Category: Transport

MIL-OSI Europe: European Health Insurance Card: keeping you safe while travelling abroad

Source: European Union 2

Have you ever injured yourself while surfing in France and needed stitches? Sprained your ankle while hiking the Alps? Needed to see a doctor because of your pre-existing diabetes while on holiday in Greece? Perhaps not, but in case something like this does happen while you’re abroad, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) has you covered.

The EHIC allows you to receive necessary and urgent medical care abroad, including for chronic or existing illnesses, as well as pregnancy and childbirth. It’s not an alternative to travel insurance, and it does not cover any private healthcare costs or planned medical treatments. EHIC is valid in any EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

By presenting the card, you can obtain healthcare services directly from a public or contracted provider under the same conditions and at the same cost as people insured in the country you are visiting. Each country’s healthcare system is different, and services that cost nothing at home might not be free in another country. You can claim reimbursement for the costs you incur from the national institution whilst still in the country and get reimbursement directly there or ask for reimbursement from your health insurer when you get home.

More than half of the EU population has the EHIC. Applying for one is easy and free – simply contact your health insurance institution before your trip. You’ll typically receive it by mail within a few days. If you’re going to travel before obtaining the card, you can apply for an EHIC replacement certificate.

Travel with peace of mind, knowing the EHIC is there to support your healthcare needs abroad.

For more information

European Health Insurance Card

How to use the card

Unplanned healthcare

Travelling in Europe 2024

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Appointment of Bishop of Worcester: 29 July 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Appointment of Bishop of Worcester: 29 July 2025

The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Hugh Edmund Nelson, for election as Bishop of Worcester
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Hugh Nelson, Suffragan Bishop of St Germans in the Diocese of Truro, for election as Bishop of Worcester, in succession to The Right Reverend John Geoffrey Inge, following his retirement.

Background

After a theology degree at Worcester College, Oxford, Hugh spent 13 years living and working with adults with learning disabilities in one of the L’Arche communities. He trained for ministry at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, was ordained Deacon in 2009 and Priest in 2010, serving his title at The Six group of Churches in the rural area around Sittingbourne in the Diocese of Canterbury. He was appointed Vicar of Goudhurst and Kilndown, also in the diocese of Canterbury, in 2012.

In 2020 Hugh took up his current role as Suffragan Bishop of St Germans in the Diocese of Truro and was in addition appointed Bishop to the Armed Forces in 2021. Since 2023 he also served as Acting Bishop of Truro until the installation of the Right Reverend David Williams on 17th May.

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Published 29 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The city of Birmingham is to pay its final respects to one of its most cherished cultural icons Ozzy Osbourne as his cortege and family visit Broad Street in the city that he loved
Source: City of Birmingham

Published: Tuesday, 29th July 2025

The hearse and accompanying vehicles will slowly make their way down Broad Street from 1pm to the Black Sabbath bridge and bench.
The hearse and accompanying vehicles will slowly make their way down Broad Street from 1pm to the Black Sabbath bridge and bench, where thousands of fans have left heartfelt messages and floral tributes in recent days. The cortege will be accompanied by a live brass band performance by local musicians from Bostin’ Brass, bringing a final musical moment to honour the extraordinary life and legacy of Ozzy Osbourne.

The event is expected to draw large crowds as fans gather to say goodbye to the man who helped shape the global heavy metal genre and who proudly carried the spirit of Birmingham throughout his career, whilst allowing his family a chance to see the many memories his loyal fans have left alongside flowers and tributes.

Ozzy and his fellow Black Sabbath band members were recently given the Freedom of the City on 28th June 2025.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zafar Iqbal MBE, JP, said: “Ozzy was more than a music legend – he was a son of Birmingham. Having recently been awarded the Freedom of the City and following his celebrated appearance at the Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park earlier this month, it was important to the city that we support a fitting, dignified tribute ahead of a private family funeral. We know how much this moment will mean to his fans. We’re proud to host it here with his loving family in the place where it all began, and we are grateful that they have generously offered to pay to enable this to happen and support the city is giving him the farewell he deserves.”

Birmingham City Council has worked at pace with its partners over the weekend to coordinate a respectful and safe public event in collaboration with the Osbourne family, who have kindly funded all of the associated costs. The Council would also like to thank businesses and residents in the Broad Street and wider city centre area for their co-operation, alongside support from West Midlands Metro and West Midlands Police, during this important time for the safety of gathered fans.

Public Information

The cortege will travel down Broad Street from approximately 1pm towards the Black Sabbath Bridge.

Broad Street will be closed to through traffic from 7am and buses and trams will be diverted during this time. Local access will be managed where possible but can not be guaranteed. Broad Street will re-open as soon as possible after the event.

Stewards will be on hand, and visitors are encouraged to arrive early, use public transport, and follow safety guidance on site.

For those not able to make the occasion, the live stream of the Black Sabbath bench will continue to operate and is accessible online.
Useful links
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: UN agencies warn key food and nutrition indicators exceed famine thresholds in Gaza

Source: World Food Programme

Photo: WFP/Ali Jadallah Family displaced multiple times from Jabalia living in a tent and facing very difficult living conditions.

Photo credit

NEW YORK/ROME – Gaza faces the grave risk of famine as food consumption and nutrition indicators have reached their worst levels since the conflict began, according to data shared in the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Alert.

The IPC Alert highlights that two out of the three famine thresholds have now been breached in parts of the territory, with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF warning that time is running out to mount a full-scale humanitarian response.

Relentless conflict, the collapse of essential services, and severe limitations on the delivery and distribution of humanitarian assistance imposed on the UN have led to catastrophic food security conditions for hundreds of thousands of people across the Gaza Strip.

Food consumption – the first core famine indicator – has plummeted in Gaza since the last IPC Update in May 2025. Data shows that more than one in three people (39 per cent) are now going days at a time without eating. More than 500,000 people – nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population – are enduring famine-like conditions, while the remaining population is facing emergency levels of hunger.

Acute malnutrition – the second core famine indicator – inside Gaza has risen at an unprecedented rate. In Gaza City, malnutrition levels among children under five have quadrupled in two months, reaching 16.5 per cent. This signals a critical deterioration in nutritional status and a sharp rise in the risk of death from hunger and malnutrition.

Acute malnutrition and reports of starvation-related deaths – the third core famine indicator – are increasingly common but collecting robust data under current circumstances in Gaza remains very difficult as health systems, already decimated by nearly three years of conflict, are collapsing.

“The unbearable suffering of the people of Gaza is already clear for the world to see. Waiting for official confirmation of famine to provide life-saving food aid they desperately need is unconscionable,” said Cindy McCain, WFP Executive Director. “We need to flood Gaza with large-scale food aid, immediately and without obstruction, and keep it flowing each and every day to prevent mass starvation. People are already dying of malnutrition and the longer we wait to act, the higher the death toll will rise.”

As of July 2025, over 320,000 children, the entire population under five in the Gaza Strip, are at risk of acute malnutrition, with thousands suffering from severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form of undernutrition. Essential nutrition services have collapsed with infants lacking access to safe water, breastmilk substitutes, and therapeutic feeding.

In June, 6,500 children were admitted for treatment for malnutrition, the highest number since the conflict began. July is tracking even higher, with 5,000 children admitted in just the first two weeks. With fewer than 15 percent of essential nutrition treatment services currently functional, the risk of malnutrition-related deaths among infants and young children is higher than ever before.

“Emaciated children and babies are dying from malnutrition in Gaza,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “We need immediate, safe and unhindered humanitarian access across Gaza to scale up the delivery of life-saving food, nutrition, water and medicine. Without that, mothers and fathers will continue to face a parent’s worst nightmare, powerless to save a starving child from a condition we are able to prevent.”

Despite a partial reopening of crossings, humanitarian aid entering Gaza is barely a trickle of what a population of over two million people needs every month. Just to cover basic humanitarian food and nutrition assistance needs in Gaza, more than 62,000 tons of life-saving aid is required every month. Restarting commercial food imports are also critical to provide dietary diversity with fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and proteins such as meat and fish.

Additionally, the lack of fuel, water and other vital aid continues to undermine efforts to prevent famine and deaths among children.

The agencies welcome the recent new commitments to improve the operating conditions for humanitarian organizations, including the implementation of humanitarian pauses and hope these measures will allow for a surge in urgently needed food and nutrition assistance to reach hungry people without further delays.

The UN agencies also reiterate their urgent calls for:

• An immediate and sustained ceasefire, to stop the killing, allow for the safe release of hostages and further enable lifesaving humanitarian operations.

• Sustained safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, for the mass influx of assistance via all available crossings, and to deliver food, nutrition supplies, critical water, fuel, and medical assistance to families in need across Gaza.

• Urgent need to get commercial traffic flowing into Gaza by reviving commercial supply chains to restore local markets. The protection of civilians and aid workers, alongside the restoration of essential services, in particular health, water and sewage infrastructures.

•  Investment in the recovery of local food systems, including the revitalization of bakeries, markets and rehabilitation of agriculture.

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Notes for editors:

Access the IPC alert here.

*The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is an innovative multi-partner initiative for improving food security and nutrition analysis and decision-making. By using the IPC classification and analytical approach, Governments, UN Agencies, NGOs, civil society and other relevant actors, work together to determine the severity and magnitude of acute and chronic food insecurity, and acute malnutrition situations in a country, according to internationally-recognised scientific standards. Find out more here

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, works to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged children and in the toughest places to reach. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive, and fulfil their potential.

Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media @unicefmedia

MIL OSI United Nations News –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: 29 July 2025 Note for Media IPC Gaza Strip Food Insecurity and Malnutrition Alert
Source: World Health Organisation
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), of which WHO is a member, today issued a Food Insecurity and Malnutrition Alert for the Gaza Strip. The details are as noted below.

Key highlights

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has issued a stark warning today that the worst-case scenario of Famine is now unfolding in the Gaza Strip. Amid relentless conflict, mass displacement, severely restricted humanitarian access, and the collapse of essential services, including healthcare, the crisis has reached an alarming and deadly turning point.

Mounting evidence shows that widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths. Latest data indicates that Famine thresholds have been reached for food consumption in most of the Gaza Strip and for acute malnutrition in Gaza City.

Recommended actions
- End hostilities
- Ensure humanitarian access
- Protect civilians, aid workers, and civilian infrastructure
- Restore life-saving and multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance safely and with dignity
- Restore the flow of commercial goods and local production capacities.
About the IPC

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is an innovative multi-partner initiative for improving food security and nutrition analysis and decision-making. By using the IPC classification and analytical approach, governments, UN agencies, nongovernmental organizations, civil society and other relevant actors work together to determine the severity and magnitude of acute and chronic food insecurity, and acute malnutrition situations in a country, according to internationally recognized scientific standards.

The main goal of the IPC is to provide decision-makers with a rigorous, evidence- and consensus-based analysis of food insecurity and acute malnutrition situations, to inform emergency responses as well as medium- and long-term policy and programming.
MIL OSI United Nations News –
July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Xinjiang audiences’ discerning appreciation ignites ballet exchanges

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

Feng Ying, director of the National Ballet of China, during an interview at the Urumqi Grand Theatre, Xinjiang, July 28, 2025. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn]

During an interview at the 7th China Xinjiang International Dance Festival on July 28, Feng Ying, director of the National Ballet of China (NBC), stated: “The Xinjiang International Dance Festival is a platform we are familiar with and feel close to. Every time we come here, we can feel the audience’s enthusiasm for art.”

As an old friend of the dance festival, this is the third time that the NBC has appeared on this stage. This time, the NBC not only brought the original ballet “A Dream of Red Mansions,” which showcases the charm of the classic Chinese novel, but also performed “La Bayadère,” known as the touchstone of classical ballet. In the form of dialogue between Eastern and Western arts, it presented the diverse styles of ballet art to audiences in Xinjiang.

Performers from the National Ballet of China on stage in “A Dream of Red Mansions.” [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

Feng Ying admitted that the enthusiastic response to the performance exceeded their expectations: “The popularity of ‘A Dream of Red Mansions’ in Xinjiang is touching. The audience’s applause always falls precisely on the key plot points. This deep understanding and love have greatly encouraged us.”

Since first setting foot in Xinjiang in the 1970s, the NBC’s artistic connection with the region has lasted more than half a century. The performers not only feel the strong passion for singing and dancing among Xinjiang audiences, but also draw inspiration from exchanges with local art troupes. “The interaction with the Muqam Art Troupe of Xinjiang Art Theater has brought new inspiration to our creation, and cultural and art collision is of great value,” she said.

Performers from the National Ballet of China on stage in “La Bayadère.” [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

The ballet “La Bayadère” brought this time is a sincere work by the NBC to pay tribute to the world’s ballet tradition. This classic work, created by Marius Petipa, the “father of classical ballet,” is set in ancient India and tells the tragic story of love, honesty and freedom between the temple dancer (bayadère) Nikia and the warrior Solor. Feng Ying explained: “The charm of ‘La Bayadère’ lies in its concise narrative carrying profound themes, while demonstrating the overall level of the troupe with exquisite dancing skills.”

It is worth noting that while respecting the essence of the original, the NBC has breathed new vitality into classics. “Every generation interprets the roles with their own traits — even in the same court ball scene, different performers bring distinct artistic styles,” Feng noted.

The NBC’s performances in Xinjiang will run through the closing night of July 29, and Feng specifically highlighted that the troupe will feature its youngest dancer, Liu Yuanjin. This rising star, she added, will embody the NBC’s well-established artistic inheritance on the closing night — further proof of how the company nurtures new talent to keep classics alive with fresh energy.

With the opening of modern theaters such as the Urumqi Grand Theatre, more high-level artistic works can be presented here. Feng Ying said: “The fact that works like ‘La Bayadère,’ which have extremely high requirements in terms of the theater conditions, can be staged in Xinjiang confirms the leapfrog development of cultural facilities here.”

In her view, the Xinjiang International Dance Festival has become an important hub for cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. “We hope that through classics like ‘La Bayadère,’ the audiences can feel the charm of world ballet, and at the same time, convey the profound heritage of Chinese culture through ‘A Dream of Red Mansions,’ and achieve cross-border artistic dialogue on the stage.”

Founded in 1959, the NBC has always placed a strong focus on innovation. While staging world classics such as “Swan Lake” and “La Bayadère,” it has also created original works such as “The Red Detachment of Women” and “A Dream of Red Mansions,” establishing a unique Chinese ballet aesthetic system.

MIL OSI China News –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Birmingham to Honour Ozzy Osbourne with Cortege Procession on Broad Street – Wednesday 30 July 1pm
Source: City of Birmingham

Published: Tuesday, 29th July 2025

The city of Birmingham is to pay its final respects to one of its most cherished cultural icons Ozzy Osbourne as his cortege and family visit Broad Street in the city that he loved.
The hearse and accompanying vehicles will slowly make their way down Broad Street from 1pm to the Black Sabbath bridge and bench, where thousands of fans have left heartfelt messages and floral tributes in recent days. The cortege will be accompanied by a live brass band performance by local musicians from Bostin’ Brass, bringing a final musical moment to honour the extraordinary life and legacy of Ozzy Osbourne.

The event is expected to draw large crowds as fans gather to say goodbye to the man who helped shape the global heavy metal genre and who proudly carried the spirit of Birmingham throughout his career, whilst allowing his family a chance to see the many memories his loyal fans have left alongside flowers and tributes.

Ozzy and his fellow Black Sabbath band members were recently given the Freedom of the City on 28th June 2025.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zafar Iqbal MBE, JP, said: “Ozzy was more than a music legend – he was a son of Birmingham. Having recently been awarded the Freedom of the City and following his celebrated appearance at the Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park earlier this month, it was important to the city that we support a fitting, dignified tribute ahead of a private family funeral. We know how much this moment will mean to his fans. We’re proud to host it here with his loving family in the place where it all began, and we are grateful that they have generously offered to pay to enable this to happen and support the city is giving him the farewell he deserves.”

Birmingham City Council has worked at pace with its partners over the weekend to coordinate a respectful and safe public event in collaboration with the Osbourne family, who have kindly funded all of the associated costs. The Council would also like to thank businesses and residents in the Broad Street and wider city centre area for their co-operation, alongside support from West Midlands Metro and West Midlands Police, during this important time for the safety of gathered fans.

Public Information

The cortege will travel down Broad Street from approximately 1pm towards the Black Sabbath Bridge.

Broad Street will be closed to through traffic from 7am and buses and trams will be diverted during this time. Local access will be managed where possible but can not be guaranteed. Broad Street will re-open as soon as possible after the event.

Stewards will be on hand, and visitors are encouraged to arrive early, use public transport, and follow safety guidance on site.

For those not able to make the occasion, the live stream of the Black Sabbath bench will continue to operate and is accessible online.
Useful links
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: “City of Ideas” presented an updated thematic page in the form of an interactive map

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

“City of Ideas” presented an updated topic page in the form of an interactive map called “City of Ideas – City of Dreams”. It shows how Muscovites’ proposals are transforming the capital. Here, users get acquainted with key areas of city life and learn how to interact with the platform in a game format.

The theme page became available in October 2024 to celebrate the platform’s 10th anniversary.

New areas and games

Now new areas have appeared on the map – “Children’s Leisure” and “Sports”, which were opened this year to collect suggestions from city residents in the “Suggest an Idea” section. In the places where these areas are located on the landing page, users will find games. Thus, everyone has a chance to influence the development of the areas and contribute to the creation of a more comfortable urban environment.

New educational games have appeared on the page, each of which will help to understand how exactly Muscovites can influence the development of the capital and how their ideas are implemented. For example, in the game “Ideal Couple” the user will have to select for each idea a suitable city sphere within which the initiative can be implemented.

In the game “My Park” you need to collect combinations of various objects to get objects for the improvement of the virtual public space. For example, by choosing a metal pole and a light bulb, players can make a lantern.

The main task in the game “City Matches” is to connect identical cells with the image of spheres in rows. The variety of cells-spheres will show the wide range of topics that the platform covers “City of Ideas”.

The game “Feel like an expert”, in which participants evaluate the feasibility of implementing ideas, has a second level. Thus, players need to study the map and decide whether it is possible to install a parking lot for scooters next to the park, if across the road there is already one parking lot for such transport and another one for bicycles.

Interaction with new spheres and participation in new games is available to those users who successfully complete the first level games already on the page and reach the second.

Suggest ideas and earn points

Thanks to the thematic page “City of Ideas – City of Dreams”, everyone can feel involved in the capital’s changes and offer new ideas that can make Moscow more comfortable, beautiful and modern.

This can be done either by playing the game “Feel like an expert”, from where it is convenient to go to the form for submitting an idea on the relevant topic, or by clicking on the “City of ideas – city of dreams” logo in the upper left corner of the screen, selecting the area of interest in the “Suggest an idea” section.

For each successfully completed game on the second level, users will be awarded 100 points of the city loyalty program “A Million Prizes”. They can be used to obtain goods and services presented on the program website or donated to charity.

To participate in the games, the user must log in to the platform using Mos ID – an account on the mos.ru portal.

The City of Ideas platform has been operating since 2014. During this time, more than 623 thousand users have joined it. They share suggestions on how to make life in the capital more comfortable. More than 8.8 thousand suggestions have already been implemented. City residents participated in projects dedicated to electronic services, culture, entrepreneurship, healthcare, education, transport and other topics. The platform is being developed by the State Institution New Management Technologies andDepartment of Information Technology of the City of Moscow.

The creation, development and operation of the e-government infrastructure, including the provision of mass socially significant services, as well as other services in electronic form, correspond to the objectives of the national project “Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State” and the regional project of the city of Moscow “Digital Public Administration”.

Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: What traditions does the Moscow Estates festival revive?

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Five forgotten city traditions are re-entering the life of the modern capital thanks to the festival “Moscow Estates” project “Summer in Moscow”This season, city residents and tourists are offered to attend performances at the open-air summer theatre, learn to play croquet, try writing with a goose quill, create a flower arrangement in the style of the 18th century and attend a costume ball.

Open-air performances

The everyday life of the nobility was strictly regulated by the rules of etiquette – the display of violent emotions was considered indecent. But on the stage – be it a home performance or a production in an estate theater – one could give free rein to feelings: play passion, despair and even cruelty. For high society, bored in their own estates, it was the theater that became a real outlet.

Preparations for such home productions took weeks: plays were selected, roles were assigned, rehearsals took place, sets were made, and costumes were sewn. Although many amateur noblemen had extraordinary talent, the professional stage remained closed to them, because acting was considered an unworthy occupation in high society. However, home performances among family, neighbors, and friends were the order of the day. In wealthy estates, serfs were often involved in productions: gifted peasants played on par with their masters, and sometimes surpassed them in skill.

The Moscow Estates Festival continues the tradition of summer theaters and estate performances, turning them into unique walks that take viewers back to the 19th century. On August 16, the Bauman Garden of the Basmanny estate cluster will host a summer theatrical performance, Walk with the Heroes of the Great Russian Writers’ Novels. Participants will meet actors dressed as Alexander Pushkin, the heroes of the novel Eugene Onegin, and the merchant Stakheev. The latter will tell about the history of the Basmanny District estates. One of the shows will take place at night. Accompanied by professional actors, guests will walk through Moscow at night, and the light of an old lantern will show the way, reminding us of past eras.

History buffs will also be interested in the performance “Cultural and Social Life of the Arbat in the 19th Century.” The show will take place on August 30 on Arbat. The artist in the image of the legendary hussar Denis Davydov will tell about the meaning of the street’s name and its life two centuries ago. This excursion will also take place at night.

