Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities
September 29, 2024 Toronto, Ontario
Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities. This is unacceptable, and the federal government is taking action to combat hate and protect communities.
Today, the Honourable Marco Mendicino, Member of Parliament for Eglinton-Lawrence, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced an investment of $253,536 to religious and community organizations in Toronto through the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP).
On September 24, Minister LeBlanc announced the newly launched Canada Community Security Program (CCSP), which replaces and enhances the work undertaken through the SIP based on communities’ feedback. The first Call for Applications launches October 1, 2024.
Eligible measures include security equipment and hardware, minor renovations to enhance security, security and emergency assessments and plans, training to respond to hate-motivated events, and time-limited third-party licensed security personnel.
Organizations that currently have an application under SIP will be contacted by Public Safety to discuss the status of the application and their option to continue under the CCSP.
Organizations interested in staying informed about the upcoming CCSP Call for Applications are encouraged to subscribe to the National Crime Prevention Strategy mailing list.
“Antisemitism in Canada is on the rise, and as the Member of Parliament for Eglinton-Lawrence, I am committed to advocating for the community to receive the support they need. I am thrilled to see the allocation of almost $255,000, from the Government of Canada’s Security Infrastructure Program (SIP) for Synagogues, Schools, and Jewish organizations in Eglinton-Lawrence.
Jewish parents should be able to send their children to school, without fearing for their safety. Community Centres, Synagogues and Jewish organizations should be able to receive funding for security and surveillance, so when vandalism occurs, the perpetrators will be recorded and brought to justice.
There is still much work to be done to combat antisemitism in Canada and ensure the safety of the Jewish community here in Eglinton Lawrence. But this is a good start, and I will continue to advocate on behalf of my community and the people I represent. “
– The Honourable Marco Mendicino, Member of Parliament for Eglinton-Lawrence on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
Gabriel Brunet Press Secretary Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs 819-665-6527 gabriel.brunet@iga-aig.gc.ca
Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities. This is unacceptable, and the federal government is taking action to combat hate and protect communities.
September 29, 2024 Hamilton, Ontario
Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities. This is unacceptable, and the federal government is taking action to combat hate and protect communities.
Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced an investment of $251,893 to religious and community organizations in Hamilton through the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP).
On September 24, Minister LeBlanc announced the new Canada Community Security Program (CCSP), which replaces and enhances the SIP based on communities’ feedback. The first Call for Applications launches October 1, 2024.
Eligible measures include security equipment and hardware, minor renovations to enhance security, security and emergency assessments and plans, training to respond to hate-motivated events, and time-limited third-party licensed security personnel.
Organizations that currently have an application under SIP will be contacted by Public Safety to discuss the status of the application and their option to continue under the CCSP.
Organizations interested in staying informed about the upcoming CCSP Call for Applications are encouraged to subscribe to the National Crime Prevention Strategy mailing list.
“Canada has no place for hate-motivated incidents and all Canadians deserve to feel safe— regardless of where they live, work, gather and pray. Investments like these are but one example of the government’s ongoing commitment to keep our country safe for all, no matter your religious affiliation or beliefs.”
– The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
Gabriel Brunet Press Secretary Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs 819-665-6527 gabriel.brunet@iga-aig.gc.ca
Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities. This is unacceptable, and the federal government is taking action to combat hate and protect communities.
September 29, 2024 Edmonton, Alberta
Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities. This is unacceptable, and the federal government is taking action to combat hate and protect communities.
Today, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced an investment of $151,911 to religious and community organizations in Edmonton through the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP).
On September 24, Minister LeBlanc announced the new Canada Community Security Program (CCSP), which replaces and enhances the SIP based on communities’ feedback. The first Call for Applications launches October 1, 2024.
Eligible measures include security equipment and hardware, minor renovations to enhance security, security and emergency assessments and plans, training to respond to hate-motivated events, and time-limited third-party licensed security personnel.
Organizations that currently have an application under SIP will be contacted by Public Safety to discuss the status of the application and their option to continue under the CCSP.
Organizations interested in staying informed about the upcoming CCSP Call for Applications are encouraged to subscribe to the National Crime Prevention Strategy mailing list.
“Every Canadian has the right to worship freely. Community and cultural organizations across Canada are the cornerstone of our religious communities. Our Government is investing in their work to keep Edmonton a place that is safe for all, no matter your religious affiliation or beliefs.”
– The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
Gabriel Brunet Press Secretary Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs 819-665-6527 gabriel.brunet@iga-aig.gc.ca
Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities. This is unacceptable, and the federal government is taking action to combat hate and protect communities.
September 29, 2024 Calgary, Alberta
Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities. This is unacceptable, and the federal government is taking action to combat hate and protect communities.
Today, George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced an investment of $183,703 to religious and community organizations in Calgary and Southern Alberta through the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP).
On September 24, Minister LeBlanc announced the newly launched Canada Community Security Program (CCSP), which replaces and enhances the work undertaken through the SIP based on communities’ feedback. The first Call for Applications launches October 1, 2024.
Eligible measures include security equipment and hardware, minor renovations to enhance security, security and emergency assessments and plans, training to respond to hate-motivated events, and time-limited third-party licensed security personnel.
Organizations that currently have an application under SIP will be contacted by Public Safety to discuss the status of the application and their option to continue under the CCSP.
Organizations interested in staying informed about the upcoming CCSP Call for Applications are encouraged to subscribe to the National Crime Prevention Strategy mailing list.
“All Canadians deserve to feel safe— regardless of where they live, work, gather and pray. As a government, we are committed to ensuring that that is the case. Investments like the one we are making today are but one example of that ongoing commitment.”
– George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
Gabriel Brunet Press Secretary Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs 819-665-6527 gabriel.brunet@iga-aig.gc.ca
Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities. This is unacceptable, and the federal government is taking action to combat hate and protect communities.
September 29, 2024 Montréal, Québec
Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities. This is unacceptable, and the federal government is taking action to combat hate and protect communities.
Today, Sameer Zuberi, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities and Member of Parliament for Pierrefonds-Dollard, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced an investment of $10,740 to a school in Montréal through the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP).
On September 24, Minister LeBlanc announced the newly launched Canada Community Security Program (CCSP), which replaces and enhances the SIP based on communities’ feedback. The first Call for Applications launches October 1, 2024.
Eligible measures include security equipment and hardware, minor renovations to enhance security, security and emergency assessments and plans, training to respond to hate-motivated events, and time-limited third-party licensed security personnel.
Organizations that currently have an application under SIP will be contacted by Public Safety to discuss the status of the application and their option to continue under the CCSP.
Organizations interested in staying informed about the upcoming CCSP Call for Applications are encouraged to subscribe to the National Crime Prevention Strategy mailing list.
“Synagogues and community centres are places of worship, reflection and gathering. We have recently seen an unacceptable spike in different forms of discrimination and hate-motivated crime, including antisemitism specifically. This investment by government will help all Canadians be and feel safe.”
– Sameer Zuberi, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities and Member of Parliament for Pierrefonds-Dollard, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
Gabriel Brunet Press Secretary Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs 819-665-6527 gabriel.brunet@iga-aig.gc.ca
Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities. This is unacceptable, and the federal government is taking action to combat hate and protect communities.
September 29, 2024 Regina, Saskatchewan
Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed a rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities. This is unacceptable, and the federal government is taking action to combat hate and protect communities.
Today, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Prairies Economic Development Canada, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, and Northern Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced an investment of $111,904 to religious and community organizations in Regina through the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP).
On September 24, Minister LeBlanc announced the new Canada Community Security Program (CCSP), which replaces and enhances the SIP based on communities’ feedback. The first Call for Applications launches October 1, 2024.
Eligible measures include security equipment and hardware, minor renovations to enhance security, security and emergency assessments and plans, training to respond to hate-motivated events, and time-limited third-party licensed security personnel.
Organizations that currently have an application under SIP will be contacted by Public Safety to discuss the status of the application and their option to continue under the CCSP.
Organizations interested in staying informed about the upcoming CCSP Call for Applications are encouraged to subscribe to the National Crime Prevention Strategy mailing list.
“Everyone in Canada deserves to feel safe in their communities. That’s why since 2015, we’ve invested in hundreds of local projects that protect communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes. We are working with community partners to ensure everyone in Canada can continue to live free from fear.”
– The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Prairies Economic Development Canada, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, and Northern Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
Gabriel Brunet Press Secretary Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs 819-665-6527 gabriel.brunet@iga-aig.gc.ca
A man will face court tomorrow following a crime spree spanning from Adelaide to the States Mid North.
Just before 2pm on Saturday 28 September an off-duty police member spotted a Haval SUV in Ary Street, Jamestown bearing false number plates and a man attempting to leave in the vehicle.
