Category: Law

MIL-OSI Canada: Canadian Coast Guard Inshore Rescue Boat training in Parry Sound, Ontario

Source: Government of Canada News

April 23, 2025

Parry Sound, ON. – The Canadian Coast Guard’s Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) program will hold search and rescue training for crews between April 25 and May 12, 2025 in Parry Sound, Ontario.

Training will be carried out during daytime and nighttime hours at the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Base in Parry Sound and surrounding waters south to Midland, and north to Britt. The public can expect to see upwards of 10 CCG Zodiac Fast Rescue Craft and helicopters throughout the area. There is no real emergency or danger to the public.

This training certifies and prepares students to respond to marine emergencies during the summer months, such as, but not limited to, medical emergencies, missing persons/boaters, vessels aground, vessels taking on water, and disabled vessels.

Each summer, the Canadian Coast Guard hires post-secondary students and trains them as IRB crews at stations across Canada. These stations provide supplementary search and rescue services during the busy summer boating season. The IRB program provides employment experience and mentorship to post-secondary students.

On the Great Lakes, the Canadian Coast Guard operates six IRB stations. They are located at Britt (Georgian Bay), Brebeuf Island (Georgian Bay), Hill Island (St. Lawrence River), Port Lambton (St. Clair River), Thames River (Lake St. Clair) and Long Point (Lake Erie). IRB stations are open annually from May to October.

For more information on the IRB program, visit: Inshore Rescue Boat service

MIL OSI Canada News –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Russell Laffitte Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, Bank Fraud, and Misapplying Bank Funds

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

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Former banker Russell Lucius Laffitte, 54, of Estill, has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud; wire fraud; bank fraud; and three counts of misapplication of bank funds.

“Russell Laffitte and Alex Murdaugh abused their positions of power to victimize people who trusted them,” said Ben Garner, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division. “As of today, both have pleaded guilty and accepted responsibility for their crimes in federal court. We appreciate the exhaustive work of our partners at the FBI, SLED, and South Carolina Attorney General’s Office to ensure justice for Laffitte and Murdaugh’s victims.”

Laffitte was an officer and executive at Palmetto State Bank in Hampton, South Carolina. His co-conspirator, Alex Murdaugh, was a personal injury attorney at a law firm in Hampton.

As part of his guilty plea, Laffitte admitted that he agreed to serve as conservator and personal representative for several of Murdaugh’s clients, knowing that he would personally profit from doing so. Beginning in 2011, Laffitte began extending himself and Murdaugh loans from conservator accounts Laffitte was charged with managing. Laffitte did not disclose the loans to the conservatees, despite owing them a fiduciary duty.

Around that time, Murdaugh devised a scheme to obtain money belonging to his clients. In furtherance of the scheme, Murdaugh directed law firm employees to make clients’ checks payable to Palmetto State Bank. The checks were drawn on the law firm’s client trust account, identified the clients on the memo lines, and corresponded to amounts set forth in the clients’ disbursement sheets.

As to two of Murdaugh’s clients, Laffitte—their conservator—saw their disbursement sheets and knew that the bank was supposed to receive their settlement funds. Murdaugh presented the clients’ checks to Laffitte and directed that they be used for Murdaugh’s personal benefit, including to pay off loans Laffitte had extended from conservator accounts. Laffitte negotiated nine separate transactions for Murdaugh’s benefit, knowing that the funds belonged to the clients.

Laffitte also aided and abetted the structuring of transactions from a second check belonging to one of the clients, disbursing the funds at Murdaugh’s direction and for Murdaugh’s personal benefit.

As to a third client of Murdaugh’s, Laffitte negotiated 12 separate transactions, disbursing $1,325,000 in client settlement funds for Murdaugh’s benefit. Despite knowing they were client funds, Laffitte allowed Murdaugh to use the funds to repay Murdaugh’s personal loans, repay loans Laffitte extended from a conservator account, purchase vehicles and equipment, and receive cash back. Laffitte also deposited some of the funds into Murdaugh’s personal account.

Laffitte received $75,000 in conservator fees and $35,000 in personal representative fees from these three clients. He intentionally failed to report this income on his tax returns, knowing that he could hide the income because the fee checks were drafted to Palmetto State Bank rather than to him personally. Laffitte also structured transactions to avoid reporting requirements and intentionally failed to file suspicious activity reports.

In 2015, Laffitte misapplied bank funds by extending over $284,000 from a line of credit that was supposed to be for farming to repay Murdaugh’s remaining loans from the conservatorship.

Laffitte also misapplied bank funds on two other occasions. In July 2021, he extended Murdaugh a $750,000 loan for the stated purpose of beach house renovations. But Laffitte authorized a $350,000 wire transfer to an attorney and then transferred $400,000 of “loan proceeds” to Murdaugh’s account to cover over $367,000 in overdraft, knowing that these funds had nothing to do with beach house renovations.

In October 2021, the law firm uncovered that Murdaugh had stolen from clients. Laffitte knew he had negotiated stolen checks at Murdaugh’s direction despite knowing the funds did not belong to Murdaugh. Laffitte then paid the law firm $680,000 in bank funds without the knowledge or consent of the full bank Board of Directors or Executive Committee in an attempt to settle the matter with the law firm.

A federal jury previously convicted Laffitte of these same six charges in 2022. His conviction was overturned by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in late 2024.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Laffitte agrees to pay $3,555,884.80 in criminal restitution before sentencing. Laffitte also agrees that his guilty plea prohibits him from controlling or participating in the conduct of any federally insured bank or credit union, and he cannot serve as a director or officer of any such bank or credit union without permission.

If Laffitte complies with the plea agreement’s terms, the parties agree that the appropriate sentence is five years in prison, and the Government agrees not to file any additional related charges against Laffitte.

United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel accepted the guilty plea and will impose a sentence at a later date.

The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse, Kathleen Stoughton, and Winston Holliday are prosecuting this case.

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MIL Security OSI –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Holyrood — Excessive speeder ticketed by RCMP Traffic Services East

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

A 37-year-old man was ticketed by RCMP Traffic Services East for excessive speeding yesterday.

Shortly after 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, police observed a vehicle travelling 165 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the Trans Canada Highway near Butter Pot Park. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was ticketed for excessive speeding. His license was suspended and the vehicle was seized and impounded. During the traffic stop, police received complaints from motorists regarding the same vehicle, which had luckily already been located.

RCMP NL continues to fulfill its mandate to protect public safety, enforce the law, and ensure the delivery of priority policing services in Newfoundland and Labrador. We thank the public for continuing to report incidents of excessive speed, dangerous driving, impaired driving, and crimes within their communities.

MIL Security OSI –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI: XRP News: XenDex Announces $XDX Token Sale As SEC Drops Ripple (XRP) Lawsuit
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SYDNEY, Australia, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — XenDex is thrilled to announce the first AI-powered all-in-one decentralized exchange (DEX) built on XRP, combining non-custodial lending and borrowing, AI copy trading, and DAO governance in a single user-centric platform.

Currently, excitement grows across the crypto industry amid SEC dropping the XRP Ripple Lawsuit. A new decentralized finance project, XenDex is seizing the moment to reshape the XRP Ledger ecosystem. With XRP (which is designed for speed, scalability, and community participation) gaining mainstream attention once again and institutional capital eyeing the asset class, XenDex is poised to become a major infrastructure player on the XRP Ledger and is set to redefine how users trade, earn, and govern on-chain.

Buy $XDX Token Now

The new Ripple based DeFi is ready to offer its native token for sale, ready to raise major funds in record time for advancement and further development of the project. The new XRP project has become the talk of the XRP community and investors are already jumping onboard, convinced XDX will deliver massive returns and position itself as XRP’s breakout altcoin by 2025.

XenDex promotes itself as a transformative platform combining the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with an ultra-fast and low-fee XRP Ledger (XRP).

Join XenDex Presale

XenDex has officially revealed that the $XDX token is ready for sale through its website XenDex.net, offering early adopters first access to one of XRP’s most ambitious DeFi platforms to date. The $XDX token serves as the utility and governance currency powering all features across the XenDex ecosystem.

The token sale begins when Ripple Labs officially concludes its long-running legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which marks a monumental moment for both XRP holders and the broader cryptocurrency industry. This has fueled optimism across the Ripple community. Institutional interest, growing liquidity, and infrastructure upgrades are aligning — and XenDex is launching at the perfect time to capture this surge in demand.

Features of XenDex
- Lending & Borrowing – Access liquidity or earn passive income via secure, smart contract-based loans.
- AI Copy Trading – Automatically mirror top traders in real-time using our AI-powered copy engine.
- Spot & Perpetual Trading – Trade instantly via an embedded AMM with zero custodial risk.
- Liquidity Farming & Staking – Earn $XDX rewards for providing liquidity or staking tokens.
- DAO Governance – Every $XDX token holder can vote on key upgrades, listings, and ecosystem decisions.
- Cross-Chain Compatibility – Future support for Ethereum, BNB, Cardano, and more.
Tokenomics at a Glance
- Token Ticker: $XDX
- Total Supply: 1,000,000,000
- Presale Allocation: 300,000,000 XDX
- Utilities: Governance, staking, platform fees, airdrops, and more.
Buy XDX Tokens

Smart contracts are currently undergoing comprehensive audits, and the platform will be fully non-custodial with transparent DAO-based governance. Early adopters participating in the presale will benefit from staking rewards, airdrops, and priority access to upcoming product launches.

As the market looks toward a possible XRP ETF launch, projects like XenDex are building the infrastructure needed to support this wave of adoption. With its blend of automation, community empowerment, and high-speed execution, XenDex is positioning itself as the primary DeFi gateway for XRP-based assets.

Join the Movement Now!

