Category: Trade

  • MIL-OSI: BYDFi Officially Lists Mubarak ($MUBARAK) and Mubarakah ($MUBARAKAH)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The globally recognized crypto exchange BYDFi has officially listed Mubarak ($MUBARAK) and MUBARAKAH ($MUBARAKAH) tokens, allowing users to trade directly using their account balance or purchase via fiat transactions with ease. Additionally, users can participate in the 8,100 USDT newcomer event, where they can earn rewards by completing tasks and investing at a low cost. More details can be found on the BYDFi official website or by downloading the official app.

    Mubarak ($MUBARAK) Surges, 24-Hour Trading Volume Exceeds $339 Million

    Mubarak ($MUBARAK) is a BSC-based Meme Coin launched by four.meme, which has rapidly gained traction through extensive social media exposure. The term “Mubarak” means “blessing” in Arabic, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune, aligning perfectly with its recent market performance.

    On March 12, 2025, Abu Dhabi-based investment firm MGX injected $2 billion into Binance. The day after the investment announcement, CZ (@cz_binance) shared a tweet from Binance’s Chinese official account featuring a Middle Eastern figure, captioning it “mubarak” (meaning “blessing”). He then went on to like and retweet multiple community memes, further fueling the hype. On March 15, CZ publicly purchased 20,155 MUBARAK tokens for 1 BNB, stating “Weekend testing.” This action propelled MUBARAK’s market cap to $140 million, igniting investor enthusiasm and pushing its valuation close to $150 million.

    Beyond its unique meme culture, Mubarak offers a distinctive feature – the Mubarak Meme Creator Tool, available at mubarak.dev. This tool enables users to create custom Mubarak-themed stickers, fostering viral social media engagement and further amplifying its popularity.

    The explosive growth of $MUBARAK can largely be attributed to its cultural significance, which enhances its appeal as a meme coin. Strong community participation, combined with strategic social media marketing, has further fueled its exposure, sustained interest, and increased trading volume. Moreover, efficient blockchain technology and Binance’s strategic trading approach played pivotal roles in its success.

    As of this writing, $MUBARAK is priced at $0.1642, reflecting a 549.64% increase from its all-time low, with a 24-hour trading volume of $339 million, marking another all-time high.

    MUBARAKAH ($MUBARAKAH): Riding the Binance Hype, Social Media Fuels Market Excitement

    Simultaneously, $MUBARAKAH followed suit, mirroring the success of $MUBARAK. Binance Vice President He Yi (@heyibinance) shared an image of a Middle Eastern woman on social media. Given that Mubarakah is a common term associated with Middle Eastern women, this move drew massive market attention to $MUBARAKAH. The token leveraged Binance’s brand influence, providing a strong foundation for its future growth.

    As of this writing, $MUBARAKAH is priced at $0.005, with a 24-hour trading volume of $2.36 million,and it still has potential to be unlocked.

    About BYDFi

    Founded in 2020, BYDFi is recognized by Forbes as one of the world’s top 10 crypto exchanges, trusted by over 1,000,000 global users. The upcoming “MoonX” is a professional Memecoin trading tool designed specifically for “degen” traders. MoonX supports over 500,000 trading pairs, integrating smart trading tools, comprehensive market analysis, and advanced technology to help users track smart money and snipe the next 1,000x Meme coin. BYDFi is committed to delivering a world-class crypto trading experience. BUIDL Your Dream Finance.

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    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Generative AI is Making it Easier for Fraudsters to Fool the Public

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new Commodity Futures Trading Commission customer advisory says generative artificial intelligence is making it increasingly easier for fraudsters to create convincing scams. 
    According to the latest Office of Customer Education and Outreach customer advisory, Criminals Increasing Use of Generative AI to Commit Fraud, crooks are using AI to create fake images, voices, videos, live-streaming video chats, social media profiles, and malicious websites designed to look like legitimate financial trading platforms.  
    The OCEO advisory describes how fraudsters use AI to create fraudulent identifications with phony photos and videos that can appear very real if one is not familiar with the advances of AI technology. The fraudsters also are using AI to forge government or financial documents. An FBI public service announcement also warns the public about how criminals are using AI to commit fraud and how the technology is being used in relationship investment scams. 
    “Fraudsters can use new technologies to mask their identities, not only in still photographs, say, in social media profiles, but also in video chats that alter their facial features and voices to match,” said OCEO Director Melanie Devoe. “Identifying real from fake can be difficult. The best defense is to never give money to people you only meet online.” 
    The advisory provides specific actions people should take to protect themselves, including strengthening social media account privacy settings and keeping personal or sensitive information private, especially from people they only know online or callers using phone numbers they don’t recognize. 
    About the Office of Customer Education and Outreach
    OCEO is dedicated to helping customers protect themselves from fraud or violations of the Commodity Exchange Act through the research and development of effective financial education materials and initiatives. OCEO engages in outreach and education to retail investors. The office also frequently partners with federal and state regulators as well as consumer protection groups. The CFTC’s full repository of customer education materials can be found at: cftc.gov/LearnAndProtect.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint Statement on UK-Philippines JETCO

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Joint Statement on UK-Philippines JETCO

    On Monday 17 March, the UK and the Philippines held the inaugural Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting.

    Joint Statement on UK-Philippines Joint Economic and Trade Committee

    On Monday 17 March, the UK and the Philippines held the inaugural Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting.

    The Ministerial JETCO reflects a commitment from both governments to upgrade the growing bilateral economic relationship between both countries, including by exploring ways to boost trade and investment, as well as addressing barriers to market access.

    The committee was hosted in London by UK Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security, Douglas Alexander MP, and co-chaired by Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty of the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry.

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty endorsed a programme of work to advance bilateral cooperation over the next 12-18 months, including government-to-government and government-to-business activity in agreed priority areas such as infrastructure, agriculture, energy, economic development, life sciences, and technology.

    Much of this work will be delivered through four Sectoral Working Groups, which will meet annually to facilitate technical policy exchange and project delivery.

    Infrastructure

    The UK and the Philippines committed to progressing a government-to-government Financing Framework Partnership to support the delivery of national priority infrastructure and development programmes and projects in the Philippines.

    The Framework aims to expand access to £5 billion of financing from UK Export Finance (UKEF) and other sources of cooperation, and provide the Philippines with new paths to UK expertise, technology, and comparative advantage.

    Both countries agreed to develop a project pipeline through the Infrastructure Sectoral Working Group in anticipation of the establishment of the Framework.

    Energy

    The UK and the Philippines reflected on the extensive cooperation in the last year between the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the Philippines Department of Energy, and the UK Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, supporting the offshore wind development of the Philippines.

    Both countries emphasised the importance of the sector, recognising its contribution to economic growth and an inclusive green transition and committed to continue working closely on policy and regulatory engagement in the coming year, driven by cooperation at the Energy Sectoral Working Group.

    Agriculture

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty discussed the benefits of collaboration between the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Philippines Department of Agriculture with a view to safeguarding and expanding market access for agri-food exporters.

    They agreed to continue collaboration across issues such as animal disease detection and antimicrobial resistance as well as new opportunities for collaboration on precision breeding and genetics.

    They endorsed the role of the Agriculture Sectoral Working Group to drive greater trade and investment in our respective agriculture sectors, including by promoting commercial agriculture opportunities in the Philippines and the UK.

    Economic Development

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty recognised the important role of bilateral trade in furthering economic development in the Philippines and endorsed efforts to improve utilisation of the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which offers Philippine exporters tariff-free access on 92% of products.

    They were pleased to note the upcoming launch of an export handbook that details key regulatory compliance requirements, including how to leverage the UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme to benefit from preferential tariff rates.

    They agreed on activities to further strengthen the business landscape in the Philippines and facilitate investment and digitalisation of trade.

    This covers continuing collaboration on regulatory reform initiatives, facilitating business linkages, and capacity building on AI policy frameworks and governance.

    Regional collaboration

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty used the JETCO meeting to discuss the importance of cooperation between the UK and the Philippines in support of regional economic integration.

    The UK looks forward to deepening the UK-ASEAN Partnership and working with the Philippines towards its Chairship of ASEAN in 2026.

    Trade promotion and investment

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty concluded discussions by acknowledging the potential for future economic growth and shared prosperity through deepening trade links.

    They acknowledged that in 2024, the UK was the largest single investor in the Philippines, driven by investments in renewables.

    The Philippines, being one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia last year with around 6% growth, has the capacity to boost trade in sectors where the UK holds significant commercial expertise.

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty emphasised the importance of delivering real impact from strengthened trade and economic discussions.

    They encouraged future trade promotion and investment activities to facilitate more business opportunities in sectors such as technology and infrastructure including energy.

    After the JETCO meeting, UK Trade Envoy to the Philippines, George Freeman MP, and Undersecretary Gepty, co-hosted a business briefing in partnership with the UK-ASEAN Business Council to share insights from discussions and seek industry views on priorities for growing the bilateral trade and investment relationship.

    Bilateral economic relationship

    The Philippines was the UK’s 60th largest trading partner in the end of Q3 2024 accounting for 0.2% of total UK trade.

    Total trade in goods and services between the UK and the Philippines in the same period was £2.8 billion.  

    The new UK-Philippines JETCO adds extra emphasis to the UK’s deepening relationships across the wider Asia Pacific region.

    As an ASEAN Dialogue Partner, the UK is committed to further enhancing engagement with the region, through both multilateral and bilateral forums, including those with the Philippines.

    The JETCO follows the launch of the UK-Philippines Joint Framework for the Enhanced Partnership – an enhancement of our bilateral relations across foreign policy, economic growth, security and defence cooperation amongst other areas.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Global: A ‘golden age’ of global free trade is over. Smaller alliances can meet the moment

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Armin Steinbach, Professor of Law and Economics, HEC Paris Business School

    The global trade landscape is shifting, and not in the way free traders had hoped. For decades, the belief that economic openness could foster peace and stability reigned supreme. Trade, it was argued, could transform authoritarian regimes into more peaceful players. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shattered this way of thinking. Rather than mourning the end of a multilateralism based on states’ commitments to jointly agreed trade rules, we should see it as a necessary adjustment to a world where economic security takes precedence over market efficiency, and resilience over cost minimization.

    The World Trade Organization (WTO), which has constrained protectionism since its inception in 1995, is no longer the linchpin of global trade it once was. Multilateral trade talks have stagnated, and the WTO’s dispute settlement system is in paralysis. The US, once a champion of rules-based trade, now finds strategic advantage in a world where power dynamics outweigh legal frameworks. Years of negotiations on agriculture and fisheries subsidies have yielded little progress, underscoring the difficulty of reaching consensus among increasingly divergent national interests.



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    Consider the Uruguay Round negotiations in the 1990s that led to the establishment of the WTO – a rare moment when 123 countries found common ground on liberalizing trade in goods, services and intellectual property. That success stemmed from a broad agenda that offered enough variety to create win-win scenarios for all. Today, narrow negotiation agendas make compromise far harder to achieve.

    Free trade agreements are emerging less frequently: the average number of new trade agreements per year since 2020 is less than half the average of the previous decade. Meanwhile, protectionist measures have proliferated: there were about five times as many in 2023 as in 2015. Regardless of US President Donald Trump’s tariff frenzy, governments are erecting trade barriers and adopting policies that favour domestic industries, driven by the need to secure critical supply chains.

    The trend is clear: trade liberalization is no longer the top priority for most countries. Instead, security concerns are reshaping trade policy, echoing the arguments of the 18th-century philosopher Adam Smith. In The Wealth of Nations, Smith argued that national defence is more valuable than economic wealth. (“Defence,” he wrote, “is of much more importance than opulence”). This idea feels particularly relevant today. In a world of geopolitical conflict, trade is often yielding to strategic concerns.

    The United Nations, despite its mission to maintain peace, has struggled to prevent conflict. If international law cannot deter aggression, economic policy must step in.

    Security-driven trade

    For the EU, this translates into using its trade policy instruments, especially vis-à-vis China, on the basis of a careful dependency analysis that identifies strategic commodities and products. As the European Commission sets self-sufficiency benchmarks for green technologies following the bloc’s Net-Zero Industry Act, it errs if it sees the substitution of domestic products for imports as the right way to reduce dependencies. In most cases, reducing import concentration will require diversifying suppliers rather than European self-production.

    Security-driven trade requires shifting away from fragile multilateralism toward more selective, regional alliances. These “trade clubs” would align economic interests with shared security priorities. The EU’s strengthening ties with the South American Mercosur states, a group of non-hegemonic countries reliant on open trade, exemplify this approach. Intensifying trade with targeted countries could be the best response to Trump’s tariffs, avoiding the lose-lose outcome of tit-for-tat tariff wars. The goal of autonomy from an unpredictable US offers a good framework for crafting new bilateral relationships.

    Another example is the idea of a “climate club”, which policy-makers have discussed for some time. Climate clubs would consist of countries that agree on joint strategies to reduce carbon emissions while fostering energy security and protecting their economies from competitors without adequate carbon pricing.




    À lire aussi :
    Trump protectionism and tariffs: a threat to globalisation, or to democracy itself?


    The challenge is to distinguish between “legitimate” and “illegitimate” security claims. The latter refer to countries’ growing abuse of the national security card to justify trade policies. WTO dispute settlement panels ruled against the “self-judging” character of national security claims, hence subjecting them to legal scrutiny, but this “rule of law” approach has only heightened rejection of the WTO system on the US side. To limit abuse, the EU should seek alignment with the US on issues of common concern, such as responding to industrial overcapacity or preventing technology leaks. A joint approach could avert nationalist unilateralism.

    A new focus for the WTO

    Some worry this shift away from multilateralism could disadvantage poorer nations, leaving them vulnerable to the whims of powerful ones. However, regional trade alliances can empower smaller states. For example, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gives African nations collective bargaining power they might lack individually. Since its inception with 22 signatories, AfCFTA has grown to include 48 countries, enhancing the continent’s influence in global trade.

