NewzIntel.com

Category: Finance

  • MIL-OSI: Credit Agricole Sa: Evolution of Crédit Agricole S.A.’s governance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press release

    Montrouge, 29 April 2025

    Evolution of Crédit Agricole S.A.’s governance

    At Crédit Agricole S.A.’s Board meeting of 29 April 2025 chaired by Dominique Lefebvre, Olivier Gavalda, CEO of Crédit Agricole S.A. as of the 14th of May 2025, presented his future organisation.

    Olivier Gavalda will propose to the Board of Directors following Crédit Agricole S.A. general shareholders’ meeting which will be held the 14th of May 2025, that Jérôme Grivet be appointed as sole Deputy Chief Executive Officer and second executive director of Crédit Agricole S.A.

    As of the 1st of June 2025, the General Management of Crédit Agricole S.A. will be organised around seven divisions, the Corporate Secretary and the control functions.

    Five divisions and the General Secretary will be under the direct supervision of Olivier Gavalda:

    • Universal Retail Banks, bringing together LCL under the responsibility of its CEO, Serge Magdeleine, and Crédit Agricole Italia under the responsibility of its CEO, Hugues Brasseur.
    • International Banking and Services, under the responsibility of Stéphane Priami as Deputy General Manager. This new division will be composed of Crédit Agricole Personal Finance & Mobility, Crédit Agricole Leasing & Factoring, the International Banking Development department and BforBank.
    • Major Clients, gathering Crédit Agricole CIB and CACEIS, under the responsibility of Jean-François Balaÿ, CEO of Crédit Agricole CIB.
    • Client, Development and Innovation, under the responsibility of Gérald Grégoire as Deputy General Manager. This division gathers the Retail Markets department, the Transformation/Distribution and Development department, the Brand and Customer Communication department, the regional Banks’ relationships department, the Payments, the startup studio’s La Fabrique and Crédit Agricole Immobilier.
    • Transformation, Human Resources and Transitions, under the responsibility of Grégory Erphelin as Deputy General Manager. This new division will gather the Group Human Resources, Technological Transformation, Sustainability and Impact, Agri-Agro, Guarantee and Capital Development departments, Crédit Agricole Transitions & Energies and Crédit Agricole Santé & Territoires.

      In this division, the Technological Transformation department will be under the responsibility of Olivier Biton and will gather Crédit Agricole Group Infrastructure Platform, Data/AI teams, and the Information Systems Department.

    • Corporate Secretary, under the responsibility of Véronique Faujour gathers the Group Communication department, the Board of Director’s secretary, General affairs, Security/Safety, and Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation, the Public Affairs department and Uni-Medias.

    Two divisions and the control functions will be under the direct supervision of Jérôme Grivet:

    • Finance and Steering, under the responsibility of Clotilde L’Angevin as Deputy General Manager. This division gathers Finance, Financial Communication & Investors relations, Subsidiaries and Investments, Strategic studies, Legal, Economic studies and Procurement departments.
    • Savings and Wealth Management, this new division will gather Amundi, under the responsibility of its CEO, Valérie Baudson, Crédit Agricole Assurances, under the responsibility of its CEO, Nicolas Denis and Indosuez Wealth Management, under the responsibility of its CEO, Jacques Prost.
    • Group Risks, under the responsibility of Alexandra Boleslawski.
    • Group Compliance, under the responsibility of Hubert Reynier.
    • Group Internal Audit, under the responsibility of Laurence Renoult.
       

    As of 1 June 2025, Crédit Agricole S.A.’s Executive Committee will be thus composed of 18 members:

    • Olivier Gavalda, CEO
    • Jérôme Grivet, Deputy CEO
    • Clotilde L’Angevin, Deputy General Manager, in charge of Finance and Steering division
    • Grégory Erphelin, Deputy General Manager, in charge of Transformation, Human Resources and Transitions division
    • Gérald Grégoire, Deputy General Manager, in charge of the Customer, Development and Innovation division
    • Stéphane Priami, Deputy General Manager, in charge of International Banking and Services division
    • Jean-François Balaÿ, CEO of Crédit Agricole CIB, in charge of Major Clients division
    • Valérie Baudson, CEO of Amundi
    • Hugues Brasseur, CEO of Crédit Agricole Italia and Senior Country Officer for the Group
    • Nicolas Denis, CEO of Crédit Agricole Assurances
    • Serge Magdeleine, CEO of LCL
    • Olivier Biton, Director of Technological Transformation
    • Eric Campos, Chief Sustainability and Impact Officer
    • Bénédicte Chrétien, Group Head of Human Resources
    • Véronique Faujour, Corporate Secretary
    • Alexandra Boleslawski, Group Chief Risk Officer
    • Laurence Renoult, Group Head of Internal Audit
    • Hubert Reynier, Group Head of Compliance

    Jean-Paul Mazoyer, on his own initiative, will now provide strategic advice to the Chief Executive Officer of Crédit Agricole SA. 

    The Board of Directors expressed its warm thanks to Philippe Brassac and Xavier Musca for their commitment and action during a decade of strong development for the Group.

    Biographies

    Clotilde L’Angevin started her career in 2003 at the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, before joining the Treasury Department in 2005 as deputy head of the “Economic and Monetary Union” division. In 2007, she became technical adviser to the Prime Minister on macroeconomic and economic forecasts.
    In 2009, she joined the Ministry of Finance as Head of the “International Diagnostics and Forecasts” division, before being appointed General Secretary of the Paris Club and Head of the “International Debt” division in the Treasury Department in 2011.
    She joined the Crédit Agricole Group in 2015, as Head of Strategy for Crédit Agricole S.A. In 2019, she was appointed Head of Financial Communication at Crédit Agricole S.A. where she was responsible for relations with individual shareholders, institutional debt investors and rating agencies, as well as financial communication and relations with institutional equity investors.
    Since 2023, she has been Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Crédit Agricole d’Ile-de-France.
    Aged 46, Clotilde L’Angevin is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique (class 1998), the Ecole Nationale de la Statistique et de l’Administration Économique (2002), and obtained a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics (2003).  

    Olivier Biton started his career at Crédit Lyonnais in 2002, as IT project manager. He moved to the United States in 2005 where he was a research assistant at the University of Pennsylvania.
    Upon his return to France in 2007, he joined the Crédit Agricole Group and held various project management positions at CA Payment & Services. He was appointed Head of the Flow Business Line in 2014 and then Head of Information Systems and Projects in 2016.
    He joined LCL in 2017 as Head of Digital Solutions and Information Systems and joined the Executive Committee in 2020. Since 2023, Olivier Biton has been Chief Executive Officer of Crédit Agricole Group Infrastructure (CAGIP).
    Aged 45, Olivier Biton is a computer engineer and a graduate of the Polytech Paris Sud school.

    Grégory Erphelin started his career in 2001 at the French Ministry of Agriculture as Head of the Credit and Insurance bureau. In 2005, he joined the French Direction Générale du Trésor, in charge of the regulation of property and liability insurance. He joined the Crédit Agricole Group in 2008 as Head of Financial Management for Predica (personal insurance subsidiary of Crédit Agricole Assurances). In 2012, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Crédit Agricole Assurances.
    In 2015, he also became Chief Financial Officer of Predica and joined the Executive Committee of the Crédit Agricole Assurances Group. In 2017, he was appointed Head of Finance, Procurement, Legal Affairs, Credit commitments and recovery, and member of the LCL Executive Committee.
    Since May 2022, he has been Chief Executive Officer of the Fédération Nationale du Crédit Agricole.
    Aged 49, Grégory Erphelin is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique (class 1996), Water and Forestry Engineer and holds an MBA from the Collège des ingénieurs.  

    Jean-François Balaÿ started his career in 1989 at Crédit Lyonnais in the Corporate Banking Markets and held several managerial positions in London, Paris and Asia. In 2001, he joined Crédit Lyonnais in the Loan Syndication business line, first as Head of Origination for Europe, then for Western Europe within Calyon from 2004. In 2006, he was appointed Deputy Head of Syndication for the EMEA region. In 2009, he became Global Head of Loan Syndication at Crédit Agricole CIB. In 2012, he was appointed Head of Debt Optimisation and Distribution. In 2016, he became Head of Risk and Permanent Control. He was appointed Deputy General Manager of Crédit Agricole CIB in 2018 and Deputy CEO of Crédit Agricole CIB in 2021.
    Aged 59, Jean-François Balaÿ holds a master’s degree in economics and management and a master’s degree in banking and finance from Lyon II Lumière University.

    Press contacts Crédit Agricole S.A.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: MRF 2025 Resource Limited Partnership Closes IPO

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Middlefield, on behalf of MRF 2025 Resource Limited Partnership (“MRF 2025” or the “Partnership”), is pleased to announce that it has completed the final closing of the initial public offering of MRF 2025 Class A and Class F units for total gross proceeds of $19.4 million.

    The objectives of the Partnership are to provide investors with capital appreciation and significant tax benefits to enhance after-tax returns to limited partners, including the deductibility of 100% of their original investment. The Partnership intends to achieve these objectives by investing in an actively managed, diversified portfolio comprised primarily of equity securities of Canadian companies involved in the resource sector.

    Middlefield is a leading provider of flow-through share funds in Canada and has a strong track record of delivering positive after-tax returns. Since 1983, Middlefield has sponsored 70 public and private flow-through funds and has acted as agent or manager for over $2.5 billion of resource investments.

    The syndicate of agents for the offering was co-led by CIBC Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets and includes BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., National Bank Financial Inc., Scotia Capital Inc., TD Securities Inc., Richardson Wealth Limited, Manulife Securities Incorporated, iA Private Wealth Inc., Canaccord Genuity Corp., Raymond James Ltd. and Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This offering was only made by prospectus. The prospectus contains important detailed information about the securities being offered. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained from your CIRO registered financial advisor using the contact information for such advisor. Investors should read the prospectus before making an investment decision.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Venezuelan Nationals with TPS Charged in Miami with Defrauding U.S. Government-Funded Covid-19 Relief Program

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – Freddy Urribarri, 42, and Mairilin Munoz 39, have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with their submission of false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. Both defendants are Venezuelan nationals who were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allowed them to remain in the United States temporarily after they had entered the country. They were living in Dania Beach, Fl. at the time of their arrests.   

    According to allegations in the Indictment and statements made in open court, the defendants conspired with each other to commit fraud by submitting false PPP loan applications for Covid-19 era relief money meant to help struggling small business owners financially survive the pandemic. The defendants submitted two sole proprietorship loan applications with false and fraudulent supporting tax documents. Urribarri and Munoz also caused the submission of a false and fraudulent PPP loan application for FU&MM General Services, a company they controlled as president and vice president. The application inflated FU&MM’s income and number of employees. The lender accepted the false representations and approved a loan of about $438,000.

    Once they received the loan proceeds, the defendants engaged in a scheme to conceal the nature of the funds. Munoz also engaged in financial transactions over $10,000 using proceeds of the fraud. Urribarri and Munoz also submitted false and fraudulent tax documents in support of a PPP loan forgiveness application.  

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Division, announced the charges.  

    HSI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein is prosecuting it.

    The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit     https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20151.

    ###  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brewton Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Sending Death Threat to a South Alabama District Attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                Montgomery, Ala. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama announced today that a Brewton, Alabama man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for sending a death threat to a district attorney in south Alabama.

                On April 28, 2025, a federal judge in Mobile sentenced 54-year-old William Terry Holmes to 60 months in prison after Holmes pleaded guilty to mailing a threatening communication. The sentence, the maximum allowed under the federal statute, will run consecutively to the state prison term Holmes is currently serving with the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) on unrelated charges. There is no parole in the federal system. In addition to the prison sentence, Holmes was ordered to pay $26,185.70 in restitution.

                According to court documents and Holmes’s plea agreement, the threat arose after a man that Holmes claimed to know was convicted of capital murder for the killing of a police officer. On March 19, 2024, Holmes, who was an inmate serving a state prison sentence with ADOC, sent a letter to the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted the capital murder case. The letter began, “I am personally writing you to inform you we know where you live,” and went on to identify Holmes as a member of a known white supremacist group. Holmes threatened that the district attorney, the district attorney’s family, and the judge involved in the case would suffer “a very horrible and painful death” in retaliation for the conviction and the pursuit of the death penalty against his alleged associate.

                On March 22, 2024, agents interviewed Holmes. During the interview, Holmes admitted to writing the letter and claimed he had associates watching the district attorney, warning that the prosecutor had only hours to live. Security precautions had already been taken to protect the district attorney and his family. Holmes pleaded guilty to mailing the threatening communication on January 28, 2025.

                “No one who serves the cause of justice, or the families of those who serve, should ever be threatened for doing their job,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. “Our system depends on the courage of prosecutors, judges, and law enforcement officers. Threats against them are attacks on the rule of law itself and cannot be tolerated.”

                “There is no place in our justice system for threats of violence – especially leveled at officers of the court,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI is committed to ensuring those who serve justice can do so without fear and will hold offenders accountable.”

                The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Mobile Field Office investigated this case, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb from the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Encourages New Pipeline Projects with Oil Infrastructure Program Extension

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 29, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan is extending the Oil Infrastructure Investment Program (OIIP) to expand market access for Saskatchewan oil and support the continued development of carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines. CO2 pipelines play an important role in reducing emissions and growing enhanced oil recovery capacity.

    Since OIIP was introduced in 2020, 74,000 barrels per day of new oil pipeline capacity has been added through the program. To date, over $100 million in private capital investment has been secured through OIIP, with a further $380 million associated with projects that have been conditionally approved.

    “This program remains essential to our goals of generating investment in new energy projects and increasing our oil export capacity,” Energy and Resources Minister Colleen Young said. “Extending OIIP shows we are committed to maintaining a competitive resource development environment in Saskatchewan. The growth of our oil and gas sector is a significant priority for our government because it leads to good jobs and additional economic opportunities for the people of our province.”  

    The extension of OIIP will allow for the program to continue accepting new applications until March 31, 2029. The program will continue to offer a 20 per cent royalty tax credit, up to a maximum of $40 million, on qualifying oil or CO2 pipeline projects. 

