Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Defendants Charged in Los Angeles and Milwaukee with Interstate Stalking, Arms Export Violations, and Smuggling
Federal grand juries in Milwaukee and Los Angeles each returned indictments charging two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom and a U.S. lawful permanent resident, with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking (Los Angeles) and conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act (Milwaukee).
“As alleged, the defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on U.S. soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems. We will act decisively to expose and dismantle these threats wherever they emerge.”
“The defendants allegedly plotted to harass and interfere with an individual who criticized the actions of the People’s Republic of China while exercising their constitutionally protected free speech rights within the United States of America,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “The same individuals also are charged with trying to obtain and export sensitive U.S. military technology to China. I want to commend the good work of the FBI and our partners in the U.S and overseas in putting a stop to these illegal activities.”
Allegations in the Central District of California
According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the Victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi.
“The indictment alleges that Chinese foreign actors targeted a victim in our nation because he criticized the Chinese government and its president,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “My office will continue to use all legal methods available to hold accountable foreign nationals engaging in criminal activity on our soil.”
Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the victim, to install a tracking device on the victim’s car, to slash the tires on the victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statues created by the victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife.
A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statues of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
Allegations in the Eastern District of Wisconsin
According to court documents, beginning in November 2023, Miller and Cui solicited the procurement of U.S. defense articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices with associated crypto ignition keys for unlawful export from the United States to the People’s Republic of China from two individuals (Individual 5 and Individual 6).
In connection with the scheme, Cui and Miller discussed with Individuals 5 and 6 ways to export a cryptographic device from the United States to the People’s Republic of China, including concealing the device in a blender, small electronics, or motor starter, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong. Cui and Miller paid approximately $10,000 as a deposit for the cryptographic device via a courier in the United States and a wire transfer to a U.S. bank account.
***
If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years in prison for conspiracy; five years in prison for interstate stalking; 20 years in prison for violation of the Arms Export Control Act; and 10 years in prison for smuggling.
The FBI is investigating the case. The United States is coordinating with Serbian authorities regarding the pending extraditions of Cui and Miller from Serbia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Ryan and Amanda B. Elbogen for the Central District of California, Benjamin Taibleson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the cases, with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CAMDEN, N.J. — An Albanian national was charged with marriage fraud, and he and his wife, an American citizen, were both charged with making false statements on forms submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services following an investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Newark.
The charges against Elvis Harizaj, 25, of Cherry Hill, and Natasha Flores, 27, of Newark, were announced May 28 by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Camden.
“This couple allegedly undermined the integrity of our U.S. immigration laws by entering into a deceptive marriage for the purpose of obtaining fraudulent legal status to remain in our country,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “These charges should serve as a warning to others that marriage fraud is a federal crime, and we will investigate and prosecute those who try to circumvent our nation’s legal paths to residency.”
According to HSI Newark’s investigation, Harizaj is a citizen of Albania and entered into a sham marriage with Flores for the purpose of obtaining permanent residence in the United States. On forms submitted to USCIS, Harizaj falsely stated that he lived with Flores and Flores falsely stated that she had never been married before. Flores, in fact, had previously been married to a Brazilian national who obtained U.S. citizenship based on his marriage to Flores. In addition, Harizaj was charged with marriage fraud.
The counts of false statements and marriage fraud both have a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of three years of supervised release.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A signing ceremony for the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) was held today as it was revealed that Hong Kong has been chosen as the IOMed’s home.
The IOMed will be the world’s first intergovernmental international legal organisation dedicated to mediation.
CPC Central Committee Political Bureau Member and Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi signed the convention on behalf of China. Representatives from 32 other countries also signed it.
Addressing the ceremony, Mr Wang said that as an innovative step in international rule of law, the IOMed has great significance in the history of international relations.
He stressed that its establishment is an actualisation of the principles of the United Nations (UN) Charter and an example of a civilisational belief in harmony, while epitomising inclusiveness in the rule of law.
Outlining that the IOMed will be headquartered in Hong Kong, Mr Wang said the city’s handover is in itself a success story that exemplifies peaceful settlement of international disputes. The success of the “one country, two systems” principle has created brighter prospects for prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, he added.
Mr Wang said he looks forward to all parties working together to ensure the IOMed plays a positive role in peacefully resolving international disputes to create a brighter future for humanity.
Chief Executive John Lee, as well as senior representatives from more than 50 countries, and from the United Nations and other international organisations, attended the ceremony.
Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, Financial Secretary Paul Chan, and Secretary for Justice Paul Lam were also present.
Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to the central government for allowing Hong Kong the honour of housing the organisation’s headquarters, adding that Hong Kong has a well-respected legal system and world-class legal and dispute resolution professionals.
“The IOMed will provide a pathway for countries – regardless of culture, language and legal system – to resolve international disputes based on mutual respect and understanding. This is increasingly important amid mounting geopolitical tensions.”
This afternoon’s Global Forum on International Mediation involved discussions of topics including mediation of disputes among countries and mediation of international investment and commercial disputes.
Guest speakers emphasised that Hong Kong has unique features that allow it to build bridges between different legal traditions.
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Secretary Anna Joubin-Bret said: “It combines the background and the expertise in both civil and common law, and it is the only jurisdiction that has these two features, and that is exactly what mediation needs.”
Former President of Slovenia Danilo Türk remarked that Hong Kong is a place of innovations in multiple ways, including technology, trade, and now also diplomacy.
“I think that that is a really very good choice. Hong Kong is already established as one of the global centres of communication, of everything, of every form of communication. And to add this dimension would enrich Hong Kong and would enrich also the processes of mediation.”
Executive Director of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Institute for Peace & Reconciliation I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, said he expected the IOMed to collaborate with other regional organisations, including ASEAN, in finding solutions to conflict situations within the region.
“I think Hong Kong and China have a lot of experience on the trade issues, on economic issues, and of course we expect that IOMed will also deal with the political and security issues in the future.”
Meanwhile, Asian Academy of International Law Founder Member and Co-Chairman Teresa Cheng said she believes housing the headquarters in Hong Kong will raise the city’s international profile by allowing it to play a leading role in mediation efforts.
“For example, capacity building, running conferences, bringing experts in to discuss certain issues. And all these will attract foreigners coming to Hong Kong and thereby knowing Hong Kong and learning themselves how good Hong Kong is, and therefore be able to bring that view back to their hometown.”
Witnessed by forum guests, Mr Lam signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Minister of Commerce of Cambodia Cham Nimul, to strengthen co-operation between the two places on issues relating to dispute avoidance and resolution.
Invalda INVL had equity of EUR 238.1 million at the end of March this year, or EUR 19.82 per share. Those figures were 30.9% and 30.8% larger, respectively, than a year earlier, including the dividends that have been paid out.
In January-March 2025, Invalda INVL earned an unaudited net profit of EUR 15.9 million, or 3.4 times more than in the same period last year, when the net profit was EUR 4.7 million.
The asset management group recorded EUR 3 million loss for its clients in the first quarter of this year, due to global market corrections. However, the total value of client assets under management grew by 27.9% from a year earlier to more than EUR 1.9 billion at the end of March 2025.
“The main highlight for the start of this year was the successful launch of INVL Private Equity Fund II – a strategically important step for us and currently the largest fund in the Baltics,” says Darius Šulnis, the CEO of Invalda INVL.
Strategic core business: asset management and family office activities
Invalda INVL’s revenue from the management of assets entrusted by clients totalled EUR 3.9 million in the first quarter of 2025, 32.8% more than in January-March 2024.
The profit of the strategic core business, which also includes the company’s own investments in the products the group manages, was EUR 1.2 million, compared with a profit of EUR 1.4 million in the same period last year.
As of 1 April, Andrius Načajus, a finance executive with many years of experience, became the CEO of INVL Asset Management.
“The successful management of entrusted assets, focusing on creating long-term value and delivering appropriate returns to investors is the key priority for our business. Asset divestments are a natural part of this process,” Darius Šulnis notes. “In the first quarter of this year, the INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund completed the sale of InMedica Group, Lithuania’s largest private healthcare network. That investment is a great example of a rational growth strategy and its consistent implementation: a company that is a leader in its field was created, an exceptionally high return was earned, and thus a significant portion of the capital invested in the fund was returned to investors. We continue to actively grow the fund’s portfolio companies and selectively divesting some of them.”
“We’re also intensely seeking suitable targets for investments of the INVL Private Equity Fund II. Some processes are already well advanced, so we expect to complete at least two acquisitions by the end of this year,” Šulnis adds.
The Invalda INVL group also saw other significant events in the first quarter of 2025. The INVL Renewable Energy Fund I, with operations concentrated in Romania and Poland, successfully completed the offering of an EUR 8 million bond issue in February which was oversubscribed 1.7 times. INVL Asset Management launched the INVL Partner Strategic Lending Fund, which will invest in a vehicle managed by 17Capital, a private credit firm active in North America and Europe, that lends to major global private equity managers.
“We’re also pleased with the successful work of the INVL Family Office. It has expanded its client base not only in Lithuania but also in Latvia and Estonia, while increasing their investments,” Invalda INVL’s CEO says.
In February, the INVL Family Office joined an initiative of the Vilnius Lyceum Alumni Endowment fund. The INVL Family Office will help to create and implement the fund’s investment strategy.
Equity investments
Invalda INVL’s other equity investments, aside from the asset management, had a EUR 17.7 million impact on earnings in the first quarter of 2025.
This result was positively influenced by the strong performance of the banks in which the company holds stakes, along with their growth in value. Invalda INVL has investments in Artea Bank and in maib, Moldova’s largest bank. Maib, showing excellent financial results and sustainable growth in all business segments, earned a record net profit of EUR 20.1 million in the first quarter, while Artea earned EUR 17.35 million.
Artea Bank had a positive impact of EUR 15.6 million on Invalda INVL’s pretax profit; maid had a positive impact of EUR 0.5 million.
“The profits generated by the agricultural business group Litagra, along with a favorable market environment, provide an optimistic outlook for the future performance of the group and its value,” Darius Šulnis notes.
