Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
A section of Karangahape Road is closed to traffic following a fire this morning.
Emergency services were called about 8.50am. Karangahape Road is currently closed between Pitt Street and Upper Queen Street.
There are no reports of injures.
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Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
On September 18, 2024 at approximately 9:30 p.m., Moosomin RCMP received a report of a two-vehicle collision on Highway #1, approximately 2 kilometers east of Wapella, SK.
Officers responded along with local fire and EMS. Investigation determined a semi and truck collided. The passenger in the truck was declared deceased by EMS at the scene. She has been identified as a 22-year-old female from Grand Prairie, AB. Her family has been notified.
The driver of the truck was transported to hospital by EMS with injuries described as non-life threatening.
The driver of the semi reported no physical injuries to police.
As a result of investigation, 21-year-old Zachory Taylor from Codette, SK is charged with:
Zachory Taylor was also arrested on outstanding warrants from Nipawin RCMP and Weyburn Police Service.
Zachory Taylor is scheduled to appear in Yorkton Provincial Court on September 23, 2024 (Information #90527573).
Moosomin RCMP continue to investigate with the assistance of a Saskatchewan RCMP collision reconstructionist
Source: United States Attorneys General 1
After five days of trial, a federal jury convicted Richard Bhoolai, 65, of Cincinnati, today for failing to pay taxes he withheld from employees’ wages at three restaurants he owned and operated.
According to evidence presented at trial, Bhoolai owned and operated Richie’s Fast Food Restaurants Inc., an S-Corporation used to operate three fried chicken restaurants in the Cincinnati area since 1991. Bhoolai was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS. Bhoolai employed between 22 and 34 employees between at least 2017 and 2018. During that time, he withheld taxes from employees’ wages but did not pay them over to the IRS. Prior to that time, Bhoolai had not paid over such taxes from earlier years and the IRS had assessed a penalty against him for failing to do so. Instead of paying over the taxes, Bhoolai used money from the businesses for his personal benefit, including gambling.
The jury found Bhoolai guilty of eight counts of failing to pay over taxes for four quarters in 2017 and four quarters in 2018. Bhoolai’s sentencing date has not yet been set. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each failure to pay taxes count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole for the Southern District of Ohio presided over the jury trial.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Alexandra K. Fleszar of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ebunoluwa Taiwo for the Southern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
Source: US State of Vermont
After five days of trial, a federal jury convicted Richard Bhoolai, 65, of Cincinnati, today for failing to pay taxes he withheld from employees’ wages at three restaurants he owned and operated.
According to evidence presented at trial, Bhoolai owned and operated Richie’s Fast Food Restaurants Inc., an S-Corporation used to operate three fried chicken restaurants in the Cincinnati area since 1991. Bhoolai was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS. Bhoolai employed between 22 and 34 employees between at least 2017 and 2018. During that time, he withheld taxes from employees’ wages but did not pay them over to the IRS. Prior to that time, Bhoolai had not paid over such taxes from earlier years and the IRS had assessed a penalty against him for failing to do so. Instead of paying over the taxes, Bhoolai used money from the businesses for his personal benefit, including gambling.
The jury found Bhoolai guilty of eight counts of failing to pay over taxes for four quarters in 2017 and four quarters in 2018. Bhoolai’s sentencing date has not yet been set. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each failure to pay taxes count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole for the Southern District of Ohio presided over the jury trial.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Alexandra K. Fleszar of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ebunoluwa Taiwo for the Southern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wrote to the Department of Justice calling for information – including the need for increased criminal penalties – to address recent reports that Iran is paying criminal organizations to commit violent crimes in the United States.
“Recent reporting indicates Iran is paying criminal organizations to carry out violent plots—including assassinations—against their critics within the United States,” wrote the Senators. “We write to request information regarding how the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is prosecuting criminals who commit or attempt to commit acts of violence in the United States on behalf of foreign adversaries, and what statutory changes to the criminal code would help DOJ to robustly prosecute these crimes.”
“An…example includes a plot, allegedly ordered by individuals in Iran, to use members of an Eastern European criminal organization who refer to themselves as ‘Thieves-In-Law’ in an attempt to murder a prominent critic of Iran—who is a United States citizen—within the United States,” continued the Senators. “The attempted assassination followed a prior plot by Iranian intelligence officials to abduct the same critic from within the United States for rendition to Iran.”
The Senators are asking the Department of Justice to respond to the following questions:
Please confirm reported news about foreign plots targeting critics in the United States. What has DOJ identified regarding efforts foreign governments have undertaken to enlist criminal actors to commit violent crimes against persons in the United States?
Has DOJ observed an increased amount of these activities in recent months or years?
What steps is DOJ taking to thwart this type of foreign government activity?
What statutory changes to the criminal code—including increased criminal penalties for persons convicted of participating in these types of activities—would support efforts to deter and prosecute this criminal behavior?
Click to see the full letter or see text below:
Dear Attorney General Garland,
Recent reporting indicates Iran is paying criminal organizations to carry out violent plots—including assassinations—against their critics within the United States. We write to request information regarding how the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is prosecuting criminals who commit or attempt to commit acts of violence in the United States on behalf of foreign adversaries, and what statutory changes to the criminal code would help DOJ to robustly prosecute these crimes.
According to recent reporting, “Iran has cultivated and exploited connections to criminal networks that are behind a recent wave of violent plots secretly orchestrated by elite units in the [Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.” Iran’s violent plots include attempted assassinations and abductions around the world.
A December 2023 Justice Department indictment of Iranian resident Naji Sharifi Zindashti exemplifies the problem. Mr. Zindashti stands accused of participating in a plot with a Canadian member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club in an attempt to murder two Maryland residents who fled to the United States after one of them defected from Iran. The Treasury Department has identified Zindashti as the leader of a network that targeted Iranian dissidents for assassination at the direction of the Iranian regime.
An additional example includes a plot, allegedly ordered by individuals in Iran, to use members of an Eastern European criminal organization who refer to themselves as “Thieves-In-Law” in an attempt to murder a prominent critic of Iran—who is a United States citizen—within the United States. The attempted assassination followed a prior plot by Iranian intelligence officials to abduct the same critic from within the United States for rendition to Iran.
These plots are even more troubling in light of last week’s indictment of Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national with ties to Iran, who is accused of attempting to pay individuals to assassinate a politician or government official in the United States.
We request that you provide us with a written response as soon as possible, but no later than October 15, 2024, that provides an overview of recent efforts by foreign governments to use criminal actors, including members of criminal organizations, to commit violent crimes against individuals within the United States. We also request your response include answers to the following questions:
Please confirm reported news about foreign plots targeting critics in the United States. What has DOJ identified regarding efforts foreign governments have undertaken to enlist criminal actors to commit violent crimes against persons in the United States?
Has DOJ observed an increased amount of these activities in recent months or years?
What steps is DOJ taking to thwart this type of foreign government activity?
What statutory changes to the criminal code—including increased criminal penalties for persons convicted of participating in these types of activities—would support efforts to deter and prosecute this criminal behavior?
If any relevant information is classified, we request you produce both an unclassified response that is suitable for public release, as well as a classified version for review by appropriate Congressional personnel.
Thank you for responding to our concerns and for your continued work to protect our national security.
Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a component agency of the Department of Homeland Security, working in close coordination across the department, including with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, continued to facilitate removal flights of single adults and family units between September 16 and September 20.
Those included removal flights to Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. If a noncitizen arrives and has no legal basis to remain in the United States, they are processed and removed quickly, consistent with U.S. law.
