Freehold company HAAB Development Limited and company director Sheikh Behaeddin Adil have pleaded guilty for failing to comply with a planning enforcement notice for a property in the Queen’s Park Estate Conservation Area in the North Paddington area of Westminster.
At the sentencing hearing at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday 10th September, HAAB Development Limited and the director of the company, Mr Adil were ordered to pay £415,101.13, for particular criminal conduct under the Proceeds of Crime Act, within three months.
Westminster City Council sought an inspection of the property in Harrow Road after receiving a complaint about a first-floor extension. In May 2015 Officers from the council’s Planning Enforcement team found that the property was converted from a shop with three residential flats, to a shop with seven inadequately sized studio or one-bed flats. This involved rear extensions to the ground floor and first floor as well as many internal rearrangements.
The local authority issued an enforcement notice in April 2016 which was required to be complied with by 18th November 2016. The notice required the removal of unauthorised works and internal rearrangements to convert the property back to how it was.
In January 2020, the requirements of the notice were still not complied with, and Westminster City Council decided it was in the public interest to prosecute the freehold company and its director.
The enforcement notice was finally complied with in February 2023, with the company and director contesting the prosecution claiming that they were not aware of the central London authority’s concerns about the breach of planning control, despite employing a planning agent to respond to the council’s concerns as early as October 2015.
Following the sentencing hearing on 10th September 2024, both were required to pay fines of £9,750 each and contributions towards the City Council’s prosecution costs in the sum of £50,000 (£25,000 each) within 3 months. This is in addition to the proceeds of crime order.
The Council understands that planning enforcement can be challenging due to the time it requires, but we are pleased to have reached a resolution after a lengthy process.
Cllr Geoff Barraclough, Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development said:
Planning Enforcement is there to protect and prevent harm to our historic built environment such as the much loved Queens Park Conservation Area.”
“We are clear that enforcement notices will be served and must be complied with if a building owner goes ahead with development without getting planning permission first.”
“I welcome this verdict, and the proceeds of crime order, as a warning to others and a reminder that Westminster Council is committed to protecting our City from unscrupulous property developers. ”
Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English
The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) warns about the websites inter-algo.com and inter-algo.net. On these websites, the Inter-Algo provides financial services without the required authorisation and offers so-called “wealth planning”.
Anyone providing financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the necessary authorisation. Information on whether particular companies have been authorised by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.
The information provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).
Please be aware:
BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.
Following an investigation into a fatal collision that occurred on March 19, 2024, Bay Roberts RCMP has laid criminal charges against 27-year-old Jonathan Patten of Pouch Cove.
The head-on collision occurred on the Veterans Memorial Highway shortly before 10:30 p.m. on March 19, 2024. Patten was operating a GMC truck that collided with a Subaru car. The driver of the Subaru, a 25-year-old Tilton man, died at the scene.
Blood samples collected from Patten as part of this investigation were sent for analysis. The results, which were recently obtained, determined the presence of a number of illicit impairing drugs.
Patten was served notice of his charges, which include impaired operation by drug causing death and having a blood drug concentration above the prescribed (legal) limit. His licence was suspended.
Patten is set to appear in court on December 18, 2024.
RCMP NL continues to fulfill its mandate to protect public safety, enforce the law, and ensure the delivery of priority policing services in Newfoundland and Labrador.
A neural network is a computational model consisting of layers of interconnected neurons. Like the neurons in your brain, these neurons process and send along a piece of information. Each neural layer receives a piece of data, processes it and passes the result to the next layer. By the end of the sequence, the network has processed and refined the data into something more useful.
While it might seem surprising that Hopfield and Hinton received the physics prize for their contributions to neural networks, used in computer science, their work is deeply rooted in the principles of physics, particularly a subfield called statistical mechanics.
As a computational materials scientist, I was excited to see this area of research recognized with the prize. Hopfield and Hinton’s work has allowed my colleagues and me to study a process called generative learning for materials sciences, a method that is behind many popular technologies like ChatGPT.
What is statistical mechanics?
Statistical mechanics is a branch of physics that uses statistical methods to explain the behavior of systems made up of a large number of particles.
Instead of focusing on individual particles, researchers using statistical mechanics look at the collective behavior of many particles. Seeing how they all act together helps researchers understand the system’s large-scale macroscopic properties like temperature, pressure and magnetization.
For example, physicist Ernst Ising developed a statistical mechanics model for magnetism in the 1920s. Ising imagined magnetism as the collective behavior of atomic spins interacting with their neighbors.
In Ising’s model, there are higher and lower energy states for the system, and the material is more likely to exist in the lowest energy state.
One key idea in statistical mechanics is the Boltzmann distribution, which quantifies how likely a given state is. This distribution describes the probability of a system being in a particular state – like solid, liquid or gas – based on its energy and temperature.
Ising exactly predicted the phase transition of a magnet using the Boltzmann distribution. He figured out the temperature at which the material changed from being magnetic to nonmagnetic.
Phase changes happen at predictable temperatures. Ice melts to water at a specific temperature because the Boltzmann distribution predicts that when it gets warm, the water molecules are more likely to take on a disordered – or liquid – state.
Statistical mechanics tells researchers about the properties of a larger system, and how individual objects in that system act collectively.
In materials, atoms arrange themselves into specific crystal structures that use the lowest amount of energy. When it’s cold, water molecules freeze into ice crystals with low energy states.
Similarly, in biology, proteins fold into low energy shapes, which allow them to function as specific antibodies – like a lock and key – targeting a virus.
Neural networks and statistical mechanics
Fundamentally, all neural networks work on a similar principle – to minimize energy. Neural networks use this principle to solve computing problems.
For example, imagine an image made up of pixels where you only can see a part of the picture. Some pixels are visible, while the rest are hidden. To determine what the image is, you consider all possible ways the hidden pixels could fit together with the visible pieces. From there, you would choose from among what statistical mechanics would say are the most likely states out of all the possible options.
In statistical mechanics, researchers try to find the most stable physical structure of a material. Neural networks use the same principle to solve complex computing problems. Veera Sundararaghavan
Hopfield and Hinton developed a theory for neural networks based on the idea of statistical mechanics. Just like Ising before them, who modeled the collective interaction of atomic spins to solve the photo problem with a neural network, Hopfield and Hinton imagined collective interactions of pixels. They represented these pixels as neurons.
Just as in statistical physics, the energy of an image refers to how likely a particular configuration of pixels is. A Hopfield network would solve this problem by finding the lowest energy arrangements of hidden pixels.
However, unlike in statistical mechanics – where the energy is determined by known atomic interactions – neural networks learn these energies from data.
Building upon Hopfield’s work, Hinton imagined another neural network, called the Boltzmann machine. It consists of visible neurons, which we can observe, and hidden neurons, which help the network learn complex patterns.
In a Boltzmann machine, you can determine the probability that the picture looks a certain way. To figure out this probability, you can sum up all the possible states the hidden pixels could be in. This gives you the total probability of the visible pixels being in a specific arrangement.
My group has worked on implementing Boltzmann machines in quantum computers for generative learning.
In generative learning, the network learns to generate new data samples that resemble the data the researchers fed the network to train it. For example, it might generate new images of handwritten numbers after being trained on similar images. The network can generate these by sampling from the learned probability distribution.
Generative learning underpins modern AI – it’s what allows the generation of AI art, videos and text.
Hopfield and Hinton have significantly influenced AI research by leveraging tools from statistical physics. Their work draws parallels between how nature determines the physical states of a material and how neural networks predict the likelihood of solutions to complex computer science problems.
Veera Sundararaghavan receives external funding for research unrelated to the content of this article.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, expressed his profound sorrow over the passing of the former Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 10th and 11th National People’s Congress (NPC), Mr Wu Bangguo.
Mr Lee said, “Chairman Wu had all along held the development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) close to his heart. He had reached out to people from all walks of life during his various visits to Hong Kong, fully demonstrating the Central Authorities’ unwavering support for Hong Kong.
