#AceHealthReport – Feb.10: Editor says this post provides all of the posts we have added to our newsroom on #COVID19 and #coronavirus since beginning of the year and we add to daily:
Editor says …..As l read many blogs daily some are using their time and providing people of this world in may countries with information that could either save their lives or at least help someone to help another person.
But others readily tell us that governments knew that our health services were under-funded and under-staffed …OK I agree ….but blame does not allow us to gain.
If we work together to help those in our community the best way we can then maybe that will bring about the change we seek in our ❤️ And in so doing God by any name will be able to see we #Care2Share his love given by his sons crucification and help and guidance will come.
🙏’s Friends, Followers, Readers and All People of this World Amen
The #pandemic has opened up a bio-based-weapon that can be used to politicise a story on peoples heartache over the death of a loved or to enable ‘ hard hearted ‘ journalists who want the story first to leave no stone unturned even if their intentions are not honourable……
So what of #truth this concept that alludes the media just to create sensationalism and lead people like the shepherd …herding their flock to the edge of the cliff and offering advice of what to do when the hit the bottom ….followed by blaming their stupidly of being lemmings ……
The news should be informative and place before its readers …advice and guidance to enable the public to become to form an opinion and not to place before their audience a convoluted message of misleading information ..that neither informs or provides anything but hollow words ……
People deserve better than the sum of what the media call news …..and we need to become the purveyors of #truth and not publish as bloggers what they wheel out and call the daily news …….
Be safe my friends, followers and readers God Bless 🙏’s
#AceNewsReport – Apr.21: He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court today (Wednesday 21 April).
Man charged with wounding of woman in Piccadilly Gardens: ‘Manuel Marques (12/01/1994) of Hyde Road, Manchester, has been charged with single counts of section 18 assault, and assault of an emergency worker’
Officers were called shortly before 4.55pm on Monday 19 April to a report of a woman injured in Manchester city centre: A 40-year-old woman was found on police arrival with an injury to her forearm which is believed to have been caused by a glass bottle: She was taken to hospital for treatment and has since been discharged.
#AceNewsReport – Apr.21: Officers have arrested four teenagers on suspicion of murder following the death of a man in Huyton on Monday night, 19th April.
Four arrested on suspicion of murder following death of man in Huyton: ‘The teenagers, two males aged 15, one male aged 14 and a 15 year-old female, are currently in custody where they will be questioned by detectives’
The victim has now been identified as 23 year-old Connor Dockerty from the Litherland area.
His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.
A post mortem revealed he died from multiple stab wounds.
An investigation is ongoing and detectives are continuing to appeal for anyone who has any information to come forward.
Detective Chief Inspector Siobhan Gainer said: “We are continuing to appeal for the public’s help and I want to appeal directly to anyone who was on Kingsway at the time this incident happened to contact us. If you have CCTV, dashcam or video/mobile footage from the Kingsway or Liverpool Road area at around 8pm on Monday night, please get in touch.”
Anyone who would like to upload footage from last night to help with our investigation can use our Major Incident Portal by clicking on ‘Merseyside Police’ and the ‘Kingsway murder Huyton’ icon. They can also message us in confidence via the portal: Public Portal (mipp.police.uk)
Anyone with information can also DM @MerPolCC on Twitter, call 101, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting log 1004 of 19 April.
#AceNewsReport – Apr.21: More than £1.6m will be returned to the public purse after the National Crime Agency won a forfeiture order over the money which was hidden in a bed:
National Crime Agency wins £1.6m cash forfeiture order in Operation Venetic investigation: ‘On June 13 last year NCA officers working as part of Operation Venetic – the UK’s response to the takedown of encrypted comms platform EncroChat – raided a flat in Kenelm Road, Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham, allegedly being used by an organised crime group’
Inside a double divan bed was £1,656,040 in cash: The bags were written on with dates and names of EncroChat handles (users’ nicknames) On the left side of the bed the cash had been counted and on the right of the bed were bags of uncounted cash: Also inside the bag were professional electronic cash counting machines, a ledger showing cash collection records, digital scales, a heat sealing machine and plastic pouches likely to have been used sealing one kilogramme blocks of drugs:
Two men aged 45 have been arrested as part of the investigation and released under investigation: And a man aged 37 is wanted as part of the inquiry: Officers found two kilogrammes of cocaine inside his car and £56,000 in his wardrobe when they searched his home:
NCA operations manager Rick MacKenzie said: “The recovery of this money is excellent news for the public purse and crucially deprives an organised crime group of a lot of cash: “ That money can no longer be used to reinvest in more offending. Our investigation continues.”The uncontested forfeiture order was granted on Friday at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.
#AceNewsReport – Apr.21: According to court documents, Sergio Pasini, 43, of Ferrera, Italy, and Gianluca Sabbioni, 55, of Sala Bolognese, Italy, two senior diesel managers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Italy S.p.A. (FCA Italy), a wholly owned subsidiary of Stellantis N.V. — along with a previously charged co-conspirator, Emanuele Palma, 42, of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan — were responsible for developing and calibrating the 3.0-liter diesel engine used in certain FCA diesel vehicles.
‘An indictment was unsealed today in the Eastern District of Michigan charging two Italian nationals, along with a previously charged co-conspirator, for their alleged role in a conspiracy to defraud U.S. regulators and customers by making false and misleading statements about the emissions controls and fuel efficiency of more than 100,000 diesel vehicles sold in the United States by FCA US LLC: Their responsibilities included calibrating several software features in the vehicles’ emissions control systems to meet emissions standards for nitrogen oxides (NOx), a family of poisonous gases that are formed when diesel fuels are burned at high temperatures, while also achieving best-in-class fuel efficiency targets set by FCA US LLC’
The superseding indictment alleges that Palma, Pasini, Sabbioni, and their co-conspirators, purposely calibrated the emissions control functions to produce lower NOx emissions under conditions when the subject vehicles would be undergoing testing on the federal test procedures or driving “cycles,” and higher NOx emissions under conditions when the subject vehicles would be driven in the real world. Palma, Pasini, Sabbioni, and their co-conspirators allegedly referred to the manner in which they manipulated one method of emissions control as “cycle beating.” As alleged, by calibrating the emissions control functions on the subject vehicles to produce lower NOx emissions while the vehicles were on the driving “cycle,” and higher NOx emissions when the vehicles were off the driving “cycle,” or “off cycle,” the three defendants purposely misled FCA’s regulators by making it appear that the subject vehicles were producing less NOx emissions than they were, i.e., in real world driving conditions. Palma, Pasini, and Sabbioni also allegedly made and caused others to make false and misleading representations to FCA’s regulators about the emissions control functions of the subject vehicles in order to ensure that FCA obtained regulatory approval to sell the subject vehicles in the United States.
The superseding indictment also alleges that Palma, Pasini, and Sabbioni employed “cycle beating” to achieve best-in-class fuel efficiency and make the subject vehicles more attractive to FCA’s potential customers, i.e., by increasing fuel economy and reducing the frequency of a required emissions control system service interval. The superseding indictment alleges that the co-conspirators understood their “cycle beating” calibration would harm consumers who purchased the vehicle, leading them to acknowledge that “there will always be the unlucky customer who will have the misfortune of using our loser cal[ibration].”
