The Government of Canada is investing in strategic infrastructure projects to strengthen supply chains and make life cost less.
October 18, 2024 Sorel-Tracy, Québec Transport Canada
The Government of Canada is investing in strategic infrastructure projects to strengthen supply chains and make life cost less.
Today, the President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport, the Honourable Anita Anand, announced up to $38 million for seven projects under the National Trade Corridors Fund. These investments will reduce capacity constraints and bottlenecks, making it easier for goods to move quickly.
By enhancing infrastructure and improving efficiency, these investments will also support economic growth in the province of Quebec and in the regions along the St. Lawrence River. Projects include:
Relocating essential infrastructure for the electrical supply of the L’Anse au Foulon sector (Pier 104 and 105)
Enhancing the capacity and efficiency of the estuary rail yard
Finalizing an agreement for the development of a new dry bulk and cargo terminal behind pier 108 in the Anse au Foulon sector
The Saguenay Port Authority will establish a new storage area in the southwest sector of the Terminal
The Government makes investments to strengthen the country’s supply chains, promote economic growth, and enhance the opportunities for our businesses to expand into global markets, which helps make life cost less for Canadians.
Quotes
“By enhancing connectivity and reducing bottlenecks in Quebec and the areas along the St. Lawrence River, consumers, workers, and small businesses will benefit from efficient and reliable supply chains. This, in turn, supports economic growth and helps make life cost less for Canadians and Quebecers.”
The Honourable Anita Anand President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport
“This conversion of a former industrial site into a port terminal is a concrete example of sustainable development that we are proud of. The financial support from the federal government is a key milestone in the completion of this project in partnership with the City of Sorel-Tracy. This new infrastructure will allow us to better serve local farmers and businesses while minimizing environmental impact thanks to innovative floating dock technology.”
Robert Bellisle President and CEO of QSL
Quick facts
An efficient and reliable transportation network is key to Canada’s economic growth. The Government of Canada, through the National Trade Corridors Fund, is making investments that will support the flow of goods across Canada’s supply chains.
The National Trade Corridors Fund is a competitive, merit-based program designed to help infrastructure owners and users invest in the critical transportation assets that support economic activity in Canada. A total of $4.1 billion has been committed to projects since 2017.
Through the National Trade Corridors Fund, Transport Canada is supporting improvements to Canada’s roads, rail, air, and marine shipping routes to foster domestic and international trade.
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Contacts
Laurent de Casanove Press Secretary Office of the Honourable Anita Anand Minister of Transport, Ottawa laurent.decasanove@tc.gc.ca
Media relations Transport Canada, Ottawa 613-993-0055 media@tc.gc.ca
The National Trade Corridors Fund supports infrastructure projects in Canada. These projects include improvements at airports, ports, railways, transportation facilities, and access roads.
The National Trade Corridors Fund supports infrastructure projects in Canada. These projects include improvements at airports, ports, railways, transportation facilities, and access roads. $4.1 billion has been committed to projects since 2017.
The National Trade Corridors Fund supports projects that:
improve the flow of goods and people in Canada;
increase the flow of trade in and out of Canada;
help the transportation system to:
withstand the effects of climate change; and
better adapt to new technologies and innovation;
address the transportation needs of Arctic and northern communities.
On October 18, 2024, the President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport, the Honourable Anita Anand, announced up to $38 million for seven projects under the National Trade Corridors Fund. By supporting our supply chains, the Government of Canada is ensuring that goods move faster and cheaper, making life cost less for Canadians.
The funding recipients and project details are below.
Montreal Port Authority – Increased export capacity for Canadian containerized grains The Government of Canada is investing $12,500,000 in this project to increase the Canest Terminal’s capacity by 20%, significantly improving its efficiency in handling goods. Additionally, the terminal will expand and optimize its operational space, substantially boosting container storage capacity. These upgrades will enable Canadian producers to expand exports to international markets by easing constraints and eliminating a major bottleneck in the supply chain.
QSL International Ltée – Development of the port terminals in the cities of Sorel-Tracy and Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel The Government of Canada is investing $13,613,683 in this project to increase the fluidity of supply chains in the steel and agriculture sectors. By increasing the annual volume of import-export goods, it will support the local and regional economy while significantly reducing the number of days ships spend waiting offshore and the time required for unloading. Additionally, the initiative will mitigate environmental impacts by minimizing vessel diversions to other ports and decreasing the reliance on short-haul trucking.
Quebec Port Authority – Increase the terminal storage space at Pier 103 The Government of Canada is investing $1,198,185 in this project to reduce interruptions between storage areas, making operations more efficient. Warehouse 103 will serve as a backup storage area to help manage congestion in the logistics chain during busy times. Additionally, the project will help consolidate more goods at QSL terminals, especially in the agri-food, transportation, and construction industries.
Quebec Port Authority – Relocation of a strategic and essential infrastructure for the electrical supply of the L’Anse au Foulon sector (Pier 104 and 105) The Government of Canada invested $1,638,500 in this project to increase storage capacity by approximately 3,000 m². This expansion has boosted the terminal’s overall storage capacity by about 15%, allowing it to handle new traffic while securing existing operations. Additionally, it reduces waiting times for ships unloading cargo at the terminal.
Quebec Port Authority – Project to increase the capacity and efficiency of the estuary rail yard The Government of Canada invested $723,600 in this project to alleviate bottlenecks during peak times by creating additional space for railcars, expanding the Estuary Yard with about 380 linear meters of new track, reducing the time needed for snow clearing on the tracks, and improving unloading efficiency by minimizing operational delays.
Quebec Port Authority – Agreement for the development of a new dry bulk and cargo terminal behind pier 108 in the Anse au Foulon sector The Government of Canada is investing $6,800,000 in this project to enhance intermodal connectivity through the construction of a new terminal that supports ship-to-truck and truck-to-ship logistics. It will also streamline operations by adding two new access roads to improve terminal and area accessibility. Additionally, the project will free up capacity at other deep-draft terminals, optimizing their use for handling and storage.
Saguenay Port Authority – New storage area in the southwest sector of the Terminal The Government of Canada is investing $1,261,343 in this project to enhance trade flow by providing additional storage space in the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes maritime system, reducing long-distance transport needs. It will also support the logistics chain for bulk raw materials and promote short-distance maritime transport.
AB Amber Grid, legal entity code: 303090867. Address: Laisvės ave. 10, LT-04215 Vilnius, Lithuania.
The following decisions were adopted in the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of AB Amber Grid on 18 October 2024:
1. Aproval of the conclusion of the Humanitarian Aid Contract
1.1. In accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 11(21) of the Law on Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid of the Republic of Lithuania, upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania and the approval of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania, to enter into a Humanitarian Aid Contract with the Ukrainian company KHMELNYTSKOBLENERGO and to approve the following main terms of the Humanitarian Aid Contract:
1.1.1. The subject matter of the Contract is humanitarian assistance to Ukraine’s energy sector. The humanitarian aid shall be provided through the transfer of 4 generators and 46 vehicles with a balance sheet value of EUR 60 285,53;
1.1.2. The parties to the Contract shall be AB Amber Grid and the Ukrainian company KHMELNYTSKOBLENERGO;
1.1.3. The purpose of humanitarian aid is the operation of energy infrastructure in wartime to meet the basic needs of people in wartime.
1.2 To authorise the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (with the right to sub-delegate) to sign the Humanitarian Aid Contract in accordance with the material terms and conditions of the Contract as set out in Clause 1.1, and to agree the other (non-material) terms and conditions of the Contract on behalf of the Company.
More information: Laura Šebekienė, Head of Communications of Amber Grid, +370 699 61 246, l.sebekiene@ambergrid.lt
Five projects in the Gaspé Peninsula and the Lower St. Lawrence funded by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) under the Quebec Fisheries Fund.
October 18, 2024
Newport, Quebec
Overview
Five projects in the Gaspé Peninsula and the Lower St. Lawrence funded by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) under the Quebec Fisheries Fund.
A total of $583,515 in financial contributions from DFO.
Quebec’s fish and seafood industry is facing increasing competition and the need to adapt to an ever changing market. Working together through the Quebec Fisheries Fund (QFF), the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec are helping the industry to innovate and reach its full potential.
October 18, 2024
Newport, Quebec – Quebec’s fish and seafood industry is facing increasing competition and the need to adapt to an ever changing market. Working together through the Quebec Fisheries Fund (QFF), the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec are helping the industry to innovate and reach its full potential.
Today, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced over $830,000 in QFF funding for five projects in the Gaspé Peninsula and the Lower St. Lawrence. The Government of Canada’s contribution to these projects is $583,515, while the Government of Quebec is contributing $250,077.
Launched in 2019, the QFF supports innovation-driven projects in the areas of commercial fisheries, aquaculture, seafood harvesting and processing, and science partnerships. The funding announced today will help create opportunities and enhance the market value of high-quality, sustainable fish and seafood in Quebec.
Quotes
“The projects financed through the Quebec Fisheries Fund demonstrate the Government of Canada’s commitment to the sustainability of marine resources and support for local communities. This funding will provide significant support for the Gaspé Peninsula and Lower St. Lawrence fishing industry. By investing in innovation and the preservation of our maritime heritage, we are ensuring a prosperous future for our fish harvesters and the regions.”
