WORLD NEWS FLASH
UNITED STATES
On May 10, President Joseph R. Biden gave remarks on the economic crunch that is gripping the nation.
The Commander-in-Chief spoke from the White House to announce why inflation was happening, and what he would be doing about it.
“There are two leading causes of inflation we’re seeing today. The first cause of inflation is a once-in-a-century pandemic,” Biden said. “Not only did it shut down our global economy, it threw the supply chain and demand completely out of whack, especially in countries where more effective recovery responses weren’t available, especially in those sectors that rely on semiconductors.
“These supply challenges have been further hampered by the onset of Delta and Omicron viruses. And you’ve all seen it and you’ve all felt it.
“And this year we have a second cause – Mr. Putin’s war in Ukraine.
“You saw – we saw in March that 60 percent of inflation that month was due to price increases at the pump for gasoline.
“Putin’s war has raised food prices as well, because Ukraine and Russia are two of the world’s major breadbaskets for wheat and corn are, essentially, completely stalled.
“Ukraine has 20 million tons of grain in storage in silos right now. They’re trying to figure out how to get it out of the country to market, which would reduce prices around the world.
“Normally, we’d have already begun to export them into the market. But it hasn’t because of Putin’s invasion.
“So we’re working with our European partners to get this food out into the world so that it could help bring down prices. But it’s difficult because, again, of Putin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“And those two major contributors to inflation are both global in nature. That’s why we’re seeing historic inflation in countries all over the world.
“But here’s the good news: Because of the actions we’ve taken, America is in a stronger position to meet this challenge than just about any other country in the world.
“Some of the roots of the inflation are outside of our control, to state the obvious. But there are things we can do, and we can address, and we need to do.
“That starts with the Federal Reserve, which plays a primary role in fighting inflation in our country. I’ve put forward a highly qualified nominees to lead that institution. And I strongly urge the Senate confirm them without delay.
“The Fed has dual responsibilities. First is achieving maximum employment, and second is stable prices.
“And while I’ll never interfere with the Fed’s judgments, decisions, or tell them what they have to do – they’re independent – I believe that inflation is our top economic challenge right now, and I think they do too.
“We’ve built a strong economy with a strong job market. And I agree with what Chairman Powell said last week that the number-one threat is the strength – and that strength that we built is inflation.
“So the Fed should do its job and it will do its job, I’m convinced, with that in mind.”
EUROPE
UKRAINE HIT BY CYBERATTACK
Russia has been behind a series of cyber-attacks since the start of the renewed invasion of Ukraine, the EU, UK, US and other allies have announced May 10. The most recent attack on communications company Viasat in Ukraine had a wider impact across the continent, disrupting wind farms and internet users in central Europe.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) assesses that the Russian Military Intelligence was almost certainly involved in the Jan. 13 defacements of Ukrainian government websites and the deployment of Whispergate destructive malware. The NCSC also assesses that it is almost certain Russia was responsible for the subsequent cyber-attack impacting Viasat on Feb. 24.
On Feb. 24, a cyber-attack against Viasat began approximately 1 hour before Russia launched its major invasion of Ukraine. Although the primary target is believed to have been the Ukrainian military, other customers were affected, including personal and commercial internet users. Wind farms in central Europe and internet users were also affected.
Viasat has said that “tens of thousands of terminals have been damaged, made inoperable and cannot be repaired.”
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said, “This is clear and shocking evidence of a deliberate and malicious attack by Russia against Ukraine which had significant consequences on ordinary people and businesses in Ukraine and across Europe.
“We will continue to call out Russia’s malign behavior and unprovoked aggression across land, sea and cyberspace, and ensure it faces severe consequences.”
The announcement comes as cyber security leaders from the 5 Eyes, EU and international allies meet at the NCSC’s Cyber UK conference in Newport to discuss the cyber threats facing the world.
The UK has already sanctioned the GRU after their appalling actions in Salisbury, and has frozen more than £940 billion worth of bank assets and £117 billion in personal net worth from oligarchs and their family members who fund Putin’s war machine.
CARIBBEAN
ANOTHER CHARGED IN ASSASSINATION PLOT
A Haitian citizen was extradited from Jamaica to the United States on Friday to face criminal charges in the Southern District of Florida related to his alleged involvement in the assassination of the former President of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, on July 7, 2021.
Joseph Joel John, 51, made his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lauren Louis, who sits in Miami.
John is charged with conspiring to commit murder or kidnapping outside the United States and providing material support resulting in death, knowing or intending that such material support would be used to prepare for or carry out the conspiracy to kill or kidnap. John is the third individual to be charged and arrested in the United States for his role in the assassination plot. The other men charged are Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, and Rodolphe Jaar, 49, who were both arrested earlier this year.
As alleged in the complaint, which was unsealed today, John and others – including approximately 20 Colombian citizens and a number of dual Haitian-American citizens – participated in a plot to kidnap or kill the Haitian President. As alleged, John was present when a co-conspirator (Co-Conspirator #1) secured the signature of a former Haitian judge on a written request for assistance to further the arrest and imprisonment of President Moïse, as well as purporting to provide Haitian immunity for such actions.
According to the complaint, on June 28, 2021, Co-Conspirator #1, a dual Haitian-American citizen, traveled from Haiti to the United States in furtherance of the conspiracy and provided other individuals with the document, and flew from Florida back to Haiti on July 1, 2021, to participate in the operation against the president.
As alleged in the complaint, while the plot initially focused on conducting a kidnapping of the Haitian President as part of a purported arrest operation, it ultimately resulted in a plot to kill the President. The complaint alleges that on July 7, 2021, various co-conspirators entered President Moïse’s residence in Haiti with the intent and purpose of killing him, and in fact the President was killed.
As alleged in the complaint, John helped to obtain vehicles and attempted to obtain firearms to support the operation against the president. It is also alleged that John attended a meeting with certain co-conspirators on or about July 6, 2021, after which many of the co-conspirators embarked on the mission to kill President Moïse.
Co-conspirator #1 was subsequently arrested by Haitian authorities and remains in custody in Haiti. John was arrested in Jamaica pursuant to the United States’ provisional arrest request to the Government of Jamaica for John’s extradition. On April 28, the Minister of Justice of Jamaica signed the order granting the extradition request, resulting in John’s arrival in Miami last week. John is currently in the custody of U.S. law enforcement.
If convicted of the charges in the complaint, John faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge George Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case with other law enforcement partners, with valuable assistance provided by HSI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Goldbarg and Walter Norkin for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case, with assistance from National Security Division Trial Attorneys Frank Russo, Jessica Fender and Emma Ellenrieder. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