Litagra had a positive impact of EUR 1.6 million on Invalda INVL’s result for the first quarter of 2025.
Additional information is provided by Darius Sulnis, CEO of Invalda INVL Darius.Sulnis@invl.com
Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE
Headline: OSCE welcomes the announcement of the Serbian Orthodox Church’s return to the work of the Interreligious Council of BiH
OSCE welcomes the announcement of the Serbian Orthodox Church’s return to the work of the Interreligious Council of BiH | OSCE
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Serbia and Russia will jointly investigate how Serbia-made ammunition reached Ukraine, President Aleksandar Vucic said, after Moscow accused Belgrade of exporting arms to the government in Kyiv.
The SVR, the Russian foreign intelligence service, accused Belgrade of “a stab in the back”, alleging Serbia’s defence manufacturers were selling ammunition and weapons to Ukraine.
“They (arms sales) have one clear purpose – to kill and maim Russian military personnel and the civilian population,” the SVR said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday.
The SVR said Serbia sends arms shipments to Ukraine through NATO intermediaries, including the Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria, as well as some African countries.
Serbia maintains a balancing act between its historical ties with Russia and the European Union. Belgrade has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but has so far refused to join Western sanctions against Moscow.
Vucic told state RTS TV he discussed Serbian arms exports to Ukraine with Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin when he visited Moscow on May 9, and denied some of the SVR’s allegations.
“We have formed a working group, together with Russian partners, to establish the facts. Some of the things that have been said are not true,” he told RTS TV late on Thursday.
According to a classified Pentagon document, Serbia in 2023 agreed to supply arms to Kyiv, despite the country’s professed military neutrality. Moscow has criticised Belgrade several times over the issue.
The Serbian defence industry produces weapons and ammunition with designs largely stemming from the ex-Soviet military technology of the 1980s, similar to those used both in Ukraine and Russia.
“Our factories must live and work. About 24,000 people work directly in the defense industry,” Vucic said.
Serbia wants to join the European Union, but Russia, a Slavic and Orthodox Christian ally, remains its biggest gas supplier, and the country’s sole oil refinery is majority-owned by Gazprom and Gazprom Neft.
Although Belgrade has refused to join Western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, it has condemned Moscow’s policies in the United Nations and expressed support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, including territories held by Russia. Vucic has also met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at least three times.
The loan will support Teknia’s research and development (R&D investments) in Spain, Poland, Romania, Germany, Sweden and Czech Republic to develop more sustainable manufacturing technologies for automotive components.
This operation by the European Investment Bank (EIB) supports innovation and sustainability in a strategic sector for the EU economy.
The agreement contributes to the EIB’s strategic priorities of innovation, climate action and cohesion.
The operation is backed by InvestEU, an EU programme that aims to unlock over €372 billion in investment by 2027.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Teknia have signed a loan worth €30 million to finance the company’s research and development activities, and measures to apply them in manufacturing of components for the automotive sector. Teknia is a Spanish company present in 13 countries specialised in the manufacture of metal and plastic components for mobility solutions using a wide range of technologies.
The EIB loan will support Teknia’s investments in R&D and in its facilities located in Spain, Poland, Romania, Germany, Sweden and Czechia. The investments will focus on the application of advanced manufacturing technologies, product diversification and cutting CO2 emissions. The company, one of the leading Spanish automotive suppliers, will reinforce its manufacturing capabilities and digitalization which are important pillars of its strategic plan in course.
The operation contributes to the EU’s cohesion policy as a significant part of the investments (approximately 51%) will be made in cohesion regions.
“We are very pleased to be joining forces with Teknia to foster innovation and sustainability in the European automotive sector,” said Antonio Lorenzo, head of the EIB’s Corporate Lending Division Spain and Portugal. “This new financing is a clear example of how the EIB is helping companies to become more sustainable, more innovative and more competitive while contributing to strengthening Europe’s leading position in strategic sectors”.
“This important loan will allow us to keep growing during these challenging times in the automotive sector and focus even more in innovation to manufacture the mobility of the future in our plants in the most sustainable way, decreasing the carbon footprint of the group”, Javier Quesada de Luis, Teknia CEO, explained. “We look to the future with optimism and will keep reinforcing our operations digitalizing our plants and innovating to codevelop new products together with our clients”.
The EIB operation will boost EU competitiveness and help to reindustrialise a sector undergoing transformation due to the impact of developments like electrification and digitalisation.
The loan contributes to the EIB Group’s strategic priorities of innovation and climate action and cohesion. These are three of the Group’s eight priorities set out in its Strategic Roadmap for the years 2024-2027.
The EIB loan is partially guaranteed by InvestEU, the flagship EU programme to mobilise over €372 billion of additional public and private sector investment to support EU policy goals from 2021 to 2027.
Background information
EIB
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the European Union, and the capital markets union.
The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.
All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.
Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers. Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.
High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.
InvestEU
The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investment for EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that invest in projects, leveraging on the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increasing their risk-bearing capacity and mobilising at least €372 billion in additional investment.
Teknia
Teknia is a multinational group specializing in the manufacturing of mobility components through metal and plastic components in a wide range of technologies.
Founded in 1992 as a global supplier to the automotive industry, Teknia is present in 13 countries, with 23 plants and more than 3,500 employees. The company’s clients include the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers, as well as other Tier-1 suppliers. Teknia’s revenues reached €431 million in 2024.
On Monday, 2 June 2025, the NATO Secretary General, Mr Mark Rutte, will visit Vilnius, Lithuania. He will participate in the Vilnius Summit with B9 and Nordic countries, hosted by the President of Lithuania, Mr Gitanas Nausėda.
While in Vilnius, Mr Rutte will have a number of bilateral meetings.
Media advisory
+/- 10:45 (CEST) Doorstep by the Secretary General
11:00 (CEST)Opening Session remarks by the Secretary General
14:00 (CEST) Joint press conference with the Secretary General, the President of Lithuania, the President of Poland, the President of Romania, the Prime Minister of Denmark, and the President of Ukraine
Media coverage
The event will be streamed live on the NATO website.
Transcripts of the Secretary General’s remarks, as well as pictures, will be available on the NATO website. Video will be available for free download from the NATO Multimedia Portal after the event.
Opening Remarks by Kristalina Georgieva, IMF Managing Director, at the CESEE High-Level Conference in Dubrovnik, Croatia
May 30, 2025
Good morning and a very warm welcome to everyone!
I would like to begin by thanking Governor Vujčič for the kind invitation. Dear Boris: it is such a pleasure to return to Dubrovnik. Truly, a pearl of the Adriatic!
Since its first gathering here in 2017, this conference has become an important forum for policymakers to discuss the challenges confronting the region.
And, as usual, we have much to discuss: the successes, the unfinished business and, now, huge new challenges.
***
First, a few words on the successes.
Over the last three decades, reforms promoting economic openness and integration—first with the EU, then within the EU—have helped the countries of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe achieve a remarkable convergence with the standards of living of their more advanced peers.
Since the mid-1990s, incomes have more than doubled and the gap relative to the advanced Europe has shrunk sharply.
Manufacturing became a catalyst for productivity growth as integration into European and global value chains helped CESEE economies reach beyond their domestic markets.
At the same time, openness to FDI accelerated capital accumulation and technology transfer.
EU accession played a huge role. Powered by the domestic structural reforms put in place on the path to EU accession countries that joined the EU accelerated their income convergence with the advanced Europe and outperformed comparable countries outside of the block.
Thus, it is fair to pause and say: well done.
***
Second, the unfinished business.
The journey is far from complete. Reforms slowed after EU accession. After the Global Financial Crisis, investment fell significantly and contributed to a productivity slump that has only worsened since Covid.
Various economic challenges were already calling out for revitalizing reforms. The demand for skilled workers is rising, but labor supply is tightening. High energy costs are hurting manufacturing competitiveness. New technologies in the auto sector—and AI—could alter export value chains.
So even before the latest global economic developments, there certainly was much more work to do.
***
And now, there are huge new challenges.
The sweeping disruptions to world trade that are underway are plain for all to see. World trade is being tested. And while most of the CESEE countries are less impacted directly, let us be very clear: the indirect impact is significant as these disruptions pose a major threat to the region’s main trading partners and to the overall economic model of openness that CESEE countries rely on.
Trade tensions and uncertainty complicate domestic and foreign investment plans. This is particularly painful for a region that needs access to modern production processes, jobs in high-productivity sectors, and export demand.
***
So here is my main message to you today: standing still, taking shelter, and hoping the storm will pass is not a plan. It would be much wiser to assume that many of the shifts we see are here to stay, and to act accordingly.
So, what should CESEE countries do in order to negotiate this stormy economic weather? How can they catch a tailwind from the “Adriatic Bora” and keep powering forward?
I would point to three critical priorities:
Steering a steady course in terms of macroeconomic policy—monetary and fiscal policies for stability;
Getting the ship into better working order so it can sail forward faster—that is, pursue structural policies for growth; and
Integrating more deeply into and within the single market of the EU—strength through regional cohesion.
Let me briefly discuss each of these, in turn.
Priority one: action to mitigate uncertainty. The best antidote to uncertainty is a stable macroeconomic environment.
Central banks must remain agile and focused on achieving their targets. Where inflation is still high and persistent, policymakers should tread cautiously. Clear communication is key. Independence lends credibility and must be protected.
Fiscal policy must focus on ensuring sustainability and policy space. Countries with low deficits and debts can use fiscal space to invest in essential areas such as energy security. But in countries where fiscal space is limited, governments need to either reallocate spending or boost fiscal revenues.
Priority two: take decisive action to boost growth potential. In a new study, we find that domestic reforms across the CESEE region could lift GDP levels by 7 percent over the medium term. The potential goes up to 9 percent for the Western Balkans.
Further productivity gains from better education, more efficient labor markets that allow talent to thrive, and cutting red tape are waiting to be tapped. In the Western Balkans and aspiring EU entrants, closing governance gaps with the EU frontier delivers the highest dividend. The case to act decisively is compelling.
Priority three—last but certainly not least: CESEE countries must ensure they retain the benefits of their economic integration with Europe and the global economy.
