Latest news with #Wilcox
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'I was innocent': Ontario man returns home after arrest in Dominican Republic
When David Bennett decided to escape Canada's icy winter with a weeklong trip to the Dominican Republic, he never imagined he'd be fighting to get back on Canadian soil for more than two months. Bennett has finally returned to his Burlington, Ont., home after being arrested in the Caribbean country and accused of smuggling drugs. Even after the charges were withdrawn, he was stuck in the island nation for weeks due to court delays. He's now calling for more transparency from the federal government when it comes to assisting Canadians abroad. Bennett, his wife Jane Wilcox and some friends were on their way home from a Dominican Republic resort on March 7 when he was denied entry at a Punta Cana airport's automated customs gate, he said. He was taken to an interrogation room and initially thought it was just a brief misunderstanding. There, he and Wilcox were shown a photo of a bag they didn't recognize, with a slightly different name on it — Davi Bennett instead of David R. Bennett, he said. Though they were adamant the bag didn't belong to him, he said he was charged with trafficking drugs into the Dominican and told he could face up to 30 years in prison. "That was really scary and I was blown away. Like I was in disbelief that this was happening," Bennett said in a phone interview Thursday, nearly two weeks after returning home. "I certainly didn't expect it to evolve into what it did, that's for sure. Not in my wildest dreams did I think it would happen like that." Bennett recalled how he was handcuffed and later spent the night in a "small, overcrowded cell," shoulder-to-shoulder with other detainees and sitting in a corner for nearly nine hours. He managed to get a lawyer — whom he could only communicate with through Google Translate — and Wilcox paid a $5,000 bail, he said. He then spent the next several weeks bouncing around different accommodations as he and Wilcox fought to clear his name and get him back to Canada. When they learned the charges would be withdrawn, he was relieved, but only momentarily. "We were told that it would take roughly 10 to 15 days for that withdrawal to become official through the signing of a court order. We were concerned with the time frame, but we were told that there's a backlog in the system," Bennett said. "So we said, well, what other choice do we have other than to remain patient?" It took more than 15 days for the court order to be signed, he recalled, but then he was told it would take up to an additional two weeks for the travel ban to be lifted. "My mental state was really rough those last five weeks waiting," said Bennett. "The anticipation and the waiting was really the most difficult part." Meanwhile in Ontario, Wilcox was rallying as much support as she could, Bennett said, as she and other community members reached out to their local member of Parliament Karina Gould and Anita Anand, who is now foreign affairs minister. On May 15, Bennett said he learned from Global Affairs Canada that his travel ban had been lifted through a verbal agreement with Dominican authorities, and they immediately booked a flight for the next day. "We literally willed our way through at that point because the paperwork hadn't been finalized yet. And we connected with Global Affairs Canada and told them that we're going to the airport, please ensure the paperwork is there to support us," he recalled. The next day, when he boarded his plane to Toronto, he "never felt really comfortable" until the wheels left the tarmac. "Even when I was on the aircraft, even though I was innocent, I had in the back of my mind, 'What's going to go wrong here?' Like something's not going to work out here," he said. "So I was really, really nervous for the entire time." The flight gave him an "amazing feeling," he said, and his reunion with his wife was even better. In total, Bennett said he spent 71 days stuck in the Dominican, getting few hours of sleep, rapidly losing weight and ultimately racking up more than $80,000 in legal fees and accommodation costs. Though he's back home now, Bennett said he still has unanswered questions about what happened that day at the Punta Cana airport. "I'd like to really fully understand what has transpired and how it transpired, how this can never happen in the future," he said. Bennett added he wants Canadian officials to be more transparent in the steps they're taking to help Canadians stuck abroad. During his time in the Dominican, he and Wilcox were in communication with Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Embassy, he said, but officials gave them few updates or details on his case, which he called "frustrating." Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Embassy in the Dominican Republic did not immediately respond to requests for comment. "I do believe Canadians deserve better," Bennett said. "We need to be way more supportive of our Canadian citizens when they travel." For Canadians going abroad, Bennett said they should consider only taking a carry-on and if they check a bag, to keep track of the luggage tag. Bennett also recommends checking the federal government's travel advisories before choosing a destination. Now that he's back in Canada, Bennett said he's spending as much time with family as he can and taking steps to recover physically and mentally. Before the incident, Bennett said he was never much of a traveller, but his detention has actually made him want to travel more. "I have a little bit of a thirst for travel through this because I want to live my life and I want to enjoy," said Bennett. "There's so many beautiful places to see in this world and it hasn't ruined my want to do more things." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025. Rianna Lim, The Canadian Press
