Source: New Zealand Police
A person has died following a crash in Timaru this morning.
Emergency services were called to the single-vehicle crash on Evans Street, State Highway 1, about 9.50am.
Part of the road is expected to remain closed until later this afternoon while the Serious Crash Unit carries out a scene examination.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced on Tuesday that Britain has suspended trade negotiations with Israel over its Gaza blockade. Lammy also said the Israeli ambassador had been summoned.
Lammy said in a statement in the House of Commons, lower house of the British parliament, that Israel’s blockade of Gaza is “morally wrong, unjustifiable, and it needs to stop.”
Lammy said he thinks all lawmakers “should be able to utterly condemn the Israeli government’s denial of food to hungry children.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza on Tuesday, describing the ongoing civilian suffering as “utterly intolerable,” and called for an immediate ceasefire.
Addressing the parliament, Starmer said, “The level of suffering, innocent children being bombed again, is utterly intolerable,” and went on to say Britain and their French and Canadian allies are “horrified by the escalation from Israel.” He said an “immediate ceasefire” remains “the only way to free the hostages.”
He also reaffirmed Britain’s opposition to Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and called for a dramatic scale-up in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“The recent announcement that Israel will allow a basic quantity of food into Gaza is totally and utterly inadequate,” Starmer said. “We must coordinate our response, because this war has gone on for far too long. We cannot allow the people of Gaza to starve.”
Britain, France and Canada said on Monday in a joint statement that “if Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid,” they will take further concrete actions.
Israel halted the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2, following the expiration of the first phase of a January ceasefire agreement with Hamas. It resumed attacks on Gaza on March 18, which have so far killed more than 3,300 people and injured over 9,350, according to the Gaza-based health authorities.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would allow the entry of a “minimal and basic” quantity of aid into Gaza to prevent “images of mass starvation.” Later, five UN aid trucks entered Gaza through Israel’s Kerem Shalom border crossing on Monday after undergoing security inspections.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Israeli troops are seen near the southern Israeli border with Gaza, on May 20, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
The Israeli military said on Tuesday that it will expand its ground offensive in Gaza and take control of additional territory.
“We will expand our operation, establish operational control over more territory, and clear and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure — until Hamas is decisively defeated,” Israel’s military chief Eyal Zamir said in a video statement from Gaza on the fourth day of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, Israel’s largest ground assault on the enclave in months.
Zamir said Hamas had been “severely weakened” but yet to be defeated.
At least 87 people were killed in Gaza on Tuesday, according to the territory’s health authorities, bringing the death toll from Israel’s 19-month offensive to 53,573.
The Israeli military said its warplanes struck more than 100 locations in Gaza over the past day. In northern Gaza, targets included militants, a weapons storage site, a military structure used by Islamic Jihad, and underground infrastructure. In the south, the strikes targeted militants, military compounds, and observation posts.
Meanwhile, 93 United Nations trucks carrying humanitarian aid, including flour for bakeries, infant food, medical equipment, and pharmaceuticals, entered Gaza on Tuesday via the Kerem Shalom crossing, according to COGAT, the Israeli Defense Ministry unit responsible for civilian affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories.
However, none of the trucks had reached their intended destinations due to logistical and security challenges, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported.
Five trucks entered Gaza on Monday, marking the first delivery after an 11-week Israeli blockade on food, medicine, and fuel. Israel said it would permit a limited amount of aid into Gaza due to mounting pressure from its close allies, as UN experts continue to warn of the spread of famine.
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
At the closed test site of the National Internet of Vehicles Pilot Zone in Tianjin City (Xiqing District), Yao Zhonghua, an intelligent and connected vehicle (ICV) test specialist, is fully engrossed in creating a test scenario to prepare for the discovery of the ICV’s automatic emergency braking (AEB) function.
“We use test equipment to conduct tests on the efficiency and reliability of intelligent and connected vehicle functions, and record test videos and data in real time,” said Yao Zhonghua, 33.
In July 2024, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China and two other departments jointly released a list of 19 new occupations, and ICV tester is one of them.
According to analysis by Wang Linlin, dean of the Department of Human Resource Management at Nankai University Business School, over 70 percent of these new jobs are aimed at building new-quality productive forces, covering cutting-edge areas of “digital intelligence” such as the digital economy, green energy and intelligent manufacturing, which are the result of China’s technological revolution and industrial upgrading.
The introduction of new occupations leads to a broader range of products and services, allowing more people to make full use of their own advantages and open up new development opportunities. The new advanced occupations are highly consistent with the core content of the concept of “new quality productive forces” and reflect the vitality of China’s economic development.
At present, China’s renewing professional system has accelerated its development towards digitalization and intellectualization. Both the emergence of many new professions and the diversification of employers also reflect the acceleration of the country’s economic transformation and modernization.
“The emergence of new occupations creates a human resource base to ensure the growth of productive forces of new quality, promotes the movement of labor from low-value-added industries to high-skilled industries, and improves the overall quality of employment,” Wang Linlin said.
Taking the ICV industry as an example, more and more Chinese auto enterprises are pursuing innovative changes driven by new technologies. Digital workshops, smart factories, etc. are being built one after another, and innovative technological solutions and application scenarios are being introduced, leading to the constant emergence of new types of work and new professions.
She Hongzhi, deputy general manager of Yongtai Henji Investment (Tianjin), the operator of the National Internet of Vehicles Pilot Zone in Tianjin City (Xiqing District), said that in 2024, the total testing time at the closed testing site in the pilot zone exceeded 5,000 hours, showing a year-on-year increase of 150%.
“We have activated the development of the ICV industry, promoted the integration of enterprises into an industrial chain, created hundreds of vacancies in new professions, and the demand for skilled personnel in the fields of artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing and big data continues to grow,” She Hongzhi emphasized.
With the steady development of the digital economy, intelligent manufacturing and other fields, the demand for talent in new professions continues to grow. For example, according to forecasts in a report by consulting company McKinsey, by 2030, China’s demand for artificial intelligence specialists will reach 6 million people, and the shortage may reach 4 million people. According to the company’s estimates, the shortage of highly qualified digital specialists in China has already reached 25-30 million people, and it will continue to increase.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Canberra has plenty of shared paths for cycling, running and walking.
Want to move more without spending more?
Here are 10 ideas for increasing your activity levels while spending little to no extra money.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a better city for running. Canberra boasts beautiful scenery and plenty of footpaths weaving through the city.
No matter which side of the lake you live on, there’s a beautiful route near you.
The bridge-to-bridge run around Lake Burley Griffin is a popular choice. Lake Ginninderra and Lake Tuggeranong are also great options.
Read the Canberran’s guide to running.
Hiking/bushwalking
All the above routes are excellent for walking, as are mountains including Mount Ainslie, Mount Taylor and Mount Majura.
To really make the most of the outdoors, why not visit one of the ACT’s 90 parks? They range from urban parks to the great Namadgi National Park and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.
Outdoor fitness stations
There is free fitness equipment available across Canberra.
You’ll find most of them in public parks. Locations include:
Our bike-friendly city offers an excellent network of shared paths and on-road bike lanes.
Incorporating bike riding into your daily commute is an environmentally friendly, affordable and easy way to increase your fitness.
Over 90 per cent of Transport Canberra buses have bike racks. There are also four bike racks in each light rail vehicle, so you can easily combine cycling with other transport methods.
You may have spotted the elevated metal baskets in parks across Canberra. These are part of a disc golf course and are available for public use.
Disc golf is like a cross between frisbee and golf using a flying discs.
There are courses in Belconnen’s John Knight Memorial Park, Eddison Park in Woden and Weston Park in Yarralumla.
Skateboarding
Whether you’re skating through the streets or doing tricks at a skatepark, skateboarding is a fun hobby that will keep you active.
There are seven major skate parks across Canberra suitable for all levels:
There are an additional 12 parks that offer skate features, so you’ll never be short of locations to practice.
If you like the idea of skating but aren’t quite ready to invest in a skateboard, you can drop into a free Learn to Skateboard session.
These are hosted by the Canberra Skateboarding Association with the help of local volunteer skateboarders.
Helmets and boards are provided, and all ages and experience levels are welcome.
Your local library might not be the first place you consider for trying out yoga, but perhaps it should be.
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of yoga books available to borrow from Libraries ACT.
With this large collection, you can find a type of yoga to meet your needs, including:
There are also e-books, audio books and DVDs available to borrow.
Northside Community Service also run free community yoga classes at the Salthouse Community Centre in Braddon.
The classes run for five weeks at a time.
Find out more and register your interest.
Many of Canberra’s tennis clubs are private and require a fee. However, some of Canberra’s parks do have tennis courts and tennis practice walls.
You can find tennis facilities at:
Game On is a program run by the Physical Activity Foundation and supported by the ACT Government.
The initiative is run in suburbs across the ACT to get as many Canberrans participating as possible.
It is free and family-friendly, and includes activities like walking, ball skills, bike skills, navigation and athletics.
Dog walking
If you’re someone who needs a friend to keep you accountable to your exercise goals, there is no one better for the job than a dog.
Your furry friend needs to stay as active just as much as you do, and upping your walks together is sure to get their tail wagging.
Find ideas for where to take your dog for exercise and socialisation.
If you don’t have your own dog, and aren’t ready to commit to adopting one, you could volunteer at Domestic Animal Services.
You need to have previous experience with dogs, and you’ll need to undertake some training.
It’s a great way to help some hounds and increase your activity levels.
Bonus entry: find a sport
Archery, pickleball, boxing, jujitsu… there are so many sporting groups in the ACT.
Canberra’s sporting community is large, inclusive and always looking for new members.
Many sporting organisations host ‘come and try’ days or similar programs where you can get a taste of the sport before committing to a season.
It also includes a list of specific sports/organisations for people with a disability.
Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Guests attend the listing ceremony of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in south China’s Hong Kong, May 20, 2025. CATL was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with the stock code 3750. [Photo/Xinhua]
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) on Tuesday listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with shares surging over 10 percent at market opening.