Pasini and Sabbioni are each charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and six counts of violating the Clean Air Act. If convicted, Pasini and Sabbioni each face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy count to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act, up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy count to commit wire fraud, and up to two years in prison for each count of violating the Clean Air Act. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Palma is charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of violating the Clean Air Act, and two counts of making false statements to representatives of the FBI and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID). If convicted, Palma faces up to five years in prison on the conspiracy count to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act, up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy count to commit wire fraud, up to two years in prison for each count of violating the Clean Air Act, and up to five years in prison for each count of making false statements. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kevin O. Driscoll of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Saima S. Mohsin of the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan; Acting Assistant Attorney General Jean E. Williams of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD); Special Agent in Charge Timothy Waters of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Lance Ehrig of the EPA-CID’s West-Central Region made the announcement.
Principal Assistant Chief Henry P. Van Dyck and Trial Attorneys Kyle W. Maurer and Jason M. Covert of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, ENRD Senior Trial Attorney Todd W. Gleason, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John K. Neal and Timothy J. Wyse for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
#AceSportsReport – Apr.21: BBC Sport understands bosses at the Serie A club are preparing for their exit following Tuesday night’s dramatic developments.
European Super League: All six Premier League teams withdraw from competition: Manchester City were the first club to pull out after Chelsea had signalled their intent to do so by preparing documentation to withdraw: The other four sides – Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham – have all now followed suit: Italian side Inter Milan are also set to withdraw as they no longer wish to be involved with the project: How football’s volatile 48 hours unfolded
Chelsea fans protested against their involvement in the European Super League outside Stamford Bridge
30 minutes ago
The 12-team Super League, set up by the seven afore-mentioned teams and Spain’s Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid and Italy’s AC Milan and Juventus was announced on Sunday to widespread condemnation.
“Despite the announced departure of the English clubs, forced to take such decisions due to the pressure put on them, we are convinced our proposal is fully aligned with European law and regulations,” the ESL said on Wednesday, adding it was “convinced that the current status quo of European football needs to change”.
In an interview with Italian newspaper la Repubblica, Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli said the remaining clubs will “press ahead” and the project still had “a 100% chance of being a success”.,
“Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is insisting on the idea of keeping the group together to push for change,” says Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.Liverpool owner John W Henry apologises in message to fans
“Barcelona say they agreed to the ESL, but only if the Season Ticket Holders Assembly approve it, which could be their way out.”
Balague also says Atletico Madrid are meeting on Wednesday morning to review their position.
Manchester City confirmed they have “formally enacted the procedures to withdraw” from the Super League.
Liverpool said their involvement in the proposed breakaway league “has been discontinued”.
Manchester United said they had “listened carefully to the reaction from our fans, the UK government and other key stakeholders” in making their decision to not take part.
Arsenal apologised in an open letter to their fans and said they had “made a mistake”, adding they were withdrawing after listening to them and the “wider football community”.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said the club regretted the “anxiety and upset” caused by the proposal.
Chelsea confirmed they have “begun the formal procedures for withdrawal from the group” that they only joined “late last week”.
‘Admirable to admit a mistake ‘ – Uefa
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin welcomed the reversal, adding: “I said yesterday that it is admirable to admit a mistake and these clubs made a big mistake.
“But they are back in the fold now and I know they have a lot to offer not just to our competitions but to the whole of the European game.
“The important thing now is that we move on, rebuild the unity that the game enjoyed before this and move forward together.”
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson posted on Twitter: “I welcome last night’s announcement. This is the right result for football fans, clubs, and communities across the country. We must continue to protect our cherished national game.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer added that this “must be a watershed moment, where we change our game to put fans first again”, while Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey tweeted: “This must be the start of a fans-led football revolution.”
In a statement, the European Super League said: “Given the current circumstances we shall reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always having in mind our goals of offering fans the best experience possible while enhancing solidarity payments for the entire football community.”
English football’s ‘big six’ were part of a group that announced plans to form the breakaway league, which they hoped to establish as a new midweek competition.
It was condemned by fans, football authorities and government ministers in the UK and across Europe by Uefa and league associations.
Around 1,000 fans gathered outside Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge ground before their game against Brighton on Tuesday to protest at their club’s involvement.Chelsea legend Petr Cech pleaded with fans to disperse outside the ground before their match against Brighton
Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, who was involved in the Super League discussions, has announced he will step down from his role at the end of 2021.
Leading players at some of the six clubs signalled their disapproval of the planned breakaway league.
“We don’t like it and we don’t want it to happen,” read a message that was also posted by many fellow Liverpool players.
After City confirmed their withdrawal, England winger Raheem Sterling posted: “Ok bye.”
Uefa had hoped to stave off the threat of a European Super League with a new 36-team Champions League, which was agreed on Monday.
In announcing their proposals for a Super League that would eventually comprise of 20 teams, the 12-club group said the Champions League reforms did not go far enough.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who was named as the ESL’s chairman, said the competition was set up “to save football” because young people are “no longer interested” in the game because of “a lot of poor quality games”.
None of the Spanish and Italian sides have yet released a statement after the six Premier League teams pulled out.
What did each club say?
The Arsenal board said they did not intend to “cause such distress” and that they joined the Super League because they “did not want to be left behind” and wanted to ensure the club’s future.
“Our aim is always to make the right decisions for this great football club, to protect it for the future and to take us forward,” they added.
“We didn’t make the right decision here, which we fully accept.”
Manchester United said that they “remain committed to working with others across the football community to come up with sustainable solutions to the long-term challenges facing the game”.
Liverpool said the club had “received representations from various key stakeholders, both internally and externally” before reaching their decision and thanked them for their “valuable contributions”.
Levy said that Tottenham felt it was “important” to take part in “a possible new structure that sought to better ensure financial fair play and financial sustainability whilst delivering significantly increased support for the wider football pyramid”.
He added: “We should like to thank all those supporters who presented their considered opinions.”
Chelsea said that after having had “time to consider the matter fully” they had decided that their “continued participation in these plans would not be in the best interests of the club, our supporters or the wider football community”.
Manchester City said they have “formally enacted the procedures to withdraw from the group developing plans for a European Super League”
#AceNewsReport – Apr.21: All those arrested have been taken to police stations in London and Hampshire. The Metropolitan Police Service lead the investigation:
The operation involved more than 150 officers from the Metropolitan Police Service, Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police.
MET Proactive Unit Officers: Arrests have been made as police target county lines networks: ‘A total of eight addresses were targeted simultaneously across London, Hampshire and Berkshire. Three men and two women, aged between 20 and 40 years old, have been arrested on suspicion of offences including conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and modern slavery’
[Officers on this morning’s raids]
[Officers on this morning’s raids]
Searches of the addresses continue but officers have so far found a machete, Class B drugs and a rapier sword.
The investigation was launched in January this year after officers identified a ring of people involved in widespread drug supply across the southeast of England through county lines.
The early stages of the investigation led officers to believe young children and extremely vulnerable adults were being used to deal drugs along the county lines. They secured evidence to suggest these individuals were being held against their will in order to clear debts owed to the group.
The investigating team worked tirelessly to identify suspects through CCTV, ANPR and extensive cell phone analysis. The operation has so far resulted in four young children and vulnerable people being rescued. They are currently being looked after by specialist officers.
