Latest news with #PublicAffairsOffice
L'Orient-Le Jour
23-07-2025
- Business
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Lebanese man convicted in the United States for attempted illegal export to Iran
A Lebanese businessman, Brian Assi, was sentenced by a federal jury in Gainesville, FL. to 44 months in prison for attempting to export drilling equipment to Iran, in violation of American sanctions, according to a statement from the Department of Justice's Public Affairs Office. His real name Brahim Assi, the Beirut native sought to ship two mining drills worth $2.7 million through intermediaries based in Iraq and Turkey. He was employed as a sales representative for a multinational heavy equipment manufacturer, whose name was not disclosed, based in the Middle East with a subsidiary in Florida. The exports were to be carried out in collaboration with the Tehran-based company Sakht Abzar Pars. On the Justice Department website, the prosecutors handling the case explained that the drills to be exported are a type of heavy equipment used to create holes in the ground that are to be filled with explosives deployed in mining operations. According to the statement, released Monday, Assi intended to make the transaction through an Iraqi distributor, a front buyer, to whom the final destination of the goods — to Iran — had been concealed. The man was also convicted for falsifying official transportation documents in the Automated Export System (AES), a U.S. government database containing information on exports from the United States, and for deceiving American regulatory authorities regarding the final recipient of the shipments. To his employer, Assi also claimed that the drills were destined for Iraq. Assi planned to route them through Turkey before sending them to Iran, in order to circumvent export controls. "The defendant threatened the economic and national security of the United States by conspiring and concealing his efforts to circumvent our export controls to provide heavy machinery to Iran," said John P. Heckin, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, in the statement. "My office will continue to resolutely prosecute anyone who violates our laws and provides material support to America's enemies." The Lebanese man was found guilty on Oct. 24, 2024. Following this conviction, Monday's judgment set the sentence based on various charges, notably conspiracy to violate sanctions, attempted unlawful export, smuggling and money laundering.
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First Post
08-06-2025
- General
- First Post
Chinese ship stranded near Philippine outpost in South China Sea amid storm
Confrontations have spiked between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy ships in the disputed waters in recent years read more In this image made from video provided by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Public Affairs Office, a Chinese vessel passes shallow waters off Philippines-occupied Thitu island in the disputed South China Sea. AP A Chinese ship struck aground in severe weather in shallow seas off a Philippine-occupied island in the disputed South China Sea, causing Filipino soldiers to be on high alert, Philippine military authorities said Sunday. When Filipino forces determined that the Chinese fishing vessel had run aground in the shallows east of Thitu Island due to bad weather on Saturday, Philippine military and coast guard personnel deployed to assist, but later discovered that the ship had been extricated, regional navy spokesperson Ellaine Rose Collado stated. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Collado said no more data were immediately available, such as if crew members were injured or the ship was damaged. Confrontations have spiked between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy ships in the disputed waters in recent years. 'The alertness of our troops is always there,' Col. Xerxes Trinidad of the Armed Forces of the Philippines told reporters. But when they saw that a probable accident had happened, 'we tried to provide assistance as professionals' in accordance with international law on helping distressed vessels at sea. 'We're always following international law,' Trinidad said. Filipino villagers living in a fishing village on Thitu, which they call Pagasa island, immediately informed the Philippine military and coast guard after seeing the Chinese ship lying in the shallows about 1.5 nautical miles (2.7 kilometers) from their village, said MP Albayda, a local Filipino official, told The Associated Press. 'They got worried because the Chinese were so close but it was really the strong wind and waves that caused the ship to run aground,' said Albayda, adding that other Chinese ships pulled the stricken vessel away. The stricken ship resembled what the Philippine military had repeatedly said were suspected Chinese militia ships, which had backed the Chinese coast guard and navy in blocking and harassing Philippine coast guard and military vessels in the disputed waters, a busy conduit for global trade and commerce. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Thitu Island is home to a Philippine fishing village and Filipino forces and is the largest of nine islands and islets occupied by the Philippines. It lies about 26 kilometers (16 miles) from Subi Reef, which China transformed into an island base along with six other barren reefs to reinforce its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan are also involved in the long-simmering territorial standoffs, an Asian flashpoint that many fear could pit China and the United States in a major conflict. The U.S. does not lay any claim to the South China Sea but has repeatedly warned that it's obligated to defend the Philippines, it's longtime treaty ally, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.
