NEW ORLEANS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations, arrested 15 illegal aliens May 27 during a targeted worksite enforcement operation at construction sites in the New Orleans area.
The multiagency operation, directed by ICE Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans, led to the arrest of 15 illegal aliens from Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
“Worksite enforcement investigations focus on reducing illegal employment, holding employers accountable and protecting employment opportunities for the country’s lawful workforce,” said ICE HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune. “HSI New Orleans will continue protecting public safety by enforcing the immigration laws of our nation.”
The main function of ICE HSI’s worksite enforcement program is to assist the field in maintaining the integrity in the U.S. immigration system, ease pressure at the borders, promote self-compliance in the business community, and protect employment opportunities for the nation’s workforce.
ICE HSI conducts investigations that target egregious worksite violators. These investigations lead to criminal, civil, or administrative judgments against employers who knowingly hire unauthorized workers. These actions seek to deter employers who hire unauthorized workers. Investigations often uncover multiple forms of criminal activity, such as human smuggling, document fraud, human rights abuses and other violations linked to the employment of unauthorized workers.
ICE officials have continually emphasized the agency’s continued focus to identifying public safety and national security threats. Individuals unlawfully present in the United States who are encountered during enforcement operations may be taken into custody and processed for removal in accordance with federal law.
Members of the public with information about suspected immigration violations or related criminal activity are encouraged to contact the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or submit information online via the ICE Tip Form.
For more information about ICE HSI New Orleans and its efforts to enhance public safety in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas, follow us on X at @HSINewOrleans.
Learn more about worksite enforcement by visiting ICE’s Worksite Enforcement Investigations.
LOS ANGELES – The chief financial officer (CFO) at a Downtown Los Angeles-based shipping company has been arrested on a 22-count federal grand jury indictment charging him and the company’s CEO with using fraudulent documents, shell companies, bribes to public officials, and kickbacks to Mexican drug cartels to smuggle billions of dollars’ worth of goods from the United States into Mexico, repeatedly lying to U.S. customs officials and defrauding Mexico out of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of duties owed, the Justice Department announced today.
Ralph Olarte, 55, of Glendale, the CFO of Sport LA Inc., was arrested late last night at Los Angeles International Airport. He is expected to make his initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Also charged in the indictment is Humberto Lopez Belmonte, 53, of Mexico City, who was arrested and arraigned on Tuesday in Los Angeles federal court. Lopez pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and a July 21 trial date was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge ordered Lopez released on $100,000 bond.
Olarte and Lopez are charged with one count of conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States. Both defendants and their company, Sport LA Inc., also are charged with one count of smuggling goods from the United States, three counts of knowingly submitting false and misleading export information, five counts of wire fraud for false information submitted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud against Mexico, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and seven counts of international promotional and concealment money laundering.
Sport LA is charged with three counts of making false statements to a government agency. The other defendant companies – H&R Logistics Inc. and Olarte Transport Service Inc. – are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to the indictment returned on April 30 and unsealed Tuesday, Olarte and Lopez, from at least 2013 to the present, operated a lucrative international shipping enterprise. Through shipping companies they controlled, Olarte and Lopez smuggled billions of dollars’ worth of goods from and through the United States into Mexico. Many times, they concealed the nature of the shipped goods, some of which contained contraband.
The companies allegedly submitted millions of false and misleading statements to U.S. customs officials, used shell companies in Mexico to shield their true customers, and created and presented false documents – including sham certificates for paid Mexican import taxes. They also bribed Mexican customs officials, paid kickbacks to drug cartels – including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) – to operate the scheme and smuggled bulk cash into the U.S. to avoid reporting requirements.
Olarte and Lopez then laundered the proceeds of their scheme back from the true Mexican customers, through the shell companies, and ultimately into the companies’ U.S. bank accounts.
As a result of the conspiracy, Olarte and Lopez personally received millions of dollars in illicit proceeds.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Olarte and Lopez would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud- and money laundering-related count, up to five years in federal prison for each smuggling- and false statements-related count, and up to two years in federal prison for each count of knowingly submitting false and misleading export information.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), CBP, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating this matter.
The cases announced today were investigated by HSI’s El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, a multi-agency task force that includes federal and state investigators who are focused on financial crimes in Southern California.
The Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced an Ohio man to 30 years in prison for sexually exploiting a Chicago-area girl with whom he communicated on social media.
ANDREW BOLTZ began communicating with the then-16-year-old girl in 2020 on the social media application Omegle. Boltz continued communicating with the girl via text messaging and the social media application Snapchat. During these communications, Boltz enticed the victim into sending him sexually explicit images of herself. Boltz instructed the girl on what type of sexually explicit conduct should be portrayed in the images.
A federal jury in 2023 convicted Boltz, 27, of Kenton, Ohio, on exploitation and child pornography charges. The victim bravely testified at trial about being manipulated and degraded by Boltz.
U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey imposed the 30-year prison sentence during a hearing on Friday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Peru, Ill. Police Department, LaSalle County, Ill. State’s Attorney’s Office, Wilmington, Ill. Police Department, Will County, Ill. State’s Attorney’s Office, Will County, Ill. Child Advocacy Center, DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, Norwalk, Ohio Police Department, and the Cleveland, Ohio Field Office of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward A. Liva, Jr., Elly Moheb, and Kavitha Babu represented the government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood(PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, while also providing critical services to victims.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to https://www.missingkids.org/ or calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
HOUSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Oscar Lopez Delira, a 47-year-old three-time removed criminal alien and convicted child predator, to his home country of Mexico May 27.
ICE officers transported Lopez from the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe to the Laredo Port of Entry and he was released into Mexico.
While in the U.S. illegally, Lopez has been convicted of two counts of sexually exploiting a minor, March 20, 2017, and illegal reentry July 1, 2024.
Lopez first illegally entered the U.S. on an unknown date and at an unknown location. On Jan. 2, 2001, he was arrested by ICE in Dallas and he was returned to Mexico that same day.
Lopez illegally reentered the U.S. on an unknown date and at an unknown location and wasn’t encountered by ICE again until Aug. 25, 2015, when he was arrested for sexually exploiting a minor in Carrolton. On Aug. 23, 2019, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice transferred Lopez into ICE custody, and he was placed into immigration proceedings. An immigration judge from the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered Lopez removed to Mexico Sept. 10, 2019. ICE officers carried out that order Sept. 12, 2019, and deported him to Mexico through the Laredo Port of Entry.
Lopez illegally entered the U.S. for a third time on Feb. 11, 2024, near Hidalgo, and was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol and charged with illegal reentry. Lopez was convicted of illegal reentry July 1, 2024, and sentenced to 18 months in prison. On May 23, 2025, he was transferred into ICE custody from the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution, and he was removed to Mexico May 27.
“For far too long, dangerous criminal aliens like this individual have been able to easily circumvent our nation’s laws to illegally enter the country only to go on and victimize innocent and law-abiding residents,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operation Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford. “In response, ICE is working daily with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to restore integrity to our nation’s laws and public safety to our communities.”
For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to enforce our nation’s immigration laws in Texas, follow us on X at @EROHouston.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for urgent, coordinated action to tackle the dual threats of tuberculosis (TB) and climate change. In a newly released framework, WHO highlights how climate change is creating conditions that could intensify the global TB epidemic.
The framework outlines how rising temperatures, extreme weather events and environmental degradation are intensifying key TB risk factors. Populations already grappling with poverty, malnutrition, displacement and limited access to health care are expected to be hit hardest, as TB – one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases – gains ground in a changing climate.
The report highlights three key pathways through which climate change exacerbates TB risk:
Migration and displacement: Climate-related disasters and slow-onset environmental degradation are forcing millions to relocate, often into overcrowded and poorly ventilated environments that facilitate TB transmission and situations that reduce their access to care. In 2023, 20.3 million people were displaced by weather-related hazards, with projections estimating up to 216 million climate-displaced persons by 2050.
Food and water insecurity: Increasing frequency of droughts, floods and extreme heat is intensifying malnutrition – an established risk factor for TB contributing to nearly 10% of TB cases globally.
Health system disruptions: Climate-induced disasters are undermining health infrastructure and disrupting essential TB services, including diagnosis, treatment and continuity of care. Natural hazard-related events affected an estimated 93.1 million people in 2023. Without treatment, TB has a mortality rate of up to 50%.
“Climate change is not only a planetary crisis – it’s a major health threat,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global Programme on TB and Lung Health. “TB remains the world’s top infectious killer, and climate change threatens to reverse decades of progress in fighting this disease. We must integrate the TB response into climate adaptation efforts to protect the most vulnerable.”
The report urges governments to:
integrate TB services into climate and health strategies
strengthen health systems to withstand climate shocks
secure sustainable financing for TB, including through climate and health funds.
It also stresses the need for cross-sector collaboration across health, agriculture, migration, social protection and disaster preparedness to confront the shared drivers of TB and climate vulnerability.
With the UN Climate Change Conference on the horizon, WHO emphasizes that building climate-resilient health systems and including TB in universal health coverage and social protection plans will be essential to safeguarding global health gains and minimizing emerging risks.
WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Programme (GTB) is collaborating with Member States and key stakeholders to advance a TB response that is resilient in the face of climate change. In partnership with the Pan American Health Organization and Brazil’s Ministry of Health, WHO’s GTB co-hosted a side event on “Climate Change and TB” alongside the G20 Health Working Group meeting in Natal, Brazil, on 2–3 September 2024. The event aimed to raise awareness among G20 members, donors and technical partners about the current and projected impacts of climate change on the TB epidemic and emphasized the importance of coordinated action across and beyond the health sector. WHO and the Government of Brazil also co-organized a high-level side event on TB and climate change during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Held on 23 September 2024, the event focused on the urgent need to combat climate change and its severe consequences on global efforts to end TB.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed separate criminal charges against 18 defendants as part of Operation Take Back America, for violations that include straw purchasing of firearms, bank robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, illegal reentry, and failure to notify a change of address.
The 18 defendants charged last week and the alleged offenses include:
Walter Adonai Rivera Chinchilla, 24, of Charlotte, and Fausto Odalis Reyes Guevara, 27, of Honduras, are charged via a superseding indictment of conspiracy to provide a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Guevara is also charged with possession of a firearm by a person unlawfully in the United States. According to the superseding indictment, on October 12, 2024, Guevara messaged Chinchilla that Guevara needed a “17” and a white Beretta for a good price. Two days later, Chinchilla allegedly purchased a Beretta 92FS pistol from Guns Too, a licensed firearms dealer located in Caldwell County. When he purchased the firearm from Guns Too, Chinchilla allegedly lied on the forms, falsely attesting that he was the actual buyer of the firearm when he was in fact buying it for Guevara. The indictment further alleges that on the same day Chinchilla purchased a second firearm, a Glock 45 pistol, from Foothills Jewelry & Loan, a licensed firearms dealer in Catawba County. It is further alleged that Chinchilla lied again on the forms falsely attesting that he was the actual buyer of the firearm when he knew he was buying it for Guevara. Chinchilla is also facing additional charges including trafficking in firearms, making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, and dealing in firearms without a license.
Jose Francisco Meraz-Villatoro, 31, of Mexico, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. It is alleged that Meraz-Villatoro unlawfully possessed two firearms: a Glock 43 9mm handgun and a Girsan Regard MC 9mm handgun. Meraz-Villatoro was previously deported from the United States three times: in September 2013, in July 2014, and again in November 2022.
Carlos Sarmiento-Ochoa, 20, of Honduras, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. It is alleged in the indictment that Sarmiento-Ochoa unlawfully possessed a Glock 23, 40 caliber handgun, and that he was previously deported from the United States in May 2018 and again in October 2019.
Gial Obed Rodas-Hernandez, 20, of Honduras, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. The indictment alleges that Rodas-Hernandez unlawfully possessed a Taurus PT709 handgun, 9mm, and that he was previously deported from the United States in February 2021.
Jose Alberto Velazquez-Trejo, 41, of Mexico, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. The indictment alleges that Velazquez-Trejo unlawfully possessed a Sig Sauer P226 handgun. Velazquez-Trejo was also previously deported from the United States in May 2008.
Norman Enrique Lopez-Santamaria, 42, of Honduras, is charged with illegally reentering into the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Lopez-Santamaria was previously deported from the United States four times: in October 2002, in July 2009, in August 2010, and again in May 2014.
Rogelio Hernandez-Flores, 50, of Mexico, is charged with illegally reentering the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Hernandez-Flores was previously deported from the United States three times: in August 1997, July 2003, and again in November 2007.
Luis Zamora-Cruz, 47, of Mexico, is charged with illegally reentering the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Zamora-Cruz was previously deported from the United States in July 2010 and again in May 2017.
Christian Emanuel Valladares-Sierra, 25, of Honduras, is charged with illegally reentering the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Valladares-Sierra was previously deported from the United States in September 2018.
Josue Oveniel Martinez-Avalo, 31, of Honduras, is charged with illegally reentering into the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Martinez-Avalo was previously deported from the United States in June 2014.
Luis Alfredo Navarrete Pastrana, 32, of Mexico, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States. Pastrana was previously deported from the United States in October 2021.
Bryan Flowers, 53, of Hickory, N.C., is charged with bank robbery. According to the indictment, on April 17, 2025, Flowers allegedly robbed the Peoples Bank located in Lincolnton, N.C., by force, violence, and intimidation.
Dwayne Furlow Chaney, 40, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. Chaney allegedly illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson M&P, .40 caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.
Marshall Demetrius Rice, 45, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. The indictment alleges that Rice illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson, model SD9VE, 9mm pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.
Damiyus Diamonte Fowler, 28, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. Fowler allegedly illegally possessed a Glock 19, Gen 5 9mm caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.
Aaron Deondre Conway, 41, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. The indictment alleges that Conway illegally possessed a Walther, Model PPK/S .380 caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.
Jamil Omire Ali, 31, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. Ali allegedly illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield, .40 caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The charges in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Removal Operations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their investigations that led to the charges. U.S. Attorney Ferguson also commended the local law enforcement agencies that assisted in the investigation and apprehension of the defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys with the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the cases.
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Toudeng Thao, 59, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 90 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine for distribution. Thao pleaded guilty to these charges on March 3, 2025.
On January 25, 2024, law enforcement arrested both Thao and codefendant Joua Thao during a traffic stop as they returned to La Crosse, Wisconsin, from Minnesota after picking up approximately 443 grams of methamphetamine for distribution. Thao and Joua Thao were previously married but were divorced at the time of the arrest. In the six months before his arrest, Thao distributed or possessed for distribution over 5 ½ kilograms of methamphetamine. Thao claimed to have received methamphetamine from multiple sources in Minnesota, California, Canada, and Mexico. He also claimed he supplied six drug distributors. Through a series of controlled purchases, Thao and Joua Thao sold a confidential informant a total of 203.9 grams of methamphetamine in La Crosse. Thao also possessed a firearm during one drug transaction and sought more firearms to traffic to his drug suppliers.