The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
“I am pleased with this financial support, which will enable businesses in the Gaspé Peninsula and Lower St. Lawrence to modernize their facilities and adopt technologies that will promote greater competitiveness. It is a priority for your government to contribute to the vitality of the maritime regions, particularly by supporting the fisheries and aquaculture sector. I wish all the projects the best of success!”
André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Minister responsible for the Centre-du-Québec Region
Quick facts
To date, 175 projects have received a total of $26.5 million from the Quebec Fisheries Fund.
Today’s announcement of over $830,000 will support three projects in the Gaspé Peninsula ($638,414) and two in the Lower St. Lawrence ($195,178).
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Associated links
Contacts
Andrew Richardson Acting Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard andrew.richardson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Media Relations Fisheries and Oceans Canada Quebec Region 418-648-5474 media.qc@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Sophie J. Barma Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Minister responsible for the Centre-du-Québec Region Cell.: 581 993-5016 sophie.jacques-barma@mapaq.gouv.qc.ca
BOSTON, Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Elevate Renewables (“Elevate” or the “Company”), a leading battery storage development company is pleased to announce that its Innovative Inertia Project at the Devon Generating Station in Milford, CT. has been selected to receive $27.5 million in federal funding under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program.
The Innovative Inertia Project aims to reconfigure an existing fossil-fueled peaking unit and enable the deployment of a battery energy storage system (“BESS”) to provide synchronous condensing (“green sync”) and other essential grid services. Elevate is focused on repurposing existing energy infrastructure as traditional thermal resources retire (i.e., brownfields) and intermittent and renewable resources increasingly become the predominant resources on the grid.
The Company will demonstrate that its BESS can provide inertia and synchronous condensing – remedying any immediate imbalance between electrical supply and system demand on the power grid- grid services historically offered by fossil fuel assets. The integration of this BESS technology will showcase its scalability and replicability, contributing to grid stability as Connecticut and the United States progress through the clean energy transition. It will also enhance resilience and deliver significant community and decarbonization benefits, particularly in historically overburdened areas of the state, by reducing emissions and supporting greater adoption of renewable energy sources.
Elevate will partner with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“CT DEEP”) and the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (“CT PURA”) on the project.
“Elevate is committed to identifying and commercializing innovative solutions that balance reliability and decarbonization through the application of battery energy storage. This project is a prime example of how batteries, in conjunction with existing infrastructure, can yield a win-win to help reduce our everyday reliance on fossil fuels while also benefiting existing power plant employees and the communities where we operate. We are excited to collaborate with the DOE, CT DEEP, and CT PURA to demonstrate our commitment to energy reliability while still accomplishing our decarbonization goals,” stated Eric Cherniss, Head of Development at Elevate Renewables.
“As extreme weather events continue to stress electric systems across the country, the Biden-Harris Administration is using every tool in the toolbox to make sure America’s power grid can provide reliable, affordable power,” said Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, U.S. Department of Energy. “By leveraging state-of-the-art grid enhancing technologies and applications, Elevate Renewables will help to add more energy to the grid faster, improve reliability and resilience, and invest in innovative technologies so customers in Connecticut can have access to more renewable energy and pay less for their electricity.”
“I am thrilled that the U.S. Department of Energy has selected Elevate’s Innovative Inertia project in Milford, Connecticut, for federal funding,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “By repurposing an existing power generating facility and combining it with a new battery energy storage system, this project has the potential to provide important grid stability services and help make our state and region’s electric grid more affordable, reliable, and clean.”
Innovative Inertia Project Anticipated Outcomes and Benefits:
Resilience and Reliability for Grid Stability and Restoration: The project will provide about 23 MVA (mega volt-amperes) of reactive power for grid stabilization and up to 20 MW/80 MWh of energy resilience infrastructure available from a BESS capable of black-start grid restoration operations.
Scalability Potential: With over 1,000 combustion turbine sites across the U.S., the project has the potential to be scaled nationwide. By proving the efficacy of BESS-enabled synchronous condensing and other battery-enabled grid services, the project could serve as a model for similar brownfield repurposing efforts and support increasing grid reliance and reliability needs expected as traditional thermal generation facilities retire.
Community Benefits: Through a $2.7 million community investment program, the project will prioritize Disadvantaged Communities, including a distressed municipality near the generating station. The project will support the retraining of at least 20 power plant employees. In addition, the project commits to contracting businesses that are majority-owned or controlled by underrepresented persons or groups of underrepresented persons in New England and is committed to hiring workers from vulnerable or underrepresented communities for construction. Some or all of this project is anticipated to be executed in collaboration with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and other existing unions.
Established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program is a $10.5 billion investment to enhance grid flexibility, improve the resilience of the power system against extreme weather, and ensure American communities have access to affordable, reliable, electricity when and where they need it. GRIP funding is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO).
ABOUT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY’S GRID DEPLOYMENT OFFICE The mission of the Grid Deployment Office (GDO) is to catalyze the development of new and upgraded electric infrastructure across the country by maintaining and investing in critical generation facilities, developing and upgrading high-capacity electric transmission lines nationwide, and deploying transmission and distribution technologies. Learn more at energy.gov/gdo.
ABOUT ELEVATE RENEWABLES Elevate Renewables is a utility-scale battery storage company focused on strategically deploying battery infrastructure co-located with existing power infrastructure facilities. The Company has significant experience and resources to effectuate utility-scale battery infrastructure with an extensive brownfield pipeline of over 4 GWs. Elevate Renewables is active throughout the United States, where electrification and the rapid growth of intermittent renewables have created a need and advantage for renewable utility-scale battery storage. For more information, please visit http://www.elevaterenewableenergy.com.
Join our online communities on LinkedIn, Twitter (X), and Facebook to stay updated on Elevate Renewable’s events and developments.
Company Contact: Elevate Renewables Market & Media Communications 200 Clarendon Street, FL 55 Boston, MA 02116 Email: jjanson@elevaterenewableenergy.com Direct: (585) 232-5440
EVANSVILLE- Marquel D. Payne, 39, of Evansville, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a machinegun.
According to court documents, on January 31, 2024, Evansville Police Department officers observed Payne in possession of a 3D printer while conducting surveillance near his residence. Investigators had received information that Payne was manufacturing machine gun parts using a 3D printer before the surveillance began.
Investigators obtained search warrants for Payne’s residence and other locations he controlled. During the searches, investigators found approximately 60 plastic machine gun conversion devices, a 9mm personally made handgun, also known as a “ghost gun” due to its lack of any traceable serial numbering, an AR-15 rifle, a 3D printer, plastic printing filament, a 3D printed firearm silencer, and 9mm caliber ammunition.
Machinegun conversion devices sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal for individuals to produce, possess, or sell. The hand grip of the 9mm ghost gun was produced by Payne using a 3D printer. Other parts of the ghost gun were produced in Pennsylvania.
At the time of his arrest, Payne had been previously convicted of numerous felonies, including escape, carrying a handgun without a license, and criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon. These prior felony convictions prohibit Payne from ever again legally possessing a firearm.
“Getting illegal machinegun conversion devices off our streets is a critical public safety priority. Fully automatic weapons and untraceable ‘ghost guns’ pose a serious danger to our communities, especially when they are in the hands of people who have no lawful business possessing any firearm,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This prosecution is the result of quick and impactful investigative work by our outstanding partners at the Evansville-Vanderburgh Crime Gun Intelligence Center. Together we are committed to saving lives and reducing gun violence by combining intelligence and resources to investigate and prosecute dangerous offenders.”
“Unfortunately, these deadly conversion devices continue to show up in our communities,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “U.S. law has long recognized that automatic weapons pose a special risk to public safety, both through the sheer volume of bullets fired and the likelihood that innocent bystanders will be injured or killed. Combine that with an untraceable firearm and an unregistered silencer in the hands of a convicted felon, and it is clear that this individual is solely interested in feeding violence in southern Indiana. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use and distribute machine gun conversion devices.”
“My office applied for and was awarded a $700,000 federal grant to form the crime gun intelligence center where our mission is clear: to work with our state and federal partners to combat the rising crime in Vanderburgh County. We are now seeing the fruits of our labor,” said Prosecutor Diana Moers. “My office and our state and federal partners will stop at nothing to identify and prosecute any who seek to commit violent crimes in our community – this case is a result of teamwork and, with our agencies working together, we expect more cases like this: we are ahead of criminal activity and not simply reacting. Anyone planning to break the law in Vanderburgh County should swiftly reconsider.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Evansville Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC), the Evansville Police Department, and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
In October 2023, the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, and Evansville Police Department secured a nearly $700,000 federal grant to establish a Crime Gun Intelligence Center. The goal of the Evansville-Vanderburgh Crime Gun Intelligence Center is to quickly identify and reduce the amount of gun crime in the Evansville-Vanderburgh County area by providing intelligence, analysis, and resources between agencies for the swift identification and apprehension of suspected armed criminals.