In the year following the end of the Title 42 public health order — between May 12, 2023, and May 12, 2024 — DHS removed or returned over 742,000 individuals, the vast majority of whom crossed the southwest border, including more than 111,000 individual family members. Total removals and returns in that period exceeded removals and returns in every full fiscal year since 2010.
Since the presidential proclamation to temporarily suspend the entry of certain noncitizens across the southern border and the complementary joint interim final rule issued by DHS and the U.S. Department of Justice fifteen weeks ago, DHS has removed and returned more than 140,000 individuals to more than 144 countries, including by operating more than 430 international repatriation flights. DHS has almost tripled the percentage of noncitizens processed through Expedited Removal while in CBP or ICE custody. Expedited Removal processing was already at record levels prior to the Proclamation.
In keeping with standard practice, the United States ensures that all noncitizens without a legal basis to remain in the United States are properly screened for valid protection claims and withholding of removal in accordance with our laws and U.S. international obligations. This applies to all noncitizens, regardless of nationality, to ensure the orderly and humane processing, transfer and removal of single adults and family units.
Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings present their claims for relief or protection from removal before immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. Due to operational security reasons, ICE does not confirm or discuss future or pending transportation operations.
ICE Air Operations facilitates the transfer and removal of noncitizens, including family units, via commercial airlines and chartered flights in support of ICE field offices and other DHS initiatives. In fiscal year 2023, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted 142,580 removals and 62,545 Title 42 expulsions to more than 170 countries worldwide.
B-roll for removal flights is available here. DHS has made additional videos available to the public and the media, including b-roll footage of removal flights, a public service announcement and testimonials from migrants who have been removed.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Northern Territory Police continue with land and air search efforts in Tennant Creek in an effort to locate Maxie Graham. Despite efforts over the last three days Mr Graham has not been located with Police holding grave concerns for his welfare. Police are asking the public for assistance in tracing Mr Graham’s whereabouts. The last positive sighting of Mr Graham was on Monday morning.
Maxie Graham was last seen driving a silver Ford SUV at around 6.30am on Monday 16 September. The vehicle was located abandoned at 09:20pm on Tuesday.
He is unable to walk unaided meaning he could not have ventured far from where his vehicle was located.
Maxie Graham has medical conditions and has not presented for crucial appointments. His family and the greater Tennant Creek community hold concerns for his welfare.
Police are calling for witnesses who observed this vehicle travelling in Tennant Creek between 6.30am on Monday and 9.17pm on Tuesday to contact the Police on 000 or 1800 333 000.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
September 20, 2024
Washington D.C.— U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a nearly $300,000 federal investment for Columbia Gorge Community College to add manufacturing equipment to its Advanced Manufacturing and Technology program.
“In my nearly 1,100 town halls throughout Oregon, I hear regularly about the need for local workforce development and creating avenues of success for young Oregonians,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified this federal investment in the Gorge combines both those objectives by giving Oregon’s future workforce and entrepreneurs the practical tools they need to help them blaze their own trails.”
“If we don’t make things in America, we won’t have a middle class in America, and when Oregon’s manufacturing industry does well, all Oregonians benefit,” said Merkley, who secured funding for this community-initiated project as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This Columbia Gorge Community College program helps set a path for young Oregonians to reach high-paying careers in manufacturing—opportunities they may not see in the traditional classroom setting. This is the exact kind of project that Senator Wyden and I are pushing to fund, and we’ll keep pushing to ensure CGCC has the necessary equipment to support its programs.”
This funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology will allow the community college to add milling and additive manufacturing equipment into its Columbia Gorge Regional Skills Center, aligning student training with the needs of the industry while fostering small business growth by providing public access to the equipment.
“The Columbia Gorge Regional Skills Center is an exemplification of Columbia Gorge Community College’s (CGCC) commitment to fostering inclusive prosperity in our region through education and innovation,” said Dr. Kenneth Lawson, Columbia Gorge Community College President. “By providing access to state-of-the-art 3D printing, CNC milling, and welding equipment, we are empowering students, local, and statewide small and medium businesses alike to transform their ideas into tangible products. This initiative aligns perfectly with CGCC’s mission to ensure that everyone in our community has the opportunity to succeed. We are incredibly grateful for Senator Ron Wyden’s and Senator Jeff Merkley’s unwavering support in again securing this vital grant from NIST, which enables us to continue offering these invaluable resources and programs.”
“The impact of the Regional Skills Center extends far beyond the classroom, driving economic growth by supporting local entrepreneurs and small businesses,” said Robert Wells-Clark, Lead Instructor of Advanced Manufacturing & Fabrication at Columbia Gorge Community College. “Our ‘Community Fridays’ initiative shows how CGCC is bridging the gap between great ideas and their realization, providing access to essential tools and guidance at minimal cost. This approach not only democratizes access to advanced manufacturing technology but also strengthens our regional economy by fostering innovation right here at home. We deeply appreciate Senators Wyden’s and Merkley’s assistance in securing this grant, which allows us to continue this important work and further enhance the skills and capabilities of our community.”
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Two climbers have been rescued this morning from a remote hut in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, days after they became stranded.
Days of bad weather finally cleared this morning, allowing the Aoraki/Mt Cook Alpine Rescue Team to reach the pair.
The climbers had been held up in Empress Hut on Mt Cook, a difficult and technical location on New Zealand’s highest mountain, says Sergeant Samantha Stewart of Aoraki Police Search and Rescue. They called Police about 2.45pm on Tuesday, saying they had suffered frostbite but were taking shelter in the hut.
“Both climbers are receiving medical treatment for their injuries and despite what they’ve been through, they’re in good spirits and are very appreciative of the efforts to get them off the mountain.
“The pair were caught out by the weather, but thankfully they were experienced in climbing and very well prepared. They’ve had enough food with them for two weeks and plenty of warm clothing.”
Rescuers were in regular contact with the pair and their families.
Sergeant Stewart says a number of people have been involved in the operation.
“We’ve had rescuers on standby through the week, waiting for the opportunity to fly them off the mountain, and we want to thank the Department of Conservation’s Aoraki/Mt Cook Alpine Rescue Team, and The Helicopter Line for their incredible efforts this morning.”
The rescue got under way at 6.30am, and by 8.30am, the rescue team had reached the pair. Minutes later, they were back at the search and rescue base being assessed.
The climbers will be taken to Christchurch Hospital for treatment.
“It’s a fantastic result,” Sergeant Stewart says. “We made one rescue attempt and considered other windows of opportunity, but each time the weather pushed us back.
“We had a narrow window of opportunity this morning, but we didn’t think it would be as good as it was.
“We were stoked to see them getting out of that helicopter, and they were very happy to see us too.”
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Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Martin Friend:
Police are investigating several suspicious vehicle fires in central Auckland in recent days and are seeking the public’s help.
In the latest event, two vehicles were set alight a carpark on Park Road, Grafton, about 9.15pm. One vehicle suffered minor damage, while the other badly damaged.
It follows three other arson events in the city involving vehicles in the vicinity of Auckland Domain. One about 9pm on Wednesday, another about 9.55pm on Thursday, and another involving two cars on Stanley Street – close to the Domain – about 4.55pm yesterday afternoon. The vehicles suffered varying degrees of damage.
These fires have caused a lot of needless disruption to the lives of the victims, and they’re understandably annoyed at what has happened. We’re also concerned that these fires could have put people’s lives at risk.
We would like to hear from anyone who was in the Domain around those times and saw suspicious behaviour, especially around parked cars.
If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105.