Integration has been a major source of knowledge transfer and capital deepening, particularly through FDI. As is the case across the EU as a whole, the CESEE region would benefit from further progress in completing the EU’s single market.
Our analysis shows that internal barriers add significant costs — for goods they are equal to 44 percent tariffs, and for services to a staggering 110 percent! Completing the single market can be a major factor in strengthening the performance of the EU economy and improving its attractiveness for investment.
In a forthcoming working paper on Europe’s reform priorities, we outline several concrete steps: a more integrated electricity market; more capital for startups; better labor mobility across borders; and simpler regulations. Together, these measures could raise EU GDP by about 3 percent over the next ten years.
In addition, we argue that the EU budget can lend more of a hand. Tying EU funds for public investment to progress on reform implementation would provide a double blessing: more central fiscal funding, and more effective use of it.
***
With that, let me conclude.
We at the IMF stand ready to support you, as we always have. Through our surveillance and technical assistance, we are committed to supporting the CESEE region unlock its growth potential. The steadily increasing demand we see for IMF capacity development, including in public investment management and central banking, testifies to our role as your partner in your quest for faster growth and stronger resilience.
The region is at a crossroads. Faced with structural headwinds and a much more volatile external environment, reinvigorating domestic reforms are now essential—to navigate the stormy seas and to unlock the region’s potential to sail faster.
The time to act is now. By moving decisively, you can transform the current challenges into opportunities and chart a brighter future for the region.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner advanced with a commanding straight-sets victory over French veteran Richard Gasquet, bringing an emotional close to the 38-year-old’s career, while Novak Djokovic progressed smoothly in his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title at the French Open on Thursday.
The day held special significance for Gasquet, who was making his 22nd and final appearance at Roland Garros, as he had announced he would retire after the tournament. Facing the formidable Sinner, Gasquet battled valiantly but was ultimately overcome 6-3, 6-0, 6-4, ending his run in the second round.
“Thank you for being very fair with me today, I know what was at stake. It’s your [Gasquet’s] moment. Congrats on an amazing career,” Sinner said post-match.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a return during the men’s singles second round match against Corentin Moutet of France at French Open tennis tournament 2025 in Paris, France, May 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Djokovic also booked his spot in the last-32 with a straight-sets win over Frenchman Corentin Moutet, triumphing 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (1).
Although the 38-year-old Serbian required a medical timeout for a blister on his foot during the match, he displayed characteristic composure and stability. Djokovic will next play Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic.
“I came to Roland Garros with more confidence, good feelings. Hopefully I can continue like that,” he said.
Women’s second seed Coco Gauff of the United States delivered a solid performance to beat last year’s junior champion Tereza Valentova 6-2, 6-4.
Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva, who made a remarkable run to the semifinals here last year, continued her good form. Having already captured two WTA 1000 titles earlier this season in Dubai and Indian Wells, the 18-year-old defeated American Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 6-4.
Elsewhere, reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova suffered an early exit, falling 6-0, 6-3 to Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
World news story
UK-supported peacebuilding and mediation capabilities event a success
A four-day colloquium on Peacebuilding and Mediation Capabilities successfully concludes in Honiara, Solomon Islands on Friday 30 May 2025.
A group photo of all the women participants with British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Nauru, His Excellency Paul Turner.
Supported by the UK International Development and Australian Aid and organised by the Pacific Women Mediators Network (PWMN), the inaugural colloquium aims to commemorate and uplift the legacy of the Pacific Islands Women-led peacebuilding initiatives, reaffirming the role of women in peace and security efforts.
It also aims to demonstrate the intersectionality of feminist perspectives and the Gender, Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in the Pacific Islands region. Additionally, the meeting also aims to reaffirm gender equality, women’s rights, and the inclusion of women’s voices and experiences in all aspects of peace and security work.
Enhancing visibility of Pacific Islands women-led and civil society led mediation and peacebuilding initiatives responding to priority issues including Climate Security and Climate Justice, Self Determination and Gender Equality are also part of the meeting.
The regional meeting that began on Tuesday 27 May 2025 also aims to connect national conversations with regional inter-governmental and global processes including the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture Review (PBAR).
It is a cross – regional learning opportunity that will enable the founding members of PWMN and youth leaders, civil society allies, including faith and traditional leaders to identify ways to move beyond surface-level calls to implement WPS and towards realising the full vision of the Gender and WPS agenda in practice.
Speaking at the inaugural colloquium on Tuesday 27 May, British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Nauru, His Excellency Paul Turner said:
Women have been at the forefront of peace movements across the world. I saw this first hand when I was working on Northern Ireland and Bosnia in the 1990s. It was women who reached out across communities in these places, who refused to let walls of blood divide people and keep them in conflict. The UK Government remains steadfast in its support for this initiative as we strengthen the global network of women in peace building.
Held ahead of the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (Women, Peace and Security), and the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting that will convene in Honiara in September 2025, it is expected Pacific Forum Leaders will adopt their Guidance Note on Women, Peace and Security and the Ocean of Peace Declaration.
The UK has a global commitment to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. We are proud to support the ambitions of the Pacific Islands Forum in promoting this agenda and supporting its members to embed its ideals across the region, as well as grassroots networks and organisations working to protect and uplift women in the Pacific.
The UK has five Strategic Objectives for Women Peace and Security in its National Action Plan, which are as relevant in the Pacific as elsewhere in the world. They include:
increasing women’s meaningful participation, leadership and representation in decision-making processes
preventing gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, and supporting survivors to cope, recover and seek justice
supporting the needs of women and girls in crises and ensuring they can participate and lead in responses
increasing the accountability of security and justice actors to women and girls and ensuring they are responsive to their rights and needs
ensuring we respond to the needs of women and girls as part of our approach to transnational threats
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
LISBON, May 29 (Xinhua) — Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Thursday nominated Luis Montenegro as the country’s prime minister following parliamentary elections and talks with parties represented in the Assembly of the Republic (parliament).
The official appointment and swearing-in of the new government will take place after the final election results are confirmed and the first session of the new parliament is held.
After meeting with the President, Carlos Cesar of the Socialist Party and André Ventura of the Chega Party supported the formation of a government led by the Democratic Alliance coalition headed by L. Montenegro. –0–
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
May 29, 2025
[TAIPEI, TAIWAN] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) traveled to Taiwan this week to underscore Illinois’s preparedness for additional international investments similar to those she’s already successfully secured in her previous international travels. On this trip, Duckworth met with the Island’s representatives, economic leaders and corporate and business leaders to highlight how Illinois is an ideal location for Taiwanese business expansion. Photos from Taiwan are available on the Senator’s website.
“In Taiwan this week I’m continuing my work of championing Illinois abroad,” Duckworth said. “Illinois is ideally situated for greater investment from international business—we’re already a hub of agriculture, manufacturing and transportation, and in the coming years we’re going to be a national and international leader for quantum technology. As I’ve traveled across Asia and Europe, I’m proud I’ve been successful in promoting Illinois on a global level and bringing home investment, and I hope to continue that success after this trip.”
During Duckworth’s visit she met with Hon Hai Research Institute, the research division of the microelectronics manufacturer, which recently visited Chicago to learn more about Illinois’s growing quantum and microelectronics industry. Duckworth also met with leaders including President Lai Ching-te, Vice President Hsiao Bi-Khim, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, Defense Minister Wellington Koo and National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu.
As a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has extensively championed Illinois abroad. In Taiwan previously she helped secure a commitment from Taiwan to purchase an estimated $2.6 billion of Illinois’s corn and soybeans, and following an official visit to Japan, Japan announced a regulatory change that will lead to an increase in imports from U.S. biofuel producers, supporting our farmers and growing Illinois’s economy. Since becoming a member of SFRC Duckworth has also traveled to Laos and Vietnam, Sweden and the Netherlands, Romania and the United Kingdom and the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.
Following her meetings in Taiwan, Duckworth is now continuing onto Singapore for this year’s Shangri-la Dialogue.
At last, the most infamous latecomer in all of literature has arrived – not in the flesh, but in South Africa’s Afrikaans language. Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s best-known drama, Waiting for Godot, now also lives as Ons Wag vir Godot.
As a Beckett scholar, I think it’s worth asking why Afrikaans is so late on the scene – and why it matters.
Godot in many tongues
First written in French, En attendant Godot was published in 1952 and debuted on stage the next year.
The action involves two tramps, Vladimir and Estragon, who have a series of absurd conversations and encounters as they wait for a man called Godot who never arrives. Beckett would self-translate the drama into English in 1954, calling it “a tragicomedy in two acts”.
Since then, translations of the play have exploded. By 1969 – the year of Beckett’s Nobel Prize for Literature – Waiting for Godot could already be read in dozens of languages, including Albanian, Marathi, and even Icelandic.
Samuel Beckett and South Africa
Beckett’s connections with South Africa are surprisingly varied. As a young man, he unsuccessfully applied for a lectureship at the University of Cape Town. His 1951 novel, Molloy, was translated from French into English with the help of a South African student, Patrick Bowles. And in 1968, Beckett made a donation to the then-banned resistance party, the African National Congress, in the form of a manuscript for auction.
This gesture was unprecedented for the Irish writer, who was wary of political causes. Yet not only did Beckett feel strongly enough about apartheid’s injustices to make this donation, he also refused to let anyone perform his plays before South Africa’s racially segregated audiences.
Already in 1963 Beckett had signed the petition Playwrights Against Apartheid. He would continue to refuse performance rights in South Africa until 1980, when the Baxter Theatre was allowed to stage Waiting for Godot with a racially integrated cast.
Nevertheless, unauthorised Godots materialised before this. Athol Fugard, the South African playwright whose own dramas were influenced by Beckett, directed one of the earliest South African productions in 1962. Featuring an all-black cast, it testified to the play’s political charge, which Fugard emphasised:
It’s reasonable to think that Beckett would have supported this protest performance. But he would probably have denounced the first and unofficial Afrikaans version, Afspraak met Godot, translated by Suseth Brits and performed in 1970 at the Potchefstroom University College (now North-West University) behind closed doors.