“Chairman Wu had reiterated on multiple occasions the Central Government’s firm commitment to the implementation of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, under which ‘the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong’ with a high degree of autonomy; working in strict accordance with the Basic Law; as well as fully supporting the administration of the Chief Executive and the HKSAR Government in accordance with the law to maintain Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability. During his tenure as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC, the Standing Committee deliberated and unanimously passed the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on Issues Relating to the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and for Forming the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the Year 2012 and on Issues Relating to Universal Suffrage.
“On behalf of the HKSAR, I extend my deepest condolences to Chairman Wu’s family.”
Members of the white militia group Proud Boys march on the Ohio state capitol in Columbus on Jan. 6, 2024. Paul Becker, CC BY
The first time many Americans heard about Springfield, Ohio, came during the September 2024 presidential debate when Donald Trump falsely claimed that Haitian immigrants in the city were eating other residents’ cats and dogs.
Though shocking, these harmful rumors had been spreading on social media since the beginning of the summer and had gained more notoriety when JD Vance, a U.S. senator from Ohio and Trump’s running mate, made similar statements on X, the social media platform formerly called Twitter.
But what has gone mostly overlooked is the effect these racist lies have had on energizing Ohio’s nearly 50 white extremist groups.
Members of the white supremacist group Blood Tribe marched through Springfield on Aug. 10, 2024, with with swastikas on their signs.
Since then, members of the Ku Klux Klan and the right-wing extremist group Proud Boys have each marched in separate demonstrations through Springfield.
In our research, we have found that the rapidly changing social conditions in Ohio have played a significant role in the growth of extremism.
Between 1990 and 2019, for instance, manufacturing jobs shrank from 21.7% of all employment in the state to 12.5%, a loss of nearly 360,000 jobs. As a result, income disparities between the professional and working classes have widened – as has the heightened sense among some alienated white men that white conservatives are the real victims of bias in a society growing more racially and culturally diverse.
A neo-Nazi group speaks under heavy police protection at a 2005 rally sponsored by the National Socialist Movement at City Hall in Toledo, Ohio. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
For many of these alienated men, particularly those in rural areas that lack significant numbers of Black and Hispanic residents, extremist ideologies offer easy answers to complex questions that involve their sense of disenfranchisement.
In 2020, for example, the population of Springfield was about 60,000. But over the past three years, city officials estimate that the population has grown by about 25%, partly fueled by the arrival of as many as 15,000 Haitian immigrants during that time. Many of them are legally living in the U.S. under a special federal program.
Similar demographic shifts are occurring throughout the state. Between 2010 and 2022, the percentage of the white population dropped from 81.2% to 77.3%, a loss of about 250,000, putting the state’s white population at about 9.1 million. During the same time, the Hispanic population, for instance, grew from about 357,000 in 2010 to nearly 525,000.
For some of these white extremists, these population changes will lead to an inevitable race war between white people and nonwhite people. We have found that the attraction of belonging to a group that promises strength, protection and a source of identity can be particularly compelling.
The Ohio connection
In recent years, white extremism in Ohio has received attention as a result of the extremist rhetoric of and often violent crimes committed by white men who call the state home. Consider just a few examples:
James Alex Fields Jr., a white nationalist from the Toledo area, was sentenced to life in prison in 2019 for the murder of Heather Heyer in Charlottesville, Virginia. Fields was convicted of driving his car into a crowd of counterprotesters during the white nationalist Unite the Right Rally in August 2017.
Prior to the attack, Fields frequently posted the hashtag #Hitlerwasright on his social media accounts and called for violence against nonwhites and Jews.
In the summer of 2022, Ohio law enforcement officers shot and killed Ricky Shiffer after the armed Navy veteran fired a nail gun at the FBI field office in Cincinnati. On his social media accounts, Shiffer had called for violence against federal law enforcement officials after the FBI searched Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago as part of the federal probe into Trump’s handling of classified documents.
Tres Genco, a self-described incel – short for “involuntary celibate” – who hated women and believed he was owed sex from them, was from the Cincinnati area and pled guilty in 2022 to plotting a mass shooting of women at Ohio State University. Law enforcement officials in Ohio stopped the planned attack before it happened.
On April 21, 2023, Christopher Brenner Cook, 20, of Columbus, Ohio, and others were sentenced to nearly eight years in prison for his plan to attack power grids across the U.S. Cook and his accomplices believed that they were starting a race war and used neo-Nazi propaganda and white supremacist ideology to recruit young people to join their group.
Online recruitment tactics
Leaders of white supremacist and militia groups often use both traditional outreach and digital platforms to recruit people to their groups. Traditional outreach includes recruitment in conversations, attending events, and sharing books, pamphlets, flyers and posters.
At the same time, social media has become a critical tool for extremist groups to spread their message, recruit members and organize events.
These online platforms create echo chambers that reinforce extremist beliefs in debunked conspiracy theories, such as the assumption that the federal government is part of a plot to eliminate the white race.
In addition to the increased traffic on social media, we have seen a rise of extremist groups in Ohio known as active clubs, where members engage in physical fitness, combat training and emotional support that encourages the development of a warrior mentality in preparation for what followers believe is an inevitable race war.
Countering extremism in Ohio
Though the emergence of white extremist groups goes far beyond the borders of Ohio, we have found that community-based, educational initiatives are effective in understanding and ultimately eradicating the root causes of racial and ethnic hatred on the local level.
In our view, community engagement that emphasizes dialogue and understanding across different racial groups is crucial for demonstrating the dangers of intolerance – and the benefits of diversity.
Paul J. Becker is part of a team at The University of Dayton that received funding from the Department of Homeland Security for the Preventing Radicalization to Extremist Violence through Education, Network-Building and Training in Southwest Ohio (PREVENTS-OH) project. Funded by the Department of Homeland Security under the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program, PREVENTS-OH recognizes that domestic violent extremism and hate movements pose a serious threat to the realization of human rights.
Art Jipson is part of a team at The University of Dayton that received funding from the Department of Homeland Security for the Preventing Radicalization to Extremist Violence through Education, Network-Building and Training in Southwest Ohio (PREVENTS-OH) project. Funded by the Department of Homeland Security under the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program, PREVENTS-OH recognizes that domestic violent extremism and hate movements pose a serious threat to the realization of human rights.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Richard Flory, Executive Director, Center for Religion and Civic Culture, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Evangelicals may share the same basic theology, but they are not a monolithic group.Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Yet, the reality is much more complex. In 2016, for example, evangelical leaders such as Jerry Falwell Jr. and Robert Jeffresscelebrated Trump’s victory and evangelicalism’s role in bringing America back to God. Others – such as Russell Moore, currently editor of the evangelical magazine Christianity Today – saw Trump as the opposite of what evangelicalism represents.
We have identified and described five varieties, or “types,” within the broader evangelical movement.
Evangelicals and their beliefs
At its core, evangelicalism is characterized by a belief in the literal truth of the Bible.
For example, evangelicals believe that the world and humans were created by God; that Jesus was literally God’s son and also born as a human; that Jesus died and physically rose from the dead; and that God currently acts through humans to achieve his ends for humanity. A hallmark belief for evangelicals is having a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” and a focus on encouraging others to be “born again” or “saved” through Jesus.
Despite sharing the same basic theology, there are differences within evangelicalism politics and social engagement.
We used three criteria to develop our five categories: First, each type shares a basic agreement on evangelical theology. Second, they each understand themselves as existing within the larger tradition of American evangelicalism. And third, their theology motivates how they act in the world, including appropriate social and political actions.
Typologies simplify in order to explain, but they also can blur some of the finer distinctions between categories. Still, the perspectives these different varieties of evangelicals maintain shape not only who they will vote for but also why they vote a certain way.
1. MAGA-vangelicals
MAGA-vangelicals consist of the white Christian nationalist core of the “Make America Great Again” or MAGA, movement, with some Latino, Asian and Black American pastors aligning themselves with this movement.
