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IRAN: US Charges 3 In Plot To Kill Iranian-American Author In NYC

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. According to officials, the Justice Department has charged three men in an alleged plot to kill an Iranian American author and activist who has spoken out against human rights violations in Iran.

Rafat Amirov, 43, of Iran, Polad Omarov, 38, of the Czech Republic and Slovenia, and Khalid Mehdiyev, 24, of Yonkers, New York, were charged in an unsealed indictment in federal court in New York with money laundering and murder-for-hire. The three men were detained, and one was awaiting extradition to the United States.

Masih Alinejad, a New York-based Iranian opposition activist, journalist, and writer, confirmed that she was the intended target.

“I’m not scared,” Alinejad said after U.S. authorities announced the charges. “I want to tell you that the Iranian regime believes that by attempting to kill me, they will silence other women or me. But they only serve to strengthen me, to make me more powerful in my fight for democracy and to give a voice to the brave women who are fighting the Islamic Republic with guns and bullets in the streets.”

She claimed FBI agents read her the messages the plotters exchanged, including a final one that said, “It’s going to be done today.”

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Iran Media Did Not Acknowledge The Plot

Iran’s U.N. mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the charges. Late Friday, Iranian state media did not immediately acknowledge the alleged plot.

While the alleged plotlines in Iran, the indictment does not directly blame the country’s theocracy for the alleged murder-for-hire.

Nonetheless, the case “follows a disturbing pattern of Iranian government-sponsored efforts to kill, torture, and intimidate activists into silence for speaking out for the rights and freedoms of Iranians around the world,” according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

Mehdiyev was caught last year while driving around Masih’s Brooklyn neighborhood with a loaded “AK-47-style” rifle and a lot of bullets. At the time, Alinejad told The Associated Press that authorities had told her that the man was looking for her and that a home security video had captured him skulking outside her front door.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said when he announced the charges, “The Iranian government has previously gone after dissidents around the world, including the victim, who are against the regime’s violations of human rights.”

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Victim Had Kidnapping Plots Against Her

He claimed that “individuals in Iran” tasked the defendants with carrying out the assassination plot.

“The victim made public the Iranian government’s human rights violations, discrimination against women, suppression of democratic participation and expression, and use of arbitrary imprisonment, torture, and execution,” Garland said. “This activity posed such a threat to the Iranian government in 2019 that the chief judge of Iran’s Revolutionary courts warned that anyone who sent videos criticizing the regime to the victim would be sentenced to prison,” according to the report.

He claimed that in 2021, an Iranian intelligence official and three others were charged with plotting to kidnap the victim.

All three defendants are Azerbaijanis, a country with a border and cultural ties to Iran.

Amirov appeared in court for the first time in New York, and his attorney, Michael Martin, entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf. During the brief court appearance, the defense did not immediately request bail. Amirov used a Russian interpreter because he speaks it, although it is not his first language.

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Evolving Threat And Brazen Behavior

Mehdiyev’s attorney declined to comment on Friday. Omarov was arrested earlier this month in the Czech Republic. It was unclear whether he had an attorney speaking on his behalf.

“This case also highlights Iran’s evolving threat and increasingly brazen behavior,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. She also mentioned charges filed against members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate a former U.S. national security adviser and charges filed against Iranian hackers accused of targeting utility companies.

FBI Director Christopher Wray says that Iranian intelligence and security services have been using more “transnational repression tactics” in recent years to go after political opponents and critics. He said that tactics in Iran include surveillance, cyber operations, intimidation of family and friends, and kidnapping and assassination plots.

“The Iranian government’s efforts to silence its critics are not limited to Iranian borders,” Wray said.

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are higher than usual, with the Biden administration’s efforts to resurrect a 2015 deal limiting Iran’s nuclear program failing and the U.S. condemning Iran’s targeting of protesters in Iran. Iran is also said to have given Russia drones that Russia has used to attack civilian targets in Ukraine.

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Calls For Congress To Do Something

Alinejad said that she hoped the ruthlessness of Iranians plotting to kill a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil would persuade President Joe Biden to act on calls from some in Congress and elsewhere to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.

“They are challenging U.S. authorities to see what the consequences will be if no punishment is imposed, and there is no reason for them to stop killing innocent Americans or innocent Iranians,” she said.

Alinejad was a journalist in Iran for many years. Since he left the country after the disputed presidential election and crackdown in 2009, Iran’s theocracy has been after him.

She is a prominent figure on Farsi-language satellite channels abroad that criticize Iran, and she has worked as a contractor for the Voice of America’s Farsi-language network, which the United States funds, since 2015. She became a citizen of the United States in October 2019.

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Three Defendants Are Members Of An Eastern European Criminal Organization

Her “White Wednesday” and “My Stealthy Freedom” campaigns have seen women film themselves in public in Iran without head coverings or hijabs, which can result in arrests and fines. She has also made the voices of Iranian protesters louder since the death of Mahsa Amini in September. Amini died after being arrested by the morality police and was later found dead.

