For the second time in less than two (2) weeks, Federal Agents from the Embassy of the United States representing the United States Marshal Service (USMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), working closely with units from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, Port-of-Spain Division (TTPS), facilitated an arrest for an extradition warrant.
In a Media Release today (Thursday 25th April, 2024), the U.S. Embassy said on 17th April, 2024, Vincent Roberts, a U.S. Permanent Resident fugitive wanted in the state of New York for attempted murder, was arrested in the Laventille area of Trinidad. Also playing key roles and critical to the operation’s success were the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the Kings County, New York, District Attorney’s Office. Roberts will be held in custody as the extradition process is finalized for his eventual return to the United States to stand trial for his alleged crimes. “U.S. Federal Agents worked closely with TTPS in co-ordination and planning, during an exhaustive manhunt spanning multiple months, to locate and arrest the subject,” the U.S. Embassy added. U.S. Ambassador Candace Bond said, “For the second time in two (2) weeks, the extensive co-operation and close working relationship between United States and Trinidad and Tobago law enforcement agencies highlights the strength and effectiveness of our bilateral partnership. Nations working together to bring criminals to justice is a critical mission around the world, and others can now look to our joint efforts between the United States of America and Trinidad and Tobago as an example to emulate. We are very proud of our shared success and are eager to continue our efforts to provide safety and security to the people of our two (2) great countries.” [Source: U.S. Embassy Trinidad & Tobago]
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A fugitive wanted by United States authorities for serious offenses, was captured yesterday (Wednesday 17th April, 2024) during a joint intelligence-led operation. According to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), the suspect was arrested pursuant to outstanding warrants for the offences of attempted murder in the second degree, attempted assault in the first degree and possession of a weapon in the second degree, committed within the jurisdiction of the United States of America.
The TTPS initiated the pursuit of the suspect following intelligence received from an international source in March 2024. The intelligence suggested that the suspect was in Trinidad, after he fled the United States to evade law enforcement investigations. The suspect, who allegedly returned to Trinidad in December 2022, had reportedly taken measures to conceal his whereabouts, including relocating to an undisclosed address within the Laventille area. While undertaking diligent surveillance efforts, the TTPS said Officers observed the wanted man walking along Despers Crescent on Wednesday (17th April, 2024). Subsequently, an intelligence unit of the TTPS along with Officers of the Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB), swiftly co-ordinated an operation leading to his apprehension. The Officers executed the extradition warrant and the suspect was taken into custody and conveyed to the Woodbrook Police Station, where he remains detained, pending further legal proceedings. The TTPS said it “remains committed to collaborating with international law enforcement agencies to ensure that fugitives are brought to justice, regardless of their location.” Pennywise Cosmetics has been prohibited by a Judge from selling the ZO Skin Health brand of medical-grade skincare products in its ten (10) retail stores across the country. Pennywise is one of the largest retail chains in the Caribbean, which specializes in health and beauty products. ZO Skin Health is manufactured in the United States.
The order was made on Friday (12th April, 2024) by Justice Joan Charles, who granted an injunction to the Maraval-based dermatology clinic, Skin Health Institute (SHI), led by Dr. Rachel Eckel, who has used the ZO Skin Health brand at her clinic for the past seven (7) years. In an application for the injunction, Dr. Eckel and SHI maintained that the ZO product line was medical-grade and was intended to be physician-controlled only, so the products could only be sold through physician-dispensed channels. The injunction application contended that in August 2023, the claimants — SHI, Dr. Eckel and Barbados-based Dermedica Medical Limited, the exclusive distributor of the ZO product line in the Caribbean — discovered that Pennywise began selling twenty (20) items from the ZO product line. “Pennywise is neither a ZO subsidiary, sales agent partner nor a ZO distribution partner…” It also contended that Pennywise purported to have permission to sell the products when it was not authorized to do so. The three (3) claimants have alleged Pennywise engaged in unfair competition, “passing off” the product, misrepresenting its association with the products and engaging in “deception” by its advertising of the ZO products while telling its customers they could get a prescription from Dr. Eckel or get advice from her and SHI. Dr. Eckel and SHI further contended that Pennywise’s actions, in linking itself to them, were “an overt act intended to make a connection…and thereby cause damage to the claimants’ sales and reputation.” Pennywise’s Attorneys, however, argued that the company had breached no law and had always engaged in honest business practices. They also pointed out that ZO products were available, without a prescription, from international retail sources such as Walmart, Amazon and eBay. Pennywise’s defence said the company had no interest in being associated with SHI or Dr. Eckel as it had its own independent, well-established reputation while also accusing both of attempting to “obtain a monopoly” over the local sale of ZO products. This, the local retail chain said, was contrary to the spirit and tenor of the Protection Against Unfair Competition Act. Their Attorneys also pointed out that the ZO product labels show that physician supervision is not mandatory for persons using the ZO products, while accusing the claimants of setting out