    Abandoning multilateralism doesn’t mean sidelining the WTO entirely. Instead, the WTO can refocus on smaller, “plurilateral” agreements among like-minded countries. This “coalition of the willing” approach has already proven effective in areas like e-commerce and investment facilitation. The WTO can remain a forum for building consensus, but its future lies in fostering flexible partnerships rather than pursuing grand, all-encompassing trade deals. In a fragmented world, these smaller agreements could yield the most meaningful progress. Nascent but promising plurilateral efforts are under way to tackle fossil fuel subsidies and environmentally sustainable plastics trade.

    The golden age of global free trade may be over, but that doesn’t spell disaster. As nations grapple with security challenges, trade policy must evolve to reflect new priorities. Strategic alliances, diversified supply chains and targeted trade agreements will shape the future of global commerce. Rather than lament the decline of multilateralism, we should embrace this shift as a necessary response to a more volatile world. In doing so, we can craft a trade policy that prioritizes resilience and security, safeguarding both economic stability and national interests.

    Armin Steinbach ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.

    ref. A ‘golden age’ of global free trade is over. Smaller alliances can meet the moment – https://theconversation.com/a-golden-age-of-global-free-trade-is-over-smaller-alliances-can-meet-the-moment-251438

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI: BexBack Launches No KYC, 100x Leverage Crypto Futures Trading, Double Deposit Bonus & $50 Welcome Bonus

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following President Donald Trump’s announcement to include Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA) in the U.S. Strategic Crypto Reserve, the crypto market has experienced significant volatility. This led Bitcoin to surge past $94,000, while other major altcoins followed suit, reaffirming short-term market turbulence.

    As analysts predict continued volatility, simply holding spot positions may not generate profits. 100x leverage futures trading has become the preferred tool for experienced investors looking to maximize returns from market fluctuations. To meet growing demand, BexBack Exchange is offering exclusive promotions:

    • 100% Deposit Bonus – Double your funds instantly.
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    • 100x Leverage on Crypto Trading – Maximize potential profits.
    • No KYC Required – Start trading immediately without identity verification.

    How Does 100x Leverage Work?

    With 100x leverage, traders can control larger positions with less capital. For example:

    • A 1 BTC long position with 100x leverage equals 100 BTC in trading value.
    • If Bitcoin rises to $105,000, the profit is 5 BTC, yielding a 500% return.

    About BexBack

    BexBack is a leading platform offering 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, and XRP futures contracts. It’s trusted by 500,000+ traders worldwide and provides:

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    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Chang Yong Rhee: Sustainability challenges in Korea

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    I. Introduction

    Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, I am Rhee Changyong, Governor of the Bank of Korea.

    It is an honor to join the Global Engagement & Empowerment Forum (GEEF) to discuss building a sustainable future. I sincerely thank Yonsei University President Yun Dongseob, former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and everyone who made this event possible. I am also pleased to reconnect with former World Bank President Jim Yong Kim after my time in Washington, D.C.

    Over the years, the GEEF has brought together global leaders, international organizations, businesses, and stakeholders to explore solutions for achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I hope this forum continues driving practical solutions to today’s sustainability challenges.

    I am here to share Korea’s perspective on these issues. Some people say, “The Governor of the Bank of Korea is overstepping his bounds,” because I speak on social issues beyond monetary policy. Discussing the SDGs today may reinforce that perception. While central bankers debate their role in such discussions, sustainability challenges directly impact our economy and daily lives. For this reason, I cannot remain indifferent-not just as a central bank governor, but also as a citizen.

    Sustainability takes many forms, but today I will focus on two urgent challenges for Korea’s economy. The first is climate change, a global crisis affecting everyone. The second is our declining birth rate and aging population, a challenge that is especially severe in Korea.

    II. Climate Change

    There is global and domestic consensus that human activities drive global warming and reducing carbon emissions is essential. However, Korea faces significant resistance to accelerating carbon reduction due to its heavily export-oriented economy dominated by high-carbon manufacturing industries. Strengthening emission reduction policies and environmental regulations raises concerns about export companies losing competitiveness. Thus, balancing urgent carbon reduction with sustaining industrial competitiveness has become a central issue.

    However, climate change should not be viewed solely from the perspective of export industries. It is a crisis directly affecting our daily lives and quality of life. We are already experiencing more extreme heat waves, frequent flooding, and the gradual disappearance of familiar fruits and vegetables. Our summer rainfalls used to be predictable, but not anymore. If Los Angeles can experience massive wildfires, what is stopping Korea from experiencing similar disasters? Climate change is not distant-it is occurring now, and its impacts are unavoidable.

    Air quality is a clear example. Last week, I visited Cape Town, South Africa, for a BIS meeting. While it was winter in Korea, it was summer there, with warm weather, a refreshing sea breeze, and remarkably clean air. Within days, I realized, “This is truly clean air.” Upon returning to Incheon Airport, I immediately felt a headache-not just from the flood of emails about economic and political concerns, but also from the noticeably poorer air quality. Korea’s air quality has improved recently, but after experiencing cleaner air in Washington, D.C., I can clearly sense the difference. As someone sensitive to lung health after experiencing long COVID, this difference is especially noticeable. Although conditions have improved, fine dust remains a serious issue.

    Statistically, the cost of deteriorating air quality is undeniable. Over the past 15 years, diagnoses of atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis have doubled, and cases of heat exhaustion have quadrupled, now totaling 4,000. Climate change directly threatens our health, making the challenges of protecting public health increasingly severe as temperatures rise and pollution worsens.

    Another example is the increased frequency of sudden downpours, repeatedly flooding Seoul’s Gangnam Station area, one of Korea’s wealthiest neighborhoods, submerging numerous luxury vehicles over the past several years. Beyond property damage, the human toll has been devastating. Just two years ago, 14 people tragically lost their lives when an underpass collapsed after 500mm of rain fell in thirteen days. Observing these intense summer storms reminds me of tropical squalls typically seen in Thailand or South America.

    The Korea Meteorological Administration now classifies rainfall exceeding 50mm per hour or 90mm over three hours as “extreme heavy rain,” conditions responsible for 80% of flood damage. These extreme events have more than doubled since the 1970s. Given these dramatic changes, it is unclear whether our current flood prevention infrastructure-such as dams, embankments, and drainage systems-can handle the intensifying conditions. About 20% of national river embankments are already rated as “inadequate” or “poor,” and projections suggest half of Korea’s dams may fail to prevent flooding by 2040. We must proactively strengthen infrastructure now to withstand growing climate challenges.

    Third, climate change is disrupting our food supply. Last year, I faced criticism from agricultural stakeholders after suggesting apple imports due to soaring prices (Im et al., 2024). Initially, I anticipated resistance primarily from traditional apple-growing regions like Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. However, apple production areas are gradually shifting northward. Apple cultivation in Daegu-Gyeongbuk has decreased by nearly half compared to 30 years ago. Once grown nationwide, except for the southern coast and Jeju Island, projections suggest high-quality apples will only be viable in Gangwon Province’s mountainous areas by the 2030s, due to rapid climate change (Rural Development Administration, 2022). Within a decade, importing apples will likely become a necessity rather than controversial.

    The fishing industry faces similar disruptions. Pollack, once a staple in Korea, has nearly vanished from local waters, with catches below one ton since 2019. Traditional species like croaker and anchovies are declining, while warmer-water species like yellowtail and mackerel are increasing. Korea’s fishing industry must rapidly adapt by modernizing vessels, gear, and aquaculture techniques to match the changing marine ecosystem.

    While countless examples exist, the core message is clear. Climate change is not just a challenge for export industries-it already deeply impacts our daily lives and various domestic sectors. Thus, addressing climate change and reducing carbon emissions is not a matter of choice-it is an urgent necessity.

    Although the government has initiated policy efforts, substantial progress remains necessary. First, Korea’s Green Taxonomy (K-Taxonomy) must align with international standards to clearly define “environmentally friendly” activities, signaling strong support for carbon reduction. Second, carbon pricing must be more realistic. Last April, the global average carbon price was approximately $30 per ton, reaching $60 per ton in the EU, compared to only $6 per ton in Korea. At this price, companies find it more economical to buy emission credits than reduce emissions, undermining carbon reduction targets. Third, structural improvements to Korea’s Emissions Trading System (K-ETS) are needed. Gradually reducing the 90% free allocation rate and tightening the emissions cap will create stronger market incentives for effective emissions trading.

    The Bank of Korea is also increasing its efforts by conducting financial stress tests on climate-related risks. Financial institutions traditionally manage risks like loan defaults and real estate fluctuations, but climate-driven risks introduce unexpected tail risks not yet fully considered. Events like Los Angeles’ wildfires or Australia’s six-month wildfire crisis in 2019 are not distant threats. They serve as warnings for Korea. Severe localized climate damage could cause significant financial losses for households and businesses, destabilizing financial institutions and spreading shocks throughout the economy.

    Thus, the Bank of Korea actively researches climate risks’ impacts on our industries and financial system, conducting stress tests with financial institutions under various scenarios. Next Tuesday, we will present these climate stress test results at a joint conference with the Financial Supervisory Service.

    Bank of Korea employees are also committed to reducing carbon emissions through research (Kim et al., 2024) and daily practices. Believing even small actions matter, we have adopted eco-friendly measures such as using recycled-paper business cards, reducing plastic use, turning off unused lights, and implementing license plate-based driving restrictions.

    III. Ultra Low Fertility and an Aging Population

    Beyond climate change, one of the most pressing sustainability challenges is our demographic crisis-an aging population combined with extremely low fertility rates. Korea’s total fertility rate slightly rose to 0.75 in 2024 from 0.72 in 2023. Although this small uptick is welcome, a fertility rate of 0.75 remains a national emergency. If this trend continues, Korea faces an irreversible population crisis that threatens economic stability and social cohesion.

    Some people suggest that population decline might have benefits, such as reduced pollution, lower energy consumption, and higher GDP per capita, possibly enhancing quality of life. However, this view dangerously oversimplifies the issue. A fertility rate of 0.75 leads not to gradual decline but rapid demographic collapse, undermining economic and social stability. By contrast, the OECD average fertility rate of 1.4 results in a more manageable and sustainable population decline.

    The difference between fertility rates of 0.75 and 1.4 significantly impacts economic growth prospects. At 0.75, Korea’s population would shrink from 51.7 million to 30 million in 50 years, just 58% of today’s figure, declining annually by 1.1%. In contrast, at a rate of 1.4, the population decline is less severe, reaching 43 million-83% of today’s level-with an annual drop of 0.4%. From a purely demographic standpoint, the difference in GDP growth between these two scenarios would amount to 0.4 percentage points annually. But the true cost goes beyond this simple calculation. A declining youth population, crucial for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic dynamism, would severely undermine Korea’s long-term growth potential. According to a recent Bank of Korea study, Korea’s potential growth rate, currently around 2%, may approach near 0% by the late 2040s (Lee et al., 2024). If the fertility rate remains at 0.75, Korea will inevitably face prolonged negative economic growth after 2050. Conversely, at 1.4, Korea could maintain positive economic growth well into the future.

    Beyond GDP, persistently low fertility will create substantial fiscal strain, increasing the burden on younger generations. As the elderly population surges, spending on pensions, healthcare, and elder care will rise significantly. According to the National Assembly Budget Office (2025), Korea’s national debt-to-GDP ratio, currently 46.9%, is projected to reach 182% within 50 years if fertility remains at 0.75. If fertility improves to 1.4, the ratio would increase more slowly, reaching 163%. The burden on young Koreans will become particularly overwhelming. Currently, four working-age individuals support each elderly person. At a fertility rate of 0.75, this ratio will decline to one-to-one within 50 years. At 1.4, however, it remains more manageable, easing strain on future generations.

    Moreover, economic instability from demographic shifts increases society’s vulnerability to populism. Stagnant growth exacerbates income inequality, deepens generational and class divides, and fuels political polarization. Politicians and governments may resort to populist fiscal policies, such as direct cash handouts and temporary welfare measures, providing short-term relief without addressing underlying issues. Such policies risk creating a cycle of fiscal inefficiency and mounting national debt, exacerbating rather than resolving the core problems.

    To preserve economic sustainability, decisive action must be taken urgently. If Korea’s fertility rate remains critically low without significant expansion of the workforce through foreign labor, the country risks chronic negative growth, soaring debt, and escalating social tensions. Avoiding this scenario requires raising the fertility rate to a more viable level. Completely reversing population decline may be unrealistic since many advanced economies face similar demographic challenges, but Korea cannot afford to remain passive. At a minimum, we must strive to reach the OECD average fertility rate of 1.4.

    Why has Korea’s fertility rate fallen so drastically? The answer lies in structural barriers discouraging young people from marriage and parenthood. Bank of Korea studies indicate young Koreans delay or forgo marriage and childbirth due to intense competition and anxieties over employment, housing, and childcare. Young people today face fierce competition for scarce, high-quality jobs, making career stability difficult. Simultaneously, soaring housing prices make homeownership seem unattainable. Under these pressures, raising children is more than challenging-it is an overwhelming financial and emotional burden.

    A major driver of this crisis is the extreme concentration of population and economic activity in the Seoul metropolitan area. A recent Bank of Korea study analyzing fertility trends in 35 OECD countries identified Korea’s urban concentration as among the highest globally, pinpointing it as a key factor behind the country’s ultra-low fertility (Hwang et al., 2023). Over 50% of Korea’s GDP, population, and jobs are concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area-much higher than 5% in the U.S. and Germany, 10-20% in the U.K. and Italy, 20-30% in France, and 30% in Japan. While Korea’s rapid economic development-the “Miracle on the Han River”-transformed the country into an economic powerhouse, it also centralized infrastructure, talent, and opportunities in Seoul. Consequently, young people continue migrating to the capital for career prospects, draining vitality from regional economies and pushing many toward demographic extinction.

