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Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LegCo to consider Import and Export (Amendment) Bill 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
         
         The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (July 2) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Second Reading debate on the Import and Export (Amendment) Bill 2025 will resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receive its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.
     
         Meanwhile, the Betting Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.
     
         On Members’ motions, Dr Wendy Hong will move a motion on establishing innovative institutional mechanisms to move full steam ahead with the development of the Core Area of the Northern Metropolis. The motion is set out in Appendix 1. Mr Louis Loong, Ms Chan Yuet-ming, Mr Michael Tien, Mr Lau Kwok-fan and Mr Gary Zhang will move separate amendments to Dr Hong’s motion.
     
         Ms Doreen Kong will move a motion on developing a personal data protection regime framework to address the challenges in the age of artificial intelligence. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Mr Duncan Chiu, Mr Lam San-keung and Mr Lee Chun-keung will move separate amendments to Ms Kong’s motion.
     
         Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
     
         The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the “Webcast” system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 5th anniversary of NSL heralded

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Today marks the fifth anniversary of the promulgation and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL).

     

    In a statement, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said the HKNSL’s implementation over the past five years has shown the law to be a “guardian” in upholding the principle of “one country, two systems” and in safeguarding the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

     

    It added the HKNSL is an important and timely piece of legislation with profound historical significance.

     

    The statement stressed that the HKNSL has enabled Hong Kong to make a major transition from chaos to order and has laid a solid legal foundation for safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests.

     

    National security, it said, forms the basis for a country’s existence and development; however, after reunification, Hong Kong had long been “undefended” with regard to national security, with anti-China elements and external forces continuously challenging the principle of “one country, two systems”, and even attempting to seize the power of governance.

     

    The Hong Kong SAR Government iterated that unprecedented crises were brought to Hong Kong by the “anti-national education” incident in 2012; the illegal “Occupy Central” movement in 2014; and the Mongkok riot in 2016; as well as the “black-clad violence” and Hong Kong’s version of a “colour revolution”, which lasted for more than 10 months from June 2019, severely damaging Hong Kong’s societal, economic and business environment and causing the public to live in fear.

     

    The central authorities acted decisively at a critical moment for Hong Kong, the statement added. The National People’s Congress (NPC) made a decision on May 28, 2020, on the basis of which the NPC Standing Committee enacted the HKNSL on June 30, 2020. The law was then listed under Annex III to the Basic Law for local promulgation and implementation in the Hong Kong SAR.

     

    The statement outlined that the HKNSL addressed shortcomings and plugged loopholes in the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, playing the role of a stabilising force that immediately stopped violence and curbed disorder. It said the HKNSL’s implementation was a “watershed moment” in Hong Kong’s transition from chaos to order, as stability and safety in the city have been restored by the law.

     

    It added that thanks to the concerted efforts of the Hong Kong SAR Government, the Legislative Council and all sectors of the community, the Hong Kong SAR fulfilled its constitutional duty last year by completing the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law.

     

    The Hong Kong SAR Government emphasised that the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO), which took effect on March 23, 2024, improved the city’s legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security.

     

    It said the HKNSL and the SNSO are compatible and complementary, building a strong line of defence to safeguard national security in Hong Kong.

     

    The Hong Kong SAR Government emphasised Hong Kong’s laws safeguarding national security firmly adhere to the principle of the rule of law, while protecting rights and freedoms in accordance with the law.

     

    The business environment, it said, has continuously improved. Hong Kong is the world’s freest economy, ranks third among global financial centres, and recently returned to the global top three economies in the world in terms of competitiveness, demonstrating that it is advancing at full steam “from stability to prosperity”.

     

    The statement continued that Hong Kong’s laws safeguarding national security also protect human rights, with respect and protections for human rights being embodied both in the provisions of the HKNSL and the SNSO and in their implementation.

     

    Both HKNSL Article 4 and SNSO Section 2 stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected and that the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights as applied to Hong Kong shall be protected in accordance with the law. These include the rights to freedom of speech, of the press, of publication, of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration.

     

    The Hong Kong SAR Government said that the laws’ various provisions are in line with international standards, striking a reasonable balance between safeguarding national security and protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.

     

    It added that the Hong Kong SAR has a solid, resilient foundation of rule of law that is well-recognised by the international community, and that the city’s law enforcement agencies take actions based on evidence and in accordance with the law.

     

    It also outlined that the Department of Justice, by virtue of Basic Law Article 63, controls criminal prosecutions, free from any interference, while independent prosecutorial decisions for each case are made in a rigorous and objective manner, based on evidence and applicable laws and in accordance with the Prosecution Code.

     

    Articles 2, 19 and 85 of the Basic Law specifically provide that the Hong Kong SAR enjoys independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication, and that the courts of the Hong Kong SAR shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference.

     

    The statement stressed that cases will never be handled any differently owing to the occupation, political stance or background of the persons involved.

     

    In addition, HKNSL Article 5 and SNSO Section 2 stipulate that the principles of the rule of law shall be adhered to in preventing, suppressing and imposing punishment for offences endangering national security. These include the principles of conviction and punishment only by the application of the law, the presumption of innocence, the prohibition of double jeopardy, the right of accused persons to defend themselves, and other rights in judicial proceedings that criminal suspects, defendants and other parties in judicial proceedings are entitled to under the law.

     

    The statement highlighted that governments have an inherent right to enact laws safeguarding national security, and that this is established international practice.

     

    It added that the HKNSL and the SNSO clearly define the elements of offences and related penalties, and precisely target an extremely small minority of people and organisations who commit acts that endanger national security, while protecting the lives and property of the general public. It stressed that law-abiding persons will not engage in acts that endanger national security and will not unwittingly violate the law, and therefore have no reason to be concerned.

     

    Since the promulgation and implementation of the HKNSL, the statement highlighted, stability has been quickly restored in society. With the SNSO in effect, it said, the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong SAR residents and of other persons in Hong Kong are even better protected, while the economy of Hong Kong is picking up.

     

    The Hong Kong SAR Government reiterated that safeguarding national security is an ongoing and endless commitment.

     

    Citing the “White Paper on China’s National Security in the New Era”, published by the central authorities on May 12, it said external forces have been meddling more and more in China’s affairs, and have attempted to blockade, suppress and contain China through so-called “Hong Kong issues”.

     

    As geopolitical risks continue to escalate, the Hong Kong SAR Government said it will strive steadfastly to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and to improve its legal system and enforcement mechanisms under the robust protection of the HKNSL and the SNSO, so as to address evolving national security risks and challenges more effectively.

     

    The Hong Kong SAR Government will also ramp up its efforts in publicity and education, so as to raise public awareness around safeguarding national security, thereby forming a societal shield to fend off external intervention. It said this will ensure high-quality development with high-level security, contributing to a new chapter in the practice of “one country, two systems”.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • Imposition of Emergency was nothing short of Earthquake to destroy Democracy-VP

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    lign=”center”>During Emergency the highest court of the land got eclipsed, overturned the verdict of nine High Courts-VP
    The youth of today cannot afford to be unaware of the Emergency — the darkest period, says VP
    Academic institutions are natural organic crucibles of ideation and innovation-VP

    Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today said that,  “50 years ago, this day, the oldest, the largest and now the most vibrant democracy went through difficult air pocket, unexpected hazard in the shape of headwinds, nothing short of earthquake to destroy democracy. It was imposition of emergency. The night was dark, the cabinet was sidelined. The beleaguered Prime Minister then facing an adverse High Court order, yielded to personal gain, ignoring the entire nation and the President trampled constitutionalism, signed declaration of emergency. What followed for 21, 22 months was turbulent period for our democracy, never imagined. The darkest period of democracy we had the occasion to see.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1937807255123988862

    Addressing students and faculty members as Chief Guest at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Kumaon University in Nainital, Uttarakhand today he stated, “ A lakh and forty thousand people were put behind bars. They had no access to the justice system. They could not vindicate their Fundamental Rights. Nine High Courts, fortunately, stood the ground and they hail — emergency or no emergency — Fundamental Rights cannot be put on hold, ruling firmly that every citizen of the country has a right which can be fructified by judicial intervention. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court — the highest court of the land — got eclipsed. It overturned the verdict of nine High Courts. It ruled, it decided two things– Emergency declaration thereof is a decision of the Executive, not open to judicial review. And, it is also a decision on the time for how long it will last, and that citizens do not have Fundamental Rights while there is emergency. It was a major setback to the people at large.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1937812746008936600

    Underlining the significance of ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ for the youth of the day he said, “ Just reflect young boys and girls because you will have to learn about it unless you do it you will not know it. What happened to the Press? Who were the people put behind the bars? They became Prime Ministers of this country. They became Presidents of this country. That was the scenario and that is why to make aware our youth…….you are the most vital stakeholders in governance, in democracy. You therefore cannot forget. or cannot afford not to learn about that darkest period. Very thoughtfully the government of the day decided that this day will be celebrated as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Divas’. The celebration will be that it will never happen again. The celebration will be  that those guilty, those who allowed such kind of transgression of humanity’s rights,  spirit and essence of the Constitution. Who they were? why they did it? In the Supreme Court also, my friend will bear me out, one judge dissented H.R.Khanna, and it was commented by a leading newspaper in the US that if ever democracy returns to Bharat, a monument will surely be built for H.R. Khanna who held his ground.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1937815412747760044

    Stressing on the role of on campus learning, Shri Dhankhar said, “ Academic institutions are much beyond just learning centers for degrees and credentials. Otherwise, why there is difference between virtual learning and a campus learning? You immediately know the time you spend amongst your colleagues on the campus defines your mindset. These places are meant to catalyse the change needed, the change you want, the nation you want. These are natural organic crucibles of ideation and innovation. Ideas come, but there must be ideation of idea. If an idea comes in out of fear of failure, you don’t engage in innovation or trial. Our progress will come to stand still. These are places where worlds envy our demographic youth as the occasion to script not only their own career, but to script the destiny of Bharat. And therefore please get going. There is a tagline of one of the corporate products which you must come across. Just  do it. Am I right? I would add one more. Do it now.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1937818677123911772

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1937817934614958127

    Emphasising on the importance of alumni and alumni contribution, Shri Dhankhar said, “ Over 50 years you have had large number of Alumni……..Alumni of an Institution is a very important component. You look to social media and google. You will find some Institutions in the developed world have Alumni Fund corpus, more than 10 billion US dollars.  One has a corpus of more than 50 billion US dollars. This comes not as a deluge, it comes by the trickle effect. Let me for instance give an illustration. If these 100,000 alumni of this great Institution decide to make a contribution only of 10,000 rupees a year. The annual amount will be 100 crores……..and just imagine if it is year after year, then you will not be looking here and there. You will be self-sustaining. It will soothe you. Secondly, the alumni will have the occasion to connect with the Alma mater. So you will have easy route….He will handhold you. She will handhold you. So I strongly urge that let there be initiation from Dev Bhoomi about Alumni Association.”

  • The words added in Preamble during emergency have been added as Nasoor; a sacrilege to the spirit of Sanatana-VP

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    lign=”center”>What a travesty of justice ! First, we change something which is not changeable, alterable and then change it during Emergency-VP
    Preamble, the soul of the Constitution should have been respected rather than tweaked, altered, and decimated, asserts VP
    Except Bharat, no other constitution’s preamble has undergone change-VP
    A very serious work which cannot be altered, has been casually, farcically, and with no sense of propriety, changed-VP
    Dr. B.R. Ambedkar lives in our hearts, he dominates our mind and touches our soul-VP

    The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today said that, “Preamble of any constitution is its soul. The Preamble of the Indian Constitution is unique. Except Bharat, [no other] Constitution’s  Preamble has undergone change and why?  Preamble is not changeable. Preamble is not alterable. Preamble is the basis on which the constitution has grown. Preamble is the seed of the Constitution. It is Soul of the constitution but this Preamble for Bharat was changed by 42nd Constitutional Amendment act of 1976, adding words Socialist, Secular and integrity”.

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1938876252103799111

    Speaking at an event at the Vice-President’s Enclave today, marking the presentation of the first copy of the copy,  ‘Ambedkar’s Messages’ compiled by Shri D. S. Veeraiah, author and former MLC karnataka, Shri Dhankhar emphasised, “During the Emergency, the darkest period of Indian democracy, when people were behind the bars, Fundamental Rights were suspended. In the name of those — we the people — who were enslaved,  we just go for what? Just a flourish of words? It is to be deprecated beyond words. In Kesavananda Bharati, as I reflected — vs State of Kerala, 1973, a 13-judge bench — the judges focused and deeply reflected on the Preamble of the Constitution. The celebrated judge, Justice H.R. Khanna, I quote: The Preamble serves as a guide to the interpretation of the Constitution and indicates the source from which the Constitution derives its authority — namely, the people of India.”

    “We must reflect. Dr. Ambedkar did painstaking work. He would have surely focused on it. The founding fathers thought it befittingly wise to give us that Preamble. No country’s Preamble has undergone change — except Bharat. But devastatingly, this change was effected for Bharat at a time when people were virtually enslaved. We the people, the ultimate fountain of power — the best of them were languishing in jails. They were denied access to the judicial system. I am referring to the 22 months of draconian Emergency that was proclaimed on 25th June 1975. So, what a travesty of justice ! First, we change something which is not changeable, alterable — something that emanates from We the People — and then, you change it during Emergency. When We the People were bleeding — in heart, in soul — they were in darkness”, he added.

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1938879085385785752

    “We are changing the soul of the Constitution. We are, as a matter of fact, by this flash of words, added during the darkest period of Emergency — the darkest period for the Constitution of the country. And in the process, if you deeply reflect, we are giving wings to existential challenges. These words have been added as Nasoor (festering wound). These words will create upheaval. Addition of these words in the Preamble during the Emergency signal  betrayal of the mindset of the framers of the Constitution. It is nothing but belittling the civilizational wealth and knowledge of this country for thousands of years. It is sacrilege to the spirit of Sanatana”, he further underlined.

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1938881671484649672

    Highlighting the Contemporary relevance of Ambedkar’s messages, Shri Dhankhar stated, “ Dr. B.R. Ambedkar lives in our hearts. He dominates our mind and touches our soul….Ambedkar’s messages bear huge contemporaneous relevance for us. His messages need to permeate down the line, up to the family level. The children must come to know about these messages. As someone associated with Parliament by virtue of being Vice-President of the country and Chairman of Rajya Sabha — the Upper House, the House of Elders, the Council of States — I am therefore immensely satisfied to receive ‘Ambedkar’s Messages’ that must be honoured and respected, first and foremost by Parliamentarians and legislators all over the country, then by the policymakers…..We must reflect why our temples of democracy are sacrileged? Why our temples of democracy are ravaged by disruption?”

    He further stated, “Justice Sikri, another celebrated judge in that judgment, says — I quote: “The Preamble of our Constitution is of extreme importance, and the Constitution should be read and interpreted in the light of the grand and noble vision expressed in the Preamble.” The grand and noble vision was trampled. So was Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s spirit. Thus, unhesitatingly, the Preamble — crafted by the genius of Dr. Ambedkar and approved by the Constituent Assembly, the soul of the Constitution — should have been respected rather than tweaked, altered, and decimated. The change also, friends, militates against our civilizational ethos of thousands of years, where Sanatan philosophy — its spirit and essence — dominated the discourse.”