CATL announced allocation results showing that, before the exercise of the overallotment option, the Hong Kong public offering was oversubscribed by about 150.2 times, raising a total of approximately 35.66 billion HK dollars (4.55 billion U.S. dollars), with net proceeds of 35.33 billion HK dollars after deducting listing expenses.
On its listing day, CATL opened at 296 HK dollars, rising 12.55 percent from its offering price of 263 HK dollars. By midday, it traded at 307.6 HK dollars, up 16.96 percent, with a turnover exceeding 5.7 billion HK dollars.
Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said at the listing ceremony that CATL’s listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange can accelerate its global strategic expansion.
Leveraging Hong Kong financing to support international growth is set to be a trend for mainland enterprises in export development, marking a new milestone in Hong Kong’s role in serving national development strategies, Chan added.
Bonnie Chan, chief executive officer of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), said that in terms of funds raised, CATL’s IPO is the largest in Hong Kong in recent years and the biggest globally so far this year. This demonstrated the depth of the Hong Kong market and its solid fundamentals in supporting large-scale financing projects.
CATL is an innovative new energy technology company, primarily engaged in the research, development, production, and sales of EV batteries and energy storage system batteries. It is already listed on the A-share market. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.82 HK dollars)
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The momentum generated by government policies aimed at stabilizing foreign investment, combined with the rapid growth of green and artificial intelligence-driven economies, will deliver strong tailwinds for foreign companies in China this year, said foreign business executives.
With rising global economic headwinds and uncertainty over United States’ trade policies, many global enterprises are opting to consolidate their presence in China, with plans to maintain or expand investment.
China’s stable and business-friendly environment supported a modest rebound in foreign direct investment in March, with actual FDI inflows into the Chinese mainland increasing by 13.2 percent year-on-year, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed.
Marelli Holdings Co Ltd, a Saitama, Japan-headquartered multinational automotive parts manufacturer with more than 50 manufacturing facilities across the world, will expand its engineering team from 800 to 1,000 in China over the next three years.
“Many opportunities arise from Chinese automakers’ rapid shift toward electrification and intelligence, especially in the form of software-defined vehicles, which are setting new benchmarks for speed, scale and innovation,” said David Slump, the group’s president and CEO.
With China and the US agreeing to de-escalate trade tensions last week, Slump said that these two countries are major markets for Marelli.
“We are closely monitoring and assessing the situation, and are committed to minimizing any impact on our operations and customers,” said Slump. He added that the company is already exporting advanced products and solutions from China to other markets, including Europe, Mexico and Southeast Asia.
Also upbeat about the Chinese market, British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced in March an investment of $2.5 billion to establish in Beijing its sixth global strategic R&D center, and further expand its biotech innovation partnerships and local manufacturing capabilities.
The new facility will advance early-stage research and clinical development and will be enabled by a new AI and data science laboratory.
Susan Galbraith, executive vice-president, oncology R&D, Astra-Zeneca, said that having two of its six global strategic R&D centers in China reflects the group’s confidence in China’s world-class biomedical innovation ecosystem and reinforces the nation’s critical role in its global R&D strategy.
Ji Wenhua, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies, which is part of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said that China’s well-developed industrial bases, strong supply chain resilience and policy emphasis on innovation continue to make it an attractive destination for global capital.
According to China’s 2025 Action Plan for Stabilizing Foreign Investment, the country will support pilot regions in effectively implementing opening-up policies related to areas such as value-added telecommunication, biotechnology and wholly foreign-owned hospitals, providing whole-journey services for foreign-invested projects in these sectors.
The action plan also supports foreign businesses to participate in China’s new industrialization, with a focus on high-tech fields. Global capital has been welcomed in service sectors such as elderly care, culture and tourism, sports, healthcare, vocational education and finance.
As part of its strategy to strengthen operations in China, US express transportation service provider FedEx Corp announced in mid-May that it would enhance its international export services from Shanghai.
The cutoff times for same-day outbound shipments from Shanghai to Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, India and Africa will be further extended.
The foreign trade value of foreign-invested businesses reached 4.1 trillion yuan ($567.51 billion) in China between January and April, up 1.9 percent year-on-year, accounting for 29 percent of China’s total foreign trade value, statistics from the General Administration of Customs showed.
In the meantime, Jiangsu province, a major hub for foreign-invested companies, recorded 864.25 billion yuan in foreign trade value, up 7.2 percent year-on-year, according to Nanjing Customs.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
If you’ve moved recently, make sure to let Access Canberra know.
If you’ve moved recently, make sure you let Access Canberra know about your address change.
Anyone who has an ACT driver licence, or an ACT registered vehicle must advise Access Canberra of their new address within 14 days of moving.
If you’ve moved from interstate, you have three months to update your details.
Providing Access Canberra with your up to date details means you’ll receive important information – such as licence and registration reminders – promptly.
All address updates can be done online or by calling 13 22 81, you don’t need to visit a service centre.
When updating your details, you can sign up for SMS reminders by providing your mobile number.
When your licence or car registration is up for renewal, Access Canberra will text you directly to remind you to renew.
Remember most Access Canberra services – like renewing your licence – can be completed online at a time that suits you.
Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The 2025 Taklimakan Rally roared to life on Tuesday in Aksu Prefecture, northwestern China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
This year’s Taklimakan Rally features 23 motorcycles and 105 vehicles, with racers set to tackle extreme heat and complex topography over approximately 5,200 kilometers, including 2,350 kilometers of timed special stages across deserts and Gobi plains, before concluding on June 1 in Makit County.
Participants wait for setting off during the starting ceremony of the 2025 Taklimakan Rally in Aksu, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Xingyu)
The Taklimakan Rally, often dubbed “China’s Dakar,” is widely regarded as the country’s most challenging cross-country rally. Since its inaugural event in 2005, the race has continued to evolve. This year, it introduced a new energy vehicle category for the first time, with ten vehicles competing in the debut class.
Defending champion Han Wei remains a favorite in the car category, while veterans such as Sun Ping and Fan Gaoxiang are also strong contenders for the title. Chinese film stars Wu Jing and Han Dongjun are expected to draw attention in their rally debuts.
Among international competitors, female racer Aliyyah Koloc expressed excitement ahead of her first race in China.
“I’m feeling very excited to compete in this rally,” said the 20-year-old. “It’s been very hot these days, and maybe it won’t cool down during the two weeks, but I think I’ve prepared physically and mentally.”
The motorcycle category is expected to be fiercely competitive. Lithuania’s Arunas Gelazninkas and Czech rider Martin Michek, both seasoned Dakar veterans, are among the favorites representing the strong Red Camel Motorbike Team. Young Chinese rider Fang Xiangliang will also challenge his teammates for the title.
Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
LOS ANGELES – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and law enforcement partners in California and Florida, arrested 13 alleged members and associates of Armenian organized crime syndicates May 20. Those arrested are charged in five federal complaints with a series of crimes, including attempted murder, kidnapping, illegal firearm possession and thefts estimated to be in millions of dollars related to online retailer shipments.
“This transnational criminal organization operated with the structure and brutality of an international cartel, inflicting significant harm on public safety and causing substantial damage to legitimate commerce and supply chains,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Dwayne Angebrandt.
Among the defendants charged are Ara Artuni, 41, of Porter Ranch, California who is charged with attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and a rival, Robert Amiryan, 46, of Hollywood, California who is charged with kidnapping.
The defendants arrested in California are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon and tomorrow afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Vahan Harutyunyan, 50, of Hollywood, Florida, made his initial appearance earlier today in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and was ordered detained. Two of the remaining defendants, Levon Arakelyan, 45, of Las Vegas, Nevada and Ivan Bojorquez, 33, of Gardena, California are presently detained in state custody on unrelated matters.
Law enforcement seized approximately $100,000 in cash, three armored vehicles, and 14 firearms during the operation.
According to affidavits filed with the criminal complaints, Armenian Organized Crime, a Russian mafia-affiliated transnational criminal organization, has made Los Angeles County a center of U.S. operations. Since 2022, two local leaders within the organization, also known as avtoritet, which in Russian means “authority,” allegedly have engaged in a power struggle for control in their territory, resulting in multiple murder attempts and a kidnapping.
Artuni, an avtoritet, is charged with ordering the attempted murder of Amiryan during the summer of 2023. In retaliation, Amiryan, also an avtoritet, allegedly conspired with members of his own criminal organization to kidnap and torture one of Artuni’s associates in June 2023.
In addition to attempted murder, Artuni and his criminal enterprise has, since at least 2021, allegedly committed additional crimes, including bank fraud, wire fraud, and “cargo theft” targeting online retailers such as Amazon.com Inc. Artuni Enterprise members and associates enrolled with Amazon as carriers, contracted for trucking routes, and then, while transporting the goods, diverged from the route and stole all or part of the shipment. To date, the Artuni Enterprise has allegedly stolen goods from Amazon worth more than $83 million, according to estimates provided by Amazon.
The Artuni Enterprise also ran a “credit card bust-out” scheme in which they charged various credit cards to a sham business, then drained the business account before the credit card companies could collect the to-be disputed funds.
“Today’s arrests reflect that my office and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping America safe by dismantling transnational criminal organizations,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Let today’s enforcement action be a warning to criminals: Our communities are not your playground to engage in violence and thuggery.”
“Investigators from the Burbank Police Department spent hundreds of hours investigating these heinous violent crimes,” said Burbank Police Chief Rafael Quintero. “The Burbank Police Department is grateful for the assistance from its law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office for their work in holding these individuals accountable for their actions.”
“Dismantling transnational criminal organizations is at the core of HSI’s mission,” continued Angebrandt. “Through close collaboration with our law enforcement partners, HSI is holding these perpetrators accountable and disrupting their criminal enterprise at every level.”
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
If convicted of all charges, the defendants will face statutory maximum sentences ranging from 10 years in federal prison to life imprisonment.
Homeland Security Investigations; The Los Angeles Police Department Major Crimes Division – Transnational Organized Crime Section; the Burbank Police Department; Northridge and Ventura offices; the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; IRS Criminal Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Kenneth R. Carbajal of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Tara B. Vavere of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case. The Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section provided substantial assistance.
