Taz and Peg are now based in the FBI’s Atlanta and Dallas field offices, respectively. That way, they can quickly deploy nationwide to the scenes of violent crimes, mass violence incidents, courtroom appearances, forensic interviews, and other sensitive scenarios to support victims.
While the dogs recently completed their last round of training, their journeys to public service actually started as soon as they were born into human hands at ADW’s puppy enrichment center in New Mexico.
ADW trainers begin exposing their puppies to unfamiliar smells, sounds, and other stimuli while some of their senses are still fully forming.
“So, of course, they cannot see, they cannot hear until about 14 days old, but they can smell,” said ADW Lead Instructor and Trainer Aimee Brown. “They’re moving around. They feel vibrations. They have taste. And so, they’re being exposed to a wide variety of things.”
The puppies also learn to love people from their earliest days.
As they grow, the trainers keep an eye on traits that can make or break their success as service or facility dogs—such as their gait and their ability to take commands from multiple people. The trainers also look for natural areas of interest or aptitude, essentially allowing the dogs to choose their own vocational adventure.
“They tell us through the training,” explained Jill Felice, founder, vice president, and program director at Assistance Dogs of the West.
The dogs’ presence in the immediate aftermath of a crisis has a scientifically proven ability to decrease the likelihood of victims’ bodies storing their experiences as long-term trauma.
According to Assistance Dogs of the West Vice President and Program Director Jill Felice, this is because the mere act of petting a dog causes the human body to release oxytocin—a hormone that induces calmness.
“What they’re finding now with the release of oxytocin,” she added, “is the faster you can get oxytocin into your brain when a traumatic event has happened, the less it stays in long-term memory and long-term trauma. And that’s one of the hardest things about crises.”
And over the course of an investigation and judicial process, crisis response canines can help victims calm their nerves enough to share their stories with investigators and juries, alike. In turn, this helps our Justice Department partners secure convictions in violent crime and terrorism cases.
The dogs also help the Bureau establish rapport and build trust with victims.
“Victims are volunteers,” explained Staci, a victim services coordinator. Staci became the Bureau’s second-ever crisis-response canine handler when she was paired with English Labrador Wally. “They don’t have to speak with us.
“In a lot of cases, without victims, you don’t have a case. And so, if we can implement tools to assist victims to be able to want to speak with us—to make it easier for them to speak with us—it’s a win-win, because if victims speak with us, it gives us more information to help with our investigations and hopefully holding people accountable for their victimization, which keeps our streets safer and really helps society overall.”
In this way, these canine-handler teams are critical to the Bureau’s efforts to crush violent crime, defend the homeland, and rebuild public trust.
Following in unparalleled paw prints
The FBI’s inaugural crisis response canines, Wally and Gio, joined the Bureau in October 2015 after their ADW training.
“Early on, the mission of the program really was to leverage the canine-human bond to mitigate stress and anxiety of victims following mass violence incidents,” said Melody, who was paired with Gio in what became one of the Bureau’s first crisis response canine teams.
“Soon after that, we branched out, and we started providing support to critical incidents and violent crime. So, that means Gio and Wally would assist across all threat programs in the Bureau. And that could look like court support, forensic interviews, briefings, hostage reunifications, and so on.”
The December 2015 mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, marked their first deployment to a mass violence incident. The canines and their handlers went on to support victims in the wake of eight additional mass violence incidents—including the Pulse nightclub, Parkland, and Route 91 Harvest Festival mass shootings.
But they’ve also supported victims in other settings. Notably, Gio and Wally became the first two facility dogs to ever support victims in a courtroom setting.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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A workshop aimed at addressing health problems affecting humans and livestock, as well as environmental pollution caused by unsafe waste management and plastic use, was conducted on 13 June in Barentu, Gash Barka Region.
Mr. Abubeker Osman, Director General of Agriculture and Land in the region, stated that although directives have been issued at the national level to mitigate the impact of plastic use on the environment, plastic products are still widely used by the public. He noted that the workshop aimed to review the measures taken so far and to discuss further actions needed to ensure environmental safety.
Mr. Abraha Gebreamlak, head of the Agriculture branch, provided an extensive briefing on environmental resources, their benefits, and the challenges related to solid and liquid waste management. He highlighted the coordinated efforts in areas such as Teseney and Akordet, where administrations and communities are working together to eliminate hazardous wastes, including plastic. He stressed the need to implement the existing national guidelines.
Ambassador Mahmud Ali Hirui, Governor of the region, emphasized that environmental pollution caused by plastic is becoming increasingly alarming. He called for the establishment of a committee involving all administrations and relevant institutions to assess current waste management practices and plastic use, and to propose concrete measures for improvement.
Participants conducted extensive discussions on the issues raised during the workshop and adopted various recommendations.
Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong today met the management of internationally renowned semiconductor company Nexperia as he began his visit to the Netherlands.
Apart from learning about Nexperia’s latest development directions and technology as well as its businesses in Hong Kong and globally, Prof Sun also explored with the company on its plan of further expansion in Hong Kong.
Nexperia has businesses around the globe with research and development (R&D) facilities established in the Hong Kong Science Park.
On Saturday, Prof Sun visited the showroom of Renault Group in Paris, France, and met the group’s management who gave him a briefing on the latest development and planning of the group and its brands as well as its various innovative businesses. Both sides also explored ways to deepen collaboration.
BeyonCa, a premium electric vehicle enterprise backed by France’s Renault Group and China’s Dongfeng Motor Corporation, was established in Hong Kong in 2021 with its international headquarters being set up at the Hong Kong Science Park.
Prof Sun pointed out that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has clearly stated in the Hong Kong Innovation & Technology Development Blueprint that the development of advanced manufacturing and new energy are one of the strategic technology industries.
He highlighted that the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research & Development Institute, established in September last year, is preparing the set-up of two pilot lines at the Microelectronics Centre this year, striving to put them into operation next year to support product development and trial production.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TEHRAN, June 15 (Xinhua) — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has confirmed the deaths of eight more senior commanders of its Aerospace Forces in Israeli airstrikes on Tehran on June 13.
A statement released by the IRGC’s official Sepah News expressed condolences over the “martyrdom” of senior military officials.
Among the killed commanders are Mahmoud Bagheri, Davoud Sheikhian, Mohammad Bagher Taherpour, Mansour Safarpour, Masoud Tayeb, Khosrow Hassani, Javad Jorsara and Mohammad Agajafari.
In the early hours of June 13, Israel launched air strikes on the Iranian capital Tehran and other cities in the country, hitting nuclear facilities and killing several top military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. Israeli attacks on various parts of Iran continued on Saturday and Sunday.
Israeli airstrikes on Tehran killed Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces (Iranian Armed Forces) Mohammad Bagheri, IRGC Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (air defense forces) Gholam Ali Rashid, and Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Forces Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
In response to the attacks, Iran launched a series of missile strikes on targets in Israel on the evening of June 13 and 14, causing casualties and significant damage. –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
Moscow, June 15 /Xinhua/ — One person was killed and 13 others were injured in an attack by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on an enterprise in the Russian Republic of Tatarstan, the head of the republic Rustam Minnikhanov reported on Telegram.
“Today, another attack by enemy drones was carried out on the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan. When the UAV was destroyed, the debris fell on the checkpoint building of the automobile plant in the Yelabuga district. As a result, a worker died. A total of 13 people were injured,” wrote R. Minnikhanov.
He added that a fire broke out at the site and was quickly extinguished by the relevant services. –0–
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, began his visit to the Netherlands today (June 15, Amsterdam time).
Professor Sun met with the management of an internationally renowned semiconductor company Nexperia to learn about its latest development directions and technology, as well as its businesses in Hong Kong and globally. He also explored with the company on its plan of further expansion in Hong Kong. Nexperia has businesses around the globe with research and development (R&D) facilities established in the Hong Kong Science Park.
Professor Sun visited the showroom of Renault Group in Paris, France and met with the group’s management yesterday (June 14, Paris time). BeyonCa, a premium electric vehicle enterprise backed by France’s Renault Group and China’s Dongfeng Motor Corporation, was established in Hong Kong in 2021 with its international headquarters being set up at the Hong Kong Science Park. Professor Sun was briefed on the latest development and planning of the group and its brands as well as its various innovative businesses. Both sides also explored ways to deepen collaboration.