    Speaking further on the issue, he said, “ Friends, Judiciary is an important pillar of our democracy. I belong to that system, gave better part of my life. Let me  make this audience aware and through you the entire nation what judiciary felt about preamble of the Indian Constitution. There have been,  so far, two benches of the Supreme Court in higher formations, an 11-judge bench in IC Golaknath versus State of Punjab, and another one, 13-judge combination in Kesavanand Bharati. In Golaknath, the issue came up about preamble, and Justice Hidayatullah, reflecting on the situation, stated explicitly, I quote, “The Preamble to our constitution contains in a nutshell its ideals and aspirations. It is not a mere flourish of words, but embodies the objectives which the Constitution seeks to achieve.”

    “Justice Hegde and Justice Mukherjee I quote, in the same judgment, “The preamble of the Constitution, like the soul of the Constitution, is unalterable. As it embodies the fundamental values and the philosophy on which the Constitution is based.” It is nothing  less than an earthquake for a building whose foundations are sought to be changed from the top floor. Justice Shelat and Justice Grover. what they reflected on preamble, I quote, “The preamble to constitution is not mere preface or introduction. It is a part of the constitution and is a key to open the mind of the makers, indicating the general purposes for which the people ordained the constitution.” A very  serious work which cannot be altered, has been casually, farcically,  and with no sense of propriety, changed.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1938886235260624975

    Recalling wise words of Dr B. R. Ambedkar, Shri Dhankhar stated, “ Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was a visionary. He was a statesman. We should never see Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as a politician.  Never see him. If you go through his journey, you will find it can’t be relieved ordinarily. It takes extraordinary human effort, spinal strength to negotiate that journey, the kind of suffering he underwent. Can you ever imagine Dr. B.R. Ambedkar being given Bharat Ratna posthumously? It was my great good fortune to be a member of Parliament in 1989 and a Minister when this one of the greatest sons of soil was conferred posthumously Bharat Ratna but my heart wept. Why so late? Why posthumously? And therefore I quote with deep concern, beseeching everyone in the country to search their souls and think for the nation. He said—–I do not want that our loyalty as Indians should in the slightest way affected by our competitive loyalty, whether that loyalty arises out of our religion, out of our culture or out of our language. I want all people to be Indian first, Indian last and nothing else but Indians…….It was his last address in the Constituent Assembly, 25th November 1949 — a day before the Constitution was signed by the Members of the Constituent Assembly. And what he said — amazing. I would urge everyone in the country to put it in a frame and read it every day. He says — he’s expressing his pain: I quote:

    “What perturbs me greatly is the fact that not only India has once before lost her independence, but she lost it by the infidelity and treachery of some of her own people. Will history repeat itself?”

    He goes on to say — I quote: “It is this thought which fills me with anxiety. This anxiety is deepened by the realization of the fact that in addition to our old enemies in the form of castes and creeds, we are going to have many political parties with diverse and opposing political creeds. Will Indians place the country above their creed? Or will they place creed above the country….. I quote,  “I do not know, but this much is certain that if the parties place creed above country, our independence will be put in jeopardy a second time and probably be lost forever. This eventuality we must all regularly guard against. We must be determined to defend our independence with the last drop of our blood.”

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Consultation on Guidance for the Australian Clearing and Settlement Facility Resolution Regime

    Source: Airservices Australia

    The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has today released a consultation paper on proposed guidance for the Australian Clearing and Settlement (CS) Facility Resolution Regime.

    In September 2024, the Australian Parliament passed the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Market Infrastructure and Other Measures) Act 2024. This amended the Corporations Act 2001 to provide the RBA with crisis resolution powers with respect to domestically incorporated clearing and settlement (CS) facilities. These powers enable the RBA to manage or respond to a threat posed to the continuity of critical CS facility services or the stability of the financial system in Australia arising in relation to a domestic CS facility licensee.

    The RBA has developed draft guidance to provide transparency about when and how the RBA would generally expect to use these resolution powers. It aims to assist CS facilities, their users, market operators and other stakeholders to understand the RBA’s general approach to resolution and the potential effects on them if the RBA decides to use a resolution power.

    The RBA is inviting submissions on this consultation from interested parties by 11 August 2025. Following the consultation, the RBA will publish the finalised guidance.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitcoin + Personal Loans: Why Ready Payday Loans Just Acquired Omega 88

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SILICON VALLEY, Calif., June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ready Payday Loans, one of the most visited platforms in the U.S. for best personal loans, has finalized the acquisition of Omega 88, a Bitcoin blockchain start-up founded by Canadian tech entrepreneurs Chad Canuck and Roger Maple. The move, both surprising and disruptive, signals a dramatic intersection between the traditional lending space and the decentralized power of Bitcoin-based infrastructure.

    While the amount of the acquisition remains undisclosed, multiple sources close to the matter say the transaction was finalized earlier this month and marks a new era in consumer finance.

    Ready Payday Loans, long known for helping everyday Americans access fast personal loans online, now appears to be quietly reshaping how those loans are underwritten, approved, and distributed—through technology born out of Bitcoin’s cryptographic foundation.

    Ready Payday Loans connects borrowers with fast, secure options—often with same-day approval and no credit check required.

    Why a Best Personal Loans Marketplace Is Investing in Bitcoin Technology

    The announcement has sparked significant conversation among both traditional finance analysts and crypto-native experts. Why would a platform designed to help consumers find low-interest personal loans invest in a company known primarily for blockchain innovation?

    Vice President Randy Murrie didn’t offer much clarity when asked, saying only:
    “Ready Payday Loans has no official comment regarding this recent takeover. All I can tell you is that some big things are ready to happen on our end.”

    Yet behind the scenes, it’s clear this isn’t just an investment—it’s a signal. A shift in how Ready Payday Loans envisions the future of digital lending, particularly in high-volume search categories like best personal loans for bad credit, online personal loans with no credit check, and same-day loan approval.

    Omega 88: The Bitcoin Start-Up Rebuilding Financial Infrastructure

    Founded in the heart of Silicon Valley, Omega 88 was launched in stealth by Canuck and Maple—two Canadian expats known for their contrarian thinking and interest in decentralizing traditional financial processes.

    What makes Omega 88 unique is its Bitcoin-first philosophy. According to insiders, the platform uses a hybrid consensus mechanism blending proof-of-work (PoW) with delegated proof-of-stake (DPoS), offering both Bitcoin-grade security and enterprise-grade scalability.

    Omega 88’s infrastructure also reportedly supports:

    • Rust-based smart contracts
    • Zero-knowledge proof encryption (ZK proofs)
    • 3,000+ TPS processing speed
    • Cross-chain compatibility with Ethereum and Solana

    The company recently closed Phase 9 of its token presale, raising more than $7 million from early investors. Many of those investors are now speculating about how the technology might be used in real-world applications, particularly decentralized identity, credit scoring, and blockchain-based lending systems.

    When asked about the decision to sell, co-founder Roger Maple responded:
    “We didn’t go looking for this deal. But when Ready Payday Loans approached us with a long-term vision tied to financial inclusion, it just clicked.”

    Bitcoin’s Role in Delivering the Best Personal Loans Online

    The strategic implications of this acquisition are massive.

    On the surface, Ready Payday Loans is a consumer-facing marketplace helping Americans find:

    But under the hood, the company may now be building a blockchain-powered lending engine—one that uses Bitcoin as a technical foundation rather than a currency. By utilizing Omega 88’s infrastructure, Ready Payday Loans could soon offer a more secure, transparent, and efficient application experience backed by verifiable smart contracts and encrypted borrower identities.

    Take control of your financial future today.
    Visit Ready Payday Loans to compare loan options, get matched in minutes, and apply for the best personal loan offers available in 2025.

    Industry Reactions: From Lending to Ledger-Based Verification

    The broader financial industry is taking notice.

    “This is the first time we’ve seen a major U.S. personal loan platform directly acquire a Bitcoin-native infrastructure company,” said fintech strategist Angela Ruiz. “What’s exciting is the possibility of back-end transparency and real-time loan settlement using smart contracts. It’s the future of consumer lending.”

    Ruiz believes this move could also lead to the launch of tokenized credit systems, where borrower reputation is tracked securely on a blockchain—reducing fraud, improving approval times, and lowering overall loan risk.

    Other experts believe that integrating Bitcoin-backed verification tools into the loan matching process could dramatically shorten underwriting timelines, especially for borrowers with limited credit histories.

    Silicon Valley Expansion: More Than Just Code

    As part of the acquisition, Ready Payday Loans confirmed that Omega 88 will remain a standalone brand, continuing operations under its own name while benefiting from strategic alignment with its parent company.

    To support upcoming product rollouts, Ready Payday Loans will launch:

    • A new R&D center in San Jose
    • Strategic hiring of blockchain engineers, AI credit analysts, and UX designers
    • Early testing of blockchain-loan integration across its lender network

    Roger Maple described the integration strategy as “mutual autonomy,” with Omega 88 continuing to build core protocols while Ready Payday Loans applies them to consumer lending use cases.

    “We’re not here to add blockchain for buzzwords,” Maple said. “We’re here to use Bitcoin logic to solve real credit problems in real time.”

    What Borrowers Can Expect Today — and Tomorrow

    While blockchain-based features are still in development, U.S. consumers can continue to rely on Ready Payday Loans for:

    As Omega 88’s tools are integrated over time, borrowers may eventually benefit from:

    • Blockchain-verified credit assessments
    • Tamper-proof loan terms
    • Bitcoin-secured identity authentication
    • Faster, more accurate approvals

    “Even if users don’t realize it, they could soon be getting personal loans powered by Bitcoin protocols,” said one product lead. “That’s where the industry is going—and we’re getting there first.”

    Bitcoin as a Financial Backbone — Not Just an Asset

    The deeper message here is that Bitcoin is evolving.

    No longer just a speculative store of value, Bitcoin is increasingly being used as a foundation for broader financial systems. Through Omega 88, its cryptographic architecture could now power everything from loan verification and document handling, to borrower rewards and repayment automation.

    And in the hands of Ready Payday Loans, this evolution may be visible in ways most consumers never expected—from lower APRs to fewer application barriers and increased approval speed.

    Call to Action: Experience the Future of Lending Today

    Whether you’re a first-time borrower or a crypto-curious consumer, Ready Payday Loans is redefining what it means to apply for a loan in 2025.

    Get started now:

    Don’t wait for the future — borrow from it.
    Explore your options at Ready Payday Loans, where Bitcoin technology meets consumer-first lending.

    Disclaimer:

    This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, financial guidance, or an offer to buy or sell financial products. Always consult a licensed financial advisor before making credit or investment decisions. Bitcoin and blockchain assets involve volatility and may not be suitable for all borrowers. Use responsibly.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/96986fd3-3f07-47ed-828c-aa25b8c76169

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitcoin + Personal Loans: Why Ready Payday Loans Just Acquired Omega 88

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SILICON VALLEY, Calif., June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ready Payday Loans, one of the most visited platforms in the U.S. for best personal loans, has finalized the acquisition of Omega 88, a Bitcoin blockchain start-up founded by Canadian tech entrepreneurs Chad Canuck and Roger Maple. The move, both surprising and disruptive, signals a dramatic intersection between the traditional lending space and the decentralized power of Bitcoin-based infrastructure.

    While the amount of the acquisition remains undisclosed, multiple sources close to the matter say the transaction was finalized earlier this month and marks a new era in consumer finance.

    Ready Payday Loans, long known for helping everyday Americans access fast personal loans online, now appears to be quietly reshaping how those loans are underwritten, approved, and distributed—through technology born out of Bitcoin’s cryptographic foundation.

    Ready Payday Loans connects borrowers with fast, secure options—often with same-day approval and no credit check required.

    Why a Best Personal Loans Marketplace Is Investing in Bitcoin Technology

    The announcement has sparked significant conversation among both traditional finance analysts and crypto-native experts. Why would a platform designed to help consumers find low-interest personal loans invest in a company known primarily for blockchain innovation?

    Vice President Randy Murrie didn’t offer much clarity when asked, saying only:
    “Ready Payday Loans has no official comment regarding this recent takeover. All I can tell you is that some big things are ready to happen on our end.”

    Yet behind the scenes, it’s clear this isn’t just an investment—it’s a signal. A shift in how Ready Payday Loans envisions the future of digital lending, particularly in high-volume search categories like best personal loans for bad credit, online personal loans with no credit check, and same-day loan approval.

    Omega 88: The Bitcoin Start-Up Rebuilding Financial Infrastructure

    Founded in the heart of Silicon Valley, Omega 88 was launched in stealth by Canuck and Maple—two Canadian expats known for their contrarian thinking and interest in decentralizing traditional financial processes.

    What makes Omega 88 unique is its Bitcoin-first philosophy. According to insiders, the platform uses a hybrid consensus mechanism blending proof-of-work (PoW) with delegated proof-of-stake (DPoS), offering both Bitcoin-grade security and enterprise-grade scalability.

    Omega 88’s infrastructure also reportedly supports:

    • Rust-based smart contracts
    • Zero-knowledge proof encryption (ZK proofs)
    • 3,000+ TPS processing speed
    • Cross-chain compatibility with Ethereum and Solana

    The company recently closed Phase 9 of its token presale, raising more than $7 million from early investors. Many of those investors are now speculating about how the technology might be used in real-world applications, particularly decentralized identity, credit scoring, and blockchain-based lending systems.

    When asked about the decision to sell, co-founder Roger Maple responded:
    “We didn’t go looking for this deal. But when Ready Payday Loans approached us with a long-term vision tied to financial inclusion, it just clicked.”

    Bitcoin’s Role in Delivering the Best Personal Loans Online

    The strategic implications of this acquisition are massive.

    On the surface, Ready Payday Loans is a consumer-facing marketplace helping Americans find:

    But under the hood, the company may now be building a blockchain-powered lending engine—one that uses Bitcoin as a technical foundation rather than a currency. By utilizing Omega 88’s infrastructure, Ready Payday Loans could soon offer a more secure, transparent, and efficient application experience backed by verifiable smart contracts and encrypted borrower identities.

    Take control of your financial future today.
    Visit Ready Payday Loans to compare loan options, get matched in minutes, and apply for the best personal loan offers available in 2025.

    Industry Reactions: From Lending to Ledger-Based Verification

    The broader financial industry is taking notice.

    “This is the first time we’ve seen a major U.S. personal loan platform directly acquire a Bitcoin-native infrastructure company,” said fintech strategist Angela Ruiz. “What’s exciting is the possibility of back-end transparency and real-time loan settlement using smart contracts. It’s the future of consumer lending.”

    Ruiz believes this move could also lead to the launch of tokenized credit systems, where borrower reputation is tracked securely on a blockchain—reducing fraud, improving approval times, and lowering overall loan risk.

    Other experts believe that integrating Bitcoin-backed verification tools into the loan matching process could dramatically shorten underwriting timelines, especially for borrowers with limited credit histories.