    Korea’s highly competitive university entrance system further reinforces the population concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area. Admission to prestigious universities is considered essential-not only for stable employment but also for social status and marriage prospects. This fuels intense competition for limited spots at elite universities, overwhelmingly located in Seoul. Private education has become critical, prompting families to relocate to Seoul’s affluent areas like Gangnam-gu, known for high-quality private educational infrastructure. Many parents unable to afford homeownership instead rely on costly rental housing to secure educational advantages. This strategy appears justified, as students from Seoul account for 32% of admissions to Seoul National University (SNU), despite representing only 16% of school-age population. More strikingly, students from Gangnam-gu alone constitute 12% of SNU admissions, three times the district’s 4% share of school-age residents (Chung et al., 2024). Relocating to Gangnam-gu is thus seen as essential for top university admission, intensifying Seoul’s population density, raising housing prices, and worsening the fertility crisis.

    Korea’s university admission system is excessively competitive by any standard. Parents sacrifice their quality of life and retirement savings, investing considerable resources to secure their children’s admission to elite universities. Paradoxically, this intense pursuit of academic success imposes a heavy cost on both parents and children. From as early as kindergarten, students experience relentless pressure and burnout, depriving them of childhood joys and a healthy adolescence.

    Korea’s critically low fertility rate (0.75), extreme population concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area, and overheated university competition seem like separate issues but are deeply interconnected. Left unresolved, these challenges-drastic population decline, persistent negative economic growth, escalating social tensions, and diminishing opportunities for youth-will push Korea toward an unsustainable tipping point. Addressing these structural issues simultaneously is challenging, yet the urgency demands bold action. Recognizing this, the Bank of Korea recently proposed two policy suggestions: foster a limited number of regional hub cities and implement a “regional proportional admission system” for universities.

    First, to effectively reduce the extreme population concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area, we must strategically develop a small number of regional hub cities. Over the past two decades, regional development policies have been introduced to address this imbalance. However, due to political challenges and efforts to evenly distribute resources nationwide, these initiatives have been too fragmented to meaningfully curb Seoul’s dominance.

    According to Bank of Korea research, the optimal approach-given Korea’s land area and population-is to concentrate substantial investments in two to six carefully selected regional hub cities. Targeted, large-scale investment in critical infrastructure, such as healthcare, education, and cultural amenities, is essential to providing a quality of life comparable to Seoul, thus effectively attracting and retaining residents (Chung et al., 2023, 2024). Pursuing this focused strategy will rebalance population distribution, revitalize regional economies-including surrounding smaller cities-and achieve sustainable national development.

    In parallel, bold reforms to Korea’s college admissions system are essential. The Bank of Korea has proposed a “regional proportional admission system,” where universities voluntarily allocate admissions based on each region’s proportion of high school seniors (Chung et al., 2024). Despite multiple revisions to university entrance system, excessive competition in university admissions remains unresolved. BOK’s new proposal seeks to enhance universities’ autonomy in admissions while strongly requiring balanced regional representation-a crucial step to address extreme competition. Adopting this system offers several benefits. First, it reduces the disproportionate influence of socioeconomic factors such as parental wealth and private education, thus significantly enhancing social mobility. Second, dispersing admissions competition from Seoul would ease demographic pressures, stabilize housing prices, and improve fertility rates. Third, attracting students from diverse regions promotes mutual understanding, social cohesion, and reduces regional disparities.

    This proposal does not require government intervention or legal amendments, relying instead on the willingness and initiative of leading universities. In Korea, there remains a strong belief that selecting students based solely on academic scores is the fairest, leading resistance to this proposal. Some universities argue they already implement regional proportional admissions for roughly 15% of their freshmen. However, such limited quotas can stigmatize these students and have insufficient impact on demographic or housing pressures in Seoul. To be effective, regional proportional admissions must be applied to most incoming students’ admissions. In many advanced nations, regional diversity in admissions is widely accepted and encouraged. I believe Dr. Jim Yong Kim, joining us today and a former president of Dartmouth College, understands this issue well. He could highlight how Korea’s test score-based admissions approach is an exception globally, and how this reform could realistically occur through proactive leadership at major universities.

    In my view, allowing universities greater flexibility in evaluating applicants-under regional proportional requirements-would better acknowledge and fairly recognize diverse talents. Human talent is far too diverse to be measured by academic tests alone. Yet, Korea’s current admissions system prioritizes a narrow skillset: memorization, quick mathematical calculations, and rapid text summarization under time pressure. These skills, overly rewarded by standardized exams, limit the range of recognized talents. I happen to possess these particular skills and was a major beneficiary of Korea’s college admission system. However, if asked to write a creative essay over a week, I might not have excelled. Today, elite university students often share certain defining characteristics such as a personality that diligently follows instructions without rebellion, a willingness to endure 15 years of repetitive study from kindergarten, an IQ high enough to handle the academic workload, but not so high as to question or challenge its purpose.

    When Korea’s primary goal was catching up with more advanced nations, the current educational system was beneficial in developing individuals who excelled at following orders and carrying out assigned tasks. However, with Korea now at the forefront of global technological competition, we need people unafraid to explore new frontiers, bringing diverse backgrounds and innovative thinking. Additionally, we must foster an environment that encourages collaboration, creativity, and meaningful interaction. It is time for universities to broaden their evaluation criteria and nurture diverse talents by implementing regional proportional admissions.

    The challenges highlighted today-climate change and demographic crisis-pose critical threats and require urgent action. Korea has achieved remarkable economic progress, joining the ranks of advanced nations. Now we must focus on enhancing individual well-being, ensuring prosperity and happiness for all citizens. Through bold decisions, we can develop vibrant, youth-friendly, green regional hubs that combat climate change and support marriage and childbirth. The Bank of Korea remains fully committed to securing a sustainable, prosperous future for upcoming generations.

    Thank you for your time and attention.

    This speech was prepared with the assistance of Sanghun Park and Joonki Min from the Office of Sustainable Growth, and Inro Lee and Inkyung Yoo from the Economic Research Institute.

    References

    Kim J. Y., Ryu G. B., Hwang J. H., Kim H. J., Kim H. N., Lee H. A., and Sim S. B. 2024. “The Impact of Climate Change Risks on the Real Economy: Analysis by Climate Response Scenarios.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-30, Bank of Korea.

    Rural Development Administration. 2022. “Prediction of Changes in Cultivation Areas for Six Major Fruits Considering Climate Change Scenarios.” Press Release.
    Lim W. J., Lee D. J., Lee Y. S., and Park C. H. 2024. “Characteristics and Implications of Korea’s Price Levels: A Comparison with Major Countries.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-14, Bank of Korea.

    Chung M. S., Kim E. J., Lee H. S., Hong S. J., and Lee D. R. 2023. “Interregional Population Migration and Regional Economy.” BOK Issue Note No. 2023-29, Bank of Korea.

    Chung M. S., Lee Y. H., Yoo J. S., and Kim E. J. 2024. “Analysis of Regional Economic Growth Factors and Balanced Development Focused on Hub Cities.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-15, Bank of Korea.

    Chung J. W., Lee D. W., and Kim H. J. 2024. “Adressing Social Issues Steming from Excessive Competition in College Admissions.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-26, Bank of Korea.

    Hwang I. D., Nam Y. M., Sund W., Shim S. R., Yeom J., Lee B. J., Lee H. R., Chung J. W., Cho T. H., Choi Y. J., Hwang S. W., and Son M. K. 2023. “Lowest-low Fertility and Super-aged Society: Causes and Impacts of the Extreme Population Structure, and Policy Options.” In-Depth Analysis, Korea Economy Outlook, Bank of Korea.

    Lee E. K., Chun D. M., Kim J. W., and Lee D. J. 2024. “Potential Growth Rate of the Korean Economy and Future Outlook.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-33, Bank of Korea.

    Lim W. J., Lee D. J., Lee Y. S., and Park C. H. 2024. “Characteristics and Implications of Korea’s Price Levels: A Comparison with Major Countries.” BOK Issue Note No. 2024-14, Bank of Korea.

    National Assembly Budget Office. 2025. “2025-2072 NABO Long-Term Fiscal Outlook.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks

  • MIL-OSI: Tastytrade Expands Crypto Trading with New Digital Assets, Powered by Zero Hash

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zero Hash, the leading crypto and stablecoin infrastructure provider, today announced that tastytrade, a leading brokerage with an award winning platform for traders, has expanded their relationship with Zero Hash, enabling trading of five additional digital assets. Having launched crypto trading capability in 2020, through Zero Hash, this expansion meets increased customer demand for more crypto trading options.

    Tastytrade clients can now trade Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP), Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), Shiba Inu (SHIB), AAVE (AAVE), and Avalanche (AVAX) through Zero Hash. This week, tastytrade will also add support for Pepe (PEPE), Stellar (XLM), Tezos (XTZ), Sui (SUI), and Aptos (APT).

    “We were early crypto supporters, launching this set up with Zero Hash in 2020, furthering our mission of integrated access to all asset classes – including a growing number of digital assets,” said Ryan Grace, Head of Digital Assets at IG North America. “We will continue giving customers more choices in the fast-moving crypto space while maintaining the powerful, intuitive, and trusted experience they expect from tastytrade.”

    The expansion follows record crypto trading volume in Q4 2024 on the tastytrade platform. By leveraging Zero Hash’s full-stack API, tastytrade can quickly integrate the most popular digital assets without added complexity.

    “Zero Hash continues to power the infrastructure behind the biggest players in traditional brokerage, including tastytrade,” said Edward Woodford, Founder and CEO of Zero Hash. “Our ever-scaling partnership with tastytrade is another example of how we enable trading platforms to seamlessly integrate digital assets, and grow their offering to provide traders unparalleled, simplified access to crypto markets.”

    Zero Hash’s crypto brokerage infrastructure powers access to crypto for leading traditional brokers, including tastytrade and Interactive Brokers. The Zero Hash APIs enable:

    • Liquidity provision and seamless trade execution
    • Ensure regulatory compliance and secure custody solutions

    Disclosures

    Cryptocurrency trading at tastytrade is provided by Zero Hash Liquidity Services LLC, MSB # 31000181510564, and cryptocurrency custody provided by Zero Hash LLC NMLS # 169937. Zero Hash is a licensed virtual currency business by the NYDFS. Cryptocurrency accounts are not protected by SIPC coverage. Cryptocurrencies are not covered by the FDIC, which covers fiat currency. Cryptocurrency trading is not suitable for all investors due to the number of risks involved, including volatile market prices, illiquid market conditions, lack of regulatory oversight, market manipulation, and other risks. You are solely responsible for evaluating your financial circumstances and determining whether or not trading cryptocurrencies is appropriate for you. Please read the General Risks of Digital Assets risk disclosure. tastytrade, Inc. is a separate company and is not an affiliate company of Zero Hash Liquidity Services LLC or Zero Hash LLC.

    About tastytrade
    Tastytrade is an award-winning brokerage firm established in 2017 to change the way people invest. tastytrade, named Best Broker for Options in 2024 by Investopedia and Best Broker in North America by TradingView, empowers investors seeking to actively manage their own money with a powerful platform and access to educational content for options, futures, crypto and equities trading. tastytrade is an indirect subsidiary of IG US Holdings, Inc., parent to tastylive, the financial content and education platform, tasty Software Solutions, LLC, and a subsidiary of IG Group Holdings plc (LON:IGG), a global fintech company that provides award-winning products, platforms and access to ~19,000 financial markets to investors around the world. Learn more at www.tastytrade.com.   

    About Zero Hash
    Zero Hash is the leading crypto and stablecoin infrastructure provider that seamlessly connects fiat, crypto, and stablecoins in one platform, enabling a better way to move and transfer money and value globally.

    Through its embeddable infrastructure, start-ups, enterprises, and Fortune 500 companies build a diverse range of use cases, including cross-border payments, commerce, trading, remittance, payroll, tokenization, wallets, and on/off-ramps.

    Zero Hash Holdings is backed by investors, including Point72 Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and NYCA.

    Zero Hash LLC is a FinCen-registered Money Service Business and a regulated Money Transmitter that can operate in 51 U.S. jurisdictions. Zero Hash LLC and Zero Hash Liquidity Services LLC are licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. In Canada, Zero Hash LLC is registered as a Money Service Business with FINTRAC.

    Zero Hash Australia Pty Ltd. is registered with AUSTRAC as a Digital Currency Exchange Provider, with DCE registered provider number DCE100804170-001. Zero Hash Australia Pty Ltd. is registered on the New Zealand register of financial service providers, with Financial Service Provider (FSP) number FSP1004503. Zero Hash Europe B.V. is registered as a Virtual Asset Services Provider (VASP) by the Dutch Central Bank (Relation number: R193684). Zero Hash Europe Sp. Zoo is registered as a VASP by the Tax Administration Chamber of Poland in Katowice (Registration number RDWW – 1212).

    Media Contacts

    Zero Hash
    Shaun O’Keeffe
    (855) 744-7333
    media@zerohash.com

    Tastytrade
    Laura Hayes
    laura.hayes@ig.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Trisura to Speak at National Bank Financial Services Conference

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — David Clare, President and Chief Executive Officer of Trisura Group Ltd. (“Trisura” or “Trisura Group”) (TSX: TSU), will participate in a fireside chat as a part of the National Bank Financial Services Conference on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

    A link to access a replay of the webcast will be available in the ‘Events’ section of Trisura’s website.

    About Trisura Group

    Trisura Group Ltd. is a specialty insurance provider operating in the Surety, Warranty, Corporate Insurance, Program and Fronting business lines of the market. Trisura has investments in wholly owned subsidiaries through which it conducts insurance operations. Those operations are primarily in Canada and the United States. Trisura Group Ltd. is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “TSU”.

    Further information is available at https://www.trisura.com. Important information may be disseminated exclusively via the website; investors should consult the site to access this information. Details regarding the operations of Trisura Group Ltd. are also set forth in regulatory filings. A copy of the filings may be obtained on Trisura Group’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    For more information, please contact:
    Name: Bryan Sinclair
    Tel: 416 607 2135
    Email: bryan.sinclair@trisura.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Latest update on Clade Ib mpox

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Latest update on Clade Ib mpox

    The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) latest updates on Clade Ib mpox.