Vorontsovo Estate. From Boyar Estates to the Summer in Moscow Project Guests of the Moscow Estates festival will be able to unravel the mysteries of the old Arbat in a new quest

Forgotten Amusements of Russian Estates

A colorful folk game that will captivate even modern youth is burners. The rules are simple: an odd number of players (more than 11) gather on the lawn, choose a driver (who will “burn”), and pair up. The players join hands and line up in pairs behind the burner. The participants sing “Burn, burn brightly, so that it doesn’t go out,” and as soon as they finish singing, the last pair unclasps their hands and runs along the column. When they reach the driver, the pair shouts to him: “One, two, don’t be a crow, run like fire!” and runs on. The main thing is to dodge the burner, stand in front of him and join hands again. If the burner tags a player, he and he form a new pair and stand in front of the column, and the participant who is left alone becomes the driver.

Another popular summer pastime is cerso, or flying ring game. This entertainment was invented in the early 19th century in France, and it was also popular in Russia in the century before last. Two players must throw a light hoop to each other and catch it on wooden swords. It is hard to imagine summer leisure in any noble estate without this game.

At the festival “Moscow Estates” visitors are told about the rules of various ancient games and offered to master them. From August 2 to September 14, guests are offered to play trinkets, croquet, badminton, gorodki in the N.E. Bauman Garden and Lianozovsky Park. Masters will not only tell about these amusements, but also help to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of noble leisure.

For guests from all over Moscow. How the count’s name day was celebrated in Kuskovo in the 18th century City residents will choose the best sites for the festival “Moscow Estates”

Fine handicrafts

Noblewomen were masters of embroidery and miniature painting, often learning these arts from the best masters of their time. Beadwork was especially popular, becoming a kind of encyclopedia of aristocratic life. Russian embroidery reached an incredible level and could become a worthy gift even for a monarch. From an early age, children were taught needlework: they were presented with special boxes with needles, threads and other tools. By the way, men did not disdain handicrafts either.

Everyone is invited to try making something with their own hands at the festival venues. For example, in Lianozovsky Park on August 9, 17, 30 and September 7 there will be a master class “Noble accessories. Fans”. There will also be a master class “Noble accessories. Brooches” on August 2, 10, 23, 31 and September 13.

Visitors to the Moscow Estates festival can take quizzes in the Russpass game Improvement of the Vinogradovo estate in north-east Moscow has begun

Transformations at the masquerade

“Let them talk, but what business is it of ours? Under the mask all ranks are equal…” – perhaps these lines from Lermontov’s famous “Masquerade” best reflect the essence of the costume balls that the Russian nobility loved so much. For the upper class, a masquerade was not just entertainment, but a special game where the impossible became possible. For example, a countess could become a peasant, and an important dignitary could temporarily turn into a jester. The tradition of such balls was established by Peter I, and under Catherine II, masquerades became an integral part of the festivities both in the capital and in family estates.

The main rule of the masquerade was simple: a costume and a mask gave a person the right to enter the world of reincarnation. By trying on a different image, a guest of the ball seemed to be freed from conventions: a young lady could allow herself daring jokes, and an official – confessions unthinkable in ordinary life. Women especially valued this freedom, for whom the masquerade became a space for risky adventures.

For those who can no longer attend the old ball today, there are opportunities to feel the spirit of a bygone era and become a participant in the game of transformations. For example, from August 2 to September 14, a retro studio is open in Lianozovsky Park and the N.E. Bauman Garden: here, anyone can put on a historical costume of a 19th-century nobleman and take a photo in this image as a keepsake.

Theater and film actors voiced audio guides for the “Moscow Estates” project Sergei Sobyanin: 90% of Muscovites live within walking distance of green areas

The art of correspondence

In the 19th century, post stations were important points of estate life: mailmen stopped here to exchange letters, travelers changed horses, and most importantly, correspondence was sent and received from here. The nobility treated the epistolary genre with reverence: letters were written on special paper with a coat of arms, sealed with sealing wax, and often dried flowers were specially left between the pages, covered in impeccable handwriting. They waited for a reply with trepidation, and took care of each envelope.

The atmosphere of the old post office was recreated at the Moscow Estates festival. Guests can learn to write with a quill pen, master the art of wax seals and even send a postcard in a vintage style. Until September 14, the post office is open at the Vasilchikov Estate (Military Uniform Museum) and the Khrushchev-Seleznev Estate (A.S. Pushkin State Museum). On August 2 and 3, you can send a letter at the Valuevo and Sviblovo estates, and on August 9 and 10, the postman is waiting for everyone at the Lopukhins-Stanitskaya Estate.

The festival “Moscow Estates” corresponds to the initiative “Tourist attractiveness of the country” of the national project “Tourism and Hospitality” and helps residents and visitors to learn about the city’s cultural and historical heritage in a modern format.

Tourism Committee of Moscow forms a sustainable brand of the capital as one of the main tourist destinations in Russia. All year round, Mosturism creates events that unite residents and guests of the city, and replenishes the city’s program with new events. In winter and summer, Muscovites and tourists can immerse themselves in another era at the historical sites of the “Moscow Estates” festival, join the capital’s tea traditions at the “Moscow Tea Party,” or try the “Moscow Breakfast” dishes at one of the hundreds of restaurants participating in the project.

Project “Summer in Moscow”— the main event of the season. It brings together the most vibrant events of the capital. Every day, charity, cultural and sports events are held in all districts of the city, most of which are free. The Summer in Moscow project is being held for the second time, and the new season will be more eventful: new, original and colorful festivals and events will be added to the traditional ones.

Rediscover Moscow: Russpass Invites You to Family Walks Free stretching training sessions are held at the venues of the Summer in Moscow project

Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: TCU’s first quarterly report of 2025 released

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Transport Advisory Committee:

The Transport Complaints Unit (TCU) of the Transport Advisory Committee received 10 536 complaints and suggestions in the first quarter of 2025, with 188 being pure suggestions.

The complaints and suggestions received during the quarter were mostly related to public transport services (89 per cent), enforcement matters (6 per cent) and traffic conditions (5 per cent).

The number of cases on public transport services decreased from 11 316 in the previous quarter to 9 346 this quarter, while that on illegal parking and other enforcement matters increased from 605 to 632. The number of complaints and suggestions on traffic conditions decreased from 900 to 489 and those on road maintenance decreased from 30 to 25.

All the complaints and suggestions received by the TCU in the quarter were referred to the relevant government departments and public transport operators for follow-up action.

During the period under review, investigations into 11 061 cases were completed. Of these, 9 612 cases (87 per cent) were found to be substantiated, five cases (less than 1 per cent) were unsubstantiated, and the remaining 1 444 cases (13 per cent) could not be pursued due to a lack of evidence.

For the substantiated cases, the relevant government departments and public transport operators have taken steps to rectify the situation or are considering possible solutions to the problems identified. Among these cases, 16 drivers were summonsed by the Police.

During the quarter, the relevant government departments and public transport operators took on board 11 suggestions made by the public to enhance public transport services and improve traffic conditions. A summary of the cases is in the Appendix.

Members of the public may make their suggestions or complaints to the TCU by dialling the hotline 2889 9999 (voice mail service is available outside office hours), by fax to 2577 1858, by email to info@tcu.gov.hk or by filling in a form on the TCU website (www.tcu.gov.hk).

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Spain: EIB lends €50 million to Iberdrola to rebuild and climate-proof flood-hit power infrastructure in Valencia
Source: European Investment Bank

Iberdrola
- The financing will back investments from il.lumina, Iberdrola’s project to reconstruct and modernise the power distribution grid affected by devastating floods in 2024.
- The project includes the implementation of resilience and digitalisation measures benefiting over 650 000 clients and improving electricity supply security.
- The EIB financing is sourced from its own resources and the Regional Resilience Fund put in place by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed two €25 million loans with Iberdrola to finance the reconstruction, redesign, climate change adaptation and digitalisation work that the electricity company is carrying out on the power distribution grid damaged by the devastating floods that hit Valencia in October 2024.

These investments are part of Iberdrola’s il.lumina project to build the power grid of the future. Measures will include rebuilding damaged infrastructure, expanding facility automation, installing smart transformers to improve supply quality, moving overhead power lines underground, and raising and downsizing transformer substations.

These operations are expected to benefit more than 650 000 clients, according to the electric company, improving electricity supply security against a backdrop of extreme weather events and increasing integration of renewable energy production.

The project will strengthen the EIB’s role as the climate bank, one of the eight strategic priorities set out in the EIB Group’s Strategic Roadmap for 2024-2027. The operation is also part of the EIB action plan to support REPowerEU, the programme to increase energy security and speed up the energy transition by reducing the European Union’s dependence on fossil fuel imports.

The financing includes €25 million from EIB own resources and a further €25 million from the Regional Resilience Fund created to facilitate access to NextGenerationEU loans under Spain’s recovery, transformation and resilience plan. The Regional Resilience Fund aims to drive investment and develop projects in eight priority areas: social and affordable housing; urban renewal; transport and sustainable tourism; the energy transition; water and waste management; the care economy; research, development and innovation; and the competitiveness of industry and small and medium companies. The fund is led by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, with the EIB Group as a strategic management partner.

EIB support for power grids

EIB support for energy security and power grids is one of its main priorities to accelerate the green transition, contribute to EU energy autonomy and ensure access to a more secure and sustainable energy supply for all Europeans. In 2024, the EIB Group directed €8.5 billion to financing power grid and storage projects in all of its operational areas, double the 2023 figure. In Spain alone, €1.5 billion went to grid and storage projects in 2024, again doubling 2023 investment. This financing is helping to expand, modernise and digitalise power grids, making them more resilient and enabling greater and better integration of renewable energy.

More information on EIB support for the energy sector is available here.

EIB commitment to those impacted by the DANA

Following the DANA, the EIB moved quickly to make a €1.4 billion package available to the regions impacted (Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha) to help finance reconstruction work and support the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. The EIB Group has also made contributions to NGOs operating in the area, such as Save the Children, SOS Aldeas Infantiles and Casa Caridad.

il-lumina, Iberdrola’s commitment to Valencia

This financing is part of Iberdrola’s strategy to promote a more robust electricity grid that is better prepared for extreme weather events, while reinforcing its commitment to the energy transition and green financing. With il·lumina, Iberdrola is not only responding to the damage, but also anticipating the future, committing to a safer, more efficient electricity infrastructure that is aligned with European climate objectives.

The il·lumina project involves the renovation of substations, transformer stations and the medium and low voltage network, with the aim of redesigning the electricity network affected by the DANA. The company has created a team of 35 people who are working exclusively on developing the construction plan for the electricity network of the future, coordinating the work of approximately 1,000 operators, most of whom are locally based.

Background information

EIB

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the European Union, and the capital markets union.

The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high -impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.

All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.

In Spain, the EIB Group signed €12.3 billion of new financing for more than 100 high-impact projects in 2024. This financing is contributing to the country’s green and digital transition, economic growth, competitiveness and improved services for residents.

High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

Regional Resilience Fund

The Regional Resilience Fund (RRF) was created to facilitate access to NextGenerationEU loans from the Spanish Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan for the autonomous communities, with the aim of boosting investments and developing projects in eight priority areas: social and affordable housing; urban renewal; transport and sustainable tourism; the energy transition; water and waste management; the care economy; research, development and innovation; and the competitiveness of industry and SMEs.

The fund is led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, which takes input from the autonomous communities and cities for investment decision-making and looks to the EIB Group as a strategic management partner

The initial phase of the RRF includes the activation of up to €3.4 billion in financing via:
- a direct financing mechanism, to co-finance EIB-supported operations in sectors like renewable energy, clean transport and sustainable infrastructure;
- an intermediated mechanism managed by financial intermediaries selected by the EIB, to support projects in urban development and sustainable tourism;
- two instruments intermediated by the European Investment Fund that will facilitate SME financing for innovation, sustainability and competitiveness.
Iberdrola

With more than 100,000 million euros in capitalisation, Iberdrola is the largest electricity company in Europe and one of the two largest in the world. The Group serves more than 100 million people worldwide and has a workforce of more than 44,000 employees and assets of more than 160,000 million euros. In 2024, Iberdrola recorded revenues of almost 50,000 million euros, a net profit of 5,600 million euros. The company contributes nearly 10,300 million euros in tax contributions in the countries in which it operates and supports more than 500,000 jobs in its suppliers thanks to purchases that exceeded 18,000 million euros in 2024.

Since 2001, Iberdrola has invested more than 175,000 million euros in renewable energies, electricity grids and energy storage to contribute to the creation of an energy model based on electrification.  The company has more than 57,000 megawatts (MW) of capacity worldwide, of which more than 45,000 MW are renewable.
MIL OSI Europe News –
July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI: Gate and World Liberty Financial Reach Strategic Milestone: Gate Becomes Second-Largest Holder of USD1 Among Centralized Exchanges

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PANAMA CITY, July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gate, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, and World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the developer of a pioneering DeFi protocol and governance platform inspired by President Donald J. Trump, jointly announced a major milestone in the growing adoption of USD1, a USD-backed stablecoin issued by WLFI. According to on-chain data as of today, Gate has officially become the second-largest holder of USD1 among all centralized exchanges, trailing only Binance.

The surge in USD1 holdings on Gate was driven by the launch of Ika (IKA) on Gate Launchpad on July 26. The Launchpad campaign supports subscriptions in USD1 and Gate Token (GT), attracting substantial user participation and stablecoin inflow.

According to on-chain data, most USD1 liquidity is currently concentrated on the BNB Smart Chain (BSC), with smaller but notable reserves on Ethereum (ETH). Gate currently holds approximately $170 million USD1 on BSC, ranking second among CEXs with an additional $20 million USD1 on Ethereum, ranking first among CEXs on that chain. This correlates closely with the total USD1 allocation of 196 million tokens contributed to the IKA Launchpad event to date.

In total, Gate Launchpad with $IKA has seen user contributions surpass 200 million USD1 and 5.33 million GT, worth approximately $97.5 million, marking one of the largest Launchpad commitments in Gate’s recent history.

USD1 is a USD-backed stablecoin issued by World Liberty Financial, designed to provide transparent, regulated, and scalable digital dollar access across multiple blockchains. It is backed 1:1 by short-term US government treasuries, US dollar deposits, and other cash equivalents, with real-time audits and multi-chain deployment on BSC, Ethereum, and beyond.

This collaboration signals both parties’ commitment to building an open and compliant PayFi ecosystem—bridging traditional financial assets with next-generation decentralized infrastructure.

Learn more on Gate Launchpad: https://gate.com/zh/launchpad

About Gate

Gate, founded in 2013 by Dr. Han, is one of the world’s earliest cryptocurrency exchanges. The platform serves over 33 million users with 3,600+ digital assets and pioneered the industry’s first 100% proof-of-reserves. Beyond core trading services, Gate’s ecosystem includes Gate Wallet, Gate Ventures, and other innovative solutions.

For more information, please visit: Website | X | Telegram | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube

Disclaimer:

This content does not constitute an offer, solicitation, or recommendation. You should always seek independent professional advice before making investment decisions. Gate may restrict or prohibit certain services in specific jurisdictions. For more information, please read the User Agreement via https://www.gate.com/user-agreement.

About World Liberty Financial

World Liberty Financial (WLFI) is a pioneering decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol and governance platform inspired by the vision of President Donald J. Trump. WLFI develops transparent, secure, and accessible financial tools, including institutional-grade products designed to broaden participation in decentralized finance. WFLI’s USD1 is a stablecoin redeemable 1:1 for the U.S. dollar, 100% backed by short-term U.S. treasuries, cash, and cash equivalents.

Learn more and follow updates at x.com/worldlibertyfi.

Media Contact
Frederica Ko
Senior PR Manager, Gate Exchange
✉️ Frederica@gate.com

Disclaimer: This content is provided by Gate. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

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

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a10497cf-f3e6-46aa-920d-770904d77ece

The MIL Network –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Air-dropping food into Gaza is a ‘smokescreen’ – this is what must be done to prevent mass starvation

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Amra Lee, PhD candidate in Protection of Civilians, Australian National University

Israel partially lifted its aid blockade of Gaza this week in response to intensifying international pressure over the man-made famine in the devastated coastal strip.

The United Arab Emirates and Jordan airdropped 25 tonnes of food and humanitarian supplies on Sunday. Israel has further announced daily pauses in its military strikes on Gaza and the opening of humanitarian corridors to facilitate UN aid deliveries.

Israel reports it has permitted 70 trucks per day into the strip since May 19. This is well below the 500–600 trucks required per day, according to the United Nations.

The UN emergency relief chief, Tom Fletcher, has characterised the next few days as “make or break” for humanitarian agencies trying to reach more than two million Gazans facing “famine-like conditions”.

A third of Gazans have gone without food for several days and 90,000 women and children now require urgent care for acute malnutrition. Local health authorities have reported 147 deaths from starvation so far, 80% of whom are children.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed – without any evidence – “there is no starvation in Gaza”. This claim has been rejected by world leaders, including Netanyahu ally US President Donald Trump.

Famine expert Alex de Waal has called the famine in Gaza without precedent:

[…] there’s no case of such minutely engineered, closely monitored, precisely designed mass starvation of a population as is happening in Gaza today.

While the UN has welcomed the partial lifting of the blockade, the current aid being allowed into Gaza will not be enough to avert a wider catastrophe, due to the severity and depth of hunger in Gaza and the health needs of the people.

According to the UN World Food Programme, which has enough food stockpiled to feed all of Gaza for three months, only one thing will work:

An agreed ceasefire is the only way to reach everyone.

Airdrops a ‘distraction and a smokescreen’

Air-dropping food supplies is considered a last resort due to the undignified and unsafe manner in which the aid is delivered.

The UN has already reported civilians being injured when packages have fallen on tents.

The Global Protection Cluster, a network of non-governmental organisations and UN agencies, shared a story from a mother in Al Karama, east of Gaza City, whose home was hit by an airdropped pallet, causing the roof to collapse:

Immediately following the impact, a group of people armed with knives rushed towards the house, while the mother locked herself and her children in the remaining room to protect her family. They did not receive any assistance and are fearful for their safety.

Air-dropped pallets of food are also inefficient compared with what can be delivered by road.

One truck can carry up to 20 tonnes of supplies. Trucks can also reach Gaza quickly if they are allowed to cross at the scale required. Aid agencies have repeatedly said they have the necessary aid and personnel sitting just one hour away at the border.

Given how ineffective the air drops have been – and will continue to be – the head of the UN Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine has called them a “distraction” and a “smokescreen”.

Malnourished women and children need specialised care

De Waal has also made clear how starvation differs from other war crimes – it takes weeks of denying aid for starvation to take hold.

For the 90,000 acutely malnourished women and children who require specialised and supplementary feeding, in addition to medical care, the type of food being air-dropped into Gaza will not help them. Malnourished children require nutritional screening and access to fortified pastes and baby food.

Gaza’s decimated health system is also not able to treat severely malnourished women and children, who are at risk of “refeeding syndrome” when they are provided with nutrients again. This can trigger a fatal metabolic response.

Gaza will take generations to heal from the long-term impacts of mass starvation. Malnourished children suffer lifelong cognitive and physical effects that can then be passed on to future generations.

What needs to happen now

The UN has characterised the limited reopening of aid deliveries to Gaza as a potential “lifeline”, if it’s upheld and expanded.

According to Ciaran Donnelly from the International Rescue Committee, what’s needed is “tragically simple”: Israel must fully open the Gaza borders to allow aid and humanitarian personnel to flood in.

Israel must also guarantee safe conditions for the dignified distribution of aid that reaches everyone, including women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities. The level of hunger and insecurity mean these groups are at high risk of exclusion.

The people of Gaza have the world’s attention – for now. They have endured increasingly dehumanising conditions – including the risk of being shot trying to access aid – under the cover of war for more than 21 months.

Two leading Israeli human rights organisations have just publicly called Israel’s war on Gaza “a genocide”. This builds on mounting evidence compiled by the UN and other experts that supports the same conclusion, triggering the duty under international law for all states to act to prevent genocide.

These obligations require more than words – states must exercise their full diplomatic leverage to pressure Israel to let aid in at the scale required to avert famine. States must also pressure Israel to extend its military pauses into the only durable solution – a permanent ceasefire.

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

– ref. Air-dropping food into Gaza is a ‘smokescreen’ – this is what must be done to prevent mass starvation – https://theconversation.com/air-dropping-food-into-gaza-is-a-smokescreen-this-is-what-must-be-done-to-prevent-mass-starvation-262053

MIL OSI –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: A rare, direct warning from Japan signals a shift in the fight against child sex tourism in Asia

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ming Gao, Research Fellow of East Asia Studies, Lund University

Jonas Gratzer/LightRocket via Getty Images

Japan’s embassy in Laos and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a rare and unusually direct advisory, warning Japanese men against “buying sex from children” in Laos.

The move was sparked by Ayako Iwatake, a restaurant owner in Vientiane, who allegedly saw social media posts of Japanese men bragging about child prostitution. In response, she launched a petition calling for government action.

The Japanese-language bulletin makes clear such conduct is prosecutable under both Laotian law and Japan’s child prostitution and pornography law, which applies extraterritorially.

This diplomatic statement was not only a legal warning. It was a rare public acknowledgement of Japanese men’s alleged entanglement in transnational child sex tourism, particularly in Southeast Asia.

It’s also a moment that demands we look beyond individual criminal acts or any one nation and consider the historical, racial and structural inequalities that make such mobility and exploitation possible.

