Recommendations from the Accessibility Advisory Board for the Province’s accessibility employment standard were released today, October 25.
The board’s Employment Standard Development Committee, which includes people with disabilities and other experts in the field, developed the recommendations. They address employment barriers faced by people with disabilities in the areas of recruitment, retention, advancement, workplace accommodations and emergency preparedness and will be used to inform an accessibility standard for employment.
The standard will be shared publicly for comment.
“Every Nova Scotian deserves the chance to fully engage in the workforce. These recommendations will shape the standard regulations needed to make that a reality. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Employment Standard Development Committee and the Accessibility Advisory Board for their unwavering commitment to this vital mission,” said Justice Minister Barbara Adams, Minister responsible for the Accessibility Act.
The board is recommending that employers have:
a workplace accessibility policy that ensures recruitment practices are accessible
evacuation and shelter-in-place plans to ensure employees with disabilities are safe during an emergency
reasonable workplace accommodations so that everyone has what they need to do their job.
It recommends a phased approach, which may include exemptions depending on employer size.
The recommendations are another step toward the creation of a more equitable and accessible province for all Nova Scotians, ensuring that everyone has equal access to programs, services, information and infrastructure.
The accessibility standard for employment is one of six accessibility standards being developed as part of the Access by Design 2030 strategy. People with disabilities, representatives of disability-focused organizations, and employers from private, public and non-profit sectors were consulted on this work.
Quotes:
“Accessible employment is important because it ensures that all Nova Scotians can fully participate in our workforce, and employers across Nova Scotia are supported to prevent and remove barriers to employment faced by persons with disabilities. The Accessibility Advisory Board is pleased to see another milestone accomplished that advances accessibility in Nova Scotia.” — Max Chauvin, Chair, Accessibility Advisory Board
Quick Facts:
October is Disability Employment Awareness Month
55.5 per cent of adults aged 25-64 with disabilities are employed, compared with 76 per cent of working-age adults without disabilities
Nova Scotia’s Accessibility Act sets a goal of an accessible Nova Scotia by 2030; employment is the third standard area to be developed under the Accessibility Act, following built environment and education
Additional Resources:
Recommendations for an accessible employment standard: https://novascotia.ca/accessibility/employment-committee/
More information about work to develop accessibility standards in other areas: https://novascotia.ca/accessibility/
Access by Design 2030: https://novascotia.ca/accessibility/access-by-design/
CHICAGO — A former Navy sailor has pleaded guilty in federal court in Chicago to plotting to attack Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago, Ill., purportedly on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
XUANYU HARRY PANG, 38, of North Chicago, Ill., pleaded guilty to conspiring to and attempting to willfully injure and destroy national defense material, national defense premises, and national defense utilities, with the intent to injure, interfere with, and obstruct the national defense of the United States. The guilty plea was entered on Nov. 5, 2024, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and ordered unsealed today.
Pang is currently detained without bond in law enforcement custody. U.S. District Judge Jeremy C. Daniel has not yet set a sentencing date. The conviction is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The case was investigated by the Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Bond, Vikas Didwania, and Brandon Stone of the Northern District of Illinois, with assistance from Trial Attorneys John Cella and Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
According to court records filed in the case, Pang communicated in the summer of 2021 with an individual in Colombia about potentially assisting with a plan involving Iranian actors to conduct an attack against the United States to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani, a general of the IRGC Quds Force who was killed by the U.S. military in 2020. The Quds Force is a branch of the IRGC that conducts unconventional warfare and intelligence activities outside of Iran.
A covert FBI employee, posing as an affiliate of the Quds Force, subsequently communicated online with the individual in Colombia about conducting an attack. The individual in Colombia put the covert FBI employee in touch with Pang, who at the time was stationed and residing at Naval Station Great Lakes, court records show. The pair communicated online through an encrypted messaging application about possible targets for the attack, including the Naval Station Great Lakes and other locations in the Chicago area. Pang and the individual in Colombia agreed to help the covert FBI employee and his purported associates with their operation to conduct the attack in the United States, court records state.
On three occasions in the fall of 2022, Pang personally met with another individual working with the FBI who was posing as an associate of the covert FBI employee. The first meeting took place outside of the Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago, and the two other meetings were held at a train station in Lake Bluff, Ill., court records show. During the meetings in Lake Bluff, as the plot coalesced into an attack on the Naval Station, Pang displayed photos and videos on his phone of multiple locations inside the Naval Station. He also provided two U.S. military uniforms – for operatives to wear inside the base during the attack – and a cell phone that could be used as a test for a detonator, the records show.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned and indictment charging a Venezuelan national, restricted from possessing a firearm and ammunition, with a gun crime after an alleged shooting incident in Summit County, Utah.
Manuel A. Pimentel-Gonzalez, 24, of Eagle Mountain, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on February 21, 2025.
According to court documents, on May 19, 2024, a dispute erupted at a party at a rural property in Summit County. During the investigation, security footage depicted a heavily built male, later identified as Pimentel-Gonzalez, reach into a parked BMW X7 sport-utility vehicle and remove a large firearm with a wooden feature. Pimentel-Gonzalez then shouted profanities and insults in Spanish. Immediately after Pimentel-Gonzalez stepped away from the camera view, several gunshots were heard on the security footage. Investigators recovered at least 42 shell casings, four firearms, and bullet damage to vehicles at the scene.
During the execution of a search warrant in Eagle Mountain, Utah, law enforcement located a white BMX sport-utility vehicle, with gunfire damage. Investigators also found Pimentel-Gonzalez with at least one gunshot wound that he attempted to treat himself. A Draco 92 9×19 mm firearm with a wooden feature was also seized and later linked to expended shell casings recovered from the shooting scene in Summit County. At the time of the shooting, Pimentel- Gonzalez was on probation for a prior state firearm conviction by a restricted person.
Pimentel-Gonzalez is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. His initial appearance on the indictment has yet to be scheduled before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by an ATF Task Force Officer assigned to the Utah Department of Corrections.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
GRAND RAPIDS – Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge today announced that United States District Judge Jane M. Beckering sentenced Jason Demyers, 44, a current resident of Arizona with significant ties to Lansing, Michigan, to serve 324 months in prison for his leadership of a multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy. During sentencing, Judge Beckering described Demyers as a “kingpin” in what she described as a “nationally orchestrated drug trafficking organization” that dealt massive amounts of both cocaine and methamphetamine. Demyers is the seventh defendant to be sentenced in the case.
Demyers was one of the leaders of the drug trafficking conspiracy. His organization distributed kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine in and around Detroit, Lansing, and Kalamazoo between August 2022 and July 2024. Demyers personally coordinated the shipment to Michigan of packages containing approximately ten kilograms of methamphetamine. He also worked with couriers who flew from Michigan to California carrying thousands of dollars earned from drug sales and then flew back to Michigan carrying kilograms of illegal drugs.
During the pendency of the case, investigators seized approximately ten kilograms of methamphetamine, eight kilograms of cocaine, multiple pieces of real property used to facilitate the drug trafficking conspiracy, and jewelry valued at approximately $325,000.