MAGA-vangelicals have been the most vocal and visible group of evangelicals since the 2016 election.
The origins of this group trace back to the 1980s – the time of the emergence of the religious right. MAGA-vangelicals echo many of the same issues – such as opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights and support for anti-immigration policies. One significant shift, however, since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, is an increased acceptance of political violence. “Jan. 6 was not an insurrection,” evangelical leader Lance Wallnau has falsely asserted. “It was an election fraud intervention.” The baseless election fraud myth was the pretext for the violence on Jan. 6.
2. Neo-fundamentalist evangelicals
Neo-fundamentalists are evangelicals who are as theologically or politically conservative as MAGA-vangelicals but maintain a [theological commitment] to remain separate from any relationships – whether personal, social or political – that would, in their view, compromise the teachings of evangelical Christianity and their own identity as evangelical Christians.
For example, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler and Christianity Today editor Russell Moore have opposed Trump due to his, by evangelical standards, lack of values and amoral lifestyle.
However, they support how the Trump administration furthered the political goals of evangelical Christianity. In particular, they support the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and supporting evangelicals’ religious freedom to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people in their businesses.
Yet there has recently been some qualified support among neo-fundamentalists offered for Trump himself, despite their opposition to his personal morals. For example, Mohler has argued that Trump is the better candidate to achieve their goals in 2024, despite his personal shortcomings. Mohler takes the position, though, that this support largely depends on Trump remaining committed to evangelical goals on issues such as abortion.
3. iVangelicals
iVangelicals are evangelicals primarily focused on personal faith and the weekly worship experience in their churches. They are mainly concentrated in the evangelical megachurch movement.
iVangelicals want to reach large numbers of people through their popular worship services, varied social programs and small group ministries.
There is, however, a range of beliefs and commitments among iVangelicals, with some being attracted to groups such as Evangelicals for Harris, a new effort to mobilize evangelicals to move away from Republicans, Trump and MAGA and to vote for Harris. Their approach uses biblical examples and references to argue that true Christian teachings and actions are more aligned with Democrats than Republicans.
Evangelicals for Harris.
4. Kingdom Christians
Kingdom Christians are evangelicals who, in their churches and ministries, strive to mirror the demographic and socioeconomic mix of the neighborhoods where they are rooted.
They tend to have a more diverse racial and ethnic mix of members than other evangelical churches. Their focus is to be a part of, and to serve, their local communities in a manner that mirrors their conception of the kingdom of God on Earth.
Leaders among Kingdom Christians often critique the economic and political systems that produce poverty and racial injustice. The focus of their efforts, however, is on creating relationships with local businesses and activists in the local community and contributing to policy through engagement with local officials.
Kingdom Christians are present-oriented; the kingdom of God is to be realized in the communities where believers live, as well as in some future spiritual world.
5. Peace and Justice evangelicals
Peace and Justice evangelicals are a loose network of pastors, nonprofit leaders, professors and activists. They are a small segment within evangelicalism often embedded in larger organizations, and they focus their work on key social and political issues such as racial justice, immigration reform and environmental issues. They seek to have a wider impact than just a focus on the local community.
Peace and Justice evangelicals trace their origins to the late 1960s publication, The Other Side, originally Freedom Now, which represented a freshly emerging evangelical social consciousness around issues of racial justice. Following close behind was the Sojourners community, and Sojourners magazine, which is still active today.
This is a small but growing minority in the larger evangelical world, with many belonging to traditional evangelical institutions. For example, Alexia Salvatierra, at Fuller Seminary, is a longtime “faith-rooted” community organizer and has more recently been instrumental in forming Matthew 25/Mateo25, a group that aids immigrants and “defends the vulnerable.” Shane Claiborne, a long-time urban activist, is currently head of Red Letter Christians, a movement that combines “Jesus and justice” and seeks to “live out Jesus’ counter-cultural teachings.”
Following historical evangelical voting patterns, it is likely that most white evangelicals will vote for Trump in 2024. I believe many will do so with enthusiasm, while others will vote for him because of his policies, while remaining troubled by his rhetoric.
Of the evangelicals who oppose Trump, some will refuse to vote for either Trump or Harris, refusing to cast a vote for president. Others will vote for Harris, following the example of many Republican leaders who are seeking to move beyond the damage that Trump and the MAGA movement have done to the Republican Party and to conservatism.
Meanwhile, for the Kingdom Christians and Peace and Justice evangelicals, the true values of evangelical Christianity will be supported by the more progressive policies of the Democratic Party.
Regardless of how they vote in the 2024 election, evangelicals in all of these categories will continue to promote their distinct vision of evangelicalism and educate members on how they should bring their faith to bear on important social and political issues in American culture.
Richard Flory has received funding from the John Templeton Foundation and the Lilly Endowment.
SCOR announces the filing of a tender offer for the entire share capital of MRM
To read this information in full, please confirm that you have read and understood the disclaimer on SCOR’s website here.
*
* *
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 19.4 billion in 2023 and serves clients in around 160 countries from its 35 offices worldwide.
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.
Hong Kong, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Click Holdings Limited (“CLIK” or the “Company”), a Hong Kong-based human resources solutions provider primarily focusing on talent sourcing and the provision of temporary and permanent personnel to customers including accounting and professional firms, Hong Kong-listed companies, nursing homes, individual patients, logistics companies and warehouses, today announced the pricing of its firm commitment initial public offering of an aggregate 1,400,000 Ordinary Shares (the “Offering”). The Offering is priced at $4.00 per share (the “Offering Price”) for gross proceeds of $5.6 million to the Company, before deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses.
The Company has granted the underwriters an option, exercisable for 45 days from the closing of this Offering, to purchase up to an additional 210,000 Ordinary Shares at the Offering Price, representing 15% of the Ordinary Shares sold in the Offering (the “Over-allotment”).
The Ordinary Shares are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “CLIK” on October 9, 2024. The Offering is expected to close on or about October 10, 2024, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
R.F. Lafferty & Co., Inc. (“Lafferty”), a full-service broker/dealer, is acting as the primary underwriter for the Offering. Revere Securities LLC (“Revere”), a full-service broker/dealer, is acting as the co-manager for the Offering. Dorsey & Whitney LLP, David Fong & Co, Beijing Dacheng Law Offices, LLP (Shenzhen) and Ogier are acting as U.S., Hong Kong, PRC, and BVI legal counsels to the Company, respectively. Wei, Wei & Co., LLP is acting as the independent accountants of the Company. VCL Law LLP is acting as the U.S. legal counsel to Lafferty and Revere for the Offering.
The Offering is being conducted pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-280522), as amended, which was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on September 30, 2024. The Offering is being made only by means of a prospectus, forming part of the registration statement. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and other documents the Company has filed or will file with the SEC for more information about the Company and the Offering. Copies of the final prospectus related to the Offering may be obtained, when available, from R.F. Lafferty & Co., Inc., 40 Wall Street, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10005, by phone at +1 212 293 9090 or by email at offerings@rflafferty.com; or Revere Securities LLC, 560 Lexington Ave 16th floor, New York, NY, 10022, by phone at +1 212 688 2350 or by email at contact@reveresecurities.com. In addition, a copy of the final prospectus, when available, relating to the Offering may be obtained via the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
This press release has been prepared for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company’s securities, nor shall such securities be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.
