Production begins at CH4 Global’s first full-scale EcoPark
ADELAIDE, Australia – January 30, 2024 – CH4 Global, Inc., will today officially open phase one of its first full-scale EcoPark, where it has begun to grow and process Asparagopsis in 10 large-scale cultivation ponds with a combined capacity of 2 million litres – capable of producing 80 metric tonnes of the seaweed each year.
Over the next year, the facility will expand to 100 ponds capable of producing enough Asparagopsis to serve 45,000 cattle per day – a significant step toward meeting demand from CH4 Global’s existing commercial partners in Australia and beyond. With additional investment, the facility could eventually expand to 500 ponds capable of serving hundreds of thousands of cattle per day.
Built at Louth Bay, 23km south of Port Lincoln on Eyre Peninsula, the EcoPark consists of research and development facilities, a seedling hatchery, patented in-land growth ponds, and harvesting and drying technologies to convert Asparagopsis into CH4 Global’s Methane Tamer products – allowing end-to-end production.
The EcoPark will sustainably grow methane-reducing Asparagopsis at scale. Asparagopsis, which is a red seaweed native to South Australia, drastically reduces methane emissions from cows by up to 90 per cent.
CH4 Global founder and Chief Executive Dr Steve Meller said the EcoPark was the first commercial facility of its kind, enabling the scalable propagation of Asparagopsis to meet the needs of feedlots under contract. CH4 Global’s system delivers consistent, high-quality production at a fraction of the cost, enabling profitability throughout the value chain without government subsidies.
With its proprietary pond-based system, CH4 Global aims to reduce production costs by up to 90 per cent compared to conventional tank-based methods, enabling rapid scaling while positioning CH4 Global to deliver its feed supplement at a price point that ensures profitability throughout the agricultural value chain.
“The EcoPark allows us to now grow Asparagopsis at-scale, providing more Methane Tamer to the feedlots and farmers we are already working with, and to meet the needs of the increasing number of organisations contacting us to help them change the feeding habits of their cows as we start bending the climate curve,” Dr Meller said.
“We are well and truly working towards eliminating one billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and reaching 150 million cattle by 2030 through our local and international partnerships with feedlots and farmers, and it’s fantastic to see beef from these cows hitting shelves in Australia and heading overseas.”
Dr Meller said the Louth Bay EcoPark was an essential step on the climate journey and would be positive for the Eyre Peninsula community and economy.
CH4 Global has committed to preventing the creation of one gigatonne of CO2 emissions by 2032.
To do so, CH4 Global needs to reach 150 million cattle —10 per cent of the world’s total.“Along with supporting farmers in South Australia, Queensland and overseas to reduce emissions, we’re working closely with the Eyre Peninsula community by having worked with local contractors to build the EcoPark, sourcing local materials and providing regional jobs.”
CH4 Global has also been working with First Nations communities across South Australia, including with the planting of native species and on a land management plan, and providing a gathering space on-site.
CH4 Global has implemented a sustainable design framework for Louth Bay and future EcoParks, guiding the use and management of energy and natural resources, waste and GHG emissions, and efficient use of eco-friendly materials.
As part of its sustainable design framework, CH4 Global has remediated the 14ha site and will be responsible for 13km of beach. Remediation has included removing 5,000 tonnes of concrete tanks – crushed and recycled; 11.76 tonnes of HDPE to be recycled in Adelaide, 10 tonnes of plastic aquaculture trays and other plastic equipment for filtering water and other purposes, which have been rehomed and reused within the community; and sent five tonnes of steel to recycling.
About CH4 Global
CH4 Global, founded in 2018, is on an urgent mission to bend the climate curve, through collaboration with strategic partners worldwide. We deliver market-disruptive products that enable the food industry value chain to radically reduce GHG emissions.
The company’s first innovation, Methane Tamer feed additives for feedlot cattle, harnesses the power of Asparagopsis seaweed to reduce enteric methane emissions by up to 90 per cent.
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) joined Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), John Kennedy (R-La.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in introducing bipartisan legislation to provide relief for impacted taxpayers in states that have issued state-level disaster declarations. Currently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has the authority to postpone filing deadlines in the event of a presidentially-declared federal disaster, but this does not extend to state-level emergencies.
“When a disaster like Hurricane Helene hits, the last thing Tennesseans should have to worry about is meeting a tax-filing deadline,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act empowers the governor to extend tax deadlines, giving Tennesseans the flexibility to focus on disaster recovery.”
“Nevadans experiencing natural disasters deserve tax relief, regardless of whether the state receives a federally recognized disaster declaration,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “My bipartisan, bicameral bill would ensure that Nevada taxpayers impacted by wildfires, winter storms, floods, and more have the financial flexibility they need to recover.”
“Louisianians have worked tirelessly to rebuild after historic storms took their toll, so giving them the time they need to file taxes after a natural disaster is a no-brainer. Since Louisiana can’t always rely on Washington to get us the relief we need when we need it, this bill would make sure that Louisianians get tax extensions that are crucial for recovering after our state declares a natural disaster. I’m glad to partner again with Sen. Cortez Masto on this effort,” said Senator Kennedy.
“When disaster strikes, the burden families face on the long road to recovery is overwhelming. This bipartisan bill provides financial flexibility for Americans impacted by disaster so they can focus on rebuilding their lives and livelihoods,” said Senator Van Hollen.
FILING RELIEF FOR NATURAL DISASTERS ACT:
The Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act would allow the governor of a state or territory to extend a federal tax filing deadline in the event of a state-declared emergency or disaster, which happens automatically for federally-declared disasters. Extending this authority to states gives them the ability to provide relief independent of the federal government’s involvement in an emergency or natural disaster.
The legislation would also expand the mandatory federal filing extension from 60 days to 120 days.
Representatives David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) and Judy Chu (D-Calif.) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment on final draft guidance from NICE on the use of exagamglogene autotemcel (exa-cel) for severe sickle cell disease.
Dr Diana Hernandez, director of immune and advanced therapies at UK stem cell charity Anthony Nolan, said:
“Today’s decision from NICE to grant access, on the NHS, to the UK’s first ever CRISPR-based therapy for some patients with sickle cell disease, represents a leap forward in the treatment of this debilitating and life-threatening condition. Sickle cell disease is caused by abnormally shaped red blood cells that can block blood vessels, causing fatigue, chronic pain and increased risk of infection. By modifying the DNA of the patient’s own stem cells so they produce healthy red blood cells, the treatment provides a ‘functional cure’ for people who otherwise have limited options.
“This treatment offers hope to thousands of patients in the UK, the majority of whom are from African and African-Caribbean backgrounds and have experienced years of feeling ignored, and is a glimpse into the exciting possibilities of gene therapies to treat diseases that have previously been considered incurable.”
Dr Alena Pance, Senior Lecturer in Genetics, University of Hertfordshire, said:
“Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel) is based on the innovative gene-editing tool CRISPR, which won its inventors the Nobel Prize in 2020
“This approach is a great medical advancement because gene-editing may represent a possible cure rather than a treatment of this inherited genetic disease and stem cell technology makes it possible to use patient-specific cells which avoid immunological issues.
“The background is that sickle cell disease is caused by mutation of one of the proteins that form haemoglobin. This is the main component of red blood cells that transports oxygen around the body. In adulthood, it consists of 4 globin proteins, 2 alpha and 2 beta, that form a tetramer with an iron core which binds the oxygen. During development however, the haemoglobin in the foetus is made with gamma globin instead of beta globin. This is because Gamma globin has higher affinity for oxygen, which is less abundant in the womb. At birth, there is a switch that silences Gamma globin which is no longer made and induces Beta globin to be made instead.
“When Beta globin is mutated long inflexible chains of haemoglobin form, called sickle haemoglobin that leads to a change in the morphology of the red blood cells which also become stiff and get stuck in small capillaries. This causes pain and loss of red blood cells or anaemia, which increases in situations of high need or use of oxygen, such as exercise or high altitude.
“What this therapy does is to switch off the factor that silences Gamma globin so that it can be produced in the red blood cells and substitute the faulty Beta globin. Because it is a blood disease, the gene-editing can be performed in the stem cells from the bone marrow from which all the cells in the blood originate. This means that the stem cells are extracted from the patient, modified and expanded in the lab and then put back into the patient where they will be able to reconstitute the blood. As a consequence, there is no immunological difference between the modified cells and the patient necessitating immunosuppressing medication for life and once the modified stem cells establish themselves in the bone marrow of the patient, they can repopulate the bone marrow and produce Gamma globin red blood cells technically for ever. An additional advantage this strategy has is that because it does not aim to correct the mutation (fix the faulty beta globin) it can be generally applied not just to sickle cell disease but also to beta-thalassemia. This is because there is a wide range of mutations in the beta globin gene and so fixing it would become patient-specific which would be even more costly and difficult.”
“There are some set backs to this approach and it is certain that the technology will continue improving, but at this moment in time, it is the greatest advance seen so far in the application of these technologies to health.”
Prof Ewan Birney, Deputy Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and Director of EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), said:
“This is an exciting development for practical CRISPR based gene therapy. After impressive clinical trials worldwide, the technology provides a way for certain sickle cell disease individuals to have a far better life. This CRISPR based therapy uses an interesting molecular mechanism, where the gene therapy acts on a different, related gene (fetal haemoglobin), boosting this gene’s expression in adulthood which mitigates the effect of the sickle cell changed adult haemoglobin. The mechanism was discovered by genetic studies in particular from cohorts in Sub-Saharan Africa and people with recent African ancestries.
“Looking ahead, this technology has the potential to treat many other rare diseases with precise genetic diagnoses.”
Prof Felicity Gavins, Professor of Pharmacology,Brunel University of London, said:
“The approval of Exa-cel for NHS use in England is a very exciting moment, not only because this marks the first approval of a CRISPR-based gene therapy for SCD in the NHS, but also because it offers a potentially curative treatment for eligible patients. By addressing the genetic cause of SCD, Exa-cel reduces or eliminates vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), decreases hospitalisations, and improves quality of life.
“Of the 15,000 people in England with SCD, approximately 1,750 may be eligible for Exa-cel treatment. The therapy works by editing the patient’s BCL11A gene to reactivate fetal haemoglobin production, preventing red blood cells from sickling and blocking blood flow which cause VOCs and disease complications.
“However, while Exa-cel is a breakthrough, it is not a cure for all SCD patients, and uncertainties remain about its long-term effectiveness, safety and accessibility. It is critical to continue funding research to develop treatment that benefit the broader SCD population and address remaining challenges in care.”
Professor Laurence D. Hurst,Professor of Evolutionary Genetics, The Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, said:
“The recommendation of exa-cel (alias Casgevy, alias Exagamglogene autotemcel) by NICE is a potential step change for sufferers (and their carers) of a common genetic disorder, sickle cell disease (SCD) that particularly affects UK individuals with a Caribbean and Black African ancestry. It will come as a very welcome reversal of a prior draft recommendation (March 2024) by many within the at-risk communities.
“Part of NICE’s recommendation was based on the observation that the disorder is especially prevent in ethnic minority backgrounds and seeks to redress inequality in health access. This is a good news day for sufferers of severe SCD and for these communities.”
Why is there a need for a “cure” for sickle cell disease?
“Current treatments may be considered the equivalent of plastering over a wound repeatedly, rather than getting to the cause of the wound and curing it.