Sergeant Tom Freeman from the Met’s Proactive Gangs Unit, which leads the investigation, said: “This morning’s activity is a culmination of months of hard work by officers across three different police forces. The operation focused on rescuing children and vulnerable people who had no option to do as they were told through fear of violence from those controlling them: “ The evidence we’ve gathered leads us to believe they were being held against their will until they paid off debts they did not create in the first place. Those involved in this activity entirely manipulated the vulnerabilities of these individuals for their own financial gain – a common trait of county lines lineholders: “ We know county lines activity is closely linked to violence we see on the streets of London and other parts of the United Kingdom. Not only have we rescued vulnerable people from violence and exploitation, but by disrupting this drug supply line we’ve destroyed the business model of this group and hopefully prevented violent incidents occurring in the future.”
Inspector Richard Lane from Hampshire Constabulary, which supported the operation, said: “County lines and its associated violence can cause misery in our communities, and it is right that we put significant effort into dismantling these networks and safeguarding vulnerable people who have been exploited in this trade: “ We will continue to work with our partners to identify those responsible and target these drug dealing networks in north Hampshire and across the force area.”
Detective Inspector John Wordsworth, from Thames Valley Police, which aided the operation, said: “County lines drugs has a significant impact on our communities and often those who profit from drugs are exploiting children and vulnerable adults in order to do so: “ We are committed to tackling county lines drugs and this operation should be a reminder that police forces will work together across borders in order to stop this pernicious activity: “ We will also continue to work in partnership to protect those who are exploited by county lines drugs gangs: “ The public also have an important role to play in providing information that can assist us in dismantling county lines drugs lines and also safeguard vulnerable individuals.”
+++
The below were arrested following the warrants:
[A] a 40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs and on suspicion of money laundering.
[B] a 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and on suspicion of securing services from children and vulnerable persons under the Modern Slavery Act 2002.
[C] a 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and on suspicion of securing services from children and vulnerable persons under the Modern Slavery Act 2002.
[D] a 37-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and on suspicion of securing services from children and vulnerable persons under the Modern Slavery Act 2002.
[E] a 20-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and on suspicion of securing services from children and vulnerable persons under the Modern Slavery Act 2002.
ICE/ERO Officers have removed a Rwandan citizen for human rights violations: Beatrice Munyenyezi was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for procuring her naturalization based on false statements to immigration officers about her role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Munyenyezi participated, aided, and abetted in the persecution and murder of Tutsi people. Her conviction was the first in the United States for concealing one’s personal participation in the Rwandan genocide.
Munyenyezi was a member of the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND), the political party in power during the genocide and its youth wing, the Interahamwe. The Interahamwe ran a militia that played a key role in the genocide. Witnesses testified that Munyenyezi staffed a roadblock near the Hotel Ihuriro in Butare, Rwanda, where she personally inspected IDs and decided who would pass and who would be selected for inevitable death. Some victims were assaulted at the roadblock; others were led to a nearby forest where they were killed.
On March 10, 1998: Munyenyezi entered the United States after making false statements to obtain status; she adjusted her status to lawful permanent resident on January 19, 2001, and on July 18, 2003, became a naturalized U.S. citizen. Agents from ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations’ Boston field office spent over six years investigating Munyenyezi, traveling to Rwanda nine times to identify and interview witnesses. In 2010, HSI Boston special agents arrested Munyenyezi for unlawful procurement of U.S. citizenship:
“Beatrice Munyenyezi concealed her past to wrongly obtain United States citizenship, obscuring her direct participation in the Rwandan Genocide — an atrocity of immense scale which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women, and children,” said William S. Walker, acting special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations’ Boston field office. “Homeland Security Investigations special agents work tirelessly to investigate and seek prosecution for those who commit human rights violations and seek a safe haven here in the United States.”
On February 21, 2013: Munyenyezi was found guilty of two counts of Unlawful Procurement of Citizenship or Naturalization in the U.S. District Court in New Hampshire, based on false statements on her immigration forms about her membership in the MRND and the Interahamwe. On July 15, 2013, the court sentenced Munyenyezi to 10 years in federal prison. Munyenyezi filed several appeals of her conviction including a petition for review and a petition for writ of habeas corpus. On March 3, 2021, the First Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s denial of her motion to vacate her conviction:
While serving her federal sentence, ICE initiated removal proceedings against Munyenyezi. On March 16, 2020, an immigration judge ordered Munyenyezi removed from the United States to Rwanda and on January 27, 2021 the Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed her appeal of the immigration judge’s order.
“This removal sends a clear message that the United States will not be a hiding place for those who commit heinous human rights violations,” said Caridad Cephas-Kimbrough, acting field office director for ERO New Orleans. “The tireless dedication our enforcement and removal officers and HSI partners put into this case is a testament to their commitment to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and ensure human rights violators like Munyenyezi are held to those laws.”
The criminal prosecution and subsequent appeals were litigated by attorneys in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston and New Hampshire with support from ICE Boston, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor. The removal case was handled by attorneys from ICE New Orleans, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor and Enforcement and Removal Operations. DOJ’s Office of Immigration Litigation also litigated the case.
The enforcement efforts targeting Munyenyezi were supported by ICE’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009 to further ICE’s efforts to identify, locate and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, the HRVWCC leverages the expertise of a select group of agents, attorneys, intelligence and research specialists, historians and analysts who direct the agency’s broader enforcement efforts against those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers.
Since 2003: ICE has arrested more than 460 individuals for human rights-related violations of the law under various criminal and/or immigration statutes. During that same period, ICE obtained deportation orders and/or physically removed from the United States 1,064 known or suspected human rights violators. Additionally, ICE has facilitated the departure of an additional 172 such individuals from the United States:
Currently: HSI has more than 155 active investigations into suspected human rights violators and is pursuing more than 1,675 leads and removal cases involving suspected human rights violators from 95 different countries. Since 2003, the HRVWCC has issued more than 77,000 lookouts for individuals from more than 110 countries and stopped over 333 human rights violators and war crimes suspects from entering the U.S:
Members of the public who have information about foreign nationals suspected of engaging in human rights abuses or war crimes are urged to call the ICE tip line at 1-866-DHS-2423 (1-866-347-2423). Callers may remain anonymous. To learn more about the assistance available to victims in these cases, the public should contact ICE’s confidential victim-witness toll-free number at 1-866-872-4973.
ICE continues to implement interim civil immigration enforcement priorities directed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to focus its limited resources on threats to national security, border security, and public safety. ICE carries out its duty to enforce the laws of the United States in accordance with the Department’s national security and public safety mission.
#AceNewsReport – Apr.21: A couple of days ago, Morgan Stanley warned that China’s new digital renminbi – the first “central bank digital currency” (or CBDC) –could cement its status as the next reserve currency:
Facebook Plans To Launch Stablecoin That Will Compete With Dollar Early Next Year: Morgan Stanley warned China new digital currency could arrive next year ….