    “The extension of the Oil Infrastructure Investment Program will help the province remain a competitive destination for investment, especially as companies navigate these economically challenging times,” Husky Midstream Chief Executive Officer Shane Cooke said. “As a company, we benefitted from our participation in the program when expanding our Saskatchewan operations and believe its continuation will encourage future investment in transportation infrastructure that supports new production opportunities and industry growth.”

    For more information about OIIP, including links to application documents, visit: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/oil-infrastructure-investment-program.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader Of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced To Life In Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Heath Lloyd Taylor, age 46, of LeFlore County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life in prison for Drug Conspiracy.

    Taylor’s co-defendants were sentenced at hearings held between October 16, 2024, and April 25, 2025.  Seven members of the drug trafficking organization were sentenced for Drug Conspiracy:

    • Aaron Guy Key, age 47, of Poteau, Oklahoma (240 months);
    • Travis Austin Powers, age 38, of Anderson, South Carolina (168 months);
    • Mallory Nicole Laird, age 37, of Poteau, Oklahoma (130 months);
    • Terri Angela Stroud, age 53, of Spiro, Oklahoma (70 months);
    • Kandi Anne Hankins, age 43, of Idabel, Oklahoma (57 months);
    • Tracie Ann Sells, age 55, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma (41 months); and
    • Jeremy Paul Newman, age 47, of Poteau, Oklahoma (24 months).

    Five additional members of the drug trafficking organization were sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances:

    • Taylor Dain Parnell Caldwell, age 35, of Poteau, Oklahoma (151 months);
    • Cody Wade Reece, age 34, of Poteau, Oklahoma (151 months);
    • Heather Leigh Brown, age 35, of McAlester, Oklahoma (87 months);
    • Whitney Marie Granite, age 37, of Spiro, Oklahoma (58 months); and
    • Randi Shawn Gann, age 35, of Heavener, Oklahoma (57 months).

    According to investigators, between August 2022 and November 2023, Heath Lloyd Taylor, who was serving time in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, led a drug trafficking organization operating in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.  As part of that conspiracy, non-incarcerated members obtained, stored, and distributed over 25 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately 465 grams of fentanyl from a base of stash houses.  The stash houses also served as a base of operations where the defendants funneled drug proceeds, stored drug trafficking assets, and obtained and stored firearms.

    This joint investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, working in cooperation with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and IRS Criminal Investigation.

    Additionally, several law enforcement agencies contributed at various stages of the investigation, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the District 16 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the District 18 Drug and Violent Crime Taskforce, the Poteau Police Department, the Spiro Police Department, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Seminole Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service.

    “There should never be any doubt that there are countless victims of drug trafficking, and the violence associated with it,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chavez, who oversees DEA operations in Oklahoma.  “Defendant Taylor and his associates took advantage of individuals and showed no concern for those who stood in their path of destruction.  Sentences of this nature are a win for our victims and a warning to drug traffickers.”

    “Drug trafficking and the illegal activity associated with it continues to threaten the safety of the general public throughout our communities.  Life in a federal prison should serve as a reminder to those who think they fly under the radar that they are and will continue to be our target.  ATF remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to keep illegal substances out of our communities and investigating those responsible,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims.

    “This was an outstanding joint investigation with our state and federal partners to dismantle and prosecute a complex criminal organization,” said OBN Director Donnie Anderson.  “We want this to send a strong message that we will aggressively pursue those who think they can safely run their criminal network while behind bars.”

    “The sentencings announced today conclude a months-long investigation and prosecution of a nefarious group that distributed large quantities of dangerous narcotics in and around the Poteau area,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Thanks to the cooperative work of federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement, Taylor and his co-defendants are off the streets and their drug operation has ended.”

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and the Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by designation, presided over the hearings. Defendants are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Innovative ‘collective’ pension funds to deliver higher incomes and lower risks for future pensioners

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Innovative ‘collective’ pension funds to deliver higher incomes and lower risks for future pensioners

    Pensioners of the future will benefit from innovative ‘collective’ pension schemes to boost their income in retirement and productive investment across the economy, under plans announced today [29 April]

    • Wide reaching reforms to make innovative “collective” pension funds more commonplace will reduce risk and volatility for savers.
    • Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) schemes pool investment and longevity risks, unlocking productive investment potential as well as supporting more predictable returns for savers at no extra cost for employers. 
    • With new regulations to allow for multiple employer CDCs planned for the Autumn, more savers are set to benefit from CDCs as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.

    More people than ever are saving into a workplace pension – £28 billion more in 2020 than in 2012 – with most of these pension pots being Defined Contribution (DC) schemes, where the employee is automatically enrolled to save a proportion of their salary tax-free and the employer contributes at least 3% of their salary to the pot too. 

    But a lack of innovation and reform of the DC savings landscape risks some future pensioners bearing large risks, in terms of the value of their investments and whether their savings will provide an income throughout their retirement. 

    Collective Defined Contribution (CDCs) are a new type of pension scheme that sees both the employer and employee contribute to a collective fund. Due to the scale of these funds and the pooling of risk for members, they can aim to provide a target pension income for life – similar to Defined Benefit (DB) schemes, sometimes called an average or final salary pension, but without the risk of significant unexpected bills for employers.  

    In the UK, Royal Mail have already launched a CDC scheme for their employees which has over 100,000 members who are offered a combination of a cash lump sum and an income for life in retirement. 

    Speaking at the LCP Conference in London today, the Minister for Pensions confirmed new regulations, set to be laid in the Autumn, will allow for multiple employer CDC schemes to be established, so that a range of unconnected employers can pool their employees’ pension pots into a collective fund, boosting returns for savers. 

    These pooled pension investments will mean higher incomes in retirement, and help individuals manage the uncertainty about how long that retirement will be. These measures will provide more options for savers and employers to choose between and are part of wider reforms to the pensions landscape, as part of our Plan for Change to put more money into people’s pockets.

    Minister for Pensions, Torsten Bell said: 

    Success in the world of pensions isn’t just about getting people saving, it’s ensuring their savings work as hard as possible for them. 

    Making sure more employers and savers have the option of an innovative Collective Defined Contribution Pension scheme is an important part of making that happen.

    Too often at present we are leaving individuals to face significant risks, about how their individual investments perform and how long their retirements last. Pooling some of those risks will drive higher incomes for pensioners and greater investments in productive assets across the economy.

    The Minister also confirmed his desire to deliver decumulation only CDC schemes. These schemes would allow certain savers with DC schemes to access CDCs, offering retirees the chance to buy longer term, pooled retirement products that deliver stability for pensioners. 

    Modelling from the PPI suggests that single employer CDCs could deliver a significantly greater average replacement rate (47%) than currently delivered through annuities (40%) with even higher benefits seen for multi-employer CDCs as longevity risks are pooled. (69%). 

    And due to their size, CDCs can also be a more efficient vehicle for economic growth, with similar collective funds in Canada and Australia having proved an efficient way of supporting economic growth, investing in a wider range of sectors and assets.

    CDC schemes can invest in illiquid and more productive investments over the long term, including in UK businesses and infrastructure projects, supporting the Government’s growth mission while providing employers with greater freedoms as well as reducing the risks of over or under spending in retirement by paying pensioners based on life expectancy.

    These measures aim to drive economic growth and improve retirement outcomes for working people as part of the Plan for Change. 

    Today’s announcement will provide clarity to the industry ahead of the upcoming Pensions Investment Review and Pension Schemes Bill, and in time give working people and employers a new option when considering what pension scheme works best for them

    Additional Information

    • The Pensions Investment Review: interim report sets out proposals which the government has consulted on to deliver scale and consolidation of the Defined Contribution (DC) market and the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales (LGPS). The report can be viewed here: Pensions Investment Review: interim report – GOV.UK
    • The government plans to introduce legislation in Autumn 2025, and subject to parliamentary approval, intends to bring the legislation and an updated Regulator’s Code into force as soon as practicable. 
    • The government will continue to work with industry stakeholders to develop decumulation CDC.  
    • The UK’s first CDC scheme, the Royal Mail Collective Pension Plan launched in 2024 which was a truly landmark moment for the UK pension landscape.
    • There are now several organisations are actively looking to set up an unconnected multiple employer CDC scheme.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: ASM announces start of €150 million share buyback program

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Almere, The Netherlands
    April 29, 2025, 6:00 p.m. CET

    ASM International N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) today announces that it will start a share buyback program of ASM’s common shares of €150 million. 

    This program follows on ASM’s announcement on February 25, 2025, that the Management Board authorized a share buyback program for up to €150 million. The program commences on April 30, 2025, and is to end as soon as the aggregate purchase price of the common shares acquired by ASM has reached €150 million, but ultimately by January 2026.

    The share buyback program will take place within the limits of relevant laws and regulations, the existing authority granted at ASM’s AGM held on May 13, 2024, and the authority (if granted) by the AGM meeting on May 12, 2025, and will be executed by a third party. ASM intends to use the repurchased shares to cover existing and expected future obligations under ongoing share programs for employees and board members. The total number of shares to be purchased in connection with the share buyback program shall not exceed 4,714,465.

     ASM will update the market on the progress of the share buyback program on a weekly basis, starting on May 5, 2025. This information will also be published on ASM’s website (www.asm.com).

    About ASM International
    ASM International N.V., headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, and its subsidiaries design and manufacture equipment and process solutions to produce semiconductor devices for wafer processing, and have facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia. ASM International’s common stock trades on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol: ASM). For more information, visit ASM’s website at www.asm.com.
    Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: All matters discussed in this press release, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, economic conditions and trends in the semiconductor industry generally and the timing of the industry cycles specifically, currency fluctuations, corporate transactions, financing and liquidity matters, the success of restructurings, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, litigation involving intellectual property, shareholders or other issues, commercial and economic disruption due to natural disasters, terrorist activity, armed conflict or political instability, changes in import/export regulations, epidemics, pandemics and other risks indicated in the company’s reports and financial statements. The company assumes no obligation nor intends to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future developments or circumstances.

    This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

    Contact

    Investor and media relations

    Victor Bareño
    T: +31 88 100 8500
    E: investor.relations@asm.com

    		  

    Investor relations

    Valentina Fantigrossi
    T: +31 88 100 8502
    E: investor.relations@asm.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Valstybės investicinis kapitalas UAB audited Annual information for the year 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Valstybės investicinis kapitalas UAB submits Financial Statements for the year 2024, prepared according to the International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union, together with the Independent Auditor’s Report hereto, as well as the Management Report.

    The Company’s net profit for the year 2024 is EUR 8 135 864 and the Company’s retained earnings for the year 2024 are EUR 6 811 856.
    A decision on the distribution of the company’s profits will be taken by 15 May this year, when the Government of the Republic of Lithuania will decide on the reduction of the dividends paid by UAB Valstybės investicinis kapitalas for the shares owned by the State.

    The rights of the general shareholders’ meeting are exercised, and all shares of UAB “Valstybės investicinis kapitalas” are managed by the Ministry of Finance.

    Enclosed:

    Financial Statements of Valstybės investicinis kapitalas UAB for the year 2024, prepared according to the International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union, provided together with the Independent Auditor’s Report hereto, as well as the Management Report of Valstybės investicinis kapitalas UAB.

    Contact person:
    Vaidas Daktariunas
    Valstybės investicinis kapitalas UAB, Chief Executive Officer
    Phone: +370 618 29216
    E-mail: vaidas.daktariunas@vika.lt

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: RESEND – Northstrive Biosciences Strengthens IP Portfolio with New US Patent Filings for EL-22 and EL-32 Programs Covering Obesity and Animal Health

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Northstrive Biosciences Inc. (“Northstrive”), a subsidiary of PMGC Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ELAB) (the “Company,” “PMGC,” “we,” or “our”), today announced the filing of four novel patent applications for its two candidates EL-22 and EL-32. These patent applications cover the animal market, as well as treating muscle loss in obese patients, both as standalone and combination therapies alongside GLP-1 receptor agonists.

    The Company filed the following four patents today:

    • EL-22 in Animals: Fusion Protein of Myo-2 for Use in Encouraging Muscle Growth in Animals (Patent Application No. 19/191,246).
    • EL-32 in Obesity as Monotherapy and Combination with GLP-1: Updated patent filings for Pharmaceutical Composition for Treatment of Muscle Loss Due to Obesity Treatments (Patent Application No. 19/191,209), and Combination Therapy for Treatment of Muscle Loss Due to Obesity Treatments utilizing GLP-1 receptor agonists (Patent Application No. 19/191,226).
    • EL-32 in Animals: Animal Feed Additive to Encourage Muscle Growth (Patent Application No. 19/191,258).

    The Company believes these newly filed patent applications support the development of Northstrive’s engineered probiotic platform, designed to advance human obesity care by preserving muscle mass while reducing fat mass, with additional potential applications in animal health.

    “We believe that EL-22 and EL-32 have the potential to treat obesity in combination with GLP-1 receptor agonists, while also serving as the foundation to a potential range of animal health products”, said Deniel Mero, Co-Founder of Northstrive. “These patent applications strengthen our IP portfolio as we advance on our mission transform the standard of care for obesity and break into the animal health market.”

    Northstrive’s patent portfolio now includes 8 patent applications and 5 issued patents that provide adequate protection in focus markets, including the USA, Japan, China and Korea.

