Northfield, OH, December 20, 2024 – The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), District Lodge 54, Local 439, issued a statement about their informational picketing regarding Northfield Mayor Jennifer Domzalski’s actions against IAM Union members working for the Village of Northfield’s service department:
“Our members have proudly served the residents of Northfield with excellence and dedication for more than two decades, maintaining community services in all conditions, including holidays, snowstorms, and other inclement weather. Despite this stellar record, Mayor Domzalski has undermined our members’ efforts and attacked their long-standing union contract, which has been the backbone of stability for over 23 years.
“We are not engaged in a work stoppage or strike. Informational picketing is a protected right for public employees, as affirmed by the Ohio Supreme Court in 2013, and it requires no notice from the employer.
“Despite our members’ outstanding service to the community, Mayor Domzalski has failed to uphold her commitments and has taken steps to undermine their livelihoods. She proposed wage and benefit adjustments for service department employees but has reneged on those promises. Her administration is actively attacking critical provisions of our long-standing union contract.
“Our union’s contract has stood as a model of stability for over 23 years, during which time there have been only two grievances, no arbitrations, and no work stoppages. This record speaks volumes about our members’ professionalism and the current agreement’s effectiveness. Yet, Mayor Domzalski’s actions represent a clear and unnecessary departure from decades of cooperative labor relations.
“Our members have worked tirelessly, often in harsh weather conditions and during holidays, to ensure the residents of Northfield receive the services they deserve. Mayor Domzalski’s anti-union behavior is an attack on our members and a disservice to the Village of Northfield.
“IAM Local 439 demands a fair contract recognizing our dedication and contributions to the Village of Northfield.
“We are calling for Mayor Domzalski’s resignation, given her poor representation of the Village of Northfield and her blatant disregard for labor rights.
“The IAM Union will continue to advocate for justice and fairness, ensuring our members can continue to serve the community with pride and dedication.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.
Sixteen separate cardiology practices and associated physicians, located across 12 states, have agreed to pay amounts totaling $17,761,564 to resolve allegations that they each violated the False Claims Act by overbilling Medicare for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals.
Diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals are radioisotopes bound to biological molecules that target specific organs, tissues or cells within the human body and are used to diagnose and, in some cases, treat certain cancers and diseases. In 13 states and the District of Columbia, Medicare Part B reimburses healthcare providers for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals based on the provider’s acquisition cost. In those jurisdictions, Medicare’s contractors have published guidance explaining the reimbursement methodology and providers’ obligation to accurately report their invoice costs for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals. The government alleged that the settling cardiology practices regularly reported inflated acquisition costs to Medicare for these drugs. In each of the settlements, the conduct occurred for at least a year, and in some instances, the conduct extended over a period of more than 10 years.
“The financial stability of federal healthcare programs depends upon providers complying with applicable billing rules,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are committed to ensuring that Medicare funds are expended appropriately and to pursuing those who knowingly fail to do so.”
The settling medical practices and associated physicians have agreed to pay the following amounts:
Western Kentucky Heart & Lung Associates PSC and Mohammed Kazimuddin ($6,750,000)
Heart Clinic of Paris P.A. and Arjumand Hashmi ($2,600,000)
Edward W. Leahey M.D. Professional Association and Edward Leahey ($894,679)
Metropolitan Cardiovascular Consultants LLC and Ayim Djamson ($846,888)
Cardiology Center of New Jersey LLC, Mario Criscito, Frank Iacovone, and Sameer Kaul ($740,000)
Clovis Cardiology Associates LLC and Mahamadu Fuseini ($600,000)
Family Medical Specialty Clinic PLLC, Melecio Abordo, and June Abadilla ($409,594)
James R. Higgins M.D. Inc. and James Higgins ($395,537)
TrustCare Health LLC ($279,407)
Taj Medical Inc. ($240,000)
White River Diagnostic Clinic PLC, Margaret Kuykendall, and Seth Barnes ($234,490)
Veinguard Heart & Vascular Center P.C. and Fareeha Khan ($195,000)
Boulder Medical Center PC ($160,000)
Wellspring Cardiac Care P.A. ($50,000).
“Practices and providers who overcharge the government and fail to return overpayments compromise our healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “When people see the wrong and report it, we have the tool we need to put a stop to this type of irresponsible conduct. So, I applaud the whistleblowers who came forward in this case.”
“These practitioners overbilled the Medicare program by grossly exaggerating the acquisition costs of drugs used in diagnostic imaging of the heart,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky. “This office is committed to protecting our federal health care programs, and we will hold accountable anyone who seeks to exploit them.”
“Medicare providers are required to be honest and accurate in the costs they report for reimbursement,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate alleged false claims act violations and ensure the integrity of the Medicare program. ”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by relators Jasjit Walia and Preet Randhawa in the District of Columbia and the Western District of Kentucky. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The whistleblowers will receive a total of more than $2.7 million from the settlements announced today.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Columbia and Western District of Kentucky, with assistance from the HHS Office of Counsel to the Inspector General and Office of Investigations.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Trial Attorney James Nealon of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Schecter, Matt Weyand, John Truong and Stephen DeGenaro for the District of Columbia handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3
For Immediate Release:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Zepbound (tirzepatide) for the treatment of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults with obesity, to be used in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
“Today’s approval marks the first drug treatment option for certain patients with obstructive sleep apnea,” said Sally Seymour, M.D., director of the Division of Pulmonology, Allergy, and Critical Care in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “This is a major step forward for patients with obstructive sleep apnea.”
OSA occurs when a person’s upper airway becomes blocked, causing pauses in breathing during sleep. While OSA can affect anyone, it is more common in people who have overweight or obesity. Zepbound works by activating receptors of hormones secreted from the intestine (glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)) to reduce appetite and food intake. By reducing body weight, studies show that Zepbound also improves OSA.
Zepbound’s approval for moderate to severe OSA in adults with obesity is based on two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of 469 adults without type 2 diabetes. One study enrolled participants using positive airway pressure (PAP), the standard of care for moderate to severe OSA, and one study enrolled participants unable or unwilling to use PAP. In both studies, participants randomly received either 10 or 15 milligrams of Zepbound or placebo once weekly for 52 weeks. The primary measure of efficacy was the change from baseline in the apnea hypopnea index (AHI), a measurement of how many times a person stops breathing (apnea) or breathes shallowly (hypopnea) per hour during sleep, at week 52. After 52 weeks of treatment in both studies, participants who received Zepbound experienced a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in events of apnea or hypopnea as measured by AHI compared with placebo, and greater proportions of participants treated with Zepbound achieved remission or mild OSA with resolution of symptoms compared to placebo. Participants treated with Zepbound had a significant decrease in body weight compared with placebo at 52 weeks. The improvement in AHI in participants with OSA is likely related to body weight reduction with Zepbound.
Zepbound can cause side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal (stomach) discomfort and pain, injection site reactions, fatigue, hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions (typically fever and rash), burping, hair loss and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Zepbound causes thyroid C-cell tumors in rats. It is unknown whether Zepbound causes such tumors, including medullary thyroid cancer, in humans. Zepbound should not be used in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2.
Zepbound should not be used in patients with a history of severe allergic reaction to tirzepatide (its active ingredient) or to any of its other ingredients. Patients should stop Zepbound immediately and seek medical help if a severe allergic reaction is suspected.
Zepbound also contains warnings for inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), gallbladder problems, hypoglycemia (blood sugar that is too low), acute kidney injury, diabetic retinopathy (damage to the eye’s retina) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, suicidal behavior or thinking, and pulmonary aspiration during general anesthesia or deep sedation. Patients should discuss with their health care provider if they have symptoms of pancreatitis or gallstones. If Zepbound is used with insulin or a medication that causes insulin secretion, patients should speak to their health care provider about potentially lowering the dose of these other medicines to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia. Health care providers should monitor patients with kidney disease, diabetic retinopathy and depression or suicidal behaviors or thoughts. Patients taking Zepbound should inform healthcare providers of any planned surgeries of procedures.
Zepbound received Fast Track, Priority Review and Breakthrough Therapy designations for this indication.
The FDA granted the approval to Eli Lilly and Co.
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Boilerplate
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.
HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Dec. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: DCOM) (the “Company” or “Dime”), the parent company of Dime Community Bank (the “Bank”) announced today that Michael P. Devine provided notification to the Company that, after a 40-plus year association with Dime, he intends to retire from the Board of Directors ahead of the next annual shareholders meeting.
Mr. Devine began his career with The Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh (“Dime Savings Bank”) in 1971. Since then, Mr. Devine served in numerous capacities within Dime Savings Bank, most notably as President and Chief Operating Officer, and later as Director and Vice Chairman. Following the closing of the Company’s merger of equals transaction in 2021, Mr. Devine maintained his director role at the pro forma Company.
