NewzIntel.com

Category: Law Enforcement

  • MIL-OSI USA: The First 100 Hours: Historic Action to Kick off America’s Golden Age

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”>President Donald Trump’s second term is off to an historic start. The President is wasting no time delivering on the promises he made to the American people. The President signed more executive orders on his first day in office than any other president in history. Within the first 100 hours of his second administration, President Trump taken hundreds of executive actions to secure the border, deport criminal illegal immigrants, unleash American prosperity, lower costs, increase government transparency, and reinstitute merit-based hiring in the federal government. The President has already secured over $1 trillion in historic new investments. 
    We’re witnessing the Trump Effect:
    President Trump is securing historic investments just days after being sworn in.
    President Trump secured $500 billion in private sector investment for the largest AI infrastructure project in history, with Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman all stating that it would not have been possible if not for President Trump’s election victory and leadership.
    Saudi Arabia “wants to invest $600 billion in the United States over the next four years.”
    Stellantis announced it will restart an assembly plant in Illinois and build the new Dodge Durango in Detroit.
    The Detroit Free Press: “The news, announced in a letter Wednesday to employees from North America Chief Operating Officer Antonio Filosa, also provided some good news to workers in Toledo, Ohio, and Kokomo, Indiana, where investments are planned. The Belvidere plant will start production of a new midsize truck in the next two years. The letter said company Chairman John Elkann had met last week with President Donald Trump before his inauguration on Monday. Elkann shared ‘our enthusiasm for his strong commitment to the United States auto industry and all that this means for American jobs and the broader economy.’”

    President Trump is already securing the border and arresting criminal illegal immigrants.
    The Border Patrol is reporting a significant drop already in attempted illegal crossings.
    Fox News: “The U.S. southern border has seen a sharp drop in illegal immigrant encounters in the first days of the Trump administration, compared to the final few days of the Biden administration.”
    ICE is at work rounding up criminal aliens.
    Fox News: “Information obtained by Fox News Digital, shows that between midnight Jan. 21 and 9 a.m. Jan 22, a 33-hour period, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 460 illegal immigrants that include criminal histories of sexual assault, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, drugs and weapons offenses, resisting arrest and domestic violence.”
    Breitbart News: “President Donald Trump’s administration arrested 538 illegal aliens on Thursday, ranging from child predators to gang members and a suspected terrorist.”

    The Trump Administration immediately shut down the CBP One app, which “paroled” over 1 million illegal immigrants.
    Deportation flights have already started and the military is assisting with the effort.
    The Department of Homeland Security reinstated official use of the term “illegal alien” over “undocumented noncitizen,” and the DOJ announced it would be taking action against lawless sanctuary city policies.
    President Donald Trump signed an executive order to designate the cartels as terrorist organizations.

    Common sense has been restored to the government.
    President Trump signed a series of executive orders ensuring the elimination of discriminatory DEI practices and ensuring merit-based hiring.
    DEI staff are being placed on leave.
    The Federal Aviation Administration must now return to merit-based hiring.
    President Trump ended an affirmative action mandate in federal government hiring.
    President Trump signed an executive order affirming the reality that there are only two sexes.
    The State Department issued guidance that embassies should only be flying the American flag, and not any activist flags.
    President Donald Trump signed an executive order telling agencies to stop remote work practices and directing workers to return to the office.
    The State Department subsequently ordered workers to return to working in the office.
    President Donald Trump is unleashing American energy.
    President Trump declared a National Energy Emergency to unlock America’s full energy potential and bring down costs for American families.
    President Trump rescinded every one of Joe Biden’s industry-killing, pro-China, and anti-American energy regulations, empowering consumer choice in vehicles, showerheads, toilets, washing machines, lightbulbs, and dishwashers.
    President Trump withdrew the United States from the disastrous Paris Climate Agreement that unfairly ripped off our country.
    President Trump paused all new federal leasing and permitting for massive wind farms that degrade our natural landscapes and fail to serve American energy consumers.
    President Trump reversed the burdensome regulations that impeded Alaska’s ability to develop its vast natural resources.
    President Trump terminated Biden’s harmful electric vehicle mandate.

      These opening few days can be summarized as Promises Made, Promises Kept: 
    President Donald Trump said he would declassify the JFK Files. He did.
    President Donald Trump said he would end the EV mandate. He did.
    President Donald Trump said he would have the backs of the brave men and women in law enforcement. He did just that by pardoning two Washington D.C. Police officers that were unjustly prosecuted. The Metropolitan Police Department thanked President Trump for the pardon.
    President Donald Trump said he would use the military to secure the border. The Pentagon is deploying troops to the border and the Coast Guard is surging assets to the Gulf of America.
    President Trump said we would drill, baby, drill. The President signed executive orders to open up offshore drilling and allow more energy exploration in Alaska.
    President Donald Trump said he would end the weaponization of government. He signed an executive order doing just that.
    President Donald Trump said he would pardon the J6 Hostages. He did.
    President Donald Trump said he would end government censorship. On his first day in office, he signed an executive order restoring freedom of speech and ending government censorship.
    President Trump is being praised for his historic leadership:
    The Steel Manufacturers Association: “President Trump has repeatedly demonstrated his strong support for American steel workers. He reiterated that support on day one by directing his agencies to investigate unfair trade and its impact on domestic manufacturing.”
    American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers President and CEO Chet Thompson: “President Trump promised to end gas car bans and vehicle mandates on Day 1 of his new administration, and we are pleased to see that work already underway. Thank you, President Trump.”
    American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers: “Americans sent a clear message at the ballot box, and President Trump is answering the call on Day 1. U.S. energy dominance will drive our nation’s economic and security agenda. This is a new day for American energy, and we applaud President Trump for moving swiftly to chart a new path where U.S. oil and natural gas are embraced, not restricted.”
    Job Creators Network CEO Alfredo Ortiz: “Trump’s two-fold approach of boosting oil and gas production and repealing the Biden administration’s green energy mandates will make American energy cheaper, reliable and more efficient.”
    Mortgage Bankers Association President and CEO Bob Broeksmit: “President Trump campaigned on lowering costs for Americans, and we appreciate housing supply and affordability being included in an executive order on this issue. We support efforts to cut unnecessary regulatory red tape and to pursue federal housing program enhancements that make renting and homeownership more attainable and sustainable.”
    Professional Trucking Association Group: “President Trump’s decision to freeze regulations and curtail bureaucratic overreach is commendable. This is precisely what America needs: reduced government interference and increased freedom for small trucking businesses and entrepreneurs to flourish.”
    NetChoice CEO Steve DelBianco: “Upon returning to office, President Trump showed that America is ready to lead in tech and innovation again. By repealing Biden’s restrictive rules on energy production and AI development, the president is steering America to remain dominant in creating the best technology in the world.”
    United Against Nuclear Iran Chairman Governor Jeb Bush and CEO Ambassador Mark Wallace: “We applaud President Trump for his decision today to redesignate the Houthis as an FTO. UANI in its recommended action plan for the Trump administration’s first 100 days suggested that the president redesignate the Houthis as an FTO. This will now provide the U.S. government additional authorities to hold the Houthis accountable for their threats to international commerce and U.S. allies and partners.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi calls for pooling wisdom, strength to advance reform in steady and sustained manner

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

    Xi calls for pooling wisdom, strength to advance reform in steady and sustained manner

    BEIJING, Oct. 31 — On the morning of Oct. 29, a study session for senior provincial and ministerial-level officials to study and implement the guiding principles of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was inaugurated at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance). Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at the opening ceremony. He emphasized the need to further study and implement the guiding principles of the third plenum, calling for guiding the entire Party and the nation to have more confidence in reform, and pool collective wisdom and strength to advance reform in a steady and sustained manner.

    Li Qiang presided over the opening ceremony. Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi attended the event. They are all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Han Zheng, Chinese vice president, also attended the event.

    Xi noted that the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee heralded a new journey to comprehensively deepen reform and to advance reform through systematic and comprehensive design in the new era. This session has broken new ground for reform and opening up, and is of epoch-making significance. Comprehensively deepening reform in the new era has yielded significant outcomes in practice, system, and theory, representing one of the most remarkable chapters in China’s history of reform and opening up. It has provided strong momentum and institutional support for building China into a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and for carrying on the “two great miracles” (sustained rapid economic growth and lasting social stability). It has also laid a solid foundation and offered valuable experience for further comprehensively deepening reform on the new journey.

    Xi emphasized that maintaining the right political orientation and breaking new ground is a major principle that must be firmly upheld in further comprehensively deepening reform. China’s reform has direction and principles to follow. We must uphold the Party’s overall leadership, Marxism, socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the people’s democratic dictatorship, with promoting social fairness and justice as well as enhancing people’s well-being as our starting point and ultimate goal. These principles are fundamental, directional, and long-term, reflecting the nature and mission of the Party, conforming to China’s realities, and tallying with the fundamental interests of the people. They must be firmly upheld on any occasion and at any time. We should continue to improve and develop the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, work hard to realize the reform’s overall goal of modernizing the national governance system and governing capabilities, and consistently march forward in the direction guided by this overall goal, decisively reforming what should be reformed and never reforming what should not be reformed. In response to the new trends of the times, the new requirements for development, and the new expectations of the people, efforts should be made to advance reform in all aspects in a comprehensive and coordinated manner with an emphasis on economic structural reform, Xi said, urging vigorous work to promote innovations in theories, practice, institutions, culture, and other areas, so as to provide strong impetus and institutional support for Chinese modernization.

    Noting that reform is a systematic undertaking, Xi said relevant work should be done through proper means and by carefully balancing concerns in various aspects. He underlined the need to adhere to the coordination between reform and the rule of law, advance the rule of law with reform measures, further deepen reform in the realm of law-based governance, and continuously better the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics. The role of the rule of law should be given better play in removing the obstacles in reform and consolidating the achievements of reform, and it is important to think in terms of the rule of law and adopt a law-based approach in advancing reform to ensure that major reforms are carried out in accordance with the law and the legitimate rights and interests of all citizens and legal entities are under equal protection, Xi said. He added that it is necessary to adhere to the dialectical unity of breaking the old and establishing the new, focusing on both parts with efforts for the latter coming first. What needs to be established should be put in place proactively; what is no longer needed should be repudiated in due course after what is needed is established; and reform should be promoted in a steady and rapid manner in the balanced development of both, Xi said. It is a must to maintain a unified approach to reform and opening up, steadily expand institutional opening up, actively align with international high-standard economic and trade rules, and deepen the reform of the management systems for foreign trade, foreign investment, and outbound investment, so as to create a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized. It is essential to effectively manage the relationship between how work plans are made and how the arrangements are implemented. The design of reform plans must be made on the basis of how things should be done reasonably, and various measures for reform must be compatible with and support each other, so as to keep the orientation of the reform consistent. It is imperative to establish a working mechanism, under which responsibilities are clearly defined, and work in various aspects is well connected. Follow-up evaluation of work results must be strengthened to make sure that reform measures are implemented thoroughly and effectively.

    Xi emphasized that officials, particularly senior officials, bear the crucial responsibility of advancing reform. They must cultivate a strong sense of political responsibility and historical mission, confront problems and challenges head-on with political courage to tackle difficulties, decisively address entrenched issues, face up to risks without hesitation, and strive to break new ground for reform and development. The right approach should be adopted to promote reform, arrangements must be made systematically, and actions should never be taken before decisions are made.

    Xi noted that extensively building consensus and fully mobilizing all positive factors are quite important for smooth reform. It is imperative to do a good job in guiding public opinion, intensify efforts to conduct positive public communication, champion the overarching theme, and project positive energy. It is essential to conduct further research and interpretation on the major theoretical propositions put forward in the resolution adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, with a focus on strengthening public communication and interpretation of the propositions to the people. It is imperative to timely address confusions, respond to the concerns of society, and extensively build consensus, so as to consolidate the intellectual foundation and public support for the whole Party and entire society to jointly promote reform. Officials and the general public should be guided to think with a broad perspective and have a correct understanding of the adjustment of interests and personal gains and losses in the reform.

    Xi finally stressed that all regions and departments must conscientiously implement a slew of major measures decided by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, implement the existing and new policies to the letter, and employ a combination of policies to ensure that good results are delivered from the work in the next two months, and the economic and social development goals and tasks set for this year are fulfilled.

    Li Qiang, when presiding over the ceremony, said General Secretary Xi’s important speech is visionary, thought-provoking, incisive, and substantive. He said that the speech is of political, theoretical, targeted and guiding significance, and is of great importance for the Party, especially for senior officials, to comprehensively and faithfully understand the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and to grasp the guiding principles, overall targets, key rules and scientific methodology of the ongoing drive to further deepen reform. Studying the speech is also important for them to boost confidence in reform, follow the right direction, have a stronger sense of responsibility for reform, leverage synergies, and push for the desired delivery of reform measures.

    It is imperative to study Xi’s speech with a sense of mission and responsibility, and a focus on solving problems to have a thorough understanding of the connotations, essence and practical requirements of the speech. It is imperative to profoundly understand the decisive significance of “Two Affirmations”, resolutely act on “Two Upholds”, effectively align our thoughts and actions with the spirit of Xi’s speech and the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, and creatively implement the reform tasks, Li said.

    Those who attended the ceremony included members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, vice-chairpersons of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress who are Party members, State Councilors, the president of the Supreme People’s Court, the vice-chairpersons of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference who are Party members, and members of the Central Military Commission.

    Those who participated in the study session included leading officials of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the relevant central and state departments, relevant people’s organizations, centrally-administered financial institutions, enterprises, universities, as well as leading officials from various units of the People’s Liberation Army and the Armed Police Force. Leaders of the central committees of the other political parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and relevant sectors sat in on the opening ceremony.

    Notes:

    “Two Affirmations”:

    The affirmation of Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the affirmation of the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

    “Two Upholds”:

    “Two Upholds” refers to upholding General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and upholding the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Scheme of Arrangement for Acquisition of i3 Energy plc Becomes Effective

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    31 October 2024

    RECOMMENDED AND FINAL CASH AND SHARE ACQUISITION

    for

    i3 Energy plc (“i3 Energy”)

    by

    Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (“Gran Tierra”)

    to be implemented by way of a scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006

    SCHEME OF ARRANGEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE

    On 19 August 2024, the boards of directors of i3 Energy and Gran Tierra announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended and final cash and share acquisition of the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of i3 Energy (the “Acquisition”). The Acquisition is being implemented by means of a Court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006.

    i3 Energy published a circular in relation to the Scheme dated 29 August 2024 (the “Scheme Document“).

