NISA is publicly committed to start the 2025 season in April but that timeframe is in doubt as the official status of the Division III league remains unclear Last weekend, the 2025 US Soccer Annual General Meeting (AGM) took place in Atlanta, Georgia. The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) were represented at the four-day event to discuss the league’s plans for future professional play According to various sources who attended the meetings and who have been granted anonymity for this story, NISA remains unsanctioned professionally for 2025. Kartik Krishnaiyer of Beyond The 90 was the first to report that NISA remains unsanctioned following the AGM That contradicts a statement made in January by NISA Communications Specialist Steve Johnson, who told Hudson River Blue that “NISA continues with the same provisional sanctioning status it has had since inception.” At the time NISA announced a delayed start to the 2025 season targeting a return to play at an unspecified date in April “with an anticipated championship match in October.” Hudson River Blue reached out to Johnson again this week to ask for clarification "Everything is still a work in progress towards in [sic] April start There's nothing more I can share at this time," Johnson told Hudson River Blue the current status of NISA remains unclear and the April restart of league play is in doubt NISA do not have provisional sanctioning but could regain it in 2025 if the league meet specific benchmarks set by USSF it was confirmed that not all of these bars had been cleared Hudson River Blue cannot independently report which benchmarks have yet to be met by NISA Sources vary on the tone of the meetings between NISA and USSF One said that “NISA is on a pathway to being a sanctioned pro league this year but has not met all the steps yet,” confirming Johnson's statement above Another claimed that “nothing had changed” regarding NISA’s reportedly unsanctioned status and they do not feel the season will begin in April The federation are willing to give NISA more time to fulfill the designated benchmarks USSF could grant provisional sanctioning at any time That means a hypothetical NISA professional season could still happen this year be it at the April start announced by the league in January or possibly a return to the Fall-Spring format that NISA originally kicked off with According to our sources, NISA are still a member of the USSF with voting privileges. Various promotional materials at the AGM included NISA’s logo alongside other member organizations which has not been active on the field since 2017 and recently lost a lawsuit against USSF and Major League Soccer is also still a member league with voting ability In December, Hudson River Blue first reported that NISA was no longer going to be provisionally sanctioned as a Division III men’s professional league NISA has operated as a Division III league the same level as MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One The following month, the US Soccer Federation (USSF) announced the field of 2025 US Open Cup teams, and NISA was not included USSF requires that all professional leagues participate in the tournament but a statement from NISA at that time claimed they were still provisionally sanctioned.  have held any sort of public tryouts for players in 2025 One-time NISA champion Michigan Stars FC have publicly attacked NISA on social media while asking not to be mentioned by the organization which was disqualified from the NISA playoffs after winning the league regular season As the professional league’s status remains in limbo, it puts the amateur arm of NISA, NISA Nation Founded in late 2020 as a continuation of NISA’s goal to open up the American soccer system NISA Nation offered amateur teams with professional aspirations a starting point before potentially joining NISA's professional Division III league multiple teams have made the jump to NISA after playing in NISA Nation both of which competed during the 2024 NISA season the quality of play in NISA Nation has been fairly good with multiple member teams qualifying for the US Open Cup in recent years team announcements have been steadily coming out The league also confirmed affiliations with regional amateur leagues across the country However, behind the scenes, NISA Nation are less confident about their future. In a recent exchange, NISA Nation Outreach and Communications Lead Dennis Pope claimed that the league had been damaged extensively by NISA’s reported loss of professional Division III sanctioning many believe that without the professional league above it the amateur league will not be able to continue functioning According to a league source who wished to remain anonymous, NISA Nation might be on the verge of losing their Northeast Region affiliate. Locally, NISA Nation partners with the American Premier Soccer League (formerly the Eastern Premier Soccer League) as an affiliate to act as their Northeast Region.  the affiliation agreement between NISA Nation and the APSL includes a clause that if NISA’s professional league loses its sanctioning the APSL can opt out of the affiliate agreement Should NISA not be sanctioned – and should the APSL break away – the fate of the other regions and teams would be up in the air Many NISA Nation teams already field sides in other leagues such as the UPSL and NPSL A meeting between NISA Nation officials and The League for Clubs also took place at the USSF AGM in Atlanta A member of that meeting stated that NISA Nation officials asked questions regarding TLfC’s progress during the offseason in gaining teams No discussions regarding merging came up at the meeting though NISA Nation did seem interested in potentially implementing some of TLfC’s business tactics The APSL itself could be a potential landing spot. In 2024, while still under the name EPSL, news broke that the league intended to expand into Southeastern states like the Carolinas and Florida While the league has only barely crossed the Mason-Dixon line absorbing the former NISA Nation clubs and the recent renaming of the league could help in proving it as a national organization This option has been discussed internally within the APSL but no decision has been made regarding potentially adding castaway NISA Nation teams at this time Other options for NISA Nation’s regions are limited The USL League Two schedule has already been released for 2025 meaning altering it with new teams would be difficult if not impossible The National Premier Soccer League is reportedly open to adding more teams but has already announced the majority of its 2025 schedule as well CJ Coreschi of Pittsburgh City Paper and TheCup.US tells why a struggling Riverhounds could add New York City FC to the list of MLS teams they beat in the US Open Cup — and why they probably won't Open Cup Digest #15: New York City FC face Pittsburgh Riverhounds on the road New York Red Bulls go west to play Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the Round of 32 New York City FC will face USL Championship side Pittsburgh Riverhounds at beautiful Highmark Stadium in the Round of 32 Open Cup Digest #14: Detroit City vs Westchester and why these games matter to New York City The two San Diego FC attackers earned spots on our latest MLS Player of the Matchday ballot following the expansion team's huge 5-0 home win A lethal low strike from Julián Fernández and a strong showing from a shorthanded defense propelled New York City FC to a 1-0 win over FC Cincinnati at Citi Field New strategic capability will allow NISA to diversify in response to a market need without detracting from its 30-year history of managing customized strategies for institutional investors NISA alumnus and seasoned quantitative investor joins as Director to lead the strategy alongside Kyle Schmidt 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NISA Investment Advisors employee-owned investment advisor managing customized strategies today announced that it is incorporating a quantitative equity strategy into its suite of product solutions The addition of the quantitative equity strategy represents a natural extension of NISA's established investing platform which currently manages client portfolios including investment-grade fixed income derivative overlay and an existing $16+ billion direct indexing equity strategy With this new capability and dedicated team client-centric customization with an in-demand quantitative equity solution that will be powered by the research-based quantitatively informed fundamentals that support its foundation and overarching investment thesis "While we have only grown organically since our founding 30 years ago we believe there is a need for additional high-quality quantitative equity capabilities for institutional investors and other asset owners at scale," said David G NISA's CEO and Head of Investment Strategies NISA finds itself in the advantageous position to diversify by integrating an experienced quantitative strategy team without losing focus on our core business." The strategy will be led by Mohan Balachandran who returns to NISA after leading the successful development and launch of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas' ("TRS") Multi-asset Strategies Group Pluhar and Ruymgaart collectively helped oversee $16 billion of assets across quantitative equity and alternative risk premia portfolios seeking to generate alpha over a long-term horizon Before working on the quantitative equity program he launched the retirement system's first directly managed Leary comes to NISA with almost a decade of experience in quantitative equity research and management at TRS and manages assets for some of the largest institutional investors in the U.S The firm is 100% employee-owned and based in St Client portfolios include investment-grade fixed income NISA managed $274 billion in physical assets and $146 billion in derivative notional value.  