“Mike began his career with the Dime Savings Bank as an auditor in 1971, and within only a few years advanced to the executive suite,” said Chairman, Kenneth J. Mahon, on behalf of the Company’s and Bank’s Boards of Directors. “He was a valuable counselor to all the senior officers around him. His leadership as an executive and as a director helped guide us through the conversion from a mutual to a stock-owned bank in 1996, to today’s full service commercial bank. Our directors’ table will miss his insight and experience, and we wish Mike many happy and healthy years ahead.”
Mr. Devine stated, “It has been my privilege to serve Dime as part of a team that has over a period of years, systematically improved the Company’s operations. This has resulted in top notch service for business clients as well as retail customers and the Company is well positioned for future growth. As I conclude my service, I leave with the knowledge that the board, management, and employees comprise an effective, high quality group, many of whom will remain close personal friends and colleagues.”
ABOUT DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC.
Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for Dime Community Bank, a New York State-chartered trust company with over $13.7 billion in assets and the number one deposit market share among community banks on Greater Long Island (1).
Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. Investor Relations Contact: Avinash Reddy Senior Executive Vice President – Chief Financial Officer Phone: 718-782-6200; Ext. 5909 Email: avinash.reddy@dime.com
¹ Aggregate deposit market share for Kings, Queens, Nassau & Suffolk counties for community banks with less than $20 billion in assets.
Memphis, TN – Tommie Conner, 49, of Memphis, has been sentenced to 200 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the sentence today.
According to evidence presented in court, on March 4, 2021, an officer with the Memphis Police Department observed a Dodge Durango speeding on American Way. The Durango was pulled over and the driver, later identified as Conner, fled. Conner was later located by officers who arrived at the scene. While investigating the offense, officers saw a handgun in plain view in the Durango. Officers obtained a search warrant and recovered a loaded SCCY 9mm pistol.
Conner is a felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms. Specifically, in 1993, Conner pled guilty to two counts of robbery and three counts of aggravated robbery in state court and was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration. In 2005, Conner was convicted in federal court in the Western District of Tennessee for being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 15 years of federal imprisonment after he was determined to be an armed career criminal.
In September 2021, Conner was indicted in the Western District of Tennessee for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In June 2024, a jury found Conner guilty of that offense. It also found that at least three of Conner’s prior offenses occurred on different occasions, as required for him to be sentenced as an armed career criminal under the ACCA (Armed Career Criminal Act).
On December 19, 2024, United States District Court Senior Judge John T. Fowlkes sentenced Conner to 200 months in federal prison with three years of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) Initiative, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our communities 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.
This case was investigated by the (PSN) Gun Task Force, the Memphis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Wagner and Jermal Blanchard who prosecuted this case on behalf of the government and the law enforcement partners who investigated this case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebookor on Xat @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today the resolution of False Claims Act violations against 16 separate cardiology practices and associated physicians, located across 12 states, and their agreement to pay a total of $17,761,564 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by overbilling Medicare for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia was involved in 14 of these settlements, resulting in a total of $10,601,970.97. The remaining amount was captured by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky. The Department of Justice also announced these settlements.
Diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals are radioisotopes bound to biological molecules that target specific organs, tissues or cells within the human body and are used to diagnose and in some cases, treat certain cancers and diseases. In 13 states and the District of Columbia, Medicare Part B reimburses healthcare providers for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals based on the provider’s acquisition cost. In those jurisdictions, Medicare’s contractors have published guidance explaining the reimbursement methodology and providers’ obligation to accurately report their invoice cost for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals. The government alleged that the settling cardiology practices regularly reported inflated acquisition costs to Medicare for these drugs. In each of the settlements, the conduct occurred for at least a year, and in some instances, the conduct extended over a period of more than 10 years.
“Practices and providers who overcharge the government and fail to return overpayments compromise our healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “When people see the wrong and report it, we have the tool we need to put a stop to this type of irresponsible conduct. So I applaud the whistleblowers who came forward in this case.”
“The integrity of federal healthcare programs depends upon compliance with billing rules that are used to determine reimbursement,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are committed to ensuring that Medicare funds are expended appropriately.”
The settling medical practices and associated physicians have agreed to pay the following amounts:
“These practitioners overbilled the Medicare program by grossly exaggerating the acquisition costs of drugs used in diagnostic imaging of the heart,” said Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “This Office is committed to protecting our federal health care programs, and we will hold accountable anyone who seeks to exploit them.”
“Medicare providers are required to be honest and accurate in the costs they report for reimbursement,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate alleged false claims act violations and ensure the integrity of the Medicare program.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by relators Jasjit Walia and Preet Randhawa in the District of Columbia and the Western District of Kentucky. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The whistleblowers will receive a total of approximately $2.2 million from the settlements announced today.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Columbia and Western District of Kentucky, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Counsel to the Inspector General and Office of Investigations.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Trial Attorney James Nealon and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Schecter and Matt Weyand from Western District of Kentucky, and Stephen DeGenaro and John C. Truong from the District of Columbia.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Gustavo Erazo Is Charged with Conspiring to Distribute, and Possessing with Intent to Distribute, Large Quantities of Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine
SAN FRANCISCO – The government of Honduras extradited Gustavo Erazo, a Honduran national, to the United States this week to appear on charges stemming from his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in the San Francisco Bay Area. The extradition marks the sixth extradition of an alleged drug trafficker from Honduras to the Northern District of California this year.
On Jan. 5, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Erazo, 49, at the time a resident of Oakland, and two other defendants, on charges of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine with the intent to distribute those substances. Erazo was charged in four of the eight counts in the indictment:
Count
Charge
Statute(s)
Statutory Maximum Prison Term
1
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl
21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(vi)
Life
2
Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(vi)
Life
3
Possession with Intent to Distribute 100 Grams or More of Heroin
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(i)
40 years
4
Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Cocaine
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(ii)
40 years
According to a criminal complaint filed before the indictment, Erazo was arrested in November 2022 outside an apartment in Berkeley, Calif. At the time of his arrest, Erazo was carrying a backpack in which he had nearly four pounds of suspected drugs, including almost a kilogram of suspected fentanyl and more than half a pound each of suspected heroin and suspected cocaine. Inside the apartment, law enforcement officers found nearly 21 pounds of suspected drugs, including nearly 15 pounds of suspected fentanyl, more than two pounds of suspected cocaine, and more than one pound of suspected heroin. Officers also found drug manufacturing equipment, two firearms, ammunition, and cash inside the apartment.
According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned after Erazo was charged in federal court that he had traveled back to Honduras. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Honduran authorities and the DEA to secure the arrest and extradition of Erazo, who arrived back in the United States on Dec. 19, 2024. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim today for arraignment on the indictment and further proceedings. Erazo is next scheduled to appear in court for a status hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa J. Cisneros on Dec. 23, 2024.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Erazo faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a maximum fine of $10,000,000 on Counts 1 and 2, and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000 on Counts 3 and 4. He also faces a lifetime term of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment on each count. Any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only upon consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Parker is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessie Chelsea and Linda Love. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, with assistance from the San Francisco Police Department.
SAN FRANCISCO – A Brentwood man was sentenced yesterday to 37 months in prison for defrauding the United States by obtaining approximately $300,000 in COVID-19 relief funds for his “nonprofit” that was an unlicensed marijuana distribution business. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Rita F. Lin, U.S. District Judge, following defendant’s guilty plea on two counts of wire fraud.
According to court documents, Thanh Duy Nguyen, 53, ran and was the sole officer of T&A Distribution, an unlicensed interstate marijuana trafficking scheme with grow houses around the Bay Area. Nguyen used T&A Distribution to obtain two Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act authorized the SBA to provide EIDL loans to small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the first application, which he submitted in April 2020, Nguyen certified that he was not engaged in any illegal activity as defined by federal law, even though he knew that his marijuana distribution business was illegal under federal law. Nguyen fraudulently claimed that T&A Distribution was a nonprofit in the business of “Antiques/Collectibles,” when its business was marijuana distribution. Nguyen also made other false statements, including about T&A Distribution’s gross revenue and employee count. The true amount of T&A Distribution’s gross revenues in the 12 months before Jan. 31, 2020, was approximately $2.4 million.
On a second EIDL application, which he submitted in June 2020, Nguyen again falsely certified that he was not engaged in any illegal activity as defined by federal law, and misrepresented T&A Distribution as a nonprofit in the business of “Miscellaneous Services.” He also made false statements about the business’s gross revenues, cost of operations, and employee count.
As a result of the falsified applications, Nguyen received approximately $300,000 in EIDL funds. He used a significant amount of the loan funds for his marijuana distribution business and for gambling.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Lin sentenced Nguyen to three years of supervised release and to pay $300,000 in restitution and $300,000 in forfeiture. Nguyen will begin serving his sentence on Feb. 28, 2025.