Professor Sun said, “The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has clearly stated in the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint that the development of advanced manufacturing and new energy are one of the strategic technology industries, and is actively enhancing support for strategic industries such as new energy vehicles and semiconductor technology, so as to promote new industrialisation in Hong Kong. In promoting microelectronics R&D, the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute was established in September last year to spearhead collaboration among universities, R&D centres and the industry on the R&D of third generation semiconductor core technology. The institute leverages the Greater Bay Area’s well-developed manufacturing industry chain and enormous market, and promotes the ‘1 to N’ transformation of R&D outcomes and industry development. It is preparing the set-up of two pilot lines at the Microelectronics Centre this year, striving to put them into operation next year to support product development and trial production.”
During his stay in Paris, Professor Sun was interviewed by local media to introduce the latest situation and opportunities of Hong Kong’s I&T, telling the good I&T story of Hong Kong.
Professor Sun will depart for The Hague this evening to continue his visit to the Netherlands.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Pending fighting in a public place and death on arrival case in Cheung Sha Wan reclassified as affray and manslaughter
Police reclassified a pending fighting in a public place and death on arrival case in Cheung Sha Wan yesterday (June 14) as affray and manslaughter.Issued at HKT 22:56
Protesters parade through the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans as part of the nationwide No Kings protest against President Donald Trump, on June 14, 2025. Patt Little/Anadolu via Getty Images
In the last few months, large numbers of anti-Trump protesters have come out in the streets across the U.S., on occasions like the April 5 Hands Off protests against safety net budget cuts and government downsizing. Many of those protesters assert they are protecting American democracy.
The Trump administration has decried these protesters and the concept of protest more generally, with the president recently calling protesters “troublemakers, agitators, insurrectionists.” A few days before the June 14 military parade in Washington, President Donald Trump said of potential protesters: “this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.”
As co-director of the Crowd Counting Consortium, which compiles information on each day’s protests in the U.S., I understand that protests sometimes can advance the goals of the protest movement. They also can shape the goals and behavior of federal or state governments and their leaders.
Opportunity for expressing or suppressing democracy
Protests are an expression of democracy, bolstered by the right to free speech and “the right of the people peaceably to assemble” in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
At the same time, clamping down on protests is one way to rebut challenges to government policies and power.
Widespread, well-attended demonstrations can represent a mass movement in favor of democracy or other issues as well as serve as an opportunity to expand participation even further. Large events often lead to significant press coverage and plenty of social media posting. The protests may heighten protesters’ emotional connection to the movement and increase fundraising and membership numbers of sponsoring organizations.
Though it is not an ironclad law, research shows that when at least 3.5% of the total population is involved in a demonstration, protesters usually prevail over their governments. That included the Chilean movement in the 1980s that toppled longtime dictator Augusto Pinochet. Chileans used not only massive demonstrations but also a wide array of creative tactics like a coordinated slowdown of driving and walking, neighbors banging pots outside homes simultaneously, and singing together.
Protests are rarely only about protesting. Organizers usually seek to involve participants in many other activities, whether that is contacting their elected officials, writing letters to the editor, registering to vote or running a food drive to help vulnerable populations.
In this way of thinking, participation in a major street protest like No Kings is a gateway into deeper activism.
Risks and opportunities
Of course, protest leaders cannot control everyone in or adjacent to the movement.
Other protesters with a different agenda, or agitators of any sort, can insert themselves into a movement and use confrontational tactics like violence against property or law enforcement.
In one prominent example from Los Angeles, someone set several self-driving cars on fire. Other Los Angeles examples included some protesters’ throwing things like water bottles at officers or engaging in vandalism. Police officers also use coercive measures such as firing chemical irritants and pepper balls at protesters.
When leaders want to concentrate executive power and establish an autocracy, where they rule with absolute power, protests against those moves could lead to a mass rejection of the leader’s plans. That is what national protest groups like 50501 and Indivisible are hoping for and why they aimed to turn out millions of people at the No Kings protests on June 14.
But while the Trump administration faces risks from protests, it also may see opportunities.
Misrepresenting and quashing dissent
Protests can serve as a justification for a nascent autocrat to further undermine democratic practices and institutions.
Take the recent demonstrations in Los Angeles protesting the Trump administration’s immigration raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
Autocrats seek to politicize independent institutions like the armed forces. The Los Angeles protests offered the opportunity for that. Trump sent troops from the California National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to contain the protests. That domestic deployment of the military is rare but not unheard of in U.S. history.
And the deployment was ordered against the backdrop of the president’s partisan June 10 speech at a U.S. military base in North Carolina. The military personnel in attendance cheered and applauded many of Trump’s political statements. Both the speech and audience reactions to it appeared to violate the U.S. military norm of nonpartisanship.
This deployment of military personnel in a U.S. city also dovetails with the expansion of executive power characteristic of autocratic leaders. It is rare that presidents call up the National Guard; the Guard is traditionally under the control of the state governor.
The contrast on June 14 was striking. In Washington, D.C., Trump reviewed a parade of troops, tanks and planes, leaning into a display of American military power.
At the same time, from rainy Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to sweltering Yuma, Arizona, millions of protesters embraced their First Amendment rights to oppose the president. It perfectly illustrated the dynamic driving deep political division today: the executive concentrating power while a sizable segment of the people resist.
Jeremy Pressman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Protesters parade through the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans as part of the nationwide No Kings protest against President Donald Trump, on June 14, 2025. Patt Little/Anadolu via Getty Images
In the last few months, large numbers of anti-Trump protesters have come out in the streets across the U.S., on occasions like the April 5 Hands Off protests against safety net budget cuts and government downsizing. Many of those protesters assert they are protecting American democracy.
The Trump administration has decried these protesters and the concept of protest more generally, with the president recently calling protesters “troublemakers, agitators, insurrectionists.” A few days before the June 14 military parade in Washington, President Donald Trump said of potential protesters: “this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.”
As co-director of the Crowd Counting Consortium, which compiles information on each day’s protests in the U.S., I understand that protests sometimes can advance the goals of the protest movement. They also can shape the goals and behavior of federal or state governments and their leaders.
Opportunity for expressing or suppressing democracy
Protests are an expression of democracy, bolstered by the right to free speech and “the right of the people peaceably to assemble” in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
At the same time, clamping down on protests is one way to rebut challenges to government policies and power.
Widespread, well-attended demonstrations can represent a mass movement in favor of democracy or other issues as well as serve as an opportunity to expand participation even further. Large events often lead to significant press coverage and plenty of social media posting. The protests may heighten protesters’ emotional connection to the movement and increase fundraising and membership numbers of sponsoring organizations.
Though it is not an ironclad law, research shows that when at least 3.5% of the total population is involved in a demonstration, protesters usually prevail over their governments. That included the Chilean movement in the 1980s that toppled longtime dictator Augusto Pinochet. Chileans used not only massive demonstrations but also a wide array of creative tactics like a coordinated slowdown of driving and walking, neighbors banging pots outside homes simultaneously, and singing together.
Protests are rarely only about protesting. Organizers usually seek to involve participants in many other activities, whether that is contacting their elected officials, writing letters to the editor, registering to vote or running a food drive to help vulnerable populations.
In this way of thinking, participation in a major street protest like No Kings is a gateway into deeper activism.
Risks and opportunities
Of course, protest leaders cannot control everyone in or adjacent to the movement.
Other protesters with a different agenda, or agitators of any sort, can insert themselves into a movement and use confrontational tactics like violence against property or law enforcement.
In one prominent example from Los Angeles, someone set several self-driving cars on fire. Other Los Angeles examples included some protesters’ throwing things like water bottles at officers or engaging in vandalism. Police officers also use coercive measures such as firing chemical irritants and pepper balls at protesters.
When leaders want to concentrate executive power and establish an autocracy, where they rule with absolute power, protests against those moves could lead to a mass rejection of the leader’s plans. That is what national protest groups like 50501 and Indivisible are hoping for and why they aimed to turn out millions of people at the No Kings protests on June 14.
But while the Trump administration faces risks from protests, it also may see opportunities.
Misrepresenting and quashing dissent
Protests can serve as a justification for a nascent autocrat to further undermine democratic practices and institutions.