In total, the United States charged fourteen defendants as part of the organization. Twelve of the defendants have pled guilty, while two have entered into a pretrial diversion program. Of the defendants sentenced to date, the Court has imposed the following prison sentences:
Franchot Barnes – 324 months
Jomo Grady – 210 months
Evette Wallace – 110 months
Jamar Goins – 78 months
Lanise Moody – 40 months
Jonathan Conner – 37 months
The remaining defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in May and June 2025.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Lansing Police Department (LPD) began the investigation into Demyers’ drug trafficking organization in October 2022, in partnership with Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office.
“Today’s sentencing of Jason Demyers for his lead role in a national drug trafficking organization is a victory for the American public and a defeat to drug traffickers everywhere. The special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation continue in their mission to disrupt the flow of ill-gotten gains that is the life-blood for these criminals,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “We will continue to be relentless in our mission to dismantle these drug trafficking organizations and bring the criminals who run them to justice.”
“This case is a prime example of how a seemingly small investigation can evolve into a large-scale operation, thanks to the dedicated collaboration between our local, state, and federal partners,” said Lansing Police Chief Rob Backus. “By working together, we’re able to target and dismantle operations led by some of the most prolific offenders.”
“DEA is committed to protecting communities throughout Michigan from drug traffickers who prey on the vulnerable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Detroit Field Division Andrew Lawton. “Mr. Demyers ran a drug trafficking organization that funneled kilogram-quantities of drugs into Michigan along with an untold amount of misery and destruction. Together with our law enforcement partners, DEA will continue to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal organizations that threaten safety and disrupt communities.”
This prosecution, dubbed Operation Cold as Ice, was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie M. Carowan and Austin J. Hakes prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
LOS ANGELES – A San Bernardino County man pleaded guilty today to illegally possessing sensitive technologies that he downloaded from his Southern California-based employers and used them to market his own competing company to a China-based company.
Liming Li, 66, of Rancho Cucamonga, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of trade secrets.
“Protecting U.S. companies’ sensitive intellectual property is critical to our country’s success in a global economy,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “The defendant here stole intellectual property in order to benefit companies in China. Stealing proprietary information undermines our economic security and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute individuals that engage in this conduct.”
“Mr. Li’s greed allowed him to be used by a Chinese company without regard for the negative implications to the economy or national security of the United States,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is well-aware that China is actively seeking and stealing American intellectual property at a rapid pace and those who willingly hand it over, as Mr. Li has done and now acknowledged, will face serious consequences.”
According to his plea agreement, from 1996 to 2013, Li worked for a Southern California-based business identified in court documents as “U.S. Company #1,” which specialized in precision measuring instruments and metrological technology and equipment. The company designed and sold a range of products such as micrometers, calipers, coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), and optical measurement systems.
Li worked at U.S. Company #1 as a senior software engineer, then as a program manager. From 2013 to 2018, Li worked as chief technologist at a wholly-owned subsidiary of U.S. Company #1. During his employment at U.S. Company #1 and its subsidiary, Li worked on the development of the source code for one of the company’s software programs, which was considered its proprietary information.
In July 2013, Li signed an employee handbook and confidentiality agreement with U.S. Company #1 that required him to turn over all writings, records, files, technology, trade secrets or data containing any proprietary information belonging to the company. The agreement also prohibited Li from copying the company’s proprietary information without written permission.
Li admitted in his plea agreement that he occasionally downloaded the company’s proprietary information onto his personal devices without permission. Li failed to return all the proprietary information belonging to U.S. Company #1 after its subsidiary terminated him in January 2018.
In February 2018, Li operated a consulting company named JSL Innovations Inc. and in March 2020, he signed an employment agreement with Suzhou Universal Group Technology Co. Ltd., a China-based chain-and-bearing manufacturer. Li continued to work for Suzhou Universal until his arrest in May 2023. During this period, Li continued to knowingly possess U.S. Company #1’s proprietary information and – more than once – accessed this information without that company’s authorization.
Li admitted that he used the proprietary information for his own economic benefit and that it would injure U.S. Company #1’s interests.
United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt scheduled a May 8 sentencing hearing, at which time Li will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The FBI investigated this matter with substantial assistance from the Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security.
The case against Li was brought under the auspices of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, which is co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce. The Strike Force seeks to counter efforts by hostile nation-states to illicitly acquire sensitive U.S. technology to advance their authoritarian regimes and facilitate human rights abuses.
Assistant United States Attorney Aaron B. Frumkin of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section, Solomon D. Kim of the Major Frauds Section, and David T. Ryan of the National Security Division are prosecuting this case.
The Met has confirmed conditions have been imposed on a long-running protest in Swiss Cottage.
The static protest in Finchley Road, at the junction of Eton Avenue, has been taking place on a weekly basis on Friday’s since October 2023.
From Friday, 28 February the protest, organised by the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN), must take place within a designated area in Kings Cross.
The decision to impose these conditions has been made with a view to minimising serious disruption to the community in the Swiss Cottage area.
Superintendent Jack Rowlands, who is responsible for the policing operation across Camden and Islington, said:
“Our role is to ensure all those exercising their right to protest can do so without incident and without causing serious disruption to the lives of the wider community.
“We have imposed conditions under the Public Order Act on when and where this protest can take place. I would ask anyone attending to make themselves aware of these conditions as to breach them, or to incite others to do so, is a criminal offence.”
The conditions state:
– Any person participating in the IJAN protest must remain in the area shaded on the attached map outside Kings Cross Station, Euston Road, London, on the pavement between the bus stop and pedestrian crossing.
– The assembly must finish by 19:30hrs.
Officers will be in attendance and we would encourage people to speak to them if they have concerns. They are there to ensure everyone is kept safe.
If you want to report anything suspicious you can call 101 or 999 in an emergency.
For years, scholars and practitioners have sought ways to prevent workplace aggression and mitigate its negative consequences. One proposed solution is bystander intervention, where employees who witness or hear about aggression step in to stop or address it.
However, results from our recent meta-analysis cast doubt on the effectiveness of bystander intervention as a reliable solution. We integrated research findings from 149 articles, which included data from 111,466 participants. Alarmingly, we found that bystanders intervened only in the artificial safety of experiments, but not in real work settings.
Not all employees feel equipped to address workplace aggression, and organizations should not over-rely on employees to take action. Instead, we highlighted the crucial role leaders can play. Leaders can effectively interrupt incidents of workplace aggression, act as influential role models for others and ultimately foster inclusive climates.
Leaders must step up
Leaders can become aware of workplace aggression in various ways, including overhearing rude comments in a meeting, receiving written complaints or being approached for advice on handling inappropriate jokes. When this happens, leaders must decide whether to act and how.
Several barriers may prevent leaders from responding constructively. Like anyone else, leaders are prone to cognitive distortions. They may downplay an incident as a joke, hesitate to confront a high-performing employee who is the instigator, or even blame the target for provoking the behaviour.
Some leaders may also feel it’s not their responsibility to intervene. If they have demanding jobs, they might not have time or energy to get involved in interpersonal issues that are not central to their jobs.
Too often, employees remain silent when it comes to dealing with aggressive behaviours due to their perceived lack of power or ability to make a difference. (Shutterstock)
However, the cost of leader inaction is high. In 2022, Nike faced a harassment and discrimination lawsuit with female employees raising concerns that “Nike’s management were unlikely to address their concerns” about unwanted sexual advances, sexist attitudes, and discrimination.
When leaders ignore workplace aggression, organizations can suffer reputational and financial damage. But most importantly, employees can experience serious distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, and depression.