Morgan Stanley: If A CBDC Gains Acceptance For International Transactions, It Could Become The New Reserve Currency
By Chetan Ahya, Morgan Stanley’s Chief Economist and Global Head of Economics
Central Bank Digital Currencies – The Next Disruption: We do not usually associate disruption with central banks. But a major move to introduce central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) could actually disrupt the financial system:
CBDCs are a new form of digital cash intended to serve as a substitute for physical cash. They will be a liability of the central bank, which will maintain them in a centralized ledger. CBDCs should not be confused with cryptocurrencies, which either are pegged to an underlying asset or backed by a public blockchain. Cryptocurrencies are not a viable form of digital cash for payments on a large scale, given the high computational and energy intensity of the validation process using distributed ledger technologies. However, they will continue to perform other functions. For instance, investors may perceive that cryptocurrencies can be a store of value (akin to precious metals) to hedge against the effects of central banks’ aggressive monetary easing.
Efforts to introduce CBDCs are gaining momentum, with as many as 86% of the world’s central banks exploring digital currencies. China has launched pilot trials in a number of cities, the ECB recently concluded a public consultation on a digital euro and will make a decision this summer, and the Boston Fed is set to release its initial research in the fall.
What explains this sudden concerted interest? We see three main reasons:
Monetary sovereignty: Private payment networks have proliferated rapidly. As they gain market share, these networks can become the primary means of transaction for many users. The central banks’ concern is that money will circulate almost exclusively within the networks, posing a threat to central bank control of the monetary system.
Financial stability: Any potential failure by a private provider of digital money could disrupt the payment system and lead to financial stability risks. While regulators have taken steps to mitigate these risks, they cannot eliminate them. In contrast, the central bank both creates and holds a CBDC, hence will be able to guarantee its reliability as a medium of exchange for transactions.
Financial inclusion: The rise of private, narrow money networks risks excluding segments of the general public, e.g., the unbanked population. A CBDC, just like physical cash, can be made broadly available and may even foster greater financial inclusion.
With these objectives in mind, we think that central banks will implement consumer-facing retail digital currencies, accessible to the public through financial intermediaries and running on a centralized ledger system controlled by monetary authorities.
Nevertheless, when something as fundamental as what you use to make payments changes, the effects can be far-reaching.
Commercial banks will face the risk of disintermediation. Once CBDC accounts are launched, consumers will be able to transfer their bank deposits there, subject to limits imposed by the central banks. Moreover, the technological infrastructure of CBDCs will make it easier for new non-bank entities to enter the payments space and accelerate the transition towards digital payments. These factors will increase competitive pressures on commercial banks.
In a digital economy, data provide a competitive edge. We see a tug-of-war playing out between consumers who are privacy-conscious and want to keep their transactions anonymous and fintech companies that will innovate and incentivize consumers to get onto their platforms in order to acquire transaction data. If the fintechs’ efforts succeed, network effects could proliferate, allowing fintechs to take market share from banks.
CBDCs also have the potential to disrupt the international payments system. If a country’s CBDC gains acceptance for international transactions, significant advantages could accrue to the issuer country in financing costs and control over financial transactions, similar to the US dollar’s privileged role today. Some central banks like the ECB and the PBOC see the move towards digital currency as an opportunity to raise the international status of their currencies and increase their use in cross-border payments. On the other hand, emerging markets want to limit the use of foreign digital currencies in their economies (e-dollarization).
Innovations are typically viewed with caution and their disruptive potential is usually underestimated. While central banks’ CBDC initiatives are not intended to disrupt the banking system, they will likely have unintended disruptive consequences. The pace of disruption will hinge on how quickly network effects take hold in a CBDC system. The more widely digital currencies are accepted, the more opportunity for innovation and the greater the scope for disruption to the financial system.
#AceNewsReport – Apr.21: This is the way some extremist Israeli settlers extended their greetings to Palestinian Muslims in this blessed month. Israeli police also escalated their harassment, firing tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinians. One Israeli policeman was filmed beating up a Palestinian at the Damascus Gate. Who stopped him? Nobody.
Jerusalem: On verge of exploding thanks to Israel’s fires: Firefighters have to be at the ready at all times and cannot afford to take holidays. Right now, the new US administration and major European powers are watching from the sidelines: The final bonfire is over Palestinian elections: The Israeli government is determined not to allow any Palestinian political activity in East Jerusalem, even though Palestinian elections were permitted under the Oslo Accords: Palestinians in East Jerusalem voted in 1996, 2005 and 2006. Even then, Israel compelled them to vote by post to indicate that they were voting from abroad. Of course, the Palestinian residents of Jerusalem have no right to vote in Israeli general elections, and now they may even be denied the right to vote for the emaciated and semi-powerless body that is the PA: Arab News Sources:
The second possible candidate for PA president is Marwan Barghouti: Like Dahlan, in a face-off with Abbas he would win 60% of the vote. He’s a member of one of the largest and most powerful clans in the West Bank; there are Barghoutis everywhere. Marwan Barghouti has only one handicap – it’s the very thing that makes him so popular. He’s currently serving five life sentences (plus 40 years) for being involved in murdering five Israelis. Abbas may try to disqualify him, insisting that if Barghouti won, he could not govern from an Israeli prison. But that’s not necessarily the case. Politicians have been known to govern from jail. Americans may remember James Michael Curley, who served as Mayor of Boston for two years from his prison cell. Barghouti has made sure that his wife is running for the Palestinian Legislative Council:
He could govern by employing her, and a group of male Barghoutis, along with Nasser al-Kidwa, as his proxies. They could be sent directives from his prison cell. He could even use the Internet to broadcast his messages to his people. It’s not crazy — Marwan Barghouti would be “working from home.” Barghouti, it turns out, much to the chagrin of Mahmoud Abbas, has decided to run: A report on this new challenge to Mahmoud Abbas is here: “Marwan Barghouti to run in PA presidential election,” by Khaled Abu Toameh, Jerusalem Post, April 15, 2021:It all kicked off with the Israeli decision to ban all seating on the stairs at the main entrance to the Muslim Quarter at the Damascus Gate. This is a major gathering place for Palestinians on Ramadan evenings.
There is another possible way for Abbas to remain as president, aside from cancelling the elections: That is to declare that “because of his genuine remorse for his long-past defalcation, and because he has earned gratitude for persuading the UAE to deliver 50,000 dose of coronavirus vaccine to the Palestinian people, Mohammad Dahlan is hereby declared eligible to run for president of the Palestinian Authority.” Then Abbas can hope that his two rivals will split almost evenly the 60% of the electorate that is against him, while he wins with a plurality of 40%. It’s not impossible, when you’re dealing with Mahmoud Abbas, President-For-Life:
Israeli riot police deploy water cannon during clashes with Palestinians close to the Damascus Gate on Sunday, April 18, 2021. (Screengrab: Twitter)
Restrictions on Palestinian numbers have also exacerbated tensions. Israel allowed only 10,000 people to enter Jerusalem from the West Bank, compared to many times that amount in recent years: On the first Friday in Ramadan, only 70,000 Muslims were able to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque. Despite Israel’s hollow claim that it allows freedom of worship in the city, it routinely restricts numbers and most Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza cannot go to Al-Aqsa:
The Israeli authorities also decided to cut the wires to the loudspeakers at the mosque in yet another deliberately inflammatory move: This year is even tougher and Israel has demanded that all Palestinians entering Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank have to have been vaccinated against the coronavirus disease. Of course, if Israel had carried out its clear international legal and moral duty of vaccinating Palestinians under its military rule, the story would be different:
Ramadan used to be a time when Israel showed some degree of reverence and respect toward Palestinians: This custom is being torn up. As a result, Jerusalem is on the verge of exploding. What we have, therefore, is a highly combustible situation in this, the world’s most combustible city. Even a passing knowledge of the history of this great city tells us that small clashes can soon lead to a dangerous explosion.