Take the recent demonstrations in Los Angeles protesting the Trump administration’s immigration raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
Autocrats seek to politicize independent institutions like the armed forces. The Los Angeles protests offered the opportunity for that. Trump sent troops from the California National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to contain the protests. That domestic deployment of the military is rare but not unheard of in U.S. history.
And the deployment was ordered against the backdrop of the president’s partisan June 10 speech at a U.S. military base in North Carolina. The military personnel in attendance cheered and applauded many of Trump’s political statements. Both the speech and audience reactions to it appeared to violate the U.S. military norm of nonpartisanship.
This deployment of military personnel in a U.S. city also dovetails with the expansion of executive power characteristic of autocratic leaders. It is rare that presidents call up the National Guard; the Guard is traditionally under the control of the state governor.
The contrast on June 14 was striking. In Washington, D.C., Trump reviewed a parade of troops, tanks and planes, leaning into a display of American military power.
At the same time, from rainy Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to sweltering Yuma, Arizona, millions of protesters embraced their First Amendment rights to oppose the president. It perfectly illustrated the dynamic driving deep political division today: the executive concentrating power while a sizable segment of the people resist.
Jeremy Pressman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Martyrs and Victims Honoring Fund, Major General El-Sayed El-Ghaly, and the Fund’s Executive Director, Major General Ahmed Al-Ashaal. The fund honors the martyrs, as well as victims, missing and the injured of military and security operations and terror attacks and their families.
Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the President was briefed on the progress of the Fund’s activities and the services extended to beneficiaries, including the families of martyrs, victims, and those injured in military, terrorist, and security operations, in coordination with relevant state entities.
President El-Sisi was also updated on the Fund’s upcoming initiatives. The President emphasized the need to further improve the services offered by the Fund, develop its resources, and foster its management mechanisms to strengthen its ability to respond to the needs of its beneficiaries.
The President approved the launch of the “Egypt is with You” initiative for underage children of martyrs and victims from the Armed Forces, Police, and civilians. This initiative focuses on investing the allocated funds to ensure the highest investment return for these minor children when they reach legal age, in coordination with the Central Bank, the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, and Misr Insurance Company.
President El-Sisi also approved the inclusion of martyrs and injured officers and other ranks from the Armed Forces in special operations, as well as civilian martyrs in the war effort during previous wars, under the umbrella of the Fund. The President stressed that Egypt will never forget the sacrifices of its loyal sons, and that fitting tributes are being offered to the martyrs and injured who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
Furthermore, the President directed the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to take the necessary measures to determine exemption and discount rates for various scholarships from public, private, and national universities, as well as private higher institutes, for the Fund’s beneficiaries, along with the method and mechanisms for implementation.
The President affirmed that the Egyptian people hold deep respect and appreciation for all their sons, the martyrs and those injured in military, terrorist, and security operations, who paid a heavy price for the Egyptian people to live in security and prosperity.
– on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
This morning, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s The Weekend to discuss the violent attacks against Minnesota lawmakers and the need for leaders that bring America together rather than tear us apart.
EUGENE DANIELS: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joins us now. Leader Jeffries, thank you so much for coming on. The thing that I kind of can’t get around is how we unring this bell. It feels to me, and I think to a lot of Americans, that the normalization of violence in our politics, the normalization of assassination attempts in our politics, something we haven’t seen since maybe the Civil Rights Era of the 60s, when those were happening. How do we, how can we actually unring that bell realistically?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it’s going to be imperative that everyone, across the political spectrum, demonstrate the type of leadership that actually is designed to bring people together, to lift people up and to appeal to the greater values of the American people, the things that should bind us together, patriotic Americans. We can have spirited debates, but we should never allow those spirited debates to inspire others to engage in behavior that’s unlawful. That’s going to fall on the President. It’s going to fall on the House, the Senate, governors, mayors, people all across the country because the trajectory that we are on right now, the violent culture that exists, is not sustainable.
JONATHAN CAPEHART: And Leader Jeffries, then, is the President doing enough to lower the temperature? Are Republican leaders in the House and the Senate doing enough to lower the temperature or are they exacerbating the tensions in the country by some of the things they say and some of the things they do?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, that certainly remains to be seen in terms of how the President, how my colleagues in Congress handle this moment moving forward. This should be another wake up call amongst many that have happened over the last several years, including, of course, the violent attack on the Capitol that took place on January 6. But at this particular moment in time, the President is going to have to step forward, as is the case with any President when tragedy strikes the United States of America. Now, of course, it’s complicated at this moment by the fact that there’s an ongoing manhunt. All of us should support our law enforcement officials who are engaged in a dangerous endeavor to try to apprehend this suspect, who is clearly violent and likely very disturbed. And we’re thankful for the effort that is being done—city, state and federal officials—to try to apprehend this suspect who engaged in a political assassination of Speaker Hortman. And that’s shocking. That should shock the conscience of everyone. But we also have to come together, and we’re going to need some executive branch leadership partnering with us in the Congress and the Judiciary to keep people safe. It’s not sustainable that Members of Congress, perhaps members of the Judiciary, are being threatened and targeted simply for doing their jobs.
ELISE JORDAN: Leader Jeffries, are you going to be pushing for any additional security for your members? One of your members, Congresswoman Morrison, was on the list as a target. What has to be done in terms of concrete steps to make sure that Members of the House and also the Senate here in Washington are safe?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, this is going to require additional resources, in all likelihood, so that Members of Congress, Democrats, Republicans, people in the House, people in the Senate, you know, have the ability to actually vigilantly and vigorously represent their constituents, articulate views that are designed to advance the best interests of their constituents and not be targeted in the process. And so I expect to have a conversation with the four corners of leadership across the Congress sooner rather than later, because we’re going to need to speak in one voice on this issue. And of course, early next week, we’ll convene directly with the Sergeant at Arms and the head of the Capitol Police Department to have a conversation with House Democrats about the steps that can be immediately taken to put people in a position where they can be safe and do their jobs actively and aggressively at the same time.
EUGENE DANIELS: Leader Jeffries, also yesterday we saw these kind of, you know, split screen moment of what was happening in this country with people taking to the streets and protesting and these ‘No Kings’ protests just while President Trump was having his military parade here. There’s a lot of energy, right? We were seeing folks in big cities, small towns and townships. I was driving to a friend’s baby shower yesterday, and I saw one woman just standing out there with a sign by herself on her street corner. How do you, as a leader, how do Democratic leaders take what seems to be an energy that folks are feeling, both Democrats, Republicans and even some Independents, and channel that into something moving forward? What does that look like?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, yes. Well, you know, it was very inspirational to see that across 50 states, you had peaceful demonstrators coming out in community, after community, after community to make a few things clear—primarily that we need to defend our democracy, uplift and cherish the Constitution and create a better America moving forward that’s less divided and more unified. There’s this principle that is an important part of who we are as a country, that we don’t have kings, we don’t have monarchs, we don’t have dictators. We’re a democracy, and in that democracy, you have three separate and co-equal branches of government. And what we need at this moment is to make sure that the legislative branch actually functions in the way that was intended: a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch. And the way to do that in this current moment is that we just need a handful of Republicans to actually come to the conclusion that they don’t work for Donald Trump, they don’t work for Elon Musk, they don’t work for JD Vance, they work for the American people.Just a handful—four in the House, four in the Senate to do the right thing, to push back against the reckless Republican efforts to jam this GOP Tax Scam down the throats of the American people, the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, on top of the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history, literally ripping food out of the mouths of children, seniors and veterans. And all of it is being done to give massive tax breaks to GOP billionaire donors. That’s unacceptable. It’s an attack on the American way of life, an attack on the rule of law, an attack on democracy itself. And we need people in the Congress to step up and we need to also support the efforts of the Judiciary branch, which by and large, have been tremendous in upholding the rule of law and pushing back against this administration.
