,730       591,757       604,774  
    Net income     189,039       185,362       170,001       152,388       187,294  
    Pre-tax income, excluding provision for credit losses (non-GAAP) (3)     277,018       270,060       255,043       251,404       271,629  
    Net income per common share – Basic     2.73       2.68       2.51       2.35       2.93  
    Net income per common share – Diluted     2.69       2.63       2.47       2.32       2.89  
    Cash dividends declared per common share     0.50       0.45       0.45       0.45       0.45  
    Selected Financial Ratios and Other Data:                    
    Performance Ratios:                    
    Net interest margin     3.54 %     3.49 %     3.49 %     3.50 %     3.57 %
    Net interest margin – fully taxable-equivalent (non-GAAP) (3)     3.56       3.51       3.51       3.52       3.59  
    Non-interest income to average assets     0.74       0.71       0.74       0.85       1.02  
    Non-interest expense to average assets     2.32       2.31       2.36       2.38       2.41  
    Net overhead ratio (4)     1.58       1.60       1.62       1.53       1.39  
    Return on average assets     1.20       1.16       1.11       1.07       1.35  
    Return on average common equity     12.21       11.82       11.63       11.61       14.42  
    Return on average tangible common equity (non-GAAP) (3)     14.72       14.29       13.92       13.49       16.75  
    Average total assets   $ 64,107,042     $ 63,594,105     $ 60,915,283     $ 57,493,184     $ 55,602,695  
    Average total shareholders’ equity     6,460,941       6,418,403       5,990,429       5,450,173       5,440,457  
    Average loans to average deposits ratio     92.3 %     91.9 %     93.8 %     95.1 %     94.5 %
    Period-end loans to deposits ratio     90.9       91.5       91.6       93.0       93.1  
    Common Share Data at end of period:                    
    Market price per common share   $ 112.46     $ 124.71     $ 108.53     $ 98.56     $ 104.39  
    Book value per common share     92.47       89.21       90.06       82.97       81.38  
    Tangible book value per common share (non-GAAP) (3)     78.83       75.39       76.15       72.01       70.40  
    Common shares outstanding     66,919,325       66,495,227       66,481,543       61,760,139       61,736,715  
    Other Data at end of period:                    
    Common equity to assets ratio     9.4 %     9.1 %     9.4 %     8.6 %     8.7 %
    Tangible common equity ratio (non-GAAP) (3)     8.1       7.8       8.1       7.5       7.6  
    Tier 1 leverage ratio (5)     9.6       9.4       9.6       9.3       9.4  
    Risk-based capital ratios:                    
    Tier 1 capital ratio (5)     10.8       10.7       10.6       10.3       10.3  
    Common equity tier 1 capital ratio (5)     10.1       9.9       9.8       9.5       9.5  
    Total capital ratio (5)     12.5       12.3       12.2       12.1       12.2  
    Allowance for credit losses (6)   $ 448,387     $ 437,060     $ 436,193     $ 437,560     $ 427,504  
    Allowance for loan and unfunded lending-related commitment losses to total loans     0.92 %     0.91 %     0.93 %     0.98 %     0.99 %
    Number of:                    
    Bank subsidiaries     16       16       16       15       15  
    Banking offices     208       205       203       177       176  

    (1)   Excludes mortgage loans held-for-sale.
    (2)   Net revenue is net interest income plus non-interest income.
    (3)   See Table 17: Supplemental Non-GAAP Financial Measures/Ratios for additional information on this performance measure/ratio.
    (4)   The net overhead ratio is calculated by netting total non-interest expense and total non-interest income, annualizing this amount, and dividing by that period’s average total assets. A lower ratio indicates a higher degree of efficiency.
    (5)   Capital ratios for current quarter-end are estimated.
    (6)   The allowance for credit losses includes the allowance for loan losses, the allowance for unfunded lending-related commitments and the allowance for held-to-maturity securities losses.


    WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CONDITION

        (Unaudited)       (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)
        Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (In thousands)     2025       2024       2024       2024       2024  
    Assets                    
    Cash and due from banks   $ 616,216     $ 452,017     $ 725,465     $ 415,462     $ 379,825  
    Federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements     63       6,519       5,663       62       61  
    Interest-bearing deposits with banks     4,238,237       4,409,753       3,648,117       2,824,314       2,131,077  
    Available-for-sale securities, at fair value     4,220,305       4,141,482       3,912,232       4,329,957       4,387,598  
    Held-to-maturity securities, at amortized cost     3,564,490       3,613,263       3,677,420       3,755,924       3,810,015  
    Trading account securities           4,072       3,472       4,134       2,184  
    Equity securities with readily determinable fair value     270,442       215,412       125,310       112,173       119,777  
    Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank stock     281,893       281,407       266,908       256,495       224,657  
    Brokerage customer receivables           18,102       16,662       13,682       13,382  
    Mortgage loans held-for-sale, at fair value     316,804       331,261       461,067       411,851       339,884  
    Loans, net of unearned income     48,708,390       48,055,037       47,067,447       44,675,531       43,230,706  
    Allowance for loan losses     (378,207 )     (364,017 )     (360,279 )     (363,719 )     (348,612 )
    Net loans     48,330,183       47,691,020       46,707,168       44,311,812       42,882,094  
    Premises, software and equipment, net     776,679       779,130       772,002       722,295       744,769  
    Lease investments, net     280,472       278,264       270,171       275,459       283,557  
    Accrued interest receivable and other assets     1,598,255       1,739,334       1,721,090       1,671,334       1,580,142  
    Trade date securities receivable     463,023             551,031              
    Goodwill     796,932       796,942       800,780       655,955       656,181  
    Other acquisition-related intangible assets     116,072       121,690       123,866       20,607       21,730  
    Total assets   $ 65,870,066     $ 64,879,668     $ 63,788,424     $ 59,781,516     $ 57,576,933  
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity                    
    Deposits:                    
    Non-interest-bearing   $ 11,201,859     $ 11,410,018     $ 10,739,132     $ 10,031,440     $ 9,908,183  
    Interest-bearing     42,368,179       41,102,331       40,665,834       38,017,586       36,540,675  
    Total deposits     53,570,038       52,512,349       51,404,966       48,049,026       46,448,858  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     3,151,309       3,151,309       3,171,309       3,176,309       2,676,751  
    Other borrowings     529,269       534,803       647,043       606,579       575,408  
    Subordinated notes     298,360       298,283       298,188       298,113       437,965  
    Junior subordinated debentures     253,566       253,566       253,566       253,566       253,566  
    Accrued interest payable and other liabilities     1,466,987       1,785,061       1,613,638       1,861,295       1,747,985  
    Total liabilities     59,269,529       58,535,371       57,388,710       54,244,888       52,140,533  
    Shareholders’ Equity:                    
    Preferred stock     412,500       412,500       412,500       412,500       412,500  
    Common stock     67,007       66,560       66,546       61,825       61,798  
    Surplus     2,494,347       2,482,561       2,470,228       1,964,645       1,954,532  
    Treasury stock     (9,156 )     (6,153 )     (6,098 )     (5,760 )     (5,757 )
    Retained earnings     4,045,854       3,897,164       3,748,715       3,615,616       3,498,475  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (410,015 )     (508,335 )     (292,177 )     (512,198 )     (485,148 )
    Total shareholders’ equity     6,600,537       6,344,297       6,399,714       5,536,628       5,436,400  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 65,870,066     $ 64,879,668     $ 63,788,424     $ 59,781,516     $ 57,576,933  

    WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED)

      Three Months Ended
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) Mar 31,
    2025
      Dec 31,
    2024
      Sep 30,
    2024
      Jun 30,
    2024
      Mar 31,
    2024
    Interest income                  
    Interest and fees on loans $ 768,362     $ 789,038     $ 794,163     $ 749,812     $ 710,341  
    Mortgage loans held-for-sale   4,246       5,623       6,233       5,434       4,146  
    Interest-bearing deposits with banks   36,766       46,256       32,608       19,731       16,658  
    Federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements   179       53       277       17       19  
    Investment securities   72,016       67,066       69,592       69,779       69,678  
    Trading account securities   11       6       11       13       18  
    Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank stock   5,307       5,157       5,451       4,974       4,478  
    Brokerage customer receivables   78       302       269       219       175  
    Total interest income   886,965       913,501       908,604       849,979       805,513  
    Interest expense                  
    Interest on deposits   320,233       346,388       362,019       335,703       299,532  
    Interest on Federal Home Loan Bank advances   25,441       26,050       26,254       24,797       22,048  
    Interest on other borrowings   6,792       7,519       9,013       8,700       9,248  
    Interest on subordinated notes   3,714       3,733       3,712       5,185       5,487  
    Interest on junior subordinated debentures   4,311       4,663       5,023       4,984       5,004  
    Total interest expense   360,491       388,353       406,021       379,369       341,319  
    Net interest income   526,474       525,148       502,583       470,610       464,194  
    Provision for credit losses   23,963       16,979       22,334       40,061       21,673  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses   502,511       508,169       480,249       430,549       442,521  
    Non-interest income                  
    Wealth management   34,042       38,775       37,224       35,413       34,815  
    Mortgage banking   20,529       20,452       15,974       29,124       27,663  
    Service charges on deposit accounts   19,362       18,864       16,430       15,546       14,811  
    Gains (losses) on investment securities, net   3,196       (2,835 )     3,189       (4,282 )     1,326  
    Fees from covered call options   3,446       2,305       988       2,056       4,847  
    Trading (losses) gains, net   (64 )     (113 )     (130 )     70       677  
    Operating lease income, net   15,287       15,327       15,335       13,938       14,110  
    Other   20,836       20,676       24,137       29,282       42,331  
    Total non-interest income   116,634       113,451       113,147       121,147       140,580  
    Non-interest expense                  
    Salaries and employee benefits   211,526       212,133       211,261       198,541       195,173  
    Software and equipment   34,717       34,258       31,574       29,231       27,731  
    Operating lease equipment   10,471       10,263       10,518       10,834       10,683  
    Occupancy, net   20,778       20,597       19,945       19,585       19,086  
    Data processing   11,274       10,957       9,984       9,503       9,292  
    Advertising and marketing   12,272       13,097       18,239       17,436       13,040  
    Professional fees   9,044       11,334       9,783       9,967       9,553  
    Amortization of other acquisition-related intangible assets   5,618       5,773       4,042       1,122       1,158  
    FDIC insurance   10,926       10,640       10,512       10,429       14,537  
    OREO expenses, net   643       397       (938 )     (259 )     392  
    Other   38,821       39,090       35,767       33,964       32,500  
    Total non-interest expense   366,090       368,539       360,687       340,353       333,145  
    Income before taxes   253,055       253,081       232,709       211,343       249,956  
    Income tax expense   64,016       67,719       62,708       58,955       62,662  
    Net income $ 189,039     $ 185,362     $ 170,001     $ 152,388     $ 187,294  
    Preferred stock dividends   6,991       6,991       6,991       6,991       6,991  
    Net income applicable to common shares $ 182,048     $ 178,371     $ 163,010     $ 145,397     $ 180,303  
    Net income per common share – Basic $ 2.73     $ 2.68     $ 2.51     $ 2.35     $ 2.93  
    Net income per common share – Diluted $ 2.69     $ 2.63     $ 2.47     $ 2.32     $ 2.89  
    Cash dividends declared per common share $ 0.50     $ 0.45     $ 0.45     $ 0.45     $ 0.45  
    Weighted average common shares outstanding   66,726       66,491       64,888       61,839       61,481  
    Dilutive potential common shares   923       1,233       1,053       926       928  
    Average common shares and dilutive common shares   67,649       67,724       65,941       62,765       62,409  

    TABLE 1: LOAN PORTFOLIO MIX AND GROWTH RATES

                        % Growth From
    (Dollars in thousands) Mar 31,
    2025
      Dec 31,
    2024
      Sep 30,
    2024
      Jun 30,
    2024
      Mar 31,
    2024
    Dec 31,
    2024 (1)
      Mar 31,
    2024
    Balance:                        
    Mortgage loans held-for-sale, excluding early buy-out exercised loans guaranteed by U.S. government agencies $ 181,580     $ 189,774     $ 314,693     $ 281,103     $ 193,064   (18 )%   (6 )%
    Mortgage loans held-for-sale, early buy-out exercised loans guaranteed by U.S. government agencies   135,224       141,487       146,374       130,748       146,820   (18 )   (8 )
    Total mortgage loans held-for-sale $ 316,804     $ 331,261     $ 461,067     $ 411,851     $ 339,884   (18 )%   (7 )%
                             