    Silicon Valley Expansion: More Than Just Code

    As part of the acquisition, Ready Payday Loans confirmed that Omega 88 will remain a standalone brand, continuing operations under its own name while benefiting from strategic alignment with its parent company.

    To support upcoming product rollouts, Ready Payday Loans will launch:

    • A new R&D center in San Jose
    • Strategic hiring of blockchain engineers, AI credit analysts, and UX designers
    • Early testing of blockchain-loan integration across its lender network

    Roger Maple described the integration strategy as “mutual autonomy,” with Omega 88 continuing to build core protocols while Ready Payday Loans applies them to consumer lending use cases.

    “We’re not here to add blockchain for buzzwords,” Maple said. “We’re here to use Bitcoin logic to solve real credit problems in real time.”

    What Borrowers Can Expect Today — and Tomorrow

    While blockchain-based features are still in development, U.S. consumers can continue to rely on Ready Payday Loans for:

    As Omega 88’s tools are integrated over time, borrowers may eventually benefit from:

    • Blockchain-verified credit assessments
    • Tamper-proof loan terms
    • Bitcoin-secured identity authentication
    • Faster, more accurate approvals

    “Even if users don’t realize it, they could soon be getting personal loans powered by Bitcoin protocols,” said one product lead. “That’s where the industry is going—and we’re getting there first.”

    Bitcoin as a Financial Backbone — Not Just an Asset

    The deeper message here is that Bitcoin is evolving.

    No longer just a speculative store of value, Bitcoin is increasingly being used as a foundation for broader financial systems. Through Omega 88, its cryptographic architecture could now power everything from loan verification and document handling, to borrower rewards and repayment automation.

    And in the hands of Ready Payday Loans, this evolution may be visible in ways most consumers never expected—from lower APRs to fewer application barriers and increased approval speed.

    Call to Action: Experience the Future of Lending Today

    Whether you’re a first-time borrower or a crypto-curious consumer, Ready Payday Loans is redefining what it means to apply for a loan in 2025.

    Get started now:

    Don’t wait for the future — borrow from it.
    Explore your options at Ready Payday Loans, where Bitcoin technology meets consumer-first lending.

    Disclaimer:

    This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, financial guidance, or an offer to buy or sell financial products. Always consult a licensed financial advisor before making credit or investment decisions. Bitcoin and blockchain assets involve volatility and may not be suitable for all borrowers. Use responsibly.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/96986fd3-3f07-47ed-828c-aa25b8c76169

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: 37/2025・Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 37 / 2025
    Schindellegi, Switzerland – 30 June 2025

    Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    On 28 February 2025, Trifork initiated a share buyback program in accordance with Regulation No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (MAR) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052, (Safe Harbour regulation). The share buyback program runs from 4 March 2025 up to and including no later than 30 June 2025. For details, please see company announcement no. 7 of 28 February 2025.

    Under the share buyback program, Trifork will purchase shares for up to a total of DKK 14.92 million (approximately EUR 2 million). Prior to the launch of the share buyback, Trifork held 256,329 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.3% of the share capital. Under the program, the following transactions have been made:

            Number of shares        Average purchase price (DKK)        Transaction value (DKK)
    Total beginning 122,459 88.90 10,886,082
    23 June 2025 1,765 96.05 169,528
    24 June 2025 1,900 97.32 184,908
    25 June 2025 1,900 96.01 182,419
    26 June 2025 1,900 95.05 180,595
    27 June 2025 1,900 93.31 177,289
    Accumulated 131,824 89.37 11,780,821

    A detailed overview of the daily transactions can be found here: https://investor.trifork.com/trifork-shares/

    Since the share buyback program was started on 4 March 2025, the total number of repurchased shares is 131,824 at a total amount of DKK 11,780,821.
    On 25 March, 25 April, 23 May and 25 June 2025, 5,739 shares acquired through the share buyback program were utilized for the Executive Management’s monthly fixed salary, representing a change from cash payment to payment partly in shares (refer to company announcement no. 1 of 21 January 2025). On 1 April 2025, 19,943 shares acquired through the share buyback program were utilized to serve the RSU plan of Executive Management and certain employees.

    With the transactions stated above, Trifork holds a total of 363,840 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.8%. The total number of registered shares in Trifork is 19,744,899. Adjusted for treasury shares, the number of outstanding shares is 19,381,059.

    Investor and media contact
    Frederik Svanholm, Group Investment Director, frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 73 17

    About Trifork
    Trifork (Nasdaq Copenhagen: TRIFOR) is a pioneering global technology company, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative digital products and solutions. With 1,215 professionals across 71 business units in 16 countries, Trifork specializes in designing, building, and operating advanced software across sectors such as public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. The Group’s R&D arm, Trifork Labs, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic, high-potential technology companies. Learn more at trifork.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Digital Asset Technologies Portfolio Company, LiquidLink Launches Bitcoin Lightning and XRP ILP Nodes

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, BC, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Digital Asset Technologies Inc. (CSE: DATT) (OTCPK: EATBF) (FSE: 988) (“DATT” or the “Company”), a technology focused investment issuer, is pleased to announce that its wholly owned portfolio company, LiquidLink AI Corp. (“LiquidLink”) has launched enterprise-grade infrastructure on the Bitcoin Lightning Network and Ripple’s Interledger Protocol (ILP). These deployments position LiquidLink as a foundational hub in the emerging Internet of Value, much like the backbone ISPs that interconnected global networks in the early 2000s.

    The Lightning Network, Bitcoin’s Layer 2 scaling solution, enables instant, low-cost payments. The Interledger Protocol (ILP) seamlessly routes payments across different ledgers. LiquidLink aims to build one of the most connected hubs, bridging fragmented liquidity pools and enabling reliable settlement between networks. The company focuses on being the infrastructure layer merchants and institutions depend on, rather than simply acquiring Bitcoin or XRP.

    “We see clear parallels between what we’re building and the early internet,” said Marcus Ingram, CEO of LiquidLink. “Wholesale ISPs created backbones that everyone relied on. LiquidLink is developing a payments backbone to deliver liquidity, reliability, and speed across Bitcoin, XRP, and dozens of other networks.”

    With the rise of stablecoins on Bitcoin (via RGB smart contracts and Taproot Assets) and expanding stablecoin support on the XRP Ledger, LiquidLink plans to support this wave of commerce. The recent Clarity for Payment Stablecoins Act (Genius Act) provides clear legal frameworks for regulated stablecoin issuance, further accelerating this momentum.

    LiquidLink’s next milestone with respect to its nodes is creating the first cross-chain liquidity bridge to connect Bitcoin-native assets (including RGB tokens, Taproot Assets, Liquid, and Rootstock) with the XRP Ledger. This bridge will facilitate seamless asset movement between Bitcoin and XRPL.

    LiquidLink’s node business operates independently but complements XRPFY, the company’s flagship platform for efficient payment routing and liquidity discovery. LiquidLink plans to use XRPFY for its own nodes to find cost-effective payment paths and exchange opportunities across networks.

    LiquidLink’s Lightning Network node public address can be tracked on any lightning network explorer; we recommend the following: https://mempool.space/lightning/node/039d3233722961a471d29b6fedf46d9f71585e29e13fe71dccd72c9b3b0668e188

    About Digital Asset Technologies Inc.

    Digital Asset Technologies (CSE: DATT) is a publicly traded investment issuer that identifies and makes equity investments in global companies that are developing and commercializing technology. Through its portfolio company, Liquidlink AI Corp., the Company has entered the blockchain technology sector with a focus on real-world asset tokenization, decentralized infrastructure, and advanced trading analytics.

    Email: info@datech.ca
    ‎Learn more: https://www.datech.ca

    About Liquidlink AI Corp. 
    ‎
    LiquidLink is a portfolio company of Digital Asset Technologies Inc., focused on building secure, interoperable infrastructure for the tokenized economy. Its flagship product, Xrpfy, provides self-custody discovery tools, trading intelligence, and RWA launchpad capabilities for the XRPL ecosystem and is expanding to support multiple blockchains.

    Media Contact:
    ‎    Marcus Ingram
    marcus@liquidlink.ai

    LiquidLink Website: https://liquidlink.ai
    LiquidLink X (Twitter): @LiquidLink_XRP

    The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

    For further information, please contact Marcus Ingram, CEO, marcus@liquidlink.ai.

    Cautionary Note regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as, “subject to”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s business strategy, current and future investments, and updated Investment Policy. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, but the actual results may be materially different from any future expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements can be affected by known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, but not limited to, the equity markets generally and a failure to obtain the necessary approvals from the Canadian Securities Exchange. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Digitalist Group Plc restructures its financing, directed convertible capital bonds to Turret Oy Ab and Holdix Oy Ab

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Digitalist Group Oyj               Inside information        30 June 2025 at 09:00

    Digitalist Group Plc restructures its financing, directed convertible capital bonds to Turret Oy Ab and Holdix Oy Ab

    Loan from Turret Oy Ab

    Digitalist Group Plc (“Digitalist Group” or the “Company”) has agreed with Turret Oy Ab (“Turret”) on a loan of EUR 800,000 (the “Loan”) to strengthen the Company’s working capital. The Company has the right to draw down the Loan in instalments by 31 December 2025. The loan has been agreed on market terms and it is due for repayment on 31 December 2026.

    Turret is the largest shareholder of Digitalist Group.

    In accordance with the provisions of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act concerning related party transactions, the members of the Board of Directors of Digitalist Group, Paul Ehrnrooth and Peter Eriksson, have not participated in the decision-making related to the Loan.

    Convertible Bond 2025/1 to Turret Oy Ab

    The Board of Directors of Digitalist Group resolved, based on the authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting on 29 May 2025, to deviate from the shareholders’ pre-emptive subscription rights and to direct a convertible capital loan pursuant to Chapter 12 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act (the “Convertible Bond 2025/1”) to Turret, together with the special rights entitling to shares as referred to in Chapter 10, Section 1, Subsection 2 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act (the “Special Rights”), to be subscribed by Turret in accordance with the terms and conditions of the loan agreement (the “Terms”).

    The Convertible Bond 2025/1 and the related Special Rights are issued in order to strengthen the Company’s equity, which means that there is a weighty financial reason for the deviation from the pre-emptive right of the shareholders as set out in the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act.

    The main points of the Convertible Bond 2025/1 and the Special Rights Terms attached thereto are as follows:

    • the principal amount is EUR 2,617,363.41;
    • the principal amount is subject to an annual interest rate of 6%;
    • The maximum number of new shares in Digitalist Group to be issued on the basis of the conversion right attached to Convertible Bond 2025/1 is 237,942,126 shares;
    • The Convertible Bond 2025/1 is divided into four (4) notes with a nominal amount of EUR 500,000 and one (1) note with a nominal amount of EUR 617,363.41;
    • The exchange price of the share (which refers to the share subscription price per share in accordance with the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act) during the six (6) months preceding the submission of the Conversion Notification as defined in section 13 of the terms and conditions of the Convertible Bond 2025/1 shall be the trade-weighted average price of the Company’s share on the Helsinki Stock Exchange of Nasdaq Ltd during the six (6) months, provided that each note 1-4, may be exchanged for a maximum of 45,454,545 new shares in the Company and note 5 may be exchanged a maximum of 56,123,946 new shares in the Company. The exchange price of the share will be adjusted in accordance with sections 15 and 16 of the Terms and Conditions of the Convertible Bond 2025/1;
    • The loan period is 30 June 2025 – 30 September 2026 and the Convertible Bond 2025/1 with interest will be repaid in one instalment on 30 September 2026.

    In accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the Convertible Bond 2025/1, Turret has paid the subscription price of the bond to the Company on 30 June 2025 by setting off the accrued interest from the Company’s Convertible Bonds 2021/1, 2021/3 and 2022/1.

    In accordance with the provisions of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act concerning related party transactions, the members of the Board of Directors of Digitalist Group, Paul Ehrnrooth and Peter Eriksson, have not participated in the decision-making related to the Convertible Bond 2025/1.

    Convertible Bond 2025/2 to Holdix Oy Ab

    The Board of Directors of Digitalist Group resolved, based on the authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting on 29 May 2025, to deviate from the shareholders’ pre-emptive subscription rights and to direct a convertible capital loan pursuant to Chapter 12 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act (the “Convertible Bond 2025/2”) to Holdix Oy Ab (“Holdix”), together with the special rights entitling to shares as referred to in Chapter 10, Section 1, Subsection 2 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act (the “Special Rights”), to be subscribed by Holdix in accordance with the terms and conditions of the loan agreement (the “Terms”).

    The Convertible Bond 2025/2 and the related Special Rights are issued in order to strengthen the Company’s equity, which means that there is a weighty financial reason for the deviation from the pre-emptive right of the shareholders as set out in the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act.

    The main points of the Convertible Bond 2025/2 and the Special Rights Terms attached to them are as follows:

    • the principal amount is EUR 1,038,352.60;
    • the principal amount is subject to an annual interest rate of 6%;
    • The maximum number of new shares in Digitalist Group to be issued on the basis of the conversion right attached to Convertible Bond 2025/2 is 94,395,690 shares;
    • The Convertible Bond 2025/2 is divided into one (1) note with a nominal amount of EUR 500,000 and one (1) note with a nominal value of EUR 538,352.60;
    • The exchange price of the share (which refers to the subscription price per share in accordance with the Finnish Companies Act) will be the trade-weighted average price of the Company’s share on the Helsinki Stock Exchange of Nasdaq Ltd during the six (6) months preceding the submission of the Exchange Notification as defined in section 13 of the terms and conditions of the Convertible Bond 2025/2, provided that note 1 may be exchanged for a maximum of 45,454,545 new shares in the Company and note 2 may be exchanged for a maximum of 48,941,145 new shares in the Company. The exchange rate of the Share will be adjusted in accordance with sections 15 and 16 of the Terms and Conditions of the Convertible Bond 2025/2;
    • The loan period is 30 June 2025 – 30 September 2026 and the Convertible Bond 2025/2 with interest will be repaid in one instalment on 30 September 2026;

    Holdix has paid the subscription price of the Convertible Bond 2025/2 to the Company on 30 June 2025 by setting off the accrued interest from the Company’s Convertible Bonds 2021/2 and 2021/4.

    DIGITALIST GROUP OYJ

    Board of Directors

    Further information:

    Digitalist Group Oyj

    CEO Magnus Leijonborg
    tel. +46 76 315 8422 magnus.leijonborg@digitalistgroup.com

    Chairman of the Board Esa Matikainen,
    tel. +358 40 506 0080, esa.matikainen@ digitalistgroup.com

    Distribution:
    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Main media

    https://digitalist.global

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Notice of Digitalist Group Plc’s Extraordinary General Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Digitalist Group Plc                                                                 30 June 2025 at 09:00                       

               

    NOTICE OF DIGITALIST GROUP PLC’S EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

    Notice is given to the shareholders of Digitalist Group Plc (“Company”) of the Extraordinary General Meeting to be held on Wednesday 13 August 2025 at 10 a.m. at the address Siltasaarenkatu 18-20 C, 00530 Helsinki, Finland. The reception of persons who have registered for the meeting and the distribution of voting tickets will commence at 9.15 a.m. Coffee will be served before the meeting to participants in the meeting.

