From the 1st to 3rd of July 2025, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will be holding its Regional Youth Forum in Saly Portudal, Senegal, under the theme: “Engaging ECOWAS for a new vision of youth”. This high-level meeting will bring together young leaders, representatives of youth organisations, political decision-makers and regional and international experts. It will provide an inclusive platform for dialogue on the challenges and opportunities facing young people in the ECOWAS region, particularly in the areas of employment, entrepreneurship, education and vocational training.
The conference is part of the celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of ECOWAS, and marks an essential stage in the regional organisation’s determination to strengthen the active participation of young people in building a peaceful, integrated and prosperous West Africa. They illustrate the ambition to forge a new regional vision, placing young people at the heart of social, economic and political transformation.
The main objective of this initiative is to create a space for direct dialogue between young people and ECOWAS, in order to harmonise points of view on the issues faced by young people in the region, and to co-construct concrete solutions to encourage their socio-economic development and civic participation.
The Saly meeting is the culmination of a series of pilot national consultations organised in several West African capitals, including Cotonou (Benin), Accra (Ghana), Yamoussoukro (Côte d’Ivoire) and Dakar (Senegal). These consultations laid the foundations for a participatory and regional process, of which the regional meetings are the concrete expression.
Through this initiative, ECOWAS is reaffirming its commitment to developing innovative strategies and defining shared priorities to strengthen the involvement of young people in local, national and regional governance. This conference reflects this vision, considering young people not only as beneficiaries, but also as key players in the development of the region. Organised under the coordination of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre (EYSDC), the conclusions of this conference will feed into the development of a strategic roadmap, in line with ECOWAS Vision 2050, and will lay the foundations for a new regional policy dedicated to youth.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The ECOWAS Commission in a significant collaboration with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Environment’s Department of Planning, Research, and Statistics, on the 17th of June, 2025 celebrated the 2025 World Environment Day. The commemorative event, held in Abuja, Nigeria, themed: “Ending Plastic Pollution“ with the slogan “Beat the plastic“
Mr. Yao Bernard Koffi, Acting Director of Environment and Natural Resources, delivered a goodwill message on behalf of H.E. Massandjé Toure-Litse, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, and H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission. He underscored the profound significance of the occasion, particularly as it coincided with ECOWAS’s Jubilee Year, marking five decades of regional solidarity, integration and shared responsibility.
Mr. Bernard Koffi reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering commitment to fostering a clean, resilient, and sustainable environment for current and future generations. He highlighted ECOWAS’s proactive stance in addressing persistent environmental challenges, including the adoption of a regional regulation on plastic management in 2023, which mandates member states to harmonize their plastic waste management regulations. Furthermore, ECOWAS Vision 2050 identifies environmental sustainability as a crucial pillar for inclusive development and emphasizes the vital role of fostering youth-driven climate action, acknowledging that the future belongs to them. He concluded by urging tangible action over mere words and unity over indifference, stating, “The ECOWAS Commission stands ready to work side-by-side with Nigeria and all partners to beat plastic pollution not tomorrow, but today.” And that the commisson remains resolutely committed to working alongside member states to beat Pollution.
In his keynote address, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Honorable Minister of Environment, emphasized the critical global urgency of this year’s theme, “Ending Plastic Pollution.” He stressed that plastic pollution transcends environmental concerns, posing significant economic and public health crises.
The Minister highlighted the alarming rate at which plastic waste infiltrates oceans, rivers and drainage systems, endangering wildlife and exacerbating urban flooding. Minister Lawal outlined Nigeria’s initiatives, including the launch of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programme, which obliges producers to manage the entire lifecycle of their plastic products. He expressed profound appreciation to all development partners, particularly the ECOWAS Commission, commending its steadfast partnership in environmental governance, climate change response, and sustainable development across the West African sub-region, as well as its leadership in addressing transboundary environmental issues.
Mr. Mahmud Adam Kambari, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Environment, delivered the welcome address, reinforcing the dire threat plastic waste poses to ecosystems, public health, and the planet. He stated, “Plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time, clogging waterways, endangering marine life, and contaminating our food systems.”
Mr. Kambari reiterated Nigeria’s direct experience with the devastating impacts of plastic waste and issued a clarion call for intensified efforts through effective policy implementation, robust public awareness campaigns, responsible consumption patterns, and strategic investment in sustainable alternatives. He affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to advancing circular economy principles, strengthening regulatory frameworks, and promoting innovations that reduce reliance on single-use plastics. Mr. Kambari extended sincere commendations to all partners, stakeholders, and environmental advocates for their tireless efforts, urging everyone present to reflect on individual and collective actions to “Beat Plastic Pollution.”
The occasion also saw the notable presence of representatives from key organizations, international partners and stakeholders, including UNICEF, Oando Foundation, Oando Clean Energy, OXFAM, Zoom Lion Nigeria, RCEI, RUWES, and the Head of Mission to the Netherlands, alongside invited students from various schools. These stakeholders collectively underscored the paramount importance of a safe environment, emphasizing the pivotal role of women and children as not only integral to addressing climate and environmental issues but also as vital agents of community awareness and crucial actors in forging a greener, plastic-free future.
The joint commemoration underscored the shared commitment of ECOWAS and Nigeria to combat plastic pollution through coordinated regional action and national policy implementation, reinforcing their dedication to a sustainable future.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
At least 14 people were injured when Russian drones attacked the Ukrainian Black Sea city of Odesa overnight, damaging high-rise buildings and railway infrastructure, local authorities said on Friday.
Odesa is Ukraine’s largest Black Sea port, key for imports and exports, and has been under constant missile and drone attacks by Russia since the war began.
“Despite the active work of air defence forces, there is damage to civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, a higher education institution, a gas pipeline and private cars,” local governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram messenger.
Kiper released photos of burning houses and charred high-rise buildings.
Local emergencies service said that during the attack there were at least 10 drone strikes on residential buildings, causing massive fires.
Ukraine’s air force said on Friday that Russia had launched 86 drones on Ukraine overnight.
The military noted its air defence units shot down 34 drones while another 36 drones were lost – in reference to the Ukrainian military using electronic warfare to redirect them – or they were drone simulators that did not carry warheads.
However, the military reported that drones hit 8 locations.
Ukrainian state railways Ukrzaliznytsia reported that Odesa railway station was damaged during the attack, with power wires and rails damaged.
Russian drones also attacked Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine overnight, damaging several private and multi-storey houses, Kharkiv officials said.
At the Opening Ceremony of the 21st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation (AMMSTI-21) in Jakarta this morning, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered Opening Remarks and officiated the Launch of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI) 2026–2035, alongside other Ministers and representatives from ASEAN Member States. APASTI envisions “An integrated ASEAN powered by STI, fostering seamless collaboration, global competitiveness through enhanced innovative performance, sustainability and economic growth for a prosperous future.”
At the same event, AMMSTI also launched the ASEAN-Japan NEXUS Programme, with Japan committed USD 100 million to strengthen STI cooperation, and unveiled the ASEAN Regional Research Infrastructure Landscape Study, laying the foundation for shared research capacity and regional innovation hubs.