Brian Schaffer / Julia Sidi[email protected]  Do not sell or share my personal information: Business For more than 30 years, NISA has driven strategic growth and guided custom investment strategies for hundreds of clients. Eichhorn has been with the firm since 1999, leading its investment strategies group and overseeing product development. Prior to NISA, Eichhorn worked with J.P. Morgan, advising clients on asset allocation and investment policy. NISA has approximately 375 employees and manages more than $446 billion in combined assets as of September 30, 2024. PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the last 12 months? NISA is one of the largest managers of fixed income (bonds) in the U.S. The historic rise in interest rates in 2022/23 greatly depressed the value of the bonds we manage, creating a strong revenue headwind. The NISA team has been remarkably resilient to these external pressures and has identified areas of growth and increased efficiencies to overcome these challenges.  What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? NISA is 100 percent employee-owned, which is very rare for our size in the asset management industry. We have a stated intention to remain that way, so what excites me most is developing the talent pool at NISA to become the next generation of owner-managers. It’s very hard work, but there is nothing more exciting or rewarding than seeing someone accept, and then absolutely excel in a new role.   Subscribe to the St. Louis Business newsletter to get the latest insights sent to your inbox every morning. To whom or where do you go for sound business advice? Everywhere. If you listen with intent, as we do with our clients, you can find insight in nearly every conversation. I find insights and inspiration in common sources, such as business school reviews, industry podcasts, etc. But some of the best sources are often less traditional: biographies, philosophy, psychology, etc. What is one thing you would change about the St. Louis metro area business environment and why? Our confidence in our community—I think the business community and our citizens can often undersell St. Louis. This city is an absolute gem, but it will take all of us, working together, to help the world see it.  Greater St. Louis, Inc. is doing phenomenal work along these lines—that’s why NISA was a founding member.   BACKGROUNDWhere were you born? South St. Louis: 5000 Block of Nottingham Avenue. What was your childhood aspiration? Timely question with the reboot of The Fall Guy.  Colt Seaver’s stuntman.  Seriously. What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? I have a BSBA from Washington University—majors in finance and mathematics. If you were not in your current profession, what would you be doing and why? I’m not exactly sure, but definitely making something. I would love to renovate old homes or buildings. Professional furniture maker would be pretty fun. HOBBIES & INTERESTSWhat is your favorite St. Louis-area restaurant? St. Louis is an amazing food city. In fact, every month when I meet with members of our workforce to celebrate their birthday, I ask them for their restaurant recommendations, and I find something exceptional every time. But The Crossing or Brasserie are two of my go-to spots. What is one item you recently crossed off your bucket list? I visited Japan (with my 18-year-old son). But it’s not really crossed off because I am definitely going back. What would people be surprised to learn about you (fun fact)? My closest friends remain the guys I grew up with in South St. Louis, most of which went to grade school with me at St. Mary Magdalen on S. Kingshighway. At a minimum, we meet once per month at a great South City watering hole to enjoy the local nectar, Busch beer.   What is your go-to karaoke song? Preferably a song that is down the playlist enough that the bar closes before my number is called. In an emergency, anything by Gordon Lightfoot. Listen Here Listen Here Listen Here Listen Here BUSINESS NEWSLETTER Start your mornings with a fresh take on the day’s top local news from Sarah Fenske and Ryan Krull. No spam, you can unsubscribe anytime you want. Our award-winning content brings readers revealing profiles Start your mornings with a fresh take on the day’s top local news There are no statistics available for this player Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here NISA announced a new plan to get back into professional soccer later this fall but its amateur league NISA Nation looks to be losing influence across the country A tumultuous start to 2025 continues for the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) The league announced a new plan to get back into professional soccer later this fall but its amateur division looks to be losing influence across the country NISA operated as a Division III professional soccer league between 2019 and 2024 the New York Cosmos and New Amsterdam FC both at times competed in NISA The professional and amateur arms of NISA look unstable at this point with the league's continued attempts to right itself not yet panning out the league is still trying to convince teams to join as it tries to have another go at professional soccer NISA released an email press release announcing the "NISA Pro Cup Tournament" scheduled for sometime during Fall 2025 The tournament's announcement did not include any details like the teams or the competition's dates but it will be part of NISA's professional league application to the USSF for 2025-2026 Of note, this release hasn’t been uploaded to the league's official website alongside other announcements NISA is still attempting to secure professional sanctioning from US Soccer The league and federation last met in person at the USSF Annual General Meeting in Atlanta where it was noted that nothing had changed regarding NISA’s situation the league's professional league application to the USSF will include 2025 tournament clubs as well as new clubs and cities planned for 2026 NISA announced in January that it was targeting an April start date for its 2025 season While never announcing that this plan was off the latest press release states that NISA "will return to a full schedule in 2026 as it resets the enterprise and membership." "We are truly excited as we move forward with our plans for growth in the coming months," said Los Angeles Force owner and president Bob Friedland in the press release "The NISA Pro Cup Tournament this fall will bring together great teams and talent We are very proud to have a rich history that has given the path for many past NISA players that have received the exposure in our league and moved on to higher divisions in the US We expect to nurture much more talent in the future." It should be noted that as of now, Bob Friedland is most likely acting as NISA's leader. Last week, it was confirmed that NISA commissioner John Prutch had stepped down There has been no update on appointing a new commissioner but Friedland controls a majority on the NISA board and the release stated he was "guiding the league’s reset." NISA has also lost its main corporate communications specialist who told the media he was leaving his role at the league effective Thursday The NISA news kept coming this week as it was announced on Thursday that another NISA team will play in a different league Club de Lyon FC, based out of the Orlando, Florida area, joined the National Premier Soccer League ahead of the upcoming season "The NPSL is pleased to have Club De Lyon FC join the league," NPSL managing director Cindy Spera said in their announcement "Orlando is an important soccer market for the conference bridging the gap between Miami and West Palm Beach to the south and Jacksonville to the north." CdL's two seasons playing professional soccer have been turbulent Issues with field access and players not being paid have been common stories from the organization The NPSL announcement does not hide CdL’s NISA history and also claims that "the club will remain in NISA for the 2025 and 2026 seasons." It indicates CdL's owners seem to be aware that NISA is not playing a full professional season thus the plan to jump to a new amateur league On Wednesday, the Metroplex Premier League a regional Dallas – Fort Worth area soccer league became the latest league to end its affiliation with NISA Nation "We are moving forward and hoping to build our partnership with The League for Clubs and the Southwest Premier League to enhance the ability for our clubs to have a pathway to play outside of our competition," the statement said The following day, the Mountain Premier League, a Colorado-centered regional league with connections to Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho - announced it was also ceasing its affiliation agreement with NISA Nation The MPL had been aligned with NISA Nation since late 2020 with its members taking part in events such as the NISA Independent Cup and NISA Nation National Finals The Mountain PL is home to 13 teams across three divisions Additionally, Hudson River Blue can confirm that another league canceled its NISA Nation affiliation. The Midwest Premier League based out of several states in the Midwest The MWPL is home to former national champion teams such as RWB Adria (Chicago WI) and is probably the second-strongest regional league in the country behind the APSL it’s home to 45 teams across three conferences The league has not announced this publicly, though NISA seemingly jumped ahead of the news by announcing an affiliation with the Michigan Premier League earlier this year The three leagues join the Northeast-based American Premier Soccer League in leaving NISA Nation NISA Nation has not announced a new team added since March 5 and lost over 100 previously-affiliated teams Its Spring season is slated to kick off today “Investors’ behaviour notably shifted last year particularly into low-cost index funds that reaped the benefits of NISA’s tax-exempt allowances,” Motori says in an interview with Asia Asset Management But he says whether the growth trajectory will continue this year depends largely on global market performance “It’s challenging to forecast [the outlook] he says retail investors in Japan still prefer US and global equities funds though some may consider reallocating to Japanese equity funds with the strengthening yen He also notes that net inflows into exchange-traded funds have been declining