A changing map of exploitation

Selling and buying sex in Asia is nothing new. The contours have shifted over time but the underlying sentiment has remained constant: some lives are cheap and commodified, and some wallets are deep and entitled.

Japan’s involvement in overseas prostitution stretches back to the Meiji period (1868-1912). Young women from impoverished rural regions (known as karayuki-san) migrated abroad, often to Southeast Asia, to work in the sex industry, from port towns in Malaya to brothels in China and the Pacific Islands.

If poverty once pushed Japanese women abroad to sell their bodies, by the second half of the 20th century – fuelled by Japan’s postwar economic boom – it was wealthy Japanese men who began travelling overseas to buy sex.

Around the 2000s, the dynamic flipped again. In South Korea, now a developed economy, men travelled to Southeast Asia – and later to countries such as Russia and Uzbekistan – following routes once taken by Japanese men.

Later in the same period, the flow took an even darker turn.

Japanese and South Korean men began to emerge as major buyers of child sex abroad, particularly across Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and even Mongolia.

According to the United States Department of State, Japanese men continued to be “a significant source of demand for sex tourism”, while South Korean men remained “a source of demand for child sex tourism”.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime and other organisations have also flagged both countries as key contributors to child sexual exploitation in the region.

From exporter to destination: Japan’s new role in the sex trade

A more recent and troubling shift appears to be unfolding within Japan.

Amid ongoing economic stagnation and the depreciation of the yen, Tokyo has reportedly become a destination for inbound sex tourism. Youth protection organisations have observed a notable rise in foreign male clients, particularly Chinese, frequenting areas where teenage girls and young women engage in survival sex.

What ties these movements together is not just culturally specific beliefs, such as the fetishisation of virginity or the superstition that sex with young girls brings good luck in business, but power.

The battle to protect children

The global campaign to end child sex tourism began in earnest with the founding of ECPAT (a global network of organisations that seeks to end the sexual exploitation of children) in 1990 to confront the rising exploitation of children in Southeast Asia.

Despite legal frameworks and international scrutiny, the abuse of children remains disturbingly common.

Several factors converge here: endemic poverty, weak law enforcement and a constant influx of wealthier foreign men. Add to that the digital age of information and communication technologies, where child sex can be advertised, arranged and commodified through encrypted platforms and invitation-only forums, and the crisis deepens.

While local governments often pledge reform, implementation is inconsistent.

Buyers, especially foreign buyers, often manage to evade consequences. However, in early 2025, Japan’s National Police Agency arrested 111 people – including high school teachers and tutors – in a nationwide crackdown on online child sexual exploitation, conducted in coordination with international partners.

Why this moment matters

The shock surrounding the Laos revelations and the unusually direct response from Japanese authorities offers a rare opportunity to confront the deeper systems at work.

Sex tourism doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s enabled by uneven development, transnational mobility, weak regulation and social silence. But this moment also shows grassroots activism can force institutional action.

Japan’s official warning wasn’t triggered by a government audit or diplomatic scandal. It came because Ayako Iwatake saw social media posts of Japanese men boasting about buying sex from children and refused to look away.

When she delivered the petition to the embassy, it responded quickly. Less than ten days later, the Foreign Ministry issued a public warning, clearly outlining the legal consequences of child sex crimes committed abroad.

Iwatake’s action is a reminder: it doesn’t take a government to expose a system. It takes someone willing to speak out – even when it’s uncomfortable. As she told Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun:

It was just too blatant. I couldn’t look the other way.

It’s commendable that Japan acted swiftly. But a warning alone isn’t enough. Japan should strengthen and expand its international cooperation to combat these heinous crimes.

A more decisive model can be seen in a recent case in Vietnam, where US authorities infiltrated a livestream child sex abuse network for the first time in that country. Working undercover for months, they coordinated with Vietnamese officials to arrest a mother who had been sexually abusing her daughter on demand for paying viewers abroad.

The rescue of the nine-year-old victim showed what serious cross-border intervention looks like.

But for every headline-grabbing scandal, there are hundreds of untold stories.

The Laos case should be the beginning of a broader reckoning with how sex, money and power move across borders – and who pays the price.

Ming Gao receives funding from the Swedish Research Council. This research was produced with support from the Swedish Research Council grant “Moved Apart” (nr. 2022-01864). Ming Gao is a member of Lund University Profile Area: Human Rights.

– ref. A rare, direct warning from Japan signals a shift in the fight against child sex tourism in Asia – https://theconversation.com/a-rare-direct-warning-from-japan-signals-a-shift-in-the-fight-against-child-sex-tourism-in-asia-261554

MIL OSI –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: At least seven people killed in road accident in central Peru

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

LIMA, July 29 (Xinhua) — At least seven people were killed and one child was seriously injured when a pickup truck fell off a cliff in central Peru’s Junin region, local media reported Monday.

The accident occurred on Sunday in the remote Carpapata region, located between the towns of Tarma and La Merced. The car left the road and fell about 300 meters into a ravine.

Emergency traffic police teams arrived at the scene. The child was rescued and is the only survivor of the plane crash.

According to the National Road Safety Observatory of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Peru, 1,215 people died in road accidents in Peru between January and May of this year, and another 22,846 were injured. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: NPC Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji Advocates Mutual Trust, Win-Win Cooperation with Hungary

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

BUDAPEST, July 29 (Xinhua) — Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), spoke highly of the mutual trust and win-win cooperation between China and Hungary during his official and friendly visit to the European country from July 24 to 28.

Zhao Leji held separate meetings with Hungarian President Tamás Szujok and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, as well as talks with National Assembly Speaker László Kövér.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s successful state visit to Hungary in May 2024, which elevated China-Hungary relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership in a new era, opened up broader prospects for friendly cooperation between the two countries, Zhao Leji noted at the meeting with T. Shuyok.

He said China is willing to cooperate with Hungary to be good friends who respect and trust each other, good partners who bring mutual benefits and achieve win-win results, and good brothers who understand and care for each other.

China will join hands with Hungary to promote the comprehensive synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Hungary’s “Opening to the East” strategy, complete high-quality construction of landmark projects such as the Hungary-Serbia railway, and encourage and support more active exchanges between the two countries and at the local level in culture, media and youth so as to strengthen people-to-people ties, Zhao Leji said.

T. Šuyok noted in turn that Hungary and China are developing bilateral relations based on mutual respect, mutual trust and mutually beneficial results, which is of great importance and modern value.

The Hungarian President said that participation in the Belt and Road Initiative is of vital importance for Hungary, and the Hungary-Serbia railway project is an example of major project cooperation.

He also expressed hope that the two sides will continuously deepen cooperation in areas such as green energy, artificial intelligence, digital economy, youth and education.

During the meeting with V. Orban, Zhao Leji said that in recent years, China-Hungary relations have made rapid progress and are at the highest level in history. According to him, China values Hungary’s commitment to the one-China principle and is willing to continue to strengthen support for each other.

China welcomes increased imports of high-quality agricultural and food products from Hungary and expects Hungary to provide political support and security guarantees to Chinese enterprises in Hungary, Zhao Leji said.

As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, Zhao Leji said China hopes and believes that Hungary will continue to play an active role in promoting the healthy and stable development of China-EU relations.

China will also work with Hungary to promote cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries, Zhao Leji said.

V. Orban noted that the state visit of the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping to Hungary last year was an important milestone in the history of Hungarian-Chinese relations. According to him, the development of friendly cooperation with China is a strategic choice of Hungary, which will help Hungary modernize technologies and develop markets.

During the talks with L. Kever, Zhao Leji said that the National People’s Congress is willing to cooperate with the Hungarian National Assembly to advance the implementation of the agreements reached during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit last year and promote the development of high-level Chinese-Hungarian relations.

The two sides should strengthen exchanges between legislative organs at all levels and formulate, revise and approve legal documents conducive to bilateral cooperation in a timely manner, Zhao Leji said, calling on both sides to strengthen coordination and cooperation in multilateral arenas such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

L. Kövér said that a growing China is conducive to peace and development of the entire world and contributes to the building of a multipolar world, which is in full accordance with Hungary’s interests. The Hungarian National Assembly is ready to cooperate with the NPC to provide firm support for mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Massive rescue efforts continue in Beijing after heavy rains kill 30

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) — Beijing authorities have launched a rescue operation as heavy rains have killed 30 people as of midnight Monday, damaged roads, disrupted power supplies and forced mass evacuations.

The fatalities were recorded in the northern mountainous areas of the Chinese capital, with 28 people killed in the Miyun district and two in the Yanqing district.

Chinese President Xi Jinping gave an important instruction on flood control and disaster relief on Monday, calling for all-out efforts to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property in the fight against rain-induced floods and geological disasters affecting some parts of China.

Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said all aspects of search and rescue and flood control work should be properly organized, urgent measures should be taken to combat natural disasters, all efforts should be made to search for missing people and rescue those trapped, and people in danger should be resolutely evacuated to minimize casualties.

The downpours forced more than 80,000 people to evacuate in Beijing alone, damaged 31 sections of roads and caused power outages in 136 villages.

“Several houses in our community were flooded as a result of heavy rain on Saturday night,” said Cui Di, deputy head of the Shicheng Township People’s Government, located in Beijing’s hardest-hit Miyun District. She worked tirelessly throughout the night to help residents move to safer areas.

“In such emergency situations, it is difficult for everyone. We are doing everything possible to make temporary places of stay a little more comfortable for people and thus alleviate their anxiety,” the official noted.

According to her, local authorities also prepared mattresses, blankets, bread, eggs and other necessary materials for the evacuees.

At the Miyun resettlement center, fourth-grader Zhao Zixuan sits on her bed reading a book. She was evacuated from the flooded village on a speedboat. “It’s very safe here, and I can read in peace,” she said.

In recent days, extreme and strong convective phenomena caused by warm and humid air from the edge of a subtropical anticyclone have been recorded in Miyun and other metropolitan areas.

At 8:00 p.m. Monday, the Beijing Municipal Flood Control Headquarters launched the highest-level emergency response mechanism for the floods.

Due to continued heavy rains, the Beijing branch of China Railways suspended some trains on the Beijing-Harbin High-Siberian Railway on Tuesday.

China’s Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management on Tuesday allocated 350 million yuan (about 48.94 million U.S. dollars) from the central budget to provide aid to nine provincial-level regions hit by floods, including Beijing.

These funds will be used primarily to carry out emergency rescue operations and provide assistance to residents of these regions affected by natural disasters.

Also on Tuesday, China’s National Development and Reform Commission announced it would allocate 200 million yuan to provide disaster relief assistance in Beijing. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI: Radware Expands U.S. Presence with New Managed Security Service Provider Partnerships
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MAHWAH, N.J., July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Radware^® (NASDAQ: RDWR), a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments, today announced it signed managed security service provider (MSSP) agreements with Epcom World Industries, Inc., GLESEC, North Atlantic Networks and Tech Pro. The four U.S. based companies are adding Radware’s Cloud Application Protection Services to their managed services portfolios to scale their businesses and expand their security offerings for customers. North Atlantic Networks is also offering Radware’s Cloud DDoS Protection Services.

“MSSPs are constantly looking for more innovative ways to defend customers as they deal with growing budget constraints, limited in-house security staff, and bigger more complex cyber threats,” said John Eisenbarger, vice president of carriers and service providers for Radware. “Applications are facing increasing exposure from bots, API abuse, web-layer DDoS attacks and credential misuse. To enable MSSPs to respond where customer risk is expanding fastest, Radware offers a fully managed AppSec-as-a-Service platform that is ready to quickly deploy, scale, and monetize, without having to build a backend.”

Epcom World Industries, GLESEC, North Atlantic Networks, and Tech Pro add to the growing list of MSSPs that have chosen Radware’s cloud network and application security solutions to speed time to market, scale their businesses, and deliver high-value services.

“We selected Radware as our partner because of its comprehensive offering, overall excellent product design, support, and customer first approach. The partnership process with Radware has been seamless. They listened, understood, and supported our needs. Together we are equipping clients—whether they be in healthcare, finance, pharmaceutical, non-profit, or government—with mission-critical security tools that not only defend networks, web assets, and environments, but also comply with strict regulatory requirements.”
– Rudy V. Pancaro, CEO, Epcom World Industries

“Becoming an MSSP partner is a natural extension of our long-standing collaboration with Radware and a key milestone in delivering our SKYWATCH™ Cybersecurity Operating System. By fully integrating Radware’s industry-leading application protection into our Device-Centric Model and real-time risk management workflows, we deliver a unified, fully managed solution that reduces exposure, accelerates remediation, and ensures compliance. This partnership enables us to protect mission-critical environments—especially in healthcare, finance, and government—with the agility, intelligence, and depth of defense they require.”
– Sergio Heker, CEO and founder, GLESEC

“Our mission is to deliver best-in-class managed security services that are both proactive and adaptive. By integrating Radware’s solutions into our MSSP stack, we’re able to offer our clients deeper protection against increasingly complex cyber threats—especially in the areas of DDoS attacks, application-layer security, and zero-day threats. This partnership enhances our ability to deliver scalable, intelligent protection without compromising performance, helping our clients stay ahead of the threat landscape while supporting their digital transformation and cloud migration goals.”
– Carolyn Smith, senior vice president, strategic accounts, North Atlantic Networks

“Radware’s technology aligns with our commitment to deliver secure, resilient, and high-performing digital experiences to our clients, especially in today’s increasingly complex threat landscape. By integrating Radware’s solutions into our offering, we increase the value proposition to our customers: stronger protection, smarter automation, and peace of mind. Together, we bring a synergistic approach that helps organizations not only defend against threats but also accelerate their growth safely and confidently.”
– Lidia Israyelyan, CEO, Tech Pro

Radware offers a variety of cloud network and application security solutions and services that cater to the needs of pure play MSSPs and ISPs. This includes a fully branded and managed AppSec-as-a-Service platform that can be deployed without added infrastructure investment, operational lift, or headcount requirements. The platform offers:
- Rapid market entry without a technical buildout.
- Managed services that align MSSPs to areas where cyber threats and client risk are expanding fastest (i.e. bots, APIs, SaaS-layer abuse).
- The monetization of application layer threats as an alternative to flat service bundles.
- An expanded security portfolio that fills gaps in protection in competitive solutions that clients often assume are already covered.
Radware has been recognized by numerous industry analysts for its application and network security solutions. This includes Aite-Novarica Group, Forrester, Gartner, KuppingerCole, and QKS Group.

About Radware
Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR) is a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments. The company’s cloud application, infrastructure, and API security solutions use AI-driven algorithms for precise, hands-free, real-time protection from the most sophisticated web, application, and DDoS attacks, API abuse, and bad bots. Enterprises and carriers worldwide rely on Radware’s solutions to address evolving cybersecurity challenges and protect their brands and business operations while reducing costs. For more information, please visit the Radware website.

Radware encourages you to join our community and follow us on: Facebook, LinkedIn, Radware Blog, X, and YouTube.

©2025 Radware Ltd. All rights reserved. Any Radware products and solutions mentioned in this press release are protected by trademarks, patents, and pending patent applications of Radware in the U.S. and other countries. For more details, please see: https://www.radware.com/LegalNotice/. All other trademarks and names are property of their respective owners.

Radware believes the information in this document is accurate in all material respects as of its publication date. However, the information is provided without any express, statutory, or implied warranties and is subject to change without notice.

The contents of any website or hyperlinks mentioned in this press release are for informational purposes and the contents thereof are not part of this press release.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements made herein that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about Radware’s plans, outlook, beliefs, or opinions, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plans,” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may,” and “could.” For example, when we say in this press release that applications are facing increasing exposure from bots, API abuse, web-layer DDoS attacks and credential misuse, we are using forward-looking statements. Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, could differ materially from Radware’s current forecasts and estimates. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: the impact of global economic conditions, including as a result of the state of war declared in Israel in October 2023 and instability in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, tensions between China and Taiwan, financial and credit market fluctuations (including elevated interest rates), impacts from tariffs or other trade restrictions, inflation, and the potential for regional or global recessions; our dependence on independent distributors to sell our products; our ability to manage our anticipated growth effectively; our business may be affected by sanctions, export controls, and similar measures, targeting Russia and other countries and territories, as well as other responses to Russia’s military conflict in Ukraine, including indefinite suspension of operations in Russia and dealings with Russian entities by many multi-national businesses across a variety of industries; the ability of vendors to provide our hardware platforms and components for the manufacture of our products; our ability to attract, train, and retain highly qualified personnel; intense competition in the market for cybersecurity and application delivery solutions and in our industry in general, and changes in the competitive landscape; our ability to develop new solutions and enhance existing solutions; the impact to our reputation and business in the event of real or perceived shortcomings, defects, or vulnerabilities in our solutions, if our end-users experience security breaches, or if our information technology systems and data, or those of our service providers and other contractors, are compromised by cyber-attackers or other malicious actors or by a critical system failure; our use of AI technologies that present regulatory, litigation, and reputational risks; risks related to the fact that our products must interoperate with operating systems, software applications and hardware that are developed by others; outages, interruptions, or delays in hosting services; the risks associated with our global operations, such as difficulties and costs of staffing and managing foreign operations, compliance costs arising from host country laws or regulations, partial or total expropriation, export duties and quotas, local tax exposure, economic or political instability, including as a result of insurrection, war, natural disasters, and major environmental, climate, or public health concerns; our net losses in the past and the possibility that we may incur losses in the future; a slowdown in the growth of the cybersecurity and application delivery solutions market or in the development of the market for our cloud-based solutions; long sales cycles for our solutions; risks and uncertainties relating to acquisitions or other investments; risks associated with doing business in countries with a history of corruption or with foreign governments; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; risks associated with undetected defects or errors in our products; our ability to protect our proprietary technology; intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties; laws, regulations, and industry standards affecting our business; compliance with open source and third-party licenses; complications with the design or implementation of our new enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system; our reliance on information technology systems; our ESG disclosures and initiatives; and other factors and risks over which we may have little or no control. This list is intended to identify only certain of the principal factors that could cause actual results to differ. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Radware, refer to Radware’s Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the other risk factors discussed from time to time by Radware in reports filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and, except as required by applicable law, Radware undertakes no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statement in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date any such statement is made. Radware’s public filings are available from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or may be obtained on Radware’s website at www.radware.com.

###

The MIL Network –
July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI: onsemi Collaborates with NVIDIA to Accelerate Transition to 800 VDC Power Solutions for Next-Generation AI Data Centers

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Scottsdale, Ariz, July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — onsemi (Nasdaq: ON) today announced its working with NVIDIA to support the transition to 800 Volts Direct Current (VDC) power architectures, a transformative solution that is driving significant gains in efficiency, density, and sustainability for next-generation AI data centers.

At the core of this shift is new power distribution system, which must distribute a massive amount of power with minimal losses during each voltage conversion. onsemi’s intelligent power portfolio plays a critical role in enabling the next generation of AI data centers by delivering high-efficiency, high-density power conversion across every stage of the power journey—from high-voltage AC/DC conversion at the substation to precise voltage regulation at the processor level.

Leveraging decades of innovation in both silicon and silicon carbide (SiC) technologies, onsemi provides industry-leading solutions for solid state transformers, power supply units, 800 VDC distribution, and core power delivery, all integrated with intelligent monitoring and control. This breadth and depth of capability make onsemi one of the few companies able to meet the demanding power requirements of modern AI infrastructure with scalable, physically realizable designs.

###

About onsemi
onsemi (Nasdaq: ON) is driving disruptive innovations to help build a better future. With a focus on automotive and industrial end-markets, the company is accelerating change in megatrends such as vehicle electrification and safety, sustainable energy grids, industrial automation, and 5G and cloud infrastructure. onsemi offers a highly differentiated and innovative product portfolio, delivering intelligent power and sensing technologies that solve the world’s most complex challenges and leads the way to creating a safer, cleaner and smarter world. onsemi is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index^® and S&P 500^® index. Learn more about onsemi at www.onsemi.com.

onsemi and the onsemi logo are trademarks of Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC. All other brand and product names appearing in this document are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders. Although the Company references its website in this news release, information on the website is not to be incorporated herein.

Contact Info

Krystal Heaton
krystal.heaton@onsemi.com
+1 480-242-6943

The MIL Network –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI: Axi Celebrates 5th $1 Million Funded Trader, Marks $5M+ Payout Milestone for 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SYDNEY, July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global broker Axi proudly announces a major milestone in its trader funding program, Axi Select, as it celebrates its 5^th $1 million funded trader, and surpasses $5 million in profit payouts year-to-date.

The latest trader to reach the $1 million mark is Yoleny G, a trader who identifies as a proud wife and mother of two. Her achievement is particularly significant as she becomes the 5th trader to reach this milestone with Axi. Yoleny’s accomplishment is not only a testament of her trading discipline but also marks a personal goal on her path to Axi’s elite Pro M stage.

“I’m incredibly proud of my achievement. Reaching $1 million funded status has been a personal mission, and this is just the beginning.” – Yoleny G.

Yoleny joins an elite group of traders who have reached the $1 million funding threshold under the Axi Select program. The first two Pro M traders recently came together for an exclusive visit to Axi’s global headquarters in Sydney, where they shared insights, met the Axi team, and celebrated their collective success.

The Axi Select community has rapidly grown to over 30,000 members, making it one of the most dynamic traders funded ecosystems globally. Axi’s recent collaboration with Bloomberg further reinforces its commitment to providing high-quality resources, transparency, and market insight for retail traders striving to reach the next level of their trading journey.

As of July 2025, Axi has paid out over $7.6million to funded traders, with one standout individual earning $108,879.66 in May alone.