About Click Holdings Limited
Click Holdings Limited is a human resources solutions provider, specializing in offering comprehensive human resources solutions in three principal sectors, namely (i) professional solution services, (ii) nursing solution services, and (iii) logistics and other solution services. We are primarily focused on talent sourcing and the provision of temporary and permanent personnel to customers. Our primary market is in Hong Kong and our diverse clientele includes accounting and professional firms, Hong Kong listed companies, nursing homes, individual patients, logistics companies and warehouses. We specialize primarily in placing professional accountants and company secretaries, registered nurses and healthcare workers, as well as other blue-collar workers, for direct hire and contract staffing roles. For more information, please visit http://www.clicksc.com.hk.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the expected trading commencement and closing dates. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the public offering on the anticipated terms or at all, and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the preliminary prospectus filed with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Click Holdings Limited specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
For more information, please contact:
offerings@rflafferty.com Equity Capital Markets R. F. Lafferty & Co., Inc. 40 Wall Street, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10005 212.293.9090
A Met detective has called on parents to make sure they are aware of their children’s online purchases after a youth, who murdered a teenager in Newham with a knife bought from a website, was jailed.
Following a five-week trial at the Old Bailey, a jury found the 17-year-old male, who cannot be named for legal reasons, guilty of the murder of 16-year-old Rahaan Ahmed Amin.
He was sentenced at the same court on Wednesday, 9 October to life imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 15 years.
Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Allen, the lead investigator from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “The defendant’s claim that he acted in self-defence was completely rejected by the jury. Rahaan was murdered in cold blood after the 17-year-old cycled up to him and stabbed him within seconds of arriving, giving him no opportunity to react.
“This case demonstrates how easy it is for young people to purchase deadly knives online. I would urge all parents to be aware of their child’s online activity and what purchases they are making. It is also important for parents to keep their ID documents secure to ensure they are not misused by their children.”
The court heard Rahaan was fatally attacked in West Ham Park on 9 July 2023 after the 17-year-old cycled up to him and stabbed him in the chest. Rahaan died in hospital the next day.
Homicide detectives launched an investigation immediately and a long red knife was found in a tree in the park. Forensic testing recovered the 17-year-old’s fingerprint and Rahaan’s blood.
A number of eye-witnesses were also spoken to and CCTV was collated to piece together what had happened.
A photograph was also identified on a Snapchat account linked to the 17-year-old that showed a collection of nine knives lined up on a bed. One of those knives was identical in appearance to the knife found in the tree at West Ham Park – and also identical in appearance to a knife ordered on the internet through an online shop on 12 June 2023.
Detectives traced the transaction details of that order, along with two similar orders, which had been placed using the name of the father of one of the 17-year-old’s friends. When the police told the man about these transactions, he had no knowledge of them at all. The last of the three orders for knives had a delivery address the same as the 17-year-old’s.
The 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of murder two days after Rahaan died in hospital (12 July) and he was charged on 13 July.
A 51-year-old man from Tobique First Nation, has been arrested in connection with a firearm and drug trafficking investigation in Tobique First Nation, N.B.
On October 3, 2024, the Western Valley Region RCMP executed a search warrant at a residence on New Road, in Tobique First Nation. During the search, police seized firearms, a quantity of suspected cocaine and drug trafficking paraphernalia.
The 51-year-old man was arrested at the scene and later released. He is scheduled to appear in court at a later date.
Members of the West District Crime Reduction Unit, Police Dog Services, and Emergency Response Team assisted with the search.
The public plays an important role in helping to reduce, prevent and solve crime, including the trafficking of illegal drugs. Anyone with information about, or who suspects, illegal drug activity in their neighbourhood is asked to contact their local police. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by Secure Web Tips athttp://www.crimenb.ca.
Detectives have launched a murder investigation following a stabbing at a house in Canning Town at the weekend.
Raish Ahmed, 50, died following the assault and two other people were also injured.
Police were called to a residential property in Hartington Road shortly after 16:30hrs on Saturday, 5 October to reports of a stabbing.
Officers attended along with paramedics from the London Ambulance Service where they found Mr Ahmed with stab wounds.
A teenage boy was also found with a slash injury, whilst another man, aged 41, was also assaulted. Both injuries were assessed as not life-threatening.
Mr Ahmed was taken to hospital for treatment, but despite the best efforts of emergency services he sadly died in hospital on Monday, 7 October.
A murder investigation was then launched by officers from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command.
His next-of-kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
Daniel Whybrow, 46 (03.10.78), of Hartington Road, E16, was charged on Sunday, 6 October with attempted murder, the charges of which will now be reviewed by the CPS following Mr Ahmed’s death.
Whybrow was also charged with grievous bodily harm, threats to kill, racially aggravated assault and possession of an offensive weapon.
He will next appear at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday, 4 November.
Police are not looking for anyone else involved in this attack.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the police incident room on 0208 721 4961 or 101, quoting CAD 4781/05OCT.
Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
WILLIAMSBURG, Va., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lendmark Financial Services (Lendmark), a leading provider of household credit and consumer loan solutions, continues to expand its Virginia footprint, opening a new branch in Williamsburg.
The branch is located at 6614 Mooretown Road, Suite B, and is expected to serve hundreds of customers in its first year. Sonja Winnington, who serves as the branch manager, will be responsible for administration of all daily operations. These include building personal relationships with customers and integrating into the community to ensure area residents receive a superior level of individualized loan services that meet their unique financial needs.
“As we grow our footprint in Virginia, we will continue to focus on delivering the tailored loan solutions our customers need to meet planned and unplanned life events,” said Dan Quann, Vice President of Branch Operations at Lendmark. “Our Virginia branch openings and overall branch growth demonstrate an ongoing need for diverse household financial options for consumers here and throughout the country.”
In addition to serving consumers directly, Lendmark provides financing solutions for thousands of retailers and independent auto dealerships, allowing these businesses’ customers to obtain Lendmark financing. Local businesses that are interested in partnering with Lendmark to provide financing solutions for their customers should visit the branch or call 757-378-6363.
Lendmark’s ‘Climb to Cure’ is its signature cause-related initiative. The company has committed to raising $10 million by 2025 to mark its 10-year anniversary partnering with CURE Childhood Cancer. So far, Lendmark’s employees, partners and customers have raised $8.83 million to support CURE, an Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to funding targeted pediatric cancer research that is utilized nationwide.
Lendmark customers can participate by donating $1 when closing their loan. Lendmark matches the donation.
About Lendmark Financial Services Lendmark Financial Services (Lendmark) provides personal and household credit and loan solutions to consumers. Founded in 1996, Lendmark strives to be the lender, employer, and partner of choice by protecting household wealth, offering stability and helping consumers meet both planned and unplanned life events through affordable loan offerings. Today, Lendmark operates more than 515 branches in 22 states across the country, providing personalized services to customers and retail business partners with every transaction. Lendmark is headquartered in Lawrenceville, Ga. For more information, visit http://www.lendmarkfinancial.com.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Dr. Eric Troyer, of Landis, North Carolina, and his medical practice, Troyer Medical Inc. P.C. (TMI), have agreed to pay $429,254 to the United States to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations arising from their involvement in laboratory kickback schemes. Troyer and TMI will pay an additional $195,746 to the State of North Carolina, which jointly funded claims paid by the North Carolina Medicaid program. Troyer and his practice have agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigations of other participants in the alleged schemes.
“Kickbacks to healthcare providers can undermine the integrity of taxpayer-funded healthcare programs and medical decision making,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue those who pay or receive illegal financial inducements, including unlawful inducements for laboratory testing.”
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and other federally funded healthcare programs. The Anti-Kickback Statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from August 2015 to November 2021, Troyer and his medical practice received kickbacks from a laboratory in Anderson, South Carolina, in return for Troyer’s referrals to that laboratory. According to the settlement, the kickbacks to Troyer and his medical practice allegedly were disguised as payments for purported phlebotomy services, rental of office space and the lease of a chemistry analyzer machine and resulted in the submission of false or fraudulent laboratory testing claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE in violation of the False Claims Act.
“Patients should be able trust that their healthcare provider’s recommendations are for their well-being and not for the provider’s financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of the healthcare system by giving or receiving kickbacks.”
“This resolution demonstrates the FBI’s dedication to addressing violations that undermine the public’s trust in our healthcare systems,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI, along with our law enforcement and regulatory partners, remains committed to ensuring healthcare professionals provide transparent and ethical standards of service.”