    Updates on clade Ib mpox case numbers are published on the UKHSA data dashboard

    Latest update

    Clade I mpox no longer considered a high consequence infectious disease

    Clade Ia and Ib mpox will no longer be classified as a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) following a review of available evidence by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens, the UK Health Security Agency has confirmed today.

    This decision has been taken because the evidence related to this clade no longer meets the criteria for an HCID, which includes having a high mortality rate and a lack of available interventions.

    However, the decision should not be interpreted as clade I mpox no longer being of any public health consequence. The disease is still a public health emergency of international concern as defined by the WHO.

    Sexual and close physical contact is the main way that mpox spreads.

    There have been no reported deaths from mpox in the UK to date, and vaccination is available for higher risk contacts, healthcare workers, and those who are most at risk.

    Emma Richards, Incident Director at the UK Health Security Agency, said:

    There is now firm evidence of vaccine effectiveness and a low mortality rate for cases of clade I mpox, alongside heightened clinical awareness of symptoms, and access to rapid diagnostic testing and safe therapies with emerging evidence of efficacy.

    This change does not alter our overall public health response and we remain committed to preventing the spread of clade I mpox within the UK.

    While mpox infection is mild for many, it can cause severe symptoms including unusual rashes and blisters, a fever and headache.

    The majority of people who have presented with symptoms report close physical contact, including massages, or sex prior to developing symptoms. It’s important people who have travelled to affected countries in Africa remain alert to the risks and seek medical advice if necessary.

    All 4 UK Chief Medical Officers have agreed to accept the recommendation.

    There have been no cases of clade Ia mpox in the UK, and only a small number of cases of clade Ib mpox. Most of these cases have appeared in returning travellers from affected areas in Africa with the others being household contacts of a case.

    There has been no community transmission of clade I mpox within the UK and the risk to the population remains low.

    In the context of the outbreak in parts of Africa, we expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK.

    Previous

    13 February 2025

    A new case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm. 

    The case was detected in London and the individual is now under specialist care at the Royal Free Hospital High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit. They had recently returned from Uganda, where there is currently community transmission of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.

    The risk to the UK population remains low. In the context of the outbreak in parts of Africa, we expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK.

    This is the eighth case of clade Ib mpox confirmed in England since October 2024. This case has no links to the previous cases identified in England.

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Contacts will be offered testing and vaccination where needed to prevent further infections and they will be advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.

    Dr Merav Kliner, Incident Director at UKHSA, said:

    The risk to the UK population remains low. Close contacts have been identified and offered appropriate advice in order to reduce the chance of further spread.

    Clade Ib mpox has been circulating in several countries in Africa in recent months. Imported cases have been detected in a number of countries including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden and the United States.

    There has been extensive planning undertaken to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to confirmed cases.

    Further updates on clade Ib mpox case numbers will be published on the following page: Confirmed cases of mpox clade Ib in United Kingdom.

    Previous

    27 January 2025

    Another case of clade Ib mpox has been detected, bringing the total number of confirmed cases since October 2024 to 7, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm.

    The individual had recently travelled to Uganda. The risk to the UK population remains low.

    The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

    The risk to the UK population remains low. Close contacts have been identified and offered appropriate advice in order to reduce the chance of further spread.

    20 January 2025

    A new case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm.  

    The case was detected in East Sussex and the individual is now under specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. They had recently returned from Uganda, where there is currently community transmission of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual. 

    The risk to the UK population remains low. In the context of the outbreak in parts of Africa, we expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK. 

    This is the sixth case of clade Ib mpox confirmed in England since October 2024. This case has no links to the previous cases identified in England.

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Contacts will be offered testing and vaccination where needed to prevent further infections and they will be advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive. 

    Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director at UKHSA, said: 

    It is thanks to clinicians rapidly recognising the symptoms and the work of our specialist laboratory that we have been able to detect this new case.

    The risk to the UK population remains low following this sixth case, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread.

    Clade Ib mpox has been circulating in several countries in Africa in recent months. Imported cases have been detected in a number of countries including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden and the United States. 

    There has been extensive planning undertaken to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    29 November 2024

    A new case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm.  

    The case was detected in Leeds and the individual is now under specialist care at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. They had recently returned from Uganda, which is seeing community transmission of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual. 

    The risk to the UK population remains low. We expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK. 

    This is the fifth case of clade Ib mpox confirmed in England in recent weeks. This case has no links to the previous cases identified. All 4 previous cases were from the same household and all have now fully recovered.  

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Any contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive. 

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: 

    It is thanks to clinicians rapidly recognising the symptoms and our diagnostics tests that we have been able to detect this new case. 

    The risk to the UK population remains low following this fifth case, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases. 

    Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya in recent months. Imported cases have been detected in Canada, Sweden, India, Thailand and Germany. 

    There has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    6 November 2024

    One further case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in a household contact of the first case, the UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA) can confirm.  

    This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 4, all of which belong to the same household. 

    The patient is currently under specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London. The risk to the UK population remains low. 

    The patient has been isolating since identified as a contact of the first case and no additional contact tracing is required. 

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: 

    Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household. 

    The overall risk to the UK population remains low. We are working with partners to make sure all contacts of the cases are identified and contacted to reduce the risk of further spread.

    Contacts of cases are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. All contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive. 

    There has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    4 November 2024

    Two cases of clade Ib mpox have been detected in household contacts of the first case, the UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA) can confirm. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 3.

    The 2 patients are currently under specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London. The risk to the UK population remains low.

    There has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

    Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household.

    The overall risk to the UK population remains low. We are working with partners to make sure all contacts of the cases are identified and contacted to reduce the risk of further spread.

    Contacts of all 3 cases are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. All contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.

    30 October 2024

    The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected a single confirmed human case of clade Ib mpox. The risk to the UK population remains low.

    This is the first detection of this clade of mpox in the UK. It is different from mpox clade II that has been circulating at low levels in the UK since 2022, primarily among gay, bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM).

    UKHSA, the NHS and partner organisations have well tested capabilities to detect, contain and treat novel infectious diseases, and while this is the first confirmed case of mpox clade Ib in the UK, there has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any confirmed cases.

    The case was detected in London and the individual has been transferred to the Royal Free Hospital High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit. They had recently travelled to countries in Africa that are seeing community cases of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Any contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.

    UKHSA is working closely with the NHS and academic partners to determine the characteristics of the pathogen and further assess the risk to human health. While the existing evidence suggests mpox clade Ib causes more severe disease than clade II, we will continue to monitor and learn more about the severity, transmission and control measures. We will initially manage clade Ib as a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) whilst we are learning more about the virus.

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

    It is thanks to our surveillance that we have been able to detect this virus. This is the first time we have detected this clade of mpox in the UK, though other cases have been confirmed abroad.

    The risk to the UK population remains low, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, said:

    I am extremely grateful to the healthcare professionals who are carrying out incredible work to support and care for the patient affected.

    The overall risk to the UK population currently remains low and the government is working alongside UKHSA and the NHS to protect the public and prevent transmission.

    This includes securing vaccines and equipping healthcare professionals with the guidance and tools they need to respond to cases safely.

    We are also working with our international partners to support affected countries to prevent further outbreaks.

    Steve Russell, NHS national director for vaccination and screening, said:

    The NHS is fully prepared to respond to the first confirmed case of this clade of mpox.

    Since mpox first became present in England, local services have pulled out all the stops to vaccinate those eligible, with tens of thousands in priority groups having already come forward to get protected, and while the risk of catching mpox in the UK remains low, if required the NHS has plans in place to expand the roll out of vaccines quickly in line with supply.

    Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent months and there have been cases reported in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sweden, India and Germany.

    Clade Ib mpox was detected by UKHSA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.

    Common symptoms of mpox include a skin rash or pus-filled lesions which can last 2 to 4 weeks. It can also cause fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

    The infection can be passed on through close person-to-person contact with someone who has the infection or with infected animals and through contact with contaminated materials. Anyone with symptoms should continue to avoid contact with other people while symptoms persist.

    The UK has an existing stock of mpox vaccines and last month announced further vaccines are being procured to support a routine immunisation programme to provide additional resilience in the UK. This is in line with more recent independent JCVI advice.

    Working alongside international partners, UKHSA has been monitoring clade Ib mpox closely since the outbreak in DRC first emerged, publishing regular risk assessment updates.

    The wider risk to the UK population remains low.

    UKHSA has published its first technical briefing on clade I mpox which provides further information on the current situation and UK preparedness and response.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI: Australian Oilseeds Sees Surging Demand for its Canola Oil from China

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COOTAMUNDRA, Australia, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: COOT) today announced that it is seeing surging demand for its canola oil products from China in response to the ongoing trade war between China and Canada.

    “Our high-quality oils are well positioned for growth in China and the partnership with Shanghai Maiwei Trading Co., which we announced in January 2025, provides a strong foundation to capitalize on the recent surge in demand for our canola oil,” said Gary Seaton, Chief Executive Officer. “We have received numerous inquiries from both private and state-owned enterprises and anticipate entering into several long-term supply agreements with Chinese companies over the next 12 months.”

    According to the United States Trade Representative (USTR), in 2024, the United States (US) goods trade with Australia totaled an estimated $51.3 billion, with US goods exports to Australia at $34.6 billion and imports from Australia at $16.7 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $17.9 billion for the US.  Currently, a majority of sales are from the domestic market through major supermarkets and retailers, thus any current or future trade tariff’s implemented by US are expected to have no significant impact on sales or profitability of business.

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

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

    Contact
    Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited
    126-142 Cowcumbla Street
    Cootamundra New South Wales 2590
    Attn: Bob Wu, CFO
    Email: bob@energreennutrition.com.au

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

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Vocodia Holdings Corp. Announces Engagement of Alpine Securities Corporation as Investment Banker

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOCA RATON, Fla., March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vocodia Holdings Corp. (OTC: VHAI) (“Vocodia”), a leader in AI software development focusing on practical AI applications, is pleased to announce the engagement of Alpine Securities Corporation (“Alpine”) as its new investment banker. This strategic partnership aims to enhance Vocodia’s financial strategies and support its continued growth in the AI industry.

    Alpine Securities Corporation is a broker-dealer and boutique investment firm known for its expertise in providing tailored financial solutions to emerging companies. Their commitment to understanding the unique needs of their clients aligns with Vocodia’s innovative approach to AI technology

    Brian Podolak, CEO of Vocodia, commented on the engagement: “​Partnering with Alpine Securities Corporation represents a significant step forward in our mission to revolutionize the AI landscape. Their deep industry knowledge and personalized approach to investment banking will be invaluable as we continue to expand our offerings and reach new markets.”

    This engagement underscores Vocodia’s commitment to leveraging strategic partnerships to drive growth and innovation in the AI sector. The company looks forward to a fruitful collaboration with Alpine Securities Corporation

    About Vocodia Holdings Corp.

    Vocodia is an AI software company that develops practical AI solutions, making them easily accessible for businesses through cloud-based platforms. These solutions are cost-effective and scalable to enterprise levels. Vocodia specializes in conversational AI, providing scalable enterprise-level AI sales and customer service solutions. Their Digital Intelligent Sales Agents (DISAs) are designed to sound and feel human, performing tasks that require human-like conversation, thereby reducing labor costs and enhancing communication effectiveness. For more information, please visit: http://www.vocodia.com

    About Alpine Securities Corporation

    Alpine Securities Corporation is a broker-dealer and boutique investment firm offering a range of financial services, including investment banking, brokerage, and advisory services. With a focus on personalized client solutions, Alpine is committed to supporting the growth and success of emerging companies across various industries.​ 

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,”, “should,” “will” and similar references to future periods. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the risks and uncertainties more fully in the section captioned “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 related to the public offering (SEC File No. File No. 333-269489) and other reports we file with the SEC. As a result of these matters, changes in facts, assumptions not being realized or other circumstances, our actual results may differ materially from the expected results discussed in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date and undertake no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

    Investor Relations Contact: 
    650-789-6556
    ir@vocodia.com

    Investors can also call Vocodia’s Investor Relations (IR) line, DISA, 24×7 at 650-789-6556 for inquiries.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SA’s G20 Presidency an opportune time to advocate for investment in Africa

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister, Andrew Whitfield, says South Africa’s G20 Presidency is an opportune time to advocate for investments in Africa’s infrastructure and productive sector in order to promote meaningful integration of African countries in global trade.

    Whitfield on Tuesday made the opening remarks at the first G20 Trade and Investment Working Group meeting hosted virtually by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) as part of the G20 programme that will culminate in the main summit in November 2025.

    South Africa officially took over the Presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20) in December last year from Brazil. South Africa’s Presidency is being held under the theme: “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”, with a strong focus on Africa’s development.

    The first G20 Trade and Investment Working Group session was attended by representatives from the G20 and other invited countries. 

    Also present at the meeting were international organisations such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the United Nations Trade and Development (UNTAD), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and African regional communities.

    The Working Group’s primary focus is on four priority areas, namely, trade and inclusive growth; a responsive trade agenda to address global commons; green industrialisation, and the reform of the World Trade Organisation.

    “These areas are essential to ensuring that our global economy is more inclusive and responsive to the needs of all nations, particularly developing countries,” Whitfield said. 

    He told attendees that South Africa sees its Presidency as a platform to champion the growth and development of the African continent.

    “Africa is poised to be the next frontier for global growth. With its abundant natural resources and the youngest population, Africa offers immense potential. 

    “The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has the power to transform the continent’s economic and social landscape. South Africa will seek the G20’s support for the implementation of the AfCFTA, in particular the adjustment fund,” Whitfield said.

    Deliberations at the working group meetings will reflect on the successes and failures of the last 30 years of the multilateral trade system and to send a clear message on reforms to be undertaken to inform the work of the WTO, given the emerging challenges in global trade.

