US sanctions Chinese firms in crackdown on fentanyl supply chain
The US has announced sanctions on 25 China-based firms and individuals allegedly involved in the production of chemicals used to make fentanyl.
Fentanyl, a potent opioid used as a painkiller or sedative, plays a major role in the US drug crisis.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said the drug's supply chain "often starts with chemical companies in China".
China criticised the imposition of sanctions, saying the fentanyl crisis was rooted in the United States itself.
"We firmly oppose the United States' sanction and prosecution against Chinese entities and individuals, and the severe infringement of the lawful rights and interests of the relevant enterprises and persons," the Chinese foreign ministry told AFP news agency.
"The Chinese government has been strictly cracking down on drug crimes... and we deploy the harshest control on precursor chemicals.
"Imposing pressure and sanctions cannot solve the United States' own problems. It will only create obstacles in the China-US cooperation on drug control," it said.
In April, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said there was "no such thing as illegal trafficking of fentanyl" between China and Mexico.
This came after Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called on the Chinese government to help stop the alleged flow of fentanyl and its precursors into his country.
The US authorities blame Mexican drug gangs for supplying fentanyl to users across the US.
Fentanyl can be legally prescribed by doctors, but a dramatic increase in opioid addiction in the US in recent decades has led to a rise in illegal production and overdoses.
In 2022, the drug was linked to a record 109,680 deaths.
The US Treasury Department announced sanctions against what it called a "China-based network responsible for the manufacturing and distribution" of precursors of fentanyl and a number of other illegal drugs.
Officials say companies in the fentanyl supply chain routinely use false addresses and mislabelling to avoid their products being identified by law enforcement.
Those affected by the sanctions include 12 entities and 13 individuals based in China, as well as two entities and one individual based in Canada, the treasury said.
The sanctions will freeze the entities' US assets and bar Americans from dealing with them.
Merrick Garland is due to travel to Mexico with other senior officials for meetings on how to tackle the supply of illegal drugs.
"We know who is responsible for poisoning the American people with fentanyl," Mr Garland told reporters.
"We know that this network includes the cartels' leaders, their drug traffickers, their money launderers, their clandestine lab operators, their security forces, their weapons suppliers, and their chemical suppliers.
"And we know that this global fentanyl supply chain, which ends with the deaths of Americans, often starts with chemical companies in China."
The US Justice Department has also unsealed indictments charging eight Chinese companies and 12 of their employees with crimes related to fentanyl and methamphetamine production, the distribution of opioids, and sales resulting from precursor chemicals.
No one has been arrested and the Chinese government did not work with US authorities on the investigations, Mr Garland said.
Source- BBC
Ford announces 400 more layoffs in Detroit area due to UAW strike
Ford Motor Company announced about 400 workers in Metro Detroit have been laid off as a result of the United Auto Workers strike.
The automaker says 350 workers at the Livonia Transmission Plant and 50 workers at the Sterling Axle Plant have been instructed not to return to work effective Thursday, Oct. 5.
"These are not lockouts. These layoffs are a consequence of the strike at Chicago Assembly Plant because these two facilities must reduce production of parts that would normally be shipped to Chicago Assembly Plant," Ford said in a statement.
The layoffs come a day after Ford presented its seventh offer to UAW, calling it the "strongest" offer made.
The proposed agreement would run through April 30, 2028, Ford said on Wednesday. The company says the offer includes "unprecedented improvements in wages (putting employees among the top 25% of all U.S. jobs, hourly and salaried) and benefits, product commitments for every UAW factory, and job security."
On Monday, Ford announced about 330 layoffs at the Chicago Stamping and Lima Engine plants.
Source- News Channel
MrBeast and BBC stars used in deepfake scam videos
The world's biggest YouTuber, MrBeast, and two BBC presenters have been used in deepfake videos to scam unsuspecting people online.
Deepfakes use artificial intelligence (AI) to make a video of someone by manipulating their face or body.
