CARIBBEAN SEA – The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67), supporting maritime southern border operations, conducted a hold-and-transfer of 245 kilograms of contraband recovered by the Royal Canadian Navy Harry DeWolf-class offshore patrol vessel HMCS William Hall (AOPV 433) in the Caribbean Sea June 9. The Reliance-class U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Vigorous (WMEC 627) accepted the contraband from the Cole’s embarked USCG Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) June 11 during a rendezvous at sea in the Caribbean.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani reintroduced a bipartisan bill to increase housing stipends for student veterans attending classes online.
Specifically, the Expanding Access for Online Veteran Students Act (H.R. 3753) would increase the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) monthly housing allowance for student-veterans who attend classes online during the summer semester. Under current law, student-veterans enrolled in online classes only receive half the monthly housing allowance compared to their in-person counterparts.
“As our service members transition to civilian life and pursue educational opportunities, they deserve to have access to all the benefits their service earned, regardless of whether the classes are in-person or virtual,” said Ciscomani. “As education and pathways to career success continue to evolve and online classes become more prevalent, I am proud lead this bipartisan effort to eliminate the disparity between online and in-person classes to ensure our veterans have flexibility as they pursue further education.”
Ciscomani is joined by Reps. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Greg Stanton (D-AZ).
“As veterans transition back to civilian life, they deserve to fully access the benefits they have earned,” said Van Orden. “This bill ensures that student veterans can pursue their education on their own timeline without the added stress of wondering how they will afford rent.”
“Arizona’s student veterans have earned the right to pursue their education without having to worry about how they’re going pay for their home,” said Stanton. “Our bipartisan bill delivers the fairness and financial security these veterans deserve by ensuring those taking online classes receive the same housing support as their in-person peers. We’re honoring our promise to those who served and making sure every veteran can use their hard-earned VA education benefits.”
This legislation is supported by Military-Veterans Advocacy Inc, AM Vets, Students Veterans of America (SVA), the American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Commander J.B. Well, Executive Director of Military-Veterans Advocacy Inc.: “Since the Second World War, Congress has provided our veterans with educational benefits including a housing stipend to allow them to attend school free from worry about where they will live. Technology has allowed the development of online education. These students deserve the same benefits as though who attend classes in-person. Making it easier for veterans to attend class not only rewards them for their service but acts as an investment in our national future.”
Tammy Barlet, Vice President of Government Affairs at SVA: “SVA strongly supports the introduction of H.R. 3753, the Expanding Access for Online Veteran Students Act. This legislation would ensure that student veterans attending classes solely online receive the national average monthly housing allowance during the semester of their enrollment. Online MHA parity supports student veterans as they pursue higher education where they are at. Many student veterans choose online education out of necessity rather than preference, as they are often balancing other responsibilities such as childcare, caregiving, or familial obligations. SVA thanks Representative Ciscomani, Representative Stanton, and Representative Van Orden for their dedication and efforts to support student veterans nationwide. By establishing parity for online MHA, we continue to encourage student veterans to pursue their education and have access to the same educational opportunity as their counterparts.”
Daniela Espinal Fondeur and Gabrijela Papec have been selected to be part of the 150 students from 38 countries of the 10th cohort of Schwarzman Scholars, one of the most competitive scholarship programmes in the world – with an acceptance rate of below 3%. With its first anniversary coming up in 2026, this programme has reached this year the biggest number of applications and has admitted its 100th country represented, thanks to Sciences Po student Gabrijela Papec, from Croatia.
This scholarship offers the equivalent of €150,000 to each recipient, with automatic acceptance to the best university in Asia (Times Higher Education World University Rankings), Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, for a one-year master’s degree on a campus reserved exclusive to the 150 graduates, the Schwarzman College. The core purpose of this programme can be summed up in this quote from its founding trustee, Stephen A. Schwarzman, “Those who will lead the future must understand China today”.
Meet this year’s two Sciences Po recipients, Daniela Espinal Fondeur, a graduate from the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) and Gabrijela Papec, a master’s student from the Law School.
Who are you?
Daniela E. F.: I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, where I studied economics as an undergraduate student. In 2022, I joined the Master in International Governance and Diplomacy at Sciences Po, and graduated in June 2024. My interest lies in international cooperation. I undertook internships in embassies, UNESCO, and the Dominican Republic Consulate in Paris. I wish to become a diplomat in the near future.
Gabrijela P.: I am from Croatia. I began my journey at Sciences Po as an undergraduate student on the Reims campus, and its North America minor – just like Felipe Chertouh (2024 Schwarzman Scholar, article in French). I have a strong interest in the way advocacy work can be intertwined with human rights and international law, which grew even stronger after a summer internship at Genocide Watch. After a year as a master’s student in Economic Law, I decided to take a gap year and applied to the Schwarzman Scholar programme.
What are you expecting from this programme?
Daniela: I am really excited to benefit from this unique opportunity. China is so remote from the Dominican Republic, it is priceless to learn about a country while living there. I aim to build a bridge between China and my country through an internship at the Dominican Embassy in Beijing. Considering all the turmoil that’s happening in our world, it is incredible to go through that experience.
Gabrijela: Getting a deep cultural understanding of the way international law is applied in China – a gigantic country which holds much power over other countries – is very important. I feel that China needs to be included in the very making of international law and policies, or they will never work out. I already experienced working in Asia, for a South Korean company, and I can’t wait to further enrich my skill set.
How was your experience at Sciences Po ?
Daniela: It was my first time away from home! I met remarkable colleagues, professors, and had a unique experience as a Paris Peace Forum volunteer, assigned to the Montenegro delegation. You can access many academic opportunities, such as the European Forum Alpbach in Austria. One of my favourite courses was about great strategies in diplomacy, past and present, taught by Bruno Stagno Ugarte, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica. I made the most out of my Sciences Po experience by joining different clubs as well, in the fields of diplomacy and debate.
Gabrijela: Reims being quite a small city, I found it easy to meet people, who came from everywhere. The course that made a lasting impression on me was about conflict-related sexual violence, taught by David Eichert. This excellent course focused on the way international criminal law evolved to include sexual violence. I do believe that I, too, can change the course of history. I used to complain about the way Sciences Po gave me so much work, but I can see now that it prepared me to think for myself, to be responsible. It enabled me to apply to this programme, filling in a comprehensive file.
What advice would you give to sciences po students applying to the Schwarzman Scholars programme?
Daniela: Be open to getting out of your comfort zone, to consider living in other places that can challenge you, mentally and culturally. It can turn into the greatest opportunity for growth at all level.
A Schwarzman recipient must meet three main criteria :
demonstrated leadership,
intellect,
exemplary character and integrity.
Gabrijela: Be open to yourself and who you want to be, but also, try to be the best student you can be.
Both: Reach out to previous scholars, ask for help. Sciences Po has an alumni base for this programme now, rely on it, on its sense of community. We can’t wait to meet the 1,300+ programme graduates in 2026 for its 10th anniversary.
I have visited Iran twice. Once in June 1980 to witness an unprecedented event: the world’s first Islamic Revolution. It was the very start of my writing career.
The second time was in 2018 and part of my interest was to get a sense of how disenchanted the population was — or was not — with life under the Ayatollahs decades after the creation of the Islamic Republic.
I loved my time in Iran and found ordinary Iranians to be such wonderful, cultured and kind people.
When I heard the news today of Israel’s attack on Iran I had the kind of emotional response that should never be seen in public. I was apoplectic with rage and disgust, I vented bitterly and emotively.
Then I calmed down. And here is what I would like to say:
Just last week former CIA officer Ray McGovern, who wrote daily intelligence briefings for the US President during his 27-year career, reminded me when I interviewed him that the assessment of the US intelligence community has been for years that Iran ceased its nuclear weapons programme in 2003 and had not recommenced since.
The departing CIA director William Burns confirmed this assessment recently. Propaganda aside, there is nothing new other than a US-Israeli campaign that has shredded any concept of international laws or norms.