    Core loans:                        
    Commercial                        
    Commercial and industrial $ 6,871,206     $ 6,867,422     $ 6,774,683     $ 6,236,290     $ 6,117,004   0 %   12 %
    Asset-based lending   1,701,962       1,611,001       1,709,685       1,465,867       1,355,255   23     26  
    Municipal   798,646       826,653       827,125       747,357       721,526   (14 )   11  
    Leases   2,680,943       2,537,325       2,443,721       2,439,128       2,344,295   23     14  
    Commercial real estate                        
    Residential construction   55,849       48,617       73,088       55,019       57,558   60     (3 )
    Commercial construction   2,086,797       2,065,775       1,984,240       1,866,701       1,748,607   4     19  
    Land   306,235       319,689       346,362       338,831       344,149   (17 )   (11 )
    Office   1,641,555       1,656,109       1,675,286       1,585,312       1,566,748   (4 )   5  
    Industrial   2,677,555       2,628,576       2,527,932       2,307,455       2,190,200   8     22  
    Retail   1,402,837       1,374,655       1,404,586       1,365,753       1,366,415   8     3  
    Multi-family   3,091,314       3,125,505       3,193,339       2,988,940       2,922,432   (4 )   6  
    Mixed use and other   1,652,759       1,685,018       1,588,584       1,439,186       1,437,328   (8 )   15  
    Home equity   455,683       445,028       427,043       356,313       340,349   10     34  
    Residential real estate                        
    Residential real estate loans for investment   3,561,417       3,456,009       3,252,649       2,933,157       2,746,916   12     30  
    Residential mortgage loans, early buy-out eligible loans guaranteed by U.S. government agencies   86,952       114,985       92,355       88,503       90,911   (99 )   (4 )
    Residential mortgage loans, early buy-out exercised loans guaranteed by U.S. government agencies   36,790       41,771       43,034       45,675       52,439   (48 )   (30 )
    Total core loans $ 29,108,500     $ 28,804,138     $ 28,363,712     $ 26,259,487     $ 25,402,132   4 %   15 %
                             
    Niche loans:                        
    Commercial                        
    Franchise $ 1,262,555     $ 1,268,521     $ 1,191,686     $ 1,150,460     $ 1,122,302   (2 )%   12 %
    Mortgage warehouse lines of credit   1,019,543       893,854       750,462       593,519       403,245   57     NM
    Community Advantage – homeowners association   525,492       525,446       501,645       491,722       475,832   0     10  
    Insurance agency lending   1,070,979       1,044,329       1,048,686       1,030,119       964,022   10     11  
    Premium Finance receivables                        
    U.S. property & casualty insurance   6,486,663       6,447,625       6,253,271       6,142,654       6,113,993   2     6  
    Canada property & casualty insurance   753,199       824,417       878,410       958,099       826,026   (35 )   (9 )
    Life insurance   8,365,140       8,147,145       7,996,899       7,962,115       7,872,033   11     6  
    Consumer and other   116,319       99,562       82,676       87,356       51,121   68     NM
    Total niche loans $ 19,599,890     $ 19,250,899     $ 18,703,735     $ 18,416,044     $ 17,828,574   7 %   10 %
                             
    Total loans, net of unearned income $ 48,708,390     $ 48,055,037     $ 47,067,447     $ 44,675,531     $ 43,230,706   6 %   13 %

    (1)   Annualized.


    TABLE 2: DEPOSIT PORTFOLIO MIX AND GROWTH RATES

                        % Growth From
    (Dollars in thousands) Mar 31,
    2025
      Dec 31,
    2024
      Sep 30,
    2024
      Jun 30,
    2024
      Mar 31,
    2024
    Dec 31,
    2024 (1)
      Mar 31, 2024
    Balance:                        
    Non-interest-bearing $ 11,201,859     $ 11,410,018     $ 10,739,132     $ 10,031,440     $ 9,908,183   (7 )%   13 %
    NOW and interest-bearing demand deposits   6,340,168       5,865,546       5,466,932       5,053,909       5,720,947   33     11  
    Wealth management deposits (2)   1,408,790       1,469,064       1,303,354       1,490,711       1,347,817   (17 )   5  
    Money market   18,074,733       17,975,191       17,713,726       16,320,017       15,617,717   2     16  
    Savings   6,576,251       6,372,499       6,183,249       5,882,179       5,959,774   13     10  
    Time certificates of deposit   9,968,237       9,420,031       9,998,573       9,270,770       7,894,420   24     26  
    Total deposits $ 53,570,038     $ 52,512,349     $ 51,404,966     $ 48,049,026     $ 46,448,858   8 %   15 %
    Mix:                        
    Non-interest-bearing   21 %     22 %     21 %     21 %     21 %      
    NOW and interest-bearing demand deposits   12       11       11       11       12        
    Wealth management deposits (2)   3       3       3       3       3        
    Money market   34       34       34       34       34        
    Savings   12       12       12       12       13        
    Time certificates of deposit   18       18       19       19       17        
    Total deposits   100 %     100 %     100 %     100 %     100 %      

    (1)   Annualized.
    (2)   Represents deposit balances of the Company’s subsidiary banks from brokerage customers of Wintrust Investments, Chicago Deferred Exchange Company, LLC (“CDEC”), and trust and asset management customers of the Company.


    TABLE 3
    : TIME CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT MATURITY/RE-PRICING ANALYSIS
    As of March 31, 2025

    (Dollars in thousands)   Total Time
    Certificates of
    Deposit
      Weighted-Average
    Rate of Maturing
    Time Certificates
    of Deposit
    1-3 months   $ 3,845,120     4.34 %
    4-6 months     2,345,184     3.81  
    7-9 months     2,694,739     3.72  
    10-12 months     711,206     3.62  
    13-18 months     210,063     3.03  
    19-24 months     87,336     2.72  
    24+ months     74,589     2.47  
    Total   $ 9,968,237     3.94 %

    TABLE 4: QUARTERLY AVERAGE BALANCES

        Average Balance for three months ended,
        Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (In thousands)     2025       2024       2024       2024       2024  
    Interest-bearing deposits with banks, securities purchased under resale agreements and cash equivalents (1)   $ 3,520,048     $ 3,934,016     $ 2,413,728     $ 1,485,481     $ 1,254,332  
    Investment securities (2)     8,409,735       8,090,271       8,276,576       8,203,764       8,349,796  
    FHLB and FRB stock     281,702       271,825       263,707       253,614       230,648  
    Liquidity management assets (3)   $ 12,211,485     $ 12,296,112     $ 10,954,011     $ 9,942,859     $ 9,834,776  
    Other earning assets (3)(4)     13,140       20,528       17,542       15,257       15,081  
    Mortgage loans held-for-sale     286,710       378,707       376,251       347,236       290,275  
    Loans, net of unearned income (3)(5)     47,833,380       47,153,014       45,920,586       43,819,354       42,129,893  
    Total earning assets (3)   $ 60,344,715     $ 59,848,361     $ 57,268,390     $ 54,124,706     $ 52,270,025  
    Allowance for loan and investment security losses     (375,371 )     (367,238 )     (383,736 )     (360,504 )     (361,734 )
    Cash and due from banks     476,423       470,033       467,333       434,916       450,267  
    Other assets     3,661,275       3,642,949       3,563,296       3,294,066       3,244,137  
    Total assets   $ 64,107,042     $ 63,594,105     $ 60,915,283     $ 57,493,184     $ 55,602,695  
                         
    NOW and interest-bearing demand deposits   $ 6,046,189     $ 5,601,672     $ 5,174,673     $ 4,985,306     $ 5,680,265  
    Wealth management deposits     1,574,480       1,430,163       1,362,747       1,531,865       1,510,203  
    Money market accounts     17,581,141       17,579,395       16,436,111       15,272,126       14,474,492  
    Savings accounts     6,479,444       6,288,727       6,096,746       5,878,844       5,792,118  
    Time deposits     9,406,126       9,702,948       9,598,109       8,546,172       7,148,456  
    Interest-bearing deposits   $ 41,087,380     $ 40,602,905     $ 38,668,386     $ 36,214,313     $ 34,605,534  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     3,151,309       3,160,658       3,178,973       3,096,920       2,728,849  
    Other borrowings     582,139       577,786       622,792       587,262       627,711  
    Subordinated notes     298,306       298,225       298,135       410,331       437,893  
    Junior subordinated debentures     253,566       253,566       253,566       253,566       253,566  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   $ 45,372,700     $ 44,893,140     $ 43,021,852     $ 40,562,392     $ 38,653,553  
    Non-interest-bearing deposits     10,732,156       10,718,738       10,271,613       9,879,134       9,972,646  
    Other liabilities     1,541,245       1,563,824       1,631,389       1,601,485       1,536,039  
    Equity     6,460,941       6,418,403       5,990,429       5,450,173       5,440,457  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 64,107,042     $ 63,594,105     $ 60,915,283     $ 57,493,184     $ 55,602,695  
                         
    Net free funds/contribution (6)   $ 14,972,015     $ 14,955,221     $ 14,246,538     $ 13,562,314     $ 13,616,472  

    (1)   Includes interest-bearing deposits from banks and securities purchased under resale agreements with original maturities of greater than three months. Cash equivalents include federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements with original maturities of three months or less.
    (2)   Investment securities includes investment securities classified as available-for-sale and held-to-maturity, and equity securities with readily determinable fair values. Equity securities without readily determinable fair values are included within other assets.
    (3)   See Table 17: Supplemental Non-GAAP Financial Measures/Ratios for additional information on this performance measure/ratio.
    (4)   Other earning assets include brokerage customer receivables and trading account securities.
    (5)   Loans, net of unearned income, include non-accrual loans.
    (6)   Net free funds are the difference between total average earning assets and total average interest-bearing liabilities. The estimated contribution to net interest margin from net free funds is calculated using the rate paid for total interest-bearing liabilities.


    TABLE 5: QUARTERLY NET INTEREST INCOME

        Net Interest Income for three months ended,
        Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (In thousands)     2025       2024       2024       2024       2024  
    Interest income:                    
    Interest-bearing deposits with banks, securities purchased under resale agreements and cash equivalents   $ 36,945     $ 46,308     $ 32,885     $ 19,748     $ 16,677  
    Investment securities     72,706       67,783       70,260       70,346       70,228  
    FHLB and FRB stock     5,307       5,157       5,451       4,974       4,478  
    Liquidity management assets (1)   $ 114,958     $ 119,248     $ 108,596     $ 95,068     $ 91,383  
    Other earning assets (1)     92       310       282       235       198  
    Mortgage loans held-for-sale     4,246       5,623       6,233       5,434       4,146  
    Loans, net of unearned income (1)     770,568       791,390       796,637       752,117       712,587  
    Total interest income   $ 889,864     $ 916,571     $ 911,748     $ 852,854     $ 808,314  
                         
    Interest expense:                    
    NOW and interest-bearing demand deposits   $ 33,600     $ 31,695     $ 30,971     $ 32,719     $ 34,896  
    Wealth management deposits     8,606       9,412       10,158       10,294       10,461  
    Money market accounts     146,374       159,945       167,382       155,100       137,984  
    Savings accounts     35,923       38,402       42,892       41,063       39,071  
    Time deposits     95,730       106,934       110,616       96,527       77,120  
    Interest-bearing deposits   $ 320,233     $ 346,388     $ 362,019     $ 335,703     $ 299,532  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     25,441       26,050       26,254       24,797       22,048  
    Other borrowings     6,792       7,519       9,013       8,700       9,248  
    Subordinated notes     3,714       3,733       3,712       5,185       5,487  
    Junior subordinated debentures     4,311       4,663       5,023       4,984       5,004  
    Total interest expense   $ 360,491     $ 388,353     $ 406,021     $ 379,369     $ 341,319  
                         
    Less: Fully taxable-equivalent adjustment     (2,899 )     (3,070 )     (3,144 )     (2,875 )     (2,801 )
    Net interest income (GAAP) (2)     526,474       525,148       502,583       470,610       464,194  
    Fully taxable-equivalent adjustment     2,899       3,070       3,144       2,875       2,801  
    Net interest income, fully taxable-equivalent (non-GAAP) (2)   $ 529,373     $ 528,218     $ 505,727     $ 473,485     $ 466,995  

    (1)   Interest income on tax-advantaged loans, trading securities and investment securities reflects a taxable-equivalent adjustment based on the marginal federal corporate tax rate in effect as of the applicable period.
    (2)   See Table 17: Supplemental Non-GAAP Financial Measures/Ratios for additional information on this performance measure/ratio.