Please use the reference number 240920/1728.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
ATLANTA – Micky Lee Wagner, also known as “Clifton Leigh Wagner Martin,” “Mickey Lee Wagner,” “Leigh Wagner,” “Michy Wagner,” “Lee Wagner,” and “Dr. Leigh,” has been sentenced to federal prison for operating a scheme to defraud factoring companies of more than $5 million while using stolen identities.
“Wagner has an extensive history of devising schemes to take advantage of unsuspecting businesses and individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Thanks to the diligence of our federal law enforcement partners at FBI, a measure of justice has been achieved that will also prevent Wagner from victimizing others.”
“Wagner took great measures to create the fraudulent billing scheme to use these companies like his personal ATM,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley. “His actions not only harmed businesses, but also the victims of his identity theft. Wagner will now have several years behind bars to consider the impact of his actions.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Wagner was the owner and CEO of Right Step Staffing, Inc., in Atlanta, Georgia. Right Step Staffing was purportedly a personnel staffing company that provided temporary employees to other businesses. Wagner used stolen identities to create a false impression that he had workers; then he falsely claimed that his staffing company provided temporary workers to major businesses, including Kroger Distribution, Material in Motion, Duracell, and Clorox. But Right Step Staffing had no relationship with those businesses.
Based on Wagner’s misrepresentations, a factoring company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida entered into a contract with Right Step Staffing to purchase its accounts receivable to collect money on outstanding invoices that businesses supposedly owed to Right Step Staffing for temporary workers. Factoring companies advance funds through these kinds of arrangements so that staffing companies can meet their payroll obligations in a timely fashion.
To further the fraud, Wagner deceived the factoring company by providing them with fraudulent customer contracts, when in fact, Right Step Staffing had no agreements with the businesses. Wagner also provided the factoring company with email addresses that supposedly belonged to representatives of the businesses, as a means to confirm that Right Step Staffing supplied employees to their businesses. The email addresses appeared similar to the real businesses’ email addresses but were deceptively created by Wagner to defraud the factoring company.
After entering into the agreement, Right Step Staffing sent fraudulent invoices to the factoring company claiming that it had provided temporary workers to the businesses. These invoices totaled over $6 million during a several-month period, resulting in actual payments of more than $5 million to Wagner.
Wagner spent the fraudulent proceeds from the scheme to purchase real estate, a café, multiple luxury vehicles, plastic surgery, and a Royal Caribbean cruise, and he also diverted a substantial amount of cash for his personal use.
After his indictment in July 2022, Wagner fled to Kansas City, Missouri, where he evaded arrest for nearly a year. In July 2023, FBI agents arrested Wagner as he was leaving a residence in Kansas City. Also after his indictment in July 2022, Wagner defrauded another factoring company based in Minnesota. He stole more than $750,000 from that business. Wagner unsuccessfully attempted to defraud other factoring companies around the same time. Wagner has multiple prior felony convictions, including a prior federal fraud conviction from 2001. He fled Kansas City while on supervised release for that conviction.
Micky Lee Wagner, 57, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. P. Boulee to seven years, 10 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,092,512.88. Wagner was convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft on April 24, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen H. McClain and Sekret T. Sneed prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
Senator Reverend Warnock hosted a panel discussion titled “Youth Under Fire: Addressing Gun Violence in Our Communities” during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 53rd Annual Legislative Conference (ALC)
The forum followed a deadly school shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia that took the lives of two students and two teachers
Senator Reverend Warnock previously examined the impact of gun violence in the Black community during a forum at last year’s ALC
This year’s panel discussion featured Greg Jackson, the Deputy Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, Congresswoman Lucy McBath, and several other gun violence activists
Senator Reverend Warnock: “This public health crisis is undoubtedly stealing generations of youth from the Black community, and the American people are crying out for action on this issue”
Above left to right: Senator Reverend Warnock, Dr. Roger Mitchell, Jr., Armani White
Washington, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) convened survivors and gun safety advocates for a forum aimed at addressing the dangerous, deadly consequences of the nation’s gun violence epidemic on young people, particularly Black youth, during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 53rd Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) in Washington, D.C. The panel discussion, titled “Youth Under Fire: Addressing Gun Violence in Our Communities”,was Senator Warnock’s second session focused on efforts to curb gun violence at the ALC, and was held in the wake of the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, GA that claimed the lives of two teachers and two students. 500 conference participants and community members, including high school students, attended the session.
“This public health crisis is undoubtedly stealing generations of youth from the Black community, and the American people are crying out for action on this issue,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “They want commonsense gun safety reform, but there’s a growing chasm between what the people want and what they can get from their government.”
Above Left: The Youth Under Fire: Addressing Gun Violence in Our Communities panel discussion
Above Right: Gregory Jackson, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention & Senator Reverend Warnock
Senator Warnock moderated the discussion, which included remarks from Gregory Jackson, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Special Assistant to the President; Dr. Roger Mitchell, Jr., President of Howard University Hospital; Congresswoman Lucy McBath (D-GA-07), who lost her son, Jordan, to gun violence in 2012, Maciah King-Brooks, a gun violence student advocate in the DMV and partner for Guns Down Friday; Zoe Touray, a survivor of the 2021 Oxford High School shooting in Michigan that killed four students, youth activist, founder of S.E.E (Survivors Embracing Each Other), and a March For Our Lives national spokesperson; Hip-Hop artist Armani White, Mariah Cooley, Midwest Advocacy Associate with the Community Justice Action Fund; and Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Executive Director of Moms Demand Action.
Above Left: Maciah King-Brooks, student advocate and partner for Guns Down Friday & Senator Reverend Warnock
Above Right: Zoe Touray, founder of Survivors Embracing Each Other & Senator Reverend Warnock
Senator Warnock has vocally championed efforts to address the gun violence crisis in the United States, as a pastor and legislator. Following the tragic shooting in Winder, Senator Warnock met with students and families from the Apalachee High School community, and honored the victims on the Senate floor while calling for Congress to come together to pass popular gun safety reforms supported by broad swaths of the American public, regardless of political ideology; the Senator’s speech marked his third time lamenting a mass shooting in Georgia on the Senate floor.
Additionally, since arriving to the Senate, Senator Warnock has championed several pieces of legislation to curb rampant, routine gun violence and help make communities safer, including cosponsoring bills to ban assault weapons, institute universal background checks on firearms, and the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first gun safety reform legislation passed by Congress in over 30 years.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
ALBANY, Ga. – Two Southwest Georgia residents with criminal pasts pleaded guilty to federal charges resulting from an armed drug trafficking investigation conducted by local, state and federal level law enforcement agencies.
Justin Harris Vinson, 42, of Warwick, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 17 and co-defendant Shana Rae Black, 34, of Cordele, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Aug. 15. Both defendants are facing a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life imprisonment to be followed by at least five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine. Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner is presiding over the cases. The sentencing dates will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat convicted felons who illegally arm themselves and distribute the most highly addictive and dangerous drugs into our communities will face federal consequences for these crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office is working closely with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to identity those individuals creating the most havoc in the Middle District of Georgia and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“Drug traffickers drive addiction and destroy communities,” Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division stated. “DEA will use any resource necessary to remove these career criminals from our streets.”
“Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug with devastating consequences to users, their families and communities,” said Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Richard Bilson of FBI Atlanta’s Albany office. “This prosecution closes a pipeline for dangerous drugs flowing into the streets of Southwest Georgia.”
“We are committed to holding those who traffic methamphetamine accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Collaborating closely with state, local and federal law enforcement agencies, we will work to ensure justice and dismantle these dangerous networks.”
