Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The launching ceremony of Hong Kong Reading Week 2025 and 2025 Hong Kong Reading+ at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin was held today (April 19), marking the start of diverse reading activities of the second Hong Kong Reading Week (HKRW) from today until April 27. The event was held by the Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the Hong Kong Publishing Federation (HKPF).
The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, addressed the ceremony in a video message. The officiating guests at the ceremony included the Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau; the Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the CPC, Mr Su Rongcai; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan; the Assistant Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, Mrs Lowell Cho; and the President of the HKPF, Dr Elvin Lee.
Under the theme “Zoom/LIBRARY”, the HKRW offers an array of activities suitable for people of all ages. To tie in with the HKRW, the HKPF is holding the 2025 Hong Kong Reading+ at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin from April 18 to 27, with activities including author sharing sessions, an exhibition, music performances, and workshops. The HKPL will also introduce its electronic resources to the public and hold handicraft workshops at the venue.
To foster a reading habit among the public, the HKRW will hold about 450 online and on-site events, including “Reading Together for Half an Hour” activities on the Hong Kong Reading for All Day on April 23, an array of fun day activities at the Hong Kong Central Library on April 26 and 27, and a Pop-up Library@Hong Kong Reading Week at D·PARK in Tsuen Wan on April 27.
The HKPL, in collaboration with Radio Television Hong Kong Radio 5, has invited celebrities from various sectors, including artiste Alex Fong and Cantonese opera performer Law Kar-ying to share their reading experiences in short videos and audio clips.
Collaborating with the Art Promotion Office, the HKPL has selected a number of e-books and displayed a series of artistic and creative images with QR codes at various government venues. Members of the public can scan the QR codes and instantly read the e-books, and are encouraged to utilise the HKPL’s electronic resources.
During the HKRW, patrons borrowing physical library materials will receive a bookmark, and children aged 9 or below applying for library cards will receive a height metre.
All activities of the HKRW are free of charge, while seat reservations are required for some events. For details, please visit the website: www.hkpl.gov.hk/hkrw.
The 2025 Hong Kong Reading+ is one of the programmes of the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2025. This year, the LCSD presents the third Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival, themed “More Than Joy”. For more information, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/en.
The 2025 Asian Forum on Human Rights opens in Chongqing, southwest China, April 19, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the Human Rights Institute of the Southwest University of Political Science and Law] The 2025 Asian Forum on Human Rights opened in Chongqing, southwest China, on April 19, bringing together scholars to explore the relationship between technological advancements and human rights. The forum, hosted by the Southwest University of Political Science and Law (SWUPL), was organized under the theme “Science & Technology and Human Rights.” Jiang Jianguo, executive vice president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said at the opening ceremony that Asian countries’ shared history, development realities and cultural traditions provide a foundation for human rights discussions. He emphasized continued efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind, placing human survival and development at the center of technological innovation. He urged greater application of technological advances in climate, food security and health care, ensuring that innovation benefits all of humanity. SWUPL President Lin Wei, who also serves as dean of its Human Rights Institute, spoke about how technology redefines the human experience. Lin said that if human rights are understood as “the conditions that make one human,” then technology is significantly expanding those conditions. However, Lin warned that technological innovation poses new challenges to human rights protection. He highlighted emerging technologies such as gene editing and brain-computer interfaces, which, if misused, could create a “biological class divide,” undermining equality and human dignity. Lin stressed the need to harmonize technological progress with human rights, affirming that the non-transferable bottom line of human values must be upheld to ensure technology liberates humanity rather than dehumanizes it. In his keynote address, Jayanath Colombage, director general of the Institute of National Security Studies of Sri Lanka, discussed artificial intelligence’s influence on human rights, particularly autonomous weapon systems. Colombage expressed concerns about the risks of autonomous weapon systems, which could lead to wrongful killings and indiscriminate attacks, threatening the fundamental right to life. He stressed that without the right to life, no other rights can be enjoyed. He called for international governance and regulation to establish legal and ethical standards for autonomous weapons deployment. Zamir Ahmed Awan, founding chair of the Global Silk Road Research Alliance think tank, examined the relationship between technological competition and justice. Awan said access to advanced technologies is a key component of human rights and criticized the United States for limiting opportunities for international students. He condemned the U.S. government’s recent cancellation of visas or legal status for more than 1,000 international students, calling it a human rights violation. In contrast, Awan praised the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative for promoting international cooperation, sharing economic development experiences and cultivating high-tech talent through partnerships. A key highlight of the forum was the participants’ consensus that technology must be fundamentally oriented toward the protection of human rights. Participants said Asia needs to lead regional collaboration on human rights issues in emerging technologies. They called for efforts to build an equitable and inclusive global science and technology framework that advances the fulfillment of human rights. The forum also included three parallel sessions on emerging human rights issues in Asia, technology for good and other topics. This year’s forum builds on the inaugural Asian Forum on Human Rights held at Renmin University of China in 2022. The first forum centered on the theme of “Environment & Climate Change and Human Rights,” underscoring the vital link between environmental challenges and human rights.