Website: xendex.net
Presale – https://xendex.net/presale/
Telegram: t.me/XenDexCommunity
Twitter/X: https://x.com/xendex_xrp

Contact:
Frank Richards
Frank@xendex.net

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

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

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3f59d62f-81ec-4c60-a99b-145716270a5a

The MIL Network –
April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Houston Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Smith County ATM Burglaries

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

TYLER, Texas – A Houston man has been sentenced to prison for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

Julius Lawan Lockett, Jr., 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank theft and was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $243,540.85 and forfeiture of $79,850 by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on April 17, 2025.

According to information presented in court, Lockett conspired with others to burglarize ATMs (automated teller machines) in the Smith County area. On March 28, 2021, Lockett and Jermone Christopher Mayes, Jr., drove from Houston to Tyler to steal U.S. currency from ATMs in the area. Using a Ford F-250 truck which had been stolen in Smith County, they attached chains to the truck and to an ATM at Chase Bank at South Southwest Loop 323 in Tyler. The ATM was pulled open and approximately $159,700 was stolen.

On January 29, 2025, Mayes was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for his role in the conspiracy.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Tyler Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan R. Jackson.

###

MIL Security OSI –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Texarkana Federal Inmate Sentenced in Prison Methamphetamine Conspiracy

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

TEXARKANA, Texas – A federal inmate man has been sentenced to additional time in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

Jimmy Barrientos, 38, of Grand Prairie, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in prison and was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III, on April 15, 2025.

According to information presented in court, Barrientos, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Texarkana, instructed Catherine Gamez to bring methamphetamine with her during prisoner visitation. On September 25, 2022, Gamez brought a portion of a condom containing approximately 20 grams of actual methamphetamine into the federal prison when she came to visit Barrientos. Once Gamez entered the visitation room, she hid the condom containing methamphetamine in the soap dispenser in the restroom of the visitation room at the prison. FCI personnel recovered the condom from the soap dispenser and provided it to federal law enforcement. Gamez pleaded guilty to the same offense in 2024 and is awaiting sentencing.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Texarkana Field Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Noble.

###

MIL Security OSI –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Police accountability reforms to enter Parliament
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Police accountability reforms to enter Parliament

Police officers will be given greater confidence to carry out their roles, with reforms to the systems that hold them to account set to enter Parliament.
Getty Images

The government will table an amendment to the flagship Crime and Policing Bill later this week to provide a presumption of anonymity for firearms officers who are subject to a criminal trial following a shooting.

This will apply during court proceedings and in media reporting up until the point of conviction.

Improving policing systems is a crucial part of making our streets safer under the Plan for Change, and this move addresses specific concerns raised during the accountability review about the risks firearms officers face from criminal gangs and will protect them and their families against any such threat.

Three measures to improve the timeliness and appropriateness of investigations into police use of force and the rights of victims will also be also included in the bill:

Aligning the threshold for referrals by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) of officers to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to that used by police when referring cases involving members of the public. This is to avoid the system being clogged up with cases, allowing greater focus and swifter resolution of those that are referred.

Speeding up processes by allowing the IOPC to send cases to the CPS where there is sufficient evidence, prior to their final investigation report.

Putting the IOPC victims’ right to review policy on a statutory footing to ensure the voices of victims and their families are heard.

This is a crucial step in delivering measures set out by the Home Secretary to parliament in October, in which she set out a package of reforms to rebuild confidence for police officers and communities. The measures are designed to tackle unacceptable delays and confusion in the system, to ensure that the complexity of specialist operations is considered at an early stage, and that the highest standards within policing are upheld and maintained.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

The proud British tradition of policing by consent depends on mutual bonds of trust between the police and the communities they serve. That’s why we have set out an ambitious package of measures to rebuild both public trust in policing and the confidence of police officers in their vital work to keep the public safe.

Police officers in specialist roles who make split-second decisions to keep the public safe must have the confidence to carry out their duties, knowing that the systems which hold them to account for their decisions are fair.

Too often those processes have involved unacceptable delays and confusion, which has been damaging both for the police and the public. These changes will help to boost confidence that the system will work swiftly and effectively for all those involved.

The accountability review found that the current system for holding police officers to account is not commanding the confidence of either the public or the police, with misconduct proceedings too often plagued by delays stretching for years, which is damaging for complainants, police officers and police forces alike.

Alongside the changes being made in the Crime and Policing Bill, the Director for Public Prosecutions has already completed a review of CPS guidance and processes in relation to charging police officers for offences committed in the course of their duties. Revised guidance provides greater clarity for prosecutors, ensuring the dynamic and fast-changing nature of specialist policing decisions are taken into account when charging decisions are made.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, said:

The progress that has been made on vital accountability reform should be welcomed. In particular, I am very pleased to see that the previous commitment on anonymity for firearms officers subject to criminal trials is going to be introduced as an amendment to legislation going through Parliament.

We know further reform is needed if officers are to have full confidence in the system that holds them to account but alongside our policing partners we are working positively and constructively with the government and that work will continue.

Lead of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Operations Coordination Committee and the Senior Responsible Officer for the accountability review, Chief Constable BJ Harrington, said:

We welcome today’s announcement. These are positive changes which will ensure that the public interest is served, and that police officers and staff will have the confidence to protect the public and uphold the law.

Everyone in policing expects to be held to account for their actions and use of powers. However, too often we hear of the devastating, and often disproportionate, impact on officers, staff and their families after they have stepped forward with courage and professionalism on behalf of the public.

Whether it’s an issue concerning use of force, death following contact with the police, police driving or where officers are alleged to have broken the law, it is important that the accountability mechanism is swift, balanced, and fair. This in turn will give our people the confidence to fulfil their duties, and the public confidence in their professionalism and decision making.

We remain determined to get police accountability right and we will support government to improve the current accountability system to ensure community support, and importantly, to give police officers and staff the knowledge that where they act, to do the right things for the right reasons, they have the support to do their job of tackling crime and protecting the public.

This comes as the government has today set out further reforms to rebuild public confidence in policing, including new regulations to ensure police chiefs can automatically sack officers who fail background checks, allowing them to root out those who are unfit to serve.

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Published 23 April 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Why special measures to boost Fiji women’s political representation remain a distant goal

RNZ Pacific

Despite calls from women’s groups urging the government to implement policies to address the underrepresentation of women in politics, the introduction of temporary special measures (TSM) to increase women’s political representation in Fiji remains a distant goal.

This week, leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party (Sodelpa), Cabinet Minister Aseri Radrodro, and opposition MP Ketal Lal expressed their objection to reserving 30 percent of parliamentary seats for women.

Radrodro, who is also Education Minister, told The Fiji Times that Fijian women were “capable of holding their ground without needing a crutch like TSM to give them a leg up”.

Lal called the special allocation of seats for women in Parliament “tokenistic” and beneficial to “a few selected individuals”, as part of submissions to the Fiji Law Reform Commission and the Electoral Commission of Fiji, which are undertaking a comprehensive review and reform of the Fiji’s electoral framework.

Their sentiment is shared by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who said at a Pacific Technical Cooperation Session of the Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in Suva earlier this month, that “putting in women for the sake of mere numbers” is “tokenistic”.

Rabuka said it devalued “the dignity of women at the highest level of national governance.”

“This specific issue makes me wonder at times. As the percentage of women in population is approximately the same as for men, why are women not securing the votes of women? Or more precisely, why aren’t women voting for women?” he said.

Doubled down
The Prime Minister doubled down on his position on the issue when The Fiji Times asked him if it was the right time for Fiji to legislate mandatory seats for women in Parliament as the issue was gaining traction.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka . . . “Why aren’t women voting for women?” Image: Fiji Parliament

“There is no need to legislate it. We do not have a compulsory voting legislation, nor do we yet need a quota-based system.

However, Rabuka’s Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Speaker Lenora Qereqeretabua holds a different view.

Qereqeretabua, from the National Federation Party, said in January that Parliament needed to look like the people that it represented.

“Women make up half of the world’s population, and yet we are still fighting to ensure that their voices and experiences are not only heard but valued in the spaces where decisions are made,” she told participants at the Exploring Temporary Special Measures for Inclusive Governance in Fiji forum.

She said Fiji needed more women in positions of power.

“Not because women are empirically better leaders, because leadership is not determined by gender, but because it is essential for democracy that our representatives reflect the communities that they serve.”

Lenora Qereqeretabua on the floor of Parliament . . . “It is essential for democracy that our representatives reflect the communities that they serve.” Image: Fiji Parliament

‘Shameless’ lag
Another member of Rabuka’s coalition government, one of the deputy prime ministers in and a former Sodelpa leader, Viliame Gavoka said in March 2022 that Fiji had “continued to shamelessly lag behind in protecting and promoting women’s rights and their peacebuilding expertise”.

He pledged at the time that if Sodelpa was voted into government, it would “ensure to break barriers and accelerate progress, including setting specific targets and timelines to achieve gender balance in all branches of government and at all levels through temporary special measures such as quotas . . . ”

However, since coming into power in December 2022, Gavoka has not made any advance on his promise, and his party leader Radrodro has made his views known on the issue.

Fiji women’s rights groups say temporary special measures may need to be implemented in the short-term to advance women’s equality. Image: RNZ Pacific/Sally Round

Fijian women’s rights and advocacy groups say that introducing special measures for women is neither discriminatory nor a breach of the 2013 Constitution.

In a joint statement in October last year, six non-government organisations called on the government to enforce provisions for temporary special measures for women in political party representation and ensure that reserved seats are secured for women in all town and city councils and its committees.

“Nationally, it is unacceptable that after three national elections under new electoral laws, there has been a drastic decline in women’s representation from contesting national elections to being elected to parliament,” they said.

“It is clear from our history that cultural, social, economic and political factors have often stood in the way of women’s political empowerment.”

Short-term need
They said temporary special measures may need to be implemented in the short-term to advance women’s equality.

