Admits Lying to Receive Sick Leave Pay While Concurrently Working for Another Employer During the Pandemic
WASHINGTON — Matthew Hong, 28, of Middlesex, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to making false statements in connection with sick leave compensation that he received from his federal government employer when he was not sick but instead working remotely for a private company during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Supervisory Official Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office, Criminal and Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).
Hong pleaded guilty to one count of false statements and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 17. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, Hong was an economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) within the U.S. Department of Labor from April 2020 until July 2023. At BLS, Hong worked on the Current Employment Statistics program within the National Estimates Branch that produced, among other things, the monthly estimates of nonfarm employment numbers. In that role Hong had access to certain Principal Federal Economic Indicators (PFEI), such as the employment and unemployment numbers, several days prior to their public disclosure. This information was subject to strict security procedures and safeguards due to the PFEI’s sensitivity and ability to affect financial markets if prematurely disclosed.
Beginning in June 2022, and while still employed at BLS and working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong began full-time employment at a global financial institution headquartered in New York City, as a senior associate in a group that analyzed and developed macroeconomic scenarios used in the company’s forecasting. As part of his job at the financial institution, Hong developed economic narratives and forecasts that involved multiple macroeconomic variables.
On at least 55 different occasions between June 2022 and July 2023, Hong made entries in BLS’s time and attendance system that falsely represented that he was sick on a given workday and sought sick leave compensation from BLS when, in fact, he was not sick but instead was working for the private financial institution. Based on these false statements, Hong received over $13,300 in sick leave compensation from BLS.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and DOL-OIG. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rami Sibay for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Matthew F. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Rakoczy and Maria Vento provided substantial assistance with the investigation and prosecution.
Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
Bipartisan bill would allow law enforcement officers to use new non-lethal technologies to de-escalate interactions
WASHINGTON—United States Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) today reintroduced the bipartisan Innovate to De-Escalate Modernization Act, legislation that would give law enforcement the resources they need to responsibly crack down on crime.
Current law discourages law enforcement from utilizing important new less-than-lethal technologies, such as long-range tasers, by failing to clearly distinguish these devices from traditional firearms. The Innovate to De-Escalate Modernization Act is a technical fix, adding a “less-than-lethal projectile device” category to federal law and creating a statutory test to classify these devices. The new legislation supports law enforcement and community safety by permitting only true less-than-lethal devices, while screening out devices not intended to be less-than-lethal.
“It is crucial that police officers and sheriff’s deputies are equipped with the best available technology to keep Americans safe,” said Senator Hagerty. “Our brave law enforcement officers put their lives in danger every shift, and I’m pleased to introduce this legislation that will ensure they have access to the most effective tools to de-escalate dangerous situations.”
“Giving law enforcement the tools they need to safely de-escalate situations is important to keeping both our officers and communities safe,” saidSenator Gallego. “Right now, red tape is making it harder for police departments, especially smaller ones, to access less-than-lethal technology, making encounters more dangerous and potentially deadly. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan bill to give police departments of all sizes the technology to protect communities without resorting to deadly force.” The Law Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Modernization Act provides:
Law enforcement with effective, less-than-lethal alternatives to firearms in high-risk situations. When officers have access to the full range of response options American innovators have created, they are better equipped to de-escalate confrontations without taking undue risks.
An effective means of response for law enforcement to save lives while ensuring that communities are not exposed to unnecessary risks.
The legislation is endorsed by:
Fraternal Order of Police
African American Mayors Association
Major City Chiefs Association
Major County Sheriffs
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement
Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association
Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) was ranked 6th in effectiveness out of 49 Republican senators during the 118th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking.
Last Congress, Fischer championed and successfully passed nine bills into law, outlined below. Several more of Senator Fischer’s bills received action in committee. Fischer also secured more than three dozen provisions in the Fiscal Year (FY) 24 and FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This included improving the Department of Defense’s management of electronic warfare capabilities, establishing a program of record for the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile, and establishing programs to help resolve our munitions production crisis.
“I’ve been elected and re-elected to the Senate three times to get things done for Nebraska. That’s exactly what I did last Congress by passing bills to support law enforcement, restore land to local ownership, strengthen America’s nuclear deterrent, and more. I pledge to continue championing commonsense solutions to make life better, safer, and more prosperous for Nebraskans and our great nation,”said Fischer.
Here is a summary of the bills Fischer successfully passed into law during the 118th Congress:
Recruit and Retain Act: Addresses staffing shortages nationwide by enhancing law enforcement agencies’ access to federal hiring tools.
Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act of 2023: Creates a path for military veterans to obtain their commercial driver’s licenses more easily, helping them transition from military service to civilian careers.
Restoring American Deterrence Act of 2024: Overhauls U.S. nuclear preparedness and enacts key updates to America’s strategic posture. Contains multiple provisions to ensure that the U.S. can continue to deter China and Russia.
REEF Act: Protects railroad employees by ending government mandated cuts to their unemployment and sickness benefits once and for all.
Advanced Aviation Act: Establishes an Advanced Aviation Steering Committee to improve rulemaking and better coordinate new technologies entering the aviation space. Sustain Regional Air Travel Act: Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate the pilot shortage’s impact on rural, regional carriers and recommend concrete ways to address the constraints.
Winnebago Land Transfer Act: Transfers approximately 1,600 acres of land back to the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska that was seized in the 1970s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Swanson and Hugh Butler Reservoirs Land Conveyance Act: Transfers the Bureau of Reclamation (BoR) Swanson Reservoir land to Hitchcock County and the BoR Red Willow Reservoir land to Frontier County.
National Advisory Committee on Indian Education Improvement (NACIE) Improvement Act: Gives Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) greater input over federal funding discussions that impact them by requiring at least one of NACIE’s members be the president of a Tribal College or University.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Jack Reed (D-RI), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), led ten of their Senate colleagues, including Senator Angus King, in sending a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., urging the Trump Administration to reverse course on the recently reported elimination of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) workforce. As a result of the Administration’s reduction of about 10,000 employees from HHS, the entire staff running the $4.1 billion LIHEAP, which helps millions of American households afford their heating and cooling bills, has reportedly been cut.
The federally funded LIHEAP is a crucial lifeline that helps 6.2 million low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes afford their energy bills, including those who use natural gas, propane, electricity, and home heating oil. Without this assistance, many Americans may not be able to afford their utility bills and could end up falling victim to extreme weather.
“We are concerned that the reported staff terminations will undermine the HHS’s ability to deliver this critical funding to low-income seniors and families,” the Senators wrote. “We are also concerned that the local community action agencies that help enroll qualified beneficiaries could be weakened by other actions and funding cuts being undertaken by HHS and the Department of Government Efficiency.”
The Senators also highlighted that the termination of the entire staff that oversees LIHEAP could hold up hundreds of millions of dollars in funding that Congress already appropriated to assist low-income Americans.
“As you know, our states are expecting HHS to release nearly $400 million in FY25 funding later this month. Any delay in providing this funding will set back efforts to provide summer cooling grants, weatherize low-income homes, and plan for the next winter heating season,”the Senators continued.
HHS has already released 90 percent of those federal funds to state partners. The remaining 10 percent, almost $400 million, used by states to pay for summer cooling, and emergency funding for households that need additional assistance and weatherization, cannot be released until HHS determines the state-by-state allocation. Now, it’s unclear how the remaining funds could be disbursed to the states.
“Access to affordable home energy is a matter of health and safety for many low-income households, children, and seniors. To that end, we urge you to reverse course on any staffing or funding cuts that would jeopardize the distribution of these funds to our constituents,”the Senators concluded.
Senators Collins, Reed, and Murkowski led the successful effort to provide a total of $4.1 billion for LIHEAP this fiscal year, with $4 billion through appropriations and $100 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.
In addition to Senators Collins, Reed, Murkowski, and King, the letter was signed by Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Edward Markey (D-MA) Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM).
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ajear Anthony Miller-Carter, age 24, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 46 months in prison by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Miller-Carter pleaded guilty on September 24, 2024, to one count of possessing a firearm by a prohibited person. On August 30, 2021, in Union County, police officers initiated a traffic stop of a car in which Miller-Carter was a passenger. During the stop, officers searched the car and found marijuana, a digital scale, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded Taurus PT111G2 9MM pistol with an extended magazine. Officers discovered Miller-Carter, a previously convicted felon, had an active warrant for his arrest and took him into custody wherein he admitted the 9MM pistol was his. Police subsequently learned that the firearm was stolen.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Harrisburg Police Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.
This case was part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jesus Rene Villa, 31, of Tucson, was sentenced on March 25, 2025, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 36 months in prison. Villa pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon on January 8, 2025.