I won’t mince words: what we are witnessing is the racist, genocidal Israeli regime, armed and encouraged by the US, Germany, UK and other Western regimes, launching a war that has no justification other than the expansion of Israeli power and the advancement of its Greater Israel project.
This year, using American, German and British armaments, supported by underlings like Australia and New Zealand, the Israelis have pursued their genocide against the Palestinians in both the West Bank and Gaza, and attacked various neighbours, including Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Iran.
They represent a clear and present danger to peace and stability in the region.
Iran has operated with considerable restraint but has also shown its willingness to use its military to keep the US-Israeli menace at bay. What most people forget is that the project to secure Iran’s borders and keep the likes of the British, Israelis and Americans out is a multi-generational project that long predates the Islamic Revolution.
I would recommend Iran: A modern history by the US-based scholar Abbas Amanat that provides a long-view of the evolution of the Iranian state and how it has survived centuries of pressure and multiple occupations from imperial powers, including Russia, Britain, the US and others.
Hard-fought independence The country was raped by the Brits and the Americans and has won a hard-fought independence that is being seriously challenged, not from within, but by the Israelis and the Western warlords who have wrecked so many countries and killed millions of men, women and children in the region over recent decades.
I spoke and messaged with Iranian friends today both in Iran and in New Zealand and the response was consistent. They felt, one of them said, 10 times more hurt and emotional than I did.
Understandable.
A New Zealand-based Iranian friend had to leave work as soon as he heard the news. He scanned Iranian social media and found people were upset, angry and overwhelmingly supportive of the government.
“They destroyed entire apartment buildings! Why?”, “People will be very supportive of the regime now because they have attacked civilians.”
“My parents are in the capital. I was so scared for them.”
Just a couple of years ago scholars like Professor Amanat estimated that core support for the regime was probably only around 20 percent. That was my impression too when I visited in 2018.
Nationalism, existential menace Israel and the US have changed that. Nationalism and an existential menace will see Iranians rally around the flag.
Something I learnt in Iran, in between visiting the magnificent ruins of the capital of the Achaemenid Empire at Persepolis, exploring a Zoroastrian Tower of Silence, chowing down on insanely good food in Yazd, talking with a scholar and then a dissident in Isfahan, and exploring an ancient Sassanian fort and a caravanserai in the eastern desert, was that the Iranians are the most politically astute people in the region.
Many I spoke to were quite open about their disdain for the regime but none of them sought a counter-revolution.
They knew what that would bring: the wolves (the Americans, the Israelis, the Saudis, and other bad actors) would slip in and tear the country apart. Slow change is the smarter option when you live in this neighbourhood.
Iranians are overwhelmingly well-educated, profoundly courteous and kind, and have a deep sense of history. They know more than enough about what happened to them and to so many other countries once a great power sees an opening.
War is a truly horrific thing that always brings terrible suffering to ordinary people. It is very rarely justified.
Iran was actively negotiating with the Americans who, we now know, were briefed on the attack in advance and will possibly join the attack in the near future.
US senators are baying for Judeo-Christian jihad. Democrat Senator John Fetterman was typical: “Keep wiping out Iranian leadership and the nuclear personnel. We must provide whatever is necessary — military, intelligence, weaponry — to fully back Israel in striking Iran.”
We should have the moral and intellectual honesty to see the truth: Our team, Team Genocide, are the enemies of peace and justice. I wish the Iranian people peace and prosperity.
Eugene Doyle is a writer based in Wellington. He has written extensively on the Middle East, as well as peace and security issues in the Asia Pacific region. He contributes to Asia Pacific Report and Café Pacific, and hosts the public policy platform solidarity.co.nz.
Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has called for a more urgent, coordinated, and victim-centred national response to the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in the country.
“This initiative is an urgent call for a more coordinated, victim-centered, and accountable approach to combating GBVF and ensuring justice and protection for women and children,” the Minister said.
She was delivering opening remarks at a roundtable discussion at the Atteridgeville Community Hall in Pretoria on Friday, focusing on the implementation and progress made in the National Strategic Plan as well as evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of services provided to GBVF victims.
The engagement, convened during Youth Month, comes as South Africa grapples with the devastating consequences of recent disasters and ongoing gender-based crimes that continue to claim the lives of women and children.
The Minister took a moment to send her condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the floods in the Eastern Cape this week.
“Today, we are gathered here once again, saddened by the news as our country is devastated by the disaster that took the lives of young and elder people. To all those who have lost their lives, we are sending deepest condolences to their families and those who might be hospitalised we wish them a speedy recovery.
“To those who have been affected; some in having lost their shelters; may our government agilely working with the relevant partners, work towards their settlement. This has also impacted negatively on the attendance of some Ministers who were supposed to be with us today,” she said.
The roundtable is a response to widespread public protests and marches demanding justice for victims of GBVF.
According to the Minister, the public outcry triggered the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) to propose an urgent engagement.
She highlighted the need to reflect on and address the challenges of existing legislation, including the National Strategic Plan on GBVF, which has yet to fully bridge service gaps or ensure trauma-informed support for survivors.
“Gender-based violence and femicide remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations affecting women and children in South Africa.
“Hence today we must deal with all existing legislation and national strategies, including the National Strategic Plan on GBVF as victims continue to experience delays in accessing justice, poor service integration, and a lack of trauma-informed support. “Today we gather here to gain insights and brainstorm on ways to respond to the cry out there,” she said.
Tolashe said the roundtable must serve as a platform to develop practical, community-driven and institutionally supported solutions.
“We need to respond in a collective national way to address institutional inefficiencies and restore public confidence,” the minister said.
A Cry for Shelter Services
One of the key voices at the roundtable, Dr Zubeda Dangor, Head of the National Shelter Movement of South Africa, painted a dire picture of the state of shelters in the country – particularly in Gauteng.
“Women’s shelters play an essential role in the fight against GBV, offering women and children safe accommodation, support, and training as they attempt to leave their abusers,” Dangor told SAnews.
Representing more than 100 affiliated shelters, Dangor called on government to urgently address the chronic underfunding of shelter services.
“Currently in Gauteng, only 10 out of 23 shelters are funded. Now, the government is closing down some of the shelters or not supporting them, while starting new ones. Yes, it is good to open new ones since they are needed, however, the ones that are functioning need support as well,” she said.
She emphasised that shelter helplines now have no place to refer victims to, placing them at risk of returning to dangerous environments.
“We are appealing and hoping to engage government further,” she said.
Background
The roundtable reaffirmed the urgent need for collaboration between government, civil society, and communities, to safeguard the rights and lives of South Africa’s women and children.
The South African government, through the Justice, Crime Prevention and Social Cluster (JCPS Cluster) established the 90-Day Accelerated Programme on Gender Based Violence and Femicide to focus and accelerate efforts to end the scourge of gender based violence.
The 90- Day Accelerated Programme is co-chaired by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and the Department of Social Development, respectively.
The implementation of the programme is convened through the NatJoints.
Six workstreams were established to focus on key areas of the response to gender-based violence and femicide, with targeted deliverables for each workstream.
One of the targeted deliverables was to convene a roundtable to focus on GBVF.
The roundtable convened national leaders, state departments, and civil society stakeholders to directly respond to these petitions, assess current gaps, and define a clear, actionable pathway to improve services and ensure justice for GBVF victims and survivors. – SAnews.gov.za
Hosted by Canterbury BID, the third annual Best Bar None awards took place on Wednesday 11 June, recognising the efforts of 33 venues in Canterbury.
Best Bar None is a national accreditation scheme that recognises excellence in the hospitality industry, promoting safer and more welcoming nights out. Canterbury remains the leading location for accredited venues in Kent.
The scheme was introduced by Kent Police, Canterbury City Council and Canterbury BID in 2022 and provides businesses with an official, independent, accreditation that shows customers how hard they work to provide a safe and welcoming place to visit while they are out socialising.
This year’s ceremony took place at The Lounge Bar & Kitchen, with 33 businesses receiving their awards, along with 14 Special Achievements awards for those venues and individuals that have gone above and beyond in keeping our community safe.
