Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan was arrested yesterday and charged by criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, in December 2024, Hassan attempted to travel from Minnesota to Somalia to join ISIS on two occasions, neither of which were successful. Hassan attempted to disguise the purpose of his travel as visiting family despite having none in Somalia and was traveling with his birth certificate, naturalization certificate, and high school diploma. The FBI’s investigation established that Hassan publicly supported ISIS on social media through multiple posts and communicated with a Facebook account for the Manjaniq Media Center, which encouraged individuals to travel to join ISIS and touts itself as a media organization of the Islamic Caliphate. The investigation further revealed that Hassan praised Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the perpetrator of the ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Jan. 1. On Feb. 21, Hassan also posted a video of himself driving while holding a small ISIS flag inside the vehicle, as well as another video of himself driving with an open knife on his lap. On Feb. 26, FBI observed Hassan driving while again holding the ISIS flag.
Hassan was charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. He made his initial appearance in the District of Minnesota today and was ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing which will take place at a later date.
The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorneys Ryan White and Charles Kovats Jr. of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kayla Martin, 34, of Cayce, was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Martin and Michael Tart were arrested in April 2022 after Richland County Sheriff’s Department and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department investigators seized over a kilogram of methamphetamine and a firearm from a vehicle Tart was driving on I-77 North in Richland County. Martin had previously arranged for Tart to pick up the methamphetamine from her home. A subsequent search of Martin’s home uncovered a .380 pistol along with drug residue and other drug paraphernalia. At the time, Martin was a convicted felon and on supervised release from a 2020 federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Martin’s conviction for the April 2022 incident was a violation of her supervised release. Martin also faces charges with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office in another drug-related incident in 2020. Tart has pleaded guilty for his part in this incident and is awaiting sentencing.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Martin to 123 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and William K. Witherspoon are prosecuting the case.
Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced the introduction of the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, legislation to permanently ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. The bill would also prohibit the export of live horses to Mexican and Canadian slaughterhouses to be sold overseas. Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) lead companion legislation in the House.
“I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation to permanently ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Unlike cattle, horses aren’t raised as food animals in the United States,” said Senator Luján. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill to protect our nation’s horses while maintaining support for meat and poultry markets.”
“The slaughter of horses for human consumption is barbaric and has no place in America,” said Representative Buchanan. “As Co-Chairman of the Animal Protection Caucus, I look forward to continuing to lead this effort with Congresswoman Schakowsky to protect these beautiful creatures.”
“As a former horse owner, I have been a leader in efforts to ban horse slaughter in the United States for many years,” said Representative Schakowsky. “I am once again partnering with Congressman Vern Buchanan in introducing the SAFE Act to amend the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 to prohibit the slaughter of equines for human consumption, both domestically and abroad. It is beyond time to end this brutal and dangerous practice. Horses are not food. As a proud animal lover, we owe it to our horse companions to protect their welfare.”
The SAFE Act would make it illegal to slaughter, transport, possess, purchase, sell or donate horses, donkeys and burros for human consumption. Although the practice of slaughtering horses for human consumption is currently illegal in the United States, the ban is temporary and subject to annual congressional review and no federal law exists to prohibit the transport of horses across America’s borders for slaughter in Canada or Mexico.
The SAFE Act is cosponsored by over 100 bipartisan members of Congress. The SAFE Act has received the support of the Humane World Action Fund, the ASPCA, the Animal Welfare Institute, the U.S. Harness Racing Alumni Association, the Jockey Club and Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation.
“The pipeline to slaughter is a death sentence for horses, subjecting them to unimaginable suffering. These majestic animals, who have helped build this nation, are deserving of compassion and kindness, not cruelty. It’s time to end their horrifying journey to slaughter, where many suffer brutal abuse long before they arrive. Horse slaughter for human consumption is an industry that shows a complete disregard for these loyal and noble animals. We call on lawmakers to support Senators Graham and Luján and Representatives Buchanan and Schakowsky in their efforts to pass the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act and put an end to this inhumane practice once and for all,” said Sara Amundson, President, Humane World Action Fund.
“Although the overall decline in American horses being exported for human consumption is a sign of progress, more than 19,000 horses are still being trucked across the border each year as part of the predatory horse slaughter pipeline. This industry needs to be shut down once and for all. We are immensely grateful to Congressman Buchanan, Congresswoman Schakowsky, Senator Graham, and Senator Luján for their outstanding leadership on the SAFE Act and we hope that Congress will move quickly to protect America’s horses from slaughter,” said Susan Millward, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Animal Welfare Institute.
“Despite overwhelming public opposition to horse slaughter, a legal loophole still allows tens of thousands of American horses to be shipped to other countries for slaughter each year. Not only is horse slaughter cruel and unnecessary, but the existence of the slaughter pipeline itself stifles rescue and rehoming efforts, putting equine welfare at risk. Equine industry and animal welfare groups are working daily to solve equine welfare issues on the ground, but we cannot fully succeed while the slaughter pipeline remains open. We are so grateful to Senators Graham and Luján and Representatives Buchanan and Schakowsky for their dedication to starting a new chapter for America’s equines and championing the SAFE Act to secure an end to horse slaughter,” said Nancy Perry, Senior Vice President of Government Relations, ASPCA.
Headline: NCDHHS Issues Alert for Missing Radioactive Material in Triad Area
NCDHHS Issues Alert for Missing Radioactive Material in Triad Area stonizzo
KERNERSVILLE
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services received a report that an Industrial Radiography Camera containing radioactive material was stolen in Kernersville, North Carolina. Because radioactive material can cause physical harm if handled, the department is advising caution and requesting anyone with information to call law enforcement immediately.
A SPEC-150 Industrial Radiography exposure device like the one pictured below, known as an “IR camera,” was taken from a pickup truck in the parking lot of the Sleep Inn motel on Heartland Drive during the night of Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. The IR camera was discovered missing on Feb. 27, 2025.
These are industrial devices that contain radioactive material that can cause physical harm. If you find the device or know where it is, you should call local law enforcement or 911 immediately. Do not approach the device, do not attempt to open it and remain at least 30 feet away.
You can also call Travis Cartoski with the NCDHHS Radiation Protection Section at 919-621-4797 if you have information about the stolen device.
WASHINGTON — Dusan Dimic, 41, of Reston, Virginia., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 41 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation that used Zipcars, rental cars, and privately owned vehicles to deliver cocaine to customers throughout the Northwest.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., DEA Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Dimic pleaded guilty on November 12, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. In addition to the 41-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Dimic to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in August 2022, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) began an investigation into individuals operating a narcotics delivery service, operating primarily in Northwest Washington, D.C. using rental vehicles and rideshare services.
Undercover law enforcement agents conducted 14 controlled purchases of illegal narcotics from Dimic’s co-conspirator. Dimic served as either the driver for the co-conspirator or arranged for a driver to drive the co-conspirator to distribute narcotics. During the undercover controlled purchases, Dimic frequently sat in the driver’s seat, the co-conspirator always sat in the front passenger’s seat, and the undercover agent (as the customer) sat in the rear passenger’s seat. The drug transactions took place immediately next to Dimic while he remained in the driver’s seat.
Dimic typically conducted drug transactions on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Dimic typically began his route by driving to a supermarket on the 2200 block of I Street NW, to meet his co-conspirator. The two men then proceeded to pick up various individuals, meeting with them for a brief period to engage in narcotics sales.
Zipcar records show Dimic’s name listed on the account and Dimic’s credit card on file as the form of payment for the vehicles used during the conspiracy. On certain days, when Dimic was not the driver, he would provide transportation and drivers for his co-conspirator.
At approximately 5:24 p.m. on September 21, 2023, law enforcement arrested Dimic and his co-defendant. From Dimic, law enforcement recovered 90 grams of cocaine located on the front driver’s side floorboard, a small blue bag with Dimic’s identification cards, his cell phone, and $2,304.51 in cash. From the co-defendant, law enforcement recovered $4,454.74 in cash, a blue bookbag containing multiple eyeglass containers with 483 grams of cocaine, and a medicine bottle containing 90 grams of methamphetamine pills located on the front passenger floorboard.
During the course of the conspiracy, Dimic and his co-conspirators sold an average of 56 grams of cocaine per day from August 2022 to August 2023.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Iris McCranie and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Rasalam with valuable assistance from Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Crosby and Lauren Randall.
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MICHAEL McCANN-ORTIZ, also known as “Bando,” 24, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a carjacking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of June 18, 2023, two all-terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) were stolen from a Waterbury residence. After the theft, McCann-Ortiz and others identified an individual (“Victim 1”) who they believed was involved in the theft. Later that night, Victim 1’s friend, (“Victim 2”), picked up Victim 1 from work and drove him home. As they arrived at Victim 1’s residence, three vehicles followed them and surrounded the victims. McCann-Ortiz and his associates, one of whom carried an assault-style rifle, exited the vehicles and approached the victims. McCann-Ortiz and his associates demanded the return of the stolen ATVs, threatened both victims, and physically assaulted them.
Specifically, McCann-Ortiz repeatedly threatened to kill the victims, and punched and kicked one victim, causing serious bodily injury.
McCann-Ortiz and his associates then stole Victim 2’s vehicle, which was owned by Victim 2’s relative, and other items and cash belonging to the victims.
There is no indication that Victim 1 was, in fact, involved in the theft of the ATVs.
McCann-Ortiz pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for May 22.
McCann-Ortiz has been detained since his arrest on unrelated state charges on July 10, 2023.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force with the assistance of the Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan J. Guevremont and David T. Huang.
A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.
The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.
San José:An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team, led by Mr. Ding Ding, held the 2025 Article IV consultation with the Costa Rican authorities during February 18-28. At the conclusion of the discussions, Mr. Ding issued the following statement:
Costa Rica is one of the fastest-growing economies in the Western Hemisphere, achieving notable economic success in recent years. GDP growth has averaged above 5 percent since 2021, outpacing regional peers and contributing to lower poverty and unemployment. Over the same period, public debt fell by an impressive 8 percentage points of GDP to below 60 percent of GDP. These successes are fruits of good macroeconomic policies, wide-ranging reforms in the context of becoming a member of the OECD, two successfully completed IMF-supported programs, and a strategic focus on exports and economic diversification. Growth is projected to remain strong at about 4 percent for 2025.
Inflation is showing encouraging signs of returning towards the inflation target,following decisive monetary policy easing by the BCCR. Having been near zero since mid-2024, headline inflation has begun to rise and is projected to reach the BCCR’s tolerance band in mid-2025 and the 3 percent target within a year. However, core inflation remains subdued and there are downside risks, primarily stemming from low inflation expectations becoming entrenched below the target. Upside risks could arise from possible commodity price increases and/or supply-side disruptions.