On March 1, 2024, Tucson Police Department officers searched Villa’s vehicle after arresting him for previously fleeing from law enforcement. During the search, officers located a loaded firearm in a black duffel bag on the back seat. An investigation revealed that Villa was a four-time convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) then assumed responsibility for the case in collaboration with the Tucson Police Department as part of the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP).
The National PSP was established by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide an innovative framework to enhance federal support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution authorities in enhancing public safety. PSP began as a pilot program, the Violence Reduction Network, in 2014 and is designed to promote interagency coordination by leveraging specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources to promote public and community safety. PSP serves as a DOJ-wide program that enables participating sites to consult with and receive expedited, coordinated training and technical assistance, and an array of resources from DOJ to enhance local public safety strategies. This model enables DOJ to provide jurisdictions of different sizes and diverse needs with data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to build their capacities to address violent crime challenges. PSP has engaged with more than 60 sites since the program’s inception.
The ATF and Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Caroline Allen, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01319-TUC-RCC RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-049_Villa
McALLEN, Texas – A 23-year-old Mexican national has admitted to alien smuggling resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jose Guadalupe Antonio-Arredondo admitted to assisting in the smuggling of an illegal alien July 12, 2024, by acting as a river guide. He guided the illegal alien and a brush guide across the river and to the border wall before he returned to Mexico.
The brush guide and illegal alien continued on and crossed the wall. However, after doing so, the alien had trouble breathing and ultimately collapsed. The brush guide abandoned him in the brush and ran to a nearby house to attempt to conceal herself from law enforcement.
Law enforcement later found the alien and arranged transportation to the hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased July 17, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane accepted the plea and set sentencing for June 20. At that time, Antonio-Arredondo faces up to life in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
“Human smuggling is a dangerous enterprise, one that doesn’t care about the lives or well-being of those that are being smuggled,” said Ganjei. “The loss of life in this incident is yet another example of why it is so vital to discourage people from risking their lives trying to enter this country illegally.”
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Kirtan Patel (24, India) to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Patel entered a guilty plea on December 18, 2024.
According to the plea agreement and court records, between May 22 and 24, 2024, Patel communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The child, however, was an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent. Patel engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the undercover agent. Ultimately, Patel was arrested when he traveled to a location in Marion County to engage in sexual activity with the child. Patel was not lawfully present in the United States at the time of the events of this case.
“This predator engaged in sexually explicit online conversations and devised a plan to meet a minor for sexual activity, actions that could have had devastating consequences,” said Homeland Security Investigation Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “HSI and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office are unwavering in our commitment to protecting our children for sexual predators who seek to destroy their futures.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment yesterday charging an illegal alien with possessing a firearm.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement, and Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Renan Josue Rodriguez-Rodriguez, age 29, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with possessing a firearm on March 16, 2024, in Jefferson County, Kentucky knowing he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by HSI, ATF, and ICE ERO.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Gomez is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On January 13, 2025, a 44-year-old District resident, D.W., died after being shot by the police. The officers responded to a call for a man armed with a gun, and encountered D.W., who brandished a handgun at them.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the MPD Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, security camera footage, BWC footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, autopsy results, and reports from MPD.
According to the evidence, at about 4:39 a.m., on January 13, 2025, members of the Metropolitan Police Department were summoned to a building in the 300 block of Florida Avenue, N.E., in response to a 911 call for a man with a gun. Upon their arrival, the police were advised that an occupant of the building was armed with a handgun and that he had fired a shot at an employee of the building. The employee advised the police that the man was still in the building. The police began to canvass the building. The eventually encountered the man – later identified as D.W. – near an elevator bank on the second floor. D.W. brandished a handgun, pointed it at the police, and then retreated into an elevator. D.W. emerged from the elevator a few minutes later at the lobby level with the gun now in his pocket. When officers attempted to stop D.W. as he tried to leave the building, D.W. retrieved the handgun from his pocket and a struggle ensued. The police ultimately discharged their service weapons and fatally wounded D.W.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers willfully violated D.W.’s rights.
Investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ISRAEL MENDOZA, also known as “D-Nice” and “Israel Mandosa,” 45, formerly of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin and cocaine into Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force began investigating a Hartford area narcotics trafficking operation that involved the use of the U.S. Mail to ship parcels of drugs and drug proceeds. Investigators determined that Mendoza supplied Michael Copeland, of Bloomfield, with large quantities of cocaine, and that Copeland, at Mendoza’s direction, mailed parcels containing cash to individuals in California. In September and October, U.S. Postal Inspectors in California intercepted and seized two parcels, each containing approximately $13,000 in cash, that Copeland mailed in Connecticut to addresses in the Fresno area. Investigators analyzed postal records and identified dozens of additional parcels connected to this drug trafficking network that are suspected to have contained narcotics or drug proceeds.
In February 2019, investigators seized a parcel containing nearly 500 grams of cocaine that had been mailed from California to a Bloomfield residence that was connected to Copeland.
Mendoza worked with others, including Neliobet DeJesus and Danny Rhodes, in the Hartford area to distribute heroin and cocaine. During the investigation, after DeJesus had moved to Orlando, Florida, investigators identified a mail parcel that was destined for a residence in Orlando that was linked to DeJesus. A court authorized search of the parcel revealed approximately 500 grams of cocaine and approximately five grams of fentanyl.
On October 31, 2019, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Mendoza, Copeland, DeJesus, and Rhodes with narcotics trafficking offenses. Mendoza remained a fugitive until his arrest on August 14, 2023, in California.
On October 1, 2024, Mendoza pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin and cocaine. He has been detained since his arrest.
Copeland, DeJesus and Rhodes previously pleaded guilty. On December 8, 2021, Rhodes was sentenced to 87 months of imprisonment; on December 16, 2021, Copeland was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment; and on March 7, 2022, DeJesus was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, including members from the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Connecticut State Police, and Hartford Police Department assisted the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
CONCORD – After a 3-day trial,a Webster woman was convicted by a federal jury for illegally possessing two rifles as a prohibited person, Acting United States Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Michelle Stewart, 53, was convicted of one count of possession of firearms by a prohibited person. United States District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for July 11, 2025.
On April 27, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Webster, New Hampshire and recovered numerous firearms, including one AR-style rifle and one AK-style rifle.
As the investigation continued, law enforcement officers searched the contents of cell phones and observed a picture, dated July 4, 2021, which showed the defendant in front of her residence holding an AR-style rifle. They also observed several pictures, dated March 20, 2022, which showed the defendant in the kitchen of her residence holding an AK-style rifle.
The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the investigation. The Weare Police Department, the Webster Police Department, the Boscawen Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cesar Vega and Geoff Ward are prosecuting the case.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)
WASHINGTON, DC—Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY), Mike Turner (R-OH), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), and John Rutherford (R-FL) today introduced the Reentry Act, bipartisan legislation that empowers states to restore access to healthcare, including addiction and mental health treatment, through Medicaid for incarcerated individuals up to 30 days before their release. Representative Tonko, Turner, Pettersen, and Rutherford are joined by over 60 original cosponsors in introducing this legislation.
Their bill addresses alarming data showing that individuals released from incarceration are up to 129 times more likely to die of a drug overdose during the first two weeks after release.
“The overdose crisis has touched communities of every state across the nation, and few are at greater risk than those individuals returning home from incarceration,” Congressman Tonko, Co-chair of the Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery (ATR) Caucus said. “By restarting benefits for Medicaid-eligible Americans prior to release, our bipartisan Reentry Act takes swift, needed action to combat the disease of addiction and bring targeted treatment to the people who most need it. In short, our bill will save lives, lower costs, and reduce recidivism. I urge Congress to join us in advancing the Reentry Act without delay to combat the disease of addiction and provide hope to our communities.”
“Too many individuals leaving incarceration face overwhelming challenges, with recidivism and overdose rates alarmingly high in the weeks following release,”said Congressman Turner.“The Reentry Act is a bipartisan solution that allows states to restore Medicaid coverage 30 days before release, ensuring access to critical substance abuse treatment and healthcare during this vulnerable transition. By providing continuity of care, we can save lives, reduce repeat offenses, and help communities in Ohio and across the country fight the opioid epidemic. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this commonsense legislation.”
“Throughout my time in law enforcement, I saw many individuals reoffend time and time again as they struggled to break the cycle of substance abuse,”said Rutherford (R-FL-05).“Continuity of care for those leaving the prison system is important to help reduce instances of overdose deaths, suicides, and drug related crimes following reentry. That’s why I’m proud to join my bipartisan colleagues in supporting these important programs that help individuals who are released from prison to receive the mental health and addiction treatment they need right before and after they are released from incarceration. This legislation is smart on crime, saves lives, and reduces recidivism.”