The Department of Justice’s National Ghost Gun Initiative was launched in February 2022 in response to the proliferation of ghost guns in our communities, and the growing number of criminals who unlawfully use or possess these untraceable weapons. The Attorney General directed U.S. Attorney’s Offices to train a national cadre of prosecutors as experts to lead investigations and prosecutions of crimes involving ghost guns. These ghost gun coordinators will also share investigation and prosecution tools with other prosecutors and law enforcement officers. As part of the initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana will focus its investigation and prosecution resources on combatting the illegal possession and use of ghost guns.
PROVIDENCE, RI – A U.S. Army veteran, who allegedly made false claims of combat injuries in order to obtain veterans’ health care benefits that he was not entitled to receive, has been charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with making false statements relating to health care matters and making false statements to agents, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
It is alleged in court documents that Nicholas Ash, 38, of Providence, fraudulently claimed to a Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center doctor that he was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as the result of a combat deployment to Iraq/Middle East where, he claimed, he experienced a blast from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Ash claimed that the IED blast caused him to suffer from seizures.
As alleged in court documents, Defense Department records reflect that Ash served in the U.S. Army from July 2005 to September 2007. Following completion of basic training in Oklahoma, Ash was assigned to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, where he served as a motor transport operator. While stationed in Hawaii, for an unrelated medical matter Ash was hospitalized and placed on non-deployable status, having been deemed not medically fit to deploy on any military operation. Defense Department records show no indication that Ash was ever deployed anywhere outside of the United States.
When initially confronted with these facts by the VA doctor, and when interviewed later by a federal agent, Ash is alleged to have claimed to have been injured after he was discharged from the Army, as the result of an IED blast he experienced while employed overseas as a private military contractor.
Court records reflect that investigators could find no record Ash ever worked for the private contractor.
In support of his claim that he was injured in the Middle East and that he experienced an IED blast, Ash allegedly presented the physician with a letter written by a veteran who served in the Middle East, and claimed to know of Ash’s tour of duty in Iraq. The individual, an Army veteran, later told an investigator that he did not meet Ash until 2015 or 2017, and that he wrote the letter at Ash’s request.
Ash made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate on Thursday and was released on unsecured bond. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Services and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Jessica Thornhill will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Thornhill has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Middle District of Louisiana, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Gathe said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Gathe further stated, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Thornhill will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 225-389-0443.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 225-291-5159.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Gathe said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
The founder of the Mafia criminal street gang who has a lengthy criminal history in the Middle Georgia community was sentenced to the maximum prison term allowed by law for illegally possessing a firearm.
Alphonzo Clyde, 45, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Oct. 17. Clyde pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 10. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Alphonzo Clyde and the Mafia wreaked havoc in Macon and beyond for years,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This significant sentence should directly result in reduced violence, and it would not have been possible without our strong federal and local law enforcement connection.”
“Despite a lengthy criminal history, Clyde continued to break the law,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to work thoroughly with our local and federal partners to investigate and remove the leaders of drug trafficking organizations from our streets by whatever means necessary.”
“Alfonso Clyde is a notorious criminal whose career of mayhem has spanned nearly thirty years,” said Bibb County Sheriff David J. Davis. “This investigative and prosecution result is a testament to the importance of local agencies working together with our federal partners. Macon and the entire Middle Georgia community is better off having this gangster off our streets for many years to come.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Clyde is the founder of the Macon Mafia, a criminal street gang operating in Middle Georgia and West Virginia. Clyde was wanted on an outstanding probation violation warrant when officers from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office took him into custody on Oct. 8, 2023. At the time of his arrest, officers spotted a digital scale with a white powdery substance located on the front passenger seat of the SUV that Clyde was driving. Officers also detected a marijuana odor emanating from his vehicle. Officers found a Taurus G2S 9-millimeter handgun inside the glovebox. Clyde has multiple prior felony convictions; it is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
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 of Justice 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.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case for the Government.
The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) announced the results of Operation Nazare Wave, which focused on violent crime in Washington, D.C., and the National Capital Region. This operation was spearheaded by the USMS’ Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF) between April and September and resulted in the arrest of 826 fugitives (63 for homicide); recovery and seizure of 54 firearms; and seizure of 6.4 kg of narcotics and $1,115,365 in U.S. currency.
“This successful operation reflects the collaborative approach the Justice Department has taken to turn the tide against violent crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “From April to September, the U.S. Marshals Service brought together more than 30 law enforcement agencies spanning the Washington, D.C. area to arrest 826 fugitives and seize significant quantities of firearms and narcotics. I am deeply grateful to every Deputy U.S. Marshal and law enforcement partner who took part in this operation.”
“I wish to thank all of the Deputies, Task Force Officers, and participating agencies for their steadfast commitment and tremendous work,” said USMS Director Ronald L. Davis. “This operation coincided with Operation North Star FY2024 in 10 other metropolitan areas which demonstrates the commitment of the United States Marshals Service and the Department of Justice to work with local law-enforcement and communities to reduce violent crime.”
Operation Nazare Wave focused on reducing violent crime in the NCR but resulted in arrests crossing 19 different districts across the United States and internationally. While some fugitives wanted in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) fled to other districts, in other instances fugitives wanted outside the DMV traveled into the DMV and were apprehended.
Significant arrests include:
On July 31, based on information developed by CARFTF, the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force and Prince Georges County police assisted a special branch of the Guyana police in locating Rakeem Gilgeours, who fled the country following a July 4 shooting that resulted in the death of a 6-year-old boy and injuries to other community members who had gathered to celebrate the holiday at a Temple Hills, Maryland, park. CARFTF arrested Gilgeours in Miami after Guyana deported him.
On June 1, Emmanuel Sewell was arrested in Putnam County, West Virginia, by the Southern District of West Virginia Violent Offender Task Force, in collaboration with CARFTF. Sewell, a registered sex offender, was wanted in Montgomery County, Maryland, in connection with the May 31 death of Maryland Parole and Probation Officer David Martinez in his Chevy Chase home. Martinez was Sewell’s probation officer.
On April 29, CARFTF arrested a 16-year-old juvenile in Suitland, Maryland, for aggravated assault with a gun and attempted murder following an April 19 shooting at a Greenbelt park where a large group of youth had gathered for a senior skip day. A search warrant executed at the suspect’s mother’s house, where he’d been staying, yielded $246,780 in currency, 40.5 grams of crack cocaine, and two handguns.
Agencies participating in Operation Nazare Wave include: Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; Metro Transit Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; Immigrations and Customs Enforcement; Diplomatic Security Service; Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; D.C. Department of Corrections; Bowie Police Department; Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office; Bladensburg Police Department; Prince George’s County Police Department; Montgomery County Police Department; Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; Maryland State Police; Charles County Sheriff’s Office; Hyattsville Police Department; Maryland Department of Public Safety; Howard County Police Department; Forest Heights Police Department; Fairfax County Police Department; City of Fairfax Police Department; Prince William County Police Department; Alexandria Police Department; Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office; Stafford County Sheriff’s Office; Virginia State Police; and City of Dumfries Police Department.
A Peruvian national was sentenced yesterday to 98 months in prison and to pay nearly $700,000 in restitution to his more than 1,100 victims for his role overseeing a transnational fraud conspiracy that targeted recent immigrants to the United States.
According to court documents, Jose Alejandro Zuñiga Cano, 40, of Lima, was the operator of a Peruvian call center that defrauded and extorted Spanish-speaking United States residents by falsely threatening them with arrest, court proceedings and immigration consequences. Zuñiga was extradited from Peru in March to face charges related to the scheme and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in July.
In pleading guilty, Zuñiga admitted that he owned and operated a call center in Lima, that placed unsolicited calls to Spanish-speaking consumers in the United States and falsely claimed that they had won or qualified for free products, including computer tablets and English language courses. On later calls, Zuñiga and his co-conspirators falsely claimed that victims were contractually obligated to pay large sums to receive the products. Zuñiga and his co-conspirators impersonated lawyers, court officials, police officers and representatives of a supposed “minor crimes court” to intimidate victims and force them to send payments. Zuñiga and his co-conspirators queried potential victims about their country of origin and threatened victims with court proceedings, arrest and immigration consequences if they did not pay.
Many victims who made payments following these lies and threats were frequently re-victimized by Zuñiga and his co-conspirators with a related restitution scheme. The defendant and his co-conspirators placed additional calls to victims who had already paid and, while posing as lawyers for a U.S. court, falsely represented that victims were entitled to restitution payments and would receive their money back if they paid additional fees. In reality, there was no lawyer, no restitution order and no funds returned to the victims who made those additional payments. Instead, Zuñiga kept those additional victim payments for himself.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch is dedicated to protecting vulnerable U.S. consumers from fraudsters no matter where those fraudsters reside,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that individuals who defraud our immigrant communities will be held accountable in U.S. courts. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure that individuals who impersonate government and court officials are brough to justice.”
“The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations, to include the elderly and recent immigrants,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “We will not allow transnational criminals to use fear tactics and intimidation to steal money from the public we serve. Individuals who defraud American consumers will be brought to justice, no matter where they are located.”