The BCCR’s forward-looking data-dependent approach has proven effective and its inflation targeting regime is working well. At the current monetary policy rate, inflation is expected to be 3 percent by 2026Q1. If the convergence of inflation to the 3 percent target weakens in the coming months, there is room for the BCCR to cut the policy rate further. Credit growth has been strong. If there are signs of excess credit growth especially associated with FX loans, macroprudential measures should be tightened to mitigate potential risks to financial stability.
It is important to further strengthen the BCCR’s autonomy, governance, and operational framework. This would be achieved by approving legislative proposals to improve BCCR governance, transparency, and accountability, and institutionalize the central bank’s de facto autonomy.
The exchange rate should be allowed to adjust more flexibly to market conditions. The BCCR accumulated US$ 920 million in international reserves during 2024, and reserve coverage is now comfortable by multiple metrics. A further accumulation of international reserves is unwarranted and would impose unnecessary costs over time. Moreover, frequent foreign exchange intervention can weaken monetary policy transmission and hinder foreign exchange market development. Concerted efforts including legal reforms are needed to deepen FX markets and strengthen the non-financial public sector’s ability to manage currency risks, reducing its reliance on the BCCR as an intermediary for FX transactions. Alongside the planned reform to restructure existing pension funds into generational funds, regulatory limits on foreign investments by local pension funds need to be updated. Adjustments to these limits should be phased in and supported by FX market development.
There is scope to further capitalize on the significant progress on financial sector oversight. Indicators of financial soundness remain comfortable, notwithstanding the resolution of two small non-bank financial institutions last year. These episodes highlighted the importance of a strong supervisory and resolution framework. The Legislative Assembly should, therefore, pass the proposed amendments to the bank resolution and deposit insurance law that would further strengthen supervisory and resolution powers and enhance the crisis management framework.
Although public debt fell to below 60 percent of GDP in 2024, the task of rebuilding fiscal space is not yet complete. The debt ratio fell in part due to some drawdown of cash balances and transfers of cash balances by decentralized and autonomous entities to the Treasury Single Account (which lowered financing needs). However, the primary surplus fell in 2024 due to temporary factors and the regrettable reductions of the vehicle property tax (marchamo) and corporate tax base. An unwinding of temporary factors is expected to help the primary balance rise to around 1½ percent of GDP this year. A higher primary balance is essential to bring debt down further, reduce interest costs, and create room for additional spending. While spending should be less than the ceiling permitted by the fiscal rule, the higher primary balance should still allow for some increases in priority areas like infrastructure, child and adult care (which will help boost female labor market participation), and investments in skills training for vulnerable groups (which will help reduce dependency on social assistance).
Tax reforms could improve the fairness and efficiency of the system while raising resources for both debt reduction and somewhat higher spending. However, revenue-increasing bills presented over the last five years that would also have increased progressivity and bolstered dynamism have not been viewed favorably by legislators. These have included proposals to reduce VAT and income tax exemptions (such as on the salario escolar and for lottery winnings) and to bring income from self-employment, salaries, and pensions under a single threshold while raising the top marginal rate. These bills warrant renewed consideration as higher revenues would allow faster increases in social and capital spending. At the same time, we are worried that various Legislative Assembly bills are reducing revenues.
Full implementation of the public employment bill and debt management reforms would improve spending quality and reduce interest costs. Legislative proposals aimed at amending the public employment law could significantly undermine progress in containing the public-sector wage bill. Institutions that have not yet fully implemented the public employment law should do so without further delay to ensure its benefits are broadened to beyond the central government. Legal reforms to permit access to international sovereign debt markets and grant the executive branch more flexibility in issuing external debt would also be valuable. There have been welcome improvements in the quality of government finance statistics, which are expected to be used in the setting of fiscal policies.
A comprehensive solution is needed to resolve the dispute between Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) over social security claims. The outstanding claim is due to an unfunded expansion of beneficiaries and CCSS’s unilateral decisions to raise the government’s contribution. Addressing this issue requires urgent improvements in the CCSS’s registry systems so as to allow for an accurate tracking of outlays and beneficiaries. Moreover, the CCSS and the MoF should clarify the scope of healthcare services and pension benefits that are currently covered by the budget while identifying additional funding sources as needed to ensure that the healthcare and pension systems are actuarially sound. Strengthening CCSS governance will be essential to ensure that any future changes to the social security system include a thorough assessment of the fiscal and labor market implications of such changes. There is also scope to enhance the accountability of the CCSS, the transparency of their operations, and the simplicity of the system, in line with international best practice. These reforms will be critical to safeguard the long-run sustainability of the social security system as the population ages.
Advancing supply-side reforms can help sustain Costa Rica’s impressive economic performance by addressing key bottlenecks to growth. To tackle skill shortages, particularly in high-tech industries, it is essential to accelerate efforts to reduce skills mismatches, align school curricula with industry needs, promote dual education (including apprenticeship programs) and bilingual education, and improve adult secondary education graduation rates. The recent reduction of the minimum contribution base for part-time workers has helped encourage formal employment but there is scope to lower the high tax wedge on labor, substituting for alternative revenue sources. Enhancing infrastructure quality and maintenance would further strengthen potential growth. In this regard, integrating climate considerations into public investment decisions is already making infrastructure more resilient against natural disasters. Given the substantial additional funding needed to upgrade infrastructure, approving and implementing the new legislation on public private partnerships is critical. Additionally, ongoing reforms to facilitate private-sector electricity provision, including diversification into non-hydroelectric renewables, will make electricity more affordable and less vulnerable to fluctuations in rainfall.
The IMF team is grateful to the Costa Rican authorities and other counterparts for the productive discussions and hospitality during the mission.
Costa Rica: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators
Projections
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Output and Prices
(Annual percentage change)
Real GDP
4.6
5.1
4.3
3.9
3.8
3.6
GDP deflator
6.3
-0.1
0.0
2.9
3.2
3.2
Consumer prices (period average)
8.3
0.5
-0.4
2.0
3.0
3.0
Savings and Investment
(In percent of GDP)
Gross domestic saving
14.4
13.8
14.3
14.1
14.1
14.3
Gross domestic investment
17.7
15.3
15.7
15.7
15.7
15.8
External Sector
Current account balance
-3.3
-1.4
-1.4
-1.6
-1.6
-1.5
Trade balance
-6.7
-3.7
-2.7
-3.0
-2.8
-3.1
Financial account balance
-2.5
-0.7
-0.7
-1.6
-1.5
-1.5
Foreign direct investment, net
-4.4
-4.3
-4.0
-5.3
-5.5
-5.4
Gross international reserves (millions of U.S. dollars)
8,724
13,261
14,181
15,056
16,077
16,827
External debt
50.7
43.3
38.6
35.5
33.3
30.9
Public Finances
Central government primary balance
2.1
1.6
1.1
1.5
1.6
1.7
Central government overall balance
-2.8
-3.2
-3.8
-3.0
-2.7
-2.3
Central government debt
63.0
61.1
59.8
59.4
58.4
57.1
Money and Credit
Credit to the private sector (percent change)
3.3
1.9
6.4
7.5
7.0
7.0
Monetary base 1/
8.0
7.9
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
Broad money
47.5
47.4
49.4
50.1
50.3
50.9
Memorandum Items
Nominal GDP (billions of colones) 2/
44,810
47,059
49,116
52,531
56,237
60,132
Output gap (as percent of potential GDP)
-0.3
1.0
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.2
GDP per capita (US$)
13,240
16,390
17,901
19,013
20,009
21,045
Unemployment rate
11.7
7.3
6.9
8.0
8.5
9.0
Sources: Central Bank of Costa Rica, and Fund staff estimates.
1/ Includes currency issued and required reserves.
2/ National account data reflect the revision of the benchmark year to 2017 for the chained volume measures, published in January 2021.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andre Spicer, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Bayes Business School, City St George’s, University of London
When Oscar-winning screenwriter William Goldman was asked whether it was possible to predict a hit film, he responded with three words that have become a Hollywood maxim: “Nobody knows anything.” He went on to explain that “not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what’s going to work”.
Although Goldman’s famous phrase might resonate through the film business, it doesn’t stop people cooking up theories around which films might succeed at the annual Academy of Motion Picture Awards. Over the years, a range of theories have appeared, including: Oscar winners are not always the best films; there is an Oscar-worthy format that winners follow; and that winning an Oscar is actually a long-term curse.
Although there is a great deal of speculation about such theories, it’s less clear what the evidence actually says about them. To find out, I took a look at the rapidly growing field of “Oscarology” – the scientific study of the Academy Awards.
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One common theory is that it is entirely predictable who the Oscars will go to. Interestingly, this seems to have some truth to it. One statistical analysis found that by tracking a range of factors, it was possible to predict the winner of the Academy Awards in the four major categories with an overall accuracy of 69%.
Nickel Boys, one of the best picture nominees.
Factors which go into making these predictions include whether the nominee won a Golden Globe or Directors Guild award, and their previous nominations for an Oscar. Past success is a strong indicator of future success, with one important exception: having previously won an Academy Award means a nominee for best actor or best actress is much less likely to win again.
A second theory is that winning an Oscar is a golden ticket to big financial rewards. This is indeed correct. A study found there is a substantial boost in US box office earnings following a win in the the best supporting actor/actress, best actor/actress and best picture categories.
Best picture nominee Conclave stars Ralph Fiennes, also nominated for best actor.
Further research has found that Oscar nominations really make a positive impact on box office receipts – while actually winning the award gives a more modest boost. Interestingly, winning an award does not always translate to success in other parts the world. One study found that Oscar winners that were comedies performed better in Asian markets, but dramas performed worse.
The next theory is the idea that Oscar winners follow a particular format. Researchers have indeed found there is an Oscar-worthy format which some filmmakers follow. The “Oscar bait” format uses genres like war movies, historical epics and biographies, as well as plot elements such as war crimes, disabilities, political intrigue and show business.
Mikey Madison, star of best picture nominee Anora, is also up for best actress.
However, making a film using this Oscar-worthy format is not a guarantee of success. Films employing this concept which were nominated for an award received significantly greater financial returns. However, those using the Oscar-bait format which missed out on a nomination typically made large losses.
Then comes the theory that winning an Oscar is more about the quality of networks rather than the quality of the film. Again, there is some truth to this. Researchers have found that one way to improve the chances of winning an Oscar is to be part of film industry networks and work alongside people who have already won awards.
As well as a best picture nomination, Wicked’s Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are also nominated.