Responding to aggressive incidents
One survey found that only 44 per cent of employees at U.S. companies strongly agree that their companies have a culture where employees are encouraged to speak up. Too often, employees remain silent when it comes to dealing with aggressive behaviours due to their perceived lack of power or ability to make a difference.
Leaders, however, have the power to resist pushback, hold instigators accountable and create a supportive workplace environment. Leaders must take an active role in both preventing and responding to aggressive workplace incidents.
First, leaders should acknowledge that addressing aggression is a part of their job. Aside from legal obligations to address aggression, leaders’ actions set the tone for what is considered acceptable. Demonstrating a commitment to civility can signal their ethical leadership, a highly valued leadership style.
Second, leaders need to also address what might seem like minor incidents. A common misconception among bystanders is that minor incidents of aggression aren’t serious or harmful enough to act on.
Minor incidents of aggression include low-intensity behaviors, such as sarcastic remarks, offensive jokes, eye-rolling, or dismissive gestures. More severe aggression includes such behaviors as yelling, intimidation, throwing objects in anger, or even inflicting physical harm.
Aggression often starts with relatively minor acts that may escalate to more severe ones when left unchecked, so these smaller acts need to be addressed. Once aggression escalates in intensity or frequency, it becomes part of the organizational culture, making it much harder to change.
It might seem surprising, but minor and severe aggression can be equally harmful to victims. Minor incidents are often subtle, which can lead to excessive rumination (e.g., was it intentional?), self-doubt (e.g., am I misinterpreting it?) and lowered self-esteem. This is particularly problematic because minor incidents are significantly more prevalent at work.
How leaders can intervene effectively
Leaders also need to learn how to appropriately intervene in incidents of aggression. For minor incidents, leaders can take immediate actions by redirecting attention from the target and stopping the incident by shifting the conversation or suggesting a quick break.
Leaders should also privately address the aggressive behaviour with the instigator. Aggressive behaviours, especially in minor forms, are sometimes unintentional, so it’s best to approach the conversation in a non-confrontational manner that prompts the instigator to reflect on their behaviour and recognize the harmful nature of their actions.
Leaders should privately address any aggressive behaviour with instigators. (Shutterstock)
Since employees commonly become defensive or deny wrongdoing during such conversations, leaders should focus on discussing behaviours rather than personality, and provide actionable suggestions for positive behavioural change.
It is also important to provide support to the target. Sometimes, employees react negatively toward victims of workplace aggression, such as blaming them for provoking the aggression rather than supporting them, which can damage their social standing within the team. When leaders support victims, it signals to others how they should respond, which can help victims retain their social status.
Leaders can also create opportunities for the target to showcase their skills, reaffirming the importance of their role within the team and the organization, or engaging in acts of leader allyship toward victims.
Innovating bystander training
While our findings cast doubt on the effectiveness of bystander intervention among regular employees, they underscore the critical role of those in positions of authority and power to take action to address workplace aggression.
Leaders should adopt innovative training programs, including bystander intervention training. While many organizations already provide such training, it often only involves educational videos or lectures. Research shows the best way to learn is by practicing, not passively listening. Training should take this into account.
But how can employees practice interventions in a safe environment? One way organizations can do this is by taking advantage of recent technological developments, such as generative artificial intelligence, to create realistic training simulations.
Trainees can engage in simulated conversations with a virtual instigator or victim and practice their intervention skills. Such conversations can be done in real-time with an avatar through video or voice, allowing employees build confidence and refine their approach in a controlled setting.
Leaders have both the power and responsibility to create safer workplaces. By taking action to interrupt aggression and support victims, leaders can be role models for employees and ultimately foster a more productive work environment. Needless to say, leaders should address the problem, not contribute to it.
Zhanna Lyubykh receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Sandra L. Robinson receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Sandy Hershcovis receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Rui Zhong and The Ton Vuong do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to increase grant funding for small law enforcement agencies in Nevada and across the country. The Invest to Protect Act would set aside $250 million to help local police invest in training, mental health support, and recruitment and retention. The bill is cosponsored by Senators Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).
“Nevada’s small police departments deserve more access to critical funding to keep communities safe,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ll always stand up for our law enforcement, and this bipartisan bill is simple – it gets our police in rural, suburban, and Tribal communities the resources they need.”
“Law enforcement in Iowa and across the nation are struggling with low recruitment and retention rates,” said Senator Grassley. “Our bipartisan bill would unlock access to critical resources, allowing local law enforcement to grow and strengthen their forces. As always, I’m proud to back the blue and will continue to protect and support our courageous officers.”
The majority of law enforcement agencies in the U.S. are smaller than 175 full-time sworn officers, including all of Nevada’s rural sheriff’s departments and key suburban departments such as the Sparks Police Department. In Nevada and nationwide, these small departments often struggle to access critical resources. Cortez Masto’s bipartisan Invest to Protect Act would establish a grant program through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to provide $250 million specifically to help these small law enforcement agencies make meaningful investments in their officers and communities. This bill is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police and the National Association of Police Organizations.
As the former top law enforcement official in Nevada, Senator Cortez Masto has been a leading advocate in the Senate for our police officers and is part of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus. She has secured historic funding for the Byrne JAG grant program, the leading source of criminal justice funding in the country. Her bipartisan bills to combat the crisis of law enforcement suicide and provide mental health resources to police officers have been signed into law by presidents of both parties. Her BADGES for Native Communities Act, to support the Bureau of Indian Affairs with law enforcement recruitment and retention, passed the Senate last Congress.
Le gouvernement prévoit moderniser la façon dont la Commission des droits de la personne de la Nouvelle-Écosse s’y prend pour protéger les droits des gens de la province et pour gérer le processus de résolution des différends relatifs aux droits de la personne. Les gens de la Nouvelle-Écosse ont réclamé des améliorations. C’est la première fois en plus d’une décennie que la Province effectue des changements d’envergure à la Commission.
« Les gens de la Nouvelle-Écosse nous ont dit qu’il faut améliorer la façon dont les questions et les plaintes relatives aux droits de la personne sont traitées, affirme Becky Druhan, procureure générale et ministre de la Justice. Notre objectif est de créer un système plus accessible, plus inclusif et plus adapté, qui tient davantage compte du vécu et des besoins variés de chaque personne dans la province. »
Le travail, qui commencera au printemps, sera mené en partenariat avec le personnel de la Commission des droits de la personne de la Nouvelle-Écosse, les commissaires et la collectivité.
La Commission des droits de la personne de la Nouvelle-Écosse a vu le jour grâce à une loi provinciale en 1967. Son mandat comprend le recours à un processus de résolution des différends en matière de droits de la personne pour répondre aux allégations de discrimination, que ce soit sur le plan individuel ou systémique, de même que l’élimination des obstacles et la prévention de la discrimination par l’éducation, la formation, la mobilisation du public et l’élaboration de politiques.
Faits en bref
La dernière modification à la loi sur les droits de la personne (Human Rights Act) a été effectuée en 2016 et se rapportait à l’article 21, déclarant que la loi prévaut sur la Couronne.