Download the full opening remarks here.
The post Secretary-General of ASEAN delivers remarks and launches APASTI at the Opening Ceremony of AMMSTI-21 appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
At the Opening Ceremony of the 21st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation (AMMSTI-21) in Jakarta this morning, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered Opening Remarks and officiated the Launch of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI) 2026–2035, alongside other Ministers and representatives from ASEAN Member States. APASTI envisions “An integrated ASEAN powered by STI, fostering seamless collaboration, global competitiveness through enhanced innovative performance, sustainability and economic growth for a prosperous future.”
At the same event, AMMSTI also launched the ASEAN-Japan NEXUS Programme, with Japan committed USD 100 million to strengthen STI cooperation, and unveiled the ASEAN Regional Research Infrastructure Landscape Study, laying the foundation for shared research capacity and regional innovation hubs.
Download the full opening remarks here.
The post Secretary-General of ASEAN delivers remarks and launches APASTI at the Opening Ceremony of AMMSTI-21 appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
The Australian origins of Santos have made an indelible mark on the company’s very name. The energy giant was first incorporated in 1954 under the acronym for “South Australia Northern Territory Oil Search”. It was publicly listed on the Adelaide Stock Exchange that same year.
Fast forward to today, there are pressing questions about whether Santos could serve Australia’s national interest if it was largely in the hands of a foreign government.
This week, it was announced a consortium led by the investment division of state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) had made an all-cash takeover bid of almost A$29 billion for Santos. This would value the company at $36.4 billion (including its debt).
Santos’ board has said it will support the deal if there isn’t a better offer on the table. But it will first have to clear a raft of regulatory approvals – not only in Australia but also Papua New Guinea and the United States, where Santos has operations.
The acquisition would be a monumental event in Australia’s corporate history. Key elements of this country’s critical energy infrastructure are at stake.
But it’s set to put a difficult decision before the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) and Treasurer Jim Chalmers. On the FIRB’s advice, Chalmers will have to balance Australia’s stated desire to attract foreign investment with the need to protect national interests.
Who’s trying to buy – and why?
Also in the ADNOC-led consortium of prospective buyers are US private equity firm Carlyle and a sovereign wealth fund of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company (ADQ). There are a few key reasons for their interest.
First, ADNOC is keenly interested in expanding its footprint in gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Acquiring Santos would give it a stake in much of Australia’s gas production and established LNG export facilities. This includes major operations at Gladstone and Darwin.
They would also gain a share in two important Papua New Guinean projects: PNG LNG and the yet-to-be-developed Papua LNG. These assets are particularly attractive because they offer direct access to the growing Asian LNG markets, where future demand is projected to be strong.
Second, the acquisition would allow ADNOC to diversify its portfolio and gain control of export capacity from Australia and PNG to the Asia Pacific region. Santos’s Gladstone LNG plant, for example, has significant export capacity. Much of Santos’ LNG capacity is under medium and long-term contracts.
And third, the timing of this bid is strategic. Santos has recently been in a period of high capital expenditure. A number of major projects are nearing completion. A successful takeover could free up funding for further development.
ADNOC is the state-owned oil company of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Marco Curaba/Shutterstock
Defining national interest
For regulators assessing the move, the potential takeover touches upon many national security, energy supply, and economic concerns for Australia.
One of the primary concerns is the potential loss of control over critical energy infrastructure.
Foreign ownership, especially by a state-linked investor such as ADNOC, raises questions about whose interests will ultimately shape strategic decisions about Australia’s essential gas flows, pricing, or even the integrity of operational technology systems.
There’s also concern that a foreign owner could prioritise LNG exports over domestic supply. That could potentially exacerbate domestic gas shortages and price hikes. In the eastern states of Australia, such issues are already a concern.
This is not the first time the Australian government has faced a tough decision on a foreign takeover bid in the oil and gas sector. In 2018, the Morrison government blocked a $13 billion Chinese bid for gas pipeline operator APA Group. It said a single foreign owner should not control Australia’s largest pipeline business.
And the then-Treasurer Peter Costello blocked Royal Dutch/Shell’s $10 billion blockbuster offer for Woodside Petroleum in 2001, also in the national interest.
The national interest checklist
On the other hand, Australia generally welcomes foreign investment. It brings capital, creates jobs, and supports economic growth.
If this deal proceeds to final stages, the decision could become a “test case” for Australia. Can we still attract global capital while also diligently safeguarding our sovereign interests?
The consortium has made commitments to maintain Santos’s headquarters in South Australia, preserve jobs and invest in growth and decarbonisation initiatives. But this is only part of the picture.
The FIRB and the Treasurer will need to consider how the deal would affect:
national security and critical infrastructure, including ownership and control risk, system integrity and supply chain vulnerability
the economy (such as on jobs and investment, tax revenues)
energy security and domestic gas supply
other Australian government policies, such as climate targets
the character of the investor
the complexity of regulation.
The FIRB and the Treasurer must be acutely aware that few other nations have extended the same generosity to foreign investors as Australia has over recent decades.
This generosity, while attracting capital, has also raised concerns about the nation’s control over its vital assets.
The SA government has already signalled it won’t stand idly by if the deal is “not in the interests of South Australians”.
All of this sits in the context of ongoing questions about how little tax is being paid by some multinationals while exploiting Australia’s natural resources.
It is paramount the Australian government makes a forward-looking, informed decision. This should serve Australia’s best interests, rather than those of foreign entities.
Associate Professor Akhtar has been invited to make several submissions to national Senate inquiries on tax, trade, and investment, and some of the material from those submissions has been drawn upon in writing this article.
The Australian origins of Santos have made an indelible mark on the company’s very name. The energy giant was first incorporated in 1954 under the acronym for “South Australia Northern Territory Oil Search”. It was publicly listed on the Adelaide Stock Exchange that same year.
Fast forward to today, there are pressing questions about whether Santos could serve Australia’s national interest if it was largely in the hands of a foreign government.
This week, it was announced a consortium led by the investment division of state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) had made an all-cash takeover bid of almost A$29 billion for Santos. This would value the company at $36.4 billion (including its debt).
Santos’ board has said it will support the deal if there isn’t a better offer on the table. But it will first have to clear a raft of regulatory approvals – not only in Australia but also Papua New Guinea and the United States, where Santos has operations.
The acquisition would be a monumental event in Australia’s corporate history. Key elements of this country’s critical energy infrastructure are at stake.
But it’s set to put a difficult decision before the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) and Treasurer Jim Chalmers. On the FIRB’s advice, Chalmers will have to balance Australia’s stated desire to attract foreign investment with the need to protect national interests.
Who’s trying to buy – and why?
Also in the ADNOC-led consortium of prospective buyers are US private equity firm Carlyle and a sovereign wealth fund of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company (ADQ). There are a few key reasons for their interest.
First, ADNOC is keenly interested in expanding its footprint in gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Acquiring Santos would give it a stake in much of Australia’s gas production and established LNG export facilities. This includes major operations at Gladstone and Darwin.