There are some indicators that Oscars do not necessarily go to the best-quality movies. One analysis which compared Oscar winners to lists of 100 best movies of all time found that only 26% of films which appeared on all three main lists of best movies were also Oscar winners.
This research also notes that some movies which are staples of lists of classic movies (such as Singing in the Rain) were not even nominated for the best picture Oscar. What this suggests is that winning an Oscar does not always mean a film will be seen as a classic – and vice versa.
Best picture nominee I’m Still Here sees Brazilian Fernanda Torres nominated for best actress.
The final theory is that there is an “Oscar curse” – that winning an Oscar leads to personal and professional tragedy. This theory is largely incorrect. Researchers have found that Oscar winners live about one year longer than their less successful peers. Others have found that winning an Academy Award leads to greater professional success, with Oscar winners and nominees appearing in more films than their non-winning peers.
However, one area of truth in the idea of an Oscar curse is for men in their personal lives. Nominees and winners of the best actor award had a higher divorce rate than their peers.
Theories around the Oscars may prove to be not entirely correct – but they do provide a useful approximation of which films will triumph. Past performance, social networks and formula-following all seem to be good indicators of who will succeed. Perhaps Goldman’s advice that “no one knows anything” is not entirely true.
Andre Spicer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
A total of 23 years in prison for a former Brookside actor and his associates has been awarded this afternoon.
Former Brookside actor Philip Foster and eight associates have today (28 February 2025) been sentenced for their part in a £13.6 million fraud that ran for over eight years.
The sentences handed down at Sheffield Crown Court today are the result of an over 6-year investigation by National Trading Standards, whose work uncovered an extensive network of sham modelling agencies that cruelly exploited the dreams of aspiring young models and their parents.
Foster was the ringleader of the operation. He orchestrated the fraud from Spain, using a network of associates based in England who operated a string of sham modelling agencies and photography studios in cities across the country, including London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Coventry, and Nottingham.
More than 6,000 victims were deceived by the group – mainly young people and mothers – who ended up parting with substantial amounts of money under the false promise of securing paid modelling work.
The fraud worked by setting up a photographic studio in the area and running a social media advertising campaign. People who responded were given the false impression that a model agency was interested in them, with emails telling them they had potential. Victims were then invited to a ‘free’ test shoot at the photographic studio, which turned out to be a ruse to try to extort money out of them.
At the test shoot, victims were given a studio experience, handed glossy brochures and told how successful other people had been. They would then be told that they passed their studio test and that modelling agencies were interested, but they needed to purchase their portfolio photographs from the studio in order to join an agency and become an agency model.
Victims were duped by the group who, between them, gave a good impression of running successful model businesses and lied to them about their potential. Millions of pounds were taken from aspiring models, with some coerced into financing the upfront payment through credit deals arranged by the fraudsters or taking out expensive payday loans.
Instead, victims received poor quality digital photographs that stood no real chance of landing them professional jobs. Virtually none of the victims received any paid modelling work.
The sham agencies were often dissolved after short periods, rebranded repeatedly to avoid detection, and paid no tax. Money from the scam was laundered through UK bank accounts before being transferred to Spain or carried in cash on commercial flights by co-conspirators.
The investigation traced substantial sums to Foster, who lived in luxury abroad and purchased high-end watches and cars with the proceeds of the fraud. The investigation heard how many victims, left financially and emotionally devastated, described feeling humiliated and betrayed. Some experienced lasting distress that affected their confidence, wellbeing and their ability to trust others.
The sentences, which were handed down today in the absence of Philip Foster, who is currently living in Spain, are as follows:
Philip Foster, aged 49, Edificio Marina Mariola, Marbella, Spain, sentenced to 8.5 years for conspiracies to defraud
Michael Foster, aged 27, Snowdon Lane, Liverpool, sentenced to 3.5 years for conspiracy to defraud
Paul Evans, aged 39, no known address, sentenced to 3.5 years for offences related to money laundering
Jamie Peters, aged 52, Pentland Place, Warrington, sentenced to 24 months, suspended for 2 years, for conspiracy to defraud
Lisa Foster, aged 42, Manchester Road, Astley, sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
Emily Newall, aged 29, Bolton Road, Kearsley, Greater Manchester, sentenced to 10 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
Atif Qadar, aged 44, Larkswood Drive, Crowthorne, sentenced to 12 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
Paul Fleury, aged 57, Manchester Road, Swinton, Manchester, sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
Aslihan Foster aged 39, Tredington Road, Coventry, sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for an offence related to money laundering
Today’s sentencing follows over 6 years of investigative work by the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, hosted by North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council, including forensic analysis of financial transactions, thousands of consumer complaints, and witness testimony from victims. The team was supported by the National Trading Standards South West Regional Investigations Team, hosted by Bristol City Council.
Judge Dixon, said:
“The business worked on the basis of greed taking what they could where they could. Some people were so convinced by the level of deception that they took out payday loans, which gives a clear indication as to how manipulative and cynical the fraud was. It was horrible, despicable, dishonest behaviour and every single one of you deserves to go to prison.
“The officers have carried out an exceptional job to bring these defendants to justice. It was not straightforward or easy. This investigation was conducted with particular skill. A commendation should be made on the basis of the skill deployed.”
Lord Bichard, Chair of the National Trading Standards, said:
“Foster’s cruel exploits left thousands of victims in serious debt, causing lasting emotional distress and significant financial pressures.
“Today’s sentences are an important reminder to would-be criminals that Trading Standards officers across the country are determined to clamp down on fraud, protecting victims and bringing criminals to justice.
“I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of similar scams to report it to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.”
Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member with responsibility for Trading Standards at City of York Council, said:
Today’s sentencing follows years of highly effective trading standards investigative work. Mr Foster and his associates made millions by exploiting the hopes of young people, leaving a trail of broken dreams and financial hardship. I urge everyone to question any modelling contract which demands money up front, and hope that the young people and families affected can now move on to a brighter future, whichever path they choose.”
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member Cllr Greg White, whose responsibilities include Trading Standards, said:
“Foster and his fellow scammers cruelly exploited young hopefuls trying to break into one of the most competitive industries. In some cases, parents borrowed money or sacrificed savings, believing they were investing in their children’s futures.
“I urge anyone searching online for modelling opportunities to remember that legitimate agencies don’t ask for money upfront, it’s often only scam agencies who push expensive photoshoots as a pre-requisite to getting work.”
ALBUQUERQUE – A To’Hajiilee man was sentenced to 72 months in prisonfor voluntary manslaughter in connection with the death of John Doe in May 2022.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on May 27, 2022, Cole Ray Shorty, 21, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, went to John Doe’s residence bringing other people with him including a juvenile. Upon arrival, Shorty found John Doe sitting in his car outside his residence.
Shorty approached Doe’s car and opened the back door. In response, Doe exited the vehicle with a bat and a struggle ensued. Doe was taken to the ground and was disarmed of the bat. Instead of leaving the scene, Shorty struck Doe in the head with the bat, leaving him injured and unconscious at the scene.
John Doe died from their injuries at the University of New Mexico Hospital on May 30, 2022. The Office of the Medical Inspector confirmed that the cause of death was blunt head trauma and classified it as a homicide.
Upon his release from prison, Shorty will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee, Zachary Jones, Mark Probasco, and Meg Tomlinson prosecuted the case.
CLEVELAND, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OnStation, the leading provider of live digital stationing solutions for the heavy highway industry, announced today a new product that prioritizes jobsite worker safety. Active Worksite™ allows all OnStation App users to notify the traveling public of “workers ahead” using connected navigation apps powered by an integration with iCone. This new technology introduces a never-before-seen alert for drivers and communicates the urgency of slowing down in construction zones where workers are present.
Available in March 2025, the product sends fully anonymized worker location data to iCone who then relays the information to statewide traffic safety data feeds and popular navigation apps in real time. When Active Worksite™ is toggled on by an OnStation App user who is within 130 feet of a stationed project alignment centerline, drivers will receive an alert within their driving apps like Waze, connected OEM navigation systems and other display dashboards. The OnStation system does not share the user’s location when disabled and is not intended to be used for tracking purposes with other entities on the OnStation system. The user experience for the traveling public is similar to current notifications for speed zones, debris on roadway, and stalled cars. When drivers realize humans are present, they are more likely to slow down and watch for workers.
Unlike conventional Temporary Traffic Control (TTC) guidelines found in Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) plans, which are meticulously crafted months ahead with fixed construction timelines, OnStation’s approach dynamically adapts to the real-time presence of workers, ensuring seamless and safe operations throughout the project. Because the road worker initiates the action in the OnStation App, essentially creating a live beacon, drivers will see a new, more relevant alert, one that is especially impactful during unexpected hours on nights and weekends. Active Worksite™ can also be activated in cases where the work is impromptu, in the absence of a stationed centerline, such as shoulders where road maintenance crews are removing roadkill or repairing roadway features.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, more than half of all highway worker fatalities at road construction sites in 2022 involved a worker on foot being struck by a vehicle. Further, 2023 data shows the construction industry accounts for the highest total number of fatal work injuries in the private sector, and the third highest fatality rate per 100,000 workers at 9.6.
“It’s time for a behavior change,” says Nate Till from Brooks Construction. “The injury and fatality data for roadway construction is daunting. If we can get the average driver to understand there are hard working men and women coming up ahead in the roadway, it humanizes the problem and gets people to change their behavior. We know that speed zone alerts work by getting people to slow down and avoid tickets. Now, with Active Worksite™, we can get people to slow down in construction zones before it’s too late.” Brooks Construction, an existing OnStation customer, has already purchased the product.
Active Worksite™ is available for a flat fee in addition to purchases of any OnStation license type. Visit onstationapp.com for more information about OnStation and its solutions.
About OnStation
OnStation is a collaborative digital stationing platform that offers location-based project records from bid to close. Specifically designed for the heavy highway industry, OnStation’s mobile app centralizes communication, boosts productivity, enhances worker safety, and improves project quality. Users benefit from live jobsite stationing, milepost, and LRS capabilities. They can overlay design layers on the project map and communicate via a custom chat platform that organizes and records project events at their locations. OnStation is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and is supported on all desktop systems.
A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.
The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.
San José:An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team, led by Mr. Ding Ding, held the 2025 Article IV consultation with the Costa Rican authorities during February 18-28. At the conclusion of the discussions, Mr. Ding issued the following statement:
Costa Rica is one of the fastest-growing economies in the Western Hemisphere, achieving notable economic success in recent years. GDP growth has averaged above 5 percent since 2021, outpacing regional peers and contributing to lower poverty and unemployment. Over the same period, public debt fell by an impressive 8 percentage points of GDP to below 60 percent of GDP. These successes are fruits of good macroeconomic policies, wide-ranging reforms in the context of becoming a member of the OECD, two successfully completed IMF-supported programs, and a strategic focus on exports and economic diversification. Growth is projected to remain strong at about 4 percent for 2025.
