Category: Finance

MIL-OSI Security: Running with Purpose: USMS Honors Fallen Heroes Across the Nation

Source: US Marshals Service

On March 7, 2025, members of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) nationwide took part in the annual Fallen Heroes Honor Run, meeting the challenge to commemorate colleagues lost in the line of duty. The event, now known as the USMS Fallen Heroes Honor Run, began as a local tradition in the Eastern District of Missouri (E/MO) nine years ago and has since evolved into a beloved national tribute. Initially created by deputies from E/MO in memory of Deputy U.S. Marshal (DUSM) Josie L. Wells, Sr., the event honors his legacy and the sacrifice he made on March 10, 2015, when he was killed in the line of duty. At the time, DUSM Wells was temporarily assigned to the Southern District of Mississippi and serving a warrant when he was fatally wounded. Adding to the tragedy, Josie and his wife, Channing, were expecting their first child; their son, Josie Jr., was born later that year in August.

Those who knew Josie often spoke of his devotion to his family, the USMS, and physical fitness. Two of his E/MO workout partners, District of Arizona (D/AZ) Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal (SDUSM) Karolina Duda and recently retired SDUSM Steve Linder of the Northern District of Illinois, designed the Fallen Heroes Honor Run to help district personnel deal with their grief in a life affirming way, while also memorializing all who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The USMS Fallen Heroes Honor Run provides an outlet to acknowledge loss and sacrifice, while also building a stronger, more united, and physically fit Agency. The Run incorporates challenging elements such as wearing a 20 to 30-pound tactical vest or full gear and rotationally carrying the American flag. Regardless of the level of exertion, the event offers all participants an opportunity to honor the selfless service of those who died in the line of duty.

For 2025, nationwide coordinators included DUSM Mark Waggamon of the Southern District of West Virginia, and from the D/AZ, SDUSM Brittany Dean and DUSM Karolina Duda. Chief Inspector Luis Arellano, Jr. of the Investigative Operations Division’s Organized Crime and Gangs Branch coordinated this year’s Headquarters Run. To quote the coordinators: “Friday’s run was a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by our fallen heroes. We honored their memory and their families as we came together as one agency, united in purpose. As coordinators of the event, we couldn’t be prouder of the participants and the individual coordinators from each district, division, and foreign field office who helped us make this a successful event.”

Although designed to honor all who have made the ultimate sacrifice, the USMS Fallen Heroes Honor Run is held each year near the anniversary of DUSM Wells’ End of Watch. The spring season begins in March, and serves as a reminder of new beginnings and renewed hope. Each year, the number of participants, districts, and partner organizations continues to grow—as do the photos shared, documenting the group’s camaraderie and accomplishments.

This year, the Run paid special tribute to our most recent fallen heroes—DUSM Thomas Weeks and Task Force Officers (TFO) Joshua Eyer, William “Alden” Elliott, and Samuel Poloche – who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Districts across the Nation showed tremendous support. In North Carolina, approximately 80 participants from the Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force and Western District of North Carolina joined the event, along with federal, state, and local partners including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Secret Service, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and Fire Departments, Gaston County Police Department, Gastonia Police Department, the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, and Mooresville Police Department. Fallen DUSM Week’s wife, Kelly Weeks, and TFO Elliot’s wife, Justine Elliott, also took part, making the tribute all the more personal and impactful.

The Southern District of Mississippi, where DUSM Josie Wells was last assigned, featured participation from his siblings, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the Mississippi Gaming Commission, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Josie’s wife, Channing Wells.

In total, representatives from 107 state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies, along with numerous USMS districts and divisions nationwide, participated in the 2025 Fallen Heroes Honor Run, highlighting the event’s significance and widespread support.

“Our Fallen Heroes may no longer be with us, but their legacy lives on through each of you. Whether you ran, walked, volunteered, or simply showed your support, you honored our Fallen Heroes in a powerful way. Your commitment ensures their memory lives on,” acknowledged USMS Acting Director Mark P. Pittella, emphasizing leadership’s gratitude for all involved.

For a photo gallery highlighting the USMS personnel, partner agencies, and community members who participated, please click here.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Armed Greenville Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced to 11 Years

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Ernest Russell Early, Jr., of Greenville, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison for an armed robbery and for possessing fake oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl. Early, 37, pled guilty to the charges on August 21, 2024.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 19, 2023, Early entered the Falkland Mini Mart located on South Main Street in Falkland. He approached the clerk at the back of the store and brandished a black pistol. He then compelled the clerk to return to the register and demanded that he hand over all the money. When the clerk opened the register, Early grabbed $1,500, exited the store, and entered a black Nissan Sentra with New Jersey plates. The cashier followed him outside and was able to obtain a partial license plate number.

Pitt County Sheriff’s Deputies responded and located the suspect’s vehicle, initiating a pursuit. After initially evading the deputies, Early crashed the car and fled on foot. Deputies were able to collect fingerprints from the vehicle, which had been reported stolen, and later confirmed that the prints matched Early’s.

Early remained at large until he was spotted by a detective from the Greenville Police Department on December 8, 2023. The police arrested Early on active warrants in a parking lot in Greenville. During the arrest, they seized 103 counterfeit oxycodone pills and a .40 caliber handgun from his pockets. The pills were subsequently tested and found to contain fentanyl.

Early’s criminal history features three state felony convictions and fifteen misdemeanor convictions. In 2013, he was convicted in Wake County Superior Court of common law robbery.

Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-0025-M.

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MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: South Carolina Woman Sentenced For $1.7 Million Embezzlement Scheme

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Kristin Turney, 54, of Catawba, South Carolina, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for embezzling more than $1.7 million from her employer, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Turney was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,754,204.13.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

“Turney was a trusted employee that pilfered money from an unsuspecting employer,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Her conduct was not a lapse in judgement; it was a prolonged and deliberate pattern of deceptive behavior that nearly destroyed a small business. Today’s sentence is a reminder that embezzlement is not a shortcut to riches, but a path to federal prison.”

According to court documents, from 2016 to 2023, Turney executed a scheme to defraud her employer, a small, family-owned business, by embezzling more than $1.7 million. Turney was in charge of the company’s financial matters, including bank accounts, payroll, accounts payables and receivables, and tax filings. During the scheme, Turney misused her access and control over the company’s bank accounts and books and records to write herself company checks, which she then deposited into bank accounts she controlled. Turney made over 1,000 unauthorized bank deposits to herself totaling over $1.7 million. Court documents show that Turney covered up the fraud by making false accounting entries in the company’s books and records. She also provided fraudulent information to the company’s tax return preparer and lied to the company’s owner and employees. As a result of Turney’s embezzlement scheme, the company continues to be impacted by the defendant’s theft.

On November 8, 2024, Turney pleaded guilty to wire fraud. She will be ordered to report the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

The case was investigated by the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025

MIL-OSI: Albion Enterprise VCT PLC: Interim management report

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ALBION ENTERPRISE VCT PLC
LEI Code: 213800OVSRDHRJBMO720
Interim Management Statement

Introduction
I present Albion Enterprise VCT PLC (the “Company”)’s interim management statement for the period from 1 October 2024 to 31 December 2024.

Performance and dividends
The Company’s unaudited net asset value (“NAV”) on 31 December 2024 was £266.8 million or 118.86 pence per share (excluding treasury shares). After accounting for the 13.50 pence per share special dividend paid on 25 October 2024 to shareholders on the register on 4 October 2024, this is an increase of 1.15 pence per share (1.0%) since 30 September 2024.

The Company paid a second interim dividend for the year ending 31 March 2025 of 3.28 pence per share on 28 February 2025 to shareholders on the register on 7 February 2025. After adjusting for this dividend the NAV is 115.58 pence per share.

Albion VCTs Mergers
On 12 November 2024, the Company issued a circular, jointly with the other Albion managed VCTs, proposing, amongst other things, the Merger of the Company with Albion Development VCT PLC (“AADV”) and an offer for subscription. A copy of the circular can be found at www.albion.capital/mergers.

The Merger was approved by the Company’s shareholders at a General Meeting held on 11 December 2024. All the conditions of the Merger were satisfied on 19 December 2024, and accordingly AADV shareholders were issued 112,097,051 shares in the Company at an issue price of 117.00092 pence per share in consideration for the transfer of the assets and liabilities of AADV to the Company which were valued at £131.15 million.

Dividend reinvestment scheme
During the period from 1 October 2024 to 31 December 2024, the Company issued the following new Ordinary shares of nominal value 1 penny per share under the terms of the Dividend Reinvestment Scheme Circular (dated 26 November 2009):

Date of allotment	Number of shares allotted	Issue price (pence per share)	Net invested £’000
25 October 2024	1,987,326	119.46	2,353

Albion VCTs Prospectus Top Up Offers 2024/25
On 12 November 2024 the Company published a prospectus Top Up Offer of new Ordinary shares to raise up to £20 million (before issue costs), including an overallotment facility of £10 million. The Offer of the Company was fully subscribed and closed on 27 February 2025, and the allotment of shares took place on 21 March 2025. Details of the shares allotted can be found in the events after the period end section below.

The proceeds of the Offer will be used to provide further resources to our existing portfolio and to enable us to take advantage of new investment opportunities.

Portfolio
The following investments have been made during the period from 1 October 2024 to 31 December 2024:

*New investments*	£000s	Activity
Ionate	1,807	Developing new hybrid transformers for grid and industrial power networks.
Open Trade Technology	705	Embedded finance to allow fintechs to provide yield products backed by Stablecoins.
*Total new investments*	*2,512*

*Further investments*	£000s	Activity
Convertr Media	408	A customer acquisition platform which tracks advertising leads all the way to sale.
GX Molecular (T/A CS Genetics)	142	Develop single-cell sequencing solutions.
*Total further investments*	*550*

Top ten holdings (on 31 December 2024)

Investment	Carrying value £000s	% of net asset value	Activity
Quantexa	57,899	21.7%	Decision intelligence platform to help solve challenges across customer intelligence, KYC, financial crime, risk management, fraud, and security
Proveca	17,913	6.7%	Reformulation of medicines for children
Oviva	11,307	4.2%	A technology enabled service business in medical nutritional therapy (MNT)
Gravitee TopCo	8,202	3.1%	API management platform
The Evewell Group	6,182	2.3%	Operator and developer of women’s health centres focusing on fertility
Healios	6,049	2.3%	Provider of an online platform delivering family centric psychological care primarily to children and adolescents
Radnor House School (TopCo)	6,016	2.3%	Independent school for children aged 2-18
Panaseer	5,627	2.1%	Provider of cyber security services
Convertr Media	4,588	1.7%	A customer acquisition platform which tracks advertising leads all the way to sale
Runa Network	4,358	1.6%	Cloud platform and infrastructure that enables corporates to issue digital incentives and payouts

A full breakdown of the Company’s portfolio can be found on the Company’s webpage on the Manager’s website at www.albion.capital/vct-funds/AAEV.

Share buy-backs
During the period from 1 October 2024 to 31 December 2024, the Company purchased 678,345 shares for £762,000 (including stamp duty) at an average price of 111.82 pence per share. All of the shares were cancelled.

It remains the Board’s policy to buy back shares in the market, subject to the overall constraint that such purchases are in the Company’s interest, including the maintenance of sufficient resources for investment in existing and new portfolio companies and the continued payment of dividends to shareholders.