They would also gain a share in two important Papua New Guinean projects: PNG LNG and the yet-to-be-developed Papua LNG. These assets are particularly attractive because they offer direct access to the growing Asian LNG markets, where future demand is projected to be strong.
Second, the acquisition would allow ADNOC to diversify its portfolio and gain control of export capacity from Australia and PNG to the Asia Pacific region. Santos’s Gladstone LNG plant, for example, has significant export capacity. Much of Santos’ LNG capacity is under medium and long-term contracts.
And third, the timing of this bid is strategic. Santos has recently been in a period of high capital expenditure. A number of major projects are nearing completion. A successful takeover could free up funding for further development.
ADNOC is the state-owned oil company of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Marco Curaba/Shutterstock
Defining national interest
For regulators assessing the move, the potential takeover touches upon many national security, energy supply, and economic concerns for Australia.
One of the primary concerns is the potential loss of control over critical energy infrastructure.
Foreign ownership, especially by a state-linked investor such as ADNOC, raises questions about whose interests will ultimately shape strategic decisions about Australia’s essential gas flows, pricing, or even the integrity of operational technology systems.
There’s also concern that a foreign owner could prioritise LNG exports over domestic supply. That could potentially exacerbate domestic gas shortages and price hikes. In the eastern states of Australia, such issues are already a concern.
This is not the first time the Australian government has faced a tough decision on a foreign takeover bid in the oil and gas sector. In 2018, the Morrison government blocked a $13 billion Chinese bid for gas pipeline operator APA Group. It said a single foreign owner should not control Australia’s largest pipeline business.
And the then-Treasurer Peter Costello blocked Royal Dutch/Shell’s $10 billion blockbuster offer for Woodside Petroleum in 2001, also in the national interest.
The national interest checklist
On the other hand, Australia generally welcomes foreign investment. It brings capital, creates jobs, and supports economic growth.
If this deal proceeds to final stages, the decision could become a “test case” for Australia. Can we still attract global capital while also diligently safeguarding our sovereign interests?
The consortium has made commitments to maintain Santos’s headquarters in South Australia, preserve jobs and invest in growth and decarbonisation initiatives. But this is only part of the picture.
The FIRB and the Treasurer will need to consider how the deal would affect:
national security and critical infrastructure, including ownership and control risk, system integrity and supply chain vulnerability
the economy (such as on jobs and investment, tax revenues)
energy security and domestic gas supply
other Australian government policies, such as climate targets
the character of the investor
the complexity of regulation.
The FIRB and the Treasurer must be acutely aware that few other nations have extended the same generosity to foreign investors as Australia has over recent decades.
This generosity, while attracting capital, has also raised concerns about the nation’s control over its vital assets.
The SA government has already signalled it won’t stand idly by if the deal is “not in the interests of South Australians”.
All of this sits in the context of ongoing questions about how little tax is being paid by some multinationals while exploiting Australia’s natural resources.
It is paramount the Australian government makes a forward-looking, informed decision. This should serve Australia’s best interests, rather than those of foreign entities.
Associate Professor Akhtar has been invited to make several submissions to national Senate inquiries on tax, trade, and investment, and some of the material from those submissions has been drawn upon in writing this article.
These include volunteers with metropolitan and rural fire services and other rescue organisations.
As natural disasters grow more frequent and severe with climate change we rely on these volunteers now more than ever. Yet volunteer numbers are shrinking.
Our new research reveals an important but often hidden toll from natural disasters – the mental health of emergency service volunteers, who risk physical and emotional burnout.
In our study, we interviewed 32 Victorian State Emergency Service (SES) and Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteers. They told us they’re often not getting adequate support.
Exposure to death
Death is something commonly hidden behind clinical curtains. But for emergency service volunteers, exposure to dying and death is just part of the job. Death on jobs arrives unpredictably – on roads, in burned homes, after storms, floods and suicides.
Given their work often takes place in the local community, victims are frequently known to the volunteer, which can further complicate grief. As one participant told us:
You’re bound to come across someone you know, or someone you love at some point […] in a bad situation.
Another recounted a colleague’s experience:
It wasn’t until the next day that she found out that she actually knew the deceased person, but didn’t recognise them.
Volunteers described often being first on scene to assist but not fully prepared for what they find. They recounted experiences including retrieving children who had drowned, watching people dying on the roadside, and finding burnt and maimed human remains.
These encounters provoke intense emotional responses, from shock and sadness to feeling powerless and vulnerable. For many, feelings of helplessness and grief reverberate into everyday life. As one volunteer told us:
I was in a semi-breaking-down sort of place […] having flashbacks […] struggling to hold emotions and do my day job.
A lack of formal support
We identified over-reliance on informal team support and individual resilience to cope with difficult emotions.
Structured debriefs depended on leadership and team dynamics. Leaders with “tough it out” mindsets unintentionally perpetuated stigma around seeking help. One participant explained:
People generally will just sit there and not talk about how they feel […] They’re feeling ashamed or embarrassed.
The mindset of some teams seems to be that those who can’t manage the demands of the job should leave. One volunteer said:
It’s mostly very hard and tough. But if you’re going to survive in the game, you gotta be hard.
Support programs exist, but often focus on major disasters rather than the more everyday jobs. Referral depends on leaders flagging those seen as at-risk or individual volunteers asking for support. One participant explained:
We do a debrief with peer support, but some people put on a brave face […] There needs to be more follow up.
What’s more, support is sometimes difficult to access. One participant, a team leader, explained what happened when a volunteer in their team wasn’t coping:
I called the mechanisms that [we] were told that we need to access. I’ve got somebody here that’s suicidal, nobody escalated it. I still hadn’t heard back six hours later.
Importantly, our findings also highlighted that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. For some, peer support is a lifeline for processing experiences and building resilience, but not for others.
Five women killed. And the peer support was all over us. You know, we got to the stage where it was ridiculous. We’ve had enough, we don’t want this. It re-traumatises people who want to move on.
Talking to emergency service volunteers from only two organisations in one jurisdiction may limit the extent to which we can generalise our findings to other regions, countries or cultures.
However, Victoria does have the second largest number of emergency service volunteers in Australia (behind New South Wales).
Emergency service volunteers are extremely proud and passionate about serving their community and show up with care, calm and strength. But our findings show this comes at a personal cost, especially without the right supports.
Volunteer exposure to death and dying must be recognised as a serious occupational health and safety issue, not just an emotional side effect of the job. We need proactive, not reactive reform if we want to recruit, retain and protect the people we count on in a crisis.
Legislators and organisations should work collaboratively with emergency service volunteers to develop and implement responsive and consistent support services, culture and leadership.
Without targeted, systemic and consistent support, we risk the future of our community-based emergency response. It’s time to protect those who protect us.
If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
A recently announced Pentagon review of the AUKUS pact has sparked a renewed bout of debate in Australia. Led by the “AUKUS-agnostic” US Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby, the review raises serious questions over whether Australia will receive its US-made Virginia-class submarines on schedule from 2032.