United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris, and SBA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Special Agent in Charge of the Western Region Weston King made the announcement.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Tartakovsky prosecuted the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DEA and SBA OIG.
MALVERN, PA, December 20, 2024 – Endo, Inc (OTCQX: NDOI) (“Endo”), announced today that one of its operating subsidiaries, Endo USA, Inc., is voluntarily recalling all lots within expiry of Adrenalin® Chloride Solution (EPINEPHrine nasal solution, USP) 30mg/30mL (1mg/mL) 30 mL vials, to the consumer level. This product, which pre-dates the 1938 Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act, was never submitted for approval by the FDA, and as such, is an unapproved drug for which safety and efficacy have not been established and, therefore, subject to recall. In addition, FDA has determined the product to be misbranded with a misleading label similar in appearance to the FDA-approved drug product Adrenalin® (epinephrine injection, USP) (1mg/mL) 30mL vial, also produced by Endo USA, Inc.
Both products are distributed to hospitals and healthcare systems for use by healthcare professionals. The similarity in labeling makes it difficult to distinguish between the non-sterile topical and sterile injectable product which can lead to potential administration errors. This recall does not include the approved Adrenalin® (epinephrine injection, USP) (1mg/mL) 30mL vial.
Risk Statement: Intravenous administration of the unapproved non-sterile topical Adrenalin® Chloride Solution (EPINEPHrine nasal solution, USP), instead of the approved sterile Adrenalin® (epinephrine injection, USP) (1mg/mL) 30mL vial for injection, would result in non-fatal serious and/or severe, health outcomes related to delayed or inadequate treatment of the underlying condition (anaphylaxis, hemodynamic instability, hypotension) or infection due to intravenous administration of a non-sterile product. In addition, there is a high probability that intravenous administration of the nasal product will result in patients receiving the wrong dose of epinephrine in emergency situations for serious, life-threatening conditions such as the treatment of anaphylaxis, blood pressure support, and cardiac arrest. If these events are not treated with the correct dose of epinephrine, patients may be at risk for death.
Endo has not received reports of adverse events in the last five years.
Adrenalin® Chloride Solution (EPINEPHrine nasal solution, USP) is a vasoconstrictor for topical application. The 30 mL vial is distributed in individually packed cartons under NDC #42023-103-01 with the language “Nasal Solution USP” and “For Topical Application” on the package. The product lots being recalled were distributed nationwide to wholesale distributors from October 10, 2023, through December 11, 2024.
Package Identification: See example of vial label from the affected lots attached to this press release.
Endo is providing written notification to all direct customer accounts that have received the affected product lots and is arranging for return of all existing inventory through Inmar, Inc. Wholesale distributors that have the product lots being recalled should immediately discontinue use and stop distribution immediately.
Questions regarding this recall can be directed to Inmar, Inc. at 1-877-560-8453 Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST or by email at rxrecalls@inmar.com. For medical or technical product information or to report a product complaint or adverse event please call 1-800-828-9393.
Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.
Complete and submit the report Online
Regular Mail or Fax: Download form or call 1- 800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178
This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
This press release contains forward-looking statements including but not limited to any statements related to product recalls, mislabeling, misbranding, safety concerns, administration errors, adverse events, FDA or other regulatory actions and any other statements that refer to expected, estimated or anticipated future results or that do not relate solely to historical facts. Statements including words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plan,” “will,” “may,” “look forward,” “guidance,” “future,” “potential” or similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Because these statements reflect Endo’s current views, expectations and beliefs concerning future events, they involve risks and uncertainties, some of which Endo may not currently be able to predict. Although Endo believes that these forward-looking statements and other information are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, readers should not place undue reliance on these or any other forward-looking statements and information. Actual results may differ materially and adversely from current expectations based on a number of risks, uncertainties and factors, including risks and uncertainties related to the recall and any future recalls, potential adverse events and any regulatory actions by the FDA. Endo assumes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Additional information concerning risk factors, including those referenced above, can be found in press releases issued by Endo and in Endo’s public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under the heading “Risk Factors” in Endo’s most recent Form 10-Q and in Endo’s final prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in connection with its Form S-1/A.
Customers: Media: Inmar, Inc. Linda Huss 1-877-560-8453 media.relations@endo.com
The IMF Executive Board completed today the first review under the ECF-arrangement for Togo, allowing the authorities to draw the equivalent of about US$57.4 million (SDR 44.0 million). The Executive Board approved the 42-month ECF-arrangement in March 2024.
Togo’s growth performance has remained robust, and inflation is moderating. The medium-term outlook is broadly favorable, with continued robust growth but also elevated risks.
Togo has continued to advance its reform agenda, and the program is on track. Policy priorities are to (i) make growth more inclusive while strengthening debt sustainability, and (ii) implement structural reforms to support growth and limit financial sector and associated fiscal risks.
Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the first review of the ECF-arrangement for Togo. The Board’s decision enables the immediate disbursement of SDR 44.0 million (about US$ 58.7 million), which will be used for budget support. The ECF-arrangement provides overall financing of SDR 293.60 million (about US$ 390 million).
The IMF approved the ECF-arrangement on March 1st, 2024 (see Press Release No. 24/64) to help the authorities address the legacies of the shocks seen since 2020, notably the COVID-pandemic and the increase in global food and fuel prices. The Togolese authorities were able to lessen these shocks’ impacts on the Togolese economy and population. However, this resulted in an increase in fiscal deficits and debt. The IMF-supported government program aims to (i) make growth more inclusive while strengthening debt sustainability, and (ii) implement structural reforms to support growth and limit financial sector and associated fiscal risks.
The medium-term outlook is broadly favorable, with continued robust growth. Economic growth reached an estimated 5.6 percent in 2023 and is projected at 5.3 percent in 2024-25 and around 5.5 percent per year thereafter according to IMF staff projections, barring major adverse shocks. Headline inflation eased to 3.3 percent in October 2024 and core inflation (which excludes the prices of food and transport) to 2.2 percent (annual averages).
However, the outlook is subject to high risks. In particular, terrorist attacks in the country’s North continues unabated and appears to be intensifying, putting pressure on spending. The authorities are contending with the challenging trade-offs between fiscal consolidation to lower the debt burden and the need to maintain robust growth in the context of limited fiscal space.
Implementation of the program is on track. The authorities have met all end-June quantitative performance criteria, and prospects for meeting the quantitative targets for the rest of the year are favorable. The authorities also have met two out of the four due structural benchmarks, and there are prospects for the authorities to deliver at a later stage on the limited elements that have led to the missing of two benchmarks. Further, prospects for meeting the two end-December benchmarks are good. Finally, the authorities have made good progress on the reform of the remaining state-owned bank.
At the conclusion of the Executive Board’s discussion, Mr. Bo Li, Deputy Managing Director, and Acting Chair, made the following statement:
“The Togolese authorities have shown strong implementation of the program supported under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). The authorities have met all quantitative targets despite security challenges and tight financing conditions, and they have progressed on structural reforms to strengthen revenue mobilization, inclusion, and public financial management.
“Togo’s outlook is subject to elevated risks, broadly as at the program request in March 2024, while security conditions have deteriorated. In line with this, the design of the program as conceived at the outset remains broadly appropriate, and the authorities should continue to implement the program with determination to place the country on the path of strong and sustainable growth.
“In the area of fiscal policies, the authorities should continue to aim to address debt vulnerabilities in a context of regional vulnerabilities while supporting growth and enhancing inclusion. For this, it will be important to implement the agreed fiscal anchor by limiting fiscal deficits to 3 percent of GDP from 2025 onwards, continue to raise tax revenue while making taxation more efficient, and implement structural reforms to enhance the efficiency of spending and make the social safety net more effective and efficient.
“It will also be essential to continue efforts to strengthen governance. The authorities’ recent request for an IMF Governance Diagnostic is welcome, as is their commitment to strengthening beneficial ownership declarations for companies benefiting from public procurement contracts. On the financial sector, the authorities should continue the reform of the remaining public bank by bringing the bank’s capital in line with regulatory requirements and reforming its operations to ensure its stability and profitability. Efforts to strengthen the AML/CFT framework will also be important.