At sentencing, Judge Conley said he was struck by Thao’s statements rationalizing his turn to drug trafficking and found Thao’s minimal criminal history to be puzzling at best given his violent characteristics. Judge Conley noted Thao’s substantial drug dealing was serious enough on its own, but his involvement with firearms, threats of violence, and history of violence against his codefendant and family made him a serious risk to the community.
Joua Thao also pleaded guilty and on March 20, 2025, Judge Conley sentenced her to 5 years of probation for her role in assisting with the drug transactions.
The charges against Toudeng and Joua Thao were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Drug Enforcement Administration, Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Prairie du Chien Police Department, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, Campbell Police Department, La Crosse Police Department, Onalaska Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
PORTLAND, Ore.—A known leader of Portland’s 18th Street Gang was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison Friday for his leadership role in a local drug trafficking conspiracy and for possessing a weapon while in federal prison.
Noah Herrera, 26, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, Herrera was a second-in-command leader of the 18th Street Gang in Portland, working regularly with the gang’s local leader, Gustavo Torres-Mendez, who was sentenced in May 2024 to 164 months in federal prison. Together, the two men led various gang-driven activities including trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl in the Portland area. During this time, the 18th Street Gang was heavily armed and sold drugs acquired near the Mexico border in California to local buyers in and around Portland.
The government’s investigation exposed several major episodes in the gang’s activities. In August 2022, agents seized nearly nine pounds of methamphetamine after Herrera organized a transaction in Portland. Only weeks later, in early September 2022, federal agents monitoring the two leaders’ activities learned they and subordinate 18th Street Gang members had collected over $126,000 in cash after which Herrera and Torres-Mendez dispatched two members to California to purchase and pick up drugs. Agents monitored the return of the load vehicle, which was stopped near Grants Pass, Oregon, and over 104 pounds of methamphetamine and a smaller quantity of cocaine were seized. The methamphetamine was packaged in 56 separate plastic food containers.
On November 17, 2022, agents arrested Herrera and executed a search warrant at his Vancouver, Washington, home, where they found two loaded Glock pistols, ammunition, additional quantities of drugs, two scales with drug residue, a drug ledger, over $5000 in cash and several cell phones.
Agents also executed a search warrant at a residence in North Portland which had been used by the 18th Street Gang throughout the investigation as a meeting place and stash house. There, agents found and seized ten handguns in locations throughout the main rooms, a short-barreled shotgun, extended magazines, ammunition, body armor as well as additional drug evidence, packaging equipment and scales.
On September 25, 2023, while housed at FCI Sheridan pending trial, prison guards found Herrera in possession of a shiv (a six-inch sharpened piece of metal) prohibited by federal law.
On January 10, 2025, Herrera pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, and possessing a dangerous weapon in a federal facility.
This case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by Thomas H. Edmonds and Nicole M. Bockelman, Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Julian Mesino Calletano, 54, an illegal alien residing in Hardeeville, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry of an alien after removal, following a conviction of an aggravated felony.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on an unknown date Calletano, a native and citizen of Mexico, illegally entered the United States at an unknown location. On June 7, 2010, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers encountered Calletano while he was incarcerated in Georgia, serving a 70-month sentence for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute at least 5 kilograms of cocaine. Calletano was deported in November 2013 after serving his sentence.
Following his deportation, Calletano illegally entered the United States again, at an unknown location. He was again discovered by ICE officers, this time in the Jasper County Detention Center in Ridgeland, South Carolina in 2024. Calletano was also convicted in 2023 on a drug charge in Butte County, California.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Calletano to 24 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Calletano will be ordered to be deported after serving his sentence.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor is prosecuting the case.
SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 295 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 9 through May 15.
Among the new cases, Mexican nationals Juan Jose Medrano-Escobedo and Rosendo Dominguez-Morales were arrested after allegedly entering the U.S. illegally through the Texas National Defense Area (Tx-NDA) less than half a mile west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso. Medrano-Escobedo has been previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico twice, most recently July 30, 2024. He has been convicted of three felonies, including evading arrest in 2017 and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in November 2023. Dominguez-Morales was last removed on Aug. 20, 2024, following an Aug. 18, 2024 felony conviction for assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. Medrano-Escobedo and Dominguez-Morales are each charged with two counts related to violating defense property security regulation and one count of illegal re-entry.
Also in El Paso, two U.S. citizens are charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens after being arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Fabens. Jared Isai Ramirez and Jesus Alberto Soriano, driving separate vehicles, allegedly attempted to flee from USBP. A criminal complaint alleges Ramirez lost control of his vehicle and collided into a rock wall. He and four passengers allegedly exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot before being apprehended. The four passengers were determined to be illegal aliens and were transported with Ramirez to the Clint Border Patrol Station for further investigation. Soriano eventually stopped the vehicle he was driving and was also transported to the Clint Border Patrol Station. The criminal complaint alleges that Ramirez admitted that he would be paid $300 for each of the four illegal aliens he was transporting. Soriano allegedly stated that he had agreed to scout the area for law enforcement during the smuggling scheme.
A Mexican national was encountered at the Bastrop County Jail and charged with illegal re-entry in Austin. Elisandro Enriquez-Sanchez has been removed from the U.S. to Mexico four times in addition to a voluntary return. He had been arrested in Bastrop and charged with driving while intoxicated with an open alcohol container. Enriquez-Sanchez’s lengthy criminal record includes two convictions for illegal re-entry as well as taking a weapon from an officer, assault causing bodily injury to a family member, and three DWIs in a two-year span.
In Presidio County, Honduran national Angel Daniel Vasquez was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry. Vasquez has four prior removals, the last one being to Honduras May 27, 2024. He’s also a twice-convicted felon with a criminal record that includes assault causing bodily injury in Nashville, Tennessee in 2023 and a 2015 illegal re-entry conviction in Phoenix, Arizona. He was also convicted of a misdemeanor in Nashville for driving under the influence in April 2024.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, the leading non-custodial crypto wallet, has introduced a limited-time campaign offering 90% off mobile game credits through its in-app “Shop with Crypto” marketplace. Running from May 28 to June 4, the promotion allows first-time users to purchase credits for Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, and Mobile Legends for $0.10 when paying with crypto.
The initiative is part of Bitget Wallet’s ongoing efforts to reduce friction in crypto transactions and expand real-world use cases. By offering discounts on familiar digital products, the campaign aims to incentivize first-time purchases and foster repeat usage within the gaming category — one of the most active digital spending verticals globally. According to DappRadar, blockchain gaming accounted for 30% of all decentralized application activity, playing a pivotal role in onboarding new crypto users due to its low entry barriers and familiar digital purchase patterns.
Launched earlier this month, “Shop with Crypto” enables users to pay directly with digital assets across over 300 merchants spanning gaming, travel, mobile recharges, e-commerce gift cards and more. Popular brands include Amazon, Google Play, Steam, Netflix, Uber, Shopee, T-mall, JD.com, and more. The service eliminates the need for fiat conversion, with transactions processed instantly and redemption codes delivered directly via email, reflecting a user experience similar to traditional online shopping.
Bitget Wallet currently offers one of the most comprehensive crypto payment experiences on the market, combining in-app shopping, QR code scanning including national and blockchain-based codes, and crypto card payments. “We’re building towards a more practical crypto economy,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “This campaign demonstrates the ease of real-world spending through crypto, and gaming is just the first of many verticals we’ll activate.”
About Bitget Wallet Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple and secure for everyone. With over 80 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, DApp exploration, and payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges. Backed by a $300+ million user protection fund, it ensures the highest level of security for users’ assets.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)
WASHINGTON– Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the committee’s hearing, titled “FY26 State Department Posture: Protecting American Interests.” McCaul and Rubio discussed how the committee’s work to reauthorize the State Department can help the Trump administration advance its foreign policy objectives, including restoring U.S. foreign aid to its core mission.
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Full exchange below:
Chair Emeritus McCaul: Let me express my deep sympathy to the family of Gerry Connolly. He was a dear friend of mine. I will miss him dearly and the Irish twinkle in his eye.
Mr. Secretary, thanks for being here today. Under the last four years — under President Biden — the world is on fire now. From the debacle, the evacuation, poorly executed from Afghanistan, which then led, I believe, to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine — the largest land invasion since World War II in Europe — to the Middle East on fire now, to October 7th. I commend you for trying to seek peace in these hotspots, including the Indo-Pacific, which probably presents the greatest threat.
I would be clear-eyed with Mr. Putin. I personally don’t think he’s negotiating in good faith. The Ayatollah cannot be trusted. In fact, it was recently reported that they got their proxy, Hamas, to invade Israel on October 7th to derail the normalization talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Let me go to the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act. It was initially created to counter the rise of the Soviet Union. Today, I believe it should be used to counter the influence of Communist China around the globe, and that’s a core mission I know you support, as do I. When I was chairman of this committee, I put holds on the programs the current chairman is talking about — that being the drag shows in Ecuador to grants to advance atheism in Nepal. These are not in the interest of the United States or our national security interests.
So, I think we need to return these agencies and programs to their core mission. I believe that you’re trying to do that by bringing them under your supervision at the State Department. It’s not a new idea. Madeline Albright tried to do that many years ago. And I do think under your supervision, that we’ll have transparency and accountability with the foreign assistance programs.
We are engaged in a reauthorization of the State Department. Sir, can you tell me how this would assist you, with respect to reorganization of these important agencies under your department?
Secretary Rubio: Well, I think the key to reorganization — and by the way, we never did it in all the years that I was in the Senate either. It never happened. It needs to happen. We want it to happen. As you know, in our reorganization, we didn’t touch any of the statutory offices because we can’t. But there’s two advantages to it, or three advantages.
The first is it becomes permanent. We can create an organizational structure that becomes enduring, especially if it’s one that we believe in. Second, I think that it will help us with the input and ideas. Look, we provided the initial preliminary indication to Congress.
We’ve been taking input — including from many on the minority — and some of those are going to be reflected when we put out our final approach that we want to take. But ultimately, we would love to work with the committee to find ways to improve on the streamlining.
By the way, we’re also taking input from inside our building. Some of the ideas in our reorg — many of the ideas from our reorg — came from inside the State Department from career officials, including some that are still providing input for us on sort of how to structure it.
But I think the advantage of doing it statutorily is that it becomes enduring and permanent and provides certainty in the days to come. Otherwise, you know, it can change over time and continue to bloat and expand to levels that it got to. It was an unreadable org chart. The org chart that I showed you — the initial org chart that I inherited — was just the top line. Within each one of those boxes, there were multiple boxes — some of them duplicative, redundant, and in many cases, no one could even tell us what they were doing, because it’s easy to grow. It’s much harder to reorganize and to streamline activity, and that’s what we want to do.
Chair Emeritus McCaul: Well, it’s a very noble effort. With my one minute remaining, I authorized the Remain in Mexico program in this committee. I commend the administration; within a matter of months, [they] have restored order to the border, taking chaos and turned it into a safe border.
I mean, the crossings have gone down 95%. There’s no longer catch and release. And I do think the executive order on Remain in Mexico is very important. I know you share that responsibility with the Department of Homeland Security — a committee I chaired as well. What is the latest on your negotiations with Mexico to bring that important program back?
Secretary Rubio: Well, as you’re aware, I’m sure that we’ve had a number of what I recall, both irritants, but also areas of cooperation with the Mexican government. It’s been actually pretty positive. They have been very responsive on our security concerns. They’ve increased their security cooperation with us in ways that have been very productive.
In fact, at some point here over the next few weeks, I intend to travel potentially to Mexico along with a couple other cabinet members to sort of finalize some of these areas of cooperation. This may be one we talk about, but we’ve been primarily focused with Mexico on two things.
One is on trade — which is not my department — but obviously, our trade representative, Mr. Greer, and also Commerce Secretary Lutnick has been engaging with them. And then the other is on security cooperation. We have a mutual interest in Mexico. In essence, the cartels that operate within Mexico and threaten the state are armed from weapons that are bought in the United States and shipped there.
We want to help stop that flow. The reverse is [that] those cartels threaten the state. There are parts of Mexico that are governed by cartels where there is — in fact, I think I heard last night — two more people were murdered in Mexico City associated with the mayor of Mexico City. The political violence there is real.
They have a vested interest and a desire to go after these cartels, and we want to help equip them and provide them information. They’ve also been increasingly cooperative — more than ever before — in bringing back and extraditing people wanted in this country for crimes who are in their custody.
So, I think we’ve got good areas of cooperation. We still have some more work to do on migration, but they’ve been cooperative.
Austin, TX , May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WSO2, the leader in enterprise digital infrastructure technology, today announced it has acquired Moesif, a San Francisco-based startup specializing in advanced API analytics and monetization. The all-cash acquisition marks a strategic milestone in WSO2’s long-term plan to accelerate global growth through targeted inorganic opportunities.
As part of the agreement, Moesif will operate as an independent subsidiary under WSO2’s API Management Business Unit. The Moesif brand and current product offering will be retained, and its leadership along with its team will continue to drive existing business and expand customer growth globally. Moesif customers will continue receiving the same level of service and support, while benefiting from WSO2’s global presence and expanded product offerings. Moesif’s advanced API analytics and monetization capabilities will also be integrated into WSO2’s product portfolio, bringing enhanced value to existing and future customers.
“This acquisition is a first step in our strategy to establish WSO2 as a global technology leader through select inorganic opportunities,” said Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana, founder and CEO of WSO2. “Moesif brings market-leading capabilities in API analytics and monetization, areas that are increasingly critical to digital businesses today. This is just the beginning—we’re committed to exploring further opportunities that align with our long-term goal to help enterprises deliver seamless, high-impact digital experiences.”
The acquisition enhances WSO2’s positioning in the API management space by adding best-in-class analytics and monetization tools that help businesses optimize, measure, and generate revenue from their APIs. Moesif’s offerings will complement WSO2’s comprehensive API management platform, creating a synergy that benefits both customer bases.
“Joining WSO2 is a natural next step in Moesif’s journey,” said Derric Gilling, founder and CEO of Moesif. “We share a deep commitment to empowering developers and businesses to build powerful digital experiences. As part of WSO2, we’ll continue to innovate rapidly, serve our customers with excellence, and now reach an even broader global audience.”
WSO2 customers will start gaining access to Moesif’s capabilities as part of an enhanced product suite, while Moesif customers will benefit from WSO2’s global support infrastructure and expanded services.
About WSO2 Founded in 2005, WSO2 is the largest independent software vendor providing open-source API management, integration, and identity and access management (IAM) to thousands of enterprises in over 90 countries. WSO2’s products and platforms—including our next-gen internal developer platform, Choreo—empower organizations to leverage the full potential of artificial intelligence and APIs for securely delivering the next generation of AI-enabled digital services and applications. Our open-source, AI-driven, API-first approach frees developers and architects from vendor lock-in and enables rapid digital product creation. Recognized as leaders by industry analysts, WSO2 has more than 800 employees worldwide with offices in Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Sri Lanka, the UAE, the UK, and the US, with over USD100M in annual recurring revenue. Visit https://wso2.com to learn more. Follow WSO2 on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).