For different reasons, Beckett would also have frowned on the substantial “borrowings” in Afrikaans novelist Willem Anker’s 2014 novel, Buys.
Domesticating a European classic
Fully sanctioned by Beckett’s estate and beautifully translated (from the French and English) by now-retired professor of French at the University of the Free State Naòmi Morgan, Ons Wag vir Godot arrives at a different moment altogether.
The translation retains the gallows humour of the original while adding local flavour. For instance, where Vladimir originally names the Eiffel Tower as a picturesque site to commit suicide, his Afrikaans counterpart nominates Van Stadensbrug, a bridge over a ravine in the Eastern Cape. The slave-like Lucky once entertained his master with European dances: “the farandole, the fling, the brawl, the jig, the fandango”. These now become a South African mix: “volkspele, die riel, die pantsula, selfs die horrelpyp” (folk games, riel dance, pantsula dance, a hiding).
In translation-speak, Ons Wag vir Godot is therefore fully “domesticated”: the play’s universality comes through even though – and perhaps even more so because – it’s anchored in a particular place and time.
This struck me when I attended the play’s limited-run production, expertly directed by Dion van Niekerk, at the 2024 Vrystaat Kunstefees (Free State arts festival). Its set managed to thread together subtle South African roadside details: a toppled rubbish bin, pylons on the horizon, a (broken) picnic bench.
In the text itself, we encounter familiar place names, sayings and cultural clues. Consider how Beckett’s abstract phrase “the essential doesn’t change” is grounded in African mythology: “Jakkals verander van hare, maar nie van streke nie” (The leopard doesn’t change its spots). Then there’s the charming touch of the dog in Vladimir’s song snatching “’n stukkie wors” (a piece of sausage particular to South Africa) rather than a measly “bone”.
Godot and the Afrikaans canon
Ons Wag vir Godot achieves its most profound tribute to Beckett and Afrikaans through its intertextual richness. Both the French and English originals are highly allusive texts: they invoke other works of literature to increase their range of meaning and subtlety. Morgan is attuned to this subtlety and to the parallels to be found in Afrikaans literature. There are references to works by canonical Afrikaans writers like Eugène Marais, Totius and C.J. Langenhoven, each adding its own resonance.
Yet the dilemma any translator faces is not so much in bringing in the new, but in striking a balance with the old. Consider the judicious swapping of a line from Percy Bysshe Shelley for a line from C. Louis Leipoldt.
In the English version, Estragon looks up forlornly at the moon and half-quotes the English Romantic poet: “Pale for weariness … Of climbing heaven and staring on the likes of us.” In the Afrikaans, he gives us a fragment from the wistful poem, Die Moormansgat: “ek kyk na die lig van die volle silwermaan” (I behold the light of the full silver moon). At face value, this lacks the detached, woeful quality of Shelley’s line. But read in the context of Leipoldt’s poem, it is every bit as poignant.
The virtue of waiting
“Vladimir would agree,” Morgan concludes in the preface to her translation, “that a century is a decent amount of time to hone a language for the translation of one of the best-known dramas in world literature”.
And indeed, the riches of the Afrikaans language are on display in this sensitive, witty and allusive rendering of Beckett’s European classic. But it’s also true that a certain amount of political baggage had to be shaken off before such a feat could be realised – not just in the right words, but in the right spirit. Of course, if Beckett’s play teaches us anything, it’s the virtue of waiting.
Rick de Villiers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rick de Villiers, Associate professor, University of the Free State
At last, the most infamous latecomer in all of literature has arrived – not in the flesh, but in South Africa’s Afrikaans language. Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s best-known drama, Waiting for Godot, now also lives as Ons Wag vir Godot.
The action involves two tramps, Vladimir and Estragon, who have a series of absurd conversations and encounters as they wait for a man called Godot who never arrives. Beckett would self-translate the drama into English in 1954, calling it “a tragicomedy in two acts”.
Since then, translations of the play have exploded. By 1969 – the year of Beckett’s Nobel Prize for Literature – Waiting for Godot could already be read in dozens of languages, including Albanian, Marathi, and even Icelandic.
Samuel Beckett and South Africa
Beckett’s connections with South Africa are surprisingly varied. As a young man, he unsuccessfully applied for a lectureship at the University of Cape Town. His 1951 novel, Molloy, was translated from French into English with the help of a South African student, Patrick Bowles. And in 1968, Beckett made a donation to the then-banned resistance party, the African National Congress, in the form of a manuscript for auction.
This gesture was unprecedented for the Irish writer, who was wary of political causes. Yet not only did Beckett feel strongly enough about apartheid’s injustices to make this donation, he also refused to let anyone perform his plays before South Africa’s racially segregated audiences.
Already in 1963 Beckett had signed the petition Playwrights Against Apartheid. He would continue to refuse performance rights in South Africa until 1980, when the Baxter Theatre was allowed to stage Waiting for Godot with a racially integrated cast.
Nevertheless, unauthorised Godots materialised before this. Athol Fugard, the South African playwright whose own dramas were influenced by Beckett, directed one of the earliest South African productions in 1962. Featuring an all-black cast, it testified to the play’s political charge, which Fugard emphasised:
It’s reasonable to think that Beckett would have supported this protest performance. But he would probably have denounced the first and unofficial Afrikaans version, Afspraak met Godot, translated by Suseth Brits and performed in 1970 at the Potchefstroom University College (now North-West University) behind closed doors.
For different reasons, Beckett would also have frowned on the substantial “borrowings” in Afrikaans novelist Willem Anker’s 2014 novel, Buys.
Domesticating a European classic
Fully sanctioned by Beckett’s estate and beautifully translated (from the French and English) by now-retired professor of French at the University of the Free State Naòmi Morgan, Ons Wag vir Godot arrives at a different moment altogether.
From left: Peter Taljaard (Pozzo), Charl Henning, Chris Vorster and Gerben Kamper (Lucky).Leopold Frechow/UFS
The translation retains the gallows humour of the original while adding local flavour. For instance, where Vladimir originally names the Eiffel Tower as a picturesque site to commit suicide, his Afrikaans counterpart nominates Van Stadensbrug, a bridge over a ravine in the Eastern Cape. The slave-like Lucky once entertained his master with European dances: “the farandole, the fling, the brawl, the jig, the fandango”. These now become a South African mix: “volkspele, die riel, die pantsula, selfs die horrelpyp” (folk games, riel dance, pantsula dance, a hiding).
In translation-speak, Ons Wag vir Godot is therefore fully “domesticated”: the play’s universality comes through even though – and perhaps even more so because – it’s anchored in a particular place and time.
This struck me when I attended the play’s limited-run production, expertly directed by Dion van Niekerk, at the 2024 Vrystaat Kunstefees (Free State arts festival). Its set managed to thread together subtle South African roadside details: a toppled rubbish bin, pylons on the horizon, a (broken) picnic bench.
Chris Vorster as Vladimir and Sibabalwe Jokani as Seun/Boy.Leopold Frechow/UFS
In the text itself, we encounter familiar place names, sayings and cultural clues. Consider how Beckett’s abstract phrase “the essential doesn’t change” is grounded in African mythology: “Jakkals verander van hare, maar nie van streke nie” (The leopard doesn’t change its spots). Then there’s the charming touch of the dog in Vladimir’s song snatching “’n stukkie wors” (a piece of sausage particular to South Africa) rather than a measly “bone”.
Godot and the Afrikaans canon
Ons Wag vir Godot achieves its most profound tribute to Beckett and Afrikaans through its intertextual richness. Both the French and English originals are highly allusive texts: they invoke other works of literature to increase their range of meaning and subtlety. Morgan is attuned to this subtlety and to the parallels to be found in Afrikaans literature. There are references to works by canonical Afrikaans writers like Eugène Marais, Totius and C.J. Langenhoven, each adding its own resonance.
Yet the dilemma any translator faces is not so much in bringing in the new, but in striking a balance with the old. Consider the judicious swapping of a line from Percy Bysshe Shelley for a line from C. Louis Leipoldt.
In the English version, Estragon looks up forlornly at the moon and half-quotes the English Romantic poet: “Pale for weariness … Of climbing heaven and staring on the likes of us.” In the Afrikaans, he gives us a fragment from the wistful poem, Die Moormansgat: “ek kyk na die lig van die volle silwermaan” (I behold the light of the full silver moon). At face value, this lacks the detached, woeful quality of Shelley’s line. But read in the context of Leipoldt’s poem, it is every bit as poignant.
The virtue of waiting
“Vladimir would agree,” Morgan concludes in the preface to her translation, “that a century is a decent amount of time to hone a language for the translation of one of the best-known dramas in world literature”.
And indeed, the riches of the Afrikaans language are on display in this sensitive, witty and allusive rendering of Beckett’s European classic. But it’s also true that a certain amount of political baggage had to be shaken off before such a feat could be realised – not just in the right words, but in the right spirit. Of course, if Beckett’s play teaches us anything, it’s the virtue of waiting.
– Waiting for Godot has been translated into Afrikaans: what took so long – https://theconversation.com/waiting-for-godot-has-been-translated-into-afrikaans-what-took-so-long-257345
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio meets with North Macedonia Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski at the Department of State, on May 29, 2025.
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An intense argument is raging over whether what has been happening in Gaza since October 2023 is an act of genocide. It is the subject of a case being heard in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in which South Africa has accused Israel of committing acts of genocide. The case began in December 2023 but the ICJ has yet to reach a judgment.
The reason the issue is so controversial is that the word “genocide” holds so much power. To be accused of it is to be accused of what is considered in international law to be the “crime of crimes”. International law holds that not only should states not commit genocide, they must also prevent and punish it in their own criminal law. Some commentators would even argue that the use of armed force to stop genocide is acceptable.
Yet the legal definition of genocide is much narrower than is generally understood. That’s why so few events have ever been labelled as genocide as a matter of law. Looking at some of them might help to shed some light on the Gaza controversy.
Genocide is about attempting to destroy a group of people. The concept was first defined in 1944 by the Polish-Jewish lawyer Raphael Lemkin, in response to his horror at the mass killing of ethnic Armenians by the Ottoman Empire amid the first world war as well as – of course – at the atrocities of the Nazis before and during the second world war.