Three major bonfires are being lit. The first and perhaps most dangerous is that Israel is tearing up the delicate status quo that governs Al-Haram Al-Sharif: For starters, it is allowing Jews to pray openly on the platform. They boast of this by broadcasting it on YouTube. This included the uber-racist Kahanist and newly elected member of the Knesset, Itamar Ben Gvir. The status quo arrangements for the holy sites do not permit Jewish prayer on the platform. According to the agreement, as acknowledged publicly even by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Al-Haram Al-Sharif is exclusively a Muslim place of worship, which all Israeli prime ministers have accepted since 1967: Palestinian Muslims fear the “Hebronization” of Al-Haram Al-Sharif, whereby the platform is divided into both a mosque and a synagogue with less access for Muslims. This is what happened at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. That was sensitive enough, but tampering with the status quo in Jerusalem escalates the situation a hundredfold:
What makes it different this year is that no outside powers are saying anything. If this was happening in the days of John Kerry as US secretary of state, for example, he and his colleagues would be working the phones between Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to calm the tensions. The trouble is that Netanyahu and King Abdullah of Jordan are no longer on speaking terms. Tensions between the two have rarely been higher.
The second bonfire is the serious attempt to bring about mass evictions of Palestinians in key areas of Jerusalem. Since the last major evictions of Palestinians on June 10, 1967, Israel has managed to insert more than 220,000 Israeli settlers into occupied East Jerusalem, but without the mass displacement of Palestinians. Much of this is happening in the shadow of the Old City, notably in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan. Settlers have used the Israeli legal system to obtain eviction orders for dozens of families. Many of these families are UN-registered refugees who were given the land after the Nakba, when Israel confiscated theirs:
This legal system was designed to enable Israeli Jews to kick out Palestinians and the settler groups are using this to the full. It may be slowed down with appeals and the like, but ultimately it leads to one destination: Mass evictions of Palestinians as part of the broader plan to downscale the Palestinian presence in the city:
The Israeli authorities have also ramped up home demolitions in the Palestinian areas of East Jerusalem. They can do this because they have denied more applications from Palestinians for building permits, meaning that Palestinians have no choice but to build without them. More than half of all Palestinian homes in the city are built with no permit:
What we have is a highly combustible situation in this, the world’s most combustible city.
Chris Doyle
Israeli forces have arrested Palestinians engaged in any form of electioneering, including three candidates who were planning to hold a news conference. All of this leads some to believe this will be an excuse for PA President Mahmoud Abbas to postpone the May 22 legislative elections. This would delight the Israeli government, which has no desire to see Palestinian democracy at work, especially if it means Hamas has a chance at a share of power. The pyromaniacs have taken over the firefighting. The Israeli authorities, instead of restraining extremist settler groups such as Elad and the Temple Mount Faithful, are actively pursuing their agendas. Do not be surprised, therefore, if full-scale riots return to the streets of this extraordinary city. The world had better wake up.
Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News’ point-of-view
#AceNewsReport – Apr.21: The coroner recorded a conclusion that Mr Nash was unlawfully killed: Mr Nash wrote and illustrated children’s books, including The Winter Wild:
James Nash killing: Gunman ‘accused author of Russia #COVID19 plot’ he was attacked in his garden in Upper Enham, Hampshire, on 5 August and died three days later’ & the gunman, Alex Sartain, died in a motorbike crash while being pursued by police on the same day according to BBC News
18 minutes ago
James Nash was described as a “kind-hearted individual and a proactive parish councillor”
Hampshire Coroner’s Court was told Mr Sartain’s mental health problems dated back to 2008 and his father had tried to raise concerns with a GP in June last year but “only got as far as the receptionist”.
OtherAlex Sartain used a homemade shotgun during the attack
John Sartain said his son had become paranoid that Mr Nash, his next-door neighbour, was trying to control him.
The inquest was told Mr Sartain, 34, had been heard “muttering” in the days before the attack about Mr Nash working for Russian president Vladimir Putin and being involved in a conspiracy to “spread Covid”.
The hearing was told that Mr Sartain also believed he was being tracked by the “CIA, MI6 and SO19”.
On the day of the attack, Mr Nash was working in his front garden when raised voices were heard by his wife Sarah Nash – who had been on a video call indoors – followed by a bang.
“As soon as I opened the front door I could see a man in full black leathers stamping on the face of my husband who was flat out on his back,” Mrs Nash said.
The author had managed to deflect the gunshot with his hand but died from head injuries, the inquest heard.Parts of Upper Enham were cordoned off following the shooting
Mr Sartain had previously been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and was under the care of a community mental health team until April last year, it was heard.
Coroner Jason Pegg said a letter discharging him into the care of a GP was sent by the community mental health team to the Adelaide Medical Centre in Andover.
“That discharge letter… was never seen by the GP. Instead the letter was received by the administration staff at the practice and never passed on as perhaps it should have been,” he added.
The coroner added that it “cannot be ascertained” whether Mr Sartain would have been detained in June if his father’s concerns had been passed on by the GP’s receptionist.
He said he would not be taking the matter further as a new partnership was now running the surgery and practices had changed.
An inquest into the death of Mr Sartain will be held on Wednesday.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Boko Haram: ‘Troops kill over 40 terrorists in Dikwa: Sources among residents say the gunfight started on Sunday evening 18th April 2021 and ended on Monday morning 19th April 2012’ government are all happy whenever unbelievers are being killed: Minister Pantami,” by Idris Ibrahim, People’s Gazette, April 14, 2021 (thanks to Imam Tawhidi):
Maina Maina: 19, 2021:
Now we know why the Buhari government has promised to destroy the Boko Haram jihad group many times over the last few years, but has actually done little or nothing to oppose the group or impede its jihad against Christians in any meaningful way.
Isa Aliyu Pantami, President Muhammadu Buhari’s communications minister, once declared that he was always a happy man towards the massacre of those he considered infidels.
“We are all happy whenever unbelievers are being killed,” Mr Pantami said. “But the Sharia does not allow us to kill them without a reason.”
“Our zeal (hamasa) should not take precedence over our obedience to the sacred law,” he added.
Mr Pantami’s comments were contained in three audio recordings of his teachings in the 2000s, when he took extreme positions in support of the brutal exploits of Al Qaeda and Taliban elements who were on a campaign to obliterate the West and conquer other parts of the world.
He made the remarks while responding to audience questions about his views on Osama Bin Laden during a lecture about the Taliban. Mr Pantami said of Mr Bin Laden, the late Al Qaeda leader responsible for bringing down the World Trade Centre in an attack that claimed over 3,000 lives in 2001: “I still consider him as a better Muslim than myself.”
Mr Pantami’s comments were translated by Professor Andrea Brigaglia, an African expert at Naples University in Italy. Nigerian scholar Musa Ibrahim of University of Florida in the United States contributed to the paper that explored the onset of Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Top journal publisher academia.edupublished the research in March 2019, several months before Mr Buhari tapped Mr Pantami as a minister. Mr Pantami’s violent preachings, which he rendered in Hausa and Arabic throughout the late 1990s and early to mid-2000s, had gone largely unreported in the Nigerian mainstream media.