It is the Board’s intention for such buy-backs to be at around a 5% discount to net asset value, so far as market conditions and liquidity permit.

Material events and transactions after the period end

After the period end, the Company issued the following new Ordinary shares of nominal value 1 penny per share under the Albion VCTs Prospectus Top Up Offers 2024/2025:

Date of allotment	Number of shares allotted	Issue price (pence per share)	Net consideration received £’000
21 March 2025	16,817,928	117.94p – 119.16p	19,440

The Company also issued the following Ordinary shares of nominal value 1 penny per share under the dividend reinvestment scheme:

Date of allotment	Number of shares allotted	Issue price (pence per share)	Net invested £’000
28 February 2025	1,062,950	113.72	1,188

As part of Quantexa’s recent Series F funding round, which completed in March 2025, the Company made a partial disposal of its holding. The Company received proceeds of £4.7m from the sale of c.8% of its stake in Quantexa representing a 13x return on the weighted average original cost of those shares.

There have been no other material events or transactions after the period end to the date of this announcement.

Further information
Further information regarding historic and current financial performance and other useful shareholder information can be found on the Company’s webpage on the Manager’s website at www.albion.capital/vct-funds/AAEV.

Ben Larkin, Chairman
27 March 2025

For further information please contact:
Vikash Hansrani
Operations Partner
Albion Capital Group LLP
Telephone: 020 7601 1850

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Bipartisan Shaheen, Kennedy Legislation to Improve Support for Rural Small Businesses Advances out of Small Business Committee
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

(Washington, DC) – Today, bipartisan legislation co-led by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and John Kennedy (R-LA) was advanced out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBC). The Coordinated Support for Rural Small Businesses Act would direct the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to designate an Assistant Administrator for its Office of Rural Affairs and codifies ongoing cooperative efforts between the SBA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve support for rural small businesses. The bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

“Small businesses are the backbone of rural communities but often face higher barriers to accessing federal programs and resources that would help them thrive,” said Shaheen. “I’m pleased that my colleagues on the Small Business Committee cleared the way for our bipartisan bill to increase coordination between federal agencies—bringing us one step closer to delivering more support for rural small businesses across the country.”

“Louisiana’s small businesses provide good paying jobs to folks throughout our state and support local economic growth. I’m glad to introduce this bipartisan bill to continue our investments in rural America,” said Kennedy.

To help rural small businesses, the Coordinated Support for Rural Small Businesses Act directs SBA and USDA to expand outreach to rural lenders and small businesses about agency programs and convene working groups to:
- Identify synergies among the two agencies’ loan programs.
- Assess where SBA and USDA can coordinate in delivering resources through lenders, resource partners like Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and others.
- Coordinate SBA’s Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program and USDA’s Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC) program, as well as disaster recovery programs at both agencies.
- Share best practices among the two agencies, rural economic development groups and others, and evaluate how cooperatives can access SBA programs.
- Collaborate on technical assistance with procurement, exporting and innovation.
A one pager of the bill is available here.

As a former small business owner and now a top member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, Shaheen fights for New Hampshire’s—and America’s—small businesses. During her time as Chair of the committee, Shaheen focused on addressing some of the biggest challenges small business owners face. Shaheen also leads the bipartisan Helping Small Businesses THRIVE Act with Kennedy that would direct SBA to create a new program that helps small businesses lock in the cost of commodities, like gasoline or lumber, in order to protect against the future volatile price of energy and other expenses. Shaheen also recently joined her Senate colleagues in introducing the Small Business Technological Advancement Act to help small business owners integrate digital tools into their businesses.

Shaheen is the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees funding for USDA and leads efforts to ensure rural small businesses can access the resources they need. Shaheen has supported more than 230 New Hampshire small businesses who have received over $25 million to lower energy bills and cut costs through USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program. Shaheen recently visited a small business in Lisbon that is using funding she championed to make energy efficiency upgrades.
MIL OSI USA News –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) Takes Center Stage with Six Prestigious Awards at the Global Banking & Markets Africa Awards 2025
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 27, 2025/APO Group/ —

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has been recognized for its outstanding contributions to Africa’s financial and capital markets with six prestigious awards at the Global Banking & Markets Africa Awards 2025, presented during the Bonds, Loans & ESG Capital Markets Conference in Cape Town. These accolades underscore AFC’s pivotal role in landmark transactions that drive sustainable development and economic growth across the region.

Award-Winning Transactions:
1. Quasi-Sovereign/GRE Treasury & Funding Team of the Year
AFC’s Treasury and Funding team was recognized for its expertise and innovation in structuring financing solutions that attract global capital to African infrastructure projects. Notable achievements include the closure of a US$400 million Shariah-compliant Commodity Murabaha facility and a groundbreaking US$1.16 billion syndicated loan, which broadened AFC’s global investor base. Additionally, AFC earned top-tier credit ratings from S&P Global (China) Ratings and China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co. Ltd (CCXI).
1. Syndicated Loan Deal of the Year: Bank of Industry EUR 1.87bn Syndicated Loan
As Global Coordinator, Lead Co-Arranger, Underwriter, Bookrunner, and Guarantor, AFC led the record-breaking €1.87 billion syndicated loan for Bank of Industry (BOI), Nigeria’s largest development finance institution. This historic transaction, BOI’s largest capital raise to date, facilitates financing for trade-related projects and affirms AFC’s capacity to navigate complex global markets. This landmark deal has already garnered widespread industry recognition, earning AFC three additional awards earlier this month: Guarantor of the Year, Africa and Market Innovation Award, Africa at the IJGlobal Awards, as well as African Deal of the Year at the Global Capital Syndicated Loan Awards.

3. West Africa Deal of the Year: Federal Government of Nigeria USD 917mm Bond

AFC acted as Global Coordinator for the inaugural domestic dollar bond issuance by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), successfully raising US$917 million, with 180% oversubscription. The bond, which has a five-year tenor and 9.75% coupon, was successfully listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and FMDQ Securities Exchange, attracted a diverse investor base, including local and diaspora Nigerians and institutional investors.
1. Securitization Deal of the Year: BUA Industries US$200mm Securitization
AFC played a key role in structuring a US$200 million corporate finance facility for BUA Industries Limited. The financing, provided by Afreximbank, supports BUA’s expansion across industries including sugar, cement, flour and oil processing, and real estate development. AFC’s second successful advisory mandate for BUA Group, the facility, demonstrates AFC’s commitment to unlocking capital for African businesses and fostering sustainable growth.
1. Financial Institutions Bond Deal of the Year: Ecobank Transnational USD 400mm Senior Bond
As Joint Lead Manager in the successful pricing of Ecobank Transnational’s US$400 million 10.125% bond, AFC highlighted its commitment to supporting financial institutions raising capital to drive economic progress. The five-year RegS/144A bond, maturing in 2029, marks the first public Sub-Saharan African Eurobond issued by an African bank since 2021.
1. Quasi-Sovereign/GRE Bond Deal of the Year: US$500mm Reg S / 144A Senior Unsecured Bond
AFC returned to the global debt capital markets with the issuance of a US$500 million 144A/Reg S Eurobond, which saw an oversubscription rate more than 2 ½ times the book size. The five-year Note, with a 5.55% coupon, achieved a record-tight T-spread for AFC, reflecting robust investor confidence in AFC’s creditworthiness.

AFC’s Commitment to Africa’s Economic Growth

“We are grateful to judges for their recognition through these numerous awards of AFC’s relentless pursuit of innovative financing solutions that drive sustainable development across Africa,” said Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of AFC. “We are proud to be at the forefront of mobilizing capital for transformational infrastructure projects across the continent and in building a more resilient, self-sustaining Africa. I want to extend my gratitude to the judges for this recognition and to our exceptional AFC team for their incredible talent and dedication to driving Africa’s economic transformation.”

Banji Fehintola, Executive Board Member & Head of Financial Services at AFC, added: “These awards highlight AFC’s role as a trusted partner in African and global capital markets, and reflect our collective efforts in shaping Africa’s financial landscape and driving growth in the region. My sincere thanks to the judges and to AFC’s Treasury, Funding and Capital Markets teams for their commitment, dedication and hard work.”

As AFC continues expanding its footprint in global markets, the Corporation remains dedicated to delivering high-impact infrastructure projects that foster industrialization, intra-African trade, and economic diversification.

MIL OSI Africa –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF): Local Expertise Emerges at the Heart of Congo’s Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Ambitions

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

BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of the), March 27, 2025/APO Group/ –“SNPC has identified sectors for valorization, which is the local gas market for industries, cement plants and so forth, and the secondary market to export. While exports are a main pillar of the Congo LNG project to generate revenues for the government, the ultimate objective is to transfer competencies from IOCs to the local communities.”

Emphasizing the potential for regional synergies and capacity building in the gas sector, Oumar Semega, CEO & Founder of Imperatus Energy, detailed how integrating local markets with cross-border cooperation and innovative technology can unlock substantial opportunities in Africa’s energy landscape.

“There are possibilities for synergies within the supply chain for Congo, as a gas exporting country, beyond what we can do in the local market… Collaboration and technology – all of this is possible.”

“We must have a common vision. Competition is good, but we must share knowledge, support each other and bring our strengths together. If one business succeeds, then that knowledge can be transferred,” echoed Nosayaba Evbuomwan, Executive & Associate Director at Accenture.

The inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum, taking place March 24-26, 2025, in Brazzaville, under the highest patronage of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo, brings together international investors and local stakeholders to explore national and regional energy and infrastructure opportunities.

MIL OSI Africa –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan is the First Province in Canada to be Carbon Tax Free

Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on March 27, 2025

Effective April 1, Saskatchewan will be the first province in Canada to be carbon tax free.

The Government of Saskatchewan will pause the industrial carbon tax rate under its Output-Based Performance Standards (OBPS) Program, a decision that will provide immediate financial relief to families, farms, businesses and industry. The carbon tax rate rider will be removed from all SaskPower bills. This will save hundreds of dollars a year for Saskatchewan families and businesses.

“Today, we are making Saskatchewan the first carbon tax free province in Canada,” Premier Scott Moe said. “In taking the lead on the removal of this harmful tax, we hope all federal leaders will support our position and allow the provinces to regulate in this area without imposing the federal backstop.”

“Saskatchewan led on the removal of the carbon tax on home heating last year, saving families in our province over $400 on their household SaskEnergy bills,” Minister of Crown Investments Corporation Jeremy Harrison said. “Now we are leading again as the first province in Canada to remove the industrial carbon tax on electricity generation, delivering further savings for Saskatchewan families, businesses and industries on their SaskPower bills.”

In the face of the ongoing tariff threats and the rising cost of living, Saskatchewan is taking decisive steps to protect Saskatchewan businesses and residents from economic uncertainty and unnecessary taxation.

“Now more than ever, the world needs our clean and sustainable, food, fuel and fertilizer” Environment Minister Travis Keisig said. “This is not the time to risk undermining our economic growth and prosperity. Pausing the industrial carbon tax will allow industries to grow and operate sustainably while maintaining our economic competitiveness during these uncertain times.”