    A. MATTERS ON THE AGENDA OF THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

    The following matters will be considered at the Extraordinary General Meeting:

    1. Opening of the meeting
    1. Calling the meeting to order
    1. Election of persons to scrutinise the minutes and to supervise the counting of votes
    1. Recording the legality of the meeting
    1. Recording the attendance at the meeting and adoption of the list of votes
    1. Share consolidation and the related free directed share issue and redemption of shares

    The Board of Directors proposes to the Extraordinary General Meeting that the Extraordinary General Meeting resolve on the consolidation of the Company’s shares, meaning a reduction in the number of shares. The arrangement is proposed to be implemented through a free directed share issue by transferring the Company’s own shares held in treasury without consideration, and by redeeming the Company’s shares without consideration, so that after the measures proposed herein, each current 250 shares of the Company would correspond to one (1) share in the Company. The current total number of shares in the Company is 693,430,455.

    The objective of the share consolidation is to improve the trading conditions of the Company’s shares by increasing the value per share and improving the price formation of the share. It would not be possible to implement the share redemption required for the consolidation with a sufficiently high redemption ratio without the simultaneous free share issue. The Board considers that the share consolidation is in the best interests of the Company and all its shareholders and that there is thus a particularly weighty financial reason from the Company’s perspective and considering the interests of all shareholders for the consolidation and the related share issue and redemption. The arrangement will not affect the Company’s equity.

    To avoid the creation of fractional shares, the Board proposes that as part of the share consolidation, the Company will transfer its own shares held in treasury without consideration through a directed free share issue in such a way that the number of shares recorded on each book-entry account holding Digitalist Group Plc’s shares on the consolidation date (“Consolidation Date”) will be made divisible by 250. The theoretical maximum number of own shares to be transferred will be calculated by multiplying the total number of such book-entry accounts on the Consolidation Date by 249. Based on an estimate made at the time of the notice to the Extraordinary General Meeting, the theoretical maximum number of shares to be transferred in the directed free share issue would be approximately 1,650,000 shares held by the Company, but to ensure the execution of the share consolidation arrangement, the maximum number of own shares to be transferred in the share issue is proposed to be 4,850,000 shares. The Board is authorized to decide on all other matters related to the transfer of own shares without consideration.

    Simultaneously with the aforementioned transfer of the Company’s shares, the Company will redeem from each shareholder’s book-entry account on the Consolidation Date without consideration a number of shares determined by multiplying the number of shares on each book-entry account by the factor 249/250 (the “Redemption Ratio”). Thus, for every 250 Company shares, 249 Company shares will be redeemed. Based on the situation on the date of the General Meeting notice, the number of shares to be redeemed would be approximately 691,500,000 shares. The Board is authorized to decide on all other matters relating to the redemption of shares. The shares redeemed in connection with the share consolidation will be cancelled immediately upon redemption and will not increase the number of the Company’s own shares held in treasury. Additionally, in connection with the consolidation, a number of the Company’s own treasury shares will be cancelled so that the number of own shares held by the Company and the total number of shares in the Company will both become divisible by 250, and the number of treasury shares will decrease proportionally to the Redemption Ratio.

    The share consolidation will, according to the proposal, be implemented in the book-entry system after the close of trading on 15 August 2025 (the “Consolidation Date”). The cancellation of shares and the new total number of shares in the Company are intended to be registered with the Finnish Trade Register by approximately 18 August 2025. Trading with the Company’s shares under the new total number of shares is expected to commence on Nasdaq Helsinki with a new ISIN code on or about 18 August 2025.

    The proposals included under this item 6 form a single entirety, which requires that both the related directed free share issue and the redemption of shares be approved in a single resolution. The implementation of the proposed share consolidation is conditional on the ability to make the number of shares recorded in each book-entry account divisible by 250 on the Consolidation Date within the maximum number of own shares to be transferred as described above. The consolidation in the proposed manner would not lead to the redemption of all shares from any shareholder.

    Furthermore, the Board proposes that the Extraordinary General Meeting authorize the Board to amend the terms of the Company’s issued special rights and option rights to take into account the share consolidation. If implemented, the arrangement will not require any action from shareholders. If necessary, the trading of the Company’s shares on Nasdaq Helsinki may be temporarily suspended to allow for the required technical arrangements related to the consolidation.
      

    1. Authorisation of the Board of Directors to decide on share issues and on granting special rights entitling to shares

    The Board of Directors proposes that the Extraordinary General Meeting authorise the Board to decide on a share issue, which may be either against payment or without payment, as well as on granting option rights and other special rights entitling to shares that are set out in Chapter 10 Section 1 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act, or on the combination of all or some of the aforementioned instruments in one or more tranches on the following terms and conditions:

    The total number of the Company’s treasury shares and new shares to be issued under the authorisation may not exceed 1,386,000, which corresponds to approximately 50 per cent of all the Company’s shares following the proposed share consolidation as set out in section 6 above.

    Within the limits of the aforementioned authorisation, the Board of Directors may decide on all terms and conditions applied to the share issue and to the special rights entitling to shares, such as that the payment of the subscription price may take place not only by cash but also by setting off receivables that the subscriber has from the Company.

    The Board of Directors shall be entitled to decide on crediting the subscription price either to the Company’s share capital or, entirely or in part, to the invested unrestricted equity fund.

    The share issue and the issuance of special rights entitling to shares may also take place in a directed manner in deviation from the pre-emptive rights of shareholders if there is a weighty financial reason for the Company to do so, as set out the Limited Liability Companies Act. In such a case, the authorisation may be used to finance corporate acquisitions or other investments related to the operations of the Company, to implement corporate restructuring arrangements as well as to maintain and improve the solvency of the Group and to carry out an incentive scheme.

    The authorization is proposed to remain in force until the Annual General Meeting to be held in 2026, however no longer than until 30 June 2026, and it is proposed to revoke the corresponding authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting on 29 April 2025.

    The decision concerning the authorisation requires a qualified majority of at least two thirds of the votes cast and shares represented at the meeting. 

    1. Authorising the Board of Directors to decide on the acquisition and/or on the acceptance as pledge of the Company’s treasury shares

    The Board of Directors proposes that the Extraordinary General Meeting authorise the Board to decide on acquiring or accepting as pledge, using the Company’s distributable funds, a maximum of 270,000 treasury shares, which corresponds to approximately 10 per cent of the Company’s total shares following the proposed share consolidation as set out in section 6 above. The acquisition may take place in one or more tranches. The acquisition price shall not exceed the highest market price of the share in public trading at the time of the acquisition.

    In executing the acquisition of treasury shares, the Company may enter into derivative, share lending or other contracts customary in the capital market, within the limits set out in laws and regulations. The authorisation entitles the Board to decide on an acquisition in a manner other than in a proportion to the shares held by the shareholders (directed acquisition).

    The Company may acquire the shares to execute corporate acquisitions or other business arrangements related to the Company’s operations, to improve its capital structure, or to otherwise further transfer the shares or cancel them.

    The authorisation is proposed to include the right for the Board of Directors to decide on all other matters related to the acquisition of shares.

    The authorization is proposed to remain in force until the Annual General Meeting to be held in 2026, however no longer than until 30 June 2026, and it is proposed to revoke the corresponding authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting on 29 April 2025.

    The decision concerning the authorisation requires a qualified majority of at least two thirds of the votes cast and shares represented at the meeting.

    1. Closing of the Meeting

    B. DOCUMENTS OF THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

    The above-mentioned proposals on the agenda of the Extraordinary General Meeting, the financial statements, the report of the Board of Directors, and the auditor’s report of Digitalist Group Plc, the minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on April 29, 2025, the management’s interim statement for Q1/2025, and the Board of Directors’ report on material events affecting the company’s position after the preparation of the financial statements, as well as this notice to the meeting, will be available to shareholders on Digitalist Group Plc’s website at https://investor.digitalistgroup.com/fi/investor/governance/annual-general-meeting no later than three weeks before the Extraordinary General Meeting. These documents will also be available at the Extraordinary General Meeting, and copies of them as well as this notice will be sent to shareholders upon request. A separate invitation to the Extraordinary General Meeting will not be sent to shareholders. The minutes of the Extraordinary General Meeting will be available on the above-mentioned website no later than August 27, 2025.

    C. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

    1. Right to participate and registration

    Shareholders who are on the record date of the Extraordinary General Meeting, 1 August 2025, registered in the Company’s shareholders’ register, maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd, are entitled to attend the meeting. Shareholders whose shares are registered on their personal Finnish book-entry accounts are registered in the shareholders’ register of the Company.

    Shareholders who wish to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting must give advance notice of their attendance, and the Company must receive such notice, no later than by 4 p.m. on 8 August 2025. Registration for the Extraordinary General Meeting takes place:
                                        

    1. Via Company’s website at https://investor.digitalistgroup.com/fi/investor/governance/annual-general-meeting in accordance with the instructions provided therein;
    2. by email to yhtiokokous@digitalistgroup.com;
    3. by mail to Digitalist Group Plc/Extraordinary General Meeting, Siltasaarenkatu 18-20, 00530 Helsinki, Finland;
    4. by telephone between 9:00 and 16:00 to Aila Mettälä at +358 40 531 0678;

    When giving an advance notice of attendance, please state the shareholder’s name, date of birth / business ID, address, telephone number and the name of any assistant or proxy representative and date of birth of the proxy representative. Personal data provided to the Company by its shareholders is used only in connection with the Extraordinary General Meeting and with processing the necessary registrations related to the meeting.  

    1. Proxy representative and proxy documents

    A shareholder may participate in the Extraordinary General Meeting, and exercise their rights at the Extraordinary General Meeting, by way of proxy representation.

    The shareholder’s proxy representative must produce a dated proxy document or otherwise in a reliable manner demonstrate their right to represent the shareholder. If a shareholder participates in the Extraordinary General Meeting through several proxy representatives representing the shareholder with shares on different securities accounts, the shares by which each proxy representative represents the shareholder shall be identified in connection with the registration for the Extraordinary General Meeting.

    Please furnish the Company with any proxy documents as an email attachment (e.g. in PDF) or by mail, using the above-mentioned contact information for registration, before the last date for registration. In addition to submitting proxy documents, shareholders or their proxy representatives must ensure that they have registered for the Extraordinary General Meeting in the manner described above in this notice.

    Shareholders can also use the electronic Suomi.fi authorization service instead of a traditional proxy document. In this case, the shareholder authorizes a proxy that he/she/it nominates in the Suomi.fi authorization service on the website suomi.fi/e-authorizations (using the mandate theme “Representation at the General Meeting “). In connection with the Extraordinary General Meeting service, any person so authorized must identify themselves with strong electronic identification in connection with the registration, after which the electronic authorization will be checked automatically. Strong electronic identification works with online banking credentials or Mobile ID. More information on the electronic authorization service is available on the website suomi.fi/e-authorizations.    

    1. Holders of nominee-registered shares

    A holder of nominee registered shares has the right to participate in the Extraordinary General Meeting by virtue of such shares based on which they would be entitled to be registered in the shareholders’ register of the Company, maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd, on 1 August 2025.

    Holders of nominee-registered shares are advised to contact their asset managers for information on how to enter the shareholders’ register, on the issuance of proxies and on submitting their notice of attendance in the Extraordinary General Meeting well before the meeting. The account management organisation of the custodian bank must register any holder of nominee-registered shares who wishes to participate in the Extraordinary General Meeting into the temporary shareholders’ register of the Company by 10 a.m. on 8 August 2025 at the latest.

    1. Other instructions and information

    The language of the meeting is mainly Finnish.

    Pursuant to Chapter 5 Section 25 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act, a shareholder who is present at the Extraordinary General Meeting has the right to request information with respect to the matters to be considered at the meeting.

    Changes in shareholding after the record date of the Extraordinary General Meeting will not affect the right to participate in the Extraordinary General Meeting or the number of voting rights held by a shareholder in the meeting.
          
    On the date of this notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting the total number of shares in Digitalist Group Plc, and votes represented by such shares, is 693,430,455. As of June 30, 2025, the company holds a total of 7,664,943 own shares, which do not carry voting rights at the Extraordinary General Meeting.

    In Helsinki on 30 June 2025

    DIGITALIST GROUP PLC                                                                     
    Board of Directors

    For further information, please contact:

    CEO Magnus Leijonborg, tel. +46 76 315 8422,
    magnus.leijonborg@digitalistgroup.com

    Chair of the Board: Esa Matikainen, tel. +358 40 506 0080, esa.matikainen@digitalistgroup.com

    Distribution:

    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Main media
    https://digitalist.global
                                                                                                                          

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Haffner Energy Reports Annual Results for Fiscal Year 2024-2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Haffner Energy Reports Annual Results for Fiscal Year 2024-2025

    Strategic milestones were reached, opening up the prospect of a commercial and economic ramp-up in the current financial year

    Vitry-le-François, France – June 30, 2025, 08:00am (CEST)

    • 2024-2025, a year of milestones demonstrating Haffner Energy‘s technological maturity: commissioning of the Marolles showcase site and green hydrogen production kick-off; signature of a first contract essential to the development of a hydrogen, electricity, and biochar production unit at the Corbat Group site in Glovelier, Switzerland; new strategic partnerships with recognized international players, particularly in the SAF industry;
    • Launch of a capital increase1 that resulted, after the close of the fiscal year, in a €7M fundraising with widening of the free float to almost 25%;
    • Net cash available of €559k at 03/31/2025 and a significantly reduced cash-burn rate, thanks to the ramp-up of the cash preservation plan initiated in November 2023;
    • EBITDA* improved significantly to -€10,011k, driven by revenue returning to positive at €378k and cost reductions, and a net loss of -€12,311k for the year ended 03/31/2025;
    • A consolidated 2025-2026 commercial outlook (total pipeline of €1.55Bn and €388M weighted pipeline2 at the end of March 2025) and a confirmed EBITDA-breakeven target at 03/31/2026.

    HAFFNER ENERGY (ISIN code: FR0014007ND6 – Ticker: ALHAF), just published its consolidated annual results at 03/31/2025, as approved on 06/27/2025 by the Board of Directors. On this occasion, the Company provided an update on its progress and outlook.

    Philippe HAFFNER, Co-founder and CEO of Haffner Energy said:

    “The 2024-2025 financial year is in continuity with the path we embarked on back in the second half of 2023. After launching new offers to expand our addressable market beyond hydrogen and achieving a significant increase in our project portfolio, we continue to roll out our roadmap. This year, we have carried out structuring projects that bring us closer to our objective of profitable growth: first, we have set up an industrial-scale showcase site in Marolles presenting all our technologies, whether in operation or still in development – seemingly the first site in the world to produce green hydrogen from solid biomass; this decisive element for the conversion of our project pipeline into contracts has already enabled us to sign a first contract for the installation of a hydrogen, electricity, and biochar production unit in Switzerland. To support our development, we have also continued to strengthen our network of partnerships with leading players, such as LanzaJet, LanzaTech, Atoba, and Luxaviation for the SAF market.