JONATHAN CAPEHART: Leader Jeffries, as you noted a couple times in that response, you just need a handful of Republicans to step forward and do the right thing. Why won’t they step forward? Is it because they are in fear of going against this President, and what that would mean in terms of their constituents and also some of the folks who maybe might go a little too far? Or is the problem also that you actually have true believers within the Republican Party now, more true believers than the handful you need to step forward to do the right thing for the American people?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s a great question, Jonathan, and I think you have 220 Republicans in the House of Representatives. The overwhelming majority of them are true believers in terms of the far-right extremism the Trump administration is trying to jam down the throats of the American people. There are a handful who are not, but we need them to show, with respect to defending our democracy and the rule of law, what I would call Liz Cheney-like courage. And when it comes to policy issues and the extreme efforts to, you know, end Medicaid as we know it, or wipe away the healthcare of tens of millions of Americans or snatch food out of the mouths of children, we need them to show John McCain-like courage when John McCain, of course, several years ago, was the decisive vote in defeating the Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act. We’re going to continue to work on them every day, every week, every month until a handful of them finally decide to cross over. It’s why we’ve been having town hall meetings in our districts and in Republican districts and rallies and speeches and press conferences and hearings and being very aggressive as Democrats in trying to make sure that you have some Republicans partner with us to do the right thing on behalf of our great country.
JONATHAN CAPEHART: And that John McCain moment was iconic as he walked to the Senate Floor and did a thumbs down on the effort to overturn the Affordable Care Act. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you very much for coming to The Weekend.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has confirmed that South Africa has substantially completed all 22 recommended action items outlined in the Action Plan adopted when the country was placed on the organisation’s grey list in February 2023.
South Africa was placed on the FATF grey list due to deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) regime.
During its plenary session held in Strasbourg, France, the FATF made the initial determination that South Africa has substantially completed its action plan and warrants an on-site assessment. The on-site assessment will be to verify that the implementation of AML/CFT reforms has begun and is being sustained, and that the necessary political commitment remains in place to sustain implementation in the future.
According to the National Treasury, the completion of the Action Plan paves the way for the final step before the FATF can delist South Africa, which is an on-site visit to South Africa by the FATF Africa Joint Group (JG).
A statement by FATF on (Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring – 13 June 2025) noted that South Africa has undertaken a range of key reforms, including demonstrating a sustained increase in investigations and prosecutions of serious and complex money laundering and the full range of [terror financing] TF activities in line with its risk profile; and updating its TF Risk Assessment to inform the implementation of a comprehensive national counter financing of terrorism strategy.
The National Treasury emphasised that the improvements to South Africa’s AML/CFT regime are particularly important for South Africa, given the legacy of state capture, one element of which was that law enforcement and prosecuting institutions were deliberately weakened.
“Improvements in these domains are critical not just for getting off the greylist, but for strengthening the fight against crime and corruption, and for contributing to the integrity of the South African financial system. Exiting the FATF greylist is a significant step forward as South Africa continues to improve and strengthen its supervisory and criminal justice systems,” National Treasury said on Friday.
The on-site visit will take place before the next FATF Plenary, and, if the outcome of the visit is positive, the FATF will delist South Africa from the greylist at its next Plenary in October 2025. Preparations for the on-site visit have commenced.
During this visit, the JG will confirm the country’s ongoing commitment in the implementation of the country’s fight against money laundering, terror financing and other financial crimes.
“National Treasury commends the efforts and commitment of the law enforcement entities, especially the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) of the South African Police Service, the State Security Agency, and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), for the sustained increase in investigations and prosecutions of serious and complex money laundering and terror financing activities.
“This made it possible for South Africa to secure the upgrades of the last two remaining action items, often considered to be the most difficult, in the current reporting cycle,” National Treasury said.
South Africa also commended Mali and Tanzania, who were delisted from greylisting by the FATF Plenary.
“We also congratulate Nigeria, Mozambique and Burkina Faso, who like South Africa, were deemed to have substantially completed their action plans, and for whom on-site assessments were also approved.
“National Treasury pays tribute to the late Advocate Rodney de Kock of the NPA, who played a leading role in preparing the groundwork for South Africa to address the action items, but sadly passed away in January 2025.”
The South African Reserve Bank (SARC) has welcomed the confirmation by the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) that South Africa has completed all 22 of its action items.
“This is a significant step forward – but not the time for complacency,” the SARB said on Saturday.-SAnews.gov.za
Deputy President Shiphokosa Paulus Mashatile will, on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa, deliver the keynote address at the 2025 Youth Day commemoration and career exhibition event, to be held in the North West Province.
Hundreds of young people are expected to gather on Monday, 16 June 2025, at the North West University (NWU) Rag Farm Stadium, Potchefstroom in the JB Marks Local Municipality.
“As we commemorate this year’s Youth Day, we do so fully aware of the challenges which continue to confront today’s youth, one of them being youth unemployment. Hence this youth month, Government is putting a strong emphasis on the importance of strong collaboration by all implementing partners on education, skills and economic development in order to link youth with education and economic opportunities to address youth unemployment in our country,” the Deputy President said on Sunday.
This year’s National Youth Day Commemorative events are taking place are held under the theme, “Skills for the Changing World – Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation.”
This is a call to all government entities and its strategic partners to accelerate and enhance meaningful interventions in bridging the gap between skills development programmes and services available for access by youth to realise economic gain.
In South Africa, June 16 has been declared a National Youth Day due to the active role and participation of young people in the liberation struggle, noting specifically the student uprising of 16 June 1976.
The 1976 uprising raised the political awareness and introduced a renewed sense to protest against the oppressive apartheid regime. The peaceful 1976 youth demonstrations were met with brutal force from the apartheid regime, resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives, including that of Hector Pieterson, who became the face of the brutality worldwide.
To date, not only does South Africa continue to pay homage to the youth of 1976, but the country also recognises and applauds the greatness of today’s youth as they make up 34% of South Africa’s total population.
During the Youth Day Commemorative event, Deputy President Mashatile will be accompanied by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, Premier of the North West Province, Lazarus Mokgosi, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Development Agency, Mafiki Duma, Mayors, senior government officials and Young Trailblazers. –SAnews.gov.za
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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While the residents of Uror Country continue to be plagued by cattle raids, revenge killings, and the mobilization of armed youth, the region has become a major destination for displaced families seeking to return and rebuild their lives.
This makes efforts to strengthen protection of civilians more important than ever and is why peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan provided intensive training for 30 local leaders, members of organized forces, civil society groups and the displaced communities themselves.
“The training enhanced understanding among key stakeholders, including traditional chiefs, the armed forces, police, youth and women about their roles and how to prevent conflict early, particularly through dialogue, to avoid the situation deteriorating into a much bigger problem,” explained Uror County Commissioner, James Gatkhor Gatluak.
Civil society representative, Nyaluol Chol, stressed the need for civilians to be protected from ambushes while travelling along roads as well as in particular villages where armed attacks have been prevalent.
“Women are the backbone of our families and have an important role in engaging positively and effectively to protect them as well as provide a more secure environment for our whole community. That is what we are committed to.”
The focus of the training was on understanding the drivers of conflict, how to monitor and report threats, strengthening early warning systems to prevent the outbreak of violence, and creating a safe environment for host communities as well as returnees. It also addressed the need for improved coordination between security forces and community leaders.
“We shared new ideas about the protection mechanisms that are being used to protect civilians,” said UNMISS Protection, Transition and Reintegration officer, Peter Wiseh. “While it is the primary role of the Government of South Sudan to provide security for its people, we are here to reinforce and enhance those efforts through direct action as well as capacity building.”
– on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana from June 16 to 18.
Since the first China-Central Asia Summit was successfully held in Xi’an in May 2023, relations between China and Central Asian countries have entered a new era, with their deepened cooperation injecting new impetus into regional development and bringing tangible benefits to the people of the countries.
The 30-year-old who was fatally shot in an incident in Claxton Grove, Hammersmith, on Wednesday, 11 June, has been named as Northolt resident Jordan Oliver Rodney.
In a statement, Mr Rodney’s family said: “It is with unimaginable heartbreak that we confirm the tragic loss of our beloved Jordan Olivier Rodney, who was taken from us far too soon.
“Jordan was a man who touched the lives of everyone who knew him. He was warm, funny, and loving. Always quick with a smile or a joke that could brighten the dark day.
“His kindness, generosity, and humour left a lasting impression on friends and family alike. Our son, brother, uncle, and friend was so much more than the circumstances of his death. He brought joy to our lives every single day, and his absence leaves a hole that can never be filled.