“The term ‘temporary special measures’ is used to describe affirmative action policies and strategies to promote equality and empower women.

“If we are to move towards a society where half the population is reflected in all leadership spaces and opportunities, we must be gender responsive in the approaches we take to achieve gender equality.”

The Fijian Parliament currently has only five (out of 55) women in the House — four in government and one in opposition. In the previous parliamentary term (2018-2022), there were 10 women directly elected to Parliament.

According to the Fiji Country Gender Assessment report, 81 percent of Fijians believe that women are underrepresented in the government, and 72 percent of Fijians believe greater representation of women would be beneficial for the country.

However, the report found that time and energy burden of familial, volunteer responsibilities, patriarchal norms, and power relations as key barriers to women’s participation in the workplace and public life.

Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) board member Akanisi Nabalarua believes that despite having strong laws and policies on paper, the implementation is lacking.

Lip service
Nabalarua said successive Fijian governments had often paid lip service to gender equality while failing to make intentional and meaningful progress in women’s representation in decision making spaces, reports fijivillage.com.

Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry said Rabuka’s dismissal of the women’s rights groups’ plea was premature.

Chaudhry, a former prime minister who was deposed in a coup in 2000, said Rabuka should have waited for the Law Reform Commission’s report “before deciding so conclusively on the matter”.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI: EverGen Infrastructure Corp. Announces Private Placement of Common Shares and Entering Into of Share Purchase and Reorganization Agreement

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities Laws.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (“EverGen” or the “Company”) (TSXV: EVGN) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a share purchase and reorganization agreement (the “Agreement”) on April 22, 2025, with Ask America, LLC (the “Purchaser”), an arm’s length limited liability company existing under the laws of New Jersey. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Purchaser has agreed to act as the lead investor in a private placement of common shares of the Company (“Common Shares”) for total gross proceeds of up to CAD$7,000,000 (the “Private Placement”). A copy of the Agreement will be accessible on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Private Placement

Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Company intends to complete the Private Placement of up to an aggregate of 11,666,667 Common Shares at a price of $0.60 per Common Share with the Purchaser and other subscribers for total gross proceeds of up to CAD$7,000,000. In connection with the Private Placement, Purchaser has agreed to subscribe for and purchase 8,333,333 Common Shares in the Private Placement, for gross aggregate proceeds of CAD$5,000,000 (the “Share Purchase”) on the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement. Upon execution of the Agreement, the Purchaser paid a deposit of CAD$1,800,000 to the Company for the Share Purchase, with the remaining CAD$3,200,000 to be paid by the Purchaser to the Company upon closing of the Private Placement. The Common Shares issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a four month hold period. The Company anticipates using the proceeds of the Private Placement for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, subject to and concurrent with the closing of the Private Placement, the majority of the executive officers and directors of the Company will resign and be replaced with a new management team consisting of Chase Edgelow as Chief Executive Officer, Ron Green as Chief Operating Officer, with Sean Hennessey continuing as Chief Financial Officer and a new board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) consisting of: Chase Edgelow, Varun Anand, Blake Almond, and Mischa Zajtmann (collectively, the “Change of Management”). The foregoing changes will constitute a “Change of Management” (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange). The closing of the Private Placement may also result in the Purchaser becoming a new “Control Person” of the Company (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange). The completion of the Private Placement and the Change of Management is expected to occur in early May 2025.

It is also anticipated that, prior to closing of the Private Placement, 1,211,026 options, warrants and other equity settled incentive securities held by current and former members of the Company’s management and the Board will be surrendered for cancellation. Upon completion of the Private Placement, EverGen will have issued and outstanding up to 25,686,352 Common Shares (up to 25,806,225 Common Shares on a fully diluted basis).

New Management Team & Board

The new management team and board brings unparalleled knowledge of the Company and its assets, a focused strategy dedicated to improving operational efficiencies and cost structure, and a long-term vision to continue to grow EverGen into a highly strategic and valuable infrastructure platform.

Chase Edgelow (Director & Chief Executive Officer): Brings a direct hands-on approach as co-founder and former CEO of EverGen, along with 20 years of financial and operational expertise in the energy and infrastructure sectors. He is the founding partner of Chase Capital, a private capital platform dedicated to investing in, advising and growing businesses with a focus on the circular economy and energy transition. He spent over a decade with Macquarie Group specializing in sourcing, structuring and managing private energy and infrastructure investments on behalf of Macquarie and other co-investment partners, in addition to providing traditional M&A, capital raising and advisory services for corporate clients. Holds a degree in Engineering Physics from Queen’s University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and Professional Engineer of Alberta (non-practising).

Ron Green (Chief Operating Officer): An accomplished leader with over 30 years of experience in the energy & infrastructure sectors, specializing in operational excellence and team development. Proven track record of driving success in turnaround situations, with expertise in optimizing operations and aligning strategic incentives. Throughout his career, Mr. Green has held key executive roles, including CEO of Promeita Energy, Vice President of Rockwater Energy Solutions, Chief Operating Officer of Pure Energy Services Ltd., and Executive Vice President of Delaney Energy. In addition to his executive leadership roles, Mr. Green is a founding board member of Beyond Energy Services & Technology Corp, which he has guided from a start-up to a >$100m revenue business. He is a graduate of Queens University’s Executive Program and Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. With extensive experience in operational leadership and people management, he is a trusted expert in driving sustainable growth and value creation.

Sean Hennessy (CFO): Sean is a chartered accountant with over 15 years of finance and accounting experience in the clean energy and infrastructure industries, which includes ten years at Altera Infrastructure (previously Teekay Offshore Partners), a global energy infrastructure group and a Brookfield Business Partners portfolio company. Sean obtained his Chartered Accountant designation at PwC New Zealand, where he worked in both the tax and assurance practices, before transitioning to Canada. He is experienced with financial reporting for public companies under both IFRS and US GAAP, on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange. Sean completed a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (Accounting, Finance and Commercial Law) degree and a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) degree at Victoria University of Wellington.

Varun Anand (Director): Varun serves as the Outsourced Chief Investment Officer and representative of ASK America LLC. He brings over a decade of global investment experience across public and private markets, with a strong track record of identifying and executing high-quality infrastructure opportunities. An award-winning portfolio manager, Varun has developed particular expertise in the renewable energy sector, having invested extensively in both Canadian and international renewable energy assets. During his tenure at Starlight Capital, he led the investment in the Company’s IPO in 2021 and built one of its largest shareholder positions by 2022. Varun holds a Bachelor of Mathematics with a Finance specialization from the University of Waterloo and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Blake Almond (Director): Blake has 17 years of experience in M&A and private & public capital markets including 8 years focused on organics, bioenergy and other circular economy infrastructure assets. He spent 10 years with Macquarie Capital in Sydney where he executed M&A and public & private capital markets deals in bioenergy and natural resources. Today he leads the financial advisory business Circ Partners where he advises global infrastructure private equity funds and industrial sponsor clients on circular economy infrastructure investments. Notably, while at Macquarie Capital, Blake advised on cross-border M&A transactions between Canada and Australia including Viterra Inc on the A$1.6bn acquisition of ABB Grain Ltd and Eldorado Gold Corporation on the A$2.1bn acquisition of Sino Gold Mining Limited. Blake is a Member of the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) and the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR).

Mischa Zajtmann (Director): Mischa has 15 years of experience providing consulting and executive management expertise for Canadian and American listed companies in the resource sector with projects in South America, Africa, and Asia. He is a co-founder of EverGen. Mischa was a corporate securities lawyer who began his career at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, focused primarily on corporate securities transactions, including M&A and corporate finance. He has advised both purchasers and target companies in a wide variety of M&A transactions—including issuers listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange and underwriters, in connection with public offerings and private placements of equity securities, regulatory compliance, and general corporate and commercial matters. Mischa has a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Saskatchewan Law School and is a member of the British Columbia Bar.

Corporate Strategy

With a strengthened balance sheet following the private placement and the appointment of the new management team and board, EverGen is strategically positioned to unlock substantial shareholder value. The Company’s immediate focus is on driving operational excellence, enhancing capital efficiency, and establishing a foundation for scalable growth through the following key pillars:

Operational Excellence to Maximize Returns: Deployment of performance-driven systems and accountability frameworks across core facilities to drive margin expansion and operational reliability.

Cost Optimization and Capital Discipline: Allocation of capital to high-impact optimization projects aimed at reducing operating volatility and improving unit economics. Overhead will be streamlined, and opportunities to lower financing costs will be actively pursued to reinforce a lean, agile cost structure.

Strategic Growth: Upon stabilization of core operations, the Company will leverage industry relationships and execution capabilities to re-initiate disciplined project development and pursue accretive partnership opportunities that support long-term growth and shareholder value creation.

Shareholder and Stock Exchange Approvals

Completion of the Private Placement and the Change of Management is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and disinterested holders of Common Shares holding more than 50% of the Common Shares giving consent to the Private Placement and the Change of Management, in accordance with the policies and requirements of the TSX Venture Exchange by executing a written consent (the “Shareholder Written Consent”).

EverGen Board Approval and Recommendation

EverGen previously announced on February 28, 2025 that the Board formed a special independent committee (the “Special Committee”) to evaluate and review potential strategic transactions with the goal of maximizing value for EverGen shareholders and other stakeholders of the Company. Based on the recommendation of the Special Committee, the Board has unanimously approved the Agreement and the Private Placement and has determined that the completion of the Change of Management and the Private Placement is in the best interests of EverGen. The Board recommends that the EverGen shareholders execute the Shareholder Written Consent. Any EverGen shareholder wishing to obtain and execute the Shareholder Written Consent should contact EverGen as set forth below.

About EverGen Infrastructure Corp.