Individuals across the world can report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 866-DHS-2-ICE. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)
San Diego, CA – Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) made the following statement regarding the data from the Point-in-Time Count released by the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness:
“I’m encouraged by the decrease in the number of families and veterans who are unsheltered. The results show our investments have us headed in the right direction, yet we know that much more must be done to shelter our neighbors,” said Rep. Peters. “We must build more low- and middle-income housing and we must do it faster and we must protect the services available to those in need.”
The 2025 Point-in-Time Count identified 9,905 people in San Diego County who are homeless, compared to 10,605 a year ago.
The data shows that proven strategies are making a difference. Homelessness among Transitional Youth (18 to 24 years old) decreased by 22 percent. Rep. Peters recently celebrated the opening of a new youth shelter which he secured $1.5 million for as part of the City of San Diego’s Safe Shelter for Transition-Age Youth (Safe STAY) program. The shelter will provide wrap-around case management to help young people exit homelessness through education, employment, and supportive services.
Still, too many San Diegans remain unsheltered, with many of them living in their cars. According to the Point-in-Time Count results, the population of people living in their vehicles rose by 7 percent. Rep. Peters’ staff recently toured the new H-Barracks safe parking site, San Diego’s 7th safe parking site. The site will add 190 spaces, nearly doubling the capacity of the Safe Parking Program, and will offer critical services to connect individuals and families to housing.
Rep. Peters participated in Point-in-Time Count in January, which he does every year when he is not in Washington, D.C. for votes in the House of Representatives.
“The best way to learn is to talk to people living on the street and hear their stories,” Rep. Peters said. “I thank every volunteer and service provider and will keep pushing to bring home federal resources to support our local partners.”
During his time in Congress, Rep. Peters has led many efforts to increase homelessness funding for the San Diego region, provide more shelter beds, make housing more affordable, and incentivize housing construction. In addition to the recent opening of the youth shelter which he secured funding for, in the last several months, he has:
Rep. Peters’ legislation that is now law in this space includes:
###
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
QUEBEC CITY, Canada, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LeddarTech® Holdings Inc. (“LeddarTech” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: LDTC), an AI-powered software company recognized for its innovation in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD), today provided an update regarding its discussions with its lenders under the amended and restated financing offer dated as of April 5, 2023 with Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec (“Desjardins” and the financing offer, as amended, the “Desjardins Credit Facility”) and the bridge financing offer dated as of August 16, 2024 with the initial bridge lenders and certain members of management and the board of directors (collectively, the “Bridge Lenders”, and the financing offer, the “Bridge Facility”). While the Company continues to be in active discussions with Desjardins and its Bridge Lenders, it has not reached an agreement providing for additional financing for the Company or relief from the minimum cash, equity financing and process plan covenants contained in the Desjardins Credit Facility and Bridge Facility.
In an effort to preserve cash and afford the Company additional time to pursue discussions with its lenders, the Company also announced a reduction of its workforce through temporary layoffs of approximately 138 individuals, in all of its locations and across all departments within the organization, representing approximately 95% of the Company’s total workforce. Such measure will provide the Company with additional time to continue to actively evaluate potential alternatives relating to a restructuring of its obligations, a sale of the business or certain of its assets, strategic investments and/or any other alternatives, including seeking creditor protection under the Companies’ Credit Arrangement Act. There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in pursuing and implementing any such alternatives, nor any assurance as to the outcome or timing of any such alternatives.
About LeddarTech
A global software company founded in 2007 and headquartered in Quebec City with additional R&D centers in Montreal and Tel Aviv, Israel, LeddarTech develops and provides comprehensive AI-based low-level sensor fusion and perception software solutions that enable the deployment of ADAS, autonomous driving (AD) and parking applications. LeddarTech’s automotive-grade software applies advanced AI and computer vision algorithms to generate accurate 3D models of the environment to achieve better decision making and safer navigation. This high-performance, scalable, cost-effective technology is available to OEMs and Tier 1-2 suppliers to efficiently implement automotive and off-road vehicle ADAS solutions.
LeddarTech is responsible for several remote-sensing innovations, with over 190 patent applications (112 granted) that enhance ADAS, AD and parking capabilities. Better awareness around the vehicle is critical in making global mobility safer, more efficient, sustainable and affordable: this is what drives LeddarTech to seek to become the most widely adopted sensor fusion and perception software solution.
Additional information about LeddarTech is accessible at www.leddartech.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter (X), Facebook and YouTube.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this Press Release may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (which forward-looking statements also include forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws), including, but not limited to, statements relating to LeddarTech’s selection by the OEM referred to above, anticipated strategy, future operations, prospects, objectives and financial projections and other financial metrics, as well as expectations regarding the anticipated performance, adoption and commercialization of its products. Forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend” and other similar expressions among others. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors, including, without limitation, our ability to continue to maintain compliance with Nasdaq continued listing standards following our transfer to the Nasdaq Capital Market, as well as: (i) the risk that LeddarTech and the OEM referred to above are unable to agree to final terms in definitive agreements; (ii) the volume of future orders (if any) from this OEM, actual revenue derived from expected orders, and timing of revenue, if any; (iii) our ability to timely access sufficient capital and financing on favorable terms or at all; (iv) our ability to maintain compliance with our debt covenants, including our ability to enter into any forbearance agreements, waivers or amendments with, or obtain other relief from, our lenders as needed; (v) our ability to execute on our business model, achieve design wins and generate meaningful revenue; (vi) our ability to successfully commercialize our product offering at scale, whether through the collaboration agreement with Texas Instruments, a collaboration with a Tier 2 supplier or otherwise; (vii) changes in our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs and plans; (viii) changes in general economic and/or industry-specific conditions; (ix) our ability to retain, attract and hire key personnel; (x) potential adverse changes to relationships with our customers, employees, suppliers or other parties; (xi) legislative, regulatory and economic developments; (xii) the outcome of any known and unknown litigation and regulatory proceedings; (xiii) unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism, outbreak of war or hostilities and any epidemic, pandemic or disease outbreak, as well as management’s response to any of the aforementioned factors; and (xiv) other risk factors as detailed from time to time in LeddarTech’s reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including the risk factors contained in LeddarTech’s Form 20-F filed with the SEC. The foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Except as required by applicable law, LeddarTech does not undertake any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contact:
Chris Stewart, Chief Financial Officer, LeddarTech Holdings Inc.
Tel.: + 1-514-427-0858, chris.stewart@leddartech.com
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Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
British Parking Association will develop and run the ‘national parking platform’, providing drivers with a more flexible parking experience.
Drivers are set to benefit from simpler parking nationwide, as industry delivers a ‘one app fits all’ parking platform at no cost to the taxpayer, following government-backed trials.
The government has today (21 May 2025) confirmed that, following successful collaboration with the sector, the British Parking Association will now take forward the development and running of the National Parking Platform (NPP).
The platform will enable drivers to pay for parking in all participating car parks on their preferred app – ending the scramble to download multiple apps and encouraging a more flexible parking experience. The government intervened to make sure it can be delivered by a consortium of industry leaders, including Ringo, JustPark and PayByPhone and led by the British Parking Association (BPA).
Currently, drivers face inconsistent parking rules, clunky user experiences and unnecessary barriers to something that should be simple. The National Parking Platform fixes this, connecting participating car parks to a shared platform, through which drivers can pay using any approved app – cutting confusion, reducing the chance of fines and opening up the parking market to fairer competition.
Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, said:
This government is on the side of drivers and dedicated to giving everyone simpler, more flexible parking. I’m delighted that this fantastic project is being taken on by the parking sector with no extra cost to taxpayers.
This is public infrastructure done right: built by government, shaped with councils and now delivered by the sector that knows it best, at a time where we’re investing a record £1.6 billion through our Plan for Change, to mend our pothole-ridden roads that damage cars and £4.8 billion to deliver new road infrastructure that will better connect people.
The new agreement will see the parking sector working with councils to run the platform on a not-for-profit basis. It will operate under clear terms to ensure transparency, sustainability, and public value. The government will maintain oversight of the platform by monitoring the sector’s compliance with these terms.
So far, the platform has been rolled out in 10 local authorities and now handles over half a million transactions a month. Today’s announcement means drivers nationwide will benefit from a simpler, more seamless experience.
Andrew Pester, BPA Chief Executive, said:
Today’s announcement marks the result of 6 years of dedicated work by our parking sector to make paying for parking easier. We’ve strongly supported the National Parking Platform from the start, so we’re thrilled with this outcome and excited to collaborate with the Department for Transport and the new NPP company to create a better parking experience for all drivers.
As part of their next steps, the new consortium will be onboarding more local authorities imminently to ensure that easier, simpler parking is rolled out to more drivers as soon as possible.
This announcement comes as the government invests £1.6 billion to tackle the scourge of potholes and deliver national renewal through investment in vital infrastructure that will drive growth and put more money in working people’s pockets and deliver the Plan for Change.
Roads media enquiries
Media enquiries 0300 7777 878
Switchboard 0300 330 3000
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a purported auto mechanic from Arizona to 33 Months in Prison and ordered him to repay $1.37 million to his fraud victims.
Beginning in November 2019, Andres “Manny” Lopez, 37, defrauded customers of his Arizona company, All Performance Tuning and Diesel Repair LLC, by accepting money for vehicles, vehicle upgrades and parts with no intention of performing the work or turning over the vehicles. He also damaged some customer vehicles and loaned vehicles to others without the owners’ consent.
A Missouri victim who wanted to buy a vehicle for his mother wired Lopez $45,000 for a Toyota RAV4. Lopez falsely claimed that he’d bought the vehicle, and then provided a series of false excuses about why it was not being delivered. Lopez claimed delivery delays were due to product recalls and even impersonated the general manager of a Florida Toyota dealership in text messages to the client’s mother.
After Lopez was indicted in October of 2023, he defrauded another victim out of approximately $567,892.
Lopez used the money for personal expenses.
In a letter to the court, one victim spoke of Lopez’s pattern: “Promise… then a reason why I cannot meet that promise… then a new promise… then repeat the string (for years).”
Lopez pleaded guilty in February U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud.
“For years, Andres Lopez lied to customers to line his own pockets. The lies and manipulation continued even after he had been charged for the crime and released on bond,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Today, Lopez earned every day of his prison sentence for victimizing people with his fraudulent business practices.”