    TABLE 6: QUARTERLY NET INTEREST MARGIN

        Net Interest Margin for three months ended,
        Mar 31,
    2025
      Dec 31,
    2024
      Sep 30,
    2024
      Jun 30,
    2024
      Mar 31,
    2024
    Yield earned on:                    
    Interest-bearing deposits with banks, securities purchased under resale agreements and cash equivalents   4.26 %   4.68 %   5.42 %   5.35 %   5.35 %
    Investment securities   3.51     3.33     3.38     3.45     3.38  
    FHLB and FRB stock   7.64     7.55     8.22     7.89     7.81  
    Liquidity management assets   3.82 %   3.86 %   3.94 %   3.85 %   3.74 %
    Other earning assets   2.84     6.01     6.38     6.23     5.25  
    Mortgage loans held-for-sale   6.01     5.91     6.59     6.29     5.74  
    Loans, net of unearned income   6.53     6.68     6.90     6.90     6.80  
    Total earning assets   5.98 %   6.09 %   6.33 %   6.34 %   6.22 %
                         
    Rate paid on:                    
    NOW and interest-bearing demand deposits   2.25 %   2.25 %   2.38 %   2.64 %   2.47 %
    Wealth management deposits   2.22     2.62     2.97     2.70     2.79  
    Money market accounts   3.38     3.62     4.05     4.08     3.83  
    Savings accounts   2.25     2.43     2.80     2.81     2.71  
    Time deposits   4.13     4.38     4.58     4.54     4.34  
    Interest-bearing deposits   3.16 %   3.39 %   3.72 %   3.73 %   3.48 %
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances   3.27     3.28     3.29     3.22     3.25  
    Other borrowings   4.73     5.18     5.76     5.96     5.92  
    Subordinated notes   5.05     4.98     4.95     5.08     5.04  
    Junior subordinated debentures   6.90     7.32     7.88     7.91     7.94  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   3.22 %   3.44 %   3.75 %   3.76 %   3.55 %
                         
    Interest rate spread (1)(2)   2.76 %   2.65 %   2.58 %   2.58 %   2.67 %
    Less: Fully taxable-equivalent adjustment   (0.02 )   (0.02 )   (0.02 )   (0.02 )   (0.02 )
    Net free funds/contribution (3)   0.80     0.86     0.93     0.94     0.92  
    Net interest margin (GAAP) (2)   3.54 %   3.49 %   3.49 %   3.50 %   3.57 %
    Fully taxable-equivalent adjustment   0.02     0.02     0.02     0.02     0.02  
    Net interest margin, fully taxable-equivalent (non-GAAP) (2)   3.56 %   3.51 %   3.51 %   3.52 %   3.59 %

    (1)   Interest rate spread is the difference between the yield earned on earning assets and the rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities.
    (2)   See Table 17: Supplemental Non-GAAP Financial Measures/Ratios for additional information on this performance measure/ratio.
    (3)   Net free funds are the difference between total average earning assets and total average interest-bearing liabilities. The estimated contribution to net interest margin from net free funds is calculated using the rate paid for total interest-bearing liabilities.


    TABLE 7
    : INTEREST RATE SENSITIVITY

    As an ongoing part of its financial strategy, the Company attempts to manage the impact of fluctuations in market interest rates on net interest income. Management measures its exposure to changes in interest rates by modeling many different interest rate scenarios.

    The following interest rate scenarios display the percentage change in net interest income over a one-year time horizon assuming increases and decreases of 100 and 200 basis points as compared to projected net interest income in a scenario with no assumed rate changes. The Static Shock Scenario results incorporate actual cash flows and repricing characteristics for balance sheet instruments following an instantaneous, parallel change in market rates based upon a static (i.e. no growth or constant) balance sheet. Conversely, the Ramp Scenario results incorporate management’s projections of future volume and pricing of each of the product lines following a gradual, parallel change in market rates over twelve months. Actual results may differ from these simulated results due to timing, magnitude, and frequency of interest rate changes as well as changes in market conditions and management strategies. The interest rate sensitivity for both the Static Shock and Ramp Scenario is as follows:

    Static Shock Scenario   +200 Basis
    Points
      +100 Basis
    Points
      -100 Basis
    Points
      -200 Basis
    Points
    Mar 31, 2025   (1.8 )%   (0.6 )%   (0.2 )%   (1.2 )%
    Dec 31, 2024   (1.6 )   (0.6 )   (0.3 )   (1.5 )
    Sep 30, 2024   1.2     1.1     0.4     (0.9 )
    Jun 30, 2024   1.5     1.0     0.6     (0.0 )
    Mar 31, 2024   1.9     1.4     1.5     1.6  
    Ramp Scenario +200 Basis
    Points
      +100 Basis
    Points
      -100 Basis
    Points
        -200 Basis
    Points
    Mar 31, 2025 0.2 %   0.2 %   (0.1 )%   (0.5 )%
    Dec 31, 2024 (0.2 )   (0.0 )   0.0     (0.3 )
    Sep 30, 2024 1.6     1.2     0.7     0.5  
    Jun 30, 2024 1.2     1.0     0.9     1.0  
    Mar 31, 2024 0.8     0.6     1.3     2.0  

    As shown above, the magnitude of potential changes in net interest income in various interest rate scenarios has continued to remain relatively neutral. As the current interest rate cycle progressed, management took action to reposition its sensitivity to interest rates. To this end, management has executed various derivative instruments including collars and receive fixed swaps to hedge variable rate loan exposures and originated a higher percentage of its loan originations in longer-term fixed-rate loans. The Company will continue to monitor current and projected interest rates and may execute additional derivatives to mitigate potential fluctuations in the net interest margin in future periods.


    TABLE 8
    : MATURITIES AND SENSITIVITIES TO CHANGES IN INTEREST RATES

      Loans repricing or contractual maturity period
    As of March 31, 2025
    (In thousands)
    One year or
    less
      From one to
    five years
      From five to fifteen years   After fifteen years   Total
    Commercial                  
    Fixed rate $ 405,736     $ 3,600,171     $ 2,122,563     $ 20,444     $ 6,148,914  
    Variable rate   9,781,709       703                   9,782,412  
    Total commercial $ 10,187,445     $ 3,600,874     $ 2,122,563     $ 20,444     $ 15,931,326  
    Commercial real estate                  
    Fixed rate $ 658,413     $ 2,762,221     $ 365,181     $ 63,593     $ 3,849,408  
    Variable rate   9,054,583       10,843       67             9,065,493  
    Total commercial real estate $ 9,712,996     $ 2,773,064     $ 365,248     $ 63,593     $ 12,914,901  
    Home equity                  
    Fixed rate $ 8,881     $ 838     $     $ 17     $ 9,736  
    Variable rate   445,947                         445,947  
    Total home equity $ 454,828     $ 838     $     $ 17     $ 455,683  
    Residential real estate                  
    Fixed rate $ 13,336     $ 4,473     $ 74,883     $ 1,055,143     $ 1,147,835  
    Variable rate   97,815       623,879       1,815,630             2,537,324  
    Total residential real estate $ 111,151     $ 628,352     $ 1,890,513     $ 1,055,143     $ 3,685,159  
    Premium finance receivables – property & casualty                  
    Fixed rate $ 7,135,963     $ 103,899     $     $     $ 7,239,862  
    Variable rate                            
    Total premium finance receivables – property & casualty $ 7,135,963     $ 103,899     $     $     $ 7,239,862  
    Premium finance receivables – life insurance                  
    Fixed rate $ 350,802     $ 207,832     $ 4,000     $ 4,248     $ 566,882  
    Variable rate   7,798,258                         7,798,258  
    Total premium finance receivables – life insurance $ 8,149,060     $ 207,832     $ 4,000     $ 4,248     $ 8,365,140  
    Consumer and other                  
    Fixed rate $ 44,731     $ 7,937     $ 883     $ 914     $ 54,465  
    Variable rate   61,854                         61,854  
    Total consumer and other $ 106,585     $ 7,937     $ 883     $ 914     $ 116,319  
                       
    Total per category                  
    Fixed rate $ 8,617,862     $ 6,687,371     $ 2,567,510     $ 1,144,359     $ 19,017,102  
    Variable rate   27,240,166       635,425       1,815,697             29,691,288  
    Total loans, net of unearned income $ 35,858,028     $ 7,322,796     $ 4,383,207     $ 1,144,359     $ 48,708,390  
    Less: Existing cash flow hedging derivatives (1)   (6,700,000 )                
    Total loans repricing or maturing in one year or less, adjusted for cash flow hedging activity $ 29,158,028                  
                       
    Variable Rate Loan Pricing by Index:                  
    SOFR tenors (2)                 $ 18,328,835  
    12- month CMT (3)                   6,722,305  
    Prime                   3,420,624  
    Fed Funds                   819,437  
    Other U.S. Treasury tenors                   190,187  
    Other                   209,900  
    Total variable rate                 $ 29,691,288  

    (1)   Excludes cash flow hedges with future effective starting dates.
    (2)   SOFR – Secured Overnight Financing Rate.
    (3)   CMT – Constant Maturity Treasury Rate.

    Graph available at the following link: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/bebf97a7-5d4d-430d-a436-ae832412a4db

    Source: Bloomberg

    As noted in the table on the previous page, the majority of the Company’s portfolio is tied to SOFR and CMT indices which, as shown in the table above, do not mirror the same changes as the Prime rate, which has historically moved when the Federal Reserve raises or lowers interest rates. Specifically, the Company has variable rate loans of $15.4 billion tied to one-month SOFR and $6.7 billion tied to twelve-month CMT. The above chart shows:

        Basis Point (bp) Change in
        1-month
    SOFR
      12- month CMT   Prime  
    First Quarter 2025   (1 ) bps (13 ) bps 0   bps
    Fourth Quarter 2024   (52 )   18     (50 )  
    Third Quarter 2024   (49 )   (111 )   (50 )  
    Second Quarter 2024   1     6     0    
    First Quarter 2024   (2 )   24     0    

    TABLE 9: ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES

        Three Months Ended
        Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (Dollars in thousands)     2025       2024       2024       2024       2024  
    Allowance for credit losses at beginning of period   $ 437,060     $ 436,193     $ 437,560     $ 427,504     $ 427,612  
    Provision for credit losses – Other     23,963       16,979       6,787       40,061       21,673  
    Provision for credit losses – Day 1 on non-PCD assets acquired during the period                 15,547              
    Initial allowance for credit losses recognized on PCD assets acquired during the period                 3,004              
    Other adjustments     4       (187 )     30       (19 )     (31 )
    Charge-offs:                    
    Commercial     9,722       5,090       22,975       9,584       11,215  
    Commercial real estate     454       1,037       95       15,526       5,469  
    Home equity                             74  
    Residential real estate           114             23       38  
    Premium finance receivables – property & casualty     7,114       13,301       7,790       9,486       6,938  
    Premium finance receivables – life insurance     12             4              
    Consumer and other     147       189       154       137       107  
    Total charge-offs     17,449       19,731       31,018       34,756       23,841  
    Recoveries:                    
    Commercial     929       775       649       950       479  
    Commercial real estate     12       172       30       90       31  
    Home equity     216       194       101       35       29  
    Residential real estate     136       0       5       8       2  
    Premium finance receivables – property & casualty     3,487       2,646       3,436       3,658       1,519  
    Premium finance receivables – life insurance                 41       5       8  
    Consumer and other     29       19       21       24       23  
    Total recoveries     4,809       3,806       4,283       4,770       2,091  
    Net charge-offs     (12,640 )     (15,925 )     (26,735 )     (29,986 )     (21,750 )
    Allowance for credit losses at period end   $ 448,387     $ 437,060     $ 436,193     $ 437,560     $ 427,504  
                         