About Moesif Moesif is the leading AI-driven API analytics and monetization platform that helps companies build better developer experiences, monitor API usage, and drive revenue. With powerful tools for observability, governance, and product-led growth, Moesif empowers engineering and product teams to optimize APIs as a business channel. Moesif serves customers across many industries including logistics, fintech, and enterprise software including leading enterprises like UPS, Covetrus, and UK Royal Mail. Moesif was founded in 2017 and is based in San Francisco, US. Investors include Craft Ventures, Merus Capital, Heavybit, and Fresco. Visit www.moesif.com to learn more.
Trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 27, 2025) — On the heels of World Football Day, the World Food Programme (WFP) has named Jozy Altidore, renowned Haitian-American professional soccer player and philanthropist, as its newest High-Level Supporter. In this role, Altidore will work to raise awareness and funds for WFP’s emergency food assistance and nutrition programs around the world, including Haiti, his parents’ homeland.
“Being named a High-Level Supporter of WFP is more than a title, it’s a personal mission. With deep roots in Haiti, I’ve seen how hunger can devastate entire communities,” said Altidore. “I’m committed to using my voice and platform to help WFP bring hope and lasting change where it’s needed most.”
Altidore—known as a powerhouse striker for both the U.S. Men’s National Team and Major League Soccer (MLS)’s Toronto FC— is also part-owner of the Buffalo Bills. A steadfast supporter of WFP, Altidore has brought attention to WFP’s life-saving programs in Haiti and recently donated the equivalent of 100,000 school meals as part of World Food Program USA’s ERASE HUNGER® campaign. To learn more about Altidore’s work with us, visitwfpusa.org/jozy-altidore.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jozy to our esteemed team of High-Level Supporters,” said Barron Segar, World Food Program USA President and CEO. “Jozy brings tremendous passion and an infectious energy and enthusiasm to our mission that we hope will inspire younger Americans, athletes, and sports fans alike to join us in fighting global hunger.”
Beyond WFP, Altidore’s philanthropic work has focused on providing children across the globe with access to education, healthcare, and the nutrition necessary to thrive. He partnered with the Saint Luke Foundation for Haiti and served as an ambassador for Hope for Haiti. Altidore supported Haitian development programs and helped fundraise for pediatric medical research and treatments. He is also a founding member of LeBron James’ More Than a Vote campaign.
Altidore joins a respected roster of High-Level Supporters, including American celebrity chef Eitan Bernath, Bolivian mountain climbers Cholitas Escaladoras Maya, Congolese soccer player Distel Zola, Brazilian celebrity chef Rita Lobo and Congolese artist Innoss’B.
About the United Nations World Food Programme
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
About World Food Program USA World Food Program USA, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, D.C., proudly supports the mission of the United Nations World Food Programme by mobilizing American policymakers, businesses and individuals to advance the global movement to end hunger. To support or learn more about World Food Program USA’s mission, please visit www.wfpusa.org.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zero Hash, the leading crypto and stablecoin infrastructure platform, today announced it has secured regulatory approval to operate in Argentina through its approval as a registered Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) with the National Securities Commission (CNV) of Argentina. This marks another significant milestone in Zero Hash’s strategic global expansion plans. Zero Hash was awarded approval after completing a rigorous registration process overseen by Argentina’s financial regulatory authorities, who have established some of the most comprehensive crypto regulatory frameworks in Latin America.
The newly obtained registration enables Zero Hash to onboard Argentinian customers to its growing suite of digital asset services, including stablecoin payments, payouts, and crypto trading services, in full compliance with local regulatory requirements. The achievement adds to Zero Hash’s extensive global regulatory footprint and marks Zero Hash’s continued growth in Latin America following its previous expansion into Brazil.
“Securing regulatory approval in Argentina represents the continued acceleration in our international growth strategy,” said Edward Woodford, CEO of Zero Hash. “This registration allows us to serve the vibrant Argentinian market, reinforcing our commitment to operate within jurisdictional regulatory frameworks to serve customers anywhere, anytime, 24/7/365.”
Argentina has emerged as one of Latin America’s most dynamic cryptocurrency markets. Research shows that 65% of Argentina’s population frequently uses mobile wallets and payment applications for transactions, one of the highest adoption rates in Latin America. Additionally, Argentina has the eighth-largest volume in stablecoin payouts among the more than 60 countries handled by Zero Hash’s global stablecoin payouts rail. Like other markets worldwide, Argentinians use digital assets to protect against high inflation and currency instability.
The extensive regulatory process requires compliance with stringent anti-money laundering protocols, comprehensive KYC procedures, and robust security standards. With this approval, Zero Hash can now:
Provide compliant digital asset services to Argentinian businesses and consumers.
Establish local operations to better serve the regional market.
Contribute to the growth of Argentina’s emerging digital economy.
“We build our business through proper regulatory channels,” added Stephen Gardner, Chief Legal Officer at Zero Hash. “Our approach has always been to work collaboratively with local regulators to ensure we meet or exceed compliance requirements in every market we enter.”
This regulatory approval comes at a crucial time for Argentina’s growing freelance workforce. Recent survey data highlights significant challenges within the country’s traditional financial infrastructure, with 88% of respondents indicating that current local banking and payment systems fail to adequately serve freelancers due to high fees, currency volatility issues, and payment delays.
“Our entry into Argentina addresses a genuine market need,” added Woodford. “Our research shows that an overwhelming 92% of Argentinian freelancers prefer cryptocurrency payment options. We’ve incorporated these options for our local teams in Argentina, recognizing they deserve fair compensation without diminishing their earnings through unfavorable exchange rates. This reflects the real-world utility of digital assets in providing financial stability, reducing transaction costs, and enabling timely compensation for services rendered.”
About Zero Hash Zero Hash is the leading infrastructure provider for crypto, stablecoin, and tokenized assets. Its API and embeddable dev-kit enables innovators to easily launch solutions across cross-border payments, commerce, trading, remittance, payroll, tokenization and on/off-ramps.
Zero Hash powers solutions for some of the largest and innovative companies including Interactive Brokers, Stripe, Shift4, Franklin Templeton, Felix Pago, Kalshi and LightSpark. Zero Hash Holdings is backed by investors, including Point72 Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and NYCA.
In the United States, Zero Hash LLC is a FinCen-registered Money Service Business and a regulated Money Transmitter that can operate in 51 U.S. jurisdictions. Zero Hash LLC and Zero Hash Liquidity Services LLC are licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Zero Hash Trust Company LLC has been approved by the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks as a non-depository trust company. For information about our global regulatory footprint, including our Argentinian registrations, see here.
Zero Hash Disclosures
The Zero Hash services and product offerings may not be available in all jurisdictions, including in the State of New York. Crypto and stablecoin holdings held in Zero Hash accounts are not subject to FDIC or SIPC protections in the U.S., or any such equivalent protections that may exist outside of the U.S. Zero Hash’s technical support and enablement of any asset is not an endorsement of such asset and is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any crypto asset. The value of any cryptocurrency, including digital assets pegged to fiat currency, commodities, or any other asset, may go to zero.
Learn more by visiting zerohash.com or following us on X @ZeroHashX
Media Contacts Zero Hash Shaun O’Keeffe (855) 744-7333 media@zerohash.com
Four helicopters carrying an arrest team whirled over the mountains near Mexico’s southwestern coast toward Cervantes’ compound in the town of Villa Purificación, the heart of the infamous Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel.
As the lead helicopter pulled within range, bullets from a truck-mounted, military-grade machine gun on the ground struck the engine. Before it reached the ground, the massive helicopter was hit by a pair of rocket-powered grenades.
This .50-caliber cartridge was found stuck in the truck-mounted Browning M2HB machine gun that the Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel used to damage a Mexican Security Forces Super Cougar helicopter. ATF
Four soldiers from Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense were killed in the crash. Three more soldiers were killed in the firefight that followed, and another 12 were injured.
The engagement was the first known incident of a cartel shooting down a military aircraft in Mexico. The cartel’s retaliation for the attempted arrest was swift and brutal. It set fire to trucks, buses, banks, gasoline stations and businesses. The distractions worked. Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” escaped.
The Browning machine gun that took down the helicopter was traced to a legal firearm purchase in Oregon made by a U.S. citizen. And a Barrett .50-caliber rifle used in the ambush was traced to a sale in a U.S. gun shop in Texas 4½ years before.
Many military-grade weapons like these are trafficked into Mexico from the U.S. each year, aided by loose standards for firearm dealers and gun laws that favor illicit sales.
We – a professor of economic development who has been tracking gun trafficking for more than 10 years, and an investigative journalist – spent a year sifting through documents to find the number, origins and characteristics of weapons flowing from the U.S. to Mexico.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – the agency known as ATF tasked with regulating the industry – publishes the number of U.S. guns seized in Mexico and traced back to U.S. dealers, but it doesn’t provide an official trafficking estimate. The 2003 Tiahrt Amendments bar the ATF from creating a database of firearm sales and prohibit federal agencies from sharing detailed trace data outside of law enforcement.
To estimate weapons flow, we gathered trafficking estimates, including leaked data, previous research, firearm manufacturing totals and the ATF trace data.
The model we generated gave us a conservative middle estimate: About 135,000 firearms were trafficked across the border in 2022. In contrast, Ukraine, engaged in a war with Russia, received 40,000 small arms from the United States between January 2020 and April 2024 – an average of 9,000 per year.
An increase in guns trafficked to Mexico from the U.S. relates to an increase in Mexico’s homicide rate.
More of the most destructive weapons come from independent gun dealers versus large chain stores – 16 times as many assault-style weapons and 60 times as many sniper rifles.
The trafficking flow drives an arms race between criminals and Mexican law enforcement; the U.S. gun industry profits on sales to both.
ATF oversight of dealers reduces the likelihood their guns are resold on the illicit market.
Following the flow
Since 2008, the U.S. has spent more than US$3 billion to help stabilize Mexico through the rule of law and stem its surges of extreme violence, much of it committed with U.S. firearms. Many programs are funded through the U.S. State Department, which is facing budget cuts, and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has sustained deep cuts.
Meanwhile, the gun industry and its supporters have undercut these efforts by fighting measures to regulate gun sales.
From 2015-2023, 185,000 guns linked to crimes in Mexico were sent to the ATF to be traced – the process of using a firearm’s serial number and other characteristics to identify the trail of gun ownership. About 125,000 of those weapons have been traced back to the U.S.
Our analyses show that U.S.-Mexico firearms trafficking has dire implications for ordinary Mexicans – and that U.S. regulatory actions can have an enormous impact. This adds to a growing body of research tying U.S.-sold guns to Mexico-based gangs and cartels, illegal drug trafficking, homicide rates, corruption of Mexican officials, illicit financial transactions and migration trends.
Oregon guns tied to cartel
The Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel is poised to be the biggest player in the drug cartel game. El Mencho, still at large, is one of the most powerful people directing the flow of heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamines into the United States, while orchestrating campaigns of fear, intimidation and displacement in Mexico.
The Browning .50-caliber rifle that aided El Mencho’s evasion in 2015 was manufactured by a company based in Morgan, Utah, and legally sold to Erik Flores Elortegui, a U.S. citizen.
Elortegui fled the country after he was indicted in Oregon for smuggling guns into Mexico and is now at the top of the ATF’s most wanted list. He wasn’t alone in his gunrunning schemes. According to a grand jury indictment, Elortegui purchased 20 firearms through an accomplice, Robert Allen Cummins, in 2013 and 2014. Cummins was straw purchasing – buying weapons under his name for Elortegui.
Two of the .50-caliber weapons that Cummins purchased for Elortegui – the long rifles on the right – were among those later recovered from a tractor trailer in Sonora, Mexico. USA v. Robert Allen Cummins. USA v. Robert Allen Cummins
Before she gave Cummins a 40-month prison sentence in 2017, Judge Ann Aiken admonished him for the pain and suffering his weapons were likely going to cause. She told him to read “Dreamland,” which chronicles America’s opioid crisis and its connection to Mexican drug cartels.
After their mother was killed by organized crime five years ago, Emylce Ines Espinoza-Alarcon’s sister’s family migrated to the States, she said.
Espinoza-Alarcon, her children and other relatives were more recently driven from their homes by violence. “As a parent, you try to flee to a different place where they might be safe,” Espinoza-Alarcon said. She said she believes American weapons are to blame, but there “is nowhere else for us to go.”
Emylce Ines Espinoza-Alarcon holds her toddler as she listens while her aunt, Alicia Zomora-Guevara, front, describes the cartel attack on her town that forced their families into exile. Zomora-Guevara’s son, Kevin Jait Alarcon-Zamora, stands to the right, and Espinoza-Alarcon’s son and teenage daughter sit on the Mexico City hotel room bed in front of her. Sean Campbell, CC BY-ND
A 2023 survey found that 88% of the 180,000 Mexican migrants to the U.S. that year were fleeing violence – a flip from 2017 when most were coming for economic opportunity.
The ATF’s enforcement
ATF inspections keep illicit guns in check, our analysis shows.
The agency’s primary enforcement tools are inspections, violations reports, warning letters and meetings, and, when inspectors find violations that are reckless or willfully endanger the public, revocation notices.
But the bureau’s 2025 congressional budget request points out that it would need 1,509 field investigators to reach its goal of inspecting each dealer at least once every three years.
This is a condensed version. To learn more about the connections between U.S. gun sales, U.S. regulations, Mexican drug cartels and migration, read the full investigation
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Benjamin Gonzalez O’Brien, Associate Professor of Political Science, San Diego State University
While sanctuary policies for immigrants have grown in the U.S. since the 1980s, the Trump administration is the first to challenge them. Marcos Silva/iStock/Getty Images Plus
San Francisco, Chicago and New York are among the major cities – as well as more than 200 small towns and counties and a dozen states – that over the past 40 years have adopted what is often known as sanctuary policies.
There is not a single definition of a sanctuary policy. But it often involves local authorities not asking about a resident’s immigration status, or not sharing that personal information with federal immigration authorities.
So when a San Francisco police officer pulls someone over for a traffic violation, the officer will not ask if the person is living in the country legally.
American presidents, from Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden, have chosen to leave sanctuary policies largely unchallenged since different places first adopted them in the 1970s. This changed in 2017, when President Donald Trump first tried to cut federal funding to sanctuary places, claiming that their policies “willfully violate Federal law.” Legal challenges during his first term stopped him from actually withholding the money.
At the start of his second term, Trump signed two executive orders in January and April 2025 which again state that his administration will withhold federal money from areas with sanctuary policies.
“Working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows these Death Traps to exist!!!” Trump said, according to an April White House statement. This statement was immediately followed by his April executive order.
These two executive orders task the attorney general and secretary of homeland security with publishing a list of all sanctuary places and notifying local and state officials of “non-compliance, providing an opportunity to correct it.” Those that do not comply with federal law, according to the orders, may lose federal funding.