The event was opened by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Cllr Keji Moses, District Commander CI Paul Stoner and BID CEO Lisa Carlson.
Awards for top scoring assessments were given to The Venue, Woody’s, Tokyo Tearoom and The Cricketers, while staff from Club Chemistry, McDonald’s, Boom Battle Bar, The Shakespeare and The Foundry BrewPub also received individual and special awards.
Awards based on the highest scores achieved in the Best Bar None accreditation process:
Best Venue Management: The Venue
Best Staff Training & Care: Woody’s
Best Customer Safety & Welfare: Tokyo Tearooms
Best Customer Safety & Community: The Lounge
Best Newcomer: The Cricketers
Best Overall Venue: The Venue
Individual and special awards based on the stories submitted by management about their staff and project work:
Special Recognition Award: Thomas Garncarek, Club Chemistry
Community Ambassador Award: McDonald’s Team
Best Commitment to Safety and Prevention: Chloe Petter, The Shakespeare
Best Dedicated Member of Staff: Ricky Richards, Boom Battle Bar
Best Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Award: Sarah and Alice from Club Chemistry
Best Customer Experience: Kristina Hopkins, The Shakespeare
Sustainability Award: The Foundry BrewPub
Outstanding Service: PC Danielle Rolfe, Kent Police
Lisa Carlson, CEO Canterbury BID said: “Canterbury has been the proud receiver of the Purple Flag for 13 years, thanks to the existing partnership working between agencies, police and businesses and we are delighted to see that Best Bar None continues to grow in popularity.
“When we started three years ago, 19 venues were accredited and we’re now up to 33. The scheme was so successful in its first year that we were part of the Kent-wide team that won the national Best Newcomer award because of the number of venues accredited in the first year (actually, within four months!).
“Our licensed venues drive economic growth, support jobs and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors. They provide the vibrant cultural atmosphere that well and truly make Canterbury the best night out in Kent – and beyond!”
PC Danielle Rolfe, Canterbury Licensing Officer, said: “Through the Best Bar None scheme, Kent Police is able to build stronger relationships with local venues. By working closely with businesses, officers are creating a safer local environment, helping to prevent crime and will gain the ability to identify suspects faster.
“It is a pleasure to work alongside the venues and individuals that are being recognised at the event, and I congratulate them for their contribution to the community.”
Cabinet member for community safety, Cllr Connie Nolan, said: “Our licensed premises play a vital role in the economic and social fabric of the city and residents and visitors need to know that when they are heading for a night out, they are doing so in well run, responsible and safe businesses.
“It’s great to see such a range of pubs, clubs and restaurants being recognised in this year’s awards and I congratulate them all.
“Managing the night-time economy is one big collaborative effort between the businesses and all the authorities and it’s by taking such an approach that Canterbury retains its reputation as a great and safe city to socialise in and spend time in.”
The 33 venues to receive Best Bar None accreditation were:
The Ballroom, The Bishops Finger, The Black Griffin, Boom Battle Bar, Canterbury Cathedral, Club Chemistry, The Cherry Tree, Citi Terrace, The Cosy Club, The Cricketers, The Cuban, Curzon Riverside, The Dolphin, The Lady Luck, Las Iguanas, Matches Sports Bar, McDonalds, The Miller’s Arms, Old City Bar, The Foundry BrewPub, The Lounge (Canterbury Christ Church University), The Parrot, The Penny Theatre, The Pound, The Seven Stars, The Shakespeare, Thomas Ingoldsby, Tokyo Tea Rooms, The Unicorn, The Venue (University of Kent), The Westgate Inn, Woody’s (University of Kent), Ye Olde Beverlie.
Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui said during his visit to Oslo, Norway, on June 11 and 12 that Hong Kong and Norway could create a powerful synergy to address global challenges with regards to climate change and digital transformation, leveraging the complementary strengths of the two places.
He was also pleased to note that after a meeting with the Norwegian Ministry of Finance, positive progress was made with the early signing of a comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement (CDTA) between Hong Kong and Norway.
At a meeting with Norwegian State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Torgeir Micaelsen and Director General of Tax Law Department Omar G Dajani on June 12, Mr Hui called for an early signing of a CDTA between the two places.
Mr Micaelsen responded positively and indicated that they will look into the matter to expedite the process.
The treasury chief also told the gathering that Hong Kong had just been confirmed by the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation as being among the initial set of jurisdictions having set a target of fully adopting the ISSB Standards, affirming Hong Kong’s efforts and determination in supporting and promoting a common international language in sustainability disclosures.
To unlock new opportunities in the area of maritime finance, Mr Hui visited Norwegian marine and energy insurance provider Gard, which has a strong presence in Hong Kong’s marine insurance market and provides services to manage maritime risk for clients, by meeting its Chief Customer Officer Line Dahle as well as Vice President and Head of Analytics Sigvald Fossum.
He also met Vice-President and Director of Group Government and Public Affairs of DNV Lars Almklov. The global assurance and risk management company DNV has been recognised by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority as an approved external reviewer for the Green & Sustainable Finance Grant Scheme.
Mr Hui told the management of the two companies that Hong Kong and Norway possess complementary strengths that can create a compelling case for financial co-operation. While Norway’s maritime industry is the cornerstone of its economy, Hong Kong’s maritime services industry is also a valued brand in the international arena.
Joint ventures in maritime insurance could combine Norway’s expertise in marine risk management with Hong Kong’s accessibility, creating comprehensive solutions for the sector and addressing the new demands arising from geopolitical and climatic challenges.
He highlighted that Hong Kong has a sophisticated ecosystem for ship financing and leasing, supported by tax incentives and its strategic location along global trade routes.
On June 12, Mr Hui paid a courtesy call to Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Norway Hou Yue.
He also had a meeting with Director of Politics & Society of Finance Norway Jan Erik Fane. Finance Norway is the industry organisation for the financial sector in Norway, representing banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions on regulatory, policy and industry developments.
Mr Hui noted that the Norwegian sovereign fund is one of the largest funds in the world and is positioned as a pioneer in responsible investing with a strong emphasis on environmental, social and governance principles.
He said that the shared focus of Hong Kong and Norway on sustainability creates significant opportunities for collaboration.
At a dinner reception co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, London, and the Norway-Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce on June 11, Mr Hui said that even though there is a geographical distance of around 8,600 km between Norway and Hong Kong, the two places share more commonalities in the financial market than perceived.
The first one is the commitment to green and sustainable developments. The other commonality is expertise in wealth management.
Mr Hui noted that Norway’s expertise in long-term asset management driven by its sovereign fund aligns seamlessly with Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s premier wealth management centre.
Capitalising on Hong Kong’s advantages of having a solid financial infrastructure and an extensive international client base, abundant co-investment opportunities are available for Norwegian capital in the Asian markets, particularly in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
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SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court to 180 months imprisonment to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for attempted production of visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to court documents, between May of 2022 and June of 2023, George Isaac Del Bosque, 33, made a surreptitious recording of a 15-year-old minor while the child victim was undressing and nude. A search of Del Bosque’s phone revealed 16 sexually explicit images and three sexually explicit videos of the minor. Del Bosque was arrested Sept. 5, 2023. He pleaded guilty to the charge on March 11, 2025, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Fred Biery. Prior to his arrest, Del Bosque was a licensed clinical vocational nurse. As a result of the charges, he voluntarily surrendered his license.
“Protecting children has been and will remain one of the highest priorities of law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “I appreciate the handling of this case by our partners at Homeland Security Investigations and the San Antonio Police Department, and I also want to express how important it is—as demonstrated in this case—for child victims and their families to be vigilant and not hesitate to report sexual exploitation when it occurs.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that HSI is committed to holding accountable those who exploit the most vulnerable members of our society,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to investigate and prosecute individuals involved in internet crimes against children.”
HSI and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Mangels prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
CHICAGO — A federal investigation into fentanyl sales in Chicago has resulted in drug or firearm charges against five individuals.