“Kickback arrangements aimed at improperly influencing medical decisions will remain a top investigative priority for our agency,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our ongoing enforcement efforts in this area are focused on protecting the integrity of taxpayer-funded healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and preventing schemes that could improperly manipulate the healthcare decisions of patients and their doctors.”
“Improper financial relationships between physicians and laboratories undermine patient healthcare and trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “Kickbacks should never be a consideration in a medical practice selecting a company for laboratory testing. DCIS will continue to bring to justice medical providers who illegally enrich themselves at the expense of the American taxpayer and wellbeing of our Warfighters.”
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, with assistance from HHS-OIG, DCIS, FBI and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office.
Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Terranova of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth C. Warren for the District of South Carolina handled the case. The United States previously resolved allegations that other physicians in South Carolina, North Carolina and Texas received kickbacks from the same laboratory.
The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Chief Executive John Lee expressed his profound sorrow over the passing of former Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 10th and 11th National People’s Congress (NPC) Wu Bangguo.
Mr Lee pointed out that Mr Wu had all along held the development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region close to his heart, and had reached out to people from all walks of life during his various visits to Hong Kong, fully demonstrating the central authorities’ unwavering support for the city.
He also noted that Mr Wu had reiterated on multiple occasions the central government’s firm commitment to the implementation of “one country, two systems”, under which “the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong” with a high degree of autonomy; working in strict accordance with the Basic Law; as well as fully supporting the administration of the Chief Executive and the Hong Kong SAR Government in accordance with the law to maintain Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability.
During Mr Wu’s tenure as NPC Standing Committee Chairman, the committee deliberated and unanimously passed the “Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on Issues Relating to the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region & for Forming the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the Year 2012 & on Issues Relating to Universal Suffrage”.
Mr Lee said: “On behalf of the Hong Kong SAR, I extend my deepest condolences to Mr Wu’s family.”
October 9, 2024, Covehead PEI – On October 6, at 18:15 RCMP responded to multiple complaints of an impaired driver in Covehead. A 31year-old- man was arrested and blew 3.5 times the legal limit.
On October 6, at 18:15 RCMP in Queens District received a report of an erratic driver, and later another report of a crashed vehicle. Police arrested the driver for impaired driving by alcohol, the driver went on to provide breath samples of 280 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood which is 3.5 times the legal limit. The driver will appear in court at a later date.
“If you see a suspected impaired driver call 911, you can make a difference for the safety of everyone,” Said Cpl Gavin Moore, Media relations officer for the Prince Edward Island RCMP.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
The Environment Agency has successfully prosecuted an angler from Scunthorpe for fishing during the close season.
A fisheries enforcement officer on patrol
Angler caught breaking close season regulations
Case brought by Environment Agency’s fisheries enforcement team
Close season in place to help protect fishing stocks
Lulian Constantinescu, 34, of Mulgrave Street, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, admitted the charge at Humber Magistrates Court in a case heard on 18 September 2024.
He was ordered to pay a total of £307 after admitting that he fished in the close season at South Soak Drain near Wiseman Bridge, Scunthorpe, on 19 March 2024.
The court imposed penalties of a £123 fine, £135 costs and a victim’s surcharge of £49.
Close season
The annual close season (from 15 March – 15 June) prevents fishing for coarse fish in rivers and streams across England, helping to protect fish when they are spawning and supporting vulnerable stocks. Environment Agency officers conduct patrols to ensure anglers respect this no fishing period.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:
“The close season is in place to reduce disturbances to protect vulnerable stocks during their peak spawning period.
“We urge anglers to respect the close season in order to help reduce pressures on our fisheries, benefitting fish and the wider environment.
“We hope the penalties will act as a deterrent to any angler who is thinking of fishing during the close season.
“Our fisheries enforcement team work seven days a week to check that anglers are following fishing regulations.”
Fisheries enforcement
The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by partners including the police and the Angling Trust.
Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported.
Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency Incident Hotline 24/7 on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Fishing licences
All income from fishing licence sales is used to fund our work to protect and improve fish stocks, fisheries and the environment.
This includes improving habitats for fish, reinvesting money back to facilities and clubs for anglers, tackling illegal fishing and working with partners to encourage more people to give fishing a go.
Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence.
A 1-day licence costs from just £7.10 and an annual licence costs from just £35.80. Concessions are available. Junior licences are free for 13 to 16-year-olds.
Licences are available from http://www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
The Charge – Lulian Constantinescu
On 19 March 2024 at South Soak Drain near Wiseman Bridge, Scunthorpe, fished for freshwater fish in the close season.
This is contrary to National Byelaw 2 of the Environment Agency Byelaws made on 12 July 2010 and contrary to National Byelaw 6 confirmed March 23 2010 made pursuant to sections 210 and 211 Schedule 25 of the Water Resources Act 1991.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
UK Statement for Item 10 General Debate: Technical assistance and capacity-building. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.
Location:
Geneva
Delivered on:
(Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)
Thank you, Mr Vice-President.
The UK believes that technical cooperation plays a vital role in promoting and protecting human rights and welcomes the ongoing engagement by many States with the Office of the High Commissioner.
In Bangladesh, we are encouraged by the interim government’s commitment to accountability following student-led protests over the summer – and its invitation to Office of the High Commissioner to conduct a fact-finding mission. Bangladesh’s cooperation with Office of the High Commissioner is a welcome example.
We also welcome Transitional Justice legislation in Nepal. We hope that its implementation will ensure a victim-centred conclusion to the peace process.
However, we remain concerned by the human rights situation in Yemen, including the use of child recruitment, abuses against migrants, and the persecution of the Baha’i and other ethnic and religious minorities. We call on the government and Houthi authorities to enable humanitarian access and human rights monitoring, and to include women and minorities in decision-making and peace negotiations.
We continue to see human rights violations and abuses in Libya. Technical assistance has a vital role to play in addressing these concerns, including through ongoing support to the judiciary.
And in Tunisia, space for political participation has shrunk considerably. Legitimate political actors and civil society figures have been detained and charged in a manner that questions the independence of the judiciary and undermines freedom of expression.
Dr. Eric Troyer, of Landis, North Carolina, and his medical practice, Troyer Medical Inc. P.C. (TMI), have agreed to pay $429,254 to the United States to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations arising from their involvement in laboratory kickback schemes. Troyer and TMI will pay an additional $195,746 to the State of North Carolina, which jointly funded claims paid by the North Carolina Medicaid program. Troyer and his practice have agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigations of other participants in the alleged schemes.
“Kickbacks to healthcare providers can undermine the integrity of taxpayer-funded healthcare programs and medical decision making,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue those who pay or receive illegal financial inducements, including unlawful inducements for laboratory testing.”
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and other federally funded healthcare programs. The Anti-Kickback Statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from August 2015 to November 2021, Troyer and his medical practice received kickbacks from a laboratory in Anderson, South Carolina, in return for Troyer’s referrals to that laboratory. According to the settlement, the kickbacks to Troyer and his medical practice allegedly were disguised as payments for purported phlebotomy services, rental of office space and the lease of a chemistry analyzer machine and resulted in the submission of false or fraudulent laboratory testing claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE in violation of the False Claims Act.
“Patients should be able trust that their healthcare provider’s recommendations are for their well-being and not for the provider’s financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of the healthcare system by giving or receiving kickbacks.”
“This resolution demonstrates the FBI’s dedication to addressing violations that undermine the public’s trust in our healthcare systems,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI, along with our law enforcement and regulatory partners, remains committed to ensuring healthcare professionals provide transparent and ethical standards of service.”
“Kickback arrangements aimed at improperly influencing medical decisions will remain a top investigative priority for our agency,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our ongoing enforcement efforts in this area are focused on protecting the integrity of taxpayer-funded healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and preventing schemes that could improperly manipulate the healthcare decisions of patients and their doctors.”