“SCD patients need regular blood transfusions and with that treatment to absorb excess iron. Some qualify for a drug therapy, Hydroxycarbamide, also used as in cancer chemotherapy, that reduces VOC rates. This increases rate of production of foetal globin and reduces red cell stickiness. There are very few treatments to stop symptoms and what is available often has intolerable side effects. A further issue is that while treatments may reduce VOC frequency they tend to increase pain associated with each VOC. They do not address the underlying cause.”
“Stem cell transfusion – the best current “cure” – is potentially different as you are replacing the cells that make red blood cells in the patient with those from a donor who doesn’t have SCD. However, only 15% of patients have a potential donor and this treatment can lead to immune rejection (graft versus host disease).
“Exa-cel is potentially a life-long cure – the patients can make their own non SCD inducing blood, thus immune rejection should not be an issue.”
How does this CRISPR therapy work?
“For many single gene genetic disorders gene therapy is now being actively researched and, in some cases, making it to clinic. To date the successful ones, have taken the strategy of adding in a copy of the properly functioning version of the gene (as in recent gene therapies for haemophilia A and B). Exa-cel is different as it involves “editing” your own DNA, not adding genes.
“It relies on the fact that as foetuses our haemoglobin was different. Indeed, foetal haemoglobin is a little better than the adult version at carrying oxygen. Adult haemoglobin consists of two beta globins and two alpha globins. In foetuses we use gamma globin instead of beta globin. Shortly after birth a protein BCL11A helps in the switch from foetal to adult haemoglobin, from gamma to beta. Exa-cel edits the gene for BCL11A preventing it from being made, and in so doing forces the cells to upregulate gamma globin so making more foetal haemoglobin.
“It does this by editing a part of the switch that turns the BCL11A gene on in developing blood cells. This causes BCL11A to not be made which in turn allows gamma globin to be produced, as BCL11A switches gamma globin off. As such – it is a CRISPR mediated gene edit – it is unlike the standard mode of gene therapy which involves addition of the correct gene. The treatment involve removing relevant cells from the patient, editing in the lab and replacing them into the patient.
“Given its mode of action it is a potential therapy for any genetic disease involving badly functioning beta-globin, notably sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.
“Importantly it is also likely that making gamma globin is safe – it is our own protein. In addition, most of us fail to fully inactivate the foetal/gamma version and so well all have a bit of gamma globin. Indeed, with conditions like SCD, the higher the level of gamma globin the lesser the symptoms.”
The therapy is life transforming
“The evidence for the efficacy and safety of Casgevy for SCD is good, although sample numbers are low. Base line the patients had 2.6 VOCs per year. Of 43 patients 29 were followed long enough. 28 of 29 had no VOCs for at least a year. None were hospitalised.
“There is a further issue, however, that it can be difficult to collect cells in patients with SCD and some of those not followed up were because the treatment couldn’t be given.
What is the new decision?
“This new decision is not a statement about safety and efficacy. The therapy has been approved for use in the UK (late 2023), EU (spring 2024) and USA (late 2023) on safety and efficacy grounds. What is new is that NICE now recommends funding this with “managed access*” via the NHS as it is deemed adequately cost effective (or rather it was happy with the high level of uncertainty on cost effectiveness given the circumstances). This is a reversal of its prior draft recommendation in March 2024.
“It is restricted to those for whom a stem cell transplant donor cannot be found and with severe SCD ie recurrent VOCs meaning 2 or more in the prior 2 years.
“The defence for the opening of access was based on the health inequalities faced by people with SCD, the technology being innovative and the fact that prior decision had failed to capture the quality of life of the carers.
“Earlier this year NICE approved the same therapy for beta thalassemia -also owing to beta glogin issues- for a restricted number of patients.”
What does the treatment cost?
“The treatment is a one-off procedure. The headline cost per treatment £1,651,000 but the actual cost to the NHS is a commercial secret.”
What are the uncertainties?
“There are two main uncertainties:
“First, being a new treatment how long it will last is unknown. Why the treatment might revert is unclear but only time will tell.
“The second is whether there are downstream side effects. CRISPR as an application for example involves send a molecule to cut DNA at a designated site in our DNA. Sometimes, however, the cuts also happen at sites we didn’t want to have cut. These are so-called “off-target” effects. The early data from the research team behind found no evidence for such off-target effects but they remain a possibility. More classical forms of gene therapy – involving adding genes to our DNA – have been associated with induction of cancer and so the field is naturally cautious.”
What is SCD?
“Sickle cell disease is a genetic disease associated with a different form of a gene and its derived protein that make up part of the molecular that transports oxygen from the lungs to the body, heamoglobin, in our red blood cells. The affected gene/protein is “beta globin”.
“Sufferers have pain 4 days out of every seven and unpredictable episodes of severe pain, termed vaso-occlusive crises [VOCs] that can require hospitalization. Over 2 years about 2/3 of sufferers need emergency care 2 to 3 times and about a quarter spend 1-2 weeks in hospital. Higher rates of both define severe SCD. It causes ongoing anaemia (lack of red blood cells) and widespread organ damage. Even with access to medical support, life expectancy is typically around 50 years.”
Why is SCD so prevalent in ethnic minorities?
“Globally locations with endemic malaria have higher rates of the disorder. This is because individuals with a mix of beta globin genes (we all have two versions, one inherited from mother one from father) are less likely to die young from malaria. This selection favouring individuals with a mix of beta-globins maintains the two versions of the beta globin gene at relatively high frequencies. However, it also means that the rate at which individuals will inherit two of the SCD causing version of the gene is also high – if mum and dad were both carriers a quarter of their kids will get SCD. Having two SCD versions is needed for the full blown SCD. In sub-Saharan Africa up to 1-3% of the population suffer SCD making it a remarkably prevalent genetic disease.”
Professor David Rees, Professor of Paediatric Sickle Cell Disease, King’s College London, said:
“It is encouraging that Exa-cel has been approved for use to treat patients with sickle cell disease in England, particularly as it is based on discoveries made at King’s College London by Dr Stephan Menzel and Professor Swee Lay Thein. The treatment uses CRISPR gene editing technology to increase the level of fetal haemoglobin in people with sickle cell disease, which has a major effect in reducing the severity of the condition. The treatment is not curative in the traditional sense of the word, in that the patients still have some features of sickle cell disease, but early studies suggest that successfully treated patients have very few symptoms of the condition, at least in the medium term.
“Exa-cel has been approved for patients getting episodes of acute pain over the age of 12 years, and potentially more than 5000 people with sickle cell disease may be eligible for this in the UK. However, it is difficult to know how many people will actually benefit, because of the very high cost and potential toxicity of the treatment. Exa-cel treatment still requires very strong chemotherapy, similar to having a bone marrow transplant, which causes problems with reduced fertility and sometimes more serious complications, and it seems likely that it will most benefit patients with severe and progressive problems caused by sickle cell disease.
“Despite these concerns, the availability of Exa-cel is a major advance and offers a really important new treatment option for some patients with sickle cell disease. Excitingly, advances in gene editing are happening very rapidly at the moment and it seems likely that cheaper, safer and more effective forms of gene editing will emerge for sickle cell disease over the coming years, offering the prospect of a curative treatment which is universally applicable, even in low income countries where the majority of patients live.”
NICE’s final draft guidance on Exagamglogene autotemcel for treating severe sickle cell disease in people 12 years and over was published at 00:01 UK time on Friday 31 January 2025.
Declared interests
Professor David Rees: “I don’t think I have any significant conflicts of interest.”
Prof Ewan Birney: No conflict of interest.
Dr Alena Pance: No conflicts.
For all other experts, no response to our request for DOIs was received.
Released by: Minister for Regional Transport and Roads
The proposed upgrade to Mandalong Road at Morisset, southwest of Newcastle, has taken another step forward with the community consultation report for the preferred design display now published.
The Australian Government is investing $56 million and the NSW Government is investing $20 million in upgrades to Mandalong Road.
The community and key stakeholders were invited to have their say on the preferred design for the proposed upgrade from 26 June to 4 August last year.
This design includes replacing the existing roundabout at the intersection of Wyee Road and Freemans Drive with traffic lights, a shared path between Ourimbah Street and Gimberts Road, as well as two new bus stops on Dora Street.
The Gimberts Road/Gateway Boulevard roundabout will now be separately upgraded by a private developer.
A total of 202 submissions were received during the display period, including 190 survey responses and 12 emails.
The consultation report includes feedback on the design, operational and network impacts, environmental impacts, project concerns and suggestions.
Feedback received about the preferred design has been considered as work on the concept design and environmental assessment continues.
Timing for construction is yet to be confirmed and is dependent on planning approvals and the finalisation of project costings and funding arrangements.
Consultation will continue with key stakeholders and the community will be kept informed as the project progresses.
Quotes attributable to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:
“Mandalong Road provides a critical link from the M1 Pacific Motorway to Morisset and the southern part of the Lake Macquarie local government area.
“This upgrade will improve traffic flow and safety for about 17,000 road users daily, while helping meet the future needs of an increased population and employment in the Morisset area.
“The upgrade will also support retail, industry, commercial and housing growth along the corridor, with potentially upwards of 5,000 new dwellings in the surrounding area.”
Quotes attributable to NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison:
“We know this is an important project for the community with more than 200 submissions received during the consultation period.
“As part of the survey, respondents were asked to provide feedback on the level of project importance and support of the preferred design.
“I was pleased to note that 90 per cent of survey respondents believe the project to be very important or important, and more than 80 per cent supported the preferred design.
“I’m proud to be part of a government getting the work done to improve the daily lives of people living in NSW.”
Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Hunter Dan Repacholi:
“These traffic upgrades will be really significant for local and visiting motorists and pedestrians in terms of safety and also minimising delays on their journeys in this part of the lower Hunter.
“We will continue to engage with the NSW Government, key stakeholders and the community to deliver the best option for traffic and pedestrian movement in Morriset.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Lake Macquarie Greg Piper:
“Upgrading Mandalong Road is the most important transport priority in southern Lake Macquarie.
“Like other frustrated locals, I have been calling for a solution to the traffic and safety issues at Mandalong Road for years.
“With its strategic position, the Morisset area is poised to experience a surge in people, jobs, homes and industrial and commercial development. Upgrading Mandalong Road, along with other infrastructure and services, is essential to support this growth and help Morisset realise its full potential.”
Quotes attributable to Duty MLC for Lake Macquarie, Emily Suvaal:
“This is a key step in the upgrade process and I welcome the work the NSW Government, together with the Commonwealth, is doing to improve traffic conditions for motorists in Lake Macquarie.
“The much-needed Mandalong Road upgrades will significantly improve local traffic conditions and this next stage of consultation is vital to getting that work done.”
Federated Farmers welcomes Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones’ efforts to hold banks accountable when they stray from their core function – lending money.
Jones is spearheading a member’s bill seeking to ensure financial institutions focus on their legal and social responsibility to provide credit rather than engaging in selective lending based on ideology.
“We’re right behind that. Banks exist to lend, not to lecture,” Federated Farmers banking spokesperson Richard McIntyre says.
“It’s the job of elected governments to determine which businesses are lawful -not a handful of banking executives imposing their own moral compass.
“Yet we’re seeing banks decline credit to legal businesses simply because they don’t align with corporate PR strategies.”
One threat identified by Federated Farmers is to petrol stations, a vital lifeline for rural communities and isolated parts of New Zealand.
Internal BNZ documents provided to Federated Farmers in late 2024 clearly state there is to be no new lending to petrol stations, and all existing debt needs to be repaid by 2030.