    Licensed Product /
    Nation    		 Patent Application
    Serial No.    		 Title:
    EL-32 USA US 18/627,462 Pharmaceutical composition for alleviation, treatment, and prevention of sarcopenia containing microorganism transformed with cell surface display vector operably linked with gene encoding myostatin and activin A proteins as active ingredient
    EL-32 Korea 10-2022-0136606 A pharmaceutical composition for alleviation, treatment and prevention of sarcopenia containing a microorganism transformed with a vector expressing myostatin and activin A on the cell surface as an active ingredient
    EL-22 USA US 18/895,501 Fusion Protein of Myo-2 for Use in Treating Muscle Loss in Obese Patients
    EL-22 USA US 18/895,519 Combination Therapy of a Fusion Protein of Myo-2 with a GLP-1 Receptor Agonist for Use in Treating Muscle Loss in Obese Patients
    EL-22 (Animals)
    USA    		 US 19/191,246 Fusion Protein of Myo-2 for Use in Encouraging Muscle Growth in Animals
    EL-32 USA US 19/191,209 Pharmaceutical Composition for Treatment of Muscle Loss Due to Obesity Treatments
    EL-32 USA US 19/191,226 Combination Therapy for Treatment of Muscle Loss Due to Obesity Treatments utilizing GLP-1 receptor agonists
    EL-32 (Animals) USA 19/191,258 Animal Feed Additive to Encourage Muscle Growth
         
    Patent No. Registration No. Title:
    EL-22 Korea 10-0857861-0000 Surface Expression Vector for Fusion Protein of Myo-2 Peptide Multimer and Myostatin, and Microorganism Transformed by Thereof
    EL-22 Korea 10-0872042-0000 Cell Surface Expression Vector of Myostatin and Microorganisms Transformed Thereby
    EL-22 USA US 8470551 Surface Expression Vector for Fusion Protein of Myo-2 Peptide Multimer and Myostatin, and Microorganism Transformed by Thereof
    EL-22 Japan US 5634867 Surface Expression Vector for Fusion Protein of Myo-2 Peptide Multimer and Myostatin, and Microorganism Transformed by Thereof
    EL-22 China ZL200780101116.2 Surface Expression Vector for Fusion Protein of Myo-2 Peptide Multimer and Myostatin, and Microorganism Transformed by Thereof


    About Northstrive Biosciences Inc.

    Northstrive Biosciences Inc., a PMGC Holdings Inc. company, is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development and acquisition of cutting-edge aesthetic medicines. Northstrive’s lead asset, EL-22, leverages an engineered probiotic approach to address obesity’s pressing issue of preserving muscle while on weight loss treatments, including GLP-1 receptor agonists. For more information, please visit www.northstrivebio.com.

    About PMGC Holdings Inc.

    PMGC Holdings Inc. is a diversified holding company that manages and grows its portfolio through strategic acquisitions, investments, and development across various industries. Currently, our portfolio consists of three wholly owned subsidiaries: Northstrive Biosciences Inc., PMGC Research Inc., and PMGC Capital LLC. We are committed to exploring opportunities in multiple sectors to maximize growth and value. For more information, please visit https://www.pmgcholdings.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Words such as “believes,” “expects,” “plans,” “potential,” “would” and “future” or similar expressions such as “look forward” are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, activities of regulators and future regulations and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. These and other risks are described more fully in PMGC’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on March 28, 2025, and its other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the SEC. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except to the extent required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

    IR Contact:
    IR@pmgcholdings.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: SCOR SE Combined Shareholders’ Meeting held on Tuesday 29 April 2025 – Approval of all resolutions by SCOR SE shareholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press release
    29 April 2025 – N°09

    SCOR SE Combined Shareholders’ Meeting
    held on Tuesday 29 April 2025

    Approval of all resolutions by SCOR SE shareholders

    The Ordinary and Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meeting of SCOR SE (the “Company”) was held today at the Company’s registered office, 5, avenue Kléber, 75016 Paris, France, under the chairmanship of Fabrice Brégier.

    All the resolutions proposed by the Board of Directors were approved.

    In particular, the shareholders decided on the payment of a dividend of EUR 1.80 per share for the 2024 financial year. The ex-dividend date is set for 2 May 2025, with payment scheduled for 6 May 2025.

    The shareholders approved the renewal of the terms of office as directors of Fabrice Brégier, Martine Gerow and Fields Wicker-Miurin by a large majority.

    They also appointed Diane Côté and Doina Palici-Chehab as directors, and Jacques Aigrain as an observer.

    Fabrice Brégier, Chairman of the Board of Directors, warmly thanked Natacha Valla and Zhen Wang, whose terms of office expired at the close of the Combined Shareholders’ Meeting, for their valuable contribution to the Board’s work.

    The details of the resolution voting results have been posted on the Company’s website at: https://www.scor.com/en/2025-combined-shareholders-meeting.

    *

    *        *

    SCOR, a leading global reinsurer

    As a leading global reinsurer, SCOR offers its clients a diversified and innovative range of reinsurance and insurance solutions and services to control and manage risk. Applying “The Art & Science of Risk,” SCOR uses its industry-recognized expertise and cutting-edge financial solutions to serve its clients and contribute to the welfare and resilience of society.

    The Group generated premiums of EUR 20.1 billion in 2024 and serves clients in more than 150 countries from its 37 offices worldwide.

    For more information, visit: www.scor.com

    		 Media Relations
    Alexandre Garcia
    media@scor.com

    Investor Relations
    Thomas Fossard
    InvestorRelations@scor.com

    Follow us on LinkedIn
     

    All content published by the SCOR group since January 1, 2024, is certified with Wiztrust. You can check the authenticity of this content at wiztrust.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Charged in Conspiracy to Steal and Sell Catalytic Converters

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – Three Rhode Island men have been charged in federal court in Providence for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to steal and sell hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of catalytic converters, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Kuron Mitchell, 25, of Newport, Alberto Rivera, 25, of Cranston, and Luis Aceituno, 27, of Providence, are each charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with interstate transportation of stolen property in excess of $5,000 and conspiracy to commit the same. Additionally, Aceituno is charged with filing false tax returns.

    According to charging documents, in January 2022, the Cranston Police Department began tracking patterns surrounding the thefts of catalytic converters. A criminal group was later identified as allegedly being responsible for more than 7,000 stolen catalytic converters in Southern New England and in the greater Boston area, valued at more than $2.4 million. It is alleged that many of the stolen catalytic converters were sold to a Providence company (identified in court documents as Company 1) that recycles catalytic converters. Depending on the model and type of precious metal component, the average scrap price for catalytic converters ranged from $300 to $1,500.

    Charging documents reflect that from at least January 2021 until November 2022, Rivera, Aceituno, Mitchell, and others canvassed neighborhoods and parking lots in search of unoccupied vehicles from which they could steal catalytic converters. Working in groups, they allegedly targeted vehicles in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, cut off the catalytic converters, and sold many of them to Company 1.

    An FBI analysis of Company 1’s databases seized during a court-authorized search of the business in February 2023, and a review of a database maintained by Rhode Island Attorney General Bureau of Criminal Identification, revealed that from 2021 to 2022, Rivera allegedly sold 19 catalytic converters and received $7,100; and Aceituno allegedly sold 2128 catalytic converters to Company 1 and received $699,735.

    In addition to his alleged participation in the conspiracy to steal and sell catalytic converters, it is further alleged that Luis Aceituno failed to disclose to the IRS income derived from the sale of catalytic converters in tax years 2021 and 2022. It is alleged that for tax years 2021 and 2022, Aceituno failed to report a total of $699,735 in income and failed to pay a total of $199,908 due to the IRS.

    Luis Aceituno appeared in U.S. District Court on Monday and was released on unsecured bond; Kuron Mitchell appeared in U.S. District on April 25, 2024, and was ordered released to home detention with GPS monitoring; Alberto Rivera is currently detained on charges unrelated to this matter.

    A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr., and Julie M. White.

    The matter was investigated by the FBI, Cranston Police Department, Providence Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigations, United States Marshal Service, National Insurance Crime Bureau, Newport Police Department, Fitchburg State University Police, Watertown Police Department, Canton Police Department, Attleboro Police Department, Fall River Police Department, and Department of Veterans Affairs- Office of Inspector General-Criminal Investigations Division.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: 2025 first-quarter results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Paris (France), April 29, 2025

    A SOLID START TO THE YEAR, WITH SUCCESSFUL REFINANCING 
    AND VESSEL CAPACITY AGREEMENT TERMINATED

        Q11
    Revenue2   $301M (+10%)
    Adjusted EBITDA2   $143M (+35%)
    Net Cash Flow   $(20)M (vs $30M)

    Including a $42M interest payment in March 2025 (historically paid in Q2)

    Sophie Zurquiyah, Chief Executive Officer of Viridien:

    “The first quarter of 2025 was marked by two significant milestones for the Group: the termination of the vessel capacity agreement, completing our transition toward an asset-light model, and the successful refinancing of our bonds. The end of the vessel capacity agreement opens a new chapter of enhanced flexibility in our cost base and stronger cash generation, while our bond refinancing reflects the financial market’s confidence in the execution of our strategy and our long-term potential.

    In parallel, our financial results for the first quarter of 2025 confirm the robust performance of our business, with commercial wins, solid profitability, and cash generation fully aligned with our long-term ambitions.

    Assuming moderate fluctuations in the oil market, we expect to achieve our target of approximately $100M in Net Cash Flow generation for the year and to continue our deleveraging journey.”

    Q1 2025 Highlights2

    • Group
      • IFRS Revenue, EBITDA and Net Income of respectively $258 million, $99 million, $(28) million
      • Group revenue increased thanks to sustained momentum in Geoscience and successful Earth Data sales. Sensing & Monitoring comparison base returned to a more normalized level
    • Group Adjusted EBITDA of $143 million, up 35%, benefited from (i) revenue growth at Geoscience, (ii) revenue growth and the end of vessel commitment penalty fees at Earth Data, and (iii) cost reductions at Sensing & Monitoring
    • Cash flow of $22 million before the $42 million bond interest payment in Q1 (historically paid in Q2). Net Cash Flow of $(20) million after interest payment and negative working capital impact
    • Final milestones of our financial roadmap achieved: successful refinancing of our April 2027 $447 million and €578 million notes, replaced with $450 million 10% and €475 million 8.5% senior secured notes due October 2030
    • Net debt at $974 million and liquidity at $257 million
    • Digital, Data and Energy Transition (DDE)
      • Revenue at $214 million, up 16% with growth both at Geoscience (+25%) and Earth Data (+7%)
      • Adjusted EBITDA at $137 million, up 32%
        • Geoscience:
          • Revenue at $110 million (+25%)
          • Solid performance driven by continued adoption of our most advanced Elastic FWI technologies worldwide
          • North America outperforming and sustained interest of MENA clients for high-quality imaging
          • Low Carbon: minerals study in Saudi Arabia and new win for carbon sequestration in the North Sea
          • HPC & Digital: new HPC customers in Materials Science and Image Rendering operating on our platform
        • Earth Data:
          • Revenue at $104 million (+7%)
          • Cash EBITDA at $39 million (+12%)
          • Early results show game-changing imaging at Laconia and environmental permit received for a program in Brazil. Active on multiple reprocessing projects worldwide
          • Low Carbon: CCUS screening package projects funded by industrial emitters in Europe
    • Sensing and Monitoring (SMO)
      • Revenue at $87 million, nearly stable (-2%), with a return to a more normalized comparison base
      • Adjusted EBITDA at $14 million (+37%), driven by cost reduction impact on profitability
        • Sustained activities in Land with strong momentum on nodal systems
        • New Businesses: new infrastructure monitoring contracts signed in North America; pursuing several geotechnical monitoring opportunities in rail and mining sectors worldwide; awarded a new project for our Marlin Ports & Logistics solution in Asia
    • Full-Year 2025 financial outlook
      • In 2025, assuming a stable E&P Capex environment, performance is expected to be driven by:
        • Geoscience: growth supported by industry-leading technology and strong backlog
    • Earth Data: stronger Cash EBITDA KPI following the end of vessel commitment penalty fees
      • Sensing & Monitoring: further savings expected from the restructuring plan
      • New Businesses: growth and first- year positive contribution to Group profitability
    • Financial objective:
      • Net Cash Flow of approximately $100 million, assuming moderate oil market fluctuations
    • Following the successful refinancing completed in Q1, Viridien will continue focusing on cash flow generation and deleveraging
    • Q1 2025 Conference call
      • The press release and presentation will be available on our website www.viridiengroup.com at 5:45 p.m. (CET)
      • An English-language analysts’ conference call is scheduled today at 6:00 p.m. (CET)
      • Participants should register for the call here to receive a dial-in number and access code, or participate via the live webcast here
      • A replay of the conference call will be available the following day for a period of 12 months in audio format on the Company’s website

    The Board of Directors met on April 29, 2025, and closed the consolidated financial statements as of
    March 31, 2025. Please note that the figures and information published in this press release have not been audited nor have they been subject to any limited review by Viridien’s statutory auditors.

    About Viridien:

    Viridien (www.viridiengroup.com) is an advanced technology, digital and Earth data company that pushes the boundaries of science for a more prosperous and sustainable future. With our ingenuity, drive and deep curiosity we discover new insights, innovations, and solutions that efficiently and responsibly resolve complex natural resources, digital, energy transition and infrastructure challenges. Viridien employs around 3,400 people worldwide and is listed as VIRI on the Euronext Paris SA (ISIN: FR001400PVN6).