“Improper financial relationships between physicians and laboratories undermine patient healthcare and trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “Kickbacks should never be a consideration in a medical practice selecting a company for laboratory testing. DCIS will continue to bring to justice medical providers who illegally enrich themselves at the expense of the American taxpayer and wellbeing of our Warfighters.”
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, with assistance from HHS-OIG, DCIS, FBI and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office.
Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Terranova of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth C. Warren for the District of South Carolina handled the case. The United States previously resolved allegations that other physicians in South Carolina, North Carolina and Texas received kickbacks from the same laboratory.
The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
The governments of Canada and Ontario have awarded over $12.2 million in support to 213 projects designed to help farmers make their agricultural lands more healthy and resilient.
Canada and Ontario funding 213 projects to enhance the resilience of agricultural lands
October 9, 2024 – Straffordville, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The governments of Canada and Ontario have awarded over $12.2 million in support to 213 projects designed to help farmers make their agricultural lands more healthy and resilient.
The funding, through the first intake of the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program, is supporting the planting of grasslands and trees, reducing tillage, and creating water retention ponds. These improvements help farmers increase their resilience against extreme weather events and enhance the health of their soil and water, while boosting biodiversity on their properties.
Funding amounts vary according to the type and scope of the project. As funding is still available through the second intake of the initiative which opened on June 3rd 2024, farmers are encouraged to apply through the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association website. Eligible applicants could receive $30 per acre for reduced tillage, and up to $25,000 per acre for the establishment of new wetlands on agricultural lands.
The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a 5-year (2023-2028), $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial, and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food, and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5 billion commitment cost-shared 60% federally and 40% provincially/territorially for programs designed and delivered by the provinces and territories.
Quotes
“Our hardworking farmers face many challenges that are outside of their control, especially when it comes to extreme weather events and the impacts from climate change. Through the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program, we can help them protect their land against these unpredictable challenges so they can continue to grow and succeed for generations to come.”
– The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
“We want to support our world-class Ontario farmers with lasting on-farm improvements to help secure long-term growth and environmental resilience for a stronger agri-food sector. We strongly encourage our farmers to apply and take advantage of the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program, as funding remains available and open for new applications. This is an exceptional opportunity that we want extended across Ontario’s almost $51 billion agricultural sector.”
– Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness
“Ontario famers know good stewardship and best management practices are the key to soil health and building long term sustainability on our farms. OSCIA is pleased to deliver the Resilient Agricultural Landscape funding program under the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative to Ontario farmers to complete projects including reduced tillage, creating water retention ponds and wetlands, and establishing natural grasslands that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help sequester carbon.”
– Phil Oegema, President – Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association
Quick facts
The Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) is being delivered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) and is helping Ontario reach the goals outlined in the Grow Ontario Strategy, which includes strengthening the stability of the agri-food supply chain.
The second intake includes several continuous improvement updates to ensure the program continues to meet its intended purpose, including clarifying eligible activities and revising selected acreage-based rates and length of land use terms to better align funding incentives with intended outcomes.
Additional programming is being planned through RALP.
Associated links
Contacts
For media:
Annie Cullinan Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food annie.cullinan@agr.gc.ca
PACIFIC OCEAN — Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 deployed with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) aboard the Essex Amphibious Ready Group in 2018, marking the first combat deployment of the F-35B Lightning II. This deployment demonstrated the effectiveness of amphibious forces when the Marine Corps’ fifth generation fighter capabilities were integrated aboard the Navy’s amphibious assault ships.
Since returning from the first F-35B deployment in 2019, VMFA-211 has continued to play a crucial role in refining tactics and expanding the Navy-Marine Corps team’s ability to project power. In 2024, VMFA-211 completed a series of exercises with the America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) which enhanced both units’ readiness and interoperability.
From April 9-11, 2024, U.S. Marines and Sailors of VMFA-211 partnered with the Tripoli to conduct three days of training in Yuma, Arizona, as part of the aviation certification (AVCERT) syllabus. The AVCERT ensures that flight deck crews can safely launch and recover aircraft and are prepared to handle emergencies on the flight deck.
Flight deck crew received classes about the F-35B, and ground instruction from senior Landing Signal Officers, pilots who specialize in guiding aircraft to safe and expeditious landings aboard ship. Tripoli flight deck crews launched F-35Bs from the simulated deck of an amphibious assault ship at the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range while VMFA-211 pilots rehearsed procedures for carrier landings.
Three months later, VMFA-211, alongside tilt-rotor and rotary wing squadrons from 3rd MAW, landed F-35B aircraft aboard the Tripoli during day and night operations, July 14-18, culminating in the ship’s successful AVCERT.
“This training gives us an opportunity to get to know each other and how we operate together on the flight deck,” said U.S. Navy Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Lawrence Pivec, a member of the Tripoli air department’s V-1 division, responsible for moving aircraft on the flight deck. “We get out here and fly together as much as possible, so we are ready when the call comes.”
Training at-sea enhanced readiness for both the Tripoli and 3rd MAW squadrons. During the AVCERT process, 3rd MAW pilots gained or refreshed flight deck landing qualifications. Two VMFA-211 pilots achieved the day and night carrier qualification. VMFA-211 progressed a pilot from basic to advanced LSO— a role critical for future deployments – and made progress toward creating an additional basic LSO. LSOs help coordinate the complex flight deck environment and are essential for safety during high-tempo amphibious operations.
“The flight deck is very dynamic and can be a dangerous place, so it is imperative that we ensure the personnel on the deck are trained and qualified to safely operate around the aircraft,” said Maj. Courtenay Franklin, an F-35B pilot and aviation safety officer with VMFA-211.
From Sept. 30 to Oct. 4, VMFA-211 conducted training aboard the Tripoli once more, recertifying the flight deck.
The F-35B Lightning II, known for its short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities, is uniquely suited for operations from amphibious assault ships such as the Tripoli.
“It is important to have a joint understanding of the standard procedures that go into landing aboard a ship and ship operations,” said Capt. Leland Raymond, an F-35B pilot with VMFA-211. “Having this experience on the LHA [landing helicopter assault class] will translate to any other ship we go on and allows us to practice those standard procedures. It translates across the Navy.”
The multi-role, stealth capabilities of the F-35B when paired with the capabilities of the U.S. Navy’s largest amphibious warfare ships, like the Tripoli, offers unmatched operational flexibility, from close air support and interdiction to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
Third MAW’s F-35B squadrons routinely deploy aboard amphibious assault ships as the aviation combat element of Marine Expeditionary Units to the Indo-Pacific region in support of combatant commander requirements. The mutually beneficial training between VMFA-211 and the Tripoli is a testament to each unit’s commitment to interoperability and readiness to deploy at any moment.
“This is building confidence in our Navy-Marine Corps team,” Raymond said.” We are all aligned in our goals for successful future deployments.”
A third individual, 32-year-old Leon Smith, who was recently arrested by Burin Peninsula RCMP on a warrant, is now charged in relation to a break, enter and theft that occurred at Colin’s Convenience Store in Fortune on October 2, 2024.
At approximately 2:00 a.m. on October 2, Burin Peninsula RCMP responded to the reported break and enter and confirmed that three masked men entered the store and took an ATM, along with other property, and departed in a vehicle.
Two of the suspects, Joseph and David Strickland, were located and arrested later that day and were charged with a number of offences.
Leon Smith was arrested on Sunday, October 6, 2024. In relation to this break and enter, he is charged with the following criminal offences:
Break and enter
Mischief under $5000.00
Theft over $5000.00
Theft under $5000.00
Disguise with intent
Conspiracy to commit an indicatable offence
Failing to comply with a probation order – two counts
Smith is also charged with a number of other offences stemming from unrelated incidents. He remains in custody at this time and will appear in court today for a bail hearing.
RCMP NL continues to fulfill its mandate to protect public safety, enforce the law, and ensure the delivery of priority policing services in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury indicted four defendants in an alleged scheme to defraud a San Francisco-based delivery company.