“If banks are unwilling to provide lending to pay for things like upgrades, expansion or compliance, petrol stations will just disappear,” McIntyre says.
“It’s ideologically driven nonsense. Do they not think farmers and rural communities will still need petrol in five years?
“If a business is lawful, creditworthy, and can service a loan, then why should it be blacklisted by bank officials who jetted off to Glasgow together to sign an agreement on joint lending criteria?”
Banks hold a social licence, and with that comes an obligation to serve their customers fairly, not to dictate how they should run their businesses, McIntyre says.
Federated Farmers has been at the forefront of the fight against banking overreach in recent years.
The farming advocacy group has led the charge for a government inquiry into banking competition, and has been working with Ministers to push for a review of bank capital requirements that penalise the agriculture sector.
The federation also laid a complaint late last year with the Commerce Commission about the Net Zero Banking Alliance and its potential anti-competitive behaviour.
“We continue to monitor and put pressure on banks to be fair to their customers, and we’re pleased to support Minister Jones’ proposal.
“Banks should focus on banking, so farmers can focus on farming.
“We expect this Bill to include provisions ensuring lending decisions are based on financial criteria rather than emissions targets,” McIntyre says.
“Federated Farmers will continue to advocate for rural businesses and fair access to credit, so banking policies support the economy rather than ideology.”
The Government should be embarrassed that its own data shows working from home by public servants is not the big problem it made out to be.
The Public Service Commission has today publisheddata showing only a third of publicservants work from home around one or two days a week. The average days working from home was in fact less than one day – 0.9 days.
“The Government’s appalling attack on public servants working from home has been exposed for what it really is – a flimsy attempt to deflect from its own decisions to axe thousands of workers,” said Fleur Fitzsimons Acting National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
The PSA has filed a claim with the Employment Relations Authority to stop the Government restricting flexible workplace practices (see statement below).
“The reckless and rushed job cuts ordered by the Government are what has been hurting Wellington’s CBD businesses. Ordering public servants to spend more time in the office when in fact most are already working most days of the week in the office is just stupid policy. It won’t offset the economic damage its austerity policies have inflicted.
“International evidence shows flexible work drives greater productivity. The PSA’s own survey last year showed 85% of members saying it improved the work they do, that means delivering the better outcomes the Government wants.
“The Government promised evidence-based decision-making. It should have waited before launching its attack on flexible work practices.
“It’s directive to order public servants to spend more time in the office has been over-egged for purely political ends – public servants deserve better.”
Earlier today and throughout the past few weeks, in federal court in Brooklyn, five members and associates of the Luchese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra pleaded guilty to multiple crimes, including racketeering, money laundering and illegal gambling related to criminal activities throughout New York City. The proceedings were held before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto. Today, Luchese crime family soldier Anthony Villani pleaded guilty to racketeering, money laundering and illegal gambling. As part of Villani’s plea agreement, he will pay $4 million in forfeiture. His co-defendants have agreed to pay an additional approximately $1 million in forfeiture. Villani and his co-defendants operated a large-scale, illegal online gambling business (the Gambling Business) that operated under the protection of the Luchese crime family across the New York metropolitan area. The gambling business, known as “Rhino Sports,” operated since the early 2000s and brought millions in illicit profits annually.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty pleas.
“These guilty pleas represent a victory for the rule of law over the pernicious activities of organized crime that undermine the safety of our communities,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Illegal gambling businesses require enforcement and protection from mob rivals that carry the persistent threat of violence. However, the defendants’ luck ran out and, thanks to the hard work of the team of prosecutors and investigators, they will be held accountable for their crimes and pay their debt to society.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy stated: “Our investigations involving members of the Five Families don’t make the same headlines as they have historically. However, the men pleading guilty in this case illustrate how entrenched the traditional mafia are in their noxious and familiar criminality. They are less flashy these days – and a lot of that is due to the incredible cunning and tenacity agents and investigators on our FBI New York Westchester Organized Crime Task Force use to pursue members of these organizations.”
As detailed in the indictment and court filings, for over 25 years, Villani has been involved in significant gambling operations, principally based in the Bronx and Westchester, New York, that were affiliated with multiple organized crime families. Villani owned and operated the Gambling Business since at least 2004. The Gambling Business was hosted using servers in Costa Rica and employed local bookmakers to pay and collect winnings. Villani’s bookmakers included members and associates of the Luchese crime family and other La Cosa Nostra families. As part of the scheme, Villani employed trusted individuals, including defendants Louis Tucci, Jr. and Dennis Filizzola, to assist in operating the business and collecting at least $1 million annually. Records obtained of the Gambling Business’s website indicated that Villani’s illegal gambling operation regularly took bets from between 400 and 1,300 bettors each week, most of whom were based in New York City and the metropolitan area. At Villani’s direction, Filizzola took proceeds from the Gambling Business and used them to purchase U.S. Postal Service money orders in false names, which were then made payable to one of Villani’s property companies to appear as legitimate rental payments.
When sentenced, Villani faces up to 20 years in prison. Louis Tucci, Jr., pleaded guilty on January 27, 2025 to illegal sports betting and faces up to five years in prison. Filizzola pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025 to illegal sports betting and money laundering and faces up to five years in prison and up to 20 years in prison on those counts respectively. James Coumoutsos pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025 to illegal sports betting and faces up to five years in prison. Michael Praino pleaded guilty on January 10, 2025 to illegal sports gambling and faces up to five years in prison. A sixth defendant remains at large.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorney Antoinette N. Rangel is in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Claire S. Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendants:
ANTHONY VILLANI Age: 60 Elmsford, NY
JAMES COUMOUTSOS (also known as “Quick”) Age: 62 Bronx, NY
DENNIS FILIZZOLA Age: 61 Cortlandt Manor, NY
MICHAEL PRAINO (also known as “Platinum”) Age: 47 Lake Worth, Florida
LOUIS TUCCI, JR. (also known as “Tooch”) Age: 61 Tuckahoe, NY
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2
The Government has launched a consultation on a new approach to Land Use empowering decision makers with the toolkit to protect the most productive agricultural land and boost food security.
New sophisticated data on how land is used will underpin the Government’s Plan for Change, supporting economic growth through building 1.5 million homes and delivering critical infrastructure, securing clean power, protecting farmland and restoring the natural world.
The consultation will seek views from farmers, landowners, businesses and nature groups across the length and breadth of the country.
The Government is today (Friday 31 January) launching a consultation on a new strategic approach to managing land use in England to give decision makers the data they need to protect our most productive agricultural land, boosting Britain’s food security in a time of global uncertainty and a changing climate.
This will support the Government’s missions under the Plan for Change, including delivering new housebuilding, energy infrastructure and new towns.
Using the most sophisticated land use data ever published, the Land Use Framework will provide the principles, advanced data and tools to support decision-making by local government, landowners, businesses, farmers, and nature groups to make the most of our land. This will help deliver the different objectives we have for England’s finite land, including growing food, building 1.5 million homes this parliament, and restoring nature.
As part of a national conversation, there will be workshops across the country, bringing farmers and landowners to the table, to put the insights of the people who manage our landscapes at the centre of our work to develop a final Land Use Framework.
Protecting UK food security and pursuing our mission for economic growth go hand-in-hand – with the highest quality agricultural land already protected for food production whilst kickstarting the economy by building new housing and rolling out renewable energy to make the UK a clean energy superpower.
Local planning will benefit from data outlined in the Land Use Framework, combined with the energy and housing spatial plans and a new food strategy. This will ensure we build 1.5 million new homes over five years, a generation of new towns, and the energy infrastructure needed to achieve Clean Power by 2030, while protecting food security and our natural world.
Speaking at the launch at the Royal Geographical Society, the Secretary of State for the Environment Steve Reed will set out how we will protect farmland and unlock growth.
He is expected to say:
Today is the start of a national conversation to transform how we use land in this country. It’s time for policy to leave the chambers of Westminster and reflect the actual lived experiences of farmers, landowners and planners on the ground.
Using the most sophisticated land use data ever published, we will transform how we use our land to deliver on our Plan for Change. That means enabling the protection of prime agricultural land, restore our natural world and drive economic growth.
This framework will not tell people what to do.
It is about working together to pool our knowledge and resources, to give local and national government, landowners, businesses, farmers and nature groups the data and tools they need to take informed actions that are best for them, best for the land, and best for the country.
Speaking about farmland, he will go on to say:
This Government has a cast-iron commitment to maintain long-term food production.
The primary purpose of farming will always be to produce food that feeds the nation.
This framework will give decision makers the toolkit they need to protect our highest quality agricultural land.
This vision for land is one in which we guarantee our long-term food security and future-proof our farm businesses, support new housebuilding and energy infrastructure, and reduce conflicts that hold up development by creating land with multiple benefits – supporting economic growth on the limited land we have available.
The Framework will help farm businesses to maximise the potential of multiple uses of land, supporting long-term food production capacity and unlocking opportunities for businesses to drive private finance into the sector. It will support the need to incentivise multi-functional land use that includes food production.
We will also consult on how data can be used in some planning decisions to improve the resilience of our food system to flooding risk.
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner said:
Today marks an important step forward in our journey to build the 1.5 million new homes that we desperately need.
This new approach will make better use of our land and grasp the opportunities to deliver new homes and infrastructure in the areas most in need, achieving win-win results for both development and the environment.
Our Plan for Change is going even further to dismantle the barriers holding back growth, so we can raise living standards, get more families onto the property ladder, and deliver a better future for our children and grandchildren.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
The biggest threat to nature and food security is the climate crisis, which threatens our best farmland, food production and the livelihoods of farmers.
As we deliver our mission for the UK to become a clean energy superpower as part of the Plan for Change, we will ensure a proper balance between food security, nature preservation and clean energy.
We can roll out renewables in a way that is both positive for our energy security and our environment.
Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive, Food, Farming and Countryside Commission said:
With so many of the government’s missions reliant on good land use decisions, Steve Reed’s announcement today could not be more timely. Setting out clear principles, and working across government departments, we’re pleased to see that the land use consultation focuses on mechanisms for delivery. Our work in Devon and Peterborough and Cambridgeshire proves that farmers and land managers, communities, local authorities, green groups and businesses are keen to work together to help shape a Land Use framework.
The next stages of development will involve extensive sector engagement in a collaborative process as we design a final Land Use Framework – informed by the views of landowners, businesses, farmers, and nature groups. This evidence will also feed into the wider reform that we are delivering in the sector through the Farming Roadmap and Food Strategy.
The consultation will run for 12 weeks with the final Land Use Framework published later in the year. This will deliver a key manifesto commitment as part of our Plan for Change.
The Land Use Framework offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enhance national resilience, drive sustainable economic growth, and position the UK as a global leader in land management. By uniting all stakeholders with a clear, consistent approach, it ensures taxpayer money is spent efficiently — optimising Defra resources, empowering land managers to deliver impactful outcomes, and securing long-term prosperity in the face of growing climate uncertainty.
Lydia Collas, head of natural environment at Green Alliance, said:
With weather extremes having a major impact on harvests, it’s an important step to clearly set out how we’ll secure our food supply, tackle climate change, and restore nature in a Land Use Framework. Reforms to farming policy are at a critical stage, and we need a framework to support evidence-based decisions about how the farming budget is spent. This should help direct farm payments to those that have the biggest part to play in restoring nature, while ensuring we continue to produce high-quality food and don’t export more of the environmental costs of what we eat.