    Investors contact:

    VP Investor Relations and Corporate Finance
    Alexandre Leroy
    alexandre.leroy@viridiengroup.com
    +33 6 85 18 44 31

    Q1 2025 – Financial Results

    Key Segment P&L figures (1)
    (in millions of $)    		 2024 2025 Var.
    %
    Q1 Q1
    Exchange rate euro/dollar 1.09 1.04 (5%)
    Segment revenue 273 301 10%
    DDE 185 214 16%
    Geoscience 88 110 25%
    Earth Data 97 104 7%
    SMO 89 87 (2%)
    Land 45 51 14%
    Marine 34 25 (26%)
    Beyond the core 11 11 4%
    Segment EBITDAs 105 142 36%
    Adjusted (2)Segment EBITDAS 106 143 35%
    DDE 104 137 32%
    SMO 10 14 37%
    Corporate and other (8) (8) -1%
    Segment operating income 28 65 136%
    Adjusted (2)Segment operating income 29 66 130%
    DDE 35 66 87%
    SMO 2 8 303%
    Corporate and other (9) (9) -1%
    1) Unaudited figures
    2) Adjusted for non-recurring charges and gains    		      
    Other KPI (1)
    (in millions of $)    		 2024 2025 Var.
    %
    Q1 Q1
    Geoscience Backlog 227 329 45%
    Total Capex 58 61 5%
    EDA Library net book value (2) 471 489 4%
    Liquidity 440 257 -42%
    o.w. undrawn RCF 90 110 (3) 22%
    Gross debt (2) 1 316 1 120 -15% 
    o.w. accrued interests 43 2 -96%
    o.w. lease liabilities 108 124  15%
    Net debt (2) 966 974 1%
    1)   Unaudited figures
    2)   Post IFRS15 and 16
    3)   $125M RCF fully undrawn, o/w. $15M ancillary guarantee facility    		      
    Consolidated IFRS Income Statements (1)
    (in millions of $)    		 2024 2025 Var.
    %
    Q1 Q1
    Exchange rate euro/dollar 1.09 1.04 (5%) 
    Revenue 249 258 4%
    EBITDA 80 99 24%
    Operating Income 20 56 185%
    Equity from Investment (0) (0) 2%
    Net cost of financial debt (24) (26) 6%
    Other financial income (loss) 0 (46) –
    Income taxes 2 (13) –
    Net Income / Loss from continuing operations (3) (29) –
    Net Income / Loss from discontinued operations 0 1 –
    Net Income / (Loss) (3) (28) –
    Shareholder’s net income / (loss) (3) (28) –
    Basic Earnings per share in $ (0.42) (3.88) –
    Basic Earnings per share in € (0.38) (3.74) –

    1)   Unaudited figures

    Cash Flow items (1)
    (in millions of $)    		 2024 2025 Var.
    %
    Q1 Q1
    Segment EBITDA 105 142 36%
    Income Tax Paid (3) (4) (26%)
    Change in Working Capital & Provisions (0) (47) –
    Other Cash Items (1) (1) 13%
    Cash provided by Operating Activity 102 91 (9%)
    Total Capex (58) (61) (5%)
    Acquisitions and Proceeds of Assets 0 (1) –
    Cash from Investing Activity (58) (62) (7%)
    Paid Cost of Debt 2 (39) –
    Lease Repayment (12) (10) 17%
    Cash from Financing Activity (10) (49) –
    Discontinued Operations Acquisitions (3) (0) 89%
    Net Cash Flow 30 (20) –
    Financing cash flow (3) (129) –
    Forex and other (4) (6) –
    Net increase/(decrease) in cash 23 (155) –

    1)   Unaudited figures

    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – March 31, 2025

    Unaudited Interim Consolidated statement of operations

        Three months ended March 31,
    (In millions of US$, except per share data) Notes 2025 2024
    Operating revenues   257.5 248.6
    Other income from ordinary activities   0.1 0.1
    Total income from ordinary activities   257.6 248.7
    Cost of operations   (171.0) (192.8)
    Gross profit   86.6 55.9
    Research and development expenses – net   (4.0) (4.9)
    Marketing and selling expenses   (7.7) (8.8)
    General and administrative expenses   (18.1) (21.3)
    Other revenues (expenses) – net 5 (0.3) (1.1)
    Operating income (loss)   56.4 19.8
    Cost of financial debt – gross   (27.4) (27.4)
    Income provided by cash and cash equivalents   1.6 3.1
    Cost of financial debt, net   (25.8) (24.3)
    Other financial income (loss) 6 (46.2) (0.0)
    Income (loss) before incomes taxes and share of income (loss) from companies accounted for under the equity method   (15.5) (4.5)
    Income taxes   (12.9) 2.1
    Net income (loss) before share of income (loss) from companies accounted for under the equity method   (28.4) (2.4)
    Net income (loss) from companies accounted for under the equity method   (0.2) (0.2)
    Net income (loss) from continuing operations   (28.6) (2.6)
    Net income (loss) from discontinued operations   0.7 0.0
    Consolidated net income (loss)   (28.0) (2.6)
    Attributable to:      
    Owners of Viridien S.A. $ (27.8) (3.0)
    Non-controlling interests $ (0.2) 0.4
    Net income (loss) per share      
    Basic (a) $ (3.88) (0.42)
    Diluted (a) $ (3.88) (0.42)
    Net income (loss) from continuing operations per share      
    Basic (a) $ (3.97) (0.42)
    Diluted (a) $ (3.97) (0.42)
    Net income (loss) from discontinued operations per share (a)      
    Basic (a) $ 0.09 (0.00)
    Diluted (a) $ 0.09 (0.00)

    (a)   As a result of the July 31, 2024 reverse share split, the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share for 2023 has been adjusted retrospectively. The number of ordinary shares outstanding has been adjusted to reflect the proportionate change in the number of shares

    See the notes to the Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

    Unaudited Interim Consolidated statement of comprehensive income (loss)

        Three months ended March 31,
    (In millions of US$) Notes 2025 (a) 2024 (a)
    Net income (loss) from statements of operations   (28.0) (2.6)
    Net gain (loss) on cash flow hedges   (0.3) 0.3
    Variation in translation adjustments   9.9 (5.8)
    Net other comprehensive income (loss) to be reclassified in profit (loss) in subsequent period (1)   9.6 (5.5)
    Net gain (loss) on actuarial changes on pension plan   (0.5) 0.0
    Net other comprehensive income (loss) not to be reclassified in profit (loss) in subsequent period (2)   (0.5) 0.0
    Total other comprehensive income (loss) for the period,
    net of taxes (1) + (2)    		   9.1 (5.5)
    Total comprehensive income (loss) for the period   (18.9) (8.1)
    Attributable to:      
    Owners of Viridien S.A.   (18.8) (8.4)
    Non-controlling interests   (0.1) 0.3

    (a) Including other comprehensive income related to discontinued operations which is not material

    Unaudited Interim Consolidated statement of financial position

    (In millions of US$) Notes March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024
    ASSETS      
    Cash and cash equivalents   146.6 301,7
    Trade accounts and notes receivable, net   343.7 339,9
    Inventories and work-in-progress, net   162.4 163,3
    Income tax assets   13.5 22,9
    Other current assets, net   78.1 74,0
    Assets held for sale, net   26.4 24,5
    Total current assets   770.7 926,2
    Deferred tax assets   39.5 43,6
    Other non-current assets, net   8.6 8,9
    Investments and other financial assets, net   24.2 25,7
    Investments in companies under the equity method   5.9 1,1
    Property, plant and equipment, net   212.1 220,6
    Intangible assets, net   569.3 535,4
    Goodwill, net   1,086.4 1,082,8
    Total non-current assets   1,946.0 1,918,1
    TOTAL ASSETS   2,716.7 2,844,3
    LIABILITIES AND EQUITY      
    Financial debt – current portion 3 43.8 56,9
    Trade accounts and notes payables   101.3 120,9
    Accrued payroll costs   92.4 84,5
    Income taxes payable   17.8 20,4
    Advance billings to customers   18.1 19,2
    Provisions — current portion   18.8 19,7
    Other current financial liabilities   0.0 0,5
    Other current liabilities   207.7 182,5
    Liabilities associated with non-current assets held for sale   2.2 2,4
    Total current liabilities   502.1 507,0
    Deferred tax liabilities   18.4 18,4
    Provisions — non-current portion   30.9 28,8
    Financial debt – non-current portion 3 1,076.4 1,165,6
    Other non-current financial liabilities   0.0 0,0
    Other non-current liabilities   1.8 1,7
    Total non-current liabilities   1,127.5 1,214,5
    Common stock: 11,214,681 shares authorized and 7,161,465 shares with a €1.00 nominal value outstanding at March 31, 2025   8.7 8,7
    Additional paid-in capital   118.7 118,7
    Retained earnings   1,009.0 1,036,5
    Other Reserves   37.5 55,2
    Treasury shares   (20.1) (20,1)
    Cumulative income and expense recognized directly in equity   (1.4) (1,1)
    Cumulative translation adjustment   (103.3) (113,3)
    Equity attributable to owners of Viridien S.A.   1,049.2 1,084,7
    Non-controlling interests   38.0 38,1
    Total equity   1,087.2 1,122,8
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY   2,716.7 2,844,3

    See the notes to the Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

    Unaudited Interim Consolidated statement of cash flows

        Three months ended March 31,
    (In millions of US$) Notes 2025 2024
    OPERATING ACTIVITIES      
    Consolidated net income (loss)   (28.0) (2.6)
    Less: Net income (loss) from discontinued operations   (0.7) (0.0)
    Net income (loss) from continuing operations   (28.6) (2.6)
    Depreciation, amortization and impairment   21.2 24.2
    Impairment and amortization of Earth Data Surveys   24.3 39.0
    Depreciation and amortization of Earth Data surveys, capitalized   (4.2) (3.8)
    Variance on provisions   (0.7) 0.3
    Share-based compensation expenses   1.1 0.9
    Net (gain) loss on disposal of fixed and financial assets   0.1 –
    Share of (income) loss in companies recognized under equity method   0.2 0.2
    Other non-cash items   30.9 1.2
    Net cash-flow including net cost of financial debt and income tax   44.3 59.4
    Less: Cost of financial debt   25.8 24.3
    Less: Income tax expense (gain)   12.9 (2.1)
    Net cash-flow excluding net cost of financial debt and income tax   83.0 81.6
    Income tax paid   (4.1) (3.2)
    Net cash-flow before changes in working capital   78.9 78.4
    Changes in working capital   11.6 22.3
    – change in trade accounts and notes receivable   24.9 33.6
    – change in inventories and work-in-progress   6.3 0.2
    – change in other current assets   (0.2) (2.1)
    – change in trade accounts and notes payable   (19.8) 15.4
    – change in other current liabilities   0.0 (24.8)
    Net cash-flow from operating activities   90.5 100.7
           
    INVESTING ACTIVITIES      
    Total capital expenditures (tangible and intangible assets) net of variation of fixed assets suppliers   (61.2) (58.2)
    Proceeds from disposals of tangible and intangible assets   0.0 0.5
    Dividends received from investments in companies under the equity method   – 0.2
    Total net proceeds from financial assets   – –
    Variation in other non-current financial assets   2.3 (3.3)
    Net cash-flow from investing activities   (58.9) (60.8)
        Three months ended March 31,
    (In millions of US$) Notes 2025 2024
    FINANCING ACTIVITIES      
    Repayment of long-term debt   (1,074.2) (0.2)
    Total issuance of long-term debt   964.2 –
    Call premium   (21.9) –
    Refinancing transaction costs paid   (11.7) –
    Lease repayments   (9.8) (11.8)
    Financial expenses paid   (38.8) 2.0
    Dividends paid and share capital reimbursements:      
    — to owners of Viridien   – –
    — to non-controlling interests of integrated companies   – –
    Net cash-flow from financing activities   (192.2) (10.0)
           
    Effects of exchange rates on cash   6.0 (4.1)
    Net cash flows incurred by discontinued operations   (0.3) (2.9)
    Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   (155.0) 22.9
    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year   301.7 327.0
    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   146.6 349.9

    See the notes to the Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

    Unaudited Interim Consolidated statements of changes in equity

    Amounts in millions of
    US$, except share data    		 Number of Shares issued Share capital Additional paid-in capital Retained earnings Other reserves Treasury shares Income and expense recognized directly in equity Cumulative translation adjustment Equity attributable to owners of Viridien S.A. Non-controlling interests Total equity
    Balance at January 1, 2024 7,136,763 8.7 118.7 980.4 27.3 (20.1) (1.4) (90.8) 1,022.8 41.5 1,064.3
    Net gain (loss) on actuarial changes on pension plan (1)       0.0         0.0   0.0
    Net gain (loss) on cash flow hedges (2)             0.3   0.3   0.3
    Net gain (loss) on translation adjustments (3)               (5.7) (5.7) (0.1) (5.8)
    Other comprehensive income (1)+(2)+(3) – – – 0.0 – – 0.3 (5.7) (5.4) (0.1) (5.5)
    Net income (4)       (3.0)         (3.0) 0.4 (2.6)
    Comprehensive income (1)+(2)+(3)+(4) – – – (3.0) – – 0.3 (5.7) (8.4) 0.3 (8.1)
    Exercise of warrants                      
    Dividends                 –   –
    Cost of share-based payment       0.8         0.8   0.8
    Variation in translation adjustments generated by the parent company         9.7       9.7   9.8
    Balance at March 31, 2024 7,136,763(a) 8.7 118.7 978.2 37.0 (20.1) (1.1) (96.5) 1,024.9 41.8 1,066.7
    Amounts in millions of
    US$, except share data    		 Number of Shares issued Share capital Additional paid-in capital Retained earnings Other reserves Treasury shares Income and expense recognized directly in equity Cumulative translation adjustment Equity attributable to owners of Viridien S.A. Non-controlling interests Total equity
    Balance at January 1, 2025 7,161,465(b) 8.7 118.7 1,036.5 55.2 (20.1) (1.1) (113.3) 1,084.7 38.1 1,122.8
    Net gain (loss) on actuarial changes on pension plan (1)       (0.5)         (0.5)   (0.5)
    Net gain (loss) on cash flow hedges (2)             (0.3)   (0.3)   (0.3)
    Net gain (loss) on translation adjustments (3)               9.9 9.9 0.0 9.9
    Other comprehensive income (1)+(2)+(3)       (0.5) – – (0.3) 9.9 9.0 0.0 9.1
    Net income (loss) (4)       (27.8)         (27.8) (0.2) (28.0)
    Comprehensive income (1)+(2)+(3)+(4)       (28.4)     (0.3) 9.9 (18.8) (0.1) (18.9)
    Dividends                 – – –
    Cost of share-based payment       0.7         0.7   0.7
    Variation in translation adjustments generated by the parent company         (17.7)       (17.7)   (17.7)
    Changes in consolidation scope and other       0.2         0.2   0.2
    Balance at March 31, 2025 7,161,465 8.7 118.7 1,009.0 37.5 (20.1) (1.4) (103.3) 1,049.2 38.0 1,087.2

    (a)   Pro forma following Reverse Share Split
    (b)   Reverse Share Split: Pursuant to a delegation from the Combined General Meeting of shareholders of May 15, 2024, and a sub-delegation from the Board of Directors held on the same day, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer has decided to implement a reverse share split on the basis of 1 new share of €1.00 nominal value for 100 old shares of €0.01 nominal value

    1All variations refer to the same period last year
    2Unless otherwise stated, all figures and comments are referring to “Segment” (i.e. pre-IFRS 15), as defined in the 2024 Universal Registration Document’s glossary, under section 8.7

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Quadient SA: Availability of the 2024 Universal Registration Document

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Bagneux, 29 April 2025,

    Quadient (Euronext Paris: QDT) announces that it has filed its 2024 Universal Registration Document, in xHTML format, with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorité des marchés financiers or “AMF”), on 28 April 2025.