since 2022 as the Bank of Japan slowed ETF purchases he says ETF assets still saw a “significant increase” primarily from the introduction of active ETFs in 2023 More than ten active ETFs have since been listed on the Tokyo bourse investors are attracted by the underlying approaches of these funds the active ETF managed by Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management is based on the company’s existing proven mutual fund strategies such as high-dividend and equity-focused types This offers investors the benefits of established track records,” he says For the third summer in a row, high school students had the opportunity to attend the National Intelligence Summer Academy (NISA) held on UNG's Cumming campus executive director of our strategic and security studies bachelor's degree program and funded by UNG's Institute for Leadership and Strategic Studies (ILSS) the week-long program provided 40 sophomores and seniors an intense and exciting look at the field of "intelligence" and the US Intelligence Community attendees received an overview of the myriad courses and programs offered at UNG that can set them up for a career in the intel field NISA attendees got to hear first-hand from practitioners in the field — from US agencies such as the National Security Agency the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation the speakers combined their experiences and insights to meet the three primary goals of the Academy's program – to lift the veil of secrecy on the hidden world of intelligence and controversies ; to provide a context for understanding the important role intelligence has played in our nation's history and continues to play today; and to provide a foundational knowledge of the intelligence field setting the stage for possible careers in the field © 2025 The University System of Georgia and the University of North Georgia UNG follows the section 508 Standards and WCAG 2.1 for web accessibility. If you require this content in another format, please send an email to the ADA Coordinator. Use of military-themed imagery does not constitute endorsement by the U.S we deeply value and uphold the cherished right of every American to freely express themselves As a distinguished Senior Military College we take great pride in our role of cultivating leaders who tirelessly defend these fundamental freedoms for all citizens.  The legacy of our graduates in this regard is second to none our primary responsibility is to cultivate an academic environment that ensures this exchange of ideas and the safety of our community we are committed to fostering a welcoming atmosphere where individuals feel empowered to freely express themselves and engage in exploration and learning it is essential that these rights are exercised in a manner that upholds our academic mission and is in accordance with our institutional policies and other criminal acts will not be tolerated at the University of North Georgia and civility as we equip our students to walk toward their purpose The Nisa branding on convenience stores will remain unchanged but B2B partners will now make purchases through Co-op Wholesale Co-op is rebranding its Nisa business to Co-op Wholesale as part of a strategic move to strengthen its commitment to independent retailers and expand its presence in the corporate B2B market The rebranding draws on Co-op’s extensive 160-year wholesale heritage and marks a new era for the business the change is designed to drive greater value for independent retailers while fueling ambitions for expansion into broader corporate markets Katie Secretan has been appointed as the Managing Director of Co-op Wholesale following her role as Director of Sales and Retail at Nisa Co-op credits Secretan with unlocking growth opportunities for both existing retailers and new corporate partnerships as well as establishing the foundation to support ambitious growth targets “We’re clear that this is more than just a supply relationship Co-op Wholesale is backed by a business built on purpose and we’ll use our platforms to champion what matters most to our diverse partner base We know that we can make a greater impact when we work together,” said Secretan She also noted that significant growth opportunities are already emerging through corporate accounts as well as traditional retail partnerships Christ Wash Systems Let there be light! VEGA, the next generation. Driving future of mobility – Meet us at P2D to experience EV charging in a whole new dimension Get Ahead of Flow Rate Issues Detect and Fix Anomalies Fast with Fuel Analytics. Get the eBook! Book your stand NOW! The leading service station and car wash trade fair in Europe. Copyright © 2025. All rights reserved. Use of this website signifies your agreement to the Privacy policy Report: US Soccer will no longer provisionally sanction the National Independent Soccer Association the controversial and chaotic league that started play in 2019 The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) a third-division professional soccer league will not be sanctioned by the US Soccer Federation in 2025 according to multiple sources who aren't authorized to speak publicly on the matter the number of men’s Division III leagues in the United States could drop to two: MLS Next Pro and USL League One NISA saw nine teams playing across six states during the 2024 season and has been provisionally sanctioned since it was established in 2017. On October 19, 2024, LA Force drew Irvine Zeta FC 1-1 then defeated them 3:2 on penalties to earn their first NISA title Other nearby member teams included Flower City Union (Rochester all of which asked for anonymity because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter the NISA will not be granted provisional sanctioning in 2025 by US Soccer It is unclear if this decision was already made and NISA are seeking to appeal or if the decision is yet to be made official No timeframe for the disclosure of this news was given NISA initially was granted provisional third-division sanctioning in February 2019 something that a league will usually only hold onto for one or two years before being granted full sanctioning leagues are meant to show that they are fully compliant with Pro League Standards (PLS) PLS are the requirements that all professional soccer leagues in the United States must abide by and feature different requirements for each of the three professional divisions This applies to both the men’s and women’s soccer pyramids The requirements as of March 7, 2023, can be downloaded here The highlights for the Division III men’s outdoor league include: NISA was given provisional sanction every year of their existence with many pointing out the league’s inability to fully comply with PLS been broken or not fulfilled during the league’s existence Sources could not tell Hudson River Blue whether USSF’s decision was based on one singular reason or a collection of them piling up Our statement regarding @NISALeague's Match Officials continually not being paid for the work they provided for the league.We are calling for USSF to reexamine the Professional League sanctioning for NISA and, if necessary, to cover any of the unpaid fees owed to Officials. pic.twitter.com/k1wby9RpyE The NISA was founded by former Chicago Fire president Peter Wilt and sports executive Jack Cummins First announced in 2017 and set for a launch in 2018 the league went quiet following multiple setbacks This included the 2017 de-sanctioning of the North American Soccer League which was supposed to act as a partner to the project and the departure of Wilt to start Forward Madison FC in USL League One Launched in the Fall of 2019, the NISA was now fully under the control of Cummin’s former Club 9 Sports group, with eight teams. By week three one team had already withdrawn from the season What followed was six seasons of soccer overshadowed by controversy and as many as 26 different teams have played for NISA across six seasons with other announced expansion sides never taking the field has played continuously in NISA since the initial Fall 2019 season The league was regularly losing two clubs a season as it tried to stay above the eight playing members minimum for USSF sanctioning NISA has had positive moments in their short tenure The league initially launched with a Fall-to-Spring season format something which is now used by the women’s USL Super League and which is reportedly being considered by Major League Soccer.  Following the shutout of professional sports due to COVID-19 NISA was one of the first professional soccer leagues in America to return to play which gave lesser-known amateur teams the chance to play higher-profile games against professional sides The league’s Fall 2020 Championship also earned high praise. The single-location tournament was held in a strict COVID bubble, with all eight of the league’s teams participating. Hosts Detroit City FC beat Oakland Roots SC to earn their first professional trophy while NISA was the only pro league besides MLS to complete its playoffs that year The other net positive was that the league gave teams a chance to play professional soccer before joining larger and Detroit City FC all played in NISA before joining the second-division USL Championship one of the last pillar clubs NISA had left joined the separate third division league MLS Next Pro for the 2024 season It was a point that NISA Commissioner John Prutch noted on multiple occasions While it wasn’t an ideal situation to lose teams NISA was always supposed to give teams a lower barrier of entry to professional soccer to grow from there The end of NISA as a professional league closes one of the most chaotic and controversial chapters in American soccer history. NISA, much like the NASL could remain active for the foreseeable future through legal action However, it is likely there will never be a professional NISA match ever again Now questions will arise about what happens to players and teams there’s a surplus of third-division talent for the market to grab Some of these players will likely join teams in national amateur leagues such as the NPSL A select few might get eyes from USL League One