This milestone reflects Axi’s continued focus on empowering skilled traders with real opportunities to grow, backed by capital, education and access to key trading tools. As Axi continues to expand the Axi Select program and its global trading community, milestones like these reinforce the company’s commitment to providing serious traders with the tools, capital, and support they need to succeed. With more traders advancing toward higher funding levels and new initiatives on the horizon, Axi remains focused on being a market leader in this space.

About Axi

Axi is a global online FX and CFD trading company, with thousands of customers in 100+ countries worldwide. Axi offers CFDs for several asset classes including Forex, Shares, Gold, Oil, Coffee, and more.

For more information or additional comments from Axi, please contact: mediaenquiries@axi.com

The Axi Select program is only available to clients of AxiTrader Limited. CFDs carry a high risk of investment loss. In our dealings with you, we will act as a principal counterparty to all of your positions. This content may not be available in your region. For more information, refer to our Terms of Service. Standard trading fees and minimum deposit apply.

The MIL Network –

July 30, 2025

MIL-OSI: Coastal Financial Corporation Announces Second Quarter 2025 Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

EVERETT, Wash., July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Coastal Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: CCB) (the “Company”, “Coastal”, “we”, “our”, or “us”), the holding company for Coastal Community Bank (the “Bank”), through which it operates a community-focused bank segment (“community bank”) with an industry leading banking as a service (“BaaS”) segment (“CCBX”), today reported unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, including net income of $11.0 million, or $0.71 per diluted common share, compared to $9.7 million, or $0.63 per diluted common share, for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and $11.6 million, or $0.84 per diluted common share, for the three months ended June 30, 2024.

Management Discussion of the Second Quarter Results

“Second quarter of 2025 saw a lower provision for credit losses as a result of an improvement in the performance of the CCBX portfolio and our focus on originating higher quality CCBX loans resulting in lower historical loss factors. Noninterest expenses were fairly flat compared to last quarter related to continued onboarding and implementation costs for partnerships and products within CCBX and investments in technology. We believe these investments are important to the long-term success and scalability of the Company,” stated CEO Eric Sprink. “We had another quarter of quality deposit growth of $122.3 million during the second quarter, and our CCBX program fee income, excluding nonrecurring revenue, increased 8.2% compared to the prior quarter.”

Key Points for Second Quarter and Our Go-Forward Strategy

CCBX Making Progress on Launching New Programs. As of June 30, 2025 we had two partners in testing, two in implementation/onboarding, five signed letters of intent (LOI) and we have an active pipeline of new partners along with new products with existing partners for the balance of 2025 and into 2026. Total BaaS program fee income was $6.8 million, excluding $504,000 in nonrecurring revenue, for the three months ended June 30, 2025, an increase of $512,000, or 8.2%, from the three months ended March 31, 2025. We continue to have contracts with our partners that fully indemnify us against fraud and 98.8% against credit risk as of June 30, 2025.
Continued Investments in Future Growth. Total noninterest expense of $72.8 million was up $843,000, or 1.2%, as compared to $72.0 million in the quarter ended March 31, 2025, mainly driven by higher data processing and software costs partially offset by lower legal and professional expenses. With the increase in new CCBX partners and the launch of products with existing partners in 2025, we expect that expenses will be predominantly incurred at the outset, emphasizing compliance and operational risk management. This will occur before the new programs or products start to produce revenue. As a result, we believe expense growth should moderate considerably in the second half of 2025, with new programs or products starting to produce revenue to offset the initial up-front expenses.
Favorable Trends On, and Off Balance Sheet. Average deposits were $3.93 billion, an increase of $221.6 million, or 6.0%, over the quarter ended March 31, 2025, driven primarily by growth in CCBX partner programs and the addition of a new deposit partner. During the second quarter of 2025, we sold $1.30 billion of loans, the majority of which were credit card receivables. We retain a portion of the fee income on sold credit card loans. As of June 30, 2025 there were 313,827 off balance sheet credit cards with fee earning potential, an increase of 76,803 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025 and an increase of 286,146 from June 30, 2024.

Second Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights

The tables below outline some of our key operating metrics.

	Three Months Ended
(Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data; unaudited)	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			December 31, 2024			September 30, 2024			June 30, 2024
Income Statement Data:
Interest and dividend income	$	107,797		$	104,907		$	102,448		$	105,165		$	97,422
Interest expense		31,060			28,845			30,071			32,892			31,250
Net interest income		76,737			76,062			72,377			72,273			66,172
Provision for credit losses		32,211			55,781			61,867			70,257			62,325
Net interest income after provision for credit losses		44,526			20,281			10,510			2,016			3,847
Noninterest income		42,693			63,477			74,100			78,790			69,138
Noninterest expense		72,832			71,989			67,411			64,424			57,964
Provision for income tax		3,359			2,039			3,832			2,926			3,425
Net income	$	11,028		$	9,730		$	13,367		$	13,456		$	11,596

	As of and for the Three Month Period
	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			December 31, 2024			September 30, 2024			June 30, 2024
Balance Sheet Data:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	719,759		$	624,302		$	452,513		$	484,026		$	487,245
Investment securities		45,577			46,991			47,321			48,620			49,213
Loans held for sale		60,474			42,132			20,600			7,565			—
Loans receivable		3,540,330			3,517,359			3,486,565			3,413,894			3,321,813
Allowance for credit losses		(164,794	)		(183,178	)		(176,994	)		(171,674	)		(148,878	)
Total assets		4,480,559			4,339,282			4,121,208			4,064,472			3,959,549
Interest bearing deposits		3,358,216			3,251,599			3,057,808			3,047,861			2,949,643
Noninterest bearing deposits		555,355			539,630			527,524			579,427			593,789
Core deposits ⁽¹⁾		3,441,624			3,321,772			3,123,434			3,190,869			3,528,339
Total deposits		3,913,571			3,791,229			3,585,332			3,627,288			3,543,432
Total borrowings		47,960			47,923			47,884			47,847			47,810
Total shareholders’ equity	$	461,709		$	449,917		$	438,704		$	331,930		$	316,693

Share and Per Share Data ⁽²⁾:
Earnings per share – basic	$	0.73		$	0.65		$	0.97		$	1.00		$	0.86
Earnings per share – diluted	$	0.71		$	0.63		$	0.94		$	0.97		$	0.84
Dividends per share		—			—			—			—			—
Book value per share ⁽³⁾	$	30.59		$	29.98		$	29.37		$	24.51		$	23.54
Tangible book value per share ⁽⁴⁾	$	30.59		$	29.98		$	29.37		$	24.51		$	23.54
Weighted avg outstanding shares – basic		15,033,296			14,962,507			13,828,605			13,447,066			13,412,667
Weighted avg outstanding shares – diluted		15,447,923			15,462,041			14,268,229			13,822,270			13,736,508
Shares outstanding at end of period		15,093,036			15,009,225			14,935,298			13,543,282			13,453,805
Stock options outstanding at end of period		126,654			163,932			186,354			198,370			286,119

See footnotes that follow the tables below

	As of and for the Three Month Period
	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			December 31, 2024			September 30, 2024			June 30, 2024
Credit Quality Data:
Nonperforming assets ⁽⁵⁾ to total assets		1.36	%		1.30	%		1.52	%		1.63	%		1.34	%
Nonperforming assets ⁽⁵⁾ to loans receivable and OREO		1.72	%		1.60	%		1.80	%		1.94	%		1.60	%
Nonperforming loans ⁽⁵⁾ to total loans receivable		1.72	%		1.60	%		1.80	%		1.94	%		1.60	%
Allowance for credit losses to nonperforming loans		270.7	%		325.0	%		282.5	%		258.7	%		279.9	%
Allowance for credit losses to total loans receivable		4.65	%		5.21	%		5.08	%		5.03	%		4.48	%
Gross charge-offs	$	53,780		$	53,686		$	61,585		$	53,305		$	55,207
Gross recoveries	$	4,467		$	5,486		$	5,223		$	4,516		$	2,254
Net charge-offs to average loans ⁽⁶⁾		5.54	%		5.57	%		6.56	%		5.60	%		6.54	%

Capital Ratios:
Company
Tier 1 leverage capital		10.39	%		10.67	%		10.78	%		8.40	%		8.31	%
Common equity Tier 1 risk-based capital		12.32	%		12.13	%		12.04	%		9.24	%		9.03	%
Tier 1 risk-based capital		12.41	%		12.22	%		12.14	%		9.34	%		9.13	%
Total risk-based capital		14.90	%		14.73	%		14.67	%		11.89	%		11.70	%
Bank
Tier 1 leverage capital		10.33	%		10.57	%		10.64	%		9.29	%		9.24	%
Common equity Tier 1 risk-based capital		12.36	%		12.12	%		11.99	%		10.34	%		10.15	%
Tier 1 risk-based capital		12.36	%		12.12	%		11.99	%		10.34	%		10.15	%
Total risk-based capital		13.65	%		13.42	%		13.28	%		11.63	%		11.44	%

⁽¹⁾Core deposits are defined as all deposits excluding brokered and time deposits.
⁽²⁾Share and per share amounts are based on total actual or average common shares outstanding, as applicable.
⁽³⁾We calculate book value per share as total shareholders’ equity at the end of the relevant period divided by the outstanding number of our common shares at the end of each period.
⁽⁴⁾Tangible book value per share is a non-GAAP financial measure. We calculate tangible book value per share as total shareholders’ equity at the end of the relevant period, less goodwill and other intangible assets, divided by the outstanding number of our common shares at the end of each period. The most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is book value per share. We had no goodwill or other intangible assets as of any of the dates indicated. As a result, tangible book value per share is the same as book value per share as of each of the dates indicated.
⁽⁵⁾Nonperforming assets and nonperforming loans include loans 90+ days past due and accruing interest.
⁽⁶⁾Annualized calculations.

Key Performance Ratios

Return on average assets (“ROA”) was 0.99% for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to 0.93% and 1.21% for the quarters ended March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2024, respectively. ROA for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, increased 0.06% and decreased 0.22% compared to March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2024, respectively. Noninterest expenses were slightly higher for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025 due to continued investments in growth, technology and risk management, partially offset by a decrease in legal and professional expenses. Noninterest expenses were higher than the quarter ended June 30, 2024 due primarily to an increase in salaries and employee benefits, data processing and software licenses and legal and professional expenses, all of which are related to the growth of Company and investments in technology and risk management.

Yield on earning assets and yield on loans receivable decreased 0.40% and 0.22%, respectively, for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025, largely due to a decrease in CCBX loan yield. Lower rate capital call lines increased $66.2 million, or 49.6%, compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025. These loans bear a lower rate of interest, but have less credit risk due to the way the loans are structured compared to other commercial loans. Average loans receivable as of June 30, 2025 increased $56.1 million compared to March 31, 2025 as net CCBX loans continue to grow, despite selling $1.30 billion in CCBX loans during the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

The quarter over quarter volatility in the efficiency ratio and noninterest income to average asset performance metrics was driven by a higher-quality CCBX loan-mix from a credit quality perspective, which effectively reduced the credit enhancement required within non-interest income due to lower net-charge off activity as a percent of total loans which lowered our provision expense. These items have a neutral impact to net income although impacted the quarter-to-quarter metrics due to lower reported noninterest income. Additionally, results for the three months ended June 30, 2025 also included a net $439,000 loss on equity securities due to the re-valuation of a privately held equity stake, which CCB reviews quarterly. Management doesn’t believe the write-down is indicative of longer-term concerns of the portfolio company’s health at this time.

The following table shows the Company’s key performance ratios for the periods indicated.

	Three Months Ended
(unaudited)	June 30, 2025		March 31, 2025		December 31, 2024		September 30, 2024		June 30, 2024

Return on average assets ⁽¹⁾	0.99	%	0.93	%	1.30	%	1.34	%	1.21	%
Return on average equity ⁽¹⁾	9.72	%	8.91	%	14.90	%	16.67	%	15.22	%
Yield on earnings assets ⁽¹⁾	9.92	%	10.32	%	10.24	%	10.79	%	10.49	%
Yield on loans receivable ⁽¹⁾	11.11	%	11.33	%	11.12	%	11.44	%	11.22	%
Cost of funds ⁽¹⁾	3.13	%	3.11	%	3.24	%	3.62	%	3.60	%
Cost of deposits ⁽¹⁾	3.10	%	3.08	%	3.21	%	3.59	%	3.58	%
Net interest margin ⁽¹⁾	7.06	%	7.48	%	7.23	%	7.42	%	7.12	%
Noninterest expense to average assets ⁽¹⁾	6.52	%	6.87	%	6.54	%	6.42	%	6.05	%
Noninterest income to average assets ⁽¹⁾	3.82	%	6.06	%	7.19	%	7.85	%	7.22	%
Efficiency ratio	60.98	%	51.59	%	46.02	%	42.65	%	42.84	%
Loans receivable to deposits ⁽²⁾	92.01	%	93.89	%	97.82	%	94.33	%	93.75	%

⁽¹⁾Annualized calculations shown for quarterly periods presented.
⁽²⁾Includes loans held for sale.

Management Outlook; CEO Eric Sprink

“As we look to the latter half of 2025 and beyond, we expect to see additional new partner engagements, given that our CCBX pipeline remains strong with high-quality opportunities. We are committed to continuing to invest in our technology and risk management infrastructure to support our growth in the BaaS sector which is expected to produce future efficiencies, automation and cost reductions as we grow. The improvement in the performance of the CCBX portfolio and lower historical loss factors within the CCBX portfolio are positive indicators that our risk reduction and credit improvement efforts are proving effective, alongside the fraud and credit indemnifications provided by our partners. Additionally, we saw an increase of $512,000, or 8.2%, from the three months ended March 31, 2025 in BaaS program income, excluding nonrecurring revenue, namely in transaction and interchange income. We anticipate this growth to continue in future periods as our partner activities expand and grow.” said CEO Eric Sprink.

Coastal Financial Corporation Overview

The Company has one main subsidiary, the Bank, which consists of three segments: CCBX, the community bank and treasury & administration. The CCBX segment includes all of our BaaS activities, the community bank segment includes all community banking activities and the treasury & administration segment includes treasury management, overall administration and all other aspects of the Company.

CCBX Performance Update

Our CCBX segment continues to evolve, and we have 29 relationships, at varying stages, including two partners in testing, two in implementation/onboarding, and five signed LOI as of June 30, 2025. We continue to refine the criteria for CCBX partnerships, exploring relationships with larger and more established partners, with experienced management teams, existing customer bases and strong financial positions. We also will consider promising medium and smaller sized partners that align with our approach and terms including financial wherewithal and will continue to exit relationships where it makes sense for us to do so.

While we explore relationships with new partners we continue to expand our product offerings with existing CCBX partners. As we become more proficient in the BaaS space we aim to cultivate new relationships that align with our long-term goals. We believe that a strategy of adding new partnerships and launching new products with existing partners allows us to expand and grow our customer base with a modest increase in regulatory risk given our operational history with them. Increases in partner activity/transaction counts is positively impacting noninterest income and we expect this trend to continue as current products grow and new products are introduced. We plan to continue selling loans as part of our strategy to balance partner and lending limits, and manage the loan portfolio and credit quality. We retain a portion of the fee income for our role in processing transactions on sold credit card loans, and will continue this strategy to provide an on-going revenue source with no on balance sheet risk or capital requirement.

As we build our deposit base, we will be able to sweep deposits off and on the balance sheet as needed. This deposit sweep capability allows us to better manage liquidity and deposit programs. At June 30, 2025 we swept off $478.7 million in deposits for FDIC insurance and liquidity purposes. Robinhood has entered the production testing phase for its suite of deposit products, signaling continued momentum in our strategic partnership pipeline. Dave finalized production testing in Q2 and is poised to initiate its beta launch, expanding our footprint in digital banking solutions. The introduction of theses products are expected to diversify and grow deposits.

The following table illustrates the activity and evolution in CCBX relationships for the periods presented.

	As of
(unaudited)	June 30, 2025	March 31, 2025	June 30, 2024
Active	20	19	19
Friends and family / testing	2	2	1
Implementation / onboarding	2	3	1
Signed letters of intent	5	1	0
Total CCBX relationships	29	25	21

CCBX loans increased $29.5 million, or 1.8%, to $1.68 billion despite selling $1.30 billion in loans during the three months ended June 30, 2025. In accordance with the program agreement for one partner, we are responsible for losses on 5% of that portfolio. At June 30, 2025 the portion of that portfolio for which we are responsible represented $19.8 million in loans.

The following table details the CCBX loan portfolio:

CCBX	As of
	June 30, 2025					March 31, 2025					June 30, 2024
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Balance			% to Total		Balance			% to Total		Balance			% to Total
Commercial and industrial loans:
Capital call lines	$	199,675		11.9	%	$	133,466		8.1	%	$	109,133		7.7	%
All other commercial & industrial loans		26,142		1.6			29,702		1.8			41,757		3.0
Real estate loans:
Residential real estate loans		234,786		14.0			285,355		17.3			287,950		20.4
Consumer and other loans:
Credit cards		533,925		31.8			532,775		32.2			549,241		39.0
Other consumer and other loans		686,321		40.7			670,026		40.6			422,136		29.9
Gross CCBX loans receivable		1,680,849		100.0	%		1,651,324		100.0	%		1,410,217		100.0	%
Net deferred origination (fees) costs		(569	)				(498	)				(438	)
Loans receivable	$	1,680,280				$	1,650,826				$	1,409,779
Loan Yield – CCBX ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾		16.22	%				16.88	%				17.75	%

⁽¹⁾CCBX yield does not include the impact of BaaS loan expense. BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit enhancements and originating & servicing CCBX loans. See reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures at the end of this earnings release for the impact of BaaS loan expense on CCBX loan yield.
⁽²⁾Loan yield is annualized for the three months ended for each period presented and includes loans held for sale and nonaccrual loans.

The increase in CCBX loans in the quarter ended June 30, 2025, includes an increase of $66.2 million, or 49.6%, in capital call lines as a result of normal balance fluctuations and business activities, a decrease of $50.6 million, or 17.7%, in residential real estate loans and an increase of $17.4 million or 1.5%, in other consumer and other loans. We continue to monitor and manage the CCBX loan portfolio, and sold $1.30 billion in CCBX loans during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to sales of $744.6 million in the quarter ended March 31, 2025. We continue to reposition ourselves by managing CCBX credit and concentration levels in an effort to optimize our loan portfolio earnings and generate off balance sheet fee income. CCBX loan yield decreased 0.67% for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025 as a result of an increase in lower rate capital call lines and overall mix of loans compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025, these loans bear a lower rate of interest, but have less credit risk due to the way the loans are structured compared to other commercial loans.

The following chart shows the growth in credit card accounts that generate fee income. This includes accounts with balances, which are included in our loan totals, and accounts that have been sold and have no corresponding balance in our loan totals, and that generate fee income.

The following chart shows the growth in active CCBX debit cards which are sources of interchange income.

The following table details the CCBX deposit portfolio:

CCBX	As of
	June 30, 2025					March 31, 2025					June 30, 2024
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Balance			% to Total		Balance			% to Total		Balance			% to Total
Demand, noninterest bearing	$	60,448		2.6	%	$	58,416		2.6	%	$	62,234		3.0	%
Interest bearing demand and money market		2,231,159		94.5			2,145,608		94.6			1,989,105		96.7
Savings		51,523		2.2			16,625		0.7			5,150		0.3
Total core deposits		2,343,130		99.3			2,220,649		97.9			2,056,489		100.0
Other deposits		17,013		0.7			46,359		2.1			—		—
Total CCBX deposits	$	2,360,143		100.0	%	$	2,267,008		100.0	%	$	2,056,489		100.0	%
Cost of deposits ⁽¹⁾		3.96	%				4.01	%				4.92	%

⁽¹⁾Cost of deposits is annualized for the three months ended for each period presented.

CCBX deposits increased $93.1 million, or 4.1%, in the three months ended June 30, 2025 to $2.36 billion as a result of growth and normal balance fluctuations. This excludes the $478.7 million in CCBX deposits that were transferred off balance sheet for increased Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance coverage and sweep purposes, compared to $406.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Amounts in excess of FDIC insurance coverage are transferred, using a third-party facilitator/vendor sweep product, to participating financial institutions.

Community Bank Performance Update

In the quarter ended June 30, 2025, the community bank saw net loans decrease $6.5 million, or 0.3%, to $1.86 billion, as a result of normal balance fluctuations.

The following table details the Community Bank loan portfolio:

Community Bank	As of
	June 30, 2025					March 31, 2025					June 30, 2024
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Balance			% to Total		Balance			% to Total		Balance			% to Total
Commercial and industrial loans	$	149,926		8.0	%	$	149,104		8.0	%	$	144,436		7.5	%
Real estate loans:
Construction, land and land development loans		194,150		10.4			166,551		8.9			173,064		9.0
Residential real estate loans		198,844		10.7			202,920		10.8			229,639		12.0
Commercial real estate loans		1,310,882		70.2			1,340,647		71.6			1,357,979		70.8
Consumer and other loans:
Other consumer and other loans		12,230		0.7			13,326		0.7			14,220		0.7
Gross Community Bank loans receivable		1,866,032		100.0	%		1,872,548		100.0	%		1,919,338		100.0	%
Net deferred origination fees		(5,982	)				(6,015	)				(7,304	)
Loans receivable	$	1,860,050				$	1,866,533				$	1,912,034
Loan Yield⁽¹⁾		6.53	%				6.53	%				6.52	%

⁽¹⁾Loan yield is annualized for the three months ended for each period presented and includes loans held for sale and nonaccrual loans.