    Annualized net charge-offs (recoveries) by category as a percentage of its own respective category’s average:
    Commercial     0.23 %     0.11 %     0.61 %     0.25 %     0.33 %
    Commercial real estate     0.01       0.03       0.00       0.53       0.19  
    Home equity     (0.20 )     (0.18 )     (0.10 )     (0.04 )     0.05  
    Residential real estate     (0.02 )     0.01       0.00       0.00       0.01  
    Premium finance receivables – property & casualty     0.20       0.59       0.24       0.33       0.32  
    Premium finance receivables – life insurance     0.00             (0.00 )     (0.00 )     (0.00 )
    Consumer and other     0.45       0.63       0.63       0.56       0.42  
    Total loans, net of unearned income     0.11 %     0.13 %     0.23 %     0.28 %     0.21 %
                         
    Loans at period end   $ 48,708,390     $ 48,055,037     $ 47,067,447     $ 44,675,531     $ 43,230,706  
    Allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans at period end     0.78 %     0.76 %     0.77 %     0.81 %     0.81 %
    Allowance for loan and unfunded lending-related commitment losses as a percentage of loans at period end     0.92       0.91       0.93       0.98       0.99  

    PCD – Purchase Credit Deteriorated


    TABLE 10
    : ALLOWANCE AND PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES BY COMPONENT

        Three Months Ended
        Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (In thousands)     2025       2024       2024       2024       2024  
    Provision for loan losses – Other   $ 26,826     $ 19,852     $ 6,782     $ 45,111     $ 26,159  
    Provision for credit losses – Day 1 on non-PCD assets acquired during the period                 15,547              
    Provision for unfunded lending-related commitments losses – Other     (2,852 )     (2,851 )     17       (5,212 )     (4,468 )
    Provision for held-to-maturity securities losses     (11 )     (22 )     (12 )     162       (18 )
    Provision for credit losses   $ 23,963     $ 16,979     $ 22,334     $ 40,061     $ 21,673  
                         
    Allowance for loan losses   $ 378,207     $ 364,017     $ 360,279     $ 363,719     $ 348,612  
    Allowance for unfunded lending-related commitments losses     69,734       72,586       75,435       73,350       78,563  
    Allowance for loan losses and unfunded lending-related commitments losses     447,941       436,603       435,714       437,069       427,175  
    Allowance for held-to-maturity securities losses     446       457       479       491       329  
    Allowance for credit losses   $ 448,387     $ 437,060     $ 436,193     $ 437,560     $ 427,504  

    PCD – Purchase Credit Deteriorated 


    TABLE 11: ALLOWANCE BY LOAN PORTFOLIO

    The table below summarizes the calculation of allowance for loan losses and allowance for unfunded lending-related commitments losses for the Company’s loan portfolios as well as core and niche portfolios, as of March 31, 2025, December 31, 2024 and September 30, 2024.

      As of Mar 31, 2025 As of Dec 31, 2024 As of Sep 30, 2024
    (Dollars in thousands) Recorded
    Investment
      Calculated
    Allowance
      % of its
    category’s balance
    Recorded
    Investment
      Calculated
    Allowance
      % of its
    category’s balance
    Recorded
    Investment
      Calculated
    Allowance
      % of its
    category’s balance
    Commercial:                              
    Commercial, industrial and other $ 15,931,326   $ 201,183   1.26 % $ 15,574,551   $ 175,837   1.13 % $ 15,247,693   $ 171,598   1.13 %
    Commercial real estate:                              
    Construction and development   2,448,881     71,388   2.92     2,434,081     87,236   3.58     2,403,690     97,949   4.07  
    Non-construction   10,466,020     138,622   1.32     10,469,863     135,620   1.30     10,389,727     133,195   1.28  
    Total commercial real estate $ 12,914,901   $ 210,010   1.63 % $ 12,903,944   $ 222,856   1.73 % $ 12,793,417   $ 231,144   1.81 %
    Total commercial and commercial real estate $ 28,846,227   $ 411,193   1.43 % $ 28,478,495   $ 398,693   1.40 % $ 28,041,110   $ 402,742   1.44 %
    Home equity   455,683     9,139   2.01     445,028     8,943   2.01     427,043     8,823   2.07  
    Residential real estate   3,685,159     10,652   0.29     3,612,765     10,335   0.29     3,388,038     9,745   0.29  
    Premium finance receivables                              
    Property and casualty insurance   7,239,862     15,310   0.21     7,272,042     17,111   0.24     7,131,681     13,045   0.18  
    Life insurance   8,365,140     729   0.01     8,147,145     709   0.01     7,996,899     698   0.01  
    Consumer and other   116,319     918   0.79     99,562     812   0.82     82,676     661   0.80  
    Total loans, net of unearned income $ 48,708,390   $ 447,941   0.92 % $ 48,055,037   $ 436,603   0.91 % $ 47,067,447   $ 435,714   0.93 %
                                   
    Total core loans (1) $ 29,108,500   $ 397,664   1.37 % $ 28,804,138   $ 392,319   1.36 % $ 28,363,712   $ 396,394   1.40 %
    Total niche loans (1)   19,599,890     50,277   0.26     19,250,899     44,284   0.23     18,703,735     39,320   0.21  

    (1)   See Table 1 for additional detail on core and niche loans.


    TABLE 12
    : LOAN PORTFOLIO AGING

    (In thousands)   Mar 31, 2025   Dec 31, 2024   Sep 30, 2024   Jun 30, 2024   Mar 31, 2024
    Loan Balances:                    
    Commercial                    
    Nonaccrual   $ 70,560     $ 73,490     $ 63,826     $ 51,087     $ 31,740  
    90+ days and still accruing     46       104       20       304       27  
    60-89 days past due     15,243       54,844       32,560       16,485       30,248  
    30-59 days past due     97,397       92,551       46,057       36,358       77,715  
    Current     15,748,080       15,353,562       15,105,230       14,050,228       13,363,751  
    Total commercial   $ 15,931,326     $ 15,574,551     $ 15,247,693     $ 14,154,462     $ 13,503,481  
    Commercial real estate                    
    Nonaccrual   $ 26,187     $ 21,042     $ 42,071     $ 48,289     $ 39,262  
    90+ days and still accruing                 225              
    60-89 days past due     6,995       10,521       13,439       6,555       16,713  
    30-59 days past due     83,653       30,766       48,346       38,065       32,998  
    Current     12,798,066       12,841,615       12,689,336       11,854,288       11,544,464  
    Total commercial real estate   $ 12,914,901     $ 12,903,944     $ 12,793,417     $ 11,947,197     $ 11,633,437  
    Home equity                    
    Nonaccrual   $ 2,070     $ 1,117     $ 1,122     $ 1,100     $ 838  
    90+ days and still accruing                              
    60-89 days past due     984       1,233       1,035       275       212  
    30-59 days past due     3,403       2,148       2,580       1,229       1,617  
    Current     449,226       440,530       422,306       353,709       337,682  
    Total home equity   $ 455,683     $ 445,028     $ 427,043     $ 356,313     $ 340,349  
    Residential real estate                    
    Early buy-out loans guaranteed by U.S. government agencies (1)   $ 123,742     $ 156,756     $ 135,389     $ 134,178     $ 143,350  
    Nonaccrual     22,522       23,762       17,959       18,198       17,901  
    90+ days and still accruing                              
    60-89 days past due     1,351       5,708       6,364       1,977        
    30-59 days past due     38,943       18,917       2,160       130       24,523  
    Current     3,498,601       3,407,622       3,226,166       2,912,852       2,704,492  
    Total residential real estate   $ 3,685,159     $ 3,612,765     $ 3,388,038     $ 3,067,335     $ 2,890,266  
    Premium finance receivables – property & casualty                    
    Nonaccrual   $ 29,846     $ 28,797     $ 36,079     $ 32,722     $ 32,648  
    90+ days and still accruing     18,081       16,031       18,235       22,427       25,877  
    60-89 days past due     19,717       19,042       18,740       29,925       15,274  
    30-59 days past due     39,459       68,219       30,204       45,927       59,729  
    Current     7,132,759       7,139,953       7,028,423       6,969,752       6,806,491  
    Total Premium finance receivables – property & casualty   $ 7,239,862     $ 7,272,042     $ 7,131,681     $ 7,100,753     $ 6,940,019  
    Premium finance receivables – life insurance                    
    Nonaccrual   $     $ 6,431     $     $     $  
    90+ days and still accruing     2,962                          
    60-89 days past due     10,587       72,963       10,902       4,118       32,482  
    30-59 days past due     29,924       36,405       74,432       17,693       100,137  
    Current     8,321,667       8,031,346       7,911,565       7,940,304       7,739,414  
    Total Premium finance receivables – life insurance   $ 8,365,140     $ 8,147,145     $ 7,996,899     $ 7,962,115     $ 7,872,033  
    Consumer and other                    
    Nonaccrual   $ 18     $ 2     $ 2     $ 3     $ 19  
    90+ days and still accruing     98       47       148       121       47  
    60-89 days past due     162       59       22       81       16  
    30-59 days past due     542       882       264       366       210  
    Current     115,499       98,572       82,240       86,785       50,829  
    Total consumer and other   $ 116,319     $ 99,562     $ 82,676     $ 87,356     $ 51,121  
    Total loans, net of unearned income                    
    Early buy-out loans guaranteed by U.S. government agencies (1)   $ 123,742     $ 156,756     $ 135,389     $ 134,178     $ 143,350  
    Nonaccrual     151,203       154,641       161,059       151,399       122,408  
    90+ days and still accruing     21,187       16,182       18,628       22,852       25,951  
    60-89 days past due     55,039       164,370       83,062       59,416       94,945  
    30-59 days past due     293,321       249,888       204,043       139,768       296,929  
    Current     48,063,898       47,313,200       46,465,266       44,167,918       42,547,123  
    Total loans, net of unearned income   $ 48,708,390     $ 48,055,037     $ 47,067,447     $ 44,675,531     $ 43,230,706  

    (1)   Early buy-out loans are insured or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, subject to indemnifications and insurance limits for certain loans.


    TABLE 13:
    NON-PERFORMING ASSETS(1)

      Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (Dollars in thousands)   2025       2024       2024       2024       2024  
    Loans past due greater than 90 days and still accruing:                  
    Commercial $ 46     $ 104     $ 20     $ 304     $ 27  
    Commercial real estate               225              
    Home equity                            
    Residential real estate                            
    Premium finance receivables – property & casualty   18,081       16,031       18,235       22,427       25,877  
    Premium finance receivables – life insurance   2,962                          
    Consumer and other   98       47       148       121       47  
    Total loans past due greater than 90 days and still accruing   21,187       16,182       18,628       22,852       25,951  
    Non-accrual loans:                  
    Commercial   70,560       73,490       63,826       51,087       31,740  
    Commercial real estate   26,187       21,042       42,071       48,289       39,262  
    Home equity   2,070       1,117       1,122       1,100       838  
    Residential real estate   22,522       23,762       17,959       18,198       17,901  
    Premium finance receivables – property & casualty   29,846       28,797       36,079       32,722       32,648  
    Premium finance receivables – life insurance         6,431                    
    Consumer and other   18       2       2       3       19  
    Total non-accrual loans   151,203       154,641       161,059       151,399       122,408  
    Total non-performing loans:                  
    Commercial   70,606       73,594       63,846       51,391       31,767  
    Commercial real estate   26,187       21,042       42,296       48,289       39,262  
    Home equity   2,070       1,117       1,122       1,100       838  
    Residential real estate   22,522       23,762       17,959       18,198       17,901  
    Premium finance receivables – property & casualty   47,927       44,828       54,314       55,149       58,525  
    Premium finance receivables – life insurance   2,962       6,431                    
    Consumer and other   116       49       150       124       66  
    Total non-performing loans $ 172,390     $ 170,823     $ 179,687     $ 174,251     $ 148,359  
    Other real estate owned   22,625       23,116       13,682       19,731       14,538  
    Total non-performing assets $ 195,015     $ 193,939     $ 193,369     $ 193,982     $ 162,897  
    Total non-performing loans by category as a percent of its own respective category’s period-end balance:                  
    Commercial   0.44 %     0.47 %     0.42 %     0.36 %     0.24 %
    Commercial real estate   0.20       0.16       0.33       0.40       0.34  
    Home equity   0.45       0.25       0.26       0.31       0.25  
    Residential real estate   0.61       0.66       0.53       0.59       0.62  
    Premium finance receivables – property & casualty   0.66       0.62       0.76       0.78       0.84  
    Premium finance receivables – life insurance   0.04       0.08                    
    Consumer and other   0.10       0.05       0.18       0.14       0.13  
    Total loans, net of unearned income   0.35 %     0.36 %     0.38 %     0.39 %     0.34 %
    Total non-performing assets as a percentage of total assets   0.30 %     0.30 %     0.30 %     0.32 %     0.28 %
    Allowance for loan losses and unfunded lending-related commitments losses as a percentage of non-accrual loans   296.25 %     282.33 %     270.53 %     288.69 %     348.98 %
                       

    (1)   Excludes early buy-out loans guaranteed by U.S. government agencies. Early buy-out loans are insured or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, subject to indemnifications and insurance limits for certain loans.