Mr Pantami did not return a request seeking comments from Peoples Gazette about whether or not he has eschewed his violent Salafist views….
The source informed that ISWAP fighters had occupied the town after residents and the military were withdrawn, giving the insurgents false assurance that they had captured the ancient town of Dikwa: “ As the residents fled, soldiers also withdrew from the town in the night creating confidence in the militants who thought they were taking control, but we learnt that soon after the soldiers withdrew, fighter jets came and released fire on the terrorists living them scampering for safety in all directions.
” In the afternoon on Monday, while residents are gradually returning some to carry some necessary and personal belongings, we saw corpses being evacuated and some gun trucks belonging to the insurgents burnt and we learnt that over 40 ISWAP fighter were killed in the night battle.” The source insisted.
Dikwa is about 90 km from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital and has suffered several attacks since the appointment of the new service chiefs early this year.
In the last attack, both the Army Super Camp and United Nations hub were destroyed.
Also corroborating the attack in Dikwa, the Army in a statement on Monday said troops of Operation Lafiya Dole currently carrying out Operation Tura Takaibango stationed at Dikwa and Gulumba Gana supported by the Air Component inflicted heavy casualty on Boko Haram Terrorists who attempted to take control of the strategic town of Dikwa, the headquarters of Dikwa LGA of Borno State.
The statement from Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, Director Army Public Relations said the terrorists in their numbers mounted on 12 gun trucks, attacked the town on the eve of Sunday 18 April 2021, just as the locals prepared to break their Ramadan fast for the day.
“The troops having contained the initial wave of the attack had to occupy their alternative Headquarters at Gulumba Gana to enable the Air Component to engage any gun trucks and other technicals in the vicinity of the attack to prevent fratricide.
“The troops launched a counter-attack in the early hours of Monday 19 April 2021 and successfully reoccupied their main headquarters in Dikwa.
“The retreating terrorists suffered heavy losses in both equipment and personnel including some of their key leaders from the superior firepower of own troops both from the air and ground forces.
“The troops are currently patrolling Dikwa town and environs to assess the level of damage inflicted on the terrorists.” The statement said.
#AceNewsReport – Apr.20: It would be recalled that eight miners working at a mining site were brutally killed and many other sustained injuries last week when gunmen stormed a mining site and opened fire on them at random:
Nigeria: Jihadis announce plans to commit massacre, nothing is done, might have something to do with Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, we know why the Buhari government has promised to destroy the Boko Haram group many times over the last few years, but has actually done little or nothing to oppose the group or impede its jihad against Christians in any meaningful way whenever unbelievers are being killed: Minister Pantami,” by Idris Ibrahim, People’s Gazette, April 14, 2021 (thanks to Imam Tawhidi):
“Another 6 Miners Killed, 2 Injured In Plateau,” by Isaac Shobayo, Nigerian Tribune, April 16, 2021:
Tribune Online learnt that there was another armed invasion at Wereng Community of Riyom local government on Thursday at about 7:45 pm where six miners were killed and two other sustained fatal injuries.
A source close to the community disclosed that the eight miners were waylaid on the way home shortly after they closed for the day adding that they stopped at Wereng community to have a rest before they would proceed with their journey to the next village.
“While they were resting the gunmen numbering about 15 who probably have been monitoring them appeared and shot at them at close range. They killed six of them on the spot while two sustained injuries, now receiving treatment at the Christian Hospital in Vom, Jos South local government area.
According to the source, the attackers also destroyed farms and machetes some people while trying to escape after the dastardly act.
The Chairman Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO), Mr Gyang Dudu who confirmed the attack said there was a security alert that the community would be attacked three days before the incident adding that there was also a name of the mastermind attach to the security alert.
“There was a security alert three days ago that this same community would be attacked, the name of the mastermind was attached and they carried out the attack as planned. They always send message and signal before they launch any attack but the question is that if someone is fingered such a person ought to have been invited and interrogated accordingly.
“But in this situation, the person whose name was linked to the attack was not invited, no security patrol of the area, the community was not fortified until the attack took place. These attackers are just doing as they wish and nobody is stopping them, there’s the need for justice in this country” he said….
Posted Yesterday at 5:37pm, updated Yesterday at 5:50pm
Miguel Diaz-Canel (left) was favoured to be Raul Castro’s successor.(AP: Ramon Espinosa, File)
He has emphasised continuity since becoming President and is not expected to move Cuba away from a one-party socialist system.
“Diaz-Canel is not the fruit of improvisation but of the thoughtful selection of a young revolutionary who has all that is required to be promoted to higher positions,” Raul Castro said in a speech opening the congress on Friday.
Fidel and Raul Castro ruled Cuba for 60 years combined.(AP: Javier Galeano)
Hundreds of delegates gathered for the party’s most important meeting, that takes place every five years to review policy and elect new leadership, in the capital Havana.
Mr Castro said at the last party congress in 2016 it would be the last presided over by the so-called historic generation of those who fought in the Sierra Maestra to overthrow the US-backed government of dictator Fulgencio Batista.
The new policy setting political bureau will not include Jose Ramon Machado Ventura and Ramiro Valdes, two other famous proponents of that generation.
The party has not yet announced who will replaced Machado Ventura, a communist ideologue, as deputy party leader.
#AceNewsReport – Apr.20: Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for National Institutes of Health (NIH) records of communications, contracts and agreements with the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China:
The lawsuit was filed against Health and Human Services after the NIH denied an April 22, 2020, FOIA request, for:
All internal NIAID communications regarding the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China;
All agreements, contracts and related documents between NIAID and the Wuhan Institute of Virology; and
All records, including agreements, funds disbursement records and related NIAID communications regarding a reported $3.7 million in grants provided by NIH to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
In April 2020, the Daily Mailreported that documents “show the Wuhan Institute of Virology undertook coronavirus experiments on mammals captured more than 1,000 miles away in Yunnan – funded by a $3.7 million grant from the US government.”
The NIH in April 2020 suspended funding a grant to the non-profit EcoHealth Alliance that “had previously established a partnership with a virology laboratory in Wuhan, China” but in August gave the EcoHealth Alliance a grant of $7.5 million. The grant will reportedly “focus on Southeast Asia and the emergence of coronaviruses; filoviruses, the family responsible for Ebola; and paramyxoviruses, a family of viruses that includes measles and mumps.”
“For almost a year now, Dr. Fauci’s agency has stonewalled Judicial Watch’s lawful request for information about the agency’s connections to the controversial Wuhan lab,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “The American people have a right to know about Dr. Fauci’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ involvement with the infamous Wuhan Institute of Virology.”
In March 2021, Judicial Watch uncovered HHS/NIH records that show NIH officials tailored confidentiality forms to China’s terms and that the World Health Organization conducted an unreleased, “strictly confidential” COVID-19 epidemiological analysis in January 2020. Additionally, the records reveal an independent journalist in China pointing out the inconsistent COVID numbers in China to NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Deputy Director for Clinical Research and Special Projects Cliff Lane.
In October 2020, Judicial Watch received records from the HHS that show Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, approved a press release supportive of China’s response to the 2019 novel coronavirus.