“Today’s sentencing of Jose Alejandro Zuñiga Cano is proof of the dedication between the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to stop at nothing to bring those suspects who victimize our citizens to justice,” said Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division.
With today’s sentencing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 12 defendants have now been convicted and sentenced in connection with a $15 million transnational fraud scheme that defrauded and threatened Spanish-speaking U.S. consumers, claiming they would suffer legal consequences if they did not pay for English-language learning products they never requested. Collectively, the scheme was responsible for defrauding more than 30,000 Spanish-speaking residents of the United States. Many of the victims were recent immigrants who had merely expressed interest in learning English.
The 12 defendants include eight Peruvian call center owner-operators and four distribution center owner-operators who processed payments, distributed products and facilitated the fraud in the United States. Many of the defendants shared strategies on how to defraud Spanish-speaking residents of the United States.
Zuñiga is the eighth defendant to be extradited from Peru and plead guilty in federal court to fraud charges related to Peruvian call centers involved in the English language learning scam. In 2021 and 2022, U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola, Jr., sentenced Henrry Milla, Carlos Espinoza, Jerson Renteria, Fernan Huerta, Omar Cuzcano, Evelyng Milla and Josmell Espinoza to sentences ranging from 88 months to 110 months in prison.
USPIS and the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Carolyn Rice of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Peruvian National Prosecutor General’s Office and Peruvian National Police provided critical assistance.
The Justice Department continues to investigate and bring charges in other similar matters involving threats against Spanish-speaking residents of the United States.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at http://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at http://www.ovc.gov.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pat Ryan (New York 18th)
Congressman Pat Ryan and Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi Bolster Public Safety in Dutchess County, Secure Over $3 Million in Federal Investments
Ryan joined with Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi, Dutchess County Sheriff Kirk Imperati, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino, and local leaders to announce over $3 million in federal funding for public safety in Dutchess County
Funding will crack down on hate crimes, protect domestic violence and sexual assault survivors and prosecute perpetrators, and boost capacity for DNA testing of evidence
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Today, Congressman Pat Ryan joined with Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi, Dutchess County Sheriff Kirk Imperati, and Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino to announce that they have secured $3,023,688 in federal funding to bolster public safety and criminal justice initiatives across Dutchess County. This is in addition to the $2,386,00 in federal Community Project Funding for Fiscal Year 2025 Congressman Ryan is fighting to secure for Dutchess County to create a state-of-the-art Analysis and Real Time Crime Intelligence Center and develop a consolidated two-way public safety radio system.
“Our local law enforcement officers are true public servants – grounded in the mission of keeping our neighbors safe around the clock. Their work isn’t partisan, and neither is our work in supporting them with the resources they need” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “I’m proud that only two months after we joined here in August to announce our shared vision for safer communities in Dutchess County, we’re here again to announce over $3 million in additional funding to keep criminals off the streets, to safeguard our communities from hate-fueled crimes, and to protect survivors of domestic violence and ensure they receive justice when their perpetrators are prosecuted. This wouldn’t be possible without trusted partners like District Attorney Parisi, Sheriff Imperati, and County Executive Serino – I’ll keep fighting for the federal funding to make Dutchess County a safe and thriving home for us all.”
“This funding represents a significant investment in our community’s safety and well-being,” said District Attorney Anthony Parisi. “I have been committed to these critical issues since my campaign for District Attorney, and after taking office, my team and I actively sought solutions to tackle them head-on. Part of that was to seek financial assistance from the Department of Justice grant program. We are thankful to Congressman Ryan, Senator Gillibrand and all our partners in law enforcement and the community that supported my office’s efforts. My administration is dedicated to ensuring justice and promoting safety within our community through proactive measures and community collaboration, striving to address the challenges of domestic violence, sexual assault, hate crimes, and wrongful convictions.”
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “Public safety is at the heart of everything we do as a County government, and these new grants show a clear and significant investment in the safety and well-being of our community. The grant funds awarded to the District Attorney’s Office are not just about prevention and prosecution but ensuring that victims and survivors are supported throughout their journey towards justice and healing. I commend District Attorney Anthony Parisi, as well as Sheriff Kirk Imperati and all those involved, and I look forward to working to ensure that Dutchess County remains a place where residents feel safe and protected.”
“This federal funding will advance public safety and criminal justice efforts in Dutchess County, from preventing hate crimes to protecting survivors of domestic violence and expanding post-conviction DNA testing,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “I am proud to have helped secure over three million dollars in federal grants through the U.S. Department of Justice for the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office to undertake these critical projects. I will continue fighting to ensure that communities across New York have the resources they need to stay safe.”
Sheriff Imperati said “On behalf of the men and women at the Sheriff’s Office I am very thankful for the grant money that has been awarded and look forward to witnessing the positive effects it will have on law enforcement as a whole in Dutchess County. We anticipate that having this money available to enhance law enforcement efforts on numerous fronts, including the Real Time Crime Center at the Sheriff’s Office, will greatly benefit our ability to continue prioritizing public safety for all residents of Dutchess County. I would like to personally thank Congressman Pat Ryan and District Attorney Anthony Parisi for all of their efforts in working with the Sheriff’s Office to obtain these funds, as well as continuing to be tremendous advocates for law enforcement and public safety in Dutchess County.”
The Dutchess County DA’s Office secured the $3,023,688 from United States Department of Justice (DOJ) grant programs with the assistance of Congressman Ryan. The funding will be broken down to support the three following programs:
$1,000,000 from the DOJ’s Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Program will fund the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office’s collaborative initiative to address, mitigate, and prevent hate crime and increase victim reporting. This project focuses on the education on and prevention of hate crime through community outreach and partnerships, crime analytics and data collection, and targeted resource distribution to improve hate crime reporting. The District Attorney’s Office will create two new positions- a Hate Crimes Analyst and an Assistant District Attorney – to aid in the education, prevention, and investigation of bias-related crimes, including those committed online. Wappinger Central School District Superintendent, Dr. Dwight Bonk, said “I am very grateful to District Attorney Parisi and his office for his commitment to provide a safe school environment for all students. As we have zero tolerance for acts of violence, discrimination, and hate speech within our District, this grant will assist and serve as a catalyst to provide much needed programs and supports that foster a culture of respect for one another. I look forward to our continued partnership and collaboration as we all work together as a community to address issues such as these.”
$500,000 from the DOJ’s Enhancing Investigation and Prosecution of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking (EIP) Initiative will help expand and improve the Dutchess County DA’s capacity to effectively investigate and/or prosecute domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and in so doing, support victim safety and autonomy, hold offenders accountable, and promote agency trust within the community. The EIP project by the Office of the Dutchess County District Attorney will partner with Family Services to provide supportive services to survivors. Funding will help in hiring a Senior Assistant District Attorney to prosecute domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking cases. Leah Feldman, Chief Executive Officer for Family Services “We are proud to partner with the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement, and community leaders on this important initiative. Sexual violence and dating violence are pressing issues in our community, particularly on our college campuses. This funding will not only contribute to enhancing the investigation and prosecution of these crimes but also provide important trauma-informed education that empowers survivors and dispels harmful myths. Together, we are committed to ensuring justice for survivors and creating a safer, more supportive Dutchess County.”
$1,523,688 to bolster the capacity of DNA testing of evidence. This will allow for post-conviction evidence testing as well, ensuring that the perpetrator of a crime is correctly brought to justice. The funding will expand Dutchess County’s Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) by creating positions of Unit Chief, Assistant District Attorney and a full-time Investigator. The funding will help the CIU efficiently conduct thorough case reviews and investigations of violent felony convictions where a credible claim of actual innocence has been made; utilize DNA testing and analysis to provide conclusive evidence of innocence; and insights gleaned from CIU investigations will be applied to active prosecutions to help mitigate the risk of future wrongful convictions. This will ensure justice is finally and correctly served for the people of Dutchess County communities.
Headline: U.S. Marshals Focus on Violent Fugitives During Operation Nazare Wave
The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) announced the results of Operation Nazare Wave, which focused on violent crime in Washington, D.C., and the National Capital Region. This operation was spearheaded by the USMS’ Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF) between April and September and resulted in the arrest of 826 fugitives (63 for homicide); recovery and seizure of 54 firearms; and seizure of 6.4 kg of narcotics and $1,115,365 in U.S. currency.
Headline: Peruvian National Sentenced in Transnational Scheme to Defraud Spanish-Speaking United States Consumers
A Peruvian national was sentenced yesterday to 98 months in prison and to pay nearly $700,000 in restitution to his more than 1,100 victims for his role overseeing a transnational fraud conspiracy that targeted recent immigrants to the United States.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Nine people have been sentenced for the operation of an illegal waste site in rural Lincolnshire, following an investigation by the Environment Agency.
Aerial view of the site during the raid, showing burning waste and a lorry depositing waste.
The defendants were sentenced today (Friday 18 October) at Nottingham Crown Court to a collective 11 years of imprisonment, including three family members who controlled the illegal waste site at Long Bennington near Newark.
The investigation, named Operation Lord, saw Environment Agency officers spend months building a picture of evidence of the illegal waste site on Fen Lane, Long Bennington.