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'I was innocent': Ontario man returns home after arrest in Dominican Republic
When David Bennett decided to escape Canada's icy winter with a weeklong trip to the Dominican Republic, he never imagined he'd be fighting to get back on Canadian soil for more than two months. Bennett has finally returned to his Burlington, Ont., home after being arrested in the Caribbean country and accused of smuggling drugs. Even after the charges were withdrawn, he was stuck in the island nation for weeks due to court delays. He's now calling for more transparency from the federal government when it comes to assisting Canadians abroad. Bennett, his wife Jane Wilcox and some friends were on their way home from a Dominican Republic resort on March 7 when he was denied entry at a Punta Cana airport's automated customs gate, he said. He was taken to an interrogation room and initially thought it was just a brief misunderstanding. There, he and Wilcox were shown a photo of a bag they didn't recognize, with a slightly different name on it — Davi Bennett instead of David R. Bennett, he said. Though they were adamant the bag didn't belong to him, he said he was charged with trafficking drugs into the Dominican and told he could face up to 30 years in prison. "That was really scary and I was blown away. Like I was in disbelief that this was happening," Bennett said in a phone interview Thursday, nearly two weeks after returning home. "I certainly didn't expect it to evolve into what it did, that's for sure. Not in my wildest dreams did I think it would happen like that." Bennett recalled how he was handcuffed and later spent the night in a "small, overcrowded cell," shoulder-to-shoulder with other detainees and sitting in a corner for nearly nine hours. He managed to get a lawyer — whom he could only communicate with through Google Translate — and Wilcox paid a $5,000 bail, he said. He then spent the next several weeks bouncing around different accommodations as he and Wilcox fought to clear his name and get him back to Canada. When they learned the charges would be withdrawn, he was relieved, but only momentarily. "We were told that it would take roughly 10 to 15 days for that withdrawal to become official through the signing of a court order. We were concerned with the time frame, but we were told that there's a backlog in the system," Bennett said. "So we said, well, what other choice do we have other than to remain patient?" It took more than 15 days for the court order to be signed, he recalled, but then he was told it would take up to an additional two weeks for the travel ban to be lifted. "My mental state was really rough those last five weeks waiting," said Bennett. "The anticipation and the waiting was really the most difficult part." Meanwhile in Ontario, Wilcox was rallying as much support as she could, Bennett said, as she and other community members reached out to their local member of Parliament Karina Gould and Anita Anand, who is now foreign affairs minister. On May 15, Bennett said he learned from Global Affairs Canada that his travel ban had been lifted through a verbal agreement with Dominican authorities, and they immediately booked a flight for the next day. "We literally willed our way through at that point because the paperwork hadn't been finalized yet. And we connected with Global Affairs Canada and told them that we're going to the airport, please ensure the paperwork is there to support us," he recalled. The next day, when he boarded his plane to Toronto, he "never felt really comfortable" until the wheels left the tarmac. "Even when I was on the aircraft, even though I was innocent, I had in the back of my mind, 'What's going to go wrong here?' Like something's not going to work out here," he said. "So I was really, really nervous for the entire time." The flight gave him an "amazing feeling," he said, and his reunion with his wife was even better. In total, Bennett said he spent 71 days stuck in the Dominican, getting few hours of sleep, rapidly losing weight and ultimately racking up more than $80,000 in legal fees and accommodation costs. Though he's back home now, Bennett said he still has unanswered questions about what happened that day at the Punta Cana airport. "I'd like to really fully understand what has transpired and how it transpired, how this can never happen in the future," he said. Bennett added he wants Canadian officials to be more transparent in the steps they're taking to help Canadians stuck abroad. During his time in the Dominican, he and Wilcox were in communication with Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Embassy, he said, but officials gave them few updates or details on his case, which he called "frustrating." Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Embassy in the Dominican Republic did not immediately respond to requests for comment. "I do believe Canadians deserve better," Bennett said. "We need to be way more supportive of our Canadian citizens when they travel." For Canadians going abroad, Bennett said they should consider only taking a carry-on and if they check a bag, to keep track of the luggage tag. Bennett also recommends checking the federal government's travel advisories before choosing a destination. Now that he's back in Canada, Bennett said he's spending as much time with family as he can and taking steps to recover physically and mentally. Before the incident, Bennett said he was never much of a traveller, but his detention has actually made him want to travel more. "I have a little bit of a thirst for travel through this because I want to live my life and I want to enjoy," said Bennett. "There's so many beautiful places to see in this world and it hasn't ruined my want to do more things." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025. Rianna Lim, The Canadian Press
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘I was innocent': Ontario man returns home after arrest in Dominican Republic
When David Bennett decided to escape Canada's icy winter with a weeklong trip to the Dominican Republic, he never imagined he'd be fighting to get back on Canadian soil for more than two months. Bennett has finally returned to his Burlington, Ont., home after being arrested in the Caribbean country and accused of smuggling drugs. Even after the charges were withdrawn, he was stuck in the island nation for weeks due to court delays. He's now calling for more transparency from the federal government when it comes to assisting Canadians abroad. Bennett, his wife Jane Wilcox and some friends were on their way home from a Dominican Republic resort on March 7 when he was denied entry at a Punta Cana airport's automated customs gate, he said. He was taken to an interrogation room and initially thought it was just a brief misunderstanding. There, he and Wilcox were shown a photo of a bag they didn't recognize, with a slightly different name on it — Davi Bennett instead of David R. Bennett, he said. Though they were adamant the bag didn't belong to him, he said he was charged with trafficking drugs into the Dominican and told he could face up to 30 years in prison. 'That was really scary and I was blown away. Like I was in disbelief that this was happening,' Bennett said in a phone interview Thursday, nearly two weeks after returning home. 'I certainly didn't expect it to evolve into what it did, that's for sure. Not in my wildest dreams did I think it would happen like that.' Bennett recalled how he was handcuffed and later spent the night in a 'small, overcrowded cell,' shoulder-to-shoulder with other detainees and sitting in a corner for nearly nine hours. He managed to get a lawyer — whom he could only communicate with through Google Translate — and Wilcox paid a $5,000 bail, he said. He then spent the next several weeks bouncing around different accommodations as he and Wilcox fought to clear his name and get him back to Canada. When they learned the charges would be withdrawn, he was relieved, but only momentarily. 'We were told that it would take roughly 10 to 15 days for that withdrawal to become official through the signing of a court order. We were concerned with the time frame, but we were told that there's a backlog in the system,' Bennett said. 'So we said, well, what other choice do we have other than to remain patient?' It took more than 15 days for the court order to be signed, he recalled, but then he was told it would take up to an additional two weeks for the travel ban to be lifted. 'My mental state was really rough those last five weeks waiting,' said Bennett. 'The anticipation and the waiting was really the most difficult part.' Meanwhile in Ontario, Wilcox was rallying as much support as she could, Bennett said, as she and other community members reached out to their local member of Parliament Anita Anand, who is now the new foreign affairs minister. On May 15, Bennett said he learned from Global Affairs Canada that his travel ban had been lifted through a verbal agreement with Dominican authorities, and they immediately booked a flight for the next day. 'We literally willed our way through at that point because the paperwork hadn't been finalized yet. And we connected with Global Affairs Canada and told them that we're going to the airport, please ensure the paperwork is there to support us,' he recalled. The next day, when he boarded his plane to Toronto, he 'never felt really comfortable' until the wheels left the tarmac. 'Even when I was on the aircraft, even though I was innocent, I had in the back of my mind, 'What's going to go wrong here?' Like something's not going to work out here,' he said. 'So I was really, really nervous for the entire time.' The flight gave him an 'amazing feeling,' he said, and his reunion with his wife was even better. In total, Bennett said he spent 71 days stuck in the Dominican, getting few hours of sleep, rapidly losing weight and ultimately racking up more than $80,000 in legal fees and accommodation costs. Though he's back home now, Bennett said he still has unanswered questions about what happened that day at the Punta Cana airport. 