EverGen, Canada’s Renewable Natural Gas Infrastructure Platform, is combating climate change and helping communities contribute to a sustainable future. Headquartered on the West Coast of Canada, EverGen is an established independent renewable energy producer which acquires, develops, builds, owns and operates a portfolio of Renewable Natural Gas, waste to energy, and related infrastructure projects. EverGen is focused on Canada, with continued growth expected across other regions in North America and beyond.

For more information about EverGen Infrastructure Corp. and our projects, please visit www.evergeninfra.com.

About ASK America LLC

ASK America LLC is backed by a multi-generational U.S. family office with several decades of investment experience across a broad spectrum of asset classes. The family office has amassed substantial assets under management, fueled by the success of its wholly owned consumer products business as well as the consistent growth of its investment portfolio. Through ASK America LLC, the group brings a combination of operational acumen and patient, long-term capital to its partnerships, with a steadfast commitment to fostering sustainable growth and delivering superior risk-adjusted returns.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “may”, “should”, “anticipate”, “will”, “estimates”, “believes”, “intends” “expects” and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward looking statements and information concerning: the completion of the Private Placement and the terms thereof, including the issuance of Common Shares, the completion of the Change of Management, the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange of the Private Placement and the Change of Management, the offering price of the Common Shares, the cancellation of certain options, warrants and other equity settled incentive securities of the Company, and receipt of the Shareholder Written Consent. EverGen cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of EverGen, including expectations and assumptions concerning EverGen, the Private Placement, the Change of Management, the timely receipt of all required TSX Venture Exchange, shareholder and regulatory approvals and exemptions (as applicable, including the Shareholder Written Consent) and the satisfaction of other closing conditions. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of EverGen. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and EverGen does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by securities law.

This press release is not an offer of the securities for sale in the United States. The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”)) or any U.S. state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an available exemption from the registration requirement of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts
EverGen Infrastructure Corp.
Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer
Mischa Zajtmann
604-202-7004
mischa@evergeninfra.com

The MIL Network –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOFA thanks Saint Christopher and Nevis National Assembly for passing resolution endorsing Taiwan’s participation in international organizations

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA thanks Saint Christopher and Nevis National Assembly for passing resolution endorsing Taiwan’s participation in international organizations

Date：2025-04-18
Data Source：Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs

April 18, 2025
No. 101

The National Assembly of Saint Christopher and Nevis on April 17 adopted a resolution proposed by Prime Minister Terrance Drew that endorsed Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the International Criminal Police Organization, and the International Civil Aviation Organization. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) sincerely appreciates the staunch and unwavering support and friendship that parliamentarians from governing and opposition parties of Saint Christopher and Nevis have shown toward Taiwan through concrete action.

The resolution pointed out that Saint Christopher and Nevis parliamentarians, as members of the Formosa Club, cherished their country’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan. It stated that over the years the two nations had built a robust friendship based on shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. The resolution lauded Taiwan for its contributions to global public health and recognized Taiwan’s efforts and actions in such fields as renewable energy, climate change adaptation, disaster warning systems, the fight against transnational crime, and the development of international civil aviation. It urged all sectors to support Taiwan’s professional, pragmatic, and constructive participation in the United Nations and other international organizations.

This marks the third consecutive year that the National Assembly of Saint Christopher and Nevis has passed a Taiwan-friendly resolution, underscoring the close and friendly diplomatic alliance between the two countries. Taiwan will continue to work with Saint Christopher and Nevis and other allies and like-minded nations to make even greater contributions to peace, security, and sustainable development across the globe. (E)

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp Announces Hall County Solicitor General Appointment

Source: US State of Georgia

Atlanta, GA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced the appointment of Inez Grant as the Solicitor General of Hall County, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Stephanie Woodard.

Inez Grant has served the Hall County area since becoming a member of the State Bar of Georgia in 1992. She began her legal career as a front-line prosecutor in the Hall County Solicitor General’s Office, where she helped establish Hall County’s Domestic Violence Taskforce. Grant eventually rose to chief assistant under former Solicitor General Jerry Rylee before going on to serve for several years as chief assistant Solicitor General in Forsyth County. Grant practiced both felony and misdemeanor prosecution for 17 years before leaving her beloved line of work for family reasons. Since leaving full-time prosecution, Grant has managed a successful private practice in Hall County focusing on domestic litigation, criminal defense, immigration law, Guardian Ad Litem work, and Juvenile Court matters. In addition, Grant serves as the Solicitor for the City Court of Gainesville and City of Oakwood.

Grant graduated from Brenau University before obtaining her law degree from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. When not in court, she enjoys spending time with her family and her beautiful granddaughters. Grant coached high school mock trial teams and was recognized by the State Bar for her work with the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee. She also currently sits on Brenau University’s Conflict Resolution and Legal Studies Advisory Board.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: zfstiftung.de: BaFin warns about ZukunftsFinanz Stiftung

Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

The financial supervisory authority BaFin warns against investment recommendations and investment offers from ZukunftsFinanz Stiftung, particularly via its WhatsApp group. Neither the allegedly Frankfurt-based ZukunftsFinanz Stiftung nor its representative, Dr Max Becker, have been granted a licence to conduct banking, financial and/or investment services in Germany.

Anyone providing financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the necessary authorisation.

The information provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).

Please be aware:

BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.

MIL OSI Economics –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Justice Department lawyers work for justice and the Constitution – not the White House

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Cassandra Burke Robertson, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics, Case Western Reserve University

The U.S. flag flies above Department of Justice headquarters on Jan. 20, 2024, in Washington. J. David Ake/Getty Images

In the 1970s, President Richard Nixon tried to fire the Department of Justice prosecutor leading an investigation into the president’s involvement in wiretapping the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters.

Since then, the DOJ has generally been run as an impartial law enforcement agency, separated from the executive office and partisan politics.

Those guardrails are now being severely tested under the Trump administration.

In February 2025, seven DOJ attorneys resigned, rather than follow orders from Attorney General Pam Bondi to dismiss corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. Adams was indicted in September 2024, during the Biden administration, for alleged bribery and campaign finance violations.

One DOJ prosecutor, Hagan Scotten, wrote in his Feb. 15 resignation letter that while he held no negative views of the Trump administration, he believed the dismissal request violated DOJ’s ethical standards.

Among more than a dozen DOJ attorneys who have recently been terminated, the DOJ fired Erez Reuveni, acting deputy chief of the department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, on April 15. Reuveni lost his job for speaking honestly to the court about the facts of an immigration case, instead of following political directives from Bondi and other superiors.

Reuveni was terminated for acknowledging in court on April 14 that the Department of Homeland Security had made an “administrative error” in deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, against court orders. DOJ leadership placed Reuveni on leave the very next day.

Bondi defended the decision, arguing that Reuveni had failed to “vigorously advocate” for the administration’s position.

I’m a legal ethics scholar, and I know that as more DOJ lawyers face choices between following political directives and upholding their profession’s ethical standards, they confront a critical question: To whom do they ultimately owe their loyalty?

President Donald Trump speaks before Pam Bondi is sworn in as attorney general at the White House on Feb. 5, 2025.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Identifying the real client

All attorneys have core ethical obligations, including loyalty to clients, confidentiality and honesty to the courts. DOJ lawyers have additional professional obligations: They have a duty to seek justice, rather than merely win cases, as well as to protect constitutional rights even when inconvenient.

DOJ attorneys typically answer to multiple authorities, including the attorney general. But their highest loyalty belongs to the U.S. Constitution and justice itself.

The Supreme Court established in a 1935 case that DOJ attorneys have a special mission to ensure that “justice shall be done.”

DOJ attorneys reinforce their commitment to this mission by taking an oath to uphold the Constitution when they join the department. They also have training programs, internal guidelines and a long-standing institutional culture that emphasizes their unique responsibility to pursue justice, rather than simply win cases.

This creates a professional identity that goes beyond simply carrying out the wishes of political appointees.

Playing by stricter rules

All lawyers also follow special professional rules in order to receive and maintain a license to practice law. These professional rules are established by state bar associations and supreme courts as part of the state-based licensing system for attorneys.

But the more than 10,000 attorneys at the DOJ face even tougher standards.

The McDade Amendment, passed in 1998, requires federal government lawyers to follow both the ethics rules of the state where they are licensed to practice and federal regulations. This includes rules that prohibit DOJ attorneys from participating in cases where they have personal or political relationships with involved parties, for example.

This law also explicitly subjects federal prosecutors to state bar discipline. Such discipline could range from private reprimands to suspension or even permanent disbarment, effectively ending an attorney’s legal career.

This means DOJ lawyers might have to refuse a supervisor’s orders if those directives would violate professional conduct standards – even at the risk of their jobs.

This is what Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon wrote in a Feb. 12, 2025, letter to Bondi, explaining why she could not drop the charges against Adams. Sassoon instead resigned from her position at the DOJ.

“Because the law does not support a dismissal, and because I am confident that Adams has committed the crimes with which he is charged, I cannot agree to seek a dismissal driven by improper considerations … because I do not see any good-faith basis for the proposed position, I cannot make such arguments consistent with my duty of candor,” Sassoon wrote.

As DOJ’s own guidance states, attorneys “must satisfy themselves that their behavior comports with the applicable rules of professional conduct” regardless of what their bosses say.

Post-Watergate principles under pressure

The president nominates the attorney general, who must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

That can create the perception and even the reality that the attorney general is indebted to, and loyal to, the president. To counter that, Attorney General Griffin Bell, in 1978, spelled out three principles established after Watergate to maintain a deliberate separation between the White House and the Justice Department.

First, Bell called for procedures to prevent personal or partisan interests from influencing legal judgments.

Second, Bell said that public confidence in the department’s objectivity is essential to democracy, with DOJ serving as the “acknowledged guardian and keeper of the law.”