Community bank loan categories decreased $29.8 million in commercial real estate loans and $1.1 million in consumer and other loans, partially offset by an increase of $27.6 million in construction, land and land development loans and $822,000 in commercial and industrial loans, during the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

The following table details the community bank deposit portfolio:

Community Bank	As of
	June 30, 2025					March 31, 2025					June 30, 2024
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Balance			% to Total		Balance			% to Total		Balance			% to Total
Demand, noninterest bearing	$	494,907		31.9	%	$	481,214		31.5	%	$	531,555		35.7	%
Interest bearing demand and money market		545,655		35.1			560,416		36.8			876,668		59.0
Savings		57,933		3.7			59,493		3.9			63,627		4.3
Total core deposits		1,098,495		70.7			1,101,123		72.2			1,471,850		99.0
Other deposits		440,975		28.4			407,391		26.7			1		0.0
Time deposits less than $100,000		5,299		0.3			5,585		0.4			6,741		0.5
Time deposits $100,000 and over		8,659		0.6			10,122		0.7			8,351		0.5
Total Community Bank deposits	$	1,553,428		100.0	%	$	1,524,221		100.0	%	$	1,486,943		100.0	%
Cost of deposits⁽¹⁾		1.77	%				1.76	%				1.77	%

⁽¹⁾Cost of deposits is annualized for the three months ended for each period presented.

Community bank deposits increased $29.2 million, or 1.9%, during the three months ended June 30, 2025 to $1.55 billion. The community bank segment includes noninterest bearing deposits of $494.9 million, or 31.9%, of total community bank deposits, resulting in a cost of deposits of 1.77%, which compared to 1.76% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025.

Net Interest Income and Margin Discussion

Net interest income was $76.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, an increase of $675,000, or 0.9%, from $76.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, and an increase of $10.6 million, or 16.0%, from $66.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Net interest income compared to March 31, 2025, was higher due to an increase in average loans receivable. The increase in net interest income compared to June 30, 2024 was largely related to growth in loans receivable and a reduction in cost of funds as a result of lower interest rates.

Net interest margin was 7.06% for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to 7.48% for the three months ended March 31, 2025, due primarily to a decrease in loan yield. Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense, (a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth in the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section of this earnings release) was 4.07% for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to 4.28% for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Net interest margin was 7.12% for the three months ended June 30, 2024. The decrease in net interest margin for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to the three months ended June 30, 2024 was largely due to a decrease in loan yield, partially offset by lower cost of funds. The $66.2 million of growth in lower rate capital call lines and overall mix of loans contributed to the decrease in net interest margin for the three months ended June 30, 2025. Capital call lines grew 49.6% quarter-over-quarter to $199.7 million, or 11.9% of total CCBX loans versus 8.1% in the prior quarter. These loans carry a lower interest rate, but also lower credit costs.

Interest and fees on loans receivable increased $720,000, or 0.7%, to $98.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to $98.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as a result of loan growth. Interest and fees on loans receivable increased $8.0 million, or 8.8%, compared to $90.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, due to an increase in outstanding balances. Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense (a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth in the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section of this earnings release) decreased 0.21% for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025 and increased 0.07% compared the three months ended June 30, 2024.

The following tables illustrate how net interest margin and loan yield is affected by BaaS loan expense:

Consolidated	As of and for the Three Months Ended
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30 2025			March 31 2025			June 30 2024
Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense:
Net interest margin ⁽¹⁾		7.06	%		7.48	%		7.12	%
Earning assets		4,356,591			4,124,065			3,736,579
Net interest income (GAAP)		76,737			76,062			66,172
Less: BaaS loan expense		(32,483	)		(32,507	)		(29,011	)
Net interest income, net of BaaS loan expense⁽²⁾	$	44,254		$	43,555		$	37,161
Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾		4.07	%		4.28	%		4.00	%
Loan income net of BaaS loan expense divided by average loans:
Loan yield (GAAP)⁽¹⁾		11.11	%		11.33	%		11.22	%
Total average loans receivable	$	3,567,823		$	3,511,724		$	3,258,042
Interest and earned fee income on loans (GAAP)		98,867			98,147			90,879
BaaS loan expense		(32,483	)		(32,507	)		(29,011	)
Net loan income⁽²⁾	$	66,384		$	65,640		$	61,868
Loan income, net of BaaS loan expense, divided by average loans ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾		7.46	%		7.58	%		7.64	%

⁽¹⁾ Annualized calculations shown for periods presented.
⁽²⁾ A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth at the end of this earnings release.

Average investment securities decreased $900,000 to $46.3 million compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025 and decreased $3.5 million compared to the three months ended June 30, 2024 as a result of principal paydowns.

Cost of funds was 3.13% for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, an increase of 2 basis points from the quarter ended March 31, 2025 and a decrease of 47 basis points from the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Cost of deposits for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was 3.10%, compared to 3.08% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, and 3.58% for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The decreased cost of funds and deposits compared to June 30, 2024 were largely due to the reductions in the Fed funds rate in 2024.

The following table summarizes the average yield on loans receivable and cost of deposits:

	For the Three Months Ended
	June 30, 2025				March 31, 2025				June 30, 2024
	Yield on Loans ⁽²⁾		Cost of Deposits ⁽²⁾		Yield on Loans ⁽²⁾		Cost of Deposits ⁽²⁾		Yield on Loans ⁽²⁾		Cost of Deposits ⁽²⁾
Community Bank	6.53	%	1.77	%	6.53	%	1.76	%	6.52	%	1.77	%
CCBX ⁽¹⁾	16.22	%	3.96	%	16.88	%	4.01	%	17.75	%	4.92	%
Consolidated	11.11	%	3.10	%	11.33	%	3.08	%	11.22	%	3.58	%
⁽¹⁾CCBX yield on loans does not include the impact of BaaS loan expense. BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit and fraud enhancements and originating & servicing CCBX loans. To determine Net BaaS loan income earned from CCBX loan relationships, the Company takes BaaS loan interest income and deducts BaaS loan expense to arrive at Net BaaS loan income which can be compared to interest income on the Company’s community bank loans. See reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures at the end of this earnings release for the impact of BaaS loan expense on CCBX loan yield.
⁽²⁾Annualized calculations for periods presented.

The following table illustrates how BaaS loan interest income is affected by BaaS loan expense resulting in net BaaS loan income and the associated yield:

	For the Three Months Ended
	June 30, 2025				March 31, 2025				June 30, 2024
(dollars in thousands, unaudited)	Income / Expense		Income / expense divided by average CCBX loans ⁽²⁾		Income / Expense		Income / expense divided by average CCBX loans⁽²⁾		Income / Expense		Income / expense divided by average CCBX loans ⁽²⁾
BaaS loan interest income	$	68,264	16.22	%	$	67,855	16.88	%	$	60,138	17.75	%
Less: BaaS loan expense		32,483	7.72	%		32,507	8.09	%		29,011	8.56	%
Net BaaS loan income ⁽¹⁾	$	35,781	8.50	%	$	35,348	8.79	%	$	31,127	9.19	%
Average BaaS Loans⁽³⁾	$	1,688,492			$	1,630,088			$	1,362,343

⁽¹⁾ A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth at the end of this earnings release.
⁽²⁾ Annualized calculations shown for the periods presented.
⁽³⁾ Includes loans held for sale.

Noninterest Income Discussion

Noninterest income was $42.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, a decrease of $20.8 million from $63.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, and a decrease of $26.4 million from $69.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024. The decrease in noninterest income for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 as compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025 was primarily due to a decrease of $20.6 million in total BaaS income. The $20.6 million decrease in total BaaS income included a $22.4 million decrease in BaaS credit enhancements related to the decrease in provision for credit losses due to an improvement in the performance of the CCBX portfolio and our focus on originating higher quality CCBX loans resulting in lower historical loss factors, which had a favorable impact on the provision for credit losses, partially offset by an increase of $1.0 million in BaaS program income, which includes $504,000 in nonrecurring revenue, and a $811,000 increase in BaaS fraud enhancements. Results for the three months ended June 30, 2025 also included a net $439,000 loss on equity securities due to the re-valuation of a privately held equity stake, which we review quarterly. Management doesn’t believe the write-down is indicative of longer-term concerns of the portfolio company’s health at this time. The $1.0 million increase in BaaS program income is largely due to an increase in transaction and interchange fees and includes $504,000 in nonrecurring revenue (see “Appendix B” for more information on the accounting for BaaS allowance for credit losses and credit and fraud enhancements).

The $26.4 million decrease in noninterest income over the quarter ended June 30, 2024 was primarily due to a $28.5 million decrease in BaaS credit and fraud enhancements due to improvement in the performance of the CCBX loan portfolio, partially offset by an increase of $2.0 million in BaaS program income, which includes $504,000 in nonrecurring revenue.

Noninterest Expense Discussion

Total noninterest expense increased $843,000 to $72.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to $72.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, and increased $14.9 million from $58.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024. The $843,000 increase in noninterest expense for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, as compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025, was primarily due to a $659,000 increase in data processing and software licenses, an $811,000 increase in BaaS fraud expense and a $74,000 increase in legal and professional fees, partially offset by a $414,000 decrease in other expenses, $119,000 decrease in occupancy expense, $81,000 decrease in salaries and employee benefits and a $24,000 decrease in BaaS loan expense. The increase in data processing and software licenses were part of our continued investments in growth, technology and risk management. BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit enhancements, fraud enhancements, and originating & servicing CCBX loans. BaaS fraud expense represents non-credit fraud losses on partner’s customer loan and deposit accounts. A portion of this expense is realized during the quarter in which the loss occurs, and a portion is estimated based on historical or other information from our partners.

The increase in noninterest expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2024 was largely due to a $4.4 million increase in salary and employee benefits, a $1.6 million increase in data processing and software licenses due to enhancements and investments in technology, and a $2.7 million increase in legal and professional expenses, all of which are related to the growth of Company and investments in technology and risk management. Also contributing to the the increase was a $3.5 million increase in BaaS loan expense and a $1.0 million increase in BaaS fraud expense.

Certain noninterest expenses are reimbursed by our CCBX partners. In accordance with GAAP we recognize all expenses in noninterest expense and the reimbursement of expenses from our CCBX partner in noninterest income. The following table reflects the portion of noninterest expenses that are reimbursed by partners to assist in the understanding of how the increases in noninterest expense are related to expenses incurred and reimbursed by CCBX partners:

	Three Months Ended
	June 30,		March 31,		June 30,
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)		2025		2025		2024
Total noninterest expense (GAAP)	$	72,832	$	71,989	$	57,964
Less: BaaS loan expense		32,483		32,507		29,011
Less: BaaS fraud expense		2,804		1,993		1,784
Less: Reimbursement of expenses (BaaS)		646		1,026		857
Noninterest expense, net of BaaS loan expense, BaaS fraud expense and reimbursement of expenses (BaaS) ⁽¹⁾	$	36,899	$	36,463	$	26,312

⁽¹⁾ A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth at the end of this earnings release.

Provision for Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes was $3.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, $2.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and $3.4 million for the second quarter of 2024. The income tax provision as a percentage was higher for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025 as a result of the higher net income and increase in state income tax rates, partially offset by the deductibility of certain equity awards, and was somewhat flat in dollar amount compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2024, but higher in tax rate.

The Company is subject to various state taxes that are assessed as CCBX activities and employees expand into other states, which has increased the overall tax rate used in calculating the provision for income taxes in the current and future periods. The Company uses a federal statutory tax rate of 21.0% as a basis for calculating provision for federal income taxes and 5.14% for calculating the provision for state income taxes. The state rate increased in the quarter ended June 30, 2025 primarily as a result of a change in California’s tax laws.

Financial Condition Overview

Total assets increased $141.3 million, or 3.3%, to $4.48 billion at June 30, 2025 compared to $4.34 billion at March 31, 2025. The increase is primarily comprised of a $95.5 million increase in cash and interest bearing deposits with other banks, a $23.0 million increase in loans receivable, and an $18.3 million increase in loans held for sale. Total loans receivable increased to $3.54 billion at June 30, 2025, from $3.52 billion at March 31, 2025.

As of June 30, 2025, in addition to the $719.8 million in cash on hand the Company had the capacity to borrow up to a total of $642.7 million from the Federal Reserve Bank discount window and Federal Home Loan Bank, plus an additional $50.0 million from a correspondent bank. There were no borrowings outstanding on these lines as of June 30, 2025.

The Company, on a stand alone basis, had a cash balance of $43.9 million as of June 30, 2025, a portion of which is retained for general operating purposes, including debt repayment, for funding $1.6 million in commitments to bank technology investment funds, with the remaining cash available to be contributed to the Bank as capital.

Uninsured deposits were $579.9 million as of June 30, 2025, compared to $558.8 million as of March 31, 2025.

Total shareholders’ equity as of June 30, 2025 increased $11.8 million since March 31, 2025. The increase in shareholders’ equity was primarily comprised of $11.0 million in net earnings combined with an increase of $764,000 in common stock outstanding as a result of equity awards exercised or vested during the three months ended June 30, 2025.

The Company and the Bank remained well capitalized at June 30, 2025, as summarized in the following table.

(unaudited)	Coastal Community Bank		Coastal Financial Corporation		Minimum Well Capitalized Ratios under Prompt Corrective Action ⁽¹⁾
Tier 1 Leverage Capital (to average assets)	10.33	%	10.39	%	5.00	%
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital (to risk-weighted assets)	12.36	%	12.32	%	6.50	%
Tier 1 Capital (to risk-weighted assets)	12.36	%	12.41	%	8.00	%
Total Capital (to risk-weighted assets)	13.65	%	14.90	%	10.00	%

⁽¹⁾ Presents the minimum capital ratios for an insured depository institution, such as the Bank, to be considered well capitalized under the Prompt Corrective Action framework. The minimum requirements for the Company to be considered well capitalized under Regulation Y include to maintain, on a consolidated basis, a total risk-based capital ratio of 10.0 percent or greater and a tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6.0 percent or greater.

Asset Quality

The allowance for credit losses was $164.8 million and 4.65% of loans receivable at June 30, 2025 compared to $183.2 million and 5.21% at March 31, 2025 and $148.9 million and 4.48% at June 30, 2024. The allowance for credit loss allocated to the CCBX portfolio was $145.9 million and 8.68% of CCBX loans receivable at June 30, 2025, with $18.9 million of allowance for credit loss allocated to the community bank or 1.02% of total community bank loans receivable.

The following table details the allocation of the allowance for credit loss as of the period indicated:

	As of June 30, 2025									As of March 31, 2025									As of June 30, 2024
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Community Bank			CCBX			Total			Community Bank			CCBX			Total			Community Bank			CCBX			Total
Loans receivable	$	1,860,050		$	1,680,280		$	3,540,330		$	1,866,533		$	1,650,826		$	3,517,359		$	1,912,034		$	1,409,779		$	3,321,813
Allowance for credit losses		(18,936	)		(145,858	)		(164,794	)		(18,992	)		(164,186	)		(183,178	)		(21,046	)		(127,832	)		(148,878	)
Allowance for credit losses to total loans receivable		1.02	%		8.68	%		4.65	%		1.02	%		9.95	%		5.21	%		1.10	%		9.07	%		4.48	%

Net charge-offs totaled $49.3 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to $48.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 and $53.0 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Net charge-offs as a percent of average loans decreased to 5.54% for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to 5.57% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. CCBX partner agreements provide for a credit enhancement that covers the net-charge-offs on CCBX loans and negative deposit accounts by indemnifying or reimbursing incurred losses, except in accordance with the program agreement for one partner where the Company was responsible for credit losses on approximately 5% of a $296.3 million loan portfolio. At June 30, 2025, our portion of this portfolio represented $19.8 million in loans. Net charge-offs for this $19.8 million in loans were $1.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and $1.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024.

The following table details net charge-offs for the community bank and CCBX for the period indicated:

	Three Months Ended
	June 30, 2025									March 31, 2025									June 30, 2024
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Community Bank			CCBX			Total			Community Bank			CCBX			Total			Community Bank			CCBX			Total
Gross charge-offs	$	11		$	53,769		$	53,780		$	4		$	53,682		$	53,686		$	2		$	55,205		$	55,207
Gross recoveries		(2	)		(4,465	)		(4,467	)		(7	)		(5,479	)		(5,486	)		(4	)		(2,250	)		(2,254	)
Net charge-offs	$	9		$	49,304		$	49,313		$	(3	)	$	48,203		$	48,200		$	(2	)	$	52,955		$	52,953
Net charge-offs to average loans ⁽¹⁾		0.00	%		11.71	%		5.54	%		0.00	%		11.99	%		5.57	%		0.00	%		15.63	%		6.54	%

⁽¹⁾ Annualized calculations shown for periods presented.

During the quarter ended June 30, 2025, a $31.0 million provision for credit losses was recorded for CCBX partner loans, compared to the $54.3 million provision for credit losses was recorded for CCBX partner loans for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. The provision was based on management’s analysis, bringing the CCBX allowance for credit losses to $145.9 million at June 30, 2025 compared to $164.2 million at March 31, 2025. The decrease in the allowance is due to an improvement in the performance of the CCBX portfolio and our focus on originating higher quality CCBX loans resulting in lower historical loss factors. As we continue to originate higher quality loans, these become a greater proportion of the CCBX portfolio, resulting in an improvement in expected losses and a reduced allowance. In general, CCBX loans have a higher level of expected losses than our community bank loans, which is reflected in the factors for the allowance for credit losses. Agreements with our CCBX partners provide for a credit enhancement which protects the Bank by indemnifying or reimbursing incurred losses.

In accordance with accounting guidance, we estimate and record a provision for expected losses for these CCBX loans and reclassified negative deposit accounts. When the provision for CCBX credit losses and provision for unfunded commitments is recorded, a credit enhancement asset is also recorded on the balance sheet through noninterest income (BaaS credit enhancements). Expected losses are recorded in the allowance for credit losses. The credit enhancement asset is relieved when credit enhancement recoveries are received from the CCBX partner. If our partner is unable to fulfill their contracted obligations then the Bank could be exposed to additional credit losses. Management regularly evaluates and manages this counterparty risk with our CCBX partners.

The factors used in management’s analysis for community bank credit losses indicated that a provision recapture of $47,000 was needed for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to a provision of $65,000 and a provision recapture of $341,000 for the quarters ended March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2024, respectively. The provision recapture in the current period was due to the lower outstanding balance in the community bank loan portfolio.

The following table details the provision expense/(recapture) for the community bank and CCBX for the period indicated:

	Three Months Ended
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025		June 30, 2024
Community bank	$	(47	)	$	65	$	(341	)
CCBX		30,976			54,319		62,231
Total provision expense	$	30,929		$	54,384	$	61,890

A provision for unfunded commitments of $1.5 million was recorded for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 as a result of a change in the loan mix of available balance. A provision for accrued interest receivable of $182,000 was recorded for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 on CCBX loans.

At June 30, 2025, our nonperforming assets were $60.9 million, or 1.36%, of total assets, compared to $56.4 million, or 1.30%, of total assets, at March 31, 2025, and $53.2 million, or 1.34%, of total assets, at June 30, 2024. These ratios are impacted by nonperforming CCBX loans that are covered by CCBX partner credit enhancements. As of June 30, 2025, $55.3 million of the $57.0 million in nonperforming CCBX loans were covered by CCBX partner credit enhancements described above. Additionally, some CCBX partners have a collection practice that places certain loans on nonaccrual status to improve collectability. $20.1 million of these loans are less than 90 days past due as of June 30, 2025.

Nonperforming assets increased $4.5 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Community bank nonperforming loans increased $3.7 million from March 31, 2025 to $3.8 million as of June 30, 2025, and CCBX nonperforming loans increased $847,000 to $57.0 million from March 31, 2025. The increase in CCBX nonperforming loans is due to an increase of $4.2 million in nonaccrual loans from March 31, 2025 to $24.4 million, partially offset by a $3.4 million decrease in CCBX loans that are past due 90 days or more and still accruing interest. As of June 30, 2025, $20.1 million in loans are under 90 days past due as a result of CCBX partners placing them on nonaccrual status to improve collectability. As a result of the type of loans (primarily consumer loans) originated through our CCBX partners we would typically anticipate that balances 90 days past due or more and still accruing will generally increase as those loan portfolios grow, therefore we believe the decrease in these past due CCBX loans is a positive performance indicator for the CCBX portfolio. Installment/closed-end and revolving/open-end consumer loans originated through CCBX lending partners will continue to accrue interest until 120 and 180 days past due, respectively and are reported as substandard, 90 days or more days past due and still accruing. There were no repossessed assets or other real estate owned at June 30, 2025. Our nonperforming loans to loans receivable ratio was 1.72% at June 30, 2025, compared to 1.60% at March 31, 2025, and 1.60% at June 30, 2024.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2025, there were $9,000 in community bank net charge-offs and $49.3 million in net charge-offs were recorded on CCBX loans. These CCBX loans have a higher level of expected losses than our community bank loans, which is reflected in the factors for the allowance for credit losses.

The following table details the Company’s nonperforming assets for the periods indicated.