“I am incredibly proud of our agency’s relentless efforts and the strong collaboration with our local and federal partners. Methamphetamine trafficking brings dangerous consequences to our community, often resulting in tragedy and loss of life. This case highlights our dedication to safeguarding the community and demonstrates the powerful results we achieve through collaboration,” stated Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a confidential informant (CI) working with the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) contacted Black on Facebook to obtain methamphetamine on Oct. 27, 2022. Black sold the CI approximately 111 grams of methamphetamine at a Perry, Georgia, motel; the CI reported there was a pistol on a nightstand in the motel room, next to a bulk quantity of methamphetamine. On Oct. 31, an undercover Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agent contacted Black to purchase methamphetamine and met her at the Walmart in Cordele. Under audio and video surveillance, the GBI agent purchased methamphetamine from Black.
On Nov. 2, FBI, DEA and GBI agents met with another CI to purchase methamphetamine from Vinson. Under surveillance, Vinson met the CI at his Warwick residence and traveled with Vinson to the Sunrise Inn in Cordele to meet with Black. During the transaction, Black provided 284.4 grams of methamphetamine and collected the majority of the cash payment for the drugs, with Vinson keeping $300 as a brokering fee. Vinson was seen with a firearm during the transaction.
On Nov. 7, CCSO and GBI arrested Black in Crisp County as she traveled in a vehicle back from McDonough, Georgia. A search of the vehicle revealed Black was in possession of 982.7 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine, 15.89 grams of 91% pure methamphetamine, a digital scale and several cell phones. GBI executed a search warrant on the Baymont Inn motel room in Cordele where Black was staying and found a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, a small bag of suspected methamphetamine, four digital scales and bulk quantities of plastic baggies. Black’s cell phones showed extensive communications between her and known drug dealers.
On Jan. 22, 2023, Vinson purchased 15 ounces of methamphetamine in Cordele and sold 277 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine to a CI utilized by GBI in Warwick. During the transaction, the CI observed Vinson place a firearm in the center console of his vehicle. A search warrant was executed at Vinson’s residence on Jan. 26, 2023. Law enforcement located a semiautomatic pistol in his bedroom, along with five other firearms inside of an open safe. Vinson told officers he had been selling methamphetamine in the South Georgia and North Florida area his entire life and that during the peak of COVID in 2020, he would sell approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine per week for six months.
Vinson has a prior felony conviction in Lee County, Georgia, Superior Court for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Black also has a prior felony conviction in Jones County, Georgia, Superior Court for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by FBI, DEA, GBI and the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)
Award Follows Advocacy Led by Goldman and Supported by Coalition of Elected Officials Representing the Brooklyn Marine Terminal
Goldman Serves as Chair of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force
Read the Coalition’s Letter of Support Here
Brooklyn, NY – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today announced that he and a coalition of elected officials secured a $163,800,000 Mega Grant award from the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), which will be used by the City of New York to revitalize the Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT).
As Chair of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force, Congressman Goldman led a letter of support for the grant award, joined by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes, New York State Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes, New York State Assemblymember Charles Fall, New York State Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, New York City Councilmember Alexa Avilés, and New York City Councilmember Shahana Hanif to the U.S. DOT.
Upgrades and repairs to the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, which hosts an active container terminal and cruise terminal, would ensure the future viability of the working waterfront in the New York-New Jersey Harbor. Once complete, the modernization of the BMT will create quality jobs and reduce truck trips while serving as a global model for modern shipping utilizing low-emission, last-mile freight movement, community hiring, and neighborhood engagement.
Congressman Goldman – alongside State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Councilmember Alexa Avilés – founded the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force to ensure that the revitalization of the BMT was grounded in community engagement. The BMT Task Force will ensure that every neighborhood is represented throughout this process and will center the needs and concerns of community members while developing the future of the BMT.
“I am delighted that we have secured $163,800,000 in funding for the vital redevelopment of the Brooklyn waterfront,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “This incredible investment in our Red Hook community will be transformative. While the Brooklyn Marine Terminal had been mired in decades of inertia, we have entered a new era with this long overdue federal funding. This infusion will allow our city to fully enhance the economic growth and health of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, while taking into account the public health and climate goals of surrounding communities. The future is here – and it’s looking bright for Brooklyn.”
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “After years of advocating for the revitalization of Brooklyn’s waterfront, including preservation of existing freight operations and addition of new manufacturing and assemblage of wind power infrastructure, not to mention bike lanes and parks, I’m proud to deliver this MEGA grant win with my congressional partners, Rep. Dan Goldman and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. $163.8 million for New York City’s Brooklyn Marine Terminal modernization project is made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law I led to passage. The rehabilitation and rebuilding of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal is the next step in reimagining and revitalizing the Brooklyn waterfront. The project will boost the economy and create good-paying jobs for those in adjacent communities, including Red Hook, Sunset Park and Gowanus, and add upgraded and safer bike and walking lanes to boot.”
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “I am proud to announce that your federal New York representatives have delivered more than $160 million to revitalize the Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT). This MEGA federal grant will fund one of the city’s top priorities – turning BMT into a premier model for modern, global maritime use. This funding will create jobs in New York City, optimize low-emission technology to improve air quality in Red Hook and surrounding communities, and reduce truck traffic in the city. Democrats delivered on this important project that will bring new life to historically disadvantaged communities and ensure NYC’s green economy continues to prosper.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, “New York City has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine the 122 acres of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, and this funding unlocks unlimited potential for this underutilized waterfront. Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration and our partners in Congress for issuing this grant as we set our sights on the future of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal. We’re excited to work with the local community, our fellow elected officials, and key stakeholders to deliver for Red Hook, for Brooklyn, and for our entire city.”
New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes said, “By building a better Brooklyn Marine Terminal, we’re building a better future for Brooklyn and the whole region. This federal funding will help make up for years of disinvestment of the piers and allow us to invest in a modernized terminal that can sustainably handle freight deliveries, reduce emissions, expand economic opportunity and create new jobs. I’m thankful to Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the Biden Administration for awarding this crucial grant, and look forward to working with community partners to ensure we maximize its impact.”
New York City Councilmember Alexa Avilés said, “The DOT’s Mega Grant will kick start critical work at the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, which will contribute to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and modernization of our port infrastructure. I look forward to these funds being used to improve traffic flow in our community and toward getting trucks off of our roads, all while building livable wage jobs for the people of our community.”
New York City Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer said, “I am thrilled by today’s announcement and want to thank the entire New York delegation who supported this grant application, and particularly Representative Goldman for his leadership role on the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force. With collaboration at every stage of government, including the tremendous investment from the federal government announced today, the City of New York is poised to reimagine the Brooklyn Marine Terminal as a resilient, low-emission modern maritime facility with sensible transportation that minimizes emissions and congestion and is integrated with additional public amenities that benefit the surrounding communities and city more broadly.”
New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Andrew Kimball said, “This is a historic investment for a generational project that will truly transform Brooklyn’s waterfront and deliver positive economic and environmental impacts across the region. An enormous amount of thanks to the Biden Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation for recognizing the importance of the future of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal and the role it can play in bolstering our Blue Highways network throughout the five boroughs. I also want to thank our federal elected officials Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, along with Congressman Dan Goldman who is leading our Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force for their efforts in advocating for this project.”
In May, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced that they would be taking over ownership of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal and initiating a community-led master planning and visioning process for the future of the Terminal. Congressman Dan Goldman was tapped to serve as Chair of the Task Force and Senator Andrew Gounardes and Councilmember Alexa Avilés were tapped to serve as Vice Chairs. The Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force has oversight over NYCEDC’s master planning process.