Third, these principles ultimately depend on DOJ lawyers committed to good judgment and integrity, even under intense political pressure. These principles apply to all employees throughout the department – including the attorney general.

Recent ethics tests

These principles face a stark test in the current political climate.

The March 2025 firing of Elizabeth Oyer, a career pardon attorney with the Justice Department, raises questions about the boundaries between political directives and professional obligations.

Oyer was fired by Bondi shortly after declining to recommend the restoration of gun rights to actor Mel Gibson, a known Donald Trump supporter. Gibson lost his gun rights after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor domestic battery charge in 2011.

Oyer initially expressed concern to her superiors about restoring Gibson’s gun rights without a sufficient background investigation, particularly given Gibson’s history of domestic violence.

When Oyer later agreed to testify before Congress in a hearing about the White House’s handling of the Justice Department, the administration initially planned to send armed U.S. Marshals officers to deliver a warning letter to her home, saying that she could not disclose records about firearms rights to lawmakers.

Oyer was away from home when she received an urgent alert that the marshals were en route to her home, where her teenage child was alone. Oyer’s attorney described this plan as “both unprecedented and completely inappropriate.”

Officials called off the marshals only after Oyer confirmed receipt of the letter via email.

Elizabeth Oyer, a former U.S. pardon attorney at the Justice Department, speaks at a Senate hearing on April 7, 2025, in Washington.
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Why independence matters

In my research, I found that lawyers sometimes have lapses in judgment because of the “partisan kinship,” conscious or not, they develop with clients. This partisan kinship can lead attorneys to overlook serious red flags that outsiders would easily spot.

When lawyers become too politically aligned with clients – or their superiors – their judgment suffers. They miss ethical problems and legal flaws that would otherwise be obvious. Professional distance allows attorneys to provide the highest quality legal counsel, even if that means saying “no” to powerful people.

That’s why DOJ attorneys sometimes make decisions that frustrate political objectives. When they refuse to target political opponents, when they won’t let allies off easily, or when they disclose information their superiors wanted hidden, they’re not being insubordinate.

They’re fulfilling their highest ethical duties to the Constitution and rule of law.

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

– ref. Justice Department lawyers work for justice and the Constitution – not the White House – https://theconversation.com/justice-department-lawyers-work-for-justice-and-the-constitution-not-the-white-house-254763

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: What does the UK Supreme Court’s gender ruling mean for trans men?

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Daniel Alge, Senior Lecturer in Criminology & Criminal Justice, Brunel University of London

Alex Segre/Shutterstock

The UK Supreme Court ruling backing the “biological” definition of a woman has been hailed by many as providing clarity on the law. But far from the matter being settled, it has raised complex questions, particularly when we consider that half of all transgender people are trans men. It even raises the possibility of trans men being excluded from both men and women’s spaces.

The court unanimously agreed that, regardless of any gender reassignment or possession of a gender recognition certificate (GRC) recognising them as female, transgender women should not be recognised as women for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. This means that access to single-sex spaces should be determined by biological gender assigned at birth.

Meanwhile, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has said it will “pursue” the NHS unless it changes its gender policies. The NHS policies currently state that transgender patients should be accommodated in accordance with their self-identified gender, based on appearance, name and pronouns.

Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

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For many complex reasons, trans men generally feature far less in the public discourse around trans issues. Trans men are currently under-researched and rarely considered by the mainstream media or academic literature.

The Supreme Court’s own summary of the case sets out the issue in terms of the definition of “woman”. But it is clear that the judgment applies equally to trans men as it finds that each of the terms “man”, “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act refer to biological sex. The court concludes that any other definition would be “incoherent and unworkable”.

The Office for National Statistics estimates there are roughly equal numbers (48,000) of trans men and trans women in England and Wales. This is supported by data from the US, which also shows roughly equal populations of trans men and trans women.

Issues for trans men

Those who support a biological definition of sex have framed their position as one which protects women’s rights and keeps women’s spaces safe by excluding men. By legal definition, that now includes trans women. However, it does not include trans men, who would have been born biologically female.

This judgment means that trans men can be excluded from men’s single-sex spaces. But there may also be cases where they are excluded from women’s spaces too, despite being considered women under the ruling.

The court found that it might be proportionate to exclude a trans man from a women’s single-sex service such as counselling for survivors of sexual abuse where “reasonable objection is taken to their presence … because the gender reassignment process has given them a masculine appearance…”.

This statement highlights the flawed legal reasoning around trans men. In most circumstances they are to be treated as women, even if that creates absurdities in practical implementation. And yet, they can also be excluded from some women’s spaces if they appear too masculine. It could be argued that it is this decision which is “incoherent and unworkable”.

The ruling could create more confusion over who can access single-sex spaces.
Iryna_Kolesova/Shutterstock

The Supreme Court decision repeatedly makes the point that “neither possession of a GRC [gender recognition certificate] nor the protected characteristic of gender reassignment require any physiological change or even any change in outward appearance”.

However, in practice a GRC can’t be issued without a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria. It is very difficult for an individual to meet the diagnostic criteria for gender dysphoria without making changes to their appearance or pursuing medical transition.

Testosterone treatment means that trans men may find it easier to “pass” (be perceived as the gender they identify with) than trans women. Testosterone generally causes facial hair to grow, and creates a more masculine physique and a deeper voice without the need for any additional procedures.

There are no official statistics, but a 2022 report by the advocacy group TransActual found that around 90% of trans respondents have accessed hormone therapy or surgery, or hope to do so in the future.

This likely means that a majority of the 48,000 estimated trans men in England and Wales are likely to present as masculine, and be perceived as cisgender men. This is where any implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling becomes complicated.

Single-sex spaces

The decision, subject to any future clarification, means that trans men are not permitted to enter men’s single-sex spaces such as men’s toilets, gym changing rooms or hospital wards. Instead, they should use the women’s single-sex spaces including communal changing areas, in accordance with their biological sex.

The justices briefly considered this issue when they gave the example of an employer requiring that a warden in a women’s or girls’ hostel be female. Before this ruling, such a role would be open to a trans woman with a GRC, but not to a trans man with a GRC.

The court stated that “a biological definition of sex would correct this perceived anomaly”. However, this means that the warden in the girls’ hostel can now be a trans man, who could well be indistinguishable from a cis man to the residents of the hostel.

There is also the concern that both trans men and trans women will expose themselves to a greater risk of harassment, which has already increased considerably, if they are forced to out themselves by using facilities which don’t align with the gender they present as.

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

– ref. What does the UK Supreme Court’s gender ruling mean for trans men? – https://theconversation.com/what-does-the-uk-supreme-courts-gender-ruling-mean-for-trans-men-254868

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI: Traliant Unveils Enhanced Employment Law Training to Protect Organizations from Legal Risk

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Traliant, a leader in online compliance training, today announced enhancements to its Employment Law Fundamentals Certificate Program that is designed to provide employees and managers with a deep understanding of employment laws to help reduce legal risks, improve workplace decision-making and foster a culture of fairness and respect.

In today’s complex and ever-evolving professional and regulatory environment, employees and managers must navigate a maze of policies and procedures that shape the workplace. Regular training on key workplace laws is critical in ensuring organizations create and maintain a culture of ethics and compliance.

“Understanding and correctly applying employment laws is essential to helping managers and employees avoid mistakes that could result in serious legal consequences or costly claims,” said Mike Dahir, CEO of Traliant. “This training is not only crucial for the long-term growth of employees and managers but also for cultivating an ethical and compliant organizational culture that starts at the top.”

Traliant’s Employment Law Fundamentals Certificate Program consists of four courses to assist employees and managers in understanding and applying policies, laws and procedures that impact their daily responsibilities. Backed by our uniquely qualified in-house legal and compliance team, the courses have been updated to align more closely with new federal and state laws, and executive orders relating to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and sex and gender:

To learn more about Traliant, visit: https://www.traliant.com/.

About Traliant
Traliant, a leader in compliance training, is on a mission to help make workplaces better, for everyone. Committed to a customer promise of “compliance you can trust, training you will love,” Traliant delivers continuously compliant online courses, backed by an unparalleled in-house legal team, with engaging, story-based training designed to create truly enjoyable learning experiences.

Traliant supports over 14,000 organizations worldwide with a library of curated essential courses to broaden employee perspectives, achieve compliance and elevate workplace culture, including sexual harassment training, inclusion training, code of conduct training, and many more.

Backed by PSG, a leading growth equity firm, Traliant holds a coveted position on Inc.’s 5000 fastest-growing private companies in America for four consecutive years, along with numerous awards for its products and workplace culture. For more information, visit http://www.traliant.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact
Reagan Bennet
traliant@v2comms.com

The MIL Network –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Law Library Publishes New Report, “Minimum Wages for Seafarers on Foreign-Registered Vessels”

Source: US Global Legal Monitor

The staff of the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress has recently completed a comparative report examining the laws of countries around the globe to identify those that have adopted specific requirements regarding foreign seafarers’ wages. Out of 84 jurisdictions surveyed, only four, Australia, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, passed legislation affecting foreign seafarers’ wages, with Norway having pending legislation.

According to the report, Minimum Wages for Seafarers on Foreign-Registered Vessels, the implementation of wage requirements in the countries identified was conditioned upon certain geographical requirements and/or the existence of a nexus between the government and the vessel’s operating service in terms of the number of landings in the country’s ports or between the seafarer and the country.

The report contains individual country surveys of the scope of application and the type of required wages in the countries where wage requirements for seafarers on foreign-registered vessels exist. In addition, the report contains information on recommended international law standards and a table summarizing the findings and providing citations to laws and pending legislation.

We invite you to review the information provided in our report, here.