Consolidated	As of
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			June 30, 2024
Nonaccrual loans:
Commercial and industrial loans	$	2,333		$	381		$	—
Real estate loans:
Construction, land and land development		1,697			—			—
Residential real estate		—			—			213
Commercial real estate		—			—			7,731
Consumer and other loans:
Credit cards		20,140			13,602			—
Other consumer and other loans		4,063			6,376			—
Total nonaccrual loans		28,233			20,359			7,944
Accruing loans past due 90 days or more:
Commercial & industrial loans		926			782			1,278
Real estate loans:
Residential real estate loans		1,817			2,407			2,722
Consumer and other loans:
Credit cards		23,116			27,187			36,465
Other consumer and other loans		6,775			5,632			4,779
Total accruing loans past due 90 days or more		32,634			36,008			45,244
Total nonperforming loans		60,867			56,367			53,188
Real estate owned		—			—			—
Repossessed assets		—			—			—
Total nonperforming assets	$	60,867		$	56,367		$	53,188
Total nonaccrual loans to loans receivable		0.80	%		0.58	%		0.24	%
Total nonperforming loans to loans receivable		1.72	%		1.60	%		1.60	%
Total nonperforming assets to total assets		1.36	%		1.30	%		1.34	%

The following tables detail the CCBX and community bank nonperforming assets which are included in the total nonperforming assets table above.

CCBX	As of
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			June 30, 2024
Nonaccrual loans:
Commercial and industrial loans:
All other commercial & industrial loans	$	188		$	192		$	—
Consumer and other loans:
Credit cards		20,140			13,602			—
Other consumer and other loans		4,063			6,376			—
Total nonaccrual loans		24,391			20,170			—
Accruing loans past due 90 days or more:
Commercial & industrial loans		926			782			1,278
Real estate loans:
Residential real estate loans		1,817			2,407			2,722
Consumer and other loans:
Credit cards		23,116			27,187			36,465
Other consumer and other loans		6,775			5,632			4,779
Total accruing loans past due 90 days or more		32,634			36,008			45,244
Total nonperforming loans		57,025			56,178			45,244
Other real estate owned		—			—			—
Repossessed assets		—			—			—
Total nonperforming assets	$	57,025		$	56,178		$	45,244
Total CCBX nonperforming assets to total consolidated assets		1.27	%		1.29	%		1.14	%

Community Bank	As of
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			June 30, 2024
Nonaccrual loans:
Commercial and industrial loans	$	2,145		$	189		$	—
Real estate:
Construction, land and land development		1,697			—			—
Residential real estate		—			—			213
Commercial real estate		—			—			7,731
Total nonaccrual loans		3,842			189			7,944
Accruing loans past due 90 days or more:
Total accruing loans past due 90 days or more		—			—			—
Total nonperforming loans		3,842			189			7,944
Other real estate owned		—			—			—
Repossessed assets		—			—			—
Total nonperforming assets	$	3,842		$	189		$	7,944
Total community bank nonperforming assets to total consolidated assets		0.09	%		—	%		0.20	%

About Coastal Financial

Coastal Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: CCB) (the “Company”), is an Everett, Washington based bank holding company whose wholly owned subsidiaries are Coastal Community Bank (“Bank”) and Arlington Olympic LLC. The $4.48 billion Bank provides service through 14 branches in Snohomish, Island, and King Counties, the Internet and its mobile banking application. The Bank provides banking as a service to digital financial service providers, companies and brands that want to provide financial services to their customers through the Bank’s CCBX segment. To learn more about the Company visit www.coastalbank.com.

CCB-ER

Contact

Eric Sprink, Chief Executive Officer, (425) 357-3659
Joel Edwards, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, (425) 357-3687

Forward-Looking Statements

This earnings release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, future events and our financial performance. Any statements about our management’s expectations, beliefs, plans, predictions, forecasts, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “believes,” “can,” “could,” “may,” “predicts,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “estimate,” “plans,” “projects,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “expects,” “intends” and similar words or phrases. Any or all of the forward-looking statements in this earnings release may turn out to be inaccurate. The inclusion of or reference to forward-looking information in this earnings release should not be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that the future plans, estimates or expectations contemplated by us will be achieved. We have based these forward looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the risk that changes in U.S. trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs, may adversely impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations and those other risks and uncertainties discussed under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent period filed and in any of our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what we anticipate. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

COASTAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
(Dollars in thousands; unaudited)

ASSETS
	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			December 31, 2024			September 30, 2024			June 30, 2024
Cash and due from banks	$	29,546		$	43,467		$	36,533		$	45,327		$	59,995
Interest earning deposits with other banks		690,213			580,835			415,980			438,699			427,250
Investment securities, available for sale, at fair value		33			34			35			38			39
Investment securities, held to maturity, at amortized cost		45,544			46,957			47,286			48,582			49,174
Other investments		12,521			12,589			10,800			10,757			10,664
Loans held for sale		60,474			42,132			20,600			7,565			—
Loans receivable		3,540,330			3,517,359			3,486,565			3,413,894			3,321,813
Allowance for credit losses		(164,794	)		(183,178	)		(176,994	)		(171,674	)		(148,878	)
Total loans receivable, net		3,375,536			3,334,181			3,309,571			3,242,220			3,172,935
CCBX credit enhancement asset		167,779			183,377			181,890			173,600			149,096
CCBX receivable		13,009			12,685			14,138			16,060			11,520
Premises and equipment, net		29,052			28,639			27,431			25,833			24,526
Lease right-of-use assets		4,891			5,117			5,219			5,427			5,635
Accrued interest receivable		20,849			21,109			21,104			22,315			21,620
Bank-owned life insurance, net		13,648			13,501			13,375			13,255			13,132
Deferred tax asset, net		3,829			3,912			3,600			3,083			2,221
Other assets		13,635			10,747			13,646			11,711			11,742
Total assets	$	4,480,559		$	4,339,282		$	4,121,208		$	4,064,472		$	3,959,549

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
LIABILITIES
Deposits	$	3,913,571		$	3,791,229		$	3,585,332		$	3,627,288		$	3,543,432
Subordinated debt, net		44,368			44,331			44,293			44,256			44,219
Junior subordinated debentures, net		3,592			3,592			3,591			3,591			3,591
Deferred compensation		295			310			332			369			405
Accrued interest payable		954			1,107			962			1,070			999
Lease liabilities		5,063			5,293			5,398			5,609			5,821
CCBX payable		32,939			29,391			29,171			37,839			32,539
Other liabilities		18,068			14,112			13,425			12,520			11,850
Total liabilities		4,018,850			3,889,365			3,682,504			3,732,542			3,642,856
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Common Stock		230,423			229,659			228,177			134,769			132,989
Retained earnings		231,287			220,259			210,529			197,162			183,706
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax		(1	)		(1	)		(2	)		(1	)		(2	)
Total shareholders’ equity		461,709			449,917			438,704			331,930			316,693
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$	4,480,559		$	4,339,282		$	4,121,208		$	4,064,472		$	3,959,549

COASTAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts; unaudited)

	Three Months Ended
	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025		December 31, 2024		September 30, 2024		June 30, 2024
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME
Interest and fees on loans	$	98,867		$	98,147	$	95,575	$	99,676	$	90,879
Interest on interest earning deposits with other banks		8,085			6,070		6,021		4,781		5,683
Interest on investment securities		626			650		661		675		686
Dividends on other investments		219			40		191		33		174
Total interest income		107,797			104,907		102,448		105,165		97,422
INTEREST EXPENSE
Interest on deposits		30,400			28,185		29,404		32,083		30,578
Interest on borrowed funds		660			660		667		809		672
Total interest expense		31,060			28,845		30,071		32,892		31,250
Net interest income		76,737			76,062		72,377		72,273		66,172
PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES		32,211			55,781		61,867		70,257		62,325
Net interest income/(expense) after provision for credit losses		44,526			20,281		10,510		2,016		3,847
NONINTEREST INCOME
Service charges and fees		913			860		932		952		946
Loan referral fees		—			—		—		—		—
Unrealized gain (loss) on equity securities, net		(439	)		16		1		2		9
Other income		853			682		473		486		257
Noninterest income, excluding BaaS program income and BaaS indemnification income		1,327			1,558		1,406		1,440		1,212
Servicing and other BaaS fees		1,539			1,419		1,043		1,044		1,525
Transaction and interchange fees		5,109			3,833		3,699		3,549		2,934
Reimbursement of expenses		646			1,026		812		565		857
BaaS program income		7,294			6,278		5,554		5,158		5,316
BaaS credit enhancements		31,268			53,648		62,097		70,108		60,826
BaaS fraud enhancements		2,804			1,993		5,043		2,084		1,784
BaaS indemnification income		34,072			55,641		67,140		72,192		62,610
Total noninterest income		42,693			63,477		74,100		78,790		69,138
NONINTEREST EXPENSE
Salaries and employee benefits		21,401			21,482		17,955		17,060		16,973
Occupancy		915			1,034		958		964		985
Data processing and software licenses		5,541			4,882		4,049		4,338		3,977
Legal and professional expenses		5,962			5,888		4,606		3,597		3,311
Point of sale expense		69			107		89		73		72
Excise taxes		681			722		778		762		(706	)
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) assessments		790			755		750		740		690
Director and staff expenses		612			631		683		559		470
Marketing		50			50		28		67		14
Other expense		1,524			1,938		1,752		1,482		1,383
Noninterest expense, excluding BaaS loan and BaaS fraud expense		37,545			37,489		31,648		29,642		27,169
BaaS loan expense		32,483			32,507		30,720		32,698		29,011
BaaS fraud expense		2,804			1,993		5,043		2,084		1,784
BaaS loan and fraud expense		35,287			34,500		35,763		34,782		30,795
Total noninterest expense		72,832			71,989		67,411		64,424		57,964
Income before provision for income taxes		14,387			11,769		17,199		16,382		15,021
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES		3,359			2,039		3,832		2,926		3,425
NET INCOME	$	11,028		$	9,730	$	13,367	$	13,456	$	11,596
Basic earnings per common share	$	0.73		$	0.65	$	0.97	$	1.00	$	0.86
Diluted earnings per common share	$	0.71		$	0.63	$	0.94	$	0.97	$	0.84
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic		15,033,296			14,962,507		13,828,605		13,447,066		13,412,667
Diluted		15,447,923			15,462,041		14,268,229		13,822,270		13,736,508

COASTAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION
AVERAGE BALANCES, YIELDS, AND RATES – QUARTERLY
(Dollars in thousands; unaudited)

	For the Three Months Ended
	June 30, 2025							March 31, 2025							June 30, 2024
	Average Balance			Interest & Dividends		Yield / Cost ⁽¹⁾		Average Balance			Interest & Dividends		Yield / Cost ⁽¹⁾		Average Balance			Interest & Dividends		Yield / Cost ⁽¹⁾
Assets
Interest earning assets:
Interest earning deposits with other banks	$	729,652		$	8,085	4.44	%	$	553,393		$	6,070	4.45	%	$	418,165		$	5,683	5.47	%
Investment securities, available for sale ⁽²⁾		35			—	—			37			1	10.96			43			—	—
Investment securities, held to maturity ⁽²⁾		46,256			626	5.43			47,154			649	5.58			49,737			686	5.55
Other investments		12,825			219	6.85			11,757			40	1.38			10,592			174	6.61
Loans receivable ⁽³⁾		3,567,823			98,867	11.11			3,511,724			98,147	11.33			3,258,042			90,879	11.22
Total interest earning assets		4,356,591			107,797	9.92			4,124,065			104,907	10.32			3,736,579			97,422	10.49
Noninterest earning assets:
Allowance for credit losses		(176,022	)						(170,542	)						(138,472	)
Other noninterest earning assets		298,698							296,993							255,205
Total assets	$	4,479,267						$	4,250,516						$	3,853,312

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
Interest bearing liabilities:
Interest bearing deposits	$	3,369,574		$	30,400	3.62	%	$	3,166,384		$	28,185	3.61	%	$	2,854,575		$	30,578	4.31	%
FHLB advances and other borrowings		3			1	—			—			1	—			1,648			3	0.73
Subordinated debt		44,345			598	5.41			44,309			598	5.47			44,197			598	5.44
Junior subordinated debentures		3,592			61	6.81			3,592			61	6.89			3,590			71	7.95
Total interest bearing liabilities		3,417,514			31,060	3.65			3,214,285			28,845	3.64			2,904,010			31,250	4.33
Noninterest bearing deposits		562,174							543,784							584,661
Other liabilities		44,452							49,624							58,267
Total shareholders’ equity		455,127							442,823							306,374
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$	4,479,267						$	4,250,516						$	3,853,312
Net interest income				$	76,737						$	76,062						$	66,172
Interest rate spread						6.27	%						6.68	%						6.16	%
Net interest margin ⁽⁴⁾						7.06	%						7.48	%						7.12	%

⁽¹⁾Yields and costs are annualized.
⁽²⁾For presentation in this table, average balances and the corresponding average rates for investment securities are based upon historical cost, adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts.
⁽³⁾Includes loans held for sale and nonaccrual loans.
⁽⁴⁾Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by the average total interest earning assets.

COASTAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION
SELECTED AVERAGE BALANCES, YIELDS, AND RATES – BY SEGMENT – QUARTERLY
(Dollars in thousands; unaudited)

	For the Three Months Ended
	June 30, 2025						March 31, 2025						June 30, 2024
(dollars in thousands, unaudited)	Average Balance		Interest & Dividends		Yield / Cost ⁽¹⁾		Average Balance		Interest & Dividends		Yield / Cost ⁽¹⁾		Average Balance		Interest & Dividends		Yield / Cost ⁽¹⁾
Community Bank
Assets
Interest earning assets:
Loans receivable ⁽²⁾	$	1,879,331	$	30,603	6.53	%	$	1,881,636	$	30,292	6.53	%	$	1,895,699	$	30,741	6.52	%
Total interest earning assets		1,879,331		30,603	6.53			1,881,636		30,292	6.53			1,895,699		30,741	6.52
Liabilities
Interest bearing liabilities:
Interest bearing deposits		1,048,506		6,783	2.59	%		1,045,971		6,604	2.56	%		938,033		6,459	2.77	%
Intrabank liability		342,232		3,792	4.44			356,337		3,909	4.45			429,452		5,836	5.47
Total interest bearing liabilities		1,390,738		10,575	3.05			1,402,308		10,513	3.04			1,367,485		12,295	3.62
Noninterest bearing deposits		488,593						479,329						528,214
Net interest income			$	20,028					$	19,779					$	18,446
Net interest margin⁽³⁾					4.27	%					4.26	%					3.91	%

CCBX
Assets
Interest earning assets:
Loans receivable ⁽²⁾⁽⁴⁾	$	1,688,492	$	68,264	16.22	%	$	1,630,088	$	67,855	16.88	%	$	1,362,343	$	60,138	17.75	%
Intrabank asset		706,157		7,825	4.44			554,781		6,085	4.45			610,646		8,299	5.47
Total interest earning assets		2,394,649		76,089	12.74			2,184,869		73,940	13.72			1,972,989		68,437	13.95
Liabilities
Interest bearing liabilities:
Interest bearing deposits		2,321,068		23,617	4.08	%		2,120,413		21,581	4.13	%		1,916,542		24,119	5.06	%
Total interest bearing liabilities		2,321,068		23,617	4.08			2,120,413		21,581	4.13			1,916,542		24,119	5.06
Noninterest bearing deposits		73,581						64,455						56,447
Net interest income			$	52,472					$	52,359					$	44,318
Net interest margin⁽³⁾					8.79	%					9.72	%					9.03	%
Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense⁽⁵⁾					3.35	%					3.68	%					3.12	%

	For the Three Months Ended
	June 30, 2025						March 31, 2025							June 30, 2024
(dollars in thousands, unaudited)	Average Balance		Interest & Dividends		Yield / Cost ⁽¹⁾		Average Balance			Interest & Dividends		Yield / Cost ⁽¹⁾		Average Balance		Interest & Dividends		Yield / Cost ⁽¹⁾
Treasury & Administration
Assets
Interest earning assets:
Interest earning deposits with other banks	$	729,652	$	8,085	4.44	%	$	553,393		$	6,070	4.45	%	$	418,165	$	5,683	5.47	%
Investment securities, available for sale ⁽⁶⁾		35		—	—			37			1	10.96			43		—	3.13
Investment securities, held to maturity ⁽⁶⁾		46,256		626	5.43			47,154			649	5.58			49,737		686	5.55
Other investments		12,825		219	6.85			11,757			40	1.38			10,592		174	6.61
Total interest earning assets		788,768		8,930	4.54	%		612,341	—		6,760	4.48	%		478,537		6,543	5.50	%
Liabilities
Interest bearing liabilities:
FHLB advances and borrowings	$	3		1	—		$	—			1	—	%	$	1,648		3	0.73	%
Subordinated debt		44,345		598	5.41			44,309			598	5.47			44,197		598	5.44
Junior subordinated debentures		3,592		61	6.81			3,592			61	6.89			3,590		71	7.95
Intrabank liability, net ⁽⁷⁾		363,925		4,033	4.44			198,444			2,176	4.45			181,194		2,463	5.47
Total interest bearing liabilities		411,865		4,693	4.57			246,345			2,836	4.67			230,629		3,135	5.47
Net interest income			$	4,237						$	3,924					$	3,408
Net interest margin⁽³⁾					2.15	%						2.60	%					2.86	%

⁽¹⁾Yields and costs are annualized.
⁽²⁾Includes loans held for sale and nonaccrual loans.
⁽³⁾Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by the average total interest earning assets.
⁽⁴⁾CCBX yield does not include the impact of BaaS loan expense. BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit enhancements, fraud enhancements and originating & servicing CCBX loans. See reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures at the end of this earnings release for the impact of BaaS loan expense on CCBX loan yield.
⁽⁵⁾Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense, includes the impact of BaaS loan expense. BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit enhancements, fraud enhancements, originating & servicing CCBX loans. See reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures at the end of this earnings release.
⁽⁶⁾For presentation in this table, average balances and the corresponding average rates for investment securities are based upon historical cost, adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts.
⁽⁷⁾Intrabank assets and liabilities are consolidated for period calculations and presented as intrabank asset, net or intrabank liability, net in the table above.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures to provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the Company’s operational performance and to enhance investors’ overall understanding of such financial performance.

However, these non-GAAP financial measures are supplemental and are not a substitute for an analysis based on GAAP measures. As other companies may use different calculations for these adjusted measures, this presentation may not be comparable to other similarly titled adjusted measures reported by other companies.

The following non-GAAP measures are presented to illustrate the impact of BaaS loan expense on net loan income and yield on loans and CCBX loans and the impact of BaaS loan expense on net interest income and net interest margin.

Loan income, net of BaaS loan expense, divided by average loans, is a non-GAAP measure that includes the impact BaaS loan expense on loan income and the yield on loans. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is yield on loans.

Net BaaS loan income divided by average CCBX loans is a non-GAAP measure that includes the impact BaaS loan expense on net BaaS loan income and the yield on CCBX loans. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is yield on CCBX loans.

Net interest income, net of BaaS loan expense, is a non-GAAP measure that includes the impact BaaS loan expense on net interest income. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is net interest income.

CCBX net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense, is a non-GAAP measure that includes the impact of BaaS loan expense on net interest rate margin. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is CCBX net interest margin.

Reconciliations of the GAAP and non-GAAP measures are presented below.

CCBX	As of and for the Three Months Ended
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30 2025			March 31 2025			June 30 2024
Net BaaS loan income divided by average CCBX loans:
CCBX loan yield (GAAP)⁽¹⁾		16.22	%		16.88	%		17.75	%
Total average CCBX loans receivable	$	1,688,492		$	1,630,088		$	1,362,343
Interest and earned fee income on CCBX loans (GAAP)		68,264			67,855			60,138
BaaS loan expense		(32,483	)		(32,507	)		(29,011	)
Net BaaS loan income	$	35,781		$	35,348		$	31,127
Net BaaS loan income divided by average CCBX loans ⁽¹⁾		8.50	%		8.79	%		9.19	%
CCBX net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense:
CCBX net interest margin ⁽¹⁾		8.79	%		9.72	%		9.03	%
CCBX earning assets		2,394,649			2,184,869			1,972,989
Net interest income (GAAP)		52,472			52,359			44,318
Less: BaaS loan expense		(32,483	)		(32,507	)		(29,011	)
Net interest income, net of BaaS loan expense	$	19,989		$	19,852		$	15,307
CCBX net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense ⁽¹⁾		3.35	%		3.68	%		3.12	%

Consolidated	As of and for the Three Months Ended
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30 2025			March 31 2025			June 30 2024
Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense:
Net interest margin ⁽¹⁾		7.06	%		7.48	%		7.12	%
Earning assets		4,356,591			4,124,065			3,736,579
Net interest income (GAAP)		76,737			76,062			66,172
Less: BaaS loan expense		(32,483	)		(32,507	)		(29,011	)
Net interest income, net of BaaS loan expense	$	44,254		$	43,555		$	37,161
Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense ⁽¹⁾		4.07	%		4.28	%		4.00	%
Loan income net of BaaS loan expense divided by average loans:
Loan yield (GAAP)⁽¹⁾		11.11	%		11.33	%		11.22	%
Total average loans receivable	$	3,567,823		$	3,511,724		$	3,258,042
Interest and earned fee income on loans (GAAP)		98,867			98,147			90,879
BaaS loan expense		(32,483	)		(32,507	)		(29,011	)
Net loan income	$	66,384		$	65,640		$	61,868
Loan income, net of BaaS loan expense, divided by average loans ⁽¹⁾		7.46	%		7.58	%		7.64	%

⁽¹⁾ Annualized calculations for periods presented.