to “create fear and hysteria. Additionally, the importation of the products was not flagged by any Government agency as being illegal and/or unlawful.” In her ruling, Justice Charles said it was not in dispute that the ZO line of products was introduced by SHI and Eckel in 2016. She said from the evidence presented, it showed that Pennywise’s employees were relying on the reputation and goodwill of SHI to sell the products and there were “false statements” as being the exclusive distributor. “The advertisements, signage and statements combined to create a false impression to the public and were likely to deceive customers into believing that Pennywise had collaborated with the claimants in providing the products for sale and that it was the sole distributor of said products. I, therefore, hold that there is evidence of an intention to deceive the public which could likely lead to the public being deceived.” She further stated, “The issue regarding the authenticity of the products on sale by the defendant is one for trial, but at this stage, it is clear that they did not have exclusive rights to sell the products neither were they sourced from the manufacturer as the claimants’ products were.” According to the Judge, SHI and Dr. Eckel stood “to lose more” on sales if Pennywise was allowed to continue to sell the ZO product line until trial. Pennywise was therefore prohibited from passing off ZO Skin Health products until the trial, could not sell the line at its stores, and had to remove all the products from the line from its shelves, as well as all advertising material and social media posts. Pennywise had previously agreed to remove the line from its shelves in October 2023, until the Judge gave her decision on the injunction application. The ZO line of products was invented by Dr. Zein Obagi, a Pathologist and Dermatologist with forty (40) years of clinical experience. SHI, Dr. Eckel and Dermedica Medical Limited were represented by Attorneys Terrence Bharath, SC, Shiv Sharma and Daniella Bharath, while Pennywise was represented by Larry Lalla, SC, Vivek Lakhan-Joseph and Taruna Mangroo. More on this as it becomes available. [Source: Newsday] Pictured Above: Israeli air defenses intercept some Iranian strikes over Jerusalem early Sunday, local time. Photo Credit: CNN. Iran launched an unprecedented large-scale drone and missile attack against Israel last night (Saturday 13th April, 2024), in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic complex in Syria, raising the prospect of a full-blown regional conflict. According to reports, more than 300 projectiles, including around 170 drones and over 120 ballistic missiles, were fired toward Israel in an immense aerial attack overnight. However, according to the Israeli military, “99%” of them were intercepted by its aerial defense systems and its “partners.” The reprisals marked the first time the Islamic Republic has launched a direct assault on Israel from its soil, marking a dangerous new inflection point in the fast-widening Middle East conflict. Iran has since issued a stern warning that it will respond with “stronger and more resolute” actions if Israel retaliates over this weekend’s strikes, according to Tehran’s Ambassador to the United Nations. In a phone call with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday night, United States President Joe Biden made clear the U.S. would not participate in any offensive operations against Iran, re-affirming “America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel,” CNN was told by a Senior White House Official. Biden told Netanyahu he should consider the events of Saturday night a “win” as Iran’s attacks had been largely unsuccessful, and instead demonstrated Israel’s “remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks.” The U.S. assessed that almost all of the drones and missiles, including more than 100 ballistic missiles launched by Iran, had been knocked out of the sky. No cruise missile made impact and nothing of “value” was hit, according to the Administration Official. There have also been no reports of injuries suffered directly through Iranian strikes, according to Israel’s Emergency Service, though it said a 7-year-old girl had been severely injured by shrapnel from Israel’s interceptor missile.
More on this as it becomes available. This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates. [Source: CNN] O.J. Simpson, one of the most infamous figures in America and former NFL running back, passed away last night (Wednesday 10th April, 2024) after a battle with cancer. He was seventy-six (76). According to a statement released by his family, “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer.” He died surrounded by his children and grandchildren, they said. “During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” the Simpson family added. Simpson became one of the most infamous figures in America after he was charged with murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994. He was later cleared of their murders. Simpson, a former football running back who played eleven (11) seasons with the Buffalo Bills, reinvented himself as an actor before Brown and Goldman's murders. Although cleared of the murders, his reputation was ruined forever and the latter part of his career was marked by a series of seedy ventures.
After being acquitted, Simpson went on to be found civilly liable for the murders and was later forced to pay out US $33.5 million in damages to the Brown and Goldman families. He faced further legal troubles when he was sentenced to nine (9) to thirty-three (33) years behind bars for armed robbery in Nevada in 2008. It was previously reported that Simpson was battling prostate cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. More on this as it becomes available. This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates. [Source: DailyMail] A suspect wanted in the United States for possession of child pornography, ten (10) counts of human trafficking, corruption of minors, dissemination of intimate photographs, endangering the welfare of a child and ten (10) counts of sexual assault, was arrested during an intelligence-led anti-crime exercise in the Southern Division yesterday (Tuesday 9th April, 2024).