AUKUS supporters suggest the review is not overly concerning – they point out governments typically review major programs after taking office. As they note, the UK Labour government did the same when it commissioned Sir Stephen Lovegrove to review AUKUS in 2024. Moreover, the House of Commons Defence Select Committee is currently reviewing AUKUS.
Crucially, however, not all reviews are created equal. Given the US assessment is, according to US officials, being conducted to ensure alignment with the imperatives of “America first”, there is a risk the US will not supply Australia with the Virgina-class submarines it feels it requires to deter China. The UK reviews, on the other hand, did not and do not carry such risks.
The findings of the Lovegrove review remain confidential, but have been shared with Canberra and were incorporated into the UK government’s recent Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The Defence Select Committee is yet to report, but being public, its findings are likely to generate further debate in Australia.
Why are the UK reviews different?
The Defence Select Committee review, launched independently of the government, is an accountability mechanism that scrutinises progress but lacks the power to set policy.
Meanwhile, the Lovegrove review was never intended to question AUKUS, as its terms of reference made clear. Instead, its focus was more on what progress has been made so far and any barriers that might inhibit future success.
There was never any real chance the Lovegrove review would end or amend the UK’s participation in AUKUS, because it has widespread support across mainstream British politics. In foreign and security policy terms, cross-party consensus is the norm in the UK.
However, in the case of AUKUS, two specific factors stand out.
First, AUKUS provides a welcome means to share the burden on a project the UK was already pursuing. Even before AUKUS was announced, the UK had initiated plans for its next generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines, awarding initial design contracts to BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce worth £85 million (A$170 million).
Second, AUKUS has been a crucial component of the UK’s post-Brexit re-emergence. Coming after a period in which Brexit negotiations consumed the British government, it provided important substance to “Global Britain” and its Indo-Pacific tilt.
AUKUS’s cross-party appeal might initially seem strange, given its close association with Boris Johnson’s Brexiteer government. After all, with its “Britain Reconnected” plan, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has been keen to demonstrate how it differs from its Conservative predecessors. This most recent example comes with the SDR’s NATO-first approach, which some interpreted as a sharp break.
However, this is a difference in style rather than substance. Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government had announced Britain had delivered the tilt and would focus on consolidating its position.
In other words, it was making no new commitments. The SDR does not amend this position. It makes clear that “NATO first does not mean NATO only”. This means continuing support for agreements such as AUKUS, which, according to the review, are crucial to shaping the global security environment.
Whether Britain has the capability to shape the global security environment is a question the SDR addresses, if implicitly, by acknowledging the “hollowing out” of the UK’s armed forces. Reconstituting Britain’s armed forces is consequently a key focus of Starmer’s government, which sees rearmament as a route to reindustrialisation.
Militarisation as central to ‘rebirth’
In this rebirth, the government is focusing heavily on the arms industry as a means to bring well-paid, high-skilled jobs to post-industrial parts of the country. There is debate about whether this is the best way to create jobs and growth, but the Starmer government has gone all-in on the strategy.
Indeed, one of the most notable outcomes of the SDR is that the UK plans to invest substantial sums in its fleet of attack submarines, as it plans to go from seven Astute-class boats to 12 AUKUS-class ones.
This ambition may provide some comfort to Australian observers as it indicates the scale of the UK’s commitment to AUKUS. Still, achieving the goal will require a significant increase in industrial capacity, as Britain will need to produce a new submarine every 18 months. The record of the UK government on major capital projects suggests this is a heroic ambition.
For example, the last three Astute-class boats to be commissioned took between 130 and 132 months to build. The sixth and seventh boats of the nearly 25-year-old program are yet to enter service. Moreover, even the active Astute boats are beset by problems; in the first half of 2024, none of the five in-service boats completed an operational deployment due to maintenance issues.
So, while in the context of the US review, Britain’s commitment is likely welcomed, any comfort must be tempered by the expectation that problems will also likely emanate from Britain.
Tom Howe is a Young Professionals Member of the AIIA.
India and the Central American Integration System (SICA) held a virtual dialogue on Wednesday to strengthen bilateral cooperation and deepen engagement across key sectors. The meeting was co-chaired by Rajesh Vaishnaw, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, and Alejandro Solano, Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs of Costa Rica, which currently holds the Pro-Tempore Presidency of SICA.
Senior officials from the SICA Secretariat, including the Director of International Cooperation, Carmen Marroquín, and representatives from SICA member countries also participated in the discussions.
Highlighting the shared values of democracy, sustainable development, and South-South cooperation, the Indian side reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the region through its development partnership initiatives. These include the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), and a dedicated SME grant programme.
Vaishnaw emphasized India’s readiness to collaborate with SICA in areas such as digital transformation, affordable healthcare, disaster resilience, and renewable energy, underscoring India’s success in these fields.
SICA member countries appreciated India’s proactive and consistent support, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and other natural disasters. Both sides agreed to further enhance cooperation in critical sectors including food and nutritional security, health, connectivity, agriculture, digital infrastructure, energy, and trade and investment.
The dialogue reaffirmed the commitment to sustained political engagement and regional cooperation, with Panama set to assume the SICA presidency later this year.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has issued two new notifications aimed at regulating the import of certain precious metal alloys and chemical compounds.
As per the notification issued on 17 June, the government has restricted the import of alloys of palladium, rhodium and iridium containing more than 1 % gold by weight. This expands the earlier restriction on platinum imports (issued on 5 March 2025) to cover the entire Customs Tariff Heading (CTH) 7110 at the 4-digit level, ensuring a uniform import policy across precious metals and their alloys.
However, the import of alloys containing less than 1 % gold remains unrestricted, thereby safeguarding the interests of key industrial sectors such as electronics, automotive components, and specialised chemical manufacturing. This calibrated policy aims to strike a balance between trade facilitation and regulatory oversight.
In a related move, DGFT has also issued another notification restricting the import of colloidal metals and certain compounds under CTH 2843. The restriction is intended to curb the misuse of chemical imports for bringing gold into the country in disguised forms.
To support genuine industrial needs, imports under CTH 2843 will be permitted against an import authorisation, specifically for sectors such as electronics, electrical, and chemical manufacturing.
Detailed notifications are available on the DGFT website at https://dgft.gov.in.
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
In anticipation of World Giraffe Day, which is celebrated annually on June 21, mos.ru launched online broadcasts from the enclosure of the South African giraffe and the endangered Grevy’s zebras. You can watch them, as well as many other inhabitants of the Moscow Zoo, every day during the institution’s working hours – from 07:30 to 22:00.
Three female zebras – Deborah, Mia and Leila – along with a female Kenyan giraffe, Lipa, get along well in the mixed exhibit “Animals of Africa” in the new area of the zoo. In the warm season, they walk on the summer lawn and can frolic together, running races. With the arrival of cold weather, the animals move to a warm pavilion, where the giraffe remains until spring. And the zebras regularly go outside all year round, they can often even be seen walking through snowdrifts.