Citations
« Nous accueillons favorablement l’annonce du gouvernement quant aux réformes visant à renforcer la Commission des droits de la personne de la Nouvelle-Écosse. Mon équipe et moi sommes impatients de travailler en étroite collaboration avec le gouvernement pour créer une Commission plus forte, plus adaptée, nous permettant de respecter les principes de justice, d’équité et d’inclusion pour tous les gens de la province. » — Joseph Fraser Directeur général de la Commission des droits de la personne de la Nouvelle-Écosse
Ressources supplémentaires
Site Internet de la Commission des droits de la personne de la Nouvelle-Écosse : https://humanrights.novascotia.ca/fr
The government plans to modernize the way the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission protects the rights of Nova Scotians and administers the province’s human rights dispute resolution process.
Nova Scotians have called for improvements, and this marks the first time the Province has undertaken any significant updates related to the commission in more than a decade.
“Nova Scotians have told us that the way human rights issues and complaints are handled needs to improve,” said Becky Druhan, Attorney General and Minister of Justice. “Our goal is to create a more accessible, inclusive and responsive system that better reflects the diverse needs and experiences of all individuals in the province.”
The work will start this spring in partnership with Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission staff, commissioners and the community.
The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission was created by provincial statute in 1967. Its mandate includes providing a human rights dispute resolution process to resolve allegations of discrimination both on an individual and systemic level and eliminating barriers and preventing discrimination through education, training, public engagement and policy development.
Quick Facts:
the last change to the Human Rights Act was made in 2016 related to Section 21, affirming the act as binding the Crown
Quotes:
“We welcome government’s announcement of reforms to strengthen the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission. My team and I look forward to working closely with government to build a stronger, more responsive commission, ensuring we uphold the principles of justice, equity and inclusion for everyone in our province.” — Joseph Fraser, CEO, Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission
Additional Resources:
Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission website: https://humanrights.novascotia.ca/
Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 – As Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress attempt to advance legislation to give massive tax breaks to billionaires and undermine Social Security, Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy, and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Val Hoyle (D-Ore.), introduced the Social Security Expansion Act. The legislation would expand Social Security benefits by $2,400 a year and ensure Social Security is fully funded for the next 75 years by applying the Social Security payroll tax on all income above $250,000. Importantly, this legislation would not raise taxes by one penny on the over 91 percent of American households who make $250,000 or less.
These estimates reflect an analysis of the legislation conducted by the Social Security Administration at the request of Sen. Sanders in 2023.
Joining Sanders, Warren, Schakowsky and Hoyle on the Social Security Expansion Act are Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), as well as 17 cosponsors in the House including Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-D.C.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Christopher R. Deluzio (D-Pa.), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), Troy Carter (D-La.), James McGovern (D-Mass.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).
“At a time when nearly half of older Americans have no retirement savings and over 26% of seniors are trying to survive on an income of less than $17,500 a year, our job is not to cut Social Security as many of our Republican colleagues want to do,” said Sanders. “Our job is to expand Social Security so that every senior in America can retire with the dignity that they deserve and every person with a disability can live with the security they need. The legislation we are introducing today will expand Social Security benefits by $2,400 a year, lift millions of seniors out of poverty and extend the solvency of Social Security for generations to come by making sure that the wealthiest people in our society pay their fair share into the system. Right now, a billionaire pays the same amount into Social Security as someone who makes $176,100 a year. Our bill puts an end to that absurdity. And by doing that, we can expand Social Security benefits and make sure that Social Security can pay out every single benefit owed to every eligible American for the next 75 years.”
“Social Security serves as a lifeline for millions of seniors, and hardworking Americans deserve to receive the benefits they paid into,” said Warren. “It’s a mistake for Donald Trump and his allies in Congress to focus on securing tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations when we should be focusing on expanding and increasing Social Security benefits so that everyone can retire with dignity.”
“Social Security is your hard-earned money; it is not an entitlement. President Donald Trump and his unelected billionaire sidekick Elon Musk think they alone can decide if you get your Social Security check. They had better think again. That is stealing. Americans pay into the program with each paycheck. We must expand Social Security benefits, not cut them, and I have a bill to do just that,” said Schakowsky. “The Social Security Expansion Act will protect the national treasure that is Social Security by extending the trust fund’s solvency for 75 years and expanding benefits by $2,400 a year so that everyone in America can retire with the security and dignity they deserve after a lifetime of hard work.”
“Protecting Social Security is our commitment to seniors who’ve worked their whole lives to earn it,” said Hoyle. “While Congressional Republicans continue to threaten cuts to Social Security, I am proud to join Senator Sanders, Senator Warren and Representative Schakowsky in introducing a concrete proposal that extends the program for another 75 years by having millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share like every other working American. The Social Security Expansion Act was my first bill in Congress, and I will not stop fighting until I see it passed into law.”
Social Security is the most successful government program in the history of our country. For 86 years, through good times and bad, Social Security has paid out every benefit owed to every eligible American on time and without delay. Before 1935, when it was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, about 50 percent of the nation’s seniors lived in poverty, as did countless Americans with disabilities and surviving dependents of deceased workers. Nearly 90 years later, the senior poverty rate is down to 9.7 percent and in 2023 alone, Social Security lifted 27.6 million Americans out of poverty, including more than 19.5 million seniors.
Despite this success, tens of millions of seniors are still struggling to get by, and many older workers fear that they will never be able to retire with security and dignity. While the average Social Security benefit is only $1,838 a month, nearly 40 percent of seniors rely on Social Security for a majority of their income; one in seven rely on it for more than 90 percent of their income; and nearly half of Americans aged 65 and 74 have no retirement savings at all.
By requiring millionaires and billionaires to finally pay their fair share into the program, the Social Security Expansion Act would ensure the fund’s solvency to the end of the century, help low-income workers stay out of poverty by improving the Special Minimum Benefit, restore student benefits up to age 22 for children of disabled or deceased workers, strengthen benefits for senior citizens and people with disabilities, increase Cost-Of-Living-Adjustments (COLAs) and expand program benefits across-the-board.
The Social Security Expansion Act has also been endorsed by over 25 groups, including: Social Security Works, MoveOn, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Strengthen Social Security Coalition, American Federation of Teachers, Justice in Aging, Income Movement, Public Citizen, Blue Future, Campaign for America’s Future, Labor Campaign for Single Payer, Indivisible, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), AAFGE Council 215, Alliance for Retired Americans, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFSCME Retirees, American Postal Workers Union, People Power United, Left Click, Defeat Republicans, Progress America, The People United, Iron PAC, Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Other98 and Solidarity Action.
Read the bill text, here.
Read the fact sheet and full list of supporting organizations, here.
Read the Social Security Administration’s 2023 analysis of the legislation, here.
Read a 2021 analysis of what the world’s wealthiest people would pay under this legislation, here.
(Based on Information Provided by the Protocol and Liaison Service)
The new Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the United Nations, Milan J.N. Meetarbhan, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.
Prior to his appointment, he taught at the Mauritius campus of Paris-Panthéon-Assas University and served as a consultant to the university.
Mr. Meetarbhan previously held the position of Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the United Nations from January 2011 to January 2015. Before that, he was Chief Executive of the Financial Services Commission from December 2005 to December 2010.Since 1995, he has been a senior adviser to the Prime Minister of Mauritius.
Earlier in his career, he served as legal adviser in the Ministry of Finance and was later appointed as a member of the Stock Exchange Commission. He also chaired the Financial Services Consultative Committee, a government body responsible for reviewing financial sector legislation. In addition to his public service roles, he was an Associate Professor of Law and Head of the Law School of the University of Mauritius.