According to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), the individual was wanted under a Provisional Warrant of Arrest for extradition proceedings to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The suspect, identified as a 36-year-old male resident of Glenroy Settlement, Princess Town, was implicated in a series of heinous crimes which also included ten (10) counts of statutory sexual assault, unlawful dissemination of intimate images, criminal use of a communication facility, and ten (10) counts of rape by forcible compulsion. The operation was led by Senior Superintendent Soodeen and supervised by Ag. ASP Ramlogan, with the collaboration of Sgt. Joseph, Sgt. Mason and Cpl. Mitchell, alongside dedicated members of the Southern Division Task Force and Officers from a TTPS Intelligence Unit.
WhatsApp, Instagram, and several other Meta services are facing an outage this afternoon (Wednesday 3rd April, 2024), as being reported by many users.
Downdetector shows a spike in reports of outages affecting Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp over the last hour. More than 20,000 reports of a WhatsApp outage have been reported on the service status site. So far, WhatsApp has acknowledged issues with its service.
Hopefully the outages being experienced with these Meta services are resolved for users soon.
More on this as it becomes available. This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates. [Source: 9to5Mac] Jack Warner is denying social media reports that he has been extradited to the United States by U.S. authorities. Warner, a former FIFA Vice President facing twenty-nine (29) corruption charges, said he was enjoying family time today (Monday 1st April, 2024) when contacted for comment by Guardian Media. He said he believed those who created the posts of his extradition were simply pulling an April Fool’s prank on the population.
Warner was banned for life from football by FIFA following a corruption scandal at the world governing body in 2015. In May of that year, he was indicted on twenty-nine (29) corruption charges by U.S. authorities, who requested his extradition after an arrest warrant was issued for him and other FIFA Officials. He was one of fourteen (14) top FIFA Officials and Corporate Executives to be accused of corruption, fraud and money laundering. Warner has, however, always denied the allegations made against him. More on this as it becomes available. [Source: CNC3]
Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, announced a short while ago (Friday 22nd March, 2024) that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy after tests taken following major abdominal surgery in January revealed cancer had been present.
Kate, 42, the wife of heir-to-the-throne Prince William, spent two (2) weeks in Hospital in January, after having what her office said at the time, was successful, planned surgery for a non-cancerous but unspecified condition. However, in a video message on Friday, Kate said subsequent tests had revealed cancer had been found, but she said she was well and getting stronger. “My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment,” Kate said in the video which was filmed on Wednesday (20th March, 2024). “This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.”
King Charles revealed in February that he would have to undergo treatment for cancer, leading him to postpone his public royal duties.
Kate‘s office, Kensington Palace, said it would give no further details about the type of cancer. It said she was on a recovery pathway and the preventative chemotherapy had begun in February. After her operation, the Palace said Kate would not return to official duties until after Easter, but her absence from public life has provoked intense speculation on social media. She and William had wanted privacy about the cancer until their children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, began their school holidays, which started on Friday. “It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok,” she said. “As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits.” Kate has not appeared at a public event since she joined other members of the royal family for a church service on Christmas Day. More on this as it becomes available. This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates. [Source: Reuters] Meta’s Facebook is resurfacing its once-popular “poke” feature around the social network’s 20th birthday and framing it as an easy way to say “hi” to a friend. Remember when you would “poke” your friends on Facebook to get their attention, annoy them or just start a poke war? Some even used it as a way to flirt back in the day. Facebook is now trying to bring back that experience with some small updates to the poking feature. The company announced today (Tuesday 19th March, 2024) that it recently improved the platform’s suggestions on who to poke and have also made it easier to find the poking page through search. Plus, Facebook added the ability to poke a friend when you search for them on the social network. According to TechCrunch, Facebook notes that these minor changes have led to a 13x spike in poking in the past month. Despite many users not being around for the initial surge of poking back in the day, a young generation is starting to embrace the feature, as Facebook states that more than 50% of pokes are coming from users between the ages of eighteen (18) to twenty-nine (29). When you poke someone, they'll get a notification.
How to see and send pokes on Facebook:
If you don't want someone to poke you, you can block them. Poking is one of Facebook’s oldest features, dating from the platform’s founding in 2004, but was tucked away in the navigation after it lost popularity. Facebook never defined what the idea behind poking was, and left it up to users’ interpretation, with some choosing to use it as a way to flirt. Will you be poking any of your Facebook friends soon? Let us know in the comments below. [Source: TechCrunch] |
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