Togo: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2020–29
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
Estimates
Projections
(Percentage change, unless otherwise indicated)
Real GDP
2.0
6.0
5.8
5.6
5.3
5.3
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.5
Real GDP per capita
-0.4
3.5
3.3
3.1
2.8
2.8
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
GDP deflator
1.8
2.5
3.7
2.9
2.2
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
Consumer price index (average)
1.8
4.5
7.6
5.3
3.3
2.3
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
GDP (CFAF billions)
4253
4621
5069
5507
5927
6366
6850
7371
7932
8536
Exchange rate CFAF/US$ (annual average level)
575
554
622
606
…
…
…
…
…
…
Real effective exchange rate (appreciation = –)
-2.0
-1.4
2.3
-5.4
…
…
…
…
…
…
Terms of trade (deterioration = –)
-1.4
6.6
23.3
3.4
0.9
-1.7
-0.8
1.4
1.3
0.4
Monetary survey
(Percentage change of beginning-of-period broad money)
Net foreign assets
14.1
5.6
-0.6
6.2
4.9
-0.1
3.0
2.8
2.2
2.2
Net credit to government
-1.6
-0.3
8.0
0.2
-2.9
1.0
1.2
2.0
0.2
0.2
Credit to nongovernment sector
0.2
6.0
10.7
1.5
7.3
6.5
4.4
4.6
4.9
4.8
Broad money (M2)
11.4
12.3
14.9
8.5
8.8
7.4
7.6
7.6
7.6
7.6
Velocity (GDP/end-of-period M2)
2.1
2.1
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
Investment and savings
Gross domestic investment
21.4
23.4
25.9
28.0
25.7
24.2
25.0
25.9
26.7
27.2
Government
9.3
8.2
9.7
11.5
9.0
7.1
7.7
8.4
8.9
9.4
Nongovernment
12.1
15.2
16.2
16.5
16.7
17.1
17.3
17.5
17.8
17.8
Gross national savings
21.1
21.2
22.5
25.1
22.7
21.2
22.4
23.7
24.7
25.2
Government
2.2
3.6
1.4
4.8
4.1
4.1
4.7
5.4
5.8
6.4
Nongovernment
18.9
17.6
21.0
20.3
18.6
17.1
17.7
18.3
18.9
18.8
Government budget
Total revenue and grants
16.6
17.1
17.6
19.8
18.8
18.6
19.1
19.5
19.9
20.3
Revenue
14.1
15.3
15.1
16.8
16.6
17.1
17.6
18.1
18.5
19.1
Tax revenue
12.5
14.0
13.9
14.8
15.2
15.7
16.2
16.7
17.2
17.7
Expenditure and net lending (excl. banking sector operation)
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
XICHANG, Dec. 20 — China successfully sent a test satellite for communication technology into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern Sichuan Province on Friday.
The satellite was launched by a Long March-3B carrier rocket at 11:12 p.m. (Beijing Time) and has entered the planned orbit.
This satellite will be used for satellite communications, radio and television, data transmission, and other services. It will also carry out tests and verification of related technologies.
This launch marked the 554th mission of Long March series carrier rockets.
TORONTO, Dec. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Purpose Investments Inc. (“Purpose”) today announced the final annual distributions of income and capital gains for its open-end exchange-traded funds structured as mutual fund trusts (the “Funds”) with a December 15, 2024 tax year-end. The distributions represent income earned and capital gains realized by the Funds during the year.
Details of the per unit distribution amounts are as follows:
Final Annual Distributions of Income
Purpose Mutual Fund Trusts
Ticker Symbol
Exchange
Final Annual Income Distribution Per Unit
NAV per Unit as of Dec 19, 2024
Final Distribution (% of Dec 19, 2024 NAV)
Distribution Type (Cash or Notional)
Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – ETF Units
FLX
TSX
$ 0.1800
$ 7.37
2.44
%
Cash
Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – ETF Non-Currency Hedged Units
FLX.B
TSX
$ 0.2250
$ 9.19
2.45
%
Cash
Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – ETF Non-Currency Hedged USD Units
FLX.U
TSX
US $ 0.1500
US $ 6.16
2.44
%
Cash
ETF Series unitholders of record at the close of business on December 31, 2024 will receive the 2024 annual income distributions on January 7, 2025. The ex-distribution date for the 2024 annual income distributions will be December 31, 2024. Purpose expects to announce the final year-end notional distribution of income for Purpose Specialty Lending Trust on or about January 24, 2025, if necessary.
Final Annual Capital Gains – Notional Distributions
Purpose Mutual Fund Trusts
Ticker Symbol
Exchange
Final Annual Capital Gain Distribution Per Unit
NAV per Unit as of Dec 19, 2024
Final Distribution (% of Dec 19, 2024 NAV)
Distribution Type (Cash or Notional)
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units
BRKY
Cboe Canada
$ 0.5200
$ 26.44
1.97
%
Notional
Alphabet (GOOGL) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units
YGOG
Cboe Canada
$ 0.3050
$ 36.22
0.84
%
Notional
Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF Units
BTCY
TSX
$ 0.7150
$ 8.72
8.20
%
Notional
Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF Non-Currency Hedged Units
BTCY.B
TSX
$ 0.8800
$ 10.69
8.23
%
Notional
Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF Non-Currency Hedged USD Units
BTCY.U
TSX
US $ 0.6950
US $ 8.47
8.20
%
Notional
Purpose Ether Yield ETF – ETF Units
ETHY
TSX
$ 0.3730
$ 3.92
9.51
%
Notional
Purpose Ether Yield ETF – ETF Non-Currency Hedged Units
ETHY.B
TSX
$ 0.4950
$ 5.21
9.49
%
Notional
Purpose Ether Yield ETF – ETF Non-Currency Hedged USD Units
ETHY.U
TSX
US $ 0.3650
US $ 3.84
9.50
%
Notional
The annual capital gains distributions for the funds listed in table above will be paid as notional distributions. With a notional distribution, the units issued from the distribution are immediately consolidated with the units held prior to the distribution. The number of units held after the distribution is therefore identical to the number of units held before the distribution.
Purpose confirms that the notional capital gain distributions will be applied to ETF holders of record as at the close of business on December 23, 2024. The ex-distribution date for the notional capital gain distributions will be December 23, 2024.
Final Annual Capital Gains – Cash Distributions
Purpose Mutual Fund Trusts
Ticker Symbol
Exchange
Final Annual Capital Gain Distribution Per Unit
NAV per Unit as of Dec 19, 2024
Final Distribution (% of Dec 19, 2024 NAV)
Distribution Type (Cash or Notional)
Purpose Active Balanced Fund – ETF Units
PABF
TSX
$ 0.5800
$ 23.47
2.47
%
Cash
Purpose Active Conservative Fund – ETF Units
PACF
TSX
$ 0.2900
$ 22.94
1.26
%
Cash
Purpose Active Growth Fund – ETF Units
PAGF
TSX
$ 0.3750
$ 24.48
1.53
%
Cash
The respective unitholders of record on December 31, 2024 for the funds listed in the table above will receive the 2024 annual cash distributions on January 7, 2025. The ex-dividend date for the 2024 annual distributions for these ETFs (Purpose Active Balanced Fund – ETF Units, Purpose Active Growth Fund – ETF Units, and Purpose Active Conservative Fund – ETF Units) will be December 31, 2024.
The actual breakdown of taxable amounts of reinvested and cash distributions for 2024 tax year, including tax factor allocations, will be reported to the brokers through CDS Clearing and Depository Services Inc. in early 2025.
As an update to the press release issued on November 27, 2024, Purpose confirms that Apple (AAPL) Yield Shares Purpose ETF, Amazon (AMZN) Yield Shares Purpose ETF, NVIDIA (NVDA) Yield Shares Purpose ETF, and Microsoft (MSFT) Yield Shares Purpose ETF will not declare a special annual distribution in 2024.
Purpose expects to announce the final year-end distributions for Purpose High Interest Savings Fund – ETF Units, Purpose US Cash Fund – ETF Units, Purpose Cash Management Fund – ETF Units, and Purpose USD Cash Management Fund – ETF Units on or about December 31, 2024, if necessary.
Purpose expects to announce the final annual capital gain distributions for Purpose Fund Corp. and Big Banc Split Corp. on or about January 24, 2025, if necessary. Shareholders of record on January 30, 2025 will receive the annual capital gains distributions on February 5, 2025, and such capital gains will be applicable for the 2025 tax year. The final year-end capital gains distributions for these funds will be paid in cash. Purpose confirms that Purpose Mutual Funds Limited funds will not declare annual capital gain distributions for the 2024 tax year.
About Purpose Investments
Purpose Investments is an asset management company with more than $21 billion under management. Purpose Investments has an unrelenting focus on client-centric innovation, and offers a range of managed and quantitative investment products. Purpose Investments is led by well-known entrepreneur Som Seif and is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent technology-driven financial services company.
For further information please contact: Keera Hart Keera.Hart@kaiserpartners.com 905-580-1257
Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus and other disclosure documents before investing. Investment funds are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurance that the full amount of your investment in a fund will be returned to you. If the securities are purchased or sold on a stock exchange, you may pay more or receive less than the current net asset value. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.
This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy the securities referred to herein. This press release is not for dissemination in the United States or for distribution to US news wire services.
The IMF Executive Board completed today the first review under the ECF-arrangement for Togo, allowing the authorities to draw the equivalent of about US$57.4 million (SDR 44.0 million). The Executive Board approved the 42-month ECF-arrangement in March 2024.