Inflation is showing encouraging signs of returning towards the inflation target,following decisive monetary policy easing by the BCCR. Having been near zero since mid-2024, headline inflation has begun to rise and is projected to reach the BCCR’s tolerance band in mid-2025 and the 3 percent target within a year. However, core inflation remains subdued and there are downside risks, primarily stemming from low inflation expectations becoming entrenched below the target. Upside risks could arise from possible commodity price increases and/or supply-side disruptions.
The BCCR’s forward-looking data-dependent approach has proven effective and its inflation targeting regime is working well. At the current monetary policy rate, inflation is expected to be 3 percent by 2026Q1. If the convergence of inflation to the 3 percent target weakens in the coming months, there is room for the BCCR to cut the policy rate further. Credit growth has been strong. If there are signs of excess credit growth especially associated with FX loans, macroprudential measures should be tightened to mitigate potential risks to financial stability.
It is important to further strengthen the BCCR’s autonomy, governance, and operational framework. This would be achieved by approving legislative proposals to improve BCCR governance, transparency, and accountability, and institutionalize the central bank’s de facto autonomy.
The exchange rate should be allowed to adjust more flexibly to market conditions. The BCCR accumulated US$ 920 million in international reserves during 2024, and reserve coverage is now comfortable by multiple metrics. A further accumulation of international reserves is unwarranted and would impose unnecessary costs over time. Moreover, frequent foreign exchange intervention can weaken monetary policy transmission and hinder foreign exchange market development. Concerted efforts including legal reforms are needed to deepen FX markets and strengthen the non-financial public sector’s ability to manage currency risks, reducing its reliance on the BCCR as an intermediary for FX transactions. Alongside the planned reform to restructure existing pension funds into generational funds, regulatory limits on foreign investments by local pension funds need to be updated. Adjustments to these limits should be phased in and supported by FX market development.
There is scope to further capitalize on the significant progress on financial sector oversight. Indicators of financial soundness remain comfortable, notwithstanding the resolution of two small non-bank financial institutions last year. These episodes highlighted the importance of a strong supervisory and resolution framework. The Legislative Assembly should, therefore, pass the proposed amendments to the bank resolution and deposit insurance law that would further strengthen supervisory and resolution powers and enhance the crisis management framework.
Although public debt fell to below 60 percent of GDP in 2024, the task of rebuilding fiscal space is not yet complete. The debt ratio fell in part due to some drawdown of cash balances and transfers of cash balances by decentralized and autonomous entities to the Treasury Single Account (which lowered financing needs). However, the primary surplus fell in 2024 due to temporary factors and the regrettable reductions of the vehicle property tax (marchamo) and corporate tax base. An unwinding of temporary factors is expected to help the primary balance rise to around 1½ percent of GDP this year. A higher primary balance is essential to bring debt down further, reduce interest costs, and create room for additional spending. While spending should be less than the ceiling permitted by the fiscal rule, the higher primary balance should still allow for some increases in priority areas like infrastructure, child and adult care (which will help boost female labor market participation), and investments in skills training for vulnerable groups (which will help reduce dependency on social assistance).
Tax reforms could improve the fairness and efficiency of the system while raising resources for both debt reduction and somewhat higher spending. However, revenue-increasing bills presented over the last five years that would also have increased progressivity and bolstered dynamism have not been viewed favorably by legislators. These have included proposals to reduce VAT and income tax exemptions (such as on the salario escolar and for lottery winnings) and to bring income from self-employment, salaries, and pensions under a single threshold while raising the top marginal rate. These bills warrant renewed consideration as higher revenues would allow faster increases in social and capital spending. At the same time, we are worried that various Legislative Assembly bills are reducing revenues.
Full implementation of the public employment bill and debt management reforms would improve spending quality and reduce interest costs. Legislative proposals aimed at amending the public employment law could significantly undermine progress in containing the public-sector wage bill. Institutions that have not yet fully implemented the public employment law should do so without further delay to ensure its benefits are broadened to beyond the central government. Legal reforms to permit access to international sovereign debt markets and grant the executive branch more flexibility in issuing external debt would also be valuable. There have been welcome improvements in the quality of government finance statistics, which are expected to be used in the setting of fiscal policies.
A comprehensive solution is needed to resolve the dispute between Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) over social security claims. The outstanding claim is due to an unfunded expansion of beneficiaries and CCSS’s unilateral decisions to raise the government’s contribution. Addressing this issue requires urgent improvements in the CCSS’s registry systems so as to allow for an accurate tracking of outlays and beneficiaries. Moreover, the CCSS and the MoF should clarify the scope of healthcare services and pension benefits that are currently covered by the budget while identifying additional funding sources as needed to ensure that the healthcare and pension systems are actuarially sound. Strengthening CCSS governance will be essential to ensure that any future changes to the social security system include a thorough assessment of the fiscal and labor market implications of such changes. There is also scope to enhance the accountability of the CCSS, the transparency of their operations, and the simplicity of the system, in line with international best practice. These reforms will be critical to safeguard the long-run sustainability of the social security system as the population ages.
Advancing supply-side reforms can help sustain Costa Rica’s impressive economic performance by addressing key bottlenecks to growth. To tackle skill shortages, particularly in high-tech industries, it is essential to accelerate efforts to reduce skills mismatches, align school curricula with industry needs, promote dual education (including apprenticeship programs) and bilingual education, and improve adult secondary education graduation rates. The recent reduction of the minimum contribution base for part-time workers has helped encourage formal employment but there is scope to lower the high tax wedge on labor, substituting for alternative revenue sources. Enhancing infrastructure quality and maintenance would further strengthen potential growth. In this regard, integrating climate considerations into public investment decisions is already making infrastructure more resilient against natural disasters. Given the substantial additional funding needed to upgrade infrastructure, approving and implementing the new legislation on public private partnerships is critical. Additionally, ongoing reforms to facilitate private-sector electricity provision, including diversification into non-hydroelectric renewables, will make electricity more affordable and less vulnerable to fluctuations in rainfall.
The IMF team is grateful to the Costa Rican authorities and other counterparts for the productive discussions and hospitality during the mission.
Costa Rica: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators
Projections
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Output and Prices
(Annual percentage change)
Real GDP
4.6
5.1
4.3
3.9
3.8
3.6
GDP deflator
6.3
-0.1
0.0
2.9
3.2
3.2
Consumer prices (period average)
8.3
0.5
-0.4
2.0
3.0
3.0
Savings and Investment
(In percent of GDP)
Gross domestic saving
14.4
13.8
14.3
14.1
14.1
14.3
Gross domestic investment
17.7
15.3
15.7
15.7
15.7
15.8
External Sector
Current account balance
-3.3
-1.4
-1.4
-1.6
-1.6
-1.5
Trade balance
-6.7
-3.7
-2.7
-3.0
-2.8
-3.1
Financial account balance
-2.5
-0.7
-0.7
-1.6
-1.5
-1.5
Foreign direct investment, net
-4.4
-4.3
-4.0
-5.3
-5.5
-5.4
Gross international reserves (millions of U.S. dollars)
8,724
13,261
14,181
15,056
16,077
16,827
External debt
50.7
43.3
38.6
35.5
33.3
30.9
Public Finances
Central government primary balance
2.1
1.6
1.1
1.5
1.6
1.7
Central government overall balance
-2.8
-3.2
-3.8
-3.0
-2.7
-2.3
Central government debt
63.0
61.1
59.8
59.4
58.4
57.1
Money and Credit
Credit to the private sector (percent change)
3.3
1.9
6.4
7.5
7.0
7.0
Monetary base 1/
8.0
7.9
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
Broad money
47.5
47.4
49.4
50.1
50.3
50.9
Memorandum Items
Nominal GDP (billions of colones) 2/
44,810
47,059
49,116
52,531
56,237
60,132
Output gap (as percent of potential GDP)
-0.3
1.0
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.2
GDP per capita (US$)
13,240
16,390
17,901
19,013
20,009
21,045
Unemployment rate
11.7
7.3
6.9
8.0
8.5
9.0
Sources: Central Bank of Costa Rica, and Fund staff estimates.
1/ Includes currency issued and required reserves.
2/ National account data reflect the revision of the benchmark year to 2017 for the chained volume measures, published in January 2021.
Montgomery, Ala. – On February 27, 2025, a federal judge sentenced 46-year-old Vanshun Traywick, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama, to 288 months in prison following his conviction on drug conspiracy charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson.
According to court records and evidence presented during Traywick’s trial, in 2020, law enforcement began an investigation related to a suspected drug-trafficking operation bringing cocaine from Texas to Montgomery. The investigation revealed that Traywick ordered kilogram quantities of cocaine from a co-conspirator, 45-year-old Michael Golden, from Houston, Texas. The cocaine would be delivered to Montgomery by another co-conspirator, Rufus Flanagan, 57, also from Houston. On October 20, 2020, law enforcement in Montgomery conducted a traffic stop of a semi-truck driven by Flanagan. Upon searching the vehicle, officers found a bag with approximately one kilogram of cocaine inside.
In addition to arranging for the purchase of large quantities of cocaine from Golden, the investigation also revealed that, on October 13, 2020, Traywick purchased two ounces of cocaine from another co-conspirator, 51-year-old Deneco Nettles, also from Montgomery. The jury found Traywick guilty on two counts of conspiracy to distribute cocaine after a trial that concluded on September 25, 2024.
Last year, Golden, Flanagan, and Nettles all pleaded guilty to federal drug conspiracy charges. On June 18, 2024, Nettles received a sentence of 18 months in prison. In December of 2024, Flanagan received a 27-month sentence. Golden’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 8, 2025.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and Montgomery Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Wilson, Mark E. Andreu, and Justin L. Jones prosecuted the case.
ATHENS, Ga. – A Georgia man with a lengthy criminal history in the Athens-Clarke County community was found guilty this week at trial of armed fentanyl trafficking.
Dwan Maurice Hewlett, aka “LA,” 41, of Hull, Georgia, was found guilty of all six counts charged in the indictment: one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hewlett is a federal career offender and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison.
The trial began on Feb. 24 and concluded on the evening of Feb. 26. U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III presided over the trial. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Career offenders arming themselves and pushing fentanyl into our communities will find their criminal cases in federal court,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “I applaud local and federal law enforcement for their tireless efforts to track down repeat criminals and bring them to justice.”