'I'd like to really fully understand what has transpired and how it transpired, how this can never happen in the future,' he said. Bennett added he wants Canadian officials to be more transparent in the steps they're taking to help Canadians stuck abroad. During his time in the Dominican, he and Wilcox were in communication with Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Embassy, he said, but officials gave them few updates or details on his case, which he called 'frustrating.' Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Embassy in the Dominican Republic did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 'I do believe Canadians deserve better,' Bennett said. 'We need to be way more supportive of our Canadian citizens when they travel.' For Canadians going abroad, Bennett said they should consider only taking a carry-on and if they check a bag, to keep track of the luggage tag. Bennett also recommends checking the federal government's travel advisories before choosing a destination. Now that he's back in Canada, Bennett said he's spending as much time with family as he can and taking steps to recover physically and mentally. Before the incident, Bennett said he was never much of a traveller, but his detention has actually made him want to travel more. 'I have a little bit of a thirst for travel through this because I want to live my life and I want to enjoy,' said Bennett. 'There's so many beautiful places to see in this world and it hasn't ruined my want to do more things.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
S. Jack Hu, University of Georgia provost, named UC Riverside chancellor amid steep challenges
S. Jack Hu, a senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Georgia with deep experience in leading research enterprises and guiding outreach to students from rural and low-income communities, has been named the new chancellor of UC Riverside. Hu's appointment, announced Wednesday afternoon by the UC Board of Regents, takes place at a crucial moment for the UC system and higher education, which has come under fierce critique by President Trump, who has revoked billions in medical and scientific research funding and derides diversity efforts while his administration threatens to take away the ability of colleges to enroll international students. Hu starts July 15 and will replace Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox, who is retiring after serving in the role since 2013. Under Wilcox, the Inland Empire campus grew dramatically in enrollment and footprint and joined the American Assn. of Universities, a prestigious group of the top 71 American and Canadian research campuses. During his time, UC Riverside increased in size by more than 5,000 students and 200 faculty, opened a $87-million business school building, and ushered in a new medical school that will graduate its ninth class next month. Read more: James B. Milliken, University of Texas chancellor, named UC president "Over his distinguished career at leading public research institutions, Dr. Hu has championed innovation and academic initiatives that have increased opportunities for students and faculty and have positively impacted their lives and the communities they serve,' said UC President Michael V. Drake in a statement. "UC Riverside has established itself as a global leader in providing world-class scholarship. Dr. Hu has the academic acumen and collaborative mindset to move the campus forward with integrity and purpose." In a statement, Hu said he was "honored" and "deeply grateful" to join UC Riverside. Born in Hunan province, China, Hu was an undergraduate at Tianjin University, and will be the first Asian American chancellor of UC Riverside. His annual salary will be $824,000, a slight increase over Wilcox's salary of $810,000. Speaking at the regents meeting in Sacramento, he shared his personal story as an immigrant from China and the first in his family to go to college as "a testament to the transformative power of education." "More than 40 years ago, I came to America to pursue a dream, arriving at the University of Michigan with a small suitcase and a thirst for learning. But never in my wildest dreams I'd imagine that I would became the chancellor of the University of California Riverside," Hu said. Hu, 61, oversaw instruction, research, public service, outreach and information technology spread across 19 colleges and schools at the University of Georgia. He began his Georgia post in 2019. During his tenure, the university's graduation rate increased by 20%, and the campus retained its status as one of nine public universities with a six-year graduation rate of more than 90%, a common measure of higher education success. UCLA and UC Berkeley are also in the group. Hu spent the bulk of his career at the University of Michigan, where he earned master's and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering and developed a specialty in researching the quality and productivity of manufacturing systems. He rose through faculty and administrative ranks in Michigan for more than 20 years before being appointed vice president for research in 2015, a role in which he oversaw a $1.5-billion research portfolio across campuses in Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint. "On behalf of the UC Board of Regents, we are proud to welcome Dr. Hu as UC Riverside's