Togo’s growth performance has remained robust, and inflation is moderating. The medium-term outlook is broadly favorable, with continued robust growth but also elevated risks.
Togo has continued to advance its reform agenda, and the program is on track. Policy priorities are to (i) make growth more inclusive while strengthening debt sustainability, and (ii) implement structural reforms to support growth and limit financial sector and associated fiscal risks.
Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the first review of the ECF-arrangement for Togo. The Board’s decision enables the immediate disbursement of SDR 44.0 million (about US$ 58.7 million), which will be used for budget support. The ECF-arrangement provides overall financing of SDR 293.60 million (about US$ 390 million).
The IMF approved the ECF-arrangement on March 1st, 2024 (see Press Release No. 24/64) to help the authorities address the legacies of the shocks seen since 2020, notably the COVID-pandemic and the increase in global food and fuel prices. The Togolese authorities were able to lessen these shocks’ impacts on the Togolese economy and population. However, this resulted in an increase in fiscal deficits and debt. The IMF-supported government program aims to (i) make growth more inclusive while strengthening debt sustainability, and (ii) implement structural reforms to support growth and limit financial sector and associated fiscal risks.
The medium-term outlook is broadly favorable, with continued robust growth. Economic growth reached an estimated 5.6 percent in 2023 and is projected at 5.3 percent in 2024-25 and around 5.5 percent per year thereafter according to IMF staff projections, barring major adverse shocks. Headline inflation eased to 3.3 percent in October 2024 and core inflation (which excludes the prices of food and transport) to 2.2 percent (annual averages).
However, the outlook is subject to high risks. In particular, terrorist attacks in the country’s North continues unabated and appears to be intensifying, putting pressure on spending. The authorities are contending with the challenging trade-offs between fiscal consolidation to lower the debt burden and the need to maintain robust growth in the context of limited fiscal space.
Implementation of the program is on track. The authorities have met all end-June quantitative performance criteria, and prospects for meeting the quantitative targets for the rest of the year are favorable. The authorities also have met two out of the four due structural benchmarks, and there are prospects for the authorities to deliver at a later stage on the limited elements that have led to the missing of two benchmarks. Further, prospects for meeting the two end-December benchmarks are good. Finally, the authorities have made good progress on the reform of the remaining state-owned bank.
At the conclusion of the Executive Board’s discussion, Mr. Bo Li, Deputy Managing Director, and Acting Chair, made the following statement:
“The Togolese authorities have shown strong implementation of the program supported under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). The authorities have met all quantitative targets despite security challenges and tight financing conditions, and they have progressed on structural reforms to strengthen revenue mobilization, inclusion, and public financial management.
“Togo’s outlook is subject to elevated risks, broadly as at the program request in March 2024, while security conditions have deteriorated. In line with this, the design of the program as conceived at the outset remains broadly appropriate, and the authorities should continue to implement the program with determination to place the country on the path of strong and sustainable growth.
“In the area of fiscal policies, the authorities should continue to aim to address debt vulnerabilities in a context of regional vulnerabilities while supporting growth and enhancing inclusion. For this, it will be important to implement the agreed fiscal anchor by limiting fiscal deficits to 3 percent of GDP from 2025 onwards, continue to raise tax revenue while making taxation more efficient, and implement structural reforms to enhance the efficiency of spending and make the social safety net more effective and efficient.
“It will also be essential to continue efforts to strengthen governance. The authorities’ recent request for an IMF Governance Diagnostic is welcome, as is their commitment to strengthening beneficial ownership declarations for companies benefiting from public procurement contracts. On the financial sector, the authorities should continue the reform of the remaining public bank by bringing the bank’s capital in line with regulatory requirements and reforming its operations to ensure its stability and profitability. Efforts to strengthen the AML/CFT framework will also be important.
Togo: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2020–29
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
Estimates
Projections
(Percentage change, unless otherwise indicated)
Real GDP
2.0
6.0
5.8
5.6
5.3
5.3
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.5
Real GDP per capita
-0.4
3.5
3.3
3.1
2.8
2.8
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
GDP deflator
1.8
2.5
3.7
2.9
2.2
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
Consumer price index (average)
1.8
4.5
7.6
5.3
3.3
2.3
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
GDP (CFAF billions)
4253
4621
5069
5507
5927
6366
6850
7371
7932
8536
Exchange rate CFAF/US$ (annual average level)
575
554
622
606
…
…
…
…
…
…
Real effective exchange rate (appreciation = –)
-2.0
-1.4
2.3
-5.4
…
…
…
…
…
…
Terms of trade (deterioration = –)
-1.4
6.6
23.3
3.4
0.9
-1.7
-0.8
1.4
1.3
0.4
Monetary survey
(Percentage change of beginning-of-period broad money)
Net foreign assets
14.1
5.6
-0.6
6.2
4.9
-0.1
3.0
2.8
2.2
2.2
Net credit to government
-1.6
-0.3
8.0
0.2
-2.9
1.0
1.2
2.0
0.2
0.2
Credit to nongovernment sector
0.2
6.0
10.7
1.5
7.3
6.5
4.4
4.6
4.9
4.8
Broad money (M2)
11.4
12.3
14.9
8.5
8.8
7.4
7.6
7.6
7.6
7.6
Velocity (GDP/end-of-period M2)
2.1
2.1
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
Investment and savings
Gross domestic investment
21.4
23.4
25.9
28.0
25.7
24.2
25.0
25.9
26.7
27.2
Government
9.3
8.2
9.7
11.5
9.0
7.1
7.7
8.4
8.9
9.4
Nongovernment
12.1
15.2
16.2
16.5
16.7
17.1
17.3
17.5
17.8
17.8
Gross national savings
21.1
21.2
22.5
25.1
22.7
21.2
22.4
23.7
24.7
25.2
Government
2.2
3.6
1.4
4.8
4.1
4.1
4.7
5.4
5.8
6.4
Nongovernment
18.9
17.6
21.0
20.3
18.6
17.1
17.7
18.3
18.9
18.8
Government budget
Total revenue and grants
16.6
17.1
17.6
19.8
18.8
18.6
19.1
19.5
19.9
20.3
Revenue
14.1
15.3
15.1
16.8
16.6
17.1
17.6
18.1
18.5
19.1
Tax revenue
12.5
14.0
13.9
14.8
15.2
15.7
16.2
16.7
17.2
17.7
Expenditure and net lending (excl. banking sector operation)
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a jury in Bridgeport federal court has found LUIS SALAMAN, also known as “Bebe,” 42, and JESUS SEGUINOT, also known as “Chuchi,” 34, guilty of fentanyl trafficking offenses. A trial before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill began on December 9 and the jury returned guilty verdicts on multiple counts of a superseding indictment late yesterday afternoon.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, in October 2021, the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force learned that Salaman was distributing large quantities of narcotics throughout New Haven. The investigation revealed that Salaman worked with Seguinot and others to distribute fentanyl. Between November 2021 and March 2022, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of distribution quantities of fentanyl from Salaman, Seguinot, and their associates.
The jury found Salaman and Seguinot guilty of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and Salaman guilty of three counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The jury found Salaman not guilty of four counts, and Seguinot not guilty of one count, of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
At sentencing, which is scheduled for March 13, Salaman faces a term of imprisonment of at least 10 years, and Seguinot faces a term of imprisonment of at least five years. Salaman faces enhanced penalties because of a prior conviction for a serious violent felony.
Salaman has been detained since his arrest on April 5, 2022. Seguinot was arrested on April 10, 2023, and is released on a $100,000 bond.
This investigation has been conducted by FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, which includes members from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Ruff and David T. Huang.
Just 12 months after an Amarillo methamphetamine trafficker received a life sentence, his twin brother was sentenced to life in prison for similar crimes, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Landis Charles Barrow, 46, was charged in February 2023. After a six-day trial, a jury convicted Mr. Barrow of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession of intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in August. Landis Barrow was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk.
His twin brother, Mandis Barrow, was convicted at a separate trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced in January by the same judge.
According to evidence presented at Landis’ trial, Landis sold, or facilitated the sale, of large quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential source on three occasions in late 2022.
During a February 2023 search of Landis’ residence, DEA agents discovered pound quantities of methamphetamine, two large baggies of cocaine, drug scales and paraphernalia, $7,000 in cash, a firearm, and a drug ledger with Landis’ name written in it. During a call made from the Randall County Detention Center, he admitted to being part of a criminal organization.
During his trial testimony, Landis admitted to distributing approximately 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of controlled substances for a Mexican Cartel. Landis admitted to running a “crew” of individuals, and that he was a “gangster.” Landis admitted to carrying a firearm with him at all times.