Mr. Meetarbhan holds a doctorate in international law and a diploma of advanced studies in international economic relations and international organizations law from Sorbonne University in Paris. He also earned a specialized graduate diploma in diplomacy and international relations from the University of Paris XI.
The Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council and Governor Ned Lamont have proposed a bill to simplify and strengthen the state’s hate crimes statutes. UConn Law professors Sachin Pandya and Richard A. Wilson took lead roles in drafting the statute.
Currently, there are 20 separate hate crime statutes created over a 100-year period. This has created confusion as the statutes differ on what is covered and who is protected, as well as what hate crimes were covered by which statute. The new bill aims for consistency to make the law clear.
“The proposal puts all the hate crimes in one place in the criminal code,” Pandya said at a news conference held by the governor. “That makes it easier for police to find them. It makes them more consistent in what they require and who they protect. That makes the law easier to understand and enforce. It adds hate crime penalty enhancements for crimes involving physical injury or property damage, including for murder, arson, and other more serious crimes.”
The reform process began in 2021, when the council was created. It helped establish the Hate Crime Investigative Unit in the state police and then developed a hate crime reporting form for police, the first of its kind in the country.
“Then it became apparent that there were flaws with the hate crime statutes,” Wilson said. “There are 20 of them, and none are called ‘hate crime.’ They only cover minor felonies and do not specifically sanction bias-motivated murder or arson or other serious crimes. The statutes list different protected groups and they have different intent requirements. The list of flaws goes on; they’re a mess. They are outdated and inadequate to the task of protecting Connecticut’s citizens from hate crime, in a context where the willingness of the federal government to prosecute hate crime is uncertain.”
Wilson, who has been a member of the Hate Crimes Advisory Council since its inception, recruited Pandya to work on a new statute. Together, they visited every courthouse in the state and interviewed 72 police officers, prosecutors, judges, public defenders, and community groups in Connecticut as well as New York. They found a widespread consensus that the statutes were not workable.
Pandya drafted a new statute that brought all the 20 statutes into a single chapter and addressed the glaring inconsistencies. He and Wilson met with stakeholders on the council and throughout the state to discuss the draft and made adjustments based on the feedback, keeping consolidation as the main objective.
Wilson called the effort a “labor of love.”
In addition to consolidating all the hate crime statutes into one statute, the proposed bill authorizes the attorney general to investigate and bring civil actions on behalf of victims and authorizes judges to order participation in anti-bias programs for someone convicted of any hate crime. Previously only some of the statutes allowed for those actions.
While Pandya and Wilson led the efforts to draft the bill, bringing it to the legislature has been an effort from the whole Hate Crimes Advisory Council and is now a governor’s bill. It has support from many government agencies and community organizations across the state. It also has many ties to UConn.
Council co-chairs Douglas S. Lavine ’77 and Amy Lin Meyerson ’94 are law school alumni, and Meyerson is an adjunct professor currently leading the school’s Transactional Law Clinic. Council members Michelle Querijero ’08 and Ken Barone, who led the creation of the reporting form, are also connected to the university – Querijero as a law alumna and Barone as Associate Director of the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy at the School of Public Policy.
Querijero has taken the lead in creating a new statewide hate crimes reporting portal (reporthate.ct.gov) available to the public.
“Hate crimes are vastly and systemically underreported, and for that reason the council determined that we needed to put together a public-facing reporting portal by which the public could report these hate crimes,” Querijero said at the news conference.
The next step for the new bill will be a public hearing before it is voted on later in the legislative session.
“When you hear from the [Anti-Defamation League], when you see the news, when you see that racist language out there, it’s a crime against that individual,” Lamont said at the news conference. “It’s also a dog whistle to others to commit similar type crimes. And that’s why we take this with the utmost seriousness. That’s why we treat it differently than just an individual crime. And this is why every day we want to make it easier for you to report this, easier for us to be able to enforce it, and make sure people know we’re here fighting for you.”
A former Navy sailor has pleaded guilty in federal court in Chicago to plotting to attack Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago, Illinois, purportedly on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Xuanyu Harry Pang, 38, of North Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty to conspiring to and attempting to willfully injure and destroy national defense material, national defense premises, and national defense utilities, with the intent to injure, interfere with, and obstruct the national defense of the United States. The guilty plea was entered on Nov. 5, 2024, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and ordered unsealed today.
According to court records filed in the case, in the summer of 2021, Pang communicated with an individual in Colombia about potentially assisting with a plan involving Iranian actors to conduct an attack against the United States to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani, a general of the IRGC Quds Force who was killed by the U.S. military in 2020. The Quds Force is a branch of the IRGC that conducts unconventional warfare and intelligence activities outside of Iran.
A covert FBI employee, posing as an affiliate of the Quds Force, subsequently communicated online with the individual in Colombia about conducting an attack. The individual in Colombia put the covert FBI employee in touch with Pang, who at the time was stationed and residing at Naval Station Great Lakes. The pair communicated online through an encrypted messaging application about possible targets for the attack, including Naval Station Great Lakes and other locations in the Chicago area. Pang and the individual in Colombia agreed to help the covert FBI employee and his purported associates with their operation to conduct the attack in the United States, court records state.
On three occasions in the fall of 2022, Pang personally met with another individual working with the FBI who was posing as an associate of the covert FBI employee. The first meeting took place outside of the Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago, and the two other meetings were held at a train station in Lake Bluff, Illinois. During the meetings in Lake Bluff, as the plot coalesced into an attack on the Naval Station, Pang displayed photos and videos on his phone of multiple locations inside the Naval Station. He also provided two U.S. military uniforms – for operatives to wear inside the base during the attack – and a cell phone that could be used as a test for a detonator.
Pang is currently detained without bond and is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois, Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force – which is comprised of multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies – is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Bond, Vikas Didwania, and Brandon Stone for the Northern District of Illinois and Trial Attorneys John Cella and Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
ALBUQUERQUE – A Santa Fe man was sentenced to six months of probation and ordered to pay $1,996.44 in restitution for vandalizing ancient petroglyphs at the La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Area near Santa Fe. He was also required to perform 50 hours of community service for an organization working in public lands and cultural conservation, and to provide 48 hours of service with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as in-kind restitution to the United States.
According to court documents, on October 19, 2022, Jesse Foster drove to the La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Area near Santa Fe, New Mexico, and spray-painted several areas of the rocks near and around the petroglyphs. These drawings date back as early as 13th century through the 17th century and have significant cultural meaning to the Cochiti and Santo Domingo Pueblos.
Foster pled guilty to damage or defacement of archeological resources on September 27, 2024, and was sentenced to a 6-month probation term and ordered to pay $1,996.44 in restitution. As part of his sentence, Foster must complete 98 hours of community service, with 48 hours specifically benefiting the Bureau of Land Management and the other 50 hours benefitting the community specifically in the realm of public lands and cultural conservation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Bureau of Land Management notes that the plea agreement took into consideration that Foster did not participate in or have any connection to a previous vandalism incident at the same site. Rather, Foster’s graffitiwas an attempt to balance out that graffiti with his own less-offensive spray-painted vandalism.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Josiah Andrews, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Land Management, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Land Management, Office of Law Enforcement and Security, Region 5, investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tavo Hall prosecuted the case.