“We are pleased to announce that you can now watch Grevy’s zebras and South African giraffes online. These exotic inhabitants of the savannah get along well with each other. In nature, each species, without competing with others, feeds in a certain plant layer. Zebras’ favorite food is cereal inflorescences. And giraffes graze at a height of two to six meters, eating parts of plants that are inaccessible to other animals. In the zoo, a variety of vegetation is planted for them every year, and vertical and horizontal feeders are hung separately for Lipa,” said Svetlana Akulova, General Director of the Moscow Zoo.
On the online broadcast page, thanks to the broadcast from four cameras, everyone can watch how zebras and a giraffe spend time. For a good view of the spacious clearing, specialists from the capital Department of Information Technology installed new equipment.
“On zoo.mos.ru, animals have their own pages where you can learn interesting facts about them, examine their stripes and spots in photographs. Thanks to modern high-resolution cameras with a panoramic view, every resident of the country has the opportunity to study the behavior of zebras and giraffes in conditions as close as possible to their natural environment, and observe touching moments of their everyday life,” the press service of the Moscow Department of Information Technology reported.
The female giraffe Lipa is now 22 years old, which is quite a respectable age. She weighs about 800 kilograms. At the Moscow Zoo, the giraffe is fed twice a day: in the morning and during the day. The menu includes juicy willow brooms, alfalfa hay, mixed feed, as well as fresh vegetables and fruits. In the summer, Lipa also enjoys young grass.
The South African giraffe lives south of the Sahara in the savannas and dry forests of the African continent. These animals have a unique oral apparatus: their lips are equipped with long hairs, which send information to the brain about the presence of thorns and the degree of ripeness of leaves. The purple tongue of the giraffe is flexible, strong and extremely mobile – it skillfully avoids thorns, choosing the most delicious shoots and pulling them up to the level of the upper lip. Special papillae, which cover the lips, help the animal to hold the desired plant in its mouth: the giraffe cuts it with the incisors of the lower jaw.
Lipa’s neighbors are three female Grevy’s zebras. This is the largest of all existing zebra species. It lives in the desert steppes and arid shrub savannas of Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya. In the wild, Grevy’s zebras are threatened with extinction: despite the strictest ban, poaching of these animals continues.
The stripes on a zebra’s skin are unique and can be compared to fingerprints. These animals have incredibly strong legs. Thanks to this feature, they can not only cover long distances, but also defend themselves from predators, such as lions. These animals also have excellent vision, hearing, smell, and visual memory. They are able to recognize their relatives from afar by their characteristic pattern.
Zebra Deborah is a long-time resident of the Moscow Zoo, she is 20 years old. Curious Leila and cautious Mia are younger, they are seven years old. They arrived from abroad four years ago. The staff immediately realized that the animals respond to their names, so they did not come up with new ones. In the hot season, Grevy’s zebras prefer to walk in the morning hours or after sunset.
The first online broadcasts from the enclosures of the Moscow Zoo were launched in the fall of 2024. Since then, the list of animals that can be admired has increased significantly. Anyone can watch representatives of the cat family, different species of bears and pandas, as well as other predators, herbivores and primates.
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Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
Since the beginning of the year, individuals and business representatives have leased and purchased 38 land plots from the city as a result of competitive procedures. More than 75 thousand square meters of housing and commercial facilities will be built on them. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.
“Land from the city for the construction of various facilities is in demand among entrepreneurs and individuals. Since the beginning of this year, as a result of competitive procedures, city residents and business representatives have bought and leased 38 plots with a total area of more than 6.4 hectares. On them, it is possible to build facilities, the area of which in total exceeds 75 thousand square meters. These are private residential buildings, gas stations, as well as cultural, leisure and public complexes,” said Vladimir Efimov.
The city regularly puts up land for commercial real estate construction at open auctions. The purpose of each plot is determined taking into account the needs of the district where it is located. Thus, for the construction of over 12.2 thousand square meters of commercial facilities, investors leased 1.4 hectares in the Yuzhnoye Butovo and Filimonkovsky districts.
“Since the beginning of the year, individuals have purchased the most land for individual housing construction — over 3.5 hectares. The plots are located in the Troitsky, Novomoskovsky and Vostochny administrative districts. In addition, investors signed two agreements on the implementation of large-scale investment projects, according to one of which a modern retail and office building will appear in the Kommunarka administrative and business center. The second project involves the construction of production in Nekrasovka,” she noted.
Ekaterina Solovieva, Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of City Property.
Development of electronic services for business corresponds to the objectives of the national project “Digital Economy”. Within its framework, the bidding procedure is fully implementedinvestment portal Moscow. It contains a full list of information about the lots, the form of the event and the conditions of participation. Moreover, the actual bidding procedure is also held online. The organizer is Moscow City Department of Competition Policy.
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Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
Since 2022, as a result of online auctions, the city has concluded contracts for the purchase and sale of more than 700 thousand square meters of commercial premises and buildings with investors. This was reported at the XXVIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) Ekaterina Solovieva, Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Moscow Department of City Property.
“The city systematically forms various offers for business: detached buildings, premises in residential and non-residential buildings. Entrepreneurs and private investors can find options in almost all districts of the capital. Over the past 3.5 years, about seven thousand buildings and non-residential premises with a total area of over 700 thousand square meters have been sold at city auctions. At the same time, in 2022 and 2023, 1.5 thousand and more than three thousand commercial buildings and premises were purchased from the city, respectively, and in 2024 – over 1.7 thousand objects,” noted Ekaterina Solovyova.
Digitalization of trading has simplified the process: since 2021, transactions have been processed electronically, and the entire cycle – from the application to the transfer of keys – takes place online.
“The convenience of participating in electronic auctions and the legal purity of the transaction contribute to the consistently high interest of entrepreneurs in the city’s proposals. Over the past 3.5 years, an average of seven participants have applied for one commercial property,” said the head of the Moscow City Department for Competition Policy
The acquired premises are used to open or expand a business: in small ones, beauty salons, coffee shops and creative studios are opened, in large ones – supermarkets, restaurants and offices.
All information about the premises put up for auction is presented on the capital’s investment portal. You can learn more about them, study the lot documentation and the rules for conducting auctions in the section “Property from the city”.
The development of electronic services for entrepreneurs is being implemented within the framework of the national project “Data Economy”.
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Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
The Perfume Academy for Blind Children, opened last year on the premises Center for Social Integration Diana Gurtskaya, continues to attract new participants. Recently, a well-known cosmetics company became its partner – children, under the guidance of experienced mentors, create thematic perfume selections. Now, participants of the Moscow Longevity project have come to the blind children and, together with young perfumers, have created a line of fragrances called Childhood.
“The Perfume Academy has gone beyond a simple project. Today, it is a full-fledged platform where, together with city partners, we organize professional master classes for visually impaired children. Participants of the Moscow Longevity project have joined the new master class, which we called “Scents of Childhood.” Scents are real conductors of memories, emotions, and associations. For young participants in the project, master classes open up a completely new way of understanding the world around us, help develop imagination and sensory perception. The older generation gets the opportunity to share their stories and memories, and once again experience the joy of their first discoveries and bright moments of childhood. Working with scents is becoming a unique tool for socialization, communication, exchange of experience, and positive emotions,” said Anton Lebedev, director of the Diana Gurtskaya Social Integration Center.