“We will remember Jordie for the love he shared so freely, the laughter he inspired, and the way he made us all feel seen and valued. We ask for privacy as we grieve this devastating loss and whilst we work to come to terms with what has happened.
“We are eternally grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this incredibly difficult time.”
A post-mortem examination has taken place.
A second victim, also in his 30s, has been discharged from hospital.
Jahmel Joseph, 28 (05.12.1996), of Eaton Rise, Ealing, has been charged with murder, attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of a prohibited weapon and dangerous driving.
Joseph appeared in custody at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, 14 July. He has been remanded to appear before the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 18 July.
Salmonids are a large family of ray-finned fish. In North America, it includes Pacific salmon on the west coast, Atlantic salmon on the east, and trout and char species such as brook trout and the introduced brown trout.
Salmonid fish are extremely important. Ecologically, they provide food and nutrients for other animals and are indicators of ecosystem health. Culturally, they hold places in stories and worldviews, provide sustenance for humans and foster a deep connection to our rivers, lakes and oceans.
Economically, they sustain communities around the world, as people travel to see these captivating creatures. Beyond all this, they have intrinsic value within river ecosystems.
Although the salmonid family is undoubtedly one of the most studied groups of fish, we still don’t know much about the relative abundance of these fishes globally.
We did a systematic review of published literature for reports of salmonid biomass (the total weight of fish in a particular area) in rivers around the world. The result was the largest dataset of salmonid biomass as we know it: more than 1,000 rivers across 27 countries, with fish sampling spanning 84 years (1937-2021).
Habitat degradation
This unique dataset enabled us to test several hypotheses, including temporal trends in salmonid populations. We found that average biomass declined 38 per cent from pre-1980 levels compared to post-2000 levels. Real declines are likely to be even higher, due to a publication bias towards reporting on rivers with higher biomass.
Reasons for the decline will be unique to each population and often due to a combination of factors that include habitat loss and degradation, river regulation, over-exploitation, aquaculture and climate change.
Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened and degraded environments in the world. The way we use the land surrounding waterways can have devastating impacts on aquatic life.
Excessive nutrient loads from agriculture can lead to harmful algal blooms, which can choke waterways and lead to oxygen depletion, killing fish.
Contaminants from pesticides, mining waste, oil and gas production, and urban areas can lead to decreased abundance and growth, declines in genetic diversity and effects on reproductive potential.
Forest clearing destroys stream habitat by removing shade and shelter-providing plants along stream banks. Without this vegetation, excessive sediment can be washed into the stream, filling gaps between rocks and stones and further degrading important fish habitats and increasing water temperatures.
Human activity disrupting migrations
Many salmonid species are anadromous, meaning they migrate from freshwater to the sea and return to freshwater to complete their life cycle. Adult salmon will swim into the headwaters of streams to spawn, so access to these habitats is essential.
Dams and other structures sever the pathway for many migratory fish and are perhaps the most significant disturbance in river ecosystems. Sixty-three per cent of large rivers (over 1,000 kilometres) are no longer connected across their whole length.
While many salmonids may be able to scale small waterfalls, a dam or structure with smooth surfaces and no water are virtually impossible to pass. Fish passes (human-made pathways alongside barriers that fish can move through) can provide access upstream of dams. However, not all fish passes work as intended, and older dams will likely lack these facilities.
Unfortunately, it was not possible to include temperature in our global dataset, as it is not systematically reported in studies.
A salmon run on the Humber River in October 2023. (Shutterstock)
Biomass not evenly distributed
In our study, we found that salmonid biomass is not evenly distributed. Most streams have a relatively low biomass (average of 5.2 g/m2). However, a few outstanding streams exhibit much higher biomass than average (over 36.5 g/m2).
It remains difficult to determine which variables contribute the most to this high productivity. High biomass may be related to local factors (temperature, flow, rock sizes in the river, presence of wood), which are not represented in our global dataset.
Investigating what makes these streams so productive is a key question for scientists. Our dataset can help fuel researchers curiosity and promote habitat restoration and enhancement for all freshwater life.
The dataset, which currently includes biomass data for 11 salmonid species and contains multiple variables that could affect biomass (stream width, season, sampling methods, area sampled and elevation), is publicly available. Scientists around the world can update the dataset in the coming years with additional data, such as temperature, which will help us understand the impact of climate change.
Rivers are naturally dynamic, shifting their course as they move across floodplains. Improving river mobility, by allowing a river to restore itself and providing it space to move, will lead to more long-term sustainable restoration. This will be beneficial for not only salmonids but other aquatic animals.
Kyleisha Foote received funding from Fonds de recherche du Québec Nature et technologies (FRQNT) – Bourses de doctorat en recherche (https://doi.org/10.69777/) and Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie (GRIL).
James W.A. Grant receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Pascale Biron receives funding from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council and Natural Resources Canada.
Considering that fiction by women now regularly makes the shortlists of major prizes, it seems timely to ask: do we still need a prize dedicated to women?
We explored this question by creating a new dataset containing information on 15 British literary prizes, with demographic information for 682 shortlisted and winning authors. Our analysis of the dataset shows how there is still a ways to go before women’s writing is valued — awarded, remunerated and read — equally to men’s.
Who wins what prizes?
We are four research collaborators affiliated with the University of Alberta’s Orlando Project, a project that harnesses the power of digital tools and methods to provide new knowledge about feminist literary scholarship. The Orlando Project has published a searchable digital archive with original coding that focuses of women’s relationship to literary production.
We compiled a new dataset to explore how gender, ethnicity and educational achievement impacts who wins what prizes.
When the Women’s Prize first came on the scene in 1996, the average percentage of women winning other U.K. literary prizes actually dropped. The average only began to rise around 2003 when it steadily increased until 2012.
Women won just eight per cent of the prizes in our dataset in 2003, whereas they won 53 per cent in 2012. But that increase plateaued in 2012, and for the next decade it held steady at a running average of 45 per cent. As well, we note no steady linear progression upwards or downwards on average, but there were highs and lows (21 per cent in 2016 followed by 64 per cent in 2017).
Booker winners
Some fluctuation in the winners’ genders is, of course, to be expected. But as is apparent by looking at the percentage of women winners year to year, we should not assume things will always get better.
Other insights from our dataset suggest caution is required in assuming women’s fiction is now equally valued by the literary establishment.
Thirty-nine per cent of Booker shortlisted writers were women, but women have only won 32 per cent of the time. The claim that we don’t need a prize for women since many recent shortlists have been dominated by women needs to be tempered with the fact that while women have made up 57 per cent of the Booker’s shortlist since 2016, only 33 per cent of winners have been women.
Gender and genre
While we expected some differences between genres, we were surprised by just how gendered certain genres are. Seventy-one per cent of the winners of the (now defunct) Costa Children’s Book Award were women, whereas women only constituted 21 per cent for the British Science Fiction Award and 31 per cent for the Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger Award.
Our dataset includes demographic information on race and ethnicity. It shows that amplifying women’s voices is not simultaneously connected with amplifying all women’s voices.
The Women’s Prize may have succeeded in pushing the Booker to include more women’s fiction (from zero shortlisted when the Women’s Prize was announced in 1990, to 26 per cent when it made its first award in 1996, to 58 per cent in 2022). But the Booker marginally out-performed the Women’s Prize in relation to racialized writers over the period of our dataset (26 per cent for the former, 22 per cent for the latter).
A recent book on white literary taste concentrates on the Women’s Prize to show how prizes in general are part of a literary eco-system that is racially biased.
The Orlando Project’s research on 800 years of women’s writing in Britain reveals a pattern around gender and genre when in comes to remuneration and literary prestige. Genres where women writers dominate, like children’s literature and romance, tend to be the least lucrative.
Novels in the time of Jane Austen illustrate the point. Before Walter Scott and other male writers developed a highbrow “serious” Victorian novel over what they saw as trashy romances, women writers temporarily dominated fiction like they do today. As one of us has argued, when women writers published more novels than men did in the 1790s, novels were the literary genre that paid the least.
There remains a gender pay equity gap in writing: British women earned 58.6 per cent of what men did in 2022, mostly because the genres they chose to write in do not garner the highest earnings.