San Francisco and 14 other sanctuary cities, including New Haven, Connecticut, and Portland, Oregon, sued the Trump administration in February on the grounds that it was illegally trying to coerce cities to comply with its policies. A U.S. district court judge in California issued an injunction on April 24preventing the administration – at least for the time being – from cutting funding from places with sanctuary policies.
However, as researchers who have studied sanctuary policies for over a decade, we know that Trump’s claim that sanctuary policies violate federal immigration law is not correct.
It’s true that the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over immigration. Yet there is no federal requirement that state or local governments participate or cooperate in federal immigration enforcement, which would require an act of Congress.
In 1979, the Los Angeles Police Department was the first to announce a prohibition on local officials asking about a resident’s immigration status.
However, it was not until the 1980s that the sanctuary movement took off, when hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans, Guatemalans and Nicaraguans fled civil war and violence in their home countries and migrated to the U.S. This prompted a number of cities to declare solidarity with the faith-based sanctuary movement that offered refuge to Salvadoran, Guatemalan and Nicaraguan asylum seekers facing deportation.
In 1985, Berkeley, Calif., and San Francisco pledged that city officials, including police officers, would not report Central Americans to immigration authorities as long as they were law abiding.
“We are not asking anyone to do anything illegal,” Nancy Walker, a supervisor for San Francisco, said in 1985, according to The New York Times. “We have got to extend our hand to these people. If these people go home, they die. They are asking us to let them stay.”
Today, there are hundreds of sanctuary cities, towns, counties and states across the country that all have a variation of policies that limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Sometimes – but not always – places with sanctuary policies bar local law enforcement agencies from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the country’s main immigration enforcement agency.
A large part of ICE’s work is identifying, arresting and deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. In order to carry out this work, ICE issues what is known as “detainer requests” to local law enforcement authorities. A detainer request asks local law enforcement to hold a specific arrested person already being held by police until that person can be transferred to ICE, which can then take steps to deport them.
While places without sanctuary policies tend to comply with these requests, some sanctuary jurisdictions, like the state of California, only do so in the cases of particular violent criminal offenses.
Yet local officials in sanctuary places cannot legally block ICE from arresting local residents who are living in the country illegally, or from carrying out any other parts of its work.
However, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 2018 case involving San Francisco and Santa Clara County, California, that the president could not refuse to “disperse the federal grants in question without congressional authorization.”
These cases were in the process of being appealed to the Supreme Court when the Department of Justice, under Biden, asked that they be dismissed.
Other Supreme Court rulings also suggest that the Trump administration’s claim that it can withhold federal funding from sanctuary places rests on shaky legal ground.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1992 and again in 1997 that the federal government could not coerce state or local governments to use their resources to enforce a federal regulatory program, or compel them to enact or administer a federal regulatory program.
Under pressure
The first Trump administration was not generally successful, with the exception of the split over the Edward Byrne Memorial Assistance Grant Program, at stripping funding from sanctuary places. But cutting federal funding – even if it happens temporarily – can be economically damaging to cities and counties while they challenge the decision in court.
Local officials also face other kinds of political pressure to comply with the Trump administration’s demands.
A legal group founded by Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff in the Trump administration, for example, sent letters to dozens of local officials in January threatening criminal prosecution for their sanctuary policies.
Michelle Wu, the mayor of Boston, a sanctuary city, testifies during a House committee hearing on sanctuary city mayors on March 5, 2025, in Washington. Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images
The real effects of sanctuary policies
One part of Trump’s argument against sanctuary policies is that places with these policies have more crime than those that do not.
But there is no established relationship between sanctuary status and crime rates.
There is, however, evidence that when local law enforcement and ICE work together, it reduces the likelihood of immigrant and Latino communities to report crimes, likely for fear of being arrested by federal immigration authorities.
Sanctuary policies are certainly worthy of debate, but this requires an accurate representation of what they are, what they do, and the effects they have.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Headline: Logic Pro amplifies beat making on Mac and iPad with advanced new capabilities
May 28, 2025
UPDATE
Logic Pro amplifies beat making on Mac and iPad with advanced new capabilities
An enhanced Stem Splitter and new features like Flashback Capture elevate hip-hop and electronic music production to a new level
Apple today introduced new Logic Pro updates for Mac and iPad, supercharging beat making and producing. The innovative Stem Splitter feature now offers even greater audio fidelity, and can separate guitar and piano into stems. With Flashback Capture, users can retrieve and restore inspiring performances they may have forgotten to record. And with energetic new sound packs like Dancefloor Rush, beat makers have fresh loops and kits to fuel their next track.
Stem Splitter Delivers Enhanced Audio Fidelity and New Stems
The updated Stem Splitter extracts greater detail from old recordings and demos, and now offers added support for guitar and piano stems.1 Producers can easily select common stem variations, such as acapella, instrumental, or instrumental with vocals using presets. Additionally, a new submix feature makes it easy for users to export just the parts of audio they want — for example, removing vocals to create an instrumental track, or pulling out the drums and bass for a custom remix.
Recall Every Moment with Flashback Capture
Flashback Capture allows artists to recover unforgettable performances, even if they forgot to hit record.2 Users can quickly restore MIDI and audio performances using a key command or a custom control bar button. By enabling Cycle mode, musicians can improvise multiple takes, and Flashback Capture will automatically organize each pass into a take folder.
New Sound Packs to Amplify Music Production
Logic Pro adds new sound packs to amplify music production. Dancefloor Rush — the latest sound pack for Mac and iPad — features a world of expertly crafted drum-and-bass sounds with over 400 dynamic loops, punchy drum kits, and a custom Live Loops grid. Today’s update also introduces two new sound packs to Logic Pro for Mac: Magnetic Imperfections and Tosin Abasi. Magnetic Imperfections brings an original texture that captures the raw, unpolished essence of analog tape, while the Tosin Abasi sound pack showcases progressive metal guitar with boutique amps, unique effects, distinctive picking techniques, and the artist’s signature riffs.
Learn MIDI Comes to iPad for Seamless Logic Pro Integration
Learn MIDI is now available on iPad, allowing users to get hands-on control by easily assigning their favorite knobs, faders, and buttons on MIDI devices to control plug-ins, instruments, and other automatable parameters within Logic Pro.3 With Learn MIDI’s intuitive interface and real-time visual feedback, users can quickly create custom assignments, view available controls, and stay in their creative flow.
Additional features to enhance creativity on Mac:
Notepad now features integrated support for Writing Tools, powered by Apple Intelligence, giving users more flexibility and control when they’d like to make their writing more expressive, get help with a rewrite, or even collaborate on song lyrics and more right inline.4
Users can manage large projects with the new search and select feature, which makes it easy to find and choose tracks by their name or track number.
Pricing and Availability
Logic Pro for Mac 11.2 is available May 28 as a free update for existing users and for $199.99 (U.S.) for new users on the Mac App Store. It is also available as part of the Pro Apps Bundle for Education, which includes Final Cut Pro, MainStage, Motion, and Compressor for $199.99 (U.S.). Logic Pro for Mac requires macOS Sequoia 15.4 or later. For more information, visit apple.com/logic-pro.
Logic Pro for iPad 2.2 is available May 28 as a free update for existing users, and available on the App Store for $4.99 (U.S.) per month or $49 (U.S.) per year, with a one-month free trial for new users. Logic Pro for iPad requires iPadOS 18.4 or later. For more information, visit apple.com/logic-pro-for-ipad.
Stem Splitter requires iPad or Mac with M1 chip or later.
Audio support for Flashback Capture requires Logic Pro to be in active play mode.
Connecting third‑party external microphones, musical instruments, or MIDI controllers with Logic Pro for iPad requires devices compatible with iOS and iPadOS.
Apple Intelligence is available in beta on iPad mini (A17 Pro), and all iPad and Mac models with M1 and later, with Siri and device language set to Chinese (Simplified), English (Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, UK, or U.S.), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), or Spanish, as part of an iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia software update, with more languages coming over the course of the year, including Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For more details, visit apple.com/apple-intelligence.
Infectious diseases such as gonorrhea or chlamydia are often overlooked factors that affect fertility in men. Accumulating evidence suggests that a common single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii may also be a contributor: An April 2025 study showed for the first time that “human sperm lose their heads upon direct contact” with the parasite.
I am a microbiologist, and my lab studies Toxoplasma. This new study bolsters emerging findings that underscore the importance of preventing this parasitic infection.
In addition to eggs, tissue cysts present in the meat of warm-blooded animals can spread toxoplasmosis as well if they are not destroyed by cooking to proper temperature.
While most hosts of the parasite can control the initial infection with few if any symptoms, Toxoplasma remains in the body for life as dormant cysts in brain, heart and muscle tissue. These cysts can reactivate and cause additional episodes of severe illness that damage critical organ systems.
While immunocompromised patients are most at risk for testicular toxoplasmosis, it can also occur in otherwise healthy individuals. Imaging studies of infected mice confirm that Toxoplasma parasites quickly travel to the testes in addition to the brain and eyes within days of infection.
Knowing that Toxoplasma can reside in male reproductive organs has prompted analyses of fertility in infected men. A small 2021 study in Prague of 163 men infected with Toxoplasma found that over 86% had semen anomalies.
Not all studies, however, produce a link between toxoplasmosis and sperm quality.
Toxoplasma can directly damage human sperm
Toxoplasmosis in animals mirrors infection in humans, which allows researchers to address questions that are not easy to examine in people.
Testicular function and sperm production are sharply diminished in Toxoplasma-infected mice, rats and rams. Infected mice have significantly lower sperm counts and a higher proportion of abnormally shaped sperm.
In that April 2025 study, researchers from Germany, Uruguay and Chile observed that Toxoplasma can reach the testes and epididymis, the tube where sperm mature and are stored, two days after infection in mice. This finding prompted the team to test what happens when the parasite comes into direct contact with human sperm in a test tube.
After only five minutes of exposure to the parasite, 22.4% of sperm cells were beheaded. The number of decapitated sperm increased the longer they interacted with the parasites. Sperm cells that maintained their head were often twisted and misshapen. Some sperm cells had holes in their head, suggesting the parasites were trying to invade them as it would any other type of cell in the organs it infiltrates.
The researchers speculate that the harmful effects Toxoplasma may have on sperm could be contributing to large global declines in male fertility over the past decades.
Sperm exposed to Toxoplasma. Arrows point to holes and other damage to the sperm; asterisks indicate where the parasite has burrowed. The two nonconfronted controls at the bottom show normal sperm. Rojas-Barón et al/The FEBS Journal, CC BY-SA
Preventing toxoplasmosis
The evidence that Toxoplasma can infiltrate male reproductive organs in animals is compelling, but whether this produces health issues in people remains unclear. Testicular toxoplasmosis shows that parasites can invade human testes, but symptomatic disease is very rare. Studies to date that show defects in the sperm of infected men are too small to draw firm conclusions at this time.
Additionally, some reports suggest that rates of toxoplasmosis in high-income countries have not been increasing over the past few decades while male infertility was rising, so it’s likely to only be one part of the puzzle.
Regardless of this parasite’s potential effect on fertility, it is wise to avoid Toxoplasma. An infection can cause miscarriage or birth defects if someone acquires it for the first time during pregnancy, and it can be life-threatening for immunocompromised people. Toxoplasma is also the leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States.
Texas children’s performance on an annual reading test was basically flat from 2012 to 2021, even as the state spent billions of additional dollars on K-12 education.
I recently did a peer-reviewed deep dive into the test design documentation to figure out why the reported results weren’t showing improvement. I found the flat scores were at least in part by design. According to policies buried in the documentation, the agency administering the tests adjusted their difficulty level every year. As a result, roughly the same share of students failed the test over that decade regardless of how objectively better they performed relative to previous years.
From 2008 to 2014, I was a bilingual teacher in Texas. Most of my students’ families hailed from Mexico and Central America and were learning English as a new language. I loved seeing my students’ progress.
Yet, no matter how much they learned, many failed the end-of-year tests in reading, writing and math. My hunch was that these tests were unfair, but I could not explain why. This, among other things, prompted me to pursue a Ph.D. in education to better understand large-scale educational assessment.
Ten years later, in 2024, I completed a detailed exploration of Texas’s exam, currently known as the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR. I found an unexpected trend: The share of students who correctly answered each test question was extraordinarily steady across years. Where we would expect to see fluctuation from year to year, performance instead appears artificially flat.
The STAAR’s technical documents reveal that the test is designed much like a norm-referenced test – that is, assessing students relative to their peers, rather than if they meet a fixed standard. In other words, a norm-referenced test cannot tell us if students meet key, fixed criteria or grade-level standards set by the state.
In addition, norm-referenced tests are designed so that a certain share of students always fail, because success is gauged by one’s position on the “bell curve” in relation to other students. Following this logic, STAAR developers use practices like omitting easier questions and adjusting scores to cancel out gains due to better teaching.
Ultimately, the STAAR tests over this time frame – taken by students every year from grade 3 to grade 8 in language arts and math, and less frequently in science and social studies – were not designed to show improvement. Since the test is designed to keep scores flat, it’s impossible to know for sure if a lack of expected learning gains following big increases in per-student spending was because the extra funds failed to improve teaching and learning, or simply because the test hid the improvements.
Why it matters
Ever since the federal education policy known as No Child Left Behind went into effect in 2002 and tied students’ test performance to rewards and sanctions for schools, achievement testing has been a primary driver of public education in the United States.
Texas’ educational accountability system has been in place since 1980, and it is well known in the state that the stakes and difficulty of Texas’ academic readiness tests increase with each new version, which typically come out every five to 10 years. What the Texas public may not know is that the tests have been adjusted each and every year – at the expense of really knowing who should “pass” or “fail.”
Students who are marginalized by racism, poverty or language have historically tended to underperform on standardized tests. STAAR’s design makes this problem worse.
What still isn’t known
I plan to investigate if other states or the federal government use similarly designed tests to evaluate students.
My deep dive into Texas’ test focused on STAAR before its 2022 redevelopment. The latest iteration has changed the test format and question types, but there appears to be little change to the way the test is scored. Without substantive revisions to the scoring calculations “under the hood” of the STAAR test, it is likely Texas will continue to see flat performance.
The Texas Education Agency, which administers the STAAR tests, didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.
Jeanne Sinclair receives funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada.
Secretary-General of the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) Li Junhua said, “The future of the ocean is not predetermined. It will be shaped by the decisions and the actions we are making now.”
Today (27 May), Li Junhua, together with High-level representatives from France and Costa Rica briefed the press about the upcoming UN Ocean Conference.
He said, “The ocean—our planet’s life-support system—is in a state of emergency. The evidence is overwhelming: rising temperatures, acidifying waters, plastic choking marine life, disappearing habitats, and the relentless overexploitation of resources.”
He continued, “The health of the ocean is declining, and with it, the well-being of the human being. We actually depend on our ocean supply lines. However, there is still time to change our course—if we act collectively.”