One such video appeared on TikTok this week, claiming to be MrBeast offering people new iPhones for $2 (£1.65).
Meanwhile, likenesses of BBC stars Matthew Amroliwala and Sally Bundock were used to promote a known scam.
The video on Facebook showed the journalists "introducing" Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, formerly Twitter, purportedly promoting an investment opportunity.
Similar historical videos have claimed to show him giving away money and cryptocurrency.
The BBC approached Facebook owner Meta for comment and the content has since been removed.
Previously, the videos were gated by an image warning viewers that they contained false information checked by independent fact-checkers FullFact, which first reported the issue.
"We don't allow this kind of content on our platforms and have removed it," said a Meta spokesperson.
"We're constantly working to improve our systems and encourage anyone who sees content they believe breaks our rules to report it using our in-app tools so we can investigate and take action."
Meanwhile, a TikTok spokesperson said the company removed the MrBeast ad within a few hours of it being uploaded, and the account that posted it has been removed for violating its policies.
TikTok specifically bars "synthetic media" which "contains the likeness (visual or audio) of a real person".
In a post on X viewed more than 28 million times, the YouTuber shared the fake video and asked if social media platforms were ready to handle the rise of these deepfakes.
It was a normal Monday night and I was headed to bed early, as I was due in the BBC Newsroom at 3 am on Tuesday.
My husband received a call from a friend. He then asked: "Sally have you interviewed Elon Musk lately?" "No... I wish," was my reply.
That was the beginning of my realization that I'd been done.
A deepfake video of me, in the BBC News studio, apparently presenting a "breaking business news" story has been swirling around social media. It looks like me, it sounds like me, it is quite convincing, but it is not me. Wow, I was shocked.
In this brave new world, I wondered, was it just a matter of time? The mind boggles.
But once the hairs on the back of my neck had resettled, then followed the questions - what now? The concern is this fake video, created using Artificial Intelligence, is pointing viewers to a financial scam.
It claims, using the fake me that British users of a new investment project created by Elon Musk can receive a substantial return on investment - so much so that you can give up work.
It sounds too good to be true, and that is the key, it is too good to be true. It is a scam.
There have been a series of high-profile deepfakes in recent weeks, with Tom Hanks warning on Monday that an advert appearing to be fronted by him shilling a dental plan was not real.
As AI systems have grown in power and sophistication, so have concerns about their ability to create ever more realistic virtual versions of real people.
Generally speaking, the first clue that a video may not be what it seems is simply that it's offering something for nothing.
But the MrBeast video complicates this.
The YouTuber has made his name giving away cars, houses, and cash - he even gave trick-or-treaters iPhones last year on Halloween - so it's easy to see how people might believe he was gifting these devices online.
But eagle-eyed viewers, and listeners, will be able to spot the telltale signs that something is amiss.
The scammers have attempted to look legitimate by embedding in the video MrBeast's name in the bottom-left corner, as well as the blue verification mark used on many different social media platforms.
But TikTok videos automatically embed the actual name of the uploader underneath the TikTok logo itself.
The account that posted the video is not verified, and now no longer exists.
Meanwhile, in the videos featuring BBC presenters, the errors are more pronounced.
For example, in the Sally Bundock video, the "presenter" mispronounces 15 as "fife-teen", as well as oddly pronounces project as "project".
She also says "more than $3bn 'were' invested in the new project", rather than "was invested".
These errors may be small, but as technology advances and visual clues become less apparent, verbal errors - much like the spelling errors you often find in a scam email - can be a useful way to identify if something is fake.
The fakers have used a legitimate video of Sally Bundock presenting - at the time talking about Mr Musk taking over X - but making it seem like she's talking about an investment opportunity involving him.
In the Matthew Amroliwana video, there are some similar audio cues, with garbled sounds at the start of certain sentences.
Source- BBC
The Ministry of Health and Human Services hosts “The Outbreak Session”
The Primary Healthcare Unit within the Ministry of Health and Human Services hosted “The Outbreak Session”, a refresher and sensitization training on measles and polio outbreak and response.