According to court documents, the three defendants are members of an Eastern European criminal organization with ties to Iran.

According to the indictment, Amirov, a group leader living in Iran, was “tasked” with targeting her by unnamed people. Garland declined to elaborate on where the orders came from. Amirov turned to Omarov, who lives in Eastern Europe, and together they brought Mehdiyev, who lives in New York, and paid him $30,000 in cash. US authorities say that Mehdiyev got the gun and started watching her house in July.

For more than a week, he took photos and videos and devised ways to entice her outside, according to the indictment. Mehdiyev described himself as being “at the crime scene” at one point.

Alinejad, on the other hand, left her house on July 28 after noticing something suspicious. When Mehdiyev attempted to leave, he was stopped by a New York police officer. The gun, ammunition magazines, cash, and a black ski mask were discovered by police. He was taken into custody on a federal firearms charge.

SOURCE – (AP)

 

 

 

Kiara Grace is a staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. Her writing focuses on technology trends, particularly in the realm of consumer electronics and software. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics.

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Americans Set Financial Resolutions For 2025, Survey Finds

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Financial Resolutions
Adobe Stock

(VOR News) – According to a survey that was conducted not so long ago, more than half of the Financial Resolutions people living in the United States are considering making financial resolutions for the new year.

When inflation is a large role, this is because holiday spending leaves little money in wallets. This is especially true during times when inflation is a significant factor.

All of us are familiar with the traditional resolutions that people make for the New Year, such as increasing the amount of time spent exercising and making improvements to one’s diet.

They are, however, reevaluating the significance of those resolutions in this day and age, when rising costs are at the forefront of the minds of a great number of people.

With regard to the outcomes of the 2025 Financial Resolutions Study that was carried out by Fidelity Investments, it was discovered that over sixty-five percent of the individuals who took part in the study said that they are considering making Financial Resolutions for the New Year.

The findings of the study show that the year 2025 is expected to be the year of “living practically.” This is one of the most significant discoveries.

When compared to the previous year, the majority of Americans who have taken the decision to save more money are more concerned with short-term savings goals in the future year (55% versus 45%). This figure represents a significant increase from the previous year.

In comparison to the prior year, this is a change. Unanticipated costs are at the top of the list of individuals who are anxious about their Financial Resolutions situation for the coming year, and a whopping 79% of those who participated in the poll revealed that they aim to raise the amount of money they have set aside for situations that require immediate attention.

Issues that are at the top of the list for the year 2025 include:

Expenses that weren’t expected to arise

The effect that inflation has on daily savings and expenditure levels

Uncertainty about the economy and the impending recession

Most people who create goals for themselves claim to have a plan in place that will help them achieve their objectives. They replied that it would benefit them in the long run to have a goal that is both attainable and easy to sustain, with small benchmarks to help them along the way. Those who had failed to meet their financial objectives in the past year brought this up.

According to the survey’s results, younger generations are more inclined to make financial decisions and think they are more likely to be in a better financial position than earlier generations.

The vast majority of Americans believe that their financial situation will improve during the next 12 months. They state that the two main factors they mention as being significant are living a life free of obligations and feeling more at ease.

The Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Financial Institutions (DFI) recommends the following financial resolutions be put into effect.

These financial resolutions are as follows:

Put some additional money aside for your retirement income.

The goal is to improve your credit score.

Establish a reserve fund to cover any unforeseen costs.

A debt management strategy that is successful

Making a budget with your own money is a good idea.

Some examples of the kinds of security measures that, according to DFI, are effective ways to secure the money that you have worked so hard to acquire include changing your passwords and enabling two-step verification. Both of these are instances of security measures

SOURCE: WKBN

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The Goal Of Donald Trump’s Transition Team Is To Withdraw The US From WHO “On Day One.”

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Donald Trump
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

(VOR News) – The transition team led by Donald Trump is reportedly planning to remove the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) on the first day of the next government, according to experts.

This would have a “catastrophic” impact on people’s health all throughout the world, these experts warn.

On January 20, the day the president-elect becomes office, these individuals want to announce their desire to depart the global health agency, Donald Trump’s team members informed analysts.

If the World Health Organization were to depart, it would lose its most significant source of funding, which would hinder its ability to respond to public health emergencies such as the Coronavirus pandemic.

Donald Trump’s leadership and funding for global health are noteworthy.

The United States of America is most likely to leave a significant void. According to Georgetown Law professor of global health Lawrence Gostin, “I see no one that is going to fill the breach.” He went on to say that the withdrawal “on day one” will have “catastrophic” effects on people’s health all around the world.

Trump’s nomination of several allies, including vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, for important health positions in the incoming government has led to a disagreement over US relations with the World Health Organization (WHO). Nevertheless, Gostin expressed doubt that Donald Trump would prioritize a prompt withdrawal as much as some of his colleagues.

