RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iPower Inc. (Nasdaq: IPW) (“iPower” or the “Company”), a tech and data-driven ecommerce services provider and online retailer, today announced that it has made a deposit payment to initiate the production of a new, fully integrated equipment line as part of its broader U.S.-based manufacturing strategy under the “Made in USA” module of its SuperSuite platform.
This payment secures the start of equipment production for iPower’s new joint venture, United Package NV LLC (“United Package”), and represents a key milestone in reshoring strategic manufacturing capabilities. The equipment is expected to complete production within two months, with shipping, installation, and testing to follow thereafter. The Company is targeting a full operational launch in Q4 2025.
“Our investment in United Package marks a major step forward in our strategic goal to localize key manufacturing functions,” said Lawrence Tan, CEO of iPower. “By initiating production now, we are not only strengthening our operational resilience, but also creating additional value for our partners and customers through faster delivery, quality control, and service agility. This initiative reinforces our long-term vision of building a stronger, more sustainable supply chain ecosystem in the U.S.”
In addition to iPower’s digital sales infrastructure and nationwide fulfillment capabilities, United Package will benefit from the offline sales channels and established B2B customer base of its joint venture partner — significantly accelerating go-to-market efficiency and customer reach.
Together, the joint venture is poised to offer:
Shortened lead times and improved delivery reliability
Localized control over production timelines and quality
Optimized inventory management with real-time visibility
Expanded access to both digital and traditional sales channels
This development also reinforces iPower’s long-term strategy to integrate its “Made in USA” module into the SuperSuite platform — providing end-to-end support for domestic manufacturing, from legal and compliance guidance to facility setup, labor sourcing, logistics and last-mile delivery.
About iPower Inc.
iPower Inc. is a tech and data-driven online retailer, as well as a provider of value-added ecommerce services for third-party products and brands. iPower’s capabilities include a full spectrum of online channels, robust fulfillment capacity, a nationwide network of warehouses, competitive last mile delivery partners and a differentiated business intelligence platform. iPower believes that these capabilities will enable it to efficiently move a diverse catalog of SKUs from its supply chain partners to end consumers every day, providing the best value to customers in the U.S. and other countries. For more information, please visit iPower’s website at www.meetipower.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical fact in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that iPower believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. iPower undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although iPower believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and iPower cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results and performance in iPower’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent SEC filings for more detailed information.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kendall Deas, Assistant Professor of Education Policy, Law, and Politics, University of South Carolina
Originally developed as a tool to help Black children attend better schools, school voucher programs now serve a different purpose.Drazen via Getty Images
School voucher programs that allow families to use public funds to pay tuition to attend private schools have become increasingly popular.
The first vouchers were offered in the 1800s to help children in sparsely populated towns in rural Vermont and Maine attend classes in public and private schools in nearby districts.
After the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, in which justices ruled that separating children in public schools on the basis of race was unconstitutional, segregationists used vouchers to avoid school integration.
More recently, school voucher programs have been pitched as a tool to provide children from low-income families with quality education options.
As a scholar who specializes in education policy, law and politics, I can share how current policies have strayed from efforts to support low-income Black children.
History of school voucher programs
Over time, as school voucher policies grew in popularity, they evolved into education subsidies for middle-class families. Peter Dazeley/Getty Images
Research from education history scholars shows that more recent support for school choice was not anchored in an agenda to privatize public schools but rooted in a mission to support Black students.
Over time, as school voucher policies grew in popularity, they evolved into subsidies for middle-class families to send their children to private and parochial schools.
School choice policies have also expanded to include education savings account programs and vouchers funded by tax credit donations.
School voucher programs can negatively impact the quality of public schools serving Black students. Connect Images via Getty Images
States looking to add or expand school choice and voucher programs have adopted language from civil rights activists pushing for equal access to quality education for all children. For example, they contend that school choice is a civil right all families and students should have as U.S. citizens. But school voucher programs can exclude Black students and harm public schools serving Black students in a host of ways, research shows.
Since the Brown v. Board ruling, school voucher programs have been linked to racial segregation. These programs were at times used to circumvent integration efforts: They allowed white families to transfer their children out of diverse public schools into private schools.
For example, private schools that receive voucher funding are not always required to adopt the same antidiscrimination policies as public schools.
School voucher programs can also negatively impact the quality of public schools serving Black students.
As some of the best and brightest students leave to attend private or parochial ones, public schools in communities serving Black students often face declining enrollments and reduced resources.
In cities such as Macon, Georgia, families say that majority Black schools lack resources because so many families use the state’s voucher-style program to attend mostly white private schools.
Moreover, the cost of attending a private or parochial school can be so expensive that even with a school voucher, Black families still struggle to afford the cost of sending children to these schools.
Vouchers can siphon school funding
Voucher programs can disproportionately affect funding in majority Black school districts. kali9/Getty Images
Research from the Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank based in Washington, D.C., shows that voucher programs in Ohio result in majority Black school systems such as the Cleveland Metropolitan School District losing millions in education funding.
Another example is the Marion County School District, a South Carolina system where about 77% of students are Black.
Marion County is in the heart of the region of the state known as the “Corridor of Shame,” known for its inadequate funding and its levels of poor student achievement. The 17 counties along the corridor are predominantly minority communities, with high poverty rates and poor public school funding because of the area’s low tax base due to a lack of industry.
On average, South Carolina school districts spent an estimated US$18,842 per student during the 2024-25 school year.
In Marion County, per-student funding was $16,463 during the 2024-2025 school year.
By comparison, in Charleston County, the most affluent in the state, per-student funding was more than $26,000.
Returning voucher policy to its roots
Rather than focus on school choice and voucher programs that take money away from public schools serving Black students, I argue that policymakers should address systemic inequities in education to ensure that all students have access to a quality education.
Establishing restrictions on the use of funds and requiring preferences for low-income Black students could help direct school voucher policies back toward their intent.
It would also be beneficial to expand and enforce civil rights laws to prevent discrimination against Black students.
These measures would help ensure all students, regardless of background, have access to quality education.
Kendall Deas does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Public health officials in Plymouth are warning people about blue tablets being sold illegally as Valium. These tablets may come in blister packs with Arabic writing.
This follows the news that three people died after taking what is believed to be these tablets.
Professor Steve Maddern, Director of Public Health for Plymouth City Council, said:
“Any loss of a life is a tragedy, and we want to prevent it happening to anyone else. We’re very concerned about these tablets. We cannot currently speculate about the content of these drugs whilst they are being tested, but we do want people to be aware. They might look like Valium, but they could be contaminated with another substance and therefore more toxic. If you or someone you know has these tablets, do not take them.”
What to do if someone becomes unwell
If someone has taken drugs and becomes unwell, call 999 straight away or take them to Derriford Hospital’s Emergency Department. Don’t wait—doctors and nurses are there to help, not to judge.
If the person is unconscious but breathing, put them in the recovery position. This helps keep their airway clear. You can find more advice on the FRANK website.
Reducing the risk
The safest option is not to take these pills at all. But if you do choose to use drugs:
Don’t use alone. Being with someone else could save your life.
Take a small amount first and wait to see how it affects you.
Don’t all take drugs at the same time—stagger your use so someone is always alert.
If you’re using alone, tell someone your plans or use the BuddyUp app by Cranstoun so someone can check on you.
Carry naloxone if you can. It’s a medicine that can reverse opioid overdoses, and it won’t harm someone even if they haven’t taken opioids. Having naloxone nearby could save a life. In some cases, more than one dose is needed, so carrying extra is a good idea. You can get naloxone for free in Plymouth from:
Harbour, Hyde Park House, Mutley
Hamoaze House, Mount Wise
North Road West Medical Centre
Adelaide Street GP Surgery
St Levan GP Surgery
Detective Inspector Michelle Dunn from Devon and Cornwall Police said: “We are currently investigating the unexplained deaths of three men in Plymouth which occurred over the weekend.
“At this time, the deaths are believed to be drug related and we are working closely with our partner agencies to establish the full circumstances.
“Anyone with information which may assist police is asked to call 101 or report via our website quoting reference 50250144278.”
If you’re looking for help with your own drug use, contact Harbour on 01752 434343 or visit harbour.org.uk.
Hamoaze House offers support for anyone affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol use. Their Affected Others group meets every Friday from 1–3pm. Call 01752 566100 to get in touch.
Anyone with information about these pills are asked to contact police through theirwebsite, or call 101.
Paddy Hill spent more than 16 years in prison for murders he did not commit. One of the so-called Birmingham Six who were wrongfully convicted for the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974, he was proof that exoneration and financial compensation do not fix a miscarriage of justice.
When I met him in July 2023, more than 30 years after his release from prison, his ordeal continued to haunt him. He was in his late 70s, looking frail and far from the “12 and a half stone” man he was in Parkhurst Prison. He had very little appetite and was in poor health. The little sleep he was able snatch was marred by screaming nightmares.
Neither of us knew it at the time, but this was to be his final interview. He died aged 80, on December 30 2024. I sat down to talk with Hill in his living room. Struggling to control his emotions, he told me: “Sometimes I sit in the bedroom … and I’m crying my eyes out like a child and I don’t know what the fuck happened … I’ve been so fucking screwed up.”
The ITV docudrama Mr Bates vs the Post Office thrust wrongful convictions into mainstream consciousness in January 2024 – a quarter of a century after the Post Office began prosecuting sub-postmasters and mistresses for fraud, theft, and false accounting and 15 years after Rebecca Thomson’s Computer Weekly article exposing the Horizon IT system as the potential culprit.
Now the public could finally see the human impact of miscarriages of justice on these upstanding – and, more importantly, innocent – members of their communities. Public outrage followed.
But despite the mass quashing of hundreds of convictions, and amid promises of speedy financial compensation, progress has been pitiful. While collecting a National Television Award in September 2024, former sub-postmistress Jo Hamilton confirmed that out of the “555 group”, those involved in the litigation which exposed the Horizon scandal, “more than 300 haven’t been paid yet, including Sir Alan Bates”.
Sadly, this timescale is far from unusual. In July 2023, Andrew Malkinson finally had his 2003 rape conviction overturned after several unsuccessful appeals, including unsuccessful applications in 2012 and 2020 to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the independent body which investigates potential miscarriages of justice.
Crucially, the CCRC did not commission the DNA testing that finally exonerated him and did not review police files which would have shown that Greater Manchester Police had withheld crucial evidence at his trial.
Malkinson spent 17 years in prison maintaining his innocence. Perversely, he could have been released sooner had he falsely confessed. He was eventually exonerated thanks to the help of the charity Appeal, which commissioned those crucial DNA tests and unearthed the disclosure failures.
The CCRC has since acknowledged in an independent review that it “failed Mr Malkinson” with chairperson Helen Pitcher OBE (whose recent resignation was welcomed by the Ministry of Justice) eventually expressing “sincere regret and an unreserved apology on behalf of the commission”. All of this happened 12 months after Malkinson called on the CCRC to apologise to him. Malkinson said it was “shameful” that the CCRC has kept private the names of those responsible for his ordeal and delayed the publishing of the report highlighting its mishandling of his case.
The true number of miscarriages of justice is unknown. In the UK, the CCRC referral rate averages 2% including appeals of sentence. In the US, estimates of wrongful conviction and imprisonment range from 6% to 15.4%.
The Insights section is committed to high-quality longform journalism. Our editors work with academics from many different backgrounds who are tackling a wide range of societal and scientific challenges.
Inevitably, some innocent people will have their appeals denied and will remain convicted for the rest of their lives. The trauma of remaining legally guilty of a crime you did not commit cannot be overstated.
But persistent psychological ill-effects can be seen even in those who have been formally exonerated, including long-term effects on their employment and relationships.
I’ve been examining cases like this as part of a research project into the experiences of people who suffer grave miscarriages of justice. Working with Dr Mandy Winterton at Edinburgh Napier University, I interviewed several men who have been imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.
As academics with psychology and sociology backgrounds, we were predominantly interested in how victims were affected by such injustices. Previous research has documented the litany of mental health and social effects on those who have been wrongfully convicted and exonerated, and the flaws in the criminal justice system that are to blame. But little attention has been paid to individual experiences. While there were clear commonalities in the men’s stories, they all had unique perspectives.
Of the people we spoke to, Hill and a man called Jimmy Boyle spoke to us on the record and specifically requested that they be named. I have given the other men featured here pseudonyms to protect their anonymity.
Paddy Hill
Hill’s story is particularly harrowing. On November 21 1974, shortly after 8pm, bombs exploded in two pubs in Birmingham, England, killing 21 people and injuring around 200 others. They were attributed to the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), which had detonated many bombs in the West Midlands in the previous year.
Hill and his friends were arrested at Heysham Docks as they were boarding the ferry to Belfast to attend the funeral of an old friend who had been a member of the IRA. Hill said that they were initially interviewed at Morecambe police station in Lancashire, and the West Midlands Police took over their questioning the next day.
Hill and his co-accused were, says Hill, tortured by the West Midlands serious crime squad. They were subjected to anti-Irish verbal abuse, hours-long beatings over several days, mock executions, were burned with cigarettes, and deprived of sleep, food and drink. Unable to withstand this, four of the six men eventually signed false confessions, condemning them all to life imprisonment in 1975 for the murders. The six men brought a civil action against the West Midlands Police which was thrown out in 1980 by Lord Denning.