    “Through our G20 Presidency, South Africa is committed to advancing global cooperation and building strong partnerships that will drive growth and development for all… Together, we can overcome the challenges of our time and secure a more inclusive and sustainable future. 

    “The nations of the world look to the G20 for leadership on the most pressing issues confronting our world and we dare not fail,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI: SINTX Technologies Announces Publication of Study Confirming Superior Performance of Silicon Nitride in Cervical Spine Fusion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SINTX Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SINT) (“SINTX” or the “Company”), a leader in advanced ceramics for medical device and technical applications, announced today the publication of a new peer-reviewed study demonstrating the biomechanical advantages of silicon nitride in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) procedures.

    The study, titled Biomechanical Evaluation of Cervical Interbody Fusion Cages for Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion With Variations in Morphology, was conducted by researchers at SRM Institute of Science and Technology in collaboration with SINTX Technologies. Using finite element analysis, the study compared various cage designs and materials used in cervical spine fusion procedures. The results highlight silicon nitride’s superior biomechanical performance, particularly in reducing implant subsidence, improving load distribution, and enhancing spinal stability.

    Key Commercial Findings for Spinal Medical Devices

    The findings of this study complement key conclusions from previous studies of the silicon nitride biomaterial and reinforce the unique advantages of silicon nitride over traditional spinal implant biomaterials like PEEK (polyetheretherketone) and titanium, including:

    • Reduced Cage Subsidence – Silicon nitride exhibited exceptional load-bearing capability, minimizing the risk of implant subsidence, a common complication in spinal fusion surgery.
    • Improved Biomechanical Stability – The study confirmed that silicon nitride interbody fusion cages provide enhanced stress distribution and reduce the risk of adjacent segment degeneration.
    • Superior Osseointegration – Unlike PEEK, which is biologically inert and can induce formation of scar tissue at the implant interface, silicon nitride promotes stronger bone fusion due to its osteoconductive and antimicrobial properties.
    • Enhanced Imaging and Safety – Unlike metal implants, silicon nitride offers radiolucency, enabling better post-surgical imaging and reducing artifacts in MRI and CT scans.

    Implications for the Spinal Implant Market

    “This study provides more compelling evidence of the biomechanical and clinical benefits of silicon nitride for spinal fusion applications,” said Eric Olson, CEO of SINTX Technologies. “As the demand for advanced spinal implants grows, we believe our proprietary silicon nitride biomaterial presents a transformative solution for improving long-term patient outcomes while reducing surgical complications.”

    With global spinal fusion procedures expected to surpass $10 billion annually, the integration of silicon nitride into commercial spinal implant systems represents a significant market opportunity for SINTX. The company continues to engage with strategic partners to drive adoption of silicon nitride-based medical devices, including cervical interbody fusion cages and other orthopedic applications.

    For more information, please visit www.sintx.com

    About SINTX Technologies, Inc.

    Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, SINTX Technologies is an advanced ceramics company that develops and commercializes materials, components, and technologies for medical applications. SINTX is a global leader in the research, development, and manufacturing of silicon nitride, and its products have been implanted in humans since 2008. Over the past several years, SINTX has utilized strategic acquisitions and alliances to enter into new markets. For more information on SINTX Technologies or its materials platform, visit www.sintx.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”) that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “anticipate,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “will” and similar references to future periods.

    Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made and reflect management’s current estimates, projections, expectations and beliefs. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, difficulty in commercializing ceramic technologies and development of new product opportunities. A discussion of other risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements can be found in SINTX’s Risk Factors disclosure in its Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 27, 2024, and in SINTX’s other filings with the SEC. SINTX undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update the forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this report, except as required by law.

    Business and Media Inquiries for SINTX:
    SINTX Technologies
    801.839.3502
    IR@sintx.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor’s National Wealth Fund to deliver growth and boost security

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Chancellor’s National Wealth Fund to deliver growth and boost security

    Chancellor sets new strategy for National Wealth Fund to reflect our Plan for Change, unlocking billions of pounds of private investment into the UK.

    • New strategic steer will see National Wealth Fund take on higher risk projects as government goes further and faster to kickstart economic growth, make Britain a clean energy superpower and boost security.
    • Government also launches recruitment for a new National Wealth Fund CEO to build on the £1.8 billion unlocked in private investment since July.

    The National Wealth Fund will unlock over £70 billion in private investment to help deliver economic growth, make Britain a clean energy superpower, and strengthen the defence sector, the Chancellor has confirmed today [19 March]. 

    The new strategic direction sets clean energy, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, and transport as new priority sectors for the National Wealth Fund. Money will be invested across the United Kingdom in projects like carbon capture, green hydrogen, gigafactories, green steel, and ports.  

    Crucially, the Chancellor’s steer will help direct investment to the industries our defence sector relies on – advanced manufacturing and digital and dual-use technologies – working with industry to keep Britain safe and building on the Government’s commitment to increase spending on defence and national security to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027.   

    The National Wealth Fund’s economic capital limit will also be increased from £4.5 billion to £7 billion, allowing it take on greater risk. This means it has more flexibility over its investments and can support more projects that struggle to access private finance.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, said:

    My number one mission is kickstarting economic growth through our Plan for Change to make Great Britain a stronger, more resilient country and put more money into the pockets of working people.

    I am determined to go further and faster to get our economy growing. By directing tens of billions of pounds into the UK’s industrial strengths, we’ll deliver the high-skilled, high-paid jobs of the future in every corner of the country.

    Since July last year, the National Wealth Fund has unlocked 9,900 jobs and nearly £1.8 billion of private investment in growth-driving industries like green energy and technology. 

    Investment has already started flowing into priority sectors including £55 million for Connected Kerb to increase coverage of EV charging networks and a £28.6 million investment into Cornish Metals. 

    The Chancellor’s strategic steer comes as a new £9.6 million National Wealth Fund investment was announced today for Solihull Council to improve the area’s heating infrastructure and reduce bills, providing low carbon heating, hot water and power to town centre buildings. 

    To lead this new chapter for the UK’s flagship public investor, the Government has also launched a recruitment campaign for the National Wealth Fund’s next CEO. 

    John Flint will step down from the role of CEO in the summer after successfully seeing through the National Wealth Fund’s transition from the UK Infrastructure Bank. 

    The Chancellor will also establish a new UK Strategic Public Investment Forum joining up the UK’s leading policymakers and public financial institutions including the CEOs of the National Wealth Fund, British Business Bank, UK Export Finance, Homes England, Innovate UK, and Great British Energy and The Crown Estate. 

    The forum – the first of its kind – will cooperate on delivering investments to the priority areas set out by the Chancellor and will be tasked with ensuring the Government is getting maximum impact for its investments.  

    Stemming from this, the National Wealth Fund will work closely with Great British Energy to support its quick establishment as a publicly owned clean energy company that will boost Britain’s energy security making it a clean energy superpower, lower bills, create jobs, and grow the economy.

    Investing in homegrown clean energy industries is an essential part of the government’s drive to replace the UK’s dependency on fossil fuel markets controlled by petrostates and dictators with clean, homegrown power.

    Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, said:

    Clean power is the economic opportunity of the 21st century – and through the National Wealth Fund we will seize this opportunity to invest in British industries and workers.

    We are delivering our clean energy superpower mission to make our country energy secure and deliver the good jobs that the British people deserve.

    More details on Great British Energy’s developer mandate have also been released today.

    The partnership between Great British Energy and the National Wealth Fund will see the former bringing project development expertise as well as investment, and the latter providing finance, a model already being deployed in Japan and Denmark. 

    Harnessing private investment via the National Wealth Fund is part of the Government’s wider efforts to kickstart economic growth and deliver a new era of security and renewal through our Plan for Change. 

    Cutting red tape so major infrastructure projects can progress, removing unnecessary hurdles in the planning system so more homes can be built, and progressing new economic partnerships with international partners like Japan and India is part of the work being undertaken to grow the economy and put more money in people’s pockets.


    More information

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI: YieldMax™ ETFs Announces Distributions on CRSH (100.59%), ULTY (79.43%), TSLY (76.84%), LFGY (66.79%), SNOY (63.58%) and Others

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO and MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax™ today announced distributions for the YieldMax™ Weekly Payers and Group A ETFs listed in the table below.

    ETF Ticker1 ETF Name Distribution Frequency Distribution
    per Share
    Distribution Rate2,4 30-Day 
    SEC Yield3
    ROC5 Ex-Date &
    Record Date
    Payment
    Date
    GPTY YieldMax™ AI & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.2640 33.60% 0.00% 0.00% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    LFGY YieldMax™ Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.4723 66.79% 0.00% 53.27% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    QDTY YieldMax™ Nasdaq 100 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.3124 47.65% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    RDTY YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered
    Call ETF
    Weekly $0.3193 0.00% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    SDTY YieldMax™ S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.3175 100.00% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    ULTY YieldMax™ Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF Weekly $0.0977 79.43% 0.00% 100.00% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    YMAG YieldMax™ Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.0850 29.28% 61.87% 24.87% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    YMAX YieldMax™ Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.1526 57.05% 85.03% 43.60% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    CRSH  YieldMax™ Short TSLA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.6458 100.59% 3.00% 98.10% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    FEAT YieldMax™ Dorsey Wright Featured 5 Income ETF Every 4 weeks $0.6925 25.57% 122.88% 0.00% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    FIVY YieldMax™ Dorsey Wright Hybrid 5 Income ETF Every 4 weeks $0.7092 25.90% 67.34% 0.00% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    GOOY YieldMax™ GOOGL Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.3284 33.98% 4.12% 0.00% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    OARK YieldMax™ Innovation Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.3210 51.60% 3.25% 71.26% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    SNOY YieldMax™ SNOW Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.8119 63.58% 2.45% 0.00% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    TSLY YieldMax™ TSLA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.4638 76.84% 4.69% 94.16% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    TSMY YieldMax™ TSM Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.5772 47.98% 3.59% 93.02% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    XOMO YieldMax™ XOM Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.2950 26.06% 3.38% 77.73% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    YBIT YieldMax™ Bitcoin Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.4357 56.11% 1.61% 97.70% 3/20/2025 3/21/2025
    Weekly Payers & Group B ETFs scheduled for next week: GPTY LFGY QDTY RDTY SDTY ULTY YMAG YMAX BABO DIPS FBY GDXY JPMO MARO MRNY NVDY PLTY
     

    Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling (833) 378-0717.

    Note: DIPS, FIAT, CRSH and YQQQ are hereinafter referred to as the “Short ETFs”.

    Distributions are not guaranteed.  The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield are not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs.  In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from period to period and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant.

    Investors in the Funds will not have rights to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to the underlying reference asset(s).

    1   All YieldMax™ ETFs shown in the table above (except YMAX, YMAG, FEAT, FIVY and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX, YMAG and FEAT have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. FIVY has a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.59% for a gross expense ratio of 0.88%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax™ ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio after the fee waiver of 1.30%. The Advisor has agreed to a fee waiver of 0.10% through at least February 28, 2026.

    2   The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on March 18, 2025. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.

    3  The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended February 28, 2025, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period.

    4  Each ETF’s strategy (except those of the Short ETFs) will cap potential gains if its reference asset’s shares increase in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset’s shares decrease in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF. Each Short ETF’s strategy will cap potential gains if its reference asset decreases in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset increases in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF.

    5 ROC refers to Return of Capital. The ROC percentage is the portion of the distribution that represents an investor’s original investment.

    Each Fund has a limited operating history and while each Fund’s objective is to provide current income, there is no guarantee the Fund will make a distribution. Distributions are likely to vary greatly in amount.

    Standardized Performance

    For YMAX, click here. For YMAG, click here. For TSLY, click here. For OARK, click here. For APLY, click here. For NVDY, click here. For AMZY, click here. For FBY, click here. For GOOY, click here. For NFLY, click here. For CONY, click here. For MSFO, click here. For DISO, click here. For XOMO, click here. For JPMO, click here. For AMDY, click here. For PYPY, click here. For SQY, click here. For MRNY, click here. For AIYY, click here. For MSTY, click here. For ULTY, click here. For YBIT, click here. For CRSH, click here. For GDXY, click here. For SNOY, click here. For ABNY, click here. For FIAT, click here. For DIPS, click here. For BABO, click here. For YQQQ, click here. For TSMY, click here. For SMCY, click here.  For PLTY, click here. For BIGY, click here. For SOXY, click here. For MARO, click here. For FEAT, click here. For FIVY, click here. For LFGY, click here. For GPTY, click here. For CVNY, click here. For SDTY, click here. For QDTY, click here. For RDTY, click here.

    Important Information

    This material must be preceded or accompanied by the prospectus. For all prospectuses, click here.

    Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax™ ETFs.

    THE FUND, TRUST, AND ADVISER ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY UNDERLYING REFERENCE ASSET.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable to all YieldMax ETFs referenced above, except the Short ETFs)

    YMAX, YMAG, FEAT and FIVY generally invest in other YieldMax™ ETFs. As such, these two Funds are subject to the risks listed in this section, which apply to all the YieldMax™ ETFs they may hold from time to time.

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Call Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s call writing strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in the positive price returns of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold call options and over longer periods.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions. 

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

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

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of call option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in increases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Call Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, which focuses on an individual security (ARKK, TSLA, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSFT, DIS, XOM, JPM, AMD, PYPL, SQ, MRNA, AI, MSTR, Bitcoin ETP, GDX®, SNOW, ABNB, BABA, TSM, SMCI, PLTR, MARA, CVNA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GPTY)

    Artificial Intelligence Risk. Issuers engaged in artificial intelligence typically have high research and capital expenditures and, as a result, their profitability can vary widely, if they are profitable at all. The space in which they are engaged is highly competitive and issuers’ products and services may become obsolete very quickly. These companies are heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. The issuers are also subject to legal, regulatory and political changes that may have a large impact on their profitability. A failure in an issuer’s product or even questions about the safety of the product could be devastating to the issuer, especially if it is the marquee product of the issuer. It can be difficult to accurately capture what qualifies as an artificial intelligence company.