Four people have been jailed for a total of 48 and a half years following a Met Specialist Crime investigation into the murder of a man in Hounslow.
Ben Laing, 23 (22.05.00), of De Brome Road, Feltham and Durra Abdi, 19 (27.02.04), of Western Avenue, Acton were both imprisoned for 22 years for fatally stabbing Tyreece Scott.
Laing was also sentenced for being involved in the supply of drugs, while Abdi’s custodial sentence included possession of a bladed article.
Two others were sentenced for perverting the course of justice.
Reda Mohamed, 24 (09.01.01) of Linslade Close, Hounslow was jailed for four and a half years whilst Morgan Allen, 29 (09.01.96) of Reeve St, Feltham was jailed for two years which was suspended for 18 months.
In a trial which started on Tuesday, 26 November at the Old Bailey, the jury heard that shortly before 01:00hrs on Tuesday, 16 January 2024, Tyreece was stabbed to death on Hibernia Road, a quiet residential street in Hounslow.
Despite the efforts of emergency services, the 24-year-old died as a result of a stab wound to the chest a short time later.
The prosecution told the jury the murder happened against a background of drug dealing, with a dispute over dealing on other people’s territory.
Detectives worked around the clock to identify the suspects, and Laing and Abdi were arrested at Stansted Airport after landing back in the UK on Friday, 19 January. They were charged with murder two days later.
Officers gathered a large amount of CCTV material which was then painstakingly examined, and enabled them to match a bag carried by Abdi at the scene of the murder to one he was carrying when he was arrested.
Once specialist investigators had possession of the defendants’ mobile phones, they were able to recover all sorts of material including notes, text conversations and other data, including website searches of “Hounslow stabbing” on Abdi’s phone which provided vital evidence during the trial.
Detective Inspector Paul Fagence,who led the investigation, said:
“Drug dealing is an ugly business which has cost Tyreece his life.
“The case is a tragic reminder of how the supply of drugs has devastating consequences on communities.
“While there was no evidence to suggest Tyreece knew the defendants, it was the combination of CCTV, mobile phones and ANPR technology which checks vehicles of interest which helped us build a compelling case against these defendants.
“Our thoughts remain, as ever, with Tyreece’s friends and family. We hope they can now find a level of peace to move forward with their lives.”
All four defendants were convicted of their crimes at the Old Bailey on Friday, 10 January.
As part of our A New Met for London plan, tackling knife crime and violence is a top priority for the Met, while officers are working alongside communities to crack down on individuals who supply drugs and seek to cause harm in London.
You can visit Fearless for advice and discover real stories about people who turned their lives around after being involved in knife crime as well as places you can go for further help and support.
A former Navy sailor has pleaded guilty in federal court in Chicago to plotting to attack Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago, Illinois, purportedly on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Xuanyu Harry Pang, 38, of North Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty to conspiring to and attempting to willfully injure and destroy national defense material, national defense premises, and national defense utilities, with the intent to injure, interfere with, and obstruct the national defense of the United States. The guilty plea was entered on Nov. 5, 2024, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and ordered unsealed today.
According to court records filed in the case, in the summer of 2021, Pang communicated with an individual in Colombia about potentially assisting with a plan involving Iranian actors to conduct an attack against the United States to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani, a general of the IRGC Quds Force who was killed by the U.S. military in 2020. The Quds Force is a branch of the IRGC that conducts unconventional warfare and intelligence activities outside of Iran.
A covert FBI employee, posing as an affiliate of the Quds Force, subsequently communicated online with the individual in Colombia about conducting an attack. The individual in Colombia put the covert FBI employee in touch with Pang, who at the time was stationed and residing at Naval Station Great Lakes. The pair communicated online through an encrypted messaging application about possible targets for the attack, including Naval Station Great Lakes and other locations in the Chicago area. Pang and the individual in Colombia agreed to help the covert FBI employee and his purported associates with their operation to conduct the attack in the United States, court records state.
On three occasions in the fall of 2022, Pang personally met with another individual working with the FBI who was posing as an associate of the covert FBI employee. The first meeting took place outside of the Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago, and the two other meetings were held at a train station in Lake Bluff, Illinois. During the meetings in Lake Bluff, as the plot coalesced into an attack on the Naval Station, Pang displayed photos and videos on his phone of multiple locations inside the Naval Station. He also provided two U.S. military uniforms – for operatives to wear inside the base during the attack – and a cell phone that could be used as a test for a detonator.
Pang is currently detained without bond and is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois, Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force – which is comprised of multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies – is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Bond, Vikas Didwania, and Brandon Stone for the Northern District of Illinois and Trial Attorneys John Cella and Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
HAMMOND- Trashawn Heard, 29 years old, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund on his plea of guilty to robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Heard was sentenced to 121 in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on July 25, 2022, Heard entered a gas station in Hammond, Indiana, and pointed a handgun with an extended magazine at the employees. After demanding and receiving money, Heard attempted to leave but was shot in the shoulder. He dropped the money and the firearm, fled the scene, crashed his car and was taken to a hospital where he was arrested. At the time he committed the robbery, Heard was on parole for three robbery convictions from 2017.
This case was investigated by the FBI/GRIT Task Force with the assistance of the Hammond Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal jury has convicted a West Virginia man of firearms charges.
James Douglas Lambert, age 36, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was found guilty of two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. Lambert has prior convictions of domestic battery, breaking and entering, and escape, prohibiting him from having firearms. The jury heard testimony that the West Virginia State Police, acting on a tip, visited Lambert’s home. During a search of the residence, troopers recovered seven firearms. On a separate date, Lambert was arrested for brandishing a firearm, which also led to the recovery of an additional firearm.
Lambert faces up to 15 years in federal prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Warner and Will Rhee prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Akron, OH – Early this morning, members of the U.S. Marshals led Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) along with members of the Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) from West Virginia, arrested Dayshon Lewis, 24.
Lewis was wanted by authorities in Wood County West Virginia for bond violations. The original charges on the bond violation were for delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, and conspiracy. The bond violation and warrant for Lewis’ arrest were issued back in June 2023. Additionally, Lewis was wanted by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office for firearms violations. A warrant for that offense was issued in June of 2022.
Today, members of the task force narrowed down where Lewis was staying to a home in the 900 block of Jason Ave. in Akron. Lewis was arrested after he was found hiding in a closet in the home. In addition to his arrest, 2 handguns, $24,000 in U.S. currency, suspected methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and marijuana were also recovered. A female located inside the home was also charged with obstruction.
U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “This fugitive has been on the run for a long time, but the U.S. Marshals Service will always catch up to those on the run. We are thankful to have two more guns and drugs off the streets of our communities.”
Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous. Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.
The NOVFTF Akron Division consists of the following federal, state and local agencies: The United States Marshals Service, Akron Police Department, Barberton Police Department, Bath Township Police Department, Copley Township Police Department, Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, Fairlawn Police Department, Hudson Police Department, Kent Police Department, New Franklin Police Department, Norton Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Reminderville Police Department, Tallmadge Police Department, United States Secret Service, University of Akron Police Department, Wayne County Court of Common Pleas.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Reston man was sentenced today to 19 years in prison for sexually exploiting minor victims he met online.