or MLS Next Pro teams Leading goal scorers such as Georgia FC’s Patrick Okonkwo and 2024 NISA Golden Boot winner Darwin Espinal of Maryland Bobcats FC formerly of the Tampa Bay Rowdies and New York Cosmos should find themselves with offers of some kind from lower division pro teams making even a return to the amateur game highly suspect PAY YOUR PLAYERS AND STAFF!! @SavCloversFC @NISALeague @ussoccer with reports claiming the club had not been paying membership dues for the last few seasons the team have a compelling case to make a jump into USL and if Loudoun United FC’s territory rights don’t interfere a future in USL League One or MLS Next Pro could be on the table Another team whose future looks bright is 2023 NISA Champion Flower City Union Despite leaving the league after winning the title last season NY side has been hampered by NISA due to contractual obligations and is currently playing in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) FCU wanted to join USL League Two with hopes of eventually returning to professional play in USL League One. However the NISA members charter stipulated either the league has a say in where departing members play or that leaving teams pay a seven-digit-figure buy-out As for teams such as Capo FC (San Juan Capistrano UPDATE: Following the publication of this story Hudson River Blue was contacted by NISA Communications Specialist Steve Johnson He provided the following statement in regards to our original question regarding the state of the league “We are still planning our 2025 slate and more than excited to see our independent professional clubs back on the pitch.” CLARIFICATION: New Jersey Teamsterz FC was admitted to the NISA but never participated in league play The move by the amateur American Premier Soccer League will leave NISA Nation with no teams in the Northeast NISA Nation, the amateur league affiliated with the embattled National Independent Soccer Association, lost a major arm of their competition — and one that includes the New York soccer scene. Earlier today, American Premier Soccer League, a regional amateur league that feature more than 50 clubs, announced they are no longer affiliated with NISA Nation. The APSL functioned as the Northeast Region for NISA Nation, with the league champion qualifying for the NISA Nation National Championship playoffs. In fact, the only teams to ever win the NISA Nation national title came from the APSL, including 2024 winners New York Greek Americans from Astoria. View this post on Instagram A post shared by New Logical Sports - Livestream & Highlights (@newlogicalsports) This news comes the day after Hudson River Blue reported that NISA are currently not provisionally sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, according to sources who are not authorized to speak on the record It is unclear if NISA will be able to start their season in April as announced or indeed if they will return to professional play at all this year The following message was sent to APSL team managers earlier today: The APSL is currently in their fifth season of play and returned to action this past weekend following the winter break The APSL, which was known as the Eastern Premier Soccer League until recently, currently holds five conferences across eight states. The Metropolitan Conference directly centers on New York City, with nine of the 12 teams coming from the five boroughs. The teams include powerhouses such as US Open Cup champions the New York Pancyprian Freedoms and the Greek Americans along with other well-knowns such as Lansdowne Yonkers FC and Central Park Rangers FC The APSL also directly works with other local state leagues The champions of feeder leagues from New Jersey and Long Island all have the opportunity to gain promotion into the APSL while poor-performing teams risk being relegated The league was announced in mid-2020 as a joint effort between the New York City-based Cosmopolitan Soccer League and Maryland Major Soccer League to create a regional multi-league promotion and relegation system in the United States the league’s footprint grew to include feeder league affiliates with five leagues and housing nearly 50 teams across its conferences In late 2020, the then-named EPSL became an affiliate of NISA Nation and the EPSL became the NISA Nation Northeast Region while retaining a majority of its own independence As Hudson River Blue reported yesterday the five-year affiliation agreement included a clause: If the professional NISA lost its sanctioning the APSL could leave the agreement with NISA Nation without cause It's unclear if that is the reason why APSL ended their relationship with NISA Nation NISA Nation is still affiliated with multiple regional amateur leagues around the country This includes the Cascadia Premier League in the Pacific Northwest the Southwest Premier League in states like Arizona none of these leagues act as regions for NISA Nation "We want to thank the EPSL for their contributions to NISA Nation over the last two years and wish the APSL the best moving forward," Pope told Hudson River Blue the league will now be without 40-plus teams to help make up its ranks the league will also lose a connection to the amateur ecosystems in the states that fall under APSL That means NISA Nation will not have a presence in significant parts of the region This is not the first time NISA Nation has lost the Northeast Region The league initially started in the Spring of 2021 with a six-team standalone conference that included teams in New Jersey New Jersey Alliance FC finished first to claim the title which included a 16–0 over fellow member Bearfight @ Albion SC Delaware and NJ Alliance repeated as champions with an undefeated ten-game season the conference collapsed not long after as members turned to other amateur leagues such as the United Premier Soccer League NISA Nation Outreach and Communications Lead The organization maintains they have provisional sanctioning despite rule by US Soccer requiring all professional leagues to participate in the tournament The National Independent Soccer Association is out of the 2025 US Open Cup, according to a public statement issued by the league a league granted provisional sanctioning by US Soccer when they started play in 2019 The league was the former stomping grounds for local teams such as the New York Cosmos and New Amsterdam FC According to US Soccer’s “General Requirements for All Professional Leagues,” provisional sanctioning can be used if the Board of Directors “believes the league has a material chance of not meeting the required standards” to operate The federation applied this status to NISA dating back to their first season in 2019-20 In December, we reported in these pages that the NISA wouldn’t receive provisional sanctioning in 2025 according to sources with knowledge of the situation NISA Communications Specialist Steve Johnson told Hudson River Blue that “NISA continues with the same provisional sanctioning status it has had since inception.” NISA maintains that the decision not to participate in the US Open Cup was made in “agreement with US Soccer,” and that they “look forward to rejoining the competition in 2026.”  It’s highly unusual for an entire league to miss the US Open Cup Participation in the tournament is mandated by US Soccer according to the federation’s “Professional League Standards (PLS),” which specifies that “US-based teams must participate in the US Open Cup.” Every professional league in the United States must follow the guidelines set out in the PLS in order to be in good standing with the federation That includes all eligible US-based teams participating in the US Open Cup The professional status of the league was never in question MLS argued their actions were within PLS guidelines Due to the inclusion of MLS Next Pro reserve teams by 11 of the absent first-division sides those organizations were technically represented in the tournament This decision seems to be in play for the 2025 Open Cup as well which will feature 16 teams from MLS teams and 10 teams from MLS NEXT Pro Only one domestic MLS club will not be represented at the tournament Reports indicate that it will be expansion side San Diego FC but that has not been officially confirmed the league will miss the Open Cup because of the late targeted start of the season we have decided not to participate in this year's US Open Cup,” NISA’s announcement said “We look forward to rejoining the competition in 2026.” There is some precedent for this sort of decision In 2013, the North American Soccer League allowed the then-expansion side New York Cosmos to sit out their Spring season and join the league during the Fall This decision meant the Cosmos did not participate in the 2013 US Open Cup but did compete in a sanctioned league later in the year NISA has previously had teams forgo the USOC only to compete in a regular season later in the year Georgia Lions SC forfeited their first-round US Open Cup match due to internal issues The restructured club later took the field in NISA under new ownership as Georgia FC it is extremely rare for a sanctioned league to be completely absent from the country’s national soccer championship In 2023, Rochester New York FC of MLS NEXT Pro dropped out of the tournament when they announced they would cease operations a month prior to the tournament They were the only MLS NEXT Pro team in the competition that year since the rest of the league’s reserve teams were ineligible to compete under competition rules It was the only year that MLS NEXT Pro didn’t field any teams in the US Open Cup a well-known Pan-Africanist and motivational speaker recently found himself at the center of controversy after a woman named Nisa publicly claimed to be his daughter the 22-year-old accused Johnson of being absent from her life alleging he missed pivotal moments like birthdays and graduations Her claims quickly sparked online discussions drawing mixed reactions from supporters and critics alike refuting her statements and questioning her motives He suggested that her accusations stemmed from a desire for attention labeling her actions as "clout chasing," a term often associated