An indictment unsealed this week in federal court in Chicago accuses four of the defendants of conspiring to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin in the city in 2023 and 2024. Three defendants are charged with illegally possessing firearms, including handguns equipped with a “switch” device, making them capable of firing multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger.
Charged with drug conspiracy and distribution are JARED DANIELS, 33, of Chicago, CRISTINE SERRANO, 34, of Chicago, SHERNELL ANDERSON, 35, of Chicago, and LARRY LEMON, 43, of Brookfield, Ill. Daniels, Serrano, and JONATHAN COLLINS, 33, of Chicago, are also charged with federal firearm offenses.
All five defendants are in law enforcement custody. The charges against Daniels, Serrano, Anderson, and Lemon carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, as well as mandatory minimums ranging from ten to 15 years. The charge against Collins is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookfield, Ill. Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago, FBI Minneapolis, Minn. Field Office, and the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Satellite Office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
BOSTON – An Oklahoma man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for throwing a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple (TST) in Salem, Mass. on April 8, 2024.
Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, Okla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2025, Palmer pleaded guilty to one count of using an explosive device to damage and attempt to damage a building used in interstate or foreign commerce. He was charged by criminal complaint and arrested on April 17, 2024, in Perkins, Okla.
TST is a non-theistic religious organization headquartered in Salem, Mass. According to the charging documents, at approximately 4:14 a.m. on April 8, 2024, surveillance cameras captured a man, subsequently identified as Palmer, walking towards TST wearing a black face covering, a tan-colored tactical vest and gloves. As Palmer approached TST, he ignited a pipe bomb – a type of improvised explosive device or “IED” – threw it at TST’s main entrance, and then ran away. The IED did not fully detonate and therefore caused only minor damage to TST’s exterior.
The pipe bomb was constructed from a roughly two-foot section of plastic pipe covered with metal nails attached to the pipe with duct tape. The inside of the pipe was filled with smokeless gunpowder. During the investigation, Palmer’s DNA was found on the outside of the IED.
A six-page handwritten note was found in a flower bed adjacent to TST, near the area where Palmer threw the IED. Among other things, the letter stated:
DEAR SATANIST ELOHIM SEND ME 7 MONTHS AGO TO GIVE YOU PEACEFUL MESSAGE TO HOPE YOU REPENT. YOU SAY NO, ELOHIM NOW SEND ME TO SMITE SATAN AND I HAPPY TO OBEY. AND ELOHIM WANT ME TO CONTACT YOU TO TELL YOU REPENT. TURN FROM SIN. ELOHIM NO LIKE THIS PLACE AND PLAN TO DESTROY IT. MAYBE SALEM TOO? ELOHIM SEND ME TO FIGHT CRYBABY SATAN, BUT WANT ME TO MAKE HARD EFFORT SO NO ONE DIES. I OBEY.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Lucas J. Miller, Chief of the Salem Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Massachusetts State Police; Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office; Payne County Sherriff’s Office; Oklahoma Highway Patrol; the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma; and Stillwater (Okla.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Casey of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.
What may be one of the U.S. Supreme Court’s most important and far-reaching rulings in decades dropped in late May 2025 in an order that probably didn’t get a second – or even first – glance from most Americans.
But this not-quite-two-page ruling, as technical and procedural as they come, potentially rewrites a major principle of constitutional law and may restructure the operation of the federal government.
The case is dry in a way only lawyers could love, but its implications are enormous.
The National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board, like the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Reserve, are among more than 50 independent agencies established by Congress to help the president carry out the law. Though technically located within the executive branch, independent agencies are designed to serve the public at large rather than the president.
The dispute began when President Donald Trump fired board members of two independent agencies. Win McNamee/Getty Images
Other executive branch agencies, such as the FBI, Food and Drug Administration and Department of Homeland Security are entirely under presidential command – if he wants their leaders out, out they go. But independent agencies, in existence since the late 19th century, are to carry out congressional policy free from the president’s purview and his political pressure.
Because independent agencies are creatures of Congress housed within the executive branch, there is long-standing disagreement among scholars about just how much power the president should have over them.
Limiting Congress, empowering the president
In the two firings, there was agreement that Trump had violated the relevant statute by firing Wilcox and Harris without “good cause.”
But the bigger issue was whether the law itself was constitutional: Could Congress limit why or how a president can remove employees of the executive branch?
The root of the problem lies within the Constitution. Although Article 2 specifically gives the president the power to “appoint” certain federal officials, it says nothing about the power to fire -– or “remove” – them.
Conservative legal scholars propose, under what’s called the “unitary executive theory,” that because the president “is” the executive branch, he has complete authority, including removal, over all who serve within it. Only with the unfettered ability to fire anyone who serves under him can the president fulfill his constitutionally mandated duty to ensure that “the Laws be faithfully executed.”
The Supreme Court first took up the issue in 1926 in Myers v. United States, when Chief Justice – and former president – William Howard Taft held that Congress could not limit the president’s ability to fire an Oregon postmaster, writing that “the power to remove inferior executive officers … is an incident of the power to appoint them.”
Less than a decade later, however, the court ruled in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States that the Constitution did not grant the president an “illimitable power of removal,” at least over certain types of officials. This included the head of the Federal Trade Commission, whose firing by President Franklin Roosevelt had sparked the case.
Humphrey’s Executor stood basically untouched for decades, until Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito – both of whom had previously served in the executive branch – were appointed.
With a now-solid conservative majority, the Supreme Court invalidated restrictions on the president’s ability to remove members of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in 2009.
Rather than explicitly overrule Humphrey’s Executor, however, the justices declared that these agencies were factually distinct from the Federal Trade Commission – leaders of one were protected by a “two-layer” removal system and the other because it was run by a single individual, not a multimember board.
‘Massive change in the law’
Because Humphrey’s Executor was still good law, and the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board were structured like the Federal Trade Commission, district courts in 2025 initially held that the firings of Wilcoxand Harris were unlawful.
On April 9, 2025, Trump filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court, asking it to put the district court decisions on hold. On May 22, the Supreme Court granted that request, at least while the cases proceed through the lower courts.
The court did not decide on the constitutionality of the removal statute, but the ruling is nonetheless a major victory for Trump. He can now fire not only Wilcox and Harris but also potentially the heads of any independent agency. Low-level civil servants may also be at risk.
In the unsigned order, the high court echoed unitary executive theory, stating, “Because the Constitution vests the executive power in the Presidents … he may remove without cause executive officers who exercise that power on his behalf, subject to narrow exceptions.” It simply ignored Humphrey’s Executor altogether, leaving its value as precedent unclear.
The Supreme Court also said that the holding did not apply to the Federal Reserve Board. That “uniquely structured, quasi-private entity” would remain free from executive control via removal.
Such an explicit carve-out in legal doctrine is striking but responds directly to claims made by litigants and political commentators of the dire economic consequences that could result were the president to have free rein over the Federal Reserve’s chairman.
In dissent, Justice Elena Kagan blasted the majority for allowing the president to overrule Humphrey’s Executor “by fiat,” a result made even worse because the court had done so via the so-called shadow docket, in the absence of full briefing or oral argument. Such “short-circuiting” of the “usual deliberative process” is, she wrote, a wholly inappropriate way to make a “massive change in the law.”
After the appointments of conservatives John Roberts, left, and Samuel Alito, the Supreme Court in 2009 invalidated restrictions on the president’s ability to remove members of an independent agency. Alex Wong/Getty Images
The shadow of Humphrey’s Executor
What happens now?
The National Labor Relations Board is paralyzed, and the Merit Systems Protection Board is somewhat hamstrung, with both lacking the quorum necessary to act. Cases about the firing of Harris, Wilcox and multiple other officials will bedevil lower courts as they try to figure out whether Humphrey’s Executor still stands, even as a shadow of its former self.
And, already asked again to make major legal change on its emergency docket, the Supreme Court will need to determine whether such change warrants more than the few paragraphs of explanation it gave in the ruling on the Wilcox and Harris firings.