He said, “From 9 to 13 June 2025, the global community will gather in Nice, France, for the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, or UNOC3. This will not be just another routine gathering. We hope that it is a pivotal opportunity to accelerate action and mobilize all stakeholders across sectors and borders.”
He also said, “UNOC3 will culminate in the adoption of the “Nice Ocean Action Plan” – a concise, action-oriented declaration, along with new and expanded voluntary commitments. This plan will be our collective blueprint to advance SDG 14: to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, seas, and marine resources.”
He concluded, “The future of the ocean is not predetermined. It will be shaped by the decisions and the actions we are making now. Let us choose a healthy, resilient ocean—for our generation, and also for generations to come.”
French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont stated, “The goal for this conference in Nice, for France, is a Nice Agreement that would be for the oceans what the Paris Agreement was for the climate ten years ago.”
Maritza Chan Valverde, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations, said, “Accelerating action means cutting decision-making time from years to months, mobilizing all actors, engaging 195 governments, more than 1,000 cities, more 500 corporations and billions of citizens simultaneously. This is an opportunity for the United Nations to be together and to show that we can deliver as one.”
She concluded, “The third United Nations Ocean Conference will either reverse ocean decline by 2030 or document humanity’s failure to act. Five days, one ocean, a unique opportunity.”
The high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (the 2025 UN Ocean Conference) will be co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France, from 9 – 13 June 2025.
The overarching theme of the Conference is “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”.
The Conference will involve all relevant stakeholders, bringing together Governments, the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, other interested international bodies, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, Indigenous Peoples and local communities and other actors to assess challenges and opportunities relating to, as well as actions taken towards, the implementation of Goal 14.
The Conference will build on the previous UN Ocean Conferences, hosted by Sweden and Fiji in 2017 in New York and by Portugal and Kenya in 2022 in Lisbon.
The Nice Ocean Action Plan, made up of a political declaration and a list of voluntary commitments from stakeholders, will be adopted following international discussions during the Conference.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
On October 18th, 2024, Nicholas Quets traveled to Rocky Point, Mexico, where upon entry, he encountered a Sinaloa cartel checkpoint. These cartel members attempted to steal his pickup truck before shooting him in the back through his heart, ultimately taking his life at just 31 years old. President Trump and Secretary Noem have taken decisive action to dismantle drug cartels.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Heidi Riley, Adjunct Research Fellow, University College Dublin, and Affiliate Researcher in the Department of War Studies, King’s College London
*Some pseudonyms are used to protect the identities of interviewees.
“I saw a lot of suffering.” The old man, Lokwi, gestures towards the woman cooking beside their hut as he talks. “The husband of this woman … was killed here.”
The woman is Lokwi’s sister-in-law. He is recalling the day in 1988 when his brother was killed by soldiers from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). Lokwi was still a child when the SPLA captured the town of Kapoeta and surrounding settlements, where he lived with his family. The day his brother was killed, everybody was forced to leave:
There was nothing good that day … They burned all the villages and the soldiers attacked the civilians. People were scattered.
South Sudan – a central African country of around 11.5 million people split in half by the White Nile – suffered decades of conflict prior to gaining independence from the rest of Sudan in 2011. While independence brought optimism, this was thwarted two years later by internal disputes among the ruling parties that led to a resurgence of the violence.
While a ceasefire was brokered in 2018 and a power-sharing agreement signed between opposing political factions, there has been a lack of political will to implement it. The dire economic situation, worsening food insecurity driven by climate change and political instability, and legacies of ethnic rivalries continue to perpetuate ethnically motivated violence and distrust between communities. In April, the head of the UN mission in South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom, warned that the world’s youngest nation is once again on the brink of civil war.
Amid this resurgence of violence, Lokwi – who is from the Toposa community – continues to be haunted by memories of the attack that killed his brother. Sitting under the shade of a tree in the village where it took place, he explains how he fled into the bush and survived for days on wild fruit until, starving, he managed to get to the town of Narus, where he was given some food by a local Dinka man.
When Lokwi finally returned to his village, he found everything destroyed by fire – huts, livestock and granaries “all burned”. Whereas he decided to start again and rebuild the village, his surviving brother, now living in Narus, promised “never to step in this land again because of the memories and pain”.
Today, Lokwi works as a peace activist in South Sudan. He spends a lot of time encouraging people in his village and the surrounding area to engage in peaceful dialogue with rival groups – and to resist violence. With an expression of concern, he explains the difficulties he faces in dissuading young men from engaging in violence:
When I tell them to stop the conflict … we have homes and families who listen and stay calm, but other individuals like the [male] youths don’t listen, they still create problems.
South Sudan’s long history of cattle raiding
Over the course of 2024, Anna Adiyo Sebit and three other South Sudanese researchers interviewed more than 400 men and women from South Sudan’s Toposa and Nuer communities as part of the XCEPT programme. This programme, based at King’s College London, seeks to understand the role that conflict-related trauma plays in influencing who engages in violence and who doesn’t.
As well as inter-ethnic fighting, South Sudan has a long history of cattle raiding. Cattle are central to the pastoralist communities which make up over half of the population, including ethnic groups such as the Dinka, Nuer and Toposa.
In most rural households, financial capital is typically held in livestock, mainly cows – which are also required for dowry payments and as compensation for any crimes committed. This places high value on cattle ownership, meaning that raiding and inter-community disputes over cattle are common.
And whereas these disputes were once fought with sticks, stones and spears, years of political conflict have left the country awash with guns – so cattle raiding has become a lethal activity. As one old man who described himself as a “retired warrior” explained:
In our grandparents’ and grand ancestors’ [time], in battles or fighting we used stones, pangas, sticks, spears and arrows. [At this time there were] rare fights or raids waged against [other] tribes … But after the introduction of AK-47 machine guns, it accelerated [to] higher numbers of raids and increased casualties in both communities.
Among these pastoralist communities, gender norms determine that where women and girls are tasked with maintaining domestic life, including sustaining subsistence farming and constructing huts, men are expected to keep and secure cattle. Many young men are active in cattle camps, which are in areas with better pastures where cows are taken to graze – but can be vulnerable to raids from other ethnic groups.
In many parts of rural South Sudan, young men are expected to fight to secure and protect their livelihood – including achieving the required “bride price” for their marriage to go ahead. Successful cattle raids can earn a young man respect among his peers.
But the trauma of experiencing violence from a young age, as so many of these young men have, is likely to be a factor in the perpetuation of various forms of violence in adulthood, including the prevalence of revenge killings.
The high rates of violence are also having a devastating impact on women and girls in South Sudan. According to a 2024 UN Population Fund study, 65% of women and girls have experienced some form of gender-based violence, of which intimate partner violence is the most prevalent. The UN Mission in South Sudan has also reported a steep increase in sexual violence and abductions of women and girls by armed groups in 2024.
Aware of the prevalence of violence against women by cattle youth, Lokwi speaks of confronting the issue at community meetings in his village where he brings together members of rival communities:
The youths are also part of the meeting. Everybody is given the chance from both communities to talk, and we tell them ‘stop killing women in the bush’. I tell them that women are the ones who give birth to generations, and [ask]: ‘Why do you kill women?’ [Some] will feel touched and listen and stop – but there are other individuals [for] whom killing is part of their life … They will still kill women.
Masculine expectations
In South Sudan, like many countries, masculine expectations that associate men with being the provider or protector, and with characteristics of strength, stoicism and bravery, play an important role in how men experience trauma and the coping mechanisms they use.
Men are often socialised into suppressing emotions such as sadness or hurt. As a result, alternative outlets for dealing with trauma and stress can manifest in more violent or aggressive emotions.
I have spent many years researching how societal expectations of masculinity play into the way men respond to traumatic experiences. In narratives of wartime suffering, our understanding of male trauma is often overshadowed by the association of masculinity with the perpetration of violence.
While not all men suffering from trauma respond in the same way, research by the Brazilian NGO Promundo has found that men and boys are more likely than women and girls to exhibit maladaptive coping behaviour such as risk-taking, low physical activity, withdrawal and self-harm – or violence in its multiple forms. There is also evidence that rates of alcohol and substance abuse are higher among men affected by trauma or high levels of stress.
During conflict or in situations of acute food insecurity, daily stresses through an inability to fulfil masculine expectations can become particularly acute – and lead to increasingly violent behaviour. This pattern emerges in many of the interviews conducted for the XCEPT project.
Eric, from the South Sudan state of Eastern Equatoria, lost his father when he was ten. His father was a fairly wealthy man but after his death, that wealth was passed on to Eric’s uncles on his father’s side, rather than his mother or her three co-wives. (The tradition of inheritance passing to male relatives is reflective of women’s lack of economic independence in rural South Sudan.)
Eric was then required to respect his uncles as stepfathers as they became the de facto authority over his mother, her co-wives and their children. As the oldest son, he endured years of beatings from his stepfathers, as well as witnessing violence by them against his mother.
Upon reaching adulthood, Eric said he realised he was able to escape the “catastrophic mistreatment from his stepfathers” and needed to “adventure” for his own survival. However, due to food shortages, survival meant engaging in cattle raiding.
On his first raid, his “warrior group” secured a herd of cattle by killing the cattle owner. Eric was granted four cows – but apart from one, these had to be handed over to his stepfathers. As he explained:
On my arrival, people in my village were excited to see me back without any injuries and I brought these cows. On [the] spot, my stepfathers took them. As in [the] culture of Toposa, anything from your enemies belongs to elder people. I was only left with one cow.
On his second raid, Eric secured 30 goats, of which his stepfathers allowed him to keep ten.
Aware of the suffering that this raiding had caused and now with an established reputation as a “warrior”, Eric then stepped back from raiding and used the ten goats to breed more. This gave him the resources for marriage and to start a family – but he carried the legacy of his involvement in the killings during past raids, and the knowledge that he was now a target for retaliatory violence. He explained:
So far, I have killed six enemies; hence am also included as a warrior in my community. I do not want them [the enemy] to know my name because they will kill me if they know me.
For Eric and many other men like him in South Sudan, it is difficult to show emotions such as sadness or fear, as this could be interpreted as a sign of weakness. Our researcher and interviewer, Anna Adiyo Sebit, describes the expectations placed on men in her culture: “As a man, even when someone dies, you do not shed a tear, especially in front of women. Instead, you cry from your heart inside.”
The trauma of war
Ten years ago, while conducting fieldwork in Nepal for my PhD and book, I interviewed more than 60 former members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to examine how their participation in the civil war – known as the People’s War – affected notions of masculinity within the armed group.
While I never asked about trauma or psychological difficulties, it became clear these were present for many of the men – just never explicitly spoken about. Instead, they would talk about their sense of disillusionment or lack of ability to fulfil societal expectations of masculinity – all the while, carefully keeping their emotions in check.
These emotions would only surface in more casual conversations over tea or food, following the formal interviews. In these moments, the men revealed a more vulnerable side – often expressing sadness, frustration, and a desire to share their more personal stories.
It was a clear shift from the displays of hardened masculinity in their narratives of the battlefield. Some of these informal exchanges hinted at signs of PTSD – for example, in their descriptions of flashbacks, sleep difficulties and short temperedness. One young man who was extremely polite and courteous became very fidgety after the end of the interview. He told me: “In the night I can’t sleep, because I hear bomb blasts inside my head.”
Another, clearly proud of his role in the People’s War, recounted his bravery on the battlefield. Yet, when he spoke of the six months of torture he had endured in police custody, his composure faltered and he struggled to hold back tears. He showed me a photo of his three-year-old child, saying: “This is why I will never return to battle.”
What I encountered was men who appeared uneasy about expressing emotions as this runs contrary to masculine expectations, but were also frustrated at a lack of outlets to tell their story.
During one interview with a former PLA member in the western district of Bardiya, I noticed a group of ex-PLA fighters gathered at the boundary of his home after they had heard an interview was taking place. As my interpreter and I were leaving, a thin man at the front of the crowd began shouting aggressively at us.
Having initially assumed his anger was directed at my presence in the area, I realised it stemmed from his frustration at not being selected for an interview. “Why does everyone always want to interview you?” he shouted at the man I had just spoken to. The former fighter’s anger, fuelled by alcohol, appeared to reflect his frustration at lacking a platform to share his own story.
From Nepal in 2016 to South Sudan in 2024, amid the violence and trauma of war and the daily expectations of masculinity associated with being a provider and protector, there appeared to be few outlets through which these men could talk freely about their emotions, tell their stories, and admit their mental health difficulties.
Many of the men interviewed in South Sudan had been involved in violent clashes involving killings at some point in their lives. In interviews carried out in Kapoeta North, a county in eastern Equatoria, some men reported having constant flashbacks to the sounds of gunshots – when they tried to sleep at night, these sounds would “become real”, stopping them getting any proper rest:
Sometimes you can wake up in the middle of the night and find yourself trembling as if these people are coming for you.
One man explained how he would get up in the night to follow a “black shadow” like a ghost. When community members would run after him to stop him, he would become “hostile and behave like he wants to kill everyone” – because, he explained, he saw his friend being killed on the battlefield and the memory of this would not leave him, especially in the night.
A woman described how, when young men are involved in “killing”, their “mind is not functioning well”. Contextualising this claim she explained: “There was this man who got traumatised due to the ongoing conflict of raiding. He fought many battles until the gunshot sound affected his brain and made him crazy.”
She then described a man who could not accept his friend had died in a cattle camp raid and insisted on returning to the battlefield, even though the community told him not to. “After confirming [his friend’s death] he ran mad and became confused. We say that such a person had his heart broken by the incident he witnessed, and we say he is mad.”
Men whose companions have been killed can become fixated on revenge, as Sebit explains, “It will torture their mind until they go and avenge the death of the person that was killed.” Some will encourage them to take revenge but others, like Lokwi, are trying to discourage revenge killings and working towards peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue.
Societal expectations of masculinity
The link between societal expectations of masculinity, trauma and violent behaviour among men is important in better understanding ongoing insecurities in rural South Sudan. A man is supposed to own cows in order to gain respect from their community. Without these, they can be rejected – leading to feelings of isolation, despair and a fear of ridicule.
As noted by another elderly interviewee: “If a man does not go for raiding, he will be cursed by elders. [In contrast], if he comes back with cows, people will celebrate – and if he dies, people will say he died as a warrior.”
It can be a vicious circle. If you do not get cows when you raid another community, this may lead to further feelings of shame – driving the young men to put themselves at further risk. In a state of stress and having grown up in a culture of conflict, they may regard themselves as having no choice but to risk death in the quest for cows. Those who have been orphaned or do not have other family members to support them can be particularly vulnerable to this.
Such concerns about masculinity emerge in many of the interviews with young men in South Sudan – and also in discussions with support workers there. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is one of the few organisations in South Sudan who have run trauma awareness training for men. A local CRS programme manager, Luol, explained to me in an online meeting how men’s worries about marriage rights can spiral into acts of violence:
What is actually happening in [young men’s] brains is they are thinking: ‘Okay, I am 18 or 17 years old now, in the next two years I have to have my partner at home, but I don’t have resources. [So] the best way to get resources is to raid or steal people’s properties.’ This is the thinking of war. This is the thinking of a person who has been exposed to conflict – that the best way to get resources is to raid from somebody.