According to court documents, on July 1, 2024, Xavier Dejuan Jackson, 28, arrived on a flight into Dulles International Airport. Customs and Border Protection Officers initiated a secondary inspection of Jackson’s devices, resulting in the discovery of several videos and images that appeared to depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Jackson met Minor Victim 1 on a social media application in January 2024. Minor Victim 1 revealed to Jackson she lived with her parents, attended high school, and was 17 years old. On various occasions, Jackson transported Minor Victim 1 across state lines to engage in sexual activity with him. Beginning on Jan. 16, 2024, Jackson repeatedly traveled to Maryland to pick up Minor Victim 1 and transported her 40 minutes to his apartment in Reston to engage in sexual activity with him. Each time Jackson engaged in sexual activity with Minor Victim 1, he recorded his exploitation of her on his cellphone. Jackson then distributed the videos to Minor Victim 1 via Snapchat.
In February 2024, Jackson began communicating with Minor Victim 2 on Instagram. On March 1, 2024, Minor Victim 2 informed Jackson she was 14 years old. When Minor Victim 2 asked how old he suspected she was, Jackson replied, “Like 17 maybe 16 but that was a stretch and ya it’s not too hard when you know what to look for.”
After Minor Victim 2 revealed her age, Jackson resumed sexually explicit conversations with her. Jackson requested that Minor Victim 2 produce for and send to him explicit videos and directed her in what he wanted her to say and how he wanted her to expose herself. Jackson received these videos via Snapchat and stored them in a folder under the victim’s name. Also stored within that folder were three videos depicting Minor Victim 2 engaged in sexual activity.
On March 2, 2024, Jackson asked Minor Victim 2 to meet in person for sexual activity. Over the next several days, the two discussed potential opportunities. Minor Victim 2 expressed fear of embarrassing herself, but Jackson persisted. Jackson pressed Minor Victim 2 for her address. Jackson continued to engage in sexually explicit messages and exchange sexually explicit photos with Minor Victim 2. They discussed locations Jackson could pick up Minor Victim 2, including her specific high school or a mall near her parent’s house.
On June 23, 2024, Minor Victim 2 asked Jackson when he would next be available to meet up for sexual activity. He responded that it would be over a week because he would be out of the country. He was arrested on July 1, 2024, after his return flight to Dulles.
On Feb. 4, 2024, Jackson initiated contact on Snapchat with a person he believed was 15 years old. Though he was then 27 years old, Jackson told the person he was 19. On March 25, 2024, Jackson inquired how much the person would charge for nude depictions of herself and sent a detailed request describing what type of sexually explicit videos he wanted. The person said that sort of video would cost $45, which Jackson sent her via PayPal. Jackson received and saved on his cellphone videos responsive to his request approximately two hours after Jackson sent the money to the person’s PayPal account. Further investigation revealed that the person Jackson believed was 15 years old was actually 19 years old.
On Nov. 21, 2024, Jackson pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, transportation of minors, and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity. In addition to his
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa K. Strobbe prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-212.
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Melik Deshawn Davis, 34, for two counts of Robbery in Indian Country. Judge Arias-Marxuach ordered Davis to 76 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,500 in restitution.
In September 2023, Tulsa Police officers were dispatched to an auto repair shop where the employees were robbed. Upon arrival, officers found two victims who described being held at gunpoint, pistol-whipped, and robbed.
The investigation revealed that Davis was dropped off at the auto repair shop. The vehicle was seen on video surveillance and FLOCK cameras fleeing the area. When law enforcement spoke with Davis, he admitted to robbing the victims.
Davis is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and he will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides) – Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in Mogadishu today, February 27, where he was received at the airport by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohammed. This is an important step towards reconciliation between the two countries of the Horn of Africa, after the signing in December by Ethiopia and Somalia, under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of the so-called “Ankara Declaration”.With this agreement, both sides committed themselves, among other things, to mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity. With the declaration signed in the Turkish capital, Ethiopia renounces the memorandum of January 1, 2024, with which Addis Ababa would have granted official recognition of the Somali secessionist region of Somaliland for a period of 50 years in exchange for access to the sea along a 20 km coastline for its “naval forces” (see Fides, 3/1/2024).The memorandum had been described by the Somali government in Mogadishu as an “attack on its territorial integrity” (see Fides, 9/1/2024). During 2024, the Turkish government offered its mediation between the two countries (see Fides, 2/7/2024), which led to the declaration signed in Ankara last December, in which Somalia agreed to work with Ethiopia “to provide it with reliable, safe and sustainable access to and from the sea under the sovereign authority of the Federal Republic of Somalia”.Ethiopia has also pledged to contribute 2,500 troops to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which replaces the previous African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which was also supported by the African Union. The Ethiopian contingent would be the second largest after the Ugandan contingent (4,500 troops). AUSSOM is intended to support the Somali army in the fight against the jihadist movements operating in the country.Turkey has long been present in Somalia with its own troops and military bases. After an initial period of tension, relations between Ethiopia and Turkey have eased, also thanks to the rapprochement between the political parties in power in the two countries, Ahmed’s Prosperity Party (PP) and Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP). These days, a delegation of the Ethiopian PP is attending the 8th AKP Congress being held in Turkey. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 27/2/2025)
Share:
The Pictou County Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit (PCISCEU) has charged three people as part of a drug trafficking investigation in Mountville.
On February 25, in relation to an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, the PCISCEU, assisted by RCMP Police Dog Services, the Stellarton Police Department, Pictou County District RCMP and the Antigonish/Guysborough County District RCMP Street Crime Enforcement Unit, executed a search warrant at a residence on Mountville Rd.
At the home, two women and a man were safely arrested.During a search of the property, officers located seizedlicense plates and cell phones.
As part of the investigation, officers then conducted a targeted traffic stop of a Honda Civic travelling nearby on Mountville Rd. Officers arrested the four occupants, a man and three women, and seized cocaine, methamphetamine, diazepam, drug paraphernalia, and cash during a search of the vehicle.
Justin Kenneth Coady, 42, John Gregory Gerrior, 34, and Katelyn Rose Kirk, 33, have been charged with:
Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking
Possession of Methamphetamine for the Purpose of Trafficking
Possession of Diazepam for the Purpose of Trafficking
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
The two women arrested at the home and two of the female occupants in the Honda were later released without charges.
Coady and Gerrior were released on conditions. They are scheduled to appear in Pictou Provincial Court on May 26, at 9:30 a.m.
Kirk was held in custody and released by the courts on conditions. She will also return in Pictou Provincial Court on May 26, at 9:30 a.m.
Note: The PCISCEU is made up of police officers from Pictou County District RCMP, Westville Police Service, and Stellarton Police Service.
Garrett Williams Admits to Helping Plan Robbery that Led to Murder of Drug Supplier
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man involved in distributing large quantities of marijuana, has admitted to helping plan a robbery that ultimately led to the murder of his drug supplier
Garrett Isaac Williams, 22, pled guilty yesterday in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery. Last month, Williams’ co-defendant, Joseph Walker, pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, beginning no later than January 2023, Walker and Williams conspired to distribute marijuana and marijuana wax they sourced from E.B., who periodically traveled from Pennsylvania to supply the pair at Mr. Walker’s residence in Roanoke, Virginia.
Eventually, the men fell into debt to E.B. Then, in an effort to collect money he was owed, E.B. attempted to phone Walker but instead inadvertently called Walker’s mother. This phone call caused Walker and Williams to set in motion a plan to end their relationship with E.B. However, instead of paying down their debt, they conspired to order more marijuana from E.B., rob E.B. of that marijuana upon delivery and, in so doing, scare him from returning to Virginia.