    The 2024 Universal Registration Document notably includes:

    • The 2024 annual financial report;
    • The Board of Directors’ report on corporate governance;
    • The description of the share buyback program;
    • The reports from the statutory auditors;
    • The management report including the information related to sustainability ; and
    • The certification report on information related to sustainability.

    Quadient’s 2024 Universal Registration Document is available to the public free of charge in accordance with the applicable regulations. It can be consulted and downloaded under the heading “Investors / Regulated information” on the Group’s Investor Relations website (https://invest.quadient.com/en/) as well as on the AMF’s website (www.amf-france.org).

    ***

    About Quadient®

    Quadient is a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections through digital and physical channels. Quadient supports businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation and growth journey, unlocking operational efficiency and creating meaningful customer experiences. Listed in compartment B of Euronext Paris (QDT) and part of the CAC® Mid & Small and EnterNext® Tech 40 indices, Quadient shares are eligible for PEA-PME investing.

    For more information about Quadient, visit https://invest.quadient.com/en/.

    Contacts

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: RUBIS: Publication of the 2024 Universal Registration Document

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Paris, 29 April 2025, 17:45 pm

    Rubis filed its 2024 Universal Registration Document with the Autorité des marchés financiers (the French Financial Markets Authority – AMF), in ESEF format, on 28 April 2025.

    This document is available on the Company’s website (www.rubis.fr/en) in the section “Investors – Regulated Information – Universal registration document including the Annual Financial Report”, on the AMF’s website (www.amf-france.org) and at the company’s registered office (46, rue Boissière – 75116 Paris – France).

    The 2024 Universal Registration Document includes notably:

    • the Annual Financial Report;
    • the Supervisory Board’s report on corporate governance;
    • the Sustainability report;
    • the Statutory Auditors’ reports on the annual financial statements, on the consolidated financial statements and on related-party agreements;
    • the report on the certification of sustainability information and verification of the disclosure requirements under Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852;
    • the description of the share buyback programme.

    The Annual Financial Report’s cross-reference table is displayed on page 446 of the 2024 Universal Registration Document.

    The English version of the 2024 Universal Registration Document will soon be released on the Company’s website.

    Contact
    RUBIS – Legal Department
    Tel: +33 (0)1 44 17 95 95

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: 2025 Q1 Revenue Report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • 2025 Q1 revenue of €232.4 million, down -12.3%
      • Continued implementation of selectivity strategy with priority given to margins, primarily in telecoms in France and Spain
      • High comparison basis: +3.8% in Q1 2024 compared to -5.8% for the full year 2024
    • Growth drivers remain well-oriented
      • Energy up +19.1% (+30.1% in France), representing 18% of the Group’s Q1 revenue
      • Strong momentum in Germany, where the Group has a solid presence, with growth of +20.7% in Q1
    • Ongoing measures to improve performance in the Other Countries segment
      • Growth resumes in Italy: +14.6%, with gradually improving economic conditions
      • Restructuring of Connectivity activities in Spain, with strategic refocusing on Energy and Technology
    In millions of euros (unaudited) Q1 2025 Q1 2024 % change
    Revenue 232.4 265.0         -12.3%
    Benelux 88.7 100.7         -12.0%
    France 76.3 97.9         -22.0%
    Germany 21.9 18.2 +20.7%
    Other Countries 45.5 48.3         -5.8%

    Gianbeppi Fortis, Chief Executive Officer of Solutions30, stated: “In a mixed market environment, we remain firmly committed to our strategy, maintaining a clear focus on margins and cash generation over revenue growth. In France in particular, faced with a fiber deployment market that has reached maturity, we are maintaining a highly selective approach and continuing to refocus on energy services, which now account for 30% of our revenue. In the Benelux, where the market is undergoing reorganization, our telecom business has stabilized compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, and we anticipate a return to growth during the second half of the year. In Germany, we continue to deliver profitable growth in a structured manner, and the investment plan recently announced by the local government reinforces our confidence in the market’s long-term potential. Lastly, in Other Countries, we are progressing with the performance improvement measures announced at our Capital Markets Day, particularly in Spain, where we are undertaking a deep transformation of our operations. We remain confident in the relevance of our multi-technical and multi-local model, the strength of our growth drivers, and our ability to achieve our 2026 targets.”

    Consolidated Revenue

    Solutions30’s Q1 2025 consolidated revenue amounted to €232.4 million, down -12.3% year-on-year against a particularly high comparison basis, as Q1 2024 marked the strongest quarterly growth of 2024, at +3.8%. The comparison basis will be significantly more favorable over the balance of the year, as the last three quarters of 2024 recorded declines of -4.3% in Q2, -10.1% in Q3, and -11.4% in Q4.        

    Revenue change in Q1 includes an organic contraction of -12.8%, the impact of recent acquisitions for +0.2%, and a favorable currency effect of +0.3%.

    Revenue from Connectivity activities amounted to €164.2 million, down -20.0%, in a context of increased selectivity in the Group’s most mature markets, notably France and Spain. Revenue from Energy activities amounted to €41.3 million, up +19.1%, driven by very favorable market trends, particularly in photovoltaic systems in France. Revenue from Technology activities amounted to €26.9 million, up +7.3%, with increased volumes of IT support services.

    Benelux

    The Benelux posted Q1 revenue of €88.7 million, representing 38% of total revenue, down -12.0%. This includes an organic contraction of -12.5%, and the impact from the acquisition of Xperal for +0.5%. Connectivity posted revenue of €67.9 million, down -14% compared to Q1 2024, which did not yet reflect the delays caused, from Q2 onwards, by negotiations between Belgian telecom service providers aimed at streamlining their investments. However, revenue stabilized compared with Q4 2024 (€67.3 million). In the home connect segment, the adaptation of operational processes following Proximus acquiring 100% of Fiberklaar is nearing completion, positioning the business to return to normal at some point in the second half of the year.

    Revenue from Energy activities decreased by -16% to €14.1 million. The first phase of smart meter deployment in Flanders is nearing completion, with tenders for the second phase expected to be launched later this year. At the same time, the gradual ramp-up of the contract with Fluvius for the modernization of the low-voltage electricity grid has begun.

    Technology activities posted revenue of €6.7 million in Q1 2025, up significantly by +26%.

    France

    In France, Q1 revenue amounted to €76.3 million, or 33% of the total, down -22% on a purely organic basis. Revenue from Connectivity fell sharply by -43% to €36.8 million, reflecting the impact of selectivity measures implemented from Q2 2024 onwards. In the context of a structural slowdown in the fiber deployment market, the Group has significantly reduced its exposure to certain contracts that no longer met its profitability standards. While this led to a sharp revenue decline from Q2 onwards, it resulted in an improvement in margins over the full year 2024.

    Energy activities continue to make strong progress, with growth of +30% in Q1 and revenue of €22.8 million, now representing 30% of the total. The good momentum in photovoltaics continues, despite the usually unfavorable seasonal effect in winter. Growth is also being supported by services to electricity and gas distribution networks, where Solutions30 is successfully diversifying its activities.

    In Technology, the momentum in IT support services continues, driven by contract extensions. Revenue amounted to €16.7 million, up +7%.

    Germany

    In Germany, Q1 revenue amounted to €21.9 million, or 9% of the total, up +20.7% on a purely organic basis. Connectivity, which accounts for 95% of the total, posted growth of +22%, driven by fiber deployment activities, which continue to ramp up, while coaxial network services remain solid.

    Although still at an early stage, representing around 5% of revenue, Energy activities offer strong growth potential. Germany is Europe’s leading market for photovoltaics, currently accounting for the bulk of Solutions30’s revenue from Energy activities, while the energy storage and rail signaling infrastructure markets offer particularly attractive growth prospects.

    For both Connectivity and Energy, the investment plan recently announced by the local government reinforces the long-term growth potential of the German market, which is set to play an increasingly important role in Solutions30’s business portfolio.

    Other Countries

    In other countries, the Group posted Q1 revenue of €45.5 million, or 20% of the total, down -5.8%. This includes a -7.2% organic contraction, reflecting the selectivity strategy implemented in Spain and the United Kingdom in 2024. The currency effect was positive at +1.4%, driven by the appreciation of the Polish zloty and the British pound against the euro during the period.

    In Poland, growth remained solid at +11.4%, taking Q1 revenue to €16.2 million. The Polish telecoms market continues to benefit from favorable trends, and Solutions30 is delivering profitable growth there.

    Italy returned to growth, posting a +14.6% increase in Q1, with revenue of €14.9 million. The situation with the Group’s main Italian telecoms customer has now been resolved.

    In Spain, revenue amounted to €7.3 million, down -37.2%. The Group has accelerated the restructuring of its Connectivity business, faced with a mature fiber market, while continuing to refocus on its Energy and Technology businesses, that are supported by favorable underlying trends.

    Finally, in the United Kingdom, revenue totaled €7.1 million, down -22.3% against a high comparison basis (+10% in Q1 2024), as selectivity measures aimed at improving margins in the mobile telecommunications business were not implemented until Q2 2024.

    Appendix

    Breakdown of Q1 revenue by segment:

    In millions of euros (unaudited) Q1 2025 Q1 2024 % change

    Benelux

    		 88.7 100.7         -12.0%
    Connectivity                                  67.9 78.7 -13.8%
    Energy                                  14.1 16.7 -15.8%
    Technology                                    6.7      5.3 +25,7%
           
    France 76.3 97.9         -22.0%
    Connectivity                                  36.8 64.7 -43.2%
    Energy                                  22.8 17.5 +30,1%
    Technology                                  16.7 15.6 +7,1%
           
    Germany 21.9 18.2 +20.7%
           
    Other Countries 45.5 48.3         -5.8%
    Poland                                  16.2 14.6 +11,4%
    Italy                                 14.9 13.0 +14,6%
    Spain 7.3 11.6 -37.2%
    United Kingdom 7.1 9.2 -22.3%
    Group revenue 232.4 265.0         -12.3%

    Upcoming Events

    TPICAP Conference Paris                   May 15, 2025
    Annual General Meeting                     June 17, 2025
    2025 Half-Year Earnings Report         September 17, 2025 (after market close)
    2025 Q3 Revenue Report                  November 5, 2025 (after market close)

    About Solutions30 SE

    Solutions30 provides consumers and businesses with access to the key technological advancements that are shaping our everyday lives, especially those driving the digital transformation and energy transition. With its network of more than 16,000 technicians, Solutions30 has completed over 65 million call-outs since its inception and led over 500 renewable energy projects with a combined maximum output surpassing 1800 MWp. Every day, Solutions30 is doing its part to build a more connected and sustainable world. Solutions30 has become an industry leader in Europe with operations in 10 countries: France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Poland. The capital of Solutions30 SE consists of 107,127,984 shares, equal to the number of theoretical votes that can be exercised. Solutions30 SE is listed on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN FR0013379484- code S30). Indices: CAC Mid & Small | CAC Small | CAC Technology | Euro Stoxx Total Market Technology | Euronext Tech Croissance.
    Visit our website to learn more: www.solutions30.com.

    Contact

    Individual Shareholders:
    Tel: +33 1 86 86 00 63 – actionnaires@solutions30.com

    Analysts/Investors:
    investor.relations@solutions30.com

    Press – Image 7:
    Charlotte Le Barbier – Tel: +33 6 78 37 27 60 – clebarbier@image7.fr

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ASM reports first quarter 2025 results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Almere, The Netherlands
    April 29, 2025, 6 p.m. CET

    Solid start of the year, Q1 sales supported by continued AI-related strength

    ASM International N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) today reports its Q1 2025 results (unaudited).

    Financial highlights

    € million Q1 2024 Q4 2024 Q1 2025
    New orders 697.9 731.4 834.2
    yoy change % at constant currencies 10% 8% 14%
           
    Revenue 639.0 809.0 839.2
    yoy change % at constant currencies (8%) 27% 26%
           
    Gross profit 337.8 407.2 447.8
    Gross profit margin % 52.9 % 50.3 % 53.4 %
           
    Operating result 187.1 222.3 266.2
    Operating result margin % 29.3  % 27.5  % 31.7  %
           
    Adjusted operating result 1 191.8 227.0 271.0
    Adjusted operating result margin %1 30.0  % 28.1  % 32.3  %
           
    Net earnings (losses) 173.1 225.8 (28.9)
    Adjusted net earnings  1 178.9 231.5 191.9

    1 Adjusted figures are non-IFRS performance measures.  Refer to Annex 3 for a reconciliation of non-IFRS performance measures.

    • New orders of €834 million in Q1 2025 increased by 14% over the same period last year at constant currency (increased by 20% as reported), supported by strong GAA 2nm orders, and a relatively solid contribution from the Chinese market in the quarter.
    • Revenue of €839 million increased by 26% at constant currencies (increased by 31% as reported) from Q1 of last year, above the midpoint of the guidance (€810-850 million).
    • Gross profit margin increased to 53.4%, up from both Q1 of last year (52.9%) and up from prior quarter (50.3%). The increase compared to prior quarter was driven by a favorable product and customer mix.
    • Adjusted operating result margin of 32.3% is an improvement of 2.3% points compared to the same period last year, and an increase by 4.2% points compared to the previous quarter. This was mainly due to higher gross profit margin and moderated operating expenses (with year-on-year SG&A reducing from 11.4% to 9.1% as a percentage of revenue).
    • Our reported net results included an impairment of €215 million from our stake in ASMPT, triggered by the reduced market valuation in the recent period. There is no cash impact. Following the impairment, and in line with our accounting policy, the changes in the market value of ASMPT will be included in our quarterly net results in case of further decline or until the impairment charge has been reversed.