Rewarding women authors
One way to answer our question of whether we still need a Women’s Prize is this: we will no longer need it when women begin to dominate prizes for prestige genres such as non-fiction; when men read as much writing by women as that by men; and when we pay authors as much as football players.
We encourage readers to take all the Women’s Prize-winning and nominated books to the beach this summer.
Binhammer, Katherine receives funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Kanika Batra receives funding from Fulbright Canada.
Maryse Jayasuriya and Theo Gray 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.
But do these changes reflect what victims actually want and need?
We argue that victims are positioned as both “sword and shield” in bail reform debates — as a sword, to advocate for more restrictive laws, and as a shield, to defend those laws from criticism.
These concerns culminated in the passage of the federal government’s Bill C-48, which introduced additional reverse-onus provisions — shifting the burden onto the accused to demonstrate why they should be released as opposed to the Crown — in cases involving weapons and repeat intimate partner violence.
Largely absent from these discussions is the possibility that more restrictive measures may actually have negative consequences for victims.
In cases of intimate partner violence, for instance, dual charging policies — when both parties involved in a domestic incident are charged with an offence, even when one person may be primarily the victim and the other primarily the aggressor — risks criminalizing and incarcerating women pre-trial. These victims are also disproportionately Indigenous, Black and racialized. This risks deepening systemic inequalities rather than providing meaningful protection for survivors.
Furthermore, victims may hesitate to call the police, knowing that doing so may result in indeterminate detention before trial. Expanding reverse-onus provisions could also lead to false guilty pleas to avoid pre-trial detention.
Politicizing crime victims
While media coverage on victims’ experiences at bail hearings is emotionally compelling and expedient, it does not necessarily reflect what victims want with any accuracy.
Certainly, some victims view the bail system as a slap in the face. Others call for a stronger social safety net to address the root causes of crime.
Our preliminary research exploring how victims are presented in news media amid bail proceedings supports other evidence that victims’ voices are often used strategically by politicians and lobbyists to amplify concerns about public safety.
News media can be an effective tool to provide education about the causes and consequences of victimization. When it comes to bail, however, victims are often characterized as “ideal types” — people who were subjected to severe violence at the hands of a stranger while engaging in “respectable” activities at the time of the offence.
In reality, victims represent a diverse group, with a wide range of needs, identities and experiences that are not always captured in media coverage or political debates.
What do victims really need at bail hearings?
Prior research focuses on the rights of the accused concerning bail reform, yet pre-trial decisions are a pivotal moment for crime victims. They can determine whether those accused of crimes are detained or released with conditions.
The Canadian Victims Bill of Rights stipulates victims have the right to be informed of case matters, to express their views and to have their perspectives considered at all stages of the legal process, including at bail. During bail proceedings, justices must record that they have considered victim safety and security when imposing conditions, and victims may receive a copy of a bail order upon request.
In practice, however, victims are rarely consulted on how the release of an accused may affect their safety, and are often left unaware of bail outcomes. That’s because there’s no legal requirement for police or Crown attorneys to inform them.
While programs are available to support victims during the pre-trial phase — such as those offered by Victims Services and Victim/Witness Assistance — access can vary widely across jurisdictions.
4 ways to support victims’ needs at bail
We offer four strategies to create more responsive and equitable bail processes to better support victims:
Better understand victims’ needs: Victims have diverse perspectives and differing priorities regarding how to protect their safety, and their voices deserve to be meaningfully included in decision-making processes.
Uphold victims’ rights: Protecting the rights of the accused at bail is not incompatible with upholding victims’ rights. Access to information and communication concerning bail decisions should be better prioritized to position victims to undertake informed safety planning.
Invest in victim resources: Dedicated and sustained funding for community-based supports will directly enhance the safety and well-being of victims, including access to social services, advocacy and legal resources, as well as counselling.
Address the causes of crime: Long-term victim and community safety depends on addressing underlying causes of crime like poverty, mental health, addiction, trauma and systemic discrimination.
Systemic reform needed
Throughout the criminal legal system, victims’ voices are frequently ignored, disbelieved or dismissed. Too often, victims are excluded from the very policy decisions made in their name.
While high-profile bail cases tend to dominate media coverage, policy on criminal and legal matters must be guided by evidence, not headlines.
Without broader systemic reform, legislation will remain an important but insufficient tool for upholding victims’ rights and community safety.
Carolyn Yule receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
Kaitlin Humer, Laura MacDiarmid, and Sophia Lindstrom 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.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Anessa L. Kimball, Professor of Political Science; Director, Centre for International Security, ESEI, Université Laval
A survey of Canadian international relations professors has found they disagree on how to respond to potential Chinese aggression against Taiwan and which global regions will matter most to Canada in the future.
For the past 20 years, the Teaching, Research and International Policy (TRIP) survey has asked university professors about how they teach international relations and what they think about global affairs. Originally based in the United States, the survey expanded to Canada in 2006 and is now conducted regularly in many countries.
Participants were asked to agree or disagree with statements about global politics. Seventy-five experts agreed that states are the main players in global politics, but there was less agreement on the importance of domestic politics.
Most felt that international institutions help bring order to the chaotic global system. However, whether globalization has made people better off — even if there are some losers — divided experts, with 21 believing no one is better off due to globalization while two-thirds believed the opposite.
Major themes
When it came to more critical or less mainstream ideas — such as whether major international relations theories are rooted in racist assumptions — opinions were split.
More than 50 agreed, but more than a third disagreed, and many gave neutral responses. Disagreement over the role of racism in shaping world politics highlights the difficulty of decolonizing international relations and incorporating post-colonial perspectives — particularly when trying to understand complex “failed cases” like United Nations peacekeeping efforts in Haiti.
Professors were also asked where they get their international news. Most rely on major newspapers, international media and internet sources.
When asked which world region is strategically most important for Canada today, nearly half — or 43 of 97 experts opting to respond to the question — chose North America (excluding Mexico); in other words, the United States. Sixteen selected the Arctic and another 16 chose East Asia.
Very few picked regions like the Middle East, Europe or Russia. Looking ahead 20 years, 10 experts shifted their answer from North America to the Arctic.
Views on China and Taiwan, and Justin Trudeau
Experts were asked what Canada should do if China attacks Taiwan. Most supported non-military responses: 72 supported sanctions and 69 supported taking in refugees.
About half supported sending weapons or banning Chinese goods. Fewer supported cyberattacks (18), sending troops (15) or a no-fly zone (14).
Surprisingly, six said Canada should launch military action against China.
Justin Trudeau was prime minister when the survey was conducted. When asked about his performance, 50 per cent rated him poorly or very poorly, 30 per cent were neutral and only a small minority rated him positively.
Key takeaways
Canadian international relations professors don’t always agree, but a few trends stand out.
Despite recent government focus on the Arctic in terms of its Our North, Strong and Free policy, many professors still view the U.S. as Canada’s most important strategic region. East Asia drew some attention, but few see it growing in importance.
With a new government under Prime Minister Mark Carney, there may be opportunities to improve on areas where Trudeau was seen as weak by respondents to the survey.
For example, despite having developed a strategy for the Indo-Pacific region, vital Canadian trade and maritime security interests were minimized by the previous Liberal government. Carney could therefore contemplate expanding Canada’s maritime assets, improving its artificial intelligence and cybersecurity capacity and investing in digital infrastructure and quantum computing.
However, Canada will still lag behind. NATO is calling on allies to invest five per cent of GDP in defence, comprising 3.5 per cent on core defence spending as well as 1.5 per cent of GDP per year on defence and security-related investment, including in infrastructure and resilience.
Canada’s 2024 GDP was $2.515 trillion, which means a five per cent defence investment of nearly $125 billion annually would have accounted for more than a quarter of a federal budget (which was under $450 billion in 2024-2025).
Ukraine seems on an irreversible path towards NATO membership. Though 69 per cent of respondents supported NATO membership for Ukraine, only 44 per cent felt it was likely. Though the U.S. tariff crisis attracts attention, some experts are increasingly looking to the Arctic to understand Canada’s strategic interests — a trend sure to be reflected in future surveys of Canadian international relations experts.