The car had allegedly been stolen in early August in Victoria and had committed several petrol thefts in Adelaide and Clare in the last month.
The off-duty officer attempted to speak with the driver who drove at him causing him to take evasive action to prevent being hit by the car.
A second off-duty member together with members of the public rushed to assist the officer and the man was arrested.
Following investigation police searched an address at Springbank Road where several firearms together with suspected stolen property was located.
A 43-year-old man of no fixed address has been charged with a wrath offences including assault prescribed emergency worker, firearms offences, unlawful possession, going equipped, hinder police, serious criminal trespass and theft.
He has been refused police bail and will appear before the Port Pirie Magistrates Court on Monday 30 September.
Investigations are continuing into further offences committed by the suspect.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at http://www.crimestopperssa.com.au – you can remain anonymous.
Police acknowledge the conviction of John Hope Muchirahondo on 17 charges of sexual violation in the High Court in Christchurch today.
“I would like to acknowledge the significant bravery and strength shown by the many complainants in this case.
Sharing their experiences with police and throughout the judicial process has required grit and courage. They have had their memories attacked and attempts made to discredit their account. They have withstood the challenges and their voices heard. They should be incredibly proud of their actions and I hope these verdicts bring some measure of peace and closure.
I would also like to acknowledge the professionalism and tenacity of the investigation team and Crown prosecutors, and thank them for their tireless work on this case.
And finally, I would like to thank the members of the jury, for their careful attention and deliberations throughout this trial.
The New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey (Ministry of Justice, 2023) findings estimate that more than one in three New Zealand women experience one or more incidents of sexual assault in their lifetime. I encourage any person who would like some advice or would like to report a sexual assault to contact police.”
Police investigate deliberately lit fires in Launceston
Monday, 30 September 2024 – 10:35 am.
Police are investigating a series of deliberately lit vacant house fires, in the Launceston area that occurred between Friday 20 September and Saturday 21 September 2024.About 4.40am on Friday 20 September, police and Tasmania Fire Service were called to a vacant property on Invermay Road, Mowbray, which was fully engulfed by fire and the residence was destroyed.About 10.40pm on Saturday 21 September 2024, police and Tasmania Fire Service were called to a vacant property on Mayfield Street, Mayfield, to reports of the residence being on fire. The fire was extinguished, and the property suffered significant fire damage.A short time later, about 11:55pm, police and TFS were called to another vacant property on Box Street, Mayfield, to reports that the house was fully engulfed by fire, the residence was destroyed.Initial investigations by Tasmania Fire Service and Tasmania Police indicate that all three fires were deliberately lit.Anyone with information regarding the fires (quoting case 1486) is asked to contact police on 131 444, or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestopperstas.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alister McKeich, Lecturer and Researcher in Law, Criminology and Indigenous Studies, Victoria University, Victoria University
The onslaught in the Middle East has brought to the world’s attention once again the “crime of crimes”, genocide.
Both the the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court (ICC) have brought allegations of genocide against Israel as a state and Israeli and Hamas leaders as individuals.
The Australian government’s response to the Gaza crisis has included temporarily freezing of A$6 million of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine. Though funding has been flowing again since March, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been referred to the ICC by a law firm for being “an accessory to genocide”.
Against this backdrop, Australia’s own genocide legislation is under parliamentary scrutiny. A bill tabled by independent Senator Lidia Thorpe (for whom I work as a casual legal researcher) seeks to change the way Australia deals with genocide.
So what do our current laws say and what’s the case for changing them?
Yet it was not until 2002, once the ICC was established, that the Commonwealth Criminal Code was amended to create a new division of atrocity crimes.
Through this legislation, Australia may prosecute any person accused of a Rome Statute crime (such as genocide) under Australian law.
At the moment, written consent from the attorney-general is required before legal proceedings about genocide and other atrocity crimes can commence. This is called the “attorney-general’s fiat”.
Further, the attorney-general’s decision is final. It “must not be challenged, appealed against, reviewed, quashed or called into question”.
Thorpe’s bill seeks to overturn these two measures.
The explanatory memorandum in the 2002 amendment did not say why the attorney-general’s consent was necessary.
Consent from an attorney-general (or similar position) is not an international requirement.
Australia is only one of a handful of other countries (including the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada) where the fiat also exists.
Why is it a problem?
The Australian government has justified the rule on the basis that prosecutions for atrocity crimes against individuals could affect Australia’s international relations and national security.
However, submissions from legal experts and community groups to a senate inquiry looking at the issue point out flaws.
They say this rule prevents access to justice for victims and survivors of atrocity crimes. It can also create the potential for government bias.
Submissions also say the lack of explanation or appeal process ignores fundamental principles of jurisprudence.
Has the rule been used?
The attorney-general’s fiat has been used in a limited number of cases.
In 2009, Palestinian rights groups Australians for Palestine issued a request for consent for the prosecution of former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, who was visiting at the time.
The Australian Centre for International Justice states in its submission how then-attorney-general Robert McClellend denied the request. He cited matters of international state sovereignty and the difficulties of pursuing such a case in an overseas jurisdiction.
Then, in 2011, Arunchalam Jegastheeswaran, an Australian citizen of Tamil
background, sought the attorney-general’s consent for the prosecution of then Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was due to visit Australia.
McClellend again denied the request, saying Rajapaska was protected under “head of state immunity”. This concept is controversial in international law, given it’s often heads of state who commit atrocity crimes.
Head of state protection was also offered to former Myanmar (Burma) leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was in government when the 2017 genocide against the Rohingya was committed.
With Suu Kyi due to be in Australia for an ASEAN conference in 2018, the Australian Rohingya community sought a prosecution. It was denied by then attorney-general Christian Porter.
And in 2019, retired Sri Lankan General Jagath Jayasuriya visited Australia. Despite concerted efforts to raise evidence to prosecute Jayasuriya of war crimes, delays with the Australian Federal Police meant the case never reached the point of attorney-general consent.
First Nations plaintiffs such as Paul Coe and Robert Thorpe have also sought to bring cases of genocide before the domestic courts, with no success.
What would changing the laws mean?
As it’s unlikely an attorney-general would consent to prosecutions against its own government, submissions to the inquiry argue the rule creates a direct conflict of interest.
For First Nations people seeking justice for crimes of “ongoing genocide” perpetuated by the Commonwealth, any government is hardly going to rule in their favour.
Some Indigenous community groups argue the high rates of First Nations children in protection, deaths in custody, hyper-incarceration and cultural, land and environmental damage amount to genocide crimes.
Submissions to the inquiry recommend instead of requiring the consent of the attorney-general, claims of genocide should be directed to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. This would ensure greater independence from government.
The director has a mandate for this sort of work. It already investigates similar crimes such as people smuggling, human trafficking, slavery and child exploitation.
Internationally, the implications of this bill, if passed, will be consequential. The Australian Centre for International Justice estimates up to 1,000 Australian citizens have returned to Israel to fight as part of the Israel Defense Forces. Israel has been accused of serious atrocity crimes in Gaza.
Should any of those citizens return, there could be attempts to mount a case. The government would then have to consider Australia’s political and economic ties with Israel.
Whether the bill is passed will depend on parliament. But the situation highlights a paradox: the state itself will be deciding whether to remove its own inbuilt protections against charges of genocide.
Alister McKeich is a casual legal researcher with the office of Senator Lidia Thorpe.
Police are appealing for community members who have information about those responsible for a Te Kamo aggravated robbery to come forward.
Whangārei CIB has been investigating since the events of Saturday evening at a residential address on Te Puia Street.
Detective Senior Sergeant John Clayton says the victim suffered facial injuries as a result of the offenders’ actions.
“At this point in our enquiries, we know three offenders entered the property at about 8.30pm,” he says.
“The victim was the sole occupant at the time and was assaulted by these offenders, suffering facial injuries as well as having several teeth knocked out.
“Ambulance staff treated the man at the scene, but he is extremely shaken by the events of Saturday night.”
Cash and jewellery were stolen from the property.
“There is no place for such unnecessary violence in our community,” Detective Senior Sergeant Clayton says.
“People in the community associated with these offenders will know exactly what they have done, and now is the time for them to do the right thing.”
Detective Senior Sergeant Clayton says the community can report information anonymously and in confidence.
People can contact Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Alternatively, if you have information, please update us online now or call 105.
Woman charged with high range drink driving following Kings Meadows crash
Monday, 30 September 2024 – 2:23 pm.