The report is an addition to the Law Library’s Legal Reports (Publications of the Law Library of Congress) collection, which includes over 4,000 historical and contemporary legal reports covering a variety of jurisdictions, researched and written by foreign law specialists with expertise in each area. To receive alerts when new reports are published, you can subscribe to email updates and the RSS feed for Law Library Reports (click the “subscribe” button on the Law Library’s website). The Law Library also regularly publishes articles related to wages and hours in the Global Legal Monitor.

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 –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Harvard is suing the White House: here’s what Trump hopes to achieve by targeting universities

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Thomas Gift, Associate Professor and Director of the Centre on US Politics, UCL

A few days ago, in a move that attracted international attention, the White House threatened to strip Harvard University of US$2 billion (£1.5 billion) in federal funding, potentially revoke its tax-exempt status and even prevent it from enrolling international students if it didn’t capitulate to a new list of demands.

The five-page ultimatum reads like a political ransom note. It calls on Harvard to make major “governance reform” including enforcing “viewpoint diversity” in admissions and hiring, squashing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and more screening of foreign student applicants for their beliefs and reporting those who commit “conduct violations” to authorities.

Now, the White House says it was all a big misunderstanding – that the letter was “unauthorized” and that it was Harvard’s fault for not recognising the mistake. Instead of “pick[ing] up the phone … Harvard went on a victimhood campaign,” said a senior policy strategist for Trump in the New York Times. Never mind, as Harvard noted, that the letter was signed by three federal officials and printed on official letterhead.

But the war between the White House and Harvard is far from over. Trump is likely to be in it for the long game and have many more plays to make.

On Monday, Harvard announced it was suing the Trump administration for its prior threat to axe the school’s funding – a move Harvard said would have “severe and long-lasting” effects.

Harvard’s huge US$50 billion endowment gives it the ability to absorb federal spending cuts in a way that even other wealthy US universities can’t. Yet the university’s leadership still says that it would need to make draconian slashes to its research and student programming if federal cuts happened.

“We are going to choke off the money to schools that aid the Marxist assault on our American heritage and on Western civilization itself,” Trump has previously stated, hinting at his wider project to wield power over universities and significantly change the way they operate.

Part of a bigger plan

It’s not just Harvard that’s facing the heat — although as the nation’s most prestigious and high-profile university, its decisions will set the tone for the rest of the sector. More than 40 universities across the US are under investigation by the Trump administration, including for alleged illicit actions by DEI offices and charges of tolerating anti-semitism.

Another Ivy League university, Columbia in New York, for example, has caved to Trump’s demands as a precondition for restoring US$400 million in federal grants, with one group alleging that the cuts constitute an existential “gun to the head”. Johns Hopkins University, in Maryland, has seen at least US$800 million in federal spending cut, forcing the school to slash more than 2,000 jobs.

J.D. Vance outlines his views on US universities.

It’s hard to overstate the backlash. Princeton president Christopher Eisgruber has called Trump’s latest moves “the greatest threat to American universities since the Red Scare of the 1950s”. Political analyst Fareed Zakaria believes that the Trump White House is waging a version of Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, when the Chinese leader took control of China’s leading universities.

“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” said Harvard president Alan Garber.

Trump’s attacks on universities follow a blueprint: identify institutions seen as elite, liberal and out of touch, and undercut their legitimacy relentlessly.

The current crackdown fits a broader pattern, which includes the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development, seen as a soft target when many Americans think the country spends too much on foreign aid, and swipes at some of the nation’s top law firms, cast by Trump as part of an out-of-control, “rigged” legal system.

Perhaps the only question is why the Trump administration didn’t come after universities sooner. As CNN’s Stephen Collinson has noted: “Harvard University is such a perfect foil for Trumpism that it’s a wonder it avoided the MAGA maelstrom for so long.”

Recent campus unrest and rising concerns over anti-semitism — spotlighted by a trio of controversial congressional testimonies by the presidents of Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania in 2023 — have provided a convenient political opening for Maga crusaders. However, Trump’s latest tirade almost certainly has less to do with principle than political opportunity.

Recent polling from Gallup shows that trust in higher education has plummeted since roughly the first time Trump ran for president. In 2015, 57% of Americans possessed “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education. Today, that number is just 36%. For Republicans, those numbers have dropped even more sharply, from 56% to 20%.

There’s plenty of speculation about what’s driving these figures, but most are inextricably linked to partisan politics. Harvard Law School’s Jack Goldsmith and Adrian Vermeuele say that elite colleges have made it easy for conservatives to dislike them, and should reflect on why.

Critiques of academia include accusations that faculties and student bodies tilt far to the left. At Harvard, for example, just 3% of professors identify as conservative, and 13% of recent graduates.

These charges coincide with allegations of illiberal student “mobs” who shout down and heckle speakers and refuse to allow dissenting opinions. According to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, for instance, Harvard is at the bottom of the table – scoring zero out of 100 – in its annual college free speech ranking.

Adding to the controversy are claims that DEI offices have gone “too far” in inculcating a “oppressor-oppressed” mentality on campuses. The Trump administration views universities as ground-zero of the broader DEI trend that proliferated in the public and private sector during the Biden years.

Declining trust in universities has doubtlessly been exacerbated by Maga rhetoric. Before being elected, Vice-President J.D. Vance announced that “the professors are the enemy”. Marc Lampkin, a longtime Republican strategist, said that “Republicans believe that … universities are the training ground for left, progressive camps”.

That Harvard sits on a US$50 billion endowment, even as it takes advantage of tax benefits as a nonprofit, strikes many in the Trump camp as unfair.

The clash between Harvard and the White House is laying the groundwork for a high-stakes showdown, pitting academia’s defenders against the Magaverse. Yet it’s possible to believe two things at once: that universities do suffer from some, even many, of the ailments that Trump has alleged; and that Trump’s onslaught against higher education is strategically misguided, politically motivated and aimed at putting universities under the president’s thumb.

Thomas Gift teaches an annual course in the Harvard Summer School, and worked full-time at the Harvard Kennedy School in 2015-16.

– ref. Harvard is suing the White House: here’s what Trump hopes to achieve by targeting universities – https://theconversation.com/harvard-is-suing-the-white-house-heres-what-trump-hopes-to-achieve-by-targeting-universities-254850

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI: Volta Finance Limited – Net Asset Value(s) as at 31 March 2025
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Volta Finance Limited (VTA / VTAS)
March 2025 monthly report

NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION, OR PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES

Guernsey, April 23^rd, 2025

AXA IM has published the Volta Finance Limited (the “Company” or “Volta Finance” or “Volta”) monthly report for March 2025. The full report is attached to this release and will be available on Volta’s website shortly (www.voltafinance.com).

Performance and Portfolio Activity

Dear Investors,

Volta Finance’s net performance for the month of March was negative -2.9%, taking the Aug 2024-to-date performance at +9.7%. Both our investments in CLO Debt and CLO Equity were impacted by the broader volatility and risk repricing across global markets. In line with its dividend policy, Volta declared a 15.5c quarterly dividend through the month.

CLO markets exhibited classic cyclical patterns characterized by spread tightening in January followed by some widening towards the end of the Quarter. However, market movements in March extended beyond typical seasonal dynamics as geopolitical tensions and uncertainties surrounding President Trump’s trade policies had a significant impact. The announcement of tariffs targeting Canada, Mexico and increased levies on China in February shook Equity markets across the globe and triggered a general repricing of risk. March saw additional tariff threats hinting towards a total revamp of US trade agreements in the making. Major Equity indices sold off, with pressures on technology, automotive and consumer discretionary sectors notably. These announcements overshadowed positive news on the inflation front (cooling PCE), while the Fed maintained its key rate on March 19. Lower GDP growth projections were on everybody’s mind, while markets were left in limbo ahead of the tariff announcements of the US administration due to take place on April 2nd.

It was no surprise to see Credit markets repricing in March as well: the European High Yield index (Xover) closed around 40bps wider at 328bps. In the loan market, Euro Loans dropped c. 1pt to about 97.80px (Morningstar European Leveraged Loan Index) while US Loans felt by 85cts down to 96.30px. The primary CLO market remained active as many transactions were executed, although levels moved wider across the capital structure, notably BBs towards +600bps (from +475bps context). In terms of performance, BBs had a total return of -1.5%, US High Yield returned -1.07% and Euro High Yield were down by -1%.

Looking at Volta Finance’s cashflow, the portfolio generated c. €28m equivalent of interests and coupons over the last six months, representing c.21% of February’s NAV on an annualized basis. Over the month, Volta’s CLO Equity tranches returned -4.3%** while CLO Debt tranches returned -0.5% performance**, cash representing c. 10% of the NAV.

Volta is around 21% exposed to USD, the March currency moves having a meaningful impact on the overall funds’ performance (-0.94%).

As of end of March 2025, Volta’s NAV was €269.6m, i.e. €7.37 per share.

*It should be noted that approximately 0.29% of Volta’s GAV comprises investments for which the relevant NAVs as at the month-end date are normally available only after Volta’s NAV has already been published. Volta’s policy is to publish its NAV on as timely a basis as possible to provide shareholders with Volta’s appropriately up-to-date NAV information. Consequently, such investments are valued using the most recently available NAV for each fund or quoted price for such subordinated notes. The most recently available fund NAV or quoted price was 0.18% as at 28 February 2025, 0.11% as at 30 September 2024.

** “performances” of asset classes are calculated as the Dietz-performance of the assets in each bucket, taking into account the Mark-to-Market of the assets at period ends, payments received from the assets over the period, and ignoring changes in cross-currency rates. Nevertheless, some residual currency effects could impact the aggregate value of the portfolio when aggregating each bucket.