The Reentry Act:
Restarts benefits for Medicaid-eligible incarcerated individuals 30 days pre-release
Makes it easier for states to provide effective addiction treatment and services, allowing for smoother transitions to community care and a reduced risk of overdose deaths post-release
Does not change WHO is eligible for Medicaid or CHIP coverage, just ensures a warm handoff back for those already eligible.
A fact sheet on the reentry act can be foundHERE.
More than 130 groups support the Reentry Act, including:
A Little Piece of Light, Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope, ACOG, Activate Your Life inc, Addiction Policy Forum, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, American Civil Liberties Union, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Correctional Association (ACA), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association Services, Alliance for Rights and Recovery, American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD), Association for Behavioral Healthcare, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Benevolence Farm, Big Cities Health Coalition, Black Male Initiative, BrainFutures, Breakthrough Alliance of Colorado, CADCA, Center for Justice and Human Dignity, Central Ohio Restored Citizens Collaborative, Christian Love Agency, Coalition on Human Needs, Community Catalyst, Community Oriented Correctional Health Services, DC Peace Team, Drug Policy Alliance, Each One Teach One Reentry Fellowship, EvergreenDaley, Exchanging Pathways, EX-incarcerated People Organizing (EXPO) of Wisconsin, Fabian Consulting Inc., Fair and Just Prosecution, Families Inspiring Reentry & Reunification 4 Everyone, Florida Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants, Florida Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee, Foundation for California Community Colleges, From the Block to the Boardroom, Future Stars of Tomorrow, Gateway Alliance Project, Grays House, Hinda Institute, HIV Medicine Association, Honest Jobs, HOPE for Prisoners, Illinois Alliance for Reentry and Justice, Indivior, InnerMission, Inseparable, Just Detention International, Just Future Project, Justice in Aging, JustLeadershipUSA, JustUS Coordinating Council, KLN Consulting LLC, Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime & Incarceration (LEL), Legal Action Center, Los Angeles Reentry Health Advisory Collaborative, Major County Sheriffs (MCSA), MATTERS Network, Mental Health America, Mississippi Impact Coalition, My Meta ReEntry Services, Inc., My Sisters Reunited Reentry Services Inc, NACo, NAMI Huntington, NASTAD, Nation Outside, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Association of Social Workers, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Association for Behavioral Healthcare, National Black Harm Reduction Network (NBHRN), National Health Care for the Homeless Council, National League for Nursing, National League of Cities, National Nurses United, National Sheriffs Association, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, New Beginnings Reentry Services, Inc, Overdose Prevention Initiative, Petey Greene Program, Phoenix House NY, Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative, PrEP4All, Presbyterian Healthcare Services (PHS) of New Mexico, Prison Cells To PH.D., (P2P), Rainbow Connections LGBTQIA, REACH Medical Ithaca NY, Reason for Hope, Rebuild, Overcome, and Rise (ROAR) Center at the University of MD, Baltimore, Reentry Ready, Reentry Working Group, Reflections of a Reformed You (RoarYOU), Reframe Health and Justice, ReNforce, Reproductive Justice Inside, Restored Citizens FAITH Foundation, Returning Artists Guild, Safer Foundation, Settling Our Differences, Skillsets for life consulting LLC, Solution Partners, St. Vincent de Paul Southwest Idaho Reentry Services, Survivors for Solutions, Süt&Tye luxury services llc, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, The AIDS Institute, The Change Up: Midnight Coalition, The First 72+, The Justice Policy Institute, The Liberation Foundation, The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, The Productive Offenders of Society Foundation, The Returning Artist Guild, Treatment Communities of America, United Men of Color, Unlock Higher Education, Urban Community Unity Solutions LLC (U.C.U.S.), Vermont Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants, Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition, Victory House for Women, Virginia Justice Alliance, Vital Strategies, We Are Revolutionary, Why not prosper, Women on the Rise, WorkingGroup512, Young People in Recovery, Youth First Justice Collaborative
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Federal Firearm Licensee Act to update the laws governing licensed firearm dealers for the first time in over 30 years. Current laws inadequately meet the business, technological and cultural realities of the 21st century, ultimately insulating rogue firearms dealers from law enforcement.
“While the gun industry profits $9 billion each year with deadlier and more advanced weapons, the gun lobby obstructs any updates to our laws,” said Rep. Kelly, Vice Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. “It is long-past time we bring our gun safety laws into the 21st century. It is simply commonsense for every gun dealer to be responsible for their product and ensure they do not unwittingly provide guns to people with dangerous intentions.”
“Our existing laws allow far too many guns to find their way into the hands of individuals who pose a threat to our communities. I’m teaming up with Congresswoman Kelly to introduce the Federal Firearm Licensee Act to ensure that people who shouldn’t have guns aren’t able to get them, including by requiring licensed firearm dealers to take steps to prevent the guns in their inventory from being stolen and trafficked for use in violent crimes,” said Durbin. “Passing this legislation is just one of many actions we must take to reduce gun trafficking and address the gun violence epidemic in Illinois and across the country.”
U.S. Reps. Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Joe Morelle (NY-25), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and Seth Magaziner (RI-02) also joined Rep. Kelly in leading the Federal Firearm Licensee Act.
“Gun violence devastates every one of our communities — it is now the number one cause of death for children and teens in the United States — and as lawmakers, we have an obligation to end the epidemic and save lives,” said Rep. Dean. “We know that background checks are a crucial way we can prevent firearms from ending up in the wrong hands, but current loopholes in federal law allow individuals to buy firearms online and at gun shows without undergoing background checks. The Federal Firearm Licensee Act would close that loophole. I am grateful to Congresswoman Kelly for her partnership on this commonsense way to shield Americans from gun violence.”
“We face an epidemic of gun violence in our country—it’s well-past time we put additional safeguards on licensed gun dealers to stop dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands,” said Rep. Morelle. “I have always been a staunch advocate for holding firearms dealers accountable for their role in gun trafficking, and I’m proud to sponsor this legislation—which includes provisions of my Gun Theft Prevention Act—to help reach the common-sense goal of stopping gun violence once and for all.”
“Our outdated federal firearm licensing laws have not kept pace with the rise of rogue gun dealers and advancements in technology, which criminals exploit to obtain firearms illegally,” said Rep. Panetta. “Our legislation would take a comprehensive, commonsense approach to strengthen background checks, enhance dealer accountability, and close loopholes that allow firearms to end up in the wrong hands. I’m proud to work with Rep. Kelly to advance responsible reforms that will help curb illegal gun trafficking and improve public safety.”
“Keeping Rhode Islanders safe means making sure guns don’t end up in the wrong hands,” said Rep. Magaziner. “I’m joining my colleagues to support the Federal Firearm Licensee Act to update decades-old laws to crack down on rogue gun dealers and give law enforcement stronger tools to stop gun trafficking and violence in Ocean State and across the country.”
The Federal Firearm Licensee Act is endorsed by several leading gun safety advocacy groups including GIFFORDS, Everytown for Gun Safety, Brady United, Community Justice, March for Our Lives and Moms Demand Action.
“Every day, gun crime takes lives and hurts communities, made worse by weak, outdated laws that let firearms fall into dangerous hands,” said Emma Brown, Executive Director at GIFFORDS. “The Federal Firearm Licensee Act addresses this by modernizing our systems and closing dangerous loopholes. We thank Representative Kelly for her leadership and urge Congress to act swiftly to protect Americans from the next tragedy.”
“It’s still way too easy for shady gun dealers to exploit cracks in the system and sell guns to criminals,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “This bill would give ATF more tools to hold rogue gun dealers accountable for putting profits ahead of public safety, and we applaud Representative Kelly and Senator Durbin’s tireless work to advance it.”
“To free America from gun violence once and for all, we must address the issue at its source: the unfettered flow of guns into impacted communities,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy at Brady United. “Regulating gun sales and holding negligent and irresponsible gun dealers responsible is essential to preventing the diversion of firearms into the criminal market and addressing the gun violence epidemic. Brady thanks Representative Robin Kelly for reintroducing the Federal Firearm Licensee Act to reform the gun industry and protect our communities.”
“If we want to ensure that firearms are not sold improperly or trafficked across state lines, we must better regulate federally licensed firearms dealers,” said Adzi Vokhiwa, Vice President of Police at Community Justice. “We thank Congresswoman Kelly for introducing the Federal Firearm Licensee Act to modernize the law, better regulate the gun industry, and improve public safety.”
The Federal Firearm Licensee Act modernizes regulations for existing licensed gun dealers by:
Requiring physical security measures to prevent firearm theft.
Clarifies the standards by which licensed dealers, and their employees, are assessed for purposes of license issuance and renewal.
Repeals long-standing Appropriations Riders that have impeded enforcement of existing law by barring the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) from using funds to require licensed dealers to conduct physical firearm inventories and prohibiting the public disclosure of firearms trace data.