    On 29 October 2024, i3 Energy announced that the Court had sanctioned the Scheme at the Sanction Hearing held on 29 October 2024.

    i3 Energy and Gran Tierra are pleased to announce that, following delivery of the Court Order to the Registrar of Companies and satisfaction or waiver of all of the conditions set out in the Scheme Document, the Scheme has now become Effective in accordance with its terms and, pursuant to the Scheme, the entire issued and to be issued share capital of i3 Energy is now owned by Gran Tierra.

    Consideration

    A Scheme Shareholder on the register of members of i3 Energy at the Scheme Record Time, being 6.00 p.m. on 30 October 2024, will be entitled to receive one New Gran Tierra Share per every 207 i3 Energy Shares held and 10.43 pence cash per i3 Energy Share subject to any adjustments to such consideration resulting from valid Elections made under the Mix and Match Facility. For Scheme Shareholders holding Scheme Shares in certificated form, settlement of the consideration will be effected by electronic payment or (for those Scheme Shareholders who have not set up an electronic payment mandate) by the despatch of cheques. For Scheme Shareholders holding Scheme Shares in uncertificated form, settlement of consideration will be effected by the crediting of CREST or CDS accounts, as applicable. In each case settlement of consideration will occur as soon as practicable and in any event not later than 14 days after the date of this announcement, being 14 November 2024.

    Further to the announcement on 7 October 2024, i3 Energy confirms that, the Scheme having become Effective, the Acquisition Dividend totalling £3,084,278 will be paid as follows:

      Dividend: 0.2565 pence / i3 Energy Share
         
      Record Date: 6.00 p.m. on 30 October 2024
         
      Payment date: by 13 November 2024
         

    i3 Energy admission to listing on AIM

    An application was made for the suspension of admission to trading in i3 Energy Shares on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM Market (“AIM“) and such suspension has taken effect from 7.30 a.m. today. The cancellation of the admission to trading of the i3 Energy Shares on AIM has been applied for and is expected to take place by 8.00 a.m. on 1 November 2024. The delisting of the i3 Energy Shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange has been applied for and is expected to take place at the close of markets on 1 November 2024.

    Gran Tierra admission of shares to listing

    An application has been made for the admission of 5,808,925 new shares (the “Consideration Shares“) of common stock of par value USD0.001 per share in Gran Tierra. Gran Tierra has applied for the Consideration Shares to be admitted to the Equity Shares (International Commercial Companies Secondary Listing) Category of the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority and to trading on the main market of the London Stock Exchange PLC (together, “Admission“).

    Gran Tierra expects Admission of the Consideration Shares to occur at 8.00 a.m. on 1 November 2024. The Consideration Shares will rank pari passu in all respects with Gran Tierra’s existing shares of common stock of par value USD0.001 per share.

    Total Voting Rights

    Following Admission, Gran Tierra will have total issued share capital of 36,460,141 common shares, and holds no common shares in treasury. Gran Tierra Shareholders may use the figure of 36,460,141 as the denominator in calculations to determine if they are required to notify Gran Tierra of their interest in, or a change to their interest in Gran Tierra under the Financial Conduct Authority’s Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

    Cancellation of the Trafigura Loan Facility

    Gran Tierra also announces that the Loan Facility entered into on 19 August 2024 with Trafigura has today been cancelled. As announced on 18 September 2024, Gran Tierra completed an offering of an additional US$ 150 million aggregate principal amount of its 9.500% Senior Secured Amortizing Notes due 2029, the net proceeds of which are being applied to satisfy the cash consideration payable to i3 Energy Shareholders in place of the term loan facility available to Gran Tierra pursuant to the terms of the Loan Facility.

    Board and constitutional changes

    Each of the i3 Energy Directors has resigned as a director of i3 Energy with effect from the Scheme becoming Effective.

    Pedro Zutara, Adam Hewitson and Amy Lister have been appointed as directors of i3 Energy with effect from the Scheme becoming Effective.

    i3 Energy will in due course submit an application to cease to be a reporting issuer in each of the provinces of Canada under National Policy 11-206 – Process for Cease to be a Reporting Issuer Applications. i3 Energy is expected to be converted to a private limited company and its name changed to Gran Tierra UK Limited. As disclosed in the Scheme Document, i3 Energy Shares are expected to be transferred to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gran Tierra following completion of the re-registration.

    Full details of the Acquisition are set out in the Scheme Document. Defined terms used but not defined in this announcement have the meanings set out in the Scheme Document. All references to times in this announcement are to London time.

    Enquiries:

    Gran Tierra
    Gary Guidry
    Ryan Ellson            		 Tel: +1 (403) 265 3221
       
    i3 Energy
    Majid Shafiq (CEO)    		 c/o Camarco
    Tel: +44 (0) 203 757 4980 
       
    Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Joint Financial Adviser to Gran Tierra)
    Callum Stewart
    Simon Mensley    		 Tel: +44 (0) 20 7710 7600
       
    Eight Capital (Joint Financial Adviser to Gran Tierra)
    Tony P. Loria
    Matthew Halasz    		 Tel: +1 (587) 893 6835
       
    Zeus Capital Limited (Rule 3 Financial Adviser, Nomad and Joint Broker to i3 Energy)
    James Joyce, Darshan Patel, Isaac Hooper     		  
    Tel: +44 (0) 203 829 5000 
       
    Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities – Canada, ULC (Financial Adviser to i3 Energy)
    Brendan Lines     		 Tel: +1 (403) 705 7830
       
    National Bank Financial Inc. (Financial Adviser to i3 Energy)
    Tarek Brahim Arun Chandrasekaran     		  
    Tel: +1 (403) 410 7749
       
    Camarco
    Georgia Edmonds, Violet Wilson, Sam Morris    		 Tel: +44 (0) 203 757 4980
       

    No increase statement

    The financial terms of the Acquisition will not be increased save that Gran Tierra reserves the right to revise the financial terms of the Acquisition in the event: (i) a third party, other than Gran Tierra, announces a firm intention to make an offer for i3 Energy on more favourable terms than Gran Tierra’s Acquisition; or (ii) the Panel otherwise provides its consent.

    Notices relating to financial advisers

    Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (“Stifel“), which is authorised and regulated by the FCA in the UK, is acting as financial adviser exclusively for Gran Tierra and no one else in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Gran Tierra for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in relation to matters referred to in this announcement. Neither Stifel, nor any of its affiliates, owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Stifel in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.

    Eight Capital (“Eight Capital“), which is authorised and regulated by the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization in Canada, is acting exclusively for Gran Tierra and for no one else in connection with the subject matter of this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Gran Tierra for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in connection with the subject matter of this announcement.

    Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus“), which is authorised and regulated by the FCA in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for i3 Energy as financial adviser, nominated adviser and joint broker and no one else in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than i3 Energy for providing the protections afforded to clients of Zeus, or for providing advice in relation to matters referred to in this announcement. Neither Zeus nor any of its affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Zeus in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.

    Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities – Canada, ULC (“TPH&Co.”), which is regulated by the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization and a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund, is acting exclusively for i3 Energy by way of its engagement with i3 Energy Canada Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of i3 Energy, in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement and for no one else, and will not be responsible to anyone other than i3 Energy for providing the protections afforded to its clients nor for providing advice in relation to the matters set out in this announcement. Neither TPH&Co. nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or affiliates and their respective directors, officers, employees or agents, owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of TPH&Co. in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.

    National Bank Financial Inc. (“NBF”), which is regulated by the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization and a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund, is acting as financial adviser to i3 Energy Canada Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of i3 Energy plc, in connection with the subject matter of this announcement. Neither NBF, nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or affiliates and their respective directors, officers, employees or agents, owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of NBF in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.

    Additional Information

    This announcement is for information purposes only. It is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer, offer to acquire, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, or an offer to acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to this announcement or otherwise nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities of Gran Tierra or i3 Energy pursuant to the Acquisition in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable laws.

    This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made in the United States absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, such registration requirements. Any securities issued as part of the Acquisition are anticipated to be issued in reliance upon available exemption from such registration requirements pursuant to Section 3(a)(10) of the U.S. Securities Act. Any New Gran Tierra Shares to be issued in connection with the Acquisition are expected to be issued in reliance upon the prospectus exemption provided by Section 2.11 or Section 2.16, as applicable, of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions of the Canadian Securities Administrators and in compliance with the provincial securities laws of Canada.

    This announcement has been prepared in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, the Code, the AIM Rules for Companies and the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside England and Wales. 

    This announcement does not constitute a prospectus or circular or prospectus exempted document.

    Overseas Shareholders

    The availability of the Acquisition to i3 Energy Shareholders who are not resident in the United Kingdom may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are resident. Any person outside the United Kingdom or who are subject to the laws and/regulations of another jurisdiction should inform themselves of, and should observe, any applicable legal and/or regulatory requirements. Any failure to comply with the restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

    The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in or into or from jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United Kingdom should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions. Any failure to comply with the applicable restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of such jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Acquisition disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person.

    Unless otherwise determined by Gran Tierra or required by the Code and permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Acquisition will not be made available, directly or indirectly, in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction and no person may vote in favour of the Acquisition by any such use, means, instrumentality or form (including, without limitation, facsimile, email or other electronic transmission, telex or telephone) within any Restricted Jurisdiction or any other jurisdiction if to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of that jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this announcement and all documents relating to the Acquisition are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction, and persons receiving this document and all documents relating to the Acquisition (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must observe these restrictions and must not mail or otherwise distribute or send them in, into or from such jurisdictions where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction. Doing so may render invalid any purported vote in respect of the Acquisition.

    Dealing and Opening Position Disclosure Requirements

    Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Takeover Code, any person who is interested in one per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the Offer Period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified.

    An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person’s interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th Business Day following the commencement of the Offer Period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th Business Day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

    Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Takeover Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in one per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person’s interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the Business Day following the date of the relevant dealing. If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

    Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4). Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the Offer Period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit on +44 20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

    Publication on website and availability of hard copies

    In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement is and will be available free of charge, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions, for inspection on i3 Energy ‘s website  https://i3.energy/grantierra-offer-terms/ and on Gran Tierra’s website https://www.grantierra.com/investor-relations/recommended-acquisition/ by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the Business Day following this announcement. For the avoidance of doubt, the contents of the website referred to in this announcement are not incorporated into and do not form part of this announcement.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This announcement (including information incorporated by reference into this announcement), oral statements regarding the Acquisition and other information published by Gran Tierra and i3 Energy contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, strategies, objectives, results of operations and businesses of Gran Tierra and i3 Energy and their respective groups and certain plans and objectives with respect to the Combined Group. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts. Forward looking statements are prospective in nature and are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections of the management of Gran Tierra and i3 Energy about future events, and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The forward looking statements contained in this announcement include, without limitation, statements relating to the expected effects of the Acquisition on Gran Tierra and i3 Energy, the expected timing and method of completion, and scope of the Acquisition, the expected actions of i3 Energy and Gran Tierra upon completion of the Acquisition and other statements other than historical facts. Forward looking statements often use words such as “anticipate”, “target”, “expect”, “estimate”, “intend”, “plan”, “strategy”, “focus”, “envision”, “goal”, “believe”, “hope”, “aims”, “continue”, “will”, “may”, “should”, “would”, “could”, or other words of similar meaning. These statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by Gran Tierra, and/or i3 Energy in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, future developments and other factors they believe appropriate. By their nature, forward looking statements involve risk and uncertainty, because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future and the factors described in the context of such forward looking statements in this announcement could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward looking statements. Although it is believed that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct and readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary from the forward-looking statements.

    There are several factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements are changes in the global, political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory forces, future exchange and interest rates, changes in tax rates and future business acquisitions or dispositions.

    Each forward-looking statement speaks only as at the date of this announcement. Neither Gran Tierra nor i3 Energy, nor their respective groups assume any obligation to update or correct the information contained in this announcement (whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise), except as required by applicable law or by the rules of any competent regulatory authority.

    Early Warning Reporting Provisions of Canadian Securities Laws

    Certain of the information in this announcement is being issued under the early warning reporting provisions of Canadian securities laws. An early warning report with additional information in respect of the foregoing matters will be filed and made available under the SEDAR profile of i3 Energy at www.sedarplus.ca. The purpose of the Scheme was to enable Gran Tierra to acquire 100% of the share capital of i3 Energy. Immediately prior to the completion of the Scheme, Gran Tierra did not own, directly or indirectly, any securities of i3 Energy. To obtain a copy of the early warning report, you may also contact Phillip Abraham, Vice President, Legal & Business Development at 403-698-7918. Gran Tierra is an oil and gas company subsisting under the laws of Delaware, United States and its head office is located at 500 Centre Street SE, Calgary, Alberta T2P 1A6 and i3 Energy’s head office is located at 500, 207 – 9 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 1K3.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal possession of firearm sends Belgrade man to prison for almost three years

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    MISSOULA — A federal judge today sentenced a Belgrade man to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking investigation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Isaac James Cardona, 45, pleaded guilty in June to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

    In court documents, the government alleged that in November 2023, agents with the Missouri River Drug Task Force were conducting surveillance in Belgrade in an area known for drug trafficking. Law enforcement stopped Cardona, who had an outstanding state warrant. Cardona was found to be in possession of a loaded gun, two loaded magazines with extra ammunition for the gun, methamphetamine, a digital scale and 49 fentanyl pills. Cardona previously was convicted of a federal methamphetamine distribution crime and prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Missouri River Drug Task Force, and Belgrade Police Department conducted the investigation.

    This case is 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 Department 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously Convicted Felon Is Sentenced To Prison For Possession Of Ammunition

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – David Matthew Lowe, 33, of Shelby, N.C., was sentenced today to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Gerald Childress of the Kings Mountain Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and court proceedings, on August 12, 2023, at approximately 1:45 a.m., officers with the Kings Mountain Police Department were dispatched to a Comfort Inn in the area for a service call for an assault. Upon entering the hotel lobby, an officer encountered a female, identified in court documents as L.T., and the defendant. L.T. told the officers that Lowe had hit her, and she could not see out of her eye. At that point, Lowe fled toward the back of the hotel. Officers chased after Lowe and ultimately Lowe was taken into custody.

    As part of the investigation, law enforcement obtained CCTV footage from the hotel that depicted Lowe possessing a firearm during his assault of L.T. Specifically, the footage depicted L.T. and Lowe having an altercation, L.T. running away from the hotel room, and Lowe following her. Lowe then removed a firearm from his pants and struck L.T. in the side of her head. This caused the firearm’s magazine to break and ammunition along with several firearm parts fell to the floor. The defendant then struck L.T. several more times with a closed fist, causing L.T. to fall to the ground. Lowe then left the scene. Law enforcement recovered the firearms parts from the scene and 15 rounds of mixed ammunition. Court records indicate that Lowe has prior criminal convictions, including a federal conviction in the Western District of North Carolina for conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity – RICO conspiracy. Because of the criminal convictions, Lowe is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

    Lowe is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Kings Mountain Police Department.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

    * * *

    According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 19% of domestic violence involves a weapon. The presence of a gun in a domestic situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.