with seeking notoriety through controversy His dismissal of the allegations further fueled the debate prompting speculation about the truth behind their relationship The notion of "clout chasing" implies manipulating public interest for personal gain without tangible proof of Nisa's intentions especially those played out on social media often involve layers of complexity that make it difficult to discern genuine grievances from opportunistic behavior More: Dr Umar Johnson Is Outraged By Jay-Z Allegations And Cautions His Accuser View this post on Instagram A post shared by Watch Live Bitez (@livebitez) Johnson's high-profile status adds another dimension to the situation as public figures frequently face scrutiny and claims from individuals seeking validation or exposure dismissing Nisa’s claims without a thorough examination risks overlooking potential truths This situation underscores the broader complexities of familial estrangement and the impact of social media in amplifying personal conflicts While Johnson insists the allegations are baseless the true nature of their relationship remains unclear the public discourse should prioritize a nuanced perspective recognizing that personal narratives are often more intricate than they appear whether Nisa is genuinely seeking recognition from an absent father or attempting to capitalize on Johnson’s notoriety remains uncertain is the power of digital platforms in shaping perceptions and influencing public opinion in real-time Johnson continues to visit various platforms to speak on current events and politics More: Dr. Umar Johnson Under Fire For Outrageous Kobe Bryant Death Conspiracy Theory [via] By 2025-05-02T14:22:00+01:00 The forecasting follows a three-month trial with independent retailer Gary Batten Technology company Kelsius is set to save Nisa retailers up to £10k in labour costs a year by using its system to streamline food safety management processes The forecast follows a three-month trial with independent retailer Gary Batten across his two Nisa stores in Cornwall, after Kelsius announced it was partnering with Co-op Wholesale last year Batten saved up to two hours of staff time a day at his store in St Stephens allowed him to optimise up to one hour of colleague labour a day Kelsius said that with operational fees starting from £4 a day return on investment averaged around 150% at 12 months Kelsius is also offering Nisa retailers a 10% discount on installation costs The system works by streamlining Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) checks labour-intensive food safety management processes and the risk of human error This includes temperature control to ensure food is stored and cooked properly. Kelsius provides a wireless temperature monitoring system that uses sensors and probes for deli, bakery or butcher counters The sensors automatically alert retailers when a fridge or freezer temperature falls outside set parameters, helping to prevent loss of stock and food waste Probes can be used to monitor temperatures on the spot All data is recorded and available in real time “They’re utilising that time to better serve customers, look at stock levels, increase their training all elements that they are potentially missing out on,” Kelsius UK food retail sales manager Danielle Guy told The Grocer Kelsius said the digital system also helped convenience retailers achieve their sustainability goals by eliminating the paper and printing needed to carry out the HACCP process manually A wider rollout among Co-op Wholesale’s Nisa retail estate is underway Guy said the business has carried out demos with 25 stores to showcase the equipment and costs so far with plans to onboard 40 sites by the end of the year Sign in to comment on this article Site powered by Webvision Cloud Learn moreExplore related questionsDiscover more about the topics that matter most, with instant, bespoke insight from The Grocer. Browse our suggested questions or ask your own to find out more. The Liberal Democratic Party’s parliamentary league on promoting investment has submitted a proposal to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba that calls for expanding the Nippon Individual Savings Account (NISA) system to allow minors to open accounts. To use this site, please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page. This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content, and analyzing our website traffic. By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies. Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent. We apologize for any inconvenience caused. With a focus on expanding NISA accounts to minors and seniors, the league, which is led by former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, urged the government on Wednesday to formulate the Policy Plan for Promoting Japan as a Leading Asset Management Center 2.0. Kishida developed the Policy Plan for Promoting Japan as a Leading Asset Management Center when he was prime minister. Its flagship policy was the new NISA, which was launched in January 2024, that increased investment allowances over the previous NISA. The proposal includes the introduction of the “supporting children NISA,” which would abolish the current minimum age of 18 for the “Tsumitate NISA” (installment-type NISA), which allows monthly investments into certain trusts and holds them tax-free for 20 years. The support children NISA envisions leveraging funds gifted from grandparents to promote asset formation among younger generations. This initiative aims to channel the significant savings of the elderly toward growth investments in Japanese companies, while also addressing the declining birth rate and supporting child-rearing. Targeting seniors, the proposal introduces the “platinum NISA,” which is designed to facilitate the purchase of investment trusts offering monthly income from their investment gains. These types of investment trusts are typically not recommended for long-term wealth accumulation and are therefore currently ineligible under NISA. However, this proposal was put forth in response to requests from people who want to utilize their accumulated assets as a regular income stream, similar to a pension, to cover living costs. Considering that individuals’ desired investment products can shift around the time of retirement, the proposal further advocates for the deregulation of switching, thus allowing investors to move the funds from their original investments into alternative products. The proposal also aims to enhance the selection of products available under NISA’s Tsumitate investment framework. Taking into account the emergence of new indices like the Yomiuri Stock Index (Yomiuri 333) and their linked products, the secretariat of the parliamentary league said this will create more investment options and has the potential to increase domestic investment. Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting, readable fomat. © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun while China’s Hony Capital is the manager of a new fund Edited by: Joymitra Rai People Venture Capital Venture Capital Private Equity Japan’s revamped NISA tax-exempt system for small investment was launched under the slogan of “promoting stable asset building for households.” In July Oricon conducted a survey of 6,028 people who opened a NISA account 44.0% had opened a new NISA account with a securities firm for the first time meaning that for almost half of the individuals the introduction of the new NISA system was the motivation for opening their first account The new NISA has two investment frameworks: tsumitate and “growth” for investments expected to generate benefits from listed stocks and the like More than half of new investors use both frameworks although there is a tendency for those at brokerage firms accounts to prefer growth accounts while those at banks are more likely to pick tsumitate More than 40% of investors aged 60 or older who use securities firms chose to invest only in growth portfolios customers at securities firms tend to focus on convenience of transactions such as acceptable commission rates and ease of placing an order; whereas bank customers are more focused on ease of understanding and the response to inquiries so that they can be guided through uncharted territory The most common monthly investment amount for tsumitate accounts at securities firms and banks was between ¥10,000 and ¥ 30,000 followed in the case of securities firms by transactions of ¥100,000 or more and at banks by transactions between ¥30,000 and ¥50,000 32.1% of the respondents using securities firms made investments at least once a month while 24.8% did so less than once every two to three months 39.1% conducted transactions less frequently than once every two to three months suggesting that they basically left their accounts alone after opening them The Lechlade community came together last week for an Easter-themed celebration hosted by the SGN Retail-operated Nisa Local at Lechlade Service Station in Cirencester alongside branded tote bags and pens while Country Choice offered hot food samples throughout the morning Customers were given a chance to win branded Crème Egg rucksacks and an Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet donated by Mondelez which was used to provide complimentary drinks for visitors and prize winners In addition to the community day celebrations, the store received a £500 donation from Co-op Wholesale’s Making a Difference Locally (MADL) charity which will be split between St Lawrence Primary School and Lechlade Memorial Hall The neighbouring Bourton service station also received £500 which was donated to Headspace and Kate’s Nursing Home Discussions are ongoing with other community groups to further involve the wider community and ensure lasting benefits from the event Paul Courtney, commercial director at SGN Retail said: “We’re incredibly proud of the turnout and support we received from the community and our suppliers Events like this reflect the heart of what SGN Retail stands for – giving back and building meaningful connections in the areas we serve “We are grateful for the support of Co-op Wholesale MADL and our brilliant suppliers who made the day a real success.” Tagged with: Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information small-lot investors in Japan poured trillions of yen into mutual funds that invest in overseas stocks under a tax-exemption program that kicked off a year ago which all track performances of benchmark global or U.S accounted for one-third of the approximately 11.8 trillion yen ($75 billion) invested through 10 securities companies during the first 11 months of 2024 a government tax-free program for investments in investment trusts NISA stands for Nippon Individual Savings Account The survey covered five leading securities houses--Nomura Securities Co. and Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co.