Forestry Commission Chair Sir William Worsley said:
There has never been a more crucial time to invest in domestic woodland creation.
The Land Use Framework will provide principles that promote this and outline the many benefits of woodland creation, including for climate change mitigation, nature recovery, timber production, water quality and quantity, as well as the multiple social benefits.
This will play a key role in meeting statutory tree cover and biodiversity targets as well as helping to address the urgent need for improved timber security.
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:
Too often the health of the natural environment, farming and ambitions for the built environment are presented as competing interests, with protecting Nature portrayed as a barrier to development and food security. The fact is though that we can and must do all these things, and by taking a more strategic view of how we use land, we can deliver against government’s stretching legal targets to halt and reverse nature decline, while also enabling the new homes and infrastructure the country needs, including renewable power and reservoirs, while at the same time protecting food security and building resilience to climate change impacts.
The Land Use Framework is a vital step forward, offering opportunities to move beyond tired old binary choices, between housing and greenspace or Nature and food, and onto the more integrated thinking that we must embrace in meeting multiple pressing challenges all at once. This is a key policy that will unlock prospects for the restoration of Nature at larger scale, while at the same time meeting the country’s needs for housing, energy, water and food.
Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:
The Land Use Framework is hugely welcome as an important tool for making smarter decisions about how we use our land. It starts a vital national conversation about the scale of change needed over time to meet and reconcile environmental goals for water, climate and nature with food production, housing and development.
For example, by utilising low-grade agricultural land for natural flood management, we can reduce flood risk, enhance biodiversity, and create more sustainable landscapes. This kind of approach will help us meet the challenges of a changing climate while delivering real benefits for communities and the environment.
Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said:
Land in England is precious. We know that the way we use our little island must change to meet the challenges of the nature and climate crisis. For too long, competing land uses have been left to solve the jigsaw puzzle of England, without a picture on the front of the box to guide them. Ministers have an opportunity to ensure that the right players have all the pieces they need to make more space for nature, alongside sustainable food production and green infrastructure.
The Land Use Framework can help ensure all new development is wilder by design, expanding space for our wildlife to recover, and building nature into the heart of development. The test will be whether the final framework can actually influence the thousands of daily decisions that matter for nature, from big strategic development plans and Local Plans, right down to individual choices from chicken sheds to targeted incentives for nature-friendly farming.
Becky Pullinger, head of land use planning at The Wildlife Trusts, says:
There’s never been a proper plan for managing the competing demands on land and the way that land is given over for development, for biofuels or for food production is haphazard at best.
The only way we’ll tackle climate change, nature loss, health problems and housing shortages is by thinking ahead about what land is used for and how it is used – because we can’t afford to solve one crisis at the expense of another.
Done well, a Land Use Framework could provide a significant reset opportunity to meet all these challenges and deliver wins for nature recovery, the economy, a nature-friendly food supply and green energy.
Beccy Speight, RSPB chief executive, said:
The joined-up approach being taken to create this framework is exactly what’s needed to determine how we make best use of the limited land available in England. Delivering a future that safeguards nature, tackles climate change, ensures food security and resilient farm businesses, and enables sustainable development is the only sensible path. It’s possible to do all of this.
The last year has seen record levels of flooding impacting farmers and land managers across the country, largely due to extreme weather. To tackle this, we must ensure this framework is aligned with the necessary incentives to support the adoption of more nature-friendly and climate resilient practices. This is only the start of what must be a national conversation, but the ambition to reconcile competing pressures and allow strategic decision making on how land is used will benefit everyone.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
A package of support to help the alcohol sector to grow will tomorrow (1 February) take effect.
Draught relief increase worth £85m comes into force tomorrow – cutting 1p duty off draft pints
Increase to small producer relief to help small breweries innovate will support economic growth
Follows announcement of future consultation to improve access to guest beers to support sector growth mission
Draught relief has increased to knock 1p off duty on draught products whilst small producer relief – a measure to encourage craft brewers to innovate – is becoming more generous.
Together these tax cuts are worth £85 million and are tailored to support the alcohol sector to innovate and grow.
The increase to draught relief, first announced at Autumn Budget, will affect around three in five of all alcoholic drinks sold in pubs, and represents the first duty cut on a pint of beer in 10 years.
This is part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change that will rebuild Britain for the future by boosting economic growth.
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, James Murray said:
Our pubs and brewers are an essential part the fabric of the UK and our brilliant high streets. Through draught relief, small producer relief, and expanding market access for smaller brewers, we will help boost sector growth and deliver our Plan for Change to put more money in working people’s pockets.
Richard Naisby, Chair of the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) said:
The Government’s increased investment in Draught Relief means that draught beer sold in our community pubs has a lower rate of alcohol duty than beer sold in supermarkets and should encourage more people to support their local. At the same time by going further on Small Producer Relief, the Government can help small breweries to compete and grow their businesses.
While these support schemes have kick started innovation and enabled small breweries to set up, many breweries struggle to get access to the vital pubs market so they can expand. The Government’s review will examine ways to address these access issues and ensure that landlords can access the beers their customers want and small breweries can grow.
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, James Murray visited the Queen Edith pub in Cambridge to welcome the incoming tax relief alongside Andy Slee, Chief Executive of the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) and Richard Naisby, Chair of SIBA and Founder and Managing Director of the Milton Brewery.
The Minister discussed during his visit in depth various growth measures to help the sector, including an increase in the generosity of small producer relief. This cuts duty for the UK’s smallest, most innovative breweries and cider makers by up to more than 90%, further supporting growth.
James Murray also discussed how the government will consult in the future to encourage small brewers to retain and expand their access to UK pubs, maximising drinkers’ choice and supporting local economic growth, including through provisions to enable more ‘guest beers’.
Fees charged by the Spirit Drinks Verification Scheme will be reduced in the future and mandatory duty stamps for spirits will come to an end from 1 May 2025. This will help distilleries, including Scotch whisky makers, badge their products, increasing their chances to sell their products through pubs and supermarkets.
As announced at the Autumn Budget, alcohol duty has today also been increased in line with inflation. This helps sure up public finances and helps to fund the investment needed to grow the economy and fund public services.
More information:
Draught relief means alcohol duty on draught products below 8.5% ABV will be cut by 1.7% in cash terms (5.1% compared to the baseline RPI uprating). This is the equivalent of a 1p duty reduction on an average 4.58% pint.
Small producer relief (SPR) is available for products
At the Autumn Budget, the government agreed to achieve parity in SPR discount for draught and non-draught products by increasing the generosity of the relief for non-draught products.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government Non-Ministerial Departments
The Charity Commission has launched two separate statutory inquiries into SharedImpact and SharedImpact Foundation (UK) Limited.
The two charities were set up to improve the financial efficiency and effectiveness of charities by offering grants, financial services and advice.
The charities have a trustee in common and both have persistently and repeatedly failed to meet their accounting requirements.
SharedImpact and SharedImpact Foundation (UK) Limited were previously placed in the Charity Commission’s double defaulter class inquiry in March 2021. That inquiry investigates charities that have defaulted twice or more over the past 5 years on submitting required accounting information.
The Charity Commission has escalated its engagement with the charities to two separate statutory inquiries due to both charities failing to file accounts on time for financial years ending 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023.
The inquiries will examine the administration, governance, and management of the individual charities including:
the trustees’ compliance with their statutory accounting and reporting responsibilities
whether the charities have appropriate and robust financial controls in place
whether the charities are being managed in accordance with their governing document
whether the charities are operating in accordance with their stated objects and for the public benefit
Additionally, the inquiry into SharedImpact will examine whether the charity has a sufficient number of trustees.
The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiries if additional regulatory issues emerge.
ENDS
Notes to editors
The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society.
On 22 March 2021, the Commission placed SharedImpact and SharedImpact Foundation (UK) Limited into the ‘Double Defaulter’ inquiry for charities that are in default of their statutory obligations to meet reporting requirements by failing to file their annual documents (annual returns, reports and accounts) for two or more years in the last five years.
On 13 December 2024, the Charity Commission opened two statutory inquiries into SharedImpact and SharedImpact Foundation (UK) Limited under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011.
A statutory inquiry is a legal power enabling the Commission to formally investigate matters of regulatory concern within a charity and to use protective powers for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries, assets, or reputation. An inquiry will investigate and establish the facts of the case so that the Commission can determine the extent of any misconduct and/or mismanagement; the extent of the risk to the charity, its work, property, beneficiaries, employees or volunteers; and decide what action is needed to resolve the concerns.
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is a key priority for our Government, and boosting pothole repairs and prevention will deliver a safe and efficient state highway network that will support this growth. “One of the reasons this Government was elected was because people were fed up with the degradation of our roads under Labour. They could see it in their day-to-day lives, with record numbers of potholes peppering highways across the country. Our Government promised change to Kiwis and the freight sector, and we are delivering on that promise. “To sort out the potholes, we established a $3.9 billion Pothole Prevention Activity Class over three years, ringfenced for resealing, rehabilitation, and drainage maintenance works to ensure these funds are used entirely on preventing potholes. The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is now delivering a significant programme of works, including a record increase in road rehabilitation, which involves rebuilding entire sections of road rather than just resealing. “The Government’s Pothole Prevention Fund is delivering a total of 285.6 lane kilometres of rehabilitation work over the summer months – a 124 per cent increase compared to last year. This record level of rehabilitation work will help prevent potholes from forming in the first place. “The previous government showed Kiwis that throwing more money at a problem is lazy, expensive, and ineffective. Funding must be paired with increased expectation and accountabilities, and that is what we’ve introduced to drive better results. Faster pothole repairs are improving the safety and maintenance standards on our roads.” In July last year, the Government introduced targets for NZTA contractors to repair 95 per cent of potholes on main state highways and 85 per cent of potholes on regional state highways within 24 hours of identification. “The results speak for themselves. Since our targets were introduced, NZTA has delivered every month with greater use of new innovations to ensure that temporary pothole repairs last longer before a permanent reseal can take place, instead of simply placing cold mix in potholes,” Mr Bishop says. “Achieving these targets month after month shows the significant progress we’ve made in tackling the pothole issue. Kiwis can now travel more safely and efficiently on our roads, with fewer disruptions and safety hazards. “If you see a pothole on the state highway network, report it immediately by calling 0800 4 HIGHWAYS. Together, Kiwis are ensuring that potholes are identified and repaired as quickly as possible.” Notes to editor:
NZTA has delivered on the Government’s 24 hour pothole repair targets each month since they were introduced, exceeding the targets set in July.
Month Total Potholes Repaired % Repaired Within 24 Hours
Jul-24 7,114 95%
Aug-24 6,303 98%
Sep-24 5,030 98%
Oct-24 4,809 98%
Nov-24 3,200 99%
Dec-24 1,697 98%
Potholes tend to be formed in wet conditions, which is why there are a higher number requiring repair in winter months.
The Pothole Prevention Activity Class includes $2 billion of funding for State Highway Pothole Prevention over three years, and $1.9 billion for local road Pothole Prevention over three years. The number of kilometres of rehabilitation work on state highways as part of the 2024/25 summer maintenance programme compared to the previous programme: The summer maintenance programme began in October 2024 and will be completed by March 2025.
Save the Children has today launched a new campaign calling on New Zealanders to oppose a new Government bill looking to introduce the use of physical force and re-introduce military style detention camps for the country’s most vulnerable children.