CONTACTS

For the Investment Manager
AXA Investment Managers Paris
François Touati
francois.touati@axa-im.com
+33 (0) 1 44 45 80 22

Olivier Pons
Olivier.pons@axa-im.com
+33 (0) 1 44 45 87 30

Company Secretary and Administrator
BNP Paribas S.A, Guernsey Branch
guernsey.bp2s.volta.cosec@bnpparibas.com
+44 (0) 1481 750 853

Corporate Broker
Cavendish Securities plc
Andrew Worne
Daniel Balabanoff
+44 (0) 20 7397 8900

*****
ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED

Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market for listed securities. Volta’s home member state for the purposes of the EU Transparency Directive is the Netherlands. As such, Volta is subject to regulation and supervision by the AFM, being the regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands.

Volta’s Investment objectives are to preserve its capital across the credit cycle and to provide a stable stream of income to its Shareholders through dividends that it expects to distribute on a quarterly basis. The Company currently seeks to achieve its investment objectives by pursuing exposure predominantly to CLO’s and similar asset classes. A more diversified investment strategy across structured finance assets may be pursued opportunistically. The Company has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris an investment management company with a division specialised in structured credit, for the investment management of all its assets.

*****

ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS
AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is a multi-expert asset management company within the AXA Group, a global leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA IM is one of the largest European-based asset managers with 2,800 professionals and €859 billion in assets under management as of the end of June 2024.

*****

This press release is published by AXA Investment Managers Paris (“AXA IM”), in its capacity as alternative investment fund manager (within the meaning of Directive 2011/61/EU, the “AIFM Directive”) of Volta Finance Limited (the “Volta Finance”) whose portfolio is managed by AXA IM.

This press release is for information only and does not constitute an invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its circulation may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no recipient may circulate copies of this document in breach of such limitations or restrictions. This document is not an offer for sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States or to persons who are “U.S. persons” for purposes of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be restricted by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration from the Securities Act. Volta Finance does not intend to register any portion of the offer of such securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of such securities in the United States.

*****

This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). The securities referred to herein are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance.

*****
This press release contains statements that are, or may deemed to be, “forward-looking statements”. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes”, “anticipated”, “expects”, “intends”, “is/are expected”, “may”, “will” or “should”. They include the statements regarding the level of the dividend, the current market context and its impact on the long-term return of Volta Finance’s investments. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Volta Finance’s actual results, portfolio composition and performance may differ materially from the impression created by the forward-looking statements. AXA IM does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements.

Any target information is based on certain assumptions as to future events which may not prove to be realised. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these future events, the targets are not intended to be and should not be regarded as profits or earnings or any other type of forecasts. There can be no assurance that any of these targets will be achieved. In addition, no assurance can be given that the investment objective will be achieved.

The figures provided that relate to past months or years and past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance or construed as a reliable indicator as to future performance. Throughout this review, the citation of specific trades or strategies is intended to illustrate some of the investment methodologies and philosophies of Volta Finance, as implemented by AXA IM. The historical success or AXA IM’s belief in the future success, of any of these trades or strategies is not indicative of, and has no bearing on, future results.

The valuation of financial assets can vary significantly from the prices that the AXA IM could obtain if it sought to liquidate the positions on behalf of the Volta Finance due to market conditions and general economic environment. Such valuations do not constitute a fairness or similar opinion and should not be regarded as such.

Editor: AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS PARIS, a company incorporated under the laws of France, having its registered office located at Tour Majunga, 6, Place de la Pyramide – 92800 Puteaux. AXA IMP is authorized by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers under registration number GP92008 as an alternative investment fund manager within the meaning of the AIFM Directive.

*****

Attachment
- Volta – Monthly report- March 2025
The MIL Network –
April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement on sad passing of Ian Hall
Source: City of Preston
23 April 2025

We are saddened to announce the death of Ian Hall, Honorary Freeman and Alderman of the City who died on Monday 21 April at the age of 98.

Ian was first elected as a Preston councillor in 1964 and stood down in 2007 after a remarkable 43 years’ service.

During his long service as councillor, he was twice Mayor of Preston in 1974-5 and 1994-5 and Leader of the Council from 2000 to 2003. He had served in a similar position twice before as Chair of Policy and Resources Committee from 1973-76 and 1980-82.

He served as a Justice of the Peace from 1969, and Ian had an outstanding record in public service devoting so much of his time to the city and people of Preston.

Mayor of Preston, Councillor Phil Crowe pays tribute to Honorary Freeman and Alderman, and former Councillor and Mayor, Ian Hall:

“Ian was a most dedicated and well-respected public servant for Preston. He served on so many committees and bodies and was always striving to improve the lives of his fellow Prestonians.

“He was heavily involved in the organisation of the Preston Guild of 1992 and the redevelopment work around Preston Docks. He oversaw the transfer of the then Preston Borough Transport Department to Preston Bus, an employee-owned company. His contribution to Preston and its residents cannot be underestimated.

“I send my condolences, along with those of everyone at Preston City Council, to Ian’s family and friends at this sad time. May he Rest in Peace.”

More information

Ian Hall was first elected to Preston County Borough Council in 1964.

He was made an Honorary Freeman of the City May 1992.

He was made an Honorary Alderman of the City in 2007 after retiring as a Councillor after 43 years service.

We will update with funeral information as this becomes available.

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MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Guatemalan alien illegally residing in the US and convicted of sexual battery indicted for fraudulently obtaining custody of an unaccompanied alien child in the United States, following ICE, joint law enforcement partner investigation

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury indicted an illegal alien, April 17, for his alleged role in smuggling an unaccompanied alien child to the United States and for allegedly submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement to gain custody of the minor after she entered the United States, following a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FBI, investigation.

“This case is a testament to ICE’s commitment to hold predators accountable for the harm they inflict on children,” said ICE acting Director Todd Lyons. “We are making every effort to ensure the safety of children released to sponsors across the United States. This is vital work and through their victim centered approach, ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agents are perfectly positioned to uncover any similar crimes by predatory sponsors.”

“The prior administration’s border policies created an environment that enabled human trafficking and allowed bad actors to take advantage of at-risk children,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are committed to protecting children from the scourge of human trafficking and will not rest until we deliver justice for those who suffered during the border crisis.”

According to the indictment, Juan Tiul Xi, 26, a Guatemalan national illegally residing in Cleveland, illegally entered the United States in 2023. Thereafter, Tiul Xi allegedly encouraged and induced a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl to illegally enter the United States and to use the identity of Tiul Xi’s sister as her alias. As a UAC, the Guatemalan girl was placed in the care and custody of ORR. As alleged, Tiul Xi then falsely stated on documents submitted to ORR when he applied to sponsor and obtain custody of the girl that he was the UAC’s brother and that her alias was her actual name. ORR relied on Tiul Xi’s alleged false statements when, on or about Sept. 5, 2023, ORR released the UAC to Tiul Xi’s care.

Tiul Xi is charged with one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the illegal entry count, a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count, and a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“The Office of Refugee Resettlement is committed to continuing vital policy changes that promote the safety and welfare of unaccompanied alien children related into the Unites States,” said ORR Acting Director Angie M. Salazar. “We have significantly increased sponsor vetting with the wellbeing of the child at the core of our process. We hope that our commitment is evident by our collaboration with law enforcement to right previous wrongs and help bring these crimes to light.”

The indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

The ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland field offices are jointly investigating with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C. and ORR have provided valuable assistance.

Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik and Criminal Division Chief Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.

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

Individuals across the world can report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 23, 2025
MIL-OSI China: MOFA thanks Saint Christopher and Nevis National Assembly for passing resolution endorsing Taiwan’s participation in international organizations
Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

MOFA thanks Saint Christopher and Nevis National Assembly for passing resolution endorsing Taiwan’s participation in international organizations
- Date：2025-04-18
- Data Source：Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs
April 18, 2025

No. 101

The National Assembly of Saint Christopher and Nevis on April 17 adopted a resolution proposed by Prime Minister Terrance Drew that endorsed Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the International Criminal Police Organization, and the International Civil Aviation Organization. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) sincerely appreciates the staunch and unwavering support and friendship that parliamentarians from governing and opposition parties of Saint Christopher and Nevis have shown toward Taiwan through concrete action.

The resolution pointed out that Saint Christopher and Nevis parliamentarians, as members of the Formosa Club, cherished their country’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan. It stated that over the years the two nations had built a robust friendship based on shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. The resolution lauded Taiwan for its contributions to global public health and recognized Taiwan’s efforts and actions in such fields as renewable energy, climate change adaptation, disaster warning systems, the fight against transnational crime, and the development of international civil aviation. It urged all sectors to support Taiwan’s professional, pragmatic, and constructive participation in the United Nations and other international organizations.

This marks the third consecutive year that the National Assembly of Saint Christopher and Nevis has passed a Taiwan-friendly resolution, underscoring the close and friendly diplomatic alliance between the two countries. Taiwan will continue to work with Saint Christopher and Nevis and other allies and like-minded nations to make even greater contributions to peace, security, and sustainable development across the globe. (E)

MIL OSI China News –
April 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: 541 illegal shebeens, taverns shutdown over Easter
Source: South Africa News Agency

A total of 541 illegal shebeens and taverns were shut down by police across the country during the Easter long weekend.

Of these, 270 were shut down in KwaZulu-Natal.

A total of 757 suspects who were found dealing in illegal liquor were also arrested – 270 were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal, while 144 were arrested in Mpumalanga and 142 arrested in Gauteng.

A total of 1 166 motorists were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during that period – 265 of them were arrested in Mpumalanga.

A total of 1209 suspects who were found to be in possession of drugs were arrested – 393 of them were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal.

Also, 249 suspects were arrested for dealing in drugs and the Western Cape registered the majority of those arrested, with 61.

“Just this past week alone, a total of 17 605 suspects were arrested through Operation Shanela. The highest number of arrests registered a week in months,” the South African Police Service said in a statement.

It said police officers across the country remain hard at work in preventing, combating and investigating crime.