    In terms of financial results, although the conversion of our project pipeline into contracts had not yet materialized at 03/31/2025 and we remain in a loss-making position, we have recorded an improvement in our EBITDA thanks to the cost-cutting efforts undertaken to preserve our cash. With the first significant contracts expected to be signed, the 2025-2026 financial year should enable us to achieve our target of breakeven EBITDA by March 31, 2026.

    The capital increase launched at the end of the financial year, to which the family holding company Haffner Participation contributed €950k, resulted in a €7M fundraising in early April 2025. It will enable us to support the Company’s development. The success of this operation is due in particular to the commitment of most of our historical shareholders and to the arrival of new investors. We would like to thank them for their confidence in our project and our prospects, despite the recent turbulence on the Haffner Energy stock market.”

    I. 2024-2025: ADVANCES ILLUSTRATE HAFFNER ENERGY’S TECHNOLOGICAL MATURITY

    During the FY 2024-2025, Haffner Energy took crucial steps to accelerate its commercial and industrial development, with the creation of the Marolles showcase site and the signing of major partnership agreements, particularly in the SAF industry.

    Operational commissioning of the Marolles hydrogen and renewable gas production, testing and training center: a strategic priority for the year

    During the period, the attention of the Haffner Energy team was particularly focused on the installation and commissioning of a showcase site for the Company’s technologies and expertise in the Vitry-Marolles business park (Marne County), near its headquarters. Started in late 2023, the development of this production, testing and training center unfolded in several stages: after archaeological excavations, site preparation and equipment assembly, the center entered the renewable gas (syngas) production phase on June 18, 2024 (cf. 06/20/2024 press release). Equipped with new-generation equipment and intended to operate continuously 8,000 hours per year, this site was inaugurated on November 22, 2024, during Industry Week (cf. 11/22/2024 press release and press kit).

    After obtaining regulatory approvals and installing additional equipment, the team dedicated to this project reached a strategic milestone for Haffner Energy’s industrial and commercial development with, in February 2025, the commissioning of mobility-grade green hydrogen production (cf. 02/26/2025 press releases). Green hydrogen produced as part of the activities on the Marolles site – 120 tonnes/year – is to be commercialized. Haffner Energy already signed an offtake Memorandum of Understanding on December 16, 2024, with a French operator specializing in hydrogen removal and resale in order to decarbonize mobility and industry.

    This site now allows the Company’s customers and prospects to test the range of possibilities offered by Haffner Energy technologies at full-scale and with their own biomass: production of “super green” gas and hydrogen, co-production of electricity, production and/or gasification of biocarbon and/or biochar. This site is also intended to train their teams in operating and maintaining the equipment.

    This project, which has resulted in the world’s first known site producing hydrogen from solid biomass residues, was made possible thanks to the support and commitment of the French public authorities through various local and national entities. It has thus benefited from more than €1.5M in public funding3, demonstrating the trust placed in Haffner Energy to contribute to the green reindustrialization strategy led by the French government.

    While the success of this structuring project attests to Haffner Energy’s technological and industrial maturity, it will also demonstrate the economic and ecological relevance of its technologies. Indeed, compared to alternative technologies, water electrolysis in particular, the “super green” hydrogen produced by Haffner Energy through its thermolysis technology is especially competitive due to the low cost of the primary energy used (biomass), combined with excellent energy efficiency (+ 75% for installations > 20MW). In addition, this hydrogen is carbon negative when co-produced biochar is used to sequester biogenic carbon.

    This showcase site is therefore a decisive tool to realize the Company’s commercial potential. In the short term, it will allow several contracts awaiting signature to move forward, as evidenced by the recent signing of a first contract for the construction of a hydrogen, electricity, and biochar production unit from forestry residues on the Corbat Group site in Glovelier, Switzerland, for H2bois SA. This unit, which is expected to be commissioned in July 2026, represents a total order value for Haffner Energy that is likely to reach €8.3M including options (cf. 03/12/2025 press release).

    2024-2025: new strategic partnerships with leading players

    The growing maturity of Haffner Energy’s technologies in their various applications has enabled the Company to amplify the process of building strategic partnerships already underway and to gain the trust of leading players. During this past year, new agreements have mainly occurred in the SAF industry, the Company’s priority segment given its market potential.

    Haffner Energy established a first partnership with the American company LanzaJet in June 2024 in the context of its SAF production plant project, Paris-Vatry SAF (cf. 06/06/2024 press release). A global leader in ATJ (Alcohol-to-Jet) technology, LanzaJet is a remarkably advanced player in the industry with more than 90 SAF projects in its portfolio. It was named in 2024 by Time Magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential Companies”. Its investors include the Aéroport de Paris (ADP) group, British Airways, Airbus, Southwest Airlines and Microsoft, among others.

    A key agreement was also signed in September 2024 with IðunnH2, the green hydrogen and sustainable e-fuel project developer in charge of Iceland’s largest e-SAF production plant project (65,000-tonne capacity). Located near Keflavík International Airport, the site is to be commissioned in 2028, using biogenic carbon from on-site biocarbon gasification with Haffner Energy’s patented technology. This solution was chosen by IðunnH2 for its ability to significantly reduce costs and increase productivity in the e-SAF production process. Indeed, in Iceland, the limited volumes of local biomass mean low access to biogenic carbon, an essential component of SAF. Haffner Energy’s supplies of solid biocarbon, gasified on-site by its Gasiliner®, will provide a competitive and flexible alternative to the usual option of biogenic CO2, a gas that is expensive to capture, transport and store. (cf. 09/02/2024 press release).

    Keen to amplify the scope of their first partnership, Haffner Energy and LanzaJet announced another partnership agreement in January 2025 (cf. 01/28/2025 press release), accompanied by LanzaTech, the developer of a differentiating solution for transforming syngas into ethanol and a LanzaJet shareholder. The Nasdaq-listed company is a recognized leader in commercial carbon management solutions.

    The objective of the tripartite agreement is to explore joint projects for the conversion of biomass residues into sustainable aviation fuel across the entire SAF production value chain by combining the technologies of the three companies. It also involves exploring a variety of opportunities, including the development of industrial facilities, fuel purchase agreements, and joint technology licenses, as well as financial support and/or investment in specific SAF projects.

    Haffner Energy also entered into a partnership agreement with ATOBA Energy in February 2025 (cf. 02/20/2025 press release), a SAF aggregator whose purpose is to solve the financial dilemma between airlines and producers by allowing different players to benefit from long-term SAF contracts at optimized prices, in particular through off-takes from diversified producers and technologies. This partnership should facilitate the financing of Haffner Energy’s SAF projects by removing the barriers of this value chain, as production plant projects struggle with signing the necessary contracts to guarantee investment returns. The identification of Haffner Energy by ATOBA Energy as a strategic player in the SAF ecosystem is another testament to the competitiveness of its technological solutions.

    Lastly, after the end of the fiscal year, Haffner Energy announced a partnership agreement with global business aviation leader Luxaviation to accelerate the production and promotion of SAF. Luxaviation is to take an active role in SAF Zero (cf. 06/18/2024 press release), an initiative launched by Haffner Energy in September 2024 (cf. 09/12/2024 press release).

    In addition, Haffner Energy has pursued its partnership approach aimed at diversifying its sustainable biomass supply sources. In France, a new agreement was signed in August 2024 with Bambbco, leader in the development of the bamboo industry in France (cf. 09/24/2024 press release). The partnership aims to improve the energy use of biomass, particularly on marginal lands and semi-desert areas, by creating local ecosystems for SAF projects. In a similar fashion, Haffner Energy had signed a partnership early 2024 with the US company Hexas, specialized in the production of raw plant-based materials from its regenerative crop: XanoGrass™ (cf. 03/13/2024 press release).

    II. SUCCESSFULLY RAISING THE FUNDS NEEDED TO FINANCE THE COMPANY’S GROWTH

    Shortly before FY 2024-2025 ended, Haffner Energy launched a capital increase through the issue of shares with share subscription warrants (ABSA), while maintaining shareholders’ preferential subscription rights (DPS).

    This operation’s final completion, materialized by the settlement-delivery of the shares on April 4, 2025, i.e. just after the close of the fiscal year, enabled the company to raise €7M and expand its free float, which now stands at almost 25% of the capital.

    As announced in June 2024, and within the framework of the authorizations granted by the Annual General Meeting of September 12, 2024, Haffner Energy raised funds to accelerate the Company’s development. Following a decision by the Board of Directors at its meeting of March 12, 2025, this took the form of a €7M capital increase through the issue of ABSAs with shareholders’ preferential subscription rights (DPS).

    A two-stage transaction: €7M through the issue of ABSAs, potentially doubled if the warrants are exercised within 18 months.

    As a reminder, the operation had the following characteristics:

    – Transaction eligible for the IR-PME, PEA and PEA-PME, FIP-FCPI and Article 150-0 B ter schemes
    – Allocation of preferential subscription rights (DPS): on the basis of 1 preferential subscription right for 1 share held on 03/14/2025
    – Negotiability of DPS from 03/17/2025 to 03/26/2025 inclusive
    – Subscription ratio: 9 ABSA for 23 Existing Shares
    – Subscription price per ABSA: €0.40, i.e. a 59% discount to the closing price on 03/12/2025, the day before the transaction was announced (€0.98).
    – ABSA subscription period from 03/19/2025 to 03/28/2025 inclusive
    – Final completion of the issue recorded on 04/04/2025, for an amount of €6,995,497.60, of which €1,748,874.40 par value and €5,246,623.20 issue premium, bringing the Company’s share capital to €6,218,220.10.
    – Settlement-delivery of the ABSA: 04/04/2025
    – Trading of New Shares (ISIN: FR0014007ND6 – Ticker: ALHAF) and BSAs (ISIN FR001400Y4X9) on Euronext Growth in Paris since 04/04/2025Trading of New Shares (ISIN: FR0014007ND6 – Ticker: ALHAF) and BSAs (ISIN FR001400Y4X9) on Euronext Growth in Paris since 04/04/2025
    – Terms and conditions of exercise of the warrants attached to the ABSAs (on the basis of 1 warrant per New Share): as from 04/04/2026 for a period of 6 months, 3 warrants entitling the holder to subscribe to one New Share at a price of €1.20. Exercise of all the warrants would ultimately represent a potential capital increase of €6,995,498 gross.

    This operation benefited from the renewed support of historical shareholders (Haffner Participation, VICAT, EUREFI) and new investors, who had committed to participate in the transaction up to €5.5M.

    It was carried out with the assistance of Gilbert Dupont, as global coordinator and bookrunner, and CIC Market Solutions as custodian.

    Post-transaction, a modified capital structure and a near-doubling of the free float

    The gross capital increase recorded by the Board of Directors at its meeting on April 1, 2025 amounted to €6,995,497.60, including €1,748,874.40 nominal value and €5,246,623.60 share premium, and resulted in the issuance of 17,488,744 ABSAs at a subscription price of €0.40 per share, including €0.10 nominal value and €0.30 issue premium (cf. press releases of 2/04/2025 and 4/04/2025).

    Following the issuance of ABSA, Haffner Energy’s share capital was increased to €6,218,220.10 divided into 62,182,201 ordinary shares with a nominal value of €0.10.

    The operation led to a change in the breakdown of capital and voting rights. In particular, the capital increase led to a significant increase in the free float (from 12.83% to 24.75%), which should ultimately prove positive for the share’s attractiveness.

    Table: Impact of the ABSA issue on the breakdown of share capital and Differential Voting Rights

      Before Capital Increase After Capital Increase
      Number of shares % of Capital Number of DVR % of exercisable DVRs Number of shares % of Capital Number of DVR % of exercisable DVRs
    Haffner Participation 17 824 000 39,88% 35 648 000 45,15% 20 199 000 32,48% 38 023 000 39,42%
    Eurefi 5 741 600 12,85% 11 483 200 14,54% 8 311 600 13,37% 14 053 200 14,57%
    Sous total Concert 23 565 600 52,73% 47 131 200 59,69% 28 510 600 45,85% 52 076 200 53,99%
    Vicat 1 175 000 2,63% 1 175 000 1,49% 3 675 000 5,91% 3 675 000 3,81%
    Eren Industries 1 000 000 2,24% 2 000 000 2,53% 1 391 302 2,24% 2 391 302 2,48%
    Kouros 11 826 112 26,46% 21 920 542 27,76% 11 826 112 19,02% 21 920 542 22,73%
    HRS 1 000 000 2,24% 1 000 000 1,27% 1 000 000 1,61% 1 000 000 1,04%
    Flottant 5 736 238 12,83% 5 736 238 7,26% 15 388 680 24,75% 15 388 680 15,95%
    Self-holding 390 507 0,87% – 0,00% 390 507 0,63% – 0,00%
    TOTAL 44 693 457 100% 78 962 980 100% 62 182 201 100% 96 451 724 100%

    For the record, a shareholder who did not take part in the operation and previously held 1% of the capital saw a dilutive effect of 0.72% applied to his position.

    After the operation, stock price in turmoil 

    Mechanically, and all other things being equal, Haffner Energy’s share price should have fallen by around 28%, in line with the dilutive effect. However, following the capital increase, the share experienced unexpectedly high trading volumes, due first and foremost to massive and disorderly selling, leading to a drop in the share price to a low of €0.25 on 04/18/2025. Since then, the stock price has begun to rise again (to €0.35 on 06/23/2025). Trade is still occurring in very high volumes, without Haffner Energy having any specific information on their origin.

    III. CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS OF LOW SIGNIFICANCE, MARKED BY EFFORTS TO IMPROVE EBITDA AND PRESERVE CASH

    The consolidated financial statements presented below, for which audit procedures are in progress, were approved by the Board of Directors at its 06/27/2025 meeting. The scope of consolidation and accounting methods used at March 31, 2025, are unchanged from the previous year: Haffner Energy’s consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRS; the only consolidated subsidiary is Jacquier.

    In terms of consolidated financial results, FY 2024-2025 displays a similar profile to the previous one, albeit with a few changes.

    In thousands of euros 03.31.25
    (12 months)    		 03.31.24
    (12 months)
    Net sales
    Other income    		 378
    79    		 -157
    69
    EBITDA -10,011 -12,791
    Operating result -12,275 -10,263
    Net income -12,311 -9,935
    Shareholders’ equity 14,300 26,768
    Cash available 5594 11,042

    At 03/31/025, consolidated revenue remained amounted to €378k. It mainly comprised sales of boiler-making equipment by Jacquier and various services and studies by Haffner Energy.

    As a reminder, consolidated revenue was negative for FY 2023-2024 (-157 k€) due to the impact of the termination of the R-Hynoca contract in December 20235 (cf. 14/12/2023 press release).

    Confirmed EBIDTA improvement thanks to cost-cutting measures

    Extending the trend of the first half of the year, EBITDA6continued to improve to -€10,011k, under the combined effect of the decrease in purchases consumed (-15%), personnel costs (-17%) and external expenses (-23%), resulting from the full impact of the cash preservation plan initiated in November 2023.