The smell of bread, grass and asphalt
The participants were divided into groups: at each table were placed blind children and mentors of the older generation, who helped the children navigate the numerous jars of fragrances and keep records of the future composition. The perfume expert told about how to correctly compose aromatic combinations, what are the associations of color and aroma, and also explained the meaning of top and base notes.
Before the start of the creative process, the participants of the master class familiarized themselves with the provided fragrances, shared their thoughts about what childhood is associated with, and began to create unique perfume compositions that formed the basis of the future “Childhood” collection.
Participants of Moscow Longevity told young Muscovites about their childhood, which they associate with the smells of freshly baked bread, grass mown at dawn, and hot asphalt. For Lyudmila Khan from the Moscow Longevity Center Nekrasovka, the smell of childhood is her mother’s pies.
“For me, this master class is not just about creating perfume, but about meeting with warmth and memory. When I worked with blind children, we remembered the most precious smells together. And my favorite is my mother’s pies: cinnamon, vanilla, warm dough. This is the aroma of childhood, which always warms the soul. I was amazed at how children subtly sense aromas and create different combinations of notes. Each of us has different associations with childhood – the smell after rain, the smell of lilacs, apples or even frosty freshness, but we are united by a common feeling of lightness and simple joy, despite age or health issues,” shared Lyudmila Khan.
The young perfumers said that their favorite scents are the smell of amusement park popcorn, sweet vanilla buns and delicious chocolate cake. As a result, each participant created a unique scent that reflects the idea of childhood with its carefree, warm memories, family evenings and bouquets of wild flowers.
The master class was held in a warm atmosphere – with stories from life, laughter and smiles. Each participant was able to take home not only positive emotions and impressions, but also the fragrance they created.
As noted Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development, as part of the advanced course at the Perfumery Academy, children become familiar with production, the professions of an evaluator, technologist, perfume stylist, and, under the guidance of experienced mentors, create unique aromatic compositions.
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Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
Specialists from the city services complex are reconstructing the Rostokinsky aqueduct in the north-east of the capital. More than 70 percent of the work has already been completed, said the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement Petr Biryukov.
“This year we are carrying out major repairs and restoration of the Rostokinsky aqueduct, the only one remaining in Russia. It was built between 1783 and 1784 and became an important part of the first water supply system. The aqueduct is a cultural heritage site of federal significance, and has now been converted into a pedestrian bridge,” said Pyotr Biryukov.
The project will restore the architectural appearance of the building, thereby preserving its historical value. Specialists have already cleared and restored the white-stone cladding of the facades, dismantled the staircases and their landings, and replaced the old wooden structures of the canopy of the walkway, including the roof and masonry elements. In addition, the bridge gazebos-pavilions, stone cladding of the architectural decor and structural elements are being restored.
During the work, the water intake wells and their grates on the bridge’s walkway, polymer drainage pipes and waterproofing will be replaced, the masonry will be strengthened, and the engineering systems will be completely updated.
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Please attribute to Detective Sergeant Ben Evans, Wellington District CIB
Wellington Police are investigating an assault on a female in Porirua on Wednesday 18 June.
The incident occurred around halfway up the stairs of the Rangituhi/Colonial Knob walking track at around 3:30pm.
Rangithui/Colonial Knob is a popular walking area, and we understand this incident may cause some concern. Police will be conducting reassurance patrols in the area in the coming days.
This is a deeply concerning incident, and Police are offering support to the victim, who is understandably shaken.
Police are following positive lines of enquiry, but are seeking the public’s assistance to help locate the alleged offender.
The man was wearing a dark-coloured long sleeve top, dark-coloured track pants and a cap.
If you were in the area at the time or have any footage of a person matching the above description, please contact Police.
You can report information to Police via 105, either over the phone or online, referencing file number 250618/1395.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
We’d also like to remind people to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to Police, by calling 111 if it is happening now, or 105 if it is after the fact.
European Commission Press release Brussels, 20 Jun 2025 The European Commission decided to exclude Chinese companies from EU government purchases of medical devices exceeding €5 million. This measure follows the conclusions of the first investigation under the International Procurement Instrument (IPI), and allows no more than 50% of inputs from China for successful bids.
European Commission Press release Brussels, 20 Jun 2025 The European Commission decided to exclude Chinese companies from EU government purchases of medical devices exceeding €5 million. This measure follows the conclusions of the first investigation under the International Procurement Instrument (IPI), and allows no more than 50% of inputs from China for successful bids.
Indian equity markets opened on a positive note on Friday, supported by firm cues from Asian peers. Gains in PSU bank, IT, and auto stocks contributed to the early momentum.
At 9:25 a.m., the BSE Sensex was up 228.15 points, or 0.28%, at 81,590.02. The NSE Nifty also advanced, rising 55.10 points, or 0.22%, to 24,848.35.
In sectoral indices, the Nifty Bank rose by 102.35 points (0.18%) to trade at 55,679.80. However, broader markets showed mixed trends. The Nifty Midcap 100 declined marginally by 16.85 points (0.03%) to 57,143.10, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 slipped 62.50 points (0.35%) to 17,950.60.
Analysts noted that the Nifty has been consolidating within a range of 24,500 to 25,000 over the past month. This trend, they said, is likely to persist unless there is a decisive geopolitical development.
“There is uncertainty surrounding the Israel-Iran conflict. A resolution or sudden end to the war could trigger a breakout on the upside. However, if the war drags on and crude prices rise above $85 per barrel, we may see pressure on the lower end of the range,” said Dr. V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.
Among the top gainers on the Sensex were Bajaj Finserv, UltraTech Cement, Mahindra & Mahindra, SBI, Axis Bank, and Sun Pharma. On the other hand, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance, Tech Mahindra, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Power Grid Corporation were among the major laggards.
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) continued their buying streak for the third consecutive session on June 19, with net purchases worth ₹934.62 crore. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) also remained net buyers, purchasing equities worth ₹605.97 crore on the same day.
Across Asia, markets in Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Shanghai were trading in the green. Jakarta was the only major market in the region trading in the red.
Meanwhile, US markets remained closed on Thursday in observance of Juneteenth National Independence Day. In the previous session on Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by 44.14 points (0.10%) to close at 42,171.66. The S&P 500 ended 1.85 points lower (0.03%) at 5,980.87, while the Nasdaq gained 25.18 points (0.13%) to settle at 19,546.27.
Call for sponsorship in relation to Fashion and Luxury Trade Mission to Japan
The British Embassy in Tokyo is calling for sponsors to support an exclusive showcase and reception, welcoming UK delegates from the Fashion and Luxury sector.
The British Embassy in Tokyo is delighted to present an opportunity for partners and sponsors to support an exclusive showcase and reception, welcoming UK delegates from the Fashion and Luxury sector.
This exclusive event will also host key figures from Japan’s Fashion and Luxury industries, creating a valuable platform for networking and collaboration. The shared objective is to strengthen commercial ties and boost UK exports to the Japanese market.