Saskatchewan is home to some of the most sustainable products on the planet and has the food, fuel, fertilizer and critical minerals the world needs. By eliminating industrial carbon costs which are often passed directly on to consumers – the province is acting to protect affordability and economic competitiveness.

This decision will foster an economic environment where industries can feel confident to make investments, increase production, and protect the jobs and families they support.

While the industrial carbon tax rate is paused, the Government of Saskatchewan will continue to engage with industry on the future of Saskatchewan’s OBPS system.

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For more information, contact:

MIL OSI Canada News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: New Skilled Trades and Technology Building for the New Saskatchewan Polytechnic Joseph A. Remai Saskatoon Campus Proceeding to Request for Proposals
Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on March 27, 2025

Three (3) teams are advancing to the next stage of procurement for the new Skilled Trades and Technology (Trades) building for the Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Joseph A. Remai Saskatoon Campus. Upon procurement completion, the successful proponent will be awarded the design and construction of the new Trades building under a Design-Build agreement.

“This project is an investment in Saskatchewan’s future, creating a modern, efficient campus to support skilled trades training,” SaskBuilds and Procurement Minister David Marit said. “Advancing to the next stage brings us one step closer to breaking ground and delivering a high-quality facility that will serve Saskatchewan Polytechnic students and industry for years to come.”

The Request for Qualifications closed on February 13, 2025. Five (5) submissions were received and evaluated. After a thorough evaluation process, three (3) teams have been shortlisted to move forward to the Request for Proposals (RFP) stage. The shortlisted teams invited to the RFP stage are:
- Bird Design Build Construction Inc. with Number TEN Architectural Group and 1080 Architecture Planning and Interiors.
- Graham Construction and Engineering LP with Zeidler Architecture Inc. and Kindrachuk Agrey Architects Ltd.
- Ledcor Construction Investments Limited with Wright Construction Western Inc. and Group2 Architecture and Diamond Schmitt Architecture.
Bird Design Build Construction Inc., a builder with deep Canadian roots with more than 100 years of experience across the country, partnered with Number Ten Architectural Group, a Winnipeg-based firm with an ability to create exceptional spaces, and with 1080 Architecture, a Regina-based firm specializing in client-driven architectural and design solutions.

Graham Construction and Engineering LP, known for its roots in Moose Jaw with nearly 100 years of experience delivering commercial and infrastructure projects, partnered with Zeidler Architecture Inc. and Kindrachuk Agrey Architects Ltd., two Canadian architectural firms that are known for creating innovative environments and delivering iconic Canadian landmarks.

Ledcor Construction Investments Limited and Wright Construction Western Inc. partner their Saskatchewan offices through a joint-venture to form a versatile construction company specializing in community infrastructure and cultural projects, with Group 2 Architecture, a firm with expertise in delivering flexible and adaptable education spaces, and Diamond Schmitt Architecture, a firm specializing in sustainable and transformative designs.

“The Skilled Trades and Technology building will play a vital role in training the next generation of professionals to meet Saskatchewan’s labour market needs and fostering innovation across our province,” Advanced Education Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said. “This is an exciting time for the project and Saskatchewan Polytechnic. I look forward to seeing the building come to life and witnessing the impact it will have on post-secondary education in Saskatchewan.”

The new Trades building will begin to transform Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s existing network of decentralized, outdated buildings into a revitalized, modern, technology-rich learning environment. This first development of the new Saskatoon campus will enable students to pursue greater opportunities for applied learning and research.

“Investing in our future innovation leaders is essential to elevating Saskatchewan’s global leadership and impact,” Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Warren Kaeding said. “This new building is another step forward to expanding our one-of-a-kind innovation ecosystem, helping the province attract and train top talent and drive economic and employment growth.”

Since 2022-23, the Government of Saskatchewan has provided $18 million for the project. The 2025-26 Provincial Budget included $2 million for continued site preparation work and procurement.

“We are thrilled to move forward with the procurement process for the Skilled Trades and Technology building, in collaboration with the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement,” Saskatchewan Polytechnic President and CEO, Dr. Larry Rosia said. “This building marks the first phase of one of the most significant construction projects at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in the next decade. Construction of the new Joseph A. Remai Saskatoon Campus will not only generate new job opportunities but willalso have a lasting impact on the post-secondary landscape in acrossour province.”

The Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement and Saskatchewan Polytechnic are leading this procurement with partnership and collaboration from the Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan.

The RFP is anticipated to close in November 2025. One successful team will be selected after evaluation. As we move out of the planning phase, site preparation is anticipated to be completed by spring 2025 as construction is expected to begin in early 2026.

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For more information, contact:

MIL OSI Canada News –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: 2025 BC Cleantech Awards Winners: Meet the Leaders Driving the Future Economy

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Foresight Canada revealed the winners of the fifth annual British Columbia Cleantech Awards at last night’s sold-out ceremony in Vancouver. The awards recognize the innovators, funders, adopters, and supporters working together to catalyze clean technology adoption and net zero progress across the province.

As global environmental and economic challenges grow, BC’s leadership in cleantech demonstrates how innovation delivers real solutions—advancing a sustainable global economy while simultaneously supporting and growing businesses and industries at home. Recognizing these leaders strengthens BC’s cleantech ecosystem, inspiring innovation and driving meaningful change toward a more resilient and sustainable future economy.

Meet the winners:

Adopter of the Year: City of Vancouver

The City of Vancouver recently expanded its Neighbourhood Energy Utility, tripling sewage heat recovery capacity to supply low-carbon thermal energy to key communities. This project demonstrates cutting-edge filtration and heat pump technologies while serving as a model for urban decarbonization.

Funder of the Year: Active Impact Investments

As Canada’s largest climate tech seed fund, Active Impact Investments has fueled early-stage cleantech innovation, catalyzing sustainable growth. In 2024, they launched their third fund and supported startups that collectively mitigated over 1M tonnes of CO2e.

Cleantech Supporter of the Year: Zero Emissions Innovation Centre

Led by Melina Scholefield, ZEIC accelerates climate solutions through programs like Building to Electrification, ZEBx, and BC Retrofit Accelerator. ZEIC is driving market transformation, advancing sustainable building practices, and supporting BC’s net zero economy.

Startup Venture of the Year: Green Manganese Technologies

Green Manganese Ltd. has developed a revolutionary, eco-friendly method for extracting battery-grade manganese. Their closed-loop process eliminates harmful by-products, remediates mine waste, and sets new sustainability standards for EV battery production.

Scaleup Venture of the Year: pH7 Technologies Inc.

pH7 Technologies is transforming metal extraction with a sustainable, near-zero-emissions process. Partnering with industry leaders, pH7 has scaled its operations to recover critical metals from mining waste and recycled materials, supporting the global energy transition.

Learn more about all our 2025 Canada Cleantech Awards finalists and winners.

Quotes

“It’s truly an honour to receive this recognition, and we’re very grateful for the support. This award is a big milestone for our company, which is still young but deeply committed to making a real impact in cleantech. Our journey has been full of learning and growth. As we continue to develop and scale, this recognition reinforces our mission and motivates us to push forward.” — Alexey Demykin, Co-Founder, Green Manganese

“The 2025 BC Cleantech Award winners are a testament to BC’s unwavering leadership in the cleantech sector, and it fills me with immense pride to recognize their achievements. The winners’ efforts prove that we are not just talking about a sustainable future—we are building it, while also supporting a resilient provincial economy, setting an example for Canada and the world to follow.” — Jeanette Jackson, CEO, Foresight Canada

About Foresight Canada

Foresight Canada helps the world do more with less, sustainably. As Canada’s largest cleantech innovation and adoption accelerator, they connect public and private sectors to the world’s best clean technologies, de-risking and simplifying the adoption of innovative solutions that improve productivity, profitability, and economic competitiveness, all while addressing today’s most urgent climate challenges.

Contact:
Heather Kingdon
Manager, Communications
hkingdon@foresightcac.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d437486b-001c-4506-924a-5a3b5c488443

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: Intchains Group Limited’s Goldshell launches its innovative product today: Goldshell Byte enables dual mining with swappable cards
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SINGAPORE, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Intchains Group Limited (Nasdaq: ICG), a leading innovator in integrated solutions consisting of efficient mining products for altcoins, is proud to announce its launch of the Goldshell Byte under its Goldshell brand on 27 March 2025.

Goldshell Byte is an innovative home miner with a standard dual-slot mining base and hot-swappable mining hash boards, enabling miners to simultaneously apply two different algorithms and easily switch mining cards based on market conditions.

Currently, Goldshell has released two companion cards for the Byte product: the AE Card and DG Card. The default hash rate of the AE Card is 4.5 MH/s ±5%, while the DG Card operates at 65 MH/s ±5%.

Mr Ding Qiang, CEO of ICG, said: “The Goldshell Byte enables quick switching mining algorithms without replacing the entire rig. While reducing miners’ exposure to market volatility, it also enables them to capitalize on early-market opportunities more easily. The company has successfully developed mining rigs for more than ten different projects to date. The launch of the Goldshell Byte product not only further solidifies our market position in the home mining sector but also enhances the standardization of our product lineup.”

Product Innovation and Key Advantages
- Market-Responsive Mining: While traditional miners are limited to specific cryptocurrencies, Byte is a long-term solution that dynamically adapts to market conditions through swappable mining cards, enabling seamless capture of emerging opportunities.
- Dual Mining Capability: Mine two cryptocurrencies simultaneously with Goldshell Byte’s dual-mining architecture.
- Home-Friendly Design: Noise-free operation, simple setup and ideal for household environment.
- Wireless& Cloud control: monitor and control Byte using WiFi and the Goldshell Hub App.
Availability

The Goldshell Byte is available from today (27 March 2025) on Goldshell’s official website.

For more information about ICG, please visit https://intchains.com/ and follow ICG on LinkedIn and X.

About Intchains Group

Intchains Group Limited (ICG) is a company that engages in the provision of altcoin mining products, the strategic acquisition and holding of Ethereum-based cryptocurrencies, and the active development of innovative Web3 applications.

Contacts:

Intchains Group Limited

Investor relations
Email: ir@intchains.com

Redhill Communications

Belinda Chan
Tel: +852-9379-3045
Email: belinda.chan@creativegp.com

The MIL Network –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Industry leaders discuss how new ports strategy can drive city’s growth plans
Source: City of Plymouth

Industry leaders and port operators at the Port Strategy event

Industry leaders have been invited to play a part in Plymouth’s ambitious plans to drive growth in its four ports and further strengthen its position as a leader in marine innovation and transitioning to net zero.

A special roundtable meeting for industry leaders heard how a new Ports Strategy sets out a clear vision for growing the economic contribution of Plymouth’s ports, creating green jobs and ensuring the city remains at the forefront of marine technology, sustainable development and maritime skills.

Business leaders were asked to consider how to foster ongoing collaboration between the Council, harbour authorities, port operators, and other key stakeholders to drive forward new initiatives, and what their roles could be in making progress against the six recommendations in the strategy:
- Investing in and developing maritime skills as a key enabler of future growth and to anchor the benefits of this growth in local communities
- Preserving space for the ports with more detailed work to determine future requirements
- Maintaining Plymouth’s expertise in innovation in marine autonomy, clean propulsion and digital ocean technology
- Fostering communication and collaboration to promote Plymouth’s ports and to identify and drive forward new initiatives
- Supporting investment in infrastructure to ensure the ports remain competitive
- Recognising the significant role that the ports can play in preparing for net zero and the opportunity and benefits that this could deliver in productivity and job creation.
Industry leaders discuss the new Ports Strategy

Councillor Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “Plymouth’s ports are the beating heart of the city’s economy. They support a diverse range of industries and are driving innovation in marine autonomy, clean propulsion, and digital ocean technologies.