Chief Executive John Lee will lead a delegation to visit Zhejiang on Tuesday to attend the High-Level Meeting & First Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference in Hangzhou, and the Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference – Zhejiang (Ningbo) Forum & Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Forum in Ningbo.
Mr Lee will return to Hong Kong on April 25.
The Chief Executive said that Hong Kong and Zhejiang have long maintained frequent exchanges, keeping close ties in economic affairs and trade, cultural exchanges and youth engagement. Under the overall blueprint of the country, both places play important and unique roles.
He noted that a specific co-operation mechanism between the two places will be established through this visit, further strengthening collaboration, achieving complementarity and mutual benefits, and making greater contributions to the country’s high-quality development.
Officials including Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong, Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau, Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho, Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong and Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak will join parts of the trip. Director of the Chief Executive’s Office Carol Yip will also accompany Mr Lee on the trip.
During the visit, Mr Lee and the delegation will meet leaders from Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou and Ningbo as well as visit local facilities and projects in areas including innovation and technology, and healthcare.
Mr Chan will depart on April 23 and return to Hong Kong on April 24. He will be Acting Chief Executive from the afternoon of April 22 to noon on April 23, and from the evening of April 24 to April 25.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam will be Acting Chief Executive during Mr Chan’s absence.
Police investigation ongoing into death at Montrose
Sunday, 20 April 2025 – 1:11 pm.
Police are continuing to investigate the death of a 19-year-old man near the Brooker Highway at Montrose early Saturday morning. Inspector Jason Klug said that following a call for information yesterday, a man is assisting police with their enquiries. “Following receipt of the autopsy report yesterday which suggested the man was likely struck by a vehicle, police put out a call for public information and have since spoken to a truck driver who is assisting with our enquiries.” “While it remains early in our investigation, at this stage information suggests the young man was squatting on the roadside, wearing dark clothing in an unlit area of the highway when he was not seen by the driver and struck by the truck.” “We have seized the truck we believe was involved, and several pieces of CCTV, which will be forensically examined.” “We’d like to thank members of our community who responded to our call for information – assistance from the public is vital in assisting with police investigations.” “If you have information that would assist our ongoing investigation, and you haven’t already come forward, please do so.” Information can be provided to Glenorchy Police on 131 444 or to Crime Stoppers Tasmania on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au – information can be provided anonymously.
Public dissatisfaction is mounting in Taiwan over a recent policy from the region’s authorities that requires mainland residents who are married to people born in Taiwan to retroactively submit proof of mainland household registration loss, or risk losing their right to reside in Taiwan. Dozens of mainland spouses of Taiwan residents attended a meeting in Taipei held by the New Party on Saturday. Participants denounced the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for unfairly targeting families who have long been settled in Taiwan, and for disrupting their livelihoods. According to the DPP authorities, spouses from the mainland who have become residents of Taiwan but did not submit the required documentation are now being ordered to do so within three months. Failure to comply could result in the revocation of their residency status and household registration. Hou Han-ting of the New Party, a councilor on Taipei’s city council, called the new policy “unreasonable,” accusing the DPP of using mainland spouses as scapegoats amid heightened cross-Strait tensions. Legal experts at the meeting argued that the policy violates the principle of equality and the non-retroactivity rule under existing laws. Chen Li-ling, a lawyer and New Party spokesperson, urged affected individuals to unite and defend their rights through collective lawsuits. Several civil society organizations have also voiced opposition. Yeh Ching-yuan, vice chairman of the Taiwan Law and Policy Association, warned that stripping mainland spouses of their Taiwan residency rights could destabilize a large number of families. Taiwan-based The United Daily News noted in an editorial that the reason why the DPP authorities led by Lai Ching-te target mainland spouses lies in their separatist ideology and the new policy is merely one move of Lai’s systematic campaign.
Attributable to Hutt Valley Area Commander, Inspector Wade Jennings:
Hutt Valley and Kapiti-Mana Police have pulled the handbrake on a gathering of anti-social road users.
Twenty-one vehicles have been ordered off the road and nearly 80 infringement notices issued, following a large and volatile gathering last night.
Police intercepted about 100 vehicles at Kmart Petone, forcing every vehicle to pass through a checkpoint. The anti-social road users then met in Porirua, where they were met by more Police staff, and then faced another checkpoint after relocating to Seaview.
On Eastern Hutt Road in Taita, Police confronted about 80 bystanders who were blocking the road and throwing bottles. Police formed lines with shields and helmets and forced the crowd to return to their vehicles, which were then directed through another checkpoint.
We know the public, and certainly Police, won’t tolerate this dangerous behaviour, and participants can expect to be stopped and to face enforcement action.
One of the vehicles involved in the gathering lost control on State Highway 2, breaking through a metal barrier and crashing onto the railway lines. Incredibly, the two occupants were not seriously hurt.
For Police, this was a successful night that prevented significant damage to our local roads and disruption to the community, thanks to the work of frontline Police and a number of people working in the background to support them.