In another meeting, Luol described his experience of facilitating trauma awareness programmes with men. He explained that “many of the men have participated in cattle raiding and have seen horrific kinds of events such as, seeing somebody [being] killed, and [they] can be traumatised because [they] participated in that war [raid].”
Luol described one young man who came and spoke to him after the first day of training:
He wanted to testify that he’s now recovering from his trauma because he participated in the war and he saw children and women being killed and when he returned home, he saw [in] his own children, the children who were killed, and he cried, he felt ashamed for participating and playing a part in this. And he was trying to recover from that effect of trauma. And that’s very common. Most of the young men who participate in war come back traumatised.
The importance of such outlets for men to come and talk together about their emotions was emphasised in our meeting. For cultural reasons, neither individual counselling sessions nor sessions including women would be acceptable to the men.As noted by another local CRS staff member :
If women are in that group, the men are likely not to talk about [trauma] because of masculinity issues. They don’t want the women to hear men accepting weakness or vulnerability … But if the men are talking alone [about] their life they will say: ‘Yes, this is what happened to me, and this is how we can move forward.’
While these sessions are not supposed to be a form of restorative justice or “amnesty” for crimes committed, Luol explained that opening up about feelings of guilt in the small group is helpful in addressing “displaced anger” that can manifest in continued violence in the community, clan or in the family.
CRS Trauma Awareness and Social Cohesion programmes also encourage discussions of alternatives to violence or cattle raiding, presenting a longer-term life vision for those present. According to one attendee, his less traumatised brain allows for rational thinking such as: “If I start cultivating this year and I want to marry in two or three years’ time, I’ll be able to produce the crops, sell them in the market, and then buy cows if I need to buy cows.”
The programme was piloted in South Sudan’s Greater Jonglei State in 2014 using CRS private funding. Three years later it secured funding from USAID after “demonstrating its value”. In 2020, with additional funding from the EU, the programme was expanded to areas of Eastern Equatoria. While the programme has now ended with the completion of its funding cycle, CRS continues to seek future funding to re-establish the initiative.
Soldiers celebrate the anniversary of South Sudan’s independence day, which briefly brought peace. Richard Juilliart/Shutterstock
‘Everything gets destroyed’
While recognising that most men do not engage in violence, the reality is men are overwhelmingly responsible for violence when it does occur. This is the case in South Sudan as in all countries. It is therefore vital to engage with men, not just as perpetrators of violence but as potential peacemakers.
Unfortunately, gender stereotyping within the humanitarian and donor sector has resulted in a lack of trauma response targeted at men. Instead, men and boys tend to be framed as perpetual perpetrators of violence and discrimination – as “emasculated troublemakers” not worth engaging with, or at best by the “men can cope by themselves” narrative.
Wider research by XCEPT has found that out of 12 humanitarian organisations interviewed in northern Syria, northern Iraq and South Sudan, only two had programmes specifically targeted at men. The situation appears little changed from the conclusion reached in the 2021 Promondo report, which stated:
This de-prioritisation of boys and men in emergency response is rooted in donors’ and international organisations’ lack of political will to meaningfully acknowledge that vulnerability exists beyond women and girls … Chronic inattention to boys and men has resulted in programs, services and spaces not being sufficiently tailored to meet their needs.
This not only has an impact on men and boys’ wellbeing. It also fails to take on board the reality that unaddressed trauma among men correlates with increases in community violence, revenge killings, cattle raiding and gender-based violence suffered by women and girls. As an international CRS staff member explained:
Unless donors have a way of facing [the reality of trauma] and addressing it in all interventions, all the money we’re spending on health programs and infrastructure programs and education programs and whatever it is, it’s just money down the drain. Because eventually, everything gets destroyed in violence.
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Heidi Riley receives funding from the Cross-Border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) research programme, funded by UK International Development from the UK government. (Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.) She also received funding from the Irish Research Council for the Nepal research mentioned. Sincere thanks to Anna Adiyo Sebit, expert researcher with Catholic Relief Services in South Sudan, for her fieldwork and other contributions to this article.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, the leading non-custodial crypto wallet, has launched the Binance Alpha Earn Zone, giving users the ability to provide liquidity to selected token pairs and earn a share of trading fees. This launch responds to growing interest in passive income opportunities through decentralized platforms, offering users a simplified path to participate directly from the wallet.
In decentralized finance, users who contribute token pairs to a trading pool, known as liquidity providers, help facilitate on-chain token swaps and, in return, receive a portion of the transaction fees generated. Through this new zone, Bitget Wallet users can access curated high-yield pools such as USDT-ZKJ, WBNB-SOON, and WBNB-B2 via PancakeSwap. Some pools have recently offered returns of up to 2,000% APR, depending on market conditions and demand for trading activity.
The integration is designed for ease of use. Step-by-step tutorials are provided in-app to help users understand how to add liquidity, set price ranges, and track their earnings. The goal is to lower the entry barrier for those interested in earning passive rewards without navigating complex DeFi platforms. Bitget Wallet notes that while returns can be high, liquidity provision carries risks, including potential losses if token prices shift significantly.
“By launching the Binance Alpha Earn Zone, we’re making advanced earning strategies more accessible,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “We believe this is a key step toward empowering more people to engage with on-chain finance in a seamless way.”
About Bitget Wallet Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple and secure for everyone. With over 80 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, DApp exploration, and payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges. Backed by a $300+ million user protection fund, it ensures the highest level of security for users’ assets.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Alexey Overchuk: Developing the economy together with Eurasian partners is more profitable than doing it alone
S. Bolotov: What were the countries striving for when they agreed to establish the union and did they manage to get what they wanted?
A. Overchuk: The Eurasian Union is an economic integration association of five states of Northern Eurasia. If we proceed from the theory of integration, then the development of economies and the improvement of people’s living standards depend on freedom of trade and accessibility to large foreign markets. Russia is a large market, due to which it is an economic center of attraction for neighboring economies. For the countries of the region, Russia is the geographically closest country, whose trade accessibility is determined by its decision to develop common markets for goods, services, capital and labor with them. At the same time, Russia receives benefits not only from economic integration, but also other advantages. By promoting the well-being of our neighbors, we create conditions for our own creative development, and this is no longer just an economic category.
The processes taking place in the post-Soviet space have deeper roots than the framework of interaction defined by the EAEU law. In some ways, this promotes the development of integration, and in others, it slows it down. Therefore, the joint advancement of the countries of the Eurasian five is a constant testing of a possible path of coordinated development based on mutual respect for interests and consensus decision-making. States never have completely coinciding interests, so the results of integration do not always coincide with their expectations, but all participants share an understanding of the fundamental reasons for integration and receive benefits from it.
Imagine if we didn’t have the EAEU today? It would mean that we are fenced off from our closest neighbors by customs barriers and technical regulations. Manufacturers from Russia and partner countries would incur much higher costs for moving goods across borders, and they would need to specifically adapt their products to the requirements of individual country markets. As a result, they would have worse competitive conditions in the markets of neighboring countries and less income.
The GDP growth in the EAEU member states in recent years speaks for itself – plus 4.4% for the EAEU as a whole in 2024. This is significantly higher than the global average rate, estimated at 3.3%.
Our countries are jointly strengthening transport and logistics connectivity both within the EAEU and with our closest neighbors. The plan to connect the EAEU with China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative is being implemented, and we are jointly developing the “North-South” international transport corridor, as well as other transcontinental land routes that allow us to better realize our competitive advantages in Greater Eurasia.
Last year, we took a very important step towards stimulating the development of industrial cooperation ties and creating conditions for the inclusion of small economies of the union in this process.
GDP growth in the EAEU member states speaks for itself – 4.4% in 2024 against the world average of 3.3%
The EAEU has moved to practical support for industry by subsidizing the interest rate on loans for projects involving representatives of three or more EAEU member states. Business is beginning to master this tool, which allows for lower lending costs. The first projects have already been approved.
The issue of extending similar support measures to agriculture is currently being considered at the Eurasian Economic Commission. I do not rule out that in the future we will put forward a proposal to stimulate the strengthening of cooperative ties in the construction of transport and logistics facilities.
S. Bolotov: Economists say that a market of at least 300 million people is needed for serious investments in modern production to pay off. The USA, the European Union, China or India have such a population and market, but the EAEU countries have about 185 million people. Where can we find more consumers?
A. Overchuk: Our union is a large common market, where all five member states are interested in the growth of their economies. To do this, it is necessary not only to create better conditions for doing business in the common domestic market, but also to promote goods from the EAEU for export. Access to foreign markets is necessary to gain advantages from the economy of size, increase sales and income growth, and to do this, it is necessary to negotiate better conditions with foreign partners. When it comes to concluding free trade agreements, our five countries together have a stronger negotiating position.
The EAEU already has such agreements with Vietnam and Serbia, and another one has been in force since May 15, 2025, with Iran. This is in addition to our 185 million people, plus approximately another 190 million. We are now close to signing agreements with two countries, and negotiations are still underway, which will also improve the accessibility of foreign markets for EAEU producers. Of course, there is no direct calculation here, each agreement is unique and in each case covers certain product positions, but in general, this expands the opportunities for investment recoupment.
At the same time, it is not only free access to the market and its capacity that are important. Interest in purchasing the final imported product also depends on the participation of a particular country in the international supply chain, the availability of investments and corresponding jobs on its territory. Then you get a competitive product that will be produced, bought and consumed. This is precisely why we are developing industrial cooperation and transport connectivity both within the EAEU and the CIS, and with the countries of Greater Eurasia.
A. Overchuk: Perhaps we should not speak in terms of creating a large free trade zone. The signing of each agreement is the result of an agreed balance of benefits and losses that may arise if it comes into force. There are economies with which our five, for various reasons, will probably not come to such decisions very soon.
At the same time, we see that Eurasia has enormous creative potential, where the countries of the north and south strive for development and do a lot for this. There are such international associations as the SCO and ASEAN, BRICS, building relations on mutual respect of the participating parties. For our part, we consider the EAEU as the center of economic crystallization of Northern Eurasia, which has achieved a high level of social and economic development, and has also generally solved the problems of food and energy security. This makes our five an attractive partner for the countries of the Global South, which still cannot overcome the consequences of colonial dependence on the countries of Western Europe.
Eurasia has enormous creative potential, where the countries of the north and south strive for development and do a lot for this
Many of these countries are drawn to Russia. We see this both from the number of world leaders who visited our country on May 9 and from the participation and discussions within the framework of the Russia-Africa forums. These are dozens of states with a population of billions of people, and each of them has its own characteristics and interests. The world is diverse, and approaches to building mutually beneficial and respectful relations can be much more variable than the creation of free trade zones.
In 2015, President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin put forward the initiative of the Greater Eurasian Partnership. Its implementation involves the creation of an open integration circuit on the Eurasian continent through the consolidation of the efforts of all states and regional associations based on the EAEU, SCO and ASEAN. This is about linking national and regional projects, creating conditions for socio-economic progress and equalizing the levels of development of individual countries based on strengthening transport and logistics connectivity, technological re-equipment and strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties. This is a major civilizational project that is just beginning to take shape, and work on it is more comprehensive than negotiations on the creation of free trade zones with individual countries.
S. Bolotov: And the EAEU itself does not plan to expand?
A. Overchuk: The attractiveness of international integration associations is determined by their benefits for the participating states and how they position themselves. The EAEU is a young integration association, it is only ten years old. It is still in the formation stage. Many issues still need to be resolved, and much still needs to be agreed upon.
The business community and people in the five EAEU countries are beginning to realize the advantages of union integration. They see that intra-union trade has fewer barriers and is more convenient than trade with third countries, which is proven by its faster growth rates. This is especially noticeable in the example of Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, which joined somewhat later and in a short time, thanks to the accessibility of a large market, have significantly raised their economies and living standards. The economy of Kazakhstan is actively developing, where a large number of significant industrial, energy, and transport and logistics investment projects are being implemented and where agriculture is reaching a new level. Belarus, with which Russia has deep integration relations within the Union State, is successfully developing high-added-value production. In the context of the formation of a multipolar world, the growth of tariff barriers, the decline in the effectiveness of the WTO system, the breakdown of international supply chains and the growth of economic threats, all countries of the world will strive to find regional partners with whom they can establish sustainable integration ties. As global challenges mount, our neighbors will want greater predictability for their economies and will see the EAEU as a kind of “safe haven” where they are treated with respect and their interests are taken into account.
It is also necessary to understand that our integration association is developing on the basis of a balance of interests of the five member states. It has already managed to turn into a very complex system, has formed its own law, has acquired requirements and is actively promoting international trade and economic relations. The accession of new states to the union will already be a more complex process than, for example, several years ago. If someone decides to go this way, then they will have to do a lot to comply with our standards and rules.
At the same time, when coordinating the possibility of joining a particular country, member states will decide what level of integration and with whom best meets their interests. We also understand that this is a mutual process. For our part, by granting interested countries the status of an observer state, we allow them to get a better idea of the internal structure of the EAEU and make a more informed choice. Today, Iran, Uzbekistan and Cuba are observers of the EAEU.
Along with this, due to deep historical, cultural, humanitarian and economic ties, there is a high degree of integration with the CIS member states, which allows them to a large extent to receive similar integration advantages from proximity to Russia. The EAEU member states form the backbone of the CIS, which predetermines the trajectory of convergence of the EAEU and CIS law. Such work is underway.
The EAEU is open not only to the countries of the post-Soviet space. In addition, the EAEU member states are already adopting multilateral agreements that are accessible for accession by states that are not part of our integration association. So there are many ways for mutually beneficial integration.
S. Bolotov: Prices for gas, other fuel and raw materials, as well as food from Russia for partners in the EAEU are significantly lower than on the international market. Will it not turn out that our country will give them more than it receives in return?
A. Overchuk: These are our allies and closest neighbors. Our well-being largely depends on their proximity to Russia. We are interested in our countries developing together, their standard of living rising, their economy growing, and us all prospering together. If the EAEU consists of successful countries connected by numerous threads, then we will ensure our peaceful development. Accessibility of resources and a common market are the basis for the common well-being of us and our neighbors.
Such mutual dependence imposes a special responsibility on Russia as the largest economy in our integration. It is necessary to calculate the consequences of decisions taken for countries that have transferred part of their sovereignty to the level of the EAEU. Therefore, we have introduced a rule to check all regulatory legal acts being prepared for compliance with the law of the union.
S. Bolotov: No one objects to the free movement of goods, but when it comes to labor migration, doubts arise. Will this not harm Russia’s national interests?
A. Overchuk: This is indeed a very complex topic, and there are different points of view. The demographic situation, demand for labor and its cost are such that in order to develop the economy and curb inflation, it is necessary to attract labor migrants. Of course, part of this problem can be solved by introducing advanced technologies and increasing labor productivity, but this is a longer-term solution that requires investments, which are especially expensive today.