UK brands will be showcased in the elegant setting of the historic Ambassador’s Residence, these invitation-only events will bring together an elite audience of Japanese fashion buyers, luxury media, stylists, cultural tastemakers and business leaders for a showcase of modern British excellence.
Companies interested in partnering or sponsoring this exciting initiative at the British Embassy Tokyo are invited to express their interest by contacting the Embassy no later than July 27th 2025.
This event is being delivered as part of the UK at EXPO program and so some restrictions may apply.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) — A freight train loaded with 100 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) departed from Hefei in east China’s Anhui Province for Tashkent on Thursday morning, bringing the total number of China-Europe/Central Asia trains that have passed through the province in the past 11 years to 5,000, Dawan Xinwen Port News reported.
The aforementioned train will cross the Chinese state border at the Khorgos checkpoint, which is on the border with Kazakhstan, and will deliver consumer electronics, auto parts and tires worth a total of $2 million to Central Asia.
International railway transportation on China-Central Asia routes has been carried out in Hefei since 2014. Currently, China-Europe/Central Asia routes connect the administrative center of Anhui Province with 170 railway stations in 20 countries.
According to statistics, 5,190 standard containers of cargo have been shipped from Hefei to Central Asia by rail since the beginning of this year. The increase in the indicator compared to the same period last year was 24.88 percent.
The development of rail links between China and Europe/Central Asia is stimulating growth in exports of locally produced goods. To date, more than 1,500 freight trains have been sent from Hefei specifically to transport products from leading local companies, including automakers Chery, Jianghuai and consumer electronics maker Changhong Meiling. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) — Liu Runke, a spokesman for the Eastern Zone Combat Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), on Friday criticized Britain for allowing its coastal patrol ship to pass through the Taiwan Strait on June 18 and trying to stir up trouble over the incident.
According to Liu Runke, the forces of the Eastern Zone Combat Command provided escort and protection for the British ship during its passage through the strait, while maintaining a high level of readiness to resolutely repel all threats and provocations. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIRUT, June 20 (Xinhua) — Hezbollah continues to support Iran and will “act as it sees fit” to counter “joint US-Israeli aggression” against the Islamic Republic, the group’s leader Naim Qassem said on Thursday.
He called Iran a “beacon for the oppressed” and a key supporter of resistance movements, particularly in Palestine and Lebanon.
According to N. Qassem, Israel had no reason to attack Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, which was a legitimate scientific project and did not violate international law. The real motive for the West’s hostility is Iran’s role in inspiring resistance and undermining foreign dominance in the region, the Hezbollah leader said.
N. Qasem also condemned the US threats against Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and called on other countries to unite with Iran to resist hegemony and end aggression.
Israel launched a major strike on Iran early Friday aimed at crippling its nuclear infrastructure, ballistic missile production and military capabilities, with the United States reportedly considering joining the operation against Tehran. –0–
The Betting Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025, which provides for a regulatory framework in relation to basketball betting, was published in the Government Gazette today.
The amendments to the existing ordinance include granting power to the Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs to issue a licence for basketball betting and to impose licensing conditions; provisions for the calculation and collection of betting duties; and an expansion of the functions of the Betting & Lotteries Commission to cover matters relating to the regulation of basketball betting.
The Home & Youth Affairs Bureau emphasised that the Government does not encourage gambling as a matter of policy. On the regulation of gambling activities through legislation, it said the policy objective of providing authorised gambling outlets is to address public demand for certain gambling activities whilst preventing people from turning to illegal operators.
If the bill is enacted, the Government – with reference to the current regime for betting on horse racing and football – will issue a licence to the Hong Kong Jockey Club to operate basketball betting, and impose licensing conditions so as to minimise the negative impact of gambling on the public, especially on young people.
As with football betting, the duty for basketball betting will be charged at 50% of the net stake receipts.
In addition, the Government will continue to collaborate closely with the Ping Wo Fund Advisory Committee to strengthen publicity and counselling for young people.
In addition to four existing funded counselling centres, the Government will allocate additional resources to establish a new centre dedicated to providing counselling and support services for youth.
Public education efforts will also be strengthened to emphasise to young people that participating in illegal gambling or placing bets with an illegal bookmaker is a criminal offence.
The bill will be introduced for first reading in the Legislative Council on July 2.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Strike Force Cerberus have arrested two male youths in relation to property damage in Katherine Wednesday evening.
Yesterday, police identified one of the alleged offenders walking along Sandalwood Crescent and he was arrested without incident. A short time later, a second offender aged 15 was located and arrested in bushland near De Julia Court.
The 15-year-old was charged with Property damage and Breach of bail, and the 14-year-old charged with Property damage and bailed to appear in court at a later date.
Police would like to thank the public for their assistance and continue to urge those who witness a crime or anti-social behaviour to contact 131 444.
South Australia Police (SAPOL) is transforming firearms services with the introduction of the South Australia Firearms Register (SAFR).
The new system will enhance efficiency, security and accessibility, improving the experience for firearm owners, businesses and law enforcement.
Officer in Charge of Firearms Branch, Superintendent Lauren Leverington said the system is anticipated to be operational mid-2026.
“As we develop the new digital system, SAPOL is asking firearm licensees to provide us with feedback on their current user experience,” Superintendent Leverington said.
Licensees who have registered their email address with SAPOL’s Firearms Branch will receive an email invitation to complete a survey. For those who haven’t registered, a participation link is available on the SAFR page on SAPOL’s website or is available here.
“We encourage all licensees to participate and share their insights to help us improve our services,” Superintendent Leverington said.
Plans for SAFR include offering 24-hour online access for 15 digitised firearm services for dealers and licence holders. This will expediate application processing and reduce wait times. Users will also benefit from improved visibility and tracking of their applications.
“SAPOL recognises the community’s frustration with the current application processing times,” Superintendent Leverington said.
“To address this in the short term, additional staff have been employed to manage the workload more efficiently.”
Key benefits of SAFR include:
Faster processing – digital applications will be reviewed and processed more quickly, reducing wait times for both applicants and administrators.
Secure online payments – offering a more convenient way to pay.
Secure and centralised storage of all digital submissions and enhanced reporting and workload tracking for Firearms Branch
Built in validation to reduce errors through the use of mandatory fields to prevent incomplete or incorrect submissions.
Environmentally friendly through minimised use of paper, supporting sustainability goals.
The SAFR initiative also forms part of the broader National Firearms Register (NFR) program. SAPOL is partnering with the Commonwealth and other states and territories to deliver unified and efficient firearms information in near real time across Australia.
“SAFR is shaping the future of firearms services in South Australia by delivering a new system. Together with our Commonwealth partners, SAPOL aims to elevate safety standards and improve service across the firearms community,” Superintendent Leverington added.
South Australian café owner sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment for GST fraud Ben.PetersJones
South Australia
Between March 2014 and January 2016, Shaun Both (the offender) was a sole trader of Metro Express Café at Mawson Lakes in South Australia. In that time, he lodged 9 quarterly Business Activity Statements (BAS) with the ATO. As a result of false statements in the BAS, in circumstances where the café had ceased trading, the offender dishonestly obtained $1,001,004 in Goods and Services Tax (GST). In January 2016, the offender used some of the last GST refund to purchase a $530,000 residential property outright.