The search is ongoing for a man who went missing in water near Wairere Falls, northeast of Matamata, this morning.
A person walking the Wairere Falls Track saw a man falling into the fast-moving river about 11.50am. Despite their efforts, they were unable to reach him.
A Swift Water Rescue Team earlier notified to assist has been stood down, however Fire and Emergency NZ and LandSAR are assisting Police Search and Rescue.
Searching is expected to continue until sundown, and will be reassessed in the morning.
Attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Greaves.
A man has died after being assaulted in Saint Johns, Auckland, overnight.
Emergency services were called to St Johns Road about 10pm on Saturday, following reports a person had been assaulted by more than one person. The offenders are believed to have left the area in a vehicle, travelling towards Remuera Road.
The 33-year-old victim was transported to hospital in a critical condition, where he died from his injuries.
St Johns Road will remain closed between Blackett Crescent and Dorchester Street while a scene examination is carried out.
We are making enquiries to locate the offenders and the vehicle they left in, and at this time are still working to determine why this tragic event occurred.
If you have any information that could assist the investigation, please make a report via 105, using the reference number P062295607.
Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-nz.org.
Information will be released proactively when we are in a position to do so.
Somerset man charged in relation to Launceston business burglary
Sunday, 20 April 2025 – 9:56 am.
A 40-year-old Somerset man has been charged in relation to a several matters including burglary at a jewellery store in Launceston on 18 April. The man has been charged with several offences including 3x burglary, trespass, 4x evade police, and 6x drive whilst not the holder of a driver licence. He was detained to appear in court yesterday. Police are continuing to investigate the jewellery store burglary. Anyone with information relating to the whereabouts of the stolen jewellery is encouraged to contact police on 131 444. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers Tasmania at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000.
Israeli forces are inflicting war crimes and genocide on Gaza.
More in External Affairs
Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer has called for soldiers fighting in Israel’s occupation forces to be prosecuted under Scots law for the crime of genocide against the people of Palestine.
Mr Greer is calling for the Scottish Government to use an existing law, the International Criminal Court (Scotland) Act 2001, to ensure that Israeli soldiers who are UK citizens or residents and who are present in Scotland are held accountable for their role in the 18 month long assault.
The Act made it a criminal offence under Scots law to engage in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. It can be used for prosecutions even if the crime was committed outside of Scotland.
“Israeli forces have inflicted a genocide on the people of Gaza, the gravest crime mankind is capable of. Over 18 months of bombings, executions and deliberate starvation they have murdered tens of thousands of Palestinians, including at least 15,000 children.
“The soldiers of Israel’s occupation forces come from all over the world, including from here in the UK. They must be held individually accountable for their role in the worst war crimes and atrocities of this century. No Scot should be able to travel across the world to participate in a genocide and then return home without consequence.
“We know that the UK government will not act to uphold the law. They have armed, supported and enabled the killing right from the start, but Scots law is clear on our responsibility to act.
“There can be no hiding place for those who have participated in a genocide. Any UK citizen or resident who has taken part in the war should know that they will be prosecuted if they return to Scotland.”
A group of leading lawyers including Michael Mansfield KC recently submitted a dossier of evidence against ten Britons serving with the Israeli occupation forces to the Metropolitan Police in London, alleging targeted killing of civilians and aid workers, including by sniper fire, and indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, including hospitals.
The identities of the ten individuals have not yet been made public and it is unknown if any live in Scotland.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)
WASHINGTON— Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06), a former Army Ranger who served three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, has introduced new bipartisan legislation to strengthen health care benefits for veteran firefighters.
Studies have shown that firefighters, as a result of their career, are more likely to suffer from certain illnesses, including higher rates of cancer. However, the VA currently does not recognize the direct connection between military firefighting and higher rates of illness incidence beyond one year following active duty, resulting in denials of VA health care claims.
Congressman Crow’s Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Actwould create the presumption that military veteran firefighters who become disabled by serious disease – including heart disease, lung disease, and certain types of cancer – contracted the illness due to their service in the military, allowing them to be approved for VA health care.
The legislation was also introduced by Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE-02).
“I know from my days as an Army Ranger that military firefighters protect the safety of everybody in our ranks,” said Congressman Crow. “Too many of our military firefighters have been denied VA health care for conditions connected to their service, and that’s unacceptable. That’s why I’m introducing bipartisan legislation that expands their access to the care they deserve.”
“After nearly 30 years in the Air Force, I’ve witnessed hundreds of heroic military firefighters who put their own lives on the line by carrying us out of burning buildings or jets and exposing themselves to toxic substances and deadly fumes,” said Congressman Bacon.“Creating the presumption that those who become disabled from serious disease contracted the illness while serving in the military allows the VA to treat thousands of military firefighters that would normally not be covered. This bill changes that. I fully support this mission, and I will continue to work with Rep. Crow to not only get this over the finish line, but to honor the life of former USAF firefighter, Michael Lecik, to which this bill is named after.”