    To understand more about domestic violence, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence#dv. If you require immediate help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233) or Strong Hearts Native Helpline at 1-844-762-8483.

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: El Centro Man Admits to Threatening a DEA Agent

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Jacob Enriquez of El Centro, California pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he sent a threatening email directed at a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent and his family.

    Enriquez was charged on June 6, 2024. He pleaded guilty to Interstate Threatening Communication for sending a threatening and disturbing email directed at a DEA Agent. The profanity-laden email, which was sent to an email account belonging to Emergency Medical Services Agency in Imperial County, threatened to torture and kill the DEA agent and the agent’s children and made it clear that Enriquez knew where the agent lived.

    Enriquez admitted that he sent this email knowing that it would be viewed as threats of violence against the DEA agent and his family.

    Enriquez also admitted to sending threatening emails to the El Centro Police Chief and a doctor’s office in El Centro.

    “Words have consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “And the consequences of threatening others with violence is a felony conviction.”

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Sherwood and Joseph Orabona.

    The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on January 31, 2025.

    DEFENDANT                                   Case Number 24cr1330-CAB                                   

    Jacob Enriquez                                   Age: 43                                   El Centro, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Interstate Threatening Communication – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 875(c)

    Maximum penalty: Five years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense Contractor, Former Executive Indicted for Bribing Government Employee

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Cask Technologies, LLC and former company executive Mark Larsen with bribing a government employee to win lucrative government contracts.

    According to court records, Larsen and his subordinates at Cask gave former Naval Information Warfare Center employee James Soriano various things of value, including expensive meals, golf outings, and full-time jobs for Soriano’s close family friend and immediate family member. At the time of the conspiracy, Larsen was the director, and later the managing director, vice president, and executive vice president of Cask with offices in San Diego and Stafford, Virginia.

    In return, Soriano took official action to benefit Cask, such as steering non-competitive small business contracts to Cask and its “family” of companies; allowing Larsen and other Cask employees to draft procurement documents for various contracting efforts, including competitive procurements; and allowing Larsen and others to “ghost write” emails, official government correspondence, and performance evaluations for Soriano’s signature, all to benefit Cask and others in its “family” of companies.

    Soriano also agreed in an email exchange to “create & award” a $50 million supposedly competitive contract for services to Cask. Soriano then allowed Cask to draft the contract requirements and the price the government was expected to pay, and took other actions to ensure that Cask was awarded the “competitive” contract.

    To conceal their activities, Larsen, Cask and Soriano failed to disclose organizational conflicts of interest in relation to their contracting efforts and that Cask was affiliated to other companies in its “family” of companies, including two Native Hawaiian 8(a) companies that were subcontracting millions of dollars of work on 8(a) contracts to Cask.

    Soriano has already pleaded guilty to multiple bribery schemes, including facts related to his relationship with Larsen and Cask. He is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2025.

    “Defense contracts support our military, and as such play an important role in keeping us all safe,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath. “Allowing bribery and corruption to dictate who obtains those important contracts undermines the system and dishonors our defense operations.”

    “This newest indictment is another constructive step toward accountability in this ongoing multi-year investigation,” said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. “Mr. Larsen and Cask Technologies are accused of feeding their own greed by knowingly corrupting the government’s acquisition process and some government officials at the expense of our nation’s warfighters and taxpayers.”

    “The allegations in this case highlight the serious repercussions of undermining the integrity of the Department of the Navy’s procurement process. By prioritizing personal gain over fair competition, such actions can compromise the readiness and, potentially, the safety of our warfighters,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “We, alongside our investigative partners, are committed to exposing unlawful activity and restoring public trust in the systems designed to protect our nation’s security.”

    “This case demonstrates our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to root out fraud and corruption in government contracting,” said Weston King, SBA OIG Western Region Special Agent in Charge. “These defendants are accused of working together to exploit the 8(a) program, actions that would defraud the government but also compromise the integrity of the program designed to uplift deserving entrepreneurs. I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners for their continued pursuit of justice and holding accountable those who engage in fraudulent schemes.”

    “This indictment demonstrates IRS CI’s commitment to leaving no stone unturned when we investigate DOD contract fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Those who undermine the DOD contracting process put our warfighters at risk, and we will not rest on a case until we find all complicit parties and the evidence necessary to bring them to court.”

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Swan and Katherine McGrath.

    DEFENDANTS                                 Case Number 24cr2111-TWR                       

    Mark Larsen                                        Age: 46                                   San Diego, CA

    Cask Technologies, LLC                                                                   Stafford, VA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Conspiracy to Commit Bribery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371

    Maximum penalty: Five years in prison; $250,000 fine

    Bribery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 201

    Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; $250,000 fine for an individual or $500,000 for an organization, or three times the monetary equivalent of the thing of value, whichever is greater.

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Defense Criminal Investigative Service

    Naval Criminal Investigative Service

    Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General

    Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation

    Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    If you have information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse relating to Department of Defense personnel or operations, please contact the DoD Hotline at 800-424-9098.

                                                                                   

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: PRESS RELEASE BY UNITED STATES ATTORNEY RELATING TO NOVEMBER 2024 GENERAL ELECTION

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands announced today the assignment of Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) who will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.  AUSA Marivic P. David will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Guam and AUSA Eric S. O’Malley will serve as the DEO for the District of the Northern Mariana Islands. They are responsible for overseeing each district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington DC.

    United States Attorney Anderson said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election.  Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence.  The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

    The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud.  The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

    Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice.  The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). 

    United States Attorney Anderson stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy.  We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, DEOs will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.  Ms. David can be reached by the public at (671) 479-4120. Mr. O’Malley can be contacted at (670) 236-2986.”

    In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day.  The public can contact the FBI at the following numbers:

    • Honolulu Field Office 24/7 (808) 566-4300
    • Guam Office (671) 472-7465
    • Northern Mariana Islands Office (670) 322-6934

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    United States Attorney Anderson said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate.  It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”

    Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. Local police has primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always has faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Bank working hours on pre-holiday days and holidays

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Bank “ROSSIA” Russia Bank –

    Press Releases and Events

    10/31/2024

    Bank working hours on pre-holiday days and holidays

    We present to your attention information about the work of Bank “ROSSIYA” offices from November 1 to 4, 2024.

    On November 1, the Bank’s offices will work as on Friday. November 2 is a working day as on Monday, but service hours are shortened by one hour. November 3 and 4 are days off in all offices. From November 5, the Bank will work as usual.

    Exception:

    Remote service point “Zhigulina Roshcha”Republic of Crimea, Simferopol municipal district, Mirnovskoye rural settlement, Mirnoye village, Krymskoy Vesny st., 5, bldg. 1, room 330

    November 2 from 9:00 to 15:00

    No service November 3-5

    Back to list

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://abr.ru/about/nevs/13780/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: VI Russian Sociogender Forum: GUU at the Center of International Dialogue on Social Security of the Family

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    The State University of Management, together with the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, co-organized the VI Russian Sociogender Forum with international participation “Social, demographic and spiritual security of the family institution in the context of the formation of a new social world order.”

    As part of the Forum, on October 25, 2024, a meeting of the scientific section “Trust as a socio-gender basis for the formation of a family, stable development of family relations and successful solution of strategic tasks of the demographic policy of Russian society and the state” was held at the Institute of Public Administration and Law of the State University of Management.

    In the reports that covered modern challenges and trends in this area, of particular interest were cases and studies of the problems of gender socialization of women, trust and mistrust between the sexes, socio-psychological mechanisms and strategies for successfully resolving family conflicts, including divorces, the share of which in 2022 increased to 68%, while 70 years ago this figure was 4%. In Russia, according to the results of 2023, the total fertility rate, reflecting the average number of children born to one woman during the reproductive period (from 15 to 50 years), turned out to be “terribly low” and amounted to 1.41.

    The moderator of the section “Trust as a socio-gender basis for the formation of a family, stable development of family relations and successful solution of strategic tasks of the demographic policy of Russian society and the state” was the head of the relevant scientific school, professor of the department of sociology, psychology and history of our university Viktor Krivopuskov.

    The scientific discussion was also attended by professors of sociology T.E. Petrova, I.V. Mkrtumova, V.V. Krivopuskov, professors of psychological sciences N.A. Tsvetkova, N.A., O.A. Ovsyanik, M.V. Iontseva, I.E. Sokolovskaya, candidate of historical sciences K.A. Aramyan, candidate of psychological sciences L.Yu. Shuraeva, candidate of economic sciences, head of the Center for Mediation and Social and Legal Assistance, branch of the State Budgetary Institution “Resource Center for Guardianship and Trusteeship “Assistance” of the Department of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the City of Moscow O.E. Gracheva, as well as graduate students, master’s students and bachelors of the university.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 10/31/2024

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Don’t burn a hole in your pocket with a fine this Bonfire Night

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Burning household waste can cause pollution, harm people, wildlife and the environment and could lead to a fine of up to £50,000.

    Go to a properly organised bonfire instead of holding your own and risk breaking the rules

    With Bonfire Night fast approaching, the Environment Agency is urging those planning to celebrate to go to an organised event or risk a hefty fine if holding their own.

    As well as the safety risks caused by bonfires, they have an impact on the climate and, if the wrong materials are burned, can harm wildlife, the environment and human health.

    The only materials that should be used in bonfires are dry, untreated and unpainted wood, along with small amounts of paper or cardboard. Using wet wood creates smoke which can spread and cause a nuisance to neighbours, and bonfires can quickly get out of control if not properly managed.

    Those still planning to have a bonfire at home are advised:

    • not to use it to dispose of household waste such as plastic, rubber, glass, oils or metal – these materials carry a pollution risk and should be disposed of through waste collections or at council recycling centres.
    • always check for hedgehogs and other wildlife which may have crawled inside before setting light to a bonfire
    • don’t allow anyone else to add materials to your bonfire, other than clean, dry, untreated wood.

    Wet wood creates smoke and bonfires can quickly escape control

    It’s not just householders that may use Bonfire Night as a way of getting rid of rubbish, businesses may use it to burn waste too, but the Environment Agency also urges them to be aware of what they are burning.

    As well as the harm and nuisance burning the wrong kind of waste can cause, burning of most types of waste is illegal and can carry a fine of up to £50,000.

    Ben Shayler of the Environment Agency said:

    We want people to have fun on Bonfire Night – but to do so safely and in a way that won’t create a risk to the environment, wildlife, you and your neighbours.

    The best way of doing that is to stop burning waste altogether and go to a properly organised community event where organisers have followed our guidelines and won’t be causing a hazard.

    Whether you are a business owner or householder, if you are paying someone to take waste away, always check they are licensed waste carriers who will dispose of waste correctly. Criminals working in illegal waste operations may also use the celebration to dispose of hazardous and inappropriate waste.

    Dave Waters, area manager of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, said:

    We would always urge people to attend organised bonfire and fireworks events as it’s much safer. In addition, it reduces the potential pressure on the fire and rescue service at a time of year when we can be extremely busy.

    If you see a bonfire being built, which you think may contain hazardous materials, you can contact the Environment Agency on our 24-hour helpline at 0800 807060 or report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

    You can check if a waste carrier is licensed on our public register.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Expert Advisory Group on Legal and Dispute Resolution Services holds first meeting (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Expert Advisory Group on Legal and Dispute Resolution Services holds first meeting (with photos)
    Expert Advisory Group on Legal and Dispute Resolution Services holds first meeting (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Expert Advisory Group on Legal and Dispute Resolution Services (EAG), established by the Department of Justice (DoJ) earlier this month, held its first meeting today (October 31). During the meeting, the EAG considered and endorsed its terms of reference and discussed future work and issues for follow-up.       The EAG, chaired by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, and with the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan, as the vice-chairman, comprises experts from the legal and dispute resolution services sector. It advises the DoJ in respect of the promotion and development of the legal and dispute resolution services of Hong Kong for a term of three years. Its terms of reference are as follows: 

    Considering, formulating and advising on the overall strategies and initiatives for the promotion and development of Hong Kong’s legal and dispute resolution services in and outside Hong Kong;
    Advising on the wider use of out-of-court dispute resolution services (including mediation and arbitration) in Hong Kong;   
    Serving as a forum for raising and discussing such issues as may be of concern to the legal and dispute resolution sector to enhance Hong Kong as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region; and
    Considering and dealing with such other matters as may be incidental to any of the matters stated above.

          Meanwhile, the Working Group on Mediation Regulatory System, chaired by Mr Lam and vice-chaired by Mr Cheung, has also been established this October for a term of two years. Members of the Working Group will advise the DoJ on the mediation regulation regime in Hong Kong, including reviewing and making recommendations to reform or improve the current regime in relation to matters such as accreditation and disciplinary matters. ???     The membership lists of the EAG and the Working Group are attached in Annexes 1 and 2.

     
    Ends/Thursday, October 31, 2024Issued at HKT 18:24

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Seized for suspected fly-tipping

    Source: City of Sunderland

    A vehicle suspected of being involved in fly-tipping has been seized.

    The white Ford Transit flatbed pick-up was seized in Eskdale Street, Hetton, on Sunday 27 October at 3.47pm in a coordinated operation between the City Council and Northumbria Police.

    This seizure was part of Project Shield, a focused initiative addressing community concerns in and around the Easington Lane area. The project brings together the council, police, and other partners to tackle criminal and anti-social behaviour, including fly-tipping, burglary, and youth disorder.

    The vehicle is suspected of being used to dispose of waste unlawfully at the former Frosterley Close site (known as the Cosy) in Easington Lane.

    This seizure marks the 29th vehicle the City Council has confiscated on suspicion of involvement in fly-tipping since August 2019. Of these, subsequent investigations have led to 17 vehicles being destroyed or sold and 12 returned to their owners.

    Vehicle owners may request the return of their vehicle, but the council will decide on a case-by-case basis. If a decision is made not to return a vehicle, it may be crushed or sold.

    Enhanced enforcement against fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour was one of the main public concerns identified in the City Council’s 2020 “Let’s Talk” consultation.

    The City Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, Transport and Net Zero, Councillor Lindsey Leonard said: “Fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour continue to be two of our residents’ biggest concerns and what many people contact the council about.

    “Fly-tipping is not only illegal but seriously anti-social. It blights communities, creates eye-sores and pollution, and as we have the powers to seize vehicles that may have been used from fly-tipping, we will use these powers and that’s exactly what we have done.