The Region of the Americas is constantly under threat of outbreaks and importation of communicable diseases because of travel and trade. The Turks and Caicos is no exception and as such, it is necessary that we remain vigilant and prepared for any threat. The training took place between 20 -21 September 2023 in Providenciales. Participants in this training were team leaders from government and private healthcare facilities across the TCI, who are responsible for response within their various islands and facilities.
On day one of this training, the focus was on the measles outbreak and response. In 2021, the Ministry of Health hosted a wider measles outbreak and response training which included participants from across healthcare facilities in the TCI at all levels. This year’s training was focused on offering the team leaders from all facilities a refresher in an effort to strengthen their response and reporting duties. Participants on day one benefitted from presentations by various team members on surveillance, laboratory response, clinical aspects, and outbreak response. At the end of the presentations, participants were placed in groups to carry out a tabletop simulation exercise.
On day two, team leaders were sensitized on the Turks and Caicos Islands polio outbreak and response plan. The plan was reviewed and discussed, and updates were made. Through the training, team leaders were able to identify areas of the response plan that required strengthening.
Commenting on this training was Ms. Alrisa Gardiner, Primary Health Care Manager with responsibility for the expanded program on immunization for the Turks and Caicos Islands. “The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the immunization program and the surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases. Although the Americas lead in vaccination, we are a vulnerable region because of our many popular tourist destinations, creating a gateway for the importation of vaccine-preventable diseases. Coupled with the exodus of skilled public health professionals, particularly from the English-speaking Caribbean countries, this further creates a new level of vulnerability for us. Since the pandemic, the region of the Americas has lost many gains and there was a continuous call by the Pan American Health Organisation to all member state countries to strengthen their surveillance systems to improve early detection of any communicable disease to prevent disease spread and loss of life. A good vaccination program and a strong surveillance system work together to prevent outbreaks and control the spread of diseases. It was imperative that our team leaders were given an opportunity to refresh their skills and knowledge and gain new information to prepare them for any threat of measles and polio. With this refresher and sensitization session, it is our hope that we can continue to build on an already successful vaccination program and strengthen our disease surveillance system. We wish to thank the Pan American Health Organisation Office for the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos for their generous support in facilitating this two-day training”.
Over 75,000 US healthcare workers go on strike
Over 75,000 union workers at healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente have gone on strike, beginning the largest walkout by health workers in US history.
The three-day work stoppage involves nurses, pharmacists and lab technicians in five US states and Washington DC.
Nearly 13 million patients could be impacted by the strike, which follows stalled contract negotiations between the unions and Kaiser Permanente.
Hospitals and emergency facilities will remain open throughout the strike.
A previous labour agreement between the eight unions in the coalition and the company expired on 30 September,
Through the strike, the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions hopes to pressure the California-based company to address staffing shortages that began during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as well as better wages.
In a statement on Wednesday, Kaiser Permanente said that it had made "a lot of progress" in discussions with the unions overnight and "remained committed to reaching a new agreement".
The strike's greatest impact will be felt in California, Oregon, Colorado and Washington state, where hundreds of medical support staff will strike for three days.
While Kaiser Permanente has said that hospitals and emergency departments will continue to function - partly staffed by "contingent workers" - non-essential services such as routine check-ups or elective procedures may have to be rescheduled.
In Virginia and Washington DC, a smaller total of approximately 400 pharmacists and optometrists, planned to stop work for a day. Kaiser Permanente has expanded its network of pharmacies to ensure access to medicines if outpatient pharmacies close during the strike action.
The unions have repeatedly pointed to Kaiser Permanente's profits - which reached about $3bn (£2.47bn) in the first half of this year - as a sign that contracts should be renegotiated. In a July statement, the coalition also claimed that the firm's CEO makes $16m (£13.18m) a year, with 49 executives earning over $1m (£820,000).