The legislation is named in honor of Michael Lecik, a U.S. Air Force firefighter who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2019. Lecik filed a claim with the VA, which was ultimately rejected. He passed away in 2021 at the age of 39.
As an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, ensuring America’s military servicemembers and their families get the appropriate care and resources is a top priority for Congressman Crow. In the 117th Congress, he introduced the Justice Involved Veterans Support Actand supported the PACT Act, which expands health care to millions of servicemembers exposed to toxic chemicals. Congressman Crow also supported the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act, which expands health care to federal firefighters who become disabled by serious disease.
Peaceful protesters in Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest city Auckland held an Easter prayer vigil honouring Palestinian political prisoners and the sacrifice of thousands of innocent lives as relentless Israeli bombing of displaced Gazans in tents killed at least 92 people in two days.
Organisers of the rally for the 80th week since the war began in October 2023 said they aimed for a shift in emphasis for quietness and meditation this spiritual weekend.
“This is dedicated to the Palestine Prisoners’ Day and those who have died, innocent of any crime — women, children, journalists, patients, friends, healthcare workers, those buried under rubble, non-military civilians,” said Kathy Ross of Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA).
“All those starving and needing our help,” she added.
The organisers created a flowers and candles circle of peace with hibiscus blossoms in an area of Britomart that has become dubbed “Palestinian Corner”.
Placards declared “Free all Palestinian prisoners — all 10,000 people” and “Release the Palestinian prisoners.”
Palestinian fusion dancer and singer Rana Hamida, who last year sailed on the Freedom Flotilla boat Handala in an attempt to break the Israel siege of Gaza, spoke about how people could keep their spirits up in the face of such terrible atrocities, and sang a haunting hymn.
Calmness and strength She also described how the air and wind could help protesters seek calmness and strength in spite of storms like Cyclone Tam that gusted across much of New Zealand yesterday on Good Friday causing havoc.
She spread her arms like wings as Palestinian flags fluttered strongly, saying: “The wind is now blowing in exactly the right direction.”
The Palestinian “circle of peace” at today’s spiritual vigil on Easter Saturday in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Image: Asia Pacific Report
Another PSNA organiser, Del Abcede, spoke about the incarceration of Palestinian paediatrician Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, who was kidnapped by the Israeli military last December 27 — two days after Christmas – and has been held in detention without charge and under torture ever since.
“The reason why he was arrested is because he would not leave his hospital or his patients,” she said, adding that he had been held incommunicado for a long time.
“I want to dedicate a special honour and prayer for him and I hope that he will be released soon.”
Beaten in prison Dr Safiya is suffering from a serious eye injury as a result of being beaten in Israeli prison, his lawyer has revealed to media.
According to lawyer Ghaid Qassem, Dr Abu Safiya has been classified by Israeli authorities as an “unlawful combatant” but has not yet been charged or received any court trials.
Despite a global campaign calling for him to be released from prison, Israeli authorities have continued to interrogate and torture Dr Abu Safiya.
Vigil organisers Kathy Ross (left) and Del Abcede speaking at the prayer vigil for Palestine today . . . courageous Dr Hussam Abu Safiya is pictured on the placard. Image: Asia Pacific Report
Another speaker at the vigil, Dr David Robie, said he had been a journalist for 50 years and he found it “shameful” that the Western media — including Aotearoa New Zealand — failed to report the genocide and ethnic cleansing truthfully, and in fact was normalising the “horrendous crimes”.
He called for silent prayer for the at least 232 Gazan journalists killed — many along with their entire families — who had been courageously reporting the truth to the rest of the world.
Banners at the vigil referred to “Jesus [was] Palestinian – born in Bethlehem” and “Let Gaza live”. One placard declared “Jesus was an anti-imperialist Palestinian Jew who preached (and practised) radical love for all – not a violent bully bigot”.
Other vigils and protests took place across New Zealand at Easter weekend, especially in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
Journalist Dr David Robie speaking about how Western media has been “normalising” genocide and calling for prayer for the killed Gazan journalists. Image: Bruce King
‘Violating’ religious status quo Meanwhile, in Jerusalem reports were emerging that Israelis were “taking pride in violating the status quo” with religious traditions at Easter.
A protester carrying her placard proclaiming Jesus as an “anti-imperialist Palestinian Jew” who preached love for all. Image: Asia Pacific Report
Xavier Abu Eid, a political scientist and former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) from occupied East Jerusalem, explained on Al Jazeera that Jerusalem, “has a very central place” in the history of Palestinian Christians.
“We have to … understand what the Israeli occupation is doing to all Palestinians, because there is a concept. … It’s called the status quo. It’s understood and it’s under a very old agreement, centuries or older than the state of Israel,” he said.
Under the status quo, “the status of Christian and Muslim holy sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, for example, and the Holy Sepulchre, would be respected,” Dr Eid explained.
Despite this, he said, “Israeli government officials are taking pride in violating the status quo of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by allowing Israeli settlers to pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque”.
He said the Israeli authorities are also trying to “turn the Mount of Olives, a very important place for this [Easter] celebration, into an Israeli national park”.