Yomiuri Shimbun
08-06-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Chinese Ship Runs Aground off Philippines-Occupied Island in the Disputed South China Sea
Armed Forces of the Philippines, Public Affairs Office via AP In this image made from video provided by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Public Affairs Office, a Chinese vessel passes shallow waters off Philippines-occupied Thitu island in the disputed South China Sea on Saturday June 7, 2025. PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines (AP) — A Chinese ship ran aground in stormy weather in shallow waters off a Philippines-occupied island in the disputed South China Sea, prompting Filipino forces to go on alert, Philippine military officials said Sunday. When Filipino forces assessed that the Chinese fishing vessel appeared to have run aground in the shallows east of Thitu Island on Saturday because of bad weather, Philippine military and coast guard personnel deployed to provide help but later saw that the ship had been extricated, regional navy spokesperson Ellaine Rose Collado said. No other details were immediately available, including if there were injuries among the crewmembers or if the ship was damaged, Collado said. Confrontations have spiked between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy ships in the disputed waters in recent years. 'The alertness of our troops is always there,' Col. Xerxes Trinidad of the Armed Forces of the Philippines told reporters. But when they saw that a probable accident had happened, 'we tried to provide assistance as professionals' in accordance with international law on helping distressed vessels at sea. 'We're always following international law,' Trinidad said. Filipino villagers living in a fishing village on Thitu, which they call Pagasa island, immediately informed the Philippine military and coast guard after seeing the Chinese ship lying in the shallows about 1.5 nautical miles (2.7 kilometers) from their village, said MP Albayda, a local Filipino official, told The Associated Press. 'They got worried because the Chinese were so close but it was really the strong wind and waves that caused the ship to run aground,' said Albayda, adding that other Chinese ships pulled the stricken vessel away. The stricken ship resembled what the Philippine military had repeatedly said were suspected Chinese militia ships, which had backed the Chinese coast guard and navy in blocking and harassing Philippine coast guard and military vessels in the disputed waters, a busy conduit for global trade and commerce. Thitu Island is home to a Philippine fishing village and Filipino forces and is the largest of nine islands and islets occupied by the Philippines. It lies about 26 kilometers (16 miles) from Subi Reef, which China transformed into an island base along with six other barren reefs to reinforce its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan are also involved in the long-simmering territorial standoffs, an Asian flashpoint that many fear could pit China and the United States in a major conflict. The U.S. does not lay any claim to the South China Sea but has repeatedly warned that it's obligated to defend the Philippines, it's longtime treaty ally, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pilots practice ahead of Kirtland Air Force Base's Air Fiesta this weekend
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Precision in the sky. That's the goal this weekend at Kirtland Air Force Base, as their popular Air Fiesta returns after a long hiatus. Story continues below Crime: Albuquerque business owner faces murder charge for shooting fleeing shoplifter News: Las Vegas deputy charged with aggravated battery and robbery Business: A downtown Albuquerque shoe shine parlor is still serving patrons after nearly a century Events: What's happening around New Mexico May 30-June 5? Kirtland Air Fiesta and more After six years, Kirtland Air Force Base's Air Fiesta is back, and on Friday, they were out practicing for this weekend's event. 'You want to make sure that you've got your tactics down pat. You want to make sure that you know your routine is tight because this is the first air show in six years. You don't want to go out there and disappoint. We want everything to be perfect. We want precision out there,' said Chief of Media at the Kirtland Air Force Base Public Affairs Office, Robert Smith. Base officials said this weekend's event was two years in the making, and although the fiesta hasn't happened in six years, they hope, after this year, to make it every two to three years: a chance for the general public to see the Air Force in action. 'Not everybody gets to see these things on a day-to-day basis,' said Smith. From cargo planes to vintage planes, visitors can get an up-close look at powerful aircraft on the ground and in the sky. Smith added, 'For those of us on Kirtland, you see some of the cargo aircraft, but we don't see these fighter aircraft every day.' With demonstrations of how the planes refuel mid-air and some big performances too, including the U.S. Army's parachute team, the Golden Knights. The event is free to the public. Gates open at 8 a.m. and the event runs until 5 p.m. Visitors are asked to go to one of the park and ride locations, including the Isleta Amphitheater and Gateway Center on Gibson. 'All you do is park there, we get you here, have a great time, and then we'll bus you right back,' said Smith. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