On April 17, 2023, E.B. traveled from Pennsylvania to Walker’s residence, bringing with him approximately 10 pounds of marijuana and two pounds of marijuana wax in a deal facilitated by Williams. During E.B.’s trip, Williams maintained communication with him and provided updates to Walker so that he was prepared for E.B.’s arrival. For his part, Walker concealed a Sig Sauer, .45 caliber pistol on his person, intending to use it as part of the robbery. Upon E.B.’s arrival, Walker invited him into his home where he confronted E.B. about the phone call E.B. made to his mother, before immediately shooting him twice, killing him. Walker then took the marijuana that E.B. had brought with him and, to conceal his crime, dragged E.B.’s body out of his residence, placed it in the trunk of E.B.’s car and drove to Bedford County, Virginia where he set the car on fire.
While not physically present at the time of the robbery, Williams admitted to planning to rob E.B by force.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division and Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Virginia State Police, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Roanoke City Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Roanoke City Police Department, the Roanoke County Police Department, the City of Lynchburg Police Department, and the Bedford County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office are investigating the case.
The Star City Drug and Violent Crime Task Force also aided in the investigation and is comprised of officers from the Roanoke City Police Department, Roanoke County Police Department, City of Salem Virginia Police Department, the Vinton Police Department, and Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys M. Coleman Adams and Kelly McGann are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke, Virginia man, who used a firearm he was illegally in possession of to shoot another man in the back, was sentenced this week to 108 months in federal prison.
James Aaron Haburn, 32, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following a bench trial in October 2024.
According to court documents and evidence presented at Haburn’s trial, in November 2022 police encountered Haburn during a traffic stop and found him with a stolen Smith & Wesson pistol tucked into his waistband. Additional investigation revealed that Haburn has used the same pistol 34 hours earlier to shoot a man in the back following a confrontation outside of a Roanoke business.
Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The Roanoke City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly McGann prosecuted the case.
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Reinaldo Gonzalez, Jr., age 31, of Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 25, 2025, by a federal grand jury on child pornography charges.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Gonzalez received numerous images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in 2022 and 2023, in Wayne County, Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 120 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A police officer has been sentenced for causing the death of a moped rider due to careless driving.
PC Ian Brotherton, attached to the North Area Command Unit, was driving a marked police van responding to an emergency call when he collided with a moped being ridden by 26-year-old Cristopher de Carvalho Guedes in Enfield on 12 October 2023.
At a hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday, 3 January, PC Brotherton pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. He was sentenced at the same court on Thursday, 27 February to six months’ imprisonment suspended for 18 months. He was also given 150 hours’ community service and was disqualified from driving for 30 months.
The court proceedings follow an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Commander Hayley Sewart, responsible for local policing in north London, said: “The family and friends of Cristopher de Carvalho Guedes have lost a loved one due to the careless driving of one of our officers. I know there is little I can say that will alleviate the pain they will be suffering, but I hope today’s result brings some form of closure.
“We train our officers to the highest driving standards, and when these are not met it is only right that they are held accountable.”
The incident happened at around 15:00hrs on 12 October 2023 as PC Brotherton was responding to an emergency call. He was driving a van using blue lights and sirens and accelerated through a red traffic light before the collision occurred at the junction of Southbury Road with Baird Road.
The van stopped at the scene and officers provided first aid before Mr Guedes was taken to hospital for treatment, where he sadly died.
A referral was made to the IOPC.
Now that criminal proceedings have concluded, PC Brotherton will face a misconduct hearing on Monday, 24 March.
Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and John Curtis (R-Utah) introduced the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act of 2025. The bipartisan legislation amends the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project to ensure it has the resources and time needed to reach completion to deliver drinking water to northwestern New Mexico communities. The House companion legislation was introduced by U.S. Representative Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and is co-sponsored by U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.).
The Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project was first authorized as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, which settled the Navajo Nation’s water rights in the San Juan Basin of New Mexico and funded the design and construction of the waterline to reach an estimated 250,000 people by the year 2040. Upon completion, the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project will provide a long-term, sustainable water supply from the San Juan River to roughly 43 Chapters on the eastern Navajo Nation, the southwestern portion of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the City of Gallup, which currently rely on a rapidly depleting groundwater supply of poor quality. Full project completion is planned for 2029. When complete, it will include approximately 300 miles of pipeline, two water treatment plants, 19 pumping plants and multiple water storage tanks.
“Ensuring that the Navajo Nation, City of Gallup, and Jicarilla Apache Nation have access to safe, clean, and reliable drinking water is vital for the health and well-being of rural and Tribal communities,” said Senator Luján, a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. “The Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project will help provide a reliable, sustainable surface water supply to improve the public health and economic opportunities for the region. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan legislation to move this critical project forward and reduce the financial burden on Tribal and local governments. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this much-needed legislation to help meet the water needs in the San Juan Basin for years to come.”
“Since I was elected to Congress, I have prioritized funding for the Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project so we can provide clean, reliable, and affordable water to the Navajo people and surrounding communities in New Mexico. We secured $615 million in funding to move the project forward,” said Congresswoman Leger Fernández. “The Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act builds upon this work. We won’t stop until this project is completed because in New Mexico, we know that water sustains us. Sabemos que Agua Es Vida.”
“Communities in northwest New Mexico, the Navajo Nation, and the Jicarilla Apache Nation deserve water security and clean drinking water. Our legislation achieves this by funding the completion of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project to deliver clean, reliable water to 43 Tribal communities and the City of Gallup. I call on the Senate to quickly take up this legislation and ensure the project can be completed,” said Senator Heinrich.
“Water is the lifeblood of the West, and Utahns know that securing a reliable water supply is essential for our communities, our economy, and our way of life,” said Senator Curtis. “I’m proud to join my colleagues on this bipartisan legislation to help ensure the Navajo Nation in Utah have the water they need to thrive.”
The amending legislation makes several important changes:
Increases the project funding authorization to match updated construction costs;
Extends the project timeline beyond 2025 to 2029 to provide additional time for completion;
Establishes trust funds for operations and maintenance costs for the Navajo Nation and the Jicarilla Apache Nation once construction is complete; and
Allows the project to expand its service area to reach Navajo communities without running water.
The Navajo Nation, Jicarilla Apache Nation, State of New Mexico, and the City of Gallup support the legislation.
Senators Luján and Heinrich and Congresswoman Leger Fernández have long supported efforts to fund and complete the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project.
Senator Luján and Congresswoman Leger Fernández secured $137 million for the project through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law toward the total authorized project cost. In August 2024, Senator Luján and the N.M. Delegation welcomed a $267 million Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project contract to design and build the San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant in northwest New Mexico. The plant is the largest and most important feature of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project.
In January 2025, Senators Luján and Heinrich, and Congresswoman Leger Fernándezannounced $120 millionfor Fiscal Year 2025 for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project using funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Reclamation Water Settlements Fund. The original version of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act was passed out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in November 2023. However, new legislation is required to authorize additional time and resources to complete the project and for its long-term, sustainable operations and maintenance.
Additionally, the N.M. Delegation recently reintroduced a slate of Tribal water rights settlement bills they are pushing to pass in this Congress.
For more information about the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, click here.