    Comment

    “ASM continued to deliver strong results in the first quarter of 2025. Sales increased by 26% at constant currencies, to €839 million, which was above the midpoint of our €810-850 million guidance,” said Hichem M’Saad, CEO of ASM. “The year-on-year increase was largely driven by robust sales in the leading-edge logic/foundry segment as leading customers continued moving towards high-volume manufacturing of the 2nm gate-all-around (GAA) node.

    Market conditions continued to be mixed in the first quarter. Demand in the AI-related segments, including leading-edge logic/foundry and DRAM HBM memory, remained strong, while most of the other market segments remained sluggish. Bookings increased to €834 million in Q1 2025, up 14% year-on-year at constant currencies. Strong GAA orders, healthy demand from memory customers, especially for HBM-related DRAM applications, and solid demand from Chinese customers mainly contributed to the solid bookings. The cash position increased to a strong level of slightly more than €1.1 billion on the back of robust free cash flow of €264 million.

    The gross margin increased to a high level of 53.4%, largely driven by product and customer mix. The gross margin also benefited from ongoing cost reduction programs. For the full year 2025, we now expect the gross margin to be in the upper half of the target range of 46%-50%. This excludes any potential direct impact from tariffs, which at this point is difficult to predict. We have prepared various scenarios to mitigate potential financial impact, leveraging our global supply chain capabilities and diversified manufacturing operations in combination with passing on impact into the value chain.”

    Outlook

    Global trade tensions and recent announcements of reciprocal tariffs have increased macroeconomic uncertainty. It is too early to tell what the impact on GDP and the semiconductor market will be. So far, our discussions with key customers have not materially changed. 

    We expect our sales in 2025 to grow by a double-digit percentage range of a 10-20% year on year, at constant currencies, and ahead of the WFE market, which is forecast to grow slightly this year. While we have reasonable visibility that we will achieve the lower end of the range, achieving the higher end will require some upside opportunities to materialize which at this point is still uncertain. In view of the recently increased exchange rate volatility and ASM’s significant US$ revenue exposure (>80% of sales) we decided to change our guidance from absolute Euro amounts to growth rates at constant currencies. 

    For Q2 2025 we expect sales to increase compared to Q1 by a range of +1% to +6% at constant currencies. This implies continued double-digit year-on-year sales growth in Q2 2025 at constant currencies.

    We continue to be confident that our gate-all-around sales will increase strongly in 2025. Supported by robust HBM-related DRAM demand, we expect healthy memory sales in full year 2025, albeit lower than the very strong level in 2024. The power/analog/wafer market is still in a cyclical downturn and the outlook for this segment has further weakened for the rest of the year. 

    Underpinned by strong R&D engagements, we believe ASM remains well positioned in the coming years to benefit from increasing ALD and Epi intensity with the transition to a tighter and more complex device architecture in logic with GAA and in DRAM with 4F2.

    Annual General Meeting

    On March 27, 2025, ASM published the agenda, convocation, and other materials for the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), to be held on May 12, 2025, in Almere, which as also earlier announced, includes, amongst other things, resolutions on:

    • the annual accounts of 2024;
    • the remuneration report 2024;
    • the proposal to declare a regular dividend of €3.00 (three euros) per common share;
    • the reappointment of Mr. Verhagen (for two years) as member of the Management Board;
    • the reappointment of Ms. Van der Meer Mohr (for four years), Mr. Sanchez (for four years) and Ms. Kahle-Galonske (for one year) as members of the Supervisory Board;
    • the appointment of EY Accountants B.V. as auditor to audit the annual accounts for the financial year 2026 and as assurance provider of sustainability information for the financial years 2025 and 2026.

    Please refer to the AGM documents available on our website for more detailed information.

    Share buyback program

    In our Q4 press release, ASM announced that the Management Board has authorized a new share repurchase program of up to €150 million of the company’s common shares for the 2025/2026 period. As announced in a separate press release today, the share buyback program will start on April 30, 2025.

    About ASM

    ASM International N.V., headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, and its subsidiaries design and manufacture equipment and process solutions to produce semiconductor devices for wafer processing, and have facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia. ASM International’s common stock trades on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol: ASM). For more information, visit ASM’s website at www.asm.com.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: All matters discussed in this press release, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, economic conditions and trends in the semiconductor industry generally and the timing of the industry cycles specifically, currency fluctuations, corporate transactions, financing and liquidity matters, the success of restructurings, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, litigation involving intellectual property, shareholders or other issues, commercial and economic disruption due to natural disasters, terrorist activity, armed conflict or political instability, changes in import/export regulations, pandemics, epidemics and other risks indicated in the company’s reports and financial statements. The company assumes no obligation nor intends to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future developments or circumstances.

    This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

    Quarterly earnings conference call details

    ASM will host the quarterly earnings conference call and webcast on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. CET. Conference-call participants should pre-register using this link to receive the dial-in numbers, passcode and a personal PIN, which are required to access the conference call. 
    A simultaneous audio webcast and replay will be accessible at this link.

    Contacts  
    Investor and media relations Investor relations
    Victor Bareño Valentina Fantigrossi
    T: +31 88 100 8500 T: +31 88 100 8502
    E: investor.relations@asm.com E: investor.relations@asm.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bank General Counsel Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for $7.4 Million Embezzlement Scheme

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

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES BLOSE, 56, of Fairfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses stemming from a decade-long embezzlement scheme at banks where he served as General Counsel and held other high-ranking positions.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2013 to January 2022, Blose was an attorney and held high-ranking positions, including General Counsel, at Hudson Valley Bank and Sterling National Bank.  From approximately January 2022, when Webster Bank acquired Sterling National Bank, until February 2023, Blose served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Webster Bank.

    From approximately 2013 until Webster Bank discovered his scheme and his employment was terminated in February 2023, Blose defrauded his employers (“The Bank”) in various ways.  In certain commercial loan transactions where The Bank was the lender, Blose fraudulently retained for himself portions of closing costs, including legal fees.  In certain real estate transactions in which The Bank was the seller, Blose retained portions of the sale proceeds for himself.  For some of the real estate transactions, Blose created false documents in order to hide his theft from The Bank.  Blose also stole from The Bank in other ways.

    As part of the scheme, Blose used his attorney trust accounts to make personal expenditures, and to transfer funds to accounts in the names of business entities he created and controlled, and then used those funds for his personal benefit.  Through this scheme, Blose stole approximately $7.4 million from his employers, and used the stolen funds to purchase a vacation property on Kiawah Island in South Carolina, for construction of his Connecticut home, and for luxury vehicles, jewelry, private jets charters, multiple country club memberships, and other expenses.

    Judge Chatigny will determine restitution after additional court proceedings.

    On December 20, 2024, Blose pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions.

    Blose, who is released on a $250,000 bond, is required to report to prison on June 23

    This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection’s Office of the Inspector General.  Financial crimes investigators from Webster Bank assisted the investigation.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Norwalk Man Sentenced to 22 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine

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

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER ADAMS, 58, of Norwalk, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 22 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine in southwestern Connecticut.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Rodney Canada, also known as “Supreme,” as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Canada and others coordinated the street level distribution of narcotics, and that Canada sold bulk quantities of cocaine to Adams for further distribution.

    On March 8, 2024, Adams was arrested on related state charges after a court-authorized search of a Norwalk hotel room where he was living revealed approximately 80 grams of cocaine.  After Adams was released on bond in his state case, he resumed his narcotics trafficking activity.

    Canada and several other members of the conspiracy were arrested federally on May 14, 2024.  On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles. 

    Adams was arrested federally on May 18, 2024.  On December 10, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.  He has been detained since his arrest.

    Canada has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

    This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments.  The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.   

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Raising Awareness: Sexual Assault Aboard Aircraft

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    Q: What should you do if you’re being attacked? 
    A: If someone is attacking you on the flight, Tarbert explains that the first thing you should do “is to make noise, make a ruckus, and tell the person to stop—and then notify the flight crew as quickly as possible to hopefully get reassigned to a new seat and to explain what happened so the flight crew can notify law enforcement on the ground to meet the aircraft when it lands.”

    Offenders may take advantage of the fact that some victims might not report an incident because they are embarrassed, don’t want to cause a scene, or try to convince themselves the assault was accidental.

    “If you need a reason to get out of your seat and find a flight attendant, you can use the excuse of going to the restroom to get up and talk to them. Or you can hit the flight attendant call button and when they come over you could say something like, ‘Hey, can I come back and get a water’ or ‘I would like to get another snack, and I’ll pay for it,’” said Tarbert. 

    Q: What should you do if you witness an attack? 
    A: Notify the flight crew as soon as possible.

    Q: Why is it important to promptly notify the flight crew if you’ve been attacked or witness an attack?  
    A: Timely notification to law enforcement is key—crime aboard aircraft is more difficult to investigate once days, or even hours, have passed following the incident since witnesses depart and recollections fade. The more advance notice the flight crew has, the more information they can provide to law enforcement to assist upon landing.

    “The ultimate authority on a flight is the flight crew and captain,” said Tarbert. “Their job is maintaining the safety and security of the flight until the aircraft lands. They’re the ones who are going to coordinate a response with law enforcement.”

    The flight crew can share information such as passenger flight manifests and seat numbers, incident timelines, and timezones in which the incident occurred, all of which can assist in the investigation.

    With timely notification, FBI agents and other law enforcement can also be on scene when the plane lands to conduct interviews, take subjects into custody, and offer victim services.

    This is important because gathering all parties relevant to an investigation can be challenging. “For many passengers, when they land, they’re just focused on getting to their destination and often don’t stick around at the gate,” said DArcangelis. Flight crew members also face time constraints to avoid delaying their next flight. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Minutes of meeting – AGM 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company Announcement no. 06/2025

    Minutes of meeting – AGM 2025

    Copenhagen, April 29, 2025

    At cBrain’s ordinary general meeting on April 29

    • The Board of Directors’ report on the Company’s activities in the past year was approved,
    • The Annual Report 2024 was adopted and resolution regarding discharge for the Management and the Board of Directors was passed,
    • Appropriation of profit or covering of loss according to the approved annual report approved (dividend of DKK 0.64 per share),
    • Henrik Hvidtfeldt, Lisa Herold Ferbing, Peter Loft, Thomas Qvist and Per Tejs Knudsen were reelected to the board and
    • EY Godkendt Revisionspartnerselskab was reelected as independent auditors.

    The general meeting also approved the board’s proposal for:

    • The remuneration report for 2024,
    • The Remuneration Policy (update)
    • Remuneration of the Board of Directors for 2024.

    The Board of Directors recommend an increase of 2 %

    • Henrik Hvidtfeldt: 168.300 DKK
    • Lisa Herold Ferbing: 137.700 DKK
    • Peter Loft: 112.200 DKK
    • The authorization of the Board of Directors, until the next ordinary general meeting, to acquire up to 10% of the share capital on behalf of the company. The consideration must not deviate from the official price quoted on Nasdaq OMX Copenhagen at the time of acquisition by more than 10%.

    No matters were disclosed at the general meeting that have not previously been made public.

    ————————————————-

    Ejvind Jørgensen, Chair of the Annual General Meeting

    Inquiries regarding this Company Announcement may be directed to 

    Ejvind Jørgensen, CFO & Head of Investor Relations, cBrain A/S, ir@cbrain.com, +45 2594 4973

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Young Push DOJ, FTC to Use Every Available Resource to Protect Americans’ Data Amid 23andMe Bankruptcy Proceedings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, wrote to leadership at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) expressing the need for the agencies to exercise all available authorities to protect the sensitive genomic information of Americans, including in the bankruptcy proceedings of 23andMe, a personal genomics and biotechnology company that holds the DNA and sensitive information of millions of individuals.

    The senators highlighted the attempts by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and other foreign adversaries to collect this type of genomic data from Americans and the various ways in which the PRC has used sensitive biometric data for surveillance efforts.

    “As the Chinese government has realized, genomic data is incredibly valuable. Biological data is critical to biomedical discovery, particularly when, as here, it contains substantial amounts of personal genomic data. It can be used to create, design, and optimize everything from biopharmaceuticals and medical devices to optimizing AI models for medical applications,” the senators wrote. “The PRC also has demonstrated a sustained effort to leverage genomic and other biometric data for extensive surveillance; accessing this data – either directly or indirectly – could further enable PRC transnational surveillance, including posing counter-intelligence threats to the United States. In addition, genomic data can be used to create dual-use technologies that, on the one hand, could help create vaccines for diseases, but on the other hand, can be weaponized by our adversaries to for malign intent.”

    While applauding the recent actions by the Justice Department in current proceedings, the senators underscored the need to take more steps to ensure that bad actors are prevented from acquiring, legally or illegally, Americans’ genomic information. 

    The senators continued, “In addition to the Department’s recent filing, and any anticipated CFIUS review, the Department, in conjunction with the Commission and other U.S. agencies as appropriate, must closely monitor the sale or transfer of, or access to, 23andMe’s genomic databank, regardless of whether that activity is in the ordinary course of business, for compliance with all applicable statutes related to national security and consumer protection.”

    This is the latest effort by Sen. Warner to safeguard Americans’ data and sensitive information from adversaries. As Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Sen. Warner has worked to ensure the U.S. is prepared to counter threats posed by foreign adversaries including the PRC across various sectors. Sen. Warner spearheaded the push to force CCP-based Bytedance to divest from TikTok in order to allow the app to continue operations in the United States. Last year, Sen. Warner introduced the Countering CCP Drones and Supporting Drones for Law Enforcement Act, legislation to cut off dangerous CCP drone companies from the U.S. telecommunication infrastructure. Sen. Warner also introduced bipartisan and bicameral legislation to improve information sharing between private companies and the Intelligence Community in order to mitigate the threat that foreign adversaries including the CCP pose to United States companies in foreign jurisdictions on projects relating to energy generation and storage, including in the critical minerals industry, and earlier this year, Sen. Warner introduced legislation aimed at shoring up America’s response to financial threats stemming from the PRC.

    A copy of letter is available here and text is below.