--and five online brokerages: SBI Securities Co. The purchase amounts at the 10 companies under the NISA program totaled 11.8 trillion yen between January and November according to figures compiled by the Japan Securities Dealers Association The Asahi Shimbun survey found that the five most popular investment trusts accounted for about 4 trillion yen two products from Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co.’s eMAXIS Slim series attracted more than 3.3 trillion yen between them One aims to match the returns of a global stock index while the other is based on the S&P 500 index of leading publicly traded U.S The NISA program consists of two categories: Tsumitate Quota where investors can choose from about 300 investment trusts for monthly investments; and Growth Quota for buying stocks or about 2,300 investment trusts exchange-traded funds and real estate investment trusts a handful of instruments that mainly invest in overseas markets whose returns are relatively high and commissions low While the Nikkei 225 index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose about 40 percent over the four years through 2024 it trailed the S&P 500’s nearly 60-percent rise over the same period Seven of the 10 securities companies provided breakdowns of purchased investment trusts by age groups The data showed that among those in their teens through their 40s the 10 most-bought investment trusts all track performances of overseas stocks are subject to foreign exchange fluctuations Their values rise when the yen weakens but fall when the currency strengthens those aged 18 or older can invest up to 3.6 million yen a year for a total of 18 million yen with taxes exempted permanently (This article was written by Kohei Higashitani and Toshiki Horigome.) Japanese money flows abroad via NISA investment program Volatile markets test Kishida’s push to make Japan a nation of investors Stock splits boom before tax-free investing program begins Tokyo stocks plunge on 1st open trading day of the new year 2 public entities hold large stakes in 84% of firms listed on TSE Adults seeking tax-free profits in system set up for children’s futures Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission This website requires you to be 18+ years of age or older Please verify your age to view the content the food hub has helped feed around 75,000 people Nisa Local Stamford has donated £1,600 to George’s Food Hub to support its efforts in tackling food poverty The donation was made possible through the Co-op Wholesale’s Making a Difference Locally (MADL) charity which contributed £1,000 via its Winter Warmers campaign This was topped up by a further £600 raised through an in-store Pink Friday fundraiser George’s Food Hub collects food from local suppliers and distributes nutritious surplus stock to those in need – many of whom are homeless The organisation now delivers food weekly to three Peterborough-based projects EXCLUSIVE: Co-op denies breaking pricing promise to Nisa retailers the food hub has helped feed approximately 75,000 people collected and distributed more than 235,000kg of surplus food and saved 200kg of CO2 emissions annually through waste reduction said: “It’s heartwarming to see our community come together and we’re proud to play a part in helping those who may be struggling.” added: “Contributing £1,600 towards charity food is our way of giving back and ensuring those in need receive essential supplies We’re proud to support George as he works towards securing a van for better distribution.” we’re proud to support causes like this that make a real and lasting difference to people’s lives.” Read more Nisa’s wholesale business to rebrand as Co-op Wholesale This article doesn't have any comments yet Join today to get exclusive content and subscribe to the online and print versions of Retail News © Better Retailing is part of Newtrade Media Limited These essential cookies do things like remember your progress through a form and keep you logged in Our website uses one or more analytical statistical data collection programs to assemble records about who uses the site and many other items of statistical importance that allow us to improve our effectiveness in the supply of web experiences The nature of the data collected does not give us information about who you are (by name or address) but it can give us IP address identity Information is collated into a series of reports and is studied on a regular basis The stats that these cookies generate are anonymous and cover things such as; Some pages may contain content from other sites These sites are sometimes called ‘third party’ services This tells us how many people are seeing the content and whether it’s useful Co-op released its finanical results today (3 April) showing a significant increase in group profit and further reductions in group net debt Profit before tax is up by £133m to £161m (2023: £28m) and Membership growth is up 22% to 6.2 million on track to reach target of 8 million by 2030 Revenue maintained at £11.3bn with underlying operating profit up by £34m to £131m (2023: £97m) Wholesale revenue is down 5.5% at £1.4bn (2023: £1.5bn) with wholesale loss of £1m versus £14m profit in 2023 “due to continued wider challenging market conditions and our proactive support for partners with a significant price investment across hundreds of products.” Nisa market share was held at 11.9%, “against a broader sector decline in volumes”. This follows news of  Co-op re-organising its supply chain to independent retailers by re-branding Nisa’s wholesale operation as Co-op Wholesale Co-op said high levels of partners continue to buy own brand at 92% (2023: 91%) Food revenue is up 1.9% at £7.4bn – with strong multichannel sales across stores and online with food underlying operating profit increasing by £28m to £201m (2023: £173m) Franchise revenue increased 31% to £74m (2023: £56m) with 20 new franchises opened including the retailer’s first NHS and MoD sites as well as seven new stores with EG On The Move Photo by Theo Moye: The Co-operative Food Store on Queen Street Co-op revealed growth plans to double the number of new franchise stores in 2025 with strong pipeline of launches due including further university and NHS sites said: “These results show that our strategy on delivering for our member owners whilst also delivering long term financial and operational progress is working I’m particularly delighted we have increased our active membership by 22% “I’d also like to extend a thank you to each colleague for their focus and hard work in delivering these results on behalf of our members “We continue to focus on long term profitable growth creating more value for all our member owners and the communities they live in.” said: “Our solid business performance alongside the progress we have made in right sizing the business and delivering against our new strategy is enabling us to create more value for our member-owners every day our businesses are delivering strongly against the market and I’m proud that we continue to provide support to our colleagues and their communities through the continued cost of living challenges they face supported by a strong balance sheet and a clear and compelling business strategy and remain on track to reach our goal of 8 million Co-op member owners by 2030 with a focus on growing our Co-op for the future.” Co-op re-brands Nisa as re-organisation continues Our 2024 team is complete 💙Everyone welcome senior setter Nisa to the Burgh! 🔗 https://t.co/voOLc3abHN pic.twitter.com/27a8HkAmRu helping them finish second in the league with a 14-1 record She also helped achieve second and third place finishes at the U19 Turkish Championships in 2017 and 2018 as well as a second place finish at the 2019 Junior Turkish Championships She played in three matches and five sets as a true freshman in 2021 including a season-high of eight against reigning National Champions Kentucky Buzlutepe dealt with injury as a sophomore in 2022 She saw much more playing time as a junior in the 2023 season helping the Aggies make the NCAA Tournament Buzlutepe is one of four setters on the roster for Pitt including senior and AVCA First Team All-American sophomore Haiti Tautua'a and freshman Kiann Dinn Pitt volleyball starts their season in three weeks time who has made the past two Elite Eights and defeated Pitt at Fitzgerald Field House in five sets in 2023 Sixth Year (One Year Left of Eligibility) (2019)Outside Hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez Graduate Student (One Year Left of Eligibility) (2020)Serve Specialist/Outside Hitter Cat Flood  Senior (One Year Left of Eligibility) (2021)Setter Rachel FairbanksSetter Nisa Buzlutepe Libero/Defensive Specialist Emmy Klika  Redshirt Junior (Two Years Left of Eligibility) (2021)Middle Blocker Bre Kelley Junior (Two Years Left of Eligibility) (2022)Serve Specialist/libero/defensive specialist Dillyn Griffin Sophomore (Three Years Left of Eligibility) (2023)Setter Haiti Tautua'aOutside Hitter Blaire BaylessOutside Hitter Torrey StaffordRight Side Hitter Olivia Babcock Freshman (Four Years Left of Eligibility) (2024) Middle Blocker Ryla JonesMiddle Blocker Bianca GaribaldiMiddle Blocker Dalia VîrlanLibero/Defensive Specialist Mallorie MeyerRight Side Hitter/Setter Kiana Dinn Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER National Report Overseas stocks dominate the top 10 