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It was such a novel concept that it was not prosecuted in the post-war trials of the surviving leading Nazis in Nuremberg. Instead, for their role in the Holocaust, the defendants were charged with “crimes against humanity”. And to this day, in the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court, there is a close relationship between the crime of genocide and crimes against humanity. The Rome statute uses the definition of genocide agreed in the 1948 genocide convention, which was negotiated after the considerable efforts of Lemkin to bring attention to his new concept.
Despite the crime of genocide being established in 1948, the first international conviction for genocide was not until 1998. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda found Jean-Paul Akayesu, a local politician, guilty of genocide as part of the extreme violence by ethnic Hutu against (mostly) minority ethnic Tutsis in 1994. Over the course of around 100 days around 800,000 people were killed.
The mass killing was instigated at the highest levels of the Rwandan government after Tutsis were accused of killing the president of Rwanda, Juvénal Habyarimana, by shooting down a plane that was carrying him and the president of Burundi, Cyprien Ntaryamira. Both men were Hutus.
The response to this was clearly a genocide, but surely there must have been other post-war genocides before this, you might think?
Limitations of genocide
Under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, millions of people died or were killed in famines, executions and prison camps across the Soviet Union. Yet, these deaths do not fall within the 1948 definition of genocide because they were generally not aimed at groups defined by nationality, ethnicity, race, or religion. Only those four groups are protected in the genocide convention.
The same goes for murders committed by the Khmer Rouge – the radical communist regime of Pol Pot that ruled what is now Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. The regime was responsible for the deaths of between 1.5 and 3 million people. But the hybrid criminal tribunal set up in 1997 to judge these events has only been able to find that the killing of minority Vietnamese and Cham victims counted as genocide. The majority of those that the Khmer Rouge targeted for killing were fellow Cambodians selected for being “intellectuals” or were otherwise thought to oppose the regime.
The choice of protected groups in the genocide convention was the result of political horse-trading between different factions, as the cold war was gaining in intensity. There was a tension between protecting enough groups, and agreeing a treaty that enough states would actually sign.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the ICJ have held that Bosnian Serbs committed genocide against Bosnian Muslims in the town of Srebrenica in what is now Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995. The Bosnian Serb army killed around 8,000 men and boys, and secretly buried them. They detained, treated badly and then expelled the remaining women.
The atrocity at Srebrenica in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys were murdered, has been ruled as an act of genocide. Skrewt25 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC-SA
The ICTY has held, beyond reasonable doubt, that across Bosnia and Herzegovina there was a “strategic plan” to “link Serb-populated areas […] together, to gain control over these areas and to create a separate Bosnian Serb state, from which most non-Serbs would be permanently removed”. It also found that this plan “could only be implemented by the use of force and fear”. Yet, apart from at Srebrenica, genocide has not been proved in the former Yugoslavia.
The issue here was not identifying a protected group, but a lack of evidence that the mass killings of non-Serbs were carried out as an end in themselves and not “just” to make them flee (something which is often called “ethnic cleansing”). This is because for a killing to be genocidal, it has not only to be carried out intentionally, but also to show the “special” intent to physically or biologically destroy a protected group.
The problem is that – in the absence of an admission or a bundle of incriminating documents – then such special intent can only be inferred from the facts if it is the only reasonable inference that could be made.
Why Gaza is controversial
Should the definition of genocide be expanded to cover a greater range of protected groups, either by amending the genocide convention or by creative judicial interpretation? Should it be easier to infer the existence of genocidal intent from a pattern of facts? Both are important questions.
Yet, until they are answered in the affirmative, it will remain difficult in law to apply the label of genocide even to the most egregious of mass killings. The labels of “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity” are more easily applied, but the “crime of crimes” remains elusive.
James Sweeney does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
Report of the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo: UK statement, May 2025
Ambassador Holland welcomes new Head of OSCE Mission in Kosovo Gerard McGurk to the Permanent Council, underlining continued support for the work of the Mission amid the difficult political and security context in the last six months.
Thank you, Mr Chair.
Firstly, I would like to welcome Ambassador McGurk – dear Gerard – to the Permanent Council for the first time as Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. Thank you for your informative presentation on the Mission’s recent work, so soon after your arrival, and to your team for the comprehensive written report.
The United Kingdom welcomes the peaceful and competitive parliamentary elections held in Kosovo in February, and the important support provided to the Central Election Commission by the Mission. We continue to underline to Kosovo interlocutors the urgency of government formation.
Mr Chair, the United Kingdom shares the concerns highlighted in the Mission report on the level of tensions in the four northern municipalities during the reporting period. We are particularly concerned by the uncoordinated nature of closures of institutions and facilities in northern Kosovo which provide vital services to Kosovo-Serbs and other non-majority communities. The UK will continue to encourage the Government of Kosovo to ensure that non-majority communities can play a full and equal role in the country’s future, and to uphold Kosovo’s commitments as an inclusive and multi-ethnic state.
The UK also underlines the importance of ensuring justice and accountability for all acts of violence. We continue to call on Serbia to cooperate fully with efforts to hold to account those responsible for the 2023 attacks on KFOR troops and in Banjska, and to fulfil its pledge to cooperate in the investigation of the attack on the Ibar-Lepenc Canal.
We urge both Kosovo and Serbia to engage constructively in the EU-facilitated Dialogue and to deliver on their respective obligations, including establishing an Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities. It is vital that Kosovo and Serbia abide by their commitments and not renege on Dialogue agreements. Failing to meet these commitments has negative implications for the daily lives of ordinary citizens and for wider stability in the Western Balkans.
The UK commends the work of the OSCE Mission during the last six months across the three core pillars of its mandate. We particularly appreciate the Mission’s focus on electoral support, and continued prioritisation of monitoring and early warning functions. We also value the Mission’s support on human rights and inter-community relations, including on interfaith dialogue and assistance to the Kosovo-Serb community in language and documentation. We welcome ongoing efforts to address challenges to the right to freedom of religion or belief and the preservation of cultural heritage.
While we recognise Kosovo’s progress in tackling corruption and its improved score in Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index, we note with concern the issues highlighted in the World Press Freedom Index on the protection and independence of journalists. We share the concerns highlighted in the Report over political influence in media institutions, and welcome the Mission’s planned activity to advance media freedom and journalist safety.
Mr Chair, the United Kingdom is a longstanding and strong supporter of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state. During his visit to Kosovo in early April, my Foreign Secretary reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to supporting Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations and its development of an inclusive, diverse and multi-ethnic democracy. The UK will continue to support stability, security and economic cooperation in the Western Balkans, including through the work of our Special Envoy, Dame Karen Pierce, and hosting the Berlin Process Summit in London this autumn.
Finally, I wanted to again thank you, dear Gerard, for taking on the leadership of the Mission at this critical time. We highly appreciate the continued hard work and expertise of your team, and wish you every success during your time in the role.
The European Union has developed a policy to support the gradual integration of the Western Balkan countries with the EU. On 1 July 2013, Croatia became the first of the seven countries to join, and Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia have candidate country status. Accession negotiations and chapters have been opened with Albania, Montenegro and Serbia. Negotiations were opened with North Macedonia in July 2022 and with Bosnia and Herzegovina in March 2024. Kosovo submitted its application for EU membership in December 2022.
British prosecutors have this week charged social media influencer Andrew Tate with a string of serious sexual offences, including rape and human trafficking, alleged to have been committed in the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2015.
This comes in the wake of an ongoing case in Romania. There, Tate and his brother Tristan face similar charges of coercing and exploiting women through what is sometimes described as the “loverboy method” of manipulation that is used to control and monetise women through webcam performances.
A self-described misogynist, Tate is a widespread figure of notoriety for his views on women and his role in the internet “manosphere”. He has millions of followers globally, including ten million on X alone.
This latest round of prosecutions will likely further entrench the loyalty of those followers: boys and young men who will see their leader as the victim of a corrupt system.
Who is Andrew Tate?
Tate is a British-American social media influencer and former kickboxer. He gained international notoriety for his violently misogynistic videos and pronouncements.
He’s built a massive, loyal social media following through a brand that is part provocateur, part self-help guru and part conspiracy theorist.
His rhetoric emphasises an aspirational masculinity geared towards extreme wealth and a physically fit body, combined with resentment towards women and so-called “feminised” societies. He has, for example, stated that women should “bear responsibility” for sexual assault.
Tate is a leading ideological figurehead of what is often called the “manosphere” – a loose network of online communities and content creators who promote regressive ideas about masculinity, gender roles and male identity.
Tate offers a template for many boys and young men to make sense of their place in the world, playing up ideas that boys are disenfranchised by social, economic, or cultural change.
This is part of an emotional hook that provides belonging and clarity in a world his followers are told is stacked against them.
Tate’s content involves both overt and, more often, insidious celebration of harmful gender norms and misogynistic ideologies.
Research has found boys’ exposure to this content has contributed to a resurgence of a sense of male supremacy in classrooms. This then increases sexism and hostility towards women teachers and girl peers.
Reinforcing the narrative
Given this context, it is unlikely the new charges will erode his popularity.
To be clear, he is not universally admired. In fact, the majority of boys reject what he stands for.
However, for the significant minority who comprise his hardcore followers, these new charges will likely be used to reinforce a persecution narrative.
In this way, Tate has paved the way for more violent and extreme misogyny to become standard, not rare.
This was exactly the pattern when the Romanian charges first emerged. His followers flooded platforms with hashtags like #FreeTopG, reframing his arrest as proof that he was “telling the truth” and being punished for it.
Figures like US President Donald Trump provide a relevant comparison. Trump has faced multiple criminal indictments and was found liable in a civil trial for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll.
Yet, his popularity among his base has held firm.
For many of his supporters, these legal challenges are not signs of wrongdoing, but evidence their champion is being unfairly targeted by corrupt institutions.
Tate is similar in that his hypermasculine posturing and anti-establishment bravado ensures his audience see him the same way.