Anessa L. Kimball 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 – Canada – By Oliver Schmidtke, Professor, Director of the Centre for Global Studies, University of Victoria
In response to a report on the virulence of antisemitism in Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently cast the blame on attitudes held by immigrants.
Merz stated in a Fox News interview that Germany has “imported antisemitism with the big numbers of migrants we have within the last 10 years.”
Merz is pointing to a real and pressing issue. Yet his emphasis on so-called “imported antisemitism” serves as a convenient diversion from Germany’s persistent failure to confront home-grown antisemitism.
His remarks also risk emboldening those who weaponize antisemitism as a rhetorical tool to fuel anti-immigrant sentiments.
Antisemitism in Germany
Antisemitic incidents in Germany have been on the rise since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas and the subsequent war in Gaza.
According to a survey by the Research and Information Centre on Antisemitism (RIAS), antisemitic occurrences rose by more than 80 per cent in 2023. That year, 4,782 occurrences were documented, the highest number since the organization began tracking such cases in 2017.
However, RIAS’s most recent report found that the primary motive behind antisemitic crimes remained right-wing extremist ideology (48 per cent). It also noted that, since 2023, there has been a marked increase in incidents attributed to “foreign ideology.” These are understood as originating outside Germany and often linked to Islamist or anti-Israel sentiments, which accounted for 31 per cent of cases in 2024.
It should be noted that RIAS’s approach to classifying antisemitism has been subject to controversy, especially with regard to its treatment of criticism of or protest against the Israeli government’s actions.
The ‘imported antisemitism’ narrative
A recent survey of antisemitic attitudes among immigrants in Germany found that such attitudes are more prevalent among Muslim respondents compared to their Christian or religiously unaffiliated counterparts. The study revealed particularly high levels of antisemitism among individuals from the Middle East and North Africa.
Approximately 35 per cent of Muslim respondents — especially those with strong religious convictions and lower levels of formal education — “strongly agreed with classical antisemitic statements.” These statements reflect classical antisemitic tropes, such as attributing too much influence over politics or finance to Jews, accusing Jews of driving the world into disaster or relativizing the Holocaust.
At the same time, there is evidence that immigrants successfully integrating into German society is associated with lower levels of antisemitism.
Yet blaming a rise in antisemitism on “imported” attitudes or “foreign ideologies” signals a crude simplification. Antisemitism has remained prevalent in German society even after the Second World War, and political movements or leaders can easily mobilize it.
Although Holocaust education is mandatory in German schools, knowledge about the Shoah and the legacy of antisemitism remains limited among younger generations. A recent study by the Jewish Claims Conference found that among Germans aged 18 to 29, around 40 per cent were not aware that approximately six million Jews were killed by the Nazis and their collaborators.
According to a 2023 MEMO survey, more than 50 per cent of 14- to 16-year-old students in Germany did not know what Auschwitz was.
Blaming immigrants for challenges in Germany’s memory culture oversimplifies a deeper issue: the growing difficulty of making the country’s dominant remembrance — centred on the horrors of the Nazi dictatorship and the Holocaust — politically meaningful and emotionally resonant for younger generations.
For many young Germans, the memory of the Holocaust feels increasingly remote, lacking the emotional immediacy that vanishing eyewitnesses once provided.
This problem is further exacerbated by the absence of innovative, impactful teaching capable of conveying the continued relevance of Holocaust memory and its political message.
In a 2023 article, American journalist Masha Gessen highlighted how Holocaust remembrance in Germany was becoming an elite-driven ritual, one that risks preventing a meaningful connection between its moral imperatives and today’s political realities.
The AfD has made it a central objective to challenge the primacy of Holocaust memory, calling for a U-turn in Germany’s remembrance culture.
Leading party members have labelled Holocaust memorials “monuments of shame,” reflecting the party’s broader effort to promote nationalist reinterpretations of history.
Furthermore, the AfD’s staunchly anti-immigrant stance exposes a fundamental flaw in the imported antisemitism narrative. Across Europe, populist right-wing movements have increasingly mobilized anti-Muslim rhetoric under the banner of defending so-called “Judeo-Christian values,” even as they simultaneously draw on classic antisemitic tropes targeting “globalist elites” and conspiratorial power structures.
This use of Jewish identity as a rhetorical weapon against Islam, while perpetuating antisemitism in other forms, reveals the deep contradictions and opportunism underlying imported antisemitism claims.
Blaming Muslim immigrants for the rise of antisemitism offers German political leaders a convenient excuse for their own failure to confront entrenched antisemitic beliefs within German society.
In addition, Holocaust remembrance can sometimes exclude immigrants. For example, Germany recently added questions about the Holocaust and Nazi crimes to its citizenship test, committing newcomers to its memory culture.
Research shows this kind of policy can have unintended effects. It can make immigrants feel excluded if they are seen as not fully sharing in “our” nation and “our” history. Given the universalist values it is meant to embody, the commemoration of the Holocaust can also serve to alienate immigrants from full cultural citizenship.
Framing antisemitism primarily as an imported problem risks strengthening those forces that actively seek to undermine and ignore Germany’s confrontation with its Nazi past.
Instead, what is needed is a more nuanced approach, one that bridges the divide between antiracist and anti-antisemitism efforts, and aligns more faithfully with the moral and political commitments that this collective memory is meant to uphold.
Oliver Schmidtke receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
June 15, 2025 – The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, will hold a media call-back by teleconference ahead of the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit.
Media Availability Date: June 15, 2025 Time: 6:00 p.m. ET (4:00 MT) Location: Teleconference
Notes
This event is for accredited members of the Press Gallery only. Media who are not members of the Press Gallery may contact pressres2@parl.gc.ca for temporary access.
Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, David Mahlobo, has commended the Water Research Commission’s (WRC) ongoing investment and efforts to provide innovative technological solutions to water challenges through the launch of the Vortex Settling Basin (VSB).
Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, David Mahlobo, has commended the Water Research Commission (WRC) for its continued investment in innovative technologies to address South Africa’s water challenges.
A VSB is a type of water treatment system that utilizes a vortex flow pattern to remove sediments, suspended solids, and other pollutants from water.
It operates on the principle of centrifugal force, allowing heavier particles to settle at the bottom of the basin while cleaner water is discharged from the top.
The VSB effectively removes heavy sediment particles through its vortex action, causing the sediments to settle in a cone shape. These particles can then be extracted by gravity, while the clearer water flows out over a discharge weir.
“This technology will help the municipality with an energy-efficient solution for sediment removal, ensuring a reliable water supply with minimal maintenance. The vortex is at 90% efficiency, which means there will be more water to treat, thus increasing water security in the area. The technology will also ensure good water quality because the turbidity of water will be addressed,” the Deputy Minister said.
Mahlobo made the remarks at the recent official handover and launch of the VSB demonstration at the Thukela River abstraction works in Middledrift, Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal.
The launch marked the beginning of a demonstration phase, during which the system’s effectiveness will be closely monitored for potential wider implementation.
The VSB has a pump capacity of 8.6 mega-litres per day and will benefit a wide range of stakeholders, particularly those reliant on surface water abstraction for agricultural, municipal, and industrial purposes.
The Deputy Minister assured community members that the municipality has gained a cost-effective technology, to be used also to facilitate more desilting by removing sedimentation in the dams.
He highlighted that Madungela was chosen for the demonstration for several reasons, including the large contributing catchment downstream of the existing Spioenkop Dam, resulting in high sediment concentrations; the pump station abstracts raw water directly from the Thukela River and has no gravel trap, and current sediment extrusion is by hydro-cyclones; therefore, a good comparison with VSB performance will be possible.
Mahlobo urged the community to protect the VSB as it will be beneficial to them.
WRC Chief Executive, Dr Jennifer Molwantwa, emphasised that the work done by the commission has important implications, especially for rural communities who will now have access to reliable potable water.
“This kind of work is critically important for the WRC, as it demonstrates our ability to translate theoretical scientific innovations into practical applications—not just at laboratory scale, but also in real-world settings.
“We are hopeful that this innovation will culminate in an economy where all municipalities and bulk water suppliers recognise and adopt it as a groundbreaking technology that has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency and capacity of water treatment systems across the country—particularly benefiting rural communities, where access to reliable and sustainable water services is often limited,” Molwantwa said. –SAnews.gov.za
Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain – 15 June 2025 – The Central Bank of Bahrain’s (CBB) Board of Directors held its third meeting for the year 2025, chaired by Mr. Hassan Khalifa Al Jalahma on Sunday, 15 June 2025.