next chancellor,' said Janet Reilly, regents chair and search advisory committee member. "Dr. Hu's reputation as a results-oriented team player makes him the ideal partner to bolster UC Riverside's impact on students and the region through robust research, economic development, and community engagement.' Read more: With billions at stake, California joins suit to stop Trump cuts to university science research At Riverside, Hu will take the helm of a campus grappling with deep cuts to federal funding grants, including those from the National Institutes of Health, a UC-wide hiring freeze and a UC-wide Department of Justice investigation over allegations of antisemitic employment discrimination tied to pro-Palestinian protests. The Riverside campus has largely been spared from the targeted Trump administration investigations over admissions policies or antisemitism allegations that have hit UCs including those in Los Angeles and Berkeley. Last year, UC Riverside received more than $40 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health — one of the federal agencies that has made the deepest cuts to higher education funding — and is targeted in lawsuits by states and research groups to halt the reduction. In an interview, Hu acknowledged that "federal funding cuts are a tremendous challenge." "The key as a country is that we must invest in science, in talent, in innovation," he said. "The UC system is a leader in the country in terms of being a research university system. We need to work with federal government, with agencies, to sustain the partnership that universities in the country have built with the federal government. Without such investment, I think the U.S will not be able to complete globally." Read more: Trump lawyer says U.S. plans to sue UC over antisemitism allegations Hu told The Times that universities will "need to diversify the sources of funding: state support, federal funding for research, for students, industry support, foundation support, all of those are important." He added that his priorities will include "student success, social mobility, research and scholarship, expanding healthcare access for the region, and supporting communities in the Inland Empire region." Hu will lead one of UC's most diverse and unique campuses. UC Riverside traces its origins to agricultural research into citrus but has grown into a multifaceted research university with globally ranked programs in entomology — the study of insects — plant and animal sciences, air pollution and alternative fuels. The main Riverside campus is 1,900 acres and the university has more than 26,000 students and 4,700 faculty and staff. But it is often overshadowed by other UCs, such as the more selective UCLA and UC Berkeley. Still, Riverside consistently ranks on lists of the top U.S. public universities. The campus, which draws more than 14,000 commuter students, was the top UC last year in accepting first-year and transfer students, and ranked first in the system for accepting low-income individuals and those who were the first in their families to attend college. As it has grown in size and popularity, UC Riverside has also faced hurdles. While expanding its enrollment, adding new programs and building new centers, students have complained of crowded housing and dining areas, parking shortages and some offerings that are stretched thin, such as services for immigrant students. To address some of the shortages, the university is building a $156-million instructional facility as well as hundreds of new apartments. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
S. Jack Hu, University of Georgia provost, named UC Riverside chancellor amid steep challenges
S. Jack Hu, a senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Georgia with deep experience in leading research enterprises and guiding outreach to students from rural and low-income communities, has been named the new chancellor of UC Riverside. Hu's appointment, announced Wednesday afternoon by the UC Board of Regents, takes place at crucial moment for the UC system and higher education, which has come under fierce critique by President Trump, who has revoked billions in medical and scientific research funding and derides diversity efforts while his administration threatens to take away the ability of colleges to enroll international students. Hu starts July 15 and will replace Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox, who is retiring after serving in the role since 2013. Under Wilcox, the Inland Empire campus grew dramatically in enrollment and footprint and joined the American Association of Universities, a prestigious group of the top 71 American and Canadian research campuses. During her time, UC Riverside increased in size by more than 5,000 students and 200 faculty, opened a new $70-million business school building, and ushered in a new medical school that will graduate its ninth class next month. 'Over his distinguished career at leading public research institutions, Dr. Hu has championed innovation and academic initiatives that have increased opportunities for students and faculty and have positively impacted their lives and the communities they serve,' said UC President Michael V. Drake in a statement. 