    “As householders, we all have a legal ‘Duty of Care’ to make sure that our waste is disposed of lawfully so if you are arranging a private collection you need to check where the waste is going and whether they have a valid waste carrier’s licence. If you don’t and it’s found dumped, you could be the one left to pick up the bill.”

    Anyone planning to use a private waste collector should check with the Environment Agency that the person, or company concerned has a valid waste carriers licence by visiting the website https://www.gov.uk/guidance/access-the-public-register-for-environmental-information

    If you witness fly-tipping you can report it anonymously to https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/report-flytipping or by calling 0191 520 5550.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Deaths linked to chatbots show we must urgently revisit what counts as ‘high-risk’ AI

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Fraser, Research Fellow in Law, Accountability and Data Science, Queensland University of Technology

    De Visu/Shutterstock

    Last week, the tragic news broke that US teenager Sewell Seltzer III took his own life after forming a deep emotional attachment to an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot on the Character.AI website.

    As his relationship with the companion AI became increasingly intense, the 14-year-old began withdrawing from family and friends, and was getting in trouble at school.

    In a lawsuit filed against Character.AI by the boy’s mother, chat transcripts show intimate and often highly sexual conversations between Sewell and the chatbot Dany, modelled on the Game of Thrones character Danaerys Targaryen. They discussed crime and suicide, and the chatbot used phrases such as “that’s not a reason not to go through with it”.

    A screenshot of a chat exchange between Sewell and the chatbot Dany.
    ‘Megan Garcia vs. Character AI’ lawsuit

    This is not the first known instance of a vulnerable person dying by suicide after interacting with a chatbot persona. A Belgian man took his life last year in a similar episode involving Character.AI’s main competitor, Chai AI. When this happened, the company told the media they were “working our hardest to minimise harm”.

    In a statement to CNN, Character.AI has stated they “take the safety of our users very seriously” and have introduced “numerous new safety measures over the past six months”.

    In a separate statement on the company’s website, they outline additional safety measures for users under the age of 18. (In their current terms of service, the age restriction is 16 for European Union citizens and 13 elsewhere in the world.)

    However, these tragedies starkly illustrate the dangers of rapidly developing and widely available AI systems anyone can converse and interact with. We urgently need regulation to protect people from potentially dangerous, irresponsibly designed AI systems.

    How can we regulate AI?

    The Australian government is in the process of developing mandatory guardrails for high-risk AI systems. A trendy term in the world of AI governance, “guardrails” refer to processes in the design, development and deployment of AI systems. These include measures such as data governance, risk management, testing, documentation and human oversight.

    One of the decisions the Australian government must make is how to define which systems are “high-risk”, and therefore captured by the guardrails.

    The government is also considering whether guardrails should apply to all “general purpose models”. General purpose models are the engine under the hood of AI chatbots like Dany: AI algorithms that can generate text, images, videos and music from user prompts, and can be adapted for use in a variety of contexts.

    In the European Union’s groundbreaking AI Act, high-risk systems are defined using a list, which regulators are empowered to regularly update.

    An alternative is a principles-based approach, where a high-risk designation happens on a case-by-case basis. It would depend on multiple factors such as the risks of adverse impacts on rights, risks to physical or mental health, risks of legal impacts, and the severity and extent of those risks.

    Chatbots should be ‘high-risk’ AI

    In Europe, companion AI systems like Character.AI and Chai are not designated as high-risk. Essentially, their providers only need to let users know they are interacting with an AI system.

    It has become clear, though, that companion chatbots are not low risk. Many users of these applications are children and teens. Some of the systems have even been marketed to people who are lonely or have a mental illness.

    Chatbots are capable of generating unpredictable, inappropriate and manipulative content. They mimic toxic relationships all too easily. Transparency – labelling the output as AI-generated – is not enough to manage these risks.

    Even when we are aware that we are talking to chatbots, human beings are psychologically primed to attribute human traits to something we converse with.

    The suicide deaths reported in the media could be just the tip of the iceberg. We have no way of knowing how many vulnerable people are in addictive, toxic or even dangerous relationships with chatbots.

    Guardrails and an ‘off switch’

    When Australia finally introduces mandatory guardrails for high-risk AI systems, which may happen as early as next year, the guardrails should apply to both companion chatbots and the general purpose models the chatbots are built upon.

    Guardrails – risk management, testing, monitoring – will be most effective if they get to the human heart of AI hazards. Risks from chatbots are not just technical risks with technical solutions.

    Apart from the words a chatbot might use, the context of the product matters, too. In the case of Character.AI, the marketing promises to “empower” people, the interface mimics an ordinary text message exchange with a person, and the platform allows users to select from a range of pre-made characters, which include some problematic personas.

    The front page of the Character.AI website for a user who has entered their age as 17.
    C.AI

    Truly effective AI guardrails should mandate more than just responsible processes, like risk management and testing. They also must demand thoughtful, humane design of interfaces, interactions and relationships between AI systems and their human users.

    Even then, guardrails may not be enough. Just like companion chatbots, systems that at first appear to be low risk may cause unanticipated harms.

    Regulators should have the power to remove AI systems from the market if they cause harm or pose unacceptable risks. In other words, we don’t just need guardrails for high risk AI. We also need an off switch.

    If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

    Henry Fraser receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Deaths linked to chatbots show we must urgently revisit what counts as ‘high-risk’ AI – https://theconversation.com/deaths-linked-to-chatbots-show-we-must-urgently-revisit-what-counts-as-high-risk-ai-242289

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Witnesses testify to the abuse Ukrainian civilians suffer in Russian detention: UK statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Ambassador Holland shares harrowing details from witness testimony event in London and urges Russia to release all Ukrainian citizens it has arbitrarily detained.

    Location:
    Vienna
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    Thank you, Madam Chair. Since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, its actions in Ukraine have featured widespread reports of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions of Prisoners of War and civilian detainees, and other serious violations of human rights.

    Activists, journalists, community leaders, and those perceived as supportive of Ukrainian sovereignty have faced persecution and illegal detention by Russian forces in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Many are sent to far-flung regions within the Russian Federation. They are held in prisons, pre-detention centres, and unofficial places of detention. Their families are often denied information about their whereabouts or access to them, causing great distress and an inability to organise effective legal counsel.

    Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, these practices have increased in both frequency and severity, with thousands of Ukrainian civilians held incommunicado and denied their fundamental rights. Independent reports, including the latest Moscow Mechanism, detail inhumane conditions, from physical abuse to psychological coercion.

    Madam Chair, these actions constitute violations of international law but behind them lie personal stories of human suffering. This week two Ukrainian civilians, Hryhorii Holovko and Oleksandra Stoliar, shared theirs at an event held in the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, supported by the Ukrainian NGO, Media Initiative for Human Rights.

    Hryhorii Holovko was detained by Russian forces in Kherson in October 2022. Russian forces tortured and intimidated him, including beatings and electric shocks and by carving Russian symbols into his body. Russian guards made threats against his wife and child and forced him to sing the Russian national anthem. Hryhorii was released in May 2023, having been forced to sign papers to align with the Russian state. His story is familiar to many others who have survived Russian occupation.

    Oleksandra Stoliar is mother to 26-year-old Iryna Navalnaya who is still being unlawfully detained. Russian forces took Iryna from her home in Mariupol in September 2022. Two months passed before Iryna’s family discovered she was being held in a prison in Donetsk. Women who have been released from this prison have shared accounts of the beatings and other barbaric treatment Iryna has experienced during interrogations, leaving her covered in bruises. They report that detainees are regularly denied access to medical assistance. Iryna’s mother worries continually that she might die in captivity.

    These testimonies are just two out of thousands. We recall that three Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) members, our colleagues, are also subjected to this systematic arbitrary detention.

    The UK stands in solidarity with them and Ukraine – and reaffirms the urgent need for accountability. We call on Russia to fully cooperate with international mechanisms investigating these abuses, grant immediate access to humanitarian organisations to all facilities where Ukrainian civilians are being held, and uphold its obligations to protect civilians and respect human rights. Russia must release all arbitrarily detained Ukrainian citizens, including Iryna Navalnaya and the SMM members. We call on Russia to end its illegal war and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 October 2024

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Raksha Mantri virtually inaugurates ‘Desh ka Vallabh’ statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel & Major Ralengnao ‘Bob’ Khathing ‘Museum of Valour’ at Tawang; Describes them as a symbol of unity & strength

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Raksha Mantri virtually inaugurates ‘Desh ka Vallabh’ statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel & Major Ralengnao ‘Bob’ Khathing ‘Museum of Valour’ at Tawang; Describes them as a symbol of unity & strength

    “Disengagement process in certain areas along LAC almost complete based on consensus achieved between India & China; Our aim will be to take the matter beyond disengagement”

    Shri Rajnath Singh reiterates PM Modi-led Govt’s commitment towards development of the North-east region

    Posted On: 31 OCT 2024 10:57AM by PIB Delhi

    Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh virtually dedicated to the nation ‘Desh ka Vallabh’ statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Major Ralengnao ‘Bob’ Khathing ‘Museum of Valour’ at Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh on October 31, 2024. Raksha Mantri carried out the inauguration from 4 Corps Headquarters in Tezpur, Assam. He was supposed to visit Tawang, but could not due to bad weather. The unveiling coincided with the festival of lights ‘Deepawali’ as well as ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ which is celebrated on 31stOctober every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

    Raksha Mantri began his address by referring to the broad consensus achieved by India and China to restore the ground situation in certain areas along the LAC. “India and China have been holding talks at both diplomatic and military levels to resolve the differences in some areas along the LAC. As a result of the talks, a broad consensus was developed on the basis of equal and mutual security. The consensus includes the rights of patrolling and grazing in traditional areas. Based on this consensus, the process of disengagement is almost complete. Our efforts will be to take the matter beyond disengagement; but for that, we will have to wait a little longer,” he said.

    Shri Rajnath Singh paid glowing tributes to Sardar Patel, also known as the Iron Man of India, acknowledging his instrumental role in unifying over 560 princely states post-independence, a feat that stands as a testament to his indomitable resolve and commitment to a unified India. “This statue ‘Desh Ka Vallabh’ will inspire people reminding them of the strength in unity and the unwavering spirit required to build a nation as diverse as ours,” he said.

    Raksha Mantri also paid homage to Major Bob Khathing, an extraordinary figure who made invaluable contributions to the Northeast region and national security. “Major Khathing not only led the peaceful integration of Tawang into India but also established essential military and security frameworks, including the Sashastra Seema Bal, Nagaland Armed Police, and the Naga Regiment. The ‘Museum of Valour’ now stands as a tribute to his bravery and foresight, inspiring generations to come,” he said.

    Shri Rajnath Singh underscored the significance of unity & harmony, and the North-East’s unique role in the nation’s identity. He reiterated Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ensuring economic & infrastructure development of the entire region. “Holistic development of the nation is possible only when the North East prospers. We will create such a North East which is strong & prosperous not only naturally and culturally but also economically,” he added. 

    Raksha Mantri highlighted the crucial role of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in the progress of the region. He made special mention of the Sela Tunnel linking Assam and Tawang, a project which enhances connectivity across Northeast regions. “In the times to come, the Arunachal Frontier Highway project will play a major role in connecting the entire North East region, especially the border areas. This 2,000-km long highway will prove to be an important strategic & economic asset for the region as well as the entire nation,” he added.

    Shri Rajnath Singh also commended the Armed Forces’ engagement in the region, from NCC initiatives and local economic support to crucial disaster relief efforts. “Armed Forces not only provide security, but also become a medium for development in that region by cooperating with the people of the border areas. This further strengthens India’s commitment to ensuring development, peace, and security in the Northeast,” he said.

    Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Lt Gen KT Parnaik (Retd), Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Shri Pema Khandu; Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju; Chief Minister of Manipur Shri N Biren Singh; Deputy Chief Minister Of Arunachal Pradesh Shri Chowna Mein and the family of Major Bob Khathing were present at the inauguration site. Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi; General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command Lt Gen RC Tewari; GOC 4 Corps Lt Gen Gambhir Singh and other senior civil & military officials joined the event virtually along with Raksha Mantri.

    ******

    SR/Savvy/KB

    (Release ID: 2069789) Visitor Counter : 69

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ awarded to 463 personnel of various States/UTs/CAPFs/CPOs for the year- 2024

    Source: Government of India

    ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ awarded to 463 personnel of various States/UTs/CAPFs/CPOs for the year- 2024

    ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ recognizes excellent work, promote high professional standards and boost the morale of the officials/officers in the fields of Special Operation, Investigation, Intelligence and Forensic Science

    Initiated under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ will boost the morale of all police personnel

    ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ was instituted by Ministry of Home Affairs in February, 2024

    Medal will be announced on 31st October every year, i.e., on the occasion of Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

    Posted On: 31 OCT 2024 10:17AM by PIB Delhi

    The ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ has been awarded to 463 personnel of various States/Union Territories (UTs)/Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)/Central Police Organisations (CPOs) for the year 2024.

    The medal is given to recognize excellent work, promote high professional standards and boost the morale of the concerned official/officer in the following four fields:

     

    (i) Special Operation.

    (ii) Investigation.

    (iii) Intelligence.

    (iv) Forensic Science.

    Initiated under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ will boost the morale of all police personnel

    The ‘Kendriya Grihmantri Dakshata Padak’ has been instituted vide Ministry of Home Affairs’ Notification dated 1st February, 2024. It is to be conferred on members of the Police Forces, Security Organization, Intelligence Wing/Branch/Special Branch of State/UTs/CPOs/CAPFs/National Security Guard (NSG)/Assam Rifles; and Forensic Science (Central/State/Union Territories) in consideration for excellence in Operations, outstanding service in Investigation, exceptional performance indomitable & daring intelligence service, meritorious work done by Serving Government Scientists in the field of  Forensic Science.

    The medal will be announced on 31st of October every year, i.e., on the occasion of Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

    The list of awardees is available on MHA website – https://www.mha.gov.in

    Click here to see the list of awardees:

    *****

    RK/VV/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2069778) Visitor Counter : 104

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Commission’s policy on antisemitism and the IHRA working definition of antisemitism – P-002324/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    30.10.2024

    Priority question for written answer  P-002324/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Matjaž Nemec (S&D)

    In its activities tackling antisemitism, the Commission says it regards the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism as ‘the benchmark’ and cooperates with the Israeli Government, including in the EU-Israel High Level Seminar on combating racism, xenophobia and antisemitism.