If, as seems likely, the court ultimately overturns Humphrey’s Executor, Kagan’s dissent serves as a warning voiced by others as well: A decision that allows the president to have total control over the heads of more than 50 independent agencies – agencies that pursue the public interest in areas from financial regulation to the environment, to nuclear safety – could shift their focus from serving the public to pleasing the president, profoundly affecting the lives of many Americans.
Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland
Statement by TUV leader and North Antrim MP Jim Allister:
“The Secretary of State’s decision to appoint Baroness Nuala O’Loan as an assessor to the Pat Finucane public inquiry is highly questionable and fundamentally undermines public confidence in a process which is already highly suspect in the eyes of many.
“Baroness O’Loan has been personally and publicly invested in the Finucane case for nearly two decades. As Police Ombudsman her office produced Operation Ballast in 2007, a report that investigated alleged collusion between the RUC and loyalist paramilitaries, including in relation to the Finucane murder. That report formed a key part of the narrative that ultimately led to sustained political pressure for a public inquiry.
“On her departure from the Ombudsman role, The Guardian noted that her work had been dominated by collusion cases, and highlighted her personal frustration that no prosecutions had followed, singling out the Finucane case. This was not the dispassionate stance of an investigator concluding her work — it was the expression of someone who clearly regarded the Finucane case as unfinished business.
“More than a decade later, in December 2020, she publicly criticised the UK government for its refusal to initiate a public inquiry, continuing to advocate for the very process she has now been appointed to help direct. Her comments made clear she had already formed a view on the need for such an inquiry and on the alleged failures of state agencies.
“To now place her in a formal advisory role — after so many years of active and vocal involvement — compromises the credibility of the inquiry before it has even begun. This is not a matter of legal competence, but of perceived impartiality, which is essential if justice is to be seen to be done.
“At a time when countless victims of terrorist violence have never had so much as a day in court, let alone a public inquiry, the decision to proceed with this case in this manner, and with this appointment, will be seen by many as confirmation of a two-tier approach to victims.
“I have therefore today written to the Secretary of State to formally challenge the appointment of Baroness O’Loan.
“I am not questioning Baroness O’Loan’s professionalism, but nonetheless this is not the case for her talents.”
Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English
On 22 May 2025, BaFin issued a warning about the services being offered on the website goldingdigital.com, which has since been deactivated. The unknown operators are now using the website goldingdigital.net. BaFin suspects the operators of this website of offering consumers financial and investment services without the required authorisation. Contrary to the claims on the website, the services being offered do not originate from Golding Capital Partners GmbH, which has its registered office in Munich. This is a case of identity fraud.
BaFin is issuing this warning on the basis of section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).
Please be aware:
BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.
Nice, France, The UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) concludes today with significant progress made towards the ratification of the High Seas Treaty and a strong statement on a new plastics treaty signed by 95 governments. Once ratified, it will be the only legal tool that can create protected areas in international waters, making it fundamental to protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. 50 countries, plus the European Union, have now ratified the Treaty.
Deep sea mining rose up the agenda in the conference debates, demonstrating the urgency of opposing this industry. The expectation from civil society and a large group of states, including both co-hosts of UNOC, was that governments would make progress towards stopping deep sea mining in Nice. UN Secretary General Guterres said the deep sea should not become the wild west. French President Macron said a deep sea mining moratorium is an international necessity. Four new countries pledged their support for a moratorium at UNOC bringing the total to 37. Attention now turns to what actions governments will take in July to stop this industry from starting.
Megan Randles, Greenpeace Head of Delegation regarding the High Seas Treaty and progress towards stopping deep sea mining said: “High Seas Treaty ratification is within touching distance, but the progress made here in Nice feels hollow as this UN Ocean Conference ends without more tangible commitments to stopping deep sea mining.
“We’ve heard lots of fine words here in Nice, but these need to turn into tangible action. Countries must be brave, stand up for global cooperation and make history by stopping deep sea mining this year. They can do this by committing to a moratorium on deep sea mining at next month’s International Seabed Authority meeting. We applaud those who have already taken a stand, and urge all others to be on the right side of history by stopping deep sea mining.”
Following this UNOC, attention now turns to the International Seabed Authority (ISA) meetings in July. In the face of The Metals Company teaming up with Trump to mine the global oceans, the upcoming ISA provides a space where governments can come together to defend the deep ocean by adopting a moratorium to stop this destructive industry.
Negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty resume in August.
John Hocevar, Oceans Campaign Director, Greenpeace USA said: “The majority of countries have spoken when they signed on to the Nice Call for an Ambitious Plastics Treaty that they want an agreement that will reduce plastic production. Now, as we end the UN Ocean Conference and head on to the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations in Geneva this August, they must act. The world cannot afford a weak treaty dictated by oil-soaked obstructionists.
“The ambitious majority must rise to this moment, firmly hold the line and ensure that we will have a Global Plastic Treaty that cuts plastic production, protects human health, and delivers justice for Indigenous Peoples and communities on the frontlines. Governments need to show that multilateralism still works for people and the planet, not the profits of a greedy few.”
Nichanan Thantanwit, Project Leader, Ocean Justice Project said: “Coastal and Indigenous communities, including small-scale fishers, have protected the ocean for generations. Now they are being pushed aside by industries driving ecological collapse and human rights violations.
“As the UN Ocean Conference ends, governments must recognise small-scale fishers and Indigenous Peoples as rights-holders, secure their access and role in marine governance, and stop destructive practices such as bottom trawling and harmful aquaculture. There is no ocean protection without the people who have protected it all along.”
The anticipated Nice Ocean Action Plan, which consists of a political declaration and a series of voluntary commitments, will be announced later today at the end of the conference. None will be legally binding, so governments need to act strongly during the next ISA meeting in July and at plastic treaty negotiations in August.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Government, in collaboration with municipalities and social partners, is providing essential relief and recovery services to the communities affected by heavy rains and strong winds that have battered the province since Monday.
The devastating weather conditions have so far claimed the lives of 78 people across multiple districts, with the OR Tambo District Municipality recording the highest number of fatalities.
“The OR Tambo District Municipality accounts for more than 50 fatalities, while Amathole District Municipality accounts for more than six. Bodies are being held at the Mthatha Forensic Mortuary, with identification efforts currently underway,” the provincial government said.
Giving an update on the provincial government’s response and recovery efforts on Thursday, it said a coordinated, multi-agency response was in full effect focusing on rescue operations, relief distribution, and infrastructure recovery.
A reception area has been set up at Sir Henry Elliot Hall to offer counselling the affected families. In the Amathole District alone, approximately 1 000 displaced residents are being sheltered in community facilities.
Emergency relief measures, including food, blankets, and clean water, have also been distributed to affected communities, and Primary Health Care (PHC) services are being delivered on-site. Emergency medical referrals are being facilitated where necessary.
Rescue efforts for hard-hit areas
Among the areas hard-hit by the severe weather conditions include Slovo Park and Decoligny Village in Mthatha, within the OR Tambo District.
A total of 38 people were successfully rescued in Mthatha, through joint efforts by Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the South African Police Service (SAPS), and various volunteer organisations.
“Two helicopters, search and rescue vehicles, K9 units, and technical rescue teams have been deployed. In Joe Gqabi District, heavy snow has led to road closures [while] Alfred Nzo District and surrounding areas [have suffered] critical damage to infrastructure, including roads, clinics, schools, and hospitals,” the provincial government said.
The storm has further caused widespread damage to public infrastructure, with at least 127 schools across 10 districts, and about 20 health facilities affected.
“Assessment and mapping of affected schools are ongoing, while restoration efforts for power, water supply, and road infrastructure are currently underway with the support of engineering teams,” the provincial government said.
Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, extended his heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in the disaster and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring safety and dignity to the affected communities. – SAnews.gov.za
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 30-year-old man was fatally shot in Hammersmith.
Police were called to Claxton Grove, W6 at 23:19hrs on Wednesday, 11 June.