'UC Riverside has established itself as a global leader in providing world-class scholarship. Dr. Hu has the academic acumen and collaborative mindset to move the campus forward with integrity and purpose.' In a statement, Hu said he was 'honored' and 'deeply grateful' to join UC Riverside. Born in Hunan Province, China, Hu was an undergraduate at Tianjin University, and will be the first Asian American chancellor of the UC Riverside. His annual salary will be $824,000, a slight increase over Wilcox's salary of $810,000. Speaking at the regents meeting in Sacramento, he shared his personal story as an immigrant from China and the first in his family to go to college as 'a testament to the transformative power of education.' 'More than 40 years ago, I came to America to pursue a dream, arriving at the university of Michigan with a small suitcase and a thirst for learning. But never in my wildest dreams I'd imagine that I would became the chancellor of the university of California Riverside,' Hu said. Hu, 61, oversaw instruction, research, public service, outreach and information technology spread across 19 colleges and schools at the University of Georgia. He began his Georgia post in 2019. During his tenure, the university's graduation rate increased by 20%, and the campus retained its status as one of nine public universities with a six-year graduation rate of more than 90%, a common measure of higher education success. UCLA and UC Berkeley are also in the group. Hu spent the bulk of his career at the University of Michigan, where he earned masters and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering and developed a specialty in researching the quality and productivity of manufacturing systems. He rose through faculty and administrative ranks in Michigan for more than 20 years before being appointed vice president for research in 2015, a role in which he oversaw a $1.5 billion research portfolio across campuses in in Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint, Michigan. 'On behalf of the UC Board of Regents, we are proud to welcome Dr. Hu as UC Riverside's next chancellor,' said Janet Reilly, regents chair and search advisory committee member. 'Dr. Hu's reputation as a results-oriented team player makes him the ideal partner to bolster UC Riverside's impact on students and the region through robust research, economic development, and community engagement.' At Riverside, Hu will take the helm of a campus grappling with deep cuts to federal funding grants, including those from the National Institutes of Health, a UC-wide hiring freeze and a UC-wide Department of Justice investigation over allegations of antisemitic employment discrimination tied to pro-Palestinian protests. The Riverside campus has largely been spared from the targeted Trump administration investigations over admissions policies or antisemitism allegations that have hit UC's including those in Los Angeles and Berkeley. Last year, UC Riverside received more than $40 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health — one of the federal agencies that has made the deepest cuts to higher education funding — and is targeted in lawsuits by states and research groups to halt the reduction. In an interview, Hu acknowledged that 'federal funding cuts are a tremendous challenge.' 'The key as a country is that we must invest in science, in talent, in innovation,' he said. 'The UC system is a leader in the country in terms of being a research university system. We need to work with federal government, with agencies, to sustain the partnership that universities in the country have built with the federal government. Without such investment, I think the U.S will not be able to complete globally.' Hu told The Times that universities will 'need to diversify the sources of funding: state support, federal funding for research, for students, industry support, foundation support, all of those are important.' He added that his priorities will include 'student success, social mobility, research and scholarship, expanding healthcare access for the region, and supporting communities in the Inland Empire region.' Hu will lead one of UC's most diverse and unique campuses. UC Riverside traces its origins to agricultural research into citrus, but has grown into a multi-faceted research university with globally ranked in entomology — the study of insects — plant and animal sciences, air pollution and alternative fuels. The main Riverside campus is 1,900 acres and the university has of more than 26,000 students and 4,700 faculty and staff. But it is often overshadowed by other UCs, such as the more selective UCLA and UC Berkeley. Still, Riverside consistently ranks on lists of the top U.S. public universities. The campus, which draws more than 14,000 commuter students, was the top UC last year in accepting first-year and transfer students, and ranked first in the system for accepting low-income individuals and those who were the first in their families to attend college. As it has grown in size and popularity, UC Riverside has also faced hurdles. While expanding its enrollment, adding new programs and building new centers, students have complained of crowded housing and dining areas, parking shortages and some offerings that are stretched thin, such as services for immigrant students. To address some of the shortages, the university is building a new $156-million instructional facility as well as hundreds of new apartments.