    Non-performing Loans Rollforward, excluding early buy-out loans guaranteed by U.S. government agencies

      Three Months Ended
      Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (In thousands)   2025       2024       2024       2024       2024  
                       
    Balance at beginning of period $ 170,823     $ 179,687     $ 174,251     $ 148,359     $ 139,030  
    Additions from becoming non-performing in the respective period   27,721       30,931       42,335       54,376       23,142  
    Additions from assets acquired in the respective period               189              
    Return to performing status   (1,207 )     (1,108 )     (362 )     (912 )     (490 )
    Payments received   (15,965 )     (12,219 )     (10,894 )     (9,611 )     (8,336 )
    Transfer to OREO and other repossessed assets         (17,897 )     (3,680 )     (6,945 )     (1,381 )
    Charge-offs, net   (8,600 )     (5,612 )     (21,211 )     (7,673 )     (14,810 )
    Net change for premium finance receivables   (382 )     (2,959 )     (941 )     (3,343 )     11,204  
    Balance at end of period $ 172,390     $ 170,823     $ 179,687     $ 174,251     $ 148,359  


    Other Real Estate Owned

      Three Months Ended
      Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (In thousands)   2025       2024       2024       2024       2024  
    Balance at beginning of period $ 23,116     $ 13,682     $ 19,731     $ 14,538     $ 13,309  
    Disposals/resolved         (8,545 )     (9,729 )     (1,752 )      
    Transfers in at fair value, less costs to sell         17,979       3,680       6,945       1,436  
    Fair value adjustments   (491 )                       (207 )
    Balance at end of period $ 22,625     $ 23,116     $ 13,682     $ 19,731     $ 14,538  
                       
      Period End
      Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    Balance by Property Type:   2025       2024       2024       2024       2024  
    Residential real estate $     $     $     $ 161     $ 1,146  
    Commercial real estate   22,625       23,116       13,682       19,570       13,392  
    Total $ 22,625     $ 23,116     $ 13,682     $ 19,731     $ 14,538  

    TABLE 14: NON-INTEREST INCOME

      Three Months Ended Q1 2025 compared to
    Q4 2024
    Q1 2025 compared to
    Q1 2024
      Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (Dollars in thousands)   2025       2024       2024       2024       2024   $ Change   % Change $ Change   % Change
    Brokerage $ 4,757     $ 5,328     $ 6,139     $ 5,588     $ 5,556   $ (571 )   (11 )% $ (799 )   (14 )%
    Trust and asset management   29,285       33,447       31,085       29,825       29,259     (4,162 )   (12 )   26     0  
    Total wealth management   34,042       38,775       37,224       35,413       34,815     (4,733 )   (12 )   (773 )   (2 )
    Mortgage banking   20,529       20,452       15,974       29,124       27,663     77     0     (7,134 )   (26 )
    Service charges on deposit accounts   19,362       18,864       16,430       15,546       14,811     498     3     4,551     31  
    Gains (losses) on investment securities, net   3,196       (2,835 )     3,189       (4,282 )     1,326     6,031     NM   1,870     NM
    Fees from covered call options   3,446       2,305       988       2,056       4,847     1,141     50     (1,401 )   (29 )
    Trading (losses) gains, net   (64 )     (113 )     (130 )     70       677     49     (43 )   (741 )   NM
    Operating lease income, net   15,287       15,327       15,335       13,938       14,110     (40 )   (0 )   1,177     8  
    Other:                              
    Interest rate swap fees   2,269       3,360       2,914       3,392       2,828     (1,091 )   (32 )   (559 )   (20 )
    BOLI   796       1,236       1,517       1,351       1,651     (440 )   (36 )   (855 )   (52 )
    Administrative services   1,393       1,347       1,450       1,322       1,217     46     3     176     14  
    Foreign currency remeasurement (losses) gains   (183 )     (682 )     696       (145 )     (1,171 )   499     (73 )   988     (84 )
    Changes in fair value on EBOs and loans held-for-investment   383       129       518       604       (439 )   254     NM   822     NM
    Early pay-offs of capital leases   768       514       532       393       430     254     49     338     79  
    Miscellaneous   15,410       14,772       16,510       22,365       37,815     638     4     (22,405 )   (59 )
    Total Other   20,836       20,676       24,137       29,282       42,331     160     1     (21,495 )   (51 )
    Total Non-Interest Income $ 116,634     $ 113,451     $ 113,147     $ 121,147     $ 140,580   $ 3,183     3 % $ (23,946 )   (17 )%

    NM – Not meaningful.
    BOLI- Bank-owned life insurance.
    EBO- Early buy-out.


    TABLE 15: MORTGAGE BANKING

      Three Months Ended
    (Dollars in thousands) Mar 31,
    2025
      Dec 31,
    2024
      Sep 30,
    2024
      Jun 30,
    2024
      Mar 31,
    2024
    Originations:                  
    Retail originations $ 348,468     $ 483,424     $ 527,408     $ 544,394     $ 331,504  
    Veterans First originations   111,985       176,914       239,369       177,792       144,109  
    Total originations for sale (A) $ 460,453     $ 660,338     $ 766,777     $ 722,186     $ 475,613  
    Originations for investment   217,177       355,119       218,984       275,331       169,246  
    Total originations $ 677,630     $ 1,015,457     $ 985,761     $ 997,517     $ 644,859  
    As a percentage of originations for sale:                  
    Retail originations   76 %     73 %     69 %     75 %     70 %
    Veterans First originations   24       27       31       25       30  
    Purchases   77 %     65 %     72 %     83 %     75 %
    Refinances   23       35       28       17       25  
    Production Margin:                  
    Production revenue (B) (1) $ 9,941     $ 6,993     $ 13,113     $ 14,990     $ 13,435  
    Total originations for sale (A) $ 460,453     $ 660,338     $ 766,777     $ 722,186     $ 475,613  
    Add: Current period end mandatory interest rate lock commitments to fund originations for sale (2)   197,297       103,946       272,072       222,738       207,775  
    Less: Prior period end mandatory interest rate lock commitments to fund originations for sale (2)   103,946       272,072       222,738       207,775       119,624  
    Total mortgage production volume (C) $ 553,804     $ 492,212     $ 816,111     $ 737,149     $ 563,764  
    Production margin (B / C)   1.80 %     1.42 %     1.61 %     2.03 %     2.38 %
    Mortgage Servicing:                  
    Loans serviced for others (D) $ 12,402,352     $ 12,400,913     $ 12,253,361     $ 12,211,027     $ 12,051,392  
    Mortgage Servicing Rights (“MSR”), at fair value (E)   196,307       203,788       186,308       204,610       201,044  
    Percentage of MSRs to loans serviced for others (E / D)   1.58 %     1.64 %     1.52 %     1.68 %     1.67 %
    Servicing income $ 10,611     $ 10,731     $ 10,809     $ 10,586     $ 10,498  
    MSR Fair Value Asset Activity                  
    MSR – FV at Beginning of Period $ 203,788     $ 186,308     $ 204,610     $ 201,044     $ 192,456  
    MSR – current period capitalization   4,669       10,010       6,357       8,223       5,379  
    MSR – collection of expected cash flows – paydowns   (1,590 )     (1,463 )     (1,598 )     (1,504 )     (1,444 )
    MSR – collection of expected cash flows – payoffs and repurchases   (3,046 )     (4,315 )     (5,730 )     (4,030 )     (2,942 )
    MSR – changes in fair value model assumptions   (7,514 )     13,248       (17,331 )     877       7,595  
    MSR Fair Value at end of period $ 196,307     $ 203,788     $ 186,308     $ 204,610     $ 201,044  
    Summary of Mortgage Banking Revenue:                
    Operational:                  
    Production revenue (1) $ 9,941     $ 6,993     $ 13,113     $ 14,990     $ 13,435  
    MSR – Current period capitalization   4,669       10,010       6,357       8,223       5,379  
    MSR – Collection of expected cash flows – paydowns   (1,590 )     (1,463 )     (1,598 )     (1,504 )     (1,444 )
    MSR – Collection of expected cash flows – pay offs   (3,046 )     (4,315 )     (5,730 )     (4,030 )     (2,942 )
    Servicing Income   10,611       10,731       10,809       10,586       10,498  
    Other Revenue   (172 )     (51 )     (67 )     112       (91 )
    Total operational mortgage banking revenue $ 20,413     $ 21,905     $ 22,884     $ 28,377     $ 24,835  
    Fair Value:                  
    MSR – changes in fair value model assumptions $ (7,514 )   $ 13,248     $ (17,331 )   $ 877     $ 7,595  
    Gain (loss) on derivative contract held as an economic hedge, net   4,897       (11,452 )     6,892       (772 )     (2,577 )
    Changes in FV on early buy-out loans guaranteed by US Govt (HFS)   2,733       (3,249 )     3,529       642       (2,190 )
    Total fair value mortgage banking revenue $ 116     $ (1,453 )   $ (6,910 )   $ 747     $ 2,828  
    Total mortgage banking revenue $ 20,529     $ 20,452     $ 15,974     $ 29,124     $ 27,663  

    (1)   Production revenue represents revenue earned from the origination and subsequent sale of mortgages, including gains on loans sold and fees from originations, changes in other related financial instruments carried at fair value, processing and other related activities, and excludes servicing fees, changes in the fair value of servicing rights and changes to the mortgage recourse obligation and other non-production revenue.
    (2)   Certain volume adjusted for the estimated pull-through rate of the loan, which represents the Company’s best estimate of the likelihood that a committed loan will ultimately fund.


    TABLE 16
    : NON-INTEREST EXPENSE

      Three Months Ended Q1 2025 compared to
    Q4 2024
    Q1 2025 compared to
    Q1 2024
      Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (Dollars in thousands)   2025       2024       2024       2024       2024   $ Change   % Change $ Change   % Change
    Salaries and employee benefits:                              
    Salaries $ 123,917     $ 120,969     $ 118,971     $ 113,860     $ 112,172   $ 2,948     2 % $ 11,745     10 %
    Commissions and incentive compensation   52,536       54,792       57,575       52,151       51,001     (2,256 )   (4 )   1,535     3  
    Benefits   35,073       36,372       34,715       32,530       32,000     (1,299 )   (4 )   3,073     10  
    Total salaries and employee benefits   211,526       212,133       211,261       198,541       195,173     (607 )   (0 )   16,353     8  
    Software and equipment   34,717       34,258       31,574       29,231       27,731     459     1     6,986     25  
    Operating lease equipment   10,471       10,263       10,518       10,834       10,683     208     2     (212 )   (2 )
    Occupancy, net   20,778       20,597       19,945       19,585       19,086     181     1     1,692     9  
    Data processing   11,274       10,957       9,984       9,503       9,292     317     3     1,982     21  
    Advertising and marketing   12,272       13,097       18,239       17,436       13,040     (825 )   (6 )   (768 )   (6 )
    Professional fees   9,044       11,334       9,783       9,967       9,553     (2,290 )   (20 )   (509 )   (5 )
    Amortization of other acquisition-related intangible assets   5,618       5,773       4,042       1,122       1,158     (155 )   (3 )   4,460     NM
    FDIC insurance   10,926       10,640       10,512       10,429       9,381     286     3     1,545     16  
    FDIC insurance – special assessment                           5,156             (5,156 )   (100 )
    OREO expense, net   643       397       (938 )     (259 )     392     246     62     251     64  
    Other:                              
    Lending expenses, net of deferred origination costs   5,866       6,448       4,995       5,335       5,078     (582 )   (9 )   788     16  
    Travel and entertainment   5,270       8,140       5,364       5,340       4,597     (2,870 )   (35 )   673     15  
    Miscellaneous   27,685       24,502       25,408       23,289       22,825     3,183     13     4,860     21  
    Total other   38,821       39,090       35,767       33,964       32,500     (269 )   (1 )   6,321     19  
    Total Non-Interest Expense $ 366,090     $ 368,539     $ 360,687     $ 340,353     $ 333,145   $ (2,449 )   (1 )% $ 32,945     10 %

    NM – Not meaningful.