Prompting more loyalty
Given their previous responses, we can already predict how the Tate brothers will respond this time. They will deny the charges, of course, but more importantly, they will use the moment to deepen their mythos.
We might expect to see talk of “the matrix” of shadowy elites, and the weaponisation of justice systems to silence truth-telling men.
They will insist the charges are not about what they did, but about who they are: disruptors of a weak, feminised society. This victim-persecutor framing is central to their appeal and will remain so as this unfolds.
Their followers will, then, likely respond with greater loyalty. For those already steeped in online misogyny and disillusionment, legal accusations such as these don’t raise doubt, but instead confirm the story they already buy into.
This makes combating Tate’s influence a complex challenge. Simply “calling it out” is not enough.
As our research shows, Tate’s brand thrives not in spite of controversy, but because of it.
This is why we need a more strategic, long-term approach to address the harms Tate and other such figureheads represent.
We need robust gender education in schools, stronger commitments to critical media literacy, and the elevation of alternative role models who can speak to the same emotional terrain without reinforcing misogyny.
A key lesson here is that, for the manosphere’s key figures, being charged or even found guilty of crimes (should that occur) might not signal their downfall or diminish their relevance.
Steven Roberts receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety, the Australian Research Council and the Australian Government. He is a Board Director at Respect Victoria, but this article is written wholly separate from and does not represent that role.
Stephanie Wescott receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety.
Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE
Headline: Advancing Institutional Capacities to Combat Human Trafficking
Today’s event offered a valuable platform to reflect on the insights gained, share lessons learned during the simulation, and discuss how these can inform future anti-trafficking efforts. (OSCE) Photo details
The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) today marks the conclusion of its project, Simulation-Based Training Exercise for Local Anti-Trafficking Structures in BiH, with a conference attended by approximately 35 in-person participants and additional online guests, including simulation trainers and key anti-trafficking stakeholders. The closing event featured the launch of a simulation video, presentation of key evaluation findings, and the trainers’ report containing recommendations and best practices. Additionally, the Practical Handbook on How to Conduct Simulation-Based Training Exercises to Combat Human Trafficking was disseminated, providing a valuable resource for reflection and future planning.
“Trafficking in human beings is a grave human rights violation and a serious crime that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable,” said Robert Heuer, Chief of Policy and Planning at the OSCE Mission to BiH. “It is a complex crime that demands a comprehensive response based on a victim-centred approach and multidisciplinary co-operation. Strengthening co-ordination across institutions and sectors remains critical. No single actor alone can provide the full range of support a trafficking victim requires. Only through collaboration among law enforcement, prosecutors, social services, labour inspectors, psychologists, lawyers, civil society, interpreters, and others can we ensure victims are effectively identified and protected.”
Co-ordinating efforts among state institutions—and between state actors and civil society—continues to pose a significant challenge within national and international counter-trafficking frameworks. There is a pressing need to equip professionals with training that mirrors the real-life pressures and complexities they encounter. To meet this need, the simulation-based training exercise was held in Sarajevo from 17 to 21 February 2025. Designed as a practical, scenario-driven exercise rather than a theoretical workshop, the simulation challenged participants to respond as they would in real situations. This “learning by doing” approach provided a safe environment to test procedures, improve responses, and identify gaps.
Today’s event offered a valuable platform to reflect on the insights gained, share lessons learned during the simulation, and discuss how these can inform future anti-trafficking efforts.
The OSCE Mission to BiH remains committed to supporting national initiatives to enhance the legal framework and institutional response to human trafficking.
An image of fossilised erythrocyte-like structures
New techniques used to analyse soft tissue in dinosaur fossils may hold the key to new cancer discoveries, according to a new study published in the journal Biology.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Imperial College London analysed dinosaur fossils using advanced paleoproteomic techniques, a method that holds promise for uncovering molecular data from ancient specimens.
The researchers discovered red blood cell-like structures in a fossil while studying a Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a duck-billed, plant eating “marsh lizard” that lived between 66-70 million years ago in the Hateg Basin in present-day Romania.
The new study used Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques to identify low-density structures resembling erythrocytes, or red blood cells, in the fossilised bone.
The findings raise the possibility that soft tissue and cellular components are more commonly preserved in ancient remains than previously thought.
By identifying preserved proteins and biomarkers, scientists believe they can gain insights into the diseases that affected prehistoric creatures, including cancer, potentially influencing future treatments for humans.
The authors of the new study highlight the necessity of prioritising the collection and preservation of fossilised soft tissue, rather than just dinosaur skeletons, as future advancements in molecular techniques will enable deeper insights into disease evolution.
A separate study had previously identified evidence of cancer in Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, indicating its deep evolutionary roots.
“Dinosaurs, as long-lived, large-bodied organisms, present a compelling case for investigating how species managed cancer susceptibility and resistance over millions of years.
“Proteins, particularly those found in calcified tissues like bone, are more stable than DNA and are less susceptible to degradation and contamination. This makes them ideal candidates for studying ancient diseases, including cancer, in paleontological specimens.
“Unlike skeletal structures alone, soft tissues contain proteins that provide molecular information that can reveal the underlying biological mechanisms of disease.
“Our research, using relatively underused methods, invites further exploration that could hold the key to future discoveries that could benefit humans. However, it is crucial that long-term fossil conservation efforts are co-ordinated to ensure that future researchers have access to specimens suitable for cutting-edge molecular investigations.”
Senior author Justin Stebbing, Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University
British prosecutors have this week charged social media influencer Andrew Tate with a string of serious sexual offences, including rape and human trafficking, alleged to have been committed in the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2015.
This comes in the wake of an ongoing case in Romania. There, Tate and his brother Tristan face similar charges of coercing and exploiting women through what is sometimes described as the “loverboy method” of manipulation that is used to control and monetise women through webcam performances.
A self-described misogynist, Tate is a widespread figure of notoriety for his views on women and his role in the internet “manosphere”. He has millions of followers globally, including ten million on X alone.
This latest round of prosecutions will likely further entrench the loyalty of those followers: boys and young men who will see their leader as the victim of a corrupt system.
Who is Andrew Tate?
Tate is a British-American social media influencer and former kickboxer. He gained international notoriety for his violently misogynistic videos and pronouncements.
He’s built a massive, loyal social media following through a brand that is part provocateur, part self-help guru and part conspiracy theorist.
His rhetoric emphasises an aspirational masculinity geared towards extreme wealth and a physically fit body, combined with resentment towards women and so-called “feminised” societies. He has, for example, stated that women should “bear responsibility” for sexual assault.
Tate is a leading ideological figurehead of what is often called the “manosphere” – a loose network of online communities and content creators who promote regressive ideas about masculinity, gender roles and male identity.
Tate offers a template for many boys and young men to make sense of their place in the world, playing up ideas that boys are disenfranchised by social, economic, or cultural change.
This is part of an emotional hook that provides belonging and clarity in a world his followers are told is stacked against them.
Tate’s content involves both overt and, more often, insidious celebration of harmful gender norms and misogynistic ideologies.
Research has found boys’ exposure to this content has contributed to a resurgence of a sense of male supremacy in classrooms. This then increases sexism and hostility towards women teachers and girl peers.
Reinforcing the narrative
Given this context, it is unlikely the new charges will erode his popularity.
To be clear, he is not universally admired. In fact, the majority of boys reject what he stands for.
However, for the significant minority who comprise his hardcore followers, these new charges will likely be used to reinforce a persecution narrative.
In this way, Tate has paved the way for more violent and extreme misogyny to become standard, not rare.
This was exactly the pattern when the Romanian charges first emerged. His followers flooded platforms with hashtags like #FreeTopG, reframing his arrest as proof that he was “telling the truth” and being punished for it.
Figures like US President Donald Trump provide a relevant comparison. Trump has faced multiple criminal indictments and was found liable in a civil trial for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll.
Yet, his popularity among his base has held firm.
For many of his supporters, these legal challenges are not signs of wrongdoing, but evidence their champion is being unfairly targeted by corrupt institutions.
Tate is similar in that his hypermasculine posturing and anti-establishment bravado ensures his audience see him the same way.
Prompting more loyalty
Given their previous responses, we can already predict how the Tate brothers will respond this time. They will deny the charges, of course, but more importantly, they will use the moment to deepen their mythos.
We might expect to see talk of “the matrix” of shadowy elites, and the weaponisation of justice systems to silence truth-telling men.
They will insist the charges are not about what they did, but about who they are: disruptors of a weak, feminised society. This victim-persecutor framing is central to their appeal and will remain so as this unfolds.
Their followers will, then, likely respond with greater loyalty. For those already steeped in online misogyny and disillusionment, legal accusations such as these don’t raise doubt, but instead confirm the story they already buy into.
This makes combating Tate’s influence a complex challenge. Simply “calling it out” is not enough.
As our research shows, Tate’s brand thrives not in spite of controversy, but because of it.
This is why we need a more strategic, long-term approach to address the harms Tate and other such figureheads represent.
We need robust gender education in schools, stronger commitments to critical media literacy, and the elevation of alternative role models who can speak to the same emotional terrain without reinforcing misogyny.
A key lesson here is that, for the manosphere’s key figures, being charged or even found guilty of crimes (should that occur) might not signal their downfall or diminish their relevance.
Steven Roberts receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety, the Australian Research Council and the Australian Government. He is a Board Director at Respect Victoria, but this article is written wholly separate from and does not represent that role.
Stephanie Wescott receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety.
A United Nations warehouse in war-torn Gaza was broken into by “hordes of hungry people” on Wednesday as aid trickles into the Palestinian enclave on the brink of famine and the United States readies new terms for a possible truce between Israel and Hamas.
The World Food Programme said initial reports were that two people had died and several more were injured at the central Gaza warehouse. The U.N. agency appealed for an immediate scale-up of food aid “to reassure people that they will not starve.”
Eyewitness video independently verified by Reuters shows large crowds of people pushing into the warehouse and removing bags and boxes as gunfire can be heard. It was not immediately clear how the people may have been killed or injured in the incident.