Court documents and trial testimony reflect that Landis Barrow is a suspect in a murder investigation involving his alleged retaliation for the theft of a large quantity of drugs and money that occurred in November 2022 at second residence associated with him.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Kacsmaryk ruled that Landis had, in fact, made credible threats of violence to shoot or harm people he believed were involved in the robbery. Judge Kacsmaryk further found that Landis had perjured himself during his trial testimony.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division – Amarillo Resident Agency conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Potter County Sheriff’s Office, the Randall County Sheriff’s Office, the Amarillo Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Marie Bell and Sean Long prosecuted the case.
American Soldiers and Army civilians from the U.S. military’s premier Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command participated in Exercise Yama Sakura from Japan and Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington.
Highly specialized units from the 20th CBRNE Command took part in the 44th iteration of trilateral exercise that brought together forces from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Australian Defence Force and the U.S. Army in Japan, Dec. 7 – 15.
The 3rd Ordnance Battalion (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 71st Ordnance Group (EOD) and 20th CBRNE Command supported Exercise Yama Sakura, which means “Mountain Cherry Blossoms” in Japanese.
Soldiers and Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command deploy from 19 bases in 16 states to confront and defeat the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and multinational operations.
Headquartered on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, in Northeast Maryland’s science, technology and security corridor, the 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the U.S. Army’s active-duty Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) specialists and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians, as well as the 1st Global Field Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams and Nuclear Disablement Teams (Infrastructure).
Exercise Yama Sakura is designed to increase joint force lethality, enhance procedural and technical interoperability, and strengthen alliances and partnerships, while focusing on collaboration across multi-domain and cross-domain operations.
U.S. Army Pacific, Japan Ground Self Defense Force, Ground Component Command, I Corps, Western Army, 11th Airborne Division, Australian 1st Division, Eastern Army, 7th Infantry and U.S. Army Japan took part in the exercise.
The 20th CBRNE Command supports military operations overseas and civil authorities at home.
The multifunctional and deployable 20th CBRNE Command also routinely works to strengthen allies around the world.
Brig. Gen. W Bochat, the commanding general of 20th CBRNE Command, visited Japan during the exercise.
“This exercise was an excellent opportunity to build readiness and focus on training with a valuable ally to our nation. The goal is to strengthen our collective defensive posture and improve our interoperability in the Indo-Pacific theater,” said Bochat, a career U.S. Army Chemical Corps officer who speaks Japanese fluently.
A former corrections officer of the Maury County, Tennessee, Jail was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Nashville, Tennessee, to 60 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
James Stewart Justice was previously convicted of falsifying a record in a federal civil rights investigation for a report he wrote in response to allegations that he had sexually abused an inmate in his custody.
“Everyone who serves in law enforcement knows of their duty of candor,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “That duty of candor is at its highest when responding to serious allegations such as the sexual abuse of an inmate in the officer’s care. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously prosecute officers who disregard that duty and obstruct federal civil rights investigations.”
“When he authority that corrections officers are given is abused, it’s not just the civil rights of prison inmates that are threatened, but the public’s trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “This sentencing should be a reminder that the FBI will vigorously investigate these kinds of cases and bring to justice any law enforcement officer who violates the constitution and trust of the people.”
According to court documents, Justice, formerly known as James Stewart Thomas, wrote an official report for the Maury County Jail in response to allegations that he sexually abused an inmate he guarded in a hospital room while the inmate recovered from major surgery. In his report, the defendant 1) falsely claimed that he had reported to two Maury County Jail supervisors that an inmate had made sexual advances toward him while the inmate was in his custody at the hospital; 2) falsely claimed that those two Maury County Jail supervisors both advised him not to write a report about those alleged sexual advances by the inmate; and 3) omitted a claim he later made to criminal investigators that he had a sexual relationship with the inmate after the inmate’s release from custody.
The FBI Nashville Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nani Gilkerson for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Source: The White House
A government shutdown heading into the holidays would mean service members and air traffic controllers go to work without pay, essential government services for hardworking Americans would be paused, and economic disruption would occur.
Following an order by President-elect Trump, yesterday Republicans walked away from a bipartisan deal and threatened to shut down the government at the 11th hour in order to pave the way to provide tax breaks for billionaires. This revised legislation does not do that.
While it does not include everything we sought, it includes disaster relief that the President requested for the communities recovering from the storm, eliminates the accelerated pathway to a tax cut for billionaires, and would ensure that the government can continue to operate at full capacity. President Biden supports moving this legislation forward and ensuring that the vital services the government provides for hardworking Americans – from issuing Social Security checks to processing benefits for veterans — can continue as well as to grant assistance for communities that were impacted by devastating hurricanes.
NEW YORK — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in New York City arrested unlawfully present Mexican citizen Jose Hernandez Sachez, Dec. 19. Hernandez has convictions for third degree sexual abuse among other charges.
Fugitive operations officers arrested the 42-year-old sexual predator outside a residence in Brooklyn. He is currently in ERO custody pending removal proceedings.
“We will not tolerate predators taking advantage of public services such as the MTA to violate women and girls,” said ERO New York City Field Office Director Kenneth Genalo. “ERO officers will find these criminal noncitizens and seek their removal from the United States.”
The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Hernandez following three separate attempts to unlawfully enter the U.S. near Nogales, Arizona, between Jan. 7 and Jan. 9, 2003. Hernandez voluntarily returned to Mexico on each occasion but later unlawfully entered the U.S. on an unknown date and location without admission by an immigration official.
The New York Police Department arrested Hernandez Jan. 13, 2023, for third degree sexual abuse and other charges. The Queens County Criminal Court in Kew Gardens convicted Hernandez of those charges May 30. The victim in this case was a 15-year-old girl.
Hernandez was arrested again on sex abuse charges by the NYPD Nov. 17, 2023. The Kings County Criminal Court in Brooklyn convicted him On June 12 on those charges and sentenced him to one year probation with conditional discharge and required him to register as a sex offender. The victim in this case was a 40-year-old woman.
Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Executive Office for Immigration Review. The Executive Office for Immigration Review is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ERO officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.
ERO is one of ICE’s three operational directorates and is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-347-2423 or completing ICE’s online tip form.
Learn more about ERO New York’s mission to preserve public safety on Twitter @ERONewYork.
ARLINGTON, VA – DECEMBER 20, 2024 – Lidl US is recalling all lots of their Taste of Deutschland Buttered Vegetables 10.5 oz box UPC 4 056489 122876 due to undeclared milk allergen. The recall was issued due to undeclared milk in the products. People who have allergies to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products.
Lidl US has received no reports or complaints of illness related to this product to date.
The recall was initiated after it was discovered by the FDA during an inspection that the labels did not list the allergen milk in the ingredient statement.
The products were distributed between 10/21/2023 – 12/19/2024. The product was distributed to all Lidl US store locations in Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.
If customers have purchased this product, they should not consume it and immediately return it to their nearest Lidl store for a full refund (a receipt is not required for return). Customers who have questions about this voluntary recall should call the Lidl US Customer Care Hotline at (844)-747-5435 8 am-8 pm ET, Monday-Saturday.
The health and safety of our customers is our top priority. Lidl US regrets any inconvenience related to this voluntary recall. Our Quality Assurance Department is constantly working to ensure that all products on our shelves meet the high-quality standards that we would expect when feeding our own families. We are grateful for all our Lidl US customers who choose to shop with us every day.
The Justice Department filed a federal lawsuit today against the State of Louisiana and Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (LDOC) alleging that the state and LDOC maintain a pattern or practice of confining incarcerated people for weeks and months after they have fully completed their prison sentences and are legally entitled to be released, in violation of the 14th Amendment.
“Every person in the United States, whether incarcerated or otherwise, enjoys certain fundamental rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Foremost among them is the right to individual liberty. The Founders were keenly aware of the potential abuse of power when government can arbitrarily take away a person’s freedom without a lawful court order specifying the period of their confinement. In this context, the right to individual liberty includes the right to be released from incarceration on time after the term set by the court has ended. To incarcerate people indefinitely, as LDOC does here, not only intrudes on individual liberty, but also erodes public confidence in the fair and just application of our laws. The Justice Department looks forward to proving its case in court.”
The lawsuit is the result of a multi-year investigation into allegations of systemic overdetention in LDOC’s system conducted by the department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle, Eastern and Western Districts of Louisiana.
As required by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the department provided the state with written notice of the supporting facts for these alleged conditions, and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them in a report issued on Jan. 25, 2023. CRIPA authorizes the department to act when it has reasonable cause to believe there is a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to correctional facilities operated by or on behalf of state or local government.
Today’s lawsuit seeks injunctive relief to remedy deficient conditions identified by the department’s investigation. The lawsuit does not seek monetary damages. While the State has made marginal efforts to address the systemic deficiencies leading to overdetention, these steps are inadequate to address the deficiencies, which are longstanding and well-known to the State.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle, Eastern and Western Districts of Louisiana are handling the case. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department by phone at 1-833-492-0097 or by email at community.louisianadoc@usdoj.gov.