The findings of the investigation led to 12 people and one company being charged, of which 10 pleaded guilty. Following an eight-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court which concluded on 28 June 2024, the remaining three defendants were found guilty.
Environment Agency officers conducted a raid on the site in April 2020 with Lincolnshire Police. Intelligence revealed lorry-loads of shredded waste were regularly being accepted onto the site the size of a football pitch.
Waste was burned daily and buried. This activity intensified during the first Coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, and so action was taken to bring it to a halt.
Environment Agency officers also seized an excavator and a lorry which were actively depositing more waste at the site when officers arrived. Two arrests were made.
Smoke over the illegal waste site after the burning of waste. Residential properties are in view nearby.
Prosecution brought against those involved
The prosecution was brought against individuals that ran the illegal waste site; burned the waste; drove waste to the site and the landowners. Two waste brokers were also prosecuted.
The Canner family trio of father Paul (53), mother Judith (55) of Main Road, Bilstone, Nuneaton, and son Joshua (29) of Laburnum Avenue, Newbold Verdon, ran the illegal waste site.
Paul Canner was sentenced today to 26 months in prison, while Judith and Joshua were each sentenced to 16 months. Seven of the nine defendants were sentenced to immediate imprisonment.
Sentencing the defendants, His Honour Judge Coupland found that the:
offending was deliberate for all nine defendants and the harm caused was of the highest level.
the illegal activity was deliberately concealed physically and with falsified paperwork.
the illegal waste site was close to nearby residents, putting them at harm from toxic fumes.
the repeated nature of the offences over a long period of time, and the financial gain obtained by the operation aggravated the offences for all defendants.
His Honour Judge Coupland said that ‘the custody threshold had been crossed in all cases’.
Site inflicted ‘misery on the local community’
Leigh Edlin, Area Director for Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, said:
This was a serious illegal waste site which was highly organised and involved multiple offenders.
Those involved sought to profit from Covid restrictions at the cost of the environment and by inflicting misery on the local community. The site and its operators had a major impact on legitimate businesses and our regulatory work.
Our enforcement teams will continue to tackle serious illegal waste crime by working with partners such as Lincolnshire Police, fire services and councils, as we did in this case to hold those responsible to account.
Anyone who suspects illegal waste activity is reminded to report it to our 24-hour hotline. Call 0800 80 70 60, or anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Background
Sentences issued to defendants on 18 October 2024:
Paul Canner, aged 53 of Main Road, Bilstone, Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to 1) knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020, and 2) knowingly causing the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 26 months’ immediate imprisonment.
Judith Canner, aged 55 of Main Road, Bilstone, Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. She was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
Joshua Canner, aged 29 of Laburnum Avenue, Newbold Verdon, pleaded guilty to knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
Sonial Surpal, aged 52 of Round House Road, Coventry, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 13 months’ immediate imprisonment.
Luke Woodward, aged 37 of Willow Road, Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 11 months’ immediate imprisonment.
Marcus Chapman, aged 39 of Egmanton Drive, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to disposing of the waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. He has been ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.
Peter Wainwright, aged 32 of Dexter Lane, Hurley, Atherstone, Warwickshire pleaded guilty to disposing of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
Nathan Jones, aged 43 of Carnation Road, Shirebrook, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to disposing of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
Daniel Lippitt, aged 55 of Lubbersthorpe Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 9 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. He has been ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.
The following defendants, who were the landowners, will be sentenced on 16 December 2024 at Nottingham Crown Court:
James Baggaley, aged 38 of Back Lane, Foston, pleaded not guilty but was found guilty in June 2024 after a trial of 1) knowingly permitting the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020, and 2) knowingly permitting the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October and 14 April 2022.
Marc Greenfield, aged 46 of Fosse Road, Brough, pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October 2019 and 14 April 2022.
Proceeds of crime proceedings have commenced against all 13 defendants and the following two defendants will be sentenced at the outcome of those proceedings:
Robert Malone, aged 41 of Ribble Prospect, Clitheroe, the sole director of NWR 2004 Limited, pleaded not guilty but was found guilty in June 2024 after a trial of failing to comply with the waste duty of care between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
Fletcher Plant Limited pleaded not guilty but was found guilty in June 2024 after a trial of failing to comply with the waste duty of care between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
Human rights violations include repression of freedom of expression and marginalised Indigenous communities
1,262 human rights defenders attacked
‘The new administration must recognise that protest is not a threat to the state, but a fundamental aspect of the rights to freedom of expression’ – Usman Hamid
Ahead of Prabowo Subianto’s inauguration on Sunday 20 October, Amnesty International Indonesia is calling on the new Government to take immediate and effective measures to uphold the human rights of everyone in the country and ensure accountability for human rights violations.
Under the previous administration, human rights defenders, journalists, and environmental activists faced repression, land was seized from Indigenous communities with little or no compensation or consultation, despite Indonesia’s claims of progress in human rights and the rule of law and stated commitment to address past human rights violations and end impunity, which it failed to do.
The authorities cracked down on peaceful protests, including on development policies threatening Indigenous communities, with numerous reports of security forces using intimidation, harassment, excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests, and beatings.
Usman Hamid, Amnesty International Indonesia’s executive director, said:
“The new administration must recognise that protest is not a threat to the state, but a fundamental aspect of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly as guaranteed by the constitution and international human rights treaties.
“We call on the new president and Government to evaluate the existing heavy security approach in the region. For the past decade, the intensified military deployment has only resulted in more human rights violations. The new Government must uphold the human rights of everyone in the country and ensure justice and accountability for human rights violations.
“If Indonesia is to move forward, the new president and his administration must immediately prioritise respect for human rights, accountability and the rule of law. This includes reopening or conducting thorough, independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigations into past human rights violations, ensuring access to justice and effective remedies for victims, and strengthening existing legal rules and institutional mechanisms to prevent and redress future violations.
“The new president and Government should prioritise sustainable development that respects Indigenous land rights, access to justice and effective remedies and ensures that affected communities have a meaningful say in decisions that impact their livelihoods. The rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities must be effectively respected and safeguarded in all national development projects.
“A Government that fails to confront its past is doomed to repeat it, and Prabowo’s administration has the obligations to ensure that Indonesia’s history of impunity is not carried into the future.”
From January 2019 to October this year, Amnesty Indonesia recorded attacks against at least 1,262 human rights defenders, including Indigenous people.
Stifling critical voices
Repressive laws include the Electronic Information and Transaction Law, which criminalises human rights defenders and stifles critical voices. Over the years, it transformed into a tool used to suppress criticism of the Government stifling the right to freedom of expression and intimidating those who sought to hold the authorities to account for human rights violations. Human rights defenders were frequently targeted, facing legal charges simply for speaking out against allegations of corruption, environmental destruction, or abuses of power.
From January 2019 to September this year, Amnesty Indonesia recorded at least 521 cases with 554 people charged under this law for defamation and hate speech.
Catalogue of land seizures from Indigenous peoples
Poco Leok residents in Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province have been opposing the Government’s seizure of their land for the construction of a Geothermal Power Plant, part of the Government’s national strategic projects. On 2 October, police arrested and allegedly beat four residents, several protesters, including women, fell after being pushed and one resident fainted after being kicked by an officer.
Similar treatment of protesters occurred in the Mandalika Circuit in Nusa Tenggara Barat ahead of the MotoGP races last September. The authorities banned banners and demonstrations during the event, reflecting the ongoing silencing of critical voices, particularly from local Indigenous communities whose lands were seized for the construction of the Mandalika Circuit and establishment of a Special Economic Zone without fair compensation.
The national strategic projects threaten to displace Indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands, with little to no consultation or compensation.
In Papua, the new Trans-Papua Highway cuts through Indigenous territories without proper consultation. Similarly, in the district of Merauke in South Papua, Indigenous people reject the national strategic food estate project, citing its aggressive implementation without prior agreement or consultation.
In North Sumatra, the Batang Toru Hydroelectric Dam project threatens Indigenous communities living near the Batang Toru forest and its ecosystem, including Tapanuli orangutan habitat.
In Central Java, the Kendeng cement factory was built following minimal consultation and a lack of adequate compensation despite the Indigenous Sedulur Sikep community’s opposition.
In East Kalimantan, the ongoing development of a new capital threatens the rights of Dayak Paser Indigenous communities, whose lands are located within and around the planned construction zone.
In many cases, such projects have also led to environmental degradation, as forests were cleared, ecosystems disrupted, and local communities were left to bear the brunt of the ecological destruction.
Bessy Jimenez Mejia and Liam Conway Distributed Fentanyl that Killed Cayden Foster in 2023
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A pair of individuals responsible for distributing the fatal dose of fentanyl that killed an 18-year-old high school student in 2023 have been criminally charged with the teen’s death.
In separate court proceedings, the United States Attorney’s Office charged two people for the January 2023 overdose death of Cayden David Foster, a resident of Centreville, Virginia.
On August 28, 2024, a grand jury sitting in Charlottesville, returned a one-count Indictment charging Bessy Jimenez Mejia, 26, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, with distribution of fentanyl resulting in the death of Foster. If convicted, Mejia faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The following day, Liam Conaway, 22, of Harrisonburg, Virginia pled guilty to a one-count Information charging him with distribution of fentanyl.