The following non-GAAP measure is presented to illustrate the impact of BaaS loan expense, BaaS fraud expense and reimbursement of expenses (BaaS) on noninterest expense. Certain noninterest expenses are reimbursed by our CCBX partners. In accordance with GAAP we recognize all expenses in noninterest expense and the reimbursement of expenses from our CCBX partner in noninterest income. This non-GAAP measure shows the portion of noninterest expenses that are reimbursed by partners to assist the understanding of how the increases in noninterest expense are related to expenses incurred for and reimbursed by CCBX partner. The most comparable GAAP measure is noninterest expense.

	As of and for the Three Months Ended
(dollars in thousands, unaudited)	June 30, 2025		March 31, 2025		June 30, 2024
Noninterest expense, net of reimbursement of expenses (BaaS)
Noninterest expense (GAAP)	$	72,832	$	71,989	$	57,964
Less: BaaS loan expense		32,483		32,507		29,011
Less: BaaS fraud expense		2,804		1,993		1,784
Less: Reimbursement of expenses		646		1,026		857
Noninterest expense, net of BaaS loan expense, BaaS fraud expense and reimbursement of expenses	$	36,899	$	36,463	$	26,312

APPENDIX A –
As of June 30, 2025

Industry Concentration

We have a diversified loan portfolio, representing a wide variety of industries. Our major categories of loans are commercial real estate, consumer and other loans, residential real estate, commercial and industrial, and construction, land and land development loans. Together they represent $3.55 billion in outstanding loan balances. When combined with $1.93 billion in unused commitments the total of these categories is $5.48 billion.

Commercial real estate loans represent the largest segment of our loans, comprising 37.0% of our total balance of outstanding loans as of June 30, 2025. Unused commitments to extend credit represents an additional $30.1 million, and the combined total in commercial real estate loans represents $1.34 billion, or 24.5% of our total outstanding loans and loan commitments.

The following table summarizes our loan commitment by industry for our commercial real estate portfolio as of June 30, 2025:

(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Outstanding Balance		Available Loan Commitments		Total Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment		% of Total Loans (Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment)		Average Loan Balance		Number of Loans
Apartments	$	362,315	$	2,889	$	365,204	6.7	%	$	3,814	95
Hotel/Motel		154,877		1,073		155,950	2.8			6,734	23
Convenience Store		135,118		546		135,664	2.5			2,290	59
Office		119,622		6,666		126,288	2.3			1,375	87
Warehouse		102,688		—		102,688	1.9			1,770	58
Retail		93,552		836		94,388	1.7			936	100
Mixed use		93,455		5,287		98,742	1.8			1,126	83
Mini Storage		73,695		7,272		80,967	1.5			3,685	20
Strip Mall		43,468		—		43,468	0.8			6,210	7
Manufacturing		35,274		570		35,844	0.7			1,306	27
Groups < 0.70% of total		96,818		4,938		101,756	1.8			1,226	79
Total	$	1,310,882	$	30,077	$	1,340,959	24.5	%	$	2,055	638

Consumer loans comprise 34.7% of our total balance of outstanding loans as of June 30, 2025. Unused commitments to extend credit represents an additional $746.8 million, and the combined total in consumer and other loans represents $1.98 billion, or 36.1% of our total outstanding loans and loan commitments. The $746.8 million in commitments is subject to CCBX partner/portfolio maximum limits. As illustrated in the table below, our CCBX partners bring in a large number of mostly smaller dollar loans, resulting in an average consumer loan balance of just $900. CCBX consumer loans are underwritten to CCBX credit standards and underwriting of these loans is regularly tested, including quarterly testing for partners with portfolio balances greater than $10.0 million.

The following table summarizes our loan commitment by industry for our consumer and other loan portfolio as of June 30, 2025:

(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Outstanding Balance		Available Loan Commitments ⁽¹⁾		Total Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment ⁽¹⁾		% of Total Loans (Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment)		Average Loan Balance		Number of Loans
CCBX consumer loans
Credit cards	$	533,925	$	702,611	$	1,236,536	22.6	%	$	1.6	337,749
Installment loans		671,089		30,817		701,906	12.8			0.8	796,927
Lines of credit		676		14		690	0.0			0.9	715
Other loans		14,556		—		14,556	0.3			0.1	240,653
Community bank consumer loans
Installment loans		738		2		740	0.0			30.8	24
Lines of credit		178		339		517	0.0			5.7	31
Other loans		11,314		13,000		24,314	0.4			32.6	347
Total	$	1,232,476	$	746,783	$	1,979,259	36.1	%	$	0.9	1,376,446

⁽¹⁾Total exposure on CCBX loans is subject to CCBX partner/portfolio maximum limits.

Residential real estate loans comprise 12.2% of our total balance of outstanding loans as of June 30, 2025. Unused commitments to extend credit represents an additional $557.7 million, which is subject to partner/portfolio maximum limits, and the combined total in residential real estate loans represents $991.3 million, or 18.1% of our total outstanding loans and loan commitments.

The following table summarizes our loan commitment by industry for our residential real estate loan portfolio as of June 30, 2025:

(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Outstanding Balance		Available Loan Commitments ⁽¹⁾		Total Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment ⁽¹⁾		% of Total Loans (Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment)		Average Loan Balance		Number of Loans
CCBX residential real estate loans
Home equity line of credit	$	234,786	$	509,297	$	744,083	13.6	%	$	27	8,735
Community bank residential real estate loans
Closed end, secured by first liens		162,205		1,064		163,269	3.0			554	293
Home equity line of credit		30,328		46,270		76,598	1.4			122	249
Closed end, second liens		6,311		1,073		7,384	0.1			218	29
Total	$	433,630	$	557,704	$	991,334	18.1	%	$	47	9,306

⁽¹⁾Total exposure on CCBX loans is subject to CCBX partner/portfolio maximum limits. CCBX home equity lines of credit are limited to a $375.0 million portfolio maximum.

Commercial and industrial loans comprise 10.6% of our total balance of outstanding loans as of June 30, 2025. Unused commitments to extend credit represents an additional $527.8 million, and the combined total in commercial and industrial loans represents $903.6 million, or 16.5% of our total outstanding loans and loan commitments. Included in commercial and industrial loans is $199.7 million in outstanding capital call lines, with an additional $438.4 million in available loan commitments which is limited to a $350.0 million portfolio maximum. Capital call lines are provided to venture capital firms through one of our CCBX BaaS clients. These loans are secured by the capital call rights and are individually underwritten to the Bank’s credit standards and the underwriting is reviewed by the Bank on every capital call line.

The following table summarizes our loan commitment by industry for our commercial and industrial loan portfolio as of June 30, 2025:

(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Outstanding Balance		Available Loan Commitments ⁽¹⁾		Total Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment ⁽¹⁾		% of Total Loans (Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment)		Average Loan Balance		Number of Loans
CCBX C&I loans
Capital call lines	$	199,675	$	438,391	$	638,066	11.6	%	$	1,597	125
Retail and other loans		26,142		23,001		49,143	0.9			9	2,915
Community bank C&I loans
Construction/Contractor services		30,449		32,173		62,622	1.1			154	198
Financial institutions		51,768		—		51,768	0.9			4,314	12
Medical / Dental / Other care		5,496		3,683		9,179	0.2			423	13
Manufacturing		5,325		3,976		9,301	0.2			140	38
Groups < 0.20% of total		56,888		26,593		83,481	1.6			228	250
Total	$	375,743	$	527,817	$	903,560	16.5	%	$	106	3,551

⁽¹⁾ Total exposure on CCBX loans is subject to CCBX partner/portfolio maximum limits.

Construction, land and land development loans comprise 5.5% of our total balance of outstanding loans as of June 30, 2025. Unused commitments to extend credit represents an additional $70.0 million, and the combined total in construction, land and land development loans represents $264.2 million, or 4.8% of our total outstanding loans and loan commitments.

The following table details our loan commitment for our construction, land and land development portfolio as of June 30, 2025:

(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Outstanding Balance		Available Loan Commitments		Total Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment		% of Total Loans (Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment)		Average Loan Balance		Number of Loans
Commercial construction	$	104,078	$	48,309	$	152,387	2.8	%	$	7,434	14
Residential construction		39,831		17,340		57,171	1.0			2,655	15
Developed land loans		22,875		604		23,479	0.4			1,271	18
Undeveloped land loans		20,067		748		20,815	0.4			1,338	15
Land development		7,299		3,048		10,347	0.2			811	9
Total	$	194,150	$	70,049	$	264,199	4.8	%	$	2,735	71

Exposure and risk in our construction, land and land development portfolio increased compared to recent periods as indicated in the following table:

	Outstanding Balance as of
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30, 2025		March 31, 2025		December 31, 2024		September 30, 2024		June 30, 2024
Commercial construction	$	104,078	$	96,716	$	83,216	$	97,792	$	110,372
Residential construction		39,831		39,375		40,940		35,822		34,652
Undeveloped land loans		20,067		16,684		8,665		8,606		8,372
Developed land loans		22,875		7,788		8,305		14,863		13,954
Land development		7,299		5,988		7,072		5,968		5,714
Total	$	194,150	$	166,551	$	148,198	$	163,051	$	173,064

Commitments to extend credit total $1.93 billion at June 30, 2025, however we do not anticipate our customers using the $1.93 billion that is showing as available due to CCBX partner and portfolio limits.

The following table presents outstanding commitments to extend credit as of June 30, 2025:

Consolidated
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	As of June 30, 2025 (1)
Commitments to extend credit:
Commercial and industrial loans	$	89,426
Commercial and industrial loans – capital call lines		438,391
Construction – commercial real estate loans		52,709
Construction – residential real estate loans		17,340
Residential real estate loans		557,704
Commercial real estate loans		30,077
Credit cards		702,611
Consumer and other loans		44,172
Total commitments to extend credit	$	1,932,430

⁽¹⁾Total exposure on CCBX loans is subject to CCBX partner/portfolio maximum limits.

We have individual CCBX partner portfolio limits with our each of our partners to manage loan concentration risk, liquidity risk, and counter-party partner risk. For example, as of June 30, 2025, capital call lines outstanding balance totaled $199.7 million and, while commitments totaled $438.4 million, the commitments are limited to a maximum of $350.0 million by agreement with the partner. If a CCBX partner goes over their individual limit, it would be a breach of their contract and the Bank may impose penalties and would have the choice to fund or not fund the loan.

See the table below for CCBX portfolio maximums and related available commitments:

CCBX
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	Balance			Percent of CCBX loans receivable		Available Commitments ⁽¹⁾		Maximum Portfolio Size		Cash Reserve/Pledge Account Amount ⁽²⁾
Commercial and industrial loans:
Capital call lines	$	199,675		11.9	%	$	438,391	$	350,000	$	—
All other commercial & industrial loans		26,142		1.6			23,001		471,186		531
Real estate loans:
Home equity lines of credit ⁽³⁾		234,786		14.0			509,297		375,000		36,469
Consumer and other loans:
Credit cards – cash secured		364					—				—
Credit cards – unsecured		533,561					702,611				30,827
Credit cards – total		533,925		31.8			702,611		850,000		30,827
Installment loans – cash secured		128,861					30,817				—
Installment loans – unsecured		542,228					—				(38	)
Installment loans – total		671,089		39.8			30,817		1,818,619		(38	)
Other consumer and other loans		15,232		0.9			14		5,195		275
Gross CCBX loans receivable		1,680,849		100.0	%	$	1,704,131	$	3,870,000	$	68,064
Net deferred origination fees		(569	)
Loans receivable	$	1,680,280

(1) Remaining commitment available, net of outstanding balance.
(2) Balances are as of July 8, 2025.
(3) These home equity lines of credit are secured by residential real estate and are accessed by using a credit card, but are classified as 1-4 family residential properties per regulatory guidelines.

APPENDIX B –
As of June 30, 2025

CCBX – BaaS Reporting Information

During the quarter ended June 30, 2025, $31.3 million was recorded in BaaS credit enhancements related to the provision for credit losses – loans and reserve for unfunded commitments for CCBX partner loans and negative deposit accounts. Agreements with our CCBX partners provide for a credit enhancement provided by the partner which protects the Bank by indemnifying or reimbursing incurred losses. In accordance with accounting guidance, we estimate and record a provision for expected losses for these CCBX loans, unfunded commitments, negative deposit accounts and accrued interest receivable on some CCBX partner loans. When the provision for credit losses – loans and provision for unfunded commitments is recorded, a credit enhancement asset is also recorded on the balance sheet through noninterest income (BaaS credit enhancements) in recognition of the CCBX partner legal commitment to indemnify or reimburse losses. The credit enhancement asset is relieved as credit enhancement payments and recoveries are received from the CCBX partner or taken from the partner’s cash reserve account. Agreements with our CCBX partners also provide protection to the Bank from fraud by indemnifying or reimbursing incurred fraud losses. BaaS fraud includes non-credit fraud losses on loans and deposits originated through partners, generally fraud losses related to loans are comprised primarily of first payment defaults. Fraud losses are recorded when incurred as losses in noninterest expense, and the enhancement received from the CCBX partner is recorded in noninterest income, resulting in a net impact of zero to the income statement. Many CCBX partners also pledge a cash reserve account at the Bank which the Bank can collect from when losses occur that is then replenished by the partner on a regular interval. Although agreements with our CCBX partners provide for credit enhancements that provide protection to the Bank from credit and fraud losses by indemnifying or reimbursing incurred credit and fraud losses, if our partner is unable to fulfill their contracted obligation then the bank would be exposed to additional loan and deposit losses if the cash flows on the loans were not sufficient to fund the reimbursement of loan losses, as a result of this counterparty risk. If a CCBX partner does not replenish their cash reserve account the Bank may consider an alternative plan for funding the cash reserve. This may involve the possibility of adjusting the funding amounts or timelines to better align with the partner’s specific situation. If a mutually agreeable funding plan is not agreed to, the Bank could declare the agreement in default, take over servicing and cease paying the partner for servicing the loan and providing credit enhancements. The Bank would evaluate any remaining credit enhancement asset from the CCBX partner in the event the partner failed to determine if a write-off is appropriate. If a write-off occurs, the Bank would retain the full yield and any fee income on the loan portfolio going forward, and our BaaS loan expense would decrease once default occurred and payments to the CCBX partner were stopped.

The Bank records contractual interest earned from the borrower on CCBX partner loans in interest income, adjusted for origination costs which are paid or payable to the CCBX partner. BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit and fraud enhancements and originating and servicing CCBX loans. To determine net revenue (Net BaaS loan income) earned from CCBX loan relationships, the Bank takes BaaS loan interest income and deducts BaaS loan expense to arrive at Net BaaS loan income (a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth in the preceding section of this earnings release) which can be compared to interest income on the Company’s community bank loans.

The following table illustrates how CCBX partner loan income and expenses are recorded in the financial statements:

Loan income and related loan expense	Three Months Ended
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			June 30, 2024
Yield on loans ⁽¹⁾		16.22	%		16.88	%		17.75	%
BaaS loan interest income	$	68,264		$	67,855		$	60,138
Less: BaaS loan expense		32,483			32,507			29,011
Net BaaS loan income ⁽²⁾	$	35,781		$	35,348		$	31,127
Net BaaS loan income divided by average BaaS loans ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾		8.50	%		8.79	%		9.19	%

(1) Annualized calculation for quarterly periods shown.
(2) A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth in the preceding section of this earnings release.

An increase in average CCBX loans receivable resulted in increased interest income on CCBX loans during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Our strategy is to optimize the CCBX loan portfolio and strengthen our balance sheet through originating higher quality new loans with enhanced credit standards. These higher quality loans tend to have lower stated rates and expected losses than some of our CCBX loans historically. Current loan sales and new loan growth are at more similar interest rates compared to prior periods when we were selling loans with higher risk and higher interest rates and replacing them with higher quality lower interest rate loans. We continue to reposition ourselves by managing CCBX credit and concentration levels in an effort to optimize our loan portfolio and also generate off balance sheet fee income. Growth in CCBX loans has resulted in an increase in interest income for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

The following tables are a summary of the interest components, direct fees and expenses of BaaS for the periods indicated and are not inclusive of all income and expense related to BaaS.

Interest income	Three Months Ended
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30, 2025		March 31, 2025		June 30, 2024
Loan interest income	$	68,264	$	67,855	$	60,138
Total BaaS interest income	$	68,264	$	67,855	$	60,138

Interest expense	Three Months Ended
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30, 2025		March 31, 2025		June 30, 2024
BaaS interest expense	$	23,617	$	21,581	$	24,119
Total BaaS interest expense	$	23,617	$	21,581	$	24,119

BaaS income	Three Months Ended
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)	June 30, 2025		March 31, 2025		June 30, 2024
BaaS program income:
Servicing and other BaaS fees	$	1,539	$	1,419	$	1,525
Transaction and interchange fees		5,109		3,833		2,934
Reimbursement of expenses		646		1,026		857
Total BaaS program income		7,294		6,278		5,316
BaaS indemnification income:
BaaS credit enhancements		31,268		53,648		60,826
BaaS fraud enhancements		2,804		1,993		1,784
BaaS indemnification income		34,072		55,641		62,610
Total noninterest BaaS income	$	41,366	$	61,919	$	67,926

Servicing and other BaaS fees increased $120,000 and transaction and interchange fees increased $1.3 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025. We expect servicing and other BaaS fees to be higher when we are bringing new partners on and then to decrease when transaction and interchange fees increase as partner activity grows and contracted minimum fees are replaced with these recurring fees when they exceed the minimum fees. Increases in BaaS reimbursement of fees offsets increases in noninterest expense from BaaS expenses covered by CCBX partners. Transaction and interchange fees for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 includes $504,000 in nonrecurring revenue.

BaaS loan and fraud expense:	Three Months Ended
(dollars in thousands; unaudited)		June 30, 2025		March 31, 2025		June 30, 2024
BaaS loan expense	$	32,483	$	32,507	$	29,011
BaaS fraud expense		2,804		1,993		1,784
Total BaaS loan and fraud expense	$	35,287	$	34,500	$	30,795

Infographics accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6d139571-0367-4331-b052-e1609dd3796f
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7fef1877-3f7a-47cc-99fa-0bcdfb00de42

The MIL Network –

July 30, 2025

MIL-OSI Africa: Over 14 000 arrested in police operations

Source: Government of South Africa

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Over 14 000 suspects have been arrested in police operations across the country.

In Operation Shanela activities, which ran from 21 – 27 July 2025, a total of 14 273 suspects were arrested, including 2 081 wanted suspects implicated in serious and violent crimes, such as business and house robberies, car hijackings, murder, rape and attempted murder.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), 172 suspects were arrested for murder, while 138 individuals were arrested for attempted murder, 170 for rape and 1 598 others for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH).

A further 324 suspects were arrested for drug dealing, 1 376 were held for the possession of drugs. A total of 119 suspects were held for the illegal possession of firearms, with 45 from KwaZulu-Natal, while 672 were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Police also recovered and confiscated 140 firearms, 1 720 rounds of ammunition and 81 hijacked or stolen vehicles.

“The South African Police Service remains resolute in its nationwide operations to combat and prevent criminal activities, threatening public safety and sabotaging South Africa’s economic infrastructure,” SAPS said on Tuesday. –SAnews.gov.za

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MIL OSI Africa –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Department raises alarm over escalating intimate partner violence

Source: Government of South Africa

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has expressed concern over the pervasive “hidden crisis” of domestic and intimate partner violence, which is highlighted in a Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) report.

Conducted in 2024, the report revealed that one in three women in South Africa have experienced physical intimate partner violence in their lifetime.

“These are not just numbers; they represent the lived realities of millions of women, who endure suffering behind closed doors,” department spokesperson, Cassius Selala said on Monday.

The study also highlighted higher victimisation among black African women and women with disabilities.

While national statistics indicate a drop in overall violent crime during the second quarter of 2024, gender-based violence (GBV) crimes continue to rise.

According to the report, between July and September 2024, 957 women were murdered, 1 567 survived attempted murders, and 14 366 were assaulted, resulting in grievous bodily harm. In addition, 10 191 cases of rape were reported during this period.

Selala said intimate domestic violence manifests in various forms, often intertwined and escalating over time – ranging from physical and sexual abuse to emotional, psychological, and economic or financial.

He said recognising these different types of abuse is a critical step in addressing the problem.

Selala also warned that the impact of intimate domestic violence extends far beyond physical injuries, and victims often experience a range of severe and long-lasting consequences.

“The greatest achievements in women’s economic progress in recent decades are potentially being eroded by domestic violence. Intimate domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behaviours used by one partner to maintain power and control over another in an intimate relationship.

“This violence is not limited to physical harm; it encompasses a range of coercive and controlling actions that can leave deep and lasting scars,” Selala said.

Globally, the World Health Organisation estimates that one in three women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, most often at the hands of an intimate partner. In South Africa, the figures are particularly grim.

At the end of 2024, the HSRC released the First South African National Gender-Based Violence Study, which detailed the prevalence of physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and economic violence experienced by women in all nine provinces.

To discuss some of the survey’s findings, the HSRC recently hosted a webinar titled: ‘Addressing poverty and inequality as drivers of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) perpetrated against vulnerable populations in South Africa: The importance of economic empowerment interventions’.

The webinar focused on poverty and inequality as drivers of gender-based violence and femicide perpetrated against women, including women with disabilities, women from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) community, black African women, and older women (over the age of 60). – SAnews.gov.za

MIL OSI Africa –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Anti-kidnapping task force intercepts unlicensed firearms

Source: Government of South Africa

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

The South African Police Service (SAPS) anti-kidnapping task team believes it has broken the back of a syndicate involved in the trafficking of unlicensed firearms.