“The new strategy is a blueprint for ensuring that Plymouth remains a global leader in the marine sector while also securing long-term prosperity for our communities. The event with business leaders and port operators gave us an important chance to discuss the opportunities and get their valuable input.”

Plymouth’s ports currently underpin a marine and defence sector that employs over 20,100 full-time equivalents (FTEs), contributing 22 per cent of the city’s GVA. Plymouth also boasts the largest concentration of marine employment of any local authority in England, with sector wages exceeding both local and national averages.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press Release – Alderney’s Marine Resource Potential Thursday 27 March 2025

Source: Channel Islands – States of Alderney

Press Release

Date: 26^th March 2025

Alderney’s Marine Resource Potential

The States of Guernsey’s Policy & Resources Offshore Wind Sub-Committee has released its Policy Letter, indicating that there is significant value of the Guernsey seabed as an asset to be developed for the export of energy from a wind farm development.

The initial Guernsey evaluation indicates a resource of some 1.27 GW with, potentially, significant value. Work by Alderney’s Marine Working Group, a sub-committee of the Policy & Finance Committee, indicates that Alderney has a similar sized resource with similar potential to the west of the Island.

Further details can be found on the States of Guernsey website on the following link:

Policy & Resources Committee seeks Assembly agreement to further examine offshore wind potential – States of Guernsey

The Marine Working Group’s lead Bill Abel said that:

Alderney’s Marine Working Group has had, positive, initial discussions with representatives of the Guernsey Offshore Wind Sub-Committee as to Alderney’s involvement in the next phases of Guernsey’s work on the development of offshore wind resources.

Mr Abel added:

“We thank the Guernsey Offshore Wind Sub-Committee for reaching out and considering Alderney’s inclusion in the next phases of their work as there is significant value for Alderney and the Bailiwick, with both Islands working together, and look forward to further discussions.

The potential benefits to the Island are recognised. These will not only be realised from the revenues related to the use of its tidal and wind marine resources but will also bring development and jobs to the Island emphasising that commercial harbour and airport facilities are essential for our future.”

Ends

States of Alderney media enquiries:Publications@alderney.gov.gg

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Former Law Student Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

MACON, Ga. – A former law school student who possessed more than 10,000 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cell phone and uploaded on cloud-based storage was sentenced to serve more than six years in prison for his crime.

Gregory Gallagher, 37, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $169,649.12 in restitution to the victims by U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on March 26. Gallagher will also be required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. The defendant previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on April 22, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Children who experience the horror of being sexually abused are continually traumatized each and every time the image or video of the heinous act is viewed. These images are permanent and cause harm well beyond the moment they were originally captured,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office, working alongside our law enforcement and community partners, will pursue federal prosecution against child predators caught viewing, uploading or sharing child sexual abuse material on the internet.”

“This conviction is a victory for justice and a warning to those who prey on children—we will find you and you will face the full force of the law,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “Together, HSI and our law enforcement partners will remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard communities and ensure that those who exploit children are held accountable.”

“Today’s conviction reflects the relentless efforts of law enforcement to protect children from exploitation and hold offenders accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI remains steadfast in its commitment to using all available resources to prevent child abuse and bring justice to the victims of these horrific crimes.”

According to court documents and statements referenced in Court, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received five Cybertip reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) between May and August 2021 from a cloud infrastructure company of suspected child sexual exploitation associated with a cell phone number. The subsequent investigation led to Gallagher, who was a Mercer Law School student at the time; agents executed a search warrant of the account in January 2022 and found subfolders belonging to Gallagher that contained 38 videos and 1,970 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also known as child pornography. Another folder containing files uploaded from Gallagher’s cell phone had two videos and 3,389 images of more CSAM. Agents executed search warrants at Gallagher’s residences in Macon and Marietta on March 29, 2022. Agents discovered that Gallagher’s cell phone had 97 videos and 5,749 images of children being sexually assaulted and abused, including very young children and toddlers.

These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s (GBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the case for the Government.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: Gate Technology Ltd Rebrands to Gate.io in Europe

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PANAMA CITY, Panama, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gate Technology Ltd ( the “Company”), previously operating as Gate.MT has officially announced the rebranding from Gate.MT name to Gate.io. This change reflects the Company’s commitment to strengthening its presence across Europe and aligning its operations with the globally recognized Gate.io brand.

Since 2022, Gate Technology Ltd has been serving its clients in Europe through its VFA Class 4 license obtained from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). In Italy, the Company operates through its subsidiary, which registered as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) with the Organismo Agenti e Mediatori (OAM) in 2024. Both entities will continue providing services to their clients under the new Gate.io branding.

The rebranding aims to leverage the strength of the Gate.io name, widely recognized as one of the largest crypto exchanges globally, used by over 22 million clients worldwide. This shift is part of a broader strategy to enhance the Company’s brand presence in Europe and continue its commitment to delivering top-tier cryptocurrency exchange and custody services.

The Company emphasized that the rebranding is not just a name changing. It is part of a broader effort to improve service offerings for European clients and ensure a secure, user-friendly experience while remaining compliant with local crypto regulations.

Looking ahead, The Company plans to expand its regulated operations across Europe, with ambitions to reach the full coverage of all its nations in a regulated manner. The Company will make further announcements in the coming months regarding the scope and timeline of its expansion.

Giovanni Cunti, CEO of Gate Technology Ltd, expressed his gratitude to clients for their continued trust and support, reassuring them that the Company is committed to maintaining its leadership position in the European cryptocurrency space and continuing to serve its growing client base.

Disclaimer
This document is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. The rebranding referred to herein relates to Gate Technology Ltd and its operations in Europe.
Gate Technology Italia SRL, limited liability company incorporated in Italy with company registration number 13347630967. Gate Technology Italia SRL is licensed by the OAM to operate as virtual currency operators, registry number PSV150.
Any services mentioned in this communication are provided only in accordance with applicable regulatory permissions in the respective jurisdictions.

Media Contact:
Elaine Wang
elaine.w@gate.io

Disclaimer: This press release is provided by Gate.io. 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. 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. 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. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. 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.

Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/38b93ebc-5308-47cd-ab21-f02887735e03

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: XploraDEX Ignites XRP DeFi – $XPL Presale Heats Up as Whales Accumulate
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ZURICH, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The $XPL Presale is Now Live, and wallet activity shows that the smartest money in crypto is already securing early positions. With real AI technology, real trading utility, and first-mover status on XRPL, this could be the 100x opportunity XRP holders have been waiting for.

Why the Buzz? XploraDEX Delivers Real Innovation

While most DEXs are playing catch-up, XploraDEX is building the future with:
- AI-Driven Trading Automation – Predictive analytics, auto-execution, and 24/7 intelligent trade strategies
- Smart Liquidity Optimization – Real-time routing that eliminates slippage and maximizes efficiency
- Advanced Insights – AI dashboards offering deep market forecasting, trend tracking, and signal alerts
- Lightning-Fast Transactions on XRPL – Settle trades in 3–5 seconds with near-zero fees
This isn’t just another DeFi protocol. It’s a next-gen platform built for performance, speed, and scalability—powered by real AI.

GET $XPL TOKEN https://sale.xploradex.io

The $XPL Token: Utility, Governance & Serious Upside

The $XPL Token unlocks access to everything inside the XploraDEX ecosystem, including:
- Premium AI tools & trading features
- Staking rewards & passive income
- Fee discounts for active traders
- DAO voting rights for future upgrades
- Liquidity mining incentives for early supporters
And with whale wallets already stacking $XPL, early participants are positioning themselves ahead of what could become XRPL’s most explosive DeFi launch.

$XPL PreSale Information

Token Name: XploraDEX

Total Supply: 500,000,000

Presale Allocation: First Come, First Serve!

DEX Listing: 25% Higher

Liquidity Pools: Launching immediately after TGE!

BUY $XPL TOKEN: https://sale.xploradex.io

Don’t Sit This Out – The $XPL Presale Is Live

The window to grab $XPL Token at presale pricing is closing fast. Investors who act now will enjoy:
- Lower entry price before listing
- Priority access to staking & AI beta tools
- High allocation rewards for early commitment
- Direct impact on protocol development through governance
XploraDEX is not just creating a token, it’s launching an AI-driven trading revolution on XRPL.

Join the AI Revolution on XRP Ledger

If you missed XRP’s last bull run, this is your second shot—with AI, automation, and whale momentum on your side.

The future of trading is intelligent, fast, and built on XRPL. That future is called XploraDEX.

Join the $XPL Presale Now: https://sale.xploradex.io

Stay connected and Join the XploraDEX AI Revolution

Website | $XPL Token Presale | X | Telegram

Contact:
Oliver Muller
oliver@xploradex.io
contact@xploradex.io

Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the XploraDEX. 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.

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

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cada7ee7-597d-43e2-aaa5-7ee8a34a36d2

The MIL Network –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: Shelter of Exiles Achieves Incredible Milestone, Securing Its Spot Among the Top Play-to-Earn Games on TON

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

WOLSZTYN, Poland, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Just a few weeks after its Token Generation Event (TGE) on March 11, 2025, Shelter of Exiles (SOEX) has already cemented its position among the top Play-to-Earn (P2E) games on the TON blockchain. This remarkable feat highlights not only the strength of the game’s AI-driven gameplay and dynamic NFTs (dNFTs), but also its ability to rapidly capture the attention and support of a global gaming community.

Despite being in its early stages, Shelter of Exiles has successfully carved out a space for itself in the rapidly growing Web3 gaming ecosystem. The TGE, which marked the official launch of $SOEX, the game’s native token, was a significant milestone that set the stage for a promising future, with early players and investors already reaping the rewards of the game’s innovative economy.

Shelter of Exiles stands out for its fusion of blockchain and AI. Built on the TON blockchain, the game offers players an expansive, evolving world where creatures evolve into dynamic NFTs that grow stronger over time, learn new skills, and provide passive income. This innovative approach to gameplay is further enhanced by AI agents, which automate many aspects of the game, from resource management to battle strategies—allowing players to earn rewards even while they’re offline.

What truly sets Shelter of Exiles apart from other P2E games is its ability to merge AI agents with blockchain technology. This combination provides a deeply personalized experience, as dNFTs evolve based on player activity. Creatures in Shelter of Exiles do not simply stay static; they grow stronger, gain new abilities, and can be traded, sold, or upgraded as they progress.

By incorporating AI-powered automation, players don’t need to be constantly active to continue making progress or earning rewards. Whether it’s battling enemies, managing resources, or staking assets for additional benefits, the AI agents in Shelter of Exiles allow for passive gameplay, generating consistent rewards and encouraging long-term investment in the game’s evolving world.