#AceNewsReport – Apr.20: As part of a mutual aid agreement, deputies with the Roane County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist: According to reports from the scene, as the standoff continued, the individual identified as Paul Crass (DOB: 5/8/98) of Harriman, discharged his firearm resulting in deputies returning fire and striking Crass: He was transported to a local hospital for treatment: No officers were injured during the incident:
TBI Agents Investigating Officer-Involved Shooting in Morgan County: ‘Preliminary information indicates at approximately 5:30 p.m. Eastern, deputies with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call of reports of a man with a gun to the 200 block of Coal Hill Road in Harriman. When deputies arrived, they made contact with a man who was armed, resulting in a standoff with the individual’
Keli McAlister
At this time, the investigation remains active and ongoing, as TBI agents continue to gather any and all relevant evidence, interviews, and information. Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General for his further review and consideration.
The TBI does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and, instead, refers questions of that nature to their respective departments to answer as they see fit.
As a reminder, the TBI acts solely as fact-finders in its cases and does not determine whether the actions of an officer were justified in these types of matters. That decision rests solely with the District Attorney General requesting TBI’s involvement.
#AceNewsReport – Apr.20: In a victimless prosecution, O’Brien was found guilty of sexual assault by penetration, after the jury were shown CCTV footage of the incident, which happened on board a route 243 bus in Stoke Newington Road, N16 on 31 May 2020:
Man jailed for sexual assault of woman on bus in Hackney: ‘David O’Brien, 51 (24.01.69) of no fixed abode was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Friday 16 April for the offence, which took place in Hackney last spring’
[JAILED: David O’Brien]
[JAILED: David O’Brien]
The woman, aged in her 20s, had fallen asleep on the bus when she awoke to find O’Brien sexually assaulting her: Her shocked and distressed reaction prompted O’Brien to flee the vehicle when it stopped at Stoke Newington Road, junction with Princess May Road, N16: Police were called and an investigation launched by officers from the Central East Command: Through diligent CCTV enquiries, officers were able to identify O’Brien after an officer recognised him from the footage. On 7 August 2020 he was arrested in York Way WC1. He was taken into custody and later charged as above:
DC Hema Patel said: “O’Brien is a dangerous and predatory individual who, in a particularly abhorrent act, targeted the victim while she was asleep and therefore defenceless: “ The victim has shown extreme bravery and courage in reporting the incident and helping us to bring O’Brien to justice and therefore preventing him from committing further offences: “ Whilst she did not wish to provide evidence at the trial, the overwhelming CCTV evidence against O’Brien ensured he would be held to account for his serious crimes.”
#AceNewsReport – Apr.20: The court heard Morgan and Param were part of a gang of four young men armed with knives who chased and then fatally stabbed 20-year-old Crosslon Davis in an alleyway in Deptford:
Pair given life sentences for murder of Crosslon Davis: Elijah Morgan, 20 (04.11.00) of no fixed address and Jedaiah Param, 21 (07.08.99) of Norwood High Street, West Norwood, were found guilty on Friday, 12 March following a trial at the Old Bailey: They were both sentenced at the same court on Monday, 19 April to a minimum of 28 years in jail.
Victim: Crosslon Davis
Analysis of mobile phone records showed that Crosslon arrived at Deptford Creek with a friend in the early hours of 6 December 2019.
Cell site data of mobile phones belonging to Morgan and Param showed they had arrived in the same area slightly earlier.
The pair were identified by homicide detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command through CCTV from a minicab that was called to pick them up at the scene.
The violent attack started after Morgan and Param got into the minicab and Crosslon attacked Morgan with a mallet.
The minicab drove away from the scene a short distance before the driver was told to stop and Morgan and Param got out and started chasing Crosslon.
CCTV footage from Ha’penny Hatch showed that Crosslon was pursued by the pair, as well as two other unidentified males, who were all armed with knives or machetes.
All four of them stabbed Crosslon, who collapsed to the ground. Crosslon’s friend had tried to place himself between him and the attackers, but he was overpowered.
A number of local residents provided statements describing how they had seen the group running after Crosslon.
Police and paramedics were called to the scene. Despite their efforts, Crosslon died a short time later due to the loss of blood from at least nine stab wounds, including one that penetrated his lung and heart.
Crosslon’s friend called 999 and initially stayed with him until the emergency services arrived. However, he gave a false name to officers at the scene and declined to give a witness statement, or help with the police investigation in any way.
Morgan was identified after a police officer recognised him from the minicab CCTV footage. He was arrested at an address in Birmingham on 2 January.
Param, who was also identified via the minicab CCTV, was arrested at Dover Eastern Docks after he was found hiding underneath a coat in the back of a car as it went through passport control.
Both men declined to comment in police interviews and subsequently pleaded not guilty to murder.
Morgan’s defence during the trial was that he was wrongly identified.
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Vandenbergh, the lead investigator, said: “This was a savage and merciless attack. Crosslon was clearly running way from his attackers, who set upon him armed with large knives: “ The number of stab wounds sustained by Crosslon demonstrates the murderous intent of the four people who hunted him down: “ I think it is right that Elijah Morgan and Jedaiah Param have received lengthy jail sentences for their part in the attack. I am also pleased that we have some justice for Crosslon’s family, who have conducted themselves with the greatest of dignity throughout the court process: “ We know there are still two other people who took part in this attack, who have not yet been identified, and we are still determined to find them. I urge anyone who knows where they are to contact police immediately.”” In her victim impact statement, Crosslon’s mother Vivienne said: “My life was all about Crosslon. He was reason for leaving my house, the reason I cook every day, he is the first thing on my mind when I wake and the last thing on my mind at night. We had lots of laughs through good and bad and he was also my friend: “ We still can’t believe this is happening. Crosslon’s life was tragically cut short, and I am still numb and paralysed, plagued by grief and pain. They have ripped out my heart. We are haunted by what happened to Cross: “ Crosslon was easy to love, so polite and always respectful. He was popular amongst his friends, fun compassionate and loyal. He will be greatly missed by them all as they also continue to grieve their loss.”
If you have any information about the identity of these two men, or know of their whereabouts, please call police on 101. You can also give information, 100 per cent anonymously, to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or by visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org
If you are worried about someone you suspect may be carrying a knife or other weapon, advice and support is also available through organisations including Knife Free and Fearless.
I have struggled with this statement as there is no words to easily explain how the actions of these individuals has affected me and my family. I don’t think it could ever be accurately conveyed.
On December 6th our lives changed forever.
At around 4am I was informed by two officers at my home that my son had passed away. I believe I have been in a state of shock ever since and continue to be frozen at that precise day and time. It is as though I am having an out of body experience, this can’t possibly be happening to me!
Every morning that I wake up is as if it is ground hog day, still the 5th of December 2019 and I just cannot fathom going any further. I do not want to see beyond that, a world and life without my baby. I am surrounded with darkness and all I see is pain, anger, hurt, frustration but no sight of happiness. Happy no longer exists for us.
On the 6th of December 2019, when I opened the door to those two police officers, that is the exact moment happy left our lives. Those officers gave me a pill that night that I just can’t seem to swallow. I continue to hold this pill because it’s still too big a pill to swallow.
They have not only murdered my baby, but they have also murdered any grandchildren my baby could have given me. My son wanted children so much and he would have been a brilliant father! We spoke about him wanting a baby only months before he was brutally murdered.