For more information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. Additional information about the Eastern, Middle and Western U.S. Attorneys’ Offices is available at www.justice.gov/usao-edla, www.justice.gov/usao-mdla and www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
A former corrections officer of the Maury County, Tennessee, Jail was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Nashville, Tennessee, to 60 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
James Stewart Justice was previously convicted of falsifying a record in a federal civil rights investigation for a report he wrote in response to allegations that he had sexually abused an inmate in his custody.
“Everyone who serves in law enforcement knows of their duty of candor,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “That duty of candor is at its highest when responding to serious allegations such as the sexual abuse of an inmate in the officer’s care. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously prosecute officers who disregard that duty and obstruct federal civil rights investigations.”
“When he authority that corrections officers are given is abused, it’s not just the civil rights of prison inmates that are threatened, but the public’s trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “This sentencing should be a reminder that the FBI will vigorously investigate these kinds of cases and bring to justice any law enforcement officer who violates the constitution and trust of the people.”
According to court documents, Justice, formerly known as James Stewart Thomas, wrote an official report for the Maury County Jail in response to allegations that he sexually abused an inmate he guarded in a hospital room while the inmate recovered from major surgery. In his report, the defendant 1) falsely claimed that he had reported to two Maury County Jail supervisors that an inmate had made sexual advances toward him while the inmate was in his custody at the hospital; 2) falsely claimed that those two Maury County Jail supervisors both advised him not to write a report about those alleged sexual advances by the inmate; and 3) omitted a claim he later made to criminal investigators that he had a sexual relationship with the inmate after the inmate’s release from custody.
The FBI Nashville Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nani Gilkerson for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department filed a federal lawsuit today against the State of Louisiana and Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (LDOC) alleging that the state and LDOC maintain a pattern or practice of confining incarcerated people for weeks and months after they have fully completed their prison sentences and are legally entitled to be released, in violation of the 14th Amendment.
“Every person in the United States, whether incarcerated or otherwise, enjoys certain fundamental rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Foremost among them is the right to individual liberty. The Founders were keenly aware of the potential abuse of power when government can arbitrarily take away a person’s freedom without a lawful court order specifying the period of their confinement. In this context, the right to individual liberty includes the right to be released from incarceration on time after the term set by the court has ended. To incarcerate people indefinitely, as LDOC does here, not only intrudes on individual liberty, but also erodes public confidence in the fair and just application of our laws. The Justice Department looks forward to proving its case in court.”
The lawsuit is the result of a multi-year investigation into allegations of systemic overdetention in LDOC’s system conducted by the department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle, Eastern and Western Districts of Louisiana.
As required by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the department provided the state with written notice of the supporting facts for these alleged conditions, and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them in a report issued on Jan. 25, 2023. CRIPA authorizes the department to act when it has reasonable cause to believe there is a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to correctional facilities operated by or on behalf of state or local government.
Today’s lawsuit seeks injunctive relief to remedy deficient conditions identified by the department’s investigation. The lawsuit does not seek monetary damages. While the State has made marginal efforts to address the systemic deficiencies leading to overdetention, these steps are inadequate to address the deficiencies, which are longstanding and well-known to the State.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle, Eastern and Western Districts of Louisiana are handling the case. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department by phone at 1-833-492-0097 or by email at community.louisianadoc@usdoj.gov.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government Non-Ministerial Departments
Groundbreaking breeding programme to develop new generation of British grown Douglas fir trees after decades of research.
Credit: Forestry Commission
Douglas fir is native to North America and has been used in British forestry for over 100 years. Demand is rising rapidly and currently; we import much of our seed from the USA or France and there is a need to develop a strain that is specialised for British conditions.
For decades there have been incomplete attempts to develop British Douglas fir seed sources suited to our conditions, but now a government funded project led by the Conifer Breeding Cooperative has overcome this and will grow the next generation of Douglas fir from British tree seeds.
The project involved the selection of 200 visually superior trees from the best Douglas fir plantations in Britain, as well as 40 genetically superior trees from long-term experiments managed by Forest Research.
This selection of outstanding Douglas firs will now be used by the Conifer Breeding Cooperative and Forest Research as breeding stock to produce British Douglas Fir seed. The chosen trees will be copied by grafting cuttings onto rootstocks, after the grafted plants will go into seed orchards. In several years, once seeds are available, they will be supplied to forest nurseries to grow the first genetically improved British Douglas fir trees.
Richard Whittet, Head of Tree Breeding at Forest Research and Chair of the Conifer Breeding Cooperative, said:
“We have selected a new generation of Douglas fir trees for breeding, based on their adaptation to the British climate and timber properties which is an important step forward for the resilience of our nation’s trees.
“This achievement is the result of decades of work by Forest Research and our domestic and international partners. Collaboration has enabled us to get things done on the ground and harness new technologies, such as the low-cost DNA marker array for quality assurance.”
Sir William Worsley, Chair of the Forestry Commission, said:
“We are facing a changing climate and biodiversity decline, with trees playing a significant role in mitigating some of the worst impacts.
“We rely too heavily on timber imports in the UK and if we are to strengthen own domestic supply then this type of science will play a huge role in the future. Therefore, there has never been a more crucial time to invest in domestic tree-planting”.
A DNA fingerprint – which shows the genetic make-up of each tree – has also been taken of each tree by Oxford University. This is the first time this technique has been used at such an early stage of a tree breeding programme in Great Britain. The DNA fingerprint is used as a quality-control tool to track and evaluate the tree’s parentage and enable traceability. This important data will help advance the project.
Douglas fir is a desirable timber-producing tree for Britain and this step forward to develop a resilient British population will ensure better yield for our domestic timber industry. Fast growing conifers such at this sequester carbon more quickly than slower growing species. Using timber in construction, in place of other non-renewable materials, is one of the best ways to reduce emissions from buildings. It also ensures that carbon is locked up long-term.
Today’s development will help bolster the domestic timber industry as part of the Government’s critical mission to make the UK clean energy superpower and ensure we are resilient to a changing climate. This is the latest government innovation in the fight to protect our nation’s trees and woodlands.
The project partners involved are Conifer Breeding Coop, University of Oxford, and Forestart and it has been funded by the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
Additional Information:
The trials were first established in the 1990s as part of a European Commission project with several international partners including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Belgium
In a landmark mission to Syria, the UN probe into the most serious rights violations committed in the country since 2011 has called on caretaker authorities to take immediate measures to protect mass grave sites and preserve critical evidence.
A team from the Independent International Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on Syria visited former prisons and detention centres, including the notorious Sednaya and the Military Intelligence Branch 235 prisons.
It is the first time the team has been able to access Syria, as the former regime denied all previous requests to gather evidence.
The team was dismayed to see that much evidence and documentation had been damaged, taken or destroyed – information which in some cases could have helped families trace disappeared loved ones.
“Utmost care must be taken to protect mass grave sites and to safeguard all documents and evidence across Syria,” it said, warning that well-meaning but premature actions by individuals or organizations could hinder long-term forensic efforts.
Urgent recommendations
The Commission are recommending the setting up of a a specialized unit to coordinate the protection and preservation of mass grave sites and related documents, until forensic experts can assess them.
The independent rights experts call on authorities to discourage any interference and for any documents already removed to be returned. Many national and international rights bodies and organizations have offered assistance to secure evidence and support the families of missing persons.
“This critical juncture in Syria’s history, and at a time of great expectations by the Syrian people, the Commission reiterate its full solidarity with the entire Syrian people and stands ready to support in any capacity it can,” it stated.
Established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry is mandated to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011 in Syria.
Rights experts call for inclusive reconstruction
Separately, a group of over 30 independent human rights experts – including Special Rapporteurs – stressed the need for unified international support to ensure Syria’s transition is grounded in democratic principles and human rights.
They emphasised that justice, reconciliation, and respect for Syria’s sovereignty are paramount to the country’s recovery following the fall of the Assad regime.
The experts highlighted the importance of addressing the rights of marginalized groups, including women, children, minorities, and displaced persons, while ensuring the political process remains Syrian-led and Syrian-owned.
‘Credible’ system
“Justice should be pursued for all crimes committed, regardless of the perpetrator, through a credible judicial system focused on accountability, reparations, reconciliation and not revenge,” the experts stated.
“It is vital that such processes conform fully with international human rights standards…The involvement of civil society and human rights defenders in a just transition is crucially important for the process to be credible,” they added.
Cooperation, not aggression
The experts urged the international community to support Syria’s rebuilding while ensuring the process remains free from foreign interference or aggression, warning that the country has endured major foreign interventions, transforming the country into the site of an extensive and protracted proxy war.