    • 1.In view of a recent study[1] revealing that the Commission had misrepresented the results of a 2018 key survey by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) with regard to the IHRA definition of antisemitism, can the Commission confirm it will henceforth refrain from such misrepresentations, in line with its declared commitment to evidence-based policymaking, also when addressing the most recent FRA survey, published in July 2024?
    • 2.Recalling an earlier statement by Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism Katharina von Schnurbein, which denied that the EU is conditioning its funding based on the IHRA definition of antisemitism[2], can the Commission confirm it does not and will not apply any IHRA definition-based funding conditionality when granting and controlling EU funding?
    • 3.How does the Commission address and counter the escalating political instrumentalisation of antisemitism by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and government ministers targeting, among others, the UN Secretary-General and UN human rights bodies, the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice?

    Submitted: 30.10.2024

    • [1] European Middle East Project, ‘Does the IHRA working definition of antisemitism reflect the views of most European Jews? An assessment of the evidence from the 2018 survey of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA)’, July 2024, https://archive.jpr.org.uk/object-4216.
    • [2] https://x.com/kschnurbein/status/1600847328449277952.
    Last updated: 31 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Allegro MicroSystems Reports Second Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MANCHESTER, N.H., Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. (“Allegro” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ALGM), a global leader in power and sensing semiconductor solutions for motion control and energy efficient systems, today announced financial results for its second quarter ended September 27, 2024.

    “We delivered results in-line with our commitments. Second quarter sales were $187 million, with sequential growth in both Automotive and Industrial and Other end markets. Non-GAAP EPS was $0.08, at the high end of our outlook,” said Vineet Nargolwala, President and CEO of Allegro. “We are encouraged by the continued demand for our differentiated solutions and the progress made by our customers and partners to rebalance their inventories. We continue to invest for growth to extend our market leadership. The accelerating pace of our new product introductions, as evidenced by our latest product releases, sets the stage for significant growth momentum in the near future.”

    Second Quarter Financial Highlights:

    In thousands, except per share data   Three-Month Period Ended     Six-Month Period Ended  
        September 27,
    2024    		     June 28,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		  
        (Unaudited)     (Unaudited)     (Unaudited)     (Unaudited)     (Unaudited)  
    Net Sales                              
    Automotive   $ 141,893     $ 131,184     $ 197,321     $ 273,077     $ 382,751  
    Industrial and other     45,498       35,735       78,188       81,233       171,051  
    Total net sales   $ 187,391     $ 166,919     $ 275,509     $ 354,310     $ 553,802  
    GAAP Financial Measures                              
    Gross margin %     45.7 %     44.8 %     57.9 %     45.3 %     57.3 %
    Operating margin %     2.2 %     (6.4 )%     26.5 %     (1.9 )%     25.9 %
    Diluted EPS   $ (0.18 )   $ (0.09 )   $ 0.34     $ (0.27 )   $ 0.65  
    Non-GAAP Financial Measures                              
    Gross margin %     48.8 %     48.8 %     58.3 %     48.8 %     58.1 %
    Operating margin %     11.7 %     6.0 %     31.3 %     9.0 %     31.0 %
    Diluted EPS   $ 0.08     $ 0.03     $ 0.40     $ 0.11     $ 0.79  

    Business Outlook

    For the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 ending December 27, 2024, the Company expects net sales to be in the range of $170 million to $180 million. This outlook comprehends continued progress toward vehicle electrification and ongoing inventory rebalancing as reflected in the latest third-party estimates, as well as typical December quarter seasonality. The Company also estimates the following results on a non-GAAP basis:

    • Gross Margin is expected to be between 49% and 51%,
    • The Company made a voluntary $25 million payment on its term loan facility on October 31, 2024 and now expects Interest Expense to be approximately $6 million, and
    • Diluted Earnings per Share are expected to be between $0.04 and $0.08.

    Allegro has not provided a reconciliation of its third fiscal quarter outlook for non-GAAP Gross Margin, non-GAAP Interest Expense, and non-GAAP Diluted Earnings per Share because estimates of all of the reconciling items cannot be provided without unreasonable efforts. It is difficult to reasonably provide a forward-looking estimate between such forward-looking non-GAAP measures and the comparable forward-looking U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) measures. Certain factors that are materially significant to Allegro’s ability to estimate these items are out of its control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted.

    Earnings Webcast

    A webcast will be held on Thursday, October 31, 2024 at 8:30 a.m., Eastern Time. Vineet Nargolwala, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Derek P. D’Antilio, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will discuss Allegro’s business and financial results.

    The webcast will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at investors.allegromicro.com. A recording of the webcast will be posted in the same location shortly after the call concludes and will be available for at least 90 days.

    About Allegro MicroSystems

    Allegro MicroSystems is a leading global designer, developer, fabless manufacturer and marketer of sensor integrated circuits (“ICs”) and application-specific analog power ICs enabling emerging technologies in the automotive and industrial markets. Allegro’s diverse product portfolio provides efficient and reliable solutions for the electrification of vehicles, automotive ADAS safety features, automation for Industry 4.0 and power saving technologies for data centers and clean energy applications.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy, prospective products and the plans and objectives of management for future operations, including, among others, statements regarding the liquidity, growth and profitability strategies and factors affecting our business are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

    Without limiting the foregoing, in some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “aim,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “exploring,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “would,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “seek,” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future results, performance or achievements, and one should avoid placing undue reliance on such statements.

    Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s current expectations, beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to us. Such beliefs and assumptions may or may not prove to be correct. Additionally, such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, those identified in Part II, Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 29, 2024, as any such factors may be updated from time to time in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: downturns or volatility in general economic conditions; our ability to compete effectively, expand our market share and increase our net sales and profitability; our reliance on a limited number of third-party semiconductor wafer fabrication facilities and suppliers of other materials; any failure to adjust purchase commitments and inventory management based on changing market conditions or customer demand; shifts in our product mix, customer mix or channel mix, which could negatively impact our gross margin; the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry, including the analog segment in which we compete; any downturn or disruption in the automotive market or industry; our ability to successfully integrate the acquisition of other companies or technologies and products into our business; our ability to compensate for decreases in average selling prices of our products and increases in input costs; our ability to manage any sustained yield problems or other delays at our third-party wafer fabrication facilities or in the final assembly and test of our products; our ability to accurately predict our quarterly net sales and operating results and meet the expectations of investors; our dependence on manufacturing operations in the Philippines; our reliance on distributors to generate sales; events beyond our control impacting us, our key suppliers or our manufacturing partners; our ability to develop new product features or new products in a timely and cost-effective manner; our ability to manage growth; any slowdown in the growth of our end markets; the loss of one or more significant customers; our ability to meet customers’ quality requirements; uncertainties related to the design win process and our ability to recover design and development expenses and to generate timely or sufficient net sales or margins; changes in government trade policies, including the imposition of export restrictions and tariffs; our exposures to warranty claims, product liability claims and product recalls; our dependence on international customers and operations; the availability of rebates, tax credits and other financial incentives on end-user demands for certain products; risks, liabilities, costs and obligations related to governmental regulations and other legal obligations, including export/trade control, privacy, data protection, information security, cybersecurity, consumer protection, environmental and occupational health and safety, antitrust, anti-corruption and anti-bribery, product safety, environmental protection, employment matters and tax; the volatility of currency exchange rates; our ability to raise capital to support our growth strategy; our indebtedness may limit our flexibility to operate our business; our ability to effectively manage our growth and to retain key and highly skilled personnel; our ability to protect our proprietary technology and inventions through patents or trade secrets; our ability to commercialize our products without infringing third-party intellectual property rights; disruptions or breaches of our information technology systems or confidential information or those of our third-party service providers; our principal stockholders has substantial control over us; anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents and under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware; any failure to design, implement or maintain effective internal control over financial reporting; changes in tax rates or the adoption of new tax legislation; the negative impacts of sustained inflation on our business; the physical, transition and litigation risks presented by climate change; and other events beyond our control. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties.

    You should read this press release and the documents that we reference completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

    This press release includes certain non-GAAP financial measures as defined by the SEC rules. These non-GAAP financial measures are provided in addition to, and not as a substitute for or superior to measures of, financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. There are a number of limitations related to the use of these non-GAAP financial measures versus their nearest GAAP equivalents. For example, other companies may calculate non-GAAP financial measures differently or may use other measures to evaluate their performance, all of which could reduce the usefulness of the presented non-GAAP financial measures as tools for comparison.

    This press release may not be reproduced, forwarded to any person or published, in whole or in part.

       
    ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
    (in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
    (Unaudited)    		  
       
        Three-Month Period Ended     Six-Month Period Ended  
        September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		  
    Net sales   $ 187,391     $ 275,509     $ 354,310     $ 553,802  
    Cost of goods sold     101,729       116,006       193,877       236,349  
    Gross profit     85,662       159,503       160,433       317,453  
    Operating expenses:                        
    Research and development     43,510       43,428       88,714       86,403  
    Selling, general and administrative     38,085       43,160       78,282       87,389  
    Total operating expenses     81,595       86,588       166,996       173,792  
    Operating income (loss)     4,067       72,915       (6,563 )     143,661  
    Interest and other (expense) income     (12,398 )     156       (18,341 )     (2,486 )
    Loss on change in fair value of forward repurchase contract     (34,752 )     —       (34,752 )     —  
    (Loss) income before income taxes     (43,083 )     73,071       (59,656 )     141,175  
    Income tax (benefit) provision     (9,470 )     7,400       (8,430 )     14,615  
    Net (loss) income     (33,613 )     65,671       (51,226 )     126,560  
    Net income attributable to non-controlling interests     62       54       124       93  
    Net (loss) income attributable to Allegro MicroSystems, Inc.   $ (33,675 )   $ 65,617     $ (51,350 )   $ 126,467  
    Net (loss) income per common share attributable to Allegro MicroSystems, Inc.:                        
    Basic   $ (0.18 )   $ 0.34     $ (0.27 )   $ 0.66  
    Diluted   $ (0.18 )   $ 0.34     $ (0.27 )   $ 0.65  
    Weighted average shares outstanding:                        
    Basic     189,182,850       192,431,094       191,324,281       192,214,210  
    Diluted     189,182,850       195,100,855       191,324,281       195,055,495  
                                     

    Supplemental Schedule of Total Net Sales

    The following table summarizes total net sales by market within the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations:

        Three-Month Period Ended     Change     Six-Month Period Ended     Change  
        September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     Amount     %     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     Amount     %  
        (Dollars in thousands)     (Dollars in thousands)  
    Automotive   $ 141,893     $ 197,321     $ (55,428 )     (28 )%   $ 273,077     $ 382,751     $ (109,674 )     (29 )%
    Industrial and other     45,498       78,188       (32,690 )     (42 )%     81,233       171,051       (89,818 )     (53 )%
    Total net sales   $ 187,391     $ 275,509     $ (88,118 )     (32 )%   $ 354,310     $ 553,802     $ (199,492 )     (36 )%
     
    ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (in thousands)
     
        September 27,
    2024    		     March 29,
    2024    		  
        (Unaudited)        
    Assets            
    Current assets:            
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 188,751     $ 212,143  
    Restricted cash     10,287       10,018  
    Trade accounts receivable, net     76,985       118,508  
    Inventories     176,648       162,302  
    Prepaid income taxes     38,636       31,908  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     32,253       33,584  
    Current portion of related party notes receivable     —       3,750  
    Total current assets     523,560       572,213  
    Property, plant and equipment, net     325,051       321,175  
    Deferred income tax assets     61,839       54,496  
    Goodwill     203,151       202,425  
    Intangible assets, net     266,753       276,854  
    Related party notes receivable, less current portion     —       4,688  
    Equity investment in related party     30,186       26,727  
    Other assets     81,577       72,025  
    Total assets   $ 1,492,117     $ 1,530,603  
    Liabilities, Non-Controlling Interests and Stockholders’ Equity            
    Current liabilities:            
    Trade accounts payable   $ 50,245     $ 35,964  
    Amounts due to related party     5,546       1,626  
    Accrued expenses and other current liabilities     62,742       76,389  
    Current portion of long-term debt     5,475       3,929  
    Total current liabilities     124,008       117,908  
    Long-term debt     396,056       249,611  
    Other long-term liabilities     33,345       31,368  
    Total liabilities     553,409       398,887  
    Commitments and contingencies            
    Stockholders’ Equity:            
    Preferred stock     —       —  
    Common stock     1,840       1,932  
    Additional paid-in capital     993,988       694,332  
    (Accumulated deficit) retained earnings     (31,931 )     463,012  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (26,583 )     (28,841 )
    Equity attributable to Allegro MicroSystems, Inc.     937,314       1,130,435  
    Non-controlling interests     1,394       1,281  
    Total stockholders’ equity     938,708       1,131,716  
    Total liabilities, non-controlling interests and stockholders’ equity   $ 1,492,117     $ 1,530,603  
       
    ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
    (in thousands)
    (Unaudited)    		  
       
        Three-Month Period Ended     Six-Month Period Ended  
        September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		  
    Cash flows from operating activities:                        
    Net (loss) income   $ (33,613 )   $ 65,671     $ (51,226 )   $ 126,560  
    Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:                        
    Depreciation and amortization     15,997       15,080       32,455       29,353  
    Amortization of deferred financing costs     306       73       1,087       107  
    Deferred income taxes     (2,796 )     (9,772 )     (7,795 )     (18,134 )
    Stock-based compensation     11,545       10,877       21,663       21,919  
    Loss on change in fair value of forward repurchase contract     34,752       —       34,752       —  
    Provisions for inventory and expected credit losses     2,111       4,239       4,488       9,422  
    Change in fair value of marketable securities     —       (72 )     —       3,579  
    Other non-cash reconciling items     6,563       43       6,577       43  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                        
    Trade accounts receivable     (13,717 )     2,676       41,417       (7,645 )
    Inventories     (2,845 )     (3,274 )     (18,831 )     (31,221 )
    Prepaid expenses and other assets     (14,093 )     (6,253 )     (15,808 )     (16,453 )
    Trade accounts payable     13,470       (15,736 )     13,670       2,695  
    Due to and from related parties     695       (3,990 )     4,132       6,112  
    Accrued expenses and other current and long-term liabilities     (2,828 )     (12,832 )     (16,838 )     (29,944 )
    Net cash provided by operating activities     15,547       46,730       49,743       96,393  
    Cash flows from investing activities:                        
    Purchases of property, plant and equipment     (9,972 )     (31,191 )     (20,949 )     (76,101 )
    Sales of marketable securities     —       6,204       —       16,175  
    Net cash used in investing activities     (9,972 )     (24,987 )     (20,949 )     (59,926 )
    Cash flows from financing activities:                        
    Loan made to affiliate     —       (4,000 )     —       (4,000 )
    Net proceeds from Refinanced 2023 Term Loan Facility     193,483       —       193,483       —  
    Payment of borrowings under 2023 Term Loan Facility     —       —       (50,000 )     —  
    Finance lease payments     (240 )     —       (385 )     —  
    Receipts on related party notes receivable     937       937       1,875       1,875  
    Payments for taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards     (1,126 )     (1,669 )     (12,297 )     (14,091 )
    Proceeds from issuance of common stock under employee stock purchase plan     1,987       —       1,987       1,899  
    Repurchases of common stock     (853,805 )     —       (853,805 )     —  
    Net proceeds from issuance of common stock     665,850       —       665,850       —  
    Payment of debt issuance costs     —       —       —       (1,450 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities     7,086       (4,732 )     (53,292 )     (15,767 )
    Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash     2,200       (901 )     1,375       (974 )
    Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash     14,861       16,110       (23,123 )     19,726  
    Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period     184,177       362,321       222,161       358,705  
    Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period:   $ 199,038     $ 378,431     $ 199,038     $ 378,431  
                                     

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    In addition to the measures presented in our condensed consolidated financial statements, we regularly review other measures, defined as non-GAAP Financial Measures by the SEC, to evaluate our business, measure our performance, identify trends, prepare financial forecasts and make strategic decisions. The key measures we consider are non-GAAP Gross Profit, non-GAAP Gross Margin, non-GAAP Operating Expenses, non-GAAP Operating Income, non-GAAP Operating Margin, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, non-GAAP Profit before Tax, non-GAAP Income Tax Provision, non-GAAP Effective Tax Rate, non-GAAP Net Income Attributable to Allegro MicroSystems, Inc, non-GAAP Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share, non-GAAP Free Cash Flow, and non-GAAP Free Cash Flow as percentage of net sales (collectively, the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures”). These Non-GAAP Financial Measures provide supplemental information regarding our operating performance on a non-GAAP basis that excludes certain gains, losses and charges of a non-cash nature or that occur relatively infrequently and/or that management considers to be unrelated to our core operations, and in the case of non-GAAP Income Tax Provision, management believes that this non-GAAP measure of income taxes provides it with the ability to evaluate the non-GAAP Income Tax Provision across different reporting periods on a consistent basis, independent of special items and discrete items, which may vary in size and frequency. These Non-GAAP Financial Measures are used by both management and our board of directors, together with the comparable GAAP information, in evaluating our current performance and planning our future business activities.