    TABLE 17: SUPPLEMENTAL NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES/RATIOS

    The accounting and reporting policies of Wintrust conform to generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States and prevailing practices in the banking industry. However, certain non-GAAP performance measures and ratios are used by management to evaluate and measure the Company’s performance. These include taxable-equivalent net interest income (including its individual components), taxable-equivalent net interest margin (including its individual components), the taxable-equivalent efficiency ratio, tangible common equity ratio, tangible book value per common share, return on average tangible common equity, and pre-tax income, excluding provision for credit losses. Management believes that these measures and ratios provide users of the Company’s financial information a more meaningful view of the performance of the Company’s interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities and of the Company’s operating efficiency. Other financial holding companies may define or calculate these measures and ratios differently.

    Management reviews yields on certain asset categories and the net interest margin of the Company and its banking subsidiaries on a fully taxable-equivalent basis (“FTE”). In this non-GAAP presentation, net interest income is adjusted to reflect tax-exempt interest income on an equivalent before-tax basis using tax rates effective as of the end of the period. This measure ensures comparability of net interest income arising from both taxable and tax-exempt sources. Net interest income on a FTE basis is also used in the calculation of the Company’s efficiency ratio. The efficiency ratio, which is calculated by dividing non-interest expense by total taxable-equivalent net revenue (less securities gains or losses), measures how much it costs to produce one dollar of revenue. Securities gains or losses are excluded from this calculation to better match revenue from daily operations to operational expenses. Management considers the tangible common equity ratio and tangible book value per common share as useful measurements of the Company’s equity. The Company references the return on average tangible common equity as a measurement of profitability. Management considers pre-tax income, excluding provision for credit losses, as a useful measurement of the Company’s core net income.

      Three Months Ended
      Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (Dollars and shares in thousands) 2025   2024   2024   2024   2024
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Net Interest Margin and Efficiency Ratio:
    (A) Interest Income (GAAP) $ 886,965     $ 913,501     $ 908,604     $ 849,979     $ 805,513  
    Taxable-equivalent adjustment:                  
    – Loans   2,206       2,352       2,474       2,305       2,246  
    – Liquidity Management Assets   690       716       668       567       550  
    – Other Earning Assets   3       2       2       3       5  
    (B) Interest Income (non-GAAP) $ 889,864     $ 916,571     $ 911,748     $ 852,854     $ 808,314  
    (C) Interest Expense (GAAP)   360,491       388,353       406,021       379,369       341,319  
    (D) Net Interest Income (GAAP) (A minus C) $ 526,474     $ 525,148     $ 502,583     $ 470,610     $ 464,194  
    (E) Net Interest Income (non-GAAP) (B minus C) $ 529,373     $ 528,218     $ 505,727     $ 473,485     $ 466,995  
    Net interest margin (GAAP)   3.54 %     3.49 %     3.49 %     3.50 %     3.57 %
    Net interest margin, fully taxable-equivalent (non-GAAP)   3.56       3.51       3.51       3.52       3.59  
    (F) Non-interest income $ 116,634     $ 113,451     $ 113,147     $ 121,147     $ 140,580  
    (G) Gains (losses) on investment securities, net   3,196       (2,835 )     3,189       (4,282 )     1,326  
    (H) Non-interest expense   366,090       368,539       360,687       340,353       333,145  
    Efficiency ratio (H/(D+F-G))   57.21 %     57.46 %     58.88 %     57.10 %     55.21 %
    Efficiency ratio (non-GAAP) (H/(E+F-G))   56.95       57.18       58.58       56.83       54.95  
      Three Months Ended
      Mar 31,   Dec 31,   Sep 30,   Jun 30,   Mar 31,
    (Dollars and shares in thousands) 2025   2024   2024   2024   2024
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Tangible Common Equity Ratio:
    Total shareholders’ equity (GAAP) $ 6,600,537     $ 6,344,297     $ 6,399,714     $ 5,536,628     $ 5,436,400  
    Less: Non-convertible preferred stock (GAAP)   (412,500 )     (412,500 )     (412,500 )     (412,500 )     (412,500 )
    Less: Intangible assets (GAAP)   (913,004 )     (918,632 )     (924,646 )     (676,562 )     (677,911 )
    (I) Total tangible common shareholders’ equity (non-GAAP) $ 5,275,033     $ 5,013,165     $ 5,062,568     $ 4,447,566     $ 4,345,989  
    (J) Total assets (GAAP) $ 65,870,066     $ 64,879,668     $ 63,788,424     $ 59,781,516     $ 57,576,933  
    Less: Intangible assets (GAAP)   (913,004 )     (918,632 )     (924,646 )     (676,562 )     (677,911 )
    (K) Total tangible assets (non-GAAP) $ 64,957,062     $ 63,961,036     $ 62,863,778     $ 59,104,954     $ 56,899,022  
    Common equity to assets ratio (GAAP) (L/J)   9.4 %     9.1 %     9.4 %     8.6 %     8.7 %
    Tangible common equity ratio (non-GAAP) (I/K)   8.1       7.8       8.1       7.5       7.6  
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Tangible Book Value per Common Share:
    Total shareholders’ equity $ 6,600,537     $ 6,344,297     $ 6,399,714     $ 5,536,628     $ 5,436,400  
    Less: Preferred stock   (412,500 )     (412,500 )     (412,500 )     (412,500 )     (412,500 )
    (L) Total common equity $ 6,188,037     $ 5,931,797     $ 5,987,214     $ 5,124,128     $ 5,023,900  
    (M) Actual common shares outstanding   66,919       66,495       66,482       61,760       61,737  
    Book value per common share (L/M) $ 92.47     $ 89.21     $ 90.06     $ 82.97     $ 81.38  
    Tangible book value per common share (non-GAAP) (I/M)   78.83       75.39       76.15       72.01       70.40  
                       
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Return on Average Tangible Common Equity:
    (N) Net income applicable to common shares $ 182,048     $ 178,371     $ 163,010     $ 145,397     $ 180,303  
    Add: Intangible asset amortization   5,618       5,773       4,042       1,122       1,158  
    Less: Tax effect of intangible asset amortization   (1,421 )     (1,547 )     (1,087 )     (311 )     (291 )
    After-tax intangible asset amortization $ 4,197     $ 4,226     $ 2,955     $ 811     $ 867  
    (O) Tangible net income applicable to common shares (non-GAAP) $ 186,245     $ 182,597     $ 165,965     $ 146,208     $ 181,170  
    Total average shareholders’ equity $ 6,460,941     $ 6,418,403     $ 5,990,429     $ 5,450,173     $ 5,440,457  
    Less: Average preferred stock   (412,500 )     (412,500 )     (412,500 )     (412,500 )     (412,500 )
    (P) Total average common shareholders’ equity $ 6,048,441     $ 6,005,903     $ 5,577,929     $ 5,037,673     $ 5,027,957  
    Less: Average intangible assets   (916,069 )     (921,438 )     (833,574 )     (677,207 )     (678,731 )
    (Q) Total average tangible common shareholders’ equity (non-GAAP) $ 5,132,372     $ 5,084,465     $ 4,744,355     $ 4,360,466     $ 4,349,226  
    Return on average common equity, annualized (N/P)   12.21 %     11.82 %     11.63 %     11.61 %     14.42 %
    Return on average tangible common equity, annualized (non-GAAP) (O/Q)   14.72       14.29       13.92       13.49       16.75  
                       
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Pre-Tax, Pre-Provision Income:    
    Income before taxes $ 253,055     $ 253,081     $ 232,709     $ 211,343     $ 249,956  
    Add: Provision for credit losses   23,963       16,979       22,334       40,061       21,673  
    Pre-tax income, excluding provision for credit losses (non-GAAP) $ 277,018     $ 270,060     $ 255,043     $ 251,404     $ 271,629  

    WINTRUST SUBSIDIARIES

    Wintrust is a financial holding company whose common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (Nasdaq: WTFC) that operates bank retail locations in the greater Chicago, southern Wisconsin, west Michigan, northwest Indiana, and southwest Florida market areas. Its 16 community bank subsidiaries are: Barrington Bank & Trust Company, N.A., Beverly Bank & Trust Company, N.A., Crystal Lake Bank & Trust Company, N.A., Hinsdale Bank & Trust Company, N.A., Lake Forest Bank & Trust Company, N.A., Libertyville Bank & Trust Company, N.A., Macatawa Bank, N.A., Northbrook Bank & Trust Company, N.A., Old Plank Trail Community Bank, N.A., Schaumburg Bank & Trust Company, N.A., St. Charles Bank & Trust Company, N.A., State Bank of The Lakes, N.A., Town Bank, N.A., Village Bank & Trust, N.A., Wheaton Bank & Trust Company, N.A., and Wintrust Bank, N.A.

    Additionally, the Company operates various non-bank businesses:

    • FIRST Insurance Funding and Wintrust Life Finance, each a division of Lake Forest Bank & Trust Company, N.A., serve commercial and life insurance loan customers, respectively, throughout the United States.
    • First Insurance Funding of Canada serves commercial insurance loan customers throughout Canada.
    • Tricom, Inc. of Milwaukee provides high-yielding, short-term accounts receivable financing and value-added out-sourced administrative services, such as data processing of payrolls, billing and cash management services, to temporary staffing service clients located throughout the United States.
    • Wintrust Mortgage, a division of Barrington Bank & Trust Company, N.A., engages primarily in the origination and purchase of residential mortgages for sale into the secondary market through origination offices located throughout the United States. Loans are also originated nationwide through relationships with wholesale and correspondent offices.
    • Wintrust Investments, LLC is a broker-dealer providing a full range of private client and brokerage services to clients and correspondent banks located primarily in the Midwest.
    • Great Lakes Advisors LLC provides money management services and advisory services to individual accounts.
    • Wintrust Private Trust Company, N.A., a trust subsidiary, allows Wintrust to service customers’ trust and investment needs at each banking location.
    • Wintrust Asset Finance offers direct leasing opportunities.
    • CDEC provides Qualified Intermediary services (as defined by U.S. Treasury regulations) for taxpayers seeking to structure tax-deferred like-kind exchanges under Internal Revenue Code Section 1031.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Forward-looking information can be identified through the use of words such as “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “contemplate,” “possible,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “would” and “could.” Forward-looking statements and information are not historical facts, are premised on many factors and assumptions, and represent only management’s expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Similarly, these statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, and which may include, but are not limited to, those listed below and the Risk Factors discussed under Item 1A of the Company’s 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in any of the Company’s subsequent SEC filings. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and is including this statement for purposes of invoking these safe harbor provisions. Such forward-looking statements may be deemed to include, among other things, statements relating to the Company’s future financial performance, the performance of its loan portfolio, the expected amount of future credit reserves and charge-offs, delinquency trends, growth plans, regulatory developments, securities that the Company may offer from time to time, and management’s long-term performance goals, as well as statements relating to the anticipated effects on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations from expected developments or events, the Company’s business and growth strategies, including future acquisitions of banks, specialty finance or wealth management businesses, internal growth and plans to form additional de novo banks or branch offices. Actual results could differ materially from those addressed in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors, including the following:

    • economic conditions and events that affect the economy, housing prices, the job market and other factors that may adversely affect the Company’s liquidity and the performance of its loan portfolios, including an actual or threatened U.S. government debt default or rating downgrade, particularly in the markets in which it operates;
    • negative effects suffered by us or our customers resulting from changes in U.S. or international trade policies;
    • the extent of defaults and losses on the Company’s loan portfolio, which may require further increases in its allowance for credit losses;
    • estimates of fair value of certain of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which could change in value significantly from period to period;
    • the financial success and economic viability of the borrowers of our commercial loans;
    • commercial real estate market conditions in the Chicago metropolitan area and southern Wisconsin;
    • the extent of commercial and consumer delinquencies and declines in real estate values, which may require further increases in the Company’s allowance for credit losses;
    • inaccurate assumptions in our analytical and forecasting models used to manage our loan portfolio;
    • changes in the level and volatility of interest rates, the capital markets and other market indices that may affect, among other things, the Company’s liquidity and the value of its assets and liabilities;
    • the interest rate environment, including a prolonged period of low interest rates or rising interest rates, either broadly or for some types of instruments, which may affect the Company’s net interest income and net interest margin, and which could materially adversely affect the Company’s profitability;
    • competitive pressures in the financial services business which may affect the pricing of the Company’s loan and deposit products as well as its services (including wealth management services), which may result in loss of market share and reduced income from deposits, loans, advisory fees and income from other products;
    • failure to identify and complete favorable acquisitions in the future or unexpected losses, difficulties or developments related to the Company’s recent or future acquisitions;
    • unexpected difficulties and losses related to FDIC-assisted acquisitions;
    • harm to the Company’s reputation;
    • any negative perception of the Company’s financial strength;
    • ability of the Company to raise additional capital on acceptable terms when needed;
    • disruption in capital markets, which may lower fair values for the Company’s investment portfolio;
    • ability of the Company to use technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands and create efficiencies in operations and to manage risks associated therewith;
    • failure or breaches of our security systems or infrastructure, or those of third parties;
    • security breaches, including denial of service attacks, hacking, social engineering attacks, malware intrusion and similar events or data corruption attempts and identity theft;
    • adverse effects on our information technology systems, or those of third parties, resulting from failures, human error or cyberattacks (including ransomware);
    • adverse effects of failures by our vendors to provide agreed upon services in the manner and at the cost agreed, particularly our information technology vendors;
    • increased costs as a result of protecting our customers from the impact of stolen debit card information;
    • accuracy and completeness of information the Company receives about customers and counterparties to make credit decisions;
    • ability of the Company to attract and retain senior management experienced in the banking and financial services industries;
    • environmental liability risk associated with lending activities;
    • the impact of any claims or legal actions to which the Company is subject, including any effect on our reputation;
    • losses incurred in connection with repurchases and indemnification payments related to mortgages and increases in reserves associated therewith;
    • the loss of customers as a result of technological changes allowing consumers to complete their financial transactions without the use of a bank;
    • the soundness of other financial institutions and the impact of recent failures of financial institutions, including broader financial institution liquidity risk and concerns;
    • the expenses and delayed returns inherent in opening new branches and de novo banks;
    • liabilities, potential customer loss or reputational harm related to closings of existing branches;
    • examinations and challenges by tax authorities, and any unanticipated impact of the Tax Act;
    • changes in accounting standards, rules and interpretations, and the impact on the Company’s financial statements;
    • the ability of the Company to receive dividends from its subsidiaries;
    • the impact of the Company’s transition from LIBOR to an alternative benchmark rate for current and future transactions;
    • a decrease in the Company’s capital ratios, including as a result of declines in the value of its loan portfolios, or otherwise;
    • legislative or regulatory changes, particularly changes in regulation of financial services companies and/or the products and services offered by financial services companies;
    • changes in laws, regulations, rules, standards and contractual obligations regarding data privacy and cybersecurity;
    • a lowering of our credit rating;
    • changes in U.S. monetary policy and changes to the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet, including changes in response to persistent inflation or otherwise;
    • regulatory restrictions upon our ability to market our products to consumers and limitations on our ability to profitably operate our mortgage business;
    • increased costs of compliance, heightened regulatory capital requirements and other risks associated with changes in regulation and the regulatory environment;
    • the impact of heightened capital requirements;
    • increases in the Company’s FDIC insurance premiums, or the collection of special assessments by the FDIC;
    • delinquencies or fraud with respect to the Company’s premium finance business;
    • credit downgrades among commercial and life insurance providers that could negatively affect the value of collateral securing the Company’s premium finance loans;
    • the Company’s ability to comply with covenants under its credit facility;
    • fluctuations in the stock market, which may have an adverse impact on the Company’s wealth management business and brokerage operation; and
    • widespread outages of operational, communication, or other systems, whether internal or provided by third parties, natural or other disasters (including acts of terrorism, armed hostilities and pandemics), and the effects of climate change.

    Therefore, there can be no assurances that future actual results will correspond to these forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement made by the Company. Any such statement speaks only as of the date the statement was made or as of such date that may be referenced within the statement. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect the impact of circumstances or events after the date of the press release. Persons are advised, however, to consult further disclosures management makes on related subjects in its reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in its press releases.

    CONFERENCE CALL, WEBCAST AND REPLAY

    The Company will hold a conference call on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT) regarding first quarter 2025 earnings results. Individuals interested in participating in the call by addressing questions to management should register for the call to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN at the Conference Call Link included within the Company’s press release dated March 31, 2025 available at the Investor Relations, Investor News and Events, Press Releases link on its website at https://www.wintrust.com. A separate simultaneous audio-only webcast link is included within the press release referenced above. Registration for and a replay of the audio-only webcast with an accompanying slide presentation will be available at https://www.wintrust.com, Investor Relations, Investor News and Events, Presentations & Conference Calls. The text of the first quarter 2025 earnings press release will also be available on the home page of the Company’s website at https://www.wintrust.com and at the Investor Relations, Investor News and Events, Press Releases link on its website.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Timothy S. Crane, President & Chief Executive Officer
    David A. Dykstra, Vice Chairman & Chief Operating Officer
    (847) 939-9000
    Web site address: www.wintrust.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: PDF Solutions to Report First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results on May 8, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PDF Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: PDFS), a leading provider of comprehensive data solutions for the semiconductor ecosystem, announced that it will release First quarter fiscal 2025 financial results after the market close on Thursday, May 8, 2025. John Kibarian, CEO, and Adnan Raza, CFO, will host a live teleconference on Thursday, May 8, 2025, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time / 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results.

    To participate on the live call, analysts and investors should pre-register at: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI6d53831ac55c4a1ab7f4514ab0ec41ca.

    Registrants will receive dial-in information and a unique passcode to access the call. We encourage participants to dial-in into the call ten minutes ahead of scheduled time.

    The teleconference will also be webcast simultaneously on the Company’s website at https://ir.pdf.com/webcasts. A replay of the conference call webcast will be available after the call on the Company’s investor relations website.

    About PDF Solutions
    PDF Solutions (Nasdaq: PDFS) provides comprehensive data solutions designed to empower organizations across the semiconductor and electronics industry ecosystems to improve the yield and quality of their products and operational efficiency for increased profitability. The Company’s products and services are used by Fortune 500 companies across the semiconductor ecosystem to achieve smart manufacturing goals by connecting and controlling equipment, collecting data generated during manufacturing and test operations, and performing advanced analytics and machine learning to enable profitable, high-volume manufacturing.

    Founded in 1991, PDF Solutions is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with operations across North America, Europe, and Asia. The Company (directly or through one or more subsidiaries) is an active member of SEMI, INEMI, TPCA, IPC, the OPC Foundation, and DMDII. For the latest news and information about PDF Solutions or to find office locations, visit https://www.pdf.com/.

    PDF Solutions and the PDF Solutions logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of PDF Solutions, Inc. or its subsidiaries.

    Company Contacts

    Adnan Raza
    Chief Financial Officer
    (408) 516-0237
    adnan.raza@pdf.com

    Sonia Segovia
    Investor Relations
    (408) 938-6491
    sonia.segovia@pdf.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Weatherford and AIQ Sign Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Efficiency in Energy Production

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, April 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Weatherford International plc (NASDAQ: WFRD) (“Weatherford” or the “Company”) today announced it has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AIQ, the Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence (AI) champion developing innovative solutions for the energy sector. This partnership is set to bring transformative efficiency to energy production, leveraging advanced automation, data-driven insights, and the power of AI technology.

    The collaboration aims to integrate Weatherford’s world-class software and hardware solutions, including the Modern Edge suite, Unified Data Model, and WFRD Software Launchpad, with AIQ’s robust AI-driven systems. By combining these advanced tools, Weatherford and AIQ will enable operators to optimize their production workflows, reduce downtime, and significantly enhance operational efficiency across global oil and gas facilities.

    Girish Saligram, President and Chief Executive Officer of Weatherford, commented, “We are excited to partner with AIQ to bring innovative, AI-driven solutions to the oil and gas industry. This strategic partnership allows us to deliver cutting-edge technologies that empower our customers to maximize their operational efficiency, enhance automation, and reduce costs. By combining our strengths, we are leading the way in helping operators modernize their workflows and achieve greater success in today’s rapidly evolving energy landscape.”

    Magzhan Kenesbai, Acting Managing Director of AIQ, said, “This partnership marks another step in AIQ’s mission to build partnerships that accelerate the deployment of impactful AI systems across the energy value chain. By integrating our advanced AI-driven tools with Weatherford’s energy-specific technology, we are driving greater efficiencies to the industry through the development of scalable, automated applications. Together, we are set to empower operators to optimize their workflows, reduce downtime, and achieve unparalleled operational excellence.”

    Key Highlights of the Strategic Partnership:

    1. Modern Edge Integration: The partnership will combine AIQ’s AI technology with Weatherford’s Modern Edge, providing operators with the ability to scale their work processes efficiently while ensuring an economic return. This integration will empower customers to modernize their edge operations, facilitate autonomous production, and offer the flexibility to expand operations, all while optimizing resource usage and reducing costs.
    2. Unified Data Model: Weatherford’s Universal Normalizer will work in tandem with AIQ’s capabilities to harmonize multi-asset data, combining operational and financial analysis into a unified, API-supported data model. This will drive smarter decision-making and streamline operations across facilities.
    3. WFRD Software Launchpad: Through the WFRD Software Launchpad, customers will gain the ability to procure all of their software needs via a comprehensive industrial SaaS platform. This eliminates the complexity of managing multiple systems and vendors, providing a single point of access for all Weatherford and partner-built applications, while ensuring data security and autonomy within their own network.

    By combining their strengths, Weatherford and AIQ will enable the energy sector to unlock unprecedented efficiencies, boost productivity, and reduce operational costs. This partnership is a significant step forward in Weatherford’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that empower operators to succeed in an increasingly competitive and data-driven industry.

    About Weatherford

    Weatherford delivers innovative energy services that integrate proven technologies with advanced digitalization to create sustainable offerings for maximized value and return on investment. Our world-class experts partner with customers to optimize their resources and realize the full potential of their assets. Operators choose us for strategic solutions that add efficiency, flexibility, and responsibility to any energy operation. The Company conducts business in approximately 75 countries and has approximately 19,000 team members representing more than 110 nationalities and 330 operating locations. Visit weatherford.com for more information and connect with us on social media.

    Contacts
    For Investors:
    Luke Lemoine
    Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & Investor Relations
    +1 713-836-7777
    investor.relations@weatherford.com

    For Media:
    Kelley Hughes
    Senior Director, Communications & Employee Engagement
    media@weatherford.com

    About AIQ

    AIQ is an innovative global technology pioneer based in Abu Dhabi, dedicated to accelerating AI-driven advancements within the Energy sector, propelling it towards a sustainable future. AIQ solutions improve performance and efficiency; protect personnel, assets, and operations; and enable customers to meet their sustainability goals. As a committed contributor to realizing the UAE’s ambition to lead the world in AI by 2031, AIQ is playing a pivotal role in the AI ecosystem of Abu Dhabi, the UAE, and the global Energy sector. To find out more, visit: aiqintelligence.ae/

    For media enquiries, please contact: aiq.communications@aiqintelligence.ai

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-Evening Report: Since its very conception, Star Wars has been political. Now Andor will take on Trump 2.0

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Golding, Professor and Chair of the Department of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology

    Lucasfilm Ltd™

    Premiering today, the second and final season of Star Wars streaming show Andor seems destined to be one of the pop culture defining moments of the second Trump presidency.