Continuing military interventions, such as the recent unprovoked and illegal attacks by Israel – its occupation of more Syrian territory in the Golan Heights and other air-attacks and incursions into north-east and central Syria – are grave obstacles to effective rehabilitation.
“All foreign occupying military forces should leave Syria, and all territorial incursions and attacks should cease without delay,” the experts stated.
Independent experts
The experts included several Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups on key rights issues, who are appointed and mandated by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council.
They are not UN staff, do not draw a salary, and serve in their individual capacity, independent of the UN Secretariat.
Amphibious Combat Vehicles with 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division, completed the first open-water amphibious movement in the Kushi Crossing, Dec. 10, 2024.
ACVs are the Marine Corps’ newest amphibious vehicle platform and were first fielded in Fleet Marine Force units on Camp Pendleton, California, November 2022. The ACV was developed for the Marine Corps to replace the Assault Amphibious Vehicle, having began its long period of service in 1972. The ACV underwent close to nearly two years of trials and tests before the platform would make its debut overseas in Okinawa with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit June 24 of this year.
Less than a week later on June 29 III Marine Expeditionary Force units received ACVs of their own when the first vehicles participating in the Unit Deployment Program arrived in Okinawa as part of 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division. UDP units stationed in the continental United States rotate to Okinawa for six-month deployments to maintain experience operating in the Indo-Pacific region while providing assurance to allies and partners as well as deterring potential adversaries from conflict. Now as the second ACV platoon is participating in the UDP to 4th Marines, they are breaking new ground for amphibious operations on the island.
“Since the ACV has been fielded here in July, these training areas have not yet been transited by ACVs or validated,” said 1st. Lt. Jacob Yehl, the 4th Marines ACV platoon commander. “Our mission here today, and on this rotation, is to make sure all of those training areas and BLS’s (Beach Landing Sites) are trafficable and supportable for ACV operations in the future.”
Marines and their ACVs spent three days at the beach to validate amphibious operations with the new platform during low tide, high tide, and low-light conditions.
“Kushi Crossing is the only landing site in Okinawa that allows entry into the Central Training Area of Okinawa,” said Yehl. Validation that ACVs can operate in the Kushi Crossing ensures they can integrate seamlessly with other training units in Okinawa. The ACV platoon’s central mission, stated by Yehl, is “to provide ship-to-shore lift for the infantry and reinforcement of their assault to inland objectives.”
After a long period of operating the outdated AAV, experienced Marines are able to bring their tactical knowledge to bear in mastering the new vehicle. Staff Sergeant Juwan White, one of the unit’s section leaders, said “I remember eight years ago I was driving an AAV from Recon Beach, Camp Schwab here to Kushi, regularly. Now here I am today doing the same thing with an ACV for the very first time for the next generations of Marines to do.”
ACVs with 4th Marines will also be attached to the 31st MEU based on Camp Hansen, Okinawa to provide another capable ship-to-shore connector for the Marine Corps’ most rapid response force in the region.
In the Indo-Pacific, ACVs deliver commanders the ability to deploy a landing force to respond to crisis or conflict. When asked about the significance of the training’s completion, White said “The primary message of the training we conducted is that we’ve proven and shown that ACVs belong here in Okinawa for III MEF to have at their disposal.”
LONDON, UK, Dec. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Virturo announced that through its Elite Club, it offers personalized wealth-building strategies that maximize returns, optimize tax efficiency, and protect assets against inflation, all while ensuring investments align with long-term goals. For those who hold significant wealth, traditional investments like stocks, bonds, and real estate might seem secure, but inflation poses a silent threat to their lasting worth. Over the years, these investments have provided steady returns of 3-5%, yet many high-net-worth individuals are now seeking ways to boost returns without taking on excessive risk.
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The union for Australian journalists has welcomed the delivery by the federal government of more than $150 million to support the sustainability of public interest journalism over the next four years.
Combined with the announcement of the revamped News Bargaining Initiative, this could result in up to $400 million in additional funding for the sector over the coming years.
The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance says the new funding under the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP) will boost journalism and media diversity but must be tied to the enforcement of minimum employment standards for all media workers, including freelancers, says the MEAA website.
The acting director of MEAA media, Michelle Rae, said the Albanese government had picked up on recommendations from the union during consultation over the News MAP earlier this year.
“We are pleased that the government has adopted a holistic and structured approach to support for the news media industry, rather than the patchwork of band aid solutions that have been implemented in the past,” she said.
“MEAA has long argued that commercially produced public interest journalism requires systematic, long-term support beyond a three-year time frame to ensure its viability and to promote a diverse media landscape.
“The longer-term approach confirmed by the government will allow media outlets to plan for their future sustainability with additional certainty about their income over the next four years.”
Importantly, the new funding was primarily directed at local and community news, the sector that had been most impacted by the decline of advertising revenue over the past two decades.
“The $116.7 million to support this sector will go a long way towards helping communities in regional Australia and the suburbs of our main cities to rebuild local journalism in areas that have become or are in danger of becoming news deserts,” Rae said.
“The unique role of Australian Associated Press as an independent and accessible news service has been recognised with $33 million in new funding.
“MEAA also welcomes the government’s commitment to mandate at least $6 million of its advertising budget is spent in regional newspapers.”
Rae said that while it was worthwhile to explore measures to attract philanthropic funding of the news media industry, any solutions to the decline of public interest journalism must not be reliant on sponsorships or donations that undermine the independence of media outlets.
“There is a place for demand-side incentives to subscribe and pay for quality news media through the use of subsidies, vouchers or tax deductibility,” she said.
“But care must be taken to ensure that philanthropic funding does not allow donors to dictate the editorial policies of media outlets.”
New USGS Data Release featuring laser rangefinder measurements at Kīlauea summit
Between 2021 and 2024, five Kīlauea summit eruptions gradually filled Halemaʻumaʻu crater with new lava. This data release provides surface elevation data for the active lava lakes and the solidified crater floor at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, from 2021 to 2024.
The surface elevation of lava lakes is an important parameter that can provide insight on the underlying magma reservoir pressure as well as outgassing dynamics of the magmatic system. Lava lake elevation may also be useful in forecasting potentially hazardous eruptions on a volcano’s flanks (Burgi and others 2014; Patrick and others 2015, 2020). Precise measurements of lava lake elevation have been challenging in the past, due to thick volcanic gas plumes and the inaccessibility of most lava lakes. New technologies, such as laser rangefinders, provides new opportunities to measure lava levels with high accuracy and sample rates.
In this data release, we include data from a continuous (1 Hz) laser rangefinder (Safran Vectronix LRF 7047) measuring the surface elevation of active lava lakes and the solidified crater floor at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, from 2021 to 2024. These data span five summit eruptions, which gradually filled Halemaʻumaʻu crater with new lava. These data may be useful for understanding lava lake behavior, as well as crater refilling processes.
View the Data Release here: Continuous laser rangefinder measurements of lava lake elevation and crater filling at the summit of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, 2021-2024 – ScienceBase-Catalog
Full reference for the USGS Data Release:
Younger, E.F., Tollett, W., and Patrick, M.R., 2024, Continuous laser rangefinder measurements of lava lake elevation and crater filling at the summit of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, 2021-2024: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P13SQTIC.
WASHINGTON — A Florida man was arrested yesterday morning and charged with assaulting law enforcement with a weapon and other counts related to his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Joel Linn O’Donnell, 44, of Clearwater, Florida, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with seven offenses, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon.
In addition to the felonies, O’Donnell is charged with two misdemeanor offenses of disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.
The FBI arrested O’Donnell December 19, in Clearwater. He made his initial appearance in the Middle District of Florida.
According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, O’Donnell attended a rally near the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., and afterward, joined a large crowd marching toward the U.S. Capitol building. Once on Capitol grounds, O’Donnell positioned himself at the Lower West Plaza.
O’Donnell, accompanied by an associate, moved closer to the Capitol building, transitioning from the West Front to the Upper West Terrace. There, he joined a mass of rioters on temporary stadium-style risers as objects were hurled at police officers nearby. The crowd reportedly chanted “TRAITORS!” at law enforcement officers attempting to control the unrest.
At approximately 4:54 p.m., it is alleged that O’Donnell advanced toward the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement that day, while carrying a large step and two long poles. Moments later, O’Donnell allegedly used these items as weapons, hurling all three of the objects at police officers defending the Tunnel.
At approximately 5:02 p.m., it is alleged that O’Donnell returned to the police line armed with a baseball bat and repeatedly struck a Metropolitan Police Department officer, hitting the officer’s riot shield. Court documents say that O’Donnell only retreated from the tunnel area after police deployed riot control munitions to disperse the crowd.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Tampa and Washington Field Offices which identified Gonzalez as AFO (Assault on Federal Officer) BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #352 on its seeking information images. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 47 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,572 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 590 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.