“Cases like these exemplify the value of partnerships between local, state and federal agencies. This armed career criminal will no longer be selling the dangerous drug fentanyl in our community,” said Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters. “I am incredibly proud of the ACCPD Officers and Detectives who worked with partnering agencies on this case. We will continue to prioritize keeping violent criminals out of our community. I would like to thank our partners for their continuous efforts in keeping our community safe.”
“The FBI works tirelessly to get dangerous criminals like Dwan Hewlett and the drugs he sold off the streets of Georgia,” said FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Ozden. “Hewlett will now have decades in prison to consider his past actions.”
“Drug traffickers exploit vulnerable members of our community to generate profits,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Atlanta Division. “The success of this investigation is proof that those destroying our communities with drugs and violence will be held accountable.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) detectives had a confidential informant place a phone call to Hewlett to purchase fentanyl. Hewlett agreed to meet the informant at an Athens gas station on Danielsville Road. When Hewlett arrived at the gas station, ACCPD officers boxed his vehicle in and exited their undercover vehicles wearing “POLICE” marked body armor. Officers gave loud commands for Hewlett to get out of his car. Hewlett looked up, saw the police and immediately began making furtive movements reaching under the seat. He then exited his vehicle, ignored the verbal commands and started running toward Danielsville Road at the intersection of Freeman Drive. Hewlett was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit.
Officers searched his vehicle and found a .380 pistol under the driver’s seat where Hewlett was seen reaching and numerous tied corner baggies containing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine for distribution. In all, officers found 133.51 grams of fentanyl, 58.31 grams of methamphetamine, 9.783 grams of cocaine and 16 grams of cocaine base. A search of Hewlett’s cell phones located in the car contained many drug-related messages and photos. Hewlett has a lengthy prior criminal history, which includes three prior convictions in the Clarke County Superior Court for serious drug offenses and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, with assistance from the FBI Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, DEA and ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Edmonton continues to thrive and is quickly becoming a key destination in Canada and North America to visit, live and work. To help the city to meet the demands of a growing population, the Government of Alberta has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the City of Edmonton and OEGSE.
The MOU would help the city achieve its vision to develop an event park and public realm space fully connected to Rogers Place in Edmonton’s ICE District, unlock more housing in the downtown core, and would also support site servicing for the Village at ICE District and demolition of the old Coliseum at Exhibition Lands. Discussions between the Government of Alberta, City of Edmonton, and OEGSE are ongoing as further details are worked out. The province’s Budget 2025 allocates funding for this project, should a final agreement be struck among all three partners.
“Alberta’s government is proud to be partnering with the City of Edmonton and OEG Sports & Entertainment on this exciting plan to support world-class facilities and services and revitalize downtown Edmonton. This agreement would ensure that Edmonton continues to be one of Canada’s and North America’s leading entertainment and event districts.”
These priority projects will support much-needed housing development, provide residents and visitors with year-round access to sports, culture and entertainment activities, as well as improve safety and build 2,500 new units of diverse housing types. The total cost for all projects is $408.2 million, which will be shared among all three partners.
As part of this ongoing work, the City of Edmonton has released a report that outlines options to extend the end date for the Capital City Downtown Community Revitalization Levy (CRL) beyond 2034. This report contains new catalyst projects including public infrastructure site servicing for the Village at ICE District housing development and a proposed event park that would be funded through the CRL. The event park is estimated to add over $70 million to the local gross domestic product (GDP) and up to 1,400 jobs throughout the construction phase.
“This investment will boost our economy and solidify Edmonton’s status as a global events hub. I’m pleased the Government of Alberta is investing in our city. Municipalities need provincial support to manage record growth, and this funding will support diverse housing projects, including needed affordable housing.”
“We are proud of our work to date with the development of Rogers Place and the surrounding facilities, which have become catalytic drivers of investment and development in Edmonton’s downtown core, and we look forward to building on that success through this new agreement. This agreement is a significant step in the right direction toward creating great public spaces that will add to the community programming, activity and vibrancy of downtown Edmonton, and will bring public infrastructure investment to encourage development of much-needed housing in our city.”
Alberta’s government, the City of Edmonton and OEGSE will make a more formal announcement in the days to come.
Between Oct. 24, 2024, and Jan. 8, 2025, Strathcona County RCMP responded to a series of five robbery incidents involving a masked suspect. The robberies occurred at the 7-Eleven locations on Clover Bar Road and Wye Road, and the Circle K convenience store on Ridgemont Way in Sherwood Park. In December 2024, two additional robberies occurred at 7-Eleven locations in Edmonton and were initially investigated by the Edmonton Police Service (EPS).
Through strong co-operation and information sharing between the RCMP and EPS Robbery Unit, these incidents were determined to be connected. In each case, the suspect stole cigarettes before fleeing either on foot or in a vehicle. Fortunately, no employees were physically harmed during the robberies and a suspect was identified.
On Jan. 24, 2025, Strathcona County RCMP GIS, Strathcona County RCMP Crime Reduction Unit and RCMP Police Dog Service executed a residential search warrant in rural Strathcona County and arrested the suspect.
A 26-year-old individual, a resident of Sherwood Park, is facing the following charges:
Robbery (x5)
Disguise with intent (x2)
Fail to comply (x2)
Following a judicial interim release hearing, the individual was remanded into custody to appear in Alberta Court of Justice in Sherwood Park on Jan. 29, 2025.
RCMP is committed to enhancing public safety through strong collaboration with various law enforcement agencies. These collaborations enable sharing of intelligence, resources, and specialized expertise, allowing for a more coordinated response to crime. If you have information regarding this event or any other suspicious or illegal activity please contact Strathcona County RCMP at 780-467-7741. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online atwww.P3Tips.comor by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.
On Jan. 6, 2025, Slave Lake RCMP were made aware of a video that was being circulated in the community, which depicted an individual holding a firearm up to another person.
Following a thorough investigation, Slave Lake RCMP were able to identify the individuals in the video and on Jan. 30, 2025, an arrest was made.
A 56-year-old individual, a resident of Camrose, Alta., has been charged with the following offences:
Assault with a weapon
Pointing a firearm
Uttering threats
Possession of weapon for dangerous purpose
Unauthorized possession of firearm
Possession of firearm in motor vehicle
The individual was taken before a justice of the peace and was released on a release order with conditions and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 26, 2025 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Slave Lake.
VICTORIA – Workers and communities throughout B.C. are benefiting from Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) supported projects that reduce wildfire risk and increase fibre supply, keeping local mills and energy plants running in the face of U.S. tariff threats and unjustified softwood lumber duties.
With $28 million from the Province, FESBC is supporting 43 new and expanded fibre-recovery projects and 31 new and expanded wildfire-mitigation projects.
“In tough times, I want workers in our forest sector to know I’ve got their back,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “Whether it’s better utilizing existing sources of fibre or helping protect communities from wildfire, the projects are supporting workers and companies as they develop new and innovative forest practices.”
Projects are taking place in all eight of the Province’s natural resource regions, helping create jobs, reducing wildfire risk and supporting B.C.’s pulp and biomass sector. They will be complete by the end of March 2025, in advance of wildfire season.
Fibre-recovery projects take wood fibre that would otherwise be burned or abandoned and put it in the hands of mills and forestry companies that can use it, helping keep forestry workers on the job. Through the Province’s continued investment in FESBC, the projects they support have delivered 44,000 logging truckloads worth of fibre out of the bush since April 2024. That fibre would once have been burned in slash piles and is instead creating jobs and revenue for local businesses.
“These projects are putting local businesses and people to work reducing wildfire risk and recovering fibre for local pulp mills, and pellet and energy plants,” said Jason Fisher, executive director, FESBC. “FESBC received strong proposals from across the province and we are pleased to support this strong group of proponents in their forest-management activities.”
Government continues to take action to support the forest sector in the face of U.S. softwood lumber duties and tariff threats, including through the recently formed Softwood Lumber Advisory Council, streamlining the permitting process and continuing to advocate to the federal government.
Quick Facts:
Founded in 2016, FESBC is fully funded by the Province to support forestry projects at the community level.
As part of Budget 2024, B.C. announced FESBC would get an additional $60 million over three years to continue community-focused wildfire risk-reduction and fuel-management projects, as well as improving utilization of biomass from harvested timber.
Since 2016, $79.6 million has been invested in 201 community wildfire risk-reduction projects through FESBC.
Learn More:
For information about fibre-supply and wildfire-mitigation projects, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/FESBCNewExpandedFunding.pdf
February 28, 2025 Federal Reserve Board begins 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances For release at 11:00 a.m. EST
The Federal Reserve Board in March will begin its regular study of household finances, the Survey of Consumer Finances, which provides the public and policymakers with detailed and important insights into the economic condition of American families. “This survey is an important source of information on the financial well-being of American families,” Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell said in a letter to prospective survey participants. “Our most recent survey, which took place in 2022, has been important to understanding the different ways that American families experienced the unusual economic conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.” The data collected will provide a representative picture of what Americans own—from houses and cars to stocks and bonds—how and how much they borrow, and how they bank, as well as their feelings about their economic situation and that of the United States more broadly. Past study results have contributed to policy discussions regarding the evolution of housing as a key component of wealth, the recovery of households from the Great Recession, changes in the kinds and amount of credit used by families, and a broad range of other issues. The current version of the survey has been undertaken every three years since 1983. It is being conducted through December of this year and for the Board by NORC, a social science research organization at the University of Chicago. Participants in the study are chosen at random from 119 geographic areas, including metropolitan areas and rural counties across the United States, using a scientific sampling procedure. A representative of NORC contacts each potential participant personally to explain the study and request time for an interview. Individual survey responses are kept strictly confidential. NORC uses names and addresses only for the administration of the survey and must destroy that identifying information at the close of the study. NORC is forbidden from giving the names and addresses of participants to anyone at the Federal Reserve or elsewhere, and that information is permanently destroyed after the survey is completed. Summary results for the 2025 study will be published in late 2026 after all data from the survey have been assessed and analyzed. The letter from Chair Powell will be mailed in mid-March to approximately 13,000 households urging their participation in the study. For media inquiries, please e-mail [email protected] or call 202-452-2955.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla Announces LA Fire Captain, Union Leader Frank Líma as Guest for 2025 Presidential Address
Padilla and Líma survey the devastation of the Los Angeles fires [January 8, 2025] Additional photos of Senator Padilla and Captain Líma are available here.WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Wildfire Caucus, announced that Frank Líma, a longtime Los Angeles City fire captain and firefighter union leader, will be his guest at President Trump’s 2025 Address to a Joint Session of Congress. Líma serves as the 12th General Secretary-Treasurer of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and is a past president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, IAFF Local 112. Captain Líma was recently on the frontlines in the fight against the devastating Los Angeles fires in January.
