Dolton Village Hall Raided by FBI
The FBI conducted a court-authorized action at Dolton Village Hall on Friday, as confirmed by the agency. According to an FBI spokesperson, agents were engaged in "court-authorized law enforcement activity in that area." The specifics of the raid or the ongoing investigation were not disclosed, in adherence to Department of Justice policy.
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Sources revealed that FBI agents served two subpoenas at Dolton Village Hall to acquire personnel records, including those of police officers, as well as business records.
The south suburb of Dolton has been mired in controversy for weeks. Former Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot was recently appointed by the Dolton Village Board to probe allegations of corruption and theft by Mayor Tiffany Henyard. Henyard, in turn, vetoed the board's request for a federal investigation into her conduct.
Investigative Tasks: Lori Lightfoot's agenda includes uncovering millions in unpaid bills in Dolton and scrutinizing a village-funded trip to Las Vegas taken by Henyard, several trustees, and village employees last year.
Wrongful Termination Allegations: Three former employees have accused Henyard of wrongful termination after they refused to engage in political activities on her behalf.
Legal Troubles: Henyard is implicated in a sexual assault lawsuit alongside village trustee Andrew Holmes, filed by a former village trustee.
Bankruptcy Fraud Charges: A senior administrator for both Dolton village and Thornton Township, Keith Douglas Freeman, 45, from Orland Park, faces federal charges related to a bankruptcy fraud scheme. The charges involve false statements in his bankruptcy petition to conceal assets and income sources, as well as a substantial claim against him by creditors.
Despite attempts to reach out to the village of Dolton, ABC7 has not received a response yet.
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Egyptian Foreign Minister to Türkiye…discusses with Erdogan enhancing cooperation and regional files
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will head to Turkey today, Friday, on a visit to discuss bilateral relations and enhance cooperation.
Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Shukri Wazir headed from South Africa to Turkey today. He is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in addition to holding bilateral and expanded discussions with Hakan Fidan, Turkey’s Foreign Minister.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman explained that the visit comes within the framework of the steps taken by Egypt and Turkey to enhance cooperation and raise the level of bilateral relations, and follow up on the implementation of what was agreed upon during the recent meeting of the leaderships of the two countries in Cairo, in addition to coordination and consultation on ways to confront challenges and crises on the regional and international arenas. .
Erdogan and Sisi
Erdogan visited Egypt last February for the first time after an 11-year break.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his Turkish counterpart signed a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding between the two countries, and the two presidents also signed a joint declaration on “restructuring the meetings of the high-level strategic cooperation council between the two countries.”
It is noteworthy that the Egyptian and Turkish presidents met for the first time after years of estrangement during the opening of the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, and then they met again during the G20 summit in the Indian capital, New Delhi, in September last year.
The two sides agreed to strengthen relations and cooperation, raise diplomatic relations between the two countries, and exchange ambassadors.
Last year, the Egyptian and Turkish Foreign Ministries raised diplomatic representation between the two countries to the level of appointing ambassadors to restore relations to normal after they had been interrupted since 2013.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that Amr El-Hamami became Egypt’s ambassador to Ankara, while Turkey nominated Salih Mutlu Shen as ambassador to Cairo.
Relations between the two countries had become tense due to Turkish support for the Muslim Brotherhood and Ankara’s interventions in Libya.
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Egyptian Foreign Minister to Türkiye…discusses with Erdogan enhancing cooperation and regional files
The United States exposed a significant increase in military shipments from China to Russia amid its war in Ukraine
US Intelligence Report Reveals Increased Military Shipments from China to Russia Amid Ukraine Conflict
In the midst of the ongoing war in Ukraine, a recent intelligence report prepared by the United States has exposed a significant increase in military shipments from China to Russia. The report indicates that the cooperation between China and Russia on the military level has been growing closer, leading to a surge in the delivery of machinery, microelectronics, and various other types of technology to Moscow.
The document highlights that thanks to this collaboration, the Kremlin has been able to maintain its production of missiles, tanks, planes, and other weapons used in its offensives in Ukraine. In 2023, a striking 90% of the microelectronics utilized in Russia for artillery manufacturing originated from China, while nearly 70% of the USD 900 million spent on importing machine tools in the last quarter of the year were also sourced from Beijing. Sales of semiconductors between the two countries skyrocketed from USD 200 million in 2021 to over USD 500 million in 2022.
Several companies have been identified as part of these supply chains, including North China Research Institute of Electro-Optics, Wuhan Global Sensor Technology Co., Wuhan Tongsheng Technology Co. Ltd., Hikvision, and IRay Technology Co. Ltd.
Moreover, the report points out that the collaboration extends beyond the shipment of parts, with agreements in place for the joint production of unmanned aerial vehicles within Russia and efforts to enhance satellite and space capabilities. This development poses not only a heightened risk for Ukraine but also increases the long-term threat that Russia poses in Europe.
In response to these findings, the US Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, issued a warning to Chinese Communist Party officials during her recent visit to Beijing. Yellen emphasized that any banks, companies, or individuals involved in aiding the Russian Armed Forces would face potential sanctions from the Biden administration.
Amid the growing tensions, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to travel to China to discuss the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping. While China has denied the allegations and urged non-interference from foreign powers, they have retaliated by imposing sanctions on the US for supporting Taiwan through arms sales.
As the situation continues to evolve, the international community is closely monitoring the actions of China and Russia, as the implications of their collaboration have far-reaching consequences for global security.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
(With information from AP)
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