All four defendants were arrested on Oct. 4, 2024. Defendants Sayee Chaitanya Reddy Devagiri, 30, and Manaswi Mandadapu, 29, were arrested in Newport Beach, Calif., made their initial appearances in Santa Ana, and were released on bond. Defendant Matheus Duarte, 29, was arrested in Mountain House, Calif., made his initial appearance in San Jose, and was released on bond. Defendant Hari Vamsi Anne, 30, was arrested in Cypress, Tex., made his initial appearance in Houston, and was detained pending further proceedings.
Each defendant is charged with a single count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to the indictment filed Aug. 7, 2024, and unsealed Oct. 4, 2024, from November 2020 to February 2021, the defendants allegedly worked together to cause the victim company (“Entity One”) to pay for deliveries that never occurred. Entity One’s business includes providing delivery services to customers in response to orders placed using the company’s platform. Drivers fulfill those orders by collecting the ordered items from restaurants and other merchants and delivering them to customers. In furtherance of the scheme, defendants allegedly created fraudulent customer accounts and driver accounts on Entity One’s platform and used the fictitious customer accounts to place orders for delivery. As alleged in the indictment, using insider access to Entity One’s computer systems, defendants assigned those orders to fraudulent driver accounts, then manipulated Entity One’s computer systems to cause Entity One to pay the fraudulent driver accounts as if individual orders had been delivered hundreds of times. The scheme allegedly resulted in fraudulent payments exceeding $2,500,000.
The indictment alleges that the defendants gained access to Entity One’s computer systems using credentials belonging to an employee of Entity One identified as “Individual One.” Individual One is Tyler Thomas Bottenhorn, a resident of Solano County, Calif., who was briefly employed by Entity One in 2020. Bottenhorn was not charged in the indictment unsealed on Oct. 4, but he was separately charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a federal criminal case filed Sept. 29, 2022, and unsealed Oct. 7, 2024. Bottenhorn pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2023, and admitted to being involved in the scheme to defraud Entity One.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael G. Pitman and Jeffrey D. Nedrow with assistance from Sahib Kaur. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Raykheem Andrew Guthery, 32, of Vallejo, was sentenced today to five years in prison for possessing ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 9, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a vehicle stop on Guthery for driving a car without license plates. Guthery pretended to be someone else, claimed he was not on parole or probation, and denied being armed. In fact, Guthery was on probation for felony assault and had a firearm loaded with an extended magazine concealed on his person. Officers discovered the firearm during Guthery’s arrest. The firearm was a non‑serialized, privately manufactured firearm, known as a “ghost gun.” It was loaded with one round of .40-caliber ammunition in the chamber and another 17 rounds in an extended magazine.
Guthery is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has been convicted of at least three felonies, including a 2016 felony conviction for forcible assault likely to cause grave bodily injury. He was also prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at the time of this offense because he was then the subject of a domestic violence protective order issued on April 15, 2021, by the Superior Court of California, Solano County.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael Andrew Scott, 38, of Fair Oaks, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between June 2018 and June 2022, Scott devised a scheme to defraud investors in his company, Trusted Medical Partnership. Scott told investors that either he or Trusted Medical Partnership received purchase orders from various health care providers for medical devices but lacked the capital to fulfill the orders. Scott solicited and obtained loans from these investors, and, in exchange, promised them substantial returns in a relatively short time with zero risk.
In reality, Scott’s representations to these prospective investors were false because Scott did not have purchase orders from health care providers. To some of his victims, Scott sent purchase orders that he had doctored or fabricated in order to convince them to lend money. The health care providers listed on these purported purchase orders confirmed that the orders were fake altogether or altered to reflect inflated amounts or other false information. Further, Trusted Medical Partnership was not a legitimate business – while incorporated in the State of California, it conducted no legitimate business transactions, paid no taxes, submitted no wage or employment-related records, and had been suspended in December 2021, before Scott solicited investments on its behalf from some of his victims.
Scott’s victims lent him money on the basis of his false statements, including the fraudulent purchase orders, but received little to no returns on their investments. Instead, Scott spent the money on gambling at several local casinos (sometimes the same day he received the victims’ money), personal expenses, or payments to other, prior investors in order to keep the scheme running. Collectively, Scott defrauded more than 10 victims of between $250,000 and $550,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.
Scott is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on Jan. 14, 2025. Scott faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,00, or twice the gross gain or gross loss, whichever is greater. In addition to pleading guilty, Scott agreed to pay restitution to his victims of between $338,843 and $550,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fidel Andrade, 36, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between January and October 2020, Andrade, who then worked as a correctional officer, supplied cocaine to his co-defendant Neftali Castillo Montes. Montes then sold over 9 ounces of cocaine to an FBI confidential source. On March 3, 2021, officers discovered an additional ounce of cocaine during a search warrant executed at Andrade’s house.
Andrade is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller. Montes pleaded guilty for his role in this conspiracy on July 15, 2024, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 28, 2025. Both defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years on prison for their roles in this conspiracy. Montes is separately charged in another indictment involving a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the U.S. Customs and Borders Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
LOS ANGELES – A Bel Air man was arrested today on a federal grand jury indictment charging him and two Iranian nationals with violating United States sanctions against Iran by illegally sending to that nation digital and physical gift cards loaded with approximately $2.4 million.
Kambiz Eghbali, 50,a.k.a. “Cameron Eghbali,” a dual citizen of the United States and Iran, is charged with violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. His arraignment is scheduled for this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Hamid Hajipour and Babak Bahizad, both Iranian nationals charged in the indictment, remain at large.
“Restrictions on exports and transactions with countries that are hostile to the United States, such as Iran, are critical to protecting our nation,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Nothing is more important than protecting our country from foreign threats and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who undermine our national security.”
According to the indictment unsealed today, from March 2014 through September 2019, Eghbali and others conspired to unlawfully send digital and physical gift cards loaded with U.S. dollars to Iran. Eghbali would list his company, a North Hills-based purported videogame wholesaler and distributor, as the seller of the gift cards, and would provide cards to Bahizad for the benefit of his Iran-based gaming company, and to Hajipour for the benefit of his mobile software application service company.
Bahizad and Hajipour would then pay Eghbali for the cards by transferring money from Iran to Eghabli’s U.S.-based bank accounts using third parties in other countries to conceal the transfer from U.S. regulators.
The IEEPA and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR) impose controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism.
The IEEPA and ITSR, among other things, prohibit the export, reexport, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by a United States person, wherever located, of any goods, technology, or services, including financial services, to Iran or the Government of Iran without first obtaining authorization from the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum penalties: 20 years in prison for violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 30 years in prison for bank fraud violations, and 20 years in prison for money laundering violations. The indictment also notifies defendants that the United States intends to forfeit all property alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
The FBI is investigating this matter with support from Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorneys Anna Boylan and Mark Takla of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case with Trial Attorneys David J. Ryan and Leslie Esbrook from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
LOS ANGELES—A Ventura County man was charged in a four-count federal grand jury indictment for possessing methamphetamine he intended to sell and illegally possessing firearms, the FBI announced today.
Rodolfo Hernandez, also known as “Creature,” of Oxnard, California, has been in federal custody since September 23, 2024.
Hernandez was charged in an indictment returned on October 2nd by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of firearms and machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a machinegun, and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
The indictment alleges that Hernandez, who was a convicted felon, possessed with intent to distribute approximately 98.6 grams of methamphetamine and possessed several firearms, including a .380 ACP caliber pistol machinegun, and 38 rounds of ammunition in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Hernandez made his initial appearance on October 2, 2024, in the United States District Court, where he was remanded to federal custody. His arraignment has been scheduled for October 11, 2024. If convicted, Hernandez would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The investigation into Hernandez is being conducted by the Ventura County Violent Crime Task Force, which includes the FBI, the Oxnard Police Department, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Magana is prosecuting this case.