A 45-year-old woman from Nunamara has been charged with drink driving following a crash at Kings Meadows on Saturday. Inspector Craig Fox said police and other emergency services were called to the scene on Kings Meadows Link about 2pm, arriving to find the woman nearby the crashed vehicle. “The woman later returned a breath analysis reading of 0.314, over six times the legal limit,” he said. “She was arrested and charged with exceeding the prescribed alcohol limit, driving whist disqualified, breaching bail, and other related offences.” “Her vehicle was also seized and police will apply for it to be forfeited.” “Police would like to thank those members of the public who contacted police and provided information about the crash.” The woman is due to appear in the St Helens Magistrates Court on 2 October. Anyone with further information is asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestopperstas.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.
Police are conducting an operation to investigate serious criminal offending associated with illicit tobacco in South Australia.
Operation Eclipse has been focussed for some time and is investigating offences including arson, assaults and money laundering linked to the illegal activity that was first identified by police in May.
Detective Superintendent Shane Addison, Officer in Charge, Serious and Organised Crime Branch said police have been working proactively to identify the criminal networks involved in the trade of the illicit tobacco and working with other agencies to disrupt their criminal activities.
“Operation Eclipse has established strong working relationships with Victoria Police and other law enforcement agencies and we are sharing intelligence,’’ he said.
“We will not tolerate criminal behaviour that poses a risk to the community and have already made several arrests as part of the operation.’’ Police have so far linked seven arson attacks in the metropolitan area to the illicit tobacco industry. They have involved vehicles, restaurants and tobacco retailers. Numerous other incidents including assaults and standovers, have also been identified.
Serious and Organised Crime Branch detectives conducting Operation Eclipse have also identified another 15 persons of interest in the activity.
Besides the two arrests made so far for money laundering and serious criminal trespass, detectives have seized thousands of dollars in cash.
Operation Eclipse is working in partnership with CBS Tobacco Investigations, who are responsible for the regulation of tobacco in SA.
The seven arson incidents include:
19 July – car fire at Glenelg North
30 August – restaurant fire at Henley Beach Road, Torrensville
7 September – restaurant fire Main North Road, Enfield
9 September – vehicle fire Walkley Heights
11 September – vehicle fire Mawson Lakes
14 September – business broken into and arson attack Port Road, Hindmarsh
30 September – business at Henley Beach Road, Brooklyn Park
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –
The All-Russian scientific conference with international participation “Yenisei Photonics – 2024” was held at the Institute of Engineering Physics and Radioelectronics of the Siberian Federal University from September 16 to 20. It was attended by more than 300 scientists, students and postgraduates from Russian universities, as well as from new regions of Russia and the Republic of Belarus. The conference program included lectures by leading scientists, oral and poster presentations by researchers, postgraduates and students in the field of photonics. The conference was held with the support of the L. V. Kirensky Institute of Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Scientific and Educational Center of Photonics and Optoinformatics of ITMO University.
The conference participants, among whom were many young researchers, presented the results of theoretical and experimental research in several traditional areas of photonics at plenary and sectional sessions: creative photonics industries, new optical materials, coherent optics and nonlinear photonics, photonic crystals, metamaterials and topological phases, biophotonics. Attention was also paid to new areas of this science – artificial intelligence in photonics and quantum communications. 10 reports were presented by scientists from Novosibirsk State University and several institutes of the SB RAS: N.N. Vorozhtsov Institute of Organic Chemistry SB RAS, G.I. Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics SB RAS, Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, G.K. Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS, etc.
The plenary and sectional sessions discussed the results of theoretical and experimental research in seven areas: “Artificial Intelligence in Photonics: Integration of AI and Photonics, Optical Recognition (Faces and Objects), Optical Computing, Self-Learning Optical Systems, etc.”; “Quantum Communications: Quantum Information Theory, Quantum Key Distribution, Quantum Optics, Quantum Entanglement, etc.”; “Creative Industries of Photonics: Applied Photonics, Optical Technologies, Optical Methods of Diagnostics of Matter, Optical Metrology, etc.”; “New Optical Materials: Crystals and Crystalline Solid Solutions, Glass, Optical Ceramics, Liquid Crystals, etc.”; “Coherent Optics and Nonlinear Photonics: Coherent Processes, Interaction of Light with Matter, Laser Physics, Nonlinear Optical Phenomena, etc.”; “Photonic crystals, metamaterials and topological phases: resonant and anisotropic photonic structures, nanophotonics, plasmonics, photovoltaic and photocatalytic effects, etc.”; “Biophotonics: emission, detection, absorption, scattering and generation of optical radiation in biological objects, use of light to obtain information about the state of biological objects, etc.”
Katerina Kozlova, first-year master’s student at the Physics Department of NSU:
— I gave a report entitled “Registration of the precession of the magnetic moment of rubidium atoms in the Earth’s magnetic field using an elliptically polarized light wave for applications in quantum magnetometry.” It presented experimental data concerning the development of a compact optical magnetometer (magnetic field sensor), which is being developed in our laboratory. This device will be able to measure the absorption of radiation by atoms in a magnetic field and determine its magnitude based on certain changes. The report described two magnetometer schemes: the Bell-Bloom scheme and its modification using elliptical polarization of radiation. The sensitivities of both schemes were assessed and magneto-optical resonances registered in the Earth’s magnetic field were presented.
The conference left a very positive impression due to the large number of areas and the diversity of the works presented. I realized that I do not know much and am only just beginning to touch upon what modern optics and related areas are doing.
Sofia Pudova, 4th year undergraduate student at the Physics Department of NSU:
— Мой доклад был посвящен разработке методики анализа белков, полученных из биожидкостей, на основе спектроскопии комбинационного рассеяния света. Анализировались кондиционные жидкости после культивирования фибробрастов роговицы и модельные объекты — растворы яичного белка в среде DMEM. Были оптимизированы параметры эксперимента, что позволило детектировать белок с начальной концентрацией >=1 mg/ml and distinguish the spectra of growth and conditioned media. A method for obtaining spectra and assessing the amount of proteins, if their concentration is less than 1 mg/ml, by precipitating them with trichloroacetic acid and adding lysozyme is also proposed.
I would like to thank NSU for participating in funding this trip. This conference gave me the opportunity to listen to papers from different areas of photonics from speakers from all over Russia and practice presenting my own results. I received a lot of interesting, informative information that will be useful for my future scientific career.
Anastasia Omelchenko, 5th year student of the Physics Department of NSU:
— I gave a poster presentation on the study of living tardigrades using Raman spectroscopy. In the Laboratory of Condensed Matter Spectroscopy at the Institute of Automation and Electrometry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, we develop methods that allow non-invasive and non-destructive study of complex biological systems, which we demonstrated at the conference using organisms such as tardigrades as an example.
The conference left the most positive impressions – it is a wonderful location, a lot of interesting high-level reports and famous scientists who shared the latest scientific achievements with the participants. The conference featured about 300 reports covering modern issues and tasks of photonics – from quantum dot spectroscopy to phototherapy of diseases. In general, it was nice to see many familiar faces, and even nicer to make new promising acquaintances. As part of the conference, we also visited the laboratories of the L.V. Kirensky Institute of Physics SB RAS, where we were shown some of the best devices used in optical spectroscopy.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE
Headline: Third Meeting of the Interagency Steering Committee on Combating Cybercrime in Kazakhstan
Third Meeting of the Interagency Steering Committee on Combating Cybercrime in Kazakhstan, Astana, 18 September 2024 (OSCE/Akbota Sarzhanova) Photo details
On 18 September 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana held the third and final meeting of the Interagency Steering Committee on the development of Kazakhstan’s first Comprehensive Action Plan to Counter Cybercrimes and Crimes using Information and Communication Technologies for 2025-2029 (hereinafter, Action Plan). The initiative is part of the extrabudgetary project “Supporting the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Development of Effective Policies to Counter Cybercrimes (Phase I)”, implemented by the Office in co-operation with the Ministry of Interior of Kazakhstan, and with the support of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan.
The meeting brought together over 80 representatives from law enforcement and government agencies, including representatives from 20 police departments, leading national and international experts in combating cybercrime, as well as representatives from the private sector. Discussions focused on finalizing the draft of the Action Plan, refining the plan’s activities, and determining the methods and timelines for implementation.
Dr. Volker Frobarth, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, addressed the meeting, stating, “I would like to extend my gratitude to our key partner, the Ministry of Interior. Your staff are on the front lines of the daily fight against cybercrime. We recognize the significant challenges they face in investigating these crimes and bringing offenders to justice. Rest assured, both as an organization and as the Office, we are committed to providing full support to your Ministry in advancing initiatives aimed at combating cybercrime.”
This expert-level meeting builds on the progress made during the first and second meetings in this format, where participants reviewed key findings and recommendations for improving the country’s ability to combat cybercrime, based on the analysis of the current situation in Kazakhstan and the international experience of OSCE and OECD countries in effectively combating cybercrime. Special attention was paid to discussing mechanisms and methods to increase the effectiveness of countering new challenges and threats, improving the cybercrime prevention system, and ensuring respect for human rights and freedoms throughout the project’s implementation.
