WORLD NEWS FLASH
UNITED STATES
Frank James, 62, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced Oct. 5 by U.S. District Judge William F. Kuntz II to 10 concurrent life sentences in prison, plus 10 years to run consecutively for shooting 10 people during an attack on the New York City subway in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, on April 12, 2022. James previously pleaded guilty to all 11 counts of a superseding indictment, which included 10 counts of committing a terrorist attack or other violence against a mass transportation vehicle – one count for each gunshot victim – and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of his violent attack.
“Nothing can undo the damage that Frank James’s mass shooting inflicted on the 10 victims who were shot or the dozens more who suffered other injuries, but this sentence ensures that he will spend the rest of his life in prison for the devastation he caused,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This sentence also makes clear that the Justice Department has no tolerance for crimes that terrorize our communities and will ensure accountability for those who perpetrate them.”
During rush hour on the morning of April 12, 2022, James used a Glock 17 pistol he legally purchased to conduct a mass shooting on an N subway train in Brooklyn. James planned his act of terror for years – purchasing smoke bombs, disguises, firearms, and ammunition. He scouted the location for his attack and completed multiple practice runs.
As part of his attack, James, disguised in an orange reflective jacket and yellow hard hat to look like a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) employee, set off a smoke-bomb in a subway car before opening fire on his captive victims. Panicked passengers ran to the far end of the subway car, allowing James to shoot at his victims more easily. When the defendant started shooting, the train was between stations and then temporarily stalled, leaving victims trapped.
In total, 10 victims were struck by 16 bullets fired by the defendant. Dozens more suffered from smoke inhalation and other mental and physical injuries due to the defendant’s attack. James then fled the scene of the attack, changing his clothing frequently to evade detection while law enforcement engaged in a 36-hour manhunt to find him and bring him to justice.
At some point after the shooting, James purchased a burner phone which he used to follow the coverage of his attack while hiding from law enforcement. For example, James watched 31 videos of news reports about his subway shooting. He also watched a James Bond chase scene from the movie “No Time to Die” 10 times after the attack. Finally, James turned himself in by calling the NYPD crime stoppers hotline on April 13, 2022, the day after the mass shooting.
The New York Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara K. Winik and Ellen H. Sise for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case with valuable assistance provided by the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
MASS SHOOTING UPDATE
Information recent as of 10-10-2023 at 12 p.m.
2023 Mass Shooting Stats: (Source: Mass Shooting Tracker – https://www.massshootingtracker.site/data/?year=2023)
Total Mass Shootings: 616
Total Dead: 731
Total Wounded: 2455
Shootings Per Day: 2.18
Days Reached in Year 2023 as of Oct. 10: 283
WORLD
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE GOES TO…
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize 2023 to Narges Mohammadi for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.
This year’s peace prize also recognizes the hundreds of thousands of people who, in the preceding year, have demonstrated against Iran’s theocratic regime’s policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women. The motto adopted by the demonstrators – “Woman – Life – Freedom” – suitably expresses the dedication and work of Narges Mohammadi.
Narges Mohammadi is a woman, a human rights advocate, and a freedom fighter. Her brave struggle for freedom of expression and the right of independence has come with tremendous personal costs. Altogether, the regime in Iran has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes. Narges Mohammadi is still in prison.
The Nobel Committee’s decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to imprisoned Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi underscores the “courage and determination” of the women of Iran, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Oct. 6.
“I think what is absolutely clear is that the women of Iran have been a source of inspiration for the world. We’ve seen their courage and determination in the face of reprisals, intimidation, violence and detention,” Spokesperson Liz Throssell told journalists in Geneva.
“This courage, this determination, have been remarkable. They’ve been harassed for what they do or don’t wear, there are increasingly stringent legal, social and economic measures against them.”
In a statement on the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Ms. Mohammadi, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called it “an important reminder that the rights of women and girls are facing a strong pushback, including through the persecution of women human rights defenders, in Iran and elsewhere.”
“This Nobel Peace Prize is a tribute to all those women who are fighting for their rights at the risk of their freedom, their health and even their lives,” said the UN chief.
Welcoming the announcement to award the 2023 Nobel Peace prize to Ms. Mohammadi, experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council urged the Government of Iran to free all those imprisoned for promoting women’s rights and protect the rights of women and girls in the country.
“The awarding of the 2023 Nobel Peace prize to a courageous journalist and woman human rights defender highlights the struggle of women against institutionalized systems of discrimination, segregation, humiliation and the exclusion of women and girls everywhere in the world,” the UN experts said.
EUROPE
LIBRARIES & AUTHORS
More authors are set to benefit from improvements to the Scheme that pays them when their books are loaned from public libraries in the UK.
The Public Lending Right (PLR) Scheme provides authors with an income of up to £6,600 a year from loans of their books from public libraries in the UK and pays out more than £6 million annually. The rate paid to authors for each loan is calculated by dividing the total money available by the estimated total annual number of loans in public libraries.
The PLR Scheme currently specifies that the number of loans is to be determined by means of a sample, with data from 30 councils used to assist payment calculations. These new changes will see the British Library move towards collecting comprehensive loans data from all library authorities in the UK to ensure authors are getting their fair share.
This means that the more of their books are loaned out by public libraries, the more income an author will receive through the Scheme.
According to the latest public statistics, Richard Osman’s novel The Thursday Murder Club was the most borrowed book from libraries in 2021-22 while authors including Roald Dahl, Daisy Meadows and Lee Child were among the top ten most popular.
The Scheme will also be changed to simplify the process for those who have inherited rights to a book from a deceased author, removing unnecessary, bureaucratic processes like the requirement to involve legal professionals.
Arts & Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said: “Libraries are an invaluable resource for people of all ages and backgrounds across the country, opening up access to a wealth of enlightenment and enjoyment.
“It is only right that authors receive fair payment when their work is loaned from libraries. These changes to the scheme will ensure that it is working as fairly and effectively as possible.”
Phil Spence OBE, Chief Operating Officer of the British Library, said: We welcome these changes to the Public Lending Right Scheme – this allows for more information to be gathered on loans data, which will enable us to better serve the authors and creators whose works are loaned from public libraries, and the readers that borrow from them too.
The British Library receives funding from DCMS to run the Public Lending Right Scheme. Payments are made annually to eligible authors who register their work. Authors residing in the UK or European Economic Area are eligible to apply.
Changes to the Public Lending Right Scheme, which was established in 1982, will come into force on October 31, 2023.