    Dear Attorney General Bondi and Chairman Ferguson:

    We write to urge the Department of Justice (“Department”) and the Federal Trade Commission (“Commission”) to exercise the full scope of their legal and statutory authorities in 23andMe Holding Co. (“23andMe”)’s bankruptcy proceeding. We commend the Department on its April 22, 2025 filing in the 23andMe bankruptcy proceeding, recognizing that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) should review this transaction in light of the substantial national security concerns involved. However, additional action from agencies are necessary in order to prevent adversaries, including the People’s Republic of China (PRC), from acquiring millions of Americans’ genomic data.

    Chinese authorities have already collected genomic data on millions of their own citizens, and continue to actively target foreign companies, including in the U.S., for acquisition or investment, as well for theft, in order to obtain foreign individuals’ genomic data, creating serious implications for national security, public health, economic security, and Americans’ privacy. As the Chinese government has realized, genomic data is incredibly valuable. Biological data is critical to biomedical discovery, particularly when, as here, it contains substantial amounts of personal genomic data. It can be used to create, design, and optimize everything from biopharmaceuticals and medical devices to optimizing AI models for medical applications. The PRC also has demonstrated a sustained effort to leverage genomic and other biometric data for extensive surveillance; accessing this data – either directly or indirectly – could further enable PRC transnational surveillance, including posing counter-intelligence threats to the United States. In addition, genomic data can be used to create dual-use technologies that, on the one hand, could help create vaccines for diseases, but on the other hand, can be weaponized by our adversaries to for malign intent.

    In order to prevent China from weaponizing this data, or outcompeting the U.S. economically, the U.S. must urgently prioritize the protection of biological and genomic data, particularly of Americans, starting with that held by 23andMe.

    As the Department notes in its recent filing, its Data Security Program must be better utilized to ensure the protection, and prevent the acquisition, of Americans’ sensitive genomic data. In addition to the Department’s recent filing, and any anticipated CFIUS review, the Department, in conjunction with the Commission and other U.S. agencies as appropriate, must closely monitor the sale or transfer of, or access to, 23andMe’s genomic databank, regardless of whether that activity is in the ordinary course of business, for compliance with all applicable statutes related to national security and consumer protection. Chairman Ferguson’s letter to the Office of the U.S. Trustee lays out a clear rationale for robust oversight by the Justice Department over the legal obligations and protections that 23andMe owes its customers (“users”). 23andMe’s users also should have the ability to remove their genetic data from acquisition by a foreign government or entities under the control or influence of a foreign government, including data associated with other personally-identifiable information and any other data generated by 23andMe that uses genetic data in the aggregate.

    23andMe’s users provided their sensitive, personal genetic data to a privately-owned U.S. company, potentially without fully understanding the implications of this data falling into the hands of adversaries, including cybercriminals and foreign nation-states. Further, the genetic information held in 23andMe’s databank has implications for relatives of 23andMe users who share common genetic markers, creating additional privacy concerns for such individuals who had no opportunity to consent to how 23andMe’s data could be used in ways that affect them.

    Outside of this proceeding, we urge the Department, the Commission, and other relevant federal entities to closely monitor future transactions, and use all levers as appropriate, where foreign entities, particularly those under the control or influence of foreign nations of concern, are attempting to purchase – through bankruptcy proceedings or otherwise-Americans’ sensitive biologic and genomic data. To this end, we encourage the DOJ to evaluate any appropriate updates to its recently-released Final Rule,6 implementing Executive Order 14117 on “Preventing Access to Americans’ Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern”, to address any novel risks posed by potential acquisition (and resale) of 23andMe data by covered vendors.

    In addition, the Department and the Commission must work with lead agencies to support the cybersecurity of genomic data. In March 2022, 23andMe suffered a security breach that compromised the genetic information of millions of users, underscoring concerns around genomic data privacy and misuse.

    In short, it is paramount to our national and economic security that there is a whole-of­ government approach to protecting Americans’ sensitive genomic data, including by preventing malign entities from gaining access to such data through commercial acquisition, cyberattacks, or other illicit means. We remain committed to working with the Department, the Commission, and the Administration broadly on this issue.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooklyn, New York, Woman Sentenced to Four Years for Aiding and Abetting Armed Robbery of Hyde County Family Dollar Store

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

    NEW BERN, N.C. – A Brooklyn, NY woman was sentenced Wednesday to 4 years in prison for aiding and abetting in the armed robbery of a Family Dollar in Swan Quarter. On November 13, 2024, Victoria Michelle Cyren Clarke, 32, pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on Sunday, June 4, 2023, at approximately 9:00 p.m., Hyde County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) received a call about an armed robbery at the Family Dollar, located at 13065 US Highway 264 in Swan Quarter. Two individuals entered the store brandishing firearms while demanding money. After retrieving over $2000 in cash from the store, the two individuals left and got into a car being driven by Clarke. A deputy with HCSO attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle after it was observed leaving the area at a high rate of speed. A high-speed chase ensued for approximately 18 miles with speeds in excess of 100 mph before the vehicle was finally stopped. In addition to the two armed robbers and Clarke, two children were unrestrained in the vehicle. Subsequent investigation revealed that Clarke bought both firearms used in the robbery and rented the get-away car.

    “The Hyde County Sheriff’s Office is committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and businesses,” said Sheriff Guire Cahoon. “The armed robbery at the Family Dollar in Swan Quarter was a serious crime that put innocent lives at risk, and we are grateful for the quick response of our deputies which resulted in the apprehension of the individuals involved, and we are grateful for the assistance of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work on the case. Violent crime has no place in our community, and we will continue working tirelessly to protect the people of Hyde County.”

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. Hyde County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A. Childress  prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-12-FL-RJ-3.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Northern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Multiple Defendants with Immigration Violations

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

    CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced that federal grand juries in the Northern District of Ohio have returned indictments for the following individuals on charges of immigration-related law violations. These are separate cases and are not related.

    Hector Linares, 47, a citizen of El Salvador, has been indicted on three counts. He has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition, and for being an alien in possession of a firearm, for possessing a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol and ammunition. In 2010, he was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine. Linares was also charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Nov. 24, 2023. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Marshals Service.

    Edil A. Martinez-Padilla, 38, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States twice with the last being April 24, 2013. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    Carlos Daniel Romero-Esborar, 39, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being April 27, 2012. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    A team of Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the USAO’s criminal division are prosecuting the cases above.

    Additionally, Juan Tiul Xi, 26, a citizen of Guatemala unlawfully residing in Cleveland, has been indicted for allegedly submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Tiul Xi encouraged and induced a 14-year-old female unaccompanied minor from Guatemala to illegally enter the United States. It is alleged that he used his sister’s identity for the girl to provide as an alias which he included on paperwork in an effort to obtain custody of her. This indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland Division are jointly investigating with assistance from HSI’s attaché team in Guatemala. Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik and Criminal Division Chief Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.

    An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor speech at Innovate Finance Global Summit 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    Chancellor speech at Innovate Finance Global Summit 2025

    The Chancellor delivered the keynote speech at the Innovate Finance Global Summit 2025 on 29 April.

    Thank you Janine, and good afternoon everyone.

    It’s a pleasure to be here today to mark the 11th year of UK FinTech Week …

    … brought together once again by Innovate Finance…

    …who continue to champion tirelessly our FinTech sector.

    As Chancellor, I’ve always said it’s my job to back the builders…

    … back the wealth creators…

    …and the job creators.

    So my job is to back all of you in this room.

    After all, it’s thanks to your work that the UK is a world leader in FinTech.

    When I was working at the Bank of England 20 years ago…

    …FinTech was in its infancy…

    …an offshoot of financial services…

    …and there was certainly no such thing as FinTech week.

    But times have changed, the industry has changed.

    Last year, the UK’s FinTech sector attracted $3.6 billion of investment – more than any other country bar the US.

    Almost half of Europe’s FinTech unicorns are based here in Britain…

    …and roughly a third of all UK unicorns are FinTechs – a higher share than anywhere else.

    Companies like Allica Bank and Zilch, who were both recently named among the fastest growing companies in Europe by the Financial Times …

    …Or Zopa, for whom 2024 marked another year of extraordinary economic growth.

    Last week when I was in Washington for the IMF Spring Meetings…

    … I spoke to industry, legislators, and policymakers…

    …as well as US firms already operating here in the UK.

    I set out our strengths as an open trading nation with trade links around the world…

    …and as a nation that can provide political and financial stability and certainty to businesses…

    …in an uncertain world.

    The UK has a long history of breaking new ground in Financial Services.

    We were the first country to develop uniform Open Banking standards…

    …and we were one of the first countries to establish a system for near-instant digital payments with the Faster payments system in 2008.

    In my Mansion House speech last year, I published the National Payments Vision…

    … setting out the government’s ambition for seamless account-to-account payments…

    …and demonstrating our commitment to a regulatory environment that cares about managing the burden we put on businesses.

    Something that we will build in with the consolidation of the Payment Systems Regulator into the FCA.

    The UK is Europe’s leading hub for investment…

    …raising more equity capital than the next three European exchanges combined last year.

    I am committed to building on these strong foundations…

    …with an ambitious programme of reforms.

    Last September I chose to extend the UK’s generous venture capital schemes…

    … the Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Venture Capital Trust scheme…

    …which – alongside the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme – offer generous tax reliefs…

    …in return for investing in British business.

    And we will soon publish the final Pension Investment Review, ahead of the introduction of the Pension Schemes Bill…

    …where we will legislate to unlock up to £80 billion of investment into companies like yours…

    start-up, scale-up, and fast growing businesses.

    …delivering a major consolidation of the Defined Contribution market and the Local Government Pension Scheme…

    …so that pension funds have sufficient scale to invest in growing industries like FinTech.

    I am determined to make sure that the UK remains one of the best places in the world for FinTechs to start-up, scale-up and to list…

    …benefitting from our stable and liquid markets.

    Last July, the FCA implemented a fundamental rewrite of the UK’s Listing Rules, the biggest reforms in a generation.

    These new rules now put the UK in line – or in many cases ahead – of other global markets in giving companies the flexibility to pursue their growth ambitions…

    …backing their aspiration…

    …and allowing them to raise large amounts of capital more easily.

    And for those companies who want to remain private for longer, we are developing the new Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System – or PISCES…

    …which we will legislate for next month.

    This is a brand new type of stock exchange for trading private company shares…

    …supporting private companies to scale and grow…

    …and providing a steppingstone to IPO.

    Finally, we’ve reformed the rules to allow greater investment research to be produced on UK listed companies…

    …and reducing the burdens imposed on public companies through the UK’s Corporate Governance Code.

    I want the UK to be a place where you can take risks…

    …innovate and experiment…

    …and find new ways to deliver for your customers.

    When I met with senior leaders from across the FinTech sector last month…

    …you told me about the importance of getting the balance of regulation right…

    …especially on digital assets.

    I agree.

    While the UK will always be committed to high international standards…

    …I am determined that our regulatory framework supports economic growth.

    That’s why I’m delighted that we are today publishing draft legislation for the UK’s comprehensive regulatory regime for cryptoassets…

    …engaging with all of you to ensure that the final legislation – planned for later this year – delivers for government and most importantly for the industry…

    …and makes the UK a great place for digital asset companies to invest and innovate.

    For the UK to be a world-leader in digital assets…

    …international cooperation is vital.

    Which is why I discussed continued U.S. and UK engagement with Secretary Bessent last week…

    …including further dialogue at the upcoming UK-U.S. Financial Regulatory Working Group in June…

    …to support the use and responsible growth of digital assets…

    …maintaining the deep historic relationship between the world’s two largest financial centres through this period of significant technological change.

    Regulation must support business, not hold it back.

    Our regulators were among the first to embrace and develop sandboxes…

    …including the Digital Securities Sandbox, where I’m delighted that we already have a broad range of firms all looking at different proposals for tokenising our financial markets.

    Last November, I announced that this government will issue a Digital Gilt Instrument…

    …an entirely new debt instrument…

    …using distributed ledger technology…

    this will enable us to experience first-hand the benefits of digital technologies in debt issuance.

    And I know that there is appetite to go further.

    Last week, Secretary Bessent and I also discussed how our officials could explore opportunities to support industry to innovate cross-border…

    …in line with proposals put forward by US Securities and Exchange Commissioner Hester Peirce about a transatlantic sandbox for digital securities…

    …potentially allowing greater digital collaboration between capital markets in New York and London.

    I’ve talked about what we’ve already done, and some ideas for the future.

    Financial services is one of the key growth-driving sectors in the UK’s modern industrial strategy…

    ….with FinTech as a priority growth opportunity…

    …and I look forward to publishing the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy at my upcoming Mansion House address…

    …which I can today confirm will take place on the 15th July.

    At Mansion House last year I set out my vision on economic growth…

    …and the new approach required to build sustainable growth…

    …on a platform of stability.

    At Mansion House this year I’ll talk about how we can go further and faster in realising that growth.

    By publishing the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy…

    …I will set out our strategy for the rest of this parliament and beyond…

    …building on our strengths in areas including capital markets, insurance and asset management…

    … supporting firms to innovate by ensuring they can access and develop the talent they need…

     …and promoting the UK as a great place to do business globally.

    Backing the builders in FinTech means improving outcomes for businesses and consumers…

    …revolutionising how we invest and trade…

    And driving growth and prosperity, here in the UK.

    It’s incredible how far Fintech has come in the past decade…

    And I’m enormously optimistic about the future.

    From the huge growth of the sector that has already taken place…

    …to the passion, drive and commitment I see from all of you to make FinTech a huge UK success story…

    …it is clear that our job in government is to back you, back the builders, back the change makers all the way.

    And I am ready to do just that.

    Thank you very much.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The role of family in modern society was discussed at the State University of Management

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On April 29, the 2nd International Scientific Conference “Family in Modern Russian Society” was held at the State University of Management, organized by the Research Institute of Public Policy and Management of Industrial Economics of the State University of Management together with the university institutes.

    Today, family issues are given special attention at all levels. Thus, 2024 in Russia was held under the auspices of the Year of the Family and became fruitful in terms of long-term legislative, economic and social initiatives aimed at supporting Russian families.

    More than 50 students, postgraduates, applicants, scientists and teachers presented papers on the role of the family in Russian society, issues of family policy and traditional family values. Students and teachers of Russian universities, experts, representatives of government bodies and the clergy took part in the work of the sections. The Chairman of the Program Committee was Oleg Sudorgin, Director of the Research Institute of Public Policy and Management of Industrial Economy of the State University of Management.