“So you’re talking about a community that feels under threat, not just from a national point of view with the Israeli government, pushing for ethnic cleansing and annexation, but also from the traditions that religiously we have kept here for generations,” he noted.
The UN Palestine relief agency UNRWA reports that after 1.5 years of war in Gaza, at least 51,000 Palestinians have been killed, 1.9 million people have been forcibly displaced multiple times, and the Israel military has blocked humanitarian aid from entering the besieged enclave for seven weeks.
A “Jesus was born in Bethlehem” banner at today’s Britomart vigil for Palestine. Image: Asia Pacific Report
This week Cambodia marks the 50th anniversary of the fall of Phnom Penh to the murderous Khmer Rouge, and Vietnam celebrates the fall of Saigon to North Vietnamese forces in April 1975.
They are being commemorated very differently; after all, there’s nothing to celebrate in Cambodia. Its capital Phnom Penh was emptied, and its people had to then endure the “killing fields” and the darkest years of its modern existence under Khmer Rouge rule.
Over the border in Vietnam, however, there will be modest celebrations for their victory against US (and Australian) forces at the end of this month.
Yet, this week’s news of Indonesia considering a Russian request to base aircraft at the Biak airbase in West Papua throws in stark relief a troubling question I have long asked — did Australia back the wrong war 63 years ago? These different areas — and histories — of Southeast Asia may seem disconnected, but allow me to draw some links.
Through the 1950s until the early 1960s, it was official Australian policy under the Menzies government to support The Netherlands as it prepared West Papua for independence, knowing its people were ethnically and religiously different from the rest of Indonesia.
They are a Christian Melanesian people who look east to Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Pacific, not west to Muslim Asia. Australia at the time was administering and beginning to prepare PNG for self-rule.
The Second World War had shown the importance of West Papua (then part of Dutch New Guinea) to Australian security, as it had been a base for Japanese air raids over northern Australia.
Japanese beeline to Sorong Early in the war, Japanese forces made a beeline to Sorong on the Bird’s Head Peninsula of West Papua for its abundance of high-quality oil. Former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam served in a RAAF unit briefly stationed in Merauke in West Papua.
By 1962, the US wanted Indonesia to annex West Papua as a way of splitting Chinese and Russian influence in the region, as well as getting at the biggest gold deposit on earth at the Grasberg mine, something which US company Freeport continues to mine, controversially, today.
Following the so-called Bunker Agreement signed in New York in 1962, The Netherlands reluctantly agreed to relinquish West Papua to Indonesia under US pressure. Australia, too, folded in line with US interests.
That would also be the year when Australia sent its first group of 30 military advisers to Vietnam. Instead of backing West Papuan nationhood, Australia joined the US in suppressing Vietnam’s.
As a result of US arm-twisting, Australia ceded its own strategic interests in allowing Indonesia to expand eastwards into Pacific territories by swallowing West Papua. Instead, Australians trooped off to fight the unwinnable wars of Indochina.
To me, it remains one of the great what-ifs of Australian strategic history — if Australia had held the line with the Dutch against US moves, then West Papua today would be free, the East Timor invasion of 1975 was unlikely to have ever happened and Australia might not have been dragged into the Vietnam War.
Instead, as Cambodia and Vietnam mark their anniversaries this month, Australia continues to be reminded of the potential threat Indonesian-controlled West Papua has posed to Australia and the Pacific since it gave way to US interests in 1962.
Russian space agency plans Nor is this the first time Russia has deployed assets to West Papua. Last year, Russian media reported plans under way for the Russian space agency Roscosmos to help Indonesia build a space base on Biak island.
In 2017, RAAF Tindal was scrambled just before Christmas to monitor Russian Tu95 nuclear “Bear” bombers doing their first-ever sorties in the South Pacific, flying between Australia and Papua New Guinea. I wrote not long afterwards how Australia was becoming “caught in a pincer” between Indonesian and Russian interests on Indonesia’s side and Chinese moves coming through the Pacific on the other.
All because we have abandoned the West Papuans to endure their own “slow-motion genocide” under Indonesian rule. Church groups and NGOs estimate up to 500,000 Papuans have perished under 60 years of Indonesian military rule, while Jakarta refuses to allow international media and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit.
Alex Sobel, an MP in the UK Parliament, last week called on Indonesia to allow the UN High Commissioner to visit but it is exceedingly rare to hear any Australian MPs ask questions about our neighbour West Papua in the Australian Parliament.
Canberra continues to enhance security relations with Indonesia in a naive belief that the nation is our ally against an assertive China. This ignores Jakarta’s deepening relations with both Russia and China, and avoids any mention of ongoing atrocities in West Papua or the fact that jihadi groups are operating close to Australia’s border.
Indonesia’s militarisation of West Papua, jihadi infiltration and now the potential for Russia to use airbases or space bases on Biak should all be “red lines” for Australia, yet successive governments remain desperate not to criticise Indonesia.