Shelter of Exiles is a game-changer in the Play-to-Earn (P2E) ecosystem thanks to its innovative AI-driven passive income and seamless blockchain integration. Players can earn rewards even while not actively playing, as AI-powered automation and dynamic NFTs allow creatures to grow, learn new skills, and generate income without requiring constant player input. This unique system provides an engaging and sustainable income model for players, setting SoE apart from traditional P2E games. Built on the TON blockchain, SoE’s decentralized economy ensures transparency, security, and true ownership of digital assets, allowing players to trade, stake, and upgrade with confidence.

With its community showing incredible engagement through Telegram Mini-App integration, which allows for seamless cross-platform access, social events, and global connectivity. The dynamic NFTs in the game offer evolving gameplay, incentivizing players to invest in long-term strategies as their creatures grow stronger over time. This constantly evolving gameplay ensures that players remain immersed and motivated to continue exploring the world of SoE, fostering a fresh and rewarding experience that keeps players coming back.

Though Shelter of Exiles is still young, the game’s rapid success and growing momentum show it’s on track to become a dominant force in the Web3 gaming landscape. With a strong community and AI-powered mechanics that set it apart from traditional games, SOEX is well-positioned to expand its ecosystem, attracting both players and investors alike.

As more players discover the passive income opportunities and dynamic gameplay that SOEX provides, the game is set to continue growing and evolving. The future of Shelter of Exiles is bright, and its success on the TON blockchain is only the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey in the world of Web3 gaming.

About Shelter of Exiles:
Shelter of Exiles is an innovative Web3-powered RPG that combines AI-driven gameplay, dynamic NFTs, and a decentralized economy. Players explore a mystical world, collect and upgrade creatures, and engage in battles while earning passive income through blockchain-based assets and AI automation. Built on the TON blockchain, SoEX is revolutionizing the Play-to-Earn space.

For more information, please contact:

Dariusz Kowalski
hello@shelterofexiles.com
rl@pixeltrapps.games
Website: https://shelterofexiles.com/

Disclaimer: This press release is provided by Shelter of Exiles. 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. 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. 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. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. 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.

Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9af5a3ac-335b-4914-89bd-29b6f9e3a17e

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: CMA’s Annual Plan to drive growth by promoting competition, protecting consumers and enhancing business and investor confidence
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

CMA’s Annual Plan to drive growth by promoting competition, protecting consumers and enhancing business and investor confidence

Ambitious 2025 to 2026 CMA programme will prioritise action to drive growth and investment whilst fulfilling its core purpose to promote competition and protect consumers.
CMA commits to improving key aspects of how it works, driving greater pace, predictability, proportionality and improved process.

CMA will support the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy, using its powers to drive growth and unlock investment.

CMA to use new powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act to unlock opportunities for growth across the UK digital economy and the wider economy; and enhance consumer confidence by supporting business compliance and tackling poor corporate practices.

Following extensive engagement with business, investment and consumer groups, and reflecting the Government’s draft strategic steer, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published its Annual Plan 2025 to 2026.

The plan sets out the CMA’s firm commitment to use its competition and consumer protection powers to drive positive outcomes for UK consumers and businesses across the economy. It also lays out how the CMA will reflect the new draft strategic steer from government in its activities over the coming year. The draft steer reinforces the importance of a strong, independent competition and consumer protection regime, situating this squarely in the context of the UK Government’s growth mission.

Focus areas

The CMA plans to target its markets work toward unlocking investment in critical infrastructure and identifying opportunities for key horizontal enablers (like access to data or technology adoption) which could have a multiplier effect on growth. It will also give particular focus – across its powers – to priority sectors in the Industrial Strategy where effective competition could spur growth, or remove barriers to the flow of capital, innovation, and the scaling of UK businesses.

Notably, the CMA plans to deploy its deep anti-bid rigging expertise and AI capabilities to help the Government identify and tackle bid rigging in public procurement – potentially opening up opportunities for new entrants as well as billions of pounds in savings for UK taxpayers.

The plan also frames the CMA’s carefully considered approach to its new powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA), with detail around early activity in both the new digital markets and new consumer protection regimes. The CMA particularly emphasises the value of effective consumer protection to both business and consumer confidence, signalling that it will use its enforcement powers proportionately to put money back into people’s pockets and protect the level-playing field for fair-dealing businesses.

Improving how the CMA works

The plan reasserts the CMA’s commitment to its ongoing programme of rapid, meaningful changes based around four key principles – pace, predictability, proportionality and process (business engagement). Following direct feedback from businesses and investors, the CMA committed to implementing these ‘4Ps’ across its functions late last year, starting with merger control.

The plan outlines the considerable progress made thus far and signals more to come in the near future, notably across the new digital and consumer functions. The CMA also emphasises the importance of continued, constructive engagement with a diverse range of stakeholders – particularly through the CMA Growth and Investment Council and through deeper relationships with startups and investors.

Sarah Cardell, CEO of the Competition and Markets Authority, said:

The Government has been clear that its number one priority is economic growth, and the CMA has a key role to play in supporting that. The fundamentals of our role – to promote dynamic markets, support productivity and innovation, and to protect consumer interests – remain as vital and relevant for the UK as they have ever been.

This Annual Plan lays out an ambitious programme of work to support economic growth and long-term prosperity for the UK, rooted in our commitment to promote competition and protect consumers, and clearly reflecting the clear draft strategic steer provided to us by government.

Based on valuable stakeholder feedback, we have made a firm commitment to continued, rapid evolution around key aspects of how we work, which we know are critical to business and investor confidence and UK global competitiveness.

Doug Gurr, Interim Chair of the Competition and Markets Authority, said:

We have really challenged ourselves as an organisation on how we can contribute to the growth mission set out by government, which we know is vital for the UK. Because the foundations of what the CMA does – strong competition and consumer protection – can make a big difference to achieving it.

We have a real chance now, as we deliver this rich plan of work and continued improvements in how we operate, to build that all-important confidence amongst companies and investors that the UK is a great place to do business.

Justin Madders, Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets, said:

We have been clear that we expect regulators to focus on driving economic growth, as well as lending their expertise to support the Government in improving the public sector.

We welcome this plan set out by the CMA which will help it focus on delivering growth and supporting consumers across the country. I’d encourage other regulators to look to the CMA Plan as they prepare their own strategies.

Notes to editors:

In a speech at the techUK Tech Policy Conference 2025, CEO Sarah Cardell set out how the CMA will apply the ‘4Ps’ framework to its digital markets and consumer work in support of economic growth.

All enquiries from journalists should be directed to the CMA press office by email on press@cma.gov.uk or by phone on 020 3738 6460.

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Updates to this page

Published 27 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Former Bank Teller Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $180,000

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

BOSTON – A Saugus man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to embezzling bank funds while working as a teller at a Boston branch of a national bank.

Derek Aut, 28, pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a bank employee and aggravated identity theft. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2025. Aut was previously charged by criminal complaint on Dec. 18, 2024.

According to the charging documents, while working as a teller at a bank branch in Boston, Aut stole from the bank accounts of two customers by forging the victims’ names on withdrawal slips, among other things. When one of the victims noticed money missing from her account, Aut attempted to cover his theft by taking money from the other victim’s account and depositing it into the first victim’s account. In total, Aut took more than $180,000 from the victims’ accounts.

The charge of embezzlement by a bank employee provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: MEXC Announces KiloEx (KILO) Listing with a 100,000 KILO & 175,000 USDT Prize Pool

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VICTORIA, Seychelles, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MEXC, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, is pleased to announce the KiloEx (KILO) listing on March 27, 2025(UTC). To celebrate this significant addition to the exchange, MEXC is launching a special event with a prize pool of 100,000 KILO & 175,000 USDT for new and existing users.

KiloEx (KILO) is a decentralized perpetual exchange that combines innovative peer-to-pool trading with advanced risk management features. The project aims to revolutionize derivatives trading by eliminating traditional order books and central intermediaries, creating a more efficient experience for both retail and institutional users. KILO, the platform’s native token, serves multiple purposes, including governance, staking rewards, and fee discounts within the ecosystem. It is also backed by Binance Labs, further strengthening its credibility and potential in the crypto space.

To celebrate the listing, MEXC has launched an exclusive Airdrop+ event with substantial rewards for participants:
Event Period: March 26, 2025, 12:00 (UTC) – April 06, 2025, 12:00 (UTC)
Benefit 1: Deposit and share 100,000 USDT bonus (New user exclusive)
Benefit 2: Spot Challenge — Trade to share 100,000 KILO (For all users)
Benefit 3: Futures Challenge — Trade to share 50,000 USDT in Futures bonus (For all users)
Benefit 4: Invite new users and share 25,000 USDT bonus (For all users)

MEXC has established itself as an industry leader by consistently providing users with early access to promising Web3 projects. In 2024, MEXC introduced 2,376 new tokens, with 1,716 of those being initial listings. According to the latest TokenInsight report, MEXC leads the industry with the highest number of spot listings at 461 and the fastest listing speed. Additionally, the exchange consistently adds new tokens in bi-weekly cycles, showcasing its exceptional ability to quickly capture market trends.

Looking ahead, MEXC will continue to enhance its platform by providing advantages such as low fees, deep liquidity, a wide selection of trending tokens, and daily airdrops, enabling traders to access high-potential projects early, receive generous rewards, and enjoy an optimal trading experience.

For full event details and participation rules, please visit the event page.

About MEXC
Founded in 2018, MEXC is committed to being “Your Easiest Way to Crypto.” Serving over 34 million users across 170+ countries, MEXC is known for its broad selection of trending tokens, everyday airdrop opportunities, and low trading fees. Our user-friendly platform is designed to support both new traders and experienced investors, offering secure and efficient access to digital assets. MEXC prioritizes simplicity and innovation, making crypto trading more accessible and rewarding.
MEXC Official Website｜ X ｜ Telegram ｜How to Sign Up on MEXC

Risk Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article regarding cryptocurrencies does not constitute investment advice. Given the highly volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market, investors are encouraged to carefully assess market fluctuations, the fundamentals of projects, and potential financial risks before making any trading decisions.

Source

Contact:
Lucia Hu
PR Manager
lucia.hu@mexc.com

Disclaimer: This press release is provided by MEXC. 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. 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. 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. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. 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.

Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7a08cede-d80d-4e63-af63-8d82ed3bd49d

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: UPDATE – CalAmp Announces Headquarters Relocation to Carlsbad, CA to Streamline Operations and Strengthen Technical Hub

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

CARLSBAD, Calif., March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CalAmp, a global technology solutions innovator, today announced the relocation of its corporate headquarters from Irvine, CA, to Carlsbad, CA. This strategic move is designed to streamline operations and further align the company’s focus on its core technical hub, where much of its engineering, product development, and hardware expertise reside.

“Our move to Carlsbad is a natural evolution in our journey to optimize efficiency and reinforce our commitment to innovation,” said Chris Adams, President and CEO of CalAmp. “Carlsbad has long been home to our talented engineering and product teams, making it the ideal location to centralize our operations and drive technological advancements that improve our customers’ lives.”

CalAmp’s new headquarters will be housed in its existing Carlsbad office, a well-established center for the company’s research and development initiatives. The relocation underscores CalAmp’s commitment to fostering innovation and enhancing collaboration among its technical teams.

While the headquarters moves to Carlsbad, CalAmp will maintain its additional offices worldwide, including locations in Eden Prairie, MN; Brooklyn, NY; London, UK; Milan, Italy; Paris, France; Madrid, Spain; and Mexico City, Mexico. These offices will continue to support CalAmp’s global customers and partners with the high-quality service and solutions they expect.