“Through various interventions and takedowns, police operations led to the arrest of 3 662 wanted suspects for rape, murder and attempted murder amongst a host of other serious and violent crimes,” the police said.

Of these, 215 suspects were arrested and charged for rape. The majority of those arrested for rape were apprehended in KwaZulu-Natal (67).

Over and above these, the following arrests were made across the country:
- 145 murder suspects were arrested and the majority were arrested in Gauteng (30).
- 129 suspects were arrested for attempted murder;
- 1 574 suspects were arrested for assault grievous bodily harm;
- 110 suspects were arrested for being in the illegal possession of firearms, majority of these suspects were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal (35)
Police registered the following successes:
- 128 firearms were confiscated in the past week;
- 4220 rounds of ammunition were confiscated;
- 87 hijacked and stolen vehicles were recovered during this week’s operations.
Two businessmen were rescued by the anti-kidnapping task team after they were hijacked and kidnapped in Midrand on Monday. The two male victims were found in dense bushes and rescued. Their hijacked SUV Range Rover was later recovered in Tembisa.

A multi-disciplinary law enforcement operation led by the Nelson Mandela Bay Crime Prevention Unit and DPCI, resulted in the successful rescue of a 45-year-old US pastor, who was kidnapped and held at a safe house in KwaMagxaki, Gqeberha, on 15 April 2025.

Police in Northern Cape seized 39 uncut diamonds through Operation Vala Umgodi.

KwaZulu-Natal police seized five unlicensed firearms and ammunition in the Msinga area. Two suspects were arrested in this intelligence driven operation.

Five suspects were arrested between North West and Gauteng for the kidnapping and murder of a 63-year-old pensioner. The man was allegedly robbed of thousands of rands before being killed.

Western Cape police arrested a second suspect after a taxi boss was killed at the Wynberg Magistrate Court over a week ago.

In Operation Vala Umgodi, 104 suspects were arrested in connection with illegal mining activities across the North West province while 11 suspects were arrested by Free State police.

“Police will continue with their operations by asserting the authority of the state to ensure the safety and security of all South Africans and visitors to the country,” the police said. – SAnews.gov.za

MIL OSI Africa –
April 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Presidential Protection Service high skilled, sufficiently resourced

Source: South Africa News Agency

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, has assured the nation that the Executive of the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Deputy President Paul Mashatile, are in safe hands.

“Members of the Presidential Protection Service (PPS) who are assigned to both the President and the Deputy President are trained to a high level of skill and possess the necessary expertise and capabilities to avert any risk and threat,” Masemola said.

He said the resources assigned to safeguard the Executive are also adequate and designed to prevent any direct and imminent threat on their lives.

“While it is not common practice to discuss safety and security aspects of the Executive, the National Commissioner deems it fit to assure the country that sufficient resources are always assigned to safeguard members of the national executive,” Masemola said in a statement.

The statement follows a shooting incident involving the Deputy President’s convoy.

Deputy President Mashatile was returning from an ANC meeting in Boksburg when his convoy came under fire. At first it was thought stones were being hurled at the vehicle, but it was discovered that it was being shot at.

“Following the incident, an extensive investigation was conducted and still underway with the ballistics report already concluded. Crime Intelligence is also continuing with its regular risk and threat assessment on both the President and the Deputy President,” the General explained.

He confirmed the reinforcement of the security detail to both principals and expressed gratitude to members of the PPS with the manner in which they safeguard and handle the safety of both principals. – SAnews.gov.za

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MIL OSI Africa –

April 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Domestic violence – Nhulunbuy

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 42-year-old male in relation to a domestic violence incident that occurred in Nhulunbuy on Saturday evening.

Around 8:45pm, police received a report that a male had assaulted another male family member causing the 70-year-old victim to fall and hit his head.

Police and St John Ambulance attended the scene, and the victim was stabilised before being conveyed to Gove District Hospital with a severe head injury.

The 70-year-old was later transported to Royal Darwin Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

A 42-year-old male has since been arrested and charged with Unlawfully cause serious harm and Aggravated assault.

He is due to appear in court on Thursday 24 April 2025.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic or family violence, please reach out on 131 444 or in an emergency call 000. You can also anonymously report through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

MIL OSI News –

April 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Call for information – Death – Nightcliff

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force are investigating after a death in Nightcliff this afternoon.

Around 5:15pm, it is alleged that an unknown male was stealing items from a supermarket on Progress Drive, Nightcliff.

A 71-year-old owner of the store allegedly confronted the male and asked him to return the items before the male allegedly stabbed him with an edged weapon and fled the scene on a bicycle.

Patrons inside the shop provided initial first aid and immediately contacted police.

Emergency Services responded immediately and attended the scene where CPR was commenced, and the 71-year-old man was pronounced deceased.

At this stage, police believe they have identified the offender, and efforts are currently underway to locate him.

Detectives are urging anyone who has information to make contact on 131 444 or make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, and quote reference P25111518.

MIL OSI News –

April 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Police Officer served with a Notice to Appear

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Today, a member of the Northern Territory Police Force was served a Notice to Appear in relation to an incident that occurred in March 2025.

The 33-year-old Constable is scheduled to appear in Darwin Local Court on 28 June 2025 on a single charge of Aggravated Assault contrary to section 188 of the Northern Territory Criminal Code Act 1983.

The member is currently suspended with pay and was off duty at the time of the incident.

Please be aware that the matter is currently under investigation. Due to the case being before the courts, no additional information will be provided at this time.

This update is in accordance with the NT Police Transparency Guidelines.

MIL OSI News –

April 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Call for witnesses – Assault – Katherine

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force is calling for witnesses in relation to an assault that occurred in Katherine on Monday evening.

About 8.15pm, a female was allegedly assaulted by an unknown person whilst walking along the footpath beside the Stuart Highway, within the vicinity of Byers Road, rendering her unconscious. At around 9.30pm, the female regained consciousness and walked to her home address, where she sought assistance from a friend and was transported to Katherine Regional Hospital.

Police are appealing for witnesses in relation to this incident, particularly anyone with dash cam footage from the area at around the same time to make contact on 131 444 and reference job number NTP2500041721.

MIL OSI News –

April 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Call for information – Aggravated robbery – Coconut Grove

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force is calling for information in relation to an aggravated robbery that occurred in Coconut Grove early this morning.

Around 12:20am, police received reports that a male youth had allegedly assaulted a 14-year-old female with a fridge shelf in the yard of her residence on Progress Drive.

The victim then retreated inside her 57-year-old grandmother’s unit, where the male forced himself inside the residence and stole a handbag.

The 57-year-old occupant attempted to hold onto the bag, before the male allegedly threatened to stab her with scissors if she did not let go. The woman released the handbag, and the offender fled the scene on foot.

Police attended and 14-year-old female victim was assessed for minor injuries and did not require medical treatment.

The offender remains outstanding, and investigations are ongoing.

Police urge anyone with information about the incident to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P25110967. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

MIL OSI News –

April 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Property offences – Alice Springs

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has recovered three stolen motor vehicles and arrested an 18-year-old male in relation to property offences in Alice Springs last Thursday.

About 6am, police were notified that an unknown number of offenders allegedly unlawfully entered a Government facility in Ciccone and stole three vehicles from the premises.

Strike Force Viper members took carriage of the investigation and identified that one of the vehicles, a white Toyota Hilux, was allegedly used in a ram raid at a grocery store.

Later that day at 3:30pm, the vehicle was recovered abandoned in scrubland behind Hidden Valley Camp and about 10:40pm at night, police apprehended an 18-year-old male in relation to the two incidents. He has since been charged with Burglary, Damage to property, Ram raid and Theft and was remanded to appear in Alice Springs Local Court tomorrow.

A short time later, about 11:25pm, police received reports of one of the stolen vehicles allegedly driving erratically in Alice Springs CBD. A short time later, the vehicle was located bogged in the Charles Creek riverbed and police coordinated a response with members from Territory Safety Division and Strike Force Viper with the use of a drone and located and apprehended 3 male youths, two aged 13-years-old and a 17-year-old nearby. They were conveyed into the care of a responsible adult.

The final vehicle, a white Toyota Troop Carrier, was recovered abandoned on Undoolya Road.

MIL OSI News –

April 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: April 2025 edition of AML Focus newsletter published

Source: Isle of Man

The Isle of Man Financial Services Authority has published the April 2025 edition of its AML Focus newsletter.

The publication, which is available to view online, showcases the many workstreams taking place in relation to AML/CFT/CFP supervision.

George Pearmain, a leading strategic adviser on financial crime, shares his experience of Jersey’s recent MONEYVAL evaluation and provides an insight into preparations for the Isle of Man’s onsite assessment in 2026.

We put the spotlight on international ‘golden visa’ schemes and offer some pointers on what to look for in terms of the ML/TF/PF risks of citizenship by investment, while there’s a review of recent changes to beneficial ownership legislation regarding Obliged Entities.

The newsletter also highlights our supervisory priorities for 2025-27, emphasises the importance of working with good quality data, looks ahead to the publication of phase two of the thematic review relating to estate agents, and answers your questions about the MONEYVAL process.

We hope you find the contents of interest. Please contact the team at aml@iomfsa.im with any ideas for future topics.

Newsletter contents

1          Welcome from the Head of AML/CFT Supervision

2          Our supervisory priorities for 2025-27

3          The importance of good data

4&5     George Pearmain’s MONEYVAL insights

6          Island must meet higher standards

7          Estate agents thematic review

8&9     The risks of identity laundering

10        Beneficial ownership and obliged entities

11        Countering Financial Crime Conference

12        Work progressing to update National Risk Assessment

13        Making a positive difference

14        MONEYVAL Q&A

View the AML Focus Newsletter April 2025

MIL OSI Economics –

April 23, 2025