The ‘Boot the Bill’ campaignand petition asks Kiwis to make a stand against the new Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill, currently before Select Committee, which, if passed, would reintroduce harmful military-style boot camps and permit the use of physical force against children.
Save the Children’s Advocacy and Research Director Jacqui Southey says evidence shows that punitive approaches like these fail to address the root causes of youth offending, such as trauma, abuse and systemic inequality, and risk causing further harm to already vulnerable children.
“This form of coercive youth justice intervention is an outdated methodology, has been tried before in New Zealand, with little to no effect in preventing youth offending and may even increase rates of reoffending,” she says.
“The inclusion of allowing the use of “reasonable physical force”, which in real terms is the use of physical violence to subdue a child, poses a real risk to children and is absolutely unacceptable, breaching children’s rights to be protected from all forms of violence.
“It’s time to stop criminalising our most vulnerable children and look towards policies that support positive change and ensure a brighter future for our youth.”
In addition to the research, testimony provided by survivors of Abuse in State Care as part of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State Care and Faith Based Care clearly shows that children have been violently abused and traumatised in State-funded boot camp style institutions in New Zealand.
Ms Southey says as recently as 2004, Te Whakapakari Youth Programme (Te Whakapakari) was a fully State-funded boot camp style programme where children were sent as social welfare care and protection or youth justice sentencing options. While it claimed to promote drug abuse rehabilitation, self-esteem and skills development, Māoritanga and confidence building, underpinned by military style discipline, instead children suffered cruel, violent and inhumane treatment including, extreme psychological, physical and sexual abuse.
“A former Minister of Child, Youth and Family, Hon Ruth Dyson, was quoted as saying, ‘A lot of government money was put into that programme and in the end it resulted in the State funding violence and abuse towards children and young people’” she says.
“Most young offenders are victims themselves, having experienced high rates of criminal abuse, neglect, and violence, often from infancy. If New Zealand is to be truly effective in preventing youth crime, we need to be serious about preventing harm to children occurring in the first place. That means investing in programmes and policies to strengthen families, particularly those struggling, to ensure good outcomes for children in both the short and long term.”
Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.
Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.
CARLSBAD, Calif., Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CalAmp, a leading provider of telematics and connected intelligence solutions, is pleased to announce the integration of Okta Single Sign-On (SSO) across its iOn™ Fleet and Device Management applications. This feature provides customers with a secure, efficient way to manage user access through a single login, enhancing security and simplifying IT management for organizations using Okta as their Identity and Access Management provider.
Through Okta SSO, CalAmp delivers:
Simplified, Secure Access: Users can log in once to access all CalAmp applications and their other company apps, reducing password fatigue while enhancing security with a single, trusted login.
Enhanced Security with MFA: Multi-Factor Authentication via Okta adds an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access.
Centralized IT Management: IT teams can manage and revoke user access from a single platform, improving operational efficiency and control.
Customizable Security Settings: Organizations can tailor security policies, enabling either strict or flexible SSO enforcement to meet their specific needs.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Manage user permissions across iOn™ and Device Management with inherited role-based access, ensuring appropriate access to tools and data.
“Our priority is always to deliver meaningful improvements that enhance both security and user experience,” said Paul Washicko, Senior Vice President of Product Management at CalAmp. “Partnering with Okta, the most recognized industry leader in identity management, enables us to provide our customers with stronger security and more efficient access management across CalAmp applications.”
Customers interested in enabling Okta SSO for their CalAmp applications can contact the CalAmp support team for setup assistance.
About CalAmp
CalAmp provides flexible solutions to help organizations worldwide monitor, track, and protect their vital assets. Our unique device-enabled software and cloud platform enables commercial and government organizations worldwide to improve efficiency, safety, visibility, and compliance while accommodating the unique ways they do business. With over 10 million active edge devices and 220+ approved or pending patents, CalAmp is the telematics leader organizations turn to for innovation and dependability. For more information, visit calamp.com, or LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube or CalAmp Blog.
CalAmp, LoJack,TRACKER,Here Comes The Bus,Bus Guardian,CalAmp Vision,CrashBoxxand associated logos are among the trademarks of CalAmp and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Spireon acquired the LoJack® U.S. Stolen Vehicle Recovery (SVR) business from CalAmp and holds an exclusive license to the LoJack mark in the United States and Canada. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
WASHINGTON – Today, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are releasing legally protected whistleblower disclosures that prove the genesis of the federal election interference case brought against President Trump began at the hands of a prolific anti-Trump FBI agent who acted outside of established protocol for opening cases.
Internal FBI emails and predicating documents provided to Grassley and released jointly by the two senators show Timothy Thibault, a former FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) who was fired from the Bureau after Grassley exposed his public anti-Trump bias, authored the initial language for what ultimately became Jack Smith’s federal case against Trump regarding the 2020 presidential election. Thibault took this action despite being unauthorized to open criminal investigations in his ASAC role. The FBI titled the ensuing investigation “Arctic Frost.”
Records further reveal Richard Pilger, an official in the Justice Department (DOJ)’s Public Integrity Section, reviewed and approved the FBI’s Arctic Frost investigation, authorizing DOJ to move forward with a full field criminal and Grand Jury investigation that ultimately transformed into the Trump elector case. Grassley published a 2021 report that raised concerns regarding Pilger’s troubling record at DOJ.
Grassley in 2022 additionally questioned Thibault’s role at the FBI, writing, “I remain very concerned that political bias by a select group of Justice Department and FBI officials has infected the Justice Department’s and FBI’s usual process and procedure to open and pursue high-profile and politically charged investigations.” In November, Sens. Johnson and Grassley called on Jack Smith to preserve all records related to Trump-targeted investigations.
The records released by Johnson and Grassley are linked below:
Grassley provided an overview of the records in his opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on Kash Patel’s nomination to be FBI Director. Excerpts from Grassley’s opening statement follow:
“In my hand are a series of FBI emails.
“The first is an email that Thibault sent to a subordinate agent on February 14, 2022.
“He said, ‘Here is draft opening language we discussed.’ The draft opening was attached, and it included material that would later become part of Jack Smith’s elector case.
“The second email is a February 24, 2022, email from Thibault to John Crabb, a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, saying, ‘I had a discussion with the case team and we believe there to be predication to include former President of the United States Donald J. Trump as a predicated subject.’ This FBI case would later be codenamed Arctic Frost.
“The third email is a February 24, 2022, email from Thibault to John Crabb noting that Attorney General and FBI Director approval will be sought to open the case.
“The fourth email is a February 25, 2022, email from Thibault’s subordinate agents saying they added Trump, and others, as a criminal subject to the case. Thibault responded ‘Perfect.’
“The fifth email is a March 22, 2022, email from Thibault emailing a version of an investigative opening for approval. This didn’t include President Trump as a criminal subject.
“The sixth email is an April 11, 2022, email from Thibault approving the opening of Arctic Frost.
“The seventh email is an April 13, 2022, email from an FBI agent to Thibault stating that the FBI Deputy Director approved its opening.
“The eighth email on that same date had Thibault emailing John Crabb that the elector case was approved. Crabb responded, ‘Thanks a lot. Let’s talk next week.’
“Between March 22 and April 13, other versions of the document opening the investigation existed, because a ninth email shows that the FBI General Counsel’s office made edits on March 25.
“Was Trump still removed as an investigative subject? If so, which Justice Department and FBI officials – other than Jack Smith – later added him for prosecution?
“I expect the production of all records on this matter to better understand the full fact pattern and whether other records exist.”
Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 30, 2025
Contact:Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Jim Risch (R-ID), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Rick Scott (R-FL), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE), introduced the American Values Act to permanently enact and expand existing prohibitions on the use of U.S. foreign assistance to pay for the performance or promotion of abortion services overseas.
“No American taxpayer should be forced to fund abortions overseas,” said Dr. Paul. “It’s bad enough that Washington spends recklessly at home, but using taxpayer dollars to promote abortion abroad is an insult to both life and fiscal responsibility. This legislation is a necessary step towards reigning wasteful spending and standing for the fundamental right to life.”
“American foreign aid should always be used in a way that is in line with American values- and that means that no foreign assistance funds should ever be used to perform or promote abortion services,” said Senator Risch. “I’m proud to introduce the American Values Act with my colleagues to hold our government accountable to this standard and protect the sanctity of life across the globe.”
If enacted, this legislation would:
Clarify that existing prohibitions on the use of U.S. foreign assistance to pay for the performance or promotion of abortions, forced sterilizations, or biomedical research relating to abortions or forced sterilizations shall apply to all assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act;
Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the use of foreign assistance funds to lobby for or against abortion;
Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the provision of foreign assistance funds to organizations that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization; and
Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the use of funds made available to the Peace Corps to pay for abortions.
Full text of the American Values Act can be foundHERE.
A one-pager on the American Values Act can be found HERE.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
January 30, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today again questioned Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during his nomination hearing. Durbin first asked Mr. Patel about political violence and his promotion of the “J6 choir.”
Mr. Patel co-produced, promoted, and sold a record recorded by the so-called “J6 prison choir” – a group of January 6 rioters who were incarcerated in the D.C. jail in February 2023. He has described the choir’s members as, “political prisoners.” Notably, he has declined to identify the members of the choir. According to one analysis of D.C. Corrections records, there were only 20 January 6 offenders in D.C. jail as of March 2023. Of these, 17 were accused of or already convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers. A recent Special Counsel report identified six members of the choir, five of whom had already pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement officers before Patel promoted their recording.
“When it comes to violence and politics, I personally believe [violence] has no place in politics. Whether it’s violence against Donald Trump or violence against Nancy Pelosi’s husband in her home, period. Those people, [the] Proud Boys, whatever they call themselves, have no place in this country as far as I’m concerned if they espouse violence in any form, do you agree?” Durbin asked.
Mr. Patel replied, “yes.”
“Why are we so concerned about this choir singing a song? The question is who are you going to care about, who are you going to help? Are you going to help the victims of January 6—the police and their families, or are you going to help the people arrested for assaulting [the Capitol Police officers]? I think the J6 choir looks like a tribute to them—characterizing them as ‘political prisoners’ and unlucky and just patriotic people who may have gotten out of hand. Do you see the difference?” Durbin asked.
Mr. Patel responded that “his track record” shows which side he falls on. Yet despite this statement, he co-produced, promoted, and sold this “J6 choir” record.
Durbin then asked Mr. Patel about his conspiracy theory that the FBI planned the January 6 attack. The conspiracy theory that January 6 was a false flag operation conducted by the FBI has been repeatedly debunked, including, most recently, in a lengthy report from the Justice Department’s Inspector General.
“Let me ask you about one of the major conspiracy theories that I’ve heard, and you’re associated with—that the FBI planned January 6. Why did you say that?” Durbin asked.
Mr. Patel denied stating this conspiracy theory even though on one episode of his podcast he asked, “What was the FBI doing planning January 6th for a year?”
“Did you really think the FBI was planning January 6 for a year?” Durbin asked again.
Mr. Patel again repeatedly denied spewing this conspiracy theory despite evidence to the contrary.
Video of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.
Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological SurveyHawaiian Volcano Observatoryscientists and affiliates.