Ignoring actual ‘hot war’ Australia’s national security establishment remains focused on grand global strategy and acquiring over-priced gear, while ignoring the only actual “hot war” in our region.
Our geography has not changed; the most important line of defence for Australia remains the islands of Melanesia to our north and the co-operation and friendship of its peoples.
Strong independence movements in West Papua, Bougainville and New Caledonia all materially affect Australian security but Canberra can always be relied on to defer to Indonesian, American and French interests in these places, rather than what is ultimately in Australian — and Pacific Islander — interests.
Australia needs to develop a defence policy centred on a “Melanesia First” strategy from Timor to Fiji, radiating outwards. Yet Australia keeps deferring to external interests, to our cost, as history continues to remind us.
Ben Bohane is a Vanuatu-based photojournalist and policy analyst who has reported across Asia and the Pacific for the past 36 years. His website is benbohane.comThis article was first published byThe Sydney Morning Heraldand is republished with the author’s permission.
Chief Executive John Lee met General Administration of Sport of China (GASC) Director Gao Zhidan at Government House today to exchange views on Hong Kong’s preparations for the 15th National Games. Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law also attended the meeting.
Mr Lee welcomed Mr Gao and his delegation to Hong Kong and expressed gratitude for Mr Gao’s opinions and guidance on the preparation work for the 15th National Games in Hong Kong.
The Chief Executive said he was pleased to see Mr Gao again since they last met during his visit to Harbin in February.
Mr Lee thanked the GASC for its continued support for Hong Kong’s sports development and noted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will maintain close co-operation with the GASC to further enhance sports exchanges and co-operation, as well as integrated development between Hong Kong and other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
He noted that the Hong Kong SAR Government will press ahead with the preparation work for the 15th National Games in Hong Kong and continue to conduct test events to ensure readiness for the official events.
The Hong Kong SAR Government is committed to working closely with the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Macau Special Administrative Region Government to conduct a simple, safe and wonderful 15th National Games, Mr Lee added.
Police are continuing to investigate the death of a 19 year old man near the Brooker Highway at Montrose overnight. Detective Inspector Mark Burke said that following receipt of the autopsy report late this afternoon, evidence suggests the man was likely struck by a vehicle. “We’re appealing for anyone who was driving along the Brooker Highway in the vicinity of Montrose Bay High School between 3am-4am this morning who may have witnessed a male pedestrian in the area or been involved in a crash to come forward,” he said. “Police are doing everything we can to determine the circumstances of this young man’s death, and it’s vital that we investigate every possibility.’“If you were a driver in the area at the time and noticed anything of note, no matter how small, please reach out and contact Police so we can investigate.” Anyone with any information should contact police on 131 444 or report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au. You can do so anonymously.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
GREENSBORO, N.C. – A Sanford, North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday in Winston-Salem to more than 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
ANTWAN LOPEZ CLEMONS, age 45, was sentenced to 135 months of imprisonment plus 5 years of supervised release by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison and supervision, CLEMONS was ordered to forfeit a Winchester Double Star 5.56 rifle and a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun.
According to court records, on seven occasions between February 16, 2024, and April 2, 2024, CLEMONS sold fentanyl to a confidential informant (CI) in Lee County, totaling 712.85 grams of fentanyl. On two occasions in March 2024, CLEMONS also sold a total of over 200 grams of methamphetamine to a CI in Harnett County. A search of the two properties associated with CLEMONS yielded another 1,638 grams of methamphetamine, 4 grams of fentanyl, 7 grams of cocaine, 73 dosage units of Suboxone, 125.7 grams of M522 pills, and 2,073 grams of marihuana, as well as a 5.56 rifle and a 9mm handgun.
CLEMONS pleaded guilty on October 9, 2024, to distribution of fentanyl in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B), conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of 21U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
“We are committed to protecting communities in the Middle District of North Carolina from the devastating impacts of fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution,” said Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon. “We will continue working closely with the dedicated law enforcement professionals in this district to hold those responsible for this scourge accountable before the law.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message: those who traffic fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into our communities will be held accountable. HSI remains unwavering in our commitment to work alongside our federal, state, and local partners to disrupt the networks that drive this deadly trade,” said Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte, which oversees North and South Carolina. “We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to bring justice to those who profit from addiction and endanger lives.”
The case was investigated by the Sanford Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Assistant United States Attorney Laura Jeanne Dildine.
A man was arrested for drug and sex offences against children last night.
On Friday 18 April, following an investigation by Special Crimes Investigation Section, a 49-year-old man from the north-eastern suburbs was arrested and charged with two counts of detaining a person, two counts of supplying or administering a drug to another person, assault, unlawful sexual intercourse with a person under 17 years and rape.
It will be alleged the offences involved multiple victims aged under 17.
He was refused police bail and will appear in Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Tuesday 22 April.
Investigations are ongoing.
Anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestopperssa.com.au
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors this week filed criminal charges against 34 defendants who are alleged to have been found in the United States following removal, the Justice Department announced today.