Under growing international pressure, Israel ended an 11-week long aid blockade on Gaza 10 days ago. It has allowed a limited amount of relief to be delivered via two avenues – the United Nations or the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
U.N. Middle East envoy Sigrid Kaag told the Security Council that the amount of aid Israel had so far allowed the U.N. to deliver was “comparable to a lifeboat after the ship has sunk” when everyone in Gaza was facing the risk of famine.
The United States has been trying to broker a ceasefire. Israel – which resumed its military operation in Gaza in March after a brief truce – continued strikes on Wednesday, killing at least 30 people, Palestinian health officials said.
“We are on the precipice of sending out a new term sheet that hopefully will be delivered later on today,” U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Wednesday. “The president is going to review it.”
The war in Gaza was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants Hamas killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took some 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
UN VS GHF
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel’s killing of Hamas Gaza chief Mohammad Sinwar marked a turn towards the “complete defeat of Hamas”, adding that Israel was “taking control of food distribution” in Gaza.
Israel has accused Hamas of diverting and seizing aid supplies. Hamas has denied stealing aid.
At the United Nations, more than half the Security Council called on Wednesday for the 15-member body to act on Gaza. Slovenia’s U.N. Ambassador Samuel Zbogar said some members are working on a draft resolution to demand unimpeded aid access.
“Remaining silent is not an option,” he told the council.
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told the Security Council that Israel would allow aid deliveries “for the immediate future” via both the U.N. and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which began aid deliveries on Monday.
However, Israel ultimately wants the U.N. to work through the GHF, which is using private U.S. security and logistics companies to transport aid into Gaza for distribution by civilian teams at so-called secure distribution sites.
“The U.N. should put their ego aside and cooperate with the new mechanism,” Danon told reporters before the council meeting.
The U.N. and other international aid groups have refused to work with the GHF because they say the plan is not neutral.
“This new scheme is surveillance-based rationing that legitimizes a policy of deprivation by design,” senior U.N. aid official for the occupied Palestinian territories, Jonathan Whittall, told reporters in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
“The U.N. has refused to participate in this scheme, warning that it is logistically unworkable and violates humanitarian principles by using aid as a tool in Israel’s broader efforts to depopulate areas of Gaza,” he said.
WARNING SHOTS
The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, told Reuters it was “sad and disgusting” that the U.N. and other groups would not work with the GHF, describing the foundation’s aid distribution as “effective so far.”
The Israeli military on Tuesday said it fired warning shots in the area outside a GHF distribution site, which was briefly rushed by people waiting for aid. Footage shared on social media showed fences broken down by crowds as private security contractors fell back before restoring order.
“I am a big man, but I couldn’t hold back my tears when I saw the images of women, men and children racing for some food,” said Rabah Rezik, 65, a father of seven from Gaza City.
The United Nations human rights office said on Wednesday that 47 people had been injured on Tuesday while seeking aid from the GHF, citing information from partners on the ground. It could not give a specific location of where people were injured. The GHF said no one was injured at the distribution site.
The foundation said aid distribution continued on Wednesday without incident as it opened a second distribution hub. Across the two sites it has so far given out the equivalent of 840,262 meals. The GHF said it is working to open four sites and expand further in Gaza in the weeks ahead.
The United Nations said that since aid deliveries resumed last week Israel had approved about 800 truckloads of relief.
But U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that fewer than 500 truckloads had made it to the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing, “where we and our partners could collect just over 200 of them – limited by insecurity and restricted access.”
Israel is under pressure over Gaza’s dire humanitarian situation. France, Britain, Canada and Germany have said they may take action if the military campaign is not halted. Italy on Wednesday said the offensive had become unacceptable.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Members of the Chinese Yangqin Art Troupe perform during the 15th anniversary celebration of the Confucius Institute Ljubljana in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on May 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Over 100 distinguished guests from the business, education, and cultural sectors of both China and Slovenia gathered in Ljubljana on Tuesday to mark the 15th anniversary of the Confucius Institute Ljubljana.
Zhao Binghui, charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Slovenia, spoke highly of the Institute’s contributions to deepening multi-level and multi-field exchanges between China and Slovenia by promoting high-quality Chinese language education and organizing diverse cultural activities over the past 15 years.
The Institute was jointly established by the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics (SUIBE) and the University of Ljubljana in May 2010.
To date, the Institute has established five Confucius Classrooms and 26 teaching centers throughout Slovenia, providing Chinese language education from kindergarten to university level. “Language is a bridge for exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations,” he noted.
Qi Ming, chairman of SUIBE, also emphasized the Institute’s role as a vital bridge between the two universities, helping foster mutual understanding between the Chinese and Slovenian peoples. He noted the partnership has led to diverse collaborations, including faculty and student exchanges, as well as joint research initiatives.
Meanwhile, Danijela Voljc, the Slovenian director of the Institute, said that over 600 Slovenians are currently studying Chinese through its programs. Over the past 15 years, the Institute has trained several thousand more students, bringing Chinese and Slovenian cultures closer together, the director added.
Since 2012, Chinese has been officially included in Slovenia’s national education system.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Reigning men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and top-ranked women’s player Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus both clinched second-round victories at the French Open on Wednesday.
Alcaraz, 22, defeated Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, and will confront Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the third round.
“I started pretty well. In the first set, I had really high confidence. I think in the second set he started to play much better, very aggressive. He didn’t miss at all, so it was a little bit difficult to deal with his game in the second set, but I’m really happy with how I stayed strong and refreshed in the third set. I started to play better and better, and it has been a good last two sets,” the second seed recalled after the match.
In other men’s singles games, Portugal’s Nuno Borges shocked seventh-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-0, while Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti saw off Daniel Elahi Galan of Colombia 6-4, 6-0, 6-4.
Three-time Grand Slam winner Sabalenka eased past Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann 6-3, 6-1 in 79 minutes, and Chinese favorite Zheng Qinwen also seized victory over Emiliana Arango of Colombia in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
Earlier this month, 22-year-old Zheng beat Sabalenka for the first time to reach the Italian Open semifinals. The French Open women’s singles draw is such that the two could potentially face off in the quarterfinal.
“Even myself, I got a lot of inspiration from last year. When I am in difficult moments, I always remember to keep fighting. I really love the French crowd. I would like to play more matches here,” said 2024 Olympic champion Zheng.
In women’s doubles, tenth-seeded Jiang Xinyu of China and Wu Fang-hsien of Chinese Taipei advanced into the second round after beating Camila Osorio of Colombia and America’s Alycia Parks 6-4, 6-1. Fellow Chinese players Xu Yifan, Zhang Shuai and Guo Hanyu all bowed out in the first round with their respective partners.
China’s Bu Yunchaokete and Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli failed to reach the men’s doubles second round, after losing to India’s N. Sriram Balaji and Miguel Reyes-Varela of Mexico 6-2, 6-1.
When I despairingly contemplate the horrors and cruelty that Palestinians in Gaza are being subjected to, I sometimes try to put this in the context of where I live.
I live on the Kāpiti Coast in the lower North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Geographically it is around the same size as Gaza. Both have coastlines running their full lengths. But, whereas the population of Gaza is a cramped two million, Kāpiti’s is a mere 56,000.
The Gaza Strip . . . 2 million people living in a cramped outdoor prison about the same size as Kāpiti. Map: politicalbytes.blog
I find it incomprehensible to visualise what it would be like if what is presently happening in Gaza occurred here.
The only similarities between them are coastlines and land mass. One is an outdoor prison while the other’s outdoors is peaceful.
New Zealand and Palestine state recognition Currently Palestine has observer status at the United Nations General Assembly. In May last year, the Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of Palestine being granted full membership of the United Nations.
To its credit, New Zealand was among 143 countries that supported the resolution. Nine, including the United States as the strongest backer of Israeli genocide outside Israel, voted against.
However, despite this massive majority, such is the undemocratic structure of the UN that it only requires US opposition in the Security Council to veto the democratic vote.
Notwithstanding New Zealand’s support for Palestine broadening its role in the General Assembly and its support for the two-state solution, the government does not officially recognise Palestine.
While its position on recognition is consistent with that of the genocide-supporting United States, it is inconsistent with the over 75 percent of UN member states who, in March 2025, recognised Palestine as a sovereign state (by 147 of the 193 member states).
NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon . . . his government should “correct this obscenity” of not recognising Palestinians’ right to have a sovereign nation. Image: RNZ/politicalbytes.blog/
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s government does have the opportunity to correct this obscenity as Palestine recognition will soon be voted on again by the General Assembly.
In this context it is helpful to put the Hamas-led attack on Israel in its full historical perspective and to consider the reasons justifying the Israeli genocide that followed.
7 October 2023 and genocide justification The origin of the horrific genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the associated increased persecution, including killings, of Palestinians in the Israeli occupied West Bank (of the River Jordan) was not the attack by Hamas and several other militant Palestinian groups on 7 October 2023.
This attack was on a small Israeli town less than 2 km north of the border. An estimated 1,195 Israelis and visitors were killed.
The genocidal response of the Israeli government that followed this attack can only be justified by three factors:
The Judaism or ancient Jewishness of Palestine in Biblical times overrides the much larger Palestinian population in Mandate Palestine prior to formation of Israel in 1948;
The right of Israelis to self-determination overrides the right of Palestinians to self-determination; and
The value of Israeli lives overrides the value Palestinian lives.
The first factor is the key. The second and third factors are consequential. In order to better appreciate their context, it is first necessary to understand the Nakba.
Understanding the Nakba Rather than the October 2023 attack, the origin of the subsequent genocide goes back more than 70 years to the collective trauma of Palestinians caused by what they call the Nakba (the Disaster).
The foundation year of the Nakba was in 1948, but this was a central feature of the ethnic cleansing that was kicked off between 1947 and 1949.
During this period Zionist military forces attacked major Palestinian cities and destroyed some 530 villages. About 15,000 Palestinians were killed in a series of mass atrocities, including dozens of massacres.
The Nakba – the Palestinian collective trauma in 1948 that started ethnic cleansing by Zionist paramilitary forces. Image: David Robie/APR
During the Nakba in 1948, approximately half of Palestine’s predominantly Arab population, or around 750,000 people, were expelled from their homes or forced to flee. Initially this was through Zionist paramilitaries.