Increases record retention and electronic data management and sharing for background checks.
Railway and Telecom department Join Hands to make sure your lost mobile device is recovered through advance tracking capabilities Strengthening operation ‘Amanat’, RPF onboarded on CEIR portal of department of telecommunication benefiting millions of Railways passengers
CEIR portal is DoT’s crucial digital tool to recover mobile phone by blocking IMEI number, tracking and managing of lost/ stolen devices
Posted On: 03 APR 2025 7:20PM by PIB Delhi
In a significant move towards enhancing passenger experience by returning the lost/missing mobile phones, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has successfully onboarded with the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal of the Department of Telecommunication. This initiative follows the success of a pilot program in the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). The all India roll out of this program across Indian Railways would benefit millions of Railway Passengers.
In the inauguration launch and training program for CEIR portal, held today, Shri. Manoj Yadava, Director General, Railway Protection Force addressed the gathering of RPF field units while Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom) delivered the keynote address. Speaking on this landmark development, the DG RPF Shri. Manoj Yadava stated that “The collaboration of RPF with the Department of Telecommunication for operating CEIR portal marks a significant milestone in railway security. By harnessing digital technology, we aim to provide passengers with a transparent and effective mechanism to recover their lost or missing mobile phones. This initiative strengthens law enforcement capabilities and fosters greater trust among railway commuters. We remain committed to safeguarding passenger property and ensuring a secure travel experience across the railway network.”
The CEIR portal, launched by the Department of Telecommunications, is a crucial digital tool designed to recover mobile phones by blocking, tracking and managing lost or stolen devices. By leveraging this platform, RPF will now be able to render lost/missing mobile phones unusable by blocking their IMEI numbers, thereby deterring illegal possession and resale of these devices. This initiative will also facilitate the swift recovery of lost phones through advanced tracking capabilities.
RPF has been at the forefront of efforts to recover passenger property which are lost or missing in trains as well as station premises. Operation Amanat of RPF, aimed at the sole objective of returning the valuables to its rightful owners, have yielded impressive results, with RPF successfully recovering misplaced or left behind items worth ₹84.03 crores between January 2024 and February 2025 returning them to more than1.15 lakh grateful passengers. The incorporation of CEIR into railway security operations is expected to further bolster the efforts of RFP to restore misplaced or left behind mobile phones to their rightful owners.
Seamless Complaint Registration & Recovery Process
The integration of RPF with CEIR ensures a streamlined process for passengers reporting lost or stolen phones:
Complaint Registration via Rail Madad: Passengers can report lost or stolen mobile phones through the Rail Madad platform, either online or by dialling 139. If they choose not to file an FIR, they will be guided to register their complaint on the CEIR portal.
CEIR Registration by RPF: Zonal Cyber Cells of RPF will then register the complaint on the CEIR portal, entering the required details and blocking the device.
Tracking and Recovery: Once the lost phone is detected with a new SIM card, the user of the device will be advised to return it to the nearest RPF post.
Return to the Owner: The rightful owner must present supporting documents to reclaim the device.
Legal Action: In case of non-compliance, an FIR can be lodged, and the matter escalated to the District Police.
Device Unblocking: Upon recovery, the complainant can request to unblock the phone via the CEIR portal, with assistance from RPF if needed.
In May 2024, RPF began a pilot project in Northeast Frontier Railway to actively utilize the CEIR portal and to study its utility for RPF. This experiment resulted in successful recovery of numerous lost mobile phones and apprehension of individuals involved in mobile theft. With this initiative being expanded all across the country, RPF is confident that it would be able to provide faster and more efficient recovery solutions for railway passengers.
With technology-driven advancements and inter-agency collaboration, Indian Railways continues to reinforce its commitment to passenger safety, ensuring that every journey is secure and hassle-free.
‘Waqf’ has been defined as the permanent dedication by any person of any movable or immovable property for any purpose recognised by Muslim Law as pious, religious or charitable.[1]
Introduction
India has been working to regulate and protect Waqf properties, which have religious, social, and economic significance. The first major law, the Waqf Act of 1954, laid the foundation for managing these properties. Over time, laws have been updated to improve governance and prevent misuse. The Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 aims to increase transparency, strengthen management, and protect Waqf assets. These reforms follow global best practices.
The Waqf Act of 1995, enforced by the Central Government, currently regulates Waqf properties. The main administrative bodies are:
Central Waqf Council (CWC) – Advises the government and State Waqf Boards on policy but does not directly control Waqf properties.
State Waqf Boards (SWBs) – Manage and protect Waqf properties in each state.
Waqf Tribunals – Exclusive judicial bodies that handle disputes related to Waqf properties.
This system ensures better management and faster resolution of issues. Over the years, legal changes have made Waqf administration more transparent, efficient, and accountable.
An Overview of Waqf History in India
Waqf properties in India have been regulated by several laws to improve administration and prevent mismanagement:
The Mussalman Wakf Validating Act, 1913:
Allowed Muslims to create Waqfs for family benefit, eventually leading to charitable purposes.
Aimed to improve Waqf management but was not very effective.
The Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923: Introduced rules for proper accounting and transparency in Waqf management.
The Mussalman Wakf Validating Act, 1930: Strengthened the legal validity of family Waqfs, giving legal backing to the 1913 Act.
The Wakf Act, 1954:
Created State Waqf Boards (SWBs) for the first time to oversee Waqf properties.
Strengthened Waqf management after India’s independence.
Established the Central Waqf Council of India in 1964 to supervise State Waqf Boards and provided a pathway toward the centralisation of Waqfs.
This central body oversees the work under various state Waqf boards which were established under provisions of Section 9(1) of the Waqf Act, 1954.
Amendments to the Wakf Act, 1954 (1959, 1964, 1969, and 1984): These amendments aimed to further improve the administration of waqf properties.
The Waqf Act, 1995: This comprehensive Act repealed the 1954 Act and its amendments:
This was enacted to govern the administration of Waqf Properties in India.
It provides for the power and functions of the Waqf Council, the State Waqf Boards, and the Chief Executive Officer, and also the duties of mutawalli.
Created Waqf Tribunals, special courts with powers similar to civil courts.
Tribunal decisions are final and cannot be challenged in civil courts.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2013 introduced significant changes including:
Created three-member Waqf Tribunals, including a Muslim law expert.
Required two women members on each State Waqf Board.
Prohibited the sale or gifting of Waqf properties.
Increased the lease period of Waqf properties from 3 years to 30 years for better use.
Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024
Aims to modernize Waqf administration, reduce legal disputes, and improve efficiency.
Seeks to fix issues in the 1995 Act and the 2013 Amendment.
Schemes by the Ministry of Minority Affairs
The Quami Waqf Board Taraqqiati Scheme (QWBTS) and Shahari Waqf Sampatti Vikas Yojana (SWSVY) are being implemented through the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA), Government of India. These two schemes are for automation and modernization of State Waqf Boards.
Under QWBTS, Government Grants-in-Aid (GIA) is provided to State Waqf Boards through CWC for the deployment of manpower to computerize and digitize records of waqf properties and to enhance the administration of Waqf Boards.
SWSVY offers interest-free loans to Waqf Boards and institutions to develop commercial projects on Waqf properties.
Rs 23.87 crore and Rs 7.16 crore respectively were spent under QWBTS and SWSVY from 2019-20 to 2023-24.[2]
Overview of Waqf Properties in India:
As per data available on WAMSI portal 30 States/UTs and 32 Boards reported that there are 8.72 lakh properties, covering an area of more than 38 lakh acres. Out of the 8.72 lakh properties, 4.02 lakhs are Waqf by user. For remaining Waqf properties, the Ownership Rights Establishing Documents (deeds) have been uploaded on the WAMSI Portal for 9279 cases and only 1083 Waqf deeds have been uploaded.
Data on State-wise numbers and area of Waqf properties (as of September 2024)
Sr. No.