    The Non-GAAP Financial Measures are supplemental measures of our performance that are neither required by, nor presented in accordance with, GAAP. These Non-GAAP Financial Measures should not be considered as substitutes for GAAP Financial Measures, such as gross profit, gross margin, net income or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP. Also, in the future we may incur expenses or charges, such as those being adjusted in the calculation of these Non-GAAP Financial Measures. Our presentation of these Non-GAAP Financial Measures should not be construed as an inference that future results will be unaffected by unusual or nonrecurring items. These Non-GAAP Financial Measures exclude costs related to acquisition and related integration expenses, amortization of acquired intangible assets, stock-based compensation, restructuring actions, related party activities and other non-operational costs.

    Non-GAAP Income Tax Provision

    In calculating non-GAAP Income Tax Provision, we have added back the following to GAAP Income Tax Provision:

    • Tax effect of adjustments to GAAP results—Represents the estimated income tax effect of the adjustments to non-GAAP Profit before Tax described below and elimination of discrete tax adjustments.
       
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Gross Profit and Non-GAAP Gross Margin  
                                   
        Three-Month Period Ended     Six-Month Period Ended  
        September 27,
    2024    		     June 28,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		  
        (Dollars in thousands)     (Dollars in thousands)  
    GAAP Gross Profit   $ 85,662     $ 74,771     $ 159,503     $ 160,433     $ 317,453  
    GAAP Gross Margin (% of net sales)     45.7 %     44.8 %     57.9 %     45.3 %     57.3 %
                                   
    Non-GAAP adjustments                              
    Transaction-related costs     10       (1 )     —       9       —  
    Purchased intangible amortization     4,875       4,875       273       9,750       675  
    Restructuring costs     16       1,200       —       1,216       —  
    Stock-based compensation     817       561       946       1,378       3,552  
    Total Non-GAAP Adjustments   $ 5,718     $ 6,635     $ 1,219     $ 12,353     $ 4,227  
                                   
    Non-GAAP Gross Profit   $ 91,380     $ 81,406     $ 160,722     $ 172,786     $ 321,680  
    Non-GAAP Gross Margin (% of net sales)     48.8 %     48.8 %     58.3 %     48.8 %     58.1 %
       
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Operating Expenses  
                                   
        Three-Month Period Ended     Six-Month Period Ended  
        September 27,
    2024    		     June 28,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		  
        (Dollars in thousands)     (Dollars in thousands)  
    GAAP Operating Expenses   $ 81,595     $ 85,401     $ 86,588     $ 166,996     $ 173,792  
                                   
    Research and Development Expenses                              
    GAAP Research and Development Expenses     43,510       45,204       43,428       88,714       86,403  
    Non-GAAP adjustments                              
    Transaction-related costs     206       1,029       2       1,235       9  
    Restructuring costs     260       169       —       429       —  
    Stock-based compensation     3,523       3,735       3,602       7,258       6,470  
    Other costs(1)     3       —       —       3       —  
    Non-GAAP Research and Development Expenses     39,518       40,271       39,824       79,789       79,924  
                                   
    Selling, General and Administrative Expenses                              
    GAAP Selling, General and Administrative Expenses     38,085       40,197       43,160       78,282       87,389  
    Non-GAAP adjustments                              
    Transaction-related costs     275       814       1,804       1,089       4,876  
    Purchased intangible amortization     535       535       357       1,070       715  
    Restructuring costs     2,046       1,045       —       3,091       —  
    Stock-based compensation     7,205       5,822       6,329       13,027       11,897  
    Other costs(1)     (1,820 )     811       100       (1,009 )     100  
    Non-GAAP Selling, General and Administrative Expenses     29,844       31,170       34,570       61,014       69,801  
                                   
    Total Non-GAAP Adjustments     12,233       13,960       12,194       26,193       24,067  
                                   
    Non-GAAP Operating Expenses   $ 69,362     $ 71,441     $ 74,394     $ 140,803     $ 149,725  
                                   
    (1) Included in non-GAAP other costs are non-recurring charges that are individually immaterial for separate disclosure, such as project evaluation costs, which consist of costs and estimated costs incurred in connection with debt and equity financings or other non-recurring transactions.  
       
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Operating Income and Non-GAAP Operating Margin  
                                   
        Three-Month Period Ended     Six-Month Period Ended  
        September 27,
    2024    		     June 28,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		  
        (Dollars in thousands)     (Dollars in thousands)  
    GAAP Operating Income (Loss)   $ 4,067     $ (10,630 )   $ 72,915     $ (6,563 )   $ 143,661  
    GAAP Operating Margin (% of net sales)     2.2 %     (6.4 )%     26.5 %     (1.9 )%     25.9 %
                                   
    Transaction-related costs     491       1,842       1,806       2,333       4,885  
    Purchased intangible amortization     5,410       5,410       630       10,820       1,390  
    Restructuring costs     2,322       2,414       —       4,736       —  
    Stock-based compensation     11,545       10,118       10,877       21,663       21,919  
    Other costs(1)     (1,817 )     811       100       (1,006 )     100  
    Total Non-GAAP Adjustments   $ 17,951     $ 20,595     $ 13,413     $ 38,546     $ 28,294  
                                   
    Non-GAAP Operating Income   $ 22,018     $ 9,965     $ 86,328     $ 31,983     $ 171,955  
    Non-GAAP Operating Margin (% of net sales)     11.7 %     6.0 %     31.3 %     9.0 %     31.0 %
                                   
    (1) Included in non-GAAP other costs are non-recurring charges that are individually immaterial for separate disclosure such as project evaluation costs, which consist of costs and estimated costs incurred in connection with debt and equity financings or other non-recurring transactions.  
       
    Reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA  
                                   
        Three-Month Period Ended     Six-Month Period Ended  
        September 27,
    2024    		     June 28,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		  
        (Dollars in thousands)     (Dollars in thousands)  
    GAAP Net (Loss) Income   $ (33,613 )   $ (17,613 )   $ 65,671     $ (51,226 )   $ 126,560  
    GAAP Net (Loss) Income Margin (% of net sales)     (17.9 )%     (10.6 )%     23.8 %     (14.5 )%     22.9 %
                                   
    Interest expense     10,353       5,377       758       15,730       1,527  
    Interest income     (420 )     (494 )     (850 )     (914 )     (1,693 )
    Income tax (benefit) provision     (9,470 )     1,040       7,400       (8,430 )     14,615  
    Depreciation & amortization     15,997       16,458       15,145       32,455       29,418  
    EBITDA   $ (17,153 )   $ 4,768     $ 88,124     $ (12,385 )   $ 170,427  
                                   
    Transaction-related costs     3,295       1,842       1,806       5,137       4,885  
    Restructuring costs     2,067       2,414       —       4,481       —  
    Stock-based compensation     11,545       10,118       10,877       21,663       21,919  
    Loss on change in fair value of forward repurchase contract     34,752       —       —       34,752       —  
    Other costs(1)     (2,195 )     2,807       1,301       612       5,890  
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 32,311     $ 21,949     $ 102,108     $ 54,260     $ 203,121  
    Adjusted EBITDA Margin (% of net sales)     17.2 %     13.1 %     37.1 %     15.3 %     36.7 %
                                   
    (1) Included in non-GAAP other costs are non-recurring charges that are individually immaterial for separate disclosure such as project evaluation costs, which consist of costs and estimated costs incurred in connection with debt and equity financings or other non-recurring transactions and income (loss) in earnings of equity investments.  
       
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Profit before Tax  
                                   
        Three-Month Period Ended     Six-Month Period Ended  
        September 27,
    2024    		     June 28,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		  
        (Dollars in thousands)     (Dollars in thousands)  
    GAAP (Loss) Income before Income Taxes   $ (43,083 )   $ (16,573 )   $ 73,071     $ (59,656 )   $ 141,175  
                                   
    Transaction-related costs     3,295       1,842       1,806       5,137       4,885  
    Transaction-related interest     141       709       —       850       —  
    Purchased intangible amortization     5,410       5,410       630       10,820       1,390  
    Restructuring costs     2,067       2,414       —       4,481       —  
    Stock-based compensation     11,545       10,118       10,877       21,663       21,919  
    Loss on change in fair value of forward repurchase contract     34,752       —       —       34,752       —  
    Other costs(1)     1,428       2,807       1,301       4,235       5,890  
    Total Non-GAAP Adjustments   $ 58,638     $ 23,300     $ 14,614     $ 81,938     $ 34,084  
                                   
    Non-GAAP Profit before Tax   $ 15,555     $ 6,727     $ 87,685     $ 22,282     $ 175,259  
                                   
    (1) Included in non-GAAP other costs are non-recurring charges that are individually immaterial for separate disclosure such as project evaluation costs, which consist of costs and estimated costs incurred in connection with debt and equity financings or other non-recurring transactions and income (loss) in earnings of equity investments.  
       
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Income Tax Provision and Non-GAAP Effective Tax Rate  
                                   
        Three-Month Period Ended     Six-Month Period Ended  
        September 27,
    2024    		     June 28,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		  
        (Dollars in thousands)     (Dollars in thousands)  
    GAAP Income Tax (Benefit) Provision   $ (9,470 )   $ 1,040     $ 7,400     $ (8,430 )   $ 14,615  
    GAAP effective tax rate     22.0 %     (6.3 )%     10.1 %     14.1 %     10.4 %
                                   
    Tax effect of adjustments to GAAP results     10,071       (395 )     2,554       9,676       6,380  
                                   
    Non-GAAP Income Tax Provision   $ 601     $ 645     $ 9,954     $ 1,246     $ 20,995  
    Non-GAAP effective tax rate     3.9 %     9.6 %     11.4 %     5.6 %     12.0 %
       
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Net Income Attributable to Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. and Non-GAAP Earnings per Share  
                                   
        Three-Month Period Ended     Six-Month Period Ended  
        September 27,
    2024    		     June 28,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		  
        (Dollars in thousands)     (Dollars in thousands)  
    GAAP Net (Loss) Income Attributable to Allegro MicroSystems, Inc.(1)   $ (33,675 )   $ (17,675 )   $ 65,617     $ (51,350 )   $ 126,467  
    GAAP Basic weighted average common shares     189,182,850       193,465,708       192,431,094       191,324,281       192,214,210  
    GAAP Diluted weighted average common shares     189,182,850       193,465,708       195,100,855       191,324,281       195,055,495  
    GAAP Basic (Loss) Earnings per Share   $ (0.18 )   $ (0.09 )   $ 0.34     $ (0.27 )   $ 0.66  
    GAAP Diluted (Loss) Earnings per Share   $ (0.18 )   $ (0.09 )   $ 0.34     $ (0.27 )   $ 0.65  
                                   
    Transaction-related costs     3,295       1,842       1,806       5,137       4,885  
    Transaction-related interest     141       709       —       850       —  
    Purchased intangible amortization     5,410       5,410       630       10,820       1,390  
    Restructuring costs     2,067       2,414       —       4,481       —  
    Stock-based compensation     11,545       10,118       10,877       21,663       21,919  
    Loss on change in fair value of forward repurchase contract     34,752       —       —       34,752       —  
    Other costs(2)     1,428       2,807       1,301       4,235       5,890  
    Total Non-GAAP Adjustments     58,638       23,300       14,614       81,938       34,084  
    Tax effect of adjustments to GAAP results(3)     (10,071 )     395       (2,554 )     (9,676 )     (6,380 )
    Non-GAAP Net Income Attributable to Allegro MicroSystems, Inc.   $ 14,892     $ 6,020     $ 77,677     $ 20,912     $ 154,171  
    Basic weighted average common shares     189,182,850       193,465,708       192,431,094       191,324,281       192,214,210  
    Diluted weighted average common shares     189,710,595       194,705,716       195,100,855       192,154,185       195,055,495  
    Non-GAAP Basic Earnings per Share   $ 0.08     $ 0.03     $ 0.40     $ 0.11     $ 0.80  
    Non-GAAP Diluted Earnings per Share   $ 0.08     $ 0.03     $ 0.40     $ 0.11     $ 0.79  
                                   
    (1) GAAP Net (Loss) Income Attributable to Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. represents GAAP Net (Loss) Income adjusted for Net Income Attributable to non-controlling interests.  
    (2) Included in non-GAAP other costs are non-recurring charges that are individually immaterial for separate disclosure, such as project evaluation costs, which consists of costs and estimated costs incurred in connection with debt and equity financings or other non-recurring transactions, income (loss) in earnings of equity investments, and unrealized losses (gains) on investments.  
    (3) To calculate the tax effect of adjustments to GAAP results, the Company considers each Non-GAAP adjustment by tax jurisdiction and reverses all discrete items to calculate an annual Non-GAAP effective tax rate (“NG ETR”). This NG ETR is then applied to Non-GAAP Profit Before Tax to arrive at the tax effect of adjustments to GAAP results.  
             