On Monday evening, an intelligence driven operation involving various units, including SAPS Crime Intelligence, the Gauteng Provincial Investigating Unit (PIU), JHB K9, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) and private security, led to the arrest of two suspects in Meyersdal, Johannesburg.

“The arrest of the 34 and 45-year-old suspects follows several days of surveillance and information gathering across provinces, where suspects involved in the moving of unlicensed firearms were identified,” the police said in a statement on Monday.

As the suspects collected the firearms, the team moved in for a coordinated tactical takedown, where the suspects were found with 9mm unlicensed firearms.

Further investigation confirmed the 30 weapons were destined for the Western Cape and the suspects intended to transport the unlicensed firearms themselves.

Both suspects have been linked to various other cases in Gauteng and the Western Cape.

“The suspects are in custody and are facing multiple charges including illegal possession and trafficking of firearms. Investigations are ongoing to track down more members of this illegal firearm trafficking syndicate,” the police said. – SAnews.gov.za

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MIL OSI Africa –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Energy Intensive Users Group of Southern Africa (EIUG) and VUKA Group Forge Ahead with 3-Year Partnership for C&I Energy + Storage Summit

Source: APO – Report:

We are thrilled to share that the Energy Intensive Users Group of Southern Africa (EIUG) and VUKA Group (https://WeAreVUKA.com) are continuing their dynamic partnership to co-host the EIUG Conference and C&I Energy + Storage Summit (https://Energy-StorageSummit.com) for the next three years, building on the success of last year’s inaugural event. This collaboration is a bold step toward shaping a sustainable and resilient energy future for South Africa’s commercial and industrial (C&I) sectors.

Driving Sustainable Energy Solutions

For over 25 years, EIUG has been a steadfast advocate for energy-intensive industries, championing competitive and sustainable energy frameworks. By partnering with VUKA Group for the C&I Energy + Storage Summit, we’re creating a powerful platform to address the challenges and opportunities in South Africa’s rapidly evolving electricity industry. This partnership aligns with the South Africa Climate Act and Just Energy Transition principles, empowering C&I power users to achieve energy independence, security, and sustainability while reducing their carbon footprint.

C&I Energy + Storage Summit 2025, brough to you by VUKA Group, will take place from 4- 5 November 2025 at The Maslow Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa. Register today (http://apo-opa.co/3U37Lqn).

What to Expect at the Summit

The C&I Energy + Storage Summit is your opportunity to engage with the future of energy. This year’s event will:

Explore scalable solutions: Dive into power generation options, credible technologies, and the financial and business cases for independent generation and storage.

Navigate industry changes: Unpack the implications of South Africa’s Electricity Supply Industry (ESI) initiatives, including the anticipated wholesale market establishment.

Foster collaboration: Connect service providers, off-takers, and consumers for mutually beneficial commercial opportunities.

Offer practical insights: Participate in technical masterclasses, project showcases, and networking sessions designed to equip you with the tools to lead in this transformative era.

A Commitment to Change

This partnership is more than a collaboration — it’s a commitment to driving meaningful progress. By bringing together stakeholders from across the energy landscape, including Eskom, bilateral Independent Power Producers (IPPs), and potential players in a future wholesale energy trading market, we aim to influence a resilient, sustainable, and forward-thinking energy ecosystem.

Join Us

We invite all industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders to join us at the C&I Energy + Storage Summit and EIUG Conference. Together, we can shape the future of South Africa’s energy landscape and ensure it thrives for both businesses and the planet.

Register for the Summit: https://apo-opa.co/3U37Lqn

– on behalf of VUKA Group.

For speaking opportunities, contact Boipelo Mothlowa: Boipelo.mothlowa@wearevuka.com

For sponsorship enquires, contact Marcel du Toit: marcel.dutoit@wearevuka.com

For media enquires, contact Natalie Simms: Natalie.simms@wearevuka.com

About VUKA Group:
As part of the Power and Energy Portfolio of VUKA Group (https://WeAreVUKA.com), this Summit aligns with VUKA’s mission to connect industries, spark innovation, and fuel economic growth. VUKA Group is a premier organiser of conferences, exhibitions, and events across Africa, delivering tailored platforms for networking, knowledge sharing, and business development in energy and related sectors.

Media files

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MIL OSI Africa –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: What to expect as 7 Hills Blues Fest brings music, markets & soul to…
Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

The stage is set and the streets are ready as 7 Hills Blues Fest returns to Armagh City from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 August, promising a weekend packed with live music, family fun, and local flavour.

With over 40 free gigs across 15 venues, the festival invites locals and visitors alike to follow the Blues Trek – a musical trail through Armagh’s historic streets, venues, and open-air spaces. From lunchtime bandstand sessions to late-night blues jams, the city will be alive with sound.

Expect performances from some of the biggest names in blues and roots, including Rob Strong Band, Clara Rose, Crow Black Chicken, and the Pat McManus Band. Rising stars like Banshee (2024 Buskfest winners) and 17-year-old guitar prodigy Zac Mac will also take to the stage, alongside a strong line-up of local talent such as Villiers and the Villains, Courtnay Giffin, and Freedom 35s.

Throughout the weekend, students from MD Rafferty Music School will be busking at various city centre locations, adding a fresh, youthful energy to the festival atmosphere.

Saturday 2 August is set to be a standout day in the 7 Hills Blues Fest calendar, offering a full programme of activities for all ages across Armagh City including:
- Artisan Market (11am–4pm): Taking place at The Shambles, the market will feature a wide range of artisan stalls offering tasty treats and handcrafted goods from Ballydown Milk, Nice Buns, Wild Shore, Taylor Wood Craft and much more.
- Street Food on Market Street (11am-5pm): Enjoy sweet and savoury treats from J’s Donuts, Simply Crêpes, and McDonald’s Ice Cream.
- Live Entertainment (10.30am-5pm): Walkabout performances from the Sally Sod Trio and Steampunks, plus a full schedule of live music throughout the city.
- Art on the Rails (11am-5pm): An open-air exhibition of original works by members of Armagh Art Club.
- Family Fun (Throughout the day): Face painting and balloon modelling will add a fun, musical twist for younger visitors.
Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Alderman Stephen Moutray said:

“7 Hills Blues Fest is a celebration of everything that makes Armagh special – its music, its people, and its vibrant city centre. It’s a weekend that brings us all together, welcoming visitors from near and far to experience the unique charm of our city. From the soulful sounds echoing through our streets to the artisan stalls and family-friendly fun, this festival showcases the very best of Armagh’s cultural heartbeat. I encourage everyone to come along, soak up the atmosphere, and be part of something truly special.”

Please note that Market Street will be closed to traffic from 10am to 6pm on Saturday 2 August, from the junction of Thomas Street through to the junction of Russell Street, to accommodate festival activities and ensure pedestrian safety.

For the full line-up and event times see visitarmagh.com/7hills
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rolling road closures planned for carnival parade

Source: City of Leicester

LEICESTER’S Caribbean Carnival and parade returns to the city this weekend and motorists are being advised that there will be temporary road closures in place.

The popular event will be held on Victoria Park on Saturday 2nd August with a colourful parade bringing the spirit of carnival to Leicester city centre.

This year, the parade will start at Moat Community College, with speeches outside the Leicester Caribbean Centre at 12.30pm, before heading off into the city centre at around 1pm and then making its way to Victoria Park.

The parade route includes Maidstone Rd, Sparkenhoe Street, Swain Street, St Georges Way, Charles Street, Humberstone Gate, Clock Tower, Gallowtree Gate, Granby St, Northampton Street, Charles St, London Rd to Granville Road and into Victoria Park.

Rolling road closures will be in place along the route from around 12.30pm until around 4pm. Temporary parking restrictions will also be in place throughout the day, to allow the parade to pass safely.

Granville Road and a short section of Regent Road (between University Road and Granville Road) will be closed to traffic from 6am until approximately 10pm on Carnival day.

Events at the park will continue until 8pm, with parking and waiting restrictions nearby remaining in place throughout the event.

Drivers should allow extra time for journeys in and around the city centre on Saturday (2 Aug) as a result, including those attending the Red Roses’ final Women’s Rugby World Cup warm-up match against Spain at the Leicester Tigers stadium, on Welford Road. Kick-off is at 3pm.

For more information about Leicester Caribbean Carnival 2025, or to book tickets, visit www.leicestercarnival.com

The event is organised by Leicester Caribbean Carnival Committee.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Grieving mum speaks out as she prepares to carry ‘Baton of Hope’ in memory of daughter, 18

Source: City of Leeds

A mum who lost her 18-year-old daughter to suicide on Christmas Day 2023 is channelling her grief into raising awareness as she prepares to join the ‘Baton of Hope’ suicide prevention tour when it comes to Leeds later this year.

Bairbre McKendrick, 53, of Wetherby, shared her story as she urged all to be mindful of the signs of someone struggling and to reach out and check in on those around them.

She is one of the 85 people across Leeds bereaved or affected by suicide who have volunteered to carry a symbolic baton through the city on September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day – when the nationwide Baton of Hope tour arrives in Leeds.

The tour is calling at 20 places across the UK over two months to raise awareness of suicide and spread the message of hope far and wide, with Leeds City Council and the city’s mental health and suicide prevention organisations, including Touchstone and Leeds Mind, currently planning the Leeds leg.

Bairbre said, to many on the outside world her daughter Robyn would have seemed “glamorous” and “the life and soul of the party” but in reality was experiencing profound struggles with her mental health.

Robyn was diagnosed with autism at the end of year 11 when she was 16 and found it difficult to cope with daily life and its many pressures – through school, relationships, friendships and work – often masking her struggles to those around her.

Bairbre, who works at Leeds City Council in city development, said: “We were obviously very aware but people can be too quick to make assumptions. Robyn was glamorous, had a social life. She was the first up dancing to the music.

“But she was ill. That saying ‘no one pretends to be depressed, people pretend to be ok’ is so true. That was Robyn. She was always pretending to be ok when in reality she wasn’t.

“She was great at checking up on others though – she could spot when other young people were struggling.”

Research shows autistic people are up to seven times more likely to die by suicide, with UK charity Autistica also citing studies which found the risk increases further among autistic people without intellectual disabilities and among autistic women.

Since leaving school, Robyn had made attempts to take her own life and had been treated at hospital.

During the last months of her life, she also lost a friend to suicide.

Both of these factors are also known to increase suicide risk, with evidence suggesting people who are bereaved by suicide may be up to three times higher than the general population to take their own life.

These events, together with heightening difficulties in her work life, took a deepening toll on Robyn’s mental health.

Robyn’s death has utterly devastated her family and Bairbre says she wants to encourage people to be aware of the signs someone could be struggling and always be compassionate and kind to others.

“We are broken-hearted and we always will be.

“It’s important that people accept that someone could be struggling – it’s real, even if they present as turning up, at school, at work, being the life and soul of the party. Robyn was like that. But they are ill and it’s up to us, everyone, to be kind and supportive and try to help them to have hope for their future.”

Bairbre said she wanted to join the Baton of Hope tour to connect with other families, which she says can be a healing experience.

“Coming together in such a public event is also a way to show people who don’t know about the scale of loss of lives to suicide,” she said, adding: “We need to break the stigma around mental health and show people that even though we cannot see their pain, we care and want to help. We will listen and try to find the right support and offer kindness and hope.”

Details of the route the baton will take through Leeds will be revealed over the coming weeks, with an array of events and activities being planned throughout the day.

Councillor Fiona Venner, Leeds City Council’s executive member for equality, health and wellbeing, said: “Thank you to Bairbre for sharing her story and channelling her absolutely devastating experience into raising awareness and helping to break the stigma around suicide.

“Suicide prevention is everyone’s business – we all have a part to play in knowing the signs and checking in on all those around us.

“We’re proud to be hosting the Baton of Hope tour in Leeds for the first time this year and having people, like Bairbre, bereaved or affected by suicide, carrying the baton will be an incredibly powerful way to honour the memory of a lost loved one and share the key message of hope.

“We hope people across the city will turn out to show their support on the day and help spread the word.”

Reducing suicide and the stigma around it is priority among partners across the city, as part of work to make Leeds a mentally healthy city – a key objective in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2023-2030.

Leeds City Council also commissions the Leeds Suicide Bereavement Service, for anyone affected or bereaved by suicide. Visit https://www.leedsmind.org.uk/suicide-bereavement-services-west-yorkshire/.

For more information on the Leeds leg of the Baton of Hope tour, visit: https://www.mindwell-leeds.org.uk/baton-of-hope-leeds-2025

For up-to-date details on support services available in Leeds visit https://suicidepreventionwestyorkshire.co.uk/support/leeds.

The mental health website for Leeds, Mindwell, also contains a range of support and resources. Visit https://www.mindwell-leeds.org.uk.

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Leeds City Council communications and marketing,

Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk

Tel: 0113 378 6007

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Color against inattention – how students and teachers of RUDN and Altai State University created an app for children with ADHD

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Peoples’Friendship University of Russia –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

There are about 1,600,000 children with confirmed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Russia. The necessary therapy is not always available to their families: due to the cost or the lack of specialized centers nearby. Teachers and students of RUDN and Altai State University have developed a special application for such children that increases attentiveness and reduces anxiety using the color photostimulation (CPS) method.

This year, the ActiMinds project team presented their application at the RUDN.VC 2.0 accelerator, becoming its finalist and receiving investor support. And then the development won the Startup Fest 2025 competition, which was organized by RSUH.

Project team:

Saniya Islamova is the project manager, analyst-programmer, first-year master’s student of the Applied Informatics program at the Faculty of Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences of RUDN University. Mikhail Yatsenko is the head of research work, candidate of biological sciences, psychophysiologist, associate professor of the Department of General and Applied Psychology of Altai State University. Tatyana Ustimenko is the director of the Scientific and Production Complex of the Cognitive Science Center. Ivan Brak is a specialist in scientific communication, candidate of biological sciences, neurobiologist, senior lecturer of the Department of the Faculty of Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences of RUDN University. Doruk Meric is a programmer, first-year master’s student of the Applied Informatics program at the Faculty of Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences of RUDN University.

The essence of development

The CFS method involves exposing the body to light signals of different colors – red, blue, green (at the user’s choice) – with an optimal blinking frequency.

Photostimulation helps to rebuild the functional state of the cerebral cortex into an optimal operating mode and activates Brodmann’s area 10, which in turn activates the prefrontal cortex. After all, it is the prefrontal cortex that is involved in providing such cognitive functions as planning, decision-making, awareness and establishment of logical connections between phenomena, theoretical positions, as well as in recalling memories from episodic memory.

The mobile app developed by the team works in conjunction with VR glasses. The user puts on the glasses, turns on the app, selects the color that will affect him for 2-10 minutes (red, blue or green). And then simply watches the flickering, which looks like a circle, of the selected color.

What are the advantages of development:

low cost of 2,500 rubles for a course of therapy consisting of 10 sessions (traditional methods of therapy cost from 20 to 50 thousand rubles); easy to use with a minimum of equipment (smartphone with an installed application plus VR glasses); the effect is already there from the first session; • high safety of use in the absence of epilepsy, heart disease and recent retinal detachment or recent eye surgery; there are statistics, session history, expansion of options is planned; there is communication with the project team via a chat bot and a VK channel.

A bit of history

The idea for the project originated at Altai State University back in 2001 during a study of the influence of the level of brain activation on the effectiveness of mental performance.

“University scientists have found that at a certain level of brain activation, the experiment participants demonstrated high levels of mental performance. As a result, an idea came up to “impose” this activity on the brain in order to improve its performance using the color photostimulation method. During the research, ordinary glasses with black opaque lenses were used, on the inside of which three LEDs were glued in the center – red, green and blue. The glasses, in turn, were connected by wire to a special unit with a liquid crystal screen. It allowed changing the frequency of flickering, brightness and color,” – Saniya Islamova, head of the “ActiMinds” project and a RUDN Master’s student (Applied Informatics, 1st year).

However, it took 20 years before the idea was developed and tested on a wider audience. Only since 2023 have studies been conducted again on different groups of people – children, students, athletes. At the same time, the development of technology has made it possible to use a smartphone and the first version of a mobile application created by a programmer from Barnaul instead of a block with a screen. And glasses with LEDs have been replaced by VR glasses, which allow you to influence a person’s visual field and prevent him from being distracted from the process of color photostimulation, which significantly increases the effectiveness of therapy sessions.

Proven effectiveness

“From February 1 to May 25, 2024, 37 children aged 6 to 7 years voluntarily took part in the study of the method. The experimental group included 24 children, 5 of whom had characteristic signs of attention deficit disorder (ADD) and 6 more – signs of ADHD. The control group consisted of 13 children. Sessions with the color photostimulation method were held four times a week for 10 minutes before correctional and developmental classes in the classrooms. In total, each child completed 10 sessions. In the group of children with ADHD, the speed of completing teacher’s tasks increased by 15%, the number of errors decreased by 2.5 times, and overall productivity increased by 22.5%,” said Elena Abuzova, Director of the MBU DO “DOOTS “Harmony”.

Expanding the team

Saniya Islamova joined the project in September 2024 as an administrator, and soon began to manage it. When the team was joined by programmer Meric Doruk in early 2025, it became possible to modernize the application. In two months, Meric created a new version of the service from scratch, it was deployed on PythonAnyWhere hosting. And now the team is switching to the Express.js (backend), Next.js (frontend) frameworks in JavaScript and the PostgreSQL database management system in order to be able to block content to protect against piracy and plagiarism. In addition, unnecessary settings were removed from the service, but an algorithm for creating a personal account and verifying a user using a unique token was added. Investor’s choice With the modernized application, the team took part in the RUDN.VC 2.0 accelerator. The program lasted 70 days, and during this time, Sania and her colleagues held more than 130 meetings with mentor-trackers, attended 8 open lectures from market experts and improved their project. On May 30, at the demo day, Sania defended the team’s work to investors. One of them, the founder of the company “ABV” and ambassador of the “Academy of Innovators” Ivan Shumilov, selected “ActiMinds” for further cooperation. Here is how he assessed the project.

“The development has potential. It is possible to quickly enter monetization through the “technology plus service” combination. However, we need even more measurements on people to demonstrate the result – before/after. To increase trust on the part of parents, specialists and partners, it is necessary to strengthen the scientific and expert base. Involving people with specialized education, publications, clinical and research experience in the team or expert council will become a strong support. Their conclusions will be able to support the evidence-based nature of the method. The application can also be adapted for other problems, not only ADHD, but also stress, anxiety, and adaptation difficulties. In this way, it will be possible to expand the product line,” – Ivan Shumilov, founder of the company “ABV” and ambassador of the “Academy of Innovators”.

Best Startup

After completing the accelerator, the ActiMinds team formulated a commercial proposal for cooperation with private psychologists and neuropsychologists, psychological centers, and also agreed with the RUDN University Faculty of Psychology on joint work from autumn 2025. With such results, the participants of the ActiMinds project applied for the Startup Fest 2025 competition, which was organized by RSUH.

“In the beginning, there were no particular hopes for winning, since we had to create a website for the project and conduct a marketing campaign. Probably, setting up online advertising was the most difficult, since we were doing it for the first time. After that, we recorded a video with a story about “ActiMinds”, the conducted marketing campaign and its results, and sent an application to the competition. The jury watched the video, and eventually, the student organizers from RSUH wrote to us and invited us to the award ceremony in one of the nominations. And it turned out to be a victory in the main nomination. The victory gave a positive assessment to our project and our teamwork, which does not go in vain!” – Saniya Islamova, head of the “ActiMinds” project and a RUDN University Master’s student (Applied Informatics, 1st year).

According to Saniya, the recommendations for further development of the project from the organizers and jury of the competition were very valuable. Mikhail Boldyrev, Director of the Center for Project Activities and Communication Technologies at the Russian State University for the Humanities, advised the team to create a website and social networks for the project. Post articles on the topic of ADHD on the portal, collect traffic, and initiate communication with potential users of the application and partners in social networks. Then gradually integrate your own product into the community through expert content. In addition, Mikhail Boldyrev recommended involving doctors in testing the application in order to promote the product through their reviews.

New goals

The team has taken the expert’s advice on board, so its immediate plans include creating social networks and a project website to educate and inform parents about the ADHD problem and their method. And also to organize joint work with the psychology departments of RUDN and Moscow State University on research and scientific articles in the new academic year, and to establish commercial cooperation with private neuropsychologists and psychological centers.

“We also plan to launch our own mobile application for the Android platform, which will work together with VR glasses. In addition to the main function based on the photostimulation method, the service will offer psychological tests, analysis of the user’s speech segment before and after using the DFS method, support and online consultation with a psychologist. The application is planned to be placed on all available marketplaces,” says Saniya Islamova, head of the ActiMinds project and a RUDN University Master’s student (Applied Informatics, 1st year).

In addition, the ActiMinds team wants to apply for the Student Startup competition from the Social Initiatives Fund and compete for a grant. And hopes for another victory.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Solomon to Announce Transportation Decarbonization Funding

Source: Government of Canada News

July 29, 2025

TORONTO — The Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, the Honourable Evan Solomon, on behalf of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, will make a funding announcement to support transportation decarbonization in the Greater Toronto Area. Media availability will follow.

Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Time: 9:30 a.m. ET

All accredited media are asked to pre-register by emailing media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca. Details on how to participate will be provided upon registration.

MIL OSI Canada News –

July 30, 2025

Category: Transport

Appointment of Bishop of Worcester: 29 July 2025

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