Winners of the Island of Hawaiʻi Volcano Awareness Month 2025 Art Contest. Upper left, Linda Hansen from Pāhoa, submitted a painting titled “Kīlauea welcomes Christmas 2024” that won in the adult division. In the lower left, Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School 11th grader Añaza Nielsen won the high school category with their colored pencil artwork titled “Volcanic Activity,” which depicts the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption as a thermal image. The upper right shows “Lava Flow,” a watercolor and ink piece by Andrea Yanga, an 8th grader also attending Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School who won in the middle school division. The lower right shows a lava pond created with construction paper by Milunaizarra Peltier, a 5th grader from Volcano School of Arts & Sciences, who won the elementary art division. USGS photo.
Participants were invited to submit a poem in haiku format or art recognizing Hawaii’s volcanic landscapes in the following age divisions: elementary (kindergarten–5th grade), middle (6th–8th), high (9th–12th), and adult. Nearly 60 entries were received, most from kamaʻaina.
Beautiful depictions in words and art highlight the diverse range of geologic processes and hazards we experience as residents in Hawaii, including the most recent episodic eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit caldera of Kīlauea. Many entries also reference Pele, the Hawaiian elemental forces associated with volcanic activity, highlighting the cultural significance of Hawaii’s volcanic history.
In the elementary school category, Sunny Mallams, a 4th grader who lives in Honolulu, won with her haiku, “Mahalo Pele:”
Lava shining bright
Giving birth to Hawaii
Mahalo Pele
“Pele’s Domain,” a haiku by 6th grader Austin Kesterson, who lives on Oahu, won in the middle school category:
Boom! Pele is here
Her hair rises through the sky
Fiery lava flows
Ella Hillstead, a high schooler from San Francisco, California, won the high school haiku with “The Harmony of Hawaii:”
Waves lap, sun sets on
Board basalt plains of land forged
By Pele’s fire
Travis Paradea won the adult haiku category with the haiku below:
You take your shoes off
When you enter someone’s home
Even for Pele?
In the adult art category, Linda Hansen from Pāhoa, submitted a painting titled “Kīlauea welcomes Christmas 2024.” She wrote, “Kīlauea gave us a brilliant show on December 23, 2024, as the caldera began to glow. The glow illuminated the walls of the caldera as the plumes of gas rose into the predawn sky.”
Students from Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School won in the high and middle school art categories. Añaza Nielsen, in 11th grade, won with their colored pencil artwork titled “Volcanic Activity,” which they wrote depicts the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption. “This artwork represents the thermal camera view of the flowing rivers of lava coming down Mauna Loa. This artwork was inspired by seeing the glow of the eruption from my home during the night. This is represented through the colors I chose for this artwork.”
Andrea Yanga, an 8th grader, painted the winning middle school art, “Lava Flow,” using watercolors and ink. She wrote that it shows “an ancient eruption of Mauna Loa where the lava flowed from the mountain to the sea. The glow rises from the vapors of the lava touching the waters of the ocean. The artwork represents the beauty and radiance of these rivers of lava that formed Hawaii island.”
Milunaizarra Peltier, a 5th grader from Volcano School of Arts & Sciences, won the elementary art division with her construction paper artwork depicting a lava lake. She wrote, “I drew a lava pond because people don’t draw lava ponds as much.”
The votes were very close in many categories, and we appreciate every wonderful entry. Winners and a selection of other contestants will be on display at a scientific conference in Hilo during the second week of February. The conference theme is caldera-forming eruptions at basaltic volcanoes, such as what occurred at Kīlauea in 2018.
Gro Pederson, a geologist and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Iceland (and former USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory volunteer) will be giving a special After Dark in the Park presentation at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park while here for the conference. Join Gro at 7 p.m. HST on February 6 at the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium, as she summarizes several eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Southwest Iceland since 2021. Volcanic activity in Iceland, monitored by the Iceland Metrological Office, has hazards similar to those in Hawaii: earthquakes, opening of new fissure systems, lava flows, tephra fall, volcanic gas emissions, and land subsidence.
HVO voters were impressed and delighted by every entry in the art & poetry contest; mahalo again to everyone who participated in Volcano Awareness Month on the Island of Hawaiʻi in January 2025!
Volcano Activity Updates
Kīlauea is erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is WATCH.
The summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano that began in Halemaʻumaʻu crater on December 23 continued over the past week, with two eruptive episodes (6 and 7). Episode 6 was active from January 24 evening until the afternoon of January 25 and episode 7 was active from the evening of January 27 until the morning of January 28. Kīlauea summit has been inflating since episode 7 ended. Resumption of eruptive activity is possible within days if summit inflation continues at current rate. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are elevated in the summit region during active eruption episodes. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.
Three earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M2.3 earthquake 11 km (6 mi) ENE of Pāhala at 32 km (20 mi) depth on Jan. 28 at 10:13 a.m. HST, a M3.2 earthquake 2 km (1 mi) SW of Pāhala at 33 km (20 mi) depth on Jan. 28 at 8:11 a.m. HST, and a M2.6 earthquake 7 km (4 mi) W of Captain Cook at 6 km (4 mi) depth on Jan. 23 at 5:15 a.m. HST.
HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
Please visit HVO’s website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake information, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
“On Nov. 25, President Trump publicly warned that he would impose tariffs on Canada unless we take action on critical border issues, such as cracking down on drug smuggling, human trafficking and illegal border crossings.
“Yesterday, I met with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the RCMP and the Alberta Sheriffs at the Coutts border point of entry. In our meeting, we agreed on the importance of continued collaboration to ensure our border is secure.
“Our government has been clear from the beginning that we must take President Trump’s statements on border security seriously and take action immediately.
“That is why I joined a Fox News crew at the Coutts border to showcase the important work Alberta has been doing to secure the Alberta – U.S. border. This critical work includes the establishment of a new Interdiction Patrol Team (IPT) within the Alberta Sheriffs to combat drug smuggling, gun trafficking and other illegal activities along Alberta’s 298-kilometre international boundary. The IPT will be supported by:
51 uniformed officers equipped with carbine rifles (weapons for tactical operations).
10 support staff, including dispatchers and analysts.
4 drug patrol dogs.
10 cold weather surveillance drones capable of operating in high winds, with dedicated pilots.
4 narcotics analyzers to test for illicit drugs.
“I want to thank the federal government for accepting Alberta’s request to send a Black Hawk helicopter to the border yesterday, further demonstrating the actions we are taking to secure our border.
“We are also calling on the federal government to immediately appoint a Canadian border czar to work with the new American border czar to jointly crack down on fentanyl and illegal migrants.”
Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
“The incoming US administration has valid concerns related to illegal activities at our shared border.
“Our government is committed to enhancing border security with Montana and the U.S. by collaborating with federal authorities to tackle cross-border crime, drugs, illegal migrants and human trafficking.
“As part of these efforts, Alberta has designated a two-kilometre-deep border zone north of the entire Alberta – US border as essential infrastructure to help protect public safety and Alberta’s economic prosperity.
“We will not stand for illegal activities that put lives and livelihoods at risk on both sides of the border.”
Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Jan. 30 — The Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, is typically a time for family reunions and visits with friends. However, this year Ren Jun and his family decided to celebrate it in a different way.
They set off on an adventure across northwest China, exploring ancient Buddhist caves in the mountains, discovering the secrets of temples, and even stepping into a 2,000-year-old underground tomb in the heart of the Gobi Desert.
“We’re from the south, and our daughter’s really into the culture of the northwestern region, so we thought it’d be a great idea to come check it out during this long break,” Ren said.
In recent years, driven by a growing interest in traditional Chinese culture and greater consumption power, an increasing number of people have been choosing to spend the Spring Festival holiday exploring the country’s splendid cultural wonders.
The Spring Festival, the most important festival in China, fell on Jan. 29 this year, with an eight-day public holiday break running from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4. During the 40-day travel rush surrounding the holiday, China is once again experiencing the world’s largest annual migration, with tourism accounting for a significant share of this travel surge.
Since Jan. 1, flight bookings to destinations known for their cultural heritage, such as the cities of Datong, Yangzhou, Quanzhou and Jingdezhen, have doubled compared to last year, according to data from Meituan Travel.
By the second day of the holiday, tickets for major attractions like the Palace Museum in Beijing were already sold out for the entire holiday, while the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi’an in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province had only a few remaining tickets for the last three days of this holiday.
Fueled by rising demand for more immersive travel experiences, travel agencies are offering group tours led by scholars who provide expert guidance during the journey.
Ren’s tour group was led by Xing Yaolong, a scholar with the Chinese Association of Dunhuang and Turfan Studies. With years of expertise as an expert guide, Xing has observed a “larger appetite” for cultural experiences among tourists.
Using Dunhuang’s Mogao Grottoes, a treasure trove of ancient Buddhist relics and art, as an example, Xing noted that more and more people are willing to dip into their pockets for visits to the exclusive, higher-priced caves with restricted access.
Riding this wave, niche travel agencies have been popping up. Having had trouble finding a satisfactory guided tour to culture-rich Shanxi Province in north China, Ding Manwen, a former documentary filmmaker, founded “The Seekers” in 2023 — a travel agency dedicated to cultural heritage tours.
Today, the agency offers not only in-depth tours to Shanxi but also a dozen other trips to destinations such as south China’s Guangdong, east China’s Fujian and southwest China’s Yunnan, with all available during this Spring Festival holiday.
“As the people enjoy greater material wealth, their hunger for spiritual enrichment has only grown. Moreover, the elderly, especially retirees, are now playing a key role in driving cultural and tourism consumption,” said Wang Lei, a professor at the school of government management, Beijing Normal University.
Instead of flocking to popular landmarks, many travelers have opted to visit charming, lesser-known ancient towns and villages that are buzzing with vibrant folk traditions during the Spring Festival.
A few days prior to the festival, a young man nicknamed “Daodao” shared his unique experience in Zhanqi Village in east China’s Anhui Province on popular Chinese social network and lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu, also known as rednote.
“As dusk falls, the village comes alive, with the sky glowing under a sea of colorful fish-shaped lanterns, swaying gently as they’re carried by the crowd. The air hums with the infectious energy of village galas, cheers echoing through the crowd, as locals and tourists alike get swept up in the lively dance, moving to the rhythm of folk music,” he shared in a short video, adding that he had returned to the village the following day to learn more about the fish-shaped lanterns.
To promote the fish-shaped lantern culture, an 800-year-old intangible cultural heritage item, local authorities have established workshops dedicated to this craft, while sharing schedules and locations of lantern performances on social media for the convenience of tourists.
From temple fairs to carnivals — a wide range of events celebrating intangible cultural heritage can be found all over China these days.
For those unable to make it in person, there is the option of soaking up the festive vibes online. This year’s Spring Festival Gala, broadcast by China Media Group on Chinese New Year’s Eve, featured significant intangible cultural heritage content and garnered 16.8 billion views across all media platforms.
“Gorgeous! I want to travel to Wuxi and Chongqing after watching this,” commented a user on the microblogging site, Weibo, in response to the gala.
“Only by understanding our roots can we know where we are headed,” said another user.
NEWARK, N.J. – A Wilmington, North Carolina man was charged with transporting and possessing videos and images of child sexual abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Barry Grant Bevier, 61, of Wilmington, North Carolina, is charged by complaint with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On November 26, 2024, Bevier returned from an international trip aboard a flight that landed at Newark Liberty International Airport. After Bevier arrived in Newark, law enforcement officers searched Bevier’s cellular phone and found approximately forty-five photographs and approximately twenty-one videos depicting child sexual abuse material. The officers found multiple photographs and videos of child sexual abuse material that Bevier took himself, along with a “selfie” image of himself and one of the victims.