The Mega Grant award included three components: (1) Rehabilitate Pier 10, (2) Demolish Piers 9A and 9B and construct a new Pier 9, and (3) improve traffic and circulation on the BMT campus for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. The funding will be released in two waves. $3.8 million will be released to New York City in Fiscal Year 2025 and the other $160 million will be released in Fiscal Year 2026.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Mega Grant program supports large, complex projects that are difficult to fund by other means and likely to generate national or regional economic, mobility, or safety benefits.
Congressman Dan Goldman has worked tirelessly to modernize the Brooklyn Marine Terminal and support the Red Hook Community.
Congressman Dan Goldman serves as Chair of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force alongside Vice Chairs Senator Andrew Gounardes and Councilmember Alexa Avilés.
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Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Christchurch Police urge motorists not to get behind the wheel after drinking following disappointing checkpoint results.
On Thursday 19 September, the Canterbury Impairment Prevention Team conducted a checkpoint in the city area.
Between 8:30am and 2:30pm, Police apprehended four drivers over the legal limit, with one driver three times over the legal limit.
Sergeant Ben Rutherford says members of the public often ask why Police conduct checkpoints during the day.
“These four drivers are a reminder that no matter the time of day, drink driving is an issue. This type of behaviour is dangerous and can have serious consequences.”
Police see too many preventative deaths on our roads, and we make no apology for targeting high-risk behaviours like drink driving at any time of the day.
“Expect us to be out in force anytime, anywhere.”
Police are committed to ensuring every road user arrives at their destination alive, however, we recognise there is power in our communities to make a difference too.
If you know someone has had a few drinks, or is over the limit and about to drive, say something.
Police want people to enjoy themselves but if you have had too much, call a family member, a friend, or a taxi to pick you up – never get behind the wheel.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Team
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata
Headline: Amata Welcomes $120,523 DOJ Grant Notice for Planning Agency
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming a grant of $120,523 from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency for rehabilitation and treatment.
Congresswoman Amata and Director Faiai
“Congratulations to CJPA Director Mariana Timu-Faiai and her staff in their yearly efforts to bring in and administer these helpful federal funds,” Amata said. “I appreciate this effort aimed at helping people we care about come back from drug addiction and illegal behavior, and find a better way forward. Thank you to DOJ for supporting programs in American Samoa.”
The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program assists governments to develop and implement substance abuse treatment programs in correctional and detention facilities, and to create and maintain community-based aftercare services for offenders.
The goal of the RSAT Program is to break the cycle of drugs and violence by reducing the demand, use, and trafficking of illegal drugs. RSAT enhances the capability of local government to provide residential substance abuse treatment for incarcerated inmates; prepares offenders for their reintegration into the communities from which they came by incorporating reentry planning activities into treatment programs; and assists offenders and their communities through the reentry process, including the delivery of community-based treatment and other broad-based aftercare services. American Samoa can use the RSAT funds for residential, jail-based, and aftercare.
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio
Rubio, Colleagues to Garland: Tren De Aragua Continues to Terrorize Our Nation
Sep 20, 2024 | Press Releases
Tren de Aragua, a criminal Venezuelan transnational organization known for committing major international crimes such as human trafficking, drug-trafficking, arms trafficking, and money laundering, continues to terrorize communities across our nation. Following calls from members of Congress, in July 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration designated Tren de Aragua as a Transnational Crime Organization (TCO).
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and colleagues sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the TCO and requesting measures to protect the American people.
“We are extremely concerned with recent reports that U.S.-designated transnational criminal organization (TCO), Tren de Aragua, is expanding its presence within the United States. Given the damaging consequences of their violent crimes on the American people, we write to urge the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Tren de Aragua’s rapid expansion to various states and localities.
“After my Republican colleagues and I stressed the heinous and bold crimes committed by Tren de Aragua in American cities, the administration finally designated and sanctioned Tren de Aragua as a TCO. Nevertheless, it appears these efforts occurred too late to prevent the current tragedy that is unfolding across our country – even in communities far from the border.”
Joining Rubio were Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and John Hoeven (R-ND) as well as U.S. Representatives María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Carlos Giménez (R-FL), Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR), and Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL).
The full text of the letter is below.
Dear Attorney General Garland:
We are extremely concerned with recent reports that U.S.-designated transnational criminal organization (TCO), Tren de Aragua, is expanding its presence within the United States. Given the damaging consequences of their violent crimes on the American people, we write to urge the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Tren de Aragua’s rapid expansion to various states and localities. After urging President Biden to designate Tren de Aragua as a TCO in March 2024, we welcomed the Treasury Department’s decision to sanction Tren de Aragua as a TCO in July 2024. However, recent reports reveal a disturbing trend across the United States.
From day one of this administration, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made disgraceful decisions that have directly contributed to more than 8.5 million illegal aliens crossing the border. Not only has this crisis caused significant burdens for states as resources are stretched to the limit to accommodate illegal aliens, but it also undercuts the stability and security of our local communities. Tren de Aragua engages in particularly vicious activity in victimizing populations and maintaining sources of income, such as sex and migrant trafficking and the distribution of illegal drugs.
The administration’s weak enforcement of immigration laws allows gangs, like Tren de Aragua, to control routes and exploit migrants en route to the border. After my Republican colleagues and I stressed the heinous and bold crimes committed by Tren de Aragua in American cities, the administration finally designated and sanctioned Tren de Aragua as a TCO.
Nevertheless, it appears these efforts occurred too late to prevent the current tragedy that is unfolding across our country – even in communities far from the border. When President Biden took the oath of office, he swore to not only faithfully execute the Office of the President, but to also “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.” Implicit in this oath is the understanding that the President will defend this country and to execute its laws. With our communities falling prey to Venezuelan and other criminal organizations – who not only willfully violate the laws of the land, but also now threaten American citizens – the President and the executive branch are failing in its responsibilities laid out in the Constitution.
As such, we urge the DOJ to investigate Tren de Aragua’s presence across the country. We also request answers to the following questions:
What cities or locations, across the United States, is the DOJ is concerned about the presence or influence of Tren de Aragua?
Since the designation of Tren de Aragua as a TCO, has the DOJ allocated resources or assistance to local law enforcement anywhere in the country?
Moving forward, what additional steps will DOJ take to counter the continued infiltration and activities of Tren de Aragua across the country?
Is the DOJ coordinating with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of State about known Tren de Aragua members and networks in the U.S., and overseas, in order to prevent such members from obtaining visas to the United States or being granted parole at a U.S. port of entry?
Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) announced an award of $200,000 to SAGE Development Authority, a federally chartered Section 17 Corporation created by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. This award, funded through OCED’s Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) Program, will support clean energy projects.
The ERA Program was established by the fully-paid-for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It seeks to improve the resilience, reliability, safety, availability, and environmental performance of energy systems serving the nation’s rural or remote areas with populations of less than 10,000 people.
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Hutt Road between Jackson Street and Nevis Street is closed following a serious crash.
Police were called to the two-vehicle crash at around 2pm.
One person has received serious injuries and another has minor injuries.
The road is expected to be closed for some time.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.
ENDS
MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –
120 medical volunteers from different regions of the country gathered at the All-Russian seminar-conference on the development of medical volunteering in the field of preventive healthcare, which is being held from September 19 to 22, 2024 in Novosibirsk. The following cities are represented at the event: Samara, Moscow, Tomsk, Krasnodar, Lugansk, Belgorod, Ryazan, Crimea, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Khanty-Mansiysk, Volgograd, Kirov, Khabarovsk and others.