Deputy Minister of the Interior, Aidos Rysbaev, noted the importance of this collaborative effort, stating, “Since last year, we have launched a joint initiative with the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and other government agencies to develop effective policies for combating cybercrime. The Interagency Steering Committee has been established under the Ministry of Interior, and a draft Action Plan is already in place.”
A key outcome of the meeting was the recognition of the need to strengthen and expand international co-operation, establish mechanisms for interagency interaction, and enhance partnerships within a “whole-of-society” approach, thereby improving the effectiveness of identifying, investigating, preventing, and mitigating cybercrimes.
The extrabudgetary project is supported by the governments of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Kingdom of Norway, and aligns with Kazakhstan’s ongoing efforts to join the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. As Kazakhstan advances its cybercrime policies, the Action Plan will serve as a vital roadmap, ensuring the country is well-equipped to navigate the escalating challenges of the digital age.
This article contains minor spoilers for episode one of Joan.
The new six-part ITV crime series, Joan, opens with The Pretenders’ rebellious rock anthem Brass in Pocket. It’s a fitting choice that immediately sets the tone for the series. As Chrissie Hynde’s vocals kick in, we’re introduced to our protagonist – a woman who, like the song, will soon exude self-assurance and a touch of defiance, even in the face of overwhelming adversity.
Sophie Turner stars as Joan Hannington, whose journey from impoverished victim to notorious jewel thief unfolds in 1980s London. Based on true events, the series chronicles Hannington’s transformation into “the godmother” – the most infamous woman in the city’s criminal underworld.
The first episode establishes Hannington’s dire circumstances and the spark that ignites her criminal career. She is trapped in an abusive marriage to a violent man who physically abuses her and neglects their six-year-old daughter, Kelly. When he goes on the run, Hannington seizes the opportunity to escape, but not before facing the harsh realities of her situation – from being assaulted by gangsters to whom her husband owes money, to being pressured by undercover police to inform on him.
Circumstances force Hannington to place Kelly with an emergency foster family. This decision is made all the more poignant by the revelation of Joan’s own childhood in care, which explains her fierce determination to provide a better life for her daughter. Their relationship forms the first episode’s emotional core. It is why Joan takes her first tentative steps into illegality, beginning with stealing a car to visit Kelly at her new home.
The trailer for Joan.
This initial transgression evolves into more sophisticated cons. Her method of learning about jewellery by eavesdropping on wealthy women before landing a job at a jeweller’s offers a pointed commentary on class barriers. Hannington’s ability to mimic the accents and mannerisms of the affluent underscores the performative nature of social class and foreshadows her future success in high-end theft.
Joan doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of its world, where the threat of male violence is a constant shadow. From her husband’s brutal abuse to the unwelcome advances of her new boss at the jewellers, the series portrays a reality where Hannington’s safety is perpetually at risk.
Yet these very threats fuel her determination to carve out a safer life for herself and Kelly. We watch as she takes increasingly bold steps, culminating in a scene where she swallows several diamonds to smuggle them out of the store. This moment marks a turning point for Hannington, signalling her commitment to her new life of crime.
Anti-heroines in British crime drama
Joan takes its place in a rich tradition of anti-heroines in British crime TV, a lineage that has been slowly but steadily growing since the turn of the millennium.
As noted by professor of television studies, Milly Buonanno in Television Antiheroines: Women Behaving Badly in Crime and Prison Drama (2017), it wasn’t until the noughties that “the rule of male prominence and power [was] challenged by a wave of anti-heroines who have made inroads into the criminal underworlds and have provided evidence of women’s capacity to be ‘good at being bad’ against the myth of female innocence”.
Hannington joins this pantheon of complex female characters, trail-blazed in the 90s by Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) from Prime Suspect (1991). As TV critic Rebecca Nicholson has observed, Tennison’s influence “looms larger than is often acknowledged within modern television”. More recent additions to this lineage include characters such as Alice (Ruth Wilson) in Luther (2010) and Villanelle (Jodie Comer) in Killing Eve (2018) – each pushing the boundaries of how female characters are portrayed in British crime dramas.
Speaking about bringing Hannington to life on screen, Turner has said that she “was captivated by the character of Joan, she’s such a complex and extraordinary woman, both vulnerable and strong. She makes some terrible choices, unfortunately, but I think someone that a lot of people can relate to, and I just wanted to read more and more about her.”
Turner’s words encapsulate the hallmarks of the anti-heroine archetype – moral ambiguity, inner conflict, and a strange magnetism that draws viewers in despite (or perhaps because of) the character’s flaws. Her emphasis on Hannington’s relatability – even in the face of “terrible choices” – speaks to the human core of these anti-heroine stories.
But it’s crucial to approach these characters with a sense of discernment. As Buaonanno cautions, we should refrain from “uncritically celebrating characters of women in the business of crime”. The mere presence of criminal anti-heroines doesn’t equate to feminist achievement. But Joan does offer an opportunity for a nuanced exploration of themes such as gender, class and morality.
Whether Hannington’s journey will serve as a cautionary tale or a celebration of resilience remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Joan will challenge audiences to grapple with moral ambiguities as it explores the story of a working-class woman who forges her own path in the ruthless world of organised crime.
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Laura Minor 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.
A prolific and historic child abuser has been jailed, demonstrating the Metropolitan Police Service’s commitment to investigating child abuse and protecting the public from harm.
Christopher George Pearce, 59 (06/11/1965) of Cale Street, Chelsea was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday, 27 September.
The shocking sexual abuse by Pearce began in 1984 in Hammersmith, when his two victims were aged just 5 and 7 at the time. Pearce’s crimes continued until 1988 when he sexually abused another two children, aged 6 and 7 in Chelsea.
Specialist officers began investigating Pearce in 2020 after he was caught trying to groom what he believed to be a child online in March 2020. After Pearce’s arrest was posted online, two of his victims bravely came forward years after Pearce’s terrible crimes had taken place.
As part of officers’ determination to build a case against Pearce, officers were able relocate evidence dating back as far as 1988, before carefully conducting interviews with Pearce’s previous victims.
Detective Superintendent Tony Larkin for the Metropolitan Police, who led the investigation said: “I want to thank the victims for coming forward, speaking to and working with officers through a long and complex investigation. I hope the bravery and willingness of the victims serves as an inspiration to those who may otherwise fear reporting this kind of abhorrent abuse.
“I am in no doubt that since 1984 Pearce has been an incredibly dangerous child sex offender and is now no longer free to commit offences against children.
“The officers in this case showed true determination in securing justice for all the victims – they are a credit to the Met.
“I would urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse – no matter how long ago – to please come forward to police. We assure you that you will be listened to and we will help you get support you so rightly deserve.”
Children and young people are the most vulnerable in society, and the Met is committed to keeping them safe in person and online.
As part of the A New Met for London plan, officers are working closely with third sector partners, including The Children’s Society to help young people, parents and carers spot the signs of sexual abuse and predatory behaviour online and offline.
Crimes of this nature can be reported online or on the telephone or in person to the police by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.
If you’ve been a victim of rape or sexual assault, charities and support agencies can offer help and guidance:
National Association for People Abused in Childhood NAPAC helpline: 0808 801 0331
Rape Crisis: 08085002222
Childline : 0800 1111
National Rape and Sexual Abuse Helpline : 0808 802 9999
Singapore, 30September 2024 — Singapore and Ghana have set out the processes for authorising carbon credit projects under their Implementation Agreement on carbon credits cooperation, in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Applications may be submitted through Singapore’s Carbon Markets Cooperation website, at http://www.carbonmarkets-cooperation.gov.sg.
2 The carbon credit projects authorised under the Implementation Agreement will channel financing towards emissions reduction or removal projects in Ghana. These projects can promote sustainable development and generate benefits for local communities, including job creation, clean water access, improvements to energy security, and reducing environmental pollution (See Annex A for potential project types).
3 Authorised projects can generate carbon credits aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Under Singapore’s International Carbon Credit (ICC) Framework, these credits may be eligible for use by Singapore-based carbon tax-liable companies to offset up to 5% of their taxable emissions.
4 From 30 September 2024, interested parties may submit applications for their carbon credit projects in Ghana to be authorised. Applications submitted will be reviewed by Singapore and Ghana governments on a rolling basis as they are received.