    Operating result nevertheless deteriorated (-€12,275k at 03/31/2025, down €2,012k compared to 03/31/2024). This change is mainly due to the reversal of provisions for losses on completion from the previous year in the amount of €5,787k.

    As of 03/31/2025, consolidated net income stood at -€12,311k, registering a larger loss than last year (-€9,935k at 03/31/2024).

    After appropriation of net income, shareholders’ equity amounted to €14,300k, excluding the impact of the capital increase which will be taken into account in FY 2025-2026 due to its completion after the closing date.

    Haffner Energy’s other assets and liabilities are as follows:

    On the assets side, non-current assets (€11,250k, or +€309k) were almost stable, mainly composed of intangible assets representing the Company’s intellectual property (€8,105k as of 03/31/2025 compared to €7,843k as of 03/31/2024). Current assets, on the other hand, contracted significantly to €22,456k (-€12,321k), mainly due to:

    • the consumption of a significant portion of cash (€559k as of 03/31/2025 compared to €11,042k as of 03/31/2024).
    • the decrease in other current assets (advances paid to suppliers for €2,464k and Research Tax Credit for €941k).

    Conversely, inventories and outstandings increased, reaching €13,432k at the end of the financial year (+€3,287k) mainly due to the installation of the Marolles site.

    On the liabilities side, shareholders’ equity amounted to €14,300k at 03/31/2025 (a decrease of €12,468k) mainly due to the allocation of the year’s profit to reserves. It should be noted that the capital increase is not taken into account as of 03/31/2025.
    Non-current liabilities decreased slightly (-€268k at 03/31/2025 to €5,833k). This change takes into account the €500k RDI loan received from Bpifrance in March 2025.
    Current liabilities, meanwhile, increased +€725k to €13,574k at 31/03/2025. This change is mainly due to the net increase in provisions ongoing litigations (+€882k to €1,116k at 31/03/2025).

    It should be noted that, as the proceedings with Sara and Carbonloop are still in progress, the balance sheet position of previous years has been maintained. In addition, a provision has been booked in respect of employee-related litigation.

    Net cash position necessitates fundraising despite reduced cash-burn rate

    As of 03/31/2025, net cash and cash equivalents amounted to €559k.

    As a reminder, the main measures of the cash preservation plan initiated since November 2023 and implemented during the year have focused on:

    • Overheads in addition to reinforced budget management and expense control measures, the company reduced fees, cancelled non-essential service or subcontracting contracts whose tasks could be handled internally, changed payroll managers, renegotiated the commercial terms of other contracts, and limited travel and related expenses to essentials.
      • Payroll: in addition to the freeze on recruitment and replacements, as well as the absence of a general salary increase over FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-2025, Haffner Energy implemented a targeted redundancy plan in the summer of 2024, resulting in the loss of nine (9) positions. Subsequent to the balance sheet date, a redundancy plan for economic reasons was launched at SAS Jacquier. This redundancy plan resulted in the departure of three (3) employees from the workforce on 06/16/2025.
      • Leased surface areas: these have been reduced in both Nantes and Paris, thanks to the relocation of the Paris offices in January 2025 and the termination of the lease on the 1st floor of the Nantes offices.
      • Postponement of non-priority investments, such as the deployment of a new ERP system (€1.3M).
      • Renegotiations with strategic partners and service providers to review certain delivery schedules and invoice payment deadlines (€3M)
      • Deferrals of payments illustrating the commitment of all internal stakeholders to the company, such as the deferral of the payment of the individual portion of employees’ target-based bonuses and the payment of directors’ fees; lastly, we note the waiver by the two executives and founding investors, Philippe and Marc Haffner, of the variable portion of their remuneration for FY 2023-2024, as well as the temporary two-stage reduction of part of their fixed remuneration for FY 2023-2024 and FY 2024-2025. These amounts have been provisioned in the financial statements.

    Thanks to the implementation of these cost-saving measures, the average monthly cash-burn rate was significantly reduced during the year, gradually falling from €1.4M at the end of 2023 to €1M at the end of 2024, to about €0.6M per month in Q1 2025 (calendar year), excluding income and non-recurring expenses.

    In order to ensure that the Company would have the necessary resources to pursue its development until the expected ramp-up in revenue, and as announced as early as June 2024, Haffner Energy therefore initiated the above-mentioned capital increase during the year (see page 4).          

    Having carried out a review of its liquidity risk, the Company considers that it will have sufficient cash to finance its activities until at least 03/31/2026.

    This cash outlook takes into account:

    – The €7M capital increase finally subscribed on April 4, 2025, after the closing of FY 2024-2025;

    – The receipt, in March 2025, of a €500k innovation grant from Bpifrance (RDI loan) for the hydrogen production, testing and training center project in Marolles (Marl’Hy);

    – Cost reductions undertaken by the Company (see page 8) that cap the average monthly cash burn-rate, excluding non-recurring income and expenses, at around €600k (compared with €1M at the end of 2024).

    In the 1st half of the year, this is subject to the successful completion of the endurance test at the Marolles site and the signature of the resulting contracts, as well as to the obtaining, during the year, of additional financing linked to the equipment at the Marolles site.

    IV. PROJECTS AND PROSPECTS: FOUR NEW OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES

    For the current financial year, the Haffner Energy team, boosted by the confidence and support from its business partners, shareholders and institutional ecosystem, has set four new operational priorities: accelerating the conversion of its pipeline, moving forward with the implementation of targeted strategic projects, continuing to structure its action, and simplifying its governance.

    Accelerating pipeline conversion

    At the end of FY 2024-2025, Haffner Energy had an estimated total sales pipeline of €1.55Bn compared to €1.4Bn at 03/31/2024, confirming a high level of commercial activity due to the various initiatives undertaken since mid-2023: launch of a high-capacity offer for the renewable gas market (syngas) and a SAF offer; business development in the United States through the creation of a subsidiary; increased presence in various US trade fairs dedicated to renewable energies and hydrogen7.

    On the occasion of its capital increase, and in order to offer a clearer and more representative view of its business and prospects, the Company decided to adopt a communication based on a weighted sales pipeline** instead of medium-term annual revenue targets, as was previously practiced, as projects typically convert into backlog over a two-year cycle. This weighted pipeline is determined by applying a probability of success to the potential revenue of each project that counts in the sales pipeline

    At the end of March 2025, Haffner Energy’s weighted sales pipeline stood at €388M.

    Two contracts for hydrogen production equipment had been identified as likely to be signed following the start of hydrogen production at the Marolles site in February 2025 (cf. 02/26/2025 press release).

    The first of these is the H2bois project, for which Haffner Energy signed an initial contract on 03/12/2025, which is essential for the creation of this unit to produce hydrogen, electricity, and biochar from biomass at the Swiss Corbat group’s site (cf. 03/12/2025 press release). With delivery of the site scheduled for July 2026, orders for Haffner Energy are expected to be staggered between now and the end of FY 2025-2026.

    The second regards REFORMERS’ Renewable Energy Valley project in Alkmaar in the Netherlands. The latter was awarded the 2025 World Hydrogen Award, “Clean Project” category, May 22, 2025, in Rotterdam, thanks to the choice of HYNOCA® as the green hydrogen production technology included in the project.

    Advancing the implementation of a number of targeted strategic projects: R&D, Marolles, and commercial partnerships

    While growing the market for existing solutions is the priority for the current financial year, Haffner Energy has continued and will continue to invest time in Research & Development in order to offer its customers new or optimized solutions. The performance of its biomass thermolysis technology is indeed the source of the recognition enjoyed by the Group. In particular, before the end of FY 2024-2025, the Company was awarded the “Innovative Company” label by Bpifrance. This recognition enabled the company to welcome an FCPI fund to its capital.

    In April 2025, the Group presented a new line of production units, Hynoca® Flex 500 IG, capable of producing 12 tonnes per day of marketable green hydrogen for less than €3/kg without subsidies, and of generating profitable renewable electricity at peak times (cf. 24/04/2025 press release). Competitive with grey hydrogen and fossil fuels thanks to its energy efficiency of over 80%, this new solution offers all the flexibility of hydrogen and electricity cogeneration, enabling producers’ sites to manage random hydrogen demand and benefit from continuous operation without having to lock themselves into rigid off-take contracts.

    The current year’s priorities also include optimizing equipment at the strategic Marolles site, and in particular finalizing the installation of the Gasiliner® (cf. 11/22/2024 press release).

    The Haffner Energy team has also been working to advance the strategic Paris-Vatry SAF project. During FY 2024-2025, the Company finalized the creation of SPV (Special Project Vehicle) PARIS VATRY SAF SAS. In addition, Luxembourg-based Luxaviation, a global business aviation leader, confirmed its interest in playing an active role in spin-off SAF Zero at the International Paris Air Show this month. Luxaviation’s participation could take the form of financing the initial development of SAF activities, supporting strategy and global visibility, as well as off-take agreements in SAF Zero projects such as Paris-Vatry SAF (cf. 06/18/2025 press release).

    Finally, the FactorHy project of a first plant to assemble renewable gas and hydrogen production modules is still underway. Preliminary studies have been completed and detailed studies for the building permit application are continuing.

    Continuing to structure its action

    Having completed the creation of Haffner Energy Inc., an unconsolidated US subsidiary, in May 2024, Haffner Energy will continue to work on structuring its action and future developments with a view, in particular, to making effective progress in the SAF market. For current FY, the Company intends to launch SAF Zero, a spin-off designed to maximize its potential in this booming market (cf. 12/09/2024 press release and 18/06/2025 press releases).

    Simplifying its governance

    In addition, Haffner Energy has decided to simplify its corporate governance to enhance efficiency.

    At its meeting on 05/09/2025, the Board of Directors decided to propose the following to the 06/23/2025 Combined General Meeting of Shareholders:

    • a reduction in the number of Board members, with the early termination of the terms of office of Kouros France and Kouros SA, who also undertook to reduce their shareholding following the capital increase in which they did not wish to participate;
    • a partial renewal of the Board’s membership, to allow the entry of a new director representing the Luxembourg company Eren Industries, one of Haffner Energy’s industrial shareholders. A partner of Haffner Energy’s since the Company’s IPO, this recognized player in the energy transition is dedicated to technological innovation in the service of the natural resource economy. Eren Industries develops and invests in infrastructure projects, particularly in low-carbon energy production (hydrogen, biogas, biomethane, etc.), some of which could be projects of interest to Haffner Energy, and will provide the Board with all its sector expertise.
    • An update of the statutes simplifying the majority rules applicable to certain Board decisions, in line with common practice.

    All the resolutions were adopted at the June 23, 2025 General Shareholders’ Meeting.

    It should be noted that the Board of Directors has decided to reduce the attendance fees of independent directors as from the next financial year. Non-independent directors will not be remunerated.

    In addition, Mrs Bich Van Ngo and Mrs Sophie Dutordoir, independent directors, resigned from the Board at the close of the Annual General Meeting on 06/23/2025.

    Mr. Olivier Piron (Société E-Venture Management and Investment srl) was co-opted to the Board of Directors as an independent director at the close of the Board meeting of 06/27/2025.

    As a result, Haffner Energy’s Board of Directors is now composed of six (6) members, up from eight (8) previously:

    • Mr. Philippe Haffner, Chairman and CEO of Haffner Energy
    • Mr. Marc Haffner, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Haffner Energy
    • Mrs. Francesca Ecsery, independent
    • Société E-Venture Management and Investment srl, with Mr. Olivier Piron as permanent representative
    • Europe and Growth, with Mr. Xavier Dethier as permanent representative
    • Eren Industries SA, with Mr. David Corchia as permanent representative

    Next events

    Shareholder webinar : July 1, 2025 – register here

    Annual General Meeting : September 10, 2025

    More detailed financial information on the annual accounts at 03/31/2025 is available on the website www.haffner-energy.com.

    About Haffner Energy

    Haffner Energy designs, manufactures, supplies, and operates biofuel and hydrogen solutions using biomass residues. Its innovative, patented thermolysis technology produces Sustainable Aviation Fuel, as well as renewable gas, hydrogen, and methanol. The company also contributes to regenerating the planet through the co-production of biogenic CO2 and biochar. A company co-founded 32 years ago by Marc and Philippe Haffner, Haffner Energy has been working from the outset to decarbonize industry and all forms of mobility, as well as governments and local communities. Haffner Energy is listed on Euronext Growth (ISIN code : FR0014007ND6 – Mnémonique : ALHAF).

    Investor relations

    investisseurs@haffner-energy.com

    Media relations        

    Laure BOURDON
    laure.bourdon@haffner-energy.com
    +33 (0) 7 87 96 35 15

    Glossary:

    The Company is now adopting a communication based on a weighted sales pipeline instead of medium-term annual revenue targets, as was previously practiced, as projects typically convert into backlog over a two-year cycle.

    * Pipeline designates a business opportunity when at least one of the following situations occurs:
    – a preliminary feasibility study for the installation of equipment is, or has been, carried out; or
    – a budget offer, or a preliminary business plan for the project, or a complete commercial offer including specifications, has been sent to the customer and Haffner Energy is awaiting its response; or
    – a letter of intent has been sent to Haffner Energy by the customer; or
    – Haffner Energy has received an invitation to participate and is part of a tender process.

    ** The weighted pipeline is determined by applying a probability of success to the potential sales of each project included in the total pipeline. Thus, given a total pipeline of projects worth €1.55Bn at March 31, 2025, the weighted pipeline at March 31, 2025 stood at €388M, with “hydrogen projects” now accounting for only 18% of the weighted pipeline.

    1 Subscription period for the Capital Increase closed on 03/29/2025, Settlement-Delivery on 04/04/2025.
    2 In order to offer a clearer and more representative view of its business and prospects, the Company is now adopting a communication based on a weighted sales pipeline instead of medium-term annual revenue targets, as was previously practiced, as projects typically convert into backlog over a two-year cycle. This weighted pipeline is determined by applying a probability of success to the potential revenue of each project that counts in the sales pipeline.

    3 Including an Innovation-Research and Development Loan (PIRD) in the amount of €500k granted by Bpifrance and received in early March 2025.
    4 Cash and cash equivalents at 03/31/2025 do not include the €7M fundraising, which was completed after closing on 04/04/2025
    5 The termination of the R-Hynoca contract was accompanied by a memorandum of understanding under which Haffner Energy will have to make two residual payments (€1M before 12/31/2025 and €0.85M before 12/31/2026).
    6 EBITDA corresponds to operating income before depreciation and amortization, impairment net of reversals of fixed assets and current assets, and before operating provisions net of reversals.
    7 Since January 2025, Haffner Energy has participated in Hyvolution Paris 2025, Bio360 Expo 2025 in Nantes, World Electrolysis Congress 2025 in Cologne, World Hydrogen Summit 2025 in Rotterdam, for example.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NBPE Announces Transaction in Own Shares

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, ITALY, DENMARK, JAPAN, THE UNITED STATES, OR TO ANY NATIONAL OF SUCH JURISDICTIONS

    St Peter Port, Guernsey    30 June 2025

    NB Private Equity Partners (“NBPE” or the “Company”) today announces details of Class A Shares bought back pursuant to general authority granted by shareholders of the Company on 12 June 2025 and the share buy-back agreement with Jefferies International Limited.