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Free Cash Flow and Non-GAAP Free Cash Flow as Percentage of Net Sales        
                                   
        Three-Month Period Ended     Six-Month Period Ended  
        September 27,
    2024    		     June 28,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		     September 27,
    2024    		     September 29,
    2023    		  
        (Dollars in thousands)     (Dollars in thousands)  
    GAAP Operating Cash Flow   $ 15,547     $ 34,196     $ 46,730     $ 49,743     $ 96,393  
    GAAP Operating Cash Flow (% of net sales)     8.3 %     20.5 %     17.0 %     14.0 %     17.4 %
    Non-GAAP adjustments                              
    Purchases of property, plant and equipment     (9,972 )     (10,977 )     (31,191 )     (20,949 )     (76,101 )
                                   
    Non-GAAP Free Cash Flow   $ 5,575     $ 23,219     $ 15,539     $ 28,794     $ 20,292  
    Non-GAAP Free Cash Flow (% of net sales)     3.0 %     13.9 %     5.6 %     8.1 %     3.7 %
                                             

    Investor Contact:
    Jalene Hoover
    VP of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
    +1 (512) 751-6526
    jhoover@allegromicro.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Legal, mediation experts meet

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Expert Advisory Group on Legal & Dispute Resolution Services (EAG), established by the Department of Justice earlier this month, held its first meeting today.

    During the meeting, the EAG considered and endorsed its terms of reference and discussed future work and issues for follow-up. 

    The EAG is chaired by Secretary for Justice Paul Lam and vice-chaired by Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan.

    It comprises experts from the legal and dispute resolution services sector who are tasked with advising the department in respect of the promotion and development of the legal and dispute resolution services of Hong Kong for a term of three years.

    Its terms of reference include considering, formulating and advising on the overall strategies and initiatives for the promotion and development of Hong Kong’s legal and dispute resolution services in and outside Hong Kong.

    The EAG also advises on the wider use of out-of-court dispute resolution services in Hong Kong, and serves as a forum for raising and discussing such issues as may be of concern to the legal and dispute resolution sector to enhance Hong Kong as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.

    Additionally, it considers and deals with such other matters as may be incidental to any of the matters stated above.

    Meanwhile, the Working Group on Mediation Regulatory System, chaired by Mr Lam and vice-chaired by Mr Cheung, has also been established this month for a term of two years.

    Its members will advise the department on the mediation regulation regime in Hong Kong, including reviewing and making recommendations to reform or improve the current regime in relation to situations such as accreditation and disciplinary matters.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: AFCD and Shenzhen Customs sign co-operation arrangements to strengthen quarantine and clearance for horse racing (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    AFCD and Shenzhen Customs sign co-operation arrangements to strengthen quarantine and clearance for horse racing (with photos)
    AFCD and Shenzhen Customs sign co-operation arrangements to strengthen quarantine and clearance for horse racing (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         To further strengthen co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong in quarantine and customs clearance arrangements of horses, forage feed and biological products, the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Mr Mickey Lai, today (October 31) signed the Co-operation Arrangement on Strengthening Quarantine Clearance for Horse Racing with the Director General in Shenzhen Customs District, Mr Zheng Jugang. The Acting Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food), Ms Ivy Law, also attended the signing ceremony.     Horses currently can travel between Hong Kong and the Equine Disease Free Zone in Conghua in Guangzhou through the Shenzhen Bay Port. The Co-operation Arrangement established the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Port as a backup port for cross-border horse transport, further enhancing horse transport arrangements between the two places.      Mr Lai said, “The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department expresses gratitude to Shenzhen Customs for supporting the establishment of the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Port as a backup port for cross-border horse transport. This will further improve cross-border horse transport and ensure that horses can travel between Guangdong and Hong Kong safely and conveniently.”     Under the Co-operation Arrangement, both parties will regularly inform each other through a liaison mechanism of the quarantine and regulatory status of horses, forage feed, biological products, vehicles, etc; use a one-stop inspection platform to carry out port inspections; and jointly organise academic exchanges, technical exchanges, work seminars, and business training, with a view to promoting the development of the equine industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

     
    Ends/Thursday, October 31, 2024Issued at HKT 19:38

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California claims victory against Huntington Beach’s NIMBY attempt to challenge state housing law

    Source: US State of California 2

    Oct 30, 2024

    What you need to know: The federal court of appeals today denied Huntington Beach’s NIMBY attempt to sue the state for enforcing state law that requires the city to build its fair share of housing. California will continue to hold the city accountable and ensure that it builds the housing its community deserves.

    SACRAMENTO — In March 2023, the state sued Huntington Beach for violating various state housing laws. The city retaliated by suing the state in federal court, arguing that enforcing California’s laws requiring cities to build more housing was unconstitutional. Today the Ninth Circuit affirmed the trial court in rejecting Huntington Beach’s NIMBY lawsuit.

    “Today, yet another court has slapped down Huntington Beach’s cynical attempt to prevent the state from enforcing our housing laws. Huntington Beach officials’ continued efforts to advance plainly unlawful NIMBY policies are failing their own citizens — by wasting time and taxpayer dollars that could be used to create much-needed housing. No more excuses — every city must follow state law and do its part to build more housing.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    “I am pleased that yet another court has emphatically rejected Huntington Beach’s attempt to exempt itself from state housing laws,” said Attorney General Bonta. “While the City has been wasting the public’s time and money pursuing this meritless lawsuit, its neighboring communities — along with every Californian struggling to keep a roof over their heads or wondering where they’re going to sleep tonight — need Huntington Beach to step up and adopt a housing plan without further delay. My office will continue pursuing all remedies in the state case against the City, where the court has already determined the City violated the state’s Housing Element Law.”  

    Today, California secured a unanimous decision by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirming the district court’s dismissal of the City of Huntington Beach’s federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of enforcing state housing laws. 

    In 2023, the Governor announced that California was suing the city, arguing that the city is in violation of the state Housing Element Law and seeking both penalties and injunctive relief.

    A copy of the decision can be found here.

    Recent news

    Oct 30, 2024

    News What you need to know: The nation’s leading passenger and cargo airlines agreed to accelerate the use of sustainable aviation fuels and cut pollution – a goal of 200 million gallons by 2035, which would meet about 40% of California travel demand.  SAN FRANCISCO…

    Oct 30, 2024

    News What you need to know: The Governor signed an executive order to help curb rising electricity costs and provide electric bill relief. SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order designed to reduce electric costs for Californians. The…

    Oct 29, 2024

    News What you need to know: The Biden-Harris Administration is granting more than $1 billion to California’s ports to accelerate their transition to zero-emission operations and create good paying jobs. SACRAMENTO – California ports are about to become cleaner and…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Older Persons’ Day pop-up events hailed as “a major success”

    Source: St Albans City and District

    Publication date:

    More than 300 people attended a series of pop-up events in St Albans District to celebrate Older Persons’ Day.

    St Albans City and District Council organised the drop-in events, called Flourishing Lives, along with partner organisations to highlight the contribution older people make to our community.

    Council officers were on hand to explain a range of services including housing and the welfare benefits that older people may be entitled to.

    Herfordshire Police, Citizens Advice, Communities 1st, Age UK and other groups which work with older people were present. 

    Information on issues such as crime prevention and the location of warm spaces during cold spells was given out.

    There were also opportunities to socialise over a cup of tea, provided by St Albans Old People’s Trust, at the four events in St Albans, Wheathampstead, London Colney and Redbourn.

    The International Day of Older Persons is celebrated around the world every year in early October and is followed by weeks of special events.

    Councillor Sarwar Shamsher, Lead for Inclusion, said:

    I am delighted to say that these pop-up events were well attended and a major success.

    It was a great example of partnership working as we teamed up with other organisations to make our older people aware of the services and opportunities available to them.

    As a Council, we are committed to ensuring older people can lead fulfilling lives and not become socially isolated.

    These free events have brought hundreds of people together and have helped them discover how they can participate in a range of social and fun activities, including art and keep-fit clubs.

    Photos: scenes from the Older Persons’ Day events including, 2nd from top, Deputy Mayor, Cllr Jenni Murray, far right, talking to Herts Police at the Redbourn event. 

    Media contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council: 01727-919533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Central Bedeque  — JFO make arrests and seize drugs in Central Bedeque

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    October 31, 2024, Central Bedeque – The nightof October 29, JFO officers executed a search warrant in Central Bedeque that resulted in the seizure of drugs and arrest of a local man and woman.

    On the overnight hours of October 29-30, 2024, Prince District JFO and East Prince RCMP executed a search warrant in Central Bedeque PE. Police arrested a 29-year-old woman and 35-year-old man for possession for the purpose of trafficking a substance. A search was conducted and police located and seized crystal methamphetamine and a white powder consistent to cocaine. Police also seized other paraphernalia consistent with trafficking.

    The investigation is ongoing and the two accused will appear later in court at a later date.

    The Prince District JFO Drug Unit is a stand-alone unit comprised of members of the Prince District RCMP, Summerside Police Services, and Kensington Police Services. If you have information about drugs in your community please contact your local police detachment. In Prince County JFO can be reached at 902-436-9300.

    “Prince District JFO regularly make arrests and seizures of drugs with the goal of disrupting the drug trade in our communities. Even small to mid level busts like this one are important in helping to reduce drug activities in our communities,” said Cpl. Gavin Moore, Media Relations Officer with the Prince Edward Island RCMP.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Christmas and New Year courts and tribunals opening times 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Details of courts and tribunals opening times over the Christmas and New Year bank holidays.

    Our courts and tribunals will temporarily close on various dates over the Christmas period.

    The closure dates for this year are:

    • Wednesday 25 December 2024
    • Thursday 26 December 2024
    • Friday 27 December 2024
    • Wednesday 1 January 2025

    Some magistrates’ courts will be open on 26 December 2024 and 1 January 2025, but for remand hearings only.

    On Friday 27 December 2024, only County and Family Courts, Crown Courts, the High Court, Court of Appeal (Royal Courts of Justice and Rolls Building) and some tribunals will be closed. Magistrates’ courts and our Scotland tribunal offices will open on this day. In Scotland, our tribunal offices will also be closed on Thursday 2 January 2025.

    Hearings that take place over the Christmas period may take place in person, or via video or telephone. Your hearing notice will confirm this.

    Some smaller satellite courts/hearing venues may also be closed outside of these arrangements. To check or for more information, please contact the relevant court or tribunal directly.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EUAA takes first steps in implementing €2.8 million grants programme for 2024-2025

    Source: European Asylum Support Office

    The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) will begin to offer financial grants for the first time, with initial projects aiming to support some of the Agency’s activities including providing information to asylum seekers and strengthening its Situational Awareness work. In a pilot phase, the Agency will further develop its database of Asylum Case Law, with a call for proposals launching today. 

    The EUAA has launched its first call for proposals, as part of a pilot phase for a new EUAA grants programme, with an expected value of 2.8 million euros for 2024-2025. The grants programme is a direct result of the Agency’s strengthened mandate. Grants will be awarded in order to help the Agency to implement several activities that are critical to fulfilling its mandate to support Member States’ asylum and reception systems.

    Over the next year, the Agency will prepare a series of calls for proposals that will provide funding to eligible organisations that can support it with several activities including:

    • Developing its collection of asylum case law: In its first call for proposals, launching today, the Agency aims to enhance the accessibility to, and collection of, jurisprudence relating to asylum – within the context of the Common European Asylum System.
    • Strengthening its information provision activities: The Agency is currently providing operational support in 11 EU countries; in several countries this includes providing information to applicants for international protection. At times, this involves Civil Society organisations and International Organisations, which may soon be able to benefit from EU funding under the EUAA grants programme.
    • Strengthening support to resettlement: The Agency will seek to strengthen its resettlement activities by creating new Resettlement and Support Facilities (RSFs). They will serve as important locations for coordinated work between the EUAA and representatives of EU+ countries’ resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes.
    • Enhancing the implementation of the European Asylum Curriculum: Comprised of 50 different training modules, a future grant will support national capacity to implement the EUAA’s European Asylum Curriculum, and foster greater convergence in Europe’s asylum and reception systems.

    Background

    Under Article 56(2) of the EUAA Regulation, the Agency is newly empowered to offer grants, to help it discharge its responsibilities. The Agency supports Member States in implementing their asylum and receptions systems by implementing the tasks set out in Article 2 of the same Regulation. To that end, the Agency will begin to offer grants, in line with the principles of the EU’s Financial Regulation.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: How a House Becomes Legally Haunted: Stambovsky v. Ackley, The “Ghostbuster” Ruling

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    The following is a guest post by Mary-Claire Sarafianos, a former intern with the Digital Resources Division of the Law Library of Congress. She is a second-year Ph.D. student in English at the University of Missouri. She studies silence and structure, both as problems in archives and as features of 19th-century American women’s writing.

    In the village of Nyack, New York, an 18-room Victorian estate perches on the edge of the road, looming big and blue above the Hudson River. Local legend proclaimed that the house was haunted. Many a ghost story had been told about this home–a Navy lieutenant from the American Revolution lurking around the basement, an invisible force shaking beds, and a spirit floating and rocking in the middle of the living room. The house and the various spectral presences within it were well-known by the local people of Nyack, but these stories have gone beyond local legend–unlike any other house in American history, 1 La Veta Place was declared, as a matter of law, haunted.

    But before the house’s ghosts became a matter of legal record, 1 La Veta Place was considered haunted by locals. The house was even “included in a five-home walking tour of Nyack and described in a November 27th newspaper article as ‘a riverfront Victorian (with ghost).’” (Stambovsky v. Ackley, 169 A.D.2d 254, 256 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991.) During her time living at 1 La Veta Place, Helen Ackley not only spoke publicly about the ghosts, she wrote about them on both a local and national level. Ackley wrote a story detailing her house’s various phantasmal residents in a local newspaper in 1982, in addition to an article she wrote for Reader’s Digest in 1977 that described the ghosts and their relationship to the human inhabitants of the home. (Stambovsky at 256.) Apparently, the ghosts at 1 La Veta Place were an odd but friendly group of phantoms, but when the house went up for sale, these ghost stories were confronted with the looming figure of the law, leading to the case of Stambovsky v. Ackley, or what is colloquially known as “The Ghostbuster Ruling.”