These shocking revelations eventually reached the public consciousness thanks to investigative journalist and former Labour MP Chris Mullin, who uncovered evidence of police wrongdoing and corruption. His work informed the group’s court of appeal hearing in 1987. However, the convictions were upheld by Lord Chief Justice Lane. It was only at their second appeal in 1991, after Mullin had uncovered more evidence of their innocence, that they were finally exonerated.
Despite other lines of enquiry which could have led to the real bombers – including a confession and several named suspects – the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided in 2023 that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute, denying justice to the families of those killed and injured.
The impact on Hill’s family was enormous. With such public vitriol for the Birmingham Six, his wife and children had to move house regularly and change their names to avoid being recognised. He told me:
Everywhere they went, sooner or later somebody found out who they were and then they’d pick on them. And sometimes my kids were going to school and they couldn’t even remember what fucking name they were supposed to be using, they were that confused.
Hill’s marriage ended while he was in prison. “I told her to divorce me. I said: ‘Meet someone, you want to get married, don’t worry about me.’ And that was it.”
He later remarried, but his relationship with his children was irretrievably destroyed. “Along the way I lost my own kids, because I came out of jail and I didn’t feel nothing for my kids. I still don’t … I’ve spent more time here with you than I have done in the last 20 fucking years with my kids.”
Though he was referred to psychologists for support, he told me none were able to help him. Over and above the pains of imprisonment, the wrongfully convicted are betrayed by the very people that we are led to believe are there to protect us. The justice system has wrought on them the worst injustice, and many will suffer from enduring anger and mistrust of authorities.
When we met, Hill was still consumed by his anger and felt badly let down: “Over the years I realised I was never going to get any professional help from the government, even though we have it in writing that they have a duty of care towards us – but they’ve never done nothing to help us … If they did, they would acknowledge what they’ve done wrong.”
Up until his death, Hill had spent much of the past 30 years helping other survivors of miscarriages of justice. Initially intending to spend his first 12 months of freedom campaigning, he “got involved with the families, and it was then I realised how bad the families had it … That’s what kept me going, coming out and campaigning.”
He established the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation (Mojo), a Glasgow-based charity dedicated to supporting the wrongfully convicted. It provides advocacy for clients in prison, aftercare and reintegration services, and dedicated psychological support offered pro-bono by a clinical psychologist.
But the demand far exceeds Mojo’s ability to help, and it may take several months for a case to be assessed. Euan McIlvride, the organisation’s legal officer, told me it typically receives “250 applications a year, and we will probably support only ten of those because the rest of them don’t meet the requirements for our support … We have finite resources.”
For Hill, keeping busy provided some relief from thinking about his ordeal.
…When you aren’t doing something, all you’re going to do is sit there and think … about things you don’t fucking want to think about. I don’t know what happens to me when I go to sleep … [My wife] hears me screaming … kicking and punching everything … I’ll be watching television and all of a sudden … BANG! It’s like a non-stop video going through your head all the time.
Chained to a radiator
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Pace), which came to effect in 1986, aimed to reduce miscarriages of justice by balancing the powers of the police and the public. Pace provides safeguards for suspects during questioning, puts a limit on how long suspects can be questioned for, and insists that interviews be recorded.
This makes it easier to detect when protocols have not been followed or there may have been mistreatment or intimidation.
It doesn’t prevent such wrongdoing, however.
I spoke with one man, who I am calling Mark, who was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1988. He told me there were over one hundred breaches of Pace in his case, including being handcuffed to a hot radiator, being denied food and water, and being denied a solicitor.
One of his co-accused, a vulnerable adult, had also falsely confessed to the crime. Mark lost his first appeal in 1990 but his case went to the CCRC when it was established in 1997. The CCRC brought in another police force to investigate. He said:
When I saw [their] report … I nearly fell off my chair and nearly choked on my coffee … Everything I had said all those years ago … the handcuffing to the radiators, they proved it. All the breaches of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act … that we were interviewed off the record … Making up notes and stuff like that. I couldn’t believe it. I knew we were going home.
He subsequently pursued a civil action against the police which was settled out of court, with the force insisting the settlement did not mean it was admitting liability.
Mark also suffered a marital breakdown, after he and his wife lost their baby daughter while he was on remand:
It ripped the guts out of my marriage, you know. My wife was only 17-18, same age as me … She had a husband inside and she lost a child. And you’ve got to look at the economical impact and the mental impact it had on her … She was just as much a victim as what I was.
He started taking drugs in prison: “I didn’t care if I lived or died because I had lost everything, as far as I was concerned.”
But Mark turned himself around, got off drugs and availed himself of all the education he had access to, including law and human rights, to build the strongest possible case for his appeal. With the aid of a human rights lawyer the CCRC referred his conviction in 1998, which was then quashed by the Court of Appeal in 1999. He had spent 11 years in prison as a convicted murderer.
‘The innocence test’
After his exoneration, Mark was successful in securing over £600,000 compensation for his ordeal, though he had over £37,000 deducted for “saved living expenses”. A House of Lords ruling in 2007 deemed that those receiving compensation for a miscarriage of justice can have the amount reduced to account for “savings” made while in prison – for costs such as food, housing and other bills that they would have had to pay had they not been wrongfully incarcerated.
Considering the difficulties people face accessing any financial compensation for their wrongful imprisonment, this adds further insult to injury. The rule has since been scrapped following the high-profile Malkinson case – but deductions made prior to this are not being reimbursed.
Mark was given no financial counselling or support, and he rapidly spent the money – more than he had ever had in his life – while trying to block out his pain:
By the time six months had gone, I’d spent the hundred grand [interim payment] on wine, women, drugs … ’cause I couldn’t cope with what was going on … That was my way of blotting out all the things I saw in prison.
The money also caused a rift in his family – something echoed by others I have spoken to. After the death of his mother, his family “went their own ways”.
Nowadays, only a small proportion of those exonerated will ever receive financial compensation due to the requirements of the so-called “innocence test”.
The Criminal Justice Act 1988 made it difficult for applicants to receive compensation because there had to be a newly discovered fact – not available at the time of their original trial – that they could use to make the case that they had suffered a miscarriage of justice.
The definition of what constitutes a miscarriage of justice has become more restrictive over time, meaning an applicant now must provide evidence, beyond reasonable doubt, of their innocence. In the absence of a key witness admitting to falsifying their statement or DNA evidence proving innocence, this is unlikely.
Like Hill, Mark struggled to adjust after his exoneration and release, and found support to be woefully lacking:
I had nobody to talk to, no money, no job, no house. I didn’t have any prospects. I phoned up my solicitor … I remember saying: ‘Why did you get me out?’ It was difficult to adjust … I slept with a hammer … under my pillow – I was very paranoid … All they did was give me tablets and told me to get on with my life. No counselling. Nothing. They didn’t know what to do with people like me.
Mark still suffers with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and has never been able to work a normal job. He continues to campaign for the wrongfully convicted and to increase awareness of miscarriages of justice. He credits this work with giving him a sense of purpose.
Jimmy Boyle – not innocent enough?
I also spoke to James Boyle, who was acquitted at retrial of historical sexual offences after he had spent five years in prison. Boyle, from Rutherglen, who likes to be known as Jimmy, has always maintained these offences never happened.
From the outset, Boyle found processes quite at odds from how we are told they are supposed to be. He said: “Things that you should have: for example, presumption of innocence – nonsense, it doesn’t exist. None of these rights exist in reality.” He claims that lines of evidence undermining the allegations against him were not investigated. Further, he encountered professionals in the criminal justice system who he says were incompetent and even “malicious” and “criminal”.
To add further insult, he was later told that he was not considered exonerated because he did not provide evidence proving his innocence (he failed the “innocence test”). As a result, the General Teaching Council for Scotland did not reinstate him and he was unable to return to his teaching career which he had found enormously fulfilling.
Like others I have spoken to, Boyle, now in his 60s, hasn’t been able to work since his release:
There was so much involved, and fighting with the Teaching Council – you know, it was full time. It really was full time when you’re dealing with these agencies … I do plenty [at Mojo] – I’ve spoken at a number of events … But I had to continue fighting my own fight.
Martin: total lack of victim support
Miscarriages of justice have a huge effect on a person’s mental health. But my research found the impact begins long before a conviction – with effects such as anxiety, trauma and depression resulting from the wrongful allegation.
Martin (not his real name) detailed the difficulties he experienced from his initial wrongful allegation of rape – including isolation, lack of advice, and a lack of appropriate mental health support. He said:
I kept [the rape allegations] to myself and it was horrific, because I didn’t know what was going to happen … Once I was charged … I went to my GP because I was severely depressed. I could barely function. [Counselling] was actually making things worse rather than better … I had looked online … There’s victim support and there’s witness support, but if you’ve been accused there is absolutely nothing.
It took over three years from the initial allegation to court proceedings, during which time two other allegations of rape and indecent assault were made and charges were brought. Martin kept the allegations from his employers and friends:
You don’t mention it because if you mention it, you’re opening the box and then that becomes a big thing – and God help how you’re going to feel at the end of that conversation.
Convicted of rape and indecent assault (the second and third charges), he was sentenced to four years in prison, but successfully appealed on the basis that the Moorov doctrine was misapplied.
Moorov is a principle of Scottish law which allows evidence of one crime to corroborate evidence of another. As the charges against him were considered to corroborate one another, having been acquitted of the key (first) charge he should have been acquitted of all. Instead, he spent about a year in prison – yet he considers himself fortunate.
The guy [Andrew Malkinson] that won his appeal the other day spent 17 years in prison. I only spent one. And although I shouldn’t have spent any, it could have been a hell of a lot worse. There are a lot of people that haven’t been able to clear their names, there are a lot of people that have spent a long time in prison. I spent one year and managed to clear my name, so I should be thankful for what little happiness I’ve managed to get out of it.
Martin was fortunate in that he’d had a good education and had taken detailed notes during his trial, which assisted his appeal. He also helped other prisoners who were struggling to complete required forms for themselves, and managed to get a job in the prison kitchen.
Since his release, he has pursued a law degree, eager to use his experience for positive change in the justice system. “I think it’s given me a new perspective really … You know what, life’s too short – let’s just get on with it.”
What needs to be done?
People wrongly accused of crimes are in dire need of support from the moment the initial allegation is made, to help them navigate the complex legal processes and challenging psychological effects of being wrongly accused.
Currently there is woefully inadequate mental health support at all stages, from initial allegation to post-release.
Of course, there are many guilty people in prison who protest their innocence – but support should not be denied to those who maintain their innocence.
Reforms are needed to make it easier for an innocent person to appeal their conviction. The CCRC has suffered a decline in funding, from £9.24 million in 2004 to £6 million in 2022. Over this period, the workload has more than doubled while the Ministry of Justice has reduced CCRC commissioners’ terms of employment from full-time salaried positions to one-day-a-week contracts, making the workload unsustainable.
People may also face significant barriers in accessing evidence that would exonerate them such as police files, without which they have little hope of a successful appeal. This was evident in the Malkinson case, where the charity Appeal accessed the police files the CCRC had refused to look at.
The lack of accountability and consequences for those who purposely harm innocent people causes further anger and distress to the wrongfully accused and convicted. Yet those affected rarely even receive an apology. This needs to change.
Finally, there needs to be greater public awareness of wrongful convictions and allegations, their causes and consequences, and an understanding of their devastating and long-term effects. As Hill told me the year before he died:
People think you come out and they give you a few quid … [then you] walk off into the sunset and live happily ever after. If only. I would love to go to bed at night like an ordinary fucking person … without waking up so angry and tense.
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This work was supported by the BA/Leverhulme Trust grant SRG1819190884. Many thanks to Dr Mandy Winterton, co-Investigator on this research, and to the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation (MOJO) for supporting us by facilitating access to clients.
Faye Skelton is affiliated with the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation having joined the Board of Directors in April 2025.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen Clear, Lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law, and Public Procurement, Bangor University
Since returning to office, Donald Trump has often called the US legal system into question. He has criticised judges as activists, challenged the role of the courts and insisted some firms do free legal work in support of his administration’s causes to make up for working for some of his political opponents.
Meanwhile, Vice-President J.D. Vance has advised US Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts that he ought to be “checking the excesses” of the lower courts.
And Stephen Miller, deputy White House chief of staff, said: “We are living under a judicial tyranny,” after the US Court of International Trade ruled the president didn’t have the power to impose international trade tariffs. Meanwhile, judges are asking for more security to protect them from threats.
Trump’s federal investigations and volley of executive orders (presidential directives that don’t require legislative approval by Congress) have also put enormous pressure on law firms. And a recent report shows that both trust in law firms’ independence, and even the rule of law itself, is perceived as under threat in the US. But what does this mean, and why is it important?
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The president has taken action against law firms in two prominent ways:
First, by federal investigation. Specifically, letters to a group of 20 law firms from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. These demanded information about their diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) policies, based on the proposition that any sort of treatment of underrepresented groups that appeared preferential to them in policy, or practice, was unequal treatment for other groups, and, consequently, discriminatory.
Second, the president has passed numerous executive orders introducing punitive measures on specific law firms that previously represented clients opposing his administration, or employed attorneys involved in past investigations against him. His administration has also revoked government contracts and suspended security clearance from buildings. In practice, the orders would prevent attorneys from accessing from where they work, such as courthouses and federal agencies.
In response, some prominent law firms have sought to mitigate the fallout with the Trump administration by entering into agreements with it. These have included pledging US$1 billion (£730,000,000) in pro bono (free) legal services supporting causes aligned with Trump’s agenda.
For example, support for veterans, representing police officers, and antisemitism prevention. Noteworthy is that law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison have now agreed to discontinue certain DEI policies, in addition to committing US$40 million (£29.4 million) in pro bono work for the president’s causes. In response the Trump administration has now lifted restrictions against them.
Judges say they are under threat.
More broadly, it has been reported that 70% of the US Justice Department civil rights division’s attorneys are leaving their posts. The mass exodus is believed to be part of attempts to reshape the division into one focused on enforcing executive orders.
The consequences of these developments are that the president’s actions have led to a significant realignment in the legal professions. Some US attorneys have reported that law firms are now more hesitant to engage in pro bono work that could be viewed as opposing the administration’s policies.
By contrast, some lawyers are now trying to establish independent firms aimed at defending civil servants and challenging federal overreach, ensuring at least some, albeit less resourced, support for underrepresented groups.
Trump criticizes judges and legal activists.
Other lawyers have sought legal action against the orders as unconstitutional interference. Some of these have led to success. For example, Perkins Coie challenged theirs and got it struck down. The concern here centred around their representation of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. In arriving at the decision, the district judge ruled the president’s actions to be an “overt attempt to suppress and punish certain viewpoints”.
Why this matters
These developments call into question the balance between governmental influence and the independence of lawyers in upholding the rule of law. Lawyers must be impartial in representing their clients in order to effectively represent their interests, and allow the judiciary to fulfil their duty of checks and balances on the government’s decisions.
When unfettered power is wielded by the government, and the law is undermined, scope for monitoring the constitutionality of decision making is compromised.
The rule of law is a foundational principle of western democracies. It means that everyone is subject to the law, including governments. Laws must be applied equally, fairly and consistently, and no one is above them.
In essence, laws govern the nation, not arbitrary decisions by individuals in power. In that sense, following the rule of law helps prevent tyranny, protect people’s rights and liberties, and ensures a stable and predictable society.
In order to deliver these objectives, an independent legal sector is needed. Trump’s actions are a threat to achieving this cornerstone US constitutional principle. Some have gone as far as to suggest that by entering into agreements with Trump, law firms have become subsidiaries of his administration.
A recent study on trust in the rule of law found that Americans’ trust in lawyers was already undermined, even before the second Trump administration.
The results, based on public attitudes in 2024, compared public perceptions in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Norway, the UK and the US. Norway and the UK ranked highest in respect of trust in the rule of law (81% and 74% respectively), and Spain and Italy were least trusted (49% and 43%).
The results for the US are interesting. Around 71% of American respondents stated that they had a high level of trust in the rule of law. Yet the country came third from the bottom under the metric “you feel like you are in good hands in US courts”.
The reasons for this are implied in the responses to the other questions in the survey. The US performed second worst (just behind Spain) in respect of belief that judges could be biased. The US also performed worst of all in the category where the public were asked if lawyers were impartial (just 41% agreed).
In interpreting these results it is important to note that the survey was conducted in 2024, prior to Trump’s second term. But anti-elite and anti-judge rhetoric pointing to arguments for more presidential power and less judicial oversight had already been prominent in the first Trump term, and the 2024 campaign.
The results expose the already fragile nature of trust in the legal sector in the US, and underline how this could be ramped up further after the announcements in recent weeks.
Stephen Clear 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.
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) today alerted the public to fraudulent SMS messages purportedly issued by the department which invite recipients to claim a profits tax subsidy via a hyperlink provided.
The IRD clarified that it has no connection with the fraudulent SMS messages and has reported the case to Police for further investigation.
It reminded the public to stay alert to suspicious SMS messages and not visit the hyperlinks provided in such messages nor disclose any personal information.
The IRD is on the SMS Sender Registration Scheme under the Office of the Communications Authority, meaning all SMS messages issued by the department will bear “#HK IRD” in the SMS Sender ID to help people to verify the sender’s identity.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) today (June 9) alerted members of the public to fraudulent SMS messages purportedly issued by the IRD, which invite recipients to claim profits tax subsidy via a hyperlink provided.
The IRD clarified that it has no connection with these SMS messages and has reported the case to the Police for further investigation.
The IRD is registered in the SMS Sender Registration Scheme of the Office of the Communications Authority. All SMS messages issued by the IRD will bear “#HK IRD” in the SMS Sender ID to enable members of the public to verify the identity of the SMS sender. Members of the public should stay alert to suspicious SMS messages, not visit hyperlinks provided in such messages, and not disclose any personal information.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The following issues are planned to be considered at the meeting:
1. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation” (in terms of amending the legislation concerning the payment of temporary disability benefits during the period of suspension of the service contract of a state civil servant)
The bill was prepared for the purpose of providing financial support (providing for the payment of temporary disability benefits during the period of suspension of the employment contract) to persons who, due to health reasons, have not renewed the employment contract (service contract of a state civil servant) within three months after the end of their military service due to mobilization or military service under contract.
2. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Articles 81 and 3517 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation”
The bill was prepared with the aim of protecting the labor rights of workers who are called up for military service by mobilization or who have entered military service under contract.
3. On the recognition of certain provisions of certain acts of the Government of the Russian Federation as invalid (in terms of amending the Regulation on the Federal Service for Labor and Employment)
The draft act is aimed at bringing the provision into line with the Federal Law “On State Control (Supervision) and Municipal Control in the Russian Federation”.
4. On the draft federal laws “On Amendments to the Criminal Executive Code of the Russian Federation” and “On Amendments to Article 397 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation”
The bills are aimed at improving legislation in terms of issues related to the execution of criminal punishment in the form of forced labor.
5. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to the Code of Administrative Procedure of the Russian Federation” (in terms of unifying the procedure for paying for an examination appointed at the initiative of the parties, within the framework of administrative proceedings of the Russian Federation)
The bill is aimed at unifying the procedure for paying for an expert examination appointed at the initiative of the parties within the framework of administrative proceedings, similar to civil proceedings.
6. On the allocation of budgetary allocations reserved in the federal budget to Rosavtodor in 2025 for the provision of other interbudgetary transfers to the budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation
The draft order is aimed at implementing measures to restore regional or inter-municipal and local roads during the elimination of the consequences of emergency situations.
7. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations to Rosavtodor in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation
The draft order is aimed at providing financial support for measures to bring regional or inter-municipal, local roads into compliance with the norm, including the street and road network in the territories of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Zaporizhia region and the Kherson region.
8. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations to Rosmorrechflot in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the provision of a subsidy from the federal budget to the federal state budgetary institution “Marine Rescue Service” for the implementation of measures to eliminate the consequences of an emergency caused by an oil spill as a result of the wreck of tankers in the Kerch Strait on December 15, 2024, carried out in the internal sea waters, territorial sea and exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation
The draft order is aimed at providing financial support for a set of measures to eliminate the consequences of the emergency caused by the sinking of tankers in the Kerch Strait on December 15, 2024, which are carried out in the internal sea waters, territorial sea and contiguous zone of the Russian Federation.
9. On the draft federal law “On Amending Article 57 of the Federal Law “On Military Duty and Military Service””
The bill provides for the possibility of assigning military ranks without undergoing military training (certification) to a citizen in the reserve, performing (performed) duties under a contract for voluntary assistance in the performance of tasks assigned to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation or the troops of the National Guard of the Russian Federation.
10. On Amendments to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 30, 2004 No. 323 (in terms of amending the Regulation on the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare)
The draft resolution establishes the powers of Roszdravnadzor to provide opinions on the compliance of organizations carrying out educational activities under professional educational programs of medical education, pharmaceutical education, with the requirements for personnel and material and technical support of educational activities in terms of practical training of students, as provided for by federal state educational standards, standard additional professional programs in the field of health protection and the implementation of pharmaceutical activities in the relevant medical and pharmaceutical specialties.
11. On amending the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 30, 2004 No. 331 (in terms of amending the Regulation on the Federal Antimonopoly Service)
The draft resolution provides for the granting of authority to the FAS Russia to establish (approve) prices (tariffs) for electrical energy (capacity) supplied to customers in certain territories that were previously classified as non-price zones of the wholesale market.
12. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation to the Ministry of Culture of Russia in 2025 for the provision of a subsidy to the Charitable Foundation for the Support of the Humanities “My History”
The draft order provides for the allocation of funds for financial support of expenses for the maintenance and operation of the museum and temple complex “New Chersonesos” in 2024, namely, for the payment of costs associated with the maintenance and operation of the museum and temple complex “New Chersonesos”.
Moscow, June 8, 2025
The content of the press releases of the Department of Press Service and References is a presentation of materials submitted by federal executive bodies for discussion at a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation.
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.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
1. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation” (in terms of amending the legislation concerning the payment of temporary disability benefits during the period of suspension of the service contract of a state civil servant)
The bill was prepared for the purpose of providing financial support (providing for the payment of temporary disability benefits during the period of suspension of the employment contract) to persons who, due to health reasons, have not renewed the employment contract (service contract of a state civil servant) within three months after the end of their military service due to mobilization or military service under contract.
2. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Articles 81 and 3517 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation”
The bill was prepared with the aim of protecting the labor rights of workers who are called up for military service by mobilization or who have entered military service under contract.
3. On the recognition of certain provisions of certain acts of the Government of the Russian Federation as invalid (in terms of amending the Regulation on the Federal Service for Labor and Employment)
The draft act is aimed at bringing the provision into line with the Federal Law “On State Control (Supervision) and Municipal Control in the Russian Federation”.
4. On the draft federal laws “On Amendments to the Criminal Executive Code of the Russian Federation” and “On Amendments to Article 397 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation”
The bills are aimed at improving legislation in terms of issues related to the execution of criminal punishment in the form of forced labor.
5. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to the Code of Administrative Procedure of the Russian Federation” (in terms of unifying the procedure for paying for an examination appointed at the initiative of the parties, within the framework of administrative proceedings of the Russian Federation)
The bill is aimed at unifying the procedure for paying for an expert examination appointed at the initiative of the parties within the framework of administrative proceedings, similar to civil proceedings.
6. On the allocation of budgetary allocations reserved in the federal budget to Rosavtodor in 2025 for the provision of other interbudgetary transfers to the budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation
The draft order is aimed at implementing measures to restore regional or inter-municipal and local roads during the elimination of the consequences of emergency situations.
7. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations to Rosavtodor in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation
The draft order is aimed at providing financial support for measures to bring regional or inter-municipal, local roads into compliance with the norm, including the street and road network in the territories of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Zaporizhia region and the Kherson region.
8. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations to Rosmorrechflot in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the provision of a subsidy from the federal budget to the federal state budgetary institution “Marine Rescue Service” for the implementation of measures to eliminate the consequences of an emergency situation caused by the spill of oil products as a result of the wreck of tankers in the Kerch Strait on December 15, 2024, carried out in the internal sea waters, territorial sea and exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation
The draft order is aimed at providing financial support for a set of measures to eliminate the consequences of the emergency caused by the sinking of tankers in the Kerch Strait on December 15, 2024, which are carried out in the internal sea waters, territorial sea and contiguous zone of the Russian Federation.
9. On the draft federal law “On Amending Article 57 of the Federal Law “On Military Duty and Military Service””
The bill provides for the possibility of assigning military ranks without undergoing military training (certification) to a citizen in the reserve, performing (performed) duties under a contract for voluntary assistance in the performance of tasks assigned to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation or the troops of the National Guard of the Russian Federation.
10. On Amendments to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 30, 2004 No. 323 (in terms of amending the Regulation on the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare)
The draft resolution establishes the powers of Roszdravnadzor to provide opinions on the compliance of organizations implementing educational activities under professional educational programs of medical education, pharmaceutical education, with the requirements for personnel and material and technical support of educational activities in terms of practical training of students, as provided for by federal state educational standards, standard additional professional programs in the field of health protection and the implementation of pharmaceutical activities in the relevant medical and pharmaceutical specialties.
11. On amending the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 30, 2004 No. 331 (in terms of amending the Regulation on the Federal Antimonopoly Service)
The draft resolution provides for the granting of authority to the FAS Russia to establish (approve) prices (tariffs) for electrical energy (capacity) supplied to customers in certain territories that were previously classified as non-price zones of the wholesale market.
12. On the allocation by the Ministry of Culture of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation of budgetary appropriations for the provision of a subsidy to the Charitable Foundation for the Support of Humanities “My History”
The draft order provides for the allocation of funds for financial support of expenses for the maintenance and operation of the museum and temple complex “New Chersonesos” in 2024, namely, for the payment of costs associated with the maintenance and operation of the museum and temple complex “New Chersonesos”.
Moscow, June 8, 2025
The content of the press releases of the Department of Press Service and References is a presentation of materials submitted by federal executive bodies for discussion at a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation.
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.
Keynote speech by Frank Elderson, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB and Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board of the ECB, at the Italian constitutional court
Rome, 9 June 2025
Introduction
Thank you very much for inviting me.
The writings, judgments and speeches of many among this distinguished audience have shaped our understanding of the rule of law. I find it a privilege – and slightly daunting – to address you today on such a fundamental issue.
Today I am speaking to you as a central banker and banking supervisor. However, before I do so, allow me to take a moment to speak from a more personal perspective. Not as an official, but as the young law student I once was, reflecting on how I first came to understand and appreciate the rule of law.
As a law student at the University of Amsterdam in the early 1990s, I often cycled past a monument to Henk van Randwijk, a member of the anti-Nazi resistance during the Second World War. The monument is simple. A plain red brick wall, bearing the final lines of Van Randwijk’s most famous poem in simple white lettering:
“een volk dat voor tirannen zwicht zal meer dan lijf en goed verliezen dan dooft het licht …”
“a people that bows to tyrants will lose more than body and belongings then, the light goes out …”
I would sometimes stop, park my bicycle against a tree, and contemplate these words, hearing the echo of the heinous crimes committed on the streets of Amsterdam, and far beyond, during those hellish years when the light had indeed gone out.
I would think of the US military cemetery in Margraten, in the South of the Netherlands, where my parents used to take me and my sisters as children to see the endless rows of meticulously kept graves, each honouring one of the 10,000 US soldiers buried there, who had given their lives so that the light might shine once again in all its splendour.
I would continue my way to law school, thinking of one of the most fundamental lessons our professors had taught us: if the horrors of the past are to be avoided, if minorities are to be protected, if the individual is to be free, democracy needs to be accompanied by the rule of law. We studied the small, but fundamental, book, “Democracy and the Rule of Law”, which I keep on a shelf facing my desk to this day. Our professors never tired of explaining how vital the word “and” is in that title: the rule of law is both a precondition for democracy, and an essential limit to majority rule. For tyranny, which Van Randwijk’s poem so poignantly warns against, can be exercised not only by a single ruler, but also by half the population plus one. Put succinctly, democracy protects the majority against the minority, while the rule of law protects the minority, even a minority of one, against the majority. And this, so we were taught, is why we need both.
Although the importance of the rule of law has been impressed on me since my earliest days, I am not speaking to you today as a historian, a legal scholar, or a young law student. Today I speak to you as a central banker and banking supervisor. Today, I intend to show that the rule of law is of the highest relevance for us as a central bank and supervisor to deliver on our mandate. In addition, I will present the case that we have a specific role to play in upholding the rule of law.
The rule of law is not merely the bedrock upon which lawyers, judges and legal scholars build their work. In recent years, its pivotal role in fostering economic prosperity has come to the forefront of public debate, underscoring its profound relevance far beyond the boundaries of the legal profession.
The rule of law is not a binary concept – it is not simply present or absent. Instead, it exists on a continuum, shaped by various factors such as constraints on government powers, independent courts, the absence of corruption, and respect for human rights. Its strength is also wide-ranging, varying significantly across jurisdictions, and it evolves over time. For many decades, the global rule of law experienced a steady and encouraging ascent. However, some recent indicators suggest that this progress may have reached its peak, while others point to signs of retreat.[1]
Today I will discuss how the rule of law supports central banks in delivering on their price stability mandate, and banking supervisors in fostering financial stability.
It is worth emphasising that the connection between the rule of law and a thriving economy is well-established: a strong rule of law correlates consistently with robust and sustained economic growth.[2]
Last year, economists Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson were awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for their groundbreaking research, which persuasively demonstrated not just such a correlation, but a causal relationship between weak institutions – closely linked with a poor rule of law – and lower economic growth.[3] Their findings highlight an important insight: economies thrive when institutions are strong, as institutional strength enables investors, entrepreneurs and consumers to make long-term decisions with confidence, knowing that contracts will be enforced, corruption fought and property rights upheld. Institutional reliability thus forms the backbone of innovation, creativity and sustained growth.
However, this relationship is not one-directional. Strong economic growth, in turn, reinforces institutional resilience, creating a virtuous cycle in which institutional strength and economic prosperity feed into one another.[4]
Central banks are a crucial part of this mutual dependence. They are significantly more effective in delivering on their mandates when the rule of law is strong. At the same time, strong central banks and strong supervisors are essential institutions in supporting a strong economy. As such, within their mandates, central banks and prudential supervisors have a vital role to play in upholding, promoting and, when necessary, determinedly defending the rule of law.
Why does the rule of law matter for the European Central Bank?
The Treaty on European Union proudly declares that the Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights. The rule of law forms the backbone of some of the most tangible and far-reaching achievements of our European Union – ranging from the single market and the protection of human rights to the mutual recognition of judgments. Few aspects of European integration reflect its unity more clearly than the shared commitment to upholding the rule of law.
For the ECB, the rule of law is a critical foundation of its mandate in multiple important ways. Today, I will focus on three closely connected areas: first, the role of the rule of law in laying the very foundations for, and safeguarding trust in, money; second, the importance of the rule of law for delivering on our mandates; and third, the role of the rule of law supporting price and financial and price stability by ensuring the independence of the central bank.
Money
Let me start with trust in money. Aristotle declared long ago that money was introduced by convention as a kind of substitute for a need or demand, and its value is derived not from nature but from law.[5] While money has classically been thought of as serving the functions of medium of exchange, store of value, unit of account and means of payment, it is the law which determines whether a thing is money and what nominal value is attributed to it. It is the law which determines which things are legal tender.[6]
Modern money is “fiat money” meaning that it has no intrinsic value. Following the end of the gold standard with the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in 1971, its value is also no longer tied to physical assets like gold. Instead, the value of our money rests entirely on trust – trust in public authorities, trust in the institutional frameworks that uphold it, and, fundamentally, trust in the central bank as the issuing authority.
Consider the euro banknotes in your pockets. The paper itself holds no intrinsic value. The worth we collectively assign to those €10, €20 or €50 banknotes is rooted in a strong legal foundation. Law gives central bank money legal tender status, meaning that it must be accepted for settling a debt. Trust in all other forms of “money”, such as commercial bank deposits, ultimately rests on convertibility at par with central bank money. The law thus helps preserve the value of today’s banknotes as well as the savings in your bank account.[7]
We are currently taking a pivotal step in adapting central bank money to the digital age, by progressing towards the possible issuance of a digital equivalent: a digital euro. As cash today, which will remain available, a digital euro builds on the treaty-based competence to issue legal forms of public money, leveraging advanced technology within a robust legal framework to ensure people trust the numbers on their screens. The rule of law underpins these frameworks, transforming algorithms into a reliable and trustworthy form of public money.
Delivering on our mandates
Let me now turn to the function of the rule of law in enabling central banks to effectively deliver on their mandates.
For central banks to effectively fulfil their mandate of price stability, they must carefully assess the economic outlook. This assessment requires leveraging models and historical patterns to forecast economic developments. However, for us to be able to predict and forecast economic developments, the economy must operate within a framework of consistent and transparent rules. The rule of law plays a vital role in this regard. By fostering predictability and stability, it provides the essential foundation for robust economic analysis and informed monetary policy decision-making.
The effectiveness of the ECB’s banking supervision mandate to promote the safety and soundness of banks also hinges on a strong legal system with enforceable supervisory decisions. The laws give the supervisor a broad toolkit to ensure that banks remain safe and sound. For instance, this toolkit includes the power to require banks to hold more capital as part of the bank-specific annual Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process, and the power to sanction banks if they do not adhere to prudential rules.
Beyond these broader principles, a sound legal system is indispensable for central banking operations in practical terms. For instance, the legal requirement for adequate collateral is a cornerstone of both monetary policy implementation and financial stability. Yet collateral can only be deemed adequate if the legal framework guarantees that central banks can enforce their rights over it when necessary.
Another example is the central bank’s reliance on accurate statistics to carry out its mandate effectively. To ensure that reporting agents fulfil their obligations, central banks require enforceable sanctioning powers.
All these examples show that the rule of law is a precondition of central banking and prudential supervision.
Central bank independence
The effectiveness of a central bank in achieving its price stability mandate rests on its independence. Like the judiciary and other independent agencies, independent central banks are part of a constitutional model that recognises the role of independent institutions as checks and balances on executive and legislative power. Most legal systems in advanced economies ensure that the power to create money should be entrusted to bodies operating outside the electoral cycle to mitigate a time-inconsistency problem: the tendency of policymakers to prioritise short-term gains over long-term stability.[8] Independence insulates the central bank from the short-term pressures of daily politics, enabling it to focus on its mandate.
Hence central bank independence, price stability and the rule of law are closely intertwined. Empirical evidence suggests that price stability depends on both the strength of the rule of law and the independence of the central bank. Social trust in the central bank depends on the overall level of trust in the legal system as a whole. If a perfectly independent central bank were to operate in a system with systematic deficiencies in the rule of law, it would not be able to deliver effectively on its mandate.[9] In short, an independent central bank can only function if its decisions are seen as credible, and, crucially, credibility depends on the overall system based on the rule of law functioning well.
Moreover, the distinct character of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) also illustrates the crucial importance of the rule of law for the ECB. As the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled, the ESCB is based on a highly integrated system that brings together national central banks and the ECB.[10] National central banks are not merely national institutions – they are also integral components of the ESCB. Importantly, the governors of the national central banks of the euro area are also members of the ECB’s Governing Council, which is responsible for taking monetary policy decisions.
A similar principle applies to the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM). For instance, the Joint Supervisory Teams that inspect banks are composed of staff from both the ECB and national competent authorities (NCAs). Likewise, the ECB Supervisory Board includes representatives from both the ECB and NCAs.
Because of the integrated nature of both the ESCB and the SSM, which both bring together national authorities and the ECB, rule of law deficiencies at the national level can affect the functioning of the ESCB, the SSM and the ECB. Respect for the rules governing the organisation and safeguarding the independence of these national components of the ESCB and the SSM are thus essential to achieving their mandates of price and financial stability.
What central banks can do to support the rule of law
Now that we have explored how the rule of law is a precondition for central banks and supervisors being able to deliver on their mandates, let us turn to the other side of the coin: the role of the European Central Bank in upholding and protecting the rule of law.
Clearly, central banks cannot oversee the general conditions of the rule of law – that is not their mandate. But central banks do have specific responsibilities in this context.
First, central banks must themselves adhere to rule of law principles under the scrutiny of courts. And second, central banks have instruments at their disposal that can be used to reinforce the legal fabric that supports the rule of law.
Let me start with the former: central banks are fully embedded in the rule of law architecture. For instance, the Treaties explicitly place the ECB under the jurisdiction of the CJEU, and the ECB’s actions – in all areas, including monetary policy, banking supervision and transparency – have been subject to judicial scrutiny.[11] Compared with other major central banks, the ECB is among those most frequently brought before court.[12] By contrast, most other central banks are practically exempt from the jurisdiction of the courts when conducting monetary policy.[13] The preliminary reference procedure has also brought ECB monetary policy measures before the CJEU.[14] In essence, even when discretion is granted to the ECB by the courts or the legislature, it is discretion within the bounds of the law – not beyond it – and both its scope and conditions remain subject to judicial review.
This duty of the ECB has both a negative and a positive dimension. Not only is the ECB responsible for remaining within the confines of the law, it also has to react when other institutions with which it cooperates threaten to violate the law.[15]
Legal scrutiny by the courts is not the only form the legally required ECB’s accountability takes, however. In fact, a key pillar of our transparency and accountability to citizens includes explaining our decisions to the public and reporting regularly to elected bodies. For example, the ECB publishes detailed accounts of the monetary policy meetings of the Governing Council, explains its policies in dedicated press conferences and answers questions from Members of the European Parliament. (MEPs). Moreover, the President of the ECB and the Chair of the Supervisory Board appear regularly in front of the European Parliament to exchange views with MEPs. This not only makes monetary policy and banking supervision more understandable, but also proactively submits our institution to public scrutiny. Public scrutiny is an indispensable element of the rule of law: the law must be seen to be upheld for its acceptance by the general public.
Let me now turn to the ECB’s role in maintaining the rule of law. And I would like to be crystal clear again: in the EU, maintaining the rule of law is mainly a task for the courts and the political institutions. But the ECB also has responsibilities in this area, and I will outline five that I think are particularly important.
First, the Treaties give the ECB special powers to monitor respect for central bank independence, in particular personal independence. The Statute of the ESCB, which is a Protocol of the Treaty on the functioning of the EU (TFEU), exceptionally empowers the Governing Council of the ECB and national governors to bring to the European Court of Justice an action for annulment of a national measure that does not respect the independence of central bank governors.[16] This is the only case where the EU legal order provides for an annulment by the European Court of Justice of a national measure. I am sure that the jurists in today’s audience will immediately recognizes how exceptional this is. By allowing a direct change of the legal reality within the national legal order by means of an EU remedy, the Statute of the ESCB ensures, very effectively, that the rule of law is upheld.
Second, the ECB Governing Council has the role of acting as guardian of the Treaties vis-à-vis the national central banks in the same way as the Commission is guardian of the Treaties vis-à-vis the Member States.[17] While the ECB has never instituted infringement proceedings against a national central bank before the CJEU, the very existence of this power enables the ECB to ensure compliance by national central banks with the requirements of central bank independence and the prohibition of monetary financing of the public sector. Another as yet unused power of the ECB under the Statute of the ESCB/ECB is the power of the ECB Governing Council, by a two thirds majority vote, to prohibit national central banks from performing functions other than those specified in the Statute where these interfere with the objectives and tasks of the ESCB.[18] The existence of this power enables the ECB to ensure that the functions of national central banks do not interfere with ESCB’s primary objective of price stability or the monetary policy and other tasks of the ESCB.
Third, the Treaties require national and EU authorities to consult the ECB on any draft legislation that falls within its fields of competence.[19] The ECB enjoys a privileged position in directly influencing national legislation at the stage of its adoption and raising issues of legality. The ECB has issued numerous opinions on draft national legislation concerning the institutional structure and governance of national central banks. A recurring theme in many of these opinions has been the compatibility of amendments to the statutes of national central banks with the Statute of the ESCB, particularly regarding Member States’ obligation to ensure the independence of their national central banks and the prohibition of monetary financing.
Fourth, the Treaties require the ECB to issue convergence reports.[20] At least once every two years, or at the request of a Member State with a derogation from adopting the euro, the ECB reports to the Council on the progress made by the Member States with a derogation on the fulfilment of their obligations regarding the achievement of Economic and monetary union. Last week, the ECB published its report on Bulgaria.[21] These convergence reports receive more attention with regard to their economic dimensions, but they also include an important examination of the compatibility between national and EU law.[22] Whilst this ECB instrument only addresses the legislation of Member States that have not adopted the euro, it is a means of consolidating and developing EU standards, including where rule of law issues might be at stake.
And last but not least: the Statute of the ESCB provides the ECB with specific powers regarding international cooperation.[23] In practice this means that the ECB actively participates in international fora and institutions with a clear direction to uphold their role and the international rule of law. As you all know, public international law, from the World Trade Organization to the very fundamentals of international humanitarian law, is currently under a heavy strain, which makes our role regarding international cooperation all the more relevant.
Conclusion
Let me conclude.
With these remarks, I hope to have shown that the rule of law is of the highest relevance for central banks and supervisors.
First, it is a necessary condition for us to adequately deliver on our price and financial stability mandates. Here we depend (and count!) on those institutions whose mandate is specifically focused on upholding the rule of law, among which the legislature and, especially, you, the judiciary.
Second, in specific areas the ECB itself has a role to play in safeguarding, nurturing and defending the rule of law. Within the limits of our competences, you can count on us to do so.
The European Union is both creature and guarantor of the rule of law. It is a beacon of legal certainty, strong institutions and the protection of fundamental rights. All of us continuing to play our role – and we will play ours as much as we know that the courts will play theirs – will lead not only to the protection but to the growth of the quality and the depth of the rule of law.
By thus further strengthening the rule of law, we will encourage investment, foster economic growth and enhance the international role of the euro.[24] And by doing so we will further solidify the foundations for freedom, peace and prosperity that will ensure that Van Randwijk’s light will never fade but will shine more brightly than ever before.
A LIFESAVING initiative that enables front-line police officers in Leicestershire to carry and administer an antidote to opiate drugs has been shortlisted for a national award.
The city council’s public health team worked in partnership with the police and local drug and alcohol treatment service Turning Point to develop the initiative, which has potentially already saved 14 lives in its first 12 months of operation.
It’s now in line for a Public Partnerships award, as part of the 2025 Local Government Chronicle’s Awards, which recognise excellence in local government across the whole of the UK.
The partnership was developed in response to a national rising trend in drug deaths. Many of these could have been avoided with the use of the antidote Naloxone, which reverses the effects of an opiate overdose – if given quickly enough.
Leicester’s Director of Public Health Rob Howard said: “In the event of an opiate overdose, administering an immediate dose of naloxone by nasal spray reverses respiratory arrest and allows time for emergency medical services to be called.
“Police officers are most likely to be the first on scene at such incidents, and thanks to years of hard work by all involved, we believe that the Leicestershire police service is now the first in England and Wales to commit to enabling all front-line officers to carry Naloxone.
“This incredible partnership work has not only saved lives, and will save lives in the future, but is also supporting a broader understanding of the challenges faced by people who use drugs.”
Approval for a pilot scheme was given by Leicestershire Police in 2023, after Turning Point and the city council’s public health team had found funding and established pilot sites.
Initially small groups of police officers were given training in overdose awareness and administering Naloxone, and as a result almost 200 officers voluntarily agreed to carry it.
James Edmondston, Leicestershire Police’s Substance Misuse Team Leader said: “The most important duty of a police officer is to preserve life and Naloxone gives officers a simple, safe and effective way of doing so. This initiative reflects a strong and robust partnership commitment to saving lives and supporting people into long term treatment.
“It is fantastic to see its use being celebrated– it really does save lives and we are looking to expand its use across the force and into custody.”
Julie Bass, Turning Point’s Chief Executive said: “Being short-listed for this prestigious award is testament to the power of partnership. We have been delighted to work with Leicestershire Police and Leicester City Council on this initiative, which genuinely has saved lives and also strengthened joint working across our organisations.”
In the first 12 months of the scheme, police officers administered naloxone on 14 separate occasions, in situations where people were likely to have otherwise died, before calling for ambulance back-up.
New recruits to Leicestershire Police are now trained in administering naloxone as part of their core training, and offered the chance to carry at that time. Since this was introduced, every new recruit has volunteered to carry it.
The winners of the LGC Awards will be announced at a ceremony on 11 June 2025, at Grosvenor House, London.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
WATCH: Padilla Slams Trump Administration for Terrorizing Los Angeles Communities Through ICE Raids, Deploying National Guard
Padilla: California is “the fourth-largest economy in the world, not despite our immigrant population, but because of our immigrant population, who contribute so much as [a] workforce, as consumers, as entrepreneurs. That’s something to be respected, not insulted.”
“Our nation is better than this. Look to California as a way forward.”
Watch the full interview here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined MSNBC’s “The Weekend: Primetime” to condemn the Trump Administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across Los Angeles and President Trump’s ensuing unprecedented deployment of nearly 2,000 members of California’s National Guard to the region.
Senator Padilla slammed President Trump for manufacturing a cruel crisis to scapegoat immigrants and distract from Republicans’ harmful budget bill that will cut critical services that millions of Americans depend on to give tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy. He also blasted the Trump Administration for their hypocrisy in calling the largely peaceful Los Angeles protests an “insurrection” as President Trump and Republicans refuse to use that word to describe the January 6th Capitol insurrection. Padilla encouraged Californians to continue peacefully protesting the Trump Administration’s inhumane immigration enforcement.
Key Excerpts:
On Trump demonizing immigrants to distract from Republicans’ harmful budget bill:
“The Senate Republicans are on the verge of passing what House Republicans just passed in this bill that threatens to cut Medicaid, cut the social safety net for so many, and underwrite tax breaks for billionaires. So to distract from that, it never fails. This is [Trump’s] classic playbook. He’s not brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine. His tariff war has gone horribly wrong. So when all else fails, he demonizes immigrants again.”
“If we were having a serious, substantive policy conversation, I think there is room to discuss increased funding for our immigration system, not just smarter enforcement at the border, utilizing technology, focusing on ports of entry, but also for all the people who have pending cases, whether it’s an asylum case, whether it’s anything else, there is a need for more immigration judges and hearing officers and counsel, those sorts of things. And let’s reduce the backlog. But what the Trump Administration is doing is exactly the opposite, shifting it to complete enforcement and aggressive, extreme, cruel enforcement for that matter, while the backlogs continue to grow because they’ve shifted resources away from those services and those programs.”
“By and large, this supposedly Big Beautiful Bill, which is anything but, is nothing but increasing funding for … immigration enforcement, gutting so many other critical areas of the budget that working families across the country depend on, all to underwrite tax breaks for the most wealthy in America, including somebody like Elon Musk. You know, Donald Trump didn’t like the headlines he was getting because of his fallout with Elon Musk, and so again, what happens? He stages a crisis, manufactures a cruel crisis to try to change the news of the day.”
On Trump’s hypocrisy in his response compared to January 6:
“The other thing he wants is for people to, yes, maybe get out of hand, so that he has the justification to escalate and increase the use of force. Look what happened in his first term. Look what happened on January 6. You’ve got to call out the hypocrisy. He did not once say “insurrectionist” for the people who stormed the Capitol and attacked police officers, but one protester who gets a little bit out of hand in Los Angeles and all of a sudden, he’s going to bring in the Marines? That’s beyond hypocritical.”
“If it’s one thing that the Team Trump does have going for it, is they are masters of misinformation and disinformation. What’s happening in Los Angeles is not an insurrection. What happened on January 6 at the nation’s Capitol was an insurrection. So intellectual dishonesty is nothing new for J.D. Vance, or Donald Trump, or anybody in the White House right now. They should know better.”
On the cruelty of Trump’s ICE raids and the importance of peaceful protests:
“These raids are not new. Obviously, we’ve been seeing them around the country for a few months, but increasingly with extremism and cruelty. And that’s what people in Los Angeles are responding to. Again, as others have said, you want to focus on violent and dangerous criminals? Great, there’s no disagreement there. But when you’re going after kids that are depending on lifesaving treatment, when you’re going after people in the workplace, in houses of worship, children in schools — that’s a whole thing altogether. So in a diverse community like Los Angeles, there’s going to be a lot of people who are passionate about defending fundamental rights and due process and to speak up when they see that not being respected.”
“So for all the people in Los Angeles, I do say protest. Protest peacefully, but protest because Donald Trump wants one of two things. He wants people … to be quiet, to suck it up, and ignore what’s happening, let him do whatever he wants. That’s not in our DNA.”
On immigrants’ integral role in driving California’s economic success:
“We are not just the most populous state in the nation, we’re the most diverse state in the nation, home to more immigrants than any state in the nation, both mostly documented, some undocumented. But remember, folks, this is also the largest economy of any state in the nation, by far. The fourth-largest economy in the world, not despite our immigrant population, but because of our immigrant population, who contribute so much as [a] workforce, as consumers, as entrepreneurs. That’s something to be respected, not insulted.”
On his personal story growing up as the son of immigrants from Mexico and fighting against anti-immigrant actions:
“You can’t help but take this personal because you can relate to the story, because you can relate to the sacrifice, because you can relate to that journey — not just me, my brother, my sister, my parents, and our family, but everybody, frankly, in the community where and how I grew up, which is indicative of millions of families across the country. You know, my parents came in pursuit of the American Dream, as so many have over generations, and my parents found it. My dad as a short order cook for 40 years, my mom cleaning houses. And to think that in one generation, someone like me can grow up in public schools in Los Angeles, go on to college, and one day represent our state in the United States Senate.”
“But there’s a reason why I left my engineering degree behind in 1994. It’s because of the rhetoric I saw back then in California, very different than the California we see today. Governor Pete Wilson, at the time, standing for re-election, down in the polls, turns to anti-immigrant rhetoric to try to seek re-election and divide the people. And it was because of … that Proposition 187 that people like my parents, finally took the steps to become citizens, as opposed to just being long-term permanent residents, but also my generation choosing to get involved in government and politics and change the trajectory of our state. California is very different today, but it is just so heartbreaking and offensive that the rhetoric continues to this day, even more so, because it’s not just coming out of the governor’s office in California back then, not now, but out of the Oval Office. Our nation is better than this. Look to California as a way forward.”
On Trump’s mismanagement of the protests in Los Angeles:
“Law enforcement on the ground knows the community, and the community knows LAPD and the Sheriff’s Department. This is just a reminder that what happens when you don’t know what you’re doing as President United States, when you send in DHS, when you send in the National Guard, and they don’t know the community, they don’t have the rapport and the trust of the community, things get out of hand. And then the federal officials are in the position of having to call in LAPD to help them bring the temperature down in a situation, or the sheriff’s office in parts of the county outside the city of Los Angeles. It’s pointing out the weaknesses and the inability, the inexperience, and irresponsibility, frankly, of the Trump Administration.”
Video of the full interview is available here.
Senator Padilla also joined Los Angeles outlets KTLA and KNX tonight to discuss the fear and chaos the Trump Administration is stoking in Los Angeles and across California. On Friday, Padilla issued a statement condemning the Los Angeles ICE raids.
Israel’s military attack and boarding of the humanitarian boat Madleen attempting to deliver food and medical aid to the besieged people of Gaza has been condemned by New Zealand Palestinian advocacy groups as a “staggering act of state piracy”.
The vessel was in international waters, carrying aid workers, doctors, journalists, and supplies desperately needed by the 2 million population that Israel has systematically bombed, starved, and displaced.
“This was not a military confrontation. It was the assault of an unarmed civilian aid ship by a state acting with total impunity,” said the group Thyme4Action.
“This is piracy, it is state terror, and it is a genocidal act of war.
Half of the 12 crew and passengers on board are French citizens and the volunteer group includes French-Palestinian European parliamentarian Rima Hassan and Swedish climate crisis activist Greta Thunberg and two journalists.
They all made pre-recorded messages calling for international pressure on their governments against the Israeli state. The messages were posted on the Freedom Flotilla Coalition X page.
The group Thyme4Action said in a media release that a regime engaged in genocide would send sends drones and armed commandos to detain civilians in international waters.
Israel’s ‘total moral collapse’ “We are witnessing the total moral collapse of a state, supported for years by Western governments to act with utter impunity, violate our global legal system, morality and principles.
“No amount of spin or military propaganda can hide the cruelty of deliberately starving a population, targeting children, bombing hospitals and bakeries, and then violently stopping others from bringing aid.”
Thyme4Action said the attack on the Madleen was not a separate incident — “it is part of the same campaign to eliminate Palestinian life, hope, and survival. It is why the International Court of Justice has already ruled that Israel is plausibly committing genocide.”
“This is not complicated,” said the statement.
French journalist Yanis Mhandi on board the Madleen . . . “I’ve been detained by Israeli forces while doing my job as a journalist.” Image: FFC screenshot APR
“Israel has no legal authority in international waters. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Israel’s boarding of a civilian aid ship beyond its territorial waters is an act of piracy, unlawful kidnapping, forcible abduction and armed aggression.
Under international humanitarian law, deliberately blocking aid to a population facing starvation is a war crime.
Under the Genocide Convention, when a state intentionally denies food, water, and medicine to a population it is bombing and displacing, this constitutes part of a genocidal campaign.”
NZ silence condemned The advocacy group condemned the silence of the New Zealand government as being “no longer neutral”.
The moment that the Freedom Flotilla Coalition lost communications with the Madleen as Israeli forces attacked the vessel. Image: FFC
It demonstrated a shocking lack of respect for international law, for human rights, and for the safety of global humanitarian workers.
“It reflects a broader decay in foreign policy — where selective outrage and Israeli exceptionalism undermine the credibility of everything New Zealand claims to stand for.”
Thyme4Action called on the New Zealand government to:
• Publicly condemn Israel’s illegal assault on the Madleen and its passengers; • Demand the immediate release of all aid workers, journalists, and civilians abducted by Israeli forces; • Suspend all diplomatic, military, and trade cooperation with Israel until it complies with international law; and • Support international accountability mechanisms, including referring Israel’s crimes to the International Criminal Court and backing enforcement of the ICJ’s provisional measures on genocide.
“This has to stop. This is not just a crisis in Gaza,” said the statement.
‘Crisis of global morality’ “It is a crisis of global morality, of international law, and of our basic shared humanity.
“We stand with the people of Gaza. We stand with the brave souls aboard the Madleen, and we demand an end to this madness before the world forgets what it means to be human.
“We need a government that stands for all that is right, not all that is wrong.
“Aid is not terrorism. International waters are not Israel’s territory. And silence in the face of evil is complicity.”
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Emergency Services responded to a fatal crash at a property in Girraween this morning.
Around 11:20am, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of an off-road buggy crash at a property, involving two youths and one adult male.
Police and St John Ambulance attended and commenced CPR on the 40-year-old male; however, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Both youths were uninjured and did not require further medical assistance.
lign=”center”>Motion to remove the judge is the answer? If there has been a crime, a culpable act, Why wasn’t it punished? questions VP Permission to file FIR Could Have Been Given on the Very First Day; It Could Have Been Given at Least After the Report, stresses VP Committee of Judges Can not Substitute FIR or Constitutional Removal Mechanism for Judges: Vice-President We Have Lost More Than Three Months, And The Investigation Has Not Even Been Initiated, says VP Has money influenced the Judiciary in judicial work?, questions VP If The Temple Of Justice Is So Sacrileged, So Tainted, So Besmirched… Then, Where Would People Go For Justice?, asks VP Lawyers Of The Bar Are Custodians Of The Rule of Law, says VP The People’s Confidence… Will Be Restored — Only By Very Thorough Investigation, Proper Investigation, Scientific Investigation, highlights VP Surely The Cash Will Not Come Without A Purpose. And The Purpose Can’t Be Legitimate, Says VP
The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, today said, “The Government of the day is handicapped. It can’t register an FIR. Because there is a judicial order. And that judicial order is more than three decades old. It provides virtually impregnable cover. Unless permission is accorded by a functionary at the highest level in the judiciary, an FIR can’t be registered. So I pose a question to myself, in deep pain, worried, concerned, in anguish — why was that permission not given? That was the minimum that could have been done on the earliest occasion.”
He further said, “I have raised the issue. Ultimately, if a motion is brought to remove a judge, is that the answer? If there has been a crime, a culpable act shaking the foundations of democracy — the rule of law, why wasn’t it punished? We have lost more than three months, and the investigation has not even been initiated. Whenever you go to court, they ask why the FIR was delayed.”
Shri Dhankhar further stated, “Does the committee of judges have a constitutional sanction? Does it have statutory sanction? Can this report result in any outcome? Can this report, by itself, be actionable? If a judge removal mechanism is there, the Constitution says this removal mechanism can be initiated either in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. This is the only way. Then this committee cannot substitute for an FIR investigation. Now, the separation of powers. Penal thing has to follow it. If we have to lay claim on democracy, on the rule of law, equality before law, let me tell you — even the President of India and the Governors — they have immunity from prosecution only till they are in office. No other body has it. No other in the country, no other constitutional office has this immunity, and that too while in office. Now, how can we have a mechanism that such a crime — a culpable act — revealed from a document revealed by the Supreme Court, that there was a cash haul.”
The Vice-President said, “I find it very soothing and must congratulate you that the bar associations in the country are active on it. I hope an FIR is filed. One, that permission could have been given on the very first day. It should have been. A compulsive, expedient situation should have been there, because the mechanism evolved is the same. Second, it could have been given at least after the report. Could it have been given on the judicial side? What happened on the judicial side — it is there. I gather from the public domain — money spending.”
Shri Dhankhar further said, “While I have appreciated the former Chief Justice for putting those documents in the public domain, so what we say, there was a cash haul, because the report says — the report was put in the public domain by the Supreme Court. Let us not destroy the idea of democracy. Let us not dilute our ethical standards so low. Let us not decimate integrity.”
Interacting with members of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association in Chandigarh today, the Vice-President said, “Judicial system at the moment, because of a very painful incident that happened mid-March in Delhi at the residence of a sitting judge, there was a cash haul, obviously tainted, unaccounted, illegal. And unexplained! The intervention is very significant. One, it appeared in the public domain after 6-7 days. Imagine if it had not appeared. So, we don’t know whether it is isolated or if there are other instances. Now, whenever tainted, unaccounted, unexplained cash haul is there, the system has to move to find out whose money is this? And what is the money trail? Where did this loose cash come from? Are there big sharks? Has the money influenced the Judiciary in judicial work? All these issues are agitating not only the minds of lawyers but also people on the street. But let the lid be blown off the can of worms. Let these skeletons in the cupboards come out. Why was there no FIR? Why has there been no investigation at all?”
Shri Dhankhar stated, “I’m so happy that our Bar associations are picking up the issue. But the confidence of the people is very fundamental in all institutions. All I am saying is, the thought that it will die down, that it will not get media attention, that people have short memories, and those actors, sharks who are culpable, postures that indicate the highest criminality. We must not be sparing them. The people’s confidence, I’m sure, will be restored — I don’t know to what extent — but only by very thorough investigation, proper investigation, scientific investigation — the investigation that will expose, to public satisfaction, the original source of money, the money trail, the people involved, the beneficiaries, and the purpose.”
The Vice-President recollected, “If you know a famous case — Sarwan Singh v. State of Punjab, 1957 — the gap between establishing the truth is sometimes very thin. The distance between ‘may be true’ and ‘must be true’ is very thin. But this thin distance has to be negotiated by evidence of unimpeachable veracity. So I put innocence at a very high level. I am not aware of who is guilty. But one thing is for sure — a crime of great enormity, shaking the foundations of the Judiciary and democracy, has taken place. I hope it will be addressed”
Shri Dhankhar stated, “As a former President of the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association, probably this is the first time this happened — that we got together. So lawyers in such bodies are watchdogs of democracy. And in democracy, nothing matters more than proper investigation, proper findings, getting to the source, the original source of the tainted, unaccounted, illegal cash. Surely the cash will not come without a purpose. And the purpose can’t be legitimate. Lord Denning, a great judge, quoted Fuller. Fuller is from 350 years from now: “Be ye never so high, the law is above you.” Now, those who have to enforce the law are also subject to the law.”
Highlighting that courts are a temple of justice, Shri Dhankhar said, “For lawyers, nothing is more important than the purity of the system where you work. That is why we call it the temple of justice. Now, if the temple of justice is so sacrileged, so tainted, so besmirched that people come very close to losing faith, then where would people go for justice? Before we inflict more injuries on the soul of Bharat — it’s written in a sense of democracy — I hope things will take shape.
He further said, “All I’m saying is that our judges need protection. Because judges make tough decisions. Judges decide against the Executive. The Executive in any democracy is a mighty power. So judges have to be fearless and independent. They cannot be subjected in a routine way. But now what has happened is — even judges’ premises are sacrosanct. Any crime happening therein is not subject to investigation unless a sanction is given.”
The Vice-President said, “Now, if this institution is clouded, smoked, then one gets an idea. We don’t know how many skeletons are in the cupboard. Then another worry — stories are going around. Names are floating on whose money is it? Maybe it is not their money. So, proper investigation will also save the reputation of many, many who are being doubted. Because a criminal investigation must nab only the accused and prove the guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Because people can’t put pressure. Bar associations can. We have a role to play in this society. You are stakeholders. Ultimately, you’ll be the sufferers. You help people access courts. Members of the bar, you do your utmost to secure the dispensation of justice in the right way. If faith in what you are assisting with is shaken, there will be no way.”
Signifying the importance of the Bar Association, the Vice-President said, “The Body of Lawyers and Bar Associations is, in a sense, custodians of the rule of law. They are watchdogs of democracy, and when the system is challenged, there is an obligation on members of the Bar. There have been times when lawyers play a key role, and that is why in our democracy, we have a separation of powers, which means the Executive will do its role, the Legislature will do its role, and the Judiciary will do its role. The critical issue is, judgments have to be given by judges. They can’t be scripted by the Legislature. I am Chairman, Rajya Sabha, you can’t script a judgment. Am I right? Similarly, the job that we do can’t be done by the Executive or the Judiciary.”
Shri Dhankhar further said, “The Bar Association of the Punjab and Haryana High Court is unique in the entire country. Two States, One Union Territory, very, very important Bar Association. The same is about the Bar Council. I had the good fortune to be the President of my association in Rajasthan, but that was the presidency of the bench at Jaipur. You are the president in the complete right. Whenever I have appeared in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, it has always been a pleasure to come to this place because the Bar has a long tradition. Members of the Bar have been instrumental in getting us freedom. During the freedom struggle, top lawyers ignored their real practice in fiscal terms and devoted themselves to the nation.”
Highlighting the importance of a democratic society, Shri Dhankhar said, “In a democratic society, the rule of law and equality in law are compromised — seriously, severely, if some people are above the law, beyond scrutiny, beyond investigation. Secondly, yours is a very important High Court, covering a huge jurisdictional area of two states and a Union Territory. The Chief Justice of the High Court, apart from judicial work, also has to do administrative work. And the administrative work is very large. Same about Haryana.”
The Vice-President said, “I believe the greatest power of Indian citizens is to be treated as innocent till proven guilty. So I don’t want to suggest someone is guilty. But let the investigation be there. It should be proved. Definitely. We don’t know how many people will be there once we break the curtain.”
He further added, “Purpose is equally important because if it is related to judicial work, if judgment can be influenced by money bags, that day at least, I do not wish to see. And no Member of Parliament would love to see it—unless one is part of it.”
In conclusion, Shri Dhankhar said, “Let me tell you, I have travelled all over the world. On intelligence, our judges are the best. In hard work, our judges are the best. When they lose confidence in everybody — the executive, and I would say even in organizations to which I belong, but they trust the Judiciary. Because they know, a judge is a reincarnation of God. He will do justice. And there also, they draw a distinction. A sitting judge, in public perception, I don’t subscribe to it, carries greater weightage than a judge under oath will certainly do justice.”
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
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On October 7 2023, more than 1,000 Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel and went on a killing spree, murdering 1,200 men, women and children and abducting another 250 people to take back to Gaza. It was the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
That day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the country, “Israel is at war”. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) immediately began a military campaign to secure the release of the hostages and defeat Hamas. Since that day, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children.
Israel has maintained its response is justified under international law, as every nation has “an inherent right to defend itself”, as Netanyahu stated in early 2024.
Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations[…]
At the start of the war, many nations agreed Israel had a right to defend itself, but how it did so mattered. This would ensure its actions were consistent with international humanitarian law.
However, 20 months after the October 7 attacks, fundamental legal issues have arisen around whether this self-defence justification still holds.
Can Israel exercise self-defence ad infinitum? Or is it now waging a war of aggression against Palestine?
Self-defence in the law
Self-defence has a long history in international law.
The modern principles of self-defence were outlined in diplomatic exchanges over an 1837 incident involving an American ship, The Caroline, after it was destroyed by British forces in Canada. Both sides agreed that an exercise of self-defence would have required the British to demonstrate their conduct was not “unreasonable or excessive”.
The concept of self-defence was also extensively relied on by the Allies in the second world war in response to German and Japanese aggression.
Self-defence was originally framed in the law as a right to respond to a state-based attack. However, this scope has broadened in recent decades to encompass attacks from non-state actors, such as al-Qaeda following the September 11 2001 terror attacks.
Israel is a legitimate, recognised state in the global community and a member of the United Nations. Its right to self-defence will always remain intact when it faces attacks from its neighbours or non-state actors, such as Hamas, Hezbollah or the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
However, the right of self-defence is not unlimited. It is constrained by the principles of necessity and proportionality.
The necessity test was met in the current war due to the extreme violence of the Hamas attack on October 7 and the taking of hostages. These were actions that could not be ignored and demanded a response, due to the threat Israel continued to face.
The proportionality test was also met, initially. Israel’s military operation after the attack was strategic in nature, focused on the return of the hostages and the destruction of Hamas to eliminate the immediate threat the group posed.
The legal question now is whether Israel is still legitimately exercising self-defence in response to the October 7 attacks.
This is a live issue, especially given comments by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on May 30 that Hamas would be “annihilated” unless a proposed ceasefire deal was accepted.
These comments and Israel’s ongoing conduct throughout the war raise the question of whether proportionality is still being met.
A test of proportionality
The importance of proportionality in self-defence has been endorsed in recent years by the International Court of Justice.
Under international law, proportionality remains relevant throughout a conflict, not just in the initial response to an attack.
While the law allows a war to continue until an aggressor surrenders, it does not legitimise the complete destruction of the territory where an aggressor is fighting.
The principle of proportionality also provides protections for civilians. Military actions are to be directed at the foreign forces who launched the attack, not civilians.
While Israel has targeted Hamas fighters in its attacks, including those who orchestrated the October 7 attacks, these actions have caused significant collateral deaths of Palestinian civilians.
Therefore, taken overall, the ongoing, 20-month military assault against Hamas, with its high numbers of civilian casualties, credible reports of famine and devastation of Gazan towns and cities, suggests Israel’s exercise of self-defence has become disproportionate.
The principle of proportionality is also part of international humanitarian law. However, Israel’s actions on this front are a separate legal issue that has been the subject of investigation by the International Criminal Court.
My aim here is to solely assess the legal question of proportionality in self-defence and international law.
However, rescuing nationals as an exercise of self-defence is legally controversial. Israel set a precedent in 1976 when the military rescued 103 Jewish hostages from Entebbe, Uganda, after their aircraft had been hijacked.
In current international law, there are very few other examples in which this interpretation of self-defence has been adopted – and no international consensus on its use.
In Gaza, the size, scale and duration of Israel’s war goes far beyond a hostage rescue operation. Its aim is also to eliminate Hamas.
Given this, rescuing hostages as an act of self-defence is arguably not a suitable justification for Israel’s ongoing military operations.
An act of aggression?
If Israel can no longer rely on self-defence to justify its Gaza military campaign, how would its actions be characterised under international law?
Israel could claim it is undertaking a security operation as an occupying power.
While the International Court of Justice said in an advisory opinion last year that Israel was engaged in an illegal occupation of Gaza, the court expressly made clear it was not addressing the circumstances that had evolved since October 7.
Israel is indeed continuing to act as an occupying power, even though it has not physically reoccupied all of Gaza. This is irrelevant given the effective control it exercises over the territory.
However, the scale of the IDF’s operations constitute an armed conflict and well exceed the limited military operations to restore security as an occupying power.
Absent any other legitimate basis for Israel’s current conduct in Gaza, there is a strong argument that what is occurring is an act of aggression. The UN Charter and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court prohibit acts of aggression not otherwise justified under international law.
These include invasions or attacks by the armed forces of a state, military occupations, bombardments and blockades. All of this has occurred – and continues to occur – in Gaza.
A 42-year-old man has been arrested and charged following an investigation into a series of burglaries across North Canterbury and Selwyn.
On Monday 9 June, three search warrants were executed, two at residential addresses and one at a storage unit.
CCTV supplied by the public and from building sites helped identify the person of interest; acknowledged by Police as being crucial in bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion.
Burglaries at building sites cause significant disruption and financial loss to builders, contractors, and future homeowners.
Police urge the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity around construction sites.
The man has been bailed to appear on 13 June at Christchurch District Court.
The Palestine Forum of New Zealand strongly condemns the violent interception of the Madleen, a civilian aid vessel attempting to deliver essential humanitarian aid to the besieged people of Gaza, by the Israeli military. We demand the immediate safe passage of the vessel and call upon the New Zealand Government to urgently implement meaningful sanctions against Israel for its ongoing war crimes and illegal occupation of Palestine.
“The Madleen was carrying life-saving aid to a population enduring unimaginable suffering under Israel’s illegal siege. Its interception is a flagrant violation of international law and a direct attack on humanitarian principles,” said a spokesperson for the Palestine Forum of New Zealand.
The unlawful blockade of Gaza — now in its 18th year — has turned the region into what human rights organisations have described as the world’s largest open-air prison. The systematic denial of aid, food, water, fuel, and medical supplies is part of Israel’s ongoing campaign of collective punishment against the Palestinian people.
Palestine Forum of New Zealand reiterates the following urgent demands:
Immediate safe passage for theMadleenand all humanitarian vessels to Gaza.
The New Zealand Government is to impose targeted sanctions against Israel, including an end to military, economic, and diplomatic cooperation.
Support for the Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill and pressure on Parliament to prioritise it for debate.
Active support for international legal mechanisms, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, to hold Israel accountable for its war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“Aotearoa cannot remain silent while innocent people are bombed, starved, and denied medical care. New Zealand has a proud history of standing on the side of justice — from opposing apartheid in South Africa to advocating for nuclear-free policies. It’s time our government showed the same moral courage for Palestine,” the spokesperson added.
The Palestine Forum of New Zealand stands in unwavering solidarity with theFreedom Flotilla Coalition, theMadleencrew, and the people of Gaza. It will continue to amplify the call for justice, dignity, and the right of return for all Palestinians.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO), with support from Victoria Police, has seized and destroyed over 20 tonnes of illicit tobacco from a property North-East of Shepparton, Victoria.
On Thursday 5 June a search warrant revealed a mature tobacco crop spanning nearly 6 acres, the equivalent of approximately 456 tennis courts. Officers also seized several trays of tobacco seedlings from the property.
The estimated excise value of the illicit tobacco uncovered under Operation Ocean is $4.4 million.
ATO Assistant Commissioner Jade Hawkins commended the results of the operation, with the destruction of tobacco crops showing the ATO’s removing illicit tobacco from the community.
‘Detecting, disrupting and dismantling the illicit tobacco trade is a priority for the ATO.’
‘These operations are run by criminal syndicates, not farmers or producers. They put the Australian community at risk when they use profits from these activities to fund other serious crimes.’
‘Involvement in illicit tobacco production is a serious offence. There are hefty penalties for possessing, selling, buying, manufacturing, or producing illicit tobacco, including jail terms for up to 10 years imprisonment.’
‘This type of activity takes vital money away from the community and places it directly into the hands of organised criminals who mistakenly think they can sail under the radar,’ Ms Hawkins said.
Operation Ocean adds to the 90 completed illicit tobacco operational activities between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2024.
‘A wave of illicit tobacco has been stopped in its tracks, with this warrant activity surfacing thanks to a tip-off from the community,’ Ms Hawkins said.
Community tip-offs are one of the ATO’s best sources of information as they provide crucial information to assist in the fight against illicit tobacco.
It’s illegal to grow tobacco in Australia without the appropriate excise licence and currently no one is licensed to do so.
Signs that land is being used to grow, manufacture or produce illicit tobacco include:
construction activities along creeks and rivers on private and public land
unexplained and potentially unlawful use of water resources
vans with no markings being loaded with cardboard boxes, at odd hours of the day and night
the sound of machinery running overnight
excessive security measures such as cameras, locks or guards.
If you suspect that illicit tobacco is being grown, manufactured, or sold in your community, you can confidentially report it to the ATO online at ato.gov.au/tipoff, or phone 1800 060062.
Visit ato.gov.au/illicittobacco to learn more about the signs of tobacco plants and what to look out for in your community.
Images
Notes to journalists
Between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2024, our Illicit Tobacco team completed 90 operational activities. These included 19 Illicit Tobacco Taskforce (whole of government) operations, 31 ATO specific operations and 40 state law enforcement support operations.
These operations resulted in:
627 acres of illicit tobacco crops located, seized and destroyed with a total weight of 3,746,240 kilograms
39,224 kilograms of loose-leaf tobacco located, seized and destroyed
21,759,340 cigarettes located, seized and destroyed
total estimated equivalent tobacco duty foregone value of above $723 million.
From July 2018 to January 2025 there have been 30 convictions by the ATO for illicit tobacco with sentences ranging up to 3 years imprisonment.
Anna Speirs has been awarded the top honour at the City of Wanneroo Community Art Awards and Exhibition, receiving the grand prize for her captivating painting, Moonlight Solitude.
Anna was among 15 talented artists recognised in the 2025 Community Art Awards, sharing in a total prize pool of $19,900.
There were 135 entries to this year’s awards, which included 88 paintings, 21 works on paper, 13 photo, film and digital pieces and 13 sculptures.
This year’s judging panel included:
Emma Bitmead, Curator of Historical Art at the Art Gallery of Western Australia
Paul Uhlman, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Visual Arts and Printmaking at Edith Cowan University
Di Cubitt, Sessional Academic and Fine Art Unit Coordinator at Curtin University.
Sandra Murray, Artistic Director and Lead Curator for Sculpture and Bathers, was the Guest Curator for this Community Art Awards exhibition.
Mayor Linda Aitken said this year’s Art Awards once again highlighted the depth of creativity and talent within our community.
“We’re proud to host this exhibition each year, celebrating local talent and providing emerging artists the opportunity to showcase their skills and storytelling methods,” she said.
“Each piece tells a story and collectively, the exhibition reflects the diversity, imagination and passion of our community.”
Visit the exhibition on until Saturday 26 July 2025 at the Wanneroo Regional Gallery, open Wednesdays to Saturdays, 10am to 4pm.
Visitors can take part in the judging of the People’s Choice Award by nominating their favourite artwork, with the winner to be announced by mid-August.
Judges’ comments: This is a quiet, reflective work. The medium of oil paint has been lovingly applied with subtle gradations of light. Contemplative, this work draws you in to the space and beyond. A moment of stillness and solitude in a busy world. The window, as a devise in art history, is often used as a bridge between two worlds. In this instance the judges sensed the two worlds between the transition between childhood, adolescence into adulthood and this idea of indiscernible transitions.
Medium: iPad drawing, digital print on archival cotton rag
Judges’ comments: Skilful use of iPad drawing creates layered composition relating to movement through the local landscape. The use of digital medium creates a fluid, embodied composition. Drawing on digital media to create this image, it has the sense of the haptic tradition of mark marking.
Judges’ comments: This work appears to come from the graphic novel tradition where the landscape itself holds the drama of the narrative. This is the scene where it’s about to happen. An imminent moment, it has an emotional power. Technically proficient use of lino to create a dramatic scene and compelling image.
Judges’ comments: All kinds of everyday objects, such as a fork or a glass, appear in a state of transformation. One has the feeling that the sitter is undergoing an emotional metamorphosis or change. The use of the light is powerful and skilfully executed. Lucy shows a growing understanding of the painting language, and the judges were highly impressed by her understanding of materials and composition.
Judges’ comments: Distorted image shifts our point of view pushing the composition towards abstraction. Part of what is interesting is the distortion of the face and the emotional interplay extending and becoming part of the external environment. The direct handling of the media, incorporating charcoal over acrylic, adds to the expressive qualities.
Judges’ comments: The clever use of recycled materials manifests in a whimsical cross between robot and toy. Drawing on a cinematic tradition of robots, the corner shop and nostalgia for a not-quite-realised past.
Judges’ comments: Bioluminescence is the key factor to the success of this predator fish. Skilful use of medium and glazing has been used to create a compelling yet repelling form.
Medium: Pencil, charcoal and water-soluble graphite on paper
Judges’ comments: Sensitive work. The text reinforces a love of the child by the mother. Here we have a storied landscape of love and great tenderness.
Judges’ comments: This painting reveals the turbulence of adolescence the close up topography of the artists face. The combination of brush strokes and tonal shift of paint weave together an interesting surface.
The Green Party is calling for the safe passage of the Madleen, a civilian aid vessel on course to Gaza, following the Freedom Flotilla being seized by the Israeli Military and urging the New Zealand Government to sanction Israel for its illegal occupation of Palestine.
“The Green Party is calling for the safe passage of the Madleen and for the New Zealand Government to step up and sanction Israel for its violent occupation of Palestine and continued disregard for international law,” says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson.
“The Madleen was trying to get much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza, and has been intercepted by the Israeli Military in international waters. This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the International Court of Justice’s binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.
“Weaponising critical humanitarian aid must stop. Shooting at innocent people lining up for kai must stop. Aotearoa New Zealand cannot remain a bystander to the slaughter of innocent people in Gaza.
“I was on a peace flotilla for Gaza almost ten years ago and it pains me to still see the need for one all these years later.
“If we stand for human rights and peace and justice, our Parliament must act. The New Zealand Government must sanction Israel and can do so by supporting Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill. All we need is the support of six Government MPs to make this happen.
“In September, Aotearoa joined 123 UN Member States to support a resolution calling for sanctions against those responsible for Israel’s ‘unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in relation to settler violence.’
“Our Government has since done nothing to fulfil that commitment. Our Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill starts that very basic process.
“The Green Party stands with the Madleen and will continue to fight for the people of Palestine,” says Marama Davidson.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
In 2016, Marama Davidson was a part of the Women’s Boat to Gaza which brought awareness to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and highlighted the crucial role of women in keeping their communities afloat, particularly in post-conflict situations.
Standing Order 288 outlines the process for Member’s Bills to bypass the member’s bill ballot (colloquially known as the ‘biscuit tin’), with the support of 61 non-executive members. With 55 Opposition members now officially in support of Swarbrick’s Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill, the support of just 6 Government MPs are necessary to get the Bill onto the floor of Parliament.
In the tenth emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly on 18 September 2024, NZ joined 123 other member states in supporting United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/24 “Advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and from the illegality of Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.
This resolution affirmed the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice regarding Israel’s actions and presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, called upon all states to comply with their obligations under international law, and, amongst other actions, called upon all States to implement sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, against natural and legal persons engaged in the maintenance of Israel’s unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in relation to settler violence.
This Bill implements a sanctions framework, duplicating the Russia Sanctions Act, to allow sanctions to be imposed by the Government against Israel in response to Israel’s unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The Bill implements some initial sanctions against Israeli Ministers, Israeli MPs who have supported the occupation, and military leadership, as well as sanctions on assets and services relating to arms and assets and services that are of economic or strategic importance to Israel.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Russian air defenses shot down 131 Ukrainian drones in the last 24 hours, including 73 devices outside the air defense zone, the Defense Ministry said on Sunday.
The ministry further said that the drones were destroyed over the Tula, Bryansk, Kaluga, Oryol, Belgorod, Kursk, and Moscow regions as well as Crimea.
Southern District Police issued numerous infringements and ordered multiple vehicles off the road over the weekend in an operation targeting antisocial road user behaviour.
In an operation running over Friday and Saturday nights (6-7 June), Police pulled over 161 vehicles, 54 were sent for inspection, issued 12 green stickers and 16 pink stickers. Police were out in force across the Invercargill area, working to disrupt gatherings and target illegal activity.
The enforcement action was supported by VTNZ, and the operation consisted of Police staff from the Impairment Prevention Team, the Road Policing Group, and Commercial Vehicle Safety Team.
Southland Area Road Policing Manager Senior Sergeant Scott MacKenzie says district staff pulled together and worked hard over the weekend to curb any illegal behaviour and keep our communities safe.
“The number of vehicles ordered off the road really surprised us; coupled with the fact that only eight of the 54 vehicles inspected were found without any faults.
“In total the teams stopped 161 vehicles, of which those with numerous and or serious faults came in at 33.5 percent – one third of all cars stopped should not have been on the road,” Senior Sergeant MacKenzie said.
“We’ve been very clear – we have no tolerance for this behaviour and the havoc it wreaks in our communities.
Senior Sergeant MacKenzie said he and his colleagues are “all too familiar” with the devastating impacts that can occur when driving recklessly or at speed, along with the fact that many of these vehicles are unsafe to travel in.
“We’re the ones having to visit families and deliver awful news about their loved ones being involved in serious incidents resulting in injury or death.
“That’s what motivates us. We don’t want to be the people having to deliver that news. It’s absolutely tragic, and absolutely avoidable.
“Police are sending a message to anyone participating in antisocial road user behaviour – we are ready and waiting, and you can expect us to take action.”
We continue to encourage anyone who witnesses this type of activity to report it to Police.
Please call 111 if it is happening now, or you can make a report after the fact through our 105 service.
If you have information you’d like to share anonymously, please call Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 9, 2025.
Israeli forces intercept Gaza freedom aid boat Madleen – cut communications Pacific Media Watch Contact has been lost with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla humanitarian aid boat Madleen after Israeli commandos intercepted it in international waters. The commandos demanded that everyone on board turn off their phones, and the boat lost contact with Al Jazeera Mubasher journalist Omar Faiad as well as its live feed, reports the
NZ homes are notorious for being cold and damp. Here are 4 ways to make yours feel warmer this winter Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Tookey, Professor of Construction Management, Auckland University of Technology New Zealand has just been hit by the first big cold snap of 2025 and, like every year, many New Zealanders will be reaching for an extra jumper, slippers and maybe a blanket to try and keep
2-million-year-old pitted teeth from our ancient relatives reveal secrets about human evolution Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Towle, Research Fellow in Biological Anthropology, Monash University Ian Towle / The Conversation The enamel that forms the outer layer of our teeth might seem like an unlikely place to find clues about evolution. But it tells us more than you’d think about the relationships between
Curious Kids: Why do dolphins jump out of the water? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharina J. Peters, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Will Falcon/Shutterstock Why do dolphins jump out of the water? Charlize, age 8, Melbourne Have you ever seen images of dolphins jumping out of the waves and performing impressive acrobatics in the air? Or maybe you’ve seen
How Trump’s trade war is supercharging the fast fashion industry Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mona Mashhadi Rajabi, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Technology Sydney Jade Gao/Getty Images When US President Donald Trump introduced sweeping new tariffs on Chinese imports the goal was to bring manufacturing back to American soil and protect local jobs. However, this process of re-shoring is complex and
Can Israel still claim self-defence to justify its Gaza war? Here’s what the law says Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donald Rothwell, Professor of International Law, Australian National University On October 7 2023, more than 1,000 Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel and went on a killing spree, murdering 1,200 men, women and children and abducting another 250 people to take back to Gaza. It was the
Measles cases are surging globally. Should children be vaccinated earlier? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meru Sheel, Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases, Immunisation and Emergencies (IDIE) Group, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney EyeEm Mobile GmbH/Getty Images Measles has been rising globally in recent years. There were an estimated 10.3 million cases worldwide in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022. Outbreaks
What can you do if you don’t like your child’s friends? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachael Murrihy, Director, The Kidman Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney Getty Images/ Wander Woman Collective Many parents will be familiar with this situation: your child has a good or even best friend, but you don’t like them. Perhaps the friend is bossy, has poor
Immortality at a price: how the promise of delaying death has become a consumer marketing bonanza Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Errmann, Senior Lecturer, Marketing & International Business, Auckland University of Technology Living forever has become the wellness and marketing trend of the 2020s. But cheating death – or at least delaying it – will come at a price. What was once the domain of scientists and
Why bystanders defend bad behaviour at work — even when they know it’s wrong Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zhanna Lyubykh, Assistant Professor, Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University Rather than intervening, supporting targets or reporting the misconduct, bystanders may downplay it, withdraw support or even blame the target, which ultimately reinforces the mistreatment. (Shutterstock) “You always mess things up. Why are you even on
Phil Goff: Israel doesn’t care how many innocent people it’s killing in Gaza COMMENTARY: By Phil Goff “What we are doing in Gaza now is a war of devastation: indiscriminate, limitless, cruel and criminal killing of civilians. It’s the result of government policy — knowingly, evilly, maliciously, irresponsibly dictated.” This statement was made not by a foreign or liberal critic of Israel but by the former Prime Minister
New Zealand’s foreign policy stance on Palestine lacks transparency COMMENTARY: By John Hobbs It is difficult to understand what sits behind the New Zealand government’s unwillingness to sanction, or threaten to sanction, the Israeli government for its genocide against the Palestinian people. The United Nations, human rights groups, legal experts and now genocide experts have all agreed it really is “genocide” which is being
The blow-up between Elon Musk and Donald Trump has been entertaining, but how did things go so bad, so fast? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Maher, Lecturer in Politics, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney A no-holds-barred and very public blow-up between the world’s richest man and the president of the United States has had social media agog in recent days, with each making serious accusations against the
Gaza plea: RSF, CPJ and 150+ media outlets call on Israel to open Strip to foreign journalists, protect Palestinian reporters Pacific Media Watch More than 150 press freedom advocacy groups and international newsrooms have joined Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in issuing a public appeal demanding that Israel grant foreign journalists immediate, independent and unrestricted access to the Gaza Strip. The organisations are also calling for the full protection
HONG KONG, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MoneyHero Limited (NASDAQ: MNY) (“MoneyHero” or the “Company”), a leading personal finance aggregation and comparison platform, as well as a digital insurance brokerage provider in Greater Southeast Asia, today announced a strategic collaboration with OSL Group Limited (HKEX: 863) (“OSL”), Asia’s leading regulated digital asset platform, to expand its digital asset wealth product offerings. This collaboration marks a key step as MoneyHero expands its wealth products offerings in Hong Kong to include digital asset-related services provided by Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (“SFC”)-licensed institutions, aiming to enhance financial wellbeing for consumers in Hong Kong.
Through this collaboration, MoneyHero users can compare digital asset account products offered by leading SFC-licensed platforms like OSL, alongside insurance, stock, and bank account products, empowering them to make smarter and more informed financial decisions with a broader range of product choices. Hong Kong’s growing interest in digital assets reflects increasing demand for diversified financial solutions. According to data from Investor and Financial Education Council (IFEC)1, a subsidiary of the SFC, 8% of retail investors in Hong Kong invested in virtual assets and related products in 2023, up from just 1% in 2019, while 11% of retail investors showed intention to invest in these products – reflecting the growing direct participation and interest that MoneyHero and OSL are addressing.
Rohith Murthy, CEO of MoneyHero, said: “We are thrilled to work with OSL, a recognised leader in the regulated digital asset space in Asia. This collaboration reflects our unique value proposition and position as the leading digital acquisition partner for the majority of banks across Greater Southeast Asia, which we are leveraging to extend our offerings into the digital asset space. We are committed to providing our users with comprehensive financial solutions and access to emerging asset classes in a responsible and informed manner. OSL’s strong regulatory compliance and institutional expertise provide valuable support for our expansion into the sector, where we also see significant potential to broaden our offerings in the future.”
Jack Derong, CMO of OSL, said: “We are delighted to join forces with MoneyHero, an established and trusted platform across Southeast Asia. We believe that providing accessible and regulated pathways to digital assets is crucial for the industry’s sustainable growth. MoneyHero’s extensive user network and transparent and reliable comparison tools will empower a wider audience with the knowledge and access to participate in the digital asset economy with confidence.”
About MoneyHero Group
MoneyHero Limited (NASDAQ: MNY) is a leading personal finance aggregation and comparison platform, as well as a digital insurance brokerage provider in Greater Southeast Asia. The Company operates in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines. Its brand portfolio includes B2C platforms MoneyHero, SingSaver, Money101, Moneymax and Seedly, as well as the B2B platform Creatory. The Company also retains an equity stake in Malaysian fintech company, Jirnexu Pte. Ltd., parent company of Jirnexu Sdn. Bhd., the operator of RinggitPlus, Malaysia’s largest operating B2C platform. MoneyHero had over 290 commercial partner relationships as at 31 December 2024, and had approximately 6.2 million Monthly Unique Users across its platform for the three months ended 31 December 2024. The Company’s backers include Peter Thiel—co-founder of PayPal, Palantir Technologies, and the Founders Fund—and Hong Kong businessman, Richard Li, the founder and chairman of Pacific Century Group. To learn more about MoneyHero and how the innovative fintech company is driving APAC’s digital economy, please visit www.MoneyHeroGroup.com.
About OSL Group OSL Group (HKEX: 863.HK) is a leading global financial infrastructure platform bridging traditional finance and the digital asset economy through blockchain technology. The Group is dedicated to providing efficient, seamless, and regulatory-compliant financial services to individuals and businesses worldwide.
OSL delivers a comprehensive suite of regulated services through its licensed platforms, including 24/7 OTC brokerage with deep liquidity fiat gateways and competitive pricing; omnibus brokerage solutions enabling traditional financial institutions to integrate digital assets; SOC 2 Type 2-certified custody with up to US$1 billion insurance protection; and compliant retail trading channels; wealth management solutions, including scheduled launches on tokenised treasuries and RWAs; and in preparation for cross-border payment infrastructure via OSL Pay.
“Open, Secure, Licensed” are the principles OSL lives by. OSL is expanding its compliant infrastructure across Japan, Australia, and Europe, potentially Southeast Asia, powering the next generation of global financial infrastructure.
For OSL inquiries, please contact: OSL Media Team media@osl.com
Disclaimer
The Company and its subsidiaries do not hold any license issued by the SFC and do not engage in any regulated activities as defined under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong). This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute, nor is it intended to constitute, an offer or invitation to provide any securities, investment, or other regulated services to the public in Hong Kong.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
American-turned-“Chinese son-in-law” Adrian Brill left a teaching job in Chengdu to become a pizza maker in the quiet village of Nanxingan, nestled at the foot of the Huangshan Mountains in Anhui Province. In 2017, he and his wife moved to her hometown of Huangshan City. “This is a chance to build the life I’ve always wanted, which is to live in greater harmony with nature, community, and personal well-being,” he said.
“Chinese Son-in-Law” Adrien Makes Pizza with Fermented Maotofu Bean Curd (Source: Screenshot from video)
In 2021, Adrien gained attention for sharing his home-style and rustic cuisine on social media and opened a local pizzeria. “I didn’t choose the restaurant business, the business chose me,” he says. His signature pizzas are two types that combine unique Anhui flavors: the savory Chinese snapper and the fermented tofu (maotofu). “It’s not just food, it’s a cultural exchange. My family is half American and half Chinese, and the most beautiful thing is what’s born between the two cultures,” he says. Today, Adrien is not only a chef but also a mentor to the neighborhood’s youth, giving him a sense of belonging to different identities that lie at the intersection of Chinese and Western food cultures.