Upon arrival, the London Ambulance Service were treating two men for gunshot wounds. Both were taken to hospital where, despite the best efforts of emergency workers and medical professionals, the 30-year-old man sadly died on Thursday, 12 June.
His next-of-kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers. A post-mortem examination will take place in due course.
The second man, also in his 30s, was treated for minor injuries and has since been discharged from hospital.
A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He has since been re-arrested on suspicion of murder, and remains in police custody.
Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, from the Central West Command Unit, said: “Our deepest sympathy is with the victim’s family who are being supported by specialist officers at this time.
“This is a shocking crime to occur in any community, and we thank locals for their patience. They will see an increased police presence in the area as we conduct our enquires.”
If anyone witnessed the incident, or has any information that can help the investigation, please contact the police as a matter of urgency on 101 quoting 8916/11JUN.
To remain anonymous, call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org
Claxton Grove will remain closed while a crime scene is in place.
A LIFESAVING initiative that enables front-line police officers in Leicestershire to carry and administer an antidote to opiate drugs has won a national award.
The city council’s public health team worked in partnership with the police and local drug and alcohol treatment service Turning Point to develop the initiative, which has potentially already saved 14 lives in its first 12 months of operation.
Last night they were named as winners of the Public/Public Partnerships category at the 2025 Local Government Chronicle’s Awards, which recognise excellence in local government across the whole of the UK.
Feedback from the LGC said: “Judges were wowed by a partnership solution which is both innovative and pragmatic. The clarity on the role of each partner and the way they overcame challenges was truly impressive. We could see how all places could apply this model to save lives and strengthen services – amazing outcomes.”
The partnership was developed in response to a national rising trend in drug deaths. Many of these could have been avoided with the use of the antidote Naloxone, which reverses the effects of an opiate overdose – if given quickly enough.
Leicester’s Director of Public Health Rob Howard said: “It’s great to see our partnership recognised in this way as it will help to raise awareness of what can be achieved by public bodies working together with the same aim.”
The scheme saves lives through Naloxone being administered immediately in the event of an opiate overdose. It’s given in the form of a nasal spray which reverses respiratory arrest and allows time for emergency medical services to be called.
Rob Howard said: “Police officers are most likely to be the first on scene at such incidents, and thanks to years of hard work by all involved, we believe that the Leicestershire police service is now the first in England and Wales to commit to enabling all front-line officers to carry Naloxone.
“This incredible partnership work has not only saved lives, and will save lives in the future, but is also supporting a broader understanding of the challenges faced by people who use drugs.”
Grace Strong, Head of Prevention at Leicestershire Police said; “Partnership working is at the heart of prevention and the Naloxone project is an exemplary example of the police joining forces with partners to ensure we prevent harm. We are proud of this ground-breaking project and to this receive a national award is a very welcome external recognition.”
Approval for a pilot scheme was given by Leicestershire Police in 2023, after Turning Point and the city council’s public health team had found funding and established pilot sites.
Initially small groups of police officers were trained in overdose awareness and administering Naloxone, after which almost 200 officers voluntarily agreed to carry it.
Julie Bass, Turning Point’s Chief Executive said: “Winning this prestigious award is testament to the power of partnership. We have been delighted to work with Leicestershire Police and Leicester City Council on this initiative, which genuinely has saved lives and also strengthened joint working across our organisations.”
In the first 12 months of the scheme, police officers administered Naloxone on 14 separate occasions, in situations where people were likely to have otherwise died, before calling for ambulance back-up.
New recruits to Leicestershire Police are now trained in administering Naloxone as part of their core training, and offered the chance to carry at that time. Since this was introduced, every new recruit has volunteered to carry it.
Around 1000 entries were submitted to the 2025 LGC Awards, with winners announced at a ceremony on 11 June 2025 in London.
Picture caption: Leicestershire police officers are trained in the use of Naloxene by Turning Point Leicester.
Responding to the announcement on Wednesday that the Nigerian government has pardoned the Ogoni Nine, Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International Nigeria’s Director, said:
“This is welcome news but it falls far short of the justice the Ogoni Nine need and deserve – the Nigerian government must recognise formally that they are innocent of any crime and fully exonerate them.
“The Ogoni Nine, led by Ken Saro-Wiwa, Nigeria’s leading author and campaigner, were brutally executed by a regime that wanted to hide the crimes of Shell and other oil companies that were destroying – and continue to destroy – the lives and livelihoods of tens of thousands of people across the Niger Delta as a result of their devastating oil spills and leaks.
“The execution of these activists nearly 30 years ago has given the Nigerian government and oil companies, including Shell, licence to crackdown on protests and intimidate people in the Niger Delta who have been demanding justice and an end to their toxic pollution.
“Full justice for the Ogoni Nine is only a first step – much more needs to be done to get justice for communities in the Niger Delta, including holding Shell and other oil companies to account for the damage they have done and continue to do. They must pay the Niger Delta’s communities full compensation for the devastation their oil spills and leaks have caused and clean up their toxic mess before they leave the region.”
The Ogoni Nine
Ken Saro-Wiwa, environmental activist and writer, Barinem Kiobel, John Kpuinen, Baribor Bera, Felix Nuate, Paul Levula, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo and Daniel Gbokoo, were executed after a blatantly unfair trial on 10 November 1995. Officially accused of involvement in murder, the men had in fact been put on trial because they had challenged the devastating impact of oil production by Shell, in the Ogoniland region of the Niger Delta. Shell has been accused of complicity in the unlawful arrest, detention and execution of the nine men.
Niger Delta devastation
For 60 years Shell and other oil companies have been responsible for oil spills and leaks due to poorly maintained pipelines, wells and inadequate clean-up attempts that have ravaged the health and livelihoods of many of the 30 million people living in the Niger Delta – most of whom live in poverty. People can’t fish anymore because their water sources, including their wells for drinking water, are poisoned and the land is contaminated which has killed plant life, meaning communities can no longer farm.
The Ogale and Bille communities as well as the Bodo community are taking Shell to the UK’s Royal Courts of Justice demanding the oil giant cleans up the oil spills that have wrecked their livelihoods, health and caused widespread devastation to the local environment.
Responding to the announcement on Wednesday that the Nigerian government has pardoned the Ogoni Nine, Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International Nigeria’s Director, said:
“This is welcome news but it falls far short of the justice the Ogoni Nine need and deserve – the Nigerian government must recognise formally that they are innocent of any crime and fully exonerate them.
“The Ogoni Nine, led by Ken Saro-Wiwa Nigeria’s leading author and campaigner, were brutally executed by a regime that wanted to hide the crimes of Shell and other oil companies that were destroying – and continue to destroy – the lives and livelihoods of tens of thousands of people across the Niger Delta as a result of their devastating oil spills and leaks.
“The execution of these activists nearly 30 years ago has given the Nigerian government and oil companies, including Shell, licence to crackdown on protests and intimidate people in the Niger Delta who have been demanding justice and an end to their toxic pollution.
“Full justice for the Ogoni Nine is only a first step – much more needs to be done to get justice for communities in the Niger Delta, including holding Shell and other oil companies to account for the damage they have done and continue to do. They must pay the Niger Delta’s communities full compensation for the devastation their oil spills and leaks have caused and clean up their toxic mess before they leave the region.”
Background
The Ogoni Nine
Ken Saro-Wiwa, environmental activist and writer, Barinem Kiobel, John Kpuinen, Baribor Bera, Felix Nuate, Paul Levula, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo and Daniel Gbokoo, were executed after a blatantly unfair trial on 10 November 1995. Officially accused of involvement in murder, the men had in fact been put on trial because they had challenged the devastating impact of oil production by Shell, in the Ogoniland region of the Niger Delta.
Shell have been accused of complicity in the unlawful arrest, detention and execution of nine men.