Following an investigation by the ATO, the offender was charged with the following offences:
nine counts of obtain financial advantage by deception, contrary to section 134.2(1) of the Criminal Code (Counts 1-9); and
one count of knowingly dealing with money that is proceeds of crime ($100,000 or more), contrary to section 400.4(1) of the Criminal Code (Count 10).
He first appeared in the Magistrates Court of South Australia in 2019 but then absconded to Western Australia after failing to appear in court in April 2020 when he was subject to home detention bail. In December 2023, the offender was arrested on the outstanding warrant in remote Western Australia and extradited back to South Australia where he was remanded in custody. The offender pleaded guilty to all counts at a committal hearing.
Sentencing
On 5 August 2024, the offender was sentenced by his Honour Judge Muscat in the District Court of South Australia to a total effective sentence of six years and six months’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of three years and eight months.
In sentencing the offender, his Honour Judge Muscat noted:
The BAS lodgments “represented a sustained course of conduct which escalated in terms of the amounts dishonestly obtained over an almost two-year period”.
Although the offender suffered from poor mental health, alcohol abuse and gambling habits and they were relevant to the background of his offending, they did not significantly reduce his moral capability or the need for personal and general deterrence.
The offender had a prior history of dishonesty offending. He had previously received the benefit of suspended sentences and court-ordered medical treatment for his alcohol and mental health issues.
It was clear that the offender “wanted to live a certain lifestyle and he certainly did that”. The offender gambled extensively, spent money at shopping centres and online, and “on things he did not really need other than to live the life he wanted”.
The loss to the Commonwealth was significant, with only about $350,000 recovered by the ATO by way of garnishee and bankruptcy proceedings, with no realistic prospect of recovering further amounts.
His Honour gave the offence a 20 per cent discount for his guilty pleas. He noted that the case against the offender was “overwhelming” but he did save the time and expense of a trial.
His Honour directed (and the CDPP conceded it was appropriate) that the sentence for Count 10 be served concurrently on the sentence imposed for Counts 1-9 as the offence concerned expenditure of the final BAS refund.
Relevant links
ATO media release published 6 August 2024 Café owner’s bold brew in $1 million GST fraud
BEARING WITNESS:By Cole Martin in occupied Bethlehem
Kia ora koutou,
I’m a Kiwi journo in occupied Bethlehem, here’s a brief summary of today’s events across the Palestinian and Israeli territories from on the ground.
At least 16 killed by Israeli airstrike on al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza. 92 killed across Gaza in total, a significant number while seeking aid. 15 months after the shocking “flour massacre”, Israeli forces are now committing daily massacres against Gazan residents desperately seeking food due to Israel’s policy of forced starvation. These ongoing war crimes have been met with indifference, justification, and ongoing impunity from global leaders.
*
Jerusalem’s Old City markets remain closed for the seventh consecutive day after restrictions were imposed under the pretext of “wartime emergency”. Meanwhile, across the besieged West Bank the occupation forces continue demolishing homes in Tulkarm and Jenin refugee camps, where more than 40,000 residents have been displaced by Israel’s months-long “military operation”.
Israeli soldiers occupying houses south of Jenin as military barracks, embedding themselves among Palestinian civilians as they have for several days in Al Khalil/Hebron.
Around two-dozen young men detained in Asakra village south-east of Bethlehem, and several more in Laban village, south of Nablus. A young man, Moataz, 22, was executed by Israeli forces in his home village of Wolja west of Bethlehem. Movement of ambulances has been affected by gasoline shortages in Bethlehem. Forces invaded Plata camp in East Nablus for the second day in a row.
*
Israel bombed the outskirts of Shabaa town, in southern Lebanon, yet another violation of ceasefire agreements.
*
An Iranian missile hit Beersheba’s Soroka hospital in southern Israel last night, with no resulting casualties — Iran claiming it targeted a nearby military site. Outrage at the war crime has highlighted widespread double-standards across Israeli society and globally. Israeli forces have destroyed, bombed, or damaged 38 hospitals in Gaza over their 20-month genocidal war on the enclave, with the World Health Organisation recording around 700 attacks on Gazan healthcare facilities in that same period. Israeli residents have erected tents, transforming an underground parking lot into a bomb shelter.
*
Several more retaliatory volleys of Iranian missiles targeted the Israeli territories throughout the day, as heavy Israeli assaults continued on Iranian territories. Israel’s reported death toll has risen to 24, with Iran’s rising to 639.
Cole Martin is an independent New Zealand photojournalist based in the Middle East and a contributor to Asia Pacific Report.
A U.S. appeals court let Donald Trump on Thursday retain control over California’s National Guard while the state’s Democratic governor proceeds with a lawsuit challenging the legality of the Republican president’s use of the troops to quell protests and unrest in Los Angeles.
A three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals extended a pause it placed on U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer’s June 12 ruling that Trump had called the National Guard into federal service unlawfully.
Breyer’s ruling was issued in a lawsuit against Trump’s action brought by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Breyer ruled that Trump violated the U.S. law governing a president’s ability to take control of a state’s National Guard by failing to coordinate with the governor, and also found that the conditions set out under the statute to allow this move, such as a rebellion against federal authority, did not exist.
Breyer ordered Trump to return control of California’s National Guard to Newsom. Hours after Breyer acted, the 9th Circuit panel put the judge’s move on hold temporarily.
Amid protests and turmoil in Los Angeles over Trump’s immigration raids, the president on June 7 took control of California’s National Guard and deployed 4,000 troops against the wishes of Newsom. Trump also ordered 700 U.S. Marines to the city after sending in the National Guard. Breyer has not yet ruled on the legality of the Marine Corps mobilization.
At a court hearing on Tuesday on whether to extend the pause on Breyer’s decision, members of the 9th Circuit panel questioned lawyers for California and the Trump administration on what role, if any, courts should have in reviewing Trump’s authority to deploy the troops.
The law sets out three conditions under which a president can federalize state National Guard forces, including an invasion, a “rebellion or danger of a rebellion” against the government or a situation in which the U.S. government is unable with regular forces to execute the country’s laws.
The Justice Department has said that once the president determines that an emergency that warrants the use of the National Guard exists, no court or state governor can review that decision.
Trump’s decision to send troops into Los Angeles prompted a national debate about the use of the military on U.S. soil and inflamed political tensions in the second most-populous U.S. city.
The protests in Los Angeles lasted for more than a week, but subsequently ebbed, leading Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to lift a curfew she had imposed.
California argued in its June 9 lawsuit that Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and the Marines violated the state’s sovereignty and U.S. laws that forbid federal troops from participating in civilian law enforcement.
The lawsuit stated the situation in Los Angeles was nothing like a “rebellion.” The protests involved sporadic acts of violence that state and local law enforcement were capable of handling without military involvement, according to the lawsuit.
The Trump administration has denied that troops are engaging in law enforcement, saying that they are instead protecting federal buildings and personnel, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
The 9th Circuit panel is comprised of two judges appointed by Trump during his first term and one appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden.