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting case.
Source: US State of Colorado
DENVER – Today, Governor Polis signed bills into law expanding mobility and operations across Colorado for food truck owners and operators, investing in environmental opportunities for youth, and protecting Colorado’s clean air by increasing building decarbonization standards.
Governor Polis signed HB25-1295 – Food Truck Operations, sponsored by Representatives Manny Rutinel and Mandy Lindsay, and Senators Dylan Roberts and John Carson.
“I’m excited that we are making it easier for food trucks to serve up delicious food in different cities and towns across the state. By getting rid of unnecessary regulations, Colorado’s talented chefs can bring more delicious food to your community,” said Governor Polis.
Governor Polis also signed the following bills into law increasing environmental literacy for Colorado’s youth, and improving Colorado’s air quality:
“We all have a role to play in protecting this state we love for future generations and these bills help more young people get involved in improving our environment and reduce emissions from buildings in our state to improve Colorado’s air quality. I appreciate the sponsors for their work on these bills to support Colorado’s future,” said Governor Jared Polis.
The Governor also signed the following bills administratively:
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Source: New Zealand Police
Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash that has blocked Evans Street, State Highway 1, in Timaru this morning.
Police were notified of the single-vehicle crash, between Pringle and Belfield streets, about 9.50am.
The Serious Crash Unit is attending, and the road is expected to be closed for several hours while a scene examination is carried out.
Diversions are in place and motorists should expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
A 65-year-old female has now died in hospital following a pedestrian strike in Palmerston on Thursday last week.
The 43-year-old male allegedly driving the vehicle is assisting police with enquiries and charges are expected to follow.
The lives lost on Territory roads now stands at 16.
Jerusalem, 21 May 2025 – An insufficient amount of aid is being allowed into the Strip, merely a smokescreen to pretend the siege is over.
“The Israeli authorities’ decision to allow a ridiculously inadequate amount of aid into Gaza after months of an air-tight siege signals their intention to avoid the accusation of starving people in Gaza, while in fact keeping them barely surviving”, says Pascale Coissard, MSF emergency coordinator in Khan Younis. “This plan is a way to instrumentalise aid, making it a tool to further Israeli forces’ military objectives.”
Before October 2023, 500 aid trucks were entering Gaza every day, according to the UN. The current authorisation for 100 per day, when the situation is so dire, is woefully inadequate.
Meanwhile, evacuation orders are continuing to uproot the population, while Israeli forces are still subjecting health facilities to intensive attacks.
On 19 May, between 6am to 6.30, MSF teams reported hearing almost one strike per minute in Khan Younis. One of these strikes hit Nasser hospital compound, 100 metres away from the intensive care unit and the inpatient department that are run by MSF. This is the third time in two months that Nasser hospital compound has been struck, once again depriving people of treatment and care. To reduce exposure, our teams were forced to temporarily close both the outpatient department and sedation room for patients awaiting or recovering from surgery, as well as suspend physiotherapy and mental health activities, which are essential for burn patients – most of whom are children.
Yesterday’s strike also severely damaged the Ministry of Health pharmacy store in Nasser Hospital. This puts additional pressure on supplies at a time when medical stocks are running critically low due to the siege.
As part of the expansion of their ground operations, Israeli forces have issued widescale evacuation orders, further limiting people’s access to medical care and MSF’s ability to provide it. On 19 May, for example, an evacuation order covering almost the entire eastern part of Khan Younis, at the edge of Nasser hospital, forced people to immediately move towards Al Mawasi area.
The Site Management Cluster estimates that over 138,900 people were forcibly displaced between 15-20 May. The intensified Israeli bombardments and evacuation orders across Khan Younis have forced MSF to maintain only lifesaving activities in the emergency rooms of Al Attar and Al Mawasi clinics. Since yesterday, Al Hakker clinic, in Deir Al Balah, has also been closed. Before that, MSF teams had been providing more than 350 consultations per day for paediatric, antenatal and post-natal care, psychological first aid and ambulatory nutritional treatment among other things.
A few days earlier, on 15 May, Israeli authorities issued an evacuation order to Sheikh Radwan basic healthcare centre in Gaza City, which led to the closure of the facility. Before that, with MSF’s support, the Ministry of Health teams were providing around 3000 consultations per day in an area with estimated 250,000 people. This was the last fully functional public basic healthcare clinic in the area.
According to the Ministry of Health, following the besiege of the Indonesian Hospital, all public hospitals in North Gaza are now out of service The MSF field hospital in Deir Al Balah has seen its bed capacity rise to 150 per cent over the last few days, forcing them to add additional staff and increase their baseline by 20 beds. According to the UN, there are currently around 1,000 functional hospital beds across the Strip, while previously to the war the bed capacity was 3500.
Attacks on civilians and healthcare must stop now and aid must enter Gaza in sufficient quantities and in a way that allows it to reach those who need it. Israel’s allies must exert all their pressure to make this happen as a matter of extreme urgency. Every day that is lost reinforces their complicity in the annihilation of the people of Gaza.
MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Northern Territory Police have seized over $48,000 in cash, along with quantities of kava, cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol during targeted traffic stops in the Central Arnhem Region.
On 19 May 2025, Ramingining Police intercepted a green Toyota Hilux on the Ramingining Access Road, approximately 20km from the community. During the traffic stop a passenger fled on foot into bushland nearby. Police conducted a lawful search of the vehicle and subsequently seized quantities of alcohol, cannabis, and kava. A 30-year-old man located in the vehicle tray was arrested and charged with Possess Property in relation to the Commission of an Offence after officers located over $48,000 in his possession. He was bailed to appear in Darwin Local Court on 8 July 2025.
Shortly after, police stopped a second vehicle on the same track. A search uncovered tobacco, kava, alcohol, and items indicative of drug supply. Three men and one woman, aged between 41 and 65, were arrested and charged with multiple offences including:
They were remanded to appear in Darwin Local Court yesterday.
Ramingining Police continue to target the unlawful supply of alcohol and drugs into remote communities.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Source: US State of New York
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced awards for a total of 30 transformational projects for the Capital Region as part of two economic development programs: the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward. Thirteen projects were announced for Lake George, the Round 7 winner of a $10 million DRI award; 11 projects were announced for Hoosick Falls, a Round 2 winner of a $4.5 million NY Forward award; and six projects were announced for Schuylerville, also a Round 2 winner of a $4.5 million NY Forward award.
“Through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward, we are empowering local leaders, driving smart growth, and creating vibrant, resilient downtowns where people want to live, work, and visit. This is how we build a stronger New York — one community at a time,” Governor Hochul said. “These 30 transformative projects are a testament to our commitment to strengthening communities across the Capitol Region.”
Town/Village of Lake George
The Town and Village of Lake George’s vision focuses on improving the quality of life and sense of place for the Canada Street corridor and adjacent waterfront. The DRI projects will create a more vibrant and prosperous downtown, assist a growing population and enhance the “visitor experience.”
The 13 Lake George DRI projects, totaling $9.7 million, include:
Village of Hoosick Falls
The Village of Hoosick Falls’ vision focuses on creating safe, walkable and accessible corridors that will serve as transformative connectors among past and future public, private and non-profit projects. Connecting these projects will transform Hoosick Falls into a cohesive economic generator to grow the job and population base locally, with positive ripple effects for the Capital Region’s vision and strategies.
The 11 Hoosick Falls NY Forward Projects, totaling $4.5 Million, include:
Village of Schuylerville
The Village of Schuylerville’s vision focuses on building upon previous investments and partnerships to increase housing opportunities that will attract more residents; offer new public park and event amenities; create more commercial tourist attractions and overnight lodging; and improve historic signage and wayfinding.
The 6 Schuylerville NY Forward Projects, totaling $4.5 Million, include:
In the FY2025 Enacted Budget, Governor Hochul made the “Pro-Housing Community” designation a requirement for cities, towns and villages to access up to $650 million in State discretionary programs, including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and New York Forward. To date, more than 300 municipalities across the State have become certified. To further support localities that are doing their part to address the housing crisis, Governor Hochul secured $100 million in the FY2026 Enacted Budget to create a Pro-Housing Supply fund to assist certified Pro-Housing Communities with critical infrastructure projects necessary to create new housing, such as sewer and water infrastructure upgrades.
New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said, “When we invest in our downtowns, we’re investing in the heart of our communities. Through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward program, we’re not just funding projects – we’re fostering vibrant, walkable neighborhoods that spur economic growth, enhance quality of life for residents and preserve the unique character of each municipality and region. These signature programs exemplify our commitment to ensuring that every New Yorker, in every corner of our State, has the opportunity to succeed and thrive.”
Empire State Development President, CEO, and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward programs are transforming communities across New York State by turning local visions into bold investments to generate place-based economic development. These projects will create new opportunities for businesses, support vibrant public spaces, and attract residents and visitors alike – laying the foundation for sustainable growth and stronger regional economies.”
New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “All across this State, the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward programs are strategically prioritizing communities, growing economies with targeted awards, creating more housing opportunities that improve affordability for New Yorkers where it is most needed, and building on the diverse character of our neighborhoods. By working with local and municipal partners, these awards continue Governor Hochul’s commitment to developing the full potential of our downtowns as economic drivers and attractive places to live.”
CREDC Co-Chairs Ruth Mahoney and Dr. Havidán Rodríguez said, “The 30 regionally informed and strategic DRI and NY Forward projects will make Lake George, Hoosick Falls and Schuylerville even more vibrant for residents and visitors alike. Whether it’s adding housing, increasing recreational opportunities, or creating spaces for more businesses to grow and thrive, the entire Capital Region will benefit from the vision these initiatives are supporting and making a reality, both now and for a sustainable future.”
Assemblymember Scott Bendett said, “The allocation of $4.5 million for development, and redevelopment in the Village of Hoosick Falls is welcome news for residents who have gone through so much in recent years. This year already brought the good news of a new water supply to the village, and with 11 new, state-funded projects on the horizon, there is even more to look forward to. I appreciate the state taking notice of opportunities in our smaller municipalities, and taking action to see them through.”