Application and Authorisation Process
5 The application and authorisation process comprises four stages, each corresponding to a different stage of implementation for the carbon credit project (See Annex B). The first three stages require applicants to submit details on the design and implementation plan for the carbon credit project in the lead-up to project authorisation. The final stage is for corresponding adjustments to be applied to the carbon credits generated from the authorised project, in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
6 Singapore and Ghana will assess applications against each country’s respective requirements. For Singapore, these projects must meet Singapore’s Eligibility Criteria for International Carbon Credits. The Eligibility Criteria, and the list of eligible carbon crediting programmes and methodologies under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement, are at Annex C, and on the Carbon Markets Cooperation website. The list will be reviewed regularly to maintain relevance and uphold environmental integrity.
Annex A
Potential Carbon Credit Project Types for Applications
Project Type
Description
Clean Water Supply
Rural communities are provided with water purification technologies (e.g. UV-based disinfection systems). This empowers communities with an alternate source of clean and safe drinking water without relying on the conventional method of using firewood to boil water. This reduces carbon emissions from burning firewood and associated deforestation activities, and carbon credits are issued based on the emissions reduced.
Local communities can also benefit from improved water safety and security.
Efficient and Clean Cookstoves
In rural areas where households use firewood for their cooking and heating needs, the switch to efficient and clean cookstoves (e.g. cookstoves that use renewable fuel like biogas or solar energy) enables households to meet their cooking and heating needs more efficiently and cleanly. This reduces the burning of firewood and resulting carbon emissions from deforestation. Carbon credits are issued based on the emissions reduced.
Co-benefits are also delivered to local communities, including cleaner air quality through the reduction of firewood burning.
Green Mobility
As Electric Vehicles (EVs) replace fossil fuel-powered vehicles for transportation needs, there are emissions reductions as EVs are more efficient and potentially powered by green energy. Carbon credits are issued based on the emissions reduced.
There are also sustainable development benefits for local communities. Skilled jobs are created for the maintenance of EV infrastructure, and improves air quality from reduced reliance on fossil fuel-powered vehicles.
Annex B
Flowchart of Application and Authorisation Process
Joint Committee
The Joint Committee is a coordination body that oversees the administration of the Implementation Agreement. The Joint Committee under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement is co-chaired by the Director-General of Climate Change at the National Climate Change Secretariat of Singapore, and the Director of Environment, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation of Ghana.
Stage A: Project Application
Applicants are to submit a concept note on the intended project, indicating the programme and methodology that the project will be developed under, and broadly how the project will be implemented to uphold environmental integrity (e.g. explanations on how the project will demonstrate additionality).
Stage B: Project Design
As the project concept is further developed, applicants are to submit a project design document (PDD) on the intended project. The PDD should contain the detailed implementation plan (e.g. how the baseline emissions will be determined, how the project will address permanence and leakage concerns).
Stage C: Project Authorisation
Under this stage, applicants are to submit a validation report from a third-party auditor determining that the project design meets all the rules and requirements of the intended methodology and carbon crediting programme. After receiving Letters of Authorisation from both Singapore and Ghana, the project should proceed to be registered under the intended carbon crediting programme, and proceed to implementation.
Stage D: Corresponding Adjustment Application
As the authorised project is implemented and the emission reductions and removals have been verified by a third-party auditor, the carbon crediting programme will issue carbon credits to the project. Applicants are to submit a Proof of Issuance from the carbon crediting programme accompanied with the verification report from the third-party auditor, to be considered for corresponding adjustments to be applied to the issued carbon credits, in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
Annex C
Singapore’s Eligibility Criteria and the Eligibility List under theSingapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement
Eligibility Criteria
1 The Eligibility Criteria requires ICCs to represent emissions reductions or removals that occur within the timeframe specified under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and meet seven principles to demonstrate environmental integrity (see Table C-1 below).
Table C-1: Eligibility Criteria for ICCs
Principle
Definition
To comply with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, the certified emissions reductions or removals must have occurred between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2030.
Not double-counted
The certified emissions reductions or removals must not be counted more than once in contravention of the Paris Agreement.
Additional
The certified emissions reductions or removals must exceed any emissions reduction or removals required by any law or regulatory requirement of the host country, and that would otherwise have occurred in a conservative, business-as-usual scenario.
Real
The certified emissions reductions or removals must have been quantified based on a realistic, defensible, and conservative estimate of the amount of emissions that would have occurred in a business-as-usual scenario, assuming the project or programme that generated the certified emission reductions or removals had not been carried out.
Quantified and verified
The certified emissions reductions or removals must have been calculated in a manner that is conservative and transparent, and must have been measured and verified by an accredited and independent third-party verification entity before the ICC was issued.
Permanent
The certified emissions reductions or removals must not be reversible, or if there is a risk that the certified emissions reductions or removals may be reversible, there must be measures in place to monitor, mitigate and compensate any material reversal of the certified emissions reductions or removals.
No net harm
The project or programme that generated the certified emissions reductions or removals must not violate any applicable laws, regulatory requirements, or international obligations of the host country.
No leakage
The project or programme that generated the certified emissions reductions or removals must not result in a material increase in emissions elsewhere, or if there is a risk of a material increase in emissions elsewhere, there must be measures in place to monitor, mitigate and compensate any such material increase in emissions.
Eligibility List under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement
2 The Eligibility List of carbon crediting programmes and methodologies in Table C-2 adhere to the Eligibility Criteria and meet the requirements of both Singapore and Ghana. The carbon crediting programmes and methodologies that are eligible may be different for each host country, as host countries also have their own criteria.
Table C-2: Eligibility List under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement
Carbon Crediting Programmes
Methodologies
Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GG)
All active methodologies published before 31 March 2023, except those under the “Land Use and Forestry & Agriculture” category of GS4GG
Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)
All active methodologies published before 31 March 2023, except those that are under the “Sectoral Scope 14” category of VCS, with these allowable exceptions: · Scenario 2a and 3 of VCS Jurisdictional and Nested REDD+ (JNR) framework · VM0012 · VM0017 · VM0021 · VM0022 · VM0024 · VM0026 (and VMD0040) · VM0032 · VM0033 · VM0036 · VM0041 · VM0042
Where any VCS methodology is used, the project participant will be required to demonstrate the Sustainable Development contributions or co-benefits of the relevant mitigation activity by submitting to the Joint Committee its verification report under the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCB Standards), the Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) or another standard recognised by VCS for such purpose.
Annex D
Information on the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement
1 Singapore and Ghana signed an Implementation Agreement on carbon credits cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on 27 May 2024. Since the signing, Singapore has been working with Ghana to operationalise the Implementation Agreement.
2 As an additional contribution to mitigation of global emissions, Singapore has committed to having 2% of the correspondingly adjusted carbon credits authorised under this Implementation Agreement cancelled at first issuance. These carbon credits cannot be sold, traded, or counted towards any country’s emission targets, and will instead contribute towards a net reduction in global emissions.
3 Singapore has committed to channelling the value from 5% of the correspondingly adjusted carbon credits authorised under this Implementation Agreement towards adaptation measures such as heat resilience measures and coastal protection in Ghana.
4 This is the second Implementation Agreement for Singapore, after the first with Papua New Guinea which was signed in December 2023. Singapore signed MOUs / Letters of Intent on carbon credits collaboration with countries such as Bhutan, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Mongolia, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Vietnam, Rwanda, Senegal, and Sri Lanka, with the aim of inking similar Implementation Agreements.
5 Effective international cooperation, such as through carbon markets, is an important part of Singapore’s efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, given Singapore’s national circumstances as an alternative-energy disadvantaged country with limited domestic mitigation potential.
The 8th edition of India-Kazakhstan Joint Military Exercise KAZIND-2024 commenced today, at Surya Foreign Training Node, Auli, Uttarakhand. The exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 30th September to 13th October 2024. Joint Exercise KAZIND-2024 has been held annually since 2016. Last edition of the Joint Exercise was held at Otar, Kazakhstan from 30th October to 11th November 2023.
The Indian Armed Forces, comprising 120 personnel, are being represented by a battalion of the KUMAON Regiment of Indian Army, along with other arms and services, as well as personnel from Indian Air Force. The Kazakhstan contingent will be represented mainly by personnel from Land Forces and Air Borne Assault Troopers.
Aim of the Joint Exercise is to enhance joint military capability of both sides to undertake counter terrorism operations in a sub conventional scenario under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. The Joint Exercise will focus on operations in the semi-urban and mountainous terrain. Objectives to be achieved from the Joint Exercise are high degree of physical fitness, rehearsing and refining drills for operations at tactical level and sharing of best practices.
Tactical drills to be rehearsed during the Joint Exercise include joint response to a terrorist action, establishment of a Joint Command Post, establishment of an Intelligence and Surveillance Centre, securing of helipad / landing site, combat free fall, Special Heliborne Operations, Cordon and Search operations, besides employment of drones and counter drone systems among others.