“This transition allows us to better leverage our strengths and position ourselves for future growth,” Adams added. “By consolidating our leadership and technical expertise in Carlsbad, we are creating an environment where innovation thrives and where we can better serve our customers.”

For more information about CalAmp and its technology-driven solutions, visit www.calamp.com.

About CalAmp

CalAmp provides flexible solutions to help organizations worldwide monitor, track, and protect their vital assets. Our unique device-enabled software and cloud platform enables commercial and government organizations worldwide to improve efficiency, safety, visibility, and compliance while accommodating the unique ways they do business. With over 10 million active edge devices and 220+ approved or pending patents, CalAmp is the telematics leader organizations turn to for innovation and dependability. For more information, visit calamp.com, or LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube or CalAmp Blog.

CalAmp, LoJack, TRACKER, Here Comes The Bus, Bus Guardian, CalAmp Vision, CrashBoxx and associated logos are among the trademarks of CalAmp and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Spireon acquired the LoJack® U.S. Stolen Vehicle Recovery (SVR) business from CalAmp and holds an exclusive license to the LoJack mark in the United States and Canada. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

CalAmp Investor Contact: CalAmp Media Contact:

Jikun Kim Mark Gaydos

SVP & CFO Chief Marketing Officer

ir@calamp.com Mgaydos@calamp.com

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: Baltic Horizon Fund general meeting of investors and a notice to convene a new general meeting of investors
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Extraordinary General Meeting (hereinafter the “General Meeting”) of Baltic Horizon Fund unit-holders and Swedish Depositary Receipt (hereinafter the “SDR”) holders (hereinafter together the “Investors”) took place on 27 March 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia.

Proposed agenda of the meeting, as proposed by a unitholder, was the following:
1. Decision to elect Andrius Smaliukas as a new member of the supervisory board of Baltic Horizon Fund as of 1 May 2025 for a period of two years.
2. Decision to elect Milda Dargužaitė as a new member of the supervisory board of Baltic Horizon Fund as of 1 May 2025 for a period of two years.
3. Decision to elect Antanas Anskaitis as a new member of the supervisory board of Baltic Horizon Fund as of 1 May 2025 for a period of two years.
4. Decision to pay remuneration to the chairman of the supervisory board for fulfilling obligations of the member of the supervisory board in the amount of EUR 36,000 per calendar year.
5. Decision to pay remuneration to supervisory board members, other than the chairman, for fulfilling obligations of the member of the supervisory board in the amount of EUR 11,000 per calendar year.
6. Decision to recall Reimo Hammerberg, Monica Hammer and David Bergendahl from the position of the supervisory board member of Baltic Horizon Fund with the last date of the office being 30 April 2025.
3 investors were registered as attending the meeting, holding less than 1% of the fund units which is below the required quorum. Investors were not able to adopt the proposed resolutions.

Notice to convene a new general meeting

According to section 10.11 of the rules of the fund, the management company Northern Horizon Capital AS convenes a new general meeting, with the same agenda.

The new general meeting of Baltic Horizon Fund is to be held on 7 April 2025 at 13:00 (local Estonian time) at the office of Northern Horizon Capital AS at Roseni 7 (A tower), 6^th floor, 10111 Tallinn, Estonia. Registration for the meeting will begin at 12:00. The General Meeting will be held in English.

The meeting is convened in accordance with sections 10.3.3, 10.5, 10.11, 11.2 of the Rules of Baltic Horizon Fund and section 47-1 of the Investment Funds Act of Estonia.

Investors are invited to join the webinar to view the General Meeting online on 7 April 2025 at 13:00. Investors are invited to issue a power of attorney with instructions for voting to exercise their rights as an Investor. We propose the Investors to consider designating fund manager Tarmo Karotam as their authorised representative (please see instructions below and templates at Annex 1).

To join the webinar, please register via the following link:

https://nasdaq.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vSmhsW1uQhqwRaTQ3EBXBA

You will be provided with the webinar link and instructions how to join successfully. The webinar will be recorded and available online for everyone at the company’s website on www.baltichorizon.com.

The total number of units and votes in Baltic Horizon Fund amounts to 143,562,514.

Agenda, as proposed by the unitholder:
1. Decision to elect Andrius Smaliukas as a new member of the supervisory board of Baltic Horizon Fund as of 1 May 2025 for a period of two years.
2. Decision to elect Milda Dargužaitė as a new member of the supervisory board of Baltic Horizon Fund as of 1 May 2025 for a period of two years.
3. Decision to elect Antanas Anskaitis as a new member of the supervisory board of Baltic Horizon Fund as of 1 May 2025 for a period of two years.
4. Decision to pay remuneration to the chairman of the supervisory board for fulfilling obligations of the member of the supervisory board in the amount of EUR 36,000 per calendar year.
5. Decision to pay remuneration to supervisory board members, other than the chairman, for fulfilling obligations of the member of the supervisory board in the amount of EUR 11,000 per calendar year.
6. Decision to recall Reimo Hammerberg, Monica Hammer and David Bergendahl from the position of the supervisory board member of Baltic Horizon Fund with the last date of the office being 30 April 2025.
Investors are invited to send questions and comments on the agenda to the Baltic Horizon fund manager at Tarmo.Karotam@nh-cap.com by 31 March 2025. Northern Horizon Capital AS will respond to the questions and comments at the meeting itself.

Participation – requirements and notice

Investors who are entered in the Baltic Horizon Fund registry of unit-holders maintained by Nasdaq CSD SE and holders of SDRs registered in the Euroclear Sweden AB system ten days before the date of the General Meeting, i.e. at the end of business of Nasdaq CSD SE on 28 March 2025, are entitled to participate in the meeting.

In order to facilitate the registration process, investors whose units are registered in their own name are invited to provide notice of their attendance by 4 April 2025 to bhfmeeting@nh-cap.com. Notice should include name, personal identification number (or the registration number of the legal person), address, number of units represented and, if applicable attendance of any representatives, along with the name and personal identification number of the representatives. The attendance of a representative does not deprive the unit-holder of the right to participate at the meeting.

Instructions to holders of Baltic Horizon Fund SDRs registered with Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden

IMPORTANT REQUIREMENT: SDR holders whose SDR-s are registered with Euroclear Sweden AB via a bank or other nominee are required to notify their bank or nominee account provider by end of business of 28 March 2025 to temporarily add their name on the Euroclear Sweden AB owner register.

Representation under a power of attorney

Investors whose representatives are acting under a power of attorney are requested to prepare a written power of attorney for the representative in Estonian or English (templates can be found at Annex 1).

A copy of the executed power of attorney should be sent to bhfmeeting@nh-cap.com together with the notice of participation. In case the power of attorney is issued by a legal person, a certified copy of the registration certificate (or equivalent certificate of authority) shall also be submitted together with, as applicable, the documents certifying the authority of the representative in case the power of attorney is signed by a person under a power of attorney.

Baltic Horizon Fund is registered in Estonia, which means that any power of attorney (or any certified copy of the registration certificate of a legal person) issued in a foreign country should be notarised and accompanied by an apostille. The apostille requirement applies, for example, to powers of attorney issued and notarised in Sweden or Finland.

Instructions for the day of the General Meeting

We kindly ask Investors to bring a personal identification document, and for their representatives also to present the original written power of attorney in English or Estonian. In case the Investor is a legal person, documentation in Estonian or English certifying the authority of the Investor’s representative or the signatory of the power of attorney will also be requested.

Data collected by Northern Horizon Capital AS from powers of attorney, the unitholders registry maintained by Nasdaq CSD SE, and the list of holders of SDRs registered in the Euroclear Sweden AB system will be used for the purpose of registration and preparing the voting list for the meeting.

Northern Horizon Capital AS proposals on the agenda items
1. Decision to elect Andrius Smaliukas as a new member of the supervisory board of the Baltic Horizon Fund
According to section 11.2 of the Rules of Baltic Horizon Fund the members of the supervisory board shall be appointed at the general meeting for a period of at least two years. The proposal is to elect Andrius Smaliukas as a new member of the supervisory board.

Dr. Smaliukas is the Managing Partner at MMSP, a Lithuanian law firm focused on strategic corporate advisory and dispute resolution. He previously partnered at one of the leading Pan-Baltic firm, Valiunas Ellex, and holds nearly 20 years of experience as an arbitrator and international arbitration lead counsel. Dr. Smaliukas earned his Ph.D. and Master of Laws from Vilnius University, conducted postgraduate research at Oxford, and completed executive programs at Cambridge Judge Business School and Harvard Law School. Dr.Smaliukas serves on the boards of Staticus Group, Kesko Senukai, has extensive advisory experience in commercial real estate M&A and investment management across the Baltic countries.

Andrius Smaliukas does not hold any units of the Baltic Horizon Fund.
1. Decision to elect Milda Dargužaitė as a new member of the supervisory board of the Baltic Horizon Fund
According to section 11.2 of the Rules of Baltic Horizon Fund the members of the supervisory board shall be appointed at the general meeting for a period of at least two years. The proposal is to elect Milda Dargužaitė as a new member of the supervisory board.

Milda Dargužaitė is the former CEO of Northern Horizon Capital A/S, the shareholder of Northern Horizon Capital AS. She was responsible for managing the company’s operations and strategic direction, including the development of new funds and investment vehicles. Milda has significant experience in both the public and private sectors, locally and internationally. She joined the company in 2018 after roles as the Chancellor at the Lithuanian Prime Minister’s Office, Managing Director of Invest Lithuania, and advisor to the Lithuanian Minister of Economy. Milda has a wealth of experience in finance and portfolio management from her time at Goldman Sachs in New York and Barclays in London. Milda Dargužaitė was the supervisory board member of Northern Horizon Capital AS from July 2018 until September 2023.

Milda holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Economics from Middlebury College and a master’s degree in Operations Research and Financial Engineering from Princeton University. She has served on the boards of several Northern Horizon Group entities.

Milda Dargužaitė does not hold any units of the Baltic Horizon Fund.
1. Decision to elect Antanas Anskaitis as a new member of the supervisory board of the Baltic Horizon Fund
According to section 11.2 of the Rules of Baltic Horizon Fund the members of the supervisory board shall be appointed at the general meeting for a period of at least two years. The proposal is to elect Antanas Anskaitis as a new member of the supervisory board.

Antanas Anskaitis is a partner at Grinvest which is a private investment company with interests in real estate and transportation. Antanas has over 20 years of real estate investment management experience (out of which 16 within Northern Horizon Capital group). Since 2015 until 2020 Antanas managed a successful Baltic-Polish investment portfolio on behalf of Partners Group and lead over 30 commercial property transactions in the Baltics and Poland having experience both on sell and buy side. Antanas has MSc in Management and Economics.

Grinvest through its subsidiary in Estonia Gene Investments OÜ is the largest unitholder in Baltic Horizon Fund (>25%) at the time of this notice.
1. Decision to pay remuneration to the chairman of the supervisory board
According to section 11.11 of the Rules of Baltic Horizon Fund, supervisory board members are entitled to remuneration for their service. The amount of remuneration payable to the chairman and members of the supervisory board shall be decided at the general meeting. According to section 11.4 of the Rules of Baltic Horizon Fund, supervisory board members elect a chairman from among themselves in the first meeting after election of any new member(s).

The supervisory board in this composition intends working in close liaison with Northern Horizon Capital AS in the subcommittees and meet at least once a month while Baltic Horizon Fund is in the turnaround phase. The proposal is therefore to pay remuneration to the chairman of the supervisory board in the amount of EUR 36,000 per calendar year.
1. Decision to pay remuneration to supervisory board members
According to section 11.11 of the Rules of Baltic Horizon Fund, supervisory board members are entitled to remuneration for their service. The amount of remuneration payable to the chairman and members of the supervisory board shall be decided at the general meeting.

The proposed remuneration is the same as for the current members of the supervisory board. The unitholder proposes to remunerate each supervisory board member (except the chairman, who shall be remunerated in accordance with point 4 above) in the amount of EUR 11,000 per calendar year.
1. Decision to recall Reimo Hammerberg, Monica Hammer and David Bergendahl from the position of the supervisory board member of Baltic Horizon Fund
According to section 10.3.3 of the Rules of Baltic Horizon Fund the members of the supervisory board shall be recalled at the general meeting.

Annex 1:
1. Form of power of attorney to appoint a representative for the general meeting (in Estonian)
2. Form of power of attorney to appoint a representative for the general meeting (in English)
For additional information, please contact:

Tarmo Karotam
Baltic Horizon Fund manager
E-mail tarmo.karotam@nh-cap.com
www.baltichorizon.com

The Fund is a registered contractual public closed-end real estate fund that is managed by Alternative Investment Fund Manager license holder Northern Horizon Capital AS.

Distribution: GlobeNewswire, Nasdaq Tallinn, Nasdaq Stockholm, www.baltichorizon.com

To receive Nasdaq announcements and news from Baltic Horizon Fund about its projects, plans and more, register on www.baltichorizon.com. You can also follow Baltic Horizon Fund on www.baltichorizon.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and YouTube.

Attachments
- Annex 1 – poa.Investors-EGM-template.2025-04-07.eng
- Annex 1 – poa.Investors-EGM-template.2025-04-07.est
The MIL Network –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: Oportun Comments on Director Nominations

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SAN CARLOS, Calif., March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oportun (Nasdaq: OPRT), a mission-driven financial services company, today confirmed receipt of a notice from Findell Capital Management LLC (“Findell”) nominating two directors to stand for election to the Oportun Board of Directors (the “Board”) at the Company’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Board issued the following statement in response:

Over the past three years, the Oportun Board of Directors has overseen decisive and deliberate actions to put the company on a strong path for long-term profitable growth. These actions, which we summarized in our press release on March 20, 2025, have led to improved credit performance, fortified our business economics and driven high-quality originations. Our business momentum and 2025 outlook speak for themselves and are a testament to the opportunity and value we believe we can deliver. The Board and management remain focused on driving strong performance and enhancing shareholder value.

Oportun is committed to maintaining a strong Board comprised of an independent and high-quality set of directors who bring a range of perspectives, provide effective oversight and represent the interests of all shareholders. Consistent with that commitment, the Board has recently undergone a thoughtful and comprehensive refreshment process, including with input from Findell and resulting in the appointment of four new independent directors over the last 14 months. Our directors have skills and experience in functional areas critical to the successful execution of our strategy, including expertise in credit and risk management, finance, mobile technologies, software, marketing, government relations and regulatory matters, as well as deep leadership, public company, lending and consumer finance industry experience.

Oportun’s Nominating and Governance Committee will evaluate Findell’s nominees and make a formal recommendation to Oportun shareholders in due course. Oportun shareholders are not required to take any action at this time.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is serving as legal advisor and FGS Global is serving as strategic communications advisor to Oportun.

About Oportun

Oportun (Nasdaq: OPRT) is a mission-driven financial services company that puts its members’ financial goals within reach. With intelligent borrowing, savings, and budgeting capabilities, Oportun empowers members with the confidence to build a better financial future. Since inception, Oportun has provided more than $19.7 billion in responsible and affordable credit, saved its members more than $2.4 billion in interest and fees, and helped its members save an average of more than $1,800 annually. For more information, visit Oportun.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including statements as to our future performance and financial position; the strength of our business model, balance sheet, liquidity and execution of our strategy; expectations regarding our growth for 2025; the composition of our Board of Directors and its impact on our ability to deliver long-term value to our shareholders; and our governance practices, are forward-looking statements. These statements can be generally identified by terms such as “expect,” “plan,” “goal,” “target,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “predict,” “project,” “outlook,” “continue,” “due,” “may,” “believe,” “seek,” or “estimate” and similar expressions or the negative versions of these words or comparable words, as well as future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “likely” and “could.” These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events, financial trends and risks and uncertainties that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These risks and uncertainties include those risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and, except to the extent required by federal securities laws, we disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there is no assurance that the events or results suggested by the forward-looking statements will in fact occur, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

Oportun Financial Corporation (“Oportun”), its directors and certain executive officers are participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders in connection with Oportun’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”). Oportun plans to file a proxy statement (the “2025 Proxy Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Annual Meeting.

Jo Ann Barefoot, Mohit Daswani, Ginny Lee, Carlos Minetti, Louis Miramontes, Scott Parker, Sandra A. Smith, Richard Tambor, Raul Vazquez and R. Neil Williams, all of whom are members of Oportun’s board of directors, are participants in Oportun’s solicitation. Additional information regarding such participants, including their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the 2025 Proxy Statement and other relevant documents to be filed with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting. Information relating to the foregoing can also be found in Oportun’s definitive proxy statement for its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2024 Proxy Statement”), which was filed with the SEC on May 13, 2024, and is available here. Particular attention is directed to the sections of the 2024 Proxy Statement captioned “Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance,” “Non-Employee Director Compensation,” “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters,” “Executive Compensation” and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions.” To the extent that holdings of such participants in Oportun’s securities have changed since the amounts printed in the 2024 Proxy Statement, such changes have been reflected on the following filings: for Ms. Barefoot, on June 28, 2024; for Mr. Daswani, on June 28, 2024 and December 13, 2024; for Ms. Lee, on June 28, 2024; for Mr. Minetti, on June 28, 2024 and December 13, 2024; for Mr. Miramontes, on June 28, 2024; for Mr. Parker, on April 25, 2024, June 18, 2024, and June 28, 2024; for Ms. Smith, on June 28, 2024; for Mr. Tambor, on June 28, 2024 and June 28, 2024; for Mr. Vazquez, on June 18, 2024, September 12, 2024, December 2, 2024, and March 12, 2025; and for Mr. Williams, on June 28, 2024 and December 11, 2024.

Promptly after filing its definitive 2025 Proxy Statement with the SEC, Oportun will mail the definitive 2025 Proxy Statement and a GREEN proxy card to each stockholder entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE 2025 PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT OPORTUN WILL FILE WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Stockholders may obtain, free of charge, Oportun’s proxy statement (in both preliminary and definitive form), any amendments or supplements thereto, and any other relevant documents filed by Oportun with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting at the SEC’s website, which is located here. Copies of Oportun’s definitive 2025 Proxy Statement, any amendments or supplements thereto, and any other relevant documents filed by Oportun with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting will also be available, free of charge, at Oportun’s website, which is located here, or by writing to Investor Relations, Oportun Financial Corporation, 2 Circle Star Way, San Carlos, CA 94070. In addition, copies of these materials may be requested, free of charge, from Oportun’s proxy solicitor, Innisfree M&A Incorporated, by calling toll-free to (877) 800-5195.

Investor Contact
Dorian Hare
(650) 590-4323
ir@oportun.com

Media Contact
John Christiansen / Bryan Locke
FGS Global
Oportun@fgsglobal.com

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Operator of Fraudulent Investment Vehicle Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Prison for Securities Fraud, Tax Fraud and Other Charges

Source: United States Department of Justice 2

A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 15 and a half years in prison yesterday for defrauding investors, conspiring to defraud the IRS, filing false tax returns, employment tax fraud, wire fraud, obstruction, and other charges.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Joseph LaForte, of Philadelphia, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors using a fraudulent investment vehicle known as Par Funding. In total, LaForte and his co-conspirators caused an actual loss to investors exceeding $288 million.

LaForte also engaged in a series of federal tax crimes. LaForte and co-conspirators diverted approximately $20 million in taxable income from Par Funding to another entity controlled by LaForte and nominally owned by another, then filed false tax returns that did not report this income. He also received more than $9 million in cash kickbacks from a customer of Par Funding and did not report this income to the IRS on his individual tax returns. As a result, LaForte’s individual tax returns for the years 2016 through 2018 were false. He also paid off-the-books, cash wages to some employees of Par Funding. He did not report these wages to the IRS and did not pay employment taxes on wages paid to employees in cash. The total federal tax loss stemming from LaForte’s crimes exceeds $8 million. He also caused $1.6 million in state tax loss to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue by falsely reporting that he and his wife were residents of Florida from 2013 through 2019, when in fact they resided in Pennsylvania.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.

The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Newcomer, Sam Dalke, Eric Gill, and Patrick J. Murray for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Boscia for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania assisted with the prosecution.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Operator of Fraudulent Investment Vehicle Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Prison for Securities Fraud, Tax Fraud and Other Charges

Source: US State of North Dakota

A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 15 and a half years in prison yesterday for defrauding investors, conspiring to defraud the IRS, filing false tax returns, employment tax fraud, wire fraud, obstruction, and other charges.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Joseph LaForte, of Philadelphia, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors using a fraudulent investment vehicle known as Par Funding. In total, LaForte and his co-conspirators caused an actual loss to investors exceeding $288 million.

LaForte also engaged in a series of federal tax crimes. LaForte and co-conspirators diverted approximately $20 million in taxable income from Par Funding to another entity controlled by LaForte and nominally owned by another, then filed false tax returns that did not report this income. He also received more than $9 million in cash kickbacks from a customer of Par Funding and did not report this income to the IRS on his individual tax returns. As a result, LaForte’s individual tax returns for the years 2016 through 2018 were false. He also paid off-the-books, cash wages to some employees of Par Funding. He did not report these wages to the IRS and did not pay employment taxes on wages paid to employees in cash. The total federal tax loss stemming from LaForte’s crimes exceeds $8 million. He also caused $1.6 million in state tax loss to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue by falsely reporting that he and his wife were residents of Florida from 2013 through 2019, when in fact they resided in Pennsylvania.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.

The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Newcomer, Sam Dalke, Eric Gill, and Patrick J. Murray for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Boscia for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania assisted with the prosecution.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: FBI Media Alert: FBI Offers Reward for Information on Whereabouts of Daniel Guereca in Connection to a Las Cruces Bank Robbery

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple robbery and firearms charges for a crime spree in the summer of 2023.

According to court records, between July 11, 2023, to September 16, 2023, Demetrius Antonnie Bailey, 41, engaged in a series of armed robberies targeting retail stores in Albuquerque. Bailey and his accomplice conspired to commit robberies at Harbor Freight Tools, multiple Metro by T-Mobile locations, a T-Mobile store, a Verizon store, and a JC Penney. During these robberies, they threatened and overpowered store employees and security to steal merchandise and cash. In each robbery, a replica firearm or a real handgun was brandished to intimidate store employees and security personnel. The stolen items included electronics, cellular phones, cash, and clothing valued at tens of thousands of dollars.