A man has been jailed for the manslaughter of 18-year-old Yusuf Mahamoud in Finchley after Met detectives used CCTV and mobile phone data to identify him as the killer.
Tyrese Jennings, 21 (06.03.03), of Litchfield Grove, N3 was found guilty of manslaughter at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 11 July. He was sentenced at the same court on Wednesday, 9 October, to 13 years’ imprisonment.
Detective Chief Inspector Tom Williams, Specialist Crime, said: “Our thoughts today are with Yusuf’s family. He was a young man with his life ahead of him and they continue to grieve his untimely loss.
“I hope seeing the conviction and today the sentencing of Jennings brings them some small comfort.”
An investigation was launched after police were called to reports of a stabbing in Regent’s Park Road, N3, at 21:40hrs on Monday, 7 August 2023.
Officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service. Yusuf, from Enfield, was found seriously injured. Sadly he died at the scene from a stab wound to the neck.
Detectives found that Yusuf had left his home earlier that evening and arrived in the area at around 21:00hrs in a car with a number of friends. They got out and went into a nearby restaurant.
Jennings was one of a group of three males who confronted Yousuf when he left the restaurant. During the ensuing altercation, Yousuf was stabbed in the neck and the three males made off.
Detectives from Specialist Crime began an investigation and using CCTV and mobile phone analysis quickly identified the three males as Jennings and two 15-year-old boys.
Jennings was arrested on 14 August and charged with murder. He was found guilty of manslaughter on Thursday, 11 July, following an Old Bailey trial. He was found not guilty of murder.
The two 15-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were also charged with murder. They were found not guilty of all offences at the same court. ____
Note: There is no image of the victim at the request of his family.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed a legislative package designed to help small businesses open quickly and stay open longer with reduced costs and fewer paperwork requirements. Legislation S.8203/A.8427-A extends temporary permits to more New York City businesses. Legislation S.9685/A.7116 doubles the duration of temporary permits at the same cost.
“No longer will New York City bars and restaurants have to wait for months to start serving alcoholic beverages that quickly become a vital lifeline when starting a new business,” Governor Hochul said. “Now businesses can apply immediately with their full liquor license application and be up and operating soon after applying, making owning a business in New York more affordable than ever before.”
Legislation S.8203/A.8427-A removes the previously-set, two-year restriction, allowing businesses to open months earlier with a temporary permit while their full application is pending. Currently, New York City locations that have not been licensed within the last two years are ineligible to obtain a temporary permit when their application is subject to the 500 Foot Law. This important new provision will help small businesses open faster, put people to work sooner, bring life to vacant restaurant spaces around the City, and stimulate the economy by allowing bars and restaurants to start bringing in revenue and creating jobs right away. These updates go into effect immediately and will qualify many businesses that weren’t able to obtain a temporary retail permit before. The Governor would like to encourage businesses that were previously ineligible to apply today.
State Senator Jessica Ramos said, “On behalf of the small businesses in my district, I sincerely thank Governor Hochul for throwing this lifeline to the hospitality industry. When the Governor signed my first expansion of temporary liquor licenses, it opened a door for many small business owners across New York City. Now, we are closing the gap that left newer businesses behind. This legislation will be a much-needed shot in the arm for our commercial corridors. I urge new restaurateurs to reach out to the SLA and begin the process of getting your temporary permit as soon as possible.”
Assemblymember Harvey Epstein said, “This legislation enhances community board input and supports fledgling businesses while ensuring those business owners who do not respect the community can’t apply for a temporary license. I thank Governor Hochul for recognizing the merits of this policy change that will help many of our abandoned storefronts bring back street life to commercial areas.”
Legislation S.9685/A.7116 extends the duration of temporary retail permits from 90 to 180 days. The legislation will reduce paperwork for applicants, while also reducing fees by doubling the length of the original permit and keeping the fees the same. The legislation will also decrease the number of applications that need to be processed by SLA examiners, enabling the agency to redirect resources to processing applications and getting businesses operating with full licenses faster. Temporary retail permit extensions are still available for businesses that need to extend the timeframe further. This expands upon legislation signed by Governor Hochul in December 2021 that allowed bars, restaurants and grocery stores in New York City to be eligible to obtain temporary retail permits for the first time ever. This also builds upon Governor Hochul’s efforts to streamline and create a more efficient State Liquor Authority.
State Senator James Skoufis said, “Doubling the duration of temporary permits will be a significant boost for new restaurants, bars and taverns in New York. This new law will reduce paperwork for business owners, slash onerous fees, and allow the SLA to operate more efficiently with fewer applications to process. I’m grateful the Governor and SLA continue to partner on updating our state’s antiquated, burdensome alcohol laws.”
Assemblymember Angelo Santabarbara said, “As the sponsor of this legislation, I’m proud to see it signed into law, and I want to thank Governor Hochul for supporting this important initiative. By extending the duration of temporary retail permits, we’re not only cutting down on unnecessary paperwork but also reducing fees, allowing businesses to focus on what matters — serving their communities. This legislation is a win for our bars, restaurants and retailers, and it builds on the ongoing efforts to streamline operations at the State Liquor Authority, helping businesses get their full licenses faster and more efficiently.”
State Liquor Authority Chair Lily Fan said, “Over the past few years, Governor Kathy Hochul and the Legislature have largely expanded the availability of temporary permits to new hospitality businesses around the State so they can quickly begin alcohol service and entertain our residents and visitors alike. Today, we celebrate the signing of two new pieces of legislation that will add to the efficiency and effectiveness of temporary permits. Increasing the duration of a temporary permit from 90 to 180 days will largely reduce the need for laborsome renewals and lower the cost of doing business statewide. Removing the barrier of prior licensing history in New York City will bring fairness and reasonableness to our agency’s licensing process. Our team wholeheartedly thanks the Governor for her unwavering commitment to make doing business in New York easier and more affordable for our licensees and applicants.”
New York State Restaurant Association President and CEO Melissa Fleischut said, “These reforms will have an immediate, positive impact on the hospitality industry across New York State, streamlining operations for restaurants and contributing to the economic vitality of our communities. Restaurants will face less administrative burden and have more flexibility to run their business and pursue new opportunities. The New York State Restaurant Association thanks Governor Kathy Hochul and the legislative sponsors for recognizing the benefits of these reforms and delivering for our members.”
New York State Latino Restaurant Bar and Lounge Association President Sandra Jaquez said, “The New York State Latino Restaurant Bar and Lounge Association is grateful to Governor Hochul for signing this critical legislation into law. Expanding temporary retail permits will provide essential support to small businesses across the State, especially new and minority-owned establishments. This law is a significant step in ensuring the continued recovery and growth of New York’s hospitality industry, by enabling more businesses to open their doors and thrive, reducing vacant storefronts and enhancing the vibrancy of our communities. This bill will have an immediate benefit, as many establishments, including one of our members, will now be able to apply for permits under these expanded provisions. We look forward to seeing the full positive impact this legislation will have on our members and the neighborhoods they proudly serve.”
NYC Hospitality Alliance Executive Director Andrew Riggie said, “Expanding access to temporary liquor permits in NYC is a very important policy that will fill vacant storefronts and let new restaurants open faster, employ people sooner, and start generating tax revenue earlier without compromising on community engagement, while the State Liquor Authority processes the official licenses. Thank you, Governor Hochul, Senator Jessica Ramos and Assemblymember Harvey Epstein, for your leadership and enacting this critical economic development legislation. Cheers!”
Empire State Restaurant and Tavern Association Executive Director Scott Wexler said, “Small businesses will benefit immensely from these changes to the temporary permit law. They will spur job growth and economic development, and will alleviate unnecessary paperwork allowing these new business owners to focus on making their business successful. New businesses will have a greater chance for success and will be able to contribute to the economy sooner thanks to the efforts of the State Legislature and Governor Hochul.”