The United States of America was the largest single donor to the World Health Organization (WHO), accounting for almost 16 percent of its funding in fiscal years 2022–2023.

In 2020, President Donald Trump began the process of disbanding the World Health Organization (WHO) after accusing it of being under Chinese control.

However, the process has never been completed, and his vice presidential replacement, Joe Biden, resumed relations with the agency on the first day of his administration in 2021.

Experts have seen that after initiating the process immediately, some Donald Trump administration officials are keen to proceed much more quickly this time.

Ashish Jha, a former White House Covid response coordinator for Biden and the director of Brown University’s school of public health, stated that the transition team wanted Donald Trump to withdraw on the first day because to the “symbolism” of reversing Biden’s own inauguration-day decision.

He remarked, “Many individuals within the administration’s inner circle lack trust in the WHO and wish to symbolically demonstrate their disassociation from it on the first day.”

“If you do not actively participate in these Donald Trump institutions.

You will not be able to respond quickly when the next outbreak happens,” he stated. Gostin predicted “very lean years for the WHO,” which would mean the organization would have to substantially cut back on its scientific workforce and struggle to respond to health emergencies.

If the United States withdrew, he said, European countries would likely not increase their contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO), and China might try to strengthen its influence. He claimed that since leaving would give China more authority, it would not be a smart move.

Questions concerning the possible withdrawal were not immediately answered by the Donald Trump transition team. “Is this the same WHO we left in place for the initial administration?” a person familiar with the arrangements told the Financial Times. Right now, we don’t appear to care all that much about what they have to say.

There was no response from the World Health Organization. The group’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called it a “unique organization” earlier this month and said it aimed to collaborate with U.S. officials.

He continued, “From our end, we are prepared to collaborate with one another.” “I believe that the leaders of the United States of America are aware of the fact that the United States cannot be safe unless the rest of the world is safe.

SOURCE: FT

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Do Microplastics in the Atmosphere Endanger Your Fertility?

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Microplastic
HealthDay

(VOR News) – It is quite possible that the presence of small microplastic particles in the air may be a contributing factor to a wide variety of health problems, including malignancies of the lungs and colon.

This is something that needs additional research to be determined. There is one more item to take into consideration, and that is the potential that this is the exact circumstance.

A recent study found that tires and debris that are decomposing shed minute fragments of plastic that go airborne, so creating a form of air pollution that is not particularly widely known. This type of pollution is caused by the degradation of plastic. An example of this type of pollution is that which is discharged into the atmosphere.

The industry refers to microplastic as “air pollution.”

According to the findings of a researcher named Tracey Woodruff, who is a professor of obstetrics, gynaecology, and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, “These microplastics are basically particulate matter from air pollution,” and it is common knowledge that this particular type of air pollution is particularly hazardous.

The researchers who supplied background notes stated that the size of microplastics is less than 5 millimetres, which is smaller than a grain of rice.

This information was provided, according to researchers. These details were supplied by the researchers who conducted the study. These particulars were provided by researchers who were responsible for carrying out the study.

The amount of plastic that is created on a yearly basis by enterprises all over the world is roughly 460 million tonnes, as indicated by the data that were provided by academics all over the world. The forecasts indicate that by the year 2050, this quantity is anticipated to have increased to 1.1 billion tonnes.

Driving is a substantial contributor to the amount of plastic that is floating around in the atmosphere, according to the conclusions of the experts who conducted the study about the phenomenon. When tires are worn down to the point where they scrape against the surface of the road, they allow microplastics to be released into the environment.

As a result of the tires wearing down, this occurs. This impact is brought about as a consequence of the inevitable amount of wear and tear that tires are subjected to.

A study that was published on December 18 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology was the result of researchers conducting an examination of data collected from over 3,000 previous investigations.

The paper was published as a consequence of this procedure. The review was constructed with the help of this analysis that was carried out.

Microplastic used this analysis to put together the review.

A number of diseases, such as cancer, lung problems, and infertility, may be influenced by the presence of microplastics in the air, according to the data, which led to the conclusion that this may be the case.

Despite the fact that the vast majority of the studies that were incorporated into the study were carried out on animals, the researchers claimed that it is very certainly plausible that the findings can also be applied to people. The fact that the majority of investigations were conducted on animals does not change the reality that this is the case.

“We urge regulatory agencies and policy leaders to consider the growing evidence of health harms from microplastics, including colon and lung cancer,” stated Nicholas Chartres, the principal investigator and senior research fellow at the University of Sydney.

The organisation reported this comment. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) issued a press release on behalf of the organisation that contained this statement. The news release was disseminated to the public. We are convinced that state officials will act quickly to make sure that no leaks of this kind occur, which is of the highest importance.

SOURCE: USN

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