The Board reviewed the topics on the agenda and was presented with key developments related to the CBB’s priorities by HE Khalid Humaidan. In addition, the Board reviewed the CBB’s licensing activities, policies, and other achievements thus far in 2025.
The Board also reviewed key monetary and banking indicators for the period up to April 2025 including the money supply, which increased by BD5.2 billion to reach BD 16.8 billion at the end of April 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. As for retail banks, total private deposits increased to around BD 0.5 billion at the end of April 2025, an increase of 3.5% compared to the end of April 2024. The outstanding balance of total loans and credit facilities extended to resident economic sectors increased to BD12.4 billion at the end of April 2025, an increase of 1.8% compared April 2024, with the Business Sector accounting for 43.3% and the Personal Sector at 48.9% of total loans and credit facilities. The balance sheet of the banking system (retail banks and wholesale sector banks) increased to $244.7 billion at the end of April 2025, an increase of 2.3% compared to the end April of 2024.
Point of Sales (POS) data for April 2025 totaled 21.5 million transactions (77.6% of which were contactless), an increase of 28.5% compared to the same period in 2024. The total value of POS transactions for April 2025 totaled BD 428.2 million (52.5% of which were contactless), an increase of 17.3% compared to the same period in 2024.
The banking sector capital adequacy ratio reached 20.6% in Q1 2025 compared with 22.2% in Q1 2024. The capital adequacy ratio for the various banking sectors was 29.4% for conventional retail banks, 16.6% for conventional wholesale banks, 23.8% for Islamic retail banks, and 21.1% for Islamic wholesale banks in Q1 2025.
The total number of registered Collective Investment Undertakings (CIUs) as of March 2025 stood at 1737 CIUs, compared to 1699 CIUs as of March 2024. The net asset value (NAV) of the CIUs decreased from US $11.551 billion in Q1 2024 to US $11.269 billion in Q1 2025, reflecting a decrease of 2.4%. The NAV of Bahrain domiciled CIUs decreased from US $4.586 billion in Q1 2024 to US $4.411 billion in Q1 2025, reflecting a decrease of 3.8%. The NAV of overseas domiciled CIUs decreased from US $6.965 billion in Q1 2024 to US $6.858 billion in Q1 2025, reflecting a decrease of 1.5%. Additionally, the NAV of Shari’a-compliant CIUs increased from US $1.743 billion in Q1 2024 to US $2.004 billion in Q1 2025, reflecting an increase of 15%.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call from President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides.
Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the call focused on regional developments. President El-Sisi emphasized Egypt’s categorical rejection of any expansion of the cycle of conflict in the region, underscoring the crucial importance of ending Israel’s military operations across all regional fronts. President El-Sisi warned that the continuation of the current approach will inflict grave and formidable harm on all peoples of the region, with no exception.
President El-Sisi affirmed the vital necessity for the international community to assume a more effective role in compelling regional parties to act responsibly. The President asserted that peaceful solutions remain the sole viable means to ensure security and stability in the region. President El-Sisi underlined the urgent need to resume the US-Iranian negotiations, under the auspices of the Sultanate of Oman, which represents the best solution to the current tension. President El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s unequivocal stance with regard to the imperative for establishing a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction, encompassing all states of the region.
President El-Sisi emphasized that a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue remains the sole guarantor for achieving enduring peace and stability in the Middle East. This necessitates an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the release of hostages and detainees, the establishment of an independent Palestinian State along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as well as providing security for all peoples of the region.
– on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Mr. Makhtar Diop. The meeting was also attended by Vice President and General Counsel for IFC, Mr. Ethiopis Tafara, and Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, Dr. Rania Al Mashat.
Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said President El-Sisi appreciated IFC’s cooperative relations with Egypt over the past years. The President emphasized Egypt’s keenness on further strengthening this collaboration, particularly in light of the ongoing regional developments, which create formidable challenges on development programs. Mr. Diop agreed with the President and stressed the Corporation’s commitment to its fruitful cooperation with Egypt.
The meeting explored opportunities for joint efforts to enhance investment flows into Egypt and to facilitate financing for the private sector. President El-Sisi confirmed the importance of providing competitive financing rates to reduce costs. He noted that Egypt is adopting a series of policies as well as structural and economic reforms aimed at maintaining financial and economic stability. The President affirmed that the state is committed to boosting the private sector’s role in economic activity and development and is working to bolster private sector confidence in the economy by offering numerous tax and customs facilities to reduce costs and streamline procedures. Additionally, the government is launching initiatives aimed at increasing exports, developing productive and service activities, and expanding public-private partnership projects.
The IFC’s Managing Director lauded Egypt’s economic reform measures, which enhance investor confidence and improve the investment climate. He asserted that joint programs between both parties will continue to further advance cooperation and support the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy.
– on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
“Canada’s new government has a mandate to bring about big changes quickly. That depends on the public servants who go to work every day with a drive to make our country better for Canadians. On National Public Service Week, we recognize their exemplary service.
“To all federal public servants: thank you for your dedication and professionalism. A stronger Canada depends on a strong and effective public service – the individuals who take plans and policies and transform them into tangible, impactful change.
“Together, let’s build a more prosperous and more united Canada. Together, let’s build big, build bold, and build now. Together, we will build the strongest economy in the G7.”
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
XIAMEN, June 15 (Xinhua) — Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), on Sunday stressed the importance of unwaveringly safeguarding peace across the Taiwan Strait and jointly promoting national rejuvenation.
Wang Huning made the statement at the 17th Taiwan Strait Forum in Fujian Province, east China.
Wang Huning noted that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the Chinese people’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s liberation from Japanese occupation, which is a common national memory for people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and it is necessary to uphold the fruits of this victory.
Wang Huning said both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China. The one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus must be upheld. He called for resolute opposition to separatist activities aimed at achieving “Taiwan independence” and external interference to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. -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
NEW YORK, June 15 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has ordered immigration agents to stop making arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels, a policy change amid concerns that recent immigration measures could hurt those industries, CBS News reported Saturday.
These industries rely heavily on immigrants, many of whom are in the United States illegally, the channel reported, citing sources who asked to remain anonymous.
The move comes as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has stepped up raids on workplaces across the country to arrest and deport undocumented migrants. Stories of ICE agents detaining migrants in fields and car washes have dominated the news over the past week.
The crackdown on migrants has sparked protests in cities across the United States, including Los Angeles and New York. Violence during the protests has prompted the Trump administration to send National Guard troops and Marines to the Los Angeles area, despite objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom and other local officials.
For now, Washington can continue to use troops to protect ICE agents and quell protests. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an emergency stay of the case just hours after Circuit Judge Charles Breyer ruled Thursday night that Trump illegally deployed the California National Guard and violated the Constitution. –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
JERUSALEM, June 15 (Xinhua) — At least six people were killed and 140 others were wounded in Iranian airstrikes on Israel early Sunday, Israeli authorities said.
Air raid sirens and explosions sent millions of people fleeing for shelters in dozens of cities across Israel, the military said in a statement.
A rocket hit a residential building in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, causing it to collapse. Another rocket hit a residential area in Rehovot, a city in central Israel, injuring dozens of people.
A police statement said at least two of the dead were children, adding that at least seven people were still missing.
Several buildings on the Weizmann Institute of Science campus in Rehovot were damaged by Iranian rocket fire, but there were no reports of casualties, the institute said in a statement.
At least 140 people were wounded in the two attacks, Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said, adding that the vast majority were lightly injured.
Also overnight, the death toll from a rocket attack on Tamra, an Arab town in Israel’s Northern District, on Saturday night rose to four, Magen David Adom reported. Among the dead were a mother, her two daughters and another relative. Dozens were injured.
On Sunday morning, the Israeli Air Force said it had intercepted seven drones launched toward northern and southern Israel in about an hour.
Israeli warplanes continued to strike targets in Iran overnight, including the capital Tehran, fuel tankers and suspected nuclear sites, the Israeli military said in a statement. A second wave of airstrikes targeted missile launchers and storage facilities in western Iran. –0–