Joint Exercise KAZIND-2024 will enable both sides to share best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting joint operations. It will facilitate developing inter-operability, bonhomie and camaraderie between the two armies. The Joint Exercise will also enhance defence cooperation, further augmenting bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed the following bills:
AB 98 by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) – Planning and zoning: logistics use: truck routes.
AB 347 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Household product safety: toxic substances: testing and enforcement.
AB 772 by Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) – Child day care facilities.
AB 796 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Athletic trainers.
AB 801 by Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) – Student privacy: online personal information.
AB 866 by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) – Juveniles: care and treatment.
AB 977 by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D-Pomona) – Emergency departments: assault and battery.
AB 1755 by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) – Civil actions: restitution for or replacement of a new motor vehicle. A signing message can be found here.
AB 1810 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Incarcerated persons: menstrual products.
AB 1824 by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) – California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018: opt out right: mergers.
AB 1825 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) – California Freedom to Read Act.
AB 1841 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Student safety: opioid overdose reversal medication: student housing facilities.
AB 1843 by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D-Pomona) – Emergency ambulance employees.
AB 1907 by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) – California Child and Family Service Review System: Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment.
AB 1934 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord) – Digital financial asset businesses.
AB 2074 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) – Pupil instruction: English Learner Roadmap Policy: statewide implementation plan. A signing message can be found here.
AB 2096 by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) – Restraining orders: educational institutions.
AB 2119 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Mental health.
AB 2123 by Assemblymember Diane Papan (D-San Mateo) – Disability compensation: paid family leave.
AB 2129 by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) – Immediate postpartum contraception.
AB 2132 by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) – Health care services: tuberculosis.
AB 2164 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) – Physicians and surgeons: licensure requirements: disclosure.
AB 2192 by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) – Public agencies: cost accounting standards.
AB 2215 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Criminal procedure: arrests.
AB 2224 by Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) – Special immigrant juvenile status: court orders and guardianship.
AB 2245 by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) – Certificated school employees: permanent status: regional occupational centers or programs operated by single school districts.
AB 2318 by Assemblymember Diane Papan (D-San Mateo) – State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account: receipts and expenditures: report.
AB 2343 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) – CalWORKs: childcare programs.
AB 2357 by Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains (D-Bakersfield) – University of California: school of medicine: University of California Kern County Medical Education Endowment Fund. A signing message can be found here.
AB 2377 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-Sylmar) – Pupil instruction: physical education: accommodation: religious fasting.
AB 2443 by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) – Transactions and use taxes: Cities of Lancaster, Palmdale, and Victorville.
AB 2458 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) – Public postsecondary education: student parents.
AB 2475 by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) – Parole.
AB 2483 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Postconviction proceedings.
AB 2484 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Courts: juveniles: remote proceedings.
AB 2493 by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) – Tenancy: application screening fee.
AB 2499 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) – Employment: unlawful discrimination and paid sick days: victims of violence.
AB 2531 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Deaths while in law enforcement custody: reporting.
AB 2738 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-Sylmar) – Labor Code: alternative enforcement: occupational safety. A signing message can be found here.
AB 2741 by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) – Rental car companies: electronic surveillance technology.
AB 2843 by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) – Health care coverage: rape and sexual assault.
AB 2883 by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) – California State University: University of California: Lunar New Year holiday.
AB 2988 by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) – Courts.
AB 2998 by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) – Opioid overdose reversal medications: pupil administration.
AB 3059 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Human milk.
AB 3145 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Family preservation services: standards.
AB 3206 by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) – Alcoholic beverages: hours of sale: arenas in the City of Inglewood. A signing message can be found here.
AB 3258 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Refinery and chemical plants.
SB 285 by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) – Criminal procedure: sentencing.
SB 379 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – Victim services: restorative justice.
SB 442 by Senator Monique Limόn (D-Santa Barbara) – Sexual battery.
SB 504 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – Wildfires: defensible space: grant programs: local governments.
SB 551 by Senator Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank) – Beverage containers: recycling.
SB 575 by Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Silicon Valley) – Marriage: underage marriage.
SB 918 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – Law enforcement contact process: search warrants.
SB 940 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – Civil disputes.
SB 946 by Senator Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) – Personal Income Tax Law: Corporation Tax Law: exclusions: wildfire mitigation payments.
SB 958 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – Surplus state property: County of Napa.
SB 1143 by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) – Paint products: stewardship program.
SB 1174 by Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) – Elections: voter identification.
SB 1303 by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced) – Public works.
SB 1379 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – Public Employees’ Retirement Law: reinstatement: County of Solano.
SB 1386 by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced) – Evidence: sexual assault.
The Governor also announced that he has vetoed the following bills:
AB 637 by Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) – Zero-emission vehicles: fleet owners: rental vehicles. A veto message can be found here.
AB 1111 by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) – Cannabis: small producer event sales license. A veto message can be found here.
AB 1122 by Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains (D-Bakersfield) – Commercial harbor craft: equipment. A veto message can be found here.
AB 1296 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord) – Bar pilots: regulation of vessels. A veto message can be found here.
AB 1890 by Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) – Public works: prevailing wage. A veto message can be found here.
AB 1895 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Public health: maternity ward closures. A veto message can be found here.
AB 1973 by Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) – Personal Income Tax Law: Corporation Tax Law: Bobcat Fire: exclusions. A veto message can be found here.
AB 2058 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Devices: disclosures. A veto message can be found here.
AB 2178 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Prisons: bed thresholds. A veto message can be found here.
AB 2447 by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) – California State University: fiscal transparency: internet website. A veto message can be found here.
AB 2693 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) – Childhood sexual assault: statute of limitations. A veto message can be found here.
AB 2773 by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) – Elders and dependent adults: abuse or neglect. A veto message can be found here.
AB 2892 by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) – Vehicles: financial responsibility: self-insurance. A veto message can be found here.
AB 3179 by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) – Emergency telecommunications medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles. A veto message can be found here.
AB 3245 by Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) – Coverage for colorectal cancer screening. A veto message can be found here.
AB 3282 by the Committee on Judiciary – Courts. A veto message can be found here.
SB 299 by Senator Monique Limόn (D-Santa Barbara) – Voter registration: California New Motor Voter Program. A veto message can be found here.
SB 336 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – State grant programs: negotiated indirect cost rates. A veto message can be found here.
SB 542 by Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber) – Personal Income Tax Law: Corporation Tax Law: wildfires: exclusions. A veto message can be found here.
SB 615 by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) – Vehicle traction batteries. A veto message can be found here.
SB 782 by Senator Monique Limόn (D-Santa Barbara) – Gubernatorial appointments: report. A veto message can be found here.
SB 984 by Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Silicon Valley) – Public agencies: project labor agreements. A veto message can be found here.
SB 1022 by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) – Enforcement of civil rights. A veto message can be found here.
SB 1066 by Senator Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) – Hazardous waste: marine flares: manufacturer responsibility. A veto message can be found here.
SB 1155 by Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) – Political Reform Act of 1974: postgovernment employment restrictions. A veto message can be found here.
SB 1281 by Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley/Burbank) – Advancing Equity and Access in the Self-Determination Program Act. A veto message can be found here.
For full text of the bills, visit: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.
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On Monday, 30 September, Deputy President Paul Mashatile is in the United Kingdom for the second leg of his working visit. The purpose of the visit is to improve trade and investment relations between South Africa and the United Kingdom. The visit will conclude on Friday, 4 October.
On Monday, 30 September, Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa hosts the Renewable Energy Seminar in Midrand, Gauteng.
On Tuesday, 1 October, President Cyril Ramaphosa will launch, on behalf of government, Phase 2 of the Business and Government Partnership.
From Tuesday, 1 October, Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi leads the South African delegation at the International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV). The conference ends on 4 October.
On Tuesday, 1 October, Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth briefs media on inspections and compliance raids in South Africa.
On Wednesday, 2 October, the Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Namane Dickson Masemola, leads an important oversight visit to the Northern Cape, focusing on the ZF Mgcawu and Pixley Ka Seme District Municipalities.
On Friday, the South African Navy will host the SA Navy Festival in the East Dockyard, Simon’s Town, over the period 4 – 6 October. – SAnews.gov.za
NEW YORK, Oct. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Biz2Credit’s 2024 Latino-Owned Business Study found that while revenues of Latino-owned companies increased (+11.6%), expenses rose more (+ 22.7%), resulting in lower earnings in 2023-24 than in 2022-23 (-$41.1K).
The annual study examined the performance of Latino-owned small to midsized companies — from early stage to established companies — in the U.S. from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. It examines financial indicators including annual revenue, operating expenses, age of business, and credit scores of both Latino-owned and non-Latino-owned companies.