Niger Delta devastation
For 60 years Shell and other oil companies have been responsible for oil spills and leaks due to poorly maintained pipelines, wells and inadequate clean-up attempts that have ravaged the health and livelihoods of many of the 30 million people living in the Niger Delta – most of whom live in poverty. People can’t fish anymore because their water sources, including their wells for drinking water, are poisoned and the land is contaminated which has killed plant life, meaning communities can no longer farm.
The Ogale and Bille communities as well as the Bodo community are taking Shell to the UK’s Royal Courts of Justice demanding the oil giant cleans up the oil spills that have wrecked their livelihoods, health and caused widespread devastation to the local environment.
Question for written answer E-002211/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Danilo Della Valle (The Left), João Oliveira (The Left), Carolina Morace (The Left)
In Estonia and Latvia, a significant part of the population, including individuals of Russian-speaking, Ukrainian, and Georgian origin, hold the status of ‘non-citizen,’ despite often being born and residing in these Member States for decades. This status excludes them from fundamental civil and political rights, such as voting rights and access to public employment, violating the principles of equality and non-discrimination set out in Articles 20 and 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (CFR) and the right to political participation under Article 39 CFR.
This treatment conflicts with Article 18 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which prohibits discrimination based on nationality, and Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
The European Court of Human Rights (Strasbourg) and the Court of Justice of the EU have ruled on similar cases, such as X v Latvia (application no 27853/09) and the Petruhhin case (C-182/15).
In the light of this:
1.What is the Commission’s position on the persistence of ‘non-citizen’ status in Estonia and Latvia?
2.What measures will it take to ensure equal treatment and civic inclusion?
3.How does the Commission assess Estonia’s and Latvia’s compliance with EU obligations, and what steps might it consider to ensure conformity?
This study of Reporting Obligations was commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Justice, Civil Liberties and Institutional Affairs at the request of the JURI Committee. It provides an overview of regulatory reporting and disclosure overlaps that businesses face across the recently enacted Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and the EU Taxonomy. It provides recommendations on how to mitigate the burdens caused by these overlaps, together with a preliminary assessment of the Commission’s efforts to reduce burdens in the proposed Omnibus Directives.
The sole survivor of the Air India plane crash that killed more than 240 people said he walked out of a broken emergency exit after the aircraft hit a medical college hostel in the city of Ahmedabad.
Ramesh Viswashkumar, who police said was on seat 11A near the emergency exit and managed to escape through the broken hatch, was filmed after Thursday’s crash limping on the street in a blood-stained T-shirt with bruises on his face.
“I don’t believe how I survived. For some time I thought I was also going to die,” 40-year-old Viswashkumar told DD News from his hospital bed on Friday.
“But when I opened my eyes, I realised I was alive and I tried to unbuckle myself from the seat and escape from where I could. It was in front of my eyes that the air hostess and others (died)”, he added.
Police said some people at the hostel and others on the ground were also killed in the crash. Rescue workers were searching for missing people and aircraft parts in the charred buildings of the hostel on Friday.
Viswashkumar said the plane appeared to come to a standstill in midair for a few seconds shortly after take-off and the green and white cabin lights were turned on.
He said he could feel the engine thrust increasing but then the plane “crashed with speed into the hostel.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site in Ahmedabad and also met Viswashkumar at the hospital on Friday.
Doctors said that he did not sustain any major injuries.
“The side of the plane I was in landed on the ground, and I could see that there was space outside the aircraft, so when my door broke I tried to escape through it and I did,” Viswashkumar said.
“The opposite side of the aircraft was blocked by the building wall so nobody could have come out of there.”
Viswashkumar said he walked out of the crash site with only burn injuries on his left arm.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
​The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has received enquiries from members of the public about fraudsters posing as HKMA senior staff, issuing forged documents falsely claiming that certain securities or investment companies are “recognised financial institutions”, in an attempt to deceive members of the public into placing funds with these securities companies as a prerequisite for loan approval.
The HKMA wishes to clarify that the above schemes are fraudulent, and the HKMA will not contact individual members of the public regarding personal financial matters.
Should members of the public wish to verify whether an institution is authorized by the HKMA, they should refer to the Register of Authorized Institutions and Local Representative Offices available on the HKMA website.
The HKMA has reported the case to the Hong Kong Police Force.
Members of the public who suspect that they have become victims of any fraudulent acts should contact the Police or the Commercial Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012 for follow-up actions and investigation by the Police.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Senior Police Call AGM cum Luncheon held Speaking at the luncheon, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Chow Yat-ming, said the SPC has been established for over ten years, aiming at promoting safety, health and community participation of the elderly. The Government adopted measures to promote the silver economy last month to enhance the quality of life for the elderly. In line with the policy direction, the SPC has launched a wide range of activities and training programmes to help its members achieve physical, mental and spiritual health.
In order to enhance the anti-deception awareness among senior citizens and to tackle the various and emerging deception tactics, the SPC launched the “IT Captain” training programme in May this year. This includes the education on the use of the one-stop scam and pitfall search engine “Scameter+”. Together with the “SPC Wealth Management and Anti-Investment Scam Ambassador” programme, the elderly get familiarised with the latest scam tactics and cyber traps, and are encouraged to spread the message of fraud prevention in the community. Trained “IT Captains” will guide elderly and citizens in the community to use the commonly-used mobile apps of the Government, assisting them to integrate into digital life.
An increase of 28 per cent was recorded in the number of deception cases involving elderly victims, reaching 6 345 cases in 2024 compared to 4 929 cases in 2023. There was also an increase of approximately 20 per cent in related fraud cases from January to April this year compared to the same period last year, to over 1 700 cases. Of these, more than half were classified as online frauds, while around 40 per cent were related to telephone scams.
At the AGM today, 44 SPC members were presented with the “Best SPC Captain” and “Most Active SPC Member” awards in recognition of their enthusiastic participation over the past year.
The newly launched “PALS@SPC” initiative this year represents four key themes of the SPC’s activities, with “P” standing for “Participate”, “A” for “Alert”, “L” for “Learn” and “S” for “Safeguard”. The SPC will continue to collaborate with various organisations to roll out a broader range of programmes, encouraging more senior citizens to become SPC members, and to enhance themselves through recreation and sports activities as well as courses and seminars. Being crime-fighting partners of the Police, SPC members join hands to serve the community and achieve the SPC sprit – “Helping Oneself and Others”.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed “Contribute”, “Lightshadow” and “Twilight”, and a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed “Windsand”, for four consecutive days from June 9 to yesterday (June 12). A total of 12 suspected illegal workers, two suspected employers and one suspected aider and abettor were arrested.
During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD Task Force officers raided 81 target locations including commercial buildings, an industrial building, residential buildings, a massage parlour, restaurants and retail stores. Twelve suspected illegal workers, two suspected employers and one suspected aider and abettor were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised five men and seven women, aged 21 to 57. Among them, two men and one woman were holders of a recognisance form, which prohibits them from taking any employment. In addition, one woman was also suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card; one man was suspected of using and being in possession of a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. One man and one woman, aged 30 and 63, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested. One woman, aged 32, who was suspected of aiding and abetting a person who breached the condition of stay in Hong Kong, was also arrested.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
LOS ANGELES, June 13 (Xinhua) — A federal judge on Thursday issued a temporary order ordering U.S. President Donald Trump to return control of the state’s National Guard to California authorities.
Trump’s deployment of the California National Guard and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles was unlawful because it violated the Tenth Amendment and exceeded the president’s statutory powers, according to the order, which will go into effect Friday at 12 p.m.
US District Judge Charles Breyer said Trump overstepped his authority when he ordered about 4,000 National Guard troops to be deployed to Los Angeles, where immigration protests have erupted.
California Governor Gavin Newsom challenged the measure in court. California later filed an emergency motion asking a judge to bar the National Guard from assisting immigration enforcement raids.
Breyer’s injunction was “a sharp rebuke of President Trump’s efforts to deploy thousands of National Guard troops to the streets of an American city, which has led to nearly a week of political standoffs and protests across the country,” the New York Times writes.