    Transaction on London Stock Exchange

    Date of purchase of Shares 27 June 2025
    Number of Shares purchased 1,500 Class A Shares
    Highest price/lowest price paid £14.28 / £14.28
    ISIN for the Shares GG00B1ZBD492

    All Class A Shares bought back will be cancelled. Following the cancellation, the number of outstanding Class A Shares is 45,498,210‬. The Company also has 3,150,408 Class A shares held in treasury. For reporting purposes under the FCA’s Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules the market should use the figure of 45,498,210 voting rights when determining if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company.

    For further information, please contact:

    NBPE Investor Relations        +44 20 3214 9002
    Luke Mason        NBPrivateMarketsIR@nb.com

    Kaso Legg Communications        +44 (0)20 3882 6644

    Charles Gorman        nbpe@kl-communications.com
    Luke Dampier
    Charlotte Francis

    About NB Private Equity Partners Limited
    NBPE invests in direct private equity investments alongside market leading private equity firms globally. NB Alternatives Advisers LLC (the “Investment Manager”), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Neuberger Berman Group LLC, is responsible for sourcing, execution and management of NBPE. The vast majority of direct investments are made with no management fee / no carried interest payable to third-party GPs, offering greater fee efficiency than other listed private equity companies. NBPE seeks capital appreciation through growth in net asset value over time while paying a bi-annual dividend.

    LEI number: 213800UJH93NH8IOFQ77

    About Neuberger Berman

    Neuberger Berman is an employee-owned, private, independent investment manager founded in 1939 with over 2,800 employees in 26 countries. The firm manages $515 billion of equities, fixed income, private equity, real estate and hedge fund portfolios for global institutions, advisors and individuals. Neuberger Berman’s investment philosophy is founded on active management, fundamental research and engaged ownership. Neuberger Berman has been named by Pensions & Investments as the #1 or #2 Best Place to Work in Money Management for each of the last eleven years (firms with more than 1,000 employees). Visit www.nb.com for more information. Data as of March 31, 2025.

    This press release appears as a matter of record only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any security.

    NBPE is established as a closed-end investment company domiciled in Guernsey. NBPE has received the necessary consent of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission. The value of investments may fluctuate. Results achieved in the past are no guarantee of future results. This document is not intended to constitute legal, tax or accounting advice or investment recommendations. Prospective investors are advised to seek expert legal, financial, tax and other professional advice before making any investment decision. Statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are based on current expectations, estimates, projections, opinions and beliefs of NBPE’s investment manager. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and undue reliance should not be placed thereon. Additionally, this document contains “forward-looking statements.” Actual events or results or the actual performance of NBPE may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such targets or forward-looking statements.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Dividend payment ex-date of Aktsiaselts Infortar

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Aktsiaselts Infortar will pay the first instalment of dividends for the 2024 financial year in the net amount 1.5 euros per share. List of shareholders entitled to dividends will be recorded on 4 July 2025 at the end of the business day of the settlement system of the securities registrar (record-date).  The day of change of the rights related to the shares (ex-date) is 3 July 2025. From this date onwards, persons acquiring shares will not be entitled to receive dividends for the financial year 2024 on 15 July 2025.

    Dividend shall be paid to the Shareholders on 15 July 2025 by transfer to the bank account.

    Infortar operates in seven countries, the company’s main fields of activity are maritime transport, energy and real estate. Infortar owns a 68.47% stake in Tallink Grupp, a 100% stake in Elenger Grupp and a versatile and modern real estate portfolio of approx. 141,000 m2. In addition to the three main areas of activity, Infortar also operates in construction and mineral resources, agriculture, printing, and other areas. A total of 110 companies belong to the Infortar group: 101 subsidiaries, 4 affiliated companies and 5 subsidiaries of affiliated companies. Excluding affiliates, Infortar employs 6,296 people.

    Additional information:
    Kadri Laanvee
    Investor Relations Manager
    Phone: +372 5156662
    e-mail:     kadri.laanvee@infortar.ee
    www.infortar.ee/en/investor

     

    The MIL Network –

  • BWF US Open: Ayush Shetty clinches men’s singles title, Tanvi Sharma finishes as runner-up

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Ayush Shetty clinched his maiden title on the BWF World Tour after defeating Canada’s Brian Yang in the final of the US Open, a BWF Super 300 badminton tournament, held at the Mid-America Center on Monday (IST).

    The 2023 World Junior Championships bronze medallist Ayush registered a commanding 21-18, 21-13 victory over World No. 33 Yang in just 47 minutes, capping off a stellar week.

    “Ayush Shetty clinches maiden BWF Super 300 title, winning the US Open 2025! He dismantled Brian Yang in straight games — 21-13, 21-18 — with commanding flair right from start to finish. A breakthrough triumph that cements his arrival among badminton’s elite and marks the rise of a new Indian powerhouse,” the Badminton Association of India (BAI) said in a post on X.

    The fourth-seeded Ayush began his campaign with a 21-17, 21-19 win over Danish World No. 85 Magnus Johannesen, before defeating compatriot Tharun Mannepalli 21-12, 13-21, 21-15 in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, he registered a 22-20, 21-9 win over World No. 70 Kuo Kuan Lin.

    His biggest win came in the semifinal, where he defeated World No. 6 Chou Tien Chen 21-23, 21-15, 21-14 — avenging his loss to Chou in the Taipei Open 2025 semifinal.

    Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma’s dream run ended with a runner-up finish after a hard-fought final against 34-year-old veteran Beiwen Zhang, which ended 11-21, 21-16, 10-21.

    “What a run! 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma stuns the badminton world with a dream performance at the US Open 2025 finals! She defeated WR23, WR58, WR50 & WR40 before falling just short in a gripping final vs 34-year-old veteran Beiwen Zhang — 11-21, 21-16, 10-21. She may have missed the title, but Tanvi won hearts, turned heads, and sparked a new dawn for Indian women’s badminton,” the BAI said on X.

    On Saturday, Tanvi became the youngest Indian badminton player to reach a BWF World Tour final, having already defeated second seed Nguyễn Thùy Linh of Vietnam and former junior world champion Pitchamon Opatniputh of Thailand in earlier rounds.

    Tanvi has two international badminton titles to her name, both at the BWF International Challenge level — including a recent win in Denmark in May. She also reached the final of the Odisha Masters BWF Super 100 tournament last year.

    IANS

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iran Calls on UN to Recognize Israel and US as Initiators of “Aggression”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    TEHRAN, June 30 (Xinhua) — Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi Abbas on Sunday called on the UN Security Council to recognize Israel and the United States as the initiators of “aggression” against Iran.

    In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN Security Council President Caroline Rodriguez-Birkett, A. Araghchi called on the Council to shoulder its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security, the official IRNA news agency reported.

    He accused Israel of deliberately targeting residential buildings, civilians and civilian infrastructure, calling the attacks a “flagrant violation” of the UN Charter and a “flagrant breach” of international law.

    A. Araghchi said that Israel and the United States also struck Iran’s nuclear facilities protected by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is a “gross violation of the UN Charter, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and IAEA documents and resolutions.”

    Iran’s Foreign Minister stressed that the UN Security Council must hold the “aggressors” accountable and take measures to prevent the repetition of such “crimes.”

    On June 13, Israel launched major airstrikes on several areas of Iran. Iran responded with several waves of missiles and drones targeting Israel.

    On June 22, the United States bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities. In response, Iran struck the American Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

    On June 24, after 12 days of fighting, a ceasefire was reached between Iran and Israel. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The experience and wisdom of the CPC in building a socially oriented state serve as a beacon for other countries and peoples – First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    MINSK, June 30 /Xinhua/ — The experience and wisdom of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in building a socially oriented state and socialism with Chinese characteristics serve as a beacon for other countries and peoples, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus (CC CPB) Sergei Syrankov said in an interview with a Xinhua correspondent in Minsk the other day.

    According to him, the CPC has shown the world by its example that the ideas of socialism can be successfully implemented in the state. “The focus on increasing the well-being of the masses instead of elite groups gives a colossal result for the state and society. Now the ideas of socialism with Chinese characteristics are in great demand in other countries. The experience and wisdom of the CPC in terms of building a socially oriented state and socialism with Chinese characteristics act as a beacon for other countries and peoples. China shows how to fight for its freedoms and how to become stronger on the path to building global socialism,” noted S. Syrankov.

    He noted that thanks to the CPC, the Chinese people have achieved outstanding results in the economy, finance, science, technology, culture, and art. “We see how China’s infrastructure is developing by leaps and bounds: high-speed highways and roads are being built, and construction complexes of any complexity are being quickly erected. All of this has become possible only thanks to the CPC’s focus on serving the people. In fact, we see that China’s wealth is not in the hands of some oligarchic elite or Western corporations, but is working for the benefit of the people,” the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus emphasized.

    S. Syrankov especially noted that thanks to the CPC, the people of China became free and independent. “It was the CPC that directed the Chinese people to the great struggle against imperialism. And now, after 104 years, we see that only the strength of spirit and wisdom of the CPC allow us to successfully overcome all the difficult moments in relations with the United States and other Western countries focused on unfair competition, sanctions, pressure, intimidation, and wars,” he said.

    In addition, S. Syrankov emphasized that it was the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping who carried out economic reforms under the slogan “Chinese Dream”, which contributed to the high rates of economic growth of the country and an increase in the well-being of the nation.

    “The Chairman of the PRC Xi Jinping is a leader who acts exclusively in the interests of the Chinese people. He understands and feels the needs of ordinary Chinese citizens and is focused on maximizing their well-being. He is demanding of himself and his subordinates, does not allow weaknesses and is focused on constant self-discipline. It is precisely these approaches that allow the Chairman of the PRC to receive recognition, love and support from the masses of China,” S. Syrankov emphasized.

    He also drew attention to the fact that relations between China and Belarus are at the highest level – all-weather and comprehensive strategic partnership. This became possible due to the high level of trust that has formed between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

    “Trust determines the development of all areas of our relations: economy, trade, culture, art, security. It is worth noting that the visit of the President of Belarus to China in early June 2025 outlined the further vector of development of our relations. Among them are the deepening of scientific and technological cooperation, the involvement of Belarusian enterprises in complex production processes of Chinese companies. We also see further deepening of cooperation between the two countries not only in the sphere of economy, science, but also in inter-party interaction,” summed up S. Syrankov. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China Manufacturing PMI Rises to 49.7 in June /more details/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) — China’s manufacturing sector picked up momentum in June as more industries returned to growth and high-tech and consumer goods output remained robust, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Monday.

    According to the department, the purchasing managers’ index (PMI) in the manufacturing sector of China in June was 49.7, compared with 49.5 in May and 49 in April.

    Of the 21 industries surveyed, 11 saw expansion in June, compared with 7 in May.

    The PMI index for equipment manufacturers, high-tech products and consumer goods manufacturers was 51.4, 50.9 and 50.4, respectively, remaining in the positive zone for the second month in a row.

    As is known, a PMI above 50 indicates expansion of the sector, while below 50 indicates contraction.

    The GSU data also showed that China’s non-manufacturing PMI in June was 50.5, up 0.2 percentage points from May. The overall PMI thus rose from 50.4 to 50.7. The rise in all three key indicators suggests that China’s overall economic climate is improving further, said Zhao Qinghe, a statistician at the department. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Ōtāhuhu homicide: Man in custody

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police is speaking with a man in connection with a homicide investigation underway in Ōtāhuhu.

    Enquiries began after a callout to Beatty Street at about 8.30pm on Sunday night, to reports of a person being seriously injured.

    A man was transported to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.

    Detective Inspector Karen Bright, of Counties Manukau CIB, says the investigation team took a man into custody this afternoon.

    “We are currently speaking to the 31-year-old as part of our enquiries,” she says.

    “This is positive progress in our investigation and at this point we are not seeking anyone else.”

    Police anticipate confirmation of charging decisions tomorrow morning.

    “Other aspects of our enquiry will continue, with a scene examination and a post-mortem examination to be carried out,” Detective Inspector Bright says.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New criminal offences for coward punches

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is introducing specific coward punch offences to ensure perpetrators receive tougher sentences, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
    “A ‘coward punch’ gets its name for obvious reasons. These attacks affect everyday Kiwis and are often committed by cowardly attackers, who strike when the victim is distracted. 
    “We know how dangerous they are. People can be killed or suffer lifelong brain injuries, yet perpetrators often receive lenient and insufficient sentences.
    “This fulfils a commitment in the National/New Zealand First coalition agreement, to introduce legislation to create an offence for anyone who injures or kills someone with a coward punch.
    “Specific offences will ensure the consequence reflects the gravity of the crime.
    “It builds on our plan to restore law and order, which we know is working, and will help reduce the number of victims of violent crime.”
    The charges and penalties are:

    An assault offence for one punch attacks which cause grievous bodily harm with associated maximum penalties of:

    Eight years imprisonment when the offender intended to cause injury or acted with reckless disregard for safety,
    Fifteen years imprisonment when the offender intended to cause grievous bodily harm.

    A culpable homicide offence for a one punch attack which results in death with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

    Both new offences will be added to the Three Strikes Regime. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Bill to regulate online casino gambling introduced

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden has today introduced the Online Casino Gambling Bill to the House of Representatives.
    “The Online Casino Gambling Bill will introduce a regulatory system for online gambling in New Zealand, which will prioritise harm minimisation, consumer protection, and tax collection,” says Ms van Velden.
    Cabinet has previously agreed to introduce new legislation to regulate the online casino gambling market, which is currently unregulated in New Zealand. Key features of the Bill include:

    Up to 15 licences for online casino gambling operators will be auctioned
    Companies applying for a licence will need to provide detailed information to the regulator, including on their business plans for New Zealand
    Licensed operators will be allowed to advertise, with restrictions
    Unlicensed operators will be prohibited and fines up to $5 million may be applicable for breaking the law

    Detailed regulations about advertising and harm minimisation standards are currently being developed and will set out the specific requirements that operators must abide by.
    “The Bill will proceed to select committee later this year and New Zealanders will have the ability to have their say through the select committee process.”
    The introduction of the Bill meets action 21 on the Coalition Government’s Quarter Two Action Plan. The Bill is publicly available here: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2025/0178/latest/LMS1449135.html

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Consultation on Guidance for the Australian Clearing and Settlement Facility Resolution Regime

    Source: Reserve Bank of Australia

    The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has today released a consultation paper on proposed guidance for the Australian Clearing and Settlement (CS) Facility Resolution Regime.

    In September 2024, the Australian Parliament passed the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Market Infrastructure and Other Measures) Act 2024. This amended the Corporations Act 2001 to provide the RBA with crisis resolution powers with respect to domestically incorporated clearing and settlement (CS) facilities. These powers enable the RBA to manage or respond to a threat posed to the continuity of critical CS facility services or the stability of the financial system in Australia arising in relation to a domestic CS facility licensee.

    The RBA has developed draft guidance to provide transparency about when and how the RBA would generally expect to use these resolution powers. It aims to assist CS facilities, their users, market operators and other stakeholders to understand the RBA’s general approach to resolution and the potential effects on them if the RBA decides to use a resolution power.