Many of the defendants charged previously were convicted of felony offenses prior to their removal from the United States, including domestic violence, unlawful sex with a minor, and assault with a deadly weapon.
The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base sentence of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face a maximum 10-year prison sentence and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.
Some of the recently filed cases are summarized below:
Maximo Medrano, 59, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. Medrano, who was removed from the U.S. in 1998 and 2023, has a criminal history that includes a felony conviction in 1997 in Monterey County Superior Court for transportation of a controlled substance, for which he was sentenced to two years in California state prison. Medrano also was convicted in Orange County Superior Court in 2023 of inflicting corporal injury upon a spouse/cohabitant and four counts of disorderly conduct, video/photo of bedroom/bathroom/etc., for which he was required to register as a sex offender. Medrano is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Assistant United States Attorney MiRi Song of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Adrian Chopin-Sánchez, 32, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. Chopin-Sánchez, who was removed from the U.S. in 2017, has a criminal history that includes a felony conviction in Orange County Superior Court in 2013 for unlawful sex with a minor, for which he was sentenced to one year in California state prison. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Scally of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
Daniel Giovanni Rivera-Peralta, 32, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. Rivera-Peralta, who was removed from the U.S. in 2021, has a felony conviction in Orange County Superior Court in 2020 for assault with a deadly weapon, for which he was sentenced to four years in California state prison. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Scally of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating these matters.
Federal prosecutors today also filed a criminal complaint against four illegal aliens who allegedly stole $10,000 in cash from a victim on Wednesday at a gasoline station in the East Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles. The defendants allegedly loitered outside bank branches in Los Angeles, including in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, before following a victim who appeared to leave with a large sum of money. After stealing the money, law enforcement who surveilled the defendants then pursued them at a high rate of speed. After law enforcement eventually pulled them over, two defendants fled on foot before being arrested. The $10,000 in cash was recovered inside one defendant’s underwear. While searching the defendants’ residence in the Mid-City neighborhood of Los Angeles, law enforcement found several fake passports.
The defendants in this matter are charged with conspiracy to transport, transmit or transfer at least $5,000 of stolen money in interstate or foreign commerce:
Javier Jesús Cordoza Araújo, 41, of Venezuela;
Ingrid Carolina Medina, 40, of Colombia;
Gladys Gruz Navarro, 62, of Venezuela; and
Guadalupe Delcristo Martínez, 46, of Mexico.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Orange County Violent Crimes Task Force is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jena A. MacCabe and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Criminal complaints contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These cases are 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The City of Johannesburg’s Department of Public Safety has warned motorists to comply with the rules of the road or face the might of the law.
This as the department kicked off its build-up campaign to the 2025 Easter Road Safety operations.
“Every holiday, we bury more loved ones due to preventable road crashes. We cannot afford to treat this as routine anymore. This is a matter of life and death.
“Our message is simple. If you don’t comply with the law, expect to be stopped, expect to be fined, expect to be arrested. We are done watching lives lost to drunk driving, unlicensed drivers, bribes, and unroadworthy taxis. Enough is enough,” the department said in a statement.
A public education campaign is also underway aimed at changing public behaviour on the roads.
“Targeted road safety messaging is being rolled out in schools, churches, and public spaces. Community members are encouraged to report reckless driving, corruption, and illegal vehicles.
“This is about building a culture of accountability, not fear. We want everyone to get home safely. We want dignity on our roads. Bribery will not be tolerated, and any officer caught accepting a bribe will face immediate action,” the department warned. At the launch, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) Spokesperson Xolani Fihla, reminded motorists of their responsibility.
“For your safety, when you are hitting the road, ensure that you do have the proper documentation that allows you to be driving that vehicle. Also ensure that your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition.
“The cause of these major accidents is due to driver behaviour. So, the driver…please don’t drive under the influence of alcohol, avoid excessive speeding and avoid reckless and negligent driving,” Fihla said.
He also had a word of warning for pedestrians.
“What we’ve also noticed and seen is a greater number of our pedestrians dying on the roads. This is due to them not adhering to the rules of the road. So, our message for our pedestrians as well, is to please stay safe.
“If you are going to be walking, don’t walk directly on a public road. Use the sidewalk or a verge. If you are walking at night or in the early morning, make sure that you are wearing bright or reflective clothing so that you are seen. Most importantly, don’t walk on our roads while intoxicated,” he said.
Acting Chief of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Clement Masinge, urged those visiting Gauteng to also adhere to the rules of the road and to prioritise safety.
“We want to encourage motorists when they’re on holidays through our city to take enough rest and ensure that they stick to the rules of the road. We are not going to tolerate…speeding, overloading in the taxis and buses.