    Technology Sector Risk. The Fund will invest substantially in companies in the information technology sector, and therefore the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.

    Risk Disclosure (applicable only to MARO)

    Digital Assets Risk: The Fund does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than the Fund. Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)

    Currency Risk: Indirect exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

    Depositary Receipts Risk: The securities underlying BABO and TSMY are American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

    Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight.

    Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)

    Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund is exposed indirectly to the securities of foreign issuers selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities.

    Risk of Investing in Gold and Silver Mining Companies. The Fund is exposed indirectly to gold and silver mining companies selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies.

    The Fund invests in options contracts based on the value of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX®), which subjects the Fund to some of the same risks as if it owned GDX®, as well as the risks associated with Canadian, Australian and Emerging Market Issuers, and Small-and Medium-Capitalization companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)

    YBIT does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than YBIT.

    Bitcoin Investment Risk: The Fund’s indirect investment in Bitcoin, through holdings in one or more Underlying ETPs, exposes it to the unique risks of this emerging innovation. Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, and its market is influenced by the changing Bitcoin network, fluctuating acceptance levels, and unpredictable usage trends.

    Digital Assets Risk: Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility.  Potentially No 1940 Act Protections. As of the date of this Prospectus, there is only a single eligible Underlying ETP, and it is an investment company subject to the 1940 Act.

    Bitcoin ETP Risk: The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Bitcoin ETP. This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of the Bitcoin ETP, even though it does not. Bitcoin ETPs are subject, but not limited, to significant risk and heightened volatility. An investor in a Bitcoin ETP may lose their entire investment. Bitcoin ETPs are not suitable for all investors. In addition, not all Bitcoin ETPs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Those Bitcoin ETPs that are not registered under such statute are therefore not subject to the same regulations as exchange traded products that are so registered.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Price Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the value of the underlying reference asset. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the underlying reference asset, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, the Fund is subject to the risk that the value of the underlying reference asset increases. If the value of the underlying reference asset increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses.

    Put Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s put writing (selling) strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in decreases in the value of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold put options and over longer periods.

    Purchased OTM Call Options Risk. The Fund’s strategy is subject to potential losses if the underlying reference asset increases in value, which may not be offset by the purchase of out-of-the-money (OTM) call options. The Fund purchases OTM calls to seek to manage (cap) the Fund’s potential losses from the Fund’s short exposure to the underlying reference asset if it appreciates significantly in value. However, the OTM call options will cap the Fund’s losses only to the extent that the value of the underlying reference asset increases to a level that is at or above the strike level of the purchased OTM call options. Any increase in the value of the underlying reference asset to a level that is below the strike level of the purchased OTM call options will result in a corresponding loss for the Fund. For example, if the OTM call options have a strike level that is approximately 100% above the then-current value of the underlying reference asset at the time of the call option purchase, and the value of the underlying reference asset increases by at least 100% during the term of the purchased OTM call options, the Fund will lose all its value. Since the Fund bears the costs of purchasing the OTM calls, such costs will decrease the Fund’s value and/or any income otherwise generated by the Fund’s investment strategy.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions. 

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

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

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in decreases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Put Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole. 

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)

    Index Overview. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a benchmark index that includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, based on market capitalization.

    Index Level Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the Index level. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the Index, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the Index level, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Index level increases. If the Index level increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. The Fund may also be subject to the following risks: innovation and technological advancement; strong market presence of Index constituent companies; adaptability to global market trends; and resilience and recovery potential.

    Index Level Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will benefit from decreases in the Index level experienced over the Put Period. This means that if the Index level experiences a decrease in value below the strike level of the sold put options during a Put Period, the Fund will likely not experience that increase to the same extent and any Fund gains may significantly differ from the level of the Index losses over the Put Period. Additionally, because the Fund is limited in the degree to which it will participate in decreases in value experienced by the Index level over each Put Period, but has significant negative exposure to any increases in value experienced by the Index level over the Put Period, the NAV of the Fund may decrease over any given period. The Fund’s NAV is dependent on the value of each options portfolio, which is based principally upon the inverse of the performance of the Index level. The Fund’s ability to benefit from the Index level decreases will depend on prevailing market conditions, especially market volatility, at the time the Fund enters into the sold put option contracts and will vary from Put Period to Put Period. The value of the options contracts is affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of component companies that comprise the Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the Index and the remaining time to the options’ expiration, as well as trading conditions in the options market. As the Index level changes and time moves towards the expiration of each Put Period, the value of the options contracts, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, will change. However, it is not expected for the Fund’s NAV to directly inversely correlate on a day-to-day basis with the returns of the Index level. The amount of time remaining until the options contract’s expiration date affects the impact that the value of the options contracts has on the Fund’s NAV, which may not be in full effect until the expiration date of the Fund’s options contracts. Therefore, while changes in the Index level will result in changes to the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally anticipates that the rate of change in the Fund’s NAV will be different than the inverse of the changes experienced by the Index level.

    YieldMax™ ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Tidal Financial Group, or YieldMax™ ETFs.

    © 2025 YieldMax™ ETFs

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Update on the Business Secretary’s meeting with US administration

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Government response

    Update on the Business Secretary’s meeting with US administration

    A meeting between the UK Business and Trade Secretary and US Administration took place in Washington DC on Tuesday 18 March.

    Yesterday (Tuesday 18 March), the UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds met with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and US Special Envoy Mark Burnett in Washington DC.

    The meeting followed last month’s agreement between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump that teams would start working together on an Economic Prosperity Deal, building on our shared strengths and commitment to economic security.

    The UK looks forward to developing this deal over the coming weeks and months.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Members consider trade agreements involving Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Nicaragua

    Source: World Trade Organization

    The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement , covering trade in goods and services, came into force on 29 December 2022. Australia will eliminate customs duties on 98.3% of its tariff lines by the end of the implementation period in 2026, while India will do so for 69.8% by 2031. For trade in services, both parties have enhanced sectoral commitments beyond those under the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), including the movement of natural persons.

    Australia said the landmark Agreement represents a significant development in the economic relationship between Australia and India and supports both countries’ deeper integration into the global economy. Australia added that the Agreement includes provisions on strengthening investment certainty, promoting regulatory cooperation and enhancing mobility for skilled professionals.

    India said the Agreement has driven mutual growth and showcases the complementarity of both economies. The Agreement has significantly advanced trade ties and created new opportunities for business and employment. India added that both countries are committed to building on the momentum to deepen economic integration.

    The Free Trade Agreement between China and Nicaragua,  goods and services, entered into force on 1 January 2024. At the end of the transition period in 2038, 95.2% of tariff lines of China and 94.8% of tariff lines of Nicaragua will be duty-free under the Agreement. Each party will retain tariffs on approximately 5% of tariff lines after full implementation.  On trade in services, the Agreement follows a negative list approach and adds new or improved commitments compared to the parties’commitments under the GATS in a number of areas including business services and health services. Moreover, the Agreement includes, among other things, provisions on the environment, competition, dispute settlement, small and medium enterprises, and e-commerce.

    China said the Agreement establishes a high level of openness between both economies in terms of trade in goods and services and for investment. China noted that both economies are highly complementary and that there is a great potential for trade and investment cooperation.

    Nicaragua said the Agreement, which builds upon the July 2022 Early Harvest Agreement, will produce mutual benefits for both countries. Nicaragua added that the Agreement provides an opportunity to transform the country’s structure of production, trading and investment.

    The Free Trade Agreement between China and Cambodia, covering trade in goods and services, came into force on 1 January 2022. Under the Agreement, China has committed to eliminating customs duties on 97.3% of its tariffs by 2041, while Cambodia has committed to eliminating 90% of its tariffs during the same period. Much of the tariff elimination has been “front loaded” by both parties, with most tariff reductions already applied since 2022. For trade in services, Cambodia’s sectoral commitments remain the same as in its GATS commitments, except for a limited number of sectors, while China’s existing GATS commitments are further enhanced for a number of sectors under the Agreement. The Agreement also contains provisions on cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

    China said the Agreement is its first bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) signed with a least-developed country (LDC), noting that this sets a good example of cooperation with LDCs. China said it is also the first FTA that sets an independent chapter on cooperation under the BRI and that it will enhance value chains between the two countries.

    Cambodia said the Agreement is consistent with WTO commitments as it eliminates duties on a substantial amount of trade between the two countries. Cambodia noted the Agreement provides benefits beyond the economic aspect as it also contributes to Cambodia’s broader development strategies.

    Implementation of the RTA Transparency Mechanism

    The Committee also took note of one new notification of an RTA, as well as five notifications of changes since its last session in November 2024. The signature of one Agreement was also the subject of an early announcement.

    The outgoing chair, Ambassador Salomon Eheth (Cameroon), noted that there are 30 RTAs involving only WTO members and 38 involving non-members for which a factual presentation has to be prepared, counting goods and services separately. In addition, there are at least 58 RTAs currently in force that have not been notified to the WTO, with an updated list of these circulated prior to the Committee meeting and available on the RTA database. A number of delegations encouraged members to notify these agreements as soon as possible, while noting that delays may be due to constrained capacities of small delegations.

    The Committee took note of the updated schedule for the submissions of  implementation reports on RTAs. It noted that as of 1 March 2025, such reports were due for 223 RTAs with an additional 15 becoming due in 2025.

    Election of new Chair

    Members elected Ambassador José Valencia of Ecuador as the new Committee Chair. He replaces Ambassador Eheth.

    Next meeting

    The next Committee meetings for 2025 are scheduled for 17 June and 10 November.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Bedfordshire director banned after failing to provide company accounts to liquidator

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Bedfordshire director banned after failing to provide company accounts to liquidator

    The company entered liquidation with liabilities estimated at more than £300,000

    • Jenna Lennon was the director of Hope & Pride Limited when it went into liquidation in September 2023  

    • HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimated the company owed more than £300,000 in unpaid corporation tax at the time of liquidation 

    • Lennon failed in her duties as a company director to preserve or maintain adequate accounting records and deliver them to the liquidator 

    A Bedfordshire company director has been disqualified after failing to provide accounting records when her company went into liquidation owing an estimated £319,000 in corporation tax. 

    Jenna Lennon was the sole director of Hope & Pride Limited, which was incorporated in March 2019 and described its business on Companies House as “other information service activities not elsewhere classified”. 

    Hope & Pride entered liquidation in September 2023 but Lennon had failed in her duties as a company director to preserve or maintain adequate accounting records. 

    Indeed, no accounts for Hope & Pride were ever filed at Companies House. 

    The 39-year-old also failed to deliver accounting records to the liquidator as she was required to do. 

    Lennon, whose listed correspondence address for Hope & Pride was Bramingham Business & Conference Centre on Enterprise Way in Luton, has been disqualified as a company director for seven years. 

    An Insolvency Service spokesperson said: 

    Directors are legally required to maintain adequate books and records which show and explain their company’s transactions. This is first and foremost to protect consumers and other businesses who have dealings with the company. 

    Jenna Lennon did not preserve or maintain adequate accounting records for Hope & Pride. This has meant the liquidator has been unable to properly investigate the company’s accounts and accurately establish how much was owed to HMRC and other creditors. 

    This disqualification should serve as a reminder to company directors that they are required by law to keep proper accounts. The Insolvency Service will not hesitate to take action against directors who do not comply with these crucial legal requirements.

    Lennon’s failure to maintain adequate accounting records meant the liquidator was unable to verify the nature of the company’s income and expenditure. 

    This included payments into Hope & Pride’s account of £1,178,364.  

    Additional payments of £151,000, listed on bank accounts as “J Lennon dividends” between July 2019 and March 2022, were similarly not verified. 

    Payments of £1,133,964 out of Hope & Pride’s account were also not explained and the liquidator was unable to establish if this money was used for legitimate trading purposes. 

    The company entered liquidation with total liabilities, which Lennon has not disputed, of £327,923. 

    Due to her failure to provide accounting records, the liquidator could not however establish the company’s true liabilities in relation to unpaid corporation tax – which HMRC estimates at £319,423 – and debts to other creditors.

    The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Lennon, and her ban started on Wednesday 19 March.  

    The undertaking prevents her from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court. 

    Further information 

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom proclaims Women’s Military History Week

    Source: US State of California 2

    Mar 18, 2025

    Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring March 17, 2025 through March 23, 2025, as Women’s Military History Week.

    The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below:

    PROCLAMATION

    From the Revolutionary War to today, women have played vital roles in our nation’s defense, answering the call to serve and demonstrating courage and dedication in every branch of the military – even before they could officially serve. Women’s Military History Week honors these women, recognizing their resilience, sacrifice, and leadership.

    World War II marked a turning point with the creation of the Women’s Army Corps and the historic 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black and all-woman unit that ensured frontline troops received their mail. These forerunners helped pave the way for the full integration of women into all military roles, including combat positions.

    Breaking down barriers has always made our military – and our country – stronger. This week, we celebrate all the women who have chosen to serve this country, no matter the cost to themselves, and we honor the history they’ve made in doing so. 

    From U.S. Army Sergeant Sagen Maddalena, silver medal winner in the 2024 Summer Olympics, to Captain Sage Fox, the first transgender soldier to openly serve, to our own CalVet Secretary Lindsey Sin, California is home to countless women who have selflessly and bravely put their lives on the line – all of them history makers in their own way.

    Each of these servicemembers, whether they’re active-duty or a veteran, those with us today and those who have passed on, deserve recognition and respect. At a moment when important parts and people of military history are being removed, we take this moment to acknowledge women’s military history. Our military is strong because of its many parts – because it draws on the strengths of our people, coming together in unity and in defense of our country.

    Women’s Military History Week is a time to recognize these achievements and reaffirm our commitment to a military where all servicemembers have equal opportunities and recognition. Their stories inspire us and remind us of the strength that diversity brings to our U.S. Armed Forces.

    NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim March 17-23, 2025, as “Women’s Military History Week.”

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 16th day of March 2025.

    GAVIN NEWSOM
    Governor of California

    ATTEST:
    SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.
    Secretary of State

    Recent news

    News What you need to know: California will provide a total of $2.4 billion in utility bill credits this year thanks to the state’s Cap-and-Trade program that funds critical climate action. SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced millions of Californians…

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom and Los Angeles community-based organizations (CBOs) today announced $25 million to advance educational outreach to workers and businesses about vital health, safety, and workplace protections. LOS ANGELES — As rebuilding in…

    News What you need to know: With the release of a new draft working report by leading artificial intelligence experts, California continues to lead in advocating for the responsible use of emerging AI technology and the study of its impacts and opportunities.  SAN…

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Millions of Californians to get average of $137 in credits on their April utility bills thanks to state’s climate program

    Source: US State of California 2

    Mar 18, 2025

    What you need to know: California will provide a total of $2.4 billion in utility bill credits this year thanks to the state’s Cap-and-Trade program that funds critical climate action.

    SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced millions of Californians will receive an average of $137 in credits on their April gas and electric bills. The California Climate Credit – automatically applied to Californians’ bills every April and October – is a direct result of the state’s nation-leading Cap-and-Trade climate program that requires polluters to pay for climate action.

    Since 2014, California households have already received an average of $1,120 in combined automatic April and October climate credits on their utility bills.

    Every year, our Cap-and-Trade program provides essential funding to California’s efforts to clean the air while also giving residents money back on their utility bills. Millions of California families will benefit from this relief.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Since 2014, the state’s Cap-and-Trade program has delivered $10.9 billion in bill credits back to utility customers. This year, California will provide a total of $2.4 billion in residential credits – $1.4 billion for electric customers, $1 billion for natural gas customers, and an additional $122 million for small businesses.

    How it works

    The credits range from $35 to $259 for electricity bills – with most set to receive $56 to $81 – and approximately $54 to $87 on natural gas bills for residential customers of PG&E, San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Gas Company, and Southwest Gas. Californians can check how much their credit will be here.

    Californians do not need to do anything to get the credit. The California Climate Credit comes from the State’s Cap-and-Trade Program managed by the California Air Resources Board. The credit on utility bills represents the consumer’s share of the payments from the State’s program.

    In addition to utility bill credits, California’s Cap-and-Trade program has funded $28 billion in climate investments delivering more than half a million projects across the state, supporting 30,000 jobs and cutting millions of tons of carbon emissions. The investments include a wide range of solutions such as putting affordable housing near job centers, building the nation’s first high-speed rail, and adding zero-emission transportation options in underserved communities.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom and Los Angeles community-based organizations (CBOs) today announced $25 million to advance educational outreach to workers and businesses about vital health, safety, and workplace protections. LOS ANGELES — As rebuilding in…

    News What you need to know: With the release of a new draft working report by leading artificial intelligence experts, California continues to lead in advocating for the responsible use of emerging AI technology and the study of its impacts and opportunities.  SAN…

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement regarding the death of San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputy Hector Cuevas Jr.:“Jennifer and I are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Deputy Cuevas. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his…

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Admission campaign for foreign citizens has started

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The Polytechnic University held Open Day for international applicants online. The event was dedicated to the start of the admissions campaign. Representatives of SPbPU international services spoke about the admissions process, educational opportunities and answered questions from future students.

    For more than a century of history, Polytechnic University has established itself as one of the leading engineering universities in Russia and the world. We are proud of our graduates — talented engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs and government officials who contribute to the development of technology, economy and society. We invite you to become part of our energetic and multifaceted community. Polytechnic University is a place where you can unleash your potential, find friends from all over the world and take the first step towards a successful career. We are looking forward to seeing you at Polytechnic University. Let’s create the future together, — Vice-Rector for International Affairs Dmitry Arsenyev greeted future students.

    Students from the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity, the Civil Engineering Institute, the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport, and the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade shared their impressions of studying at the university.

    Learning the language and adapting were difficult at first, but over time they opened up new opportunities. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the teachers who create additional materials to help students in their studies. The atmosphere at the university is inspiring: the polytechnics are incredibly responsive and always ready to support, – said Marvin Bethel, a student from Botswana.

    ISI student Mustafa Ibrahim is from Ethiopia. He chose Polytechnic University because of its high international rankings, its status as one of the best universities in Russia, and its campus with modern infrastructure.

    The academic environment at the university is conducive to development. The teachers are always ready to help and share knowledge in their field. Here I met students from Russia, India, Egypt, China and other countries, which significantly expanded my cultural and educational experience. The training at the Polytechnic is intensive, with an emphasis on practical skills and research, – shared Mustafa Ibrahim.

    Activists from PolyUnion, the Council of Fellowships and Tutor Forces spoke about communities and extracurricular activities for international students at the Polytechnic University.

    Useful links:

    Admission procedure

    Personal Account of a Foreign Applicant

    Polunion

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

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs combats counterfeit goods activities (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Customs combats counterfeit goods activities (with photo) 
    On March 14, Customs inspected two outgoing consignments in a courier logistics centre in Kwun Tong. With the assistance of the trademark owner, about 150 suspected counterfeit mobile phones with an estimated value of about $105,000 were seized. After in-depth investigations, a company in Kwun Tong was identified as the suspected consignor of the batch of suspected counterfeit goods.
     
    Subsequently, Customs officers on March 17 conducted a controlled delivery operation and arrested a 36-year-old man who was suspected to be connected with the case inside the aforesaid consignor. About 5 100 suspected counterfeit mobile phones with an estimated market value of about $3.5 million were seized.
     
    With the suspicion that another company in Kwun Tong was involved in the case, Customs officers immediately conducted a search at the company on the same day. About 3 900 suspected counterfeit mobile phones with an estimated value of about $2.8 million were further seized, and a 55-year-old man who was suspected to be connected with the case was also arrested. 
     
    The two arrested persons have been released on bail pending further investigation. Investigations are ongoing, and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
     
    Customs reminds consumers to procure goods at reputable shops and to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt. Traders should also be cautious and prudent in merchandising since selling counterfeit goods is a serious crime, and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.
     
    Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who import, export, sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
     
    Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 18:03

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: D9+ Ministerial Meeting for digital technology and connectivity in Amsterdam

    Source: Government of the Netherlands

    Minister Dirk Beljaarts of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands will host the D9+ Ministerial Meeting in Amsterdam on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 March 2025. Ministers from the thirteen most digitalized EU Member States and EU Commissioner Henna Virkkunen (Executive Vice-President of the European Commission) will meet at this summit. The D9+ Group of countries have joint ambitions to strengthen their digital economy, infrastructure and technologies and to better protect consumers on digital markets all based on a common EU digital technology strategy.

    The Ministerial Meeting in Amsterdam includes meetings to ensure more EU private investments in digital technologies and to improve access to financing for startups and scale-ups. The ministers will also discuss challenges regarding connectivity. Such as increasing the supercomputing capacity within the EU to be able to develop innovations in the field of both digital infrastructure and technology. During the D9+ the participating Ministers will also have meetings on artificial intelligence. Discussions will be held on topics like developing innovative AI technology and AI infrastructure within the EU and the use of AI in public services. During these meetings various guest speakers will also provide insight into how business investments can be stimulated.

    The following Ministers from the D9+ Group will be in Amsterdam for the summit: Caroline Stage (Minister for Digital Affairs; Denmark), Liisa-Ly Pakosta (Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs; Estonia), Niamh Smyth (Minister of State for Trade, Promotion, AI and Digital Transformation; Ireland), Elisabeth Margue (Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister for Media and Connectivity; Luxembourg), Dariusz Standerski, Secretary of State for Digital Affairs; Poland); Margarida Balseiro Lopes (Minister for Youth and Modernization; Portugal), Ksenija Klampfer (Minister of Digital Transformation; Slovenia), Oscar Lopez Águada (Minister for Digital Transformation and Civil Service; Spain), Marian Jurečka, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs; Czech Republic), Erik Slottner (Minister for Public Administration; Sweden). The representatives from Belgium and Finland have to be confirmed yet.

    The participating ministers have the ambition to deliver a final declaration which Minister Beljaarts will hand over to EU Commissioner Virkkunen. At the same time as the D9+ Ministerial Meeting both business federations (B9+) and start-up and scale-up organizations (S9+) from the thirteen countries involved will meet in Amsterdam.

    Origin of D9+

    In 2016, Sweden launched an initiative called ‘Digital Frontrunners’ following a report in which nine EU member states were designated as frontrunners. Four additional countries have since become members of the D9+. The Ministers meet informally twice a year to work together on their ambitions in the field of digital economy and technology. There is a rotating presidency. After the Netherlands, Portugal will organize the next D9+ in the second half of 2025.

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Asian Development Review: Volume 42, Number 1

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    The opening article underscores the importance of knowledge sharing among city governments. Other articles discuss how urban green spaces can reduce flooding and the burning of waste, how growing mungbeans can reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers, and how internet access can increase farmers’ incomes. Authors also examine trade costs in Central Asia and participation in global value chains.

    For print subscription, e-mail: [email protected]

    Using a newly constructed index of trade openness, this paper finds a significant direct effect of openness on poverty reduction.

    Open Submissions

    This paper exploits the staggered roll-out of a landmark Air Quality Monitoring Program in the People’s Republic of China to study the migration response to pollution information disclosure and labor market outcomes.

    This study explores how local elites’ traits influence environmental performance, both before and after the amendment to the Environmental Protection Law.

    This study investigates the impact of green open spaces in reducing the probability of flooding and open waste burning in urban areas in Indonesia’s three largest metropolitan cities: Surabaya, Jakarta, and Medan.

    This paper studies participation by developing Asian economies in global value chains (GVCs) and uses an input–output framework to measure the impacts that GVCs of final manufactured products have on jobs and income.

    This paper investigates whether engagement with e-commerce is linked to increased sales and productivity gains for informal firms in South Asia.

    This study in Nepal assesses the determinants of mungbean adoption and its impact on fertilizer use, agricultural productivity, and food security.

    This paper measures the impact of a micronutrient training among women farmers with young children on the demand for zinc-enhanced varieties.

    This study examines the association between internet use in agriculture and farm earnings in Indonesia.

    This paper identifies and examines income shock and price shock channels through which climatic disasters affect domestic consumption in the case of Bangladesh.

    Mini Symposium on Trade Costs in Central Asia

    This paper analyzes the impact of trade costs on the exports in five Central Asian countries using a structural gravity model and Corridor Performance Measurement and Monitoring trade cost indicators.

    This study examines the effects of at-the-border and behind-the-border measures on the intraregional perishable goods trade in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation region.

    This paper examines the effect of COVID-19 mobility measures on the time required for cargo to clear the border crossing points of Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation countries.

    MIL OSI Global Banks

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine

    UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.

    Thank you, Mr Vice-President.

    Welcome Commissioners. Your reporting has made clear that, for as long as Russia pursues its aggression against Ukraine, the Ukrainian people will be subject to immense suffering. We are of course shocked by your latest report, which lays bare Russia’s brutal treatment of detainees. 

    You conclude that Russia has committed torture, including sexual violence. And, for the first time, that enforced disappearances committed by Russia amount to a crime against humanity. 

    We are deeply disturbed by the systematic use of sexual violence against male detainees, and by new evidence of the war crimes of rape and sexual violence perpetrated against female detainees.

    Detainees are subjected to abuses and, tragically, some have died. Their families are, understandably, in anguish. 

    This mistreatment is directed from the highest levels, pursuant to a coordinated Russian state policy. Evidence shows that Russian commanders gave orders to kill rather than take prisoners. 

    Commissioners, justice must be done.  

    We do, of course, encourage Ukraine to investigate fully your allegations against its authorities and armed forces.

    But let there be no doubt: there is no equivalence between Russia and Ukraine. As a direct result of Russian aggression, Ukrainians across the country have faced violations and abuses of their right to life.

    Russia must be held to account. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as this takes.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK, Philippines elevate trade ties through Inaugural Joint Economic Trade Committee

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    World news story

    UK, Philippines elevate trade ties through Inaugural Joint Economic Trade Committee

    UK Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security Douglas Alexander and Philippine Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty sign the Memorandum of Understanding on the Joint Economic and Trade Committee.

    • UK and the Philippines recently held inaugural Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO)
    • JETCO aims to realise potential for UK businesses to sell more to the Philippines, one of the fastest growing economies in Asia
    • News follows recent win for UK beef industry after Philippine ban on UK beef was lifted in addition to the lifting of a poultry ban with both worth a combined £80m over five years.

    Ministers from the UK and the Philippines met in London on Monday, 17 March for trade talks under the first Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting. The JETCO aims to upgrade the bilateral trade relationship currently worth £2.8 billion in 2024.

    UK Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security Douglas Alexander and Philippine Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty agreed to pursue closer cooperation and increased trade across sectors including infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture, and economic development.

    Minister Alexander stated:

    Today’s talks signify an important new chapter in our trading relationship with the Philippines, one of Asia’s fastest growing economies.

    During the meeting, the UK and the Philippines also committed to progressing work towards a government-to-government Financing Framework Partnership that will expand access to £5 billion financing from UK Export Finance (UKEF) to support the delivery of sustainable public infrastructure and improve paths to UK expertise and technology in the Philippines. 

    Undersecretary Gepty said:

    The UK’s strong presence in Southeast Asia is expected to help stabilise trade and investment relations among economies operating in the region. And the Philippines is able and willing to be UK’s strategic link in the region.

    JETCO also underscored investment opportunities in the Philippines for UK agricultural companies and promoted imports of UK meat following the recent removal of bans on beef and poultry exports from the UK. This move allows Filipino consumers access to UK meats in local market.

    Meanwhile, opportunities in offshore renewable energy will feature heavily in discussions. In 2024, the UK was the largest single investor in the Philippines, driven mainly by investments in renewables. Such opportunities for UK companies were enhanced in 2022 with the removal of foreign equity restrictions for renewable energy companies. 