Bailey pleaded guilty to 10 counts, including interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. His offenses also included knowingly participating in violent retail thefts. At sentencing, if the district court accepts the plea agreement, Bailey faces not less than ten years and up to twenty-two years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrinand Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Natasha Moghadam are prosecuting the case.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: Portland Investment Counsel Inc. Announces Alternative Fund Risk Rating Changes

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

BURLINGTON, Ontario, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Portland Investment Counsel Inc. (“Portland”) announced today a change to the risk rating of Portland 15 of 15 Alternative Fund and Portland Replacement of Fossil Fuels Alternative Fund (the “Funds”). Portland determines the risk rating for the Funds in accordance with the methodology required by the Canadian Securities Administrators. As a result of its annual review of the investment risk level of the Funds, Portland has determined the risk rating for the Funds will be changing as follows:

Fund Current Risk Rating New Risk Rating

Portland 15 of 15 Alternative Fund Medium Medium to High

Portland Replacement of Fossil Fuels Alternative Fund Medium Medium to High

This change will be reflected in the Funds’ Simplified Prospectus and Fund Facts, which will be filed with Canadian Securities Administrators in connection with the Funds’ 2025 annual renewal.

There are no changes to the investment objectives or strategies of the Funds.

For further information, on Portland and the Funds, please visit www.portlandic.com or contact Client Services at 1-888-710-4242, option #1, or email at clientservices@portlandic.com.

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Operator of Fraudulent Investment Vehicle Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Prison for Securities Fraud, Tax Fraud and Other Charges

Source: United States Attorneys General 8

A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 15 and a half years in prison yesterday for defrauding investors, conspiring to defraud the IRS, filing false tax returns, employment tax fraud, wire fraud, obstruction, and other charges.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Joseph LaForte, of Philadelphia, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors using a fraudulent investment vehicle known as Par Funding. In total, LaForte and his co-conspirators caused an actual loss to investors exceeding $288 million.

LaForte also engaged in a series of federal tax crimes. LaForte and co-conspirators diverted approximately $20 million in taxable income from Par Funding to another entity controlled by LaForte and nominally owned by another, then filed false tax returns that did not report this income. He also received more than $9 million in cash kickbacks from a customer of Par Funding and did not report this income to the IRS on his individual tax returns. As a result, LaForte’s individual tax returns for the years 2016 through 2018 were false. He also paid off-the-books, cash wages to some employees of Par Funding. He did not report these wages to the IRS and did not pay employment taxes on wages paid to employees in cash. The total federal tax loss stemming from LaForte’s crimes exceeds $8 million. He also caused $1.6 million in state tax loss to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue by falsely reporting that he and his wife were residents of Florida from 2013 through 2019, when in fact they resided in Pennsylvania.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.

The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Newcomer, Sam Dalke, Eric Gill, and Patrick J. Murray for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Boscia for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania assisted with the prosecution.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025

MIL-OSI: WISeSat Prepares for June Launch of Its Second-Generation Satellite and Expands Global Footprint

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

WISeSat Prepares for June Launch of Its Second-Generation Satellite and Expands Global Footprint

WISeSAT.space will be attending the 40^thSpace Symposium in Colorado Springs from April 6-10, 2025 (booth #808 located in the South Hall)

Geneva, Switzerland – March 27, 2025 – WISeKey International Holding (“WISeKey” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: WKEY; SIX: WIHN), a leading global cybersecurity, AI, and IoT company, alongside its subsidiary WISeSat.Space (“WISeSat”) today announces that the launch of its second-generation satellite is scheduled for June 2025. This follows the successful deployment of WISeSat’s first NDR-generation satellite in January 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Spaceport in California. The satellite launched in January is currently in orbit and its location can be tracked via https://wisesat.wisekey.com/?tags=WISeSat.

This second-generation launch marks an important milestone in WISeSat’s vision to build a European constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, designed to provide secure communications for the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G (in progress), RSSI, SIGINT, SEALCOIN for transactional IoT (tIoT) and post-quantum cybersecurity capabilities across the globe.

The 2025 satellite launches build on the earlier success of WISeSat in collaboration with FOSSA Systems, which saw the launch of 17 picosatellites to test the resilience and performance of its core technologies. These tests laid the foundations for the current generation of satellites, which as of June will be equipped with more robust security protocols and a post-quantum cryptographic infrastructure developed by SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) (“SEALSQ”), a WISeKey subsidiary.

WISeSat also announced a new strategic partnership with Skyroot Aerospace in India. This collaboration will diversify launch operations by enabling satellites to be deployed on alternative orbital trajectories, optimizing constellation coverage and efficiency. The partnership also includes the possibility of manufacturing satellites on Indian soil, to Indian specifications, thereby strengthening WISeSat’s global production and launch capabilities.

By the end of 2025, WISeSat satellites will be able to carry out transactions in SEALCOIN tokens with each other and with connected objects on Earth, forming a secure, autonomous mesh for machine-to-machine (M2M) transactions. This innovation will create a financial and data exchange infrastructure in space, where connected machines will be digitally certified via a “Know Your Object” (KYO) protocol. The KYO process integrates Wecan’s technology and WISeID’s WISeKey platform, guaranteeing reliable identity and accountability throughout the ecosystem.

Each WISeSat satellite is built with:

Post-quantum cryptographic chips from SEALSQ.
WISeKey root of trust and WISeID digital identity infrastructure.
Hedera’s Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) for decentralized, forgery-proof data integrity.

This technological foundation positions WISeSat as a global leader in secure satellite-based IoT infrastructure.

“Our vision is to become the first low-orbit satellite constellation enabling secure Internet of Things connectivity and trusted communications anywhere in the world,” said Carlos Moreira, founder and CEO of WISeKey. “With upcoming launches, new international partnerships and post-quantum capabilities, we offer the next frontier in decentralized and secure space infrastructure.”

About WISeSat.Space
WISeSat.Space AG is pioneering a transformative approach to IoT connectivity and climate change monitoring through its innovative satellite constellation. By providing cost-effective, secure, and global IoT connectivity, WISeSat is enabling a wide range of applications that support environmental monitoring, disaster management, and sustainable practices. The integration of satellite data with advanced climate models holds great promise for enhancing our understanding of climate change and developing effective strategies to combat its impacts. As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change, initiatives like WISeSat’s IoT satellite constellation are essential for creating a more resilient and sustainable future.

About WISeKey

WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) SEALCOIN AG which focuses on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform.

Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey’s mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company’s semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people. For more information on WISeKey’s strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit www.wisekey.com.

Disclaimer
This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), the FinSa’s predecessor legislation or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey.

Press and Investor Contacts

WISeKey International Holding Ltd
Company Contact: Carlos Moreira
Chairman & CEO
Tel: +41 22 594 3000
info@wisekey.com
media@wisekey.com

WISeKey Investor Relations (US)
The Equity Group Inc.
Lena Cati
Tel: +1 212 836-9611
lcati@equityny.com

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025

MIL-OSI: Defiance’s XMAG ETF Outshines S&P 500 Amid “Magnificent 7” Crash, Proving Its Value as a Diversification Powerhouse

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MIAMI, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Defiance ETFs, a trailblazer in innovative exchange-traded funds, is proud to spotlight the strong performance of the Defiance Large Cap Ex-Magnificent Seven ETF (XMAG), which has outpaced the S&P 500 in 2025 as the so-called “Magnificent 7” tech giants—Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Nvidia, Meta, and Tesla—face a significant downturn. Launched in October 2024, XMAG has quickly emerged as a game-changing tool for investors seeking to diversify and manage concentration risk in a market rattled by the Mag 7 crash.

Unlike traditional S&P 500 funds, XMAG tracks the BITA US 500 ex-Magnificent 7 Index, offering exposure to the largest 500 U.S. equities while deliberately excluding the Mag 7. This strategic design has paid off handsomely this year, delivering robust returns and stability at a time when overexposure to these tech titans has dragged down broader market performance. As the S&P 500 struggles under the weight of the Mag 7’s decline, XMAG stands out as a core replacement for large-cap exposure—a direct, smarter alternative to the S&P 500.

“Investors and advisors have long been overexposed to the Magnificent 7 through mutual funds, ETFs, and individual stock portfolios,” said Sylvia Jablonski, CEO and CIO of Defiance ETFs. “This year’s market dynamics have exposed the risks of that concentration, and XMAG has proven its worth as a powerful solution. It’s not just about dodging the Mag 7 crash—it’s about delivering diversified, resilient returns that redefine large-cap investing.”

With the Mag 7’s dominance waning, XMAG offers a timely and effective way to rebalance portfolios, reduce risk, and capture the strength of the broader U.S. equity market. Its performance in 2025 underscores its role as an essential tool for advisors and investors looking to pivot away from tech-heavy strategies and embrace a more balanced approach to growth.

“XMAG isn’t a niche play—it’s a core holding,” Jablonski added. “It’s the diversification investors have been craving, and the results speak for themselves. As the market evolves, XMAG is setting a new standard for large-cap exposure.”

For more information on XMAG and how it can transform your portfolio, visit www.defianceetfs.com or contact Defiance ETFs at info@defianceetfs.com.

About Defiance ETFs Founded with a mission to empower investors with cutting-edge tools, Defiance ETFs is a leader in thematic and innovative ETF solutions. Based in Miami, Defiance is committed to delivering strategies that meet the evolving needs of the modern investor

Contact Information

David Hanono

info@defianceetfs.com

833.333.9383

Important Disclosures

Defiance ETFs LLC is the ETF sponsor. The Fund’s investment adviser is Tidal Investments, LLC (“Tidal” or the “Adviser”).

The Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses must be considered carefully before investing. The prospectus and summary prospectus contain this and other important information about the investment company. Please read the prospectus and / or summary prospectus carefully before investing. Hard copies can be requested by calling 833.333.9383.

Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. As an ETF, the funds may trade at a premium or discount to NAV. Shares of any ETF are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. A portfolio concentrated in a single industry or country, may be subject to a higher degree of risk.

Tracking Error Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and the Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons.

Large-Capitalization Investing. The securities of large-capitalization companies may be relatively mature compared to smaller companies and therefore subject to slower growth during times of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies may also be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.

Market Events Risk. The Fund’s investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities and other financial instruments. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors.

Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and does not attempt to outperform the Index or take defensive positions in declining markets. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the market segments relating to the Index.

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

Diversification does not ensure a profit nor protect against loss in a declining market.

Brokerage Commissions may be charged on trades.

The Fund holds 0% in Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Nvidia, Meta, and Tesla.

Distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1578c4c6-57a2-4dc4-b82f-5a180fbc8052

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025

CalAmp Investor Contact:	CalAmp Media Contact:
Jikun Kim	Mark Gaydos
SVP & CFO	Chief Marketing Officer
ir@calamp.com	Mgaydos@calamp.com

Fund	Current Risk Rating	New Risk Rating
Portland 15 of 15 Alternative Fund	Medium	Medium to High
Portland Replacement of Fossil Fuels Alternative Fund	Medium	Medium to High

Category: Finance

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