Assemblymember Carrie Woerner said, “The Village of Schuylerville is on the rise! I applaud the vision of the Schuylerville Village Mayor and Trustees, and the community members who contributed to this plan to move the Village forward. With thanks to Governor Hochul for her leadership in supporting the re-investment in historic downtowns across the state.”
Village of Lake George Mayor Ray Perry said, “We at the Village of Lake George and the entire Lake George community are ecstatic to see these projects move forward! We are extremely thankful to the Governor and her team to be able to improve upon the Lake George experience for our residents as well as our visitors! I’m happy to say that there are great things to come!”
Town of Lake George Supervisor Vincent Crocitto said, “We would like to thank the state for believing in Lake George. This initiative represents a shared vision of revitalization that honors the unique character of Lake George while embracing innovation and economic opportunity, with the support of our town, village, county, local business partners and leadership from the state, we’re ready to make meaningful progress for our community.”
Village of Hoosick Falls Mayor Dan Schuttig said, “The New York Forward program will provide an incredible, transformative opportunity for the Village of Hoosick Falls. I would like to thank Governor Kathy Hochul for leading the effort to revitalize upstate communities. I would also like to thank the local committee for their hard work putting together such incredible projects that will forever improve the lives of Village residents. This is the first step of many towards the revitalization of our beautiful village here on the Hoosic River!!”
Village of Schuylerville Mayor Dan Carpenter said, “We are incredibly grateful to Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to the economic revitalization of small upstate communities like ours. This $4.5 million investment through the NY Forward program will allow Schuylerville to build on our historic charm and community spirit by creating new housing opportunities, enhancing our parks and public spaces, and expanding our commercial and cultural attractions. From the long-awaited Village Community Center to the reconnection of the Old Champlain Canal, these transformative projects will benefit residents and visitors alike. We are excited to get to work and bring these visions to life.”
DRI and NY Forward communities developed Strategic Implementation Plans (SIPs), which create a vision for the future of their downtown and identify and recommend a slate of complementary, transformative and implementable projects that support that vision. The SIPs are guided by a Local Planning Committee (LPC) comprised of local and regional leaders, stakeholders and community representatives, with the assistance of an assigned consultant and DOS staff, all of whom conduct extensive community outreach and engagement when determining projects. The projects selected for funding from the SIP were identified as having the greatest potential to jumpstart revitalization and generate new opportunities for long-term growth.
About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative
The Downtown Revitalization Initiative was created in 2016 to accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment. Led by the Department of State with assistance from Empire State Development, Homes and Community Renewal and NYSERDA, the DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative “plan-then-act” strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation and results in compact, walkable downtowns that are a key ingredient to helping New York State strengthen its economy, as well as to achieving the State’s bold climate goals by promoting the use of public transit and reducing dependence on private vehicles. Through nine rounds, the DRI has awarded a total of $900 million to 91 communities across every region of the State.
About the NY Forward Program
First announced as part of the 2022 Budget, Governor Hochul created the NY Forward program to build on the momentum created by the DRI. The program works in concert with the DRI to accelerate and expand the revitalization of smaller and rural downtowns throughout the State so that all communities can benefit from the State’s revitalization efforts, regardless of size, character, needs and challenges.
NY Forward communities are supported by a professional planning consultant and team of State agency experts led by DOS to develop a Strategic Investment Plan that includes a slate of transformative, complementary and readily implementable projects. NY Forward projects are appropriately scaled to the size of each community; projects may include building renovation and redevelopment, new construction or creation of new or improved public spaces and other projects that enhance specific cultural and historical qualities that define and distinguish the small-town charm that defines these municipalities. Through three rounds, the NY Forward program has awarded a total of $300 million to 60 communities across every region of the State.
Source: US State of Missouri
MAY 20, 2025
Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe signed Executive Order 25-24 to further assist affected individuals whose prescriptions were lost or destroyed, whose records are not available, or whose original prescribing physician is unavailable, to be able to continue to receive prescribed medications.
“To ensure the health and safety of those impacted by these recent devastating storms, we must ensure that Missourians are able to continue receiving prescribed medications in a timely manner,” Governor Kehoe said. “This executive order grants the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the State Board of Pharmacy discretionary authority to temporarily waive or suspend rules and regulations which will allow medical professionals to better assist those affected by storms. We thank the medical professionals across our state who are playing a critical role in helping Missouri communities recover.”
Governor Kehoe first declared a State of Emergency on March 14, 2025, through Executive Order 25-19 in preparation for severe weather. The State of Emergency declaration in Executive Order 25-19 was subsequently extended by Executive Order 25-22 and Executive Order 25-23.
Executive Order 25-24 will expire on June 30, 2025, unless otherwise terminated or extended. To view the Order, please click here.
Additional May 16 Severe Storm Response Updates:
Yesterday, Governor Mike Kehoe also requested President Trump issue a federal Emergency Declaration to expedite FEMA assistance and requested that FEMA participate in joint Preliminary Damage Assessmentsfor City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, and 6 Southeast Missouri Counties.
A federal Emergency Declaration provides federal resources to support state response operations to protect lives, safeguard public health and provide for public safety. It does not delay or affect the process of pursuing a federal Major Disaster Declaration, which would provide Individual Assistance to help homeowners and renters, and Public Assistance, which would reimburse local governments for emergency response costs, debris removal, and repair and replacement of damaged roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure. Individual Assistance and Public Assistance require joint preliminary damage assessments by teams made up of representatives from FEMA, SEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and local emergency management officials, extensive documentation, and a federal review process that can take weeks to complete.
Beginning Wednesday, May 21, six teams will survey and verify documented damage in Cape Girardeau, Iron, New Madrid, St. Louis, Scott, Stoddard, and Wayne counties and the City of St. Louis to determine if Individual Assistance can be requested through FEMA. Individual Assistance allows eligible residents to seek federal assistance for temporary housing, housing repairs, replacement of damaged belongings, vehicles, and other qualifying expenses. Initial damage assessments for roads, bridges and other public infrastructure are ongoing, potentially resulting in a request for PDAs for Public Assistance in the future.
Yesterday, Governor Kehoe also directed the Missouri National Guard provide a Liaison Officer (LNO) to assist the City of St. Louis with evaluating and advising local officials on potential appropriate missions for the Guard. This LNO reported to the St. Louis Emergency Operations Center this morning.
The State of Missouri will continue to provide resources and personnel to St. Louis based on resource requests from the city and identified missions to meet the city’s needs. The Missouri National Guard maintains coordination with the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to respond if critical capability gaps occur in the local agencies’ response efforts.
State assistance so far has included the Missouri State Highway Patrol assisting with law enforcement, search and rescue efforts and traffic control; an 84-person Type 1 Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) team from Missouri Task Force 1 assisting with highly technical search and rescue efforts; SEMA sending regional coordinators and specialized personnel to assist with mass care, feeding and housing, donations management, and volunteer management. SEMA has also sent tarps and other supplies to assist with immediate needs.
SEMA continues to coordinate with local officials and volunteer and faith-based partners to identify needs and assist impacted families and individuals. Missourians with unmet needs are encouraged to contact United Way by dialing 2-1-1 or www.211helps.org or the American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767.
For additional resources and information about disaster recovery in Missouri, including general clean-up information, housing assistance, and mental health services, visit recovery.mo.gov.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin and for possession of firearms in furtherance of that conspiracy.
Codi J. Monteer, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge D. Greg Kays to 30 years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 8, 2024, Monteer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana; one count of maintaining a drug involved premises; one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of the drug conspiracy; and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
Monteer’s participation in the drug trafficking conspiracy lasted approximately one year and he was responsible for conspiring with others to distribute at least 124 kilograms of methamphetamine; 700 grams of fentanyl (powder and pills); and 1.58 kilograms of heroin. He was also in possession of several firearms used in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
On one occasion, in March 2021, Monteer led members of the Kansas Highway Patrol on a high-speed pursuit that reached speeds of approximately 145 miles per hour. The pursuit did not conclude until two of the tires came off Monteer’s vehicle. During the pursuit, drugs were thrown from the vehicle.
Monteer was an associate of Autumn Dicks, Ian Hazel, They Kelley, Marc Downs, and Jamison Hopson-Stephens. Those individuals have already been sentenced for their roles within the conspiracy. Monteer was also an associate of Davion Williams, Curtis Lewis, Daniel Anderson, and Aaron Dorsey in this conspiracy. Those individuals have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department, FBI, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Kansas State Highway Patrol.
Source: Doctors Without Borders –
While the war and blockade continue to wreak havoc on Palestinians’ health and leave them in desperate need of medical care and food, water, and other necessities, at least 20 medical facilities in Gaza have been damaged or forced partially or completely out of service in the past week alone amid increasing Israeli military operations, intensified airstrikes, and widespread evacuation orders.
Israeli authorities must stop the deliberate asphyxiation of Palestinians in Gaza and the annihilation of their health care system—actions that are underpinning their campaign of ethnic cleansing.
“The Israeli authorities’ decision to allow a ridiculously inadequate amount of aid into Gaza after months of an air-tight siege signals their intention to avoid the accusation of starving people in Gaza, while in fact keeping them barely surviving,” said Pascale Coissard, MSF emergency coordinator in Khan Younis. “This plan is a way to instrumentalize aid, making it a tool to further Israeli forces’ military objectives.”
On May 19, between 6 and 6:30 a.m., MSF teams reported hearing almost one strike per minute in Khan Younis. One of these strikes hit the Nasser Hospital compound, 100 meters away from the hospital’s intensive care unit and the inpatient department, which are run by MSF. This is the third time in two months that the Nasser Hospital compound has been struck, once again depriving people of treatment and care.
To reduce the risks, our teams were forced to temporarily close both the outpatient department and sedation room for patients awaiting or recovering from surgery, as well as suspend physiotherapy and mental health activities, which are essential for burn patients—most of whom are children. This strike also severely damaged the Ministry of Health’s pharmacy store in Nasser Hospital. This puts additional pressure on supplies at a time when medical stocks are already running critically low due to the siege.