    JETCO also celebrates the growing digital and tech trade between the UK and the Philippines. Next week will see the UK-Southeast Asia Tech Week in Manila which will bring together UK and Philippine leading tech companies, policymakers, and startups for two days of discussions, networking, and innovation showcases.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI: PrimeXBT Introduces Cashback as a New Way to Redeem Rewards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CASTRIES, Saint Lucia, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PrimeXBT, a regulated global multi-asset broker, has introduced a new benefit to its Rewards Center in the form of cashback. Clients can now get back up to 20% of their trading fees and CFD spreads, with the amount being credited directly to their USDT or USD wallets (T&Cs apply). With this update, the broker aims to provide even more value for traders, who can now convert their rewards into real, usable funds, helping offset trading costs.

    Traders can claim cashback on any trades made from 18 February onwards. The amount available depends on their Rewards Center balance at the time of redemption. For example, if a client has paid 100 USDT in fees, they would be eligible for 20 USDT cashback. However, if the client’s Reward Center balance was below 20 USDT, they would only be able to redeem an amount equal to their balance.

    “At PrimeXBT, we’ve always focused on putting our clients’ needs first. We’re committed to consistently providing them with added value through innovations like our Rewards Center. With the introduction of cashback, traders have a new way to redeem rewards, providing them with added flexibility and the ability to optimise their trading strategies,” a PrimeXBT spokesperson said.

    The Rewards Centre is designed to provide traders with valuable incentives that can be used for trading. By completing Trader Tasks, participating in Trade & Earn campaigns, and claiming the Welcome Bonus users can earn up to $6100 in rewards which can be converted into Cashback or redeemed as a Deposit Bonus to increase trading balance by up to 20%, giving them additional funds to trade with. This reward model not only enhances trading opportunities but also encourages traders to develop their skills and market knowledge, creating a more engaging and rewarding trading experience.

    As traders and investors continue searching for the best trading conditions, PrimeXBT stands out for its trader-first approach. Innovative products like its Rewards Center and the recent introduction of Cashback prove the broker’s dedication to giving clients more for less. With such a strong focus on traders’ needs, PrimeXBT continues to offer one of the most rewarding trading experiences available.

    To learn more users can visit PrimeXBT

    Disclaimer: The content provided here is for informational purposes only and is not intended as personal investment advice and does not constitute a solicitation or invitation to engage in any financial transactions, investments, or related activities. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The financial products offered by the Company are complex and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. These products may not be suitable for all investors. Before engaging, you should consider whether you understand how these leveraged products work and whether you can afford the high risk of losing your money. The Company does not accept clients from the Restricted Jurisdictions as indicated on its website. Some services or products may not be available in your jurisdiction. 

    Contact

    PrimeXBT
    pr@primexbt.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7d53f74d-0e0f-433f-96db-5a8177925741

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI China: ROC (Taiwan) government congratulates diplomatic ally Belize on successful completion of general elections

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    ROC (Taiwan) government congratulates diplomatic ally Belize on successful completion of general elections

    • Date:2025-03-13
    • Data Source:Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs

    March 13, 2025

    No. 061

    Belize, a diplomatic ally of the Republic of China (Taiwan), held general elections on March 12. The ruling People’s United Party won the elections and its leader, John Briceño, will serve a consecutive term as prime minister and form a new government. After the elections, ROC (Taiwan) Ambassador to Belize Lily Li-wen Hsu promptly expressed sincere congratulations to Prime Minister Briceño on behalf of the government of Taiwan.

     

    The election process was peaceful and smooth, underscoring the staunch commitment to and belief of the Belizean government and people in safeguarding democracy. Under Prime Minister Briceño’s leadership, the government of Belize has spoken up for Taiwan at numerous international events. The government of Taiwan will build on existing foundations to further foster friendships with high-level Belizean officials and continue to deepen the two nations’ close and cordial cooperation. 

     

    Last year marked 35 years of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Belize. In May, Prime Minister Briceño led a delegation to attend the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim. In late October, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung led a delegation to visit Belize. During his visit, Minister Lin issued a joint statement with Belizean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Francis Fonseca on the 35 years of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Belize, reaffirming the two countries’ robust friendship. (E)

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ROC (Taiwan) government congratulates diplomatic ally Belize on successful completion of general elections

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan 3

    ROC (Taiwan) government congratulates diplomatic ally Belize on successful completion of general elections

    Date:2025-03-13
    Data Source:Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs

    March 13, 2025
    No. 061

    Belize, a diplomatic ally of the Republic of China (Taiwan), held general elections on March 12. The ruling People’s United Party won the elections and its leader, John Briceño, will serve a consecutive term as prime minister and form a new government. After the elections, ROC (Taiwan) Ambassador to Belize Lily Li-wen Hsu promptly expressed sincere congratulations to Prime Minister Briceño on behalf of the government of Taiwan.
     
    The election process was peaceful and smooth, underscoring the staunch commitment to and belief of the Belizean government and people in safeguarding democracy. Under Prime Minister Briceño’s leadership, the government of Belize has spoken up for Taiwan at numerous international events. The government of Taiwan will build on existing foundations to further foster friendships with high-level Belizean officials and continue to deepen the two nations’ close and cordial cooperation. 
     
    Last year marked 35 years of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Belize. In May, Prime Minister Briceño led a delegation to attend the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim. In late October, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung led a delegation to visit Belize. During his visit, Minister Lin issued a joint statement with Belizean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Francis Fonseca on the 35 years of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Belize, reaffirming the two countries’ robust friendship. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI: BlackRock® Canada Announces March Cash Distributions for the iShares® ETFs

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), today announced the March 2025 cash distributions for the iShares ETFs listed on the TSX or Cboe Canada, which pay on a monthly or quarterly basis. Unitholders of record of the applicable iShares ETF on March 26, 2025, will receive cash distributions payable in respect of that iShares ETF on March 31, 2025.

    Details regarding the “per unit” distribution amounts are as follows:

    Fund Name
    Fund
    Ticker
    Cash
    Distribution
    Per Unit
    iShares 1-10 Year Laddered Corporate Bond Index ETF CBH $0.049
    iShares 1-5 Year Laddered Corporate Bond Index ETF CBO $0.051
    iShares S&P/TSX Canadian Dividend Aristocrats Index ETF CDZ $0.112
    iShares Equal Weight Banc & Lifeco ETF CEW $0.059
    iShares Global Real Estate Index ETF CGR $0.158
    iShares International Fundamental Index ETF CIE $0.077
    iShares Global Infrastructure Index ETF CIF $0.238
    iShares 1-5 Year Laddered Government Bond Index ETF CLF $0.032
    iShares 1-10 Year Laddered Government Bond Index ETF CLG $0.037
    iShares US Fundamental Index ETF CLU $0.173
    iShares US Fundamental Index ETF CLU.C $0.222
    iShares S&P/TSX Canadian Preferred Share Index ETF CPD $0.058
    iShares Canadian Fundamental Index ETF CRQ $0.181
    iShares US Dividend Growers Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) CUD $0.079
    iShares Convertible Bond Index ETF CVD $0.071
    iShares Global Water Index ETF CWW $0.069
    iShares Global Monthly Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) CYH $0.080
    iShares Canadian Financial Monthly Income ETF FIE $0.040
    iShares ESG Balanced ETF Portfolio GBAL $0.219
    iShares ESG Conservative Balanced ETF Portfolio GCNS $0.229
    iShares ESG Equity ETF Portfolio GEQT $0.166
    iShares ESG Growth ETF Portfolio GGRO $0.193
    iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF XAGG $0.105
    iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF(1) XAGG.U $0.061
    iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XAGH $0.091
    iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio XBAL $0.153
    iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF XBB $0.079
    iShares Core Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETF XCB $0.069
    iShares ESG Advanced Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETF XCBG $0.119
    iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF XCBU $0.121
    iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF(1) XCBU.U $0.076
    iShares Canadian Growth Index ETF XCG $0.071
    iShares Core Conservative Balanced ETF Portfolio XCNS $0.135
    iShares S&P/TSX SmallCap Index ETF XCS $0.119
    iShares ESG Advanced MSCI Canada Index ETF XCSR $0.442
    iShares Canadian Value Index ETF XCV $0.373
    iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETF XDG $0.061
    iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETF(1) XDG.U $0.042
    iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XDGH $0.060
    iShares Core MSCI Canadian Quality Dividend Index ETF XDIV $0.115
    iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF XDU $0.064
    iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF(1) XDU.U $0.044
    iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XDUH $0.059
    iShares Canadian Select Dividend Index ETF XDV $0.114
    iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XEB $0.057
    iShares S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index ETF XEG $0.133
    iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETF XEI $0.111
    iShares Jantzi Social Index ETF XEN $0.219
    iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio XEQT $0.090
    iShares ESG Aware MSCI Canada Index ETF XESG $0.189
    iShares Core Canadian 15+ Year Federal Bond Index ETF XFLB $0.111
    iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF XFLI $0.194
    iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF(1) XFLI.U $0.135
    iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF (CAD-Hedged) XFLX $0.180
    iShares S&P/TSX Capped Financials Index ETF XFN $0.140
    iShares Floating Rate Index ETF XFR $0.063
    iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF XGB $0.049
    iShares Global Government Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XGGB $0.040
    iShares Core Growth ETF Portfolio XGRO $0.111
    iShares Canadian HYBrid Corporate Bond Index ETF XHB $0.073
    iShares U.S. High Dividend Equity Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XHD $0.083
    iShares U.S. High Dividend Equity Index ETF XHU $0.080
    iShares U.S. High Yield Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XHY $0.084
    iShares Core S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF XIC $0.273
    iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XIG $0.070
    iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XIGS $0.122
    iShares Core Income Balanced ETF Portfolio XINC $0.133
    iShares Core Canadian Long Term Bond Index ETF XLB $0.062
    iShares S&P/TSX Capped Materials Index ETF XMA $0.043
    iShares S&P/TSX Completion Index ETF XMD $0.169
    iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XMS $0.102
    iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor Index ETF XMTM $0.070
    iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETF XMU $0.242
    iShares MSCI Min Vol USA Index ETF(1) XMU.U $0.168
    iShares MSCI Min Vol Canada Index ETF XMV $0.298
    iShares S&P/TSX North American Preferred Stock Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XPF $0.071
    iShares High Quality Canadian Bond Index ETF XQB $0.053
    iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor Index ETF XQLT $0.058
    iShares S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index ETF XRE $0.065
    iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF XSAB $0.047
    iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF XSB $0.071
    iShares Conservative Short Term Strategic Fixed Income ETF XSC $0.057
    iShares Conservative Strategic Fixed Income ETF XSE $0.052
    iShares Core Canadian Short Term Corporate Bond Index ETF XSH $0.060
    iShares ESG Advanced 1-5 Year Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETF XSHG $0.119
    iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF XSHU $0.127
    iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF(1) XSHU.U $0.080
    iShares Short Term Strategic Fixed Income ETF XSI $0.061
    iShares S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index ETF XST $0.130
    iShares ESG Aware Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF XSTB $0.047
    iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XSTH $0.037
    iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF XSTP $0.042
    iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF(1) XSTP.U $0.029
    iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA Index ETF XSUS $0.088
    iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XTLH $0.117
    iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF XTLT $0.125
    iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF(1) XTLT.U $0.087
    iShares Diversified Monthly Income ETF XTR $0.040
    iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) XUH $0.108
    iShares S&P U.S. Financials Index ETF XUSF $0.160
    iShares ESG Advanced MSCI USA Index ETF XUSR $0.174
    iShares S&P/TSX Capped Utilities Index ETF XUT $0.090
    iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF XUU $0.142
    iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF(1) XUU.U $0.099
    iShares MSCI USA Value Factor Index ETF XVLU $0.148

    (1) Distribution per unit amounts are in U.S. dollars for XAGG.U, XCBU.U, XDG.U, XDU.U, XFLI.U, XMU.U, XSHU.U, XSTP.U, XTLT.U, XUU.U

    Estimated March Cash Distributions for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF

    The March cash distributions per unit for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF are estimated to be as follows:

    Fund Name Fund
    Ticker
    Estimated
    Cash Distribution
    Per Unit
    iShares Premium Money Market ETF CMR $0.121

    BlackRock Canada expects to issue a press release on or about March 25, 2025, which will provide the final amounts for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF.

    Further information on the iShares Funds can be found at http://www.blackrock.com/ca.

    About BlackRock

    BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate | Twitter: @BlackRockCA

    About iShares ETFs

    iShares unlocks opportunity across markets to meet the evolving needs of investors. With more than twenty years of experience, a global line-up of 1500+ exchange traded funds (ETFs) and US$4.2 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2024, iShares continues to drive progress for the financial industry. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock.

    iShares® ETFs are managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited.

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in iShares ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. The funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional.

    Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”). Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). TSX is a registered trademark of TSX Inc. (“TSX”). All of the foregoing trademarks have been licensed to S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and sublicensed for certain purposes to BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”),  which in turn has sub-licensed these marks to its affiliate, BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), on behalf of the applicable fund(s). The index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, and has been licensed for use by BFA and by extension, BlackRock Canada and the applicable fund(s). The funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, S&P, any of their respective affiliates (collectively known as “S&P Dow Jones Indices”) or TSX, or any of their respective affiliates. Neither S&P Dow Jones Indices nor TSX make any representations regarding the advisability of investing in such funds.

    MSCI is a trademark of MSCI, Inc. (“MSCI”). The ETF is permitted to use the MSCI mark pursuant to a license agreement between MSCI and BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A., relating to, among other things, the license granted to BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. to use the Index. BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. has sublicensed the use of this trademark to BlackRock. The ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by MSCI and MSCI makes no representation, condition or warranty regarding the advisability of investing in the ETF.

    Contact for Media:                
    Sydney Punchard                                                        
    Email: Sydney.Punchard@blackrock.com         
      

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