He had plans for his future. Cross had secured himself a place at university to start January 2020 and was also planning to get his driving license so that he could commute to university. He also had a prearranged meeting for the 10th of December with a music distribution company who was interested in his songs, hence the video he had just been filming on the day before his murder.
Crosslon has been rapping since the age of two. At five years of age, he told me he wanted to be one of three things: a rapper, soldier or policeman. When my father passed away Cross wanted to know who was most likely to die first of the said three professions. I explained logically: soldier, then policeman followed by rapper based on dangers at work. He came to the decision he would be a rapper first but didn’t wish to be famous, secondly a police officer and lastly a soldier as the likelihood of dying was greatest with the last profession. Ironically, he became a rapper and now he is dead.
Cross also loved Art and wanted to become an architect, hence him pursuing higher education. When he started secondary school at Westminster Boys, he loved design and technology which prompted this passion for design and end goal.
He had plans for his future, and I was right beside him to help and support him along the way to reaching his goals. I was really looking forward to the man he was becoming, and I was extremely proud of the person he was.
My life was all about Crosslon. He was reason for leaving my house, the reason I cook every day, he is the first thing on my mind when I wake and the last thing on my mind at night. We had lots of laughs through good and bad and he was also my friend.
We still can’t believe this is happening. Crosslon’s life was tragically cut short, and I am still numb and paralysed, plagued by grief and pain. They have ripped out my heart. We are haunted by what happened to Cross.
My day consists of having to deal with severe anxiety, depression and panic attacks due to the callous actions of these boys. My sons had to bury their baby brother; imagine how they must feel? They have become truly damaged, filled with guilt and despair. Our family has changed beyond repair.
It is a daily struggle and fight to continue as a mother, but my children are the reason I keep going. Our lives have been totally derailed.
They have not only murdered Cross, but they have killed his brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, family and friends! It is so painstakingly heart wrenching for me to see my family like this, knowing I cannot do a thing to help.
It breaks my heart to know the pain my grandchildren are enduring, missing their uncle and so painfully aware of his absence. They have had to endure such trauma and terror which they will be haunted with for the rest of their lives. They suffer with night terrors, so many unanswered questions, “why him?” “Why would anyone hurt Uncle Cross?” and continue receiving counselling and support.
Crosslon was easy to love, so polite and always respectful. He was popular amongst his friends, fun compassionate and loyal. He will be greatly missed by them all as they also continue to grieve their loss.
He was intelligent and had the whole world in front of him, such a bright future cruelly cut short. Crosslon was vibrant and so alive, he had so much to live for and so much talent and promise. He had a beautiful, radiant and warm smile!
We will never see him get married or have children. Taken away from us due to the violent and wilful actions of 5 cruel strangers.
I would do anything to trade places with Crosslon and take away the terror and pain he must have felt that night! This evil should never be allowed to be a part of our society again with their constant lack of respect for the law.
These cowards pleading not guilty and causing us to have to go through this horrifically detailed trial on how they brutally and callously murdered my baby, refusing to acknowledge guilt or responsibility for their heinous crime speaks for itself. They have made me watch my son being killed around 15 times on the CCTV footage which was shown to the court.
The last time I held my baby was the 5th of December 2019. We hugged and said “I love you” as we usually do when he leaves out, but this time I said “break a leg” for luck as I would normally do when he is performing or going to shoot a video.
The saddest thing is that I buried my baby without the realisation of what I was doing; I will NEVER hold my baby again. I will never hear him call me Mumma again.
We will never get the complete feeling of happiness again, but we cherish every moment we had with Crosslon and have so many wonderful memories.
No sentence imposed will ever reflect the heartache and pain inflicted upon our family and we will never come to terms with our loss but Crosslon will always be in our hearts.
#AceNewsReport – Apr.20: The victim was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital with a suspected head injury and remains in a stable condition at this time with non serious injuries A vehicle has been recovered from Gloucester in connection with the incident and enquiries to identify those involved are continuing #AceNewsDesk report
Details of police presence in Gloucester: ‘Police were called to Queens Square in Stroud shortly after 1.50pm Saturday following reports of an altercation: Upon police attendance it was found that a man had been hit in the head with a metal pole by a group of men who had left the area’
They are described as being a black man of a skinny build who has paler patches on his face and was wearing dark clothing, a middle Eastern man with a beard and a mixed race man who was wearing a football shirt with jogging bottoms.
Anyone who witnessed the incident this afternoon or knows those who were involved is asked to please call 101 quoting incident 260 of 17 April. Information can also be submitted here:
#AceNewsReport – Apr.20: This person is 43 years old, and after his identity was revealed, the necessary measures were taken through Interpol to arrest and return him.”
On Saturday, Iranian television published a picture of the person involved in the attack on the Natanz nuclear facility, indicating that Karimi was an Iranian citizen, and that he was 43 years old.
On Monday, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said that his country would respond to Israel at the appropriate time and place to the Natanz attack, indicating that the incident would have led to a disaster and a crime against humanity if it led to radioactive contamination.
The Israeli public radio reported, citing intelligence sources, as saying that the Mossad behind the Natanz incident.
A spokesman for the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, Behrouz Kamalondi, confirmed that the electricity distribution network at the Natanz facility had had an incident, while the head of the organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, said that the incident was an act of sabotage, describing it as “a heinous move and condemned nuclear terrorism.”
In the wake of the Natanz attack, Iran announced that it would raise the level of uranium enrichment to 60%, and the Atomic Energy Organization confirmed that this would start last Friday.
#AceNewsReport – Apr.20: As part of follow-up enquiries, a search of a property at an address in Coalisland was carried out where a suspected cannabis factory and a quantity of suspected Class B drugs, with an estimated street value of almost £17,000, and other items, including drug-related paraphernalia, were seized. They have been taken away and will be subject to further examination.
PSNI Officers Arrests made after suspected cannabis factory discovered: ‘Police responded to a report of a suspected burglary in progress at an address on Dungannon Road at around 12:50am. Two male suspects were located in the vicinity and, as one of the officers attempted to detain one of the suspects, a male officer was punched’
A 41-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of offences, including burglary, handling stolen goods, possession of a Class B controlled drug, cultivating cannabis, assault on police and resisting police. A 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of offences, including burglary, handling stolen goods, cultivating cannabis and possession of a Class B drug with intent to supply. Both men remain in custody, at this time, assisting police with enquiries.
Inspector Cochrane said: “The officer who was assaulted was taken to hospital as a precaution and is expected to return to duty today. However, what happened to our officer must be condemned. This morning, our colleague was working to keep people safe when he was assaulted. It’s completely unacceptable and must never be tolerated.”
Inspector Cochrane is appealing to anyone who may have been in the Dungannon Road area around 12:45am to 12:50am and saw any suspicious activity to call 101, and quote reference number 77 of 17/04/21. You can also submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.
Inspector Cochrane added: “I want to take this opportunity to thank the member of public who made the report about the suspected burglary in progress to us. I would also take this opportunity to encourage anyone who sees any unusual or suspicious activity in their area to call us: “ The public can be assured we are committed to tackling the illegal supply and use of drugs, and we will continue to investigate those who profit from the consequent misery and harm, and I would ask any member who has any information about drugs or drug-dealing in their community to call us so we can take action. That call could make all the difference.” [16/04/21] Male arrested on suspicion of fraud following call from relative