investment trust funds purchased under a new tax exemption program for small-lot investors in Japan The trend puts pressure on the yen to weaken and heightens the risk of currency fluctuations impacting household finances The Asahi Shimbun surveyed 10 securities firms about their sales from January to June including five leading brokerages in Japan: Nomura Securities Co.; Daiwa Securities Co.; SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.; Mizuho Securities Co.; and Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co The other five are online brokerages: Rakuten Securities Inc.; SBI Securities Co.; MONEX Inc.; Matsui Securities Co.; and au Kabucom Securities Co which move in line with overseas stock prices and track global stock markets or U.S Shares offering high dividends and low management fees are particularly popular Japanese household and individual investments have increased under the new NISA (Nippon Individual Savings Account) which offers permanent tax exemption for small investments and was introduced in January According to data compiled by the Japan Securities Dealers Association the total purchase amount in NISA accounts at the 10 firms between January and June reached 7.5 trillion yen ($51.6 billion) The top 10 investment trusts alone accounted for around 2.7 trillion yen of the total many people have purchased other funds that invest in foreign stocks Many individual investors regularly purchase a fixed amount every month The most purchased fund was “eMAXIS Slim all country” managed by Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co New NISA accounts have pumped more than 1 trillion yen into the fund over the six-month period the fund’s net asset value fell by 4.9 percent due to the global stock market decline and strengthening yen the amount of redemptions far exceeded purchases Japanese investments in overseas stocks can also lose value when the yen strengthens The new NISA features an “accumulation investment” category for regular purchases of investment trust funds and a “growth investment” category that allows for purchases of individual stocks The most purchased individual stock was NTT Corp. with 137.9 billion yen invested from NISA accounts NTT announced a 25-for-1 stock split in May 2023 to make its shares more affordable “With the trade deficit continuing and the yen remaining on a downward trend holding only yen carries the risk of losing asset value,” said Hideki Shibata senior strategist at Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory Co stocks has become a significant option for individuals.” currency fluctuations will also have a major impact on individual asset formation.” ESG-friendly investment funds may not be so kind to investors and global equitiesIndividuals shifting out of savings lose their appetite for Indian stocks With Japanese stocks notching solid gains (Source photos by Toshiki Sasazu and Nanami Sato) TOKYO -- Japanese retail investors still favor U.S and global equities almost a year after a tax-saving investment scheme was updated as these assets have been outperforming domestic stocks betting the scheme would boost domestic retail participation By 2025-04-02T14:50:00+01:00 a collab between superstar Dolly Parton and wine supplier Accolade Wines has rolled out in convenience exclusively through Booker and Nisa The range features a Dolly Rosé (RRP: £9.50/750ml) and Dolly Prosecco (RRP: £11/750ml) and was first launched into Asda last September The prosecco is a “fresh and zingy sparkling wine” with “stone-fruit aromas” and flavours of apple and pears While the rosé is a “delicate and romantic French rosé” featuring notes of strawberry Accolade marked the brand’s move into convenience as a “really exciting milestone” we’re delighted to offer retailers an opportunity to tap into these thriving categories with a brand that resonates across generations,” said Tom Smith marketing director Europe at Accolade Wines we are committed to supporting our retail partners by bringing exciting and we look forward to seeing Dolly Wines delight shoppers and drive strong performance in the convenience sector.” Register today to gain unlimited access to articles and to receive our great range of email newsletters Register now Nisa has introduced a new three-for-£4 mix-and-match freezer deal through to 2025 replacing its previous five-for-£6 freezer offer The new deal introduces more choice in the products on offer and will change regularly in an effort to stop customers getting bored Nisa says that research indicates a significant consumer trend toward “mix and match” promotions as customers increasingly value the ability to personalise meals It adds that retail analysts also highlight that mix-and-match deals encourage larger basket sizes and cross-category purchases Among other research findings is that recurring meal deals led to “shopper fatigue” The new promotion offers a range of options that will change regularly partner at Nisa retailer Bradley’s Supermarkets said: “It’s important to remember that frozen is a value-driven category so it’s great to offer retailers a strong and compelling deal “Switching the mechanic to a three-for-£4 deal should help us drive sales as it makes the offer more appealing to a wider range of customers.” Tagged with: Today's print edition Home Delivery Savers may be helping to drive down the value of the yen as they take advantage of changes in the rules for tax-free accounts and bet heavily on foreign funds these individuals have been pouring about ¥1 trillion ($6.2 billion) a month into international investments which analysts say might have added ¥0.5 to ¥1 per dollar to the exchange rate every month.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The yen is currently trading at about ¥161 to the dollar and remains on the weak side as the Bank of Japan keeps rates low and continues to waver on the reduction of bond purchases The currency is down more than 15% over the past year In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division The Co-op is re-organising its supply chain to independent retailers by re-branding Nisa’s wholesale operation as Co-op Wholesale But there are no plans to change the Nisa fascia previously retail and sales director for Nisa has been made managing director of the new Co-op Wholesale managing director for business to business and growth at the Co-op said: “Our commitment to all our partners remains as strong as ever to ensure their businesses drive profitable growth now and for generations to come “Our move to Co-op Wholesale is a strategic step forward for us and one we’re immensely proud of It’ll allow us to deliver expansive growth and operational excellence for our business-to-business partners Secretan added: “We’re clear that this is more than just a supply relationship Co-op Wholesale is backed by a business built on purpose and we’ll use our platforms to champion what matters most to our diverse partner base as we know that we can make a greater impact when we work together.” A spokesperson for the Co-op added that there were “categorically” no plans to change the Nisa fascia She added: “Under Co-op Wholesale it remains up to the retailers to run their businesses as they see fit Nor would there be any redundancies as a result of the shake-up Tagged with: By 2025-04-03T11:38:00 The latest figures from Co-op sees mixed results for Nisa Wholesale which it puts down to a challenging market ALREADY HAVE A REGISTERED USER ACCOUNT? PLEASE LOG IN HERE Registration is quick and easy and provides access to:  Register for free By 2024-12-20T16:46:00 The Grocer understands the moves were confirmed in an email to Nisa staff this afternoon Already have an account? Sign in here Already have an account? Sign in here a New York City police officer and accomplished boxer will be recognized with the Prospect of the Year Award by both the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) and the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame (IWBHOF) This prestigious honor will be presented at the 12th Annual Induction Ceremony has already made a name for herself as a three-time gold medalist in the National Golden Gloves Championship combined with her commitment to her role as a police officer makes her a standout figure in the world of sports “Being selected as the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame Prospect of the Year as a woman is a prestigious honor that signifies recognition of exceptional talent and potential in the sport,” said Rodriguez it highlights not only personal achievements but also represents a proud moment for the local community and the rich history of boxing in New York This recognition can serve as a powerful motivation and opens doors to further opportunities in the sport.” In addition to her recognition by the NYSBHOF Rodriguez will be honored at a special event titled “Women Cops Who Box” in Las Vegas on April 4th as part of the IWBHOF’s two-day celebration This event acknowledges the unique contributions of female boxers who also serve in law enforcement Rodriguez will share this honor with nine other distinguished women The tribute will culminate in the “Night of Stars 2” semi-formal dinner where the IWBHOF's Class of 2025 will be inducted She is an eight-time New York Daily News Golden Gloves champion and a two-time Empire State and Caribbean and Central Americano gold medalist Her career as a New York City police officer spans two years during which she has worked in the rapid response unit focusing on crimes involving adolescents and supporting homicide victims' families Nisa Rodriguez's dual recognition by two esteemed boxing halls of fame underscores her significant impact on the sport and her community Her achievements serve as an inspiration to many proving that with determination and hard work success is attainable both inside and outside the ring Rodriguez remains a testament to the power of perseverance and dedication in pursuing one’s passions JUDY ROTICH Japan's new Nippon Individual Savings Accounts (NISA) program kicked off in January TOKYO -- The amount of money Japanese retail investors shifted into foreign equities via a tax-free investment