State Waqf Boards
Total No. of Properties
Total area in Acre
1
Andaman and Nicobar Waqf Board
151
178.09
2
Andhra Pradesh State Waqf Board
14685
78229.97
3
Assam Board of Waqfs
2654
6618.14
4
Bihar State (Shia) Waqf Board
1750
29009.52
5
Bihar State (Sunni) Waqf Board
6866
169344.82
6
Chandigarh Waqf Board
34
23.26
7
Chhattisgarh State Waqf Board
4230
12347.1
8
Dadra and Nagar Haveli Waqf Board
30
4.41
9
Delhi Waqf Board
1047
28.09
10
Gujarat State Waqf Board
39940
86438.95
11
Haryana Waqf Board
23267
36482.4
12
Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board
5343
8727.6
13
Jammu and Kashmir Auqaf Board
32533
350300.75
14
Jharkhand State (Sunni) Waqf Board
698
1084.76
15
Karnataka State Board of Auqaf
62830
596516.61
16
Kerala State Waqf Board
53282
36167.21
17
Lakshadweep State Waqf Board
896
143.81
18
Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board
33472
679072.39
19
Maharashtra State Board of Waqfs
36701
201105.17
20
Manipur State Waqf Board
991
10077.44
21
Meghalaya State Board of Waqfs
58
889.07
22
Odisha Board of Waqfs
10314
28714.65
23
Puducherry State Waqf Board
693
352.67
24
Punjab Waqf Board
75965
72867.89
25
Rajasthan Board of Muslim Waqfs
30895
509725.57
26
Tamil Nadu Waqf Board
66092
655003.2
27
Telangana State Waqf Board
45682
143305.89
28
Tripura Board of Waqfs
2814
1015.73
29
U.P. Shia Central Board of Waqfs
15386
20483
30
U.P. Sunni Central Board of Waqfs
217161
31
Uttarakhand Waqf Board
5388
21.8
32
West Bengal Board of Waqfs
80480
82011.84
Total
872328
3816291.788
Conclusion:
The changes in Waqf laws in India from 1913 to 2024 show a strong effort to protect and manage Waqf properties for society’s benefit while ensuring a proper administration system. Each law aimed to solve current problems while keeping the main purpose of Waqf endowments. The Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 is an important step toward making Waqf management more transparent, responsible, and inclusive.
NHRC, India takes suo motu cognisance of the reported detention of a journalist covering a protest over alleged financial irregularities in a bank in Guwahati, Assam Issues notice to the Director General of Police, Assam, calling for a detailed report within four weeks
Posted On: 03 APR 2025 5:51PM by PIB Delhi
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that on 25th March, 2025 in Guwahati, a journalist of a digital news portal was called at Panbazar police and detained after a dharna in front of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank Ltd, which he had gone to cover. Reportedly, the journalist had questioned the Managing Director of the bank on the alleged financial irregularities, though no reason was cited for his detention.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise the issue of violation of the journalist’s human rights. Therefore, it has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Government of Assam, calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks.
According to the media report, carried on 25th March, 2025, the protestors were demanding a high-level inquiry into the alleged financial irregularities in the management of the bank and strict action against those responsible.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​The third session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) and the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) (“two sessions”) were concluded successfully in March this year. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (April 3) held a seminar on learning the spirit of the “two sessions” at the Central Government Offices to enable participants to have a deeper understanding of the essence of the “two sessions” and its significance to the HKSAR.
The seminar was hosted by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee. The Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Mr Zheng Yanxiong, was invited to the seminar to share his views. The seminar was attended by more than 320 participants, including Principal Officials of the HKSAR Government, HKSAR deputies to the NPC, HKSAR members of the National Committee of the CPPCC, Members of the Executive Council and Legislative Council, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Department.
Speaking at the seminar, Director Zheng said that the HKSAR has to grasp the spirit of the “two sessions” focusing on seven aspects. They are, namely, grasping deeply the spirit of the important speech of General Secretary Xi Jinping in the “two sessions”; the significant achievements of the country on all fronts over the past year; the bright prospects in national economic and social development; the overall requirements and major tasks for economic and social development this year; the key initiatives in the government work report; the significance of amending the Law on Deputies; and the key plans for Hong Kong as highlighted by the “two sessions”.
Director Zheng also said that the government work report has pointed out boost of capacity for innovation and radiating effect of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, striving for solid progress in pursuing high-quality Belt and Road co-operation, and speeding up the process of seeking to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. These plans are closely related to Hong Kong and deserve a high degree of attention. In particular, the emphasis on “deepening international exchanges and co-operation and better integration into the national development” highlighted the importance for Hong Kong to capitalise on its advantages as an international city and to integrate into the overall national development. It highlighted the dialectical relationship between Hong Kong’s connection to the Mainland and to the world.
Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to Director Zheng for his sharing, which deepened participants’ understanding of the spirit of the “two sessions”. Mr Lee said that the Central Government firmly supports Hong Kong’s development. The Government will fully implement the spirit of the “two sessions” in its governance to continuously unite society to further deepen reforms comprehensively, proactively identify, adapt to, and drive change, pursue economic development and improve people’s livelihood, fully leverage the institutional strengths of “one country, two systems” and proactively align with national development strategies, further deepen international collaboration and proactively capitalise on Hong Kong’s role as a bridge linking the Mainland and the world. Hong Kong will vigorously develop new quality productive forces, accelerate its development into an international innovation and technology centre, further consolidate and enhance the city’s status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre, actively build an international hub for high-calibre talent, and take forward the development of the Northern Metropolis and the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone. Apart from strengthening economic and trade ties with traditional markets, Hong Kong will also deepen its exchanges and co-operation with new markets such as the Middle East, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Central Asia, contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative, and tell the good stories of China and Hong Kong.
Mr Lee encouraged government officials and various sectors of the community to continue to work hard in their respective positions and stay united to contribute to the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong and the well-being of its people, and meet the challenges ahead with greater confidence and determination to jointly build a better future for Hong Kong.
Police have charged three people and seized synthetic drugs after a search warrant execution in Pictou County.
Pictou County Integrated Street Crimes Enforcement Unit (PCISCEU) began an investigation related to a suspicious package being moved by courier. Investigation found that the package contained illicit, synthetic drugs with a delivery address in Three Brooks.
After the package was claimed, the PCISCEU executed a search warrant at an identified address on Three Brooks Rd.
During the warrant execution, which took place on March 27, officers safely arrested four people, seized fentanyl and fluorofentanyl, and recovered an enclosed trailer that was found to have been reported stolen.
Three people are facing charges related to this investigation:
Jake Bruce Murphy, 34, of Three Brooks, has been charged with Possession of a Schedule I Substance (Fentanyl) and Failure to Comply with Undertaking (three counts);
Rebecca Lynn Pitts, 48, of Three Brooks, has been charged with Possession of a Schedule I Substance (Fentanyl);
Merissa Ann Sutherland, 34, of Pictou, has been charged with Possession of Property Obtained by Crime and Failure to Comply with Undertaking (two counts).
The three were released by police on conditions pending a court appearance on June 23, 2025, at Pictou Provincial Court.
The fourth person arrested was released without charges.
Fentanyl is a potent opioid pain reliever and is 20 to 40 times more potent than heroin. More information about the dangers of fentanyl is available from Health Canada.
The investigation is ongoing and is assisted by Eastern Region Federal Serious and Organized Crime (FSOC), Nova Scotia RCMP Synthetic Drugs and Scenes Unit, Antigonish/Guysborough Street Crimes Enforcement Unit, and Pictou County District RCMP.
Note: The PCISCEU is made up of police officers from Pictou County District RCMP, Westville Police Service, and Stellarton Police Service.
News In Brief – Source: US Computer Emergency Readiness Team
Executive summary
Many networks have a gap in their defenses for detecting and blocking a malicious technique known as “fast flux.” This technique poses a significant threat to national security, enabling malicious cyber actors to consistently evade detection. Malicious cyber actors, including cybercriminals and nation-state actors, use fast flux to obfuscate the locations of malicious servers by rapidly changing Domain Name System (DNS) records. Additionally, they can create resilient, highly available command and control (C2) infrastructure, concealing their subsequent malicious operations. This resilient and fast changing infrastructure makes tracking and blocking malicious activities that use fast flux more difficult.
The National Security Agency (NSA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC), Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS), and New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NZ) are releasing this joint cybersecurity advisory (CSA) to warn organizations, Internet service providers (ISPs), and cybersecurity service providers of the ongoing threat of fast flux enabled malicious activities as a defensive gap in many networks. This advisory is meant to encourage service providers, especially Protective DNS (PDNS) providers, to help mitigate this threat by taking proactive steps to develop accurate, reliable, and timely fast flux detection analytics and blocking capabilities for their customers. This CSA also provides guidance on detecting and mitigating elements of malicious fast flux by adopting a multi-layered approach that combines DNS analysis, network monitoring, and threat intelligence.
The authoring agencies recommend all stakeholders—government and providers—collaborate to develop and implement scalable solutions to close this ongoing gap in network defenses against malicious fast flux activity.
Download the PDF version of this report: Fast Flux: A National Security Threat (PDF, 841 KB).
Technical details
When malicious cyber actors compromise devices and networks, the malware they use needs to “call home” to send status updates and receive further instructions. To decrease the risk of detection by network defenders, malicious cyber actors use dynamic resolution techniques, such as fast flux, so their communications are less likely to be detected as malicious and blocked.
Fast flux refers to a domain-based technique that is characterized by rapidly changing the DNS records (e.g., IP addresses) associated with a single domain [T1568.001].