On the other hand, all over the world, and Russia is no exception, the influx of labor migrants creates problems caused not only by the peculiarities of the labor market, but also by cultural differences, ignorance of laws and the language barrier, which leads to the formation of isolated national diasporas, an increase in crime and conflict situations. We are all watching how the replacement of the indigenous population in Europe is taking place, and many do not feel positive about it. The question is how to make the problems of labor migration less painful for society.
The EAEU law helps to relieve some of the tension associated with the movement of labor between countries. It allows citizens of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia working outside their countries to enjoy the same rights as citizens of the country where they live and work. They are subject to the same personal income taxes. The absence of differences in the treatment of citizens of the EAEU member states creates better conditions for the integration of these people into our society, affects their quality of life, makes them confident in their rights, less dependent on diasporas, and largely cuts the ground from under the feet of crime associated with labor migration. This largely explains why we would like to expand the EAEU at the expense of countries that send us the largest number of labor migrants.
Of course, there are differences due to traditions and culture. Knowledge of the language of the host country is also very important. Historically, in the former USSR, Russian is the language of interethnic communication, which, in addition to familiarization with the great Russian literature, culture, science and education, allows people from different countries to communicate with each other, live side by side, develop together, conduct business, work, negotiate and avoid conflicts.
Unfortunately, perhaps, in all post-Soviet countries the establishment of independence was associated with distancing from Russia and a reduction in the use of the Russian language. Attempts to displace the Russian language from the spheres of education, culture and public administration are still ongoing. To a large extent, this is facilitated by countries unfriendly to us, striving to reduce Russia’s influence in the region by dividing our peoples and perfectly understanding the importance of the Russian language as a link between the entire space of Northern Eurasia.
At the same time, knowledge of foreign languages opens access to new knowledge, cultures and better employment conditions. In our region, the truth is that the successful development of post-Soviet countries is directly dependent on their proximity to Russia, access to the Russian education system, culture and ability to communicate with each other in Russian.
Today, having received some negative experience, our neighbors are coming to understand the importance of the Russian language and the Russian education system for their further development. There is a growing awareness that the distance from Russia has had a negative impact on the quality of education. Hence, neighbors are seeing an increased demand for children to study in schools with instruction in Russian, especially if the classes are taught by teachers who have come from Russia.
That is why we receive requests to send Russian teachers, conduct internships in Russia for Russian language teachers, build Russian schools that operate according to Russian educational standards, organize branches of Russian universities, increase quotas for admission of young people to Russian universities, hold days of Russian culture, support Russian theater in their countries, and much more. And this is what our departments are actively engaged in today.
The Russian language is the common heritage of all countries of Northern Eurasia, and the International Organization for the Russian Language was established by the CIS member states to disseminate and protect it.
We must not fall for the bait of those who, acting on the principle of “divide and rule”, seek to distance post-Soviet states and people from Russia, who just over thirty years ago had the same passports as us and who continue to gravitate towards Russia. Many can still say that we were born in the same country, we are united by a common history, values and belonging to a single civilization, they want their children and grandchildren to think the same way – this is what we strive to preserve. So why follow the lead of those who seek to destroy it? Therefore, we patiently carry out creative work to preserve and spread the Russian language, our education and culture in the countries of the former USSR.
It is these efforts that will provide the level of knowledge necessary for the conflict-free integration of labor migrants into our society. And this is most important, since the success of economic integration and the common future of our countries depend on the relations between people.
Historically, in the former USSR, Russian is the language of interethnic communication
S. Bolotov: What is better for Russia, to be the most European country in Asia or the most Asian country in Europe?
A. Overchuk: Our history spans many centuries, during which the peoples inhabiting Northern Eurasia, including the Slavs, absorbed much from both Asia and Europe. At the same time, unlike the Western civilization that places itself above others and the colonial empires built by the Europeans, the peoples of our countries developed at the expense of their own resources and mutual trade, generously shared among themselves, as was the case under the USSR, even the latter, and carefully treated the traditions and culture of all the peoples inhabiting the vast space from the Carpathians to the Pacific Ocean. This is precisely why a unique civilizational community of peoples was formed in Northern Eurasia, which for many centuries has retained the ability to self-recovery, maintain human relationships and develop together.
The Mongol Empire, which had united this vast space, broke up into separate uluses, leaving behind elements of state administration and a financial system that still exist today, memories of the Great Silk Road, and a tolerant attitude towards diverse cultures and religions. Parts of this eastern empire were gathered by the Moscow Principality into the Russian Empire, which took much from the West and passed the baton to the Soviet Union, under which the peoples who inhabited it, having made a leap in their social and economic development, formed the basis that allowed them to transform into new independent states.
Modern Northern Eurasia, of which Russia is a part, consists of independent states that are united by a common great history, values, trade and economic ties and belonging to a unique Eurasian civilization that cannot be called either Asian or European. And the task of Eurasian integration is to preserve this heritage and create conditions for a common prosperous future for the numerous peoples inhabiting this vast space.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Headline: Zanubis in motion: Tracing the active evolution of the Android banking malware
Introduction
Zanubis is a banking Trojan for Android that emerged in mid-2022. Since its inception, it has targeted banks and financial entities in Peru, before expanding its objectives to virtual cards and crypto wallets.
The main infection vector of Zanubis is impersonating legitimate Peruvian Android applications and then misleading the user into enabling the accessibility permissions. Once these permissions are granted, the malware gains extensive capabilities that allow its operators to steal the user’s banking data and credentials, as well as perform remote actions and control the device without the user’s knowledge.
This Android malware is undergoing continuous development, and we have seen new samples extending their data exfiltration and remote-control functionality as well as new obfuscation methods and deceptive tactics. The threat actors behind Zanubis continue to refine its code – adding features, switching between encryption algorithms, shifting targets, and tweaking social engineering techniques to accelerate infection rates. These updates are often aligned with recurring campaigns, suggesting a deliberate effort to keep the malware relevant and effective.
To understand how the Trojan reached its current stage, we need to look back at its origins and the early signs of what was to come. Join us in this blogpost as we take a closer look at the malware’s evolution over time.
2022: From zero to threat
Zanubis was first observed in the wild around August 2022, initially targeting financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchange users in Peru. At the time of its discovery, the malware was distributed through apps disguised as a PDF reader, using the logo of a well-known application to appear legitimate and lure victims into installing it.
In its early stages, Zanubis used to employ a much simpler and more limited approach compared to the functionality we would explore later. The malware retrieved its configuration and the package names of all the targeted applications by reaching a hardcoded pastebin site and parsing its data in XML/HTML format.
Upon startup, the malware would collect key information from the infected device. This included the contact list, the list of installed applications, and various device identifiers, such as the manufacturer, model, and fingerprint. The Trojan also performed specific checks to identify whether the device was a Motorola, Samsung, or Huawei, suggesting tailored behavior or targeting based on brand.
Additionally, the malware attempted to collect and bypass battery optimization settings, likely to ensure it could continue running in the background without interruption. All of the gathered information was then formatted and transmitted to a remote server using the WebSocket protocol. For that, Zanubis used a hardcoded initial URL to establish communication and exfiltrate the collected data and also received a small set of commands from the C2 server.
The malware operated as an overlay-based banking Trojan that abused Android’s accessibility service. By leveraging accessibility permissions, the malware was able to run silently in the background, monitoring which applications were currently active on the device. When it detected that a targeted application was opened, it immediately displayed a pre-generated overlay designed to mimic the legitimate interface. This overlay captured the user’s credentials as they were entered, effectively stealing sensitive information without raising suspicion.
Zanubis targeted 40 banking and financial applications in Peru. The malware maintained a predefined list of package names corresponding to these institutions, and used this list to trigger overlay attacks. This targeting strategy reflected a focused campaign aimed at compromising users of financial services through credential theft.
At that point, the malware appeared to be under active development – code obfuscation had not yet been implemented, making the samples fully readable upon decompilation. Additionally, several debugging functions were still present in the versions captured in the wild.
2023: Multi-feature upgrade
In April 2023, we identified a new campaign featuring a revamped version of Zanubis. This time, the malicious package masqueraded as the official Android application of SUNAT (Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y de Administración Tributaria), Peru’s national tax and customs authority. It copied both the name and icon of the legitimate app, making it appear authentic to unsuspecting users.
Shift to obfuscation
Unlike earlier versions, this variant introduced significant changes in terms of stealth. The code was fully obfuscated, making manual analysis and detection more difficult. After decompilation, it became clear that in order to sophisticate the malware analysis, the threat actors used Obfuscapk, a widely used obfuscation framework for Android APKs. Obfuscapk combines multiple techniques, including a range of obfuscators and so-called “confusers”. These techniques vary in complexity: from basic measures like renaming classes, adding junk code, and replacing method signatures, to more advanced strategies such as code RC4 encryption and control-flow obfuscation. The goal was to hinder reverse engineering and slow down both static and dynamic analysis, giving the operators more time to execute their campaigns undetected.
Junk code (on the left) and renaming (on the right) obfuscation methods applied to the malicious implant
Once installed and executed, the malware began setting up its internal components, including various classes, functions, and the SharedPreferences object, which are essential for the Trojan’s operation. The latter typically stores sensitive configuration data such as C2 server URLs, encryption keys, API endpoints, and communication ports.
Deceptive tricks
Throughout all versions of Zanubis, a key step in its execution flow has been to ensure it has accessibility service permissions, which are crucial for its overlay attacks and background monitoring. To obtain these, the malware checks if it is running for the first time and whether the necessary permissions have been granted. If not, it employs a deceptive tactic to manipulate the user into enabling them, a feature that varies between versions.
In the 2023 version, the malware displayed a fake instructional webpage using WebView, claiming that additional permissions were needed to view a document – a plausible excuse, given the app’s disguise as an official application. On this page, a prominent button labeled “Ir a Accesibilidad” (“Go to Accessibility”) was presented. Once tapped, the button triggered a redirection to the system’s Accessibility Settings screen or directly to the specific panel for enabling accessibility features for the malicious app, depending on the device model.
Instructions to trick the user into enabling Accessibility Permissions
Translation:
“Steps to view documents”, “1. Select the downloaded file”.
This trick relies heavily on social engineering, leveraging trust in the app’s appearance and the user’s lack of awareness about Android’s permission system. Once accessibility permissions are granted, the malware silently enables additional settings to bypass battery optimization, ensuring it can remain active in the background indefinitely, ready to execute its malicious functions without user intervention.
With background access secured, the malware loads a legitimate SUNAT website used by real users to check debts and tax information. By embedding this trusted page in a WebView, the app reinforces its disguise and avoids raising suspicion, appearing as a normal, functional part of SUNAT’s official services while continuing its malicious activity in the background.
Data harvesting
Just like earlier versions, the malware began by collecting device information and connecting to its C2 server to await further instructions. Communication with the C2 API was encrypted with RC4 using a hardcoded key and Base64-encoded. Once initialization was complete, the malware entered a Socket.IO polling loop, sleeping for 10 seconds between checks for incoming events emitted by the C2 server. This time, however, the list of available commands had grown significantly, expanding the malware’s capabilities far beyond previous versions.
When a targeted app was detected running on the device, this version of Zanubis took one of two actions to steal user data, depending on its current settings. The first method involved keylogging by tracking user interface events such as taps, focus changes, and text input, effectively capturing sensitive information like credentials or personal data. These logs were stored locally and later sent to the C2 server upon request. Alternatively, Zanubis could activate screen recording to capture everything the user did within the app, sending both visuals and interaction data directly to the server.
SMS hijacking
Another new feature introduced in this campaign is SMS hijacking, a critical technique for compromising bank accounts and services that rely on SMS for two-factor authentication. Once instructed by the C2 server, Zanubis set itself as the default SMS app on the device, allowing it to intercept all incoming messages via a custom receiver. This gave the malware access to verification codes sent by banks and other sensitive services, and even the ability to delete them before the user could see them, effectively hiding its activity.
These actions remained completely hidden from the user. Even if the user attempted to regain control and set their default SMS app back to normal, Zanubis would block that possibility.
Fake updates
One of the most invasive and deceptive behaviors exhibited by Zanubis was triggered through the bloqueoUpdate (“update lockout” in English) event, which simulated a legitimate Android system update. When activated, the malware locked the device and prevented any normal interaction, rendering it almost completely unusable. Attempts to lock or unlock the screen were detected and locked, making it nearly impossible for the user to interrupt the process.
Before displaying the fake update overlay, the malware could send a warning notification claiming that an urgent update was about to be installed, advising the user not to interact with the device. This increased the credibility of the ruse and reduced the chances of user interference.
Behind this fake update, Zanubis continued operating silently in the background, performing malicious tasks such as uninstalling apps, intercepting SMS messages, changing system settings, and modifying permissions, all without the victim’s awareness.
Fake update blocking the user from making use of the phone
Translation:
“Some screen components are being updated, please keep your device connected to the internet and wait approximately 30 minutes for the update to finish”. “Do not lock or interact with the device”.
2024: Continuous development
During 2024, we continued monitoring Zanubis on various resources, including third-party platforms. In early May, we detected the appearance of new variants in the wild, particularly observed on VirusTotal. Over 30 versions of the malware were uploaded from Peru, revealing the developer’s efforts to test and implement new functionalities and features into the malware.
Samples uploaded to VirusTotal
Reinforced encryption
In these newer iterations of Zanubis, the developers implemented mechanisms to protect hardcoded strings, aiming to complicate analysis and reduce detection rates. The threat actors used a key derived via PBKDF2 to encrypt and decrypt strings on-the-fly, relying on AES in ECB mode. This method allowed the implant to keep critical strings hidden during static analysis, only revealing them when needed during execution.
Source strings were not the only data encrypted in these new implants. The communication between the C2 and the malware was also protected using AES in ECB mode, which indicates a shift from the use of RC4 in previous samples. Unlike the hardcoded key used for string encryption, in this case, a new 32-byte key was randomly generated each time data was about to be sent.
Device credential stealing
Among the most critical actions performed by this version of Zanubis was the theft of device credentials. Once active in the background, the malware constantly monitored system events triggered by other applications. When it detected activity related to authentication that needed the input of a PIN, password, or pattern, it attempted to identify the type of authentication being used and captured the corresponding input.
The malware monitored specific signals that indicated the user was interacting with the lock screen or a secure input method. When these were identified, the malware actively collected the characters entered or gestures used. If it detected that the input was invalid, it reset the authentication tracking to avoid storing invalid data. Once the input process was completed and the user moved on, the malware sent the collected credentials to the C2 server.
Device credentials collected by Zanubis
Expanding scope
This version of the malware continued to target banking applications and financial institutions in Peru, expanding its reach to include virtual card providers, as well as digital and cryptocurrency wallets. This update added 14 new targeted applications, increasing the scope of its attacks and broadening the range of financial services it can exploit.