Caroline Lucas, the executive director of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions told BBC News that executives' inaction over the last six month have led to treatment delays
"These kinds of conditions mean that things that could be preventable and caught in time become crises," she said, adding that the company refused to "listen to frontline health care workers".
"Our frontline health care workers had no choice but to escalate that issue outside of the hospitals."
Michael Ramey, an ultrasound technician at a Kaiser Permanente facility in San Diego, told the BBC's US partner CBS that his job had become "heartbreaking" and "stressful" as a result of chronic staffing issues.
"You don't have the ability to care for patients in the manner they deserve," said Mr Ramey, the head of his local union.
"We are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure we have a contract in place that allows us to be staffed at the levels where we need to be".
The Kaiser Permanente strike is one of several high-profile labour actions that have swept across the US this year, including ongoing strikes by the United Auto Workers and the Screen Actors American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
US Bureau of Labour statistics show that more than 309,000 workers went on strike through August this year alone.
Source- BBC
James Harden returns to 76ers' training camp despite trade request
James Harden returned to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, as the disgruntled guard who had been seeking a trade instead joined his teammates as an active participant at training camp.
The 10-time All-Star arrived on the Colorado State campus for practice in spite of a fractured relationship with the Sixers' front office. He skipped the team's media day in New Jersey on Monday and the first day of camp in Colorado on Tuesday.
Harden June picked up his $35.6 million contract option for this season with the belief the team would try to trade him. He blasted team president Daryl Morey at a promotional event in China when no trade materialized, calling Morey a liar.
The 76ers are conducting workouts this week at Moby Arena, which is the home of the Rams' basketball team. The Sixers are venturing out into the area, too. Joel Embiid and teammates recently made a trip to nearby Boulder for dinner and a chat session with Colorado Buffaloes football coach and NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.
Sanders discussed topics such as pressure, unity, being in the moment, and what it's like to go from a historically Black college or university in Jackson State to a struggling program at Colorado that was coming off a 1-11 season. The Buffaloes (3-2) remain the talk of college football.
David Adelman, one of the Sixers’ owners, said before the meal that new coach Nick Nurse requested the Colorado excursion to squeeze in some training at elevation. The Nuggets won their first NBA title in franchise history by beating Miami in five games last June.
“The road to a championship for the NBA goes through Denver,” Adelman said shortly after the team met Sanders. “We’re going to get used to it because you’ll see us here in June.”
Nurse is taking over for Doc Rivers, who never led the Sixers past the second round of the playoffs.
The team returns the reigning NBA MVP in Embiid. To bolster its roster, Philly added guard Patrick Beverley and center Mo Bamba. The team also brought in veteran Danny Green.
“You added some pieces. And you add some pieces that you feel should be the difference,” Sanders said to the Sixers at dinner. "Straight up, you guys really look at each other and hold each other accountable and you have to realize, how bad do you really want it? What are you willing to do for it? What are you willing to sacrifice for it, and how far are you willing to go for it? How hard are you willing to work for it?
“You all are among the best in the business, right? But you’ve got to put it together.”
Source- Loop News
Pakistan police bust organ trafficking ring that took kidneys from hundreds
Eight members of an organ trafficking ring in north-east Pakistan have been arrested, police say.
The ring's alleged leader, Fawad Mukhtar, is accused of extracting the kidneys of more than 300 people and transplanting them into rich clients.
He had previously been arrested five times for malpractice but managed to secure bail each time.
At least three people died from having their organs harvested this way, authorities said.
The gang was believed to be operating across eastern Punjab province and in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The transplants were carried out in private homes - often without the patient knowing, the chief minister of Punjab province Mohsin Naqvi said.
A car mechanic is said to have worked as Mr Mukhtar's surgical assistant and helped lure vulnerable patients from hospitals.
The kidneys were then sold for up to 10 million rupees (£99,000; $120,000) each, Mr Naqvi added.
"The facts and figures that have come to us make the heart tremble," Mr Naqvi said during a press conference on Sunday.