“Captain Frank Líma has dedicated his life to protecting Los Angeles residents as a firefighter and labor leader. As Secretary-Treasurer of the International Association of Fire Fighters, he fights tirelessly for the fair treatment and pay of the brave firefighters who risk their lives to keep our communities safe,” said Senator Padilla. “We recently witnessed Captain Líma’s leadership and dedication, as he heroically sprang into action during last month’s fires in Los Angeles, putting his life on the line to save lives, homes, and businesses. As President Trump outlines his priorities for our country, we want to make clear that Los Angeles County cannot be forgotten. The community faces a long road to recovery and we need a fully staffed and supported firefighting workforce and federal support without conditions. But thanks to heroes like Captain Líma and so many other firefighters and first responders, our communities will get through this, together.”
“As we work to rebuild communities across Los Angeles, I am honored to join Senator Padilla as his guest to continue to put the spotlight on supporting our firefighters and our community,” said Captain Frank V. Líma. “Growing up in Los Angeles, I have lived out my lifelong dream of working as a union firefighter for our city. I have been proud to stand up for the rights of my sisters and brothers as an active Los Angeles City fire captain, current IAFF General Secretary Treasurer, and past President of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City. Firefighters were in a fight for their lives last month against the once-in-a-generation fire that tore through our city — and we need all the federal support possible to help us recover. Los Angeles firefighters and Senator Padilla have always had the backs of our communities, and we need our country to do the same.”
Growing up in Los Angeles, California, Líma has dedicated his life to family, firefighting, and organized labor. He worked three jobs in his life — all union jobs — as a truck driver, a building trades carpenter apprentice, and a firefighter for the Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD), which he joined in 1992.
Líma began his career as a proud Los Angeles City Local 112 union fire fighter at the age of 19, working at one of the busiest stations in the nation. He rose through the ranks of the LAFD as a firefighter, apparatus operator, engine captain, and for the past 20 plus years, a truck company captain. He worked in specialized companies, including hazardous materials and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR). He was deployed to New York City on September 11 to work as a rescue worker at ground zero after the terrorist attacks, along with another deployment to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Now, in his third decade of service, Líma continues to be active in the field, picking up shifts at fire stations throughout Los Angeles. Líma’s work on the frontlines during floods and wildland disasters has provided much-needed disaster relief assistance to IAFF families.
Líma was elected to the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC) Local 112 Executive Board as a director, vice president, lead negotiator, and eventually president in 2012. He also served as a vice president for the California Professional Firefighters (CPF). He has served for over 12 years as an elected Executive Board vice president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, and continues to be active on the California State Board of Fire Services, a Board that he was appointed to by both Governor Brown and Governor Newsom. He still serves as a principal member of the NFPA 1710 Technical Committee for career fire fighters. He was also elected to serve as the secretary of the California Electoral College by his peers.
As Californians and Angelenos begin their recovery and rebuilding from the devastating fires, Líma will continue advocating for the communities he fought to protect and the firefighters who put everything on the line to save businesses, homes, and lives. As the past Union President for United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, he continues working for safer working conditions and better benefits for firefighters.
Senator Padilla has fought relentlessly to secure and protect Southern Californians’ access to desperately needed disaster relief aid. In the immediate aftermath of the Los Angeles fires, Padilla and Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) led 47 bipartisan members of the California Congressional delegation in successfully urging President Biden to grant Governor Gavin Newsom’s request for a major disaster declaration to expedite timely relief to Los Angeles County residents impacted by these disasters. Padilla also delivered remarks on the Senate floor urging his Republican colleagues and President Trump to provide essential disaster recovery aid to California without conditioning it on the passage of partisan legislation.
Earlier this month, Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation to create a national Wildfire Intelligence Center to streamline federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combat wildfires. He also announced a package of three bipartisan bills to bolster fire resilience and proactive mitigation efforts, including the Wildfire Emergency Act, the Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act, and the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act. Last month, Padilla introduced another suite of bipartisan bills to strengthen wildfire recovery and resilience, including the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act to protect firefighter pay.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Avery Fuller (30, Washington D.C.) to 19 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robberies in New Jersey and Florida and brandishing a firearm during the robberies. Fuller pleaded guilty on October 29, 2024.
According to court documents, Fuller and his co-conspirators planned and executed a series of jewelry store robberies in New Jersey, Florida, and the District of Columbia. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, the group targeted predominantly South Asian jewelry stores along the east coast. Wearing disguises and armed with firearms, they used hammers to smash jewelry display cases and steal valuable items. These stores were specifically chosen because they sold high-purity gold, which yielded higher proceeds when sold for cash.
On June 10, 2022, Fuller, along with Trevor Wright, William Hunter, Franklin Hunter, Davon Johnson, and at least four other co-conspirators, committed an armed robbery of Virani Jewelers, located at 1394 Oaktree Road in Iselin, New Jersey. The group left Washington, D.C., at approximately 12:09 p.m., and traveled together in three separate vehicles. At approximately 7:45 p.m., Fuller and his co-conspirators arrived at Virani, exited their vehicles, and ran into the store wearing masks.
Once inside the store, Fuller and his co-conspirators pointed firearms at store employees. Two of the co-conspirators immediately forced at least two employees to the ground at gunpoint. Hunter and another co-conspirator used hammers to smash the display cases throughout the store and one of the store’s cameras. One co-conspirator pointed his firearm at the back of an employee’s head, pushed her to the back of the store, and commanded her to open the vault. Other co-conspirators shoveled gold jewelry into bags before exiting the store and entering the vehicles; all three vehicles fled from the scene together. After the robbery, Fuller and his-conspirators immediately traveled back to Washington, D.C. with approximately $1.2 million in gold jewelry, which they ultimately melted down into bars of gold and split among the group by grams of gold.
Approximately six months later, in early December 2022, Fuller and his co-conspirators—Trevor Wright, Jameise Christian, Antonio Tate, Delontae Martin, and Jaylaun Brown—planned another robbery, this time at a jewelry store in Jacksonville. To prepare, Fuller and Wright coordinated everyone’s travel from Washington, D.C., to Miami, where they rented a black vehicle and a white vehicle. On December 6, 2022, the group drove these vehicles to Jacksonville. Upon arrival at the jewelry store, four co-conspirators exited the black vehicle, entered the store wearing disguises, and brandished firearms. One co-conspirator ordered store employees to kneel behind the counter with their heads down while the group used a hammer to smash glass display cases. Meanwhile, Wright and Fuller remained in the white vehicle to monitor the store’s entrance.
After approximately three minutes, one of the conspirators exited the store and drove the black vehicle directly in front of the store, honking the horn to signal the others to exit. Before leaving, one co-conspirator approached the store employees kneeling in the corner, pointed his firearm, and stole the store owner’s wallet. The group then loaded the stolen jewelry into the trunk of the black vehicle and fled the scene, with the white vehicle traveling in the same direction. The group stole approximately $880,000 in jewelry from the jewelry store.
Through the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia, this complex investigation resulted in the identification of six individuals, who were eventually traced back to Miami. The suspects were observed at a Miami condominium, where they were seen exiting their vehicles unmasked and carrying the stolen jewelry.
To date, all individuals involved in the Jacksonville and New Jersey robberies have been arrested with pending federal cases in Jacksonville and Washington, D.C. In Jacksonville, Delontae Martin, Antonio Tate, and Jameise Christian pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of the Jacksonville robbery. Martin was sentenced to 9 years’ imprisonment, Tate was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, and Christian was sentenced to 12 years and 10 months in federal prison. Trevor Wright and Jaylaun Brown are in custody and awaiting trial in Washington, D.C. for robbery and firearm offenses.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Miami Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kirwinn Mike.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Two former officers sentenced for perverting the course of justice after lying about the circumstances surrounding a police pursuit.
Former PC Neil Churchley, 40, and former PC Michael Salmon, 50, who were both attached to Met Operations, were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Friday, 28 February.
Churchley was given a six-month sentence suspended for 12 months, Salmon received eight months – also suspended for a year.
They previously pleaded guilty at the same court on Friday, 3 January to perverting the course of justice.
On 5 July 2023, the officers were on patrol in a police car in Hayes when they came to be involved in a pursuit with a motorcycle which failed to stop.
The pursuit concluded with the passenger sustaining injuries to her leg. In the subsequent reporting of the incident, the former officers misled their colleagues as to who was driving the police vehicle at the time of the pursuit. Former PC Salmon went on to destroy the bodyworn video cameras belonging to both officers, which may have contained evidence of the pursuit. Partial remains of the cameras were subsequently recovered from his garden.
Some hours later, PC Churchley reported this matter to his line manager, who in turn referred it to the Directorate of Professional Standards.
PC Salmon was arrested at his home address on 6 July 2023 for perverting the course of justice and theft. He was interviewed under caution at a police station and was suspended from duty on the same day. He remained suspended until his retirement in September 2023.
Former PC Churchley was interviewed under caution on 9 July 2023. He was placed on restricted duties until he resigned in November 2024.
They were both charged with perverting the course of justice on 9 October 2024, and were convicted as above.
An accelerated misconduct hearing held on Friday, 31 January found that they breached Standards of Professional Behaviour in relation to honesty and integrity and discreditable conduct at the level of gross misconduct.
They would have been dismissed without notice if they were still serving and have been placed on the College of Policing’s barred list.
Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.
Superintendent Martin Kirby,lead officer for Met OperationsTaskforce, said: “Both individuals acted in a way which was intended to pervert the course of public justice. They let their colleagues and the public down.
“This is not the type of behaviour we expect or will tolerate from our officers, and appropriate action has been taken.”
Clarenville RCMP is seeking assistance from the public in identifying two individuals following a theft that occurred at the Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC) in Clarenville on February 27, 2025.
At approximately 8:40 p.m., last night, two individuals entered the NLC store in the Random Mall on Manitoba Drive. The pair placed a number of bottles of various alcohol into shopping bags and departed without paying for the merchandise, valued at more than $2000.00. The two departed the area together in a dark-colored hatchback style vehicle. Images of the two individuals are attached.
The investigation is continuing.
Anyone having information on the identity of either of these individuals or information about this crime is asked to contact Clarenville RCMP at 709-466-3211. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visitwww.nlcrimestoppers.comor use the P3Tips app.