2025: Latest campaign
In mid-January of 2025, we identified new samples indicating an updated version of Zanubis. The updates range from changes in the malware distribution and deception strategy to code modifications, new C2 commands, and improved filtering of target applications for credential theft.
New distribution tactics
Zanubis previously impersonated Peru’s tax authority, SUNAT. However, in this new campaign, we have identified two new Peruvian entities being spoofed: a company in the energy sector and a bank that was not previously abused.
The Trojan initially disguises itself as two legitimate apps from the targeted companies, each crafted to exploit a specific user need. For the energy company, the malicious APK is distributed under names like “Boleta_XXXXXX” (“bill”) or “Factura_XXXXXX” (“invoice”), deceiving users into believing they are verifying a supposed bill or invoice.
Fake screen designed to verify invoices
Meanwhile, for the bank, victims are enticed to download the malware under the guise of instructions from a fake bank advisor. This setup acts as the initial dropper for the malware, using familiar, trusted contexts to ensure successful installation.
Follow your advisor’s instructions message from the fake bank app
Silent installation
Once the user downloads and launches the lure app, a screen appears with the company’s logo, stating that necessary checks are in progress. Meanwhile, in the background, the dropper attempts to silently install the final payload, Zanubis, which is embedded in the initial malware’s internal resources (res/raw/). To retrieve the APK, the dropper leverages the PackageInstaller class. This installation process occurs without any user involvement, as there are no prompts or warnings to alert the victim. By utilizing PackageInstaller, the malware writes the APK to the device in the background and completes the installation automatically, unnoticed. This technique is employed to evade detection. After installation, an intent is sent to signal that the package has been successfully installed.
Sharpening targets
In the latest iteration of the malware, the scope of targeted entities has been significantly narrowed, with a clear focus on banks and financial institutions. The once-broad range of targets, including cryptocurrency wallets, has been abandoned.
This strategic shift suggests an intention to streamline the attack efforts and concentrate on sectors that manage the most sensitive and valuable data, such as banking credentials and financial transactions. By honing in on these high-stakes targets, the malware becomes even more dangerous, as it now focuses on the most lucrative avenues for cybercriminals.
Who’s behind?
Based on our ongoing analysis of Zanubis, several indicators suggest that the threat actors behind the malware may be operating from Peru. These indicators include, for instance, the consistent use of Latin American Spanish in the code, knowledge of Peruvian banking and government agencies, and telemetry data from our systems and VirusTotal.
The focus on Peruvian entities as targets also strongly indicates that the threat actors behind Zanubis are likely based in Peru. These regional indicators, combined with the malware’s ongoing financial fraud campaigns, point to a well-organized operation focused on exploiting local institutions.
Conclusions
Zanubis has demonstrated a clear evolution, transitioning from a simple banking Trojan to a highly sophisticated and multi-faceted threat. The malware has been continuously refined and enhanced, incorporating new features and capabilities. Its focus remains on high-value targets, particularly banks and financial institutions in Peru, making it a formidable adversary in the region.
Furthermore, the attackers behind Zanubis show no signs of slowing down. They continue to innovate and adjust their tactics, shifting distribution methods to ensure the malware reaches new victims and executes silently. This constant refinement demonstrates that Zanubis is not a transient threat but an ongoing, persistent menace, capable of further mutations to fulfill the financial goals of its developers.
As Zanubis continues to evolve and adapt, it is crucial for users and organizations alike to stay vigilant. The threat landscape is constantly changing, and this malware’s ability to evolve and target new victims makes it an ever-present risk that cannot be ignored.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
SACRAMENTO, U.S., May 28 (Xinhua) — SpaceX’s third consecutive Starship rocket launch ended in another failure on Tuesday evening, dealing a fresh blow to the company’s ambitions to colonize Mars.
The 122-metre-tall Starship rocket lifted off at 19:37 local time on Tuesday /03:37 GMT on Wednesday/ from the Starbase launch site near Boca Chica, Texas. Both stages of the vehicle, the Super Heavy booster and the Starship itself, were lost during the test flight. The mission was the first attempt to reuse the super heavy launch vehicle in the Starship program.
“We lost control,” SpaceX spokesman Dan Huot said during the company’s livestream. He said the spacecraft also “had a fuel leak.”
The first stage of the Super Heavy rocket, powered by 33 methane-fueled engines, failed when its engines ignited for a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. SpaceX had deliberately programmed the rocket for a more intense descent trajectory as part of the test.
Starship’s booster initially worked well. However, during the flight, the ship’s cargo bay door failed to open fully, preventing the launch of eight Starlink satellite simulators.
The failure of the ninth test flight continues a troubling trend involving the design of SpaceX’s Block 2 Starship. Repeated failures have created serious problems for NASA’s Artemis program, which is using a modified version of Starship to land astronauts on the moon by 2027. –0–
One UI 8 is coming, and early access is now available through its beta program — kicking off a new era of software intelligence that brings a true multimodal AI agent designed for various Samsung Galaxy form factors.
One UI is Samsung’s integrated software platform, designed to help Galaxy devices simplify everyday routines and enhance productivity and convenience. Thanks to the mutual partnership between Samsung and Google, One UI 8 will debut on Samsung’s newest foldables this summer and will gradually expand to more Galaxy devices so users can now enjoy an enriched, more personalized mobile experience with the latest version of Android.
Through open communication, Samsung and Google actively shared their respective design systems and real-time feedback with one another, accelerating software development that made One UI 8 one of the first UI platforms to adopt Android 16.
In addition to being the first generation of upgrades to launch alongside new foldable devices, the launch of One UI 8 also initiates a new rhythm for Samsung’s software evolution with major UX and AI updates. You can get a first glimpse of this innovation by signing up for the beta program kicking off today, starting with the Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra in Germany, Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Personalized AI for Seamless, Natural Interactions
The official rollout of One UI 8 will introduce an AI experience that will make your everyday smarter and more convenient by enhancing the AI features first introduced in the Galaxy S25 series. There are three main factors that realize this: multimodal capabilities, UX tailored to different device form factors, and personalized, proactive suggestions. Intelligent multimodality enables you to have natural, seamless communication with AI that understands what you’re looking at or watching in the moment. The updated UX is optimized for the unique form factors across the Galaxy product portfolio, boosting your everyday productivity and efficiency. One UI 8 will also recognize your context, offering personalized, proactive suggestions that support your unique daily routine. Features like Now Bar1 and Now Brief2 will deliver even more customized insights and suggestions to help you stay on top of tasks and support your daily routine, through curated AI information.
This intelligent, personalized AI experience did not just come out of nowhere. It is made possible by robust security that safeguards your data. Samsung Knox Vault combines a dedicated secure processor with secure memory to isolate sensitive data from the rest of your user data and ensure that no one else can physically or remotely reach your personal information. One UI 8 also provides settings where you can choose to process data only on the device, as many of our Galaxy AI experiences use both on-device and cloud-based AI processing. With transparency and user choice at its core, One UI 8 will deliver a personalized AI experience without compromising privacy.
Enhanced Everyday Convenience
One UI 8 is not only about providing the AI experience, but also includes convenient, intuitive tools designed to make your day-to-day experiences with your mobile devices even more seamless. Auracast3 — a broadcast audio technology based on Bluetooth LE Audio4 — will support effortless audio connection via QR code scanning and sharing, allowing multiple Auracast devices5 — like Galaxy Buds3 and hearing aids — to join a shared audio stream without the hassle of a complex manual setup. Additionally, customer support at repair centers will be faster and more convenient, thanks to QR- and NFC-enabled support6 accessible right in Samsung Account. You can now register with QR or NFC without having to write any registration forms, reducing wait times and simplifying service requests.
The Reminder app will be your travel supporter with more convenient and intuitive features. If you are planning a trip to New York with your family, you can manage all your reminders in one place as soon as you open the app with a UX that is easy-looking even for first-time users. You can also share a list of to-dos for your trip with the press of a button. When your hands are full of shopping bags, you can use your voice to add reminders on the go as it is voice enabled.
Sharing memories with family and friends will also be easier than ever with enhanced Quick Share.7 A single tap of the Quick Share button in the Quick settings panel will let you instantly send and receive files.
The future of Galaxy AI starts now. Sign up through the Samsung Members app to be among the first to experience the power of One UI 8.
1 Availability of functions supported may vary by country and model. Some functions may require a network connection and/or Samsung Account login.
2 Now Brief feature requires a Samsung Account login. Service availability may vary by country, language, device model or apps. Some features may require a network connection.
3 The quality of the Auracast audio stream may vary depending on the application, network connection and other factors.
4 Available on devices with Bluetooth 5.2 and above that support Auracast.
5 Auracast Transmitter/Assistant supported devices: Samsung Galaxy flagship smartphones, tablets released in 2023 or later with Samsung One UI version 6.1 or above. Auracast Receiver supported devices: Galaxy Buds3, Buds3 Pro, Buds2 Pro. May require software update. Availability may vary by market and model.
6 Available on 36 countries: U.S., Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Türkiye, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. Availability may vary by country. The feature availability will expand to more countries via further updates. The feature is available in limited number of repair shops, and will be expanded further afterwards. Available on with Android 10 or above, NFC availability may vary by device, Samsung Account app is available on devices with Android 10 or above. Availability may vary by NFC Memory support availability.
7 Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi connection are both required for Quick Share. Number of devices Quick Share can share to at the same time may vary depending on the Wi-Fi chip hardware of the sharing device. Actual speed may vary depending on device, network condition and user environment.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
UK-South America partnership to help prevent cocaine smuggling
Security Minister signs agreement with Ecuador to affirm international commitment to crackdown on organised criminal gangs.
The UK will be better protected from deadly cocaine as the government strengthens crucial partnerships with Colombia and Ecuador to tackle drug smuggling at source.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis struck a co-operation agreement as part of the first ever visit by a security minister to the 2 countries.
Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine producer while Ecuador has emerged as a key smuggling route, with organised crime groups targeting UK borders.
As part of efforts to tackle the trade upstream, Home Office International Operations, Border Force officers and UK law enforcement have been stationed in Colombia and Ecuador. Officers have provided training, equipment and support to enhance the capabilities of South American law enforcement – better preventing cocaine from reaching British borders.
This UK law enforcement presence has had a significant impact on cocaine seizures. Of the 64 tonnes seized by the ports and airports division of anti-narcotics police in Colombia, 50.5 tonnes can be attributed to activity supported by Home Office International Operations. In Ecuador, Home Office International supported the seizure of nearly 95 out of the 300 tonnes seized by police last year.
During his visit, Minister Jarvis signed a memorandum of understanding with Ecuador, cementing both countries’ commitment to dismantling and disrupting violent criminal networks, which threaten the safety of communities in Britain and South America alike.
On behalf of the UK, Minister Jarvis donated further equipment to Ecuador’s law enforcement unit to aid their operations to disrupt illegal activity.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said:
We will not tolerate criminal gangs exploiting international routes and bringing harmful drugs into our communities. That’s why this government is deepening our security partnerships with Colombia and Ecuador to strengthen our frontline fight against organised crime.
Our agreement marks a step forward in our international efforts to prevent drugs reaching the UK. We are making strong progress on this with cocaine seizures by Border Force in England increasing by 75% since last year.
As part of our Safer Streets Mission, we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to prevent cocaine from crossing our border and strengthening our security, a cornerstone of this government’s Plan for Change.
In a speech, Minister Jarvis recognised the sacrifices and bravery of frontline officers in South America to disrupt and dismantle organised crime gangs. Officers are continuing to protect their local communities but also communities across the world as the war on drugs continues. The UK, Colombia and Ecuador all remain resolute in their commitment to tackling illegal drug smuggling.
In Colombia, Border Force officers provided bespoke training to a team who had previously seized only 14kg of cocaine destined for UK ports last year. Following a 2-week training course in March this year, the team have already prevented 1.4 tonnes from reaching the UK.
This international action comes as cocaine-related deaths in England and Wales rose by 31% between 2022 and 2023. As part of the Plan for Change, the government is committed to making streets safer by driving down drug misuse and harms through prevention and treatment.
UK Border Force are also taking action to prevent cocaine from reaching the UK border and harming communities. In January 2025, Border Force’s National Deep Rummage team seized 1.5 tonnes of cocaine on a ship travelling from Ecuador, with an estimated street value of just under £60 million.
There have also been record seizures of cocaine in recent years, with over 26 tonnes seized by Border Force in England, a 75% increase compared to the year before.
SQM reported total revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2025 of US$1,036.6 million compared to total revenues of US$1,084.5 million for the same period last year.
Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2025 of US$137.5 million or US$0.48 per share, compared to net loss(1) of US$(869.5) million or US$(3.04) per share for the same period last year.
Record-high iodine sales price
Record first-quarter lithium sales volumes reflect strong market demand
SQM will hold a conference call to discuss these results on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 12:00pm EDT (12:00pm Chile time).
SANTIAGO, Chile, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) (NYSE: SQM; Santiago Stock Exchange: SQM-B, SQM-A) reported today net income for the three months ended March 31, 2025, of US$137.5 million or US$0.48 per share, compared to a loss1 of US$(869.5) million or US$(3.04) per share reported for the same period last year.
Gross profit(2) reached US$304.7 million (29.4% of revenues) for the three months ended March 31, 2025, lower than US$368.5 million (34.0% of revenues) recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2024. Revenues totaled US$1,036.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, representing a decrease of 4.4% compared to US$1,084.5 million reported for the three months ended March 31, 2024.
SQM’s Chief Executive Officer, Ricardo Ramos, stated, “We closed the first quarter with strong growth—approximately 27% year-on-year—in lithium sales volumes. This is a reflection of the strong demand growth seen during the past few months, driven by the electric vehicle market, particularly in China, along with new demand coming from energy storage systems. Despite the fact that average prices reported during the first quarter 2025 were similar to those reported at the end of last year, we have seen lower prices during the past few weeks, as consequence of a continuously oversupplied market. Therefore, we expect lower realized prices in the second quarter of 2025.”
He continued: “On the production side, things are evolving as expected. The commissioning of the Mount Holland refinery plant is on track to deliver first product in the upcoming months, meanwhile we are actively selling spodumene concentrate in the market. In Chile we continue working to reach a total capacity of 240,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate and 100,000 metric tons of lithium hydroxide. All of this while we continue to process lithium sulfate in China.”
Mr. Ramos added: “We are very pleased with the performance of our iodine business. We continue to see steady market growth, driven by strong demand that is putting upward pressure on prices. However, global supply remains limited, and we expect demand to grow by 1% to 2% annually. In this context, we anticipate maintaining stable sales volumes while prices remain at elevated levels. Construction of our seawater pipeline is moving full steam ahead and will be key to unlocking additional production capacity in the coming years, in the meantime, we are focused on improving operational efficiencies to better respond to market needs2.”
___________________________ 1 Includes the net effect of accounting adjustments for payments related to the specific mining tax for lithium exploitation as of March 31, 2024, for a total amount of US$1,097.6 million. See more in section Income Tax Expenses, below in the document. 2 To see full press release please visit our website: https://ir.sqm.com/
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