Single and double flux
Malicious cyber actors use two common variants of fast flux to perform operations:
1. Single flux: A single domain name is linked to numerous IP addresses, which are frequently rotated in DNS responses. This setup ensures that if one IP address is blocked or taken down, the domain remains accessible through the other IP addresses. See Figure 1 as an example to illustrate this technique.
Figure 1: Single flux technique.
Note: This behavior can also be used for legitimate purposes for performance reasons in dynamic hosting environments, such as in content delivery networks and load balancers.
2. Double flux: In addition to rapidly changing the IP addresses as in single flux, the DNS name servers responsible for resolving the domain also change frequently. This provides an additional layer of redundancy and anonymity for malicious domains. Double flux techniques have been observed using both Name Server (NS) and Canonical Name (CNAME) DNS records. See Figure 2 as an example to illustrate this technique.
Figure 2: Double flux technique.
Both techniques leverage a large number of compromised hosts, usually as a botnet from across the Internet that acts as proxies or relay points, making it difficult for network defenders to identify the malicious traffic and block or perform legal enforcement takedowns of the malicious infrastructure. Numerous malicious cyber actors have been reported using the fast flux technique to hide C2 channels and remain operational. Examples include:
Bulletproof hosting (BPH) services offer Internet hosting that disregards or evades law enforcement requests and abuse notices. These providers host malicious content and activities while providing anonymity for malicious cyber actors. Some BPH companies also provide fast flux services, which help malicious cyber actors maintain connectivity and improve the reliability of their malicious infrastructure. [1]
Fast flux has been used in Hive and Nefilim ransomware attacks. [3], [4]
Gamaredon uses fast flux to limit the effectiveness of IP blocking. [5], [6], [7]
The key advantages of fast flux networks for malicious cyber actors include:
Increased resilience. As a fast flux network rapidly rotates through botnet devices, it is difficult for law enforcement or abuse notifications to process the changes quickly and disrupt their services.
Render IP blocking ineffective. The rapid turnover of IP addresses renders IP blocking irrelevant since each IP address is no longer in use by the time it is blocked. This allows criminals to maintain resilient operations.
Anonymity. Investigators face challenges in tracing malicious content back to the source through fast flux networks. This is because malicious cyber actors’ C2 botnets are constantly changing the associated IP addresses throughout the investigation.
Additional malicious uses
Fast flux is not only used for maintaining C2 communications, it also can play a significant role in phishing campaigns to make social engineering websites harder to block or take down. Phishing is often the first step in a larger and more complex cyber compromise. Phishing is typically used to trick victims into revealing sensitive information (such as login passwords, credit card numbers, and personal data), but can also be used to distribute malware or exploit system vulnerabilities. Similarly, fast flux is used for maintaining high availability for cybercriminal forums and marketplaces, making them resilient against law enforcement takedown efforts.
Some BPH providers promote fast flux as a service differentiator that increases the effectiveness of their clients’ malicious activities. For example, one BPH provider posted on a dark web forum that it protects clients from being added to Spamhaus blocklists by easily enabling the fast flux capability through the service management panel (See Figure 3). A customer just needs to add a “dummy server interface,” which redirects incoming queries to the host server automatically. By doing so, only the dummy server interfaces are reported for abuse and added to the Spamhaus blocklist, while the servers of the BPH customers remain “clean” and unblocked.
Figure 3: Example dark web fast flux advertisement.
The BPH provider further explained that numerous malicious activities beyond C2, including botnet managers, fake shops, credential stealers, viruses, spam mailers, and others, could use fast flux to avoid identification and blocking.
As another example, a BPH provider that offers fast flux as a service advertised that it automatically updates name servers to prevent the blocking of customer domains. Additionally, this provider further promoted its use of separate pools of IP addresses for each customer, offering globally dispersed domain registrations for increased reliability.
Detection techniques
The authoring agencies recommend that ISPs and cybersecurity service providers, especially PDNS providers, implement a multi-layered approach, in coordination with customers, using the following techniques to aid in detecting fast flux activity [CISA CPG 3.A]. However, quickly detecting malicious fast flux activity and differentiating it from legitimate activity remains an ongoing challenge to developing accurate, reliable, and timely fast flux detection analytics.
1. Leverage threat intelligence feeds and reputation services to identify known fast flux domains and associated IP addresses, such as in boundary firewalls, DNS resolvers, and/or SIEM solutions.
2. Implement anomaly detection systems for DNS query logs to identify domains exhibiting high entropy or IP diversity in DNS responses and frequent IP address rotations. Fast flux domains will frequently cycle though tens or hundreds of IP addresses per day.
3. Analyze the time-to-live (TTL) values in DNS records. Fast flux domains often have unusually low TTL values. A typical fast flux domain may change its IP address every 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Review DNS resolution for inconsistent geolocation. Malicious domains associated with fast flux typically generate high volumes of traffic with inconsistent IP-geolocation information.
5. Use flow data to identify large-scale communications with numerous different IP addresses over short periods.
6. Develop fast flux detection algorithms to identify anomalous traffic patterns that deviate from usual network DNS behavior.
7. Monitor for signs of phishing activities, such as suspicious emails, websites, or links, and correlate these with fast flux activity. Fast flux may be used to rapidly spread phishing campaigns and to keep phishing websites online despite blocking attempts.
8. Implement customer transparency and share information about detected fast flux activity, ensuring to alert customers promptly after confirmed presence of malicious activity.
Mitigations
All organizations
To defend against fast flux, government and critical infrastructure organizations should coordinate with their Internet service providers, cybersecurity service providers, and/or their Protective DNS services to implement the following mitigations utilizing accurate, reliable, and timely fast flux detection analytics.
Note: Some legitimate activity, such as common content delivery network (CDN) behaviors, may look like malicious fast flux activity. Protective DNS services, service providers, and network defenders should make reasonable efforts, such as allowlisting expected CDN services, to avoid blocking or impeding legitimate content.
1. DNS and IP blocking and sinkholing of malicious fast flux domains and IP addresses
Block access to domains identified as using fast flux through non-routable DNS responses or firewall rules.
Consider sinkholing the malicious domains, redirecting traffic from those domains to a controlled server to capture and analyze the traffic, helping to identify compromised hosts within the network.
Block IP addresses known to be associated with malicious fast flux networks.
2. Reputational filtering of fast flux enabled malicious activity
Block traffic to and from domains or IP addresses with poor reputations, especially ones identified as participating in malicious fast flux activity.
3. Enhanced monitoring and logging
Increase logging and monitoring of DNS traffic and network communications to identify new or ongoing fast flux activities.
Implement automated alerting mechanisms to respond swiftly to detected fast flux patterns.
Refer to ASD’s ACSC joint publication, Best practices for event logging and threat detection, for further logging recommendations.
4. Collaborative defense and information sharing
Share detected fast flux indicators (e.g., domains, IP addresses) with trusted partners and threat intelligence communities to enhance collective defense efforts. Examples of indicator sharing initiatives include CISA’s Automated Indicator Sharing or sector-based Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) and ASD’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Sharing Platform (CTIS) in Australia.
Participate in public and private information-sharing programs to stay informed about emerging fast flux tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). Regular collaboration is particularly important because most malicious activity by these domains occurs within just a few days of their initial use; therefore, early discovery and information sharing by the cybersecurity community is crucial to minimizing such malicious activity. [8]
5. Phishing awareness and training
Implement employee awareness and training programs to help personnel identify and respond appropriately to phishing attempts.
Develop policies and procedures to manage and contain phishing incidents, particularly those facilitated by fast flux networks.
For more information on mitigating phishing, see joint Phishing Guidance: Stopping the Attack Cycle at Phase One.
Network defenders
The authoring agencies encourage organizations to use cybersecurity and PDNS services that detect and block fast flux. By leveraging providers that detect fast flux and implement capabilities for DNS and IP blocking, sinkholing, reputational filtering, enhanced monitoring, logging, and collaborative defense of malicious fast flux domains and IP addresses, organizations can mitigate many risks associated with fast flux and maintain a more secure environment.
However, some PDNS providers may not detect and block malicious fast flux activities. Organizations should not assume that their PDNS providers block malicious fast flux activity automatically and should contact their PDNS providers to validate coverage of this specific cyber threat.
For more information on PDNS services, see the 2021 joint cybersecurity information sheet from NSA and CISA about Selecting a Protective DNS Service. [9] In addition, NSA offers no-cost cybersecurity services to Defense Industrial Base (DIB) companies, including a PDNS service. For more information, see NSA’s DIB Cybersecurity Services and factsheet. CISA also offers a Protective DNS service for federal civilian executive branch (FCEB) agencies. See CISA’s Protective Domain Name System Resolver page and factsheet for more information.