Volunteers are holding the event together with the Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education “Novosibirsk National Research State University” with the support of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs “Rosmolodezh.Granty”
The seminar-meeting is being implemented within the framework of the National Projects “Demography” and “Healthcare” with the aim of replicating the experience of young representatives of medical volunteering in the field of preventive medicine and updating knowledge about the prevention of diseases of the reproductive system.
The opening of the event featured speeches by the following guests of honor:
— I am very glad that the topic of the All-Russian Seminar-Conference on the Development of Medical Volunteering in the Field of Preventive Healthcare was preventive medicine with an emphasis on maintaining reproductive health. The Ministry of Healthcare has been actively involved in prevention issues in our country for about ten years, I think you all know that new federal projects will start on January 1, 2025, including the national project “Active Long Life”, thanks to which new health centers will be opened, they will be aimed at developing preventive technologies. I wish successful work to medical volunteers! I hope that you will spend the days of the seminar-conference positively, acquire not only new friends, but also new knowledge, which you will inspire everyone around you, so that each person takes care of their health, — shared the acting Minister of Healthcare in the Novosibirsk Region Tatyana Anokhina.
— It is gratifying that today the topic of health is receiving a lot of attention! Educational work is very important. It is great that the youth audience in the person of medical volunteers is taking on this challenge and is actively working with the population of the country. At our university, medical volunteers are a very noticeable figure, despite the fact that the medical faculty takes up a small percentage of students. I hope that during the seminar-meeting you will all be able to work well and walk around Novosibirsk, — said Olga Yakovleva, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Educational Work at Novosibirsk State University.
— I am glad to welcome you to the All-Russian Seminar-Conference. It is such an amazing coincidence that today is the Day of Socially Useful Persons, and volunteering is precisely the desire to be useful, to do things that improve various processes of life! Medical volunteers, we can’t do without you! The path from an idea that is born in the head to its implementation is the magic that you create. Dear friends, continue to be proactive and active. Bon voyage and don’t be afraid of anything! — noted Konstantin Bakulin, Vice-Rector for Educational and Social Work at the Novosibirsk State Medical University.
— I thank Novosibirsk State University for the trust and the opportunity to organize such an event! Thank you for your support and assistance in all aspects of holding the All-Russian Seminar-Conference on the Development of Medical Volunteering in the Field of Preventive Healthcare. Thank you to the team of the Novosibirsk Regional Branch, you are great! I hope that, having seen the experience of such events, each of you in your region will also be able to organize an All-Russian event. Thank you for coming to Novosibirsk, I wish each of you productive and fruitful work, — Maria Miroshnikova, Head of the Department of Medical Volunteering Projects and Educational Programs of the All-Russian Volunteer Medical Association, greeted the participants.
The event is attended by leading experts in reproductive health of men and women, specialists in medical prevention, as well as specialists in the field of health protection.
Paying special attention to strengthening the reproductive health of the country’s population and popularizing family values, the participants attend educational and outreach platforms, including in the format of strategic sessions. The participants are also working on creating an innovative information product in the field of medical examination and reproductive health, the result of which will determine the further development of volunteer activities in preventive work.
Organizers and partners: All-Russian public organization “Volunteers-doctors”, Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education “Novosibirsk National Research State University”, Federal Agency for Youth Affairs “Rosmolodezh”, Federal State Budgetary Institution “National Medical Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, ANO “National Priorities”.
The All-Russian public movement “Volunteers-doctors” is one of the largest volunteer organizations in the healthcare sector in Europe. With the support of the Russian Ministry of Health, 89 regional branches of the All-Russian public movement “Volunteers-doctors” have been opened in the country, uniting more than 164 thousand people. From 2013 to 2023, volunteers provided more than 24 million hours of assistance in more than 1 thousand medical organizations in the Russian Federation. Every year, about 4 million Russians receive assistance and support from medical volunteers.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
http://vvv.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/atmosphere/all-Russian-seminar-meeting-on-the-development-of-medical-volunteering started in-Novosibirsk/
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is announcing the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) secured $68,662,000 to reconstruct the I-80, I-35 and I-235 interchange in Des Moines. The U.S. Department of Transportation will administer the awards through its Mega Grant Program, which is funded by the Grassley-backed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
“This interchange has held up for many decades under significant traffic volume. But it’s past time for a revamp to enhance efficiency and ensure drivers’ safety. These federal dollars will help get the millions of people who pass through our capital city each year where they want to go,” Grassley said. “I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with Iowa’s future in mind, and I’m glad our state is seeing a return on that investment.”
These federal resources will enable IDOT to reduce congestion and increase navigability at the interchange, where reports indicate nearly 1,000 crashes occurred between 2018 and 2022.
Specific construction projects include:
New flyover bridges from southbound I-25/80 to eastbound I-235 and to westbound I-80;
A new bridge on westbound I-235; and
An additional lane on eastbound I-235 between 50th Street and Valley West Drive.
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced the Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act. The bill would direct the Justice Department (DOJ) to award grants to states, cities, law enforcement units or tribes that operate overdose data collection programs, such as the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP).
“The fight to end addiction and drug abuse in our communities requires a robust understanding of the problem at hand. By investing in local partners, we empower communities to more effectively track drug abuse trends and prevent future overdoses,” Grassley said. “I’m glad to support this cost-effective plan to expand this vital program.”
“When responding to fentanyl overdoses, an extra minute can save a life,” Cantwell said. “Tracking fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses will help our first responders, law enforcement, and public health professionals better target and prevent OD spikes and surge resources to communities that need them the most.”
“We commend the efforts of Senators Cantwell and Grassley for their work on the Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act. Developing a clear picture of where fatal and non-fatal drug poisonings and overdoses occur allows law enforcement and public health professionals to dedicate the needed resources to areas experiencing spikes in incidences,” Eric Brown, President of the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, said.
“The National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Director’s Association (NHDA) would like to thank Senators Cantwell and Grassley, along with their colleagues in the Senate, for their strong commitment in getting the Opioid Overdose Data Enhancement Act drafted and introduced on the Senate floor. This act will increase the public awareness on the dangers of synthetic opioids and address the crisis negatively impacting communities across the country. Your sponsorship of this legislation provides both crucial resources to the 33 [High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) programs] across the country, law enforcement, treatment, prevention, and public health to fight against alarming increases in overdose deaths from fentanyl. The NHDA thanks you for your leadership on this important issue,” F. Mike McDaniel, President of the National HIDTA Directors Association, said.
Grassley and Cantwell are joined by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas).
Download bill text HERE.
Background:
ODMAP is a free, web-based platform that reports in near real-time suspected fatal and non-fatal overdose events, as well as incidents where overdose reversal medications like Naloxone were administered. ODMAP helps local agencies identify spikes and clusters of overdoses in communities, neighboring communities and nationwide. While ODMAP is a widely favored platform, DOJ would retain discretion in determining which data collection program is best for each grant applicant.
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Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
State Highway 6, Whangamoa, near Kokorua Road, is closed following a serious crash this afternoon.
Police were called to the single-vehicle crash at around 5pm.
Initial indications suggest there are serious injuries.
The Serious Crash Unit will be attending.
Motorists are advised to take care and expect delays.
ENDS
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
Local teams within the Met have worked tirelessly to bring a prolific shoplifter to justice for stealing more than £14,100 worth of goods.
Martin Jackson (20.09.1983) of Frobisher Road, Erith, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, 19 September for 98 offences, including theft and breaches of a restraining order.
Jackson has also had a restraining order updated, meaning he’s banned for five years from entering a Boots store and bp service station on Trafalgar Road, Greenwich, from which he stole thousands of pounds worth of goods.
He was previously handed a Criminal Behaviour Order with conditions including not to enter those two stores. However, he continued to visit the shops and steal food, alcohol, toiletries and other goods.