    Andor, which began airing in 2022, tells the story of the early days of the Rebel Alliance before the adventures of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. The series is the most politically articulate of the Star Wars franchise.

    Where older Star Wars entries focused on lightsaber battles and dogfights in space, Andor shows a world of political manifestos, fractious alliances between rebel groups, and surreptitious fundraising for revolution.

    Season one of the show followed the political awakening of the titular Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), who progresses from troubled thief to total ideological commitment to fighting the Empire. The show also follows a covert revolutionary leader (Stellan Skarsgård), an ineffective politician who secretly finances the rebellion (Genevieve O’Reilly), and two Imperials manoeuvring for power (Denise Gough and Kyle Soller).

    Showrunner Tony Gilroy has so far taken inspiration for Andor from a variety of real historical revolutionary events, from Stalin’s bank robbery in Tiflis of 1907 to the Baader-Meinhof group in West Germany.

    Aesthetically, Andor has more in common with the political filmmaking of the likes of The Battle of Algiers (1966), the films of Costa-Gavras, or early Paul Greengrass than the central Flash Gordon-inspired Star Wars saga.

    As authoritarian governments and conflicts loom large globally, the final season of Andor in 2025 is perfectly timed to articulate anxieties much closer to home than the galaxy far, far away.

    Star Wars has always been political

    Andor is far from the first time that Star Wars has captured the political zeitgeist. In fact, much of the franchise’s success stems from the way it provides us with a pop culture language to talk about politics.

    In 2016, Trump’s first election win coincided with the release of Rogue One, the Star Wars precursor to Andor.

    Within days, two Star Wars creatives made public comparisons between Trump and Rogue One’s villains, with writer Chris Weitz posting on Twitter “the Empire is a white supremacist (human) organization”. Writer Gary Whitta replied: “Opposed by a multi-cultural group led by brave women”.

    They were officially reprimanded by the studio. “This is a film that the world should enjoy,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger at the time. “It is not a film that is, in any way, a political film.”

    Under the ownership of a risk averse corporation like Disney, Star Wars is supposed to be family friendly, apolitical entertainment.

    However, since its very conception, Star Wars has been political.

    Inspired by anti-Vietnam war protests, director George Lucas described Darth Vader and the Empire as “Nixonian gangsters” in early drafts of the original film’s script. Lucas, who had developed Apocalypse Now before Francis Ford Coppola ultimately directed the film, has consistently claimed to have thought of the Rebel Alliance as similar to North Vietnamese fighters resisting United States forces.

    When it came time for the prequel trilogy in the 2000s, Lucas told a story of democracy willingly falling to dictatorship (beginning with a trade war, something not lost on contemporary observers). In 2005, Lucas even had Darth Vader paraphrase George W. Bush.

    It has also shaped politics. Scholars and critics like Andrew Britton and Robin Wood argued Star Wars was so escapist and disconnected from politics here on earth that it set the scene for Ronald Reagan’s good-versus-evil rhetoric.

    A galaxy not so far away

    It is precisely Star Wars’ apolitical image that gives it so much political utility. A series with such strong heroes and villains inevitably invites comparison.

    Almost immediately after its release in 1977, Star Wars became a pop culture language for understanding politics.

    When Maggie Thatcher won government in the United Kingdom on May 4 1979, the Conservative Party took out an advertisement in the London Evening News congratulating her with the words “May the Fourth Be With You”.

    When Ronald Reagan proposed a “Strategic Defense Initiative” missile system in 1983, critics immediately and famously labelled it “Star Wars” (something Lucas tried unsuccessfully to stop). Reagan himself eventually joined in, too, claiming in a speech in 1985 that “the Force is with us”.

    It is easy to find examples of politicians of all stripes being likened to Star Wars villains like Darth Vader (most enduring was Dick Cheney who claimed to not mind the comparison).

    Composer John Williams’ Imperial March has even been played at protests as a way to antagonise opponents.

    The enduring currency of the political language of Star Wars is in part due to its generalities. In any political conflict it helps to have a way to describe an archetypal evil puppet master (the Emperor), his henchman (Darth Vader), and the soulful heroes putting their lives on the line (the Jedi).

    The real trick to Star Wars’ ongoing relevance, however, lies in its very real inspirations. Whether it is George W. Bush, the Viet Cong, or the Bolsheviks, Star Wars has time and again turned the specifics of political history into mythology.

    At a time where many see global politics as having set the stage for the Empire to Strike Back, the final season of Andor may give many a language to articulate A New Hope.

    Dan Golding does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Since its very conception, Star Wars has been political. Now Andor will take on Trump 2.0 – https://theconversation.com/since-its-very-conception-star-wars-has-been-political-now-andor-will-take-on-trump-2-0-254208

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI: Zero Downtime, Full Transparency: UCFX Markets Raises the Industry Standard

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, April 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a time when traders are demanding clarity, performance, and accountability, UCFX Markets has emerged as a beacon of trust, efficiency, and modern trading architecture. With its recent announcement of zero system downtime and full trade transparency, the platform is drawing praise from analysts, high-volume traders, and everyday investors alike.

    This dual milestone—infrastructure reliability and complete visibility into trades, pricing, and fees—has elevated UCFX Markets into a category of its own, especially as global platforms continue to suffer from lag, withdrawal delays, and policy confusion. As noted in a series of recent independent UCFXMarkets reviews, the company is delivering not just promises, but measurable performance.

    Technology That Doesn’t Sleep

    Since the beginning of 2025, UCFX Markets has achieved and maintained 100% operational uptime, a metric that few competitors can match. During major market events—including January’s unexpected altcoin surge and March’s Bitcoin correction—the platform experienced no outages or slowdowns, enabling traders to enter, manage, and exit positions in real time without risk of system-related loss.

    “Our clients never have to worry about platform failure during volatile conditions,” said a senior infrastructure engineer at UCFX Markets. “Whether they’re day-trading, swing-trading, or holding long-term, they know the system will be there. No blackout windows. No server crashes.”

    This commitment to consistency has sparked a surge in UCFXMarkets reviews, particularly from traders who have grown frustrated with unreliable platforms that freeze or disconnect during peak demand hours.

    Full Transparency: From Fees to Execution

    Beyond stability, UCFX Markets is also setting the bar for transparency. Clients now have access to:

    • Live trade audit logs
    • Real-time spread visibility
    • Instant fee breakdowns
    • AI-generated trade rationale reports

    This level of openness has resonated with both retail and professional traders, many of whom have spent years navigating platforms with hidden charges or unclear execution histories.

    “Transparency builds trust. And in 2025, trust is everything,” said a spokesperson for UCFX Markets. “We believe that traders deserve to see exactly how every trade is processed—and exactly what it costs.”

    According to one recent financial report, over 78% of new clients cited transparency and system stability as the key reasons for moving to the platform. This has led to an influx of glowing UCFXMarkets reviews from users across Europe, Australia, and Asia.

    What Traders Are Saying

    Below are four real-world testimonials from verified clients now actively trading with UCFX Markets:

    Liam H. – Manchester, UK
    “I’ve used at least six trading platforms in the past five years. None come close to the stability and transparency of UCFX Markets. I don’t have to guess what’s happening with my orders. Everything’s logged and clear. I’ve already written multiple UCFXMarkets reviews because they earned it.”

    Amelia W. – Sydney, Australia
    “During the last flash crash, my previous platform froze completely. I lost over $4,000. That’s when I switched to UCFX Markets. Their uptime is unmatched, and the risk monitoring tools helped me protect every position. Highly recommend.”

    Jonas L. – Berlin, Germany
    “As someone managing multiple accounts, transparency is non-negotiable. I’ve had platforms lock me out, delay withdrawals, or hide spreads. With UCFX Markets, it’s all laid out. Nothing hidden. My team and I now manage all of our trades here.”

    Rachel T. – Toronto, Canada
    “It’s the only platform I’ve used where everything works exactly as promised. From deposits to withdrawals to reporting—it’s seamless. I’ve shared UCFXMarkets reviews with friends and colleagues because people deserve better options in crypto trading.”

    The Industry Takes Notice

    UCFX Markets’ consistent execution and operational integrity have not gone unnoticed. Independent rating firms and fintech publications are beginning to highlight the platform as a rising force in crypto and forex, especially among self-managed traders, portfolio managers, and regulated institutional desks.

    The company is also gaining attention for its no-nonsense approach to compliance, offering streamlined KYC processes that meet international standards without unnecessary delays or hurdles. Combined with its real-time trade audit tools, UCFX Markets is positioning itself as a regulation-ready alternative for both individual and enterprise clients.

    Looking Ahead: Smarter, Safer, Faster

    UCFX Markets’ roadmap for 2025 includes:

    • Advanced AI-driven trade strategy modeling
    • Multilingual, around-the-clock support based in EU and APAC
    • Custom dashboard environments for fund managers and quant traders
    • Launch of smart trading alerts integrated with mobile apps

    These innovations are expected to further boost user satisfaction and enhance already glowing UCFXMarkets reviews seen across fintech communities and trust platforms.

    Conclusion

    In a market flooded with short-lived platforms and empty promises, UCFX Markets is raising the bar through performance, clarity, and total reliability. With zero downtime and fully transparent operations, it offers a clear path forward for traders who demand both trust and results.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Kaltura to Announce Financial Results for First Quarter 2025 on Thursday, May 8, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kaltura (Nasdaq: KLTR), the Video Experience Cloud, today announced it will release its first quarter financial results for the period ended March 31, 2025, before market open on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

    Management will host a conference call to review the Company’s first quarter 2025 financial results and discuss the financial outlook.

    Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025
    Time: 8:00 a.m. ET
    United States/Canada Toll Free: 1-877-407-0789
    International Toll: +1-201-689-8562
       

    A live and archived webcast will be available in the Investor Relations section of Kaltura’s website at: https://investors.kaltura.com/news-and-events/events

    About Kaltura
    Kaltura’s mission is to create and power AI-infused hyper-personalized video experiences that boost customer and employee engagement and success. Kaltura’s AI Video Experience Cloud includes a platform for enterprise and TV content management and a wide array of Gen AI-infused video-first products, including Video Portals, LMS and CMS Video Extensions, Virtual Events and Webinars, Virtual Classrooms, and TV Streaming Applications. Kaltura engages millions of end-users at home, at work, and at school, boosting both customer and employee experiences, including marketing, sales, and customer success; teaching, learning, training and certification; communication and collaboration; and entertainment and monetization. For more information, visit www.corp.kaltura.com.

    Investor Contacts:
    Kaltura, Inc.
    John Doherty
    Chief Financial Officer
    IR@Kaltura.com

    Sapphire Investor Relations, LLC
    Erica Mannion and Michael Funari
    IR@Kaltura.com
    +1-617-542-6180

    Media Contacts:
    Kaltura, Inc.
    Nohar Zmora
    pr.team@kaltura.com

    Headline Media
    Raanan Loew
    raanan@headline.media
    +1-347-897-9276

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks on the Passing of His Holiness Pope Francis

    Source: US State of New York

    arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul delivered remarks on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis.

    VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    PHOTOS of Governor Hochul and His Holiness Pope Francis are available here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

     I did want to also acknowledge that as a Roman Catholic, I join billions across the globe as we mourn the passing of a true spiritual leader, and my recollection of meeting Pope Francis as a man of great humility, but also love of people.

    And he made a comment that struck me, he says, “God does not abandon any of his children.” And that means he was fighting for the marginalized: members of the LGBTQ+ community, migrants, people who are impoverished, people who are in prison. Those were the ones that he gave God’s compassion to. That’s how I was raised as a Catholic, as a social justice Catholic. He was a man of peace but a fighter for justice, and we mourn his passing. May he rest in peace.

    And grateful for the special blessing he gave my husband and I on the anniversary of our wedding, 40 years, when I met him in person last year during an invitation I received from him to speak at a climate conference. Again, a reminder of his outward view of the world that we all, regardless of religion, have a responsibility to the other countries that have not been responsible for creating climate change, but need our help as well. Just want to acknowledge his passing.

    MIL OSI USA News