During an hour-long hearing in San Francisco, a Justice Department official said courts do not have the authority to review the president’s decisions regarding the National Guard and Marines, which Trump sent to Los Angeles despite objections from state and local officials.
C. Breyer expressed doubt that D. Trump fulfilled the conditions of the law determining when National Guard units, which are usually commanded by the state governor, can be federalized.
The judge stayed the order until Friday afternoon to allow an appeal, but he set a June 20 hearing on whether to make the restrictions permanent. The Trump administration has appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. –0–
Government is embarking on a multi-pronged approach to address gang-related crime and its underlying socio-economic causes, Deputy President Paul Mashatile said.
Speaking on the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cabinet Committee’s strategy, the Deputy President emphasised that combating crime requires more than traditional policing.
He further highlighted several key points of the strategy, which include the development of a national anti-gang initiative, the enhancement of anti-gang units within the South African Police Service (SAPS), the implementation of Operation Shanela to focus on strategic law enforcement efforts, and an emphasis on community engagement and collaboration with stakeholders.
The need for a multi-disciplinary approach involving various government departments to address crime effectively was also emphasised.
“This strategy, supported by the anti-gang action plan, focuses on gangsterism through intelligence gathering, proactive policing, community engagement and stakeholder collaboration in this regard,” he said during a question-and-answer session in Parliament on Thursday.
WATCH | Question and answer session in the National Assembly
Additionally, the country’s second-in-command said the SAPS is working around the clock to investigate and finalise gang-related cases, including drug trafficking, shootings and murders.
“As a result, according to the latest statement released by SAPS, ongoing operations, which are focusing on combating and preventing crime, including gender-based violence and femicide [GBVF], have led to the arrest of more than 13 000 suspects.”
He believes that the latest statistics show a significant decrease in most crime categories compared to the previous financial year but added that more efforts are needed.
As the Chair of the JCPS, he stated that he will continue to engage with the Minister of Police, the National Police Commissioner, and the MECs of Safety in all provinces.
Their goal is to enhance efforts in combating organised crime and gang-related killings, particularly in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, where these issues are prevalent.
“Our goal is to eliminate immediate threats posed by crime and gangs in identified high crime areas, while fostering a safe and secure environment for long-term stability.”
The Deputy President emphasised a multidisciplinary approach, engaging various government departments to tackle root causes such as poverty and unemployment.
He noted that economic growth and job creation are crucial in preventing youth from turning to criminal activities.
Water issues
The Deputy President discussed the Water Task Team’s efforts to address water shortages, with a focus on 105 non-performing municipalities and enhancing municipal service management.
The team was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa last year under the leadership of the Deputy President to address water challenges in various areas in the country.
The Deputy President told the Members of Parliament that the Department of Water and Sanitation has established oversight structures and a specialised unit for priority projects and that a comprehensive water debt management plan is recommended.
“We are going to carefully look at the resolutions of the Water Indaba because it does address, particularly these issues, because some of the municipalities can’t be water authorities,” he said.
In addition, he stated that consequence management for underperforming municipal managers is being considered. “So, we are going to look at how we can, where possible, assist them to be effective in generating revenue. We have realised that poor maintenance of facilities is one of the biggest problems.
“If you visit many of our cities, you’ll find that there are problems with leakages and that non-revenue water is a significant issue. So, we’re going to work with them to try and deal with those challenges.”
HIV and AIDS
Shifting focus to HIV and AIDS, he said the withdrawal of US$8 billion in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding for the HIV/AIDS programme will be offset by increased government spending and engagement with other markets. This as funding by the United States Government has been withdrawn. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Director of mobile phone shops given suspended sentence for £150,000 Covid loan fraud
Zahid Afzal, of Pembrokeshire, fraudulently claimed extra Covid Bounce Back loans for his phone sales and merchandise companies.
Zahid Afzal claimed £150,000 in Covid loans – most of which he moved to personal accounts.
He had already received Bounce Back loans for his two companies when he applied for three more.
He was handed a two-year suspended sentence, and 300 hours of unpaid work, at Swansea Crown Court on 12 June 2025.
The director of two companies which run mobile phone shops across the UK has been handed a two-year suspended sentence, after he fraudulently claimed £150,000 in Covid Bounce Back loans.
Zahid Afzal, the director of Phone Bits Ltd and Phones Onn Ltd, had already received Covid loans for both companies legitimately – totalling £52,500 – when he applied for three more.
The 37-year-old, from Haverfordwest, falsely claimed the applications were the first he had made and exaggerated the turnover of each company.
He received the three additional loans of £50,000 each – one for Phone Bits Ltd and two for Phones Onn Ltd – between May and November 2020.
Afzal was sentenced for three counts of fraud by false representation at Swansea Crown Court on 12 June 2025.
The Insolvency Service is seeking to recover the fraudulently obtained funds under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Insolvency Service Chief Investigator David Snasdell said:
It is clear from our investigations that Zahid Afzal felt he could continue to apply time and time again for loans he was not entitled to.
Not satisfied with the substantial funds he had legitimately received, he went on to lie on applications and exaggerate his companies’ turnovers.
His sentencing should serve as a reminder to those contemplating fraudulently pocketing taxpayers’ money to think again.
Afzal’s companies ran mobile phone shops or kiosks in Carmarthen, Shropshire, Andover and North Devon.
The Insolvency Service investigation did not find any wrongdoing with the use of his initial loans for Phones Onn Ltd (£20,000) and Phone Bits (£32,500), which he was entitled to and were used entirely for business purposes.
But he moved the majority of the £150,000 he received from his second round of loans to personal accounts despite stating they were for business purposes.
The Bounce Back loan scheme helped small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000, at a low interest rate, guaranteed by the Government.
The loans were made on the condition that they were not to be used for personal purposes, but could be used, for example, to purchase a company asset such as a vehicle, if it would provide an economic benefit to the business.
The money lent to a company had to be paid back, over six or 10 years, with payments starting 12 months after the company received the loan.
Further information:
Zahid Afzal: DOB 09/03/1988 of Albert Street, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.
Phone Bits Ltd Company number 10136495, registered in Andover.
Phones Onn Ltd Company number 11771257, registered in London.
Zahid Afzal was charged on three counts in relation to sections 1 and 2 of the Fraud Act 2006.
The Insolvency Service can investigate complaints about corporate abuse by live companies. This may include serious misconduct, fraud, scams or dishonest practice in the way the company operates. Further information on our live investigations can be found here
Home » Latest News » Free family event set to get more kids giving sport a go
Children have the chance to try their hand at a whole range of sports at a free summer event being held by Canterbury City Council and Kent Police alongside a range of other organisations.
Taking place at Canterbury Rugby Club on Saturday 12 July, families will get to have a go at rugby, football, judo, taekwondo, boxing, wrestling, cricket, wheelchair rugby, combat archery and more.
The Give it a Go! event aims to encourage active lifestyles and greater wellbeing through sport and is open to all abilities and ages between four and 18 years old.
There will be organisations from the emergency services, food and drink options, as well as health and wellbeing and community safety stalls to take any questions.
A dedicated quiet zone will also be available for children with special educational needs and disabilities on the ground floor of the Kent MS Centre.
No pre-booking is required – simply come along to the rugby club between 10am and 4pm.
You also don’t need to be a Canterbury district resident to attend the event.
A free bus service will run every 30 minutes starting at 9.30am from Canterbury bus station to the rugby club, and the last bus leaving the rugby club will be 4.30pm.
Cllr Connie Nolan, Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, said: “Giving young people the opportunity to try new things, stay active and gain skills is so important.
“I’m really pleased we’ve been able to get together with other local organisations to do just that.
“If your kids have ever been curious to try a new sport or you’re simply looking for a fun day out for the whole family this summer, please do come along and give it a go!”
The event is being organised by The Purple Partnership which is a partnership of local sports providers and businesses, led by the council and Kent Police, with the aim of:
providing life skills to young people
introducing young people to sports they may not have had the opportunity to try
introducing young people to professional work environments
delivering events and activities that are friendly and accessible to all young people