Officers scoured hours of CCTV after Jackson was arrested and charged back in July, and built a significant evidence package which showed him brazenly stealing in broad daylight.
The weight of their evidence led to Jackson’s guilty plea to all offences in court on Monday, 2 September.
Acting Superintendent, Rav Pathania, who oversees neighbourhood policing in Greenwich, said:
“At the heart of our plan for London is focusing on the things that our communities, including our business communities, are most concerned about. Over the course of many months Jackson caused misery to businesses in Greenwich, that’s why we have been determined to get him off our streets and put behind bars.
“We’ve worked hard to build closer relationships with businesses in our area, and build their confidence in our ability to tackle their concerns. I hope this goes some way in demonstrating we are listening and taking action on local issues.
“I’m grateful to the support bp and Boots in particular provided to this investigation, which was central to us achieving justice for Jackson’s crimes.”
Iona Blake, Europe mobility & convenience security manager, bp, said:
“Safety comes first at bp, always. Nothing is more important. We want our colleagues to feel safe at work and our customers to have a great experience when visiting us. This is another great example of how collaboration can help us – and the sector – combat crime at our stores”.
As part of the New Met for London strategy, officers are taking a precise and proactive community –first approach to tackling local crime and anti-social behaviour.
More information on how to spot and report a shoplifter is available on the Met website. Meanwhile, Shopwatch is a community-based crime prevention scheme that promotes communication between retailers and local police to reduce crime.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
SJ to visit Brunei, Vietnam and Malaysia
SJ to visit Brunei, Vietnam and Malaysia
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The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, will depart tomorrow (September 22) for a visit to three member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely Brunei, Vietnam and Malaysia, to promote Hong Kong’s legal and dispute resolution services, and enhance co-operation and exchanges between Hong Kong and ASEAN. In Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Mr Lam will call on relevant government officials and engage with the local legal and dispute resolution sectors to enhance ties and collaboration between the two places with a view to exploring further legal co-operation opportunities. This visit follows the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Department of Justice and the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam last year. Mr Lam will then lead a delegation comprising representatives from the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Bar Association and alternative dispute resolution organisations to visit Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. They will meet with representatives of local authorities and legal and dispute resolution sectors to discuss and exchange views on various areas of legal co-operation. During the visit, Mr Lam and the delegates will also address the local legal and business sectors in Ho Chi Minh City at a forum and a networking dinner, and in Kuala Lumpur at a seminar and a networking reception, to promote Hong Kong’s legal and dispute resolution services. Mr Lam will conclude his visit and return to Hong Kong on September 28. During his absence, the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan, will be the Acting Secretary for Justice.
Ends/Saturday, September 21, 2024Issued at HKT 16:00
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Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
State Highway 6/Ruatapu Road Road in Westland, about halfway between Ruatapu and Ross, is blocked following a serious crash.
It happened about 8:35pm and involved more than one vehicle.
It’s believed there are serious injuries involved.
Motorists are asked to delay travel if possible or take alternate routes where able, and expect delays.
ENDS
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Counter Cyber and Physical Terrorism Joint Exercise 2024 successfully concludes
Counter Cyber and Physical Terrorism Joint Exercise 2024 successfully concludes
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The Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) of the Hong Kong Police Force held the Counter Cyber and Physical Terrorism Joint Exercise 2024 codenamed BATTLEAIR in collaboration with the INTERPOL and the Macao Judiciary Police today (September 21) to enhance participants’ capabilities in responding to cyber attacks and physical counter terrorism. This was Phase II of the exercise, which built on the successful completion of Phase I tabletop exercise conducted last month (August 14) and put in place its outcome in this physical exercise today. More than 230 local, Macao and overseas members from the INTERPOL, the Macao Judiciary Police, CSTCB, Airport District (APTDIST), Emergency Unit of New Territories South (EU NTS), Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau, Police Tactical Unit, Airport Authority Hong Kong and Aviation Security Company Limited participated in the physical exercise. The exercise simulated a scenario in which four terrorists launched cyber attacks against Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and Companhia de Electricidade de Macau with the aim to paralyse public services and cause public panic. During the exercise, terrorists not only placed suspicious items and operated drones to create chaos but also attempted to carry out armed attacks on members of the public. In response to the terrorist plot, APTDIST and EU NTS acted quickly to stop and apprehend the three terrorists. Regarding cyber security, CSTCB officers conducted incident response, digital forensics works and system recovery to address the hacking into the computer systems of HKIA. They also shared intelligence with the INTERPOL and the Macao Judiciary Police, which ultimately led to the successful arrest of other fleeing terrorists in Macao by the Macao Judiciary Police. Representatives of KPMG Advisory (Hong Kong) Limited were invited for the first time to provide valuable insights and participate in the exercise as a member of the Cyber Security Action Task Force, fostering collaboration between public and private organisations. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Siu Chak-yee, and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Chow Yat-ming also attended and monitored the exercise. The Force hoped that this exercise could strengthen the capabilities of participants in responding to cyber attacks and physical counter terrorism, as well as foster the communication between management agencies of critical infrastructures and the Force and enhance the efficiency of the workflow when handling terrorist attacks, in order to prevent incidents before they occur and to respond swiftly together when necessary.
Ends/Saturday, September 21, 2024Issued at HKT 17:02
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Source: Scottish Government
Call for action to tackle root causes of fuel poverty.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has written to Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall to urge the UK Government to reverse the cut to Winter Fuel Payment.
Ms Somerville called on the UK Government to take action to address root causes of fuel poverty and volatile energy prices.
The full text of the Social Justice Secretary’s letter: Winter Fuel Payment: Letter to UK Government
Source: The Holy See
Audience with members of the Italian Financial Police on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of its founding, 21.09.2024
This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the members of the Italian Financial Police on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Corps, to whom he delivered the following address:
Address of the Holy Father
Mr. Minister,
Mr. General,
Your Excellency and dear Chaplains,
Dear Members of the Financial Police,
I welcome you with pleasure: I saw you this morning when you were entering here. I greet the Minister of Economy and Finance, the Commander General and all the officials. I greet and thank the Bishop Military Ordinary and the chaplains.
“In tradition, the future”. This is the motto of your 250th anniversary. In tradition there is the future. It refers to the roots that led to the founding of the Italian Financial Police, and gave a direction for growth. Born as a special Corps for financial surveillance and border defence, it has taken on the tasks of tax and economic-financial police, and sea policing, with an important mission in the field of rescue, both at sea and in the mountains. A historical reminder of this commitment is the help offered to Jewish refugees and the persecuted during the two great world wars.
A vast sphere of intervention, therefore, which aims to respond to problems with the tangibility of presence and timely action, while at the same time conveying a cultural alternative to certain evils that threaten to contaminate society.
Your Patron is Saint Matthew – today is his feast day – apostle and evangelist. Indeed, he was a “publican”, a tax collector, an occupation doubly despised in Jesus’ time, because it was subservient to imperial power, and because it was corrupt. I like to go to the church of the French to see that painting by Caravaggio, “The conversion of Matthew”, which symbolizes this so deeply. He represented a utilitarian and unscrupulous mentality, devoted only to the “god of money”.
In our times too, a similar logic affects social life, causing imbalances and marginalization: from food wastage – but this is a scandal, food wastage is a scandal! – from this waste, to the exclusion of citizens from benefiting from some of their rights. Even the State can end up a victim of this system; including those States that have vast resources but remain isolated in terms of finance or the global market. How does one explain hunger in the world today, when there is so, so much waste in developed societies? It is terrible. And another thing: if the production of weapons were to cease for a year, world hunger would end. Better to have weapons than solve hunger… Even the State can fall victim to this system: even those States which, despite having resources, as I said, remain isolated.