    The RBA is inviting submissions on this consultation from interested parties by 11 August 2025. Following the consultation, the RBA will publish the finalised guidance.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Panasonic Group joins the Valuable 500—To create an inclusive society founded on the belief in the potential of all people

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Panasonic Group joins the Valuable 500—To create an inclusive society founded on the belief in the potential of all people

    Osaka, Japan – Panasonic Holdings Corporation (Kadoma City, Osaka, Japan; Group CEO: Yuki Kusumi) is proud to announce that the Panasonic Group has joined the Valuable 500, a partnership driving disability inclusion. Panasonic Group’s commitment has been officially released today on the Valuable 500 website.
    Valuable 500 is an initiative launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos in January 2019, aiming to build a society where people with disabilities can fully realize their potential and contribute to social and economic value. The initiative seeks to engage over 500 partners and companies worldwide in support of this mission.
    Katy Talikowska, CEO of the Valuable 500, commented on Panasonic Group’s joining: “Every company that joins the Valuable 500 propels us forward in our mission to build an inclusive world for the 1.3 billion people with disabilities. Panasonic Group’s pledge to take action and be accountable for change is a testament to their leadership and the power of our collective efforts as we approach SYNC25.”
    Panasonic’s founder Konosuke Matsushita once said, “Every single person has their heaven-sent qualities found in no other, and success in life depends on making the most of our unique qualities.” Based on this philosophy, the Panasonic Group will strive to design a world where diverse people respect one another and can realize their full potential.

    1. Fostering Career Development
    We are cultivating a work environment where all employees, including those with disabilities, can grow and contribute meaningfully. Programs such as Unlock Yourself—designed for employees with disabilities and their supervisors—support career development and foster mutual understanding.

    2. Improving Accessibility
    Going beyond legal compliance, we are promoting work environments that are tailored to meet voiced needs. We encourage employees to take the initiative and design accessibility maps, as accessibility remains a shared priority at every level of the organization.

    3. Building Community and Connection
    Employees voluntarily join Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), through which they drive workplace improvements and social impact activities. Members of our management team also proactively join these initiatives, reflecting the voices of employees in management.

    4. Establishing Sustainable Pathways for Support
    We take on technical trainees with disabilities for internships and include those with disabilities among the junior and high school students that we accept for work study programs to support the next generation of workers.

    We at the Panasonic Group believe that each and every person holds the power to shape the future. We will endeavor at a global scale to create an environment where people with disabilities can actively participate in society, as well as a world that values diversity.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Panasonic HD donated 400 solar lanterns to areas without electricity in Nepal through the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Panasonic HD donated 400 solar lanterns to areas without electricity in Nepal through the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)

    Osaka, Japan, June 30, 2025 – Panasonic Holdings Corporation Co., Ltd. (Panasonic HD), donated 400 solar lanterns in collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to vulnerable households living in areas without electricity in the municipality of Chandragiri and the rural municipality of Rajpur in Nepal.
    On June 18, 2025, a donation ceremony was held in the municipality of Chandragiri in the district of Kathmandu. Local residents, Chandragiri municipal government officials, and representatives from the Embassy of Japan in Nepal, UN-Habitat, and Panasonic HD attended the ceremony.

    The areas where the donations were made are home to many socially disadvantaged people, including those who live in precarious living conditions, as a result of the effects of the former caste system. In addition to an unreliable power supply, economic hardship prevents most households in this region from using electricity sufficiently, which hinders daily life.
    As a result, they are forced to rely on traditional means of lighting such as kerosene lamps, firewood and candles, which creates a variety of challenges, including indoor air pollution, increased living costs, fire risks and even lost educational opportunities.
    The following effects are expected from these donations:

    Improvement of the indoor air environment by reducing kerosene use.
    Reducing fuel costs and the economic burden.
    Reducing fuel procurement time and costs.
    Securing home study time for children.

    Since 2013, Panasonic HD has been involved in activities to support areas lacking electricity, which makes it difficult for people to escape poverty. Since 2021, these activities have been conducted under the name “LIGHT UP THE FUTURE,” a project which aims to illuminate the future of these areas. To date, Panasonic HD has partnered with various organizations, including NGOs and NPOs, to deliver more than 120,000 solar lanterns to people in over 36 countries and regions.
    Panasonic HD will continue collaborating with various partners on these initiatives to create opportunities in education, health, and increased income, working toward a sustainable, poverty-free society.

    The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is a United Nations agency established in 1978 with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, to address issues related to urbanization and human settlements. With the mission of “A better quality of life for all in an urbanizing world,” UN-Habitat works globally through policy advice, technical assistance, and collaborative action with national governments, local governments, civil society organizations, and private sectors particularly towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
    Established in 1997, the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is in Fukuoka, as the regional headquarters overseeing 42 countries. The Fukuoka Office operates in 15 countries and implements 90 projects across 18 countries and regions, promoting extensive international cooperation throughout the region.
    The donation of solar lanterns is part of the environmental technology cooperation projects implemented by UN-Habitat.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • How will the Dalai Lama’s successor be chosen?

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The choice of a successor to the Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhists, is a matter of riveting interest not only for followers of his religion, but also China, India, and the United States, for strategic reasons.

    The Nobel peace laureate, who turns 90 on Sunday, is regarded as one of the world’s most influential figures, with a following extending well beyond Buddhism.

    HOW WAS HE CHOSEN?

    Tibetan tradition holds that the soul of a senior Buddhist monk is reincarnated after his death.

    The 14th Dalai Lama, born as Lhamo Dhondup on July 6, 1935, to a farming family in northeastern Tibet, was identified as such a reincarnation when he was just two years old.

    A search party sent by the Tibetan government made the decision on the basis of several signs, such as a vision revealed to a senior monk, the Dalai Lama’s website says. The searchers were convinced when the toddler identified belongings of the 13th Dalai Lama with the phrase, “It’s mine, it’s mine”.

    In the winter of 1940, Lhamo Thondup was taken to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, the capital of today’s Tibet Autonomous Region, and officially installed as the spiritual leader of Tibetans.

    HOW WILL HIS SUCCESSOR BE CHOSEN?

    In his book “Voice for the Voiceless”, released in March 2025, the Dalai Lama said his successor would be born outside China.

    The Dalai Lama has lived in exile in northern India since 1959, after fleeing a failed uprising against the rule of Mao Zedong’s Communists.

    He wrote that he would release details about his succession around the time of his 90th birthday.

    The Tibetan parliament-in-exile, based in the Himalayan town of Dharamshala, like the Dalai Lama, says a system has been established for the exiled government to continue its work while officers of the Gaden Phodrang Foundation will be charged with finding and recognising his successor.

    The current Dalai Lama set up the foundation in 2015 to “maintain and support the tradition and institution of the Dalai Lama” with regard to his religious and spiritual duties, it says on its website. Its senior officers include several of his aides.

    WHAT DOES CHINA SAY?

    China says its leaders have the right to approve the Dalai Lama’s successor, as a legacy from imperial times. A selection ritual, in which the names of possible reincarnations are drawn from a golden urn, dates to 1793, during the Qing dynasty.

    Chinese officials have repeatedly said the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should be decided by following national laws that decree use of the golden urn and the birth of reincarnations within China’s borders.

    But many Tibetans suspect any Chinese role in the selection as being a ploy to exert influence on the community.

    It is inappropriate for Chinese Communists, who reject religion, “to meddle in the system of reincarnation of lamas, let alone that of the Dalai Lama,” the Buddhist leader has said.

    In his book, he asked Tibetans not to accept “a candidate chosen for political ends by anyone, including those in the People’s Republic of China,” referring to the country by its official name.

    Beijing brands the Dalai Lama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for keeping alive the Tibetan cause, as a “separatist” and prohibits displays of his picture or any public show of devotion towards him.

    In March 2025, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the Dalai Lama was a political exile with “no right to represent the Tibetan people at all”.

    China denies suppressing the rights of the Tibetan people, and says its rule ended serfdom in, and brought prosperity to, a backward region.

    WHAT ROLE COULD INDIA AND THE U.S. PLAY?

    Apart from the Dalai Lama, India is estimated to be home to more than 100,000 Tibetan Buddhists who are free to study and work there.

    Many Indians revere him, and international relations experts say his presence in India gives New Delhi some kind of leverage with rival China.

    The United States, which faces rising competition from China for global dominance, has repeatedly said it is committed to advancing the human rights of Tibetans.

    U.S. lawmakers have previously said they would not allow China to influence the choice of the Dalai Lama’s successor.

    In 2024, then U.S. President Joe Biden signed a law that presses Beijing to resolve a dispute over Tibet’s demands for greater autonomy.

    (Reuters)

  • President Murmu begins two-day visit to Gorakhpur, to open AYUSH university

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    President Droupadi Murmu will embark on a two-day visit to Uttar Pradesh from Monday, during which she will attend the first convocation ceremony of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Gorakhpur.

    According to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office, the President will also inaugurate the state’s first AYUSH University in Pipri, Bhathat on July 1. The new university is aimed at boosting traditional medicine and holistic healthcare education across Uttar Pradesh.

    This marks President Murmu’s fourth visit to Gorakhpur over the past seven years, once again at the invitation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. It will also be the second time in recent years that a sitting President has visited both AIIMS and a major university in the city, underscoring Gorakhpur’s rising profile at the national level.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has personally reviewed the 31-kilometre route from the city to Pipri to ensure all preparations are in place. The President is also expected to offer prayers at the Gorakhnath Temple, where arrangements have been made for meals that reflect her dignity and stature.

    Security measures have been tightened in and around Gorakhpur. SP (City) Abhinav Tyagi confirmed that the AIIMS auditorium and campus are under full security cover, with OPD services at AIIMS suspended on June 30. Authorities have declared a five-kilometre radius around the Circuit House as a no-fly zone and put in place a three-tier security system.

    In April, Chief Minister Yogi laid the foundation stone for the 500-bed ‘Powergrid Vishram Sadan’ at AIIMS Gorakhpur. The facility, aimed at supporting patients and their families, is being developed under the CSR initiative of Power Grid Corporation of India at a cost of Rs 44 crore.

    -IANS

  • Swiatek slams ‘intense’ calendar as players feel the grind to protect rankings

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Iga Swiatek criticised the relentless tennis calendar on Sunday, with the former world number one saying that players should not be forced to compete in more than 20 tournaments a year to maintain their rankings.

    Now ranked fourth in the world, Swiatek described being trapped in a system where she had to choose between representing her country and focusing on herself after she reluctantly skipped Poland’s Billie Jean King Cup qualifier in April.

    The 11-month grind has been one of the cornerstones of the lawsuit filed by the Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) against the sport’s governing bodies in March after the union described it as ‘unsustainable’.

    “The scheduling is super intense, it’s too intense. There’s no point for us to play over 20 tournaments in a year,” Swiatek told reporters when asked about the biggest challenge to players in terms of mental health.

    “Sometimes we need to sacrifice playing for your country because we need to keep up with playing these WTA 500s, for example, because we’re going to get a zero in the ranking.

    “I think these kind of obligations and the rules about mandatory tournaments just put pressure on us… I think people would still watch tennis, maybe even more, if we played less tournaments. The quality would be better.”

    Swiatek is the eighth seed at Wimbledon this year and she faces Polina Kudermetova in the first round on Tuesday.

    The claycourt specialist with four French Open crowns fell in the semi-finals at Roland Garros this year and she quickly switched her focus to grass which has historically been her weakest surface.

    She reached her first grasscourt final on Saturday at the Bad Homburg Open where she was left in tears after losing to top seed Jessica Pegula, but Swiatek is happy with her improvement on grass as she comes to grips with the faster surface.

    “It’s not like a huge change. It’s not like 180 degrees change. I wouldn’t say now suddenly everything is perfect, because it’s still a difficult surface. It’s still tricky,” Swiatek said.

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI China: China National Health Commission does not Approve Part of the SAGO’s “Independent Assessment”

    Source: People’s Republic of China Ministry of Health

    he independent assessment of Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) published recently does not find any new evidence related to the origins of SARS-CoV-2, nor does it draw any conclusion contrary to the Joint WHO-China Study released by the WHO in March 2021. Unfortunately, with manipulation and influence from certain countries and individuals, the report has included false information based on subjective speculation, seriously undermining the scientific soundness and credibility of the report, part of which raised groundless requirements for China. China does not approve, and they are not acceptable to the global scientific community either. China has shared data and information related to SARS-CoV-2 origins tracing study without reservation, which has been presented in the Covid-19 Prevention, Control and Origins Tracing: China’s Actions and Stance published on 30 April.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China National Health Commission does not Approve Part of the SAGO’s “Independent Assessment”

    Source: People’s Republic of China Ministry of Health

    he independent assessment of Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) published recently does not find any new evidence related to the origins of SARS-CoV-2, nor does it draw any conclusion contrary to the Joint WHO-China Study released by the WHO in March 2021. Unfortunately, with manipulation and influence from certain countries and individuals, the report has included false information based on subjective speculation, seriously undermining the scientific soundness and credibility of the report, part of which raised groundless requirements for China. China does not approve, and they are not acceptable to the global scientific community either. China has shared data and information related to SARS-CoV-2 origins tracing study without reservation, which has been presented in the Covid-19 Prevention, Control and Origins Tracing: China’s Actions and Stance published on 30 April.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Busy roads expected for All Blacks-France test match in Dunedin

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is encouraging rugby fans to plan ahead for extra traffic and potential delays as thousands descend on Dunedin for the test match between the All Blacks and France this Saturday.

    “A lot of people will be travelling to the city ahead of the big match, particularly on State Highway 1 from Christchurch, and with it also being school holidays, the roads are going to be busy. So, give yourself plenty of travel time,” says NZTA Otago journey manager Nicole Felts.

    “If you are travelling from outside of Dunedin, be aware of the weather forecasts and check out our Journey Planner site so you know about any state highway closures or restrictions in place. It looks at this stage like there might be some rain about Dunedin leading into match day. And at this time of year, there’s always a chance of snow, ice, or flooding from heavy rain causing disruption on roads leading to Dunedin.”

    “Remember in winter driving conditions to think about adjusting your speed and travelling distances, being visible and avoiding sudden braking or turning movements.”

    Winter driving advice 

    The areas in and around Forsyth Barr Stadium and Dunedin’s Octagon and hospitality areas will also be busy in the lead-up to the test match.   

    “Parking restrictions will be in place around Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday, including the temporary closure of parts of Anzac Avenue, Frederick Street and Ward Street,” Miss Felts says.

    “Remember the closer you park to the stadium, the longer it will take you to leave the area after the match.”

    Otago Regional Council and Dunedin City Council are providing a variety of free buses and parking facilities for rugby fans on the day of the match.

    Free buses for match ticket holders will be available on four Orbus services that stop near the stadium. Free buses from the Octagon will run in a loop from outside the Dunedin Public Art Gallery to the Forth Street Bus Hub starting at 4.30pm, and continuing until kick-off. Return trips to the Octagon will begin at 9.30pm from the Forth Street Bus Hub. Train, and Park and Ride services, will also be available.  

    More information

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –