Source: Tasmania Police
Charges laid over fatal Glenorchy crash
Monday, 17 March 2025 – 10:29 am.
A 41-year-old woman has been charged in relation to a fatal crash on Main Road, Glenorchy on 5 April 2024.
Following extensive crash investigations, the woman has been charged with causing death by negligent driving and drive without due care and attention.
She will appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court on 2 May 2025.
Source: New South Wales Premiere
The NSW Government is today launching five new Tactical Armoured Vehicles, which will significantly strengthen the capability of the NSW Police Force (NSWPF) to respond to high-risk, tactical and counter-terrorism situations.
The armoured Lenco ‘Bearcat’ vehicles were custom designed and custom built for the specific needs of the NSWPF – at a total cost of $3.5 million.
All five Bearcats will be strategically positioned across NSW to support the work of Tactical Police and Police Negotiaters.
Key features include ballistically rated steel and glass with riot shield covers, rotating roof hatches, spotlights, external speakers, high-tech camera systems and advanced technical and communication capabilities.
In an Australian first, one of the new Bearcats is equipped with an extendable ramp to allow police to quickly and safely access multi-storey buildings and aircraft. This vehicle will be stationed in Sydney, the other four vehicles will be stationed in northern, western and southern regions – allowing the Tactical Operation Unit and Tactical Operations Regional Squads to quickly respond to high-risk situations.
The five new Bearcats bring the total number of specialised armoured vehicles in NSW to six and will further allow officers to swiftly and effectively respond to high-risk and counter-terrorism situations, ensuring the safety of the people of NSW.
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Yasmin Catley said:
“These custom vehicles will greatly improve the capability of the Tactical Operations Unit to respond to and disrupt high-risk situations across the state.
“The NSW Police Force is world class so it’s only fitting it has modern resources and technology to fight crime and keep our community safe.
“Only a Labor Government backs our hardworking police 100% and ensures they have the capability they need.”
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb APM said:
“These vehicles are deployed by the Tactical Operation Unit during high-risk situations.
“This is about protecting our specialist officers.
“All of these vehicles are bullet and blast resistant and have the capacity to transport hostages or injured personnel.”
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne
A national Freshwater poll for The Financial Review, conducted March 13–15 from a sample of 1,051, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead by respondent preferences, a one-point gain for Labor since the late February Freshwater poll.
Primary votes were 39% Coalition (down two), 31% Labor (steady), 14% Greens (up one) and 16% for all Others (up one). By 2022 election preference flows, this would be about a 50–50 tie.
Anthony Albanese’s net approval improved one point to -10, while Peter Dutton’s slid four points to -12. In the last two months, Albanese is up eight and Dutton down eight. It’s the first time since May 2024 that Albanese has had a better net approval than Dutton in this poll.
Albanese led Dutton by 45.9–42.5 as preferred PM, his best lead in this poll since last September. By 42–40, respondents thought Dutton better suited to negotiate with US President Donald Trump than Albanese (47–36 in November).
The Coalition leads on important issues, but Labor has gained seven points on economic management and three points on cost of living since February.
There has been improvement for Labor across a range of polls in the last few weeks, and the graph below has Labor leads in three of the last five national polls (two YouGovs and a Morgan), with the Coalition still ahead in Newspoll and Freshwater.
In analyst Kevin Bonham’s aggregate, Labor now leads by 50.5–49.5 using 2022 election flows, while it’s a 50–50 tie adjusting for a likely pro-Coalition shift in One Nation preferences.
Last Wednesday Trump imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports into the US, including on Australia. I believe this will assist Labor as the tariff imposition will appear unjustified to most Australians, and the Coalition is the more pro-Trump party. If the stock market continues to fall, this will undermine support for Trump’s economic agenda.
Trump has been threatening Canada with tariffs for much longer than Australia, and the centre-left governing Liberals have surged back in the polls to a near-tie with the Conservatives from over 20 points behind, and have taken the lead since Mark Carney’s March 9 election as Liberal leader.
A national YouGov poll, conducted March 7–13 from a sample of 1,526, gave Labor a 51–49 lead, unchanged from the February 28 to March 6 YouGov poll. YouGov is conducting weekly polls, and the previous poll was the first Labor lead in YouGov since July 2024.
Primary votes were 36% Coalition (steady), 31% Labor (steady), 13.5% Greens (up 0.5), 7.5% One Nation (up 0.5), 1% Trumpet of Patriots (steady), 9% independents (down one) and 2% others (steady). YouGov is using weaker preference flows for Labor than occurred in 2022, and by 2022 flows Labor would have a lead above 52–48.
Albanese’s net approval improved three points to -6, with 49% dissatisfied and 43% satisfied, while Dutton’s net approval slid two points to -6. Albanese led Dutton as better PM by an unchanged 45–39.
Since the first weekly YouGov poll in late February, Albanese has gained six points on net approval while Dutton has slid four points. This is the first time Dutton has not had a better net approval than Albanese in YouGov since March 2024.
On the ongoing conflict caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 69% of Australians thought we should stand with Ukraine President Zelensky, while 31% wanted us to stand with Trump.
A national Morgan poll, conducted March 3–9 from a sample of 1,719, gave Labor a 51.5–48.5 lead by headline respondent preferences, a two-point gain for Labor since the February 24 to March 2 poll. This is Labor’s second lead in the last three Morgan polls, after they had trailed in this poll since November.
Primary votes were 37% Coalition (down three), 30% Labor (up 1.5), 13.5% Greens (steady), 5% One Nation (up one), 10.5% independents (steady) and 4% others (up 0.5). By 2022 election flows, Labor led by 52–48, a two-point gain for Labor.
By 51.5–33, respondents said the country was going in the wrong direction (52–31.5 previously). Morgan’s consumer confidence index was down 0.8 points to 86.9.
Freshwater took a poll for the News Corporation tabloids of six seats held by teal independents. These are Curtin in WA, Goldstein and Kooyong in Victoria and Mackellar, Warringah and Wentworth in NSW. The poll was conducted March 5–7 from an overall sample of 830.
Across the six seats polled, the Liberals had a 51–49 lead, representing a 5% swing to the Liberals since the 2022 election. On these figures, the Liberals would gain four of these teal seats (Curtin, Goldstein, Kooyong and Mackellar).
Primary votes were 41% Liberals (up two since 2022), 33% teals (steady), 7% Labor (down six), 7% Greens (down two) and 12% others (up six). Albanese and Dutton were tied at 39–39 on better PM. By 47–42, respondents opposed their local MP backing an Albanese Labor minority government.
The YouGov MRP poll that was conducted between late January and mid-February from a sample of over 40,000 had all the teals holding their seats. At the March 8 Western Australian election, swings to the Liberals were lowest in affluent Perth seats.
With 70% of enrolled voters counted for the WA election, the ABC is calling 43 of the 59 lower house seats for Labor, six for the Liberals, four for the Nationals and six seats remain undecided. The Poll Bludger has Labor ahead in 47 seats, with the Liberals and Nationals ahead in six seats each.
On election night, it had appeared likely that an independent would win Labor-held Fremantle. However, the independent has performed badly on absent and postal votes, and Labor will retain.
In the upper house, all 37 seats are elected by statewide proportional representation with preferences, and a quota for election is just 2.63%. With 63% of enrolled counted, Labor has 15.8 quotas, the Liberals 10.5, the Greens 4.1, the Nationals 2.1, One Nation 1.35, Legalise Cannabis and the Australian Christians 1.0 each, an independent group 0.48 and Animal Justice 0.43.
On current figures, Labor will win 16 seats, the Liberals ten, the Greens four, the Nationals two, One Nation, Legalise Cannabis and the Christians one each and two seats are unclear (Liberals, independent group and Animal Justice contesting). Counting of absents in the lower house has hurt the Liberals, so their vote is likely to drop further. Labor and the Greens will have a combined upper house majority.
A byelection occurred on Saturday in the New South Wales Liberal-held state seat of Port Macquarie. Labor did not contest after finishing third behind the Nationals and Liberals at the 2023 NSW election with 19.2%.
With 59% of enrolled counted, The Poll Bludger is projecting that the Liberals will defeat the Nationals by 52.8–47.2, a 7.9% swing to the Nationals since 2023. Current primary votes are 34.2% Liberals (down 4.1%), 31.2% Nationals (up 5.5%), 12.8% for an independent (new), 10.7% Greens (up 3.7%) and 7.9% Legalise Cannabis (up 3.4%).
Adrian Beaumont does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Gains for Labor as they lead in three of last five polls – https://theconversation.com/gains-for-labor-as-they-lead-in-three-of-last-five-polls-252016
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch:
Police are seeking the public’s help following two serious incidents in Miramar overnight.
At 2am, Police were called to a Darlington Road address, where the occupants found an intruder inside their home. One occupant received minor injuries following an altercation with the suspect, who fled before Police arrived. Three other occupants at the address were unharmed.
A police dog unit tracked the intruder north of the bus turnaround for several hundred metres until the trail was lost.
About 2.30am, Police on patrol found a person unconscious and critically injured near the intersection of Camperdown Road and Totara Road. The victim was taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.
We are making a number of enquiries into both of these incidents and are working to determine whether they are linked. There will be a visible Police presence in the area while we carry out this work and speak with residents.
We would like to hear from anyone with information that may help our enquiries.
It is possible the intruder has gone to other addresses in the immediate area. Police are asking that residents on upper Darlington Road (north of Camperdown Road), and residents near the intersection of Camperdown Road and Totara Road to report any unusual or suspicious activity overnight.
We are also asking residents to check their sections and yards for any items that may have been stolen or discarded by the offender, described as a tall man of thin, athletic build, wearing a white cap.
Also of interest, is any CCTV that may assist the investigation.
If you can help, please make a report via 105, referencing the case number 250317/6324.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: Government of Canada News
March 16, 2025 – Gravenhurst, Ontario – Correctional Service Canada
On March 16, 2025, during a 1:45 p.m. count, staff members in the minimum-security unit at Beaver Creek Institution discovered that Rodney Cobb and Jeffry Parker were not accounted for.
The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) immediately contacted the Ontario Provincial Police, and a warrant for the inmates’ arrests was issued.
At around 2:50 p.m., Rodney Cobb and Jeffry Parker were apprehended by police. CSC will investigate the circumstances of this incident.
Ensuring the safety and security of institutions, staff, and public remains the highest priority in the operations of the federal correctional system.
-30-
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ernest Harsch, Researcher, Institute of African Studies, Columbia University, Columbia University
It didn’t take long for the new government of John Mahama in Ghana to find a dramatic way to highlight its commitment to combating corruption. On 12 February 2025 his special prosecutor declared the previous finance minister a “wanted fugitive” for going abroad to evade questioning for suspected financial irregularities, before later agreeing to schedule a return.
In that one move, the government of Mahama’s National Democratic Congress sounded a couple of familiar notes from past campaigns. First, that the widespread graft so many Ghanaians bemoan was largely the fault of the other party, in this case the New Patriotic Party, voted out the previous December. And second, that dishonesty and misconduct are most damaging when they involve high public officials.
The reality of corruption lived by ordinary Ghanaians is far more complicated than that. Across the past 30 years of electoral democracy, both parties have been tainted by scandal and malfeasance. And over the country’s much longer history, as I detail in a new book, Ghanaians have complained about a wide range of misdeeds by figures in both the public and private realms, in positions high and low.
Ordinary people have often challenged abuses, misdeeds and outright theft by the wealthy and powerful. They did so well before the territory’s indigenous societies were subjugated by Britain and incorporated into its Gold Coast colony.
Based on my research into corruption over Ghana’s centuries-long history, it’s clear to me that the effectiveness of any new initiatives depends as much on action from below as from above. Poor people feel the effects of corruption and exploitation more acutely than the better off. And if they are organised they can push the authorities to be more active in rooting out fraud and graft.
The strongest precolonial society was Asante, an empire that ruled over a wide area of what is today Ghana. At times, the excesses and injustices of Asante’s monarchs provoked turmoil, fuelled by anger among elites and ordinary people alike.
One, Kofi Kakari, was dethroned in 1874 after violating established norms by removing gold ornaments from a sacred mausoleum. His successor, Mensa Bonsu, prompted a popular insurgency and was finally overthrown in 1883 by an alliance of junior aristocrats and commoners.
Meanwhile, the coastal areas populated by Fante developed a more institutionalised method of ensuring chiefly accountability. Commoner-led defence groups, known locally as asafo, which performed a range of civic functions, could depose unpopular chiefs. In some removal ceremonies asafo members seized a chief and bumped his buttocks on the ground three times.
According to Ghanaian social anthropologist Maxwell Owusu, asafo companies
had a sacred duty to safeguard the interests of the wider local community against rulers or leaders who misused or abused their power.
The asafo remained active into the early colonial period. In the 1920s, however, the colonial administration curtailed their powers, to protect chiefs willing to implement colonial orders.
Echoes of asafo could still be heard many decades later. Following a succession of postcolonial administrations, Ghana erupted in widespread mobilisations against corruption and injustice. The popular outpourings of 1979 and the early 1980s were set off by two lower-rank coups led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings. Recalling past traditions of resistance, protesters sang asafo war songs, beat drums, and employed other popular rituals.
Many of those activists regarded corruption not as a failing of individuals in high office, but as a problem rooted in Ghana’s class-divided society. As one leading figure of the new People’s Defence Committees put it in 1982:
Corruption … is the product of a social system and enriches a minority of the people whilst having the opposite effect on the majority.
Soon the Rawlings government moved towards accommodation with both western financial circles and domestic elites. The youth-led defence committees were purged and eventually abolished.
Radical social perspectives persisted into the era of multiparty electoral democracy, though not in the two mainstream parties. Both say they are opposed to corruption. But according to critics like political scientist Kwame Ninsin, they in effect take turns at the helm to “control the state for private accumulation”.
Most official anticorruption strategies tend to ignore political contention and social distinctions. And the standard international corruption ratings of Transparency International largely rely on external financial and investor assessments.
Afrobarometer research surveys provide a more comprehensive view. In 2019, for example, Afrobarometer interviewers asked Ghanaians whether corruption had worsened over the previous year. Some 67% of those living in greater poverty said it had, while only 47% of the better off thought so. And although poor respondents also cited misdeeds by high officials, they often stressed more tangible aspects in their daily lives, such as having to pay bribes to local police or to obtain health or education services.
Some corruption scholars see benefits to “frying big fish”, to publicly demonstrate their seriousness. Ghanaian governments have a long history of doing that, however, and face an increasingly sceptical public. To be more credible, anticorruption campaigns cannot target only the opposing party or just those at the heights of power.
Ghana now has a range of laws and institutions to combat graft, fraud and other injustices. Some focus on exposure and punishment, both through the regular courts and through institutions such as the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, which annually hears thousands of citizens’ complaints.
Some official actions stress prevention. High office-holders have to declare their families’ assets, to make it harder to hide illegal wealth. Mahama made his own declaration of assets public, the first president ever to do so.
Government anticorruption measures have improved over the years. But they still suffer from bureaucratic inertia and limited commitment. That’s why many activists argue against relying solely on politicians.
The effectiveness of any new initiatives by Mahama or other officials depends as much on action from below as from above. After all, it’s ordinary Ghanaians who know where corruption pinches them the most.
– Ghana’s poor are the ones who suffer most from corruption: history offers some ideas about fighting back
– https://theconversation.com/ghanas-poor-are-the-ones-who-suffer-most-from-corruption-history-offers-some-ideas-about-fighting-back-250821
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ernest Harsch, Researcher, Institute of African Studies, Columbia University, Columbia University
It didn’t take long for the new government of John Mahama in Ghana to find a dramatic way to highlight its commitment to combating corruption. On 12 February 2025 his special prosecutor declared the previous finance minister a “wanted fugitive” for going abroad to evade questioning for suspected financial irregularities, before later agreeing to schedule a return.
In that one move, the government of Mahama’s National Democratic Congress sounded a couple of familiar notes from past campaigns. First, that the widespread graft so many Ghanaians bemoan was largely the fault of the other party, in this case the New Patriotic Party, voted out the previous December. And second, that dishonesty and misconduct are most damaging when they involve high public officials.
The reality of corruption lived by ordinary Ghanaians is far more complicated than that. Across the past 30 years of electoral democracy, both parties have been tainted by scandal and malfeasance. And over the country’s much longer history, as I detail in a new book, Ghanaians have complained about a wide range of misdeeds by figures in both the public and private realms, in positions high and low.
Ordinary people have often challenged abuses, misdeeds and outright theft by the wealthy and powerful. They did so well before the territory’s indigenous societies were subjugated by Britain and incorporated into its Gold Coast colony.
Based on my research into corruption over Ghana’s centuries-long history, it’s clear to me that the effectiveness of any new initiatives depends as much on action from below as from above. Poor people feel the effects of corruption and exploitation more acutely than the better off. And if they are organised they can push the authorities to be more active in rooting out fraud and graft.
The strongest precolonial society was Asante, an empire that ruled over a wide area of what is today Ghana. At times, the excesses and injustices of Asante’s monarchs provoked turmoil, fuelled by anger among elites and ordinary people alike.
One, Kofi Kakari, was dethroned in 1874 after violating established norms by removing gold ornaments from a sacred mausoleum. His successor, Mensa Bonsu, prompted a popular insurgency and was finally overthrown in 1883 by an alliance of junior aristocrats and commoners.
Meanwhile, the coastal areas populated by Fante developed a more institutionalised method of ensuring chiefly accountability. Commoner-led defence groups, known locally as asafo, which performed a range of civic functions, could depose unpopular chiefs. In some removal ceremonies asafo members seized a chief and bumped his buttocks on the ground three times.
According to Ghanaian social anthropologist Maxwell Owusu, asafo companies
had a sacred duty to safeguard the interests of the wider local community against rulers or leaders who misused or abused their power.
The asafo remained active into the early colonial period. In the 1920s, however, the colonial administration curtailed their powers, to protect chiefs willing to implement colonial orders.
Echoes of asafo could still be heard many decades later. Following a succession of postcolonial administrations, Ghana erupted in widespread mobilisations against corruption and injustice. The popular outpourings of 1979 and the early 1980s were set off by two lower-rank coups led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings. Recalling past traditions of resistance, protesters sang asafo war songs, beat drums, and employed other popular rituals.
Many of those activists regarded corruption not as a failing of individuals in high office, but as a problem rooted in Ghana’s class-divided society. As one leading figure of the new People’s Defence Committees put it in 1982:
Corruption … is the product of a social system and enriches a minority of the people whilst having the opposite effect on the majority.
Soon the Rawlings government moved towards accommodation with both western financial circles and domestic elites. The youth-led defence committees were purged and eventually abolished.
Radical social perspectives persisted into the era of multiparty electoral democracy, though not in the two mainstream parties. Both say they are opposed to corruption. But according to critics like political scientist Kwame Ninsin, they in effect take turns at the helm to “control the state for private accumulation”.
Most official anticorruption strategies tend to ignore political contention and social distinctions. And the standard international corruption ratings of Transparency International largely rely on external financial and investor assessments.
Afrobarometer research surveys provide a more comprehensive view. In 2019, for example, Afrobarometer interviewers asked Ghanaians whether corruption had worsened over the previous year. Some 67% of those living in greater poverty said it had, while only 47% of the better off thought so. And although poor respondents also cited misdeeds by high officials, they often stressed more tangible aspects in their daily lives, such as having to pay bribes to local police or to obtain health or education services.
Some corruption scholars see benefits to “frying big fish”, to publicly demonstrate their seriousness. Ghanaian governments have a long history of doing that, however, and face an increasingly sceptical public. To be more credible, anticorruption campaigns cannot target only the opposing party or just those at the heights of power.
Ghana now has a range of laws and institutions to combat graft, fraud and other injustices. Some focus on exposure and punishment, both through the regular courts and through institutions such as the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, which annually hears thousands of citizens’ complaints.
Some official actions stress prevention. High office-holders have to declare their families’ assets, to make it harder to hide illegal wealth. Mahama made his own declaration of assets public, the first president ever to do so.
Government anticorruption measures have improved over the years. But they still suffer from bureaucratic inertia and limited commitment. That’s why many activists argue against relying solely on politicians.
The effectiveness of any new initiatives by Mahama or other officials depends as much on action from below as from above. After all, it’s ordinary Ghanaians who know where corruption pinches them the most.
Ernest Harsch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Ghana’s poor are the ones who suffer most from corruption: history offers some ideas about fighting back – https://theconversation.com/ghanas-poor-are-the-ones-who-suffer-most-from-corruption-history-offers-some-ideas-about-fighting-back-250821
Source: South Australia Police
Police are investigating after a body was located on the beach at Carpenter Rocks today.
Police are investigating after a body was located on the beach at Carpenter Rocks (35 km from Mount Gambier) today.
About 1.45pm on Sunday 16 March, police were called to Carpenter Rocks in the State’s south east after reports a person was located deceased on the beach.
It is early in the investigation however police do not believe the death to be suspicious.
Police will be preparing a report for the coroner.
Source: South Australia Police
A man has been arrested for allegedly lighting several bushfires in the Riverland.
At 11.15pm Saturday 15 March a fire was reported at Bookpurnong Road.
At 3.15am on Sunday 16 March a fire was reported on Katarapko Island.
At 6.15am three further fires were sighted at on Katarapko Island.
Patrols were searching the area after a man was seen acting suspiciously in the area and jumping in and out of the river.
PolAir assisted with the search and about 1.30pm, they located a man in the river, who was subsequently arrested.
The 48-year-old man from Bookpurnong is expected to be charged with cause bush fire.
He is undergoing a medical assessment and will appear in court at a date to be determined.
Investigations are ongoing and further charges are expected.
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
The Auckland Northern Motorway is partially blocked heading southbound near the Wilks Road Overbridge following a crash.
The crash, involving multiple vehicles, was reported just before 11:20am.
Two people have been moderately injured.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Great South Road, Penrose is closed at the intersection with Southdown Road following a crash.
The three-vehicle crash was reported to Police just after 2pm.
Initial indications are that there are serious injuries.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Motorists are advised to expect delays after a crash on Waioeka Road (SH2) this evening.
Emergency services were called to the scene, between Waiata Road and Waioeka Pa Road, about 5.30pm, after a truck rolled.
One person has sustained minor injuries. The road is completely blocked and has been closed.
Anyone travelling through the area is advised to take an alternate route, or expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Neilson:
Hamilton Police have made an arrest in relation to the death of a man, and wounding of a second man, on Beatty Street in Melville yesterday.
A 41-year-old man sought by Police was arrested this morning and is expected to appear in Hamilton District Court on Monday.
He is charged with murder and with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The injured man remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Police would like to thank the public for their assistance, and continue to ask for anyone with information or CCTV of the incident, in the early hours of yesterday, to contact the enquiry team.
You can contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz and clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.
Please use the reference number 250315/0371.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Attributable to Detective Sergeant Simon Evans:
Police are appealing for witnesses to a suspicious fire in Huntly overnight.
Emergency services were called to a commercial premises on Great South Road, just south of Alder Lane, about 1:30am.
Police, together with Fire and Emergency NZ, are back at the scene today conducting a scene examination.
As part of our inquiries, Police are seeking any witnesses to what happened.
If you can help, you can contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz and clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.
Please reference file number 250316/3289.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Whangārei Police have charged a man in relation to a homicide in the city yesterday.
Emergency services were called to a Norfolk Street property yesterday evening, where a man had died.
Another man, known to the victim, was arrested at the property and has now been charged with murder.
The 53-year-old is due to appear in Whangārei District Court tomorrow.
A scene examination is ongoing at the property.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Please attribute to Inspector Peter Raynes of Tāmaki Makaurau Police:
One person has died, and two others have been critically injured, after a driver allegedly fled from Police and crashed early this afternoon.
Shortly before 2pm, a Police vehicle sighted a car travelling at excess speed along Great South Road, Penrose, and signalled for it to stop.
It failed to do so and instead fled, crashing with two other cars.
The driver of the vehicle which allegedly failed to stop was transported to hospital in a critical condition.
One person from one of the other vehicles died at the scene, while another was also critically injured.
Another person was in moderate condition.
The Serious Crash Unit is examining the scene, and the road remains closed.
A Critical Incident Investigation has been launched and staff are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crash.
We are also working to support those affected and their families, as well as our staff who were involved.
Police have also referred this matter to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Press Release Service – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Advocate Argues for Methamphetamine Treatment Introduction
Jas Brosnan, a passionate advocate for marginalised communities, has submitted a groundbreaking proposal to the Law Commission, aiming to revolutionise methamphetamine addiction treatment in New Zealand. This evidence-based approach, modelled after the success of opioid replacement therapy, proposes legal access to prescription stimulants like Desoxyn and Vyvanse to mitigate addiction’s harmful effects.
The post Advocate Argues for Methamphetamine Treatment Introduction first appeared on PR.co.nz.
– –
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
Myanmar authorities have seized 30.8 kg of heroin and 154,000 stimulant tablets in central Myanmar’s Mandalay region, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) said on Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Pyigyitagon township of Mandalay region on March 9 and confiscated the narcotics, and arrested three suspects.
Three other suspects in connection with the case were later arrested.
The seized narcotics are approximately worth over 1 billion kyats (about 476,190 U.S. dollars).
The suspects have been charged under the country’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, and further investigations were ongoing.
Source: South Australia Police
Police are investigating the death of a man at North Adelaide this morning.
About 7.45am on Sunday 16 March, police and paramedics responded to reports of a man collapsed on a walking path within Brougham Gardens between Brougham Place and King William Road.
A 54-year-old man from Marden was found unresponsive when police arrived.
Paramedics commenced CPR at the scene before he was rushed to hospital but sadly, the man died.
Eastern District Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death with assistance of Major Crime officers and Forensic Response.
A postmortem is expected to be carried out tomorrow.
Anyone who was in the vicinity of O’Connell Street or Brougham Gardens between 6am and 8am this morning is asked to contact police.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestoppersssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000. You can remain anonymous.
Source: US State of Vermont
“Tonight, a DC trial judge supported Tren de Aragua terrorists over the safety of Americans. TdA is represented by the ACLU. This order disregards well-established authority regarding President Trump’s power, and it puts the public and law enforcement at risk. The Department of Justice is undeterred in its efforts to work with the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and all of our partners to stop this invasion and Make America Safe Again.”
Source: United States Attorneys General 4
“Tonight, a DC trial judge supported Tren de Aragua terrorists over the safety of Americans. TdA is represented by the ACLU. This order disregards well-established authority regarding President Trump’s power, and it puts the public and law enforcement at risk. The Department of Justice is undeterred in its efforts to work with the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and all of our partners to stop this invasion and Make America Safe Again.”
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
A symposium held in Beijing on Friday to mark the 20th anniversary of the enforcement of China’s Anti-Secession Law has drawn significant attention from Taiwan.
Multiple media outlets in Taiwan reported that the symposium highlighted the Chinese mainland’s stance on opposing “Taiwan independence” and punishing separatist forces, emphasizing its complete control and initiative in handling cross-Strait relations.
In an article published Saturday, the Taipei-based China Times highlighted the call made at the symposium that compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait must work together to overcome interference, break down obstacles, and promote exchanges and cooperation across the Strait.
The United Daily News, in an article published on the same day, mentioned the guidelines issued by the Chinese mainland last June on imposing criminal punishments on diehard “Taiwan independence” separatists. It noted that the rollout of further measures depends on whether Lai Ching-te chooses confrontation with the mainland or cooperation.
The Chinese mainland’s red line is clear, with a firm resolve to oppose, curb, and punish “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, and its capability to do so continues to strengthen, according to a commentary on Taiwan-based website China Review.
The symposium signaled the mainland’s strengthened efforts in leveraging legal tools to punish “Taiwan independence,” said Chang Wu-ueh, director of the Center for Cross-Strait Relations at Tamkang University.
Chao Chien-min, a professor at the Chinese Culture University in Taiwan, noted that the Anti-Secession Law not only opposes “Taiwan independence” but also promotes reunification, viewing the two as closely interconnected.
Source: China State Council Information Office
Myanmar authorities have seized 30.8 kg of heroin and 154,000 stimulant tablets in central Myanmar’s Mandalay region, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) said on Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Pyigyitagon township of Mandalay region on March 9 and confiscated the narcotics, and arrested three suspects.
Three other suspects in connection with the case were later arrested.
The seized narcotics are approximately worth over 1 billion kyats (about 476,190 U.S. dollars).
The suspects have been charged under the country’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, and further investigations were ongoing.
Source: South Australia Police
Police are investigating the death of a man at North Adelaide this morning.
About 7.45am on Sunday 16 March, police and paramedics responded to reports of a man collapsed on a walking path between Brougham Place and King William Road.
The man was unresponsive when police arrived.
Paramedics commenced CPR at the scene and was then rushed to hospital but sadly, the man died.
Eastern District Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.
Police are asking anyone who was in the area early this morning and noticed anything suspicious to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestoppersssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000. You can remain anonymous.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
WASHINGTON – Jevaughn Mark, 33, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in connection with a conspiracy that distributed large amounts of fentanyl and cocaine in the metropolitan area, and included the sale of fentanyl that resulted in the December 2023 deaths of two District men.
Mark, aka “Ledo,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, and to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. before U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. Sentencing is scheduled for June 13, 2025.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Mark had been charged with eight counts of unlawful distribution (of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin) and distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl between January 10, 2024, and March 13, 2024. The charges stemmed from six controlled purchases in which undercover DEA and MPD taskforce officers (UC-DEA/MPD) contacted Mark and purchased narcotics. In each instance, the UC-DEA/MPD agents requested to buy “Special K” or ketamine. In every instance, he supplied a mixture of fentanyl and other substances, including heroin, but not ketamine.
After obtaining an indictment, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mark’s primary residence and recovered two firearms, cocaine, fentanyl, about $38,000 in cash, body armor vests, and drug trafficking paraphernalia.
On June 13, 2024, Jevaughn Mark was charged in a second superseding indictment in connection with distributing fentanyl and cocaine on December 26, 2023, that resulted in the deaths of two men, Brandon Román and Robert Barletta, at their home in Northwest Washington. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Mark admitted to causing the death of both individuals by selling “ketamine” (which was actually fentanyl) to one victim who shared the drugs with the other victim. Both men were found unresponsive the day after Mark sold them the “ketamine.”
The case is being investigated by the DEA’s Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris McCranie and Dan Seidel, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) section.
24cr143
Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia
Issued for KATARAPKO ISLAND approximately 10 km from Berri in the Riverland, South Australia.
The CFS, SA Metropolitan Fire Service, Department for Environment and Water, SA Police and SA State Emergency Services are responding to multiple ignitions near Katarapko Island.
Firefighters on approximately 26 trucks, supported by aircraft and boats, are on scene working to quickly extinguish the blazes.
The cause of the fires is yet to be determined and Fire Investigators have been notified.
Smoke may be impacting communities and roads in the area, and visibility may be reduced. You should stay informed and be aware of the health impacts of smoke on yourself and others.
Emergency services may be working on and around roads in the area, and motorists are advised to stay away. If you need to travel on roads in the area, please take care and drive to the local conditions.
Message ID 0008374
Source: Tasmania Police
GLENORCHY MAN CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE THEFTS
Sunday, 16 March 2025 – 8:48 am.
Taskforce Saturate have arrested and charged a 31-year-old Glenorchy man with 19 thefts across the greater Hobart area.
The arrest on Saturday occurred as a result of a targeted operation over several weeks. He has also been charged with multiple breaches of bail and failing to appear in Court.
The thefts were committed over a three-month period, and consisted primarily of electric scooters, electric bicycles, and bicycles that were secured in areas accessible to the public.
The total value of the property stolen is just under $60,000.
Taskforce Saturate has located a quantity of stolen property as a result of the investigation and resultant search yesterday and will be conducting further enquiries regarding ownership.
The man was detained and will appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court today.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestopperstas.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.
US Senate News:
Source: The White House
President Donald J. Trump’s executive order on Friday will ensure that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.
Dan Robinson, a 34-year veteran of Voice of America and its former White House correspondent, wrote last year: “I have monitored the agency’s bureaucracy along with many of its reporters and concluded that it has essentially become a hubris-filled rogue operation often reflecting a leftist bias aligned with partisan national media. It has sought to avoid accountability for violations of journalistic standards and mismanagement.”
Voice of America’s management told staff not to call Hamas and its members terrorists, “except when quoting statements.”
Daily Caller: “Multiple Voice Of America Reporters Have Posted Anti-Trump Content On Social Media”
“Multiple Voice of America (VOA) reporters have repeatedly posted anti-Trump comments on their professional Twitter accounts, despite a social media policy requiring employee impartiality on social media platforms.”
Rep. Scott Perry wrote in a 2022 letter that Voice of America has “grown exceedingly partisan over the past several years.”
A 2016 report from Office of Personnel Management cited by Rep. Perry revealed that Voice of America Persian employees said that outlet tolerated “coercion for partisan political purposes.”
The Washington Free Beacon: “VOA Misallocates Funds and Suppresses Negative Stories About Iran. This Lawmaker Wants To Investigate.”
Voice of America: “What Is ‘White Privilege’ and Whom Does It Help?”
“Today, the phrase is used passionately and widely in the context of racial profiling — police treatment of people as criminal suspects based on their race.”
A 2022 lawsuit claimed Voice of America has “been infiltrated by anti-American, pro-Islamic state interests, and that the message of VOA had been compromised in a manner that was biased toward the Islamic state factions in Iran.”
In October 2020, Voice of America wrote that the “allegations that Russia played a role in perpetuating the scandal to benefit Trump could undermine the emails’ credibility” downplaying the validity of the Hunter Biden laptop story.
In July 2020, Voice of America faced criticism for “sharing a story and video appearing too favorable to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.”
In September 2019, the Daily Caller reported that Voice of America employed a Russian anti-U.S. propagandist.
In May 2019, Voice of America fired reporters for their roles in canceling a broadcast midstream after pressure from the Chinese government.
In March 2019, Voice of America ran a segment about transgender migrants seeking asylum in the United States.
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2
FEMA urges West Virginians to protect their identity and stay informed
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After a natural disaster, it is important to protect your identity against fraud and identity theft. In some cases, criminals may try to get information by pretending to be disaster workers. Scam artists may try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses, and Social Security numbers they have stolen from people affected by a disaster. Keep these things in mind to protect your identity and stay informed: Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money. Don’t trust anyone who offers financial or contracting help and then asks for money.FEMA will only call or e-mail you if you have contacted FEMA first or registered for assistance. Do not disclose information to any unsolicited telephone calls and e-mails from individuals claiming to be FEMA or federal employees. If you receive suspicious e-mails or phone calls, you can call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 to verify if a FEMA call or e-mail is legitimate.Always ask to see I.D. FEMA personnel will always have an official identification badge. A FEMA shirt or jacket is not proof of identity.Do not offer any personal information, including your Social Security number and bank information, unless you are speaking with a verified FEMA representative.Be on alert if someone asks for your 9-digit FEMA registration ID, which you will receive when you apply for disaster assistance through FEMA.Stay tuned to trusted local media for updates from local officials on disaster fraud and scams.After you apply for FEMA assistance, a home inspection may be necessary. FEMA inspectors will make an appointment before coming to your house. They may verify your identity using the last four digits of the 9-digit registration number but will not ask for all nine numbers. FEMA inspectors will also not ask you for your Social Security number.FEMA does not hire or endorse specific contractors to fix homes or recommend repairs. A FEMA inspector’s job is to verify damage.
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To report scams, fraud, and identity-theft contact: Toll-free Disaster Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721The Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster- complaint-formWhen in doubt, report any suspicious behavior to your local authorities. Residents of Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, and Wyoming counties are eligible to apply for assistance from FEMA to help with costs from damage and losses caused by the Feb. 15 – 18, 2025, flooding. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 28.There are four ways to apply:Apply by phone at 800-621-3362Apply online at DisasterAssistance.govApply with the FEMA AppDownload the free FEMA mobile app, available at Google Play or the Apple App StoreApply in person at one of our FEMA West Virginia Disaster Recovery Centers:Mercer County Disaster Recovery CenterMcDowell County Disaster Recovery CenterLifeline Princeton Church of God250 Oakvale Road Princeton, WV 24740 Hours of operation:Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.Saturday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.Closed Sundays Closed March 15, March 22, April 19Bradshaw Town Hall10002 Marshall HwyBradshaw, WV 24817 Hours of operation:Monday to Saturday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.Closed SundaysMingo County Disaster Recovery CenterWyoming County Disaster Recovery CenterWilliamson Campus1601 Armory DriveWilliamson, WV 25661 Hours of operation:Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on SundaysWyoming Court House24 Main AvePineville, WV 24874 Hours of operation:Monday through Saturday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on SundaysIf you have insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible. FEMA can’t pay for losses your insurance will cover. For more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit emd.wv.gov, West Virginia Emergency Management Division Facebook page, www.fema.gov/disaster/4861 and www.facebook.com/FEMA.### FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters.Follow FEMA online, on X @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol, on FEMA’s Facebook page or Espanol page and at FEMA’s YouTube account. Also, follow on X FEMA_Cam. For preparedness information follow the Ready Campaign on X at @Ready.gov, on Instagram @Ready.gov or on the Ready Facebook page.
lianza.yap
Sat, 03/15/2025 – 14:15
Source: US State of California 2
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Janessa Goldbeck, of San Diego, has been appointed to the California Veterans Board. Goldbeck has been the Chief Executive Officer of Vet Voice Foundation since 2022 and the Principal of Sui Generis Strategies since 2017. She was a Captain in the United States Marine Corps from 2012 to 2019. Goldbeck was the National Field Director at Genocide Intervention Network from 2007 to 2011. She is a board member of the San Diego LGBT Community Center and Equality California. Goldbeck is a member of the San Diego Rotary Club 33 and the Truman National Security Project. She earned a Master of the Arts degree in Public Leadership from the University of San Francisco, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Northwestern University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Goldbeck is a Democrat.
Courtney Welch, of Emeryville, has been appointed to the California Housing Partnership Corporation. Welch has been the Director of External Affairs of the California Housing Defense Fund since 2023 and a City Councilmember of the City of Emeryville since 2021. She held multiple roles at the City of Emeryville from 2022 to 2024, including Mayor and Vice-Mayor. She was the Director of Planning and Investigation at the California Housing Defense Fund from 2022 to 2023. She was the Director of Policy and Communications of the Bay Area Community Land Trust from 2021 to 2022. Welch was a Continuum of Care Specialist at EveryOne Home from 2020 to 2021. She was an Affordable Housing Program Coordinator at HomeownershipSF from 2018 to 2020. Welch is a member of the Alameda County Housing and Community Development Advisory Board, and the Children’s Hospital Consumer Advisory Board. She studied General Studies at Hampton University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Welch is a Democrat.
Indira Cameron-Banks, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Civil Rights Council. Cameron-Banks has been a Founding Partner of Cameron Banks Law, Cameron Jones LLP since 2021. She was Director at the Lawyers Preventing and Ending Homelessness Project, Inner City Law Center from 2020 to 2021. Cameron-Banks held multiple positions at the United States Attorneys’ Office for the Central District of California from 2007 to 2020, including Assistant United States Attorney, Special Counsel to the United States Attorney, and Chief of Financial Litigation Section. She is a member of the Social and Economic Policy Advisory Board for the RAND Corporation. Cameron-Banks earned her Juris Doctor degree from Boston University and her Bachelor of the Arts degree from the University of Chicago. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Cameron-Banks is a Democrat.
Ricardo Sanchez, of Hollister, has been appointed to the California State Board of Pharmacy. Sanchez has been an Investigator at the California Department of Motor Vehicles since 1989. He is the Chief Financial Officer for the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association and a Member of the San Benito Masonic Temple #211, Order of Eastern Star, Athena #46, California Mexican American Veteran Memorial Beautification and Enhancement Committee and El Solado Latino. Sanchez earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Union Institute and University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Sanchez is a Democrat.