Mejia was arrested this week and made her initial court appearance.
According to court documents, in January 2023, Foster was an 18-year-old high school student living in Northern Virginia. Foster contacted Conaway, who was then a student at James Madison University (JMU), to purchase fentanyl pills. Conaway and Foster had previously consumed pills together during Conaway’s recent academic winter break from JMU.
On January 27, 2023, Foster sent Conaway $105 through Venmo to pay for the drugs. Conaway purchased approximately ten pills from his supplier, Jimenez, in Harrisonburg. The pills Conaway purchased from Jimenez were designed to appear as though they were 30 mg Percocet pills but were in fact counterfeit and contained fentanyl.
Two days later, a friend of Foster’s delivered three pills, sourced from Jimenez through Conaway in Harrisonburg to Foster in Northern Virginia.
On January 30, 2023, Foster consumed a portion of one of the pills purchased from Conaway. That night, Foster died from fentanyl poisoning.
First responders arrived at Foster’s home the next morning and pronounced Foster dead on arrival.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Fairfax County Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sally J. Sullivan and Melanie A. Smith are prosecuting the case for the United States.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys Lena Busscher and Ronald Huber will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSAs Busscher and Huber have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEO) for the Western District of Virginia, and in that capacity are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“The right to vote is the cornerstone of our Republic,” United States Attorney Kavanaugh said today. “The Department of Justice will always work to protect the integrity of the election process and to ensure that every citizen has the ability to vote without interference or discrimination. In addition, election officials, staff, and others working to ensure a free and fair election is carried out will be protected from unlawful threats of violence this and every election season.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying, and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEOs Busscher and Huber will be on duty in the Western District while the polls are open. AUSA Busscher can be reached at 276-739-2954. AUSA Huber can be reached at 434-296-3912.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at tips.fbi.gov.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate,” United States Attorney Kavanagh added. “It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
The Nova Scotia RCMP has appointed Sergeant Christopher Attewell as Detachment Commander for the Musquodoboit Harbour Detachment.
“I have a passion for community policing,” says Sgt. Attewell. “It’s about building partnerships with residents and businesses so that together we can make our communities safer. I’ve worked in Musquodoboit Harbour since 2021, and I’m looking forward to serving the area in this new role.”
Originally from Seeley’s Cove, New Brunswick, Sgt. Attewell graduated from RCMP Depot in 2009. After graduation, he was posted to RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment, where he worked in Lower Sackville and Cole Harbour.
In 2014, Sgt. Attewell transferred to Hopedale, Newfoundland, and then to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, before being promoted to a position in Sanikuluaq, Nunavut.
In 2021, Sgt. Attewell returned to Nova Scotia. He’s served the province in a variety of roles. He has worked in the Emergency Operations Centre, assisting with critical incidents, and as an Incident Commander for ground search and rescue.
Outside of policing, Sgt. Attewell volunteers with Scouts Canada and coaches youth sports.
Government support for waterfront development project opens opportunities for celebrations, promotion of culture and history
October 18, 2024 · Stratford, Prince Edward Island · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
As one of the fastest growing communities in PEI, the Town of Stratford is committed to meeting the needs of its residents by increasing access to health and wellness services, cultural activities, and new business opportunities. The Government of Canada understands that investments in community infrastructure bring long-term economic benefits with improved quality of life for all.
A place to celebrate
Today, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Member of Parliament for Cardigan, attended the grand opening of the new Stratford Waterfront Gathering and Event Space, and announced a total investment of $500,000 to the Town of Stratford to support the extensive boardwalk and event ground upgrades. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA.
Minister MacAulay was joined by Stratford Deputy Mayor Steve Gallant and the Honourable Gilles Arsenault, PEI Minister of Environment, Energy, and Climate Action.
The new gathering space, part of a larger waterfront core area development plan, features prominently the existing Michael Thomas Statue and Diversity Fountain, erected in 2014. Additions include an extended timber boardwalk and large plaza with seating, lookout platforms, electrical for outdoor performances, as well as lighting upgrades along the boardwalk. The investment will promote active transportation, elevate tourism, and support business growth within the community.
Today’s announcement further demonstrates the Government of Canada’s dedication to a more inclusive, greener, and sustainable future for communities in Atlantic Canada.
Hsinchu, Taiwan, Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Andes Technology, a leading supplier of high efficiency, low-power 32/64-bit RISC-V processor cores and Founding Premier member of RISC-V International, today announces the AndesCore™ AX66 out-of-order superscalar multicore processor IP supporting the RVA23 profile. The AX66 is the 2nd member of the high-performance out-of-order AX60 series. Built on the success of the AX65 with the same 13-stage pipeline, 4-wide decode, and 8-wide out-of-order execution, the AX66 introduces many new features, including Vector and Vector Crypto support, Hypervisor and AIA, Multi-Cluster support with CHI, and RVA23 profile support. AX66’s versatile capabilities on performance scalability, multimedia, security, and virtualization makes it an ideal main processor in high-performance Linux and Android applications such as edge/data center AI, infotainment, networking, and vision/camera applications.
The AX66 boosts the SpecInt2006 performance over the 1st generation AX65 by more than 15%. Each core has 64KB private L1 instruction and data caches and up to 1MB private L2 cache, and each cluster contains up to 8 cores and a shared L3 cache up to 32MB. Besides the IO coherence interface already in the AX65, the AX66 adds a Coherence Hub Interface (CHI) for multi-cluster coherence. With the CHI interface support, we can use much more AX66 CPUs to work together in the same cache-coherent domain. Together with the Hypervisor, AIA and optional IOMMU technologies, the AX66 can fully virtualize the entire multi-cluster CPU subsystem for resource sharing and security. Moreover, the AX66 supports the RISC-V standard external debug and instruction trace interfaces to facilitate fast system development, analysis and debugging.
“We are excited to announce our 2nd member of the top-of-the-line AX60 series, to further expand our portfolio,” said Dr. Charlie Su, President and CTO of Andes Technology. “We have added numerous features to the AX66, enabling its usage across a wide range of applications. With the RVV support, the AX66 can now handle more advanced AI/ML and multimedia applications. The inclusion of the Vector Crypto extension and the optional IOMMU provides the security capability for a modern day platform system. Additionally, the Hypervisor, AIA, CHI interface support make the AX66 suitable for the data center network applications such as Smart NIC or Data Processing Unit(DPU), and edge servers or devices running containerized applications. The inclusion of the RVA23 profile allows the AX66 to run Android OS on wearables, POS terminals, digital signage, and TV set-top boxes. We anticipate the AX66 to further penetrate high-end mainstream markets.”
The AndesCore™ AX66 is to be available for lead customers in Q4 2024 through the early access program and for general customers in 2025. For further information about the AX66 and the AX60 series processors, please contact Andes Technology.
About Andes Technology
Nineteen years in business and a Founding Premier member of RISC-V International, Andes is a publicly-listed company (TWSE: 6533; SIN: US03420C2089; ISIN: US03420C1099) and a leading supplier of high-performance/low-power 32/64-bit embedded processor IP solutions. Its V5 RISC-V CPU families range from tiny 32-bit cores to advanced 64-bit Out-of-Order processors with DSP, FPU, Vector, Linux, superscalar, automotive and/or multi/many-core capabilities. By the end of 2023, the cumulative volume of Andes-Embedded™ SoCs has surpassed 14 billion. For more information, please visit https://www.andestech.com . Follow Andes on LinkedIn, Twitter, Bilibili and YouTube!
WASHINGTON – Rashaud Williams, 30, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 80 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and other related firearm charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur sentenced Williams on October 17, 2024, to 60 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and 60 months for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, to run concurrently. Judge Arthur also sentenced him to 20 months in prison for threatening to injure or kidnap a person, to run consecutively.
Williams was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on May 3, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, on August 1, 2023, Williams brought his car into a Petworth area auto shop for repairs. Later in the day, the shop owner called the defendant’s mother to tell her that the car would not be ready until the next day, after they obtained a needed part. Shortly after that call, Williams went to the auto shop and made threats to “shoot up” the entire establishment. The repairman’s girlfriend was there and tried to calm Williams down. Williams then turned the gun on her and threatened to shoot her, then pointed the gun at the owner before leaving.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmanuel Hampton, Erica Rudolf, and Kathryn Bartz, who prosecuted the case.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
A large-scale project to create a new look for the Ob River embankment, the calling card of Nizhnevartovsk and a favorite place for city residents to relax, was implemented within the framework of an agreement between Rosneft Oil Company and the government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug of Yugra.
The construction of the embankment was preceded by engineering arrangement of the coastline. Strengthening with metal structures and reinforced concrete retaining walls with waterproofing and artificial stone cladding was carried out. The drainage system is arranged taking into account the features of the relief, the level of underground waters and the depth of soil freezing.