LAREDO, Texas – A 31-year-old Dallas resident has been charged with conspiring to transport, attempting to transport and transporting two undocumented minors illegally in the United States for financial gain, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jovanna Netzay Diaz is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee Harris Toliver in Dallas at 10 a.m. She will then be expected in Laredo federal court shortly thereafter.
A federal grand jury returned the three-count indictment Feb. 19 which was unsealed upon her arrest Feb. 27.
The charges allege that on Oct. 26, 2024, Diaz arrived at the Border Patrol checkpoint in Laredo. Upon initial inspection, authorities allegedly observed a blanket moving between the second and third row of the vehicle.
Law enforcement soon found one minor underneath the blanket and another concealed on the floorboard of the vehicle’s front passenger seat, according to the charges. The minors were allegedly determined to be nine-year-old twins, who were nationals and citizens of Mexico with no familial connection to Diaz.
If convicted, Diaz faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a $250,000 maximum possible fine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Lopez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Shia Lee, 35, of Burlington, North Carolina has pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm in connection with a violent crime for the armed carjacking of an off-duty South Carolina police detective and his wife.
According to evidence presented in court, on Dec. 19, 2020, the detective and his wife were travelling on Interstate 26 passing through the Orangeburg area. Their car was parked with the detective in the passenger seat and his wife in the driver’s seat as they were switching drivers.
Lee walked up to the driver’s side, demanded the car, and the victim driver fought back and resisted. Lee then brandished a firearm at the victim and ordered her out of the vehicle. With the firearm pointed at her, she complied. Lee entered the car, saw the officer in the passenger seat, and pointed the firearm at the second victim, which the officer recognized to be a 9mm or a .380 caliber pistol. The second victim exited the vehicle, and Lee took control of the car. Lee then drove the victims’ Jeep Cherokee away from the rest stop along with the police detective’s duty weapon and police badge.
One day later, 911 dispatch received a call for service associated with a separate alleged vehicle theft from a gas station in Branchville while the victim was inside. Lee was arrested in that car after the Denmark Police Department pursued Lee in a chase and deployed stop sticks. The off-duty officer’s car was found abandoned on a local road, and Lee’s car was found by the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office at the rest stop with another firearm inside, along with Lee’s identifying documents.
The carjacking victims identified Lee in a photo lineup, and Lee admitted his involvement to Orangeburg County deputies. A federal grand jury then indicted Lee on charges of carjacking and the brandish of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence.
Lee faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum of seven years. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution for any losses incurred by the victims, and five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Lee after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, and the Denmark Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels is prosecuting the case.
Healthy coastal ecosystems play crucial roles in the U.S. economy, from supporting multibillion-dollar fisheries and tourism industries to protecting coastlines from storms.
They’re also difficult to manage, requiring specialized knowledge and technology.
That’s why the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – the federal agency best known for collecting and analyzing the data that make weather forecasts and warnings possible – leads most of the government’s work on ocean and coastal health, as well as research into the growing risks posed by climate change.
The government estimates that NOAA’s projects and services support more than one-third of the nation’s gross domestic product. Yet, this is one of the agencies that the Trump administration has targeted, with discussions of trying to privatize NOAA’s forecasting operations and disband its crucial climate change research.
As a marine environmental historian who studies relationships among scientists, fishermen and environmentalists, I have seen how NOAA’s work affects American livelihoods, coastal health and the U.S. economy.
Here are a few examples from just NOAA’s coastal work, and what it means to fishing industries and coastal states.
Preventing fisheries from collapsing
One of the oldest divisions within NOAA is the National Marine Fisheries Service, known as NOAA Fisheries. It dates to 1871, when Congress created the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries. At that time, the first generation of conservationists started to worry that America’s natural resources were finite.
By conducting surveys and interviewing fishermen and seafood dealers, the fish commissioners discovered that freshwater and saltwater fisheries across the country were declining.
Looking back on 150 years of NOAA’s fisheries history.
Oil spills and raw sewage were polluting waterways. Fishermen were using high-tech gear, such as pound nets, to catch more and more of the most valuable fish. In some areas, overfishing was putting the future of the fisheries in jeopardy.
One solution was to promote aquaculture, also known as fish or shellfish farming. Scientists and entrepreneurs reared baby fish in hatcheries and transferred them to rivers, lakes or bays. The Fish Commission even used refrigerated railroad cars to ship fish eggs across the country.
Men carry pails of fish specimens to a U.S. Fish Commission ‘fish car’ – a train car designed specifically for transporting fish or fish eggs to stock U.S. rivers, lakes and coastal waters – in this historical photo. Smithsonian Institution Archives
Corals build up reefs over centuries, creating “cities of the sea.” When they’re healthy, they provide nurseries that protect valuable fish species, like snapper, from predators. Reefs also attract tourism and protect coastlines by breaking up waves that cause storm-driven flooding and erosion.
The corals of Hawaii, Florida, Puerto Rico and other tropical areas provide over $3 billion a year in benefits – from sustaining marine ecosystems to recreation, including sport fishing.
A third important aspect of NOAA’s coastal work involves controlling invasive species in America’s waters, including those that have menaced the Great Lakes.
Zebra and quagga mussels, spiny water flea and dozens of other Eurasian organisms colonized the Great Lakes starting in the late 1900s after arriving in ballast water from transoceanic ships. These invaders have disrupted the Great Lakes food web and clogged cities’ water intake systems, causing at least $138 million in damage per year.
Zebra mussels found attached to this boat at an inspection station in Oregon show how easily invasive species can be moved. The boat had come from Texas and was on its way to Canada. Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA
In the Northwest Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, invasive lionfish, native to Asia and Australia, have spread, preying on native fish essential to coral reefs. Lionfish have become one of the world’s most damaging marine fish invasions.
When Republican President Richard Nixon proposed consolidating several different agencies into NOAA in 1970, he told Congress that doing so would promote “better protection of life and property from natural hazards,” “better understanding of the total environment” and “exploration and development leading to the intelligent use of our marine resources.”
The Trump administration is instead discussing tearing down NOAA. The administration has been erasing mentions of climate change from government research, websites and policies – despite the rising risks to communities across the nation. The next federal budget is likely to slash NOAA’s funding.
Commercial meteorologists argue that much of NOAA’s weather data and forecasting, also crucial to coastal areas, couldn’t be duplicated by the private sector.
As NOAA marks its 55th year, I believe it’s in the nation’s and the U.S. economy’s best interest to strengthen rather than dismantle this vital agency.
Christine Keiner conducted research at the NOAA Library for her books “The Oyster Question” and “Deep Cut.”
Americans’ trust in government and politicians is at record lows. In a 2022 Pew Research survey, about two-thirds of respondents said that all or most people who run for office want to serve their own personal interests rather than the community’s.
I have taught political ethics to hundreds of public policy students at the Harvard Kennedy School over the past 25 years. One of the most important concepts we discuss is directly tied to that falling faith in government. It’s a term people love to throw around but can’t always define: conflicts of interest.
Conflicts of interest pervade public service and jeopardize the quality of government action by degrading officials’ judgments. Controlling such conflicts is essential to the success of democracy because all citizens rely on millions of officials – from the president down to the person analyzing water quality in your city – to do their jobs conscientiously, using their best judgment. Citizens’ safety depends on government action in countless ways: to keep drinking water, food and medicines safe; to protect everyone from dangerous products and from individual and corporate predators; to keep airplanes, cars and trains from colliding; to ensure access to education, health care and pensions.
But what counts as a conflict of interest? In the public sector, they arise when an official has “secondary,” private interests that may affect their judgment about how best to promote the public good. The more intense these private interests are – such as the promise of great financial gain or the welfare of loved ones – the greater the conflict and risk to public good.
Not just money
Secondary interests often stem from financial concerns: future employment prospects, corporate positions, stock holdings, real estate and gifts. But secondary interests can also arise from concern for the well-being of family members and friends.
A conflict between primary and secondary interests – public vs. private – threatens the public by clouding the good judgment of officials. They may be tempted, even unconsciously, to make decisions that achieve secondary interests at the cost of not doing their best to advance the public interest.
During his last weeks in office, for example, former President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter and, preventively, many members of his family. The Constitution establishes the president’s pardon power as a mechanism to correct miscarriages of justice in the court system. Did Biden’s concern for the welfare of his family – a secondary, private interest – cloud his judgment about how best to use this extraordinary power to pardon for the sake of justice, a primary, public interest? It is impossible to peer inside his mind, but anyone can see that there was a strong conflict of interest.
Many public officials mistakenly deny that there is a conflict at all. Charlie Wilson, a secretary of defense in the 1950s, was previously president and CEO of General Motors, a defense contractor. “For years I thought what was good for our country was good for General Motors, and vice versa,” he said during confirmation hearings. “The difference did not exist. Our company is too big. It goes with the welfare of the country.”
After Trump was elected in 2016, he famously said that “the president can’t have a conflict of interest.” It wasn’t true then, and it’s not true now. Conflict of interest is an ethical principle that applies to everyone acting in a public role. The principal law regulating conflict of interest in the federal government does exempt the president and vice president. However, the emoluments clause of the Constitution prohibits some conflicts of interest.
The president enters his second term with large private assets in social media platform Truth Social and cryptocurrency $Trump – industries that the United States is figuring out how to regulate.
When leaders have a conflict of interest, it doesn’t necessarily mean they make bad judgments or act corruptly. Nevertheless, such conflicts can reduce citizens’ confidence about their leaders’ judgment.
Cost for the country
Conflicts of interest create three problems for democracy.
Most important, the public suffers when officials’ judgments are compromised: when they are no longer doing their level best for Americans because they are concerned about various private interests rather than with citizens’ rights and well-being.
Second, conflicts of interest reduce trust and confidence in government and democracy. Even if officials who have large conflicts of interest resist the pull of secondary interests, members of the public may – especially in this time of cynicism about government – still suspect that their leaders are acting corruptly.
Third, when officials use their powers to benefit their private interests rather than the public interests, they profit from their offices: This is corrupt and unfair.
Reducing risk
Though conflicts of interest are ubiquitous, there are good strategies to mitigate and manage them.
Federal agencies, as well as many state and local governments, require officials to mitigate their conflicts of interest by divesting from secondary interests, such as shifting from specific stock holdings to general funds and resigning from positions on boards of directors. Most U.S. presidents since Jimmy Carter have put their substantial assets into blind trusts in order to manage their conflicts of interests. In a blind trust, the owner knows the value of the trust but not the particular stocks and other holdings in it.
Transparency and disclosure is another common management tool. When information about officials’ secondary interests is publicly available, citizens can better understand the forces that affect the judgment of those in government. For example, people who have undergone Senate confirmation for high-level positions in the federal government must file extensive disclosures that detail their assets and many of their prior sources of income.