The charge of transportation of child pornography carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”)—Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New Jersey for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor A. Chenoweth of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
###
Defense counsel: Paul A. Di Lella, Esq., Parsippany
TORONTO, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Middlefield Limited (the “Manager”), the manager of Middlefield Sustainable Global Dividend ETF (TSX:MDIV) and Middlefield Sustainable Infrastructure Dividend ETF (TSX:MINF) (collectively, the “Funds”), is pleased to announce that at the Special Meetings held on January 30, 2025, unitholders voted unanimously in favour of the proposed changes to the Funds. These changes include revising the names, investment objectives, and strategies of the Funds to de-emphasize the environmental, sustainability, and governance (“ESG”) factors associated with the Funds. While the Funds will continue to consider ESG criteria when selecting issuers for their portfolios, they will no longer prioritize these factors over others such as valuation, growth projections, and the quality and track record of the management team. The Manager believes these changes will broaden the investment universe of the Funds, potentially leading to better returns for investors. The Funds will file a Prospectus by April 10, 2025, at which point each of the Funds will revise their name as shown below. There will be no change to the ticker symbols of the Funds.
The Manager notes that similar efforts to de-emphasize ESG factors have been undertaken by many asset management companies, including BlackRock, State Street, JPMorgan, and Pimco. Recent research from Morningstar has shown that more funds are removing rather than adding ESG mandates from their investment practices. On March 7, 2024, the Canadian Securities Administrators introduced three categories of ESG-Related Funds: ESG Objective Funds, ESG Strategy Funds, and ESG Limited Consideration Funds. Each category has distinct expectations regarding the emphasis on ESG factors in investment decisions. The Manager believes that the proposed changes will result in the Funds moving from the ESG Objective Funds category to the ESG Limited Consideration category.
About Middlefield Founded in 1979, Middlefield is a specialist equity income asset manager with offices in Toronto, Canada and London, England. Our investment team utilizes active management to select high-quality, global companies across a variety of sectors and themes. Our product offerings include proven dividend-focused strategies that span real estate, healthcare, innovation, infrastructure, energy, diversified income and more. We offer these solutions in a variety of product types including ETFs, Mutual Funds, Split-Share Funds, Closed-End Funds and Flow-through LPs.
For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.
This press release contains forward-looking information. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, intentions, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as “expects”, “is expected”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “estimates” or “intends” (or negative or grammatical variations thereof), or stating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Statements which may constitute forward-looking statements relate to: the proposed timing of the name, objectives and strategies changes and completion thereof; the potential benefits of such changes; and the holding of the unitholder meeting. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements including as a result of changes in the general economic and political environment, changes in applicable legislation, and the performance of each fund. Additional risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results are described under “Risk Factors” in the ETFs’ prospectus and other documents filed by the ETFs with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes the ETFs’ current estimate, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby. Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking statement contained in this press release represents the ETFs’ estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.
End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.
The IMF and the Cameroonian authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on the seventh reviews of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), as well as the second review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
Economic recovery has continued, but growth remains subdued. Economic growth was
3.2 percent in 2023 and expected to pick up to 3.9 percent in 2024. Twelve-month average inflation was 4.6 percent in November 2024, down from 7.5 percent last year.
Program performance was broadly satisfactory. Some reforms have been delayed, and the authorities have worked to complete work on measures related to governance in the extractive industry sector, the business climate, SOE reform, and public financial management.
Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Ms. Cemile Sancak, Mission Chief for Cameroon, visited Yaoundé from October 3-16 and held subsequent meetings to discuss progress on reforms and the authorities’ policy priorities in the context of the seventh reviews of their four-year economic program supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangements, and the second review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). The ECF/EFF arrangements were approved by the IMF Executive Board for a total amount of SDR 483 million (US$ 689.5 million) in July 2021 (see press release 21/237). An extension of these arrangements of 12 months was approved in December 2023 to allow more time to implement the policies and reforms, and access was augmented by SDR 110.4 million (US$ 147.6 million) (see press release 23/469). The 18-month RSF was approved by the Executive Board in January 2024 in the amount of SDR 138 million (US$ 183.4 million) (see press release 24/30).
At the conclusion of the discussions, Ms. Sancak issued the following statement:
“The IMF and the Cameroonian authorities have reached staff-level agreement on the seventh reviews of the ECF/EFF arrangements, as well as the second review of the RSF arrangement. The agreement is subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board. Completion of the reviews would enable disbursement under the ECF-EFF arrangements of SDR 55.2 million (US$ 73.0 million) and disbursement under the RSF arrangement of SDR 34.5 million (US$ 45.6 million).
“Cameroon’s recovery is continuing, but growth is subdued. In 2023, the economy grew 3.2 percent and is expected to pick up to 3.9 percent for 2024. Inflation has subsided further; twelve-month average inflation was 4.6 percent in November 2024, down from 7.5 percent last year.
“The fiscal outlook for 2024 is positive. The target for the non-oil primary deficit remains 2 percent of GDP, an improvement on 2.5 percent of GDP last year (and 3.9 percent of GDP in 2022). During the first half of 2024, non-oil revenues improved by 5 percent, helped by a solid performance of corporate and indirect taxes. Lower-than-expected expenditure was due to delays in investment projects, a recurrent challenge that weighs on growth prospects.
“Prospects are broadly positive provided continued reform implementation and benign external conditions. The growth forecast is unchanged at about 4 percent in 2024, gradually rising to about 4.5 percent over the medium term. Inflation is expected to decline to 4.4 percent by the end of 2024 and gradually reach the CEMAC convergence criterion of 3 percent by 2026.
“The 2025 budget was adopted by Parliament in December and is consistent with the objectives set out under Cameroon’s IMF-supported program and anchoring fiscal policy over the Presidential elections later in 2025. A key goal remains generating space for productive and social investment and advancing anticorruption reforms.
“There have been delays in the implementation of the structural reform agenda. To attain the ambitious objectives of the national development strategy (SND30), the authorities are encouraged to complete important measures set out in the program concerning governance in the extractive industry sector, the business climate, SOE reform, and public financial management. Specifically, the mission urged the authorities to advance long-pending work on the SONARA restructuring plan and revise the 2013 law to streamline investment incentives.
“Under the RSF, Cameroon has intensified efforts to improve the climate policy framework. Work is progressing on the reform measure to establish guidelines for evaluating investment projects with climate change considerations in mind, to improve disaster preparedness by revising the Civil Protection law and by updating the mandate of the National Risk Observatory. The IMF and other development partners are providing technical assistance for a national climate plan, a national strategy for disaster risk financing, and strengthening governance and sustainability of the forestry sector.
“The IMF team met with the Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute, the Minister of State, Secretary General of the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, the Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze, the Minister of Economy, Planning, and Regional Development, Mr. Alamine Ousmane Mey, and other senior officials. The mission also met with representatives of development partners, the diplomatic community, the private sector, and civil society. The team wishes to thank the Cameroonian authorities for their excellent cooperation and for the frank and constructive dialogue.”
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – Today during the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s hearing on the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI) under the Trump administration, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed with her the importance of providing the President all lawfully collected intelligence to inform his decisions as Commander in Chief. Excerpts are below, and video can be found here.
On Providing the President with Access to Critical Information:
CORNYN: “I hope you will take to heart the Chairman’s comments about the exploding bureaucracy not only in the government generally, but in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.”
“This is a critical role to be played but, unfortunately, that role is not made easier or more effective by such a large, unwieldy bureaucracy.”
“Do you believe that the President of the United States should get all of the lawfully collected intelligence that’s available in order to inform his judgments as Commander in Chief?”
GABBARD: “Senator, not only is the answer a strong yes, I would say that it is the Director of National Intelligence’s responsibility to make sure that the President has access to all the intelligence so that he can make the best informed decisions for our country.”
CORNYN: “You and I talked about the importance of getting dissenting views in front of the President so that we don’t have groupthink, which can be very dangerous, particularly in the intelligence collection areas.”
“I appreciate your agreeing that presenting the policymakers, including the President, with dissenting views is very important.”
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – Today during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on the nomination of Kash Patel to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under the Trump administration, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed with him the need to restore trust in the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after the Biden administration’s politicization of these agencies. Excerpts are below, and video can be found here.
On Restoring the Rule of Law in America:
CORNYN: “Do you believe America is an exceptional nation?”
PATEL: “It’s the greatest nation.”
CORNYN: “Do you believe a large part of what makes America an exceptional nation is the rule of law?”
PATEL: “It is one of the fundamental precepts that determines that.”
CORNYN: “Why is that?”
PATEL: “Because without a singular application of a rule of law, we go back to the Uganda that my father fled.”
CORNYN: “I think your biggest task is going to be, along with Pam Bondi at the Office of the Attorney General, is to restore the rule of law to the Department of Justice and the FBI. Are you willing to do that?”
PATEL: “Absolutely, Senator.”
CORNYN: “Without regard to partisan affiliation or politics?”
Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)
RELEASE: Mullin, Risch, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Expand Prohibitions on Use of Foreign Assistance Funding for Abortions
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Jim Risch (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Roger Marshall (R-KS), Rand Paul (R-KY), Rick Scott (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) today introduced the American Values Act, legislation to permanently enact and expand existing prohibitions on the use of U.S. foreign assistance to pay for the performance or promotion of abortion services overseas.
“As President Donald J. Trump re-evaluates foreign aid, it’s absolutely essential that American taxpayer dollars are never used to fund abortions here or anywhere in the world,” saidSen. Mullin. “Our nation was founded on the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and it’s our job to protect those values. I’m glad to join this important legislation to defend the sanctity of life.”
“American foreign aid should always be used in a way that is in line with American values- and that means that no foreign assistance funds should ever be used to perform or promote abortion services,” said Sen. Risch. “I’m proud to introduce the American Values Act with my colleagues to hold our government accountable to this standard and protect the sanctity of life across the globe.”
“Human life across the world must be protected, and the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions abroad is contrary to American values,” said Sen. Blackburn. “This bill would strengthen the existing restrictions on the use of foreign assistance for abortions, making it crystal clear such actions will not be tolerated.”
“No American taxpayer should be forced to fund abortions overseas,” said Sen. Paul. “It’s bad enough that Washington spends recklessly at home, but using taxpayer dollars to promote abortion abroad is an insult to both life and fiscal responsibility. This legislation is a necessary step towards reigning wasteful spending and standing for the fundamental right to life.”
Sen. Scott said, “It’s extremely troubling that American tax dollars could be used to promote or perform abortion overseas. Our American Values Act ensures U.S. taxpayer dollars sent as foreign aid are helping families, not harming human life.”
“Americans made it clear this year with the election of President Trump that they have rejected the left’s radical, pro-abortion agenda. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to end the United States’ funding of abortions abroad and help our nation once again become a defender of life across the globe,” said Sen. Daines.
“As the right to life is the most fundamental human right of all, I strongly oppose sending U.S. taxpayer dollars overseas to promote or perform abortion,” said Sen. Hagerty. “I’m pleased once again to support the American Values Act that seeks to close loopholes and uphold pro-life values in U.S. diplomacy and development by placing permanent restrictions on the use of U.S. foreign assistance to fund abortions and involuntary sterilizations.”
If enacted, this legislation would:
Clarify that existing prohibitions on the use of U.S. foreign assistance to pay for the performance or promotion of abortions, forced sterilizations, or biomedical research relating to abortions or forced sterilizations shall apply to all assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act;
Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the use of foreign assistance funds to lobby for or against abortion;
Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the provision of foreign assistance funds to organizations that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization; and
Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the use of funds made available to the Peace Corps to pay for abortions.