“Revenues for small businesses rose overall, largely because of inflation. Earnings were down overall, but the average drop for Latino-owned businesses was not as sharp as for non-Latino-owned businesses,” said Rohit Arora, CEO of Biz2Credit and Biz2X, who oversaw the research. “When we analyzed earnings performance, Latino-owned businesses outperformed the others.”
Key findings: Latino-owned vs. non-Latino-owned Businesses
The averageannual revenue of Latino-owned businesses increased by 11.6% from $601,636 in 2022-23 to $671,360 in 2023-24. Meanwhile, the average annual revenue for non-Latino Businesses increased by 11.5% from $667,204 in 2022-23 to $744,027 in 2023-24.
Average earnings (Annual Revenue – Operating Expenses) for Latino-owned businesses dropped from $113,268 in 2022-23 to $72,168 in 2023-24, a drop of $41,100. Meanwhile, non-Latino-owned businesses declined from $159,365 to $94,237, a drop of $65,128. Overall, earnings across all businesses decreased by 40% year over year.
Operating expenses for Latino-owned firms increased by 22.7% from $488,368 in 2022-23 to $599,192 in 2023-24, resulting in earnings decreaseof 36.3% for Latino firms. Meanwhile, operating costs for non-Latino-owned companies increased 28% from $507,849 in 2022-23 to $649,790 in 2023-24, resulting in a 40.9% drop in earnings.
The average personal (FICO) credit score* for Latino owned business increased from 641 in 2022-23 to 647 in 2023-24. In comparison, the personal credit score for non-Latino-owned business increased from 648 to 659 during the same timeframe.
The age of business for Latino-owned business increased from 54 months (4.5 years) in 2022-23 to 64 months in 2023-24. This is an indication of the staying power of Latino-owned companies. In comparison, non-Latino-owned businesses were in operation for an average of 79 months (slightly more than 6.5 years).
The average approved funding amount** for Latino-owned businesses rose from $55,396 in 2022-23 to $75,680 in 2023-24. The amount was $16,662 lower than that for non-Latino-owned businesses, which had $92,342 in 2023-24, up from $75,912 in 2022-23.
The percentage of financing applications submitted by Latino-owned businesses, relative to the total number of submitted applications, increased slightly from 14.8% in 2022-23 to 15% in 2023-24. In 2024, financing applications by Latino-owned businesses increased 14.13% (year-over-year) compared to 2023. That surpassed applications by non-Latino owned businesses, which grew 12.78% year-over-year.
The funding rate for Latino-owned businesses stands at 32%, slightly higher than the 31% rate for non-Latino-owned businesses. The average funded amounts** were $62,371 for Latino-owned businesses and $76,503 for non-Latino-owned firms.
Construction accounted for the largest industry category of Latino-owned companies examined in the study, followed by Other Services (except Public Administration), Accommodation and Food Services, Retail Trade, and Transportation and Warehousing.
By state, nearly one-quarter (24%) of funding requests from Latino-owned firms came from Florida, followed closely by California (19.4%), and then Texas, New York, and New Jersey.
“Inflationary pressures significantly hurt the earnings of all small businesses in the last year, and Latino-owned firms were not immune. While their revenues rose in 2023-24, their expenses increased almost twice as much,” said Arora. “Profits for Latino-owned companies seeking financing were down 36% on average, as a result.”
“Many factors combined, including increased labor costs, rising fuel prices, and overall inflation. High interest rates also pinched companies that borrowed money for working capital or expansion,” Arora added. “The good news is that the growth rate of inflation has been easing a bit, and the Federal Reserve has lowered interest rates, thus bringing down the cost of capital.”
*Average credit score is derived from the personal FICO credit score of business owners ** Average approved funding amounts and average funding sizes are determined by the qualifications of funding applications, including FICO scores and business revenues. any discrepancies are driven by these financial metrics.
Impact of Latino-owned businesses on the U.S. Economy
The U.S. is home to over 63 million Latinos, accounting for roughly 19% of the nation’s population. Latinos contribute a staggering $3.2 trillion to the economy and own nearly 5 million businesses that collectively generate more than $800 billion annually, according to the Stanford Graduate School of Business Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative (SLEI).
Further, Latino entrepreneurs are starting businesses at more than twice the rate of the general U.S. population. This increase has led to a higher proportion of new businesses being owned by immigrants overall. In 2023, immigrants were responsible for 36% of new business launches, up from 25% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Latino immigrants significantly outpace other groups in business ownership, and they comprise 52% of all Latino-owned businesses. In contrast, only 7% of White-owned employer businesses are immigrant-owned, according to the SLEI. Further, Latino-owned businesses are set to revolutionize the U.S. economy, as Latinos are projected to make up 29% of the population by 2050 and contribute a staggering $1.4 trillion to the U.S. economy, according to JPMorgan Chase.
Methodology
Biz2Credit’s 2024 Latino-Owned Business Study is an annual review of the financial performance of Latino-owned small to midsized businesses in the United States, categorized by revenue generation. The study reviewed over 121,000 funding requests from both Latino-owned and non-Latino-owned businesses across all 50 states and 20 industries by analyzing credit inquiries and applications from July 2023 to June 2024.The analysis focused on variables such as submitted applications, annual revenue, operating expenses, business age, personal credit (FICO) scores*, funding rates, and average loan sizes. The study offers insights into the performance of Latino-owned private companies over the past year, using 2022-2023 data to compare average revenue and expenses year-over-year for 2023-2024.
About Biz2Credit Founded in 2007, Biz2Credit has helped thousands of companies access more than $8 billion in small business financing. The company is expanding its industry-leading Biz2X® technology in custom digital platform solutions for banks and other financial institutions, investors, and service providers. Visit http://www.biz2credit.com, Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).
Question for written answer E-001766/2024 to the Commission Rule 144 Mathilde Androuët (PfE)
The Council of the EU has accepted the Commission’s proposal to extend the temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 2026, including access to the labour market and to housing[1]. As of May 2024, Eurostat[2] reported 4.2 million displaced Ukrainians, mainly in Germany and Poland. According to data provided by the Federal Statistical Office in Germany, 70% of refugees are women, and only 14% of them are in employment. German media and NGOs have recently warned about a high number of ‘very young Ukrainian women’ falling victim to human traffickers and ending up in prostitution rings[3], either on the internet or in brothels, owing to a lack of accommodation and employment. There can be little doubt that this prostitution is not voluntary.
Alarm about the increase in sexual exploitation networks involving Ukrainian refugees, including ‘via online platforms’, had already been raised in November 2022, when Valiant Richey of the OSCE[4], said that the DSA[5] was ‘silent on trafficking in human beings’[6].
What measures has the Commission taken in the meantime, or what measures does it recommended, specifically to address this serious problem?
Submitted: 19.9.2024
[1] ‘Ukrainian refugees: Council extends temporary protection until March 2026’ – Council of the European Union – 25 June 2024.
[2] Temporary protection for persons fleeing Ukraine – monthly statistics – Eurostat Statistics Explained -10 October 2024.
[3] ‘In den Bordellen sind es mittlerweile etwa 50 Prozent Ukrainerinne’, Uma Sostmann, Die Welt, 17 September 2024.
[4] Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Mr Ladislav Hamran, the President of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation since 2017, presented to LIBE Committee Members the Agency, its role and current activities.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John Oathout, age 54, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on Friday to 25 years in prison for transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Oathout admitted that after a romantic relationship ended with the victim’s mother, the victim’s mother permitted the defendant to take her daughter on overnight trips to Virginia and New York. During the week of Thanksgiving 2021, the defendant arranged to pick up the 5-year-old child from her home in Delaware and transport her to a hotel in Kingston, New York, where he subjected the child to sexual contact.
In addition to sentencing Oathout to serve 25 years in prison, Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 20-year term of supervised release, which Oathout will begin serving after he is released from prison, at which time Oathout will also be required to register as a sex offender.
The FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this case. The Task Force includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorney Carling Dunham prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locates, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Bay Roberts RCMP is investigating the theft of a truck that occurred last night in Clarke’s Beach. The stolen vehicle was recovered from a nearby body of water.
Shortly before 8:00 p.m., Bay Roberts RCMP received a report of theft of a truck in Clarke’s Beach. The vehicle, a black 2008 Chevrolet Silverado, was stolen from the parking lot of the post office while the operator was inside the business.
Approximately ten minutes later, Bay Roberts RCMP received a report that a truck had departed the road and entered a body of water in Clarke’s Beach. An occupant of the truck swam to shore and was picked up by an unknown male operating an all-terrain vehicle. Both individuals departed prior to police arrival.
An extensive search of the area and the water was conducted with no other occupants located. The truck was recovered from the pond and was confirmed as being the stolen truck.
The investigation is continuing.