Finally, it is important to create offices and procedures with staff dedicated to monitoring and mitigating conflicts of interest. In the executive branch, the seventy-some staff at the Office of Government Ethics, and many more ethics officers across the federal government, regulate conflicts of interest and other ethical issues. In February 2025, Trump dismissed the office’s director, who had been confirmed by the Senate two months before.
Many states and cities have ethics commissions that adjudicate conflicts of interest, deciding when officials should recuse themselves from particular decisions in which they are conflicted. In 2002, for example, New York City’s Conflicts of Interest Board issued an advisory opinion about how multibillionaire Michael Bloomberg, the mayor at the time, should manage his conflicts of interest. They advised that he should recuse himself from all matters relating to the Bloomberg company, divest from large stock holdings and transfer those assets into professionally managed mutual funds, among other recommendations.
Wealth – and hyperwealth
Many conflict of interest measures are formulated with moderately wealthy individuals in mind. For example, the median wealth of a U.S. senator in 2018 was US$1.75 million. At that level, measures such as blind trusts, divestment and recusal are usually very workable.
Hyperwealthy multibillionaires, however, raise unprecedented conflict of interest concerns that are far more difficult to mitigate and manage. Because their financial interests are enormous and range across many parts of the economy, standard conflict of interest measures have proven difficult to implement.
Archon Fung serves on the National Governing Board of Common Cause, whose mission is to “to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest.” The organization has advocated to control conflicts of interest of many public figures, including Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
He also consults for Apple and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Boston Review.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Adam Lenton, Assistant Professor of Politics & International Affairs, Wake Forest University
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow on Feb. 23, 2025.Sergei Bobylyov/AFP via Getty Images
At face value, the Kremlin has plenty to celebrate after U.S. and Russian officials held high-level bilateral talks on the war in Ukraine for the first time since the full-scale conflict began in 2022.
Russian delegates at the meeting, which took place on Feb. 18 in Saudi Arabia, struck an ebullient tone. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov concluded that “the American side has begun to better understand our position,” while Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and an envoy for Moscow, noted that the delegates managed to loosen up enough to laugh and joke. President Vladimir Putin did not attend the meeting, but he characterized it the following day as “very friendly,” going as far as to describe the American delegation as “completely different people” who were “ready to negotiate with an open mind and without any judgment over what was done in the past.”
And the talks are far from the only reason for optimism in Moscow. In statements that echoed Kremlin propaganda, U.S. President Donald Trump blamed Ukraine for being invaded and described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator.” The U.S. then sided with Russia in two United Nations votes on the conflict and opposed language describing Russia as the aggressor in a draft G7 statement marking the anniversary of the war.
This perceived rapprochement between Washington and Moscow has many critics on both sides of the Atlantic.
Within Russia the reaction has been mixed. And not everybody in Moscow is celebrating the apparent shift in U.S. policy.
Favoring pragmatism
Of course, many Russians would welcome a thaw in relations. In January, Russia’s leading independent polling group found that 61% of Russians favored peace talks over continuing the war in Ukraine – the highest level yet. Meanwhile, the number of web searches for “When will the ‘Special Military Operation’ end?” on Yandex, a Russian tech firm, reached its highest-ever weekly total in the wake of the U.S.-Russia talks.
While public opinion is unlikely to shape the Kremlin’s approach given Putin’s sole control over major foreign policy decisions, evidence suggests that a rapprochement with the United States could also be a boon for Putin at home.
In a recently published article in the peer-reviewed journal International Security, my co-author Henry Hale and I found that while most Russians view the U.S. and NATO as threats, they largely prefer a pragmatic, measured response from the Kremlin – an approach they believed Putin delivered prior to the war in 2022.
High-level summits between Russia and the U.S. have tended to be well received, we found. This is because they tap into a widely held preference for cooperation as well as depicting Russia as a geopolitical “equal” to the U.S.
Pro-war hardliners speak out
Yet not everyone is pleased with the prospect of closer U.S. ties. Russia’s vocal minority of tub-thumping war supporters is already angry.
This loose community of so-called “Z-patriots” – a reference to the large “Z” letters marking Russian military equipment at the beginning of the war – has been a double-edged sword for the Kremlin.
While they have been helpful in mobilizing grassroots support for the war, they have also lambasted Moscow’s execution and made pointed criticisms of top military brass. Such attacks are, in effect, a way of making veiled attacks on Putin himself.
And we are talking about a sizable minority. Estimates indicate that Z-patriots – the more hawkish and ideologically committed segment of war supporters – represent 13% to 27% of the Russian population.
One of this group’s most prominent ideologues, Zakhar Prilepin, didn’t pull any punches in a recent interview. He described as “humiliating” the fact that “the Russian media community, political scientists and politicians are dancing with joy and telling us how wonderful everything is (now that) Trump has arrived.”
There are reasons to take this group seriously. According to Marlène Laruelle, an expert on nationalism and ideology in Russia, the Z-patriots are emerging as key opinion leaders.
Unlike other ideological camps in Russia, the Z-patriots are very much a product of the war, having emerged from the popular military blogging community and with deep connections to paramilitary and veterans organizations. Indeed, many sympathized with former mercenary Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s anti-elite rants, while Igor Girkin, a former Donbas warlord who claimed to have sparked the initial war in eastern Ukraine in 2014, openly mocked Putin to his almost million-strong Telegram followers.
The Kremlin partially cracked down on some of the Z-patriots in 2023. Prigozhin’s ill-fated mutiny in June was followed by his suspicious death in a plane crash later that summer, while Girkin was jailed and handed a four-year prison sentence for “inciting extremism.”
Yet the Z-patriots remain a force. Girkin, commenting on the U.S.-Russia talks from prison, lamented the “egregious managerial and command failure” over the past three years and sarcastically concluded that Moscow’s political elites, aware of their own weakness, are likely to “‘drag their heels’ in their inimitable style – and with their well-known genius.”
Some of the sharpest criticisms of the Kremlin have been about the economy.
Recent weeks have seen renewed optimism among many in Russia that sanctions relief is on the horizon and that sought-after Western brands may return. Russia – since 2022 the most sanctioned country in the world – had previously appeared to accept that sanctions would remain for decades to come.
A few days later, Putin announced a willingness to develop Russia’s rare earth minerals with foreign partners, including the United States, in what appeared to be an attempt to outbid Zelenskyy.
This, too, provoked a populist backlash among Z-patriots.
Another displayed dismay that “stealing Russia’s natural resources once again became a prospect for mutually beneficial cooperation with American partners.”
“We’ve barely begun to develop small and medium businesses,” Prilepin noted, deriding the “unbearable” excitement around the possibility of Western brands returning.
These sentiments have struck a chord with other parts of society. After all, some Russian businesses have benefited from Western brands’ exit from the Russian market. The government is attempting to fend off these criticisms with a new bill proposed to Russia’s parliament on Feb. 27 calling to ban Western companies that had financially supported Ukraine.
What to do about veterans?
Perhaps most consequential will be what happens to the hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers currently on the front lines.
While runaway military spending and lavish payouts to soldiers continue to strain the Russian economy, demobilization also poses risks.
A report from the Institute for the Study of War recently concluded that demobilization would be politically risky for the Kremlin, fearful that masses of disgruntled veterans might constitute a potential challenge.
That said, many of the estimated 700,000 Russian troops in Ukraine will eventually return to civilian life and likely become an important constituency in Russian politics moving forward.
The Z-patriots may be a product of war, but they will have an afterlife beyond it. Meanwhile, regardless of any Russian rapprochement with the White House – or perhaps because of it – Russia’s hawks won’t be turning into doves anytime soon.
Adam Lenton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
When wind or other disturbances detach winged maple seeds called samaras from their parent tree, they spin through the air – and can even spin when it’s raining. Impacts by high-speed raindrops only briefly interrupt the seed’s spinning because the seed can shed the drop rapidly and restart its spinning in less time than it takes to blink.
If you live somewhere with maple trees, you’ve probably seen their striking helicopter seeds – made up of a seed pod attached to a delicate wing. Maple samaras’ unique design and spinning movement can teach physicists like me about seed dispersal patterns and even engineering new types of flying vehicles.
The samaras’ spinning movement, called autorotation, keeps them in the air for longer so they travel farther.
The spinning flight of a maple samara.
In a February 2025 study, my colleagues and I filmed raindrops as they crashed into autorotating samaras. The samaras shed drops by shattering them, flinging the drops off, or rolling out of the way – like they’re turning away from a punch. If a drop falls in just the right place, the spinning seed can cut it in half.
The movement of a samara as it spins through the air. Our new study captured this pattern using a high-speed camera. Breanna Shaeffer and Andrew Dickerson, University of Tennessee-Knoxville
In order to keep flying, the samaras must shed the entire drop. Samaras shed drops fastest when the drops hit the heavier, round nutlet part of the seed, rather than the wing. Shedding is made easier by the samaras’ mildly water-repellent surface. We estimated that raindrop collisions reduce a samara’s time in flight and the distance it travels while spinning, but by less than 10%.
Why it matters
Maples are an important species to the Eastern United States. They provide syrup and timber, making them economically and commercially significant.
My team’s results provide context for other studies focused on how wind transports rotating and nonrotating seeds alike. Some seeds can even travel hundreds of miles.
From an engineering perspective, the insights gained from our study could inform the design of new types of aerial vehicles that use autorotation to ride the wind without a motor. Mimicking the shapes of these seeds could help such vehicles quickly recover from disruptions to flight.
Samaras are also visually intriguing. Discovering more about how small, beautiful parts of nature thrive could help scientists get people interested in the environment.
What still isn’t known
Maple samaras represent just one way that seeds use the wind to disperse farther. A dandelion’s parachute-like float relies on the seed’s light weight and high drag. A hop tree seed uses a single, wafer-shaped seed to flutter, while triplaris seeds have three wings that achieve a helicopter-like spin. Researchers still aren’t sure how raindrops can affect the flight of these seeds.
What’s next
Next, my colleagues and I hope to unravel the flight mechanics of the “rolling samaras” found on tulip poplar and ash trees. These seeds rotate like maple samaras, but the wing also rolls around the axis that runs across its wingspan as it does so.
Not only do we plan to compare their flight performance against the more recognizable maple samara, but we will also study how these seeds respond to perturbations such as wing damage and crosswinds.
How I do my work
I like to uncover the complexity in seemingly simple systems. So many of the brief, small and common interactions in our world are wonderfully beautiful. I seek to tell those stories through a camera lens and with mathematical flair.
Andrew Dickerson receives funding from the National Science Foundation.