Read exclusively about the American Values Act in Fox News.
Full text of the American Values Act can be found here.
End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.
The IMF and the Cameroonian authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on the seventh reviews of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), as well as the second review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
Economic recovery has continued, but growth remains subdued. Economic growth was
3.2 percent in 2023 and expected to pick up to 3.9 percent in 2024. Twelve-month average inflation was 4.6 percent in November 2024, down from 7.5 percent last year.
Program performance was broadly satisfactory. Some reforms have been delayed, and the authorities have worked to complete work on measures related to governance in the extractive industry sector, the business climate, SOE reform, and public financial management.
Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Ms. Cemile Sancak, Mission Chief for Cameroon, visited Yaoundé from October 3-16 and held subsequent meetings to discuss progress on reforms and the authorities’ policy priorities in the context of the seventh reviews of their four-year economic program supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangements, and the second review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). The ECF/EFF arrangements were approved by the IMF Executive Board for a total amount of SDR 483 million (US$ 689.5 million) in July 2021 (see press release 21/237). An extension of these arrangements of 12 months was approved in December 2023 to allow more time to implement the policies and reforms, and access was augmented by SDR 110.4 million (US$ 147.6 million) (see press release 23/469). The 18-month RSF was approved by the Executive Board in January 2024 in the amount of SDR 138 million (US$ 183.4 million) (see press release 24/30).
At the conclusion of the discussions, Ms. Sancak issued the following statement:
“The IMF and the Cameroonian authorities have reached staff-level agreement on the seventh reviews of the ECF/EFF arrangements, as well as the second review of the RSF arrangement. The agreement is subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board. Completion of the reviews would enable disbursement under the ECF-EFF arrangements of SDR 55.2 million (US$ 73.0 million) and disbursement under the RSF arrangement of SDR 34.5 million (US$ 45.6 million).
“Cameroon’s recovery is continuing, but growth is subdued. In 2023, the economy grew 3.2 percent and is expected to pick up to 3.9 percent for 2024. Inflation has subsided further; twelve-month average inflation was 4.6 percent in November 2024, down from 7.5 percent last year.
“The fiscal outlook for 2024 is positive. The target for the non-oil primary deficit remains 2 percent of GDP, an improvement on 2.5 percent of GDP last year (and 3.9 percent of GDP in 2022). During the first half of 2024, non-oil revenues improved by 5 percent, helped by a solid performance of corporate and indirect taxes. Lower-than-expected expenditure was due to delays in investment projects, a recurrent challenge that weighs on growth prospects.
“Prospects are broadly positive provided continued reform implementation and benign external conditions. The growth forecast is unchanged at about 4 percent in 2024, gradually rising to about 4.5 percent over the medium term. Inflation is expected to decline to 4.4 percent by the end of 2024 and gradually reach the CEMAC convergence criterion of 3 percent by 2026.
“The 2025 budget was adopted by Parliament in December and is consistent with the objectives set out under Cameroon’s IMF-supported program and anchoring fiscal policy over the Presidential elections later in 2025. A key goal remains generating space for productive and social investment and advancing anticorruption reforms.
“There have been delays in the implementation of the structural reform agenda. To attain the ambitious objectives of the national development strategy (SND30), the authorities are encouraged to complete important measures set out in the program concerning governance in the extractive industry sector, the business climate, SOE reform, and public financial management. Specifically, the mission urged the authorities to advance long-pending work on the SONARA restructuring plan and revise the 2013 law to streamline investment incentives.
“Under the RSF, Cameroon has intensified efforts to improve the climate policy framework. Work is progressing on the reform measure to establish guidelines for evaluating investment projects with climate change considerations in mind, to improve disaster preparedness by revising the Civil Protection law and by updating the mandate of the National Risk Observatory. The IMF and other development partners are providing technical assistance for a national climate plan, a national strategy for disaster risk financing, and strengthening governance and sustainability of the forestry sector.
“The IMF team met with the Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute, the Minister of State, Secretary General of the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, the Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze, the Minister of Economy, Planning, and Regional Development, Mr. Alamine Ousmane Mey, and other senior officials. The mission also met with representatives of development partners, the diplomatic community, the private sector, and civil society. The team wishes to thank the Cameroonian authorities for their excellent cooperation and for the frank and constructive dialogue.”
The Albanese Government is directing the Treasury to undertake a comprehensive review of the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (CSLR) to ensure victims of financial misconduct have a sustainable avenue for redress.
This is all about ensuring the scheme remains sustainable into the future for consumers and for the industry.
Taking care of consumers is the focus of the scheme, it’s the focus of the Albanese Government and it will be the focus of this review.
At the same time, Australians need access to affordable high quality financial advice.
The advice industry was abandoned and decimated by the former Coalition government as the number of advisers has fallen from 28,000 in January 2019 to less than 16,000 today. This raised costs on advisers and the cost of advice for Australians.
The government has taken action to rebuild the financial advice industry. In our first 12 months, we introduced legislation to establish a pathway for experienced advisers to continue providing financial advice, which has retained over 4,000 advisers that could otherwise have exited the industry.
We are also undertaking the most significant reform to the financial advice laws in over a decade through our Delivering Better Financial Outcomes package which will cut red tape, reform statements of advice and help advisers use their professional judgment to better support clients.
As recommended by the Ramsay Review, the CSLR is fully funded by industry.
New data from the operator of the CSLR shows that industry will have to provide $78 million to compensate victims in 2025–26, largely as a result of the liquidation of financial advisory firm United Global Capital Pty Ltd.
Ensuring the scheme is sustainably funded will be an important focus of the review.
The government legislated the CSLR in 2023, after the former government failed to take action despite the scheme being a recommendation of the 2017 Ramsay Review and the Banking Royal Commission.
The CSLR ensures victims can access some compensation in circumstances of genuine last resort where misconduct has occurred in the provision of personal financial advice, credit intermediation, securities dealing and credit provision.
While industry has provided broad support for the CSLR, it’s important that there is confidence that the scheme is meeting its objective in a way that is sustainable for both companies and consumers.
Whether it’s our reforms to get a fair go for families and farmers at the checkout or our big and broad competition agenda to ease the cost of living for Australians, taking care of consumers is one of the Albanese Government’s highest priorities.
We’ll continue to do everything we can to safeguard consumers and ensure all Australians have access to affordable and quality financial advice.
Further information, including the terms of reference, can be found on the Treasury website.
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin Hospital that will futureproof the provision of timely, quality healthcare for the people of Dunedin and the surrounding Otago and Southland regions. This will be a new, modern hospital, built at the former Cadbury factory site,” Mr Brown says. “Last year, the Government invested $290 million towards the new Dunedin Hospital project, bringing the total funding for the project to $1.88 billion. Alongside this, the Government is investing a record additional $16.68 billion in health over three years. “All New Zealanders deserve to see better results for that record spend on health, including better health infrastructure, to ensure they have access to timely, quality healthcare. The Government has listened to the Dunedin community and is committed to build a new Dunedin Hospital to deliver the healthcare locals need.” Upon opening, the new Dunedin Hospital will provide:
351 beds, with capacity to expand to 404 beds over time 20 short-stay surgical beds, a new model of care 22 theatres, with capacity to expand to 24 theatres over time 41 same day beds to provide greater capacity for timely access to specialist and outpatient procedures 58 ED spaces, including a short-stay unit and specialised emergency psychiatric care 20 imaging units for CT, MRI and Xray procedures, with 4 additional spaces available for future imaging advancement.
In late September last year, the Government released Robert Rust’s independent review into the hospital project. The review found that the project was alarmingly off-track and over budget due to poor decision making and due diligence by the previous government. “The Dunedin Hospital project was poorly handled under the previous government. They promised big, made poor decisions, and blew out the budget. We are focused on delivering a safe, modern hospital complex that Dunedin deserves,” Mr Brown says. “There are few suitable sites for a new Dunedin Hospital to be located. The former Cadbury factory site purchased by the previous government has numerous construction challenges such as contamination, flood risk, and access issues. However, we are confident that these can be overcome, and it’s clear that using this site to build a new hospital would be far less disruptive than constructing a new complex at the existing hospital. “Our review of the project means the hospital will be futureproofed for growth, with no change to the number of floors to be built. The new Dunedin Hospital will provide clinical staff with world-class facilities and is designed to meet the needs of the community. The site will also be futureproofed so new beds and services will be able to be brought online when needed. The new Dunedin Hospital will be able to adapt and expand in years to come to ensure it responds to changing needs.” Further updates will be provided once the contracting process has been completed.
Earlier today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Charles Powell, Brian Castro and Musah Coward on four counts of a superseding indictment charging them with the firearm-related murder of Rodney Maxwell, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy and Hobbs Act robbery. Powell was also convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition. The charges stem from an armed robbery carried out by the defendants inside an illegal gambling spot located at 181 Hegeman Avenue in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. The verdict followed a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Eric R. Komitee. When sentenced, the defendants each face a sentence of up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdicts.
“Today’s verdict delivers justice for the victims of this vicious and senseless crime that was driven by greed and carried out with a complete disregard for human life,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “The defendants are responsible for murdering Rodney Maxwell, who was gunned down in cold blood, and the carnage could have been even worse with the wanton shooting of terrified bystanders. I commend the prosecutors in my Office, our law enforcement partners and the jury for holding the defendants accountable for this violent robbery.”
The evidence at trial proved that the defendants planned and carried out an armed robbery of an illegal gambling spot in Brownsville on October 7, 2020. The defendants were driven to the Brooklyn location from New Jersey by Coward. Powell and Castro entered the location while Coward waited outside in the car. During the robbery, Powell and Castro each shot Maxwell, who had been providing security for location. Castro shot Maxwell once in the back with a 9-millimeter pistol; and Powell shot him once in the chest with a .380 caliber pistol. Maxwell later died from his gunshot wounds. In addition, Powell indiscriminately fired into a crowd of individuals as they desperately attempted to escape the violence, hitting three men, all of whom ultimately survived their wounds. Castro later confessed to the robbery and murder to a friend who, unbeknownst to Castro, was a confidential source for the FBI and recorded the conversation. In the recording, Castro described how the defendants made off with thousands of dollars and mocked the sound that Maxwell made when he was fatally shot.
Powell, who has a prior conviction in New Jersey for felony possession of a weapon, was found guilty by the jury of possessing three .380 caliber cartridges on October 7, 2020 corresponding to the shots he fired at the gambling spot.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Andy Palacio, Raffaela Belizaire and Megan Larkin are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Theodore Rader.
The Defendants:
CHARLES POWELL (also known as “Payback”) Age: 26 Newark, New Jersey
BRIAN CASTRO (also known as “Morenaje”) Age: 24 Paterson, New Jersey
MUSAH COWARD (also known as “General Mecka” and “Red” and “General Red”) Age: 33 Paterson, New Jersey
MISSOULA — A Havre man who admitted to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in Montana was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Lance Jon Stimson, 33, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force was investigating an individual for distributing fentanyl in Missoula. The investigation showed that the individual supplied Stimson with meth and fentanyl to distribute. In April 2024, officers arrested Stimson for absconding from supervision and located 310 fentanyl pills and 28 grams of heroin in his vehicle. Stimson admitted to working with the individual to distribute more than 7,000 fentanyl pills and 17 ounces of meth between October 2023 and April 2024.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.