After the establishment of the State of Israel in May this repression was picked up by its military. Massacres, biological warfare (by poisoning village wells) and either complete destruction or depopulation of Palestinian-majority towns, villages, and urban neighbourhoods (which were then given Hebrew names) followed
By the end of the Nakba, 78 percent of the total land area of the former Mandatory Palestine was controlled by Israel.
Genocide to speed up ethnic cleansing Ethnic cleansing was unsuccessfully pursued, with the support of the United Kingdom and France, in the Suez Canal crisis of 1956. More successful was the Six Day War of 1967, which included the military and political occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
Throughout this period ethnic cleansing was not characterised by genocide. That is, it was not the deliberate and systematic killing or persecution of a large number of people from a particular national or ethnic group with the aim of destroying them.
Israeli ethnic cleansing of Palestinians began in May 1948 and has accelerated to genocide in 2023. Image: politicalbytes.blog
In fact, the acceptance of a two-state solution (Israel and Palestine) under the ill-fated Oslo Accords in 1993 and 1995 put a temporary constraint on the expansion of ethnic cleansing.
Since its creation in 1948, Israel, along with South Africa the same year (until 1994), has been an apartheid state. I discussed this in an earlier Political Bytes post (15 March 2025), When apartheid met Zionism.
However, while sharing the racism, discrimination, brutal violence, repression and massacres inherent in apartheid, it was not characterised by genocide in South Africa; nor was it in Israel for most of its existence until the current escalation of ethnic cleansing in Gaza.
Following 7 October 2023, genocide has become the dominant tool in the ethnic cleansing tool kit. More recently this has included accelerating starvation and the bombing of tents of Gaza Palestinians.
The magnitude of this genocide is discussed further below.
The Biblical claim Zionism is a movement that sought to establish a Jewish nation in Palestine. It was established as a political organisation as late as 1897. It was only some time after this that Zionism became the most influential ideology among Jews generally.
Despite its prevalence, however, there are many Jews who oppose Zionism and play leading roles in the international protests against the genocide in Gaza.
Zionist ideology is based on a view of Palestine in the time of Jesus Christ. Image: politicalbytes.blog
Based on Zionist ideology, the justification for replacing Mandate Palestine with the state of Israel rests on a Biblical argument for the right of Jews to retake their “homeland”. This justification goes back to the time of that charismatic carpenter and prophet Jesus Christ.
The population of Palestine in Jesus’ day was about 500,000 to 600,000 (a little bigger than both greater Wellington and similar to that of Jerusalem today). About 18,000 of these residents were clergy, priests and Levites (a distinct male group within Jewish communities).
Jerusalem itself in biblical times, with a population of 55,000, was a diverse city and pilgrimage centre. It was also home to numerous Diaspora Jewish communities.
In fact, during the 7th century BC at least eight nations were settled within Palestine. In addition to Judaeans, they included Arameans, Samaritans, Phoenicians and Philistines.
A breakdown based on religious faiths (Jews, Christians and Muslims) provides a useful insight into how Palestine has evolved since the time of Jesus. Jews were the majority until the 4th century AD.
By the fifth century they had been supplanted by Christians and then from the 12th century to 1947 Muslims were the largest group. As earlier as the 12th century Arabic had become the dominant language. It should be noted that many Christians were Arabs.
Adding to this evolving diversity of ethnicity is the fact that during this time Palestine had been ruled by four empires — Roman, Persian, Ottoman and British.
Prior to 1948 the population of the region known as Mandate Palestine approximately corresponded to the combined Israel and Palestine today. Throughout its history it has varied in both size and ethnic composition.
The Ottoman census of 1878 provides an indicative demographic profile of its three districts that approximated what became Mandatory Palestine after the end of World War 1.
Group
Population
Percentage
Muslim citizens
403,795
86–87%
Christian citizens
43,659
9%
Jewish citizens
15,011
3%
Jewish (foreign-born)
Est. 5–10,000
1–2%
Total
Up to 472,465
100.0%
In 1882, the Ottoman Empire revealed that the estimated 24,000 Jews in Palestine represented just 0.3 percent of the world’s Jewish population.
The self-determination claim Based on religion the estimated population of Palestine in 1922 was 78 percent Muslim, 11 percent Jewish, and 10 percent Christian.
By 1945 this composition had changed to 58 percent Muslim, 33 percent Jewish and 8 percent Christian. The reason for this shift was the success of the Zionist campaigning for Jews to migrate to Palestine which was accelerated by the Jewish holocaust.
By 15 May 1948, the total population of the state of Israel was 805,900, of which 649,600 (80.6 percent) were Jews with Palestinians being 156,000 (19.4 percent). This turnaround was primarily due to the devastating impact of the Nakba.
Today Israel’s population is over 9.5 million of which over 77 percent are Jewish and more than 20 percent are Palestinian. The latter’s absolute growth is attributable to Israel’s subsequent geographic expansion, particularly in 1967, and a higher birth rate.
Palestine today (parts of West Bank under Israeli occupation). Map: politicalbytes.blog
The current population of the Palestinian Territories, including Gaza, is more than 5.5 million. Compare this with the following brief sample of much smaller self-determination countries — Slovenia (2.2 million), Timor-Leste (1.4 million), and Tonga (104,000).
The population size of the Palestinian Territories is more than half that of Israel. Closer to home it is a little higher than New Zealand.
The only reason why Palestinians continue to be denied the right to self-determination is the Zionist ideological claim linked to the biblical time of Jesus Christ and its consequential strategy of ethnic cleansing.
If it was not for the opposition of the United States, then this right would not have been denied. It has been this opposition that has enabled Israel’s strategy.
Comparative value of Palestinian lives The use of genocide as the latest means of achieving ethnic cleansing highlights how Palestinian lives are valued compared with Israeli lives.
While not of the same magnitude appropriated comparisons have been made with the horrific ethnic cleansing of Jews through the means of the holocaust by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Per capita the scale of the magnitude gap is reduced considerably.
Since October 2023, according to the Gaza Health Ministry (and confirmed by the World Health Organisation) more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed. Of those killed over 16,500 were children. Compare this with less than 2000 Israelis killed.
Further, at least 310 UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) team members have been killed along with over 200 journalists and media workers. Add to this around 1400 healthcare workers including doctors and nurses.
What also can’t be forgotten is the increasing Israeli ethnic cleansing on the occupied West Bank. Around 950 Palestinians, including around 200 children, have also been killed during this same period.
Time for New Zealand to recognise Palestine The above discussion is in the context of the three justifications for supporting the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians strategy that goes back to 1948 and which, since October 2023, is being accelerated by genocide.
First, it requires the conviction that the theology of Judaism in Palestine in the biblical times following the birth of Jesus Christ trumps both the significantly changing demography from the 5th century at least to the mid-20th century and the numerical predominance of Arabs in Mandate Palestine;
Second, and consequentially, it requires the conviction that while Israelis are entitled to self-determination, Palestinians are not; and
Finally, it requires that Israeli lives are much more valuable than Palestinian lives. In fact, the latter have no value at all.
Unless the government, including Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, shares these convictions (especially the “here and now” second and third) then it should do the right thing first by unequivocally saying so, and then by recognising the right of Palestine to be an independent state.
Ian Powell is a progressive health, labour market and political “no-frills” forensic commentator in New Zealand. A former senior doctors union leader for more than 30 years, he blogs at Second Opinion and Political Bytes, where this article was first published. Republished with the author’s permission.
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Albanian national was charged with marriage fraud, and he and his wife, an American citizen, were both charged with making false statements on forms submitted to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Elvis Harizaj, 25, of Cherry Hill, and Natasha Flores, 27, of Newark, were both charged with making false statements to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”).
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in Court:
Harizaj is a citizen of Albania and entered into a sham marriage with Flores for the purpose of obtaining permanent residence in the United States. On forms submitted to USCIS, Harizaj falsely stated that he lived with Flores and Flores falsely stated that she had never been married before. Flores, in fact, had previously been married to a Brazilian national who obtained U.S. citizenship based on his marriage to Flores. In addition, Harizaj was charged with marriage fraud.
The counts of false statements and marriage fraud both have a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Question for written answer E-002055/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Claudiu-Richard Târziu (ECR)
According to the World Bank, Romania needs to invest over 350 billion dollars by 2050 just to decarbonise its energy sector – an amount equating to approximately 4 % of its annual GDP. This reflects the enormous burden that the green transition is placing on eastern European countries, with no clear guarantees as to the economic or social benefits.
In its current form, the ‘green mirage’ could do serious harm to strategic industries, increase dependence on imports from outside the EU and put jobs at risk. While Romania is bearing huge costs, other economies are receiving subsidies or ignoring the rules set at European level.
1.Why is the Commission promoting a climate agenda that is harming eastern European countries disproportionately?
2.How does it justify the costs imposed on Romania in comparison with the preferential treatment of other states?
3.What will it do to protect European industries from unfair competition and balance efforts between East and West?
The Commission’s proposal for the next multiannual financial framework will ensure a simpler, more focused and impactful budget aligned with EU priorities.
Recognising the importance of food security and nature protection for Europe’s quality of life, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will aim to support farmers in a more targeted way, enhance environmental and social outcomes, and foster thriving rural areas in a simpler, more targeted manner, with the right balance between incentives, investment and regulation.
The Commission is aware of the challenges in Romania’s livestock sector. Several measures already exist and can be used to support the sector.
Current solutions for this sector under the CAP framework such as coupled income support, sectoral interventions, and investments allow for targeted strategies without causing disproportionate trade distortion.
Romania and other Member States also offer transitional national aid. Supporting breeding animal purchases is not in line with the current CAP rules.
Fishing capacity ceilings are vital to prevent overfishing. The Commission recognises the challenges they may pose for fleet modernisation.
Under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), Member States can already address additional capacity needs, as many have a margin between capacity ceilings and actual fishing capacity.
An evaluation of the CFP Regulation is ongoing, with results expected in early 2026, to assess its suitability in today’s context and emerging challenges.
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