The embankment is landscaped while preserving the natural relief of the area. Coverings for walking, running and cycling paths have been created. Viewing platforms, recreation areas with sun loungers and swings have been built in the walking areas. Lawns for family recreation have been profiled on the slopes. Modern play complexes made of environmentally friendly materials have been installed for children, which support the visual concept of the embankment.
Several locations are intended for holding cultural events – an open amphitheater, an exhibition complex and an area for holding folk craft fairs have been built on the boulevard. The entire embankment area is accessible to people with limited mobility.
Volunteers of Samotlorneftegaz and activists of the Movement of the First, who planted greenery, took part in the grand opening of the embankment. The organizers held a sports and musical warm-up for them.
Rosneft implements social projects aimed at creating favorable living conditions in the regions of its presence. In particular, it supports initiatives in the field of creating a comfortable urban environment.
Reference:
Samotlorneftegaz is one of Rosneft’s key production enterprises, developing the Samotlor field, the largest in Russia. Under the agreement between Rosneft and the government of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, the company actively participates in the social development of the region. Thanks to the support of Samotlorneftegaz, over the past three years, more than 20 significant social infrastructure facilities have been opened in the region.
Among the largest are the buildings of the largest school in Nizhnevartovsk for 1,725 children and two kindergartens, a rollerdrome, the youth club “EcoQuant”, the technopark “EngineerUm”. An ice rink was built in the Nizhnevartovsk region, and a universal sports complex in Khanty-Mansiysk.
Samotlorneftegaz also supported the program to ensure Internet accessibility for the indigenous peoples of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Yugra. About 2 thousand residents of ancestral lands received a connection to the World Wide Web.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft October 16, 2024
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.
The Office of Information Policy (OIP) is pleased to announce that the Chief FOIA Officers (CFO) Council will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday, November 7th 2024 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET.
The CFO Council meeting is open to all agency FOIA professionals and members of the public. Time will be provided for members of the public to address the Council. Registration is required on Eventbrite. All attendees must register by 11:59 PM ET on Monday, November 4, 2024. The meeting will also be livestreamed on the National Archives’ YouTube channel.
In accordance with the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, the Chief FOIA Officers Council is tasked with developing recommendations, sharing best practices, and developing and coordinating initiatives to improve agency FOIA administration. The Council is co-chaired by the Directors of OIP and OGIS and is comprised of each agency Chief FOIA Officer and the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management Budget.
Do you have ideas for future meeting topics and potential panelists? Please email us at DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov.
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) – “The fact that the government under the newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has confirmed its will to conduct a thorough investigation into the Easter 2019 attacks is certainly a good sign. We look to the future with greater hope for justice. And we can say that we are confident,” said Peter Antony Wyman Croos, Bishop of Ratnapura, a city in central Sri Lanka, to Fides on the announcement that the new government in Colombo has confirmed the opening of a new investigation into the suicide attacks carried out on April 21, 2019 on three churches and three hotels, in which 279 people lost their lives and hundreds were injured. Government spokesman and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath once again publicly assured that the government will ensure justice and that no one involved in the attacks will be exempt from legal responsibility. “The Easter Sunday attacks will be thoroughly investigated. We assure the people of Sri Lanka that we will not pave the way for injustice. We will not hide or protect anyone. All those responsible for these acts will be brought to justice through legal channels,” said Herath. “Once the investigation is completed, we will submit a full report and also announce the action that will be taken,” he added, stressing that all investigation reports currently in the government’s possession will be carefully reviewed to ensure “completeness and accuracy.” Also during a visit to St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Negombo, one of the churches attacked in 2019, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake promised justice for the faithful: “There is a widespread belief in society that the Easter Sunday attacks may have been carried out for political reasons,” he said. Meanwhile, in recent days, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has initiated “contempt of court” proceedings against Nilantha Jayawardena, the former director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), for failing to pay full compensation to the victims of the 2019 attacks. The man had been ordered to pay 75 million rupees (around 25 thousand euros) in compensation to the victims of the Easter attacks, but has so far only paid 10 million rupees. On January 12, 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the appeal of the victims’ families and sentenced four politicians and government officials, including former President Maithripala Sirisena, to pay a heavy fine for failing to prevent the attacks despite advance warnings from the intelligence services. In addition to former President Sirisena, these include: Pujith Jayasundera, Inspector General of Police; Hemasiri Fernando, former Minister of Defense; Sisira Mendis, former head of intelligence services. But while those responsible have been identified in the trials for “failure to take precautionary measures”, five years after the tragic events, nothing is known about the organizers and instigators of the massacres, a point on which the Catholic Church continues to call for “justice and transparency”. Another focus of the new government is the social sphere, an area in which the new government will be called upon to intervene to alleviate the serious economic crisis. Bishop Croos recalled that “people expect the new president to take measures to support the economy, alleviate the hardships of families and improve the employment situation. In addition to the medium and long-term measures, there is also an urgent need to support in the short term, especially the poorest, who are currently struggling to make a living”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 16/10/2024)
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The American public is on alert about artificial intelligence and the 2024 election.
A September 2024 poll by the Pew Research Center found that well over half of Americans worry that artificial intelligence – or AI, computer technology mimicking the processes and products of human intelligence – will be used to generate and spread false and misleading information in the campaign.
My academic research on AI may help quell some concerns. While this innovative technology certainly has the potential to manipulate voters or spread lies at scale, most uses of AI in the current election cycle are, so far, not novel at all.
I’ve identified four roles AI is playing or could play in the 2024 campaign – all arguably updated versions of familiar election activities.
1. Voter information
The 2022 launch of ChatGPT brought the promise and peril of generative AI into public consciousness. This technology is called “generative” because it produces text responses to user prompts: It can write poetry, answer history questions – and provide information about the 2024 election.
Rather than search Google for voting information, people may instead ask generative AI a question. “How much has inflation changed since 2020?” for example. Or, “Who’s running for U.S. Senate in Texas?”
Some generative AI platforms such as Google’s AI chatbot Gemini, decline to answer questions about candidates and voting. Some, such as Facebook’s AI tool Llama, respond – and respond accurately.
But generative AI can also produce misinformation. In the most extreme cases, AI can have “hallucinations,” offering up wildly inaccurate results.
A CBS news account from June 2024 reported that ChatGPT had given incorrect or incomplete responses to some prompts asking how to vote in battleground states. And ChatGPT didn’t consistently follow the policy of its owner, OpenAI, and refer users to CanIVote.org, a respected site for voting information.
As with the web, people should verify the results of AI searches. And beware: Google’s Gemini now automatically returns answers to Google search queries at the top of every results page. You might inadvertently stumble into AI tools when you think you’re searching the internet.
2. Deepfakes
Deepfakes are fabricated images, audio and video produced by generative AI and designed to replicate reality. Essentially, these are highly convincing versions of what are now called “cheapfakes” – altered images made using basic tools such as Photoshop and video-editing software.
The potential of deepfakes to deceive voters became clear when an AI-generated robocall impersonating Joe Biden before the January 2024 New Hampshire primary advised Democrats to save their votes for November.
After that, the Federal Communication Commission ruled that AI-generated robocalls are subject to the same regulations as all robocalls. They cannot be auto-dialed or delivered to cellphones or landlines without prior consent.
The agency also slapped a US$6 million fine on the consultant who created the fake Biden call – but not for tricking voters. He was fined for transmitting inaccurate caller-ID information.
While synthetic media can be used to spread disinformation, deepfakes are now part of the creative toolbox of political advertisers.
One early deepfake aimed more at persuasion than overt deception was an AI-generated ad from a 2022 mayoral race contest portraying the then-incumbent mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, as a failing student summoned to the principal’s office.
Blink and you’ll miss the disclaimer that this campaign ad is a deepfake.
Wired magazine’s AI Elections Project, which is tracking uses of AI in the 2024 cycle, shows that deepfakes haven’t overwhelmed the ads voters see. But they have been used by candidates across the political spectrum, up and down the ballot, for many purposes – including deception.
Former President Donald Trump hints at a Democratic deepfake when he questions the crowd size at Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign events. In lobbing such allegations, Trump is attempting to reap the “liar’s dividend” – the opportunity to plant the idea that truthful content is fake.
Discrediting a political opponent this way is nothing new. Trump has been claiming that the truth is really just “fake news” since at least the “birther” conspiracy of 2008, when he helped to spread rumors that presidential candidate Barack Obama’s birth certificate was fake.
3. Strategic distraction
Some are concerned that AI might be used by election deniers in this cycle to distract election administrators by burying them in frivolous public records requests.
For example, the group True the Vote has lodged hundreds of thousands of voter challenges over the past decade working with just volunteers and a web-based app. Imagine its reach if armed with AI to automate their work.
Such widespread, rapid-fire challenges to the voter rolls could divert election administrators from other critical tasks, disenfranchise legitimate voters and disrupt the election.
As of now, there’s no evidence that this is happening.
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the 2016 U.S. election concluded that Russia had worked to get President Donald Trump elected. Jonathan Ernst/Pool via AP
In July, the Department of Justice seized two domain names and searched close to 1,000 accounts that Russian actors had used for what it called a “social media bot farm,” similar to those Russia used to influence the opinions of hundreds of millions of Facebook users in the 2020 campaign. Artificial intelligence could give these efforts a real boost.