Bay Roberts RCMP is looking to identify the individual involved in the theft of the truck, as well as the ATV operator, and asks the public to check for any available surveillance footage that may assist with this investigation.
Anyone having information about either of these incidents is asked to contact Bay Roberts RCMP at 709-786-2118. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visithttp://www.nlcrimestoppers.comor use the P3Tips app.
Bay Roberts RCMP thanks those involved in the search of the water last evening, including Avalon North Wolverines Search and Rescue and Bay De Grave Fire Department.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
Salt Lake City, Utah – Thomas Fairbanks, 71, of Cache County, Utah, was sentenced today to an additional 30 days’ imprisonment for failure to appear in court for a sentencing hearing in a securities fraud case. The one month sentence will be served consecutively to his 27 months’ securities fraud sentence, which was imposed in April 2024.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, on May 24, 2023, Fairbanks failed to appear in front of U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parrish for his sentencing in a 2019 securities fraud case, after he was convicted by a jury on August 30, 2022. After his failure to appear, a warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was later arrested in February 2024. According to court documents in the 2019 case, the defendant was convicted of a securities fraud scheme in connection with his fraudulent company SupplyLine Partners. As part of the scheme, Fairbanks created a pitch deck to advertise the entity, ran seminars to find investors, and ultimately convinced at least two individuals to invest with him in his fake entity. SupplyLine was never a registered company nor was Fairbanks authorized to sell securities.
Fairbanks took victims’ money and did not invest as he said he would, never returned the money and did not pay out the promised 6% interest. In total, Fairbanks defrauded two victims out of $270,232.
The case was investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Securities and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Hackford-Peer and Kevin Sundwall of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
ST. LOUIS – The owner of a nonprofit was indicted Wednesday and accused of fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in funds intended to feed low-income Missouri children, both before and during the coronavirus pandemic.
Cymone McClellan, 31, of St. Louis, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on four felony counts of wire fraud.
The indictment says McClellan owned and ran a non-profit organization called Sister of Lavender Rose (S.O.L.R.). From about January 2019 to June 2022, McClellan and her nonprofit submitted false and fraudulent meal reimbursement claims to Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). S.O.L.R. submitted reimbursement claims to the Food and Nutrition Programs for Children claiming that she served 860,876 meals to children but only bought enough food and milk to serve fewer than one-quarter of those meals, the indictment says. According to the indictment, McClellan defrauded the State of Missouri out of more than $2 million through her fraudulent reimbursement claims.
The indictment says McClellan attempted to cover up her crime by providing bogus sign-in sheets to DHSS falsely claiming to have taken the attendance of meal recipients at certain food distribution locations. S.O.L.R. submitted management plans to DHSS falsely asserting that state meal reimbursement dollars were spent only in connection with the provision of meals to low-income children, and that the nonprofit did not use meal money to make purchases over $5,000. The indictment says McClellan spent $60,000 on a down payment on a house in Collinsville, Illinois and also bought five vehicles and a house in Florissant, Missouri.
One of the addresses where McClellan informed the State of Missouri that she was purportedly preparing food for low-income children belonged to an adults-only nightclub called Elmo’s Love Lounge, the indictment says.
The indictment seeks the forfeiture of the real estate, as well as a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, a 2012 Chevrolet Express G3500 van, a 2020 Mercedez-Benz Metris van, a 2012 Ford E350 box truck and a 2018 Lexus RX SUV.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The wire fraud charges carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
DETROIT – United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today a series of three civil settlements, totaling over $8 million, related to, among other allegations, kickbacks that medical device company Ra Medical Systems, Inc. (Ra Medical), paid to various physicians across the country related to Ra Medical’s DABRA laser.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Chicago Regional Office, Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Northeast Field Office.
Ra Medical was a medical device company that was formerly headquartered in Carlsbad, California. From 2017-2019, Ra Medical manufactured and sold a device known as the DABRA Laser. The settlement with Ra Medical resolves the following alleged violations of the False Claims Act:
Ra Medical marketed the DABRA Laser for use in atherectomies, a procedure whereby plaque is mechanically removed from occluded blood vessels in patients suffering from peripheral artery disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, however, had not approved the DABRA Laser for use in atherectomy procedures.
Additionally, Ra Medical knowingly marketed the DABRA Laser despite product performance issues causing frequent calibration and overheating problems, which posed a risk to physicians and patients, and prompted a recall in August 2019.
Ra Medical also knowingly offered and paid illegal remuneration to certain physicians to induce them to use the DABRA Laser in violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute. The United States contends that the illegal remuneration consisted of cash payments and fees paid in connection with purported training events and consulting services. The United States further contends that RMS tracked utilization of its high-volume physician customers using an internal document titled “Who Deserve[] Love,” which was used to identify physicians that RMS should target with offers of improper remuneration. Two of the recipients of the alleged kickback payments were Elias Kassab, M.D. (Kassab), of Dearborn, Michigan, and David Allie, M.D. (Allie), of Lafayette, Louisiana.
The Federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering or paying anything of value to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally funded programs. The statute is intended to ensure that a medical provider’s judgment is not compromised by improper financial incentives.
Under the terms of the agreement with Ra Medical, which was entered into pursuant to DOJ’s inability to pay settlement guidelines and was executed in December 2020, Ra Medical paid $2.5 million up front and would pay up to $28 million more if future financial contingencies were met. In January 2023, Ra Medical paid an additional $5 million, after its reverse merger with Catheter Precision, Inc., triggered one of the contingencies.
The settlement with Ra Medical remained under seal while the United States continued its investigation into Kassab and Allie, among others, who were alleged to have received improper kickbacks. In a separate settlement, Kassab and two of his companies agreed to pay $450,000 to resolve the allegations against them. In the third settlement, Allie and his consulting company agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve the allegations against them.
“The United States will not allow doctors to hold out their hands expecting to be paid to use and promote a device,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “The millions of people who depend on our federal healthcare programs deserve and expect medical decisions untainted by kickbacks, and this settlement reflects our commitment to pursuing not just the companies that pay illegal kickbacks, but also the physicians who willingly extract and accept them.”
“The payment of kickbacks to induce referrals can undermine the trust in our nation’s providers and result in costly reductions to our federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to ensure the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.”
“Healthcare services are being unlawfully influenced by medical providers engaging in criminal kickback schemes, significantly impacting programs such as Medicare and Medicaid,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Our office is fully committed to investigating and holding accountable those individuals and organizations involved in illegal profit-driven practices that harm our medical system.”
“Protecting TRICARE, the healthcare system for military members and their dependents, is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General,” stated Special Agent-in-Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, DCIS Northeast Field Office. “The settlement agreement announced today demonstrates our ongoing commitment to work with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of healthcare fraud.”
The civil settlements resolve the claims brought by Robert Gruber, under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under these provisions, a private party may file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Gruber v. Ra Medical Systems, Inc., et al., No. 19-12044 (E.D. Mich.). The whistleblower will receive a combined $1,722,000 from the three settlements. The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only; there has been no determination or admission of liability.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonny Zajac of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from HHS-OIG, the FBI, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
ST. LOUIS – A Texas businessman has been indicted in St. Louis and accused of fraudulently seeking more than $4.5 million from Medicare for COVID test kits and obtaining more than $1.9 million.
Rashid Naqvi, 51, of the Houston area, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on September 4 on four counts of wire fraud conspiracy and one count each of obstruction of a federal audit and conspiracy.
He appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded not guilty.
The indictment accuses Naqvi of fraudulently obtaining $1,974,479 from Medicare from March 2023 through September 2024 by billing for numerous COVID-19 test kits that were sent to patients who had never requested them. Many of the patients were dead, the indictment says. Naqvi obtained victims’ Medicare Numbers and identifiers without their knowledge or consent by paying a total of $488,435 in illegal kickbacks to co-conspirators, the indictment says. It says Naqvi used two laboratories that he owned to submit the false claims to Medicare, Elite Diagnostics Inc. in Missouri and Astro Diagnostics Inc. in the Southern District of Texas.
The indictment says Naqvi attempted to conceal his scheme by disguising kickback payments as payments for COVID test kits, creating a sham contract with one of the companies supplying the information and submitting false documents to Medicare investigators during an audit. He continued submitting false claims to Medicare even after patients called to tell him that they did not request or want the test kits, the indictment says. Naqvi sought a total of $4,579,850 from Medicare.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Obstruction of a federal audit and conspiracy are each punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
“Today’s indictment reflects our unwavering commitment to safeguarding Medicare and ensuring that its resources are used appropriately,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “There are serious consequences for individuals who seek to manipulate federal health care programs by exploiting enrollees’ personal information and participating in illegal kickbacks. HHS-OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold those accountable who undermine the integrity of our health care system.”
The FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.