    When Ackley put the home up for sale, she hired Ellis Realty, who would become her co-defendant in the ensuing legal trouble. Jeffrey Stambovsky, a New York City resident who was unfamiliar with the Nyack folklore and the reputation of the Ackley home, made an offer on the home for $650,000. (Stambovsky at 256.) But some time between making the down payment and closing on the house, Stambovsky discovered the reputation of 1 La Veta Place. According to the majority opinion, when Stambovsky discovered that he was purchasing an allegedly haunted house, he “sought to rescind the $650,000 contract of sale and obtain return of his $32,500 down payment without resort to litigation.” (Stambovsky at 261.) When this did not work, Stambovsky brought his complaint to court and requested not only to cancel the contract to purchase the home but also to request damages for fraudulent misrepresentation by Ackley and her real estate broker, Ellis Realty. (Stambovsky at 256.) And just like that, the house became less of a local legend and more of a legal entanglement.

    [“Spirit” photograph, supposedly taken during a seance, actually a double exposure or composite of superimposed cut-outs, showing woman with portraits of men and women around her head]. Fallis, S. W. 1901. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.40857/.

    Stambovsky’s initial complaint was dismissed by the New York County Supreme Court. The court’s decision was influenced by the fact that New York followed the common law doctrine of caveat emptor, meaning “let the buyer beware” in Latin. The doctrine of caveat emptor “places the burden on buyers to reasonably examine property before making a purchase. A buyer who fails to meet this burden is unable to recover for defects in the product that would have been discovered had this burden been met.” Under this doctrine, sellers are not obligated to disclose information to potential buyers and, according to this doctrine, the supposed hauntings of the Ackley home were Stambovsky’s burden to uncover before making an offer on the house. Consequently, the New York County Supreme Court concluded that Stambovsky would neither receive his down payment nor damages, as there was no fraudulent misrepresentation at play. (Stambovsky at 256.) However, Stambovsky persisted and appealed the court’s decision.

    The appeals court found that caveat emptor did not apply to Stambovsky’s case. As the majority opinion states, “[a]pplying the strict rule of caveat emptor to a contract involving a house possessed by poltergeists conjures up visions of a psychic or medium routinely accompanying the structural engineer and Terminix man on an inspection of every home subject to a contract of sale.” (Stambovsky at 257.) The appeals court allowed Stambovsky to seek rescission of the contract for sale of the home. (Stambovsky at 260-261.) What the case affirms is not that ghosts exist in a legal sense, but that if the house can be considered haunted enough to merit being a stop on a tour of haunted houses and be the subject of an article in Reader’s Digest, then that spooky reputation must be disclosed to potential buyers.

    This verdict presents both sellers and buyers of real estate with complicated questions about the reputations and histories of property and, though not everyone believes in ghosts, houses are often haunted by the crimes, tragedies, and misfortunes that have happened within their walls. Such houses are considered stigmatized properties, which are properties that have been “psychologically impacted by an event which occurred, or was suspected to have occurred, on the property, such an event being one that has no physical impact of any kind.” Whether there is a reputation for ghosts, crime, or misfortune, the public perception of stigmatized property can make it difficult to sell, regardless of the quality of the land or structure. In the case of Stambovsky v. Ackley, the stigmatized nature of the property could actually attract buyers; 1 La Veta Place drew the attention of The Amazing Kreskin, a mentalist who wanted to buy the house, despite its haunted reputation.

    The ghost. Melander & Bro. 1874. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/stereo.1s42592/?loclr=bloglaw.

    The legal responsibilities of both sellers and buyers of stigmatized property vary from state to state. In New York today, deaths, crimes, or stigmatizing features of a property are not required to be disclosed to a seller, but the buyer may inquire as to any of these concerns and the seller may “choose whether or not to respond to the inquiry.” Pennsylvania law has upheld similar requirements, particularly in the case of Milliken v. Jacono, which concluded that “psychological damage to a property cannot be considered a material defect in the property which must be revealed by the seller to the buyer.” (Milliken v. Jacono, 60 A.3d 133, 138 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2012).) While many states follow New York and Pennsylvania, other states require that sellers disclose to buyers whether certain violent crimes were committed on a property. In Alaska, if a licensee knows that a murder or suicide occurred on the property within the last year, they are obligated to disclose this information to the buyer before an offer is made or accepted. In South Dakota, a similar law is in place that requires a property disclosure statement that includes the question: “Since you have owned the property, are you aware of a human death by homicide or suicide occurring on the property?”

    Some states have no requirements or laws on the books that indicate whether a property’s tragic or torrid history needs to be disclosed to the buyer, but certainly no other states have put their caveat emptor doctrines to the test against ghosts in the way that New York has. In the interest of ending on a slightly more humorous note, I turn again to the majority opinion of Stambovsky v. Ackley, which brought a level of humor to the conclusions of the case that have earned it the nickname “The Ghostbusters Ruling.” The majority opinion references the movie Ghostbusters by name and uses even more ghostly puns than I have employed throughout this blog post. (Stambovsky at 257.) The humor of the majority opinion even weaves its way into the logic of the case where the judge states that “if the language of the contract is to be construed as broadly as defendant urges to encompass the presence of poltergeists in the house, it cannot be said that she has delivered the premises ‘vacant’ in accordance with her obligation under the provisions of the contract rider.” (Stambovsky at 260.) In keeping with the humor of the court opinion, this case remains a spot of humor in contract law curricula across the country. Stambovsky v. Ackley and cases like it continue to spark conversation and legislation around caveat emptor and stigmatized property.

    If you are interested in learning about how English law handles the disclosure of hauntings, see the previous In Custodia Legis post, “

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: From Lone Stars to Allies – NATO fighter pilots train in Texas

    Source: NATO

    Wichita Falls, Texas is home to the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, where aspiring aviators from 14 NATO member countries see if they have what it takes to fly with the Alliance’s best.

    The home of a transatlantic training mission

    Wichita Falls doesn’t seem like a place that should mean anything to a European fighter pilot. But if you were to ask Jade, a lieutenant in the Belgian Air Force, if she’s ever heard of the place, she might give you a knowing smirk.

    It’s where she learned to fly.

    The sky over Sheppard Air Force Base thundered as sleek jets knifed through the air, breaking left over the runway in preparation for landing. Home of the US Air Force’s 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard owns the busiest airspace in the United States. Planes are constantly landing, taking off or queueing on the long taxiways. A bumper sticker on the back of one car reads: “I Heart Jet Noise.”

    The Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program (ENJJPT) has been turning out NATO fighter pilots since 1981, when seven Allies founded the school at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls. Most joint NATO initiatives are based in Europe (where 30 of the 32 NATO member countries are located), but Sheppard was chosen as the ideal location for ENJJPT because of its existing training facilities, year-round good flying weather and the wide-open Texan skies. Today, more than 40 years later, 14 national flags fly outside the squat, brick building that houses ENJJPT’s headquarters, representing the 14 participating NATO Allies: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    Inside, Italian pilots saunter through the maze-like corridors, passing groups of Romanians, Norwegians, Spaniards and Danes. In the gear room, Greek instructors put on their flight vests and G-Suits (trousers lined with inflatable air pockets that keep pilots conscious during high-speed turns) and wait for their students. On their way out, they pass groups of Canadian and Turkish students coming back from training sorties, their hair matted with sweat, their faces flushed with victory: it’s another flight down, another step closer to their wings.

    Ask one of the European student aviators how they like living in the Lone Star State, and they’ll twist their mouth into a curious smile and say something like: “I like it.” Which might be a polite way of saying: I’m from a small village in Germany and I’ve never heard someone say “yeehaw” before.

    Fixin’ to fly – A rigorous training schedule

    Not that the students get many chances to sample the local culture. From the moment they arrive at Sheppard and drop their suitcases, their schedules are packed. First stop is “ground school”, where students learn the fundamental science of flight. Then students get fitted for helmets, harnesses and G-suits and climb into their first aircraft, the T-6 Texan II.

    With the instructors watching from the backseat, this is where the student aviators take the stick for the first time. They learn how to take off, fly in formation and land, keeping the aircraft on speed and on course. It’s a time of firsts, each with its own tradition: a student’s first flight is called a “Dollar Ride” because students are expected to give their instructors a Silver Dollar coin. After a student’s first solo flight, their classmates haul them off to a nearby pool of water for a well-deserved bath.

    From here, some students leave Wichita Falls to learn how to fly multi-engine transport aircraft like the C-130 Hercules. Those destined for fighter jets, however, must conquer the T-38 Talon.

    Save a horse, ride a jet plane – training with the Talon

    The Talon is skinny as a scalpel, with wings so thin they seem to disappear when viewed head-on. Its long snout slopes up to a bubble canopy, which encloses two ejection seats. It looks fast, and it is; with afterburners lit, it can punch through the sound barrier and send a sonic boom smashing across the north Texas Plains. One Dutch Major, callsign “Homer”, compares it to a ’66 Mustang sports car – fitting, he notes, because the Talon first entered service in the 1960s.

    The jet will be replaced in the coming years, but in the meantime it’s still a worthy teacher. Its hydraulic flight controls demand that students pay attention, feeling the jet through the stick and continuously “trimming out” to ensure balanced flight. Its stubby wings are built for maximum speed, not maximum stability, and if the inattentive student bleeds too much speed in a turn, it will fall out of the sky – or, as the instructors prosaically put it, “depart controlled flight.”

    When Lieutenant Jade first took off in a Talon, she was used to the T-6 Texan II, and she wasn’t ready for the raw power pumped out by the jet’s two turbojet engines. She had to stand on the brakes to keep the aircraft static as she pushed the throttle to “mil” – full military power. She felt the aircraft tremor as the afterburners lit. When she released the brakes, the jet leapt forward.

    “For me, that day was like… I knew I was on the right track,” she said.

    Getting back in the saddle

    The Talon curriculum is the hardest part of ENJJPT. When students aren’t flying, they’re studying. When they aren’t studying, they’re in the simulator, practising skills like flying in close formation, or the thrill of high-speed, low-level flight. And when they’re not in the simulator, they’re sleeping.

    “Sometimes it’s a bit too fast, and I have to catch up,” Jade said. “That’s the biggest struggle I’ve had so far. That gets me feeling down about it, sometimes. But then it’s even more rewarding when you’re able to step up and strive again.”

    The students know that success is not guaranteed. Plenty of their peers buckle under the stress and leave the Program to serve out their military commitments elsewhere in their country’s armed forces. But for most, failure is not an option. Washing out would mean turning their back on something that’s called to them all their life.

    “Everyone wishes to have an impact on the world,” Jade said. “That’s how I think I can make the biggest impact.”

    Earning their wings

    If a student proves that they can master the demands of high-speed flight in the Talon, they head towards “Drop Night” – the ceremony where they find out which jet they’re going to fly. For the US Air Force, which operates a variety of fighter, bomber and transport aircraft, the suspense is real. When a student is assigned to their first-pick aircraft, some literally leap with joy and relief.

    For Jade, there was little suspense – the Belgian Air Force primarily flies one tactical jet, the F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter, although Belgium is now replacing its F-16 fleet with F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation stealth fighters – but the glee in having passed a demanding curriculum was undiluted. When she “dropped” the F-16, she leapt into the air, pumping her fists before being carried away by her cheering classmates.

    Jade has since left Sheppard to learn how to fly the F-16. Eventually, perhaps, she’ll be deployed to eastern Europe, where NATO Allies have significantly increased the number of fighters on standby to respond to airborne threats, part of the NATO Air Policing mission on the Alliance’s eastern flank. Until then, the next generation of aspiring military aviators has already begun training at Sheppard, joining a decades-long tradition of taking to the skies together.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Abortion service protection zones in place in England and Wales

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Safe access zones are now in force around abortion clinics in England and Wales to protect women accessing these services.

    Women accessing abortion services will be better protected from harassment or distress as protection zones come into force around abortion clinics, the government has confirmed.

    From today, a 150-metre boundary will be in place around all clinics and hospitals offering abortion services known as a ‘safe access zone’.

    Within these boundaries it is now a criminal offence to intentionally or recklessly:

    • influence any person’s decision to access or facilitate abortion services at an abortion clinic
    • obstruct any person from accessing or facilitating abortion services at an abortion clinic
    • cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person in connection with a decision to access, provide or facilitate abortion services at an abortion clinic

    Police and prosecutors will consider each case individually based on the evidence. However, this could include:

    • handing out anti-abortion leaflets
    • protesting against abortion rights
    • shouting at individuals attempting to access abortion services

    This could also cover prayer, including:

    • silent prayer
    • holding vigils
    • any behaviour where someone is intentionally trying to – or recklessly acting in a way that might – influence a person accessing the service

    Anyone found guilty of breaking the new laws will face an unlimited fine.

    The Crown Prosecution Service has published guidance today, alongside further information from the College of Policing, setting out how the police and prosecutors should approach enforcing the new offence. While operational decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, this new guidance will ensure there is clarity and consistency across the country.  

    Crime and Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson said:

    Access to healthcare is a fundamental right. Access to abortion services is a matter of healthcare. I’m confident that the safeguards we have put in place today will have a genuine impact in helping women feel safer and empowered to access the vital services they need.

    Safeguarding Minister, Jess Phillips said:

    Getting this measure up and running as soon as possible has been one of our priorities and I am proud of everyone involved in getting us here. The idea that any woman is made to feel unsafe or harassed for accessing health services, including abortion clinics, is sickening. This stops today.

    The measure applies to any clinics and private hospitals that are approved under the Abortion Act 1967, and for any NHS hospital that has given notification in the current or previous calendar year that it has carried out abortions. 

    Safe access zones were introduced through the Public Order Act 2023, following a free vote in Parliament that received cross-party support.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Grande Prairie — Grande Prairie Proactive Crime Reduction initiative results in multiple arrests

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, Grande Prairie RCMP Crime Reduction Unit and the Grande Prairie RCMP conducted a proactive crime reduction initiative resulting in the arrest of six individuals and the recovery of five stolen vehicles.

    Video surveillance received from one of the 27 thefts resulted in the identification of a male suspect and his vehicle. A subsequent search warrant was conducted, leading to the arrest of two individuals.

    A 32-year-old individual, a 22-year-old individual, a 39-year-old individual, a 48-year-old individual, a 42-year-old individual and a 29-year-old individual have been charged collectively accumulating 18 charges including:

    • Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
    • Fail to comply with release order
    • Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine

    All individuals are scheduled to appear at the Alberta Court of Justice in Grande Prairie.

    “The result of this initiative is another example of targeted crime reduction strategies the Grande Prairie Detachment utilizes and the dedicated efforts of all the officers involved. These types of crimes cause personal hardship to the owners of the vehicles and the greater community” said Cpl Steven Jewer from the Crime Reduction Unit.

    Members of the public who witness suspicious activity in their community are encouraged to contact their local RCMP detachment. If you have information about this incident or any other illegal activity, please call the Grande Prairie RCMP at 780-830-5700 or call your local police. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.

    MIL Security OSI –