As part of the expansion of their ground operations, Israeli forces have issued widescale evacuation orders, further limiting people’s access to medical care and MSF’s ability to provide it. On May 19, for example, an evacuation order covering almost the entire eastern part of Khan Younis, at the edge of Nasser Hospital, forced people to immediately move toward the Al-Mawasi area.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ Site Management Cluster estimates that over 138,900 people were forcibly displaced between May 15-20. The intensified Israeli bombardments and evacuation orders across Khan Younis have forced MSF to maintain only lifesaving activities in the emergency rooms of Al-Attar and Al-Mawasi clinics. Since yesterday, Al-Hekker clinic in Deir al-Balah has also been closed. Before that, MSF teams had been providing more than 350 consultations per day for pediatric, prenatal and post-natal care, psychological first aid, and outpatient nutrition treatment, among other medical issues.
A few days earlier, on May 15, Israeli authorities issued an evacuation order to Sheikh Radwan basic health care center in Gaza City, which led to the closure of the facility. Before that, with MSF’s support, Ministry of Health teams were providing around 3,000 consultations per day in an area with an estimated 250,000 people. This was the last fully functional public basic health care clinic in the area.
According to the Ministry of Health, following the besiegement of the Indonesian Hospital, all public hospitals in North Gaza are now out of service. The MSF field hospital in Deir al-Balah has seen its bed capacity rise to 150 percent over the last few days, forcing it to add additional staff and increase their baseline by 20 beds. According to the UN, there are currently around 1,000 functional hospital beds across the Strip, while prior to the war the bed capacity was 3,500.
Attacks on civilians and health care must stop now.
Source: IMF – News in Russian
May 20, 2025
A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.
The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.
An IMF team, led by Mr. Fabian Bornhorst, visited the Netherlands during May 7–20 to conduct the 2025 Article IV consultation. The following statement was issued at the end of the visit:
The Dutch economy is among the most developed countries globally and has drawn strength from integration in global value chains. In recent years, it has weathered shocks well, yet its resilience is being tested, again—this time by trade tensions and geoeconomic fragmentation. Fiscal buffers are ample, and the financial system is well-positioned to absorb shocks. At the same time, the economy is operating at capacity and inflation is elevated. And increasingly binding constraints—in the labor market, housing, emissions space, and the electricity grid—are limiting the ability to grow and adapt. Futureproofing the economy will therefore require policies that both tackle bottlenecks and expand supply capacity, and align with a long-term vision for sustainable growth. Reforms, complementary to EU initiatives, should aim to increase labor input and firm productivity, expand the availability of SME financing, and effectively manage the green and demographic transitions.
Outlook
Risks
Fiscal Policy
Financial Sector Policies
Addressing Growth Bottlenecks
Strengthening Labor and Firm Productivity
Domestic Capital Market Reforms
Managing the Green Transition
Supporting EU Reforms
* * * * *
The IMF team thanks the authorities and other counterparts for the constructive policy dialogue and productive collaboration.
PRESS OFFICER: Eva-Maria Graf
Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org
https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/05/19/mcs-05192025-kingdom-of-the-netherlands-staff-concluding-statement-of-2025-art-iv-mission
Source: New South Wales Community and Justice
Police investigate serious pedestrian crash near Bridgewater
Wednesday, 21 May 2025 – 7:33 am.
Police are investigating a serious pedestrian crash near Bridgwater last night.
About 6:15pm on Tuesday 20 May 2025, a 12-year-old girl was struck by a motor vehicle on the East Derwent Highway, Bridgewater.
Initial reports suggest that the young girl, while crossing the road, ran into the path of the vehicle, travelling east on the highway. The vehicle, a grey Toyota Kluger, only contained the driver.
Police and Paramedics attended the scene immediately and the victim was quickly transported to the Royal Hobart Hospital in a critical condition, where she remains receiving treatment.
The driver of the vehicle was subjected to mandatory drug and alcohol testing.
Crash investigators and Forensic Services attended the scene and conducted a thorough examination.
Any witnesses who saw the incident or drove past the area and have dash-cam footage are asked to call Crimestoppers.
Information can be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra
Spotify was started, according to its official claims, because its founders “love music and piracy was killing it”. In Mood Machine, music journalist Liz Pelly argues this is rewriting history.
In fact, she points out, Spotify founder Daniel Ek initially patented a platform around 2006, for circulating “any kind of digital content”. Only months later did he and his co-founder decide music might be the most profitable form of content.
Review: Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist – Liz Pelly (Hodder & Stoughton)
Ek grew up in a working-class suburb of Stockholm. A neighbour recalled that, while still at school, Ek had set up a website-making business – and was earning more than his teachers. Rejected for a job at Google, he founded an ad-targeting business, Advertigo. After he sold it to tech entrepreneur Martin Lorentzon, the two men registered a new company: Spotify.
Spotify would allow users to find their desired piece of music quickly. Ek described it in 2009 as “essentially the Google of music”, Pelly writes. He had a “maniacal focus” on ensuring a user would get a virtually instantaneous response when they pressed play; no annoying buffering.
Spotify launched in Europe in 2008 and in the United States in 2011. It listed on the stock market in 2018. Spotify has just recorded its first annual profit. It is valued at over US$100 billion: more than the three leading recording companies combined.
It had 678 million users at March 2025: of them, 268 million were paying subscribers. The rest contribute to Spotify’s earnings by listening to advertisements: the so-called “freemium” model.
Music streaming now accounts for 84% of recorded music revenue, according to Pelly – and Spotify is the largest music streamer.
Initially, Spotify looked like a boon to musicians, she writes. It could save music from the threat of “pirate” downloading, which gave no payments to creators. But many musicians are critical of the low payments artists get: fractions of a cent per stream.
Spotify claims that in 2024 it paid out more than US$10 billion to the music industry. It claims nearly 1,500 artists are earning over US$1 million annually.
Spotify pays the recording and publishing rights holders, not the singers and songwriters. How much the latter gets depends on their contracts with the record companies. The system is complicated, indirect and not that transparent.
Spotify gradually shifted towards playlists, to simplify the process of users selecting music. Some playlists, like “today’s top hits”, just consisted of the currently most popular songs. These are like the “top 40” format of many commercial radio stations.
Spotify also hired music experts to compile their choice of the best new releases. The compilers of the most popular of these playlists, such as the playlist “rap caviar”, became very influential. A Spotify advertisement in 2013 made the analogy between playlists and mixtapes (as featured in Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity), claiming “mixtapes still work”.
Spotify also increasingly tried to increase passive listening. It introduced playlists geared to match the existing tastes of listeners and allow for how these might vary across the day. It termed this “music for every moment”: music to exercise to, background music for studying, music to help you sleep and so on. I have a playlist of songs about economics.
Ek said in 2016: “we really want to soundtrack every moment of your life”.
One of the parts of the book I found most intriguing was Pelly’s discussion of how this echoes a strategy developed by Thomas Edison around a century ago. He produced shellac 78 rpm records with titles such as “in moods of wistfulness” and “for more energy!”.
In 2014, Spotify made large investments in “algorithmic personalisation”. This suggested music similar in key, tempo, time signature, acousticness, danceability, loudness, mode and energy to whatever the user was already choosing.
This kept users “within their comfort zone (or as Spotify thought of it, their customer retention zone)”. But it meant users were much less likely to encounter new styles and artists, or broaden their musical horizons.
While Spotify denies it, Pelly claims Spotify commissions session musicians, playing under assumed names, to record very generic-sounding music, for playlists such as “chill instrumental beats”. Pelly gives an example of 20 songwriters using 500 names to produce thousands of tracks, streamed millions of times.
A “looming cloud” is the prospect AI-generated music will displace human musicians and singers in Spotify’s playlists, Pelly writes. She mentions that Spotify blocked a start-up called Boomy, which released over 14.5 million AI-generated songs – and has since struck up a partnership with Warner.
Another controversy is around Spotify’s Discovery Mode, which offers artists more promotion of their songs in exchange for accepting lower payments. But if most artists do this, the promotions cancel each other out, leaving all the artists worse off.
Pelly quotes an independent record label founder who says Spotify has changed the nature of the music being made.
It’s not sustainable to put out challenging records […] you have to put out records that are going to get repeat listens in coffee shops […] that are going to be playlist friendly.
This is despite some music fans saying the music they experience as “life-changing, really profound” is different from the songs they play most often.
Songs streamed are only monetised after 30 seconds. This has created “a particular emphasis placed on perfecting song intros […] songwriters would just dive directly into the chorus”. So, no more songs with long waits for the vocals, like U2, the Temptations, Dire Straits or Pink Floyd.
Artists who want their songs to appear on playlists need them to match a particular mood or context. This means songs increasingly “remain in a single emotional register throughout”.
It may mean artists are less likely to release songs with marked tempo changes, such as Dexys’ Midnight Runners’ Come on Eileen (1982), Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven (1971), Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody (1975) or Franz Ferdinand’s Take Me Out (2004). There may still be much smaller tempo changes, such as Taylor Swift’s Evermore from 2020.
The “Spotify for artists” service provides artists with data about the streaming of their songs. A band planning a tour can see in which cities or countries they are most popular. They can even alter their set lists to include the songs particularly popular in particular areas.
But Spotify monitors use of this facility, Pelly writes – and it is not clear how they use the data. Over time, it may encourage artists to repeat aspects of their most popular songs, rather than innovate and evolve.
The book is interesting and informative, but somewhat dryer than some other recent exposes of the tech sector. Partly this is because Ek is a less colourful character than X’s Elon Musk, or Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg.
Pelly does not provide the witty lines of tech journalist Kara Swisher’s Burn Book. She is not a gossipy former insider, like director of global public policy at Meta, Sarah Wynn-Williams.
As an economist, I felt the book complemented sociologist Michael Walsh’s Streaming Sounds: Musical Listening in the Digital Age. Walsh describes the demand for music streaming. Pelly analyses the supply side.
Pelly rightly describes her book as a “serious look” at Spotify. It brings together a lot of useful information about the company and raises good questions about whether it is changing the music industry – and music itself – for the better.
The debate will continue, as AI increases its influence and artists become more concerned about their songs being “TikTok friendly”, as well as “Spotify friendly”. Perhaps there will be more songs like Steve’s Lava Chicken from A Minecraft Movie. Just 34 seconds long, it recently became the shortest song to make the UK top 40.