Conclusion
Fast flux represents a persistent threat to network security, leveraging rapidly changing infrastructure to obfuscate malicious activity. By implementing robust detection and mitigation strategies, organizations can significantly reduce their risk of compromise by fast flux-enabled threats.
The authoring agencies strongly recommend organizations engage their cybersecurity providers on developing a multi-layered approach to detect and mitigate malicious fast flux operations. Utilizing services that detect and block fast flux enabled malicious cyber activity can significantly bolster an organization’s cyber defenses.
Works cited
[1] Intel471. Bulletproof Hosting: A Critical Cybercriminal Service. 2024. https://intel471.com/blog/bulletproof-hosting-a-critical-cybercriminal-service
[2] Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre. “Bulletproof” hosting providers: Cracks in the armour of cybercriminal infrastructure. 2025. https://www.cyber.gov.au/about-us/view-all-content/publications/bulletproof-hosting-providers
[3] Logpoint. A Comprehensive guide to Detect Ransomware. 2023. https://www.logpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/logpoint-a-comprehensive-guide-to-detect-ransomware.pdf
[4] Trendmicro. Modern Ransomware’s Double Extortion Tactic’s and How to Protect Enterprises Against Them. 2021. https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/news/cybercrime-and-digital-threats/modern-ransomwares-double-extortion-tactics-and-how-to-protect-enterprises-against-them
[5] Unit 42. Russia’s Trident Ursa (aka Gamaredon APT) Cyber Conflict Operations Unwavering Since Invasion of Ukraine. 2022. https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/trident-ursa/
[6] Recorded Future. BlueAlpha Abuses Cloudflare Tunneling Service for GammaDrop Staging Infrastructure. 2024. https://www.recordedfuture.com/research/bluealpha-abuses-cloudflare-tunneling-service
[7] Silent Push. ‘From Russia with a 71’: Uncovering Gamaredon’s fast flux infrastructure. New apex domains and ASN/IP diversity patterns discovered. 2023. https://www.silentpush.com/blog/from-russia-with-a-71/
[8] DNS Filter. Security Categories You Should be Blocking (But Probably Aren’t). 2023. https://www.dnsfilter.com/blog/security-categories-you-should-be-blocking-but-probably-arent
[9] National Security Agency. Selecting a Protective DNS Service. 2021. https://media.defense.gov/2025/Mar/24/2003675043/-1/-1/0/CSI-SELECTING-A-PROTECTIVE-DNS-SERVICE-V1.3.PDF
Disclaimer of endorsement
The information and opinions contained in this document are provided “as is” and without any warranties or guarantees. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government, and this guidance shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
Purpose
This document was developed in furtherance of the authoring cybersecurity agencies’ missions, including their responsibilities to identify and disseminate threats, and develop and issue cybersecurity specifications and mitigations. This information may be shared broadly to reach all appropriate stakeholders.
Contact
National Security Agency (NSA):
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA):
All organizations should report incidents and anomalous activity to CISA via the agency’s Incident Reporting System, its 24/7 Operations Center at report@cisa.gov, or by calling 1-844-Say-CISA (1-844-729-2472). When available, please include the following information regarding the incident: date, time, and location of the incident; type of activity; number of people affected; type of equipment user for the activity; the name of the submitting company or organization; and a designated point of contact.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):
To report suspicious or criminal activity related to information found in this advisory, contact your local FBI field office or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). When available, please include the following information regarding the incident: date, time, and location of the incident; type of activity; number of people affected; type of equipment used for the activity; the name of the submitting company or organization; and a designated point of contact.
Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC):
For inquiries, visit ASD’s website at www.cyber.gov.au or call the Australian Cyber Security Hotline at 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371).
Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS):
New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NZ):
Philadelphia, PA — Members of the U.S. Marshals Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force and arrested Zayki Davis,17, at an apartment complex in the 1000 block of West Beech Street in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Davis was wanted by the Philadelphia Police Department for murder in relation to the shooting death of a 15-year-old juvenile who was riding on a Septa bus. After a verbal dispute, Davis exited the bus and fired one round into the bus which struck and killed the victim.
At approximately 12:00 p.m. April 3rd, investigators from the Marshals Fugitive Task Force in Philadelphia surrounded an apartment complex in the 1000 block of West Beech Street in Norristown PA. Marshals developed information Davis was presently in the apartment of a long-time friend and Davis had been hiding there for days. Upon entering the apartment, Davis was quickly located and arrested without incident. He was then transported back to Philadelphia Police headquarters by homicide detectives.
“Though Zayki Davis fled Philadelphia, with this task force pursuing him, his freedom was always on borrowed time,” said Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert Clark.
The Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force is a team of law enforcement officers led by U.S. Marshals in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest violent crime fugitives. Membership agencies include the Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Parole Officers, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General Agents, Immigration Customs Enforcement, Chester Police Department, Bucks County Sheriffs, and Delaware County Sheriffs.
New Haven, CT —The U.S. Marshals, working with the Connecticut State Police Tactical Unit and the Norwich Police Department, arrested in Norwich today a man wanted on numerous charges involving firearms and probation violation.
Tremaine Dowdell, 31, is charged in Connecticut with criminal attempt assault in the first degree, unlawful discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a firearm, and criminal mischief in the first degree. He is charged federally with violation of supervised release.
Following an arrest in 2019 for felon in possession of a handgun, Dowdell was put on federal probation, but he was arrested May 25, 2024, by the Providence, Rhode Island, Police Department for possession of a “ghost gun.” A federal arrest warrant was issued May 30, 2024, for Dowdell for violating his probation. Following a shooting incident in New London on June 8, 2024, another arrest warrant was issued for Dowdell.
The U.S. Marshals Service District of Connecticut Violent Fugitive Task Force was able to determine through investigation that Dowdell led a transient lifestyle throughout the New England area, but investigators recently developed information that he was hiding out at a residence in the 60 block of Boswell Avenue, where they took him into custody.
Dowdell was transported to the New London Police Department for booking.
Since the inception of the U.S. Marshals – Connecticut Violent Fugitive Task Force in 1999, these partnerships have resulted in over 11,046 arrests. The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest violent fugitives and sexual predators. Membership agencies include Hartford, Bridgeport, Norwalk, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments and Homeland Security Investigations. These arrests have ranged in seriousness from murder, assault, unregistered sex offenders, probation and parole violations and numerous other serious offenses. Nationally the U.S. Marshals Service fugitive programs are carried out with local law enforcement in 94 district offices, 85 local fugitive task forces, eight regional task forces, as well as a growing network of offices in foreign countries.
Gender was an important factor in the 2022 election: it shaped the ways the major parties packaged their policies and their leaders. Three years later, as Australians grapple with an uncertain world and a cost-of-living crisis, how might gender shape the 2025 election result?
Ideas about gender have always shaped Australian politics, although male and female political alignments have shifted over time. For example, when Sir Robert Menzies established the Liberal Party in 1944, he crafted messages to appeal to women, in contrast with the Labor Party’s blue-collar masculinity.
By the 1970s and 1980s, as more women entered the workforce and pursued further education, they became more progressive in their voting habits. This trend is evident beyond Australia (for example in the US, and in Europe and Canada).
How gender influenced the 2022 election
Women’s issues were decisive in the last federal election. The gendered impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence of Grace Tame as a fiery advocate for survivors of sexual abuse, and the Morrison government’s poor response to Brittany Higgins’ allegation of sexual assault enraged many women, who took the streets in the March for Justice in 2021.
The election was a contest of competing masculinities, between what political scientist Blair Williams calls the “state daddy” (Anthony Albanese) and the “daggy dad” (Scott Morrison). Labor targeted women with messages about “care”, while the Coalition donned high-vis and continued to pursue young men who “might vote Labor”.
The (mostly) female community independents added another new gender dynamic. Highly competent professional women who were disaffected with the Liberal party, they ran on integrity, climate action and gender equality, and won some of the Coalition’s safest seats.
The gender gap in favour of Labor in the 2022 election was driven by younger voters (18-34 years) and a strong Greens vote. Women gave the Coalition their lowest ever level of support at just 32%.
So what role might gender play in the 2025 election campaign?
First, the gender gap remains in place. Internal Liberal party polling suggests that many women have returned to the party since 2022, but most polls suggest the gender gap in favour of Labor is still at least around 2%. This gap is most pronounced among younger voters.
Second, while gender issues remain important, they are not electrifying political debate as they did in 2022. According to the latest Newspoll, neither Albanese or Dutton are especially appealing to women voters, who are shifting to the Greens. However, young women (and a majority of young people) still prefer Albanese over Dutton.
This doesn’t mean gender issues won’t play a role, though. Dutton’s threat to curtail working from home (which women especially dislike), and promises to cut public service jobs (and therefore services) might suggest that he has not yet learned the gender lessons from 2022.