scheme likely hit a record in June although such strong flows are expected to fade Net inflows into foreign equity investment trusts using the new Nippon Individual Savings Accounts (NISA) program reached 840 billion yen ($5.2 billion) in the first 12 business days of last month That was more than the first 12 working days of any other month so far this year adding that net flows in the first half of a month typically reflect the scale of flows for the whole month Nisa has kicked off 2025 with a major boost for its retail partners by removing the fuel levy and extending its Mega Deals pricing campaign underscoring its commitment to supporting retailers through a challenging economic environment which was first introduced in January 2022 to help retailers manage rising operating costs Fluctuating with the volatile fuel industry Nisa reduced its fuel levy to £3.66 per delivery in October 2024 for the first time in over a year the complete removal of this charge represents a significant step in easing cost pressures on its partners commented: “Retailers continue to face increasing operating costs and alongside the highly competitive convenience market this is causing further erosion of their profit margins It’s our absolute priority to drive more value for our partners and the removal of this charge will allow our retailers to invest these vital funds into their businesses so they can continue to serve their communities for years to come.” Nisa has extended its Mega Deals pricing campaign into 2025 Originally launched to help partners maximise the festive trading period the campaign has been a resounding success featuring over 200 products since its launch in October 2024 The extended campaign provides retailers with access to weekly market-leading prices on popular helping them stay competitive and profitable in a challenging market Nisa continues to provide independent retailers with tailored solutions to help them thrive This includes access to Co-op’s award-winning own-brand range backed by consistently strong levels of product availability With the removal of the fuel levy and the continuation of Mega Deals Nisa is ensuring its retailers are equipped to face the challenges of 2025 and continue to grow their businesses while serving their communities effectively By 2025-03-27T11:05:00 It will mark the end of a long-term arrangement with The Co-op which started supplying Costcutter stores via its Nisa supply chain in 2018 Co-op Wholesale became ‘one of the first’ wholesalers to be fully disposable vape ban compliant after delisting every single use product on 28 April seen by Better Retailing said: “To support you on your range change journey we’ll be one of the first in the wholesale market to have a 100% compliant vape range.” Co-op Wholesale pledged that compliant replacements for each major brand will be wholesale price matched with their equivalent now removed disposable version The price promise will remain in place until the ban begins cases of Elf Bar 600 pod kits are fixed in at £18.50 while cases of Lost Mary BM600 kits will cost £20.50 The support came with a warning that ‘no returns will be accepted on non-compliant products – early sell-through is essential.’ Co-op Wholesale said it had extended its range of nicotine pouches with new flavours of the latter also added The changes follow Co-op Wholesale’s veteran tobacco category controller Helen Ludlam warning Nisa stores about the upcoming ban at a webinar in mid-April who has overseen changes including the end of ten packs described upcoming vape legislation stating: “I think this is one of the most challenging legislation changes Co-op Group has rebranded its Nisa wholesale arm as Co-op Wholesale In a statement, Co-op said the move re-enforces the group’s commitment to drive increased value for independent retailers whilst fuelling expansion ambitions into broader corporate B2B markets managing director for B2B and growth at Co-op explained: “Our commitment to all our partners remains as strong as ever “Our move to Co-op Wholesale is a strategic step forward for us and one we’re immensely proud of It’ll allow us to deliver expansive growth and operational excellence for our B2B partners Co-op has appointed Nisa retail and sales director Katie Secretan as managing director of Co-op Wholesale Secretan has previously worked as retail transformation director at Post Office and as Costa Coffee’s retail franchise and corporate partnerships director for the UK and Ireland Saint-Marc added: “With a new leadership team we have one clear goal and that is to drive growth by bringing the best of Co-op to our partners drive and passion we’ve witnessed from Katie in the last year I am delighted that she will be stepping into her role to power the business forward.” By 2025-03-28T10:30:00 It means its B2B partners will now purchase through Co-op Wholesale, while the Nisa fascia on convenience stores will remain the same Several sources confirmed the future of the partnership would be revealed in the coming weeks Costcutter stores face ‘massive disruption’ at the beginning of 2026 when Nisa has confirmed it will cease supplying fresh, chilled and own-label into the Bestway-controlled symbol group Senior sources told RN that Nisa had angered Bestway by ‘poaching’ its contract to supply Compass Group’s more than 100 stores at the beginning of this year One industry insider said: “The Nisa-Compass deal It’s 100% completed but will take about six months to become operational.” Both Compass Group and Nisa refused to comment on the change The sources alleged the move had impacted Bestway’s tendering for the Costcutter supply deal Separate sources close to Bestway said Sainsbury’s and Morrisons were “frontrunners” in the negotiations to supply Bestway’s approximately 1,464 sites and an official announcement is likely to be made “very soon” While Morrisons already has a wholesale supply division for independent stores Bestway owns a 5% shareholding of Sainsbury’s Nisa confirmed to Better Retailing: “We’re not in negotiations and our contract with Costcutter ends on 31 December Morrisons refused to confirm or deny the claims when approached by Better Retailing Bestway also did not confirm or deny the claims telling Better Retailing: “At Bestway our number one priority is supporting our customers and Like all businesses we are looking to the future to remain competitive in the market and provide our customers with the best offer We appreciate your understanding and will provide additional information when appropriate.” Many Costcutter retailers confirmed to Better Retailing that their contracts contain a ‘break clause’ allowing them to leave if Bestway fails to supply them with a ‘like for like’ replacement in the event of Nisa continuing its supply of Co-op own-label Reacting to Nisa confirming it would be ceasing Costcutter supply one retailer told Better Retailing: “This will be massively disruptive during peak Christmas season we’ll be looking at what’s ahead in January when we will have to completely remove one range and add in another There’s no space for facings of both lines while stock depletes so there will be gaps My preferred replacement would be Morrisons but only if they can fix the massive availability issues that independent stores supplied by them are currently facing.” While the Compass Group contract win – accounting for around 130 stores may be some relief to Nisa an industry source claimed the Costcutter contract represents a significant share of Nisa’s volume The wholesaler has been dropping in turnover ever since the Co-op acquisition – from £1.6bn full year in 2020 to £700m in its latest half-year results The source said: “This is truly catastrophic for Nisa They survived the loss of the McColl’s contract but the loss of Costcutter will really harm their economies of scale The cost to serve every remaining Nisa store is likely to increase significantly The real test will be whether the Co-op brand is strong enough to tempt some Costcutter retailers to switch to Nisa.” another source told Better Retailing the contract wasn’t material to Nisa Sources confirmed more upheaval lies ahead for Nisa with potential contract wins and a rebranding on the Horizon One senior source said: “Nisa employees have been telling customers that in a couple of weeks their email addresses will change from ‘Nisa’ to ‘Co-op Wholesale’ it really makes you wonder why this is the case.” Better Retailing has discovered that ‘www.coopwholesale.co.uk’ was registered on 14 February 2025 Read more Bestway Wholesale news Nisa’s charity, Making a Difference Locally (MADL) has cemented its role as a cornerstone of community support across the UK in 2024 achieving incredible milestones and touching the lives of over 360,000 people to small charities and community groups nationwide These contributions bolstered food pantries Through these initiatives, MADL has made a tangible and lasting impact on countless lives earning the charity the coveted Outstanding Achievement Award at the Retail Industry Awards In addition to MADL’s direct contributions Nisa colleagues rallied behind charitable causes showcasing their dedication to making a difference Heart of the Community Award funds were also distributed to retailers championing critical causes initiatives for brighter futures for children Retailers across the country celebrated significant MADL milestones with Dike & Sons and LA Foods raising an extraordinary £100,000 and The Proudfoot Group surpassing a £200,000 milestone These successes highlight the collective power of community-driven fundraising 2024 also saw the launch of MADL’s inaugural “Pink Friday” day a celebration of community spirit and philanthropy This initiative added to MADL’s growing legacy which has now raised over £18 million for communities since its inception Adding to last year’s accolades, MADL was also shortlisted in the Community Engagement Programme of the Year category at the 2024 People in Retail Awards From supporting local foodbanks to spearheading national initiatives MADL has proven its unwavering dedication to strengthening UK communities it continues to build on its remarkable achievements