    The conference included five sections.

    The section “Family and Marriage Values in the Minds of Modern Youth” was led by Deputy Director of the Institute of Personnel Management, Social and Business Communications for Research Galina Mokhova. Participants presented research on the specifics of family relationships and youth education, discussed the problems of trust in family relationships, and the perception of family and marriage by young people. Considerable attention was paid to the preservation and strengthening of intergenerational relationships and traditional family values.

    The Family Economy section, chaired by Galina Sorokina, Director of the Institute of Economics and Finance, discussed the specifics and issues of family economics and family budget in modern society. Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church also took part in the work: the rector of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Pronsky Monastery in the Ryazan Diocese, Abbot Luka (Stepanov), the rector of the Church of the Holy Blessed Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky on Volzhsky, Priest Kirill (Kraev), and the priest of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity near Saltykov Bridge, Priest Grigory (Falin). GUU expresses its deep appreciation and gratitude to the representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church for their participation in the conference.

    Within the framework of the section “Formation and development of modern state family policy in Russia”, headed by the head of the department of state and municipal administration, adviser to the rector’s office Sergey Chuev, current national and federal projects, strategies in the field of family and demographic policy, issues and prospects for state support for young families were discussed.

    Under the guidance of Irina Goncharova, leading researcher at the Research Institute of Public Policy and Management of Industrial Economics, in the section “The Institute of Family in the Era of Change: from Historical Mission to Modern Challenges,” the speakers examined aspects of the institution of family in the context of modern demographic challenges and the impact of digitalization, the role of the family in fostering patriotism and the formation of a positive image of the family in the media.

    The conference included a special thematic section dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War — “The Contribution of Families to Achieving Victory in World War II.” The section was chaired by Fanis Sharipov, Director of the Center for Socio-Economic and Political Research of China at the Research Institute of Public Policy and Management of Industrial Economy. The speakers presented stories related to their ancestors who fought during the Great Patriotic War, and shared memories of the courage and dedication of their relatives. The key issues of the section were the importance of preserving historical memory and the contribution of young people to preserving the memory of the war. Nikita Stepanov, Senior Researcher at the Center for Socio-Economic Development Institutes at the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Ivan Arkhipov, Deputy Chairman of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society and President of the I.V. Arkhipov Foundation, took part in the section.

    For the second time, the conference became a platform for professional and extensive consideration of the vectors of development of the Russian family, key foundations for preserving the continuity of traditions and family values. Participants unanimously noted the importance of discussing and forming new ideas for developing the institution of the family, and also emphasized that the regular nature of such events promotes dialogue between generations, preservation and popularization of traditions and family values in modern Russian society.

    Let us recall that in 2024, the first International Scientific Conference “Family in Modern Russian Society” was held at the State University of Management, dedicated to the Year of the Family, declared by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/29/2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: U.S. Energy Storage Industry Commits $100 Billion Investment in American-Made Grid Batteries

    Source: American Clean Power Association (ACP)

    Headline: U.S. Energy Storage Industry Commits $100 Billion Investment in American-Made Grid Batteries

    WASHINGTON, D.C., April 29, 2025 – Today the American Clean Power Association (ACP), on behalf of the U.S. energy storage industry, announced a historic commitment to invest $100 billion into building and buying American-made grid batteries. This investment is expected to fuel the creation of 350,000 jobs across the battery energy storage industry and transform the United States into a global battery manufacturing leader.  
    This announcement aligns with actions taken by the Trump Administration to unleash American energy and develop critical minerals in the United States. The industry’s investment will advance a manufacturing expansion in the United States with the aim of enabling American-made batteries to meet 100% of domestic energy storage project demand.
    “The energy storage industry is providing essential power when needed most while boosting domestic manufacturing and creating jobs across the country,” said Jason Grumet, CEO of ACP. “Today’s historic commitment will invest billions of dollars into American communities and position the United States as a manufacturing leader in battery technology that is critical to national and grid security.”   
    Building a Pathway to 100% American-Made Grid Batteries 
    The U.S. energy storage industry is committed to investing $100 billion in American grid batteries, including both capital for building new battery manufacturing facilities and procurement of American-made batteries for U.S. energy storage projects. Through this commitment, the industry will advance American battery manufacturing leadership, enhance U.S. energy security, provide energy affordability and reliability, and drive international competitiveness.  
    This investment represents a clear pathway to supplying 100% of U.S. energy storage projects with American-made batteries by 2030. A pro-business environment, supported by stable tax and trade policy and streamlined permitting, is essential to the industry fulfilling this commitment. 
    Booming U.S. Energy Storage Deployments Fuel Manufacturing Resurgence 
    Battery energy storage is now a leading energy resource boosting electric grid reliability and keeping energy costs low for families and businesses across America. Since FERC Order 841 was issued in 2018, energy storage deployment has grown 25x. The ongoing growth in energy storage deployment is driving investment in American battery manufacturing facilities.  
    The energy storage industry is making significant progress in laying the groundwork for a domestic battery energy storage supply chain, building or expanding more than 25 manufacturing facilities for grid-scale energy storage. With today’s investment commitment, the industry has announced plans to rapidly expand ongoing efforts.  
    The Role of Battery Storage in Unleashing American Energy Dominance 
    As communities across the country grapple with skyrocketing energy demand, aging grid infrastructure, and concerns over reliability, battery energy storage is providing a ready-to-deploy solution to these challenges.  
    Energy storage optimizes all existing power generation, lowering energy bills and hardening the grid against extreme weather events like blizzards and heat waves. As the economy grows, energy storage provides important peaking capacity, freeing up more gas generation to serve as base load and enabling more energy production.  
    Energy storage has also been critical for supporting American industrial and technological might, from metals manufacturing in West Virginia to new data centers and AI infrastructure in Texas and Arizona. The need for energy storage resources continues to be strong across the country, as 31 states currently have energy storage projects under construction. 
    “Form Energy is proud to be ramping up manufacturing at Form Factory 1 in Weirton, West Virginia, advancing our mission to strengthen the U.S. electric grid with domestically produced, multi-day energy storage. Situated on the historic site of the former Weirton Steel mill—a cornerstone of America’s industrial past—the newly built Form Factory 1 is proving that America’s greatest manufacturing epoch isn’t behind us; it’s unfolding now.” Mateo Jaramillo, Co-founder & CEO of Form Energy, noted, “This investment in American manufacturing not only supports the creation of high-quality jobs in West Virginia but also ensures that the U.S. remains a leader in energy innovation. As the energy storage industry commits to investing $100 billion in American-made grid batteries by 2030, Form Energy is excited to play a key role in building a more reliable, resilient, and secure energy future for our country.” 
    “Fluence investments in American battery cell, module, enclosure, thermal management, and controls manufacturing are delivering domestic energy storage products starting this year and will help power U.S. economic growth for decades to come,” said John Zahurancik, Fluence President, Americas. “Our manufacturing facilities in Utah, Texas, Tennessee, and Arizona support more reliable and cost-effective energy production while creating a resilient U.S. supply chain that advances American innovation, jobs, and energy security. These investments are about building the future of energy—right here in the United States.” 
    “LG Energy Solution is fully committed to expanding US energy storage manufacturing, with our fist factory lines expected to begin production in 2025 in Holland, Michigan, where we will adapt existing lines to provide 16.5GWh of ESS batteries, with an additional11GWh of capacity planned for the beginning of 2026.” Said Jaehong Park, CEO, LG Energy Solution Vertech. “We have expanded our investment in US manufacturing to meet rising demand; we have currently committed $1.4 billion to our production plan in Holland, MI, with additional investments and capacity expansion to come.” 
    “Battery energy storage is keeping the lights on and costs low for consumers across the county. Developers are committed to sourcing batteries made in America to deploy this essential energy resource to more Americans for energy stability and cost savings in the face of increasing demand,” said Stephanie Smith COO, Eolian. “As manufacturers begin ramping up domestic supply, streamlining federal and state policies and permitting processes will make the difference in getting this industry moving quickly and competitively.” 
    “Battery energy storage is key to meeting America’s rapidly expanding electricity needs,” said Craig Cornelius, President and CEO of Clearway Energy Group. “As we deploy energy storage at record pace, this investment reflects the industry’s commitment to building these critical grid infrastructure projects with American-made batteries.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Defendants Arrested in Serbia for Allegedly Directing Interstate Stalking and Harassment of Los Angeles-Based Critic of China’s President

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

    LOS ANGELES – Serbian law enforcement authorities have arrested two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom, at the request of the United States, the Justice Department announced today.

    The United States today unsealed its criminal complaint alleging that Cui and Miller coordinated and directed a conspiracy to harass, intimidate, and threaten a Los Angeles resident (the victim) who had been publicly critical of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

    According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi.

    Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.

    In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the victim, to install a tracking device on the victim’s car, to slash the tires on the victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statutes created by the victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife.

    A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statutes of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years in federal prison for conspiracy and five years in federal prison for interstate stalking.

    The FBI is investigating the case. The United States thanks the Ministry of Justice of Serbia, the Ministry of Interior of Serbia, and the Republic Public Prosecutor’s Office of Serbia for the assistance in this matter. The United States will seek extradition of Cui and Miller and looks forward to working in partnership with the Republic of Serbia’s Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Justice.          

    Assistant United States Attorneys David Ryan, Chief of the National Security Division, and Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, along with Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin P. Taibleson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorney Goran Krnaich of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Licking County Man Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Pornography, Making Notices with Plans to Sexually Abuse Young Boys

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – David Hamilton, 27, of Heath, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 293 months in prison for child pornography related crimes.

    According to court documents, Hamilton and a co-defendant communicated extensively and graphically about their intent to sexually abuse young boys, including boys to whom they could gain access. Their messages on the Telegram app discussed Hamilton’s plans to babysit an approximately 6-year-old boy and then drug him with an anti-depressant and sexually abuse him. Hamilton and his co-defendant also discussed starting a family of all boys whom they could sexually abuse together.

    When law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Hamilton’s home, they discovered a bag belonging to Hamilton containing two types of anti-depressants, children’s overnight diapers in a variety of sizes, lubricating jelly, condoms and stuffed animals.

    Court documents also detail that the FBI received an additional report from another minor male about Hamilton’s online exploitation activities. Law enforcement learned that Hamilton requested the minor produce images of child pornography for him. Hamilton gave the minor male his username and password to various platforms to upload the created content there, threatening the minor male if he did not comply. The minor male confirmed Hamilton was in online groups that raped, hurt, drugged and killed minors.

    On his electronic devices, Hamilton possessed thousands of videos and images of child sexual abuse, including exploitation material involving babies, toddlers and children.

    Hamilton pleaded guilty in August 2024 to making a notice for child pornography and possessing child pornography.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp announced the sentence imposed on April 21 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski and Tyler Aagard are representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Wearable Devices Ltd. Announces a Warrant Inducement Transaction for $1.2 Million in Gross Proceeds

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Yokneam Illit, Israel, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wearable Devices Ltd. (the “Company” or “Wearable Devices”) (Nasdaq: WLDS, WLDSW), an award-winning pioneer in artificial intelligence (“AI”)-based wearable gesture control technology, today announced its entry into a warrant inducement agreement with an existing institutional investor of the Company for the immediate exercise of warrants to purchase up to 625,000 of its ordinary shares (the “January Warrants”), and warrants to purchase up to 205,500 of its ordinary shares (the “November Warrants”, and together with the January Warrants the “Existing Warrants”), at a reduced exercise price of $1.45 per ordinary share, for gross cash proceeds of approximately $1.2 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other transaction expenses. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the warrant inducement transaction for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

    In consideration for the immediate exercise in full of the Existing Warrants, the investor will receive, in a private placement (the “Concurrent Private Placement”), new unregistered warrants to purchase up to 1,661,000 of its ordinary shares (the “New Warrants”). The New Warrants will have an exercise price of $1.45 per ordinary share, will be exercisable on the date of issuance and will expire five years following the date of issuance. The closing of the warrant inducement transaction is expected to occur on or about April 30, 2025, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

    The private placement of the New Warrants and the ordinary shares underlying the New Warrants offered to the institutional investor will be made in reliance on an exemption from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Regulation D promulgated thereunder. Accordingly, the securities issued in the Concurrent Private Placement may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in this Offering, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

    About Wearable Devices Ltd.

    Wearable Devices Ltd. is a pioneering growth company revolutionizing human-computer interaction through its AI-powered neural input technology for both consumer and business markets. Leveraging proprietary sensors, software, and advanced AI algorithms, the Company’s innovative products, including the Mudra Band for iOS and Mudra Link for Android, enable seamless, touch-free interaction by transforming subtle finger and wrist movements into intuitive controls. These groundbreaking solutions enhance gaming, and the rapidly expanding AR/VR/XR landscapes. The Company offers a dual-channel business model: direct-to-consumer sales and enterprise licensing. Its flagship Mudra Band integrates functional and stylish design with cutting-edge AI to empower consumers, while its enterprise solutions provide businesses with the tools to deliver immersive and interactive experiences. By setting the input standard for the XR market, Wearable Devices is redefining user experiences and driving innovation in one of the fastest-growing tech sectors. Wearable Devices’ ordinary shares and warrants trade on the Nasdaq under the symbols “WLDS” and “WLDSW,” respectively.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the “safe harbor” created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “will” or other comparable terms. For example, we are using forward-looking statements when we discuss the expected closing date of the warrant inducement transaction, the use of proceeds, and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: the trading of our ordinary shares or warrants and the development of a liquid trading market; our ability to successfully market our products and services; the acceptance of our products and services by customers; our continued ability to pay operating costs and ability to meet demand for our products and services; the amount and nature of competition from other security and telecom products and services; the effects of changes in the cybersecurity and telecom markets; our ability to successfully develop new products and services; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative, strategic alliance agreements, licensing and supplier arrangements; our ability to comply with applicable regulations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed on March 20, 2025 and our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

    Investor Relations Contact

    Michal Efraty
    IR@wearabledevices.co.il

    The MIL Network –