There’s also evidence that China is using AI this cycle to spread malicious information about the U.S. One such social media post transcribed a Biden speech inaccurately to suggest he made sexual references.
AI may help election interferers do their dirty work, but new technology is hardly necessary for foreign meddling in U.S. politics.
In 1940, the United Kingdom – an American ally – was so focused on getting the U.S. to enter World War II that British intelligence officers worked to help congressional candidates committed to intervention and to discredit isolationists.
One target was the prominent Republican isolationist U.S. Rep. Hamilton Fish. Circulating a photo of Fish and the leader of an American pro-Nazi group taken out of context, the British sought to falsely paint Fish as a supporter of Nazi elements abroad and in the U.S.
Can AI be controlled?
Acknowledging that it doesn’t take new technology to do harm, bad actors can leverage the efficiencies embedded in AI to create a formidable challenge to election operations and integrity.
Federal efforts to regulate AI’s use in electoral politics face the same uphill battle as most proposals to regulate political campaigns. States have been more active: 19 now ban or restrict deepfakes in political campaigns.
Some platforms engage in light self-moderation. Google’s Gemini responds to prompts asking for basic election information by saying, “I can’t help with responses on elections and political figures right now.”
Campaign professionals may employ a little self-regulation, too. Several speakers at a May 2024 conference on campaign tech expressed concern about pushback from voters if they learn that a campaign is using AI technology. In this sense, the public concern over AI might be productive, creating a guardrail of sorts.
But the flip side of that public concern – what Stanford University’s Nate Persily calls “AI panic” – is that it can further erode trust in elections.
Barbara A. Trish does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Karen Jacobsen, Henry J. Leir Chair in Global Migration, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University
Haitian students use mobile phones to record an exercise during an English class in Springfield, Ohio, on Sept. 13, 2024. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance, have criticized the Biden administration’s decision to allow Haitian nationals who are in the U.S. to apply for permission to stay under a legal classification called Temporary Protected Status. Here is what this designation means and how it’s made:
TPS permits foreign nationals who are already in the United States – even if they did not enter the country through an official or legal means – to remain for six, 12 or 18 months at a time if the situation in their home country is deemed too dangerous for them to return. Threats that prompt TPS designations include ongoing armed conflict, natural disasters, epidemics and other extraordinary and temporary conditions.
The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security designates a foreign country for TPS when conditions there meet requirements spelled out in federal law. Once the secretary determines that the foreign country is safe for its nationals to return, their protected status expires and people who have been granted it are expected to return to their home country.
Congress created TPS as part of the Immigration Act of 1990. Since then, administrations have used it to protect thousands of people from dozens of countries. The first nations to be designated, in March 1991, were Kuwait, Lebanon and Liberia.
As of March 2024, there were 863,880 people from 16 countries under Temporary Protected Status in the U.S. Another 486,418 people had initial or renewal applications pending. An estimated 316,000 people may also be eligible under two new extensions since that date.
TPS beneficiaries may not be detained by federal officials over their immigration status or deported from the United States. They can obtain work permits and apply for authorization to travel outside the U.S. and return to it.
People who receive TPS don’t automatically become legal permanent residents. But they can petition for an adjustment of their immigration status, such as applying for permanent residency, a student visa or asylum. Applying for a change of immigration status does not necessarily mean their application will be approved.
Humanitarian measures
TPS is not the only tool administrations can use to protect people from countries facing disaster or conflict.
For example, a Haitian person currently living in the U.S. is eligible for TPS under a designation that lasts through Feb. 3, 2026. In contrast, a Haitian who travels through Mexico and applies for entry to the U.S. at the border is not likely to be admitted.
However, there is a third possibility for Haitians, known as parole. The federal government can give certain groups permission to enter or remain in the U.S. if it finds “urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons” for doing so.
People who enter through parole programs must have an approved financial supporter in the U.S., undergo a robust security vetting and meet other eligibility criteria. They typically can stay for one to two years, and may apply for authorization to work.
One current parole program is for people from Latin American countries that are TPS designates. The U.S. government can grant advance permission to enter the U.S. to up to 30,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans each month. People fleeing these countries – all of which have been designated for Temporary Protected Status – can seek authorization to travel from their homes to the U.S. for urgent humanitarian reasons, and then stay for a temporary period of parole for up to two years.
Immigrant rights groups rally at the U.S. Capitol following a federal court ruling that threatened the legal standing of thousands with Temporary Protected Status, Sept. 15, 2020. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
I’ve studied global migration and asylum policy for 25 years. I see both TPS and parole as legal and carefully considered ways to support people from countries experiencing wrenching conflict, disorder and disaster who are seeking safety in the U.S. Doing away with these programs, as Trump sought to do during his term in office, would make it extremely difficult for people in great danger to escape.
Karen Jacobsen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The following is a guest post by Jai-Len Williams, a foreign law intern in theGlobal Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress.
In 2021, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and Taiwan celebrated their 40th anniversary of years of diplomatic relations.
On January 26, 2023, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed for the Women’s Empowerment Project (WEP) International Programme. WEP was sponsored by the Government of Taiwan in collaboration with the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Nine participating organizations were selected to participate in the WEP. They were the Kingdom Life Tabernacle, Vincyklus Inc., Caribbean Women in Leadership (CIWiL), Bequia Threadworks, RedRoot SVG Inc., SVG Girl Guides Association, National Council of Women, WAM/Vincyklus Inc. and Generation Next.
According to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Mobilization, Catherine De Freitas, the Project is about assisting small businesses, mostly owned by females, that were adversely affected after the 2021 explosive eruptions of the La Soufriere volcano and the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines welcomes the program as it supplements other social protection initiatives by the Government. Ambassador of Taiwan, His Excellency Peter Sha Li-Lan also pledged Taiwan’s continued assistance to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and urged the participating organizations to continue the hard work as WEP “is all about empowerment.”
In continuing the journey of empowering women and the young generation, on March 26, 2024, the Taiwanese Embassy hosted a WEP showcase in Kingstown, St. Vincent, where more than 50 female entrepreneurs participated. The Taiwanese Ambassador to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Her Excellency Fiona Fan, expressed her delight with the progress made with the WEP. She stated that through 16 vocational courses, the WEP empowered 306 female bakers with a diverse set of skills ranging from hotel hospitality to beauty treatments, sewing, and computer maintenance. According to Minister of National Mobilization Dr. Orando Brewster, the display exhibited many success stories, including start-up businesses and the valuable skills gained especially in the hotel and tourism industry.
Coincidentally, in September 2024, two foreign female legal interns situated next to each other met at the Law Library of Congress, Global Legal Research Directorate: Jai-Len Williams from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Yu Chen Tsai of Taiwan. Their friendship has blossomed into a thriving one.
Cheers to International Relations and the Global Research Directorate!
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RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iPower Inc. (Nasdaq: IPW) (“iPower” or the “Company”), a tech and data-driven ecommerce services provider and online retailer, today announced the successful shipment of its first purchase order (PO) from Vietnam in September. This marks a significant milestone in iPower’s ongoing strategy to diversify its supply chain and expand its global reach.
Building on its previous engagements with manufacturers in Vietnam, iPower is now realizing the first tangible outcomes of this collaboration. The initial PO was shipped in September, with additional shipments scheduled for this month and continuing thereafter. By diversifying the Company’s supply chain with global partners, iPower ensures greater stability and efficiency while reducing reliance on specific regions.
The expansion into Vietnam presents meaningful cost-saving opportunities for iPower. As products begin to arrive in the U.S. and commence sales, the Company anticipates benefiting from reduced production and logistics expenses. These lower costs will enable iPower to offer more competitive pricing while improving margins, an essential factor for long-term, sustainable growth.
iPower remains dedicated to expanding and diversifying its supply chain to build a more resilient and efficient global network. Collaborating with Vietnamese manufacturers is a key component of a larger strategy to explore new sourcing opportunities across the globe. This initiative is aimed at bolstering iPower’s capabilities to meet growing consumer demand while reinforcing its competitive position in the marketplace.
“The shipment of our first purchase order from Vietnam marks a critical milestone in our supply chain diversification strategy,” said Lawrence Tan, CEO of iPower. “By reducing costs and expanding our global reach, we are positioning iPower for greater efficiency and long-term stability. We look forward to continuing our efforts to diversify and strengthen our supply chain through future shipments and strategic partnerships.”
About iPower Inc.
iPower Inc. is a tech and data-driven online retailer, as well as a provider of value-added ecommerce services for third-party products and brands. iPower’s capabilities include a full spectrum of online channels, robust fulfillment capacity, a network of warehouses serving the U.S., competitive last mile delivery partners and a differentiated business intelligence platform. iPower believes that these capabilities will enable it to efficiently move a diverse catalog of SKUs from its supply chain partners to end consumers every day, providing the best value to customers in the U.S. and other countries. For more information, please visit iPower’s website at http://www.meetipower.com.
Investor Relations Contact
Sean Mansouri, CFA or Aaron D’Souza Elevate IR (720) 330-2829 IPW@elevate-ir.com