John Hawkins 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. Spotify continues to change music. What’s next – will AI musicians replace music made by humans? – https://theconversation.com/spotify-continues-to-change-music-whats-next-will-ai-musicians-replace-music-made-by-humans-253630
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Tender Offer Amended to up to 9.9% of Class A Shares
Tender Offer Extended Until 5:00pm Eastern Time on June 3, 2025
ST. HELIER, Jersey, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Plantro Ltd. (“Plantro”) today announced that it is extending and amending its ongoing all-cash tender offer (the “Tender Offer”) to acquire class A limited voting shares (the “Class A Shares”) in the capital of Information Services Corporation (TSX: ISC) (“ISC” or the “Company”).
Pursuant to the terms of a third amended and restated offer document dated May 20, 2025 (the “Offer Document”), Plantro has increased the consideration under the Tender Offer to $30 per Class A Share, payable in cash (the “Tender Price”). Plantro has also extended the expiry date of the Tender Offer to 5:00pm (Eastern Time) on June 3, 2025, unless the Tender Offer is further varied, extended, or withdrawn in accordance with the terms of the Offer Document (the “Expiry Time”). The maximum number of Class A Shares to be purchased under the Tender Offer has been reduced to 1,398,887 Class A Shares, reflecting that, together with the 435,150 Class A Shares Plantro currently owns, the Tender Offer is for a maximum of 9.9% of ISC’s issued and outstanding Class A Shares.
Due in part to the extreme lack of trading liquidity of the Class A Shares, Plantro reduced the size of the Tender Offer and increased the Tender Price. The Tender Offer is an opportunity for shareholders weary of the ISC board of directors’ continued refusal to take actions to unlock value for shareholders, to realize full and fair value for their Class A Shares.
Plantro notes that the Tender Price of $30 is above the 12-month price target of $28 per Class A Share maintained by the sell-side analyst for ISC’s primary financial advisor and equals the 12-18 month price target provided by a sell-side analyst of the other major Canadian investment bank providing research coverage of the Company.
Finally, based on Plantro’s calculations, the Tender Price values the Company at approximately 20.3x Price to LTM EPS, 19.0x Enterprise Value to LTM Levered Free Cash Flow and 9.6x Enterprise Value to LTM EBITDAi.
Shareholders are urged to consider this attractive opportunity to receive certainty of value and all-cash consideration.
Shareholders of ISC who have already validly deposited and not withdrawn their Class A Shares are not required to take any further action to accept the Tender Offer and will be deemed to have deposited their Class A Shares at the increased Tender Price. No Class A Shares will be taken up and paid for by Plantro pursuant to the Tender Offer until after the Expiry Time.
Other than as set out herein, all other terms of the Tender Offer remain unchanged. Details of the Tender Offer, including instructions for tendering Class A Shares, are included in the Offer Document. The Offer Document and the third amended and restated letter of transmittal dated May 20, 2025 (together with the Offer Document, the “Offer Documents”) will be filed and made available on ISC’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Shareholders of ISC should carefully read the Offer Documents prior to making a decision with respect to the Tender Offer.
About Plantro
Plantro is a privately held company, with an established track record of making successful investments in undervalued and high quality legal, financial, and information services businesses.
Shareholder Questions
Shareholders of ISC who have questions with respect to the Tender Offer, or who need assistance in depositing their Class A Shares, should please contact the depositary or the information agent for the Tender Offer at the contact details below:
Depositary: Odyssey Trust Company
Toll Free (US & Canada): 1-888-290-1175
Calls (All Regions): 587-885-0960
Email: corp.actions@odysseytrust.com
Information Agent: Carson Proxy
North America Toll Free: 1-800-530-5189
Local and Text: 416-751-2066
Email: info@carsonproxy.com
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release may contain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Specifically, certain statements contained in this press release, including without limitation statements regarding the Tender Offer, taking up and paying for Class A Shares deposited under the Tender Offer, and the expiry of the Tender Offer, contain “forward-looking information” and are prospective in nature. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “plans”, “targets”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “an opportunity exists”, “is positioned”, “estimates”, “intends”, “assumes”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate” or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “will” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking statements.
Statements containing forward-looking information are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the future outcomes expressed or implied by the statements containing forward-looking information.
Although Plantro believes that the expectations reflected in statements containing forward-looking information herein made by it (and not, for greater certainty, any forward-looking statements attributable to the Company) are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Material factors or assumptions that were applied in formulating the forward-looking information contained herein include the assumption that the business and economic conditions affecting the Company’s operations will continue substantially in the current state, including, without limitation, with respect to industry conditions, general levels of economic activity, continuity and availability of personnel, local and international laws and regulations, foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates, inflation, taxes, that there will be no unplanned material changes to the Company’s operations, and that the Company’s public disclosure record is accurate in all material respects and is not misleading (including by omission).
Plantro cautions that the foregoing list of material factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. While these factors and assumptions are considered by Plantro to be appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances as of the date of this press release, they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Plantro and there is no assurance that they will prove correct.
Important facts that could cause outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information include, among other things, actions taken by the Company in respect of the Tender Offer, the content of subsequent public disclosures by the Company, the failure to satisfy the conditions to the Tender Offer, general economic conditions, legislative or regulatory changes and changes in capital or securities markets. If any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if the opinions, estimates or assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results or future events might vary materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Although Plantro has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other risk factors not presently known to Plantro or that Plantro presently believes are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking information.
Statements containing forward-looking information in this press release are based on Plantro’s beliefs and opinions at the time the statements are made, and there should be no expectation that such forward-looking information will be updated or supplemented as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, and Plantro disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by applicable law. All of the forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements.
Non-IFRS Measures
This press release makes reference to certain non-IFRS financial measures. These measures are not recognized measures under IFRS, do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to complement IFRS financial measures by providing further understanding of the Company’s results of operations from the Company’s perspective as disclosed by the Company in its public disclosure. The Company’s definitions of non-IFRS measures may not be the same as the definitions for such measures used by other companies or investors in their reporting. Non-IFRS measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of the Company’s financial information reported under IFRS. Please refer to the Company’s public disclosure documents, which are available on the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca for further details regarding its use of non-IFRS measures.
Media Contact: Gagnier Communications
Riyaz Lalani / Dan Gagnier
Email: Plantro@gagnierfc.com
i LTM is last twelve months to March 31, 2025. EPS equates to the sum of ISC’s Earnings per share, diluted for the past four quarters; Levered Free Cash Flow is equal to ISC’s Net cash flow provided by operating activities less: Additions to property, plant and equipment, Additions to intangible assets, Interest paid and Interest paid on lease obligations net of Interest received, and Principal repayments on lease obligations; EBITDA is equal to Net income before Depreciation and amortization, Net finance expense and Income tax expense.
Source: US State of Idaho
Home Newsroom AG Labrador Secures Victory Against Swanky LLC for Deceptive Business Practices
BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced a default judgment entered in April 2025 against Swanky LLC, doing business as Swanky Steel, and its operator, Justin Bussard, for deceptive business practices that harmed consumers from out of state attempting to buy products from an Idaho business.
The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division filed a lawsuit in January 2025, alleging that Swanky LLC and Bussard accepted payments from consumers for custom-made vehicle parts but failed to deliver those products or issue refunds. The default judgment prohibits Bussard from operating any business involving custom-made vehicle parts or similar services unless he does so as an employee or agent under direct supervision.
The judgment also orders restitution payments of $6,542.09 to affected consumers and imposes $10,000 in civil penalties.
“This judgment ensures accountability for dishonest business practices and prevents further deceptive conduct which could ultimately harm Idaho families,” said Attorney General Labrador. “Our Consumer Protection Division works hard to uphold fairness in the marketplace and defend Idahoans from deceptive conduct.”
Consumers who experience similar deceptive practices may file consumer complaints with the Consumer Protection Division. A complaint form is available here.
Source: US State of Oregon
iembros de la comunidad de personas con discapacidades intelectuales y del desarrollo (I/DD) de Oregon se reunieron a finales de abril en la conferencia Breaking Barriers: Life Beyond Labels (Rompiendo Barreras: La Vida Más Allá de las Etiquetas). La Red de Apoyo a las Personas con Discapacidades de Oregon Central (CODSN, por sus siglas en inglés) organiza este evento anual en Redmond. La directora ejecutiva de la red, Dianna Hansen, afirmó: “Es importante que las familias, las personas con discapacidades, los proveedores de servicios y los educadores nos reunamos y aprendamos unos de otros”.
Fui a la conferencia con compañeros de trabajo del Programa para Discapacidades Intelectuales y del Desarrollo (ODDS, por sus siglas en inglés). En la conferencia, disfrutamos de las presentaciones de 58 ponentes, que incluían personas que abogan por sí mismas, familiares, profesionales de la atención y otros aliados de la comunidad de personas con I/DD. Todos ellos compartieron sus experiencias en 32 sesiones. Setenta y cinco expositores mostraron sus productos en mesas de exposición. Doce de los expositores eran personas que abogan por sí mismas que vendían sus obras de arte.
Hansen dijo que el evento alcanzó su capacidad máxima: ¡600 asistentes! Las cuatro palabras más utilizadas por los asistentes en sus evaluaciones para describir su experiencia fueron: motivados, conectados, emocionados e inspirados. Si desea asistir el año que viene, apunte la fecha: 21 de abril del 2026.
Ramonda Olaloye es la asistente del superintendente de la Oficina de Mejora de las Oportunidades Estudiantiles (Office of Enhancing Student Opportunities, OESO) del Departamento de Educación de Oregon. Ella abrió la conferencia con un discurso. Olaloye trabaja para crear un sistema educativo en el que todos los niños alcancen su máximo potencial.