Similarly, while Labor has delivered on its policy promises of improving wages in female-dominated industries, voter response to much of Labor’s first term has been tepid at best. However, Labor’s recent announcements on Medicare and bulk-billing will speak to women feeling the pinch of the cost of living crisis (according to one poll, middle aged women moved away from Labor in 2024 because of this issue.)
Third, gender is now a fault line in international politics. The resurgence of Donald Trump and his brand of “strongman” masculinity, attacks on women’s and trans rights, online polarisation, and the rise of a “manosphere” spreading (often) misogynistic messages appears to be fuelling a growing divide between young men and women. The lobby group Advance is letterboxing Australian households with leaflets arguing Labor is “Weak, Woke,[and] Sending Us Broke”. They clearly believe Trump-style campaign slogans will win over voters.
Gender polarisation was evident in the recent US election: Trump won young men by 14 points, while Harris won young women by 18 points, though many white women remained loyal to Trump.
Data from Essential suggested that while many Australians regard the Trump administration with dismay, young men (aged 18-35) are the outliers.
These men are also the demographic group most supportive of Dutton’s performance as opposition leader. The 2022 Australian Co-operative Election Study suggested that younger men were less receptive to gender equality. For example, while 70% of women agreed that “Australian society needs to do more to achieve equality between men and women”, only 51% of men agreed. Young men were by far the most hostile to this proposition, perhaps due in part to the polarised social climate of the post-#MeToo era.
Yet it is easy to overstate these gender differences: Intifar Chowdhury’s research showed that while young women are shifting leftwards, so too are young men, though at a relatively slower rate.
Gender gaps in voting intention are particularly apparent among young people. Shutterstock
A generation gap?
The 2025 election is the first where Gen Z and Millennial voters will outnumber Baby Boomers. So while gender differences might determine voting, they will intersect with socioeconomic and generational issues.
While politicians argue over the best way to address the cost of living crisis, young people have grappled with that crisis on top of life-changing HECS-HELP debts, distress over climate change, and a rise in insecure work. Home ownership, a pathway to prosperity for older generations, is out of reach for many Gen Z and Millennials: social researcher Rebecca Huntley found that more than 60% of Australians (and 75% of renters) believe the dream of home ownership is dead for young people. Is it any wonder that young people might despair about their futures?
In response to this rather bleak picture, young women have consistently turned to progressive parties. Like their feminist forebears, these women are looking to the state for rights and protections, which has long been one of the hallmarks of Australian feminism.
Many young men appear to be more sceptical of such solutions. But it is important not to overstate gender differences at a time when generational differences seem more politically salient. It will be fascinating to see if young Australians can leverage their electoral clout to force the next parliament to meaningfully address intergenerational inequality.
Michelle Arrow receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Michelle would like to thank Professor Shaun Wilson for his assistance in researching this article.
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) –South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Steven Earl Dickert, 39, of Greenville, S.C., on three charges connected to the sexual exploitation of minors. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest. Investigators with the Attorney General’s Office, also a member of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted with the investigation.
Investigators state Dickert distributed files of child sexual abuse material.
Dickert was arrested on April 1, 2025. He is charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.
This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.
Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
* Child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these heinous and abusive crimes. “Pornography” can imply the child was a consenting participant. Globally, the term child pornography is being replaced by CSAM for this reason.
Racism has no place in the EU. The Political Guidelines for the Commission 2024-2029[1] make clear that action to combat racism remains a priority and commit to proposing a new EU Anti-racism Strategy as one of the main initiatives to be taken forward.
It is for each institution to determine its own administrative organisation. Within the Commission, all services are committed to the same priorities, and work under the leadership of the President and the College of Commissioners.
The coordinators on combatting anti-Muslim hatred and on combatting antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, together with the coordinator for inter-religious dialogue, are now part of the Secretariat-General, ensuring cross-policy coordination on inter-faith exchanges and working together to ensure that the EU is a safe place for everyone, including Jewish and Muslim communities, in line with the priorities set out in the mission letter of the Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration.
At the same time, combatting racism remains firmly embedded in the Commission’s work on equality. The new EU Anti-racism Strategy will address all forms of racism under the lead of the Commissioner for Equality, and the anti-racism coordinator will continue to be based within the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, working in close cooperation with all relevant Commission services.
The Commission also remains fully committed to implementing the EU strategic framework for Roma equality, inclusion and participation.
With a return on equity of 13.9%, in the third quarter of 2024, Greek banks’ profitability was ninth among 16 examined euro area countries[1].
One recent independent analysis shows that Greek banks lag behind their European peers in terms of net fee and commission income, representing approximately 17% of total operating income on average in the first half of 2024, below a typical level of around 22% in Europe[2].
Banks operating in the EU can in principle determine their fees and interest rates. Consumers are also free to choose the provider that fits their needs.
While EU legislation generally does not regulate the level of charges, the Payment Account Directive (PAD)[3] requires that the services for payment account with basic features (referred to in Article 17) are offered free of charge or for a reasonable fee[4].
According to the Commission’s information, banks in Greece pay taxes[5]. Banks offset these tax obligations with eligible deferred tax assets (DTAs) or deferred tax credits (DTCs).
Greek banks have accumulated large DTAs due to losses booked during the major restructuring of Greek Government debt in 2012[6] and severe recession which led to tens of billions of euros in provisioning and hence the creation of new DTAs.
A significant portion of Greek banks’ deferred tax assets which benefit from a government guarantee are deferred tax credits and qualify as CET1[7] capital.
In June 2024, DTCs amounted to EUR 12.5 billion[8] and they follow a linear annual amortisation schedule, ending in 2041. Furthermore, a financial transaction tax applies to financial institutions operating in Greece.
Regarding the 5% withholding tax on dividends, the taxation is a competence of Member State authorities.
[3] Directive 2014/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 on the comparability of fees related to payment accounts, payment account switching and access to payment accounts with basic features, OJ L 257, 28.8.2014, p. 214-246.
[4] Article 18 clarifies that the reasonable fees are established taking into account at least national income levels and average fees charged by credit institutions in the Member State concerned for services provided on payment accounts.
[5] The nominal corporate tax rate in Greece for credit institutions that fall under the requirements of Article 27A of Law 4172/2013 is 29%, while it is 22% for other legal entities.
The Commission’s recommendation for a -90% net greenhouse gas emission reduction target for 2040 is in line with the latest available science and the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement.
As indicated in the Commission Work Programme 2025, the Commission intends to make a proposal in the first quarter of 2025 to amend the European Climate Law Regulation[1] to include this target.
This target would confirm the EU’s science-based approach, and thus giving the EU the necessary credibility to call on other countries to increase their ambition.
As the target is to be included in the proposal to amend the European Climate Law, it will be subject to interinstitutional negotiations before adoption and provides the legal basis for the next EU nationally determined contribution to be submitted ahead of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 30).
The nationally determined contribution which should include the 2040 target, with an indicative figure for 2035, will be subject to the institutional process of approval in Council prior to submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Source: Switzerland – Department of Foreign Affairs in English
In 2024, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) obtained several ground-breaking convictions in the fields of international criminal law, national security, terrorism and white-collar crime. Summary penalty orders imposed on international commodities companies and the first trial of a company in the Federal Criminal Court for the bribery of foreign public officials are proof that Swiss corporate criminal law is effective. However, additional legal instruments would make criminal prosecution in this field far more efficient and effective. In its efforts to guarantee Switzerland’s long-term internal security, the OAG is reliant on the Federal Criminal Police being able to provide a sufficient number of investigators.
Question for written answer E-001301/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Yannis Maniatis (S&D)
Maritime Spatial Planning is a crucial tool for the sustainable management of marine resources, the protection of ecosystems and the preservation of biodiversity.
Recently, the Court of Justice of the European Union (Case C-128/24) ruled that Greece has failed to comply with its obligations under Directive 2014/89/EU, as it: a) failed to prepare a maritime spatial plan by 31 March 2021 and b) failed to send copies of that plan to the Commission and the other Member States concerned.
The importance of completing Maritime Spatial Planning is even greater in countries with extensive maritime areas and environmental challenges, such as Greece.
The Commission is asked:
1.Has the Greek Government adopted and notified it of corrective measures to comply with the relevant EU legislation, following the issuance of the judgment?
2.What measures will the Commission propose to Greece to comply with Directive 2014/89/EU?
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on April 2, 2025, to 46 months’ imprisonment for violating federal firearms laws and an additional 8 consecutive months of imprisonment for violating conditions of his federal supervised release, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Keith Harris, 25, and also ordered Harris to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Harris previously pleaded guilty in this case to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon on June 11, 2024. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Additionally, Harris admitted to violating several conditions of his supervised release following a 2022 conviction for possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Harris.