“We will go all out in numbers to ensure that our motorists in the City of Johannesburg remain safe throughout this month,” Masinge added. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Senator Murray has been raising the alarm on Trump administration’s plans to slash critical funding for salmon recovery efforts
***PHOTOS, B-ROLL HERE**
Lyle, WA — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, visited Klickitat Falls to observe Yakama Nation members dipnet fishing on the Klickitat River and meet with Tribal leaders and members. Senator Murray spoke with Chairman Gerald Lewis others about the importance of salmon recovery efforts in the Columbia and Snake Rivers, as well as forestry management and other issues. Forest management and wildfire prevention in particular have become a major cause for concern for the Yakama Nation in recent weeks, as the Trump administration’s federal funding cuts and freezes directly affect their ability to manage their lands or respond to fires on adjoining federal lands.
Senator Murray has also been raising the alarm and demanding answers on the Trump administration’s plans to shutter the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) office in Toppenish, which the Yakama Nation relies on for everything from timber sales to Indian Child Welfare Act cases.
“It was a real honor to visit with the Yakama Nation today and observe dipnet fishing, a practice handed down over generations,” said Senator Murray. “The Yakama Nationhave been stewards of this land since time immemorial, and I’m proud to be their partner at the federal level in fighting to save our salmon, manage our forests responsibly, and make progress on so many other issues. Over the past few years, we’ve made historic investments in salmon recovery through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act—but now the Trump administration’s reckless cuts and illegal funding freezes are putting that progress at risk.”
“I’ve spoken with many Tribes, including the Yakama Nation, who are already seeing the consequences of the Trump administration’s mass firings and hiring freezes at important federal agencies they rely on—and that were already painfully understaffed. There’s no way around it—Trump’s gutting of the federal workforce and deep funding cuts will seriously hamper the administration of programs and services that Tribes rely on, and that the federal government has trust and treaty obligations to provide,” Murray continued. “I take seriously my responsibility to be a voice for our Tribes in the U.S. Senate—and I’ll continue using every tool at my disposal in Congress to fight back and hold this administration accountable.”
As a voice in the U.S. Senate for Washington state’s Tribal governments and communities, Senator Murray has long worked to make sure our nation lives up to its promises to support Tribal infrastructure, health care, education, housing, natural resources management, and more. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Senator Murray was instrumental in passing as then-Assistant Majority Leader provided more than $13 billion to directly support Tribal communities and makes Tribes eligible to apply for or request billions in discretionary, formula, and other funding to deploy record investments to provide affordable high-speed internet, safer roads and bridges, modern wastewater and sanitation systems, clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, and good paying jobs in every Tribal community. In total, this funding represents the single largest investment in Tribal infrastructure ever.
Senator Murray has also been a champion for protecting and strengthening critical salmon and fish populations throughout her time in the Senate. Senator Murray secured a historic $2.85 billion investment in salmon and ecosystem restoration programs—including $400 million for a new community-based restoration program focused on removing fish passage barriers in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—and in the Inflation Reduction Act, Murray secured hundreds of millions for Washington state priorities including $15 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, $3 million to support facilities at the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, $27 million for Pacific salmon research, and more. Last Congress, as then-Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Murray protected critical funding for salmon recovery and fishery projects in the Fiscal Year 2024 government spending bills she negotiated and passed into law, including securing: $50 million in the construction of the Howard Hanson Dam Fish Passage facility; $75 million for the Pacific Salmon account at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), $65 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, $54 million for the EPA’s Puget Sound Geographic Program, and more.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
WASHINGTON – On Monday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), and U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General (IG) Michael Horowitz highlighting the IG’s failure to respond to the senators’ previous requests about the government’s use of confidential human sources (CHS) and undercover agents on January 6, 2021 (J6).
On Dec. 16, 2024, the senators wrote to IG Horowitz requesting information based on the IG’s review of DOJ’s use of CHSs on J6. Specifically, the senators wanted to know the extent DOJ components, like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), had tasked and untasked CHSs in the area of the Capitol Building on J6.
On April 7, 2025, IG Horowitz responded, noting that “ATF, DEA, USMS, and BOP did not have any tasked CHSs in Washington, D.C. on January 6 in connection with the events of January 6.”
However, IG Horowitz could not make a similar assertion regarding whether untasked CHSs from DOJ components, other than the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), were in the D.C. area on J6 and connected to events that day. “[U]nlike the FBI, we have no information at this time as to whether the ATF, DEA, USMS, or BOP conducted a post-January 6 canvass to determine if any of their CHSs traveled on their own initiative (untasked) to D.C. in connection with the January 6 events,” IG Horowitz wrote.
In addition, IG Horowitz’s response failed to adequately address whether DOJ components had employees or contractors wearing civilian clothing in the Washington, D.C. area and around the Capitol Building on J6.
“We also reiterate other requests from our December 16, 2024, letter that are still outstanding,” the senators wrote.
“For example, in our letter we asked whether your office obtained, during the course of its investigation into this matter, all communications, including text messages, between and among all DOJ component agency handlers and the CHSs/undercover agents. Your April 7, 2025, response confirmed that your office ‘did not request all of the text messages for all of the 26 CHSs and their handlers.’ Your April 7, 2025, response also noted that your office obtained classified communications; however, it failed to answer whether it obtained all classified communications,” the senators added.
Read more about the letter on Fox News.
Full text of the letter can be found here.