Olaloye habló sobre algunos retos del sistema de servicios para personas con I/DD. Ella tiene dos hijas. La menor tiene autismo. Un día, en la escuela, una maestra le preguntó: “¿Por qué no puedes ser como tu hermana mayor?”. Después de eso, Olaloye notó que su hija alteró su comportamiento en la escuela. Olaloye, quien se describe a sí misma como una “defensora feroz” de sus hijas, habló con la maestra. Reflexionando sobre esta experiencia, dijo:
“Los educadores moldean las experiencias con sus palabras. Porque sus palabras — nuestras palabras — tienen peso. Nuestros hijos merecen ser reconocidos como individuos, no comparados ni menospreciados. Romper barreras significa cuestionar nuestra forma de comunicarnos, nuestras suposiciones y los sistemas que defendemos. Y eso empieza por ver a cada niño tal y como es, no como esperamos que sea”.
Hansen me contó una experiencia similar. Su hija tiene síndrome de Down. Cuando salen a un restaurante, los meseros suelen ignorar a su hija y le preguntan a Hansen: “¿Qué quiere ella?”
Su hija es estudiante de segundo año de gastronomía. Ella misma se cocina sus comidas. Se graduó de la escuela preparatoria con honores.
La gente suele asumir que las personas con discapacidad intelectual o del desarrollo no pueden hablar por sí mismas. Hansen anima a todo el mundo a asumir que las personas son competentes. Este es uno de los principales valores que espera que la gente haya aprendido en la conferencia: “Dar esa dignidad a las personas — que son capaces de responder y tomar sus propias decisiones”.
La ponente principal, Alva Gardner, sugirió a los asistentes que reflexionaran con respecto a su concepto de independencia. “La independencia no siempre significa hacer todo por uno mismo”, afirmó. “Como sistema, debemos dejar de lado esa definición tradicional de independencia. Nadie vive una vida 100 % independiente de los demás el 100 % del tiempo. Todos dependemos de alguien de alguna manera a lo largo de nuestra vida”.
Gardner se dedica a dar conferencias desde los 8 años. Dirige su propia empresa, The 4*3 Perspective LLC (enlace en inglés). Trabaja con organizaciones para llevar a cabo cambios sistémicos que apoyen a todas las personas, especialmente a aquellas con discapacidad. Fue la primera persona con una discapacidad del desarrollo en convertirse en instructora certificada en pensamiento centrado en la persona (PCT, por sus siglas en inglés).
Gardner tiene parálisis cerebral. Habló sobre los apoyos que recibe. Trabaja con asistentes personales que le brindan el 100% de su cuidado personal. Los apoyos que utiliza le dan la libertad para hacer su vida diaria, cuidar a su familia y manejar su negocio. Preguntó a los asistentes qué tipo de apoyos utilizan en sus vidas: servicios de peluquería, transporte, cuidado de niños, visitas al médico, etc. A continuación, redefinió el concepto de independencia.
“La independencia proviene de llevar una vida dirigida por uno mismo y utilizar los apoyos disponibles para lograrlo”, dijo. “En los cursos de capacitación sobre el enfoque centrado en la persona, pedimos a los participantes que identifiquen qué es importante para ellos y cómo desean recibir el mejor apoyo, y que sean muy específicos sobre cómo definen los apoyos para sí mismos. Como sistema, cuando se adopta un enfoque verdaderamente centrado en la persona, creo que debemos empezar por ser conscientes de cómo definen las personas la independencia para sí mismas. ¿Cómo es y qué significa la independencia para esa persona?”.
Ambos ponentes principales animaron a los padres a enseñar a sus hijos a ser independientes y a abogar por sí mismos.
Olaloye le asignó a su hija roles apropiados para su edad en sus reuniones de Planificación de Apoyo Individual (ISP, por sus siglas en inglés). Esta es una reunión en la que las personas planifican sus servicios y apoyos cada año. En la escuela primaria, su hija participó en una conversación sobre el paso de la enseñanza individualizada a un salón de clases en el que un asistente ayudaba a toda la clase. Olaloye ha estado utilizando el proceso ISP para ayudar a su hija a aprender a expresar sus necesidades. A medida que su hija ha ido creciendo, le ha dado un papel más importante en las reuniones del ISP. Ahora, en segundo año de preparatoria, la hija de Olaloye está preparada para manejar sus propios apoyos cuando vaya a la universidad.
Gardner habló sobre el reto que significa abogar por uno mismo constantemente: “Tener que compartir nuestras preferencias con todos los diferentes profesionales de apoyo directo, administradores de casos, asistentes de cuidado personal, etc., que entran y salen de nuestras vidas… Es increíblemente agotador y, francamente, aburrido. No quiero tener que repetir lo mismo una y otra vez. Tengo cosas mejores que hacer”.
Una de las formas en que ella aliviana esta carga es creando descripciones de una página para cada aspecto de su vida. Tiene versiones diferentes para su hogar, su trabajo y otras situaciones. En ellas, describe los apoyos que necesita y que prefiere, y lo que es importante para ella sobre ese aspecto de su vida. Ella dice que hacer esto “es especialmente importante cuando está aprendiendo cuáles son esas preferencias y deseos y cómo comunicarlos por primera vez”. Recomienda actualizar esta información al ir cambiando sus necesidades.
ODDS y la Coalición de Autodefensa de Oregon (Oregon Self-Advocacy Coalition, OSAC por sus siglas en inglés) compartieron una nueva herramienta: la Guía de Autodefensa para los Servicios de Discapacidades Intelectuales y del Desarrollo. La crearon para que la planificación sea más fácil.
La guía es un libro de trabajo. Guía a las personas que abogan por sí mismas a través del proceso de planificación de servicios. Hace preguntas para ayudar a las personas a comunicar sus deseos, sus necesidades y sus objetivos. Ayuda a las personas a ser los líderes de su planificación de servicios.
La directora ejecutiva de OSAC, Gabrielle Guedon, se refirió al proceso de planificación: “Se trata de pensar en lo que realmente quiere o no quiere en su vida. Estamos cambiando todo el tiempo. Cada año usted tiene una oportunidad para cambiar. Sé que es un proceso difícil por el cual tenemos que pasar pero hay oportunidades para incluir lo que quiere y lo que no quiere. Sea honesto y sea claro.”
Puede encontrar la guía en el sitio web de ODDS. La puede descargar. Está disponible en varios idiomas. Los padres, los parientes y los administradores de casos también pueden utilizar la guía para mejorar su apoyo para las personas que abogan por sí mismas.
Felicity Woods, una persona que aboga por sí misma y que es miembro de la junta directiva de la CODSN, también habló sobre la Guía de Autodefensa. Woods compartió cómo algunas personas en su escuela no entendían bien la discapacidad. Ella, al igual que muchos niños con discapacidades intelectuales y del desarrollo (I/DD), sufrió “bullying” en la escuela primaria. Dijo que aprender a compartir nuestra historia – los éxitos y las barreras que uno enfrenta – es una parte importante de abogar por uno mismo. Ella anima a las personas a utilizar la Guía de Autodefensa.
“Quiero hacer mis propias elecciones y decisiones sobre lo que yo quiero,” Woods dijo. “Depende de ti y de mí, como individuos, elegir lo que queremos.”
Hablando de los “bullies”, Guedon agregó, “No dejes que una mala experiencia te detenga. Haz que te motive.”
Felicity Woods y Jordan Ohlde son miembros de High Desert Self Advocacy (la Autodefensa de High Desert). Este es un grupo de pares de las personas que abogan por sí mismas en el área de Bend/Redmond. Ellos presentaron “Creciendo con Fortaleza y Listos para Prosperar”. Ryley Newport, un empleado del ODDS, se les unió. Hablaron sobre cómo ampliar y fortalecer la autodefensa. Para lograr esto, High Desert Self Advocacy creó un plan de Planificación de un Mañana Alternativo con Esperanza (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope, PATH por sus siglas en inglés – enlace en inglés).
PATH es una herramienta para la planificación creativa. Dos facilitadores capacitados de ODDS guiaron al grupo a través del proceso de PATH. Utilizaron los gráficos y la discusión para ayudar al grupo a visualizar su futuro. Luego, iniciando desde esa visión, trabajaron hacia atrás para crear un plan que los ayudara a alcanzar sus metas.
Como resultado, High Desert Self Advocacy habló en Rompiendo Barreras. También estarán en la capital del Estado de Oregon el 12 de junio para abogar por los derechos de las personas con discapacidades. Tendrán una presentación en la Convención de Autodefensa de The Arc Oregon (enlace en inglés) esa misma semana.
Woods y Ohlde animaron a las personas que abogan por sí mismas a comunicarse con ellos en High Desert Self Advocacy. Quieren ayudar a sus pares a formar grupos de autodefensa en todo el estado. Conéctese con ellos a través de su página de Facebook (enlace en inglés).
CODSN fue un ejemplo de accesibilidad en la conferencia. Hansen dijo que CODSN hizo que la conferencia fuera accesible para las personas de todos los niveles económicos. CODSN les dio becas a 176 personas que abogan por sí mismas y a 130 familias. También hicieron que el lugar fuera físicamente accesible para todos. Una habitación sensorial les dio a las personas un espacio libre del ruido y de la gente. Una habitación para cambiarse les dio a los asistentes un lugar privado para sus cuidados personales.
La conferencia también fue un ejemplo de cómo brindarle acceso al idioma a las personas que hablan español. Los intérpretes Isabel Ramirez y Joy Christian, un equipo de Grapevine Aliados, brindaron interpretación en español y en inglés para las últimas tres conferencias. Dijeron que la conferencia ofrece una serie completa de sesiones en español. Los asistentes pueden inscribirse en el programa en español cuando se registran. También pueden pedir la interpretación en español para las sesiones en inglés.
El autodefensor Jordan Ohlde fue una de las ocho personas que demandaron al Departamento de Transporte de Oregon. Querían que un cruce peatonal en su vecindario fuera accesible para todos, incluyendo las personas que utilizan silla de ruedas. Les tomó tiempo y perseverancia, pero al final, ganaron. Ahora, la calle es accesible para todos.
“La autodefensa no se detiene. Siempre hay un lugar nuevo dónde iniciar o un camino nuevo para tomar. Su trabajo nunca termina,” Ohlde dijo. “A muchos niños se les dice que su voz no importa cuando, realmente, su voz sí importa. Solamente tiene que descubrir por qué es importante para usted.”