"There are a lot more transplants and illegal surgeries than this. These are the ones that we have confirmed."
The commercial trade of human organs was made illegal in Pakistan in 2010.
The punishment for those caught includes a decade-long jail term and huge fines in the hope that this will stop sales to overseas clients by exploitative doctors, middlemen, recipients, and donors.
However, there has been a rise in organ trafficking in the country as people struggle with low wages and poor enforcement of the law.
In January, Punjab police uncovered another organ trafficking ring after a missing 14-year-old boy was found in an underground lab after having his kidney removed.
Source- BBC
14 injured in Bahamas boating accident
Police on the island of Grand Bahama are investigating a boating accident which has left several people injured.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force states that 14 people (11 adults and three toddlers) were injured. Reports indicate shortly before 1 pm on Sunday, a vessel with 21 people onboard left Fortune Bay Drive en route to Grand Cay, Abaco, when the vessel collided with a sand bar, a half mile north of the Freeport Dock.
Several passengers were reportedly ejected from the vessel and subsequently retrieved from the water.
The passengers, all of Bahamian nationality, were assisted by another vessel and returned to Grand Bahama.
The injured, which included seven adult females, four adult males, two female toddlers, and a male toddler, were taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Police are questioning the boat captain, a 53-year-old male of Grand Cay, Abaco, in connection with the incident.
Source- Caribbean Loop News
Man arrested in shooting at Lil Baby concert in Memphis
Aman has been arrested in a shooting that wounded one person at a Memphis concert headlined by rapper Lil Baby, police said Thursday.
Kevin Young, 22, was arrested Wednesday on charges including reckless endangerment and unlawful possession of weapons and drugs at a home in Memphis, police said on social media.
Police responded to the September 7 shooting at the FedEx Forum, located just steps from the popular Beale Street tourist destination in downtown Memphis. The 19,000-seat arena is home to the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies and the University of Memphis men's basketball team. The arena is also used as a concert venue.
Lil Baby was rushed off the stage when shots were fired. A man was wounded and taken to a hospital. No other injuries were reported.
The concert was canceled and the building was evacuated. Police have not said how the suspect was able to bring a gun into the arena, which contracts with a private security company to screen people for weapons. The arena has since instituted a clear bag policy for patrons.
Officers found guns, ammunition, and drugs in the home where Young was arrested. Two other men who were in the home were also arrested on drug charges.
Online court records do not list a lawyer for Young.
After the shooting, Lil Baby posted a message on X, formerly known as Twitter:
"Unfortunately I Couldn't Perform Last Night In Memphis, I Make Sure Everybody Gets A Refund Tho."
Source- Loop News
Incident on Grand Turk during the National Youth Day Celebrations
On behalf of the Ministry of Home Affairs as well as the Honourable representative for Grand Turk North, I hereby join Her Excellency the Governor, the Hon. Premier, and other members of Government in extending my very heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and community of Grand Turk at large, on the untimely and the unfortunate passing of one of our nation’s youth over the past weekend during the National Youth Day Celebrations on Grand Turk.
The death of this young man has left the community, members of family, friends, and I completely stunned with shock and sadness. Our hearts are in grief for the bereaved families today and in the days to come.
Many families have suffered loss of some kind with this incident. The lives of many young people have been impacted; those who may have witnessed the incident and now are traumatized, those who may have participated and now must face the consequences of their actions, and those families who are wondering with concern, in the wake of this tragic event, about the future of our young people.
My dear fellow Turks and Caicos Islanders, let us not get weary in praying for our young men and women, and in doing all we can to shape a positive path for them, giving guidance and counsel whenever and wherever we can.
Again, let me express my deepest condolences at the death of another of our young men. I join with our nation in praying that our Lord and Savior's love supports and strengthens the young gentleman's entire family and friends. May the good Lord’s peace be with us all and may he comfort those who are left to mourn his passing.
May his soul rest in peace and rise in eternal glory.