In this panorama, you are required to contribute to the justice of economic relationships, verifying compliance with the rules that govern the activities of individuals and businesses. Therefore, you oversee the duty of every citizen to contribute to the needs of the State according to equitable criteria, without favouring the strongest, and you counter the inappropriate use of the internet and social networks. With regard to both tax collection and the fight against undeclared and underpaid work – this is a scandal – or in any case work that is detrimental to human dignity, your action is of paramount importance.
And all this is your concrete and daily way of serving the common good, of being close to the people, of fighting corruption and promoting legality. That corruption that takes place under the table, no?
The word ‘corrupt’ “is reminiscent of the broken heart, stained by something, the ruined heart. […] Corruption reveals an anti-social conduct so strong that it dissolves the validity of the relationships and pillars on which a society is founded”. Therefore, the answer, the alternative does not lie in norms alone, but in a “new humanism”.[1] To re-found humanity.
The gaze of Jesus, placed on the young Matthew, says that the dignity and the life of man are the heart of the life of a people. You can contribute to the emergence of this new humanism also through your work in the service of the young people who apply to enter the Financial Police Corps and attend its schools. Initially they are perhaps looking only for a job, but they then find a specific training, which not only provides them with indispensable knowledge and experience, but also becomes education for life and the common good.
Matthew, in a certain sense, moved from the logic of profit to that of equity. But, in the school of Jesus, he also went beyond equity and justice and came to know gratuitousness, the gift of self that generates solidarity, sharing, inclusion. Gratuitousness is not just a financial dimension, it is a human dimension. Entering into the service of others, freely, without seeking profit for oneself. Because while justice is necessary, justice is not enough to fill those gaps that only gratuitousness, charity and love can heal.
You experience this, for example, when you organize the reception and rescue of migrants in danger in the Mediterranean: thank you for this, thank you. Or in your courageous interventions in the event of natural disasters, in Italy and elsewhere. But think of the fight against the scourge of drug trafficking, the merchants of death. Your service does not end with protection of the victims, but includes the attempt to help the rebirth of those who do wrong: indeed, by acting with respect and moral integrity you can touch consciences, showing the possibility of a different life.
In this way to one can and must construct an alternative to the globalization of indifference – the globalization of indifference: provide an alternative to this – this globalization of indifference, which not only destroys with violence and war, but also neglects social care and the environment. In effect, the wealth of a nation is not solely in its GDP; it resides in its natural, artistic, cultural and religious heritage – and in the smile of its inhabitants, its children. Once, a head of State said to me: “I have a special measurement: the smile of children and the elderly. When both of them smile, things are not going too badly in a society”. It is curious, this … and this favours creativity, openness to the world. You yourselves are citizens who safeguard this “wealth” of Italy, but are ready to go on international missions. There is a need for this impetus to solidarity towards the other as a way to peace and as a hope for a better future!
Brothers and sisters, I congratulate you, because you cooperate to foster the confidence and hope of the people. This people, that is all of us. And to nurture confidence, hope, smiles. I come back to this: the thermometer is, do the children smile? Do the elderly smile? Don’t forget. And this important anniversary fits well with the theme of the Jubilee that the Church is preparing to celebrate, which is “Pilgrims of Hope”. I bless you from my heart, I bless your work and families. Please, do not lose your sense of humour, please! This is healthy! And I ask you, please, to pray for me. Thank you.
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[1] Preface in Peter Turkson, Corrosion: combatting corruption in the Church and in society, Bologna 2017.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
75-minute documentary “Enchanting China” premieres today to celebrate 75th anniversary of founding of People’s Republic of China (with photos)
75-minute documentary “Enchanting China” premieres today to celebrate 75th anniversary of founding of People’s Republic of China (with photos)
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To mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) and the Environmental Protection Department, in collaboration with the Center for Environmental Education and Communications of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, have produced the documentary series “Enchanting China”. The premiere of the documentary series was held today (September 21) at Shaw Auditorium, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). The first series of “Enchanting China” consists of five episodes totalling 75 minutes, namely “Ninety-Nine Bends of the Yellow River”, “Song of the Yangtze”, “From Desert to Forest”, “Embracing Diversity” and “Clean Air Actions”. The first four episodes, together with “Picturesque Bays of Hong Kong”, which is the first episode of the documentary series “Beautiful Hong Kong” produced by the EEB, were screened at today’s premiere. Through showing the country’s achievements and contributions in environmental protection, it aims to instil a strong sense of patriotism in the younger generation and help them understand the country’s progress of the ecological civilisation development in building a beautiful China and the contributions and achievements made by the country and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in environmental protection and nature conservation. Speaking at the premiere, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, said, “‘Enchanting China’ allows us to experience the extraordinary charm of our nation and witness the country’s major achievements and contributions in environmental protection. On the first National Ecology Day last year, President Xi Jinping emphasised that ‘building an ecological civilisation is of fundamental importance for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation’. ‘Enchanting China’ is a meaningful way to implement the concept of ‘lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets’, and promote the construction of ecological civilisation and environmental protection education.” The Convenor of the Working Group on Patriotic Education (WGPE), Ms Starry Lee, who is also a member of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee and the Chairman of the Legislative Council House Committee, also attended the premiere today. She said that “Enchanting China” is a thematic documentary series born out of Hong Kong’s integration into the overall framework of national development, allowing Hong Kong to join the leading force in national environmental governance at a new level to deepen the understanding of the practice of green transformation. Other guests at the premiere included Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR Mr Luo Yonggang; the Inspector General of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Mr Ling Jiang; the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan; the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui; heads of Departments; Consuls-General and representatives from Chambers of Commerce; Legislative Council Members; members from the WGPE, the Advisory Council on the Environment, and the Environment and Conservation Fund Committee; District Council members; chairmen and vice-chairmen of the three committees (the Area Committees, the District Fight Crime Committees and the District Fire Safety Committees); as well as representatives from local professional bodies, higher-education institutions and schools. The EEB’s documentary series “Beautiful Hong Kong” also consists of five episodes totalling 75 minutes, showing the progressive environmental improvements in Hong Kong since the return to the motherland. Mr Tse said, “The showcase of ‘Picturesque Bays of Hong Kong’ celebrated the achievements made by the HKSAR Government in environmental protection and nature conservation. Looking ahead, the HKSAR will continue to maintain close collaboration with other Greater Bay Area cities to jointly set up ecological security shields with a view to developing a more charming bay area. I encourage everyone in the community to explore our picturesque bays, treasure the natural beauty of Hong Kong and work together to enhance our natural environment.” Professor Nancy Ip, President of HKUST, where the premiere took place, said in her welcome remarks, “The movie showcases our motherland’s unwavering commitment to preserving our natural environment and promoting sustainable development. Advancing sustainability requires collaboration and knowledge sharing across different sectors. HKUST strives to foster global sustainable development through scientific research, innovative solutions and international partnerships. We are also pleased to witness the establishment of the World Sustainable Development Institute in collaboration with the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation as part of today’s meaningful celebration. The institute will seek to generate impactful research outcomes and pursue science-based solutions for complex challenges such as climate change and nature conservation.” The documentary series “Enchanting China” and “Beautiful Hong Kong” will be screened at the Hong Kong Space Museum and T·PARK from October. It will subsequently be broadcast on RTHK TV 32 and uploaded online for all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong to download for broadcast.
Ends/Saturday, September 21, 2024Issued at HKT 18:05
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